News
184 Doctors From Seven Countries Write Buhari Over El-Zakzaky
One hundred and eighty-four physicians from seven Islamic countries in a letter to the Federal Government called for the transfer of jailed Shiite leader, Sheikh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky, to a well-equipped hospital due to his critical conditions.
As reported by the Fars News yesterday, the group of doctors from Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq in the letter pointed to el-Zakzaky’s physical conditions, and asked the Federal Government of Nigeria to transfer him to a well-equipped hospital as soon as possible.
The full text of the letter is as follows:
“In the name of God, the healer
From the community of doctors
To the President of the Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Buhari.
In the past several months, the world has constantly received troubling news regarding the health of one of the prominent figures in Nigeria, Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky.
Both Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife are kept in prison and the health status of both of them is very alarming.
We have chosen to be doctors even after knowing that this job is very difficult and troublesome, but we chose to save people’s lives and preferred the health of the society over our personal interests.
According to the medical reports regarding the health status of Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky:
1. He is suffering from a total blindness in the left eye, and is also suffering from vision problems in the right, eye including glaucoma and progressive macular atrophy. According to the diagnosis of the visiting physicians, Shaikh Zakzaky will lose his vision sooner or later if the current circumstances do not change.
2. He has shown symptoms of Ischemic heart disease which can lead to Myocardial Infraction.
3. He is also suffering from severe cervical spondylosis which has resulted to nerve root compression and symptoms are progressive causing insomnia.
4. The experiments show that he has heavy metal toxicity including Lead and Cadmium. Laboratory tests that are performed on May 31st, 2019 show that blood lead level is 171.94µg/dl. Later on June 18th, 2019 this level was reported to be 231.48µg while in the last laboratory test the blood lead level was three times more than the toxicity level (grade 5 of poisoning).
“Based on the points highlighted above, Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky should be transferred to a well- equipped medical center that has Neuro-ophthalmologist, glaucoma specialist and low vision expert, cardiologist, orthopedist and neurologist. Also he may need to have a surgery to reduce intraocular pressure.
“We, doctors of different nationalities cannot take the health of any human for granted. This is something that is inherent in our obligation as doctors. Ignoring the critical health status of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky can end up in irreparable consequences.
“We request the government and parliament of Nigeria to immediately transfer him to a well-equipped hospital to prevent any unfortunate incidents.”
The News outlet then listed the doctors who signed the letter as follows:
Dr Abbas alahmad, Pediatrician, Syria
Dr Abd alkrim Hariri, Neurosurgeon, Syria
Dr Abd almonaam hsanato, Radiologist, Syria
Dr Abdo salami, Dentist, Syria
Dr Addel maheiri, Maxillofacial Specialist, Syria
Dr Ahmad alrahal, Otorhinolaryngologist, Syria
Dr Ahmaad alzien, Thoracic Internist, Syria
Dr Ahmad nasrullah, Dentist, Syria
Dr Ajmal Farooq, General practitioner, India
Dr Alla Aldrin Hassan, Neurosurgeon, Syria
Dr Allaa allnassan, General Surgeon
Dr Amar kiali, Ophtalmologist, Syria
Dr Anas hellali, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Asma Khalid, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Bakri dablloni, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Bassel alshaher, Dentist, Syria
Dr Bsam kedeh, Gastroenterologist, Syria
Dr Fadi alaar, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Farhat, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Fizza Batool Zaidi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Furqan Ali khan, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Hania Batool Zaidi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Hassam Saleem, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Hassan alkhatib, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Hassan Khalil, Internist, Syria
