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Employ Sign Language Interpreters, Foundation Urges Nigerian Banks

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A foundation, Sharing Education and Learning for Life (SELL), on Wednesday, called on all Nigerian banks to employ signs language interpreters across the country.

Mr Benji Benjamin, the Programme Manager of the foundation made the call in Bauchi during a one-day programme focused on policy discussions, compliance and awareness regarding inclusive services for Persons With Disability (PWD).

According to him, the move would greatly help and make banking services more accessible to people with disabilities especially, the hearing impaired individuals.

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He explained that the one-day programme would add to the several conversations that were already ongoing on how to make communities, societies and infrastructures, whether public or private, more inclusive for everybody, including PWDs.

READ ALSO: FG Renews Exploration License Of Oil In Bauchi – Minister

“At the end of the day, each and everyone of us that has been invited for this conversation will add to the discussions.

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“It is expected that we leave here with a direction on how each and everyone of us will contribute to making our public and private spaces more inclusive for everybody,” he said.

Similarly, Mr Mainas Ayuba, from Bauchi State Network of Disability Forum, observed that there would always be people with impairments but it shouldn’t be seen as a barrier.

He recounted how someone complained bitterly about the non availability of sign language interpretation in banks as he had an issue with his account and was going to the bank without resolving the issue.

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Apart from not resolving the issue, they didn’t give him correct information, apart from not getting the right information, sometimes if he went there, he will be asked to sit down and they will forget about him.

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“A lot of persons with disabilities who yearn to have bank accounts are resolving to opening online banking as they can’t go to the conventional banks because they are not getting well treated as expected.

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“Sometimes, some services of banks are upstairs and someone who is on the wheelchair or crutches can’t go there and sometimes if they are told that there are customers downstairs, they won’t come down.

“They rather give them forms to fill and that’s how they will end up walking around in the bank with the form and usually, the person that is subjected to that rigour is the one who takes the customer to the bank,” he said.

He called on all and sundry to conceptualise disability as this would bring change in the way people see and treat persons with disabilities in their various environments.

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Ayuba also called on institutions of learning to allow people on wheelchair to use their chairs while receiving lectures and writing examinations instead of taking them off their chairs to sit on desks.

READ ALSO: IGP Launches Safe School Initiative In Bauchi

Also, Malam Haruna Pali, Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities, expressed concern on how his people are being marginalised and denied inclusivity by some quarters.

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Responding, Mr Morris Choji, a representative from Ecobank Nigeria Limited, Bauchi branch, said they learned a lot of things by coming to the programme.

He promised that when they assemble for the next bankers committee’s meeting, all the issues discussed would be tabled for them to be effectively addressed.

Other stakeholders present at the programme included a representative from Wema Bank, Ministry of Women Affairs and Child development, Civil Society Organisation, state’s Agency for Persons With Disabilities, among others.

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Some of the participants in their separate remarks, also advocated for the full implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons With Disabilities Prohibition act, 2018.

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Eating Takeout Food Often May Increase Heart Disease Risk — Study

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Research suggests that higher takeout food consumption may increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, like heart disease.

In a new study, published in Food Science & Nutrition, researchers said eating takeout food too often can influence systemic inflammation that underlies much cardiovascular disease.

The study of over eight thousand people in the 2009 to 2018 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that those who eat greater amounts of takeout food are likely to have various elevated risk factors for heart disease.

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They were interviewed in their homes and also visited a mobile examination centre, where they recalled their food intake, received cardiometabolic health assessments, and had blood collected.

READ ALSO:23 Ships With Fuel, Food Items To Arrive Lagos Ports – NPA

Mammograms may predict heart disease risk in women — Study

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The researchers found a correlation between the amount of takeout food a person consumes and their likelihood of developing chronic low-level inflammation, a key driver of cardiovascular pathology.

Deaths from cardiovascular disease and the consumption of takeout foods are both on the rise, and while that does not prove a causal relationship, the study explores whether there is a connection between the two.

The study tracked degrees of systemic inflammation according to the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), a scale that quantifies the risk of inflammation related to the intake of specific dietary substances.

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READ ALSO:Food Security: 14,000 Smallholder Farmers To Benefit From N4bn Smart Agriculture Training In Bauchi

The three major takeaways from the analysis included that a higher level of takeout food consumption corresponded to an unfavourable cardiometabolic profile consisting of lower HDL, as well as higher triglycerides, fasting glucose, serum insulin, and insulin resistance.

Jayne Morgan, MD, cardiologist and Vice President of Medical Affairs in a reaction, who was not involved in the study, explained that “Takeout food raises the cardiovascular risk not because of one ingredient, but because of a predictable combination of nutrients, additives, and preparation methods that adversely affect blood pressure, lipids, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and endothelial function.”

