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  • Female Nigerian pilgrim dies in Saudi Arabia- Official

    An elderly female Nigerian pilgrim from Sokoto State has died in Madinah, Saudi Arabia few days to the commencement of 2019 Hajj rites.

    Dr Hamidu Liman, Head of Medical team, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), made the disclosure while speaking with journalists in Madinah on Tuesday.

    Liman, who did not identify the deceased, said she had an ailment before embarking on the trip, but later referred to Al Ansar hospital, Madinah, where she died, four days ago.

    According to Liman, the deceased was buried in Madinah after her family was contacted.

    “The deceased developed an illness from Nigeria, we attended to her but when her condition did not improve, we referred her for special attention at Al Ansar hospital, Madinah.

    “We lost her in the hospital four days ago.

    “I would advise intending pilgrims to ascertain their health status before embarking on pilgrimage because it involves lots of energy-sapping activities.

    “They are urged to do physical exercise before embarking on pilgrimage, to ensure they are physically fit for the exercise,” he said.

    Liman said that three other pilgrims had fracture; one with pathological fracture while two others accidentally fell on the floor due to slippery tiles and were treated.

    He identified major health challenges confronting Nigerian pilgrims to include fatigue, headache, hypertension and asthma.

    He said the commission had established four health centres in various locations in Madinah to handle pilgrims’ minor ailments.

    The head of the medical team said pilgrims with special medical cases were referred to tertiary hospital for further medical attention in agreement with Saudi Government to treat such cases free of charge.

    According to him, there are ambulances and adequate drugs for pilgrims’ basic ailment.

    Liman said that Quest time hotel, the venue of one of the health centres, treated 2,500 pilgrims, being the highest number so far.

    He urged pilgrims to rest and minimise shopping with a view to copping with the rigour associated with Hajj rites.

    Meanwhile, NAHCON said it had so far transported 27,466 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia as at Tuesday in 56 flights, adding that the latest flight of Max Air VM3005 departed Bauchi for Madinah with 550 Bauchi State pilgrims.

    NAN

  • Updated: Abuja NMA offers free medical services to Chibiri community

    The FCT chapter of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) provided medical services to over 1000 people in Chibiri Ward, Kuje Area Council of Abuja as part of activities to mark its 2019 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference.

    The Chairman of the FCT chapter of the association, Dr Philips Ekpe, said in Chibiri during the medical outreach that the body chose the community following media reports that people in the area were in dire need of medical attention.

    He said the reports indicated that Chibiri community would not accept medical doctors to give them injection, especially when their children were convulsing.

    He, therefore, noted that the NMA outreach in the community was to educate the people about their basic health needs and hygiene.

    He said “we will also take our report to the FCT Department of Health and Human Services Secretariat so it can beef up primary health care services in the community.”

    Ekpe said that the outreach focused on general medical care; the general out-patient department was seeing different ailments such malaria, typhoid fever, hypertension and diabetes.

    “The medical team is also carrying out cataract surgery and by the end of the exercise, we are expected to do about 50 surgeries and give the patients glasses.”

    He urged health authorities in the FCT to improve services to the community, saying that the outreach recorded impressive turnout.

    He, however, noted high cases of malnutrition, ulcer, malaria and hypertension among other ailments in the community

    Dr Eziechila Joseph, an Opthalmic Surgeon and Vice Chairman of the association, said the association would provide cataract and other surgeries to 16 people during the outreach.

    Joseph, who led the ophthalmic surgical team, said that of the 16 surgeries, 12 were for cataract, while four were for other growth in the eyes.

    While saying that it was the first time the association included surgery in its outreach services, Joseph added that free corrective and other medical glasses would also be given to patients.

    Mrs Paul Bawa, a resident of the community, thanked the association for the services, saying her complaints were chest and stomach pain, as well as eye challenge, but that the medical team had diagnosed and gave her drugs.

    She said most women and children could not afford such services due to financial challenge.

    Alhaji Bagudu Abubakar, the Wakilin Nupawa of Kuje Area Council, who also benefitted from the outreach, commended the NMA for the gesture.

    The 2019 NMA AGM has “The Rising Trend of Suicide in Nigeria : A Wholistic Perspective” as its theme. (NAN)

  • Boko Haram: Military to take delivery of Super Tucano fighter jets in 2020 – Presidency

    The Federal Government has reiterated its determination to continue to procure sophisticated weapons to keep the nation’s military in good fighting shape, saying the country will take delivery of Super Tucano fighter jets in 2020.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Tuesday night, said the fighter jets, expected from the United States, would be deployed in checking terrorist activities in the country.

