Category Nigeria News

The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NSDC), Dr. Olajide Idris, has said the agency aims to reduce the incidence of Lassa fever to an appreciable level within the next 10 years.

Idris made this known during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, explaining that vaccine development for Lassa fever takes time.

“We would reduce the incidence of Lassa fever to an appreciable level in the next 10 years. I said that because developing a vaccine for Lassa fever takes a long time.

“I am not going to lie to you telling you I’m going to reduce Lassa fever in the next two to three years whether I say that I will reduce the incidence of Lassa fever in this country appreciably to an attemptable level,” he said.



READ ALSO: NCDC Reports 318 Lassa Fever Cases With 70 Deaths 

The Director-General noted that the death rate remains high and that efforts are underway to bring it down to less than 10 per cent.

He said a group of experts is working on vaccine development in collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders from parts of Africa and outside the continent.

“If I tell you I would stop Lassa fever in the next five years, I would be lying to you because it’s not only a health issue, it is an environmental issue, an animal issue and we need to deal with those rats that carry the virus,” he added.

Lassa Fever Can Be Treated

Idris stressed that Lassa fever can be treated if patients present early at healthcare facilities.

“Lassa fever can be treated if people present early to health care facilities. It presents like normal malaria and starts treating until they start seeing the terrible symptoms like bleeding, that it’s called the hemorrhagic fever.

“But most importantly, the people who contract this disease do not report on time and the longer you wait, the more fatal it can be.”

According to him, about five states account for nearly 90 per cent of reported cases, which he described as alarming.

“That’s why we sent out our teams again to support this states to find out what could be going on, what they are doing right or wrong,” he said.

He added that certain gaps were identified and teams were redeployed to train personnel on case management. He noted that some states have treatment centres that are not adequately manned, some lack treatment centres entirely, and others do not know how to manage the cases.

Idris said advisories have been sent to states and that the agency has been engaging commissioners of health across the country.

“One of the problems occurs within local governments and states and that’s why states are being encouraged again to establish or build up the capacity for emergency preparation and response,” he explained.

He also highlighted the importance of infection prevention and control measures for health workers.

“That is what they call the infection prevention and control, what to wear to protect your self, either google, face mask, hand gloves, etcetera.”

Lassa Outbreak

The NCDC has confirmed 318 cases of Lassa fever and 70 deaths nationwide since the beginning of 2026.

Dr. Idris disclosed that 1,469 suspected cases have been recorded, resulting in a case fatality rate of 22 per cent.

He said five states — Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Bauchi and Ebonyi — account for 91 per cent of confirmed cases, while 10 local government areas account for 68 per cent of infections.

Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness caused by the Lassa virus, a member of the arenavirus family. It is an animal-borne disease transmitted by the common African rat, also known as the Mastomys rat.

The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party have traded words over the outcome of the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, offering sharply different interpretations of the results.

The disagreement follows the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which announced the APC as winner in five of the six chairmanship seats contested, while the PDP secured one.

Appearing on The Morning Brief on Channels Television, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka described the outcome as a natural reflection of voters’ choices.

“The fact is that an election was called and Nigerians who were eligible to vote went out to cast their ballots, and the authority empowered to regulate, conduct and monitor the election did so and declared the results in favour of the APC. The votes were collated and counted, and every requirement was met. The APC won the majority of the councils in the FCT,” he said.

READ ALSO: INEC Denies Migrating FCT Voters, Explains Split Polling Units

Morka added that the ruling party’s strong performance should not be surprising, arguing that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has created favourable public sentiment.

“The APC is the ruling party, and President Bola Tinubu is doing a fantastic job. The economic indicators are strengthening and moving at a pace many did not expect,” he stated.

Process Flawed, Turnout Poor

Also speaking on the programme, PDP spokesman Ini Ememobong warned that opposition parties may take a collective position ahead of future elections and signalled the possibility of legal action over alleged irregularities.

Ememobong criticised the conduct of the election, citing low voter turnout and logistical concerns.

“This is the first election testing the new Electoral Act, and it reinforces our concerns about voter apathy. In many polling units, you saw only a handful of voters, while in others no one voted because people believed their votes would not count,” he said.

He questioned delays in result collation, particularly in the Kuje Area Council.
“How could an election that ended in the afternoon only have results available the following day? That clearly shows why real-time electronic transmission is important,” he added.

Ememobong insisted the PDP was not rejecting the results out of bitterness but out of concern for electoral integrity.

“We are not sore losers. The contests were largely between the PDP and APC, but many things went wrong, including the movement restriction before the election, which stakeholders said was unnecessary,” the PDP spokesman stated.

Wike’s Role

Addressing questions about the presence of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike at the polls despite being a PDP member, Morka defended his participation.

“Mr Wike is a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who enjoys the constitutional freedom to participate in democracy, hold opinions and express them. It is about his personal views and actions within the law. We should not overthink it,” he said.

