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UNICEF, Bauchi govt match N600m to fight malnutrition

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The Bauchi State Government has released N300m to the Child Nutrition Fund managed by UNICEF, as part of efforts to eradicate malnutrition among children in the state.

The Chief of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, Nuzhat Rafique, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interaction with journalists.

She explained that UNICEF would also provide a matching grant of N300m, bringing the total intervention fund to N600m.

According to her, the fund release followed the familiarisation visit of the new UNICEF Country Representative, Wafaa Saeed, to the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.

Rafique said, “We are grateful to His Excellency, the Governor of Bauchi State, for releasing the promised N300m to UNICEF. This is a great milestone in our advocacy efforts. UNICEF will match the same amount, which will significantly help in tackling malnutrition in the state.”

She revealed that local government councils under ALGON also contributed N100m to the fund, stressing that the intervention would support the procurement of nutrition supplies, ready-to-use therapeutic food, to save malnourished children.

The UNICEF official further said that Governor Mohammed had promised to increase the state’s contribution to N1bn next year, which UNICEF also pledged to match.

Rafique emphasised the need for long-term strategies, including behaviour change and local solutions, to prevent malnutrition.

She noted that UNICEF’s focus was not only on treatment but also on promoting proper child feeding practices and maternal care from conception through the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.

She added, “No child should suffer malnutrition. It affects physical growth, cognitive development, and overall well-being. Prevention is better than treatment. We must work with traditional leaders, LGAs, religious leaders, and communities to change the narrative.”

Saeed, during her visit to Bauchi and Plateau states, also commended the role of community groups, traditional rulers, and local authorities in supporting nutrition programmes.

The acute child malnutrition in the North, stating the malnutrition crisis in Northern Nigeria is grave, with nearly 5.4 million children aged 0-59 months suffering from acute malnutrition in the North-West and North-East, expected to persist through 2025, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation reports that 3.7 million children in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe are malnourished.

UNICEF’s April 2025 report highlights that 8.8 million people need assistance, including 4.9 million children, warning that food insecurity, poor healthcare, ongoing security issues, and disease outbreaks drive the crisis. Médecins Sans Frontières screenings in Zamfara State found that 27% of 97,149 children suffer from acute malnutrition, with 5% severely affected.

Crucially, in July 2025, MSF reported that up to 652 children died from malnutrition in Katsina State within the first six months of the year, attributing the deaths to donor funding cuts amid persistent violence and insecurity.

Despite a 33.7% rise in Nigeria’s 2025 nutrition budget to N170 billion, chronic challenges such as high food inflation, poverty, and weak health services undermine progress.

UNICEF notes Nigeria has the world’s second-highest rate of stunted children, at 32% nationally, with northern states bearing the greatest burden. Climate change, displacement, cultural practices, and governance gaps worsen the situation.

UNICEF emphasises, “Malnutrition slows development and leads directly to suffering and death,” urging increased government commitment, expanded therapeutic feeding programs, enhanced local food production, better vaccine coverage, and security restoration to reverse this crisis.

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PHOTOS: Igbo Community in Osun Storms Streets for Egungun Festival

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The Igbo community in Osun State on Saturday held its annual Egungun Festival, drawing thousands of participants and spectators across the state.

The colourful celebration saw various masquerades (Egungun) accompanied by large crowds of Igbo residents who trooped to major streets in Osogbo in jubilation.

The main venue of the festival was the Freedom Park in Osogbo, which hosted cultural displays, music, and traditional performances.

AMILOADED correspondent who visited the venue observed a heavy security presence, with personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and operatives of Amotekun Corps providing orderliness.

The festival attracted not only members of the Igbo community but also indigenes and residents of Osun, who watched the cultural display with excitement.

The streets of Osogbo were filled with festive activities as masquerades entertained onlookers, whiledancers thrilled the gathering with traditional rhythms.

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Nollywood Actor Ibrahim Chatta Loses Son

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Popular Nollywood actor, Ibrahim Chatta, is grieving the loss of his son.

The 54-year-old actor shared the heartbreaking news on his Instagram page on Saturday, though he did not disclose details surrounding the boy’s death.

Posting a photo of his late son, Chatta wrote, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. Ya Allah, You are the Knower of all things. Rest on, Dear son, champ.”

The tragic announcement drew an outpouring of condolences from colleagues and fans, who filled the comment section with words of comfort and prayers for the bereaved family.

This came just days after the Nollywood community was hit by another loss, following the death of veteran actress Peju Ogunmola’s only son, Ayomikun, who passed away in Ibadan earlier this week.

The back-to-back tragedies have thrown Nollywood into mourning, with many describing the moment as one of the darkest in recent memory.

Chatta had previously opened up about the pain of losing a child. In June, he recounted how financial hardship and poor access to healthcare led to the death of his first child, a daughter.

According to him, he could not afford a proper coffin at the time and was forced to bury her in an old wooden Coca-Cola crate.

The actor’s latest loss has once again drawn attention to the personal struggles behind the glitz of Nollywood, while fans and colleagues continued to rally around him in solidarity.

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Defence headquarters warns former soldiers against protests

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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has warned discharged soldiers protesting at the Federal Ministry of Finance over the Security Debarment Allowance (SDA) to desist, describing the demonstrations as illegal.

Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, issued the warning on Friday, September 5, saying the protests were obstructing official activities at the ministry and would no longer be tolerated.

“The Defence Headquarters acknowledges freedom of legitimate protest, but the veterans are strongly advised to trade with caution and vacate the premises of the Federal Ministry of Finance in order to pave way for normal government functions to be seamlessly conducted,” Kangye stated.

He clarified that neither the government nor the DHQ owed retired soldiers any SDA, explaining that payments were being made in line with applicable wage charts. “Gratuity and SDA are calculated based on the salary chart effective on a soldier’s date of retirement,” he said.

Kangye noted that those who retired between January 1 and July 28, 2024, fell under the pre-minimum wage chart, while retirees from July 29, 2024, onward were placed under the minimum wage chart following the implementation of the new wage structure.

“Unfortunately, soldiers who retired before the implementation date have insisted their benefits should be calculated with the new minimum wage chart, which is not possible. Government policies have effective dates of implementation and this case cannot be an exception,” Kangye stressed.

He urged the ex-soldiers to respect laid-down processes and desist from further illegal demonstrations.

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