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The European Commission has approved €235m in new humanitarian assistance for West and Central Africa, with Nigeria and the Central Sahel emerging as major beneficiaries amid worsening food insecurity, conflict, and climate-related shocks across the region.

Nigeria is set to receive €33m (approximately $36m) from the package to address what officials describe as one of the country’s most severe food and nutrition crises in recent years. According to humanitarian estimates, nearly 35 million Nigerians currently require emergency food assistance, while about 6.4 million children are acutely malnourished, including roughly 2 million facing life-threatening conditions.

The funding will support critical interventions in Nigeria’s North East and North West regions, focusing on emergency food assistance, health and nutrition services, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and education for displaced and vulnerable populations.

The broader funding initiative targets escalating humanitarian needs across West and Central Africa, where overlapping crises—ranging from armed conflict and mass displacement to climate shocks and economic instability—continue to strain already fragile systems.

A significant portion of the aid is directed to the Central Sahel, which will receive €75m (about $82m). The region remains one of the hardest-hit globally, with over 12.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance due to persistent insecurity and large-scale displacement.

Other major allocations include more than €72m (around $78.5m) for Chad, which has absorbed over 919,000 refugees fleeing the Sudan crisis since 2023, alongside nearly 390,000 returning nationals. The funding will prioritise shelter, food assistance, water and sanitation, and protection services, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin.

Cameroon will receive €16.6m to support close to 3 million people in need, including 2.2 million internally displaced persons, while the Central African Republic is set to receive €22m to fund multi-sectoral assistance covering food security, healthcare, education, and livelihoods.

Additional allocations include €4.8m for Mauritania to assist refugees and vulnerable communities, as well as €6m for coastal West African countries such as Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo, where insecurity and displacement pressures are rising. A further €6.4m has been earmarked for regional emergency response initiatives.

The aid package is designed to deliver life-saving assistance across multiple sectors, including food aid, healthcare, nutrition, shelter, clean water, sanitation, protection services, and emergency education for displaced persons, host communities, and populations in hard-to-reach areas.

Speaking on the development, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said the scale and complexity of the crises in the region require sustained and coordinated international support.

She described West and Central Africa as facing a “storm of humanitarian crises” driven by conflict, hunger, poverty, instability, and climate shocks, noting that humanitarian assistance remains critical to survival for millions of people.

The latest intervention underscores the European Union’s continued commitment to supporting vulnerable populations in Africa, particularly as conflict dynamics in the Central Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin intensify and spillover effects increasingly impact neighbouring countries.

Analysts say Nigeria’s inclusion among the top recipients reflects the growing severity of its humanitarian challenges, especially in conflict-affected regions where displacement, food insecurity, and limited access to basic services persist.

The funding also aligns with broader efforts by international partners to strengthen resilience, improve coordination, and ensure that humanitarian responses are effectively targeted and sustainable over the long term.

As pressures mount across the region, stakeholders warn that continued collaboration between governments, international organisations, and development partners will be essential to addressing immediate needs while laying the groundwork for longer-term recovery and stability.

EU Allocates €33m To Nigeria In Fresh West Africa Aid Push is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Former President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Tony Nwoye, has been appointed as the new Minority Whip of the Senate.

Nwoye, who represents Anambra North Senatorial District, was unanimously selected for the role by the Minority Caucus, filling the vacancy created by the defection of his predecessor, Osita Mbu, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Mbu, in a letter read on the floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday, said his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was driven by a desire to align with the leadership of Peter Mbah and President Bola Tinubu within what he described as the country’s “only stable platform.”

Nwoye, who entered the Senate in 2023 under the Labour Party, LP, had earlier switched allegiance to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, late last year.

In a related development, Senator Anthony Siyako Yaro also announced his exit from the PDP for the APC, citing internal disagreements and persistent divisions within the opposition party.

Similarly, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Aliyu Wadada, formally declared his defection from the Social Democratic Party, SDP, to the APC. Although he had earlier joined the APC at his ward in 2025, Wadada told the Senate that formalities marking his defection were concluded on Wednesday.

Wadada, who is also the APC’s consensus governorship candidate for Nasarawa State ahead of the 2027 elections, confirmed his move during plenary.

Reacting to the wave of defections, Senator Adams Oshiomhole commended the lawmakers for carrying out their decisions without rancour.

He noted that the defections were consistent with constitutional provisions guaranteeing freedom of association.

“More people are joining our great party in a very peaceful manner.

“The point has been made that, so long as we are guided by the Nigerian Constitution, there is freedom of association,” he said.

“People who were fighting yesterday are leaving their party with pride to join the APC. This has been accomplished without a fight but with joy in their faces and hearts.

“Anybody who is progressive can, and many have, joined us. People chose to join the APC in admiration of the leadership of the Senate under Godswill Akpabio and the able leadership of Nigeria by President Bola Tinubu.”

Senate Minority Caucus names Tony Nwoye as Minority Whip

The federal government has announced the death of Ambassador Mohammed Mahmud Lele, a senior career diplomat in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who passed away on April 19, 2026, in Ankara, Türkiye, after a prolonged illness.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja on Wednesday.

