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Oyo: Makinde to buy N319 million pick-up vans to boost security
The Seyi Makinde led Oyo state government on Wednesday approved the procurement of 20 units of JAC FRISON TX pick-up vans at the cost of N319 million.
The decision, according to the government was to further boost security in the state.
Governor Makinde , also, in line with the commitment his administration to remodel and equip at least one Primary Health Centre in each of the 351 Wards of the state, approved the renovation of 299 Health Centres across the state.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the approval for the procurement of the vehicles and the remodelling of 299 PHCs were part of the resolutions reached at the Executive Council Meeting held on Wednesday.
The statement indicated that a press briefing was addressed by the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, his counterpart in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bashiru Bello, and the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral resources, Barr.Temilolu Ashamu.
Olatubosun, while speaking on the decisions taken, said that the approval for the procurement of the vehicles was in line with the government’s drive to secure the lives and properties of the people in the state.
He said that the 5th State Executive Council meeting of 2021 approved the procurement of the 20 units of JAC FRISON TX pick-up vans at a total cost of N319 million.
He said: “In view of the current security challenges facing the country, the state government has been proactive about it and it is necessary to boost the efforts of the administration in further arresting the situation by procuring additional vehicles for the security agencies and other exigency purposes.
“In view of this, the State’s Executive Council, at the 5th Exco meeting of 2021 held today, Wednesday, approved the procurement of 20 units of JAC FRISON TX pick-up vans to boost security in the state and the cost is N319,000,000.”
Similarly, his counterpart in the Health Ministry, Dr. Bashiru Bello, said the council approved the renovation and reconstruction of 299 primary health care facilities in the state at the cost of Six billion Naira N6,000,000,000, using the Alternative Project Funding Approach (APFA).
He equally added that the primary health care board will renovate the remaining 52 primary health care centres to make 351 wards as promised by the governor.
According to him, “we are here to inform you that today, the State Executive Council approved the Alternative Project Funding Approach, APFA, for the renovation and reconstruction of some primary health facilities in Oyo State.
“A total number of 299 have been given to two different firms and this is on the ground that the project will commence and, within two months, over 20 per cent of the project would have been completed.
“His Excellency has approved that there will be one per ward, and since we have 351 wards, the primary health care board will take care of the remaining 52 primary health care centres to be renovated and remodelled.
“Mind you, the state is not putting in any money as of now. It is when the project continues that the payment will be spread over a period of 12 months.
The Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources Barr. Temilolu ‘Seun, in his contribution, said that the Council also granted approval for the connection of 28 Transformers across three Senatorial Districts of the state at the cost of N247,000,000.
He said: “It will be recalled that some years back, transformers were procured and distributed to local government areas across the state, many of which have actually not been connected or energized.
“Aware of the financial constraints that the state, the country and the world are facing at the moment, we decided that it was cost-effective to commence a campaign of connecting the transformers that are already within our society.
“Consequently, the Council approved that the campaign begins and should be phased, by connecting 28 transformers across each senatorial district in the state.
“It is a phased implementation plan, and this is just the first phase, which is being announced. The transformers that I mentioned are already within the society and they are procured with public funds but they are not of use for members of the society at the moment.
“We have taken a deliberate decision to energize those transformers so as to derive value for the monies that have been expended.
“The cost implication is about N247,000,000.”
Bitcoin and other leading cryptocurrencies extended their gains on Monday, driven by positive investor sentiment despite concerns over upcoming U.S. tariffs and key economic data releases later this week.
As of 9:55 am WAT, Bitcoin rose 3.71% to $87,480, while Ethereum gained 4.05%, trading at $2,093. The global cryptocurrency market capitalisation increased by 2.94% in the past 24 hours, reaching $2.84 trillion.
Other notable performers included XRP, Cardano, and Dogecoin, which posted gains of 3%, 2%, and 3.8%, respectively. Chainlink, Avalanche, Hedera, and Stellar also recorded growth ranging from 3% to 10%.
“Bitcoin is holding above $86,000, registering a 3% gain today. The key resistance level to watch is $86,700; a breakout could pave the way for $90,000,” said Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Giottus.
Bitcoin’s market capitalisation surged to $1.727 trillion, with dominance rising to 60.73%. Its 24-hour trading volume soared by 93% to $18.2 billion, while stablecoin transactions accounted for 94.74% of total crypto trading, reaching $57.58 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.
Solana Leads the Charge
Solana (SOL) emerged as a standout performer, surging over 7% in the past 24 hours to trade above $139.
The rally was fueled by reports suggesting that President Trump’s April 2 tariffs may be more targeted than initially feared, easing market concerns.
Solana’s momentum aligns with increasing adoption rates. DeFiLlama reported that Solana’s total value locked (TVL) reached 54.87 million SOL, its highest level since June 2022. Additionally, Ali Charts revealed that a record 11.09 million addresses now hold SOL, underscoring growing investor confidence.
