Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has said that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is expecting the supply of more aircraft purchased by the Federal Government to boost the fight against insurgents in the North-East.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen last Tuesday in Yola, Abubakar said that NAF had already received some, including helicopters and had repaired 12 aircraft.
“We have inducted additional aircraft in the combat, including M35 helicopters.
“We are expecting more aircraft which government had already paid for to add value and improve our performance in the North-East.”
Abubakar was in Yola to interact with officers and men of the air component of ‘Operation Lafiya Dole,’ inline with the directives of the Acting President to security chiefs.
Borno
The Nigerian Army says it has recovered 21 additional bodies in an operation to rescue oil exploration crew abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
A statement signed by Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Kukasheka, released in Maiduguri, said that the army recovered vehicles and various calibres of weapons in the operation.
“So far the search and rescue team has recovered additional bodies of five soldiers, 11 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and five members of the exploration team.
“Contrary to reports in some media, six out of the 12 members of the exploration team that went out are still missing, while one of the NNPC staff returned to base alive,” Kukasheka said
FCT
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), says it would continue to protect the territorial integrity of the nation.
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said this while briefing newsmen at the end of NAF’s annual 10km walk/jogging exercise recently in Abuja.
Abubakar said physical fitness was pivotal to humans, especially members of the armed forces, adding that it was in view of this that NAF continued to conduct the exercise on quarterly basis.
He quoted a Greek philosopher, Thucydides, as having once said, “the bravest are surely those who have the cleverest vision of what is before them, glory/danger yet go out to meet it.
“It is, therefore, my desire to congratulate you all for putting up a brilliant performance in today’s exercise, “ he said.
Kaduna
Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, last Tuesday in Kaduna, unveiled five Super Mushshak trainer aircraft acquired by the Federal Government to boost the capacity of Nigerian Air Force personnel in the country.
The five aircraft are among the 10 acquired by the government from Pakistan.
Osinbajo, who was represented by Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, said Nigeria would welcome more support from friendly nations in its efforts to mow down Boko Haram insurgency.
“I will not fail to mention that the decision to acquire the Super Mushshak aircraft from Pakistan has greatly promoted the existing bilateral relationship between the two sister countries.
Kogi
A Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Adeyemi Egbeola, recently in Lokoja, decried the increasing rate of recession-associated clinical depression in Nigeria.
Egbeola, who works at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, made the assertion at the 2017 Annual General Meeting (AGM), Scientific Conference Week of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kogi State chapter.
The theme of the conference was: “Economic Recession and the Rise of Depression”.
According to him, a significant association has been demonstrated between macro-economic indicators in recession and clinical depression as a mental illness.
Kwara
Kwara State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board, has disqualified three pregnant women from performing the 2017 pilgrimage.
It is reported that 1,465 intending pilgrims from the state have been medically certified for the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Alhaji Mohammed Tunde-Jimoh told newsmen that the disqualified women had been notified.
“The exclusion of the three pregnant women detected after the medical screening of the intending pilgrims is not punitive, but to safeguard their health and that of the babies”, he said.
Lagos
A Saudi-bound flight operated by Medview Airline, was last Saturday night aborted at the Ilorin Airport, due to birdstrike.
The airline confirmed the development in a statement by its media consultant, Mr Obuke Oyibhota, in Lagos.
Oyibhota said the B767 aircraft carrying 222 pilgrims was taxing for takeoff when it was struck by a brood of birds, forcing the pilot to abort the flight.
“The 222 pilgrims were de-boarded without incident, and arrangements are being made to provide another aircraft to airlift them today (Sunday),” he said.
He, however, assured all pilgrims that the schedule for their transportation to the holy land would not be affected by the incident.
Nasarawa
The Interim Management Committee Chairman, Keffi Local Government Council, Nasarawa State, Alhaji Isma’ila Nuhu, has appealed to the state government to rehabilitate the roads in Keffi GRA.
Nuhu also urged the government to build more drains in the area to improve the standard of living of the people.
The local government chief, made the call recently at the official installation and presentation of first class staff of office to Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa III as the new Emir of Keffi.
He applauded Almakura for providing the dividends of democracy to the people of Keffi especially in the area of infrastructure development.
Niger
The police in Minna recently arraigned two men, Ola Martins and Jibril Mohammed, who allegedly broke into a hotel and stole a television set.
The accused appeared before a Minna Magistrates’ Court on a three-count charge of conspiracy, break in and theft.
The prosecutor, Insp. Gunduma Ibrahim, said that Martins connived with Mohammed on June 21, at 10.00 p.m. to break into a room at Aloevera Hotel, where Martins worked as a security guard.
Ibrahim submitted that the television set was valued at N130, 000.
