Terrorist Group “Lukarawas” Emerges in Northwest Nigeria, Sparking Security Concerns

The Nigerian military has confirmed the emergence of a new terrorist group called “Lukarawas” in the northwest, particularly in Sokoto and Kebbi states, heightening security concerns in the region. According to the military, this group infiltrated Nigeria from Niger following the recent political coup there, which disrupted border security cooperation.

Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, stated during a press briefing that the terrorists leveraged gaps in border security, crossing through remote areas to establish themselves in these states. Local residents initially believed the group had positive intentions, failing to alert authorities in time.

The military is now intensifying Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities to track and neutralize the group, while reinforcing border security to prevent further incursions. The group is reportedly exploiting Nigeria’s under-governed areas to evade capture.

In addition, the military has declared nine key terrorist commanders wanted, including Abu Khadijah and Usman Kanin Shehu, who have been involved in ongoing disturbances in the northeast.

Top 5 Cleanest Cities in Nigeria with Fresh Air and Beautiful Scenery

If you’re in Nigeria and prioritize a clean environment, these states stand out for their commitment to cleanliness and sustainability.

  1. Akwa Ibom
    Known as Nigeria’s cleanest state, Akwa Ibom has made significant strides through its “Akwa Ibom Clean and Green Project.” Public awareness campaigns, sanitation initiatives, and waste management programs, including modern public restrooms, have all contributed to its cleanliness.
  2. Cross River
    Cross River, particularly Calabar, emphasizes environmental sustainability with its “Greening Cross River Project,” which includes tree planting and forest preservation. The state also promotes ecotourism with ethical waste management, providing cleaner air and a greener environment.
  3. Enugu
    Enugu State leads in waste management, boasting programs like the “Enugu Waste Recycling Program.” With dedicated recycling points, waste-to-energy facilities, and public awareness campaigns, Enugu has modern facilities to handle waste safely and effectively.
  4. Anambra
    Anambra promotes community-driven cleanliness with the “Anambra Clean and Green Champions” campaign. Locals organize cleanup activities and manage waste collection and composting initiatives. Community-led “Clean Up Your Street” days further reinforce this culture of cleanliness.
  5. Ebonyi
    Ebonyi maintains cleanliness through the “Ebonyi Clean Team” and investments in advanced waste management. The state’s “waste-to-wealth” programs recycle waste into resources, supporting both cleanliness and economic growth.

These states set a high standard for environmental health in Nigeria, making them ideal for residents and visitors who value fresh air, beautiful scenery, and well-maintained public spaces.

What to Use After Eating Poisoned Food: Does Palm Oil, Milk, or Charcoal Work?

Many people believe that taking palm oil, milk, or charcoal can help neutralize poison, but these common remedies are often ineffective or even harmful.

  1. Palm Oil: It is a common belief that palm oil can induce vomiting and neutralize poison, but this is not true. Palm oil can absorb some toxins, but it may also spread them to the lungs, causing severe complications. It may increase the toxicity if the poison is oil-based, and it can worsen gastric volume, causing more harm than good. It should not be used in poisoning cases.
  2. Charcoal: While activated charcoal is sometimes used in hospitals for poisoning cases, regular cooking charcoal is ineffective and unsafe. Activated charcoal, which is refined to remove impurities, can trap toxins in the intestines and prevent them from entering the bloodstream. However, it should only be used within a short time frame of ingestion, and it is not effective for substances like alcohol, caustics, lithium, or petroleum products.
  3. Milk: Milk is not a cure for food poisoning. In fact, it can irritate the stomach lining and promote bacterial growth, potentially worsening symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.

What to Do in Case of Poisoning:

  • Do not ingest anything (including milk, charcoal, or water) after poisoning.
  • Seek medical attention immediately.
  • Bring the substance that caused the poisoning to the hospital to help doctors determine the proper treatment.

In case of poisoning, the best course of action is to seek medical help promptly for effective treatment.

How Understanding Glucose Levels Can Help Prevent Post-Meal Fatigue

Ever felt a “food coma” after eating? That sluggish feeling is often linked to fluctuations in blood glucose levels. Understanding how your body responds to glucose can help you prevent post-meal fatigue, known as postprandial somnolence.

Dr. Amy McKenzie, Director of Clinical Research at Lingo, explains that when you eat, especially carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose. This leads to a temporary energy spike. If the spike is too rapid, your body releases insulin to manage it, which can cause fatigue.

