Noah Kekere, the doctor who allegedly removed a woman’s kidney in Jos, Plateau State capital, exhibited traces of mental disorder in the police cell on Saturday evening. Kekere was arrested on Wednesday following a report lodged at the Nasarawa Gown police division on the removal of the right kidney of Mrs. Kehinde Kamal during an operation in 2018. The state police command had earlier confirmed the arrest of the suspected harvester. Our correspondent reports that Kekere was rushed to the Psychiatric unit of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), after he exhibited symptom of madness in the police cell. According to Daily Trust, a source from the police headquarters confirmed that the suspected harvester was taken to the hospital when he started tearing his clothes in the cell and started behaving like a “mad” person. “This made the police rush him to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) in handcuff.” A source from the hospital also confirmed that Kekere was admitted at the psychiatric department of the hospital. The source said ” On arrival, he was just screaming, yelling and shouting. He was saying ‘they want to silence my daughter’.” Our correspondent reports that there is heavy police presence around the Psychiatric unit of the hospital. Spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Alabo Alfred, didn’t respond to the inquiry by our correspondent. Kekere had prior his arrest been carrying out medical treatment, including surgery, for more than two decades at his Murna Clinic and Maternity, located in Yanshanu Community of Jos North Local Government Area of the state.

  Manhunt for the killers of a popular barefooted crime fighting Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP Bako Angbasim, in Rivers state has led to the arrest of six suspects. Bako, the DPO of Ahoada, was brutally killed by suspected members of Iceland cult group on Friday, September 8, while returning from an operation at Odumude forest, where he reportedly went to dislodge camps operated by cultists and kidnappers. His killers ambushed him and engaged his team in a gun duel but captured him alive when members of his team retreated following shortage of ammunition. The suspected cultists decapitated him and mutilated his body, an action that provoked tension in the state. The state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who was angry at the development declared one Gift Okpara Okpolowo, aka 2Baba known as the leader of the killer gang wanted and placed N100m bounty on him. The rattled governor further suspended the traditional ruler of the community, where the incident happened, His Majesty Eze Cassidy Ikegbidi, Eze IgbubAkoj II for surrendering his domain to a terror leaders. It was gathered that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Nwonyi Emeka Polycarp, led his team for a special operation in the community to recover the body of the slain DPO. Residents in the community were said to have fled their homes following confusion, fear and tension caused by the brutal killing of the DPO.   The Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed that during the operation, CP Polycarp, along with his management team and tactical units, arrested six persons in connection with the incident. She said the purpose of the operation, which was carried out on Saturday was to recover the deceased DPO’s body and conduct an on-the-spot assessment of the community. Iringe-Koko said: “During this operation, six suspects were apprehended within the community. Among the items seized were a locally crafted pistol and various charms. “These suspects and the confiscated items are currently under police custody and are undergoing interrogation at the State CID, Port Harcourt. As a result of these developments, the community has been evacuated by its residents”. She said a new DPO, SP Zuokumor Richard, had been assigned to the division adding that the new DPO was accompanied by half a unit of men from Mopol 48, one-third unit from Mopol 19, 56, and tactical teams. She said: “He has been tasked with a thorough search of the area, apprehension of the culprits responsible for the DPO’s demise, recovery of the body, and location of any operational weapons used. This operation will continue while the investigation remains ongoing.” On his part, the state governor, Fubara, convened an emergency meeting on Sunday and charged security agencies in the state to smoke out the killers of Bako Angbashim. The governor specifically tasked the security agencies to get the prime suspect, Gift Okpara Okpolowu, at all cost as a clear statement that the state is not a safe haven for criminals. The governor in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Media, described the incident as unfortunate and barbaric, sympathized with the Nigerian Police and the family of the slain officer as he vowed to make Rivers State unsafe for criminal activities. Fubara, who expressed confidence in the security agencies to apprehend the culprits, said Rivers State had never been a safe haven for criminals” Fubara said: “It is really unfortunate that in our state where we are doing everything to reduce crime rate, a group of miscreants portray the state as being unsafe, we honestly feel very sad over this incident. As a government we will not rest until whoever is responsible for this act is brought to book. We have gone further to show our commitment in this issue by placing a bounty on the criminals and also suspended the traditional ruler of that locality. We will do everything on our part to ensure we get to the end of this matter, we must get him at all cost. Rivers state has never and will not be a home of criminality.I believe that the caliber of men that are heading the security unit of the state will do everything within their powers to settle these matters.” Those who attended the Emergency Security Meeting were Brig. Gen. E. U. Effiong, 6 Division Garrison Commander Nigerian Army; Group Captain A. H. Idris, Commander 115, Special Operation Group; Commodore D.O.C. Igbo, Commander NNS, Pathfinder; CP Polycap Emeka Nwonyi, Rivers State Commissioner of Police; the Director of the Department of State Services, Rivers State Command and Commandant Basil Igwebueze, NSCDC Commandant, Rivers State Command.

