Author: Helen Okechukwu

In a renewed effort to combat Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Lagos, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has engaged 60 Magistrates in discussions on addressing the issue effectively. The initiative aims to enhance the role of the judiciary in ensuring justice for survivors and holding perpetrators accountable. This was made know via a post shared on the government Facebook page on Sunday. Speaking at the event held in Ikeja, the Executive Secretary of DSVA, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, emphasized the state’s commitment to reducing SGBV to the lowest level possible. She highlighted that SGBV is a…

The Chief Judge of Rivers State (CJ), Justice Simeon Amadi, has certified two new private Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) centres. The aim of the certification was to tackle the issue of delayed justice and reduce case congestion in courts, These centres, Praeclarus Alternative Dispute Resolution Services and Harmony Arbitration, Mediation, and Peace Building Centre, are both located in Port Harcourt the capital city of Rivers State. During the certificate presentation ceremony at the High Court Complex in Port Harcourt, Justice Amadi emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards in ADR practices. He warned that any violation of the regulations set…

Nigerian authorities have intercepted a 24-year-old Thai lady, Ms. Pattaphi Wimonnat, for attempting to smuggle 43 parcels of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, into the country. The consignments weighing 46.60 kilograms were concealed in her boxes. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested Wimonnat on 20 February at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos during an inward clearance of a Qatar Airways flight from Thailand via Doha. She confessed to being hired by a drug cartel (name withheld) who promised to pay her $3,000 after the drug has been delivered successfully. On 21 February, the effort…

The Adamawa State Police Command has begin rescue search for armed criminals responsible for the abduction of two Catholic priests in the early hours of Saturday. A report noted that Reverend Father Mathew David Dusami of Yola Diocese and Reverend Father Abraham Samman of Jalingo Diocese were taken from their residence in Gwaida Malam, Numan Local Government Area. The Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, stated that the assailants invaded the house around 4:00 a.m. and forcibly removed the priests, transporting them to an unknown location. Condemning the incident, Commissioner of Police Dankombo Morris described it as an unprovoked…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized massive quantities of fake, substandard, and banned drugs worth billions of naira in a major enforcement operation at the Onitsha Bridgehead Drug Market. The agency made this known on Saturday through a post on their X page. During the raid, officials discovered unregistered narcotics, including banned tramadol, cleverly hidden inside plumbing material shops. This discovery was based on intelligence reports, leading NAFDAC to extend its search beyond the drug sections of the market. Meanwhile, traders in the market accused the agency of unfairly targeting non-drug sections, but…

About twelve persons have reportedly lost their lives in the Niger State road accident that occurred on Saturday morning. The tragic accident that claimed the lives of four women and eight men occurred along the Lapai-Agaie road of the state. According to the Daily Trust report, out of the four women who lost their lives, three were said to be siblings. The accident was a result of a frontal collision between the Wemer passenger bus, carrying 15 passengers, and a trailer at Nami village. However, it was gathered that two women and the Wemer driver sustained severe injuries and were…

A report from Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has disclosed that residents living in deprived areas in the United Kingdom (UK) recorded nearly 60% higher cancer death rates when compared to affluent regions. In the recent study titled Cancer in the UK 2025: Socioeconomic Deprivation, annually, over 28,400 deaths were attributed to deprivation in the UK. The report noted that late diagnoses and preventable risk factors such as smoking are linked to increased factors. The report highlighted ongoing disparities in cancer care and outcomes between wealthy and deprived communities. According to Naser Turabi, CRUK’s director of Evidence and Implementation, little progress…

To prevent the spread of monkeypox (Mpox) and other infectious diseases in the state, the Rivers State Ministry of Health has launched the Pox screening application (Mpox app) and inaugurated an infectious institute. The Mpox application is a state-of-the-art digital tool. The Institute of Infectious Disease Research and Development (IIDRD) was commissioned on Friday through the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH). The event also saw the unveiling of the institute’s handbook. The centre was established to improve disease surveillance and management, indicating a significant advancement in the state health sector and all of Nigeria. At the launching ceremony, dignitaries from…

No Roof, No Water, No Chairs’ – Rivers State Parents Speak Out on Rivers’ School Disaster Rivers State, one of the oil-rich states in Nigeria, ranks among the top four states receiving the highest federal allocations. Accordingly, Rivers State receives more than ₦ 426.84 billion federal allocation every month. Despite these huge resources, our reporter reveals that many public primary and secondary schools in the state remain in a deplorable and abandoned state. By way of emphasis, in 2024, the Rivers State’s budgetary allocation to the education sector stood at N 40. 426 billion, but sadly, many of the state’s…

The Chairman of the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), Bauchi State Chapter, Abdulahi Ibrahim, has expressed concern over the withdrawal of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from HIV/AIDS interventions. According to the Voice of Nigeria publication, Ibrahim noted their withdrawal poses a great risk within the state and asserted that the shortage of treatment centres, lack of clinical support, and essential services can lead to the spread of the disease. While issuing a warning, emphasised the lack of treatment could result in drug resistance and complications. “We have more than 22,000 volunteers in…