Nation
THE STATES
Borno
Governor Kashim Shettima, of Borno State, recently appealed to the Nigerian military to intensify efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency that had ravaged the North East for long.
Shettima made the appeal, while speaking at this year’s Eid el Fitr reception for members of the State Executive Council and other dignitaries at the Government House Maiduguri.
He said although the military had recorded tremendous successes against the insurgents, the recent spate of attacks in different parts of the state was worrisome.
“We have to commend President Muhammadu Buhari and the military for their efforts in fighting the Boko Haram insurgents.
FCT
The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has charged youths in the country to imbibe the culture of hard work and dedication to service.
Mrs Buhari made the call in a speech, at an occasion organised to mark the Eid el-fitr for young couples at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Mrs Buhari, who was represented at the event by the wife of the acting President Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, urged the youths to stay focused and avoid anything capable of creating hate and disunity among Nigerians.
She said that the emergency of new technology had arrested the attention of many young people in the country.
Kogi
Kogi State Agricultural Development Project (ADP), says agricultural extension workers will soon be deployed to rural communities across the state to assist farmers with extension services to boost their productivity.
Mr James Ogunmola, General Manager of the ADP, said this at a meeting of Core Delivery Team (CDT) of the State Partnership for Agriculture (SPA) in Lokoja on Wednesday.
The meeting was organised by Synergos Nigeria, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
Ogunmola said that the extension workers, who were recently trained, were primed for deployment to various communities to assist the farmers.
According to him, the effort is aimed at supporting farmers to produce more food and cash crops in the state.
Kwara
Impressed by the N200 million intervention projects at a community school, youths and the traditional ruler of Omu-Aran, in Kwara State have lauded the old students association for the initiative.
Oba Charles Ibitoye, the traditional ruler of Omu-Aran, told newsmen in Omu-Aran, on Monday that the projects including the tarring of the 2-km road leading to the school were worthy contributions to educational development and the community.
The Omu-Aran Government Secondary School Old Boys Association (OGSSOBA), had recently flag-off the rehabilitation of the access road at a cost of N30 million with a completion date of six weeks.
Chief Jide Adebayo, OGSSOBA’S 1st Vice-President and one-time NAN Acting Managing Director, said the ongoing N200 million projects were conceived to give their alma mater a facelift ahead of its 50th anniversary.
Lagos
A 32-year-old man, Jeremiah Dopemu ,who allegedly obtained N100,000 under false pretence from one Akasa Eniyekeye, was last Wednesday granted N100,000 bail by an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State.
The accused was also charged with parading himself as an officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The chief magistrate, Mr Titus Abolarinwa, in his ruling on a bail application told the accused to produce one surety in the like sum as part of the bail conditions.
Abolarinwa also said that, the surety must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Earlier the prosecutor, Insp. Tony Elibeh, had told the court that the accused, who resides at Ajegunle area of Apapa, committed the offences on May 5 at Nosamu Street, Ajegunle.
Nasarawa
The Emir of Wamba in Nasarawa State, Alhaji Lawal Musa-Nagogo, has suggested early distribution of fertiliser and inputs to farmers to boost food production in the country.
Musa-Nagogo made the suggestion last Wednesday, while speaking with newsmen in his palace in Wamba, Wamba Local Government Area of the state.
He said that early distribution of the commodity and other farm inputs to farmers by the government would assist farming and increase food production.
According to him, we are now in June and farmers have yet to get fertiliser and seedlings.
“We are all aware that there is fertiliser in the markets but the commodity is expensive for ordinary farmers.
Niger
The Niger State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hajiya Fatima Madugu, recently urged the Federal Government to adopt Nanotechnology in the development of science and technology sector.
Madugu, who made this known in an interview with newsmen in Minna, noted that, Nanotechnology if adopted would impact positively on industries and all spheres of the society.
She said that Nanotechnology was the application of extremely small things that could be applied across all fields of sciences such as chemistry, biology, physics, material science and engineering.
“The technology will offer better built, long lasting, cleaner, safer and smarter products for the home, communication, medicine, transport, agriculture industry as well as the power sector.
“Imagine a technology that can be used to deploy a medical device that travels through the human body to seek out and destroy small clusters of cancerous cells before they can spread.
Ogun
The Foundation for Academic Excellence, says it has concluded plans to partner with foreign agencies to grant scholarships to Nigerian postgraduate students.
The founder of the foundation, Mr Samuel Macaulay, made this known during a Public Awareness Seminar in Ota, Ogun State last Wednesday.
The theme of the seminar is: “How Nigeria Can Provide Findings for Postgraduate Students’’.
It was reported that the foundation was established in 2014 to provide scholarships for Nigerian postgraduate students within and outside the country.
Macaulay said the foundation would partner UNESCO, USAID, and the MacArthur Foundation to grant scholarships to Nigerian postgraduate students.
Ondo
The Speaker, Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Bamidele Oleyelogun, has called on Muslims and non-Muslims to pray fervently for Nigeria and its leaders.
In his Sallah message recently in Akure, Oleyelogun congratulated Muslim faithfuls for the successful completion of Ramadan.
He said the completion of Ramadan was worth celebrating in view of the current economic situation in the country.
“I want to salute the courage and perseverance of my Muslim brothers and sisters, and I pray that Allah will continue to sustain them and the people of Ondo state”.
Osun
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has advised parents to warn their children to avoid violence.
Ogunwusi gave the warning when a group of the Ife Muslim Community visited his Palace on Sunday as part of the Eid-el-Fitr celebration in Ile-Ife.
He urged the youth to focus their attention on things that would bring progress and development to the country.
The Ooni thanked Allah for giving the Muslim faithful the grace to witness the 2017 Eid-el-Fitr and congratulated them on the festival.
According to him, 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population is made up of the youth.
Plateau
A 50-year-old man, Abdullahi Yusuf, last Wednesday appeared before a Jos Upper Area Court, sitting at Kasuwan Nama, charged with allegedly raping a 9-year-old girl.
The accused, a resident of Lasisi Street, Laranto, Jos, first appeared on May 6, specifically accused of rape.
The police prosecutor, Mr E. A. Inegbenoise, during the arraignment, told the court that the victims’ father reported the matter at the Laranto police station, on March 17.
Inegbenoise alleged that the accused person lured the minor into his room and had carnal knowledge of her.
Zamfara
Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, says full farming activities have resumed in the state following government efforts at brokering peace between farmers, herdsmen and armed bandits.
The governor said this on Sunday, in a Sallah broadcast.
He said farmers and herdsmen have resumed normal activities without any hindrance.
He said the reconciliation committee set up by the state government under the chairmanship of the state deputy governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, encouraged the warring parties to embrace peace.
While urging all communities in the state to remain peaceful, Yari assured that the state government would continue to uplift the lives of citizens.
In a bid to meaningfully engage secondary school students in Ogoniland during the Christmas holidays and beyond, the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has trained them on petroleum jelly and liquid soap making.
This is even as the Project has partnered with the National Orientation Agency(NOA) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) to keep the students away from crime and other related social vices during the Yuletide, by giving them pep talks that would put them on their toes during the period.
This came to the fore as HYPREP recently organised an Ogoni Young Men Mentorship programme and life skill workshop with the theme, ‘Career Coaching: Developing The Young Minds’ at Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The beneficiaries of the programme are essentially members of environmental clubs in 13 schools in four local government areas of Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme.
At the event, both NOA and NDLEA gave career talks to the students, aimed at keeping them off social vices like drug abuse and addiction as well as negative peer influences through out the Christmas holidays and beyond.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof NeinibariniZabbey said the Project deemed it necessary to invite the National Orientation Agency and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) to speak to the students in order to shield them from negative peer influences as they are preparing to go for the Christmas holidays.
He explained that the workshop would enable the students to know when the signs of the negative peer influences start coming.
Zabbey, who was represented at the occasion by HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee, said the Project is not only going to train the beneficiaries but also give them the tools and skills that would grow them in the future so that they would start making money for themselves.
Also addressing the students, the Rivers State Coordinator of the National Orientation Agency(NOA), Mr Young Ayo-Tamuno expressed delight for meeting young minds, to discuss issues on values, describing it as a great opportunity.
He noted that there are seven values which constitute the role and commitment of the government towards the citizenry and another seven core values which constitute the code for the citizens.
While commending HYPREP for organising the event, Ayo-Tamuno said team work is key to making Nigeria a better place for all, as both the government and the citizens have their respective roles to play, with each staying committed and focused.
The Chief Programme Officer of NOA, Mr Henry Ayede was the one who actually mounted the rostrum and drilled the students on the seven core values embodied in the National Value Charter for citizens, and stressed the need for them to imbibe them and put them to practice as they grow up.
Ayede listed the values to include discipline, duty of care, leadership, tolerance and respect, transparency, environmental awareness and resilience.
He also underscored the need for the students to imbibe the spirit of hard work and dignity of labour, contending that while hard work and dedication contribute to success, every job can contribute to national development.
According to him, dignity in labour is the foundation of success.
On his part, Mr Bill Ebiokpo of the Media/ Advocacy Unit of NDLEA, who represented the Bori Area Commander of the agency, advised the students to guard against drug abuse and addiction, which he said have far reaching consequences.
The Principal of the Senior Secondary of Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Barrister Bob Agbozi thanked HYPREP for organising the programme, which he said enriched his knowledge and that of the students on the core values guiding the society, saying inculcating such values in young people and teaching them practical skills have contributed immensely to the greatness of advanced countries and even countries like Rwanda in Africa.
He noted that the career coaching would change the behavioral pattern of the students particularly during the Yuletide.
He also thanked NOA for the career talks and urged it to replicate the programme in other places, not only in schools but also in market places.
The training of the students on petroleum jelly and liquid soap making was anchored by an expert, MrsLekpa Abel, with HYPREP workers lending a helping hand.
It was, indeed, a practical session with the students, who came face to face with the production materials of the products.
Donatus Ebi
It was celebration galore as the people of Isu Community in Etche Local Government Area of River State held a civic reception in honour of the Council Chairman, Dr Uzodinma Nwafor .
