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THE STATES

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FCT
Female Advocacy Mentoring Empowerment (FAME) Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), last Wednesday gave scholarship to eight pupils from LEA Primary School Jabi and Kugbo in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The founder of the foundation,  Ronke Bello said the scholarship was in commemoration of the launching of the one-girl-one-pen campaign in Abuja.
She said that five girls were selected from LEA Primary School, Kugbo and three from LEA Primary School, Jabi, saying that it is a full scholarship all through their primary education.
According to her, LEA is meant to be free education but presently it is not totally free, some payments are made for books including their transportation to school.

Jigawa
The Kazaure Local Government Area of Jigawa State has destroyed 475 bottles and jerry-cans of assorted beer in the area.
The Information Officer in charge of the council, Alhaji Magaji Muhammad  confirmed this to newsmen in Dutse last Thursday.
Muhammad said that the items were those confiscated from different vendors operating in the area by Hisbah guards.
Hisbah, a Sharia law enforcement agency in Jigawa State, has prohibited the consumption of beer in all parts of the state.

Kano
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has advised youths in the state to embark on activities that would enable them contribute to the development of the state and enhance their well being.
The governor gave the advice when he inaugurated the executive of the  National Youth Council of Nigeria,  Kano State chapter last  Thursday.
He said  “Youths as the engine of the society have all it takes to work for the overall good of their communities”.
Ganduje, who said that no society could progress without vibrant youth organisation, urged the new executive of the council to discharge its duties diligently.
The Chairman of the chapter, Kabiru Lakwaya, assured that the council would work to advance the cause of the youth in the state.

Kebbi
The Sight Savers”, an International Non-Governmental Organisation  has so far treated 3,112 patients diagnosed with trachoma in Kebbi State.
A facilitator from the organisation, Mr Ezra Yarima, disclosed this to newsmen last Thursday in Birnin Kebbi, shortly after the inauguration of an advisory committee on neglected tropical diseases set up by the Kebbi Government.
Trachoma is an eye infection that causes blindness. “The NGO, in collaboration with the state’s Ministry of Health, had provided ‘trachomatous trichiasis’ surgery to 3,112 patients suffering from the disease from 2015 to date,’’ he said.
He described the state as endemic to five tropical neglected diseases such as Onchocerciasis (river blindness), Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis), Trachoma (Blinding) disease.

Kogi
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State last Wednesday said his government would collaborate with relevant agencies toward the promotion and empowerment of girl-child in the state.
Bello made the pledge in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Petra Onyegbule in Lokoja to mark the 2017 International Day of the Girl-Child.
International Day of the Girl-Child is celebrated annually on October 11 to highlight issues concerning the gender inequality facing young girls.
This year’s theme is: “The Power of the Adolescent Girl: Vision for 2030.”
The governor said that he was not unaware of the myriad of issues facing girl-child in today’s society during the time of conflicts and peace.

Kwara
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Kwara State has pledged to sanitise hotels and clubs used for strip dancing and other vices in the state.
The Commandant, Mr Adeyinka Ayinla, made the pledge last Thursday in Ilorin when he paid courtesy visit to the state’s Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Mahmud Ajeigbe.
The commandant said he was newly posted to the state and decided that it was important to partner with the ministry of information in promoting peace and stability.
He explained that the NSCDC would commence investigation into issues deliberated on during courtesy visits to stakeholders.
The issues, he added, included strip-dancing in hotels, cultism, kidnappings, ritual killings, oil diversion in Baruten Local Government and Nigerian refugees crisis in the Mediterranean.

Lagos
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says it received a total of 144 complaints from both domestic and international air passengers between January and June 2017.
This is contained in a document obtained by newsmen last week from the Consumer Protection Department (CPD) of the NCAA in Lagos State.
Our correspondent reports that the figure is a sharp decline from the 2,133 complaints received by the regulatory authority in the first half of 2016.
The document indicated that some of the complaints by the passengers included overbooking, denied boarding, pilferage and discourtesy by airline employees.
It said 126 complaints were received from passengers flying international routes while only 18 were received from passengers on domestic routes.