    He said: “While the military arsenal is not something you pay for and get, requiring mostly long-time orders, weapons will come in accordance with the terms of contracts.

    “This country is expecting the commencement of the delivery of Super Tucano fighter jets, very effective in this kind of warfare, beginning next year from the United States.’’

    Shehu, who lauded the efforts of the armed forces in suppressing the activities of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the country, described as `fantastic’ the recently launched “Super Camps’’ by the military.

    According to him, the essence of this is to act proactively and respond quickly to the changing nature of terrorism.

    The presidential aide noted with delight that the Buhari administration had made the country safer than it met it in 2015.

    “The position of the Nigerian government is that the Boko Haram terrorism has been degraded and defeated. The real Boko Haram we know is defeated.

    “At the moment, the Nigerian government under President Muhammadu Buhari has made the country safer than it met it.

    “In 2015 when he took power, Boko Haram terrorism was active in nearly half the number of states in the country.

    “They controlled a territory the size of Belgium, with a flag and systems of administration and taxation of their own.

    “Emirs and Chiefs had fled their domains along with hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens. Such is no more; they have been taken from them,’’ he further observed.

    Shehu added that, at present, terrorist activities had been confined to the remote, rural agrarian areas of Borno  and pockets of outrages in Adamawa and Yobe states.

    He disclosed that the administration had embarked on an ambitious electronic/digital border monitoring scheme to curtail the porosity of the borders.

    He revealed that the government was also working with the UN agencies, the World Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, donor agencies and friendly countries towards addressing the problems created as a result of the activities of the terrorist groups in the affected areas.

    “A few weeks ago, the administration inaugurated the Northeast Development Commission, to fast track development and poverty eradication in the affected areas.

    “The Buhari administration is strongly encouraged by successes recorded so far by our armed forces and the MNJTF, and is optimistic that in the same way as our military defeated the Boko Haram, so would the ISWA terrorism be defeated,’’ he added.

    NAN reports the Super Tucano is a durable and flexible aircraft designed for counter-insurgency and close air support roles.

    It can also be used for reconnaissance missions in low-threat environments and for pilot training, and is capable of operating from unimproved runways.

    The aircraft can be equipped with advanced avionics, an electro-optical, infrared and laser targeting system, as well as communications and datalinks to enhance its combat capability. (NAN)

  • CBN injects $210m into forex market

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has injected the sum of 210 million dollars into the inter-bank Foreign Exchange Market after the transactions on Tuesday, July 30.

    The bank’s Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr Isaac Okorafor made this known in a statement in Abuja.

    Okorafor explained that authorized dealers in the wholesale sector of the market received 100 million dollars, while the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the invisible segments were allocated the sum of 55 million dollars each.

    He said the efforts of the CBN had helped to ensure the stability of the Naira and also increased the level of investors and public confidence in the economy.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CBN had in the last intervention on July 26, injected the sum of 284.2million dollars and CNY36million into the Retail Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) segment.

    Meanwhile, the Naira on July 30 exchanged at an average of N358 to a dollar in the Bureau De Change (BDC) segment of the market. (NAN)

  • Hit the ground running, SGF tasks AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Governing Council

    Hit the ground running, SGF tasks AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Governing Council

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha  has tasked the newly inaugurated National Governing Council of African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development/ African Peer Review Mechanism (AUDA-NEPAD/APRM) to hit the running especially on its core mandates.

    This was in a statement signed on Tuesday by Abolade Ogundimu, Media Assistant to Princess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator/C.E.O, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria.

    Mustapha, represented by Dr. (Mrs.) Habiba Lawal, Permanent Secretary, Ecological Fund Office made this known on Tuesday during the inauguration of the 15-Man council at the SGF’s Conference Room on Tuesday.

    According to the SGF, the council should ensure that transformation of AUDA-NEPAD is fully completed while the second peer review of the nation is also successfully conducted.

    “I implore your council to hit the ground running, in collaboration with the secretariat, to put all necessary machinery in motion to conduct the country’s 2nd Peer Review Self-Assessment and Country Report in process.

