Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
A non-governmental organisation in Bauchi State,”Save
Bauchi State”, has donated assorted assorted drinks and beverages worth about N200,000 to the family of Late Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
Delivering the items, chairman of the organization, Alhaji Zaharadeen Baba-Tako, said he and other members of the organisation were in the family house to pay homage.
He said that the late prime minister could not be easily forgotten considering the role he played both in the struggle for the nation’s independence and political development.
He said that the least the sons and daughters of Bauchi could do in appreciation, was to identify with the family of the deceased leader.
Borno
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has assured
that government would reconstruct structures damaged by Boko Haram terrorists in the liberated border community of Damsak to enable residents return to their normal lives.
He made the promise while addressing some residents in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area of the state.
The governor, who expressed sadness over the level of destruction by the terrorists, said “it is sad that the lunatics chose to engage in wanton destruction of lives and property in the guise of religion.
“We will strive hard to ensure that all the structures destroyed are reconstructed within our limited resources.”
He said government would conduct a census of the damaged structures to determine the actual figure before embarking on the reconstruction programme.
FCT
WaterAid, an International Organisation, has reiter
ated its commitment to partner government at all levels, especially the Local Government Areas to provide Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities for Nigerians.
WaterAid made the commitment in its five years strategic plan (2016-2021).
The report stated that the organisation planned to achieve access to WASH for everyone everywhere by 2030,
According to the report, WaterAid works in six focal states of Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, Ekiti, Jigawa and Plateau.
It quoted the organisation’s Country Director, Dr Michael Ojo, as describing the strategy as “ambitious and challenging”, but optimistic about the future.
Gombe
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said that Nigeria
and the North East would be at peace when the internally displaced persons returned to their homes.
Speaking at the 20th anniversary celebration of Gombe State in Gombe, Abubakar, who was also the chairman of the occasion, said that complete peace could only be achieved when the displaced persons returned to their homes, farms and businesses.
“There will be complete peace when hospitals and markets reopen. There will be complete peace when children and women are no longer malnourished or when people no longer in fear or traumatised,” he said.
He said that for peace to be sustained in the region, the unquestionable level of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment must be treated as a national emergency.
Kaduna
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Kaduna State
branch, said on Monday that it would embark on strike over non payment of entitlements to primary school teachers.
State Chairman of the union, Audu Amba, made this known in an interview with newsmen on the side line of the emergency meeting of the NUT National Executive Council, held in Kaduna.
Amba said the union had exhausted all areas of dialogue with the state government, without getting any positive response.
He said that the state government had failed to settle the Leave Transport Grant (LTG) of primary school teachers since 2015 even though it had been deducted from their salaries.
Kano
The Acting Director-General, Bureau of Public Enter
prises (BPE), Dr Vincent Onome, has commended the management of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) for the steps it has taken to reduce loss.
A statement by KEDCO said Onome was impressed by the minimal Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collections Loss (ATC&C).
The statement was signed by the Public Relations Officer of KEDCO, Mr Mohammed Kandi.
Onome, the statement said, also applauded the ongoing Geographic Information System (GIS) based customer enumeration exercise being carried out by the Company.
It added that the BPE boss, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Post-Privatisation Monitoring Department, Mr Balogun Omotunde, led the Bureau’s team on inspection exercise to Kano.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government has commended President
Muhammadu Buhari for curtailing insecurity in the North-East.
Governor Atiku Bagudu made the commendation in Birnin Kebbi in a statewide broadcast to mark the 56th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence.
Bagudu said this was the first time the nation was celebrating the anniversary devoid of fear and uncertainty.
He said the last six years were characterised by palpable fear and uncertainty due to instances of bomb blasts and explosion in the North-East.
He said determination, commitment, prayers and political will of present Nigeria’s leadership was the factor responsible for decimating the insurgents’ activities in the region.
Kwara
A medical expert in Ilorin, Dr Misbau Lawal, has ad
vised people to imbibe the habit of regular hand washing to avoid contracting viral and bacterial infection of the eye currently spreading .