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This includes excess sodium that increases blood volume and blood vessel stiffness, and unhealthy fats, usually saturated fats or trans fats, that increase cholesterol level and atherosclerosis, a condition that can lead to heart attack and stroke.”

Michelle Routhenstein, Preventive Cardiology Dietitian at Entirely Nourished, also not involved in this study, declared, “It is also important to recognise that frequent takeout use often reflects broader lifestyle pressures such as demanding schedules, limited access to cooking resources, irregular meals, and disrupted sleep, all of which can quietly compound cardiovascular risk.”

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How To Identify Fake Kiss Condoms In Circulation

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has recently warned Nigerians about the circulation of counterfeit Kiss brand condoms in major markets across the country.

Contents
Original DKT Kiss condoms
Fake Kiss condoms

In a public alert published on its website recently and referenced as Public Alert No. 042/2025, the agency said the warning followed information received from DKT International Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation involved in contraceptive social marketing and HIV/AIDS prevention.

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NAFDAC stated, “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control is notifying the public about the sale and distribution of fake Kiss condoms in various Nigerian markets.

“The information was received from the MAH-DKT International Nigeria, a leading non-governmental organisation focused on contraceptive social marketing. Its mission is to provide Nigerians with affordable and safe options for family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention.

“The fake Kiss condoms have been reported to be found in Onitsha Market, Idumota Market, Trade Fair Market, and various markets in Kano, Abuja, Uyo, Gombe, Enugu, and others.”

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READ ALSO:Married Man Denies Wife At Brazil Concert To Kiss Tems On Stage [VIDEO]

Kiss condom is a brand of male latex condoms designed to offer sexual protection, including the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, gonorrhoea and syphilis.

To help consumers avoid counterfeit products, NAFDAC outlined key differences between original and fake Kiss condoms.

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Original DKT Kiss condoms
The original product comes in a light red box pack with clear instructions printed on the lower part of the pack, including single-use warnings and storage and caution information. The box contains detailed medical device information, including MDSS GmbH, Germany, and a complete Nigerian address at Isolo Industrial Layout, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

The condom pack is light red, with the word “Kiss” closely written on six lines. The wallet outer pack is lighter red, carries the Oshodi-Apapa address, manufacturer details, and a clear product description beside the condom image. The hidden flap includes revision dates, medical device details, and caution information, while the wallet inner contains detailed instructions and eight bullet points under important notes.

READ ALSO:Lagos Names Mandy Kiss Anti-drug Abuse Ambassador

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The original condom is large, oval-shaped, well-lubricated, and has a large teat end for semen collection.

Fake Kiss condoms
In contrast, fake Kiss condoms come in darker-coloured box packs with little or no additional information. Some boxes are plain white inside and lack condom images. The address is wrongly listed as 42, Montgomery Road, Yaba, Lagos, while the manufacturer’s address is incomplete or missing. Storage and caution information is absent.

The condom pack is darker, with “Kiss” loosely written on five lines and wide spacing. The condom strip is longer than the original. The wallet outer pack is also darker red, carries incorrect or missing addresses, lacks colour wave designs, and shows inconsistencies in barcode lines. Medical device and caution information are missing, and the hidden flap contains no details.

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Inside the wallet, information is summarised with only six bullet points. The fake condom is thinner, round-shaped, less lubricated, and has a smaller teat end.
(TRIBUNE)

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Lagos: Police Arrest 14 Suspected Traffic Robbers On Lekki-Epe Expressway

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Fourteen persons suspected to be involved in traffic-related robbery have been arrested at various points along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos over the past two weeks.

The arrests were confirmed on Tuesday by the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, via a post on her official X handle, @AbimbolaShotayo.

According to her, operatives of the Command’s Tactical Squad based in Elemoro carried out the operations that led to the suspects’ apprehension.

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She explained that the arrests followed sustained patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at curbing criminal activities associated with traffic congestion and improving the safety of motorists and other road users along the busy corridor.

Adebisi noted that the development reflects the Command’s determination to strengthen security and uphold law and order on the Lekki-Epe axis, adding that the Tactical Squad has continued to proactively identify crime-prone areas and respond swiftly to threats posed by criminal elements.

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She called on residents and commuters to support police efforts by providing timely and credible information that could assist in preventing and detecting crime.

READ ALSO:VIDEO: Chaos As Last-minute Shoppers Overwhelm Lagos Balogun Market

Security is a shared responsibility. Members of the public are encouraged to stay alert and promptly report any suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station,” she said.

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The police spokesperson further reassured residents and road users of the Command’s commitment to maintaining aggressive patrols and security operations to protect lives and property in the area.

She reiterated the Command’s community policing message, “See Something, Say Something,” stressing the importance of cooperation between the police and the public in sustaining peace and security.

 

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