INTERNATIONAL NEWS SYNDICATE

By: Adamu Aliyu Ngulde,  Maiduguri Borno State has begun transitioning to full control of its child birth spacing (CBS) program following more than three years of support from The Challenge Initiative (TCI), a global health organization that has helped improve maternal and child health across the region. At a ceremony held on Thursday at the Borno State Primary Healthcare Development Board in Maiduguri, government officials and health partners reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the program’s progress and ensuring continuity after TCI’s gradual exit. Dr. Taiwo Johnson, TCI’s Country Director, said the organization had achieved “remarkable progress” in promoting social and behavioral change across the state. She clarified that the transition does not mark a complete withdrawal, but a shift toward state ownership and long-term sustainability. “Borno once had one of the highest maternal mortality rates in Nigeria,” Dr. Johnson said. “Through this intervention, we hav...

BY: NEWS DESK Nigerian troops have killed at least 26 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in a series of fierce operations across Borno and Adamawa States, military sources confirmed over the weekend. The raids, carried out by the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation Hadin Kai, between Sept. 21 and Sept. 27, delivered what officials described as a “significant blow” to insurgent networks still terrorizing communities in the region. In addition to the deaths of the militants, soldiers recovered assault rifles, ammunition, narcotics, and materials for building bombs. Security patrols also seized 20 jerricans of smuggled fuel in Mubi South and intercepted abandoned fertilizer stockpiles in Mubi North — a chemical often diverted for use in improvised explosive devices. On Sept. 27 alone, troops stormed Loskori Kura in Mafa Local Government Area, killing 11 fighters and capturing four AK-47 rifles along with a cache of drugs. Another militant...

BY: MUSA IDRIS UMAR MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Fear and uncertainty grip a family in Maiduguri after a 14-year-old boy vanished without a trace. Abdullahi Abdulhamid, known by relatives as Walid, was last seen Friday after leaving his home near Mohammed Lawan College of Agriculture. Since then, no one has heard from him. The boy’s disappearance has left his family desperate for answers. They are appealing to the public to help bring him home. “We are deeply worried and calling on the public to assist us in reuniting with our son,” a family member told Lake Chad Times . Anyone with information is urged to call 08034568876 or 07033611144, or report to the nearest police station.

BY: AUDU ALI MARTE Maiduguri, Nigeria — The Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRESS) has launched an initiative to raise meat safety standards in Borno State, bringing together 100 butchers, meat sellers, and processors for a two-day training on hygiene and food safety. The workshop, held at the Farmers Field School Dairy Plant in Maiduguri, focused on improving practices across 19 local government areas. Dr. Makinta Alhaji Ali, the state coordinator of L-PRESS, said the training is designed to curb microbial contamination and ensure safer meat for consumers. “Good hygiene practices are key — from proper cleaning and sanitation to safe disinfection of facilities and equipment,” he noted. Animal health experts reinforced that message. Dr. Ibrahim Kawu Sesiriya stressed that proper storage and handling of meat are essential to preventing foodborne diseases, while Associate Professor G. S. Adam highlighted internationally recognized safety fr...

By: Adamu Aliyu Ngulde, Maiduguri A hit Kannywood television series has sparked debate in northern Nigeria after millions of viewers watched its portrayal of the Babur-Bura language, raising concerns about unity, identity and cultural sensitivity. The series, Jamilun Jidda, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Abubakar Bashir Mai Shadda, depicts characters speaking Babur-Bura as “traditional people without religion.” The Babur-Bura are an ethnic community in northeastern Nigeria with their own language, culture and religious practices. Since its release in cinemas and on YouTube, where episodes have drawn millions of views, critics say the portrayal risks reinforcing stereotypes that could inflame divisions in a region already strained by conflict and displacement. “Language is deeply tied to identity. Misrepresenting a community’s speech on such a large platform can alienate viewers and even create resentment,” said a lecturer in linguistics at the University of Maiduguri who h...