Nation

THE STATES

Published

16 years ago

October 7, 2009

Asaba

Delta State House of Assembly, Thursday, received a list of twelve nominees for appointment as commissioners into the Delta State Executive Council from Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

The state governor, last week, sacked eleven commissioners, which sources revealed were not loyal to his course of returning as governor in 2011.

Governor Uduaghan had in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House noted that the appointment is aimed at strengthening the capacity of the State Executive Council for better and greater service delivery to the people of the state.

Names of the commissioners were also contained in the letter which was read on the floor of the House. They include Mr. Bello Orubebe, Dr. Chris Oghenechovwen, Mr. Victor E. Otomewo, Mr. Frank Omare, Mrs. Juliet Oti Agoba and Anthony Akpomiemie.

Others are Mr. Fred Majemite, Mr. Azuka Osakwe, Mr. George Ugboma, Mr. Emmanuel Eboh, Dr. Onochie Okonkwo and Mr. Pat Mozea.

The Commissioners that were sacked last week are Mr. Abraham Bobor, former Commissioner for Housing, Paul Osaji (Works), Mrs. Elizabeth Uvoh-Gardner (Primary Education), Gilbert Benafa (Transport), Mrs. Chinwe Monu-Olarewaju (Commerce/Industry), Timinimi George (Water Resources), Roland Eyime (Science/Technology), Dafe-Akpedeye (Attorney-General/Justice), Champion Kpateghe (Special Duties, Government House) and Dr. Tab-Ogaranya Tabowei (Agriculture).

Jos

The authorities of 3 Amoured Division of Nigerian Army, Jos, have sentenced a soldier to 56 days imprisonment with hard labour, for physically assaulting a Jos-based lawyer, our correspondent has gathered.

Besides, he will not receive his salary during his two months imprisonment, just as a driver, his comrade-in crime spent the sallah holidays in police custody. The troubled soldier, will serve his jail term in military guard room.

The soldier’s imprisonment followed a court martial. The lawyer (name withheld) had petitioned the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Amoured Division, complaining on how he was unlawfully assaulted by the soldier.

The soldier, one of the troops stationed at former United Trading Company (UTC) junction, Jos, on peace-keeping in Jos, following Nov. 28, last year mayhem. The soldier’s trouble started sometime in June this year, when the lawyer had a disagreement with a driver that conveyed him (lawyer) from Akwanga, Nassarawa State to Jos, Plateau State capital.

According to sources close to the lawyer, he wanted the cab driver to drop him at Terminus area of the metropolis, while the driver insisted that he must drop at Old Airport junction.

Consequently, the lawyer refused to come down from the cab. In what was described as unconstitutional reaction (behaviour), the driver took him to the UTC junction where his soldier friend assaulted the legal practitioner, inflicting injuries on him.

Osun

Over 30 communities in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State have been connected to the national grid, while another 11 villages are expected to be connected very soon in an effort to grease the wheel of development

Speaking with newsmen on the level of infrastructural facilities in the area, the chairman of the local council, Comrade Bamidele Salami, said over N75 million has been spent on the electrification projects.

According to him, there was purchase and installation of 500KVA transformer and extension of low tension wires to Tiwadayo Community and purchase of six 500/33 KVA transformers for Awo, Ido Osun, Adetoro Estate, Alapupu, Olafa Estate, Ilaasan/Ori Oke Baba Abiye, while reactivation and extension of street lights in all towns and villages have been completed.

Oyo

About 400 members of staff of the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, have marched to the palace of Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi over the sack of union leaders.

They urged the monarch to intervene in the labour crisis rocking the institution.

The protesting workers registered their grievances against the purported sack of seven union leaders.

The state government had in an announcement conveyed the sack of the unionists which was hinged on ‘re-organisation’ of the institution.

Workers at the institution and the polytechnic, Ibadan, have been on strike since July to make the government reverse its new tax regime of 18 per cent tax in their gross earning and non-payment of 21 month arrears of the Consolidated Teacher Salary Structure (CONTISS).

