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Guild of Medical Directors faults Dr Stella’s claim on COVID-19 cure, says it’s unsubstantiated

Niyi OYEDEJI
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Guild of Medical Directors faults Dr Stella’s claim on COVID-19 cure, says it’s unsubstantiated

MEDICAL doctors in Nigeria under the auspices of Guild of Medical Directors have expressed shock over the trending video of Dr Stella Immanuel, a medical doctor in the United States of America, who claimed that the combination of Hydrochloroquine (HCQ), Zinc and Zithromax can cure Coronavirus.

The Guild of Medical Directors on Tuesday in a press release signed by Prof. Olufemi Emmanuel Babalola, its president, and made available to The ICIR said the video has been shared all over the country and led to many people justifiably asking the question of what doctors think about it.

Dr Olufemi stated that it was important for people to understand it was just Dr Immanuel’s personal opinion which has no scientific backing and could simply be regarded as “unsubstantiated claims”.

In the video that has gone viral, Dr. Stella Immanuel claimed to have treated over 350 patients in her clinic in Houston, Texas, with the combination of Hydrochloroquine (HCQ), Zinc and Zithromax.

But Olufemi said that people must understand that this is not scientific evidence and just her own personal, unsubstantiated claims.

He stated that although some studies have suggested that Hydrochloroquine was effective, while others have come to the opposite conclusion, hence the need for a medical research which has already started on it.

“As we speak, a study is underway in LUTH on its efficacy and safety. Subsequently, a meta-analysis of all these studies should be undertaken to pool all the results and come up with a summative analysis which will guide clinicians,” Olufemi said.

He submitted that until all these have been done, all anecdotal claims such as the one by Immanuel must be taken with a pinch of salt.

Olufemi also said anecdotal claims such as the herbal mixture from Madagascar have subsequently been proven ineffective.

He stated that The Guild of Medical Directors, as a body of owners of private hospitals in Nigeria, which is collectively responsible for the management of about 70 per cent of the healthcare needs of Nigerians found it imperative to clear air on the video, as its burden falls on the organization.

According to him, coronavirus is real and COVID-19 disease is an indiscriminate killer, noting that the association strongly condemns the politicization of the disease and the treatments currently being used to fight the pandemic.

“This disease is definitely not a joke and we strongly condemn the politicization of the disease and the treatments currently being used to fight the pandemic,” he said.

“As at today, the whole world is still actively looking for an effective treatment and of course, a vaccine. Until then, everyone has a responsibility to remain safe and protect one another through the ways proven to help.”

Court orders arrest of Sani-Omolori, ex-NASS clerk over alleged N400m fraud

Lukman ABOLADE
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Court orders arrest of Sani-Omolori, ex-NASS clerk over alleged N400m fraud

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted an ex parte motion seeking the immediate arrest of Mohammed Omolori, a former Clerk of the National Assembly over allegation of N400 million fraud.

Justice Suleman Belgore,  issued the warrant of arrest on Omolori following an ex parte motion filed by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), according to Premium Times.

In the application marked M/8728/2020, EFCC told the court that Omolori had ignored several invitations by the commission over a petition that was received against him.

The anti-graft Commission stated that it was investigating a petition, alleging diversion of 14 Toyota Hilux vehicles and 13 Peugeot 508 valued at over N400 million.

According to the Commission, as part of its investigation activities, it invited the Secretary of the National Assembly Commission, Adamu Fika, Oluseye Ajakaye and others to its office.

It further stated that the invitees made revelations indicting Omolori, following which letters were sent to him on November 4, 2019, which Omolori failed to honour.

EFCC added that it sent another letter to him on March 16, 2020, which he still failed to honour.

The Commission noted that it was left with no option than to approach the court for a warrant of arrest to be issued against Omolori.

Following remarks by the EFCC counsel S.N. Robert, Belgore granted an immediate warrant of arrest the former NASS clerk.

