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THE STATES

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14 years ago

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Bauchi

The Bauchi State Government is to merge the College of Administrative and Business Studies Azare and the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic to transform into a full-fledged institution.

The Bauchi State Head of Service, Mr Abdon Dala-Gin,made the announcement on Tuesday in Bauchi when he inaugurated an 11-man committee, set up by the government to work out modalities for the merger.ions

Dala-Gin said the committee would be chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Service Matters Bureau, Alhaji Hashimu Dori.

He named Chairman, Governing Council of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, Prof. Andrew Haruna representatives of the state’s Attorney General as well as representatives of staff unions of ASUBP as members.

Speaking after the inauguration of the committee, the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of College of Administration and Business Studies, Mr Adamu Waziri, described the merger as a “welcome development. ’’

 

FCT

To avoid a spillover of the Kaduna and Yobe crises, the Federal Government has commenced a nationwide peace-building efforts, starting with Plateau.

Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr Mike Omeri, made this known in Abuja on Tuesday in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Paul Odenyi.

Omeri said time had come to take practical steps not just for religious and social tolerance but also for mutual acceptance among the citizenry.

He appealed to chief imams and other Muslim clerics across the country to always emphasise peace, unity and mutual acceptance in their sermons as there was no alternative to peace and unity.

The NOA director general denounced the attacks on ECWA headquarters in Plateau and other parts of the country.

According the statement, these are the handiwork of mischief makers who take advantage of issues that can be resolved through dialogue to foment trouble.

 

Kaduna

Some customers on Wednesday trooped to various banks in Zaria, Kaduna State, to withdraw money following the relaxation of the 24-hour curfew imposed by the government.

The state has been under 24-hour curfew imposed since Tuesday, June 19, due to the spate of attacks on worshiping centres.

Malam Bala Tijjani, who was on queue to use an ATM, commended the government for relaxing the curfew, saying it was a thing of joy.

“We have been at home days and nights like women. Apart from that, all our pockets are dry.

Another customer, Mr Mike Okey, said that money was a basic necessity to keep life going and for meaningful survival.

“Without money, nothing moves perfectly. However, I can testify that peace is by far greater than money,’’ he said.

 

Kogi

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has set up a new special patrol exercise code named “stop the killing/eagle eye’’ on Lokoja-Abuja Road and other highways in Kogi.

The state Sector Commander, Mr Mohammed Garba, made the disclosure at the commencement of the exercise in Lokoja on Tuesday.

Garba said that the initiative was to curtail the excesses of drivers plying Lokoja-Okene-Abuja Road and other highways in the state

He said that the operation would entail creating special corridors on Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Road to check over-speeding, overloading and motorists that engage in phoning while driving.

Garba said that 100 marshals, 10 patrol vehicles and one ambulance had been deployed for the exercise, which would hold simultaneously in Isanlu, Kabba, Ankpa, Magongo, Zariagi, Okene and Koton-Karfe towns.

 

Kwara

Five professors from the University of Ilorin are now jostling for the position of vice-chancellor of the institution .

The office is due to be vacant in October when the incumbent, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, would have completed his tenure.

At the close of the application for the job of Vice-Chancellor on Monday night, five of the professors from the institution had applied.

They included Prof. Hassan Salihu of the Department of Political Science, Prof. Ganiyu Hambali, Dean of Veterinary Medicine, and Prof. Luke Ayorinde, immediate past Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management) of the university.

Others are Prof. Albert Olayemi, the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) and Prof. Musbau Akanji, Director of Academic Planning.

The authorities of the institution had in an advertorial on May 14, declared that the exalted office of the Vice-Chancellor, currently occupied by Oloyede would be vacant by October 6.

 

Lagos

The Social Workers League, a human rights group, on Tuesday blamed the continued killing and destruction of properties in some parts of the country on mass poverty and high level of illiteracy.