Foods high in processed carbohydrates and sugars tend to cause sudden glucose spikes, leading to tiredness soon after eating. In contrast, balanced meals rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats help maintain more stable glucose levels, keeping your energy steady.

Here are some tips to avoid post-meal fatigue:

  • Choose the right foods: Include vegetables, whole grains, protein, and healthy fats.
  • Eat smaller, balanced meals throughout the day rather than large meals.
  • Stay hydrated: Drinking 6-8 glasses of water daily can help manage glucose levels.
  • Move your body after meals: A light walk can improve glucose metabolism and reduce tiredness.
  • Mind meal timing: Avoid eating too close to bedtime, as it can affect your sleep and energy the next day.

Tools like Lingo, a biosensor and app from Abbott, help monitor your glucose levels and provide real-time insights into how different foods impact your energy. This allows you to make smarter dietary choices and maintain consistent energy levels throughout the day.

5 Health Problems People Can Develop from Crying

While crying is often viewed as a healthy emotional release, it can also have negative effects on your health. Here are some health issues that can arise from excessive crying:

  1. Tension Headaches: Crying for prolonged periods can cause muscle tension in the face, jaw, neck, and back of the head. This can result in a tension headache, characterized by pain on both sides of the head, a tight band-like sensation, and tenderness in the affected areas.
  2. Fatigue: Crying can lead to exhaustion. As your heart rate rises and breathing slows down during emotional breakdowns, less oxygen reaches the brain, leaving you feeling lightheaded and drained.
  3. Swollen Eyes: After crying, blood vessels around the eyes dilate to increase blood flow, which can cause swelling and bloodshot eyes.
  4. Migraines: Crying can activate the autonomic nervous system, which may trigger migraine attacks. This can lead to severe pain on one side of the head or face, often accompanied by other symptoms like nausea and sensitivity to light.
  5. Sinus Headaches: Tears combined with mucus flowing into the sinuses can create sinus pressure, leading to a sinus headache. This pain is typically felt across the forehead, cheeks, and around the eyes, and may worsen when touched.

While crying helps release emotions and reduce stress, it’s important to be mindful of its potential physical toll on your body.

NCC Pledges Support for Telecom Operators Amid Rising Costs

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has pledged to assist telecom operators as they face rising operational costs, acknowledging the economic challenges impacting the industry. Speaking at the 93rd Telecom Consumer Parliament in Abuja, NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Maida, highlighted the importance of addressing these issues to ensure the sustainability of Nigeria’s telecom sector.

Maida stressed the NCC’s active collaboration with government agencies and stakeholders to mitigate these challenges, ensuring operators can continue investing in the sector. He also touched on the rapid advancements in the telecom industry, including the transition from basic voice services to 5G-enabled innovations such as smart cities and the Internet of Things, which have accelerated digital adoption in Nigeria.

However, Maida acknowledged growing concerns over data usage and billing transparency. Although audits of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) did not reveal significant issues, he noted that the perception of fast data depletion persists due to high-resolution devices and complex tariff structures. With Nigeria’s data usage rising sharply—recording a 39% increase in daily data usage in 2024—Maida emphasized the need for clearer communication and consumer education.

In response, the NCC launched a Joint Industry Campaign to raise awareness about smarter data management and simplified tariff structures. The initiative, which utilizes various media platforms, aims to educate consumers on managing their data more efficiently.

Furthermore, Maida highlighted the persistent challenge of telecom infrastructure vandalism, a major hindrance to service quality. He praised the Federal Government’s decision to classify telecom infrastructure as Critical National Information Infrastructure, a step aimed at curbing these issues.

To further empower consumers, the NCC is developing detailed network coverage maps and finalizing Major Incident Reporting Guidelines. These initiatives will allow consumers to make more informed choices regarding service quality and ensure they are promptly notified of any disruptions to their telecom services.

NDIC’s Rigorous Supervision Shields Nigerian Banks from Liquidation

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) is taking active measures to maintain the stability of Nigerian banks and prevent arbitrary liquidations through rigorous supervision, as shared by Ajiya Bazarma, NDIC’s Zonal Controller in Bauchi. During the 2024 World Savings Day event in Gombe, Bazarma highlighted NDIC’s role in overseeing bank operations to safeguard depositors’ interests, ensuring that bank owners cannot misuse funds.

