Benue

The Benue State Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs said it spent N100 million to pay severance allowances to council chairmen between 2004 and 2006.

The Special Adviser to Gov. Gabriel Suswam on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Solomon Wombo, made the disclosure on Friday in Makurdi at a news conference on the activities of the bureau.

The special adviser said the allowances were paid to ease the hardship of the former council helmsmen, adding that efforts were on to clear the backlog of allowances.

Wombo said the bureau was up to date on its financial obligation to past and serving local government officers in the state.

Borno

Five suspected armed robbers were on Friday shot dead by the 243 battalion troops of the Nigerian Army, Manguno, in Borno State.

The spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore Order (ORO), Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, stated this in Maiduguri.

“Following a tip-off, the 243 battalion in Monguno at about 1655 hours on Friday raided a hideout of notorious gang of armed bandits terrorising the people of Monguno and environs.

“Twenty suspected bandits engaged the troops in a shoot-out that led to the death of five persons, and some escaped with bullet wounds,” the statement said.

It said that two soldiers were also wounded during the shoot-out and were responding to treatment.

“The following items were recovered from the hideout, one AK47 rifle, two locally-made pistols, some ammunition and four Nokia handsets.’’

Gombe

The Magistrates’ Court I Kasuwan Shanu Gombe, on Monday granted bail to a 20-year old man, Auwal Mohammed of Malam Inna quarters, Gombe, charged with conspiracy and possession of offensive weapons.

The Police Prosecutor, Cpl. Elisha Luka, told the court that the accused person on May 13, conspired with Ibrahim Bala and Aminu Shaye of the same address, now at large, to commit offence.

He said the accused person was arrested with a cutlass, thereby committing an offence, contrary to Sections 96, 95 and 8 (1) (3) Cap 382 Law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The prosecutor also said that investigation had been completed and asked the court to proceed with the hearing of the case against the accused person.

Kaduna

Children and tutors in Kaduna, Monday, decried the low-key Children’s Day celebration.

Gamji Gate, which used to be crowded with children during such celebration, was deserted.

Some of the children, who turned back on sighting the empty park, said that this year’s celebration was different as there were no special programmes organised for them.

Nine -year-old Danladi Yusuf, a primary 5 pupil of Hall-Mark International School, Kaduna, blamed parents for lack of attention to their children.

Miss Shem Ibrahim, 12, and a JSS two student at Imperial College, Kaduna, urged the government to build world-class amusement parks and special library, where children could interact and gain knowledge.

Kano

The Medical Director of Danfodiyo Islamic Medical Centre, Dr Abdullahi Idris,  has called on the National Assembly to investigate the alleged brutality by the Joint Security Task Force (JTF) on Dorayi residents in Kano.

Idris who made the call in an interview in Kano recently said that the JTF operatives had on May 15, raided Dorayi area of the metropolis in an effort to arrest suspected gunmen involved in the recent attack on Bayero University Kano.

Idris said the call became necessary in order to ensure justice and restore the confidence of the people in the security outfit, noting that it was unfortunate that the soldiers who were supposed to protect lives and property of innocent citizens could engage in acts that would portray them as anti people.

Kebbi

Kebbi State Deputy, Governor Ibrahim Aliyu, on Monday urged youths in the state to be security conscious and respect constituted authorities.

The deputy governor gave the advice in Birnin Kebbi at a symposium on the role of youths organised to mark the International Children’s Day and Democracy Day.

Aliyu said the current security situation in the country requires the youth to be alert and to assist in policing their communities.

He said the youths must also “imbibe the virtues of respect for law and order, seriousness of purpose and commitment to earning a living as the bedrock of your future”.

Represented by the Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Abdullahi Kambe, Aliyu pledged that the state government would provide environment conducive to teaching and learning.

Kwara

An expatriate working with Borini Prono Construction Company has been kidnapped in Ilorin, Kwara State.

The victim, who was said to have gone to inspect an ongong road construction at Bishop Smitt road, was whisked away by his abductors at about 5:30 p.m on Monday to an unknown destination.

The Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) in Kwara, DSP Fabode Olufemi, told the newsmen in Ilorin on Wednesday, that hte police was aware of hte incident.

He siad that no contact had been made with the kidnappers, adding that the police could only confirm the report pending the outcome of its investigations.

The police spokesman explained that the victim was an Italian, working with Borini Prono.

He, however, assured the public that the victim was an would soon be rescued.

When NAN visited the head office of the company along new Yidi road, there was nobody on hand to speak on the incident.

Lagos

Some Lagos-based lawyers said on Friday that the entrenchment of the rule of law was key to the development of Nigeria’s democracy.

One of the lawyers, Mr Spurgeon Ataene, said that the immediate reinstatement of Justice Ayo Salami, as President of the Court of Appeal, would be the rule of law at work.

He said that any action that would influence people to lose confidence in the nation’s judicial system must be avoided. According to him, democracy will not become fruitful to Nigerians if the judiciary is not vibrant and does not play its role without interference.

Another lawyer, Mr Seun Adenuga, said that emergent democracies needed to first address the challenges facing their judiciary before other things to make the political system to succeed.

Niger

The Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development is to collaborate with a private developer, Ofra & Davon to construct 5,000 housing units for the officers and men of the Nigeria Police in Minna.

The Chief Executive of Ofran & Davon, Mr Victor Danjumbo, who disclosed the plan on Sunday at a stakeholders meeting in Minna, said that the agreement was signed in October 2011.

He said that the ministry had since 2007 acquired about 500 hectares in two different locations within the Niger capital, noting that each of the land acquired would house 2,500 housing units.

Danjumbo said that when completed, 60 per cent of the housing units would be allocated to the Nigeria Police Force, while the remaining would be sold to interested members of the public.

Sokoto

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the feud between the sacked medical doctors in Lagos State and the government.

The Secretary of the NMA, Dr Abubakar Panti, Sokoto State chapter, made the call in Sokoto at a news conference. Panti also called on the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III and Gov. Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State to also intervene in the crisis.

He further appealed to others, including the Senate President, David Mark, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambowal to wade into the crisis for an amicable settlement

“We want them and all other well meaning Nigerians to talk to the state governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola-led government to heed the voice of wisdom and stop playing politics with the lives of the electorate that brought him to power.

Taraba

The Gassol Local Government in Taraba has begun the screening of 500 members of a vigilante group to confront the current security challenges in area.

The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Tukura Bashir, who announced this to newsmen on Monday in Mutum-Biyu, said the Nigeria Police Force was screening the members.

He said that every member of the group must be endorsed by his Village Head to avoid engaging people with criminal records.

“It is compulsory that every member of the group should obtain clearance and submit same to the police. Through this process, people of questionable character will be fished out.”

Bashir said that a van and office accommodation would be provided to the group to assist it in arresting criminals and handing them over to the police.

On development projects, the council chief said the state government had awarded a contract for the construction of a four-kilometre road in Mutum-Biyu, the headquarters of the council, to open up the area for local and foreign investments.