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Environment Minister Urges Nigerians to Continue the Culture of Handwashing

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Environment Minister Urges Nigerians to Continue the Culture of Handwashing

By: Michael Mike

The Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako has advised Nigerians to continue to embrace the culture of hand washing, noting that washing of hands with soap under running water chases many diseases faraway.

The Minister gave the advised on Monday at the Federal Government Boys College, Wuye – Abuja during the commemoration of this year’s Global Hand Washing Day with theme, “Clean hands are within reach.”

The Minister said: “Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it may interest you to know that a simple act of washing hands with soap under running water can reduce infection by 50% and respiratory disease by 25%. Research has shown that creating awareness on proper handwashing helps communities to stay healthy by reducing the number of people who get sick with diarrhoea by 23-40%, reducing diarrhoea illness in people with weakened immune systems by 58%, reducing respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 16-21% and also reduces absenteeism due to gastrointestinal illness in school children by 29-57%.”

He added that: “Handwashing with soap under running water is the most cost-effective health intervention compared with others such as immunization and responding to disease outbreaks. Hands often act as agents that carry disease-causing pathogens from person to person, either through direct contact or indirectly via surfaces, hence hand hygiene is regarded as one of the most important elements of infection control activities and alone can significantly reduce the risk of cross-transmission of infection in healthcare facilities.

“Research has shown that handwashing helps in battling the rise of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Resistance to antibiotics is one of the greatest threats to global health, food security and development. Increasing numbers of serious infections are becoming more difficult to treat because of the loss of efficacy of antibiotics which are often misused and abused; hence it is very important that we reduce the number of these infections by washing hands frequently.”

Earlier, Mrs. Motunrayo Mgbakogu of Well-being Foundation Africa, speaking on behalf of the president of the NGO, Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki said: “Today, on the occasion of the significant Global Handwashing Day, we are reminded of the remarkable impact that a seemingly simple act like proper handwashing technique can have on public health and overall wellbeing.”

She disclosed that: “In collaboration with the Dettol Nigeria Hygiene Quest programme, we have extended our reach and work towards achieving SDG3, SDG6 and SDG17, positively influencing the lives of 3,966 students, engaging with 2,587 individuals within communities, and equipping 9,974 mothers in healthcare facilities with indispensable knowledge concerning proper handwashing techniques. It is noteworthy that these figures pertain to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) alone. These achievements symbolise not just transformed lives but also strengthened communities, and they illuminate the path toward a more sustainable future.”

She advised that: “Let us collectively use this day as a powerful and poignant reminder of the pivotal role that proper hand hygiene plays in averting the proliferation of infections and in safeguarding the health and welfare of our communities. It is our firm resolve to persist in advocating for resolute policies and mobilising resources with the unwavering objective of ensuring that no individual is left marginalised or underserved.”

She said: “We extend our gratitude to all of you for your steadfast commitment and determination in shaping a future where every individual has the privilege of enjoying the fundamental human rights to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. Your unwavering dedication is truly commendable and offers a beacon of hope for a more equitable and healthier, #CleanNaija.”

Environment Minister Urges Nigerians to Continue the Culture of Handwashing

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Bandit kill police operative, cart away service weapon in Bukuyum in Zamfara

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Bandit kill police operative, cart away service weapon in Bukuyum in Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

A mobile police operative attached to Operation Restore Peace has been killed in an ambush by armed bandits in Adabka village, Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 11:44 a.m. when the officer, deployed from Mopol 15, Ilorin, left his duty location in Adabka en route to Tibis village to purchase essential supplies.

Security sources in Bukkuyum told Zagazola that the operative was attacked at the outskirts of Adabka by armed bandits concealed in the surrounding bushes.

The attackers reportedly opened fire on the officer, killing him instantly before carting away his service riot gun.

“Field teams deployed to the scene recovered the body of the fallen operative, which was evacuated to Adabka Primary Health Care Centre for documentation,” the source said.

