News
Subsidy Removal: Nigeria On Brink Of Collapse — Catholic Bishops
Published
2 years agoon
By
Editor
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, has raised the alarm that the removal of fuel subsidy without cushioning the effects has put the country on the brink of collapse.
The bishops’ alarm came as Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, pleaded with the Federal Government to urgently address the pains of the people arising from the removal of subsidy on petrol.
However, efforts made to get the reaction of the Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Mr Dele Alake, did not yield any results, as he neither responded to a text message sent to his phone nor picked up his calls.
But the President of CBCN, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, raised the alarm in a homily delivered at the Maria Assumpta Cathedral, during the reception of the Supreme Subordinate President of the Knights of St. John International, Prof. Remy Uche, in Owerri, weekend, said Nigeria might be heading for the precipice if nothing urgent is done to effectively check the current economic crisis facing the nation and its citizens.
READ ALSO: Resident Doctors’ Strike Bites Harder As Hospitals Discharge Patients
He said: “The suffering in the land has over the years been galloping uncontrollably. Our growing economic crisis became exacerbated with the recent withdrawal of petrol subsidy by the Federal Government. Indeed, Nigeria is on the brink of collapse.
“Government has not ceased to inundate citizens with it’s fabled palliative measures to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal. I am sure those running the nation’s affairs at all levels know that palliative measures can never be a cure for any economic or health challenge.
“If Nigerians are given food items as palliatives, we will definitely go hungry again, after consuming the food. So, I ask: Why waste resources on palliative measures, instead of attacking the problems frontally?
“Provision of a constant source of energy remains the driving force in all developing and developed economies. Why is ours different? Why should we not subsidize fuel?
READ ALSO: Senate Halts Screening Of 3 Ministerial Nominees Over Alleged Forgery, Age Falsification
“We have severally been told that some people have been enriching themselves from our commonwealth through petrol subsidy. For many patriotic citizens, this argument does not hold water.
“Why has the government failed, is unwilling or incapable of identifying the supposed culprits and bringing them to account for their sordid act?
“There is a lot of deceit and corruption in the land. How can anybody explain why and how the former administration hurriedly commissioned the Dangote refinery, which is yet to start production? So, why the haste in commissioning an unfinished project?
“There is also the fabled story of the supposed Nigerian airline and how an aeroplane was hired or borrowed to flag off its operation. Where is the airline today? Has anyone been asked to account for the act? This is not a good national testimonial.
READ ALSO: SUBSIDY: Strike, Protest May Cause Total Breakdown Of Law, NECA Warms FG
“The root of Nigeria’s problem is massive corruption. For Nigeria to survive, we must collectively fight corruption, whichever way it rears its ugly head.
“Government must be told that we cannot afford the luxury of punishing the entire populace, because of the corrupt tendencies of a few. This is not fair to all concerned.”
You may like
Falana Reveals Those Behind Subsidy Removal
I’ve No Regret Removing Fuel Subsidy – Tinubu
Fuel Subsidy Removal Cripples 90% Of Nigerian Businesses – Report
Fuel Subsidy: Afe Babalola Varsity Increases Staff Gross Salaries By 35%
Petrol Stations Shutting Down, Marketers Warn
JUST IN: FG Gives ₦5bn Subsidy Palliative To Each State, FCT
News
NAFDAC Warns Of Fake Artemetrin DS, Antibiotic Ciprofit 500 In Circulation
Published
48 minutes agoon
September 17, 2025By
Editor
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public alert over falsified versions of two essential medicines, warning of serious health risks.
In a statement numbered 030/2025, the agency said counterfeit batches of the anti-malarial Artemetrin DS and the antibiotic Ciprofit 500 were in circulation, despite being sourced from licensed vendors and wholesalers.
Laboratory tests showed the products contained dangerously low levels of active ingredients. NAFDAC said Artemetrin DS, labelled as manufactured by A.C. Drugs Ltd in Enugu State, contained only 59.2 per cent artemether and 71.2 per cent lumefantrine — well below the 90-110 per cent potency limit.