“It is clear to me that Section 3 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015 can be invoked in the circumstances of this case in granting this application and I so do,”Belgore said

“Warrant of immediate arrest is hereby issued against Mohammed Omolori, the former Clerk of the National Assembly forthwith.”

Police arrest officer who shot couple’s car in Lagos

Samad UTHMAN
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Police arrest officer who shot couple’s car in Lagos

 BALA Elkana, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), has said that the police officer who fired a shot at a moving vehicle of a couple including their daughter in Lagos has been arrested. 

A video posted by a Twitter user, @ewejeoyewole, shows that at exactly 8:57 pm, on Monday, a nursing mother was seen writhing in pain on the road with her crying baby while her husband was seeing dragging the accused police officer. 

The police officer dressed in a Mobile Police outfit is seen in the video holding an AK 47 gun. A car believed to belong to the couple has it’s back windshield shattered, which looked like a gunshot impact.

When contacted by The ICIR, Elkana who said he was aware of the incident disclosed that the police has commenced investigation into the circumstances that led to the incident. 

He however said  that no one was injured or killed during the shooting, insisting that it was the sound of the gunshot that caused the pregnant woman to faint.

“I am aware of that incident, the policeman is in custody and we have commenced an investigation into the circumstances that led to that incident. Nobody was injured nobody was killed” Elkana added. 

Picture of the police officer that fired the moving vehicle

The unidentified police officer who The ICIR later confirmed to be a corporal fired gun shot at a moving Toyota Camry 2009 model with number plate Lagos KRD 351GD conveying a couple and their daughter. 

Scenes from the incident subjected to geo-location investigation by The ICIR revealed that the incident happened in Central Business District, Dr Nurudeen Olowopopo Way, in front of Japaul House, Ikeja, Lagos state.

Elkana also told The ICIR that the police are in touch with the family as the affected part of the vehicle has been repaired by the police force.

While The ICIR understands that the point at which the couple’s car was shot is not a police checkpoint, the PPRO further disclosed  that the officer was on an escort duty “ going somewhere.”

“So we are investigating why that happened, what led him into firing,” he said.

AIB indicts Caverton Helicopters for Osinbajo’s chopper crash in Kogi in 2019

Amos ABBA
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AIB indicts Caverton Helicopters for Osinbajo’s chopper crash in Kogi in 2019

ONE year and five months after a chopper conveying Vice President Yemi Osinbajo crash-landed in Kabba, Kogi State, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Tuesday released its final report on the incident.

In the report released by  Engineer Akin Olateru, AIB Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Bureau blamed the incident on a misjudgment of distance by the crew members, inappropriate landing techniques and non-adherence to the landing process.

Olateru in the report also said indicted the helicopter operator, Caverton Helicopters for failing to conduct a risk assessment of the landing preparedness.

The Agusta Westland 139 chopper with registration number 5N-CML carrying Osinbajo alongside 11 others including the crew members had crash-landed at Kabba stadium where the Vice President was scheduled to flag off the distribution of traders’ money to market women in Kogi State.

After the accident, Caverton Helicopters, had blamed “unusual weather conditions”, on the incident, according to a statement.

The commissioner said the helicopter crew had initially sighted the football field before losing visual contact with the ground and the external surrounding.

The report stated that at 1:43 p.m, the helicopter experienced a hard landing on the right main landing gear and rolled over and the occupants were evacuated without injuries.

However, the Commissioner said 11 days after the crash, the bureau issued two interim safety recommendations  to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Caverton.

The other three reports were two incidents involving Ilorin Aviation College at the Ilorin International Airport and Aero Contractor Port Harcourt- Lagos flight which experienced smoke on board.

Fight against corruption is ‘alive and well’ – Lai Mohammed

Ihuoma ILO
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Fight against corruption is ‘alive and well’ – Lai Mohammed

THE Federal Government of Nigeria says war against corruption of President Muhammadu Buhari administration is very much alive and not getting weary.

Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, made this declaration on Tuesday during a press conference in Abuja.

He said those who feel differently about it, especially leaders of the opposition party Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would bear the consequence if they dared the law.

The Minister added that allegations of epic corruption in various government agencies, including the NDDC, NSITF, and the anti-corruption agency, EFCC have made citizens to misinterpret the war against anti-corruption.

“Many, especially naysayers, have misinterpreted these developments as a sign that the administration’s fight against corruption is waning,” Mohammed said.

“In fact, the main opposition PDP has latched on to the developments to call for the resignation of Mr President, a call that is nothing but infantile!

While insisting that the war against corruption under Buhari remains intact, the Minister said, “Let me state here and now that the fight against corruption, a cardinal programme of this administration, is alive and well.”

He stated that President Buhari remains the driver of the fight, saying “no one, not the least the PDP under whose watch Nigeria was looted dry, can taint his image or reverse the gains of the fight.”

“Anyone who disagrees that the anti-corruption fight is alive and well is free to dare us.”

Mohammed disclosed that the Federal Government has so far recovered  a total of  N800 billion of looted funds and secured over 1,400 convictions in its war against corruption.

The minister also added that as part of the governments efforts to end corruption in Nigeria it also forfeited several properties suspected to have been acquired through corrupt means.

 

 

REPORT: 142 killed, 44 kidnapped in six days in Northern Nigeria

Lukman ABOLADE
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REPORT: 142 killed, 44 kidnapped in six days in Northern Nigeria

A security report by the Council on Foreign Relations says about 142 persons were killed in just six days while 44 others were kidnapped in Northern Nigeria as insecurity in the region escalates.

The breakdown of the death toll and kidnapping revealed that Kaduna State had the most cases  during the six days with six incidents of killing and kidnapping followed by Katsina State with four incidents.

According to the report, some Fulani militia killed seven people on July 23, in Kajuru, Kaduna State, and while bandits killed 10 in Jema’a and Kaura Local Government Areas of the state on July 24.

The report stated that kidnappers abducted six in Chikun, Kaduna State on July 18, as suspected Fulani militia killed 11 people in Zangon Kataf on July 20.

It further revealed that suspected herdsmen killed 21 civilians on July 19 and one police inspector in Kaura and sectarian violence led to three deaths in Kauru, Kaduna on July 21.

In Kastina State on July 18, a bomb explosion killed six children in Malumfashi, while 23 Nigerian soldiers and 17 bandits were killed during a clash in Jibia on July 18.

In Batsari town of Katsina State, bandits killed three civilians on July 21 and kidnapped 17 on July 22 in Safana town of the state.

Five Aid workers were killed by Boko Haram insurgents on July 22 in Borno State preceding an attack by the terrorist group that killed three in Chibok town of the state.

In Zamfara State a military airstrike killed “several” (estimated at 10) bandits in Talata-Mafara on July 20 while another military airstrike killed “several” (estimated at 10) bandits in Birnin-Magaji/Kiyaw, Zamfara on July 23.

Kidnappers killed two vigilantes in Gassol, Taraba State while a joint task force killed four kidnappers in Lokoja, Kogi State on July 19.

Sixteen persons were kidnapped in Rafi, Niger State and five abducted in Jada area of Adamawa State.

Meanwhile, Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff claimed that Nigeria is now safer than it was five years ago.

Buratai said this during a sit-out with Wounded Soldiers in Action (WIA) in Kaduna State on Monday.

“I am proud you have made the impact that some of our colleagues and Nigerians are safe and I am equally happy that we are living in peace and Nigeria is safer now than we had five years ago, Buratai”

The Wounded Soldiers in Action are officers and men injured during various operations against insurgency receiving treatment at the 44, Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.

However, the Senate had recently  called for the removal of Service Chiefs over rising insecurity in Nigeria, The ICIR had reported.

