₦airaland Forum

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Wednesday visited Plateau State and led an intercessory prayer session against the persistent killings and violence plaguing the region.

Adeboye, who was received by Governor Caleb Mutfwang in Jos, assured the people of Plateau that they were not alone in their pain, stressing that the Church and the larger body of Christ were united in prayer for peace in the state.

“We are here to let you know that you are not alone, and God will give us total victory over this recurrent situation,” Adeboye said during a courtesy visit to the Government House.

He announced that he would be leading a one-hour prayer session later in the evening, urging all residents to join in crying out to God for divine intervention.

“The arm of flesh sure fails, and when nobody else can help, God is there to help us. We are going to be having a meeting where we are going to cry to God for at least one solid hour. I am confident that after that session, the news will change for the state,” he said.

Adeboye emphasised that only divine intervention could resolve the deep-rooted insecurity on the Plateau.

Governor Mutfwang, in his response, expressed gratitude for the visit, saying Adeboye’s presence brought hope and reassurance to the people.

“We will continue to look up to God, who is our strength and our refuge. When we cry to Him, He will give us wisdom on what to do concerning the state,” Mutfwang said.

He thanked Adeboye for his continued support and dedication to the peace and spiritual revival of Plateau State.

The visit and prayer session come amid renewed concerns over violent attacks in rural communities, which have claimed dozens of lives in recent months.

Comedian and actor Ayo Makun, alias AY, has broken his silence following his recent invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged abuse of the naira.

In a statement posted on his Instagram page on Wednesday, AY confirmed that he was questioned by the anti-graft agency on Monday, May 5, in connection with the public spraying of both local and foreign currencies during a recent social event, an act considered a violation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulations on currency mutilation.

The comic star wrote, “I am grateful to God for His mercy and guidance. On Monday, I was invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding an incident involving the public spraying of both local and foreign currencies, an act that has been classified as an offence related to the abuse of the Naira.”

AY expressed gratitude to the EFCC for their understanding and for granting him pardon after confirming that the money sprayed was not linked to criminal or illicit sources.

“I want to sincerely thank the EFCC and all authorities involved for their understanding and for granting me pardon based on confirmation that the money being sprayed is not linked to the proceeds of crime or any form of illicit funds,” he added.

Describing the experience as a “valuable lesson,” AY pledged to use his platform to educate the public on respecting the national currency.

He acknowledged that money spraying is a common feature of Nigerian celebrations, but urged Nigerians to be mindful of the law.

“It is important to understand that mutilating or abusing the Naira—whether by spraying, tearing, defacing, or mishandling—is not just a cultural practice but also a violation of Nigerian law. Such acts undermine the integrity of our national currency and can have serious legal consequences,” he stated.

The 53-year-old urged the public to uphold the dignity of the naira as a symbol of national sovereignty and economic stability.

Similarly, Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo confirmed on Tuesday that she was contacted by the EFCC while in the United Kingdom and honoured the invitation upon her return to Nigeria. She appeared before the agency on May 5, 2025, and was reportedly questioned over aspects of her daughter’s recently concluded wedding.

Both celebrities have since pledged to help raise public awareness about the legal risks of currency abuse. According to Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, acts such as spraying, tearing, or defacing the Naira are punishable offences.

youngsahito:
It can only be from one greedy tribe.

The president of the Nigerian Medical Association, Professor Bala Audu has stated that Nigeria’s rising population has increased the demand for doctors, causing one doctor to attend to 8,000 patients.

The NMA president further said that about 15,000 doctors had left the country in the past five years, adding that the exodus was continuous.

“If you divide the estimated population of 240 million by the number of practising doctors, which is 30,000, it will give you the doctor-patient ratio of 1:8000,” he said.

Audu stated this while reading a communiqué at the just concluded 2025 NMA Annual Delegates Conference and General Meeting held in Katsina State.

The conference theme, “The Universal Applicability of Care Standards for Patients and the Well-being of Health Care Providers,” saw a gathering of stakeholders in the health sector.

It also featured an outreach programme in Katsina where 500 patients were treated, 100 underwent eye surgeries, and nutritional supplements were distributed to orphanages.

Audu decried the brain drain in the sector, stating that it has pushed Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio to 1:8,000, a figure higher than the recommended 1:600 doctor-to-patient ratio.

PUNCH Healthwise reports that 16,000 doctors have left the country in the past seven years.

According to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, the country is left with 55,000 doctors and a doctor-to-patient ratio of 3.9 per 10,000.

Other healthcare professionals, such as nurses, laboratory scientists and physiotherapists, have also emigrated to greener pastures, with the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America as the choicest destinations.

Poor remuneration, lack of equipment and facilities, and the economic and insecurity situation in the country are some of the reasons for the mass migration of health workers.

Continuing, Audu asserted that Nigerian doctors were among the best trained in the world, attracting recruiters from countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia.

He identified poor working conditions and inadequate remuneration as major factors pushing doctors to leave the country.

“There are difficulties pushing the doctors to leave the country, one of which is poor working conditions and remuneration,” he said.

The NMA president demanded the payment of the seven months’ outstanding arrears and the consequential adjustments to doctors working in tertiary hospitals.

He said, “Here we are calling for the payment of seven months of outstanding arrears and the consequential adjustments to doctors working in federal tertiary health institutions.”

To address the crisis, the NMA is demanding the full implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure across all levels of the health sector as part of broader efforts to retain medical professionals.

Audu further explained that the association opposed the proposed National Prescription Policy because only doctors underwent the requisite training to prescribe medications to patients.

