The National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT) has engaged key stakeholders in Kebbi State on integrating basic cancer prevention and screening services into existing family planning programmes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the engagement meeting, held on Thursday in Birnin Kebbi, brought together officials from the Ministry of Health and the State Primary Health Care Development Agency.

The meeting also attracted traditional and community leaders, development partners, civil society organisations, and health professionals.

Speaking at the meeting, a NICRAT representative, Hajiya Zainab Ahmad, said the initiative aimed to strengthen access to early cancer detection by leveraging the wide reach of family planning services at the primary healthcare level.

Ahmad noted that cancer remained a growing public health challenge in Nigeria, with many cases presenting late due to low awareness and limited access to organised screening services.

She explained that family planning platforms offered strategic opportunities for delivering cancer prevention, screening, and referral services, particularly for women.

“The integration of cancer screening into family planning services will help bridge existing gaps, promote early detection, and reduce cancer-related morbidity and mortality,” she said.

Ahmad added that the initiative was being implemented under NICRAT’s NICE-SCAN Programme, in collaboration with federal and state ministries of health and other partners, to strengthen primary healthcare systems and generate evidence for possible national scale-up.

Also speaking, Dr Ishak Lawal, NICRAT State Lead for the Pilot Integration of Basic Cancer Preventive Services into Family Planning, said the institute was seeking strong stakeholder collaboration to ensure effective implementation and sustainability.

Lawal, a consultant gynaecologist, disclosed that NICRAT had concluded plans to pilot the integrated cancer prevention and family planning services in the state, describing the stakeholders’ engagement as a critical step in the project rollout.

“The success of this pilot depends largely on the commitment and ownership of state actors and community leaders,” he said.

Earlier, the state Family Planning Focal Person, Hajiya Hauwa Muhammed, while presenting the current status of family planning services, identified data quality challenges resulting from poor documentation as a major concern.

She also cited stock-outs of family planning commodities, irregular supply of consumables, and inadequate supportive supervision as key challenges affecting effective service delivery in the state.

A cross-section of stakeholders expressed commitment to supporting the initiative and commended it as a significant step towards improving preventive healthcare and reducing late presentation of cancer cases in Kebbi State.

Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi State has distributed 26 vehicles to his commissioners for official use.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the brand new vehicles distributed to the cabinet members comprised Hilux and Utility Jeeps, according to the taste of each commissioner with necessary customs duty duly paid.
Speaking at the occasion in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday, the governor however warned commissioners against making Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, their permanent abode without regular visits to their localities to interact with the people.
He cautioned them against cutting ties with rural dwellers for whatever reason, saying such visits will allow the commissioners to comprehend the needs of their locals and requirements for government’s attention.
The governor asked the commissioner to go round to keep in touch with his people and must be beneficial to them materially and otherwise, or risk sack.
Idris warned that: “No commissioner should sell his or her vehicle; they are for your official engagement to enable you move around to solve transport difficulty, especially travelling to your communities to interact with the populace, listen to their needs or problems and bring them toward for my attention and action.
“I have made it crystal clear that my administration is people oriented government of collective responsibility without the governor being a solitary play maker.”
The governor intimated the speaker of the state House of Assembly and other members present at the event that the government had also ordered for new official vehicles for the legislators were arriving Lagos for onward journey to Kebbi soon.
Afterwards, Gov. Idris also distributed 730 motorcycles to vigilantes to complement the operations of conventional security services in tackling security challenges.
The governor announced that 30 motorcycles had been provided to vigilantes in each of 16 local government areas of the state, while those serving in Birnin Kebbi, Argungu, Bagudo, Danko-Wasagu and Yauri received 50 motorcycles each.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the government recently presented operational vehicles to the Police, Army, the DSS as well as the Special Adviser on Security and the Vigilantes Commander to sharpen security surveillance, crime detection and control in the state.

A Kebbi based NGO, Standup for Women Society (SWS), has advocated for establishment of marriage counseling registry to curb domestic violence and divorce in the state.

Chairperson of the society, Hajiya Khadijat Sa’idu, made the call in an interview with the phenomenal on Sunday in Birnin Kebbi.

Sa’idu said the call was imperative to address nagging problem of domestic violence and reduce spate of indiscriminate divorce in the state.

“In Saudi Arabia, for instance they have marriage counseling unit where prospective couples go for counseling preparatory to their wedding.

“They are taught the basic principles of marriage, possible challenges and how to tackle them, and the importance of patience in the marriage as well as disadvantage of loosing patience among other vital issues related to the marriage,” she said.

Sa’idu attributed the spate of domestic violence against men by women to betrayal and jealousness.

She said that betrayal and jealousy had been identified as the major causative factors of such barbaric act.

