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General news

Hajj: Nigerians pray for peace, development in Saudi Arabia

By Dada Ahmed
Prayers
Madinah,July 14, 2019 (NAN) Thousands of intending pilgrims from all nations, including Nigerians, have continued to defy the scorching sun as they trooped to the Prophet’s holy mosque in Madinah to offer special prayers for peace and development, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Speaking with NAN in Madinah, after observing his evening prayer in the mosque on Sunday, an intending pilgrim from Lagos state, Alhaji Ismail Aminu, said no price was too much in worshipping God.

He promised to maximise the opportunity provided by the Hajj to pray for the peace, blessing and development of Nigeria in all ramifications.

He said: “I prayed for Nigeria to be a much better country in terms of good governance and better citizenry.

“If the leaders get it right, the citizens will enjoy, I pray to almighty Allah to guide our leaders right in governance so that they can move the country to the next level of development.

“May almighty Allah give them the wisdom to steer the ship of Nigeria aright and for Nigerians to have a change of attitude.

“This is necessary so that the country can prosper, I also pray for reduction in corruption in the county and for the people to be disciplined in our deeds.”

On crime, he stressed the need for peace and reduction in the rate of killings and kidnapping, among others, but commended some states and the Federal Government for checking the menace.

“It is only when there is reduction in crime that Nigeria can witness the desired peace and development,” he said.

NAN reports that intending pilgrims from Katsina, Kano, Kano and Lagos States have arrived Madinah to commence intensive prayers and visit the grave of Prophet Muhammad, among other rites, before moving to Makkah in continuationof the ritual.

Hajj is one the five pillars of Islam for Muslims who have adequate resources and good health to embark on such annual exercise. (NAN)
DUA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Over 13m Nigerians battles with malaria annually – Environmentalist

Over 13m Nigerians battles with malaria annually – Environmentalist

By Mohammed Lawal
Malaria
Zaria (Kaduna State), June 23, 2019 (NAN) Malam Umar Aminu-Imam, President, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN) in Katsina State, has said that 13,687,500 Nigeria battled with malaria annually.

This statistics accounted for 25 per cent of world’s 54,750,000 malaria cases.

Aminu-Imam made the disclosure during the ‘International Environmental Health Day’ celebration organised by the association in collaboration with Muslim Community College of Health Science and Technology, Funtua, Katsina State, which held at the college.

This is contained in a statement by the College’s Information and Communication Officer, Malam Muhammadu Mahi-Khalid, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria, Kaduna State, on Sunday.

NAN reports that the theme of this year’s celebration is “Improving Sanitation and Open Defecation Free Society’’.

The statement said: “In a report released by World Health Organisation (WHO) in September 2018, there were 219 million cases of Malaria globally with over 435,000 death in 2017 alone.

“African continent account for 92 per cent of the total cases and 93 per cent of the total death.

“Five countries account for 50 per cent of the entire global cases; namely Nigeria with 25 per cent; Democratic Republic of Congo, 11 per cent;, Mozambique 5 per cent; India 4 per cent, and Uganda 4 per cent.

“Nigeria with less than 1 per cent of the world’s population account for 25 per cent or 54,750,000 cases and over 108,750 lives lost, 61 per cent of them or 66,337 are children below the ages of five years.

“This gloomy picture was in 2017 alone on Malaria.’’

According to him, environment plays key role in aggravating and exacerbating the disease burden and death in the society.

Aminu-Imam added that every year billions of Naira is being lost to drugs due to diseases and death from preventable diseases.

He said the diseases that bedeviled Nigeria as a nation like malaria, typhoid, poliomyelitis and diarrheal diseases among others were all exclusively environmentally related diseases.

Aminu-Imam said that the maternal deaths in the country were environmentally related because infections and cultural factors were among the leading causes of maternal and child mortality.

He said that most of the interventions currently being undertaken and sponsored by NGOs and the Governments were curative-based and chemotherapeutic in nature.

“It is the believe of this association that no matter how much money spent in procurement of drugs to combat malaria, no reasonable result would be recorded if the environmental factors are not targeted and addressed.

“All advanced countries were able to eradicate malaria not because of vaccination or drug utilisation but only by improving environmental sanitation of their respective countries.

