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Tag: Kaduna

  • Kaduna seeks Ist class Emirs as sureties for El-Zakzaky’s medical leave

    Kaduna state government has asked that stiff conditions be attached to the medical leave granted Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and wife Zeenat by a Kaduna state High Court to ensure their return after treatment to continue with their trial.

    Justice Darius Khobo of the state High Court had on Monday granted the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) leader and his wife leave to seek medical treatment at the Medanta Hospital, India, just as the Department of State Services (DDS) stated its readiness to comply with the court directives.

    However, Kaduna state government which in the first place dragged Zakzaky and his wife before the court for culpable homicide, said it has approached the court seeking for seven measures that would ensure that the defendants don’t become asylum seeker in India.

    The Governor Nasir El-Rufai led government prays that the court makes, Zakzaky, his wife and each of the other defendants produce two prominent sureties including a first class chief or emir.

    The government, while expressing its displeasure with the terms of the medical leave noted that, “while the Kaduna state government respects the court’s ruling on medical leave, it disagrees with the premises on which it is based. Therefore, an appeal will be lodged on the matter, but a stay of execution will not be sought as the state government believes that a person may choose to travel abroad for any medical condition at his own cost.”

    Read Also: El-Zakzaky’s plight worsens as elder brother declares him a terrorist

    A statement signed by the Kaduna state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan on Wednesday stated further that, “in compliance with the court ruling, the Kaduna state government has filed at the Kaduna High Court terms for strict supervision of the medical leave, as follows:

    “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria shall confirm the appointments of the defendants/applicants with the Medanta Hospital, India, and undertake all necessary diplomatic arrangements and protocol to ensure compliance with the conditions of the medical leave.

    “Each of the defendants/applicants shall undertake to return to Nigeria to continue their trial as soon as they are discharged from the hospital, and shall also be responsible for the cost of their travel, treatment and living expenses while on their medical leave.

    “Each of the defendants/applicants shall produce two prominent and reliable persons as sureties, one being a first class chief/emir of national repute and the other a prominent person within Kaduna state who shall undertake to produce the defendants whenever they are needed. The sureties must also produce evidence of landed property within Kaduna state.

    “The Federal Government of Nigeria shall obtain from the Government of India an irrevocable guarantee that it will not entertain any application by the defendants/applicants or any third party seeking asylum under any guise or conferring the status of political prisoners or any other status aside from being medical patients on the defendants /applicants and shall also restrain the defendants/applicants from any act inimical to the corporate existence of Nigeria.

    ‘Each of the defendants/applicants shall undertake in writing, endorsed by their Counsel, that while on medical treatment in India, they shall do nothing to jeopardize the ongoing trial, the peace and security of Nigeria and the laws of the Republic of India in whatever form.

    “Security agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria shall escort the defendants/applicants and remain with them throughout the duration of their treatment in India and thereafter shall return with them after their discharge from the hospital. The Nigerian High Commission in India shall undertake prior vetting and grant consent before any visitor has access to the defendants/applicants while in the Republic of India.

    “Many of these terms of supervision depend for their actualization on actions by the Federal Government of Nigeria which is the sovereign power vested with the constitutional responsibility for foreign affairs.” It said.

    On 19th April 2018, the Kaduna state government filed an eight-count charge against Malam Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, Mallama Zeenah Ibrahim, Yakubu Yahaya Katsina and Sanusi Abdulkadir Koki for the offenses of:

    Criminal Conspiracy, Culpable Homicide punishable with death, Unlawful Assembly, Wrongful restraint, Disturbance of public peace, Voluntarily causing grievous hurt, Inciting disturbance and Breach of Public Peace.

  • Police parade 79 kidnap suspects, others in Kaduna

    The Kaduna State Police Command has paraded 79 suspected kidnappers, armed bandits and other criminals at Rijana on Kaduna-Abuja highway.

    Commissioner of Police Ali Aji Janga, who paraded the suspects before reporters, said 35 guns and 439 cattle were recovered from the suspects.

    The CP said the suspects were arrested from different locations within the state in July.

