•How Reverend Father sexually abused me – Former altar boy
•Church rebukes priest
A homosexuality scandal may have broken up in the Catholic Church in Nigeria following the conclusion of investigations into allegations of sexual abuse against a priest at the Catholic Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
After two separate verdicts of guilty and not-guilty, the church ordered that the accused, Reverend Father Kenneth, be formally warned to steer clear of scandals.
The Bishop of Ijebu-Ode, Most Rev. Francis Adesina, in a letter dated July 30, 2025, said the verdict to rebuke Father Kenneth was reached in accordance with canon laws.
The decision, however, led to calls for a review of the case, including imposition of stricter sanctions, amid claims of cover-up and ongoing risks to children in the church.
The whistleblower, Bayo, claimed that no fewer than nine “brothers” were sexually abused by the priest, who also allegedly introduced them to homosexuality.
The 33-year-old also stated that all the evidence he submitted was not forwarded to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Catholic church’s disciplinary office in Rome.
The complainant expressed fear that some of those involved in the alleged homosexual acts with the reverend father had become priests and might be doing the same thing to children under their care.
Narrating the series of abuse he allegedly suffered, Bayo claimed that his ordeal started when he was barely 14 years old.
He explained that a former Imomo (Ijebu Ode) parish priest while leaving the community, introduced his family to Father Kenneth, who was taking over the parish.
Bayo was critically ill and needed help for a surgery at the time.
Kenneth and the then Bishop of the Ijebu Ode diocese, Albert Fasina, then supported the family in getting the surgery done at a private hospital.
About four months after the operation, the boy’s father died.
“Following this event, I got close to the church and Father Kenneth; it was from here that I developed the call to priesthood. As I was getting better gradually, the diocese of Ijebu Ode offered me a scholarship to one of their best schools in Ijebu-Ode, Sacred Heart Catholic College.
“Moved by Father Kenneth’s kindness and care, I decided to live with him in the mission house, giving myself in whole to him to be formed in gratitude for the part he has played in my life. This was towards the end of 2005 when I was 13,” he added.
Living with a priest was considered a big deal at the time, hence Bayo said he felt privileged to stay with the reverend, whom he saw as a saviour.
While at the mission house, he met four ‘senior brothers.’
“I and Father saw each other like father and son. He sometimes called me his legally adopted son because he was charged to court by my dad when he was desperately intending to help me and my mother.
“As I was told, he won the case and won me to himself. He never left me to be hungry for the things of the world and God’s happiness. I desired and loved God so much through him. He was like a perfect father to me.”
Bayo was schooling far away at the time and was spending a lot on transportation, funded by Father Kenneth and the church.
The reverend father, according to him, later asked him to move in with a friend living close to the school to reduce cost.
However during the weekend, he returned to the mission house at Imomo.
One such weekend when he was about 15, Father Kenneth saw him on the same bed with one Bro Seyi, said to be about 24 years old.
The priest was said to have frowned on this.
Bayo said later that day, Father Kenneth warned him against lying on the same bed with any of the brothers.
But no reason was given.
He said when he confronted Bro Seyi, the latter told him it was because he (Bro Seyi) was ‘sexually aroused’ when Bayo rested his head on his chest.
“All these events I kept in mind, waiting for further enlightenment from Father Kenneth, since he was the closest friend I had.
“One afternoon, Father Kenneth called me into his room to massage his body. I was surprised that he called me to massage him, because it was only the four senior brothers that were inclined to do that at that time.
“Alone in his room with him, I was expecting many questions about the recent happening between me and Bro Seyi. But he talked about himself and told me he was still a virgin. I was happy to hear that and I told myself he must be a faithful priest.
“He asked me again, do I know why God answers his prayer when he prays for people? I answered no, he said it was because he did not fornicate around with women.”
Bayo said he was surprised when the priest said he sometimes saw him (Bayo) being aroused while talking to the opposite gender.
He claimed the priest promised to teach him how to control such sexual urges publicly.
The priest allegedly asked him to undress and engaged him in a sexual act until he climaxed.
