Health experts are urging Nigerian parents to reduce how often they bathe their newborns and infants, warning that the popular habit of washing babies twice daily may be harmful.

According to specialists who spoke with DAILY GAZETTE, a single daily bath is sufficient for most babies, while preterm and low-birth-weight infants should not be bathed every day.

The practitioners explained that excessive bathing and heavy wrapping can cause babies to lose body heat quickly, exposing them to colds and a range of skin conditions often seen in childhood.

They stressed that newborn skin is extremely delicate and can easily become irritated when subjected to multiple daily washes or harsh products.

A Consultant Neonatologist, Dr. Fatima Abdullahi, noted that while one bath per day is enough for healthy, full-term babies, premature and very small infants require even less.

She warned that washing a baby’s head daily leads to rapid heat loss and advised limiting head washing to once a week, ensuring it is done last and the hair is thoroughly dried.

Abdullahi added that extended bathing sessions or the traditional practice of scrubbing and rinsing a baby several times during a bath are unnecessary and potentially harmful.

In cooler weather, she said, mothers should wait until the environment is warmer before bathing their babies, keeping the process short to avoid excessive exposure to cold.

She advised parents to use mild soaps only, cautioning against black soaps mixed with additives, which can irritate infants’ sensitive skin.

For bathing preterm babies, Abdullahi recommended gentle daily cleaning with light oils rather than water baths, explaining that such infants can safely go weeks without a full bath.

Addressing longstanding cultural beliefs, the neonatologist dismissed the idea that babies who are not washed frequently will develop body odour as adults, stating that the claim has no scientific basis.

She also urged mothers not to rush to bathe newborns immediately after delivery, explaining that the vernix, the creamy white coating on a baby’s skin, helps regulate body temperature in the early hours of life and should not be scrubbed off with soap, ash, or detergent.

Another expert, Consultant Dermatologist Dr. Folakemi Cole-Adeife of LASUTH, warned that overbathing and over-wrapping babies contribute to common skin issues such as heat rash and diaper rash.

She recommended sticking to one daily bath, avoiding heavy sponges, and dressing babies lightly in hot weather, especially when they stay indoors.

Cole-Adeife highlighted the need for frequent diaper changes to prevent irritation and encouraged parents to use moisturising products formulated with gentle ingredients like glycerin, shea butter, ceramides, and coconut oil.

She advised that any persistent skin problems should be evaluated by a healthcare professional rather than treated at home.

Tension is brewing in Owo, the hometown of Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, as residents on Monday embarked on a peaceful protest against what they described as a military occupation and destruction of their property by personnel of the Nigerian Army.

The demonstrators alleged that soldiers were determined to forcibly seize their ancestral lands despite an existing court order restraining them from entering the disputed area.

Appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for intervention, the villagers, made up largely of women and elderly residents, held placards with messages such as “Remove soldiers, restore peace,” “Owo land is not barracks,” “Stop the invasion,” “Respect the constitution,” “Say No to Military Land Grabbing,” “President Tinubu, save us from military intimidation,” and “Army, leave our land alone.”

Speaking to journalists during the demonstration, the community’s legal counsel, Barr. Igwenagu Ngene, recounted that the military’s presence in the area began in November 2015.

According to him, the residents were stunned when they awoke to see their houses marked “Remove, Army land, keep off,” while soldiers erected beacons and signboards asserting ownership over the entire town.

Ngene explained that the community immediately petitioned the General Officer Commanding the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, in November 2015, urging him to withdraw the troops.

When no action was taken, he said they proceeded to alert the Enugu State Government and the State House of Assembly, describing the situation as one of intimidation, land grabbing, and an unprecedented attempt to overrun a whole community.

“Except in a case of military conquest, where after conquering, you possibly annex it and make it part of your own, but this is not the case here,” he said.

He further explained that the Ministry of Lands in Enugu invited both the Army and the community for deliberations, but the soldiers allegedly declined to comment and continued insisting that the entire land belonged to them.

Ngene noted that the matter was eventually taken to the National Assembly, where lawmakers conducted hearings and a fact-finding mission.

According to him, the legislators directed the Army to vacate the land after the military reportedly failed to provide any proof of ownership.

He said the soldiers left temporarily following this intervention but returned in April 2025, prompting the Owo community to seek legal redress once more, leading to an injunction in suit number 375/2025.

He stated that Justice C. O. Ajah of the Enugu State High Court subsequently ordered the Army to stay off the property pending the resolution of the case.

At his palace, the community’s traditional ruler, Igwe Godwin Okeke Arum, who appeared visibly distressed, lamented the ordeal.

“It is disheartening that a whole community will be asked to quit to nowhere for no reason other than the fact that some people are wielding guns and jackboots bought with taxpayers’ money,” he said.

Recalling the start of the crisis, he added, “Sometime in 2015, a team of the Nigerian Army came to the community and started mounting billboards around the entire community, asking us to quit, that this is Army land. We became astonished and we engaged our legal advisor. But they are not heeding the courts or rule of law.”

According to the monarch, the military had even “threatened to take over my palace, locations of our community shrines, and ancestral home of the governor, who is father of the state. Can you imagine that?”

He further alleged that the soldiers had harassed residents, demolished ongoing projects, and driven potential investors away.

Similarly, the President-General of the community, Chief John Ogbu, urged both the state and federal governments to step in.

