Nation
THE STATES
Borno
The Nigerian Army says its troops have killed two Boko Haram insurgents at Mayanti village of Bama Local Government Council of Borno State.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations,, 7 Division, Lt. Col. Kingsley Samuel said in Maiduguri that the troops had ambushed a group of insurgents while trying to cross into the Sambisa Forest.
He explained that the troops neutralised two insurgents while many others escaped with gunshot wounds, adding that some food items were also recovered from the insurgents.
“The Mobile Strike Teams (MSTs) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE resolve to rout out the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.
“MST yielded yet another result with the troops successfully ambushed unsuspecting terrorists at about 10: 45 p.m. on Friday, 6th October 2017.
“The insurgents were attempting to cross into Sambisa Forest from Mayanti village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State”, he said.
Ekiti,
A 73-year old farmer, Alhaji Olayinka Adeyemi has emerged the overall Best Farmer of the year in Ekiti State, winning N1 million prize.
Our correspondent reports that Alhaji Olayinka has been in farming since 1965.
Chief Afe Babalola, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the organiser of Afe Babalola Agricultural Exhibition code named “ABA-EX 2017” gave the prize to the winner last Sunday at the closing of the exhibition at the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado Ekiti.
The agric exhibition where Adeyemi won the prize was organised by Governor Ayo Fayose.
The Septuagenarian was among about 300 other farmers shortlisted for the government exhibition from among leading farmers in all the 16 local government areas of the state.
FCT
The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has approved the National Open University (NOUN’s) proposal to build and operate a N150 million multi-functional centre using the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The acting Director-General of ICRC, Mr Chidi Izuwah made this known last Sunday in Abuja as he officially handed over an Outline Business Certificate, which gave NOUN the go ahead to look for private investors.
Izuwah also urged Federal Government universities to embrace PPP as the solution to bridging infrastructure deficit in the education sector.
“One of the biggest problems universities have is student accommodation and the best way to provide student accommodation around the world is to partner with the private sector.
“We are working with a committee of Vice Chancellors to develop a framework to allow them partner with the private sector in this regard,” Izuwah said.
Kaduna
Kaduna State Government says it plans to spend over N201 billion as its budget in 2018 fiscal year.
The state Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammad Abdullahi said at a town hall meeting on the proposal in Kaduna that members of the general public were free to scrutinize the draft budget and make input before its presentation to the state Assembly.
Our correspondent reports that in the proposal, the government has earmarked N125 billion for capital expenditure and N75.5 billion for recurrent.
The state will begin the new fiscal year with an opening balance of N8 billion, and expects an internal revenue of N40.9 billion in 2018 and N32 billion from the Federation Account.
Abdullahi said that under the capital expenditure, N34.4 billion was for the economic sector, with Works, Housing and Transport having the largest chunk of N25.4 billion.
Kano
Women Rice Farmers in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano State have complained of shortage of water in their irrigation farms.
The female farmers alleged that the water being supplied to the farm by the Hadejia/Jama’are River Basin Development Authority (HJRBDA) was grossly inadequate.
The Chairperson of the Local Government’s chapter of Women Rice Farmers Association, Hajiya Daboyi Ado made the allegation when the Chairperson of Sasakawa Africa Association /Sasakawa Africa Fund for Education, Prof. Ruth Oniang’o visited some rice demonstration farms in Bunkure.
Oniang’o was in the area to assess the performance of women rice farmers who benefited from the intervention programmes of the organisation.
Kogi
The Federal and State Governments have been urged to pay more attention to the development of tourism sector to create jobs for youths in the country.
The Walin of Lokoja, Retired Rear Adm. Ibrahim Idris, made the plea last Saturday in Lokoja, at the maiden edition of the Lokoja Boat Regatta Festival.
Idris said that the sector had been left undeveloped for too long to the detriment of the country’s economic development.
While speaking as the chairman of the occasion, he called for a change of attitude to the sector from the two tiers of government.
According to him, the country has a lot to gain from the tourism sector because of its jobs creation and foreign exchange earning potential.
Kwara
About 2, 000 hectares of farmland have been destroyed by water across the three districts of Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Special Adviser to Governor AbdulFatah Ahmed on Emergency and Relief Services, Alhaji Duro Mohammed disclosed this while inspecting the havoc caused by flood in Patigi last weekend.
