News
Lagos State Launches Mass Vaccination Program, Targets 4 Million Lagosians
Lagos State Government declared on Wednesday that there is possibility of the fourth wave of Coronavirus (COVID-19) as the Yuletide approaches.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, however, launched a mass vaccination campaign as part of the strategies to stave off re-emergence of the viral infection. The objective is aimed at vaccinating four million residents in Lagos before the end of the year.
The immunisation programme was flagged off with a symbolic event held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island. Residents of Lagos, who are 18 years and above are eligible to be fully immunised with the COVID-19 vaccine.
The accelerated vaccine rollout is tagged: “Operation Count Me in 4 Million Lagosians Vaccinated Against COVID-19” and it is being undertaken by Lagos State Government in collaboration with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
The Governor believed the mass vaccination campaign would help bolster the State’s response to the emerging threat posed by the pandemic.
Sanwo-Olu said the joint committee set up by the Lagos State Government and NPHCDA to oversee the implementation of the campaign would be opening vaccination sites in high traffic locations as part of the strategies to expand vaccine access in underserved communities. Mobile vans, the Governor added, would be deployed to move round boundary settlements in order to reach individuals in areas with limited access to health facilities.
He said: “There is potential for the fourth wave of COVID-19, as our borders would be opened to all people coming into Lagos in December. To prevent the catastrophic events we witnessed in the previous waves, the State has developed a robust vaccination drive, leveraging on both the strengths we have in the public and private sectors of our healthcare system. In development of our strategy and counter-measures, we prioritise the protection of human lives and keeping our economy open for business.
“To mitigate against this potential damage that will further spread existing variants of COVID-19 in the State, and accelerate efforts towards herd immunity, the need for a different strategy became a front burner issue. This is what has culminated in the campaign, tagged ‘Count Me In! 4 million Lagosians Vaccinated Against COVID-19’ to target the full vaccination of 4 million Lagos residents before the end of December 2021. Once achieved, this will bring the State closer to reaching our promise to vaccinate 30 percent of our population within one year.”
Since March when Lagos started its vaccination programme, Sanwo-Olu said the State had successfully vaccinated 800,000 residents with the first dose of Moderna vaccine and 310,000 persons fully vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.
This, he said, sums total number of residents vaccinated with the first dose of either AstraZeneca or Moderna to 1.2 million, while raising the number of fully vaccinated individuals to 550,000, which accounts for about four per cent of the State’s population.
Sanwo-Olu re-emphasised that the vaccines being administered are safe and remain free of charge in public health facilities. The Governor, however, said an administrative charge of N6,000 would be paid by individuals who wish to get the vaccines at approved private facilities.
The Governor charged all stakeholders, including the local council chairmen, to mobilise for participation in the programme and ensure the success of the campaign.
He said: “We have set up COVID-19 vaccination in all our 205 public primary health centres, 14 of the State’s second and tertiary hospitals, and we are hoping that this partnership can be implemented in over 400 private health centres across seven underserved Local Government Areas in the State.
“Let me re-emphasise that we are not compelling anyone to get vaccinated. But, we want everyone to take it as personal responsibility, which is highly important. What we seek to achieve by this campaign is to ensure there is access to the vaccines and availability. Then, give people an opportunity to get vaccinated at centres close to them. This will give nobody a reason not to get the vaccines.”
Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, described the vaccination campaign as “ambitious”, saying the State Government had put in place two-pronged approach to prevent the fourth wave of the pandemic.
“The first step is to control the in-bound flight passengers and maintain adherence to all preventive measures that have been put in place, while the second step is to closely monitor the isolation of those coming from the red zone area,” Abayomi said.
NPHCDA Executive Director, Dr. Shuaib Faisal, disclosed that only 2,950,232 Nigerians had been fully vaccinated, which is a far cry from reaching the target number for herd immunity.
He said: “We have enough vaccines in storage to give many people the opportunity to get vaccinated. We now have the jabs, but we now need the arms.”
The campaign kicked off with symbolic vaccination of Mr. Okeke Onyeama, a private security guard, who was inoculated in presence of the Governor and NPHCDA boss.
The Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Sijibomi Ogundele, is under intense interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged diversion of ₦5.7 billion paid by the Enugu State Government for an ₦11 billion contract.