Court jails former bank MD For N66.6m fraud

Ihuoma ILO
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Court jails former bank MD For N66.6m fraud

THE Federal High Court in  Awka, Anambra State has  convicted and sentenced Jonathan Nnamdi Udemadu, a former managing director of Achina Microfinance Bank, Aguata, to jail.

I.B. Gafai, the presiding Judge of the High Court sentenced Udemadu to 11 months imprisonment for multiple fraud, a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday revealed.

The convict was prosecuted by the Enugu Zonal Office of the EFCC on nine-count charges of abuse of office, forgery, issuance of dud cheque and fraudulent conversion of depositors fund to the tune of N66,633,000.00 (Sixty-six million, six hundred and thirty-three thousand naira).

The complainant, Achina Microfinance Bank had petitioned the EFCC, alleging that the defendant, being its former managing director, granted N15 million  unauthorised credit facility to Rommex Telecommunications Limited and also did the same to Noble Mike International Ltd, to the tune of N3 million and standing as their guarantor, without collateral.

In the course of the trial, Michael Ani, prosecution counsel, called three witnesses and tendered 21 exhibits to prove the charges against the defendant.

He was convicted on all the nine counts with one month prison sentence on counts one to seven and two months each on counts eight and nine, which are to run concurrently starting from Thursday, July 23, 2020 date of conviction.

Apart from the prison term, Justice Gafai ordered the convict to restitute Achina Microfinance Bank Ltd the sums of money contained in the charge in line with Section 321(a) of the Administration of Criminal Justice, Act 2015.

Coronavirus: Osun, Oyo states grant tax relief to corporate business, employees

Lukman ABOLADE
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Coronavirus: Osun, Oyo states grant tax relief to corporate business, employees

OSUN and Oyo state governments have granted tax relief to corporate businesses, residents and employees as part of measure to cushion the effect of coronavirus.

Akinola Ojo, Oyo State Commissioner for Finance, disclosed this during a conference on Implementation of Tax Compliance Relief Programmes for Individual Taxpayers and Businesses in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

He disclosed that the tax relief package includes waivers of penalties and interest for employers in the agriculture, fishing, transportation and mining sector of the state who file tax returns on or before August 31, 2020.

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Ojo also stated that a reduction of 50 per cent has been granted by the Oyo State Government in penalties and interests for employers in the secondary sector of the economy, such as food processing, beverages, sachet and bottle water producers who file tax returns on or before August 31, 2020.

He further stated that the state government also approved 75 per cent reduction in penalties and interests for the service sector employers, which include hotels, educational institutions, tourist centres that would file tax returns on or before August 31, 2020.

In Osun State, Adegbite Ademikanra, the Executive Director of Osun Internal Revenue Service told reporters that Gboyega Oyetola, the governor of the state, has also granted tax relief to residents and employees of the state.

According to Ademikanra, the micro, small and medium enterprises, artisans, market women and men, employees and small-medium enterprises would enjoy from the tax relief.

“To ameliorate the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and individuals, the Osun Internal Revenue Service is pleased to announce to the public that Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has graciously approved tax reliefs for our valued taxpayers,” Ademikanra said.

Journalist rejects $250,000 cash award from Qatar Anti-Corruption Centre

Abeeb ALAWIYE
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Journalist rejects $250,000 cash award from Qatar Anti-Corruption Centre

KHADIJA Ismail, Azerbaijani investigative journalist has rejected a cash award of $250,000 from Qatar’s Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre.

The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre (ROLACC) is an organisation founded in Doha in 2009 by Ali Bin Fetais al-Marri, Attorney General of Qatar.

According to JAM news, Khadija declined the award after looking into the activities of the centre and discovering the fund was created by the Emir of Qatar, who had closed the Center for Investigative Journalism in Qatar

“The representative of the fund answered that along with the prize, they also give $250,000 and that they were hoping for a positive answer. I learned that [the emir] who presents himself as a reformer has closed the investigative journalism center in Qatar, and in Qatar, journalism is as dangerous a profession as in ours,” she said.

