The cleric was abducted from Ekati village in the Patigi Local Government Area around August 28, 2025.
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The cleric was abducted from Ekati village in the Patigi Local Government Area around August 28, 2025.
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MHCDI Spelling Bee Boosts Confidence, Literacy in FCT
The 2025 Inter-School Spelling Bee Competition, hosted by My Hero Community Development Initiative (MHCDI), has ended in Abuja, sparking renewed advocacy for enhanced investment in educational programs that foster literacy, self-confidence, and resilience among public school students.
At the grand finale, Haiya Rahmatu Nusa K, Director of the Junior Secondary Schools Department at the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), praised MHCDI for creating a vital platform that motivates and nurtures academic excellence in young learners.
She noted that the competition, which unfolded in two phases and featured 270 students from nine junior secondary schools in the FCT, promoted “academic excellence, resilience, and love for learning” among participants.
Rahmatu described the scholarships and prizes awarded to the winners as a priceless investment in the future of the students.
“The award of one-year scholarships to the best three students from each school, as well as an additional scholarship year to the overall winner, reflects the generosity and vision of the sponsors,” she said.
Government Secondary School (GSS) Garki emerged overall champion, winning N300,000 and a tablet, while GSS Wuse Zone 3 clinched second place with N200,000 and a tablet. The third position went to another participating school, with the winner receiving N150,000 and a tablet.
She urged all participants to see themselves as winners, regardless of who took the top prizes. “By participating, you have challenged yourselves, gained new knowledge, and set a standard that others will aspire to,” she told the students.
In her remarks, the Programme Director of MHCDI, Damilola Fagbohun, said the initiative was more than just a spelling competition but a celebration of knowledge, courage, and determination.
She explained that the project began with in-school spelling sessions earlier in the year, where students discovered their strengths and built the confidence to compete at the inter-school level.
“The competition is not just about words; it’s about building confidence, nurturing literacy, promoting healthy competition, and proving that our public school students are just as intelligent and deserving of opportunities as any other student anywhere in the world,” Fagbohun stated.
She praised the support of teachers, parents, and partners, noting that their encouragement fuels the aspirations of young learners. “By virtue of being here today, every student is already a champion. You inspire us, you make us proud, and you remind us that the future of Nigeria is bright,” she added.
The competition ended with scholarships, cash prizes, and tablets awarded to outstanding performers, while participating schools were celebrated for their courage and determination.
The initiative was supported by partners including LaserCards, Kairos Hof, Kairos Hof Energy, and the Bank of Industry.
The 2025 Inter-School Spelling Bee Competition, hosted by My Hero Community Development Initiative (MHCDI), has ended in Abuja, sparking renewed advocacy for enhanced investment in educational programs that foster literacy,
Gov Lawal Unveils New 18-seater Buses for Zamfara Transport Company
Governor Dauda Lawal has unveiled 50 new buses for the Zamfara State transport company describing the development as fulfillment of a promise and a legacy, demonstrating government’s commitment to greatness and excellence.
A statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said Lawal spoke on Thursday during the ceremony in Gusau.
A statement further disclosed that the commercial buses are modern, air-conditioned vehicles designed for comfort and safety.
The statement added that the buses are equipped with cushioned interiors, fitted with seatbelts, and featured reliable suspension for rough roads, as well as GPS tracking devices that enable real-time monitoring of their locations and performance.
In his remarks at the programme, Governor Lawal reiterated that the event marked a new chapter in Zamfara State’s journey, defined by a determination to leave behind the habits of waste and mismanagement and to embrace a new spirit of discipline, accountability and progress.
He said: “Many have asked why it took time between the arrival of these buses and their proper deployment to commence operation? In the past, governments might have rushed to inaugurate them immediately, content with the ceremonies of ribbon-cutting without addressing the deeper structures that ensure sustainability.
“But my administration is different. We do not rush where caution is required. We are not satisfied with mere symbolism when the substance of governance is at stake. That delay was deliberate.
“We chose to first put in place proper frameworks of accountability, monitoring, and management so that what you see here will last and will not descend into the fate that befell vehicles procured in years gone by.
“The history of public transport in Zamfara State is full of examples of neglect. Vehicles procured with public funds often ended up being diverted for private use, parked in the compounds of a select few, reduced to rubble by reckless driving, or abandoned because no maintenance plan had been implemented.
“What was meant for the masses became the toy of a few. We resolved that, under our watch, such misuse will never be tolerated again. These buses will remain on the roads, serving the people who paid for them with their trust, their taxes, and their hope.”
The Governor stressed that his administration goes beyond procuring machines, saying the government invested in people.
“In recent months, Zamfara State Transport Company staff, including management, drivers, mechanics, ticketing officers and admin workers, underwent a comprehensive capacity-building programme. It focused on technical skills, ethics, service and modern transport management methods.
“When transportation is broken, society is broken. By strengthening transportation, we strengthen the entire web of life in our state.
“Our Zamfara, in Northwest Nigeria, links to Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna, Abuja, Bauchi, and Gombe, serving as vital routes for commerce, education, healthcare, and social ties. Placing buses here improves local mobility and connects residents to the wider nation. Traders access broader markets, students attend institutions efficiently, families stay connected, and civil servants travel for work smoothly.
“As we commission these buses, I call upon the people of Zamfara to embrace them, to patronize them, to protect them. Public property must not be vandalized, abused, or neglected. A bus scratched, a seat torn, a window broken is not only a loss to the government but a loss to us all. Let us cultivate a new ethic of collective ownership. Just as these buses are public, so must our sense of responsibility be public,” the Governor said.
Governor Dauda Lawal has unveiled 50 new buses for the Zamfara State transport company describing the development as fulfillment of a promise and a legacy, demonstrating government’s commitment to greatness