He said rice farms in Lade, Patigi and Sepondi districts cultivated near the River Niger were mostly affected as well as a clinic, a cemetery and a primary school at Gbaradogi.
Mohammed, who led the state government’s delegation to the flooded farms described the damage as devastating.
The Governor’s Aide called on the Federal Government to come to the aid of the state in ameliorating the suffering of the affected farmers.
Lagos
Lagos State Controller of Prisons, Mr Tunde Ladipo last Sunday called on well- meaning individuals and groups to assist inmates in paying fines imposed on them to decongest prisons.
Ladipo made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
He said that a number of inmates were still in prison for inability to pay fines.
Ladipo urged that prison congestion should be the concern of all stakeholders in the interest of the society.
The controller appealed to stakeholders to come together and fashion out more ways to reduce congestion in the country’s prisons.
Nasarawa
Nigerians have been urged to move closer to God, through ceaseless prayers for the restoration of the country’s lost glory.
Senior Pastor, Living Faith Church in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Anthony Amaefule gave the advice last Sunday in Lafia in his Sunday Communion Service sermon entitled, “Recovery of your glory”.
The cleric expressed optimism that with the restoration of the nation’s lost glory, its economy would grow at the desired speed.
“Only God can give glory. If you have lost it, you can get it back. Glory is about abundance, greatness, wealth, favour, joy, contentment and the goodness of God upon one’s life”, the cleric said.
Niger
A Univeersity teacher, Prof. Bukar Dauda has advocated the promotion of synergy among native medicine practitioners, scientists and entrepreneurs to ensure vibrant pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria.
Dauda of the Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences (SPS), Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna said in Minna when he delivered the 54th Inaugural lecture of the institution.
The Public Relations Officer of the University, Mrs Lydai Legbo, in her statement in Minna last Sunday, said the lecture was entitled, “Natural Product Chemistry and Prospects for Transforming Traditional Medicines into Modern Pharmaceuticals.”
She quoted the don as having observed that such promotion , if pursued in sustainable manner, would also make Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry a large-scale foreign exchange earner for the country.
According to Dauda, Nigeria can rival China and India that have pursued deliberate policy of research and transformation of their traditional medicines into modern pharmaceuticals in views of its diverse, untapped flora.
Osun
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Osun State Command, last weekend disclosed that it destroyed a 60.8 hectares of India hemp (Cannabis Sativa) farm at Ikeji Arakeji, in the state.
The state commandant of the NDLEA Mr Samuel Egbeola, disclosed this during an interview with journalists at the agency’s office in Osogbo.
According to Egbeola, the hemp farm was discovered and destroyed on Thursday, following a tip-off from an informant.
He said the agency also seized 10 bags of already harvested cannabis which weighed 107.4kilograms.
He said two suspects found on the farm during the operation were equally arrested and that the arrested suspects were helping the agency in their investigation.
Plateau
As stakeholders in Plateau State prepare for local government elections slated for February 17, 2018, a political analyst, Mr Anthony Izang has advised them to adhere to the rules to avoid electoral violence.
Izang particularly cautioned key players like the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), political parties and voters against actions that could impede justice and fair play.
His advice was contained in a paper titled: “Strategy of Curbing Electoral Violence in Nigeria”, presented at the 2017 Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (EPRT) interactive forum on Sunday, in Pankshin.
Reports indicated that the EPRT is an arm of the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), an NGO of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jos.
The response team consists of volunteers, who respond to, and report emergency situations that could lead to violence in the 17 local government areas of Plateau State.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has inducted and given orientation to 100 Ogoni youths for training on Creative Arts. The beneficiaries were drawn from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the CRAB of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, was a prelude to the training proper, billed to commence next Tuesday.
As usual, HYPREP issued undertaking forms to the trainees, for them to complete and submit as a guarantee that they would subject themselves to the requirements of the programme as well as be of good behaviour throughout the four-month duration of the training.
HYPREP also announced that it would pay N150,000 to each of the beneficiaries monthly, as transport and feeding allowance, stressing, however, that only those who fully participate in the training would be entitled for the allowance.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, welcomed the trainees to the programme, saying, HYPREP’s projects are evolving and that one thing that is happening today is that the Project has gotten leadership right, by making promises and keeping those promises.
According to him, the Project had equally promised to move away from rudimentary skills acquisition to high impacts acquisition levels, which it has kept today by sponsoring the training on Creative Arts.