    Janga said: “The gallant determination of our crack operatives such as SARS, AKU, IRT and other units have again recorded some successes with the apprehension of 79 suspects for various crimes which include:

    “Criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling, culpable homicide, shop breaking and theft, impersonation and receiving stolen property.

    “Pursuant to our collective resolve, high sense of commitment and relentless determination, the command has sustained a serious manhunt on bandits and other perpetrators of crime within the state with a view to arresting and bringing them to book.

    Read Also: Soldiers kill 5 bandits, rescue 2 kidnap victims in Kaduna

    “I am also glad to inform the general public that we are currently reviewing our structural deployment on Kaduna-Abuja Road, Kaduna-Zaria Road and Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road with a view to make the highways safer for commuters while the efforts to rid the command of banditry and other violent crimes continue.”

    The police boss also added that exhibits recovered include nine Ak47 rifles, one unserviceable LAR rifle and 11 locally made rifles and pistols.

    “Also, one Pump Action, three Dane guns, 954 rounds of live ammunition of different calibres and 24 live cartridges, one knife, one hacksaw, N30,000, two handsets, one face mask, two pair of canvass, four and half (41/2) Bundle of Brocade (Shadda) materials and eleven caps were recovered.

    “We also recovered one KIA Serato Motor Vehicle with Reg. No TT 547 AA Black in colour, one Toyota Corolla S Ash in colour with Reg. No. GWA 872 FM, one unregistered Mercedes Benz C350 Ash in colour.”

    The CP added that 439 cattles, 18 sheep, eight donkeys, one tricycle with Reg. No. MKA 248 WY, six motorcycles, eight Plasma Television, one HP Laptop, One Tiger Generator and four cutlasses were also recovered from the suspects.

    “I am calling on the good people of Kaduna State to feel free and go about their normal businesses as the command has appreciably reduced the rate of crime within the state.

    “I remain grateful to the media for being our window and supportive in the fight against criminality in State,” he said.

    The CP also hailed the gallant efforts of officers and men of the command for their selfless determination and professional manner in the handling of the violent protests by members of the proscribed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).

  • Centre to make artificial eyes, after correcting defects

    From saving 39,000 Nigerians from blindness annually, National Eye Centre, Kaduna, is poised to start manufacturing artificial eyes. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE reports

    The Centre is the apex Federal Government-owned eye hospital in Nigeria, commissioned in December 1992 for full operations as the government’s response to increasing incidents of eye health issues among Nigerians sometimes leading to irreversible blindness.

    The hospital which has provision of preventive, curative and rehabilitative eye care services to all Nigerians and even patients from the West African sub-region as its mandate, has however successfully delivered through efforts of its successive management.

    Our Correspondent who who was taken on tour of the hospital facility last week reports that, the centre’s  records show that, it has in the past five years, attended to about 200,000 patients, with an average of 39,261 patients per year, mainly Nigerians from various walks of life.

    The figure according to the hospital management excludes patients seen during its various community outreach programmes. “You can imagine the number of people we safe from blindness annually.”

    It was also gathered that, the Centre will soon start its own manufacturing of artificial eyes, as it said, the requirements for the Centre to start manufacturing of artificial eyes is more than eighty percent on ground.

    The Chief Medical Director of the Centre, Dr. Mahmoud Alhassan told our Correspondent during the tour that, the hospital’s success story has been made possible by the managements and staff of the Centre with the support of successive governments.

    CMD Alhassan said, he is blessed with a formidable team of professionals in relevant fields of endeavour, who have over the years helped to drive Centre’s vision, which is “to reduce blindness in Nigeria through the provision of qualitative, comprehensive and cost-effective eye care services, education, Training, Research and policy Advocacy.”

    According to the Medical Director, National Eye Center is not just a hospital, but also a training institution for Ophthalmology in Nigeria. “Ophthalmologists and other eye healthcare manpower across the nation have benefitted from the Centre’s knowledge bank in one way or the other by being participants in the various eye healthcare manpower development programmes run by the Centre.”

