News

Diphtheria: 6 States Account For Staggering 97% Of All Reported Cases — NPHCDA

Published

3 years ago

October 4, 2023

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, said yesterday six states account for staggering 97 per cent of all reported diphtheria cases in the country.

The agency’s director general, Dr Faisal Shuaib, who disclosed this at the Diphtheria Outbreak Response briefing in Abuja, listed the states to include Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Kaduna, and Bauchi.

While noting that the six states were bearing the brunt of the disease in the country, Dr Shuaib said Kano alone carried the weight of over 84% of the cases, making it the epicenter of the outbreak.

Also regretting that Diphtheria, a preventable disease, had cast a dark shadow over communities, and particularly impacting children who he described as “our most vulnerable citizens”, Shuaib said the agency had in recent times, launched rapid and comprehensive vaccination campaigns across the affected regions.

He said: “These campaigns have been meticulously planned and executed, with a laser focus on the epicenter of the outbreak.

“Kano, as the epicenter of this outbreak, has been at the forefront of our vaccination efforts. Working with the state governments, we implemented rounds one and two of the vaccination campaign in five high-burden local government areas in February and April 2023 respectively.

“Subsequently, round three was integrated into routine immunization intensification, further bolstering our response. A additional eight LGAs in Kano underwent reactive vaccination exercises in the last week of August.

“Today, we stand united in the face of a public health challenge that demands our unwavering attention and swift action.

“Diphtheria, a preventable disease, has cast a dark shadow over our communities, particularly impacting our most vulnerable citizens, our beloved children.

“As we confront this crisis head-on, let me share with you the vital role of vaccination in our battle against this formidable foe.

“In this ongoing outbreak, you have heard that some states have been affected, with Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Kaduna, and Bauchi bearing the brunt, accounting for a staggering 97 per cent of all reported cases.

”Kano alone carries the weight of over 84 per cent of these cases, making it the epicenter of this outbreak. The burden falls disproportionately on our young, with over 73 per cent of cases occurring in children aged one to 14 years. Alarmingly, only about 18 per cent of those affected had received any vaccinations.”

”Borno State also conducted reactive vaccination exercises in four LGAs during the same period.

“For the phase one response conducted in August, 2023, significant numbers were reached. In Kano State alone, 476,962 children received Td vaccines, while 28,700 children received Penta vaccines.

”Katsina, had 313,615 children vaccinated with Penta vaccines and 421,045 with Td vaccines; Bauchi, vaccinated 162,840 children with Penta and 257,075 with Td vaccines; Kaduna, reached 174,857 children with Penta and 245,805 with Td vaccines. Yobe, vaccinated 82,601 children with Penta and 207,418 with Td vaccines. These figures do not include the daily routine vaccination efforts ongoing in these states.”

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

3 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

6 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.