A TikTok content creator, Emmanuel Ajibade, was on Thursday docked in an Akure Magistrates’ Court for allegedly cyberbullying an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps( FRSC).

The police prosecutor, Insp Taiwo Oniyere, told the court that Ajibade and others, at large, committed the offence at the Higher Height Area, Orita Obele in Akure.According to Oniyere, Ajibade conspired together with intent to commit felony to wit cyber stalking,cyber bullying and defamation.

The defendant, he said, spread falsehoods via checkers69 on TikTok to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insults, and criminal defamation.

“ His action also resulted in intimidation, enmity and hatred, ill will and needless anxiety for Ibitoye Samuel, an official of FRSC in the state,” he said.

According to the prosecutor, the offence is punishable under Section 27(b) and Section 24( b) of the Cyber Crime ( Provision and Prevention) Act 2015 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

The prosecutor prayed the court to remand the defendant in the Correctional Centre in accordance to the Section 269 Sub-section 2( b) of the law of the federation.

Responding, the defendant’s counsel, Mr A. F. Awala prayed for a short date in order for the defence to file his counter affidavit to the application.

However, the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olateju Odenusi-Fadeyi, ordered the remand of the defendant at the SWAT Police Station.

Odenusi-Fadeyi asked the police to cater for the health of the defendant and adjourned the case until April 30, 2025 for mentioned

ABUJA – In response to rising insecurity across the country, the 36 State Governors under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have established a subcommittee to work directly with the heads of security agencies. The goal is to develop immediate and coordinated strategies to tackle criminal activities, including banditry, kidnappings, and the widespread destruction of lives and property.This decision followed a marathon meeting of the NGF held Wednesday night into the early hours of Thursday at its Secretariat in Maitama, Abuja.The governors emphasized the need for swift, collaborative action. The subcommittee will work with: Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Director General, Department of State Services, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, Director General, National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The Kano State Police Command says its operatives have arrested two suspected drug traffickers – Muntari Shu’aibu and Imrana Rabi’u.A statement issued on Thursday by the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori said the suspects were caught in possession of six bales (cartons) of the suspected illicit Drugs (Tramadol) valued over 92,000 US dollars (N150,000,000).

The statement explained that the “Command in a skillfully coordinated intelligence-led sting operation apprehended the suspects with the substance, following a tip-off”.The CP noted that the operation followed efforts of the Command to curb enablers of violent crimes, which, according to him are majorly illicit drug trafficking and abuse in the state.

“We therefore, remain committed and determined to use all resources within our reach to guarantee the safety and well-being of the citizens”, he added.

He said the suspects have been handed over to the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA Kano Command, for further investigation and prosecution.This is in line with the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D, NPM, directives and policy on inclusive policing, and in the spirit of strengthening inter-agency synergy among security organizations.

“The fight against drug trafficking and abuse in the state and country at large, remains a collective one. The Command reiterates its commitment to collaborating with other security agencies in combating all forms of crimes and criminality in the state”, the CP added.

Prominent cleric and leader of the Markaz Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Agege, Lagos, Sheikh Habeebullah Adam Al-Ilory has challenged traditional views on satellite dishes and women’s roles in society.

In a viral video, he questioned the notion that using satellite dishes or women participating in politics and driving cars are forbidden.

He argued that those who cite the Quran to support their claims often lack a deep understanding of the scriptureSheikh Ilory pointed out the world is evolving, and what may have been considered unacceptable in the past may now be permissible.

He cited the example of Saudi Arabia, where women are now allowed to drive and participate in politics, and are even being trained in the military.He noted that he faced criticism for his views on women’s participation in politics in 2010, but time has proven him correct.The cleric emphasised that people’s salvation should not be determined by superficial judgments based on changing times and circumstances.

Instead, he advocates for a more nuanced understanding of Islamic teachings and their application in modern society.

