₦airaland Forum

The Nigerian military is ranked 31st in the global firepower index in 2025 and third in Africa.

This marked an improvement in Nigeria’s ranking from the previous year, 2024 when it was ranked 39th in global firepower.

The 2025 global firepower review considered 145 world powers(nations) with a perfect index of 0.0000.

The report indicates that the USA maintained the number one position in global power strength with a 0.744 index, Russia came second with 0.0788, and China third with a 0.0788 index.


According to the report, India and South Korea were ranked fourth and fifth in terms of global power strength.

However, Nigeria was ranked 31st with a 0.5771 index, gaining seven steps from its 39th position in 2024.

The report also ranked countries by their combat tank fleet (land forces), where Nigerian Army stood at 39th position.

According to the report, Egypt and Algeria topped the African chart with the 6th and 11th positions, respectively, on the global stage.

On the global scale, China’s leads, followed by Russia and USA, came 3rd.

Furthermore, in the African Military firepower ranking, Egypt came first with a 0.3427 power index, Algeria came second with a 0.3589 index, Nigeria came third with a 0.5771 index, South Africa came fourth with a 0.6889 index, and the Benin Republic came 38th with a 4.3156 ranking among the 38 African countries ranked.

The report also ranked the Nigerian Air Force (airpower) 54th globally and the Nigerian Navy 23rd.

anonimi:
You have no clue what recycling propaganda lies means, do you

The Federal Government has enlisted 154 health facilities across Nigeria for free treatment of women who have obstetric complications.

These are women who have health problems or difficulties that arise during pregnancy, labour, delivery, or the postpartum period, potentially affecting the mother’s or baby’s well-being.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, who announced the centres on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Friday, said the facilities have quality manpower, rich standard and equipment.

He also announced 18 centres across the nation for free treatment of vesicovaginal fistula (VVF).


See full list of free CEmOC and VVF facilities below:

Thundafireseun:
My bad …. I agree with you….

So sad

Thundafireseun:
So so sad ….

The truth is Nigerian doctors and Nigerian mechanics have no difference

2…. I have seen and read this news several times on Nairaland

A building contractor, Onyedikachi Eze, shares with BIODUN BUSARI how he lost his wife, Favour Paul, and their newborn baby at a private hospital in Owerri, Imo State, due to the alleged mishandling by medical doctors and nurses on duty

How did you end up at Lebechi Hospital, where your wife and baby passed away?

Nobody referred me to the hospital. I went there myself to register my wife for antenatal care when she was pregnant. I chose Lebechi Hospital because of its proximity to my house. The transport fare to the hospital where my wife had our first child would have cost me N5,000.

Additionally, we had moved away from the area where we had our first child. I thought Lebechi Hospital would be more convenient for my wife to walk to. I knew when the hospital was first opened, and I had seen people going there before my wife registered.

Unfortunately, the most tragic part of this experience is that people began coming forward to tell me about the hospital’s inadequacies only after my wife died.

Nobody mentioned the hospital’s shortcomings when my wife was going there, until tragedy struck. I thought that whenever I wasn’t around, my wife could visit the hospital for emergencies in the middle of the night since I didn’t have a car to transport her to the other hospital.

When did you register your wife for antenatal care at the hospital?

She was registered for antenatal care in June 2024.

What happened the day your wife and newborn died?

I was at work in Olo, Enugu State, when the doctor’s husband called me. He told me my wife was in serious condition. I assured him I would come to the hospital right away. When I arrived, I met Dr Lebechi Chijioke, the owner of the hospital. She informed me that my wife needed surgery to deliver the baby.

She said some nurses would assist in performing the Cesarean section on my wife. However, the midwife had already checked my wife and confirmed that both she and the baby were fine.

The midwife said she would carry out the surgery to separate my wife and the baby.

Was she the one who performed the C-section?

She was not the one who did the operation. She is a female doctor and owns the hospital.

Did Dr Lebechi tell you who would be operating on your wife?

No, she didn’t tell me anything about the doctors who carried out the CS. She didn’t even tell me the number of doctors to operate on my wife.
Who took your wife to the hospital before you were called?