“Women often sacrifice all that they have for men they want and love, especially those that are poor.

“However, when these men get an opportunity instead of them to think on how they can develop their family and have a standard living they marry another woman.

“Many women face top time when this incident happen, this leads to jealousy and it may lead to women facing challenges of disappointment and trauma.

“Sometimes the trauma may lead to temporary mental disorder which might result to eventual atrocities against husband and his properties,” she said.

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According to her, self defense might also be another cause of spousal murder.

The activist noted that when a woman was badly treated and stretched by her husband and there was nobody to defend her, she might loose control and attack the man by all means or weapon.

“This weapon can be lethal when use and she may use it for self defense,” she said.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Kebbi Area Command, has intercepted 150 drums of petrol and 389 kg of cannabis sativa (Indian hemp) worth N21.1 million in its continued onslaught against smugglers in the state.

The Customs Public Relations Officer of the command, DSC Nasiru Manga, said this in a statement made available to the phenomenal in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.

The statement noted that the seizures were recorded at two separate locations within one week based on credible intelligence report.

“The operatives of the command while on information patrol on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022 along Kyangakwai-Kamba Road, intercepted one Blue Carina E with Registration Number UBT 674 MQ and Chassis Number SB1645BK10E009725 loaded with Cannabis Sativa, popularly known as Indian hemp.

“Physical examination of the vehicle revealed that it was loaded with 389 parcels of one kilogramme each of cannabis sativa valued at N15,560,000.

“Similarly, based on credible intelligence, officers and men of Kebbi Area command on Friday night, Jan. 7, 2022, were able to scuttle the activities of dare-devil smugglers of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at Low-coast waterway in Yauri.

“Consequently evacuated 150 drums equivalent of 30,000 litres of PMS, which were meant to be smuggled out of the country through waterways valued at N4,860,000, ” it added.

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The statement quoted the Customs Area Controller, Hafiz Kalla, as condemning how a few unscrupulous elements diverted the product (PMS) for their selfish reasons, thereby sabotaging the government’s effort.

“Kalla reiterated his stand of not allowing smugglers to breath a space, stressing that his men would not relent in their effort to frustrate all the activities of economic saboteurs in his area of coverage,” the statement read.

Kebbi State Department of Fire Service recorded 153 fire incidents and saved property worth over N485 million in 2021.

The Director, Alhaji Yahaya Zazzagawa, made the disclosure in an interview with the phenomenal in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.

“From January to December 2021, we recorded 153 fire incidents and no death was recorded as we saved property worth over N485 million from destruction,” he said.

The director said that the fires occurred on Jan. 18, Feb. 18, March 28, April 11, May 14, June 7, July 6, Aug. 12, Sept. 3, Oct. 2, Nov. 17 and Dec. 22, among other dates.

“Unlike in 2020, we recorded a reduction in fire incidents,” he said, noting that in 2020, the state recorded 173 fire incidents with one death while one person was rescued.

He attributed the reduction to intensified enlightenment campaigns by the service.

Zazzagawa advised the state residents to be more careful in handling electrical appliances and other inflammable items.

“About N135 millions worth of property were lost to fire and N485 million worth of property saved during the fire incidents,” he said.

He attributed the fire incidents to mismanagement of electrical appliances, electricity surge, improper use of inflammable items and engagement of unqualified electricians.

Zazzagawa also advised smokers to ensure proper disposal of cigarette butts, especially in the grassy areas during harmattan.

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According to him, the fire service needs more functional vehicles for quicker responses to fire outbreaks,” he said.

Zazzagawa appealed to the state government to adequately equip the department for prompt responses to distress calls and fire emergences.

He said that the department needed more manpower to adequately respond to distress calls.

“We need at least 100 additional staff,” the director said.

