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US CDC hosts event in Abuja

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US CDC hosts event in Abuja

By: Michael Mike

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC) hosted the first day of its 5th round of stakeholder engagement meetings in Abuja on October 30th.

The two-day event, themed “Strategic Pivoting Towards Program Simplification and Sustainable Public Health Intervention,” had a focus to foster collaboration among key stakeholders.
On the first day, participants focused on laying the groundwork for HIV program simplification, a critical step toward enhancing ownership and sustainability in public health interventions across Nigeria. Federal and state officials, multilateral agencies, community stakeholders, and implementing partners engaged in dynamic discussions about strategies and progress related to health workforce optimization and integration.  
The second day focuses on reviewing progress of the state-led President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program and proffering innovative models for health insurance at both national and state levels. This emphasis on sustainable healthcare solutions is essential in ensuring lasting impacts on Nigeria’s public health landscape.
In his remarks on the first day, Richard Mills Jr., the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, reaffirmed the U.S. Government’s commitment to working with all stakeholders and communities to achieve and sustain HIV epidemic control; prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks; and improve health outcomes across the country. He commended those tirelessly working to provide relief to Nigerians living with HIV and emphasized the importance of continued partnership and collaboration. Ambassador Mills said, “Nigeria remains a model to the rest of the world on how to not only reach HIV epidemic control but also how to invest in people and communities, so they have the tools and skills to change their lives.”
Suzanne Theroux, the U.S. CDC Acting Country Director, highlighted Nigeria’s significant progress achieved through transformative partnerships, policies, and evidence-based public health programming. She described the initiative known as ‘Getting the Data Right,’ which focuses on determining the number of people living with HIV who are receiving lifesaving antiretroviral treatment, as a bold effort that not only validates Nigeria’s HIV treatment coverage but also supports the goal of sustainable health outcomes.
Ms. Theroux added, “The coordinated response to recent outbreaks of Lassa fever, cholera, mpox and other epidemic-prone diseases reflects our collective resilience and resolve to achieve optimal health for all Nigerians.” She also said that “Our collaborative efforts are closing the gap for zero-dose children, combatting the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases, and implementing innovations to eliminate malaria as a public health threat in Nigeria”.
 
The meeting exemplifies U.S. CDC’s commitment to regularly reviewing and adapting programming to meet the evolving needs of the HIV response in Nigeria. The next meeting is scheduled for April 2025.

US CDC hosts event in Abuja

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Troops detect, detonate IED along Ngoshe–Pulka road in Borno

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Troops detect, detonate IED along Ngoshe–Pulka road in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team of 82 Division Task Force Battalion have successfully detected and detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) along a major supply route in Gwoza LGA of Borno State.

Security sources said the device was discovered at about 9:42 a.m. on March 22 during a routine scan of the Main Supply Route (MSR) between PAPA 4 and PAPA 5 along the Ngoshe–Pulka road.

The IED, suspected to have been planted by terrorists to target troops and commuters, was safely recovered and detonated in situ by the EOD team without causing any casualties.

Military sources said the operation was part of ongoing counter-IED measures aimed at ensuring the safety of movement along critical routes in the North-East.

Residents and road users have been urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious objects or activities to security agencies for prompt action.

Troops detect, detonate IED along Ngoshe–Pulka road in Borno

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ISWAP cleric threatens attack on Malam Fatori, after humiliating defeat, troops urged to remain alert

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ISWAP cleric threatens attack on Malam Fatori, after humiliating defeat, troops urged to remain alert

By: Zagazola Makama

A suspected ISWAP cleric has issued threats of a possible attack on Malam Fatori following the recent neutralization of 75 terrorists in a failed attack on March 18 2026.

According to intelligence sources, the cleric, who reportedly led this year Eid Fitr prayers in a location near Sabon Tumbu, warned during his sermon that the group would soon retaliate against Nigerian troops for operations carried out in Malam Fatori.

The source said the cleric specifically threatened that the town could be “reduced to ashes” in a reprisal attack, stressing that such statements by insurgents should not be dismissed as mere rhetoric.

