DAILYUPDATES

..adjourns to Feb 24 for continuation of hearing  The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Friday, granted the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, bail in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum. This was after the former governor had pleaded not guilty to the 19-count charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He is facing an alleged money laundering trial to the tune of N80bn but pleaded not guilty to all the charges. When the case was called for hearing, on Friday, Counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, notified the court of the intention of the Prosecution to withdraw an earlier application for abridgment of the earlier date fixed for arraignment. He said the application had been overtaken by events. The Defendant's Counsels, led by Joseph Daudu, SAN, did not object and Justice Emeka Nwite, accordingly granted the request.  After the Defendant had taken his plea, Daudu SAN made clarifications on the r...

A Human Rights Researcher and Anti-corruption Advocate, Comrade Sylvanus Okpe, has tackled the 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kogi State, Dino Melaye, over his recent mockery of the travails of a former governor of the state, Yahaya Bello. Okpe, who expressed anger over Melaye’s constant display of alleged “unexplained wealth” on social media, amid widespread poverty, advised him to hide his face whenever Nigerians are talking about integrity issues. Speaking in a two minutes, 50 seconds video clip that has now gone viral, the rights activist said Melaye should not compare himself with the former governor, adding that his likes were the ones misleading youths with their constant, needless display of “unexplained wealth” on social media. SPONSOR AD “Dino mocks poor Nigerian youths, flaunts wealth. He doesn’t help anybody but all the kinds of flashy cars in Nigeria, Dino has. He is the one that has made Nigerian youths to believe that politicia...

Civil society organisations in Kogi State and other key stakeholders have lamented the spate of attacks, rape and kidnapping of women in the state. They said this in commemoration of the 16 days of activism to end Gender Based Violence, The groups during a peaceful rally in Lokoja to register their grievances said the high rate of gender based violence against women with disabilities remained high. Speaking to journalists, the Executive Director, Challenged Parenthood Initiative, (CPI) Eunice Abimbola Agbogun urged the Kogi State Government to create an enabling environment by establishing a sexual assault reference center for survivors of Gender Based Violence. Her words "There have been series of attacks especially on Women at various level. We have been having series of reports of wive battering, cases of rape and kidnapping of Women in the State. Recently, there seems to have been a kind of concentrated kidnapping in Kogi State and that is Gender Based Violence.  ...

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kogi Enterprise Development Agency, (KEDA), Hon. Kadiri Mohammed Okeji  says the present administration under Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo is committed to transform the State into an economic hub in the world. Okeji disclosed this in Lokoja shortly after presenting the 2025  budget for KEDA before lawmakers in the Kogi State House of Assembly. According to him, "It is about transforming human being entirely to entrepreneur. Entrepreneur runs in my blood because I have never worked since I graduated from the University, did Masters. I have been an entrepreneur all my life. Coming to Kogi State to develop entrepreneur is something I can do even though you wake me up from my sleep. I have done so much since I resume this office in March 2024. As I speak, we already have a fashion factory running in Okene, Kogi Central. It is operational.  "We are turning the place to be an industrial hub. So many skill acquisition ce...

Yesterday, 10th December, 2024, while I was presiding over Management meeting at the State Polytechnic, Lokoja, I received the cheering news that Agih Micah Abdul, one of our life-long mentees, had successfully defended his PhD thesis. The news was broken to me by his supervisor. The attainment capped the zenith of mentorship involving the trio of Professor Hassan Isah (number 1 in the picture below), then Vice-Chancellor, Kogi State University (now Prince Abubakar Audu University) Anyigba, Professor Marietu Tenuche (number 2), then Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and current Vice-Chancellor of the University, and my humble self (number 3), then Departmental Examination Officer and now Rector, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja. Professor Isah appointed Professor Marietu Tenuche as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and Administration at different times) in the  University. She also became a Professor under the Vice-Chancellorship of Professor Isah. Professor Tenuche ...

Kogi State Governor's wife, Hajia Sefinat Ahmed Usman Ododo, recognized for her contributions to women's emancipation and protection of children's rights. Hajia Usman Ododo received the honor at the commemoration of the  International Day For The Elimination of Violence Against Women Youth and Children, put together by the state First Lady recently in Lokoja. Presenting the award, the founder of the Foundation, Chief Hon. Barbara Eleojo Jitoboh, described the First Lady as the pillar of women emancipation, adding that women of Kogi state are receiving much recognition and attention in the current administration under the supervision of the first Lady. She eulogised the governor's wife of being the mother of all who always show compassion and taken personally on issues that have to do with Women youth and Children. Hon. Chief Mrs. Barbara Eleojo Jitoboh, who joined the First Lady along with other prominent women and figures to commemorate the International Da...

The Nigerian Baseball and Softball Association (NBSA) has taken a significant step forward with the inauguration of its new Executive Committee led by the dynamic Mr. Uche Odozor Paulinus as President, accompanied by the appointment of Kogi State veteran journalist and publisher of The PROJECTOR Newsandpics, Mr. Ayodele Gideon, as the association's Public Relations Officer. This pivotal moment comes after a successful Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Kaduna, where the newly elected leadership unveiled its ambitious plans for the future of baseball and softball in Nigeria. Mr. Uche Odozor Paulinus, a seasoned individual with a blend of sporting excellence, professional experience, and entrepreneurial acumen, expressed his commitment to fostering growth and inclusivity within the NBSA. Under the guidance of Mr. Odozor Paulinus and his Executive Committee, the NBSA aims to revolutionize the landscape of baseball and softball in Nigeria through various initiatives. Thes...