Nation
THE STATES

Adamawa
The Federal Government has donated three trucks-load
of grains to returned Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Madagali Local Government Council of Adamawa State.
The NEMA Camps Coordinator in charge of Adamawa and Taraba Mr Sa’ad Bello, presented the items in Gulak town, Headquarters of Madagali.
Bello said the gesture was part of Federal Government’s humanitarian intervention to assist returnee communities affected by Boko Haram insurgency.
He explained that the three trucks were, however, not sufficient, considering the large number of the people but that more assistance would soon reach the community.
He added that “this is the first time grains relief material meant for the returnees through NEMA directly reached Madagali Local Government Area.
Bauchi
Accidental leak of a chemical substance suspected to
be chlorine from a cylinder in Bauchi, endangered the health of some students of a private school, Rainex Hallmark International College, who were attending classes.
It was gathered that the cylinders, presumably empty, and owned by some businessmen from Kano, were kept in premises close to the College, located in Fadaman Mada Area of Bauchi.
A woman who described herself as the ‘Director of the School’ said in a telephone interview Saturday that the incident occurred at about 10 am on Friday.
Contacted for his comment, Bauchi Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mahmoud Mohammed, said he would issue a statement on the matter at a later time.
Benue
The Benue State Sector Command of the Federal Road
Safety Commission (FRSC) has inspected over 2000 commercial vehicles for compliance with installation of the speed limiting device.
The state Sector Commander, Mr, Chidiebere Nkwonta, gave the figure in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi.
FRSC began advisory enforcement of installation of the device in commercial vehicles on October 1.
He said that the corps would collaborate with transport unions and other relevant stakeholders, including the media, religious leaders and traditional rulers, to ensure compliance.
He refuted a claim by some motorists that the speed limiter installation deadline had been extended to February, 2017.
Borno
The Chief of Army staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, says the
army would establish additional Forward Operation Bases to support increasing military operations across the country.
Buratai stated this while fielding questions from newsmen after the inauguration of a new Forward Operation Base in Buratai, in Borno State.
He revealed that already provisions had been made in 2017 budget for construction of more operational bases across the country.
According to him, the increasing operational activities in the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the North East, had necessitated the establishment of the Forward Operation Base in Buratai.
He stated that the base, which had accommodation and other facilities, would support operational activities in the area.
Ekiti
The regent of Orin Ekiti, in Orin, Mrs Bola Dada, has
appealed to the Federal Government and the National Assembly to hasten work on the proposed dam project in the town in Ido Osi local government area of Ekiti State.
In an interview with newsmen on the sideline of the annual “Orin Day’’ celebration, Dada said that adequately funding the dam would aid irrigation and improve farming in the area.
She recalled that the Owena River Basin Development Authority had already carried out feasibility studies on the project, and confirmed that it would boost irrigation farming in the area.
The regent, however, identified lack of effective follow-up, as well as funding, as the major factors hindering the commencement of the project.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government has earmarked N11.4 billion
for township road projects in the 2017 budget estimate sent to the State House of Assembly for approval.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai had on October 12 sent a budget proposal of N215.9 billion for the 2017 financial year.
The budget breakdown shows that the N11.4 billion was part of the N24 billion earmarked for the ministry of works, housing and transport for capital projects.
The document indicates that N3.4 billion was set aside for trunk roads, N400 million for ring roads and N250 million for box culverts.
It also shows that N500 million will be spent on the supply and installation of street lights while N150 million was for street naming and house numbering.
Nasarawaa
The Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Mr Silas Agara,
has been praised by some Lafia residents and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for consistently obeying traffic rules.
They made the commendation in Lafia in separate interviews with newsmen.
Sector Commander of FRSC in Nasarawa State, Mrs Faustina Alegbe, expressed delight with the deputy governor’s conduct, within Lafia, the state capital.
A commercial motorcycle operator Mr Yusuf Adamu, who saw the deputy governor obey traffic rules on Shendam Road in Lafia, said he was touched by the deputy governor’s action.
A Lafia resident,Mr Hassan Usman also praised the deputy governor for his exemplary conduct.
Niger
The Niger State Police Command has confirmed that one
person was killed and another seriously injured following a misunderstanding between two transport unions at the Abdulsalam Abubakar Motor Park, Minna.
The misunderstanding was between members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers ( NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria.
Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Bala Elkaina confirmed the death in an interview with newsmen in Minna.
He said that the injured person was currently receiving treatment at Minna General Hospital.
Elkaina said that the police had invited the two leaders of the union for thorough investigation in order to bring the culprits to justice.
Ogun
Former Vice Chancellor of Covenant University, Ota, Prof. Charles
Ayo, has urged the Federal Government to invest more in the health sector to reduce capital flight.
Ayo spoke at the 7th Inaugural Lecture of the institution titled, “Deconstructing the National Development Agenda : The Role of Information and Communications Technologies.”
He said the nation lost N1.5 trillion annually to health tourism due to poor infrastructure in the sector.
The don said that there was an average of 1,700 persons per hospital bed and the ratio of physician to the populace too wide..
The Chancellor of the institution, Dr David Oyedepo, said Federal Government should look at education as a core requirement in achieving changes as well as solving nation’s challenges.
Oyo
An advocacy group, Partnership for Advocacy in Child
and Family Health (PACFAH), has called for increased budgetary allocation to health sector in 2017 to boost the nation’s economy and productivity.
The Programme Coordinator of PACFAH, Ms Anu Rotimi, made the call at the end of a three-day stakeholders and advocacy meeting in Ibadan.
The meeting also featured a Validation Workshop for trend analysis of the 2006 to 2016 budgetary allocations to health sector in Oyo State.
Rotimi described the sector as the major driver for economic development which should be given priority in the nation’s budgetary allocation.
According to her, health and economic performances are inter-linked, and health sector is a viable avenue to revive the economy.
Plateau
The District 9125 of Rotary Club International has immu
nized no fewer than 2,000 children against polio in Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The state Representative of Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee of Rotary in Plateau, Ms Gloria Thomas, said that the gesture was aimed at ensuring complete eradication of polio in Nigeria.
Thomas said that the exercise was in fulfillment of the pledge made by the club in 1985 to ensure that children enjoy a polio-free world.
“At least, children who missed the last exercise during the just concluded Polio plus Day would certainly have benefited from the one we just administered to them.
“Every Polio plus Day, Rotarians always come out en mass to support and ensure that every child gets immunised; to protect and boost their immune system against diseases,’’ she said.
Taraba
Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku has commiserated
with the people of Gashaka Council Area of the state over the death of Lamdo Gashaka, Alhaji Hammangabdo Sambo.
Sambo, 81, died at the National Hospital Abuja on Saturday night during a protracted illness.
In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Hassan Mijinyawa, Ishaku said that the death was a huge loss to the government and people of Taraba.
He described Sambo as a courageous and sincere monarch whose wisdom and honest counselling would be missed.
He was survived by about 70 children and many grandchildren.
Sokoto
Sokoto State Government says only five malaria-related
deaths were recorded at the Kofar-Kade Primary Health Centre in Sokoto North Local Government Area in the last one month.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Alhaji Al-mustapha Othman, made the clarification while briefing newsmen in Sokoto shortly after he led officials of the ministry on assessment visit to the centre.
Othman said that no fewer than 390 patients were admitted at the facility during the period under review.
The permanent secretary said that the drugs were distributed to all health facilities across the state.
According to him, the drugs were being dispensed free to all categories of patients across the state.
Nation
Nasarawa Varsity Student Commits Suicide

