Lydia Beshel - News Agency Of Nigeria

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Mon, 2025

First Lady seeks collective commitment, investment to end TB

By Celine-Damilola Oyewole

The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has called for collective commitment and investment in ending the deadly Tuberculosis (TB) disease.

Tinubu, who is the National and Global Stop TB Champion, made the call in her message on Monday on the occasion of the 2025 TB Day with theme: “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver”.

The first lady called on stakeholders to invest in free treatment for TB patients in order to save lives.

She said that TB treatment in Nigeria was free.

”I urge you to approach any hospital for free tests and treatments.

”The TB menace can be conquered in Nigeria and globally if necessary actions are taken towards combating it.

“Today, I join the global community in reaffirming our commitment to ending one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases, TB.

“Tuberculosis is curable, and early treatment saves lives,” she said.

The first lady urged those who have persistent coughs which have lasted more than two weeks, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, or fever, to visit the nearest health facility for free TB testing and treatment.

She enjoined all Nigerians to take TB seriously and go for proper treatment immediately they suspect any symptoms or are directed to do so.

“We are reminded that winning the fight against TB is possible when we unite our efforts, invest in proven solutions, and ensure the delivery of life-saving interventions to all who need them.

“As the National and Global Stop TB Champion, I take this responsibility with deep personal commitment. The fight against TB is not just a policy issue, it is personal,” she said.

NAN reports that the day, observed annually on March 24, amplifies the urgency of ending tuberculosis—the world’s deadliest infectious disease.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that the African region recorded the steepest decline globally in tuberculosis (TB) deaths since 2015, inspite of falling short of key milestones to significantly lower the burden of the disease and end its toll on health and lives.

Deaths from TB fell by 42 per cent between 2015 and 2023 while cases declined by 24 per cent over the same period, according to the WHO Global TB Report 2024.

The reductions were mainly due to increased efforts by countries to reinforce case detection and provision of treatment, thus averting deaths.

About 1.9 million cases were detected in 2023 compared with 1.4 million in 2020.

Over the same period, the WHO said, treatment coverage rose from 55 per cent to 74 per cent across the region.

NAN also reports that the the report showed that Nigeria ranked first in Africa and sixth globally among the 30 high burden tuberculosis countries.

According to the report, 499,000 Nigerians developed TB in 2023, with more than 400,000 cases identified and treated in 2024, translating to 79 per cent treatment coverage. (NAN)

edited by Sadiya Hamza

CJ creates Insolvency Unit in Federal High Court for efficient, service delivery

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Mon, 2025

Judiciary

CJ creates Insolvency Unit in Federal High Court for efficient, service delivery

Insolvency

By Taiye Agbaje

The Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court (FHC), Justice John Tsoho, has created an Insolvency Unit for the court to ensure efficient service delivery.

The Chief Registrar of FHC, Sulaiman Hassan, made this known in a statement on Sunday night in Abuja.

Hassan said the creation of the unit was done pursuant to the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020, and Assets, Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Act, 2019 (as amended).

He said the creation was also in line with the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Act, 2024, and the Bankruptcy Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.

“The functions of the Insolvency Unit are to oversee the effective implementation of the provisions of the above enactments as it relates to Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVA), Administration, Receivership, Winding Up and various forms of restructuring of companies.

“The unit is created in line with global best practices on Insolvency and to also provide specialised and standardised services on insolvency matters.

“It also offers insolvency practitioners, a dedicated channel for supervisory and enforcement services,” he said.

According to him, this is a milestone in the quest for modernisation and updating insolvency practice and proceedings in Nigeria.

He said the unit would also offer fast-track services required in the implementation of its mandate.(NAN)

Police arrest 3 over kidnap of Owerri resident

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Mon, 2025

Defence/Security

Police arrest 3 over kidnap of Owerri resident

Kidnap

By Peter Okolie

Operatives of Imo Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit have arrested three suspects for conspiracy and kidnapping of Mr Sabinus Ibe, aged 48, from Owerri.

The suspects, Favour Dike, 22, Ifeanyi Kingsley, 30, and Wisdom Chikodi, 31, were arrested on March 18 after detailed investigations and operations.

Police spokesman DSP Henry Okoye confirmed the development in a statement on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ibe was abducted on Feb. 22 at about 8:00 p.m. in Egbu, Owerri.

“He was forcibly taken to an unknown location by the kidnappers,” Okoye said. A ransom was then demanded and paid via a POS transaction.

The payment was traced to a Moniepoint account (8213707568) operated by Dike at Timber and Allied Market, Owerri North Local Government Area.

