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Mikang Council Chairman, Dr. Alkali, Marks One Year in Office with Major Developmental Strides

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Mikang Council ,Landmark Achievements ,Dr. Benard Alkali, First Year in Office

 

The Executive Chairman of Mikang Local Government Council, Hon. Dr. Benard Soepding Alkali, FCA, has marked his first anniversary in office, highlighting notable achievements across key sectors including security, healthcare, education, infrastructure, agriculture, and administration.

Dr. Alkali, a financial expert and former Head of Accounting Department at the University of Jos, has been praised for introducing transparency, prudent financial management, and people-centered governance through his administration’s guiding mantra — “The Future Has Come.”

Security and Infrastructure
To enhance security, the council constructed and fenced a police outpost in Piapung District and distributed 30 motorcycles to various security agencies. In the area of infrastructure, five box culverts were built in Piapung, while 150 solar-powered streetlights were installed in Tunkus, the council headquarters. The secretariat complex and legislative chambers were remodeled and equipped with a 24-hour solar power supply.

The administration also drilled 20 new boreholes, rehabilitated over 100 non-functional ones, refenced the council secretariat, and revitalized Kangmi Resorts to promote local tourism.

Healthcare and Education
In healthcare, modern clinics were built in Shamang, Keotes, Kongyil, and Pal, alongside fencing of the Lifidi Primary Health Centre and completion of doctors’ quarters. A free medical outreach across the four districts benefited hundreds of residents.

On education, the council renovated classrooms at LEA Lalin and constructed new blocks at LEA Longkrom in Garkawa District. It also sponsored 100 students at Usweller College of Education, Shendam, and offered scholarships to students studying professional courses such as ICAN, ANAN, and Law. Additionally, 800 candidates received free JAMB registration, while 108 students had their NABTEB exams sponsored.

Agriculture and Administration
To strengthen food security, 40 trucks of fertilizer were sold to farmers at subsidized rates, while four trucks were distributed free in partnership with the Plateau State Government. Thousands of bags of grains were also shared with vulnerable households.

Under administrative reforms, the council procured five official vehicles for principal officers, provided ten computers to enhance staff efficiency, and paid compensation to property owners at Zamwai-Puken in Montol District.

Currently in Abuja for a one-week workshop, Dr. Alkali is expected to embark on a project commissioning tour across all districts in the coming weeks as part of his one-year anniversary celebration.

Reaffirming his commitment to inclusive governance, the Mikang Council Chairman pledged to consolidate on the gains recorded and extend development to underserved areas guided by a comprehensive needs assessment of all 18 electoral wards.

In one year, Dr. Alkali has redefined local governance in Mikang through accountability, innovation, and impactful leadership — a testament to his vision that indeed, “The Future Has Come.”

— Nkat Joseph Lakai, Head of Media and Publicity to the Executive Chairman, Mikang Local Government Council, October 10, 2025.

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Lagos Court Sentences Man to Life Imprisonment for D£f!l!ng 11-Year-Old Girl

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An Ikeja S£xual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Lagos State has sentenced a man, identified as Idris Ashimiyu, to life imprisonment for defiling an 11-year-old girl.

Justice Abiola Soladoye delivered the judgment on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, after finding Ashimiyu guilty of a one-count charge of defilement brought against him by the Lagos State Government.

During the trial, the survivor, who was 13 years old when she testified, told the court that she knew the convict because he ran errands and washed cars within their compound.

She narrated how the incident happened and told the court that her grandmother later discovered what had happened after going to look for her.

Ashimiyu had pleaded not guilty to the charge. However, after reviewing the evidence presented by both the prosecution and defence, Justice Soladoye found the survivor’s testimony credible and held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court consequently sentenced him to life imprisonment and ordered that his name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offenders Register.

The post Lagos Court Sentences Man to Life Imprisonment for D£f!l!ng 11-Year-Old Girl appeared first on Business Today NG.

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Apple may try to increase revenue by doing…something with third-party AI apps

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Apple’s services business remains at record levels, but it’s facing growing pressure. The central part of that business, Apple’s App Store, has faced regulatory pressure and a slump in mobile gaming, which have hurt services growth.

However, on Monday’s earnings call, Apple signaled that it may look to boost services revenue through third-party apps. What does that mean, exactly? Unfortunately, it’s not entirely clear.

When discussing how AI could potentially “contribute to revenue growth over time,” Kevan Parekh, Apple’s chief financial officer, said: “On the product side, you know, we feel AI offers a compelling reason for customers to upgrade and switch in order to get the latest capabilities, and we also feel there’s opportunities across third-party apps and partnerships as well as first-party opportunities.”

Parekh did not elaborate on what sorts of opportunities might be available via third-party apps. However, Reuters reported Monday that investors are wondering whether Apple could profit by distributing third-party AI agents through the App Store and taking a cut of the revenue they generate.

Regulatory and legal changes have cut into App Store commission revenue in some markets, even as Apple’s services business as a whole continues to grow. Third-party estimates in August, for example, suggested the company had seen an 18% drop in U.S. commission revenue, with declines also in Brazil and Japan after those countries introduced new regulations. Apple has traditionally controlled payments within its app marketplace tightly, taking a cut of all App Store transactions. But a lawsuit by Epic Games ultimately forced the company to allow apps to redirect users to outside payment systems. Other legal challenges throughout the world have further hampered the business.

During the earnings call, Parekh referenced Apple’s App Store woes and returned to the idea that the company’s service business could expand into new territory.

“We’ve also seen some factors that impacted the performance of the App Store, and during the September quarter, the performance on the App Store was similar to the prior year, and we had a record number of paid subscriptions with double-digit growth for third-party apps on the App Store,” Parekh said. “At the same time, we did see some headwinds in mobile gaming that we’ve talked about before, and expect to see those continue into the summer quarter.”

Parekh added: “As we move ahead, we expect services growth to to be between 8 to 9% [in the December quarter]. This outlook contemplates our best estimates on sequential headwinds, primarily from third-party licensing and the additional half percentage point of foreign exchange I just mentioned.”

TechCrunch has reached out to Apple for more information and will update this story if it responds.

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