    On continuous health success, Dr. Alhassan said, “the centre has been making efforts to ensure the story continues on the upward side. Though the last management started sub-specialty departments by training or supporting our ophthalmologists to train, as the case may be. In various sub-specialties like Cataract and Glaucoma, Cornea, Paediatric/Strabismus, Oculoplasty and Vitreo-retina, non-availability of needed operational equipment made it difficult for Nigerians to benefit maximally from these trainings.

    “However, in the recent past, the present Management apart from retraining some of those formerly trained, to update them on the global standard best practices in their fields for optimal outcomes for their patients, also trained new ones as back up for the sub-specialties already on ground.

    “Some nurses and biomedical engineers/technicians were also trained in some of the sub-specialties to effectively assist the surgeons. To give teeth to these training, we have within the past few years, through capital projects, acquired some additional equipment to enable the sub-specialists practice and by extension make Nigerians benefit from their services,” he said.

    Mahmoud revealed that “the Centre now undertakes Vitreo-retinal surgery which had been a serious problem for average Nigerian patients with retinal detachment and other diseases of the retina who could not afford the exorbitant prices of the one or two private and overseas hospitals offering such services. This became possible with the recent acquisition of consumables for the vitrectomy machine and training of relevant staff on the use of the machine.”

    The Nation however learnt that, patients with retinal diseases are now referred to the Centre from various parts of the nation. Daniel Agba who had suffered from  retinal disease before told our Correspondent that, “I was referred to this place from a prominent hospital in my state Enugu, I didn’t wanted to come but a friend encouraged me to come and am amazed by what I saw, honestly the machines and staff I met are great. I told my wife yesterday that I never knew Nigeria has this kind of eye services offered here.”

    During the facility tour, it was gathered that other equipment enhancing retinal services purchased by this present Management of the centre include an Argon Laser, used for non-invasive retina photocoagulation; Wireless BIO used for indirect fundoscopy and for doing certain types of retinal surgery; DRI-OCT (Triton Plus), a three dimensional optical coherence tomogram, which is used for anterior and posterior segment imaging, tomography of the retina and optic nerve, OCT/Fluorescein Angiography and fundus Photography.

    Others are; Iridex Micropulse Laser Machine for non-invasive retinal photocoagulation, trabeculoplasty, among others, all of which have provided succour for patients with retinal diseases.

    Cornea transplant has also been an area former Managements trained sub-specialists in, but has not been carried out in the Centre due to lack of donor tissues, necessary equipment and consumables including an eye bank. With the recent purchase of Auto-Kerato-Refracto-Tonometre, Wave front Analyser, Specular Microscope, Excimerlazer machine and Construction of an Eye Bank, the Centre was able to successfully carry out its first successful Cornea Transplant.

    According to the management, the complexity of acquiring and preserving donor tissues is still a challenge but it is working hard to overcome it, so that Nigerians who require Cornea transplant can easily access the service in the centre.

    For the oculoplasty Unit, the CMD said, “the requirements for the Centre to start its own manufacturing of artificial eyes is more than eighty percent on ground. This will remove the hassles of procuring from outside sources and prolonged waiting on the part of patients who require it for cosmetic purpose.

    “Paediatric Ophthalmology Services in the Centre has also improved, according to a specialist, “with the procurement of A and B Scanner as well as Eye CareTonometer for measuring intra-ocular pressure for mainly paediatric patients, handheld pachymeter and keratorefractometer amongst others hope has being rekindled in in our patients.

    “Other additions that have improved eye care services offered to our patients are non-contact tonometer and pachymeter. In the Optical Unit, we now have a new Blocking Machine for surfacing of lenses, Grooving Machine for mounting of half rimmed frames, Drilling Machines for drilling holes on lenses for rimless lenses, Automatic Edger used for edging and fixing lenses all for the benefit of the patients.

    “Our Optometry Unit now effectively offers low vision services to our teeming patients with the procurement of low vision devices. There have been progressive renovation of the hospital complex and to crown it all, this Management has been able to start Electronic Medical Records (EMR) which is the practice globally.

    There has also been increase in community based service delivery via outreaches, school eye health visit and work place services.

