Nation
THE STATES

Adamawa
The Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) says over 2,000 Internally Displaced children were enrolled into Safe School initiative programme in the state.
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Mr Haruna Furo, told newsmen in Yola last Sunday that the initiative was part of the Federal Government’s special education package for IDPs children nationwide.
He said many displaced children were sent to various Unity Colleges across the country under an exchange school Programme.
Furo said there were four ongoing categories of education programmes for IDPs children in the state.
Ekiti
An Ado-Ekiti High Court last Wednesday sentenced a local government worker, Ojo Ayodele, to life imprisonment for abducting and raping a 15-year-old girl.
A report says that Ayodele abducted the minor in Ijero-Ekiti and took her to a secret location in the town where he subjected her to continuous sexual assault for 21 days.
Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde, in her judgment, found Ayodele guilty as charged and sentenced the accused to life jail.
The judge, who also found Ayodele guilty of abduction, sentenced him to seven years for the offence.
The jail terms are, however, to run concurrently.
FCT
The police last Thursday arraigned Prince Eze in a Gudu Upper Area Court, Abuja, charged with duping his fiancee of N150,000.
The defendant, of Jikwoyi, Abuja, is facing a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating.
The prosecutor, Joshua Ayanna, told the court that the matter was reported by Joyce Ohamsi of Area 1, Garki, Abuja, at the Apo Police Station on March 10.
He said the plaintiff bought a plot of land worth N350,000 owned by Shepherd House Church in Karshi village, Abuja in November 2012.
Katsina
The Border Community Development Agency (BCDA) has handed over a Veterinary Clinic worth N25 million it constructed at Hui community of Baure Local Government Area of Katsina State.
An official of the agency Mrs Atarhe Akpohwaye-Abu,who handed over the facility to the officials of Katsina State Government on Wednesday, said the project was part of the efforts of the agency to bring development to rural communities.
Akpohwaye-Abu said the project was strategically located especially considering the fact that the area was predominantly an animal rearing community.
She said the clinic would immensely promote livestock production as well as consumption of hygienic meat in the area.
She further said, the agency considered Katsina State very important and strategic due to the large international boarder markets and economic activities in the area.
Kwara
The Lions Club International said last Wednesday that it had spent $1 billion globally on humanitarian services in the 100 years of its existence.
An International Director of the club, Mr Kumar Raju, disclosed this at a news briefing in Ilorin to herald its 12th Multiple District Convention in Nigeria.
Raju noted that Africa took the larger part of the club’s grant for humanitarian services.
According to him, about $50 million grant is donated annually by members of the club across the world to pursue various projects.
He explained that aside meeting humanitarian needs, the club had also assisted in the area of disaster relief, saving sight and serving the youths.
Lagos
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, said it had arrested 120 suspected pipelines vandals in the state between January and May 2017.
The State Commandant, Mr Tajundeen Balogun, made this disclosure on Monday, in Lagos, while receiving the Head of Lagos Editorial, Mr Mike Mbonye, who paid him a visit.
Balogun said that the suspects were arrested in different parts of the state, particularly in Ikorodu and Badagry, noting that the suspects had been sabotaging the nation’s economy.
“Ikorodu axis has been very challenging for us due to the type of terrain.
“So sad, that almost all security agencies have lost their men in Ikorodu; we have equally lost five men in the area.
Nasarawa
Pathfinder International Nigeria and Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH), NGOs, have said that only 171 out of 808 public health facilities were providing Family Planning (FP) services in Nasarawa State.
Pathfinder Consultant, Dr Yemi Osanyin, made this known last Wednesday in Lafia during a one-day dissemination of the findings of Family Planning Situation Analysis in the state, organised by the group in collaboration with the state government.
He explained that the aim of the workshop was to present a draft report on the FP situation in the state with the view of encouraging women and girls to embrace FP programmes, considering its enormous benefits.
Ogun
Police in Ogun State have arrested a 20-year-old man for allegedly killing his 27-year-old roommate, Friday Michael.
The police spokesman in Ogun State, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi, said in a statement that the incident happened last Friday at Mamu area of Awa-Ijebu.
“The suspect came in around 6.30 a.m. and shot the deceased, who was sleeping, with a locally-made pistol.
“The sound from the gun attracted other occupants of the house to the scene and they quickly alerted the police.
“The DPO of Awa-Ijebu Division led his men to the scene and the suspect was promptly arrested,’’ said the police spokesman.Oyo
Osun
A 30-year-old man, Olajide Adeshina, was last Thursday sentenced to seven years imprisonment by an Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court for burglary.
Adeshina was convicted of the three charges of burglary, theft and fraud brought against him.
The convict, who pleaded guilty, had no legal representation.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Fatimoh Sodamade, did not give Adeshina any option of fine.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Fagboyinbo Abiodun, had earlier told the court that the convict committed the offence on October 19, 2016 at about 12:00a.m at Ofatedo area in Osogbo.
Oyo
The Elders Consultative Forum for Shariah in Nigeria, Oyo State branch, last Sunday, distributed more than N2 million Zakat (obligatory charity in Islam) to 122 indigent persons in Ibadan.
Zakat is one of the five obligatory pillars of Islam and it is an annual deduction from every wealthy Muslims’ income, assets, savings or farm produce.
The Chairman of the forum, Alhaji Lasun Sanusi, said in Ibadan after the distribution that the intention was not only to empower the jobless, poor or ailing Muslims, but to enhance the holistic development of Muslims in the state.
Sanusi added that the money distributed would go a long way in alleviating the suffering of the beneficiaries.
He explained that the distribution of Zakat by the forum started five years ago and since then, different items and cash were given to the needy annually.
Plateau
The Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, says speeding accounts for 60 per cent of road crashes recorded in the country.
Oyeyemi said this last Sunday at a thanksgiving service to mark the 4th United Nations Global Road Safety Week at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Gigiriing, Jos, Plateau.
The global event has “Managing Speed” as its theme.
Oyeyemi represented by the Zonal Commanding Officer, Jos zone, Mr Oludare Fadogba, said speeding remains the most prevalent cause of road crashes in Nigeria and across the globe.
“Speeding is one of the most prevalent causes of road collision and attendant fatalities in Nigeria and even globally.
“The risk of crashes occurring is greater as speeding gets higher.
“Statistics show that speeding and the involvement of commercial vehicles consistently accounts for about 60 per cent of road traffic crashes in Nigeria.
Nation
Over 26,000 Lagos Students Failed 2024 WASSCE -Commissioner
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.
Nation
Ekiti Vaccinates Over 226,000 Girls Against HPV
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.
Nation
Monarch Preaches Peace As He Unveils Palace

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.
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