Nation
THE STATES
Deputy Governor of Plateau State/Commissioner overseeing Tertiary Education, Prof. Sonni Tyoden (2nd right) inspecting the Plateau State Polytechnic Rock FM Studio, during a visit to the institution in Jos, yesterday. With him are the Rector, Mr Dauda Gyemang (right) and other dignitaries.
Bauchi
The sum of N4.66 million was realised at the Bauchi State
chapter of the Armed Forces Remembrance and launching of Emblem Appeal Week for 2016.
Our correspondent reports that the Bauchi State Government and Governor Mohammed Abubakar gave the highest donation of N2 million and N1 million, respectively.
Mr Nuhu Gidado, the Deputy Governor of the state ranked third with the donation of N250,000, while the balance came from other government functionaries, military, para-military and other sister security agencies.
Addressing the gathering, Abubakar described the retired military men as heroes who have sacrificed their lives to protect the territorial integrity of the country.
Borno
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has approved
a N20 million bonus for members of the vigilantee group working with the military in the anti-insurgency operations in the North East.
Shettima announced the donation to the volunteers, popularly known as ‘the Civilian JTF’, at a meeting with members of the group in Government House in Maiduguri.
Our correspondent reports that the governor described his gesture as an appreciation for their efforts in the war against Boko Haram.
The governor’s Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau, gave the details of the gesture in a statement in Maiduguri.
Ekiti
No fewer than 39,765 farmers have registered with the
Ekiti State Government in its effort to ascertain genuine farmers who would benefit from its support programmes.
Mr Olumide Fatoba, the General Manager of the State Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) said this at a public forum in Ado-Ekiti.
Our correspondent reports that the figure was generated from 15 out of the 16 local government areas of the state.
Fatoba, however, said that the figure was still low, compared to active farmers who constituted close to 70 per cent of the state’s population.
Fatoba who spoke through a senior official of the ADP, Mr Yomi Ogunrinde, said Ido-Osi Local Government had the highest figure of 4,815 farmers, while Ise/Orun Local Government came next with 3,866.
Kaduna
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kaduna State
Sector Command said that the command recorded 463 road traffic accidents in the state in 2015.
Mr Francis Udoma, FRSC Sector Commander in the state, told newsmen in Kaduna that this was as against 610 recorded in 2014, indicating 7 per cent drop in crashes.
He also said that of the 3,226 people involved in the accidents last year, 329 died, as against 513 deaths recorded in 2014, representing a decrease of 16.9 per cent.
“The number of vehicles involved in road traffic crashes reduced by 7 per cent, from 610 vehicles in 2014, to 570 in 2015.
“There was also 15.4 per cent drop in the number of people involved in accidents, from 3,724 in 2014, to 3,226 last year.
Kano
A Sharia Court sitting at Sabon Gari, Kano, has, remanded
a businessman, Aliyu Abbas, 30, and a housewife, Zainab Adamu, 23, in prison custody for allegedly enticing each other.
The first accused, Abbas, was charged with enticing a married woman and intentional insult.
The Prosecutor, Cpl Ahmed Magawata, told the court that one Malam Saidu Musa of Tudun Yola Quarters in Kano reported the case at the Gwale Police Division on Dec. 29.
Magawata said Musa said that he saw his wife, Zainab, and Abbas of Gaida Quarters in his matrimonial room.
He said that on sighting the complainant, the accused even insulted Musa simply because he asked him what brought him to his house.
Kwara
The Kwara Governor, Mr Abdulfatah Ahmed, has called
on elders of Tsaragi in Edu Local Government Area and Share in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state to be advocates of peace rather than war.
Ahmed made the call in separate interactions with the elders of the two communities on how to ensure lasting peace in the communities.
He said that the elders, as opinion moulders in their respective communities, should pass the value of unity that could endure to the youth.
He advised the elders to take advantage of their closeness to each other to bring infrastructure development to their communities rather than resort to clashes and violence.
“As a people, we are bound to find those who will want to pursue very narrow, personal agenda that do not serve general interest.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has passed the
state’s supplementary budget of N2.7 billion to Governor Tanko Al-Makura for assent.
Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, the Speaker of the House, announced the passage of the bill during the House plenary in Lafia.
Mr Tanko Tunga (APC-Awe North), the Majority Leader of the House, had moved a motion for the speedy passage of the supplementary budget bill to enable the state government discharge its duties effectively.
He said: “My colleagues, I want to call on you to give speedy passage to this supplementary budget submitted to the House by Al-Makura for approval to enable him deliver dividends of democracy to the people.
Niger
Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State, has presented
the 2016 Appropriation Bill of N74.74 billion to the state House of Assembly.
Our correspondent reports that the recurrent expenditure stood at N39. 5 billion representing 52.85 per cent while capital expenditure was N35.2 billion indicating 47.15 per cent.
Bello said that the budget would cater for the most pressing needs of the population through the creation of jobs.
“ We budgeted to spend N4.29 billion on Education, N3.59 billion on infrastructural development, N2.61 billion on health, N2.53 billion on agriculture and rural development and N2.38 billion on water resources,” he said.
Bello said that the budget would be financed through statutory allocation, Value-Added Tax (VAT), Internally Generated Revenue and capital receipts.
Lagos
The Women Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria
(WEAN), an NGO, has stressed the need for life skills to be instilled in Nigeria youths, for a better society.
The Executive Director of WEAN, Mrs Angela Daniels, said in Lagos that the acquisition of life skills would aid the youths to become responsible.
She said: “There is lack of life skills amongst majority of our young people, both boys and girls, for them to grow up right.
