Nation
THE STATES
Borno
The police in Borno State have denied media report on alleged abduction of the Caretaker Chairman of Bama Local Government Area, Alhaji Modu Ali, by suspected gunmen.
The spokesman of the command, Mr Victor Isuku dismissed the report while fielding questions from newsmen in Maiduguri.
Isuku explained that Ali was arrested by court orderlies using private tricycle.
“Modu Ali was not kidnapped or abducted by gunmen as reported in the media. He was arrested by court orderlies based on an order of a court in Maiduguri,” he said.
Isuku however said that Ali had been reunited with his family after he was released by the court.
Gombe
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has deployed 3,000 prospective corps members of 2016 Batch B Stream II to Gombe State.
The Chief Information Officer, Miss Magrate Dakama, stated this in a statement issued in Gombe.
“About 3, 000 prospective Corps members are expected to report at the NYSC temporary orientation camp, Science Technical College, Amanda 12 KL Gombe-Bauchi road’’, the statement said.
According to the statement, registration and verification will commence on January 24, while closing ceremony will be on February 13th.
Kaduna
Governor Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State has said that all those found culpable in the killing of innocent people in the recent crisis in Southern Kaduna will be prosecuted.
He described the incident as unfortunate and condemnable.
He said this when the Council of Traditional Chiefs and Emirs, led by Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, paid him a solidarity visit.
“This is not something to talk about because I am not the first governor to receive this kind of treatment, every governor in the last 15 years in this state has been treated this way, and it is part of the challenges and burden of leadership. So, I am not disturbed.
Kano
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), says it empowered 60 victims of trafficking in the North-West Zone in 2016.
The NAPTIP Zonal Commander, Mr Shehu Umar, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Kano.
Umar said that the victims were trained in various skills including tailoring, interior decoration, catering, among others.
He said that the agency with support of a non-governmental organisation would soon provide working tools to the empowered victims.
Kebbi
The Association for the Promotion of Livestock Production in the African Sahel and Savannah regions says it will enlighten livestock breeders on modern livestock production.
The President of the association, Dr Buba Jalo, who led a delegation to Kebbi State, disclosed this in Birnin Kebbi after a closed door meeting with Governor Atiku Bagudu.
He told newsmen after the meeting that the training would end the incessant clashes between farmers and livestock producers.
Jalo said the association would ensure that farmers and livestock breeders embraced dialogue in dispute resolution and peaceful coexistence.
Kwara
Agbeyangi Community in Ilorin East local government Area of Kwara State has denied a reported influx of Boko Haram members into the area.
The Alagua of Agbeyangi, Alhaji Aliyu Baba, said in statement in Ilorin that a media report to that effect was not true.
A national daily had reported that some items, belonging to suspected Boko Haram insurgents, were found in the community.
But Baba, the community head, stated that the purported items belong to some Fulani herdsmen migrating from the North and awaiting screening before they could be allowed into the community.
Nasarawa
The Niger State Sanitary Industry Limited, Ikeja, Lagos State has distributed relief materials worth N500,000 to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), at their Kuta village camp in Karu local government of Nasarawa State.
The firm’s Marketing Manager, Mr Akuta Chinedu, who supervised the distribution, said that the company was moved to assist the IDPs because they found their conditions “very critical”.
Chinedu decried the living conditions of the IDPs and urged the Federal Government to intervene in the areas of education and healthcare.
He said that the Kuta camp was the first beneficiary of the gesture because it was the closest to the Abuja office of the company.
Niger
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Niger State on Empowerment and Social Protection, Mrs Afiniki Dauda, says the state government has so far trained and deployed 4,149 to the programme.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Minna, Dauda said 2, 883 have been deployed to teach, 611 to the agricultural sector , 355 were posted to health sector and 299 others were to serve under N-Community.
She said other candidates were being trained and on completion will be deployed to the programme.
“We have opted to use our discretion in terms of posting based on the state’s personnel needs. The review of the posting of N – Power beneficiaries is ongoing and zero posting issues will be addressed”, he said.
Osun
Students of the Osun State University, Osogbo, last Saturday protested the shooting of two of their colleagues by some policemen.
The protesting students lit bon fires on major streets and impeded human and vehicular traffic within Osogbo metropolis.
The shot students, Kazeem Adesola and Ibrahim Ajao, were playing football on a pitch at Oke-Baale area of the metropolis when the incident occurred.
The policemen, who came in plain clothes, had accused some students on the pitch of being involved in internet fraud.
