Category: PM News

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has emphasised the importance of good vision among professional drivers, saying visual fitness is critical to preventing avoidable road traffic crashes.

The Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the national inauguration of the FRSC-BATMedics Free Medical Outreach for Vision Improvement Tests and Surgical Interventions.

The outreach themed ‘See Clearly, Drive Safely’ was organised by FRSC in collaboration with BATMedics and Vision Savers Eye Care Centre.

Mohammed, represented by Ibrahim Mbazama, Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM), Special Duties and External Relations said the initiative was designed to provide vision improvement tests and appropriate surgical interventions for Nigerians, particularly professional drivers.

He said the event served as a reminder that road safety was fundamentally about saving lives, noting that a simple vision test could lead to timely diagnosis, effective treatment and safer driving.

He also said the outreach was significant because it brought together healthcare and road safety, while coinciding with the global observance of World Sight Day.

‘Road safety goes beyond enforcement, as it requires deliberate attention to human, vehicle and environmental factors that contribute to road traffic crashes,’ he said.

Mohammed identified visual fitness as one of the critical human factors affecting safe driving, noting that good vision was essential for drivers to identify road signs, pedestrians, vehicles, traffic signals and other hazards in sufficient time to respond appropriately.

The Corps Marshal said impaired vision could compromise driving performance and increase the risk of crashes, stressing that the medical outreach was therefore not merely a healthcare programme but an important road safety intervention.

He explained that through the initiative, drivers experiencing visual challenges would have access to professional assessment and, where necessary, treatment or surgical intervention.

Mohammed expressed the FRSC’s satisfaction with its partnership with BATMedics, describing the collaboration as a demonstration of the importance of partnerships in advancing public health and road safety.

He commended BATMedics for committing its resources and expertise to the initiative and appreciated the management of Jabi Motor Park for providing a platform to reach professional drivers and other beneficiaries.

The Corps Marshal urged drivers to regard their health as an essential component of their profession and take full advantage of the opportunity provided by the outreach.

He also encouraged them to undergo the recommended medical examinations and comply with professional medical advice, stressing that taking care of their vision was also a way of protecting themselves and other road users.

‘By caring for your vision, you are protecting yourself and all other road users,’ he said.

Mohammed further noted that preventive interventions such as the outreach could help reduce avoidable crashes, injuries and loss of lives.

He said road safety was fundamentally about identifying and addressing risks before they resulted in tragedy, adding that the FRSC would continue to support initiatives promoting driver fitness, public enlightenment and preventive healthcare.

He also pledged the Corps’ continued collaboration with relevant stakeholders in advancing interventions capable of improving road safety and protecting lives.

The Corps Marshal called on other organisations to emulate the initiative by supporting efforts to bring essential health services closer to people who keep the nation’s transportation system running.

He stressed the need for stakeholders to explore interventions addressing other health concerns that could affect the safe operation of vehicles.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached 8,665 confirmed cases and 4,178 deaths, with transmission slowing in some areas but growing elsewhere.

WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, said this on Wednesday during a news conference, saying contact tracing had improved significantly, with about 2,000 alerts reported daily and nearly five million people reached.

He said clinical trials of Ebola therapeutics were progressing, with more than 600 people enrolled, while a vaccine trial was expected later in October, with efforts underway to ensure equitable access.

Ghebreyesus, however, said significant challenges remained, noting that most Ebola deaths still occurred in communities rather than treatment centres, while contact tracing had yet to reach levels required for containment.

He said the outbreak was also unfolding amid a prolonged humanitarian crisis, with new transmission hotspots continuing to emerge in spite of an overall decline, including areas near South Sudan’s border.

The WHO chief said Kenya had reported its first imported Ebola case after a citizen who became ill in the DRC travelled through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi, where he died.

He said Kenyan authorities were monitoring 55 contacts, including passengers and crew members who travelled with the patient from Kampala to Nairobi, while WHO continued supporting the country’s response efforts.