“Although I enjoyed the sensation, I did not like the whole affair but I didn’t have the mind to tell him how I felt because at that time, I took him like my God. This activity with Father Kenneth was repeated for several weeks after that day and then it went into months and then into years. This act occurred at least three times in a week,” he added.
After the act, Bayo said he was encouraged to take a lot of proteinous food, particularly milk.
He explained that while he felt bad about the sexual act, he did not see anything wrong with it at the time because all he knew was that priests were not supposed to have romantic relationships with women.
“At first, I found it an unpleasant act, but did not have any concrete reason for it, neither did I have the courage to say no to this priest who was instrumental to my recovery.
“What made the whole situation so unusual for me was the fact that I was not inclined to reveal my nakedness to anyone. Father Kenneth, however, counselled me to the contrary, saying that his intention was to keep me away from girls and that by this act, I won’t have any sexual feelings towards girls.
“I gave in, but without understanding the full meaning or consequences of this act. All of this made me very unhappy and I knew in my heart that this was wrong but at my age, 15 years old at that time, I didn’t know how to go about it.”
Catholic Church, Ijebu-Ode
According to Bayo, there was no sexual entry at this time; just masturbation.
However, after two years, when he was close to 18, the priest allegedly proposed to have a real sexual act with him.
The request, he said, he turned down.
“I was still young and very afraid. As I became a bit older, he brought it up again and said he would masturbate me, while I entered into him.”
Bayo said he agreed to it, though he believed it was a plot by the priest to do the same to him.
“This new behaviour happened from that time until I left the community. When we both climaxed the first time, he asked me to tell him the difference between my semen and his; I said his was whiter than mine; mine was just colourless like water. He said it was because I was still young. That time will come when mine will be like his. I did not know how to respond to this. I kept thinking about everything and I felt it was all wrong, but still I could not say anything.”
The sexual act, according to him, happened at least twice a week.
He explained that after completing secondary education, he joined a group formed by Father Kenneth and was assigned to live close to the priest’s room.
Bayo alleged that this gave the priest unfettered access to him.
“I was also put in charge of the livestock. This was the time I began to notice that I was not the only person with whom Father Kenneth had sexual activities. I remember Father Kenneth listed to me all the people he does it with.
“I was surprised to hear that out of the 13 brothers who had finished postulancy, seven were performing homosexual acts. We were about 28 in the community just before I left and nine of them were on Father Kenneth’s list of people he had sexual activities with.
“It got to a stage when two of Father Kenneth’s sex partners wanted me to share my sexual feeling with them; they tried every way to win me to themselves by showing concern for me and assisting in getting things done and even buying me things. I am not sure what they thought my sexual orientation was, but they just kept coming for me. I was surprised when Father Kenneth drew my attention to these same brothers and asked if I could practise it with them.
“I told him I couldn’t do it with any person except him. He didn’t insist against my will, but he advised me saying it was better to have one of the brothers as a sex partner so that if he was away on a journey, I would have someone to practise it with. I never liked this way of life in the first place, so why would I? His persistence was adding more to my problems.”
Soon after, reports of the alleged homosexual activities in the mission house began to spread in the community.
Bayo claimed that those with such perversions enjoyed more favour in the church than others.
He also noted that he was caught in the middle and did not know how to escape the grasp of the sexual abuse, insisting that he had feelings for women and was not a homosexual.
In 2011, he started studies at the Don Bosco Institute of Philosophy in Ibadan, Oyo State.
At the school, he was part of a seminar which exposed the evil of homosexual activities.
In the end, Bayo said he was convinced to stop the immoral act and he started avoiding Kenneth, including not delivering messages to him.
“He called me one day and asked me what was wrong with me. I told him about the seminar, especially our discussion on homosexuality. He responded by trying to liken our relationship with that of John the Beloved and Jesus. I knew where he was going with his idea, so I ignored him and left.
“Because of my reaction to him on that day, he said he was going to withdraw me from school because he thought we were not being taught the correct thing. It took two years for me to boldly make a decision to leave Father Kenneth and his congregation.”
As rumour of the alleged activities of the priest spread, Bayo announced to Father Kenneth that he was leaving the community, never to return.
The priest, however, protested the move.
