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Senate to consider 31 proposals on states creation under Constitution Review

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The senate committee on the review of the 1999 constitution says it will consider 31 proposals for state creation as part of a fresh bid to amend Nigeria’s constitution.

Barau Jibrin, deputy president of the senate and chairman of the committee, said the proposals will be reviewed during a two-day zonal public hearing scheduled for July 4 and 5, 2025.

The hearings will take place simultaneously in Lagos (south-west), Enugu (south-east), Ikot Ekpene (south-south), Jos (north-central), Maiduguri (north-east), and Kano (north-west).

In a statement issued on Sunday, Ismail Mudashir, special adviser on media and publicity to the deputy senate president, said the committee is committed to gathering citizens’ input on a wide range of constitutional amendments.

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Mudashir said the committee received five state creation requests from the south-west, south-south and north-central zones; seven from the north-east; six from the north-west; and three from the south-east.

He added that the committee will also consider critical national issues such as local government autonomy, judicial and electoral reforms, state police, and inclusive governance.

According to him, one of the bills proposes to entrench local governments as a constitutionally recognised tier of government with guaranteed tenure.

“The second bill on local government reforms seeks to create an independent National Local Government Electoral Commission (NALGEC) to organise, conduct and supervise local government elections,” the statement reads.

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“Also to be considered during the zonal public hearing are two bills on security and policing for the establishment of state police and state security council to coordinate internal security policies at the sub-national level.

“In the area of fiscal reforms, six bills are going to be considered including the one to empower the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission to enforce compliance of remittance of accruals into and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account and streamline the procedure for reviewing the revenue allocation formula.

“Also, on fiscal reforms, a bill to alter the provisions of the constitution to specify the period within which the president or the governor of a state shall present the appropriation bill before the National Assembly or House of Assembly will be discussed during the hearing.”

He said the committee will also consider a bill seeking additional legislative seats for women in the national and state assemblies as part of efforts to enhance gender inclusion.

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Mudashir said a proposal to establish national, state, and local government councils of traditional rulers will also be reviewed to strengthen traditional institutions.

On electoral reform, he said bills to allow independent candidacy at all levels and to enable diaspora voting are also on the agenda.

He said more than 20 bills on judicial reform will be considered, including those proposing judgment delivery timelines and expanded jurisdiction for election tribunals.

He added that some proposals aim to devolve powers by moving items such as labour and shipping from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list.

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Mudashir implored citizens to actively participate in the zonal hearings, noting that public engagement is critical to the constitutional amendment process.

On June 13, Osita Izunaso, senator representing Imo west, said the red chamber is considering a bill for the creation of ‘Anim state’ in south-east geopolitical zone.

Speaking at a media parley in Abuja, Izunaso said the bill has passed second reading and is now before the committee on constitution review.

The proposed state, he explained, would be carved out of parts of Anambra and Imo.

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Saudi Arabia ‘s Aramco Helicopter Crashes, Kills 14

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A helicopter crash in Saudi Arabia killed 14 Saudi citizens on Sunday, the kingdom’s official press agency reported, adding that the aircraft belonged to state oil giant Aramco.

The Saudi Press Agency, citing an official at the energy ministry, reported the helicopter crashed in Ras Tanura in the country’s east.

“The accident claimed the lives of all 14 passengers, all Saudi citizens,” the agency said, adding that an investigation was under way to determine the cause of the crash.

Aramco says it operates more than 60 aircraft, including helicopters serving more than 300 heliports in Saudi Arabia, making it one of the largest corporate fleets in the region.

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The deadly accident comes as oil-rich Gulf nations seek to ramp up their output following Iranian attacks and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the export of oil and gas.

The Gulf monarchy did not indicate the incident was in any way connected to a hostile attack.
During the Middle East war, Iranian attacks had targeted energy facilities in the Gulf.

Ras Tanura is home to one of the largest refineries in the Middle East, with a capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, and is critical to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector.

The refinery has been targeted several times, notably during an Iranian drone attack at the beginning of the conflict, which caused a fire and forced a partial shutdown.

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Riyadh said in April that the weeks-long attacks had disrupted several production operations at key facilities, with refineries in Ras Tanura as well as Jubail, Yanbu and Riyadh targeted.
Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude exporter, produces a little over 10 million bpd.

AFP

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SAD! Bandits’ bomb hits vehicle, kills one, injures many in Sokoto

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An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, planted by alleged bandits along the Kurawa–Sabon Birni road in Sokoto State on Sunday hit a vehicle, killing one person and injuring many passengers.

The incident raised fresh concerns over the growing use of explosive devices by criminal groups operating in parts of the North-West.

The vehicle was said to be conveying passengers from surrounding communities to Sabon Birni when it ran over the explosive device, triggering a blast that severely damaged the vehicle and left several occupants injured.

A security analyst based in the area, Bashir Guyawa, disclosed the incident in a post on his Facebook page.

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Guyawa described the incident as another reminder of the persistent security challenges confronting communities along the border axis.

He said the vehicle was on a routine passenger trip when the explosion occurred.

“The vehicle was conveying passengers early this morning on their way to Sabon Birni when the unfortunate incident happened,” he wrote.

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Twelve seriously injured in Kano farmers-herders clash

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Twelve people were injured in a clash between farmers from Larabar Gadan Sarki and herders from the communities of Majawa and Karade in Warawa Local Government Area of Kano State.

The chairman of Warawa Local Government, Lamido Sunusi Ahmad, disclosed this in a statement issued by his media aide, Musleem Garindau.

The statement said the council chairman visited the injured victims at Wudil General Hospital and directed that the local government should cover the cost of their treatment until they had fully recovered.

He also commended community leaders and security personnel for their swift intervention, noting that calm had been restored to the affected communities.

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The chairman urged residents to refrain from spreading rumours or engaging in any act capable of escalating tensions and instead embrace dialogue to promote peaceful coexistence.

Speaking further, the Vice Chairman of Warawa Local Government, Hon. Ibrahim Abdu Madari, explained that the conflict involved residents of the communities, all of whom are indigenous to the area.

He said reports indicated that the violence began after a cow strayed into a farmer’s field and ate some crops. The farmer allegedly beat the cow, prompting its owner to assault the farmer, and the disagreement later escalated into a wider clash.

He also reiterated his appeal to residents to live peacefully and resolve disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding.

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