Ese Brume wins women's Long Jump at Botswana Golden Grand Prix

 

 

 

Nigerian long jump sensation, Ese Brume, got off to a very bright start in her first outdoor competition on Saturday at the prestigious Botswana Golden Grand Prix.

Brume won the women’s Long Jump event at the star-studded Meet and she did that in style with a world-leading distance of 6.77m.

The reigning African and Commonwealth champion saved her best jump for the last with her final round jump, defeating Burkina Faso’s Marthe Koala, who had led until that moment with 6.69m in the third round.

Brume had jumped into an early lead with her opening round distance of 6.65m but after failing to build on that momentum with subsequent failed attempts, she was overtaken after
Koala registered a leap of 6.69m.

However, Brume in her characteristic way of delivering when it mattered most leapt to a distance of 6.77m in her final jump to the delight of the crowd at the National Stadium, Gaborone.

Saturday’s winning mark took Brume to the top of the world list ahead of India’s Shaili Singh’s 6.76m.

Before her outing in Botswana, Brume has been testing the waters and improving her speed.

She made an appearance at the Texas Relays where she was part of a 4x100m relay team and also raced in the 400m event at the Cameron Burrell Alumni Invitational also in Texas.

Having hit the group running with a winning jump in Botswana, the long jump multiple medallist will be hoping to stay in good shape as she targets another rewarding season that would end at the World Championships in Budapest.

Brume has been improving with every of edition of the World Championship; winning the bronze medal in Doha and stepping up to silver at the subsequent edition in Oregon.

Many will be waiting to see if Brume can go another notch higher in Budapest by winning the gold this time.

By Tunde Eludini, Premium Times

Malaysia, Taiwan recall Indomie noodles over cancer-causing substance starts investigation in Nigeria

The decision by Malaysia and Taiwan to recall Indomie’s “special chicken” flavour noodles has raised some concerns about the safety of the food globally, including in Nigeria.

The development followed the detection of ethylene oxide, a substance known to cause cancer, in the product by the health institutions in the two countries.

Nigeria has also reacted to the development as the agency in charge of standards has set in motion plans to conduct fresh independent tests on the concerned products.

The country’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday morning its plans to ascertain the claim by its Taiwan and Malaysian counterparts.
 

Malaysian, Taiwan findings

The health department in Taipei, Taiwan’s capital, said it detected ethylene oxide in two types of instant noodles, including the Indomie chicken flavour, following random inspections.

It said the detection of ethylene oxide in the product did not comply with standards.

“The Taipei City Health Bureau reminds food industry that our country has not approved the use of ethylene oxide as a pesticide, nor has it approved the use of ethylene oxide gas as a disinfection purpose,” the department said in a statement.

“The industry is sure to implement autonomous management and confirm that the raw materials and products should comply with food safety and health management.”

Following this development, the health ministry in Malaysia said it had examined 36 samples of instant noodles from different brands since 2022 and found that 11 samples contained ethylene oxide.

Ethylene oxide is a colourless, odourless gas that is used to sterilize medical devices and spices and has been described as a cancer-causing chemical.

The Malaysian ministry said it had taken enforcement actions and recalled the affected products.

Indofoods, an Indonesian company and maker of Indomie instant noodles, has denied the allegations noting that all its noodles are produced with standard certification. However, Taiwan and Malaysia have ordered businesses to immediately remove the products from their shelves.
 

Nigeria’s plans

NAFDAC Director General, Mojisola Adeyeye, a professor, on Sunday, told this newspaper that beginning from Tuesday, 2 May, the agency will commence processes to test randomly selected products to ascertain the claims before reaching out to the public.

Mrs Adeyeye in response to an inquiry by our reporter, said the agency’s official in charge of laboratory services is already on alert.

The director general wrote: “NAFDAC is responding. We plan to randomly sample Indomie noodles (including the seasoning) from the production facilities while PMS samples from the markets. This we will carry out on Tuesday 2nd May (as Monday May 1st is a public holiday).

“The compound of interest is ethylene oxide, so the Director (Lab Services) Food has (is) being engaged, and he is working on the methodology for the analysis.”
 

Safe for consumption

Reacting to the allegations in a statement on Friday, Taufik Wiraatmadja, a member of the board of directors at Indofoods, defended the safety of the noodles noting that it is safe for consumption.

Mr Wiraatmadja said the noodles have received standard certifications and have been produced in compliance with international food safety regulations.

“All instant noodles produced by ICBP in Indonesia are processed in compliance with the food safety standards from the Codex Standard for Instant Noodles and standards set by the Indonesian National Agency for Drug and Food Control (“BPOM RI”). Our instant noodles have received Indonesian National Standard Certification (SNI), and are produced in certified production facilities based on international standards,” he wrote.

“ICBP has exported instant noodles to various countries around the world for more than 30 years. The Company continuously ensures that all of its products are in compliance with the applicable food safety regulations and guidelines in Indonesia as well as other countries where ICBP’s instant noodles are marketed.

“We would like to emphasise that in accordance with the statement released by BPOM RI, our Indomie instant noodles are safe for consumption.”

Indofoods is one of the world’s largest makers of instant noodles and exports its products to more than 90 countries including Saudi Arabia and Nigeria where they are in high demand.
Implication for Nigeria

Nigeria, a major consumer of Indomie instant noodles, is expected to take a position on the matter in the coming days.

According to data from the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA), Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is currently among the largest consumers of instant noodles with 1.92 million servings as of May 2020.

The country also ranked 11th in the global demand for noodles ranking, with Indomie instant noodles being the most consumed brand in Nigeria.

By Nike Adebowale-Tambe, Premium Times

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According to the World Health Organization, about 200,000 people die of malaria every year in Nigeria. That's about 31 percent of global malaria deaths. And as the world marks World Malaria Day 2023, health experts urge the Nigerian government to do more to prevent malaria's spread. 

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Exxon operations resume in Nigeria after labour dispute ends

Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) resumed operations at its facilities in Nigeria after resolving a labour dispute over pay and conditions with its in-house union, a company spokesperson said on Thursday.

