Palace: Letting jailed senators join VP trial is ‘special treatment’

Allowing the two senators currently detained on nonbailable charges to still participate in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte would be a form of ‘special treatment.’

This was Malacañang’s position, as expressed by Palace press officer Claire Castro, regarding moves to let Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Jinggoy Estrada take part in Duterte’s trial as judges while they themselves are separately on trial for plunder.

‘If they are allowed and receive special treatment, then perhaps everyone who is employed should also be allowed to continue working while in detention,’ Castro said in a briefing on Wednesday.

The Palace official acknowledged that the matter may be ultimately decided by the Sandiganbayan where the two senators are facing charges in different divisions of the antigraft court. But she said granting such an arrangement would create a precedent for other detained persons who wish to continue practicing their profession and enjoy ‘virtual freedom’ behind bars.

Castro also noted that the Sandiganbayan had already denied Estrada’s request to be allowed to participate in the trial.

‘Political prisoners’?

Marcoleta on Tuesday urged his fellow senators to ‘find ways’ for him and Estrada to join the proceedings and eventually vote.

The impeachment court’s presiding officer, Sen. Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero earlier said he was ‘inclined to agree’ with Marcoleta’s suggestion as long as the latter is not facing suspension as a senator.

But Castro said: ‘Whatever decision the Senate may make regarding Senator Marcoleta’s manifestation will not prevail because jurisdiction over the two senators now rests with the Sandiganbayan.’

Castro also rejected Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano’s characterization of Marcoleta and Estrada as ‘political prisoners.’

She dismissed it as merely Cayetano’s personal belief and not reflective of any view of the courts.

‘If he believes there is political motivation (behind the charges), perhaps he (Cayetano) can stand as their lawyer to prove it,’ Castro said.

House team: Secret funds ‘no excuse’ to fake names

House prosecutors in the Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte began the presentation of evidence in support of the accusation that Vice President Sara Duterte misused P612.5 million in confidential funds.

They anchored the first of the four articles of impeachment on the argument that the confidential nature of such funds cannot be used to justify fictitious documentation or shield public officials from accountability.

On Day 10 of the trial, the prosecution on Wednesday presented two former managers of the Land Bank of the Philippines who testified that hundreds of millions of pesos were withdrawn in cash by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd) in an extraordinary pattern rarely seen in government banking transactions.

Transparency, accountability

Before calling the first witness, House prosecutor Rep. Leila de Lima told the Senate impeachment court that confidential funds are intended to protect legitimate intelligence operations, not conceal irregularities in the handling of public money.

‘Confidentiality is to protect legitimate operations and informants. It is not permission to invent names and documents. It is not an excuse to pocket money,’ De Lima said in Filipino.

She stressed that officials entrusted with confidential funds remain subject to transparency, scrutiny and accountability.

‘That the budget is intended for confidential operations does not mean that the conduct of the officials involved in the handling of people’s money is exempted from the demands of transparency, scrutiny and accountability,’ De Lima said, adding that public officials handling confidential funds bear an even greater responsibility.

Pattern of misconduct

She said the prosecution would prove that Duterte committed culpable violation of the Constitution, graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust through the misuse of confidential funds while serving as Vice President and concurrent education secretary.

De Lima maintained the case was not about isolated bookkeeping lapses but ‘a systemic course of conduct’ demonstrating graft and betrayal of public trust.

‘This is not about one missing receipt. This is not about a clerical error or accounting mistake. The evidence will reveal a pattern – a systemic course of conduct – that, taken as a whole, demonstrates graft and corruption, and betrayal of public trust,’ she said.

Before the opening statement began, Presiding Officer Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero reminded both the prosecution and defense panels to avoid making conclusions of fact and law and instead limit their remarks to outlining what they intended to prove.

Despite the reminder, De Lima proceeded to argue that the evidence would establish Duterte’s liability and to question whether an impeachable official who had allegedly abused the public trust should remain in office.

‘When the Filipino people entrusted their money to Vice President Sara Duterte, was that trust honored? That question will not be answered by politics, by general denials, by press releases. It will be answered by the witnesses, by the documents, by audit, and by the evidence. The prosecution is ready to present it,’ she said.

De Lima was unable to complete her supposed five-minute opening statement after Duterte’s defense counsel Michael Poa repeatedly objected that she was making conclusions of fact and law before presenting evidence.

Escudero interrupted De Lima, saying: ‘The continued objection of the respondent is duly noted. I would have to stop you at this point.’

‘Unusual’ cash withdrawals

But the House prosecutor still managed to tell the impeachment court that the case would ultimately be decided not by politics or public statements, but by the evidence presented during the trial.

‘That question will not be answered by politics, by general denials, by press releases. It will be answered by the witnesses. By the documents. By audit. And by the evidence. The Prosecution is ready to present it.’

Escudero sustained Poa’s objections, ordered portions of De Lima’s remarks stricken from the record and directed the prosecution to call its first witness.

House prosecutor Joel Chua then presented former LandBank Shaw Boulevard department manager Violeta Constantino, who testified that the encashment of four P125-million checks issued by the OVP between December 2022 and July 2023 was ‘unusual’ because of both the amounts involved and the decision to withdraw the funds entirely in cash.

Constantino said she personally supervised the release of the checks payable to OVP special disbursing officer Gina Acosta. Asked by Senator-judge Erwin Tulfo whether similar transactions were common among government agencies, she replied: ‘There’s none. This is unusual.’