He said: “Anybody who uses a satellite dish and hangs it on the roof of his house and dies will not enter paradise because he/she committed ‘haram’. If a woman drives a car or participates in politics it’s haram. But women are not fighting for the right to drive cars in Saudi Arabia, and it’s no longer haramWhen I said it earlier in 2010 that women can be involved in politics, people criticised me. Not long after my statements in 2010, Saudi Arabia allowed women to vote and participate in politics.

“Presently they’re training women in military in Saudi Arabi and they now wear trousers. One Alfa who criticised this evolvement was quoting a part of the scripture I believe he has no understanding of.”

Finance minister Wale Edun has assured investors that Nigeria is safe for investment.

News Agency of Nigeria • April 24, 2025

Finance minister Wale Edun has assured investors that Nigeria is safe for investment.

Mr Edun said this at the Nigeria Investment Forum, at the ongoing World Bank/International Monetary Fund Meetings in Washington D.C. on Wednesday.

According to the minister, efforts are geared towards maintaining fiscal congruence.

“That’s one of the reasons for the new team at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, and their mandate is (to) increase production and save costs,” he said.

Mr Edun said the administration was intensifying efforts to diversify and stabilise the economy.

He said optimisation of assets was another route to closing the gap in the budget.

“We need to ensure that we maintain fiscal congruence, the mandate of NNPCL is to increase production and save cost, we are also diversifying the economy.

“We are committed to stabilising the economy so that the private sector will find it attractive to invest. Optimisation of assets is another route to closing the gap in the budget, the government believes in the sanctity of contracts,” Mr Edun said.

He explained that the administration of President Bola Tinubu had implemented foundational reforms that were now yielding results, with the country’s economy expanding.

“Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it. We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this,” Mr Edun said.

He added that the macroeconomic stability was gradually returning, as reflected in narrowing budget deficits, improved trade balance, and a stabilising exchange rate.

Mr Edun also mentioned that the government was now shifting its focus to targeted sectoral growth.

According to him, the government’s top list is agriculture as the entire value chain, aiming to boost food security and enhance productivity.

“We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale up and innovate,” he said.

According to the minister, about 90,000km of fibre optic cable to enhance digital connectivity has been rolled out. Mr Edun said an additional 4,000km of roads had been tendered for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already signed off for delivery.

The Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Yemi Cardoso, said the difficult reforms had begun to yield fruits, and the macroeconomy stabilised. He said the country was not relenting on its oars despite its crisis period in the past 18 months.

Mr Cardoso said the efforts were all geared towards building confidence and trust.

“The difficult reforms undertaken have begun to bear fruits. We have been able to stabilise microeconomy. Fitch has upgraded us more recently, no doubt we are in a period of heightened uncertainty.

“We have for the past 18 months been in a period of crisis and our response to that period is to roll our sleeves and ensure we build a stronger economy with respect to resilience and capacity to people and institutions.

“This is all about building confidence and trust but moving in a direction of more confidence and hope, if we continue in this direction we will achieve our set goals,” he said.

Lagos State Government has raised alarm over a critical shortage of medical personnel, revealing that the state requires an additional 33,000 doctors and 33,000 nurses to meet the healthcare demands of its growing population.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, made this known during a media briefing to mark the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office.According to him, Lagos currently has only 7,000 doctors serving an estimated 30 million residents, far below what is needed for optimal care delivery.

To address the shortage, Prof. Abayomi said the state is investing in its newly established University of Medicine and Health (UMHWithin five years, UMH will produce about 2,500 healthcare workers annually, including laboratory scientists and other essential cadres,” he stated.

He also noted that only a fraction of residents are currently subscribed to the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme.

Out of the registered population, only 1,252,959 individuals, just 4.17 per cent, are covered. At present, 419 health facilities operate under the insurance scheme.The commissioner also presented data on public health issues affecting the state.

He revealed that 135,224 Lagosians are currently living with HIV, with over 100 religious leaders engaged as ambassadors in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Free cervical cancer screenings have been conducted for 154,228 women, with 8,613 receiving thermal ablation treatment.

