Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
Adamawa State Government has spent over N223 million to pay 2009 NECO and WAEC examination fees for students from the state.
The Commissioner for Education, Mr Gabriel Adama, disclosed this in Yola recently at a news conference.
He said: “I want to say that it was, however, a big loss for us because over 90 per cent of the students failed the examination.’’
Describing the situation as unacceptable, the commissioner
said that out of the 28,000 students who sat for the examination, only seven per cent of them got the required credits including English and Mathematics.
Bauchi
A lecturer , Prof. Sulaiman Bogoro of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, (ATBU) Bauchi, has said that auditing of public and private agencies was crucial for accountability and promotion of good governance.
Bogoro made the statement in a paper he presented on Tuesday at the Conference of the body of Federal and State Auditors-General in Bauchi.
He said accountability and transparency in leadership are necessary as without them, some leaders or heads of organisations engage in secrecy and corrupt manipulation of the system.
Ekiti
Hundreds of giant-sized posters of President Goodluck Jonathan for President in 2011 have flooded major streets in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.
The Tide’s source reports that the posters carried the message “Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for 2011 Presidential election. Let us encourage him for peaceful co-existence in Nigeria, courtesy of Ekiti New Era Forum”.
The posters are posted on electricity poles, stationery vehicles and some buildings in the metropolis.
The posters, which had PDP logo and the picture of Jonathan are on major streets such as Fajuyi round about, Okesa, Governor’s office road, Iyin road, Okeyinmi, secretariat road among others.
FCT
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has instituted more than 50 cases and got more than 100 convictions in the last two years.
Mrs Farida Waziri, the Chairman of EFCC, made the statement in Abuja on Monday during an interaction with newsmen.
“ We can conveniently boast that we inherited about 10 profile cases when we took over about two years ago.
“We have not only instituted 50 high profile cases, we have secured over 100 convictions with a record of recovery that towers above 3.5 billion dollars and over 1,200 cases pending in court.”
Jigawa
The Jigawa government has inaugurated a six-man committee to implement its sanitation policies and promote good hygiene, Alhaji Abdulkadir Jinjiri, the Commissioner for Community Development and Rural Infrastructure, said on Friday.
He told newsmen in Dutse that the committee was formed to utilise the 2009 Millennium Development Goals Conditional Grant Scheme for the implementation of sanitation and good hygiene policies.
He explained that the committee would carry out advocacy and sanitation visits to policy makers, political, religious and traditional rulers in order to gain support for sanitation and hygiene promotion at local governments and community levels.
Kaduna
The Christian Community, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has organised a memorial service in remembrance of the first indigenous Vice Chancellor and Registrar of the university.
A statement issued by the institution’s Information and Protocol Officer Bitrus Galmaka, stated that the duo were late Prof. Ishaya Audu and late Michael Angulu, the first indigenous vice chancellor and registrar respectively
It noted that the memorial service was “to honour these pioneers of the Christian community whose services and sacrifices contributed immensely to the foundation laying of ABU’’.
It indicated that 27 others, whose ages ranged from 70 and above, were also honoured for their meritorious sacrifices in the service of the institution.
Kano
Thousands of Qur’anic pupils, known as “Almajiris,” have moved out of Kano metropolis due to the commencement of the rainy season, Tide’s source reports.
The pupils, majority of whom came from Yobe, Jigawa, Katsina, Bauchi and Kaduna states and parts of Kano states, left the commercial town to engage in farming in their respective communities.
Investigation by the source in Kano shows that the almajiris have deserted most of the areas they were usually seen begging for alms, since the exodus began about two weeks ago.
Such places included restaurants, motor parks, mosques and markets, where only pockets of them could now be sighted loading goods, washing plates and begging.
Kwara
Dr. Hammed Ali, Kwara Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, has called for the construction of more prisons as a panacea for decongesting prisons in the country.
Ali made the call on Monday when he paid a courtesy visit to the Comptroller of Prisons in the state, Mr. Olatunde Olayiwola, in llorin.
Ali suggested that private organisations should be involved in the construction and management of prisons.
“If about 227 prison houses in Nigeria accommodate 50,000 inmates and out of these about 42 per cent are awaiting trial suspects, then we need more prison houses”, he said.
Lagos
The Dangote Group says local production of iron rods and steel would reduce the incidence of building collapse and other construction failures in the country.
Mr. Sankasu Balasubramania, Technical Director of the group, disclosed this to journalists who were on a facility tour of Dangote Steel Rolling Mills in Osogbo on Sunday.
He said that the increasing of building collapse and construction failures would be tackled through production of quality iron rods locally.
Balasubramania said that Dangote Steel Rolling Mill, which would commence production in October, this year, would produce over 350,000 tonnes of quality steel products annually.
Osun
Mrs. Omolola Oyinlola, wife of Osun Governor, has expressed concern over the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy among secondary school girls.
She expressed the concern during a sensitisation visit to St. Mary’s Grammar School, Iwo, Osun.
Oyinlola, who is the initiator of Women and Children Development Initiative Foundation (WOCDIF), called on stakeholders to join hands with her to stem the tide.
The Tide’s source reports that the visit is part of her awareness campaign on teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, cancer and maternal/child mortality.
Oyo
The Association of Fish Farmers and Aqua-culturists of Nigeria (AFFAN) in Oyo State, has called on the Federal Governments to create special silos for maize and soya beans.
The Chairman, Mr Peter Farinto, told newsmen on Tuesday in Ibadan that the two crops formed the major raw materials for the production of local fish feeds.
“If government could store the raw materials, an enabling environment would be created for the sustenance of the fish farming business which depended largely on fish feeds, to boost local production,” Farinto said.
Plateau
The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has cautioned against illegal mining, saying the lead poisoning in Zamfara that reportedly killed 163 persons, was regrettable.
The MAN National President, Sani Shehu, told newsmen in Jos, that the incident, which occurred in Anka and Bukkuyum Local Government Areas of Zamfara was “purely a result of illegal mining”.
He said, “most minerals contain one level of impurity or the other. Some of these impurities are radio-active in nature. Some of them release poisonous gases that are not visible.
“That is why when you are operating a formalised form of mining, issues like safety, radioactivity and other poisonous gases will be discussed and addressed”, he cautioned.
Sokoto
The Sokoto State Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Prof. Musa Maitafsir, has said that the government plans to ban begging in the area.
Maitafsir said the plan will come into effect only after all the destitute persons have been brought under a scheme where they would be paid monthly stipend.
The commissioner disclosed that the government was currently spending over N45 milliioon on 7,000 destitute persons every month.
He told newsmen in Sokoto that each of the beneficiaries was being given N6,500 monthly.
“This gesture has been on for about two years and it will be sustained to alleviate the suffering of the less privileged persons.
“More of them will soon be brought under the scheme introduced by Governor Aliyu Wamakko to reduce the menace of begging in the state”, Maitafsir said.
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