Nigeria Content Online

The Adamawa State
government, at the weekend, dispatched a team of medical personnel and
material to communities struck by cholera outbreak in the state, the
Commissioner for Health, Zainab Kwomchi has said.

Although the
commissioner could not give a tally of the number of deaths, reports
put the number of cholera-related deaths in the state at over 20.
“While the numbers of deaths so far were not readily quantified,
nevertheless the state government responded by sending life saving
teams to Madagali and Ganye to help the situation,” said Mrs Kwomchi.
The places severely hit by the outbreak were Sukur village in Madagali
Local Government Area, and in Ganye Local Government Council. The
cholera outbreak, which has become an annual occurrence towards the end
of the rainy season, is widely believed to be caused by fertilizers
washed from farms into wells and streams where most rural communities
get their source of drinking water. The disease, characterized with
symptoms of diarrhoea, vomiting, chest pain, headache and fever, has
resulted in the death of 10 people in Ganye, while six have also been
confirmed dead at Sukur.

There are at
present over 120 people in various hospitals around the epidemic
stricken areas receiving medical care. The Director of Primary Health
Care in Ganye, Yakubu Nekenjumi, blamed the yearly attack on poor
hygiene by the villagers. Mr Yakubu recounted that a similar event had
claimed the lives of 16 people the previous year, stating that the
outbreak occurred about the same period. “Ten deaths have been recorded
while 69 are being hospitalized for visible symptoms of diarrhoea,
vomiting and fever in the villages,” he said. “The 10 deaths recorded
was as a result of the severity of their condition, as they had lost so
much body fluid.”

Inadequate healthcare

Mathias Kurmi, a
senior medical officer at the Ganye General Hospital, said the
attention given to the patients was only tentative because of
insufficient drugs to combat the disease. He blamed lack of basic
health care services at the grassroots for the high mortality. However,
Chairman of Ganye Local Council, Mathias Barde, applauded the efforts
of the medical team. “Even though the epidemic took us unawares, yet
our health officers never derailed from their professional
responsibility, but ensured that the victims had tentative attention
while drugs were being awaited,” he said. He appealed to the federal
government to give the council similar attention it gives to other
disaster prune areas since it has become a yearly attack on the
villagers. An awareness and enlightenment team has been sent round the
council to teach the people on basic hygiene and self-help techniques
to curtail the situation.

Researchers have
released two species of weevils to eat up the water hyacinth in River
Mono, Republic of Benin. The weevils – Neochetina and N. Bruchi – are
special species of weevils that feed on water hyacinths only.

Obinna Ajouno, a
scientist with the International Institute of Tropical (IITA) who is
also a member of the research team, said the two biological agents have
proved to be effective control agents of the water weeds.

Water hyacinth
(Eichhornia crassipes) often grows as floating plants or mats, as
islands of plants floating freely on the water, or mixed with other
vegetation on river banks.

It is expected that
the project, if adopted in Nigeria, will tackle the devastation caused
by the water weed and free waterways for fishing and transport. It will
also drastically reduce the cost of removing water hyacinths from
Nigerian waterways, which is estimated to cost the country up to N1
billion annually.

The released
weevils were mass produced by the Department of Agriculture in
Porto-Novo, using start-up colony supplied by IITA, which also provided
technical assistance.

“Previous efforts
by IITA and partners using bio-control agents against water hyacinth,
yielded success on the Oueme River eight years ago,” Mr Ajouno said.
“However, the use of the weevils is the first of its kind. We are
confident this approach will produce results.”

The project is part
of the ongoing African Development Bank (AfDB), funded ECOWAS
integrated project for the control of aquatic weeds involving physical
removal, utilisation and biological control methods.

Participants in the
project, which was initiated on July 30, 2010, included the Department
of Agriculture, the National Coordination Unit of the Benin ECOWAS
Water Weeds Project, the local communities and IITA.

Godwin Atser, the
West African public communications officer of IITA said the success of
the project will rub off on other ECOWAS water ways including Nigeria.

“In nutrient-rich
waters such as in polluted ponds or lakes, it can grow so quickly that
the surface covered by the mats doubles every four to seven days,” Mr
Ajouno said.

