₦airaland Forum

Welcome, Guest: Register • Login • With Google • Trending • Recent • New

Stats: 3,344,559 members, 8,512,461 topics. Date: Tuesday, 03 November 2026 at 12:53 PM

Toggle theme

MANDIPUTIN's Posts

Nairaland Forum › MANDIPUTIN's Profile › MANDIPUTIN's Posts

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (of 26 pages)

Family › Re: I Regret Divorcing My Husband! My New Man Dumped Me After 3 Months — Lady by MANDIPUTIN: 8:42pm On Oct 27
Many are still warming up to act like her. But streets got no joy for them
Crime › Re: Business Man In Abuja Arrested For $120M Fraud by MANDIPUTIN: 9:15am On Oct 21
Omo, no genuine big man in Nigeria? Its seems most of them are into one fraud or the other.
Politics › Re: In 2023, I supported Peter Obi but won't support him in 2027"- Prophet El-buba by MANDIPUTIN: 12:52pm On Sep 09
The same here. As a core coordinator of Obidients in one of the area council in FCT and also a support group leader in FCT in 2023 elections, I won't support Peter Obi in 2027.
Adverts › Re: Public Notice From Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc by MANDIPUTIN: 4:56pm On Aug 27
Kuje Area Council in Abuja has been without power supply for 3 Months now, in fact since the beginning of this year no light for cumulative 20 days. Instead of the Chairman of the area council to find solution to this, he is busy threatening people who will not vote APC in Kuje
Politics › Re: Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Goodluck Jonathan Estate Land In Abuja by MANDIPUTIN: 6:27pm On Dec 23, 2025
tega192:
I really like this , omo even good luck, this life no balance
It doesn't belong to Jonathan, it was named after him
Politics › Re: Travel Ban: Implications On Nigeria ~ By Charles Awuzie by MANDIPUTIN: 8:54am On Dec 17, 2025
The points raised by Charles are all shallow.
Must you travel to America? Let us all stay back and build our country with equity & real commitments, without any form of discrimination.
In a country where some people are seen as first class citizen & others are considered second class citizen, such a country won't work.
So, I strongly support this step by the US. Let's all stay back here & build the Nigeria of our dreams.
Politics › Re: National Assembly Set To Debate, Vote On 44 Constitution Review Bills by MANDIPUTIN: 6:11am On Dec 09, 2025
ELECTORAL REFORMS.

*INEC should be mandated to publish all polling units results before swearing in of any candidates declared by INEC
*Electronic uploading of results from the polling units at real time by INEC should be made mandatory.
If this is not the case, then forget free & fair elections.
Autos › Re: Carfanzy Accessories Start Mega Sales On Leather Seat Cover In Lagos by MANDIPUTIN: 5:46pm On Jul 28, 2025
Pls extend your sales to Abuja, we need it badly.
Inferior leader seat is what we have in the normal Abuja markets & stores
Travel › Re: FRSC Operatives Accused Of Mounting Road Block To Harass Worshippers In Kubwa by MANDIPUTIN: 4:27pm On Jul 27, 2025
Road safety are also doing the same in Kuje, Abuja.
They come out as early as 7am every Sunday morning @ tipper garage junction near Total filling station.
They harras & intimidate worshipers, sometime they delay them from attending Sunday service.
Politics › Press Release: Interim National Chairman,labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman. by MANDIPUTIN(op):
*Press Release*

*DATTI BABA-AHMED’S PERSONAL CHOICES DO NOT ALTER SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT ON LABOUR PARTY LEADERSHIP*

The attention of the Labour Party has been drawn to the recent participation of Dr. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, our Vice-Presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, in a meeting reportedly convened by the suspended former National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barr. Julius Abure. At the said gathering, Dr. Baba-Ahmed was alleged to have referred to Barr. Abure as the substantive National Chairman of the party.

Dr. Baba-Ahmed was also featured on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, earlier today, 23rd July 2025, where he was once again reported to have addressed Barr. Abure as the party’s chairman.

