State Government
Sheik Gumi: Shoot-on-sight order hindering rescue of abducted Kaduna students
Renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, has said the shoot-on-sight order of President Muhammdu Buhari is hindering the efforts to negotiate the release of the kidnapped students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Kaduna. Earlier in the month, Buhari had asked security operatives to gun down those carrying arms illegally in the forests. Speaking with Daily Trust on Thursday, the cleric said some of the bandits he met in the forest during his peace meetings have assisted in identifying the leader of the gang responsible for the abduction of the students. Gumi said despite identifying the leader of the gang, he has been unable to reach out to him because of the shoot-on-sight order of the president. The cleric added that during his previous tours to the bandits’ dens, he m...
Bandits kill nine in Kaduna communities
Bandits terrorising Kaduna State have killed nine people in communities in Birnin Gwari and Giwa Local Government Areas of the state. The killings were confirmed in a statement on Thursday in Kaduna by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan. Aruwan said security agencies reported the killings to the state government. He said the security report indicated that the bandits barricaded the Dogon Dawa-Kuyello road, Birnin Gwari LGA and shot six people dead. The commissioner said in a similar attack on Ungwan Maje, also in Birnin Gwari LGA, the bandits killed two people. The statement added that the bandits further attacked Kwama village in Giwa LGA and killed one Nasiru Rufai, after he resisted attempts to kidnap him. According to the statement, “Security age...
Oyo rolls out coronavirus vaccination programme
The Oyo State Government on Wednesday joined other states across Nigeria to rollout the COVID-19 vaccination exercise. The state flagged off the exercise in Ibadan with the first consignment of 127,740 doses it received from the Federal Government. Gov. Seyi Makinde was inoculated with Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at exactly 12.20 p.m. During the flag-off, Makinde said that the state had made decision on a sterility test of the vaccine as precautionary measure to ascertain its safety and efficacy. “I have very low tolerance for physical pain, but when duty calls you have to do what you have to do. “I am getting vaccinated today as a show of leadership and to let the people know that they have to be protected. “I ordered for sterility tests because when I asked questions about the origin of t...
Senator Tinubu donates N50 million to victims of Katsina market inferno
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has donated N50 million to victims of Katsina Central Market fire incident and called for the reopening of the market to enable traders resume commercial activities. The former Lagos State governor, who announced the donation while addressing the affected traders at the ravaged market Wednesday, said he would continue to support the state government and the traders to rebuild the affected shops. Tinubu, who was accompanied to the scene by Governor Aminu Bello Masari; his Deputy, Mannir Yakubu and the Secretary to the State Government, Mustapha Inuwa, expressed shock over the fire disaster. He said the immediate reopening of the market would enable the victims to ascertain the number of properties lost and kickst...
Abia governor promises delivery of more road projects
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Tuesday expressed the readiness of his administration to facilitate the delivery of more road projects in Aba and the state. Ikpeazu said this while inspecting the ongoing reconstruction of Port Harcourt Road, as part of the resumption of a statewide-project-inspection programme, tagged “Kinetic Abia Project Tour” in Aba. He said that the government would deliver high quality roads as part of its efforts to rebuild Aba and improve the wellbeing of its residents. He appealed to the residents to support the government to achieve its goal of transforming Aba by assisting the contractors handling the projects and protecting the infrastructure. The governor said that he would remain irrevocably committed to changing the narratives of Aba in the area of infrastruct...
Lagos governor: We are ready to domesticate AfCFTA agreement
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says the state is ready to domesticate the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement. Sanwo-Olu said this on Tuesday when he received the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Niyi Adebayo, on a courtesy visit at the Lagos House, Ikeja. The minister led members of the National Action Committee on nationwide sensitisation on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which the nation entered into to deepen economic integration among African countries. He said that Lagos had observed the processes leading to the adoption of the continental trade agreement and positioned itself for market expansion across areas of collaboration. The governor said the state was ready to take advantage of the AfCFTA for growth, as a local ac...