He, however, urged the government to prioritise healthcare worker welfare in hopes of stopping the ongoing exodus and saving the country’s ailing healthcare system.

helinues:


Ijaya baami

God1000:
This is horrifying on every level. A woman verbally attacks a child with a racial slur and instead of facing consequences, she’s being rewarded with hundreds of thousands of dollars? This isn’t just about one person’s hate; it’s about a society that enables and even funds it. Very sickening and disgusting behavior


My fellow black brothers and sisters should wake up and stop worshipping these people, I can't believe this is happening in 2025

I blame trump, his racist behavior has emboldened these deplorable folks more

Stephen0mozzy:
2 and 4.
The two wereys wan overtake at the same time

Chillext:
If this is Nigeria, who's on the wrong lane?

Mabuggi88:
My man don enter..... Oyibo woman will finish your career if you are not careful enough

President Bola Tinubu has formally ratified and adopted a road map for the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry by approving the National Integrated Electricity Policy, aimed at unlocking $122.2 billion in investments to overhaul Nigeria’s power sector.

At the Federal Executive Council meeting on Monday, Tinubu ratified the long-awaited National Integrated Electricity Policy, first submitted in December 2024, setting the stage for Nigeria to attract $122.2 billion in investments.

The policy outlines a sweeping reform agenda for the electricity sector, aligning with national development goals and global best practices, as required by Section 3(3) of the revised Electricity Act 2023.

The PUNCH had earlier reported in March that the policy seeks to secure a total investment of $122.2bn to diversify the country’s energy sources, reduce dependence on the national grid, and enhance the overall stability and sustainability of the nation’s energy infrastructure.

The amount, to be raised between 2024 and 2045, a 21-year period, is intended to ensure energy diversification from the current electricity sources of hydropower and gas-fired thermal plants.

It aims to diversify energy sources by incorporating hydrogen, solar photovoltaic technology, biomass, wind, gas projects combined with carbon capture, utilisation, and storage technologies, nuclear, concentrated solar power, and bioenergy.

It also noted that $192m would be incurred over five years (2024–2028) to boost transmission capacity nationwide.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser, Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, quoting the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the implementation of the new electricity policy is already underway and will accelerate following the President’s approval.

He noted that the policy’s impact would soon be visible across the power sector.

He said the policy was expected to have published a comprehensive National Electricity Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan in the official gazette within one year of the Electricity Act 2023’s commencement.

The Minister said, “The Roadmap Policy addresses critical challenges in Nigeria’s electricity sector through a comprehensive framework for sector transformation, with clear guidelines for sustainable power generation, transmission, and distribution, as well as the integration and promotion of renewable energy sources, energy efficiency, and enhanced sector governance.”

He described the passage of the Electricity Act 2023 as a pivotal moment for the electricity sector, signalling transformative change and laying the foundation for NESI, thereby enabling exponential socio-economic growth.

“This National Integrated Electricity Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan is a comprehensive roadmap developed to guide all stakeholders, the Federal and State Governments, market participants, investors, and indeed all Nigerians, through this transition.”

Adelabu stated that the policy’s preparation represents the collective efforts of the Ministry in collaboration with a wide cross-section of stakeholders across the public and private sectors at national and state levels, civil society organisations, academic institutions, industry leaders, donor partners, development institutions, private sector participants, and consumer advocacy groups.

The goal is to address the complex challenges facing NESI, from infrastructure deficits and inadequate capital to regulatory inefficiencies.

“The NIEP marks a significant evolution from the National Electric Power Policy of 2001, which has long been due for replacement.

“The Policy outlines various initiatives to aid the growth and development of State Electricity Markets. It fosters a decentralised but collaborative approach to energy management and resource planning.

“This policy is a living document that will evolve with the industry’s needs and challenges. It underscores the importance of collaboration, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to consumer protection and engagement.”

The policy is structured across eight chapters, which comprehensively address the historical perspective of Nigeria’s electricity sector, key features of the Electricity Act 2023, national electricity policy objectives, market design, value chain analysis, stakeholder roles and responsibilities, climate change and low-carbon economy initiatives, gender equality and social inclusion, local content development (including research and development), and the commercial, legal, and regulatory frameworks.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has warned that the food and nutrition crisis might deepen in Nigeria, as the country has already been flagged as having the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second highest in the world.

Nemat Hajeebhoy, Chief of Nutrition at UNICEF, gave the warning on Monday during a media briefing on the 2025 lean season multisectoral response plan for Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.

“Nigeria has the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and the second in the world,” Hajeebhoy said.

She disclosed that 600,000 children in Nigeria are suffering from acute malnutrition, and half of them are at risk of developing severe acute malnutrition. “Children with severe acute malnutrition are nine to 11 times more likely to die,” she added.

Serigne Loum, Head of Programme at the World Food Programme (WFP), also warned of worsening conditions. “Nigeria has the highest number of food insecure people on the continent,” he stated.

The briefing, organised by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), was aimed at mobilising funding and support for humanitarian response in the region.

Trond Jensen, Head of OCHA in Nigeria, said $300 million is required to respond adequately to the crisis. “$160 million is needed to address problems of food insecurity, nutrition, water and sanitation, health, protection, and logistics that come with the lean season,” he said.

“This is the absolute bare minimum that we are needing. Of course it’s a paradox and a dilemma that we are facing that whereas the need when it comes to severe acute malnutrition have doubled in the year, our ability to address those needs in some instances has halved,” Jensen added.

“And that’s because then of the freeze of US funding, but also then the cuts in other donors funding.”

He said OCHA has been forced to reduce its target from four million to two million people due to the budget shortfall, and called on governments and international partners to step in.

The development follows OCHA’s announcement last month that it would begin scaling back operations in Nigeria due to a $58million funding gap.

The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, says he is still fighting for the survival of his $20bn refinery, stressing that the fight is not yet finished.

Dangote expressed optimism that he would win the fight for the refinery, stating his determination to fight on.

According to Semafor, an international news medium, Africa’s richest man spoke at an investor forum in Lagos on Friday.

The report stated that Dangote pointed out that some individuals who “for a very, very long time” have “made a lot of money from” government-subsidised oil imports into Nigeria, were the ones trying to sabotage the 650,000 barrels per day oil refinery situated in Lekki, Lagos.