The insurance industry has recorded 61 per cent year-on-year increase in third quarter (Q3) of 2024, reaching N1.2 trillion.

Mr Kunle Ahmed, Chairman of Nigerian Insurance Association (NIA) disclosed this during a quarterly news conference on the performance of the industry by the association in Lagos.Ahmed said this growth was largly driven by the non-life insurance sector.He said, “The 2024 performance of the insurance industry revealed a complex landscape marked by significant growth in certain areas alongside persistent and emerging challenges.

“While specific data for the entire year of 2024 is still being consolidated, the trends and available reports offer valuable insights.

“Available data up to the end of the third quarter of 2024 indicated robust growth in gross premiums.

“The report from our regulator noted a 61 per cent year-on-year increase in the third quarter 2024, reaching N1.2 trillion.

“This growth was largely driven by the non-life insurance sector, which constituted approximately 69 per cent of the total premium income.”

Ahmed noted that within the non-life business, fire, oil and gas insurance were significant contributors to the increased revenue.

The chairman explained that all non-life business products showed robust quarter-on-quarter growth.

He said the life insurance business also experienced substantial growth, with the report indicating a 45 per quarter-on-quarter increase within the period under review.

He noted that the Group Life emerged as the largest premium-generating component within the life segment.

“In spite a rise in the net loss ratio in the second quarter of 2024 compared to the first quarter of 2024, the Nigerian insurance market remained profitable overall.

“The total assets reached N3.9 trillion by the end of September 2024, demonstrating a healthy expansion,” he added.

On the impact of the police enforcement on third-party motor insurance, Ahmed said the enforcement process had generated significant effects on the insurance industry and policyholders in Nigeria.

He said that the most immediate and significant impact was the substantial increase in the purchase of third-party motor insurance policies.

He explained that the surge in demand directly translated to higher premium income and overall revenue growth for insurance companies.

According to him, available reports indicate a significant increase in the uptake, as the trend is expected to be amplified by continued enforcement in 2025 and beyond.

“The increase in uptake implies increase in the volume of claims and overall potential liabilities of insurance companies.

“This will necessitate that insurance companies enhance their claims processing efficiency and customer service capabilities to handle the increased workload and ensure policyholder satisfaction.

“Stricter checks by the police make the use of fake or invalid insurance certificates riskier. This enforcement, coupled with the use of the Nigeria Insurance Industry Database (NIID), is expected to reduce the prevalence of fraudulent policies.

“Overall, the stricter enforcement of third-party motor insurance in Nigeria is a crucial step towards ensuring financial protection for road accident victims and improving legal compliance,” Ahmed said.

The chairman noted that policyholders needed to be well informed about the scope and benefits of their third-party insurance policies and how to verify their authenticity to avoid purchasing fake policies.

He said the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) had always advised the populace on verifying insurers on their websites

The Vice Chairman of Agege Local Government and a leading aspirant in the July 12 council election, Mr Oluwagbenga Abiola, has welcomed his party’s decision to field Abdulganiyu Obasa as the APC’s flagbearer in the upcoming local government poll.

Abiola is a political protégé of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly and APC leader in Agege, Mr Mudashiru Obasa.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos, Abiola affirmed his loyalty to the party and to Obasa.

NAN recalls that on Monday, Agege stakeholders urged Obasa to allow his son, Abdulganiyu, to contest the council chairmanship.According to them, this would reward the Speaker’s years of humanitarian service and political impact in Agege.

Reacting to claims that he faced pressure to withdraw, Abiola said he remained deeply grateful to Obasa for shaping his political journey.

He pledged total support for the Speaker’s leadership and said he would never oppose the party’s direction or Obasa’s guidance.Abiola stated: “Let me make it clear — I will never go against my leader, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa. This is the man who made me. He appointed me Special Assistant on Media when he became Speaker in 2015. In 2016, I was appointed Sole Administrator of Agege LG, thanks to his recommendation to the governor. That appointment made me the youngest council boss in Lagos State at the time. Health 360: Sickle Cell Disease

According to them, this would reward the Speaker’s years of humanitarian service and political impact in Agege.

