Taiye Ajayi - ParrotMouth

Africa Launches Groundbreaking Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Injection with 99.9% Effectiveness

Taiye Ajayi / December 1, 2025

Africa has reached a historic milestone in HIV prevention as three countries begin rolling out lenacapavir, a revolutionary injection that needs to be taken just twice a year and has shown over 99.9% effectiveness in preventing HIV transmission. According to report, South Africa, Eswatini, and Zambia are leading the continent’s first public distribution of the breakthrough drug, bringing hope to a region that carries the world’s heaviest HIV burden. Lenacapavir works almost like a vaccine in its ability to prevent HIV infection. Unlike daily pills, this injectable treatment only requires administration every six months, making it far more practical for widespread use. The rollout in South Africa is being led by a Wits University research team with backing from Unitaid, a United Nations health initiative. This is particularly significant in a country where roughly one in five adults lives with HIV. “The first individuals have begun using lenacapavir for HIV prevention in South Africa, making it among the first real-world uses of the 6-monthly injectable in low- and middle-income countries,” Unitaid announced, though they didn’t specify exact numbers of people who’ve received the initial doses. Currently, lenacapavir costs about $28,000 (over ₦30 million) per person annually in the United States, a price that puts it far out of reach for most people in affected countries. However, pharmaceutical giant Gilead Sciences has pledged to provide the drug at no profit to two million people in high-burden countries over the next three years. Zambia and Eswatini each received around 1,000 doses last month through U.S. support and launched the program during World AIDS Day events. The real breakthrough is expected by 2027, when affordable generic versions are projected to hit the market at approximately $40 per year in over 100 countries. These generics will be made possible through agreements involving Unitaid, the Gates Foundation, and Indian drug manufacturers. Eastern and southern Africa account for about 52% of the world’s 40.8 million people living with HIV, according to 2024 UNAIDS data.

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Seven Kidnap Victims Released After N2 Million Ransom Payment in FCT Village

Taiye Ajayi / December 1, 2025

Seven people kidnapped by armed bandits in Gidan-Bijimi, Bwari Area Council, have been freed after their families paid a N2 million ransom. The victims, six young women and a 15-year-old boy, were abducted on Wednesday night around 9:30 pm while attending the funeral of 95-year-old Jummai Tanko in the FCT community. The group had traveled from their home in Kuchaba village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, for the burial ceremony when gunmen stormed the area with sophisticated weapons. According to Mr. Thomas Waha Sarki, the victims’ uncle who spoke to Daily Trust on Monday, the bandits had actually come looking for him but took his relatives instead when they couldn’t find him. Those kidnapped were identified as Blessing Awu, Abigail Kasabare, Asabe Joshua, Kankani Joshua, Talatu Jaba, Agnes Kasabare, and 15-year-old David Awu, the only male in the group. The bandits initially demanded N300 million for the victims’ release. However, after intense negotiations that stretched from Friday into Saturday, the amount was reduced to N2 million. The victims were finally released Saturday night in Kuyeri forest, Kagarko LGA, where a negotiator delivered the ransom money. The traumatized group then walked for hours through the forest before reaching safety. Sarki, a peasant farmer, had to sell bags of ginger from his farm and borrow money to raise the ransom. “I had to sell some bags of ginger that I harvested and borrowed some money to raise the N2m before finally handing it to them through a negotiator,” he said.

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Kogi Student Escapes Kidnappers on Abuja Road, Reveals How Villagers Nearly Turned Him In

Taiye Ajayi / December 1, 2025

A student identified as Onoja Joseph has recounted a harrowing escape from kidnappers who ambushed his bus along the Owo–Abuja highway in Kogi State. Joseph was traveling to resume his industrial training (SIWES) when armed men attacked their 18-seater bus and forced all passengers into the forest at gunpoint. He described being marched through dense bush for hours, crossing multiple streams as the kidnappers led them deeper into unfamiliar area. “We crossed like seven rivers,” he said. “They kept leading us deeper inside the bush for about three hours.” As evening approached, Joseph saw an opening. He quietly slipped away and hid in the bush until the kidnappers moved on, then began making his way out in search of help. But what happened next was just as terrifying. When he reached a nearby village and approached three men for assistance, they seemed helpful at first. But after hearing his story, they began speaking in Kabba language and contacted the kidnappers, questioning how someone could have escaped. Realizing they were working with his captors, Joseph asked to use the toilet and bolted again. He even noticed the men’s wives clapping and celebrating as their husbands called the bandits. Joseph eventually made it to safety and is now sharing his story as kidnapping incidents along the Kogi corridor continue to rise.

