₦airaland Forum

Healthcare services in Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria are grounded following the 7-day warning strike embarked upon by the workers to protest the deduction of their salaries by the State Government to fund the fight against Covid-19 pandemic.

The hospitals are empty as the health workers have deserted their duty post. The patients who were at the state health facilities had to return to seek medical attention elsewhere due to the strike.

Saleh Ilya is suffering from stomach ache, he came all the way from Kujama about 13 kilometers away to access healthcare at the General Hospital Sabo, but no one is on hand to attend to him. Like Saleh, Joshua Steven is also feeling the heat of the strike. His wife has just been delivered of a baby through caesarian section but they had to be discharged even though she has not fully recovered.

State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Steven Kache described the situation as sympathetic, stressing that the demand of health workers is reasonable.

The State Government has however threatened to sack any health worker who refuses to go to work, but the Union says there will be total strike if government fails to reverse its decision after the 7-day warning strike.

On Friday, the health workers in Kaduna State embarked on strike over compulsory deduction of 25 percent of their salaries by the State Government.

The Lagos state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association has called off its strike. The sit-at-home order was given on Wednesday, over constant harassment of Health workers in the state, by the police.

Chairman of the association, Saliu Oseni says the decision was reached after several meetings for peaceful resolution of the situation.

Residents of Dapchi in Yobe State have described the attack on the community on Monday as the biggest so far carried out by Boko Haram militants.

During the attack, the insurgents burnt down the palace of Dapchi District Head and the General Hospital.

An eyewitness disclosed that when the hospital was set on fire many patients undergoing treatment ran for their lives.

Since the attack, many persons have been reported missing while families have been separated and in disarray.

Dapchi rose to global prominence on February 19, 2018 when the town was attacked by insurgents, who abducted 110 schoolgirls from their dormitory at Government Girls Science and Technical College.

The girls were later released in a deal with the Nigerian Government but one of them, Leah Sharibu, was held back because she refused to convert from Christianity to Islam.

Also in March, 2020, Boko Haram fighters attacked the town and killed seven policemen.

Boko Haram terrorists in several gun trucks are presently attacking Dapchi community in Yobe State, forcing many residents to flee for safety into nearby bushes.

A source, who spoke with SaharaReporters on Monday, said the insurgents attacked the community around 7:30pm and began to fire sporadically at anything within sight.

He said the people were presently running into nearby bushes and the Kumadugu-Yobe River to avoid being killed or kidnapped.

Another resident of the community told SaharaReporters that the town was up in flames with gunshots continuing.

The resident said he narrowly escaped and took refuge in a nearby village, adding that the attack was a major one.

Dapchi was attacked on February 19, 2018 by insurgents, who abducted 110 schoolgirls from their dormitory at Government Girls Science and Technical College.

The girls were later released in a deal with the Nigerian Government but one of them, Leah Sharibu, was held back because she refused to convert from Christianity to Islam.

Also in March, 2020, Boko Haram fighters attacked the town and killed seven policemen.

In a nutshell, let me quote Dr Charles Omole in addressing the issue here reported:

“We need to encourage superior cognitive reasoning in Nigeria. Simply because you support (or respect) a person does not mean you cannot criticize them. And because you criticize a person (even your father or boss) does not mean you hate (or disrespect) them either. Such binary conception is the output of lazy minds.”

Like in every family and in every organization there are differences of opinion. Sometimes people even align on what should be done but disagree about how to go about achieving it.

This is a sensationalized report attempting to create a storm in a tea cup. It is a hatchet report exposing Sahara Reporters as interlopers in a DAAR family affair.

I am an adult and I am very independent minded. I do not have to agree with my father on every issue and anyone who knows us well also knows that we disagree on a lot of issues and very frequently too. That does not detract from the love or respect we have for each other.

If anything it strengthens it.

Everyone knows my father is a dogged fighter. It is not everybody that can stand before High Chief look him in the eyes and tell him the truth. As his first son sometimes that unenvious responsibility falls on me.

Because he is my father, the founder of DAAR Communications PLC and a High Chief doesn’t make him infallible. And just like I have to tell him the truth so does he too often have to tell me some truths.

He is older than me, he has wisdom, experience and knowledge of certain issues and has different perspectives from me. In our line of work we must disagree very frequently. But how this is the business of Sahara Reporters is completely beyond me!

1. Eighteen confirmed COVID-19 patients have received their second NEGATIVE test results and have been discharged. This brings the number of discharged cases in Oyo State to forty-six. https:///neWWQ223oA

2. Also, the COVID-19 confirmation tests for eleven suspected cases came back POSITIVE. Eight of these cases are from the same organisation in Ibadan South West Local Government Area referred to in the update of May 16, 2020. One case is from Oluyole Local Government Area.

