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THE STATES

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Adamawa

The Adamawa Government has restricted the operations of commercial motorcyclists in the state from 6p.m. to 6p.m.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Malam Maijamaa Adamu, who confirmed the development, said in Yola on Thursday that the restriction was part of measures to improve security in the state.

Maijamaa said that the governor had met with officials of the commercial motorcyclists union in the state, where he briefed them on measures to introduce tricycles for their members.

He said that government would also introduce buses to ease transportation problem across the state.

He called for continuous support and cooperation of the people with the state government, as “measures are introduced to ensure their security and welfare”.

 

Borno

The Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore Order (ORO) has denied media reports alleging desecration of the Muslim Holy Book, the Qur’an, by its personnel in Maiduguri.

JTF Field Commander, Col. Victor Ebhaleme, said in a statement in Maiduguri on Monday that the allegation was untrue.

“The JTF wishes to draw the attention of the public to media reports alleging that some of its personnel abused the Holy Qur’an during operations in Maiduguri.

“The allegation was untrue as the JTF investigated the claim and found it to be false. It is an attempt by members of the Boko Haram sect and their collaborators trying to look for sympathy from members of the public as the curfew imposed have checkmated their excesses,” Ebhaleme said.

 

FCT

The Senate has passed the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendments) Act 2012, increasing the retirement age of staff in the professorial cadre in the universities from 65 to 70 years.

The law specifies that an academic staff who retires as a professor in a recognised university shall be entitled to pension at a rate equivalent to his annual salary.

The Act, however, fixed the retirement age of other academic and non-academic staff at 65 years.

The passage of the bill followed third reading and Senate’s approval of the report of the Senate Committee on Education.

 

Gombe

Police in Gombe State have swung into action to unravel the mystery surrounding the killing of Pastor Yahaya Abutu, a cleric at Bajoga in the state’s Funakaye Local Government Area.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gombe command, ASP Ahmed Mohammed, disclosed this Tuesday during an interview with newsmen in Gombe.

He said however that he was yet to get the details of how Abutu died.

The police spokesman nonetheless gave assurances that he would release details of police findings as soon as they had completed their investigations.

 

Jigawa

The Chairman, Yankwashi Local Government in Jigawa, Alhaji Musa Karkarna,  said he had spent N206 million on the construction of feeder roads from 2008 to date.

Karkarna told newsmen in Yankwashi on Thursday that the council spent N90 million to construct the 7.5-km Batatsaba-Dunbu-Ringim Road while the Yawara-Gangara Road was constructed with N37 million.

The chairman said that N68 million was spent on the second phase of the 12.7-km Yawara-Furji Road.

According to him, the 1.5-km Murde-Unguwamagaji Road, which was awarded at N11 million, has yet to be completed.

Karkarna noted that the roads were constructed to enable farmers to transport their produce easily to the markets and boost socio-economic activities in the council area.

 

Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government has stopped the payment of allowances to members of committees set up to oversee some government activities.

The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Sa’idu Adamu, announced this on Wednesday in Kaduna after the state’s Executive Council meeting.

Adamu explained that the policy was aimed at reducing the cost of governance occasioned by dwindling revenue.

He said that funds saved from such allowances, would be used to provide infrastructure for the development of the state.

 

Katsina

The Police in Funtua, Katsina State, on Monday shot dead two suspected armed robbers, and sources said the action followed a tip-off by one of their victims.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Katsina State Police Command, ASP Ibrahim Abubakar, told newsmen that the duo were part of a six-man gang that engaged the police in a shootout.

He said that the men were shot on the Funtua-Zaria road, which they blocked at about 1 a.m., adding that it was one of their victims who escaped and reported their actvity to the police.

Abubakar said that the four other robbers fled into the bush with gun shot wounds, but that a search for them had begun.

 

Kebbi

The Kebbi Government has spent N15 billion on the upgrading of secondary and technical schools in the state within the last five years.

A statement by the Press Secretary to the governor, Alhaji Abubakar Mu’azu, in Birnin Kebbi on Monday, indicated that N9.8 billion of the amount was spent on the provision of boarding facilities in 50 schools.

It also stated that 67 new junior secondary schools were established by the government at a cost of one billion naira naira, while N2.7 billion was used to construct five new science secondary schools.