The Kebbi State Independent Electoral Commission (KESIEC) has scheduled the state local government councils poll for Feb. 5, 2022.
Alhaji Aliyu Mera, Chairman, KESIEC said this when he briefed newsmen shortly after a stakeholders’ meeting at the commission’s headquartres in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.
“After a fruitful deliberation with political parties in the state, we have resolved without resistance from any party that we are going to conduct the local government councils election on Feb. 5, 2022.
“This is a collective and unanimous decision of all stakeholders; it is not a decision of the commission alone but the political stakeholders. Going by our programme, the parties requested for an extension of time for sales of forms which was granted, apart from this, all other things were humbly accepted.
“Initially, sale of forms was supposed to commence from Dec. 24 to Jan. 5, but they pleaded that it should be extended by five days which was accepted and approved; now sales of forms will close by Jan. 10, instead of Jan. 5,” he said.
He added that nomination forms, contact and all other relevant documents with respect to the election would be made through the secretariat of the commission located at No. 4, Jalingo Crescent, G.R.A. Birnin Kebbi.
“This is to enable political parties, stakeholders and the general public to take note and commence all necessary preparation in respect of the forthcoming election,” he said.
Mera solicited for the support and cooperation of all stakeholders and general public towards conducting free, fair, and credible election in the state.
While assuring of the commission’s readiness to conduct election that would be acceptable to all, he charged political parties to play by the stipulated rules and regulations of the election.
Malam Ibrahim Muhammad, the state Chairman, Coalition of Political Parties, described the meeting as a routine exercise aimed at clarifying issues on the election.
“It is sad that it has become a tradition that in most states, the ruling political party usually sweeps all the local government elective positions in the poll.
“This is one of the issues we deliberated upon during our meeting, we enquired whether the KESIEC is truly independent and ready to give all parties a level playing ground toward ensuring a free, fair and credible election?
“Are they ready to allow people to elect credible candidates of their choice?. If people elect what they want, are they ready to give them what they elected?, Is the commission really ready to be just to all so that the election will be acceptable by all concern?
“To achieve these, the commission must be truly independent, it must work with the fear of God, it must not receive directives from above to change election results. However, the commission assured us that they will stand firm to ensure that all parties are given equal opportunity,” he said.
He said that for the opposition parties to make impact in the election, the state electoral commission must answer its name as a truly independent commission and not just by name.
Alhaji Suleiman Argungu, the state chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PDP) identified lack of transparency as one of the hinderance towards credible conduct of local councils poll in Nigeria.

Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State has pledged to ensure an end to the perennial water scarcity experienced in the state before 2023.
Bagudu gave the assurance during an inspection tour of borehole drilling equipment at the premises of the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
The governor, who was represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Birnin Kebbi, Alhaji Suleiman Muhammad-Argungu, said: “before 2023, there will be no community in Kebbi State without potable drinking water.”
He explained that provision of potable drinking water remained one of the top priorities of his administration and appealed to beneficiaries to safeguard the facilities in their respective areas.
According to him, the visit to RUWASSA was to assess the drilling rigs in the agency and the challenges the agency was facing, as well as to detail the mobilisation of a drilling rig to one of the villages the governor had promised potable drinking water.
Accompanied by the Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Nura Usman-Kangiwa, the representative of the governor inspected the stores, as well as the drilling equipment, to ascertain the readiness of the agency to carry out the directives of the governor, under the ministry of water resources.

Shortly after the facility tour, the Chief of Staff told journalists in an interview that the visit followed the directives of the governor to ensure that communities in the state were provided with potable drinking water.
“What informed our visit here is in compliance with His Excellency’s directives. When we visited Kaare District in Yeldu, one of the Village Heads stopped us and complained that they are still having difficulties in accessing potable drinking water.
“And his Excellency vividly recalled that about three years ago, he had given approval to the Ministry of Water Resources to provide those communities with potable drinking water.
“Unfortunately what we gathered, and what the village head told us, was that about three locations were selected and drilled, up to the depth of 120 meters, but they could not get water.
“But, coincidentally, just 150 meters away from that community, the same contractor constructed a borehole in that community at 80 meters and reached water source.”
Muhammad-Argungu said the ministry directed that the contractor should go to the same village where they got water on the opposite site and construct another well for the two communities to share.
“The Governor has promised that before 2023, God’s Willing, there will be no community that doesn’t have potable drinking water and that is why having known that, RUWASSA acquired two drilling rigs that can go deeper than that of the private contractor in all the locations.
“In Arewa Local Government, it can even go deeper to the depth where water source can be accessed.
“The GM of RUWASSA and his staff have confirmed to me that they have the equipment and other accessories that the village would get potable drinking water in the next one week.
“The Ministry of Water Resources and Arewa Local Government have also been directed by government to provide potable drinking water to 40 other locations in the area for the people and their animals,” he said.
Immediately after leaving RUWASSA, the Chief of Staff and the Commissioner proceeded to Kwalaye in Arewa local Government area, where they also inspected an old artisanal well that gushes out water, with a view to refurbishing it and also constructing a borehole for possible irrigation purposes.
He further said that the Commissioner had promised that RUWASSA would be mobilised in order to resuscitate its water for both farming and human consumption.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit to RUWASSA by the Chief of Staff was sequel to the directive of the governor on his visit to Tsohon Garin Masama in Arewa Local Government area last week.
Following the visit, the governor ordered the Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural Development to provide portable drinking water to the village, following a complaint he received from the village head.
In a remark, the Commissioner of Water Resources and Rural Development, Nura Usman-Kangiwa assured that the directives of the governor would be fully carried out to ensure that communities, particularly Tsohon Garin Masama, were provided with potable drinking water.
He appreciated the moral and financial support his ministry had been enjoying from the governor in the discharge of its mandate.

