Nation
THE STATES
Mr Markus Gundiri, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Governorship candidate for Adamawa, Mr. Markus Gundiri, has promised to resuscitate the ailing agro-allied industries in the state, if elected in April. Gundiri, who made the promise in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, said he planned to achieve the goal by collaborating with the private sector.
He said the major challenge of such industries had been the lack of sufficient electricity supply.
Gundiri said he would also concentrate on the exploration of the mineral deposits, to enable the state to earn foreign exchange.
He expressed the desire to contest the seat, to enable him to change the lot of the people by addressing poverty and underdevelopment in the state.
Poverty, he said, would assume an alarming proportion if left unaddressed.
Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa has appealed to politicians in the country to shun sentiments in their campaigns for votes.
Lamido made the appeal at Yankwashi, Jigawa, while inaugurating a new road linking Yankwashi Local Government Area with other parts of the state.
“It is unfortunate that my fellow politicians use religion, tribalism and sectionalism to seek support from people.
“This time around we are no longer going to tolerate this; we are all Nigerians and we belong to one nation, one destiny and one family,’’ the governor said.
He appealed to the people to come out en-masse and vote for President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo.
According to the governor, the Goodluck/Sambo ticket on PDP platform is a good omen for the country.
The Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA),Kaduna, Maj.-Gen. Chukwu Onwuamaegbu, has described social interaction with the civil society as necessary for the Nigerian Army to succeed.
Onwuamaegbu made the remark in Kaduna, during the West African Social Activities (WASA)/Physical Military Training, organised by the Nigerian Army depot. The event was held in honour of 65 Regular Recruit Intakes in Zaria, Kaduna State.
He said that social interactions remained vital in fostering unity between the army, their friends, families and the public.
According to him, it promotes peace, unity, understanding and affinity, thereby keeping soldiers’ minds alert.
The Kano State chapter of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) has begun negotiations with the state government to find ways of improving its health care delivery.
The Chairman of the union, Malam Kabir Ado, who disclosed this to newsmen in Kano, said the decision followed the procurement of medical equipment and drugs for government hospitals in the state.
He said the forum was being attended by the representatives of the health workers in the state and officials of the state government, adding that the outcome of the meeting would determine the union’s next line of action.
On the implementation of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for the members of the union, Ado said the body had rejected the offer of 70 per cent implementation by the state government.
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has charged five persons to a Magistrate’s Court in Jega, Kebbi State for allegedly violating the Electoral Act during the nationwide voter registration.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Kabir Ahmed, told newsmen that two of the accused persons engaged in double registration in Gwandu and Birnin Kebbi Local Government Areas. He said the commission registered a total of 1,638,325 voters during the exercise. Ahmed said the exercise was successful, stressing that some of the challenges it encountered were addressed while registration officers were orderly.
The REC said apart from the initial protests by NYSC Assistant Registration Officers who objected to their non engagement for the exercise, no negative incident was recorded.
The Kogi State Government has commenced full implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) for doctors in its health institutions. Dr Dorcas Onuminya, the state’s Commissioner for Health, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lokoja said payment of the new salary commenced in July last year.
The commissioner said that nurses and other health personnel in the Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, had also started enjoying the Consolidated Health Salary Scale (CONHESS).
She, however, confirmed that nurses and other health personnel in the state’s Health Management Board and the health ministry were yet to benefit from the new scale because of its high financial implications.
The National President of the Nigerian chapter of Junior Chamber International (JCI), Mr Julius Mmejim has called on the Federal Government to train more youths in information technology and agriculture.
He made the call in Ilorin recently at a news conference held to announce the group’s Area ‘A’ National Conference tagged “Garin-Alimi 2011″.
Mmejim said that such youth-training activities would go a long way to address the menace of unemployment and youth restiveness in the country.
He urged the government to empower the youth through various skill acquisition activities, saying that the menace of unemployment had forced many youths to go into crime.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday took to court the former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr Raymond Omatseye, over alleged illegal transfer of the agency’s funds.
In an 11-count charge brought before Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Lagos, the EFCC said that the ex-NIMASA boss illegally transferred 300,000 pounds sterling from the agency’s account.
According to the EFCC, Omatseye allegedly used the money to fund the candidacy of one Mrs Mbanefo as the Secretary-General of International Maritime Organisation.
The EFCC also alleged that Omatseye used his position as the Director-General of NIMASA to award contracts to 10 companies without approval from the NIMASA board.
The companies included Wabil Nigeria Limited, Franxeel Limited, Layol Commercial Services Nigeria Limited, Harmach Integral Services Ltd and Njamu Nig. Ltd.
Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has admonished Nigerians to remain united to ensure the country’s rapid development.
Obasanjo made the call in Minna recently at the launch of the re-election campaign of Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger.
He expressed dismay that those fuelling disunity in the country were those who had benefitted immensely from Nigeria through sound education and good positions in government.
The former president said that it was regrettable that these Nigerians were now calling for the country’s disunity, using religious and ethnic sentiments.
