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Diphtheria, Cholera Ravage Eight States

By David Torough
Diseases are taking a toll on lives in many states in Nigeria. In Yobe State alone, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) on Monday, confirmed that 117 children died following diphtheria outbreak from last year to date.
Similarly, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported cases of cholera in Zamfara, Cross River, Adamawa and Ogun as states with the highest cholera cases in the country.
NCDC’s Incident Manager, Cholera Technical Working Group, Dr Sebastian Yennan said this at the monthly meeting of the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Emergency Working Group on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, the cases are updates from the centre’s Epidemiology week 39, saying efforts were ongoing in providing response commodities to affected states and in the country.
So far, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has announced the donation of 3.1 million diphtheria vaccines to Jigawa State Government.
The UNICEF Country Director in Nigeria, Christian Monduate announced the donation when she paid a visit to Gov. Umar Namadi at the Government House, Dutse on Monday.
She commended the state for providing an enabling environment for partners’ intervention through cooperation and positive engagements and agreements.
She said, “UNICEF’s intervention in Water and Sanitation has made the state to achieve over 97 percent access to clean drinking water.
“Under UNICEF’s interventions, Jigawa became the first state to be declared free from Open Defacation.”
Jigawa is amongst the states that recorded about 100 suspected cases of diptheria with three deaths in September.
However, Yobe State is now described as the epicentre of diphtheria.
The Executive-Director of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib who was in Yobe on Monday confirmed that 117 children died following Diphtheria outbreak since 2022.
Shuaib who said 1,796 cases of the disease had been reported in Yobe since November 22, added that the disease was more prevalent among children of five to 14 years.
The Executive-Director who led the Diphtheria Emergency Task Team to the state inspected the diphtheria isolation centre in Potiskum.
He expressed satisfaction with diphtheria vaccination conducted in the local government areas of the state.
“By October 12, more vulnerable kids will be provided with vaccines to curtail the disease. Vaccines are powerful, they are safe and they work.
“Diphtheria is a disease of ancient times; with vaccination, deaths are preventable,” he said.
He noted that low vaccination was responsible for the recent outbreak of the disease across the country.
“In 2016 and 2017, MICS NICS survey, an independent survey of National Bureau of Statistics, indicated that only 33 percent of Nigerians were covered by vaccinations.
“Due to concerted efforts by the Federal Government and development partners, the figure rose to 70 percent in 2019.
“But the outbreak of COVID-19 which prevented many people from taking their children for vaccination due to lockdown and fear of contracting COVID-19, there was a deep in coverage down to 57 percent,” he said.
Shuaib said that improvement in environmental and personal hygiene would eliminate the disease in spite of Yobe being second only to Kano State in cases of diphtheria across the country.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) was notified of suspected diphtheria cases in Kano and Lagos States on 1 December 2022.
In January 2023, the number of confirmed cases increased peaking at over 150 cases in Week Four of 2023 (ending 28 January).
Since then, a weekly decreasing trend has been observed. From May 14, 2022 to April 9, 2023, 1439, suspected diphtheria cases were reported from 21 states in Nigeria, with the majority (83 percent) of cases reported from Kano (1188), Yobe (97), Katsina (61), Lagos (25), Sokoto (14) and Zamfara (13).
Nigeria had recorded diphtheria outbreaks in the past. The most significant outbreak was reported between February and November 2011 in the rural areas of Borno State with 98 cases.
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NCS Strengths Ties with China Customs

By Tony Obiechina Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has deepened its strategic engagement with the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) through a high-level meeting held in Beijing on July 25.According to NCS Spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada in a statement on Sunday, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, the meeting aimed to explore bilateral knowledge exchange and capacity development in customs administration.
The NCS delegation, led by Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs Oluyomi Adebakin, discussed customs training methodologies, modernization models, and technology-driven solutions with GACC officials. The Chinese Customs authorities shared their structured training system, which incorporates virtual reality, 5G-enabled systems, and blended e-learning approaches.The meeting highlighted Nigeria’s active participation in China-led customs development initiatives, with over 200 African customs officers trained since 2023. The Chinese Customs officials commended Nigeria’s growing leadership in international customs platforms and appreciated the election of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, as Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Council.Both parties expressed mutual interest in exploring technical exchange programs, joint research initiatives, and officer exchange schemes. The NCS aims to strengthen its human capital, advance intergovernmental partnerships, and modernize customs operations in accordance with global standards.The engagement aligns with promoting knowledge sharing, harmonizing customs procedures, and building an integrated trade infrastructure for sustainable development, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).COVER
Kaigama Cautions against Rising Religious Intolerance, Marginalization

