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How Gbajabiamila Saved Nigeria’s Telecoms From Pantami’s Strange Bill

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Fresh facts emerged, yesterday, on how former speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, saved the telecom industry from a bill pushed to the 9th Assembly by former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

Pantami, who exerted so much influence under the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, had wanted to repeal the National Information Technology Development Agency Act 28 (2007) and enact a new law to provide for the administration, implementation, regulation of information technology systems and practices as well as digital economy in Nigeria and for other related matters.

The bill sought to change the Nigerian Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, into a full blown regulatory agency and subsume the regulatory powers of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and the Nigerian Communications Act 2003 in it.

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Vanguard learned that Pantami had secretly forwarded the bill to the National Assembly and was hurriedly passed by the Senate on May 16, 2023, in a bid to secure presidential assent before the May 29 expiration of the tenure of President Buhari.

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It was learned that the bill, however, ran into a brickwall in the House of Representatives where Pantami could not effectively push his way through.

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Investigation revealed that hours after the Senate passed the bill, it was pushed to the House of Representatives for concurrence and subsequently smuggled into the Order Paper for debate, even when it was not originally scheduled to be debated.

The inclusion of the bill in the Order Paper was said to have infuriated the speaker, Gbajabiamila, who handed a warning to the Clerk of the House that he didn’t want the bill in the Order Paper of the House again, because of the manner it was smuggled in.

That pronouncement by the speaker was said to be the masterstroke that finally killed the bill and saved Nigeria from potential embarrassment and loss of investor confidence in the telecom industry, considered to be the best performing sector in the country since the return to democracy in 1999.

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Some stakeholders averred that had the bill been passed, it would have subsumed some functions and powers of the NCC, the authorised Nigeria telecoms regulator, which has been variously adjudged the best telecom regulator in Africa and one of the best in the world.

They also noted that the bill would have equally subsumed the technical department of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the engineering directorate of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, and yielded control of Galaxy Backbone to NITDA to make it super regulator.

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Further checks revealed that to smoothen the journey of the Bill through the National Assembly, Pantami found an ally in the then Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information Communications Technology, ICT, Senator Yakubu Oseni.

It was gathered that Pantami carefully avoided going through the Senate Committee on Communications headed by Senator Oluremi Tinubu for fear that the committee would shut down the bill.

READ ALSO: ‘You’ve Carved Your Name In Golden Books’, Peter Obi Congratulates Hilda Baci

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Senator Tinubu, who was known to be vocal in defending the telecom sector and its stakeholders, including investors and consumers, according to industry sources, would have declared the Pantami bill dead on arrival had it passed through her committee.

To push the bill through, Senator Oseni was said to have convoked a public hearing on the bill by the joint committee of the Senate and Reps on ICT for December 23, 2022, the day the National Assembly went on Christmas break.

The ploy, Vanguard gathered, was to ensure that only few members of the joint committee attended to ‘validate’ the bill as packaged by Pantami and passed down as an executive bill.
VANGUARD

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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.

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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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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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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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