Nation
THE NATION
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has concluded plans to construct six new hospitals in the state to further boost its healthcare services.
Governor Isa Yuguda, dropped the hint in Bauchi, while receiving a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Health, led by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Linus Aleachi.
Yuguda said that the proposed hospitals were in addition to the existing 23 hospitals in the state, which were fully-equipped with modern facilities.
He urged the Federal Ministry of Health to establish a kidney transplant unit in the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi considering the high number of patients with kidney-related diseases.
Ekiti
Yam farmers in Irasa-Ekiti, have said that agricultural subsidy would boost yam production and ensure the attainment for food security in the country.
Speaking with newsmen in Irasa-Ekiti, a suburb of Ado-Ekiti, the leader of the Irasa-Ekiti Yam Farmers Association, Alhaji Jimoh Audu, urged the state government to provide farmers with fertiliser, agro-chemicals and tools at subsidised rate.
According to him, members of the association are the first to harvest yam between June and August annually across the country.
He also called on the government to provide access roads to farms as well as means of transportation of agricultural produce.
FCT
The Ministries of Agriculture and Science and Technology should create the necessary awareness for greater cultivation of ‘acha’, a medicinal crop.
Mrs Funke Odeyemi, a Senior Technologist, with the Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), made the call while speaking with newsmen at Kwali, FCT.
Odeyemi described ‘acha’ as a medicinal cereal crop recommended for diabetics because of its low glucose content.
She, therefore, urged the government and agricultural extension workers to create greater awareness about the crop among farmers.
According to her, the crop is currently cultivated only in Plateau state as farmers in other parts of the country are not aware of its economic importance.
Gombe
Malam Mohammed Suleiman, a sales officer with the Gombe Ministry of Agriculture, has been dragged before the Gombe State Fertiliser Distribution Monitoring Committee for allegedly diverting 300 bags of fertiliser.
The fertlisers were said to be meant for farmers in Gombe local government area.
The Councillor representing Bolari West Ward in Gombe, Malam Kabir Sakuwa, told the committee members at the Gombe Council Secretariat that the officer illegally diverted the fertiliser and sold same in the open market.
The sales officer confirmed diverting the fertiliser and selling same, but insisted that he did so because his own share was not included in the consignment being distributed.
Jigawa
Senator Ahmed Zakari, the Chairman of the Movement for the Creation of Hadejia State from Jigawa State, says the creation of the proposed state is long overdue.
Zakari said in an interview with newsmen in Dutse on Tuesday, that the agitation for the new state from old Kano State started in 1982.
He said the people made their submission to the National Assembly and the state was shortlisted before the military take-over of government in 1983.
Zakari said the people renewed their demand in 1991 but the military government at the time instead created Jigawa.
Kano
Prof. Ibrahim Garba, the Vice-Chancellor of the Kano State University of Science and Technology(KUST), Wudil, Kano State, has warned students of the institution against drug abuse.
Garba gave the warning on Tuesday, in Wudil at the opening ceremony of a workshop on “Substance Abuse”, organised by the Students’ Affairs Department of the institution.
He said, “The university is an arena for academic activities and will not tolerate drug abuse and other vices among students.”
The vice-chancellor also called for collaboration among parents, teachers and other stakeholders to fight drug abuse and other vices “in order to attain a better society”.
Katsina
The Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Agency has advised intending Muslim pilgrims who partly paid their Hajj (pilgrimage) fares to complete the payment before July 28 or risk losing their seats.
In a statement, the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Ibrahim Ango, in Katsina on Tuesday said
the advice was necessary to enable the agency to remit the money to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).
Ango explained that the advice followed the recent announcement of the Hajj fares, adding that completing the payment would enable the agency to begin necessary preparations for the pilgrimage.
Kebbi
The Kebbi State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has appealed to the state government to immediately pay the 12.5 per cent pay hike due to teachers in the state.
The NUT Chairman in Kebbi, Mr Danlami Riba, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
Riba said that the pay hike was approved by the state government since last year, but was not implemented.
He said, “Teachers have been expecting the pay hike since then and hope that payment will now be made with the arrears.’’
