The Federal Government will not be able to partner popular surgeon, Dr Jeremiah Abalaka, as regards finding a cure to HIV because 29 out of 30 of his patients died of complications during treatment.


According to Punch news, The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Gambo Aliyu, said this at an event held in commemoration of World AIDS Day with the theme, ‘Communities make the difference.’

Abalaka had in the last 20 years constantly claimed to have found a cure to HIV but that the western world was undermining his efforts because the developed countries were making a lot of money off the sale of anti-retroviral drugs.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, however, the NACA DG expressed doubts over the credibility of Abalaka and the efficacy of his methods.

Aliyu said, “About 30 patients were treated by Abalaka. Today, only one is alive; 29 died of complications that followed. Is that not enough?”


The NACA boss said Nigeria still accounts for a large number of new infections, adding that less than 40 per cent of Nigerian youths have a proper understanding of the disease.

He said, “Nigeria accounts for more than half of new infections and deaths from AIDS-related illness according to the UNAIDS 2018 report. Less than 40 per cent of our adolescent and young people, who are the leaders of tomorrow, have correct knowledge and comprehensive knowledge about HIV.”


Aliyu noted that Nigeria’s domestic funding for HIV was estimated to be below 30 per cent, adding that efforts of communities were urgently needed to ensure that HIV remain on the political agenda and galvanise international and national funding for HIV.

Speaking earlier, the National Coordinator, Network of People living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Mr Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said there was no cure to HIV.

Ibrahim noted that 1.9 million people in Nigeria had the disease but argued that only about half of those affected had access to treatment.

He argued that the fight against HIV must also be underpinned by the protection of human rights.

The Federal Government has said almost half of Nigeria’s population, about 90 million people, live in extreme poverty.
   
   
According to Punch news, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Sadiya Farouq, declared this in Abuja on Monday when she appeared before the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development to defend the ministry’s 2020 budget proposal.

There were indications last night that the federal government was contemplating reporting Justice Taiwo Taiwo, to the National Judicial Council (NJC) on account of his decision to grant bail to the convener of #RevolutionNow protest, Mr. Omoyele Sowore.

Justice Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja admitted Sowore to bail on Tuesday and dismissed the objection raised by the Department of State Security (DSS) to the bail.

The Nation gathered last night that a shocked Nigerian security and intelligence community met on the matter yesterday and resolved to appeal the judgement.

It also decided to petition the NJC on the issue.

A top government source, who spoke to The Nation, on the condition of anonymity, said that anyone standing trial for treasonable felony is not entitled to bail.

Sowore was arrested and kept in the custody of the DSS since 3rd of August, 2019, for allegedly calling for “revolution” through the group’s protest fixed for 5th of September 2019.

Sowore on Thursday, commenced a contempt suit against the Director-General of the DSS,Yusuf Bichi, for allegedly disobeying the order granting him bail.

On Wednesday his lawyers submitted his passport to a Deputy Chief Registrar of the court.

Meanwhile Sowore remained in the custody of the Department of Security Service (SSS) last night, 72 hours after a Federal High Court granted him bail.

His lawyers claimed yesterday that the DSS refused to comply with the court order even after his bail conditions had been met.

It was gathered that a court bailiff bearing the documents confirming that the bail conditions had been met was not allowed into the DSS premises Abuja yesterday morning.

He was asked to come back at 12 noon which he did.

This time,the document was collected from him and Sowore’s lawyers at the gate,yet he was not released.

Sowore is facing trial for treaons -related charges.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo ordered the release the convener of #RevolutionNow protest on Tuesday on the condition that his lawyer , Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), will produce him for arraignment whenever he is required.(Thenationng)

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday approved about N182 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of various roads across the country.

The Minister of State for Works and Housing, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, said this while briefing State House Correspondents on the outcome of the maiden FEC meeting held at the Presidential Council Chamber, Abuja.

He disclosed that the first segment of the approval was for the extension of the Lagos-Badagry express road to Nigeria’s border with Benin Republic at the cost of N15.2 billion, NAN reports.

The minister also announced that the Council approved N189billion for the construction of 14 roads in various parts of the country.

According to him, the construction of Kontagora-Bangi road in Niger state will cost N20.3 billion, with a completion period of 48 months while rehabilitation of outer Marina-Bonny Camp road and Eko bridge will cost N9.2 billion, with a completion period of 12 months.

The minister further stated that the Council approved N2.5billion for the construction of Wudil bridge on Kano-Maiduguri road while N12.3billion was approved for the rehabilitation of Wukari-Ibi road in Taraba.

He added that the council approved N10.6billion for the construction of Baro Port road in Niger, N25billion for the rehabilitation of Ajingi-Kafin Hausa road in Jigawa while rehabilitation of Abba-Owerri road would cost N6.98 billion.

According to the minister, the council approved N16.9billion for the rehabilitation of Kaliyari-Damaturu road in Yobe; N17.3billion for the construction of Yaba-Yangoji road in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and N12.7billion for the rehabilitation of two outstanding sections of Nnnewi-Okigwe road in Imo and Anambra.

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, who also spoke on the outcome of the meeting,disclosed that the Council approved the revised estimate total cost for the rehabilitation of Itakpe -Ajaokuta Rail line.

He said the contract was awarded 122 million dollars but “we requested for a total of 56 million dollars additional works which were broken down into 38.8 million dollars additional works and 17.2 million dollars variation, now bringing the contract of Itakpe to Warri to a total of $178.7 million.(NAN)

The Federal Government has ordered the Nigeria Immigration Service to ensure that passports are issued to Nigerians within 48 hours after application.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, on Friday, decried the delay Nigerians faced in passport processing and called for an end to the challenge.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2019 management retreat of the NIS in Lagos, the minister said immigration officers should prioritise service delivery.

