News
Gov Ododo distributes essential commodities to 1,500 widows across Kogi State
As part of administration’s commitment to empowering women and improving the welfare of disadvantaged citizens, Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has distributed palliatives to 1,500 widows across the 21 local government areas in the state.
At the ceremony which took place at the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre in Lokoja, Governor Ododo said the gesture is in continuation of the broad initiative aimed at alleviating economic hardship faced by vulnerable groups and the importance of supporting widows and vulnerable groups in the society.
“The care of widows is not only the job of government; it is a moral duty, a sacred responsibility. Never think for a second that you are forgotten because you are strong, worthy, and full of promises,” he said.
According to a statement by Ismaila Isah, Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Ododo reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to prioritizing the needs of indigent members of the society, especially women and children.
“I want every widow in Kogi State to hear me. I carry your welfare into every policy and decision I make, and as long as I am your Chief Servant, you will always have a place in our government, in our plan and in my heart.
“Today we share food, clothing materials and some financial support but beyond this, we are laying the foundation for something greater, a support system that includes skills training, access to healthcare, small business funding and access to education for your children,” he added.
Governor Ododo urged the beneficiaries to make the best use of the support they received to uplift their families and contribute to the economy of their communities.
Some of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the governor’s proactive steps in addressing challenges faced by vulnerable groups, describing the intervention as timely and impactful.
The palliative distribution is part of ongoing interventions under the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu., which also aligns with Governor Ododo’s agenda to provide meaningful relief and sustainable support to the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
Over 1,000 of the beneficiaries received a comprehensive package that included a bag of rice, clothing materials, financial assistance, and other food items.
The legal team of suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, say they are ready with factil evidence to defend her in court.
The team received a formal summons in the case filed against her by the Federal Government at the Federal Capital Territory High Court last week.
On Friday, May 16, 2025, the Federal Government filed the suit, marked CR/297/25, over alleged defamatory remarks made during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
The government accused the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person”, citing Section 391 of the Penal Code, cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
Among the witnesses listed to testify during the trial were Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Others include Asuquo Ekpenyong, a senator; Sandra Duru; Maya Iliya, investigating police officers; and Abdulhafiz Garba, investigating police officers.
However, in a statement issued Friday night by Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN) on behalf of the legal team, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyers confirmed receipt of the formal summons and pledged to prepare all “factual and statutory defences” available to the lawmaker during trial.
“At about 2:30pm on Friday, May 23, 2025, within the premises of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, we received the information filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, containing three counts alleging that our client, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, made imputations she had reason to believe would harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of the 10th Senate,” the statement read.
“We received the said information on her behalf through a letter of authority duly issued and filed in the court’s registry.
“The legal team will fully prepare and present all factual and statutory defences available to our client during the trial.”
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will on Tuesday next week begin the take over of 4,794 properties in Abuja, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters, due to unpaid ground rent.
The PDP headquarters, currently under construction in Abuja’s Central Business District, is among the affected properties, having been revoked in March for several years of unpaid ground rent. The FCTA disclosed that 4,794 titles had been revoked for failure to pay ground rent, with some defaults dating back 43 years.
The affected properties are located in various districts, including Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape.
The defaulters owe over N6.96 billion in ground rent. The FCTA had given a 21-day grace period for owners with debts under 10 years, which has now expired.
The FCTA officials announced that the takeover would begin on Monday, May 26, 2025, with the sealing off and restriction of access to the affected properties.
The Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze emphasized that the revocations were carried out under Section 28(5)(a)(b) of the Land Use Act, which empowers the government to reclaim land when the terms of occupancy are violated.
Two people sustained serious injuries when a training aircraft crash-landed at the Ilorin International Airport on Friday.
Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, who disclosed this in a statement, said the incident occurred at 17:28 local time on May 23, 2025, during a simulated instrument approach on Runway 05 at Ilorin International Airport.
Oladeji said the aircraft veered off the runway and came to a stop on the grass verge, leaving the two occupants on board injured.
She stated: “Both sustained serious injuries and were swiftly evacuated to a medical facility, coordinated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA.
“In response, the NSIB Go-Team is currently preparing to depart from Abuja to Ilorin to conduct on-site investigations. The team will secure the site, collect physical evidence, interview witnesses, and retrieve operational data to establish the cause and contributing factors of the incident.”
Quoting the Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., she said “Our thoughts are with the injured, and we commend the swift medical and emergency response. Now, our focus is on understanding exactly what went wrong. Every investigation is an opportunity to improve safety. We are deploying our team to Ilorin to ensure that no detail is overlooked.”
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