The industrial action had forced Exxon to declare force majeure on oil liftings at its terminals in the country.

A spokesperson for Exxon said in email responses that its three ventures, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, and Esso Exploration and Production (Offshore East) Limited were now operating at normal levels.

"This follows the discontinuation of the industrial action earlier embarked upon by our in-house workers union," the spokesperson said.

Earlier, Nigeria's state-owned oil firm NNPC Ltd said in a statement it had helped end the labour dispute at Exxon after a pay adjustment acceptable to the union and Exxon was agreed.

NNPC, which runs joint ventures with oil majors, including Exxon, said the dispute was "effectively constraining 300,000 barrels of oil production daily".

Nigeria is targeting 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) by year-end from 1.6 million bpd. 

By MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters

15 People killed by Gunmen in Nigeria, 5 aid workers kidnapped

Gunmen killed 15 villagers and abducted five aid workers in separate attacks in Nigeria’s troubled northern region, authorities said Thursday.

The assailants arrived in Benue state’s Apa area and opened fire on villagers in their homes, according to David Olofu, a senior state government official. He said military personnel were among those shot in the attack and many houses were razed as villagers fled to safety.

The incident in Benue is the latest in a spiral of violent attacks in which armed groups are targeting remote communities across Nigeria’s northwest and central regions, often defying government and security measures.

More than 80 people have been killed in Benue in the past month in such attacks. No group has claimed responsibility for the killings, though authorities have blamed Fulani herdsmen, a group of mostly young pastoralists from the Fulani tribe caught up in Nigeria’s conflict between host communities and herdsmen over limited access to water and land.

In northeastern Nigeria, meanwhile, Islamic extremists abducted five aid workers in Ngala, Borno state, where an insurgency against the government has raged on for more than a decade.

The aid workers included three staff members and two contractors of the international non-government organization FHI 360, all “working to provide lifesaving medical care to the people of Nigeria,” the organization said Thursday, without further details on the incident.

FHI 360 condemned the abduction of the workers and called for their “unconditional, immediate and safe return,” according to a statement from Iorwakwagh Apera, the NGO’s director in Nigeria. “Our priority at this time is to support our team and their families,” said Apera.


The Boko Haram extremist group has been waging a bitter war against Nigeria since 2009, and the insurgency has spread over the years to the neighboring countries of Cameroon, Niger and Chad. A breakaway faction of the group formed in 2016 and became known as the Islamic State in West Africa Province and is notorious for targeting security forces and aid workers.

By Chinedu Asadu And Haruna Umar, AP

Government in Nigeria struggling to end perennial electricity challenge

The Nigerian government has taken several measures to improve the generation and distribution of electricity in the country. Despite some gains from the measures, the overall state of power supply has not significantly improved and experts say the government must change its approach. 

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Trial rescheduled for pastor arrested for wielding gun during Church service in Nigeria

A magistrate’s court in Abuja, on Tuesday, rescheduled the trial of a pastor of the House on the Rock Refuge Church, Uche Aigbe, who faces charges of illegal possession of firearms.

The court adjourned the case until 2 May due to the absence of a defence lawyer, who had sent in a letter to request permission to be away.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command had in February arrested Mr Aigbe, after a video clip of him carrying a gun during a Sunday church service went viral on social media platforms.

The images of the pastor showing him welding an AK-47 rifle on the church pulpit caused a stir with many commentators expressing safety concerns about the pastor’s action.

The police subsequently charged the pastor alongside Promise Ukachukwu and Olakunle Ogunleye with criminal conspiracy, illegal possession of prohibited firearms, inciting disturbance and criminal intimidation which they pleaded not guilty to.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that at the resumed trial at the magistrate’s court in Zuba, FCT, Abuja on Tuesday, the magistrate, Abdulaziz Ismail, drew attention to a letter by a defence lawyer, Uche Uzukwu, seeking an adjournment of the trial.

Mr Ismail noted that the adjournment was at the instance of the defence counsel who was absent, citing a matter he had at the election tribunal.

He then adjourned the case until 2 May for hearing.

NAN reports that the police alleged that the defendants, all of House on the Rock Refuge Church, Wuye, Abuja, conspired with an illegal possession of an AK-47 rifle on 12 February.

The prosecution counsel, James Idachaba, said the defendants got the firearm from Musa Audu, a police inspector, attached to Wuye Division and posted on guard duty at the church.

He added that the defendants used the firearm for an illustration while preaching a sermon about faith in the church.

The prosecution counsel said the defendants made inciting and intimidating statements to the church congregation that could cause alarm and breach of peace.

The offence, he said, is punishable under Section III of the Firearms Act CAP F28, LFN 2004 and contravened Section 97, 114 and 397 of the Penal Code. 

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Nigeria health sector under pressure due to mass exodus health workers

The health sector in Nigeria is still grappling with a significant brain drain, as healthcare professionals leave in large numbers to pursue better opportunities overseas.

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Nigeria Planning on Evacuating Nearly 3,000 From Sudan

Nigeria plans to start evacuating nearly 3,000 of its nationals, mostly students, from Sudan by convoy to Egypt this week, a top official said on Monday.

Foreign countries are rushing to get their nationals out of Sudan as fighting between forces loyal to two rival generals rages into a second week.

Western nations have sent special forces and military aircraft to help get out embassy staff and other nationals. Others have fled the capital Khartoum by road.

Onimode Bandele, special duties director for Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency or NEMA, told Channels TV the plan was to move about 2,650 to 2,800, including families of embassy staff.

"Nobody has been evacuated yet," he said. "There are plans to get buses to start movement tomorrow morning."

Officials say a total of around 5,000 Nigerian nationals could be looking for evacuation.

Since fighting erupted in Sunday, at least 427 people have been killed and more than 3,700 wounded, according to UN agencies, which also reported Sudanese civilians fleeing areas affected by fighting, including to Chad, Egypt and South Sudan.

