• Hot Source
• Uncategorized
• October 9, 2025
• 10 views

Ogun govt reaffirms commitment to SToP guideline, maternal deaths reduction

Ogun State Government has reiterated its commitment to implementing the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (SToP) guidelines, aimed at providing safe, legal abortion services within the boundaries permitted by the Nigerian law. According to the government, this would help strengthen the state’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality by ensuring access to medically supervised and rights-based reproductive
Ogun govt reaffirms commitment to SToP guideline, maternal deaths reduction

Ogun State Government has reiterated its commitment to implementing the Safe Termination of Pregnancy (SToP) guidelines, aimed at providing safe, legal abortion services within the boundaries permitted by the Nigerian law.

According to the government, this would help strengthen the state’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality by ensuring access to medically supervised and rights-based reproductive healthcare services.

The Executive Secretary, Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr Elijah Ogunsola, stated this at a seminar organised by the State Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Center for Bridging Health Gaps in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

Ogunsola noted that the move aligned with ongoing strategies to address the health and safety risks associated with unsafe abortion, particularly among women in low- and middle-income communities.

Speaking on the theme, “Breaking Barriers to Safe Termination of Pregnancy to Save Lives”, Ogunsola, emphasised the urgent need to address unsafe abortion as a public health crisis, highlighting that it remained one of the top five direct causes of maternal mortality in Nigeria, with an alarming 97 percent of such cases occurring among women from low and middle-income backgrounds.

He noted that the preventable deaths were often the result of limited access to accurate information, safe services and stigma surrounding reproductive health.

The Executive Secretary reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working collaboratively with key stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, civil society organisations and legal experts, towards strengthening the implementation of SToP guidelines.

He disclosed that the right to access safe abortion care, within legal boundaries, was supported by provisions in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, revealing that the constitutional backing reinforces the State’s responsibility to protect the health and rights of women and girls through lawful and medically safe reproductive health services.

In her welcome address, Executive Director of the Center for Bridging Health Gaps, Dr. Moriam Jagun, described unsafe abortion as one of the most preventable causes of death, yet one that continued to endanger the lives and futures of vulnerable women and girls.

Jagun noted that across Nigeria and West Africa, discussions around abortion were often hindered by stigma and silence, thus reaffirming the need for a collective commitment to safeguard women’s health, rights and dignity through access to safe, legal and quality abortion services.

She called on governments, policymakers, healthcare professionals, legal experts, faith leaders, and civil society groups to work collaboratively in order to improve access to evidence-based, life-saving care, as there were various existing opportunities for women to make choices which are right -based and within the legal framework.

Speaking, during the panel session on ‘Strengthening Abortion Services as Life-saving care’, Director, Citizens Rights Department, Mrs. Oluwakemi Lawal, stated that, cases where abortion could be legally performed included pregnancy that posed a danger to the mother’s life or physical health such as rape, cancer, incest among others, also noting that termination should be performed by qualified health professionals in a safe and hygienic condition.

Representative of the Society Of Gynecologist and Obstetrician of Nigeria (SOGON), Dr. Olusoji Jagun said a safe abortion upholds women’s rights to make informed decisions about their reproductive health without fear of legal repercussions or social sigma, noting that there should be increase public awareness of the SToP guidelines and importance of safe abortion services.

Ogun govt reaffirms commitment to SToP guideline, maternal deaths reduction

• Hot Source
• Uncategorized
• October 9, 2025
• 16 views

FRSC arrests 151 motorists for overloading, bribery in Zamfara

Zamfara State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has impounded 151 vehicles during a special patrol conducted in September to curb road traffic violations across the state. Sector Commander Aliyu Ma’aji, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Gusau, said the operation focused on offences such as overloading, mixed loading, and excessive speeding.
FRSC arrests 151 motorists for overloading, bribery in Zamfara

Zamfara State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has impounded 151 vehicles during a special patrol conducted in September to curb road traffic violations across the state.
Sector Commander Aliyu Ma’aji, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Gusau, said the operation focused on offences such as overloading, mixed loading, and excessive speeding.

He revealed that 75 of the seized vehicles were apprehended for attempting to bribe FRSC personnel, adding that the offenders would face prosecution for both corruption and traffic offences.

Ma’aji also said 76 other vehicles were impounded for various road infractions, with plans underway to establish a mobile court for speedy prosecution of offenders.

“Zamfara serves as a gateway to Sokoto, Kebbi, and the Republic of Niger, with many vehicles transiting through the state. Most of the overloaded vehicles do not originate from here, which makes tracking their sources difficult,” he said.

The commander warned motorists to desist from traffic violations or face the full weight of the law, stressing that the FRSC would sustain its vigilance to ensure safer highways.

Ma’aji urged all road users and stakeholders to cooperate with the Corps in reducing accidents and ensuring compliance with traffic regulations across the state.

FRSC arrests 151 motorists for overloading, bribery in Zamfara

• Hot Source
• Uncategorized
• October 9, 2025
• 9 views

Plateau: ‘Count us out of attacks on herdsmen’ – Berom youths counter MACBAN

National President of Berom Youths Moulders Association (BYM), Barrister Solomon Dalyop, has vehemently denied allegations by Chairman of Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, that youths of the Inzon community of Fan district in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state, attacked three young
Plateau: ‘Count us out of attacks on herdsmen’ – Berom youths counter MACBAN

National President of Berom Youths Moulders Association (BYM), Barrister Solomon Dalyop, has vehemently denied allegations by Chairman of Plateau State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Yusuf Babayo, that youths of the Inzon community of Fan district in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state, attacked three young herders, killing a 13-year-old boy, Abubakar Wada injured two other and slaughtered 39 cattle.

Babayo had made the allegations on Wednesday, alleging that armed Berom youths ambushed the herders on Tuesday and opened fire on them while grazing their animals, killing Wada and the 36 cows, while two others managed to escape with gunshot injuries, just 49 cattle fled in different directions and are yet to be found.

“The incident happened in the evening. We have so far counted the losses of over 80 cattle because 36 were killed while 49 are still missing. The attack was carried out by the Berom people from the Fan district.

“Two herders escaped the attack. This is barbaric and unfortunate. The herders and the cattle were just passing peacefully without provocation,” the MACBAN Chairman had alleged.

However, while reacting to Babayo’s statement on Wednesday night, Dalyop denied the allegations, saying there was no way the MACBAN Chairman could prove that the assailants were Berom people.

The BYM President said contrary to the allegations, Berom people are peaceful and accommodating people who co-exist with others and only after peace in the state.

In the statement, Dalyop criticized what he termed as the hasty conclusion by Babayo when security agencies have not conducted investigations to ascertain who the attackers were.

He emphasized that the allegations were a strategy often employed by the Fulani herdsmen to justify any invasion and violence against Berom communities.

“As far as we are concerned, the allegation labeling our peace loving inhabitants of Nding and Fan District in general has always been a ploy to justify any planned aggression on our people,” Dalyop said.

He added that contrary to the accusations by Babayo, the reverse was the case as suspected Fulani militias had actually carried out simultaneous attacks in the district on Monday, killing one person and injuring others.

“We are aware of two simultaneous attacks carried out by suspected Fulani armed groups at about 7:30pm of 6th October, 2025, resulting to the killing of one Mr. Timothy Ishaku Chollom,” Dalyop insisted.

The BYM President concluded that the allegations of killing a herder and their cows without substantiating them or providing credible evidence should be discarded.

Plateau: ‘Count us out of attacks on herdsmen’ – Berom youths counter MACBAN