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Why NAFDAC Declared State Of Emergency On Bleaching Among Nigerians

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Why NAFDAC Declared State Of Emergency On Bleaching Among Nigerians

Why NAFDAC Declared State Of Emergency On Bleaching Among Nigerians

 

Interestingly, the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control on Thursday declared a state of emergency on bleaching after establishing that Nigeria has been ranked first in cases of bleaching.

Why NAFDAC Declared State Of Emergency On Bleaching Among Nigerians

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, raised the alarm on the menace of bleaching creams in Nigeria, saying the problem has become a national emergency that calls for serious attention.

 

She made the remarks while flagging off a media sensitization workshop on Dangers of Bleaching Creams and Regulatory Control organized by the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists in Kano on Thursday.

 

She said that 77 percent of those engaged in bleaching in Nigeria are women, saying this calls for a multifaceted approach in fighting the menace of bleaching creams, which she warned have fatal health hazards.

 

“The World Health Organisation study in 2018 revealed that the use of skin bleaching cream is prevalent amongst 77 percent of Nigerian women, which is the highest in Africa compared to 59 percent in Togo, 35 percent in South Africa, and 27 percent in Senegal.

 

“These scary statistics have shown that the menace of bleaching creams in Nigeria has become a national health emergency that requires a multi-faceted regulatory approach,” Prof. Adeyeye said.

 

She said that in response to these statistics, the Federal Government, through the office of the Secretary to the Government, Boss Mustapha, wrote to NAFDAC last year seeking stringent measures to be implemented against the menace.

 

According to her, the sensitization workshops in the six geo-political zones were part of the measures being taken by them.

 

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“This sensitization workshop is a training of trainers program with the great expectation that participants will assume roles of champions in the vanguard of the campaign against the use of bleaching creams.

 

“I wish to assure you that NAFDAC will henceforth constantly engage the mass media as we strive to bring down to the grass levels the positive impact of our regulatory activities.

 

“Even though I have assigned some of my competent officers to carry out this training, it has become imperative for me to warn that some of the harmful effects of bleaching creams include cancer, damage to vital organs in the body, skin irritation and allergy, skin burn and rashes, wrinkles, premature ageing and prolonged healing of wounds,” she stated.

 

Also speaking, the former National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ahmad Yakasai warned that the cases of bleaching among women and men, if not arrested, would create severe health cases in Nigeria.

 

The Director of Public Affairs of NAFDAC, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh said the agency had only 3000 staff covering the entire federation of over 200 million people.

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Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement

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Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement By George Omagbemi Sylvester | For Sahara Weekly NG

Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | For Sahara Weekly NG

For decades, Nigeria has endured the consequences of an overstretched, inefficient and highly politicized central policing system. The result? Catastrophic. Rising insecurity, emboldened terrorists, banditry and unchecked violence have ravaged nearly every corner of the country. From the blood-soaked fields of Zamfara to the kidnapping corridors of the South-East and the cult-infested creeks of the Niger Delta, the evidence is irrefutable: centralized policing has failed Nigerians.

Despite its glaring dysfunction, the idea of devolving police powers to state governments remains one of Nigeria’s most controversial debates. Detractors argue that state police may be abused by governors as political thugs, but that’s a distraction from the real question: Do states in Nigeria currently have the financial and structural capacity to run police forces that are accountable, professional and effective; not as political weapons but as agents of justice and peace?

Central Policing: A Colonial Relic Turned Burden

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), with about 370,000 officers serving over 220 million people, has one of the worst police-to-citizen ratios in the world. According to United Nations standards, a functional ratio is 1 officer to every 450 citizens. Nigeria languishes at roughly 1:600, and that’s before factoring in the lopsided deployment of personnel.

Shockingly, more than 40% of officers are assigned to VIP protection (guarding politicians, their families and business elites) while ordinary Nigerians are left defenceless against armed robbers, kidnappers and insurgents.

This structure is not accidental; it is a colonial legacy. As Professor Jibrin Ibrahim of the Centre for Democracy and Development aptly puts it:

“The Nigerian police are not trained to serve the people. They are trained to protect the state from the people.”

