Nation
THE STATES
Benue
Police in Benue on Friday said they had deployed 3,325 personnel on special duty across the state for the Easter celebration.
Spokesman of the command, Mr Moses Yamu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, told newsmen in Makurdi that the measure was to ensure security of lives and property during the period.
He said the figure did not include personnel on essential task force duties in the state.
Yamu said that some of the personnel were posted to churches and other places of worship.
He said that the command had embarked on “Operation Show of Force” to demonstrate its readiness to combat crime and ensure peaceful celebration during the period.
Borno
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has uncovered a fake Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) centre in Maiduguri.
The Commandant of the corps in Borno State, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, told newsmen yesterday in Maiduguri that operators of the fake centre were defrauding applicants.
Abdullahi explained that the centre was uncovered on Thursday at the Kawu Shopping Complex along Lagos Street of the metropolis.
He said that men of the command also arrested one Abizo Precious Idowu, a 31-year-old from Imo who had collected N1,200 each to register about 180 students under the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
FCT
The Federal Government last Wednesday said no fewer than 420,000 people had received meningitis vaccination in Zamfara so as to curb the outbreak in the country.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, announced this after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in Abuja.
He said that about 70 per cent of meningitis outbreak in the country was recorded in Zamfara.
Ehanire said that all the medical teams had arrived in the state to improve the application of the vaccine.
“As of now, about 420,000 people have been vaccinated in Zamfara state and I can tell you that we are beginning to see the `plato’ that is to say that the epidemic is no more rising,
“It is beginning to flatten out and we hope that it is going to come down soon.
Kaduna
Kaduna state command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had deployed over 3000 of its personnel to ensure peaceful Easter celebration.
State Commandant of the Corps, Alhaji Modu Bunu, stated this in a press statement Thursday, issued on his behalf by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Orndiir Terzungwe.
Bunu urged all residents to live in peace as both Islam and Christianity preached peaceful coexistence
He assured that the Corps, in collaboration with other agencies, would provide security before, during and after the festivity.
He warned people in the habit of engaging in acts capable of breaching the peace, that trouble makers would face the full wrath of the law.
He appealed to parents and guardians to intensify monitoring of their wards to prevent them from being victims of criminals.
Kano
The Federal Government last Thursday restated its commitment toward the promotion of heritage sites in the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture made the remark at a retreat for management staff and Curators of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, held in Kano.
The minister, represented by the Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mr Yusuf Abdallah, said promoting the nation’s heritage sites would not only boost tourism, but also create job opportunities and enhance socio-economic activities in the country.
“The government is making efforts to develop and promote heritage sites with a view to boosting tourism in the country for the overall economic development of the nation.
Katsina
Funtua Local Government Council in Katsina State lastThursday confirmed the death of six persons and the hospitalisation of 24 others as a result of outbreak of Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis.
Primary Health Care Coordinator of the Council, Mrs Muibat Abdullahi, told newsmen that the outbreak started from a Quranic (Almajiri) school at Unguwar Dahiru area of Makera ward in Funtua town.
She said authorities were alerted and in response, officials of Medicine San Frontiers (Doctors without Borders) conducted tests on isolated persons’ specimens and diagnosed meningitis type ‘C’, which is different with other cases of meningitis in the country.
Abdullahi said San Frontiers supported them with drugs and other relevant consumables while Katsina state government procured vaccines for immediate immunisation of people around the area.
Kogi
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has said that the decision to probe finances of the state, from 2003 to 2016, was not aimed at settling political scores with his predecessors.
The governor stated this in Lokoja last Wednesday, while receiving the report of a commission of inquiry set up to probe the finances of the state under two previous administrations.
He said that the attempt to look into what went wrong in the past would guide his administration against repeating similar mistakes.
According to him, the exercise is “not a witch hunt or blackmail”.
He lamented that Kogi, created 25 years ago, had remained largely undeveloped due to mismanagement and massive looting of available resources, declaring that the situation would be corrected.