Nasarawa
The National Judicial Council (NJC) has appointed three new High Court judges in Nassarawa State in order to further strengthen the state’s judiciary.
The Chief Judge (CJ) of the state, Justice Suleiman Dikko disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Lafia last Wednesday.
Dikko gave the names of the new judges as Mustapher Ramat-Abdulmumuni, Hanatu Mohammed and Abdulahi Ozegya.
He said that the appointment of the judges was to fill the vacancy created by death and the establishment of new high courts.
“The appointment would go a long way towards decongesting the number of cases in the other high court thereby leading to quick dispensation of justice,” he said.

Niger
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Niger State last Thursday in Minna called for a community-based risk management to reduce disaster occurrence in the state.
NEMA Head of Operation in charge of Niger and Kwara States, Alhaji Aliyu Kafindangi said this in commemoration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The Day is marked every October 13 to highlight how people are reducing their exposure to disaster and to raise awareness on reducing the risks.
A statement from Kafindangi disclosed that the agency’s focus was in line with this year’s theme, “Home Safe Home; Reducing Exposure, Reducing Displacement”.

Ogun
About  11, 636 cooperative societies have so far registered in Ogun State to promote commerce and investment, according to an official.
The Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperatives, Mr Gbenga Adenmosun, disclosed this during an oversight visit to his ministry by the State House of Assembly Committee on Community Development and Cooperatives in Abeokuta last Wednesday.
He said out of the figure, 221 of the cooperative societies were registered by the government between January and August this year.

Osun
The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in Osun State says it has confiscated expired drinks and beverages worth N3 million in a raid on major supermarkets and shops across the state.
The State Coordinator of SON, Mr Jerome Umoru told newsmen last Wednesday in Osogbo that the expired products were seized on Monday.
Umoru said the items were confiscated during raids carried out by the organisation’s task force. He said many of the shop owners where the expired products were seized claimed ignorance of the expiration of the products while few others were aware.

Oyo
The wife of  Oyo State Governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi last Tuesday in Ibadan  said caring for  vulnerable children should be the  collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
Ajimobi said this while distributing food items and toiletries to vulnerable children in the state to commemorate the country’s  57th Independence anniversary.
The governor’s wife said the country had  gone through trials and tribulations, adding that the anniversary was worthy of being celebrated.
“October 1 is always a day for celebration  because it is believed that Nigeria is gradually moving from being an under-developed country to one of the developing countries in the world”, she said.

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Rumuaholu Community Denies Land Grabbing Allegations, Accuses Obio/Akpor Chairman of Interference in Land Dispute

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The Ekeanyanwu family of Rumuaholu Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State has strongly refuted allegations of land grabbing levelled against it, describing recent media reports as false, misleading, and deliberately fabricated.
The family made its position known during a press briefing held on Wednesday at the residence of Dr. Colonel Ogwumerum Eke in Rumuaholu. The briefing was attended by community leaders, stakeholders, and family representatives.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Dr. Eke dismissed claims attributed to the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Hon. Gift Worlu, which allegedly labelled the family as land grabbers. He described the allegations as baseless, frivolous, and lacking any factual foundation.
According to Dr. Eke, the Ekeanyanwu family remains the legitimate owner of the parcel of land known as Ohia Agbada, comprising approximately 6,000 plots situated along the Obiri-Ikwerre Airport Road corridor. He further maintained that Victory Estate, located within the disputed area, belongs exclusively to the Ekeanyanwu family and not to the Rumuosi Community as claimed by the council chairman.
Dr. Eke stated that ownership of the land had been affirmed by the courts, citing Case No. CCC/22/2015 at the Choba Customary Court. He explained that while the suit was instituted against another family in Rumuaholu, the Rumuosi Community sought to be joined in the matter but their application was rejected by the court.
He further disclosed that the family currently holds 15 subsisting court judgments in its favour relating to the disputed land, including judgments from the Customary Court, High Court, and Court of Appeal.
The family spokesman alleged that the Obio/Akpor council chairman, in collaboration with the local Anti-Land Grabbing Committee, was attempting to undermine the court decisions and dispossess the family of its land through what he described as “backdoor means.”
Dr. Eke accused the chairman of assuming the role of an appellate authority over matters that had already been conclusively determined by competent courts.
Expressing concern over recent developments, he alleged that individuals acting under the influence of the council chairman had destroyed properties worth millions of naira within Victory Estate. He described the action as a direct affront to existing court judgments and the rule of law.
Displaying copies of court judgments during the briefing, Dr. Eke questioned the rationale behind branding judgment creditors as land grabbers, insisting that those challenging the court rulings were the real offenders.
He called on members of the public to disregard what he termed misleading radio announcements purportedly made by the council chairman and urged government institutions and security agencies to uphold the sanctity of court judgments.
Also speaking at the briefing, Elder Prince Ndaokani, Principal Oji Owhor of Rumuaholu Community, supported the Ekeanyanwu family’s claims. He maintained that the disputed land originally belonged to Dr. Eke’s late father, who, according to Ikwerre native customary law, acquired ownership through the clearing and development of the land.
However, the allegations were dismissed by the Chairman of the Obio/Akpor Anti-Land Grabbing Committee, Chief Alex Wali, who responded on behalf of the local government council.
Chief Wali declined to engage directly with the claims made by Dr. Eke, stating: “That man cannot be gifted with our valued response to his tirades. People like that should not be in public but should be rotting in jail for heinous crimes against humanity.”
He maintained that nothing would prevent the council chairman from carrying out his constitutional responsibilities as the chief executive and chief security officer of the local government area.
According to him, the protection of lives and property remains a fundamental responsibility of government at all levels, and the council would continue to discharge its duties in that regard.
The dispute is the latest chapter in a long-running land ownership controversy in the area, with both sides maintaining opposing claims over the disputed property.
By Akujobi Amadi
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Asarama Kingdom Condemns Gruesome Murder of A Commercial Vehicle Driver

