• New record set as Goodness wins gold for Nigeria at Commonwealth Games
• Atiku and Wike in closed-door meeting, promise to end the PDP conflict in seven days.
• AfDB Grants FG 134 Million Dollar Loan to Boost Wheat Production
• FG, Google to collaborate against proscribed groups on Youtube
• 3 new cases of monkeypox reported in Abia state

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn‘t miss:

New record set as Goodness wins gold for Nigeria at Commonwealth Games

Nwachukwu Goodness of Team Nigeria won the country’s fourth gold medal at the current Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She accomplished it in dramatic style, twice shattering records before winning the competition.

The 23-year-old, the only contestant from Nigeria in the Women’s Discus Throw F42-44/61-64 competition, far outperformed her rivals, breaking records with her first two throws.

Prior to Thursday, Nwachukwu had the F42 World Record with the best mark of 33.35m, but she increased that mark with her first throw of 34.84m and her subsequent throw of 36.56m.

Though she couldn’t throw any further in subsequent attempts, she was met with thundering cheers from the Alexander Stadium crowd each time she tried.

Adijat Adenike Olarinoye and Rafiatu Folashade Lawal, two members of Team Nigeria competing in the current Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, were earlier reported to have received particular commendation for their record-breaking performances at the Games.

Nwachukwu is anticipated to get special accolades before the Birmingham Games come to a close.

In the meantime, Team Nigeria had already earned a bronze medal in the men’s lightweight division of the Powerlifting competition through Nnamdi Innocent before Nwachukwu’s gold medal triumph.

Atiku and Wike in closed-door meeting, promise to end the PDP conflict in seven days.

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, met with Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, on Thursday in an effort to appease enraged party members.

The meeting, which was held in private, was held at the villa in Abuja owned by a former minister named Jerry Gana.

A team to mediate a reconciliation between Mr. Wike and his followers and Atiku was established by the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) just 24 hours before the meeting.

After Atiku defeated Mr. Wike to become the party’s standard bearer, there was a disagreement between the two camps. The situation worsened when Atiku chose Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running partner instead of Mr. Wike.

Their long-awaited, face-to-face meeting was held behind closed doors at the private residence of Professor Jerry Gana, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, and they pledged to resolve their differences within seven days.

The meeting was held on the day Atiku named Senator Dino Melaye and Daniel Bwala as his campaign spokespeople, with the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, boasting that the party would win the 2023 polls on account of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and President Muhammadu Buhari’s alleged failures.

AfDB Grants FG 134 Million Dollar Loan to Boost Wheat Production

The Federal Government has secured a 134 million dollar loan from the Africa Development Bank to increase wheat output.

Dr. Muhammad Mahmoud, the minister of agriculture and rural development, made this statement in Abuja while updating State House reporters on the ministry’s execution of the president’s directive.

He clarified that the plan was to prevent the nation from suffering from a severe shortage of wheat, whose demand and price had increased as a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The project, according to the minister, will increase wheat output to 750,000 metric tonnes in the dry season of 2022 with 250,000 farmers farming 250,000 hectares.

He said that Jigawa, Kebbi, Kano, Bauchi, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Gombe, Plateau, Borno, and Yobe, as well as Adamawa and Taraba states, will cultivate the wheat.

The minister said that in order to safeguard farmers who were having security issues, the Federal Government had sent out 5,000 agro rangers from the Nigeria Civil Defense Corps.

He said that the 2.4 billion dollars’ worth of externally funded projects carried out by the Buhari government had generated roughly 3.6 million indirect employment.

FG, Google to collaborate against proscribed groups on Youtube

Google, a major internet firm, and the Federal Government are working together to reduce the number of subversive YouTube channels that propagate false information and hate speech against Nigeria.

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, said this on Thursday in Abuja when a Google team paid him a courtesy visit.

He expressed his happiness that Google and the Federal Government both have the same concerns about using social media responsibly.

“We urge Google to investigate ways to address how banned groups and terrorist organizations exploit secret, unlisted YouTube channels and live streaming,” Lai Mohammed said.

The minister also stated that “Google platforms should not enable channels and emails including names of outlawed parties and their affiliates.”

He said that with over 100 million Internet users, Nigerians are some of the world’s most active social media users.

Nigerians can socialize, exchange ideas, make a living, and take part in social and political matters thanks to internet platforms like Google, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and WhatsApp, he said.

However, the minister pointed out that dishonest individuals or organizations also exploit these platforms for harmful or subversive operations.

In an effort to establish a framework for cooperatively protecting Nigerian consumers of Internet platforms, Mohammed said that the Nigerian government has suggested a “Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries.”

“As the nation gets ready for general elections next year, this code couldn’t have arrived at a better time. To ensure responsible Internet usage and safeguard our people from the negative consequences of social media, we are dedicated to collaborating with platforms like yours as well as the civil society, attorneys, media professionals, and other key stakeholders,” he added.

Charles Murito, the Google Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Government Affairs, and Public Policy, said that the site has a program called “Trusted Flaggers” for users who are trained to monitor and interact with certain content.

3 new cases of monkeypox reported in Abia state

Three new cases of monkeypox have been reported in Abia State in recent weeks. The State Epidemiologist, Peace Nwogwugwu, confirmed this.

The state administration has warned inhabitants to abide by all set rules in order to prevent and control the spread of the monkeypox epidemic in the state.

Nwogwugwu stated during a radio show in Umuahia that two of the three verified patients made a quick recovery.

She continued by saying that contact tracing and sample collection for testing of people who were in close proximity to them had been completed.

While the government has started essential response efforts, she pointed out that citizens may help prevent and manage the disease by following the prescribed public health guidelines.

The epidemiologist emphasized that because this illness spreads through contact, locals should keep social distance and avoid contact with infected or suspected people. They should also take routine hand washing seriously and avoid unnecessary gatherings and travel.

She urged public health professionals to treat each patient with a fresh hand glove after washing their hands and to keep a high index of suspicion. They were also urged to report and escalate any cases of patients presenting with high fevers and rashes so that the proper steps could be taken.