 

Lagos

A former President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Mr Waheed Kadiri, has said that the sector may not record significant progress in 2012 due to the current state of the economy.

Kadiri told newsmen in Lagos on Thursday that work on old projects might also be suspended for an upward review in their initial cost of construction.

Until the issue of fuel subsidy is sorted out, much should not be expected from the real estate industry in 2012, he said.

 

Osun

The Osun command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)

on Monday said it arrested 196 suspected drug traffickers in the state between January and December 2011.

The state Commander of the agency, Mrs Anthonia Ndu, told newsmen in Osogbo that 52 of the offenders had been convicted.

Ndu said the trial of other suspects were still ongoing at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.

She added that 3,162.81 kilogramme of cannabis sativa popularly called Indian hemp, 700 grammes of psychotropic substances and 5.1 grammes of cocaine were seized from the suspects during the period.

The commander said that more than 43 hectares of cannabis farms were destroyed, while four vehicles used for transporting the illicit weed were seized.

 

Plateau

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Plateau on Monday commended residents of the state over their peaceful conduct throughout the NLC nationwide protests.

The NLC had called for street protests to force the Federal Government to revert to the old fuel pump price of N65 per litre.

The price of the commodity had gone up to between N138 and N150 after government removed subsidy on fuel from Jan 1.

While people in other states took to the streets, residents of Plateau remained calm and opted to rather sit at home to observe the strike.

NOA State Director, Mr Musa Chantu, who made the commendation, while briefing newsmen on Monday in Jos, described the conduct of Plateau residents as very unique.

 

Zamfara

Some residents of Gusau say they are happy with the suspension of the strike called by the NLC, recounting the hardship they went through during the period of the strike.

The residents expressed their reaction on Monday immediately after the organised labour announced it was calling off the strike.

The strike had begun on January 9 after government announced it was removing its subsidy on fuel pump price and fuel stations hiked the product’s price to N141 per litre.

Yahaya Umar, a journalist, said the strike caused him and others untold hardship because movement was restricted.

Another respondent, Ijeoma Ekeuhia, said the fuel subsidy removal almost put her out of business as a hair stylist.

Ekeuhia said the cost of materials used in carrying out her business had also increased, thereby causing a rise in the cost of services rendered to customers.

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Monarch Hails Fubara Over Road Project

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Ogene of Asa Asi Asaga Community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Andrew Enemuwa, has expressed gratitude to the Governor of the State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for the award of the contract for construction of Igiri- Ubimini-Egbeda-Elele road project.
Eze Enemuwa said the people of the local government are proud associating with a visionary leader like Governor Fubara whose interest in the development of his people knows no bounds.
The monarch, also the Secretary of Ogba Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Council said the unprecedented crowd of ONELGA people that attended the event shows that Governor Fubara is greatly loved and cherished by the people.
The Eze Dike Di Nu Obi of Ogbaland said the presence of the traditional rulers at the event speaks volumes.
The Okene Asa Kaka urged the people of the area to support Governor Fubara to attract more development to the local government area.

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1,680 Children Abducted In Nigeria -UNICEF