  The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says 399 pieces of improvised explosive devices were recovered by its operatives from one Asana Oluwagbenga Leke, 39, along Mokwa-Jebba road on Thursday 7th September. According to the spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, the suspect said the explosives were handed to him at a park in Ibadan to be delivered to someone in Kaduna. Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, September 10, said the suspect and exhibits have since been transferred to the military authorities in Niger state. The spokesman added that in Ogun state, a follow up operation led to the arrest of Yinka Azeez at Sabo Lafenwa, Abeokuta on Tuesday, September 5, following the seizure of 41kgs cannabis from Titilayo Adetayo at Sagumu Interchange the previous day. Babafemi said two suspects: Muhammad Aliyu, 38, and Abdullahi Zakariya, 40, were arrested in Zaria-Kano Road and Haye Arewa, Hotoro, Kano, respectively over 426.5 kilograms of skunk seized from them on Tuesday September 5. He said: “While Onyeka Uzor, 25, was arrested at Idemili, Anambra state, with 64.8kgs skunk and tramadol, another suspect, Destiny Irabor was nabbed on Friday 8th September with over 180kgs of opioids loaded in his Toyota Sienna bus. In Kaduna, two suspects: Ahmed Yusuf and Rilwan Nura were arrested on Wednesday 6th September in connection with the seizure of 100 blocks of cannabis weighing 55kgs along Abuja road. “In Edo state, operatives stormed the Ekudo forest, Onwude LGA where they destroyed cannabis farms measuring 4.236347 hectares.” He added that operatives on Thursday 7th September raided the house of one Amuodu Egwehide, 40, in Iloje Okpuje, Owan West LGA, where they recovered 22 bags of skunk weighing 261.4kgs, while a 60-year-old grandma, Mrs. Eunice Egwehide was arrested in the town same day with 17kgs of same substance seized from her. The statement also revealed that operatives of the NDLEA intercepted consignments of skunk concealed in tins of tomato paste and methamphetamine hidden in used clothes, meant for export to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. It reads, “While the skunk in tomato pastes consignment weighing 20.00 kilograms was intercepted on Friday 8th September at the SAHCO export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA Ikeja, the meth shipment with a gross weight of 1.60kg was seized at a courier company in Lagos. “Another consignment of 556 grams of Canadian Loud sent from Canada to one Tunji Adebayo in Ikorodu, Lagos was also intercepted by NDLEA officers of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, attached to courier firms. Though Adebayo was not home when operatives visited his house at 52, Aina Atoloye street, Ikorodu, he however directed his younger brother to sign for the package on his behalf. The brother was promptly arrested. “Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives on Monday 4th September raided the enclave of a notorious drug lord in Akala, Mushin, Lagos, Abdul Rauf (aka ‘Na God’) where 1,101kgs of Ghanaian Loud were recovered and three suspects arrested while the wanted kingpin remains at large. YouTube Channel     00:00 / 06:55 Copy video url Play / Pause Mute / Unmute Report a problem Language Share Vidverto Player   “In Kogi, 22-year-old Agada Emmanuel was arrested with 77.400kgs cannabis on Thursday 7th September along Okene – Lokoja – Abuja expressway while a total of 369,980 pills of opioids were also recovered on the same road on Monday 4th September and the suspect linked to the seizure, Kabiru Ahmad Abdullahi arrested in a follow up operation in Gombe state. “A suspect, Gapchiya Modu, 26, was arrested with 60kgs of cannabis along Kano-Nguru Road, Nguru, Yobe state, while in Imo state, 200 blocks of the same substance weighing 57kgs were recovered from Usim Orji, 45, along Aba-Owerri road on Wednesday 6th September.