Two years later, Bayo became ill as he worried about survival and payment of his school fees.
But he got help from a group called the Guanellians (Superior of the Servants of Charity).
Bayo claimed that as he was about completing his studies, reports of the homosexual activities of the priest and his congregation got to the school.
“A few weeks before I completed my studies in June 2014, the Dean of Studies called me to express concerns about the academic performance of some of the brothers. He called me because I was once one of the senior members of the community.
“The rumour of sexual abuse was everywhere and I heard the rumours myself. Finally, I disclosed my story to the dean in confidence and out of trust. After all, I had been looking for someone to trust. He said that being a student in an ecclesiastical institution, and being the case of abuse that I reported an event that occurred in another ecclesiastical institution, he was bound by canon law to care for the victim and ensure that the victim had the chance to disclose his situation to the competent authority.
“The Salesians have it as a rule that serious issues in the institute and in the Salesian formation house at large are reported to the provincial superior. So, this matter was brought to the knowledge of the provincial superior. Consequently, he sent a request to see me through the dean of the institute.”
The dean then advised him to document his experience.
Bayo said he was writing about his ordeal when Father Kenneth called him on August 13 and 14, 2014, saying he got information that someone was writing about the abuse to the Nuncio (the pope’s representative).
He said he denied knowing anything about it.
Two days later, he got a threat message from an unknown number.
“Make u carry ur evidence o. Check ur phone we dey monitor ur calls and texts. If “PANYA” do dat congregation or father, after 12 hours u go be past tense. Guy no take me for joke, we dey follow u,” a part of the alleged text message said.
Bayo became afraid for his life and began to take caution of the places he visited and who he spoke to.
Despite the alleged threat, he completed his writeup, which he sent to one Father Jorge, the superior of the institution.
As the news spread that he had written a petition against the priest, Bayo fled to Ghana.
On January 31, 2015 while still in Ghana, he was called by Father Michael Banjo, a priest of the Diocese of Ijebu Ode, notifying him that a commission of experts had been set up to look into the matter.
‘Can we still make love?’
Bayo supplied an audio clip to Saturday PUNCH which he claimed was his recording of a telephone conversation between him and Father Kenneth.
In the five-minute phone call, which Bayo claimed held two months after he left Imomo, he asked after the “brothers” in the mission house and apologised for not calling Father Kenneth as the latter requested.
Father Kenneth: I just said you should call. I knew I would call you…the way I was feeling, thank God I was able to control myself a little, because I almost jumped down…I almost…I knew I had to come down, I would have started romancing you….I tried you in the night, your line was switched off…
Bayo: Yes, no light. Are you in my mum’s place?
Father Kenneth: No, I’m….
Bayo: Because she too, she flashed me twice, I was thinking that you’re in her place…
Father Kenneth: Can we still make love?
Bayo: I don’t know for now, father…I have many things on my head, I have to do some things, I’ve been working left and right to get some things done
Father Kenneth: We need to sit down and talk. We need to see, we need to talk
Bayo: I don’t want to come to Imomo. Did you hear me?
Father Kenneth: Yes, but ehn…
Probe opens
A document dated February 17, 2015, written by the former Bishop of Ijebu Ode, Father Albert Fasina (now late), confirming receipt of the allegation against Father Kenneth.
The document said, “To further the matter, I have constituted an Investigating commission to be headed by Fr. Thaddeus Bini. OFM. (JCD). He will gather the evidence from all the parties concerned, which as required by the church’s universal law on this matter will be sent by the diocese to the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith in Rome for further action.
“Please note that neither the bishop nor the investigating commission is competent to make a judgment on this matter as this competence belongs to the CDF.”
Bayo said while the report of sexual abuse against the church was still pending, Father Kenneth attempted to destroy his reputation.
According to him, the priest accused him of making up the allegations, which created hostility towards his family as his mother was unable to return home.
“Members of the village even threatened to place a curse on my family and friends. I reported these threats to Bishop Ayinde Fashina, who stated that the only assistance he could offer was to send me out of the country.
“Acting on his advice, I applied to a US school under the understanding that the diocese would sponsor my studies. I was granted admission, obtained my visa, and arrived in the United States.”