Ghebreyesus commended Kenya for its prompt action and timely notification of WHO under International Health Regulations, emphasising that preparedness, screening and contact tracing were more effective than travel restrictions.

He said the health situation in Gaza remained critical, with the needs of almost two million people overwhelming available services, and called for uninterrupted humanitarian supplies and restored healthcare access.

The WHO chief said the organisation had also released new guidelines addressing rising obesity among children and adolescents, noting prevalence had quadrupled globally over 25 years, from two per cent.

‘More than 170 million children and adolescents now live with obesity, according to WHO, which recommends structured changes to diet, behaviour and physical activity, alongside guidance on medicines, bariatric surgery. WHO also launched a global roadmap on hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia, which accounts for about 16 per cent of maternal deaths globally and remains a major concern. The condition is associated with 42,000 maternal deaths and more than 500,000 stillbirths and newborn deaths annually, highlighting the urgent need for improved prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care worldwide. The roadmap seeks to accelerate investment and innovation to expand access to proven interventions, medicines and other measures for preventing and treating pre-eclampsia, particularly in countries with limited resources,’ he said.

According to him, ahead of World Mental Health Day on Oct. 10, attention would focus on the lived experiences of people with mental health conditions, especially those institutionalised previously.

He said the organisation would inaugurate a practical guide to help countries move from institutionalised mental healthcare towards person-centred community services that respected people’s rights, dignity and personal choices.

On a separate development, he said WHO was seeking further information from Russia over the death of a laboratory worker following severe pneumonia amid reports of pneumonic plague.

The WHO chief said Russia reported that no recent plague case had been detected in Irkutsk oblast and that about 200 contacts had been quarantined, while additional information was requested.

He said WHO had also sought verification of reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause and had offered technical support on biosafety, biosecurity and plague management.

Ghebreyesus said WHO could not yet conduct a full risk assessment because it lacked complete information, emphasising that transparent and timely data sharing remained essential for public health.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to disregard evidence of former Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke’s acquittal by a United Kingdom court in a suit challenging the forfeiture of her assets.

The anti-graft agency made the request in a further counter-affidavit filed in opposition to Diezani’s application seeking to introduce the UK court’s decision as evidence in the ongoing proceedings.

Diezani was acquitted on June 17, 2026, by the Southwark Crown Court in London of criminal allegations of bribery brought against her in the United Kingdom.

Following the acquittal, the former minister asked the Federal High Court to allow her to present the development as a subsequent event that is relevant to her challenge against the forfeiture and proposed sale of some of her assets.

In the substantive suit, Diezani is challenging, among other things, an EFCC public notice concerning the auction and sale of properties and personal effects which she claims affect her proprietary rights.

However, in its further counter-affidavit filed on October 5, the EFCC argued that the UK acquittal has no bearing on the issues before the Nigerian court.

Oyakhilome Ekienabor, a litigation officer in the law firm of Mofesomo Oyetibo, counsel to the EFCC, said the proceedings before the Southwark Crown Court were separate from the Nigerian proceedings and should not be introduced into the case.

‘The proceedings before the Southwark Crown Court, London, United Kingdom, and the purported acquittal of the applicant therein, are in respect of a proceeding that is not being prosecuted before any Nigerian court and have nothing to do with the substantive suit before this honourable court,’ the affidavit stated.

EFCC: Forfeiture order concerns jewellery

The commission also disputed the suggestion that the forfeiture proceedings before the Nigerian court were affected by the outcome of the UK criminal case.

According to the EFCC, the relevant forfeiture order relates specifically to jewellery and does not cover other categories of assets or properties.

‘The order for forfeiture relates exclusively to items of jewellery and does not extend to any other category of assets or properties,’ Ekienabor stated.

The commission further argued that Diezani’s supplementary affidavit contained facts that were irrelevant to the issues requiring determination by the court.

