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Access to quality malaria treatment still eludes many – WHO

Mustapha USMAN
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Access to quality malaria treatment still eludes many – WHO

THE World Health Organization (WHO) has bemoaned the alarming disparities in access to quality malaria treatment, particularly in low-income countries.

It said millions lacked access to life-saving treatments, perpetuating a cycle of suffering and death.

In key messages to commemorate the 2024 World Malaria Day (WMD), the global health body said progress in reducing malaria had stalled in recent years. 

The commemoration had the theme, “Time to deliver zero malaria: invest, innovate, implement”.

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The WHO said not only did malaria continue to endanger health and cost lives directly, but it also perpetuated a vicious cycle of inequity, impacting vulnerable groups like pregnant women, infants, children under five, refugees, migrants, internally displaced people, and indigenous peoples.

“The WHO African Region shoulders the heaviest burden of the disease – accounting, in 2022, for 94 per cent and 95 per cent of malaria cases and deaths. Rural populations in the African region living in situations of poverty and with less access to education are the most impacted. In view of the current trajectory, critical 2025 milestones of the WHO global malaria strategy for reductions in malaria cases and deaths will be missed.

“Why are pregnant women, young children and other groups in vulnerable situations not accessing the malaria services they need? On World Malaria Day 2024, WHO joins the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and other partners in highlighting barriers to health equity, gender equality and human rights in malaria responses worldwide – as well as concrete measures to overcome them,” the statement added.

The WHO urged the world against inequality in emphasised quality healthcare, noting that despite everyone having the right to quality, timely, and affordable services to prevent, detect, and treat malaria, this is not a reality for all.

According to the agency, infants and young children have continued to suffer the greatest mortality, with an estimated four out of five malaria-related deaths in the African Region among children under five years of age in 2022. 

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“Pregnancy reduces a woman’s immunity to malaria, making her more susceptible to infection and increasing her risk of severe disease and death. Gender inequalities, discrimination and harmful gender norms heighten her risk of contracting the disease. If untreated, malaria in pregnancy can cause severe anaemia, maternal death, stillbirth, premature delivery, and low-birth-weight babies.

The agency urged an end to discrimination and stigma and called for community involvement in health decisions, closer healthcare provision through primary healthcare, and addressing factors increasing malaria risk, including integrating malaria control into universal health coverage.

FAAN confirms fire outbreak in Lagos airport, diverts flight operations

Ehime ALEX
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FAAN confirms fire outbreak in Lagos airport, diverts flight operations

THE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has confirmed the fire at Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos in the early hours of Thursday, April 25.

The FAAN confirmed this in a statement on Thursday by its director of public affairs and consumer protection, Obiageli Orah.

The over-an-hour-long fire incident has forced the airport authority to divert all flight operations in Terminal 1 to the D Wing.

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“At 05:29 hrs, smoke was detected billowing from the E54 Bridge, leading electrical engineers to immediately cut off power to the entire E Wing. The Airport Rescue and Firefighting Service (ARFFS) team was quick to respond, arriving at the scene by 05:30 hrs. Initial suspicions point to sparks from an electrical unit as the cause, but a thorough investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire.

“In the meantime, all flight operations in Terminal 1 of MMA have been diverted to the D Wing. More details will follow shortly,” the statement read.

Recently, there has been a constant fire outbreak at the Lagos Airport.

In March this year, a fire broke out at the MMIA Lagos, reportedly leading to travellers and workers being evacuated to a departure hall due to thick smoke billowing from a section of the facility.

In September 2023, there was also a fire outbreak at the MMA, Lagos.

Insecurity: Over 2,300 people killed in 90 days, Zamfara tops list

Kehinde OGUNYALE
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Insecurity: Over 2,300 people killed in 90 days, Zamfara tops list

At least 2,336 people were killed in various violent attacks within the first three months of 2024, according to data sourced and analysed by The ICIR

This is an approximate average of 26 persons killed daily between January 2024 and the end of March 2024. 

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The ICIR gathered the data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a data bureau that collects real-time data on the locations, dates, actors, fatalities, and types of all reported political violence and protest events worldwide.

The deaths were connected to 1,395 incidents reported to have taken place in the country within the period under review. 

