Category: Daily Trust

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s livestock sector have called for the integration of private veterinary laboratories into the country’s animal disease surveillance system to strengthen disease detection, improve reporting, and enhance preparedness for disease outbreaks.

The call was made on Thursday at a summit on the ‘Public-Private Laboratory Forum on Strengthening Poultry Disease Surveillance in Nigeria’ in Abuja.

Participants stressed the need for collaboration among federal, state, local government and private veterinary laboratories to improve surveillance data collection.

The Director of Infectious and Transboundary Animal Diseases at the National Veterinary Research Institute, Professor Clement Meseko, said effective disease surveillance could only be achieved through collaboration among all actors in the veterinary laboratory ecosystem.

‘It’s very interesting that at this time we are discussing the veterinary laboratory network, particularly with respect to how there can be collaboration between the government laboratories, the national laboratories, the state laboratories, and, more importantly, the private laboratory,’ he said.

Country Manager of the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicines Nigeria, GAVmed, Moses Arokoyo, identified poor reporting and fragmented data collection as major weaknesses in Nigeria’s animal disease surveillance system.

‘So what we have seen as a gap is the fact that there is no integration of data. We say that if an event is not recorded, it means it didn’t happen,’ he said.

Arokoyo said harmonising data from public and private laboratories would improve Nigeria’s capacity to predict and respond to disease outbreaks.

Also speaking, the President of the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Matthew Adamu, called on the government to strengthen veterinary laboratory infrastructure at the state and local government levels.

‘We have the National Veterinary Science Institute involved as the top-most reference lab as far as this country is concerned. It is designated as a laboratory for some diseases by the World Organisation for Animal Health as a reference lab. However, we have a serious challenge at the sub-national level,’ he stated.

The Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr Samuel Anzaku, called for an urgent shift in attitude towards disease data reporting, warning that fragmentation and under-reporting are undermining Nigeria’s ability to control poultry diseases.

Anzaku, who was represented by Dr Adeniyi Adedoyin, recalled that the same issue was raised 3-4 years ago.

‘Why do we have teaching hospitals and different labs – public and private – generating data, and everybody keeps to their own data?’ he asked.

He noted that the human health and pharmacy sectors have already harmonised their surveillance systems and are moving faster, while the veterinary sector is lagging.

Dr Onallo Akpa, Director General of the Poultry Association of Nigeria(PAN), called for increased investment in research and laboratory capacity to tackle Newcastle Disease and other endemic poultry diseases that continue to threaten Nigeria’s livestock.

The Director General of PAN, therefore, tasked participants to use the two-day deliberations to identify ‘missing gaps’ and develop strategies to reduce the endemic nature of poultry diseases and their economic impact.

Transportation is a dominant structural element of the capital city plan. All the relevant categories of transportation services are proposed in the transportation plan to ensure viable and efficient national capital for Nigeria. A suitable corridor for the location of rail alignment, in the event that rail service to the FCC is found to be feasible in the future has been proposed. Human imperfections aside, the system as planned is very adequate to alleviate any future chaotic urban transportation problem that is anticipated in the city.

The specific objectives of the City Transportation System are: maximise public transportation mobility for those residents who do not own cars; maximise traffic movements passing through the various development sectors; provide multiple highway paths between development sectors thereby avoiding network bottlenecks; and achieve maximum self-containment within the outlying sectors.

The traffic network in the city consists of Outer Expressways, Inner Expressways, Ring Roads, Parkways, Transit ways, Civil Spine Roads, Arterial Roads, collectors and service roads. Of all these categories, only the Transitways are yet to be implemented, but the proposed corridors were provided and being fervently guarded and protected.

The content of the Transitways include the National Railway (NR) and Commuter Rail (CR), and where the NR and CR will be on the same track. Until the actual implementation commences, it will seem as if the reserved corridors were vacant lands.

Over the years, these corridors were bedeviled by barrages of encroachments. If not for the ever vigilance of Development Control and Park and Recreations Department of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), the entire areas reserved for the future developments of road and rail would have since disappeared. Unfortunately, that protection is now a thing of the past, not because these agencies lack the capability and capacity for their enforcement functions.

