Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
Some patients suffering from tuberculosis have advocated for measures to check social stigma against them that would also enhance treatment and control the spread of the disease.
A cross-section of the patients in Bauchi made the call on Thursday, while speaking with The Tide’s source on their plight.
Malama Safiya Usman, a TB patient, said the call was imperative in view of the growing stigma against sufferers in some communities in Bache.
Sofia said that the trend had made it difficult for them to access treatment and check high prevalence of the disease.
“Many people are afraid to go for tuberculosis test because of stigma. People in the community and even your immediate family members are developing feelings of indifference and show no sympathy toward TB patients.
“Many of them stopped talking, eating or sharing anything with you because you have TB. A great number of TB patients preferred to remain silent and die from the disease”, Sofia said.
The Benue House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on FERMA and the Federal Controller of Works to hasten repair work on federal roads in the state.
The Assembly directed the Chief Maintenance Engineer (CME) of FERMA and the Resident Federal Controller of Works to appear before its Standing Committee on Works.
The resolution followed a motion on a matter of urgent public interest by the member representing Okpokwu Constituency, Solomon Onah.
Onah, drew the attention of the assembly to the slow pace of construction work on the Otukpo-Enugu road which, he said, passed through his constituency.
He said because of the excavation of the Otukpo-Enugu road, cars, heavy duty vehicles have diverted traffic to the Ike-Ugbokolo road.
According to him, the use of the road by many vehicles had caused an increase in cases of hit-and run by motorists.
The AU Commission says it is ready to intensify its campaign against human trafficking in the continent in a bid to curb the menace.
Ms Cisse Mariama, Coordinator, Department of Stoical Social Affairs, AU Commission, told The Tide’s source in Abuja recently that there was the need to increase campaign and enforcement of the various action plans and charters.
Mariama, who was participating in the AU-ECOWAS Workshop Initiative against Human Trafficking, said: “As you are aware, the AU has adopted the charter on the Right and Welfare of the Child in a bid to combat human Trafficking in Africa”.
She called on member-states and regional economic communities (RECs) to ensure the implementation of the charters and protocols on trafficking and migration.
Mariama said the Commission was putting in place mechanism to rehabilitate children “who are victims of trafficking, and punish perpetrators of the crime”.
Jigawa
The Jigawa government has selected 17 science students who had good results in their Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) to study medicine in Cairo, Egypt.
The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufia addressed the students in Dutse on Thursday before they departed for Cairo.
She advised the students to be well-behaved and pay attention to their studies.
Rufai said government had confidence on the students and urged them to work hard and not to betray the confidence and government’s investment on them.
She advised them to come back to contribute their quota to the development of the state.
Jos
Troops of the Special Task Force (STF) on the Jose Crisis have averted a renewed violence in Bukuru, Jos.
Three persons including the Divisional Police Officer of ‘B’ Division, Bukuru, were injured while four suspects were arrested during the aborted violence.
A statement from the Task Force signed by Brig. Gen. Donald Oji in Jos said the violence which started about 5.30 p.m. involved two persons who started fighting after a game of football.
This developed to a situation in which youths started blocking the major roads and thereby attacking passers-by.
The STF therefore, appealed to public, especially youths to desist from taking the laws into their hands and causing a breach of peace.
Kaduna
Prof. Ephraim Okon, World Bank Consultant on ‘STEP-B’ project has urged the Federal Government to ensure adequate funding of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) to enhance research.
He made the call recently in an interview with The Tide’s source after inspecting facilites at NARICT, Basawa, Zaria.
Okon said that adequate funding was fundamental to research and development, hence the need for government to redouble efforts.
The consultant applauded the institute for focusing attention on innovation and new findings relevant to the needs of the society.
He said, “NARICT is credibly doing well in terms of research and development.
“Though, it is a research institute, it is also an economy driven establishment if supported.
“The World Bank is satisfied with activities of the institute which is directed toward national development”, Okon added.
The Kwara Government has inaugurated a nine-member task force to curb the menace of deforestation, desertification and their adverse effects on climate change.
