Chief of Nutrition at UNICEF Abuja, Nemat Hajeebhoy, has expressed satisfaction with the high rate of breastfeeding in Nigeria, revealing that more than 90 per cent of Nigerian mothers breastfeed their children.

She made the statement on Friday during the inauguration of Breastfeeding Week at Ambursa, in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The event was organised to further encourage nursing mothers to embrace exclusive breastfeeding as a vital step toward child health and development.

“We are gathered here for one single mission, and that mission is to put mothers and babies first by building a sustainable support system for every mother and child in Nigeria.

“Breastfeeding is not just food; it’s a newborn’s first vaccine and the first means of survival,” UNICEF chief of nutrition, Ms Hajeebhoy said.

“The right to breastfeed is enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Nigeria is a signatory to.”

Sharing positive news, she said: “More than 90 per cent of Nigerian mothers breastfeed, thank you, mothers. Congratulations!”

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However, she also raised concerns about a decline in exclusive breastfeeding, as revealed by recent surveys.

“We must act decisively.

“Stakeholders need to come together to support mothers so they can fully carry out their responsibilities,” she added.

Ms Hajeebhoy lauded Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi State for his bold step in approving six months maternity leave for mothers, calling it a crucial policy that reinforced breastfeeding as both a health and developmental priority.

Also speaking at the event, Nafisa Nasir-Idris, wife of the Kebbi State governor, urged women to adopt exclusive breastfeeding to foster a healthier society.

Highlighting its benefits, she said: “Exclusive breastfeeding increases a child’s intellectual capacity, wisdom, and agility.

“Mothers should also maintain personal and environmental hygiene to prevent disease outbreaks.”

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She commended her husband for prioritising health initiatives and for providing strong support to her pet projects, which focused on women and children.

In his remarks, Yusa Isma’il, commissioner for health, thanked development partners for their contributions to health programmes in the state.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to partnering with stakeholders by providing counterpart funding to reduce malnutrition and other health challenges.

Halima Hassan-Kamba, commissioner for women affairs, applauded the women of Kebbi for embracing exclusive breastfeeding.

“Breastfeeding promotes child health and intelligence, strengthens the mother-child bond, reduces cancer risk, serves as a family planning strategy, and gives mothers personal satisfaction.”

Earlier, Michael Juma, chief of UNICEF’s field office in Sokoto, emphasised the importance of early breastfeeding and urged all stakeholders, including politicians and policymakers, to give serious attention to breastfeeding issues.

As part of the event, the governor’s wife donated gift packages, including a bag of rice, children’s clothing, and N10,000 each to 20 selected women who practiced exclusive breastfeeding.

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Pregnant women received a bag of rice and additional items, while all other women present also received bags of rice, an incentive to encourage breastfeeding among mothers.

(NAN)

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said it will commence the transition from the current Fast Track Scheme to the globally recognised Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme.

Customs said in a statement on Friday that the move is grounded in the World Customs Organisation’s SAFE Framework of Standards and backed by Sections 108 to 111 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

The AEO Programme is a structured initiative that offers trusted traders who meet specified compliance, financial, and security criteria a certain level of priority treatment in Customs processes, including pre-arrival clearance, minimal inspection, expedited release, and possible mutual recognition with other customs administrations.

The scheme is also designed to build trust, ensure cargo integrity, and enhance the predictability and transparency of Nigeria’s import-export operations.

National spokesman of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the current Fast Track Scheme has been officially decommissioned effective 31 December 2025. “All beneficiaries currently enrolled in the Fast Track Scheme are mandated to initiate their migration to the AEO Compliance Programme by submitting their applications through the dedicated portal: aeo.nigeriatradehub.gov.ng,” Maiwada stated.

“Only companies approved under the AEO Programme will continue to enjoy trade facilitation privileges previously accorded under the Fast Track scheme.”

As part of the rollout and stakeholder education process, the service will host a stakeholders’ engagement forum on Wednesday, 06 August 2025, in Lagos. The forum is expected to bring together importers, exporters, terminal operators, logistics providers, and licensed customs agents for a sensitisation program on the objectives, benefits, eligibility requirements, and application procedures for the AEO Programme.

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“The Nigeria Customs Service encourages all eligible operators to embrace this transition and participate actively in the AEO Programme to sustain their competitive advantage while contributing to a more secure, transparent, and efficient trade environment in Nigeria.

“While the Service continues to prioritise compliance-driven facilitation, secure trade practices, and the modernisation of customs procedures in line with global trends, it remains committed to improving Nigeria’s ranking on the global trade index, securing supply chains, and fostering a transparent and efficient cargo clearance ecosystem that benefits both government and legitimate businesses,” He stated.

Atiku Abubakar who served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 and has since contested multiple presidential elections.

