Former Military Governor of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, Major General Godwin Osagie Abbe, has passed away. He was 75.

Abbe served as the Military Governor of both Akwa Ibom State from 1988 to 1990, and River State from 1990 to 1992. He also held the position of Minister of Interior under President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration where he was later redeployed to the ministry of defence

He died in Abuja on Saturday after a long illness.

His academic achievements include a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University and attendance at the United States Army Infantry School, the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College, and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies.

He rose through the ranks to become the General Officer Commanding of the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, and commanded both the Training and Doctrine Command and the National War College.

Abbe retired in 1999 at the rank of Major General and subsequently joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Dr. Umar Yahuza, the Project Coordinator for the World Bank-assisted initiative in Kano, known as Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN), has announced the training of 1,000 healthcare personnel in a bid to provide preventive nutrition services to pregnant and lactating mothers.

During a workshop held for the training of healthcare workers, Dr. Yahuza addressed newsmen, highlighting the significance of the ANRiN project, which is funded by the World Bank. He explained that the project aims to change behavior from the grassroots and reverse the negative trends of malnutrition.

Kano State has made significant progress in reducing severe stunting by 9 percent, a notable achievement that underscores the need for continued improvement. Dr. Yahuza emphasized that the N774 being used to train frontline healthcare workers was initially unstructured.

The journey began with MYCN facilitators in Kano and Lagos, followed by the training of a critical mass of facilitators. Subsequently, 120 healthcare professionals from various health facilities in Kano, including medical doctors and dieticians, were trained.

Currently, training is underway for 484 apex healthcare facilities in Kano. The training is being conducted at eight different points, with 60 healthcare workers being trained at each location, totaling 1,000 trained healthcare personnel under the MYCN initiative.

Dr. Yahuza expressed optimism about seeing an end to malnutrition in the region. He stated, “We are near to seeing an end to malnutrition. We are not late.”

One of the beneficiaries, Rahinatu Ado Ibrahim, shared her experience, saying, “We received capacity building, and there are available resources.”

The ANRiN project is designed to provide comprehensive support to healthcare workers, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to address malnutrition effectively. With continued efforts and collaboration, the project aims to improve the overall health and well-being of the population in Kano State.

Ten people have been confirmed dead in a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, on Saturday, 21st December 2024, during the distribution of food items to vulnerable and elderly individuals.

The unfortunate incident, which occurred around 6:30 am, resulted in the loss of ten lives, including four children, and left eight others injured with varying degrees of severity. Four of the injured have been treated and discharged, while the remaining victims are still receiving medical attention.

The FCT Police Command, in a statement issued by its spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the tragedy, extended condolences to the families of the deceased, and wished the injured a swift recovery.