My wife went to the hospital on her own. She wasn’t rushed. She walked there because I registered her at the hospital for easy access to care in case of emergencies. She complained of abdominal pain on Tuesday, 21st January 2025.

I reassured her everything would be fine. She had been attending regular check-ups there, including for her blood pressure. Even my son had a card at the hospital. She arrived around 10am, and I reached the hospital around 2:23pm.

When I arrived, Dr Lebechi told me my wife needed an operation because the placenta was attempting to come out before the baby. She only mentioned that my wife needed more blood.

I offered to donate, but after several attempts, they said my blood didn’t match. They called a man who donated one pint of blood. By 5pm, when the operation began, my wife had lost a lot of blood.

How did you react when you saw your wife bleeding?

I couldn’t do anything. I was just there in the theatre with her. They put her on a drip, and she was feeling weak. I questioned if someone could be in labour and on a drip at the same time.

The hospital staff had called two male doctors and three female nurses to assist in the operation. At one point, the power went out, and I had to fix and fuel their generator because they couldn’t get it started.

Why were you the one to start the generator?

There was no one else to do it. The generator had a technical fault, and I had to fix it and fuel it myself. The hospital didn’t have enough lower-level staff to manage this.

Can you describe what the hospital looked like in terms of staff?

The hospital was located in a three-bedroom flat. There was a passage near the entrance that served as a lobby. The next room was where they operated on my wife. The hospital had the owner, Dr Lebechi, and four female nurses, all of whom were unqualified.

The nurses were student nurses from Holy Rosary Hospital, and they worked in shifts. The other flat served as the living quarters for Dr Lebechi and her husband. Occasionally, some of the staff would sleep there.

Who were the two doctors who performed the C-section on your wife?

They were hired by Dr Lebechi. Three of her nurses also assisted, bringing the total to five people involved in the surgery. Dr Lebechi was not in the theatre during the operation.

She left twice to buy fuel for the generator. The nurses knew me and my wife well. We weren’t strangers at the hospital. It was the nurses who were watching YouTube videos on how to perform the C-section.

How did you find out they were watching YouTube?

I joined them in the theatre after fixing the generator. When I entered, I saw them watching YouTube videos. My wife was bleeding profusely, and I could barely tolerate the sight.

My younger brother and my wife’s younger brother were also there. It was my wife’s younger brother who later contacted a human rights group.

After the operation, what happened?

Once the operation was completed, the two doctors left, and we were told to step outside. I touched my wife before leaving the theatre.

After about two hours, Dr Lebechi came to tell me that my wife needed more blood. She told me my wife was fine and that the nurses were stitching her up. She mentioned that my wife was unable to feel her legs, especially her right leg, which was numb.

I entered the room and gave her a brief kiss, reassuring her she would be fine. I also asked about my baby, and Dr Lebechi said it was a girl and that she was fine. They said they were cleaning up the baby and promised to let me see her afterward.

However, as I was calling my in-laws to tell them that my wife had given birth to a baby girl, Dr Lebechi returned to tell me they needed more blood to revive my wife. I was confused, saying that blood couldn’t be bought like groceries. She insisted I find someone to drive to a hospital to purchase blood.

How did you manage to get the blood?

Dr Lebechi asked me to prepare around N5,000. She called me again in about 30 minutes to say that the person she had sent couldn’t make it.

I suggested some neighbours who were willing to donate blood, but she refused, claiming she couldn’t trust their blood. She insisted on going to where she trusted.

So, I drove with her to Holy Rosary Hospital in Mekuku to buy the blood. We bought two pints for N8,500, and I paid using my ATM card.

On the way back to the hospital, Dr Lebechi casually mentioned that surgery was not her area of specialisation. I brought the blood to the theatre myself.

The nurses were the ones who administered it to my wife. Afterward, my wife started to struggle and shout. They called one of the doctors who performed the surgery.

I was asked to leave the room, and I stood outside, not knowing what was happening. At one point, I stopped hearing my wife’s voice. My neighbors and I were praying outside.

