The vision of the immediate past governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to transform Edo into an art and tourism hub is already yielding gains as the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA), in Benin City, the Edo State capital, has been listed among global tourists destination for 2025.

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), a project of the Obaseki-led administration in partnership with private partners ranks as the first genuine effort to establish a world-class centre to harness the economic, social, and cultural value of Edo State’s rich heritage.

The former governor had envisioned that with the MOWAA projects and other efforts to reposition the State’s arts and cultural sector, the State would be transformed into a top tourist destination in Africa and would rank favourably with others across the globe. A vision which today has become reality with the new listing by the New York Times.

The report was published on the online version of the American daily newspaper based in New York, and dated 6th January, 2024.

In the report by the New York Times, MOWAA, in Benin City, Edo State, was highlighted among other top tourist destinations in France, Australia, Germany, Italy, Colombia, Mexico, Scotland, and Norway, among others.

Some of the tourist sites listed along MOWAA in the report include Jane Austen’s in England which ranks as number one, the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, New York Museums, White Lotus in Thailand, Assam in India, Aix-en-Provence in France, Sydney in Australia, Coimbra in Portugal, Dolomite Mountains in Italy and Magdalena River in Colombia, amongst others.

Titled, “A cultural scene welcomes new exhibitions of traditional art,” the report described the Museum of West African Art as one of Africa’s most ambitious new exhibition spaces.

The project sited within the Benin City Cultural District is expected to host at least 10,000 visitors every year as a result of the attraction to the Museum, and other iconic buildings that deal with the different aspects of the arts and cultural life of Edo people.

According to the report, “The Museum of West African Art, one of Africa’s most ambitious new exhibition spaces, opens this year in Benin City, the heart of a former powerful kingdom and the cultural hub of the Edo people.”

The New York Times noted that “The new museum will be anchored by an exhibition center clad in traditional pounded red earth and showcasing items like ancient terra-cotta statues, bronzes dating back to the Middle Ages and intricately sculpted musical instruments from the early 20th century.”

“The space will also house a hall for local artisans and a vast gallery containing replanted rainforest flora. The institution joins a metropolitan cultural scene already noted for the Benin City National Museum, numerous art galleries, and traditional bronze and brass artisans,” it noted.

The first phase of the project, the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) Institute was opened late last year in Benin City, to fill an urgent need in the region for training in archaeology, conservation, heritage management and museum practice.

The building, set within the ancient moats of the Benin Kingdom, comprises an auditorium, storage, a conservation lab, conference rooms, a library, exhibition space, offices and an outdoor amphitheatre.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added a collection of Nigerian words to its latest update.

The new 20 entries include terms like Japa, 419, agbero, abi, area boy, yahoo boy, yahoo, Edo, Kanuri, jand, cross-carpet, kobo, Naija, and suya.

These additions showcase Nigeria’s cultural diversity, daily life, and street culture while highlighting the rising influence of Pidgin English across Africa and beyond.

Japa, 419, agbero, abi, area boy, yahoo boy, yahoo, Edo, Kanuri, jand, cross-carpet, kobo, Naija, and suya are among the new words unveiled yesterday.

Many of these words serve multiple grammatical functions.

These are in addition to at least 57 Nigerian words already in the dictionary.

Kingsley Ugwuanyi, a Nigerian English consultant to the Oxford English Dictionary, played a key role in this update.

Announcing the list on LinkedIn, the linguistic researcher wrote, “I’m thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) from Oxford Languages | OUP has officially published its latest updates, featuring a fantastic collection of Nigerian English words that beautifully reflect Nigeria’s culture, creativity, and the unique ways we express ourselves as Nigerians.

“This time, I drafted most of the words and had the incredible opportunity to provide their pronunciations. So, when you explore the OED online and click on the pronunciations, you’ll hear my voice bringing these words to life. This milestone is the result of years of hard work and dedication. I encourage Nigerians to share their favourite words from the list and suggest new ones for future updates,” Mr Ugwuanyi stated.

This update is part of the OED’s quarterly review, which keeps the dictionary in tune with the ever-changing nature of the English language.

This inclusion builds on a similar addition in 2020 when the dictionary included 29 Nigerian words, such as K-leg, danfo, okada, next tomorrow, and mama put—the first significant inclusion of Nigerian words since the OED’s inception in 1884.