She said bank personnel wondered about the purpose of the massive cash withdrawals but did not question the transactions because the OVP had informed the branch in advance and the withdrawals complied with bank procedures.

Constantino testified that while transactions exceeding P500,000 are automatically reported to the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) as covered transactions, the withdrawals were not classified as suspicious because the bank had no reason to doubt their legitimacy.

‘For this particular transaction, we did not have any doubts because we knew it was a legitimate transaction … for us, it was not really suspicious,’ she said.

Questioned by Senator-Judge Risa Hontiveros, Constantino said the withdrawals stood out because they were made entirely in cash and far exceeded the branch’s normal transaction profile, describing them as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience during her 32 years in banking.

She also testified that each P125-million withdrawal was packed into about four large gym bags before being released to OVP personnel in the bank’s backroom. The bank did not provide armored transport because it had no cash-delivery agreement with the OVP and no such service was requested.

The prosecution’s second witness, former LandBank DepEd branch manager Nenita Camposano, likewise testified that the encashment of three checks worth P37.5 million each, totaling P112.5 million, for DepEd was also ‘unusual.’

‘Unprecedented’

Camposano, a 34-year LandBank veteran, said government agencies transacting with her branch normally withdrew only around P10 million in cash, making the P37.5-million withdrawals unprecedented for DepEd.

She said the transactions were processed only after the bank received advice that the funds had been released by the Department of Budget and Management through the Bureau of the Treasury and that the checks bore the signatures of authorized DepEd officials.

Camposano distinguished between ‘unusual’ and ‘suspicious’ transactions, explaining that covered transactions above the P500,000 threshold are automatically reported under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (Amla), while a suspicious transaction requires an independent determination by the branch manager.

She testified that DepEd special disbursing officer Edward Fajarda encashed the checks, placed the cash in bags he brought and exited through the bank’s fire exit leading directly to the DepEd compound.

Under questioning by Poa, Camposano confirmed Fajarda used the rear exit because it provided a safer route back to the DepEd complex.

Covered vs suspicious

Senator-judge Panfilo Lacson later clarified that the Amla recognizes only two categories of reportable transactions-covered and suspicious-and does not define an ‘unusual’ transaction. The witnesses agreed that while the withdrawals were extraordinary based on their banking experience, they were treated as covered rather than suspicious transactions under Amla rules.

Article I of the impeachment complaint accuses Duterte of misusing P612.5 million in confidential funds – P500 million from the OVP and P112.5 million from DepEd – and alleges the money was liquidated using questionable acknowledgment receipts bearing names, such as ‘Mary Grace Piattos,’ ‘Milky Secuya’ and ‘Kokoy Villamin,’ among hundreds of others that prosecutors said could not be verified with Philippine Statistics Authority records.

Prosecutors also allege that P125 million was spent within just 11 days in December 2022 and said additional documentary and testimonial evidence would be presented during the succeeding trial dates.

Lead prosecutor and Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro asked the impeachment court to summon three more witnesses-Commission on Audit confidential funds unit auditor Celine May Del Campo and former auditor Roderick Wamil, and Marivic Pareja, director of the House legislative archives department officials, for hearings scheduled from Aug. 3 to Aug. 5.

ICPC and the 908 ghost workers

THE latest discovery by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) about the rot in public payroll is galling. While millions of young Nigerians wander from office to office in search of employment, hundreds of names that are being used to draw salaries from the public purse do not belong to actual workers. They belong to ghost workers. What a sad irony! This is really not a new development but another instance of corruption in Nigeria’s seemingly endless catalogue of unethical practices in public offices. It is an indictment of a system which creates lacunas through which government money can disappear with astonishing ease while citizens are told that there are not enough resources to employ real and willing workers.

According to the ICPC, 908 suspected ghost workers were uncovered across several federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), leading to the recovery of approximately N942 million allegedly paid through fraudulent payroll arrangements. According to the commission, its investigation, which was launched in 2024, followed irregularities detected in pension payments to names allegedly inserted into government payroll systems to siphon public funds. As hinted by the commission’s chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), the investigation covered at least 50 federal MDAs, with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) recording 570 – the highest number of suspected ghost workers. Other institutions allegedly involved in the said fraud include the National Water Resources Authority, the Federal Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

A more disturbing aspect of these allegations is that some public officials allegedly enrolled their relatives and associates in government payrolls and appropriated the salaries. In one cited case, a suspect allegedly inserted the names of his wife, son and mother-in-law while also being paid the salaries of 12 other workers! Irrefutably, this is a very sad occurrence that erodes the moral foundations of public service. Nigerians have been regaled with variations of ghost-worker stories many times. The tragedy is that the country has become almost accustomed to such revelations which should provoke national debate. Governments announce the discovery of ghost workers, recover some money, issue statements, and then the public moves on to the next scandal. Meanwhile, the mechanism that made the fraud possible remains intact. As Margaret Atwood states in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ (1985), ‘Ignoring isn’t the same as ignorance, you have to work at it.’ Nigeria cannot continue to normalise or ignore payroll fraud through collective indifference. Each fresh discovery should provoke reform rather than resignation.