While Dr. Baba-Ahmed, like every Nigerian, is entitled to his personal opinions and freedom of association, it is imperative to state that the leadership question within the Labour Party has been conclusively settled by the Supreme Court of Nigeria. For the sake of clarity, and to avoid further distortion of facts, the Labour Party wishes to reiterate the unequivocal verdict of the apex court as delivered on 4th April 2025. At page 47 of the judgement, Their Lordships held:

“Consequent upon the foregoing, the decisions of both trial court and the court below recognizing Barrister Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the 1st Respondent are hereby set aside and suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1271/2024 is hereby struck out for want of jurisdiction.”

Furthermore, the Court ruled:

“In the final analysis, I find this appeal to be meritorious and is hereby allowed. Parties shall bear their respective costs. Appeal Allowed.”

This unambiguous ruling of the Supreme Court - Nigeria’s highest judicial authority - effectively nullifies any claim by Barr. Julius Abure to the office of National Chairman of the Labour Party. It also upholds the leadership of Senator Nenadi Usman, who was the appellant in the said matter and upon whose appeal all reliefs sought were granted.

While the party respects the right of Dr. Baba-Ahmed and other members to hold personal views, it is important to remember that the acceptance of and adherence to the finality of the judgements of the Supreme Court has never been, and will never be, a matter of choice but compulsion. The Labour Party is bound by that finality and expects all members to align accordingly.

We acknowledge Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s stated intention to foster reconciliation within the party. That in itself is commendable. However, such efforts must be rooted in truth, guided by respect for the rule of law, and anchored on the existing legal realities.

As the Labour Party prepares for its ward, local government, and state congresses - culminating in the forthcoming national convention - the Interim National Chairman of the party, Senator Nenadi Usman, continues to call for peace, unity, and internal cohesion. Only a united Labour Party can effectively confront and offer a credible alternative to the APC-led federal government and its failed governance trajectory.

We urge all party faithful to remain calm, steadfast, and resolute as the leadership reaches out to all aggrieved members in the interest of lasting reconciliation and progress.

*Ken Eluma Asogwa*
Senior Special Adviser, Media, to the Interim National Chairman, Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman.

23rd July, 2025

https://x.com/ruffydfire/status/1948029345760469329?t=SApSmipi_d3tnG81bGcovQ&s=19
Politics › Re: Why ADC Should Zone 2027 Presidential Ticket To The South – Obi by MANDIPUTIN: 8:40am On Jul 14, 2025
Obi should go & sit down.
He thinks this is 2023. The only man that can unseat Tinubu is Atiku.
Politics › Re: Gale Of Defection: What Really Is Wrong With The PDP? by MANDIPUTIN:
These are the fingers behind the crisis in PDP & Labour Party, supported by INEC!
Who is afraid of PDP & Labour Party.

Politics › Re: Lagos LG Election: Three LP Factions Invite LASIEC To Monitor Primaries by MANDIPUTIN: 4:30pm On May 16, 2025
I can see some hidden fingers directing INEC.
The beauty of democracy is a viable opposition politics. Without viable opposition, what we have is Autocratic.
Politics › Re: Empty Plates, Bleak Future: How Malnutrition Is Devastating Northern Nigeria by MANDIPUTIN(op): 11:56am On May 03, 2025
Continue:
b]A Social Crisis Masquerading As A Medical Condition[/b]
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.

Kaduna’s budget history exemplifies this progress. In 2016, only 7.6 per cent of its budget went to health. That figure peaked at 17.8 per cent in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and has since stabilised around 15 per cent. While these increases are commendable, the bigger challenge remains ensuring the efficient use of funds and tackling malnutrition beyond health.

Nigeria’s 2025 budget for nutrition interventions rose by 33.7 per cent from N127.24 billion in 2024 to N170.01 billion. But with an inflation rate of 24.48 per cent as at January 2025, little can be achieved.

In September 2024, Health Minister, Muhammad Ali Pate, announced that the National Economic Council (NEC) had resolved to prioritise nutrition at all government levels. The current allocation marks a 746 per cent increase from the 2021 budget, reflecting the government’s renewed commitment to addressing malnutrition.