Further supporting the bullish outlook, over $72 million in assets have recently been bridged from Ethereum to Solana. Solana’s weekly active addresses (17 million) now significantly exceed Ethereum’s (1.8 million), while Binance’s rising SOL wallet balances suggest fresh accumulation following recent selling activity.
Institutional Interest on the Rise
Institutional acceptance of Solana continues to grow, with Volatility Shares launching two Solana futures ETFs (SOLZ and SOLT) on Nasdaq on March 21.
Major asset managers, including Franklin Templeton and VanEck, have also applied for spot Solana ETFs, signalling increased interest in the cryptocurrency.
Meanwhile, BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes expressed optimism about Bitcoin’s trajectory, stating, “The Fed’s policy orientation could help Bitcoin achieve $110k before it retests $76.5k.”
With the crypto market gaining momentum, investors remain focused on key technical levels and macroeconomic developments that could shape future price movements.
The Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) has unveiled the nominees for its highly anticipated 2025 edition, recognising outstanding achievements in African filmmaking, acting, and content creation.
The shortlist, released on Sunday night, features some of the most celebrated talents in the industry, with Uzor Arukwe and Omoni Oboli among the nominees. Uzor has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Suspicion, while Omoni secured a spot in the Best Supporting Actress category for Wives on Strike 3.
This year’s AMVCA will feature 28 categories, including both voting and non-voting awards, covering various aspects of filmmaking, from acting and directing to cinematography and digital content creation.
Top Contenders and Categories
The Best Supporting Actress category boasts a stellar lineup, including Meg Otanwa (Inside Life), Tina Mba (Suspicion), Ireti Doyle (All’s Fair in Love), and Mercy Aigbe (Farmer’s Bride), among others. Meanwhile, Best Supporting Actor nominees include Adedayo Adebowale Macaroni (Lisabi: The Uprising), Richard Mofe-Damijo (Christmas in Lagos), and Gabriel Afolayan (Inside Life).
In the leading categories, Best Lead Actress nominees include Bimbo Ademoye (Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre), Chioma Akpotha (Seven Doors), and Hilda Dokubo (The Uprising: Wives on Strike 3). Best Lead Actor contenders include Femi Adebayo (Seven Doors), Stan Nze (Suspicion), and Gideon Okeke (Tokunbo).
Celebrating African Creativity
This year’s edition features an exciting mix of Indigenous Language Films, with nominations for Seven Doors (Femi Adebayo), Lisabi: The Uprising (Adedimeji Lateef and Adebimpe Oyebade Adedimeji), and Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre (Kunle Afolayan). The Best Movie category sees strong competition from Lisabi: The Uprising, Skeleton Coast, Suspicion, and House of Ga’a.
Other notable categories include Best Director, where nominees such as Bolanle Austen-Peters (House of Ga’a), Norman Maake (Inkabi), and Robert O Peters (Skeleton Coast) will battle for the top honour. The Best Cinematography award features Inkabi, The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos, and Agemo.
Additionally, the AMVCA recognises digital content creators, with nominees including J
A police inspector, Effiong Bassey, has shot three people in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, leaving one dead and two others injured.
The Cross River State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday, describing it as tragic.
According to the Command’s spokesperson, Ugbo Irene, the shooting occurred in the early hours of Sunday at the Divisional Police Headquarters in Atakpa, Calabar.
She explained that Inspector Bassey had returned from his night duty at Ekondo Microfinance Bank when he began exhibiting abnormal behaviour.
“Inspector Bassey refused to hand over the AK-47 rifle he was assigned and instead proceeded to block the station’s gate, preventing anyone from entering or leaving the premises. Despite attempts at peaceful dialogue to resolve the situation, the officer’s actions escalated,” the statement read.
Tactical Units and patrol teams were then deployed to the scene. However, Bassey, suspected to be mentally unstable, opened fire on bystanders who had been instructed to leave the area.
“Tragically, three individuals were struck by the officer’s stray bullets, including Ijeoma Wilson Obot, a 41-year-old female, who later succumbed to her injuries. The other two victims, Charles Mkpang and another individual, are currently receiving medical treatment and are in stable condition,” the police said.
The officer was eventually subdued, disarmed, and taken into custody. He is now undergoing further investigation.
Concerned by the incident, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6 Headquarters, Calabar, along with the Cross River State Command Management Team, visited the hospital where the victims were receiving treatment. The AIG also made a donation to support their immediate care.
The Command assured residents that it was working with key stakeholders to prevent any escalation of tension in the community.
It further urged the victims’ families and the public to remain calm, pledging a thorough investigation into the incident.
“The Cross River State Police Command is committed to ensuring that justice, fairness, and equity prevail, and the outcome of the investigation will be made public in due course.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” the statement added.
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