Dr Houda abdalhadi, Internist, Syria
Dr Ibrahim hadid, Urologist, Syria
Dr Idrak Hussain Bhat, General practitioner, India
Dr Iftikar Hussain, General practitioner, India
Dr Kashaf Zehra Durrani, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Mamdoh zitoni, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Manaaf sharbjii, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Mhmmod Nasser, Gastroenterologist, Syria
Dr Mirza Arsalan, General practitioner, India
D.Mohamad mohiedin, Pediatrician, Syria
Dr Mohanad battal, Pediatric Surgeon, Syria
Dr mohanad naasan, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Mohanad zanoube, Ophtalmologist, Syria
Dr Mohd Yaseen Mir, General practitioner, India
Dr Motaz alhmod, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Muhammad Ajmal Hussain, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad Ali Kazmi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad ali raseed, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad Amjad Hussain, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad Baqir, 4 year resident internal medicine, Pakistan
Dr Mouhamad batikh, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Muhammad Farhan, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Myllad zahlloq, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Ossama attar, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Owais Raza General practioner (MBBS), Pakistan
Dr Owais Siddique, General practitioner, India
Dr Raja Munawa, General practitioner, India
Dr Saman Fatima, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Samer alhames, Thoracic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Samer sharbo, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Sami bitar, Nephrologist, Syria
Dr Saqib Hussain, General practitioner, India
Dr Sharaf ud deen, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Showkat Hussain Dar, General practitioner, India
Dr Shyar mostafa, Neurosurgeon, Syria
Dr Suhail Ahmad Mir, General practitioner, India
Dr Syed ali kuamil, General practitioner Pakistan
Dr Syed Muntazir Mousavi, General practitioner, India
Dr Syed Wafadar Hussain Naqvi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Syeada Maimoona Batool Rizvi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Taher farfotli, Neurologist, Syria
Dr Tahssin hmidi, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Waael akari, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr wisaam dieb, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Yamen yousuf, Neurosurgeon, Syria
Dr Yassin alrahal, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Yousef sabsabi, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Zaher and allaziz, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Zaher batal, Nutritionist, Syria
Dr Zaid Jeelani, General practitioner, India
Dr Zeeshan Hadier, Liver transplant surgeon, Pakistan
Dr Arezoo Mohtasham, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Azadeh Hashemi, Radiology Resident, Afghanistan
Dr Abolfazl Mohammadi, Orthopedic Surgeon, Iran
Dr Amanollah Karami, Ophtalmologist, Iran
Dr Amir Rahmanian, Emergency Medicine Resident, Iran
Dr Amirhossein Izadyar, General PractitionePractitioner, Iran
Dr Aniseh Aliabadi, Dermatology Resident, Iran
Dr Hamed Abdi, Internist, Iran
Dr Hojjat Madarshahi, otorhinolaryngologist, Iran
Dr Hasan Boskabadi, Pediatrician and Neonatal Specialist, Iran
Dr Hasan Rajabi, Iran
Dr Hasan Sezavar, Iran
Dr Hossein Amirzargir, Urolohist, Iran
Dr Hossein Mohaddes Ardebili, Psychiatric Resident, Iran
Dr Hamidreza Safaei, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Hourieh Soleimani, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Rahil Daghmagh, General Practitioner, Lebanon
Dr Rose sadat Shamsa, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Reyhaneh Aminorroaya, Elderly Medicine Specialist, Iran
Dr Zahra Behnam Rasouli, Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident, Iran
Dr Zahra Jafar, General Practitioner, Lebanon
Dr Zahra Joshaghani, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Zahra Khalili Matinzadeh, Pediatrician, Iran
Dr Zahra Movahedinia, General practitioner, Iran
Dr Zahra Moaddab Shoar, Dentist, Iran
Dr Zeinab Babasafari, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Sajedeh Mousavi, Physical Medicine Resident, Iran
Dr Saiedeh Khatami, Dentist, Iran
DT Soleiman Heidari, Toracic Surgeon, Iran