At the beginning of every administration, whoever is appointed the FCT Minister makes a vow to defend the Abuja Master Plan. What is required of the ministers to keep to their promises is simply to manage the land within the territory earmarked for the federal capital according to the recommendations of the Abuja Master plan. However, the level of compliance of the various ministers to what they promised are not the same.

According to the master plan, in the early phases of the federal capital development, the transit spine will operate as a busway, and at later stages, might incorporate a higher capacity transit mode, such as rapid rail transit, and light rail transit. From a functional point of view, rapid transit could provide a higher capacity and operating speed than light-rail transit, but at the expense of higher implementation cost and the need for a higher exclusivity along the right-of-ways.

Notwithstanding the failure to commence the implementation of the project due to the cost component, as all transportation corridors everywhere in the world, the undergrounds of the flanks are used as service lines for water, electricity, sewer and others, serving the various sectors of the city.

Invariably, although the Transitways are not yet implemented for the public transportation uses they have since been in use as water mains underground service corridors for water supply, and sewer lines for the evacuation of liquid wastes from all the various sectors of the city. Tampering with or the violation of that reserved corridor for any other use would portend serious danger and untold hardship to the residents of the city.

The prevailing circumstance is the ongoing violation of the S12 Transitway along the highbrow Maitama and Wuse II Districts. The underground 800mm diameter water pipeline that supplies water to Maitama, Wuse II, Wuye, Zone 4 and parts of Central Area District were laid decades ago, prior to the commencement of physical developments in many parts of the city.

Massive construction activities along the line broke the pipeline. It resulted to the disruption of water supply to all the districts aforementioned for 18 days. Obviously, the repair, two days ago, that allows the continuation of water supply is only temporary. This is because the massive development over the main pipeline continues unabated.

We can only deceive ourselves because the overburden structure has the tendency of causing leakage or rupture on the underground pipeline. Thus, the need for access for future maintenance is inevitable. That was why the city plan provided for the underground services to be along such corridors which would not be overburdened by any physical development apart from the earmarked transportation service.

The other solution would have been to divert the pipeline to pass through another area that will be secured. But there is no vacant land around for the diversion because almost all were already developed. Even if an undeveloped land is found it is not possible to obtain such corridor that can continue to a very long stretch for the laying of public utilities.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, key political stakeholders, community leaders, and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Kogi East Senatorial District have declared their full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo.

Meeting under the banner of the Kogi East APC Strategic Leadership Conference in Abuja, chaired by Major Gen. Patrick Ademu Akpa (Rtd), the group resolved to mobilize the electorate across the district to ensure a decisive victory for the party in the upcoming polls.

The conference, held under the theme ‘Unity, Electoral Strength, and Power Rotation,’ emphasized the need for a structured and negotiated framework to ensure political equity.

The stakeholders advocated for a formal arrangement regarding power rotation, which they argue is essential for the long-term stability of the state.

The communiqué, signed by 26 prominent leaders-including Major Gen. Patrick Ademu Akpa (Rtd), Amb. Isaac A. Onu, Rt. Hon. Ismaila Inna Hussaini, Rt. Hon. Dr. Emmanuel Egwu, Hajia Salamatu Baiwa Umar-Eluma, AIG Abutu Iyaro (Rtd), Dr. Sani Teidi, and Hon. Dan Okolo-outlined the following core objectives:

A major pillar of the group’s agenda is the urgent need to reverse a 20-year decline in infrastructure across Kogi East.

The leaders expressed concern that, in the decade following the passing of the late Governor Prince Abubakar Audu, the region has suffered from both systemic neglect and a lack of unified leadership.

Consequently, the group declared its resolve to engage the state and federal governments directly to secure concrete development projects.

They emphasized that while they are fully committed to the re-election of Governor Ododo, they will proactively negotiate for sustainable development to improve the living standards of citizens in the district.y

The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has distanced itself from Danbilki Kwamanda, declaring that he is not a registered member of the party.

The State APC Publicity Secretary, Auwal Soja Sani Mainagge, made this clarification while addressing recent political developments within the state.

His remarks follow a stern warning from the party leadership that it will sanction any member found engaging in anti-party activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Kwamanda recently granted an interview to a local radio station in which he threatened to sabotage the party’s efforts in the 2027 polls.