It accused the former minister of attempting to divert the court’s attention from the substantive questions before it and urged the judge to disregard the portion of her supplementary affidavit seeking to introduce evidence of the UK acquittal.

Diezani: Acquittal is a material development

Diezani, through her counsel, has maintained that her acquittal in the UK is a material development that occurred after she had filed her earlier court processes and should therefore be considered by the Nigerian court.

Her counsel, Mike Ozekhome, argued that the development was relevant to questions surrounding the absence of a conviction, fair hearing, due process and the propriety of depriving his client of her property.

Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, also clarified that Diezani was not asking the Federal High Court to sit on appeal over the decision of the Southwark Crown Court.

Rather, he argued that the UK judgment should be considered as a subsequent material fact that could assist the Nigerian court in determining the issues raised in her suit.

Case adjourned

At Tuesday’s proceedings, Queen-Ubokutom Uwe, who appeared for Diezani, informed Justice Inyang Ekwo that the EFCC had served her legal team with the further counter-affidavit shortly before the hearing.

Paul Mgbeoma, counsel for the EFCC, told the court that the commission was ready to proceed with the matter.

Justice Ekwo subsequently adjourned the case until November 11 for the hearing of the pending motions.

The court is expected to determine, among other issues, whether the evidence relating to Diezani’s UK acquittal can properly be introduced and considered in the Nigerian proceedings.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has predicted that the President will defeat his opponents by a wide margin in the 2027 presidential election.

Bwala said Tinubu would perform better in 2027 than he did in the 2023 election, when he defeated Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

Speaking on Tuesday, the presidential adviser said he was confident the gap between Tinubu and other presidential candidates would be far wider this time.

‘Let me tell you and let me say it categorically and I will be happy to come back. The margin of gap that President Bola Tinubu will give each and every one of these candidates will be so much that you won’t believe it,’ Bwala said.

Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election with 8,794,726 votes.

Atiku finished second, while Obi came third.

Bwala said his confidence was partly based on the growing number of governors and political figures from opposition parties now supporting Tinubu.

Several governors elected on opposition platforms have defected to the All Progressives Congress since the 2023 election.

According to Bwala, the President is expected to enjoy the backing of more governors in 2027 than he did during his first presidential campaign.

He maintained that the political realignments taking place across the country would strengthen Tinubu’s position ahead of the election.

The Group Managing Director of CFL Group of Companies, Lai Omotola has given the Lagos State Land Registry a seven-day ultimatum to rectify land documents allegedly falsified by speculators or face N5 billion legal action.

He said land title forgery and cloning had persisted in Lagos over the years, with several banks allegedly falling victim to fraudulent Certificates of Occupancy (CofOs) used as collateral for loans.

According to him, some financial institutions only discovered that the documents were fake after the loans secured with the properties had gone into default.

Omotola recalled that during the administration of former Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, the Lagos State Government demolished a market opposite the Government House where, according to him, forged Certificates of Occupancy were allegedly produced.

He said, however, that the practice had evolved into a more sophisticated operation because of the huge financial interests involved and the alleged participation of highly placed individuals both within and outside government.

Omotola explained that the alleged ‘Land Title Laundry’ scheme typically begins with the identification of abandoned properties in Ikoyi and Victoria Island, where land values are particularly high.

He alleged that speculators would identify the name of a prominent person who had died and use the person’s identity to establish a fictitious ownership history for the property.

He said they would then allegedly obtain forged land certificates, sometimes backdated to the 1970s when historical records were difficult to trace, before introducing the documents into the official land registry system.

‘Once the document is ready, they have staff in Alausa working in Land Registry that will insert the documents into the system. Immediately this is achieved, the title document will automatically become the original,’ Omotola alleged.

He said the alleged perpetrators would subsequently declare the supposed original document lost, obtain a police affidavit and proceed to register a Governor’s Consent, thereby creating the impression that the property had been legitimately transferred.

