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FG Launches the National Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Policy for Environment Sector
FG Launches the National Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Policy for Environment Sector
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has intensified the fight against antimicrobial resistance, which is estimated to lead to a global US$ 1 trillion additional healthcare costs by 2050, and US$ 1 trillion to US$ 3.4 trillion gross domestic product (GDP) losses per year by 2030, with the launch of the National Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Policy for Environment Sector on Thursday
Speaking at the Launch in Abuja, the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Salako noted that a lot still needs to be done for the environment sector to come up to speed and be at par with other One Health sectors with regards to AMR management. He said: “It is in this context and in line with the mandate of the ministry that this policy on national antimicrobial resistance for the environment sector has been developed.”

The Minister said: “You will agree with me that antibiotics play a critical role in reducing the burden of communicable disease all over the world. However, resistance to previously potent antibiotics has become a major problem of major public health significance requiring a range of interventions and multidisciplinary approach. This growing trend of resistance to antibiotics calls for global action to monitor and control unnecessary use of antibiotics in humans and animals which eventually gets to the environment.”
Salako added that: “Antimicrobial resistance is not only a public health threats, it has huge implications for global economic wellbeing and security, affecting both developed and developing countries. AMR is listed by the World Health Organization as one of the ten top threats to global health. According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), AMR is a global crisis that cannot be understood or addressed separately from the triple planetary crisis.”

He noted that: “The report of the 2022 Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) report highlights alarming resistance rates among bacterial pathogens that causes the deadliest infections with other pathogens like virus, fungi and protozoa also becoming resistant. This report shows that AMR threat is growing at an alarming rate making treatment challenging with longer hospital stays, increased mortality and higher healthcare cost. The World Bank estimates that AMR could result in US$ 1 trillion additional healthcare costs by 2050, and US$ 1 trillion to US$ 3.4 trillion gross domestic product (GDP) losses per year by 2030.”
The Minister said: “Nigeria as a responsible member of the global community is committed to adopting a holistic approach to addressing AMR to ensuring all of sector involvement, no duplication and efficient use of scarce resources. To achieve this, and protect public health, food security and the environment, the recognition of the interconnectedness between human, animal and environmental health in line with the One Health principles is central.”
Salako noted that: “In this regard, the Federal Ministry of Environment has embarked on a number activities aimed at laying a solid foundation for AMR surveillance in the environment sector of our country. This includes: AMR situation analysis in environment sector conducted in 2020 including laboratory and capacity needs assessment of environmental reference laboratories domicile with NESREA to pave way for setting up AMR surveillance in the environment sector and provide recommendations for strengthening capacities for AMR surveillance within the sector.
“Establishment of the Integrated National Environmental Health Surveillance System (INEHSS) in 2022 for real time environmental health and sanitation scientific data collection and processing for informed policy decisions, planning, monitoring, evaluation, early warning signals and response to environmental health challenges including disease outbreak. The INEHSS provides a premise for AMR surveillance in the environment considering the unsound release of antimicrobial residues in our environment.”
He revealed that with collaboration with other stakeholders, the Federal Ministry of Environment intends to create AMR surveillance system in the environment sector by integrating AMR into INEHSS which is an existing surveillance system in the environment sector, in order to provide timely alerts on AMR spread; regulate the discharge and distribution of antimicrobials into the environment; promote public knowledge and awareness on AMR and implication of indiscriminate Antimicrobial Discharge (AMD) into the environment; establish national standards for monitoring and controlling antimicrobials in the environment through the development of
roadmap for monitoring AMR in the environment, standards for Antimicrobial residue, Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARG) and Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria (ARB) discharge into the environment
He said this includes database of all allied industries, institutes, healthcare facilities and farms in Nigeria and most importantly strengthening of Environmental Health Officers’ capacity to track the activities of the culpable facilities.
