THE STATES

Adamawa
The Bachama Hunters Association in Adamawa State has appealed to Governor Mohammed Bindow to assist it with vehicles to enhance its security surveillance activities in the state.
Leader of the hunters in Bachama kingdom of Numan Local Government Area of the state, Mr Hassan Mijah, made the appeal last Monday in an interview with nwesmen.
The association is assisting the security agencies in the state in the ongoing operations against Boko-Haram insurgents.
Mijah said that if provided, the vehicles would enable them patrol remote areas where the insurgents carried out frequent attacks.
He said that the hunters would take care of fueling and maintenance of the vehicles.

Benue
The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the death  of a businessman,  Mr Felix Toechukwu after he was shot  by unknown gun men.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO)  in the state, ASP Moses Yamu, who confirmed the killing to newsmen in Makurdi  said Toechukwu was shot by  assailants last Saturday evening.
He said the deceased was robbed at gun point  in his house at the close of business.
Yamu  said that the robbers had  trailed him from his shop to his   house at Nyiman where they dispossessed him of cash and other valuables.
He said  the deceased, however, died   last Sunday morning at a private hospital where he was receiving treatment.

FCT
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the news being circulated via a parody Twitter account and an old NTA news video that President Muhammadu Buhari is travelling or has travelled to the United States is fake.
In a statement issued in Lagos last Sunday, the minister urged Nigerians to disregard the news.
The statement was signed by the Special Adviser to the minister, Mr Segun Adeyemi.
The minister said one of the numerous parody Twitter accounts in his name — “@MohammedLai”, was used to disseminate the fake and ludicrous news that claimed that President Buhari was due to leave Nigeria for the U.S. on Monday “to condole with President Donald Trump over the floods in Houston”.

Gombe
Bank customers in some states of the North-East last Friday lamented over insufficient number of Automated Teller Machines (ATM), poor network and slow dispensing of cash by the machines under pressure.
A cross section of them told newsmen in Bauchi, Gombe, Maiduguri, Dutse and Yola that they encountered difficulties withdrawing cash during periods of festivities.
Apart from the inadequacy of the machines, some of the few available ones were either non-functional or never stocked with enough cash.
They added that most times, poor network also worsened the already precarious situation.
In Bauchi, bank customers experienced difficulties withdrawing money from the machines during the break, due to poor network service.

Kaduna
Veteran actor, Kasimu Yero died in Kaduna last Sunday at the age of 70.
The deceased’s eldest son, Mansur Kasimu Yero, newsmen in Kaduna that his father died at his residence in Magajin Gari, Kaduna, after a protracted illness.
Yero, who was buried at Bachama Road Cemetry in Kaduna, is survived by eight children.
Yero would be fondly remembered for his role as ‘Uncle Gaga’ in the now rested ’80s situational comedy, Cock Crow At Dawn, and as one of the lead characters in Abubakar Imam’s TV series, Magana Jari Ce.
The deceased was one of the early popular northern faces in Nigeria’s entertainment industry and had the flair of interpreting humorous scripts.

Kano
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kano State Command says it has arrested 30 suspected hoodlums in Yankatsari village, Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Ibrahim Idris, disclosed this while parading the suspects before newsmen in Kano on Saturday.
He alleged that the suspects were arrested last Friday (Sallah day) while in possession of dangerous weapons such as cutlasses, swords, knives and clubs following a tip-off.
“The suspects were apprehended by operatives of NSCDC at Yankatsari village carrying dangerous weapons while trying to cause trouble in the area,” he said.

Lagos
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lagos last Monday warned soldiers against acts of indiscipline and interference in civilian affairs.
The GOC, Maj.-Gen. Peter Dauke, gave the warning while addressing the officers at the opening of this year’s 81 Division Officers Combat Proficiency Competition at the 9 Brigade, Lagos.
Dauke was represented by Brig.-Gen. Daniel Adeyemi, Commander, 55 Division Signal.
“Let me use this opportunity to sternly warn that the division has zero tolerance for any act of indiscipline. Troops placed under your command are to discharge their duties professionally.

Nasarawa
Governor Tanko Al-Makaura of Nasarawa State has approved  new water projects worth over N84.4million to tackle the scarcity of water in some parts of  the state.
Dr Abdulkarim Kana, Nasarawa State Commissioner of Water Resources and Rural Development told newsmen last Sunday in Lafia that the projects would be sited in Nasarawa, Eggon and Obi council areas.
“Governor Tanko Almakura is doing his best in the provision of water and other infrastructural services to various communities in the state.
“The governor has approved new water projects in some local government areas so as to boost water supply in these communities for the benefit of our people”.

Niger
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Niger State has deployed 1, 550 of its personnel to provide security during and after the Eid-El Kabir  in the state .
The Corps Commandant in the state, Mr Philip Ayuba disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Minna last Tuesday.
According to him, the officers will take care of the security at the praying grounds in the 25 local government areas of the state.
“ We have already commenced a 24-hour patrol daily in and around the metropolis to pave way for peaceful conduct during Sallah in Niger’’, he said.

Ogun
The Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland,  Oba Sikiru Adetona has expressed happiness for the grace in participating in this year’s edition of the  Ojude-Oba celebration.
Adetona, who showed  much vigour at the event, thanked the people for their prayers and support while delivering his speech last Sunday at the  festival in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
The monarch extolled the grandeur of the event which he said had continually put Ijebuland in the limelight of tourism.
“I want to thank the people who have contributed to the success of this programme which has been made possible by their support and benevolence.
“I am happy that the Almighty God in His blessings and grace gave me the strength to witness this day with you all despite the rumours about my health and life.

Plateau
The female hostel in the Jos campus of the Plateau State Polytechnic was last Monday completely burnt down by fire.
The fire, which started around 8.30 a.m. raged on till 11.44 a.m, throwing the entire school into confusion as students and staffers scurried to safety with some bold students making frantic but fruitless efforts to quench the inferno.
However, it is reported that no life was lost in the fire that gutted everything in the hostel.
“Many students had left for lectures when the fire started; no one was around to remove anything from the burning hostel,” Yusuf Ade, a security man, told newsmen.
The fire service personnel arrived the scene around 11.20 when the hostel had been brought down.
Mr Dauda Gyemang, the Rector of the institution, who described the incident as “shocking”, attributed it to a gas explosion which occurred “at about 8.30 a.m.”

Zamfara
Seven persons have died from eating local food known as ‘Fate’ (poisoned leaf porridge) at Shiyar Ajiya in Shinkafi town, Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The State Acting Governor, Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi confirmed the incident to newsmen last Sunday in Gusau.
He said the seven victims who lost their lives included males and females, while the others affected were receiving medical treatment at the hospital.
Shinkafi said the government had deployed a team of medical experts to the area to investigate the cause of the incident.
“They (experts) have already taken the sample; we are waiting for them to give us the result to enable us take action.
“People close to the deceased said the death was as a result of poisoned leaf porridge which was said to be contaminated by onion seeds.