Furthermore, the test results of two suspected cases from the University College Hospital, Ibadan, who passed away and have been buried also came back POSITIVE. So, the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State is 118 and the total number of COVID-19 related deaths is four.

3. We urge the following categories of people who have not already done so, to register with the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 | 08095863000 | 08078288999 | 08078288800, for the ongoing drive-through/walk-through testing at Adamasingba Stadium:

a) People who believe they could have come in contact with a COVID-19 case in Oyo State;

b) People with COVID-19 symptoms: cough, fever, tiredness, body

c) People with respiratory disease symptoms;

d) Healthcare workers who have been in contact with the high-risk groups, above.

4. Also, please call the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 | 08095863000 | 08078288999 | 08078288800, if you find travellers from other states arriving in your community.

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF PLATEAU STATE, RT. HON. (DR) SIMON BAKO LALONG, KSGG, ON THE UPDATE OF TOTAL LOCKDOWN OVER COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HELD ON 17TH MAY 2020.

1. Fellow compatriots, I address you again in continuation of our collective fight against the Corona Virus disease commonly referred to as COVID-19.

2. In my last address of April 30th, 2020, I indicated that we shall continue to observe the total lockdown from Midnight of Thursday to Midnight of Sundays throughout the State.

3. In addition to other measures taken earlier, I also informed you that we shall continue to restrict inter-Local Government movements to further curtail the spread of the disease which was first recorded in the State on 23rd April 2020.
4. Since then, the State has recorded more cases of COVID-19 that rose to 33. This necessitated us redoubling our efforts to checkmate community spread by aggressively conducting contact tracing, isolating suspected contacts, and treating the infected.

5. As at today, we have successfully treated and discharged 10 infected persons including the index case who have all been reunited with their families. The other 22 infected persons are still undergoing treatment and in stable condition. Sadly, one suspect whose sample was taken died yesterday before his result was returned positive.

6. We have continued to quarantine suspected persons that come in from other States at our designated facilities to ascertain their status over the mandatory period of 14 days. As at today, we have 255 persons in our various quarantine centres.

7. At this point, I must appreciate the support and cooperation that most citizens have demonstrated during this trying moment. The level of compliance has been appreciative, despite the inconveniences that this pandemic has exposed us all to.

8. However, the major challenge we have continued to face is the breaches at our State boundaries where people continue to violate the closure order through compromise or resort to illegal routes.

9. This has exposed the State to more dangers of COVID-19, as virtually all the cases we have recorded, originated from other States and were imported by people who defied our directives and entered the State at all costs. This is indeed sad.

10. During my visit to our State boundaries at Forest- Hawan Kibo; Ganawuri-Manchok; and Jingre-Saminaka, I again warned that those compromising our collective security will not be allowed to prevail as Government was more than ever determined to put an end to the flagrant disregard for directives.

11. Fellow citizens, as a Government that is people-driven and desirous of carrying everyone along, we have noted the concerns raised in respect of the need to have more room for people to secure services such as banking which were limited because of the existing lockdown schedule.

12. In order to address these concerns and further strengthen our efforts at combating COVID-19, Government has reviewed some of the guidelines with the following decisions:

i. With effect from 17th May 2020, the total lockdown will resume from midnight of every Sunday and be relaxed on Wednesdays 12 midnight.

ii. This will henceforth be the pattern until further review. In order words, the total lockdown is relaxed on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays; while Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays remain totally locked down.

iii. Restriction on all inter-local Government movements shall continue to apply except for those on essential services as earlier enumerated.

iv. The use of facemasks in public places remains compulsory, and anyone found not using one outside his home would be arrested and charged to the mobile court.

v. To ensure better enforcement and compliance, Government will henceforth enroll some of its civil servants for the exercise. Accordingly, the Head of Service has been directed to immediately deploy civil servants from grade levels 10-14 to various points across the State.

vi. Local Government Chairmen are to also replicate same in their domains to ensure effective coverage of the entire State.
vii. The ban on all illegal markets such as the Sunday markets on Ahmadu Bello Way, Bukuru, and environs shall remain in place indefinitely, while Social joints, Nightclubs, drinking parlours are to remain closed.

viii. The Faringada Market continues to defy all guidelines for social distancing and sanitation, and poses a potent threat to our efforts to defeat COVID-19. Therefore, the market will be shut down until the trader unions and the Management of Jos North Local Government come up with an acceptable model for regulation that poses no risk to public health and safety.
ix. Religious gatherings shall continue to have not more than 50 persons, while social distancing, hygiene, and sanitation regulations shall continue to apply.
x. All these decisions are without prejudice to the overnight curfew instituted by the Federal Government from 8 PM to 6 AM.