When did doctor come out with the news?

It was around midnight. The doctor came out and told me and my brother to take heart. They informed me that my wife had passed away.

I asked about my baby girl, and they said she had died too. I was devastated. Dr Lebechi said she hadn’t told me about the baby’s death earlier to prevent me from crying. The baby had died before my wife experienced the second crisis, but they hadn’t informed me right away.

Were there other workers, like cleaners or receptionists, in the hospital?

No, there were no other staff members like cleaners or receptionists at the hospital. Only the four nurses were present.

How much did they charge you?

Dr Lebechi initially asked for N100,000 to buy blood. She billed me N480,000 for the operation, but after negotiations, we agreed that I would pay N350,000 if the operation was successful.

She said that if it were anyone else, she would charge no less than N600,000 for the operation. She claimed that I got a discount because I helped her with the generator.

How did your family and in-laws react to the news of your wife’s death?

They have been very supportive. As I mentioned earlier, my brother-in-law reached out to a human rights group to seek justice for my late wife. There has been grief, anger, and frustration.

How have the police handled the case?

The doctor is currently in police custody. However, I find it concerning that both she and her husband are still insisting that they were right. They are trying to use their influence to dismiss the case.

Dr Lebechi even implied that I still owed her, despite the tragic loss of my wife and baby. Her husband has also supported her, claiming she helped me.

My brother-in-law had to step in because they failed to save both my wife and child, and they insisted I still needed to pay.

Have you heard of any similar incidents at this hospital?

No, I hadn’t heard anything like this before. It wasn’t until after the tragedy that people started sharing their negative experiences with the hospital.

How is your son doing?

He’s with my sister. Since that day, he has been feeling cold and has a cough. He’s been crying a lot. I’ve been giving him medication to help him feel better.

The National Counter Terrorism Centre, under the Office of the National Security Adviser, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Alliance of Sahel States – Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger – to effectively combat terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel region.

Speaking during a study visit of delegates from the three nations to the NCTC in Abuja on Thursday, the National Coordinator, Maj. Gen. Adamu Laka, emphasised the importance of regional cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.

The visit comes at a critical time, as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger recently withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States, raising concerns about worsening insecurity in the region.

Last week, Nigeria’s Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, warned that the exit of the three countries had increased the security burden on Nigeria’s military.

“The recent withdrawal of the Alliance of Sahel States from ECOWAS has disrupted existing security frameworks. This development has direct implications for the Multinational Joint Task Force, which has played a crucial role in countering Boko Haram and ISWAP across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon,” Abubakar stated during a first-quarter meeting with senior Air Force officials in Abuja.

Speaking on Thursday, the NCTC coordinator, Laka, noted that the study tour by Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso delegates aimed to enhance knowledge sharing, promote teamwork, and strengthen social skills among regional security actors.

“As you are aware, cooperation in counterterrorism efforts is essential as it allows countries to share information, resources, and expertise,” he said. “The challenges we face in countering terrorism are multifaceted and complex, requiring innovative approaches and steadfast determination. By coming together in this spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation, we strengthen our resolve and enhance our capabilities to effectively counter terrorism.”

Laka highlighted the existing military collaboration between Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Benin Republic, particularly through the Lake Chad Basin Commission.

He credited the MNJTF for dislodging Boko Haram from its former strongholds and significantly degrading its capacity to launch large-scale attacks.

He also reaffirmed that the Office of the National Security Adviser had adopted a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to ensure a coordinated response to terrorism and serious organised crime.

Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy, he said, has evolved over the years to focus on legal, policy, and strategic frameworks.

The Chief of Defence Staff and Chairman of West African Defence Chiefs, Gen. Christopher Musa, announced plans to visit Mali and Burkina Faso soon, saying that Nigeria had no intention of waging war against the two nations.

Musa, who visited Niger last year, expressed eagerness to visit Mali and Burkina Faso, stressing the need for unity in the face of shared security threats.

He also called for a concerted effort to disrupt illegal mining operations, which he identified as a major source of funding for terrorist groups.

