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Two suspected Ebola cases in Abuja test negative – NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that two recent suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever in Abuja have tested negative for both Ebola Virus Disease and Marburg Virus.

The NCDC, in a public health advisory issued on Friday and signed by its Director General, Dr Jide Idris, noted that further tests are ongoing for other hemorrhagic fevers, including Lassa fever and dengue fever.

The advisory comes amid public concern and speculation following reports of suspected viral hemorrhagic fever cases in Abuja.

Ebola virus disease, formerly known as Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, is a severe, often deadly disease caused by the Ebola virus, with a fatality rate of 25–90 per cent.

The NCDC said people become infected with Ebola either through contact with infected live or dead animals (usually following butchering, cooking, or eating) or through contact with the body fluids of infected humans.

Most cases are caused by human-to-human transmission, which occurs when blood, bodily fluids, or secretions (stool, urine, semen) of infected people enter a person’s body through broken skin or mucous membranes.

Ebola symptoms vary, but commonly experienced symptoms include the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache, and sore throat, especially at the beginning of the disease.

“The NCDC wishes to inform the public that two recent suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever in Abuja both tested negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses. We are currently testing samples for other viral hemorrhagic fevers like Lassa fever and dengue fever,” the advisory partly read.

The most recent case involved a traveller who, after returning to Nigeria from Kigali, responsibly presented himself immediately to a hospital in Abuja when he felt unwell.

“His decision to report early, combined with the vigilance of the attending clinician and hospital team, ensured that our public health system was promptly activated and that the risk to the public was minimised.

“This responsible action is highly commendable and a good practice all Nigerians are urged to emulate; when you feel unwell, especially after travel, seek care early. Doing so protects you, your family, and your community.

“We deeply commend the clinicians and staff at the Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, whose high index of suspicion and immediate reporting triggered a rapid, coordinated response. We also recognise the FCT Epidemiology and Rapid Response Teams, the Port Health Services, the National Reference Laboratory, airline and immigration partners, and other stakeholders whose swift collaboration with NCDC demonstrates the strength of Nigeria’s preparedness system. Together, their actions exemplify how vigilance and teamwork prevent potential public-health emergencies,” the agency stated.

The agency assured Nigerians that it has activated anticipatory measures nationwide following recent Ebola outbreaks in other countries.

It said the measures include heightened surveillance at ports of entry, alerting isolation facilities, and prepositioning infection-prevention supplies.

“We are currently collating and analysing all the relevant data and information to improve our response. As part of its mandate to safeguard the health of the nation, the NCDC has already conducted a Dynamic Risk Assessment following recent reports of Ebola viral disease in other countries, and anticipatory measures are being implemented nationwide.

“We have activated multidisciplinary collaboration with federal and state health authorities, strengthened surveillance at points of entry, placed isolation/treatment facilities on alert, and prepositioned critical infection-prevention and related case management supplies.

“The NCDC national reference laboratories remain on standby to provide rapid testing, and public-health teams are ready to conduct contact tracing if needed. Beyond these immediate steps, NCDC is also working with states and partners to strengthen readiness across all 36 states and the FCT.

“This includes upgrading isolation facilities, reinforcing IPC training for healthcare workers, conducting simulation exercises, and ensuring a clear pathway for access to medical countermeasures such as vaccines and therapeutics if ever required,” it added.

It urged states to strengthen surveillance and keep isolation centres ready, while healthcare workers, especially in private hospitals, must stay vigilant, follow strict infection-prevention measures, and promptly report unusual cases through official channels.

Nigerians were also advised to practice good hygiene, avoid risky animal contact, seek care immediately if symptoms arise after travel, and rely only on official updates from NCDC.

It said suspected cases can be reported through the NCDC’s 24/7 Connect Centre via toll-free number 6232, WhatsApp at +234 708 711 0839, SMS at +234 809 955 5577, or email at info@ncdc.gov.ng

According to the World Health Organisation, 48 confirmed and probable Ebola cases have been reported, and 31 people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rivers’ emergency rule not about Fubara – Ex-presidential candidate

The presidential candidate of the defunct Nigeria for Democracy in the 2019 election, Asuquo Archibong, has said that the emergency rule imposed on Rivers State and subsequently suspended is not about Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

This is as he commended President Bola Tinubu for ending the six-month emergency rule and reinstating Fubara to office.

Recall that Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state on March 18, following a frosty relationship between Gov Fubara and members of the State House of Assembly.

The development made it impossible for the governor to present the Rivers State 2025 Appropriation Bill before the legislature for its input.