Lagos
Lagos State requires about 720 million gallons of water daily but currently produces 210 million gallons, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode said last Thursday
Ambode gave the figure when he received a delegation from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) led by its President, Dr Frank Jacobs, at the Lagos House in Ikeja.
The governor said that the state had a water deficit of about 500 million gallons.
“Water is one infrastructure that we are trying to create in the city; it is clear that we have a deficit.
“The city actually needs a minimum of 720 million gallons of water per day; right now, there is a shortfall of about 500 million.
He said that his administration would continue to bridge the daily deficit of potable water in the state without inflicting tax burden on the people.
The governor said that his administration had intensified investments in the water sector, especially by putting measures in place to revamp the 48 mini water works across the state to ensure optimum performance.
Ondo
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has directed that the ban on logging activities in the free forest areas in the state be lifted.
The government had banned logging activities in the state in March. The directive was announced by Segun Ajiboye, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor on Wednesday in Akure.
However, Ajiboye, said the ban on logging activities in the forest reserve areas in the state remained in force.
“While assuring the people of the state of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu preparedness to work for the general benefit of the people and the development of the state, the ban on logging activities in the forest reserve areas is meant to ensure that the general commonwealth of the people of the state is not pillaged by a few criminally-minded people,” he said.
Plateau
The maiden edition of the Jos Carnival kicked – off last Wednesday, with a fiesta for Plateau State children.
Wife of the Plateau Governor, Mrs. Regina Lalong, accompanied by the children, ushered in the carnival with a walk.
The governor’s wife, in a speech, said that the carnival was, in itself, a testimony to the fact that permanent peace had returned to Plateau.
“That we are holding a carnival confirms that Plateau is stable; it is a clarion call to the whole world to come to Plateau and explore the massive opportunities it offers,” she said.
She said that the carnival would showcase the rich cultural heritage of the state to tourists and remind them of Plateau’s place as the leading tourists destination in the country.
Sokoto
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has commended Nigeria for its swift response to tackle the meningitis epidemic in some parts of the country.
The Country Representative of the organisation in Nigeria, Dr Alemu Wondi, made the commendation in Sokoto State last Thursday when he paid a courtesy visit on the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.
“We are here to see how to contribute to shorten the period of the outbreak in the state and other parts of Nigeria.
“ Nigeria has also made crucial efforts to eradicate polio, although the country is yet to be certified polio free.
Yobe
The Yobe State Government has constructed 250 toilets and bathrooms in each of the three Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Damaturu , the state capital.
General Manager, Yobe State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) told Alhaji Mohammed Bukar, newsmen last Friday in Damaturu that the toilets were constructed in Pompomari, Kukareta, and Muhammadu Gombe farm camps.
Bukar said that the projects were embarked upon to check open defecation and promote personal hygiene in the camps.u.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the safety of the seafaring profession and upgrading maritime institutions to international standards.
Speaking at the 2025 World Seafarers’ Day celebration in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, organised by NIMASA, with the theme, “My Harassment-Free Ship.
He said that this year’s theme “speaks to our collective duty to make every ship a safe and respectful workplace noting that harassment and bullying have no place in our maritime industry.
The Minister further emphasised the importance of continuous training and retraining to ensure seafarers remain competitive and employable.
Also speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari, emphasised that seafarers are the backbone of international trade, facilitating the smooth transportation of goods and services across the globe.
He stressed the need to eliminate all forms of violence, harassment, and bullying against seafarers.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasised the need for the maritime community to prioritise the welfare, safety of seafarers and maintain zero tolerance for harassment.
According to the DG, “Today provides opportunity for the Maritime Community to honor seafarers globally for their immense contribution to both domestic and international trade, powering the blue economy and connecting nations across oceans”.
He said that this year’s theme was particularly apt, as it was a call to action to “ensure that our seafarers feel safe, are valued and protected while at sea because the ship is not just their place of work; it is their temporary home. It must therefore reflect the highest standards of dignity and professionalism fostering zero tolerance for harassment”.