The ICPC deserves commendation for uncovering the alleged fraud, but it must not rest on its laurels. The exercise should be continuous, systematic and nationwide. Payroll auditing should not be conducted only after irregularities have become sufficiently large to attract attention. It should be an institutional routine backed by technology, independent verification and demand for personal accountability. There must be consequences. A society in which the proceeds of corruption are more certain than the punishment for corruption effectively invites theft. If perpetrators repeatedly escape with mere embarrassment, administrative transfers or prolonged litigation, the lesson to the next generation of fraudsters is obvious: the public treasury remains a low-risk target. The ICPC must therefore pursue cases to their logical conclusion. Recovery of stolen funds is welcome, but recovery alone is insufficient. Those found culpable must face appropriate sanctions after due process. Public officers must understand that the payroll is not a private inheritance. Investigation should also be extended to the armed forces and other security institutions where the integrity of personnel records is particularly important. The same scrutiny should reach federal universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other higher institutions. No institution should be exempt merely because its payroll system is considered sensitive or complex.

Importantly, scrutiny must go beyond fishing out ghost workers. The terms of reference of the ICPC and other anti-graft bodies should include interrogation of documents to unravel salary padding, payroll inflation and other forms of personnel fraud. If the officials responsible for compiling, authenticating and transmitting salary records fail repeatedly to detect fictitious employees, duplicated identities or inexplicable payments, then Nigerians are bound to complain about incompetence, negligence and collusion. The contributory pension system also deserves scrutiny. The ICPC should investigate the likelihood of collusion amongst pension administrators, payroll officers and officials of MDAs. Pension records, personnel databases and payroll systems should be cross-checked rigorously. The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation should equally receive particular attention. If the federal payroll architecture is the vault through which public funds pass, the custodians of that vault must be beyond reproach.

The moral absurdity of ghost workers is difficult to overstate. Nigeria has millions of unemployed and underemployed citizens, many of them qualified, energetic and desperate for the opportunity to serve. Yet fictitious employees – names without bodies, salaries without labour, beneficiaries without service – occupy government payrolls for years. This is a betrayal of both the unemployed and the honest public servants. As the pursuit of money becomes detached from conscience and public duty, institutions become instruments of private enrichment. Nigeria cannot afford such institutionalised leakage. Every naira diverted to a ghost worker is money unavailable for schools, hospitals, roads, security, water and employment. A ghost worker may have no physical existence, but the damage is painfully real. Arundhati Roy writes in ‘The Cost of Living’ (1999): ‘Another world is not only possible, she is on her way.’ For Nigeria, that better future can only be on its way when public institutions are governed by integrity, transparency and an unwavering commitment to justice.

The ICPC should widen its dragnet, deepen its investigation and publish periodic progress reports. It should work with the Office of the Accountant-General, the civil service authorities, pension institutions and other relevant agencies to emplace a payroll system in which every beneficiary can be independently verified. Modern technology should be devised for monthly clearance and salary checkers. The country must move from episodic outrage to permanent vigilance. We commend the ICPC for unmasking the 908 suspected ghost workers. But this is only the beginning. The commission must follow the money, identify the facilitators, examine the lacuna that enabled the alleged fraud and ensure that the recovered funds do not become the end of the story. Culprits should be prosecuted. Nigeria must exorcise the system that keeps creating ghost workers.

Many women don’t know they’re anaemic until they collapse -Professor Bello

Population surveys suggest that anaemia affects about 29 percent of women of reproductive age in Nigeria, making it a major public health problem. Studies among women in Lagos and Delta States report similar figures, indicating that anaemia remains common across different groups.

Many cases are only detected when they become severe because routine health check-ups are uncommon. A simple haemoglobin test can identify anaemia early, but many people only visit the hospital when symptoms become difficult to ignore. Cost is also a barrier, as healthcare is often paid for out of pocket. By the time women experience persistent tiredness, breathlessness or poor concentration, their anaemia is often already moderate or severe.

Many people describe anaemia as ‘low blood’ or ‘low PCV.’ What exactly is anaemia from a medical perspective?

People often refer to anaemia as ‘low blood,’ and while that explanation is easy to understand, it is not entirely accurate. Blood is made up of several components. There are red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body; white blood cells, which fight infection; platelets, which help blood clot; and plasma, the liquid portion that carries these cells as well as proteins and other important substances.

Anaemia specifically refers to a reduction in the number of red blood cells or the amount of haemoglobin they contain. Your overall blood volume may remain normal, but if the proportion of red blood cells is too low, you are considered anaemic.

This matters because red blood cells transport oxygen to every organ and tissue in the body. When there are too few of them, less oxygen reaches vital organs such as the brain, heart, kidneys and muscles. That reduced oxygen supply explains why people with anaemia often feel tired, become easily breathless, struggle to concentrate and experience reduced physical and mental performance.

What are the most common causes of anaemia in Nigeria?

The leading causes are malaria and nutritional deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency. Malaria destroys red blood cells, while inadequate iron, folic acid and other nutrients reduce the body’s ability to produce new ones.

Other important causes include intestinal worm infections, inherited blood disorders such as sickle cell disease, and heavy menstrual bleeding. Many women may not realise that although their periods seem ‘normal’, they are losing more blood than their bodies can replace, especially if they already have low iron stores.

I’ve treated women with fibroids who had lived with heavy menstrual bleeding for years and did not come to the hospital until they collapsed from severe anaemia. One patient required four units of blood before she was fit enough for surgery. These cases show how easily chronic blood loss can go unnoticed.

As part of the WOMAN-3 Trial, we will also investigate the major causes of anaemia among participating women to better understand the problem in our own population.

What is the WOMAN-3 Trial and how is tranexamic acid different from iron tablets?