On allegations of anti-party activity, he added, “That question should be directed to the PDP. How they handle their members is within their domain.”

Also appearing on the programme, PDP National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong also criticised the minister’s visible presence at polling areas, saying it could undermine confidence in the process.

“The minister is not a voter in the FCT, yet he was on parade with a crowd. That alone could compromise the integrity of the election. There are many issues we need to fix,” he said.

FCT Council Elections

The FCT Area Council elections were held on Saturday, February 21, 2026 to elect six chairmen and 62 councillors across the territory’s six area councils.

INEC declared the APC winner in AMAC, Bwari, Kuje, Kwali and Abaji, while the PDP won Gwagwalada.

The poll was conducted under the amended Electoral Act, with observers noting generally low turnout despite a largely peaceful voting process.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu has congratulated the winners of the FCT Area Council elections as well as successful candidates in the Rivers and Kano by-elections, commending voters for participating in the democratic process.

Former Vice President and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has raised concern over the low voter turnout recorded in Saturday’s FCT Area Council elections.

In a statement reacting to the exercise, posted by his media aide Paul Ibe on X, the former Vice President described the turnout — which averaged below 20 per cent, with Abuja Municipal Area Council recording a figure of 7.8 per cent — as a damning verdict on the health of Nigeria’s democracy under the current administration.

Atiku said the abysmal civic participation in the nation’s capital, the symbolic heartbeat of the federation, is not accidental.

READ ALSO: INEC Denies Migrating FCT Voters, Explains Split Polling Units

He argued that it is the predictable outcome of a political environment, which he claimed has been poisoned by intolerance, intimidation and the systematic weakening of opposition voices.

The former presidential candidate alleged that the administration of President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress government have pursued policies that shrink democratic space, harass dissenters, and foster a climate where alternative political viewpoints are treated as threats rather than contributions to national development.

“When citizens lose faith that their votes matter, democracy begins to die,” Atiku stated. “What we are witnessing is not mere voter apathy. It is a direct consequence of an administration that governs with a chokehold on pluralism. Democracy in Nigeria is being suffocated — slowly, steadily, and dangerously.”

He warned that the steady erosion of participatory governance, if left unchecked, could inflict irreversible damage on the democratic fabric painstakingly built over decades.

“A democracy without vibrant opposition, without free political competition, and without public confidence is democracy in name only. If this chokehold is not released, history will record this era as the period when our hard-won freedoms were traded for fear and conformity,” he added.

The former Vice President called on opposition parties and democratic forces across the country to close ranks and forge a united front.

Channels Television’s Bauchi bureau cameraman, Kani Ben, has been laid to rest in his hometown of Kangali, Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State, following a solemn series of funeral rites attended by family, colleagues and dignitaries.

The 44-year-old died on February 15, 2026, at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital after sustaining injuries in a road accident while on official duty.

A wake service held on Sunday at the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria in Yola drew hundreds of worshippers, members of the Channels Television team, and sympathisers who gathered to honour the fallen journalist.

The General Manager, Special Duties, Kingsley Uranta, led the delegation from Channels Television.

The following day, a brief departure ceremony took place at a specialist hospital in Yola before the body was conveyed to Kangali, where grieving relatives and community members paid their final respects.

At the funeral service, church leaders described Ben as a devoted Christian and consummate professional. The Bishop of the Abuja Diocese of the Lutheran Church testified to his active involvement in church life and exemplary character.

He said, “For us to have this calibre of people from North East Development Commission, from Government of Bauchi state, from Channels, from National Union of Journalists, and all his colleagues, it means that Kani Ben lived a good life.”

READ ALSO: Channels TV Mourns Bauchi Bureau Cameraman, Kani Ben

Tributes 

Colleagues remembered him as courageous and committed to his craft.

Speaking on behalf of the organisation, Uranta said, “Our love, thoughts and prayers are with his family, his entire family, as you continue to celebrate the life of your dearly departed.”



The Bauchi State Commissioner for Information, Usman Shehu-Usman, who attended alongside representatives of the North East Development Commission, commended the late cameraman’s diligence and work ethic.

He said, “Channels Television had this active cameraman, we call him an active reporter, because actually he died less than a week ago, when Channels Television asked him to come from Bauchi to cover an event here in Adamawa. That is to tell you how trustworthy he is, how active he is.”

Also paying tribute, Director of Information at the NEDC, Naomi Abwaku, noted, “Mr. Kani Ben has been with the NEDC since inception. Right from the very day the NEDC stormed into Bauchi, Kani Ben was there.”

After prayers for strength and comfort for the bereaved, Kani Ben was committed to Mother Earth in a final, solemn farewell.

Kani Ben

Kani Ben was born in 1982. He was covering the commissioning of projects by the North East Development Commission, a reflection of a career spent documenting the nation’s stories.

