Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa Government has spend more than N594 million in the provision of life insurance cover for its civil servants.
The state’s Head of Service, Alhaji Othman Mohammed, made this known on Friday while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Adamawa State University (ADSU) for the training of civil servants.
Mohammed said government opted for the insurance cover following incidents of workers collapse and death while on active service.
“The government had to insure the more than 25,000 government workers in the state at the cost of N594 million”, he said.
Mohammed said it was also out of the government’s concern for workers’ welfare and quality of service delivery that the MoU was signed.
“The MoU was for the training of 6,497 civil servants of different cadres by ADSU at the cost of N252 million”, he said.
Benue
Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue has approved N19 million as the state’s counterpart fund contribution toward the implementation of the Rural Finance Institution Building Programme (RUFIN).
Mr Mathew Gbayan, the Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Agriculture, disclosed this on Monday in Makurdi while welcoming the RUFIN Supervision Mission team to the state.
Gbayan said that of the amount, N12 million was for 2011 while N7 million was the arrears of 2010 contribution.
He said that the state government had directed the Ministry of Finance to release the funds this week.
He noted that the programme had made significant impact in terms of poverty reduction in the three participating local governments of Apa, Gwer-West and Logo.
Mr Marcellinus Atoo, the RUFIN state Coordinator, said that the programme had mobilised 491 informal savings groups and linked more than 322 cooperative groups to Micro Finance Banks (MFBs).
Borno
Suspected armed robbers on Monday ambushed officials of Shani Local Government Council of Borno on their way to pay staff salary, killing four persons. Alhaji Modu Walama, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the council, told newsmen in Maiduguri
that the incident occurred at Marama junction in Biu Local Government Area.
Walama said that the officials were on their way to Shani after cashing the staff salary from a bank when they were ambushed by the bandits.
“The bandits shot three of the council officials and a police escort before carting away the entire June staff salary of the council.
“Another police escort was also injured by the bandits,” he said.
FCT
Mr Sunny Okpurhe, the Assistant Comptroller-General on Enforcement and Drugs, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has said that the agency seizeid goods worth N3.59 billion in the first quarter of the year.
Okpurhe told newsmen in an interview in Abuja on Monday that the seizures were achieved through proactive steps taken by officers in border areas.
He attributed the success to improvements in terms of equipment and welfare of officers.
“In January, we had 445 seizures, Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.86 billion, number of vehicles seized out of the 445 seizures was 214, while general goods accounted for 231.
“In February, the number of seizures was 669 with a DPV of N1.66 billion and this is made up of 441 vehicles and 228, general goods.
“In March, we had 611 seizures with DPV of N664.44 million, number of vehicles seized was 334, while general goods were 227.
“In a place where the seizure reduced, you will see a corresponding rise in revenue in terms of duty collection,’’ Okpurhe said.
Our correspondent recalls that in the first quarter of 2010, the total seizure made was N2. 11 billion, amounting to a difference of N1. 47 billion.
He said NCS was channelling a lot of goods into the normal service in terms of duty payment, explaining that in the month of March, the revenue collection increased even when there was a decrease in seizures.
Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government has said that the monthly sanitation exercise will resume in the state this month to ensure effective waste Management.
Alhaji Aminu Sani, the General Manager, Kaduna Environmental Protection Agency, disclosed this to newsmen in Kaduna on Monday.
Sani said that the re-introduction of monthly sanitation would enable the state government to tackle the problem of indiscriminate waste disposal and associated challenges.
He said that the exercise would also help in meeting the MDG target on sanitation.
He noted that waste materials had blocked most drainage systems, adding that the activities of hawkers had further worsened the situation.
“Hawking and dumping of refuse on highways cause flooding,” he noted.
The general manager stressed that the clearing of and waste management was collective responsibility.
He, therefore, warned residents to shun unwholesome habits that compound the poor sanitation problem, adding that environmental marshals had been recruited to curb the menace.
He disclosed that the re-introduction of monthly sanitation would commence on the last Saturday of this month.
Kano
A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Gali Na’Abba, has expressed confidence that the Presidential Panel on Post-election violence will execute its assignment well.
“I trust the members of this committee and I believe they will carry out their assignment with a high sense of responsibility,” Na’Abba told newsmen shortly after submitting a memorandum to the panel in Kano on Monday.
He urged the people affected by the post-election violence in the state and others to give information to the panel to enable it to discharge its duty effectively.
Na’Abba, whose house in Kano was destroyed during the crisis, commended the Federal Government for constituting the panel.