The WOMAN-3 Trial is designed to determine whether tranexamic acid (TXA) can help reduce anaemia in women of reproductive age who menstruate regularly. Tranexamic acid is not a new drug. It is already approved for use and is widely prescribed, including here in Nigeria. Its primary function is to reduce bleeding.

In gynaecology, we commonly use the injectable form during surgeries that involve significant blood loss, such as fibroid surgery. The tablet form, which we are using in this trial, is already prescribed for women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding. However, the focus of this study is different.

We are not recruiting women who already know they have heavy menstrual bleeding or who are already eligible for tranexamic acid for heavy menses. Instead, we are interested in women who may not realise they are losing more blood than their bodies can comfortably replace but who are found to be anaemic during screening.

These women will receive either tranexamic acid or a placebo during their menstrual periods. The medication will be taken for up to five days during each menstrual cycle over a six-month period. The aim is to determine whether women taking tranexamic acid maintain healthier blood levels than those receiving the placebo.

How exactly will the trial work?

Women aged 18 years and above will first be screened for anaemia using a simple finger-prick blood test. Those found to be anaemic will be invited to participate in the trial. The study is double-blinded, meaning neither the participants nor the researchers know who receives tranexamic acid and who receives the placebo. Only the team responsible for packaging the medication has that information, and it remains confidential until the study is completed.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. Half will receive tranexamic acid, while the other half will receive a placebo that looks exactly the same. Importantly, every participant will receive the standard treatment for anaemia-iron and folic acid supplements-during the first three months of the study.

This is an important ethical consideration. Once we identify that someone is anaemic, we cannot withhold the accepted standard treatment simply because they are participating in research. After the initial three months, participants will stop taking the iron and folic acid but will continue taking either tranexamic acid or the placebo during their menstrual periods for another three months.

By following everyone for a total of six months, we can determine whether tranexamic acid provides additional protection against anaemia after the initial iron deficiency has been corrected. If excessive menstrual blood loss is contributing to a woman’s anaemia, we expect to see better maintenance of healthy blood levels among those taking tranexamic acid compared with those receiving the placebo.

Many people are understandably cautious about clinical trials. How safe is this study? Can participants withdraw if they choose to?

Those are very important questions. First, I want to emphasise that tranexamic acid is not an experimental drug. It has been in medical use since the 1960s and is already approved by NAFDAC. It is routinely prescribed by gynaecologists for women with heavy menstrual bleeding and is widely available in pharmacies across Nigeria. Participants are therefore not being used as guinea pigs. We are studying a medicine whose safety and effectiveness are already well established. In fact, tranexamic acid has been evaluated in several very large international clinical trials.

The original WOMAN Trial enrolled about 20,000 women, while the WOMAN-2 Trial included approximately 15,000 participants. Other major studies, including CRASH-3 and HALT-IT, also evaluated tranexamic acid in different medical emergencies, such as traumatic injuries and severe gastrointestinal bleeding.

Across these and other studies, data from more than 50,000 participants have shown no major safety concerns associated with the drug. That said, participant safety remains our highest priority. Every participant will keep a study diary to record any symptoms or side effects they experience. The research team will monitor them closely throughout the study, paying particular attention to any known or plausible side effects associated with medicines that reduce bleeding.

And yes, participation is entirely voluntary. Anyone who chooses to withdraw from the study at any time is free to do so.

If the trial proves successful, what impact could it have? Could it improve fertility or women’s overall quality of life?

Anaemia is not a direct cause of infertility, although severe, long-standing anaemia can eventually affect fertility. When the body becomes extremely anaemic, it prioritises functions that are essential for survival. Processes that are not immediately necessary-such as reproduction-may begin to shut down. In very severe cases, menstruation may stop altogether, making pregnancy impossible. However, that represents an extreme situation and is not what most women experience. The more immediate benefits we hope to achieve are improvements in everyday quality of life.

Women with anaemia often experience chronic fatigue, reduced concentration and poorer cognitive performance. Some studies, including one conducted among university students in Ghana, have shown that anaemia becomes more common as the academic session progresses, possibly because students are under increased stress, eat poorly and neglect their nutrition.

Reducing anaemia could therefore improve energy levels, concentration, productivity and overall wellbeing. The long-term goal of the WOMAN-3 Trial, however, is to improve women’s health before pregnancy.

The idea for WOMAN-3 grew stronger from findings of the WOMAN-2 Trial, where we observed that women who had anaemia in pregnancy were much more likely to suffer severe complications if they experienced postpartum haemorrhage. That led us to ask an important question: What if we prevent anaemia before women become pregnant?

If more women begin pregnancy with healthy blood levels, they are better able to cope with the normal physiological changes that occur during pregnancy, including the natural dilution of the blood. This could ultimately improve maternal health and reduce pregnancy-related complications.

Could tranexamic acid also reduce pressure on Nigeria’s blood supply?

Yes, that’s certainly one of the outcomes we hope to see. In our previous WOMAN trials, we found that women who received tranexamic acid promptly after the onset of postpartum haemorrhage were less likely to require blood transfusions.

Beyond measuring survival, we also analysed outcomes such as the need for transfusions, and the findings consistently showed that timely use of tranexamic acid reduced the likelihood of needing donated blood. We hope to see a similar benefit in this trial. If women are able to maintain healthier blood levels before their anaemia becomes severe, fewer of them may require blood transfusions.