Ondo
Olori, the wife of Oba Babatunde Faduyile, the Abodi of Ikaleland in Ondo State, Grace Faduyile, has appealed to government at all levels to provide jobs for the youth in the country.
She made the appeal while speaking with newsmen shortly after a thanksgiving ceremony at the Gospel Faith Mission Internatonal (GOFAMINT) in Okitipupa.
Olori Faduyile was rescued from the hands of a five-man gang of kidnappers in a foiled abduction saga on January 15 in Ikoya, Okitipupa local government area.
She said that unemployment was responsible for youths getting more involved in social vices.
Recounting her ordeal, she said the kidnappers took her and one of her aides through the waterways for over two hours to an unknown destination before they were rescued by local hunters and security agencies.
Oyo
A chieftain of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Dr Kunle Olajide, says regional integration is the key to the economic prosperity of the Yoruba nation.
Olajide stated this at a colloquium organised by the Yoruba Patriotic Movement (YPM) in Ibadan last Saturday.
The theme of the colloquium chaired by a former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, was” Resetting the Yoruba Nation’s Agenda for Rapid, Systematic and Sustainable Development.”
Plateau
A PDP chieftain in Plateau State, Chief Alexander Mwolwus,
has urged Governor Simon Lalong to tackle corruption, especially in the conduct of election at the local government council level.
Mwolwus who made the call in an interview with newsmen in Pankshin, said the recently suspended some local government staff, including DPMs, DFSs and Directors for alleged shady financial deals, was commendable.
“We have not heard of anything about the Local Government Management committee Chairmen.
“In December 2016, the governor gave these chairmen another six months to keep managing the affairs of the 17 LGAs instead of conducting local government poll to right the wrong,” he said.
Sokoto
The Chairman, Sokoto State House of Assembly Committee on Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Tanimu Kyadawa, has urged Nigerians to patronise made- in-Nigeria products.
Kyadawa (APC-Gada West), who gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Sokoto, said doing so would boost the country’s economy.
The legislator called on government to mobilise more support for Nigerian industries in order to improve the standard of all products.
He also urged indigenous manufacturers to be ingenious for the benefit of the citizens.
Taraba
The police in Jalingo, Taraba State, have confirmed the arrest of an armed immigration personnel by a local vigilance group.
The spokesman of the police command, Mr David Misal, said that the suspect, Mahmood Idris, broke into a place of worship and destroyed some properties.
Misal explained that Idris, who sustained injuries during the incident, was receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Jalingo.
According to him, police preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect signed and collected the rifle on Saturday while on duty, only for him to engage in the dastardly act.
Zamfara
The police in Zamfara State have embarked on state-wide familiarisation campaign as part of efforts to improve police community relationship in the state.
The Commissioner of Police in Zamfara, Mr Shaba Alkali, said in Gusau on Sunday that the tour was designed to bridge the gap between the force and residents.
Alkali explained that the police would interact with various stakeholders across the state, including local government councils, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other security agencies, to get closer to people at the grassroots.
Rivers State University and the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education jointly hosted a two-day National Conference on 8 and 9 May 2026 to examine the state of values in Nigeria.
The two days conference held at Rivers State University convocation arena brought together academics, policymakers, legal experts and education leaders under the theme _“Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria.”_
The gathering focused on policy gaps, curriculum reform, and the role of ethics in public service and education.
The event opened on Friday with remarks from Vice Chancellor Prof. Chief Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who stressed the need to address declining moral and civic values across Nigeria’s education and public sectors. A book of abstracts for the plenary sessions was also presented to participants.
Key speakers included former Attorney General Chief Dr Kanu Agabi, SAN; NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Shehu Salisu; Prof. Hauwa Imam, FNAE, of the University of Abuja; former Rivers SUBEB Chairman Ven Dr Fyneface Akah, ; former NIMASA DG Dr Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside; and RSU Director of ICT Prof. Sunny Orike.
Discussions centered on integrating values education into schools, tertiary institutions and public institutions, alongside the impact of technology on moral development among young Nigerians. Panel and plenary sessions produced practical recommendations for curriculum and policy reform.
On Saturday, the foundation marked its centenary with the unveiling of the book _Otonti Nduka in History_, launched by Chief Engr. Grant Offor, FNSE. The Nigerian Academy of Education held a ceremonial procession led by its President Prof. Olu Jegede and the Ikwerre Professors Forum.