Destructive weeds

The aquatic weed
poses serious socioeconomic and environmental problems to millions of
people in riparian communities and limits development. For instance,
the Nigerian government budgeted N400 million in the 2009 budget to
clear the water hyacinth in Port Harcourt waterways only.

The weed obstructs
electricity generation, irrigation, navigation, and fishing; increases
water loss resulting from evapo-transpiration; and facilitates
proliferation of such diseases as bilharzia.

In Sudan alone, a
partial evaluation of socioeconomic costs of water hyacinth estimates
that annual water loss from evapo-transpiration over 300 km2 of canal
would be enough to irrigate more than 400 ha. Effects on navigation in
the Nile include 50 per cent higher running and maintenance costs and
30 per cent more use of fuel.

The cost of chemical control alone, over 15 years, would have been
in excess of $19 million, according to the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC). Until 2000, the Mono River which borders Togo
was free of water hyacinth. Researchers are of the view that the weed
might have been infested through human activities. But Mr Ajouno says
the impact of these biological agents-(weevils) – in the Mono River
system in the years ahead will be monitored by regular field visits
involving the collaborating institutions.

The vice president, Namadi Sambo will tomorrow attend the 50th independence anniversary celebrations of Burundi.

A total of 17
countries, including Nigeria, gained its independence in 1960 making
2010 a year full of independence celebrations on the African continent.

Goodluck Jonathan
as a mark of solidarity has however, attended some of these
celebrations to keep an open link with the brothers and sisters of the
black race.

Mr. Jonathan
attended the Cameroun 50th anniversary celebration, as well as the
celebrations in the Republic of Benin. He also graced the 50th
anniversary celebration in Gabon just last week.

However, in what seems like a shared responsibility, the vice
president has also graced the celebrations of Cote d’Ivoire and Congo,
representing the president. The celebrations may be an opportunity for
many of the 17 countries to strengthen ties amongst itself.

The Federal Airport
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on Sunday allayed fears over possible shut
down of Port Harcourt International Airport due to issues of power
disruption.

This is coming
after last week’s report of threats by the Power Holding Company of
Nigeria (PHCN), Port Harcourt Distribution Zone, to disconnect the
airport’s power supply by Tuesday due to the management’s inability to
pay its electricity bill amounting to N7.4 million since June 2008 till
May 2010.

Richard
Aiseubeogun, managing director of the authority, said his management
has put in place measures to resolve the differences between the
authority and the power holding company, adding that this may involve
the reconciliation of accounts between the two organisations at the
regional level.

The authority’s
boss expressed concern over the huge amount, insisting that it is high
time that airlines, concessionaires and other users of the authority’s
facilities pay up the debts they owe FAAN.

“It is lamentable
that the authority pays an average of N60 million monthly on
electricity bill just for the Lagos airport alone. The authority also
consumes an average of N16 million monthly on diesel for the generators
at the Lagos airport and about N30 million monthly at the Abuja
airport,” he said in a statement.

“What it pays to
sustain constant power supply at the other 19 airports could better be
imagined. So, FAAN demands the money owed is now to maintain excellent
service delivery and meet its overhead costs.”

Reducing debt Akin
Olukunle, General Manager, public relations, for FAAN, said that as
part of measures to curb the growing debt profile, a new credit policy
and procedures manual was unveiled recently and is applicable to all
customers of the authority nationwide.

The authority,
however, assured that it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of
Aviation to ensure that all ongoing projects designed to transform the
Port Harcourt International airport is completed before the end of the
year, especially the perimeter fence and the roads.

“Only recently, two fire trucks were sent to the airport, a
development which enhanced the capacity of fire cover at the airport,”
said Mr Olukunle.

The head of Benin’s
parliament has rejected a request by lawmakers to impeach President
Boni Yayi, saying they failed to follow procedures.

Mathurin Coffi
Nago, president of the national assembly, said on Friday that the
lawmakers had not followed the correct procedures, so their request had
been rejected. It was not clear if they would re-launch their request.

Lawmakers had been
trying to impeach Yayi over his alleged involvement in a scheme, which
swindled thousands of Beninois of their savings and has already led to
the sacking of a minister and large-scale street protests.

Yayi’s spokesman had previously denied the president’s involvement in the case.

So far, lawmakers,
who have about 50 signatures from the 83-seat parliament, have fallen
short of a two-thirds majority needed to summon the president for trial
for treason and perjury.