That would allow our limited blood supply to be reserved for genuine emergencies-life-threatening situations and surgeries where transfusions are truly unavoidable.

What about people living with sickle cell disease? Could this treatment also benefit them?

We certainly hope so, and this study will help answer that question. Initially, we considered excluding people living with sickle cell disease because not all of them require iron supplements. Since sickle cell disease causes red blood cells to break down more rapidly, some patients actually accumulate excess iron in their bodies. However, after consulting haematologists, we decided they should not be excluded from the study.

One of the laboratory tests we will perform is a ferritin test, which measures the body’s iron stores. That allows us to determine whether a participant would benefit from iron supplementation. If someone has adequate or high iron stores, they may receive folic acid without additional iron.

By including people living with sickle cell disease, we hope to gather evidence on whether reducing menstrual blood loss with tranexamic acid can also help improve anaemia in this group.

Should routine haemoglobin screening become standard for adolescent girls and young women?

Absolutely. This is not a new recommendation. Measuring haemoglobin is already considered one of the most basic investigations during a routine health check anywhere in the world. If annual wellness checks became part of our healthcare culture, haemoglobin testing would naturally be included. In fact, it is often performed before investigations such as cholesterol or blood sugar, particularly in younger people.

The challenge is that many people only visit a hospital when they are already ill. We rarely present for preventive health checks. Routine haemoglobin screening would help detect anaemia early, allowing treatment before symptoms become severe.

What is the biggest misconception about anaemia that you would like young women to stop believing?

Interestingly, I haven’t encountered many widespread myths about anaemia among the women I have worked with. I’ve spent many years supervising female students and caring for women in clinical practice, and I haven’t found misconceptions about anaemia itself to be a major barrier.

One concern raised by our collaborators in another country is that some women worry medications that reduce menstrual bleeding might prevent the body from ‘flushing out’ unwanted substances during menstruation. However, that is not a belief I commonly encounter among Nigerian women.

In my experience, the greater challenge is not myths but a lack of awareness. Many women simply do not realise they are anaemic until the condition has become serious enough to interfere with their daily lives.

If a mother notices that her teenage daughter is constantly tired, pale or dizzy, what should she do first?

The first step is to take her to a healthcare provider for proper evaluation. Two important conditions should be considered-anaemia and diabetes. Although diabetes is often associated with older adults, it can also occur in young people. Simple tests for haemoglobin and blood sugar can help identify the cause of these symptoms. If anaemia is confirmed, treatment should go beyond medication. Iron tablets can correct the immediate deficiency, but if the underlying causes remain, the anaemia is likely to return.

Nutrition is especially important. Diets that is high in carbohydrates but low in iron-rich foods, leafy vegetables and other essential nutrients increase the risk of anaemia. Even the way iron tablets are taken matters. Taking iron supplements together with milk can reduce iron absorption because calcium interferes with the body’s ability to absorb iron effectively.

So, while medication is important, long-term prevention also requires good nutrition and appropriate medical guidance.

Can good nutrition alone prevent anaemia, or do women still need to address conditions such as malaria and worm infections?

Nutrition is only one part of the solution. Tranexamic acid addresses one specific contributor to anaemia-it reduces menstrual blood loss. If a woman’s anaemia is caused by something else, such as recurrent malaria or intestinal worm infections, the medication alone will not solve the problem.

Anaemia has many possible causes, and each must be managed appropriately. That means ensuring adequate nutrition, preventing and treating malaria, managing intestinal worm infections where necessary, and adopting other preventive measures such as sleeping under insecticide-treated nets, eliminating mosquito breeding sites and using preventive medication in high-risk groups, including pregnant women and people living with sickle cell disease or HIV.

Our study focuses on one important aspect of anaemia prevention, but it does not replace these other essential interventions.

INEC orders security clampdown, extends PVC collection

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has directed security agencies to clamp down on thuggery, cultism, vote-buying and other threats to the August 15 Osun State governorship election.

The commission has also extended the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) until Friday, July 31, to enable more eligible voters to obtain their cards.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, announced the measures on Wednesday at the Osun Governorship Election Stakeholders’ Forum in Osogbo, where he assured political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders of the commission’s readiness to conduct a credible election.

Amupitan said INEC had incorporated its Electoral Risk Management framework into preparations for the election and identified flashpoints requiring special security deployment.

The affected areas include parts of Atakumosa East and West, Boripe, Ede North and South, Ife Central, Ifedayo, Ila, Osogbo, Ifelodun and Oriade local government areas.

He said security agencies had been given operational directives through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to neutralise threats while maintaining professionalism and neutrality.

The INEC chairman also raised concerns over recent attacks on the commission’s offices in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, and Ife Central, where uncollected PVCs were stolen.

He, however, assured voters that the stolen cards could not be used without the biometric verification of their legitimate owners.

‘Without the live biometric verification of the legitimate cardholder on the BVAS, a stolen card cannot accredit anyone to vote,’ Amupitan said.

He added that the serial numbers of the stolen cards could be blacklisted, while replacement cards would be provided to affected voters.

According to him, biometric verification through the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System will be the only method of voter accreditation during the election.

‘There will be no manual accreditation. All polling unit result sheets will be scanned and uploaded directly from the polling units to the IReV portal to guarantee transparency,’ he said.

Amupitan disclosed that 4,427 BVAS machines, including 664 backup devices, had been prepared for the poll. INEC will also conduct a mock accreditation exercise on August 1 in 12 local government areas-four in each of the state’s three senatorial districts.

