Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Kaduna State is set to host the pilot phase of the landmark Nigeria-China Poultry Project, a transformative agricultural investment expected to generate over $450 million in revenue and create more than 350,000 jobs.

Governor Uba Sani disclosed this on Wednesday when he received the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency Yu Dunhai, and the leadership of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP). The high-level engagement focused on deepening bilateral collaboration in agriculture and investment between Kaduna State and the People’s Republic of China.

Speaking at the meeting, Governor Sani described the visit as ‘not merely another diplomatic courtesy, but a defining stride’ in Kaduna’s mission to attract transformative partnerships that will reinforce its position as a continental hub for agricultural and industrial excellence.

He expressed profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for selecting Kaduna as the pilot state for the project, describing the choice as a testament to the state’s leadership in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

‘With agriculture contributing 43 per cent to our GDP and employing more than 60 per cent of our citizens, this partnership will accelerate our pursuit of higher productivity, sustainable growth, food security, and broad-based prosperity,’ Governor Uba Sani stated.

Ambassador Yu Dunhai commended the remarkable progress unfolding across Kaduna and lauded the state government’s efforts in creating an enabling environment for global investors. He noted that Kaduna’s stability and forward-looking policies have positioned it as a preferred destination for major development partners.

The Director-General of the NCSP, Mr Joseph Tegbe, also praised the state’s commitment, reflected in the swift approval and allocation of over 7,000 hectares of land for the immediate take-off of the project.

Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Infrastructure Fund, the Nigeria-China Poultry Project will be executed through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in partnership with the Chinese Government and the Kaduna State Government. The Construction of the project is scheduled to commence in December this year.

The project will cover 10,000 hectares, encompassing maize and soybean cultivation to support feedstock production, and is projected to create 50,000 direct jobs and over 300,000 indirect employment opportunities across the value chain.

Governor Sani reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to partnerships that deliver inclusive economic growth, enhance food security, and position Kaduna as the agricultural heart of Nigeria.

The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its dedication to enhancing the welfare of industrial workers as part of its commitment to sustaining an industry-friendly environment across the state.

The Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives and Industry, Hon. Adebisi Adeniyi, made this known during a sensitisation visit to the Nigerian Breweries and the Nigerian Bottling Company (Coca-Cola) on Tuesday.

According to him, the sensitisation visit is a routine exercise of the Industrial Crisis Management Committee established by the state governor, Seyi Makinde, to ensure workers’ welfare.

The Commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Industry, Majeedat Olanrewaju, led a delegation of the committee to both organisations.

The Commissioner explained that Governor Makinde has charged the committee to ensure a good rapport between employers and their staff in companies operating in Oyo State.

He said, ‘This committee is interested in ensuring that many of the disparities in welfare conditions of permanent and contract staff are bridged in order to ensure a worker-friendly and productive working environment in the state.’

While addressing the management team and the leaders of the labour unions at both organisations, the Commissioner identified welfare and safety concerns and maintenance of peace as the core interests of the committee.

He, therefore, charged the management team at NBC to expand the restaurant facility to ensure a healthier and hygienic dining environment.

During a facility tour at the Nigerian Breweries, the Brewery Manager, Seun Akinwale, as well as the Corporate Affairs Manager, West and Midwest, Danjuma John-Ekele, stated that the company consider the safety and welfare of workers as the biggest subject while ensuring adequate remuneration, welfare packages to both the permanent and outsourced workforce.

The Union Chairmen at Nigerian Breweries, Comrade Festus Olubiyo and Comrade Lanbe Lukman of the NBC, both applauded the smooth working relationship existing between their members and the organisations.

Highlights of the visit include the inspection of the restaurants, changing rooms, some production lines and some restrooms sections of the business environment.

In their separate responses, the Corporate Affairs Manager, Mrs Ifeoma Okoye and the Plant Manager at NBC, Mr Andrew Barnabas, expressed NBC’s readiness to work with the government and comply with government policies to enhance trade and workers’ welfare.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB), Mr. ‘Niran Aderogba, has commended Professor Benedict Okechukwu Oramah for his exemplary leadership and far-reaching contributions to Africa’s trade and economic development during his tenure as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) from 2015 to 2025.

