Nigerian nurses begin nationwide strike today

 

Nigerian nurses, under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions Sector, today, July 30, embarked on a seven-day nationwide warning strike. 

The action, which began at midnight, followed the expiration of a 15-day ultimatum issued by NANNM to the federal government. 

The National Chairman of NANNM-FHI, Morakinyo Rilwan, warned on Monday, July 28, that the strike would involve a total withdrawal of services across all federal health institutions. 

“The 15-day ultimatum ends by Tuesday, July 29, 2025, by midnight, and the warning strike commences on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 12.01am. 

“The action would include 74 federal hospitals – teaching hospitals, federal medical centres, specialist hospitals like orthopaedic, neuro-psychiatric, and eye centres, as well as all general hospitals and primary healthcare centres in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, and 774 local government areas. 

“Private hospitals are not included. This is because for now the private practitioner nurses are not spread over Nigeria,” he said. 

According to him, the strike was in response to issues which include poor remuneration, staff shortages, unpaid allowances, and unsafe working conditions. 

On July 14, 2025, the union issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government, demanding immediate intervention to prevent a total healthcare shutdown. 

Rilwan stated that despite the ultimatum, the federal government had not initiated any negotiations. 

He said the strike became necessary after the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Health failed to respond meaningfully to its July 14 ultimatum. 

The organisation’s demands include gazetting of the nurses scheme of service approved by the NCE in 2016 in Minna, Niger State, implementation of the National Industrial Arbitration Court (NIC) judgment of January 27, 2012, upward review of professional allowance for nurses and midwives, and employment of nursing personnel and adequate provision of health facility equipment. 

Other demands include creation of a department of nursing in the federal ministry of health, inclusion of nurses in the headship of the health policy-making body, a fair representation by the association on the board and membership in federal health institutions, centralisation of internship posting for graduate nurses, and consultancy for nurses and midwives. 

The association is also demanding the withdrawal of the content of the recently released circular on revised allowances for health workers (Nurses).

Rampaging hippopotamus caught and butchered for meat by locals in Adamawa community (photos)

One of the rampaging hippopotamuses that recently invaded communities in Adamawa State has been caught and butchered for meat by the locals.

 

 

Happiness Blog reported that one person was k!lled following the invasion of displaced hippopotamuses in the Guyuk and Shelleng Local Government Areas of the state last week. 

The Chairman of Guyuk Local Government, Mr Shalom Kassa, who confirmed the incident on Monday, July 28, 2025, said that a young man was reportedly k!lled by one of the animals during the attack.

Kassa said the hippopotamuses, displaced by flooding around the Kiri Dam in Shelleng, were now within communities, farmlands, and riverbanks, causing fear among residents.

"This is a serious threat to human lives and means of livelihoods; the animals are destroying farmlands, invading flooded homes, and endangering residents and livestock,” he said. 

It was gathered that the hippopotamus was caught on Tuesday, July 29.

 

 

 

 

Nigeria crumbling under poverty, insecurity, elite failure — Pat Utomi

 

A political coalition known as The Big Tent has warned that Nigeria is collapsing under the weight of poverty, insecurity, institutional decay, and elite failure.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition at a media briefing, Convener Professor Pat Utomi described the situation as an "existential crisis requiring urgent civic action and responsible leadership."

“We envision Nigeria as a beacon of African progress, leading a flock of nations toward prosperity much like the Asian Tigers,” Utomi said. “But to achieve this, we must confront hard truths. We must wake up to the suffering around us.”

He identified poverty as the most visible evidence of leadership failure, noting that 75% of rural Nigerians now live in chronic poverty. “Hunger is ravaging the land,” he said. “The rural economy has collapsed. Farmers can’t farm, yet our political elite are obsessed with convoys, private jets, and luxury SUVs. It’s morally bankrupt.”

Utomi warned of an unfolding food crisis, stating that over 30 million Nigerians are at risk of severe food insecurity during the June–August lean season. He added that the government ignored earlier warnings raised by agricultural experts within the coalition.

To address the crisis, he proposed structural reforms including an overhaul of land tenure laws, empowering universities to provide agricultural extension services, and establishing agro-processing clusters.

 “Just as land-grant universities transformed U.S. agriculture, we must re-engage our academic institutions to drive innovation and support in farming,” he said.