In response, the APC leadership reiterated that all party members are expected to support its candidates at all levels, emphasizing that the party maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding anti-party conduct.

Meanwhile Kwamanda has rejected his reported expulsion from the party, insisting that no one has the authority to remove him from the party

In a reaction issued shortly after the announcement, Dan Bilki described the decision as invalid, saying ‘a tenant cannot evict the landlord.’

His response came hours after the Kano State APC Publicity Secretary, Auwalu Abdullahi Soja, announced that the party had expelled Kwamanda over alleged statements said to be in breach of the party’s constitution and regulations.

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has dismantled an alleged transnational human trafficking and fraudulent recruitment syndicate operating in Lagos State and arrested 12 foreigners linked to the operation.

NIS public relations officer, DCI AS Akinlabi, in a statement, said the arrest followed actionable intelligence on trafficking syndicates operating in the state.

The statement said the syndicate allegedly lured foreign nationals into Nigeria with false promises of employment and business opportunities under the guise of the QNET/IGNITE network.

NIS identified the alleged syndicate leader as Ouattra Adama, a Burkinabe national.

He was arrested alongside 11 suspected accomplices, comprising eight Liberians and three Cameroonians.

The service said two victims were also rescued in the process.

The statement said the 12 suspects and the two victims have been transferred to the Service Headquarters for further investigation and necessary legal action.

The immigration service described the QNET/IGNITE network as a transnational organised crime syndicate allegedly involved in fraudulent employment and business schemes used to facilitate irregular migration.

According to the service, the group’s activities extend beyond Nigeria, with investigations indicating links to a wider cross-border criminal network.

The NIS urged members of the public to exercise caution and verify offers of employment, education, business opportunities and migration through appropriate government channels before making financial commitments or embarking on international travel.

‘The arrest of the syndicate leader and other facilitators demonstrates the Nigeria Immigration Service’s commitment to intelligence-driven border management,’ the statement added.

The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has distanced itself from Danbilki Kwamanda, declaring that he is not a registered member of the party.

The State APC Publicity Secretary, Auwal Soja Sani Mainagge, made this clarification while addressing recent political developments within the state.

His remarks follow a stern warning from the party leadership that it will sanction any member found engaging in anti-party activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Kwamanda recently granted an interview to a local radio station in which he threatened to sabotage the party’s efforts in the 2027 polls.

In response, the APC leadership reiterated that all party members are expected to support its candidates at all levels, emphasizing that the party maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding anti-party conduct.

Meanwhile Kwamanda has rejected his reported expulsion from the party, insisting that no one has the authority to remove him from the party

In a reaction issued shortly after the announcement, Dan Bilki described the decision as invalid, saying ‘a tenant cannot evict the landlord.’

His response came hours after the Kano State APC Publicity Secretary, Auwalu Abdullahi Soja, announced that the party had expelled Kwamanda over alleged statements said to be in breach of the party’s constitution and regulations.

The Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) described the outcome of the recapitalisation exercise as a significant milestone for the industry, commending the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) for implementing what it called a fair, transparent and well-structured recapitalisation process.

Speaking in a statement on Thursday, NIA Chairman, Mrs. Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, said NAICOM’s clear regulatory guidelines, systematic verification process, defined timelines and effective supervisory oversight provided operators with a credible framework to successfully navigate the exercise.

She said the recapitalisation marks a new phase in strengthening the financial capacity, stability and competitiveness of Nigeria’s insurance industry while reinforcing public confidence in the sector.

‘The successful outcome of this recapitalisation exercise is a major win not just for regulators and operators, but for policyholders, investors and the wider Nigerian economy,’ Mrs. Nwachukwu said.

‘A well-capitalised insurance sector is better equipped to honour obligations promptly, underwrite complex and large-scale risks, and serve as a reliable pillar of national economic growth.’

The Association congratulated the 43 insurance and reinsurance companies that met the new minimum capital requirements, praising their resilience, professionalism and commitment to aligning with evolving regulatory standards.

Nwachukwu also expressed confidence in the eight insurance companies currently undergoing final verification and regulatory review, noting that NAICOM’s 14-day verification window demonstrates its commitment to due process and regulatory fairness.

She reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to supporting all member companies throughout the transition, stressing that the NIA would continue to provide a platform for advocacy, collaboration and constructive engagement with the regulator.

According to her, the industry is emerging from the recapitalisation exercise significantly stronger, more resilient and better positioned to deepen insurance penetration, inspire consumer confidence and contribute more meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has invested N20 billion to finance private healthcare businesses in Nigeria, targeting a critical sector in need of affordable, long-term capital.

According to the bank, the N20billion Healthcare Fund, announced at the bank’s inaugural healthcare summit in Lagos, will target businesses including hospitals and clinics, diagnostic centres, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, maternity homes and other healthcare enterprises.

The financing will support expansion, medical equipment purchases, infrastructure, working capital and technology investments.

The bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Yemisi Edun, represented by Executive Director, Corporate Services and Service Management, Felicia Obozuwa described healthcare as a social imperative and an economic priority.

‘Building a strong healthcare system requires capital that is patient, affordable and long-term,’ she said.

She stressed that the fund will form part of a broader healthcare financing offering that combines lending with advisory support and partnerships intended to help businesses strengthen operations and attract capital.

‘The initiative comes as Nigeria seeks to expand healthcare capacity and boost local production of medicines and medical devices. The government is targeting local production of 70% of medicines and medical devices by 2030 under its Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain,’ she said.

The president of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, Njide Ndili said access to finance remains a major constraint for private healthcare operators.

Ndili cited experience from HFN’s partnership with the PharmAccess Medical Credit Fund, saying that small and medium-sized healthcare businesses can achieve strong repayment performance when financing is combined with technical support, capacity building, and quality standards.

‘HFN will work with FCMB to develop a framework for pre-qualifying healthcare facilities and helping businesses become investment-ready.

‘The federation has more than 400 member organisations and 4,000 professionals. The initiative also addresses a broader challenge for lenders: ensuring that healthcare businesses have the governance, financial reporting, management capacity and growth plans needed to deploy capital effectively,’ she said.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare Iziaq Salako said the federal government has increased public funding for healthcare in recent years.

He added that over N339 billion has been disbursed through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund over the past 12 years, including N235 billion in the last three years under the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative.

He stressed that N32.9 billion was recently disbursed to support more than 8,300 primary healthcare centres, with plans to expand coverage to about 13,000 facilities nationwide.

He called for greater mobilisation of private and public capital and urged healthcare operators to strengthen corporate governance, improve financial reporting and use blended-finance structures to fund growth.

It is no longer a secret to Nigerians and the international community that the lingering Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East has dented the country’s image in global affairs. The conflict has claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people, destroyed critical infrastructure and crippled economic activities across the six states in the region.

Although the insurgency has not been completely subdued, attention at home and abroad is now increasingly focused on how to stabilise and rebuild a region that has suffered not only from years of insurgency but also from decades of neglect, abuse of public trust and corruption.

Institutions, it is often said, do not fail on their own; values too remain intact until they are abused. When people speak about the collapse of governance, governance itself does not collapse. Rather, it is weakened by negative human actions, particularly corruption. Consequently, good governance produces positive outcomes, while bad governance inevitably leads to underdevelopment.

While discussions in recent weeks have centred on promises, realities and human capital development in the North-East, the issue of recovery and peacebuilding-which remains a long and difficult journey-has taken centre stage.

Since 2009, violent attacks by Boko Haram have left widespread devastation across the North-East. The destruction has compounded the effects of years of neglect, corruption and abuse of office, all of which contributed to weakening governance structures in many states across the region.

The insurgency further deepened existing development challenges in a region already characterised by poverty, weak governance, poor social and economic outcomes, inequality, perceived social injustice, low accountability, fragile state institutions, inadequate infrastructure, climate change and environmental degradation.

Against this backdrop, several recovery frameworks have been developed, including the Recovery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA), the Buhari Plan, the Revised Buhari Plan and the North-East Stabilisation and Development Master Plan. Together, these initiatives provide a coordinated framework to support conflict-affected communities across Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba and Bauchi states.

