Nigerian soldiers, fighting Boko Haram in the Northeast under an acronym: Lafiya Dole, have ambushed the insurgents at Feri-Feri and Tashan Goto villages in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, killing two while others fled into the bush with bullet wounds. According to a statement today, by the spokesman of the Army, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, the ambush was carried out following a confirmed information, and that two bicycles, as well as three wheel barrows, were recovered from the fleeing insurgents. The statement said that a suspected physically challenged Boko Haram terrorists’ informant, whose name was given as Audu Usman was arrested by soldiers of the 7 Brigade Garrison at Doron Baga, northern Borno State. This was even as the soldiers discovered an Improvised Explosive Device along Bama-Aulari road while they were on fighting patrol, adding that the Explosive Ordinance Device team attached to the patrol team had successfully detonated the device.[myad]
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was in Akwa Ibom State today, Saturday, to witness the State marking its 30-year anniversary. He commissioned projects, spoke at the Grand Finale of the celebrations at the Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, the state capital. Photo By Novo Isioro. [myad]
A man described in security circle as ‘a notorious drug baron,’ Mr. Maxi Ota Benjamin, has gone into hiding as soldiers on Python Dance II in Southeast, along with some operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), raided a house.
The soldiers, of Sector 1, Sub Sector 4 of the operatives with the NDLE officers, could not apprehend the baron who has his house in Amirima Compound, Achara Ihechiowa community at Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State.
A statement today, by the Deputy Director, Public Relations, of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Sagir Musa, said that during the raid, four suspected accomplices to the wanted drug baron were apprehended from the compound.
The statement listed items recovered from the residence as one short single barrel gun, one long single barrel gun, one automatic pump action rifle, one locally made double barrel pistol, one binocular and two mobile phones of Intel and kismo brands. Others are some substance suspected to be indian hemp.
The statement said that the suspects and the items recovered have been handed over to NDLEA for further action. [myad]
Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel has said that his government has continued to maintain free healthcare for pregnant women, hildren and aged people.
The governor, who spoke today, Saturday, when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo commissioned the newly reconstructed and equipped General Hospital at Etinan local government area of the state stressed the importance his government attached to the health of the citizens.
Governor Emmanuel said that his administration decided to intervene in the hospitals rehabilitation and re-equipping in the ten federal constituencies of the state for even spread of secondary health amenities.
He said that all the equipment at the hospital came from the United States of America as his administration’s premium on the health and well-being of the people would not let him compromise on quality.
The governor explained that the facilities will enhance health care delivery at the grassroots and will also make it affordable to the populace.
“We discover that people die from simple medical issues that a well equipped secondary health facility could have handled.”
The governor said that the total turn around in secondary medical facilities was a concerted effort at meeting the basic medical needs of the people and to reduce pressure on tertiary and quaternary medical facilities in the state, adding that the same reconstruction and re-equipping was being witnessed in eight other General Hospitals in the ten federal constituencies in the state.
This was even as the Vice President expressed satisfaction with the quality of the facilities, commending the governor for deliberately impacting on the lives of the grassroots people.
He lauded Governor Emmanuel for setting out to meet the health needs of the people across the state.
“I can say here that the equipment is state of the arts, and that of the 21st century,and there are several trained medical personnel including doctors, and I want to congratulate the people of this community, hoping they will make good use of the facilities to stand the test of time.”
Vice President Osinbajo expressed hope that the ongoing reconstruction of facilities at other General Hospitals in the state, will also be completed as promised, to the benefit of the people.
The Vice President had earlier commissioned the 400 million capacity Syringe Factory and the Meter Manufacturing Company both in Onna as part of activities to mark the 30th anniversary of the state’s creation. [myad]
The Presidency has provided a clue as to where to look for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu who is said to be mssing since the Python Dance II of the Nigerian Army entered his country home in Abia state to dislodge his group fighting for Biafra.
Speaking on the issue today, senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said: “I am surprised someone would ask this question. Look, some people went to court and obtained his freedom, they signed his bail.
“I believe that a high profile group including a Senator of the Federal Republic signed in a court of law and obtained his freedom. So, if you are looking for him, why don’t you ask the people who bailed him?
“Nobody has informed me that Mr Kanu is in the hands of any institution of government. But if I was looking for him, I would ask the guy who bailed him because that is the deal he has with the court of the land.”[myad]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned commercial Banks in Nigeria not to hoard foreign exchange so as to stay oot of trouble within thwe context of the new direction it had already designed for the economy.
