Sahara Reporters Latest News Today Wednesday 13th May 2020
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 13/05/20
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BREAKING: Medical Director Of Kastina General Hospital Dies Of COVID-19
Dr Kabir Tijjani, Medical Director of General Hospital, Mani, Katsina State, has died of COVID-19.
The death occurred on Tuesday, a family source told SaharaReporters.
The source said the late medical doctor was last week diagnosed with the viral infection and later moved to one of the state’s isolation centres where he died on Tuesday evening.
He had since been buried under strict medical supervision based on the global best practices in Katsina.
According to the National Centre for Disease Control, Kastina State has recorded 205 cases of the COVID-19 infection.
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President Buhari Replaces Late Ebonyi Ex-Lawmaker On Federal Character Commission Board
President Muhammadu Buhari has replaced a former House of Representative member, Tobias Okwuru, who was named as a member of the Federal Character Commission board two months after his death.
The appointment of the late Okwuru alongside 37 others was contained in a letter Buhari sent to the Nigerian Senate for confirmation on April 28, 2020.
But in a letter on Tuesday, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said Buhari had requested the replacement of four nominees including Okwuru.
He said, “In compliance with the provision of section 156(1) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I write to request for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of the following four nominees as members of the Federal Character Commission as replacement of my earlier submission for Delta, Ebonyi, Lagos and Nasarawa states,” the President’s letter read.
Aside Okwuru, those replaced are Moses A (Delta), Afamefuna Osi (Ebonyi), Wasiu Kayode (Lagos) and Alakayi Mamman (Nasarawa).
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PDP Backs Governor Wike On Demolition Of Hotels In Rivers Despite Public Criticism
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, on Sunday supervised the demolition of a hotel and other business facilities in Eleme Local Government Area of the state after they violated the lockdown order put in place to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.
Despite criticisms that have greeted the action of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, over the demolition of two hotels in Port Harcourt, the state capital,
Peoples Democratic Party has thrown its weight behind him, saying he acted in the interest of his people.
Wike had on Sunday personally monitored the demolition of Prudent Hotel, Eleme, and Etemeteh Hotel in Onne Local Government Area of the state for allegedly flouting the state’ Executive Order put in place to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
Human rights organisations have described the action of the governor as impunity and a reminder of the military era.
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, on Sunday supervised the demolition of a hotel and other business facilities in Eleme Local Government Area of the state after they violated the lockdown order put in place to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.
National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, who spoke with our correspondent, insisted that the governor’s action was aimed at protecting his people.
He had explained that the hotel was demolished because one of the Coronavirus cases in the state originated from there.
Ologbodiyan maintained that the party was not silent about the incident, adding that the internal mechanism of the party was handling the matter and there was no need to blow it out of proportion.
He berated those criticising Wike for not speaking up when Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, demolished a mosque and blocked access road in the state.
Ologbodiyan said, “Because it is Wike and PDP they must destroy him.
“This is double standard and is totally unacceptable to us. Those who are aggrieved can resolve with the governor but if they strongly want to go to court.”
A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, described Wike, who is also a lawyer, as an embarrassment to the body of benchers.
He called on the Nigerian Bar Association to sanction the governor for acting like an emperor.
Falana said any offender regardless of the crime committed should be charged before a court and tried in line with the law.
A civil society organisation, the Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project has also threatened to institute legal action against the government.
Reacting via Twitter, SERAP accused the Rivers governor of using COVID-19 to perpetrate human rights violation, noting that his “executive rascality” must stop.
“We condemn the reported demolition of Prodest Hotel by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike. Using COVID-19 to perpetrate human rights violation is executive rascality and Mr Wike must stop this now,” the organisation said.
Meanwhile a journalist in Akwa Ibom State, Kufre Carter, was arrested and detained for seven days at the Department of State Services facility in Uyo, the state capital, for allegedly making defamatory remarks against a commissioner in the state.
Also, the Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, recently barred two journalists from entering the Government House or any government facility in the state.
Nigerians are however, worried over the increasing rate in the injustices and human rights violations involved in by PDP governors in different states of the federation.
