Nation
THE STATES
Borno
The United Nations says it has distributed fertiliser, seeds and other inputs to 1.2 million farmers displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.
The UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Peter Lundberg told newsmen in Maiduguri that the gesture was to assist farmers who had returned to their homes in liberated communities.
Lundberg disclosed that the UN and its partners were currently providing food support to 1. 3 million displaced persons on monthly basis in the region.
He said that the measure was part of a comprehensive support programme to enhance food security and tackle humanitarian crisis occasioned by the insurgency.
“For the UN, food security situation is one of the major issues,” he said.
FCT
A combined military training organised by the United States Air Force (USAF) Command in Europe in partnership with the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has opened in Lagos.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja. Adesanya said the week-long programme with the theme: “Aeromedical Evacuation and Medical Deployment”, began last Monday at the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base, Ikeja.
He said the programme would bring together countries in Africa to simulate a combined security and humanitarian environment.
Declaring the programme open, Governor Akinwumi Ambode, said the combined training was a welcome development.
Kano
A Kano Chief Magistrates’ Court recently ordered the remand of a teenager, Abdul Ibrahim in prison custody for allegedly defiling an eight-year-old boy. Ibrahim, 18, who lives in Brigade Quarters in Kano, is facing a charge of defilement. The Prosecutor, Sgt. Pogu Lale, told court that one Umar Jibrin of Tudun Murtala Quarters, Kano, reported the case at the Gwagwarwa Police Division in Kano on June 1. Lale said that on May 31 at about 7:00 p.m., the accused deceived and lured the boy to his brother’s shop situated at Brigade Market, Kano.
“The defendant deceitfully had canal knowledge of the boy and gave him the sum of N30,” he said.
Kebbi
Staff of Kebbi State House of Assembly last Monday embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of their allowances for the past three years. It was gathered that the strike stalled the activities of the House as the workers’ chants made it impossible for the members to communicate, forcing a quick adjournment. Chairman, Kebbi State chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Garba, who briefed newsmen on the action, said that workers were left with no other option after pleas to management yielded no fruits.
“We have pursued the payment of these allowances for the past three years.
“We have made several appeals and held meetings with the leadership of the House on the issue but to no avail,” he said.
Kwara
Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin, Prof. Abdul Ganiyu Ambali, has pledged to hand over a better institution than he inherited five years ago, to his successor.
Ambali, whose five-year tenure ends on October 15, 2017, disclosed this during an interview with newsmen last Tuesday in Ilorin. The vice-chancellor noted that his administration had done its best towards sustaining the legacies of the founding fathers of the University.
He added that he had also succeeded in maintaining an uninterrupted academic calendar as well as ensuring peace on campus.
Lagos
No fewer than 62 juvenile offenders and 67 inmates with disabilities held at Kirikiri Female Prisons and Kirikiri Medium Prisons, Lagos, were recently released on the orders of the State Chief Judge, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade. She said her intervention particularly at the female prisons was part of efforts to address the problem of under-aged offenders being locked up in prisons across the state. Our correspondent reports that Atilade had on August 1 released 80 juvenile offenders held at Badagry Prison, Lagos, for sundry offences.
Nasarawa
The Joint Union of Tertiary Institution (JUTI) has called on the Nasarawa State Government to enrol its workers in the contributory pension sheme.
The Chairman of the union, Mr Ariks Bashayi told newsmen in Lafia yesterday that the call became necessary in view of the problems that had beset the existing pension scheme. “Under the current pension scheme, a lot of our staff who retired from service more than firve years ago have not been able to receive pension or gratuity, he explained. Bashayi also urged the managements of all the Nasarawa state owned tertiary institutions to allow their workers to join the contibutory pension scheme.
The College of Education Akwanga (COEA); State Polytechnic Lafia; College of Agriculture Lafia; and Nasarawa State University in Keffi are some of the state-owned tertiary institutions.
Niger
The Niger State House of Assembly has pledged to enact laws that would ensure an environment conducive to woo investors to the state.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa, made the pledge in Minna during the 2017 Niger State Investment Summit which had as its theme: “Impact Investing for Advancing Agricultural Economy and Innovation.”
Oyo
A divorce-seeking housewife, Risikat Ojo, says her husband, Mathew Ojo, deserts home whenever Eid-el-Kabr and other festivals draw nearer in order not to spend money during the festival periods.
Risikat testified recently in an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, Ibadan, in a divorce suit she filed against her husband.
“My lord, Ojo did not pay my dowry and was in the habit of abandoning me at home and pack out to unknown destination whenever Ileya festival and other festivals draw nearer.
Plateau
The Plateau State Police Command has advised motorists to protect their vehicles with security gadgets.
It advised motorists to protect their vehicles with steering and pedal locks in addition to inscribing their vehicles’ registration numbers on the two windscreens, side mirrors and other parts. The Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Terna Tyopev, gave the advice in a statement made available to newsmen last Tuesday in Jos. According to Tyopev, the advice became necessary because of the rising incidents of car theft in the state.
“We have observed with so much concern the rising spate of car theft within Jos and the environs, this is mainly because people park their vehicles with any form of security”, he said.
Sokoto
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State last Tuesday urged corps members posted to the state to consider themselves as agents of change.