Schooling abroad
Our correspondent obtained an affidavit of financial support issued by Fasina, dated June 28, 2018, confirming that the Ijebu Ode diocese would sponsor Bayo’s one-year professional course in special education at the Community College of Spokane, Eastern Washington.
The letter said the diocese would be responsible for all expenses, including tuition and accommodation.
“However, once I was here, Bishop Fashina refused to pay my tuition and demanded that I withdraw my accusation against Father Kenneth, which I declined to do. The diocese ultimately provided no financial support toward my education.
“A few months after I left Nigeria, Bishop Fashina convened his own judgment panel and rendered a decision in favour of Father Kenneth.”
Bayo alleged collusion between Fasina and Father Kenneth, and queried why he was not introduced to the lawyer who stood in for him in the matter as was the standard practice of the Catholic church.
“Based on the events that transpired, I believe the diocese of Ijebu Ode facilitated my departure from Nigeria to conceal the deeper secrets within the church and protect those involved,” he added.
Not guilty, guilty
The Most Rev. Francis Adesina, the Bishop of Ijebu Ode who took over from Fasina, while communicating the decision of the church to Bayo, said Father Kenneth would be rebuked.
He explained that having studied the acts of the preliminary investigation, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), with a letter on December 2, 2016, requested that Fasina should conduct an extrajudicial penal process into the matter.
In August 2018, Bishop Fasina then wrote to the DDF, stating that he had conducted the extrajudicial penal process and found the accusation against Father Kenneth to be unsubstantiated.
He noted that while the letter containing the outcome of the renewed process was subsequently received by the DDF, the complete acta were still not received.
“In light of this, the DDF wrote to Bishop Fasina in October 2018, requesting that he transmit the full acta of the case, including a formal conclusory decree argued both in lure and in facto, and making a declaration concerning the re veritate.
“When no response was received, the DDF followed up in September 2020, this time addressing the request to me, who had by then succeeded Bishop Fasina as the Bishop of ljebu-Ode, following his retirement.
“Subsequently, I reported to the DDF that I had met with Bishop Fasina and carefully examined the diocesan archives, but no trace of the documentation could be found; and that, consequently, a new extrajudicial penal process would be initiated and the complete acta forwarded to the DDF along with a formal conclusory decree.
“During the extrajudicial penal process that I initiated, Father Kenneth submitted to the panel a conclusory decree dated 2019, bearing the signatures of Bishop Fasina and Monsignor Gabriel Ayankoya, who was the Vicar General of the diocese.
“On this basis, Father Kenneth’s canonical advocate argued that the case had already been adjudicated and that initiating a new process would violate the canonical principle of ne bis in idem; that is, that no one may be judged again for an offence already tried. I forwarded the document to the DDF and sought guidance.
“The DDF, noting that it had not previously received the document, instructed that the extrajudicial penal process should proceed as authorised. This process was subsequently concluded with a finding of guilt against Father Kenneth. The DDF, in November 2023, then requested that Father Kenneth either petition for dispensation from the clerical state or face dismissal but not without first granting him the opportunity to provide his final defence.
“Following this, the DDF received the defence of Father Kenneth through his canonical advocate. As part of this submission, a DVD recording was presented containing an interview with the late Monsignor Gabriel Ayankoya.
“In the recording, Monsignor Ayankoya confirmed that the extrajudicial penal process had indeed taken place under Bishop Fasina, that he served as Notary during the process, that he had witnessed the issuance of the final sentence by Bishop Fasina and signed it, and he attested to the authenticity of the sentence.
“In light of this confirmation, the DDF acknowledged the validity of the earlier proceedings and applied the canonical principle of ne bis in idem.
“Nonetheless, after carefully reviewing the entire case, and considering the seriousness of the original accusation, your credibility as the accuser, and other surrounding concerns, the DDF observed that a degree of suspicion remained regarding Father Kenneth’s conduct.
“Therefore, during its session of 9th May 2025, the DDF imposed a canonical rebuke and issued a warning, instructing Father Kenneth to prudently avoid any persons or situations that could compromise his obligation to observe continence or cause scandal among the faithful.”
