NEWS
Experts Push For GMO Ban As FG Reassures Nigerians’ Safety
A coalition of over 200 organizations and individuals, under the GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance, has called on the National Assembly to implement a complete ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the country.
The alliance, comprising farmers, civil society groups, scientists, legal practitioners, and medical experts, raised alarms over the impact of GMOs on Nigeria’s food systems, public health, and environment.
During a public hearing by the House Committee on Agricultural Production, the group alleged that foreign forces promoting GMOs were also fueling insecurity in Nigeria.
Concerns Over Food Sovereignty and Public Health
Presenting a memorandum to the committee, Mr. Johnson Ekpere, a consultant to the alliance, urged the government to halt GMO distribution and adopt policies against their use.
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“We recommend a national moratorium on GMO distribution and circulation until conclusive evidence emerges on their effects. The idea that Nigerians can be subjected to harmful practices without accountability fuels institutional arrogance,” Ekpere stated.
He warned that Nigeria’s reliance on GMOs as a solution to agricultural challenges posed significant risks to food sovereignty, biodiversity, and public health.
Instead, he advocated for sustainable farming methods such as organic and regenerative agriculture.
The memorandum also cited the lack of proven productivity gains from GMOs in Nigeria. According to the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN), GM cotton seeds introduced in 2020 failed to deliver significant yield improvements.
Farmers reported declining productivity in subsequent planting seasons, forcing them to purchase new seeds annually.
The alliance raised concerns about the nutritional changes in GM crops, claiming they could lead to reduced beneficial compounds and increased allergenic substances.
They also noted that Burkina Faso phased out GM cotton in 2016 due to poor quality, yet the same product was approved for use in Nigeria.
Another issue highlighted was the absence of GMO labeling in Nigeria, leaving consumers unaware of whether their food contains genetically modified ingredients. The group warned that unregulated imports of GMO-based processed foods posed additional health risks.
Allegations of External Manipulation
At the hearing, Mr. Qrisstuberg Amua, Executive Director of the Center for Food Safety and Agricultural Research, alleged that foreign interests were behind efforts to destabilize Nigeria’s food systems to promote GMOs.
“International forces are creating hunger scenarios to advertise genetically modified poisons. These are biological weapons aimed at compromising our food systems and health,” Amua asserted.
The professor of bioinorganic chemistry also linked GMOs to declining fertility rates, suggesting they may have unforeseen long-term consequences on human health.
Responding to the concerns, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, reassured Nigerians that the government would not support any initiative harmful to its citizens.
“The government would never intentionally introduce harmful substances to the people. This forum aims to bring together experts to explore balanced solutions for food security,” Kyari said.
He emphasized the role of regulatory bodies, seed councils, and research institutions in ensuring the safety of agricultural inputs and called for collaboration to address concerns around GMOs.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
Nigerians are facing yet another economic blow as petrol prices surge again. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has raised the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N1,175 per litre, marking the third increase in just one week.
The latest adjustment, announced to marketers on Monday, follows a temporary suspension of petrol sales at the refinery on Sunday. Diesel, also known as Automotive Gas Oil, has also been revised upwards to N1,620 per litre.
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A senior refinery official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the hike, noting that it reflects “prevailing market fundamentals and the cost environment we are currently operating in.”
Industry checks show that depot pricing systems have already updated the new rates, signaling an inevitable rise at retail stations.
In some cities, petrol is now being sold at over N1,200 per litre, adding pressure on Nigerian motorists and businesses alike.
This repeated surge comes after earlier increases that pushed gantry prices from N774 to N995 per litre earlier this week.
Experts warn that the hikes are likely to drive up transportation, logistics, and production costs, potentially impacting the prices of goods and services nationwide.
While the Federal Government, through the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), is working to secure crude supplies for the refinery via international traders, officials cautioned that this may not immediately reduce prices for consumers.
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