The sacked union leaders are chairman, College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Dr Abiodum Aina; secretary, Mr Isiaka Ojo; chairman, Senior Staff Union of the college, Comrade Sikinu Agboluaje; chairman, COEASU, Lanlati Campus, Comrade K Olanrewaju; chairman, Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of the institution, Comrade Olanrewaju Jimoh and one other.

Niger

Bank of Industry (BOI) has said that it has approved a total of N816.984 million as loans to entrepreneurs, including those operating as small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and co-operative groups consisting of rural dwellers, in Niger State.

Managing Director of BOI, Mrs Evelyn Oputu, said in Abuja at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the bank and Niger State government on the N1 billion Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) that loans to SMEs summed up to N714.50 million while that for the co-operative groups stood at N102.48 million.

Oputu, who was represented by the bank’s executive director, Mr Chris Umeh, disclosed that SMEs assisted were those engaged in shea butter production and rice milling while the co-operative groups were men and women engaging in shea butter production, rice processing, cassava processing, melon processing, cattle fattening, among others.

Besides, she pointed out that BOI and its foreign and domestic partners had in the last 18 months, organised capacity building for potential and current entrepreneurs in Niger State.

Niger State commissioner for investments, commerce and industries, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, who said the state had been able to contribute N300 milloin of its own counterpart fund, however, said the state government was not relenting in its efforts at providing its own part of the financing arrangement.

Bauchi

Bauchi State Council of the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 33-year old farmer from Alkaheri, Hussaini Hussaini, for cultivating substances suspected to be Indian hemp in his farm. The agency also arrested two others, Amadi Sunday and Raphael Galadima, for possessing 25 kilogrammes of Indan hemp.

Addresing newsmen in Bauchi, the State Commandant of the Agency, Mr Sule Momodu, explained that Hussaini was arrested on September 22, on his farm while his substance was equally uprooted. Upon interrogation, Hussaini confessed that he got the seed of the substance from Nassarawa state which he used to plant, admitting that besides cultivating the weed, he also smokes the substance.

In a related development, the agency has equally arrested one Amadi Sunday and Raphael Galadima for possessing 25 kilogrammes of Indian hemp which they bought from Kaduna.

Ekiti

Well-wishers of late Pa Lawrance Sunday Adeosun from form all walks of life, stormed Iloro-Ekiti to celebrate the passing of the late Pa Adeosun into eternal glory.

It was a celebration of life as the children and well-wishers stormed the area to celebrate the exit of the 77 years of late Adeosun who was a successful trader, farmer and a devoted Catholic and community leader, who retired from public service in 2005 and settled in Lagos where he died peacefully.

In a sermon, Seminarian Awogbemi Stephen on behalf of the Parish Priest, Rev Fr Francis-Mary Ogundare, during the Funeral Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church, Iloro Ekiti, described Adeosun as a selfless man who used his whole life in the service of the Lord.

Seminarian Awogbemi urged everyone present to walk in accordance with the dictate and injunction of the Holy Bible, saying “let us do our work, so that at the end of the day, we could make bold to say we have run a good race.”

He emphasised the need for good works, while one is still alive, because according to him, that is the only legacy one could leave behind.

Awogbemi condemned acquisition of wealth, saying it was a vanity as none of the property so acquired would be buried with the owner.

“We shall all go naked, just as we came to the world. It is only our soul that would go with us to give account of our deeds while alive,” he added.

He said late Pa Adeosun served the church as an usher until he answered the call of his creator.

The late Pa Adeosun was survived by Mr Peter Adeosun, a chartered accountant, Mrs Funmilayo Adeosun and many other grand children.

Lagos

Lagos High Court presided by Justice Olusola Williams will on October 15, resume hearing in the defence of former Chairman of the National Drug Law Emforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Bello Lafiaji.

The former NDLEA chairman, who is standing trial alongside his former special assistant, Usman Amali for corruption charges had last month opened his defence in the corruption charge filed against him at the Lagos High Court.

He, however, told the court that he was currently a consultant on National Security to Nigeria’s Vision 20-2020 project.