From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, has called for religious tolerance among religious groups in Nigeria.Kaigama made the call during the 25 years Priestly Celebration of the Auxiliary Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev.
Ernest Obodo, held at St. Mary Catholic Church, Udi Council Area of Enugu State at the weekend. The celebration began with Holy Mass officiated by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha, His Grace, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke.In his homily, Kaigama decried what he described as ‘very severe’, the existence of religious intolerance in the country, warning that, “if we do not get rid of it, we shall continue to make three steps forward and five steps backward.“Professor Chinua Achebe did identify the problems of Nigeria as bad leadership, corruption, and tribalism, and I wish to add religious intolerance and fanaticism.He expressed the need for more solidarity of the Catholic Church in Eastern Nigeria with the Church in Northern Nigeria in view of the present socio-economic, cultural and religious circumstances in the world.The clergyman equally called on those in political leadership to ensure that the resources of the nation were equitably distributed and also to ensure a fair representation in government.He advised them not to let any section of the nation become marginalised for whatever reason but to ensure honesty, transparency, and accountability in the leadership of the country.“My village was once captured, destroyed, and our chief was subordinated to the religious leaders. Since then, it was only some three years ago that we received a government response.“Nigerians expect from political leaders a corporal work of mercy to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, care for the sick and wounded, educate the school children, care for prisoners and the poor.“Build and maintain the roads, keep our schools and hospitals open, and not only when there are casualties, then we rush to open them and be concerned,” he stressed.The Archbishop added that while we demand good governance from those voted in authority, we demand equally a changing mentality on the part of those Nigerians who saw government resources as available to be used with reckless abandonment.To the celebrant and his class of 2000, Kaigama said, “25 years ago, they answered the Lord’s call to serve the church as shepherds of God’s people.“Today we give thanks to God for the gift of their vocation, perseverance in ministry, and for the grace that has sustained them through joys and trials alike,” he said.In his remark, Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State, described Obodo as an embodiment of initiatives geared towards lifting people out of poverty through his agricultural project.“So I want to join your well-wishers and indeed your congregation here to congratulate and to celebrate with you. There is something that you represent, which I would also love that we continue to imbibe, that is, the true spirit of service.“But your humility is also something very disarming,” Mbah said.Commending the participants, Obodo announced that 33 bishops all over Nigeria attended the event, saying that 20 of them were present while 13 were represented.He thanked God for sparing 10 of them who were ordained priest in 2000, disclosing that, “10 of us are healthy and hearty today and we give gratitude to God”.Many priests, laity, traditional rulers and government officials graced the celebration.COVER
Niger Boat Mishap: NSEMA Recovers 13 Bodies, Rescues 26

From Dan Amasingha, Minna, Attah Ede, Makurdi
The Niger Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), said 13 dead bodies have been recovered while 26 people were rescued from the recent boat mishap in Gini village, Shiroro Local Government Area.This is contained in a statement by Alhaji Abdullahi Arah, the Director- General of the agency on Sunday in Minna.
The incident occurred at about 11:45am on Saturday around Kwata, as the boat was heading to Zumba market. According to the agency, the boat, which was fully loaded with goods and passengers capsized while conveying them to the weekly market.“We have confirmed a boat mishap incident with 13 bodies recovered while 26 were rescued bringing the total number of people in the boat to 39.”“Those that were recovered had since been buried and among them were eight women, three men and two children,” he said.NSENI’s Director of Information and Special Duties, Dr. Ibrahim Hussaini confirmed in a statement that the boat driver and few passengers were rescued.Hussaini said that one of the victims was admitted at the General Hospital Kuta, and had been discharged.The Niger Government through NSEMA, National Hydro Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission N-HYPPADEC and NIWA have distributed life jackets to various riverine communities.Abductors of Six Nigerian Law School Students Opens Discussions, Demands N20M RansomThe kidnappers of the six Nigerian Law School students, have contacted and opened discussions with the families of their victims, demanding N20 million as ransom for their release.The six Nigerian Law School Students were reportedly abducted by suspected armed bandits while on their way to resume at the school’s Yola campus in Adamawa State on Saturday.It was gathered that the incident took place in the late hours of Saturday, along the ‘deadly’ federal highway between Wukari in Taraba State and parts of Benue State.According to a fellow student of the Yola campus, who identified himself as Johnson, said the kidnappers have contacted families of the victims and are demanding a ransom of N20 million for their release.The abducted students were on their way back to campus after completing their mandatory court externship, ahead of the resumption of academic activities scheduled for Monday.Those confirmed to be abducted includes; Rev. Ernest Okafor, Ogbuka Fabian, Nwamma Philip, Okechukwu Obadiegwu, Obalem Emmanuel, and Obiorah David.They were reportedly travelling in a vehicle operated by AJ Dan Pullo Transport Company, a commercial operator based in Onitsha, Anambra State.Authorities have yet to release an official statement.The Wukari-Benue axis, where the kidnapping is suspected to have taken place, has long been flagged as a high-risk corridor due to recurring incidents of abduction and violent crime.