Sources said that the mode of attack aligns with operational tactics used by bandit factions linked to the Dan-Karama Gwaska and Dansadau networks, known for precision ambushes and rapid withdrawal.

Bandit kill police operative, cart away service weapon in Bukuyum in Zamfara

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GSU’s Public Administration Dept hosts maiden int’l conference

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GSU’s Public Administration Dept hosts maiden int’l conference

Stakeholders comprising academics, policymakers, security experts and public-sector practitioners have deliberated ways of tackling insecurity in the country through a multi-faceted approach that includes economic empowerment, improved governance, and enhanced security cooperation.


They made the submission during the maiden International Conference organised by the Department of Public Administration, Gombe State University (GSU).


The conference was declared open on Tuesday by Prof. Sani Ahmed Yauta, the Vice Chancellor of the institution who stated that any engagement aimed at proffering solutions to the security challenges of the country was an engagement borne out of the need to fast-track national development and stability.


Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) Prof. Danladi Umar, Yauta urged participants to leverage the conference to contribute to ongoing efforts at addressing security challenges so as to enhance peace and development in the country.


In his keynote address, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, Secretary to the Gombe State Government, linked good governance to enhanced security and national development.
Njodi stressed that good governance remained a critical tool to earning citizens’ trust needed to maintain peace and to strengthen development across the country.


He stated that discourse around Nigeria’s governance had become imperative in view of the current security challenges confronting the nation and threatening national development.


He stressed the need for subnational governments to drive national development, adding that they have massive roles to play in determining Nigeria’s progress.
“It is the aggregation of subnational experiences—state successes and failures—that ultimately determines Nigeria’s trajectory.”


Njodi cited the Gombe State governance model and how it had contributed to improvement in human capital development as well as the development of the state and therefore resulting in the peaceful status that the state had enjoyed under Gov Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State’s leadership.


“The state’s development trajectory under Gov. Yahaya offers a practical demonstration of how visionary leadership, institutional innovation and participatory governance can transform a subnational entity within Nigeria’s federal system.


Speaking earlier, the Head of Public Administration Department, Prof. Matthew Funsho Bello, described the event as historic for both the department and the university.
Bello said that the conference’s theme, “Governance, Insecurity and National Development in Nigeria: Issues and Challenges,” was timely given the complexities of the nation’s socio-economic and security challenges.


“This gathering of distinguished scholars, public-sector experts, policymakers and practitioners from across the country marks a major milestone in our collective quest to address the vexing issues affecting our national life,” he said.


According to him, the theme reflects “the urgent need for academia, security agencies and public-sector experts to engage in constructive dialogue on how addressing insecurity and governance can drive sustainable development in Nigeria.


Security experts amongst other professionals made their presentations during the conference which are expected to form part of the recommendations at the end of the two-day event.


Dr Lawal Abdullahi Oladimeji, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the Conference, lauded all participants and invited guests for the success of the maiden event.

Oladimeji said that recommendations from the conference would be given to relevant stakeholders towards enhancing national security and development.

GSU’s Public Administration Dept hosts maiden int’l conference

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21 villagers abducted in kano communities as Security forces intensify search operation

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21 villagers abducted in kano communities as Security forces intensify search operation

By: Zagazola Makama

Twenty-one persons have been abducted by suspected bandits in three villages of Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State.

Zagazola Makama learnt that the coordinated attacks occurred in Sundu, Biresawa and Masaurari villages.

According to community members, two women were taken from Sundu, while five women and two children were abducted at Biresawa.

In Masaurari, nine men and one woman were reportedly seized, bringing the total number of abducted persons to 21 comprising nine men, eight women and two children.

The Police Command in Kano confirmed the attack noting that efforts had been intensified to rescue all victims unhurt.

The sources added that additional operatives had been deployed to the affected axis, while the area was being combed in collaboration with local vigilance groups and other security agencies.

The command assured residents of its commitment to restoring peace and urged the public to provide credible information that could aid ongoing operations.

21 villagers abducted in kano communities as Security forces intensify search operation

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