Author: Helen Okechukwu

Katsina State will embark on a mass immunisation campaign targeting more than seven million children against polio and measles-rubella between October 4 and 13. The initiative, announced by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Chief Kano Field Officer, Rahama Muhammed, comes as the state records only two cases of circulating variant polio virus in 2025, a significant drop from 17 cases across eight local government areas in 2024. Speaking at a media dialogue and mobilisation meeting ahead of the campaign, Muhammed described the progress as remarkable. He disclosed that over 3.6 million doses of the novel oral polio vaccine (NOPV2) have…

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has pledged to scale up its support for Kebbi State following the government’s approval of ₦761 million as counterpart funding to strengthen child nutrition and other social services. UNICEF’s representative in Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed-Abdelatef on Tuesday, who led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Deputy Governor Abubakar Umar-Tafida in Birnin Kebbi, said the state’s action would unlock matching resources under the agency’s Child Nutrition Fund. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the initiative doubles state contributions, ensuring wider access to nutrition supplies and other interventions for vulnerable children. Read Also: Katsina govt inaugurates…

NAFDAC has called on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to prioritise the registration of their products in order to safeguard public health and ensure regulatory compliance.

A new study has revealed that daily marijuana use increases the risk of developing asthma and other respiratory complications, affecting both younger and older adults alike. The research, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco, found that people who inhale cannabis daily face a 44% higher likelihood of acquiring asthma. The study also linked marijuana inhalation to a 27% increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Crucially, the findings apply even to individuals who have never smoked cigarettes. For this group, daily marijuana inhalation was associated with a 51%…

British scientists have criticised reports from the United States (US) suggesting paracetamol taken during pregnancy may cause autism, warning that such claims are unfounded and could harm women and families. The Wall Street Journal reported that US health secretary Robert Kennedy Jr is preparing to declare that Tylenol – the American brand name for paracetamol – might be linked to autism. The report also suggested that a specific form of folate will be recommended as a treatment. Former president Donald Trump, speaking at a weekend rally, declared: “I think we found an answer to autism.” UK specialists insist no such…

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested three suspected kidnappers allegedly responsible for the abduction and killing of a man identified as Nwabueze Nchekwube after collecting a ransom of N6.9 million. Police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement made available to New Daily Prime on Monday, said operatives of the Anti-Cultism Unit, Emohua Annex, carried out the arrests during a coordinated operation on 19 September 2025 at different locations in Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre Local Government Areas (LGAs). The suspects were identified as Hassan Mohammed, 20, from Borno State; Bello Abubakar, 25, from Sokoto State; and Yusuf Ahmed, 23, from Bauchi…

Parents in Ekiti State have appealed to the Federal Government (FG) to overturn the new age restriction policy introduced by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for admission into universities and other tertiary institutions.

The Ekiti State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, has condemned in strong terms the assault on medical personnel at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, describing the incident as disturbing and unacceptable. Some victims of an accident, who were receiving treatment at the hospital on Friday, allegedly turned violent and physically attacked doctors and nurses on duty. According to the document shared on Sunday, the health commissioner said the matter has since been reported to the police for investigation. Dr. Filani noted that healthcare workers endure difficult conditions to save lives and should never…

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has credited prayers and intercession from citizens for sustaining his administration through challenging moments. The governor spoke on Sunday at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo town, Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area (LGA), during a thanksgiving service marking the church’s 2025 Harvest of Divine Possibilities and Thanksgiving. Accompanied by his wife, Valerie, and other dignitaries, Governor Fubara described the church as his spiritual foundation and the place he must return to for thanksgiving before stepping into the next phase of leadership. Read Also: Rivers: Eze urges Fubara to sack sole administrator’s appointees “We won’t have survived it without…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified its offensive against drug cartels, arresting multiple suspects and intercepting large consignments of illicit substances across the country within one week. The post shared on the anti-drug agency Facebook page on Sunday revealed that at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, operatives apprehended two Brazil returnees, Ofoma Sunday and Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu, who ingested a combined total of 116 wraps of heroin and cocaine. Ofoma, 46, was arrested on 16 September after a body scan confirmed he had ingested heroin. He later excreted 111 wraps weighing 1.452kg. A swift follow-up…