Author: Helen Okechukwu

Advocating for professionalism, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Samuel Ogbuku, has urged Nigeria Police Force (NPF) authorities to perform mental health evaluations on its officers. This was made known on Tuesday through a document issued in Port Harcourt by NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama. Thompson-Wakama, however, disclosed that Ogbuku said this during the fifth edition of the Strategic Security Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The conference was titled “Improving Nigeria’s Internal Security and Economic Prosperity through Inclusive Policing.” He hailed the police officers for their efforts, sacrifices,…

In response to growing security concerns in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, has ordered the immediate redeployment of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area. Edafe Bright, the police spokesperson in a document shared on Wednesday said tactical police teams have been stationed at strategic points to curb the rising cases of kidnapping and armed robbery. The Delta State Police Command, acknowledging public outcry on WhatsApp and other social media platforms, has mobilized personnel to tackle the situation. CP Abaniwonda directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), DCP Aina Adesola, to oversee the deployment of…

The Media Health and Rights (MHR) Initiative of Nigeria and the Lawyers Alert have decried high Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Tuberculosis (TB) prevalence in Benue. The groups expressed the concern at a virtual news briefing on Wednesday while speaking to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi. President of Lawyers Alert, Mr Rommy Mom, said Benue was still struggling with 4.5 per cent HIV prevalence and a significant TB burden. Mom stated that the situation was exacerbated by HIV-TB co-infection rates exceeding 25 per cent. The president emphasised that 10 per cent of reported TB cases in Nigeria were from the state, adding…

To prevent outbreaks, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) has called for improved border surveillance and advanced kits for early detection of Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (VHFs). This call came following results obtained from research conducted in some part of the country between 2018 and 2022. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday at the monthly institute’s conference in Lagos, the Director of Research at NIMR, Prof. Rosemary Audu, urged improved border scrutiny to prevent impacts that pose a health challenge. VHFs, a group of illnesses caused by viruses that damage the blood vessels and can cause severe bleeding. While sharing the…

As number of people living with HIV/AIDS soar high within Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu’s wife, Senator Oluremi has integrated a campaign, “Free to Shine” aims to lessen rising infection rate among women and children. Mrs. Tinubu, during the flag-off ceremony of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development “Free to Shine” campaign held on Tuesday, stressed the significance of this development. The event took place at the North-West zone in Kaduna State. She further highlighted that in the Sub-Saharan region in Africa, Nigeria has the highest number of HIV infections due to its population affecting children, youth, women, and…

To improve the Nigeria education sector, the Federal Government says that over 6,000 teachers are to be trained in an Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Pedagogy training programme after its launch. The development aims to aid innovative, technologically driven education and enhance teaching methods across the Nigerian secondary schools. The initiative was organised by the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) with the sponsorship of Google Research and supported by both Data Science Nigeria and Olabisi Onabanjo University Ogun State. During the launching ceremony held in Abuja on Tuesday, the event witnessed the revelation of the Minimum Standards for Senior Secondary…

To mitigate the levy charged on car parking within the premises of the private hospitals in Lagos State, the Guild of Medical Directors (GMD) has urged the state government to revoke the fee while highlighting their essential services. The payment of parking fees was initiated by the Lagos State Parking Authority. Speaking with The Punch in an interview, Dr Raymond Kuti, the GMD President described the newly levy imposed as over taxation while stressing on the negative effect it will have on patients bills. The report noted that a hospital (name withheld) in Ikeja was billed N40,000 for a single…

A 35-year-old lady, Blessing Oleru, who resides on OMPADEC Road, Igwuruta Town, Rivers State, has been apprehended by the state police operative for allegedly swapping debit cards. The police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a document shared on Tuesday to journalists, stated that the state command achieved this following a coordinated intelligence operation. Iringe-Koko recalled that the victim, who pleaded to be anonymous, reported to have received debit alerts of the sum of ₦523,600.00 after encountering Oleru at a Bank Garrison axis in Port Harcourt, who had swapped his debit card after pretending to offer assistance. Meanwhile, unknowingly to the victim,…

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has placed at least 1,600 employees on administrative leave as part of a broader workforce reduction plan. The announcement was made on Sunday, at 11:59 pm EST through an official statement titled “Notification of Administrative Leave,” published on the agency’s website. According to the statement, most USAID direct-hire employees, except those assigned to mission-critical tasks, leadership positions, or specially designated programs, have been placed on leave globally. At the same time, USAID has begun implementing a Reduction-in-Force (RIF) that will impact around 1,600 personnel stationed within the United States. Affected employees were…

Indonesia has introduced a free medical check-up programme for all its 280 million citizens. A statement from the chief of the Presidential Communication Office, Hasan Nasbi, said the healthcare initiative was the first of its kind. The ‘Cek Kesehatan Gratis (CKG) programme’ initiative aims to promote preventive healthcare, eliminating barriers to accessing healthcare services. Mr Nasbi said citizens can access the programme through the Satu Sehat mobile app or by visiting the nearest government health clinic. He said the CKG programme significantly shifts Indonesia’s healthcare approach, prioritising preventive care over expensive treatments. Read Also: Nigeria unveils major health sector investment…