Dangote was quoted as saying that “those groups have funded resistance to the Bola Tinubu government’s removal of petrol subsidies and are opposed to the refinery operating easily in the country.”

However, Dangote was confident that the battle between him and the groups would be won, priding himself as a long-time fighter.

“We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am ready and 100 per cent sure I will win at the end of the day,” he was quoted.

Dangote’s latest comments came as Nigeria plans to increase its capacity to stockpile petroleum products, to prepare against shocks to the global oil market following US President Donald Trump’s shake-up of international trade with the threat of tariffs.

Recall that Dangote has since last year raised the alarm that some mafias were sabotaging his refinery.

He specifically mentioned that some international oil companies were sabotaging his investment by denying the facility adequate crude supply despite the domestic crude supply obligation.

Dangote had alleged that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority was issuing licences to marketers to import substandard petroleum products into the country.

He vowed to push his $20bn refinery to full operational capacity despite what he said were challenges from oil importers seeking to undermine his venture to retain their dominance in the country’s energy sector.

At a point last year, Dangote said he regretted building the refinery, saying the mafias in the oil and gas sector were stronger than those of drugs.

However, he refused to give up on the project as the facility targets its full capacity soon.

The PUNCH recalls that the Dangote Group boss once accused some powerful individuals of frustrating his refinery.

“In a system where, for 35 years, people are used to counting good money, and all of a sudden, they see that the days of counting that money have come to an end, you don’t expect them to pray for you. Of course, you expect them to fight back.

“And I think that is the process that we’re now really going through. But the truth is that, yes, the country, the sub-region, and also the continent of sub-Saharan Africa, need this refinery. So, you expect them to fight through non-supply of crude, non-purchase of the product, but I think it’s all temporary. We’ll get there,” Dangote added.

He had recalled that he was once persuaded by a former Minister of Energy in Saudi Arabia, Khalid Al-Falih, to shelve the idea of building a refinery. However, he said he told the former minister that he did not need his advice.

In June 2024, the Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, accused IOCs in Nigeria of plans to frustrate the survival of the new Dangote refinery.

Edwin said the IOCs were “deliberately and willfully frustrating” the refinery’s efforts to buy local crude by hiking the cost above the market price, thereby forcing the refinery to import crude from countries as far as the United States, with its attendant high costs.

Edwin also accused the NMDPRA of granting licences indiscriminately to marketers to import dirty refined products into the country.

“It appears that the objective of the IOCs is to ensure that Nigeria remains a country that exports crude oil and imports refined petroleum products. They (IOCs) are keen on exporting the raw materials to their home countries, creating employment and wealth for their countries, adding to their Gross Domestic Product, and dumping the expensive refined products into Nigeria – thus making us dependent on imported products,” Edwin had stated.

The refinery, which started petrol production last September, is seen as a way for Africa’s biggest crude oil producer to end its reliance on the costly importation of refined fuel.

It was reported that the refinery’s entry has helped push down the pump prices of refined products even as retailers count their losses.

With the naira-for-crude deal, the Dangote refinery promised to ensure enough fuel supply to Nigeria, Africa, and the world.

IPMAN supports Dangote

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria said they are with Dangote as he pushes ahead to fight the cabal.

IPMAN Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Udadike, said Dangote had promised before that he would fight the so-called cabal for the good of the masses, stressing that the association is behind him.

He said the fight is just the usual competition in any business, especially when a product is doing better than others in the market.

“Well, this is business. Competition abounds. There is no businessman whom people will not fight if he is doing well, especially when it is only your goods that are being produced, and the others are not being patronised because of the price. So, it is evident that every businessman wants to survive. It’s not an issue. What we can do is encourage him.

“We independent marketers are happy with him for his price slashes, although sometimes it’s against our own business strategy and projections. But that is part of the business, it is profit and loss.

“You know the factor of demand and supply matter determines the market. So, if he’s talking about how people want to sabotage him, he has told us that he’s ready to fight the oil cabals, and he is in this business to ensure that Nigerians don’t suffer. So, we encourage him not to lose hope, and we independent marketers support him in all ramifications,” Ukadike said.

No need to fight, says PETROAN

The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, Billy Gillis-Harry, said there should be no form of discord in the downstream.

According to him, Dangote should be allowed to refine its products with the naira-for-crude deal while importers and other traders should be given a level playing field to operate.

Gillis-Harry noted that there should be facts to back up all claims, saying there will be competition in any business, pleading, however, that it should be healthy.

He appealed to the Federal Government to supply enough crude to Dangote and other refineries.

Asked whether he felt the temporary stoppage of the naira-for-crude deal by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited could have prompted Dangote’s comment, he replied that there was a need to review the pilot phase of the deal, emphasising that PETROAN was always in support of the naira petrol sales deal, which he said would make petroleum products available for all Nigerians.

He stressed that other refineries are coming onstream and there will be more competitors in the market.

“I just want all players to do their business without any fight,” the PETROAN boss said.

The naira-for-crude deal ordered by President Bola Tinubu allowed the sale of crude in naira to the Dangote refinery, prompting a crash in fuel prices.

With the supply of crude in naira, the Dangote refinery continued to crash petrol prices across the country. From about N1,100 per litre, the company slashed the price of premium motor spirit to N860.

But importers of petroleum products lamented the repeated reduction of petrol prices by the refinery. Some of the importers lamented that they were compelled to sell below their costs, as consumers only buy from where the product is cheaper.

While Nigerians were rejoicing over the price slashes, fuel importers and retailers said they were counting losses.

Prince Bankole Adepegba, also known as “Ade Bendel,” who was abducted on May 1, has regained his freedom after the alleged payment of a ransom amounting to N300 million.

Sources told Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency media expert, that the abductors released him to his family overnight on May 3, following the payment of 100 million CFA francs, equivalent to about N300 million.