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BREAKING: 32-year-old Man Recently Evacuated From Dubai Dies Of COVID-19 In Lagos
A 32-year-old man has died of COVID-19 infection in Lagos State.
The latest death was disclosed by the Lagos Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, via his verified Twitter handle on Tuesday.
According to Abayomi, the deceased recently returned from Dubai with severe underlying health conditions.
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He said, “Total number of discharged #COVID19 patients in Lagos now stands at 502.
“Another #COVID19 infection related death involving 32-year-old, male has been recorded.
“The deceased recently returned from Dubai with severe underlying health condition following evacuation of Nigerians in foreign countries by @DigiCommsNG.
“Total #COVID19 related deaths in Lagos is now 34. I urge Lagosians to remain committed to rules guiding #COVID19 infection prevention regardless of relaxation of lockdown.”
SaharaReporters recalls that at least 256 Nigerians were on May 6 evacuated from the United Arab Emirates.
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E2%80%9Cun-disgraced%E2%80%9D-collaborator-omoyele-sowore Prof. Ibrahim Gambari And June 12: The “Un-disgraced” Collaborator By Omoyele Sowore
Ibrahim Gambari
If the Abacha repressive regime were a soccer team, Professor Ibrahim Gambari would be one of the “1st eleven players” or at least a quarter back on the reserve bench in the government squad.
Though Abacha didn’t play soccer, he certainly sat on a killer squad that faced down members of the opposition-all lovers of democracy, and ordinary Nigerians in and out of Nigeria-while his bestial reign lasted, in addition to Abacha Professor Gambari has served almost all the dictators that has scorched the piece of earth known as Nigeria.
Professor Ibrahim Gambari, who some people claim is an intelligent man, used his ‘intelligence’ to defend the draconian policies of the Abacha regime while he was Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations. He was one of Abacha’s equivalents of the “goebel” representing the infamous dictator with vigor and a propensity that could only be found in fascist Italy of old. He was once quoted as saying, “Nigerians don’t need democracy because democracy is not food. It is not their priority now.” As more pressure mounted on the Abacha regime from all corners of the world, Professor Gambari became more notorious and ruthless in defending and deflecting attacks against the Abacha dictatorship.
Ibrahim Gambari
I remember his many appearances on cable news channels, especially after Abacha murdered environmentalist and author, Ken Saro-Wiwa following what can be described as a kangaroo trial. Professor Gambari stoically denied that the Abacha regime had committed a crime; he labeled Saro-Wiwa a “common criminal” who had engaged in the murder of some Ogoni elders. It was Gambari and Tom Ikimi who went all over the world to convince and blackmail governments of nations opposed to the killing of Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni 8. They tried in vain to convince the governments of some countries, but it was also clear that they might have succeeded in blackmailing some countries into silence or acquiescence. There are claims that Professor Ibrahim Gambari had access to the Nigerian treasury; he had limitless resources to do what ever he wanted in the name of protecting the Abacha regime, no wonder he was able to pay for the juicy properties sold by the Federal government in Ikoyi recntly.
After the demise of Abacha, his other co-dictators and collaborators were put in their place: Call it the Nigerian Hall of Shame. Professor Ibrahim Gambari has not been touched; he has not been called to account. Unlike the Usenis, Mustapha, and Gwarzo, he did not appear before the hapless “Oputa Panel” to explain his ignominious role. Instead he was elevated by Kofi Annan, the United Nations Secretary-General, to the position of Under-Secretary and Special Adviser on Africa at the UN. The reasons are not far-fetched. Kofi Annan wasn’t too keen on democratization efforts in Nigeria; he was already in cahoots with the Abacha regime through his son, Kodjo, who was involved in the oil business in Nigeria. Kodjo lives a life of opulence in Lagos. There had been rumors Gambari was the link between Abacha, Annan and their businesses.
Even after the death of Abacha, Kofi Annan’s visits to Nigeria were primarily to prevail on Chief M.K.O Abiola to forget about his June 12 mandate. He didn’t care about Abiola’s freedom so he quietly went to meet him in jail and asked him to ‘fuggetabutit.’ It is a known fact that Prof. Gambari had already briefed Annan adequately about the “real deal” and shortly after Kofi visited Abiola, Chief Anyaoku followed, then the Brits and then the Americans and the rest is now painful history.
