World Cancer Day: No Respite For Nigerian Patients [LEADERSHIP]
On all fronts, cancer patients in Nigeria are embattled. From access to treatment centres, equipment and to personnel, they have tales of woes to tell.
In separate interviews with LEADERSHIP on the occasion of World Cancer Day today, the Nigerians suffering from the disease, said that apart from the dearth of equipment, specialised medical personnel and huge cost, there were only a few functioning health institutions to attend to them.
They lamented that even though cancer is treatable, especially when diagnosed at the early stage, many Nigerians with the disease still die due to the dearth of facilities, experts and high cost of treatment.
It was learnt that there are only seven cancer centres with functional machines, both public and private, in the country as against a minimum of 200 cancer centres or 600 units of radiotherapy machines that Nigeria is expected to have to meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard.
WHO said that cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally and accounted for 8.8 million deaths in 2015.
An estimated 116,000 new cases of cancer and 41,000 cancer-related deaths, the world body said were recorded in Nigeria in 2018 alone.
World Cancer Day is an international event observed every February 4 to raise awareness on the disease and to encourage its prevention, detection and treatment.
Stakeholders insisted that inadequate experts, radiotherapy machines and high cost of treatment have remained a burden to health workers, cancer patients and their families. They attributed the high mortality rate from cancer in Nigeria to the above listed factors.
They stressed that the situation was compounded by the fact that less 100 oncologists operate in all the centres in the country.
However, some cancer patients at the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital (NSIA-LUTH) told LEADERSHIP that though they were getting standard treatment as they were seeing improvement, access to money or somebody to sponsor their treatment was a major problem to them.
Edo APC Crisis: Obaseki Writes IGP, Demands Oshiomhole’s Arrest [LEADERSHIP]
Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has sent a petition to the inspector-general of police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, demanding the arrest of the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
The governor refuted media reports of his planned exit from APC along with some key members of his administration. He said that they were going nowhere from a party they helped to entrench in the state.
Obaseki said that he was also in Abuja to submit a written petition to the IGP and the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS) demanding the immediate arrest of Oshiomhole for breaching the state law banning political rallies.
After a meeting of the APC governors’ sub-committee on governance with the National Assembly leadership, Obaseki, who was represented by his deputy, Philip Shuaibu, confirmed to newsmen that part of reasons he was in Abuja was to submit a petition over the breach of law banning political rallies in the state by Oshiomhole.
Obaseki, who co-chairs the sub-committee, said: “I am in Abuja to meet with the IG. I have a petition to the IG and to the director of DSS to the effect that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole be arrested by the police and DSS for the breakdown of law and order that he has consistently perpetrated in Edo State.
“We banned rallies, the IG in a letter also suspended rallies. He disobeyed the orders of the state government; he disobeyed the orders of the IG, and feels that he is above the law. For us, we have officially come now to drop our petition with the IG to the effect that Oshiomhole is not above the law; he should be arrested for violating the state government’s order.
Plethora Of Cases Suffocating Supreme Court – CJN [LEADERSHIP]
The chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Tanko Muhammad, has expressed worries over the rising number of appeals that are flooding the Supreme Court on a daily basis.
At the valedictory court session held in honour of Justice Amiru Sanusi, who clocked the 70-year mandatory retirement age last Sunday, the CJN said that the apex court “is daily inundated and suffocated with cases of different types.”
He said: “The highly embarrassing litigious nature of Nigerians” does not give space for justices of the apex court to rest their nerves.
“We can hardly have time for ourselves and our families,” the CJN lamented.
He said that the exit of Justice Sanusi from the apex court bench had drastically reduced the number of justices of the Supreme Court to 13.
Muhammad continued: “You will recall that barely seven weeks ago, being Thursday, 12th December 2019, we assembled here to honour our brother, Justice Kumai Aka’ahs, in a similar valedictory session.
“That ceremony painfully occasioned the depleting of our ranks at the Supreme Court. In a similar fashion, this session, too, is billed to further drastically reduce the number of Supreme Court justices as low as 13.
“This is not cheering news in view of the ever-increasing number of appeals that flood the court on a daily basis”, the CJN added.
Community Policing: FG Constables Won’t Get Salary, It’s Voluntary – Police [PUNCH]
The police on Monday said the community policing service would be purely voluntary and the constables to be recruited would not receive any salary.
The state commissioners of police, who stated this in separate interviews with The PUNCH on Monday, said police commands had started meeting traditional rulers and community leaders with a view to recruiting constables for the community policing initiative.
The Federal Government had on January 23 directed the police hierarchy to commence the recruitment of special constables nationwide preparatory to the implementation of its community policing policy.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in a wireless message directed state police commands to set up screening committees for the recruitment of community policing constables.
