Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Imam of Gwallaga Mosque in Bauchi metropolis, Sheikh
Suleiman Bashir, has warned Muslims against involvement in suicide for any
reason.
Bashir gave the warning in his Eid-el Fitr sermon preceding
the two Raka’at prayers to mark the end of the Ramadan fast.
He said that suicide was un-Islamic and that its punishment
was hell fire. “Life is a gift from Allah and nobody has right to do away with
it; ‘’Suicide for whatever reason is a grievous sin abhorred by Allah,’’ Bashir
said.
According to him, anyone who kills an innocent person will
face the wrath of Allah. “Every human being has a right to live and only Allah
has the right to give and take life. “Those who shed the blood of others would
account for such souls before Allah,’’ he warned.
Borno
The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Maiduguri, Most Rev.
Kana Mani, has congratulated Nigerian Muslims as they celebra te the
Eid-el-Fitr. This is contained in a statement issued in Maiduguri.
“I wish to congratulate Nigerian Muslims as they celebrate
the Eid-el-Fitr,” he said and advised Muslims in the state to make good use of
the Ramadan lessons.
He prayed for the return of peace in the state and Nigeria
in general and for the safe return of those who travelled to Saudi Arabia for
the Lesser Hajj.
Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government has sealed 16 sawmills over
illegal felling of trees. The state
Commissioner for Environment and Housing, Mr Paul Omotosho, led the exercise at
Ikere Local Government Area. The commissioner, who said the ministry was acting
on a tip off, vowed that the exercise would be continuous, and described those engaged in illegal felling of
trees as economic saboteurs, saying their activities had robbed the state of
enormous revenue.
The commissioner said that most of the logs found in
sawmills in the state were either felled without government’s approval or
royalties were not paid on them.
He warned that any sawmill indicted would have its premises
sealed and operational licence withdrawn while the owners would be prosecuted.
FCT
President Goodluck Jonathan has reiterated the call for
Nigerians to embrace peace and remain united for any meaningful development to
take place.
The president spoke
when a delegation of Muslims in the FCT, led by Vice- President Namadi Sambo,
paid him an Eid-el-Fitr homage at his residence in the State House.
“Let me use the opportunity of this unique visit to call on
all Nigerians that, first and foremost, for us to progress, we must unite.
Jonathan said the progress of the country was imperative for
the upcoming generations to build on, adding that the Eid-el-Fitr celebration
should be a moment not only for the Muslim faithful but for all Nigerians to
reflect on the nature of their existence in a country.
Kano
The Kano State chapter of the Christian Association of
Nigeria (CAN) has called for the establishment of a platform for dialogue
between Christians and Muslims in the state.
The CAN Chairman, Pastor Ransome Bello, made the call while
delivering a goodwill message to Muslims to mark the Eid-El-Fitri in Kano.
“The leadership of both religions should have a platform for
dialogue and other issues agitating the minds of their numerous followers,” he
said. According to him, only a
consolidated unity between the two major religions in the country could foster
unity and move the country to greater heights.
Katsina
A Katsina State PDP chieftain in Funtua, Alhaji Usman
Alaliya, has cautioned members of the
party against unguided utterances capable of heating up internal democracy.
Alaliya made the call while speaking to newsmen in Funtua in
reaction to a statement credited to a party member. He enjoined party loyalists to respect the
party’s leadership and manifesto to ensure victory for the party in the future.
“The party promotes discipline and honours aspirants as well as members, based
on credibility and records of performance,’’ Alaliya said. The party chieftain appealed for support for
the Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Shema, in recognition of his achievements
in all sectors. According to him, Shema
has completed all the laudable programmes started by the late President Umaru
Yar’Adua when he ruled the state as governor.
Kwara
The Kwara State Government, has inaugurated a committee that
would write the history of the state and its people.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold,
while inaugurating the committee, said that the book would entail the
political, economic and socio-cultural patterns of the people.
He charged them to work assiduously to complete the work on
time. Chairman of the committee, Dr
Raimi Olaoye, gave the assurance that the committee would do a thorough job and
produce a book that would be acceptable to all stakeholders.
He said that the committee would meet with the traditional
rulers, leaders of thoughts and custodians of history for their contributions.
