Ideal Reporters

NASHIA Begins Free Health Insurance Enrollment For Vulnerable Residents Across Nasarawa The Nasarawa State Health Insurance Agency (NASHIA) has commenced the enrollment of vulnerable residents into the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), a programme designed to improve access to essential healthcare services for disadvantaged groups across the state. According to a public announcement issued by the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Agency, the enrollment exercise began on Monday, June 29, 2026, and will be conducted at BHCPF-accredited Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities located in all 147 electoral wards of Nasarawa State. The Agency explained that the initiative is targeted at indigent persons, elderly citizens, children under the age of five, pregnant women, and persons living with disabilities, all of whom will benefit from the free healthcare coverage. NASHIA, however, stressed that possession of a valid National Identity Number (NIN) is a mandatory requi...

Udege Education Authority Clarifies Circumstances Surrounding Queries Issued To Four Staff The Office of the Education Secretary, Udege Area Administrative Council Education Authority, has clarified the circumstances surrounding the issuance of queries to four members of staff, dismissing as false and misleading claims circulating on social media that the action was politically motivated. In a statement made available to journalists, the Education Authority explained that the disciplinary action was taken strictly in accordance with the Nasarawa State Public Service Rules and other extant civil service regulations governing the conduct of public officers, stressing that the decision was purely administrative and intended to uphold discipline and accountability within the education system. The Authority identified the affected staff as Okah Yahaya Osayi, Anukpo Ogba Joseph, Odumu Magaji David and Abdullahi Usman. According to the statement, the four officers were issued quer...

ROCI Appeals To Presidency For Urgent Intervention On Displaced Udege Communities The Restore Our Communities Initiative (ROCI), a non-partisan citizens' advocacy group, has appealed to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), Dr. Mrs. Abiodun Essiet, to facilitate urgent federal intervention towards the safe return, reconstruction and sustainable security of communities displaced by the February attacks in Udege Area Administrative Council of Nasarawa Local Government Area, Nasarawa State. In a letter dated June 26, 2026 and addressed to the presidential aide, the Initiative expressed concern over the continued displacement of residents of Akyawa-Baka, Gidan Ogiri (Sabon Gida), Ittara, Udegen Ƙasa and Apura Adagba, noting that the victims have remained away from their ancestral homes for about five months due to persistent insecurity. According to ROCI, the attacks resulted in the loss of more than one hundred lives, the de...

Nasarawa North Senatorial By-Election Commences Amid Intense Political Contest The much-anticipated Nasarawa North Senatorial By-Election has commenced across Akwanga, Wamba, and Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State, with voters trooping to polling units to elect a new representative in the Senate. The by-election became necessary following the demise of Senator Godiya Akwashiki, who represented the district until his death, creating a vacancy in the upper legislative chamber. The contest is expected to be keenly fought, with political observers focusing attention on some of the most prominent candidates in the race. They include Barrister Danladi Halilu Envulanza of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, and former member of the House of Representatives, David Emmanuel Ombugadu, among other contenders. The election has attracted significant attention within and outside Nasarawa State, with many political...

Calls Grow For Clarification Over Reports Of Dangote Fuel Being Re-Imported Into Nigeria Recent reports suggesting that petroleum marketers are purchasing fuel refined by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery through foreign channels and importing it back into Nigeria have sparked questions about pricing, market operations, and the future of local refining. The development has attracted public attention given the strategic importance of the Dangote Refinery to Nigeria's economy and energy sector. Since commencing operations, the refinery has played a significant role in improving the availability of petroleum products, reducing dependence on imported fuel, and positioning Nigeria as a potential exporter of refined petroleum products. Industry observers say the reports raise several questions that require clarification. Among them is whether fuel refined in Nigeria is being sold at a lower price outside the country than within the domestic market. If true, analysts argue that s...

Justice For Victims Before Compassion For Criminals By Yahaya Abdulrahman  The recent rescue of Haj. Amina Abubakar, wife of the late Major General Rabe Abubakar, from the captivity of bandits is undoubtedly welcome news. It brings some measure of relief after a tragic ordeal that claimed the life of a distinguished military officer who dedicated years of his life to the service of Nigeria. However, her rescue also raises an important question that policymakers must honestly confront. How would Haj. Amina feel if she were told today that the very criminals who abducted her and her husband, subjected them to untold suffering, and ultimately caused his death, could one day be pardoned, rehabilitated, reintegrated into society, empowered with government support, and presented as beneficiaries of public goodwill ?. She is not alone in this painful experience. Across Nigeria, thousands of innocent citizens have endured similar or even worse horrors at the hands of insurgents...