Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has approved ₦45 million for the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (OYSACA) to help reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS. The governor made this known through his deputy, Bayo Lawal, during the inauguration of OYSACA Ambassadors at the agency’s Conference Room in Agodi, Ibadan. According to a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, the governor explained that the ₦45 million and the recent approval for the purchase of HIV test kits are part of efforts to strengthen the agency’s fight against the disease. The new ambassadors include Saka Balogun, Ayo…
Author: Editor
By MAHDI MUSA MUHAMMAD (Kaduna) and JAMIL GULMA (Birnin Kebbi) – Flooding has wreaked havoc across parts of Nigeria, with Northern states recording some of the worst devastation in recent weeks. Official figures released on August 16, 2025, show that at least 165 people have died, more than 119,000 others have been affected across 19 states, 82 are missing, and 138 have been injured. The disaster displaced 43,936 people, destroyed or damaged 8,594 houses, and submerged about 8,278 hectares of farmland, worsening food insecurity across the country. The victims include 53,314 children, 36,573 women, 24,600 men, 5,304 elderly people, and…
MTN Nigeria has said that some customers in Adamawa, Borno, and Kano states will face a temporary disruption in service on Saturday, August 24, 2025. The disruption is due to a planned network maintenance exercise. The company explained that it will switch traffic to a newly installed fiber cable along the AFCOT–Bawo Village route in Adamawa State. According to MTN, the new cable is meant to permanently replace damaged fiber lines and improve network stability in the region. The exercise will affect 101 sites across 15 local government areas (LGAs). These include Nasarawa LGA in Kano State; Girei, Song, Mubi…
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has said that the Ibom Air passenger involved in the recent clash with the airline’s cabin crew has now appeared before the agency. This was confirmed by the NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mr. Michael Achimugu. Achimugu earlier wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that several departments of the NCAA — including Aviation Security, Operations, Licensing and Training Standards, Legal, and Consumer Protection — were working together to carry out a fair and transparent investigation. He explained that the NCAA team had already met with Julie Edwards and other members of the…
On August 16, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, announced that security services had captured two leaders of terrorists who have been on the wanted list for a long time. They are Mahmud Muhammad Usman, a leader of the al-Qaida-linked faction Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan, popularly known as Ansaru and his colleague Mahmud al-Nigeri. The leader, Malam Mamuda, was described by the NSA as someone who had been trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadist instructors from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specializing in weapons handling and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) fabrication. The NSA said the…
The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has praised President Bola Tinubu for building a new 80-bed specialist hospital for mothers and children in the Ugbuwangue community, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. The hospital was constructed by the Federal Government through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Speaking during the hospital’s opening on Tuesday, the Olu of Warri said the facility would greatly improve healthcare for mothers and children. The hospital was officially handed over to the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, for management. The monarch said the hospital…
Bill Gates, the global philanthropist and Chair of the Gates Foundation, has praised Gombe State for its outstanding reforms in the health sector. He described the state’s efforts as inspiring and focused on real results. In a personal letter to the State Government, sent through the Gombe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency and Human Capital Managers Nigeria Limited, Gates expressed appreciation for the state’s leadership and commitment to improving health services for its people. This was revealed in a press statement signed by the Director-General, Press Affairs, Ismaila Misilli, and made available to journalists on Thursday. “I was impressed by…
About 1,400 years ago, the last Messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), once urged Muslims to hasten to make the journey for the Holy Pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia “before you are prevented.” It was a simple admonition, but many of us did not grasp its depth until now. The Punch newspaper recently reported that the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has halved the cost of the Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem for 2025, thereby making it more affordable for those intending to embark on the journey. The paper quoted the National Secretary…
I do not know whether the video of Katsina Governor Dikko Umar Radda, PhD, where he appeared to be taking a selfie while walking in a comfortable-looking resting room, is recent or old. What I am sure of, however, is the brutality with which bandits continue to torment my hometown Malumfashi, its environs, and the southern part of Katsina (Karaduwa) in general. On Tuesday, bandits unleashed terror on Muslims observing the early morning prayer (Subhi), killing 13 people according to official government figures. However, some residents claimed the number was closer to 23, with about 20 others abducted in the…
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has urged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to push for stronger laws with tougher punishment for drug-related offences. He said such measures would help discourage young people from taking drugs and reduce drug abuse in the country. The governor also called for a serious crackdown on drug cartels to stop the spread of illegal substances. He explained that over 90 percent of crimes are linked to drug abuse, so fighting the cartels would reduce criminal activities. Governor Otti made these remarks when the new NDLEA State Commandant, Mr. Joseph Owoputi, paid him…