TheNewsGuru

Tag: medical trip

  • UPDATED: Raymond Dokpesi arrested, released on arrival from foreign medical trip

    UPDATED: Raymond Dokpesi arrested, released on arrival from foreign medical trip

    Founder of DAAR Communications, owners of African Independent Television (AIT) Raypower FM, Dr Raymond Dokpesi, has been arrested on his return from medical treatment abroad.

    Dokpesi was arrested by security operatives on Friday at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.

    A post on AIT site said Dokpesi was arrested at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport on return from medical treatment /operation at the American Hospital Dubai.

    Reasons for his arrest were still unknown as at the time of filing this report.

    However, sources close to the media guru confided in TNG that he (Dokpesi) was only questioned for a few minutes at the airport and has since been released.

    “He was let go after sometime. He attended a church service in asokoro area this evening,” the source who spoke on condition of anonymity said.

  • ‘I am alright,’ Buhari declares after returning from UK medical trip

    President Muhammadu Buhari on his arrival at the airport in Abuja on Friday Evening from medical trip to London said he is in good condition.

    President Buhari returned to Abuja from the United Kingdom, following a four-day medical trip to the United Kingdom.

    The presidential jet conveying the President landed at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 6:45pm.

    When asked on by journalists why he arrived on Friday after his schedule of returning on Saturday, the President said his arrival is not earlier than expected.

    “I went for further medical checkup. I am all right,” Buhari said.

    Buhari, who departed for London on Tuesday, had been scheduled to return on Saturday (tomorrow).

    However, the reason why President Buhari returned a day ahead of the schedule was not disclosed.

    He was received at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by some top government officials and presidential aides.

  • Buhari never promised Nigerians not to receive treatment abroad – Presidency

    Buhari never promised Nigerians not to receive treatment abroad – Presidency

    The Presidency has refuted media reports that President Muhammadu Buhari promised Nigerians not to travel abroad for medical treatment.

    Speaking on behalf of the presidency, Buhari’s spokesman, Femi Adesina, said the said the comments are false and are “a new dimension in the plot to diminish the stature of President Muhammadu Buhari before millions of Nigerians who love and adore their president”.

    Recall that Buhari made the remark at Chatham House in London while speaking as a presidential candidate.

    Buhari’s exact words at the time : “What is the difference between me and those who elected us to represent them, absolutely nothing. Why should Nigerian president not fly with other Nigerian public? Why do I need to embark on a foreign trip as a president with a huge crowd with public funds? Why do I need to go for a medical trip abroad if we cannot make our hospital (sic) functional?”

    However, Adesina said Buhari’s words was twisted by critics.

    He added: “First, it was a pernicious twisting and misinterpretation of the words of the president by mischievous elements, perhaps they can earn him opprobrium and infamy When they see that the gambit is not achieving the desired results, they have now gone into utter fabrication of apocryphal statements, which they purvey through the social media,” he said.

    “Fortunately, the Chatham House lecture of 2015 is in the public domain. The concoction by haters and agents of disunity is not part of the text of the lecture at all.

    “The morbid minds that created the falsehood simply want to de-market and demean the president, having seen that defeating him in a free and fair electoral contest is a tall order.

    “Therefore, they desire to instigate the electorate against him by creating statements that never existed, and attributing such to him.”

    The presidential spokesman, however, added that the “dubious” people will not succeed, as Buhari’s reputation “has been built over time, and sustained for decades.”

    “That is why he is widely acclaimed for integrity, transparency, honour, and accountability, both home and abroad. Negative minds can never erode or corrode this,” he said.

  • ‘Back out of 2019 election race, go attend to your health’ PDP tells sick Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday departed Abuja for London, the United Kingdom on yet another medical trip.

    This is just as the Peoples Democratic Party alleged that the President is unfit to continue in office.

    Buhari was accompanied to the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by some top government officials and presidential aides.

    The President’s security officials and a few close aides accompanied him on the trip.

    The presidential aircraft marked 5N-FGW which conveyed the President left the airport at about 3.20pm.

    Those who saw the President off to the airport included his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

    Speaking on Buhari’s medical trip to London, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, wondered why the Presidency was shrouding the health of the President in secrecy.

    He said, “The Peoples Democratic Party notes the confirmation of the Presidency that President Muhammadu Buhari is unwell, ailing and unfit to attend to state matters, resulting to his latest journey to the United Kingdom for medical attention.

