MDIF CEO Raises Concern Over Mental Strain on Aid Workers

By Auwal Ahmad

The Chief Executive Officer of the Migration and Development Impact Foundation (MDIF), Margaret Ngozi Ukegbu, has expressed concern over the growing emotional and psychological pressure faced by humanitarian and non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers in Nigeria and called for stronger support systems to protect their mental well-being.

Ukegbu spoke during a training program organised for NGOs and civil society workers from Gombe, Bauchi, and Plateau States., in Jos on Wednesday, where participants received training in mental health awareness, financial resilience, employability, emotional intelligence, and workplace balance.

She said many aid workers spend years supporting vulnerable communities while neglecting their own emotional, psychological, and financial health.

“We are not asking people to leave their jobs or do anything dishonest. We aim to empower people to grow personally while remaining committed to their work,” she said.

According to her, humanitarian workers handling issues such as migration, child protection, climate change, mental health, and humanitarian crises often operate under intense pressure without adequate psychosocial support.

“These workers carry other people’s pain every day, yet many of them have no psychosocial support system. Some become overwhelmed to the point that it affects their family life, finances, and emotional stability,” she said.

Ukegbu explained that the training was designed to provide practical knowledge that would help participants improve their financial discipline, emotional wellbeing, and overall productivity.

She noted that MDIF, a Lagos-based organisation operating in the South-West and South-East, plans to expand its interventions to the North-Central and North-East regions.

The MDIF’s chief said her experience at the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons partly inspired the initiative.

According to her, officers involved in humanitarian operations were often left without emotional support despite regularly dealing with traumatic situations.

“We used to receive returning migrants from Libya, hear terrible stories, and see their condition, but there was nobody to support the officers emotionally. You had to bottle everything inside,” she recalled.

Ukegbu also said the organisation provides security awareness training for humanitarian workers; she noted that many unknowingly expose themselves to danger while carrying out humanitarian assignments.

On national unity, she urged Nigerians to avoid ethnic and regional divisions and support inclusive development across the country.

“Nigeria is one. If we truly love this country, then we must support one another regardless of region. We cannot isolate people because of insecurity narratives,” she said.

She added that MDIF hopes to extend its programs to states like Borno, Kebbi, and Katsina when resources become available.

Participants at the training described the programme as timely and impactful.

One of the participants, Ibrahim Yusuf, said the sessions improved his understanding of business opportunities, mental health, financial resilience, and employability.

“We always deal with vulnerable communities and forget to take care of our own mental health. This training helped us understand the importance of improving ourselves while strengthening service delivery,” he said.

Another participant, Jibirin Bappa, described the program as one of the most beneficial training sessions he had attended.

“It taught us that as carers and community leaders, we must first take care of ourselves before helping others,” he said.

Yobe Hospital Breaks Medical Glass Ceiling: First-Ever Jaw Reconstruction Surgery in Yobe

By Njadvara Musa, Damaturu

In a groundbreaking moment for regional healthcare, surgeons at the Yobe State Specialist Hospital (YSSH) have successfully performed a highly complex segmental mandibulectomy, marking the first time such an advanced oral and maxillofacial procedure has been completed at any state-owned medical facility across Nigeria’s entire Northeast region.

The surgical team, led by Dr Muhammad Ayuba Fusami, a Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, with critical support from Dr Peter Umejiego, operated on a 40-year-old woman suffering from mandibular ameloblastoma—a benign but aggressive tumour attacking the lower jawbone.

“This surgery aims to remove a diseased section of the mandible,” explained Professor Usman Abba Geidam, the hospital’s chief medical director, during the announcement in Damaturu. The procedure went beyond simple extraction: surgeons reconstructed the patient’s jaw using advanced reconstruction plates combined with an iliac crest bone graft—harvesting bone from her hip to rebuild what disease had destroyed.

The medical milestone signals more than surgical precision. According to Professor Geidam, it represents a turning point in Yobe State’s healthcare trajectory. “This successful procedure reflects our sustained journey toward specialised and tertiary healthcare services,” he stated, emphasising that the achievement stems from deliberate government investment under Governor Mai Mala Buni’s administration.

The strategic push has focused on three pillars: modernising hospital infrastructure, expanding specialised medical capabilities, and—crucially—retaining top-tier medical talent within the state rather than losing them to better-funded institutions elsewhere.

For patients, the implications are life-changing. Previously, Northeast residents requiring such sophisticated interventions faced the gruelling prospect of interstate referrals—costly journeys that delayed treatment and strained families. “The government’s commitment continues to reduce dependence on referrals outside the state,” Geidam noted, “improving access to advanced medical care for our people.”

The patient is currently recovering and responding positively to post-operative treatment, hospital officials confirmed.

As YSSH looks ahead, Professor Geidam pledged continued professionalism and sustained efforts to cement the hospital’s reputation as a specialised healthcare hub—not merely serving Yobe State, but potentially drawing patients from across a region long underserved by advanced medical infrastructure.

Kebbi Youth Group to Malami: Rescue Yourself First.

By Tukur Abdullahi, Kebbi

The Kebbi Progressive Youths (KEPYO) have dismissed the recent declaration by Abubakar Malami that he is embarking on a “rescue mission” to save Kebbi State, describing the claim as ironic and detached from political reality.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the group’s spokesperson, Comrade Hamisu Sani, KEPYO said it was both “interesting and astonishing” that a man facing multiple public allegations and lingering legal scrutiny relating to his time in office would speak of rescuing a state the group insists is “already in safe and competent hands”.

The youth group was reacting to Malami’s submission of his governorship nomination and expression of interest forms under the banner of the African Democratic Congress, where a spokesman to the former minister reportedly described Malami’s ambition as a mission to rescue Kebbi from insecurity, poor healthcare, educational decline and economic stagnation.

Sani, however, rejected what it called an exaggerated portrait of the state, arguing that Kebbi people are capable of distinguishing between political messaging and realities on the ground.

“It is curious that someone burdened by mountainous allegations of financial misconduct and public accountability questions would attempt to market himself as the saviour of people who are not asking to be rescued,” the statement said.

The group further advised Malami to focus on addressing his personal and legal challenges instead of adding, in its words, “the rigours of a governorship race he is unlikely to win” to his list of problems.

“Rather than attempting to rescue Kebbi, Malami should first rescue himself,” KEPYO stated, insisting that the people of the state are fine and do not presently require political salvation.

The organisation maintained that Kebbi remains on a path of stability and progress, warning against what it described as politically convenient narratives aimed at manufacturing a crisis where none exists.