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Zulum discovers extortion at Health Centre during sting exercise

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Zulum discovers extortion at Health Centre during sting exercise

Zulum discovers extortion at Health Centre during sting exercise

By: James Bwala, Maiduguri

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum on Thursday during a sting exercise to two government healthcare centres in Maiduguri discovered  some officials extorting patients by collecting between N8,000 and N10,000 for service which was mandated to be without charges.

A statement by the spokesman to the governor on Thursday, Mallam Isa Gusau, said his principal disguised his convoy and visited some government healthcare centres unannounced, during which he found some officials collecting between N8,000 and N10,000 from patients, whereas the services are meant to be provided free of charge.

According to Gusau, the governor who had summoned the State’s Commissioner of Health, Mrs. Juliana Bitrus, asked her to join him in a 10-seater bus that is usually used for airport services and took her out on a sting activity.

He said the governor left the Government House around 1:30pm without any convoy and without siren, leaving everyone surprised and wondering, Gusau said the health commissioner was not even wary of what lay ahead as she was not told of the plan by the governor.

The governor subsequently led the team straight to the newly established and fully equipped primary healthcare centre at Gwange II ward in Maiduguri and found that some workers were collecting between N8,000 to N10,000 before diagnosis and treatment were conducted on patients for malaria.

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The statement quoted the governor to have said after the sting exercise, that: “The staff we met here (at Gwange II, PHC) confirmed that they used to collect between N8,000 to N10,000 from patients to treat malaria. In fact they have turned this Government Health Centre to a private hospital, and this is why the centre has been deserted by people who mostly do not have the money to access services here. The workers just collect money and put it in their pockets.”

Zulum subsequently directed the Borno State Primary Healthcare Agency to thoroughly investigate, identify all the culprits and take appropriate disciplinary actions.

Zulum was also to discover at the Gwange II PHC that it has only one medical staff on ground to attend to patients, despite having 29 health workers on the payroll of the state government.

Reacting to this, the governor said: ‘You can imagine that at 2:00pm, this primary healthcare centre we built and fully equipped is empty (because of extortion and without medical staff). This level of impunity cannot be tolerated. The earlier we address it, the better for all of us.”

The governor later proceeded to a similar primary healthcare centre at Gwange I, but had a pleasant experience.

At the Gwange I, he found medical workers on ground attending to patients without extorting them.

The governor, who was apparently happy, commended the staff for being good.

Zulum discovers extortion at Health Centre during sting exercise

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Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge

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Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge

By: Zagazola Makama

The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the sudden death of an unidentified man who collapsed and died at Government House Lodge, Minna. Zagazola learnt that the incident occurred on Friday, Aug. 2, 2025.

Sources said that the deceased had visited House No. 8, Government House Lodge, in an attempt to see Mr. Sammy, Chairman of Niger Foods. However, upon meeting his host’s absence, the man suddenly took ill.

Medical doctors were reportedly contacted from the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna, for urgent attention. Unfortunately, by the time the doctor arrived, the man had already passed away.

Following the report, a team of police operatives from GRA Division visited the scene. The body was photographed and evacuated to the IBB Specialist Hospital Mortuary for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge

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Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027

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Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027

By Amina Ahmed Dankawuwa

The Senator representing Bauchi South at the national assembly, Senator Shehu Buba Umar has accepted the calls by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial District to contest for Governorship come 2027.

The Director General of the campaign for the actualisation of Sen Buba’s Gubernatorial ambition, Alhaji Muhammad Sade (Usman) accepted the calls on behalf of the Senator during a town hall meeting held on Saturday by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial in Azare.

He appealed to members of APC to maintain peace with all other aspirants within the party.

“Let’s respect other aspirants, such that anybody who win the primary election can have will be assisted by others, so we must value and respect each other”, he reasoned.

Muhammad Sade also called on party members to commence looking for delegates for ahead of the party primaries.

“It is now that we have to look for those that have votes. I call on our esteemed supporters to start mobilizing for delegate”, he emphasized.

He also advised social media handlers (citizens journalist) to avoid creating problems for personal gain, adding that social media some times create a lot of problem within and out side the party endorsed Senator representing Bauchi South, Senator Shehu Buba Umar for Bauchi Governor come 2027.

Baushe Daily Times reports that members of the APC gathered in thousands during the meeting in Azare during which they unanimously agreed to support Senator Shehu Buba for Governor come 2027.

Earlier in a welcoming address, former majority leader in the Bauchi state house of assembly, Hon Tijjani Mohammed Aliyu, the choice to support Sen Shehu buba Umar’s Governorship ambition was due to his concern and care he has for the people of Bauchi state.

“He respects us, he values our people politically and he also call on party members to respect each other because politics shouldn’t be considered as a do or die affair”, he said.

Also speaking, Alhaji Bashir Bukar Rimin Zayam charged the youth to cast their votes for the youth only and avoid voting older politicians who will always be going abroad for medical attention.

He therefore, appealed to members of APC to mobilised people to support Sen Shehu Buba for Governor.

Among those who attended the town hall meeting include state assembly member Azare/Madangala Hon Zakariyya sale maigero, comr sabo Mohammed S A to Sen Shehu Buba on media and communication, Hon kasuwa Shehu Damana, Hon Adamu Fanta Misau, Hon maiwada Misau,Hon Mohammed Hassan, Barr Muktar Umar, Alhaji Nura Adamu among others.

Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027

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NHRC: Closure of Badeggi Radio, A Suppression of Press Freedom, Affront to Democracy

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NHRC: Closure of Badeggi Radio, A Suppression of Press Freedom, Affront to Democracy

By: Michael Mike

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned in strong terms the closure of Badeggi Radio in Niger State by the State Governor Mohammed Bago, discribing it as not only a suppression of press freedom but an affront to democracy.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission Dr Tony Ojukwu, condemned the action while reacting to the ugly incident. He said the governor’s decision to shut down the radio station without following due process is disappointing and a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Ojukwu noted that the consequences of suppressing press freedom are far-reaching and can lead to increased government opacity, reduced citizen participation, creat obstacles to accountability, and weakening of democratic institutions.

He said: “The arbitrary shutdown of media outlets undermines the checks and balances essential to a functioning democracy.”

He called on Governor Bago to immediately unseal the Radio Station and allow it to resume full operations, asking him to channel issues concerning any alleged unconstitutional operations of the Radio Station to the appropriate authority and not act with impunity.

He said: “This is both a moral imperative and a democratic requirement.”

Ojukwu who is also the president of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in West Africa ( NNHRI-WA) urged the governments to protect journalists and media freedom, foster a culture of tolerance, and support independent media. “Journalists must be able to operate without fear of harassment, intimidation, or violence,” He emphasized.

He lamented that the media has severally come under attack in various forms, a situation he termed as unacceptable in a civilized society.

He called on the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to be firm in carrying out its Statutory mandate which must not be abused at any slight opportunity.

He used the opportunity to ask media practitioners to be professional at all times in order to prevent needless censorship by political office holders.

He also called on Nigerian Guild of Editors to provide professional guidance at regular intervals as this will curb the use of hate speech, fake news and other unprofessional conducts capable of adversely affecting the media houses.

He insisted that the Commission remains committed to promoting and protecting human rights in Nigeria and would continue to monitor the situation closely.

NHRC: Closure of Badeggi Radio, A Suppression of Press Freedom, Affront to Democracy

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