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Speaker Abass Reiterates Support for Regional Development Commissions
…call for strong oversight functions
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas has reaffirmed the commitment of the House to backing regional development commissions across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.
Speaker Abbas stated this at the inauguration of the House Committees on South-South Development Commission, South-West Development Commission, and North-Central Development Commission at the National Assembly on Tuesday.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, the Speaker stressed that the commissions are crucial in bridging the gap between local realities and national policy, and that their success will be measured by the tangible benefits they bring to ordinary Nigerians.
He charged the committees to maintain strong oversights on the commissions to ensure accountability and transparency.
He said: “Let me begin by reaffirming that the 10th House stands ready to provide full backing to all regional development commissions across the six geopolitical zones. These Commissions were not created for decoration and they are expected to function as active bridges between local realities and national policy. The inauguration we are witnessing today signals the beginning of serious work that must translate into practical gains. We expect these Committees to maintain strong oversight, propose responsive legislation, and hold the implementing agencies accountable for results.
“As we inaugurate these Committees, let us bear in mind that regional development is not an isolated project; it is part of a national effort to build a Nigeria that works for all. Every region must feel a genuine sense of belonging in the Nigerian project. That is why this House will continue to insist on fairness, regional inclusion, and sustained engagement with those at the grassroots.
“I also urge the Committees to pay close attention to issues of accountability, equity, and responsible oversight. The real measure of your success will be in the visible improvements you help bring to the lives of ordinary Nigerians especially the youth, women, and rural dwellers who often feel left behind.
“We must ensure that these development commissions become platforms for action, not bureaucracy. The decisions you take today must be guided by both present demands and future consequences. We are not just planning for today, we are laying the foundation for the generations that will come after us. Let us think boldly, act responsibly, and work with the seriousness this moment demands. The National Assembly will continue to play its part in ensuring that every region has the tools, the voice, and the platform to thrive”.
Speaker Abbas further charged the Committees to work in tandem with the State governments and other relevant stakeholders to achieve the desired results.
“Beyond legislation, these Committees must work hand-in-hand with State Governments, traditional institutions, civil society groups, and development partners to implement homegrown strategies that respond to real needs. We cannot afford to work in silos. National unity grows stronger when all parts of the country see progress in their own communities. This is not the time for isolated achievements, it is the time for joined-up action with results that reach the people directly”, he said.
The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has announced that members can now decide whether to accept or donate the four main components of blood based on their personal conscience.
The organisation made this known in a statement issued by its World Headquarters in Warwick, New York and made available on its website on Friday.
According to the statement, “the decision to accept red cells, white cells, plasma or platelets from another person’s blood is a matter of personal conscience.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses announce adjustment to blood transfusion policy
It added that “each Witness must decide whether or not to donate blood for the clearly expressed purpose of providing components or fractions for use by another person.”
However, the organisation said its position on whole-blood transfusion had not changed.
“The long-standing refusal of whole-blood transfusions on religious grounds, a core teaching based on the command to ‘abstain from blood’ (Acts 15:20), is unchanged,” the statement said.
International spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses at the organisation’s World Headquarters, Paul Gillies, said, “Blood remains sacred to Jehovah’s Witnesses, who continue to regard life and blood as precious gifts from God.
“We recognise that medical decisions involving blood components are a matter of conscience between each Witness and their God, Jehovah.”
The organisation said the adjustment “follows earlier updates regarding blood fractions and the use of one’s own blood during medical procedures.”
It added, “Since the Bible does not comment on such decisions, they are a matter of individual conscience. That same reasoning has now been extended to the four main components of blood.”
On medical care, the statement said, “Jehovah’s Witnesses love life and want the best available medical care. They do not practise faith healing, and they seek out doctors who can provide effective treatment in accord with their wishes, values and beliefs.”
Gillies said local congregations would not interfere in members’ personal decisions.
“Congregations do not involve themselves in personal decisions that rest with the individual conscience. We will continue to respect and support the personal decisions of our fellow believers.
“We are grateful, too, for the many skilled and compassionate physicians who provide quality medical care that respects our personal wishes regarding blood,” he said.
The organisation said Jehovah’s Witnesses number “over nine million worldwide, in congregations across more than 200 lands.”
Recall that the religious group had clarified its position on the use of a member’s own blood during surgery and other medical procedures.
The clarification allowed individual Witnesses to decide whether their blood could be removed, stored and returned to them during medical treatment, while the organisation maintained its position against receiving blood from another person.
Punch
The Nigerian Army has dismissed as fake and unverified a purported intelligence alert warning of planned Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks on schools, churches, mosques, NYSC orientation camps and other public institutions across the country.
Anele said the Army was aware of the circulation and had heightened vigilance across its formations and commands to prevent attacks on vulnerable facilities.
She described the purported intelligence as speculation and urged the public not to treat the document as an official Army security alert.
The response followed the circulation of a document purportedly signed by one A.M. Sodiq, which claimed that Boko Haram and ISWAP were planning coordinated attacks across several parts of the country.
The document listed churches, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations as possible targets and alleged that suspected ISWAP operatives had begun surveillance of selected locations.
It further claimed that the alleged attacks could coincide with the resumption of the 2026/2027 academic session.
However, the Army disowned the document, maintaining that it did not originate from the institution.
The Army assured Nigerians that security formations remained on heightened alert and were taking necessary measures to protect schools, places of worship and other vulnerable public facilities.
MINNA, Niger State — An engine oil seller in Minna, the Niger State capital, has reportedly sustained serious injuries after allegedly being shot during a police operation to disperse protesters.
The victim, identified as Ibrahim Mohammed Dada, was reportedly standing outside his shop at Tunga Market when he was struck by a bullet.
Ibrahim’s brother, Yakubu Dada Mohammed, said the victim was not part of the protest and was attending to customers at his engine oil stall when the incident occurred.
According to him, Ibrahim was simply trying to earn a living and support his family when a police officer allegedly fired a shot that hit him in the head and severely injured his face.
«“He was not among those protesting. He was standing in front of his shop selling engine oil when one of the police officers fired a bullet that struck his head and badly injured his face,” Yakubu said.»
Ibrahim is currently receiving treatment at Minna General Hospital, where his condition was reportedly described as critical.
The incident occurred amid protests in Minna over the reported deaths of 37 miners who were allegedly in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Reports indicate that 65 miners were arrested on September 15 and 16, with 37 subsequently reported dead while in security custody.
The protests, which began on Thursday, continued into Friday as security personnel moved to disperse demonstrators. Security forces were reportedly accused of using tear gas and live ammunition during the operation.
However, the circumstances surrounding Ibrahim’s shooting have not been independently established.
The Niger State Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, appealed for calm and said the incident would be investigated.
The case has since heightened concerns over the conduct of security personnel during the ongoing protests.
Jehovah’s Witnesses announce fresh adjustment to blood transfusion policy
Army speaks on Boko Haram, ISWAP attack alert as fake
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