He advised all the citizens to endeavour to promote Nigeria’s unity, noting that such concerted efforts would engender the country’s development in a pragmatic way.
Obasanjo said he believed that the mistakes of Nigeria’s past leaders could be corrected by the current generation of Nigerians if they supported their leaders in efforts to foster quality governance.
INEC in Ondo State says it registered about 1.55 million eligible voters during the recently-concluded voter registration.
The INEC administrative secretary in the state, Dr Samson Awujoola, told newsmen in Akure that the electoral body was able to overcome the initial hiccups.
He said Akure North local government had the highest number of voters with about 251,468 people registered.
He said Akoko South East local government recorded the lowest eligible voters with 26, 875 people.
Awujoola further said that the all the 18 Local Government Areas of the state supported the corps members and relevant security agencies to ensure success.
Education stakeholders have advised the Osun State Government to be cautious over its plan to return some public schools to their original owners.
The stakeholders gave the advice in a communiqué, issued at the end of the two-day Osun Education Summit, held in Osogbo from February 7 to Feb. 8.
Members of the Summit Committee, Mrs Modupe Ajayi-Gbagbo, Mrs Kemi Adesina and Mr Semiu Okanlawon signed the communiqué.
The conference said the return of schools to their original owners in Osun was a very sensitive issue that needed serious deliberation and consultation before action could be taken.
The 18-point communiqué also stated that education policies should be devoid of political considerations, while appointments, recruitment and execution of projects in the education sector should be based on merit.
It also urged the state government to give the deserved priority to education to rescue it from crisis.
Automobile spare parts dealers at the Delimi market in Jos have announced their relocation to Jos-North shopping complex in the wake of the reccurrent crisis in the state.
Mr Anselem Ebosie, Chairman, Jos-North Automobile Spare Parts Association (JASPA), told newsmen in Jos that the relocation was necessitated by incessant attacks at their former base.
He said: “The crisis at Delimi has led to the loss of so many lives. The market is on the street, and we were always victims of the riots. That made it difficult for us to operate.
“The recent killing of many of our members around the market was the last straw.”
Ebosie said the traders would not return to Delimi, but listed challenges facing them at the new market to include the absence of toilet facilities and the lack of adequate security.
He appealed to Jos North Local Government authorities and managers of the market to provide the facilities to ensure a more conducive atmosphere for business.
Former Chairman of Isa Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Alhaji Abdullahi Yusuf, has expressed optimism that the people will massively vote for Governor Aliyu Wamakko during the April polls.
“Sokoto people are not clamouring for any political change because we are comfortable with the manifesto of the PDP-led administration under Wamakko,” he said.
Yusuf told newsmen in Isa that the “people-oriented programmes” embarked upon by the administration had reformed the state for optimal goals.
He said the government’s creation of jobs for over 70,000 youths and women through the skill acquisition programmes had enhanced socio-economic and political development of the state.
“What we fail to achieve in eight years was made possible by Wamakko administration in less than four years.”
He called on the electorate to vote for all PDP candidates in the April polls, to ensure continuity.
“Any person that offers you money, collect it but make sure you cast your votes for Wamakko in April,” he said.
The Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP) has inducted and given orientation to 100 Ogoni youths for training on Creative Arts. The beneficiaries were drawn from Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The induction and orientation ceremony, which took place at the CRAB of the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt on Wednesday, was a prelude to the training proper, billed to commence next Tuesday.
As usual, HYPREP issued undertaking forms to the trainees, for them to complete and submit as a guarantee that they would subject themselves to the requirements of the programme as well as be of good behaviour throughout the four-month duration of the training.
HYPREP also announced that it would pay N150,000 to each of the beneficiaries monthly, as transport and feeding allowance, stressing, however, that only those who fully participate in the training would be entitled for the allowance.
Speaking at the event, the Project Coordinator of HYPREP, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, welcomed the trainees to the programme, saying, HYPREP’s projects are evolving and that one thing that is happening today is that the Project has gotten leadership right, by making promises and keeping those promises.
According to him, the Project had equally promised to move away from rudimentary skills acquisition to high impacts acquisition levels, which it has kept today by sponsoring the training on Creative Arts.
He noted that in planning its livelihood programmes for Ogoni youths, HYPREP has taken time out to look for skills that would add value to the lives of the beneficiaries.
Zabbey, who was represented at the event by the Director of Technical Services, Prof Damian-Paul Aguiyi said by packaging the Creative Arts training, it was expected that the Ogoni people would have their own version of Nollywood known as Ogoniwood just as Nigerians are familiar with Hollywood, Bollywood, Kannywood and Nollywood.
To achieve this goal, the Project Coordinator explained that it was the reason for choosing a reputable establishment like Halibiz Consult Limited, to partner with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Port Harcourt, which he described as one of the most prestigious in the Niger Delta, for the training of the beneficiaries.
He also indicated that in doing this, HYPREP was desirous of going for talents that would help the Ogoni people grow in the film industry, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously.