The members of
parliament accuse Yayi of hosting officials from ICC Services. The firm
is accused of stealing some 100 billion CFA francs in deposits after
promising returns of 20-50 percent.

Search for money

Last month, more than 100,00 people took to the streets demanding that the government help them get their money back.

ICC Services
officials have been put under house arrest and Mr Yayi sacked his
interior minister in July, accusing him of being directly involved in
the scam.

IHS Global Insight
senior Africa analyst, Kissy Agyemen-Togobo, said Benin, a stable
sliver of land between Nigeria and Togo, risked political turbulence
over the scandal. He warned that the current spat was on a much larger
scale than standoffs over wages seen recently in Benin.

“With elections
looming in 2011, domestic pressure on Boni (Yayi) is expected to rise
to unprecedented levels,” Agyemen-Togobo added.

Yayi was elected in 2006 and has taken steps to liberalise the
economy. He has also been popular with members of the international
community.

Domestic air
travellers in the country on Sunday expressed varied concerns following
the mishap involving Aero contractors aircraft which crash landed in
Jos airport last Saturday.

The incident which
saw the Boeing 737-500 aircraft having its two nose tyres punctured on
landing on the runway of the airport due to hazardous weather, has
instilled fear in some passengers, while most travellers see the
development as normal.

“That occurrence is
regular when it comes to flying it will not stop me from flying. But it
is quite impressive to know that we have experienced pilots that can
land aircraft with flat tyres,” said Ebube Geoffrey, a passenger at the
Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 (MMA2).

Mr. Geoffrey,
however, called on the relevant authorities to fix the aircraft should
there be equipment failure resulting from the incident.

“The airline in
question has not had any crash, if I’m correct, so I don’t think this
should be big deal; but that does not mean they should use a faulty
plane to carry loyal customers like us,” he said.

Another traveller,
who gave her name as Sandra, said it is frightening to hear of
incidents involving aircraft, adding that though there was no casualty
in the recent happening, airline operators should endeavour to use
standard parts on their aeroplanes.

“Though I
air-travel often, flying to Abuja this evening seems a bit scary to me,
after hearing about the effect of bad weather in Jos yesterday,” she
said. “I hope airlines use new equipment on these aircraft, and the
regulatory agencies mandate them to do so for safety reasons.”

Unshaken Aero

The airline, in a
statement after the incident, promised that the aircraft will commence
flight after thorough checks by its engineers.

“All the passengers
on board were safely disembarked from the aircraft. Aero has promptly
dispatched engineers to the airport to fix the tyres while it awaits
officials of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA to inspect the
aircraft before returning it to flight,” it said, adding “the Boeing
737-500 aircraft recently returned from a C-Check abroad.” Meanwhile,
the Jos airport has been shut down to flight operations, as no airline
went to the Plateau State capital yesterday.

A source at Aero
Contractors, who pleaded anonymity disclosed that the aircraft is yet
to be cleared from the runway due to the ongoing investigation into the
incident.

“We did not and will not fly to Jos today (Sunday) for the airstrip is currently closed,” the sources said.

Akin Olukunle,
general manager, public affairs for the Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed that the airport is currently closed to flight
operations, and to be reopened after the investigation is concluded.

“The shut down was due to the incident of Saturday. Normal
operations will start when complete research is carried out,” he said.

Yetunde Adekoje’s mother last
Thursday called her with a warning that she should return home when the
election starts. The woman told her daughter, a member of the National
Youth Service Corps serving in Borno State, that she just heard on the
radio that INEC would rely on the corps for the conduct of the election.

Mrs Adekoje, a divorcee selling
kerosene at Sango market, Ibadan, said no parent who witnessed what
happened during the 2007 elections in Ibadan would allow their child to
be exposed to such.

“How much money would they give
them that will be equal to their lives? Since her father abandoned me,
I sponsored her through schools with my little proceeds from the
kerosene business,” she said in Yoruba. “I know how I slept on empty
stomach to make sure I paid her school fees. So, they should please
help me, let me eat the fruits of my labour.” Attahiru Jega, the
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), last
week met with the Director-General of the NYSC, Maharazu Tsiga during
which he announced a partnership with NYSC in conduct of compiling a
new voters register and conduct of next year’s election.

