Nation
THE STATES
Borno
Borno State Government says it plans to construct street gates
in strategic areas of Maiduguri, the state capital, to consolidate the return of peace to the metropolis..
Governor Kashim Shettim stated this while receiving members of the Borno Welders Association who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Maiduguri.
Shettima pointed out that the project would commence in Gwange Ward as a pilot scheme,and later extended to other parts of the metropolis.
“Gwange has been selected for the take off of the project as part of the pilot scheme; we plan to erect eight gates to cover all the eight access roads in the area.
“Depending on the success of the project, we hope to extend it to other areas, like Kumshe, Mafoni and other parts of the city,” he said.
The chairman of the association, Mallam Ibrahim Idris, thanked the governor for the reception accorded them and assured of their supports towards developing the state.
Benue
A couple, Mr and Mrs Terhemba Makka and their two-year-old
baby were last Tuesday burnt to death at Katsina-Ala Street in Makurdi.
An eye-witness, Mr Uche Nnorom, said that the fire started at about 2 a.m., when the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) restored electricity to the area.
He said that some youths, however, made efforts to put out the fire by breaking open a portion of the house, but could only rescue the deceased’s nine-year-old son, Aondongu.
The eye-witness said that the boy was immediately rushed to Bishop Murray Medical Centre, Makurdi, for immediate treatment.
He said that the entire house had been completely gutted before the arrival of men of the Fire Service at the scene.
Kaduna
Finetex Nigeria Limited, a textile company closed down in 2003
in Kaduna, has commenced the payment of over N200 million benefit to its disengaged workers.
The General Manager of the company, Alhaji MT Usman said in an interview with The Tide source in Kaduna that, more than 2, 200 workers would be paid off.
According to him, the money is the final agreed benefit to be paid the affected workers through their various banks.
Usman said the company was forced to shut down due to uncontrolled inflow of cheap textile materials from China, a situation, which he noted, had also affected most textile industries in the country.
The general manager disclosed that the management of the textile firm was working hard to resuscitate it to full production.
Katsina
The Youths Forum of Sayaya in Matazu Local Government Area
of Katsina State has threatened to boycott polio immunisation until the state government repaired the road in the area.
The threat was issued by the Chairman of the Forum, Malam Zaharuddeen Abdullahi, in an interview with newsmen recently in Katsina.
Abdullahi noted that lack of good road was the major problem facing the community, adding that the road was just about 17 kilometres long.
According to him, people of the area were facing difficulties, particularly during the rainy season, while taking their pregnant women to health facilities during labour.
The chairman also said two streams by the roadside have equally made it difficult for residents of the area to bury their dead during the rainy season.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Pilgrims Welfare Agency has embarked on the enlight
enment of pilgrims from the state against violating Saudi Arabia laws during the forthcoming Hajj.
The Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Abdullahi Imam said during one of the sensitisation campaigns in Kalgo and Bunza local government areas last Tuesday that, it was necessary for the pilgrims to exhibit good conduct during their stay in Saudi Arabia.
Represented by Alhaji Abdullahi Musa, a director in the agency, Imam noted that pilgrims from the state had in the past exhibited good conduct and urged those travelling this year “to sustain the unblemished record”.
Earlier, chairman of the sensitisation committee, Alhaji Sa’idu Maigishiri, said the state government had secured befitting accommodation close to the Holy Ka’aba and advised the intending pilgrims to ensure cleanliness.
Also, a member of the agency’s board, Alhaji Sani Dododo, said proactive measures had been taken to ensure that pregnant women did not participate in this year’s Hajj exercise.
Lagos
The Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka
Oladunjoye, recently urged parents to make the education of their children and wards utmost priority.
Oladunjoye made the plea in Lagos at the inauguration of School-Based Management Committee (SBMC)’s policy and guide book organised by the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board.
SBMC is a voluntary group comprising community members, traditional rulers, students, parents’ forum, community development associations, religious leaders, teachers and head teachers.
The committee was established in 2007 to enhance effective governance of the 1004 primary and junior secondary schools in the state to attain free and qualitative education.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly recently banned media
outfits owned by the state from covering its activities.
The assembly took the decision after deliberating on a letter from the Nasarawa State Broadcasting Service (NBS), demanding N10 million monthly as against N500,000 for live coverage of the assembly’s sitting.