Omotola stressed that a Certificate of Occupancy was different from a Governor’s Consent, saying the distinction was important for property owners and prospective investors to understand.

He explained that a Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy involves the government allocating land and granting a title, while a Governor’s Consent represents the Governor’s approval of a transaction between individuals or entities.

Omotola said the issuance of a Governor’s Consent did not automatically cure defects in the underlying title, adding that such consent could be cancelled if subsequent investigations established forgery or misrepresentation in the documents submitted.

He said his warning was informed by an experience involving his company and a property located at 24 Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Omotola said his company purchased the property and commenced construction before another company allegedly arrived with police officers and sealed the premises, claiming ownership based on a Governor’s Consent.

He said the opposing party claimed that the original owner of the land was Samuel Oladele Ige, who allegedly sold it to the late Alhaji Ganiyu Amusan, the father of businessman Tayo Amusan.

Omotola said his company investigated the purported chain of ownership and visited the family of Samuel Ige, whom he identified as the younger brother of the late former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige.

He said the family informed them that Samuel Ige died in 2012, making it impossible for him to have sold the property in 2015.

Omotola added that the family also said there was nothing in Ige’s will indicating that he owned a property at 24 Adeola Odeku Street.

He said further investigation into the claim involving Alhaji Ganiyu Amusan showed that he died in 1994, making it equally impossible for him to have purchased the property in 2015.

Omotola said the investigation also uncovered a police affidavit purportedly sworn by Samuel Ige in 2015 declaring that his original land certificate had been lost.

He said Ige’s first son, Niyi, disputed the authenticity of the affidavit, alleging that the photograph and signature on the document were not those of his late father.

He further alleged that a letter of objection purportedly written by Samuel Ige before the release of the Governor’s Consent was received by the Land Registry on September 1, 2015, three years after his death.

Omotola said the Ige family subsequently petitioned the Land Registry, which, according to him, found merit in the allegations and invited the beneficiaries of the disputed Governor’s Consent for proceedings that could lead to its deregistration.

He alleged that the beneficiaries failed to honour the invitation on two occasions and instead continued construction on the property while allegedly relying on security agencies.

Omotola said the affected landowners were demanding that the disputed consent be deregistered and the land documents corrected to reflect the legitimate ownership of the property.

He warned that failure by the Land Registry to act within seven days would compel the affected landowners to approach the courts, where they would seek N5 billion in damages.

Omotola insisted that the landowners were not beneficiaries of corruption within the system, stressing that they were seeking protection for legitimately acquired properties and accountability in the administration of land records.

He called on the Lagos State Government to investigate the alleged manipulation of land documents and strengthen the land registry system to prevent fraudulent titles from being introduced into official records.

National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, David Mark, has warned that the party will resist any attempt to manipulate the 2027 general elections or rig it out of the contest.

Mark spoke on Wednesday in Abuja when he received members of the governing council of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development at the ADC national headquarters.

The delegation was led by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola (retd.).

Mark said the ADC was prepared to comply with electoral rules and conduct itself responsibly throughout the election.

‘We hold ourselves to the highest standards of good conduct as a political party. We will play by the rules. But we will not accept rigging or allow ourselves to be rigged out,’ he said.

‘We are committed to playing politics in a manner that promotes public confidence in democracy.’

The former Senate President said the party would comply with guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission as well as provisions of its Orange Book, which outlines its code of conduct and governance principles.

Mark had previously warned against the use of state institutions to influence the outcome of the 2027 elections, insisting that the credibility of the polls must be protected.

Speaking during the visit, Ariwoola said the Savannah Centre was seeking commitments from political parties and candidates towards peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.

He urged the ADC leadership to ensure that its candidates and supporters obey INEC rules and avoid actions capable of triggering political violence.

The visit formed part of ongoing engagements by the centre’s Council of the Wise with political parties and other stakeholders ahead of the elections.