Police sources said that after his release, the victim was taken to BOHCON Hospital in the Republic of Benin for medical attention.

Further information revealed that his Toyota Corolla car remains at the Sabe Police Station in the Republic of Benin, where it was recovered during the incident.

Justice Yellin Bogoro of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, sentenced two women; Folake Adeoti and Modupe Adewuyi, to one year imprisonment each for hawking Naira notes in violation of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act.

According to a Sunday statement posted on X by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the defendants were arraigned on separate one-count charges bordering on the illegal trading of currency by the Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the anti-graft agency.

According to the EFCC, Adeoti, a repeat offender, having previously been convicted for the same offence before Justice Ibrahim Kala was apprehended on March 21, 2025, “opposite Regency Hall, Jobi Felé Way, Ikeja, in Lagos,” while hawking N3,850,000 issued by the CBN.

Her charge read, “That you, Folake Adeoti, on the 21st day of March, 2025, opposite Regency Hall, Jobi Felé,Way, Ikeja, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, hawked the sum of N3,850,000.00 (Three Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 21(4)) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007.”

Similarly, Adewuyi was caught on the same day at Jobi Fele Street, opposite Regency Event Center, Alausa Ikeja.

He charge read, “That you, Modupe Adewuyi, on the 21st day of March, 2025, at Jobi Fele Street, opposite Regency Event Center, Alausa Ikeja, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, engaged in hawking the total sum of N1,600,000 (One Million, Six Hundred Thousand Naira) of N500 and N1000 denominations, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 21(4) and punishable under Section 21(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2007.”

Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges.

Prosecution counsel, Z.B. Atiku, tendered their confessional statements and the recovered cash as evidence.

Atiku urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

Delivering judgment, Justice Bogoro sentenced Adeoti to one year imprisonment without an option of fine.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of her POS machine and the recovered N3.85 million to the federal government.

Adewuyi was similarly sentenced to one year imprisonment, with an option of a N500,000 fine.

Her POS machine and the recovered N1.6 million were also forfeited.

The EFCC has continued to warn members of the public against the abuse of the Naira, which includes spraying, hawking, and mutilation of banknotes, all of which are punishable under the law.

helinues:
Just imagine the shifting of the narration

Guy abeg, save the Oroki advert. It's too early for that

At the paediatric ward of Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, Zamfara State, Fatima (surname withheld) sat silently beside her frail eight-month-old daughter, Mariam, but her mind was on Abdul, her two-year-old son, who had died days earlier. Desperate to save them from malnutrition, Fatima had rushed both children to the hospital. Abdul, severely malnourished and barely breathing, was admitted first.

In addition to stunting and underweight, diagnosis revealed he had a congenital heart defect. Doctors did what they could. He was placed on medication and discharged to a Primary Health Care (PHC) centre for outpatient care. But within a week, his condition deteriorated, and he was back in the hospital.

At the same time, Mariam contracted measles. Her malnourished body had no strength to fight it. She was admitted as well, leaving Fatima to watch both children struggle for life. Then, Abdul died. Fatima couldn’t even go home to bury him. Her husband took the boy’s body back to their village alone, while she stayed behind to look after Mariam.

“We see cases like this every day. The death rate is around 35 per cent, far above normal,” Head of the Nutrition Unit at the hospital, Nefisat Sani, said, adding that most parents delay coming to the hospital because they can’t afford treatment and when they finally do, it’s often too late.

Fatima’s pain is shared by thousands of mothers across northern Nigeria, especially Northeast and Northwest zones. Soaring food prices, insecurity that keeps farmers from their fields, and rising poverty have turned hunger into a death sentence. From 28 million in 2019, the United Nations World Food Programme put food insecure Nigerians at 100 million in 2024.

A week after Abdul died, another tragedy unfolded. Ummi (surname withheld) brought her four-month-old daughter to the hospital. The baby, weighing just 2.2 kilogrammes, less than the average newborn, was fighting to live. Ummi had developed mastitis, a breast infection that left her unable to nurse. She couldn’t afford formula. By the time she got to the hospital, her baby was too frail. The infant died within a day of admission.

The Guardian learnt that cases of malnutrition usually spark when during the planting season, leaving many families with little to survive. But Sani insisted that the crisis is “no longer just a seasonal issue but an economic crisis.”

Bandit attacks had forced farmers like Dambata Abdulmuminu to flee his village in Gidangoga. He now lives in Maru, Zamfara State, trying to rebuild his life. But when his daughter fell critically ill, he had to beg for help to get her to the hospital. “I’ve already lost two children. I couldn’t lose another,” he said.

Zamfara has over 697 PHCs, many running Outpatient Therapeutic Programmes (OTPs) for malnourished children. Each centre sees about 100 cases daily. The system is overwhelmed, and resources are over stretched. Although agencies like the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) provide support, the need far outweighs the help.

In another ward at the specialist hospital, 19-year-old Asmau sat beside her malnourished infant, while her 43-year-old mother, Shefahatu Suleiman, nursed her own one-year-old child. This is her 11th child. Both women had children fighting for life in the same hospital ward.

“I never imagined I’d face this kind of suffering,” Shefahatu said. Despite raising 11 children, she admitted she knew little about family planning. “I heard about it, but never tried. When I breastfeed, I don’t get pregnant, so I never saw the need.”

Now, watching the health of her youngest child deteriorate, she’s reconsidering to “try it when my child recovers, but only if my husband agrees.” Her baby is one of 250,000 children in Nigeria suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), according to UNICEF. One in every 10 of those children could die without intervention.

For these children, severe weight loss, stunting, underweight conditions and frailty are common along with weakened immune systems and other diseases like measles, bronchopneumonia, and tuberculosis, as well as complications such as fever, chronic diarrhea, vomiting, and swollen feet.