That mindset still dominates. The NPF remains a blunt, top-down instrument of coercion, not community safety. From the excesses of SARS to police complicity during elections, the central police system has consistently shown that it is out of touch and out of control.

The Case for State Policing: Security Must Be Local


Nigeria is a federation on paper but a unitary dictatorship in practice, especially regarding policing. With over 250 ethnic groups, multiple languages and complex regional dynamics, a one-size-fits-all federal police force cannot address the security needs of all states.

Countries like the United States, India, Canada and Germany, all federal in structure, operate decentralized policing models. In the U.S., over 90% of law enforcement is handled by state, county or municipal agencies and not Washington, D.C.

Nigeria has already seen states respond to security failures by creating regional outfits: Amotekun (South-West), Ebube Agu (South-East), Hisbah (North) and others. These are clear expressions of popular no-confidence votes in the federal police. But these outfits remain legally weak and operationally constrained without constitutional backing.

What Nigeria needs now is not just more vigilante groups but a legal and constitutional framework that allows states to form and manage professional, community-embedded police services.

Can States Afford State Police? The Numbers Don’t Lie


One of the most common arguments against state policing is financial incapacity. This argument is misleading and frankly, LAZY.

According to BudgIT and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS):

Lagos State generates over ₦400 billion annually in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) which is more than some African countries.

Rivers, Ogun, Delta and Kaduna States each generate over ₦50 billion annually.

25 states generate more than ₦10 billion annually.

So why do we say they “cannot afford” state policing? The issue isn’t capacity, it’s priority and accountability.

If states can build multi-billion-naira airports, mega flyovers and luxurious government houses, surely they can fund training, equipment and welfare for 5,000 to 10,000 well-trained state officers.

In 2024, the federal government allocated over ₦1.3 trillion to police and security services. Yet, most rural communities remain vulnerable. A fraction of that, used efficiently by states, can yield better results. Moreover, states could seek matching grants or partnerships with private and international donors to strengthen their security apparatus.

The Fear of Abuse: A Convenient Excuse
A major objection to state policing is the potential for abuse by state governors. But let’s be clear: the federal police are not immune to abuse. SARS was a federal outfit, yet it became synonymous with torture, extrajudicial killings and robbery.

During the 2023 general elections, federal police were accused of colluding with political parties to suppress opposition and disenfranchise voters. In Lagos, Rivers and Kano, shocking videos of police inaction and collaboration with thugs circulated widely.

The abuse argument is not an argument against decentralization; it is an argument for institutional reform.

A properly crafted State Police Act must include:

Independent oversight commissions

Auditable budgets and public transparency

Cross-border collaboration to prevent jurisdictional loopholes

Community-based recruitment

Strict human rights and use-of-force protocols

National benchmarks for training and ethics

The Federal Government’s role should evolve into providing technical support, forensic labs and inter-state crime coordination not micromanaging state security from Abuja.

Political Bottlenecks: The Elephant in the Room

Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | For Sahara Weekly NG
Why, despite mounting evidence, has Nigeria failed to implement state policing?

Politics.

Centralized policing is a political weapon. Whoever controls the federal police controls elections, opposition suppression and even media narratives. That is why the ruling class is reluctant to devolve power.

In 2021, the National Assembly blocked key constitutional amendments that would have allowed states to establish their own police forces. Why? Because the party in power benefits from centralized force.

As Wole Soyinka warned:

“There’s no way we can continue along this unitarist line. It’s a logical contradiction. You can’t continue with this crude, centralist mindset and expect safety.”

State governors (especially in the South) must form a united front to lobby for this constitutional change. This will require sacrificing political capital, building coalitions across party lines and directly engaging the Nigerian public.

A National Crossroads: Reform or Ruin
Insecurity in Nigeria is no longer an abstract debate, it is an existential crisis. Farmers are abandoning fields. Children cannot go to school. Businesses are closing. Millions live under the daily threat of violence, extortion and death.

We must not allow political cowardice or elite selfishness to deny Nigerians the right to safety.

