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Conflict-hit Nigerian families living under COVID-19 lockdowns, on ‘life-support’

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Help and funding are needed urgently for millions of people in Nigeria who have been hit severely by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, including conflict-hit communities “on life-support” in the north-east, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

More than $182 million is needed to sustain lifesaving aid to Africa’s most populous country over the next six months, the World Food Programme (WFP) said.

“We are concerned by conflict-affected communities in northeast Nigeria who already face extreme hunger and who are especially vulnerable. They are on life-support and need assistance to survive,” said Elisabeth Byrs, WFP senior spokesperson, in reference to Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Insurgency

The three so-called BAY states, have been plagued by a decade-long insurgency that has spilled over into the Lake Chad region.

It remains among the most severe humanitarian crises in the world, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), with some 7.9 million mainly women and children in need of urgent assistance today.

“That’s why WFP is distributing now two months’ worth of food and nutrition assistance in IDP camps and among vulnerable communities to ensure that people have enough food while they are on full or partial lockdown”, Ms Byrs said, outlining plans to help a total of 1.8 million people there.

Needs are great nationally too, the UN agency has warned, linked to a steep drop in international oil prices – Nigeria’s major export commodity – since the outbreak of the virus.

Coronavirus lockdown

To date, latest World Health Organization (WHO) data indicates that the country has seen more than 12,800 confirmed cases of new coronavirus and over 360 deaths linked to the respiratory disease.

More than 3.8 million people mainly working in the informal sector, face losing their jobs amid rising hardship, Ms. Byrs said, and this could rise to 13 million if movement restrictions continue for a longer period.

“This would add to the almost 20 million (23 per cent of the labour force) already out of work,” the WFP spokesperson said.

“In a country where about 90 million people – 46 per cent of the population – live on less than $2 a day, this is a real concern”, Ms. Byrs continued. “The urban poor who depend on a daily wage to feed themselves and their families have been very hit by movement restrictions to contain the spread of the virus.”

Three million individuals among the most vulnerable, will receive help, the WFP spokesperson explained, with additional support to government social protection systems in the cities of Abuja, Kano and Lagos – places where the agency has not been present until now.

“We are actually scaling up our operations in the Northeast to serve more people  in response to the new challenges of more food insecurity posed by COVID-19“, said Ms Byrs. “However, there have been a few delays with COVID-19 containment movement restrictions that are affecting supply chains. These have been generally managed and we have continued providing assistance. We continue to appeal to all parties to ensure access to people in need and respect humanitarian space.”

Take-home food solution

WFP’s involvement has included re-adjusting school meals programmes during school closures by providing food to take home.

The initiative kicked off in the federal capital Abuja and the commercial capital Lagos, in mid-May.

The programme – led by Nigeria’s Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs – aims to reach nine million children in three million homes across the country’s 36 states, where school closures have affected some 39 million youngsters.

The urban poor remain the focus of the scheme, including the floating slum community of Makoko, where tens of thousands of people live cheek by jowl, on stilt houses in a village on the outskirts of Lagos.

‘No money to feed my children’

“When the Government said nobody should go anywhere, I couldn’t go to the market”, said fish-seller and mother-of-four, Marceline Wanu, who is 25. “But when I couldn’t go to the market, there was no money to feed my children sometimes and that is very painful. My children received food when they were going to school but when their schools closed, that became an extra burden. But since they gave use some food, it has helped us a bit.”

 

 

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NYSC to Increase Corps Members’ Allowance to ₦77,000 Monthly

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The management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced that corps members across the country will soon begin receiving ₦77,000 as their monthly allowance.

 

The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, according to a statement issued by the NYSC spokesperson, Caroline Embu.

 

General Ahmed emphasized that the welfare of corps members remains a top priority for his administration, noting that arrangements for the payment of the new allowance have been finalized.

 

The increase in corps members’ allowances is in line with the recent review of Nigeria’s minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024.

 

This development marks the second major adjustment in corps members’ stipends in recent years. In 2020, the NYSC increased the allowance from ₦19,800 to ₦33,000 following the implementation of the ₦30,000 minimum wage.

 

The latest increment reflects the government’s commitment to improving the living standards of Nigerian youths serving their country under the NYSC scheme.

 

President Tinubu’s signing of the new minimum wage bill in July 2024 came after months of negotiations between government authorities, labor unions, and private sector stakeholders. The adjustment aims to address inflationary pressures and improve the economic well-being of workers across the country.

 

The NYSC has assured corps members of its continued commitment to their welfare and development as they contribute to national unity and service.

 

 

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Unprofessional Conduct: Police Demote Officer, Disband Unit

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The Abia State Police Command has demoted a police corporal, Okonkwo Ebuka, to the rank of constable following his involvement in unprofessional conduct and incivility towards members of the public.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, confirmed the disciplinary action in a statement released on Tuesday.

According to her, the demotion was the outcome of an administrative proceeding where the officer was tried in an orderly room and found guilty of discreditable and unprofessional behaviour.

“The Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, CP Danladi Isa, in alignment with the vision of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to establish a professionally competent, service-driven, rule-of-law-compliant, and people-friendly police force, has disbanded the Command’s Anti-Cultism Unit for unprofessional conduct and incivility towards members of the public,” the statement read.

It further stated that Corporal Okonkwo Ebuka, formerly attached to the Area Command in Aba but deployed on special duty at Isuochi, was demoted as part of efforts to enforce discipline within the Force.

“The Commissioner of Police emphasized the Command’s zero-tolerance policy for any form of unprofessional conduct among officers that could tarnish the good image of the Force,” the statement added.

The Abia State Police Command reiterated its commitment to upholding professionalism and fostering positive engagement with the public in line with the principles of ethical policing.

 

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Saki Town Mourns as Okere’s Wife, Queen Waliyat, Dies

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Queen Waliyat Olabisi, the second wife of the Okere of Sakiland, His Royal Majesty, Oba (Dr.) Khalid Oyeniyi Olabisi Oyedepo III, has passed away.

She died on Tuesday morning, leaving the people of the ancient town in mourning.

As of the time of filing this report, the cause of her death remains unknown. However, her sudden demise has sent shockwaves across the community.

Many indigenes of Saki have taken to social media to express their grief, sharing heartfelt tributes and condolences for the royal family.

The late Queen Waliyat was celebrated for her elegance and impactful contributions to both the palace and the community.

 

 

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