Bazarma explained that NDIC’s strict oversight helps protect depositors’ funds, allowing the corporation to intervene and reimburse insured amounts in cases of bank difficulties. NDIC’s preventive approach is a vital component of Nigeria’s banking sector stability and aligns with their mandate to protect depositors.

The event also focused on promoting financial literacy among students. Bazarma, speaking at Government Day Secondary School in Gombe, emphasized the importance of fostering a savings culture in youth, highlighting that early financial education helps young people learn to manage money wisely. This initiative, celebrated annually, aims to instill financial responsibility and encourage prudent spending and investment habits among future leaders.

The school’s principal, Usman Buba, praised the program for its potential to alleviate poverty by teaching students the value of savings. Representing the Gombe State Commissioner for Education, Isa Doho, urged students to embrace the knowledge shared, underscoring the role of financial literacy in economic empowerment.

Power Minister Orders Immediate Actions to Halt Frequent Grid Collapses

The Nigerian Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has directed the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and other relevant agencies to urgently implement recommendations made by an inter-agency committee tasked with investigating frequent national grid collapses. This move follows another grid disturbance reported by TCN at around 11:29 a.m. on Thursday, caused by a sudden frequency spike from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz.

In a statement by the Minister’s Special Adviser, Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu emphasized the importance of the committee’s findings, describing them as “far-reaching” solutions aimed at addressing both immediate and long-term grid stability issues. The committee, chaired by Nafisatu Asabe Ali, cited poor maintenance practices, outdated equipment, and high voltage surges beyond equipment capacity as primary factors behind the grid failures. It also pointed to incidents in October when lightning and equipment degradation led to blackouts, especially in regions like Jebba and Oshogbo, where substation equipment has been in place since 1968.

Additional issues impacting the grid include infrastructure vandalism, uncoordinated maintenance schedules, and inadequate human resources. As a response, TCN has commenced repair and upgrade projects on key transmission lines, including work on the 330kV Shiroro–Mando line and enhancements at the Jebba Transmission Substation. Restoration of power in some regions, such as Abuja, was swift after the recent disturbance, but TCN cautioned that occasional instability might persist until all major works are completed.

TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, assured that steps are underway to strengthen the grid and improve reliability, underscoring TCN’s commitment to stabilizing the system to support Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

FG Announces Free Caesarean Sections to Reduce Maternal Mortality

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, announced the provision of free caesarean sections for Nigerian women who need them. This initiative, revealed during the Nigeria Health Sector-Wide Joint Annual Review in Abuja, is part of the new “Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative,” aimed at decreasing maternal and newborn mortality rates nationwide.

Pate emphasized that financial barriers should not prevent women from accessing life-saving care, stating, “No woman should lose her life simply because she can’t afford a C-section.” The initiative focuses on 172 high-burden local government areas, which contribute to over 50% of maternal deaths in Nigeria.

The program includes eligibility criteria for poor and vulnerable women, allowing them access to services from both public and private facilities registered with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA). The NHIA, alongside the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and state health insurance bodies, will handle the reimbursement process to sustain these essential services.

Community health workers are also being deployed to create demand for maternal health services, particularly in rural and underserved areas, by educating families and assisting with antenatal care awareness. The National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System has been revitalized to ensure timely transport for emergencies in remote regions.

The initiative has garnered support from international partners and stakeholders across various sectors. Pate called on state governors, healthcare leaders, and community members to contribute to its success, with the ultimate goal of making quality healthcare accessible, affordable, and effective for all Nigerians.

Governor Yusuf Urges Doctors to Reconsider Strike over Assault Incident at Kano Hospital

Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has appealed to doctors to halt their planned strike following an alleged assault on a female doctor by Amina Abdullahi, the Kano State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, at Murtala Muhammed Specialists Hospital. The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) issued a 48-hour ultimatum, demanding action against the commissioner.

Governor Yusuf urged the NMA to treat the incident as a personal dispute rather than a reason to risk the lives of 20 million Kano residents. He assured that a committee was established to investigate the matter, with a report already in his possession, and promised to take immediate action if the commissioner is found responsible.

“I understand the mutual relationship shared between doctors and the state government,” Yusuf stated. “If the NMA proceeds with a strike, it risks putting millions at risk over a personal conflict,” he added, emphasizing his commitment to addressing the issue fairly and promptly.