The RPBA recognises that achieving lasting peace requires addressing not only the consequences of the insurgency but also the structural and underlying causes of conflict. It therefore provides an overarching framework for stability, peacebuilding and long-term recovery across the region.

The Humanitarian Response Plan for 2016 requested $248 million to support conflict-affected populations, although only eight per cent of the funding requirement had been met as of March 5, 2016. More than 60 humanitarian partners provided assistance ranging from food, water, sanitation and healthcare to shelter, education, protection services and livelihood support. National civil society organisations and local NGOs also played significant roles, particularly in areas inaccessible to international agencies.

On August 21, 2015, the federal government requested support from the European Union, the United Nations and the World Bank to assess peacebuilding and recovery needs in the North-East. The assessment, conducted under the 2008 Joint EU-UN-World Bank Declaration on Crisis Assessment and Recovery Planning, culminated in a workshop held in Abuja in January 2016 with over 250 participants representing federal and state governments, development partners, civil society organisations and internally displaced persons.

At the onset of the crisis, the government’s response focused largely on security operations and humanitarian interventions. Long-term development projects received limited attention, largely because of the severity of the insurgency and the urgent humanitarian needs created by the conflict.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan established the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) in 2014 to provide emergency assistance, mobilise resources for economic recovery and lay the foundation for long-term regional development. The administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari intensified military operations against Boko Haram while reviewing existing intervention mechanisms. This eventually led to the establishment of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), which was mandated to assess the region, develop a comprehensive master plan and coordinate reconstruction and development efforts.

As both a coordinating and development institution, the NEDC was designed to integrate humanitarian response, peacebuilding, stabilisation and long-term development. Buhari’s administration also introduced a comprehensive recovery framework aimed at addressing the humanitarian and economic consequences of the insurgency.

However, despite these interventions, it cannot be said that all the objectives have been fully realised. Many communities across the North-East continue to grapple with insecurity, unemployment and widespread poverty.

The framework acknowledges the resilience of communities in the region, noting that despite years of violence, many have continued to support victims, preserve livelihoods and resist extremist influence. To strengthen coordination, the North-East states also developed the North East States Transformation Strategy (NESTS), which became an important reference point for subsequent recovery initiatives.

International development partners equally contributed to these efforts. Under the leadership of the World Bank, several assessments were conducted, culminating in the publication of a recovery strategy in April 2016 to guide post-conflict reconstruction.

The Buhari Plan drew from these states, national and international initiatives and integrated them into programmes implemented by the Muhammadu Buhari administration. Government officials maintained that the plan was not only designed to end the insurgency but also to drive sustainable recovery and development while serving as a model for national reconstruction.

Although the plan seeks to guide interventions in infrastructure, education, healthcare, livelihoods and economic empowerment, stakeholders must not lose sight of the warning contained in the French Development Agency-supported research titled Crisis and Development: The Lake Chad Region and Boko Haram. The report cautioned that the North-East could become another Niger Delta if reconstruction efforts become avenues for elite enrichment while the underlying causes of the conflict remain unresolved.

That warning is even more relevant today given how corruption and abuse have undermined several well-intentioned intervention programmes across Nigeria. As more regional development commissions are established to address developmental challenges across the country, transparency, accountability and effective implementation must remain central to achieving meaningful and lasting results.

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have rescued four victims abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Lagos-Benin Expressway.

The victims were rescued by the police in collaboration with members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), local hunters and other sister security agents.

The command spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, in a statement, said the police received information that armed men, numbering about three and dressed in vigilante uniforms, had blocked the Ugbokun axis along the Lagos/Benin Expressway with logs of wood and leaves, attacked motorists and abducted some occupants into the forest.

She said upon receipt of the report, the Divisional Police Officer, Okada Division, immediately mobilised a combined team of police operatives including vigilante, local hunters and other security partners to the scene.

According to her, the operatives swiftly embarked on an aggressive bush-combing operation enhanced by drone technology to search and aid the rescue mission.

She said following the sustained pressure mounted on the criminals, they abandoned the captives and fled, leading to the rescue of the victims.

The spokesperson, who gave the names of the victims as, Muritala Babatunde, Bello Aminat, Otor Prince, and Yeiyah Gift, said they had been reunited with reunited with their families.

She disclosed that operations were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.