On PVC collection, the Chairman said 322,822 of the 395,995 newly registered voters had collected their cards. The figure represents about 82 per cent, leaving 73,173 cards uncollected.

He said the deadline was extended to July 31 in the interest of inclusivity and to reduce the risk of eligible voters being disenfranchised.

Osun State has 2,339,233 registered voters across 30 local government areas, 332 wards and 3,763 polling units. Fourteen political parties are expected to participate in the election.

Amupitan also said INEC was collaborating with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to combat vote-buying.

He urged political parties and their supporters to avoid inflammatory rhetoric, intimidation and violence, stressing that the commission had no preferred candidate or political party.

The National Commissioner supervising Osun State, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, also urged political actors to compete on ideas and policies rather than resort to violence or manipulation.

The state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, said security agencies had pledged to remain neutral and operate in accordance with the Electoral Act.

Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan said the command had conducted threat assessments and intelligence gathering across the state’s 30 local government areas.

He said trained personnel would be deployed to polling units, collation centres and other strategic locations, supported by patrols and rapid-response teams.

Gotan warned that the police would not tolerate vote-buying, voter intimidation or electoral violence before, during and after the election.

State police will address emerging threats, says IG

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, yesterday reiterated his support for ongoing debate on state policing, saying it would bring practical solutions to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

Disu spoke at the Force Headquarters, Abuja while playing host to the Commandant and participants of Course 34,National Defence College (NDC), who presented a research paper on state policing, police reforms, and command and coordination protocols.

The IGP said the recommendations on state police provided a useful foundation for future reforms, adding that comparative analysis of countries with decentralised police systems offers valuable lessons for Nigeria.

Disu reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to sustained reforms and closer collaboration with the college and other strategic institutions. He said this would strengthen policing, enhance internal security and support national development.

He described the research as timely, insightful and relevant to the country’s current security realities. He praised the officers for blending academic scholarship with practical policing experience.

The delegation was led by the Commandant of the College, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Ahmed. He said the study was undertaken by police officers on the course as part of efforts to contribute to national security policy and community policing.

Ahmed said the research was carried out independently by the officers. Faculty members only provided academic guidance and methodological support.

He said the participants relied on their professional experience, critical thinking and research to produce recommendations for strengthening Nigeria’s internal security architecture through 2035. He expressed optimism that the findings would improve the Nigeria Police Force’s operational effectiveness against emerging security threats.

Separately, a broad consensus for state police emerged at the First Daily Sixth Anniversary National Dialogue on Security in Abuja, where former Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS), Generals Martin Luther Agwai (retd.) and Lucky Irabor (retd.); former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson; Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, joined other stakeholders in calling for state police, emergency funding for security agencies and far-reaching security reforms.

The dialogue, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, was themed ‘Declaration of State of Emergency on Security: Matching Words with Action’.

Delivering the keynote address, Irabor said the declared state of emergency on security must be backed by decisive action and not a mere statement of intent.

He urged the Federal Government to substantially increase funding for the armed forces and other security agencies, establish state police based on global best practices, and develop Nigeria’s military-industrial complex to reduce dependence on foreign defence capabilities.

Civil society organisations (CSOs) also advised the Federal Government to ensure ongoing reforms addressed governance, economic and social problems driving violence across the country in order for state police to have meaningful effect.

The rights groups made the call during a webinar titled ‘Insecurity and State Policing in Nigeria: The Way Forward,’ organised by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), with the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) and Africana League also taking part.

Irabor also called on Nigerians to support security agencies through vigilance, accountability and active citizenship.

Dickson blamed the collapse of Nigeria’s internal security system for the military’s overstretch across the country, saying the armed forces had been drawn into responsibilities beyond their primary constitutional mandate of defending Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

‘The military’s primary responsibility is territorial integrity. Internal security was only meant to be a subsidiary mandate, but it has now become the main focus because the military is deployed everywhere,’ he said.

He argued that Nigeria’s security challenges could not be solved through military deployment alone, calling instead for comprehensive security reforms and stronger legislative measures.

‘It’s not just military, military, military. It’s better to fight the causes of criminality,’ he said, adding that Nigeria needed more robust national dialogue on security.

Agwai, co-chairman of the dialogue, said the country’s security challenges had evolved into complex internal threats requiring a whole-of-society response involving government, the media, communities and citizens, not just the military and security agencies.

Representing Diri, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, renewed the governor’s call for constitutional reforms to give state governors greater authority over security. He noted that governors were held accountable by citizens despite lacking operational control over the police. He described the ongoing constitutional amendment process as an opportunity to establish state police and devolve security responsibilities to states.

Development lawyer, Frank Tietie, called for emergency funding for security institutions, saying extraordinary threats demanded extraordinary financial commitment, while backing legislative efforts to establish state police with strong accountability mechanisms.

Political analyst, Mojeed Dahiru, stressed that national unity, and respect for Nigeria’s multi-religious character, were critical to security.

First Daily Publisher, Dr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the dialogue was designed as a non-partisan platform to generate practical solutions to Nigeria’s security crisis, urging participants to embrace intelligence-led, technology-driven reforms against terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.

Participants agreed that reversing Nigeria’s security challenges would require stronger institutions, increased investment, constitutional reforms, better intelligence gathering and sustained collaboration between government, security agencies and citizens.

During the webinar, the CSOs argued that policing reforms would achieve little without addressing poverty, unemployment, corruption, weak institutions and political exclusion.

