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Edo Achieves 80% Immunisation Against Polio

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Edo Achieves 80% Immunisation Against Polio

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, says he is pleased with the level of compliance from residents in the just concluded national immunisation programme against the polio virus, disclosing that up to 80 per cent of the population has been immunised.

Oshiomhole who was speaking Tuesday at the end of the four-day immunisation programme in Benin, said his government will however not rest until it achieves 100 per cent compliance and urged all those yet to key into the programme to do so before the expiration of the extended deadline date that will soon be announced.

He called on all local government council chairmen, traditional rulers, opinion moulders, labour groups, non-governmental organisations, NGOs and various interest groups to unite and ensure that the immunisation message is taken to the grassroots.

“We are happy with the rate of compliance.  Eighty per cent is obviously a good mark and there is no reason why we cannot achieve a hundred percent. It is a realistic target and it is a target we must achieve this year, not next year,” the governor said.

The governor said poverty or ignorance is no excuse because the vaccines are free and health centres are in all villages of the state to mobilize and sensitize the people on the need to avail themselves of the opportunity.

Oshiomhole expressed gratitude to the development partners of the state who readily provide data, training and management of the process, adding that “all that is required of us is a level of political will to ensure that we see it through”.

“This is a task that must be done. We have a duty to our people and obligation to our children and to support our mothers who are willing to participate in the exercise,” he said, stressing that it is a shame for Nigeria to be in the same club with Pakistan and Afghanistan when it ought to be leading the African continent.

Earlier, the commissioner for Health, Aihanuwa Eregie, commended the state government for ensuring that the state attains a polio-free status.

She disclosed that various vaccination points have been opened in the villages to ensure that the exercise gets to the grassroots.

Police Promotes 24,118 Officers

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Police Promotes 24,118 Officers

The Inspector General of Police, M.D. Abubakar, has approved the promotion of 24,118 officers for their outstanding performances, especially in the area of combating crime.

Police public relations officer, Frank Mba, who announced this through a statement on Tuesday, said the promotion is part of on-going measures geared towards encouraging excellence in the police.

A break-down of this promotion which ranks as the highest number of olicemen promoted in one fell swoop in the history of the Force. and cuts across different ranks is as follows:

One commissioner of police to assistant inspector general of Police,

Six deputy commissioners to commissioners of Police, seven assistant commissioners to deputy commissioners and another seven chief superintendents to assistant commissioners.

Also promoted are 242 superintendents to chief superintendents, 424 deputy superintendents to superintendents, 715 assistant superintendents to deputy superintendents and 5,115 inspectors to assistant superintendents.

In addition, 55 senior inspectors were promoted to principal inspectors, 525 inspectors to senior inspectors, 2,671 sergeants to inspectors, 2,876 corporals to sergeants, and 11,474 constables to corporals.

Abubakar congratulated the newly promoted officers and charged them to see their elevation as a mark of additional responsibility and a call to rededicate themselves to their professional callings.

He equally enjoined them to uphold ethical standards and the fundamental human rights of Nigerians in the discharge of their duties at all times.

Gunmen Abduct Bauchi Legislator

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Gunmen Abduct Bauchi Legislator

A member of the Bauchi state House of Assembly, Yusuf Nuhu, has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.

Spokesman of the Bauchi State Policecommand, Haruna Mohammed, told newsmen on Tuesday that the lawmaker was whisked away by armed men Monday night in Zalau village.

Mohammed said that a police patrol team chased the kidnappers into a forest on the boundary between Bauchi and Kaduna states but that they abandoned their car when they realised they were being pursued by the police, taking Nuhu with them into the forest.

The commissioner said the abandoned vehicle has been recovered with eight rounds of ammunition found in it and that the area has been cordoned off as search continues for the kidnappers and their victim.

Nuhu, who represents Lame constituency in the House, is the latest victim of kidnapping in the state.

On Sunday, three health workers on polio vaccination exercise were abducted in Darazo town. Two of the workers were later released but the third victim, Ali Garba, is still being held by the abductors.

The police command says its men are doing their best to free Garba from his kidnappers.

Nigerian Women Organise Walk To Protest Killings In The North

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Nigerian Women Organise Walk To Protest Killings In The North

Women and mothers across the country are planning to stage a peaceful walk on Thursday to mourn and protest the recent killings in the North, especially those of school pupils in Yobe State by the radical terrorist group, Boko Haram.

