Headline

Nigeria Gets $933m Grant To Fight HIV, Malaria

Published

2 years ago

May 31, 2024

The Global Fund’s Grant Cycle 7 has allocated $933m to Nigeria to address HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria from 2024 to 2026.

Of this, $340,095,438 is dedicated to the HIV grant, with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS receiving $10,663,394 to lead the coordination of the multisectoral response to HIV.

NACA made this known on Friday in a press statement signed by its Head of Public Relations and Protocol, Toyin Aderibigbe.

To kick off the GC7 grant, the statement noted that a four-day retreat was held for the newly formed Project Monitoring Unit.

The retreat was designed to familiarise the new team members with their roles, reflect on past successes, identify areas for improvement, and discuss actionable strategies for future endeavours.

In her welcome remark, the Director General of NACA, Dr Temitope Ilori, highlighted the significant accomplishments of the GC6 grant.

Ilori said these accomplishments include training healthcare personnel, equipping laboratories, and meaningfully engaging communities.

She urged participants to build on these successes in tackling HIV challenges.

“While we celebrate these remarkable achievements, we must task ourselves to improve upon our past efforts by being efficient and intentional in sustainably addressing the public health challenges of HIV through the use of reliable data for effective decision-making.” Dr Ilori stated.

The notable activities under the GC7 include the scale-up of HIV and TB Gender and Human Rights interventions both at the national and sub-national levels; the development of 36+1 states’ strategic plans leveraging the HIV National Strategic Plan 2023-2027; the implementation of medically assisted treatment among persons who inject drugs using methadone or buprenorphine; the improvement of HIV coordination at the sub-national levels through direct support to State Agencies for the Control of AIDS; and the conduct of HIV Integrated Biological and Behavioural Surveillance Survey 2024.

Dr Ilori said, “My vision for the HIV response under my leadership is to foster a domestically driven HIV response that ends AIDS and its associated conditions as a public health threat in an effective, efficient, and sustainable manner.”

She urged everyone to join the journey toward this shared goal of greatness.

“I urge you to reflect on how our work can ensure that we eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in collaboration with the National HIV, Hepatitis, and STI Control Programme.

“Contribute meaningfully to the sector-wide approach of the Ministry of Health, further strengthen the health response to become more resilient and sustainable, ensure that we can respond to any public health emergency, and end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” she said.

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.