It is intriguing that Professor Gambari has now become a darling of so many Nigerian organizations. Honors are pouring in from everywhere and he is getting awards and making speeches all over the place. Recently a group named “World Congress of Afenifere” invited people to come toNewark, New Jersey to listen to a Gambari lecture. I didn’t know what to think, except the reminder that even the leader of the Yoruba race, Chief Abraham Adesanya, was in the company of General Abubakar when he came to commission the now defunct “AbubakarA. Abdusalami Lecture Series” at the Chicago State University in 2001. For this program General Abubakar had committed a lot of money described by the Chicago State University President, Dr. Elnora Daniel as”largesse”, this he gave from his ill-gotten wealth. Shortly after the Chicago imbroglio, Dr. Conteh, who was the brain behind the lecture series was relieved of his plum job at CSU and the “Abubakar Lecture Series” died a natural death. I am proud to say I was there at CSU with Lanre Banjo, Pete Sophie, Kayode Oladele, members of Amnesty International, USA, and many more Nigerians from all over the United States to protest the “beautification” of Abubakar. In the milieu that ensued Abubakar was served a court summons that accused him of human rights violations, and ever since he has not been seen parading US universities in search of a dubious legacy and undeserved honors. The case against Gen. Abubakar has advanced tremendously at the U.S. Appeals Court, Circuit Seven. The court reached a decision on the case between Abubakar, Enahoro, and others (case #03-3089 on May 23, 2005). The 31-page decision of the appellate court presided by Justices Cudahy, Kannes, and Evans concluded that the Abubakar case should be referred to trial.
For Professor Ibrahim Gambari, he seems to have escaped justice both locally and internationally. He can always claim that he was just a diplomat doing his job. But, since the days of the Nuremberg trials such arguments no longer hold water.
Professor Gambari is getting bolder by the day, and as such on June 12, 2005, Professor Gambari, according to sources at the UN, is going to make a speech at a weeklong event tagged “Medgar Week” being organized by the Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York according to the . It is not clear why the college has not put the information on its website as at press time. They know all too well that Professor Gambari is to Nigerians here in the US, the equivalent of what David Duke (a white supremacist) would mean to African Americans.
It has become clear that the day, “June 12” has some sanctity to Nigerians everywhere in the world. I have no doubt that Medgar Wiley Evers a committed civil rights leader will be turning in his grave right now, certainly Abiola must be boiling with rage wherever he is and definitely the date “June 12” should never be the party day for shenanigans and collaborators.
This article was first published in 2005.
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JUST IN: Ondo Discharges Five COVID-19 Patients
Ondo State Government has discharged five COVID-19 patients after recovering from the virus.
This was disclosed by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.Those newly discharged take the total number of discharged cases in the state to 11.
“Another five patients were discharged from our infectious disease hospital today bringing down the total number of active cases of #COVID19 in Ondo State to four. #WarAgainstCovid19,” Akeredolu tweeted.Ondo so far has a total of 16 confirmed cases and one death.
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BREAKING: Herdsmen Kill Four Persons In Benue Villages
Armed bandits suspected to be herdsmen, have attacked and killed four persons in two villages in Benue State.
Among those killed in the rampage on Monday night were two women, while several other villagers sustained varying degrees of gun wounds.
In a rapid response, troops of the Nigeria Army attached to Operation Whirl Stroke went after the herdsmen and neutralised four of them.
At Agasha Village under Guma Local Government Area, three persons were killed including an aged woman.
The herdsman also carried out the second attack on worshippers during a vigil at Tomatar Iwendyer, a community under Logo Local Government Area of the state and killed one woman.
Force Commander, OPWS, Major General Adeyemi Yekini, who disclosed this to journalists said, “Please be informed that some suspected armed herdsmen infiltrated Agasha in Guma LGA of Benue State and killed two villagers overnight.
“OPWS troops on patrol in the area immediately mobilised to the scene but the herdsmen had fled before their arrival.