Okoye stated that Dike admitted receiving ₦2 million on Kingsley’s instructions, a trader in Timber and Allied Market, Naze, Owerri.

Kingsley confessed to providing Dike’s POS account at the request of Chikodi, a known member of the kidnapping syndicate.

Chikodi, from Umuezuo Ekwereazu in Ahiazu Local Government Area, allegedly played a key role in planning the kidnapping.

Further investigations led to Chikodi’s arrest in his hotel room at New Owerri, according to Okoye.

Chikodi then guided operatives to Old Township Stadium, Tetlow Road, where gang members fled, abandoning an ash-coloured Toyota Camry 2.4 model.

Okoye confirmed that a search of the vehicle revealed two pump-action rifles, a locally made gun, and 18 live cartridges.

Additional arrests were made as police continued to pursue fleeing suspects involved in the kidnapping.

Okoye reiterated Commissioner of Police Mr Aboki Danjuma’s commitment to tackling crime and ensuring public safety across Imo.

He assured that the suspects would be arraigned after investigations, with efforts ongoing to apprehend remaining gang members.

Okoye urged the public to report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or call 08034773600. (NAN)
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo

Policeman shoots officer’s wife, injures 2 others in Calabar

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Mon, 2025

Defence/Security

Policeman shoots officer’s wife, injures 2 others in Calabar

Killing
By Ehigimetor Igbaugba

An inspector attached to the Police Command in Cross River has allegedly killed a woman and injured two others in sporadic fatal shootings on Sunday.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Sunday.

She said that the policeman acted strangely before the shootings.

Ugbo said the officer, who was attached to Atakpa Divisional Police Station, had returned from a night beat at a microfinance bank before the shootings.

She, however, said the police had arrested the suspect while the two injured victims were receiving medical attention.

NAN gathered that the officer started behaving strangely when he returned from night duty.

“He blocked the gate of the station and refused everyone exit and entry into the facility.

“All efforts to disarm him through peaceful dialogue proved abortive.

“Tactical teams were mobilised to the scene, and he became apprehensive and started shooting sporadically.

“In the process, he shot three persons, including the deceased aged 41 years and wife of a retired police officer as well as two others,” a source told NAN.(NAN)
(Edited by Bukola Adetoye/Mufutau Ojo)

Suspected Indian lady arrested for drug trafficking at Kano airport

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Sun, 2025

Defence/Security

Suspected Indian lady arrested for drug trafficking at Kano airport

Heroin

By Ibironke Ariyo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), has intercepted a 42-year-old Indian lady at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, (MAKIA), Kano, with 72 parcels of heroin.

A statement by NDLEA’s Director, Media And Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja said that the prohibited substances were factory sealed in wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates.

Babafemi said that the class A drug consignment weighing a total of 11 kilograms was recovered from her luggage after a thorough search.

This, he said followed credible intelligence, during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand via Vietnam and Doha at the arrival hall of the Kano airport on Friday, March 14.

Babafemi said that the arrest of the suspect signified a growing attempt by drug trafficking organisations to hire white ladies and foreign nationals to move illicit drugs through the Nigerian borders.

“A bid that vigilant NDLEA operatives have consistently frustrated with the aid of modern technological tools and proactive intelligence, “he said.

In another interdiction operation in Kano, NDLEA officers on Thursday, March 20 arrested a 45-year-old male suspect with a 50-litre steel gas cylinder at Gadar Tamburawa, along Zaria- Kano road.

“Based on credible intelligence, welding tools were later used to cut the giant cylinder after which 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed in it were extracted,”he said.

“Meanwhile, a 40-year-old male was nabbed at Gunduwawa area of Kano on Wednesday, March 19 with 27kg skunk, a strain of cannabis.”

Babafemi said that another female suspect was arrested with 424 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Lungun Bulala Yalwa area of the state on Tuesday.

“Also, two male suspects were also nabbed with 67.5kg skunk in Mushin, Lagos state.

“100.8kg of same psychoactive substance was recovered from the store of two fleeing suspects in Anifowoshe area of Mushin.

“Another suspect was also arrested in Apapa with 4.5kg skunk; 600grams of tramadol 225mg and 30litres of codeine syrup on Tuesday.

“Another suspect also was arrested same day in Ikotun area of the state with different quantities of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, “he said.

Across the country, Babafemi said that NDLEA Commands and formations continued to intensify their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy sensitisation.

He also added that the agency engaged in sensitisation in schools, markets, motor parts, work places and worship centres in the past week.

