Nation
THE STATES
Benue
Winners of the local government elections in Benue State have accused the Benue State Independent Commission (BSIEC) of “extorting” monies from them before issuing certificates of return.
We report that the elected chairmen were directed to pay N60,000, while councillors paid N25,000 as “handling charges” for the certificates.
The elected officials have expressed surprise at the charges, describing them as “strange and unknown”.
“I came to receive my certificate of return but was taken aback when I was told that I have to pay a fee of N60,000. It is very strange. It has never happened before,” an elected chairman from Benue Central, told newsmen, craving anonymity.
Another elected chairman, who also craved anonymity, wondered what the state electoral body meant by “handling charges” after candidates paid huge sums for forms and screening procedures.
Ekiti
An Ado-Ekiti Customary Court last Tuesday dissolved the 10-year-old marriage between Mrs Oluwatosin Omosehin and her husband, Taiwo.
The marriage was dissolved on grounds of lack of care for the wife and the children.
Oluwatosin, 39, who filed the divorce suit, had told the court that he was not formally married to Taiwo.
She said that they cohabited and had two children in the course of their relationship.
The mother of two said that her husband who worked with the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, never bothered to take care of her and the children, adding that she was responsible for the payment of the children’s school fees.
According to her, as a fashion designer, she has been taking care of the children’s welfare, adding that she no longer loved her husband and that she was eager to re-marry.
FCT
A Karu Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, last Tuesday discharged one Alhaji Bashir, 26, for lack of sufficient evidence in the three-count charge bordering on joint act, shop breaking and theft levelled against him.
The judge, Mr Hassan Ishaq said since the case began December 28, 2016, only the complainant, Lucky Hilo, testified in the matter.
He also said that no exhibit was tendered, while the prosecutor, Mr Mahmud Ismai’la, did not call another witness.
” Since the matter began on December, 2016, only one witness, Lucky Hilo, testified and no exhibit was tendered before the court.
” Going through the evidence of the witness, it was revealed that the witness was not present at the scene of the crime.
Gombe
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), Bauchi Field Office, on Monday, organised a one-day workshop for journalists in Gombe state on how to mobilize the public to end violence against children.
The training, featuring 27 journalists, is aimed at equipping the journalists with the right skills on reporting of issues bordering on children .
Speaking during the training, UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Mrs Ladi Alabi, said there was no component of violence against children that was acceptable.
She said research had revealed that 60 per cent of Nigerian children suffered one form of violence or the other, either emotional or physical.
“The same people that are supposed to protect them (children) are the perpetrators of the violence.
Kaduna
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, has called on the citizens of the state to promote a healthy environment to achieve the objectives of the “Keep Kaduna State Clean” programme.
The governor made the call in Kaduna last Monday, at the celebration of the 2017 World Environmental Day, which has “Connecting People with Nature” as its theme.
He said that the state government would continue to formulate programmes and policies that were geared towards promoting healthy environment in order to address the menace of environmental degradation.
El-Rufai, who was represented by the Commissioner for Stakeholders Relations, Mr Balarabe Shehu, advised the people to support government policies by desisting from harmful environmental practices such as indiscriminate tree felling and poor sanitation.
Katsina
Justice Ibrahim Bako of the Katsina State High Court on Tuesday, fixed November 14 to hear a suit against former Governor Ibrahim Shema for allegedly misappropriating N10 billion state funds.
Recall that state government and EFCC had sued Shema for the alleged offence while he, in turn, had approached the Court of Appeal, Kaduna, challenging the jurisdiction of the High Court to try him.
Tuesday’s sitting was for the parties to report to the court on the progress at the Appeal Court.
Bako, in his ruling, said that the court, having listened to both counsels, had no other option than to adjourn the sitting.
“I hereby adjourn the sitting to November 14, 2017, for the parties to report to the court on the verdict of the upper court.”
Kwara
Nasarawa State Commissioner of Information, Culture and tourism, Mr Abdulhamid Kwarra, has asked the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to “fish out quacks extorting monies from government officials”.
“There are many quacks moving around as journalists; they use blackmail and other tactics to extort money from government officials. We want the NUJ to fish them out,” Kwarra said in Lafia on Tuesday.
Kwarra gave the suggestion when he received the executive council members of the Nasarawa State chapter of the NUJ.
