News
Senate Seeks Verification Of HIV Cure Claim
The Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare, Communicable and Non Communicable Diseases, yesterday urged the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to authenticate the claim of Prof. Maduike Ezeibe, of having a cure for HIV.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa made the call during the agency’s budget defence in Abuja.
Ezeibe, a researcher in Veterinary Medicine at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, was reported to have discovered cure for HIV/AIDS.
According to Ohuabunwa, it is not proper to dismiss Ezeibe’s claim without full verification.
He therefore urged the agency and other relevant bodies to subject the claim to scientific analyses in order to arrive at a definite decision.
The senator expressed reservations at the manner in which the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control dismissed the Ezeibe’s claim.
“It is not a matter of his identity, he is a serving professor in a known institution, invite him if he had followed the scientific procedure.
“It will be a thing of pride that today a professor, a citizen of Nigeria is developing a cure, nothing is impossible even as he is a veterinary doctor.
“Coming out with a disclaimer immediately is not the right thing,” he asserted.
However, Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Secretary of the agency said they were satisfied with the stand taken by NACA and the Centre for Disease Control.
“We are aware of the claim by the professor that he had found a cure for HIV/AIDS.
“Just like the Centre for Disease Control and NACA came out to issue a disclaimer that it is not correct, as an agency we align with the positions of these agencies that are based on scientific evidence,” he said.
According to Shuaib, anyone announcing cure for any disease must follow some rigorous steps to test the findings.
“ That process has not being followed by the professor. It is strange,” he said.
He added, “Based on the evidence that he has provided that he had treated 10 patients and when you look at the records he had presented, it falls short of what is expected in terms of rigour, in terms of what is acceptable.
“There are huge doubts whether the claims are true or not.
“We engaged the university and found out the information provided by the professor cannot be relied upon.
“By the information I have, we found out that those persons were not cured. I don’t have direct engagement with the patients so I cannot hold brief for that investigation,” he told the Senate committee.(NAN)
NNL/CJM/JPE/MZA
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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