Nigeria’s drive to end open defecation by 2025 hinges on behavioural change and community-led action, not merely building toilets, according to the Federal Government. Speaking at a workshop for Open Defecation-Free (ODF) validators in Nasarawa on Wednesday, Mrs Elizabeth Ugoh, Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, said sustainable sanitation requires citizens to adopt toilets…
Britain has sanctioned a group of Russian officials and organisations linked to the abduction and re-education of Ukrainian children, in what London called a systematic attempt to erase Ukraine’s cultural identity. Eight individuals and three groups were named in the sanctions list, including Aymani Kadyrova, mother of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, and her Akhmat Kadyrov…
Yobe State has launched a specialised procurement cadre within its civil service as part of reforms aimed at strengthening transparency and reducing financial mismanagement. Head of Service, Alhaji Tonga Betara, said 150 officers had been inducted into the new structure and were undergoing training in Damaturu to enhance accountability in Ministries, Departments and Agencies. “The…
Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has urged state and local governments to intensify anti-corruption measures, describing them as the “true frontline” in the national fight against graft. At a one-day strategic roundtable in Abuja on Wednesday, ICPC Chairman Dr Musa Aliyu said mismanagement of resources at sub-national…
Nearly 850,000 Syrian refugees have returned from neighbouring countries since December, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Wednesday, even as Lebanon and Syria continue to grapple with a protracted displacement crisis. UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, Kelly Clements, concluded a visit to both countries where she met officials, returnees, and refugees…
The 444th Combat Brigade, one of the key military units aligned with Libya’s UN-recognised Government of National Unity, has come under attack in the town of Bani Walid. According to a statement released by the brigade, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle outside its headquarters on Tuesday. Images published online showed the aftermath of…
The United Nations on Wednesday condemned what it called a serious attack on its peacekeepers in southern Lebanon after Israeli grenades detonated dangerously close to them. UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) troops were clearing roadblocks near the Blue Line, the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon, on Tuesday morning when drones dropped four…
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has moved to reassure the public following the derailment of its Abuja-Kaduna passenger service, announcing the creation of an incident desk to handle information requests and provide regular progress reports. NRC Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, revealed the measures in a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday. Dedicated telephone lines…
Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has announced urgent repairs on the Shagamu–Benin Bridge after engineers reported structural damage to part of the Benin-bound lane. The bridge, which spans the border between Edo and Ondo States, was constructed in 1981 and has shown signs of deterioration on one of its five spans, according to…
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said an accident at Idi-Iroko inward Ogolonto axis of Ikorodu Road, claimed the life of one person. LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, confirmed this in a statement signed by Mr Taofiq Adebayo, the agency’s Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department on Tuesday in Lagos. Bakare-Oki, however, added…
