News

Polio: How UNICEF Moves To Eradicate Menace In Bauchi

Published

4 months ago

April 26, 2025

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the Bauchi state government has mobilised traditional rulers to ensure massive 2025 polio vaccine uptake and compliance in the state.

Speaking during the monitoring of the vaccination exercise in Ningi Local Government Area of the state on Saturday, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of UNICEF’s Field Office, Bauchi, lauded the Emirs for actively participating in the advocacy of the polio vaccine uptake in the state.

Represented by Mr Eki George, UNICEF’s Social Behaviour Change Specialist, Rafique acknowledged that the role the traditional rulers would play to ensure massive vaccine compliance and uptake could not be overemphasised.

“It is a welcome development to see our royal fathers taking up the leadership role in leading our communities to do the right thing.

“We are indeed very grateful as we have sought for their roles in this campaign and here they are with us to ensure that our children are all vaccinated.

“We appreciated the presence of the traditional rulers during these monitoring exercises and this will definitely encourage and boost the uptake of the polio vaccine, especially by the non-compliance people in the state.

“This is a campaign where we want to ensure that all the zero dose children in the state receive the life saving vaccine as well as ensure that the parents especially, fathers continuously give consent for their children to be vaccinated,” she said.

Rafique expressed UNICEF’s readiness to support all the LGAs, the communities and the state at large in ensuring that all the qualified children are vaccinated and kick out polio from the state and Nigeria in general.

Also speaking, Alh. Othman Usman, Emir of Dass, said that the traditional institutions in the state were very committed to ensure that polio is completely eradicated in Bauchi state this time around.

The First Class Emir, who is the Chairman, Bauchi state Emirate Councils Committee on Health (BASECCOH), said the traditional rulers would be fully involved in the mobilisation of communities, especially the non-compliance for the vaccine uptake.

“There are many communities here that are very known for non-compliance of the polio vaccine and that is why I and the Emir of Ningi have decided to visit the communities by ourselves.

“We are here to sensitise the people of these communities to ensure that the health workers can be able to access each and every household to be able to vaccinate all the eligible children in these communities,” he said.

The Emir also explained that they had been working closely with some Malams and Imams who had been resisting the vaccine in the past, adding that they have all accepted it.

“It’s a very good effort and In-Sha-Allah, we are going to see successes because the issue of resistance is now being taken care of.

“Even those Imams that were resisting to some extent before are now with us and one of them just did a symbolic vaccination of some children,” he said.

The Emir of Dass was accompanied by the Emir of Ningi, Alh. Haruna Danyaya and some religious and community leaders.

News

DSS Issues Warning, Arrests Man For Circulating Fake Recruitment Materials

Published

19 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed the arrest of one Mr. Eze Ezenwa Benard, who was recently apprehended for circulating fake DSS recruitment past questions and answers on Facebook.

The agency, while warning the public in a statement on Saturday, said the suspect operated through a page known as “Jobs and Education”, where he advertised the fraudulent materials and charged unsuspecting members of the public one thousand naira (N1,000) for access.

“The public is hereby cautioned to disregard any materials, as the DSS does not sell or distribute recruitment questions, answers, or examination guides through private individuals or social media pages. Recruitment into the Service, when necessary, follows specialised procedure in accordance with extant laws and due process,” the statement reads.

News

‘Na Only People You Gave Work Love You,’ Singer Speed Darlington Tells Tinubu

Published

19 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Singer Speed Darlington has told President Bola Tinubu that public admiration cannot be bought, warning that only those who received appointments or jobs from the government truly support him.

In a video posted on Saturday, August 23, the singer said, “Everything isn’t about the economy! There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you.”

Darlington, an Igbo man, urged Tinubu to focus on police reform and respect for human rights. “The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate. Please, before you leave office, please speak to your Yoruba brother IGP man,” he added.

News

Before You Leave Office, Reform The Police — Speed Darlington Urges Tinubu

Published

19 hours ago

August 24, 2025

Editor

Popular controversial singer Speed Darlington has called on President Bola Tinubu to reform the Nigerian Police Force, urging the government to prioritise citizens’ rights alongside economic growth.

In a video posted on Saturday, the entertainer criticised what he described as the police’s systemic human rights violations and oppressive practices.

“Mr President, before you leave office, whether you secure a second term or not, try your best to improve Nigeria. Everything isn’t about the economy!

“There is more to leadership than the economy. See as everybody dey call your name, dey complain. Nobody loves you. Na only the ones you gave work, na them love you. Even your own tribe dey complain about you,” he said.

The singer, who identifies as Igbo, urged Tinubu to engage with the Inspector-General of Police and implement reforms.

“As an Igbo man, the advice I can give you so people will know your name and remember you for something good is to reform the police. Reform the police.

“The Nigerian police is an oppressive agency rooted in human rights violation. As a matter of fact, if they do not violate you, it’s as if they are not even doing their job.

“The idea of arrest before investigation is a pure human rights violation. You arrest and hold a person before you dey investigate,” he added.

Darlington also recounted his personal ordeal with law enforcement, highlighting the system’s abuse of power.

“I was held for two months after the judge had ordered my release. FID held me for two months. According to my lawyer, the Nigerian law gives only 28 days for investigation.

“They held me for two months. What is the extra month for? Because they can. If you give them money, they oppress your enemy. I have experienced it,” he said.