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Tag: Kaduna

  • Four men nabbed for drugging, gang-raping 13-yr-old girl in Kaduna

    The Kaduna State Government has confirmed arrest of four men, who allegedly drugged and gang-raped a 13-year-old girl.

    The state’s Ministry of Human Services and Social Development which disclosed this said, the victim was later dumped underneath a parked vehicle near her home.

    The Ministry on its official Twitter handle narrated that, the victim was taken by the suspects on a motorcycle that was driven by an unsuspecting biker and dumped underneath a parked car close to her house.

    It however said that, the four suspected rapists and one collaborator have since been apprehended and moved from the Police Division to the State Criminal Investigative Department.

    According to the Ministry, “While the ongoing conversation on #SayNoToRapists continues, the monstrous practitioners have not shown signs of slowing down. In Kaduna, we are currently following a case of alleged gang-rape by a group of men on a 13 year old girl.

    “The survivor was, apparently drugged and raped by the 4 “scums”, taken on a motorcycle driven by an unsuspecting biker and dumped underneath a parked car close to her house. After hours of frantic search, she was found by a relative. She was immediately taken to the hospital.

    “The 4 rapists & 1 collaborator have since been apprehended & the case moved from the @PoliceNG Division to the State CIID HQ in Kaduna. After investigation, the men will be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction. @HafsatMohBaba has indicated interest in the case.

    “The blame is on perpetrators whenever there’s rape. It is each one of us’ responsibility to ensure that we do not partake in, aid or condone rape. The 4 rapists haven’t heeded that advice & will face the music. @elrufai & the entire KDSG structure will fight rape to a standstill.” The Ministry assured.

  • Only FCT, Kaduna, Lagos release genuine COVID-19 numbers, El-Rufai replies man who questions ‘fake’ NCDC figures

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state has replied to a man who challenged COVID-19 numbers released by NCDC.

    According to Jibrin Ibrahim, the true numbers of COVID-19 patients in Nigeria can not be ascertained if state governors are in charge of the samples sent to NCDC.

    Ibrahim, however, hinted that state governors are reducing the number of samples sent to NCDC.

    This he meant, will make the states record low numbers and hasten return to normal activities at the detriment of Nigerians but good for the economy.

    See Ibrahim’s post on Twitter below.

    “NUMBERS GAME Every evening NCDC releases #COVID19 numbers, what do they mean? Samples are sent to labs by task forces controlled by State Governors. The labs can only test what they are given. He who controls the sample set controls the numbers. Governors want low numbers.”

    In reaction to Ibrahim’s post, another Twitter wrote;

    “How the numbers in Kano dropped drastically is still a miracle to me.”

    Another Twitter user said: “I am not understanding the numbers from the South East States, Kogi, Cross River, and in many other states. I believe only what I read of Lagos, Kaduna, and the FCT. Some are not testing. Others not declaring.”

    However, on sighting the post by Jibrin Ibrahim, Governor El-Rufai said he is partly right.

    See El-Rufai’s response below:

    You are partly right, sir. But not all states want ‘fake’ low numbers. FCT, Kaduna & Lagos States at least are actively tracing contacts because we want RIGHT numbers of those infected – to test, trace contacts & treat them. We want to save lives not have “unexplained deaths”!

  • Again, bandits invade Kaduna community, kill nine, injure others

    Again, bandits invade Kaduna community, kill nine, injure others

    Barely three weeks after attacks on villages of Kajuru Local Government left scores killed, armed bandits have launched another attack on Tudu village in Agwala Dutse in the same Council, killing not less than nine persons

    According to reports, the gunmen invaded Tudu village in the early hours of Wednesday (today), shooting sporadically at the villagers in sight.

    The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) had recently alleged that no fewer than 30 decomposed bodies of villagers were left in the bush after the bandits it suspected were herdsmen attacked 15 communities in the area in the previous attacks.

    According to sources, the renewed attack took place at about 5:00am on Wednesday.

    He said the gunmen invaded the village and started shooting sporadically while the residents scampered for their dear lives.

    According to the source: “Yes, there was an attack on Tudu village in Agwala Dutse at about 5:00am today (Wednesday) and several people were killed and several others too sustained injuries.”

    Kajuru Local Government Chairman, Mr. Cafra Caino confirmed nine people died in the attack.

    He noted but for the timely intervention of security operatives, the casualties figures would have been more.

    Caino, however, said details inventory of casualties were being taken and security operatives had been mobilised to the community.

    According to him: “We have once again been set back in our confidence building effort and peace engagements after Tudu village in Agwala Dutse general area was attacked this morning.

    “It is confirmed that nine lives were lost in the attack. A detailed inventory of casualties is being taken.

    “My heart goes out to all the families affected; may God grant the souls of the victims eternal rest.