“Thus the association decided to partner with the Muslim Community College of Health Technology and various MDAs to raise awareness of the community on the dangers of poor sanitation and the consequences of open defecation,’’ he noted. (NAN)
KLM/AIJ/MST
Edited by Abigael Joshua/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Psychiatrist decries harmful use of alcohol, drugs by young Nigerians

Psychiatrist decries harmful use of alcohol, drugs by young Nigerians
By Ummul Idris
Alcohol
Abuja, May 17, 2019 (NAN) Dr Abayomi Olajide, a Psychiatric physician, has raised alarm over the menace of harmful use of alcohol and illicit drugs among adolescents in the country.
Olajide told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that more youths were indulging in the consumption of heroine, codeine, tramadol and cannabis.
He called for urgent measures to arrest the ugly trend to prevent recording more victims of mental illness.
He said that this had become a major issue in many developed and developing countries, noting that it has led to risky behaviour of underage, sex, crime, violence and dangerous driving.
He called on health professionals, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and policy makers to join hands and fight the menace in a responsible and responsive manner that would not jeopardise the integrity of the society.
He said that the fight would ensure that the better health outcome of the population were affected, adding that it is imperative to help the young people mental resilience.
The medical practitioner also disclosed that mood disorder particularly depression was a leading cause of disability among adolescents.
According to him, suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 15 to 29.
He said that promoting and protecting adolescents’ health often brought benefits to the society and the economy while healthy young adults were able to make qualitative impact to the workforce.
Besides, he called on parents and teachers to help build social life of children and adolescents to help them cope with everyday challenges at home and school with needed counselling.
The expert advised against stigma and discrimination of people living with mental illness or taking alcohol and recommended employing love method to correct them. (NAN)
UMD/NNO/MST
Edited by Nick Nicholas/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

12,974 irregular migrants return to Nigeria in 2 years, says UN-IOM

12,974 irregular migrants return to Nigeria in 2 years, says UN-IOM

By Emmanuel Acha
Migrants
Enugu, April 4, 2019 (NAN) The UN-International Organisation on Migration (IOM) says it has been involved in the evacuation of over 12,974 irregular migrants from certain countries back to Nigeria in the last two years.

The Public Information Officer of the organisation in Nigeria, Mr Jorge Galindo, disclosed this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.

Galindo spoke on the sidelines of a media dialogue with Nigerian editors and heads of media establishments organised by the Migration.

He said that out of the lot, the organisation had initiated integration programmes for about 5000.

He recalled that the IOM’s operations started in the country in 2001.

He said that they had since begun to implement a host of different projects in Abuja and Lagos as well as addressing humanitarian issues in North East Nigeria.

On the European Union/IOM Joint Initiative on Migration, Galindo said that their aim was to bring back about 13,000 irregular migrants trapped in Libya and other African countries back to Nigeria.

He said that the first flight that brought irregular migrants back to Nigeria under the initiative was was on April 11, 2017.

“We assist migrants returning from Libya, Mali and other countries by providing them with assistance, protection and channel them through appropriate integration programmes.

“There are still more migrants that are trapped in horrible
conditions in Libya and we will continue this programme for many more to return voluntarily and safely.

“We look at the profiles of the returnees and decide with them the best form of support they need,” he said.

Galindo said that the organisation also had the responsibility of alerting potential migrants in the country on what lay ahead if they chose irregular routes.

“We use community-based approach to share information in communities where these migrants come from.

“This is aimed at showing them the realities of dangerous journeys,” he said.

He, however, said that the process of reintegration was not without its challenges.

“We have spoken with a number of the returnees and they complain of stigmatisation by members of their communities.

“They are seen as people that have failed to fulfill their personal and family dreams.

“It is very important for us to reach out to these communities to inform them what harrowing experiences these returnees went through.

“People should be more sympathetic and provide them with the platform to communicate with one another,” Galindo said. (NAN)
EOA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