Spokesman of the apex bank, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, who spoke in an interview, said that the intervention strategy that has been designed is meant to help stabilize the economy following the economic recession that hit the country in the last two years.
He said that the apex bank would not hesitate to wield the big stick on any bank that acts contrary to the directive of CBN in forex management.
“We are monitoring banks very closely to ensure compliance. I can tell you now that no bank is cutting corners because anyone one that tries to upset the present trend will be severely sanctioned,” Okoroafor said, adding that with the apex bank’s consistent intervention, the black market business is dead.
“The black market exchange rate is dead because the rate has come to meet the official rate. What you only have now is the BDC rate,” he said.
Okoroafor expressed optimism that the effort of the CBN would eventually stabilize the naira against other foreign currencies, adding that the bank’s effort will soon pull the country out of the economic challenges.
“With the CBN’s robust and stable policies, Nigerians should be rest assured of a robust economic furture. With our interventions in the agricultural sector and the foreign market, as well as the ban on some selected items, it will just be a matter of time before the economy returns to normalcy.”
He thanked Nigerians for their patience and cooperation in supporting the CBN’s economic policies.[myad]
Due to several calls and enquiries on why the former Kaduna Bureau Chief of VanguardNewspapers, Luka Binniyat, has continued to be an unwilling guest of the Kaduna Prison for nearly three months over alleged publication of false report, I am compelled to shed light on why the journalists is still without hope of regaining freedom soonest. No thanks to stringent bail conditions imposed by Justice Bashir Sukola of the Kaduna High Court.
On January 22, 2017, the reporter had filed a report to the Lagos Head office of Vanguard Newspaper that five students of the Kaduna College of Education, Gidan Waya, Kafanchan, were allegedly murdered by suspected herdsmen. In those days, unlike now, the hair-rising killings in the southern Kaduna axis had turned the area into a global cynosure of barbaric killing field. Like every reporter desiring to be the first to break the story, he quickly filed the report.
Less than two hours after, Binniyat, discovering the report was unsubstantiated, quickly reached out to his Editor to jettison the story. The Editor later directed him through a text message to send a text as he was in a meeting. Quickly, Binniyat sent the text message requesting the story should not be published having been discovered as false. As an experienced reporter, who then had put in over 10 years of dedicated service to the Vanguard, he also reached out to his News Editor on the same matter. The News Editor said he was not in the office, but promised to get in touch with the Editor. That was about 5:00pm of January 22, 2017. Still determined to ensure the story did not see the light of day, Binniyat around 8:00pm of same date tried to reach his Editor, but his calls were not responded to. He later re-sent the text he had sent to him earlier in the day. All Binniyat’s efforts to stop the publication of the report failed to yield fruit as the story was curiously published on January 23, 2017 edition of the Vanguardnewspaper.
With the false report on print, the professional way to handle the issue was a simple rebuttal and apology to readers by the newspaper. That was not done by the editors despite the obvious slip-up on their part. Few months later, operatives of Department of State Security Services (DSS) invited the reporter for a chat. On arrival at the DSS office in Kaduna, the case was transferred to the police for prosecution.
Around April 2017 or thereabout, Binniyat was arraigned before a Magistrate court where he had no qualms getting a bail after spending a night in jail. Many had wondered and are still wondering why the reporter was sued without the medium that published the contentious story. Again, on July 12, 2017, Binniyat was arraigned before a Kaduna High Court where he spent nine days before the judge could entertain his bail application. Interestingly, all the brilliant submissions by Binniyat’s lawyer, Barrister James Kanyip, to attract sympathy for his client, who had appeared before the court on crutches, fell on deaf ears as Justice Sukola insisted that he was only favourably disposed to hear the bail argument on July 21, 2017.
When finally the bail application was heard, the court granted the bail, but with such conditions too stringent to be met by the defendant. Two sureties were required to produce N10 million bond each, and should be prepared to review the bond after every six months. What sounds as a death knell on the bail condition is the requirement that the sureties should surrender their international passports throughout the duration of the case.
Efforts to have the judge review the bail conditions have become a mirage; to be pursued but never realised. When the case again came up on August 31, 2017, it was strangely adjourned to October 9, 2017. Reason: the Kaduna State Government has brought in a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to take over the case and he needed time to study the case file. Not a few are expressing fears that the incessant adjournments now trailing this case has already cast a pall on the possibility of resolving the case immediately.
