The Abia chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the state government failed to address its welfare demands within seven days. This was contained in a notice of ultimatum issued on Monday and signed by the state NUT Chairman, Mr Friday Madu, and the Secretary, Mrs Nnenna Okonkwo. The ultimatum, which expired at midnight on Jan. 12, followed what the union described as government inaction on issues earlier raised in a communiqué dated Dec. 19, 2025. The union lamented that the industrial harmony currently enjoyed in the state was being…
Author: Newsdesk
Sokoto State has intensified efforts to eliminate zero-dose children, as the number of health facilities benefiting from government-backed interventions rises to 384, reflecting what officials and experts described as strong health sector performance in 2025. The Acting Executive Secretary of the Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Sifawa, said the state recorded significant progress last year due to the commitment of Governor Ahmed Aliyu, the Commissioner for Health, and other key stakeholders. Dr. Sifawa noted that integrated health campaigns, expanded immunization activities, and targeted interventions across 23 local government areas contributed to reducing the number of zero-dose children…
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Venezuela will be “turning over” 30-50 million barrels of “high quality” sanctioned oil to the United States at its market price. Posting on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump said that the oil “will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States.” He said the money would be controlled by him as president, but that it would be used to “benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States”. The announcement came after officials in Caracas announced that at least 24 Venezuelan security officers…
Japan has urged China to revoke tougher new export controls on products with potential military uses, possibly including vital rare earth minerals, in a further escalation of diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. China’s commerce ministry said on Tuesday that authorities had “decided to strengthen export controls on dual-use items to Japan”, with immediate effect. The move comes as China ramps up pressure on Tokyo after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested in November that Japan might react militarily to any attack on Taiwan. Beijing claims the self-ruled island as part of its territory and has not ruled out seizing…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted haze and sunshine from Wednesday to Friday across the country. NiMet’s weather outlook released on Tuesday in Abuja envisaged sunny and hazy skies over the northern region throughout the forecast period. According to the agency, sunny and hazy skies are anticipated over the region throughout the forecast period. It anticipated sunny skies over the southern region with patches of clouds over the region and chances of isolated thunderstorms accompanied with light rains over parts of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states later in the day. ”For Thursday, sunny and hazy skies…
Telecom operators worldwide are being forced to spend increasingly on cybersecurity, driven not only by rising cyber threats but also by poorly aligned and inconsistent regulations across countries. A new industry study revealed that mobile network operators currently spend between $15 billion and $19 billion annually on core cybersecurity activities. If current trends continue, this figure is expected to surge to between $40 billion and $42 billion by 2030. While operators acknowledge cybersecurity as a critical responsibility, experts warn that badly designed regulations are now a major cost driver. In many markets, rules are fragmented, overly prescriptive, and sometimes contradictory,…
Farmers in Niger State have uncovered three suspected explosive devices believed to have been planted by terrorists while going about their routine farming activities. The devices were reportedly discovered on Tuesday in Ganaru community, Zugurma District of Mashegu Local Government Area of the state. A community source said the farmers were on their way to their farms when they noticed the explosive devices planted by the roadside and immediately raised the alarm. Confirming the development, the Chairman of Mashegu Local Government Area, Mr Jibrin Egade, said the area had been cordoned off to prevent possible explosions and casualties. Egade expressed…
A non-governmental organization, the Data and Knowledge Information Privacy Protection Initiative (DKIPPI), on Tuesday reiterated the importance of data privacy and protection for countries, including Nigeria. The President of DKIPPI, Mr Tokunbo Smith, made the call while addressing journalists at a news conference to herald the 2026 Data Privacy and Protection Month. Smith emphasized that data privacy and protection were critical pillars of Nigeria’s national security, economic growth and global competitiveness. “Weak data protection exposes countries to cybercrime, identity theft, espionage and digital terrorism. However, strong data protection frameworks attract foreign investment and support digital trade, financial technology, health technology…
The Ondo State Government says no fewer than 54,000 pregnant women and children under the age of five have benefitted from the Abiyamo Scheme under the state’s Contributory Health Insurance Scheme. The Special Adviser on Health to Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Prof. Simidele Odimayo, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Akure. Odimayo said the Abiyamo Scheme, an improvement on the former Abiye programme, allows pregnant women and children under five to access free healthcare services across the state. “With this scheme, all pregnant women and children below the age of five are able to enjoy free health…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported 1,119 confirmed cases of Lassa fever in 2025, with young adults emerging as the most affected age group nationwide. The agency disclosed this in its Lassa Fever Situation Report for Epidemiological Week 51, covering Dec. 15 to 21, 2025, which provided an overview of cases, deaths and affected states across the country. According to the report, individuals aged 21 to 30 years accounted for the highest number of confirmed infections, while the median age of patients was 30 years. The NCDC noted that males were slightly more affected than…