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Kwara Gov launches house-to-house distribution of 2.3m free mosquito nets

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By Steve Oni, Ilorin

Kwara state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has noted that more than 50 percent of health complications reported across public hospitals resulted from poorly treated malaria-related cases, reiterating his commitment to the global fight against the disease that experts say is number one killer in sub-Saharan Africa.

The governor spoke in Ilorin at the official launch of house-to-house distribution of 2.3million insecticide treated mosquito nets (ITNs) which the state received from Global Funds as a result of its payment of relevant counterpart funds.

AbdulRazaq said his administration has paid huge counterpart funds to key into various initiatives that would afford people of the state access to basic healthcare, including the free malaria programme recently launched.

“A little over one year ago, we invested millions of naira in paying counterpart funds to key into various basic healthcare programmes. N82m of that amount was meant for the anti-malaria initiative of the Global Fund. What we have in return are 2.3million insecticide treated nets worth over N3.3bn, among other socioeconomic benefits,” AbdulRazaq said at the event held at the open field of Government House Ilorin.

“Today, we are flagging off the house-to-house distribution of these nets across our state. To do this, we have engaged at least 5,000 persons who will get paid for doing so.

“Malaria is a major killer disease in sub-Saharan Africa. It has also proven to have adverse economic effects. This is why we are so interested in fighting it. However, it is cheaper to prevent malaria than curing it. One major way of preventing the killer disease is the use of insecticide treated nets. It is safe for use and I urge our people to use it.”

AbdulRazaq also commended all partners, volunteers, and net advocates, especially the former Minister of State for Health Hajia Amina Ndalolo for their efforts in the campaign.

The Governor later handed units of the ITNs to some families before proceeding to sleep in a demo mosquito-netted bed at the event — a symbolic gesture to demonstrate the safety of the ITN and encourage citizens to use them.

Minister of Health Dr Osagie Ehanire, for his part, said Nigeria has continued to witness appreciable progress in malaria control and elimination efforts as the rate of malaria infection now stands at 20% in Kwara State.

“Kwara State is one of the three states selected to benefit from the 2020 mass insecticide treated nets (ITNs) distribution campaigns aimed at delivery of 2.3 million ITNs to beneficiaries with the support of Global Fund. Furthermore, two LGAs (Asa and Moro) will simultaneously be used to carry out the New Net Project evaluation that will involve monitoring the impact of the new generation ITNs on malaria indicators,” he said, commending the political support from the Governor.

Speaker Kwara State House of Assembly, Engr Yakubu Danladi Salihu, said the payment of counterpart funds and other investments have changed the state’s narrative in the health sector.

Former Minister of State for Health and Kwara Net Ambassador Hajia Amina Ndalolo encouraged all female political appointees in the state to promote the use of ITNs to enable the state achieve the result of its investment in the health sector.

Kwara State Commissioner for health Dr Raji Rasaq said engagement of over 5000 citizens in the house-to-house distribution model across the 16 LGAs will be of immense economic benefits.

“Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s sustained injection of fund into the health sector to drive the provision of health care needs to the populace is one without a match in the history of the state,” he added, reeling out details of unprecedented efforts of the administration in the sector.

In their goodwill messages, Ernest Nwokolo of the Society for Family Health, Diwe Ekweremadu of Catholic Relief Services, and Abdullahi Nageri, the Programme Manager State Elimination Programme, commended the state government for the partnership which they said had yielded positive results.

They urged the governor to continue to push forward the campaign to eliminate Malaria in Kwara State.
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Defence/Security

Banditry: Rep member condemns attack on Kwara community

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Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Member representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi Ajuloopin, has strongly condemned the recent attack in Idofin Odo-Ashe, Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, describing it as a cowardly act that seeks to disrupt the peace and stability of the community.