Aderogba gave the commendation recently while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of a send-off dinner held in honour of Professor Oramah in Cairo, Egypt, lauding him as a ‘visionary builder, bridge-maker, and catalyst for Africa’s economic renaissance.’ ‘Professor Oramah’s decade at the helm of Afreximbank has been nothing short of transformative,’ Aderogba stated. ‘He has not only strengthened Africa’s trade financing architecture but also inspired a generation of African institutions to think boldly, collaborate deeply, and act strategically for the continent’s prosperity.’ Aderogba noted that having worked closely with the bank for almost three decades, ‘we had jointly engaged in groundbreaking, innovative, and bold financing structures for the economic emancipation of the African continent. A little acorn has grown into an oak tree.’

He said Afreximbank, whose first financing deal in Nigeria was valued at USD 10 million, now undertakes transactions running into billions of dollars – a remarkable milestone that underscores the bank’s growing impact in advancing economic development across the African continent.

The management of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, on Wednesday said it discontinued the ‘two days off’ policy hitherto in place because it ‘disrupted service delivery, delayed essential processes, and undermined institutional efficiency.’

Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions of OOU protested at the gate of the institution on Tuesday against what they called ‘unilateral cancellation’ of the off-duty arrangement.

The arrangement was put in place by the state government in September, 2024 as part of the palliative measures to cushion the effect of subsidy removal.

The two unions accused the vice chancellor of manipulating the university laws, insisting that the cancellation ‘is illegal,’ and unilateral, as they were not consulted by management before the decision was taken.

But addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the vice chancellor, Professor Ayodeji Agboola, said not only was the arrangement no longer justifiable; the decision to cancel it was also not taken ‘unilaterally’ as alleged.

According to him, at its 219th meeting held on Tuesday, 27th September 2025, the Governing Council reviewed university operations, including the two-days-off arrangement for non-academic staff, and noted that though well-intentioned, it had adversely affected productivity and workflow across several units.

It subsequently approved its cancellation – but appealed to for the understanding and cooperation of all staff.

Professor Agboola revealed that, indeed, the university management invited all four unions – Academic Staff Union of Universities, SSANU, NASU, and NAAT -to a meeting to discuss Council’s decision.

‘While ASUU and NAAT attended, SSANU and NASU declined,’ he said, adding that the two unions were invited to a meeting with the management three times, and they shunned the invitation the three times.

Professor Agboola further noted that a special transport allowance initially introduced to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal had already addressed the hardship that led to the off-duty policy, and so there was no longer any justification to continue it.

‘It is worth emphasizing that all senior staff – academic and non-academic -receive salaries on the same consolidated salary structure, which already ranks higher than that of federal universities. The insistence on two-days off therefore lacks any economic justification,’ he said.

On the welfare and benefits enjoyed by OOU’s non-teaching staff, he said: ‘The non-teaching staff of OOU already enjoys superior conditions of service compared to civil servants in the state. For example, Ogun State civil servants have 30 working days of annual leave. OOU grants 30 days to junior staff, 42 days to senior non-teaching staff, and academic staff enjoy 30 days of annual leave plus 26 days of research leave.

‘Despite these privileges and the special allowances in place, SSANU and NASU’s demand to work for only 14 days per month is unrealistic and detrimental to institutional integrity.’

Still debunking the two unions’ allegation that the management took the decision unilaterally, the vice chancellor said the unions once escalated their grievance to the education ministry.

According to him, despite Council’s appeals, SSANU and NASU escalated their protest to the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology – which reaffirmed that the governing council of each institution is ‘duly empowered to take appropriate decisions in the light of its peculiar circumstances, operational realities, and institutional sustainability imperatives.’

‘This directive was communicated to the unions, yet they continue to misrepresent the decision as management’s unilateral action.’

Addressing the allegation that the management under him had been putting staff under constant threat of sack, the vice chancellor challenged them to provide details of those that had been sacked since he took office.

‘I would have loved that they tell you how many people I’ve sacked in the last three years. No single person has been sacked by me in the last three years,’ he said.

He added that being a former union leader who had fought against such retrenchment in the past, he would not be the one to now indulge in such practices as the university’s chief executive.

Professor Agboola said he believed that the union leaders have their personal grievances against him and were merely hiding behind unionism to foment trouble.

According to him, the current agitation by these union leaders does not have the support of majority of members of the unions.

Nigerian Tribune recalls that on Wednesday morning before the media parley, the vice chancellor had a meeting with the workers to discuss the current development in the university – which was well attended, including by members of all the university unions.

‘If what they are doing is popular, would you see majority of them seated here (at Wednesday’s meeting) today? Majority of their members spoke here today, that they were hearing all these for the first time.

‘They have their personal agenda they are pursuing; nobody harassed them. I would be the last person to harass any staffer,’ he said.