He said Nigerians desired free,
fair and credible elections. “But you know that for us to succeed, we
need credible partners and there is no doubt that the NYSC has been a
credible partner to INEC,” he said. “I, therefore, use this opportunity
to inform you of our desire to recruit all our ad-hoc staff for the
purpose of the voters’ registration exercise as well as the 2011
elections from the NYSC.” Mr Tsiga appealled to INEC to provide
security operatives for corps members engaged in electoral activities.
He also identified non-payment of corps members’ honorarium and
conveying corps members to their duty posts, as part of challenges over
the years.

Security of corps members

“Among all the experiences we have
had, the one that comes up most and is so important to us and parents,
is the security of corps members,” Mr Tsiga said. “It is our wish that
we will broaden frontiers of co-operation by exploring possibilities,
including training of corps members on election duties during our
orientation course.” Some groups also warned the Independent National
Electoral Commission not to base its plan on total reliance on members
of the National Youth Service Corps, alleging that some of them already
have political inclinations from their days in the universities.

Femi Oluokun, the coordinator of
Elect Force Mission, a religious group that has mobilized Nigerian
youths for humanitarian and Christian religious services since 2007,
said: “thinking that they are the last hope amounts to digging a
dangerous pit. Some of them can do anything for money.” He however said
the NYSC authority can also help to coordinate the corps members better
rather than handing them completely to the community where they could
be exposed to manipulation.

“We have heard of corpers being
killed in many parts of the country, especially when they are opened to
ethnic or religious differences of their environment, so it will take a
serious work by the police to guarantee their safety. Also, some of
them do not understand the languages of the people they are working
with. I am afraid, using them as ad-hoc staff will open them to
intimidation,” he said.

During last year’s Ekiti State
re-run election, one of our correspondents observed a female corps
member burst into tears when sporadic gunshots rent the air during the
voting process. Reports from other polling stations during the same
election had it that two male corps members were manhandled by
suspected thugs. Till date, the police has not brought anybody to
justice for the attack.

Politicised students

The Human Rights Watch Report of
the 2007 election, “Nigeria-Criminal Politics-Violence, “Godfathers”
and Corruption in Nigeria,’ also stated how politicians use students,
mostly members of student gangs, to perpetrates evil acts during
elections and campaigns.

The group says it interviewed more
than 20 current and former members of such gangs and ordinary criminal
gangs not associated with cult organizations that had been recruited by
politicians, either during the 2003 elections or in the run-up to the
2007 polls in Oyo, Anambra and Rivers States.

“Many spoke candidly about being
paid to target the political opponents of their sponsors or to attack
and intimidate ordinary voters,” the report states.

Buhari Abiodun, a lecturer at the
Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, said the impact of politics on
the campuses is even more tense than what happens outside the campuses.

“In the school here, we have
witnessed students raping colleagues in the name of taking vengeance
after losing an election,” he said.

“We have heard of students burning
the properties of political aspirants because of their opposition to
his style of campaign. So, how do I now blame parents that are saying
their children should not be part of the INEC job. Life is more sacred
than sacrificing it for an election that might end up not making any
meaning to them.” Recently, the leadership of the National Association
of Nigerian Students (NANS) said it would use its huge population to
return Goodluck Jonathan to power in 2011. Jude Imagwe, president of
the association, recently led the inauguration of campus clubs in
support of Jonathan’s candidacy for the election.

“We have already spotted our
candidate; efforts are on to convince him to step out in a grand style
and grab our collective mandate. We must choose a man that is a youth
in heart, by action and who is prepared to offer 26 per cent budget
allocation to the education sector,” he said.

What do you think you have to offer in politics?

I will bring
honesty and good character to politics. People of good credibility
offer themselves to serve the people of Lagos State.

Lagos residents believe Fashola has performed well in Lagos, what chances do you have against him in the 2011 elections?

This question is
subjective; it depends on the benchmark of performance. If we all agree
that Lagos is the city of excellence, we will have to push the
benchmark up. If the benchmark is not pushed up we will have to come to
conclusion that you have just performed below average, compared to past
governors like Tinubu. The benchmark is to compare Lagos to beautiful
cities like Singapore, Dubai, which with the same resources perform
better. Look at the infrastructures; dilapidated, education system has
falling most of the classrooms has collapsed, state government lacks
formal economic policy.

