Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa State Police Command has inaugurated
the state chapter of Eminent Persons Forum to assist the command in promoting peace and security.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Musa Kimo, at the inauguration in Yola, urged members of the forum to partner with the police in intelligence gathering, crime prevention and detection in their communities.
Kimo also urged members of the forum to facilitate interaction between the public and the police to boost confidence and develop local knowledge.
He said “you are also expected to harness logistic support to facilitate the operations of police in your domain.”
In his remarks, the Speaker, Adamawa House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa, and other members of the forum declared their commitment to work for the success of the forum.
Benue
The police have mobilised in full force to tackle the orgy
of violence and deadly cult clashes in Benue State, a top police officer announced in Makurdi.
Assistant Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Zone 4 Headquarters, Makurdi, Agboola Oshodi-Glover, made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen.
He said that the police had risen to the challenge and would stamp out the persistent violence in Benue State in no time.
Speaking against the backdrop of recurring cult killings in the state, Agboola Oshodi-Glover, assured that the police had capacity to tackle the rising crime wave in the state.
Benue, where herdsmen have repeatedly killed hundreds of people in recent times, has also seen recurring deadly cult clashes among university students.
Borno
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called
on the Federal Government to provide intensive support for the 21 released Chibok girls to safeguard their future.
The group made the call in a statement signed by its Country Representative, Mr Gianfranco Rotigliano and made available to newsmen in Maiduguri.
He also said that the more than 200 Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram in April 2014 were among thousands of women and girls that UNICEF estimated had been held and subjected to violence by the group.
“UNICEF has supported hundreds of women and girls who have already been released or escaped from Boko Haram.
“The girls’ report that they have been subjected to rape – frequently in the form of forced marriages – beatings, intimidation and starvation during their captivity. Many returned pregnant or with babies as a result of rape”, he added.
Gombe
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Gombe
State chapter, has commended the intervention of the Federal Government in tackling the menace of migratory Quelea birds on farms in the state.
The AFAN Secretary, Alhaji Gambo Sarkin-Noma, told newsmen in Gombe that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture had initiated aerial survey and control of the birds.
Sarkin-Noma said that the intervention had saved farmers affected by ravaging birds from colossal financial losses.
According to him, farmers in the state are now happy and anticipate recording bumper harvest this year despite the high cost of fertilizer.
Kaduna
The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Barnabas Bantex,
has said that the solution to the unending crisis at Godogodo in Jemaa Local Government is in the hands of the warring parties and stakeholders of the area.
Bantex said this when he took delivery of relief materials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for persons displaced by the crisis.
He attributed the security challenge to poverty and idleness, and said the state government was doing everything possible to create job opportunities to absorb idling youths to stem the menace.
Katsina
The Katsina State Government in collaboration with
Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), has developed an android weather prediction software to guide farmers in the State.
The Managing Director, Katsina State Agricultural Development Programme, Mr Ibrahim Musawa, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Katsina.
He said the software was capable of accurately predicting when rain would begin, the volume of rain being expected and when the rain would stop in the 34 local government areas of the state.
Kogi
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) in collabo
ration with relevant stakeholders is to translate the Federal Government’s agricultural policies into reality towards driving the agriculture as business initiative.
Senior Programme Officer and Regional Advisor, Seattle, United States (U.S) office of the Foundation, Dr Jacob Mignouna, disclosed this at a meeting with stakeholders and Kogi State Agriculture Vision Group (AVG) organised by Synergos Nigeria in Lokoja, the state capital.
Mignouna stressed the need to translate government policies on agriculture into reality and make them effective at state and local government levels for farmers, especially for rural communities to derive maximum benefits.
Kwara
Seventeen students loitering and wandering during
School hours have been arrested by the Kwara State Anti-Loitering Team.
Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Musa Yeketi, who paraded the students in Ilorin, warned that government would not tolerate indiscipline.
He called on principals and head teachers of various schools to take proper charge of their students and pupils.
Yeketi said that the state government, in fulfilling its campaign promises, would ensure education for all.
Some of the arrested students include students from Government Day Secondary School, Adeta and United Secondary School, Bani Secondary School, Government Girls Day Secondary School, Pakata, Mandate Secondary School, Okelele Secondary School and Sheikh Abdul Salam College.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government says the massive con
struction of bridges across the state would help in fighting poverty, boosting socio-economic activities and improving revenue generation.
State Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mr Godwin Danladi-Makeri, stated this while inspecting the ongoing construction of Bokoko Bridge in Kokona local government area of the state.
This is to help fight poverty, youths restiveness, unemployment as well as crimes and discourage rural-urban migration,” he said.
Niger
Catholic Bishop of Minna Diocese, Martins Uzoukwu,
has called on Nigerians to sacrifice one hour of their time for special prayers to God, to end Nigeria’s economic recession.
“We need God intervention to holistically confront militancy, cattle rustling, insurgency and kidnapping and in enhancing peace, progress and political stability,” he said in an interview with newsmen in Minna.
He said that prayers for divine intervention would pave way for massive economic growth in the country.
Uzoukwu explained that Nigerians irrespective of their religious, ethnic and political differences should support their leaders with prayers to ensure good governance.
Ogun
Ogun State Government has, says it has rehabilitated
no fewer than 126 destitute and reunited them with their families since the beginning of the year.
It also said that it rescued four vagrants on the streets and returned them to their states.
The Director, Social Welfare Service, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mr Olumide Sotubo, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abeokuta.
Sotubo said that the measures were part of the government’s efforts at ridding the state of destitute and other mentally unstable persons across the state.
Osun
A former Chairman of Ife East Local Government Area
of Osun State, Chief Gbenga Owolabi, has commended the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, for modernising the 2016 edition of the Olojo festival through technology.
Owolabi gave the commendation while speaking with newsmen on the sidelines of the grand finale of the Olojo festival in Ile-Ife.
He said this year’s festival was “unique and extraordinary’’ by the way the Ooni had modernised it.
“ This brings a new dawn and new beginning to the cradle of the Yoruba,’’ he said.
Owolabi also commended the monarch for prioritising Yoruba culture as well as promoting peace and unity among traditional rulers and the entire Yoruba race.
Oyo
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, has assented to
the bill creating 35 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun, said this while briefing newsmen in Ibadan.
He said that the bill, which was enacted by the state House of Assembly, gave legal backing to the creation of LCDAs in the state.
Ajimobi, he said, assented to the bill on October 6. after extensive deliberations on the legislation by the state house of assembly.
He said that a committee would be set up to formulate the modalities for the smooth take off of the LCDAs.
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.