According to a statement by the organisers, the walk, which will be non-tribal, non-political and non-religious, is to hold simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja, Benin, Port-Harcourt, Owerri, Kaduna and the Diaspora.

The meeting point for those in Lagos is the LTV Junction, while those in Abuja will converge at the Unity Fountain. Venue for the other places is yet to be communicated but the uniform time is 8:30am (local time) and dress code is black.

“It is NOT enough to just be running commentaries on Social Media, or praying in our closets! Women and mothers are supposed to be the matrix of society….. These brutal murders cannot be ignored,” the statement said.

The women are also calling on the federal government to immediately wade into the matter and stop the wanton killing especially of innocent children and abduction of young ladies in the north.

Killings in Yobe and Borno States in the last one week accounts for the loss of almost 200 lives, with about half the figure being children and women.

Aid Cuts Is A Price Worth Paying For Moral Values – Ugandan Lawmaker

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Aid Cuts Is A Price Worth Paying For Moral Values – Ugandan Lawmaker

Author of Uganda’s anti-gay bill which criminalises homosexuality, David Bahati, has said that aid cuts by western donors are a price worth paying to protect the nation’s moral values.

Bhati who was speaking on Monday in Kampala said it was unfortunate that the World Bank would take such a decision creating an impression that accepting homosexuality was a condition for World Bank money when it was not.

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni signed the anti-gay bill last Monday, citing a report by  Ugandan scientists which said there is no proven genetic basis for homosexuality as his reason for backing the bill.

The law, which builds on a colonial-era anti-homosexuality law, will see those found guilty of “aggravated homosexuality” sentenced to 14 years in jail.

Bahati said the World Bank, Norway and Denmark have withheld or diverted aid totaling about 658 million dollars while the United States of America, the biggest western donor, said it was currently reviewing ties.

Bahati, who first sought the death penalty for some acts when he introduced the bill in 2009, said aid suspensions were tantamount to blackmail, but that he expected more to follow.

“The law is very much worth it because it will protect our values. I think a society that has no moral values is a contradiction to development,” he said.

He expressed optimism that Uganda would cope with the aid blocks, seeking loans from less interfering countries in order to resist social imperialism of traditional western donors.

Bahati said the blackmail would go on and it might get worse before it gets better but at the end of the day, the sovereignty of Uganda would triumph.

Russia, China and India have backed Uganda’s stance.

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Jonathan Appoints Idris Kutigi To Chair National Conference

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Jonathan Appoints Idris Kutigi To Chair National Conference

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Idris Kutigi as chairman of the National Conference.

This was made known by the secretary to the government of the federation SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim, in a statement.

Anyim said that the president also approved the appointment of Bolaji Akinyemi as vice chairman and Valerie Azinge as secretary of the conference.

Akinyemi served as minister of Foreign Affairs under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida.

The SGF said the appointees were to resume duties on Wednesday.

The National Conference which is to hold in Abuja will feature 492 delegates from across the country from labour unions, civil society organisations, security agencies, women groups, and the media.

Other groups to be represented include elder statesmen, people living with disabilities, religious leaders, traditional rulers, retired civil servants, the youths and Nigerians in diaspora.

Edo Police Parades 50 Arrested Criminals

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Edo Police Parades 50 Arrested Criminals

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The Edo State police command Monday paraded 50 suspects arrested in connection with armed robbery, cultism, rape and illegal possession of firearms.

The state police commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo, who paraded the suspects also announced that another 10 suspects were arrested in connection with cult related killings in the state.

Adebanjo who expressed worry over rising incidence of child molestation and rape, said the arrests are in line with efforts to rid the state of criminals and called for concerted action from all citizens.

“We must all take action against rising cases of child molestation particularly in Edo state. This trend must stop. Rape of the girl child is becoming alarming, we must do something about it,” he said.

The commissioner noted that more work needs to be done in spite of the achievement in order to make the state safe and promised to that there would be no hiding place for criminals in the state under his watch.

Gov Almakura Sacks Media Aide As Suspended Deputy Dumps APC

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Gov Almakura Sacks Media Aide As Suspended Deputy Dumps APC

Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has relieved his special assistant on media, Abdullahi Mairiga of his duties.

The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the governor’s press secretary, Iliyasu Yakubu, on Monday in Lafia.

According to the statement, the governor thanked Mairiga for his service to the state and wished him well in his future endeavours.

No further details were given in the statement.