“Life skills are those skills that are required to enable us make the most out of life; they are usually associated with managing and living a better quality of life.
“With these skills, which include good manners, communication skills, writing skills, assertiveness, soft skills, critical thinking, creative thinking, study skills and independence, our youths will do better in the society.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Independent Electoral Commission
(SIEC) has announced the postponement of the local government councils election it had earlier planned for Jan. 9, 2016.
Our correspondent reports that the Chairman of the commission, Alhaji Usman Abubakar announced the postponement at a news briefing in Sokoto.
‘’ The postponement was due to the non receipt of the card readers we wanted to borrow from our sister agency, the Independent National Electoral Commision, INEC.
‘’ This was also due to bye-election which the commission would conduct in Bayelsa on January 9, 2016.
Yobe
The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency
(SEMA) said it has concluded arrangements to get 50 internally displaced children circumcised at the Pompomari Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Damaturu.
The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Alhaji Musa Idi, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu.
Idi said that the 50 children would be circumcised and celebrated with cultural fanfare.
He explained that a date would soon be fixed for the event, noting that some of the children were orphans who lost their parents to the Boko Haram insurgency, while some others were living with their parents at the camp.
He said “the children are at the Pompomari Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Damaturu; the Agency organised the circumcision ceremony to uplift their physical and psychological spirits.
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that 26,592 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, raising alarm across the state’s education sector.
The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, during a ministerial press briefing yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja, said that “45.7 per cent of the 58,188 students from public schools who sat for the exams did not pass.”.
This failure rate comes despite the state government’s significant financial backing N1.577 billion was paid on behalf of the students to cover WAEC fees.
“Suffice to say that the sum of N1,577,794,000 only was paid by the state government as examination fees for 58,188 students who were captured for the year 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun announced.
In a bid to tighten accountability and avoid wastage, the Commissioner disclosed that biometric and image registration was carried out to accurately determine eligible students for government sponsorship for the 2025 WASSCE.
“The exercise successfully captured and registered 56,134 students as bona fide beneficiaries of the Lagos state government’s sponsorship for the examination,” he added.
However, the Lagos State Government rolled out a bold educational intervention – the Eko Learners’ Support Programme for WASSCE and NECO candidates – aimed at reversing the tide of academic failure in the state’s public schools.
Launched on January 14, 2025, the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to equip Lagos students with tools for success.
“This forward-thinking initiative was designed to support and empower young scholars in attestation of the ministry’s commitment to advancing interest and management of the educational system in Lagos State,” Alli-Balogun stated.
Ekiti State Government says it has vaccinated 226,429 eligible girls in the State against the Human Papilloma Virus, an infection believed to be a leading cause of cervical cancer.
The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, said the HPV immunization exercise, which she flagged off in the State in May 2025 was a great success, noting that it reached targeted communities and protected children against cervical cancer.
The governor’s wife made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti yesterday during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on the introduction of Measles Rubella vaccines in Ekiti State.
She said, “The introduction of Measles Rubella Vaccines is a very crucial step towards protecting Ekiti children particularly the target age group of nine to 14 years from diseases.
“I urge all women in the State to regularly scan their breasts. This can be done with the aid of the Mammography machine which is available at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti”.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, noted that the Measles Rubella vaccines would be rolled out nationally in October, 2025.
Filani said that the State was taking proactive steps to sensitise residents of the State before the date to ensure adequate awareness on the vaccines by citizens.
The Acting Ochimba of Ogida in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam, says peace remains paramount in the socio-economic development of Etche land.
Eze Azuatalam, however, called on his people to embrace and eschew violence at all times.
The Onwa Nagbara Oha made the call during the official commissioning of his palace at Ogida recently.
The epoch-making ceremony held at his palace saw the attendance of members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs; the academia; the political class; the clergy ; women as well relevant stakeholders within and outside Etche land.
The Ngbaragida of Azuafor re-emphasised the essence of peace and social harmony which he said open the window for meaningful development to take place.
He also sought the support and collaboration of his people to achieve the desired goals of development, progress and prosperity.
He noted that the peace being witnessed in the area must be sustained through collective effort, saying, contributions and sacrifices need to be made by all concerned to live in peace.
Eze Azuatalam said his aim towards building a better Ogida cannot be compromised as he and his people have no other place called home.
The Acting Ochimba said as part of efforts to build a better Ogida, he has instituted a number of development projects, adding that some of his kinsmen have been empowered through his hard-earned money and resources, saying, he will continue to assist the less- privileged around him.
He reaffirmed his desire to impact positively on the lives of his people as the engagement of the youths will help to reduce social vices in the area.
He thanked members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs for honouring his invitation.
He specifically thanked the Onyi Ishi Etche and Ochie of Etcheland, His Eminence E mmanuel Opurum for leading Etche on the path of prosperity, and described the revered King as a role model to the younger generation.
He said his fatherly role has been a source of hope and inspiration to his subjects.
The palace was unveiled by His Eminence with the assistance of Ochimba of Abara, Eze Jonah Nwala and other prominent Etche traditional rulers and chiefs while the Onyi Ishi Etche was represented by Eze Ken Nwala, Onyi Ishi Agwuru, Ulakwo/ Umuselem Clan.
The Onyi Ishi Etche urged other prominent sons of Etche to emulate the kind gesture of Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam as his magnanimity is being seen and appreciated by his people.
Eze Azuatalam also applauded the efforts of Prof Mekuri Ndimele, former Vice Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in the growth of Etche land.
According to him, during Ndimele’ s tenure, a lot of development projects were sited at the institution, including the development of Etcheland and empowerment of Etche people.