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UNICEF Worries discoveries of 2 Casa in Jigawa, Govt. Receives Over 2m Dosage of Polio Vaccine, Recruits 50,000 Adhoc to Immunizes 2m Children

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UNICEF Worries discoveries of 2 Casa in Jigawa, Govt. Receives Over 2m Dosage of Polio Vaccine, Recruits 50,000 Adhoc to Immunizes 2m Children

By: Aminu B, Dutse

Two Polio Cases had been recorded in Hadejia and Suletantarkar local government of Jigawa State after being the state certified Polio virus free for about one decade.

This was disclosed by the United Nations Childrens Education Fund (UNICEF) Kano Chief field officer, Mr Rahama Rihood Farah during a day Media Dialogue on Polio and Routine Immunization organized by the United Nations Childrens Education Fund (UNICEF) held in Dutse, the state capital.

Mr. Rahama Rihood Farah was represented by Dr. Serekeberehan Seyoum Deres, Health Manager, UNICEF Kano Field Office said “polio is a highly infectious disease with potentially deadly consequences for young children. It has been the leading cause of paralysis among children and can cause death!”.

According to him “Across the world, 3 billion people have been immunized against polio since 1988, bringing the disease to the brink of eradication. But the fight is not over, including in Nigeria, because low vaccination rates are creating opportunities for polio outbreaks as we are seeing in Nigeria. Recently.In 2025, 18 cases of polio have been reported in 18 LGAs in nine (9) states of Nigeria”.

“Two (2) of these polio cases are in Hadejia and Sule Tankarkar LGAs of Jigawa state. This is unacceptable and must be halted Polio knows no boundaries and spreads fast an outbreak in any country puts children in every country at risk”.

The chief field officer maintained that “In the last 50 years alone, vaccines have saved 154 million lives that is six people every minute, for five decades. Together, we have made incredible progress. Simply by being immunized, you help to protect others from the spread of disease, just as they help to protect you.We can stop outbreaks and eradicate polio”.

“Ending polio and improving children’s survival starts with making sure all children have access to vaccines. UNICEF calls on the Jigawa state government, and indeed all states in Nigeria, to take urgent action to stop polio outbreaks and to reach all children with polio and other life-saving vaccines”.

He said UNICEF requests Jigawa State government to declares a State of Emergency on Polio and Routine Immunization including a commitment to release State Counterpart funding for polio and routine Immunization, 27 local government councils’ Chairmen in the state to make similar commitments, and conduct flag-offs of the upcoming polio vaccination campaign and commit to releasing counterpart funding.

Mr Dr. Serekeberehan Seyoum noted that UNICEF in collaboration with the Jigawa state government through the Primary Healthcare Development Agency has convened this Media Dialogue to solicit the support of the media in raising awareness and mobilizing parents, caregivers, communities, stakeholders, the public and everyone, about the Polio Vaccination Campaign which Nigeria has scheduled to implement from 24-30 April 2025.

UNICEF emphasis that Media must regularly disseminate through their platforms accurate information to help fight myths, disinformation and rumors which misinform and discourage people from taking opportunities to vaccinate children.

“If children get vaccinated routinely, we will have no need for vaccination campaigns to deal with vaccine-preventable diseases. To eradicate polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases, Nigeria must strengthen its Routine Immunization efforts. This requires full implementation of the One functional Primary Healthcare Centre per ward Policy. If we strengthen our Routine Immunization, we can realize a future free from diseases like polio, cervical cancer and measles”.

Farah stated further that as the global community is focusing attention on human papillomavirus during the World Immunization Week, and UNICEF urges the government and decision makers in Nigeria to also focus attention on and invest in vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes cervical cancer.

“We can realize a future free from vaccine-preventable diseases like polio, cervical cancer and measles. A future where no child dies from illnesses that we know how to prevent – because Vaccines are available, safe and effective!”.

Speaking over the development the executive secretary Jigawa state Primary Healthcare Development Agency PHCDA, Dr Sambo through director primary healthcare services, Dr Hassan Shu’aibu Kwalam said the state has came up and adopted new strategies to re-eliminates the disease in the state.

