Nation
THE STATES
FCT
The Executive Director of Conscience Nigeria (CN), Mr Tosin Adeyanju, has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to reposition itself to fight corruption as the integrity of the judiciary is waning.
Adeyanju said in Abuja that the council’s role in restoring the integrity of the judiciary could not be overemphasised.
He explained that this was because of the composition of the council with the Chief Justice of Nigeria, as its head.
The executive director said that the menace of corruption had assumed an unimaginable proportion in Nigeria that even the judiciary widely regarded as the citadel of justice was in it.
“Unfortunately, the present reality of deep-rooted corruption or the perception of it, appears to undermine the credibility of judiciary in the eye of Nigerians.
Gombe
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last Monday said it would execute a project in one of the schools at Dukku Emirate in Gombe State as part of the bank’s intervention programmes in education.
The CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido, disclosed this during a visit to the Emir of Dukku, Alhaji Haruna Rasheed in Dukku. Lamido told the Emir to identify the school where the bank would execute the project.
“We have good news. The Central Bank of Nigeria is embarking on projects in schools this year. “We will like the emir to name a school in Dukku so that we will embark on the project,” he said.
Sanusi commiserated with the new emir over the death of his father, Alhaji Abdulrasheed and congratulated him on his appointment.
Jigawa
Chairmen of the 27 local governments in Jigawa on Tuesday donated 54 motorcycles to the policemen posted to their respective domains.
The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Salisu Ndarawa, made the presentation in Dutse on behalf of the chairmen.
Ndarawa said that the gesture was to assist the policemen to carry out their duties effectively at the grassroots.
He said the chairmen contributed money to purchase the motorcycles in order to ease the operation of the policemen deployed to their areas.
“From our calculation, each of the 27 local government areas will get two motorcycles,” he added.
Katsina
About 50 youths participated in a cycling competition organised by the Ingawa Local Government Council in Katsina State on Tuesday.
The race which covered a distance of 24 kilometres from the roundabout at Ingawa town, attracted many spectators from within and outside of the area.
Presenting prizes to the winners of the competition, caretaker chairman of the local government, Alhaji Hussaini Dambo said that the aim of the competition was to enhance unity among the youths of the area.
Dambo, who was represented by a councillor, Alhaji Lawal Murtala, also said the cycling race would enhance the physical fitness of the participants.
He called on the youth to engage in sporting activities, assuring that the council was ready to assist them in that direction.
Kebbi
The Kebbi Government has released N90 million for the payment of registration fees for indigent students studying at Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.
The Executive Secretary of the state Scholarship Board, Alhaji Murtala Yauri, in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday that the amount would be remitted to the university.
He said that the board would also ensure payment of fees for students in other institutions to ensure their studies were not disrupted.
He said that education was free in the state “and we expect beneficiaries to justify the resources invested in them.’’
Yauri said the board would not delay the payment, stressing that each beneficiary would be paid through the banks.
He said the board had also purchased the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) forms worth N2.5million for free distribution to qualified indigent candidates.
“Only those with minimum requirement would be considered,” he said.
Lagos
A 20-year-old man, Seyi Martins, who allegedly stole a laptop and some personal effects, was on Tuesday charged before an Apapa Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
Martins allegedly broke into a house and stole the items worth N197, 000 according to the prosecution. The accused, who lives at Maza Maza area in Ojo on the Lagos-Badagry expressway, is facing a two-count charge of unlawfully breaking into a premises and stealing.
The prosecutor, Cpl. John Iberedem, told the court that the accused scaled the fence of Mrs Kate Ukabia’s house in her absence and gained entry into her room, where he stole a plasma TV, a laptop and a mobile phone valued at N197, 000.
Iberedem said the offences which were committed on January 22 at 1.00p.m. at No. 15, Church St. Dansa Village, Tedi-Ojo, contravended Sections 285 and 409 ofthe Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.
Nasarawa
Governor Tanko Al-makura of Nasarawa State said on Tuesday that a stakeholders’ meeting would be convened to proffer solution to the lingering crisis in the state.
He stated this when he visited Barkin Abdullahi to sympathise with the people and to ascertain the level of destruction in the area.
The governor condemned senseless killings among the different ethnic groups of Agatu, Eggon and Fulani over issues which dialogue could resolve.