    “The position of Kajuru LGA remains that all communities must recourse to the law as against engaging in killings and reprisals.

    “I also passionately implore all and sundry to unite to win this war against criminality in our Local Government Council.

    “The council will not relent in its commitment to end the violence but success can only be achieved with the support of every peace loving citizen.” He assured.

    Kaduna Police Command’s PPRO, ASP Mohammed Jalige said, he will soon release a statement on the incident.

  • Four month-old recovered COVID-19 child discharged in Kaduna

    Four month-old recovered COVID-19 child discharged in Kaduna

    Kaduna State Government has disclosed that the four-month old child who recently tested positive for COVID-19 has been discharged but there are still 76 active cases in the state as at Friday.

    In an update by Commissioner of Health, Dr Amina Mohammed Baloni on Saturday, the Government said that out of ‘’the total number of 232 cases reported, 149 have been discharged, while seven deaths have been recorded.’’

    The Commissioner warned that ‘’the state has tested almost 2000 samples, but case numbers are likely to rise further as more tests are conducted in more places.

    According to her, ‘’COVID-19 cases have been recorded in 33 wards in nine local government areas of the state: Chikun, Giwa, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Makarfi, Sabon-Gari, Soba and Zaria. The data shows that 80% of the infected persons are male.’’

    The statement reiterated that most of the cases either have a history of interstate travel or are contacts of infected persons.

    ‘’In addition to public health warnings to avoid interstate travel, state health officials have been engaged in vigorous contact tracing to contain the spread of the infections,’’ she assured.

    ‘’The Ministry has further stepped up active case searching and testing in communities to stem secondary infections’’, adding that the testing capacity of the state is being enhanced to enable more aggressive testing in the coming weeks.

    The Commissioner revealed that the state has taken ‘’delivery of a mobile testing truck a few days ago, while it awaits the delivery of equipment that would enable the mobile truck and 12 GeneXpert machines spread across several general hospitals to increase the number of testing labs in the state.’’

    ‘’The addition of the flexibility of a mobile testing vehicle and testing labs in LGAs will enable the state to ascertain with greater accuracy its Covid-19 status and allow that data to inform further decision on reopening the state,’’ she assured.

    The statement noted that the testing laboratory in Yusuf Dantsoho Hospital is awaiting Nigerian Centre for Disease Control(NCDC) validation.

  • Kaduna killings: Count me out of El-Rufai’s govt, says wife

    Kaduna killings: Count me out of El-Rufai’s govt, says wife

    Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s wife, Hadiza El-Rufai, has said although she’s married to the Kaduna State governor, she has nothing to do with the title ‘First Lady’.

    Hadiza, who is active on social media, tweeted this to her over 80,000 Twitter followers on Thursday.

    The governor’s wife indicated that although she is married to a politician, she preferred a simple lifestyle.

    Hadiza tweeted, “Did any of you see “First Lady” in my bio? My TL (timeline) is for language, humour and other light-hearted issues.

    “I don’t tweet about serious matters like governance and politics. Though I’m married to a governor, I’m not a part of government. I swore no oath,” she added.

    My TL is for language, humour and other light-hearted issues. I don’t tweet about serious matters like governance and politics. Though I’m married to a governor I’m not a part of government. I swore no oath.

    The 59-year-old is said to have used her position as the Kaduna governor’s wife for philanthropic purposes, which include the donation of drugs to sickle cell patients in the state.

  • Eid-el-Fitri: Police vow to enforce total lockdown in Kaduna

    The Police Command in Kaduna State says it has intensified security coverage and enforcement of total lockdown during the Eid-el- Fitr celebration in the state.

    The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige made the announcement in a statement issued on Saturday in Kaduna.

    Jalige said that the command had drawn out elaborate operational strategies to ensure compliance of the total lockdown.

    “This is in an order imposed by the state government to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and intensive security coverage to checkmate the activities of criminal elements during Eid period throughout the state.”

    According to him, the command has deployed both conventional and mobile policemen as well as undercover operatives to man and monitor key and vulnerable points with a view to ensure compliance with the lockdown and provide tight security across the state.

    “The command once-again reassures the good people of Kaduna State of its readiness to promptly respond to distress calls and decisively deal with any person or group of persons who in any way attempts to violate the lockdown and social distancing orders during the festive period.

    “The Command reiterates its call on the citizens of Kaduna State to promptly report any suspicious movement or object noticed in your area to the nearest security formation or call the following numbers: 07039675856, 0807591105,” he added.

    Jalige said that the Commissioner of Police, Umar Muri, urged the people of Kaduna state to adhere strictly to the preventive tips against COVID-19 while celebrating the Eid-el-Fitr.

