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Fight Against Sickle Cell: NDDC Joins Forces With NGO

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Fight Against Sickle Cell: NDDC Joins Forces With NGO

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Sickle Cell Awareness Initiative Ireland-Nigeria (SCAIIN) have launched a landmark Sickle Cell Awareness and Advocacy Flagship programme in the nine states of the region.

It was gathered that the partnership designed to promote public health, drive awareness, and mobilize resources to address sickle cell, which had become a pressing public health challenge in the Niger Delta region.

The event, which was held at the NDDC Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Thursday, was designed to bridge the gap in sickle cell disease management and care.

In his remarks, the Managing Director/CEO of NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, said that the project was a collective responsibility to promote public health, drive awareness, and mobilise resources to address sickle cell disease as a regional priority.

Ogbuku noted that sickle cell disease affects thousands of individuals and families in the Niger Delta, with many lacking access to early diagnosis, counseling, and treatment.

He said the country bore a significant burden of the disease, with approximately three perncent of the population affected and about 150,000 babies born with the condition annually.

Ogbuku said that the partnership between NDDC and SCAIIN included community outreach, genetic screening, education, blood drives, and high-level advocacy.

He explained that the initiative would save lives and lay the groundwork for long-term prevention, research, and care, assuring that the NDDC remained committed to investing in programmes that directly improved the health and wellbeing of the people of the Niger Delta.

He said: “NDDC remains committed to investing in programs that directly improve the health and wellbeing of the people of the Niger Delta. As we collaborate with our partners, healthcare providers, and the broader public, I am confident that this initiative will not only save lives but also lay the groundwork for long-term prevention, research, and care.

“On behalf of the Niger Delta Development Commission, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have contributed to making this vision a reality. Together, we reaffirm our shared mission: to build healthier, stronger communities for today and for generations to come.”

Ogbuku expressed gratitude to all those, who had contributed to making this vision a reality, emphasising that the project was a meaningful step forward in combining community outreach, genetic screening, education, blood drives, and high-level advocacy under a comprehensive initiative.

In her address, Esther Pepple Onolememen, Clinical Psychotherapist and Founder of SCAIIN explained that the project was to address the growing burden of sickle cell disease in the Niger Delta region.

She said the initiative, supported by the NDDC, would increase awareness, provide genetic screening, train healthcare professionals, and empower families with the necessary education and tools.

Onolememen noted that the journey began nearly 25 years ago when her daughter, Reme, suffered a stroke at just eight months old due to complications from sickle cell disorder.

She said the life-altering experience sparked her advocacy work and led her to co-found SCAIIN, the Sickle Cell Society Ireland, and the Umoja Africa Sickle Cell Consortia (UMASCCO), a Pan-African platform of nearly 40 countries.

Onolememen emphasized the importance of collective action in addressing the growing burden of sickle cell disease.

She said: “We cannot ignore the statistics. We cannot ignore the stories. This must change. The NDDC’s support has been instrumental in facilitating this initiative, demonstrating the impact of institutional and community collaboration.

In his welcome address, Dr. George Uzonwanne, Director of Education, Health, and Social Services at NDDC, described the initiative as a deeply meaningful step towards restoring dignity, understanding, and hope to countless lives affected by sickle cell disease.

“Caring for people living with hereditary conditions like sickle cell disorder is not just a healthcare duty, but a moral calling”, he said.

He said the NDDC’s support for the initiative was part of its broader efforts to build a Niger Delta that heals, understands, and never leaves its own behind.

He said by working together, stakeholders could make a meaningful difference in the lives of thousands of individuals and families affected by sickle cell disease, and ultimately create a brighter future for the region.

Thenationonlineng.net

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BREAKING: KWAM 1 Writes Ogun Govt, Accuses Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Plot to Exclude Him From Awujale Selection

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Popular Fuji musician and Olori Omooba of Ijebu land, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, widely known as KWAM1, has written to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, alleging that he is being deliberately sidelined from the ongoing process to select the next Awujale of Ijebu land.

Ayinde, in a petition dated January 8, 2026, accused the Fusengbuwa ruling house next in line to produce the monarch of taking actions that allegedly violate the Chieftaincy Declaration and the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State. He claimed the moves were designed to disenfranchise him from contesting for the revered throne.

The letter, written on his behalf by his lawyer, Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN, was addressed to Governor Abiodun and outlined what the Fuji star described as procedural irregularities in the selection process.

According to the petition, the contest for the Awujale stool has attracted over 60 aspirants, with Ayinde formally declaring his interest. However, the Fusengbuwa family has maintained that KWAM1 is not a member of the ruling house and is therefore ineligible to participate in the exercise.

Before writing to the governor, Ayinde had approached the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu Ode, seeking an interim injunction to restrain Governor Abiodun and six others from continuing with the selection process. The court, however, dismissed the application, ruling that it lacked merit. The musician later withdrew the suit without publicly stating his reasons.