The council was reconstituted in June with a mandate to promote credible elections and engage political actors, electoral authorities, security agencies, traditional and religious leaders and civil society organisations.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said it will follow all electoral rules but will not accept any attempt to rig it out of the 2027 general elections.

The party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark, stated this on Wednesday when the Governing Council of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development visited the ADC national headquarters in Abuja.

The delegation was led by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola.

The Savannah Centre is engaging political parties and other stakeholders ahead of the 2027 elections as part of efforts to promote peaceful, free and credible elections.

Mark said the ADC was committed to conducting its activities within the law and strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.

He said, ‘We are committed to playing politics in a manner that promotes public confidence in democracy.’

The ADC chairman said the party would obey the rules of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its own code of conduct, as contained in its Orange Book.

However, he said following electoral rules did not mean the party would accept electoral malpractice or attempts to manipulate the process against it.

Ariwoola said the visit was part of the Savannah Centre’s engagement with political parties and political leaders ahead of the 2027 elections.

He urged ADC leaders to encourage their candidates and members to obey INEC rules and avoid political violence.

The Savannah Centre delegation included Professors Abdullahi Shehu and Azeez Musa Dankano, Executive Director Ambassador Sani Bala, Tunji Lardner and Ambassador Godswill Ighali, among others.

Meanwhile, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has urged INEC to ensure that eligible voters who register for the 2027 elections are able to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

The council said voter registration figures would have little meaning if registered voters could not collect their PVCs.

In a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the council also urged INEC to remain neutral and transparent throughout the electoral process.

Ologbondiyan said INEC should not take any action that could give an advantage to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said the commission should focus not only on voter registration but also on making sure registered voters could easily collect their PVCs.

The council expressed concern over alleged delays and bureaucratic problems at PVC collection centres, especially in areas it described as opposition strongholds.

It called on INEC to move PVC collection to the ward level, extend collection hours and use technology to inform voters when their cards are ready.

Ologbondiyan also urged INEC to comply with the Constitution and Electoral Act throughout the election process.

He said the ADC-PCC would continue to monitor INEC’s activities ahead of the 2027 elections.

The council urged Nigerians, especially first time voters, not to be discouraged by administrative challenges but to participate in the electoral process and collect their PVCs.

Ologbondiyan said the ADC remained committed to an election where all eligible Nigerians would have equal opportunities to vote and where legitimate votes would be counted.

The Independent National Electoral Commiss (INEC) Commission has warned that political parties which failed to comply with the membership-register requirement could be barred from fielding candidates in the 2027 general elections, with no opportunity to replace those affected.

INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, said parties would not be allowed to substitute candidates to escape the consequences of breaching the law.

Speaking on Trust TV’s Daily Politics programme on Wednesday, Haruna warned that the consequences could extend to governorship and state Houses of Assembly contests. He said the commission was reviewing the Supreme Court judgment before announcing its definitive position.

‘No party will be able to change candidates. They won’t contest the election. Remember Zamfara and Plateau. The law is clear,’ Haruna said.

He explained that parties must submit their membership registers to INEC at least three weeks before their primaries, while those seeking tickets must have their names on the relevant register.

‘Some parties won’t even field governorship candidates down to Houses of Assembly if the candidates’ names were not in the party’s register three weeks before the primaries,’ he said.

The warning follows the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment restoring provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing party membership registers and candidate nomination.

The apex court overturned an earlier Court of Appeal decision which had voided Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Act.

The restored provisions restrict participation in primaries to members listed in the register submitted to INEC, require parties to use that register and prevent a party which failed to submit it within the stipulated period from fielding a candidate.

Haruna said INEC would consult its legal experts on the certified judgment and expected to make a clear pronouncement by Tuesday next week.

His remarks did not identify any particular party or candidate as having been excluded.

Meanwhile, several parties have defended their nomination processes following the ruling.