This, he said included: WADA sensitisation lecture to students and staff of Chrisland School, Ikeja, Lagos; Hakimi Secondary School, Mokwa, Niger state; Marist Comprehensive College, Nteje, Anambra state.

“Others are Ikole City College, Ikole Ekiti, Ekiti state; Government Day Secondary School, Sunane, Sokoto state; and Government Day Secondary School, Jada, Adamawa state, among others,”he said.

Babafemi quoted the NDLEA chairman, retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa as commending the officers and men of MAKIA, Lagos, and Kano Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.

Marwa noted with satisfaction the balance in drug supply and demand reduction efforts of all the formations nationwide, even as he charged them not to relent.(NAN)

Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam/Kevin Okunzuwa

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Sun, 2025

Aviation

Stakeholders hail Nigeria‘s efforts at aviation safety

Safety

By Itohan Abara-Laserian

Some aviation stakeholders have expressed satisfaction at the efforts of the Federal Government in ensuring air transport safety.

The stakeholders made their views known in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

They advised the government to intensify efforts at aviation safety.

A former spokesman for the Federal Airports Authority (FAAN), Mr Yakubu Dati, told NAN that FAAN and the Nigerian Airspace Management Authority (NAMA) had shown commitment to improved air transport.

According to Dati, Nigeria has recorded reduced air incidents.

He expressed delight at inter-agency collaboration in the aviation sector.

He praised the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, for efforts in taking Nigeria’s aviation industry to greater heights.

“I want to commend the aviation authorities for collaborating and ensuring that safety remains a priority because, at the end of the day, aviation is hinged on safety.

“However, more needs to be done, of course, in line with International Civil Aviation Organisation standards to be able to ensure that we operate on the same platform with others.

“I also want to commend FAAN for mainstreaming the issue of training.

“It is when you have a trained manpower that you will be able to compete and operate internationally, especially in the area of safety and security,” Dati said.

Mr Ekip Eso, the President of Akwacross Aviation Professionals Association, hailed NCAA for effective regulatory functions.

Eso said that FAAN was ensuring that airport runways were intact, carrying out rehabilitation when necessary.

“The runway has been de-rubberised. FAAN ensures removal of aircraft tyre coatings from the runway because, for every aircraft landing, the tyres are coating on the runway.

“That coating is being removed, which is called de-rubberising. This will enhance the friction.

“On the side of NAMA, it is working on navigational services, it is training and re-training air traffic controllers.

“It has worked on its radios, navigational facilities are up to date, they are all functioning.

“When you aggregate all these functions, it will sum up to what Nigeria is doing to ensure a safe airspace,” he said.

Eso, however, urged more trainings for aviation personnel and procurement of all relevant equipment.

The Chairman of Air Peace Ltd., Dr Allen Onyema, had at a recent event to mark the 25th anniversary of the NCAA, said that the authority’s thorough and safety-centred oversight function had directly impacted the safety records of Nigerian airlines.

According to Onyema, as Nigeria strives to position itself as a leading force in global civil aviation, it should acknowledge its giant strides.

“Focus on safety has directly influenced the excellent safety records of Nigerian airlines,” he said.

According to NAMA’s Managing Director, Mr Umar Farouk, the authority has successfully installed the Instrument Landing System in some airports to ensure seamless navigation.

Farouk, represented by NAMA’s Director of Air Traffic Services, Mr John Tayo, told a stakeholders meeting recently that the agency had also resolved an issue with radio frequencies 127.3 and 120.9 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Also, the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, said that de-rubberisation of runways across the country had been a top priority of FAAN to ensure safety.

“We have also deployed additional equipment for friction testing,” Kuku said at the stakeholders meeting.

She added that FAAN had made significant progress in wildlife management although still faced with bird strikes. (NAN)

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Rivers community debunks fresh pipeline explosion

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Thu, 2025

Economy/Business

Rivers community debunks fresh pipeline explosion

Explosion

By Desmond Ejibas

Residents of Bonny Local Government Area in Rivers have dismissed reports of a fresh pipeline explosion, confirming that no such incident occurred.

On Wednesday, viral reports claimed that militants had attacked two oil facilities in the area, which further heightened security concerns.

However, residents of Iloamatoru community, the purported site of the alleged explosion, refuted the claims, describing them as the work of mischief makers attempting to exploit the political crises in the state.

Chief Wari-Alabo Pollyn, Head of the Pollyn Chieftaincy House of Bonny Kingdom, stated that no explosion had taken place recently in the area.