Osun
Unknown gunmen last Saturday shot dead a yet-to-be identified middle-aged woman in Osogbo, according to reports.
The incident occurred at about 9.00 am at Old Garage area of Osogbo.
An eyewitness said the deceased was a labourer who was on her way to Old Garage, where labourers usually assemble for daily engagements, before she met her untimely death.
The source said that the deceased was hit by stray bullets from a gun fired into the air by some men on a motorcycle before they sped off from the scene.
The police spokesperson in the state, Mrs Folashade Odoro, confirmed the incident to journalists, saying four suspects had been arrested.
Plateau
An 18-year-old man, Agugu Adau, has allegedly killed his mother for refusing to give him a “disappearing” charm he claimed was his inheritance from his late herbalist father.
A family source told newsmen that Agugu committed the crime at his Kisaghyip village farm in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The source said that Agugu, after killing his mother, removed the sum of N20,000 from her blood-soaked clothes and used it to buy a mobile phone, a shirt and a pair of slippers.
Spokesman of the Plateau Police Command, Mr Tyopev Terna, confirmed that the suspect was being held, but declined further comments.
Zamfara
About 60,000 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), have remained unclaimed by their owners in Zamfara State, Speaker of the state Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji has said.
Rikiji who leads a state mobilisation committee on voters registration, made the disclosure when the committee visited Kaura-Namoda and Talata-Mafara last Wednesday.
He described the situation as worrisome and appealed to those who had not collected their PVCs to do so immediately.
Rikiji said the committee’s mandate was to sensitise eligible voters to partake in the ongoing continuous voter registration and encourage those yet to collect their cards to do so.
“It is very disheartening to hear that from April to July, 2017, only 25 PVCs were collected across the state.
“We are mandated by the state government to arrange ways of mobilising, educating and sensitising the public on the importance of voter registration and collection of PVCs.
“Apart from this committee headed by me, we had set up other committees across the three senatorial districts, 14 local government areas and 147 wards across the state to ensure effective mobilisation”, Rikili said.
The Alliance Française Port Harcourt in conjunction with the Embassy of France Nigeria over the weekend joined the globe to campaign against the 2025 gender- based violence (GBV) with the theme: “16 Days of Activism Against Gender- Based Voice”
The event which took place at the event Hall of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt was in collaboration with the Female in Gaming Network, ( FIGN) and partnership with Nexal a body that seeks to promote online safety and responsible digital behaviour.
The Tide reports that the project which was aimed at promoting digital safety and girls inclusion in Gaming, with the initiative tagged ‘Gameover Gender- Base Violence’was part of the global campaign against gender- based Violence.
The activity which experienced a flavour of festivity was full of fun and excitements as participants took part in tournaments on popular digital games such as Mario kart and EAFC 25, with an intent to creating safer and more inclusive digital spaces.
The Director of the Alliance Française Port Harcourt, Mrs Marina Lacal said that these activities were designed to encourage inclusion of girls, team work and fair play on online gaming spaces, saying that the gaming world reflects these inequalities, where female players are often under represented.
According to her the main objectives of the initiative was to provide a supportive environment for girls and female in gaming network.
“GameOverGBV” is a project created to reshape this landscape by offering an innovative inclusiveness of girls on online digital Gaming community and digital environments that provide opportunities for creativity, learning and connection, but also fight against Gender-Based Violence Digital Gaming,”she said
She however, explained that the Digital Game, sport competitions, was launched to strengthen social and digital skills through games, workshops, and raise awareness among all young participants about respect, equality and digital citizenship.
The Tide News reports that in Port Harcourt, the competition brought together 100 young participants from three major universities: University of Port Harcourt, ( UNIPORT),Ignatius Ajuru University of Education(IAUE) and Rivers State University (RSU)as well as students from four selected secondary schools, Oginigba comprehensive Secondary.School, Vine lnternational, Virgo predicanda lnternational, and Excellent Montessori Secondary school.
“This is an approach where girls and boys can learn, play and collaborate in a more respectful and safe space for young women, while ensuring a safe, enjoyable and respectful digital environment. It also expose young women to cyberbullying, exclusion, sexist comments and online hate,” Mrs. Lacal said.
Earlier, a game developer Sophia Nei and her. team had engaged participants in an interactive session with the theme: “Can Video Games Be Safe Spaces For Girls?”
However, Mrs Nei and her team educated the girls on the benefits and violence on online digital gaming and urged them ( participants)to learn to say ‘No’ to Online hate, sexist and cyber bullying, while encouraging them(students) to stand up for themselves by reporting such issues to the appropriate authority.
Highlight of the competition was the awarding of prizes to winners by the Director of Alliance Française, Mrs Marina Lacal.