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As Nigeria marks 10 years anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls, the United Nations Children Fund( UNICEF) has  put the number of abducted children at different schools within the last 10 years in Nigeria at 1,680.
The organisation said this at an event it organised in conjunction with the Faculty of Media and Communications Studies in the University of Port Harcourt to mark the 10 years anniversary of Chibok girls abductions.
According to UNICEF release read by Communication officer, UNICEF Nigeria Dr Mrs Ijeoma Onuoha Ogwe, 180 children were killed within the period under review due to attacks on schools, while an estimated 60 school Staff were kidnapped,14 killed and more than 70 attacks on schools.
It urged the Nigerian Government and security agencies to intensify effort towards the rescue of the 90 remaining Chibok girls.
UNICEF described the Chibok girls saga as a wakeup call to the severe risks children face in their pursuit of education
‘Today, reflecting on this tragedy and other recent abductions, it is evident that our efforts to safeguard our children’s future must be amplified
“Given this alarming statistics, we must address not only the symptoms but also the root causes of this crisis,” it said.
UNICEF also said that the threat of abduction of students is severely affecting children’s learning.
“As at 2021, over one million children were afraid to return to school and in 2020, around 11,500 schools were closed due to attacks”, it said.
It called on the government and the international community to ensure that all schools have the resources and tools to fully implement the minimum standards for safe schools, focus on the most vulnerable regions and address critical gaps in safe schools infrastructure.
UNICEF also called for preparedness for natural disasters, conflicts and comprehensive approaches to violence against children.
Others include, strengthening law enforcement and security measures to protect educational institutions and communities from attacks and abduction, prioritising education and child protection in national policies and budget allocations to create a safer, more inclusive environment for all Nigerian children and ensure the continuity of education and learning when schools are shut through multiple learning pathways such as radio and TV programme and through digital platforms the Nigerian learning Passport.
Ogwe said UNICEF is working with the Nigerian Government to ensure that every child can access safe learning environment.
“The agency has supported the inauguration of state safe school steering committees and the drafting of state costed implementation plans for safe schools in 13 States.
“It also provides school grants, safety kits training and awareness raising to accelerate the implementation of the minimum standards for safe schools.
“As we remember the Chibok girls and all children whose rights to education have been compromised, let this somber anniversary serves as a catalyst for change”, UNICEF said.
Speaking with The Tide, Dr Nwachukwu Ginikanwa said the anniversary should serve as a wakeup call to the authorities to take the issue of security seriously.

John Bibor

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Fubara Has Rekindled Rivers Hope-Former Envoy

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As the one year anniversary of the Governor Siminalayi Fubara administration in Rivers State draws closer, a former Chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, Amb.Oji Ngofa, says the Governor has rekindled the hope of Rivers people.
Amb. Ngofa said within the one year of the administration, the Governor has shown a sense of connecting the people and the government unlike the immediate past administration led by Chief Nyesom Wike.
The former Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) explained that within one year, Rivers people are seeing a visionary leadership whose imagination is essentially focused on the desire to improve the lives of the people, with the sole aim of creating an economy where everyone can participate.
Speaking in an interview in Port Harcourt, the forrmer Ambassador said Governor Fubara has been able to engage relevant stakeholders and sectors of the State which, according to him, remains the hallmark of leadership.
He emphasised that with Governor Fubara, no doubt, Rivers State is in safe hands, saying with Governor Fubara, there is the likelihood that the State would be greater than other States.
He noted that the Governor’s vision to develop and give capacity to the people in order to participate in the economy as well as creating the enabling environment for business to flourish in the State, coupled with his peaceful nature, have all combined to endear him to the people.
Amb Ngofa said real power comes from how well one is connected with the people through good leadership, and the people on their own voluntarily surrender to you just as Governor Fubara has demonstrated within the past one year, stressing that that has informed his decision as an astute politician just like all well-meaning Rivers people to align with the Governor in order to move the State forward .
He described Governor Fubara’s milestones in infrastructure, human capital development, health and agriculture as monumental.
Amb Ngofa urged the Governor to ensure his revitalisa- tion programme on Songhai Farms extends to Buguma and Andoni fish farms and Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), and expand on the initiative, as it is critical in job creation for the teeming youths of the State.
“ In his one year in office as governor, Rivers people have seen the difference in terms of governance and total departure from self. Now Rivers people are having easy access to their governor. His focus is on policies and programmes that are capable of revitalising the economy aimed at improving the wellbeing of Rivers people, not just one man. Projects are springing up in all parts of the State, not necessarily in Port Harcourt and Obio,/ Akpor. All in just one year despite the distractions”, he said.

The Port Harcourt ring road loan to small skill medium businesses are one of the biggest achievements of his administration
Aleto- Woji road abandoned by the last administration had been carried on by a government that has interest of the people at heart
Despite the destruction ,he had demonstrated sense of focus on his primary duties as a governor
We are not just seeing monumental projects ,Rivers people are seeing total commitment to create an economy that will enable Rivers people to have a hold on there lives especially with projects like revitalizing Shonghai ,plaintain farms .
It is critical focusing on human capital development .I am aware of his programme of revitalising the economy ,state owned industries through public private partnership
Rivers people hope had been rekindled and those of us who are critic to the governor Wike led administration had been vindicated
Urging Eleme people to support the administration of governor Fubara to achieve their common dream which is development.

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