Dr Samaneh Rahmani, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Seyed Javad Hosseininezhad, Neurologist, Iran
Dr Syed Zaker Hossein Naqvi, General Practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Syed Omran Hyder Zeidi, General Practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Seyed Mohammadreza Parizadeh, Biochemistry Ph.D, Iran
Dr Seyed Mohammadsadegh Mirzaei, general Practitioner, Iran
Dr Seyed Moadkazem Mozaffari, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Seyed Naser Emadi, International Dermatologist, Iran
Dr Seyedeh Afsar Sharafi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Seyedeh Zeinab Hashemi Javaheri, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Saeb Aliabadi, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Seddigheh Ayati, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Tahereh Labbaf, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Arefeh Edalatian, Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident, Iran
Dr Atefeh Kermanshahi, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Abbas Shojaei, Otorhinolaryngologist, Iran
Dr Azra Rashidnezhad, Neurology Resident, Iran
Dr Afraalshahrstani, Pediatric Resident, Iraq
Dr Atieh Mohebbi, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Atieh Mohammadzadeh Vatanchi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Ali Ebrahimzadeh, Iran
Dr Ali Anjomshoa, Anesthesiologist, Iran
Dr Ali Taghiparvar, Epidemiologist, Iran
Dr Ali Rezazadeh, Internist, Iran
Dr Ali Fazli, Anesthesiologist, Iran
Dr Ali Madarshahi, Internal Surgeon, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Ouchi Ardebili, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Taghizadeh, Physical Medicine Resident, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Joshaghani, Dentist, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Dadelahi, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Mehrparvar, Dentist, Iran
Dr Fouzieh Takhari, Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident, Afghanistan
Dr Ghasem Amini, Surgery Resident, Iran
Dr Kamal Heydari, Dentist, Iran
Dr Leila Moaddab Shoar, Radiotherapy and Oncology Specialist, Iran
Dr Majid Habibzadeh Moghaddam, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Majid Abdollahi, Emergency Medicine Specialist, Iran
Dr Majid Ghayour Mobarhen, Nutritionist, Iran
Dr Mohammad Ebrahimi, Iran
Dr Mohammad Sajjadi, Psychiatrist, Iran
Dr Mohammad Sadeghi, Iran
Dr Mohammadtaghi Rajabi Mashhadi, Surgeon, Iran
Dr MohammadJafar Modabber Azizi, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Mohammadreza Behrouz, Iran
Dr Mohammadreza Javdani, Family Medicine Resident, Iran
Dr Mohammadali Kiani, Gastroenterologist, Iran
Dr Mahmoud Jozhaghani, Cornea Specialist, Iran
Dr Mahmoud Fatemi, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Mahya Yargholi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Morteza Amiri Soleimani, Orthopedic Surgeon, Iran
Dr Morteza Tajaddodi, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Maryam Sadat Paknezhad, Iranian Traditional Medicine Specialist, Iran
Dr Maryam Rezaeian, Dentist, Afghanistan
Dr Maryam Yargholi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Mozhgan Mahmoudian, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Masoud Maleki, Dermatologist, Iran
Dr Masoud Mahdavi, Radiologist, Iran
Dr Mostafa Jafari, Internist, Iran
Dr Malihe Akbari, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Malihe Hatefipour, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Mahdi Oughli, Internist, Iran
Dr Mahdi Mokhtari, Ophtalmologist, Iran
Dr Mahdieh Pouryazdanpanah, Nutritionist, Iran
Dr Mahdi Miri, Internist, Iran
Dr Mahsa Kia, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Milad Hadadi, Dentist, Iran
Dr Najmeh Khodadadi, Iran
Dr Najmeh Zamani, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Narjes Khatoun Movahedi Rad, General Practitioner, Iran
De Narges Salehi, Cardiologist, Iran
Dr Narges Arabzadeh, Internist, Iran
Dr Nasrollah Hamraz, Internist, Afghanistan
Dr Nafiseh Kazemi Rad, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Nafiseh Aliabadi, Pediatric Resident, Iran
Dr Nayerreh Khadem Ghayebi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Hadi Hasanzadeh, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Hadi Sherouni, Otorhinolaryngologist, Iran
Dr Hadi Jalali, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Rezaei, Interventional Cardiologist, Afghanistan.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.