The League, in a statement issued in Lagos and signed by its co-ordinator, Mr Baba Aye, said that economic underdevelopment had also encouraged discontent among some youths to cause havoc in the society.

“For about one week, Nigerians have been killed in Kaduna and Yobe states. There is need for the Federal Government to do all within its powers to guarantee the safety and security of Nigerians,’’ it said.

The statement said the level of destruction of lives and properties showed that the guns, vehicles and other logistics used by the Boko Haram group did not come from the contributions of their members who are poor.

It noted that the killing had forced communities to form vigilante groups to defend their lives which encompassed Christians and Moslems, amongst others.

“There is the need to forge greater unity of working people in the communities within the states now faced by this painful violence,’’ it said.

 

Niger

The Northern States’ Governors Forum (NSGF) on Tuesday expressed sadness over the death of ASP Ado Yahaya , a security aide to Gov. AbdulAzeez Yari of Zamfara.

Yahaya died in an auto accident on the Gummi-Sokoto road during an official assignment with the governor.

In a condolence message to Yari, signed by Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger and the Forum’s Chairman, the forum said they were pained by the sudden death of the well groomed cop “who died in active service’’.

“We can only pray God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest and his family, friends and the Nigeria Police, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the statement said.

 

Ogun

The  Ogun police command said on Tuesday in Abeokuta that it has uncovered a shrine belonging to ritualists and fraudsters in Iganke, a boundary town with Lagos States. The shrine, located deep in a forest was filled with charms and other scary objects.

The Ogun Police Commissioner, Mr Ikemefuna Okoye, who supervised the operation, told newsmen later that his men had been on the lookout for shrines and other places where evils were perpetrated.

He said the arrest of two members of the group in Abeokuta led to the discovery of the shrine, and attributed the breakthrough to the cooperation and collaboration with various communities in the area.

Okoye said, “One of them tried to dupe someone of huge amount of money, but through intelligent gathering we got to hear about it.

The commissioner further said that the two suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation into the matter was concluded.

While thanking members of the various communities for the cooperation extended to the force, he charged anyone with useful information to supply such to the command.

“I can assure you that the identity of anyone, who volunteered information that will help us uncover men of the underworld will be highly shielded,’’ he said.

 

Ondo

An Akure Chief Magistrates’ Court has remanded two officials of the State Security Service (SSS) in prison custody for alleged armed robbery.

The officials, Owolabi Kolawole, 25, and Okunola Kayode, 28, were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Igbekele Akinyele on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

They were said to have committed the offence with others at large on June 14, 2012 at about 11.30 a.m. at UBA on Owo/Ado Road, Akure. The police accused the two SSS operatives of robbing a car dealer, Peter Charles Denis of his N480,000.

The offence, the police said, was contrary to and punishable under Section 402 (1) of the Criminal Code cap 30 Vol. II laws of Ondo State, 1978. The accused pleaded not guilty.

But Magistrate Akinyele, however, told them that in legal parlance, what they did amounted to taking bribe.

Police prosecutor, ASP Pelumi Adejuwon, informed the court that he had four witnesses and urged the court to grant an adjournment to enable him to assemble them.

Counsel to the accused persons, Mr Ilesanmi Ikuemenisan, urged the court to admit the accused persons to bail on liberal terms.

 

Plateau

A Jos State High Court on Tuesday ordered the Nigeria Police to pay N1 million as damage to a suspect, the Secretary, Kanam Traditional Council, Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi.

The court also ordered the police to refund N700, 000 said to have been extorted from Abullahi, who was unlawfully detained and prosecuted for a crime he was not guilty of.

Justice Yargata Nimpa of High Court 4, while delivering judgment on the case of conspiracy, breach of trust and criminal offence, said that the police over-stepped its bounds by extorting N700, 000 from Abdullahi.

The court had heard that Abddullahi was arrested in Kanam Local Government and taken to the state Criminal Investigation Department where he was forced to “cough out N700, 000 said to be part of N8 million given to one Nafiu Abubakar.