In a communiqué, participants called for stronger collaboration between government, civil society and academia to mainstream values education nationwide. They recommended reviewing teacher training curricula and expanding digital platforms to promote ethical civic engagement, with the foundation pledging to share the outcomes with education authorities for implementation.
Dignitaries present included Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide as Chief Host, Prof. Emeritus Chief T. Uzodimma Nwala, the Ikenga 1 of Mbaise and first philosophy student of Prof. Otonti Nduka, alongside scholars and community leaders.
Amadi Akujobi
The Shell Nigeria Gas Limited, in partnership with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, has reaffirmed support for efforts to expand gas distribution infrastructure in Rivers State as part of initiatives aimed at improving access to affordable, cleaner and more reliable energy for industries across the South-South region.
The commitment was highlighted during the SNG–MAN Business Forum held in Port Harcourt, where stakeholders from the industrial and public sectors examined the role of natural gas in driving industrialisation, boosting local production and strengthening energy security.
Speaking at the forum on behalf of the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Gas Limited, the company’s Head of Gas Distribution, Mr. Chukwuka Amos Ejesi, described natural gas as a critical component of Nigeria’s energy mix and a key driver of sustainable industrial growth.
According to him, Nigeria’s gas development agenda has reached a stage where policy direction must be matched with practical implementation capable of addressing the energy challenges confronting manufacturers.
He noted that pipeline gas offers industries a cleaner, more dependable and cost-effective energy alternative capable of supporting uninterrupted operations, reducing emissions and improving production efficiency.
“Gas is the backbone of manufacturing, and we are encouraged by the growing recognition among stakeholders of the need for cleaner and more reliable energy solutions,” he said.
Ejesi stressed the need for sustained collaboration among energy providers, government institutions and industrial stakeholders to maximise the country’s gas resources for economic development.
He added that improved gas infrastructure would strengthen manufacturing value chains, enhance productivity and promote more competitive industrial operations across Rivers State and the wider South-South region.
Participants at the forum also emphasised the importance of expanding energy infrastructure as a pathway to unlocking industrial capacity, reducing operating costs and promoting sustainable industrial development.
Representing Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Director-General of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to partnering with private sector investors to revitalise industrial activities in the state.
He identified key projects targeted under the initiative to include the revival of the Ahoada Industrial Park, the New Port City project and the proposed Bonny Industrial Park, all aimed at stimulating economic growth and expanding industrial opportunities along the Bonny corridor.
According to the governor, the long-term vision is to position Rivers State as a leading manufacturing hub in Southern Nigeria through strategic public-private partnerships.
Governor Fubara also commended Shell Nigeria Gas and MAN for sustaining engagements geared towards improving industrial energy access, noting that gas infrastructure development remains central to the state’s economic recovery plans.
He further observed that the gas sector presents enormous opportunities for economic growth, especially as global energy systems continue to shift towards cleaner energy sources.
The governor called on stakeholders to work collectively towards developing a practical and sustainable gas framework capable of supporting the state’s industrial and energy development objectives.
Chairman of MAN, Rivers and Bayelsa Branch, Elder Vincent Okuku, described gas as indispensable to industrial operations, noting that many manufacturers continue to struggle with the high cost of alternative energy sources.
Similarly, President of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Chinyere Ngozi Nwoga, said the transition to natural gas had become increasingly necessary for businesses seeking stable and cost-efficient operations.
“Pipeline natural gas provides a more cost-effective and reliable source of energy for industries,” she stated.
Also speaking, former Chairman of MAN in Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs. Emilia Akpan, stressed the need to align energy infrastructure development with investment in human capacity.
She maintained that rebuilding the state’s economy would require not only reliable energy supply but also the development of technical skills needed to support long-term industrial growth.
By Kevin Nengia
The City Boy Movement in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers state has commended Senator Allwell Onyesoh on his victory in the APC primary election for Rivers East Senatorial District.
Chairman of the group in Etche, Dr. Fortune Uchenna Obi, spoke to journalists in Okehi Ward after participating in Monday’s direct primary. He described Onyesoh’s emergence as the party’s candidate for the 2027 senatorial election as a reflection of the people’s will.
Dr. Obi said the senator has performed well during his first term and deserves re-election. He also thanked FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, leader of the Renewed Hope Agenda and Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State, for supporting Onyesoh’s candidacy. According to him, Wike’s backing was instrumental to the senator’s nomination, clearance, and victory at the primary.
He further praised voters in Etche and across Rivers East for turning out in large numbers at ward centers and urged them to sustain the support to ensure Onyesoh’s success in the January 2027 general election.