DAILY POST gathers that Ambassador Lele had recently been appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as ambassador-designate to Algeria, following his confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.

Born in 1976 in Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Lele studied Economics at Bayero University Kano before joining the Nigerian Foreign Service in 2001.

The statement reads in part: “Ambassador Mohammed Mahmud Lele was a dedicated, meticulous, and exemplary diplomat who served the nation with steadfast loyalty and distinction. He was also privileged to serve in Nigerian Missions in Berlin, Germany; Lome, Togo; and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“During his enviable career, Ambassador Lele was known for his intellectual depth, strategic insight, and commitment to the advancement of Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives.

“Therefore, his sudden demise is a monumental loss not only to his immediate family but also to the entire Foreign Service community and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Umar Ahmed, PhD, who was personally at the International Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with directors from the ministry to receive the remains of the late ambassador on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, to pay his last respects upon arrival from Istanbul, Türkiye, described Ambassador Lele as a hardworking, humble, and fine officer who will be sorely missed by the ministry,” the statement reads.

Ambassador Mohammed Mahmud Lele was buried on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, according to Islamic rites in Kano State.

Nigeria ambassador-designate to Algeria, Mohammed Lele dies before posting

The foreign ministers of Mali and Niger have accused neighbouring countries and external actors of sponsoring terrorism against them, while signalling a cautious willingness to maintain limited cooperation with the West African regional bloc they left last year.

The accusations were made on the sidelines of a security forum in Diamniadio, Senegal, highlighting deepening divisions in West Africa’s security landscape.

Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop told Reuters that some neighbouring countries were harbouring or supporting armed groups, or allowing hostile forces to operate from their territory against Mali. He did not name the countries involved but said external powers outside the region were also implicated.

He also alleged that Ukrainian mercenaries had carried out attacks in Mali, referring to earlier comments by a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency about fighting in northern Mali in 2024.

Ukraine has denied any involvement in the conflict and has rejected allegations that it supplied drones or supported rebel groups in the country.

Niger’s Foreign Minister Bakary Yaou Sangare, speaking at the forum, said some countries seeking cooperation on counterterrorism were also “fuelling, financing and sustaining terrorism” in Niger. In comments to Reuters, he said he was referring to France.

France’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The allegations echo earlier claims by Niger’s military leader, Abdourahamane Tiani, who in January accused France, Benin and Ivory Coast of backing an attack on an international airport in Niger, without providing evidence.

Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso are all governed by military juntas that came to power through coups and later withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

ECOWAS chairman, Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, used the forum to urge the AES countries to either rejoin the bloc or deepen cooperation with it.

Diop, however, ruled out a return, saying the withdrawal from ECOWAS was final. He added that limited engagement could still continue, particularly on issues such as freedom of movement and maintaining a common market.

The forum took place against a backdrop of worsening insecurity across the Sahel, where Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have faced jihadist insurgencies for more than a decade. The region now accounts for more than half of global terrorism-related deaths.

Tensions have also risen between Mali and Mauritania, with Mali alleging that two of its soldiers were recently detained by armed groups across the border.

Mali, Niger Accuse Neighbours, France Of Backing Terrorism is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The federal government has reassured Nigerians that the country’s security situation has improved, noting that the insurgent group Boko Haram has been significantly degraded…

The post FG says Boko Haram degraded, assures of improved security appeared first on Tribune Online.

NAFDAC has uncovered and dismantled two illegal production outlets involved in the counterfeiting and adulteration of alcoholic beverages in Lagos State. Acting on credible intelligence, enforcement operatives raided facilities at Zamfara Plaza, Trade Fair Complex, and Lagos Island, recovering over 1,800 cartons of counterfeit and adulterated alcoholic products valued at approximately ₦350 million.

At the Trade Fair Complex, officers discovered makeshift production setups equipped with plastic mixing tanks, improvised filtration systems, empty branded bottles, corks, and packaging materials used to produce and package fake alcoholic drinks.

A similar operation on Lagos Island led to the arrest of a suspect linked to the illegal production and distribution of counterfeit beverages through a retail outlet. All recovered items were seized and evacuated for further regulatory action.

NAFDAC warns that the consumption of adulterated alcoholic beverages poses serious health risks, including poisoning, organ damage, and death. 

The Agency reiterates its commitment to prosecuting offenders and urges the public to purchase products only from authorised outlets and report suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office or via its toll-free line 0800-1-NAFDAC (0800-1-623322).

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday received former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Details of the closed-door meeting are still yet to emerge.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan served as Nigeria’s president from 2010 to 2015.

He made history after conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election to Muhammadu Buhari, becoming the first sitting Nigerian leader to lose a re-election bid and peacefully hand over power.

Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan visits Tinubu in Abuja (PHOTO)

The FGN Power Company (FGNPC), in partnership with Ebonyi and Enugu States, has set in motion a process targeted at increasing Nigeria’s grid capacity by an additional 4,000MW…

The post FG, Ebonyi, Enugu collaborate to add 4,000MW to national grid appeared first on Tribune Online.