Despite serving Vanguard Newspapers meritoriously for over 10 years, many are in a confused state of mind why the media organisation has bizarrely decided to abandon one of its best reporters when he needed them the most. The mind-boggling question on the lips of many remains: ‘Are there pecuniary and selfish interests being pursued by Vanguard Editors that make it impossible for them to speak up for Binniyat?’
For now, all discerning minds are worried that Binniyat may have become a victim of ethical compromise in the course of carrying out his professional duties. I have been privileged to work as reporter in various newspapers in Nigeria. I am aware of the tremendous challenges facing media practitioners reporting on conflicts. The professional disposition Binniyat brought to bear on his handling of the report in question, which is now being used to perpetually detain him, should have attracted commendation, instead of cold abandonment by his former employers. In an ideal situation and saner environment, the Editor and other news gate keepers, who allowed such contentious report despite Binniyat’s efforts in stopping the publication of the story, should be facing disciplinary committee for violation of ethics. Considering the persistent efforts deployed by the reporter to ensure the story was not published, such an editor and other news gate keepers should have lost their jobs by now.
The media prides itself in “afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.” Sadly, when it comes to healing the inner injustice that ravages the profession, media practitioners embrace a despicable form of hypocrisy. I am at great pains in rationalizing the disposition of Vanguard in the manner it is handling Binnniyat’s travails. Yes, granted the fact that there has been no love lost between the Kaduna State Government and the reporter, what evil did Binniyat commit to warrant this shuddering treatment from his employers? Binniyat’s dilemma should serve as a wake-up call not just to the practitioners, but also owners of media outfits. As I ponder on the reporter’s travails, so many questions come to mind: “What was the offence of Binniyat? Did he do anything wrong by requesting his editor and news editor not to publish the story he filed and later discovered was false? Was someone after him and wanted to use the story to do him in? Has the NUJ at the state level and national done enough to end Binniyat’s dilemma in the hands of his enemies who think they have got him where they always wanted? Can’t the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) do something to rescue reporters from editors?”
Though tormented by the injustice unleashed on the former Vanguard reporter, I am emboldened by the submission of late Dele Giwa, who said: “Any injustice done by man to man will be addressed. If not now, then, certainly later. If not by men, then by God, for the victory of evil over good can only be temporary.”
Giwa’s assertion on the ultimate defeat of injustice has sustained me in surviving the rattling mental agony over the depressing fate of the former VanguardBureau Chief. Without any form of doubt, as far as this case is concerned, Binniyat has been “most sinned against than sinning.” Let those who cherish truth and justice rise up and condemn Vanguard newspapers in the manner they have treated Binniyat who gave full measures while in their active service. Let the hypocrisy of Vanguard finds its tomb in the way it treats Binniyat. If the press is for the defence of the powerless, allowing one of its own to remain a victim on account of unprofessional conduct of news gate keepers should be seen as great disservice and dishonor.
It is not too late for the NUJ, NGE and all men and women of goodwill to mobilise support to end Binniyat’s dilemma. Every day Binniyat spends in Kaduna Prison is a dark cloud on what the Nigerian media stands for.