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“My Dad Wanted Me to Be a Lawyer” – Sabinus Opens Up on Family’s Early Rejection of His Comedy Dream

Taiye Ajayi / December 1, 2025

Nigerian comedy star Emmanuel Ejekwu, better known as Sabinus, has shared the tough family resistance he faced when he first chose comedy over a more traditional career. In a recent interview with VJ Adams, Sabinus revealed his father had always dreamed of him becoming a lawyer. When he couldn’t get admission to study law, he ended up studying Linguistics and Communication Studies at the University of Port Harcourt instead. It was there he realized he had a gift for making people laugh and started creating comedy skits. But the path wasn’t smooth, money was tight, and he kept his comedy hustle hidden from his father even after graduation. Eventually, the secret came out. Sabinus remembers the moment clearly: “It was one more year after school that he started seeing me on comedy show posters. My sisters confirmed to him that I was into comedy. He was very furious. He said, ‘Which comedy? Stupid business. Look at the boy I sent to become a lawyer.’” But time changes things. As Sabinus began making a name, and real income, from comedy, his father’s anger softened into support.

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Lawyer Inibehe Effiong Criticizes Nkechi Blessing Over Gym Photo Arrest Incident

Taiye Ajayi / December 1, 2025

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has called out Nollywood actress Nkechi Blessing following her decision to have a fellow gym member arrested for taking her photo. Blessing had shared how she confronted and had the woman detained after allegedly catching her secretly photographing her during a workout. The actress defended her actions, saying it was a privacy violation. Effiong wasn’t having it. He questioned why someone in the public eye would involve police over something so trivial, especially when it happened in a public gym. He called it yet another example of Nigeria’s misplaced priorities when it comes to law enforcement. The lawyer also didn’t spare the police, expressing frustration that officers actually responded to the complaint. He suggested moves like this only further tarnish the force’s already damaged reputation. “You, a public figure, instigated the police to arrest someone for taking a photo of you in a public place?” he wrote. “We are so unserious in this country. The police keeps disgracing itself.”

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Arise TV Host Rufai Oseni Confronts Bishop Kukah Over Christian Persecution Comments in Nigeria

Taiye Ajayi / December 1, 2025

Arise TV presenter Rufai Oseni has publicly challenged Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah following the Catholic leader’s controversial stance on religious violence against Christians in Nigeria. Bishop Kukah, who leads the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto and chairs the National Peace Committee, recently stated that claims of Christian persecution and genocide in Nigeria are overblown. He emphasized that genocide is determined by intent rather than death toll, a position that sparked immediate backlash. Oseni sharply criticized what he called the bishop’s tone-deaf remarks, particularly the statement suggesting that “you can kill 10 million people and it will not be genocide.” The broadcaster accused Kukah of ignoring the real pain Christians across Nigeria are enduring. Pointing to concrete examples, Oseni highlighted the killing of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto over blasphemy allegations and the murder of Reverend Father Isaac Achi in Niger State as clear instances of targeted religious violence. In a direct message on social media, the journalist invoked Pastor Martin Niemöller’s famous warning about the dangers of silence during persecution: “First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out… Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out… Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me.” Oseni called on religious leaders to face the reality of what Nigerian Christians are experiencing instead of downplaying it. He argued that influential voices should stand up for justice and protection, not dismiss those crying out for help.

