Federal Capital Territory

Over 91 suspected cases and 10 deaths has been confirmed by the Jigawa State Ministry of Health due to the outbreak of diphtheria in the state.

Speaking on Friday September 22, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Salisu Mu’azu, said that two confirmed cases had been identified in Kazaure and Jahun Local Government Areas, with additional samples sent to Abuja for examination.

“The outbreak appears to have struck hardest in areas where routine immunization coverage was lacking,” the Permanent Secretary said.

He further emphasized that the state government had been proactive in responding to the situation, especially following reports of diphtheria outbreaks in neighbouring states like Kano and Yobe.

Mu’azu underscored that the Ministry had diligently collected vital information and data from the affected regions and promptly informed the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the National Disease Control for coordinated intervention.

“The state government is now actively preparing to administer vaccines once they become available”, he said.

Mu’azu equally attributed the outbreak to disruptions in healthcare services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic a few years ago, which led to the suspension of routine immunization efforts, leaving the population vulnerable to such outbreaks

The Federal Capital Territory Administration will complete access roads to the institution and Research District, Jabi, Abuja where some of the major academic and research institutions in the nation’s capital are located.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike made this pledge in Abuja on Monday, September 4, 2023, when he led the FCT Minister of State Dr Mariya Mahmoud and heads and officers of relevant agencies of the FCTA on inspection of projects.

Barrister Wike assured that the access road to the Institution and Research District, where very notable institutions including the EFCC Corporate Headquarters, the Body of Benchers Building, Baze University, Federal Medical Centre, Institute of Human Virology amongst others are located would soon be completed.

Barrister Wike said, “We’ve been able to invite the contractor to see us tomorrow so that we will be able to complete that road, which is very, very important; important in the sense that headquarters of the EFCC is there, the Body of Benchers building is also there.”

The FCT Minister also visited the Kabusa Junction along the Apo Mechanic village where some shanties were recently cleared by the Development Control Department.

The Minister who commended the department for removing the shanties, said perimeter fencing would be introduced in the area to prevent miscreants from returning to the cleared portion.

The FCT Minister, while stressing that the FCT Administration will not allow shanties to take over the city, said, “Development Control has done well by making sure that those shanties are destroyed. Having been destroyed, we are going to put fence in the place so that all these miscreants will not go back there to mess up all what we have done.”

Next stop of the Minister is the ongoing project for the provision of engineering infrastructure to Wasa affordable housing project in Wasa District which was awarded in 2014 at the cost of N28 billion and later reviewed upward to N85 billion.

The Minister who expressed displeasure over the terms of agreement between the FCT Administration and the private developers involved in the construction of the houses said the FCT Administration will review the agreement to ensure fairness.

Barrister Wike said, “We are not impressed with the arrangement made by the FCT. Government will not just cough out N85 billion and the land and we are providing all the infrastructure, then you want to give out to private developers who will now build and sell. We think that government must also participate, having provided the land and having provided the infrastructure.

“So, this kind of arrangement is not commendable at all. If we are partnering with private individuals or developers, the common sense is that you provide the land and also provide infrastructure and then they come and develop and make profit. Government can say okay we will take 10 percent, then they take 30 percent, depending. And it is in that case that government will even be involved in determining the prices that the houses would be sold. But when you don’t have that kind of arrangement, then the private developers can put the cost at any rate, which is not also affordable.”

Barrister Wike also restated that the FCT Administration, going forward will only award contracts based on the availability of funds to start and complete the projects.

He said a situation where contracts are awarded and later abandoned, due to the lack of funds, will no longer be encouraged.

He said, “We are not going to be awarding contracts for awarding sake. We are going to award contracts that we will finish and then embark on new contracts.

“Contracts in the FCT are something else. As I speak to you, you don’t even have up to 20 percent completion. Every contract abandoned because of no money. We are not going to encourage that. We are going to look at everything.

“We will continue to do this. Areas that we are not sure of, we will go and visit, and see it for ourselves before we make any commitment to the contractors.

Other officials who accompanied the Minister on the visit include, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olusade Adesola, the Executive Secretary, FCDA, Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmed and other senior officials of the FCTA.

The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike has prohibited street trading across the federal capital.

Wike said corn sellers serve as informants to criminals.

He spoke during a meeting with the management staff of the Federal Capital Territory Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority.

According to Wike: “Street trading is prohibited. People selling corn will drop their waste indiscriminately and these are the things that cause insecurity.

“Criminals come to buy and use the opportunity to spy and give information to criminals. It is imperative we clear street hawkers.

“Development control is a serious crisis area we have to stop. Why are there illegal structures and shanties everywhere? We will demolish any illegal structure. No matter how highly placed, the structure will come down.”

Unspecified number of persons have been reportedly killed following the collapse of a multi-storey building in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

Leading reporters gathered that the incident occurred on Wednesday night due to heavy downpour.

The building is located at the ever-busy Lagos Street, Garki village, Garki II district of Abuja.

Details of the incident are still sketchy as at press time. However, Ikharo Attah, a former aide to the immediate past Minister of the FCT, who confirmed the development in a post on his Facebook page, said rescue operation is currently ongoing.

He confirmed that at least seven persons have so far been rescued and evacuated to hospital, while others are still trapped.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike’s choice of automobile for his first day at work has got many talking.

Wike arrived at the FCTA around 1:20 pm Tuesday in an armoured Lexus LX 600 SUV with the plate number ‘FCT – 01’.

A search on the official Lexus website puts the price of this SUV starting from $100,115

The Federal Capital Territory Administration said it had taken steps to rejig security operations and collaborations with states contiguous to Abuja to curb rising insecurity in the nation’s capital.

Speaking at the FCT security committee’s meeting, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Sunday Babaji, explained that with the move, security operatives in the neighbouring states and the FCT would take the attack to the enclaves of the terrorists terrorising their territories.

The neighbouring states are Niger, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Kogi, Benue and Plateau.

Babaji believed that the action would help to adequately secure the FCT.

He was quoted to have said these in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT, Anthony Ogunleye, late Thursday.

The statement partly read, “In order to enhance the provision of security in the nation’s capital, the FCT Administration has taken steps to re-invigorate the G7 security operations which involves security collaboration and partnerships with states that are contiguous to the Federal Capital Territory.

“According to the FCT CP, the re-invigoration of the G7 security operations will see the commencement of security actions and procedures by members of the G7, which will involve taking the fight to the bandits and terrorists in their camps which are mostly located in states bordering the FCT.

The Police Commissioner, however, called for the collaboration and cooperation of residents of the FCT whom he urged to provide actionable and timely intelligence to the security agencies while also calling them to be security conscious at all times.”

He also assured residents of their safety and urged them to go about their lawful activities.

Babaji added, “I’m also assuring them that the FCT is safe. Every member of the community should go about their lawful businesses. We are on top of the situation. We have deployed our men both overt and covert and we are doing everything possible in synergy with all the security agencies, with the support of our traditional rulers and religious leaders to make sure that FCT is safe,” he assured.

The Senior Special Assistant on Security to the Minister, Ambassador Abu Mohammed, while corroborating the CP, revealed the readiness of the heads of security agencies in the neighbouring states to participate actively in the G7 operations.

He also called on residents to be wary of fake news especially on the social media which are designed to cause panic amongst the citizenry.