News
AltBank leads charge for early autism care reform(
- /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo.jpg&description=AltBank leads charge for early autism care reform(', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/naijuinz/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
https://naijablitznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Photo.jpg&description=AltBank leads charge for early autism care reform(', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
…as experts back push for stronger systems, caregiver support and national response
By Gloria Ikibah
Healthcare professionals, policymakers and advocates have praised The Alternative Bank for driving fresh momentum around autism care in Nigeria, following a high-level stakeholders’ roundtable held in Lagos.
The event, organised in collaboration with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, Eliakim Foundation and Sterling One Foundation, brought together key voices to address gaps in early diagnosis, intervention and long-term support systems.
Participants at the dialogue highlighted the need for a more coordinated national approach, particularly one that prioritises early detection and strengthens support for families and caregivers.
President of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Lagos State branch, Dr Ime Okon, described the initiative as a timely intervention capable of shaping national action.
“We recognise caregivers and families as central to the success of any intervention. We are showing up, holding their hands, to ensure they are never left to navigate this journey alone,.
“For a physician, showing up means ensuring that a parent’s first concern is met with a strengthened, inclusive system rather than a clinical dead-end with no solution. The Alternative Bank has signaled a shift toward a high-level platform for national action” she said.
Keynote speaker who is founder of the Patrick Speech and Languages Centre, Dotun Akande, stressed the importance of embedding developmental screening into primary healthcare systems to ensure early diagnosis.
“What Nigeria must now build is a system where intervention happens early, equitably, and at scale, without depending on chance, geography, or privilege,” she said.
She also underscored the need for structured support for caregivers, including both financial assistance and social support mechanisms.
In response, Executive Director for Commercial and Institutional Banking at The Alternative Bank, Korede Demola-Adeniyi, outlined a three-pronged strategy focused on inclusive education, specialised training for caregivers and health professionals, and public awareness aimed at changing attitudes.
“Early recognition and sustained support depend on a workforce and caregivers who know what to look for, and what to do next,” she said, noting that key developmental indicators are often overlooked.
As part of its immediate steps, the bank has launched a targeted training programme on receptive language disorder in partnership with Eliakim Global Resources.
The roundtable also featured contributions from a range of experts and stakeholders across healthcare, advocacy and policy, with discussions centred on designing sustainable and impactful support systems.
At the close of the meeting, organisers indicated plans to develop a policy brief for government agencies, proposing measures such as vocational pathways, improved funding models for autism care and a one-year pilot programme across selected schools and primary healthcare centres in Lagos.
News
Just in: FRSC Starts 2026 Nationwide Recruitment
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has officially commenced its 2026 nationwide recruitment exercise, beckoning on qualified Nigerians to apply for various positions across its Officer, Marshal Inspectorate and Road Marshal Assistant cadres.
According to the Corps, the online application portal opened on Friday, July 3, 2026, and will remain accessible for four weeks. The recruitment exercise is completely free, with the agency warning applicants not to pay any individual or organization claiming to facilitate employment.
Interested applicants are required to submit their applications through the official FRSC recruitment portal at HERE
Available Cadres
The recruitment covers three major categories:
Officer Cadre – Open to holders of B.Sc., BA, HND and other relevant professional qualifications.
Marshal Inspectorate Cadre – Available for candidates with qualifications such as ND, NCE and other approved credentials.
Road Marshal Assistant Cadre – Includes opportunities for eligible SSCE holders, artisans and drivers, depending on the position.
Required Documents
Applicants are advised to prepare the following before beginning their application:
National Identification Number (NIN)
Educational certificates
Birth certificate or age declaration
Recent passport photograph
NYSC discharge, exemption or exclusion certificate (where applicable)
The FRSC also advises applicants to use their personal email address and phone number during registration and to ensure all information provided is accurate. Shortlisted candidates will be required to present printed copies of their completed application forms during the screening process.
The Corps urged interested Nigerians seeking a career in the Federal Government to apply early in order to avoid heavy traffic on the recruitment portal before the application window closes.
News
Finally, US Confirms Withdrawal Of Troops From Nigeria
The United States has withdrawn the majority of its military personnel deployed to Nigeria for a joint counterterrorism mission in the Lake Chad Basin, while maintaining intelligence sharing and other security cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
Commander of US Air Forces in Africa, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, announced the development during a virtual press briefing on the outcome of the African Chiefs of Defence Conference 2026.
He said the partnership between Washington and Abuja remained active, particularly in intelligence operations targeting the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh).
According to Anderson, the specific mission that required the deployment of US troops has been completed, prompting the withdrawal of most personnel.
However, he noted that the United States would continue providing intelligence assistance at the request of the Nigerian government.
“And so that operation in the Lake Chad Basin of Nigeria not only helped the countries in that immediate region; it also helps countries globally as that disrupts the ISIS network,” Anderson said.
“And so — and then we have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation, but are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary to be able to prosecute these difficult tasks,” he added.
The US Air Force commander described Nigeria as a key regional partner with a capable military, saying the collaboration between both nations had produced notable gains in the fight against ISIS.
He credited intelligence cooperation between the two countries for enabling an operation that eliminated the second-highest-ranking figure in the global ISIS network.
“I think there partnership that we’ve shown recently with Nigeria, where Nigeria’s a very capable and large country — it’s got a strong economy; it’s got a large, educated population; it’s got a very capable military.
“But there are things that we have learned in the counterterrorist fight over several years that we were able to assist and integrate with them to help them with their intelligence and help with the intelligence sharing that eventually led to a cooperative effort to where we were able to bring some unique capabilities that the U.S. brings and be able to prosecute together the number two leader within the ISIS or Daesh organization who is responsible for much of their global operations, their global media, and their recruiting”, he said.
Anderson said the operation underscored the effectiveness of intelligence collaboration over prolonged foreign troop deployments.
“So I think as we go forward, that is an example of how we’re looking at engaging with partners to help them be more effective by only bringing unique U.S. capabilities that allow the partner to be effective in these fights,” he said.
He also called for deeper intelligence cooperation among African countries to tackle terrorism, drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes.
The US commander cited a recent multinational operation that intercepted a record 31-ton shipment of cocaine originating from South America and passing through the West African coastline, saying effective intelligence sharing made the seizure possible.
“I was able to coordinate through our interagency in the United States, through AFRICOM, and then notify some of the partners. And eventually it was a Spanish ship that interdicted the ship that had 31 tons of cocaine on it, and it turns out is the largest interdiction of drugs at sea that we’ve ever seen,” Anderson said.
He added that sustained collaboration among African governments, international allies and private-sector stakeholders would be vital to confronting security challenges while fostering economic growth and attracting investment across the continent.
The United States deployed about 200 military personnel to Nigeria in February 2026 to assist with intelligence, surveillance and counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin as both countries expanded cooperation against ISIS and other extremist groups operating in the region.
The deployment came after US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and pledged increased American support for counterterrorism efforts.
On December 25, 2025, US forces carried out air strikes on two terrorist camps in the Bauni Forest, located in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
The security partnership reached a major milestone in May 2026 when a joint US-Nigerian operation killed Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIS, during a raid on his hideout in Borno State.
News
Ogoni family demands justice for son arrested at age 14, jailed 18 years without trial
An Ogoni family in Rivers State has instituted legal proceedings against the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government and the Federal Ministry of Interior over the alleged unlawful detention of their son, Gospel Kinanee, who spent 18 years in prison without trial after he was reportedly arrested as a 14-year-old boy.
The lawsuit follows Gospel’s recent release from custody after nearly two decades behind bars, a period during which he was allegedly denied his constitutional right to a fair hearing and access to legal representation.
Speaking during an interview with Arise News, Gospel’s elder brother, Paul Kinanee, narrated the family’s painful ordeal, describing the years of uncertainty as one marked by relentless searches, emotional trauma and devastating loss.News
According to him, Gospel disappeared one night in 2007, prompting family members to launch an extensive search across Rivers State. They visited several police stations, detention centres and correctional facilities in a desperate attempt to locate him, but every effort proved unsuccessful.
Paul disclosed that the family even searched the Port Harcourt Maximum Security Custodial Centre, where Gospel was unknowingly being held, but officials reportedly informed them that no inmate bearing his name was in custody.
He said the prolonged uncertainty over Gospel’s whereabouts had a profound emotional impact on the family, adding that both their mother and father died without ever knowing what had happened to their son.
The family’s search came to an unexpected end when a lawyer conducting a routine visit to the prison noticed an inmate whose appearance matched descriptions of the missing teenager. Suspecting he could be the long-lost Gospel, the lawyer later returned to the facility with Paul Kinanee, who immediately recognised his younger brother.
By the time of the reunion, Gospel was 32 years old, having spent more than half of his life in detention.
According to his family, the years of incarceration without trial, combined with prolonged isolation and harsh prison conditions, have left him with serious psychological and mental health challenges, making his rehabilitation a major concern.
Reports indicate that throughout his detention, Gospel was never formally tried before a court of law and was allegedly denied access to legal counsel, raising significant concerns over due process and the protection of fundamental human rights within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.Demographics
His freedom eventually came during a jail delivery exercise conducted by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, who reviewed the cases of inmates awaiting trial. Gospel was among 21 inmates ordered to be released during the exercise after it was discovered that they had been unlawfully or excessively detained.
The Kinanee family is now seeking substantial financial compensation and judicial accountability, arguing that the prolonged detention robbed Gospel of his childhood, education, opportunities and good health.
They contend that the actions and alleged negligence of the relevant authorities caused irreversible damage to both Gospel and the entire family, which endured years of anguish while desperately searching for him.
The case has sparked renewed public concern over prolonged detention without trial in Nigeria and has intensified calls for comprehensive reforms aimed at preventing similar miscarriages of justice within the country’s criminal justice and correctional systems.
-
News24 hours agoMixed reactions trail FG’s decision to replace NYSC khaki with Adire
-
News24 hours agoWhy there is heavy security presence in Abuja — Security agencies
-
News24 hours agoNigeria may not survive another civil strife– Obasanjo
-
News11 hours agoFalana To Defend Man Accused Of Forging Tinubu’s Appointment Letter
-
News10 hours agoAgain, Dangote Refinery slashes price of petrol
-
News10 hours agoFake agency rumpus: Prince Adeyemi vows to open a can of worms in court
-
News5 hours agoFG Clears Inherited N39.6bn Pension Arrears Under Renewed Hope Agenda Drive
-
News10 hours agoRead details of meeting between IGP Disu and exIGs