Reacting to claims that he faced pressure to withdraw, Abiola said he remained deeply grateful to Obasa for shaping his political journey.

He pledged total support for the Speaker’s leadership and said he would never oppose the party’s direction or Obasa’s guidance.

Abiola stated: “Let me make it clear — I will never go against my leader, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa. This is the man who made me. He appointed me Special Assistant on Media when he became Speaker in 2015. In 2016, I was appointed Sole Administrator of Agege LG, thanks to his recommendation to the governor. That appointment made me the youngest council boss in Lagos State at the time.

Related News
Lagos lawmakers study judgment nullifying Obasa’s removal
BREAKING: Court declares Obasa’s removal as Lagos speaker illegal
Lagos Assembly workers apologise for assaulting DSS officials
“In 2017, I became Secretary to the Local Government, and in 2021, Vice Chairman — all through the party’s and Speaker’s support. So tell me, why would I oppose a man who built me politically and helped me grow in experience and influence?”

He admitted his ambition to become Chairman, but insisted he must submit to the party’s collective decision.

“Yes, I aspired. Every Vice Chairman dreams of becoming Chairman. But the party has spoken, and I fully agree. Leaders and stakeholders have united. They’ve asked the Speaker to allow his son to contest. I respect and support that. I stand with Obasa, with APC Agege, and with all decisions taken by the party and stakeholders,” he added.

Abiola noted that service to people was his true goal and believed more opportunities would come in the future.

“I trust my leader. He knows what’s best and can recommend me for even greater responsibilities when the time is right. I’m still young and full of energy. I’ll work for the party and ensure we achieve victory,” he said.

He added that he had instructed members of his Obasa Youth Alliance to fully support the party’s decision.

Benue Governor, Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia, has said that the state needs help amid the killings by bandits, not a state of emergency declaration.

Alia, who was featured as a guest on Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Wednesday, clarified that while the insecurity in Benue was not too much for him to handle, the federal government’s intervention was also needed to tackle the crisis.

While expressing his administration’s ability to halt the killings, Alia added that he needs additional support to drive killer herders out of the state.

“What we need is emergency help for now. We need absolute support. The federal government is supported. They sent two armoured tanks that came in.

“Our situation had changed. We had a better narrative, but what we need to do is to get our people back home, to drive out the invaders, the armed invaders who have brought in people who do not even speak the Nigerian languages we speak.

“Let them move back to wherever they came from and allow us farmers to go back to our ancestral land. Calling for any emergency does not occur here,” Alia said.

SRINAGAR, India, April 23 (Reuters) – Twenty-six men were killed and 17 were injured when suspected militants opened fire at tourists in India’s Jammu and Kashmir territory, police said on Wednesday, the worst such attack in the country in nearly two decades.
It was the worst attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai shootings, and shattered the relative calm in Kashmir, where tourism has boomed as an anti-India insurgency, opens new tab has waned in recent years.The attack took place on Tuesday in the Baisaran valley in the Pahalgam area of the scenic, Himalayan federal territory and the dead included 25 Indians and one Nepalese national, police said.
The attack is seen as a setback to what Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have projected as a major achievement in revoking the semi-autonomous status Jammu and Kashmir enjoyed and bringing peace and development to the long-troubled Muslim-majority region.Modi cut short his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi on Wednesday morning. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was also cutting short her visit to the United States and Peru “to be with our people in this difficult and tragic time”, her ministry said.
Modi held a meeting with the national security adviser, the foreign minister and other senior officials at the airport and a special security cabinet meeting had been called for 1230 GMT, a defence ministry official said.”It was not a typical tourist group but rather an undercover agency tasked with research,” it said and added that the attack should “serve as a wake-up call not only for Delhi but also for those who support Delhi’s questionable strategies”.
“Resistance fighters plan to intensify their strategic attacks to ensure that those involved in undermining … (the) resistance struggle face appropriate consequences,” it warned.