Professor Agboola, however, said he is open to dialogue anytime, if the feuding union leaders want such engagement.

The story of women being harassed physically and sexually abused by law enforcement officers on the ground of carrying out investigations is not new. ADEOLA OJO in this report explores how in spite of various legislations for protection, women are still endangered species as they face diverse abuses in the hands of operatives who are supposed to protect them.

Violence against women is a commonplace occurrence even in public institutions in Nigeria as a result of factors like gender discrimination and chauvinism. The ratification of major international anti-discrimination laws by Nigeria, and the enactment of national laws that prohibit violence have not statistically reduced this malaise, for various reasons including the patriarchal nature of the Nigerian society; influenced by culture and religion.

Indeed, violence against women in Nigeria is multifaceted, but one of the very concerning, for advocates, is violence perpetrated against women by law enforcement agents in the guise of doing their work, conducting searches and carrying out investigations.

Across the world, police brutality against women is a daily reality especially in communities experiencing violence. Indeed, the World Health Organisation in a report stated that ‘sexual violence during conflict perpetrated by militia, military personnel or police is an important aspect of non-partner sexual violence’ against women.’

While there have been countless issues of assault by police officers especially in Nigeria, advocates believe that police violence against women is difficult to quantify because it’s not exclusive to physical and sexual assaults but also manifests as a systemic violence in which the police refuse to get involved in cases of domestic assault, refuse to file reports or denying women access to justice through legal channels.

It is stated that a lot of police violence against women actually happens right within police stations but codes of silence among police officers prevent them from being held accountable for their actions.

An estimated two million Nigerian women and girls are sexually assaulted annually, according to Nigeria’s Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, but a few of these cases are reported due to the stigma associated with being a rape victim and the fear and distrust of the police. Nigerian security officials have been accused of abuse of power and implicated in gross human rights abuses, including illegal detention, arbitrary killings, extortion, bribery and s3xual abuse, with little or no effort to bring those responsible to justice, especially mistreating and harassing rape victims.

In 2019, police officials were reported to have intimidated a rape complainant in a high-profile rape case by invading her home and harassing her family.

In February 2020, a lawyer, Goodness Ibangah, who helped a young woman file a rape report, accused the police in Enugu state of assaulting her, leaving her hospitalised in critical condition. Ibangah had accompanied a 21-year-old woman to file a rape report at the Enugu State Police Area Command on January 27, 2020 and resisted pressure from the police to withdraw the complaint and settle the case outside of the criminal justice system.

And in response, the police raided the office of the Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL), a Nigerian women’s rights group where Ibangah works and attacked her. Ibangah had told Human Rights Watch that the police officers were hostile from the beginning; asking the victim if she was raped ‘with or without consent’ and chided her for speaking about rape at her age. She had insisted and the victim was allowed to file the report after which the police officers started pressing her to convince the young woman to settle the case with the perpetrator’s family rather than go to court. They later accused Ibangah of preventing negotiations and an out-of-court settlement, threatened, verbally abused, manhandled, and beat her with their hands as they attempted to take her away from her office.

The cases reported during the Covid 19 pandemic raised a lot of uproar but nothing seems to have come out of it. A 23-year-old girl (name withheld) alleged that she was raped by a police officer enforcing the government’s coronavirus guidelines on July 28, 2020, while travelling on a public bus on her way to Port Harcourt for not wearing a face mask at a checkpoint in the town of Sakpenwa, 25km outside Bori, River State, at 6:30pm.

She said she was arrested by four police officers who drove her to a guest house where one of the officers raped her ’till dawn’ after ‘threatening to kill’ her if she did not cooperate. Also in Nkpor town, Anambra State, men wearing the yellow vests of a government COVID-19 compliance and enforcement team were allegedly seen raping a girl they had arrested for not wearing a face mask inside a vehicle the task force used for work.

In April 2020, more than 65 women were arrested during a raid on nightclubs in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, taken to a police station where bribes were demanded in exchange for their release and a few of the women who could not pay the money were allegedly raped, with the police officers using empty plastic bags of satchet water, instead of condoms!

A women’s rights activist, Dorothy Njemanze was arrested and assaulted by the police officer; physically, verbally and s3xually. She and three other women were accused of being prostitutes and unlawfully detained simply for being on the streets at night.

Speaking of her experience, she said ‘what happened to me is general practice in terms of how police interact with women in Nigeria. There’s no respect for women’s human rights.’

From lawyers’ desks

These acts of violence against women contradict the provisions of the Section 51(6)(a) of Police Act 2020 which stipulates that police are saddled with the responsibility of care and protection of the citizenry. This provision also restricts a male police officer from searching a female person and a female police officer cannot search a male person.

