A viral video showing a group of young men in uniforms associated with the First Aid Group of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’Ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), also known as Izala, chanting for AK-47 rifles and threatening attacks in Enugu and Jos has drawn strong reactions across Nigeria.

In the footage, which circulated widely on social media on Monday, the participants are seen jogging in formation. One of them is heard demanding an AK-47 to travel to Enugu, describing the city as a “land of infidels” and threatening to open fire on worshippers on a Sunday.

Similar threats are made regarding Jos in Plateau State.

The chants have raised serious concerns about the potential for religiously motivated violence.

The national leadership of JIBWIS has strongly dissociated the organisation from the statements in the video. National Chairman Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau called on the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to investigate the footage, identify those involved and bring anyone found culpable to justice.

JIBWIS described the threats as contrary to its principles and teachings.

Amnesty International Nigeria also called for an immediate and independent investigation, describing the chants as a “vicious display of children being manipulated and indoctrinated with religious violence and hatred.” The rights group urged authorities to examine the instructors, the origin of the video and the content of the activities.

Security agencies have yet to issue an official statement on the matter.

Anambra illegal health facilities face renewed scrutiny as the state seeks NMA support to identify unregistered clinics and protect patients from unsafe treatment

Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, has called on the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to help identify and shut down unregistered health facilities and curb the activities of unqualified practitioners in Anambra State, south-east Nigeria, on Sunday, 25 October 2026, as the government steps up efforts to protect patients from unsafe medical treatment.

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Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Physicians’ Week and Scientific Conference of the NMA’s Awka Zone in Awka, Obidike described the association as an important partner in the state’s campaign to strengthen healthcare regulation and improve patient safety.

The commissioner said the government intended to work closely with medical professionals to identify individuals practising without appropriate qualifications and facilities operating outside established regulatory requirements.

“Anambra is going to work with the NMA because they will help us to identify people who are not medical personnel practising in Anambra,” he said.

“We are determined to shut all of them down because when people go there, they receive treatment that is not proper for their ailment.”

Obidike also urged prospective healthcare facility owners to consult the Department of Medical Services before establishing their operations.

He said applicants must obtain the relevant requirements, including specifications governing the design of their buildings, before proceeding.

The proposed collaboration comes amid existing enforcement efforts by the state government.

In June 2026, the Anambra State Ministry of Health sealed several private hospitals and medical laboratories over regulatory violations, including expired or unrenewed registrations, inadequate sanitation and the use of personnel without valid professional licences.

Anambra State Government reports said the inspections uncovered instances of unqualified individuals providing healthcare services, including a diagnostic centre where a person performing ultrasound examinations was reportedly a student without the necessary degree or professional qualifications.

The enforcement exercise demonstrated the practical risks that regulatory oversight is intended to address.

The state operates a registration and accreditation framework for healthcare facilities through its health facilities monitoring and accreditation authority.

Under the framework, operators are required to register their establishments and renew their operational approvals annually.

Compliance helps regulators assess whether facilities meet the required standards for providing medical services.

However, identifying unregistered facilities across the state and ensuring sustained compliance will require continued monitoring, effective public reporting and cooperation between regulators and recognised medical professionals.

The NMA’s involvement could strengthen the authorities’ ability to identify suspected cases of medical quackery, although the effectiveness of the initiative will depend on how consistently reports are investigated and regulatory decisions are enforced.

The appeal was made during a conference themed “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa”, which combined professional discussions with activities focused on doctors’ welfare and recognition of service to the medical profession.

In his welcome address, Professor Tim-Uzoma Mbaeri, chairman of the NMA’s Awka Zone, said the annual event provided an opportunity for medical practitioners to reconnect, celebrate their profession and support colleagues facing health challenges.

Mbaeri said the association had visited sick colleagues and provided free laboratory investigations, including prostate-specific antigen testing and urinalysis, as part of its Physicians’ Week activities.

He described the programme as an opportunity to strengthen professional relationships and extend support beyond the clinical workplace.

“We find satisfaction not merely in the event we organised, but in the lives we have touched, the colleagues we have encouraged, the relationships we have strengthened and the visibility we have given to our profession,” Mbaeri said.

The programme also featured a novelty football match, offering participants an opportunity for recreation and closer engagement with colleagues from other institutions.

Three personalities received awards recognising their contributions to the medical profession and the association.

The recipients were Associate Professor Ifeoma Njelita, Dr Emmanuel Umenweke and lawyer Amaka Ezeno.

Njelita, a consultant in community medicine at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, was recognised for her contributions to medical practice and healthcare delivery.

Umenweke is a medical doctor at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical Centre in Awka, while Ezeno is a lawyer, Notary Public and member of the Body of Benchers.

The awards provided a note of celebration at an event that also highlighted the challenges facing healthcare delivery and the importance of professional standards.

For Anambra, the government’s appeal to the NMA places renewed emphasis on a central public health concern: ensuring that people seeking treatment can distinguish legitimate healthcare providers from establishments operating without the required approvals.

The immediate priority will be to translate the proposed partnership into effective identification, inspection and enforcement measures while ensuring that compliant facilities can continue serving their communities.

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Ultimately, sustained regulation, professional accountability and public awareness will be essential to protecting patients and building greater confidence in healthcare services across the state.

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