In Shefahatu’s village, most women give birth at home without skilled care. Only 13 per cent of pregnant women in Zamfara receive such care. Immunisation rates are alarmingly low, with Penta 3 coverage at just 9.6 per cent. Over 60 per cent of children are out of school. Early marriage and poverty trap girls like Asmau in cycles of hardship, repeating generations of suffering.

Across Nigeria, the broader picture is disturbing as 40 per cent of children under five are stunted; nearly half live in poverty, and more than two million children have never been vaccinated.

At the Dr. Karima Primarya Health Centre in Tudun Wada, Gusau, hundreds of mothers sat on bare floor, their malnourished children cradled in their arms.
“It’s been so hard feeding my baby,” one of the mothers, Sadau Tahiru, told The Guardian, adding: “Everything is too expensive. I came here for treatment, and maybe food from the UNICEF team.”

In 2001, Nigeria launched the National Food and Nutrition Policy and repackaged it in 2016 with the ambitious goal of achieving optimal nutrition by 2025. Nearly 25 years on, that vision remains unfulfilled.

The policy outlined bold objectives – improve food security at all levels, reduce undernutrition in children and women, tackle micronutrient deficiencies, integrate nutrition education, support vulnerable groups, curb diet-related diseases, embed nutrition in government planning, and build strong systems for monitoring, early warning, and social protection.

Yet today, with millions of children malnourished, the plan reads more like a forgotten promise than a national priority.
From 2021 to 2024, the number of children affected by severe malnutrition in Nigeria rose sharply by 145 per cent. In 2021 and 2022, cases were around 2.2 million and 1.7 million but by 2023 and 2024, the situation worsened to 4.4 million and 5.4 million. The National Demographic and Health Survey showed that between 2018 and 2023, child malnutrition in Nigeria worsened, with stunting rising from 37 per cent to 40 per cent, wasting from seven per cent to eight per cent and underweight prevalence from 22 per cent to 27 per cent while overweight rates declined slightly from two per to one per cent, indicating that there’s persistent and deepening challenges in combating malnutrition among children aged six to 59 months.

Indeed, data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) estimated that nearly 5.4 million children aged 0-59 months in northwest and northeast Nigeria are suffering from acute malnutrition and will likely continue suffering through 2025. This includes about 1.8 million cases of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and 3.6 million cases of Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM). Additionally, approximately 787,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are acutely malnourished. The figure for malnutrition is however lower in north central.

A Professor of Public Health Nutrition, Ignatius Onimawo, had said Nigeria is not on track in achieving the target.Onimawo said the issue with Nigeria not meeting these policies lies in its tendency to develop strong policies that are not always implemented comprehensively, and as a result, the desired outcomes remain elusive.

Not Every Story Ends In Loss, But In Sokoto, Too Many Do
JUST like in Zamfara, the burden of malnutrition in Sokoto is critical, especially at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), where severe cases flood the 668 primary healthcare centres and 43 secondary hospitals across the state.

Consultant Paediatrician at the hospital, Prof. Tahir Yusuf, said seven out of every 10 children admitted to the hospital are diagnosed with malnutrition.
In April, 18-month-old Yakubu was rushed to UDUTH with fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. His mother never imagined she would leave without her child.
“We suspected malnutrition,” said Yusuf. “But without prompt lab tests, we couldn’t confirm it.”

The family, already struggling financially, couldn’t afford the N10, 000 ($6) needed for tests. After hours of waiting, Yusuf paid for them out of his pocket. The results revealed critically low potassium levels, a condition that could have been treated if diagnosed early.

“We started treatment right away, but it was too late. Yakubu died from something entirely preventable,” he said. For Yusuf, it’s a devastating but familiar outcome, insisting that the development is the human cost of delayed care.

In[b] the children’s ward, young and older mothers sat silently by their children’s beds, watching and waiting. The still air is broken only by the hum of ceiling fans and the low voices of medical staff.
[/b]
One child fortunate to survive was 22-month-old Aisha (surname withheld). She arrived at UDUTH with a persistent fever, cough, swollen feet, and chronic diarrhea. Doctors diagnosed her with severe acute malnutrition and bronchopneumonia. Further tests revealed she also had tuberculosis.
Aisha’s condition gradually improved. Within two weeks, she began eating again. The hospital started her on anti-TB medication, and her mother received counselling on proper feeding and care.

In Kebbi, Cultural Norms Put Children’s Lives At Risk
AS in other parts of northern Nigeria, malnutrition affects roughly six in every 10 children in Kebbi State. But beyond poverty and poor healthcare access, harmful cultural practices further endanger children’s lives in the state.

Former Kebbi State Nutrition Officer at the Ministry of Health, Beatrice Kwere, spent her career confronting these issues. For her, the malnutrition is not just a matter of food scarcity, it’s a deeper problem rooted in tradition and misinformation, how food is prepared, what gets sold and preserved for family consumption and who grants permission for a child to be taken to the hospital.

“The problem isn’t just a lack of food. It’s about mindset and knowledge gaps,” she said. In northern Kebbi, it’s common for families to sell off nutrient-rich foods like eggs and watermelons for income, while mothers and children starve or get millet porridge, nono and overcooked vegetables that have lost most of their nutritional value. In contrast, families in southern Kebbi lightly cook vegetables, preserving more nutrients.

“In many northern households, watery porridges are the norm. They fill the stomach but offer little nutritional value,” Kwere explained. As a nutrition officer, she used ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) provided through donors to treat severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and taught caregivers how to make nutritious porridge for less severe cases. But cultural barriers often delayed care.

“Mothers sometimes need permission from male relatives before seeking medical help. That delay has cost lives,” she said. Kwere estimated that 20 to 30 per cent of paediatric admissions in Kebbi are linked to malnutrition, often worsened by infections that require antibiotics. She warned that entrenched traditions and ignorance continue to undermine efforts.

“Without culturally sensitive education and community-based interventions, we’ll keep losing children to preventable causes,” she said.