Why then do male police officers handle sensitive issues about women, search them and paw them s3xually when female officers are available? Writing on the power and limitation of the police to conduct search in Nigeria, a legal practitioner, Maryam Bello Esq, said the right of the police to conduct searches is an essential aspect of law enforcement in any society, including Nigeria and that it derived from the Nigerian Constitution, which outlines the powers and limitations of law enforcement agencies. He said that and Section 59 of the Police Act 2020, to ensure the safety of the arresting officer and also assured the possession of dangerous items that could aid an escape or pose a threat.

‘However, it is crucial to note that the search should be limited to these specific objectives and should not be used as an opportunity for arbitrary or invasive searches unrelated to the arrest or immediate safety concerns. The Constitution recognises that a balance must be struck between the need for effective crime prevention and the protection of individual liberties.

During the search, both the police officer and the individual being searched should act in a respectful and non-abusive manner. It is important to avoid harassment, unnecessary force, and humiliation. The person being searched should not be subjected to degrading or inhuman treatment. These guidelines emphasise the importance of conducting searches with professionalism and respect for the rights and dignity of the individual being searched,’ she said.

Also speaking with the Tribune, another legal practitioner, Adeolu Adebisi said, ‘In Nigeria, according to the Nigerian law guiding police activities, a male police officer is ordinarily prohibited from searching a female suspect, as the same is considered a violation of her person and dignity. Instead, a female police officer is required to conduct the search.

‘Also, the Nigerian Police system has a gender policy that ensures that female officers are involved in the search and arrest of female suspects. However, it is important to note that this regulation may vary depending on the specific circumstance. For instance, if a female suspect was caught doing armed robbery operation; a male police officer can disarm her and search her to ensure she doesn’t have any arms with her. To every general rule, there is always an exception.’

Also speaking, a former chairman of NBA, Ikeja branch, Dave Ajetomobi, said, ‘Ordinarily, it is the female officers that should conduct searches on female individuals or suspects. For instance if a woman reports a case bordering on gender at the police establishment, they usually assign such cases to female officers as investigations police officers (IPO). It is abnormal and unlawful for a male officer to conduct a search on a female person or suspect. It is a breach of the right of such an individual to the dignity of her person as guaranteed by the constitution of Nigeria.’

Are reforms ineffective?

Despite the restraining legal provisions, issues of police brutality and use of force have remained prevalent in Nigeria especially against women who are usually degraded s3xually when at the mercy of law enforcement agents especially the police. A research finding stated that while appreciable attention has been given to police brutality against male citizens, female victims have been relatively ignored. The findings also indicate that they are subjected to a variety of physical, emotional and sexual violence, including torture, sexual assault and intimidation, denials of essential needs, and unwarranted punishments.

‘The pervasion of violence and abuse by police officers on female detainees is one of the consequences of the perennial deficiencies of Nigeria police to carry out intelligence-based investigation. The increase in well-trained female personnel, gender-sensitive treatment of suspects and offenders, capacity building on intelligence-based investigation, effective human right awareness, regulation and proper monitoring of officers, enhancement of professionalism, adequate funding, and provision of logistics and equipment are suggested,’ findings by Researchgate stated.

There are specific rules flouted regularly by the police; these provisions are; police cannot ask a woman unaccompanied by a male, to get down from her car after sunset unless a female police officer is present, police cannot arrest a woman at night (after 6 pm and before 6 am) unless it is an emergency, a woman can be arrested only by a female police officer (as far as possible), a male police officer cannot physically touch a woman (even if he has to arrest her in the absence of a female officer), only a female police officer can physically search a woman and has to maintain strict decency and a woman cannot be called to the police station for interrogation. Police have to go to her house, with a female officer (as far as possible).

There have been efforts to reform the police to reduce incidences of abuse. This is the reason the Nigeria Police Force (Establishment) Act, 2020 known as ‘the new act’ came into force on September 17, 2020 to repeal the Police Act of 2004 basically to provide an effective police service that is based on the principles of accountability and transparency, protection of human rights and partnership with other security agencies.

The Act did not only improve on the provisions of the erstwhile Act, it has its own novel provisions, including provisions made in accordance with international best practices and in tandem with some recent National Laws on Administration of Justice in Nigeria to blur out areas of seeming discrepancies between the old Police Act and other interrelated federal legislations.