The Chairman of the panel, Sheik Ahmed Lemu, had said that the team was in Kano to determine the causes of the violence, establish the extent of destruction and suggest ways of checking future occurrences.
Katsina
Alhaji Ya’u Zakari, the District Head of Sandamu Local Government Area of Katsina State, has raised alarm over the migration of herdsmen into the area in search of pasture.
Zakari, who is also the ‘Bintirawan Daura’, raised the alarm at a joint meeting between traditional rulers and officials of the council on Monday in Sandamu.
He said the herdsmen came to the area two weeks ago from neighbouring Niger Republic, adding that had trespassed into the Sandamu Forest Reserves with their flock.
The stressed the need for the government to take measures to evict them from the reserve as they might enter into people’s farmland and destroy crops.
Zakari urged the local government committee on the prevention of farmers/cattle rearers clash to act quickly to avoid any confrontation between the farmers and the migrant herdsmen.
Kwara
Dr Emmanuel Ojo of the University of Ilorin, has appealed to the Federal Government to review the current revenue sharing formula to enhance the socio-economic development of the country.
Ojo, who teaches political science at the university, said this in Ilorin in an interview with newsmen.
The teacher believed that the current sharing formula could partially be responsible for the slow pace of the country’s development.
He therefore canvassed more funds for states and local governments, pointing out that this would enhance development at the grassroots.
“Under the current sharing arrangement, Nigeria’s central government gets 52.7 per cent of the revenue; the states receive 26.7 per cent and the local governments have 20.6 per cent.
Lagos
Arik Air has named former Miss World, Agbani Darego, the airline’s brand ambassador for the next one year.
Arik Air Chief Executive Chris Ndulue, who unveiled Darego in Lagos, on Monday told newsmen that the move was aimed at showcasing Nigerians who had distinguished themselves in their areas of endeavours.
”This is one of the many steps that we are going to take in trying to make sure that we are establishing a brand and a brand image that actually meets the aspiration of Nigerians as well as the founders of the business.
“It is part of the promise we made to Nigerians when we were taking off from the very beginning,” Ndulue said.
He added that the contract was subjected to renewal, stressing that two more Nigerian brand ambassadors would be unveiled in the future.
A 25-year-old hairdresser. Mercy John, on Friday appeared before an Upper Area Court in Jos for shielding her boyfriend. Usman Isah, who had been declared wanted by the police for al1eged theft.
lsah was alleged to have stolen a car, with registration number, AL757LFA. belonging to a commercial driver, Haruna Ahmadu, and disappeared.
John of No. 40. New Ahuja Area in Lafia and girlfriend of Isah. appeared before Malam Mustapha Hassan on a one-count charge of shielding a criminal.
Sokoto
Alhaji Lawal Zayyana, the speaker of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, has urged the new ministers
to assist President Goodluck Jonathan to sustain his development agenda.
The speaker told newsmen in Sokoto that the minsters should give priority to the delivery of the badly-needed dividends of democracy to Nigerians .
“The president has good plans for Nigerians which will not come if the new ministers are not God fearing, patriotic and dedicated,’’ he added .
The Head of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Port Harcourt’s College of Health Sciences, Prof Gabriel Sunday Oladipo, has underscored the urgent need for Nigeria to develop a comprehensive forensic science infrastructure, warning that the nation’s ability to investigate and solve crime is being hampered by lack of scientific data and systems.
In his inaugural lecture titled, “Man: Fearfully Different, Wonderfully Made,” delivered as part of the 207th Inaugural Lecture Series of the university, Prof Oladipo highlighted that while no two individuals are exactly the same, the country currently lacks the robust systems needed to collect and manage biological and anthropometric data that could support criminal investigations.
He explained that the natural variations among humans — from fingerprints to physical measurements — form the foundation of personal identification in forensic work. These biological differences, he said, are essential for distinguishing one person from another, especially in the context of criminal investigations where clarity of identity can mean the difference between justice and impunity. Without this scientific foundation, he argued, law enforcement agencies lack a critical tool in the fight against crime.
Experts have noted that Nigeria’s forensic science capacity has historically lagged behind needs, with only a few forensic facilities available and many law enforcement agencies struggling to access or use scientific evidence effectively. One review of the state of forensic investigation in Nigeria found that outdated facilities and limited adoption of modern forensic methods have left many cases unsolved or poorly investigated, even as crime rates rise across the country.