The court further heard that one Mohammed Kabir, proprietor of Al-yusura Primary and secondary school, Konar Shagari, Jos, was alleged to have given Abubakar, a cousin to the Emir of Kanam, the said money to organise a launching for his school.

 

 

Zamfara

Barely one month into the commencement of fertiliser sale for 2012 farming season, the Zamfara Government has jacked up the price of the commodity from the initial N1,000 to N3,000 per 50kg bag.

The decision is viewed by political observers as a policy reversal after the landslide victory of the ANPP in the June 23 local government elections in the state.

Announcing the new price to newsmen in Gusau on Tuesday, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Malami Yandoto, said the new price would affect all categories of farmers who applied for the input through the ministry.

He said that the state government had fulfilled the promise to sell fertiliser at N1,000 per bag to smallholder farmers through their polling units.

According to him, 550,000 bags of fertiliser out of about 800,000 bags procured for distribution to farmers for the 2012 farming season, were sold at N1,000.

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REAN, SON synergise to curb fake renewable energy product

Published

3 weeks ago

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June 29, 2026

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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.
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Self Help Africa programme expands water access for 320,000 Nigerians

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3 weeks ago

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June 29, 2026

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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.
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Lagos Residents Stranded As Floods Cut Off Ajah, Mafoluku Communities

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3 weeks ago

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June 29, 2026

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Residents of Ajah, Mafoluku and other flood-prone communities in Lagos have recounted how Thursday’s torrential rainfall left them stranded, submerged homes and cut off access to major roads.
The residents, who spoke with Tide source, on Friday called for urgent government intervention to tackle the recurring flooding blamed on poor drainage infrastructure.
Along Mobil Road in Ajah, Mrs Rukayat said floodwaters submerged about 200 metres of the road, forcing commuters to wade through waist-deep water.
“The water level was almost up to my lap. People literally had to wade through it to get home,” she said.
According to her, many motorists turned back, while others abandoned their vehicles and continued their journeys on foot.
“The only way to pass through the water was by walking or using a tricycle. Even then, the tricycles broke down and had to be pushed,” she said.
Rukayat said some youths assisted stranded tricycle operators by pushing their vehicles through flooded sections for a fee.
She said residents had repeatedly alerted authorities to the flooding but little had changed.
“We reported this when the rains started, but apparently nothing has been done about the problem,” she said.
She attributed the flooding to poor drainage and possible blockage of a major canal serving the area.
“There is a big canal here, but I don’t know what is preventing water from flowing through it properly,” she said.
According to her, overgrown vegetation and sand deposits might have obstructed the canal, reducing its capacity to discharge stormwater.
She added that although floodwaters usually receded after a few hours, sections of the road remained waterlogged.
In Mafoluku, residents said several streets, homes and access roads were submerged, leaving many unable to return home after going about their daily activities.
Mrs Iriagbonse Okunkpolor, a resident of Agboola Street, said what began as a short trip to buy household items became an hours-long ordeal.
“I left my house to buy a few items nearby, but the rain started suddenly and flooded the entire street.
“I was stranded for hours because there was no safe way back home,” she said.
Another resident, Mr Mukaila Idris, described the flooding as both dangerous and distressing.
“The current was very strong. I watched people pay young men to carry them across the water because they were afraid of being swept away or falling,” he said.
According to him, only physically fit residents could navigate the floodwaters safely, while many others waited several hours for the water level to subside.
Mr Williams Ekpo, who lives in the Eyinogun area, said the flood extended beyond the roads and entered residential compounds.
“The floodwater entered our compound and damaged some household items.
“This happens almost every rainy season, yet nothing seems to be done to address the drainage problem,” he said.
The residents urged the relevant authorities to investigate the persistent flooding and improve drainage infrastructure to prevent a recurrence during the rainy season.
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