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THE STATES

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Adamawa
The Pen, a political pressure group comprising members of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State, has expressed concern over the growing mob on legislators by some people.
The spokesman of the group, Alhaji Ibrahim Waziri, said this during a news conference  in Yola.
He said that the particular attacks on some National Assembly members in Katsina, Bauchi and Kebbi States by mob were unnecessary.
According to him, the best way to deal with elected officials is through the ballot box.
“We are condemning, in strong voice, reported cases of attacks on some legislators in many states of the federation and call on the electorate to handle their grievances with their legislators with civility.

Benue
The Police in Benue State have confirmed the lynching of three suspected armed robbers by a mob in Adikpo in Kawabde local government council of the state.
Spokesman of the command,  an Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr Moses Yamu, confirmed the incident  in Makurdi.
Yamu told newsmen that the suspected robbers were lynched while carrying out a robbery operation at a petrol station in Adikpo.
He said that the manager of the station alerted the mob, while the robbers were still carrying out their operation in the early hours of Tuesday.

Borno
The Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) said 30,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who fled the state at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency have returned home.
The Spokesman of the agency, Malam Abdullahi Umar, said in a statement issued in Maiduguri ,on Wednesday, that the figure was part of the 78,000 IDPs that fled the state to Cameroon during the period.
Umar said that the returnees were part of the 43,000 of the IDPs that signified interest to return home.
He said the IDPs were being kept in a camp at Banki in Bama local government area of the state.
He said that a team of SEMA officials had already visited the camp to assess their condition.

FCT
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, last Tuesday, restated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to the protection of human rights through strict adherence to professional policing.
Idris gave the assurance at the International Civil Society Seminar on Counter Insurgency organised by Global Amnesty Watch in partnership with  an NGO, Conscience Nigeria (CN), in Abuja.
The theme of the seminar was “ Counter Insurgency: Human Rights and Good Governance in the Context of the Nigeria Situation”.
He said that protection of human rights was a core function of the Nigeria police, adding that the force had constantly formulated policies and disciplinary measures that would galvanise its relationship with the public.

Jigawa
The Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development, a Non Governmental Organisation, on Thursday, said it initiated training programmes to tackle maternal and infant mortality and malnutrition in rural communities.
The Programme Manager, Alhaji Aminu Inuwa, said this at a one-day training on safe motherhood organised by the foundation for community leaders in Malammadori local government area of Jigawa State.
Inuwa said that the training was to create awareness on the need for women to be encouraged to access antenatal and reproductive healthcare services in communities.
He added that the training was designed to expose the participants to the best medical practices to enhance healthcare delivery at the grassroots.

Kaduna
The Nigerian Army on Tuesday organised a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Southern Kaduna to explore ways of ending the recurring crisis in the area.
The  meeting, held in Kafanchan, was to seek alternative measures to complement the military in bringing about permanent peace to the area.
In a message to the occasion, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai, assured that the ongoing special operation tagged ‘Harbin Kunama II,’ was to engage the people in securing the area.
He said that the residents must resolve to live in peace and harmony to stem unwarranted loss of lives and property going on in the area for years.

Kogi
Kogi  State High Court Judge, Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye has called on old students of secondary schools in the country to rise to the challenge of restoring the old glory of their alma maters.
He said such gesture could be in form of infrastructure, moral and educational development.
A Koton-Karfe Resident High Court Judge, Omolaye-Ajileye, made the call in Kabba at the re-union and award ceremony by the Old Students Association Steering Committee of the St. Barnabas Secondary School (SBSS), Kabba on Monday.
The jurist, who is also an alumnus of the school, said it was disheartening to see old students of institution who were in high and privileged positions while their alma maters faced moral and infrastructure decay.
He noted that the level of dilapidation of structures in many secondary schools, coupled with dwindling rectitude and general decay remained high.

Kwara
Prof Pius Abioje, of the Department of Religion, University of Ilorin, said false prophesy is against the tenets of Christianity.
Abioje said this  in Ilorin on Friday while delivering the 167th Inaugural Lecture of the University entitled: “Christian Prophets and other Prophets in Nigeria’’.
The expert on Religious Studies frowned at the trend which was becoming something else in Nigeria.
According to him, the false prophets have become a nuisance in the society, as they claim to perform wonders which they use in confusing unsuspecting Nigerians.
Abioje, who lectures in the Faculty of Arts of Unilorin, urged Nigerians not to be gullible and susceptible to their divination and prophesies.

Lagos
Chairman, Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Israel Ajao, has said that the government-sponsored vigilante organisation was not in competition with the police in securing the state.
Ajao told journalists  in Lagos State last Tuesday that the Neighborhood Watch, recently re-launched by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, was out to complement other security agencies.
Ajao, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), said that the new security outfit would collaborate with the police and other agencies in enhancing security in the state.
”Our main duty is to gather information and pass same to the police and other security agents that should work with such information.
“We are not to compete with the police, but to compliment them and other security agents.
”That is why all the security agencies are represented on the board of the corps,’’ said the LNSC chairman.

