Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Agency yesterday said it has begun the training of 240 primary healthcare workers on Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI) in four local government areas.
Officer-in-charge of the IMCI Unit, Hajiya Binta Ladan, made this known yesterday in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi.
Ladan listed the local governments as Bogoro, Jama’are, Ningi and Gambuwa.
She said that medical officers, nursing, midwives and community health workers would be part of the training.
“The personnel are to be trained on modern standard protocol of identification, classification and treatment of vaccine preventable diseases,’’ Ladan said.
FCT
The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) says it has earmarked 38 million euros for poverty eradication and empowerment in five countries.
The Chief Executive Officer, NEPAD Nigeria, Mrs Gloria Akobundu, made this known at a two-day workshop organised by NEPAD, recently in Abuja.
Akobundu explained that 35 million euros would go for the empowerment programmes, while three million euros has been earmarked for the technical support interventions.
According to her, the three million euros technical interventions will be used in expansion of facilities and training centres and sensitisation and awareness on the programme.
Kwara
The Kwara State Government yesterday pledged to provide adequate surveillance at the International Cattle Market in Ilesha- Baruba in Baruten Local Government Area.
The town is also a border community between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.
The State’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Bamidele Adegoke, said this in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin.
Adegoke added that the measure was to ensure immediate response to any outbreak of animal disease in the state.
Kano
The Senator representing Kano North Senatorial District, Alhaji Barau Jibril-Maliya, has called on the contractor handling the rehabilitation of Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi road to move to the site.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had in November 2016 awarded the contract worth over N184 million for the rehabilitation of Kano-Gwarzo-Dayi road but the work is yet to commence.
He made the call in a telephone interview with newsmen yesterday in Kano.
He said there was urgent need for the contractor to move to site immediately since he had already been mobilised in addition to signing the agreement with the Federal Government.
Kogi
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has re-deployed Commissioner of Police Wilson Inalegwu to Kogi to take charge of the State Police Command.
Report has it that Inalegwu, who until his new posting was the Commissioner of Police in charge of Ekiti Command, assumed duty on Tuesday in Lokoja.
The new Kogi Commissioner swapped position with the out-going commissioner, Mr Abdullahi Ibrahim Chafe, who has been deployed to Ekiti Command.
Speaking at a brief handing over and taking over ceremony in Lokoja, the outgoing police commissioner said his period in Kogi witnessed relative peace with drastic reduction in crime rate compared to when he assumed duty in the state.
Chafe expressed gratitude to the inspector-general, Gov. Yahaya Bello, officers and men of the command, other security agencies and traditional rulers for his successful tenure in the state.
He also commended the people of the state as well as other stakeholders that supported the command in the fight against crimes during his service in the state.
Lagos
The South African Government has deported 97 Nigerians for committing various offences in the country.
The deportees landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Monday night in a chartered aircraft with the registration number GBB710 from Johannesburg.
They were made up of 95 males and two females.
The Spokesman of the Lagos Airport Police Command, DSP Joseph Alabi, confirmed the development.
An immigration source told newsmen on condition of anonymity that six of the deportees were returned to the country for drug offences while 10 were arrested and deported for other criminal offences.
The others were said to have committed immigration offences in the Southern African country.
Niger
Bida Local Government Area of Niger State says it has earmarked N40 million for the construction of boreholes, culverts and rural primary health centres in the council 14 ward.
Chairman of the council, Mr Mohammadu Bagudu, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Bida last Tuesday.
He said that each of the councilors would present the projects from his constituency for execution.
The chairman further said that the local administration had conducted feasibility studies on where such projects would be sited.
He called on residents of the area to desist from dumping refuse on water ways, for the benefit of their health and also prevent flooding during rainy season.
Oyo
For allegedly stealing his neighbour’s two children, the police on Tuesday arraigned a 39-year-old farmer, Semiu Yusuf, in an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan.
It is reported that Yusuf of Maku Ogbere Idi, Osan, Ibadan, was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and enticing children.
The Prosecutor, Insp Sunday Ogunremi, told the court that Yusuf and others at large conspired to steal the children.
Ogunremi said Yusuf, by the act, attempted to deny a woman, Kehinde Kolapo, of the care of two of her children aged 11 and five.
He told the court that Yusuf committed the offence on February 14 at about 2 pm at Ogbere Idi, Osan area of Ibadan.
“ Yusuf was a co – tenant with the mother of the children and claimed that he saw them somewhere in town when he was going somewhere on a motorcycle.
Osun
The Osun State Government last Tuesday presented retirement bond certificates worth N1.1billion to the fourth batch of retirees under the state contributory pension scheme.
The State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, made the presentation through the State Head of Service, Mr Sunday Owoeye, at a seminar organised for workers.
The seminar was organised for them by Pension Fund Administrators to give them a better understanding of what pension schemes were all about.
Aregbesola said that 159 pensioners from the scheme would benefit from the bond, with 100 of the beneficiaries coming from Local Government Areas while the remaining 59 retired as primary school teachers.