Having been outside
the country for a long time. Do you think you are in touch with the
masses in the state? Do you know their needs?

The fact that I am
based abroad does not mean I do not come in contact with the people. I
come home regularly, my experience with people that reside in Nigeria
is not better off. I have been to Ejigbo, Oshodi and so any other
places. Most of these people reside in GRA, and do not bother about
people that live in these areas.

What do you want to change in the state if you are elected?

You have given me
the opportunity to access the 12 years continuous governance of AC
government. The government has been entrusted with people’s mandate has
shown with it. If we take a look at the quality of Infrastructure of
schools is it better? If am given the opportunity to get the PDP ticket
to run for the governorship election, I will change the trend of Ac
government that is bringing us down and liberate of Lagos from slavery.
I will bring honesty to government and bring Lagos State to shape. But
mind you we need to access the 12 years of the AC government.

You attempted in
2007 to pick the party’s ticket but was unsuccessful, what chances do
you think you stand now to emerge as PDP’s candidate?

I think PDP Lagos
as human beings should have learnt from the mistakes we made during the
last election, and be ready to correct it. Those mistakes were obvious;
we are also working towards solving the problems and create an
atmosphere so that we can have the opportunity to govern the state.

What should Lagosians except from you if you are elected?

They should be
excepting a listening governor, a man with track record, a man who is
celebrated abroad as one of great minds of our time. They should be
proud to have me as their brother, as a governor and expect a better
Lagos State.

Parents
and drivers who flout child safety while driving will soon be arrested
by officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

The sector
commander of the Lagos State Command of the Corps, Jonas Agwu during a
visit to NEXT on Wednesday said that though the command has launched
several awareness programmes to teach many Lagos motorists on the
proper safety procedures that apply when there is a child in a vehicle,
it has observed that a large percentage of parents and motorists still
carry children in the front seat, on their laps while driving and
without recommended car carriers.

Mr. Jonas announced that from Monday, August 23, such drivers and parents will be arrested.

“By next week
Monday we will arrest any motorist in Lagos that we see carrying a
child under the age of 12 in the front seat, on the lap.” He said.

He stated that the
reason the Command has decided to move to enforcement was because of
the large number of drivers who flout Child safety rules.

“With the Child
Passenger Safety campaign, the law provides that every occupant of the
vehicle should be strapped with a seat belt and we discovered that the
safety priorities of Lagos residents are not there. What we see on the
road is terrible. A pathetic case was on Sunday, a man who was just
leaving church and had his little daughter between his legs and he was
driving as if that kid were a co-pilot driving the vehicle.” He said,

“That is worse that
when the mother in the passenger seat laps the child. And we noticed
that this has become a vogue in Lagos, motorist don’t care for the
safety of the baby. The issue of car seats and booster seats seem
foreign to most Lagos drivers.” He added that despite several awareness
campaigns the occurrence was still high.

“We have done a lot
of talking and talking, done road shows, we’ve been to churches and
mosques but now it is obvious that awareness does not really stick to
Lagosians until when you take action. Call it ‘Operation Buckle Up’
directed towards the safety of the child passenger. Any motorist we see
private, commercial, government carrying a baby under twelve, or the
father turns the baby into an air bag. We will impound that vehicle. We
will not allow these kids to be exposed to danger by their parents. And
after the arrest we will impound the vehicles too. When we remain tight
with that enforcement, as school resume, most parents will complain but
we will impound such vehicles. That’s the new stand we want to take
concerning the safety of child passengers in Lagos. Most parents get
very rude telling you “Is it your baby?” By Monday we are not talking
awareness, we are biting.” He said.

Last Sunday tragedy

The sector
commander said it was regrettable, the accident that took place last
week Sunday which claimed 16 lives at Berger. Rather than trading
blame, traffic, safety and road management agencies should work in
synergy to forestall such tragedy again in Lagos.

“Our heart bleeds
at what happened on Sunday because our job is to prevent such accidents
but it’s a not a one man thing, it is difficult if you are saying
something and the public is not listening. When it happened on Sunday
our men could not could not do their jobs because motorists were too
aggrieved. My men got their in good time but the reaction of other
aggrieved motorists affected the response time. Once there is a crash
our first concern is not who caused it, but that can we save one life,
can we clear this hazard so that no other one happens.” Said Mr. Agwu.