In another development, the state Deputy Governor, Damishi Barau, who had been suspended by the All Progressive Party, APC, dumped the party.

Barau was suspended on February 3, 2014, for publicly criticising the national leadership of the party over its stance that its lawmakers in the National Assembly should frustrate all executive bills until the political crisis in Rivers is resolved.

He handed a letter containing his intention to defect to the state secretary of the party, Mustapha Galadima, Monday morning.

The director of press affairs to the Deputy Governor, Danjuma Joseph, confirmed that his principal had withdrawn his membership from the opposition and would soon make a public announcement.

“My principal has submitted his letter of withdrawal from APC and will brief the press Tuesday on his next line of action,” he said.

Although Barau is yet to confirm the party he is moving to, the state publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mark Neto, said Barau would formally join the PDP on Tuesday.

There are also indications that five commissioners and two special advisers will join the Deputy Governor in the PDP.

Al-makura has come under threats of impeachement in recent weeks and, according to a source, there has been a game plan to woo his deputy to the PDP ahead of the governor’s impeachment.

According to the source, Barau will announce his defection on the eve of Al-makura’s impeachment and would take over as governor of the state as soon as his boss is removed.

The impeachment plan would be perfected by the state House of Assembly which has a majority of 19 PDP members, while Al-Makura’s APC has five lawmakers.

The governor has been finding it difficult to work with the assembly since his assumption of office in May 2011.

Bloodbath Continues In Borno, 35 Killed In Mafa Attack

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Bloodbath Continues In Borno, 35 Killed In Mafa Attack

Barely 24 hours after two separate attacks claimed nearly 100 lives in the troubled Borno State, another mayhem was unleashed in Mafa which reportedly left 35 persons dead Sunday night.

The pattern of killings in Mafa which is 45 kilometres east of Maiduguri, is consistent with previous attacks blamed on the fearless Boko Haram terrorist group and the military in the location, reports indicate, were subdued by the fire power of the attackers.

According to both security and eyewitness sources, the casualties include 32 civilians and three policemen. The military also said it could not account for seven soldiers stationed in Mafa.

The 32 civilians have been buried Monday in Mafa village in accordance to Islamic rite in the area occupied dominantly by Muslims.

It was gathered that the people of the village had received warning of a looming attack about two weeks ago and many had taken precautionary moves to flee the place.

The senator representing the area, Ahmed Zannah, told journalists that most of the residents especially women and children had fled the town for about a week now.

Zannah added: “I was reliably informed by my people that all the  soldiers in Mafa fled during the attack because they could not stand the superior weapons of the Boko-Haram.”

The senator said the military authorities in Borno state had officially informed government of Borno state that they could not account for seven soldiers deployed to Mafa.

The attackers, it was gathered, came in various vehicles at about 8.00 pm and began to shoot sporadically and most of the houses which were of thatched roofs set on fire.

The Borno State police commissioner,  Lawan Tanko, confirmed the attack but said he has no details of casualty as at the time of was speaking to newsmen.

It would be recalled that the sect had earlier attacked Ajilari- Bintu Sugar in Maiduguri and Mainok on Saturday, killing scores of people.

Six Killed In Cult Clash In Edo

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Six Killed In Cult Clash In Edo

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

Renewed cult clashes have claimed six lives over the last two weeks in Edo State.

For reasons that are unclear some rival cult groups went about hunting down perceived enemies and shattering what looked like a respite in cult war in the state.

A 500 level computer science student of the state-owned Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma, Osagie Osamudiamen, believed to be the leader of one of the cult groups in the institution was allegedly gunned down in a popular hotel within the University town.

He was said to have been tricked into dislodging his aides who served as defence to him and lured to the hotel where he was shot to death at close range.

Also, a musician simply identified as Jonathan was reportedly killed in front of a hotel opposite the popular Ekiosa market near 3rd Junction in the state capital about four last week.

In the same mysterious manner, four other persons were reportedly killed at Upper Sakponba axis of Benin, around St. Saviour road, near Niger College.

Attempts to speak to leaders of the Rainbow Coalition, a body made up of leaders of the various secret cult groups in the state that have been championing peaceful co-existence among various secret cult groups in the state failed as calls made to their mobile phones were either not picked or did not connect at all.

Edo state Police command public relations officer, PPRO, Moses Eguavoen, a deputy superintendent of Police, confirmed the killings.

He said however, that his office was still expecting coordinated reports from the various divisional police officers whose areas of jurisdiction the killings took place.

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