In Lagos, efforts to improve forensic capabilities have focused on DNA analysis, with the Lagos State DNA Forensic Centre — the first of its kind in West Africa — providing critical support for criminal investigations and helping to identify human remains, link related cases, and assist with paternity testing. However, such initiatives are yet to be replicated at a national scale, leaving many regions without access to these vital scientific tools.
Prof Oladipo’s lecture went beyond academic theory to propose concrete actions. He called for the establishment of a National Institute of Forensic Science responsible for creating and managing a nationwide anthropometric and forensic data bank. This repository, he stressed, would significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity to track crime, assist law enforcement agencies, and improve the administration of justice by providing reliable scientific evidence for investigative and legal processes.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening research and training in forensic science. Many Nigerian universities currently lack the funding and infrastructure to offer complete undergraduate or postgraduate programs in areas such as forensic anthropology, DNA analysis, and crime scene investigation, a gap that forces aspiring experts to rely on collaborations with institutions abroad. By fostering a research-friendly environment and securing greater support from both government and private sectors, Nigerian institutions could produce homegrown experts capable of advancing forensic science in the country.
Awareness of forensic science’s role in criminal justice remains low among the general public and even among some security professionals. Studies have shown that a significant portion of Nigerians are unfamiliar with basic forensic concepts or the existence of tools such as DNA profiling and national forensic databases — tools that are common features of criminal justice systems in countries like South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Prof Oladipo also urged regular training and retraining programs to keep forensic practitioners updated with evolving scientific methods. According to him, continuous professional development is critical in a field where technological advances — from biometric databases to digital forensic tools — are transforming how crimes are investigated and solved.
The lecture was attended by academics, students, and professionals drawn to the intersection of science, identity, and justice, all of whom heard the professor make a compelling case for scientific innovation and institutional reform as central to Nigeria’s effort to contain crime and strengthen its justice system.
The event not only showcased Prof Oladipo’s expertise in human anatomy and forensic psychology but also positioned forensic science as a strategic national priority — one that could bring clarity to investigations, support victims and their families, and ultimately enhance public safety across Nigeria.
The University of Port Harcourt Women Association (UPWA) on Thursday staged a vibrant and memorable edition of its Annual Inter-House Sports Competition at the University of Port Harcourt Sports Village, drawing an impressive turnout of pupils, parents, staff and invited guests.
The event, organised by the UPWA International Group of Schools, brought together children from the pre-nursery, nursery and secondary sections in a colourful celebration of youth athleticism, discipline and teamwork. The arena came alive with cheers and excitement as pupils, clad in their various house colours, marched in a ceremonial parade before proceeding to compete in a wide range of track and field events, relays, novelty races and other team-based activities designed to promote physical fitness and healthy competition.
Declaring the competition open, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Georgewill, commended UPWA for sustaining a tradition that continues to nurture young talents beyond the classroom. He noted that sports remain a critical component of holistic education, helping to build resilience, confidence, leadership skills and social interaction among children.
In her remarks, the President of UPWA, Professor Udeme Georgewill, expressed appreciation to parents, teachers and members of the organising committee for their dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the programme despite prevailing economic challenges. She described the event as a reflection of unity and collective effort within the school community.
“This is the first time White House is emerging overall winner, and that shows remarkable improvement and great sportsmanship,” she said. “We all had fun. It is not easy putting an event like this together considering the economic situation, but we are grateful to the parents for being part of this journey. The excitement everywhere is truly heartwarming.”
The competition featured spirited participation from the various houses, including Purple House, San Chicago Red House and White House, with pupils demonstrating strength, speed, coordination and teamwork. Parents and supporters filled the stands, cheering enthusiastically and adding colour to the spectacle, while teachers ensured orderliness and safety throughout the proceedings.
Professor Georgewill emphasized that the true essence of sports lies not merely in winning trophies but in participation and personal growth. “Sports is not just about winning. It is an avenue for growth, discipline and opportunity. The fact that a child is able to participate is already a win. Losing this year does not mean you cannot win next year. Keep trying,” she encouraged, urging pupils to see both victory and defeat as stepping stones to greater achievements.
She further observed that while there are many competing interests in the Nigerian sports sector, consistent grassroots investment remains essential for discovering and nurturing future champions.
The colourful ceremony culminated in medal presentations, trophy awards and group photographs, with UPWA executives, including Vice President I, Professor Adedamola Onyeaso, joining the participating teams to celebrate the day’s achievements.
The annual inter-house sports competition continues to stand as one of UPWA’s flagship events, reinforcing its commitment to balanced education, character formation and the promotion of healthy lifestyles among its pupils.
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