Borno
Some farmers in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State have expressed optimism of recording bumper harvests in the 2017 cropping season.
They also commended the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for supporting displaced farmers to return to their farms.
Reports say that thousands of displaced farmers supported by FAO cultivated their farmlands in Maiduguri and other liberated communities.
FAO in collaboration with implementing partners distributed seeds and fertilisers to more than one million farmers this cropping season in the North-East.
A cross section of the farmers told newsmen in Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Areas that they were happy and were anticipating bumper harvest this season.

FCT
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar last Wednesday described late Group Capt. Adanu Ochai as a gallant officer who died in active service for the nation.
Abubakar said this during the burial of the officer at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja.
According to him, the officer died as a result of air crash in Kaduna State on August 24.
The CAS said what happened to Ochai would happen to “all mortals one day, every mortal must taste death one day in his or her life”.
He described the deceased as a very hard working, committed and dedicated officer during his active service to the nation and his humility was unparalleled.

Gombe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Gombe State Zonal Office says it has arrested the Secretary of Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr Danlami Arab Rukuje for alleged  diversion of materials meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
A statement signed by the commission’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the zone, Mr Bello Bajoga in Gombe last Wednesday said the arrest followed a tip-off by the Intelligence and Special Operations Section (ISOS) of the office.
Bajoga said the materials diverted include  cans of paints, bags of cement and other  building materials donated to the state by the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative (PCNI).
He said that investigation revealed that the materials were diverted to other areas including markets for sale.

Jigawa
The Police in Jigawa State have arrested eight suspects over alleged theft and receiving stolen items in Dutse Local Government Area of the state.
The Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in the state, Jinjiri Abdu confirmed the arrest in an interview with newsmen in Dutse last Thursday.
Jinjiri said that four of the suspects, aged between 18 and 19, were apprehended over alleged house breaking and theft in Takur site quarters, Dutse, the state capital.
He added that the four suspects (names withheld) were arrested after they broke into one of the houses and stole a plasma TV, DSTV decoder, iPad, laptop computer, a Tecno mobile phone and two sets of cloth.
The spokesperson said the plasma TV and DSTV decoder were recovered from the suspects during their arrest.

Kaduna
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) chapter has urged its members nationwide to sustain the 100 per cent compliance with the ongoing strike.
Its Secretary, Dr Sam Kwis gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State last Thursday as the nationwide strike enters the third day.
The current industrial unrest in the health sector is the second in the life of this government.
Issues in dispute include salary shortfall of 2016 and January to May 2017; failure to rectify the salary shortfall from August 2017; failure to circularise house officers’ entry point; and the failure to correct the stagnation of promotion of members and properly place them on their appropriate grade levels.

Kano
Two pilgrims from Kano State have died during the 2017 Hajj in Saudi Arabia, the  State Pilgrims Welfare Board said last Thursday.
The Board’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Nuhu Badamasi told journalists on telephone from Makkah that the deceased who were males, died in Makkah after performing their Hajj rites at the Ararat.
“The two pilgrims who lost their lives during this year’s Hajj died in Makkah after they performed the most significant Hajj rites, that is staying at the Arafat,” he said.
Badamasi said the deceased who were from Dala and Doguwa local government areas, had since been buried in Makkah in accordance with the Islamic rites.
On preparations for the transportation of the state pilgrims back to Nigeria, Badamasi said the exercise would commence on September 15.

Kebbi
The Kebbi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered activities of fraudsters alleged to be extorting  money from innocent people for recruitment into the corps.
The state Commandant of the corps, Sammani Ringim told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi last Wednesday that the fraudsters had been extorting money from the public under the pretext of facilitating their recruitments into the NSCDC.
Ringim said the fraudsters lied and collected money from unemployed people under the pretext that the NSCDC was recruiting.
The fraudsters alleged that they would facilitate the recruitment of their victims into the corps after they had collected money from them.

Kwara
A Christian cleric, Pastor Banji Bolade last Thursday in Ilorin urged politicians irrespective of party affiliations to support the government and shun distractions to move the country forward.
Bolade, who pastors Testimony Church of Christ, Tanke, said politicians should close ranks after elections and give the ruling party the much-needed support to succeed.
“Politicians must, irrespective of their party affiliations, always support the government for the good of the nation.
“Nigeria’s growth should be a priority above party sentiments as individuals must cooperate to make the country great,” he told newsmen.

Lagos
The Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD) last Thursday urged residents to report incidents of domestic violence.
OPD Director, Mrs Olubukola Salami disclosed this to newsmen last Thursday in Lagos.
She said that this would ensure justice and stem the rampant cases of the menace in the society.
Salami also urged women who were victims of domestic violence to report the abuse immediately rather than suffer in silence.

Nasarawa
The Medical Director (MD), Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Keffi in Nasarawa State, Dr Joshua Ndom, has appealed to the resident doctors across the country to call off their ongoing strike and return to work to save lives.
Ndom told newsmen last Thursday in Keffi that the strike had done more harm than good, especially to patients.
He said that there was the need for the doctors to return to work since their leadership had commenced negotiation with the Federal Government over their grievances.
Also, some patients at the centre appealed to the doctors to suspend the strike for their sake and for the overall development of the country.
They advised the federal government to do the needful by amicably resolving the ongoing nationwide resident doctors’ strike.
A patient at the centre, Mr Haruna Abubakar, said most patients were not happy with the strike.

Niger
A Minna Grade 1 Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday reserved judgment after a 32-year-old man, Ayuba Salihu pleaded guilty for raping an eight-year-old girl.
The accused, whose address is unknown was arraigned on a charge of rape.
The prosecutor for the State Child Rights Protection Agency, Mr Abdullahi Mayaki, told the court that the incident occurred on August 31 near Gwari Market in Chanchaga Local Government Area.
Mayaki said the accused lured the unsuspecting primary school pupil with N100 into the market before assaulting her sexually.
The offence contravened Section 18, sub-section 2 of Niger State Child Rights Law.
Reports say that the offence attracts life imprisonment.
Chief Magistrate Hassan Mohammed, who convicted the accused as charged, adjourned the case until September 12 for sentence.

Osun
The  Osun State Police Command last Tuesday said it arrested three male suspects, with two human heads and hands in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye, told newsmen in Osogbo that the suspects were arrested on August 29 during a police stop and search operation.
“On August 29 at about 1;02 p.m, a police patrol team on a stop and search operation on Ogbomosho/Oyo Road, at Agboro Area, stopped a motorcycle with two persons on it.
“The persons on the motorcycle were searched and two severed human hands with gloves and a human head were found with them, and they were promptly arrested,” he said.
Adeoye said in a similar case, on the same date at about 11:30 a.m, at Oba’s compound in Moro, Ipetumodu, one Adeniyi Adeyeye was also arrested with a human skull in his possession.