Today’s Headlines: Reps Summon Telcos Over Poor Services; Ebola: WAHO Steps Up Regional Surveillance

The House of Representatives has given MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other telecommunications operators seven days to explain persistent poor network services across the country. The lawmakers directed the companies to appear before its ad hoc committee on October 28, 2026, warning that chief executives who fail to comply could face arrest summons.

The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has intensified regional disease surveillance following Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported Ebola case in Abuja on October 20, 2026. The infected woman had recently arrived from Uganda, developed symptoms on October 7 and tested positive on October 20. WAHO is collaborating with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and other regional health authorities to prevent further transmission.

WAHO has urged West African countries to strengthen preparedness, cross-border coordination and early detection of suspected cases. It also advised residents to practise good hygiene, avoid contact with infected persons’ bodily fluids and sick or dead animals, and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms develop. The organisation called for reliance on verified information and reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring the situation through its Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control in Abuja.

The United States has ordered non-essential embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The U.S. State Department confirmed the directive on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, citing security concerns following repeated attacks on the kingdom, including a deadly incident involving Riyadh’s international airport.

The security situation worsened after falling debris from an intercepted drone targeting an oil facility killed two people, a Filipino and a Nepali, and injured two others near the Shaybah oil field. The developments occurred amid the wider Middle East conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, with Iran also facing a counterblockade of its ports and ships.

More than 100 students from secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ago-Iwoye and Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, were reportedly hospitalised on Wednesday after suspected toxic gas emissions caused breathing difficulties and fainting. The affected students were taken to various hospitals, while some schools closed early as parents rushed to collect their children.

The incident marked the fourth reported occurrence since April 2026, with previous exposures also sending hundreds of students to hospitals. The Ogun State Government said preliminary investigations suggested naturally occurring underground methane linked to geological fault lines, rather than sabotage or a pipeline leak. Authorities said investigations were ongoing to establish the precise cause and find a lasting solution.

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