“This is a direct plea to President Bola Tinubu as the father of the nation to come to our aid. He should halt this attempt to snatch our lands at gunpoint. The Army has continued to make life unbearable for our people through their acts of intimidation and abuse of power and their guns,” he said.

He added that many residents could no longer access their farms due to fear of armed soldiers occupying the area.

“Investors who are flocking into Owo are being turned back by military fiat. This is a democracy, not a military rule; hence we seek the president’s protection. The Army is not above the courts or laws of Enugu State and Nigeria,” he concluded.

When contacted, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ayeni said he would look into the allegations, requesting that evidence of rough handling by soldiers be provided.

Actress Regina Daniels has issued a stern warning to her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, declaring that she is ready to “spill everything” amid their ongoing public dispute over drug allegations and child custody.

The warning follows Nwoko’s statement on Saturday, in which he insisted that circulating medical reports indicating Regina’s alleged use of marijuana, cocaine, morphine, opiates, and high levels of alcohol were authentic.

His statement, shared via his official Instagram page, claimed that the reports were consistent across Serenity Royale Hospital, Nizamiya Hospital, and a rehabilitation center, and argued that Regina required therapy due to “recent decisions not coming from a stable and healthy frame of mind.”

Rejecting the claims, Regina described the reports as fake and accused Nwoko of attempting to tarnish her reputation to gain an advantage in the custody battle.

In a social media post, she wrote, “Ned, can you actually leave me alone?? Why are you trying so hard to ruin me publicly and privately because you know in my part of the world, a good reputation equals money… I’m tireddd!! You trapped my life since 17 so this is me fighting for my freedom.”

The actress also alleged that Nwoko introduced her to ecstasy when she was a teenager and accused him of misusing Viagra while claiming she repeatedly rushed him to the hospital for blood pressure spikes.

She further claimed that one of Nwoko’s other wives had a history of drug use, suggesting a long-standing pattern within the household.

Regina described the fake drug reports as an attempt to discredit her in court and accused Nwoko of calling her a “drug head.”

She warned, “If you don’t leave me alone, I’m going to dig, spill everything, whether murder case, land grabbing, fraud, etc.”

She confirmed that she has now left the home she shared with the Senator and is focusing on rebuilding her life, adding, “Thank God I’m out of your bad hood krib where a lot of things go down. My future is promised; it’s not too late to pick up.”

Regina had previously admitted to past drug use but denied that it caused issues in their marriage, accusing Nwoko of manipulation.

Nigeria on Monday received two historic Benin bronzes, a bronze relief plaque and a commemorative head, in another major step toward reclaiming artefacts looted from the Benin Kingdom in 1897.

The Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy took delivery of the items from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after they were repatriated by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Expressing gratitude to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, described the return as a landmark achievement.

“This is a significant moment for Nigeria and the people of the Benin Kingdom,” she said.

“We are in ongoing discussions with other institutions holding these items, and we believe this process of returning them to their rightful owners will expand in the coming months.”

Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Olugbile Holloway, commended individuals and groups involved in securing the return, including NCMM staff and Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, a long-standing advocate for restitution.

Holloway said the return represents the recovery of a critical piece of Nigeria’s cultural legacy.

“While today’s handover is especially meaningful for Benin, it also reflects Nigeria’s broader restitution efforts. We have significant items from Ife and other regions still abroad, so this event is symbolic and historic,” he added.

The brief ceremony was attended by three high chiefs representing the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare, according to a statement from the minister’s Special Adviser, Nneka Anibeze.

The Benin bronzes, more than 2,000 brass and bronze works seized during the British invasion, are scattered across museums and private collections worldwide.

Nigeria has recently stepped up diplomatic outreach to recover them, winning commitments from several institutions in the US, UK, and Europe.

Monday’s handover follows a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding between Nigeria and the United States focused on returning looted cultural objects and enhancing cultural collaboration.

The development aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda, which prioritises the restoration of national heritage and the promotion of cultural identity.

Michael Achimugu, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), says social media personality Martins Otse, popularly known as Verydarkman (VDM), and comedian Freedom Atsepoyi, known as Mr. Jollof, will face legal consequences after the pair were filmed fighting aboard a commercial flight.

The incident occurred on Monday during an Abuja-bound trip and caused panic among passengers.

What started as a heated verbal clash quickly escalated into a physical confrontation, prompting cabin crew and startled travellers to rush in and separate the two.

In a statement on his official X handle, Achimugu confirmed that the NCAA is awaiting a formal incident report from the airline, which is currently holding an internal management meeting regarding the matter.

He noted that such procedures are standard practice worldwide.

Achimugu said “The NCAA will carry out its obligations. Our officers in Asaba have been instructed to establish the exact steps taken by aviation security, the pilots, and other staff during the incident. This investigation will cover more than just the passengers involved. How long it took for security to respond, when the pilot called for assistance, and the status of the passengers afterward will all form part of the report.”

He added that the Authority lacks prosecutorial powers but will recommend that the airline blacklist both men and will formally notify the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to pursue charges.

Achimugu stressed that unruly conduct on an aircraft is intolerable, especially coming from two public figures widely known for advising their followers against such behaviour.

He also highlighted the extensive efforts NCAA continues to invest in sensitising air travellers about the risks and penalties associated with disruptive conduct.