    “Community outreaches are carried out in different Local Government Areas in Kaduna State with an adopted outreach Centre for subsidised cataract surgery at General hospital, Turunku managed by National Eye Centre Community Eye Care Project (NECCEP) also a brainchild of this Management.

    “It will not be possible to put down all the achievements that have improved Eye Care services in the National Eye Centre. Suffice it to say that the Centre is on course in line with its Vision, Mission and Core Values,” Dr. Alhassan said.

    Confirming the hospital’s claim on medical outreach, Ahmed Gambo a teacher in Turunku told our Correspondent that, “Since Dr. Alhassan Mahmoud became Director this community has seen increase medical attention, honestly we are grateful to Allah, I am a beneficiary of Eye center outreach and I know most of us in Igabi local government area are happy with the hospital.”

    He however advised Nigerians to save their hard earned money from travelling overseas and avail themselves of the National Eye Centre’s service for sight.

    The successes notwithstanding, the hospital was recently challenged, as 10 of its out-patients went blind after they were injected with a Russian made Avastin injection same.

    But, the hospital management quickly took up the challenge by placing the patients on admission and fed them free until corrective surgery was carried out on their eyes, after which nine of them immediately regained their sight.

  • Council seeks maximisation of ginger, moringa potential

    THE Raw Materials Research & Development Council (RMRDC) has advocated the full utilisation of locally produced ginger (oleoresin) used as a base product in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sector.

    At a workshop in Lagos on Thursday, with the topic: The utilisation of Locally Produced Ginger Oleoresin by Nigerian Industries, the RMRDC Director-General, Prof. Hussaini Dikko, unveiled a national strategy for Nigeria’s competitiveness in raw materials especially ginger.

    According to him, the country has the largest area in the world under ginger cultivation and ranks third in production after India and China. This, he said, underscores the need for a strategic plan by government to support producers of raw materials in terms of exploitation and development.

    He said: “Nigeria’s ginger is highly valued in the international market for its high oil and oleoresin content. Although ginger is mostly grown in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Oyo, Imo, Abia, and Lagos states, Southern Kaduna is the main producing area, with over 95 per cent of the country’s total production.

    “This position is supported by the Food & Agriculture Organisation Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT) which stated that Nigeria produced 349,895 tons of ginger in 2017 with a world share of 11.5 per cent.”

    Represented by the Director, Technology Development Department, Dr. Abimbola Ogunwusi, he  said sadly, the bulk of ginger produced in the country is exported in slit-dried form. The importing countries further process it into industrial products mainly ginger powder, essential oils, oleoresin and re imported by manufacturers at higher cost.

    While underscoring the need for value addition to commodities within the country, he said statistics from Nigeria Customs Service Database in 2017 suggested that Nigeria spent over N182 million to import 524,991 kilogramme of ginger resinoids from January, 2016- February, 2017.

    He pledged the preparedness of the agency to promote, support and expedite industrial development and self-reliance through optimal utilisation of local raw materials as input to the nation’s industries especially ginger, who’s sector as a high employment opportunity.

    “RMRDC is seeking indigenous manufacturer’s buy-in as it promotes the utilisation of locally produced ginger oleoresin by user industries. Your buy-in will go a long way in developing the ginger value chain, reduce the importation of oleoresin into the country, save foreign exchange, and create job, wealth and diversify the economy,” Dikko said.

  • Malta Guinness fetes Muslim faithful in Ramadan

    As the Holy Month of Ramadan progresses, and in the spirit of giving, Malta Guinness is celebrating with Muslim faithful around the country.

    During this season of fasting, Malta Guinness will visit mosques in the cities of Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Bauchi to share the non-alcoholic malt drink with Muslim faithful.

    The first of these visits held at the National Mosque, Shehu Shagari Mosque and Kubwa village central Mosque on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th of May respectively.

    The Malta Guinness team joined Muslims in breaking the day’s fast, praying with faithfuls and donating a number of ablution kettles to the Mosques.

