Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has deployed a new state Coordinator to its office in Bauchi State.
Alhaji Ali Lawan Yaya who was posted from the National Office of the Directorate assumed duty as the new state Coordinator.
He replaces Alhaji Abubakar Jamo, who was deployed to Jigawa State and has also assumed duty at his new station.
The new NDE state coordinator solicited the support and cooperation of management and the entire staff of the office towards achieving the desired goals.
He however warned against attitudes that are detrimental to the success of the directorate in the state, stressing that all hands must be on deck to overcome challenges.
The out-going coordinator, Alhaji Abubakar Jamo also urged the management and staff of the Bauchi directorate to give his successor all the support it deserves in the discharge of his duties.
Borno
The Borno Government says it plans to empower 150 women in Chibok Local Government Area with livelihood support as part of its post-insurgency Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement programme.
The State Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Prof. Babagana Umara, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri.
Umara said that the women would be trained in poultry and fish farming to enable them to acquire means of livelihood.
He said the beneficiaries would be supported with tools to set up their own businesses after the training.
FCT
The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Mr Musa Kimo has warned the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) against its planned protest in Abuja.
Kimo gave the warning in a statement issued by the command’s Spokesman, ASP Usen Omorodion in Abuja last Sunday.
He said as a professional organisation, the command would not fold its arms and watch criminal elements hide under the guise of such protest to cause breakdown of law and order.
Kimo advised residents to go about their lawful duties without fear and molestation.
In a related development, the FCT spokesman the command arrested a member of an armed robbery syndicate at Robochi, Abuja on April 26.
Kaduna
The House of Representatives Sub-Committee on Nigeria Air Force Recruitment, last Monday cleared the organisation of allegations of sentiments in its recruitment.
The committee which was on oversight visit to the Nigeria Air Force [NAF] base in Kaduna, said its investigations revealed that the recruitment exercise followed strict procedures.
The chairman of the committee, Mr Golu Simon, said claims of sentiments in the recruitment exercise were misplaced.
“We are satisfied with what we have seen at the recruitment exercise, because we have seen the rigours the officers of the NAF go through to bring out the best brains that will serve the country.
“Sometimes when applicants are disqualified, they feel it is for one reason or the other, people begin to ascribe sentiments to it.”
Kano
The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested 139 beggars for allegedly violating the law banning street begging along major streets of the state capital, an official said yesterday.
Malam Musa Sangaya of the board’s Anti-begging Unit, told newsmen in Kano that 32 out of the 139 beggars were children, while 107 were adult.
“Our men arrested 139 street beggars around Bata, Bompai, Nasarawa hospital and Yankaba areas for violating the law banning street begging in Kano metropolis.
“Out of the 139 beggars, 107 were adult male and female, while 32 were children who engaged in begging,” Sangaya said.
He explained that 84 of those arrested hailed from Kano city, while 52 were from Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kaduna and Gombe States, and three from Niger Republic.
Katsina
The Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State on Banking and Finance, Alhaji Faruk Jobe, yesterday challenged politicians to set up viable empowerment schemes for the youths instead of luring them into crime.
Jobe, who threw the challenge while recieving some defectors to the All Progressives Congress [APC] in Kankara, said the youths must also shun politicians who lure them into violence.
He added that the youth must also take their destiny in their hands by identifying and focussing on their goals in life early enough, so as not to be exploited by desparate politicians.
The Special Adviser said only good and responsible politicians strive to bring development to the people.
Ondo
Nigerian soldiers in Ondo State have killed Ossy Ibori, a wanted leader of a militant group involved in kidnapping in Ikorodu and Epe areas of Lagos State.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, told newsmen last Monday in Lagos that the suspect was killed by soldiers at Ajakpa area of Ondo State.
Owoseni said that he was killed at about 3.00a.m.last Monday in the course of arresting all members of his gang and other criminals who had made life miserable for innocent citizens.
He said that the gang members retreated to their base in Ajakpa because they could no longer lay claim to the creeks in Isawo area of Ikorodu.
Osun
The Osun Police Command has said that a suspected explosive device in a car stereo, chopped-off four fingers of an Osogbo resident, who attempted to dismantle the stereo from a damaged car.
A statement issued by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Folashade Odoro, said the incident happened last Sunday, at about 3.30 p.m, at Ajegunle Area in Osogbo.
The statement was made available to newsmen yesterday in Osogbo.
“Information was received at the Police division, Dugbe, Osogbo that one Nasiru Ibrahim got four fingers on his right arm chopped-off while dismantling a damaged car stereo in front of his house.
Taraba
The Proprietor of Winners Group of Schools in Taraba State, Mr Danlami Shamaki, yesterday, advised parents against registering their Senior Secondary School (SSS) 1 and 2 children in higher institutions.
Shamaki gave this advice in an interview with newsmen in Jalingo.
According to him, such students may not be mature enough to withstand the rigours of learning in higher institutions.
He noted that the trend could work against the interest of such students because they were expected to acquire certain knowledge and skills in every class of learning.
“Parents must understand that they are not helping their children by allowing them to enter the university from SS 1 and 2.
Yobe
Yobe State Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council, Alhaji Umar Kukuri, yesterday said that the state government’s commitment to regular payment of salaries saved the state from worse economic situation.
Kukuri, who is also the state Chairman of the National Conscience Party, made the remarks in an interview with newsmen in Damaturu.
He said: “The protracted security challenge left the state with salary as the only vibrant source of income because farmers abandoned their farms for several years.
“Imagine a situation where government failed to pay salaries; it would have worsened the ailing economy and the condition of the people.
“Therefore, Yobe Government needs to be commended and encouraged to sustain the commitment to regular payment of salaries and retirement benefits.’’
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
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, says the Nigerian Military is committed to facilitating sustainable food security in the country through the establishment of farms.
Musa said this in Abuja yesterday during the unveiling of the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products Logo.
He noted that the agricultural sector played crucial role in guaranteeing food security which was requisite for sustainable national security.
He said that the adverse impact of climate change, environmental degradation and conflict across some parts of the country had continuously threatened food security with dire consequences on national security.
According to him, to address this, the Defence Headquarters in May 2023, conceptualised the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative.
“This is with the aim of keying into the federal government’s efforts at addressing food security challenges in the country.
“The initiative which aligns with the ‘People Centric’ policy thrust of my leadership concept is aimed at creating job opportunities and enhancing rural infrastructural development while significantly contributing to food security in the Country.
“Considering the extensive consultation, planning and preparation made by the committee thus far, I am optimistic that the Defence Farm and Agro-Allied Products initiative will have a positive transformative impact on host communities while enhancing national security.
“With similar initiatives replicated across the country, I envision a future characterised by modernised farming techniques in which the agricultural sector significantly contributes to economic growth and national development.”
The CDS enjoined all members of the Armed Forces and the general public to embrace the initiative and maximise its associated gains.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, for his sterling leadership and relentless pursuit of national peace, security and economic prosperity.
He also appreciated the efforts of members of the committee who worked assiduously to actualise the initiative.
Earlier, the Chairman, Defence Farms Committee,