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.