Lagos
The Branch Secretary, Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lagos, Mrs
Ijeoma Nweke, has called on Nigerians to be their brother‘s keeper and assist
the less privileged people within their community. Nweke spoke in an interview with newsmen to
mark this year’s World Humanitarian Day.
She explained that humanitarian activities depended on the
choice of individuals or communities. “I would not really say that Nigerians
are not humanitarian enough in their dealings; it is difficult to rate because
it all depends on the individual,“ she said.
Nweke, said that humanitarian services was the major
responsibility of the society and that this should be imbibed by individuals,
corporate bodies and groups within a community.
Nasarawa
More than 50 adults have so far registered for the summer
holiday programme organised by St. John of the Cross Catholic Parish, Mararaba,
Nasarawa State.
The Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Patrick stated this in
an interview in Abuja. The priest said
the concept was to put the participants through on how to communicate
effectively through reading and writing in English Language and to be numerate.
He said the programme would last till the formal resumption of the new school
calendar year in September.
The clergyman said the programme had been “educative and
fruitful’’ and was designed by the church to enhance the literacy level of an
otherwise illiterate population.
Niger
The Niger State
Government has ordered two contractors handling its projects to return to site
and complete their jobs on schedule. The contractors are Messrs Rural Steel
Bridging and Infiouest International.
The projects are
the construction of a bridge across river Kaduna at Shiroro and the new
government house located at three arms zone, Minna.
The Director-General, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mallam
Iliyasu Dhacko, gave the directive in
Minna when he paid an unscheduled visit
to the site of the two projects.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace the
construction firms were handling the projects in spite of being fully mobilised
recently by the government.
Ondo
The Olusegun Mimiko Campaign Organisation in Akure has urged
Muslims to imbibe the lessons and values of Ramadan.
The Director of Publicity and Media Relations of the
organisation, Mr Kolawole Olabisi, said
the core values of Ramadan included personal sacrifice, piety and self-denial.
The organisation urged Muslims to demonstrate the values at
all times and not only during the Ramadan. It urged Muslims to pray for divine
healing of the nation from the wanton waste of lives and property, which had
plagued the polity in recent times. The organisation said that piety, devotion,
spirit of oneness and good neighbourliness displayed during Ramadan must
continue as “we collectively pray God to take the country to greater heights”.
Osun
The National Secretary of the PDP, Prince Olagunsoye
Oyinlola, has congratulated Muslim faithful in Osun and other parts of Nigeria
for the completion of the Ramadan fasting.
Oyinlola, in a statement in Osogbo urged Muslims to continue
to utilise the lessons learnt during the fasting.
According to the former governor of Osun, all the bad habits
abandoned during the 30 days of fasting should remain abandoned. “It is by
doing this that we would have done exactly what God enjoins us to do. May God
Almighty continue to count us among the righteous. “We should work towards the
progress of the nation, especially now that it is facing security challenges,’’
he said.
Also, the Chairman of ACN in Osun, Mr Adelowo Adebiyi wished
all Muslims in the state a happy celebration, and called for peace and a
harmonious co-existence among the citizens.
Oyo
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has advised Muslims to
use the Eid-el-Fitri celebration to pray for peace, unity and economic
development of the country.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr
Festus Adedayo, in Ibadan. In it, Ajimobi congratulated Muslims in the state on
their successful completion of the month-long Ramadan fasting.
“Since Ramadan fasting symbolises spiritual rejuvenation, it
is expected that our Muslim brothers and sisters will continue to move closer
to Allah, even after the Eid-el-Fitri celebration. The governor commended the spirit of oneness
and peaceful co-existence among religious adherents in Oyo state and urged them
to continue in that spirit, so that his administration would have ample time to
concentrate on repositioning the state.
Plateau
The Director, Centre for Peace Advancement in Nigeria
(CEPAN), Jos, Rev. Samuel Goro, says Plateau will soon become a learning ground
for peace in Nigeria.
Goro said in Jos that peace would return to the troubled
state with many others coming to Plateau to learn how to live in harmony.
Goro, however, pointed out that nothing good had ever come
easy, and stressed that the state was going through trying times from which it
would come out only better.
“Clearly, some disgruntled elements were not happy with the
hitherto peaceful co-existence that had been the situation here and did
everything to truncate it.
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.
