Nation
THE STATES
President Muhammadu Buhari (left), welcoming his new Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abbah Kyari, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday
Adamawa
Dr Fatima Atiku, daughter of former Vice President Atiku
Abubakar and newly appointed Adamawa State Commissioner for Health, has forfeited her salary and allowances for use in revitalizing the health sector in the state.
Fielding questions from newsmen in Yola on Friday after being sworn –in along with 21 other commissioners, Fatima, a Consultant, said she was making the sacrifice because of the numerous challenges in the health sector.
“I am very grateful to the governor for appointing me to head the Health Ministry.
Bauchi
Twenty persons have died of Cholera in the Shira Local
Government Area (LGA), of Bauchi State.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen, by the Information Officer in the LGA, Malam Danlami Baza, in Bauchi on Saturday.
The statement said 200 persons were admitted in the hospital.
It added that the Acting Chairman of the LGA, Alhaji Usman Mashema, called on the public to come out for treatment as soon as they noticed any sign of cholera.
The statement appealed to the Federal and State Governments as well as donor agencies to come to the aid of those affected.
Borno
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State on Saturday
presented N100,000 cash assistance and clothing materials to each of the parents of the 219 girls abducted at the Government Secondary School, Chibok.
He presented the items while interacting with the parents in Maiduguri, noting that the gesture was a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I met with the president last Thursday in Abuja and he directed that I should meet you and console you over the missing girls.
Ekiti
The Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr Kola
Oluwawole, says some residents of the state have poor attitude to observance of the monthly sanitation in the state .
In a statement issued by Mr Stephen Gbadamosi, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Speaker in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, the lawmaker observed that the poor attitude was common among the youth and commercial motorcyclists.
“I assure you that those citizens who breached the stay-at-home order on the exercise will be handed over to the police for appropriate sanctions.
FCT
The Presidency has advised the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) to stop playing down achievements so far recorded by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the president’s Senior Special Assistant, Media, Malam Garba Shehu.
Shehu said the PDP should rather bury its head in shame for subjecting Nigeria to the “worst economic plunder through corruption’’ in its recent history.
Jigawa
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), has
opened 62 study centres nationwide to avail Nigerians the opportunity to acquire higher education, according to Alhaji Abdullahi Dogo, Director, Jigawa Study Centre.
Dogo disclosed this on Saturday in Dutse, when the centre matriculated 180 students for the 2015/16 academic session.
He urged the newly admitted students to study hard and obey the rules and regulations of the institution.
Dogo warned that the institution would not tolerate any form of laziness and indiscipline.
Kano
The Kano State Police Command has warned the public
against the activities of some fraudsters extorting money from unsuspecting people on the pretext of getting them enlisted into the police.
This is contained in statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Magaji Majiya and issued to newsmen in Kano on Saturday.
The statement said reports had reached the command on the activities of the fraudsters.
According to the statement, the command has yet to receive any directive on recruitment in line with the Federal Government’s plan to employ additional 10, 000 police officers across the country.
Kaduna
Senator Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna Central), on Satur
day in Kaduna inaugurated a programme aimed at uplifting the lives of his constituents in education, healthcare, sports, recreation, and skills acquisition.
Sani, who tagged the programme“ , ‘Talakawa Grassroots Revolutionary Development Programme‘ explained that it would serve as his platform to meet the yearnings of the people.
“The launch of this programme signals the commencement of a revolutionary change in the lives of the people in my constituency, Kaduna central.”
According to him, the people voted for change that will make meaning to their lives by liberating them from plunder and exploitation.
Katsina
Women for Health, an NGO funded by the Department
for International Development (DFID) of United Kingdom, said it has expended N200 million on improving healthcare delivery in Katsina State.
The National Programme Manager, Dr Fatima Adamu disclosed this on Friday, when she paid a courtesy visit on Gov. Aminu Masari in Katsina.
According to her, the funds were used to build the capacity of health personnel and in establishing more health facilities.
She pledged her continuous support to the government to enhance healthcare delivery across the state.
Kwara
A lifeless body of a 65-year-old man, Mr Dele Ogundeyi,
was on Saturday recovered from a well on the Aperan Way in Omu-Aran, Kwara State.
Our correspondent reports that Ogundeyi was a retired Secretary of Offa Local Government Area Liaison Office, before his death.
The deceased, who hailed from Ile-Nla compound in Omu-Aran, went missing around 11 a.m. on Saturday, according to a relation, Mr Abdulkareem, prompting a search party by family members.
Kogi
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kogi
State University, says it will resume an industrial action suspended in May over unpaid allowances of N1 billion to its members.
The Acting Chairman of union, Dr Gbenga Aina, told newsmen in Anyigba on Saturday that the lecturers had resolved to go on strike on Sept. 1 if the state government did not honour an earlier agreement with the union on the payment.
He accused the state government of reneging on the “gentleman’s agreement’’ reached with the union before the suspension of the strike in May.
Nasarawa
A retired psychiatric nurse with the Dalhatu Araf Spe
cialist Hospital, Lafia, Mr Emmanuel Ogar, has urged the federal and state lawmakers to enact tougher laws to prohibit drug abuse.
He told newsmenin Lafia on Saturday that such step would reduce mental cases in Nigeria.
Ogar insisted that the fight against drug abuse should not be left alone with the government, saying, “it should be seen as a collective fight by all well meaning citizens of the country.
“If we continue to leave it alone to the government, it will take a longer time to achieve success.