A Nigerian Air Force pilot made a precautionary landing on a farmland in Benue State after completing a combat mission against suspected kidnappers.

The helicopter had provided close air support to ground troops during an operation in Ogbadigbo Local Government Area, near the Benue-Enugu boundary, before the pilot decided to land about 10 nautical miles from the airfield while returning to base.

Residents said the aircraft came down on farmland in Utur Tse-Igboji community in Makurdi.

NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the decision was taken as a safety precaution following the operation.

‘Following the successful completion of the mission, the pilot, on return to base, exercised his professional discretion to execute a precautionary landing approximately 10 nautical miles from the airfield,’ Ejodame said.

‘This is in accordance with established operational and safety procedures following combat missions.’

The Air Force said the helicopter later returned safely to base.

According to NAF, the operation targeted suspected kidnappers in Ogbadigbo and helped disrupt their activities while supporting the advance of troops on the ground.

The unusual landing comes just days after the Nigerian Air Force suffered a deadly aircraft crash in Igbokoda, Ondo State.

The ATR-42 aircraft, with tail number NGR 931, crashed into a swamp opposite a naval base on Monday.

No survivors were found following the crash.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the Ondo tragedy as a deeply painful moment for the Air Force and the country.

President Bola Tinubu subsequently declared three days of national mourning for the victims and ordered an investigation into the accident.

NAF, however, stressed that Wednesday’s Benue incident was a precautionary landing and that the helicopter returned to base.

For years, vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) shaped the lives of 58 women in Kaduna, leaving many to cope with pain, emotional distress, stigma and social isolation.

But after successful surgical repairs, the women have begun another phase of recovery through skills acquisition and economic empowerment.

At a graduation ceremony in Kaduna, the beneficiaries received skills training and starter packs aimed at helping them rebuild their livelihoods and reintegrate into their families and communities.

For Rahma Ibrahim, living with VVF had been a painful experience marked by emotional distress and isolation.

Ibrahim expressed appreciation to the Kaduna State Government and its development partners for providing free treatment and skills training, saying the intervention restored her confidence and hope.

Similarly, another beneficiary, Khadija Yusuf, said living with VVF was painful and emotionally difficult.

Yusuf said the treatment and subsequent skills training had given her an opportunity to rebuild her life and work towards becoming economically self-reliant.

Their experiences reflect the wider burden of obstetric fistula in Nigeria, where an estimated 114,048 women and girls are living with the condition and about 12,000 new cases occur annually, according to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).

VVF is a childbirth-related injury that occurs when prolonged or obstructed labour damages tissue between the birth canal and bladder, resulting in continuous leakage of urine.

In some cases, fistula may also affect the rectum, causing involuntary leakage of faeces.

Beyond the physical effects, the condition can have serious social and economic consequences, including stigma, marital difficulties, isolation, loss of livelihood and reduced self-esteem.

For many women, therefore, surgical repair is only the beginning of recovery.

The treatment gap also remains significant.

According to UNFPA, Nigeria has about 20 dedicated fistula treatment centres, with the capacity to provide surgical care to about 5,000 women annually.

At that rate, UNFPA estimates that clearing the existing backlog of women requiring surgery could take about 30 years, assuming no new cases occur.

Against this background, the Kaduna State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development combined medical treatment with rehabilitation and skills acquisition for the 58 beneficiaries.

The intervention is also part of a wider expansion of fistula care in Kaduna.

In March, UNFPA said 702 fistula repair surgeries had been performed across two supported centres in the state, with an average success rate of 90 per cent eight weeks after discharge.

The expansion included a new 12-bed comprehensive fistula centre at Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital and a renovated 48-bed ward at Gambo Sawaba General Hospital.

Three doctors and eight nurses were also retrained in fistula management.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, said the occasion marked a celebration of healing, recovery and renewed hope for the beneficiaries.

