Nation
THE STATES
Benue
The Sector Commander of the FRSC in Benue State , Mr Chidiebere Nkwonta, has said that 904 casualties were recorded in 300 road accidents in Benue last year.
Nkwonta said in Makurdi that the figures showed improvements, compared to 1,183 casualties from 362 road accidents recorded in 2015.
He said that 799 people were seriously injured while 105 others were killed in auto crashes last year.
Nkwonta noted, however, that over-speeding was the major cause of the deadly crashes.
He cited March as the month with the highest number of crashes last year, while the least number of accidents occurred in November.
Borno
The Borno State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), says it has discovered “Count down Timers’’ used by Boko Haram terrorists to detonate explosives.
The Commandant of the Corps, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, disclosed this in Maiduguri in an interview with newsmen.
Abdullahi said that the instruments were discovered by men of the Disaster Management Unit of the command at the scene of last Sunday’s bomb blast in Kalari area of the state capital.
“The digital timer countdown displayed served the purpose of allowing the planter of bomb or suicide bomber to know the time to explode his Improvised Explosive Device.
“Since we now know what they are using; the security agencies would trace the roots of where these gadgets are coming fromn”, he added.
Jigawa
The Magistrates’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on all State Houses of Assembly in the country to pass laws creating a separate salary structure for magistrates.
The National President of the association, Mr Saidu Safiyanu, made the call while speaking at its National Executive Council meeting in Dutse, Jigawa Sate.
Safiyanu said that the association had since July 2016 been battling to address issues concerning the working conditions of magistrates throughout the country.
The MAN president noted that the major aim of the association is to protect the rights, honour and privileges of magistrates, as well as safeguard the independence and integrity of its members.
According to him, the national officers of the association had visited the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, where issues of constitutional amendment to include magistrates as judicial officers were discussed, and stated that the national officers had received a favorable response from the Senate leader.
Kaduna
The Kaduna Central Prison has trained 60 inmates in tailoring and Information and Communication Technoogy, the state Prisons Controller, Yazid Alhassan, has said.
Alhassan said in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna that the training was quarterly and in batches.
He said that the training would cover other skills this year, to prepare the inmates with relevant skills to earn a living after serving their release.
According to him, the training, conducted with the support of Kaduna State Government, is a major step in the rehabilitation of the prisoners, who before now were doing virtually nothing to upgrade themselves.
Kano
The Federal Road Safety Commission in Kano State has warned motorists against speeding on bridges, especially at night.
The Public Relations Officer of the commission, Malam Kabiru Daura, gave the warning when he confirmed an accident which occurred at Kwankwasiyya bridge.
Daura said that a white Honda Accord car, NSR 262 GG, fell from the Kwankwasiyya bridge at about 10 p.m.
He said the three men in the vehicle were rushed to the Murtala Muhammed Hospital.
Eyewitnesses said that because of the speed, the driver lost control and the car fell off the bridge.
One of the eyewitnesses,Malam Lawan Abdullahi, said that he went to buy some drugs at a chemist when he heard the noise of the car which fell off the bridge.
Katsina
The immediate former Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, has appeared in court for alleged financial misappropriation during his tenure as governor.
Shema was arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Bako by the Katsina State Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but did not take plea.
Earlier, EFCC counsel, Jibrin Samuel (SAN), had urged the court to remand Shema in prison so that they could have access to him at will. Samuel asked that the administrative bail earlier given to Shema be revoked, saying, he had shown some signs of not reporting to the commission.
The defence counsel, Joseph Daudu, however, objected to the prayer of the EFFC counsel to have his client remanded in prison custody.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government says it has spent N500 million on checking the activities of cattle rustlers and kidnappers in the state.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Babale Yauri, disclosed this in Birnin Kebbi at a ministerial briefing organised by the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
“Over N500 million has been expended in order to curb the activities of cattle rustlers and kidnappers operating in Danko Wasagu and Ngaski Local Government Areas of the state,’’ he said.
Kwara
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called on residents of Kwara State to be on security alert more than ever in the wake of the dislodgement of Boko Haram insurgents from Sambisa forest.
The acting Director of the agency in the State, Mr Olusegun Adeyemi, made the call in a statement made available to newsmen.
He said that the call became necessary due to the reports that the dislodged insurgents were making attempts to infiltrate public and private places across the country.
Adeyemi noted that some of these insurgents, who escaped being killed or arrested by the military were making efforts to wreck havoc in churches, mosques and markets, among other public places.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has called on Governor Umaru Al-Makura to respect the court judgment that ordered dissolution of Interim Management Committee (IMC) chairmen of local government councils.
Nasarawa APGA Chairman Musa Saidu, made the call while speaking with newsmen in Lafia. A High court sitting in Lafia recently dissolved the IMC chairmen and ordered the state government to conduct election.
Saidu said the governor should comply with the judgment and dissolve the IMC immediately.
Niger
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Shuaibu Gambo has, solicited the support of the mass media in crime prevention in the country. Gambo, in an interview with newsmen in Minna, the Niger State capital, said that crime detection should not be left in the hands of the police alone.
He said that the active participation of the media in educating Nigerians to be security conscious would greatly assist in the provision of effective policing.
Gambo also called on traditional rulers and religious leaders to compliment the efforts of the police by mobilising their followers to volunteer truthful and relevant information to the police about miscreants in their domains.
Osun
The Osun State Government has warned owners of buildings erected close to the road and within the right of way in Osogbo to desist or face sanctions.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Transport, Mr Nurudeen Adeagbo, gave the warning in Osogbo.
Adeagbo said such buildings were built along Orisumbare Market, Oja-Oba and other places in Osogbo.