The Federal Government swiftly waded in and appointed retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as Sole Administrator to oversee the running of the state for an initial period of six months, which elapsed on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, Archibong described Fubara’s return to office as “A respect for the rule of law and democracy in Rivers State.”

He added, “The return of democracy in the state will promote peaceful co-existence. Everything that played out will strengthen democracy.

“Anytime we have an aberration in terms of governance or the rule of law, it’s a painful experience. The emergency rule was not particularly pleasant. We should naturally welcome the reinstatement of democracy in River State.

“It’s not really about Fubara, but the experience of democracy so that we can have uninterrupted dividends of democracy in the state.”

While urging the relevant stakeholders to put the past behind them and give peace a chance, Asuquo stated that the good thing is that Fubara has stepped into the office he was elected into by the Rivers electorate and urged the three arms of government to work together.

“That’s why we have the three arms of government, and they are all equal arms.

“The executive branch is at the same level as the legislature and is at the same level as the judiciary, and they all have to work together for the betterment of the people. This is the principle of democracy,” he added.

He urged the Rivers State House of Assembly to be cordial with Governor Fubara in the interest of the state.

He also commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for his role in the reinstatement of Gov Fubara after six months of emergency rule in the state.

EU seeks to speed up Russian gas phase-out after Trump push

The European Union proposed Friday to bring forward a ban on Russian gas imports as part of a new package of sanctions aimed at sapping Moscow’s war chest — and pleasing US President Donald Trump.

Under the measures presented for approval by the bloc’s member states, the European Commission said it aims to phase out liquefied natural gas purchases from Russia by January 2027 — one year earlier than planned.

“Russia’s war economy is sustained by revenues from fossil fuels. We want to cut these revenues. So we are banning imports of Russian LNG into European markets,” Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said.

“It is time to turn off the tap”.

The proposal comes as the United States pressures the EU to end fossil fuel imports from Russia — and the bloc seeks in turn to persuade Trump to take a tougher stance on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

The US leader has so far held back from upping pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin but said last week he was ready to do so if allies stopped buying Russian oil and hit China with tariffs.

The 27-nation EU has already banned most Russian oil under previous rounds of sanctions — slashing the share it imports from 29 per cent in early 2021 to two per cent by mid-2025.

Only Hungary and Slovakia, friendly to Moscow and Trump, still buy the stuff.

– ‘Pay the price’ –

Presenting the new EU sanctions package — the 19th targeting Moscow since the Ukraine war began in 2022 — von der Leyen made no mention of oil.

But EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc was bringing forward by 12 months a previous pledge to end all imports of LNG by the end of 2027.

“Our aim is to speed up the phase-out of Russian liquefied natural gas by 1 Jan 2027,” she wrote on X.

“Moscow thinks it can keep its war going. We are making sure it pays the price for it.”

Despite a push to end decades of European dependency, Russia still supplied 19 per cent of the EU’s gas in 2024 — down from 45 per cent before the war.

This is in part due to an increase in purchases of LNG transported by sea, which has partially offset a sharp fall in pipeline imports.

In 2024, 32 billion cubic metres of gas entered Europe via the TurkStream pipeline, and 20 billion cubic metres through liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments.

Most LNG is imported through terminals in France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium — although it is hard to know how much is also consumed there or simply passes through towards other nations.

The United States — the world’s top oil producer — is the largest supplier of the stuff, accounting for almost 45 per cent of total EU LNG imports.

AFP

I’m 29 with two tries left, BBNaija’s Vee shares strict dating rules, pregnancy fears

A former Big Brother Naija housemate Victoria Adeyele, popularly known as Vee, has sparked a major online discussion after revealing her personal dating philosophy.

In a video shared on her TikTok page on Tuesday, the 29-year-old stated that it is her “mission in life to avoid the wrong man getting me pregnant”.

Vee, who had a romantic relationship with fellow housemate Neo Akpofure on the 2020 BBNaija show before they ended things in February 2022, explained that her cautious approach to dating is a form of self-preservation.

“It is my own personal mission. It may not be your own mission, but it’s my mission,” she said.

She was quick to clarify her stance, adding, “It’s not to say that I’m better than the women who have been in that position. It’s simple, I know myself. I know what I’m like, and I try to avoid certain situations that will put me in a state of psychosis.”

She described dating in Lagos as being particularly difficult, referencing a past negative experience.

“I’m a 29-year-old living in Lagos and… dating is hard, but dating in Lagos, there’s a tweet Offset made that haunts me to this day. I don’t want to put myself in a position where a man can tell me such.”