AFP

Nigerian students trapped in Sudan call for help

"We from the IUA and the students that live around IUA experienced the worst day of our lives and this is because the RSF base is right behind the male and female hostels and most of the attacks that were launched were on us. For three days and nights, we have witnessed this rough scenario," he narrated.

Nigerian students have appealed to the Nigerian government to evacuate them from Sudan where fighting between the military and a para-military force has killed hundreds of people.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how fighting erupted in the capital city, Khartoum, on Saturday between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over political power in the crisis torn country.

The Nigerian students on Wednesday in a memo by their association said they were stranded, with no access to basic needs.

"Fear, panic and desperation are one of the few emotions we are currently feeling. Our lives are not safe," Sumyyah Yusuf, a second year medical student at Sudan International University in Khartoum, said to PREMIUM TIMES.

Ms Yusuf said it had become difficult to access anything, including food, water, and electricity because it is unsafe to go out and most stores are either shut or empty.

She said they (students) were trying to stay in touch with each other through social media. Although they had received a memo from the Nigerian embassy in Sudan reassuring them, she said "we need more action."

Ms Yusuf said she wants Nigeria "to get its nationals out of here (Sudan), swiftly and safely."

Sadiq Haruna, an Islamic Studies graduate from the International University of Africa, Khartoum confirmed the students have no way of confirming if the memo was from the Nigerian embassy in Sudan.

He said the condition where he lives, "is a little bit better" after they had witnessed the worst days of their lives.

"We from the IUA and students that live around IUA experienced the worst day of our lives and this is because the RSF base is right behind the male and female hostels and most of the attacks that were launched were on us. For three days and nights, we witnessed this rough scenario," he narrated.

According to Mr Haruna, female students had been evacuated by the university from their hostels to staff accomodations for safety.

He added that the students had also come under several forms of attacks including theft. He said some students were moving to parts of the country that are relatively peaceful.

According to news reports, the fighting is happening in major cities like Khartoum and Merowe.

Mr Haruna appealed to the government to come to their rescue as it did to Nigerian students in Ukraine.

"It is taking time and we do not want to lose anyone but we are on the verge...," he appealed.

This reporter heard the sound of gunshots in the backgroung while speaking with Mr Haruna.

Nigerian government speaks

However, the federal government through the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), had early Thursday said it received the letter from the students' association.

NIDCOM in a statement signed by Gabriel Odu assured that the National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) was consulting with the Nigerian mission in Sudan and other relevant agencies .

It urged all Nigerian Students in Sudan as well as Nigerians living in thecountry to be security conscious and calm.

An official copy of the memo the students spoke about was seen by PREMIUM TIMES in a WhatsApp group "Nigerian Community in Sudan."

It was shared by a user who signed off their messages with 'ambassador' but gave no names.

The Embassy in the letter, appealed to Nigerian nationals to exercise caution and restraint, noting that it is in touch with all the relevant stakeholders in Khartoum and Abuja, respectively, for protection and well-being of Nigerians in Sudan.

"The Embassy is making plans for possible evacuation of Nigerian Nationals with approval of the Federal Government of Nigeria as soon as the situation allows it and you will be communicated in due course," the letter said.

The memo attributed to the ambassador urged nations to stay safe and be wary of fake news circulating in social media, adding that the Embassy will keep a close contact with the leadership of all the Nigerian Union for further consular assistance and updates.

Sudan fighting

The fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary RSF has entered its sixth day after four failed ceasefire attempts.

At least 300 people have died in the fighting and almost 3,200 more have been wounded in Khartoum, the western region of Darfur and other states, Ahmed Al-Mandhari of the World Health Organisation says.

By Chiamaka Okafor, Premium Times

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CGTN

Direct flights from Italy to Nigeria in the works

The Italian government will soon launch direct flights from Italy to Nigeria, its Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stefano De Leo, has said.

“We plan to open an Italian trade agency in Lagos and, hopefully, soon launch direct flights between Italy and Nigeria,” De Leo said.

The Italian envoy said this moments after signing a working agreement with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on behalf of the Italian news agency, Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA) in Abuja.

The ambassador said the direct flights from Italy to Nigeria would boost the economic ties between the two countries.

De Leo added that the flights would lay the conditions for opening up other opportunities that would be mutually beneficial to both Italy and Nigeria in the near future.

“We are working closely with my colleague, the Ambassador of Nigeria to Italy, Mr Mfawa Abam. Today is a positive day because it signifies an important step towards improving the already excellent relations between both countries,” the envoy said.

The envoy said that the working agreement signed between NAN and ANSA would see the two news agencies sharing information and knowledge.

According to him, the agreement will also see ANSA providing training to NAN’s newsroom manpower.

He described the agreement as a major development, especially in view of the fact that it involves “a partner such as Nigeria, the giant of Africa”.

Responding, the Managing Director of NAN, Buki Ponle, described the agreement as a step in the right direction as it would unveil great possibilities for news exchange between both agencies.

Ponle added that NAN is the country’s largest content provider and national purveyor of information, with 36 state offices and 26 district offices.

He said that the news agency’s focus was Nigeria, with Africa as the centerpiece of its reportage.

“The signing of the news exchange agreement with ANSA marks another defining phase in our continued engagements with like-minded institutions.

“It is my hope and belief that this landmark event will signal the beginning of a sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship.

“To leverage its octopoidal reach, NAN has news exchange partnerships with leading international wire agencies such as Reuters (UK); Deutsch Presse-Agentur (Germany); Xinhua (China); and Sputnik (Russia).

“Others are Yonhap (South Korea); Asian News International (India); Anadolu (Turkey); and Bulgaria News Agency (Bulgaria).

“This is just a chip of the global experiences we are bringing into the partnership agreement with ANSA aimed at fostering a new and positive order in global reportage,” he said.

NAN reports that the managing director of NAN signed the agreement for NAN while the Italian ambassador signed on behalf of ANSA at the NAN headquarters in Abuja.

