Nation

THE STATES

Published

10 years ago

December 16, 2016

Adamawa
Surgical teams from the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC), have treated 90 people wounded in the Maiduguri and Madagali bomb blasts.
ICRC Health Coordinator in Nigeria, Dr Hashemi Padshah, made the disclosure in a statement made available to newsmen in Yola, Adamawa State.
Padshah said that the Red Cross currently has two surgical teams in the country which had so far treated over 1,800 patients in the north-east within the year.
He said that the ICRC was assisting 16 primary health-care centres and nine mobile clinics by providing them with primary healthcare services for internally displaced persons, returnees and other residents in the north-east

Borno
The Victim Support Fund (VSF) says it has donated about
N370 million for the procurement of building materials for reconstruction of eight primary schools destroyed by Boko Haram in Bama.
The Chairman of the fund, retired Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, disclosed this in Bama at the official flagging-off of the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of 10 public structures in the area.
Represented by Amb. John Gana, he said the VSF was committed to addressing the plight of victims of insurgency and other related violence in the country.
According to him, the VSF expended N250 million for reconstruction of 40 projects in Dikwa Local Government Area of the state in January 2016.

Gombe
The Gombe State Board of Internal Revenue would soon em
bark on a biometry of tax payers in both formal and informal sectors of the state.
The exercise, according to the Chairman of the board, Alhaji Adamu Damji, is to ensure effective tax collection and adequate remittance of the revenue to the state treasury.
Damji told newsmen in Gombe on the sidelines of a training programme for tax collectors from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the state that the need for more revenue, informed the state government’s decision to embark on the biometry.
According to him, the state has been making efforts to boost its Internally Generated Revenue and improve its Revenue Data Base.

Kaduna

The Director-General (DG), Nigerian Institute of Transport
Technology (NITT), Zaria, Dr Aminu Musa-Yusuf, says every Nigerian has the right to live and work anywhere in the country.
Musa-Yusuf made the remark when the Niger-Delta APC Youth-Vanguard presented him an award of excellence recently in recognition of his selfless service to Nigeria.
A statement signed by NITT’s Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations and made available to newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State, quoted the DG as saying: “Nigeria is for all of us, and therefore, every Nigerian has equal right to live and work anywhere in the country.
“That is why the institute religiously adhered to the principles of federal character during the last recruitment exercise”.

Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has appealed to
the federal and Nasarawa State governments, to dualise the Keffi/Akwanga road.
The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, made the call in Lafia, after Mr Ibrahim Bala (APC-Keffi West), moved a motion, under matters of public interest, on the need to expand the Keffi roundabout.
Balarabe-Abdullahi said dualising the road would reduce the rate of accidents and save the lives of the people plying the road.
Earlier, Mr Ibrahim Bala (APC-Keffi West) called on his colleague, to support his motion
Mr Muluku Ibrahim (PDP-Nassarawa Eggon East) seconded the motion.
Niger
Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Re
sources, Alhaji Aliyu Abdullahi, has urged the media to educate the youth to embrace agriculture.
Abdullahi, who made the appeal in an interview with in Minna, said that agriculture has huge potentials for employment and wealth creation.
According to him, the gesture will support massive production and ensure food security in the country.
He explained that the state government had provided modern farming inputs at subsidised rates to farmers across the state.
Ondo
A 25-year-old travel agent, Adetula Dotun-Ola, was
last Tuesday brought before an Akure Chief Magistrates’ Court over an alleged N1,000,000 fraud.
The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Uloh Okokon, told the court that the accused person fraudulently obtained N1,000,000 from one Kehinde Anthony-Bejide, under the pretence of procuring an air ticket for him to Cuba, which he could not procure.
Okokon said that the Adetula falsely presented himself as a travel agent before Kehinde, with intent to defraud him and convert the money to his own use.
He alleged that the accused person committed the offence on July 24, 2016 at Local Government Secretariat Shopping Complex, Akure.