Crash: Death of 3 Nigerians in Diaspora sad, devastating – Dabiri-Erewa 

Crash: Death of 3 Nigerians in Diaspora sad, devastating – Dabiri-Erewa
By Isaac Aregbesola
Mourning
Abuja, March 12, 2019 (NAN) Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, has described the death of three Nigerians in the Diaspora in the Ethiopian Airline crash on Sunday as sad, shocking and devastating.
Dabiri-Erewa in a statement by her media aide, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the death of the Nigerians was very painful at this crucial time of Diaspora development in Africa.
The affected Nigerians in the ill- fated airline were Prof. Pius Adesanmi of Carleton University, Canada; Amb. Abiodun Bashua, and Mr Karim Safi, one of the most active Diaspora youths in Europe.
“They all died in the active service of helping and contributing to the growth of Diaspora not only in Nigeria but in Africa as a whole.
“The sudden loss of our distinguished Diasporans in the Ethiopian airline is shocking, sad and devastating,” she said.
She said the distinguished Nigerians had contributed immensely to the development of Diaspora affairs in Nigeria and will be greatly missed.
Dabiri-Erewa offered her condolences to their immediate family members, the Diaspora community and Nigerians in general.
She prayed God to bless the soul of the deceased and condoled the families of all who lost their lives in the crash, for their gentle souls to rest in perfect peace.
She said that the deceased Nigerians were part of the delegates that were supposed to attend the Citizens and Diaspora Directorate/Economic, Social and Cultural Council meeting in Nairobi, Kenya.
“Adesanmi was one of the few professors who taught about the AU and Agenda 2063; while Safi, one of the founders of African Diaspora Youth in Europe (ADYFE), and Amb. Bashua, a retired senior Nigerian diplomat with many years with the UN.
“The trio were among the 149 passengers and eight crew members from 35 countries aboard the Ethiopian Airline from Addis Abba, Ethiopia, that crashed on Sunday on its way to Nairobi, Kenya,” she noted. (NAN
IAA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Elections: Emir urge Nigerians to respect rule of law

Elections: Emir urges Nigerians to respect rule of law
By Mohammed Lawal
Order
Zaria (Kaduna State), March 9, 2019 (NAN) The Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris, has called on Nigerians to respect the rule of law and promote national unity toward building a formidable country.
He made the appeal in an interview with newsmen shortly after casting his vote at Emir’s palace Polling Unit in Zaria, Kaduna State, on Saturday.
The monarch, who is also the Chairman, Kaduna State Council of Emirs and Chiefs, said the call became imperative in view of the fact that peace was critical to meaningful development.
The traditional ruler lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for improving on the previous elections and security personnel for providing adequate security during the elections.
Check at different polling units in Zaria by a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) indicated that the elections ended peacefully and without any major hitch in Zaria and environs.
The emir, however, commended the people for coming out in their large numbers, exercising their franchise.
“Election is an opportunity for the people to elect credible leaders of their choice.
“I want to call on the people to maintain the peace, even after the exercise, so that the prevailing peace is sustained for the good of all,” he said. (NAN)
KLM/KTO/MST
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

Polls: Emir want Nigerians to show maturity 

Polls: Emir preaches peace, maturity
By Mohammed Lawal
Emir
Zaria (Kaduna State), Feb. 23, 2019 (NAN) The Emir of Zazzau, Kaduna State, Dr Shehu Idris, has urged Nigerians to exhibit high sense of maturity during and after the general elections to deepen the country’s democracy.
He made the appeal while speaking with newsmen shortly after casting his vote at his palace on Saturday in Zaria, Kaduna State.
Idris, who is also the Chairman, Kaduna State Council of Emirs and Chiefs, said: “I want to express my pleasure for the mass turnout of people to exercise their franchise.
“It gladdens my heart, people have come out peacefully to elect credible leaders of their choice. I want to further appeal to Nigerians to show maturity in your conduct during and after the elections.
“I do hope that the elections will be free, fair, peaceful and credible so that Nigeria will attain a state of maturity in democracy.”
While thanking the electorate for their zeal to participate in the electoral process, the first class traditional ruler lauded the media for their active participation to ensuring the success of the exercise. (NAN)
KLM/ACO/MST
Edited by Abiodun Oluleye/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Foreign

Elections: ECOWAS applauds Nigerians’ calm, patience

Elections: ECOWAS applauds Nigerians’ calm, patience
By Temitope Ponle
Observation
Abuja, Feb. 22, 2019 (NAN) The ECOWAS Election Observer Mission has commended Nigerians for their patience and calm, following the postponement of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Feb. 16.
The head of the mission, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirfleaf, at a news briefing in Abuja on Friday, said the international community had watched the progress INEC had made to address the challenges faced.
Johnson-Sirleaf said the progress made by the commission signalled a “deepening and building of confidence in the electoral processes’’.
“We extend thanks, admiration and gratitude to the Nigerian people for their patience in the face of the last minute interruptions to their lives with the postponement of the 2019 general elections.
“We have watched the progress of INEC over the past week working together with domestic and international partners in addressing their logistical and technical challenges.
“We are pleased that these operational constraints have been significantly addressed, this resting a conducive atmosphere for tomorrow’s general elections.
“We commend our brothers and sisters across the length and breadth of this great country for remaining calm and resilient as these concerns were addressed.”
She also commended political leaders for signing the 2019 Peace Accord and described it as a further demonstration of the commitment of Nigeria to democracy.
She expressed confidence that the same level of maturity would be demonstrated during the remaining phase of the electoral process.
“We applaud Nigeria for the pivotal role played in maintaining peace and the restoration of democracy in our sub-region.”
The head of mission also urged political leaders and Nigerians to continue to maintain peace and adhere to the rule of law during the rest of the electoral process.
Furthermore, she commended the security forces in maintaining the peace and protection of the electorate, local and international observers. (NAN)
TOP/JEO/MST
Edited by Janefrances Oraka/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