The IG ordered all state commissioners of police, assistant commissioners of police and divisional police officers to liaise with traditional rulers and community leaders in their domains to screen volunteers who would be engaged after passing the screening tests.
The Federal Government plan came on the heels of the South-West states’ launching of a security outfit, Operation Amotekun, to address incessant killings and kidnapping in the zone.
Coronavirus: China Stops Issuance Of Visa To Nigerians [PUNCH]
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria, Mr Zhou Pingjian, on Monday, said the embassy had stopped issuance of visas for now.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that he also advised Nigerians planning to travel to China to suspend their plans pending when the spread of the virus would be contained.
He also reiterated China’s commitment to safeguarding the lives of Nigerians and other nationals living in that country.
The ambassador stated this while briefing newsmen on the coronavirus outbreak in his country and the measures put in place to contain the scourge.
He said China had taken the most comprehensive, rigorous containment, and mitigation measures beyond the requirements of international health regulations.
He said by such measures China was not only protecting the health of its people but also that of the people around the world.
According to Zhou, checking the spread of the coronavirus is a common concern of the international community.
“Life comes first. The Chinese government is committed to safeguarding the lives and health of the Chinese people.
“We will, in a responsible manner, safeguard the life of every foreign national in China and address their legitimate concerns in a timely manner.
“We will continue to strengthen communication and coordination with the international community and work hand in hand for the epidemic prevention and control,” he said.
He also advised other countries to adopt a responsible attitude, work together to combat the virus, and avoid overreaction that might result in more negative spillover effects.
He added that a total of 60 Nigerians were living in Wuhan city where the virus broke out from, adding that no Nigerian in China had been infected.
I Know An Ex-Gov Who Had A Killer Squad — Falana [PUNCH]
Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), said on Monday that he knew a former governor in one of the South-West states who had a killer squad.
Falana, who spoke at the University of Ibadan, said the former governor’s killer squad was headed by a police officer, who was the Chief Security Officer to the then governor.
He said one of those killed by the killer squad was “a World Bank expert,” but he did not name the former governor in question.
Falana said one of the arguments against the creation of state police was that governors would use them to hunt their political opponents.
He, however, maintained that state police remained the solution to Nigeria’s insecurity problem.
Falana stated this at the maiden memorial public lecture in honour of the late Prof. Olumuyiwa Awe at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan.
He said, “Many citizens are opposed to the creation of state police for the fear that it may be used to haunt political opponents of some state governors. I know a state governor in the South-West who once had a killer squad headed by his Chief Security Officer, a police officer.
“One of the unarmed citizens mowed down by the illegal squad was a World Bank expert. All efforts to prosecute the suspects have been frustrated by the state government. The story is the same in a few other states in the country. To that extent the fear of the possible manipulation of state police is genuine.
“To avoid a situation whereby abuse of police powers is decentralized, any security service established by state governments should be democratically controlled. The service will be founded by the state governments and superintended by an independent state police council of five members. The members of the council should be accredited representatives of the state government, labour, women, youths and the business community.
EFCC Arraigns Ex-NDDC Boss, Ebomo Over Alleged Fraud [SUN]
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,(EFCC),yesterday arraigned a former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission,(NDDC, Nicholas Mutu Ebomo, Airworld Technologies Ltd., Oyien Homes Ltd., and Blessing Mutu (now at large) before Justice F. O. G. Ogunbanjo ,of the Federal High Court, Abuja on 11-count charge over alleged fraud and abuse of office.
One of the charges reads: “That you, Hon. Nicholas Mutu Ebomo (m) whilst being the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission, between August 2014, and August 2016, in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Airworld Technologies Ltd to conceal the sum of N320,159,689.63, to be paid by Starline Consultancy Services Ltd when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum of money formed part of proceeds of corruption, gratification and fraudulent acquisition of property and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(c) (d) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended by Act No. 1 of (2012) and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”
The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charge Prosecuting counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, thereafter, requested for a trial date, and asked the court to remand Ebomo in prison. Counsel for the defence, P. I. N. Nikwueto, SAN, told the court that he was ready for the trial, and applied for the bail of his client. However, Iheanacho, opposed the bail application.
Buhari Sets Up Committee On Deteriorating Security In Nigeria [SUN]
- Increases funding for police, equipment for military part of discussion
President Muhammadu Buhari has set up a committee to periodically review the security situation in Nigeria.
The Federal Government has also agreed on the need to increase funding for the security services, especially the police, their welfare and of their families, in order to boost their commitment in crime fighting.
The committee’s members are to be drawn from the executive, legislature and the ruling party.
This development follows the call by the Senate and House of Representatives last week for the sack of the service chiefs as well as other drastic measures to tackle the deteriorating security situation in the country.
Answering questions from State House correspondents after a meeting with President Buhari, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, while not disclosing the names of the committee members, said it would include members of the executive, the legislature and the ruling party.