At 44, he had dedicated nine years to Channels Television, earning widespread respect for his professionalism and courage.

Tributes poured in from the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Bauchi State Government, where he was based.

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed described his passing as painful and heartbreaking, noting that he died in active service while keeping Nigerians informed.

Fresh violence rocked Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State on Sunday night as armed bandits launched coordinated attacks on Jol community and Dorowa Babuje (Rob District), killing at least 10 persons between 8:00pm and 9:00pm, local leaders have confirmed.

The National President of the Berom Youth Moulders Association (BYMA), Barrister Solomon Dalyop, disclosed this in a phone interview with a Channels Television correspondent in Jos. He said nine people were killed in Dorowa Babuje, while one person lost his life in Jol during the separate but near-simultaneous attacks.

According to Dalyop, the assailants who attacked Jol arrived on motorcycles from the Manga axis, despite early warnings issued to security agencies about possible movement in the area.

READ ALSO: Troops Kill Five Suspected Kidnappers, Rescue Abducted Woman In Plateau

He explained that personnel of Operation Rainbow, Plateau State’s security outfit, were already on the ground and succeeded in repelling the attackers, thereby limiting casualties.

In Dorowa Babuje, Dalyop said the attackers emerged from the Jong-Wereh area, where they were believed to have been camping for some time. He noted that the military was promptly informed and responded swiftly, a move he said prevented the death toll from rising further.

“If not for the quick intervention of the military in Dorowa, the casualty figure would have been much higher. We must commend them for their swift response,” Dalyop stated.

Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the police proved unsuccessful, as the Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, did not respond to phone calls as of press time. The Nigerian Police is yet to issue an official statement on the attacks.

The latest killings add to a disturbing pattern of repeated attacks in Riyom, one of Plateau State’s most volatile flashpoints, where farming communities have endured cycles of night raids, ambushes and displacement in recent months.

Residents of Jol and Dorowa Babuje are gripped by fear as families mourn their dead and call for sustained security presence to prevent further bloodshed.

The Mexican army announced Sunday that it had killed powerful drug lord Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera in an operation that sparked a wave of violence in various parts of the country.

Oseguera, the 59-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was wounded in a clash with soldiers in the town of Tapalpa, in Jalisco state, and died while being flown to Mexico City, the army said in a statement. He had a $15 million US bounty on his head.

Gunmen retaliating for the raid blocked more than 20 roads in western Jalisco state, burning cars and trucks. As violence spread across the country, at least eight states suspended in-person classes and the judiciary authorized judges to close courts where necessary.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged citizens to remain calm.

Oseguera, whose nickname was “El Mencho,” is one of the biggest Mexican drug lords to be taken down since the capture of the founders of the Sinaloa cartel, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and Ismael Zambada. Both are now serving time in the United States.

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Sunday’s statement said that in addition to Mexico’s own military intelligence, the raid was carried out with “complementary information” from US authorities.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Washington “provided intelligence support.”

Six suspected cartel gunmen besides Oseguera were killed and three soldiers were wounded, the Mexican army said.

Two cartel suspects were arrested and a variety of weapons were seized, including rocket launchers capable of taking down airplanes and destroying armored vehicles, the statement said.

As gunmen blocked roads with retaliatory violence, Jalisco state, which is scheduled to host four World Cup games this summer, cancelled all events involving large crowds.

 ‘Great development for Mexico’

The streets of the state capital Guadalajara were almost empty as stores, pharmacies and gas stations shut down.

Maria Medina, who works in a gas station that was set on fire, said men with guns showed up and told everyone to get out.

“I thought they were going to kidnap us. I ran to a taco stand to take cover with the people there,” Medina told AFP.

The violence spread to the neighboring state of Michoacan, where Oseguera’s cartel also has a presence, and to the resort city of Puerto Vallarta.

His cartel was formed in 2009 and became one of Mexico’s most violent drug trafficking organizations, according to the US Justice Department.

Amid the violence, Guatemala said it was reinforcing “strategic” sections of its frontier with Mexico, which has seen cross-border incursions by criminal groups linked to cartels in recent months.

The United States has classified the Jalisco cartel as a terrorist organization and accuses it of sending cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau welcomed the operation and called Oseguera “one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins.”

“This is a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world,” he added.

The raid came amid pressure from US President Donald Trump for Mexico to stem the flow of drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the United States.

Trump has threatened repeatedly to slap tariffs on Mexican exports, arguing that Sheinbaum has not done enough to combat the drug trade.

In a statement on social media released after Sunday’s violence broke out, the US State Department urged US citizens in large parts of Mexico to “shelter in place until further notice.”

Canada also issued a travel warning for some areas, citing “shootouts with security forces and explosions” in Jalisco, Guerrero and Michoacan states.

US and Canadian airlines cancelled dozens of flights to Mexico over the violence, with Air Canada saying cancellations to Puerto Vallarta would stretch into at least Monday.