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Video - At least 33 people killed in Nigeria’s Kaduna state

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Regulators in Nigeria Grant Approval to Oxford's Malaria Vaccine

Nigeria has granted provisional approval to Oxford University's R21 malaria vaccine, its medicines regulator said Monday, making it the second country to do so after Ghana last week.

The approvals are unusual as they have come before the publication of final-stage trial data for the vaccine.

"A provisional approval of the R21 Malaria Vaccine was recommended, and this shall be done in line with the WHO's Malaria Vaccine Implementation Guideline," Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said.

Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, kills more than 600,000 people each year, most of them African babies and children.

Nigeria, the continent's most populous nation, is the world's worst-affected country with 27% of global cases and 32% of global deaths, according to a 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) report.

It was unclear when the R21 vaccine may be rolled out in Nigeria or Ghana as other regulatory bodies, including the WHO, are still assessing its safety and effectiveness.

Childhood vaccines in the poorest parts of Africa are typically co-funded by international organizations such as Gavi, the vaccine alliance, only after getting WHO approval.

"While granting the approval, the Agency has also communicated the need for expansion of the clinical trial conducted to include a phase 4 clinical trial/Pharmacovigilance study to be carried out in Nigeria," NAFDAC's director-general, Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, said in a statement.

Mid-stage data from the R21 trial involving more than 400 young children were published in September, showing vaccine efficacy of 70% to 80% at 12 months following the fourth dose.

Data from an ongoing phase 3 clinical trial involving 4,800 children in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali and Tanzania are due to be published in the coming months.

Oxford has a deal with the Serum Institute of India to produce up to 200 million doses of R21 annually.

The first malaria vaccine, Mosquirix from British drugmaker GSK GSK.L, was endorsed by the WHO last year, but a lack of funding is thwarting GSK's capacity to produce enough doses.

By MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters

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Flights disrupted in Nigeria due to strike by aviation workers strike over pay

Domestic flights in Nigeria were being disrupted on Monday, local airlines said, as aviation employees in Lagos blocked roads to the country's busiest local airport to begin a two-day strike in protest over working conditions and wages.

The strike is likely to add to problems in a sector that regularly faces jet fuel shortages, which often ground local flights and where international carriers struggle to repatriate revenue from ticket sales due to dollar shortages.

Air Peace, which also flies international and regional routes and has the largest fleet, told passengers that "flights across our network will consequently be disrupted" due to the strike. It did not say how many flights were delayed or cancelled.

United Nigeria said passengers in and out of the commercial capital of Lagos would be disrupted but hoped for a quick resolution to the impasse.

In Lagos, chanting workers blocked roads to the domestic terminal, creating a traffic jam and forcing passengers to finish their journey on foot. International flights were not affected.

Police and army personnel watched from a distance.

Lagos handles dozens of local flights daily.

"It is time for us to release aviation workers from the bondage of this imperialist aviation management that we have been having for years," Abdulrasaq Saidu, secretary general of the Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, said.

The Ministry of Aviation said it was trying to meet the workers' demands and urged them to return to work, adding the strike would "affect flight schedules, lead to economic losses and negatively impact on our rating globally."

Unions for pilots, engineers, control tower operators and other airport workers say they are protesting against unpaid wages, government failure to implement an industry minimum wage and plans to demolish the Lagos offices of some aviation agencies to allow for expansion of the airport.

The workers have threatened an indefinite strike later this month if their grievances are not addressed. 

By Seun Sanni and MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters

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Over 4,000 suspected lassa fever infections recorded in Nigeria this year

Nigeria has continued to experience a spread of Lassa fever, with an increase in the number of suspected cases recorded as of 2 April compared to that reported for the same period in 2022.

The latest situation report released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Thursday shows that Nigeria has recorded 4,338 suspected cases in 2023.

According to the NCDC, from week 1 to week 13 2023, 846 confirmed infections and 148 deaths were reported with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 17.5 per cent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (19.1 per cent).

The week 13 report, spanning 27 March to 2 April also revealed that the number of new confirmed cases decreased from 39 infections in week 12 of 2023 to 23, while the number of fatalities increased from two to four.

NCDC stated in the report that in total for 2023, “25 states have recorded at least one confirmed case across 99 Local Government Areas”, of which 72 per cent of all confirmed cases were reported from Ondo, Edo and Bauchi states.

Of the 72 per cent recorded, NCDC noted that Ondo State accounted for 32 per cent, while Edo and Bauchi states reported 29 and 11 per cent respectively.

NCDC added that one new healthcare worker was affected in the reporting week 13.
Lassa fever

Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic (excessive bleeding) illness transmitted to humans through contact with food or household items contaminated by infected rodents or contaminated persons.

Its symptoms include fever, headache, sore throat, general body weakness, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle pains, chest pain, and in severe cases, unexplainable bleeding from ears, eyes, nose, mouth, and other body openings.

The NCDC noted in the report that the challenges with response to Lassa fever in the country include late presentation of cases leading to an increase in CFR, poor health-seeking behaviour due to the high cost of treatment and clinical management of the infection, poor environmental sanitation conditions, and poor awareness observed in high-burden communities.

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Video - 74 people killed in two separate attacks in Nigeria

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered security forces in Benue State to increase their surveillance of violence-prone areas following the killing of at least 74 people in the region. The latest clashes occurred in an area where violence between pastoralists and farmers is common. Investigations are underway to establish a motive.

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Nigeria placed on UK's red list due to health workers' recruitment

The United Kingdom has put Nigeria on the red list of countries that should not be actively considered for recruitment by health and social care employers.

This review came after the World Health Organisation (WHO) listed 55 countries, including Nigeria facing the most pressing health workforce challenges related to Universal Health Coverage.

In a report by UK Home Office, the UK Government disclosed that Nigeria and other countries on the red list should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers except if there was a government-to-government arrangement.

It was contained from the website of the UK government titled, ‘Code of Practice for the international recruitment of Health and social care personnel in England.’

The information said country identification follows the methodology contained in the 10-year review of the relevance and effectiveness of the WHO global code of practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel.