Our correspondent reports that the infection, known as ‘conjunctivitis’ in medical parlance and ‘appollo’ in local parlance, is inflammation of the conjunctiva, a thin, filmy membrane that covers the white portion of the eyes.
Lawal advised people to keep their hands away from the eyes and thoroughly wash hands before and after applying eye medications on infected children.
Nasarawa
Governor Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State has com
miserated with police authority over the death of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations in the state, Mr Usman Sabo-Longlong.
In a condolence message signed on his behalf by his Special Assistant, Media, Tukur Ahmed, the governor described the death of the officer as ‘tragic’.
“The death of the late DCP, Operations, is a great loss, not only to the police family, but the people of the state and the country in general.
“Late police officer was a vibrant, committed and dedicated man, who has contributed immensely in ensuring the security and peaceful development of the state.
Niger
Niger Government has flagged off sales of N183 million
worth of grains at 50 per cent subsidy, to reduce people’s hardship in the current economic recession.
Our Correspodent reports that selling at the subsidised rate will be cheaper than the current market price of grains in the state.
Speaking at the occasion recently, Governor Sani Bello of Niger State, said that the intervention was coming against the persistent hike in prices of food items due to the economic situation in the country.
Bello said that the sales of staple food items at subsidised rates were palliative measures toward easing the high costs of foods across major markets in the state.
“Foods and shelter are considered to be very important things in life. A lot of people have problems in buying foods, especially during festive periods.
“`We feel the pains of our people and that is why we made it a priority to embark on the sale of grains across the 25 local government councils”.
Sokoto
Prof. Lawali Abubakar, Director Centre For Agriculture
and Pastoral Research of the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto has called for the diversification of the economy through huge investment in agriculture and mining.
Abubakar told newsmen in Sokoto that diversification of the economy in the two sectors could tackle poverty and the economic challenges bedevilling the county.
He said that the Federal and state governments should make available farm inputs to farmers between April and June every year at affordable rates to enable them access the commodity in time.
He emphasised that this would prepare ground for farmers to plant various crops and ensure massive production with a view to enhancing food security in the country .
He also called for provision of seeds as well as retraining of agriculture extension workers by experts to properly educate farmers on the new methods and techniques of farming.
Taraba
Over 700 cases involving political parties and the Inde
pendent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are pending in various Nigerian courts.
The National Financial Secretary of Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC), Alhaji Shuaibu Bobboi, made this known at a press conference in Jalingo.
According to Bobboi, the cases are between various political parties on one hand, and between the political parties and INEC on the other.
He said that IPAC was working assiduously to seek for out-of-court settlement on majority of the cases.
“ We are working to see that majority of these cases are resolved out-of-court for the sake of unity and democratic development,” he said.
Bobboi, who is also the Returning Officer in IPACs executive’s election in the state, said the organisation was playing a key role in achieving a “balanced relationship between political parties.”
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has inducted and given orientation to 100 Ogoni youths for training on Creative Arts. The beneficiaries were drawn from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the CRAB of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, was a prelude to the training proper, billed to commence next Tuesday.
As usual, HYPREP issued undertaking forms to the trainees, for them to complete and submit as a guarantee that they would subject themselves to the requirements of the programme as well as be of good behaviour throughout the four-month duration of the training.
HYPREP also announced that it would pay N150,000 to each of the beneficiaries monthly, as transport and feeding allowance, stressing, however, that only those who fully participate in the training would be entitled for the allowance.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, welcomed the trainees to the programme, saying, HYPREP’s projects are evolving and that one thing that is happening today is that the Project has gotten leadership right, by making promises and keeping those promises.
According to him, the Project had equally promised to move away from rudimentary skills acquisition to high impacts acquisition levels, which it has kept today by sponsoring the training on Creative Arts.
He noted that in planning its livelihood programmes for Ogoni youths, HYPREP has taken time out to look for skills that would add value to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by the Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi said by packaging the Creative Arts training, it was expected that the Ogoni people would have their own version of Nollywood known as Ogoniwood just as Nigerians are familiar with Hollywood, Bollywood, Kannywood and Nollywood.
