THE STATES

Benue
The Federal Government says it would establish a waste management pilot plant in Benue.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu said this when he launched the “National Waste-to-Wealth Programme’’ in the North Central zone.
Onu said that the plant would be used to effectively manage waste product in the zone.
He said that Benue with its rich natural and agricultural resources made  the state the choice location for the establishment of the waste management pilot plant.
The minister said that it would serve as model for other states in the zone.

Borno
At least 17 persons were killed after five suspected female suicide bombers attacked Kofa Community near Dalori in Borno.
Eyewitness told newsmen in Kofa that the incident occurred around 8:30pm Sunday, when Muslim faithful were performing their night prayers.
“We heard loud sound around 8:30pm, near a mosque, forcing people to run back to their houses.
“As we were preparing to rescue the victims of the first blast, we heard another explosion close by.
“It was really terrifying; many people died and many others were injured
“The third explosion occurred after a short while.

FCT
The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has blamed the withdrawal of government subvention to political parties on abuse by people in positions of authority.
This is contained in a statement signed by Ekweremadu’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu in Abuja on Sunday.
Anichukwu said the deputy senate president made this known when the Inter-Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC) visited him in his office.
He said: “Giving subvention to political parties was the case in the past, but we had to amend the Constitution to remove that, because it was thoroughly abused by some people.
“They register a political party and wait for election. Government gives them subvention, then they put it in their pockets and make no efforts to win.

Kano
The Kano State Government says it will spend N57 million this year to clear drains in Kano metropolis to prevent flooding.
The state Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ali Makoda, disclosed this on Sunday while monitoring the clearing of some of the drains in the state capital.
Makoda said that the drains to be cleared would cover about 48,000 metres and the clearing would be a continuous process throughout the rainy season.
He expressed dismay over the illicit disposal of waste into the drains by residents.

Katsina
The Katsina State Government says said it would use all legal means to recover N58.5 billion allegedly diverted by former governor Ibrahim Shema and some of his lieutenants.
Governor Aminu Masari said this in Katsina while receiving the main report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry on missing funds and property from the commission’s Chairman, Mr Ado Ma’aji.
He said the state government had established the commission to investigate the loss of funds and property during the last days of his predecessor’s tenure.
Report says that Shema was the governor of Katsina State from 2007 to 2015.
Masari said the state government was not investigating monies spent on executing projects but direct withdrawals from bank accounts belonging to ministries and parastatals.

Kebbi
At least 78,000 rice farmers in Kebbi State have benefitted from the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), an official of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in the state has said.
Chairman of RIFAN in the state, Alhaji Mohamed Sahabi, told newsmen in Birnin-Kebbi on Sunday that rice farmers were given loans and other inputs such as fertiliser, pesticides, seeds, and water pumps for irrigation.
Sahabi lauded the programme, saying it had helped farmers earn profit and increase rice production in the state.
He explained that 5,000 farmers attached to Labana Rice Mills, an indigenous rice milling company in the state, benefitted from the programme.

Kwara
The Vice-Chancellor, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Prof. Aize Obayan, says the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the institute signed with Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) is to expand its frontier on management training.
Obayan told newsmen in Omu-Aran, Kwara on Sunday that the collaboration would afford the university build the capacity of the students in line with global best practices.
According to reports, the MoU, which was formalised on May 30, was on Students’ Management Certification Programme.
She said that the MoU would serve as one of the springboards for the actualisation of the university’s visionary path with respect to providing a strong base for the students and the institution as a whole.

Lagos
A 43-year-old, Chukwuemeka Ejike, was last Monday docked in an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly defiling a 9-year-old girl.
The accused, who gave no fixed address, is facing trial on a charge of defilement.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Earlier, Insp. Kehinde Omisakin, told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 20 at No. 1, Samson Street, Oke-Odo area of Lagos.
She said that the accused was caught while he was defiling a 9-year-old girl in his residence.
The offence contravened Section 137 of the Criminal Law of  Lagos State, 2015 (revised).

Niger
The Acting Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso, has advised the Federal University of Technology, (FUT) Minna, to undertake research findings that would add value to agricultural development in the state.
Ketso said that the country’s dependence on crude oil revenue had led to it being unable to feed Nigerians.
The acting governor made the call when he received the members of the university’s governing council at the Government House, Minna.

Osun
The United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has stressed the need for adolescent girls to have conducive environment for menstrual hygiene management in schools.
The National Coordinator of UNICEF ‘ Win 4 Girls Project ‘ in Nigeria, Prof. Nkadi Onyegbegbu, made the call at “Menstrual Hygiene Management Workshop for Adolescent Girls in Public Schools” on Monday in Iragbiji, Osun State.
Onyegbegbu said the challenges adolescent girls faced during menstruation in schools were enormous.
She added that a UNICEF research in some selected schools in Nigeria showed that there was no conducive situation, in terms of washing facilities for menstruating girls to be comfortable with.
She noted that the lack of functional, segregated toilet, washing facilities, affordable and hygienic menstrual products were some of the problems menstruating female students faced in most schools.

Oyo
The Old Boys Association of the Methodist High School, Ibadan, has called on the Oyo State Government,  to emulate its Ogun and Lagos State counterparts by returning public schools to their original owners.
The association’s chairman of the 1984 set, Mr Rasak Moruf, made this call while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan last Monday.
Moruf said that the return of the schools to their original owners would assist the schools in regaining their lost glory and restoring the days of healthy competition for academic excellence.
He stated that Methodist High School, Ibadan, in particular, excelled academically more when it was under the management of its original owner, the Methodist Church of Nigeria, than now with the government.

Plateau
A 36-year-old man, Ahmed Musa, has accused one Abdulkareem Hasimu, the new husband of his former wife, Fatima, of enticing her to leave his house.
Musa, a resident of Turaki Street, Jos told a Jos Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuma Nama, that Fatima was still legally married to him when she contracted her marriage to Hasimu.
Musa, who filed a direct complaint to the court on June 7, also accused Fatima of adultery and polyandry.
The duo are standing trial for enticement, adultery, criminal intimidation, causing grievous hurt and theft.
The offences, according to counsel to the complainant, Mr S. A. Abba, contravene Sections 389, 387, 396, 240 and 287 of the penal code.
“Musa married Fatima in 2014, but she left him in 2016 `without any quarrel’, and married Hasimu.