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MSF: One out of every four children in Shinkafi and Zurmi malnourished.
MSF: One out of every four children in Shinkafi and Zurmi malnourished.
By: Michael Mike
One out of every four children under the age of five is malnourished in the Shinkafi and Zurmi areas of Zamfara state, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Ministry of Health have said.
A statement on Thursday by MSF otherwise called Doctors Without Borders, said according to a mass screening conducted in June by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Ministry of Health. Of the 97,149 children screened in 21 different urban and rural locations, 27 percent were found to be suffering from acute malnutrition, with five percent having severe acute malnutrition.
The statement added that: “These concerning figures far exceed the ‘critical level’ threshold established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) regarding malnutrition prevalence. MSF urges health authorities, international organisations, and donors to immediately intensify their efforts to tackle the escalating malnutrition crisis in Zamfara state, as well as whole of Northwest Nigeria – a region not yet included in the United Nations Humanitarian Response Plan.
“The mass screening held in June in the Shinkafi and Zurmi areas further revealed that about 22 per cent of children screened aremoderately malnourished. Currently, the nutritional suppliesessential to treat such children, also known as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), are unavailable, as UNICEF halted its supplies at the start of the year. This current lack of humanitarian response to treat those who are moderately malnourished in Northwest Nigeria risks the lives of these children who, without immediate care, will progress to severe acute malnutrition that threatens their survival and compromisestheir long-term health.”
Abdullahi Mohammad, an MSF representative in Nigeria, said: “The screening results from Shinkafi and Zurmi are nothing short of alarming, revealing a catastrophic malnutrition crisis across Northwest Nigeria,” declaring that: “The response to this overwhelming disaster is grossly insufficient. With malnutrition rates soaring beyond critical levels and no immediate treatment available for moderate acute malnutrition apart from at MSF facilities, we’re effectively letting more children fall into life-threatening conditions. It is crucial we ensure every child receives the medical care they desperately need.”
The statement said MSF currently runs four inpatient and 17 outpatient facilities in Shinkafi, Zurmi, Gummi and Talata Mafara in Zamfara – a state badly affected by malnutrition, noting that across all four inpatient facilities, MSF teams have treated over 7,000 children from January to July 2024. These figures for admissions are 34 per cent higher than for the same period in 2023. In Shinkafi and Zurmi, where MSF conducted the recent malnutrition screening, the increase in admissions is 50 per cent more than the same period last year. At the medical facility in Gummi, admissions in July 2024 were almost double compared to the same month last year.
Alongside the significant increase in malnutrition admissions, MSF teams are seeing high numbers of children with vaccine preventable diseases such as measles. In Zamfara, they have treated at least 5,700 measles cases so far this year. Infectious diseases like measles, malaria, and acute watery diarrhoea, severely compromise the nutritional status of children. In turn, malnutrition makes them far more susceptible to these illnesses, with a higher risk of death.
“When I first brought my son into the hospital, I didn’t know if he would survive,” says Hafsat Lawal, a mother whose child is beingtreated for malnutrition at an MSF facility in Zamfara. “Back at home because of the insecurity we don’t have food. The prices of food have more than doubled. If we had money, we would have bought some grains, but we cannot.”
Communities are facing high levels of violence in Zamfara and have told MSF teams that they are scared to move around the state, taking huge risks to reach functioning healthcare facilities.It is estimated by the health authorities that as of 2023, only about 200 out of 700 healthcare centres in Zamfara are accessible, and the rest are non-functional. One of the reasons being that healthcare workers struggle to reach them.
Despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis and facing high levels of insecurity, communities in the Northwest have long been excluded from coordinated humanitarian response. It is essential that health authorities in this area, alongside international organisations and donors, urgently scale up their response.Immediate expansion of health facilities is needed to treat malnourished children to ensure that more hospitals can offer the type of inpatient care desperately needed to save lives. Moreover, UNICEF, as the primary supplier of RUTF, must ensure the consistent and sufficient delivery of these essential therapeutic foods to prevent more children from falling victim to this crisis.
MSF: One out of every four children in Shinkafi and Zurmi malnourished.
DSS files five-count charge against Sowore, X and Meta
By: Zagazola Makama
The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a five-count criminal charge against presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, and two social media companies, X Corp and Meta Incorporation, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Zagazola reports that the charges followed Sowore’s refusal to delete alleged false and inciting posts about President Bola Tinubu from his verified X and Facebook accounts.
The DSS had, on Sept. 8, issued a one-week ultimatum to Sowore to remove the posts, which it described as “false, malicious, and inciting.” The ultimatum expired without compliance. X Corp and Meta, owners of X and Facebook, also declined a DSS request to deactivate Sowore’s accounts.