“No builder will be allowed to contravene the prescribed 30-metre setback from the centre of the road in accordance with the highway manual of the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing,” he said.
The permanent secretary said that it was already in the plan of the state government to develop the roads in question into a dual carriageway in the nearest future.
Oyo
The police have arraigned a hairdresser and driver before
an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court, Ibadan for alleged engaging in public fight.
The accused, Michael Godwin, 30, and Gbemisola Adejumo, both of NW6/116 Ayorinde street, Queen cinema, Adamasingba area, Ibadan, was arraigned on a two -count charge of public fight and polluting the atmosphere with faeces.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Salewa Hammed told the court that Godwin and Gbemisola engaged in a public fight on January 5, at about 7:30am at their residents in Queen cinema area , Ibadan.
Sokoto
A mobile court in Sokoto State has convicted 34 persons for various traffic offences in the state.
The spokesman of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Aliyu Kanya, made this known in a statement in Sokoto.
Kanya said that the mobile court was conducted January 5 on Sokoto-Illela highway.
He said that one of the convicts bagged two months jail or an option of N30,000 fine,while two others were discharged and acquitted. It further urged motorists to desist from driving without valid driver’s licence as well as endeavour to register their vehicles with the Internal Revenue Board.
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that 26,592 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, raising alarm across the state’s education sector.
The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, during a ministerial press briefing yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja, said that “45.7 per cent of the 58,188 students from public schools who sat for the exams did not pass.”.
This failure rate comes despite the state government’s significant financial backing N1.577 billion was paid on behalf of the students to cover WAEC fees.
“Suffice to say that the sum of N1,577,794,000 only was paid by the state government as examination fees for 58,188 students who were captured for the year 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun announced.
In a bid to tighten accountability and avoid wastage, the Commissioner disclosed that biometric and image registration was carried out to accurately determine eligible students for government sponsorship for the 2025 WASSCE.
“The exercise successfully captured and registered 56,134 students as bona fide beneficiaries of the Lagos state government’s sponsorship for the examination,” he added.
However, the Lagos State Government rolled out a bold educational intervention – the Eko Learners’ Support Programme for WASSCE and NECO candidates – aimed at reversing the tide of academic failure in the state’s public schools.
Launched on January 14, 2025, the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to equip Lagos students with tools for success.
“This forward-thinking initiative was designed to support and empower young scholars in attestation of the ministry’s commitment to advancing interest and management of the educational system in Lagos State,” Alli-Balogun stated.
Ekiti State Government says it has vaccinated 226,429 eligible girls in the State against the Human Papilloma Virus, an infection believed to be a leading cause of cervical cancer.
The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, said the HPV immunization exercise, which she flagged off in the State in May 2025 was a great success, noting that it reached targeted communities and protected children against cervical cancer.
The governor’s wife made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti yesterday during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on the introduction of Measles Rubella vaccines in Ekiti State.
She said, “The introduction of Measles Rubella Vaccines is a very crucial step towards protecting Ekiti children particularly the target age group of nine to 14 years from diseases.
“I urge all women in the State to regularly scan their breasts. This can be done with the aid of the Mammography machine which is available at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti”.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, noted that the Measles Rubella vaccines would be rolled out nationally in October, 2025.
Filani said that the State was taking proactive steps to sensitise residents of the State before the date to ensure adequate awareness on the vaccines by citizens.
The Acting Ochimba of Ogida in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam, says peace remains paramount in the socio-economic development of Etche land.
Eze Azuatalam, however, called on his people to embrace and eschew violence at all times.
The Onwa Nagbara Oha made the call during the official commissioning of his palace at Ogida recently.
The epoch-making ceremony held at his palace saw the attendance of members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs; the academia; the political class; the clergy ; women as well relevant stakeholders within and outside Etche land.
The Ngbaragida of Azuafor re-emphasised the essence of peace and social harmony which he said open the window for meaningful development to take place.
He also sought the support and collaboration of his people to achieve the desired goals of development, progress and prosperity.
He noted that the peace being witnessed in the area must be sustained through collective effort, saying, contributions and sacrifices need to be made by all concerned to live in peace.
Eze Azuatalam said his aim towards building a better Ogida cannot be compromised as he and his people have no other place called home.
The Acting Ochimba said as part of efforts to build a better Ogida, he has instituted a number of development projects, adding that some of his kinsmen have been empowered through his hard-earned money and resources, saying, he will continue to assist the less- privileged around him.
He reaffirmed his desire to impact positively on the lives of his people as the engagement of the youths will help to reduce social vices in the area.
He thanked members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs for honouring his invitation.
He specifically thanked the Onyi Ishi Etche and Ochie of Etcheland, His Eminence E mmanuel Opurum for leading Etche on the path of prosperity, and described the revered King as a role model to the younger generation.
He said his fatherly role has been a source of hope and inspiration to his subjects.
The palace was unveiled by His Eminence with the assistance of Ochimba of Abara, Eze Jonah Nwala and other prominent Etche traditional rulers and chiefs while the Onyi Ishi Etche was represented by Eze Ken Nwala, Onyi Ishi Agwuru, Ulakwo/ Umuselem Clan.
The Onyi Ishi Etche urged other prominent sons of Etche to emulate the kind gesture of Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam as his magnanimity is being seen and appreciated by his people.
Eze Azuatalam also applauded the efforts of Prof Mekuri Ndimele, former Vice Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in the growth of Etche land.
According to him, during Ndimele’ s tenure, a lot of development projects were sited at the institution, including the development of Etcheland and empowerment of Etche people.