The global dictionary described Nigerian Pidgin as a rich source of new words. It highlighted Nigeria’s unique contribution to global English, with most additions being borrowings or coinages from the 1970s and 1980s.

Here is a list of newly added Nigerian words:

1. 419

2. abi

3. adire

4. agbero

5. area boy

6. cross-carpet

7. cross-carpeting

8. eba

9. Edo

10. gele

11. jand (noun, verb)

12. janded (adjective)

13. Japa (noun, verb)

14. Kanuri

15. Kobo

16. Naija

17. suya

18. Yahoo

19. Yahoo boy

20. Yarn Dust

Rights lawyer Sonnie Ekwowusi has called on the Inspector General of Police to rein in his officers following an alleged threat by officers of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Panti, Yaba, Lagos to arrest him on account of suing the police for meddling in a monetary dispute between his clients and their patient.

Ekwowusi in a statement made available to Law & Society said:

Nigeria Police cannot adjudicate on non-payment of debt and relationship between medical doctors and their clients

Nigeria Police has no statutory power or constitutional right to adjudicate in a civil dispute arising from debt owed a medical doctor by his patient.

An officer at the SCIID Panti, Yaba, Lagos has just called me and is threatening to arrest me and the Medical doctors who have sued Panti Police and others at the Federal High Court in suit No. FHC/L/C8/05/2025: Dr. BRIGHT IGBINOVA & ORS V OKECHUKWU NWAONUMA, STATE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT, PANTI, YABA, LAGOS, COMMISSIONER OF POLICE LAGOS STATE, INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE & ORS for delving into a civil dispute- debt collection and relationship between a medical doctor and his patient

DOCTRINE OF LIS PENDIS

I have told the officer that our clients have approached the court and that by virtue of Section 6(6) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police has no statutory or constitutional right to usurp the function of the court and adjudicate on civil disputes between the citizens.

I further told the officer that I am in chambers and that he should come there and arrest me and that our clients who are medical doctors were also attending to their parents in their respective hospitals. He should go there and arrest them too.

DEMAND

We must put a stop to the blatant illegality that has taken Nigeria’s administration of our criminal justice system hostage

I am calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun to call his men to order because Nigeria is a country ruled by Law.

Background

Two medical doctors- Dr. Bright Igbinoba and Dr. Frank Obijiofor- administered successful surgery on their patient. The patient initially paid some deposits and later defaulted in payment.

Upon demand by the medical doctors for payment, the patient rushed to the) State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department) SCIID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos and lodged a petition. Panti summoned the doctors and sat in judgment on the non-payment of the debt and even detained the doctors and extorted money from them for them to regain their freedom

Thereafter, the doctors sued Panti. In reaction, Panti is now threatening to arrest the doctors and their lawyer.

An Ibadan-based broadcaster, Peter Olasupo, has been summoned by the International Criminal Police Organization, INTERPOL  over allegations of criminal defamation and cyber-stalking.

In a statement released on his Facebook page, Olasupo said he is to appear at the force headquarters, Shehu Shagari Way, Garki, Abuja. According to him, he received an official letter on December 30, 2024, requiring him to report to INTERPOL headquarters, saying that his appearance has been rescheduled to Monday, January 13, 2025, to further the investigation.

 “I recently received a letter with the headline Investigation Activities/Invitation Letter from the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), informing me of an investigation into allegations of Criminal Defamation and Cyberstalking involving me. They requested that I report to INTERPOL Headquarters at Force Headquarters, Shehu Shagari Way, Garki, Abuja, on Monday, 30th December 2024, at 11:00 AM in furtherance of the investigation.

Upon receiving the letter through my boss, my boss immediately contacted our able lawyer Barr. Yomi Ogunlola, who responded on my behalf, resulting in a rescheduled appearance date of Monday, 13th January 2025.

“Now, I have so many questions: Who reported me to INTERPOL? Why INTERPOL? Who is defaming who? And who is cyberstalking who? My Lord, I am innocent of these allegations.

At the moment, I don’t have full details of the matter, but I will present myself at their office and fully cooperate with INTERPOL’s investigation into the alleged case. However, I am curious— why must I report to the Abuja office? Why can’t I report to the Nigeria Police Headquarters at the Oyo State Command, Eleyele, Ibadan, or even their Lagos office, which would be easier for me to reach by train?