Catholic law breached?
A Catholic priest, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity because he could not be seen openly criticising the church, said justice was not served in the matter.
The reverend father, after reading a copy of the bishop’s decision letter sent to Bayo, said there were contradictions in the statement, describing it as troubling.
He also wondered why the civil authorities were not involved since the complainant was a minor when the abuse started.
“The bishop’s letter repeatedly invokes canonical procedure and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, yet admits to grave irregularities.
“The complete acts (acta) of the case were never transmitted in full to the DDF for years, despite multiple Vatican requests (2016, 2018, 2020). This omission is a breach of can. 1719 CIC and Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela (art. 16), which require that all acts be preserved and forwarded.
“The complainant was not informed of the canonical lawyer allegedly representing him. This violates Vos estis lux mundi (VELM, art. 6), which guarantees victims the right to participate and to have representation of their choosing.
“The principle of ne bis in idem (no double trial) was applied despite evidence that the first process was procedurally defective. Canon law (can. 1645 §1, 4°) allows a case to be reopened when new evidence emerges or when serious procedural irregularities have occurred.
“The bishop’s own letter concedes that ‘a degree of suspicion remained’ about the priest’s conduct, yet the penalty was only a canonical rebuke (can. 1339 §1 CIC). Church law (SST, art. 6) treats sexual acts or advances toward minors as delicta graviora warranting dismissal from the clerical state when credible evidence is found.”
According to him, the complainant was a vulnerable minor under both the canon law and Nigerian civil law.
He wondered how the purported phone conversation between the duo presented by Bayo did not affect the outcome of the investigations.
The priest said the church’s Vos estis lux mundi, Pope Francis’ 2019 Motu Proprio On the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons, and the Pastoral Guidelines for Responding to Allegations of Sexual Abuse, were violated as per the rights of victims of abuse.
He wondered why the accused priest was not suspended during investigations.
“It is noteworthy that nowhere in the bishop’s letter is it stated whether Father Kenneth was temporarily removed from ministry pending the investigation.
“According to Canon 1722 CIC, the diocesan bishop, after hearing the promoter of justice and citing the accused, may at any stage of the process remove the accused from sacred ministry or office to prevent scandal, protect the freedom of witnesses, and safeguard the course of justice.
“This precautionary measure is strengthened in Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela (art. 19) and the 2020 CDF Vademecum (§§58–62), which direct that, once an allegation has the semblance of truth (notitia de delicto verisimilis), restrictions on ministry should be applied immediately. The omission of any mention of such a measure raises serious questions about whether the diocese fulfilled its canonical and moral duty to protect the faithful during the pendency of the case.
“If, in fact, no precautionary suspension was imposed, this would represent a clear breach of safeguarding obligations under both canonical and universal church norms. The failure to restrict a priest from public ministry in the face of a credible allegation involving a minor not only jeopardises the safety of other potential victims but also undermines the church’s credibility in handling such grave matters.
“By limiting the response to a mild rebuke while acknowledging ongoing suspicion, the diocese sends a dangerous message: that clerics can retain ministry even when credible allegations of sexual misconduct with minors remain unresolved. This undermines Pope Francis’ repeated call for “zero tolerance” (Address to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, 21 September 2017).”
Relatives face threat
The Bishop of Ijebu Ode diocese, Adeshina, declined comment on the matter.
He said, “This is an internal matter of the church, and I am not allowed by law to speak to the press about it.”
Father Kenneth, during a phone conversation with our correspondent, said he could no longer hear the journalist after the allegations were laid out.
The following conversation ensued:
Saturday PUNCH: Good morning sir
Father Kenneth: Good morning
Saturday PUNCH: I am so sorry for disturbing. I have been trying to reach you. Am I speaking with Reverend Kenneth?
Father Kenneth: You’re calling from where?
Saturday PUNCH: I am calling from PUNCH…Well done sir, with the great job you’re doing and the work of God.
