The decision of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) to end their relationship with their American counterpart in protest at the recent consecration of Canon Gene Robinson, a confessed homosexual, as bishop of New Hampshire, is irrevocable as it has received the official stamp of the House of Bishops.

“For those of you who think it cannot happen to you, I want to let you know that the dragnet of the traffickers is so wide that only God knows who is safe.” - Titi Atiku Abubakar, Wife of Nigeria’s Vice-President. The statement indicates that the problem under focus is enormous, more so for those who live in highly corrupt societies. Whilst corruption is a common phenomenon in human practice, human trafficking as presently practiced is a recent addition to the dictionary of global woes. Read this article in the latest edition of West Africa Review.

The Second Republic Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, has blamed President Olusegun Obasanjo for the alarming level of corruption in the country. Musa, who spoke with reporters in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, said the president's refusal to listen to advice from party leaders and interest groups was responsible for the increased spate of corruption in the country.

Blocked drains, heaps of garbage in the streets, remnants of food and disused household items: these things have become a common sight in the Nigerian commercial capital of Lagos over the past few years, prompting some to label it the "dirtiest city in the world". The unsanitary conditions have reportedly led to cholera outbreaks, and in a suburb like Iwaya disease spreads quickly.

Nigeria has reacted furiously to reports that the US has posted a $2m bounty for the capture of Liberia's exiled former leader, Charles Taylor. A Nigerian spokesman said the US offer verged on state-sponsored terrorism and they would resist any attempts to seize Mr Taylor. He went into exile in Nigeria as part of a plan to end Liberia's civil war.

Bassey Inyang, a correspondent for the "Daily Independent" newspaper in Cross River state, has been ordered to leave the state by the Cross River State House of Assembly. Inyang was given seven days to leave, as of 30 October 2003. According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)-Nigeria, the House of Assembly claimed that an article published in the 24 October edition of the newspaper, entitled "Bribery Scandal Rocks River Assembly", was false.

The State Security Service (SSS), the Nigerian executive's security service, has banned three newspapers - "Nigerian Tribune", "The Monitor" and "New Age" - from covering events at Aso Rock, the seat of the Nigerian government. The SSS provided no reason for the decision but told affected reporters from the three papers that their names had been removed from the list of journalists who "deserved to continue reporting from the Villa."

On the 'Nigeria-AIDS' forum, members discuss current issues and information about HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. They also receive the monthly Nigeria AIDS Bulletin (started since December 1998), news and views on HIV/AIDS from Nigerians across the world, information about grants, resources, international job vacancies, upcoming conferences as well as research reports and other news relevant to Nigeria.

The government of Nigeria has rushed health workers to Daramba, a village on the border with Niger, following an outbreak of whooping cough - one of the six main killer diseases for children. Health officials blame the outbreak on the attitude of villagers who have shunned routine immunisation.

Efforts to implement a ruling on the border dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon have hit a snag, with the filing of a law suit by Cameroonian exiles who reject the decision. They have demanded that Nigeria maintain a military presence in the Bakassi Peninsula, one of the areas that should be ceded to Cameroon, and that the government recognise the existence of Ambazonia - an independent state that would include the peninsula.

A member of the far-right Freedom Party lashed out Monday at Vienna officials for letting a memorial to a Nigerian asylum seeker who died in police custody be displayed in the city centre. The 3-meter (10-foot) stone sculpture commemorating Marcus Omofuma – who died after police bound and gagged him as he was being deported in 1999 – was placed near the Vienna State Opera without the city's permission on Oct. 10 by activist-sculptor Ulrike Truger. Truger said she wanted to raise awareness of the plight of asylum seekers in Austria by placing her statue amid symbols of great wealth, including the opera and the renowned Sacher Hotel.

The Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged oil firms to open up their accounts to scrutiny as part of a new anti-corruption drive. "Whatever you receive, you must publish... I would appeal to extractive industries to participate," he said.

Jigawa state government and a U.S.-based group, Solar Electricity Light Fund (SELF), have earmarked N406.69 million to provide solar energy in 30 villages in the next four years. The solar energy project is designed to electrify community bore holes, health centres, primary schools and a mini-shopping centre in each village.

The Network for Ecofarming in Africa (NECOFA) has produced a short paper profiling the role of Nigerian women in sustainable food production and food security and advocating greater efforts from national food and agriculture programmes to take account of women's expertise in this area. The report identifies a number of areas where the National Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS), which promotes ecologically and socially sustainable farming methods, has been successful in increasing the participation of women.

Contrary to recent media reports of an all-out offensive against select media organisations, President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied barring any newspaper from covering activities at the Presidential villa, Abuja. The denial is sequel to reports that the Presidency had barred three national newspapers; The Tribune, The Monitor and New Age from the State House, following the refusal of the authorities to renew their accreditation, according to an article in the latest edition of the Nigerian Media Monitor.

The proficiency of Nigeria’s drug traffickers and fraudsters has earned the country an unhappy reputation – that of being a money-laundering haven. Since coming to power three years ago, the Obasanjo administration has made efforts to tackle this dismal situation, however. A new law, the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, was put on the books in May.

Amnesty International has called on the Lagos State government to stop any further evictions of residents from the Ijora-Badiya area on the outskirts of Lagos city. "The community's right to housing and to a fair hearing and due process must be respected," the organisation urged.

Unless and until Nigerians institute an abiding faith in their country, dumping short term ethnic interests for the larger, long-term goal of national engagement and development, the road to true nationhood would continue to be a mirage, argues the author of this seven part serial published in Nigeria's The Vanguard newspaper, which takes a very hard look at the Nigerian nation.

In Nigeria, the Internet may soon no longer be a phenomenon exclusive to urban communities. Using VSAT satellite communication systems, a government campaign plans to send buses from village to village, inviting people to use the Internet aboard.

We of the Ijaw Council for Human Rights (ICHR), committed to reclaiming the humanity of the peoples of the Ijaw and other ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta wish to draw the attention of peoples of good conscience to the so called "award" of Good Corporate Citizen by the United States Secretary of State, to Chevron on October 15, 2003. This action by the United States government is not only self-opinionated, but represents another clear demonstration of contempt for the peoples of the Niger Delta in preference for oil as it attempts to deny the atrocious activities of Chevron.