Poll Shift: Sen. Sodangi urges Nigerians to support INEC

Poll Shift: Sen. Sodangi urges Nigerians to support INEC
By Awayi Kuje
Appeal
Nasarawa (Nasarawa State), Feb. 16, 2019 (NAN) Former Sen. Abubakar Sodangi (PDP-Nasarawa West) has appealed to Nigerians to have faith and appreciate the enormous challenges of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Sodangi made the call while reacting to the postponement of the Feb. 16 and March 2 general elections by INEC on Saturday in Nasarawa.
Sodangi, who is now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State, said that it was better for the electoral umpire to shift the polls if there were problems in order to have free and fair elections in the country.
“It has happened and it has been announced by INEC whose responsibility is to conduct free, fair, acceptable and credible elections.
“The electorate are fully ready to come out en mass and cast their votes for President Muhammadu Buhari because the president has done well especially in the area of corruption, economy and security.
“Also we have stakeholders like the domestic and international observers who are here in the country to observe the election to ensure its credibility.
“If INEC thinks that there is logistic problem, let us be patient with the commission in order to have free and fair election.
“It is better to shift the election and do it correctly.
“It is in view of this that I want to appeal to the electorate and other Nigerians to be patient with INEC on election postponement,” he said.
The former lawmaker also urged APC supporters and Nigerians to come out en masse and vote President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates in the rescheduled elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, late Friday announced the rescheduled Presidential and National Assembly elections by one week
Yakubu also said that the governorship, House of Assembly and FCT area council elections had also been shifted from March 2 to March 9.
The chairman attributed the postponement of the polls to logistic and operational problems.
He said the postponement would afford the commission the opportunity to address the identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of Nigeria’s elections. (NAN)
AKW/CHOM/MST
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Trust local healthcare services, Neurosurgeon advises Nigerians

Trust local healthcare services, Neurosurgeon advises Nigerians
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Healthcare
Abuja, Jan. 17, 2019 (NAN) Dr Biodun Ogungbo, a Neurological Surgeon based in Abuja, has advised Nigerians to trust local healthcare providers as it could lead to more improvements and better service delivery.
Ogungbo gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
“Some patients have had operations performed in Nigeria, India, Germany and in Dubai with poor outcomes.
“The stories often widely reported are the tales of woe which scares others from undergoing the much needed interventions.
“In many respects, people then wait and delay treatment till the condition worsens, making full recovery harder. Yet, operations on the spine can be effective in delivering patients from a life of misery,” he said.
Ogungbo said the Minister of Health recently agreed that the visibility of Nigerian hospitals needed to be improved, saying that access to information about what services were available, needed to be created.
He said there was need to advertise the skills available, the facilities that could do it and how we could work together.
“I am quite impressed when I hear about the array of skills present in Nigeria, we run down what we have, we create an impression that nothing is working and that is not correct.
“There are centres here in Nigeria doing renal transplant, a lot of Nigerians go abroad for renal transplant, but it is being done in this country.
“So, let us use these facilities, we are not marketing or advertising any doctor but we market the facilities and services,” Ogungbo said.
He said an estimated 75 to 85 per cent of all adults would experience some form of back pain during their lifetime, adding that about 90 per cent of all cases, pain improved without surgery.
Ogungbo however said some people were debilitated by pain, numbness or weakness of the arms and legs that needed surgery, saying they needed surgery to remove pain and to relieve them of paralysis in some situations.
“Yet, there is a real fear of spine surgery in Nigeria. Many people including doctors are truly scared of paralysis and death.
“They have heard and continue to hear tales of bad outcomes and death following spine surgery.
“The hospital and many others in Abuja offer conservative or surgical management for patients with neck pain, arm weakness, back pain and leg weakness,” he said.
Ogungbo said there was great opportunity for Nigerian hospitals to seize the gauntlet and push for improved visibility, accessibility and affordability. (NAN)
OEO/CHOM/MST
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Muhammad Suleiman Tola