Hon. Ajuloopin, in a statement personally signed by him, expressed deep concern over the unfortunate incident and sympathised with the victims, their families, and the entire community affected by the dastardly attack, emphasising that acts of violence have no place in a civilised society, and therefore urged security agencies to intensify efforts in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

While commending the swift response of both the federal and Kwara State governments, as well as the security agencies and local vigilante groups, the lawmaker reiterated that the fight against insecurity requires collective responsibility, calling on traditional rulers, community leaders, and residents to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with security operatives by providing timely and credible information.

“Security is everyone’s business. We cannot afford to leave the safety of our communities solely to government agencies. Every citizen must be actively involved in safeguarding our environment and ensuring that peace prevails,” Hon. Ajuloopin admonished.

He reaffirmed his commitment to continued collaboration with relevant authorities to ensure that lasting peace in all parts of Kwara South and beyond.

Hon. Ajuloopin also appealed for calm, assuring that both the federal and state governments are working tirelessly to address the root causes of insecurity and prevent future occurrences.

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Governor Namadi Attends High profile Ministerial Meeting On Self-Sufficiency In Cairo

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From Hassan Taiye

Governor Umar Namadi is currently in Cairo,Arab Republic of Egypt, attending the Third High-Level Ministerial Meeting on Rice Self-Sufficiency, holding from October 7th to 9th, 2025, in Cairo and Sakha.

The meeting, themed “Towards Rice-Based Agri-Food Systems Transformation and Delivering on Rice Self-Sufficiency through Peer-to-Peer Learning: The Case of the Arab Republic of Egypt,” is jointly organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, AfricaRice, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), and other key continental partners.

This high-level gathering brings together African Ministers of Agriculture, State Governors, and agricultural leaders to share practical experiences on achieving rice self-sufficiency and agricultural transformation.

The event will showcase Egypt’s remarkable progress in achieving rice self-sufficiency despite its limited water and land resources, offering valuable lessons adaptable to other African contexts.
Namadi is participating alongside top policymakers, agricultural experts, and private sector players from across Africa to discuss innovations, policy reforms, and strategic investments aimed at strengthening food security and transforming the agricultural sector on the continent.

Over the three-day programme, delegates will engage in high-level ministerial sessions, technical discussions, and a field visit to Egypt’s renowned Rice Research and Training Centre (RRTC) in Sakha.

During the visit, participants will interact directly with Egyptian scientists and farmers to learn about the country’s advancements in high-yield rice varieties, efficient irrigation systems, and modern post-harvest technologies.

Jigawa State’s participation in this important forum underscores the state’s commitment to agricultural transformation, food self-sufficiency, and consolidating Jigawa’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading hubs for rice production and agribusiness development.

The meeting is expected to conclude with a Ministerial Declaration setting a continental roadmap for achieving rice self-sufficiency through collaborative research, policy coordination, and targeted investment across the rice value chain.

Governor Namadi is accompanied by senior officials from the Jigawa State Ministry of Agriculture and related agencies.

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There’s Political Genocide Against Christians in Northern Nigeria – Aisha Yesufu

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By: Fabian Apechihin

Sociopolitical activist Aisha Yesufu has accused Nigerian political leaders of perpetuating what she described as a “political genocide” against Christians in Northern Nigeria.

Yesufu made the remark on Tuesday in response to American comedian and TV host Bill Maher, who recently alleged that Nigerian Christians are facing coordinated attacks.

Maher, speaking on his HBO show, said, “I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over 100,000 since 2009 and burned 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram.”

Reacting via her X handle, Yesufu criticized what she called hypocrisy among Nigerian politicians who express concern over Christian persecution yet supported the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket during the 2023 elections.

“You are shouting that Northern Christians are being persecuted, but you championed a Muslim-Muslim ticket! Their Christianity was not Christian enough for you during the 2023 election,” she wrote.

She concluded by calling for greater attention to what she termed the “political genocide” against Northern Christians, urging consistency in both words and actions when addressing religious and political marginalization in Nigeria.

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