  • Kaduna health workers dare El-rufai, commence seven-day warning strike

    Health sector Unions in Kaduna have ignored the “no work no pay threats” by Governor Nasir Elrufai and began a 7-day warning strike from 12 noon, Friday, May 22, 2020.

    A communiqué issued and signed by Dr Danjuma Sule, Dr Emmanuel Joseph, Dr Sayyid Egbunu Mjhammed, Mr Ibrahim Abashe, Pharm. Bagu Great David, Ibrahim Lawal Suleiman, Ayuba Magaji, Nurse Ishaku Yakubu, Dr Stephen Kachi Akau, Dr Jinad Jibril Olawale, Lawal T. B., Enock I. Dodo, William Anthony and Sa’adatu Abdulwahab from MDCAN BDTH, ARD, Kaduna, ARD BDTH, National Association of Pharmaceutical Technologists Nigeria, AHAPN, Kaduna branch, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Kaduna state chapter, NANNM, Kaduna state council, NMA, Kaduna state chapter, Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy, Kaduna state chapter, AMLSN, Kaduna branch, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, NANNM BDTH and AHAPN BDTH respectively at the end of the joint meeting of Kaduna State Healthcare Workers Unions and Associations said the meeting was called to assess the response of the Kaduna state government to their earlier communication and notice of a 7- days warning strike to press home their demands.

    The meeting observed that the Kaduna state government deducted 25% of the salaries from about 11,000 of her Healthcare workers in the midst of COVID 19 ( April and May), stressing that the action was done in violation of section 5 of the Labour Act.

    The communiqué noted that healthcare workers feel rejected and unappreciated by the Kaduna state government and are therefore demoralized and unmotivated.

    “We also note that there are inaccuracies in the reportage of our challenges and the issues at hand,” the communiqué stressed.

    According to the Communique “Kaduna State Government paid between 150,000 to 450,000 naira as Occupational Safety incentives to about 300 selected HCWs and non HCWs working as staff or volunteer in the IDCC and isolation centre or serving in some of the CoViD 19 pillars. Less than 2% of the HCWs in the State benefited from the packages.

    “They promised 10 per cent incentives for other HCWs though inadequate are yet to be paid.

    Most HCWs that were infected with COVID-19 are from health facilities outside the IDCC and isolation centres and none of them have been paid the purported #100,000 daily for 10 days.

    “None of our members working in hospitals have been contacted to give their details for the widely publicized N5million and the N2 million life and disability insurance respectively.

    “All health workers are exposed to varying degrees of risk of infectious diseases such as CoViD 19, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, Lassa fever, Ebola fever among others. There are no adequate PPEs in the State hospitals as evidenced by Patients buying their own gloves and, HCWs getting their own personal facemask and eye goggles among other basic PPEs.”

    The communiqué explained, “Up until Thursday 21st May 2020, the Unions and Associations were opened to negotiations and honoured an invitation for a meeting called by the honourable commissioner of health even at very short notice.

    “However issues raised at the meeting were not considered by the government, rather our members were inundated with a Circular signed by the Commissioner of health, threatening no work no pay. This was followed by a press release with a threat from government to sack any of our members who Participates in the strike action.

    “On the basis of the above, we wish to state that the 7- days warning strike has commenced as we earlier notified from 12 noon today Friday 22nd MAY, 2020.

    We want to thank our members for complying with the directive of the unions and associations in the Kaduna Health Sector.

    “The general public should take note that we are open to dialogue and should therefore prevail on the state government to listen to the voice of reason and do the needful to avert the avoidable crisis in the Health Sector of the State.”

  • Ten family members test positive for Coronavirus in Kaduna

    Ten family members test positive for Coronavirus in Kaduna

    Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufa’i has revealed that a family of 10 members tested positive for COVID-19 in Kaduna state.

    This is as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Thursday night announced 18 new COVID-19 cases in the state.

    El-Rufa’i disclosed this on Friday via his verified Twitter handle, saying that, the new cases were recorded in four local government areas of Kaduna North, Zaria, Chikun and Sabon-Gari.

    El-Rufa’i further disclosed that, 14 of the new cases are from Kaduna North, two from Zaria and one each from Chikun and Sabon-Gari.

    He however appealed to Kaduna State citizens to adhere strictly to safety measures put in place to check the spread of the virus in the state.

    The State Government had risen from its special meeting with Islamic scholars in the State to declare that, there will not be Eid-el-Fitr congregational prayers in Kaduna, as part of measures to avert community transmission of the virus in the State.

    According to the Governor’s tweet “COVID19 Kaduna Update.

    “18 new cases were recorded today, 10 of whom are members of one family.

    “14 of the new cases are from Kaduna North, two from Zaria and one each from Chikun and Sabon-Gari LGAs.

    “Residents are advised to adhere to safety measures.”