In the most recent 2023 polls, he emerged second behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Momodu, a figure within Nigeria’s opposition coalition, made the revelation in a recent article published on his Facebook page.

Media entrepreneur and former presidential candidate, Dele Momodu, has revealed that former Vice President once had a gentleman’s agreement to succeed President Olusegun Obasanjo after their first term in office.

According to him, the understanding between the two leaders was that Atiku would take over the reins of power following Obasanjo’s initial four-year tenure which began in 1999.

“The deal was that he would take over after their first term in office, but it fell through despite the humongous support from the majority of the governors,” Momodu wrote.

He added that after the alleged agreement collapsed, Obasanjo withdrew Atiku’s constitutional privileges, effectively sidelining him during their second term in office. Despite the political setback, Momodu noted that Atiku chose not to escalate tensions and handled the situation with “uncommon equanimity.”

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Atiku served as Vice President from 1999 to 2007 and has since contested multiple presidential elections. In the most recent 2023 polls, he emerged second behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Momodu praised Atiku’s resilience and business acumen in the years following his time in office. “He is a man with the Midas touch and has his fingers in many fruitful pies,” he stated, contrasting Atiku with some of his peers whom he described as dependent on political power for survival.

Kemi Badenoch, UK business secretary and Conservative Party leader, has declared that she no longer identifies as Nigerian and has not held a Nigerian passport for over 20 years.

Badenoch, who was born in London and raised in Lagos, made the statement while speaking on a podcast.

She said that while she knows Nigeria well and has family ties there, she no longer feels a sense of belonging to the country.

Her words: “I have not renewed my Nigerian passport, I think, not since the early 2000s,” she said. “I don’t identify with it anymore. Most of my life has been in the UK and I’ve just never felt the need to.

“The Conservative Party is very much part of my family, my extended family, I call it.

“I’m Nigerian through ancestry, by birth despite not being born there because of my parents, but by identity I’m not really.

“I know the country very well, I have a lot of family there… but home is where my now family is.”

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When her father, Femi Adegoke, passed away in 2022, Badenoch said she had to get a visa to travel to Nigeria, which she called “a big fandango.”

She also recalled that although she held dual British and Nigerian heritage while growing up in Lagos, she never quite felt she belonged there.

“My parents thought, ‘there is no future for you in this country’,” she said.

Badenoch has previously been criticised by some Nigerian politicians for her public remarks on corruption and dictatorship in Nigeria.

In December, Vice President Kashim Shettima said she was free to “remove the Kemi from her name” if she was not proud of her heritage.

Her spokesman responded that she “stands by what she says” and is “not the PR for Nigeria.”

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Catholic priest and spiritual director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has issued a fresh prophecy that could shake the 2027 elections.

Mbaka is known for his outspokenness and has been involved in various controversies, particularly regarding his comments on political matters.

He was previously removed as the ministry’s spiritual director but has since returned.

Mabak urged President Tinubu to take a courageous decision that could change the trajectory of security and peace in the country—particularly in the Southeast.

In a recent message during a church gathering, Fr. Mbaka spoke prophetically and emotionally, telling the President that acting on his call would not only bring peace but also shield him from growing threats within the political class.

“Mr. President, if you do this, one day you will say, ‘Father, God bless you,’” Mbaka declared. “I’m giving you an expo. You don’t understand.”

While the priest did not explicitly reveal what the “expo” entailed, his previous messages have pointed to the release of a detained figure believed to hold influence in calming unrest in the Southeast—possibly Nnamdi Kanu. Mbaka has repeatedly stressed that the man’s freedom could serve as a turning point in resolving the region’s security crisis.

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In his latest appeal, Mbaka also sounded a dire warning about hidden political enemies circling around the President. “Because if you don’t know, many vultures are gathering against you,” he said. His use of the term “vultures” suggested opportunists and saboteurs within the political system who, according to him, are waiting for Tinubu to make a mistake.

The fiery cleric has long been known for combining spiritual insight with political commentary. His latest statement is seen as both a prophetic counsel and a stark warning to the nation’s leadership.

Observers say Mbaka’s persistent calls reflect the frustration of many Nigerians, especially in the Southeast, who are seeking genuine solutions to the region’s unrest.

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The Presidency on Thursday announced that the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, which is due to expire on August 31, 2025, has been extended by one year.

According to a statement issued by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the extension, approved by President Bola Tinubu, will enable Mr. Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete critical initiatives of the present administration, including the modernisation of the Nigeria Customs Service; implementation of the National Single Window Project; and the execution of Nigeria’s obligations under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol.

The President, the release stated, recognised Mr. Adeniyi’s steadfast leadership and commitment to service.

President Tinubu expressed confidence that this extension will further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service in achieving its strategic mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security.