The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, first tertiary hospital in Nigeria, will be 60 years old on 20 November, this year. That was the date it was finally commissioned for operation in 1957 but the story of its existence dates back to 1952 when it was created by an Act of Parliament of the then colonial government of Nigeria. It was named University College Hospital because the University of Ibadan, established in 1948, whose medical students it was meant to provide clinical training for was also then known as the University College, Ibadan, affiliated to the University of London. From conception to establishment, UCH was destined to be the leader in the field of tertiary medical training, research and healthcare delivery in the West African sub region and among the best globally. It was purpose built for this role. The very interesting story of its establishment says it all. While planning for its establishment, a visitation team from the faculty of Medicine, University of London visited Ibadan in 1951/1952 academic session. The team led by Dr T C Hunt rejected a suggestion that the facilities of the Native Authority Hospital, Adeoyo, Ibadan, be expanded and upgraded to form the teaching hospital. The team rather recommended the construction of a brand new and modern teaching hospital of comparable standard with teaching hospitals in Britain and other developed countries. When the design of the proposed hospital was eventually unveiled, it was a gigantic, imposing and elegant high rise 800-bed complex. But the colonial office of the British government did not have ready funds for it. Many thought it was a grandiose idea. Some officials again suggested the building of several bungalows to house the departments and wards instead of the expensive high rise complex. However, the then Nigerian Federal Minister of Health , Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, deputy to Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Action Group party which was already blazing the trail in Western Region with pioneering gigantic projects adjudged to be first in Africa, understood the vision and took it up. With his unrelenting efforts, the Nigerian government raised the one million, five hundred thousand pounds sterling (£1.5million) needed for construction to commence. The first sod was turned in 1953. And to underscore the importance of the project, Queen Elizabeth II of England partially opened the new hospital complex during her official visit to Nigeria in 1956 while still under construction. It was finally opened on 20 November 1957 by the Princess Royal. A total sum of Four million, Five hundred thousand pounds sterling (£4.5m) was spent to construct it. The investment was worthwhile because it provided the hospital with what was needed to make it a medical institution of excellence from the onset. It is therefore not surprising that the doctors, nurses and other medical personnel trained by the institution are highly skilled professionals who have distinguished themselves wherever they served around the world. Till date, UCH has indeed lived up to its billing. Its pioneering achievements are legendary. The hospital pioneered open heart surgery in Nigeria in the late 70s and it is still the best hospital in Nigeria today for treatment of cardiac ailments including open heart surgeries and hole in the heart conditions. It has a state of the art Cardiac Catheter Resolution Centre comparable to what is offered in India, United States and Britain. Several people have been successfully treated over the years. In fact UCH made history a few years ago when it successfully performed surgery on the youngest cardiac patient ever operated in any public health institution in Nigeria, a seven month old baby with hole in the heart condition. For many decades, the hospital has also been performing other specialized operations such as prostrate surgeries, knee surgeries, hip replacement surgeries and neural endoscopic procedures on children with brain lesions. Since 2008, UCH has been performing kidney transplants successfully. Four years ago, the hospital again scored another first by performing what is called awake brain surgery. The surgery was performed on a woman to remove a big tumour in her brain while she was awake but sedated and could hear people talk to her. This kind of surgery is said to be a very delicate and complex procedure used by neurosurgeons to remove brain tumours that are too close to areas of the brain which control vision, speech and body movements. During the surgery, doctors monitor the patient’s responses with series of questions and directions to ensure that these critical areas of the brain are not damaged and the patient does not lose any of the critical functions. With this enviable track record, it is all too clear that UCH can effectively and efficiently provide even the most specialized treatments that many Nigerians run to India, Europe and America to secure at exorbitant cost. Credit must be given to successive managements of the hospital for keeping the flag flying and being able to sustain the record breaking achievements. In particular, the present management under the able leadership of the current Chief Medical Director, Professor Temitope Alonge, deserves commendation for its resourcefulness, struggling amidst financial other challenges not only to maintain the standard but to improve on it. So many things have been achieved under his management including the refurbishment and upgrading of some facilities, improvement of level of training and research, introduction of patient and community friendly services and other initiatives geared towards sustainable development and continued relevance of the hospital to the tertiary healthcare needs of the country. Among these innovations is the establishment of the department of nuclear medicine, the first of its kind in Nigeria which is conducting revolutionary diagnosis and treatment of both upper and lower gastrointestinal tract diseases. Research and training of staff is a priority in UCH and the hospital has a lot to show for it. For example, in 2014, UCH was awarded the First Prize for the Best Affordable Technology at the 34th Congress of the Society Internationale d’Urology in Glasgow, Scotland, for the patented UCH invented Bladder Manikin. Prof Alonge has repeatedly said that the hospital is not lacking of tested, highly qualified and skilled manpower to deliver its mandate with the highest standard possible but it needs assistance to acquire more of the