Hundreds of security forces rushed to the Pahalgam area soon after the attack and a massive combing operation was launched in the forests there, two security sources told Reuters. About 100 people suspected to have been militant sympathisers in the past were called to police stations and questioned, they added.
Police also released sketches of three of the four suspected
attackers.
The attackers were dressed in traditional long shirts and loose trousers and one of them was wearing a bodycam, one security source said, adding that there were about 1,000 tourists and about 300 local service providers and workers when the attack took place.
They opened fire at three spots in Baisaran valley which is popular among tourists for its lush meadows and pristine landscape surrounded by dense pine forests on all sides.
Visitors have to trek or hire ponies to reach the spot where there are adventure sports facilities such as ziplining and zorbing.
Indian security agencies say Kashmir Resistance is a front for Pakistan-based militant organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. Pakistan has said it only provides moral and diplomatic support to the insurgency in Kashmir.
“We are concerned at the loss of tourists’ lives,” Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement. “We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery

A 23 year old student of the Federal Nursing Science college Calabar, Ms Elizabeth Awhobiwom Ukah, has been found dead in a drainage ditch five days after flood swept her away on Easter Friday.

Eyewitnesses stated the state and position of the deceased indicated she was carried away by flood.

The flood resulted from the heavy rainfall on Friday evening while the deceased was returning home from Good Friday Mass of the Cross at Holy Family Catholic Church Big-Qua Town by Eastern Secondary School, close to Marian Market, Calabar, the Cross River State capital.The body was found on Tuesday and has been deposited in an undisclosed mortuary.

It was gathered the late student was a native of Ohong community in Obudu local government area of northern Cross River State.

The police in Lagos on Tuesday arraigned two men before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing their employer’s building materials valued at N7.1 million.Building materials
The police in Lagos on Tuesday arraigned two men before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing their employer’s building materials valued at N7.1 million.The defendants Yusuf Jimoh, 41, iron bender and Ayodeji Temilade, 46, bricklayer, are tried for conspiracy and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Inspector Funmilola Akinleye told the court that the offences were committed between September 1 to September 17, 2024, at 2 Niran Akinloye Avenue, Ajegunle Alakuko, Lagos.

Mr Akinleye said that the defendants stole galvanised pipes, iron rods, 200 bags of cement, all valued, N7.165,000 from the site of Israel Akinola.

The offences according to the prosecutor contravened Sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate, Seyi Omodara, granted the defendants bail of N350,000 each with two sureties in like sum.

Mr Omodara adjourned the case until May 12 for mention.

The police command in Rivers State has said its officers killed four notorious kidnappers, allegedly involved in a series of abductions within the state and environs.The command’s spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, identifying the deceased suspects as responsible for the abduction and murder of one Hope Georgewill.

Ms Iringe-Koko stated that Chief Executive Officer of HMG Attitude Limited, Georgewill and two others were kidnapped along the Cotton Channel, Bakana River, on March 26.

She noted that the abduction was carried out by a group of sea pirates led by one Preye Ngian-Ngian, a native of Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

She stated, “After the abduction, a ransom of N2 million was paid to secure Georgewill’s release. However, the victim was ultimately killed, and his body was later recovered and deposited at the mortuary.’’

Following Mr Georgewill’s death, Ms Iringe-Koko reported that the police launched an intelligence-led investigation, which led to the arrest of two suspects.

She said that the suspects subsequently led operatives from the command’s Anti-Cultism Unit to the gang’s hideout in a creek, off the Bonny waterways.

According to her, upon arrival at the location, the police operatives came under heavy gunfire from the suspects.

“Our operatives responded with decisive force, and in the ensuing exchange of gunfire, two of the suspects were fatally wounded, while others fled the scene with injuries,” Ms Iringe-Koko stated

She further stated that the two arrested suspects, who had earlier guided the operatives to the location, attempted to escape amid the chaos but were apprehended with gunshot wounds.