Chief James Ayeni, the Commissioner for Environment and Forestry, who inaugurated the task force in Ilorin, said that the team was to prevent revenue losses arising from illegal exploitation of forest resources.
He, however, commended the contributions of chainsaw/plank operators in the state to the feats of the forestry department in revenue generation.
Ayeni congratulated the task force members for their appointment and urged them to carry out their assignment diligently and complement government’s efforts to improve the revenue generated in the sector.
He also charged them to regulate the activities of chainsaw/plank operators.
The commissioner stressed the need to promote honesty, teamwork and cooperation among the members in efforts to standardize the activities of the operators and ensure the safety of the environment.
Lagos
Mr. Shola Tinubu, the Managing Director of Scib Insurance Brokers has urged stakeholders to evolve a structure that would make micro-insurance take root in the country.
Tinubu told The Tide’s source in Lagos that a perfect structure was vital for easier collection of premiums from rural dwellers.
He said that most insurance companies and brokers had not been able to develop products and market them because of that shortcoming.
According to him, micro-insurance marketing is more of retail thing and it has to be done in a most cost efficient way.
Yobe
The Yobe Fadama III Project is to disburse N100 million to its user groups before the end of July.
The state’s Fadama Coordinator Malam Musa Garba, told The Tide’s source in Damaturu recently that the project was targeting more than 2.2 million users as direct beneficiaries.
Garba said more than N18 million was disbursed to 10 farmer groups in five local governments in September 2009 during the first phase.
“Now, we have commenced the second phase of the project and as at March 2010, we had disbursed N10 million while the remaining N72 million will be disbursed before the end of July 2010.
“The total package for the state under Fadama III from the World Bank is 7.852 million dollars and the counterpart fund from both state and the 17 local government is N450 million.
Zamfara
The exit of credible personalities from the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has marked the “death of the party beyond resurrection”, Gov. Mahmud Shinkafi of Zamfara said in Gusau.
Shinkafi, who spoke at the formal defection of ANPP federal and state lawmakers to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, said the ANPP could no longer provide a credible platform for the actualisation of genuine political dreams.
“A dream party should be one that has a national outlook in terms of membership, structure, as well as an articulated agenda for development and progress”, he said.
The governor noted that the exit of respected personalities such as retired Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari from the ANPP was an attestation of its final collapse as a leading opposition party in the country.
He said the PDP in the state had mapped out strategies to ensure victory in the 2011 general elections.
Eminent personalities who graced the occasion included Gov. Sule Lamido of Jigawa and the deputy governors of Katsina, Niger and Sokoto States.
The PDP National Chairman, Mr. Vincent Ogbulafor; Senate President David Mark and House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole were represented at the event.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
The Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Port Harcourt zonal command has held a one-day capacity workshop with some selected media organisations and civil society organisations in the state
The one-day capacity workshop was aimed at strengthening existing relationships among the media and the civil society organisations in the state with a view to improving the existing relationships among the graft agency and the media.
Speaking at the event the zonal commander of EFCC, MR. HASSAN SAIDU, said the
initiative is part of the Commission’s ongoing commitment to strengthening collaboration with key stakeholders, particularly the media and civil society, in our collective fight against economic and financial crimes , adding that the decision to organize this workshop underscores the strategic importance the EFCC places on the roles of the media and the CSOs as watchdogs of the society.
According to him,all over the world, the partnership between anti-corruption agencies, the media, and civil society has been instrumental in promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance, noting that the collaboration is even more imperative in Nigeria given the scale and sophistication of economic crimes we contend with.
“Let me take this opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the invaluable support you have given to the EFCC over the years.
Your consistent focus on our work through reporting, advocacy, and public engagement has helped to sustain the momentum of our preventive and enforcement efforts.”
The EFCC’s mandate is both engaging and arduous. I say this because the landscape of economic crime is dynamic and your duty to report and interpret these developments requires diligence, patriotism and integrity.”
He posted that It is in recognition of these challenges that the Commission introduced a Specialized Workshop Series on Economic and Financial Crimes Reporting for journalists, adding that the commission has expanded this initiative to include civil society organizations to further demonstrate their belief in an inclusive and collaborative anti-corruption framework.