The minister also stated that there should be improvement in immigration services at the country’s international airports, adding that an official route for people with special needs should be created rather than jumping the queue during passenger handling.

On land borders, the minister urged immigration officers to improve their expertise in ensuring security.

He explained that unwanted and criminal persons must not be allowed into the country through the borders.

Aregbesola said immigration officers needed to improve on helping the Federal Government to boost the ease of doing business in the country.

The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, said the retreat was organised to aid brainstorming on challenges facing the NIS.

According to him, the NIS will continue to make notable efforts at improving the quality of its workplace environment and the services it renders.(Punch)

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the National Intelligence Agency and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to conduct a thorough investigation into the activities of the Process and Industrial Developments Limited which was recently asked by a United Kingdom court to seize $9.6bn in Nigerian assets.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this at a joint press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, also said the Federal Government was challenging the UK court’s $9.6bn judgment in a United States of America’s court in order to protect the country’s interest and its assets.

Mohammed was joined at the press conference by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zaynab Ahmed; and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

The minister said the President’s decision to probe the firm and its activities was based on the fact that the Federal Government suspected foul play in the contract which was negotiated and signed under the past administration in 2010.

Mohammed was joined at the press conference by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zaynab Ahmed; and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

The minister said the President’s decision to probe the firm and its activities was based on the fact that the Federal Government suspected foul play in the contract which was negotiated and signed under the past administration in 2010.(Punch)

The Federal Government has promised to bring sanity into the social lives of citizens and stop the debasement of humanity and the pride of Nigerian women by making scapegoats of some persons.

The government was reacting to the controversial music video by a popular musician, Augustine Kelechi, aka Tekno, with scenes of four semi-nude women dancing in a moving van on the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge in Lagos.

The artiste, in the four-minute video, was seen throwing money suspected to be dollars at the young women.

The government expressed disappointment that despite ongoing investigations into the anomaly, Tekno went ahead to release the offensive video.

In the official music video for the song, ‘Agege,’ which was released on Thursday, Tekno was seen in the moving van performing to the camera with the half-clad women dancing seductively.

A statement on Sunday by the Director General, National Council for Arts and Culture, a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Segun Runsewe, said Tekno would be made a scapegoat “to teach others a serious lesson.” (Punch)

The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, on Thursday, disclosed that some groups like the Almajiri groups would be proscribed by the Federal Government.

Almajiri is a system of Islamic education practiced in northern Nigeria.
Monguno briefed State House correspondents at the end of NEC meeting chaired by Vice- President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa  Abuja.

He was with the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, and Anambra State Governor, Willy Obiano.
Noting that the groups are becoming a problem to the society, Monguno said that education is every child’s right.

He also pointed out that drivers of insecurity in the country included unemployment, poverty and increasing population.
He said, “I also made suggestions regarding the way forward which include, employment creation and reduction of poverty, and being the culture of impunity and looking at stabilizing certain areas of the country by giving rise to affordable education.
“This is very important because in most parts of the country we have a lot of children roaming around without any formal education.
“And as the President has mentioned earlier when he was inaugurating the national economic council, we need to make education compulsory and free for every child in the country.
“Because the problem we face today are rooted in the fact that a lot of people who have been denied the opportunity basically the opportunity to get formal education end up over the years, there is accumulation of large mass of human beings who end up becoming criminals, drug addicts and so on and so forth.
“And they end up becoming tools to be used by elements in the wider society who have very dangerous intentions.

“And therefore, it is very important to proscribed certain groups ultimately running around under the guise of maybe getting some kind of education that is not really formal and then begin to cause a lot of problems for society,” he added
Speaking further on the Amajiri groups, he said “The group I spoke about on illiteracy is the Almajiri. Ultimately, government will have to proscribe the Almajiri phenomena, because we cannot continue to have street urchins, children roaming around, only for them in a couple of years, or decades to become a problem to society.
“We are not saying that they are going to be contained in a manner, that you might think we want to do something that is harmful to them, no.
“What we want to do is to work with the state government to enforce the policy of education for every child. It is every child’s right, his entitlement so long as he is a Nigerian.
“If you recall what happened in the Western region,  I think in the fifties and the sixties, when the Premier made education free and compulsory at both primary and secondary levels.
“This is what we are looking at. Let me tell you something, one of the element of national power is the population of a country. You don’t just rely on your armed forces, the location and so on and so forth.

“The population is a very critical element of national power. It is from the population that you get a critical mass.
“Imagine the child that was ten years old on  27th July, 2009, in 37 days time, it will exactly one year when Boko Haram erupted. We are not talking of one child, there are millions of them. So, when we look at population, as an element of National security, don’t be surprised if out of every 100 Almajiri, you have two neurologists, four architects, two lawyers, and so on and so forth.

“If you don’t start thinking short and long term, to overcome this problem, like I told you earlier on, to overcome this problem, you require collective efforts. You can’t carry this load and drop it on top of the government, even government should not work as a one-legged tripod, it has to be three-legged.

“We have to deal with the issue of these children, Almajiri, regardless of how people feel about it. We must work in sync with the rest of international communities, how many countries that operate this kind of system.
“Let be very, very sincere to ourselves, we have to look at this issue that we have been sweeping under the carpet.
So, when I briefed the NEC, I alerted them on the dangers of this phenomenon and the President in inaugurating NEC also stressed that we must make education free and compulsory. We are not trying to denigrate any group of people.” he stated

According to him, he also briefed the Council on the northeast particularly on Boko Haram issue in relations to the security issues in the country.
He said “I briefed council on the situation in the northeast particularly the activities of Boko Haram which continues to remain very fragile. It is still a problem that needs to be readdressed with collective effort of both intelligence and operations. (The Nation)

(APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu