Nation
THE STATES
From Left: Senior Special Assistant to President on National Assembly (Senate), Senator Ita Enag, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rep. Yusuf Lasun, President Muhammadu Buhari and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremmadu, after Presentation of address to the joint session of the National Assembly by President Jacob Zuma of South Africa in Abuja last Tuesday
Borno
The Catholic Bishop of Maiduguri, Rt. Rev. Oliver Dashe,
has commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their courage in crushing the Boko Haram insurgents in the North- East.
The Bishop gave the commendation in Maiduguri, during a courtesy visit to Brig.-Gen.Victor Ezugwu, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division Nigerian Army.
A statement signed by Col. Mustapha Anka, spokesman of the Division, said that Dashe noted that the people of the area had lost many souls due to the insurgency.
He noted that the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents had resulted in wanton destruction of lives and property, as well as disruption of socio-economic lives of millions of Nigerians.
“The Boko Haram terrorists have destroyed homes and rendered many people homeless and jobless.
FCT
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the new
Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso 1 on his coronation.
This is contained in a statement in Abuja by Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the president.
According to the statement, President Buhari joins the indigenes of Ibadan, the family of the new Olubadan, the government and people of Oyo State in celebrating Oba Adetunji’s ascension to the ancient throne of his forefathers.
President Buhari urged Oba Adetunji to follow in the worthy and commendable footsteps of his predecessors by working diligently for peace and development in Ibadan, Oyo State and Nigeria.
The president also called on Oba Adetunji to do his utmost best, in his new role as the chief custodian of the traditions of his people, to preserve and propagate the admirable culture and customs of Ibadan.
Jigawa
The Jigawa State Consumer Protection Committee (CPC)
said it had seized no fewer than 238 fake measuring bowls (mudus) from traders in the last few weeks.
The CPC Chairman, Alhaji Faruk Abdullahi, said this while speaking with newsmen in Dutse.
Abdullahi said the items were seized from the traders in six different markets in the state.
He listed the markets to include that of Suletankarkar, Malammadori, Hadejia, Garungabas and Balangu towns.
The chairman said that the gesture was to check lack of uniformity of measuring bowls in all the markets, adding that the gesture would also provide consumers some protection.
Kano
The Director-General, Kano State Zakkat and Endowment
Board, Alhaji Sufiyanu Gwagwarwa, has paid West African Examination Council (WAEC) fees for 104 indigent students who passed their mock qualifying examination.
The benefitting students were selected from Gwagwarwa Quarters in Nasarawa Local Government area of the state.
Gwagwarwa, who presented the receipts to the beneficiaries in Kano said the gesture was aimed at assisting the indigent students from poor families to further their studies.
“The students have passed their mock qualifying examinations conducted in their respective schools, but they don’t have money to register for WAEC examination.
“This is the reason why I decided on my own to assist them because I have been doing it every year,” he said.
Kwara
President, National Council for Women Society (NCWS),
Kwara chapter, Hajia Barakat Atunse, has called for equal opportunity in leadership role for women in Nigeria.
Atunse made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin while marking the 2016 International Women Day celebration.
Represented by Mrs Victoria Moradoye, the Public Relations Officer of the council, the president said that women must partake in policy making of the nation since they were created to nurture the society.
Atunse described the theme for this year’s event, “Pledge for Gender Parity”, as apt as women still undergo discrimination in every sphere of life.
Lagos
The Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, has confirmed that the authority is set for the forthcoming International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Certification Audit.
This is contained in a statement issued by FAAN’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr Yakubu Dati, in Lagos.
Our correspondent reports that the audit is slated to hold within the month.
The statement stated that Dunoma gave the assurance during his recent inspection tour of facilities at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in preparation for the exercise.
It stated that in pursuance of safety and security at the airport, Dunoma inspected the newly acquired security patrol vehicles and also the fire service vans to ensure that they met required standards.
Nasarawa
The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Solomon Arase,
appealed to state governments to partner with the Police to provide mass housing for officers and men.
Arase made the appeal in Lafia when he paid a courtesy visit on Gov. Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State.
Arase who said that retired officers would also benefit from the mass housing programme, added that the collaboration would boost the well-being and morale of the officers.
Arase commended the governor for the cordial relationship with officers and men in the state command.
Responding, Al-Makura assured the I-G of the state government’s continuous support to the Police.
Niger
The Niger Government has automated the process of
assessing and collecting taxes in order to block leakages and boost the state’s internally generated revenue.
Alhaji Hussaini Ahmed, the Chairman, Niger State Board of Internal Revenue, disclosed this in Minna in an interview with newsmen.
Ahmed, who spoke on the sidelines of the Board’s 2016 budget defence before the Niger House of Assembly Committee on Finance, said the computerisation was in line with best practices.
“We have automated assessing and partially automated collection through Point of Sale (POS), e-payment and other payment channels following dwindling federal allocation.
Osun
A 22-year-old man, Adewole Yomi, has been arraigned in
an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court for contempt.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Sunday Ajayi, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on October 16, 2015 as well as January 16 and March 8 by refusing to appear in court for a case.
Ajayi said the offence committed contravened the provision of Section 133(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Volume 11 laws of Osun, 2003.
The defendant, who had no counsel, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Plateau
The Federal Government has reassured Nigerians that
it would protect their lives and property, tackle corruption and diversify the nation’s economy.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this at the 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Jos.
He said the existence of any government was to ensure the security of lives and property.
He said the country had faced the challenges of ethno-religious violence, armed robbery, rustling, kidnapping for ransom, militancy and violent agitations.
“The most daunting security challenge that we have faced in the past seven to eight years has been the Boko Haram insurgency.
Sokoto
The Department of State Services (DSS), Sokoto State
Command, has arraigned a 40-year-old man, Abubakar Buba, in the Federal High Court, Sokoto, for alleged abduction of the District Head of Wamakko, Alhaji Salihu Barade.
Buba was alleged to have on April 8, 2015, conspired with three other suspects, who are now at large, and forcefully seized Barade at his farm in Wamakko town in the state.
The charges levelled against the accused and the three other accomplices include abducting and detaining Barade, who is also a member of the Sultanate Council of Sokoto and a kingmaker.
Buba and the three alleged accomplices, who were said to have been invited from Niger, were accused of abducting Barade and releasing him only after the payment of ransom.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
Yobe
A member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji
Sabo Garba, has urged corporate organisations to expand the scope of their corporate social responsibility programmes.
He advised corporate bodies to complement government‘s effort at enhancing living conditions of the people.
Garba, who is representing Potiskum/Nangere Federal Constituency, made the call in Potiskum, Yobe, in an interview with newsmen.
“With increased corporate responsibilities, the lives of Nigerians will be improved especially widows and orphans devastated by insurgency in the North East will have a new hope into the future. “
The lawmaker said the collective efforts of government, corporate organisations and philanthropists in providing facilities and opportunities “will improve lives of Nigerians and a better business environment.”
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.