“As you are aware, Port Harcourt remains Nigeria’s treasure base of the Nation and a fertile ground for various forms of economic and financial crimes, ranging from pipeline vandalism, foreign exchange scams and business email compromise to investment and property fraud, and crude oil theft.”
The EFCC zonal commander averred that the 2025 edition of the workshop is Understanding Cryptocurrency Fraud and other Emerging Financial Crimes and Prosecution of Financial Crimes: Issues, Challenges and Way Forward , adding that
It is imperative for us to note that the surge of Cryptocurrency Fraud and other related offences in the Nigeria’s Cyberspace is becoming alarming hence, as part of the efforts of the EFCC to nip this menace and eradicate these crimes from Nigeria Cyberspace there is need for synergy with relevant Stakeholders, that is the reason why the Commission has chosen these topics to educate, create awareness and discuss arising issues that will yield more significant results as the EFCC tackles the spate of these crimes.
“We must work together to intensify public sensitization. Your platforms- print, broadcast, digital, and community-based- are essential in equipping Nigerians with the knowledge to make informed decisions and avoid falling prey to scammers. ”
He reiterated that the fight against economic and financial crimes is not the sole responsibility of the EFCC or other anti-corruption agencies. It is a collective national duty, meaning all hands must be on deck , stressing that
We owe it to our country and, indeed, the global community to expose and confront corrupt practices wherever they exist.
“The media must continue to hold public institutions accountable, while civil society must deepen civic engagement and promote transparency at all levels.
The EFCC remains committed to building a stronger and more effective partnership with all stakeholders in the fight against corruption. he stated.
Earlier In his presentation on cryptocurrency-related crimes, CSE Coker Oyegunle, Head of Advanced Fee Fraud, explained that digital assets are increasingly being used for money laundering, identity theft, phishing, malware attacks, and ransomware, most of which involve untraceable crypto payments.
He noted that Nigeria now has a coordinated regulatory framework involving multiple agencies. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) serves as the lead regulator under the Investment and Securities Act 2025, defining digital assets as securities and licensing virtual asset service providers.
Our correspondent reports that other topics presented during the workshop include prosecuting Financial crimes: Issues, challenges and the way forward and the role of CSOs and media in driving a preventive frame work.
Nation
RSU Blames Poor Funding for Failure to Meet Academic Targets as 1,356 Set for Combined Convocation on Saturday”
The management of Rivers State University (RSU), Port Harcourt, has stated that poor funding has hindered the institution’s ability to meet its expected academic targets.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, made this statement during a press briefing held at the institution on Monday in Port Harcourt, ahead of the week-long 37th and 38th combined convocation ceremony scheduled for Friday and Saturday this week.
Prof. Zeb-Obipi emphasized that poor funding continues to be a major challenge limiting the institution’s ability to meet its targets, adding that they trust the state governor, Sir Fubara Siminalaye, who is the visitor to the university, will continue to strengthen and support them.
He noted that the state governor has demonstrated his commitment to supporting the university, recently approving N700m for the ongoing NUC accreditation.
The Vice-Chancellor stated that the university faces deficits in classrooms, staff accommodation, and student hostels, with the infrastructure gap widening, and existing lecture halls and laboratories requiring renovation.
“We are prioritizing phased upgrades based on program needs,
He added that the university is short-staffed, having lost staff to retirement, death, and changes in job or place of work, and that new programs, departments, and faculties have been created to meet the contemporary needs of society.
Mean while,a total of 13,242 students are set to graduate in the combined convocation, with 10,648 undergraduates, 1,356 Master’s degree students, 700 postgraduate diplomas, and 538 Doctors of Philosophy.
The Vice-Chancellor also used the opportunity to list some achievements of his administration, including the creation of new directorates, completion of abandoned laboratories, and upgrades in the faculty of sciences, made possible with support from the Tertiary Education Technology Fund (TETFund).
He expressed appreciation to the governor and visitor to the university, Sir Siminalaye Fubara, for approving his appointment and promised to justify the confidence placed in him.
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