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JUST IN: Declare National Security Emergency — Northern Elders Forum Tells Tinubu

Published

2 months ago

June 10, 2026

Preport

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a national security emergency amid worsening insecurity across the country.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, the group said Nigeria’s security situation had reached a critical stage and warned that urgent and decisive measures were needed to prevent the country from sliding into anarchy.

The Forum said many Nigerians now live in fear as communities continue to face attacks from criminal groups, while law-abiding citizens remain vulnerable.

“The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) expresses its deepest outrage and concern over the relentless collapse of security across the Federal Republic of Nigeria. No nation can claim progress when its citizens live in fear, its communities are under siege, and criminal elements operate with increasing boldness while millions of law-abiding citizens remain vulnerable,” the statement said.

Citing Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, the NEF stressed that protecting lives and ensuring the welfare of citizens remain the primary responsibilities of government.

“Today, Nigerians are compelled to ask a painful but legitimate question: if the protection of lives and property is the foremost duty of government, why are citizens increasingly left to fend for themselves against kidnappers, terrorists, bandits, violent extremists, and organized criminal gangs?”

The Forum noted that while Nigeria has faced various security challenges since independence, including civil unrest, militancy, armed robbery and insurgency, the current wave of insecurity is unprecedented in its scale and spread.

According to the NEF, attacks, kidnappings and violent crimes have become common across several states, including Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, Plateau, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Borno, Oyo, Edo, Enugu and Imo.

“From the forests of Zamfara and Katsina to the highways of Kaduna and Niger; from communities in Plateau and Benue to parts of Kogi, Kwara, Borno, Oyo, Edo, Enugu, Imo and beyond, violence has become a recurring feature of daily life. Communities are attacked, citizens are abducted, farmers are displaced from their lands, travellers are ambushed on major highways, and businesses are forced to operate under conditions of uncertainty and fear.”

The group expressed particular concern over the rise of kidnapping-for-ransom, describing it as a growing criminal enterprise fuelled by weak enforcement, porous borders, illegal arms proliferation and poor intelligence coordination.

“What began as isolated criminal incidents has evolved into a sophisticated criminal economy that exploits weak enforcement, porous borders, illegal arms proliferation, and inadequate intelligence coordination.”

The Forum warned that the consequences of insecurity are becoming increasingly severe, with farmers abandoning their lands, food production declining, rural economies collapsing, investors losing confidence and children being denied access to education.

“The consequences are devastating: farmers are abandoning farmlands; Food production is declining. Rural economies are collapsing; investors are losing confidence; children are deprived of education. Families are being pushed into poverty by ransom payments and displacement. Entire communities now live under the constant threat of attack. No serious nation can accept such a situation as normal.”

The NEF also raised concerns over what it described as inadequate security presence in many affected communities, delayed responses to attacks and limited prosecution of perpetrators.

It further called for investigations into illegal mining and other economic activities allegedly linked to insecurity in parts of the country.

“The Northern Elders Forum therefore calls on the Federal Government to immediately declare a National Security Emergency and implement extraordinary measures to reverse the current trajectory.”

Among its recommendations were stronger intelligence coordination among security agencies, sustained operations against kidnapping and banditry networks, prosecution of sponsors and financiers of criminal groups, auditing of illegal mining activities, improved protection for farming communities and schools, and greater transparency in security spending.

The Forum stressed that the issue transcends politics, ethnicity and regional interests, describing insecurity as a national emergency requiring urgent action.

“This is not a partisan issue. This is not a regional issue. This is not an ethnic issue. This is a national emergency.”

“Nigeria cannot prosper while its citizens live under fear. The blood of innocent Nigerians should trouble the conscience of every public office holder entrusted with the responsibility of governance. History will not judge leaders by the promises they made. It will judge them by the lives they protected, the communities they secured, and the nation they preserved.”

“The time for assurances has passed. The time for measurable action is now,” the statement added.

Related Topics:Declare Elders emergency Forum national Northern security tells Tinubu

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Nigeria partners China to expand radiotherapy capacity

Published

4 hours ago

August 16, 2026

Preport

The Nigerian government has strengthened its partnership with China to expand cancer care through technology transfer, professional training, research and expansion of radiotherapy capacity.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, disclosed this while delivering the opening address at the LINK Global Summit on Innovation and Practice in Oncology at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing, China.

This is according to a statement issued on Saturday and signed by Ado Bako, Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The statement added that Nigeria also signed a strategic cooperation agreement with LinaTech, a Chinese company specialising in advanced radiation therapy solutions.

Cancer burden

Salako said cancer remained a national priority, noting that Nigeria recorded an estimated 127,763 new cancer cases and 79,542 deaths in 2022.

He said breast, prostate and cervical cancers accounted for more than 40 per cent of cancer mortality in the country.

According to the minister, Nigeria’s mortality-to-incidence ratio improved from 62.3 per cent in 2022 to 59.6 per cent in 2024, although he acknowledged that “significant work remained to be done.”

He said the government had, since May 2023, accelerated interventions across cancer prevention, awareness, early detection, treatment, financing, infrastructure, and research.

Salako cited the introduction of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into routine immunisation in October 2023, saying more than 14 million girls aged nine to 14 years had been reached.

He also mentioned the National Initiative for Cancer Early Detection, Screening and Coordinated Access to Network Care (NICE-SCAN), as well as initiatives of the Task Force for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer, as part of efforts to improve early detection and referral.

