Nation
THE STATES
FCT
The Federal Government says it will intensify the implementation of the Toxic Waste Dump Watch Programme to control illegal trans-boundary movement and importation of hazardous waste into the country.
The Director-General of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Dr Lawrence Anukam, said this last Thursday in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
Anukam, said that adequate mechanisms had been put in place to control such illegal movement and import of hazardous waste, including electronic waste (e-waste), in the country.
He said that, NESREA was collaborating with various governments and international organisations to ensure that Nigeria did not become a dumping ground for e-waste shipped in from other countries.
Kaduna
No fewer than eight districts in Jema’a Local Government Area, Kaduna State, last Thursday signed peace deals to end hostilities and ensure permanent peace in their locality.
The agreement followed months of interaction and negotiation spearheaded by Global Peace Foundation (GPF), Nigeria, an NGO.
The districts include Dangoma, Goska, Ambam, Bakin Kogi, Unguwar Fari, Unguwar Baki and Gerti.
After deliberations, the eight districts unanimously agreed to forgive each other and directed all farmers and herdsmen to go about their normal activities.
“They also agreed to form very close collaborations to attain pre-conflict relationship while encouraging all their critical stakeholders resident outside the chiefdom to honour the development.”
Kogi
Director General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, has urged corps members to support government’s efforts toward ridding Nigeria of corrupt tendencies.
Suleiman made the call last Wednesday, when he visited the 2017 Batch ‘A’ Stream 1 corps members at the Kogi State Orientation Camp, Asaya, Kabba.
Represented by Mr Tijani Ahmed, Director, Legal Unit, NYSC National Directorate, Abuja, the NYSC boss challenged corps members to initiate steps toward cleansing the nation of vices that had affected its growth over the years.
He urged the corps members to appreciate their place as future leaders and imbibe the virtues of patience, self-discipline and hard work.
Lagos
Peeved at her husband’s alcohol abuse and adulterous life, 36-year-old housewife, Queen Stephen, has approached an Igando Customary Court at a Lagos suburb, asking for the dissolution of their 12-year-old marriage.
She told the court that her husband, Francis Stephen, for whom she had four children, impregnated her younger sister in 2016.
“When I gave birth, I invited my sister to come and assist me to take care of the child, but I did not know that my husband had established a love relationship with her.
“She confessed to me that my husband was responsible for her pregnancy when I discovered that she was pregnant,” she said.
Nasarawa
Senator Abdullahi Adamu (APC-Nasarawa West) has urged Nigerians to embrace agriculture in order to achieve national food security.
Adamu, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, made the call last Thursday in an interview with newsmen in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
He noted that, agriculture would also help fight poverty, unemployment, and boost the revenue base and socio-economic development of the country.
Adamu, who cited developed countries like China and Japan using their population to enhance agriculture for exports, urged Nigerians to emulate them through taking advantage of the abundant fertile land to boost agriculture.
Ogun
A 19-year-old man, Ahmed Savage, who allegedly stole a generating set, was last Thursday charged before an Ota Senior Magistrates ‘ Court in Ogun State.
Savage, of no fixed address, is facing a charge of stealing.
The prosecutor, Sgt. Chudu Gbesi, told the court that, the accused committed the offence on June 3 at 2.00 a.m. at Ododonileke CDA, Lafenwa, Ota.
Gbesi said that, the accused was caught by residents with a Tiger generator and could not explain how he came about it.
“The generating set was suspected to be stolen item as the accused could not give explanation on how he came about it,” he said.
Ondo
A 32-year-old driver, Bola Akinwalere, was last Thursday docked at an Okitipupa Magistrates’ Court in Ondo State over alleged dangerous driving and causing bodily harm to one motorcyclist, Sola Ayegbami.
The prosecutor, Insp. Zedekiah Orogbemi, told the court that the accused on May 22, around 3.30 p.m., along Okitipupa-Aye road, drove one Toyota Sienna car with registration number BDG 746 QZ dangerously.
He said that, the accused who had no driver’s licence and due to speeding, hit Ayegbami from behind which caused him several degrees of injuries and bodily harm.
Osun
An Ilorin based legal practitioner, Mr Olutimi Folorunsho has identified poverty as the main cause of child labour in the country.
Folorunsho, said this in Ilorin last Thursday in an interview with newsmen. He said that, the high rate of poverty had led to increased rate of child exploitation in the country.
“Without mincing word, poverty is the major cause of child labour in the country and that has ruined the lives of so many Nigerian children,” Folorunsho said.
Plateau
A Jos Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwan Nama, Jos North LGA, last Thursday sentenced an 18-year-old carpenter, Aslam Awal, to 2 years imprisonment for raping a 9 year-old boy.
The presiding Judge, Mr Yahaya Mohammed, handed down the sentence after the convict pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of unnatural offence and begged the court for leniency.
In his plea, the convict attributed his actions to the devil.
“It was the devil that pushed me to do it, this is the first time and I will not repeat it again, have mercy on me,’’ he pleaded. Mohammed, who did not give the convict an option of fine, said the sentence was meant to serve as deterrent to others who might want to engage in similar acts.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Pilgrims Welfare Agency (PWA), has announced a flat rate of N1.52 million as the fare for the 2017 Hajj.
The Director-General of the agency, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar, made this known on Thursday at a meeting with the 23 Local Government Hajj Registration officers and their assistants.
He said that, the fare was approved by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Umar said that, each intending pilgrim would be entitled to 800 dollars Basic Travelling Allowance (BTA).
The Director-General said, “No provision was made for minimum and maximum Hajj fares as was the practice in the past.
Taraba
The Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Mr Abel Diah, has said that, the anti-open grazing executive bill currently before the House would be beneficial to both herdsmen and farmers in the state.
Diah, made the statement last Thursday in Jalingo, at a press conference to mark the end of the second legislative year of the 8th Assembly.
While debunking claims in some quarters that the bill was aimed at witch-hunting some people, the Speaker explained that, it was meant to improve the lives of livestock and herders.
“This is a revolution government is bringing to better the life of grazers, create jobs and harmonious co-existence between farmers and herders.
“It is high time we stopped killings associated with open grazing.
Zamfara
Kaura-Namoda Local Government Council of Zamfara State last Thursday, said it had concluded arrangements to establish a by-law that would prohibit all forms of social vices in the area.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Lawali Abdullahi, made this known at a news conference in Kaura Namoda.
He said the legislation was aimed at reducing crimes and deviant behaviours, particularly among youths in the area.
He added that, “when the law took effect, it would check the spate of prostitution, bar operations, hemp smoking and other vices.
Abdullahi, therefore, advised parents and guardians to cooperate with the council in its effort to free the society of deviant behaviours.
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.