The NUT chairman said that the government had implemented the 27.5 per cent pay hike for qualified teachers.
Riba commended the Kebbi Government for the priority it gave to the education sector.
Kwara
The Kwara State Government has said that it will curb the menace created of Nigerian beggars on the streets of Ilorin, the state capital.
The State Commissioner for Social Development, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Dele, said this in Ilorin on Monday, in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin.
He said the government had opened discussions with the officials of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on how to tackle the problem.
The Commissioner gave assurance that the government would enforce the law which makes street begging illegal to tackle the problem.
Niger
Governor Muazu Babangida State of Niger has urged his colleagues to invest in human capital and not on themselves as a way of securing the future generation.
He stated this in Minna at the 1st State Level dialogue and Policy Sensitisation Workshop organised by the Nigeria Governors‘ Forum (NGF) and the UNDP.
Babangida spoke while addressing his colleagues on their part in sustainable development, poverty reduction and achievement of MDGs in the country.
He said that unless his colleagues learnt to draw a line between party politics and governance, achieving sustainable development and the MDGs would remain a mirage.
He noted that some governors used fund budgeted for social development projects to service their party stalwart and political godfathers.
Ogun
An Ogun-based lawyer, Dr Oloruntoba Mamora, has advocated life jail for any convicted kidnapper.
Mamora told newsmen in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun that the punishment would likely reduce kidnappings and assassinations in the country.
He said that the issue of kidnapping had assumed a new dimension and that it needed urgent attention from the government.
Osun
The Osun State Government says it will set up an education task force that will maintain high standards in public and private schools in the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr Fatai Kola-Hassan, disclosed the plan on Tuesday, in Osogbo, at a meeting with the executive members of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Osun chapter.
He said the task force would take appropriate actions on those operating illegal private schools and put an end to difficulties encountered in obtaining licences to operate private schools.
He called on NAPPS executives to submit names of illegal private schools in the state to the ministry for appropriate sanctions.
Plateau
The people of Plateau State have began one month period of prayer and fasting to seek God’s intervention in the crisis that has engulfed the state in recent times, a statement said.
The programme was announced by Governor Jonah Jang, the statement, issued by Mr James Manok, the Director of Press Affairs, in Jos, said.
The decision by the government followed a fresh attack on Maza, a village in Jos North local government area, on Saturday.
Seven people were killed and 10 others injured in the attack, which took place at 10p.m., while a church and many other houses were burnt in the incident.
Zamfara
The Zamfara State Government has re-awarded the contract for the international cargo airport in Gusau at the cost of N10 billion, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, said.
Aliyu made this known in Gusau while conducting engineers from Sigma Construction, the firm handling the project, on a site inspection.
He said that in spite of the financial difficulties, the government attached high priority to the project because of its economic importance and promised that it would be completed on time.
He urged the construction firm to ensure that the government got value for its money, adding that the government would ensure steady funding for the project to enable the contractors to finish the job on time.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has inducted and given orientation to 100 Ogoni youths for training on Creative Arts. The beneficiaries were drawn from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the CRAB of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, was a prelude to the training proper, billed to commence next Tuesday.
As usual, HYPREP issued undertaking forms to the trainees, for them to complete and submit as a guarantee that they would subject themselves to the requirements of the programme as well as be of good behaviour throughout the four-month duration of the training.
HYPREP also announced that it would pay N150,000 to each of the beneficiaries monthly, as transport and feeding allowance, stressing, however, that only those who fully participate in the training would be entitled for the allowance.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, welcomed the trainees to the programme, saying, HYPREP’s projects are evolving and that one thing that is happening today is that the Project has gotten leadership right, by making promises and keeping those promises.
According to him, the Project had equally promised to move away from rudimentary skills acquisition to high impacts acquisition levels, which it has kept today by sponsoring the training on Creative Arts.
He noted that in planning its livelihood programmes for Ogoni youths, HYPREP has taken time out to look for skills that would add value to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by the Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi said by packaging the Creative Arts training, it was expected that the Ogoni people would have their own version of Nollywood known as Ogoniwood just as Nigerians are familiar with Hollywood, Bollywood, Kannywood and Nollywood.
