Benue
The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), last Tuesday, expressed surprise that workers were owed 12 months salaries, and urged the people to “ask questions and demand answers”.
The party, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Makurdi, said that the state government had no reason to owe workers because it had received monies from “various fronts”.
“Benue has taken loans. It has collected the Paris Club Refunds and received bailout funds from the Federal Government. The regular federal allocations and Internally Generated Revenue have also been coming in.
“In the past two years, much monies have entered the state account; Benue has no reason to owe workers. We must ask questions and demand answers,” former interior minister, Abba Moro, who chaired the meeting, said.
He challenged the people to insist on prudent management of resources to enable government meet its obligations.

Borno
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) last Thursday urged residents of Maiduguri not to panic over spate of aircraft hovering the sky at night in the metropolis.
Spokesman of NAF 105 Composite Group, Maiduguri, Squadron Leader Obi Obassi, said  that the flying was part of routine exercise.
Obassi said that the service had intensified training at night time, adding that it was imperative to inform members of the public about the exercise so as to avoid exposing them to fear.
“It has come to the notice of 105 Composite Group, Nigerian Air Force, that residents of Maiduguri are expressing fear over our aircraft that flies at night”, he said.

Ekiti
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ekiti State Command, last Tuesday, said it had destroyed 246 tonnes of cannabis sativa (weeds) in the state.
The Commander of the agency, Alhaji Bage Bamaiyi, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti.
According to scientists, cannabis sativa, otherwise known as Indian hemp, is a drug obtained from the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant which is smoked or chewed for its psychoactive properties.
It produces euphoria and relaxation whose repeated use may lead to psychological dependence.
He said the command took necessary steps to uncover 17 cannabis sativa farms at Ode-Ekiti, in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State but that the peddlers were not found in their hide-outs.

FCT
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kuje Unit Command, last Thursday, urged school bus drivers in the area to drive carefully and avoid the use of expired tyres to prevent road crashes.
The Kuje Unit Commander Mr Igbogbo Solomon, made the call in an interview with newsmen while speaking on the activities of the unit.
Solomon stressed the need for school bus drivers to adhere strictly to traffic rules to ensure the safety of the children.
He reminded them of the dangers of using expired tyres and the benefits of constant vehicle maintenance.
“There is the need to ensure safety on our roads and ensure that school bus drivers adhere strictly to road traffic rules to prevent road accidents.

Jigawa
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Jigawa State chapter, has demanded justice over the alleged killing of a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Dutse by security operatives.
The NBA Chairman in the state, Baffa Alhassan, spoke last Wednesday while  reacting to the alleged killing of one Hussaini Andaza by personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Alhassan said the use of  excessive force by security personnel was totally unacceptable to the association.
He urged the Police  and the NSCDC to investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.

Kogi
Director-General, Kogi State Bureau of Information Services, Mr Abdulkarim Abdulmalik, has offered scholarships to 35 orphans from various communities in Kogi Central Senatorial District.
Abdulmalik announced the gesture recently in Ihima, at the grand finale of Ihima Students Union 2017 Spelling Bee, Quiz and Debate Competition.
He said that the scholarship would cover the primary and secondary education of the beneficiaries.
Abdulmalik also announced that he would pay next term’s school fees for all students that participated in the spelling, quiz and debate competitions which he sponsored as a pet project to boost educational growth.

Kwara
The police in Kwara State are on the trail of an Ilorin-based Islamic cleric, who allegedly exhumed the corpse of  his late friend  for ritual purpose.
The cleric, a resident of Eleran compound in Oloje area of Ilorin and said to be in his 30s, allegedly  exhumed the remains of  his childhood friend last Tuesday,  seven days after his death.
A source, who confided in newsmen  said that the community became aware of the development when the odour of the decomposing  body permeated the area.
He told newsmen last Wednesday in Ilorin that members of the community had to embark on a search when the odour became unbearable.

Lagos
A 26- year-old man, Okechukwu Mgbemgasa, who allegedly defiled his neighbour’s daughter, was last Thursday charged before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court.
He is facing a one-count charge of defiling a nine-year-old girl.
The accused is an unemployed man and a resident of Ishashi town, a suburb of Lagos.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Raphael Donny, told the court that the offence was committed on July 21, at the residence of the accused.
Donny said that the accused saw the girl in the toilet and took advantage of the situation and defiled her.
“It was the cry of the girl that alerted some neighbours who raced to the scene, and the accused was apprehended.

Nasarawa
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC),Nasarawa State Command, says it has trained over 400 personnel on arms bearing this year to curb activities of vandals in the state.
The Commandant of the corps, Mr Lawan Bashir-Kano, disclosed this to newsmen in Lafia, last Thursday.
Bashir-Kano said that the corps was determined to rid the state of vandals and other criminal elements.
He said the first batch of the arms-bearing personnel were trained earlier in the year in collaboration with the 177 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army.

Niger
The Chief of  Air Staff, Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar, last Wednesday, inaugurated a storey-building containing 18 units of two bedroom flats for non-commissioned officers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in Minna, Niger State.
Abubakar inaugurated the building at the Air Force base, Minna.
He said that the Air Force had dedicated the facility to late Lance Corporal Tanko DJ who died during operation Zaman Lafiya on April 28, 2016 in the North-East.
“This is aimed at enhancing the morale of Nigerian Air Force officers and men in service.
“This is to assure you that your supreme sacrifice to our fatherland will never go in vain,” he said.
He said that NAF was committed to the well being of its personnel, hence creating enabling environment for their effective service delivery to the country.
Abubakar, who was represented by the Chief of Administration, AVM Lawal Alooma, expressed satisfaction with the quality of work.

Osun
An Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun State last Wednesday, remanded in prison a businesswoman, Uche Portia, with her five-month-old baby, pending the perfection of her bail condition.
Portia, 29, is facing a charge of fraud and stealing.
The Magistrate, Mrs Dorcas Ajiboye, had granted the accused N200, 000 bail with one surety in like sum.
She said the surety must swear to an affidavit of means and must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
In addition, the surety must produce three years tax clearance and provide two recent passport photographs.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Sunday Osanyintuyi, told the court that the accused committed the offences on July 16 at Igboye House, Ile-Ife.

Yobe
Senator Mohammed Hassan (APC-Yobe South), recently promised to give N20,000 as scholarship to 880 undergraduates from 44 wards in his constitutency.
Hassan made this known at an interaction with newsmen in Potiskum after the commissioning of various projects.
Hassan, who is the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said the beneficiaries would be selected from students studying in different institutions of higher learning.
The lawmaker added that he would also pay the salaries of staff of Mohammed Hassan Arabic and Islamic School in Arikime apart from the provision of uniforms to the students.
Hassan pledged to donate N2.5 million for the rehabilitation of Fatahul Rahaman Islamic School in his constituency, in line with his conviction that education is one of the greatest legacies to bequeath the future generation.