Father Kenneth: Thank God
Saturday PUNCH: Sir, I’m calling because of a case in front of me and I felt that no matter what I should speak with you about the case. I was told a decision was taken over an allegation of sexual abuse and I was told you were rebuked. And I spoke to the complainant, who said you abused him and others in your care. So, I need you to respond
Father Kenneth: Hello…hello
Saturday PUNCH: I can hear you clearly, it is very clear…
Father Kenneth: Hello….helloo
Subsequent attempts to get him to speak proved abortive.
In less than three minutes afterwards, his phone was switched off.
A text message sent to him on Thursday at exactly 11.48am, in which our correspondent repeated the allegations, were not responded to as of 11.59pm on Friday when this report went to bed.
The complainant, Bayo, later called to say some priests were bombarding him with calls and urging him to stop the story.
He also claimed that members of his extended family were facing backlash and were scared for their safety.
Saturday PUNCH subsequently sent a message to Bishop Adeshina to report the alleged threat, urging the church to address the allegations instead.
A spokesman for the diocese, Rev. Michael Banjo, on Friday, said the decision to rebuke Kenneth was taken from Rome.
He said, “From the outset in 2015, Bayo was informed that, under the universal law of the Catholic Church, cases of this nature are referred to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) in Rome for final determination.
“In line with the DDF’s directives, the diocese undertook the necessary canonical investigations, which were thorough and impartial, and forwarded the complete acts to the DDF for review.
“After a thorough process that included multiple stages of examination, the DDF issued its judgment in May 2025. Bayo has been advised that, if dissatisfied, the proper recourse is to appeal to the DDF, which remains the competent authority on this matter.
“The diocese takes objectivity, truth, and safeguarding very seriously, and remains committed to ensuring that all matters are handled with fairness, due process, and respect for the dignity of all parties involved.”
A request for confirmation of Banjo’s claim was sent to the Holy See Press Office (Rome) by Saturday PUNCH.
However, there was no official response to the email as of press time.
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Editor’s note: The actual name of the accused priest has been changed since he has not been prosecuted or convicted. The complainant’s name has also been changed due to safety concerns.
The Federal Government on Monday raised fresh concerns over the growing burden of foodborne diseases in Nigeria, revealing that unsafe food causes more than 53,000 deaths and nearly 50 million illnesses annually across the country.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this in Abuja during a ministerial press briefing to commemorate the 2026 World Food Safety Day, themed “From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere.”
Salako described food safety as a critical national development and health security issue, warning that the true cost of unsafe food extended beyond sickness and death to the loss of human capital, particularly among children.
According to him, Nigeria loses an estimated 4.26 million years of healthy life annually to foodborne diseases through illness, disability and premature death.
“Nigeria records nearly 50 million foodborne illnesses every year, and unsafe food causes more than 53,000 deaths annually in our country.
“Together, these illnesses and deaths result in a staggering 4.26 million years of healthy life lost to illness, disability or early death,” the minister said.
He noted that children under five account for more than 80 per cent of the country’s foodborne disease burden.
“Most of this burden falls heavily on children under five, who account for more than 80 per cent of all foodborne disease burden in Nigeria.
“The true cost of unsafe food in Nigeria is not only measured in sickness and death, but also in the lost cognitive, physical and developmental potential of our children,” Salako added.
The minister’s remarks came on the heels of newly released estimates by the World Health Organisation showing that unsafe food causes about 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths globally each year, with Africa bearing the highest per-capita burden.
According to Salako, diarrhoeal diseases remained the leading cause of foodborne illnesses in Nigeria, with more than 40 million cases linked to pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Shigella and rotavirus.
“Over 40 million diarrhoeal illnesses in Nigeria are linked to foodborne pathogens. These infections continue to be a major cause of hospitalisation, malnutrition and mortality among our youngest citizens,” he said.
He also warned of increasing exposure to chemical contaminants.
“Chemical hazards are also emerging as a serious concern, with lead exposure responsible for tens of thousands of healthy lives lost through contaminated grains, spices and water sources. These numbers underscore the urgency of strengthening food safety systems across the entire value chain,” he stated.
Despite the challenges, Salako said Nigeria had made notable progress in building a stronger food safety system.
He said the country’s 2023 Joint External Evaluation recorded measurable improvements across all food safety indicators, while Nigeria’s 2025 State Party Annual Report score surpassed the World Health Organisation target for low- and middle-income countries.