    Assistant Brand Manager for Malta Guinness, Ife Odedere noted that: “by celebrating Ramadan with Muslim faithful across the country, Malta Guinness is reaffirming its position as the non-alcoholic malt-brand that fuels the greatness of Nigerians everywhere, no matter where they are or what they do. These visits provide a platform to showcase the energy-giving attributes of Malta Guinness, which revitalises the bodies of Muslim faithful as they break their fast,”he said.

    In addition to these Mosque visits, Malta Guinness also supports a number of already existing TV and Radio Ramadan programmes that educate and inform Muslims on best practices during the holy month.

    Over the next few days, Malta Guinness will visit other mosques in Kaduna, Kano and Bauchi to spread the message of greater giving, this season of Ramadan.

  • Godfatherism? Kaduna, not Lagos

    Sir: No doubt, godfatherism has become the bane of our underdevelopment as the concept has been wrongly applied in many states of the federation by desperate politicians; it has been the reason behind those underperforming leaders across the federation; just as it has brought more harm than good generally to Nigeria.

    But not so in Lagos State. Godfatherism has brought Lagos more gains than losses. It has brought the state stability politically, economically and even socially. It is brought Lagos independence and a sense of nationality as the state operates like a country of its own. Simply put: godfatherism is the reason why Lagos has become the envy of other states across Africa.

    Now, if godfatherism is the secret why Lagos State has developed beyond the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), then, I will advice the federal government to adopt godfatherism as a model in government.

    For the records, since 1999 till date, Lagos State has been producing the best governors, best ministers, best lawmakers etc. in Nigeria.

    Is it the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)? Is it by one-on-one assessment of leaders produced in Lagos? Lagos State is 10 times ahead of most oil producing states and they are all the efforts of one visionary leader.

    Coming to Nasir El-Rufai, let the man that silenced godfathers in his state  give Nigerians his achievements as governor in the past four years of his stewardship. Let him tell us the IGR of his state and what he has done with it; we want to know the poverty index of his Kaduna State as well as the security condition of the area etc.

    It is  only in Lagos State that a man regardless of his religion or tribe can occupy any position and become anything without anybody fighting him.

    In the just concluded Lagos State governorship elections, different people from different tribes contested peacefully and won or lost peacefully. You can check the list of local government chairmen in Lagos State, the list of House of Assembly members there and the list of House of Representatives members produced in Lagos and you will find that it is fairly representative of Nigeria.

    Finally, the puzzling questions are whether as an individual you can sacrifice like the man in Bourdillon. Can you allow your brother to emerge as vice president when you have not held or not holding any of such position?

    Kaduna is not Lagos. And El-Rufai must know this.

     

    • Opata Igbo,  Enugu.

  • Troops kill 2 bandits in Kaduna, recover weapons

    Troops killed two bandits and recovered some weapons after they raided one of their den in Gonan Bature East of Rijana and Kasarami farmhouse in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    Army Spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, confirmed this in a statement, saying the bandits occupied the abandoned Kasarami farmhouse and used it as shelter and a place to keep kidnapped victims.

    Read Also: Troops repel fresh Boko Haram attack in Maiduguri

    Musa listed the recovered weapons as two AK 47 rifles, two AK 47 magazines, 51 rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammunition and two techno cell phone

    He pledged the Nigerian army’s committed and determined to protecting life and property of the citizens and urged the public to always provide useful information to tackle terrorism, banditry and other crimes in the country.

  • Gunmen kill female foreign tourist, three others in Kaduna

    A foreign female tourist and three others have been killed by suspected kidnappers in Kajuru Local Governor Area of Kaduna State.

    But Kaduna State Police Command only confirmed the killing of the expatriate and one other.

    The incident occurred around 11:30 am on Friday when the attackers stormed the area shooting sporadically and in the process shot the victims.

    A source close to the local government chairman told our correspondent that the kidnappers abducted five other persons.

    According to him, “Yes there was an attack at Kajuru Castle but we suspect they were kidnappers and they killed an expatriate whose origin we are still trying to find,” he said.

    The Nation gathered that there was a party at the castle the night before the incident.

    Confirming the incident, State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, said only two people were killed.