A decentralized police system is not a luxury; it is a necessity for national survival. Every state should have the constitutional authority, financial framework and legal support to secure its people.

It is time to break free from colonial chains and build a policing system that reflects our federal reality, respects our diversity and protects every Nigerian; rich, middle-class or poor, north, east or south, Muslim, Christian or Pagans.

The time for half-measures has passed.
The time to decentralize is now.

Decentralizing Policing in Nigeria: The Urgent Case for State-Controlled Law Enforcement
By George Omagbemi Sylvester | For Sahara Weekly NG

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Boko Haram: Olowu Reiterates Call to Support Nigerian Army

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Boko Haram: Olowu Reiterates Call to Support Nigerian Army

Olowu of Kuta, HRM Oba Dr Hammed Makama Oyelude, CON, Tegbosun iii, has reiterated the call on Nigerians to support the Nigerian Army in the face of daunting security challenges and emerging new trend.

According to the statement issued by his media office in Kuta at the weekend, Oba Makama said the invasion of the country by various militias and mercenary has posed another threat to the national security.

Oba Makama, therefore, urged all and sundry, especially traditional rulers, to ensure that their domains are safe and secured from these hydra headed terrorists.

“As we all know that the Nigerian Army is responsible for the promotion and securing of our territorial integrity which is the symbol of our sovereignty, we must all rally round them to ensure they succeed in this onerous task.”

Waxing philosophical, Oba Makama said ” to keep Nigeria as a one is a task that must be achieved” failure of which it will remain an ill wind that blows nobody any good.

“It’s unthinkable that Pakistan nationals will be caught training the Boko Haram insurgency on how to attack the symbol of our sovereignty which is the Nigerian Army.

“They’ve also gone ahead to acquire weapons such as UAV ( drones) and latest military hardware to confront our army. We must ensure that all hands are on deck to defeat this deadly ‘monster’ before it’s too late,” the monarch added.

Kabiesi commend the COAS, Lt General Oluyede for prioritising troops welfare and leading from the front.

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Tayo Folorunsho Launches Universal Varsity TV Auditions to Discover Rising Student Stars in Abuja

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Tayo Folorunsho Launches Universal Varsity TV Auditions to Discover Rising Student Stars in Abuja

In a bold stride for youth-driven edutainment in Nigeria, media entrepreneur and education advocate Tayo Folorunsho has launched a groundbreaking talent audition at the University of Abuja. This initiative, aimed at discovering aspiring actors and content creators, is part of a larger project—the upcoming Campus Life Series—set to air on his newly licensed channel, Universal Varsity Television (UVT).

With an enthusiastic turnout of talented students, the audition kicked off what promises to be a transformative campus-focused web series. The Campus Life Series will weave together drama, education, and social commentary, offering an authentic portrayal of student experiences across Nigerian universities.

“We’ve seen incredible talent during the auditions,” said Folorunsho, founder and CEO of UVT. “These students will form the core cast of Campus Life Series, which will air on our new station.”

More than just entertainment, the series is designed as a platform to spotlight the real-life challenges, triumphs, and social issues faced by Nigerian students.

“This isn’t just about acting—it’s about impact,” Folorunsho explained. “We’re using storytelling to reflect campus realities, highlight systemic issues, and give young creatives a meaningful platform to express themselves.

 

Redefining Media and Education in Nigeria

Folorunsho’s vision is being hailed as a visionary fusion of advocacy and entertainment. By merging storytelling with student empowerment, he is cultivating a new wave of creators who are not only telling their stories but shaping national conversations.

Tayo Folorunsho Launches Universal Varsity TV Auditions to Discover Rising Student Stars in Abuja

The Campus Life Series is set to address pressing issues such as inadequate infrastructure, student welfare, academic pressure, and campus politics. Beyond the screen, the project offers hands-on media production experience, helping students build relevant skills that could propel them into careers in the creative industry.

With Universal Varsity Television, Tayo Folorunsho is not just launching a channel—he is launching a movement. One that champions youth voices, celebrates campus life, and redefines what it means to educate and entertain in Nigeria.

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