She also added that the reason why the Foundation wants to give her the prize is to keep famous journalists under its influence with this award.

“Why me? They have been distributing the prize for three years, not a single famous person has yet agreed to receive the prize. It is the famous winners who legitimize such initiatives. I don’t want to sound immodest, but a friend explained to me that they need my name.

“I answered them. I said, thank you, I investigated the issue and do not believe in your sincerity, and I do not sell my reputation for money,” Khadija said.

It will be recalled that Khadija was arrested in 2014 and imprisoned for seven years and six months on charges of tax evasion and illegal entrepreneurship.

On May 25, 2016, the Supreme Court changed her sentence to a suspended sentence of three and a half years and released her. Now the journalist has a ban on leaving the country.

By the decision of the European Court of Human Rights, in this case, the rights of the journalist, protected by Articles 5 (liberty and security of person), 6 (fair trial), 10 (freedom of expression) and 18 (limits on the use of restrictions on rights) of the European Convention were violated.

For these violations, the Azerbaijani government as a whole must pay the journalist compensation to the amount of 25,000 euros, but the journalist says she has not yet received this money.

On National Press Day, July 22, President Ilham Aliyev awarded several medals to journalists. The head of RealTv Mirshakhin Agayev was awarded the Order of the 2nd degree ‘For Services to the Fatherland’. Elchin Shikhli was awarded a medal of the 3rd degree order

Several journalists were awarded the Taraqqi medal and the title of Honored Journalist.

Independent panel absolves AfDB President, Adesina of whistleblower’s allegations

Amos ABBA
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Independent panel absolves AfDB President, Adesina of whistleblower’s allegations

FINDINGS of an independent panel of experts, led by Mary Robinson, former Irish President have absolved Akinwumi Adesina,the embattled President of African Bank of Development Bank, (AfDB) of corruption allegations.

The independent review panel was set up by the Bureau of Governors of the bank, after a complaint by the United States against Adesina despite having been previously exonerated by the bank’s Ethics Committee and the Bureau of the Board of Governors of the bank.

The three-member panel which has Hassan Jallow, Gambia’s Chief Justice and  Hassan Jallow, the World Bank’s Integrity Vice President in its report gave the bank a “bill of health” under his watch.

After reviewing the report of the Ethics Committee, the independent panel also examined each of the 16 allegations by the whistleblowers and Adesina’s responses to them.

“The panel concurs with the committee in its findings in respect of all the allegations against the President and finds that they were properly considered and dismissed by the committee,” a section of the report stated.

Adesina had been accused by unnamed whistleblowers of using the bank’s resources for self-promotion and personal gain while also paying out huge undeserved severance packages to staff who resigned in unusual circumstances and favouring Nigerians.

The former Nigerian Minister for Agriculture said the 16 allegations raised against him were trumped up, “and without facts, evidence, and documents, as required by the rules and regulations of the bank”.

“My defence ran into 250 pages, and not a single line was faulted or questioned. The law says that report of the Ethics Committee should be transmitted to the Chairman of Governors of the bank. It was done, and the governors upheld the recommendations,” Adesina had said.

“That was the end of the matter, according to the rules. It was only if I was culpable that a fresh investigation could be launched. I was exonerated, and any other investigation would amount to bending the rules of the bank, to arrive at a predetermined conclusion.”

Under Adesina’s leadership, the AfDB launched a $10 billion crisis response facility to boost African nations’ ability to tackle the health and economic effects of COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision of the panel gives him leeway as he seeks re-election in a bid to serve a second five-year term as president during its annual meetings of the bank scheduled for August 25-27.

The highly decorated technocrat was awarded the prestigious World Food Prize in 2017 and the Sunhak Peace Prize in 2019 for global leadership in agriculture and for good governance.

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