Led by his counsel, Professor Taiwo Osipetan, Lafiaji said “before then, I was the executive chairman of the NDLEA from 2000 to 2005 and had joined the police force in 1973.”

The ICPC is prosecuting Lafiaji and Amali for alleged corruption while in office, and they were accused also of demanding and receiving £164,300 being exhibits seized from a drug suspect, Ikenna Onochie, in a bid to release him and his vehicles from the NDLEA custody.

Lafiaji, according to ICPC, obtained the sun of N50,000 from Bashiru Gadzama and another N450,000 from Garba Yauri both staff of the NDLEA.

On cross examination led by Osipetan, the 12th and final prosecution witness, Mr Femi Oloruntoba, NDLEA director of prosecutions, said Lafiaji did not query him when his (Lafiaji) directive to release Onochie on bail was disobeyed.

He also told the court that the case filed did not include the Euro as exhibit.

Nation

Youths Vow To Continue Protest Over Dilapidated Highway

Published

3 hours ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

Youths from five local government areas in Northern Cross River State have concluded a one-week warning protest and blockade of the dilapidated Ikom-Wula-Obudu federal highway over the weekend.
They have vowed to resume the road blocks if by this week the authorities do not intervene to fix the road.
More than five thousand locals, mostly youths from Obanliku, Etung, Obudu, Ikom and Boki LGAs trooped out everyday for one week, used palm trees to block the highway to draw state and federal government’s attention to their plights, requesting the repair of a road has has been unmotorable for about 40 years.
They warned that if they do not see any actions from the state or federal governments, they will resume their Plan B protest, stop revenue collections and make governance unpalatable.
The youths also warned that without interventions on the road which has claimed several lives, including that of last week when a pregnant woman died with her baby in the full glare of the protesters because of the terrible road, no election can hold in the area next year.
One of the leaders of the No Road , No Election protest, who is also the Abo Youths in Boki LGA, Dr Martins Assam said both the federal and state governments have neglected the region, which generates more than 70 percent state revenue from agriculture.
He said if machinery is not deployed by next week, they will not have any option than to embark on unpalatable and disastrous protest, and stop revenue collections in the area.
“Last week we had only a warning strike for one good week. We’ll embark on a more elaborate, disastrous one-month blockade of this highway until they intervene. We call on our Governor and representatives in the National Assembly to act now by impressing on the federal government to immediately fix this road else. We’re not asking for two much but to be treated as human beings.”
Another protester, Clinton Obi from the Etung axis said, “We’ve been neglected for 40 years. This Ikom-Obudu federal highway had been impassable. The government has removed its concentration from our plights. By this one week protest, we want action on this road otherwise the next phase of protest will be costly.”
Reverend Father Francis Amaozo, priest in charge of St. Nicholas parish in Nashua, Boki LGA said, “I have also been a victim of this very deplorable road. Enough is now enough. We’ve been betrayed by our representatives and other leaders, so that we in this axis have become endangered species on this road. I have lost some many members on this road.”
Member, representing the Boki-Ikom federal constituency of the state in the House of Representatives, Bisong Victor Abang had pleaded with the locals to be a bit more patient with the government as action will commence shortly.

Nation

UNIPORT VC Receives Inaugural Lecture Brochure As Professor Highlights Urgent Need For Drug Repurposing In Malaria Fight

