AFOLABI

AFOLABI

The United States government, under President Donald Trump’s directive, has halted HIV treatment funding for Nigeria and other developing nations.

This decision follows an executive order issued by Trump on his first day in office, which instructed government agencies managing foreign aid programs to stop the disbursement of funds.

 

As a result, the US State Department has ceased funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a key program that provides HIV treatment in Africa and other developing regions.

The suspension is expected to last for at least 90 days, with the possibility of an extension if the program does not receive an exemption in the coming weeks.

PEPFAR, with an annual budget of $6.5 billion, has been instrumental in providing HIV/AIDS treatment to over 20.6 million people globally.

Since its inception, it has saved an estimated 26 million lives. However, in response to the suspension, the US State Department stated, “The United States is no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return for the American people.”

Impact on Nigeria

Nigeria, which has one of the highest HIV burdens globally, is home to approximately two million people living with HIV.

Many of these individuals depend on PEPFAR for life-saving treatments and healthcare support.

According to Premium Times, over the years, the program has contributed more than $6 billion to Nigeria’s national HIV/AIDS efforts.

The suspension, or potential termination, of PEPFAR is expected to significantly hinder Nigeria’s ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS, threatening both treatment access and healthcare infrastructure.

The Presidency has slammed former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, for his comments on democracy in the country.

Naija News reported that El-Rufai, on Monday, while speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed to live up to its promises to the citizens.

 

“I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show,” he said.

The former Kaduna governor said the gap between and the party was widening. He noted that the ruling party deviated from its founding mission and would not be able to deliver on its promises to the people.

He further said that the hardship in the country was a product of illiterates and semi-illiterates occupying positions of authority.

Reacting to the former Minister of Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT) position, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, accused him of planning to unseat a government he helped to form.

On his X handle, in reaction to El-Rufai’s words, Bwala questioned if he (El-Rufai) could make the statements he made if he were in the cabinet of the current government.

My Senior brother, if you were to be in the government and cabinet, would you have held and expressed the same position? History is replete with examples. It is a government you participated in its formation, that you now want to unseat,” he wrote.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Tuesday, declared that imported cargoes or vehicles that stay beyond 90 days in various seaports across Nigeria will be declared as overtime cargoes and consequently auctioned.

 

In a press statement by the NCS national public relations officer, Abdulahi Maiwada, titled ‘NCS Issues Guidelines on Dwell Time For Import and Export Consignments At Port Terminals,’ the Service said the new measure will address port congestion, streamline clearance processes and reduce disputes arising from the disposal of overtime cargo.

 

According to Assistant Controller Maiwada, all imported and exported consignments shall enjoy 30 days from the date of arrival at the port, free of overtime clearance encumbrances.

 

 

“The NCS will commence implementation of new guidelines regulating the dwell time for import and export consignments at port terminals, reflecting its commitment to trade facilitation in line with the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business initiatives.

 

“The new measures aim to address port congestion, streamline clearance processes and reduce disputes arising from the disposal of overtime cargo. Under the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023, the Service is reinforcing the provisions that mandate imported consignments to be cleared within 30 days after the completion of discharge of the importing carrier or within a timeframe prescribed by the Service, as provided in Section 30(1).

 

“In addition, Section 149(1) empowers the Service to establish time limits for cargoes to leave customs territory. These guidelines will ensure compliance, prevent undue delays, and maintain order at port terminals while allowing importers and exporters ample time for cargo clearance,” he stated.

 

NCS, however, urged stakeholders to comply with the regulations to facilitate smooth trade operations.

 

He stated further that where a consignment remains undeclared within 60 days, clearance shall require approval from the Assistant Comptroller General/Zonal Coordinator upon application.

 

“To enhance efficiency in cargo clearance, all consignments shall enjoy 30 days from the date of arrival at the port, free of overtime clearance encumbrances. Cargo exceeding 30 days shall be deemed ‘overtime’ but may still be cleared within an additional 30 days upon application and approval by the relevant Customs Area Controller (CAC).

 

“Where a consignment remains undeclared within 60 days, clearance shall require approval from the Assistant Comptroller General/Zonal Coordinator upon application. This clearance opportunity is valid within 90 days from arrival. Any consignment uncleared beyond 90 days shall be due for the commencement of the disposal process.

 

“It is important to note that without prejudice to the guidelines above, the Service reserves the right to initiate the disposal process, if necessary, following the initial 30-day grace period stipulated by the NCSA 2023.

 

 

“The Service, under the leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi remains committed to ensuring a transparent and efficient cargo clearance process that prevents undue port congestion, mitigates legal disputes associated with overtime cargo, and enhances overall trade facilitation.

 

“Stakeholders are encouraged to comply with these regulations to facilitate smooth trade operations,” the Customs spokesman added.