INTERPOL, if you truly want to facilitate this process, shouldn’t you at least provide travel allowances? Or will you use police helicopter to carry me? Travelling by air is costly these days, and travelling by road has its risks. Yet, here I am being summoned to Abuja. Nonetheless, I will do what is required.

To my fans, please know that this will not affect my dedication to doing the right thing or my professionalism, which you all know me for. I remain committed to speaking the truth to those in power”.

Linda Ikeji

• Downloaded over half a million child sexual abuse pictures and videos

52-year-old Gerrard Charnley, a paedophile who kept a diary where he outlined children he wanted to abuse “someday very soon sexually” has been sent to jail. 

Penning horrific details of his depraved desires,  Charnley declared in the twisted journal that he was “proud to be a paedophile.”

The twisted man wrote in his “My Paedophile Diary” the names of children he wanted to rape alongside the dates he wanted to carry out the attacks.  

He also downloaded “paedophile manuals” titled “The Paedophile’s Handbook” and “How to Practice Child Love” which contained advice and guidance about abusing children. 

In one disturbing entry dated June 2019, Charnley wrote: “I want to rape [girl’s name withheld] someday very soon. I’m proud to say this as a paedophile.” 

law enforcement officers unearthed the secret memoir when they raided his home in Coronation Drive, Widnes, on February 27, 2024. They seized 12 electronic devices.  

Charnley had collected so many child abuse pictures and videos that the police were unable to count just how many files he had downloaded. 

This week, he appeared at Liverpool Crown Court where he was jailed for 14 months and was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.  

Charnley was also told to sign the sex offenders’ register for the next decade.  He nodded when he was told he would be going to prison and told the judge as he left the dock: “I’m guilty. I’m sorry, ok.’ 

Prosecutor, Sarah Holt said one document found on his devices was titled “My Paedophile Diary,” which “contained references to specific dates and what the defendant wanted to do to particular children”. 

This diary also contained a list of Charnley’s favourite websites for viewing indecent images of children and a list headed “preteen s**gs I’d love to rape”. Other Word documents and PDF files he had created included “P@edo Thoughts 2019”. 

He was meanwhile found to have used his laptop to access the dark web, with his browser containing bookmarks for sites labelled “p@edo links”, “naughty kids” and “little girls”. 

The history of the VLC Media Player app on his Samsung Galaxy tablet also showed that Charnley had watched videos with titles which were “indicative of material containing child @buse.”

Charnley was also found to have collected a total of 15,081 pictures and 2,308 videos graded as being in category A, those showing the most serious forms of abuse.  

These included images of babies being sexually abused. 

He further downloaded 17,383 Category B images and 169,968 Category C images, as well as nine computer-generated prohibited images of children and nine extreme pornographic images.  

More than 230,000 additional images were not categorised by the police due to the sheer volume of material present on his devices. 

Under interview, Charnley claimed that he “remembered downloading documents such as a paedophile manual, but thought he had deleted it without reading it”. 

Defence Counsel, Myles Wilson, told the court that his client had contacted Stop It Now, a charity which works to prevent child sexual abuse, following his arrest and suffers from “poor physical and mental health”. 

He added: “He gives help to his elderly father, who has mobility issues and rarely leaves the house. The defendant does his father’s shopping. 

“Clearly he had become obsessed with this type of material, almost a compulsion. He was open with the police in acknowledging that he has issues and that he finds children attractive. 

“He does not want to be in this position in the future. He was relieved, he tells me, when he was arrested, because he realised that this chapter of his life was coming to an end.” 

Charnley admitted possession of indecent images of children, three counts of making indecent images, possession of prohibited images of children, possession of extreme pornography images and possession of a p@edophile manual.  

During sentencing, the Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary KC said: “This court sees, sadly, many cases of this type. But your case, compared to others, is one where the nature of the material recovered and the content of the images depicted is truly shocking. 

“There were so many images, something approaching half a million, recovered from your devices. 

“I am told that there are 232,000 images which remain uncategorised, such was the sheer scale of the task. It is safe to say that your collection of images was enormous by any standard. 

“You appear to have been keeping a diary of the sorts of things you would like to do to children. They are horrific.  

“They may well be you playing out your fantasies in writing, but they demonstrate the depraved, perverted nature of your desires and your reason for accessing all of this material. 

