Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa government has requested for the permission of the state House of Assembly to source for about 24 million dollars loan from Islamic Development Bank (IDB).
Gov. Murtala Nyako, in a letter to the House in Yola on Wednesday, said he wanted 24.1 million dollars from IDB to finance the construction of three new science secondary schools.
Nyako said the schools would be sited in the three senatorial zones of the state.
“One will be in Madagali town to carter for 360 male students. The one in Southern Zone, also for 360 male students, is to be located in Mayo-Belwa while the one for Central Zone is to be located in Song for 600 female students.’’
Ekiti
The NDLEA Commander in Ekiti, Mr Bamidele Akingbade, says about 424 acres of land planted with Indian hemp has been destroyed in the state within the last one year.
Akingbade said this on Wednesday in Ado-Ekiti at a lecture to commemorate the 2011 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The event was organised by the Psychiatry Department of the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti.
The NDLEA boss listed Ise-Orun, Ilejemeje, Ido-Osi, Ado-Ekiti and Ikere as local government areas notorious for the cultivation of Indian hemp in the state.
He described Ekiti as one of leading states in the cultivation of Indian hemp, saying the notorious trade had become highly profitable.
FCT
Mr Stephen Frahm, Consular Chief of the U.S Embassy on Wednesday in Abuja advised Nigerians wishing to travel to that country to apply for visas at least a year ahead of time.
He said this at the embassy’s monthly briefing which had consular operations as the focus.
Frahm said the number of applicants outnumber those that can be accommodated daily, noting that this contributes to delays.
“ In Nigeria, there are a greater number of applicants than we have the ability to process. The number of people that can be processed in a given day is finite and that’s why it takes a long time in many instances to get an appointment.
Gombe
Twelve farmers were killed and nine others critically injured when thunder struck in Gelengu village in Balanga Local Government of Gombe State during a heavy downpour.
Malam Umar Ahmed, the Nigeria Red Cross Disaster Coordinator in charge of Gelengu, near Gombe, said.
Our correspondent on Wednesday in Gombe report that the incident occurred on Tuesday at around 1 p.m.
Ahmed said that the victims were on their farms when the rain started.
He said that the rains started with a storm, the victims scampered for shelter when the thunder struck.
Kaduna
As part of its efforts to protect its forest and prevent desert encroachment, the Kaduna State Government plans to plant one million tree seedlings this year.
Mr Anthony Kachiro, the Director of Forestry, state Ministry of Environment, said this on Wednesday in Kaduna in an interview with the newsmen.
He said the tree seedlings would be distributed to the 23 local government areas of the state after the launch of this year’s Tree Planting Campaign.
The campaign, he said, would be launched on Thursday in Kajuru Local Government Area.
Lagos
Mrs Amina AZ-Zubair, a former Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), says MDGs represent essential steps in tackling climate change challenges.
Az-Zubair said this in Lagos on Wednesday at the 6th Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB)/ Dr Newton Jibunoh Lecture on “Sustainable Buildings as Tool for Driving Investment”.
She was represented by Mr Oluwole Edun, a Director in the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGS.
Nasarawa
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says no fewer than 11 persons were rescued when an uncompleted three-storey building collapsed on Wednesday in Mararaba, Nasarawa State.
NEMA Public Relations Officer, Malam Yushau Shuaib , told newsmen that rescue operation was continuing to determine the actual number of casualties in the incident.
He said NEMA had been holding series of meetings on to move the victims and residents around the site to a safe environment.
Officials of the NSCDC, NEMA, FRSC, civil society groups as well as members of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) were said to be involved in the rescue operation.
Ogun
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun on Wednesday vowed to take back all the assets allegedly sold or given out on concession by the immediate past administration of Chief Gbenga Daniel.
Besides, he indicated his readiness to revoke all the state lands allegedly sold to some individuals and corporate organisations by the Daniel administration.
Amosun gave this indication while speaking at a stakeholders’ forum in Abeokuta to mark one month of his administration.
Ondo
The Ondo State House of Assembly has urged the State Executive Council to take proactive measures to
prevent flooding in the area.
The speaker, Mr Samuel Adesina, made the call in Akure while commenting on the Elegbin River flooding of some areas of the state capital due to a heavy rainfall last week.
The Majority Leader, Mr Dayo Akinnsoyinu, also called on the state government to take some preventive measures to avoid natural disasters such as flooding.
Oyo
The Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON) has appealed to Gov Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State to employ more Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) to rejuvenate sanitary inspection in the state.
Mr Joseph Ayoola, the council’s representative in the state made the appeal while speaking with the newsmen on Wednesday in Ibadan.
Sokoto
Alhaji Muktari Mapia, Deputy Treasurer PDP, Sokoto State, has appealed to members of the National Assembly (NASS), to introduce legislation that will reduce poverty in the country.
Mapia told newsmen in Sokoto on Wednesday that poverty and unemployment posed a serious threat to the nation.
He said time had come for the National Assembly to encourage governments to provide modern farming input to farmers at controlled prices.
Mapia explained that such equipment would enable youths to engage in farming, thereby creating job opportunities.
Taraba
Taraba House of Assembly has approved the nomination of Mr. Augustine Katakata as a commissioner and member of the State’s Executive Council.
The Tide reports that Katakata, who hails from Yorro Local Government Area, could not be screened together with his 12 colleagues due to poor health.
The Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Charles Maijankai, moved a motion that the commissioner should be allowed to take a bow and leave the chamber without answering questions, being a former member of the Assembly.
Zamfara
The Zamfara State House of Assembly has promised to tackle the high rate of maternal mortality in the state through increased funding of the primary healthcare system.
Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, the Speaker of the assembly, made the promise on Wednesday when officials of the Development
Research and Projects Centre (DPRC) visited him.
He expressed the state government’s concern over the increasing rate of maternal mortality in spite of efforts being made to control it.
The speaker said the legislature would ensure that funds allocated to the health sector were judiciously used.
He also said the assembly would ensure that funds were sufficient for quick intervention in the health needs of women and children, particularly for primary healthcare services.
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.
According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.
The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.
“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.
” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.
The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi
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