Insecurity has been a perennial challenge in Nigeria, ranging from attacks by bandits and secessionist groups to attacks by insurgent groups like Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), and clashes between herdsmen and villagers, among others.

Months Death
January 769
February 749
March 818

Table showing the monthly breakdown of reported deaths in Q1 2024

From the filtered document, 769 people were killed in January 2024, while in February and March, 749 and 818 deaths were reported. 

According to the data, the states with the highest killings within the first quarter are Zamfara (439 deaths), Borno (437 deaths), Kastina (362 deaths) and Benue (221 deaths).

The states with the lowest reported cases of death are Gombe and Kano state recorded no deaths. A closer look at the data showed that Gombe reported only one violent incident within the quarter but no lives were lost. 

This makes Gombe state the safest state to live in within the first three months of 2024.

Other states with a lower reported death rate are Oyo, Abia and Ondo with two deaths respectively. 

When broken down by geopolitical zone, states in the North-Central reported 515 deaths, the North-East reported 539 deaths, and the North-West region had 996 deaths. For the Sothern region, the South-East recorded 102 deaths, the South-South recorded 131 deaths, and the Sout-West lost 53 people to attacks. 

Geopolitical Zone Total
North Central 515
North East 539
North West 996
South West 53
South East 102
South South 131

Table showing the geopolitical breakdown of deaths reported in Q1 2024

At the beginning of the year, Vice President Kahsim Shettima said that  President Bola Tinubu had approved N50 billion as the “Pulaaku Initiative”, a non-kinetic solution to deal with insurgency and banditry in the North. 

However, the data gathered showed that the northern states have suffered more insecurity attacks in the quarter under review than the Southern region. The data showed that within three months for every one person killed in a southern state, at least seven persons died in the north.

The ICIR had reported several violent attacks in Nigeria within the first quarter. This rising number of killings forced the federal government and state to agree on creating state police to strengthen the security architecture of the country.

Update: The headline of this report was changed.

FCT Police debunk viral robbery in traffic video

Ijeoma OPARA
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FCT Police debunk viral robbery in traffic video

THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has debunked a robbery incident captured in a video circulating on social media via a statement released late Wednesday, April 24.

The statement signed by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Josephine Adeh disclosed that the robbery incident captured in the video did not occur in Nigeria and urged social media users to desist from misinforming the public.

“Upon meticulous analysis of the video, it becomes evident that the robbery incident did not even occur in Nigeria. This conclusion is drawn from the vehicle registration number plate design and the steering position of the vehicle, which is right-hand drive (RHD).

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“It is important to note that Nigeria does not allow RHD vehicles on its roads neither are the roads fashioned to accommodate such cars as seen in the video. The Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Benneth Igweh, psc, mni, urges those circulating the video to desist from such actions as it may cause apprehension and unwarranted panic among the populace,” Adeh noted.

A video that captured road users being robbed by some thugs at a traffic light had been circulated on social media, with a caption suggesting that the incident occurred in Abuja.

In the video, five men were captured robbing occupants of two vehicles of their belongings and running into the darkness afterwards.

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The video was accompanied by a caption that read, “The frightening moment thugs waylaid folks waiting for traffic light to turn green in Abuja. These days, life is ugly, nasty, and brutish. We all should be very vigilant and extremely careful lest we fall into or are caught up and mired into such a situation.”

The video has been reposted many times since Wednesday, especially by social media users on Facebook.

119 inmates escape after rain destroys Suleja Correctional Centre

Bankole ABE
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119 inmates escape after rain destroys Suleja Correctional Centre

NEARLY 120 inmates of the Suleja Medium Correctional Centre, Niger state, have escaped after the fence of the facility collapsed during a heavy rainfall on Wednesday, April 24.

Parts of the prison fence were destroyed by the rain that pounded the ancient town and its neighbours, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Many prisoners took advantage of the incident to escape.

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The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), in a statement on Thursday, April 25, confirmed the inmates’ escape from the centre.

The spokesperson of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command of NCoS, Adamu Duza, confirmed that 119 inmates escaped.

Duza said the downpour that lasted for several hours wreaked havoc on the centre and surrounding buildings, destroying part of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of all inmates at the facility.

He added that the Service had begun efforts to recapture the fleeing inmates, working in conjunction with sister security agencies.

Ten fleeing inmates have so far been captured, and they have been taken into custody, he said.