Balarabe, who conveyed the greetings of Gov. Uba Sani, said the administration considered healthcare, especially the wellbeing of women and children, a priority.

She said successful surgical repair should be followed by measures to restore the confidence, dignity, social acceptance and economic independence of women affected by fistula.

‘As a medical doctor myself, I understand the profound physical, emotional and social challenges women living with obstetric fistula may experience,’ she said.

The deputy governor said the skills acquisition component had equipped the beneficiaries with practical skills and starter packs to support their reintegration into society.

She appreciated the Ministry of Women Affairs, Fistula Foundation Nigeria, UNFPA, medical professionals, counsellors, trainers and other partners involved in the intervention.

Balarabe, therefore, urged stakeholders to strengthen awareness of fistula, improve access to quality maternal healthcare and promote skilled attendance during pregnancy and childbirth.

She also called for greater access to treatment without stigma or discrimination, urging families and communities to receive women who had undergone treatment with dignity and respect.

In addition, the deputy governor encouraged the beneficiaries to use their skills and starter packs to establish sustainable livelihoods and support their families.

She also urged them to share their experiences and encourage other women to seek help, stressing that fistula was preventable and treatable.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Rabi Salisu, said the graduation marked another step in the women’s recovery and economic empowerment.

Salisu said the 58 beneficiaries had undergone successful VVF repairs before participating in skills acquisition programmes across the state.

She stressed that surgery alone could not guarantee sustainable recovery, saying rehabilitation and economic empowerment were necessary to help survivors rebuild their lives.

‘The starter packs are not just materials; they are investments in your future,’ she said.

The commissioner urged the beneficiaries to see themselves as survivors, entrepreneurs, leaders and advocates rather than allowing their experiences to define them.

She also disclosed that the beneficiaries would form a cooperative society under the ministry to promote mutual support and economic development.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Fistula Foundation Nigeria, Mr Musa Isa, who represented UNFPA, said progress had been recorded in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of women affected by fistula.

Isa said quarterly fistula repair campaigns had enabled more than 400 women and girls to receive free treatment, including surgery, medication, feeding and transportation.

He said health workers had also received specialised training in fistula management, while survivors were being trained as advocates and community mobilisers.

According to him, community identification, referrals, savings associations and community dialogues were among the strategies being used to support affected women.

Isa said the 58 beneficiaries completed rehabilitation and skills acquisition after successful repairs at the Yusuf Dantsoho Fistula Centre.

He urged the women to use the skills and empowerment packages provided to them and remain united in supporting one another.

He also advised them to follow medical advice after treatment, including appropriate family planning and safe management of subsequent pregnancies and deliveries.

Representing the Federal Ministry of Health, Mallam Faruk Usman commended the Kaduna Government for supporting health partners and non-governmental organisations working on fistula intervention.

Usman said the establishment of the Yusuf Dantsoho intervention centre had brought specialised fistula services closer to communities.

According to him, more than 300 patients had undergone fistula repairs at the centre within two years through collaboration between the state government and Fistula Foundation Nigeria.

He said three doctors and six nurses had also been trained to manage fistula cases, stressing that treatment required specialised medical expertise.

Usman also urged stakeholders to strengthen advocacy and community-level identification and referral of women living with the condition.

He said many affected women were still unaware that fistula could be prevented and treated, including through available free treatment.

For the 58 women, the intervention has marked a shift from medical treatment to rebuilding their livelihoods and returning to family and community life.

More broadly, their experience highlights the need to prevent new cases through access to quality maternal healthcare, skilled birth attendants and timely emergency obstetric services.

At the same time, women already affected need early identification, treatment, rehabilitation and social acceptance to support their recovery.

As the beneficiaries leave with new skills and starter packs, their stories underline that fistula does not have to result in a lifetime of isolation.

Ultimately, with timely care and sustained support, recovery can extend beyond surgical repair to restoring confidence, dignity and livelihoods.