Al-Makura stressed the need for people to live in peace with one another, in spite of their differences.
“We strongly need this unity if we are to continue to forge ahead as an indivisble entity”, he said.
Niger
The Niger/Kwara/Kogi Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has generated N451.7 million as revenue last year, the Area Controller, Alhaji Aminu Dangaladima, has said.
Dangaladima who said that the amount was about 25 per cent higher than the command’s set target of N360 million, attributed the feat to the support and co-operation of motor dealers in the states during a stakeholders meeting held in Minna.
The controller urged the dealers to impress on their customers to pay the correct customs duty for their imported vehicles before plying the roads to avoid embarrassment.
He said the command had been adjudged as the most improved command by the customs high command and was given an award for their achievement last year on its revenue collection efforts and enforcement.
Ogun
The Justice, Development and Peace Commission of the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, disbursed N14 million micro-credit loans to farmers in the state in the last one year, an official said.
The Assistant Coordinator, the Diocesan Agricultural Development Programme of the commission, Mrs Cordelia Obi, disclosed this in an interview on Tuesday in Ijebu-Ode.
Obi said that the loan was given to the farmers to promote sustainable and improved agricultural development in the area.
She said that the loan was disbursed to 35 farmer groups in Ogun East senatorial district, adding that the department had 60 farmer groups.
Osun
The Osun State Government said it would assist pig farmers as part of efforts to promote agriculture activities.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security in the state, Mr Wale Adedoyin, made the pledge at a meeting with members of the Pig Farmers Association of Nigeria in Osogbo.
Adedoyin urged the farmers to form cooperative societies to enable them access government interventions, and said the government would provide high breed pigs to farmers as well as construct modern abattoir where the farmers would process and package pig meat.
According to the commissioner, the State Government is ready to assist pig farmers through stocking and feeding.
He directed them to present their proposals within two weeks to his office for appropriate action.
Taraba
The Acting Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, has pledged to overhaul the state-owned media houses for effective coverage of the state.
He made the pledge when he met with Alhaji Abdullahi Garba, the Chairman of state’s Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Monday in Jalingo.
Our correspondent reports that the two state-owned broadcast media outfits, Taraba Television and Taraba Broadcasting Service go on air for less than two hours a day.
The Acting governor also announced donation of two 18 seater buses to the union to ease movements of journalists in the state.
He explained that the first bus would be provided by the end of February while the second would be given by the end of March.
Earlier, the NUJ Chairman appealed to the acting governor to intervene in the problem plaguing the state-owned media houses.
A non- governmental organisation under the aegis of South South Media Association has presented an award to the Divisional Police Officer, Omoku ,CSP John Ladan.
The event which held recently in Omoku in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, saw the attendance of top ranking officers and well wishers who gathered to celebrate an icon.
Presenting the award, the Chairman of the group, Kio Hopeson, said following the DPO’s selfless service to humanity, peace and development of the society, the group found him worthy to receive the award.
Hopeson hinted that the award had long been overdue, as his posting to Omoku had brought about peace, social harmony and drastic reduction of crime, saying, his open door policy and ensuring that every stakeholder is carried along in the fight against crime, was a contributing factor.
He said their investigation revealed that the people were extremely pleased with the reduction of crime under his watch in the area, stressing that his effort to interface with everyone has boosted the cooperation between the police and the residents.
On his part, the recipient, CSP John Ladan thanked the group for the honour done him.
The DPO expressed his gratitude to God and the Commissioner of Police for the support given him to serve.
He urged the people to see the police as friends as their job is protection of lives and property.
As part of efforts towards enrolment into the National Health Fellows programm of the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government in partnership with the World Health Organisation, (WHO) and other development partners has started the process of interviews for the selection of health professionals to be enrolled into the programme.
The National Health Fellows Programme is an interventionist initiative by the Federal and State Governments following the declaration of a state-of-emergency on the health sector by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
The initiative is aimed at reducing the physical and financial burdens on health-seeking Nigerians.
Briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Acting Director, Research and Planning, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Juliane Nwoke, who spoke on behalf of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Adaeze Oreh said the programme is expected to enrol 774 persons representing each of the local government areas in the country.