He called for proactive steps that would rid the media of “fake elements” dragging its name to the mud.
Lagos
Two employees of Shoprite Retail Supermarket Ltd., Lagos, were last Tuesday arraigned in Lagos for allegedly stealing N1.4 million from their employer.
The accused, Moses Adeyemi,19, and Rasheed Naasir, 37, reside at No. 23, Patey Street Lagos Island and Lekki Beach Road, Jakande, respectively.
They appeared in an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Nicholas Akpene, told the court that the accused and others at large committed the offences between the months of April and May, at Shoprite Retail Supermarket, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Niger
A Minna Magistrates Court on Tuesday arraigned 25-year-old sales girl, Ayomide Olushola, for allegedly defrauding her employer of N188, 000.
The accused was docked on a count charge of criminal misappropriation, contrary to section 309 of the penal code law.
The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Gunduma Ibrahim, told the court that Rakiya Datti reported the matter at the station on June 2.
Ibrahim said the complainant alleged that the accused, who she employed as sales girl at her shop at Kure Ultra Modern Market Minna, could not account for goods worth N188, 000 kept under her custody.
Ondo
Some residents of Ondo State have urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to ensure more benefits of democracy for the people as the government celebrates its 100 days in office.
Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who emerged the winner of the November 26, 2016 Governorship Election, was inaugurated as the sixth executive governor of the state on February 24.
The residents, who spoke in separate interviews with newsmen in Okitipupa, Ondo State, last Tuesday commended the governor for his achievements in 100 days in power.
They urged the governor not to rest on his oars but ensure he fulfills all his electioneering promises to the people.
A civil servant, Mr Wole Akinjuyigbe, who praised the state government for paying salaries of workers, urged the governor to revive all moribund industries.
Plateau
A suspect, Stephen Luka, who is standing trial for brutalising his ex-girlfriend and killing her sister, has told a Jos High Court that the police tortured him to obtain his confessional statement.
Giving evidence in a trial-within-trial in Jos, Luka rebutted the charges and showed the court scars he sustained during the torture to obtain his statement.
We report that Stephen on Tuesday Luka was arraigned before the court in October 2016 charged with murder, attempted murder, assault and sexual abuse.
The defendant was alleged to have attacked two sisters Simi Dusu and Justina Dusu on July 27, 2016 at his home, in Sabon Gari, Tudun Wada, Jos, when they went to break the news that Justina was pregnant.
According to report, Luka was not happy when Justina insisted on keeping the baby, lost his control and used a machete on both sisters, resulting in Simi’s death and Justina losing her left eye.
Sokoto
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has undertaken to offset the medical expenses of Maryam Abubakar, an indigene of the state suffering from cancer and presently receiving treatment at an Indian hospital.
Abubakar’s case went viral under the hash-tag SUPPORTMARYAM, which elicited various online donations from good Samaritans who sympathised with her.
Tambuwal announced his intention to offset the bill in Sokoto on Tuesday through his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam.
The governor also urged the people, especially the Muslim faithful to pray for the success of the impending surgery and eventual recovery.
“Maryam is one of us and everything possible will be done by the state government to ensure her full recovery,” he said.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has inducted and given orientation to 100 Ogoni youths for training on Creative Arts. The beneficiaries were drawn from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the CRAB of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, was a prelude to the training proper, billed to commence next Tuesday.
As usual, HYPREP issued undertaking forms to the trainees, for them to complete and submit as a guarantee that they would subject themselves to the requirements of the programme as well as be of good behaviour throughout the four-month duration of the training.
HYPREP also announced that it would pay N150,000 to each of the beneficiaries monthly, as transport and feeding allowance, stressing, however, that only those who fully participate in the training would be entitled for the allowance.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, welcomed the trainees to the programme, saying, HYPREP’s projects are evolving and that one thing that is happening today is that the Project has gotten leadership right, by making promises and keeping those promises.
According to him, the Project had equally promised to move away from rudimentary skills acquisition to high impacts acquisition levels, which it has kept today by sponsoring the training on Creative Arts.
He noted that in planning its livelihood programmes for Ogoni youths, HYPREP has taken time out to look for skills that would add value to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by the Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi said by packaging the Creative Arts training, it was expected that the Ogoni people would have their own version of Nollywood known as Ogoniwood just as Nigerians are familiar with Hollywood, Bollywood, Kannywood and Nollywood.