It made provisions on arrest on civil matters wrong, unlike the previous Act which allowed police to meddle in and even become an instrument of torment or oppression in purely civil matters. It also made provisions for certain rights that accrue to a person who is arrested; the police officer making an arrest has a duty to inform the suspect of his rights to remain silent or avoid answering any question until after consultation with a legal practitioner or any other person of his own choice. While this notification of rights was often done discretionarily before now, the New Act has now made it mandatory.

It further made provisions that when a person is arrested and being detained, the police have a duty to inform the next of kin or any other relative of the suspect of the arrest, at no cost to the suspect.

It also prohibits the arrest of a person in place of a suspect; mandates that a person who is arrested must not be subjected to any form of torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment; does not compel suspects to make a statement except he wishes to make one and requires that where a suspect who is arrested for an offence other than a capital offence is not released on bail within 24 hours, a court having jurisdiction with respect to the offence, may be notified by application on behalf of the suspect among other provisions.

As a Nigerian citizen, it is important to be aware of one’s rights during police searches and understand that by the provisions of the law every individual has the right to be treated with dignity and respect by law enforcement officers. The Nigerian Constitution guarantees the right to privacy, non-discrimination and the right to remain silent as well as the right to request witnesses during a search and receive a receipt for any seized property. Being informed and assertive helps the society to uphold the rule of law and respect the rights of all individuals, constitutional experts said.

HEALTH is wealth, so goes the age-old aphorism. The diversity and burden of infirmities and medical emergencies would understandably parallel the density of any human community. Thus, Health care provision in terms of infrastructure and personnel is expected to parallel the population figures of the community. Therefore, easy access is key to the prevention of the unnecessary loss of lives, and man-hours would be kept at a level conducive to optimal economic activities and prosperity of the community. ýIn earlier times, the distribution of tertiary teaching hospitals had followed the distribution of the Federal Universities in the Country. Thus, in the western part of the Country, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, the University College Hospital, the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital and the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital had existed. Similar wisdom had informed the distribution of tertiary Health Institutions in other geographical regions of the Country as well. ýThese Institutions were far apart and the need to bring Tertiary Health Care closer to the needy populations in between them must have informed the creation of Federal Medical Centres in every State of the Country subsequently. The States that were hosts to the existing Federal Teaching Hospitals automatically got double blessing – they got one extra Tertiary Health Institution together with the newly allocated Federal Medical Centre. Ondo State had got only one federally-funded tertiary health institution so far since its creation in 1976 – The Federal Medical Centre, Owo.

The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo, remains the only Federal Tertiary Health Institution in Ondo State. Its geographical location, perhaps premised on the anatomy of the old Ondo state, is disadvantageous to the new Ondo state, which has the bulk of her population located in Akure. Akure is home to the highest concentration of the Ondo State population and because of poor road access, it is not ideal to have the highest grade of health provision by the Federal Authorities located away from the main mass of the people of Ondo State, which is Akure, and its satellite settlements. ýMotivated by the need to provide comprehensive health care delivery to their teeming populations, almost every State Government in the Country had made attempts at establishing State Teaching Hospitals alongside their State Universities. In the Western part of the Country, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti States have blazed the trail. When it was almost belated, the Ondo State created its own Teaching Hospital but, in Ondo town, away from Akure, the State’s seat of Government, centre of commerce and, thus, the State’s population hotspot. ýElsewhere, Ekiti, Kano, Niger, Kwara, Benue, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Anambra, Abia, Rivers, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa and Enugu have developed or are in advanced stages of establishing their respective State Tertiary Health Institutions. Many of these Institutions already are University-associated Teaching Hospitals. We note that in all these States, the Teaching Hospital facilities are sited in their respective capital towns, where the highest concentrations of their populations live. Easily, it can be seen that Ondo State fares poorly on the league table of States of the Federation when it comes to the distribution of Tertiary Health Institutions. ýAkure, the Administrative Headquarters of the Ondo State Government, lies about 7°25′ north of the Equator and 5°19′ East of the Meridian. It is about 700 km Southwest of Abuja and 311 km north east of Lagos . Residential districts are of varying density, some area such as Arakale, Aiyedun Quarters, Ijoka, and Oja-Oba consist of over 200 persons per hectare, while areas such as Ijapo Estate, Alagbaka Estate, are between 60-100 persons per hectare. The town is situated in the tropical rainforest zone of Nigeria. Being primarily an agrarian population, Akure is connected to an extensive reticulation of small communities on all sides of the township. Many of these satellite communities have since merged with the main town and contributed to the population explosion of the post-1976 era. Never mind that the health care provision has not kept pace with the breath-taking population growth. In the matter of Educational Institutions, Akure has famous Secondary Schools like St. Thomas Aquinas College, Oyemekun Grammar School, St. Louis Grammar School, and Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School etc. The town also host the Federal Government Girls’ College and St. Peter’s Unity Secondary School, as well as the Nigerian Police School amongst many others. It has tertiary Educational Institutions which include: the Federal University of Technology Akure and Federal College of Agriculture and 323 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army. ýAkure Metropolis spans two Local Governments namely: the Akure South and Akure North Local governments. Between them, with a population which was less than a million by 2006 National Population Census is a rapidly growing metropolis and the population is now over a million by 2017 projection and topped the projected national average of 3% per annum. The population has a cosmopolitan mix, being a nodal town that lies on the Lagos – Abuja land route and a notable alternative trade route between the West and East of Southern Nigeria. Akure is a peaceful and accommodating city.