The breakdown of the 2025 interventions saw the Ministry of Water Resources receiving the largest allocation at N182.52 billion, followed by the Ministry of Agriculture with N43.868 billion, and the Ministry of Labour with N10.388 billion. Other allocations include the Secretary to the Government (N2.33 billion), Ministry of Science/Tech (N1.548 billion), Presidency (N850 million), Ministry of Education (N740.3 million), Ministry of Health (N720 million), and the Ministry of Livestock with the smallest allocation at N258.66 million.

UNICEF reports that only two out of every 10 malnourished children are currently reached. To address the crisis, funding must rise significantly to match the scale of the burden.

According to UNICEF, more than $250 million is needed to address urgent needs in Nigeria’s most vulnerable states, including Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina. Over $100 million is required for these three states alone to deliver essential services across nutrition, healthcare, WASH, child protection, and education. Without this funding, millions, especially children, remain at risk of malnutrition, disease, and lack of access to critical services.

A Long Road To Recovery But Sustained Action Crucial
WHILE more states are increasing their healthcare allocations, donor support, particularly from UNICEF, remains essential in sustaining hospitals and offering hope. Still, the road to recovery is long.

With Nigeria’s population projected to reach 400 million by 2050, sustainable solutions must address the root causes of poor health outcomes.
“Yesterday, we saw a 16-year-old girl with two children. That means she was likely pregnant at 14. In some countries, child marriage leads to prosecution. This must change,” UNICEF’s Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate said.

“Collective action is vital. Governments, international organisations, and communities must work together to protect girls, invest in education,

Continue Read
https://guardian.ng/news/empty-plates-bleak-future-how-malnutrition-is-devastating-northern-nigeria/ smiley

Politics › Empty Plates, Bleak Future: How Malnutrition Is Devastating Northern Nigeria by MANDIPUTIN(op): 11:56am On May 03, 2025
MALNUTRITION NORTH
In northern Nigeria, malnutrition is a leading driver of high child mortality rate. This is worsened by poverty, climate change, insecurity, and limited access to healthcare. Although the government adopted a multi-sector policy to tackle the crisis, weak implementation has rendered it largely ineffective 25 years after. KINGSLEY JEREMIAH explores this escalating crisis across some northern states and its impact on the region’s most vulnerable population, mostly children.

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.

Nursing mothers and their children awaiting care at the Dr. Karima Primary Health Centre in Tudun Wada, Gusau, Zamfara State.
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 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.

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.


Continue Read
https://guardian.ng/news/empty-plates-bleak-future-how-malnutrition-is-devastating-northern-nigeria/ smiley

Politics › Re: Hardship: Don't Allow One Nigeria To Implode - IPOB Begs Tinubu by MANDIPUTIN: 9:42am On Feb 17, 2024
blacknp:
The purported corrected headline, is even worse than their statement of 1 Nigeria.
na you dey quote,na same you dey like & share your own post. funny 🤣🤣🤣
Politics › Re: Hardship: Don't Allow One Nigeria To Implode - IPOB Begs Tinubu by MANDIPUTIN: 9:18am On Feb 17, 2024
Richtaiwo:
What do ipob really want? Ipob begging Tinubu to stop implosion of one Nigeria? Funniest report I have read so far this year.
Twisting the headline news to suit their narrative.
This is the correct headline:

Politics › Police Recruitment: Otti Concerned As 700 Abia Candidates Shun Interview by MANDIPUTIN(op): 7:14pm On Jan 27, 2024
Police recruitment: Otti expresses concern as 700 Abia candidates shun interview

Abia State Governor Alex Otti has expressed concern over the poor response of youths from the state to the ongoing police recruitment exercise.

A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Okey Kanu, noted that it had come to the notice of the government that the quota allocated to the state in the recruitment exercise has been grossly underutilized.

According to the statement, 700 candidates from the state, who were invited for interview, towards recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force, failed to show up.

“Regrettably, about 700 candidates invited for interview in the ongoing recruitment exercise are yet to show up.

“To this end, the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti, has directed all local government Mayors, Chairmen of traditional rulers Councils and their members in all the LGAs, Presidents-general of town unions, and community leaders to immediately mobilize their youths for this very important exercise to ensure that the state’s quota is filled.

“The Governor further directed all those who have been invited for the interview as a matter of urgency, to appear for the exercise.

“Abia cannot be left out in the scheme of any aspect of Nigeria’s socio-political and economic life,” the statement said.