  Three villagers in Agbada Nenwe community in Aninri local government area of Enugu State, have been killed by masked gunmen, who invaded the community. The victims include Mr Hillary Uche, a popular dealer on block and cement at Orie Agu, Emulemoke Agbada Road; one Kingsley, a machine parts dealer at signboard area of the village and another young man popularly known FM. The incident, which happened Saturday morning, September 9, it was learned, saw the gunmen locating the deceased in their houses and shops and killing them instantly. While Kingsley and FM were said to have been dragged out from their homes in Amagu Agbada Nenwe to the village square, where they were killed, Hilary was said to have been killed inside his own shop at Orie Agu. It was further gathered that the hoodlums set a house ablaze after searching the house without seeing their target. The killings have since thrown the community into panic and mourning, as young men doing businesses in the village have started fleeing the place. One of the village sources: “My brother, some unknown gunmen entered my village and brought out Kingsley and FM and dragged them to the village square where they killed them. “Nobody knows who the people are. Some came in motorcycles while some our people said some of them came in a vehicle. “Everyone is afraid of even going out. There is panic everywhere. This kind of thing has never happen before here. “One of the persons they killed, Mr Hillary, was shot three times in his shop at Orie Agu Nenwe. All of those unknown gunmen wore masks, suggesting that they may have come from around us here”, the source said. The spokesman of the state police command, Daniel Ndukwe could not respond to the inquiries as of the time of filing this report.

  The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate has that about 400,000 health workers in Nigeria are insufficient to cater to the healthcare needs of Nigerians. Pate made the statement while addressing newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, after his three-day briefing session with departments and agencies under the ministry. The meeting was organised by the ministry to chart a blueprint for Nigeria’s healthcare system. According to Pate, the 400,000 workforce comprise community health workers, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, physicians, lab scientists, technicians, and auxiliaries working in the Nigerian healthcare system. “They are not enough if you think that this number can take care of 220 million people. Our doctor-to-population ratio is lower than what the World Health Organisation expects. “So there’s still room to produce more. In fact, to produce excess because globally, there’s a shortage of health manpower, there is almost a shortage of 18 million people. “In developed countries where they are aging, they are retiring so they need more people to provide services. “So if we think about it, we can produce for our own needs and if some leave then they go and earn resources and they come back with some experience, ” he said Pate, however, said that if infrastructure was improved, and people were treated with respect, some of them would come back to serve the country. “So I don’t want to undervalue the contribution of the workers that we have. “We have to acknowledge them, celebrate them, make life easier for them even as we train more or re-train the ones that we have even as we work to resolve their issues. “We really value the Nigerian health workforce and will continue to support and develop that going forward,” he added. Speaking on ending medical tourism, Pate said that the trend was present in almost all countries whether developed or developing as people leave the U.S. to East Asia to have surgical procedures because it is more affordable there. “However, what seems to be an issue is using public financing to fund it and missing the opportunity to keep some of the resources used in engaging in medical tourism back in the country. “When I mentioned unlocking the healthcare value-chain, it includes mobilising private capital to invest in the physical infrastructure and the human resources so that some of the services that people go to India for, we will have them here. “We have begun discussing mechanisms or models where we’ll go on that path as part of expanding the value chain so that it’s not necessarily publicly financed. “So if you want to have plastic surgery, there’s no need to use government money to pay for your plastic surgery but if we have a facility that will do that here for you, we will keep your dollars here and employ a few attendants here to do the procedure for you,” he noted. The minister added that because people had options as to where they would seek healthcare, medical tourism might not be completely eradicated. He, however, assured that the Federal Government would use the opportunity of human capital, private sector capital, and innovation to provide services that people could use in the country. On getting financing from development partners for the sector, Pate said that the team had met with some of the partners to give them the direction Nigeria needed their support. According to him, the bulk of the health budget in Nigeria is from the government at different levels, while a smaller portion is what the development partners bring to the table. “Let’s get to a point whereby we have a programme and the government’s budget is put on the table and you are contributing to that and there’s transparency on both sides. “Government needs to know more about how the external parties deploy their resources, just as it also needs to open up a little bit more on what is coming from its own side,’’ he said. NAN