South Korean authorities have confirmed that a 2021 mid-air collision between two military fighter jets was caused by pilots taking photographs during a live mission.

The incident occurred in Daegu, a central South Korean city, and was detailed in findings published by Seoul’s Board of Audit and Inspection.

Both pilots escaped without injury, but the aircraft sustained significant damage, with repair bills reaching 880m won ($594,235)

One pilot who had left the military by the time the report was published was ordered to pay a fine of 88m won ($59,423).

According to the board, the pilot had wanted to document his final flight with his unit and declared his intention to take photographs before takeoff.

The audit found this was not an isolated habit.

Photographing significant or farewell flights was described as a widespread practice among South Korean pilots at the time, suggesting a cultural norm that authorities had either overlooked or tolerated.

The revelation sits against a broader backdrop of safety concerns in South Korea’s military aviation.

In March 2026, another mid-air collision between two F 16C jets occurred during a nighttime training exercise near Yeongju, with one aircraft coming down in a mountainous area after a pilot wearing night vision goggles misjudged the distance between the planes. The pilot ejected safely.

Separately, in March 2025, two KF-16 jets mistakenly dropped bombs on a civilian village in Pocheon during a joint exercise with the United States, injuring 31 people and damaging more than 140 homes, an incident attributed to a pilot entering incorrect target coordinates.

South Korea has also seen multiple incidents involving U.S. Air Force F 16s stationed at Kunsan Air Base, with jets going down in the Yellow Sea in both December 2023 and January 2024, though pilots were rescued safely on each occasion.

Pilots Taking Photos Caused South Korea Jet Crash — Audit is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The Lagos State Government on Tuesday launched the 2026 annual medical screening programme for civil servants, urging public workers to pay closer attention to their health through regular checks.

A statement by the Lagos State government said the initiative, tagged “Public Servants, Know Your Numbers,” was flagged off at the Folarin Coker Staff Clinic, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, by the Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro.

Speaking at the event, Agoro stressed the importance of a healthy workforce to effective service delivery, noting that physical and mental well-being are key to productivity in the public sector.

After declaring the programme open, he toured the facility, including the Lagos State Employee Wellness Centre (LASWELL), where he called for more focus on mental health among civil servants.

Agoro also commended Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu for prioritising workers’ welfare, describing him as a “Talk and Do” leader committed to keeping employees healthy, happy and productive.

According to him, “A healthy staff is a happy staff, and a happy staff is a productive staff,” adding that Lagos can only maintain its leading position in public service performance with a workforce that is both physically and mentally fit.

He urged workers to take advantage of the screening, warning that many health conditions show no early signs and can only be detected through routine checks.

“Many of us do not take our health seriously, but this must change,” Agoro said.

Agoro disclosed that the programme is ongoing with no fixed timeline, encouraging civil servants to consistently monitor key health indicators such as blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

He noted that the government has provided funding for the initiative, including free medications, while also working to expand drug supply through partnerships with the private sector.

The Head of Service further advised workers to adopt healthier lifestyles, including regular exercise, proper diet, adequate rest and stress management, pointing out that modern work environments can increase health risks.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, described the programme as a strategic effort to encourage workers to take responsibility for their health.

She explained that the “Know Your Numbers” campaign focuses on raising awareness about blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, noting that many non-communicable diseases develop silently and are often discovered late.

Lajide said the programme, supported by the Governor and other top government officials, ensures that civil servants have access to free screening services, with trained healthcare professionals available to provide full medical support.

She added that the Directorate of Staff Health Services, which manages the Folarin Coker Clinic, operates a walk-in system that allows workers to access care at any time. She noted that serious cases identified during screening would be referred and supported under the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme.

Earlier, the Director of Staff Health Services, Dr. Abdulrasheed Kolade, said the programme is expected to cover between 3,500 and 4,000 civil servants each year across 14 to 15 Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

He explained that routine tests include blood pressure checks, fasting blood sugar tests and Body Mass Index assessment, with additional screenings such as prostate tests for men above 45 and breast screening for women when necessary.

Also speaking, a Nursing Officer at the Lagos State Employee Wellness Centre, Miss Olushola Callisto, highlighted the centre’s role in promoting mental health. She said services offered include counselling, therapy and psychiatric care for conditions such as stress, insomnia and depression.

She added that the centre operates an open-door policy and is stepping up awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and encourage more workers to seek mental health support.

In his remarks, Chairman of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Lagos State Council, Comrade Olusegun Balogun, praised the government for reintroducing and expanding the screening programme.

“Regular medical screening enables early detection of illnesses and timely intervention, adding that the transition to biannual checks represents a significant improvement in staff welfare,” Balogun said.

A beneficiary, Mrs. Funmi Daramola, a civil servant from the Public Service Office, also commended the initiative, saying it provided useful health information and access to essential medical tests.

She added that the programme has helped workers better understand their health and encouraged them to adopt healthier lifestyles, while appreciating the presence and commitment of the Head of Service at the event.

Lagos expands routine health checks for civil servants to tackle silent disease