On his part, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) Representative Ad-Interim in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Koffy Kouacou Dominique said: “The antimicrobial resistance scourge affects humans, animals, plants, and the environment. It is estimated that 10 million people would die annually by the year 2050, and the economies of nations negatively affected if this challenge is not mitigated.”
He insisted that: “It is therefore important for countries to put in place actions that will reduce and control this scourge.”
Dominique added that: “Antimicrobial resistance which is a One Health issue needs to be tackled by all sectors. It is for this reason that the FAO in 2022 supported the Federal Ministry of Environment to develop the National AMR Policy and the National Strategic Plan (2023 – 2027). This support was also to assist in enhancing the capacity and capabilities of the environment sector to participate actively in development and implementation of multi-sectoral and inter-disciplinary AMR control plans at the national and subnational levels.”
FG Launches the National Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Policy for Environment Sector
News
Boko Haram Attack on CJTF Leaves One Dead in Gwoza, Borno state
Boko Haram Attack on CJTF Leaves One Dead in Gwoza, Borno state
By: Zagazola Makama
One member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) was killed following an ambush by suspected ISWAP terrorists along the Warave–Gwoza Road in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
Sources said the incident occurred on February 25 at about 7:30 a.m. when gunmen attacked members of the CJTF and hunters on routine patrol. Fifty-year-old Bello Adamu, a member of the CJTF, was fatally injured in the attack.
Army troops of Operation HADIN KAI, Police Tactical Units, and CJTF personnel visited the scene, documented the incident, and evacuated the victim to Gwoza General Hospital, where he was certified dead on arrival. His body was released to his family for burial according to Islamic rites.
Monitoring of the area continues to prevent further attacks.
Boko Haram Attack on CJTF Leaves One Dead in Gwoza, Borno state
News
Zulum hits the ground running on Insecurity, vows to complete Ongoing Projects before leaving office
Zulum hits the ground running on Insecurity, vows to complete Ongoing Projects before leaving office
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to tackling the remaining security challenges in the state.
The Governor made this pledge yesterday during the first regular State Executive Council meeting of the year, 2026, held at the Council Chamber of the Government House in Maiduguri.
Addressing members of the cabinet and top government officials before the start of the meeting, Governor Zulum emphasised that 2026 would be a year of consolidation.
He noted that while relative peace has been restored in many parts of the state, the government will not relent in providing the needed security in all parts of Borno.
Beyond the security interventions, Zulum also explained that Government will focus on the resettlement of internally displaced persons by investing in medium- and long-term durable solutions to challenges on the ground.
He noted that his government will also ensure the timely completion of all ongoing developmental projects across the three senatorial zones of the state to cushion the dividends of democracy desirable for the people.
He added that his administration will strengthen the social protection net of residents stating that “social protection remains central to our agenda as we rebuild Borno for a better future.
” While we shall not relent in providing social amenities to the great people of the state, the need to provide social protection to our people cannot be overemphasised.” said Zulum.
The meeting was attended by Commissioners, the Secretary to Borno State Government, Bukar Tijani, Acting Chief of State, Dr Babagana Mallumbe, and other members of the executive council.
Borno state governments have spent over 16 years of their developmental years battling insurgency which has tremendously slowed down the entire machinery of social engineering which should have taken the state to a very high level of stability if there was no security Challenges on ground.
Zulum hits the ground running on Insecurity, vows to complete Ongoing Projects before leaving office
News
Rev. Dachomo accuses of Trump bias, vows to go to War
Rev. Dachomo accuses of Trump bias, vows to go to War
By: Zagazola Makama
The outspoken Christian cleric in Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo has called for ‘WAR’ in the state and also blamed President Donald Trump for bias in deploying United States security asserts in the campaign against the genocide of Christians in Nigeria.
In a footage circulating on social media, the cleric who is the Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, made the call while addressing mourners at the burial of seven persons killed in a reprisal attack at Dorowa Babuje village in the local government.