Vee candidly admitted that her strong resolve might be a barrier to finding love, but it’s a trade-off she’s willing to make.

“I am passionate about not getting f#cked over. And maybe that’s what stops me from finding unapologetic love. I’m stubborn. Yes, I’m hard-headed, but I’m not stupid,” she said.

She also emphasised the importance of making careful choices, even when it comes to choosing a partner.

“I need to make sure that when it comes to choosing a life partner, I try my best to get it right. People say experience is the best teacher. Not in my world… I don’t need to experience something to know that it’s not going to work for me,” she said.

In the now-viral moment, Vee concluded by stating she has a limited number of chances left for dating.

“I just turned 29… I have two more tries left in me sha. Just two. You see these two fingers? Two. Let it pass that two. The way these men are doing.”

Singer Spyro announces engagement to partner

Nigeria singer and songwriter Oludipe David popularly known as Spyro has announced his engagement to his partner, Janet Atom.

The “Who Is Your Guy?” crooner took to his Instagram page on Friday to make the announcement, sharing pictures of his proposal to Atom.

Singer Spyro proposes to lover. Credit: Instagram | spyro__official

Singer Spyro proposes to lover.

Singer Spyro proposes to lover. Credit: Instagram | spyro__official

Spyro revealed that he met his fiancée on March 30, 2024, at 2:48 a.m. while working at a club in Lagos.

He wrote, “The 30th of March 2024, my world paused as I found love in an unexpected place (sic) at exactly 2:48am I met the answer to my prayers #_callme_njure in a Lagos Club while at work and from then till now I have lived every single day a very happy man.

“Thank you for saying YES my sweet J. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Spyro is well known for his song “Who is your Guy?” which was first released in November 2022 and re-released in March 2023 as a remix featuring Tiwa Savage.

Taliban releases British couple after eight months in detention

The Taliban government on Friday announced they had released an elderly British couple held in detention in Afghanistan for almost eight months.

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‎The family of Peter Reynolds, 80, and his wife Barbara, 76, had made repeated pleas about their ailing health after their arrest in February.

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‎”Two British nationals named Peter and Barbara Reynolds, who had violated the laws of Afghanistan, were released from custody today following the judicial process,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on social media.

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‎He added that the government “does not view the matters of citizens from a political or transactional angle”.

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‎The couple were handed over to the UK’s special representative Richard Lindsay, Balhki said.

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‎A Qatari official, on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told AFP that the couple were “safely released from detention in Afghanistan following mediation led by Qatar”.

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‎”The Qataris had been engaged with the Afghan authorities for many months, working in close coordination with the British government,” he added.

The couple were married in Kabul in 1970, and have spent almost two decades living in Afghanistan running educational programmes after moving there. They also became official Afghan citizens.

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‎Taliban officials have refused to detail why the couple was arrested in February as they were returning to their home in central Bamiyan province.

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‎AFP

Insecurity: Seven Kwara LGs order closure of cattle markets

Local government chairmen in the Kwara South Senatorial District have ordered the immediate closure of all Kara (cattle) markets in the area over security concerns.

The decision, announced on Thursday, was taken under the aegis of the Forum of Seven Local Government Chairmen in Kwara South after what they described as “extensive stakeholders’ engagement and reviews.”

The chairmen said the shutdown, which takes effect from Friday, September 19, would remain in place until further notice.

They added that all other produce markets in the senatorial district must also close by 6pm on market days.

In a jointly signed statement, the council bosses said the measure was part of efforts to protect lives and property in the zone, which has witnessed a series of violent attacks in recent months.

“While the invading criminals have been operationally decimated in the last few weeks, clean-up operations by the military and hybrid operatives are still ongoing. Therefore, all Kara markets have been ordered to shut down with immediate effect,” the statement read in part.

They acknowledged the economic impact of the closure on residents but maintained that security must come first.

“We’ve chosen to prioritise the safety of lives and property and adhere to long-term coordinated and structured security advisement over and above short-term inconveniences,” the chairman added.

The leaders assured residents that the state government and security agencies were working with local councils to restore peace, urging communities to cooperate with security operatives.

The statement was signed by the executive chairmen of Ifelodun, Isin, Irepodun, Ekiti, Oke-Ero, Offa and Oyun Local Government Areas.

Earlier on Friday, PUNCH Online reported that the National Youth Service Corps has relocated its orientation camp in Kwara State from Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area, to the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, over rising insecurity.

State Coordinator, Mr Onifade Olaoluwa Joshua, confirmed the relocation to our reporter in Ilorin, saying the approval came from the state government after concerns were raised about the safety of corps members.