  The United Nigeria Airlines, one of the leading airlines in the country, has received approval for operation of international flights. According to the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development’s approval, the airline would operate international flights to United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, Ireland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A letter cited by Vanguard dated September 8, 2023, conveying this approval from the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, signed by Director, Air Transport Management, Mr. H.T. Ejiburu, on behalf of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, to the United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited, said the approval was in line with subsisting Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and each of the countries.   The letter reads: “I am directed to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 2nd August 2023 on the above subject and convey the Honourable Minister’s approval for the designation of Messrs United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited to operate international flight operations to the undermentioned countries and cities: Netherlands (Amsterdam), Italy (Rome), United Arab Emirates (UAE) (Dubai), United Kingdom (London), United States of America (USA) (Houston) and Ireland (Dublin). “The designation of Messrs United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited is in line with the subsisting Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the governments of the six mentioned countries. “Consequently, the airline is hereby advised to liaise with the Civil Aviation Authorities of the aforementioned countries for documentation prior to commencement of scheduled flight operations. However, you are obliged to comply with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation (Nig. CARs (2023) Part 18.5.1.1 A-C by taking further steps to liaise with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in fulfilling the requirements if necessary. “Kindly note that the approval has been communicated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its further necessary actions.” United Nigeria Airlines, with Prof Obiora Okonkwo OFR as Chairman, started flight operations in 2021and operate scheduled flights in major Nigerian cities. The Airline had earlier obtained approval for Regional flights based on which that they are finalising arrangements to commence regional operations in couple of weeks upon arrival of their additional aircraft from middle of October.

  The North-east Governors’ Forum has alleged that some traditional rulers are aiding banditry in the geopolitical zone. The forum’s position is contained in a communique issued after a meeting held on Saturday in Maiduguri, the Borno capital. The governors said the states in the geopolitical zone, particularly Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba, have seen an increase in criminal activities due to the influx of bandits. “While acknowledging the relative success recorded against insurgency, a new dimension of growing banditry is added to worsen the security situation in the subregion,” the communique signed by Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno and chairman of the forum, reads. “The forum calls on the federal government to urgently intervene to address the issue. “The forum is aware that some traditional rulers and other local authorities are conniving with the bandits, giving them shelter and cover to commit crimes within the subregion.” The forum vowed to bring down the hammer on any traditional ruler or community leader conniving or providing cover for bandits. The governors also resolved to tackle illegal mining activities in their states which is fuelling insecurity. On climate change, the forum said the silting of rivers and deforestation caused by massive charcoal business has compounded the situation. The governors called for effective control of deforestation with stern regulation to address the menace.

  A social rights activist, Aisha Yesufu, has explained why President Bola Tinubu will never be her president. Yesufu, a supporter of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi in the just-concluded General Election made this known in a ‘Mic On’ podcast titled, ‘The PEPC Judgment: Hopes met or dashed’ hosted by Channels TV presenter, Seun Okinbaloye, on Saturday night. Yesufu was quoted as saying that Tinubu allegedly rigged his way into the presidency and on that basis will never be seen as her president. “Tinubu did not win the 2023 presidential election and will never be my president because he rigged his way to be declared the one with the majority votes. And as for me, that is a political coup. That is a civilian coup and it is the mandate of the people that was stolen. “My focus and other Nigerians now is to ensure getting the mandate back.” She added that even the Presidential Election Petition Court that gave the verdict that President Tinubu lawfully won the election held on February 25 was wrong, adding, “I stayed for over 13 hours in the court and I heard all the judgement read by the Supreme Court justices. It was all a movie.” “And there was a trailer before the movie, it began when the former Supreme Court justice, Mary Odili spoke. It already preempted what we expected.”   She further said that the whole process began getting fishy when PEPC declined that the proceedings be aired live from the beginning until the judgment day and failed to show the faces of the justices.   “There was a need for people to see how it has been going rather than just hearing the judgment only.   The joy in the faces of the judges showed that they were biased. They acted more like counsels to the respondents (President Tinubu, All Progressives Congress and VP Kashim Shettima),” she alleged.   Yesufu said she believed that the judiciary is compromised while making reference to the issues of card readers not being admissible in the court while espousing Nyesom Wike and Peter Dakuku’s case in Rivers State. “The politicians always believe that they control the court that is why they are quick to tell people to go to court if they are satisfied with the results of elections.” Speaking on the ‘Eyes on the Judiciary’ being productive on the judgment, Aisha said it was, adding that Nigerians have taken it upon themselves to tell the court that they would not allow nefarious acts in the court. Recall that a five-member panel of the Tribunal took turns to dismiss the petitions presented by the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar; the Labour Party and its candidate, Peter Obi; against the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election on Wednesday. The judgment was delivered by the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Haruna Tsammani, assisted by other members of the panel-Justices Stephen Adah, Monsurat Bolaji-Yusuf, Moses Ugo and Abba Mohammed. Delivering the death knell to Atiku’s petition on Wednesday night, Tsammani stated, “This petition accordingly lacks merit. “I affirm the return of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The parties are to bear their cost.”⁣