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The Asarama General Assembly in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State has condemned the gruesome murder of a commercial vehicle driver by some identified criminal elements in the community.
It would be recalled that on Thursday the 28th of May  2026, the kingdom was thrown into mourning, following the gruesome murder of a commercial vehicle driver by some criminal elements
The Assembly which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt also called for the establishment of a Mobile police and police anti cultism departments  at the Asarama Police Division.
The Okangh Ama /Paramount Ruler of Asarama kingdom HRM king Appolus J Nteijaewaye who read the text for the briefing onbehalf of The Asarama General Assembly at the briefing said the community condemned in totality the gruesome incident.
He said the kingdom also extends its condolences to the bereaved family of the murdered driver, stressing that as a kingdom it would leave no stone unturned to ensure that such an incident never occur within it’s territorial space again.
The General Assembly also commended the prompt intervention of the Nigerian police Force which led to the arrest of some members of the criminal gang, adding that even though the crime was committed at Asarama, some of those allegedly involved were not indigenes of Asarama kingdom.
“As a kingdom we use the sober moment of this unfortunate incident to further commend the prompt reaction of the leadership and men of the Nigeria Police Force in Rivers state that led to their effective results aimed at eliminating criminality and deterring the evil ones in our society “
The Community also described the incident as a pointer to the level of vulnerability of not only Asarama kingdom but the entire society, against the background that the sanctity of life ought to be sacred and protected by individuals, groups, communities and governmental institutions”
Meanwhile ,The Asarama General Assembly has called for the establishment of a Mobile Police  as well as police anti cultism departments at the Asarama Police Division
It said this has become necessary inview of the strategic location of the kingdom as a gateway to the rest of Andoni communities and Opobo -Nkoro Local Government Area.
“Owing to the peculiarity of our geographical location especially the amphibious nature of Asarama kingdom, intricately linked with its neighbouring inter ethnic Ogoni and Opobo -Nkoro Local Government Areas in general and intra Andoni communities in particular, the relevant authorities should urgently approved special mobile police force,Anti cultism and Marin units to be attached to the Asarama Divisional headquarters”
The kingdom also decried the continuous neglect of the Asarama police Division, since it’s establishment adding that the division up till date,does not have a single firearm as well as enough personnel
It said this situation has exposed the community to activities of criminal elements.
“The sordid state of the only security outfit that ought to police our territory and beyond now seems to complicate the delicate insecurity that we are already exposed to, first as a nation and second as a people inhabiting an intricate amphibious gateway kingdom
“Consequently we hereby cry to the appropriate authorities to urgently equip the Asarama Divisional Police headquarters with adequate men arms and ammunition “the Community said.
John Bibor
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Rivers Commissioner Commends WAEC Conduct, Vows Sanctions for Malpractice

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The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.

“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.

Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state

He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.

“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.

While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.

He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.

Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.

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