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Nigeria: EU allocates €1 million to fight diphtheria outbreak

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Nigeria: EU allocates €1 million to fight diphtheria outbreak

By: Michael Mike

The European Union (EU) has released €1,000,000 (about N847 million) in humanitarian funding to fight the spread of diphtheria disease and assist the most affected communities.

According to a statement on Tuesday, this latest funding is in addition to €150,000 which the EU allocated to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in March 2023 in an effort to help control the epidemic.

The statement said this new EU funding will enable UNICEF and the medical NGO ALIMA to contribute to the response by providing technical and staff support to frontline health agencies to enhance surveillance and case detection, treatment of cases, community awareness raising, and to assist with the procurement of vaccines.

Nigeria is currently facing the world’s second largest diphtheria outbreak with 10,322 confirmed and 16,616 suspected cases since the beginning of the year. Kano State in the Northwest represents the outbreak’s epicentre with 8,447 confirmed cases and 589 deaths. The most affected states are Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, and Kaduna which collectively account for 96% of all suspected cases.

Despite control efforts since the start of the outbreak in late 2022, the disease has gradually spread to other states in the Northwest and Northeast. Children aged 1 to 14 years represent 72% of all confirmed cases. Analysis of the vaccination status reveals that over 60% of all suspected cases have not been vaccinated.

According to the statement, this funding is part of the EU’s Epidemics tool, created to provide rapid funding in case of a disease outbreak. Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection transmitted between humans. It causes an infection of the upper respiratory tract, which can lead to breathing difficulties and suffocation. Those most at risk are children and people who have not been fully vaccinated against the disease.

The European Union, together with its Member States, is the leading donor of humanitarian aid in the world. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent, and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises.

The European Union through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department helps millions of victims of conflicts and disasters every year. Through its headquarters in Brussels and its global network of field offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people based on humanitarian need alone.

Nigeria: EU allocates €1 million to fight diphtheria outbreak

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Troops recover rustled livestock after terrorist sighting in katsina

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Troops recover rustled livestock after terrorist sighting in katsina

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of 17 Brigade have recovered rustled livestock during a response operation to a reported terrorist movement in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Security sources said the incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. on March 30, when troops deployed at Combat Team 1 Danali acted on intelligence indicating the movement of suspected terrorists towards Amawa Forest.

According to the sources, the troops arrived the area but found that the suspects had fled into nearby bushes with a large number of rustled livestock.

The combined troops reportedly pursued the attackers for about three kilometres along their escape route but lost contact due to difficult terrain.

The sources added that the troops later withdrew and intensified domination of the main routes with fighting patrols aimed at restoring confidence among commuters in the area.

They said efforts were ongoing to track the fleeing suspects and recover the remaining livestock.

Troops recover rustled livestock after terrorist sighting in katsina

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Human Rights Group SOJA Calls for Accountability After Lawyer Dies in Abuja Hotel Elevator

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Human Rights Group SOJA Calls for Accountability After Lawyer Dies in Abuja Hotel Elevator

By: Michael Mike

Speak Out for Justice Advocacy Ltd/Gte (SOJA) has condemned the tragic death of Barrister Abdulsalami Ginsau, who reportedly suffocated after being trapped in an elevator at a hotel in Abuja on March 31, 2026. The advocacy group is calling for urgent investigations, stronger safety regulations, and accountability for any negligence that may have contributed to the incident.

In a statement released on Friday, SOJA described the death as preventable and raised serious concerns about building safety standards, emergency response systems, and regulatory compliance in Nigeria’s hospitality and construction sectors. The organization said the incident highlights systemic gaps that put lives at risk.

“Elevators are not luxuries—they are life-dependent systems,” SOJA said. “Any failure in their design, maintenance, or emergency protocols can have fatal consequences. No individual should lose their life in such a preventable and distressing manner.”

The group cited both domestic and international legal frameworks protecting the right to life, including Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. SOJA stressed that the Nigerian government has a duty to prevent third-party negligence and to enforce safety standards that safeguard citizens.

SOJA outlined several recommendations, including conducting a thorough, independent investigation into the circumstances of Ginsau’s death, identifying any negligence or regulatory breaches, and holding all responsible parties accountable. The organization also called for the development and enforcement of national regulations on elevator safety, mandatory inspection and certification programs, installation of functional emergency systems in elevators, and criminalization of gross negligence in life-dependent infrastructure.

Hameed Ajibola Jimoh, Executive Director of SOJA, emphasized that the incident should serve as a wake-up call for systemic reform. “A society that fails to safeguard basic infrastructure places every citizen at risk. Justice must not only be demanded—it must be delivered,” he said.

The tragic death of Ginsau has reignited public debate on the enforcement of building codes and the adequacy of safety measures in public and private facilities across Nigeria.

Human Rights Group SOJA Calls for Accountability After Lawyer Dies in Abuja Hotel Elevator

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Troops conduct offensive patrol in Enugu, disrupt suspected IPOB/ESN activity

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Troops conduct offensive patrol in Enugu, disrupt suspected IPOB/ESN activity

By: Zagazola Makama

Joint troops have conducted an offensive patrol in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State aimed at disrupting suspected activities of members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network.

Security sources said the operation was carried out at about 9:30 a.m. on March 31 by troops of Sector 1 in collaboration with 82 Division Garrison and 103 Battalion (Rear).

According to the sources, the patrol was conducted around Ajali Forest following intelligence reports of suspected militant movement in the area.

The sources said the suspected armed elements fled upon sighting the advancing troops, avoiding direct engagement.

They added that troops have continued to dominate the general area through sustained patrols to deny the suspected group freedom of action.

Troops conduct offensive patrol in Enugu, disrupt suspected IPOB/ESN activity

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