Nation

THE STATES

Published

9 years ago

September 11, 2017

Borno
Some farmers in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State have expressed optimism of recording bumper harvests in the 2017 cropping season.
They also commended the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for supporting displaced farmers to return to their farms.
Reports say that thousands of displaced farmers supported by FAO cultivated their farmlands in Maiduguri and other liberated communities.
FAO in collaboration with implementing partners distributed seeds and fertilisers to more than one million farmers this cropping season in the North-East.
A cross section of the farmers told newsmen in Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Areas that they were happy and were anticipating bumper harvest this season.

FCT
The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar last Wednesday described late Group Capt. Adanu Ochai as a gallant officer who died in active service for the nation.
Abubakar said this during the burial of the officer at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja.
According to him, the officer died as a result of air crash in Kaduna State on August 24.
The CAS said what happened to Ochai would happen to “all mortals one day, every mortal must taste death one day in his or her life”.
He described the deceased as a very hard working, committed and dedicated officer during his active service to the nation and his humility was unparalleled.

Gombe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Gombe State Zonal Office says it has arrested the Secretary of Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Dr Danlami Arab Rukuje for alleged diversion of materials meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
A statement signed by the commission’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the zone, Mr Bello Bajoga in Gombe last Wednesday said the arrest followed a tip-off by the Intelligence and Special Operations Section (ISOS) of the office.
Bajoga said the materials diverted include cans of paints, bags of cement and other building materials donated to the state by the Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative (PCNI).
He said that investigation revealed that the materials were diverted to other areas including markets for sale.

Jigawa
The Police in Jigawa State have arrested eight suspects over alleged theft and receiving stolen items in Dutse Local Government Area of the state.
The Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in the state, Jinjiri Abdu confirmed the arrest in an interview with newsmen in Dutse last Thursday.
Jinjiri said that four of the suspects, aged between 18 and 19, were apprehended over alleged house breaking and theft in Takur site quarters, Dutse, the state capital.
He added that the four suspects (names withheld) were arrested after they broke into one of the houses and stole a plasma TV, DSTV decoder, iPad, laptop computer, a Tecno mobile phone and two sets of cloth.
The spokesperson said the plasma TV and DSTV decoder were recovered from the suspects during their arrest.

Kaduna
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) chapter has urged its members nationwide to sustain the 100 per cent compliance with the ongoing strike.
Its Secretary, Dr Sam Kwis gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Zaria, Kaduna State last Thursday as the nationwide strike enters the third day.
The current industrial unrest in the health sector is the second in the life of this government.
Issues in dispute include salary shortfall of 2016 and January to May 2017; failure to rectify the salary shortfall from August 2017; failure to circularise house officers’ entry point; and the failure to correct the stagnation of promotion of members and properly place them on their appropriate grade levels.

Kano
Two pilgrims from Kano State have died during the 2017 Hajj in Saudi Arabia, the State Pilgrims Welfare Board said last Thursday.
The Board’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Nuhu Badamasi told journalists on telephone from Makkah that the deceased who were males, died in Makkah after performing their Hajj rites at the Ararat.
“The two pilgrims who lost their lives during this year’s Hajj died in Makkah after they performed the most significant Hajj rites, that is staying at the Arafat,” he said.
Badamasi said the deceased who were from Dala and Doguwa local government areas, had since been buried in Makkah in accordance with the Islamic rites.
On preparations for the transportation of the state pilgrims back to Nigeria, Badamasi said the exercise would commence on September 15.

Kebbi
The Kebbi State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has uncovered activities of fraudsters alleged to be extorting money from innocent people for recruitment into the corps.
The state Commandant of the corps, Sammani Ringim told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi last Wednesday that the fraudsters had been extorting money from the public under the pretext of facilitating their recruitments into the NSCDC.
Ringim said the fraudsters lied and collected money from unemployed people under the pretext that the NSCDC was recruiting.
The fraudsters alleged that they would facilitate the recruitment of their victims into the corps after they had collected money from them.

Kwara
A Christian cleric, Pastor Banji Bolade last Thursday in Ilorin urged politicians irrespective of party affiliations to support the government and shun distractions to move the country forward.
Bolade, who pastors Testimony Church of Christ, Tanke, said politicians should close ranks after elections and give the ruling party the much-needed support to succeed.
“Politicians must, irrespective of their party affiliations, always support the government for the good of the nation.
“Nigeria’s growth should be a priority above party sentiments as individuals must cooperate to make the country great,” he told newsmen.

Lagos
The Lagos State Office of the Public Defender (OPD) last Thursday urged residents to report incidents of domestic violence.
OPD Director, Mrs Olubukola Salami disclosed this to newsmen last Thursday in Lagos.
She said that this would ensure justice and stem the rampant cases of the menace in the society.
Salami also urged women who were victims of domestic violence to report the abuse immediately rather than suffer in silence.