Musa said, “I visited Niger last year and was warmly received. I look forward to visiting Mali and Burkina Faso as well. We must remain united.

“We must stop them from accessing funds. We need to prevent foreign partners from supporting them. This is crucial in our fight against terrorism.”

Expressing his delight at the meeting, the CDS stressed the importance of regional cooperation in tackling security challenges.

“It gladdens my heart to have people from the AES countries here. It shows how important it is for us to work together. It is only by working together that we can defeat these enemies of peace. These individuals have no respect for life, borders, or human rights. All they seek is destruction, especially within the Sahel region,” Musa said.

He stressed that Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso have historical and cultural ties.

“If you look at our way of life – whether in Nigeria, Mali, or Niger – we are one and the same. The only difference is the borders drawn during colonial times. Our culture, attitudes, and behaviors are similar. This meeting is a testament to the fact that we are not enemies but brothers and sisters,” he stated.

Musa noted that the meeting would not have been possible if their junta leaders had not permitted it.

He said, “Of course, they would not have been here if they didn’t have the support of their commanders. So they understand that they understand that peace is more important than war.”

Speaking on Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace, Musa stated that the country since independence had been providing support to African countries during crises.

He said, “Over time, Nigeria has remained a peaceful country and has always meant well for its neighbors. There have been attempts to portray us as enemies, but we will never be enemies. Our presence here today is proof that we are brothers and sisters. We will not wage war against each other.

“Once again, I am pleased with this meeting. To our brothers from Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali – we are one family. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Since independence, Nigeria has always stepped in to assist African nations in times of crisis.

“During apartheid, we welcomed South Africans here. When Liberia was in turmoil, Charles Taylor found refuge in Nigeria. Even now, the former president of Sierra Leone is here. Nigeria has always been a peaceful nation, and we intend to remain that way.”

The team lead, Aliyu Gebi, called for collaboration to keep countries safer.

He said, “We are safer and stronger when we work together. what happens in Mali,Niger and Burkina Faso resonates in Nigeria.

“I commend the Nigerian military for winning the war against insurgents but we need to harmonise strategies towards winning peace.”

He said the team was in Nigeria to study how to connect kinetic and non-kinetic operations to win peace.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said the reforms of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu government has restored economic stability in the country and further helped in the strengthening of the value of the naira.

According to the first deputy managing director of the IMF, Gita Gopinath, the government had embarked on the much needed reforms such as foreign exchange deregulation that has led to the strengthening of the naira.

Speaking on the Nigerian economy on Arise TV, Gopinath noted that the “government has undertaken bold reforms, reforms that were much needed in terms of foreign exchange deregulation, fuel subsidy reforms.

“Those were important and had to get done, and these are difficult decisions to make. So, there is recognition that these reforms have brought stability to macro indicators, like the strength of the naira” she stated.

Gopinath however noted that it is “very important to communicate to the public not just that reforms take time, but also to communicate what exactly is being done, how it’s going to help them, and not just help some parts of the economy. Because if you don’t bring people along, there won’t be patience for difficult reforms.”

On the impact of the value of the local currency on the economy, she said

“confidence in the currency is very important. Currency tends to be stable when it is backed by sound fundamentals, which means monetary policy is doing the right thing in trying to bring inflation down. Fiscal policies must also be on the right path in terms of managing the deficit.

“I think one of the big priorities for the Nigerian government is to do more domestic resource mobilisation. Government revenues as a share of GDP are about 10 per cent, which is very low compared to its peers.

“Doing more on that front will also give confidence to markets. All of that is critical moving on the path of growth in terms of improving security, power, and the ease of doing business. All of this is going to be super helpful.”

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti has said that several places used for examination malpractices, code-named Miracle Centres have been closed down by his administration in most parts of the State.

He also said his administration is doing everything to provide conducive learning environment for Abia children.

The Governor said this on Wednesday in Umuahia while launching the Abia State educational innovative program tagged AbiaFirst.

He said his administration has tackled the deterioration that characterized Abia State government’s education sector during the past administrations.

