Nation
THE STATES
Borno
The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Garbai, has
said that the Boko Haram insurgency is a great setback to western education in the state.
Garbai made this known when he received members of the senior course of the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information in his palace in Maiduguri on Monday.
He said that even before the advent of the Boko Haram insurgency some people were hesitant in embracing western education as they concentrated in Qur’anic education.
Garbai added that although various administration in the state had been able to convince the people on the advantages of western education, massive destruction of schools by the insurgents had resulted in great setback.
“The Boko Haram insurgents have further worsen our condition in terms of western education.
FCT
The House of Representatives has urged the Federal
Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to dismantle unauthorized speed bumps erected on highways nationwide.
The House also urged the ministry to construct pedestrian bridges at dark spots on federal highways, to avoid vehicles knocking down pedestrians.
These decisions followed a motion by Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC-Adamawa) unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote.
Moving the motion, Namdas noted that a number of communities along highways had constructed speed pumps to check speeding, and dangerous driving and ease crossing without the permission of the relevant ministry.
Gombe
Alhaji Umaru Goro, The Chairman, Joint Association of
Persons With Disabilities (JAPWD), Gombe State chapter, has implored the State Government to provide free education for his members.
Goro, who is also the Councillor, Muna Ward of Balanga Local Government, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Gombe.
He said many members of the association were from the less privileged families and that they should be considered for free education to eradicate illiteracy among them.
Goro added that members of the association were talented people in different areas of human endeavours and would contribute positively to the development of the society, if assisted.
Kaduna
Senator Shehu Sani (APC Kaduna Central) has urged
members of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to monitor and ensure effective implementation of all projects allocated to the Northern region in the 2016 nation’s budget.
Sani gave the advice while addressing members of the Kaduna State chapter of ACF, who paid him a courtesy visit in Kaduna.
”It is high time for the Northern region to improve on our education, agriculture and all other sectors to boost our economy.
“The ACF should follow to the letter, toward ensuring that all projects earmarked in the Federal Government budget for the region, are being implemented,” he said.
Katsina
Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has approved
the appointment of Alhaji Garba Sanda Mani as the new Head of Service of the state.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Alhaji Abdu Labaran, and made available to newsmen in Katsina.
“Your selection is in recognition of your track record of service and on the conviction that you will serve faithfully, diligently and in the best interest of the state,” the statement said.
It said the appointee was born on October 15, 1959; he began his working career in 1983 in the old Kaduna State as a Master Grade II officer in the office of the Secretary to the State Government.
It said Mani is a graduate of political science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1982.
Kwara
University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has inducted 53 new
members of the Batch B medical graduates of the institution.
The Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Dr Ibrahim Abdulmumini, who addressed the new doctors, urged them to treat patients with love and passion. Represented by a member of the Council, Mrs Zainab Saádu, the registrar, however, cautioned that indiscipline would not be tolerated.
He said “the MDCN will not hesitate to sanction erring doctor who does not uphold the rules and regulations of the Council.”
In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdulganiyu Amballi, said all facilities had been put in place to enable doctors from the institution to compete internationally. Represented by Prof. Gabriel Olatunji, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Technology and Information, Amballi urged the new doctors to be good ambassadors of the university wherever they found themselves.
Lagos
For allegedly threatening to bathe a pastor with acid and destroying his church, a 40-year-old Muslim cleric, Saheed Gbadamosi, has been hauled up before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
A resident of Aboru area of Iyana-Ipaja, a Lagos suburb, Gbadamosi, is being tried for breach of peace, assault and threat to life.
According to the prosecutor, Insp. George Nwosu, the accused committed the offences on September 4 at his residence.
He said the accused with others still at large conspired and assaulted Pastor Emmanuel Ugbo by beating him, destroying church property and threatening to pour acid on him.
“The accused and others also threatened to bathe him with acid if he refused to stop converting his `clients’ to his church.”
Ogun
An Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun State has granted a
N200, 000 bail to two men – Adelaja Oketunbi and Araoye Lukman, who allegedly destroyed 40 pieces of block and other materials valued at N20,800 at an estate.
The accused, Oketunbi, 46, and Lukman,50, whose addresses were unknown, are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and malicious damage.
Prosecutor Abdulkareem Mustapha told the court that the accused with others still at large committed the offences at 3.00 p.m. at Mercy Land Estate, Onigbongbo in Atan area of Ota.
Mustapha said the accused conspired and damaged 40 pieces of blocks and other materials, all valued at N20,800.
The offences contravened Sections 351 and 451 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.
The duo pleaded not guilty.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone
11, Mr Dan Bature, has advised officers of Nigeria Police to key into anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Bature made this known during his official visit to the police command in Ondo, recently.
The AIG said that police should be a major stakeholder in the fight, saying that discipline, which was the hallmark of the present administration, must be the focal point of police.
According to him, there must be high level of uprightness, transparency in the endeavours of the force.
He added that police must be indulged in intelligence policing, saying that police should not relax on their duties.
Osun
Eight persons have appeared before an Osogbo Magistrates’ Court in Osun State over the theft of 1,000 chickens from a poultry farm.
The accused include Odebiyi Yinka, 20, Ayoola Samson, 20, Cecilia Ochilla, 35, and Elizabeth Akira, 30.
Others are: Oyelami Tajudeen, 30, Regina Philip, 40, Grace Odelia, 35, and Akira Hanna, 24.
The accused and others at large are facing charges bordering on stealing.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Taiwo Adegoke told the court that the accused committed the offence between the months of May, June and July at Erin-Osun, Osogbo.
Adegoke said the accused conspired with others now at large to steal 1, 000 chickens owned by one Mrs Titilayo Akulo.
Plateau
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has com
mended the Plateau Government for launching an action plan to end violence against children.
The UNICEF Communication Officer, Bauchi Field Office, Mr Samuel Kaalu, made the commendation in a statement in Jos recently.
He said the launching of the plan had enlisted Plateau as the fourth state in Nigeria to do so.
He said the survey conducted in 2014 had revealed high prevalence of violence against children in Nigeria, which necessitated the launch of a National Action Plan by President Mohammadu Buhari in September 2015.
Taraba
The Taraba State Branch of the Igbo Welfare Associa
tion has awarded scholarships to 100 orphans studying in various secondary schools in the state.
The President-General of the association, Mr Mazi Nwokeocha, made the announcement in Jalingo while disbursing money to beneficiaries.
He said that the 100 beneficiaries were children of the association’s dead members.
The president-general said that each beneficiary received N15, 000 as assistance to continue his/her education.
Nwokeocha said the gesture was initiated by the association in 2007 to give families of dead members a sense of belonging.
The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.
The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.