Ogundele, who had earlier been declared wanted, turned himself in to EFCC Abuja headquarters and was grilled for more than 10 hours on Tuesday. His personal and company accounts have been frozen, and his passport seized to restrict his movement.
According to investigators, Ogundele convinced the state to release 50% of the contract sum—₦5.7 billion—after promising speedy delivery. However, state officials allege that work done so far is worth no more than ₦750 million, accusing him of abandoning the project.
The Enugu State Government’s petition triggered EFCC’s probe, which may see Ogundele spend more time in custody as investigations continue.
In a tearful online video, Ogundele denied any wrongdoing, framing the matter as a contractual dispute: “I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive. This is between my company and the Enugu State Government. It’s not criminality.”
…Unveils Selection Panel
The Nigeria Digital PR Summit has officially opened nominations for the second Nigeria Digital PR Awards, a prestigious platform that recognizes excellence, innovation, and impact in digital public relations across Nigeria.
Honourees will take the spotlight at the Nigeria Digital PR Awards Gala; a premium evening celebrating the individuals, organizations, and campaigns that defined digital PR in the past year, marking the 10th Nigeria Digital PR Summit. Adding flair to the night is the Digital PR Fashion Runway; a bold fusion of fashion, technology, and communications that promises an unforgettable experience.
This year, 19 award categories will honour campaigns across four classes including Campaign Excellence Awards, Sector Excellence Awards, Innovation and Technology Awards, and Individual & Professional Excellence Awards.
The Summit also unveiled a three-member Selection Panel responsible for reviewing entries and shortlisting winners.
The panel is chaired by the Founder and CEO, Fernhill Digital Consulting, Datari Ladejo, and includes the former Senior Business Program Manager, MarComms, Africa Development Center (ADC – West), Microsoft, Oluwamuyemi Orimolade; and Founder/Lead Partner, PuzzleCraft PR and Communications, Beatrice Okpara.
Nominations are open to agencies, corporate communication teams, NGOs, startups, and individual practitioners whose work has delivered measurable results and demonstrated creativity in leveraging digital platforms.
Nominations run from September 1 – 8, 2025. Shortlisted nominees will be announced during the Awards Gala on October 16, 2025, at the Conference Centre, Naval Dockyard, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island. For entry guidelines and submission details, visit: https://forms.gle/cM2oFQTnSSqL51EC9.
Founder, Nigeria Digital PR Summit, Segun McMedal, said, “We are excited to launch this year’s call for nominations and to welcome such distinguished professionals to the Selection Panel. This panel reflects the breadth of expertise driving digital communication in Nigeria, and its stewardship will ensure a fair and transparent evaluation process.”
The seven categories in the Campaign Excellence Awards include Best Overall Digital PR Campaign, Best Brand Advocacy Campaign, Best Crisis Communication in Private Organisations, Best Crisis Communication in Government, Best Public Affairs Campaign, Youth Impact Award for Social Change, Outstanding Influencer Collaboration, and Best Use of Content Marketing.
Categories in the Sector Excellence Awards include Excellence in Public Service Digital Campaign, Digital PR Excellence in Telecom Services, Digital PR Excellence in Financial Services, and Sustainability and ESG Communication Excellence.
The Innovation and Technology Awards category include Innovative Use of Technology in PR, Best Digital Engagement with Citizens, Outstanding Digital Customer Experience, and Creative Use of Short-Form Video in PR. The Individual and Professional Excellence Awards include Emerging Digital PR Professional of the Year and Digital PR Professional of the Year.
A District Court in Finland has handed down a six-year prison sentence to Simon Ekpa, a self-declared leader of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile, following his conviction on terrorism-related charges.
Ekpa was arrested on November 21, 2024, by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), triggering a broad inquiry into his alleged activities, including incitement of violence via social media and involvement in unrest across Nigeria’s southeastern region.
According to the court ruling, Ekpa was found guilty of public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and for supporting a terrorist organization. His conduct, which spanned from August 2021 to November 2024, included the provision of weapons, explosives, and ammunition to armed groups, along with using his social media platforms to mobilize violence.
Adding to his conviction, Ekpa was found guilty of aggravated tax fraud and violations of attorneys’ regulations, further compounding the severity of the charges.
This verdict marks a significant move by Finnish and international authorities to counter separatist agitation linked to the Biafra independence movement, underscoring the criminality of inciting violence across borders.
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