It read, “Consistent with the WHO Global Code of Practice principles and articles, and as explicitly called for by the WHO Global Code of Practice 10-year review, the listed countries should be prioritised for health personnel development and health system-related support, provided with safeguards that discourage active international recruitment of health personnel.

“Countries on the list should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers, recruitment organisations, agencies, collaborations, or contracting bodies unless there is a government-to-government agreement in place to allow managed recruitment undertaken strictly in compliance with the terms of that agreement.

“Countries on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards list are graded red in the code. If a government-to-government agreement is put in place between a partner country, which restricts recruiting organisations to the terms of the agreement, the country is added to the amber list.”

It specified if a country was not on the red or amber list, then it is green.

The amber countries where international recruitment is only allowed in compliance with the terms of the government-to-government agreement are Kenya and Nepal.

It added that active recruitment is permitted from green-graded countries where there is a government-to-government agreement with the UK in place for international health and care workforce recruitment.

“Green-graded countries without a government-to-government agreement with the UK are not published in the code of practice for England.

“The government-to-government agreement may set parameters, implemented by the country of origin, for how UK employers, contracting bodies, recruitment organisations, agencies, and collaborations recruit. These organisations are encouraged to recruit on the terms of the government-to-government agreement.

“The green country list will be updated as new government-to-government agreements are signed with the UK. It is recommended employers, contracting bodies, recruitment organisations, agencies, and collaborations regularly check the list for updates prior to embarking on any recruitment campaign.

“Green-graded countries with a government-to-government agreement for managing international health and care workforce recruitment are India, Malaysia, Philippines, and Sri Lanka,” it added.

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Oil giant Shell is due in the high court in London next week. It is facing charges over claims it polluted water and soil in the Niger Delta. More than 13,000 villagers are bringing the landmark case. They accuse the company's subsidiaries of destroying their land -- and their way of life. Al Jazeera’s Ahmed Idris reports from Ogale, Nigeria. 

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Eight students kidnapped in Nigeria

Gunmen in Nigeria’s northern Kaduna state kidnapped eight secondary school students coming from school along with an unknown number of others, authorities said on Tuesday, the latest in a wave of such abductions.

Armed gangs operating mostly in remote parts of northwest Nigeria have carried out violent attacks against villagers, schools and motorists, abducting hundreds for ransom.

Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner for internal security in Kaduna, said gunmen on Monday abducted the eight students from Awon Government Secondary School in the Kachia local government area.

It was not immediately clear where the students were taken to, but the kidnappers often keep victims in the forests and only release them when a ransom is paid.

“The management of the school has submitted the names and classes of the kidnapped students,” said Aruwan.

Insecurity is one of the issues that will confront Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Tinubu, who is due to be sworn in, in May.


Nigeria’s military has been fighting armed groups like Boko Haram in the northeast, which has left it thinly stretched to tackle the kidnapping gangs known locally as bandits.

Many of the bandits are believed to comprise mostly ethnic Fulanis, including pastoralists and mercenaries from the region as well as neighbouring Chad and the Niger Republic.

On several occasions, they have kidnapped schoolchildren in various parts of Nigeria’s Niger, Kebbi and Yobe states. Other victims of their kidnapping-for-ransom scheme range across all social classes, from politicians and relatives to clerics, security guards and farmers.

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Attempt to abduct hundreds of schoolboys foiled by security forces in Nigeria

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The Central Bank of Nigeria's demonetization exercise has been criticized for many things – but it did spur an aggressive surge in the use of digital payment channels in the first two months of the year. Data from the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System indicates that in the first two months of 2023, the volume of transactions being made on mobile phones rose by 70 percent. 

CGTN 

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Video - Healthcare start-up takes on drug counterfeiters in Nigeria

The use of counterfeit medicines poses a major healthcare challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, the most populous country on the continent. Remedial Health, a healthcare start-up in the Nigeria is using technology to help address the challenge. 

CGTN

Nigeria set to launch in space additional satellites

Nigeria is poised to take a major step in its security and defense capabilities with the launch of additional military satellites. This development will help to enhance the country’s security posture, allowing for greater surveillance and monitoring of potential threats. The satellites will be able to provide Nigeria with detailed images of its land, seas, and airspace, which will aid in the detection of potential security risks. Additionally, the satellites will be able to detect and track the movement of military vessels, aircraft, and other vehicles, allowing for better coordination between military forces.

The Chief of Defence Space Administration, Air Vice Marshall Ayo Jolasinmi, says Nigeria will soon launch Satellites II and III into space, during a visit to the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd.), in Abuja, Jolasinmi stated that the orbit was working perfectly and that his service would need the support of the ministry to service its frequency.

A statement by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Mohammad Abdulkadri on Friday read, “The Chief of the Defence Space Administration thanked the minister for approving his appointment and ensuring the timely release of intervention funds which he said was cushioning the effects of the minimal budgetary allocation.

“Jolasinmi said the DSA was better positioned to use Space products with the launch of the first satellite while satellites two and three will be launched soon.

The launch of these satellites will also help to improve communications and coordination between military forces. By providing a secure, reliable link between locations, military personnel will be able to receive and share important information in a timely manner. This will improve the effectiveness of their operations and allow for better decision-making in the face of potential threats. Additionally, the satellites will provide a platform for improved communication between ground forces and the Nigerian government, allowing for better coordination of security-related operations.

Furthermore, the satellites will assist in the identification of potential threats by providing real-time information to Nigerian security forces. The satellites will be able to detect suspicious activities and alert the appropriate personnel, allowing for a swift response to potential threats. Additionally, the satellites will be able to provide images of suspected terrorist camps or hideouts, allowing for more effective counter-terrorism operations.

The launch of these satellites will also help to enhance the Nigerian government’s ability to monitor and respond to natural disasters. The satellites will be able to detect and monitor changes in the environment, alerting the appropriate authorities of any potential threats. This will allow for better preparedness and response to natural disasters, ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian citizens.