Nasarawa
The Medical Director (MD), Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Keffi in Nasarawa State, Dr Joshua Ndom, has appealed to the resident doctors across the country to call off their ongoing strike and return to work to save lives.
Ndom told newsmen last Thursday in Keffi that the strike had done more harm than good, especially to patients.
He said that there was the need for the doctors to return to work since their leadership had commenced negotiation with the Federal Government over their grievances.
Also, some patients at the centre appealed to the doctors to suspend the strike for their sake and for the overall development of the country.
They advised the federal government to do the needful by amicably resolving the ongoing nationwide resident doctors’ strike.
A patient at the centre, Mr Haruna Abubakar, said most patients were not happy with the strike.

Niger
A Minna Grade 1 Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday reserved judgment after a 32-year-old man, Ayuba Salihu pleaded guilty for raping an eight-year-old girl.
The accused, whose address is unknown was arraigned on a charge of rape.
The prosecutor for the State Child Rights Protection Agency, Mr Abdullahi Mayaki, told the court that the incident occurred on August 31 near Gwari Market in Chanchaga Local Government Area.
Mayaki said the accused lured the unsuspecting primary school pupil with N100 into the market before assaulting her sexually.
The offence contravened Section 18, sub-section 2 of Niger State Child Rights Law.
Reports say that the offence attracts life imprisonment.
Chief Magistrate Hassan Mohammed, who convicted the accused as charged, adjourned the case until September 12 for sentence.

Osun
The Osun State Police Command last Tuesday said it arrested three male suspects, with two human heads and hands in the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye, told newsmen in Osogbo that the suspects were arrested on August 29 during a police stop and search operation.
“On August 29 at about 1;02 p.m, a police patrol team on a stop and search operation on Ogbomosho/Oyo Road, at Agboro Area, stopped a motorcycle with two persons on it.
“The persons on the motorcycle were searched and two severed human hands with gloves and a human head were found with them, and they were promptly arrested,” he said.
Adeoye said in a similar case, on the same date at about 11:30 a.m, at Oba’s compound in Moro, Ipetumodu, one Adeniyi Adeyeye was also arrested with a human skull in his possession.

Nation

HYPREP Marks 15 Years Of UNEP Report, Highlights Major Cleanup Milestones

Published

1 week ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) has commemorated the 15th anniversary of the release of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Environmental Assessment Report on Ogoniland, reaffirming its commitment to restoring the environment and improving the livelihoods of affected communities.

In a statement signed by the Project Coordinator, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, to commemorate the anniversary, HYPREP described the anniversary as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s environmental restoration efforts, noting that the project has made remarkable progress in implementing the recommendations of the landmark UNEP report released on August 4, 2011.

The UNEP report had revealed extensive oil pollution across Ogoniland, severe environmental degradation, and serious public health risks resulting from decades of petroleum operations. It also recommended an initial $1 billion fund to commence the cleanup of the affected communities.

According to HYPREP, the Federal Government formally launched the Ogoni clean-up in 2016, while the Project Coordination Office was established in 2017 to drive the implementation of UNEP’s recommendations.
Zabbey said the current administration has continued to prioritise the project under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Providing an update on the cleanup, the Project Coordinator disclosed that 30 of the 65 contaminated sites identified by UNEP have been fully remediated, while work is ongoing at several medium- and high-risk locations. It also stated that more than 1.5 million mangrove seedlings have been planted as part of what it described as the world’s largest restoration of oil-degraded mangroves, with over 1,000 hectares of shoreline already rehabilitated.

Zabbey further revealed that 49 Ogoni communities have been connected to potable water schemes through multiple water projects and booster stations aimed at providing safe drinking water across the region.

In the health sector, he said the 100-bed Ogoni Specialist Hospital in Kpite and the 43-bed Cottage Hospital in Buan are nearing completion, adding that several existing health facilities have been upgraded with modern medical equipment, while five ambulances have been donated to improve emergency healthcare services. The Project Coordinator also disclosed that a three-year human health biomonitoring study is being conducted in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

On economic empowerment, Zabbey stated that the Project has created more than 8,000 direct jobs and trained thousands of Ogoni youths and women in various vocational and technical skills, including software development, cybersecurity, aviation, commercial diving, seafaring, mechatronics, and creative arts. The project also reported awarding scholarships to more than 1,000 students, providing grants to small businesses, and supporting persons living with special needs through skills acquisition programmes.

The statement further highlighted ongoing legacy projects, including the Ogoni Power Project and the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration, which it said is about 96 per cent complete. HYPREP also welcomed the recent designation of the Ogoni Wetland as a Ramsar Site of International Importance and pledged to continue promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of the ecosystem.

Marking the anniversary, Zabbey said the progress achieved over the past 15 years demonstrates the collective commitment of government, development partners, stakeholders, and local communities to restoring Ogoniland. He called for renewed collaboration to sustain the cleanup effort, promote environmental sustainability, and support the long-term development of the region. 3

Nation

REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

2 months 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

2 months 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.