“We are here in the community, and nothing of such happened – at least not to my knowledge,” he confirmed.

Similarly, Daniel Pollyn, a former Chairman of the Iloamatoru Security Surveillance Committee, also denied any pipeline attack in the area.

According to him, the community remains peaceful and does not tolerate violence.

“I can confirm that no such incident has occurred here.

“No flow station or oil facility is on fire or has exploded, as falsely reported,” he added.

Efforts to reach SP Grace Iringe-Koko, spokesperson for the Police Command in Rivers, for confirmation were unsuccessful, as she did not respond to calls or messages. (NAN)

Edited by Jane-Frances Oraka

Netherlands seeks partnership with Abia Govt. in circular economy

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Thu, 2025

Economy/Business

Netherlands seeks partnership with Abia Govt. in circular economy

Partnership
By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
The Kingdom of Netherlands says it has strong interest in fostering economic cooperation with Abia Government in the area of waste management to boost circular economy in the state.

The Deputy Consul-General of the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Nigeria, Mr Peter Keulers, said this when he visited Gov. Alex Otti in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia.

Keulers expressed the commitment of the Dutch Government to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and sees the promotion of a circular economy as a vital step toward sustainability.

According to him, circular economy initiatives reduce waste and pollution, ensure efficient resource utilisation, and create economic opportunities, leading to a better quality of life.

He commended Abia for its top ranking in national school examinations, describing human capital as the state’s greatest asset.

He said that a well-educated population provides a solid foundation for economic growth and innovation.

He further highlighted that the Netherlands is actively involved in circular economy projects and interested in working to establish policies that foster business cooperation.

Keulers said that there were about three Dutch companies that had invested in waste-to-energy operations, electronic waste management and offering of training to companies on transitioning from a linear to a circular economy.

He said that the ongoing collaboration with Kaltani Company, a waste management company working with Abia Government, the state had attracted international attention from the Netherlands Government.

He expressed the Netherlands’ interest in learning more about the state’s economic ecosystem and identifying areas for potential collaboration.

He urged the government to explore opportunities where Dutch companies could support local initiatives or gain insights from Nigeria’s experiences in waste management and sustainability.

Keulers said that the visit marked the beginning of a promising relationship aimed at fostering sustainable development and economic growth in the state through circular economy initiatives.

Responding, Otti affirmed his administration’s commitment to environmental sanitation and sustainable waste management, emphasising the transformation Abia had undergone since May 2023.

He said that Abia was once ranked the dirtiest state in Nigeria but had since made significant strides in cleanliness and urban development.

He further revealed that his administration had started working with UN-Habitat to develop a new master plan for Aba and Umuahia, drawing inspiration from the original colonial-era urban planning.

The governor said that with the initial cleanup efforts yielding positive results, the state government was shifting focus to waste conversion and sustainability.

He disclosed that the administration was collaborating with Kaltani Company on a waste-to-wealth initiative that would help transform waste into valuable products.

He further said that the government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the waste-to-energy initiative.

“Our goal is not just to manage our waste efficiently but also get to a point where we can buy waste from neighboring states to sustain our energy and recycling projects.

“There are two ways to manage waste: incineration or landfill disposal. However, neither is a sustainable solution.

“Instead, we are exploring waste-to-energy and other recycling options to create valuable products, while addressing Abia’s energy challenges,” he said.

In an interview with newsmen, the Chief Executive Officer of Kaltani Company, Mr Obi Nnanna, expressed his company’s desire to partner with the government on its waste-to-wealth initiative.

Nnanna also expressed enthusiasm in working with the present administration to achieve its vision for the state.

“We are fully committed to waste collection and recycling efforts, with a focus on job creation and environmental sustainability.

“We intend to galvanise waste, create jobs, and address multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” he said. (NAN)
Edited by Sam Oditah

WHO: 25 countries to add malaria vaccines to immunisation by 2025

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Tue, 2025

Health

WHO: 25 countries to add malaria vaccines to immunisation by 2025

Malaria

By Franca Ofili

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced that up to 25 countries are expected to include malaria vaccines in their childhood immunisation programmes by the end of 2025.

Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s Director-General, shared this update on Monday during an online media conference focused on global health issues.

He emphasised that these vaccines could save tens of thousands of young lives annually.

However, Ghebreyesus also raised concerns over the risks posed by recent cuts to U.S. funding for global health initiatives.

“Many of the gains in malaria that have been made over the past 20 years are now at risk due to these funding cuts,” he said.

While he refrained from commenting on the U.S. withdrawal from WHO, Ghebreyesus clarified that the cuts he referred to were those affecting direct U.S. funding.

