The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Hamid Bobboyi has led a Federal Government delegation to understudy the South Korean smart education model.

At the end of the study tour, Bobboyi said the visit was informed by the fact that the Federal Government was already establishing 37 smart schools in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

A statement by the Head of Public Relations, UBEC, David Apeh, on Sunday in Abuja said the delegation to South Korea comprised some states’ Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEB) chairmen and top officials from UBEC, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI).

Smart Education is a concept that describes learning in the digital age, where the emphasis is placed on the role of technology, to foster engaging learning experiences to meet the diverse needs of learners, through the innovative use of information and communications technology.

Noting the existing cordial relationship between the two countries, he said the  other interventions by KOICA will go a long way in strengthening the mutually beneficial affiliation between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and of South Korea,” it stated.

Less than 48 hours after the attack by suspected herdsmen that left scores of people dead in Gidan Sule, a Tiv settlement area in Kadarko Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State the herders have allegedly turned the deserted villages and farmlands into grazing fields.

It was gathered that the herdsmen, who allegedly gathered hundreds of their cattle within and outside the affected local government area to carry out the act of mischief on farm crops, defied warning by security operatives to halt hostilities.

One of the residents of the area, Mr Iorzua Tyodugh, who escaped narrowly from the attack on Saturday, lamented that his cassava and guinea farms measuring over five hectares have been destroyed by the herders.

The President of the Tiv Development Association (TIDA) in Nasarawa State, Comrade Peter Ahemba, who described the situation as unfortunate, regretted that the herdsmen, having murdered about 10 of his kinsmen, have resorted to destroying farm crops that would have been used by the survivors to feed.

Comrade Ahemba commended the efforts of the state government and the security agencies to arrest the situation, even as he called for decisive measures to ensure restoration of peace.

The leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) support group in Sokoto State, Ubandoma/Sagir Network, alongside several other members, have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This was contained in a statement yesterday by the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Senator Aliyu Wamakko (APC-Sokoto North) Malam Bashar Abubakar in Sokoto.

According to Abubakar, the group comprises supporters of the PDP governorship candidate, Malam Sa’idu Ubandoma and his running mate, Alhaji Sagir Bafarawa.

He quoted the State APC Chairman, Alhaji Isa Sadiq-Achida who received them on behalf of Wamakko, as assuring the new members of equal treatment as any other member in the party.

Alhaji Ahmad Aliyu, the APC governorship candidate in the state welcomed the new members, even as he assured them of his commitment toward all-inclusive governance if elected.

Alhaji Ahmad Labaran, the leader of the support group assured the gathering that they will work for APC towards mobilising more support for its victory in next year’s polls.

A commercial vehicle from Kano carrying victims of human trafficking to Europe through Niger, Libya has sumersaulted in Jigawa State, with nine of its passengers sustaining various degrees of injury.

Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service in the state, Ahmed Dauda Bagari disclosed this while parading the victims at the agency’s command headquarter in Dutse, said the accident occurred at Tsamiyar Ilu village in Kazaure Local Government Area, while the driver was trying to escape arrest by men of agency at check point.

Bagari explained that “the personnel of Nigeria Immigration Service, after a tip-off/credible intelligence about the movement of the victims from Kano to Niger through Kazaure, mounted a stop and search exercise at our check point at Tsamiyar Ilu, in Kazaure Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

According to him, “On sighting the presence of our personnel, the driver attempted to evade interception by over-speeding and manoeuvring around the check point, resulting into an accident where some of the victims sustained minor injuries.”

He said the Nigerian Immigration Service has rescued all nine victims and they were all been treated at General Hospital Dutse.

Bagari explained that “The victims were intercepted on Friday 7th October, 2022 at about 1700hrs in Kazaure LGA as they were about leaving the country to Europe via Niger Republic and Libya”.

He said the victims were between the age of 22 to 37 and eight were female and only one male. “They hail from Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Enugu states”.

Bagari said the driver had been arrested and handed over to police.

“As directed by the Comptroller-General, Idris Isa Jere, we are handing them over to National Agency for the Prohibition of Human Trafficking (NAPTI) for further action.”

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday presented a cheque of N100m to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, as part of Borno State Government’s support to the Federal Government-owned hospital.

Zulum also laid the foundation for the construction of 24 units of 3-bedroom apartments for medical staff of the hospital.

The apartments are to be fit into four blocks of two-storey buildings with each to contain six units of three bedrooms.

At a brief ceremony within the premises of the UMTH along Bama Road in Maiduguri, Governor Zulum directed a construction team to deliver the apartments within six months, as he was releasing funds to them immediately.

Although the Federal Government owns the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, the institution, Zulum noted, is a pride to the people of Borno State, given how it has been providing unquantifiable medical services to thousands of citizens not only for tertiary and secondary healthcare needs but even for primary healthcare on many instances.

“Let me first and foremost convey the deepest appreciation of the people and government of Borno State to the management of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for the services you have been rendering to our people. We shall continue to give you support in any way we can to ensure that our people get the services they deserve”, Zulum said.

He explained that while the N100m was to augment funding gaps for medical consumables and other needs, the 24 apartments were meant to reduce housing deficits and accommodate more medical doctors within the hospital, so as to keep them closer to the patients, thereby speeding access to healthcare, especially on cases of medical emergencies.

Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the UMTH, Prof Ahmed Ahidjo, was full of joy and gratitude to Governor Zulum for his relentless support towards the hospital.

“I would not hide my feelings. As I was walking with His Excellency (Governor Zulum), tears were running down my face. I had to turn and clean my tears. Not every leader that comes to visit you (at a hospital) cares to ask about the challenges you face almost all the time and tries to help on many occasions. Not everybody can do this. Your Excellency (Zulum), we cherish your compassion”, Ahidjo stated.

Prof Ahidjo said all of Zulum’s interventions to the UMTH were always very critical. He maintained that the history of the UMTH will always reckon with the governor’s huge contributions.

Adolescent girls in Kano State have decried their exclusion in decision-making processes at family, school and society levels.

A cross-section of the girls spoke at a two-day “State of the Nigeria Girls Situation (SONGS) Pre-summit” yesterday in Kano.

The exercise is being organised by PLAN International with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

One of the participants, Shukra Lawan said society hardly accepts decisions of adolescent girls and considered them too young, a trend which made their opinions worthless.

“We are not allowed to give our views even in matters that relate to us in our homes, schools and society,” she said.

Another participant, Habiba Aliyu advocated for policy to encourage acceptance of adolescent points of view and inclusion in decision-making processes.

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She said: “Most times, our views matter a lot and they don’t always come in childish form but they are not valued.”

Miss Amina Muhammed, who corroborated earlier opinions, lamented the manner in which adolescent girls’ views were being considered immature and turned down in society.

Hauwa Muhd, a student of the Kano Capital Girls’ Secondary School, stressed the importance of girls-child education in view of their roles in ensuring the good parental upbringing of their children.

She stressed the need for proactive measures to strengthen carrier guidance for girls in schools and parental support for skills development.

Commenting on the exercise, SONG’s Project Facilitator, Mrs Zubaida Muhammed said the forum was designed to mobilise adolescent girls ahead of the national summit billed to hold in Abuja on October 11 2022.

She said six girls selected from six states in the Northern part of the country would participate in the summit to discuss issues on development, education, safety, protection and child’s rights.

Others are hygiene, insecurity, human relations, self-confidence and etiquette.

Students and out-of-school girls attended the pre-summit preparatory to the national summit.