“Rev. Dachoma was also heard declaring that residents would no longer “run away,” adding that if there was to be a “full-blown war,” they were prepared to defend themselves.
“We are not going to run away, if there will be full blown WAR it will start from today to the day that the God has placed for us. Let them continue to gather, we have chosen to die than to remain burying our brothers.
“My fellow brothers and sisters i am rounding this message so that we can go back and stay and go for war, since the Fulani said we will not rest in plateau, they are not afraid of the security from today we will not be afraid of the security.
The cleric further blamed the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, and the Sultan of Sokoto of alleged bias in security arrangements affecting Plateau State and other Christian-dominated communities in Nigeria, saying, “
In a video circulating online, the cleric questioned the deployment of U.S military in muslims dominated northern regions and alleged neglect of Christian communities.
“We have chosen to die rather than continue burying our brothers,” he said, while calling on community members to remain resolute.
“When I invited Trump to Nigeria to come and help us, when Trump responded, their blueprint was that none of the soldiers of the United States should come to Plateau State,” he said.
“They directed their attention to Sokoto, where the Muslim-dominant area the Muslims are enjoying the coming of Trump.”
He continued: “If I were allowed to say Trump is in Nigeria to protect the Muslims… another batch is in Maiduguri, another batch were deployed in Kaduna and Bauchi. In Kwara, no batch is there. Rev. Dachomo further alleged that Christian communities were being neglected, stating: “The Yorubas were allowed to be killed like chicken. Benue, no army is there.”
He also made allegations against the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, accusing him sabotaging deployment of US forces.
“Why is it that he did not allow the American soldiers to come to Plateau State? They cornered them to please his people.”
The cleric alleged that insurgents who fled military operations elsewhere had relocated to Plateau communities. The insurgents that escaped from Sambisa and from Sokoto are right here in Manda, in Fars, in Okolindiri, Lingerie,” he claimed.

“It is from Lingerie that they came and killed those people, because the real training ground of terrorists is Lingerie.”
Rev. Dachomo also referenced the Sultan in his remarks, alleging what he described as a broader agenda against Christians. “That is Sultan road map to wipe out Plateau Christians and other Christians in Nigeria,” he said.
Despite his strong accusations, the cleric acknowledged the efforts of local security operatives in preventing greater casualties during the recent attack.
“This could have been more than 100 corpses, but God used the security to give us enough protection when they saw the security move quickly,” he said.
Also, Barrister Solomon, President of the Berom Youths, was also heard in a related video expressing the same threat against the existence of Fulani in plateau state. “We can no longer guarantee peace and security on the Plateau if Fulani continue grazing on our land.”he said.
Solomon declared that the Fulani should awaits their response. “Fulani you have taken credit, Fulani You have taken credits,”he said.
Meanwhile, in a subsequent clip, however, he appeared to temper his earlier tone, saying: “Even some security have tagged me for the comments we made yesterday. My life is not more precious than this city. “I will not incite any violence in Plateau, but we deserve to be protected. We deserve it.”he said.
“I’m using this opportunity to call on our people let’s remain calm. Let’s continue as law-abiding citizens. We are not praying for similar things to happen. We are not at war with anybody.”
“The hausa of the Yoruba, the Igbos, and any other person that comes to Plateau should have it at the back of his mind that he will settle peacefully.”
“A Plateau man has never been known for any act of terrorism. But the Fulani have declared war on us, and it is so unfortunate that some people are falling victims of circumstance.”
He also appealed to federal authorities, stating:
“We are calling on Mr. President and the security governor. Please sir, since having security in our domain cannot guarantee our safety, why will it not be relocated to where the bandits are settled? So we will then know when they will come to attack us.”
Zagazola Makama report that Plateau State has witnessed recurring communal and banditry-related violence over the years, with security agencies continuing operations to curb attacks in vulnerable communities.
Rev. Dachomo accuses of Trump bias, vows to go to War
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