Breaking: Powerful explosion rocked Maiduguri

An explosion reportedly rocked a 1000 Housing Estate in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Saturday morning, according to a report by Daily Trust.

The explosion believed to have been triggered by Boko Haram fighters sparked tension in the area.

A rocket launcher also landed at Gomari Airport, a community about four kilometres from the airport located in the state capital.

A military source said troops of 33 artillery, Njimtelo, opened fire when they sighted insurgents on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

The insurgents were said to have also engaged troops in a gun battle.

Details later.. 

Kano APC Crisis: Angry Gov Ganduje seals Off Shekarau faction’s Lawyer’s office premises

Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, & Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje 

Kano State government on Friday again sealed off the office premises of Mr. Nureini Jimoh, lawyer representing the Senator Ibrahim Shekarau-led faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a case in Abuja court.

Mr. Jimoh was the counsel when an Abuja federal high court ruled that the faction of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau’s ward congress was the authentic in Kano State

It will be recalled that on Wednesday, the same office was sealed off over allegation of owing ground rent but was later unsealed after public outcry.

The state government, through the Bureau for Land Management, on Thursday however denied sealing the office premises of the lawyer, saying that the premises was locked due to outstanding ground rent

However, in another twist to the whole development, a source told Tribune Online that the premises was again locked up early on Friday morning.

Bandits are members of Miyetti Allah, FUNAM, declare them as terrorists group too —Gov Ortom tells Buhari

Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom 

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has urged the Federal Government to declare Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN and Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM as terrorist organisations.

Recall that a Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja last week, outlawed the activities of groups linked to banditry and declared their activities as acts of terrorism.

The court had asked President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to publish the proscription order in the official gazette and two national dailies.

Speaking on Friday in Makurdi, Ortom said the bandits being mentioned were mostly from Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, MACBAN and FUNAM and so they should be designated as terrorist groups as well.

He said, “I want to commend the Federal Government for being bold to designate bandits as terrorists. But I call on the government to also include Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN and Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM in the category of terrorists because those bandits are their members.”

Ortom urged the people of the state to support security agencies with useful intelligence in the fight against criminality and other forms of insecurity, pointing out that security is everyone’s business.

AFGHANISTAN: People are begging to die few months after the Taliban's return to power

Life in Afghanistan can presently be described as anyone's worst nightmare, particularly when we have to talk about issues around the wellbeing of the Afghan people. 

On August 30th, the United States ended its 20 year presence in Afghanistan, in what would be described as one of the most important events in the year 2021, despite Covid-19 still holding firm to its position as the most trending and disturbing issue in the world.

Now three months after taking back control of the country since losing it back in 2001 when the US first invaded Afghanistan, the Taliban government which is currently in almost everyone's black book right now, is struggling to meet it's financial obligations with the country’s health sector seemingly the most affected.

According to a report by the BBC, the Afghan health system is currently in a serious crisis not only because workers have had to work for months without pay, but worryingly in like measure, is the conditions of hospitals which is heavily overwhelmed by patients needing medical care, in addition to lack of sufficient staff.

The report highlighted the disturbing plight of a young mother who requested that she be killed along with her baby, saying she's not certain about her own survival, much less that of her new born baby.

"I don't know how I can stay alive,so how can I give birth to another human being?" the young woman said, according to Dr Nuri (real name withheld), who is an obstetrician in central Afghanistan, and was about to deliver the baby by Caesarean section.

The women on Dr Nuri's ward are so malnourished that they know they are unlikely to have enough breast milk to feed their children.

Dr Nuri says the wards are so crowded that she has to squeeze past women in labour pressed up against blood-stained walls, or lying on dirty sheets. Most cleaners left her hospital months ago, fed up with working without pay. And the maternity ward is so crowded that sometimes there are several women to one bed. Nearby facilities and private clinics have had to close, and this once prestigious modern hospital in central Afghanistan sees three times the number of women that it used to.

"The maternity ward is one of the happiest wards of any hospital, but not anymore in Afghanistan," says the obstetrician. She says that in just two weeks in September she watched five newborn babies die of starvation. "It's like hell in here," she added.

Across the country, hospitals treating the starving are on the brink of collapse, with nearly 2,300 health facilities already closed. Doctors in remote areas have reported being unable to provide basic medicines - even something as simple as paracetamol for the gravely ill who have walked 12 hours to seek treatment.

In the capital Kabul, a major children's hospital is seeing some of the country's worst cases of starvation. It's currently running at 150% capacity.

The hospital's director Dr Siddiqi (not real name), saw a surge in fatalities in September after funding was cut, when up to four children under the age of 10 died every week from malnutrition or related diseases, such as poisoning from poor food hygiene. He says it's the youngest who bear the brunt of the crisis, with most under the age of five arriving too late to be saved.

"These children are [effectively] dying before they're admitted… We lose many cases like this," he says.

For those that do make it in time, there are few resources with which to help them - the hospital is suffering serious shortages of food and medicine, and struggles to even keep the patients warm. There is no fuel for central heating, so Dr Siddiqi now asks staff to cut and collect dried tree branches every day to feed a wood burner. "When we finish the branches we're worried about the next month and what to do next."

On Dr Nuri's maternity ward, regular power cuts are proving fatal. Several premature babies have died when their incubators failed during outages, she says.