Finally, the launch of additional military satellites will help to improve Nigeria’s overall security. By providing real-time monitoring and intelligence, the satellites will enable the Nigerian government to respond swiftly to potential threats, while simultaneously enhancing the country’s ability to protect its citizens. With these satellites in place, Nigeria will be able to stand firm against the threat of terrorism and other forms of violence, ensuring the safety and security of its citizens.

This January, the Federal Government of Nigeria inaugurated an integrated satellite called DELSAT-1 to enhance the operational capacity of the Nigerian armed forces against insecurity.

This will assist in realising the nation’s sectoral strategies that respond to identified threats to Nigeria’s national interests, such as the National Defense Policy, National Counter Terrorism Strategy and the National Policy on Public Safety and Security.

China’s 18-story Long March 3B rocket likely launched DELSAT-1 into space from the Xichang launch base in Sichuan province in southwestern China.

Nigeria’s space ambitions began as early as 2002 when the Assistant General Director of Training and Capacity Building at NASRDA made a presentation paper setting out a 28-year roadmap for the research, developing and launching of satellites from Nigeria by 2030.


A few months after the Nigerian Vice-president Professor Yemi Osinbajo signed the Defense Space Administration Bill into law on February 18, 2017, previously passed by the National Assembly, the Nigerian Military commissioned the Defence Space Administration Office Complex and the Foundation Laying of Defence Cyber Operations Centre, at Obasanjo Space Centre, Abuja.

In 2018, the Nigerian Space Research and Development Agency (NASDRA) – the agency in charge of coordinating all Nigerian space activities claims that its constellation of satellites could be the hub for out-of-space monitoring and tracking of aviation globally. The agency believes that it has the capability to locate any airborne plane within and outside Nigeria.

Recent development includes Nigeria and India signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in the exploration of outer space for peaceful purposes.

Both countries agreed to sign a supplemental MoU on partnership in use of geospatial technology between the New Space India Limited (NSIL) under ISRO and the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Development and Connectivity.

By Ekene Lionel, Military Africa

Related story: Artemis Accords signed by Nigeria and Rwanda

 

Junior oil minister of Nigeria Timipre Sylva has resigned

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nigeria's Timipre Sylva has resigned as the country's minister of state for petroleum to seek a new term as governor of oil-producing Bayelsa State in the southern Niger Delta, ministry and presidency sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Sylva's resignation comes at a time of political transition in Nigeria, with President Muhammadu Buhari serving his final weeks in office before giving way to President-elect Bola Tinubu on May 29.

Sylva handed his resignation letter last week to Buhari, who doubles as petroleum minister, and stopped coming to the office, said two sources who did not want to be identified.

They said he would be seeking the ruling All Progressives Congress ticket to run for Bayelsa governor in party primaries scheduled to take place on April 14.

Sylva could not be reached for comment and the petroleum ministry declined to comment.

Sylva served as governor of Bayelsa for one full term between 2008 and 2012. At the time, he was a member of the People's Democratic Party, which was then in power at the federal level but is now in opposition.

Appointed junior oil minister in August 2019, Sylva oversaw major reforms in the oil sector, including the passing of legislation that overhauled the sector's fiscal regime in a bid to spur investment.

During his time as minister, Nigeria's oil output fell to its lowest in decades due to crude theft and pipeline vandalism. Angola overtook Nigeria as Africa's biggest oil producer and exporter for a few months last year.

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

Fulani terrorists in Nigeria kill Pastor and kidnap wife

Fulani herdsmen killed a pastor last Thursday in Kaduna state, Nigeria, two weeks after terrorists killed a Baptist pastor’s son in the same state, sources said.

The Rev. Musa Mairimi of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Buda 2 village, near Kasuwan Magani in Kajuru County, was killed in his home and his wife kidnapped, said the chairman of the Kaduna state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Rev. Joseph Hayab.

“The herdsmen and terrorists invaded the community on Thursday, March 23, and killed the pastor in his house,” Hayab said. “His wife was taken into captivity at gunpoint.”

Hayab said that more than 100 Christians have been kidnapped in Kaduna state’s Kauru, Jaba, Kachia, Kagarko and Kajuru counties.

“Who will we cry to and who will we run to for help except God?” he said. “Imagine that since the carnage of kidnapping of Christians started in Kaduna state, no arrests have been made.”

Area resident Istifanus Ma’aji requested prayer.

“Let us pray for the safe return of the wife, the pastor, and other Christians taken captive by the herdsmen and bandits,” Ma’aji said.

Pastor’s son killed

In Kaduna state’s Karimbu-Kahugu village, Lere County, terrorists on March 10 broke into the home of Baptist Pastor Dadi Babas at 1 a.m., killed his son and kidnapped his wife and three other family members while the pastor was attending the funeral of this brother in Bauchi state, he said.

Pastor Babas said in a text message that he was informed of the attack at 4 a.m. and that his wife has been released.

“My son was brutally killed by the terrorists, while my wife, my daughter-in-law, who is nursing a baby, and two other members of my family were kidnapped,” he said. “As I send this message, three members of my family remain in captivity with the bandits, while my wife was abandoned by the terrorists because of her illness.”

He said the terrorists are demanding a ransom of 5 million naira ($10,841) for the release of his remaining family members.

Peter Mukaddas, vice chairman of the Kahugu National Development Association, identified the assailants as “Muslim bandits.”

“We are fervently praying to God to touch the hearts of the terrorists so that they can release the Christians,” Mukaddas said in a text message.

Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith in 2022, with 5,014, according to Open Doors’ 2023 World Watch List report. It also led the world in Christians abducted (4,726), sexually assaulted or harassed, forcibly married or physically or mentally abused, and it had the most homes and businesses attacked for faith-based reasons. As in the previous year, Nigeria had the second most church attacks and internally displaced people.

In the 2023 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to sixth place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 7 the previous year.

