Borno

Borno has recorded its first case of Lassa fever, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Salam Anas-Kolo, has said.

Anas-Kolo told newsmen on Sunday in Maiduguri that a middle-aged man had died of the disease on February 21.

“We have recorded the first case of Lassa fever in the state. Last week, a middle-aged man was afflicted by the disease and he died a few hours later at the Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, after doctors tried to save his life but to no avail,” she said.

The commissioner blamed the victim’s death on ignorance, saying he probably would have survived if he had reported early enough for medical attention.

“The victim died because he sought for medical attention very late, when the killer disease had reached an advanced stage .

Ekiti

A member of the Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, has said the future of Nigeria remains bleak unless drastic actions are taken to correct the neglect of the youth.

The Senator, who represents Ekiti Central Senatorial District, said this in Ado-Ekiti on Friday during the award night and the distribution of prizes to the winners of the Initiatives of Babafemi Ojudu for leadership Development.

The First Prize Winner of the Essay Competition Abiodun Adeyanju, got N500,000 and a laptop while the second prize winner, Taiwo Ayedun, went home with N350,000 and a laptop.

FCT

The Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ) has criticised calls for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference, calling it unnecessary.

Members of House of Representatives on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) had earlier supported calls for the conference.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Saturday,  the MDJ National Chairman, Alhaji Mustapha Dankyarana, noted that several efforts were being made to achieve a united Nigeria.

He also said that there were better avenues to discuss the Nigerian project than the SNC and that the National Assembly had the mandate to discuss any issue affecting the nation.

Gombe

Some people injured in the Friday bomb blast in Gombe are stranded at home and  cannot go hospital for medical attention due to the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state capital.

The Secretary of the Nigeria Red Cross in the state, Malam Abubakar Yakubu, told newsmen in Gombe State on Saturday that his men had been busy helping such people by conveying them to the hospital.

“Some of the injured could not go out as a result of the 24-hour curfew imposed on Gombe metropolis.

“We had to be going round the metropolis identifying the injured, after which we take them to hospital.”

He said that apart from those injured in the blast, they had taken three pregnant women in critical condition to hospital for delivery.

Kaduna

The Catholic Archbishop of Kaduna, the Most Rev. Matthew Ndagoso, has appealed to Kaduna State Government to return mission schools to their former owners.

Ndagoso, represented by the Archdiocesan Vicar-General (Administration), Rev.  Fr Bulus Karis, made the appeal on  Sunday in Kaduna when he inaugurated the Lenten Campaign.

The theme of  the Campaign is “ Access to Qualitative Education: Panacea for Peace and Security.’’

He urged northern state governments to emulate some of their southern counterparts, who had returned schools to the missions.

He decried the fallen standard of education and attributed the development to inconsistencies in the implementation of education policies.

Kano

A fire outbreak has gutted the Gezawa General Hospital, in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano state, destroying property worth millions of naira.

The Interim Management Officer of the local government, Alhaji Usaini Ajingi disclosed this to newsmen in Gezawa shortly after the incident.

He said the fire had completely destroyed the pharmacy, laboratory, theater room and maternity ward of the hospital.

Ajingi, however, said no life was lost and pledged to provide 50 chairs for use at the ante-natal unit and out-patient department of the hospital.

Katsina

Three National Youths Service Corp (NYSC) members have been abducted by suspected political thugs in Mashi local government area of Katsina state, during the bye-election into the state House of Assembly.

The incident occurred at Bamble ward where the thugs were reported to have abducted the corps members who were serving as INEC ad-hoc staff for the election.

Eye witnesses said the thugs had demanded that they be allowed to stuff the ballot box at the polling unit in favour of a political party.

An INEC National Commissioner, Amb Muhammad Wali, who confirmed the report, however, said the two corps members had been rescued.

In a related development, Senator Hadi Sirika (katsina North-CPC) has accused INEC of failing to conduct election in 110 polling units of the constituency.

He also alleged that most of the CPC agents were chased away from polling centres by suspected political thugs during the election, saying that the party would not accept the result.

Lagos

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has yet to benefit from the Federal Government’s mass transit buses, according to its President, Mr Peter Esele.

The Federal Government, under its Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) scheme, had ordered buses for distribution to competent investors in the country’s transport sector.

However, Esele told newsmen on Saturday, in Lagos, that the TUC bought the 150 buses which it  was currently operating with a loan.

“If it is the 150 buses TUC received, we took a loan from Urban Development Bank during President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration and it was guaranteed by the government.

Nasarawa

Governor Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa State has announced immediate payment of a 10-month arrear of housing allowances to workers in the state’s tertiary institutions.

Almakura made the announcement in Lafia, shortly after a meeting with organised labour and members of the joint Union of Tertiary Institutions in the state.

The approval was the governor’s response to a warning strike embarked upon on Monday by the workers.

Oyo

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has condoled with the management and staff of The Guardian newspaper over the death of their Acting News Editor, Mr Benjamin Ukwuoma.

Ukwuoma died at the age of 52.

The governor, while speaking through his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Festus Adedayo, said the death of Ukwuoma, coming on the heels of the passage of the newspaper’s publisher, Mr Alex Ibru, was a blow to the newspaper organisation.

While mourning the death, especially taking into consideration how it had orphaned Ukwuoma’s children who had earlier lost their mother, the governor prayed God to console the bereaved.

“I send my hearfelt condolences to the management and staff of The Guardian.

Plateau

Goverbnor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has directed security agencies to beef up security around churches and mosques to check further attacks on religious places.

Jang was reacting to the bombing on Sunday of the COCIN headquarters Church in Jos, where  five people were confirmed killed.

Jang, who gave the directive when he visited the scene of the attack, said that government would stop at nothing to sustain the peace that was gradually returning to the state.

The church, incidentally, is where Governor Jang worships every Sunday during the second service but the attack occurred during the first service.

Sokoto

A member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Kabiru, has urged the Governor elect, Aliyu Wamakko, to design comprehensive policies and programmes on poverty eradication.

Kabiru told newsmen in Sokoto on Tuesday that such programmes would help a lot to create jobs for the public.

He also called for the setting up of skill acquisition centres at district levels, to train youths and women in various trades.

The assemblyman commended the immediate past administration for training 400,000 youths through the skill acquisition programmes.