“The service is not unmindful of the fact that many of its facilities were built during the colonial era and are old and weak. The Service is making frantic efforts to ensure that all ageing facilities give way to modern ones.

“The Controller of Corrections, FCT Command, Francis John, wishes to assure the public that the service is on top of the situation and that they should go about their normal businesses without fear or hindrance,” the statement read.

A top source within the Niger State Police Command who did not want his name mentioned also confirmed the incident to The ICIR in a chat on Thursday.

According to him, the incident was not a jailbreak but happened as a result of a heavy downpour.

“Yes, the incident happened; about 100 escaped, but we are working with the Prison authorities to re-arrest some of the inmates who escaped,” he stated.

He added that some had been re-arrested between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

Over the years, Nigeria has experienced several jailbreaks. The immediate past government of President Muhammadu Buhari saw a flurry of jailbreaks.

Buhari’s Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, in 2022, said about 3,906 prisoners who escaped from various jailbreaks across the country were still at large.

This report captures 18 jailbreaks under Buhari, who led Nigeria as elected President between May 29, 2015, and May 29, 2023.

GWR confirms Nigerian woman for breaking longest interviewing marathon record

Itoro ETUKUDO
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GWR confirms Nigerian woman for breaking longest interviewing marathon record

GUINNESS World Records has confirmed Nigerian woman Clara Chizoba Kronborg, who recently broke the record for the longest interviewing marathon in 55 hours, 24 seconds.

According to Guinness World Records, Kronborg’s record attempt took place on a docked yacht in Marbella, Spain. She started on March 8 and ended on March 10, 2024.

Kronborg interviewed 90 people from different fields, including politicians, business owners, content creators, actors, and real estate agents. The interviews focused on how each guest achieved success in their respective fields.

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She told GWR that her record attempt was a way of bringing individuals together to share their stories and inspire the world.

“This record attempt was about bringing together diverse individuals, sharing their inspiring narratives, and forging meaningful connections on a global scale.

“I am committed to amplifying voices, particularly those of hardworking women, and using their stories to inspire others facing similar challenges”, she said.

GWR noted that Kronborg faced a couple of challenges during her record attempt. However, “as with all longest marathon record attempts, she accrued five minutes of rest time after each hour of interviewing; only during these breaks was she permitted to nap, change her clothes, or go to the bathroom.”

Kronborg noted that it feels surreal to be a world record holder now.

“Recalling everything I went through physically, mentally, financially, emotionally. It feels so unreal. I am extremely proud of this accomplishment because I know lives have been touched and changed. This achievement is dedicated to all those who dare to dream and persist, regardless of the challenges they face,” she told GWR.

The previous record was 37 hours, 44 minutes, held by Rob Oliver from the United States of America (USA) in 2022.

The ICIR reports that there has been an upsurge in the number of Nigerians pursuing GWR in the past year.

In June 2023, Hilda Baci succeeded in her longest cooking attempt and was confirmed by the GWR.

This organisation reported a Nigerian Chess Master, Tunde Onakoya, who completed his attempt at the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon on April 20, playing the game of chess for 60 hours.

The chess master noted that he attempted to break the record in a bid to raise $1m (£805,000) for charity to support chess education for millions of children.

Although the Guinness World Record is yet to confirm the new record officially, many Nigerians took to social media to celebrate his successful attempt.

Multichoice Nigeria increases subscription rates 2 times in 5 months

Ijeoma OPARA
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Multichoice Nigeria increases subscription rates 2 times in 5 months

PAY television service provider Multichoice Nigeria has announced an increase in subscription rates for its DStv and GOtv packages for the second time in five months.

The new tariff hike was announced on Wednesday, April 24, via emails to customers and will take effect from Wednesday, May 1, 2024, a week after the announcement.

The organisation cited a “rise in cost of business operations” as the reason for the hike.

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“We understand the impact this change may have on you, our valued customer, but the rise in the cost of business operations has led us to make this difficult decision. It remains our mission to provide the best entertainment and viewing experience to you, and (we) are committed to continue to deliver high-quality content and unparalleled service,” the statement read.

For DStv, the Premium package now costs N37,000, an increase of N7,500 from N29,500, which was the price before the increase.

The Compact Plus package now costs N25,000, up from N19,800, while the Compact is N15,700, an increase of N3,200 from the previous price of N12,500.