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.
Nation
Ogun, Nike Art Gallery Set To Transform Olumo Rock

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.
Nation
CBEX Resumes Operations Despite SEC Ban, N1.2trn EFCC Probe

Despite the alleged N1.2 trillion digital trading fraud that reportedly affected over 600,000 Nigerians, the embattled Crypto Bridge Exchange trading platform, accused of these acts, has resumed operations, announcing fresh withdrawal options in a move to restore investor confidence.
Two traders on the CBEX platform confirmed to The Tide’s source that the digital trading firm has quietly resumed operations, allowing new users to register, trade, and withdraw profits, despite ongoing investigations by regulatory agencies.
According to the sources, an insurance verification process and an external audit of the company’s financial records are currently underway to ascertain the actual amount lost in the scheme, which collapsed in April.
They added that existing investors, many of whom have been unable to access their funds for weeks, will be able to take out their funds starting from June 25, 2025, when the audit is expected to be concluded by an insurance firm based in the United Kingdom.
This development comes barely weeks after the Securities and Exchange Commission declared the platform illegal, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission confirmed an ongoing investigation into the firm’s operations.
CBEX, a digital investment platform, offered investors 100 per cent profit after 30 days of purported AI trading. The trading platform started operations in 2024 after receiving registration approval from the Corporate Affairs Commission on September 25, 2024, and the EFCC’s Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering on January 16, 2025.
No fewer than 600,000 Nigerians reportedly invested in the scheme and lost N1.2tn after it collapsed on April 14, 2025.
Miffed by the development, the EFCC declared eight persons wanted for promoting the programme. They include Johnson Oteno, Israel Mbaluka, Joseph Michiro, Serah Michiro, Adefowora Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko, and Seyi Oloyede.
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