A Social Crisis Masquerading As A Medical Condition
IN Borno State, Prof. Garba Ashiru has dedicated his life to fighting malnutrition. He serves as Chief Consultant and National Technical Lead for the Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

“The burden of malnutrition across northern Nigeria hasn’t changed much in decades. In some places, it’s getting worse. This isn’t just a medical emergency, it’s a social disaster,” Ashiru said. In the state, nearly six in 10 children under five are stunted, meaning they have been undernourished for a long time.

“Some children are already malnourished before they are even born,” he said. Drawing from the 2023–2024 National Health Survey and the 2023 National Food Consumption and Nutrition Survey, Ashiru identified states like Zamfara, Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, and Kano as stuck in a cycle of chronic malnutrition. He stressed that stunting, if not addressed within the first 1,000 days of life –including during pregnancy – has irreversible effects.

“Stunting doesn’t just affect physical growth. It stunts brain development too,” he explained. Ashiru also warned about a spike in severe acute malnutrition, which is often triggered by sudden food shortages. While many children can be managed at outpatient centres, about 15 per cent arrive with life-threatening complications requiring hospital admission.

“These are the ones we fear most. Without urgent treatment, up to one in every three or four may die,” he noted. For Ashiru, malnutrition must be addressed as a social issue and not just a health problem.

“There’s a saying: Malnutrition is a social problem masquerading as a medical condition. It stems from poverty, broken food systems, lack of clean water, and weak social protection.

“While Nigeria has developed strategic plans and policies to tackle malnutrition, implementation remains weak. Key ministries – agriculture, education, water resources, and social welfare – must collaborate more meaningfully.

“In practice, less than 15 per cent of interventions come from the agricultural sector, even though it’s central to food production. Health-led responses alone won’t solve this,” he said.

Insecurity and displacement also complicate recovery efforts. Millions in states like Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Borno have been driven off their land by insurgency and banditry. Even when communities return, their livelihoods are rarely restored.

In Borno, climate change has compounded the crisis. Flooding has destroyed farmlands, wiped out harvests, and spread waterborne diseases. Environmental shocks are now triggering humanitarian emergencies in already fragile regions.

“When insecurity, natural disasters, and economic hardship collide, malnutrition surges,” Ashiru submitted.

Food Production, Insecurity Crisis Amid Dwindling Aids

IN northern Nigeria, “farming is a pride,” but this rings hollow for many residents today. As farmlands turn arid with erratic rainfall, insecurity has forced thousands of farmers off their lands, robbing them of their livelihoods. The once-proud farming communities now depend heavily on food aid. The recent withdrawal of support from USAID has dealt a further blow to critical health, nutrition, and education interventions.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports that the Northwest region is grappling with more than 500,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition. In 2023 alone, 854 children admitted to its facilities died within 48 hours of arrival.
“We’re deeply concerned given the seriousness of the humanitarian crisis in this region, home to around 50 million people,” Head of MSF’s Nigeria Mission, Abdullahi Mohammed Ali, said.

He noted that the levels of malnutrition and disease outbreaks are catastrophic in the context of persistent and relentless violence. MSF, he disclosed, treated 170,000 children in Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto, Katsina, and Kano states for severe acute malnutrition last year, a 14 per cent increase from the previous year.

During a recent food distribution to farmers, Abdul Bala Gusua, a representative of the A.U.G Foundation, said that humanitarian support has become essential as deepening insecurity fuels poverty and fear.

“Farmers can no longer access their land. Aid is no longer optional; it’s critical,” he said. Zamfara State’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Yau Gamji, is optimistic that the Community Protection Guards (CPG) initiative introduced by the state could be a turning point. The state-led programme recruits local residents, trains them, and equips them to defend farmlands and farming communities.

“These guards are the eyes and ears of their communities. They monitor threats, respond quickly, and ensure farmers can return to work,” Gamji said. With overstretched government forces and limited policing, the CPGs are seen as an essential layer of protection in rural areas.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s inflation crisis is compounding food insecurity. Starting at nine per cent in 2015, inflation peaked at 27 per cent in 2020, dropped briefly, then soared again to 28.92 percent in 2023 and reached 34.8 per cent in 2024.

However, the inflation rate dropped to 24.48 per cent in January 2025, following a rebase of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 23.18 per cent in February 2025 and went to 24.23 per cent in March 2025.

The NBS reports that the average daily cost of a healthy diet rose from N473 in December 2022 to N786 by the same month in 2023. By April 2024, it climbed to N1,035 per adult per day, rose to N1,265 in July, and reached N1,371 in October.

Cognitive Learning Crisis And RANA Pogramme

AT Gidandawa Primary School in Bungudu, both teachers and pupils struggle to communicate in English, but that’s not the biggest concern. The spotlight is on the Reading and Numeracy Activity (RANA), a programme aimed at improving literacy and numeracy in public primary schools and Integrated Qur’anic Schools (IQS). Yet, even the top students selected by teachers struggled to construct complete sentences.

Malnutrition is regarded as a key barrier. It affects cognitive development, impairs learning, and increases the risk of anxiety and learning disabilities. For many children in the region, the malnutrition has derailed their chances at even basic education.

Plenty Money, Lean Impact

IN 2025, northern states such as Kano (16.50 per cent), Kaduna (16.07 per cent), Borno (15.39 per cent) and Benue (15.09 per cent) allocated the highest proportions of their budgets to healthcare, showing a growing recognition of the urgency needed in the sector. In contrast, southern states like Bayelsa (2.77 per cent), Delta (3.12 per cent), Cross River (4.22 per cent) and Enugu (4.72 per cent) lag behind, raising concerns about deepening regional disparities in health funding.

For the first time, Northwest states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa and Kebbi, collectively budgeted a record N517 billion for healthcare, averaging 14 per cent of their total expenditures. This marks a significant shift from a decade ago when allocations were nearly half these levels.