The mainstay of health care provision in Akure has remained the UNIMED Teaching Hospital, more popularly known as the Akure State Specialist Hospital, and the network of other Government Health Centres and private clinics. The Akure State Specialist Hospital, which was established by the colonial authorities was designed to cater for the population of the old town. Its infrastructure has only little expanded since the Ondo State was created in 1976. Since then, the population has burgeoned to at least 10 times its size as at 1953, when the hospital was commissioned.

ýThe upgrade of the Akure from a Provincial Headquarters that it was in 1953 to that of a State Administrative Headquarters in 1976 has occasioned a rapid growth in her population. The population growth and expansion of the physical size of the township has exceeded the national average. In consonance with this, the other supportive facilities such as roads, schools, sources of power and water supply ought to grow to meet the demands of the burgeoning population. There has been no notable commensurate growth or increase in the number of Government-funded health facilities: The old Akure General Hospital has continued to be the main source of major health care support to the overgrown and still growing population.

ý

ýWith her current establishment of health manpower, equipment and services the Akure State Specialists Hospital remains the premier healthcare institution in Ondo State. Given the fact that its capacity is far outstripped by the size of the catchment population in number, physical reach and access, the government of His Excellency,

ý

ýHon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has done the most wonderful and reasonable thing – to cede the hospital to the Federal Government so it could be upgraded to the status of a Federal Teaching. This would doubtless improve on the current facilities and establishment and service capacity of the Hospital. What is more, the building of a brand-new Federal Teaching Hospital from scratch is, most happily, implicit in the new deal.

ý

ýIt is to be expected that, to be fit for its purpose, fundamental structural and organizational change would have to underpin the transition and transformation of the Hospital into a Federal-type Teaching Hospital. These changes would be fundamental because they would allow the new hospital to foster an attitudinal re-orientation and work ethic change that would allow for the upcoming investments to position the hospital in a manner that would allow the hospital to meet its new mandate to the people.

ý

ýObviously, with the coming change, the hospital will transition from a general-service hospital to a Structured Tertiary Academic Medical Center. The purpose of the change is to ensure efficient and reliable service delivery, staff welfare, academic excellence, transparency and accountability to patients and customers.

ý

ýThe coming change will open opportunities for federal and development partners’ funds to be ploughed in for the largest infrastructure revamp in the hospital’s history. This would include funds for such undertakings as Construction Projects including new outpatient clinics, new inpatient wards, a modern emergency department. pathology laboratories complex, Modular Operating Theatres, Radiological diagnostic imaging center that would house CT scans, MRI, digital X-ray machines, Adult Intensive and Neonatal care unit. Also, we would able to upgrade the equipment armamentarium of the hospital to include echocardiography and endoscopy units digital patient monitoring systems as well as put the hospital on the way to meeting national and international standards.

ý

ýImportantly, we would be able to embark on developing our people. It would become possible for staff members to be supported to specialize and grow their skill in their specialty as they practice in this modern era. Staff development programs such as orientation and refresher courses as well as certificate courses in hospital administration, safety, and speciality in nursing patient care as well as local and international fellowships as well as sponsorship for conferences and continuous professional development.

ý

ýVistas would be open for opportunities for partnering with professional bodies and institutions such as the West African and Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Colleges, Nigerian Medical Association, Nursing and Midwifery Council, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria and others to produce healthcare service leaders who would ensure the sustenance of high quality and consistency.