NSF: 8,000 athletes, others to undergo coronavirus protocols – minister
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, says the 20th National Sports Festival in Edo will go ahead as planned from April 2 to April 14 under strict COVID-19 protocols. Dare also said that the reduced 8,000 athletes and officials for the Games would go through all the necessary COVID-19 protocols. The minister’s Special Adviser (Media), John Joshua-Akanji, quoted him as giving the assurance on Friday in Benin after a facility tour of the venue and meeting with Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo. Dare said the camp for the festival would open on April 2 while the official opening of the Games would be done by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 6. He said that said that the ministry was working with relevant health stakeholders to ensure that the COVID-19 safety protocols were observ...
Katsina approves 5,000 hectares of land for ranching
The Katsina State Government has approved 5,000 hectares of arable farmland for ranching as part of efforts to curb the herders and farmers’ clashes in farming villages and communities across the state. Governor Aminu Bello Masari, who disclosed this during the 46th annual conference of the Nigerian Society for Animal Production held at the Federal University Dutsin-ma (FUDMA), Katsina, said ranching system will enable the children of herders to have qualitative education. He said that the only solution to the herdsmen and farmers crisis bedevilling some parts of the country is the establishment of ranches in the states, hence the provision of the 5,000 hectares of land. Masari, represented by his Special Adviser on Livestock and Grazing Reserve, Dr. Lawal Bagiwa, explained that apart from...
Minister confirms new date for National Sports Festival
The ministers of youths and sports development, Sunday Dare, yesterday confirmed April 2nd to April 14th as the new date for the 20th National Sports Festival to kick-off. He made the announcement during a visit to the Edo State Government House in Benin City, the Edo State capital. He also announced that Edo State will be used for the National Camp in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games taking place later this year. Dare said further that the Federal Government is determined to go ahead with the Unity Games which is the sequel to participation at the Tokyo Games. However, he noted that due to logistics under the circumstances occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of athletes has been reduced from 14,000 to 8,000 athletes. Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki in response as...
Kaduna government asks primary 3, 2, 1 to resume March 22
Kaduna State Government has approved March 22, as the third phase resumption date for primary 3, 2, 1 and Early Child Care Development classes in public primary schools across the state. Mr Idris Aliyu, the Director Schools Management, Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board, announced the resumption in a statement in Kaduna on Friday. Aliyu said that government has reviewed the COVID-19 situation in schools and decided it was safe for the remaining classes in public primary schools to resume learning. “In view of this, the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board is urging parents and caregivers to send children in the stated classes to school to continue learning. “The State COVID-19 Task Force will continue monitoring all schools to ensure that safe learning environments agains...
Ekiti governor suspends ongoing recruitment of teachers
Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has suspended the ongoing teachers recruitment exercise over economic crisis posed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The governor directed immediate refund of money paid by successful candidates in the recruitment exercise conducted by the State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM). Mr Babatunde Abegunde, Chairman of TESCOM, who made this known in Ado Ekiti on Thursday said the directive was due to the commitment of the governor to the general welfare of the people in the state and the need not to make new entrants into the public service suffer unduly. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 100 candidates may have been affected by the directive. Abegunde explained that monies to be refunded covered those paid by the candidates for the p...
Rumble in Edo as governor runs government without cabinet
Precisely 129 days into his second tenure as governor of Edo State after his election on September 20, 2020 and inauguration on November 12, 2020, Godwin Obaseki, has not formed his cabinet. This has generated some flaks from different quarters, including the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC), constitutional lawyers, political analysts, public commentators, residents among others. While others feel that Obaseki has not committed any crime or breached any law, others believe that he is running a one-man administration and must go ahead to form his cabinet. They argued that going by Section 192 of the 1999 Constitution, the governor is obliged to form a cabinet, saying this is a circumvention, which the state House of Assembly should take action on. Obaseki had said that his ...