News
Nigeria On Line to Benefit Massively from Korean $24 billion Assistance to Africa- Envoy

Nigeria On Line to Benefit Massively from Korean $24 billion Assistance to Africa- Envoy
By: Michael Mike
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the country, Ambassador Kim Pankyu has said Nigeria is among the top contenders to benefit from his country’s $10 billion development assistance to Africa.
He also said Nigeria also stand tall to benefit from the $14 billion boost to Korean companies to encourage their activities in Africa.
Speaking at at the Korean National Day Reception in Abuja at the weekend, the envoy said: “During the Korea-Africa Summit, my President announced that Korea would continue to expand official development assistance up to ten billion US dollars by 2030 as a catalyst for projects for cooperation with Africa.
“In addition, he committed to provide fourteen billion US dollars to Korean companies by 2030 to encourage their activities in Africa.
“I am happy to share the news that
recently an intra-governmental task force team has been composed to follow up on the economic partnership agreements made on the occasion of the Korea-Africa Summit.
Since Nigeria is a leading economy and the biggest market in Africa I believe that the partnership between Korea and Nigeria will be one of the most vibrant ones in the years to come.”
He added that: “In fact, we are already witnessing meaningful progress. During the third quarter of this year, the trade between Korea and Nigeria increased by fifty-five percent. In particular, I would like to point out the fact that the import from Nigeria to Korea increased by ninety-one percent. I believe that this positive development will continue as more and more Koreans are interested in Nigeria and more and more Nigerians are interested in Korea.”
Speaking in the level of relationship between the two countries, the Ambassador said: “When I first came to Abuja earlier this year, I was pleasantly surprised by Nigerian people’s high interest in Korean culture such as Korean language, K-drama, K-pop and K-food.
“I had an opportunity to observe K-food contest in Abuja and was deeply impressed by the Korean foods made by Nigerian chefs. When I observed Taekwondo championship in Abuja recently I had a feeling that in a few years the number of gold medals that Korean athletes win at the Olympics may decrease due to brilliant Nigerian athletes. My fellow Koreans may be disappointed, but as a former Korean ambassador to Nigeria I will be happy to watch that. I believe these kinds of cultural exchanges between our two countries
will strengthen our bonds of friendship and mutual understanding. Furthermore, I think there is a huge potential for cooperation between the two countries in the creative economy.”
On his part, the Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar said:
“Over the years, the world has witnessed the remarkable process that led to the emergence of Korea as one of the economic giants of Asia and one of the strongest economies in the world. The success story of Korea following the war in 1953, global economic downturns and the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to the strength, determination and resilience of successive governments as well as the patriotism of the good people of Korea.
The Minister, who was represented by the Director of Regions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Janet Olisa, said: “I wish to commend the government of Korea for the efforts towards increased cooperation with Africa with the overall aim of achieving shared development through sustainable economic partnerships. The successful hosting of the first Korea – Africa Summit in Seoul in June 2024 is definitely a positive step towards a formidable partnership. Nigeria expresses its appreciation to the government of Korea for its decision, which was announced during the Summit, to extend its Trade and Investment Promotion Frameworks to Africa and to increase its investment and Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the continent.”
He noted that: “Nigeria and Korea have enjoyed excellent and vibrant relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1980. These relations have continued to grow in leaps and bounds across various sectors, including political, economic, cultural and people-to-people relations. On the political front, the two countries have, in recent years, witnessed the exchange of high-level visits, the signing of significant MoUs, as well as the successful hosting of six sessions of the Nigeria – Korea Joint Commission. It is hoped that these relations will be elevated to a more strategic relationship with the highest level of engagement.
“In the economic sector, there have been close collaborations between the two countries in the fields of construction/heavy-duty industries, electronics and chemicals production. There is a significant number of Korean companies registered and doing business in Nigeria, including prominent companies like Samsung, Daewoo, and Hyundai Heavy Duty Industries, as well as LG, Samsung Electronics, and the Lotte Chemical industry. These companies have contributed immensely to the growth of the Nigerian GDP and have created job opportunities in the country..”
The Minister added that: “With the increasing momentum in our bilateral relations and improved trade relations, I am optimistic that both sides will work assiduously towards achieving a significant increase in the volume of trade for the mutual benefit of both nations.”
Nigeria On Line to Benefit Massively from Korean $24 billion Assistance to Africa- Envoy
News
UMTH: Orchard, for the Benefits of Patients’ Healing

UMTH: Orchard, for the Benefits of Patients’ Healing
By: Balami Lazarus
Hospitals are considered universally to be the most serene environment where patients are expected to have the best healthcare services and attention and also to be provided with quality medical treatment and care through their doctors and caregivers, aided by other health workers, to enable the sick ones to recuperate, feel better, and get well. How can our hospitals achieve this?
However, this can be achieved not only by discharging their primary objectives through the provision of medical treatments but also in some other related friendly environmental health windows.
When the NEWSng team took a post-flood visit to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) recently to assess some projects like the one and only Interventional Radiology Centre (IRC) in Nigeria and the Stroke Centre (SC), among other few ongoing projects that are not peculiar to most hospitals in Nigeria.