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Akwa Ibom Governor Bans Street Masquerades Amid Festive Season Violence

Taiye Ajayi / December 1, 2025

Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has imposed a complete ban on street masquerades during the festive season following a spike in violent incidents involving Ekpo masquerade groups. The Ekpo masquerade holds deep cultural significance in Ibibio tradition, representing ancestral spirits and playing a central role in community celebrations. But growing reports of harassment, assaults, and extortion by some masquerade groups have sparked serious safety concerns across the state. The issue came to a head earlier this month when authorities arrested a masquerade leader, prompting calls for stricter action. Governor Eno made it clear his government won’t tolerate any threats to public safety, especially during the holiday period. “Any masquerade found parading on the streets of Akwa Ibom State will be arrested and prosecuted,” he warned, according to The Nation. The ban has divided public opinion. Many residents support the move, saying it’s a necessary step to protect lives and property during a time meant for celebration and family gatherings. Others, however, worry the decision could erode cultural heritage and set a precedent for further restrictions on traditional festivals and practices.

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SERAP Sues Akpabio, Abbas Over Alleged ₦18.6bn National Assembly Fund Diversion

Taiye Ajayi / December 1, 2025

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas over the alleged misappropriation of ₦18.6 billion earmarked for the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) office complex in Abuja. The civil society organization is also suing the National Assembly Service Commission and all National Assembly members in the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja (case number FHC/ABJ/CS/2457/2025). The lawsuit stems from findings in the Auditor-General’s 2022 Annual Report, released on September 9, 2025, which flagged the entire ₦18.6 billion expenditure as suspicious, unsupported, and unaccounted for. SERAP is asking the court to compel the National Assembly leadership and NASC to: Provide a full account of how the money was spent Reveal the identity of the alleged “fictitious construction company” that received payment Release all documents related to the contract, including bid advertisements, agreements, quotations, needs assessments, Tender Board minutes, and approvals from the Federal Executive Council and Bureau of Public Procurement The audit report revealed that over ₦11.6 billion was paid in 2020 to an “unknown company” with no evidence of work done. An additional ₦6.9 billion was reportedly added in 2023, raising suspicions of contract inflation. The report also exposed glaring procedural violations: No Bill of Quantity No needs assessment conducted No public advertisement or competitive bidding No Federal Executive Council approval No Bureau of Public Procurement Certificate of No Objection The Auditor-General warned that the entire project fund may have been diverted. In the suit filed by its legal team led by Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP argues that the alleged mismanagement violates Nigeria’s Constitution and the country’s commitments under the UN Convention Against Corruption. The organization insists Nigerians have a right to know what happened to the billions, especially as corruption continues to deepen poverty and deny citizens access to essential services. “The National Assembly must lead by example in protecting public resources—not be at the center of scandals involving them,” SERAP stated.

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Federal Government Proposes 40% Salary Hike for Lecturers as ASUU Strike Looms

Taiye Ajayi / December 1, 2025

The Federal Government has put forward a 40% salary increase for university lecturers in a bid to prevent another nationwide strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The offer came as ASUU agreed to resume negotiations with the government delegation headed by Yayale Ahmed. This followed the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Sunday, where members voted to continue discussions. A senior NEC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development: “They made a proposal of a 40% salary increment. Branch leaders will go back and update members on the situation. Negotiations continue with the government next week.” Branch chairpersons are now expected to relay this information to lecturers at their universities as consultations move forward. Anxiety remains high across Nigeria’s public universities after ASUU‘s one-month ultimatum to the government expired last Saturday. The union had warned that unmet demands could trigger a complete shutdown of academic activities. To head off the crisis, the Federal Government convened a lengthy negotiation session with ASUU executives in Abuja that ran from Monday into Tuesday. While both sides have agreed to keep the details private, there’s cautious optimism that a solution may be within reach. ASUU’s long-standing grievances include the implementation of the 2009 ASUU–FG agreement, outstanding salaries and earned academic allowances, and the delayed release of funds meant to revitalize universities. Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa, currently abroad, maintains that the government has addressed most of the union’s concerns. Speaking at the State House recently, he emphasized President Bola Tinubu’s firm stance on keeping universities open. “The President has mandated us that he doesn’t want ASUU to go on strike. We’re doing everything humanly possible to ensure that students stay in school,” Alausa said. “The last strike they went on, for about six days, was not necessary. We have met literally all their requirements and are back at the negotiation table. We will resolve this.”