Ciprofit 500, falsely labelled as produced by Impact Pharmaceutical Ltd, was found to contain just 5.7 per cent ciprofloxacin. Neither drug is registered in NAFDAC’s official database and the registration numbers printed on the packaging were fabricated.
READ ALSO:Why Killers Of Anambra Siblings Have Not Been Unraveled 7 Months After — Police
“The implications of substandard anti-malarials in a malaria-endemic country like Nigeria cannot be overstated,” a NAFDAC spokesperson said in the alert. “These falsified products undermine treatment efficacy and could lead to preventable deaths.”
The agency urged the public to stop using the medicines and return the stocks to its nearest office. Those who have taken the drugs and experienced adverse reactions or treatment failure should seek immediate medical attention.
The World Health Organisation estimates that substandard and falsified medicines make up about 10 per cent of the global market. In Nigeria, prevalence may be higher, complicating the fight against malaria, which kills over 200,000 people annually, and bacterial infections, which contribute to high morbidity.
READ ALSO:NAFDAC Warns Of Fake Postinor-2 In Circulation
The latest warning comes after NAFDAC seized fake malaria drugs worth 1.2 billion naira ($750,000) in Lagos on 12 September. Earlier alerts this year covered falsified Postinor-2 contraceptives, Oxytocin injections, and milk products. The regulator has pledged to reduce falsified medicine prevalence to below five per cent by the end of 2025.
NAFDAC advised healthcare providers, distributors, and consumers to verify products using its online database, purchase only from authorised outlets, and report suspicious cases via its hotline or dedicated email.
The agency’s director-general, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, reaffirmed its commitment to tackling counterfeit medicines. “With the full support of the government, we will continue to intensify surveillance and enforcement to eliminate these threats,” she said in a recent address.
News
Police Clear Pastor Paul Adefarasin Over ‘Gun-like’ Object In Viral Video
Published
1 hour agoon
September 17, 2025By
Editor
The Lagos State Police Command has cleared Pastor Paul Adefarasin of any wrongdoing following an investigation into a viral video in which he appeared to be holding a gun-like object from his vehicle.
The police spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that the object was not a real gun, but a stun gun, which is not a deadly weapon.
The police added that there are no sufficient grounds to proceed with the matter and that the case is hereby discontinued.
READ ALSO:Police Quiz Pastor Paul Adefarasin Over ‘Gun-like Object’ Video
The statement read: “Following the incident, wherein Pastor Paul Adefarasin turned himself in at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, in connection with a viral video showing him holding a gun-like object, the Lagos State Police Command wishes to provide a further update on the matter.
“After a thorough investigation, including interrogation and a cautionary statement from Pastor Adefarasin, it was established that the object in question was a stun gun and not a lethal weapon or firearm.
“Consequent on our findings, the Lagos State Police Command has determined that there are no sufficient grounds to proceed with the matter. The case is hereby discontinued.
The incident happened on June 6, 2025, when a short video went viral online.
READ ALSO:Jihadist Blockades Disrupt Trade, Travel In Landlocked Mali
In the video, Pastor Adefarasin rolled down his tinted car window and appeared to hold a gun-like object. A man filming the car quickly began to apologise, saying, “Boss, boss, sorry sir, sorry sir,” as the pastor drove away.
After the video caused a stir on social media, Pastor Adefarasin spoke out to deny claims that he had a gun or threatened anyone.
“You might be aware of a video circulating on social media showing me in what some have misunderstood as brandishing a firearm. I want to assure you that was certainly not a firearm, and at no point did I point such at anyone,” he stated.
News
Govt Urged To Enforce Anti-ozone Layer Laws, Embrace Clean Energy Technology
Published
3 hours agoon
September 17, 2025By
Editor
The Nigerian government has been called upon to enforce existing anti-ozone layer depletion laws and support the use of clean energy technologies.