He declared that NIMASA must continue to play its part in ensuring that Nigeria contributes effectively to regulations affecting seafarers, as Nigeria remains the highest contributor of seafarers in Africa. “Our men and women sail on vessels in our domestic waters and also globally. This will continue to grow through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Program (NSDP) and the effort of our Maritime Training Institutions.
‘At the recently concluded 113th session of the International Labour Conference held in Geneva, seven (7) amendments to the MLC 2006 code addressing a broad range of issues affecting seafarers, including the recognition of seafarers as key workers, improved protection against ship board violence and harassment, enhanced access to shore leave and repatriation and updated medical and occupational safety standards were approved by an overwhelming majority.
These seven (7) amendments reflect collective global effort to align maritime Labour standards with the evolving landscape of global shipping.
I, therefore, call on shipowners, operators and crewing agencies to begin to review their operational manuals to align with these amendments ahead of the expected entry into force in December 2027. Our seafarers must be able to report grievances without fear of retaliation, while also ensuring protection against vexations or malicious complaints.
He added that NIMASA will play its role by establishing clear policies and procedures for preventing and addressing harassment on Nigerian-flagged vessels, ensuring confidential reporting channels for incidents of harassment and that reports are thoroughly investigated and addressed.
“Today is a clear reminder to us all – government, employers, unions, shipowners, and civil society- that seafarers should not be left alone in their struggles. They look up to us to help them foster a culture of zero tolerance on ships to protect their dignity”, he stated.
He also assured that under his leadership, NIMASA will ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, particularly the renewal of entries into force by ship owners, operators, and relevant agencies come December 2027.
Stakeholders drawn across the four local government areas of Ogoniland in Rivers State, have expressed delight over the excellent performance of the Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey within the past two years, describing him as a true patriot, who has been showing leadership in delivering service to the people.
The stakeholders, who gave the indication in their separate goodwill messages during the mid-term stakeholders engagement and scorecard presentation organised by HYPREP in Port Harcourt, scored the Project Coordinator high on the Ogoni cleanup and the overall implementation of the recommendations of the UNEP Report on Ogoniland.
The President of KAGOTE and Board member of the Ogoni Trust Fund, Hon Emma Deeyah, particularly commended Zabbey for turning around the fortunes of the Ogoni people, as they are now having value for the money earmarked for the cleanup project, describing the Project Coordinator as “one of our best.”
He noted that Zabbey has done well on the saddle, working very hard, being an administrator and leader with listening ears, striving assiduously to meet the yearnings and expectations of the people.
He said the Ogoni cleanup is a journey that has just begun, stressing that he was happy that the Project Coordinator is not on the saddle to amass wealth but to deliver and achieve results, and appealed to the Ogoni people to continue to give him their support.
On his part, member representing Gokana/Khana Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Host Communities, Rt Hon Dumnamene Dekor, said HYPREP under the watch of Zabbey is working with renewed vigour, and thanked the Project Coordinator for driving the Ogoni cleanup project with passion.
He noted that the funds dedicated and earmarked for the project are running out, disclosing that he was working on an Executive Bill, to facilitate the work of HYPREP.
While stressing the need for the people to take full responsibility of all the projects sited in their communities, Dekor regretted that some beneficiaries had sold the starter packs presented to them by HYPREP, while the water facility provided in his Bierra community has been vandalised.
The King of Tai Kingdom, King Samuel Nnee, said HYPREP under Zabbey as Project Coordinator has been delivering on its mandate, describing him as a square peg in a square hole, who has given hope to the Ogoni people.
The monarch urged the Ogoni people to give the Project Coordinator the necessary support.
The Paramount Ruler of Barako Community and member of the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt, Mene Kadilo Kabari, said Zabbey has always demonstrated that he is a true patriot by carrying along Ogoni people from all strata of the society, describing him as a performing Project Coordinator.
