Nation
THE STATES
Benue
Chairman, Benue chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Kris Atsaka, has advised newsmen to always strive to balance their reports before filing same.
Atsaka told newsmen in Makurdi last Thursday that journalists must insist on getting both sides of a story so as to be fair to all.
He also cautioned against compromising professional conduct which could drag the name of the profession to disrepute.
“Journalists must strive to be credible; this is very necessary to ensure trust and respect.
“Once society begins to distrust the media, the country will be doomed because there shall be no medium through which people will know the truth,” he said.
Atsaka also advised journalists against using the media to cause disaffection among Nigerians, and particularly wanred against concocting stories “just to satisfy selfish interests.”
Ekiti
A husband, Mr Fatai Badmus on Tuesday approached an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court to seek the dissolution of his 6-year-old marriage to his wife, Sade on allegations of adultery.
Fatai, 35, an Artisan, told the court that his wife was adulterous, does not care for him and the children, and there was no more love between them.
He told the court that whenever the respondent leaves the house for the restaurant where she works as a caterer, she always returns home by midnight.
The husband said the wife had often complained that her boss was the one delaying her because of so many customers patronising the restaurant.
The petitioner said on a particular night, he caught the respondent with a motorcyclist behind a trailer along the street.
The father of two, told the court that his wife had told him she was going out to buy recharge card, and unknown to her, he traced her to the point where her secret lover was waiting for her.
FCT
The Federal Government is working hard to ensure the reopening of Government Girls’ Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok, Borno for normal academic activities in the 2017/2018 session, an official has said.
The Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative, Mr Tijjani Tumsah, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.
Some 276 female students of GGSS, Chibok, located in Borno South Senatorial District, were abducted by members of Boko Haram on April 14, 2014, and 50 of them escaped from their abductors.
Among the remaining 219, the government negotiated the release of 21 by the sect in 2016, while three others escaped on their own.
Tumsah said all necessary security measures were being taken to avert a recurrence of the April 2014 incident.
Kaduna
The Nigerian Army said on Friday that it would conduct the second quarter Office Management and Document Security Workshop at 1 Division Headquarters from April 17 to April 19, in Kaduna.
Deputy Director, Army Public Relations Officer, 1 Division Kaduna, Col. Kingsley Umoh, announced this in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna.
Umoh said the workshop is aimed at sensitising clerks from various army formations on document and information security.
According to him, the workshop will be organised by Army Headquarter Department of Administration with the ‘A’ Team Unique Professionals Limited as facilitators.
“The objective is to refresh NA Clerks with the essential knowledge and skills of document handling and security.
Kogi
The four branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Kogi, on Wednesday appealed to the President of the Court of Appeal to establish a division of the court in Lokoja, the state capital.
The association has already established a special committee to pursue the matter.
Chairman of the committee, which comprises chairmen of Lokoja, Idah, Okene and Kabba branches of NBA, Mr Emmanuel Haruna, emphasised the need for the court during a visit to the Chief Judge of Kogi, Justice Nasir Ajanah, in Lokoja.
Haruna held that establishing a division of the appellate court in Kogi was long overdue, pointing out that more than 50 per cent of appeals handled by the Abuja division of the court were from Kogi.
Kwara
Governor Abudulfatah Ahmed of Kwara said on Sunday that economic situation in the country was the reason local government election was postponed and tenure of the Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) extended.
The governor made this known at the monthly meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ilorin.
According to him, local governments in the state were just getting stabilised in meeting basic requirement of their workers.
“To attempt any election at that level of governance now will mean an additional pressure on their meagre resources of the state,” he added.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government on Monday said that it would construct more bridges and culverts before the end of 2017 to connect rural communities in the state.
The state Deputy Governor, Mr Silas Agara, disclosed this in Akwanga in Akwanga local government area while receiving a delegation led by Mr Moses Malle from Akun Development Area of the state.
Governor Tanko Al-makura recently released over N700 million to the 13 local governments and 18 development areas in the state to construct bridges and culverts.
Agara described 2017 as a year of transformation, stressing that, “we are going to double the numbers of schools that were renovated in 2017”.
Niger
The Niger State Government said it has concluded arrangements to partner the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) to boost rice and sugarcane farming in the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Jonathan Vatsa, made this known on Monday when he visited the institute in Badeggi in the state.
“We have so many things to gain from the institute and we are willing to partner NCRI.
“We want to close the gap between us and the institute so that our farmers can produce the best crops, especially with varieties of seedlings.
“As we go into partnership with them, they will get us improved seeds of rice, soya beans, sugarcane and other cereals, and we will be able to feed the country and even the whole of West Africa.
“We have the human resources, the farmlands and by the time we get the improved seedlings, Niger will be the state to beat.
Osun
Workers in Osun State yesterday, returned to work after observing Friday and Monday as public holidays to celebrate the Easter.
Civil servants working at the State Secretariat in Abere were sighted carrying out their routine duties.
While some were just resuming, others were seen in small groups discussing and exchanging greetings with their colleagues.
Our correspondent also reports some federal establishments in the state were operating normally, with many workers back to their duty posts.
Similarly, all the commercial banks in Osogbo, the state capital, were open for business with customers going into the financial institutions to make various transactions.
Plateau
A 28-year old man, Auwalu Sule, appeared before a Jos High Court on Thursday, over alleged robbery.
Sule, according to the prosecutor, D.D Fomyul, robbed one Mrs Zipporah Mang, of her Toyota Corrolla car at gun point.
The judge, Justice Y.G Dakwak, adjourned the matter till May 31, when the defence counsel, Mr David Adudu prayed the court to adjourn the matter to enable him file a written address.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr Mantu John, holding brief for G.D Fwomyon did not object to the adjournment, but prayed the court to give him three weeks to file his final written address.
The judge, however, adjourned the matter till May 31, to enable both parties file their final written addresses.
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.