The Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr Obi Adigwe, has announced a decisive shift in Nigeria’s health policy, with the Federal Government now taking bold steps to develop and commercialise phytomedicines. Adigwe, in an interview with NAN on SUNDAY, described the new commitment as a significant break from decades of neglect and political lip service to traditional medicine. “This administration is showing real seriousness. A ministerial committee has been set up specifically for the development and commercialisation of phytomedicines, and NIPRD is leading the charge,” he stated. Phytomedicines—plant-based treatments like agbo, magani, and ogwu…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Paleontologists have found the first-ever fossilized remains of soft tissues from a giant ichthyosaur—a dolphin-like marine reptile that ruled prehistoric seas during the Jurassic period. The specimen, estimated to be 183 million years old, was unearthed in the Posidonia Shale of southwestern Germany. What sets this fossil apart is its extraordinary preservation. In addition to bones, researchers identified remnants of the ichthyosaur’s skin, internal organs, and even cellular structures. Using advanced imaging and molecular analysis, the team confirmed the presence of collagen and other biomolecules rarely found in such ancient specimens. The study, published in Nature, suggests that the ichthyosaur’s…
Nigeria’s three tiers of government have shared a total of N1.818 trillion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) as revenue for June 2025, thanks to a significant boost from Companies Income Tax (CIT) and Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT). This marks a 9.6% increase — equivalent to N159 billion — from the N1.659 trillion distributed in May, according to a press statement issued Saturday by Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF). The disbursement followed the July 2025 meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) held in…
A socio-cultural group based in Sokoto, the Sokoto Heritage Reloaded Initiative, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to fulfil a longstanding pledge made by his predecessor, the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, to immortalise Nigeria’s first executive president, Shehu Shagari. Speaking during a press conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Sokoto on Saturday, the convener of the group, Professor Uthman Abdulkadir, reminded the nation that Buhari had, during a condolence visit to Sokoto following Shagari’s death in 2018, promised to name a national monument after the late statesman—a promise that remained unfulfilled until the end…
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has disclosed that 18 sitting governors are currently under investigation for corruption-related offences. Speaking on Friday during a sensitisation programme in Lagos, Olukoyede emphasized that although the governors are still in office, the EFCC is actively gathering evidence and will intensify actions once their tenures end. The event was designed to educate key stakeholders, including filmmakers and bureau de change operators, on the importance of safeguarding the naira and avoiding its abuse. During a Q&A session, Olukoyede recounted a startling incident involving a former governor who, immediately after…
French Prime Minister François Bayrou has raised alarm over what he describes as France’s worsening financial crisis, declaring that the nation is in “mortal danger” due to an overwhelming debt burden now exceeding $3.6 trillion. In a bold and controversial move aimed at boosting national productivity and curbing public spending, Bayrou has proposed cutting two national public holidays. The Prime Minister argues that the cuts—likely to affect Easter Monday and Victory Day (May 8)—would inject billions into the economy by adding more working days to the calendar. Government estimates suggest that removing these two holidays could generate up to $4…
The Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) Nutrition Unit, in partnership with the UNICEF Field Office Sokoto, has concluded a crucial two-day Social and Behavior Change (SBC) Validation Meeting aimed at standardizing its communication materials. Held at the Kamba Motel Hotel in Birnin Kebbi, the meeting brought together key stakeholders to review and validate SBC materials that will guide community nutrition programming in Sokoto State. Declaring the meeting open, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Umar Wurno—represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ibrahim Haliru Dingyadi—charged participants to thoroughly scrutinize the materials to ensure they reflect high-quality standards and are…
France has formally handed over its last remaining military base in Senegal, marking the end of a 65-year-long presence in the West African nation. The historic transition was marked by a solemn ceremony attended by French and Senegalese officials. The transfer included Camp Geille, the largest French military installation in the country, and a strategic airfield at Dakar’s international airport. The handover follows a withdrawal process that began in March 2025, part of a broader realignment of France’s military footprint in Africa. According to officials, around 350 French troops who were engaged in joint operations and military training with the…
Burkina Faso’s ruling military junta has announced the dissolution of the country’s Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), citing high operational costs and the need to protect the nation from external influence in its electoral process. The decision, made during a cabinet meeting and confirmed by the Minister of Territorial Administration, Emile Zerbo, marks a significant shift in the country’s democratic governance. The minister said the move was necessary to “streamline state expenditure” and reinforce national sovereignty in the face of what the junta described as “persistent foreign meddling.” “Maintaining the electoral commission has become financially unsustainable,” Zerbo said. “More importantly,…
Medical experts are raising the alarm over the long-term health risks of vaping, particularly among teenagers, following emerging evidence that links certain vape chemicals to irreversible lung damage. Health authorities and doctors have cited diacetyl (2,3-butanedione)—a chemical used to add flavor to e-cigarettes—as a significant contributor to a rare but serious condition known as bronchiolitis obliterans, more commonly referred to as “popcorn lung.” The disease causes scarring in the lungs’ small airways, leading to persistent cough, shortness of breath, and irreversible respiratory damage. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American Lung Association have previously flagged…