To achieve this goal, the Project Coordinator explained that it was the reason for choosing a reputable establishment like Halibiz Consult Limited, to partner with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt, which he described as one of the most prestigious in the Niger Delta, for the training of the beneficiaries.
He also indicated that in doing this, HYPREP was desirous of going for talents that would help the Ogoni people grow in the film industry, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.
Zabbey equally enjoined the trainees to put in their best so that in the next three to five years, they would carve a niche for themselves and become forces to reckon with in the film industry.
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee said HYPREP does what it says it will, stressing that the process of training Ogoni youths on specialised skills started three years ago.
According to her, the selection process for the training was rigorous and transparent, and was carried out by renowned actors actresses.
She disclosed that the training consists of three major aspects, which include acting, script writing and make-up, while Nollywood actors like Charles Nnoje, Ngezu J. Ngezu and award-winning make-up artist, Jude Odo would be on hand to drill and groom the beneficiaries.
Mrs Nzidee noted that the programme is a specialised training that does not have anything like starter packs but that it is purely a professional certification programme that would launch the beneficiaries into the Nollywood industry in Nigeria.
According to her, the Creative Arts training is one of the four specialised trainings organised by HYPREP to ensure that the Ogoni people are well positioned in vital industries like Aviation, Maritime, Creative Arts and Mechatronics.
She said the last of such trainings on Mechatronics would take place in the coming months, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so as to put the Ogoni people on the Nollywood map.
She further indicated that while Charles Nnoje and Ngezu J. Ngezu would take the beneficiaries on the practical aspects, Jude Odo would take them on the make-up aspects.
Also speaking, the External Relations Manager of Halibiz Consult Limited, Alabo Experience Douglas said his company gives much premium to standard and quality, and assured that the firm would give the trainees value for the money spent on the programme.
While charging the beneficiaries to be dedicated and punctual, he stressed the need for them to approach the programme with the mindset of being empty so that at the end of the day, they would benefit maximally.
On his part, the Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo said the CRAB is an acronym for Creative Review of Arts and Books, stressing that it was named by renowned playwright, Prof Ola Rotimi.
According to him, the CRAB had nurtured, groomed and produced Nollywood actors and actresses like Bobmanuel Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu,Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, and a host of others, assuring the beneficiaries that they were on fertile environment to hone their talents.
He noted that symbolically, the crab is a nutritious seafood common in the Niger Delta, and reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to come empty for the training, as it were.
Ihunwo disclosed that the theory classes of the programme would run for three weeks while the fourth week would be for the master classes, and urged the trainees to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a difference by telling the Ogoni story, which he described as inexhaustible by themselves, in order to put Ogoni on the map.
A 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University identified as Jatau Rilokwah, has been reportedly found dead in the university’s senior staff quarters.
A counter-insurgency expert, focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this on his X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, the discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by a security officer at the university, Emmanuel Gyawo.
He stated that Gwayo was directed by Prof. Shedrack Jatau to check on his son upon arriving at the residence, and he found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
“Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of the State at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
“The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he further stated.
He added that the student’s corpse had been deposited in the hospital morgue.
He also quoted police sources as saying that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun says is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000.
Abiodun disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times,” the governor said.
As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre will be repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery.
“I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery,” he told Davies-Okundaye.
He added that the gallery will be ready before the National Sports Festival in May, when the State will host about 15,000 visitors.
“I want them to be able to see our tourist sites,” he said, listing attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.
Highlighting Ogun’s improved infrastructure, the governor said, “Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come by sea.”
Davies-Okundaye, in her remarks, praised the state’s efforts to promote tourism and pledged to use the new gallery to attract global attention.
“This gallery will bring many Heads of State. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than 10 Heads of State, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. The same will happen here,” she said.
She also applauded the Governor for his commitment to the Adire fabric industry.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire. This is what we can sell to the Europeans,” she said.
Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s backing of the Adire industry, citing policies such as the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, compulsory wearing of Adire in the state, and provision of solar-powered production equipment to support artisans.
He also revealed plans to open a creative arts and entertainment village in partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters, expected to be completed within two months.