Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Bank of Agriculture has dragged more than 200 farmers in Adamawa to court for allegedly defaulting in the repayment of loan given to them by the bank.
The Branch Manager of the bank, Hajiya Asabe Gurama, made this known in Yola on Thursday.
“It is true that we have taken some of our customers numbering over 200 to court for defaulting in the repayment of loan disbursed to them since 2004”, Asabe said.
Asabe explained that the outstanding loan was about N100 million, adding that the bank had no option than to take all necessary legal action to recover the loan.
She decried the lukewarm attitude of some farmers in repaying loan.
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Aminu Saleh, has warned border communities in the state against any act of upheaval that will cause a breach of the peace.
Saleh issued the warning Thursday in Bauchi during a meeting with traditional rulers living along borders of Bauchi and Jigawa states.
He announced that the meeting was to enable them review resolutions earlier arrived at between the two states presided over by officials of the National Boundary Commission (NBC).
Saleh urged the rulers to embrace peace and dialogue for peaceful co-existence among the communities living along the border.
According to the deputy governor, doing so will pave way for the development of the areas.
FCT
A 43-year old trader, Felix Okafor, of Dagbanna village, has been sentenced to three weeks imprisonment by an Abuja Upper Area Court for causing grievous harm to his co-tenant.
The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Pascal Ujoko, told the court that the matter was reported on July 20 at the Jikwoyi Police Station by one Mrs Oteeto Ngozi of the same address.
Ujoko said that the convict sent his child on an errand but the child refused to go because his mother supported him. This action annoyed the convict, the prosecutor said.
He said the convict brought out a stick from the burning firewood to beat the child, but as he was chasing him, the convict unfortunately hit the complainant on her face, injuring her on the left eye.
Kaduna
A university teacher, Prof. Yahaya Bambale says the appointment of Local Government Interim Management Committees by some state governors in the country is a clear violation of the nation’s constitution.
Bambale, a Professor of Law at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, told journalists in Zaria last Thursday that there was no such provision in the Nigerian Constitution.
“What is enshrined in the constitution is an elected chairman and a particular time is being specified for him after which another election is supposed to be conducted.
“But I think what some of the state governors are doing is that the same constitution gave them a leeway that where a leadership vacuum exists it could be filled before election is conducted.
Kano
Niger Republic Nationals resident in Kano, have donated assorted relief materials and money to the victims of the recent flood disaster at Fage in Kano Municipal Area Council.
The materials included 40 bags of rice, 20 bags of maize, 10 bags of salt, 30 mattresses, 30 bundles of roofing sheets, and N200,000 cash.
Presenting the items, the country’s consul in Kano,Hajiya Rabi Dodo, said that the gesture was aimed at assisting the victims, who, she described, as “our brothers and sisters”, to cushion the effects of the flood.
She said it was also aimed at sympathising with the victims, because “whatever affects the people of Nigeria affects us also, as we are from the same roots’’.
Kebbi
The Kebbi government has called on NAPEP to partner with the state for the expansion of its poverty reduction investment programme in rural areas.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, made the call in Birnin Kebbi last Wednesday when the NAPEP Director of Coordination and Programme, Mrs Godiya Yohanna, led a delegation of officials to visit him.
“We will fulfil any conditionalities with NAPEP for the expansion of the programme that will enhance the living conditions of our rural dwellers,” Aliyu said.
He said the first phase of the programme reduced the poverty level of many households in 2009, stressing that expansion of the programme would assist in the rapid development of the state.
Yohanna, on her part, said the launch of the second phase of the poverty reduction investment would benefit 1,000 households and that 60 per cent of the beneficiaries would be women.
Nasarawa
Nasarawa State Government says it has so far evacuated a total of 150 of its citizens from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, following increasing threat posed by the Boko Haram.
Malam Mahmud Zubairu, the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Education, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on efforts the government was making to evacuate its citizens from Borno.
He said that there had been growing concerns by many people in the state “who are worried about the safety of their relations and friends in Maiduguri since the crisis in the state began’’.
Zubairu said the state governor had directed that all indigenes of the state still trapped in Maiduguri should be evacuated without further delay.
He said this was part of the government’s efforts to protect the lives and property of its citizens wherever they might be.
Ogun
Goveronor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun has set up a six-member committee to review the cases of 2,000 workers whose appointments were recently terminated by the state government. The workers, employed at the twilight of the Gbenga Daniel administration, were sacked because the government claimed that their appointments did not follow due process.
The affected workers had staged a protest march to the Governor’s Office, the House of Assembly, the NUJ Secretariat and major streets in Abeokuta.
The state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had also intervened on their behalf, by appealing to the state government to reinstate them.
Plateau
The Special Task Force (STF) maintaining security in Plateau has debunked claims that members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect had invaded Jos.
“No Boko Haram member has invaded Jos or anywhere in Plateau; the rumours are simply baseless,” STF spokesman Charles Ekeocha said in Jos.
The STF was reacting to rumours that members of the sect were in Jos and could attack anytime.
Ekeocha, in a statement, advised the people to go about their normal activities as the STF and other security agencies were fully prepared to keep the peace.
Taraba
The Taraba Government has released N200 million for the payment of pensions and gratuities of retired civil servants in the 16 local government areas of the state.
Alhaji Marafa Bashir, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, said 76 pensioners and relations of 136 dead pensioners would benefit.
Bashir explained that the money would be paid to all retired local government staff while the entitlements of the deceased pensioners would be paid to their next of kin on presentation of relevant documents.
He told newsmen that a list of another batch of beneficiaries was being compiled as government intended to set aside funds for the settlement of pension and gratuity of pensioners based on a time table.
Bashir described pension and gratuities as a social security that should not be denied the retirees, pointing out that the state government would continue to work round the clock to ensure immediate payment of such funds to pensioners.
Yobe
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said last Thursday it would create five zonal distribution centres in Yobe for easy distribution of relief materials to persons displaced by the Boko Haram crisis in Maiduguri. The North-East Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Aliyu Sambo, made the announcement in Damaturu while answering questions from newsmen.
According to him, the centres will be established in the Potiskum, Jakusko, Nangere Fika, Gashua and Nguru Local Government Areas.
“We learnt there are not less than 200 fleeing persons in each of these areas,” he said.
Sambo said that materials had been distributed to more than 250 displaced persons in Potiskum under the supervision of security personnel while the remaining four centres would soon receive materials for distribution.
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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