Lower packages like Confam now go for N9,300 from N7,400, Yanga for N5,100 from N4,200 and Padi, N3,600, increased from N2950.

HDPVR Access subscribers will now pay N5,000 as against the N4,000 that was previously paid.

The Supa Plus package on GOtv will now cost N15,700 from N12,500, the Supa bouquet will cost N9,600 against N7,600 currently being paid, while GOtv Max is now N7,200 from N5,700.

The Jolli package will cost N4,850 from N3,950, Jinja will now go for N3,300 monthly, from N2,700, while subscribers of the Smallie package will now pay N1,575 from N1,300.

In December 2023, barely five months ago, Multichoice effected a tariff increase on its packages by about 20 per cent.

This is also the organisation’s third tariff hike in less than a year, as prices were also increased in May 2023.

In 2022, Multichoice Nigeria’s constant increase in subscription rates prompted Nigerians to alert the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), whose officials launched investigations into the organisation’s activities.

After investigations, the FCCPC ordered that in the event of a hike in subscription rates without additional value, certain features should be made available to consumers to prevent exploitation.

However, the email sent to customers on Wednesday did not mention any extra value being added due to the hike.

Religious, traditional leaders to administer 20% of food palliatives, school feeding funds – FG

Marcus FATUNMOLE
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Religious, traditional leaders to administer 20% of food palliatives, school feeding funds – FG

THE Federal Government has approved routing 20 per cent of its food palliative intervention through religious and traditional institutions nationwide.

Besides, the government will channel 20 per cent of the funds for its school feeding programme through the country’s religious bodies.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima revealed these during his keynote address at a high-level dialogue of faith leaders on nutrition in Nigeria, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, April 24.

He made the disclosures while responding to some religious and traditional leaders’ concerns over the exclusion of traditional and religious leaders by the Federal Government in its programmes.

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Shettima said: “The Imam of Bayero University (BUK) mentioned the exclusion of the traditional and religious leaders in the distribution of palliatives.

” The President has approved that 20 per cent of the palliative in terms of food intervention be routed through our religious organisations and the traditional institutions.

“The Tsangaya schools, the mission schools will be specially targeted for such intervention.”

He further mentioned that the government was working out the logistics through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate the seamless execution of the intervention.

According to him, the intervention will be anchored in the office of the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, who will also join in the programme’s anchor.

“We are going to provide the overall supervision towards the implementation of the programme.

Shettima also stated that the government had initiated engagements and was formulating procedures for the intervention to guarantee transparent disbursement, adding that the programme would include Tsangaya and mission schools.

The ICIR reports that many Nigerians have continued to grapple with the impact of fuel subsidy removal and market inflation despite the palliatives promised by the federal government in 2023 to cushion the effects of the economic hardship.

The palliatives include the conditional cash transfer of N25,000 to households, N35,000 wage increment for workers, N75 billion to strengthen the manufacturing sector, and N125 billion to empower the micro, small and medium enterprises.

The government also approved N5 billion for each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to address the lingering hardship faced by the citizens, among other palliatives.

Many Nigerians have said they did not get or see anyone benefit from the palliatives.

Besides, investigations by The ICIR also revealed that some internally displaced persons and poor Nigerians did not receive the palliatives in Benue state.

This was as the Socio-Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP) issued state governors a seven-day ultimatum in September 2023 to publish the spending details of the N2 billion palliative interventions disbursed to them by the Federal Government.

“We’ve given Nigeria’s 36 state governors seven days to publish details on the spending of the N72 billion fuel subsidy palliative disbursed to them by the Federal Government, including the names of beneficiaries and the reliefs provided with the money,” SERAP said.

Aviation minister orders immediate suspension Of Dana Air

Bankole ABE
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Aviation minister orders immediate suspension Of Dana Air

THE Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has directed the immediate suspension of Dana Air, a day after one of the airline’s planes skidded off the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos runway.

The minister ordered the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to carry out the suspension order.

Keyamo also ordered a thorough audit of the airline.

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According to him, the comprehensive evaluation will cover every facet of safety measures, maintenance processes, and financial soundness to guarantee complete adherence to the aviation industry’s regulations.  