Sokoto
Farm produce worth over N100 million were detroyed by
flood in 27 villages in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State, the Chairnan of the Local Government, Alhaji Shehu Chacho, has said.
Chacho disclosed this to newsmen in Wurno on Sunday.
He said the destroyed farm produce which were already maturing include; rice, millet, guinea corn, maize and beans.
According to the chairman, the flood was caused by the release of excess water from Goronyo dam and that it had affected no fewer than 7,577 farmers.
Yobe
Senator Muhammad Hassan (PDP) Yobe South, has do
nated N2 million and relief materials worth millions of Naira to flood victims in Ngelzarma.
Hassan, who presented the materials to the Emir of Ngelzarma, Alhaji Zanna Maiyeri, said the donation was to provide the victims with their immediate needs.
The relief materials were assorted foodstuff including rice, millet, guinea corn, beans, spaggetti,salt, sugar, milk, cooking oil, blankets, mattresses, mats, wrappers and clothing materials.
“I feel obliged to intervene and provide the flood victims who are members of my constituency with succour as they have been displaced and now taking refuge outside their homes.
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that 26,592 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, raising alarm across the state’s education sector.
The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, during a ministerial press briefing yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja, said that “45.7 per cent of the 58,188 students from public schools who sat for the exams did not pass.”.
This failure rate comes despite the state government’s significant financial backing N1.577 billion was paid on behalf of the students to cover WAEC fees.
“Suffice to say that the sum of N1,577,794,000 only was paid by the state government as examination fees for 58,188 students who were captured for the year 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun announced.
In a bid to tighten accountability and avoid wastage, the Commissioner disclosed that biometric and image registration was carried out to accurately determine eligible students for government sponsorship for the 2025 WASSCE.
“The exercise successfully captured and registered 56,134 students as bona fide beneficiaries of the Lagos state government’s sponsorship for the examination,” he added.
However, the Lagos State Government rolled out a bold educational intervention – the Eko Learners’ Support Programme for WASSCE and NECO candidates – aimed at reversing the tide of academic failure in the state’s public schools.
Launched on January 14, 2025, the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to equip Lagos students with tools for success.
“This forward-thinking initiative was designed to support and empower young scholars in attestation of the ministry’s commitment to advancing interest and management of the educational system in Lagos State,” Alli-Balogun stated.
Ekiti State Government says it has vaccinated 226,429 eligible girls in the State against the Human Papilloma Virus, an infection believed to be a leading cause of cervical cancer.
The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, said the HPV immunization exercise, which she flagged off in the State in May 2025 was a great success, noting that it reached targeted communities and protected children against cervical cancer.
The governor’s wife made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti yesterday during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting on the introduction of Measles Rubella vaccines in Ekiti State.
She said, “The introduction of Measles Rubella Vaccines is a very crucial step towards protecting Ekiti children particularly the target age group of nine to 14 years from diseases.
“I urge all women in the State to regularly scan their breasts. This can be done with the aid of the Mammography machine which is available at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti”.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, noted that the Measles Rubella vaccines would be rolled out nationally in October, 2025.
Filani said that the State was taking proactive steps to sensitise residents of the State before the date to ensure adequate awareness on the vaccines by citizens.
The Acting Ochimba of Ogida in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam, says peace remains paramount in the socio-economic development of Etche land.
Eze Azuatalam, however, called on his people to embrace and eschew violence at all times.
The Onwa Nagbara Oha made the call during the official commissioning of his palace at Ogida recently.
The epoch-making ceremony held at his palace saw the attendance of members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs; the academia; the political class; the clergy ; women as well relevant stakeholders within and outside Etche land.
The Ngbaragida of Azuafor re-emphasised the essence of peace and social harmony which he said open the window for meaningful development to take place.
He also sought the support and collaboration of his people to achieve the desired goals of development, progress and prosperity.
He noted that the peace being witnessed in the area must be sustained through collective effort, saying, contributions and sacrifices need to be made by all concerned to live in peace.
Eze Azuatalam said his aim towards building a better Ogida cannot be compromised as he and his people have no other place called home.
The Acting Ochimba said as part of efforts to build a better Ogida, he has instituted a number of development projects, adding that some of his kinsmen have been empowered through his hard-earned money and resources, saying, he will continue to assist the less- privileged around him.
He reaffirmed his desire to impact positively on the lives of his people as the engagement of the youths will help to reduce social vices in the area.
He thanked members of the Etche Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs for honouring his invitation.
He specifically thanked the Onyi Ishi Etche and Ochie of Etcheland, His Eminence E mmanuel Opurum for leading Etche on the path of prosperity, and described the revered King as a role model to the younger generation.
He said his fatherly role has been a source of hope and inspiration to his subjects.
The palace was unveiled by His Eminence with the assistance of Ochimba of Abara, Eze Jonah Nwala and other prominent Etche traditional rulers and chiefs while the Onyi Ishi Etche was represented by Eze Ken Nwala, Onyi Ishi Agwuru, Ulakwo/ Umuselem Clan.
The Onyi Ishi Etche urged other prominent sons of Etche to emulate the kind gesture of Eze Ndudiri Azuatalam as his magnanimity is being seen and appreciated by his people.
Eze Azuatalam also applauded the efforts of Prof Mekuri Ndimele, former Vice Chancellor of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education in the growth of Etche land.
According to him, during Ndimele’ s tenure, a lot of development projects were sited at the institution, including the development of Etcheland and empowerment of Etche people.