“Collective action is vital. Governments, international organisations, and communities must work together to protect girls, invest in education, and challenge harmful practices. Supporting girls’ education is key, not only to reduce teenage pregnancy but also to improve household economies,” she added.

Munduate also emphasised the need to expand healthcare services, strengthen community-based health programmes, scale up nutrition interventions, and promote child spacing as part of a broader strategy to manage rapid population growth.

“Too many women are pressured into continuous childbirth, leading to exhaustion and poverty. We cannot keep bringing children into suffering,” she added.

Dozens of traders and their customers narrowly escaped death on Friday when a passenger train derailed along the Abeokuta-Odeda-Ibadan Highway, blocking the busy road and causing a major traffic disruption.

Eyewitnesses told Saturday PUNCH that the train went off its tracks at Kila, missing the crowded roadside stalls by mere inches.

“It was a close call. If the train had veered slightly more, many of us would have been crushed,” one of the traders said.

The cause of the derailment has not been confirmed as of press time, but authorities have moved to manage the resulting gridlock.

The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps advised motorists, especially those transiting the corridor, to avoid the affected route and use alternatives like the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Babatunde Akinbiyi, the agency said it was working with the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigerian Railway Corporation to clear the obstruction and restore normal traffic flow.

He said, “In view of the blockage of the Abeokuta-Odeda-Ibadan Highway caused by a train at Kila, motorists are advised to take alternative routes. TRACE, the Police, and FRSC are in liaison with the NRC to resolve the situation.”

Efforts to reach the NRC spokesperson, Mahmood Yakub, for comments were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages were not returned.

Yorubastardz:
Gateman dey compound only him
His madam don go comot.
As the gateman dey chill outside.
He spot whats looks like snake trying to crawl fence.
He goes closer and confirms it's a snake. He grabs stone and throw on it. Snake moves back to hide close to a corner a d the windiw is open one spot and as he run to bring matchete immediately he hears madam car horning for him to open gate.
She keeps horning uncontrolably like it is an emergency.

Knowing how fast snakes are
If he open gate by the time he go to that spot the snake has escaped inside the house.

If he ignore madam horning aggresively for him to open gate.
She will fire him out of anger

If you were in his shoes.

Will you ignore her and kill the snake first or will you open gate for her first then go look for the snake incase it entered the open window.

What will you do?

Chained, Beaten, Forced To Convert To Islam: Inside Kwara's Secret Almajiri Centre Where Victims Are Forced To Recite Quran

According to some of the victims, they were forced to change religion, chained, and beaten for days to break their spirit and suppress any thoughts of revolt.

Victims who endured unbearable conditions at an Almajiri centre in the Agbaji area of Kwara State have recounted their harrowing experiences.

According to some of the victims, they were forced to change religion, chained, and beaten for days to break their spirit and suppress any thoughts of revolt.

Some of those taken into the centre were taken in without their parents’ knowledge, SaharaReporters gathered.

While some of those brought by their family members noted that they suffered this fate mostly for practising a different religion from that of their parents.

Both males and females are usually affected by the situation. They are chained and subjected to inhumane treatment.

Once brought into the centre, they are made to give up their phones, placed in isolation, beaten, and forced to recite the Qur'an.

One of the victims, who preferred to remain anonymous, recounted his experience. He spent one year and nine months in the facility before escaping the ordeal.

His case was that his mother is a Christian while his polygamous father is a Muslim. He chose to practise Christianity, which did not sit well with his father. He was sent to the centre for having the temerity to choose his own religion.


Narrating his ordeal, he said, "I was brought in by my father from Lagos, who is a Muslim. I chose to be a Christian, and that did not sit well with him. My mum pleaded that I should not be taken away, but I was forcefully brought here.

"When one arrives there, you're taken into a dark room where you’re not allowed to see the sun. Nobody is permitted to visit you. Then they beat you to break you and prevent any escape. Afterwards, they lock you in chains. Later, they force you to drink some concoctions that make you lose your memory at that time.”

"Feeding is scarce in there. I, for one, survived on ₦100 for breakfast, ₦100 for lunch, and ₦100 for dinner. It was later increased to ₦200. Then, you're made to recite Quranic verses,” he added.

The source noted that upon arriving at the location, he suffered intense beatings after being abandoned and forced to recite the Qur'an while chained.

"I was beaten, chained, and made to recite the Qur'an by the managers of the centre," he told SaharaReporters.

While he was fortunate to escape the centre, many others are still languishing there, with some having given up on life.

"I ran away one day while I was out hawking. They give you different items to sell after a while, so you end up hawking in the streets for the ‘oga’ (boss) of the centre and the ‘madam’," the victim said.

"The victims hawk street food like beske, wara, and fufu."

The source noted that, weary of the appalling conditions, one of the inmates at the centre nearly lost his life.

"One of the people there almost died while I was there. He jumped into a well. We were only able to save him by holding on to the shackles on his legs. He was tired of life already," he said.

SaharaReporters further gathered that if someone escapes the centre, the management often tracks them down and brings them back.

"And sometimes, even if you manage to escape, they find ways of tracking you and bringing you back. They are very connected and practice fetish rituals. When you get there, you’ll see all sorts of concoctions and pots used for diabolic practices while they claim to be spiritual leaders," the source said.

Meanwhile, access to healthcare is also not available at the centre.

"When you are sick at the Almajiri centre, there is no proper treatment. All they do is give a concoction to the person. If it does not work, the best they can do is give Paracetamol, regardless of what is happening to you. If you do not get well after that, you will continue with the concoction, and this has affected many people who continue to strive to survive to date," one of the sources told SaharaReporters.

A victim also told SaharaReporters that the authorities at the centre threaten them against reporting their experiences, alleging that the police in the area are aware of the incidents.