Stakeholders, who made the call in Benin City on Tuesday at the commemoration of the 2025 International Ozone Day celebration with the theme: ‘From Science to Global Action,’ lamented that Borno, Rivers, Abuja and Lagos are the worst hit states by radiation from the Ozone layer.
The 2025 International Ozone Day celebration was organised by Save The Ozone Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal and State Ministries of Environment and the National Centre for Energy and Environment (NCEE) situated at the University of Benin City.
In his opening address, the chairman of the event, Professor Anthony Ogbeibu, said Nigeria must sustain its policies on the ozone layer because “recent scientific research shows that Ozone depletion and exposure to erythemal UV radiation (EUVR), affect Nigeria more than many places. So we are not isolated from this global threat.”
READ ALSO:Ondo Govt Suspends Three Senior Officials Over Recruitment Scam
He added: “It is documented that in Borno, Rivers, Abuja and Lagos, UV radiation often reaches very high extreme levels in the midday, especially in the dry and early rainy seasons. Even a short exposure with no protection can have harmful effects.”
Ogbeibu, who advocated for enlightenment on UV risks and protective behaviours, added: “We must support clean technologies by enforcing existing laws more strictly and ensuring that ozone-depleting substances are not imported or used illegally.”
In his keynote address, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, who was represented by Osagie Edomwandagbon said the Nigerian government has been carrying out a lot of sensitization on the protection of the ozone layer through various policy formulations and implementations.
READ ALSO:Edo Govt Denies Shares As Ownership Tussle Rocks Ossiomo Power
On his part, the Acting Director of the NCEE, Dr. Emmanuel Ogbomida said the Energy Commission of Nigeria and its specialised research centres have been supporting the global mission to protect the ozone layer.
“Then the Ozone hole is shrinking and experts project that the ozone layer will return to pre-1980slevel between 2060 and 2070. However, this could only be achieved by not allowing complacency in the efforts at protecting the ozone layer.”
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Director and Founder of Save The Ozone, Nigeria, Ozaveshe Balogun commended participants, saying the annual event was as a result of the Montreal Protocol that gave a clear global definition to the protection of the environment.
- Edo Sports Commission Liaises With Education Ministry To Support President Unity Cup, Other
- Edo Cricket Association Presents Indoor Facility Designs To Sports Commission Boss
- NAFDAC Warns Of Fake Artemetrin DS, Antibiotic Ciprofit 500 In Circulation
- Anambra Govt Insists Ekwunife Retracts Defamatory Statements Against Soludo, Wife
- Police Clear Pastor Paul Adefarasin Over ‘Gun-like’ Object In Viral Video
- Govt Urged To Enforce Anti-ozone Layer Laws, Embrace Clean Energy Technology
- Plant Trees Alongside With School Construction, Bauchi SUBEB Tells Contractors
- Why Killers Of Anambra Siblings Have Not Been Unraveled 7 Months After — Police
- Gunmen On Motorbikes Kill 22 At Baptism Ceremony In Niger
- Why Ibadan Shouldn’t Produce Next Oyo Gov — Group
Trending
- Entertainment5 days ago
Why I Cooked 200 Bags Of Rice Instead If 250 — Hilda Baci
- Politics4 days ago
2027: Details Of Jonathan, Peter Obi Meeting Emerge
- Entertainment3 days ago
200-level Student Wins Car As MTN Thrills UNIBEN With Campus Invasion
- Entertainment4 days ago
Drama As Hilda Baci’s Jollof Pot Falls After GWR Attempt
- Politics5 days ago
Tinubu’s Mandate Accomplished In Rivers — Ibas
- Business3 days ago
Falana Reveals Those Behind Subsidy Removal
- Metro5 days ago
My Husband Impregnated My sister —Wife
- Business4 days ago
‘We Like Greek Gifts,’ Nigerians Blast NUPENG Over Dangote’s Fuel Price Reduction
- News1 day ago
10 Things Candidates Should Know About Customs Recruitment CBT Exams
- Politics3 days ago
Alleged Infidelity: Soludo’s Wife Issues Senator Ekwunife Ultimatum To Apologize