“Militants from the Fulani, Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and others conduct raids on Christian communities, killing, maiming, raping and kidnapping for ransom or sexual slavery,” the WWL report noted. “This year has also seen this violence spill over into the Christian-majority south of the nation. … Nigeria’s government continues to deny this is religious persecution, so violations of Christians’ rights are carried out with impunity.”

Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdom’s All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a recent report.

“They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity,” the APPG report states.

Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians’ lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds.

Morning Star News

Related story: Church security guard killed, pastor kidnapped by radicals in Nigeria

 

Banknotes Dispensed in Nigeria to Reduce Three-Month Cash Crunch

Nigeria’s central bank increased the supply of banknotes to lenders to end shortages that have hampered individual and business transactions and crippled the cash-based economy since January.

Most lenders including United Bank for Africa Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and FBN Holdings Plc called in staff on Saturday and Sunday to help customers access cash in banks or via automated teller machines.

The disbursement, in compliance with a central bank directive, is being monitored “personally” by Governor Godwin Emefiele, according to spokesman Isa Abdulmumin. Residents should have unfettered access to cash within the weekly withdrawal limits and terms, he said by phone from the nation’s capital, Abuja.

Africa’s most populous nation was hit by a cash shortage late last year after the central bank began replacing old 200-, 500- and 1,000-naira notes with new ones in a bid to mop up excess liquidity, promote electronic-based payments and rein in inflation. Some state governors challenged the program in court and the Supreme Court extended a Feb. 10 deadline set to phase out old notes until year-end.

Although the court ordered the central bank to redistribute old notes amounting to 2.2 trillion naira, or 70% of cash in circulation, to ease shortage, residents still struggled to access banknotes as of last week as few banks and ATMs had supplies. It prompted the Nigerian Labour Congress, the umbrella workers union, to call for protests at central bank offices from March 29.

The improved distribution is expected to balance the supply and demand for cash in the economy and halt further impediments to personal and business transactions. About 90% of transactions in Nigeria’s informal economy are conducted using cash.

Citizens withdrew cash from automated teller machines in the business district in Nigeria’s commercial hub of Lagos on Monday without the usual long queues. “After what I went through in the past to withdraw my own money, what I see here today is like magic; it’s a big relief,” said Adebisi Erimipe, who withdrew 10,000 naira ($21.69) in old 500 naira notes within few minutes at Unity Bank Plc’s ATM located on the Island in Lagos.

The central bank will keep weekly withdrawal limits at 500,000 naira for individuals and 5 million naira for companies to discourage residents from holding excess money, Abdulmumin said. A processing fee of 3% for individuals and 5% for companies is charged for those seeking to withdraw cash above the limits. 

By Emele Onu, Bloomberg

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Nnamdi Kanu’s brother loses London court challenge

Jailed Biafran separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu’s family lost a legal challenge against the British government in a London court regarding his detention in Nigeria.

Kanu’s brother Kingsley Kanu had brought a judicial review against Britain’s Foreign Office over its alleged refusal to acknowledge that Nnamdi Kanu, who holds Nigerian and British citizenship, was the victim of extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021.

Kingsley Kanu’s lawyers argued that the Foreign Office should reach a judgement about whether his brother was the victim of extraordinary rendition so it could properly assess how to assist the family.

Judge Jonathan Swift dismissed the case on Thursday, saying the Foreign Office’s decision not to express a firm view about Nnamdi Kanu’s treatment, either privately or publicly, was a matter for the government.

However, the judge added that the British government’s approach will also now be informed by a ruling from Nigeria’s Court of Appeal on October 13 that found that Nnamdi Kanu had been unlawfully abducted and sent to Nigeria.

Nigeria’s Court of Appeal also dropped seven charges against Nnamdi Kanu, who remains in detention pending an appeal against that decision by the Nigerian government.


Britain’s Foreign Office and Kingsley Kanu’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Nnamdi Kanu founded the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to press for the secession of the Igbo ethnic group’s homeland, which covers part of southeastern Nigeria.

Authorities view IPOB as a “terrorist” group and banned it in 2017. IPOB says it wants to achieve independence through non-violent means. It has authorised sit-at-home orders on Mondays since July 2021, which have crippled small businesses in the region.

A splinter faction established a paramilitary wing, the Eastern Security Network, which has been accused of human rights violations, abductions and violent attacks on offices of Nigeria’s electoral commission.

The region tried to secede from Nigeria in 1967 under the name of the Republic of Biafra, triggering a three-year civil war in which more than a million people died, mostly from starvation.

Al Jazeera

Nigerian politician Ike Ekweremadu, wife, and a doctor guilty of organ trafficking to UK

 

 

 

 

 

A senior Nigerian politician, his wife, and a doctor have been convicted of organ trafficking, in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act.

Ike Ekweremadu, 60, a former deputy president of the Nigerian senate, his wife, Beatrice, 56, and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation after a six-week trial at the Old Bailey.


They criminally conspired to bring the 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney, the jury found.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been offered an illegal reward to become a donor for the senator’s daughter after kidney disease forced her to drop out of a master’s degree in film at Newcastle University, the court heard. Sonia Ekweremadu was found not guilty.


She cried in court as her parents were sent down from the dock.

In February 2022 the man was falsely presented to a private renal unit at Royal Free hospital in London as Sonia’s cousin in a failed attempt to persuade medics to carry out an £80,000 transplant. For a fee, a medical secretary at the hospital acted as an Igbo interpreter between the man and the doctors to help try to convince them he was an altruistic donor, the court heard.

The prosecutor Hugh Davies KC told the court the Ekweremadus and Obeta had treated the man and other potential donors as “disposable assets – spare parts for reward”. He said they entered an “emotionally cold commercial transaction” with the man.

The behaviour of Ekweremadu, a successful lawyer and founder of an anti-poverty charity who helped draw up Nigeria’s laws against organ trafficking, showed “entitlement, dishonesty and hypocrisy”, Davies told the jury.

He said Ekweremadu, who owns several properties and had a staff of 80, “agreed to reward someone for a kidney for his daughter – somebody in circumstances of poverty and from whom he distanced himself and made no inquiries, and with whom, for his own political protection, he wanted no direct contact”.