The Police Command in Kebbi on Saturday confirmed that bandits killed 88 people in Danko/Wasagu Local Area of the state on Thursday.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Nafi’u Abubakar who confirmed the figure, said all the victims were killed in eight different communities in the local government area.

According to him, the command has so far recovered the 88 bodies and dispatched a detachment of operatives to maintain law and order in the affected communities.

“The killing took place in Koro, Kimpi, Gaya, Dimi, Zutu, Rafin Gora and Iguenge villages, all in Danko/Wasagu LGA of Kebbi State.

“Initially, the bodies recovered were 66 but as I am talking to you now, about 88 bodies have been recovered,” Abubakar said.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that in April, bandits killed nine police officers including the Divisional Police Officer as they were responding to a distressed call.
– NAN

How big is the economy of Lagos State?

Data of the 2020 internally generated revenues of all the states in the country, as just released by the National Bureau of Statistics, clearly indicate this.

For instance, where Kebbi State generated just above N7bn, Lagos generated just a little below N499bn.

Specifically, Lagos topped other states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2020, realising a total of N418.99 billion in the year.

This is indicated in the National Bureau of Statistics’ Published Internally Generated Revenue for State level for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020.

It showed that in spite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the EndSARS crises, Lagos State increased its IGR by 5.08 per cent.

The state generated a total of N114 billion in first quarter of 2020; N90.51 billion in second quarter, in N107.84 billion in third quarter, and N106.63 billion in fourth quarter, making a total of N418.99 billion.

The state’s 2020 IGR of N418.99 billion increased by N20.26 billion, when compared with N398.73 generated in 2019.

The report indicated that Lagos State contributed a share of 32.08 per cent of the total IGR of N1.31 trillion realised by the states in the country in 2020.

“The 36 states and FCT IGR figure hits N1.31trn in 2020 compared to N1.33trn recorded in 2019. This indicates a negative growth of -1.93 per cent year on year.

“Lagos State has the highest Internally Generated Revenue with N418.99bn recorded, closely followed by Rivers with N117.19bn while Yobe State recorded the least Internally Generated revenue,” the NBS report indicated.

The Lagos State 2020 IGR showed that the state realised N278.89 billion from the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes; N17.07 billion from Direct Assessment, Road Taxes contributed N12.14 billion, while a total of N51.79 billion was from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) revenue.

Following after Lagos State is Rivers with 8.97 per cent — N117,19 billion IGR in 2020; FCT generated N92.06 billion with a share of 7.05 per cent, Delta contributed a share of 4.57 per cent with N59.73 billion IGR while Kaduna generated N50.77 billion — 3.89 per cent.

Ogun State contributed 3.89 per cent with its N50.75 billion; Oyo 2.91 per cent with N38.04 billion, Kano had 2.44 per cent share with N31.82 billion, Akwa Ibom had 2.35 per cent with N30.70 billion and Anambra had 2.14 per cent after generating N28.01 billion in 2020.

Also, Edo generated N27.18 billion — 2.08 per cent; Ondo realised N24.85 billion — 1.90 per cent; Enugu, 1.81 per cent with N23.65 billion IGR; Osun had 1.51 per cent with N19.67 billion; Kwara, 1.50 per cent — N19.60 billion; and Plateau had 1.46 per cent with N19.12 billion revenue.

Zamfara generated N18.50 billion having a share of 1.42 per cent; Kogi had 1.33 per cent with N17.36 billion IGR; Imo realised N17.08 billion with 1.31 per cent; Cross River had 1.24 per cent with N16.18 billion; and Abia had a percentage of 1.10 with its N14.38 billion.

Kebbi generated N13.78 billion — 1.05 per cent; Ebonyi State had 1.04 per cent with N13.59 billion revenue; Bauchi generated N12.50 billion — 0.96 per cent; while Nasawara followed on 0.96 per cent with N12.48 billion.

Bayelsa had 0.93 per cent N12.18 billion; Sokoto realised N11.80 billion — 0.90 per cent; Borno had 0.89 per cent with N11.58 billion; Katsina on 0.87 per cent with N11.40 billion; Niger generated N10.52 billion — 0.81 per cent; while Benue stood at 0.80 per cent with N10.46 billion

Ekiti had 0.67 per cent with N8.72 billion; Jigawa on 0.66 per cent with N8.67 billion; Gombe had 0.65 per cent with N8.54 billion; Adamawa, 0.64 per cent share with N8.33 billion; Taraba, 0.62 per cent with N8.11 billion; and lastly, Yobe, 0.60 per cent with N7.78 billion IGR.