Ogun
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo last Tuesday advised parents and community leaders to revive the culture of storytelling among children to enable them imbibe good morals.
Obasanjo gave the advice on Tuesday at a programme tagged, ”Story Time with Baba, held at his ancestral home at Ibogun in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun.
Plateau
Sgt. Apollos Aliyu of ‘A’ Divisional Police Headquarters, Jos, has told a Jos High Court that Stephen Luka, who is standing trial over alleged culpable homicide, had confessed to the crime in a written statement.
Aliyu, the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in the case, testified against the accused, who had since denied the allegations.
The accused person is facing a four-count charge of murder, attempted murder, assault and sexual abuse.
He was accused of attacking two sisters, Justina Dusu and Simi Dusu, on July 27, 2016 at his home in Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada, Jos, after they went to confront him over Justina’s pregnancy.
Sokoto
The Police in Sokoto State yesterday arraigned Francis Mbanugo, Emerie Uzochukwu, Sunday Ejeh and Emmanuel Ogbeauim, all of Mabera area of Sokoto, for allegedly stealing a motorcycle.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Monday Kenneth, told the court that the accused persons conspired and stole a Haojue motorcycle belonging to Jonathan Ezekiel of the same area.
Kenneth said that the motorcycle, with registration number, TBW 787 UT, was parked inside the compound and the accused jointly conspired and stole it.
The accused persons were arraigned on a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy, contrary to Sections 97 and 288 of the Penal Code Law.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has announced that the mangrove wetlands in Ogoniland have been officially designated a Ramsar Site of International Importance by the Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
The designation, according to HYPREP, underscores the global ecological significance of Ogoniland’s mangrove wetlands and highlights ongoing restoration efforts aimed at addressing environmental degradation in the area.
In a press statement issued by the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, the recognition was described as a major milestone for the agency, the people of Ogoni and other stakeholders working towards environmental restoration in the region.
Zabbey explained that the mangrove wetlands, which cover more than 31,700 hectares, consist of islands, tidal creeks, mudflats and mangrove forests that support a wide range of biodiversity. The ecosystem provides habitat for several species including fin fish, shellfish, crustaceans, crocodiles, turtles and the endangered grey parrot.
He noted that beyond biodiversity conservation, the wetland also provides essential ecosystem services such as fisheries production, flood control, water purification and carbon storage. According to him, the international recognition will further support local livelihoods, promote ecotourism and bring global attention to the region.
The HYPREP coordinator disclosed that the designation followed a meticulous process that began in 2024 when the project submitted a memorandum to the National Council on Environment seeking support for the recognition of the Ogoni wetlands as a Ramsar site.
Following the council’s review and approval, the Honourable Minister of Environment and Chairman of HYPREP’s Governing Council, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, formally wrote to the Ramsar Convention Secretariat requesting international recognition of the wetlands.
After a comprehensive ecological assessment, the Ramsar Secretariat granted the designation, officially recognising the Ogoniland wetlands as one of the world’s sites of international importance.
Zabbey said the recognition would strengthen ongoing environmental restoration efforts in the area and encourage stronger conservation measures and sustainable management of the wetlands for the benefit of present and future generations.
He added that the designation also fulfils a key recommendation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, marking another significant step in the implementation of the report’s recommendations.
The HYPREP project coordinator reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to restoring the Ogoni environment through the remediation of oil-polluted land, shorelines and mangrove ecosystems.
He also called for collective responsibility and stakeholder support to sustain the progress of the Ogoni cleanup programme and facilitate the development of a comprehensive and sustainable management plan for the Ogoni mangrove wetlands.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mrs Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, has attributed the successes of the 12-day programme organised for adolescent girls aimed at eliminating Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) in some parts of the State to the ability of the respective stakeholders to take ownership of the programme.
Mrs Davies-Dimkpa, who dropped the hint in an interview at the end of the programme in Elele-Alimini Community in Emohua Local Government Area on Saturday, said the event had a buy-in component, an ownership mentality, whereby facilitators, staff, and everyone involved took ownership of the project.
She explained that the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had packaged a series of training sessions for adolescent girls aimed at ending the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in some communities across the State.
According to her, the initiative was designed to educate young girls on the harmful effects of the practice and empower them to become advocates against it within their communities.
She noted that the programme, which lasted for several weeks, targeted adolescent girls from different local government areas where the practice is still prevalent, stressing that
data collected by UNICEF and the Ministry revealed that Female Genital Mutilation is still practised in some parts of the State, prompting the need for intensified sensitisation and community engagement.
Mrs Davies-Dimkpa explained that the programme adopted a “train-the-trainer” approach where adolescent girls were educated on the dangers of the practice and encouraged to share the knowledge with their peers, families and communities.
“This is a programme by the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation with support from UNICEF and UNFPA to train adolescent girls towards ending Female Genital Mutilation, which is still practised in some local government areas,” she said.