Mr Godiya Akwashiki (PDP-Nasarawa Eggon West) raised the issue at a plenary session while discussing the letter sent to the house by the management of the NBS.
Akwashiki, who is also the Majority Leader of the house, told his colleagues that the General Manager of NBS, Mr Yusuf Musa, said that five commissioners and some advisers had directed that the outside broadcast van (OB Van) should not be brought to the house for live coverage during proceedings.
Ogun
The Ogun Police Command has arrested a 37-year-old man for
allegedly having unlawful carnal knowledge of a six-year-old girl last Saturday.
A statement issued in Abeokuta on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, said the suspect resided at Ayedi Street, Isale Ake, Abeokuta.
It said that the suspect, who confessed to the crime, lured the girl with a N50 note and took her to his room where he forcefully had carnal knowledge of her while the mother of the victim was away.
Adejobi, who said that the medical report on the girl confirmed that she was defiled, added that the suspect had been taken to the state CID in Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation and prosecution.
The police spokesman said a bed sheet stained with blood and a pant were recovered from the suspect’s room adding that the command would work with relevant agencies, particularly the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, to stop rape in the state.
Ondo
The Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Mr Jide Adejuyigbe,
tasked Christian and Muslim faithful on the need for peaceful coexistence.
Adejuyigbe made the appeal at Ikare Akoko in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of the state during a peace meeting with the representatives of Christians and Muslims of Ekan and Oyinmo communities.
The meeting was held to address concerns over the planned building of a mosque at Ikare Grammar School.
“Christians and Muslims in the state must shun violence and see themselves as members of the same family to avoid religious crises. They should continue to co-operate with the government of the state in sustaining the peace being enjoyed,” he said.
He advised individuals, groups and organisations planning to erect any structure within the premises of government-owned schools to seek approval from the appropriate authorities.
Osun
The Osun State Government has released N245 million for the
payment of the July salary of staff of the Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH) in Osogbo.
The Chief Medical Director of LAUTECH, Prof. Femi Fadiora, said this in an interview with our correspondent last Tuesday in Osogbo.
Fadiora said that the July salary was to be paid by the Oyo Government, adding that the delay prompted the Osun Government to intervene.
He said the hospital jointly owned by the two states share the responsibility of salary payment, with Osun paying for between January and June while Oyo pays the balance.
Fadiora, however, expressed optimism that ‘’the delay in the payment of July salary will not repeat itself in respect of August salary.’’
Oyo
A former Minister of Sports, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, has urged
Nigerians to be patient with the Goodluck Jonathan administration, saying it ushered in the first true democratic government.
Adedoja, who made the plea at a forum organised recently in Ibadan by the League of Veteran Journalists, Oyo State Chapter said that in spite of some national challenges, Jonathan had ensured that the nation remained on the path of development.
He commended the president for promoting Public Private Partnership to boost infrastructural development across the country.
Adedoja also said the challenges facing the nation’s education sector could only be dealt with in phases and urged Nigerians with developmental ideas not to give up on Nigeria.
Plateau
The Plateau Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil De
fence Corps (NSCDC), has arrested seven suspected pipeline vandals in the state.
The Commandant, Mr Vincent Bature, told newsmen recently in Jos, that the culprits were caught red-handed with 88 Jericans containing petrol and diesel.
Bature said the five suspects were arrested with the diesel while on their way to Saminaka town in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He solicited the cooperation of traditional rulers in Bassa Local Government Area where NNPC pipelines had passed through, to assist in educating their people on the dangers of vandalising the facilities.
Sokoto
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is to inaugurate the N2.6
billion, 20-million gallons per day Asare Water Treatment Plant constructed by the Sokoto State Government on August 29.
The Commissioner for Water Resources in the state, Alhaji Dalhatu Tangaza, made the disclosure in an interview recently in Sokoto.
According to Tangaza, the plant has since been test-run since last April and the test-running is still going on.
The commissioner said that some areas of Sokoto metropolis to benefit from the project include Arkilla, Damboa, old airport, Kasarawa, army barracks and Bado, among others.
Tangaza stated that the state government had earmarked N75 million for the relocation of water pipes along the 4.5-km Gidan-Man-Ada-Kalambaina-Cement company road, undergoing dualisation.
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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