Niger
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Kabiru Rijau, said Nigerians must own up ongoing fight against corruption, to save the country from collapse.
Rijau said in an interview with journalists in Minna, last Tuesday, that those insinuating political sentiments to the war, were selfish and unpatriotic.
According to him, corruption is one of the factors responsible for the nation’s set back and must be fought to a standstill.
He commended the Federal Government for introducing the Whistle Blower policy, saying it would encourage more Nigerians to expose those who diverted funds meant for national development.
“Nigerians should wholeheartedly embrace the programmes in exposing public officers who derive pleasure in looting our treasury.

Osun
The Deputy Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Mr Akintunde Adegboye has urged caretaker committee management nominees to see their appointment as a call to service the people, if cleared.
The members are being screened for appointment in the 30 local government and local council development areas in the state.
Adegboye gave the advice during the screening of the nominees at the plenary in Osogbo on Wednesday.
He also advised the nominees not see their appointment as an opportunity for self enrichment but as an opportunity to serve their communities.

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Yahaya Bello: Senator Hails EFCC’s Probe Of N80.2bn Fraud

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Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has commended the efforts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to apprehend and prosecute the immediate past governors of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.
This is just as she also hailed the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for ceding 14 properties that were initially forfeited to the federal government to the government and people of Enugu State.
Reacting to Bello’s excuse for not honouring the EFCC’s invitation, the lawmaker emphasized the need for the commission to investigate other corrupt public officials to avoid the impression that their actions against former governor were meant to witch hunt him.
In a now-viral video, the EFCC chairman had claimed Belloh told him that a female senator (name withheld) allegedly gathered journalists to humiliate him anytime he was at the agency’s Abuja office for interrogation.
“I called Yahaya Bello, as a serving governor, to come to my office to clear himself. I shouldn’t have done that. But he said because a certain senator had planted over 100 journalists in my office, he would not come.
“I told him that he would be allowed to use my private gate to give him a cover, but he said my men should come to his village to interrogate him,” Olukoyede was quoted as saying.
But Senator Natasha in a statement signed by her Chief Press Secretary, Arogbonlo Israel and issued at the weekend in Abuja, reminded Yahaya Bello of the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution, given his former position as the chief security officer of Kogi.
“I was surprised to hear that Yahaya Bello evaded the invitation from the EFCC, despite having served as Kogi’s former chief security officer. As a former governor, he should understand the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution.
“It’s a well-known fact that ‘he who comes into equity must come with clean hands’. As such, I advise him to honour the invitation and clear his name while he still has the chance.
“I’d also like to take this moment to appreciate the diligence of the EFCC in handling the case so far. No Nigerian is above the law, and therefore the agency must see this case through to the end if they are to gain the trust of both Nigerians and the international community in the fight against corruption,” she said.

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Senate  Frowns Over Continued Depreciation Of Naira

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Worried over the  latest depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies, the Senate through its Committee on Finance, has  stated that the Legislature  is  exploring a range of policy options to mitigate the impact of Naira depreciation and foster economic stability in the country.
These, according to the committee, in a statement signed by its chairman, Senator Sani Musa (APC Niger East) and released yesterday, includes robust oversight of fiscal policies, engagement with key stakeholders, and the formulation of targeted interventions to support key sectors of the economy.
Senator Musa said the statement became necessary “to address the current state of the economy and the need for concerted efforts at tackling the instability and continuous depreciation of the Naira.”
This is even as he hoped that the “economic managers will adhere strictly to the norms and standards set by this administration to ensure that we achieve the desired outcomes in taking Nigeria to its economic growth and prosperity”, pledging the support of the National Assembly to the executive arm of government to achieve the set goals.
He, however, urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and resilient as they navigate these uncertain times, saying “together, we can overcome the challenges facing our economy and chart a path towards prosperity for all.”
The statement titled: “State of the Nation Economy and Naira Depreciation’, reads “The Nigerian economy is facing significant challenges, exacerbated by both internal and external factors.

“Despite efforts to stabilize and bolster economic growth, the numerous initiatives and bold but necessary steps and policy decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, the persistent depreciation of the Naira against major foreign currencies has become a pressing concern.

“The recent depreciation of the Naira underscores the need for proactive measures to safeguard the stability and resilience of our currency.

“The Senate Committee on Finance is closely monitoring the situation and is committed to working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders to implement effective policies and strategies.

“It is imperative that we address the root causes of Naira depreciation, including but not limited to fluctuations in global oil prices, fiscal deficits, and structural imbalances in the economy.”

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WIW: Banigo Advocates Legislative Impetus

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The Senator, representing Rivers West Senatorial District at National Assembly Sen.Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has advocated for legislative backings to enforce immunisation as a pre-condition for admission into nursing, primary and secondary schools in Nigeria.
Banigo made the assertion recently in a statement to commemorate this year’s week-long immunisation campaign in line with the World Health Organisation advocacy.
Banigo, a Harvard-trained Public Health personnel, explained that such legislation would strengthen the National Immunisation Policy in the administration of vaccines, saves lives, helps in the child normal growth, prevents serious illness and disabilities such as poliomyelitis .
The former Deputy Governor of Rivers State who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary), noted that Nigeria must attain at least, 90 percent vaccine coverage for all childhood and adolescence; stressing that a fully vaccinated child should have received BCG, Mussels and three doses of DTP and Polio .
She emphasised the need for collective efforts by stakeholders in the campaign against preventable diseases .
The theme for this year’s World Immunisation Week is “Humanly Possible: Saving Lives Through Immunisation” while the national theme is “Vaccine Works For All”.

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