According to him the state government through the agency a massive immunization exercise to be lunched all over the state by tomorrow Wednesday targeted to immunizes all eligibles children in the state.

The director explained that a high level meeting with traditional and religious leaders under the chairmanship of the chairman of Polio enlightenment campaign committee and Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Muhammad Hamim Nuhu to redesigned where the Emir of Hadejia and Gumel, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Make and Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed Sani and review the hole (polio) immunization exercise in Hadejia.

Dr Hassan Shu’aibu Kwalam explained that there is a massive immunization exercise plan to kick off 24th of this month to last for six days where through the period over 3060 teams of three people per each team to be despatches across 287 political wards in 27 local government areas to vaccinate all eligible children.

He said “the agency received over two million dosage of vaccine to be admitted to the targeted 1.9 million children”.

“In an effort to achieve 100 percent coverage about 50,000 adhoc staff had been recruited which includes people to administer the vaccine, recorders, supervisors at three different levels such as at teams, wards, local government area zones and state levels.

Also speaking the programme manager, State Emergency Routine Immunisation Coordination Centre (SERICC ), Dr Shehu Ibrahim said “a total of 1.9m os targeted to immunizes against the polio disease in the forthcoming polio immunisation exercise to be conducted a cross 27 local government areas of the state”.

Dr Shehu Ibrahim described noncompliance which in most cases emanating from political attribution in vaccine exercise leading to missing some children from recieving the vaccine a situation that exposing them and endangering other to the virus.

He expressed concern on political attraction to polio and routing immunization where in some cases rejecting the vaccine for a political reason remains serious challenge in achieving the targeted children in the state, “what is the relationship with water supply and routing immunization?”.

According to him “In February 2025 immunisation exercise a total of seven children were missed in Garki, Kaugama and Maigatari Local Government area “

He said , State Government has introduced various measures to ensure no single child is left behind during the upcoming immunisation campaign.

Adding that Immunisation teams would be deployed to markets and boarders to ensure full coverage and to ensure no zero child is recorded.

UNICEF Worries discoveries of 2 Casa in Jigawa, Govt. Receives Over 2m Dosage of Polio Vaccine, Recruits 50,000 Adhoc to Immunizes 2m Children

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KACRAN Applauds Buni’s Leadership, Cites Job Creation and Food Security Gains in Yobe

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KACRAN Applauds Buni’s Leadership, Cites Job Creation and Food Security Gains in Yobe

By: Michael Mike

The Kulen Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria (KACRAN) has commended Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, for what it described as visionary leadership that has significantly improved job creation, food security, and overall wellbeing of citizens in the state.

In a statement signed by its National President, Khalil Mohammed Bello, the association said the desire of any society is to have a leader who prioritizes the welfare, security, and long-term prosperity of the people, noting that Governor Buni embodies such qualities.

KACRAN praised the governor’s humility and accessibility, describing him as a leader who maintains close contact with citizens to better understand their needs and challenges. According to the association, this people-oriented approach has contributed to sustained peace and unity in Yobe State.

Highlighting key achievements, the group noted that Buni’s administration has consistently invested heavily in agriculture by procuring and distributing farm inputs to farmers at subsidized rates. This, it said, has boosted food production and strengthened food security not only in Yobe but across neighboring states.

The association also lauded the establishment of a dedicated Ministry of Livestock, which it said has reinforced Yobe’s position as a leading livestock hub in Nigeria. It added that the construction of modern markets across major towns has further enhanced commercial activities within the state.

On human capital development, KACRAN pointed to the award of scholarships to thousands of students for studies within and outside Nigeria, as well as the construction and rehabilitation of roads, bridges, and other infrastructure to improve connectivity between rural and urban areas.

The group further commended the governor for creating employment opportunities through recruitment into the civil service and various empowerment programmes targeting youths and women.

KACRAN also acknowledged the efforts of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), led by Mohammed Goje, in providing relief materials to internally displaced persons and vulnerable populations affected by insurgency, floods, and other disasters.

It noted that during the ongoing Ramadan, the state government has intensified food distribution initiatives, ensuring that thousands of households receive daily support as part of broader measures to cushion economic hardship.

