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Meningitis kills 118 in 22 States

Published

7 months ago

April 23, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) has killed 118 persons across 21 states in the country between last year and April 2, 2023, the Nigeria Centre for Diseas

Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) has killed 118 persons across 21 states in the country between last year and April 2, 2023, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said.

In a situation report released Saturday, the agency noted that as of April 2, a total of 1, 479 suspected cases had been recorded in 2022/2023 CSM seasons

It stated that the 22 states that reported suspected CSM cases in 2022/2023 include Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Ebonyi, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

The report stated that 93 per cent of all the cumulative cases were from five states – Jigawa (1,064 cases), Yobe (234 cases), Zamfara (36 cases), Bauchi (23 cases) and Adamawa (21 cases).

It further stated that 14 local government areas across four states—Jigawa (8), Yobe (4), Bauchi (1) and Zamfara (1) – reported more than 10 cases each during the 2022/2023 CSM seasons.

It stated that males were 57 per cent of the cases, while 43 per cent were females.

The NCDC said Jigawa State had been in an outbreak since Epi week 40 (2022), with 11 out of 22 local government areas affected.

The NCDC said Yobe State, also in a suspected outbreak, is being supported to generate enough surveillance/laboratory data/evidence to make a request for vaccines.

It said the national multi-sectoral Cerebrospinal Meningitis Technical Working Group (TWG) continued to monitor response across states.

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Obiano angry over Soludo’s refusal to pay allowances of former aides

Published

3 weeks ago

November 14, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Obiano and Soludo

Former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has attacked his successor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo.

In a press release by his publicist, Mr Tony Nezianya, Obiano in a tone that depicted anger told Soludo to pay his former aides their disengagement allowances.

Spilling a secret agreement both men entered into before he bowed out of office, Obiano said the plan was for Soludo to reengage his aides, or pay them their disengagement allowances if he cannot retain them.

Nezianya in the press statement quoted Obiano as saying to Soludo, “I urge Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to fulfil his promise to pay a disengagement allowance to all my political appointees, a promise he made to them in Aguleri at the point of his departure.

”If you cannot re-engage them, you can at least pay their outstanding allowances. This will be a more fitting way to end their glorious tenure as well reward them for ensuring your victory (at) polls.”

Meanwhile, in the release, Obiano said that rumours about his plan to leave the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, were untrue.

Nezianya said: “Chief Obiano’s eight-year tenure as the Governor of Anambra State, he consistently demonstrated his dedication and loyalty to APGA, both in words and actions.

“Throughout his time in office, he championed the ideologies and principles of APGA, working tirelessly to promote its agenda and ensure the party’s continued success.

“It is, therefore, evident that Chief Willie Obiano has no plans to abandon APGA or join another political party. He said it that ‘I have no plan now or in future to leave the party’.

“His unwavering support for APGA shows his long-standing commitment to the party and its values. Speculation in a section of the media that he plans to jump ship are misguided.”

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Masked gunmen invade Enugu community, kill three villagers

Published

3 months ago

September 10, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Imo Guber: Armed robbers attack APC agents, cart away N1.5m meant for vote buying

• File: Hooded gunmen

Some masked gunmen reportedly invaded Agbada village in Nenwe community in Aninri local government area of Enugu State on Saturday killing three villagers.

The victims our correspondent gathered, include Mr Hillary Uche, a popular dealer on block and cement at Orie Agu, Emulemoke Agbada Road; one Kingsley, a machine parts dealer at signboard area of the village and another young man popularly known FM.

The incident, which happened Saturday morning, it was learned, saw the gunmen locating the deceased in their houses and shops and killing them instantly.

While Kingsley and FM were said to have been dragged out from their homes in Amagu Agbada Nenwe to the village square, where they were killed, Hilary was said to have been killed inside his own shop at Orie Agu.

It was further gathered that the hoodlums set a house ablaze after searching the house without seeing their target.

The killings have since thrown the community into panic and mourning, as young men doing businesses in the village have started fleeing the place.

One of the village sources: “My brother, some unknown gunmen entered my village and brought out Kingsley and FM and dragged them to the village square where they killed them.

“Nobody knows who the people are. Some came in motorcycles while some of our people said some of them came in a vehicle.

“Everyone is afraid of even going out. There is panic everywhere. This kind of thing has never happen before here.

“One of the persons they killed, Mr Hillary, was shot three times in his shop at Orie Agu Nenwe. All of those unknown gunmen wore masks, suggesting that they may have come from around us here”, the source said.

When contacted the Enugu Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Daniel Ndukwe (DSP) said discreet investigation and manhunt operation are underway to fish out the yet-to-be identified armed hoodlums.

He confirmed the shooting and killing of three male victims, in the wee hours of 09/09/2023, at Agbada Village square, in Nenwe community of Aninri Local Government Area.

The police statement made available to newsmen in Enugu Sunday said further development shall be communicated.

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Ortom begs for forgiveness, withdraws case from tribunal

Published

8 months ago

March 28, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Tuesday appealed to those he may have offended in the course of his service as governor of the state to forgive him.

This is as he had declared his decision to withdraw the case he instituted at the election petition tribunal where he was challenging the victory of the senator elect of the Benue North West senatorial district, Titus Zam in the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections.

Recall that the senatorial aspiration of governor Ortom was dashed following his colossal defeat in the February 25th when he lost to his former aide, Titus Zam.

The governor, while reacting to his loss then had argued that he was going to challenge the outcome of the election in court as he hinged his decision to what he described as non-transmission of results.

Contrary to that, while addressing journalists on Tuesday after meeting with stakeholders from his constituency and members of his campaign council at government house in Makurdi, Ortom said that he had decided to withdraw his case at the tribunal.

“Though there was glaring evidence of malpractices including non-transmission of results electronically during the conduct of the Benue North West Senatorial election, I have taken the decision to withdraw my case from the tribunal.”uel o

He added that the decision to withdraw his case from the court was in the interest of peace and without prejudice to the suits filed by other candidates of his party, the PDP.

“As a leader of PDP, I will continue to support the party in collaboration with other leaders to enable it bounce back from the mistakes and drawbacks that are affecting it at the moment.”

The governor however reassured the people of the state that he will continue to provide selfless service in all sectors of development till the end of his tenure on May 29, 2023.

He however made a passionate appeal, “For those I might have offended in this journey of serving the state and our country, I seek their forgiveness, as I also forgive those who have offended me.”

The governor commended the resilience of the people of the state for participating massively in the just concluded elections despite what he described as ‘glaring provocation and intimidation by the federal might’ and also appreciated the Peoples Democratic Party in the state for supporting him all the way.

He noted that it had been an honour to serve the people of Benue State as governor saying he always ensured equity, fairness, justice and the rule of law and had executed the mandate given to him by God almighty through Benue people will always be available and ready to carry out God’s mandate as He directs him.