“Nigeria is now one of the leading countries in the region in establishing functional systems for detecting, reporting and responding to foodborne disease events,” he said.
The minister, however, stressed that the latest figures should serve as a wake-up call.
“The new WHO estimates are a call to action. We must intensify surveillance for heavy metals and chemical contaminants. We must improve food safety practices in traditional and informal markets where most Nigerians buy their food.
“We must strengthen hygiene, water and sanitation infrastructure and ensure food business operators comply with national standards,” he said.
Salako also linked food safety to the country’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases, including hypertension, stroke, diabetes and obesity.
“Food safety is not only about preventing infections; it is also about ensuring that the food we eat does not contribute to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases,” he said.
He disclosed that Nigeria had developed National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction, while the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control had finalised draft sodium reduction regulations aimed at reducing salt levels in processed foods.
According to him, the country was also implementing industrial trans-fat elimination regulations and strengthening efforts to improve the sugar-sweetened beverage tax and front-of-pack food labelling systems to encourage healthier food choices.
Salako urged food manufacturers, regulators, researchers and consumers to support efforts aimed at ensuring safer and healthier food for Nigerians.
“Food safety is everyone’s business. It saves lives, strengthens our economy and protects our children. These numbers show that food safety is not optional; it is a national health security priority,” he said.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said strengthening food safety systems remained critical to reducing the country’s burden of foodborne diseases.
Represented at the event by the Director of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition Directorate, Eva Edwards, Adeyeye described food safety as a public health, socioeconomic and development imperative.
“The theme for the 2026 World Food Safety Day, ‘From Burden to Solutions – Safe Food Everywhere,’ reminds us that food safety is not merely a technical issue; it is a public health, socioeconomic and development imperative. Behind every statistic on foodborne disease is a child, a family, a community or a business affected by preventable illness and loss,” she said.
The NAFDAC boss said the agency remained committed to reducing foodborne diseases through stronger regulation, surveillance and stakeholder engagement.
“At NAFDAC, we remain firmly committed to contributing to reducing the burden of foodborne disease through science-based regulation, effective surveillance, strengthened food control systems and robust stakeholder engagement,” she said.
She added, “Our efforts continue to focus on ensuring that foods manufactured, imported, exported, distributed, advertised, sold and consumed in Nigeria meet acceptable standards of safety and quality.”
Adeyeye stressed that safe food was central to achieving the country’s nutrition and health goals.
“We recognise World Food Safety Day as an added opportunity to situate food safety as a significant issue of public health concern, especially in the light of safe, wholesome food being important for boosting immunity and improving the body’s natural defence in fighting diseases.
“Where food is unsafe, our nutritional goals cannot be achieved,” she said.
The NAFDAC Director-General further noted that addressing food safety challenges would require stronger collaboration among government agencies, industry players, researchers, development partners and consumers.
“The challenge before us is significant, but so too is our collective capacity to address it through evidence-based policies, effective regulation, responsible industry practices and sustained public awareness,” she said.
Adeyeye reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to strengthening food safety systems nationwide.
“At NAFDAC, we remain resolute in our unwavering commitment to playing our role in strengthening the national food safety system, upholding standards and regulations, and promoting best practices within industry and across society to assure a safe food supply,” Adeyeye said.
Meanwhile, the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa called for stronger regulatory measures to address the growing burden of diet-related diseases in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Monday to commemorate the 2026 World Food Safety Day, CAPPA warned that millions of Nigerians were increasingly exposed to health risks associated with excessive consumption of sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and ultra-processed foods.
The organisation argued that food safety should extend beyond concerns about contamination and foodborne diseases to include protection against products that contribute to non-communicable diseases.
CAPPA Executive Director, Oluwafemi Akinbode, said, “Food safety is not only about preventing food poisoning. It is also about ensuring that the foods and drinks available to Nigerians do not slowly undermine their health and well-being.”
He warned that weak regulatory safeguards and aggressive marketing of unhealthy products were contributing to rising cases of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, stroke, kidney disease and certain cancers.
