The Katsina State Government has deployed 70 forest guards to enhance surveillance and protect forest reserves and stock routes across the state. The government has also recovered more than 322,591 hectares of forest estates as part of its efforts to curb illegal activities and improve security. Mr. Khalil Bako, Chairman of the State Taskforce Committee on the Recovery of Forest Reserves and Stock Routes, disclosed this on Thursday in Katsina during an orientation exercise for the newly recruited forest guards. Bako said several related cases had been forwarded for prosecution, adding that the deployment of the forest guards was aimed…
Author: Newsdesk
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and key stakeholders have urged caution as recovery operations continue at the fire-damaged Great Nigeria Insurance House in Lagos. Speaking on Thursday at the Martins Street site, NEMA’s Director of Search and Rescue, Air Commodore Usman Bature, said operations have now entered the recovery phase, nine days after the incident, following the conclusion of active search-and-rescue efforts. Touring the site with officials from LASEMA and federal and state fire services, Bature described the situation as “sad” and noted that structural integrity assessments were ongoing. “This is day nine. The search-and-rescue phase has expired. We…
The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has welcomed the First Babies of 2026 in public hospitals, reaffirming the state’s commitment to maternal and child health. The visits took place on Thursday at Ibeju-Lekki, Imota, and Gbagada General Hospitals, where three newborns were celebrated as Lagos’ symbolic first babies of the year. The babies—Oluwadare, Adegeye-Abiodun, and Daramola—were celebrated amid cheers, prayers, and gifts from Dr. Sanwo-Olu and the Deputy Governor’s wife, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat. At Ibeju-Lekki General Hospital, Baby Oluwadare, a male weighing 2.9kg, was born at 12:00 a.m., becoming the state’s symbolic first baby of 2026.…
The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, has urged corps members and staff to take concrete action in 2026 by rededicating themselves to national service, unity, and tangible contributions to national development. The call was made in his New Year message, made available to reporters on Thursday in Abuja by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu. In the message, Nafiu commended corps members and staff across the country for their patriotism, dedication, and resilience in 2025, which he said contributed significantly to the successes recorded by the scheme. As the new year…
The African Health Budget Network (AHBN) has called for a comprehensive review of the Zero Dose Learning Hub (ZDLH) in Bauchi State, saying it is essential to strengthen immunization service delivery in 2026. Dr. Aminu Magashi, Chief Executive Officer and Convener of AHBN, made the call at a media and non-governmental organizations interactive session on Thursday in Bauchi. He commended the state government, members of the Zero Dose Learning Hub Community of Practice (CoP), and other stakeholders for the remarkable achievements recorded in 2025. Magashi emphasized that strong collaboration among the media, civil society organizations, academia, and government institutions through…
A Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician, Dr. Abosede Lewu, has affirmed that cryptic pregnancy is a real medical condition, but one that is often misunderstood and exploited by fraudsters. Dr. Lewu, who is also the Chief Medical Director of ORB Women’s Clinic, Lagos, told reporters on Thursday that a cryptic pregnancy is a genuine pregnancy in which a woman remains unaware of her condition until about five months into the pregnancy—or in some cases, only discovers it when she goes into labor. “Cryptic pregnancy is a real pregnancy. The major difference between it and other pregnancies is awareness. The woman is…
The wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs. Tamununini Makinde, on Thursday visited the first baby of the year at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan. Represented by the Oyo State Head of Service, Mrs. Olubunmi Oni, Makinde also visited two other newborns at Adaramagbo Primary Health Centre, Olomi, and Moniya General Hospital, presenting gifts to each of them. The first baby, a boy delivered via caesarean section by Mrs. Bilikisu Lamidi at 12:01 a.m., weighed 3.6kg. The second, a girl weighing 3.1kg, was delivered by Mrs. Rihanat Olajire at 12:46 a.m. at Adaramagbo PHC, Olomi. The third, a boy weighing…
The Wife of the President, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, on Thursday unveiled Nigeria’s First Baby of the Year 2026, born precisely at midnight at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja. Baby Zion Adakole, born to Mr. and Mrs. Celestine Adakole, was delivered via caesarean section to 26-year-old first-time mother, Mrs. Patience Adakole. In line with her tradition of promoting love and supporting maternal and child healthcare, Mrs. Tinubu presented the newborn with a National Birth Certificate issued by the National Population Commission (NPC) as the Baby of the Year. She also gifted cash and other items to Zion, a gesture extended…
Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mariya Mahmoud has praised First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu, for her steadfast support of the annual First Baby of the Year initiative, calling it a beacon of hope for maternal and child health. Mahmoud, who joined the First Lady at the Federal Medical Centre in Jabi, Abuja, to celebrate the birth of the territory’s first baby of 2026, also extended congratulations to the newborn’s parents and family, describing the arrival as “a profound symbol of hope, renewal and fresh beginnings for the FCT and the nation.” The minister commended healthcare…
The Federal Government says it has achieved notable progress in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Areas (AfCFTA) in 2025, boosting trade integration and private sector participation across Africa. Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, disclosed this in a statement on Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation progress. Oduwole said that the AfCFTA remained central to Africa’s ambition to create a unified continental market through tariff liberalisation, reduced non-tariff barriers and enhanced regulatory cooperation. According to her, Nigeria has historically championed Africa’s integration efforts, hosting landmark initiatives such as the Lagos Plan of Action and the Abuja Treaty. “In 2025,…