He said the committee would help find lasting solutions to the security problems in the country.
The Speaker said the National Assembly’s leadership believed that something drastic needed to be done under the present circumstance, but added that the removal of the service chiefs may not entirely address the crippling insecurity in the country.
Aviation Unions Seize Toll Gate, Dislodge Concessionaire [SUN]
The three major aviation unions, Air Transport Senior Staff Services Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), yesterday dislodged Integrated Intelligent Imaging West Africa Limited (I-Cube) and seized control of the Murtala Muhammed Airport access gate, Lagos.
As early as 7am on Monday, February 3, the unions arrived at the access gates and ordered staff of I-cube to vacate the collection points. When Daily Sun arrived at the access gates, the unions had taken over and were already collecting fares from vehicles and issuing receipts. The leaders of three unions who spoke to Daily Sun said that they have been agitating for the management of FAAN to hand over the control of the revenue points back to the commercial department of the agency for a period of at least three months.
The deputy national president of ATSSAN, Sarah Rimdams, told Daily Sun that the unions had to forcefully take over the access gates because revenue accruing to FAAN was depleting.
“The contract FAAN had with the concessionaire expired on February 2019 and one year is enough for any reasonable company to ensure that either renewal or termination is tidied up. FAAN has more than enough staff to control the gates and they can generate more revenue that what the concessionaire was remitting,” Rimdams said. The General Secretary of ANAP, Abdulrazaq Saidu, said that the unions has had series of meetings with the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika and the management of FAAN and were told that they (the unions) will take over the running of the access gates.
“Before the toll gate was given out to a concessionaire, we told the management that if any staff steals money, the person should be disciplined. But because they wanted to get money for their own people, they brought people to take over. After a while, the company was not remitting on time and it began to affect the day to day running of FAAN. We held meetings with the Minister of Aviation and the MD of FAAN and we told them point blank that we are going to take over this place.”
The chairman of FAAN branch of NUATE, Idowu Adeshola, said: “We noticed that for over one year, I-Cube hasn’t been transparent enough in terms of revenue collection and remittance back to FAAN. If we don’t have this revenue coming in, payment of salaries will be difficult.”
Reacting to the development, the manager of I-Cube, Leke Abajingi, denied allegations by the unions that they are behind on remittance. He told Daily Sun that while it is true that their contract expired in February 2019, they haven’t defaulted on their monthly remittance.
APC Cautions CAN, Christian Leaders Over Anti-Killings Protest [SUN]
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned people in ‘positions of influence’ against utterances that could aid ethno-religious fracas.
The ruling party was reacting to the ‘prayer walk’ held by some churches on the instruction of the Christian Association of Nigeria in parts of the country on Sunday against rising killings.
In its statement, the APC said: “The commentaries that trail the menace of the Boko-Haram and other criminal elements is assuming a dangerous ethno-religious slant, unfortunately influenced by insensitive and selfish partisan narratives by shortsighted groups and individuals.”
It claimed recent pattern of attacks by the Boko Haram terrorists was to pitch the Christian and Muslims against one another and should not be promoted by (persons in) ‘positions of influence and authority.’
Some churches under the auspices of the CAN, earlier on Sunday had a prayer walk in different states to protest against insecurity and the ”inability of the government to protect Christians”. The CAN made the call after the gruesome murder of Lawan Indimi, the chairman of this body in Michika Local Government in Nasarawa by Boko Haram terrorists.
Among the persons of influence that led the Sunday prayer walk was the General Overseer of the RCCG, Enoch Adeboye, in company of his church members.
Although, the ruling APC condemned the killing, it insists that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is winning the war against the insurgency and insecurity across Nigeria.
Okada ban: Three Feared Killed, Others Injured As Police, Operators Clash [NATION]
THREE persons were on Monday morning feared killed during a violent clash between commercial cyclists and policemen in Ijora, Apapa, Lagos.
Two of the victims were hit by stray bullets allegedly from the police team that attempted to disperse a riotous crowd of the operators. The third victim was a tri-cyclist alleged to be among those stoning commuters in commercial buses in protest of the ban on commercial motor and tricycles across six local government areas of the state which took effect on Saturday.
The operators engaged the policemen who moved early morning to enforce the ban placed by the state government.
They were said to have lit bonfires on the roads, pelted stones on commercial and private vehicles plying the road, including that of a policeman.
Many other people were said to have sustained injuries in the chaos while business activities were grounded for several hours.
Operators hundreds held a protest march at Ikeja and Ogba axis where they appealed to the government to reconsider the decision.
The protesters were led by members of the civil society and a pan-Yoruba youth group.
DisCos Lack Capacity To Meet Electricity Demands, Says TCN [NATION]
POWER Distribution Companies (DisCos) lack the capacity to meet the nation’s electricity needs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Managing Director Usman Mohammed has said.
