The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, has cautioned Nigerian youths against drug abuse, calling it a major threat to national development and human capital. Balarabe delivered the warning on Monday at the 2026 Undergraduate Forum of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Week, held at Kaduna State University. She emphasized that no nation can achieve growth and prosperity if its productive population—especially youths—is undermined by substance abuse. Citing data from the National Drug Use Survey, she noted that about 14.3 million Nigerians are affected by drug abuse, with nearly three million cases in the North-West. “Kaduna State…
Author: Newsdesk
The Ondo State Government says it has commenced the 2026 promotion exercise for more than 3,000 workers across the state public service. The state Head of Service (HoS), Mr Bayo Philip, who flagged off the exercise on Monday in Akure, explained that the workers had completed their three-year waiting period and had been pencilled down for the exercise. Philip said the affected workers were found deserving of promotion and had been invited for interviews. He urged them to maintain good conduct and uphold ethical standards to ensure a smooth process and timely completion of the exercise. “We appreciate the state…
No fewer than 200 delegates of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) will meet on Wednesday in Abuja for an emergency delegates meeting to address a growing leadership crisis within the association. In a statement issued on Monday in Lokoja, Dr Oreyemi Ifedayo, Chairman of State Chairmen, said the meeting was triggered by the controversial disqualification of candidates for the forthcoming elections. He alleged that candidates for the Annual Delegates Meeting and elections were disqualified by the NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, without due process, sparking widespread concern among stakeholders nationwide. According to him, the disqualification has drawn criticism from state…
The Federal Government has urged farmers to leverage the 2026 Seasonal Climate Prediction to boost productivity and reduce risks linked to climate variability, especially in vulnerable agricultural communities across Nigeria. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, made the call on Monday during a seminar organised for farmers in Anambra by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and its partners. The seminar was held in collaboration with the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency and other partners to strengthen agricultural resilience among farmers in the state. Partners included the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition…
The Federal Government has commenced a comprehensive review of agricultural curricula in polytechnics and colleges of education to address widening skills gaps and revive youth interest in agriculture. The Chairman of the Agriculture Curriculum Review Implementation Committee, Prof. Idris Bugaje, disclosed this at a two-day national workshop on agricultural curriculum review on Monday in Abuja. Bugaje, who is also the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), said many agricultural programmes had remained unchanged for more than 15 years. He noted that the outdated curricula had become unattractive to young Nigerians and misaligned with industry needs. According…
The Media Team of the Sultan of Sokoto has described as unnecessary the recent rejoinder issued by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) over the planned foundation ceremony of an ecumenical chapel at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. CAN had earlier stated that the document generating public confusion originated from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), stressing that it neither issued nor approved any invitation to the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, to play a role in the event. However, the Sultan’s Media Team insisted that an official invitation card was duly sent…
The University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) has promoted 17 readers to professors and 13 senior lecturers to the rank of reader, its spokesman, Dr Sam Kpenu, has said. Kpenu, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday, said the newly promoted academic staff passed through stringent selection criteria set by the university. “The elevation reflects their outstanding contributions to teaching, research and community service. “No fewer than 17 staff members from various disciplines were promoted to professors, while 13 others were promoted to readers,” the statement read in part. A breakdown of the promotions showed that five persons were…
The Commandant of the National Defence College (NDC), Rear Adm. Abdullahi Ahmed, has described climate change as a growing national security threat that requires concrete military preparedness. Ahmed made the call on Monday in Abuja while declaring open a roundtable on military responses to climate-driven energy security challenges. He said climate change had gone beyond environmental and developmental concerns, stressing that it now poses serious risks to national stability and human security. He called for stronger military preparedness and multi-stakeholder collaboration to address climate-driven insecurity in Nigeria. “Climate change is no longer solely an environmental issue but a strategic and…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted a mix of rainy and sunny weather conditions across the country from Monday to Wednesday. NiMet’s weather outlook, released on Sunday, forecasts sunny skies over the northern region on Monday morning, with chances of thunderstorms later in the day. The agency anticipates moderate rainfall over parts of Taraba and Adamawa states. It also expects isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains over parts of Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Adamawa and Taraba states during the afternoon or evening hours. “For the North Central region, a cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is expected in the morning, with…
The President of the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO), Onitsha Region, Uju Ikpeama, has cautioned mothers against delegating the upbringing of their children to house-helps. Ikpeama gave the warning on Sunday in Onitsha as Catholic mothers in the Archdiocese joined their counterparts worldwide to mark the 2026 Mother’s Day. She said the trend reflected misplaced priorities, with some mothers pursuing less important interests while leaving their children’s moral and social development to domestic aides. Decrying declining parenting standards, Ikpeama warned against indecent dressing among children and urged mothers to take greater responsibility for their upbringing. She advised young mothers to emulate…