“All four injured suspects were immediately transported to the Police Clinic for medical treatment but were confirmed dead on arrival by the attending medical personnel,” she added.

Items recovered from the hideout include an operational speedboat, 80 horsepower and 70 horsepower outboard engines, the mobile phone belonging to the late Georgewill, one live cartridge, and various food items.

The police spokesperson noted that investigations were ongoing to apprehend the remaining fleeing members of the gang.

“The Rivers State Police Command remains resolutely committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors in the state,” Ms Iringe-Koko concluded.

Governor Monday Okpebholo has suspended the Okumagbe of Uwano Kingdom, Agenebode, Etsako East LGA, George Egabor, over recent kidnappings and killings in his domainThe governor’s chief press secretary announced the suspension in a statement.
The suspension is indefinite.

The government said the secretary of the traditional ruler, Peter Omiogbemhi, was arrested following a recent incident that led to the death of a palace chief, John Ikhamate.

Governor Monday Okpebholo has suspended the Okumagbe of Uwano Kingdom, Agenebode, Etsako East LGA, George Egabor, over recent kidnappings and killings in his domainThe governor’s chief press secretary announced the suspension in a statement.
The suspension is indefinite.

The government said the secretary of the traditional ruler, Peter Omiogbemhi, was arrested following a recent incident that led to the death of a palace chief, John Ikhamate.

The Kwara State House of Assembly has praised the emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari’s peaceful and impactful reign as he clocks 85Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, speaker of the House, said this in a congratulatory message signed by his chief press secretary, Sheu Abdulkadir, on Tuesday.

The statement said, “We, at the State House of Assembly, are proud and happy to be associated with the numerous achievements and successes that the Ilorin emirate and the entire Kwara have recorded during his peaceful and impactful reign as the emir of Ilorin and chairman of the State Traditional Council.

”We are also delighted that the Ilorin emirate and Kwara as a whole have continued to witness tremendous infrastructural development during the reign of His Royal Highness. This is especially in the almost six years of the people-oriented administration of the Sardauna of the Ilorin emirate, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the executive governor of Kwara State and chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).”

It added, ”It is noteworthy and gladdening that the emir of Ilorin had been at the vanguard of promotion of peace, harmony and development, not only in the Ilorin emirate but Kwara and Nigeria at large, even before ascending the exalted throne of his forefathers some 30 years ago.”

The head of the Central Committee of German Catholics has voiced hope that the next pope will continue on the legacy of openness pursued by Pope Francis ZdK warned that the election of a conservative figure could pose challenges for the church in Germany.

ZdK president Irme Stetter-Karp told dpa that the church required leadership capable of meeting the demands of the 21st century.

She said the election of a conservative pope would likely pose a significant challenge for the Catholic Church in Germany.

She acknowledged the presence of forces within the Catholic Church that wished to maintain clerical power and viewed too much freedom for the faithful as a threat to church unity.

“This risk exists, and it is not small,” she said. “The ZdK represents the Catholic laity, the non-clergy in local parishes.

She added, “Together with the German Bishops’ Conference, the ZdK initiated a reform process in 2019, the Synodal Path.

“This focused on reforms within the church concerning lay preaching and same-sex couples, moves that infuriated conservatives, prompting some to speak of a schism and heresy.”

Surveys have repeatedly shown that the majority of German Catholics support liberalising reforms, including more rights for women and a shift in the church’s stance on sexual morality.

The chief executive of the pharmaceutical giant, Thomas Schinecker, disclosed this on Tuesday.

Mr Schinecker said that the commitment includes new state-of-the-art research and development sites and new and expanded manufacturing facilities in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and California.

He also said that the investments were expected to create more than 12,000 new jobs, including nearly 6,500 construction jobs and 1,000 jobs at new and expanded facilities.

He explained that the added capacity would allow the company to export more medicines from the U.S. than it imports.

”The investments underscore our long-standing commitment to research, development and manufacturing in the U.S.,” Mr Schinecker said.

Roche is a Swiss company with a strong heritage in more than 130 countries globally.