To achieve this goal, the Project Coordinator explained that it was the reason for choosing a reputable establishment like Halibiz Consult Limited, to partner with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt, which he described as one of the most prestigious in the Niger Delta, for the training of the beneficiaries.
He also indicated that in doing this, HYPREP was desirous of going for talents that would help the Ogoni people grow in the film industry, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.
Zabbey equally enjoined the trainees to put in their best so that in the next three to five years, they would carve a niche for themselves and become forces to reckon with in the film industry.
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee said HYPREP does what it says it will, stressing that the process of training Ogoni youths on specialised skills started three years ago.
According to her, the selection process for the training was rigorous and transparent, and was carried out by renowned actors actresses.
She disclosed that the training consists of three major aspects, which include acting, script writing and make-up, while Nollywood actors like Charles Nnoje, Ngezu J. Ngezu and award-winning make-up artist, Jude Odo would be on hand to drill and groom the beneficiaries.
Mrs Nzidee noted that the programme is a specialised training that does not have anything like starter packs but that it is purely a professional certification programme that would launch the beneficiaries into the Nollywood industry in Nigeria.
According to her, the Creative Arts training is one of the four specialised trainings organised by HYPREP to ensure that the Ogoni people are well positioned in vital industries like Aviation, Maritime, Creative Arts and Mechatronics.
She said the last of such trainings on Mechatronics would take place in the coming months, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so as to put the Ogoni people on the Nollywood map.
She further indicated that while Charles Nnoje and Ngezu J. Ngezu would take the beneficiaries on the practical aspects, Jude Odo would take them on the make-up aspects.
Also speaking, the External Relations Manager of Halibiz Consult Limited, Alabo Experience Douglas said his company gives much premium to standard and quality, and assured that the firm would give the trainees value for the money spent on the programme.
While charging the beneficiaries to be dedicated and punctual, he stressed the need for them to approach the programme with the mindset of being empty so that at the end of the day, they would benefit maximally.
On his part, the Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo said the CRAB is an acronym for Creative Review of Arts and Books, stressing that it was named by renowned playwright, Prof Ola Rotimi.
According to him, the CRAB had nurtured, groomed and produced Nollywood actors and actresses like Bobmanuel Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu,Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, and a host of others, assuring the beneficiaries that they were on fertile environment to hone their talents.
He noted that symbolically, the crab is a nutritious seafood common in the Niger Delta, and reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to come empty for the training, as it were.
Ihunwo disclosed that the theory classes of the programme would run for three weeks while the fourth week would be for the master classes, and urged the trainees to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a difference by telling the Ogoni story, which he described as inexhaustible by themselves, in order to put Ogoni on the map.
A 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University identified as Jatau Rilokwah, has been reportedly found dead in the university’s senior staff quarters.
A counter-insurgency expert, focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this on his X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, the discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by a security officer at the university, Emmanuel Gyawo.
He stated that Gwayo was directed by Prof. Shedrack Jatau to check on his son upon arriving at the residence, and he found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
“Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of the State at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
“The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he further stated.
He added that the student’s corpse had been deposited in the hospital morgue.
He also quoted police sources as saying that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun says is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000.
Abiodun disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times,” the governor said.
As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre will be repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery.
“I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery,” he told Davies-Okundaye.
He added that the gallery will be ready before the National Sports Festival in May, when the State will host about 15,000 visitors.
“I want them to be able to see our tourist sites,” he said, listing attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.
Highlighting Ogun’s improved infrastructure, the governor said, “Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come by sea.”
Davies-Okundaye, in her remarks, praised the state’s efforts to promote tourism and pledged to use the new gallery to attract global attention.
“This gallery will bring many Heads of State. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than 10 Heads of State, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. The same will happen here,” she said.
She also applauded the Governor for his commitment to the Adire fabric industry.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire. This is what we can sell to the Europeans,” she said.
Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s backing of the Adire industry, citing policies such as the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, compulsory wearing of Adire in the state, and provision of solar-powered production equipment to support artisans.
He also revealed plans to open a creative arts and entertainment village in partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters, expected to be completed within two months.