THE STATES

Benue
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) office in Benue State will train 2,691 youths on digital marketing skills, according to Mrs. Magdalene Dura, a Special Adviser to the Governor.
Dura, adviser on Development Cooperation, SDGs and NEPAD, told newsmen on Friday in Makurdi that the training would commence on April 4.
She said that the digital marketing skills would enable the youths acquire more skills in ICT and food technology, to enhance the processing of food items for exportation.
The official said that the training was in partnership with Google Nigeria, through its vendor, Mind the Gap, on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis.

Borno
The police in Borno State last Sunday confirmed that three suspected male suicide bombers were killed in separate foiled attacks in Muna and Dusuman village at the outside of Maiduguri.
The spokesman of the state police command  Mr Victor Isuku disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri.
Isuku said that the first incident happened around Muna garage near the entrance of the city when two suspected male bombers were killed.
“Today, at about 0438 hour, two male suicide bombers detonated Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) strapped to their bodies near Alhaji Bukar Gujari Filling station in Muna Garage area at the entrance of Maiduguri.
“All the bombers died instantly without killing anybody”, Isuku said.

FCT
The Federal Government on Tuesday urged Nigerian youths to key into various vocational skills acquisition programmes as a way of unlocking their potentials and reducing unemployment in the country.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, made the call in a statement signed by Mr Samuel Olowookere, Deputy Director of Press in the ministry.
Ngige said this in Kano while addressing the graduands of the Ganduje Auto-Mechanic Training and Empowerment Scheme, Kano Zonal staff and management of parastatal under the ministry and the Industrial Training Funds.
“Training of the youths in vocational trade is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari led administration’s cardinal objective on youth entrepreneurship and job creation.

Katsina
Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State , said N417 million has been spent on digitization of the state television station (KTTV).
Masari announced this during the formal launching of digitisation of the state owned television station in Katsina.
“The government is ready to pump millions of Naira to make KTTV meet up the international television standard,’’ he said.
“We are ready to invest to make all our state media stations to provide 24 hours service as its being done by international media houses.
“We are ready to provide standard equipment as well as cameras that will make the state television station a centre of excellence,’’ he said.d.

Kogi
The Kogi State Government last Sunday confirmed a case of Lassa Fever in Angwan Kura Community, in the old market area of  Lokoja, the state capital.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Audu, disclosed this in a statement.
He said a patient (male) who is a resident of Angwan Kura, Lokoja, reported at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Federal Medical Centre Lokoja, with signs and symptoms suggestive of haemorrhagic fever.
Audu said: “this is to inform the general public that there has been a confirmed case of Lassa fever in Lokoja, Kogi State.

Lagos
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) last Friday said its men had arrested two travellers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos with cocaine and heroin.
Spokes person of the NDLEA, Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju,  said in a statement in Lagos that one of the suspected drug traffickers hid cocaine in his boxer shorts and his luggage, while the other ingested heroin.
Ofoyeju said that one of them claimed to be an importer of jewellery, while the other said he was an auto parts dealer.
The NDLEA spokesperson said that cocaine, weighing 750 grammes, was found with the jewellery importer, while the auto parts dealer ingested 94 wraps of heroin, weighing 1.595kg.

Nasarawa
Rev. Dave Denji, of the Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ (ERCC), Glory Land, Lafia, Nasarawa State has challenged members of the media to stand for the truth and be committed to integrity, honesty and fairness.
He made the call during a thanksgiving and special prayer service for journalists and other media workers across the state.
Denji who, spoke on the topic “Tell the Truth” and quoted Proverbs 23.23 urged journalists to fight for the truth and take the issue of truth seriously.
“I urge journalists and media workers to always tell the truth no matter the situation they found themselves.

Ondo
The Ondo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to constructing more roads  in  rural areas.
The Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, made the pledge while inspecting the construction of  Sabomi-Idi-Itala – Irele link road in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.
Ajayi said the administration of  Oluwarotimi  Akeredolu had started fulfilling its campaign promises   barely one month in office.
The deputy governor said  the administration  understood the pains   residents of the area  had been going through in transporting their farm produce to markets.

Osun
Fifty-four students of the  Osun State University emerged with first class honours in the 2016/2017 academic session.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Labode  Popoola, made this known at a news conference on Saturday at the university’s main campus, Osogbo.
Popoola said that the first class students and 1, 182 others would be awarded first degrees at the university’s convocation on April 6.
The vice chancellor said that 512 students made second class (upper division), 539, second class (lower division) and 129, third class.

Oyo
The  wife of the governor of Oyo State, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, has urged women not to relent in praying for the peace and stability of Nigeria.
The governor’s wife said this on Sunday during the quarterly prayer rally organised by the Women Intercessory Network (WIN) held at the Government House Arcade, Ibadan.
Ajimobi said the current  economic recession in the country was a passing phase and expressed optimism that there would soon be a turnaround of the economy for the better.
She lauded the efforts of the present administration in its women oriented programmes and policies in the state.
Ajimobi, who reiterated the importance of prayers and fasting said that WIN, had served as a platform for shaping the state through consistent and strategic prayers.

Sokoto
A Coalition of Sokoto State Youths Associations (COYASS) has urged Nigerians to vote out corrupt politicians in 2019.
The Coordinator-General of the coalition, Mr AbdulRahman Umar, made the call while addressing newsmen in Sokoto State on Saturday.
“Nigerians have a myriad of choices in 2019. These include using the ballot papers to vote out any corrupt politician and this will help in consolidating the current gains of the anti corruption fight.
“ President Muhammadu Buhari is totally committed to taming the menace and a number of glaring achievements had so far been achieved in this direction.
“While hailing the president for achieving this feat, the coalition is cautioning against complacency.”
Umar welcomed the whistle blower’s policy introduced by the Federal Government.
He noted that the policy was already yielding fruits and advised that it should be strengthened with a view to making it more efficient.

Zamfara
Rep. Lawali Hassan, representing Anka/Talata-Mafara Federal Constituency in Zamfara State, has donated drugs worth N 1.8 million to the victims of meningitis outbreak in his constituency.
The state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Sulaiman Gummi, had recently announced the outbreak of meningitis in all the 14 local government areas of the state.
No fewer than 80 people have lost their lives, while 500 patients are receiving treatment in health facilities across the state since the outbreak of meningitis.
The lawmaker, who presented the items through his foundation, “Dan’iya Foundation”, said that it was aimed at complementing both the State and Federal Governments’ efforts in tackling the menace.
Also, the foundation coordinator, Alhaji Yahayya Aliyu-SFawa, while presenting the drugs on behalf of the lawmaker, said that it was part of the donor’s contribution to tackle the outbreak.