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NIMR Says “Nigeria Making Progress To Eliminate NTDs”

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NIMR Says "Nigeria Making Progress To Eliminate NTDs"

NIMR Says “Nigeria Making Progress To Eliminate NTDs”

NIMR says “Nigeria making progress to eliminate NTDs”. “No fewer than 37 million Nigerians have been taken off the treatment of river blindness, while 43 million are still at risk and eligible for treatment,” said NIMR.

As Nigeria targets the 2030 elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research says the country is making commendable progress in this regard.

A director of research at NIMR, Babatunde Adewale, made this known at the institute’s monthly media interaction organised to enlighten Nigerians on some of its research findings.

Mr Adewale described NTDs as a group of conditions caused by a variety of pathogens, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses, mostly associated with rural areas.

“The country is currently at the stage of interruption of transmission of the disease, thereby, moving from the era of control to elimination of river blindness.

“No fewer than 37 million Nigerians have been taken off the treatment of river blindness, while 43 million are still at risk and eligible for treatment.

“Over 10 states in the country have achieved the stage of interruption of transmission and are still under surveillance to prevent resurgence of the disease,” he said.

Speaking on onchocerciasis, an NTD commonly known as river blindness, he said that the disease is transmitted through bites from infected black flies.

According to him, Ivermectin, an anti-parasite drug approved by the World Health Organisation, is, however, used for the treatment and control of the diseases.

He further stated that the treatment for onchocerciasis, which is prevalent in almost all states in Nigeria, with the exceptions of Lagos and Rivers, is a continuous process.

“With the advent of Ivermectin, which is the drug of choice for the control of river blindness as far back as the 1990s, when the control began in Nigeria, the strategy adopted was mass administration of Ivermectin.

“Studies from Nigeria, Mali and Senegal have shown that Ivermectin, instead of just controlling river blindness, can also eliminate the disease. So, instead of looking at control of the disease, there was a paradigm shift from the initial control strategy to elimination.

NIMR Says "Nigeria Making Progress To Eliminate NTDs"

NIMR Says “Nigeria Making Progress To Eliminate NTDs”

“The mode of treatment adopted is the community directive treatment where members of the community are engaged and appoint individuals who are trained to handle the distribution of the drug,” he said.

Regarding NIMR roles, he noted that the institute belongs to a network of four laboratories in the country that support the Federal Ministry of Health in accessing progress so far.

He added that, apart from laboratory support, the institute also provided technical expertise and research backup, which he described as one of the major components of the institute’s work.

Economy

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

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Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

Lagos assembly strongly seeks suspension of Makoko demolition. The Lagos state house of assembly has called for the suspension of demolition activities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities following protests by displaced residents and growing public concern over the exercise.

The call was announced on Tuesday by Noheem Adams, chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande auditorium.

Adams called on all state ministries to cease demolition work and promised compensation to the affected residents.
“On behalf of the speaker and all 40 members of the house, we are directing that all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro communities should stop from today until further notice,” New Telegraph quoted Adams as saying.

He called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and the criteria used for engagement, insisting that residents must be actively involved in the process.

“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those task forces and the criteria for those that we are inviting,” Adams added.

Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly

“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.”

Stephen Ogundipe, member of the ad-hoc, said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plans in advance.

Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to governor of Lagos on E-GIS and urban renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern, internationally compliant water city.

He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterated the administration’s commitment to handling the situation with a human face, prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.

Yusuf Sagra, baale of Makoko, described the assembly’s decision as a “word of peace,” while Orioye Ogungbure, another leader of the community, praised the “democratic responsiveness” of the government.

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Crime

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

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EFCC Probes Man

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,   on Tuesday, February 3, 2026  arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.

Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.

EFCC Probes Man

EFCC

Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.

The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

Dele Oyewale
Head,  Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026

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Economy

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

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National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Access Bank gets new board chair Ifeyinwa Osime. Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29.

Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29, according to a statement to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Monday.

Ms Osime, a legal practitioner, joined Access Bank’s board in November 2019 as an independent non-executive director and had chaired its Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination, and Remuneration Committee. This role made her contribute significantly to the bank’s corporate governance, leadership development, and sustainability initiatives.

Additionally, Ms Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Ltd. and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial matters and contributes to strategic leadership.

She is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Women Corporate Directors, Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.

National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms Osime is committed to mentoring youths and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Speaking on her appointment, the group chairman, Aigboje Aig-lmoukhuede, said, “Mrs Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.

“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”

Mr Aig-lmoukhuede also congratulated Mr Usoro on the completion of his tenure and on his exemplary leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to the group, saying he remains a valued member of the Access family.

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