Nation
THE STATES
Ekiti
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi has advised the Federal Government to set up a special fund for the development of private universities in Nigeria.
Oba Adeyemi gave the advice at the 5th convocation of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD).
“This university is an exemplar in learning and character. It is moulding Nigeria’s future leaders in the best fashion.
“And I believe it won’t be out of place for the federal government to give special intervention funds for private universities,” the Alaafin said.
Our correspondent reports that 21-year-old Ahwin Kevin Akporode of Department of Mechanical Engineering emerged the overall best of the 869 graduating students with Cumulative Grade Point Average of 5.00.
FCT
The Federal Government has accepted offers by the Turkish authorities to set up new schools and hospitals in Nigeria.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu confirmed this development in a special feature tagged, “Key Takeaways from President Muhammadu Buhari’s 4-day engagement in Turkey”.
The Government of Turkey, on July 28, 2016, alerted the Federal Government on the existence of schools and hospitals owned by suspected “terrorists” in Nigeria and demanded that the facilities be shut down.
The Turkish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Hakan Cakil who gave the alert when he received the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Shehu Sani said the owners of the schools allegedly sponsored the July 15, 2016 failed coup in Turkey.
Kaduna
At least 600 rural dwellers in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State underwent various medical surgeries via a free medical outreach sponsored by Dr Isaac Auta, a law maker.
Our correspondent reports that the 14-day medical outreach was carried out by four doctors which included Auta, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly representing Kauru constituency.
Speaking on the outreach, Auta said that he was moved to undertake the surgeries to assist the less privileged persons in the society.
“We found that some people were suffering in silence simply because they lacked the means to treat themselves, so we decided to assist.
“It is just part of the efforts to share what we have so as to make life a bit better for others,” he said.
Kano
Kano State Government says it spent over N1.8 billion on payment of scholarship allowances to its students in tertiary institutions in the first eight months of the year.
The state Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Kano recently.
Garba said the state government was heavily burdened by the scholarship liability it inherited from the immediate past administration.
He added that some of the programmes being undertaken by the students abroad could be offered in higher institutions in the country.
Kebbi
The Secretary, Caretaker Committee, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kebbi State, Malam Yusuf Dingyadi says over 2,965 candidates have purchased nomination forms ahead of state and wards congress in the state.
Dingyadi made this disclosure in an interview with newsmen at the party’s secretariat in Birinin Kebbi.
“Over 2,965 candidates vying for different political positions ahead of wards and state congress of the PDP, Kebbi State had purchased their nomination forms from the party’s caretaker committee,” he said.
Lagos
A Catholic Priest of the Order of Sons of Mary, Rev. Fr. Anthony Ikechukwu has called for increased respect for the sanctity and sacredness of oath-taking by public officers, especially politicians.
The priest made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, recently.
According to Ikechukwu, there is a correlation between woes that befall a man and the non-committal to vows and oaths freely taken.
“Reproach will befall anybody that is not honourable to an oath that he or she enters into,” he said.
The priest said that vows and oaths were not to be treated with levity, adding that national prosperity would flourish in a society that took oaths seriously.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government has advised residents against eating bush meat in order to avoid the risk of contracting monkey pox disease.
The state Director of Public Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr Ibrahim Adamu gave the advice while addressing newsmen in Lafia.
He called for calm and assured that the state government had put all necessary measures in place to protect the lives of residents.
“The first case of the disease was seen in Bayelsa State in the South-South region and since then other states have recorded suspected cases and it is also on record that out of the 74 suspected cases, only three have been confirmed to be case of monkey pox and these three are all in Bayelsa state”, Adamu said.
Niger
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State says it will computerise its administration toward planning for a successful participation in the 2019 general elections.
Its chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Gawu, made this known while inaugurating a one-week computer training for the party executives in Minna recently.
“The APC in Niger State will deploy computer in the area of planning toward a successful 2019 general elections.
“Aside our executive members, we will make sure that our polling agents are computer literate and fully equipped,’’ he said.
Ogun
As the world marks the 2017 International Chef Day, Nestle Nigeria Plc, a leading food and beverage company has urged parents to involve children while preparing their meals.
According to the organisation, this will encourage them to adopt good eating habits which will make them to grow into healthy well-balanced adults.
The Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestle Nigeria Plc., Mrs Victoria Uwadoka made the call at an event to celebrate this year’s International Chef Day on Friday in Abeokuta, recently.
Plateau
A non-governmental organisation, Community Action for Popular Participation has called on women in Plateau State to contest elective positions in the forthcoming local government elections on February 17.
Acting Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Nelson Ananze threw the challenge at a one-day forum it organised in Jos in an event entitled “Women in Politics Interactive Forum and Capacity Development’’.
According to Ananze, the aim of the forum is to galvanise and mobilise support that would stimulate women to participate actively in politics.
“For too long, women have been suffering marginalisation and exclusion from the political process.
Sokoto
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has approved the appointment of a 12-man committee for the sale of government quarters in the state.
A statement in Sokoto by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam said that the quarters would be sold to deserving occupants.
He said that the committee would make necessary arrangements for the issuance of allocation letters to eligible beneficiaries.
Imam said the governor directed the committee to ‘‘ensure that the demarcation carried out is strictly enforced without any violation of standard measurement”, he said.
Yobe
Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has refuted media reports alleging rape of some of Internally Displaced Persons camped in Damaturu.
“The report is misleading, lacking substance and without any iota of truth,” SEMA’s Permanent Secretary, Musa Jidawa said in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu.
According to him, the agency has provided adequate security at the government-run camp in Pompomari to guard against such cases.
He added that community leaders in other camps located in Kukareta, Kasaisa, Mohammed Gombe farm and YBC Abare have developed a very effective security network to protect the inmates of all abuses including rape.
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.