“I am, however glad that several steps have been taken in the last twenty months to address the malaise of exam malpractices in most parts of the State, leading to the closure of several outlets designated as miracle centres,” Otti said.

He pointed that several educational initiatives like improved teachers’ welfare, recruitment of five thousand teachers and rehabilitation of schools are geared towards producing a future generation of leaders for the State.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, said the ABIAFIRST initiative aims at re-imagining Abia’s education system and focuses on quality teaching, improving basic education, reforming secondary schools, integrating digital learning, and enhancing career education and skills development.

On page 39 of the book, Babangida wrote the following:
“It was heinously callous for Nzeogwu to have murdered Sir Ahmadu Bello and his wife, Hafsatu, because not only were they eminently adored by many but also because they were said not to have put up a fight.

“From that moment the putsch was infiltrated by ‘outsiders’ to its supposed original intention and it took on an unmistakable ethnic coloration compounded by the fact that there were no related coup activities in the Eastern Region”.

I hate to burst the bubble of those that are beating their chests like puerile apes and think otherwise but there is NOWHERE in Babangida’s book that he said that the coup of January 15, 1966 was NOT an Igbo one.

In fact he alluded to the contrary when he said the coup had taken on an “unmistakable ethnic coloration”.

That is what he wrote and that is the reality.
The coup was indeed an ethnic one and the ethnic group he was referring to was none other than the Igbo!

Those that have purposely twisted and misinterpreted his words and have said that he wrote that the coup was “not an Igbo coup” are either misguided and misinformed or are being mischievous and patently dishonest.

Most of them have a poor understanding of the English language and have not even read the book and instead are relying on erroneous and nonsensical social media headlines, fake news, fake quotes and well-crafted propaganda and disinformation.

The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, on Wednesday warned the former Minister of Tourism, Femi Fani Kayode, over his attempt to twist Rtd General Babangida’s statement for saying that the 1966 coup was not an Igbo coup

The MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, spoke in a statement to newsmen in Owerri, over a report that Kayode was attempting to say that there was no time Babangida said that the 1966 coup was not an Igbo coup.

It should be recalled that during the Babangida’s book lunch titled: “A journey in Service” where he was quoted to have said that the 1966 coup was not an Igbo coup.

According to MASSOB, “The leadership of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) have lambasted and condemned the misleading falsehood orchestrated by immuned and pathological hatred against Ndigbo by Femi Fani Kayode whose frustrated tendencies have no bound.

“MASSOB condemned his bold empty claim and assertion that Rtd General Babangida did not say that 1966 coup was Igbo organized. Was Femi Fani Kayode among the coup plotters, was he born during the 1966 military coup?

“MASSOB warned Femi Fani Kayode to desist from his unfounded malicious and misplaced trajectory against Ndigbo. If it was an Igbo coup to serve an Igbo agenda, why did the coupists plan to install Chief Awolowo as a provisional president?

“It should also be remembered that some non-Igbo officers, like Major Adewale Ademoyega, Captain Ganiyu Adeleke, Lt. Fola Oyewole, and Olafimihan, all Yorubas and brothers to Femi Fani Kayode took part in the failed coup. Another military officer of Igbo extraction, Major John Obienu, crushed the coup.

“The original intention and the initial purpose of the coup plotters was to release Chief Obafemi Awolowo from prison immediately after the coup and make him the executive provisional president of Nigeria but it failed.”

MASSOB recalled that “A few years ago, Femi Fani Kayode garnered some attention and respect from Igbo youths during the period he associated with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in his current travails in the hands of the oppressive government of Nigeria.

“We never knew that Femi Fani Kayode was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, an acute hater of Ndigbo, who was sponsored to blackmail the highly respected and adored name of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburugburu).”

Okwyjesus:
SW is taking lion share of road infrastructure recently.

Did those state governments threaten not to allow them to resume after Ramadan?

“What exactly does CAN want? The apex Christian body should stop playing God in the affairs of Muslims.”

otipoju:
She got a contract of over 150 million dollars for her husband from Akpabio as governor.

Na dem sabi.