The Deputy Corps Commander Sector and head of operation, H.U. Omeje
urged motorists in the State to take the issue of road safety serious,
obey traffic codes and avoid over speeding.

China
has become the second largest economy in the world, but not without
help from Nigeria which ironically occupies the 44th position in world
economy rankings. Having spent a total of N208 billion in the first
quarter of the year to import commodities from China, Nigeria is
currently running a very imbalanced trade relation with China and other
countries, a situation which experts find disconcerting.

“Such an imbalance
implies that Nigeria is not doing enough in the agro-industry and other
productive fields to develop a balanced trade with China. It is
dangerous to continue to exchange our natural resources for industrial
consumer goods, some of inferior quality,” Raufu Mustapha, an expert on
Nigerian foreign policy and a lecturer at the University of Oxford,
said.

China occupies the
number two position, US being the first, on Nigeria’s imports list.
Between January and March 2010, Nigeria imported about 2000 commodities
from China. In the same period, our country exported about 70 products
to China, earning N42 billion, more than half of which came from the
sale of petroleum products.

Other experts blame this trade imbalance on policy makers.

“Some of the
failure to ensure more mutually beneficial trade relations must be
attributed to the failure of Nigerian policy makers to build upon more
localised Nigerian-Chinese business networks, which in turn could
encourage growth in domestic industry and export production,” said
Sharath Srinivasan, who teaches African Politics at the University of
Cambridge.

Nigerian
government officials take a different stance. Josephine Tapgun, the
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry absolves the government of
Nigeria of any blame on this; but rather blames the citizenry, whom she
says prefer to buy foreign goods than patronize Nigerian manufacturers.

“Most of our
products are of high quality, but Nigerians would rather buy
sub-standard goods. If the Chinese do not find the market in Nigeria,
they wont be bringing in their products,” she said.

Ms Tapgun insists
that the bilateral trade agreement between the two countries does not
permit Nigeria to restrict the number of goods brought into the country
from China.

“There are no
restrictions. How do you force restrictions when we have a global
market? The issue is that Nigerians should patronise our own products.
It is a matter of national interests,” Ms Tapgun said in Abuja over the
weekend.

Curbing imbalance

A cursory look at
Nigeria’s imports from China shows that the goods are mostly finished
products while the exports are largely raw materials. For example,
Nigeria exported cotton seeds worth about N160 million, but spent
almost three times that to import finished products, spending as much
as N153 million on sewing thread.

In three months,
Nigeria spent N131 million on toothbrushes; N38 million on buttons; N54
million on pencils and crayons; and N33 million on plastic combs.

The minister of
state for Commerce and Industry says that Nigerians may be patronising
the Chinese market more than the Nigerian market because Nigerian goods
are not properly packaged.

“There are a lot of problems with our packaging, so much so that our goods are not acceptable to foreigners,” Ms Tapgun.

Experts believe
that the first step to causing a shift in the trade imbalance is to
address the current trade policies affecting the production and
exportation of Nigerian products, while looking to taking advantage of
the existing trade relations between China and Nigeria, and ultimately
Africa.

Mr Mustapha said
that while the trade imbalance is worrisome, the Nigeria-China trade
relations could be used to Nigeria’s advantage or a more mutually
beneficial relationship.

“China gives us an
opportunity to develop our country the way the west has not offered.
The new opening with China should be used to leverage transformation in
some productive and infrastructure sectors of our economy. If this is
done systematically, it should gradually bring down the trade
imbalance. We should place emphasis on the terms of trade. For
instance, insist on value for money. If we give them oil, we should ask
for things like a fast train from Lagos to Kano in return,” Mr Mustapha
said.

Meanwhile, the
minister of state says that the federal government is currently working
to review trade tariffs on imported goods, as a means to encourage the
patronage of locally produced goods.

“The government is
trying to review the tariffs on all imported goods, all with the aim of
discouraging the importation of goods and also to encourage local
manufacturers,” Ms Tapgun said.

The commercial attache of the Chinese embassy in Nigeria declined to comment on this article.

Part of what Nigeria bought from China in past three months:

Toothbrushes – N131 million

Buttons – N38 million

Pencils and crayons – N54 million

Plastic combs – N33 million