The statement further urged all invited candidates who are yet to show up for the recruitment exercise, for one reason or the other, to approach the Office of the Commissioner for Information and Culture for further clarifications.
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/01/police-recruitment-apathy-abia-govt-orders-mayors-monarchs-pgs-to-mobilise-youths-2/

Politics › Insecurity: Nigerian Military Accuses Finland Of Encouraging Separatist Leader by MANDIPUTIN(op): 6:28am On Nov 22, 2023
The Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, says Finland has been encouraging a separatist, Simon Ekpa, to wreak havoc in Nigeria.

Mr Ekpa is one of the leaders of the proscribed separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The CDS also blamed the judiciary for partly contributing to the lingering insecurity in the country.

Mr Musa said Finland must explain why it continues to protect the separatist leader. He added that the Finland Ambassador to Nigeria should be summoned to provide clarification on the stance of the Finnish government.

Mr Musa stated this on Tuesday while appearing before the House of Representatives for the sectorial debate.


The CDS appeared before the lawmakers alongside the Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja; the Chief of Naval Staff, Emmanuel Ogalla; the Chief of Air Staff, Hassan Abubakar and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Mr Musa said the government must act because the utterances of Mr Ekpa are causing havoc in the South-east region.

“In the South-east, Simon Ekpa has become a menace to this country. The country must act on it diplomatically. Simon (Mr Ekpa) is having a freeway because they (Finland) are encouraging him to do what he is doing. His utterances and actions are affecting what is happening in Nigeria.

“We should never allow that. Our foreign service should step in,” he said.


Ekpa and Finnish government
Mr Ekpa, who resides in Finland, has repeatedly declared sit-at-home orders across the South-east as part of activities to force the government to release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB.

The enforcement of the order often leads to killings and violence in the region.

In February, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama summoned the Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Leena Pylvanainen, over threats by the Biafra agitator.

Mr Onyeama, at the meeting, expressed displeasure over the recent sit-at-home orders given by Mr Ekpa to his teeming followers, who he said, consequently embarked on killings, maiming, burning and other destructive activities.

Weeks after the meeting, the Finnish government arrested Mr Ekpa but released him some hours later.

According to an official statement shared with PREMIUM TIMES by the Finnish embassy in Nigeria, Mr Ekpa was arrested as part of an investigation by Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation into a suspected money collection offence.

‘The judiciary is failing us’
Mr Musa also blamed the judiciary for partly contributing to insecurity across the country.

He stated that the judiciary has not been helpful in dispensing justice in the fight against insecurity.

The CDS cited instances where the judiciary released suspects on bail after arrest by the

“I have been in the North-east, there were a lot of Boko Haram elements that have been captured. We have kept them for five/six years. We the armed forces can arrest but cannot prosecute.

“Some of them have been found wanting but no prosecution. We are keeping them for this lengthy period—everyone is accusing the armed forces of keeping them against their human rights but we cannot prosecute,” he said.

He also disclosed that the military now destroys seized vessels instead of waiting for the court process.

Following the presentation by the service chiefs and the IGP, the lawmakers took turns to ask questions.

However, the House moved into an executive session to receive answers to the questions.

Family › Re: My Sister Married An Efulefu. What Should She Do? by MANDIPUTIN: 7:17am On Oct 01, 2023
Curse777:
cool



*and I so much dislike him because he's fair and I can't stand fair guys.

*they started having issues because she was the one bearing most of the financial burden in the house.

Summary of this long epistle

1: He first asked you out and you rejected, as a man he moved on to your sister and you resented him deeply

2: He is currently financially handicap and he irritates you, you hate poor men and poor men neither deserve marriage, or children

3: To you financial burden of a family is exclusive responsibility of a man


PS:

Dear Men, stay completely away from marriage if you are not financially bouyant as you are only rated for your financial strength by Women



.
That is it.,
The best advice to any young man planning to go into marriage.
Business › Most Valuable/Strongest Currencies In The World 2023. by MANDIPUTIN(op): 9:57am On Sep 18, 2023
1. Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)
The Kuwaiti dinar is the strongest currency in the world, with 1 dinar buying 3.26 dollars (or, put another way, $1 equals 0.31 Kuwaiti dinar).