  • Police arrest masterminds of Kajuru attacks

    Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Umaru Muri, said on Wednesday that some suspects were arrested over the recent attacks in Kajuru, warning Adara, Fulani and other nationalities in the area to stop reprisal attacks.

    It will be recalled that since the latest attacks in Kajuru communities which claimed lives and property, the state Government has continued to hold security and stakeholders meeting for the return of peace in the affected Kajuru communities.

    Briefing journalists at the end of the security meeting held in Government House,Kaduna, CP Muri warned both Adara and Fulani to desist from taking laws into their hands, advising Kajuru residents to always report any case to security agencies for prompt action.

    Muri said, “We discussed at length last time we met here and today we decided to invite Adara elected and Fulani leaders for this security meeting, with time we will meet with Adara,Fulani ,Hausa leaders and other stakeholders to work for peace in the area.Reprisal attacks cannot solve the problem and all concerned should desist from it. Both Adara,Fulani have been warned not to take laws into their hands. We made some arrests,i can’t tell the exact numbers but we made arrests over the recent incident in Kajuru community. In no distance we will have peace in Kajuru,” he said.

    Also speaking, Hon.Yakubu Umar Barde, member Federal House representing Chikun/Kajuru Federal constituency, said the people of Kajuru should build confidence among themselves for peaceful coexistence,adding that leaders of the area will continue to preach peace to residents: “We won’t relent until peace is achieved. Peaceful coexistence and building of confidence among the people is our top priority.”

    On his part, Samuel Ubankato Tanko, member representing Kajuru at Kaduna State House of Assembly, said some people are benefiting from the continued attacks in Kajuru: “What we want to achieve now is the peaceful coexistence among Adara and Fulani people. It is unfortunate, some people are benefiting from this crisis and they don’t want it to stop. We want both Fulani and Adara, to come together and tackle criminals that are invading our communities,” Tanko said.

    A Fulani representative, Alhaji Ahmadu Suleiman, explained that people who are causing problem in Kajuru communities are not from the area, saying the indigenous Fulani are peace loving people:”Those attackers are criminals and can be from any tribe,” he maintained.

    The security meeting chaired by governor Nasir El-Rufai. Those in attendance were Speaker Kaduna state House of Assembly, Commissioner Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, Member House of Representatives, representing Chikun/Kajuru, Hon. Umar Yakubu Barde, leaders of Adara,Fulani, Security chiefs in Kaduna state, and other top government officials.

  • Trouble looms as Kaduna health workers threaten strike over salary deduction

    Trouble looms as Kaduna health workers threaten strike over salary deduction

    The Congress of Health Workers’ Unions and Associations, Kaduna State chapter, has given the State government an ultimatum to refund their 25 percent salary that was cut.

    They also tasked the government to provide them with Personal Protective Equipment.

    The union said failure by the State government to meet the demand, they will be left with no option than to take all the necessary actions within the labour laws.

    The workers stated this in a communique issued at the end of their joint meeting.

    It was signed by the leaders of associations of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Kaduna State Council, Medical Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy and AMLSN Kaduna Branch.

    The communique said, “We reject in its entirety the deduction of 25% of healthcare workers salary as this is illegal and has reduced the morale of workers in the frontlines.”

    Participants at the meeting said they demand for a refund of the 25% deducted in April, 2020 and a stoppage of further deductions.

    “All health workers currently in contact with patients or body specimens are at high risk of exposure to COVID 19 and other infectious diseases and should be categorized as such in the Occupational Safety insensitive of the state government,” the statement added.

    They urged the state government to provide adequate basic PPEs to all the health facilities across the state, stressing that “If government fails to meet the above demands, then this communique shall serve as an ultimatum to the State government and we shall be left with no option than to take all the necessary actions within the Labour laws.”

    They noted that since the quarantine order imposed on the State, it exempted healthcare workers who have been in the frontlines of the battle against COVID 19 in the State and have continued to offer services to non-COVID 19 patients since the lockdown began.

    They bemoaned that there was no clear definition of the different categories of healthcare workers in the Occupational Safety incentives announced by the State government, adding that all healthcare workers in the State are in the frontlines of this fight against COVID 19 as long as they continued to see patients.

    They observed that there are inadequate Personal Protective Equipments at the hospitals and primary health centres across the State and warned that joint health workers resolved to take labour action if the 25 percent earlier cut by the government was not refunded.

    In attendance at the meeting were representatives of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientist of Nigeria Kaduna state, Nigerian Medical Association Kaduna State, Association of resident doctors Kaduna State, Medical and Dental consultants association of Nigeria BDTH, Association of resident doctors BDTH, National Association of Community Health practitioners of Nigeria, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN), National Association of Pharmaceutical Technologist and pharmacy Technician of Nigeria, Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy, Kaduna state chapter, Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria, Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Joint Health Workers Union, Kaduna.