latest technology in the industry and also to bring even the specialist treatments within the affordability of most Nigerians who may need them. According to him, one of the key drivers of management policy is commitment to efficient and effective service delivery. Therefore management has addressed certain critical areas where its services can promptly and effectively provide relief for patients and thereby reduce fatalities to barest minimum. In this regard, the hospital operates day care services at the obstetrics and gynecology unit where pregnant women with one problem or the other can immediately receive attention, thus reducing infant and maternal mortality. The hospital has a special scanning machine that can detect abnormalities in babies in the early stages of pregnancy so that such can be corrected before they become complications. Again, the equipment is the first of its kind in any public hospital in Nigeria. Another area of intervention is the care of elderly people. UCH has a special Geriatric Centre where it operates day care services for the treatment of various aging related sicknesses and diseases affecting elderly people. The facility named after elder statesman, Chief Tony Anenih who built and funds it is the first purpose built training and treatment Centre for geriatric medicine in Africa. It is run by the department of family medicine. Many old people who used to seek treatment abroad for such conditions have pitched tent with the Centre after receiving satisfactory treatment. In fact a lot of peasants and other less privileged old people have found succour at the Centre under a social health insurance scheme instituted by Chief Anenih. There is no doubt that this intervention will help increase life expectancy in the country. So far, the UCH Ibadan has demonstrated its capability to attend to the healthcare needs of the country, even at the level of the most specialist treatment and care comparable with what obtains in the advanced countries. It has remained the leader in tertiary healthcare in the country. But its potentials are not exhausted. As it marks the 60th year milestone, it needs to move to next level exploits. And this requires more support from government and the private sector in form of more funding and endowments to adequately equip it with more essential infrastructure and technology as well as other necessities.This is an issue that the Federal Government which is the owner of the hospital as well as well -meaning corporate bodies and individuals should seriously look into and come up with the desired assistance. It is the best way to appreciate and encourage the UCH Ibadan at 60.
Folu Olamiti,a Media Consultant writes from Abuja.[myad]
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has swung into action, arresting and detaining armed robbery suspects in many parts of the city. A statement by the FCT Police Commissioner, Sadiq Abubakar Bello, gave the names of the suspects arrested are 29 year old Benjamin Jatau of Kabusa in possession of one barrel pistol with two rounds of live ammunition, one revolver pistol and one locally made pistol, 30-year-old Hashiru Isiaka of Kuruduna; 20 years old Umar Adamu of Area 1; 25 years old Tukur Bala also of Area 1 and 25-year-old Bashiru Mohammed of Durumi. The statement said that on September Police operatives on stop and search at Dantata Bridge Jabi intercepted and arrested Benjamin Jatau, saying that exhibits were discovered by the police operatives during a search conducted on the bag which the suspect was carrying while on transit from Jabi to Kabusa in a tricycle. “In his statement, the suspect an ex-convict, confessed that the guns which he bought at fifty thousand naira (N50,000) were to be used for a major robbery operation around Kabusa and environs. “Other exhibits recovered include: dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, one Nokia phone, charm and a screw driver. “The suspect and exhibit have been transferred to the Command Special Anti-Robbery (SARS) for discreet investigation and prosecution. It said that another notorious armed robbery suspects arrested on September 20 by the Command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is one Umar Adamu. “The suspects robbed and dispossessed the sum of one hundred and twenty thousand naira (N120,000) from two of their victims. Three of his cohorts were later arrested by the Police detectives in the early hour of September 21 and the pistol used for the operation was recovered in the room of the gang leader, Hashimu Isiaka, located at Kuruduma Village. “Investigation is on-going and suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion.” [myad]
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has made it clear that Nigerian entertainment industry is in a class of its own and can’t be compared with any other. He said: “we don’t even need to compare ourselves. The Nigerian entertainment industry is in a class by itself. Absolutely incredible, real talent. There is no real comparison what our people are doing.” Professor Osinbajo, who spoke today, Friday, when he received the cast of Wakaa: The Musical at the Presidential Villa, said that entertainment industry has indeed proved clearly that “without anybody, even government coming to their aid, they can hold their own.” He said however that the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would lend its support in whatever way it can, saying that he had seen some of the performances of the group who he said was absolutely amazing and extremely professional. This was even as the minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said that the Wakaa Musical performance which has been staged in several places, including London, is about writing the name of Nigeria in gold, all over the world. The Wakaa cast was led by Bolanle Austen-Peters, Producer and Director and Bimbo Manuel, an actor. In her remarks, Austen-Peters expressed delight in the encouragement the Vice President gave to them, adding: “it shows we are doing something.” The group extended invitation to the Vice President as Special Guest of Honour at a Command Performance of Wakaa on October 2, during the grand finale of the 9-day performance of the musical in Abuja. Wakaa: The Musical, is a play about the trials, successes, and experiences of six young graduates with varied backgrounds, revealing the struggles and challenges of young Nigerians at home and abroad. It is a production of BAPS Productions.[myad]
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