    He also said only three people were abducted by the kidnappers and that a team of police officers have been deployed to the area.

    According to the PPRO, “we received information through DPO Kajuru that at about 2340hrs, some suspected Kidnappers, armed with dangerous weapons, gained entry into a recreational resort called Kajuru Castle in Kajuru Local Government Area shooting sporadically and in the process shot dead two persons, including an expatriate lady and took away three others.

    “Patrol teams led by the DPO rushed to the scene and evacuated the victims to St. Gerald Hospital. Investigation later revealed that the victims, along with twelve others, came from Lagos on tourism after which they organised a party at the Castle located at the Hill Top during which the incident happened.” He said.

    ýHe explained that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmad Abdur-Rahman, appeals to members of the public to assist the Police with useful information that would help in the arrest of the perpetrators of the heinous crime.

  • Man drags brother to court over nudity, Indian hemp smoking

    A 34-year-old man, Umar Yusuf, on Monday dragged his brother, Rabiu Abdullahi before a Sharia Court l sitting in Magajin Gari, Kaduna State for allegedly smoking Indian hemp and walking around the house half-naked.

    Yusuf told the court that he lives with Abdullahi, 32, in a rented apartment in Kaduna metropolis.

    He alleged that Abdullahi was in the habit of inviting his friends to smoke Indian hemp in the compound, adding that whenever he cautioned him he will argue with him.

    “He usually roams about the compound half-naked. I have a wife and kids. it’s not healthy for my family,” he said.

    The defendant, however, pleaded guilty to the offence.

    READ ALSO: Man drags siblings to court over land in Anambra

    Abdullahi said that he too had a grievance to settle with Yusuf’s wife over the aroma of the food she cooks.

    “The aroma of the food disturbs me. A thin wall separates my room from theirs,” he said.

    The Judge, Dahiru Lawal ordered the defendant to stop inviting friends to smoke and also roaming about half-naked in the compound.

    He advised the brothers to live in peace and to discuss what they like and dislike so that peace would reign between them.

  • Shehu Sani expresses hope of getting justice

    As the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal begin sitting in Kaduna, Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District has expressed hope that justice would be done to the petitions he filled before the court.

    The Senator said, part of the reasons the petition was filed was to seek justice and provide evidence where necessary to prove his case.

    Sani, who spoke through his Counsel, Barrister Kefas Kure said, “we expect to get justice at the end of the case.

    “It is equally glorifying to note that the judges have requested the cooperation of all legal practitioners to remain committed and up doing during the sitting.

    He also expressed satisfaction that the tribunal Judges said they will not entertain unnecessary delay as petitions would be treated with urgency and dispatch.

    In his address during the official inaugural sitting of the National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal, Kaduna State, holding in Kaduna, the Tribunal Chairman, Justice A.H. Suleiman.

    “It is not in doubt that this Tribunal is a product of the Supreme Law of the country, otherwise called the grundnorm, i.e. 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

    “Section 285(1) & (2) of the said Constitution provides for the establishment of one or more Election Tribunals to be known as the National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal.

    “It is in view of the above provision and pursuant to the powers conferred by paragraph 1(3) of the sixth schedule to the Constitution that the appointing authority constituted among others, this National Assembly and State House of Assembly Election Tribunal for Kaduna State.

    “The Tribunal is made up of the Chairman and two other members and its jurisdiction is as spelt out in section 285 of the Constitution. In nutshell, the Tribunal shall to the exclusion of any other Court or Tribunal have original jurisdiction to hear and determine petitions as whether any person has been validly elected as a member of National Assembly; or any person has been validly elected as a member of the House of Assembly of a state.

    “The instant Tribunal is constituted to hear petitions arising from the recently held National and Kaduna State Legislative Elections. At the moment, 18 petitions have been filed, ten (10) of which are in respect of the National Assembly elections, while eight (8) are of the Kaduna State House of Assembly elections.

    “Election petitions by their nature are sui generis; i.e. in a class of its own. It is therefore obvious that time is of essence. In this regard, we request the cooperation of all, especially the legal practitioners

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