RULAAC’s Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said insecurity should not be viewed merely as a policing problem, adding that governance failures were the root causes of crime and violence. He said decentralising policing could improve the response to local security threats but would not resolve Nigeria’s security crisis without broader governance reforms.

‘Police can respond to crime, but they cannot eliminate the structural conditions that produce it. No restructuring of police institutions alone will solve Nigeria’s security crisis,’ Nwanguma said.

He warned that state police could become another tool for abuse without strong accountability measures, calling for national standards on recruitment, training and discipline, operational independence from partisan political influence, independent civilian oversight, transparent complaints mechanisms, sustainable funding, and legal safeguards against the use of state police for electoral intimidation or political repression.

The Executive Director, Africana League, Dr Glory Ukwenga, said any state policing framework that excludes young people would be incomplete, noting that youths make up over 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population and were among the groups most affected by insecurity. She called for youth representation on state police service commissions, police-community relations committees and security advisory councils, alongside structured consultations with youth organisations during the reform process.

She also recommended youth-focused recruitment, civic education programmes and digital platforms to let young people report security concerns.

CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said discussions on state police should focus not only on decentralisation but on the type of policing Nigeria intends to build, arguing that policing should be community-oriented, rights-based and accountable to citizens rather than an instrument of political control. He said poor access to education, healthcare, water, electricity, roads and employment continues to fuel insecurity, stressing that these challenges must be addressed alongside security reforms.

He warned against rushing constitutional amendments, saying Nigeria should first address weaknesses in existing security agencies before creating new policing structures.

The speakers agreed that establishing additional police forces would not, on its own, resolve Nigeria’s security challenges. They urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to ensure that any state policing arrangement strengthens democratic governance, protects human rights and promotes accountability, instead of creating fresh opportunities for political interference and abuse.

Momoland cancels 10th anniversary Philippine fan concert

The “10th Anniversary FAN-CON [Very Merry Party]” of K-pop girl group Momoland in the Philippines next month is no longer pushing through due to “unforeseen circumstances beyond control.”

The Korean was due for a comeback to the country this August 8 at the EVM Convention Center’s FYM Hall in Quezon City. However, organizers Three Angles Production released a statement announcing the event’s cancellation.

“We would like to extend our apologies to everyone who has been looking forward to sharing this special anniversary with Momoland in Manila,” the statement read.

Megatix Asia will handle the refunding of purchased tickets. Refund instructions and a corresponding timeline will be emailed to registered buyers.

“We are truly grateful for the understanding and support of the Filipino Merries,” ended organizers, referring to local Momoland fans. “Although we are unable to celebrate together this time, we remain hopeful for the opportunity to meet again in the future.”

Momoland had announced earlier this month the Philippines would be included in its 10th anniversary celebrations, having debuted in 2016 under MLD Entertainment after winning a reality show.

Kara David on her bipolar disorder: ‘It’s my superpower’

Seasoned broadcast journalist Kara David is embracing every part of her journey living with bipolar disorder.

Kara was the guest on the July 29, 2026 episode of “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda,” where she discussed her early musings to be an actor and her relationship with husband LM Cancio.

Boy then brought up how open the newcaster is about navigating having bipolar condition and briefly asked her message for others dealing with it too.

“While it’s called bipolar disorder, if you learn to accept it and seek the right help, it’s a gift [and] not a curse,” Kara shared. “It’s a disorder pero in my case dahil natuto akong yakapin ang aking condition at humingi ng tulong… I actually view it as a gift, it’s my superpower.”

The journalist explained how persons living with bipolar disorder experience manic and depressive phases, and during the former, they can be very creative, think fast, and exude confidence when managed well.

She even recounted being bolder, able to write scripts quickly, and think on the fly when in her manic phase, but reiterated the need for proper management at the risk of crashing out suddenly.

“You can’t do it alone. Sana ‘yung community hindi kami tinitignan as ‘baliw,’ ‘loka-loka,’ ‘krung-krung,'” Kara ended, reiterating that people living with bipolar disorder can make the condition work in their favor rather than against them.

After the titular “Fast Talk” segment, Kara and Boy also discussed the journalist jointly winning Best Public Service Host at the inaugural FAMAS Broadcast Arts Awards with Ivana Alawi and the so-called contoversy brought about by content creator Boss Toyo regarding Kara’s coverage of an illegal dumpsite on Aeta ancestral land

3 killed as DSS, forest guards engage bandits in gun battle

The victims, it was leant, included farmers seized from their farmlands and others who had earlier been abducted in neighbouring Ekiti State.

They regained their freedom after the kidnappers were forced to flee under heavy gunfire, abandoning their captives.

The operation, which also involved the Kwara State Forest Guards, local hunters and vigilantes, was carried out in the Obbo Aiyegunle, Ejiu Ora and Osi axis of Ekiti LGA bordering Ekiti and Niger states.

Speaking with Daily Trust on Wednesday, the Chief Press Secretary to the chairman of Ekiti Local Government, Prince Dada Sunday, confirmed the operation.

He said intelligence gathered by security agencies led to the successful rescue mission.

Sunday said the kidnappers numbered more than 10 and had assembled victims abducted from different locations before they were intercepted by security operatives.

He disclosed that one of the victims sustained serious head injuries after he was cut with a machete while resisting abduction.

One of the rescued victims, Umaru Muazu of Obbo Aiyegunle, recounted the ordeal, saying armed men suddenly emerged and seized him and his son.