“This written material demonstrates clearly that yours was not an idle obsession, but one where you were fixated on the abuse of children. It is trite to observe that while you yourself did not generate these images, your accessing of them and collecting of them develops a market for this sort of material. 

“I have given very careful consideration to whether or not any sentence other than immediate imprisonment is available for this particular offending. It is often the case that defendants such as you, who have committed this type of offence, will benefit from construction intervention by the Probation Service. 

“But there are some offences which fall into a category where the offending can only be described as particularly serious of its type. I am afraid that that is the position so far as you are concerned. 

“I am satisfied that only an immediate term of imprisonment is appropriate to deal with offending of the scale and type described in this case where you have quite deliberately, over many years, sought out and collected a huge quantity of appalling material.  

“Alongside that you have generated your own material, demonstrating that you have a clear desire to participate in the abuse of these children.”

PRESS STATEMENT

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria – Abuja Branch, is saddened by the recent incident of the abandonment of a day-old baby by its mother, somewhere in Mpape, Abuja, as widely reported in the media. Such acts not only jeopardize the safety and well-being of innocent children but also undermine our collective humanity and the values we hold dear as a society.

While we acknowledge that the pressures of life – ranging from economic hardship, domestic violence, unplanned pregnancies, and lack of support systems – may push some women into desperate situations, child abandonment is neither justifiable nor acceptable. The dangers associated with such actions are grave: abandoned children are left vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, malnutrition, and death, while such mothers risk criminal prosecution, societal stigmatization and deep emotional trauma.

As an organization dedicated to the promotion, protection and preservation of the rights and wellbeing of women and children, FIDA Nigeria – Abuja Branch urges government to strengthen welfare programs, create awareness on lawful alternatives for childcare, and ensure that mechanisms are in place to prevent incidents of abandonment. The biological duty of birthing children which women bear is a collective gain of humanity and deliberate efforts should be made to ensure that necessary resources and facilities are made available to aid any challenged woman bearing this noble duty. 

It is pertinent at this point to condemn the irresponsible trend of husbands or fathers abandoning their family without sustenance. This is not only immoral, but also unlawful as it contravenes our laws, particularly the VAPP Act and the CRA. Lawful and dignified options should be explored by men who find themselves in challenging situations instead of resorting to abandonment of their family/dependents.

We also appeal to the public to foster a culture of compassion and support. Together, we can build a society where no mother feels so overwhelmed that abandonment seems like her only option. The combined efforts of adequate provision of necessary resources and facilities, and a generous expression of the right sense of humanity by the society, will be a sure way of eliminating the possibility of any woman submitting to such extreme option.

Importantly, FIDA Nigeria – Abuja Branch calls on women facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, to seek lawful and humane alternatives.

Some of these include:

1. Engaging family and community support systems: With our general commendable communal way of living, women in distress should speak out and seek help from trusted family members, friends, or religious and community organizations that can offer necessary support.

• Accessing support from government and non-governmental agencies: Various organizations, including FIDA Nigeria, are available to provide legal aid, counseling, and social welfare services to distressed mothers. With FIDA’s presence across Nigeria with 44 branches in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, one can easily locate a FIDA branch closest to them.

• Exploring legal child adoption services: For women unable to care for their children, legal child adoption remains a lawful and dignified option. This ensures the child’s well-being and provides them with a stable and loving home. It also helps save the mother from any trauma of abandonment that they may expose themselves to if they pursue any less than noble option.

• Exploring legal child fostering services: Just as child adoption, the CRA also provides for child fostering, all towards protecting children. Though not as popularly known, challenged mothers may consider putting up their children for fostering – that way, they can regain custody of their children after the period of their challenge.

• Reporting cases of violence: Since diverse forms of domestic abuse is one of the challenges that may trigger a recourse to condemnable desperate options, women experiencing domestic abuse should report their circumstances to the appropriate authorities like the Police, NAPTIP, NHRC and such other law enforcement authorities, or support organizations to receive the help they need.

• Accessing medical help: Statistics show that some women may suffer diverse post-natal mental disorders that can trigger them into even unconscionable actions. Psychological evaluations should be made easily available to new mothers to ensure their mental wellbeing to better protect them and their vulnerable newborns.

