Buni Commits to 38 New PHCs as Yobe Pushes Toward Universal Health Coverage

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu

Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni has announced plans to construct and fully equip 38 new Primary Healthcare centers (PHCs) across the state, a move aimed at strengthening grassroots healthcare delivery and fast-tracking the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The governor said the new facilities, scheduled for completion by December 2026, will serve the remaining 38 communities yet to benefit from standard primary healthcare services, bringing the total number of PHCs in the state to 178—one for each political ward.

Buni made the pledge on Sunday during the closing ceremony of the 2026 Machina Cultural Festival (MACRF) held in Machina, a border community between Nigeria and the Niger Republic.

According to him, the expansion of PHCs aligns with both federal and state priorities to strengthen primary healthcare as the backbone of an effective health system and to meet the UHC target by 2030.

“With the addition of these 38 centers, every ward in Yobe State will have a functional primary healthcare facility,” the governor said.

The governor explained, “This is a deliberate strategy to bring quality and affordable healthcare services closer to our people, especially those in hard-to-reach and border communities.”

Buni attributed the progress recorded so far in the health sector to the dedication of health workers serving in the state, particularly those deployed to insurgency-affected areas.

He revealed that Yobe State recently received a performance-based reward of $1.2 million (about N1.8 billion) for meeting key UHC benchmarks, noting that the funds are being channeled into the construction and equipping of the additional 38 PHCs.

Beyond infrastructure, the governor emphasised a people-centered healthcare approach, characterising it as “an efficient system that directly delivers essential health services to citizens.”

He added that the existing 140 PHCs have been strengthened with over 3,000 medical personnel, including doctors, nurses, and other critical health workers, to improve service delivery across the state.

In a related development, Buni also announced the expansion of the Yobe State Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (YOAES), with plans to support an additional 50 farmers in each of the state’s 178 wards as part of efforts to boost food security and livelihoods.

Following the Machina Cultural Festival, the governor inaugurated a philanthropic housing estate in Nguru and inspected ongoing health, agricultural, and market projects in Machina.

The cultural festival attracted high-profile dignitaries, including former Senate President Ahmad Lawan, as well as traditional rulers from different parts of Nigeria and the neighbouring Niger Republic.

Earlier in the day, Governor Buni had commissioned the housing estate in Nguru and toured several development projects aimed at improving social services and economic activities in the zone.

Yobe Reclaims Peace as 14 LGAs Secure From Insurgency — SSG

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu 

Yobe State Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Baba Malam Wali, says normalcy has returned to most parts of the state, as 14 Local Government Areas (LGAs) are now secure from Boko Haram attacks and other criminal activities that once disrupted life and economic activities.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday in Damaturu, Wali said sustained operations by the military and other security agencies, coupled with state government interventions, have strengthened security within the last six years.

He recalled that some communities, especially in Gujba and Gulani LGAs, were once too dangerous to access due to their proximity to the Sambisa forest and the Damaturu–Biu axis. According to him, these areas were “previously inaccessible for any meaningful socio-economic activity.”

Wali explained that with support from the Federal Government and coordinated operations by troops and security operatives, peace has been restored in places such as Buni-Yadi, Gujba, Goniri and Katarko, enabling displaced residents to return to their communities.

Beyond military operations, the SSG highlighted several investments made by the Yobe State Government to stabilise the region. These include the distribution of 250 patrols and specialised vehicles to boost security responses, especially in border communities and forest fringes.

He added that the government donated transformers to military barracks, provided 500 motorcycles for field operations, and installed long-range surveillance cameras at strategic locations to monitor suspicious movements.

Wali also disclosed that the state allocated large parcels of land to various security agencies for the establishment of operational bases, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Army, Correctional Service, and the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to him, ongoing interventions include providing housing support for personnel, communication equipment, and monthly logistics assistance in cash and kind to the military, police, and DSS. The state also rehabilitated more than 300 operational vehicles and engaged more than 2,000 vigilantes, hunters, and hybrid forces to reinforce community security.

Highlighting the impact of these efforts, the SSG noted that residents now travel safely to distant LGAs such as Machina and Yusufari even at night, something he described as impossible at the peak of insurgency.

Wali’s briefing to over 50 journalists signifies an important turning point in Yobe’s journey towards sustained peace. He encouraged citizens to resume legitimate business activities without fear, expressing optimism that the state is on a firm path to stability after years of insecurity.

Yobe Boosts Healthcare:  Government employs 2,500 workers, upgrades five hospitals to specialist status

Njadvara Musa, Damaturu 

The Yobe State Government has taken a major step toward strengthening its healthcare delivery system by employing 2,500 health workers and upgrading five General Hospitals to Specialist Healthcare Facilities (SHFT) across the state.

The Executive Secretary of the Yobe Hospitals Management Board (YOHMB), Dr Abubakar Yerima, announced this during an inspection tour and media briefing at the newly upgraded Specialist Hospital, Buni-Yadi, located in Gujba Local Government Area.

He stated that the other upgraded facilities are located in the state capital, Gashua, Potiskum, Geidam, and Damaturu.

“Upgrading these general hospitals to specialist level is expected to significantly improve access to specialised care, reduce unnecessary medical referrals outside the state, save lives and minimise long travel hours,” Yerima explained.

He noted that the initiative is part of a broader strategy that prioritises modern infrastructure, specialised labour, and improved staff welfare—with the goal of reducing medical tourism and preventing avoidable deaths.

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Dr Yerima disclosed that the government has constructed a new maternity complex, complete with a special care baby unit, to address high maternal and neonatal mortality. Additionally, a new Accident & Emergency (A&E) complex has been added to handle trauma cases, terrorism-related injuries, and road traffic accidents.

He added that the specialist hospitals are equipped with advanced twin-theatre and surgical complexes, with only one other facility in the state having a similar setup.

“We are focusing on high-volume centres that can serve as medical hubs for referrals from neighbouring communities, especially the more than 150 primary healthcare centres (PHCs) in the state,” he said.

Training and Manpower Development

The ES further revealed that about 70 healthcare workers are currently undergoing residency training to become specialist doctors. Others are being trained in dialysis, ICU care, perioperative services, and emergency nursing to deepen the state’s professional capacity.

Dr Yerima urged residents to patronise the specialist hospitals rather than relying on unregulated patent medicine stores within communities, assuring them that the upgraded facilities can now provide quality, specialised treatment closer to home.