NEWS
Wike Commits to Review, Upgrade of Abuja Master Plan

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has reiterated the FCT Administration’s commitment to the review and upgrade the Abuja Master Plan.Wike stated this when a team of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) visited him in Abuja on Tuesday.
He said the project, under the Review and Upgrading of Integrated Urban Development Master Plan for Abuja, would be implemented in partnership with JICA. “For us, be assured that it is a project that we are committed to, and we will do all we can to see that the project comes to fruition,” he said.The minister promised the JICA team that all the expectations from the FCTA for the implementation of the project would be made in due course.He also assured JICA of stronger collaboration for the development of the FCT, including satellite towns and environs.Also speaking, Mr Shehu Ahmad, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), said the review of the 45-year-old Abuja Master Plan was crucial to address current challenges in the capital city.“We are talking about supporting facilities in terms of infrastructure, water supply, power supply, and storm water and wastewater drainage system.“We are also looking at the need for a smart city for Abuja, so that the city will be one of the top cities of the world.“Urban mobility has remained a challenge, and we are feeling that they should look into those areas to enhance it,” he said.Ahmad said the population explosion in Abuja had equally created the need to look into creation of employment opportunities.He said the JICA team, with support from a technical team from critical departments of the FCTA and FCDA have begun collection of basic data for the formulation of the project’s inception report.According to him, an international conference will be convened to seek inputs from critical stakeholders once the inception report is approved.Earlier, Mr Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Nigeria, said the open defecation, nutrition and urban development projects were few among the numerous projects being implemented by JICA in FCT.Kazuyoshi particularly said that Capacity Development for Nutrition Improvement in FCT and the elimination of open defecation projects recorded a huge success.He solicited for more collaboration with the FCTA to deepen the result-oriented project to impact on more communities of the FCT.Speaking on the review and upgrade of the Abuja Master Plan, Mr Nobukuyi Kobe, Infrastructure Management Department, JICA, said the goal was to ensure sustainability in line with relevant government policies.Kobe said that Output 1 of the project was the formulation of regional infrastructure development strategy for the Federal Capital City and satellite towns, and integrated urban development plan from 2025 to 2050.He added that Output 2, was an enhanced capacity of planning and implementation officers of the reviewed plan.He, however, said that FCTA would be expected to support in expediting correspondence with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The FCTA, he said, is also expected to approve the reviewed and updated plan, along with the Urban and Regional Planning Act, as well as seamless collaboration of FCTA and FCDA. (NAN)Health
NCDC Warns of Cholera Surge, Gives Updates on Other Outbreaks

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a public health advisory following a significant surge in cholera cases across 30 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in nine states.
During a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, expressed concern over the rising number of cholera infections as the rainy season begins.
He warned that the situation posed a serious public health threat.
“As of April 28, 2025, over 1,141 suspected cholera cases and 30 deaths have been reported across multiple states, with Bayelsa, Lagos, Abia, and Zamfara among the most affected,” he said.
Idris attributed the outbreak to poor sanitation, inadequate access to clean water, and widespread open defecation.
He said the NCDC was working in collaboration with state governments, the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, and development partners to strengthen surveillance, improve access to oral rehydration therapy, and promote hygiene education.
On Lassa fever, he reported a decline in weekly cases but warned that the disease remained persistent in endemic states such as Edo, Ondo, and Bauchi.
“We must not relax. The virus is still circulating in the rodent population,” he cautioned.
He also noted continued transmission of Mpox, with recent cases reported in Lagos, Rivers, and the Federal Capital Territory.
“While no deaths have been recorded in the past month, the virus continues to spread through close contact,” he added.
On Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), Idris stated that outbreaks had occurred in Sokoto, Kebbi, and Yobe states, predominantly affecting children and young adults.
He said vaccination campaigns were underway in high-burden areas, supported by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and Gavi.
Idris further emphasised the urgent need for the rational use of antibiotics in managing the ongoing outbreaks, warning that misuse, particularly in cholera and Lassa fever treatment, could worsen antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
“We must remind our health workers and communities that not every illness requires antibiotics.
“Inappropriate use during outbreaks is a silent pandemic that could undermine our ability to treat infections in the future,” he warned.
He urged Nigerians to adopt preventive measures such as regular hand washing, proper waste disposal, and early medical attention when symptoms of any of the listed diseases were observed.
“Public health is a shared responsibility,” Idris said, calling on the media and civil society groups to support risk communication and community engagement efforts
General News
FRSC Gets New Sector Commander in Osun