ý

ýThe hospital will become a leader in research and a renown clinical referral centre for tropical diseases, maternal and child health, non-communicable diseases (diabetes, cancer, hypertension), mental health and emerging and neglected tropical diseases. To achieve these, we shall engage in the creation of research centres, establish Ethics Committees for clinical trials, support Staff in making international publications and deliver papers at conferences; We would also be able to develop partnerships with universities and foreign hospitals. We would encourage innovation in treatment, diagnostics, and public health policy development.

ý

ýIt would become possible to have active Health Education and Outreach programmes to reach underserved communities through Mobile clinics, Health fairs, School health programs, public health jingles and radio shows as the hospitals’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Professor Ojo is the CMD of FUTA Teaching Hospital, Akure, Ondo State.

The United States military has drawn up contingency plans for possible action in Nigeria following President Donald Trump’s order to ‘prepare for military intervention’ to protect Christians from attacks by Islamic militants.

According to a report by the New York Times, the defense and security officials, however, said the options are limited and unlikely to end the decades-long insurgency that has killed thousands of Christians and Muslims alike in Africa’s most populous nation.

Senior military officials told reporters that any US operation would fall short of an Iraq- or Afghanistan-style campaign, a scenario no one in Washington appears ready to contemplate.

‘The American military cannot do much to quell the violence unless it is willing to start an Iraq- or Afghanistan-style campaign,’ one defense official said. ‘No one is seriously considering that.’

According to officials, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), based in Stuttgart, Germany, has prepared three military options-light, medium, and heavy to forward to the Pentagon’s Joint Staff.

Under the light option, Washington would support Nigerian security forces with intelligence, logistics, and limited joint raids against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The medium option involves drone strikes on militant camps, bases, and vehicles in northern Nigeria, while the heavy option would entail moving an aircraft carrier group into the Gulf of Guinea to conduct deep strikes-an unlikely prospect, officials said.

Maj. Gen. Paul D. Eaton, a retired Army officer who oversaw U.S. training in Iraq, warned that such intervention could backfire.

‘It would be a fiasco,’ he said. ‘Airstrikes might create shock and awe, but not much more. It’s like pounding a pillow.’

The plans were drafted after Mr. Trump’s weekend post on social media directing the ‘Department of War’ to prepare for possible action. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly responded online, writing, ‘Yes, Sir.’ His office then instructed AFRICOM to submit operational options.

Officials familiar with the matter said the plans were escalatory in nature, but each came with complications. The violence in northern Nigeria is driven not only by religious extremism but also by long-running disputes between farmers and herders over land, corruption, and ethnic tensions that militants have exploited.

‘The reality is that this is not a simple fight between Christians and Muslims,’ one U.S. national security official said. ‘It’s a complex mix of insurgency, poverty, and governance issues.’

Even the drone strike option faces logistical hurdles. The U.S. military vacated its drone bases in Agadez and Niamey, Niger, in August, both now occupied by Russian forces. The nearest alternative launch points are in southern Europe or Djibouti, significantly reducing operational reach.

Analysts say deploying an aircraft carrier to the Gulf of Guinea would also stretch U.S. naval resources already committed to operations in the Pacific and Middle East.

For its part, the Nigerian government said it welcomes U.S. support in combating terrorism but insists that any action must ‘respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.’

Despite the tough talk from Washington, military and national security officials remain skeptical about the likelihood, or effectiveness, of any large-scale U.S. intervention.

‘We’ve seen this movie before,’ a senior Pentagon official said. ‘And it doesn’t end well.’

United States President, Donald Trump, has once again insisted that Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria, saying that something must be done about it immediately.

In a video shared by the White House on Facebook late Wednesday, Trump said thousands of Christians have been killed across Nigeria, blaming radical Islamists for what he called a ‘mass slaughter.’

He again announced the designation of Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern,’ a legal classification that allows the United States to take specific actions in response to religious persecution.

Trump stated that the number of Christians killed in Nigeria was alarming when compared to global figures, noting that something must be done to stop the violence.

He directed Congressman Riley Moore, along with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, to immediately investigate the situation and report back to him.

He stressed that the United States could not remain silent while atrocities against Christians continue in Nigeria and other countries, adding that America stands ready to protect Christian populations worldwide.

He said, ‘Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this man’s slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a country of particular concern. That’s a legal definition.

‘When the Christians or any such group is slaughtered. Like it’s happening in Nigeria. 3,100 verses 4,476 worldwide. What horrible numbers. Something has to be done.

‘I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with chairman Tom Cole and the House of Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter and to report back to me. And I mean like immediately. The United States can not stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries. It’s not only in Nigeria, it’s all over. We stand ready, willing and able to save our great Christian population around the world. This is not going to happen. The killing of Christians is not going to happen.’