The epoch- making ceremony which took place recently at the community ancestral home saw the attendance of the political class, the clergy, opinion leaders, the academia, youths, women, elders and chiefs gather to honour their brand new chairman.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Etche Local Government Council, Dr Uzodinma Nwafor expressed gratitude to the people for according him such honour, saying it shows their unwavering support to the development of Etche.
Nwafor announced the readiness of his administration to embark on electrification of Ozuzu clan including Isu community.
The Etche council boss also said the market at Isu will be reconstructed to improve the economic life of the people.
He revealed that the two projects will commence in January as efforts are on to mobilise the contractors.
Nwafor told the mammoth crowd that his major concern remains, peace and unity of the entire Etche, saying security of lives and property remains top on his agenda as no meaningful development can thrive in an atmosphere of violence.
He urged parents to encourage their wards and children to refrain from violence and embrace peace. “Let us allow Etche to be at peace .Don’t allow any body to use you set Etche ablaze. Parents advise your children to stay away from crime .We must stay in peace and unity. Our children must shun violence ,it can’t take us anywhere as a people ,” he declared.
He thanked the people for their support as well thank their son, former commissioner for Energy ,Okey Amadi for being a Pilar of his political sojourne.
Earlier, the Isu opinion leader and Principal, Community Secondary School, Mgbosomini in Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area, Mr Chijioke Amadi said the honour done Etche chairman was a collective division of his people.
Amadi described the council boss as an illustrious son who has contributed immensely to the wellbeing of the community.
He declared that his community and the entire Etche will keep supporting him because he is doing well.
Amadi urged the people to keep praying for him and the Rivers State Governor to succeed in delivering dividends of democracy.
Senate has set up an adhoc committee to investigate the demolition of buildings in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT by the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, just as it summoned the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to appear before it to explain the reasons behind the demolitions, which have left many residents stranded
The resolutions followed a motion by Senator Ireti Kingibe ( FCT), who expressed concern over the illegal demolition of structures in the nation’s capital and called for an immediate stop to further demolitions.
The Red Chamber particularly ordered the FCDA to halt ongoing demolitions of property in the Territory within the next two weeks pending the report of its adhoc committee constituted to probe the issue.
The adhoc committee, to be chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, has the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Lola Ashiru; Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Monguno, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, Senator Sahabi Ya’u, Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Senator Idiat Adebule and Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, as members.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who announced the composition of the committee, gave it two weeks to submit its report.
Akpabio while reading the resolution of the Senate, said: “The Senate urges the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to stop further demolitions of structures, except those ordered by courts of competent jurisdictions, until the adhoc committee constituted by the Senate to ascertain the propriety or otherwise of the exercise concludes its investigation and interface with the FCT administration within the next two weeks.”
Kingibe in her lead debate said that in recent times, the demolition exercise in the FCT was no longer based on reasons that necessitated the demolition.
She urged the Senate to be further concerned that the current demolition in the FCT was not in line with due process of court orders to demolish.
“As such, a cross section of individuals had suffered untold hardships occasioned by massive demolition, which has led to a loss of properties worth billions of naira.
“Also concerned that at the moment, an estate by name, Messrs Paulosa, for which late Colonel Paul Osakpawan Ogbebor is the chairman, is currently under revocation and demolition. And from reliable information, the said plot of land was allocated to him in 1984 with requisite title document.
“And further concerned that the owner of this estate was a patriotic Nigerian who served the nation meritoriously and one of the first intakes of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, with registration Number 001,” Kingibe said.
She urged the Senate to accordingly resolve to urge the FCT administration to halt the ongoing revocation and demolition of the said property, “as it does not fall within the purview of the reasons for the massive demolition being carried by the FCDA.”
Senator Kingibe also advocated thatall demolitions should follow due process while the Senate set up a committee to investigate the matters arising from the demolition.
However, Senator Sunday Karimi ( Kogi West) in his contribution said the Senate needs to hear from the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, before ordering a halt to the demolitions.
“If you look at this motion, the presenter said, a specific land allocation was mentioned belonging to one Paul Ogbebor.
“We don’t know anything about this thing and we are just coming because of this to tell the minister to stop?
“There is need to investigate this matter before giving any directive. We must hear from the minister. But we have to hear before we say stop demolition.
“Let’s hear from the Minister. You cannot shave a man’s head at his back. We need to hear from the Minister,” Karimi said.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central), however disagreed with Karimi, saying that the request that the Senate should call on the FCT minister to halt further demolitions was in order.
He said: “Mr. President, with respect I disagree with Mr. Karimi. I think we need to be fair to everyone. There is before us an allegation that says certain steps are to be taken which will culminate in demolition. Are we saying that we should allow the place to be demolished while we are trying to look into it?”
In his response, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio agreed with the chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary and Legal Matters, saying “my thought is in line with yours. If we just say, continue the demolition, and then we start investigation, what are we then investigating?”
He, thereafter, read the resolution of the Senate calling on the FCT Minister to halt further demolitions of property in the FCT pending the investigative report of its adhoc committee chaired by the Deputy Senate President.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi