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Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, has attributed global warming to human greed, selfishness, and reckless exploitation of the environment, warning that such actions continue to disrupt the natural balance of the ecosystem.

Obasanjo made the remarks in Kano during an event organised in honour of former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abubakar Mahmoud, and his Environment and Sustainability Initiative and Trust Fund.

Speaking at the event, Obasanjo acknowledged the reality and growing impact of climate change, stressing that human activities remain a major driver of global warming.

“God created our world in balance, but we, as human beings, out of selfishness and carelessness, have done more harm than good to our environment, and we need to do more in the safekeeping of our environment,” the former president said.

Obasanjo also revealed that he has personally planted more than 3.5 million trees as part of efforts to combat climate change, stressing that protecting the environment is a collective responsibility and a global public good.

The Kano State Government commended the initiative and pledged its support to ensure its sustainability.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Dahiru Hashim, described the initiative as a significant step towards environmental protection and sustainable development.

“In recognition of this laudable initiative, the Kano State Government has approved the donation of 10,000 seedlings for the Mahmoud Environmental and Sustainable Trust,” Hashim said.

In his remarks, Abubakar Mahmoud said the initiative seeks to promote environmental sustainability and preserve the ecosystem for the benefit of both present and future generations.

“I started a small project that has grown into something quite formidable, providing protection to villages around and to preserving various species of plants,so what we are trying to do is to continue with this legacy,” he said.

The event attracted several dignitaries, including the vice presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, officials of the Kano State Government, and other stakeholders.

Participants at the event called for deliberate and collective action to address climate change and environmental degradation.

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A newborn baby has been rescued from a fallen building 32 hours after the twin earthquakes that devastated a Venezuelan coastal city.

Video shared on social media Friday shows rescuers working under a floodlight atop collapsed masonry and bringing the infant out to applause late Friday in the hardest-hit city of La Guaira, north of the capital Caracas.

They carefully pass the baby, wrapped in a quilt, from person to person before cleaning the child gently with tissues, the video shows.

According to the user, Andreina Quintero, who published the video on social media, the baby was just 18 days old and was uninjured after being trapped for 32 hours.

The child’s mother was rescued an hour after the child.

In a follow-up video later on Friday, Quintero showed the mother in a hospital bed, with a medical worker telling her that the baby did not appear to have injuries.

The medic then suggests that the mother saved the baby by covering the child with her body or another object.

At least 920 people were killed by back-to-back earthquakes on Wednesday of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, and thousands more were injured or remain missing.

The United Nations estimated on Saturday that close to seven million people may have been impacted by the twin earthquakes in Venezuela, which have killed nearly 1,000 people and left tens of thousands missing.

The UN migration agency said it had examined available population and damage data and had determined that “up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela on 24th June”.

The projections, which include up to two million people in Caracas alone, “highlight the potentially vast humanitarian impact of the disaster,” the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) warned in a statement.

Entire buildings have crumbled in La Guaira, located to the north of Caracas, following the devastating twin tremors.

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Grade A Customary Court, sitting in Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has dissolved a 13-year-old marriage between Memunat and Usman over allegations of deceit, lack of love and care, child neglect, physical assault, and domestic violence against the husband.

Testifying before the court, Memunat stated that Usman deceived her into marrying him, explaining that she only discovered after their wedding that he already had a wife.

The plaintiff told the court that she never enjoyed their marriage, describing the defendant as distant, unloving, and uncaring.

She further alleged that he neglected their children and failed to provide for their needs.

Memunat also accused Usman of subjecting her to emotional and psychological trauma through repeated physical assaults.

According to her, he continued to maltreat her even after she moved out of their matrimonial home.

She further alleged that Usman caused a scene at her workplace by attacking her boss, an incident she said eventually cost her job.

In addition to seeking the dissolution of their marriage, Memunat prayed the court to grant her custody of their children and order Usman to take responsibility for their upkeep.

She also sought a restraining order preventing him from threatening her or interfering with her private life.

Usman was absent from court despite having been served with the court summons.

Memunat, in her evidence before the court, stated:

“My husband based our relationship on deceit.

“We got married in December 2013, and he paid my bride price.

“He never told me that he already had a wife.

“I never envisaged ending up in a polygamous marriage. Nevertheless, I accepted my fate and was determined to make the best of the circumstances.

“My husband unfortunately frustrated my efforts daily.

“He was distant and denied me love and care.

“He also neglected his responsibilities towards our children, who were often underfed and lacked basic necessities.

”We never felt his presence in the home.

“My husband is a brute. He abused me emotionally and psychologically.

“He never stopped physically assaulting me and always left me hurting.

“He even beat me in public, thereby ridiculing me.

“He committed the greatest offence when he came to my workplace to fight me.

“In his anger, he descended on my boss who mediated between us and dealt him heavy punches.

“I lost my job after this incident.

“Feeling frustrated, I moved out of his house, but he still refused to allow me peace of mind. He comes to my place of residence to threaten me and constitute a nuisance.

“My Lord, I have had enough of my husband’s atrocities, and I pray this honourable court to rule that we are no longer husband and wife.

“I plead for custody of our children and urge the court to order my husband to take responsibility for their upkeep.

“I further seek an order restraining my husband from threatening me and encroaching on my privacy.”

Delivering judgment, the court president, Mrs. O. E. Owoseni, dissolved the marriage.

The court granted the plaintiff custody of the children and ordered the defendant to contribute N40,000 monthly towards their feeding and upkeep. The defendant was also granted reasonable access to the children.

Mrs. Owoseni further issued an order restraining the defendant from threatening the plaintiff or interfering with her private life.