    “This admission, though belated and coming after intense public pressure, has now put to rest speculations and anxiety on the health status of the President, as well as his attendant inability to effectively govern.

    “It is, however, very unfortunate that the President and his handlers had chosen to shroud the issue of his persistent illness in secrecy in a government that prides itself on claims of transparency and integrity.”

    He added that President Buhari should rather focus on his health than chase after 2019 elections stressing that he [Buhari] was wrongly advised by his men.

    Ologbondiyan said that the PDP had in April, shortly before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the President undertook a private visit to the UK, where his doctors reside.

    He said that the President was there five days ahead of CHOGM, without telling Nigerians his itinerary.

    He added that two days after his departure from the United States where he had gone for a state visit, the President went ‘missing.’

    Ologbondiyan said, “When concerns began to mount on his whereabouts, the Presidency claimed he had a ‘technical stop-over’ in the UK, citing flight issues.

    “But later, revelations emerged from the same Presidency, on Monday, that Mr. President was actually in the UK to see his doctors.”

    Ologbondiyan, however, decried the situation whereby ‘Nigerians are not aware of the ailment our President is suffering from and the identity of the doctors and the hospital attending to him.’

    He knocked the President for embarking on medical tourism abroad when his administration had completely refused to address the poor state of the health sector in Nigeria, for which medical workers are currently on strike across the nation.

  • Medical trip: We can’t guarantee Buhari’s return – Presidency

    The Presidency has again spoken on President Muhammadu Buhari’s health in respect to his trip to the United Kingdom today to see his doctor.

    Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina in an interview with Channels Tv said there is no cause for alarm as the president is just going for a medical review.

    “Mr President is 100% healthy, there is no cause for alarm.He is going to London for medical review and would return on Saturday.

    He, however stated that it is only God that can guarantee his return on Saturday.

    “A man cannot guarantee anything in life, we cant guarantee the president’s return.

    “In terms of his health, there is no cause for alarm. It is just a medical review. We all need that from time to time as there is nobody that is 100 healthy.

    “It is only God that has the final authority on things but all things being equal, he would be back on Saturday,” he added

    When asked on the nature of Buhari’s illness, Adesina declined giving details, adding that only the president can reveal that.

    “The nature of his illness is private and personal. The fact that the man is a president does not deny his right and privileged to his private life

    “Unless he comes out voluntarily and willingly to tell the country his ailment even his medical doctor does not have the right to disclose his ailment.

    “He is the only one who has the authority to tell the country, it will be unethical for anyone to speak on it.”

  • Medical trip: Unless Buhari discloses his ailment, no one has right to – Presidency

    The Presidency on Tuesday said President Muhammadu Buhari is the only person who can reveal his ailment or details about his health.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity during a phone-in-interview on Channels Television Breakfast Programme, Sunrise Daily said this while reacting to question about the President’s ailment deserving another trip to London, United Kingdom.

    According to him, details about the President’s health is private and personal.

    “That is something private and personal. The fact that a man is a President does not remove his right and privileges to privacy. So, unless Mr President comes out voluntarily and willingly to tell the country that ‘this is what I have suffered from, this is what I have been treated for’…even the medical doctor does not have the right to say it.

    “It is in the Hippocratic oath that the medical doctors take. They cannot disclose the ailment of the patient without the permission of that patient,” he explained.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President, Garba Shehu announced on Monday that President Buhari will on Tuesday embark on a four-day trip to the United Kingdom to see his doctor.

    This has generated mixed reaction with many making references to President Buhari ‘technical stopover’ in London during his recent US-trip.

    The recently announced UK trip is coming barely nine months after he returned from a medical vacation on August 19, 2017, spending more than 100 days.

    Adesina in the interview on Tuesday, however, allayed fears, saying there is no cause for alarm.

    “There is no cause for alarm because he (the President) is up and about and doing his duties. What he is going for is a review. We all need that from time to time. There is nobody that is 100% healthy. He is just going for a review. I want to believe that he will come back on Saturday as planned,” he said.

    Giving itinerary of Buhari’s trip, the Presidential spokesperson said Buhari after his return from the UK will visit Jigawa State.

