Evening recap: US halts routine visa processing in Abuja, FG unveils herbal medicines for cancers, hepatitis B, other top stories

Nigeria's Federal Government has launched a significant initiative in local health innovation, unveiling seven new herbal medicines developed by the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency. These medicines target major health conditions such as prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, peptic ulcer, hypertension, high cholesterol, and hepatitis B. Minister Kingsley Udeh presented the medicines in Lagos and discussed their commercialization with pharmaceutical stakeholders, signaling a push for homegrown medical solutions.

In parallel, the United States is altering its diplomatic operations in Africa, with routine visa processing set to halt at its Abuja embassy and 24 other African missions from August 1. This move aligns with the Trump administration's priorities, though other consular services will continue. The reasons behind this specific shift in visa processing were not detailed.

Separately, the Nigerian House of Representatives' Ad Hoc Committee investigating the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council has declared the appointment letter of its self-proclaimed Director-General as fake. Committee Chairman Yusuf Gagdi announced this during an ongoing investigative hearing, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the agency's leadership and operations. The committee is scrutinizing the council's activities amid allegations of fraudulent representation.

Adding to the evening's headlines, a distressing incident involved a 28-year-old widow allegedly locked out of her matrimonial home in Ikorodu, Lagos, by her father-in-law just eight days after her husband's death. The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency confirmed the perpetrator's arrest amidst claims of intimidation and dispossession, highlighting a serious domestic dispute.