Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
A total of 2,573 Pilgrims from Adamawa and Taraba states were transported to Saudi Arabia from Yola International Airport on Monday.
Malma Liman Muhammad, the National Coordinator of the National Hajj Commission, Yola Zone, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Yola.
He said that two Airline operators; Kabo and Max Air, were operating in the Yola zone.
Liman said that Kabo Air had so far transported 1,573 pilgrims from Adamawa in three trips while Max Air also transported 1,000 from Taraba in two trips.
Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has donated N10 million to the University of Maiduguri to boost learning in the institution.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Muhammad Daura, made the disclosure when he received Prof. Musa Maisamari in his office in Maiduguri.
Maisamari is the Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Commission for Youth and Women Rehabilitation and Development (BACYWORD).
This is contained in a statement signed by Malam Chindo Waziri, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the commission.
Borno
Gov. Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State last Monday appealed for the deployment of more soldiers to contain the current spate of killings by suspected Boko Haram sect members.
“I want to appeal for the deployment of additional troops to the state for effective security coverage.
“The number is inadequate, especially when viewed against the fact that Borno is the only state in Nigeria that shared a common border with three countries,” Sheriff said.
Ekiti
Cocoa farmers in Ekiti, under the aegis of Cocoa Growers Association (CAN) are seeking the state government soft loans for them to rejuvenate their aging farms.
The Chairman of the association, Mr. Ibitoye Francis made the request in an interview with newsmen in Ado-Ekiti yesterday.
He disclosed that over 10,000 cocoa farmers were in the state adding that experience also showed that they needed the loan to maintain the existing cocoa farms and cultivate more Cocoa farms in the state.
FCT
ActionAid Nigeria, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), said election riggers and manipulators should be made to face the wrath of the law.
The Country Director of ActionAid, Mr Hussaini Abdu, made the suggestion following the victory of Dr Kayode Fayemi as Governor of Ekiti State at the Court of Appeal last Friday.
Abdu told newsmen last Monday in Abuja that the judgment passed by the Court of Appeal showed the doggedness and commitment of the judiciary.
According to him, Ekiti people are now going to rip the dividends of democracy.
Katsina
Parents in Katsina State have appealed to the state government to re-consider its decision on de-boarding of secondary schools, which they said was inimical to the education of their children.
They made the appeal last Monday in separate interviews with newsmen in Katsina, Daura, Mani, Malumfashi, Dutsinma and Funtua towns.
Kogi
The Kogi Government has released N72 million to NAPEP to fight poverty in the state.
Dr Grace Gunwa, the state Coordinator of NAPEP, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lokoja that 295 households would benefit from the fund.
She said the money was approved in March by Gov. Ibrahim Idris when he saw the very good work the state chapter of the agency was doing in empowering the needy to alleviate poverty in the state.
Gunwa said the money would be used to reach out to more beneficiaries, especially in the 11 local government areas the agency had accessed.
Lagos
The police last Monday in Lagos arraigned four men before an Ebute Meta Magistrate‘s Court for allegedly stealing and receiving cosmetics valued at N4.2 million.
The accused Anibueze Ogbuka, 32, Ifeanyi Omenife, 22, Ebere Nwose, 30 and Edwin Ikeanyi, 45, were arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy, burglary, stealing and receiving stolen goods.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were each granted N200,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
The Magistrate, Mr T. Abolarinwa, adjourned the case till October 27, for further hearing.
Ogun
A Physiotherapist, Mrs Toyin Olatunji, has attributed persistent low back pain among adults to their failure to maintain healthy weight.
Olatunji, who is of the Physiotherapy Department, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, told newsmen in Abeokuta yesterday that the only antidote was through weight control.
The physiotherapist who defined low back pain as “a feeling of tiredness, discomfort or pain in the lower back region”, said that 70 per cent to 85 per cent of the adult population would have back complaints during their lifetime.
Osun
Osun State government has commenced the implementation of Road Traffic Law to decongest vehicles on the roads.
The Commissioner for Works and Transport, Chief Soji Longe made this known in Osogbo last Monday.
Oyo
The appeal case filed by Mr Rauf Aregbesola, governorship candidate of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) against Gov Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun suffered yet another adjournment yesterday in Ibadan.
Aregbesola is challenging the election of Oyinlola as the governor of Osun in the April 12, 2007 governorship election.
Plateau
As the start of 2010 Jos Trade Fair draws near, the Plateau Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (PLACCIMA) has assured participants of adequate security and amenities.
The trade fair starts from October 20 to November 2.
Mr Jack Bot, the Executive Director of PLACCIMA, gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen in Jos last Monday.
He said that the chamber had concluded arrangements with security agencies to ensure that “maximum protection” of all exhibitors was guaranteed.
Sokoto
Two intending female pilgrims from Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State have been barred from travelling to Saudi Arabia to perform the 2010 Hajj.
Authorities detected that the two women were seven-month pregnant during a screening exercise in Sokoto on Monday.
It also reported that the women were part of the 501 intending pilgrims from Gada Local Government Area, who were to be airlifted in the first batch from the state.
Zamfara
The Zamfara Government has dethroned the District Head of Bakura, Alhaji Bello Yusuf, for undisclosed reasons.
Until his removal, Yusuf was the most senior District Head in Bakura Emirate.
His dethronment was announced yesterday in Gusau in a statement by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Isyaka Zurmi.
It said that the deposition took immediate effect, and directed Yusuf to hand over all government property in his possession to the Secretary to the State Council of Chiefs.
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.
According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.
The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.
“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.
” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.
The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.
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