Finally, we encourage adults to consider safe family planning options that protect them from unwanted or unplanned pregnancies pending when they are ready and able to bear the responsibility of raising a family. The negative consequences of unplanned pregnancy can be dire on the woman, the child, the family and the society at large, and is best avoided.

FIDA Nigeria – Abuja Branch reiterates our commitment to supporting women in distress in the FCT by offering pro bono legal services, counselling, and advocacy for better human rights protection and social protection measures. For legal assistance or further inquiries, please contact FIDA Nigeria – Abuja Branch at Room GA 15, Ground Floor, Federal Ministry of Justice, Shehu Shagari Way, Abuja.

Please also follow us across social media for enlightening posts that educate the public on the promotion, protection and preservation of the rights and wellbeing of women and children.

Email Address: [email protected]

Contact Number: 08060774236

Facebook: FIDA Nigeria, Abuja Branch 

X (Twitter): @FidaAbuja

TikTok: FIDA Nigeria – Abuja Branch 

YouTube: FIDAAbujaBranch

SIGNED

CHIOMA U. ONYENUCHEYA-UKO

Chairperson, 

FIDA Nigeria – Abuja Branch.

In March 2024, Muhammad Pate, Nigeria’s health minister, disclosed that about 16,000 doctors left the country in the last five years. The General Medical Council of the UK revealed that no fewer than 12,198 Nigerian doctors are in the United Kingdom. Several others are in the US, Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world.

However, despite Nigeria’s poor healthcare system, the Federal Government and 21 states have allocated merely N3.846 trillion for healthcare in their 2025 budgets. This amount represents only 6.02% of the proposed N63.898 trillion for the year. The allocation falls significantly short of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation of 13% and the African Union’s Abuja 2001 Declaration target of 15%.

And while the majority of Nigerians grapple with decaying healthcare, the recent revelation that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved an extravagant retirement package for top military officials has sparked a nationwide debate, raising critical questions about governance priorities, fiscal responsibility, and the plight of ordinary Nigerians.

Under the revised Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTCOS) for the Nigerian Armed Forces, the retirement benefits for service chiefs and other senior military officers include bullet-proof SUVs, $20,000 annual foreign medical allowances, personal aides, and a range of domestic staff.

Signed into effect on December 14, 2024, these provisions have drawn fire from various quarters, including medical professionals, civil society organisations, and concerned citizens. Critics argue that the lavish perks symbolise a troubling disconnect between the government’s actions and the dire socioeconomic conditions plaguing Nigeria.

Recently Nigerians were inundated with reports that the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan was under a spell of darkness and water shortage that belie its pedigree as a top-notch medical centre for the training of doctors, healthcare delivery and research; a narrative that reflects the lack of serious attention to the health sector, and life itself, in Nigeria.

Premium Times in a 2024 Editorial, wrote: “Our public hospitals cannot be ‘mere consulting clinics or human abattoirs…The UCH must be made to recover its groove, which made it a hospital of first choice for members of the Royal family of the oil-rich Saudi Arabia in the 1960s and ranked the fourth best in the Commonwealth then. However, the truth is that this can only happen if President Bola Tinubu’s administration stops its binge of misplaced priorities. The N15 trillion 700-kilometre Lagos–Calabar coastal Highway and Sokoto to Badagry coastal highway – which is longer than the former and which has also been commissioned – provide pungent contexts of this.”

In 2024, only five states — Kaduna, Yobe, Kano, Bauchi, and Abia — allocated 15 percent of their budgets to healthcare. Others allocated between three and 12 percent. At the federal government level, only 4.6 percent of the 2024 budget was allotted to the health sector. From 2008 to 2021, the health allocations were less than five percent of total budgets in Africa’s most populous nation.

As of now, 33 of the 36 states have unveiled their budgets, with only Imo, Kwara, and Rivers yet to do so. Out of these, 21 states have disclosed their healthcare budget allocations, based on information from their websites and statements made by their governors in their Houses of Assembly.

Among the 21 states, only five — Kano (16.50%), Kaduna (16.07%), Borno (15.39%), Benue (15.09%), and Abia (15%) — have met both the WHO and African Union healthcare funding benchmarks. Ogun (13%) also met the WHO’s recommendation. In contrast, the Federal Government’s allocation of N2.48 trillion for healthcare in its N47.9 trillion 2025 budget amounts to just 5.18% of the total proposed spending.