The minister explained that the action was required to guarantee safety and regulatory compliance in a letter addressed to the NCAA Director-General titled “Immediate Suspension of Dana Air Pending Safety and Financial Health Audit.

“In light of these incidents, with the paramount priority being the safety and well-being of our citizens and travellers, the honourable minister has directed that you immediately initiate the suspension of Dana Airlines’s fleet until a comprehensive audit can be conducted.

“This audit should encompass all aspects of safety protocols, maintenance procedures, and financial health to ensure full compliance with our aviation regulations,” the Minister stated.

He noted that the latest incident made clear how urgent the situation was and how quickly and forcefully action must be taken to protect the interests of all parties concerned. 

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) temporarily closed Murtala Mohammed Airport runway 18L/36R to aircraft traffic due to the incident on Tuesday.

The runway was reopened on Wednesday morning following the evacuation and recovery of the aircraft by FAAN’s emergency response team.

This was declared in a statement by FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah.

Orah claimed that extensive clearance operations were carried out to guarantee that there was no foreign object debris (FOD) on the runway that might jeopardise flight safety.

She said that after the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the FAAN operations division comprehensively evaluated the runway surface, it was determined that operations could resume.

She added that a suitable notice to airmen (NOTAM) had been sent out in this respect.

Orah assured that FAAN was committed to providing all airport users with a safe, secure, and efficient air transport environment.

The Dana Air aircraft, with 83 passengers and registration number 5N BKI, was flying from Abuja to Lagos when it suffered a runway excursion at the Lagos Airport on Tuesday, April 23.

Dana Air management said it eventually grounded the aircraft pending further investigation.

 The airline confirmed the incident to The ICIR in a statement from its Head of Corporate Communications, Kingsley Ezenwa.

A runway excursion occurs when an aircraft veers off the runway in use during the take-off or landing run.

According to the statement, the incident has been reported to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Board (NSIB) and the NCAA.

It noted that passengers onboard the aircraft were safely disembarked without injuries and apologised to all passengers, commending the efforts of the airport authorities.

In January 2018, a commercial aircraft belonging to Dana Air used its left wing to hit a fence at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

In July 2022, the NCAA suspended the airline’s Air Transport Licence (ATL) and Air Operator Certificate (AOC) due to financial obligations and the conduct of safe flight operations.

In 2012, 159 passengers died on one of the airline’s flights when it crashed into buildings in Lagos.

 

Tinubu approves consumer credit scheme to support housing, vehicle, other purchases

Harrison EDEH
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Tinubu approves consumer credit scheme to support housing, vehicle, other purchases

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the launch of the first phase of the Consumer Credit Scheme to cater to crucial needs such as housing, vehicles, health, and other crucial needs.

The programme is designed to offer credit facilities to working citizens in the country.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, made this known in a statement he signed on Wednesday, April 24.

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“Consumer credit serves as the lifeblood of modern economies, enabling citizens to enhance their quality of life by accessing goods and services upfront, paying responsibly over time.

He added: “It facilitates crucial purchases, such as homes, vehicles, education, and healthcare, essential for ongoing stability to pursue their aspirations.”

He explained that individuals build credit histories through responsible repayment, unlocking more opportunities for a better life. He also stated that the increased demand for goods and services stimulates local industry and job creation.

Ngelale noted that the President believed every hardworking Nigerian should have access to social mobility, with consumer credit playing a pivotal role in achieving this vision.

Besides, he disclosed that the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) could achieve its mandate through the following:

  • Strengthening Nigeria’s credit reporting systems, ensuring every economically active citizen has a dependable credit score. This score becomes personal equity they build, facilitating access to consumer credit.
  • Offering credit guarantees and wholesale lending to financial institutions dedicated to broadening consumer credit access.
  • Promoting responsible consumer credit as a pathway to an improved quality of life, and fostering a cultural shift towards growth and financial responsibility.

Ngelale also informed that in line with the President’s directive to expand consumer credit access to Nigerians, CREDICORP had launched a portal for Nigerians to express interest in receiving consumer credit.

He noted that this was in collaboration with financial institutions and cooperatives nationwide, which aims to broaden consumer credit availability.

He advised working Nigerians interested in receiving consumer credit to visit www.credicorp.ng to express interest. The deadline is May 15, 2024.

He added that the scheme would be rolled out in phases, starting with civil servants and cascading to other Nigerians.

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