According to him, diet-related diseases were placing a growing burden on families, the healthcare system and the economy.
“Public health policies must be guided by science and the public interest, not by industries whose profitability depends on unhealthy consumption patterns,” Akinbode stated.
CAPPA welcomed the recent passage by the Senate of a bill seeking to strengthen Nigeria’s Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax regime, describing it as a critical intervention in efforts to reduce excessive sugar consumption and curb non-communicable diseases.
The organisation also urged the Federal Government to adopt national sodium reduction targets, implement Front-of-Pack Warning Labelling on packaged foods and beverages, and strengthen restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children.
“Truly, safe food should not only be free from contamination but should also protect consumers from preventable diseases and support long-term wellbeing,” he added.
World Food Safety Day is observed annually to raise awareness and inspire action to prevent, detect and manage food-related risks. The 2026 edition marks the eighth global observance of the event.
While food safety discussions have traditionally focused on microbial contamination and foodborne disease outbreaks, public health experts are increasingly drawing attention to the role of unhealthy diets in driving non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers.
In Nigeria, authorities have intensified efforts to strengthen food safety governance through the National Food Safety Management Committee, the National Integrated Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response, sodium reduction initiatives, industrial trans-fat elimination regulations and improved food surveillance systems.
However, health advocates continue to push for stronger nutrition-focused policies, including enhanced sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, front-of-pack warning labels and tighter restrictions on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children.
As dawn breaks over Okomu National Park in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State, an exhausted wildlife caretaker prepares milk formula for Agbaibor, a month-old orphaned forest elephant rescued after wandering out of the rainforest alone.
“The baby elephant has to take two litres of this per meal,” said Joshua Aribasoye, one of those responsible for feeding and monitoring the calf around the clock in a makeshift pen at a ranger outpost inside the park in southern Edo.
Forest elephants, smaller and more elusive than their savannah cousins, are endangered and their population has collapsed in recent decades largely because of habitat loss and poaching.
Agbaibor—named after the ranger who helped rescue him—was found near a palm oil plantation bordering the protected forest late last year after being separated from the herd.
Rangers and conservationists tried to reunite the calf with its family by taking it back into the forest, but it soon wandered out again.
Fearing it would die alone or be attacked, park authorities and conservation group African Nature Investors (ANI) launched an emergency effort to nurse the animal, flying in elephant rehabilitation specialists from Zambia and assigning caretakers to raise him.
It has become a costly operation. ANI spends between four and five million naira (about 3,600) a month on his care, including 77 kilograms of milk powder, alongside oats and nutritional supplements.
Conservationists expect the rehabilitation process to take another three to five years. They are building a new enclosure deeper inside the park, within elephant habitat, where the calf will gradually be exposed to the sounds and movements of wild herds before an eventual reintroduction.
“The calf will be cared for there… until it is integrated into a group,” said ANI project manager Peter Abanyam.
200 remain
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists forest elephants as critically endangered, with conservationists estimating only around 200 remain in the country.
Roughly 40 are believed to live in and around Okomu—one of Nigeria’s last remaining rainforest ecosystems, covering about 24,000 hectares.
“Okomu is critical for conservation in Nigeria,” said Abanyam.
“In a small ecosystem like this, housing 40 elephants is a huge number, and it needs to be protected at all costs.”
But pressure on the forest is intensifying.
Logging, poaching, farming and expanding human settlements have fragmented large parts of the reserve, shrinking elephant corridors and increasing contact between wildlife and nearby communities.
Godstime Christopher, 26, once helped transport illegally logged timber out of the forest before being recruited as a ranger by ANI.
Today, he works with the organisation’s biomonitoring team, using camera traps to track elephant movements and identify poachers.
“When I became a ranger, I thought I would use that to exploit logging,” he admitted. “But the training changed our mentality.”
‘Preserve what we have’
Conservation groups say engaging local communities is essential if endangered wildlife is to survive in one of Africa’s fastest-growing countries, where economic hardship often drives people deeper into protected forests in search of land, timber or bushmeat.
While the ranger programme appears to have helped drive down poaching in the area, hunting for other species still disturbs the elephants and degrades their habitat, Christopher warned.