2. Bahraini Dinar (BHD)
The Bahraini dinar is the second-strongest currency in the world, with 1 dinar buying 2.65 dollars (or $1 equals 0.38 Bahraini dinar).

3. Omani Rial (OMR)
The Omani rial is the third-strongest currency in the world, with 1 rial buying 2.60 dollars (or $1 equals 0.38 Omani rial).

4. Jordanian Dinar (JOD)
The Jordanian dinar is the fourth-strongest currency in the world, with 1 dinar buying 1.41 dollars (or $1 equals 0.71 Jordanian dinar).

5. British Pound (GBP)
The British pound is the fifth-strongest currency in the world, with 1 pound buying 1.22 dollars (or $1 equals 0.82 British pound).

6. (tie) Cayman Islands Dollar (KYD)
The Cayman Islands dollar is in a tie for sixth among the strongest currencies in the world, with 1 Cayman dollar buying 1.20 dollars (or $1 equals 0.83 Cayman Islands dollar).

7. (tie) Gibraltar Pound (GIP)
The Gibraltar pound shares the No. 6 spot among the world’s strongest currencies, with 1 pound buying 1.22 dollars (or $1 equals 0.82 Gibraltar pound).

8. (tie) Swiss Franc (CHF)
The Swiss franc is tied for eighth among the strongest currencies in the world, with 1 franc buying 1.08 dollars (or $1 equals 0.92 Swiss franc).

9. (tie) Euro (EUR)
The euro shares the No. 8 spot among the world’s strongest currencies, with 1 euro buying 1.08 dollars (or $1 equals 0.93 euro).

10. U.S. Dollar (USD)
The U.S. dollar is the 10th-strongest currency in the world, with 1 dollar buying 1 dollar. (Obviously.) All other units of currency across the globe are worth less than a buck.

https://www.forbes.com/advisor/au/investing/currencies/top-10-strongest-currencies-in-the-world/
Politics › Re: Arewa has Started Crying Over Appointments Made By Tinubu by MANDIPUTIN(op): 6:11am On Sep 16, 2023
Ritchiee:
You mean Ipobs are crying.
Only a demented Northerner will cry a senseless cry like this but Ipobs will.They are wired to cry.
Yes, I mean Ipob.
Check out another Ipob wetting the twitter space with his tears.😆😆😆

Politics › Re: Arewa has Started Crying Over Appointments Made By Tinubu by MANDIPUTIN(op): 5:59am On Sep 16, 2023
arewafederation:
Just one tweet from one person out of over 100 million people? huh

Try again.
Arewa Twitter account is not one person oo.
They report the voices & mood of Arewa. & with over 126K followers.

Politics › Arewa has Started Crying Over Appointments Made By Tinubu by MANDIPUTIN(op): 5:34am On Sep 16, 2023
Your tears is song to my ears.
You lost your voice when Buhari was busy given all juicy appointments to his brethren.