    “The President is going to receive some letters of credence from some new ambassadors posted to the country, that will last till about early afternoon. After that, he will get set to go to London just for a medical review. He will be away for four days. He will back in the country on Saturday by the grace of God.

    “On Monday and Tuesday, he will visit Jigawa State.”

    When questioned of the guaranty if the President will not exceed four days in the UK, Adesina said, “When you talk of guarantee, man cannot guarantee. Nobody can guarantee anything.”

  • BREAKING: Buhari embarks on four-day medical trip to London

    President Muhammadu Buhari will on Tuesday embark on a four-day medical trip to the United Kingdom.

    According to a statement on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President’s trip is at the instance of his doctor.

    He said Buhari would return to the country on Saturday.

    The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari will tomorrow(Tuesday) undertake a four-day trip to the United Kingdom.

    “In the course of the technical stop-over for aircraft maintenance in London on his way back from Washington last week, the President had a meeting with his doctor.

    “The doctor requested the President to return for a meeting which he agreed to do.

    “President Buhari will return on Saturday, May 12th. ”

    On his return, the President’s two-day State visit to Jigawa, which was postponed because of the All Progressives Congress, APC’s Ward Congresses, will now take place on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th May.”

  • Court delivers judgement on Buhari’s UK medical trip June 5

    Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday fixed June 5 to deliver judgment in the suit seeking information on the amount spent on President Muhammadu Buhari’s treatment in London.

    Mr Tsoho fixed the date for judgment after listening to arguments of counsel and adopted processes.

    The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1142/2017, was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of Advocacy for Societal Rights Advancement and Development Initiative (ASRADI), led by its Executive Director, Adeolu Oyinlola.

    In the suit, Godwin Emefiele, the governor of Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) was requested to disclose how much it cost tax payers money to pay for Buhari’s London medical bills.

    The suit also sought to know how much it cost the country to keep the presidential and crew for 103 days at the Stansted Airport in the UK while President Buhari’s treatment lasted.

    On the last adjourned date of February 16, the CBN and its governor had opposed the suit, arguing that it was not within their immediate responsibilities to disclose such information.

    ASRADI had said in the suit that the CBN and its governor refused to honour its Freedom of Information request contained in its letter of October 19, 2017.

    But, in their counter affidavit filed on Feb. 13, the CBN and its governor urged the court to reject the applicant’s prayers and dismiss the suit.

    They also urged the court to vacate an earlier ex parte order granting leave to the applicant to apply for “a prerogative order of mandamus” compelling them to provide the information requested.

    However, they had admitted receiving the October 19, 2017 letter from ASRADI, but forwarded it to the President’s Chief of Staff.

    Among other things, ASRAD is seeking an order compelling the respondent to furnish it with information sought in the letter of October 19, 2017.

    It also seeks a further order, mandating the CBN and its Governor to pay the plaintiff N10 million in damages for refusal to release information in respect of the letter dated October 19, 2017.

     

    NAN

  • N5.1BN fraud: Court rejects Jonathan’s aide application for medical trip

    Waripamo-Owei Dudafa, Former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Domestic Affairs was on Tuesday denied permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.

    Vacation judge of the Federal High Court, Lagos, Justice Chuka Obiozor refused the application.

    Dudafa had urged the court to order the release of his passport in order to enable him travel abroad to treat a spinal cord injury.

    He had alleged that he sustained the injury while in the detention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Part of his bail conditions was to submit his passport to the court.

    He, however, said he needed to urgently travel abroad for a medical appointment and urged the court to release the passport to him.

    His lawyer, Kolawole Salami, said the medical appointment was earlier scheduled for July 18 and 19, 2017 but had to be rescheduled for July 28, 2017 as Dudafa had yet to get access to his passport.

    The judge, however, refused to entertain the application, saying he was not convinced that there was truly any emergency in Dudafa’s case.

    He said Dudafa would have ensured his application was heard in May when it was filed, if it was truly an emergency.

    Justice Obiozor rejected explanation by Dudafa’s lawyer, Salami, that hearing of the application before Justice Idris was stalled due to the failure of the EFCC to respond to the application despite being served.

    “Let him reschedule to October; he can reschedule to October,” Justice Obiozor said while declining plea to hear the application.

    The EFCC is prosecuting Dudafa before Justice Idris on 23 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering.

    He allegedly used different companies to fraudulently launder various sums of money running into N5.1bn.