Tambuwal made the call at the closing of 2017 Batch ‘A’ stream II, NYSC orientation camp in Sokoto State. The governor urged them to freely mingle with the communities as well as engage actively in activities that would contribute toward economic development of the state. The Governor, represented by State Head of Service, Dr Abubakar Bello, urged corps members to also strive toward eradication of poverty, fight against corruption, drugs abuse and other social vices.
Zamfara
Chairman, Zamfara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, has attributed low turnout of electorate to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) and participate in Continuous Voters Registration in the state to insecurity.
Attahiru, who is the Emir of Anka, stated this at his palace, Anka, last Tuesday, when he received in audience the state committee on mobilisation and awareness creation on the collection of PVCs. The 14-man committee was led by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji. The emir noted that insecurity situation faced by the state had resulted to underdevelopment in various sectors, including PVC registration.
Strategic regulators and other stakeholders have expressed satisfaction with the pace, quality and magnitude of work carried out by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) in Ogoniland, in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
In their separate speeches at the 2025 4th quarter key regulators / asset owners meeting held in Port Harcourt, the strategic stakeholders commended HYPREP for the significant milestones achieved with excellent efficiency and transparency, demonstrating capacity and commitment to sustaining collaboration with development partners for the overall success of the Project.
The regulators particularly lauded HYPREP for the landmark success in the implementation of the land and shoreline remediation, mangrove restoration, provision of reticulated potable water, the various sustainable livelihood programmes, donation of ambulances to health facilities in Ogoni, the construction of Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, as well as the ongoing Ogoni Power Project, adding that their independent field reports have shown proofs of HYPREP driving even beyond its mandates.
The goodwill messages were made by representatives of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development (CEHRD), Society for Women and Youths Affairs (SWAYA), Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN), Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company (NPSC), and Federal Ministry of Environment. Others are the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, the Rivers State Ministry of Health, the National Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Rivers State Ministry of Power, the Rivers State University, the Rivers State Ministry of Water and Rural Development, and Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.
Following the Monitoring and Evaluation Unit’s presentation on the status of HYPREP projects, participants offered feedback on areas of concern. They reassured HYPREP and the people of Ogoni of their continued support for the Project’s success. They also suggested that the quarterly review meeting be sustained as it enables them to report, evaluate and proffer solutions to areas of concern.
Participants also commended HYPREP for improved community and stakeholder engagement and for adding to what they saw the previous time. “We commend HYPREP for the quality work done at sites. The progress is phenomenal, because HYPREP is scoring good grades, above average,” Prof. Iyenemi Kakulu from Rivers State University said.
In his speech at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who was represented by Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi, Director of Technical Services, commended the regulators and asset owners for their cooperation with the Project, and for making themselves available for fieldwork and the regular review meetings.
Prof Zabbey reiterated HYPREP’s commitment to best practice in waste management, particularly waste generation and disposal, calling on the Regulators for adequate logistics support, saying HYPREP’s priority is to focus on the core recommendations by UNEP, especially, remediation(soil, shoreline) mangrove restoration, provision of potable water, interventions in public health care services and sustainable livelihood for the people.
The Project Coordinator further highlighted the status of the Project, the successes achieved across all thematic areas, and assured that HYPREP will soon complete most of the ongoing projects and roll out others. He explained that the purpose of the meeting was to review the progress of the Ogoni cleanup, ensure quality control, and foster effective collaboration.
Consequently, the quarterly key regulators/asset owners meeting is HYPREP’s strategic stakeholder management model, further underscoring the Project’s commitment to transparency, partnership for development, and accountability, all of which are harbingers of effective project delivery.
Speaking to newsmen, HYPREP Project Support Lead and representative of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Engr Ehioze Igbinomwanhia, described his involvement with HYPREPas an encouraging and insightful experience, saying, the Project is implementing a wide range of projects across Ogoniland, spanning immediate remediation works as well as livelihood support initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of affected communities.
Engr Igbinomwanhia emphasised that Renaissance Africa Energy remains fully committed to supporting the objectives of the Ogoni cleanup project, noting that the company has a long history of collaboration with HYPREP.
He added that the partnership has been characterised by continuous learning, adaptation and a willingness to respond to observations and recommendations aimed at improving outcomes.
He further emphasised the importance of safety in all project operations, particularly given the challenging terrain and operating conditions in Ogoniland.
He noted that safety is treated as a critical priority and that contractors are continually reminded to maintain high safety standards, stressing that lessons learnt from previous operational challenges like the collapse of the water tank in Gwara Community are being applied to strengthen safety practices and overall performance.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
-
Politics5 days agoPFN Rejects Call For INEC Chairman’s Removal Over Genocide Comments
-
Rivers5 days agoFasthire, PHCCIMA, CIPM Host CareerFest 2026 In PH
-
Sports5 days agoEnekwechi wins Orlen Cup in season opener
-
Politics5 days agoHoodlums Disrupt LP-ADC Defection Event In Lagos
-
Sports5 days agoSimba open Nwabali talks
-
Sports5 days agoFalconets, Senegalese Lionesses arrive Ibadan for qualifier
-
Politics5 days agoRemoval From INEC’s Portal, Abure-Led LP Faction Mulls Legal Action
-
Niger Delta5 days agoTinubu, Jonathan, Diri Pay Last Respect To Ewhrudjakpo