The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has advised farmers in the North to plant early maturing and drought-resistant varieties of seeds so as to avoid yield loss in 2018.

NiMet gave the advice in its 2018 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

In the SRP, NiMET said that farmers in Sokoto, Katsina, Yobe, Zamfara, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kano and Borno states were likely to experience severe dry spell in June.

It explained that the dry spell might continue for 10 to 18 days after its onset, adding that a moderate dry spell, which might last seven to 16 days, was expected in other places.

General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, visited Benue state on Friday to condole with the people over the deaths recorded during clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

Over 100 people lost their lives this year alone.

Speaking in Makurdi, capital of the state, when he visited Samuel Ortom, the governor, in the company of Folu, his wife, Adeboye said he was moved to tears over the “mindless killings” of people.

The Nigerian Police, Borno state Command on Thursday said members of Boko Haram sect are planning coordinated attacks on some targets in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. The Commissioner of Police in a statement issued by Mr. Ahmed Bello, ACP, hinted that the sect was targeting soft target and crowded areas. He admonished residents to promptly report any suspicious movement and activities to security agencies.

The Nigerian Senate has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in the public health sector over what it described as the alarming decay of infrastructure in public healthcare institutions in the country. Senate also specifically charged the executive to provide special funding in the 2018 national budget for the overhaul of at least, one government-owned medical facility in each of the six geo-political zones of the country every year.

The Federal Government says it is working with Libyan Authority to negotiate the release of all Nigerians in Libya slave camps and ensure their repatriation safely to the country.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that negotiations were ongoing with some of the militia groups controlling some camps who were demanding money to allow access to their camps.

The minister said he had a meeting with the outgoing Libyan Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Attai Alkhoder, who promised his country’s cooperation to ensure the release of Nigerians in the slave camps.

President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked the coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) for former Niger Delta militants Brigadier-General Paul Boroh (Rtd).

His sack was announced Tuesday in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

Boroh, a native of Sagbama local government area of Bayelsa State was appointed on July 28, 2015.