JUST IN: Suspected Herdsmen Kill Three Mourners, Farmers in Enugu
Suspected herdsmen attacked the village of Ugwuijoro in Nimbo community, Enugu State, killing three villagers and leaving several others critically injured. The attack, which occurred on Sunday evening, targeted mourners and farmers, resulting in a scene of devastation with scattered furniture and lifeless bodies in pools of blood.
Meningitis Kills 85 People In Yobe
The Yobe State Government has reported that an outbreak of meningitis has resulted in the deaths of 85 individuals between January and April. Dr. Muhammad Lawan Gana, the Commissioner for Health, clarified during a press briefing in Damaturu that contrary to social media reports, the death toll is 85, not over 200 as claimed online.
Efforts to address the outbreak include deploying over 200 community health volunteers across Potiskum and Fika local government areas to aid in disease containment. Health workers have been conducting active case searches and door-to-door screenings to identify and treat affected individuals. Dr. Gana emphasized that these efforts have not revealed any additional disease outbreaks beyond the confirmed cases of meningitis.
The commissioner attributed the majority of deaths to delayed reporting or failure to seek medical attention promptly. Over 2,510 patients who contracted meningitis have recovered and been discharged from hospitals in the state.
Oyo LG polls: 80% eligible voters deliberately disenfranchised – APC
The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Wale Sadare, criticized the local government election held on April 27, 2024, stating that about 80% of eligible voters were intentionally disenfranchised. Sadare described the election as a "complete sham" and accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of conniving with the state's Independent Electoral Commission to manipulate the electoral process. The outcome of the election saw the PDP winning all 33 chairmanship seats in the state. Sadare expressed disappointment with the electoral process and indicated that the APC leadership would soon announce their decision regarding the election outcome.
Stolen funds: Nigeria urges U.S. to repatriate more illicit funds
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has appealed to the United States to repatriate more illicit funds transferred from Nigerian officials through its banking system. During the 6th Session of the Nigeria-US Bi-National Commission in Abuja, Tuggar emphasized the importance of increased support from the U.S., highlighting that $308 million repatriated funds were insufficient compared to Nigeria's overall losses from illegal fund transfers. The Nigerian government intends to allocate these funds to infrastructure development projects, focusing on areas like roads, schools, education, and other vital sectors. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Molly Phee, also stressed the significance of security cooperation in the Nigeria-U.S. partnership, particularly in addressing security challenges such as terrorism and banditry.