Davies added: “What he agreed to do was not simply expedient in the clinical interests of his daughter, Sonia, it was exploitation, it was criminal. It is no defence to say he acted out of love for his daughter. Her clinical needs cannot come at the expense of the exploitation of somebody in poverty.”

Ekweremadu, who denied the charge, told the court he was the victim of a scam. Obeta, who also denied the charge, claimed the man was not offered a reward for his kidney and was acting altruistically. Beatrice denied any knowledge of the alleged conspiracy. Sonia did not give evidence.

WhatsApp messages shown to the court revealed Obeta charged Ekweremadu 4.5m naira (about £8,000) made up of an “agent fee” and a “donor fee”.

Ekweremadu and Obeta admitted falsely claiming the man was Sonia’s cousin in his visa application and in documents presented to the hospital.

Davies said Ekweremadu ignored medical advice to find a donor for his daughter among genuine family members. He said: “At no point in time was there ever any intention for a family member close, medium or distant to do what could be paid for from a pool of donors.”

The judge, Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson, will pass sentence on 5 May.

The chief crown prosecutor, Joanne Jakymec, said: “This was a horrific plot to exploit a vulnerable victim by trafficking him to the UK for the purpose of transplanting his kidney.

“The convicted defendants showed utter disregard for the victim’s welfare, health and wellbeing and used their considerable influence to a high degree of control throughout, with the victim having limited understanding of what was really going on here.”

DI Esther Richardson, from the Metropolitan police’s modern slavery and exploitation command, said: “This is a landmark conviction and we commend the victim for his bravery in speaking against these offenders.”

This story was amended on 23 March 2023 to reflect the fact that Sonia Ekweremadu was found not guilty in the case. It was further amended on 24 March 2023 as it was an Igbo interpreter, not a translator, who was involved.

By Matthew Weaver, The Guardian

Related stories: Nigerian Senator Ike Ekweremadu charged with organ-harvesting

Nigerian senator accused of organ harvesting attempt in UK

President-elect of Nigeria denies being unwell after travelling to Europe to rest

Nigeria's president-elect Bola Tinubu on Wednesday dismissed Nigerian media reports of ill health, his campaign saying he had travelled abroad to rest and plan his transition programme after a "very exhaustive" presidential election campaign.

Tinubu's health is being closely watched in a country where a former president died in office after a long illness and incumbent Muhammadu Buhari routinely travels abroad for medical checks and in early 2017 spent three months on medical leave in Britain for an unspecified ailment.

Tinubu's victory in last month's disputed presidential poll is being challenged in court by two of his closest opponents.

The 70-year-old former governor of commercial hub Lagos had appeared frail during some campaign appearances, his speech often slow and slurred, but he repeatedly brushed aside concerns about his health.

"After a very exhaustive campaign and election season, president-elect, Asíwájú Bola Tinubu, has travelled abroad to rest and plan his transition programme ahead of May 29, 2023 inauguration," campaign spokesperson Tunde Rahman said in a statement.

Tunde did not say where Tinubu had travelled to but said he would be back soon. 

By Felix Onuah, Reuters

Related story: President-Elect Bola Tinubu Leaves Nigeria to Rest in Europe After Campaign

President-Elect Bola Tinubu Leaves Nigeria to Rest in Europe After Campaign

Nigeria’s president-elect left the country Tuesday to rest after his recent electoral campaign, his office said.

Bola Tinubu, who will be inaugurated as president on May 29, will visit Paris and London before traveling to Saudi Arabia to take part in a pilgrimage during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that begins on Thursday, his spokesman said in a statement.

“While away, the president-elect will also use the opportunity to plan his transition program,” according to the statement. His office didn’t say when Tinubu would return.

Tinubu, 70, is a frequent visitor to London and spent 90 days in the city in 2021 undergoing and recuperating from knee surgery. He dismissed concerns about his health raised by opponents during the campaign before last month’s presidential election.

Visits to London for health-care aren’t uncommon for Nigerian leaders. Outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari was a frequent traveler to the UK capital for medical reasons, which overshadowed his rule of Africa’s most-populous country. 

By Ruth Olurounbi, Bloomberg

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Rates rise in Nigeria due to price and exchange rate pressures

Nigeria's central bank raised its benchmark lending rate by 50 basis points to 18% (NGCBIR=ECI) on Tuesday as monetary authorities continued to tighten policy to rein in inflation which has squeezed consumer purchasing power.

The high cost of living was among major concerns for voters during last month's disputed presidential election that was won by ruling party's Bola Tinubu, who has promised to revive the economy and end widespread insecurity.

The central bank's latest rate hike came after last week's inflation data showed price rises quickened in February despite the recent cashless policy meant to reduce the amount of currency in circulation. Inflation also rose in January.

Central Bank of Nigeria governor Godwin Emefiele said members of the Monetary Policy Committee were unanimous in raising rates, citing price and exchange rate pressures and expectations of the removal of a petrol subsidy that cost $10 billion last year.

"These, in view of members, provided a compelling argument for an upward adjustment of policy rates, albeit less aggressively," Emefiele said.

Razia Khan, head of research, Africa and Middle East at Standard Chartered Bank, said inflation risks remained on the upside but the pace of tightening was more moderate in order to reduce negative real interest rates.

Investors are looking at how quickly the petrol subsidy will be removed as Tinubu prepares to get into office on May 29.

"In terms of reform, there are now firm expectations that we should see fuel subsidy reforms commencing imminently. Less clear is the time frame for any FX policy adjustment," Khan said.

"FX adjustment would likely have to precede any meaningful portfolio inflows, but current global volatility and its impact on the oil price could see fuel subsidy reforms being given prominence near-term, with FX reforms to follow, only later."

Emefiele said Nigeria's banks remained sound and would not be affected by the impact of the collapse of two U.S. lenders and problems at Credit Suisse. 

By Chijioke Ohuocha and Camillus Eboh, Reuters