Nation
Kaduna Blasts: Casualty Figure Hits 24 …As Moslem Congress Condemns Attacks
Eight more people have been confirmed dead, as hospitals in Kaduna metropolis battle to save lives of victims of Sunday bomb explosion, The Tide source has confirmed.
Five of the victims on admission at the St. Gerard Hospital were confirmed dead by the Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Mr Sunday Ali.
He said three of the patients had also been referred to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, leaving only two at the hospital.
He said one of the remaining victims had a successful surgery on Monday night.
Officials of Barau Dikko Specialists Hospital also confirmed that three of the eight victims on admission at the hospital had lost their lives .
The figure raises the death toll to 24, after the 16 confirmed killed on the day of the incident by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
The Police are however claiming that only 11 people were killed in the explosion.
Meanwhile, the victims are still waiting for the assistance promised them by the Acting Governor of the state, Alhaji Ramalan Yero, during his visit to hospitals where the victims are receiving treatment.
Relations of some of the victims urged the state government to take over the payment of the medical bills of all those affected by the blast.
“Nobody assisted us with anything since their admittance to the hospital,” one of the relations, Mai Unguwa Ali said.
Ali, whose brother, Mansur Ali, a commercial motorcyclist, was a victim, said he paid for the drugs and other medical charges.
“I found it difficult to pay for the treatment due to the nature of the injury,” Ali said.
Another relation, Ubale Awwal, said his brother, Nura Leko, a student, sustained injuries on his leg and parts of the body during the incident.
“I need help for his treatment. I was not happy with government’s response to the victims’ treatment,’’ he said.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr Reuben Buhari, assured that the government would refund the medical bills incurred by the victims.
He said the government was still compiling the list of those affected and the hospitals they were admitted, for easy handling of the payments.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Congress (TMC) on Tuesday condemned the Easter Sunday bombing in Kaduna and described the Boko Haram sect as questionable crisis that should be tackled by government at all levels.
The congress, in a statement by its President, Mr Luqman Abdulraheem, in Lagos, said the killing was a ploy to turn Christians against Muslims and to endanger the peaceful coexistence of the country.
“Boko Haram insurgency is indeed a questionable crisis that must be proactively resolved by the federal, state and local governments, as well as security operatives.
“The Muslim and Christian communities in Nigeria are tired of the senseless bombings,’’ the statement said.
The TMC noted that the activities of the Boko Haram had dented the image of the country nationally and internationally, as well as created fear, terror and panic among the people.
It urged government at all levels to close ranks toward making activities of the sect “a thing of the past”.
“We see the continued bombings of sanctuaries and innocent Nigerians by the Boko Haram as a total failure of the nation’s security system that has consistently displayed incompetence in securing lives and property of Nigerians.
“We are tired of empty assurances and promises from the security agencies that they are on top of the situation,’’ it said.
The statement appealed to politicians, statesmen and opinion leaders to support the Federal Government in putting the situation under control.
The congress lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for the establishment of a special Almajiri School in Sokoto State and urged leaders from the north to embrace the initiative.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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