Zabbey equally enjoined the trainees to put in their best so that in the next three to five years, they would carve a niche for themselves and become forces to reckon with in the film industry.
On her part, HYPREP’s Head of Sustainable Livelihood, Mrs Josephine Nzidee said HYPREP does what it says it will, stressing that the process of training Ogoni youths on specialised skills started three years ago.
According to her, the selection process for the training was rigorous and transparent, and was carried out by renowned actors actresses.
She disclosed that the training consists of three major aspects, which include acting, script writing and make-up, while Nollywood actors like Charles Nnoje, Ngezu J. Ngezu and award-winning make-up artist, Jude Odo would be on hand to drill and groom the beneficiaries.
Mrs Nzidee noted that the programme is a specialised training that does not have anything like starter packs but that it is purely a professional certification programme that would launch the beneficiaries into the Nollywood industry in Nigeria.
According to her, the Creative Arts training is one of the four specialised trainings organised by HYPREP to ensure that the Ogoni people are well positioned in vital industries like Aviation, Maritime, Creative Arts and Mechatronics.
She said the last of such trainings on Mechatronics would take place in the coming months, and urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously so as to put the Ogoni people on the Nollywood map.
She further indicated that while Charles Nnoje and Ngezu J. Ngezu would take the beneficiaries on the practical aspects, Jude Odo would take them on the make-up aspects.
Also speaking, the External Relations Manager of Halibiz Consult Limited, Alabo Experience Douglas said his company gives much premium to standard and quality, and assured that the firm would give the trainees value for the money spent on the programme.
While charging the beneficiaries to be dedicated and punctual, he stressed the need for them to approach the programme with the mindset of being empty so that at the end of the day, they would benefit maximally.
On his part, the Head of the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Port Harcourt, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo said the CRAB is an acronym for Creative Review of Arts and Books, stressing that it was named by renowned playwright, Prof Ola Rotimi.
According to him, the CRAB had nurtured, groomed and produced Nollywood actors and actresses like Bobmanuel Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu,Francis Duru, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda, Julius Agwu, and a host of others, assuring the beneficiaries that they were on fertile environment to hone their talents.
He noted that symbolically, the crab is a nutritious seafood common in the Niger Delta, and reiterated the need for the beneficiaries to come empty for the training, as it were.
Ihunwo disclosed that the theory classes of the programme would run for three weeks while the fourth week would be for the master classes, and urged the trainees to avail themselves of the opportunity to make a difference by telling the Ogoni story, which he described as inexhaustible by themselves, in order to put Ogoni on the map.
A 23-year-old student of Nasarawa State University identified as Jatau Rilokwah, has been reportedly found dead in the university’s senior staff quarters.
A counter-insurgency expert, focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this on his X handle on Tuesday.
According to him, the discovery was made on April 27, 2025, by a security officer at the university, Emmanuel Gyawo.
He stated that Gwayo was directed by Prof. Shedrack Jatau to check on his son upon arriving at the residence, and he found Rilokwah hanging from the ceiling.
“Professor Jatau, who was reportedly out of the State at the time, was informed of the incident. A team of police detectives, led by the Divisional Crime Officer of Angwan Lambu, was dispatched to the scene.
“The body showed no signs of violence, and no suicide note was found. Rilokwah was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he further stated.
He added that the student’s corpse had been deposited in the hospital morgue.
He also quoted police sources as saying that investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Ogun State Government has partnered with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun says is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000.
Abiodun disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times,” the governor said.
As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre will be repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery.
“I told them to shut it down. Practically, we want to bring it down and turn it into a gallery for you to use as an exhibition gallery,” he told Davies-Okundaye.
He added that the gallery will be ready before the National Sports Festival in May, when the State will host about 15,000 visitors.
“I want them to be able to see our tourist sites,” he said, listing attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.
Highlighting Ogun’s improved infrastructure, the governor said, “Now that we’ve succeeded in having the intra and inter-state roads in place, you can come to Ogun State by rail; you can come by air. We’ve constructed one of the best airports in Nigeria, and very soon, you will be able to come by sea.”
Davies-Okundaye, in her remarks, praised the state’s efforts to promote tourism and pledged to use the new gallery to attract global attention.
“This gallery will bring many Heads of State. The one I opened in Abuja already has more than 10 Heads of State, including those from South Korea and the Czech Republic. The same will happen here,” she said.
She also applauded the Governor for his commitment to the Adire fabric industry.
“Adire is all over Nigeria, but Ogun has been promoting Adire for over 50 years. Today, the only cloth we can call our own is called Adire. This is what we can sell to the Europeans,” she said.
Abiodun reaffirmed his administration’s backing of the Adire industry, citing policies such as the Adire Ogun Digital Marketplace, compulsory wearing of Adire in the state, and provision of solar-powered production equipment to support artisans.
He also revealed plans to open a creative arts and entertainment village in partnership with Bolanle Austen-Peters, expected to be completed within two months.