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.