Author: Helen Okechukwu

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…

Rising temperature witnessed across the country has led the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) to issue a warning to citizens to take precautionary measures against the heat surge effect. This was made known due to the increase in several states observing extreme heat conditions. The agency revealed this in a post shared on X on Thursday, alarming that on Wednesday, with temperatures heating 38 and 40 degrees Celsius while Yelwa recorded 40 degrees Celsius, marking the highest temperature. NiMet acknowledges that the air temperatures might remain at this level, showing the possibility to increase in some notable areas. However, the moisture…

After a violent attack that claimed 20 lives in Mbaa community, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has withdrawn corps members from the area. The attack was suspected to have been perpetrated by herders. On Thursday in a statement released in Makurdi, the NYSC’s Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations in Benue State, Yahuza Adamu, confirmed the evacuation. Due to the security threat, Adamu said the decision to withdraw corps members was made, reaffirming the NYSC’s commitment to their security and safety. The statement read: “Since the beginning of incessant attacks on…