Farms are of different types, but the one in question herein is an orchard, a special kind of farm. Orchards have never been part of the hospital environment, while gardens and parks are a common sight in our hospitals. Therefore, UMTH, under the able good leadership of Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo, decided to make yet another landmark by establishing a large orchard within the hospital premises in Maiduguri.
Why an orchard in UMTH? Speaking to the CMD, Prof. Ahmed Ahidjo on the Orchard project, he happily said, “The Orchard is meant to provide a conducive environmental atmosphere/space for patients, their relatives, visitors, staff, and students to have contact with and the feel of the natural environment provided by the Orchard.” He further emphasized by saying that “patients will have a natural environment for them to relax, which will help in their healing processes.” He informed NEWSng that it is also meant to provide sources of fresh fruits for the patients and members of the hospital community at affordable prices. “The Orchard is not only established to provide leisure/relaxation, but its products—fruits—are going to be sold to assist in maintaining the facilities of the orchard.”

In the course of our reports, NEWSng spoke to Mr. Abubakar Sadiq Dawule, officer in charge of the orchard, who took us round. The Orchard is 1.75 hectares of land totaling 26 plots that are 25 meters in size. Abubakar Dawule said that each plot is planted with a single variety of economic tree that bears quality fruits. All the plots are planted with single different varieties of economic trees like cashew, custard apple tree , mango , orange, banana, guava, mango apple, pawpaw, date trees, tangerine, berries of different kinds, watermelon, and other varieties of economic trees/plants.”
Sadiq further informed NEWSng that the aims of the orchard are “to create a green area of plantation that will provide economic trees for the production of fruits.” He also said that is to help reduce global warming and provide protection for the hospital’s environmental beauty. “To have natural environment space for nutritional benefits of patients to improve their healing.
UMTH Orchard has standard functional facilities like a water fountain, a set of concrete backrest seats in each plot, and an office block consisting of shops, stores, and restrooms. The orchard is beautifully designed with paved walkways to each plot and free flow of water to all the plots. It is fenced with one main entrance. These efforts are carried out by an 18-man workforce, including security operatives, to secure the orchard.

Interestingly, the UMTH Orchard was sponsored by a well-meaning Nigerian Hon. Abdulmalik Zubairu Bungudu (Zanna Bungudu), a member of the National Assembly—House of Representatives representing the Bungudu/Maru Federal constituency of Zamfara State, with the sum of 20 million Naira.
Challenges faced by the Orchard, according to Abubakar Sadiq Dawule, are the need for additional borehole walkways and lights and more fertilizer/manure.
Garden scissors, an axe, a cutlass, and watering cans, among other handy tools, “are necessary for the maintenance of the orchard.”
UMTH: Orchard, for the Benefits of Patients’ Healing
News
Five Children Injured in IED Explosion in Mafa LGA, Borno State

Five Children Injured in IED Explosion in Mafa LGA, Borno State
By: Zagazola Makama
An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion in Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State on May 8, 2025, left five children injured, one of whom lost a hand.
Zagazola Makama understands that the explosion occurred around 1425hrs when the children unknowingly tampered with IED devices, hidden in block holes near a culvert on the access road to the ongoing construction site at the New Mafa Central Mosque.
The victims, four males and one female, were identified as Abdullahi Umar, Musa Mele, Fatima Abatcha, Abba Kawu Muhammed, and Khalid Alhaji Bukar, all of Mafa town. The blast caused varying degrees of injuries, with one of the boys losing his hand.
Following the incident, a combined team from the Explosive Ordinance Disposal-Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Unit, police from Mafa Division, and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) responded. The scene was cordoned off, and secondary devices were searched for, with pieces of can tins used as improvised containers for the IED found and professionally detonated.
Four of the victims were referred to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) for treatment, while one victim with minor injuries was treated and discharged at Mafa General Hospital.
In response to the attack, the EOD-CBRN team conducted Explosive Ordinance Risk Education (EORE) for children and community members in Mafa.
Five Children Injured in IED Explosion in Mafa LGA, Borno State
Crime
FCT Police arrest two notorious armed robbers in Kurudu

FCT Police arrest two notorious armed robbers in Kurudu
By: Zagazola Makama
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested two notorious armed robbery suspects terrorising Kurudu and its environs.
The suspects, identified as Hassan Adamu and Auwal Mohammed, both aged 25, were arrested on May 8 at about 2:00 p.m. during a targeted raid by operatives of the Scorpion Squad.
Police sources said that the suspects were linked to multiple violent robbery incidents in the area.
“One of the suspects confessed to a specific robbery at Angwan Hausawa, Kurudu, where a male victim, identified as Mohammed, was stabbed and later died from the injuries sustained during the attack.
Acting on credible intelligence, police operatives stormed a criminal hideout in Kurudu where the suspects were apprehended. A sharp dagger, reportedly intended for use against police operatives, was recovered during the search.
The suspects also revealed the identities of other members of their gang who remain at large and are believed to be armed.
The police sources said a manhunt is ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover additional weapons.
FCT Police arrest two notorious armed robbers in Kurudu
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