He noted that the bane of HYPREP before now had been the conflict between the Project Coordinator and the Minister of Environment, saying, under Zabbey, Ogoni people can now see what unity of purpose can achieve.
He expressed delight that the water facility which was the first commissioned by HYPREP in his community is functioning optimally following the solar-powered system installed by the Project.
The King of Eleme Kingdom, King(Dr) Philip Osaro Obelle thanked HYPREP’s management team for all that it is doing in Ogoniland, stressing that the Project was built on the graves, bellies and blood of Ogoni sons and daughters who lost their lives during the Ogoni struggle.
He, therefore, advised HYPREP “not to deviate from the expectations of our heroes but to do those things that would benefit Ogoni people for the betterment of Ogoniland.”
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, Hon Oji Ngofa said HYPREP has been like the government of Ogoniland, and harped on the sustainability of all the projects.
According to him, Zabbey has been giving HYPREP a human face.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University, Prof Barineme Fakae applauded Zabbey for the construction of the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, and stressed the need for the implementation of the recommendations of its technical committee which recently submitted its report.
According to him, if the project succeeds, Ogoni people are going to succeed.
Chief Priscillia Vikue, on her part, thanked Zabbey for his outstanding performance, saying, the women of Ogoni are very happy with what he is doing in Ogoniland.
While scoring the Project Coordinator highly on his performance, she said the women are happy because Zabbey knows what he is doing with HYPREP.
“You went to school.You did not cut corners.You are a square peg in a square hole.You have engaged women and the youths. We have seen what you have done. And we give you A1”, she said, and challenged Zabbey to see how more women would participate in the project and also how to sustain it.
In his remarks, the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey said the mid-term engagement is important because “it allows us to present tangible evidence of progress in the Ogoni cleanup effort, reinforce accountability, deepen transparency, and most importantly, enables HYPREP to interact directly with the communities and stakeholders who are the heartbeat of this project.”
He noted that the scorecard presentation is designed to show what HYPREP has achieved across key thematic areas, what challenges it is currently grappling with, and what the road ahead looks like, saying, “it is a moment for stocktaking and for re-affirming our shared commitment to the success of the Ogoni cleanup project”.
According to him, HYPREP has recorded commendable progress in the implementation of its core mandates in line with UNEP recommendations and the directives in the official gazette establishing HYPREP.
Donatus Ebi
The South-South representative of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board, Rt. Hon. Aboh Uduyok, has concluded his one-day official visit to Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, Rivers State, with the unveiling of the Mass Communication Department classroom building. The project was executed under the 2021 TETFund intervention project.
During the unveiling of the project, Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rt. Hon. Uduyok commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his commitment to the educational sector and praised the polytechnic’s management for utilising TETFund resources judiciously.
He noted that the quality of ongoing projects met approved specifications, and expressed satisfaction with the institution’s progress.
The TETFund representative stated that his visit was aimed at familiarising himself with beneficiary schools, assess fund utilization, and identify challenges.
He assured the school management that he would convey their requests for constructing engineering works and hostel accommodations to the board and notify them of any approval.
Rt. Hon. Uduyok explained that the TETFund Board is not initiating new projects this year, except where necessary, due to presidential directives. However, he commended the institution for the commendable quality of both completed and ongoing projects.
In his welcome address, the Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Dr. Moses S. Neebee, thanked the TETFund representative for visiting, and highlighted the institution’s successes and challenges. He requested support for hostel accommodations and engineering works, emphasising that a higher institution without hostels is akin to a glorified secondary school.
Dr. Neebee while briefing the visitor on the institution’s progress, noted that it currently runs 21 National Diploma programme and five Higher National Diploma courses. He disclosed that the school accessed the 2021 TETFund release in full but faced challenges with the 2023 fund due to harsh economic conditions and bid process delays, which increased project costs. The Rector pleaded for assistance in securing additional funds for the 2023 intervention release.
Akujobi Amadi