"They threaten you with ‘jazz’ (local charms or juju), and even if you report to the nearby police, nothing will be done because they are all aware of the practice. To them, it's a normal thing. I tried it once—it did not work. That was immediately after I escaped. I went to the police, but nothing was done. When I suspected their complicity, I found my way out of the place where I went to report and escaped," the source said.

SaharaReporters obtained several pictures of victims whose legs were bound by chains in the centre.

"Many of those in the centre at Agbaji are pleading for help, some are dying, and they seek urgent intervention. No one should have to live without dignity," one of the sources said.

"Most people lose their sense of dignity and pride after a while, and they also force you to work for them by hawking on the streets and doing menial jobs; it is more like child labour," one of the victims narrated to SaharaReporters.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kwara State, Ejire-Adeyemi Adetoun, denied knowledge of such occurrences or the existence of such a location in the state. She asked SaharaReporters to send more details to her.

SaharaReporters subsequently sent a text message detailing the victims' circumstances, including the location of the centre in the state. As of the time this report was filed, she had not responded.

Indian Firm ANRML Where ‘Nigerians Earn N20,000 And Foreigners ₦2Million Monthly’ Uses Army To Crush Protest Over Slave Wages

The protests, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday, were organised by workers who claim they are being treated like “slaves in their own country” by Indian expatriates managing the company.

Workers at the African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML), an Indian-owned iron ore mining and processing plant located in Gujeni village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have accused the company of inhumane treatment, discrimination, and using the Nigerian Army to intimidate staff members who staged a peaceful protest demanding better working conditions.

The protests, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday, were organised by workers who claim they are being treated like “slaves in their own country” by Indian expatriates managing the company.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the management called the military to disperse the protesting workers instead of addressing their demands.

A worker who spoke under anonymity due to fear of victimisation said the protest on Wednesday began peacefully at around 6 a.m.

"We started a peaceful protest yesterday (Wednesday) morning at around 6 a.m. to demand better pay and healthcare. We are asking the company to implement the new minimum wage and improve our conditions," the worker said.

"We walk 30 kilometres daily to get here. We work six days a week. Meanwhile, foreign workers—many with just diploma certificates—earn between N1.5 million and N2 million monthly, paid in dollars, with accommodation and official cars. Nigerians earn only N25,000 to N50,000 with no housing allowance or health insurance."

Another protester added that this was not the first time such grievances had been raised.

"This is the third protest since the company began operations. We’ve held meetings with management. They promised to implement the minimum wage increase in January during the annual performance appraisal, but nothing was done," he said.

He further disclosed that the former Human Resources Manager resigned in protest earlier this year after repeatedly urging management to act on the salary and welfare issues.

"The HR manager tried to make the management understand the suffering of workers. When they ignored him, he resigned," the source said.

Workers also allege the company has failed to provide basic safety and healthcare for its Nigerian staff despite the hazardous work environment.

"There’s no HMO (Health Maintenance Organisation), no proper medical unit. If you get injured on the job, they just terminate your contract and replace you. People have died trying to cross the highway to get to work. There’s not even an overhead bridge," said one source.

According to the workers, expatriates enjoy fully funded housing, health insurance, and other benefits, while Nigerian employees receive none.

They also allege widespread discrimination, with foreigners favoured over local staff for key roles and privileges.

"There's clear discrimination. Foreign workers are paid in dollars and given every comfort. Nigerian workers are left to suffer. They don't care about our lives," one of the sources said.

One of the protesters confirmed that a formal warning was issued to the management before the protest.

"We told them if they didn’t implement the new wage by April’s salary, we would protest. They usually pay between the 20th and 26th, but this time they paid on the 28th, possibly to delay or avoid the protest," the source said.

However, the sources told SaharaReporters that the protest was peaceful and that workers were within their rights to demand fair treatment.

"They are not asking for too much—just a living wage, safety, and dignity," one of them said.

When SaharaReporters contacted Jeremiah Joshua, spokesperson for African Natural Resources and Mines Limited, he said, “How did you get my contact? I will call you back, okay?”

However, SaharaReporters could not get his reaction to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.

ANRML is considered as one of Africa’s largest iron producers, with a significant presence in Nigeria.

The plant in Gujeni is reportedly one of the continent’s most extensive integrated mining and processing facilities.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has uncovered another suspected illegal investment platform identified as TOFRO.COM (Tofro).

The commission raised the alarm in a notice on Thursday made available to journalists.

The commission warned Nigerians against falling for their tactics to obtain money from them through the promise of unusually high returns.

SEC said that the suspected investment platform holds itself out as a cryptocurrency trading platform, adding the investment scheme was not registered by the commission.

It said that based on its investigations, Tofro’s operations exhibited the typical indicators of a fraudulent Ponzi scheme.

According to the SEC, it promises unusually high returns, heavy reliance on a referral system to sustain payouts, and failure to honour withdrawal requests from subscribers.

SEC, however, strongly advised Nigerians to be wary of investing with Tofro, noting that any person who places such investment with the entity does so at their own risk.

The notice read, “The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the activities of an online platform known as TOFRO.COM (Tofro), which holds itself out as a cryptocurrency trading platform. The commission hereby informs the public that the Tofro is not registered by the commission either to solicit investments from the public or operate in any other capacity within the Nigerian capital market.

“Investigations have revealed that Tofro’s operations exhibit the typical indicators of a fraudulent Ponzi scheme, including the promise of unusually high returns, heavy reliance on a referral system to sustain pay-outs and failure to honour withdrawal requests from subscribers. Accordingly, the public is strongly advised to be wary about investing with Tofro, as any person who places such investment with the entity, does so at his/her own risk. The commission similarly reminds potential investors of the need to verify the registration status of investment platforms via the commission’s dedicated portal: www.sec.gov.ng/cmos before transacting with them.”

The SEC Director-General, Emomotimi Agama, said that Nigerians needed to understand the dangers of putting their hard-earned money in ventures not registered or regulated by the commission.