13. Fellow compatriots, the Government remains fully aware of the collective hardship that this situation has brought upon us all particularly the most vulnerable. Already, the distribution of palliatives to this category of people has continued throughout the State.

14. In the coming weeks, more palliatives from the Federal Government and the private sector donor initiative, CACOVID, shall be received to boost the efforts of the State Government.

15. Let me at this moment thank the various individuals and corporate organisations that have contributed to the Plateau COVID-19 Trust Fund both in kind and in cash. We have realized almost 100 million naira in donations and I re-assure you that we shall deploy it transparently.

16. In particular, I wish to appreciate the Speaker and Honourable Members of the Plateau State House of Assembly for donating 50 percent of their May salaries to the COVID-19 Trust Fund. The Chairman and Members of the Plateau State Council of Traditional Rulers and Emirs also donated food items to the fund. We are very grateful.

17. On the profiling and return of Almajiris children, which commenced on 26th April 2020, we have made a lot of progress. So far, we have returned a total of 601 Almajiris to their States of origin to be tested, reunited with their families and properly cared for. The States include Kaduna (38), Bauchi (419), Kano (92), Jigawa (47), Gombe (5),

18. We have also received (119) Almajiris from other States. We received (108) from Nasarawa State and (11) from Gombe State, who have been profiled, and tested. Out of this number, only one (1) tested positive to COVID-19 and is receiving treatment in one of the isolation facilities. The rest have been reunited with their families.

19. Within the State, we have profiled 36 Almajiris who are indigenes of Plateau State and have been tested and returned them to their families. 25 are from Quan-Pan, while 11 are from Wase Local Government Areas.

20. Let me again stress that the decision to carry out this evacuation was a collective one taken by Governors of the 19 Northern States during the meeting of the Northern Governors Forum in order to guarantee the safety of these children who were exposed to many dangers, including COVID-19.

21. It is disheartening that this noble and bold decision is being politicized by a few people who although claim to abhor the Almajiri system, choose for reasons best known to them to play to the gallery by pretending to be fighting for the human rights of these children.

22. For the avoidance of doubt, the Northern Governors are collectively committed to ensuring that all the Almajiri children returned to their States are profiled and tested for COVID-19 and other illnesses. Those who are positive are treated before being reunited with their families. At the end of the day, all Almajiris will be integrated into the society seamlessly.

23. Additionally, their education and well-being will be handled by their States, which will bring to an end to the infamous Almajiri system, which has become a social challenge. We again appeal to the understanding and support of all stakeholders. Happily, reports from all the States show that the children are excited to go back home to the warm embrace of their families.

24. On a sad note, I wish to register my deep personal condolences and that of the Government to the family of Rinji Peter Bala who was shot by security personnel attached to the Operation Safe Haven along Zaria Road on 12th May 2020. I have already ordered a probe and I urge for calm as the law takes its cause. Justice will be done.

25. Similarly, I also sympathize with victims of attacks in some communities of the State such as in Bassa Local Government, perpetrated by criminals who are taking advantage of the COVID-19 lockdown.

26. The gruesome murder of Dr. Nandi Drenkat, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Jos and the kidnap of his daughter is totally condemnable. We condole with his immediate family as well as the management, staff, and students of the University.

27. I am glad to report that following the quick response of security agencies in conjunction with the Hunters Association, the kidnapped daughter of the lecturer was rescued alive. Sadly, one of the gallant members of the Hunters Association, Muhammadu Sani made the supreme sacrifice as he died of gunshot wounds from the criminals. We send sincere condolences to his family and pray for the repose of his soul.

28. Let me assure all citizens that we are working with security agencies to fish out these criminals and ensure they are punished. Already, security forces has arrested a suspected mastermind of kidnappings around the Eto-Baba, Bauchi Road general area who is currently undergoing interrogation. I also urge the citizens to continue to be vigilant and report every suspicious activity.
29. We also lost a member of the Committee on the evacuation of Almajiris in the State, Alhaji Sabo Umar Shuaibu who has worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the exercise. Again, we sympathize with his family and pray for the repose of his soul.

30. Finally, I call on all citizens to shun stigmatization and discrimination as well as the spread of fake news that represent major challenges to the fight against COVID-19.

31. With the measures taken so far, the pandemic has been largely tamed in the State. With a little more effort, we can ensure that we eliminate new infections and transmission.

32. Thank you and may God bless Plateau State, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Rt. Hon. (Dr) Simon Bako Lalong, KSGG
Executive Governor, Plateau State & Chairman,
Northern Governors Forum.
17th May, 2020.