He said, “We are fully prepared to host the orientation course, and the welfare of participants will be safeguarded. Soldiers and other security personnel will be deployed to guarantee the safety of corps members during the three-week exercise.”

Insecurity: NYSC relocates Kwara orientation camp to Ilorin

The National Youth Service Corps has relocated its orientation camp in Kwara State from Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area, to the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, over rising insecurity.

State Coordinator, Mr Onifade Olaoluwa Joshua, confirmed the relocation to The Punch on Thursday in Ilorin, saying the approval came from the state government after concerns were raised about the safety of corps members.

Onifade explained that corps members are expected to report between September 24 and October 14, adding that a delegation from the NYSC headquarters would inspect the temporary venue.

The decision comes amid worsening insecurity in Kwara North, especially in Edu and Patigi LGAs, which have witnessed repeated bandit attacks.

Dozens of residents have been killed, kidnapped or displaced in recent months, forcing many rural communities to flee their homes.

In August, corps members at Yikpata camp were ordered to remain indoors by soldiers after suspicious movements were noticed around the site, heightening fears among participants and their parents.

Onifade thanked the federal and state governments for their support, while appealing to parents to remain calm.

He assured that the scheme was working to deliver a safe and successful orientation programme.

Cardi B drops anticipated album ‘Am I the Drama?’ after seven years

Grammy-winning rapper Cardi B, born as Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar, on Friday released her sophomore album Am I the Drama?, ending a seven-year wait since her Grammy-winning debut Invasion of Privacy.

The 23-track album, released via Atlantic Records, debuted at No. 1 on the US iTunes albums chart. It features guest appearances from Kehlani, Megan Thee Stallion, Selena Gomez, and Janet Jackson.

According to Rolling Stone, which rated the project 4.5 stars, the record “delivers raw energy and fearless storytelling.”

Cardi B also premiered a music video for the single Safe and appeared at an Apple Music event in New York City to promote the release. A world tour is planned for 2026.

The album’s arrival follows recent personal announcements. On September 17, PUNCH Online reported that Cardi B confirmed she is expecting a child with New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs after weeks of speculation. In an interview with CBS, she said, “I’m excited. I’m happy.”

It also comes after a legal victory earlier this month. On September 3, PUNCH Online reported that a Los Angeles jury cleared her of assault charges in a $24 million civil lawsuit filed by security guard Emani Ellis, who alleged Cardi B cut her cheek with a fingernail and spat on her outside an obstetrician’s office in 2018. After a week-long trial in Alhambra, the jury ruled in her favour.

With the new album topping charts, a cleared legal battle, and confirmation of her pregnancy, Cardi B’s career enters a fresh chapter marked by both professional and personal milestones.

Lagos NURTW official arrested for beating dispatch rider to death

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Lagos State, Shamsideen Adio, for allegedly beating a dispatch rider to death in the Tapa Street, Lagos Island area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt on Thursday that a scuffle had ensued between Adio and the dispatch rider over allegations that the latter had scratched the former’s vehicle.

A journalist and Facebook user, Chris Nwandu, who shared a video of the incident on Thursday, disclosed that it happened on Wednesday.

According to Nwandu, the situation degenerated when Adio, joined by his colleagues, descended on the dispatch rider and allegedly beat him to a pulp.

He said, “A popular Lagos Island NURTW top official by the name Shamsideen Adio mercilessly beat a dispatch rider to a pulp on Wednesday in Tapa Street, Lagos Island, for obstructing his way while driving on the road.

“He was joined by his other friends and colleagues, battering the poor guy as they liked. We are reliably informed that he’s notorious for beating Marwa (tricycle) operators to a pulp whenever they offend him.

“It was reported that a few days ago, he also dealt deadly blows to a Marwa operator who ended up in the general hospital.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, could not be reached for comment on the matter on Thursday as her number was unreachable as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, a police officer in the area, privy to the incident, confirmed that the victim died from injuries sustained from the beating.

The source disclosed that the suspect was, however, arrested following the incident.

“The victim died from the injuries and the suspect has been arrested. He is now at the State Criminal Investigation Department,” the source said.

PUNCH Metro reported in February that the Ogun State Police Command arraigned the suspended traditional ruler of Orile Ifo, Oba Abdulsemiu Ogunjobi, before a magistrates’ court sitting in the Ifo area of the state on three counts bordering on conspiracy, assault, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

Ogunjobi had become an Internet sensation after he assaulted a 70-year-old chief.