Mohammed, who spoke with The Nation in Lagos on Monday, said the privatisation process produced weak Discos.
“Some mistakes were made in the privatisation of the power sector and the mistakes led to very weak companies that succeeded in taking over the DisCos. The law was adjusted to allow bidding companies use technical partners and the partners were not to produce the Managing Directors. This made it easy for companies without capacity to buy the DiScos. The weakness must be corrected by recapitalising the DisCos because when we did the privatisation, we didn’t have the investments commensurate with the distribution network,” he said.
The TCN boss, however, cautioned against re-purchase of the privatised companies by the government because it would send a wrong signal to foreign investors. Instead, he said, the DisCos must be recapitalised to enhance their capacity. Mohammed expressed regret that the Federal Government has spent N1.5 trillion on the DisCos with little or nothing to show for it.
The TCN has estimated a DisCo capital requirement of $4.3billion to address capacity shortfalls and enable load growth to keep pace with capacity growth, he explained.
Mohammed listed other conditions for the DisCos to be able to live up to their responsibilities to include the commencement of bilateral trade, competitive procurement as required by National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Investment Regulation 2015, competitive procurement of generation companies, resetting the books of the Discos, proportionate representation on Board of DisCos by the Ministry of Finance and sustenance of Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme (TREP).
Don’t Tarnish Judiciary’s Reputation, Says Tinubu [NATION]
- SANs seek pick of senior lawyers as judges •CJN laments depletion of Justices
NATIONAL Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday cautioned against undue vilification of the Judiciary.
Tinubu said Judiciary, being an important pillar in the sustenance of democracy, must be respected and its image protected always.
He advised that, having adopted democracy as a system of government, we must learn to abide by the rule of law and decisions of the Judiciary irrespective of our disposition to such decisions
Speaking to reporters after the valedictory court session at the Supreme Court in honour of Justice Amiru Sanusi who retired after attaining the age of 70, Tinubu said: Nigeria’s adoption of democracy as a form of government “is an irrevocable commitment to the rule of law.”
He added: “Yes, some people are bound to succeed and some will fail (in court). Reasonableness and honesty; integrity and the character of the Judiciary have always been reflected in their judgments.
“That is what we signed up to as a democratic nation. We should not tarnish the reputation of the Judiciary when its decision goes against us.
“Life is difficult. Judgment and perfection are of God Almighty. And so, if you notice an error in a way and what you perceived as an error and did not favour you, you should try again. You must not be a winner at every game.
“We will continue to promote the Judiciary as an important pillar in the sustenance of our democratic dispensation. We have chosen democracy and the Judiciary is a very important arm of the government. We must give the Bench the necessary support.
Coronavirus: 60 Nigerians Trapped In Chinese City [NATION]
SIXTY Nigerians are trapped in Chinese city Wuhan, the epic centre of the coronavirus outbreak, it was announced on Monday.
They are making a passionate appeal to the Nigerian Embassy in China and the Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) to evacuate them
According to them, their request for the embassy to send face masks and other protective items has not received a positive response.
Many countries have evacuated their citizens since the virus broke out late last year in the city.
No cure has been found for the disease which has killed 361 people
Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Zhou Pingjian, who confirmed that 60 Nigerians, including a man on a visit and a sick student, said no Nigerian in China had contracted the disease.
The plea by the trapped Nigerians and Pingjian’s confirmation contradict Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed’s on their figure and safety.
Mohammed last week told reporters in Abuja that “16 Nigerians in Wuhan had not indicated their interest to come home.”
About 362 lives have been lost out of the 17,205 confirmed and 21, 558 suspected cases so far.
Two of the trapped Nigerians, who spoke with TheCable, an online news portal on Monday, said they were ready to return home because things could get worse in China.
More Men, Arms For Military To Battle Insecurity, Says VP [SUN]
– Osinbajo holds talks with clerics – Police funding to go up – Buhari meets Lawan, Gbajabiamila
MORE men and arms are to be injected into the armed forces.
There will also be increased surveillance and funding, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said on Monday.
Besides, the armed forces will collaborate with local vigilante to enhance security.
Osinbajo spoke on Monday in the wake of Sunday’s “Prayer Walk” by Christians in protest against killings and upsurge of insecurity in the country.
The “Prayer Walk” called by Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was led in Lagos by General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye.
Thousands of RCCG parishes nationwide participated after a prayer for the nation by Adeboye during the thanksgiving service, beamed live to all parishes of the church.
On Monday, there were many instances of security breaches across the country. (See box).
Osinbajo, who spoke during the visit to the Villa, of clergymen under the auspices of Arewa Pastors Forum for Peace, was quoted by his spokesman Laolu Akande, as assuring Christians that the Federal Government was “handling security well”.