Osun

A 40-year-old man, Ikechukwu Muojekwu, has been
sentenced to 13 months imprisonment in Ilesa prison by an Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court for burglary.
The Magistrate, Mr Olusola Aluko, ordered that Muojekwu be kept behind bars due to the magnitude of the offence committed or pay an option of N20,000 fine.
The State Counsel, Mrs Olubukola Akintayo, told the court that the convict committed the offence on December 18, 2009 at about 6.30p.m. at No. 17 Aiyetoro area, Osogbo.
She said that the convict conspired with others at large, broke into the shop of one Mrs Fasilat Suraju and carted away some valuable items.
Akintayo said the the offence contravened sections 86 (1), 516, 390(9), and 249 (d) of the criminal code cap 34 vol. 11 laws of Osun, 2003.

Oyo
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC),
in Oyo State, says it is committed to ensuring standard in the operations of private guard companies in the state.
The state Commandant of the corps, Mr John Adewoye, stated this during a stakeholder’s seminar in Ibadan.
He said the NSCDC was mandated to regulate the activities of private guard companies operating across the country hence it became mandatory for the companies to comply with the operational guidelines.
Adewoye disclosed that biometric registration of all private guard companies across the country would soon commence to flush out fake and unregistered companies.

Ogun
The Ogun Commissioner for Commerce and Industry,
Mr Bimbola Ashiru, has urged the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to improve information dissemination to shippers to avoid exportable goods being condemned and confiscated at ports of destination.
Ashiru made the plea in Ota, Ogun, in a message to a one-day Enlightenment/Awareness Seminar with a Theme: “Ports Economic Regulator: A Stimulus to Enhance International Trade’’.
The commissioner was represented by a Director in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr Kayode Ogunti.
The seminar was organised by the South West Zone of the NSC.
Plateau
Kanam Local Government Area of Plateau State
has sunk 37 boreholes in 20 communities within the locality in the last one year.
The Management Committee Chairman of the council, Mr Isa Hashidu, disclosed this when the state House of Assembly Standing Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs visited the council.
The House had on December 2 directed the committee to visit and ascertain the levels of development at the 17 local government areas of the state.
The chairman said that the council spent N27 million to execute the project to completion.
Similarly, the Management Committee Chairman for Mikkang Local Government, Mr Vulgab Pabuet, told the committee during its visit that it had constructed 40 lock-up shops.
Sokoto
The Nigerian Army has recovered about 300 cattle
from rustlers in various parts of Zamfara State, Brig.-Gen. Ginikanwa Nwosu, Commander, 1 Brigade, Sokoto, has said.
Nwosu spoke recently in Sokoto, when he addressed newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Press Centre.
He said:” The recovery was part of the myriad of successes recorded by the military in the fight against cattle rustling, kidnappings and other forms of armed banditry”.
Nwosu announced that the military recently deployed more troops to various parts of Zamfara to reinforce the fight against cattle rustling, kidnappings and armed banditry.
Nwosu pledged to “sustain the current tempo of cordial relations between the military and the journalists, as well as the civilian population”.
The State NUJ Chairman, Isa Shuni, had earlier commended Nwosu for the visit, describing it as the first by any Commander of the brigade.

Taraba
The Taraba State Police Command says it is awaiting
the result of the autopsy conducted on the body of Mr Samuel Awar, a comedian who was found dead by his aides in a hotel in Jalingo on December 8.
The command’s Spokesman, David Mishal, said in Jalingo that the autopsy would determine the cause of Awar’s death.
“ It is normal to conduct an autopsy in situations like this to determine weather the deceased was killed or he died as a result of natural causes,” Mishal said.
He said the two ladies whom the command earlier invited for interrogation in connection with the case, had been released after nothing implicating was found against them.
He made his last public appearance penultimate Wednesday when he went out with his fans to paste posters around Jalingo in preparation for a peace concert scheduled for December 17.

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

13 hours ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) says it has strengthened collaboration with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to enhance quality control and enforcement frameworks.

Mr Oisereime Lloyd-Dietake, the Head of Communications, REAN, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the collaboration would also involve stakeholder engagement on testing, certification and capacity building in Nigeria.

