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.
Nation
UNIZIK Honours Business Mogul, Ezekwe, For Philanthropism
Nation
Don Calls For National Forensic Data Bank To Combat Rising Crime
The Head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt’s College of Health Sciences, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has underscored the urgent need for Nigeria to develop a comprehensive forensic science infrastructure, warning that the nation’s ability to investigate and solve crime is being hampered by lack of scientific data and systems.
In his inaugural lecture titled, “Man: Fearfully Different, Wonderfully Made,” delivered as part of the 207th Inaugural Lecture Series of the university, Prof Oladipo highlighted that while no two individuals are exactly the same, the country currently lacks the robust systems needed to collect and manage biological and anthropometric data that could support criminal investigations.
He explained that the natural variations among humans — from fingerprints to physical measurements — form the foundation of personal identification in forensic work. These biological differences, he said, are essential for distinguishing one person from another, especially in the context of criminal investigations where clarity of identity can mean the difference between justice and impunity. Without this scientific foundation, he argued, law enforcement agencies lack a critical tool in the fight against crime.
Experts have noted that Nigeria’s forensic science capacity has historically lagged behind needs, with only a few forensic facilities available and many law enforcement agencies struggling to access or use scientific evidence effectively. One review of the state of forensic investigation in Nigeria found that outdated facilities and limited adoption of modern forensic methods have left many cases unsolved or poorly investigated, even as crime rates rise across the country.
In Lagos, efforts to improve forensic capabilities have focused on DNA analysis, with the Lagos State DNA Forensic Centre — the first of its kind in West Africa — providing critical support for criminal investigations and helping to identify human remains, link related cases, and assist with paternity testing. However, such initiatives are yet to be replicated at a national scale, leaving many regions without access to these vital scientific tools.
Prof Oladipo’s lecture went beyond academic theory to propose concrete actions. He called for the establishment of a National Institute of Forensic Science responsible for creating and managing a nationwide anthropometric and forensic data bank. This repository, he stressed, would significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity to track crime, assist law enforcement agencies, and improve the administration of justice by providing reliable scientific evidence for investigative and legal processes.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening research and training in forensic science. Many Nigerian universities currently lack the funding and infrastructure to offer complete undergraduate or postgraduate programs in areas such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, and crime scene investigation, a gap that forces aspiring experts to rely on collaborations with institutions abroad. By fostering a research-friendly environment and securing greater support from both government and private sectors, Nigerian institutions could produce homegrown experts capable of advancing forensic science in the country.
Awareness of forensic science’s role in criminal justice remains low among the general public and even among some security professionals. Studies have shown that a significant portion of Nigerians are unfamiliar with basic forensic concepts or the existence of tools such as DNA profiling and national forensic databases — tools that are common features of criminal justice systems in countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Prof Oladipo also urged regular training and retraining programs to keep forensic practitioners updated with evolving scientific methods. According to him, continuous professional development is critical in a field where technological advances — from biometric databases to digital forensic tools — are transforming how crimes are investigated and solved.
The lecture was attended by academics, students, and professionals drawn to the intersection of science, identity, and justice, all of whom heard the professor make a compelling case for scientific innovation and institutional reform as central to Nigeria’s effort to contain crime and strengthen its justice system.
The event not only showcased Prof Oladipo’s expertise in human anatomy and forensic psychology but also positioned forensic science as a strategic national priority — one that could bring clarity to investigations, support victims and their families, and ultimately enhance public safety across Nigeria.
Nation
UPWA Hosts Colourful Inter-House Sports Fiesta
The University of Port Harcourt Women Association (UPWA) on Thursday staged a vibrant and memorable edition of its Annual Inter-House Sports Competition at the University of Port Harcourt Sports Village, drawing an impressive turnout of pupils, parents, staff and invited guests.
The event, organised by the UPWA International Group of Schools, brought together children from the pre-nursery, nursery and secondary sections in a colourful celebration of youth athleticism, discipline and teamwork. The arena came alive with cheers and excitement as pupils, clad in their various house colours, marched in a ceremonial parade before proceeding to compete in a wide range of track and field events, relays, novelty races and other team-based activities designed to promote physical fitness and healthy competition.
Declaring the competition open, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, commended UPWA for sustaining a tradition that continues to nurture young talents beyond the classroom. He noted that sports remain a critical component of holistic education, helping to build resilience, confidence, leadership skills and social interaction among children.
In her remarks, the President of UPWA, Professor Udeme Georgewill, expressed appreciation to parents, teachers and members of the organising committee for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the programme despite prevailing economic challenges. She described the event as a reflection of unity and collective effort within the school community.
“This is the first time White House is emerging overall winner, and that shows remarkable improvement and great sportsmanship,” she said. “We all had fun. It is not easy putting an event like this together considering the economic situation, but we are grateful to the parents for being part of this journey. The excitement everywhere is truly heartwarming.”
The competition featured spirited participation from the various houses, including Purple House, San Chicago Red House and White House, with pupils demonstrating strength, speed, coordination and teamwork. Parents and supporters filled the stands, cheering enthusiastically and adding colour to the spectacle, while teachers ensured orderliness and safety throughout the proceedings.
Professor Georgewill emphasized that the true essence of sports lies not merely in winning trophies but in participation and personal growth. “Sports is not just about winning. It is an avenue for growth, discipline and opportunity. The fact that a child is able to participate is already a win. Losing this year does not mean you cannot win next year. Keep trying,” she encouraged, urging pupils to see both victory and defeat as stepping stones to greater achievements.
She further observed that while there are many competing interests in the Nigerian sports sector, consistent grassroots investment remains essential for discovering and nurturing future champions.
The colourful ceremony culminated in medal presentations, trophy awards and group photographs, with UPWA executives, including Vice President I, Professor Adedamola Onyeaso, joining the participating teams to celebrate the day’s achievements.
The annual inter-house sports competition continues to stand as one of UPWA’s flagship events, reinforcing its commitment to balanced education, character formation and the promotion of healthy lifestyles among its pupils.
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