The charges were filed on behalf of the DSS and the Federal Government by M.B. Abubakar, Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, and four other counsel to the DSS – M.E. Ernest, U.B. Bulla, Dr. C.S. Eze, and E.G. Orubor.
According to the charge sheet, Sowore, on Aug. 25 and 26, 2025, allegedly published posts on his official handles describing President Tinubu as a “criminal” and accusing him of lying about corruption in Nigeria during an official trip to Brazil.
The DSS said Sowore knew the claims were false but circulated them to incite disorder and disaffection among Nigerians.
One of the counts read: “That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult male, on or about the 25th day of August, 2025, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your official X handle page, @YeleSowore, to send out a message which you know to be false but posted for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.”
The second count alleged that Sowore repeated the same post on his official Facebook account on Aug. 26, in breach of the same cybercrime law.
The third and fourth counts accused him of publishing defamatory material against the person and office of the President on both X and Facebook, contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.
The fifth count alleged that Sowore, with intent to cause fear and public disturbance, published false information on both platforms, an offence contrary to Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act.
The DSS maintained that the posts were capable of undermining national security and causing a breakdown of public order.
Zagazola reports that the case is expected to be assigned to a trial judge for hearing in Abuja.
DSS files five-count charge against Sowore, X and Meta
Two notorious bandits neutralized in Katsina forest by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have neutralized two notorious bandits in Dutsen Ma, Katsina State, during an operation to curb criminal activities in the area.
Zagazola learnt that the bandits, identified as Iliya and Dan Yahaya of Banga, were reportedly responsible for multiple attacks and led criminal operations in Rafi Forest, Wonaka, Gusau Local Government Area, Zamfara State.
They were key commanders in the gang led by Alhaji Ummaru Dan Najeriya.
The sources confirmed that the operation was carried out following credible intelligence on the bandits’ movement and that further patrols and monitoring have been intensified in the region to prevent any resurgence of criminal activities.
Two notorious bandits neutralized in Katsina forest by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA
Bandits Kingpin Leading Peace Deal, Ado Allero, Slaughter Traditional ruler in Tsafe, Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits led by Ado Allero, a top Bandit Kingpin Leading in the Peace Dialogue in the North West have slaughtered traditional ruler in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, in a shocking escalation of violence in the North West region.
Intel reports indicate that at about 1609hrs on September 15, a gang led by Ado Allero slaughtered a traditional ruler, the Hakimi of Dogon Dawa, in Keta village, Tsafe Local Government Area, Zamfara State. The same group who reportedly kidnapped 40 civilians from a mosque in the LGA.
The attack, described as brutal and unprovoked, also saw 40 civilians abducted from a local mosque in the area.
The sources further revealed that the bandits have continued their campaign of terror, killing four farmers in Barikin Daji, Ruwan Gizo, Zamfara State, and two Customs officers in Fingilla village, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.
Zagazola report that Armed bandits in the North West have continued to terrorize communities across the North West, killing, kidnapping, and maiming civilians, amidst the highly publicized peace dialogue in Faskari, Katsina State, aimed at ending banditry in the region.
While the peace deal was taking place, bandit were said to have ambushed a convoy of the Commanding Officer of 382 Army Regiment at Ruwan Godiya crossing point along Sheme- Kankara Road in Katsina, but the attack was successfully repelled. Same day, the troops of 17 Brigade ambushed some bandits near Gatawa village in Kankara LGA, recovering motorcycle and mobile phone. Again, troops repel bandits attack at Sabon Massallaci village, Katera ward of Kankara LGA, they later move toward Gidan Dufe village in the same LGA, kill one woman, injuring several and rustling livestock.
On the same day, bandit ambushed NSCDC personnel along at Dafa village Yantumaki- Danmusa road killing one and inuring four other officers.
In the same vain, the bandits strikes and abducted 12 people in Godai village in Bukuyum, in Zamfara state. They abducted another four in Tudun Moriki.
In Kebbi State, another armed gang, known as the Lakurawa group, killed two Customs officers in Fingilla village, Dandi Local Government Area. Further, four civilians were reportedly shot dead while harvesting crops in Barikin Daji around Ruwan Gizo, Zamfara State.
Allero, the notorious bandit kingpin, had on Sunday expressed optimism that peace would be restored in Katsina State, Zamfara and beyond following the dialogue in Faskari. He claimed that previous disruptions of peace initiatives, including the arrest of his son, had led him to resume criminal activities.
Despite the claims of a “historic” and inclusive dialogue, the spate of attacks had continued by the bandits.
Bandits Kingpin Leading Peace Deal, Ado Allero, Slaughter Traditional ruler in Tsafe, Zamfara
DSS files five-count charge against Sowore, X and Meta
Two notorious bandits neutralized in Katsina forest by troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA
Bandits Kingpin Leading Peace Deal, Ado Allero, Slaughter Traditional ruler in Tsafe, Zamfara
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