Nigeria: Food relief in Kogi and election-related cash concerns in Nasarawa

Fidelity Bank Plc has distributed essential food items to more than 1,000 families in Kogi State through its Fidelity Food Bank Initiative. The outreach, held at the Youth Centre in Lokoja, aims to address food insecurity and support vulnerable households in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger.

In Nasarawa State, Hajiya Maryam Wadada, wife of All Progressives Congress governorship candidate Senator Ahmed Wadada, has faced scrutiny following the launch of a women's empowerment scheme. The initiative involves the distribution of ₦325 million to 6,500 women across 13 local government areas, providing ₦50,000 to each beneficiary.

Social media reactions have raised concerns regarding the distribution of large quantities of physical cash so close to the 2027 general election season. While organizers describe the program as a grassroots intervention, some observers have questioned if the timing constitutes a form of voter inducement. No official findings of vote-buying have been reported by authorities.