Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Alhaji Sahabo Jauro, the newly elected Chairman of Mubi North Local Government of Adamawa, has inaugurated five supervisory councillors and four special advisers.
At the inauguration on Wednesday, Jauro directed the appointees to submit their blueprints for improving the local government area as their performance would be assessed after nine months.
“After nine months we will assess your performance and see whether to allow you to continue or to replace you,’’ Sahabo said.
The chairman urged them to work hand-in-hand with elected councillors to ensure harmony.
Bauchi
The Bauchi State House of Assembly has pledged to enact more people-friendly legislation in 2013.
The Speaker, Alhaji Yahya
Miya, gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi. Miya said that the Assembly would be more proactive in its responsibilities in the New Year.
“We had fruitful relationship with the executive last year and this enabled us to pass various bills on critical sectors like health, education, youth empowerment and job creation,’’ he said.
Ekiti
Politicians in Ekiti State have been urged to shun activities capable of causing disaffection among the people ahead of next year’s governorship election.
The Chief Missioner of Ansar -Ur- Deen in the State, Sheik Ameen Adebayo, made the call at an inter-denominational prayer session organised by the state government for a crisis-free new year.
He urged politicians in the state to shun violence and watch their utterances as they prepare for the 2014 governorship election in the state.
Gombe
Alhaji Ali Goro, the Chairman, Joint Association of Physically Challenged Persons in Gombe, has called on the state government to involve members in employments concerning them.
Goro said involving members in policies and programmes involving them was necessary to avoid ‘diversion of slots’ meant for them.
The chairman was reacting to the 2013 budget proposal presented to the House of Assembly by Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo last week which made provision for the creation of jobs and skill acquisitions for the handicapped.
Jigawa
The Jigawa Government has proposed N4.4 billion as capital investment in agriculture for the 2013 fiscal year.
This is contained in the 2013 Appropriation Bill submitted to the state’s House of Assembly by Gov.
Sule Lamido in Dutse. Lamido said the amount was provided for agricultural extension services, rehabilitation of irrigation fields, livestock and grazing lands development projects.
He explained that part of the amount would be spent on the procurement and distribution of fertilisers, seeds and other inputs to farmers.
Kano
Some Kano residents on Wednesday in Kano commended Gov. Rabiu Kwankwaso’s administration for initiating adult literacy classes in the state.
Some of the prospective students of the classes, who spoke with our correspondent, expressed optimism that the initiative give them a new lease of life. “I was encouraged by my children to enroll into the classes to be formally educated,’’ Malam Sanda Uwaisu said.
He wished that someday he would be able to read newspapers written in Hausa as he had always relied on his children to read and then tell him the news.
Katsina
The Katsina State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Wednesday said that two people died in a New Year Day accident at Dandagoro, in Batagarawa Local Government area of the state.
Alhaji Habu Dauda, the FRSC Sector Commander, disclosed this in an interview with news in Katsina.
He said that a man and a woman lost their lives in the accident, which occurred at about 9.22 p.m. On Jan. 1.
Dauda said that the accident involved an unmarked motorbike and a Volkswagen Golf 3 car, with Reg. No. CF927ABC.
Kebbi
The Emir of Zuru in kebbi, Alhaji Sani Sami, has called on prominent people from the emirate to empower the youth, and work for the unity and development of the area. Sami made the call in Zuru while honouring some prominent persons from the area.
He said the people were honoured in recognition of their achievements, “especially for their exemplary conducts and activities’’
Kwara
An Ilorin Magistrates’ Court has remanded two students, Bala Abubakar and Sambo Aminu, over alleged possession of Indian hemp.
The accused were arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Kwara Police Command on Unity Road in Ilorin.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons were arrested on Dec. 30 after a search conducted on them revealed substances suspected to be Indian hemp.
The charge sheet said that when the accused persons were interrogated, they could not give a satisfactory account of the substances found on them.
Ogun
The Ogun Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had arrested two suspected pipeline vandals on Ajede road in Ijebu East Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s spokesman, Kareem Olanrewaju, told newsmen in Abeokuta that the suspects were aged 35 and 55.
“The suspects were operating with guns along side with others now at large. “Our surveillance team deployed to monitor the activities of vandals around the place relayed the information but the suspects took off before the arrival of the combat team, ‘’ he said.
Oyo
The Oyo State Police Command said on Wednesday that it was expecting an additional 300 newly-recruited officers in January to boost its manpower.
The police spokesman, Mr Ayodele Lanade, said this in Ibadan while speaking with newsmen
“Due to the nature of crime, you cannot rest on your oars. “Criminals keep changing the way they operate and so, the police cannot afford to relax, he said.
Plateau
The Speaker of Plateau House of Assembly, Mr John Dabwan, has called for peaceful coexistence in 2013 among the various tribes in the state.
Dabwan told newsmen in Jos that people should work together for peace to return and for tourism to flourish once again in the state.
He also called on the people to support government efforts to develop the state.
Yobe
The Yobe Government on Wednesday mounted a water-tight security at the Yobe State House of Assembly in Damaturu, hours before Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam presented the state’s 2013 budget.
Our Source said that the road to the assembly complex on Maiduguri road in Damaturu had been cordoned off by stern-looking security operatives.
Top government functionaries and reporters going to the assembly were subjected to vigorous screening by the security operatives.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.
Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.
The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.
“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.
Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state
He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.
“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.
While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.
He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process.
Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.
Rivers State University and the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education jointly hosted a two-day National Conference on 8 and 9 May 2026 to examine the state of values in Nigeria.
The two days conference held at Rivers State University convocation arena brought together academics, policymakers, legal experts and education leaders under the theme _“Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria.”_
The gathering focused on policy gaps, curriculum reform, and the role of ethics in public service and education.
The event opened on Friday with remarks from Vice Chancellor Prof. Chief Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who stressed the need to address declining moral and civic values across Nigeria’s education and public sectors. A book of abstracts for the plenary sessions was also presented to participants.
Key speakers included former Attorney General Chief Dr Kanu Agabi, SAN; NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Shehu Salisu; Prof. Hauwa Imam, FNAE, of the University of Abuja; former Rivers SUBEB Chairman Ven Dr Fyneface Akah, ; former NIMASA DG Dr Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside; and RSU Director of ICT Prof. Sunny Orike.
Discussions centered on integrating values education into schools, tertiary institutions and public institutions, alongside the impact of technology on moral development among young Nigerians. Panel and plenary sessions produced practical recommendations for curriculum and policy reform.
On Saturday, the foundation marked its centenary with the unveiling of the book _Otonti Nduka in History_, launched by Chief Engr. Grant Offor, FNSE. The Nigerian Academy of Education held a ceremonial procession led by its President Prof. Olu Jegede and the Ikwerre Professors Forum.
In a communiqué, participants called for stronger collaboration between government, civil society and academia to mainstream values education nationwide. They recommended reviewing teacher training curricula and expanding digital platforms to promote ethical civic engagement, with the foundation pledging to share the outcomes with education authorities for implementation.
Dignitaries present included Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide as Chief Host, Prof. Emeritus Chief T. Uzodimma Nwala, the Ikenga 1 of Mbaise and first philosophy student of Prof. Otonti Nduka, alongside scholars and community leaders.
Amadi Akujobi
