Codix Bio Ltd, a Nigerian company, has announced plans to manufacture millions of HIV and malaria test kits at its new facility for use both locally and across the region.

As reported by Reuters on Thursday, the initiative aims to fill the gap created by funding reductions at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), a US donor body.

Former US President Donald Trump had initiated a suspension of funding for HIV treatment in developing nations under an executive order concerning foreign aid.

These executive orders also disrupted the activities of USAID and other US-funded foreign aid programmes.

Speaking to Reuters, Olanrewaju Balaja, general manager of Codix Bio, said the plant located in Ogun state will begin distributing the test kits later this month.

He explained that the production will be done in partnership with SD Biosensor, a pharmaceutical firm based in South Korea, and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).

According to him, the facility initially has the capacity to produce 147 million test kits annually, with potential expansion to over 160 million.

“From the statistics of what is supplied (by USAID and PEPFAR) for a specific programme year, and looking at what we have currently in capacity for Nigeria, we have enough capacity to meet the demand,” Balaja said.

He also indicated that the firm is prepared to expand its services to “West and Sub-Saharan Africa, including other African countries”.

“The focus was for us to be able to play in the field of supply of rapid diagnostic test kits for donor agencies, which particularly USAID was at the forefront,” Balaja added.

Balaja stated that both the Nigerian government and donor organisations such as the Global Fund are expected to source test kits from Codix Bio.

Displaced persons from Yelwata community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, affected by coordinated attacks by suspected armed herders, protested on Thursday over poor living conditions in their camp.

The IDPs, currently staying at the International Market in Makurdi, the state capital, took to the streets and blocked major access routes leading to the temporary camp situated on George Akume Way, Makurdi, to express their frustration and the hardship they’ve faced since arriving at the facility.

They accused officials of the state government of diverting relief materials donated by well-meaning individuals and humanitarian groups, which they said has deepened their suffering.

One of the displaced persons, Fidelis Igban from Yelwata, described the conditions at the camp as unbearable due to starvation and a poor environment.

He stated, “Imagine, people would come to the camp and donate food items and other relief materials to us(IDPs), and once those items were handed over to the officials, it will end up not reaching us.”

He added, “Just few days ago, secretary to the government of the federation, Senator George Akume came to the camp and donated some items for onward distribution to IDPs. Up till now, we have not seen anything.”

He also said, “The Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, came here and donated materials for our consumption, yet nothing gets to us. We are starving and dying here. We want to go back to our homes.”

He lamented the reality of being forced from their homes due to herdsmen attacks, only to face new hardships in the camp after losing loved ones.

“There’s no food, our children are starving, we sleep on the floor, and mosquitoes are almost killing us. We are suffering, and people are dying. officials overseeing camp management were hoarding and diverting donated materials,” he said.

Erdoo Targa, another IDP, said she was six months pregnant when she arrived and has struggled to access medical attention.

She said, “Government brought us here and abandoned us. No food, no medical care, hunger is telling us, we are starving and our children are getting sick day by day”.

She explained that the protest was to call the attention of the government and concerned individuals to their plight.

She urged the state government and relevant humanitarian bodies to investigate the alleged diversion of supplies and ensure fair distribution of aid.

Efforts to contact the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management, Aondoaseer Kude, and the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Dr James Iorpuu, were unsuccessful as they did not respond to calls or text messages.

The agency’s information officer, Tema Ager, said he was not authorised to speak on the protest.

He said, “Kindly get across to the Head of Administration of SEMA or the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management. They are in better position to speak to journalists, thanks”.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned Rebecca Godwin-Isaac Omokamo, a real estate developer also known as Bilikisu Ishaku-Aliyu, on allegations involving N500 million land fraud and money laundering.

Omokamo appeared before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja on two separate charges based on a petition submitted by 79-year-old widow Colleen Yesufu, whose lands were among the ones allegedly acquired through fraudulent means.

In the first suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/77/2025, Omokamo was arraigned along with her husband, Isaac Yusuf-Ishaku, and their company, Homadil Realty Limited, on five counts.

In the second suit, with charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/76/2025, she appeared alongside Idakwogi John and Rychardo Homes Ltd on a 17-count charge.

The EFCC alleged that between 2023 and 2024, the accused persons collected more than N500 million from various victims under false pretences and laundered the funds through several company accounts.

According to the EFCC, they used forged documents, including a falsified power of attorney, to claim ownership of Plot 4022 in Guzape district, Abuja.

Omokamo reportedly used the forged papers to secure a building permit from the development control department of the Federal Capital Territory Administration and sold the property for N70 million.

The accused were also alleged to have falsely claimed ownership of plots 1861, 1862, and 1863 in cadastral zone B07, Katampe district, Abuja, through which they allegedly defrauded several buyers.

The EFCC claimed the defendants conspired to illegally acquire and sell the properties, including the ones belonging to Colleen Yesufu.

Their conduct, according to the EFCC, violated section 8(a) and is punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.

All the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Following submissions by defence lawyers Christopher Oshomegie and M.A. Ebutu, the judge granted each defendant bail of N10 million, with two sureties in the same amount.

The sureties are required to be civil servants of at least grade level 16, show proof of their last three salary payments, own land equivalent to the bail value, and swear an affidavit of means.

The judge also directed the defendants to surrender their international passports and prohibited them from leaving the country without court approval.

They are to remain in prison custody until they meet their bail terms.

The cases were adjourned to July 21 and 22 for trial. The EFCC stated it plans to call 13 witnesses.