She further explained that each participating local government area had a three-day training session, with the exercise running for a total of 12 days.
The local government areas, where the programme took place, she noted, included Ahoada West, Abua-Odual, and Emohua, adding that the initiative is part of broader efforts by the state government and development partners to eliminate harmful traditional practices and protect the rights and wellbeing of girls.
She revealed that prior to the training of the adolescent girls, the Ministry and its partners had also engaged community facilitators, including older women and men, to sensitise them on the dangers associated with Female Genital Mutilation.
According to her, the involvement of community leaders and adults is essential in addressing the cultural and social factors that sustain the practice.
Speaking on the response of the participants, the permanent secretary expressed satisfaction with the level of engagement and enthusiasm shown by the girls throughout the training sessions.
She noted that many of the participants said they were learning about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation for the first time.
“The girls are between the ages of 12 and 17 and from the interactions we had with them, they were very excited. Some of them are hearing these things for the first time and never knew that the practice is harmful,” she said.
She expressed optimism that the knowledge gained from the training would enable the girls to serve as advocates for change within their communities.
She added that the Rivers State Government, alongside its partners, would continue to intensify efforts and expand community-based interventions aimed at ending the practice across the State.
Meanwhile, the participants for Emohua Local Government Area were drawn from Elele-Alimini, Egbeda, Rumuji, Ibaa, Rumuekpe, Rumuakunde, Eligbarada, and Ogbakiri Communities.
The participants,who spoke in separate interviews described the training as eye-opening, noting that it helped them better understand issues surrounding adolescent health, personal hygiene, reproductive health, and the harmful consequences of Female Genital Mutilation.
Favour Azukwu from Rumuekpe community, said the programme provided a deeper understanding of the dangers associated with the practice, particularly its impact on the health and wellbeing of girls and women.
She explained that the training sessions exposed participants to the medical, social and psychological effects of Female Genital Mutilation, including severe bleeding, infections and complications during childbirth.
She revealed that she personally experienced the practice at the age of 12 and suffered heavy bleeding afterwards, an experience that has strengthened her determination to advocate for its eradication.
According to her, many communities still practise Female Genital Mutilation because it is perceived as a cultural tradition, despite the dangers associated with it.
“I do not support Female Genital Mutilation because there are many dangers involved. I experienced severe bleeding when it was done to me as a child.
Another participant, Glory Ken, a 16-year-old secondary school student from Rumuji community, said the programme broadened her understanding of several important topics affecting adolescents.
She explained that beyond the discussion on Female Genital Mutilation, the training also focused on issues such as personal hygiene, reproductive health, peer education, and self-care.
According to her, the sessions helped participants understand the importance of making informed health decisions and supporting one another as peer educators.
“I learned about many things that affect young people in society and how to take care of myself. I also learned that Female Genital Mutilation is harmful to our health. The message I am taking back to my community is that this practice should stop,” she said.
Also speaking, Goodness Kenjika Nyeche described the programme as very impactful.
She noted that the training equipped participants with the skills and confidence to educate others about the harmful effects of Female Genital Mutilation.
She said she plans to organise sensitisation among adolescents in her community, particularly girls between the ages of 10 and 19, to ensure they understand the dangers associated with the practice.
“I learned many things from this programme and I feel very good about it. I will educate other young girls in my community and help them understand why Female Genital Mutilation should not continue,” she said.
For Queen Dike from Ibaa community, the programme helped clarify misconceptions surrounding the practice.
She explained that in some communities, the practice is still referred to as circumcision and is viewed as part of cultural identity.
She said the training helped participants understand that Female Genital Mutilation involves the cutting or removal of parts of the female genital organs and that it has serious health consequences.
She stressed that awareness and education are key to ending the practice, especially among communities that continue to uphold it as tradition.
“I think the programme is very helpful because many people still believe it is part of culture. More awareness is needed so people can understand why it should stop,” she said.
Another participant, MyJoy Echika Amadi, said the programme provided critical information about adolescent health and the dangers associated with Female Genital Mutilation.
She described the initiative as enlightening and said it encouraged young people to become advocates for change in their communities.
According to her, participants were encouraged to use various platforms such as churches, peer groups, schools and community gatherings to spread awareness about the harmful effects of the practice.
“This programme has enlightened us about the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation. I will do my best to create awareness in my community and encourage people to stop the practice,” she said.
Many of the participants emphasised that the knowledge gained during the programme has empowered them to challenge harmful traditions and promote healthier practices among young people.
They also called on the Rivers State Government, development partners and civil society organisations to sustain the sensitisation campaigns and extend the training to more communities across the State.
According to them, empowering young people with the right information will play a critical role in eliminating Female Genital Mutilation and protecting the rights, health and dignity of girls in Rivers State.
The participants expressed appreciation to the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, UNICEF and UNFPA for organising the programme and for investing in the wellbeing and future of adolescent girls in the State.