Earlier, Trump, in a post on his Truth Social account a few days ago, instructed the U.S. War Department to prepare for possible actions in Nigeria.

He accused the Nigerian government of turning a blind eye to what he described as the killings of Christians across the country.

Trump warned that the United States would immediately halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria if the attacks on Christians continue.

He also indicated that America might intervene militarily to eliminate what he called ‘Islamic terrorists’ responsible for the killings.

‘If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,’ Trump wrote.

He further stated, ‘I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!’

The United States military has reportedly drawn up contingency plans for possible airstrikes in Nigeria after President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to ‘prepare to intervene’ to protect Christians from terrorist attacks, according to The New York Times.

The report, released on Wednesday, said the U.S. Africa Command had presented several operational plans to the Department of War following a directive from Secretary Pete Hegseth to develop strategies in line with Trump’s instruction.

Sources familiar with the discussions told the newspaper that the proposals, classified as ‘heavy,’ ‘medium,’ and ‘light,’ outlined different levels of U.S. engagement in Nigeria.

Under the ‘heavy option,’ Washington would deploy an aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf of Guinea, backed by fighter jets or long-range bombers to target militant positions in northern Nigeria.

The ‘medium option’ involves using MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator drones for targeted strikes on insurgent camps, convoys, and vehicles. The report added that the drones would operate with U.S. intelligence support to ensure ‘precise and timely’ attacks.

Meanwhile, the ‘light option’ centres on intelligence sharing, logistical support, and joint operations with Nigerian security forces against Boko Haram and other Islamist groups blamed for mass killings, abductions, and church attacks.

Despite the detailed planning, senior Pentagon officials reportedly acknowledged that limited airstrikes or drone missions would not end Nigeria’s long-running insurgency unless the U.S. launches a large-scale military campaign similar to those in Iraq or Afghanistan-an approach currently not being considered in Washington.

Earlier, Trump, in a post on his Truth Social account a few days ago, instructed the U.S. War Department to prepare for possible actions in Nigeria.

He accused the Nigerian government of turning a blind eye to what he described as the killings of Christians across the country.

Trump warned that the United States would immediately halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria if the attacks on Christians continue.

He also indicated that America might intervene militarily to eliminate what he called ‘Islamic terrorists’ responsible for the killings.

‘If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,’ Trump wrote.

He further stated, ‘I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!’

Tribune Online reports that China on Tuesday voiced support for Nigeria, warning against any foreign interference under the pretext of religion or human rights.

‘As Nigeria’s comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly opposes any country using religion and human rights as an excuse to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, and threatening other countries with sanctions and force,’ Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a press briefing in Beijing.

Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the killing of two persons by some yet to be identified gunmen who stormed Ibado-Akpacha community in Akpacha ward of Ife district in Omala local government of the state.

The third victim of the attack was said to have been lucky enough to have escaped with bullets wounds.

The attack was reportedly carried out between last Tuesday night and early hours on Wednesday by the gunmen.

It was learnt that the victims of the attack whose names could not be obtained before this report were said to be local miners who relocated to the village two years ago due to Coal mining activities in the community.

One of the community leaders who pleaded not to be mentioned said, ‘The criminals also performed some robbery operation breaking into people’s houses and collecting money and also breaking into shops at a junction in the village and carting away consumables and assorted goods.

‘We were all stuck on our beds, stuck between running out of the house to escape or remain on your bed and pray for divine protection. We only came out this morning when we were sure that the gunmen had left. And we headed towards the direction of the gun sound to discover the victims’

‘The criminals operated for good one hour and eventually escaped without any response from the Police and the local security personnel in the community because of the superior weapons they carried, it would have been a major disaster and heavy casualties to confront them.’

Confirming the incident on Thursday, the Kogi State Police Command spokesman, Public Relations Officer (PPRO), William Ovye Aya (CSP) said it was a case of armed robbery and homicide.

He said that the hoodlums invaded, robbed a house, and shot at two persons adding that when the victims were taken to the hospital, the doctor confirmed them dead.

Aya also said that the hoodlums went to another house and robbed a person of some amount of money from where they went to the shop of a businessman, one Abubakar Yusuf.

He said that they robbed one Yusuf of 20 Android phones and 200 button phones adding that one person escaped with bullet wounds.

The PPRO further confirmed that the Police have launched investigation, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police incharge of investigation.

He added, ‘some of members of the public are also collaborating with us by providing us information to help arrest the perpetrators.’