***Nigerian govt partners China to expand radiotherapy capacity***

China partnership

The minister said the emerging partnership with China would provide technical assistance in radiotherapy, support joint research and development, facilitate academic exchanges, and build professional capacity.

He said Nigeria was a founding African partner of the LINK Global Oncology Alliance and had also participated in the inauguration of the Radiotherapy Working Group of the China-Africa Hospital Alliance.

Salako said Nigeria wanted the cooperation agreement to result in a joint work plan with designated focal persons and quarterly milestones.

“We want to see the twinning of our cancer centres of excellence, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment(NICRAT), and our tertiary hospitals like the National Hospital, Abuja, with the Chinese cancer hospitals,” he said.

He also called for the establishment of a designated clinical training base in Nigeria to serve as a West African hub for advanced radiotherapy training.

He said Nigerian radiation oncologists, medical physicists, radiotherapy technologists and biomedical engineers should also have opportunities for fellowship training in China.

Beyond equipment

Salako said Nigeria’s long-term objective was not simply to acquire cancer equipment but to develop the technical and human capacity required to install, maintain and eventually manufacture cancer technologies locally.

“Machines without people are monuments,” he said, stressing that trained personnel, maintenance systems and sustainable technical support must back every linear accelerator installed.

He said Nigeria would also pursue technology transfer, local assembly and servicing of radiotherapy and imaging equipment, joint clinical trials, cancer registry-linked research, artificial intelligence-assisted treatment planning, adaptive radiotherapy and tele-oncology collaborations by 2030.

The minister said the government’s incentives for health manufacturing, including zero-duty and zero-VAT measures, provided an enabling environment for investment in local production and technology transfer.

Cancer treatment, research

Mr Salako said six cancer centres of excellence were being developed, with three already completed and commissioned in Katsina, Enugu and Benin.

He said the centres were equipped with modern linear accelerators, while work on the remaining three was progressing.

He also disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the procurement and installation of 35 additional linear accelerators between 2026 and 2028 to expand access to radiotherapy further.

The minister said the government had also strengthened NICRAT, which had trained about 140 early-career cancer scientists and supported 24 research grants.

ALSO READ: Cancer Care: Nigeria has only eight certified radiotherapy centres – Official

He identified the National Cancer Access Programme, Catastrophic Health Insurance Scheme, National Cancer Health Fund, and Social Determinants of Cancer Care Fund as mechanisms to improve access to cancer medicines and care while alleviating the financial burden on patients and families.

Salako said the interventions were being implemented under the Nigeria National Cancer Control Plan 2026–2030, which prioritises prevention, decentralised diagnosis and treatment, financial risk protection, oncology workforce development, clinical trials and cancer registries.

He also mentioned the recent inauguration of the Blood Cancer Consortium as part of efforts to enhance coordination in the national cancer-control response.

He stated that the government aimed for the China partnership to help translate oncology innovations into tangible improvements in patient care.

“Innovation in oncology is meaningful only where it reaches the patient. Let this summit be remembered not for what was displayed, but for what was delivered. Nigeria is ready, our plan is costed, our partners are welcome, and the patients are waiting,” he said.

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“Next Year Will Be Bigger and Better” — Island All Stars Unveil Super League Plans After Successful Over-45 Tournament

Published

6 hours ago

August 15, 2026

Preport

WhatsApp Image 2026 08 15 at 4.49.27 PM.jpeg

The Island All Stars Sports Club International Above-45 Football Tournament has concluded on a high note, with the organisers already looking ahead to an even bigger football programme after what was described as a highly competitive inaugural two-matchday tournament.

Speaking exclusively to Sports247 after the grand finale, Dr. Ike Okorafor, Director of Sports, Island All Stars Sports Club International, expressed satisfaction with the performances of the participating teams and the overall quality of the competition.

Read Also: Dinice Royal Complete Dramatic Comeback to Win Island All Stars Over-45 Championship | Sports247 Nigeria

According to Okorafor, the tournament delivered the level of competitiveness expected from experienced players, with no team finding it easy against the other.

“The competition went well. I won’t say it exceeded our expectations as it was very competitive. No teams were pushed over,” Okorafor told Sports247.

The tournament represented a significant change from the organisers’ previous format. While Island All Stars had traditionally staged a one-day competition, this year’s edition was expanded into a two-matchday tournament, providing teams with more opportunities to compete.

Okorafor praised all the participating teams for their commitment and performances throughout the championship.

“I am really happy with all the teams’ performances. This is the premiere of the two-matchday tournament. Hitherto, we have been doing a one-day tournament. Next year, we will still make it better.”

The tournament featured competitive encounters that produced plenty of goals, dramatic moments and individual performances, culminating in Dinice Royal Investment being crowned champions after their dramatic comeback victory over Network Times.

However, rather than resting on the success of the tournament, the organisers are already preparing for their next major project.

Okorafor revealed that the Island All Stars Super League is scheduled to begin towards the end of September and continue through October and November.

“We are going to kick off our Super League September ending and will run through October and November. It will be bigger and better as we will have more teams competing,” he disclosed.

The planned Super League represents another step in the organisers’ efforts to provide regular competitive football opportunities for veteran players while strengthening the community around All Stars football.

With the successful completion of the Above-45 tournament serving as a foundation, expectations will now be high for the forthcoming league. From a one-day tournament to a two-matchday championship—and now a Super League—the Island All Stars movement is clearly gathering momentum.