He said the synergy would strengthen quality control and enforcement frameworks, promote policy alignment, and ensure stronger regulation across the renewable energy value chain.

“REAN reaffirms its commitment to standardisation and quality assurance; tighter collaboration with SON is critical to eliminating fake and substandard renewable energy products from the Nigerian market.

“Enforcement and gaps in existing standards have continued to allow inferior products to circulate, undermining consumer confidence and slowing sector growth.”

Lloyd-Dietake said that at high-level discussions, REAN also highlighted the need for stronger regulatory coordination to address emerging challenges in the renewable energy space.

According to him, the issues include inconsistencies in standards, affordability issues linked to certification processes; and the increasing presence of substandard solar and renewable energy equipment in the country.

“The association further raised concerns about delays in product testing and approval, calling for the establishment of more testing laboratories and certification facilities to improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks in the system,’’ he said.

Lloyd-Dietake urged closer collaboration among key regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the Rural Electrification Agency.

He said such team work would ensure harmonised standards and more effective enforcement against fake renewable energy products in the Nigerian market.

In response, SON acknowledged the important role REAN continued to play in supporting standardisation within Nigeria’s renewable energy industry and reaffirmed its willingness to deepen collaboration with the association.

SON further confirmed that REAN would be actively involved in future standard review processes and upcoming stakeholder engagements related to renewable energy and electric mobility standards development.

Lloyd-Dietake said REAN affirmed its willingness to formalise the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

He said the MoU is aimed at deepening cooperation, promoting quality assurance, and accelerating Nigeria’s transition towards reliable and standardised renewable energy solutions.

Nation

Self Help Africa programme expands water access for 320,000 Nigerians

Published

13 hours ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

The WASH Systems for Health (WS4H) Programme, implemented by Self Help Africa, has expanded access to safe water and sanitation services for more than 320,000 people in Kano and Cross River States.

The organisation disclosed this on Tuesday at the WS4H National Results and Learning Workshop in Abuja, where stakeholders reviewed achievements and lessons from the intervention.

Speaking at the event, Self Help Africa Country Director, Joy Aderele, said the programme demonstrated that sustainable WASH improvements require strong institutions, effective governance, adequate financing and collaboration.

Aderele said the UK-funded programme was designed to strengthen systems that support sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services.

According to her, the intervention focused on improving governance, planning, financing, accountability and sector coordination to ensure resilient service delivery.

“More than 320,000 people now have improved or restored access to water services through programme-supported interventions,” she said.

She added that more than 5,520 household toilets were constructed in Yala and Makoda Local Government Areas, boosting sanitation, public health and efforts to end open defecation.

Aderele said the programme also strengthened public investment in WASH, with Cross River increasing its sector budget by 211 per cent in 2026 and Kano by 169.07 per cent.

She added that dedicated WASH budget lines had been established across 40 Ministries, Departments and Agencies in both states, strengthening accountability and institutional commitment.

According to her, both states reviewed and adopted updated WASH policies, while key planning documents were developed to guide future investments and service delivery.

She said Cross River also recorded a major legislative milestone through the passage of the Water Law and Open Defecation Prohibition Bill.

Aderele added that lessons from interventions in Yala LGA were already informing expansion efforts in Obubra Local Government Area.

While commending the achievements, she noted that capacity gaps, resource constraints and climate-related pressures remained challenges to sustainable WASH services.

“The sustainability of these gains will depend on continued government leadership, adequate financing, strong partnerships and investment in institutional capacity,” she said.

Also speaking, the Programme Manager of WS4H, Mr Timothy Ibeawuchi, said the intervention focused on strengthening systems needed to sustain gains and attract future investments.

According to him, the programme engages stakeholders in developing strategies that preserve achievements and support long-term service delivery.

“System strengthening work takes time because it addresses the fundamental issues responsible for sustainable and resilient service delivery,” he said.