Sources noted that past experiences have shown that insurgent groups often act on their threats, urging troops deployed in Malam Fatori to remain on high alert and adequately equipped to counter any potential assault.

They also warned that the insurgents could deploy heavy firepower and adopt tactics such as coordinated assaults and the use of vehicle-borne explosive devices in any attempted attack.

Malam Fatori has for long been described as the town as a long-standing stronghold of military resistance against terrorist elements. The town has, over the years, witnessed decisive military victories against ISWAP fighters, nick named the “Grave Yard of ISWAP” and earning a REPUTATION as a difficult terrain for insurgents to operate.

The troops of the Armed Forces, supported by other security agencies, remain on high alert and have continued to fortify defensive positions in anticipation of any attempted incursion.

According to the sources, intelligence and surveillance have been intensified, while logistics and operational readiness have been enhanced to ensure that any threat is decisively neutralised.

“Experience has shown that insurgents often suffer heavy losses whenever they attempt to attack well-defended positions like Malam Fatori,” the source said.

ISWAP cleric threatens attack on Malam Fatori, after humiliating defeat, troops urged to remain alert

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Baban Chinedu says Pastor Ezekiel Dachomo is a former Armed robber now turned crises entrepreneur

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Baban Chinedu says Pastor Ezekiel Dachomo is a former Armed robber now turned crises entrepreneur

By: Zagazola Makama

Sheikh Yusuf Haruna Baban Chinedu, popularly known as Baban Chinedu, has launched a scathing and evidence-based attack on controversial Plateau pastor Ezekiel Dachomo in a viral video, accusing him of being a former armed robber and a liar who fabricated stories about meeting Jesus after a 1980 bank robbery in Jos.

Baban Chinedu declared: “Ezekiel Dachomo isn’t just someone seen in a photo with a bandit; no, he is the bandit! … Ezekiel committed armed robbery. We have records on him from 1976, from ’76 to sometime after 2000. … This man is a hardened armed robber.”

He played a clip of Dachomo admitting: “Because I went in 1980 is our gang that robbed a bank in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. 1980, they make away with a lot of money. It was my best friend that led the operation.” Baban Chinedu challenged: “Praise be to God, I hope you all heard the statement this man made. … He is lying! I want you to listen and know that first of all, this man is a complete hypocrite and a total liar. I swear, it was a gun that shot them! Angels? He claims Jesus came down with seven angels who struck them and killed fourteen people while he hid in the blood? You see, even the angels God sent down… only managed to kill fourteen people and lost track of where that one man was?”

The sheikh alleged Dachomo hid among corpses and was rescued by a gang member named Emmanuel, not Jesus: “He was begging Jesus for God’s sake to forgive him and spare his life. He claims that was where he met Jesus… By Allah, he is lying! … It was a gun that shot them! No Jesus descended there; he is lying to you.” He added: “A lady told me; she heard him when he was shot, and he still has the scar from that wound on his left side. … He is lying! At that time, it was the police, Nigerian security agents, Nigeria Police MOPOL who she said shot them.”

Baban Chinedu accused Dachomo of transitioning from “practical, street-level bandit” to “spiritual bandit” and inciting religious conflict: “The armed bandits of the past are the ones who transformed into these kidnappers. … All those who are making these plans are your boys… You’re insulting her religion, she told us the truth about everything that happened… You are a robber, and the government should investigate you; you’re behind all of this.”

He challenged Dachomo to court: “Ezekiel, I, Yusuf Haruna Baban Chinedu, challenge you: if you know there’s any falsehood in what’s being said about you, take it to court.” The sheikh demanded investigation: “We want the government if possible to investigate this man, I swear to God he’s an armed robber… By Allah, the government should know that Ezekiel is involved in this. Let him tell you the names of those he robbed with.”

The viral video has ignited fierce online reactions, with many praising Baban Chinedu’s evidence-based approach while others condemn the personal attacks on Dachomo, intensifying Nigeria’s ongoing religious and ethnic tensions occasioned by US recent remarks on Christians genocide propaganda. Watch the video in the comment section.

Baban Chinedu says Pastor Ezekiel Dachomo is a former Armed robber now turned crises entrepreneur

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