On insecurity, Utomi emphasized the connection between poverty and rising violence: “Poverty makes people easy recruits for terrorists and criminals. We need decentralised policing—local governments and states must be allowed to manage their security.”

He also called for regionally driven economic development: “From cocoa in the South-West to lithium in the North-Central, each region has untapped potential. But growth must be led by the private sector, with government acting as a smart enabler.”

Man slumps and d!es while separating couple fighting in FCT

A middle aged man identified as Joseph Ayuba, slumped and d!ed while separating a couple fighting in the Dogon-Ruwa community in Abaji Area Council of the FCT.

Barnabas Yakubu, a native of the community, who confirmed the incident to Daily Trust on Tuesday, July 29, 2025 stated that the couple, who were neighbours to the deceased, were engaged in a physical altercation following a misunderstanding, and Ayuba rushed out of his room to separate them.

According to Yakubu, the deceased had just returned from his farm last week Tuesday around 5.23pm. and was preparing to bathe when he heard his neighbour beating the wife.

He said Ayuba abandoned his sponge and bucket of water and rushed to intervene but slumped in the process.

Ayuba, who was believed to be hale and hearty before the incident, was rushed to a clinic in Gawu town, where doctors on duty confirmed him d3ad. 

The chief of the community, upon learning of the incident, alerted some vigilantes and ordered the arrest of the couple, who were later handed over to security operatives in Gawu. 

Ibrahim, one of the vigilantes, confirmed the incident, saying, “We learned that it was just a small misunderstanding that led to the fight between the deceased’s neighbour and his wife.”

He added that the remains of the deceased had been taken to his Paiko village in Niger State for burial. 

Police at Gawu division confirmed the incident, stating that the matter is still under investigation. 

Flood: One k!lled as displaced hippopotamuses invade communities in Adamawa

One person was k!lled following the invasion of displaced hippopotamuses in the Guyuk and Shelleng Local Government Areas of Adamawa State.

The Chairman of Guyuk Local Government, Mr Shalom Kassa, who confirmed the incident on Monday, July 28, 2025 in the Banjiram community, said that a young man was reportedly k!lled by one of the animals during the attack.

Kassa said the hippopotamuses, displaced by flooding around the Kiri Dam in Shelleng, were now within communities, farmlands, and riverbanks, causing fear among residents.

"This is a serious threat to human lives and means of livelihoods; the animals are destroying farmlands, invading flooded homes, and endangering residents and livestock,” he said. 

Kassa alongside the Chairman of Shelleng Local Government, Alhaji Abubakar Abba, and traditional rulers, including Kwandi Nunguraya of Guyuk, Kuruhaye, had visited the seat of government in Yola for help.

Kassa explained that persistent flooding across several parts of the state, especially in Guyuk and Shelleng, had forced the animals out of their natural habitat and into populated areas. 

He added that residents were unable to defend themselves as existing laws prohibited the killing or harming of wildlife, including hippopotamuses.

"We are appealing to the state Ministry of Environment, wildlife officials, and relevant agencies to urgently intervene before more lives are lost,” he said.

Kassa also extended his condolences to the victims of recent flooding in Yola town, where five persons reportedly died and 55 others were hospitalised.

Secretary to the State Government, Mr Awwal Tukur, who received the delegation, assured them that the government would address the situation. 

 

Two top Israeli human rights groups accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza

Two of Israel’s most prominent human rights organizations have accused the Israeli government of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza—marking the first time Israeli groups have made such a claim.

In a detailed 79-page report released Monday, July 28, B’Tselem concluded that Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide. The group cited Israel’s policies, the scale of destruction, and public statements from senior political and military figures as the basis for its conclusion.

“Nothing prepares you for the realization that you are part of a society committing genocide. This is a deeply painful moment,” said Yuli Novak, Executive Director of B’Tselem. “As Israelis and Palestinians who live here and witness the reality every day, we have a duty to speak the truth as clearly as possible: Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians. Our genocide has context.”

Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) joined B’Tselem in its accusation, publishing its own analysis documenting what it described as the “deliberate and systematic dismantling of the health system in Gaza and other essential services vital to civilian survival.”

PHRI argued the destruction goes beyond collateral damage: “This is not about unintended consequences of war, but a deliberate policy aimed at harming the Palestinian population as a group.”

