Index to Nigerian Newspapers

Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno announced an allocation of over N800m for the empowerment of non-indigenous communities, including Ndi Igbo, Arewa, Yoruba, and the Niger Delta. Speaking at the Igbo Unity Day Celebration, he emphasized his administration’s commitment to unity and inclusivity, recognizing the Igbos' contributions to the state’s economy. Eno praised the community's leadership for promoting peace and unity, stating that Akwa Ibom is evolving into a melting pot of cultures. He expressed gratitude for their support and commitment to sustaining harmonious relations, provided they adhere to laws. The President of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo, Kayceey Chidiadi, commended Eno's leadership for fostering community harmony and noted their inclusion in government positions.

A tragic incident occurred in the Udianga Enem community of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, where suspected cultists brutally murdered a farmer, Mr. Itoro Umanah. The attack happened around 10 p.m. while the victim and his family were asleep. According to his widow, Mrs. Jimmy Itoro, the assailants called out her husband, who attempted to resist but was overpowered and hacked to death. She managed to escape with her three children into the nearby bush. The following morning, neighbors discovered Umanah’s dismembered body. The village chairman, Lawson Akpanowon, confirmed that the matter had been reported to the Divisional Police Station at Utu Etim Ekpo and that the deceased had been buried with police approval. The Akwa Ibom State Police Command, through its spokesperson DSP Timfon John, confirmed the incident and disclosed that Commissioner of Police Baba Azare had ordered a full-scale investigation and manhunt to apprehend the perpetrators.

The Medical and Dental Specialists Association in Basic Medical Sciences (MeDSABAMS) has expressed serious concern over the deteriorating quality and outdated nature of medical education in Nigeria, asserting that current training practices fall short of the standards required for effective 21st-century healthcare delivery. In a communiqué issued at the conclusion of its 5th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Uyo, the association highlighted a widening gap between advances in basic medical research and their application in clinical practice across the country. MeDSABAMS noted with dissatisfaction that preclinical medical training in many Nigerian universities has increasingly been taken over by non-medically qualified personnel, a development it attributes to systemic reluctance to employ properly trained medical educators. The association called for an urgent review of the medical curriculum, led by medically qualified experts in both basic and clinical sciences, to ensure alignment with contemporary healthcare needs. It further urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) to enforce higher staffing standards, improve collaboration among professionals, and address the deplorable state of preclinical laboratory facilities. These measures, the group maintained, are essential to strengthening Nigeria’s medical education framework and improving healthcare outcomes.