Hadiza's Blog

  By Hadiza Abdulrahman  Front view of the abandoned mobile clinic, now used as a spot for relaxation and a dumping ground for waste and farm produce. Photo: Hadiza Abdulrahman Since November 18, 2022, the only operational clinic serving thousands of displaced people in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp Wass on the outskirts of Abuja has remained shut. The closure followed an altercation between camp residents and a healthcare worker accused of diverting donated drugs for personal gain. “We had issues with the health worker. My people wanted to beat him because they believed he was stealing and selling the drugs. So, AMAC (Abuja Municipal Area Council) removed their health worker and locked the clinic,” said Usman Ibrahim, Secretary of the Wassa IDP Camp. “We found records that confirmed the allegations were not true. Some drugs were still in the clinic, but they had expired,” he noted. Adding, “Though tensions were eventually resolved and the same health worker occa...

  By   Hadiza Abdulrahman Oxfam Nigeria has described the total exclusion of young people under 35 from the Federal Cabinet as a strategic misstep that threatens the nation’s future.  Speaking at the “Next 90%: Youth, Policy and A Fairer Nigeria” Dialogue in Abuja organised in partnership with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oxfam’s Country Director,  Mr John Makina said the lack of youth representation in top decision-making positions is a missed opportunity to tap into the innovation and energy of Nigeria’s majority population. Makina emphasized that youth inclusion in governance is not just a question of fairness, but a national imperative. “This is about peace, development, and the future of our country. We cannot afford to sideline 70% of our population and expect progress,” he said. He called for structural changes that would empower young people to participate meaningfully in political and economic spaces. While spotlighting youth exclusion, the O...

  By Hadiza  Abdulrahman  The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has proposed N8.5 million as the provisional deposit for the 2026 Hajj, pending final negotiations with service providers. The announcement was made during a strategic  post-Hajj meeting  held on Thursday at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, with Chairmen and Secretaries of State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards in attendance. Chairman of the Commission, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, also revealed that Nigeria has retained its 95,000-slot allocation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while states will maintain the same slot distribution as in 2025. In a statement by Fatima Sanda,  NAHCON ’s Head of Public Affairs, the Chairman of the Commission emphasised the importance of early planning, adding that Nigeria is looking to secure flight slots early by possibly rolling over contracts with the four airlines used during the last pilgrimage. According to the statement, the Chairman thanke...