The Israeli government swiftly rejected the accusations. “We have free speech in this country, but we strongly reject this claim,” said government spokesperson David Mencer, adding that Israel has facilitated aid deliveries into Gaza.

Israel maintains that its actions in Gaza, launched in response to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks, are lawful acts of self-defense. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others to Gaza.

B’Tselem’s report accuses Israeli forces of mass killings, large-scale destruction of infrastructure, forced displacement, and efforts to dismantle Gaza’s social fabric. It also highlights what it describes as “genocidal intent” in statements made by Israeli officials since the war began.

The organization said its findings are based on data collected over 20 months, including thousands of incidents across Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Israel. The report includes information from both B’Tselem’s own fieldwork and other vetted sources.

B’Tselem also directed criticism at the international community, particularly the U.S. and European governments, for “enabling genocide” through continued political and military support.

“Many state leaders have not only refrained from effective action to stop the genocide but enabled it—through statements affirming Israel’s ‘right to self-defense’ or the continued shipment of weapons and ammunition,” the report said.

 It noted that such support continued even after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found a “plausible risk” that Israel’s actions in Gaza could constitute genocidal acts.

The report comes amid growing international and domestic pressure on the Israeli government over conditions in Gaza. Images of malnourished children and warnings of famine have sparked global outrage. Governments including the United Kingdom, France, and Germany recently described the crisis as “man-made and avoidable.”

Domestically, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting protests calling for an end to the war and the release of hostages, while members of his far-right coalition threaten to collapse the government if military operations cease.

On Monday, the presidents of five leading Israeli universities published an open letter to Netanyahu expressing deep concern. “We observe with shock the harrowing scenes emerging daily from Gaza, where hunger and disease continue to claim the lives of the most vulnerable,” they wrote. The letter also condemned “appalling” statements by Israeli politicians advocating for the destruction of Gaza and forced displacement of its population.

While B’Tselem is the first Israeli group to accuse the government of genocide, similar allegations have previously been made by international organizations and governments.

Last year, the UN Special Committee reported that Israel’s conduct in Gaza was “consistent with the characteristics of genocide.” Human Rights Watch accused Israel of “acts of genocide” in December 2024, and Amnesty International stated that there was “sufficient evidence” to suggest genocide was occurring.

In December 2023, South Africa filed a case against Israel at the ICJ, alleging genocide. Ireland later joined the case. In response, the UN’s top court ordered Israel to take “all measures” to prevent genocide in Gaza while it continues to examine the full merits of the case—a process that could take years.

Prominent individuals, including genocide scholar Omer Bartov, have echoed these accusations. In an op-ed published in The New York Times, Bartov wrote that the “inescapable conclusion has become that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.”

US to deny visa to pregnant women travelling to give birth so their children can become American citizens

The United States government has warned that using a tourist visa with the intention of giving birth in the country is not permitted and could result in visa denial. 

The move is part of the U.S. government’s broader effort to curb birth tourism, a practice where foreign nationals travel to the United States on temporary visas with the primary intention of giving birth, so their child automatically acquires U.S. citizenship. 

This was disclosed in a statement on the official social media accounts of the US Mission in Nigeria on Monday, July 28. 

“Using your visa to travel for the primary purpose of giving birth in the United States so that your child will have U.S. citizenship is not permitted. Consular officers will deny your visa application if they have reason to believe this is your intent,” the statement read in part. 

The U.S. emphasized that visa applicants must be honest about their travel purpose and cautioned that misrepresentation of intent may carry long-term immigration consequences. 

According to the U.S. Department of State, consular officers have been directed to deny visa applications where there is credible evidence that the applicant’s main reason for travel is to give birth on American soil to secure citizenship for their child.

Charly Boy reacts to renaming of Lagos bus stop after rapper, Olamide

Veteran entertainer Charly Boy has dismissed the recent renaming of a bus stop in Lagos that used to bear his name.

In honour of rapper Olamide, the Bariga LVDA renamed the well-known Charly Boy bus stop to the Olamide Baddo Bus Stop last Friday, July 25.

There were reactions to the change, with some people saying it had a political undertone due to Charly Boy's criticism of the current government.

In an apparent response to the shift, Charly Boy posted the image above along with the caption,

‘’Bus Stop or no bus stop,

Fada no dey finish.

Go verify.

 

Dia Father's left Nyash.''