Politics › Re: Tinubu Nominates Olayemi Cardoso As CBN Governor by MANDIPUTIN: 6:19pm On Sep 15, 2023
If I am Tinubu,all the sensitive & important appointments will go to Yorubaland.
If Buhari can do it, Tinubu can & i don't want to hear pim 🤐 from anybody or groups.
For others tribes, wait for your turn, that is if your turn will ever come
Politics › Re: US Chamber Of Commerce Invites Tinubu To Ring NASDAQ Closing Bell Sept 20 by MANDIPUTIN: 1:39pm On Sep 11, 2023
Chukwudi87:
;Where are the children of h8 and perdition?? 👀
Jagaban dey go US oo 😂
Everybody goes to the same market. A better Nigeria devoid of hate & animosity is what Nigeria needs at this time.
Politics › Re: US Chamber Of Commerce Invites Tinubu To Ring NASDAQ Closing Bell Sept 20 by MANDIPUTIN: 1:39pm On Sep 11, 2023
Pray Tinubu succeeds, so Nigeria will be better for everyone.
Politics › Re: Tribunal: APC Senators Have Right To Appeal; Atiku, Obi Have No Ground – Yahaya by MANDIPUTIN: 9:35pm On Sep 07, 2023
LesbianBoy:
These guys don't want an igbo man to be president that is why they are always attacking peter obi. They rarely talk about atiku sef
His tribal men ( the Ebiras) hate anyone from the SE or part of SS with no reason, the hatred are more pronounce among the Muslims in Kogi central.
They worship the Fulani/ Hausa tribe.
Their men has lost their culture of dressing. You can hardly differentiate them from an average hausa man, except for their language
Sports › Re: Imprisoned Dani Alves Pens Love Letter To Estranged Wife Ahead Of His Rape Case by MANDIPUTIN: 5:37pm On Sep 02, 2023
With that kind of money & fame. Any woman that want to go should hurry & leave. Rubbish!
Only few women are loyal till the end no matter the circumstances
Foreign Affairs › Re: Saudi Arabia Border Guards Killed Hundreds Of African Migrants — HRW by MANDIPUTIN(op): 11:22am On Aug 21, 2023
Why Muslims hate themselves like this.......
Imagine killing your fellow Muslim brothers & sisters in this manner in a 21th century
Foreign Affairs › Saudi Arabia Border Guards Killed Hundreds Of African Migrants — HRW by MANDIPUTIN(op): 11:21am On Aug 21, 2023
Saudi border guards fired “like rain” on Ethiopian migrants trying to cross through Yemen into the Gulf kingdom, killing hundreds since last year, Human Rights Watch said in a report Monday.

The allegations, described as “unfounded” by a Saudi government source, point to a significant escalation of abuses along the perilous “Eastern Route” from the Horn of Africa to Saudi Arabia, where hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians live and work.

“Saudi officials are killing hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers in this remote border area out of view of the rest of the world,” HRW researcher Nadia Hardman said in a statement.

“Spending billions buying up professional golf, football clubs, and major entertainment events to improve the Saudi image should not deflect attention from these horrendous crimes.”

A Saudi government source told AFP: “The allegations included in the Human Rights Watch report about Saudi border guards shooting Ethiopians while they were crossing the Saudi-Yemeni border are unfounded and not based on reliable sources.”

The New York-based group has documented abuses against Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia and Yemen for nearly a decade, but the latest killings appear to be “widespread and systematic” and may amount to crimes against humanity, it said.

Last year, UN experts reported “concerning allegations” that “cross-border artillery shelling and small-arms fire by Saudi Arabia security forces killed approximately 430 migrants” in southern Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen during the first four months of 2022.

The HRW report said there was no response to letters it sent to the Saudi interior and defence ministries, the human rights commission and Huthi rebels who control northern Yemen.

In 2015, Saudi officials mobilised a military coalition in an effort to stop the advance of the Iran-backed Huthis, who had seized the Yemeni capital Sanaa from the internationally recognised government the previous year.

Yemen’s war has created what the United Nations describes as one of the world’s worst humanitarian situations.

But many of the abuses described by HRW would have occurred during a truce that took effect in April 2022 and has largely held despite officially expiring last October.

The HRW report draws from interviews with 38 Ethiopian migrants who tried to cross into Saudi Arabia from Yemen, as well as from satellite imagery and videos and photos posted to social media “or gathered from other sources”.

Interviewees described 28 “explosive weapons incidents” including attacks by mortar projectiles, the report said.

Some survivors described attacks at close range, with Saudi border guards asking Ethiopians “in which limb of their body they would prefer to be shot”, the report said.

“All interviewees described scenes of horror: women, men, and children strewn across the mountainous landscape severely injured, dismembered, or already dead,” it said.

One 20-year-old woman from Ethiopia’s Oromia region said Saudi border guards fired on a group of migrants they had just released from custody.

“They fired on us like rain. When I remember, I cry,” she said.

“I saw a guy calling for help, he lost both his legs. He was screaming; he was saying, ‘Are you leaving me here? Please don’t leave me’. We couldn’t help him because we were running for our lives.”

HRW called on Riyadh to “immediately and urgently revoke” any policy of using lethal force on migrants and asylum seekers and urged the UN to investigate the alleged killings.

https://www.channelstv.com/2023/08/21/saudi-border-guards-kill-hundreds-of-ethiopian-migrants-hrw/

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (of 26 pages)