Operatives of Okpuje Division of the Enugu State Police Command have arrested a 33-year-old Sunday Echege, a resident of Ibagwa-Agu Farm Settlement in Ibagwa-Ani community of Nsukka local government area for severing the left wrist of his wife, Chinonso Echege over suspected infidelity.

 

A statement by the spokesman of the command, SP Daniel Ndukwe disclosed that the arrest was made possible with the assistance of law-abiding members of the community, adding that the machete used in committing the crime has been recovered from the suspect.

Ndukwe stated that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect claimed to have acted out of suspicion that his wife was involved in extramarital affairs.

 

He added that the suspect will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to ensure thorough and timely investigation on the incident.

CP Uzuegbu, according to the statement, further urged couples to resolve their differences through love, understanding, and legal means, rather than resorting to violent criminal acts.

 

Meanwhile, the Enugu State government has moved the wife to the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital for medical care.

The Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development in the state, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, disclosed this on Tuesday.

“This is yet another sad development, which we are following up with to ensure that justice is done.

“The information we have that the man in question aimed for the wife’s head during a disagreement, but ended up chopping off the left hand with which she tried to fend off the machete. She also sustained injury on the right hand.

“So, we swung into action immediately we got the information and had him arrested immediately. So, he is now in police custody.

“But the most urgent matter now is to save the victim’s life. So, we have moved her to Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, where she is currently receiving full medical attention.”

 

She maintained that the state government is taking the case very seriously, saying the wife of the governor, Mrs. Nkechinyere Mbah is personally on the gruesome matter and has vowed that justice must be served.

The Commissioner warned Enugu residents to refrain from all manner of domestic and gender-based violence as well as child abuse, vowing that the administration would never treat such with levity.

The Katsina State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested a former Permanent Secretary of the Department of Banking and Finance and current Permanent Secretary of the State’s Local Government Service Commission, Alhaji Muheeb Ibrahim Bamidele, and five others.

 

A terse statement signed by the Commission’s Secretary, Jamilu M. Abdulsalam, on Tuesday, said the arrest of the six suspects was connected to the alleged misappropriation of N136,126,970 from the Department’s account.

“The Commission is investigating the matter to uncover the full details and ensure accountability,” it stated.

 

The anti-graft Commission added that more updates will follow as the investigation progresses

Nigerian international Ademola Lookman will miss his Atalanta side’s Champions League clash with Barcelona on Wednesday after he suffered a knee injury during a training session.

 

The Serie A club, in a short statement on their website, said the 27-year-old forward hurt the lateral joint in his right knee in training Tuesday morning and would not travel to Spain where on Wednesday the club will seek to secure direct qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League.

Atalanta did not say how long the Nigerian winger would be out of action, but Italian media reported he could be sidelined for up to a month.

 

Lookman will be a huge loss for Atalanta as he has scored 14 goals and set up six more this season.

He also scored a hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final triumph over German champions Bayer Leverkusen.

Atalanta have punched well above their weight both in Italy and abroad in recent seasons, with Gian Piero Gasperini’s side still hanging on in the Serie A title race and riding high in Europe’s elite club competition.

The Bergamo-based outfit sit seventh in the 36-club league phase of the Champions League, but with a host of clubs within a point of them anything but a win at already-qualified Barca will likely mean a play-off spot.

Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) deviated from its founding mission.

Naija News reports that El-Rufai said he no longer recognizes his party. He stated that APC was created to solve a problem but that would not be possible again.

 

Speaking at a national conference in Abuja on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, on Monday, he said, “I no longer recognize the APC. No party organ has met in two years—no caucus, no NEC, nothing. You don’t even know if it is a one-man show; it’s a zero-man show.”

 

The former Minister of the Federal Captial Territory (FCT) urged Nigerians to resist incapable leaders and illiterates ascending to leadership positions.

You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today,” he stated.

While not proclaiming his departure from the ruling party, El-Rufai said the distance between him and APC was widening.

“The problems that led to the creation of the APC remain unresolved, but I no longer believe the APC is interested in addressing them. The distance between me and the party is widening,” he clarified.

Speaking on the challenges of the opposition parties, the former Kaduna State governor said the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) was engineered by outsiders.

According to him, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, told him he was worried by the crisis in LP.

There are internal mercenaries in the PDP, hired and motivated to destroy the party. The Labour Party is also facing similar issues. Peter Obi himself told me, ‘I don’t know what’s happening in the party I contested with’,” he added.

The APC chieftain said there “seems to be a deliberate project to destroy opposition parties“.

He further warned against undermining democracy, stating that the nation would not want to experience military rule.

Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala has claimed that the marriage breakup between Nigerian singer, Innocent Idibia, better known as 2Baba, and his wife, Annie Idibia Macauley, was long overdue.

Naija News reports that Doris, in a post via her Instagram story on Tuesday, claimed that Annie engaged in ‘juju’ to keep her marriage with 2face.