He noted that in planning its livelihood programmes for Ogoni youths, HYPREP has taken time out to look for skills that would add value to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by the Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi said by packaging the Creative Arts training, it was expected that the Ogoni people would have their own version of Nollywood known as Ogoniwood just as Nigerians are familiar with Hollywood, Bollywood, Kannywood and Nollywood.
To achieve this goal, the Project Coordinator explained that it was the reason for choosing a reputable establishment like Halibiz Consult Limited, to partner with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt, which he described as one of the most prestigious in the Niger Delta, for the training of the beneficiaries.
He also indicated that in doing this, HYPREP was desirous of going for talents that would help the Ogoni people grow in the film industry, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.
Zabbey equally enjoined the trainees to put in their best so that in the next three to five years, they would carve a niche for themselves and become forces to reckon with in the film industry.
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee said HYPREP does what it says it will, stressing that the process of training Ogoni youths on specialised skills started three years ago.
According to her, the selection process for the training was rigorous and transparent, and was carried out by renowned actors actresses.
She disclosed that the training consists of three major aspects, which include acting, script writing and make-up, while Nollywood actors like Charles Nnoje, Ngezu J. Ngezu and award-winning make-up artist, Jude Odo would be on hand to drill and groom the beneficiaries.
Mrs Nzidee noted that the programme is a specialised training that does not have anything like starter packs but that it is purely a professional certification programme that would launch the beneficiaries into the Nollywood industry in Nigeria.
According to her, the Creative Arts training is one of the four specialised trainings organised by HYPREP to ensure that the Ogoni people are well positioned in vital industries like Aviation, Maritime, Creative Arts and Mechatronics.
She said the last of such trainings on Mechatronics would take place in the coming months, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so as to put the Ogoni people on the Nollywood map.
She further indicated that while Charles Nnoje and Ngezu J. Ngezu would take the beneficiaries on the practical aspects, Jude Odo would take them on the make-up aspects.
Also speaking, the External Relations Manager of Halibiz Consult Limited, Alabo Experience Douglas said his company gives much premium to standard and quality, and assured that the firm would give the trainees value for the money spent on the programme.
While charging the beneficiaries to be dedicated and punctual, he stressed the need for them to approach the programme with the mindset of being empty so that at the end of the day, they would benefit maximally.
On his part, the Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo said the CRAB is an acronym for Creative Review of Arts and Books, stressing that it was named by renowned playwright, Prof Ola Rotimi.
According to him, the CRAB had nurtured, groomed and produced Nollywood actors and actresses like Bobmanuel Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu,Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, and a host of others, assuring the beneficiaries that they were on fertile environment to hone their talents.
He noted that symbolically, the crab is a nutritious seafood common in the Niger Delta, and reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to come empty for the training, as it were.
Ihunwo disclosed that the theory classes of the programme would run for three weeks while the fourth week would be for the master classes, and urged the trainees to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a difference by telling the Ogoni story, which he described as inexhaustible by themselves, in order to put Ogoni on the map.
A 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University identified as Jatau Rilokwah, has been reportedly found dead in the university’s senior staff quarters.
A counter-insurgency expert, focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this on his X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, the discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by a security officer at the university, Emmanuel Gyawo.
He stated that Gwayo was directed by Prof. Shedrack Jatau to check on his son upon arriving at the residence, and he found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
“Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of the State at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
“The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he further stated.
He added that the student’s corpse had been deposited in the hospital morgue.
He also quoted police sources as saying that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun says is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000.
Abiodun disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times,” the governor said.
As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre will be repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery.
“I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery,” he told Davies-Okundaye.
He added that the gallery will be ready before the National Sports Festival in May, when the State will host about 15,000 visitors.
“I want them to be able to see our tourist sites,” he said, listing attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.
Highlighting Ogun’s improved infrastructure, the governor said, “Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come by sea.”
Davies-Okundaye, in her remarks, praised the state’s efforts to promote tourism and pledged to use the new gallery to attract global attention.
“This gallery will bring many Heads of State. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than 10 Heads of State, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. The same will happen here,” she said.
She also applauded the Governor for his commitment to the Adire fabric industry.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire. This is what we can sell to the Europeans,” she said.
Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s backing of the Adire industry, citing policies such as the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, compulsory wearing of Adire in the state, and provision of solar-powered production equipment to support artisans.
He also revealed plans to open a creative arts and entertainment village in partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters, expected to be completed within two months.