While stressing the importance of proactive governance, KACRAN urged other state governments and the Federal Capital Territory to emulate Yobe’s approach to investing in agriculture, human development, and security in order to avert potential food crises and improve living standards nationwide.

The association concluded that sustained commitment to these priorities would promote peace, unity, and long-term stability across the country.

KACRAN Applauds Buni’s Leadership, Cites Job Creation and Food Security Gains in Yobe

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CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

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CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

By: Zagazola Makama

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has raised fresh concerns over internal complicity in the protracted insurgency in the North-East, urging residents of Borno and Yobe to take ownership of the fight against terrorism.

Oluyede’s position, articulated after a high-level security meeting in Maiduguri, signals a strategic shift in emphasis from purely kinetic military operations to community-driven counterinsurgency, as Nigeria battles the enduring threat posed by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.

The meeting, which lasted about four hours, brought together top military commanders, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar and other top military officials.

At the heart of the CDS’s message is a troubling reality: the insurgency is being sustained, in part, by individuals that sometimes embedded within affected communities.

According to Oluyede, intelligence reports indicate that many of those responsible for attacks over the past 15 years originate from the same communities bearing the brunt of the violence.

This assertion reinforces long-standing concerns within security circles that local knowledge terrain familiarity, social networks, and community cover has continued to provide operational advantages to insurgents.

He cited a recent example in Kukawa, where troops discovered wounded terrorists hiding within the community during post-attack clearance operations, pointing to the challenge of distinguishing between civilians and collaborators.

The dynamics complicate military efforts, as insurgents exploit familial and social ties to evade detection, making intelligence gathering more difficult despite sustained offensives.

The CDS’s call for residents to “take ownership” reflects a recognition that military القوة alone cannot decisively end the insurgency without active civilian cooperation.

Oluyede’s remarks suggest a push to recalibrate this dynamic by encouraging residents to see the fight as a collective responsibility rather than solely a government burden.

The CDS also acknowledged the evolving tactics of insurgents, particularly the increasing use of drones and other technological in attacks.

Oluyede disclosed that the Nigerian military is adapting, including the deployment of advanced drone systems to enhance surveillance, targeting, and battlefield coordination.

CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership of fight against terror, says enemy operating from within

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FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

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Dr Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary of Interior, (center), CG Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOS) Sylvester Nwakuche, Mni. (R) and Executive Director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, Funke Adeoye (L).

FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s correctional system into a hub of rehabilitation, skills development, and national productivity through strategic Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).

The pledge was highlighted at a stakeholders’ engagement on optimizing correctional farm centres, industries, and PPP opportunities, organized by the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with civil society and development partners.

Representing the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Permanent Secretary Dr. Magdalene Ajani stated that modern correctional facilities must focus not only on confinement but also on equipping inmates with practical skills for reintegration into society. “Correctional centres must evolve into institutions of transformation—where inmates are prepared to become productive members of society upon release,” she said.

Ajani emphasized the importance of PPPs in achieving this vision, describing them as critical tools for combining government oversight with private sector expertise, innovation, and investment. She added that correctional farm centres and industries could become centres of excellence in agriculture, agro-processing, and value-chain development, contributing to both inmate rehabilitation and national food security.

The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed that the Service currently operates 18 farm centres and 10 cottage industries nationwide, spanning crop production, livestock, fisheries, and poultry.

He noted that collaboration with the private sector would boost productivity, introduce modern techniques, and create sustainable value chains.

Stakeholders, including representatives from government, civil society, development organisations, and the private sector, agreed on the need for actionable and scalable models to drive tangible impact.

On his part, the Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions Hon. Chinedu Ogah, called for greater accountability, innovation, and commitment in optimizing correctional farms, noting that agriculture remains a critical driver of economic growth and national security.

The engagement aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s broader reform agenda, which prioritizes institutional strengthening, economic productivity, and sustainable development. Participants were urged to leverage partnerships that transform correctional facilities into engines of productivity, reduce recidivism, and enhance community safety.

The Ministry of Interior reiterated that the success of correctional reform depends on collective action, sustained investment, and a shared commitment to building a humane and development-oriented correctional system.

FG Pushes for Correctional Reform via Public-Private Partnership

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