Published

3 hours ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof Owunari Georgewill, last Thursday received the inaugural lecture brochure from the Inaugural Lecturer, Professor Udeme Georgewill, during a ceremony at the university’s Centre of Excellence attended by academics, researchers, students, and distinguished guests.
Delivering her lecture, Professor Udeme Georgewill described the occasion as the culmination of years of dedicated research, teaching, and service to humanity. He explained that his work as a pharmacologist has consistently focused on finding practical, affordable, and scientifically sound solutions to health challenges that disproportionately affect developing countries, particularly malaria, which remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health concerns.
She noted that Nigeria continues to bear one of the heaviest malaria burdens globally, accounting for a significant percentage of worldwide cases and deaths. The disease, largely caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite and transmitted through Anopheles mosquitoes, remains especially dangerous for children under five years and pregnant women, threatening not only present populations but unborn generations. Despite years of intervention efforts, malaria continues to strain families, health systems, and the national economy.
Prof Georgewill empha-sised that while Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies such as Artemether-Lumefantrine remain the gold standard for malaria treatment, emerging resistance patterns pose a serious challenge. He explained that drug resistance is a survival mechanism of the parasite, enabling it to adapt and reduce the effectiveness of medications designed to eliminate it. According to her, instances where patients do not feel better after initial treatment sometimes lead to repeated dosing or the search for injectable alternatives, practices that can worsen resistance and complicate treatment outcomes.
Against this backdrop, she advocated strongly for drug repurposing as a strategic and urgent response. Drug repurposing, he explained, involves identifying new therapeutic uses for already approved and widely available medications. He likened the concept to “old wine in new wineskins,” stressing that medicines already proven safe for certain conditions can be carefully re-evaluated and optimised for new roles in malaria management. This approach, she argued, offers advantages such as reduced research timelines, lower development costs, and faster clinical application compared to developing entirely new drugs from scratch.
She disclosed that her research had progressed from laboratory investigations to clinical evaluations, where his team is studying combinations involving Artemether-Lumefantrine and Ivermectin to determine their effectiveness in improving treatment outcomes and possibly reducing transmission. Clinical trials are ongoing, and findings will be communicated upon completion of regulatory processes. However, he cautioned strongly against self-medication, warning that misuse of drugs without proper diagnosis and prescription can lead to organ damage, treatment failure, and increased resistance.
Referencing global health commitments, Prof Georgewill highlighted Sustainable Development Goal 3.3, which seeks to end epidemics of malaria and other major infectious diseases by 2030. She questioned whether the goal remains attainable under current realities, especially with growing resistance and funding gaps. He also referred to strategies of the World Health Organisation aimed at drastically reducing malaria incidence and mortality while pushing toward elimination in several countries.
Looking ahead, she revealed that her team is building comprehensive research databases to support artificial intelligence-driven drug repurposing. He stressed that the integration of artificial intelligence, molecular docking, and advanced screening technologies is transforming global drug discovery, and Nigerian researchers must be equipped to participate competitively in this evolving scientific landscape.
In her recommendations, she called for the establishment of a National Centre for Drug Repurposing to coordinate research efforts and leverage artificial intelligence in identifying new indications for existing medicines. He urged policymakers to simplify and accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical application, ensuring that scientific breakthroughs benefit the public more efficiently. She also appealed to the university and relevant authorities to increase funding and modernise laboratory infrastructure, including high-throughput screening facilities, to strengthen Nigeria’s position in global biomedical research.
The lecture concluded with expressions of gratitude to God, the university leadership, colleagues, students, and guests, as the event underscored the University of Port Harcourt’s commitment to research excellence and its role in addressing critical public health challenges facing Nigeria and the wider world.

Nation

Niger CAN Rejects Proposed Hisbah Bill, Urges Gov Bago Not To Assent

Published

3 hours ago

February 16, 2026

The Tide

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Niger State Chapter, has rejected the proposed Niger State Hisbah Directorates Bill, describing it as controversial and capable of deepening religious division in the state.
In a statement signed by the State Chairman, Bishop Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, and made available to The Tide’s source yesterday, the association urged Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago not to assent to the bill if it is passed by the State House of Assembly.
The bill, sponsored by the member representing Chanchaga Constituency, Hon. Mohammed Abubakar, seeks to establish a Hisbah Directorate in Niger State.
CAN warned that the legislation could be perceived as discriminatory against Christians and may heighten tension in the religiously diverse state.
“Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, we, the entire Christendom in the state, wish to draw your attention to what could easily create division among the people you govern,” the statement read in part.
The association questioned the necessity and benefits of the proposed law, asking what economic or social value it would add to the state.
It further argued that existing security agencies, including the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, already have constitutional mandates to maintain law and order.
The Christian body also faulted the legislative process, disputing claims that it was consulted during a public hearing on the bill.
It insisted that it was neither invited nor notified of any such engagement, despite being a critical stakeholder in the state.