“Troops subsequently tracked the assailants through some of the nearby communities overnight, while other troops deployed at Tomatar across the river also in Guma blocked the escape route towards Nasarawa State.
“At about 0600hrs this morning, troops had contact with the armed herdsmen at a make shift camp close to the Benue River during which four of the assailants were killed, while troops recovered two AK 47 rifles, four magazines and 65 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the bandits.
“Our forces did not sustain any casualty during the operation. Troops are currently on search and destroy operation in the area.”
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BREAKING: Buhari Appoints 75-year-old Former External Affairs Minister, Gambari, As Chief Of Staff
Ibrahim Agboola Gambari
President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed a former Minister of External Affairs, Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, as his Chief of Staff.
The new Chief of Staff was born on November 24, 1944 in Ilorin, Kwara State and served as Minister for External Affairs between 1984 and 1985.
He holds the record of being the longest serving Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations (January 1990 to October 1999), and altogether served under five Heads of State and President.
Ibrahim Agboola Gambari
He was subsequently appointed by the former Secretary-General of United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, and the chairperson of the African Union Commission as Joint African Union-United Nations Special Representative for Darfur in January 2010.
Gambari was Nigeria’s envoy to the United Nations in 1995 when Ogoni environmentalist, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and eight other activists were hanged by the then-military government of General Sani Abacha, according to Reuters.
He was rejected by the people of the Niger Delta for defending Abacha’s actions against international condemnation at the time of Saro-Wiwa’s execution.
Gambari also supported the annulment of the June 12,1993 election won by business tycoon, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.
On March 4, 2013, he was named by the Kwara State governor, AbdulFatah Ahmad, as the pioneer Chancellor of the Kwara State University.
Gambari attended King’s College, Lagos. He subsequently attended the London School of Economics where he obtained his B.Sc. (Economics) degree (1968) with specialisation in International Relations.
He later obtained his M.A. (1970) and Ph. D. (1974) degrees from Columbia University, New York, USA, in Political Science/International Relations.
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Former Presidential Spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, Wife Discharged From COVID-19 Isolation Centre After Testing Negative
Ex-Presidential spokesperson, Dr Doyin Okupe, and his wife, Aduralere, have tested negative for Coronavirus and discharged from isolation centre.
Okupe and his wife had tested positive for the virus on April 23.
He was Special Assistant to former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Media and Publicity, and Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs.
He was discharged from isolation centre in Ogun State on Thursday.
He thanked Governor Dapo Abiodun and medical personnel at the centre for their efforts and support.
He said, “On the 23rd of April, my wife, Aduralere, and I tested positive to COVID-19 virus. To the Glory of God we were discharged this morning after obtaining two negative reports.”
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Lagos Hospital Turns Away Pregnant Women Over Non-availability Of Drugs
Health workers at the General Hospital, Orile Agege, Lagos, on Tuesday turned away over 40 women, who were at the hospital to attend pre-natal and ante-natal sessions.
One of the pregnant women, who spoke with SaharaReporters, said the hospital’s management claimed the state Ministry of Health asked them to stop attending to patients due to unavailability of drugs.
Recall that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had on April 4 announced free medical services to pregnant women and other persons with health emergencies in the state as part of palliative measures to cushion the effect of the lockdown imposed to fight the spread of COVID-19.
The governor had said, “The Lagos State Government will, for the duration of the restriction on movement, take full responsibility for the medical bills of all patients who fall in the following categories, at all Lagos State-owned secondary healthcare facilities: Emergency/casualty cases, including registration, laboratory tests, surgeries, and drugs, maternity cases: normal delivery and caesarean sections.
“What this means is that, at this time, patients with the above-listed conditions will not need to pay to access treatment and care at all our 27 General Hospitals across the state.”
The expectant mother, who spoke with our correspondent, said she created a scene until a doctor told her the order was from above.
She said, “I went to the hospital last week and was asked to return home and come today, that it’s Tuesdays they register newcomers.
“So, when I got there today, over 40 of us, they told us to go back to our various houses that they won’t be able to attend to us.
“They claimed government told them not to register or attend to any pregnant woman because there are no drugs.”
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