Some states have allocated significantly lower percentages to healthcare, including Bayelsa (2.77%), Delta (3.12%), Cross River (4.22%), and Enugu (4.72%). Other states with relatively low allocations include Anambra (9.39%), Ebonyi (9.84%), Lagos (6.79%), Ondo (7%), Oyo (8.76%), and Gombe (10%).

Here is a breakdown of healthcare allocations in the 21 states:

Abia: N750.28 billion total budget, N38.6 billion for healthcare

Anambra: N607.992 billion total budget, N57.1 billion for healthcare

Enugu: N971.8 billion total budget, N45.016 billion for healthcare

Lagos: N3.005 trillion total budget, N204.005 billion for healthcare

Ondo: N655.23 billion total budget, N46.016 billion for healthcare

Oyo: N678.087 billion total budget, N59.411 billion for healthcare

Borno: N584.76 billion total budget, N89.97 billion for healthcare

Gombe: N320.11 billion total budget, N32 billion for healthcare

Bayelsa: N689.4 billion total budget, N19.1 billion for healthcare

Cross River: N498 billion total budget, N21 billion for healthcare

Delta: N979.2 billion total budget, N30.55 billion for healthcare

Edo: N605 billion total budget, N63.9 billion for healthcare

Jigawa: N693.3 billion total budget, N40.1 billion for healthcare

Kaduna: N790 billion total budget, N127 billion for healthcare

Kano: N549.1 billion total budget, N90.6 billion for healthcare

Katsina: N692.245 billion total budget, N43.882 billion for healthcare

Zamfara: N545.015 billion total budget, N64.384 billion for healthcare

Benue: N550 billion total budget, N83 billion for healthcare

Nasarawa: N382.57 billion total budget, N36.2 billion for healthcare

A Breakdown of the Generals’ perks according to Atlantic Post.

The HTCOS outlines an extensive list of retirement benefits for senior military officers, reflecting a hierarchy of privilege. The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and service chiefs are entitled to bullet-proof SUVs, maintained and replaced every four years, in addition to a backup Peugeot 508 or its equivalent.

These vehicles come with a full suite of support, including three service drivers and an orderly. Retired service chiefs are also provided with five domestic aides, including two cooks, two stewards, and a civilian gardener.

Medical benefits are equally generous. While lieutenant generals are entitled to $20,000 for annual medical treatment abroad, it is speculated that service chiefs receive significantly higher allowances. These perks extend to include local and international security escorts, personal firearms (retrievable upon death), and retention of military uniforms for ceremonial occasions.

For lower-ranking generals, such as major generals and brigadier generals, the benefits slightly taper off but remain substantial. They include Toyota Land Cruisers or equivalent vehicles, domestic staff, and annual medical allowances ranging from $10,000 to $15,000. Even colonels are entitled to free domestic medical care and Toyota Corollas.

The Healthcare Irony: A Vote of No Confidence?

Perhaps the most contentious aspect of these benefits is the foreign medical allowance. Medical professionals and civil society leaders have criticised the government for institutionalising medical tourism, which they argue reflects a profound lack of confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Prof. Bala Audu, President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), lambasted the decision, stating, “Any retirement benefits received by government officials should be invested within Nigeria.”

Echoing this sentiment, Prof. Muhammad Muhammad of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) emphasised the need to revamp Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure.

“The decision to send retired officers abroad for treatment signals the government’s lack of faith in our local healthcare facilities,” Prof. Muhammad noted.

This critique highlights a glaring contradiction: while the government is willing to spend exorbitantly on foreign medical care for elites, millions of Nigerians struggle to access basic healthcare services. Dr. Tope Osundara, President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), argued that Nigeria possesses the medical expertise required to meet these needs but suffers from inadequate funding and outdated infrastructure.

Governance or Gluttony?

The timing of these extravagant benefits is particularly troubling. Nigeria is grappling with an economic crisis marked by soaring inflation, a depreciating naira, and widespread poverty. Millions of Nigerians live on less than $1.90 a day, yet resources are being channelled into luxury perks for a privileged few.

Friday Odeh, Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, described the development as “alarming.” He questioned whether the retiring service chiefs have earned such rewards, given the ongoing security challenges plaguing the nation.

“For over 12 years, Nigeria has been battling insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping. Have the service chiefs truly delivered enough to justify these packages?” Odeh asked.