    “Your council is expected to build a strong synergy with National Planning Commission, National Bureau of Statistics, Budget Office and relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies and the political class for proper integration and acceptance of APRM policies, knowledge and process nationwide in adherence to the principle of broad-based participation.

    “Also, you are to fast track the process of transformation of NEPAD to AUDA-NEPAD/APRM by collaborating with the Ministry of Justice and the National Assembly to pass the necessary enabling law,” he said

    The Federal Government added that NGC must ensure that all the concerns outlined in the self-assessment report were addressed in the final document.

    “They should meet all the criteria identified in the guidelines towards the integration of all national emerging issues to develop a robust National Plan of Action (NPoA) for a comprehensive National Development Programme (NDP),” Mustapha said.

    He however reiterated that NGC’s mandate did not involve interference in the technicalities of the day-to-day running of the secretariat, AUDA-NEPAD.

    The SGF said the clarification became necessary in order not to divert attention from the APRM process, which must be technically competent, credible and free of political manipulation.

    The SGF assured the council that the Management of AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria, under Princess Gloria Akobundu, Secretary of the NGC was committed to the success of the councils objectives.

    In his response, Senator Abba Ali, |Chairman of the newly Council urged other members to work on the existing mercenary of the agency saying it was capable of delivering desired objectives of his team.

    According to the Council’s Chairman, the council will work harmoniously to deliver on its mandate, giving the pedigree of the members.

    “I appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for his unreserved commitment towards ensuring that Nigeria maintains its leadership among African Nations.

    “His approval for the domestication of AUDA-NEPAD mandate in the country and conduct of second Peer Review in Nigeria attest to his commitment to ensure that Nigeria remains at the forefront of development in the continent.

    “ By the special grace of God, the council will work harmoniously to deliver the assigned mandates trusting the integrity, credible track records and core areas of competence of the members,” he said.

    On behalf of the entire governing council, the Chairman expressed appreciation to the president, the SGF and the National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM, Princess Gloria Akobundu for their tremendous efforts towards the actualisation of the two major mandates of the Council.

    The AUDA-NEPAD/ APRM Nigeria’s C.E.O expressed appreciation of her management and staff to the inauguration of the council.

    ” The appointment of the NGC by Mr. President’ is to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the AUDA-NEPAD mandate , the 2nd review and the flagship programmes.

    They include: Reform and Domestication of AUDA-NEAD;
    2nd Country assessment/process/review; Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)/Monitoring and evaluation.
    ” Also, realisation of AU Agenda 2063; Giving early warning on election and violence/Voters education; Harnessing skills/ entrepreneurship and strengthening public-private Partnership, among others”.
    The NGC members are:
    NAMES            POSITION
    1.Sen. Abba Ali – Chairman
    2.AMB. Haliru Sodangi – Member
    3.DR. Bala Zakari -Member
    4.Mr. Dozie Madu -Member
    5.Chief Barnabas Chimezie Njoku – Member
    6.Chom Bagu -Member
    7.Mrs. Tawakalitu Olayemi Yusuf -Member
    8.Dr. Ugo Beke – Member
    9.Hon. (Barr.) Thomas Okasun – Member
    10.Comrade Ayuba Wabba – Member
    11.Mrs. Halima Kiyari Joda – Member
    12. Dr. Louis Mandema – Member
    13.MR. Kola Adesina – Member
    14.Mrs. Okieimen Funke Iyabo – Member
    15.Hon. Princess Gloria Akobundu – Secretary

  • Four suspects in police net for raping 14-yr- old for 2 days in Anambra

    A gang of four suspected cultists out of six has been arrested bypolice operatives attached to the Command Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), Anambra State for reportedly raping a 14-year-old student in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state. (more…)

  • OPCI security summit endorses community policing as panacea to security challenges

    Almost all the speakers at the Oodua Peoples Care Initiative (OPCI) summit at the Arts and Culture Centre, Ilorin on Tuesday,  endorsed community policing as a vital panacea in containing security challenges facing the nation. (more…)

  • Days of illegal private schools numbered -Govt

    The Taraba State Ministry of Education has decried the rate of illegal private schools in the state. (more…)

  • APC commends NASS for intervening in Bauchi Assembly crisis

    Bauchi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC)  has commended  the House of Representatives for ‘upholding the rule of law and asserting the supremacy of the Constitution in handling the leadership crisis of the House . (more…)