According to him, this includes funding through agencies such as USAID and the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Ghebreyesus warned that the impact of these cuts was already being felt, with severe disruptions in the supply of malaria diagnostics, medicines, and insecticide-treated bed nets due to stockouts and delayed deliveries.

“The U.S. has been the largest bilateral donor to the fight against malaria for the past two decades, helping to prevent an estimated 2.2 billion cases and 12.7 million deaths.”

If disruptions continue, he predicted an additional 15 million cases of malaria and 107,000 deaths this year alone, potentially reversing 15 years of progress.

A similar situation is unfolding with HIV, where the suspension of most funding to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has halted services for HIV treatment, testing, and prevention in more than 50 countries.

Ghebreyesus noted that eight countries were facing severe disruptions to antiretroviral therapy, with some likely to run out of medicine in the coming months.

He said this could lead to more than 10 million additional cases of HIV and three million HIV-related deaths.

The WHO Director-General also highlighted the impact on tuberculosis (TB) programmes, with 27 countries in Africa and Asia facing significant disruptions.

“These include shortages of healthcare workers, diagnostic tools, and collapsing data systems.

“Nine countries have already reported problems with the procurement and supply chains for TB drugs, threatening the lives of affected individuals.

”Over the past two decades, U.S. support for TB services has saved nearly 80 million lives, but this progress is now at risk.

”Additionally, the WHO’s Global Measles and Rubella Network, funded solely by the U.S., faces an imminent shutdown, just as measles outbreaks are increasing globally.

”In 2024, 57 large or disruptive measles outbreaks were reported, continuing a trend from the previous three years,” he said.

Ghebreyesus warned that these cuts were also affecting efforts to eradicate polio, monitor emerging diseases like avian influenza, and respond to disease outbreaks and humanitarian crises.

”Nearly 24 million people living in such crises are at risk of losing access to essential health services.”

Ghebreyesus stressed that other donors must step up, and countries that have relied on U.S. funding must also increase their domestic health spending to maintain progress in disease control and health services.(NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

Lydia Beshel
Mar, Tue, 2025

Economy/Business

Stock market records mixed performances

Stock

By Taiye Olayemi

The stock market on Monday recorded mixed performances.

Specifically, the market capitalisation shed a marginal loss of N8 billion or 0.01 per cent to close at N66.343 trillion from N66.351 trillion recorded on Friday.

However, the All-Share Index dropped by 0.15 per cent or 155.96 points to close at 105,799.17 against 105,955.13 posted on Friday.

The difference in the performance indices was due the listing of Sterling Financial Holding Company Plc’s 16,666,666,667 ordinary shares of 50k each at N4.50 per share, through Private Placement on the exchange.

Meanwhile, the market breadth closed negative with 35 losers and 18 gainers.

On the losers’ chart, eTranzact International declined by 10 per cent, to close at N5.85 per share, while Sunu Assurance dropped by 9.92 per cent, to close at N4.63 per share.

Prestige Assurance lost by 8.26 per cent, to close at N1.00 and Sovereign Trust Insurance declined by 7.77 per cent, to close at 95k.

Similarly, Red Star Express fell by 7.76 per cent, to close at N5.35 per share.

On the gainers’ chart, X Academy soared by 9.92 per cent, to close at N2.88 per share, while Neimeth International Pharmaceutical gained by 8.43 per cent, to close at N2.70 per share.

Tantalizer increased by 6.83 per cent, to close at N3.13 per share and Dangote Sugar soared by 4.71 per cent, to close at N36.70 per share.

Also, Stanbic gained by 4.24 per cent, to close at N61.50 per share.

A total of 477.51 million shares worth N7.049 billion were exchanged across 13,520 transactions.

This is compared to 750.56 million shares worth N11.056 billion that was exchanged across 10,584 transactions recorded at the previous section.

Transactions in the shares of Jaiz Bank topped the activity chart with 197.42 million shares worth N606.15 million.

Zenith Bank followed with 25.976 million shares valued at N1.235 billion while Sovereign Trust Insurance traded 19.26 million shares worth N18.525 million.

Prestige Assurance sold 18.542 million shares valued at N18.991 million and Fidelity Bank transacted 15.895 million shares worth N27.047 million.

Stockbrokers at Atlass Portfolios Ltd. attributed the market performance to the additional listing rather than widespread sell-offs.

“Beyond the impact of the new listing, the market downturn was driven by profit-taking activities in key stocks across major market sectors,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Olawunmi Ashafa