‘They came from nowhere and pointed a gun at my head. Four of them took me and my son. They also took my friend’s motorcycle before marching us into the bush,’ he said.Another rescued farmer, Ibrahim Danga, said the victims had been held captive before security operatives arrived and engaged the kidnappers.

A member of the Kwara Forest Guards, Owolabi Adebayo, said the operation was intelligence driven.

‘We neutralised three of them and rescued nine victims. They were heavily armed and possessed different types of firearms. We need more operational equipment, including body armour, binoculars, night vision goggles, walkie talkies and ammunition to effectively confront them,’ he said.

UCC clears NTV Uganda, Daily Monitor return one month after military shutdown

Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has formally cleared Nation Media Group (NMG)-Uganda to resume operations, exactly one month after the country’s largest independent media house was shut down in a military crackdown that disrupted its television, radio and newspaper platforms.

In a July 29 letter addressed to NMG-Uganda Managing Director Susan Nsibirwa, UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo wrote: “I am pleased to inform you that I have received instructions from H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda clearing re-opening of your businesses.”

The regulator’s notice came a day after Taifa Group announced that Museveni had authorized the resumption of NMG’s operations in Uganda, capping weeks of high-level engagements involving the Ugandan leader, first son and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and NMG majority shareholder Rostam Azizi, whose investment vehicle, Taifa Limited, this year acquired a controlling 54.08 percent stake in Nation Media Group, East Africa’s largest independent media conglomerate.

Announcing the planned resumption of operations, NMG PLC Chairman Joe Muganda emphasized that the media house “would remain focused on the delivery of trusted and balanced journalism across all our platforms.”

Daily Monitor readers are expected to access the newspaper’s remotely produced e-paper edition and online news updates from 6am Thursday, marking the first major phase of the company’s digital restoration, according to NMG-Uganda General Manager Editorial Allan Chekwech.

NTV Ugandawill also return initially through its digital platforms, with its premium 7pm Akawungeezi news bulletin expected to air online on Thursday before the gradual restoration of conventional broadcasting services.

Chekwech Wednesday evening said the company would progressively reactivate all its legacy platforms, including Spark TV, 93.3 KFM and 90.4 Dembe FM, as technical and operational arrangements are completed.

The phased restoration follows a month of negotiations involving government officials, NMG’s new majority shareholder and the media group’s management.

In a July 28 statement, Taifa Group, welcomed the reopening as it reaffirmed its backing for the company’s editorial mission.

“As the majority shareholder of NMG, we fully support the Group’s commitment to fair, balanced, independent and responsible journalism that informs, educates and contributes positively to public discourse. We share the Group’s core mission of positively influencing society and believe that a strong, professional and responsible media plays an important role in supporting national development, good governance and regional integration,” the company said.

NMG’s operations were disrupted shortly after midnight on June 28 when security personnel raided Daily Monitor premises in Namuwongo and the Kampala Serena International Conference Centre, home to the NTV Uganda and Spark TV broadcast houses.

The operation resulted in a power outage that forced NTV Uganda and Spark TV off air at 5am that Sunday, while also disrupting operations across the media group’s newspaper platforms as well as its radio stations, 93.3 KFM and 90.4 Dembe FM.

The affected NMG premises were rendered inaccessible to hundreds of staff following the crackdown.

The shutdown was instituted on the orders of Gen Muhoozi, citing guidance from his father.

Gen Muhoozi said the action was prompted by what he described as a “sustained blackmail campaign by the media group against the government of Uganda and its leadership, alongside promoting opposition and foreign interests at the expense of Uganda.”

As negotiations gathered pace, NMG on June 30 internally suspended its online presence to create a conducive environment for high-level discussions aimed at resolving the impasse.

On July 1, Azizi met Gen Muhoozi at the Special Forces Command headquarters in Entebbe. The meeting was also attended by Saam Azizi and Ms Georgia Mutagaywa, Chief of Staff of Taarifa Limited, as discussions over the future of the media house continued.

Another breakthrough followed on July 17 when Museveni hosted Azizi at State House Entebbe.

While the President confirmed the meeting in a post on X, he did not disclose what the two discussed. The meeting nevertheless fuelled speculation that a resolution was imminent.

When this reporter visited the Kampala Serena International Conference Centre on July 15, security remained visibly tight.

About 15 armed infantry personnel were deployed around the premises, with at least two carrying what appeared to be sub-machine guns. Namuwongo was also out of bounds.

It was not immediately clear when the elite forces that led the June 28 operation handed over responsibility for securing the premises to the infantry personnel.

By Wednesday evening, it was not immediately clear when the remaining soldiers would withdraw from the Namuwongo and Serena premises for full resumption of operations.

Throughout the shutdown, access to NMG’s Namuwongo headquarters and Serena offices remained tightly restricted, with journalists and other staff unable to freely access their workplaces.

The closure drew concern from regional media organizations and press freedom advocates, who called for restraint and urged authorities to safeguard media freedom.

NMG Uganda, which has identified itself as “Uganda’s Bold Voice” since the run-up to the 2026 General Election, operates NTV Uganda, the Daily Monitor, The East African, Spark TV, 93.3 KFM, 90.4 Dembe FM, Ennyanda newspaper and the Nation Courier, among other critical platforms.

The resumption of operations will mark the end of one of the most significant confrontations between the Ugandan state and the country’s largest independent media organisation in more than a decade.