In Rivers State, she said 23 persons are expected to emerge from the 69 shortlisted candidates, adding that already, nine persons have been interviewed, adding that the successful candidates would be engaged by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support the provision of healthcare services especially public health at both local, state and national levels.
She explained that core areas of competencies of shortlisted candidates includes public health, proficiency in Information and Communication Technology and data management.
“We have interviewed already, about nine candidates and by the end of today, we’ll be interviewing about 29 candidates.
“The interviews will end officially today for Rivers State because we are expected to interview 69 candidates.
“Specific competencies were considered in the selection process with interest on competencies in public health, ICT and data management, so we received the shortlist of candidates which we expect are based on these competencies.
“As you may know, there is a global and local shortage of manpower, so the 23 who qualifies in this round will add to the skilled manpower that is needed to drive healthcare delivery.
“As per impact, this fellows would be engaged directly by the Federal Government for a period of one year to support healthcare delivery and population health management at the local government, state and perhaps national levels, working directly from their LGAs,” she stated.
Dr. Nwoke assured shortlisted candidates of fairness in the screening process, maintaining that only the best will emerge at the end of the exercise.
John Bibor
The Nigeria Civil Service Union(NCSU) has described as unacceptable, callous, wicked and cruel the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court last Friday, concerning Rivers State political crisis, saying they are nothing to write home about.
This is even as the union has said Nigeria is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is not upheld but thrown overboard.
The union equally took to the cleaners the Justices, who gave the judgments and pronouncements, for allegedly mortgaging their consciences, and urged Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara not to obey the judgments until such a time that the case bordering on the defection of the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, pending at the Court of Appeal is dispensed with.
The Rivers State Chairman of NCSU, Comrade Chukwuka Richman Osumah, who canvassed this position in an interview in Port Harcourt, particularly described the judgment ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) and the Accountant General of the Federation not to release the Federal Allocations of Rivers State as not only callous and wicked but cruel and self-serving.
He said civil servants in the State in particular reject the judgements and pronouncements of the apex court in their totality, and enjoined them to rise up against all plots and machinations to unseat the Governor, as a demonstration of their love, support and solidarity for him, contending that folding their arms and watching the plots to succeed, would amount to giving the enemies of the State a free rein to overrun the State.
He said the workers firmly believe that those fighting Governor Fubara, are not only fighting him but the people of the State, and enjoined them to rally round the Governor, who he noted has put smiles on their faces within the short period he has been in office.
Osumah noted that the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements are an attempt by enemies of the State to pull the hands of the clock backwards, considering the monumental achievements of the Fubara administration so far.
He said it is unfortunate that the Justices who handed down the judgments and pronouncements, have through their actions and inaction, desecrated the sacred temple of justice, and by so doing making the judiciary a laughing stock in the eyes of the world, instead of elevating it in such a way that it becomes the much-acclaimed last hope of the masses and the common people in the country.
He decried a situation where the country’s judiciary has rather degenerated to a level where the highest bidders have held it hostage, at the expense of the ordinary people, saying it is a strong indication that the country is fast drifting to a Banana Republic, where the rule of law is bastardised and thrown overboard.
According to him, the judgements and pronouncements portend grave danger for the State and the people, as they are a recipe for chaos, confusion and unabated crises.
Osumah further lamented a situation where the case bordering on the defection of the Martin Amaewhule-led lawmakers is relegated to the background while other contending issues are given undue preference and preeminence, saying the defection case is rather the kernel and pivot on which every other matters concerning the political crisis in the State gravitate.
The labour leader, therefore, stressed the need for the execution of the Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements to wait, pending the final determination of the defection suit, describing as hasty and preposterous the issuance of a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Fubara by the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, to present before them the 2025 Budget of the State.
Osumah equally reminded civil servants in the State that the time has come for them to boldly rise up and defend one of their own, and never allow the shenanigans of the old order to overwhelm and subject them once more to the throes and pangs of penury, poverty and needless suffering and hardship.
He recalled with glee that Governor Fubara has wiped away their tears, by not only providing a conducive environment for them to operate but also making sure that their welfare needs are given top priority, thereby restoring and providing all that the enemies of the State had denied them in the past.
While reiterating that the entire workforce in the State vehemently reject the judgments and pronouncements of the Supreme Court, Osumah said the apex court has through such judgements and pronouncements, declared war against the State and her people.