News Update: 19 kidnapped in Abuja as minister raise alarm on health sector challenges

News Update: 19 kidnapped in Abuja as minister raise alarm on health sector challenges

19 kidnapped in Abuja

19 persons yesterday were reportedly kidnapped in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja, while no fewer than 30 persons were reported to have died in a landslide caused by activities of illegal miners in the Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.

These were revealed during the maiden meeting between the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the six area council chairmen.

The Minister, who was concerned about the developments, said he would summon the FCT Director of State Services, as well as the Commissioner of Police, to be comprehensively briefed about the kidnap incident and facilitate rescue operations.

While asking the council bosses to set up a surveillance task force in their areas to monitor mining activities, Wike said he would meet with his counterpart in Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, to eliminate illegal mining in the FCT.

Speaking on the challenges confronting the councils, Kwali Area Council chairman, Danladi Chiya, appealed to the Wike and the Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, to come to their aid.

Health minister expressed concern over health sector challenges in the country

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate has expressed great concern over the challenges bedeviling the health sector in the country.

He made the remark at the opening ceremony of the 13th Biennial Delegates Meeting and Scientific Conference of Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association held in Kano yesterday.

The minister, who was represented by the Chief Medical Director of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Professor Abdurrahman Sheshe, listed some of the problems plaguing the health sector including poor funding, brain drain, lack of facilities, obsolete equipment, and lack of personnel, especially in the rural areas.

According to him, the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is working hard to change the ugly situation in order to strengthen the health sector.

The minister expressed the readiness and willingness of the government to work hand in hand with those willing to contribute towards resolving the problems, especially the MDCAN, saying his doors will always be open for useful advice and suggestions.

Lagos Uni Crisis: NANS issue 48-hour ultimatum

The National Association of Nigerian Students has issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the management of the University of Lagos to reverse fee hike in the institution.

NANS executive members, led by the  National Public Relations Officer, Giwa Temitope; National Vice President, External, Akinteye Afeez; and the Deputy Senate President, Ekundina Elvis among others, yesterday condemned the arrest of students who were protesting fee hike at UNILAG Junction on Wednesday.

The Lagos State Police Command had on Tuesday said the students should inform the police of its protest plans for adequate measures to be provided but the students kicked against this, saying protest is a fundamental human right

Addressing a press conference at the International Press Centre, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, the student leaders condemned what they described a repression by the  University of Lagos meted on them during their protest against the astronomical increase in fees

Our operation has disrupted oil theft in Niger Delta – Defence Headquarters

The military high command yesterday said its operations across the Niger Delta region have denied oil thieves from stealing crude oil estimated at N4bn from the country.

The command said within this period, over 6.6 million litres of stolen crude oil; 3.5 million litres of AGO; 200,000 litres of DPK, and over 65,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirits were recovered from oil thieves within the period under review.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba disclosed this in Abuja during the quarterly briefing on the operations of the military across the country between June and August 2023.

Buba also said troops during various operations across the country arrested a total of 2,328 criminals, while those in the North East neutralized  no fewer than 814 terrorists

Buba stated that a total of 3,269 assorted kinds of ammunition and 674 other equipment among others were recovered from criminal element

Turkish crypto rogue sentenced

Report said that a ‘disgraced’ Turkish crypto founder who fled to Albania and his two brothers have been reportedly sentenced to 11,196 years in jail each,

Prosecutors had asked for Thodex boss Faruk Fatih Ozer, 29, to be sentenced to 40,562 years in prison for money laundering, fraud and establishing a criminal organisation.

His two brothers, Serap and Guven, received the same sentence, which was issued yesterday after a brief trial, Turkish media reports said.

Turkey according to report is known for issuing massive prison sentences, which became more common after it abolished the death penalty in 2004 to help its efforts to join the European Union.

Ozer was initially reported to have fled Turkey in April 2021 with $2 billion in investor assets, although that figure has since been disputed

YouTube steps up fight to crack down on healthcare misinformation

YouTube has launched a verification system for UK-based doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to help Britons dodge medical misinformation online.

UK-based users accounted for more than two billion video views of clips on health conditions in 2021.

YouTube added a new seal of approval to accounts run by licensed doctors, nurses, psychologists, and other health practitioners or organisations who have passed stringent verification checks to fight misinformation.

YouTube head of UK health, Dr. Vishaal Virani said the move to verified health videos for UK users was crucial due to the number of Brits accessing healthcare information through the video-sharing platform.

Telecom sector contributed huge to nation’s GDP – NCC Chief

The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Communications Commission, Professor Umar Danbatta, yesterday, said the telecommunications sector contributed 16 per cent in the second quarter of 2023 to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

He stated this in his keynote address delivered at the annual Telecom Executives and Regulators Forum hosted by the Association of Telecom Companies of Nigeria in Lagos.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Success Factors and Barriers to National Broadband and Digital Economy Aspirations’, he revealed the giant strides being made by the Commission.

According to him, from a 14.13 per cent contribution in the first quarter of 2023, and up from the hitherto 15 per cent all-time-high record contributed in the second quarter of 2022, the telecommunications sector added 16 per cent to the national GDP in the second quarter of 2023 to set a new record.

CAF Cup: Bendel Insurance set for a showdown

Bendel Insurance are set for a thrilling first leg of their continental showdown against RS Berkane as they hope to advance from the second qualifying round of the CAF Confederation Cup,.

Insurance host the 2021/2022 CAF Confederation Cup winners for a place in the group stage, September 16 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, the Edo State capital.

The Benin Arsenals, Nigeria’s Federation Cup holders, secured their spot in the second round of the competition after a remarkable first and second-leg performance against Aso Chlef of Algeria, the 2022/23 Algerian Cup winners.

Speaking ahead of the encounter, the Chief Press Secretary to the Edo State Governor, Andrew Okungbowa, said the state was ready to receive the visitors, expressing confidence that the home team would come out victorious after 90 minutes.

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