Ibeawuchi said the programme strengthened policy development, planning, financing, monitoring and evaluation systems across the WASH sector.

He said two pilot local government areas were supported to develop WASH strategic plans outlining sector goals, targets and activities between 2026 and 2030.

According to him, the plans will guide future interventions and improve service delivery in the affected councils.

Earlier, the representative of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Chidera Chukwu, reaffirmed support for Nigeria’s development efforts in spite of the programme nearing completion.

Chukwu commended the Self Help Africa-led consortium for delivering the programme with professionalism and a strong focus on systems strengthening.

He said the consortium contributed greatly to strengthening Nigeria’s WASH sector through policy reforms, improved coordination and enhanced accountability.

“Together, we have advanced key policy and legislative reforms, including open defecation-free laws and strengthened state WASH frameworks,” he said.

According to him, the reforms represent enduring system-level changes that will continue delivering benefits beyond the programme’s lifespan.

In his remarks, Mr Jamilu Habu, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, commended the programme’s achievements.

Habu, who represented the Permanent Secretary, said the intervention strengthened governance, coordination, evidence-based planning and institutional capacity in the WASH sector.

He described the workshop as an opportunity to review achievements, share lessons and identify pathways for sustaining and scaling successful interventions.

According to him, the programme’s innovations and best practices will guide future policies and investments aimed at expanding access to safe WASH services.

Habu stressed the need for continued collaboration among governments, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and communities.

He said stronger partnerships remained essential to achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene services and meeting Sustainable Development Goal 6.

Nation

Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

Published

14 hours ago

June 29, 2026

The Tide

Residents of Ajah, Mafoluku and other flood-prone communities in Lagos have recounted how Thursday’s torrential rainfall left them stranded, submerged homes and cut off access to major roads.

The residents, who spoke with Tide source, on Friday called for urgent government intervention to tackle the recurring flooding blamed on poor drainage infrastructure.

Along Mobil Road in Ajah, Mrs Rukayat said floodwaters submerged about 200 metres of the road, forcing commuters to wade through waist-deep water.

“The water level was almost up to my lap. People literally had to wade through it to get home,” she said.

According to her, many motorists turned back, while others abandoned their vehicles and continued their journeys on foot.

“The only way to pass through the water was by walking or using a tricycle. Even then, the tricycles broke down and had to be pushed,” she said.

Rukayat said some youths assisted stranded tricycle operators by pushing their vehicles through flooded sections for a fee.

She said residents had repeatedly alerted authorities to the flooding but little had changed.

“We reported this when the rains started, but apparently nothing has been done about the problem,” she said.

She attributed the flooding to poor drainage and possible blockage of a major canal serving the area.

“There is a big canal here, but I don’t know what is preventing water from flowing through it properly,” she said.

According to her, overgrown vegetation and sand deposits might have obstructed the canal, reducing its capacity to discharge stormwater.

She added that although floodwaters usually receded after a few hours, sections of the road remained waterlogged.

In Mafoluku, residents said several streets, homes and access roads were submerged, leaving many unable to return home after going about their daily activities.

Mrs Iriagbonse Okunkpolor, a resident of Agboola Street, said what began as a short trip to buy household items became an hours-long ordeal.

“I left my house to buy a few items nearby, but the rain started suddenly and flooded the entire street.

“I was stranded for hours because there was no safe way back home,” she said.

Another resident, Mr Mukaila Idris, described the flooding as both dangerous and distressing.

“The current was very strong. I watched people pay young men to carry them across the water because they were afraid of being swept away or falling,” he said.

According to him, only physically fit residents could navigate the floodwaters safely, while many others waited several hours for the water level to subside.

Mr Williams Ekpo, who lives in the Eyinogun area, said the flood extended beyond the roads and entered residential compounds.

“The floodwater entered our compound and damaged some household items.

“This happens almost every rainy season, yet nothing seems to be done to address the drainage problem,” he said.

The residents urged the relevant authorities to investigate the persistent flooding and improve drainage infrastructure to prevent a recurrence during the rainy season.