The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan’Iya, has challenged Governor Ahmed Aliyu to disclose the state’s total revenue and expenditure from May 2023 to September 2026 before asking opposition parties to present their records of achievements ahead of the 2027 elections. Dan’Iya said residents deserved a detailed account of funds received from the Federation Account, internally generated revenue (IGR) and other sources, alongside evidence of how the money was spent and the benefits delivered. In a statement issued by his media aide, Aminu Abdullahi, the ADC candidate said he welcomed issue-based political debate but…
Author: Newsdesk
The National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS), Nigeria, has called for stricter enforcement of the minimum marriage age of 18 and constitutional reform to strengthen protection against child marriage. The National President, Princess Edna Azura, made the call in a statement issued on Sunday to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, themed “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.” Azura said child marriage was not a private family matter but a national concern that deprived girls of education, endangered their health and undermined their future opportunities. She urged governments at all levels to implement funded, measurable…
The two major rehabilitation centres in Imo State are grappling with significant challenges, ranging from logistical constraints to funding deficits, hampering their operations and efficient service delivery, an investigation by reporters has revealed. The facilities are the Imo State Rehabilitation Centre for Destitutes, located in Umuneke, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, and the rehabilitation unit of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Imo Command, situated on Aba Road, Owerri. While the state-owned rehabilitation centre in Ngor Okpala handles general cases of destitution, the NDLEA facility specialises in treating drug-related mental disorders and abnormalities. A visit to the Umuneke facility…
Az-Zumratul Adabiyyatul Kamaliyah, an Islamic educational institution in Ilorin, Kwara State, raised ₦565 million from the launch of three books at its centenary celebration on Sunday, with former Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Kwara State Government among the major contributors. The event, which attracted Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, brought together traditional rulers, Islamic scholars, politicians, alumni and other dignitaries to celebrate the institution’s 100 years of promoting Islamic education, moral instruction and community development. The Sultan’s presence added prominence to the ceremony, which also celebrated the legacy of the institution’s late founder, Muhammad Kamalud-Deen Al-Adabiy, a renowned Islamic scholar…
Some consumers in Lagos are enjoying relief from lower rice prices, while others continue to struggle with rising costs of their preferred brands. Traders and consumers, who spoke to reporters in separate interviews on Sunday in Lagos, reported mixed price movements across markets. While some rice varieties have become cheaper, others have recorded fresh increases, forcing households to adjust their food budgets. A 50kg bag of agric rice, including People’s Choice, now sells for N55,000, down from between N60,000 and N65,000 between July and September. Similarly, a derica of My Choice rice sells for between N1,000 and N1,100, compared with…
Some men conceal depression due to societal expectations of masculinity, exposing themselves to worsening psychological distress and delaying access to professional mental health care, experts have said. Societal expectations that equate masculinity with strength, independence and emotional toughness may discourage some men from acknowledging depression or seeking professional help for fear of being judged. Mental health experts warn that emotional suppression can worsen depression, trigger anxiety and affect relationships and workplace performance, stressing the importance of early recognition and professional intervention. Prof. Taiwo Obindo, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Jos, said in an interview with the News…
The Engraced Ones, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has called on churches to accommodate children and persons with intellectual and neurodevelopmental disabilities to promote inclusive worship and participation in church activities. The organisation made the call at the 2026 Inclusive Church Conference, themed “Every Soul Matters: Building Churches Where Everyone Belongs,” held on Saturday in Abuja. The conference was organised in collaboration with the Leprosy Mission Nigeria, Child Evangelism Fellowship, Inclusive Friends, CBM, among others. The convener, Mrs Bibora Yinkere, emphasised the need for churches to combine spiritual support with practical interventions, such as inclusive education, therapy and advocacy, to improve…
Some MultiChoice subscribers, particularly DStv and GOtv users in Abuja, have expressed frustration over persistent network disruptions and uncertainty about compensation for lost viewing time. The disruption, which lasted between five and eight days in some areas, prevented them from enjoying the services they had paid for. A subscriber who spoke to reporters in Abuja said the interruption and the company’s failure to compensate for lost viewing time raised concerns about how paying customers are treated. “Whether affected customers will receive additional viewing time or other forms of compensation is what we don’t know,” the customer said. Several subscribers took…
Canada has committed 80 million Canadian dollars to support the Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), strengthening efforts to contain the outbreak and prevent further international spread. Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya announced the commitment on Friday via his official X account. Kaseya said the pledge was highlighted by an Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) representative after talks with Canadian public health officials in Montreal on Thursday. The meeting focused on the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC and the recent imported case in Kenya. Both sides stressed the need to…
The Borno State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (BOSCHMA) has urged hospital managements to expand the use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) to all service points in order to improve patient care, accountability and claims management. The Executive Secretary of BOSCHMA, Dr Saleh Kaza, made the call at the agency’s third-quarter performance review meeting with Social Health Fund (SHF) stakeholders in Maiduguri on Saturday. Kaza said extending the electronic system beyond BOSCHMA clinics to hospital wards, laboratories, pharmacies, theatres and specialist units would improve access to patients’ medical records and reduce delays in healthcare delivery. He explained that electronic records would…