To achieve this goal, the Project Coordinator explained that it was the reason for choosing a reputable establishment like Halibiz Consult Limited, to partner with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt, which he described as one of the most prestigious in the Niger Delta, for the training of the beneficiaries.
He also indicated that in doing this, HYPREP was desirous of going for talents that would help the Ogoni people grow in the film industry, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.
Zabbey equally enjoined the trainees to put in their best so that in the next three to five years, they would carve a niche for themselves and become forces to reckon with in the film industry.
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee said HYPREP does what it says it will, stressing that the process of training Ogoni youths on specialised skills started three years ago.
According to her, the selection process for the training was rigorous and transparent, and was carried out by renowned actors actresses.
She disclosed that the training consists of three major aspects, which include acting, script writing and make-up, while Nollywood actors like Charles Nnoje, Ngezu J. Ngezu and award-winning make-up artist, Jude Odo would be on hand to drill and groom the beneficiaries.
Mrs Nzidee noted that the programme is a specialised training that does not have anything like starter packs but that it is purely a professional certification programme that would launch the beneficiaries into the Nollywood industry in Nigeria.
According to her, the Creative Arts training is one of the four specialised trainings organised by HYPREP to ensure that the Ogoni people are well positioned in vital industries like Aviation, Maritime, Creative Arts and Mechatronics.
She said the last of such trainings on Mechatronics would take place in the coming months, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so as to put the Ogoni people on the Nollywood map.
She further indicated that while Charles Nnoje and Ngezu J. Ngezu would take the beneficiaries on the practical aspects, Jude Odo would take them on the make-up aspects.
Also speaking, the External Relations Manager of Halibiz Consult Limited, Alabo Experience Douglas said his company gives much premium to standard and quality, and assured that the firm would give the trainees value for the money spent on the programme.
While charging the beneficiaries to be dedicated and punctual, he stressed the need for them to approach the programme with the mindset of being empty so that at the end of the day, they would benefit maximally.
On his part, the Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo said the CRAB is an acronym for Creative Review of Arts and Books, stressing that it was named by renowned playwright, Prof Ola Rotimi.
According to him, the CRAB had nurtured, groomed and produced Nollywood actors and actresses like Bobmanuel Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu,Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, and a host of others, assuring the beneficiaries that they were on fertile environment to hone their talents.
He noted that symbolically, the crab is a nutritious seafood common in the Niger Delta, and reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to come empty for the training, as it were.
Ihunwo disclosed that the theory classes of the programme would run for three weeks while the fourth week would be for the master classes, and urged the trainees to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a difference by telling the Ogoni story, which he described as inexhaustible by themselves, in order to put Ogoni on the map.
A 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University identified as Jatau Rilokwah, has been reportedly found dead in the university’s senior staff quarters.
A counter-insurgency expert, focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this on his X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, the discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by a security officer at the university, Emmanuel Gyawo.
He stated that Gwayo was directed by Prof. Shedrack Jatau to check on his son upon arriving at the residence, and he found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
“Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of the State at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
“The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he further stated.
He added that the student’s corpse had been deposited in the hospital morgue.
He also quoted police sources as saying that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun says is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000.
Abiodun disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times,” the governor said.
As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre will be repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery.
“I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery,” he told Davies-Okundaye.
He added that the gallery will be ready before the National Sports Festival in May, when the State will host about 15,000 visitors.
“I want them to be able to see our tourist sites,” he said, listing attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.
Highlighting Ogun’s improved infrastructure, the governor said, “Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come by sea.”
Davies-Okundaye, in her remarks, praised the state’s efforts to promote tourism and pledged to use the new gallery to attract global attention.
“This gallery will bring many Heads of State. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than 10 Heads of State, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. The same will happen here,” she said.
She also applauded the Governor for his commitment to the Adire fabric industry.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire. This is what we can sell to the Europeans,” she said.
Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s backing of the Adire industry, citing policies such as the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, compulsory wearing of Adire in the state, and provision of solar-powered production equipment to support artisans.
He also revealed plans to open a creative arts and entertainment village in partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters, expected to be completed within two months.