In his latest letter, Ayinde disclosed that the Ijebu Ode Local Government, via a letter dated January 6, 2026, signed by its Secretary, Oke Adebanjo, had approved the commencement of the selection process by the ruling house.

He expressed surprise that while members of the Fusengbuwa family were preparing for a general meeting, the family’s Public Relations Officer, Prince Adeleye Lateef Ademuyiwa, allegedly issued a notice directing aspirants to collect nomination forms and appear before a screening committee.

The screening committee, according to Ayinde, is chaired by Prince Alhaji Mitiu Adenuga. He further alleged that the directive fixed the nomination exercise for Monday, January 12, 2026, while also stating that the process would be conducted by delegates to be selected at a meeting scheduled for January 10, 2026.

Ayinde argued that the sequence of events was confusing, contradictory, and contrary to established laws guiding traditional chieftaincy matters in Ogun State.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Ogun State Government nor the Fusengbuwa ruling house had officially responded to the allegations.

Lagos Reporters will continue to monitor developments surrounding the Awujale succession process and provide updates as the story unfolds.

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“Do Not Test Trump’s Resolve”: US Issues Fresh Threat To Nigeria

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A United States Congressman, Rep. Riley M. Moore, has warned Nigeria not to take the resolve of President Donald Trump with levity, adding that the US president remained steadfast in his bid to protect Christians in Nigeria, while reiterating the false allegation that Christians have continued to face prosecution in the West African country.

Moore’s warning came days after the US president issued another military action in Nigeria, adding that he would not be carrying out a single operation in Nigeria if the alleged Christian persecution continues in the country.

The threat came days after the United States launched a military strike in Sokoto, targeting some terrorist hideouts in the country. The strike affected other states such as Niger and Kwara.

However, Trump, in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, January 8, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day, said: “I’d love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike,” Trump said.

Moore took to social media to reiterate Trump’s second threat to the country and warned Nigeria against overlooking the threat. His warning did not sit well with many Nigerians, who took to the comment section of the post and expressed their views about his claim. Below are some of their comments:

Omolayo accused the US of bombing a Christian country, Venezuela, and stealing its oil: “What about Venezuela, which is 80% Christian? Trump doesn’t care about Christians, but I grudgingly welcome his presence in the northern part of Nigeria.”

Umar Yusuf Dayyabu knocked the US: “The same US that just finished bombing a Christian country (Venezuela) and is currently stealing their oil is now claiming to want to save Christians in Nigeria. The US only wants our natural resources, that’s it.”

Amadu Yahuza accused the Trump administration of imperialism: “Let’s be clear: if the U.S. is claiming to defend Christians in Nigeria but simultaneously tightens visa access for Nigerians broadly, including Christians, that is not solidarity, it’s hypocrisy. Trump’s statements about Nigerian Christians are political branding, while visa restrictions, federal actions, and international messaging are geopolitical moves.”

Garvy accused the lawmaker of turning a blind eye to the killing of Christians in the US: “I guess you were blind to Christians murdered right in front of your nose in Salt Lake City, and you were blind to that. Suppose their lives don’t matter, right?”

You can read more reactions on X here:

 

 

 

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Buhari’s Ex-Minister Pantami Breaks Silence Over Alleged Wedding Plan With Aisha Buhari

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False claims linking former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, with former First Lady, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, have been dismissed after an independent verification found the story to be entirely fabricated.

The rumour, which spread rapidly across Facebook and X, alleged that the two were planning a marriage and circulated alongside an image described online as a pre wedding photograph.

The post gained wide traction after several users pointed to Aisha Buhari’s completion of her Islamic mourning period following the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari in July 2025.

Public figures also reshared the image, drawing thousands of comments and reactions and fuelling speculation among social media users.

A fact check carried out by PRNigeria found no credible evidence supporting the claim. Reviews of the verified social media accounts of both Pantami and Aisha Buhari showed no statements or references linked to any marriage plan. Searches across reputable news platforms also returned no matching reports.

Further forensic analysis subjected the viral photograph to InVid verification and artificial intelligence detection tools. The assessment confirmed that the image was digitally manipulated and generated through artificial means, with faces inserted into a wedding-themed template.

Pantami addressed the allegation directly in a phone conversation with PRNigeria.

“It is shocking that anyone would fabricate such a rumour. President Buhari is a father figure to us, and we regard his widow as a mother. The claim is baseless and impossible,” he said.

Bashir Ahmad, a former media aide to the late president, also rejected the story on his Facebook page in Hausa.

“The story being circulated that Hajiya Aisha Buhari has agreed to marry Sheikh Isa Ali Pantami is an outright lie. There is absolutely no truth in it whatsoever,” Ahmad wrote.

Additional context emerged from a recently released biography titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr. Charles Omole and launched at the State House in December 2025. The book records Aisha Buhari as stating clearly that she has no intention of remarrying, citing family responsibilities and a desire for a quieter public life.

The former president died in London on July 13, 2025, at the age of 82. He married Aisha Buhari in 1989 and is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren. Speculation around her personal life increased online after she completed the traditional mourning period in November 2025.

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