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has appointed Mr Leye Adegboyega as the new Sector Commander for Osun RS11.1 Command.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adegboyega, who assumed on on May 2, took over from Mr Taofeeq Sokumbi , who has been redeployed.
NAN further reports that the new sector commander until his appointment was the Zonal Head of Operations at Zone RS11 Command Headquarters, Osogbo.
He was was enlisted into the service of the Federal Road Safety Corps on Nov. 1, 1993, and was appointed as the Personal Assistant to the Director of Operations, a post he held till 1998.
Adegboyega was later redeployed and appointed the pioneer Principal Staff Officer (PSO) to the erstwhile Acting Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Mr Danyaro Yakasai.
In 1999, he was redeployed to the then Department of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRAS) as the Staff Officer (Statistics) and in 2003, he was posted to Imo Sector Command as Staff Officer (Operations).
The new sector commander was in 2005 redeployed to Owo Unit Command in Ondo State as the Unit Head of Administration and Human Resources, a position he occupied until 2009, as an Assistant Corps Commander l.
After several promotions and awards, he was promoted to his present rank of Corps Commander in April 2022.
The new sector commander was redeployed on April1, 2022 to the Federal Road Safety Command and Staff College, Udi, Enugu State, as Director of Coordination, a position he held till July 2023.
In July 2023, he was redeployed to Zone RS11 Command Headquarters, Osogbo as the Zonal Head of Operations.
Adegboyega was born in Abeokuta on July 25, 1969, to the family of Late Pa Femi Adeleye and Mrs Felicia Adeleye from Ayetoro in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
He attended St. Andrew’s Primary School, Ibara, Abeokuta, from 1974 to 1979 and later proceeded to the prestigious African Church Grammar School, Ita-Eko, Abeokuta, from where he obtained the West African Secondary School Certificate (WASSCE) in 1985.
He bagged a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) degree in Political Science from the Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, in the year 1992 and later did his mandatory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Enugu with the Federal Road Safety Corps.
Adegboyega received commendations for his outstanding performance and was subsequently given automatic employment by the FRSC Management in 1993.
He is married to Mrs Oluwayemisi Elizabeth and the union is blessed with four lovely children.
JUDICIARY
Court Remands 6 Men Docked Over Alleged Breach of Peace, Unlawful Gathering

A Grade A Customary Court at Mapo in Ibadan has remanded six men standing trial for alleged breach of public peace, following their inability to meet their bail conditions.
The defendants are; Ismail Oladipupo, Ridwan Raji, Biodun Gbadamosi, Usman Mohammed, Samuel Olowu and Sunday Akande.
Due to their inability to meet bail, the Court President, Mrs S.
M. Akintayo, ordered that the six defendants be remanded in Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo.Akintayo had admitted each of the defendants to N200,000 bail after they all pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful gathering and conduct likely to cause breach of the peace.
The court also ordered that the defendants should provide two reliable sureties, one of whom must be a community leader.
However, the six men could not meet the bail conditions and therefore were remanded at the Abolongo Correctional Centre in Oyo town.
Akintayo subsequently adjourned the suit until June 24 for hearing.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp Ayodele Ayeni, had told the court that the defendants committed the offences on April 14, at 12:45 a.m., at Agbaje Market, Ibadan, Oyo State.
Ayeni said that the defendants were arrested after they were caught using various dangerous objects such as cutlasses, broken bottles and stones, daring anybody to confront them.
According to him, the six men by their actions allegedly caused apprehension and fear in the entire community.
He stated that the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 516, 416 and 249 of the Criminal Code Cap 38 vol. II Law of Oyo State 2000