 

The movie star claimed that Annie was not victimized as many assumed, stressing that 2Baba is the real victim in their troubled marriage.

Doris Ogala expressed confidence that 2Baba and Annie would reunite and called on the singer’s family to save their brother.

The thespian also said the women supporting Annie are witches, adding that 2Baba has been bottled for so long, hence the reason his musical career crumbled.

She said, “This thing is a projection on their marriage. It’s long overdue. Though Annie isn’t innocent. But trust me, whatever she did was because she didn’t want to lose 2face. This thing na juju tuzzle. But the other one upgraded because she has a witch on her side. The victim here is 2baba.

“These women are evil. Annie isn’t a child. These people just want to frustrate 2face. Annie clung to 2face for a long time. You’ve suffocated this guy for a long time. They will get back together. I bet you. I will advise 2face’s family to save their brother oo. This woman hmmm.

“I’m still grieving. I got a lot to expose. All these ladies are witches and Stella is their blogger. 2face has been bottled for so long. My guy’s musical career finished, and they want to play the victim card. All of you should wait for me. Evil people.”

Super Eagles winger, Moses Simon has announced the birth of his third child with his wife, Ibukun Moses-Simon

The footballer took to his official Instagram account to announce the arrival of their bundle of joy, expressing gratitude to God.

He celebrated his wife of 10 years for her strength, stating that he is proud of her.

 
Moses Simon and family

Moses Simon in a jointly shared post with his wife shared various photos of his family ranging from her maternity shoot with their two daughters as well as a photo of the whole family at the hospital with their newborn.

The Nantes of France star wrote on both his X and Instagram page:

“I find no words strong enough to express my exact feelings, I’m sincerely grateful to GOD. GOD has blessed my home with a baby boy.”

“Thanks my Queen for this marvelous gift to our family, you are indeed a strong woman and I am always proud of you ❤️ ?.”

The 28-year-old married his wife, Ibukun Sarah Adenuga in 2015.

The couple are also parents to two daughters.

 
Moses Simon, Wife Ibukun and their kids

A former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the one-time governor of Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan, says he has always been sceptical about the loyalty of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

Omipidan added that prior to the 2023 election, he warned President Bola Tinubu about the role of Aregbesola within his political circle.

 

According to the journalist, his position was formed based on what he saw in Ondo and Osun States before, during and after their 2017 and 2018 governorship elections, respectively.

 

He explained that he spoke to Tinubu in 2018 prior to his appointment in 2019 as the CPS to the then Governor Oyetola.

Naija News reports Omipidan shared the details afresh in an extract of his recently unveiled book, ‘Persona Non-Grata’, which he posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday.

He also shared his experience with Aregbesola in the build-up to the 2014 governorship experience in Osun State.

“Before my appointment as the Chief Press Secretary in 2019, I had always shown more than a passing interest in Osun politics. In 2014, when Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was seeking a re-election, I set up a six-man media team to do an intervention on his behalf six months before the election. I funded the team and deployed my Facebook timeline in support of Aregbesola.

“Once the election was won and lost, members of the team approached me and asked when we would be going to Osun to celebrate. That was the first time I let them
know no one was paying my bills and that I had no link with anyone in government.

“Most of them were shocked at my revelation because for the six months the team worked, in the build up to the election, I made logistics available throughout.

“Prior to joining my principal in 2019, I knew what the issues were. I knew how they struggled to win the 2018 election. In fact, I had predicted in one of my articles before the 2018 election that no clear winner would emerge from the first ballot. I went further to state emphatically that any of the two leading candidates that was interested in winning must negotiate with Senator Iyiola Omisore, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, to carry the day. That was exactly what eventually happened.

 

“For me, the 2018 election was a referendum on Aregbesola. He was faced with what could be regarded as the “battle of his life,” the journalist narrated.

I Have Been Vindicated

Omipidan said Aregbesola’s attitude towards Tinubu’s presidential ambition has vindicated whatever reservations he has about the former Osun Governor.

He also hinted that the political arrogance of Aregbesola, coupled with the failure of Oyetola to heed political warnings, led to his failed bid to be re-elected as the Osun State Governor.

“After the election, I suggested, through my writings on Facebook, to Oyetola to drop the garb of arrogance of Aregbesola and the know-it-all attitude of that administration if he wanted to succeed. I equally admonished Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to do an introspection on the role of Aregbesola within the political family.

“I took that position based on what I saw in Ondo and Osun States before, during and after their 2017 and 2018 governorship elections respectively.

“And I want to believe that I am vindicated by Aregbesola’s disposition towards President Tinubu’s presidential ambition four years after my suggestion.

 

“May Allah continue to grant the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi Aljannah Firadus. He did a yeoman’s job in Osun, whereas Aregbesola carried on in that election as if nothing was at stake,” he wrote.