"It is so sad to see them dying in front of your eyes."

And she says the power cuts can have potentially fatal implications for patients undergoing surgery too.

"The other day, we were in the operating theatre and the electricity was cut off. Everything stopped. I ran and shouted for help. Someone had fuel in their car and gave it to us so we could run the generator."

So, she says, every time the hospital performs an operation, "I ask people to hurry. It is a lot of stress."

Despite being forced to work under such challenging circumstances, most healthcare staff are not even paid at the moment.

KADUNA: Bandits terrorists invades Sabo community, cart away 50 people, kills 2

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai 

Bandits in the early hours of Friday invaded Ungwan Gimbiya Community of Sabo in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and abducted over 50 people and killed two persons.

According to Daily Post, a resident of the area said a total number of 13 families were visited by the bandits, resulting in the abduction of a large number of people.

The source explained that the attack lasted for about two hours with heavy gunshots in order to scare the people away.

He explained that the kidnapping of the affected persons is the worst ever in the area has since the inception of banditry in Kaduna.

The Kaduna State chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. John Joseph Hayab, also confirmed the abduction to DAILY POST, saying that a pastor who resides in the affected community called him and narrated the incident to him.

According to Rev. Hayab, the security situation is getting out of hand as nobody is safe irrespective of where one finds himself, saying that people should be prayerful and be careful in all that they do.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, when contacted on the incident promised to call back after making clarification but did not at the time of filing this report.

I'm ready to help Nigeria crush terrorism, religious extremism — Putin

Russian President, Vladimir Putin 

Vladimir Putin has assured that Russia would not be left out in the effort to ensure insurgency ends in Nigeria. 

The Russian president made this assurance when he met with the Nigerian Ambassador to Russia, Professor Abdullahi Shehu. 

Professor Shehu during the meeting also extended President Muhammadu Buhari's greetings to the Russian president.

As efforts to fight Boko Haram and all forms of terrorism continues, Russian president, Vladimir Putin, on Thursday, December 2, promised to support Nigeria. 

Daily Trust reports that Putin made the pledge known when he received the Nigerian ambassador to Russia, Professor Abdullahi Shehu, who presented a letter of credence to him at the Grand Kremlin Palace.

He said Russia would do all it can to support Nigeria in combating terrorism and counter religious extremism across the country.

Speaking on the bilateral relationship between Russia and Nigeria, Putin said there would robust dialogue on topical issues that will contribute to global stability.

"Very promising expansion on substantive dialogue on topical issues related to maintaining stability in the world hydrocarbon markets, combating terrorism and countering religious extremism."

INSECURITY: You will soon sleep with your two eyes closed — Osinbajo assures Nigerians

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has assured Nigerians that many of the security challenges bedevilling the country will be resolved in due course.

He said Nigerians must never relent in keeping to the ideals of the country and they don’t lose sight of what they are trying to achieve here.

Osinbajo said this on Thursday while receiving a courtesy call from the Muhammadu Buhari Osinbajo Dynamic Support Group, at the Presidential Villa.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, disclosed this in a statement titled, ‘VP harps on unity as Buhari/Osinbajo Support Group commends his “excellence, humility & dedication to duty”’.

According to him, “A lot of the security challenges we see today, in due course, will be resolved and this country will be stronger and greater.

“We must never relent in ensuring that we keep to the ideals of the country and we don’t lose sight of what we are trying to achieve here.

“Mr President has always remained steadfast and focused on resolving the problems of the country beginning with security…he is a steady hand, he is unflappable, he is not panicky, he is focused and looking at the security issues every day, and trying to advance the best possible solutions,” the Vice President observed.

Welcoming the group, Osinbajo commended support from stakeholders outside government such as the MBO Dynamic Support Group.

He said, “I think that it is important for us to recognize that when different kinds of challenges are being faced, the government itself requires support and help from support groups, friends, colleagues, and others committed to the ideals of the administration.”

He stressed the need for the country to remain united, noting that, “people who suggest that the country breaks up, whatever may be the reason for their views, are certainly not correct and we must say so to them at every turn.

“The unity of this country is important for all of the different ethnicities, religions, everybody. Whatever the group or ideology, unity is important for every one of us.

He said it is wrong “for a country that is the largest economy in Africa and definitely going to be one of the largest economies in the world, to start thinking in terms of fragmenting itself. If you fragment, the problems are going to multiply, poverty will multiply.”

Earlier, the leader of the MBO Dynamic Support Group, Usman Ibrahim, praised Osinbajo’s commitment and leadership in promoting a united Nigeria and for the development of the country.

According to him, “your performance in office is a guide to us, your excellence, humility, loyalty, industry, professionalism and your dedication to duty.”

Ibrahim pledged the loyalty and support of members of the group for the actualization of the objectives of the Buhari administration.

He said, “We appreciate you for your sacrifices, and commitment to the actualization of the Next Level Agenda especially your commitment towards improving the welfare of the downtrodden of this country through the platform of Tradermoni, Marketmoni, and others, irrespective of political, tribal or religious affiliation.”

The MBO briefed the Vice President about the forthcoming launch of a compendium showcasing the achievements of the Buhari administration across different sectors, so far.