Abuja

A former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Jimeta Gambo,
has called for adequate funding of the Nigeria Police Force, even as he
reiterates his opposition to the creation of the state police force

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, Gambo said that with
adequate funding, the police were capable of performing optimally.

He also stressed the need for the government to give the
welfare of police personnel priority attention, saying that this was a “key
motivation’’ for quality service delivery.

Gambo noted that the police were currently poorly paid and
not well-motivated.

Anambra

Governor  Peter Obi of
Anambra on Monday in Akwa called for the raising of facilities in prisons to
acceptable standards.

The governor, who made the call during an inspection of
prisons in the state, described the condition of Awka and Onitsha Federal
prisons as “unacceptable”.

Obi was accompanied by the Minister of Interior, Mr Abba
Moro.

The governor said it was not just unjust, but regrettable
that some people had been in prison custody for years without going to court.

According to him, it is evident that some people are
incarcerated because they do not have people to speak for them.

Bauchi

Parents have complained that the upward review of charges at
Yankari Games Reserve in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State has
prevented them from taking their children to the facility to celebrate the
Eid-el-Fitr.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the management
of the reserve increased the gate fees from N300 and N200 for adults and
children to N5,000 and N2,500 respectively, among other charges.

Some parents told NAN in Bauchi on Monday that the increases
were too much and beyond the reach of ordinary people.

“As a tradition, I always take my children to Yankari during
periods of festivities. I have eight children, three of them above 17 years.

“By my calculation, I need at least N35,000 to visit Yankari
with the children, as against the former N2,000. I cannot afford it,”
complained Adamu Muazu, a civil servant.

Borno

Governor  Kashim
Shettima of Borno on Monday visited Maiduguri Maximum Prison to felicitate with
the inmates as part of Sallah celebration.

The governor who was accompanied by government officials
presented foodstuff and other items to inmates of the prison.

The items included 50 bags of rice, 100 bags of millet, 100
bags of Semovita and 100 cartons of Spaghetti and two large cows to the
inmates.

Shettima said the food items were given to enable the
inmates to celebrate Sallah.

“Our visit is aimed at felicitating with the inmates as we
celebrate the Sallah. “The essence is to come down here to celebrate with you
as we did outside,” he said.

Katsina

The Katsina State Government will plant 3.5 million tree
seedlings across the state this year as part of efforts to check
desertification in the state, an official has said.

Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim, the State Commissioner for
Environment, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Katsina.

He said the government had selected some people in each of
the 34 local government areas (LGAs) of the state to plant and nurse the tree
seedlings up to maturity stage.

“A motorcycle will be given to the best person in each of
the seven forestry zones of the state in order to boost their morale,’’ the
commissioner said.

Kaduna

Sheik Ahmed Bello-Dogarawa of Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria, Kaduna State, has said that improper child upbringing is the cause of
the country’s current security challenges.

Bello-Dogarawa made the assertion while delivering a lecture
entitled “Contributions of proper child upbringing toward addressing national
security challenges”, held in Zaria on Monday.

The ‘Post Ramadan Lecture’ was organised by a Zaria-based
religious organisation, Islamic Trust of Nigeria.

The don also linked improper home training with moral
decadence which, according to him, leads to societal collapse.

Kano

The Kano State police command has confirmed the arrest of
one of the suspects who escaped after an attack at a checkpoint in Kundila area
of Kano metropolis on Sunday.

Mr Ibrahim Idris, the Commissioner of Police in the state,
confirmed the arrest of the suspect while briefing newsmen on Sunday in Kano.

He said security agents in the state had intensified efforts
to track down the other fleeing suspects who also escaped with bullets wounds
during the encounter between them and security operatives.

“My men have arrested one of the suspects with bullet
injuries while search for others has been intensified. “We are calling on
members of the public, especially the medical personnel, to report the presence
of any patient with bullet wound to the police,’’ he said.

Kwara

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, says the state
government will partner the Federal Government to provide an additional 10,000
jobs for youths.

The governor stated this on Monday in Ilorin while receiving
the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Zulu-Gambari, who paid him the traditional
Sallah homage.

Ahmed, who was represented by his deputy, Elder Peter
Kisira, said the state government was making arrangements to create 2,000 jobs
for youths before the end of the year.

According to him, the government is committed to enhancing
the standard of living of the people.

Ogun

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Monday returned
N1 million worth of recharge cards, among others, to an accident victim, Mrs
Felicia Obanla.

The Ogun Sector Commander, Ayobami Omiyale, told newsmen in
Ota while handing over the items to the victim that the accident occurred on
August 17 in Ota, involving five vehicles.

“An articulated vehicle coming from Lagos to Sango lost
control around Sango Ota Toll Gate and rammed into a Mazda bus, marked, LAGOS
XV 388 KJA.

“This also rammed into a Nissan Pathfinder jeep, marked, TF
368 KJA, and this jeep seriously hit Obanla as she was about to come down from
a commercial motorcycle.

Ondo

The Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr Samuel
Adesina, on Monday called on for peaceful co-existence among the citizens
irrespective of differences in religious belief .

Adesina made the call in Akure in his Eid-el-Fitri message
to the Muslims, saying no society could achieve development without peace and
love for one another.

The speaker called on Muslims to ensure that the lessons
they had acquired during the Ramadan fasting would endure even after the
fasting.

“Let us all continue to be in good behaviour, do the right
things, love your neighbour, so that our state and the country can move
forward,’’ he said.

Plateau

The Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC)
has promised the people of Plateau free, fair and credible local government
elections.

Peter Dalyop, the commission’s Chairman, told the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Jos that elections into the 17 local
governments in the state would hold very soon.

The commission chairman who however refused to give a date
for the elections said arrangements were in top gear to produce a time-table.

“The commission is working round the clock to deliver
credible, free and fair local government elections in the state.

Sokoto

A member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji
Ibrahim Kabiru, on Tuesday appealed to Nigerian youths to shun vices that
hindered the unity and security of lives and property of the citizenry.

Kabiru who made the appeal in an interview in Sokoto urged
youths to assist security agencies by providing useful information that would
stop the activities of criminals.

“Offering intelligence reports to our security agencies will
enable them come out with formidable security measures that will deal with
security threats to the country,” Kabiru said.

He said youths should be advocates of peace, progress and political growth of the nation, adding that said the current security challenges being experienced in the country could be addressed through the collaborative efforts between the youth and security operatives.

Yobe

A section of Damagum Primary School in Damagum Local Government
Area was gutted by fire from suspected explosions in the area.

Mr Toyin Gbadegeshin, the Police Public Relations Officer in
the state, made the disclosure in an interview in Damagum.

He also said policemen on Monday repelled an attempted
attack on Damagum Police Station by unknown persons.

Gbadegeshin said “at about 1:05a.m., attacks launched on
Damagum Police station and a worship centre were successfully repelled by the
police but no casualty was recorded while the gunmen fled into the bush.’’