StubbornGENIUS:
So 12 will be added to tonight figures,right?

StubbornGENIUS:
I think it's gonna be added to tonight's figures giving the time of the tweet.

StubbornGENIUS:
Kwanza, check your topic figures

Niccoloimhotep:

The topic said 23 more, the message says 11. Our journalists ntooorrrr

I am happy to announce the successful treatment and discharge of eleven (11) #COVID19 patients from the Isolation and Treatment Centre in Abuja. The total number of discharged in the FCT is now 89.

I urge everyone to follow the laid down guidelines in order to stay safe. https:///FL2ITJXfQA

Additional 12 #COVID19 patients were also discharged from the Isolation and Treatment Centre in the FCT, bringing the total number of discharged patients to 101.

We are working to hard to ensure we flatten the curve.

Kwara State Health Commissioner, Dr. Raji Abdulrazaq

#COVID19KwaraUpdate as at 16th May,2020 | 9:35pm.

✳️ 2 new #COVID-19 cases confirmed and we also discharged 3 COVID-19 patients.

✳️ Total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kwara State is now 58.

✳️ Number of active cases is 42,

✳️ Total Discharged 15.

✳️ Death 1.

The attention of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team @DSVRT was drawn to a viral post on Facebook wherein one Afobaje Maiyegun boasted that he had just beaten up his wife and declared he is ‘’waiting for her police‘’ to come and arrest him

Immediately, the team reached out to ACP Gbolahan Odugbemi, Area Commander, Area J who ensured that the said person was arrested immediately. Preliminary investigation conducted revealed that this is not the first time the said Mr. Maiyegun would perpetrate such a dastardly act

A partner NGO, @HerfessionsApp was on ground to assist with the investigation. The case is set to be charged to court on Friday, 15th May, 2020.

This is to sound a clear warning that the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. @jidesanwoolu has declared a zero tolerance to Sexual and Gender Based Violence in the State and as such perpetrators will face the full weight of the law.

Another 5 patients were discharged from our infectious disease hospital today bringing down the total number of active cases of #COVID19 in Ondo State to 4. #WarAgainstCovid19

Sokoto State Commissioner of Land and Housing, Sirajo Marafa Gatawa, is dead, The PUNCH has learnt.

He has since been buried at his former residence on Sama Road, opposite Babban Tanki, Sokoto, according to Islamic rites.

The late Gatawa was among the 26 commissioners Governor Aminu Tambuwal, appointed in November 2018.

He had served as Commissioner of Science and Technology before he was redeployed to the Ministry of Lands and Housing.

Dear FCT Residents,

It is yet another good news as we discharge 7 more #COVID19 patients from the Isolation centre in the FCT after their subsequent tests returned negative, bringing the total number of discharged patients in the FCT to 92 as at 10am, May 10th, 2020.

#StaySafe https:///bQ3F9IbepG

A serving naval officer, SM Ahmadu, who tested positive for Coronavirus in Delta State, has fled from an isolation centre.

Ahmadu, who is presently serving at the Base Maintenance Unit, was said to have absconded from the state COVID-19 isolation centre in Oghara town on Saturday where he was receiving treatment.

According to a source, the navy officer had requested to smoke marijuana when he was brought to the centre last week but was disallowed.

“He came to the isolation centre with a knife, it was this knife he used to chase the security manning the gates before escaping,” the source said.

Calls put across to the BMU’s Director of Information, Commodore Sulaiman Dahun, over the issue were not answered nor returned at the time of filing this report.

An officer of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has died from coronavirus (COVID-19) complications at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State.

This brings the number of death recorded at the facility within a week to two. Daily Trust reports that a pregnant woman had died at the hospital on May 2 shortly before her COVID-19 test result returned positive.

The Head of Public Relations at FMC, Segun Orisajo, on Sunday morning, confirmed the death of the unnamed police officer.

He said the officer died at the facility three days ago.

According to Orisajo, the deceased presented in the General Outpatients Department at FMC about three days ago, later died same day.

The spokesperson said the officer’s COVID-19 test result returned positive on Sunday morning.

“His body is being prepared for release to his family for burial in strict compliance with World Health Organizations guidelines.

“All staff, who came in contact with the deceased, are currently on self isolation,”

Orisajo said in a statement. Daily Trust reports that Orisajo had, on Saturday night, confirmed three new cases involving two staff of the hospital – a nurse and administrative staff – as well as another patient.

Ogun State now has 115 positive cases of COVID-19 according to the Nigeria Centre of Disease Control (NCDC)’s data released on May 9, 2020.

The Dan’iya of Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Bayero, is dead.

He was the district head of Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area.

Bayero was said to be the first district head Ajingi Local Government Area in the history of Kano state.