News
Open defecation: Bama IDP Camp Risks Diseases Outbreak

Open defecation: Bama IDP Camp Risks Diseases Outbreak
- UNICEF-provided WASH Items Vandalized
By: Zagazola Makama
The Bama Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp, Borno State, faces the high risk of an outbreak of diseases as the IDPs now engage in rampant open defecation following the alleged vandalization of the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) items provided by UNICEF to avert such outbreaks there.
Sources at the camp have alleged that the vandalization was carried out by suspected officials of the camp, who have, allegedly, carted away the essential items to unknown locations for sale.
Zagazola Makama, understands that the items, which were essentially aimed at making life easy for the distressed women and children in the camp, were allegedly vandalized by the suspected officials not long after they were put in place in the camps.
According to reports, UNICEF had in fulfillment of its mandate to aid the IDPs provided the Bama community with overhead tanks and its accessories, including iron stand and water tankers.
The overheard tanks supply water for the displaced persons in the camps.
Sources, however, said that about 30 pieces of the water tankers and iron stands that were carted away from where they were installed have been recovered by some members of the community and taken to Bama Police Division.
Some suspects have, according to sources, also been apprehended in connection with the vandalization.
The suspects were discovered to have been those fingered some months ago for collaborating with some staff of the Borno Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency and Danish Refugee Council, to divert a full truck-load of soap valued at N7,000,000, but the matter was allegedly swept under the carpet.
Sources alleged that some individuals are trying to cover up the matter as the suspects were said to have been granted bail by the Police.
Latest information from dependable sourced have indicated that the stolen items were moved from the police station to an unknown destination as at February 2, 2024.
The effect of the theft and vandalization of the sanitary items have started taking its toll on the women and children in the camps as they are now resorting to open defecation on and around the camps with the resultant implication of possible disease outbreak.
Findings revealed that the toilets provided in the camp were not enough, others were not been evacuated and some poorly constructed.
In an effort to address the situation, UNICEF awarded contract for the evacuation of the filled toilets and establishment of new ones, but lack of supervisor and conspiracy amongst the contractors and those doing the work denied the end users the benefit of service access.
Sources said that the IDPs have resorted to digging holes within the periphery of the camps to defecate.
However, given the large number of persons in the camps, digging of holes were even no longer tenable, compelling many people to engage in open defecation within the camps.
This, according to health experts, is a recipe for disease outbreak in the camp, if adequate measures are not put in place to salvage the situation.
Open defecation: Bama IDP Camp Risks Diseases Outbreak
Crime
Herdsman loses two cows to suspected hoodlums in Adamawa

Herdsman loses two cows to suspected hoodlums in Adamawa
By: Zagazola Makama
Suspected hoodlums have killed two cows belonging to a herdsman in Shelleng Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday at about 3:30 p.m., took place in the Wuroyanka District of Shelleng.
A source in the area told Zagazola that the attackers, believed to be from Bare in Numan Local Government Area, ambushed the herder, Shehu Alhaji Yakubu, while he was grazing his cattle in the bush.
The assailants reportedly killed two of the animals before fleeing the scene.
Police and local hunters later visited the area to assess the situation and appealed for calm among residents to avoid reprisals.
A stakeholders’ meeting has been scheduled to discuss measures to prevent further tension between herders and farmers in the area.
Herdsman loses two cows to suspected hoodlums in Adamawa
News
Over 600 patients receive free kidney dialysis, and other treatment on a monthly basis……………Bego

Over 600 patients receive free kidney dialysis, and other treatment on a monthly basis……………Bego
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Over 600 patients receive free dialysis and additional treatment on a monthly basis at the Yobe State University Teaching Hospital (YSUTH), the Yobe state commissioner of information Abdulahi Bego has said.
He said that the free treatment was initiated by former Governor, Ibrahim Gaidam and was consolidated upon by the present administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni.
The Commissioner of information, Abdullahi Bego said that the increase of cases of Kidney diseases, mostly recorded in Jakusko, Nguru, Gashua, Yusufari and some other communities in Northern parts of the state, Governor Mai Mala Buni has came up with the continuation of the free treatment of all patients to save lives.
Bego gave this hint yesterday in an interactive session with some Journalists at the end of the 2-Day Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) 2025 Quarterly Strategy Meeting of Commissioners for information of All Progressive Congress, (APC) Governed States.
He noted that, yobe state has many cases of kidney diseases, as most of the communities on the shores of Yobe/Kumadugu River in northern part of the state suffered most”.
To address the roots causes of the incident, the Commissioner pointed out that, the State Government has established a Biomedical Science Research and Training Centre located at the College of Medical Sciences, Yobe State University.
The centre is fully equipped with equipment worth billions of naira, even as it is collaborating with University of Sussex, United Kingdom and some Researchers, including a US-based Dr. Mahmoud Maina, to take the place to the next level.
Mains a British-Nigerian neuroscientist and educator whose research is focused on the cellular and molecular pathogenesis in Alzheimer’s disease is expected to bring his expertise to bear in the project.
The impact of the state government’s initiative according to Bego, goes beyond providing immediate relief and medical consumables, but to also delve into the root causes of the kidney disease and prescribe proactive solute. .
He also explained that, Governor Buni who have since declared a State of Emergency in the health sector, has constructed over 400-bed capacity at Mamman Ali Maternal and Child Complex hitherto commissioned by the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
The state of the art facility located within the premises of YSUTH, he added, is not only saving millions of lives, but also serve as referral and research centre in addressing maternal mortality in the North East region.
On social infrastructures especially roads and drainage networks within rural and urban centres, the Commissioner said that, “apart from the ongoing construction of multi billion naira Fly Over within Damaturu metropolis, the state government has completed the rehabilitation of key roads such as Katarko-Goniri and Siminti-Godowoli stretch.
Other interventions are the Geidam-Bukarti, Bayamari-Yunusari, and Yunusari-Kanamma roads, Damaturu-Kalallawa 25.5-kilometer dual carriageway, facilitating access to the Muhammadu Buhari International Cargo Airport, and the dualization of the Abattoir Junction-New Bye-pass Roundabout on Potiskum road to manage high traffic volumes.
Additional projects are the construction of roads connecting various communities, such as Damagum-Gubana, Bulanguwa-Kumagannam, Nguru-Bulanguwa, Danchuwa-Garin Abba-Garin Bingel, Chumbusko-Tagali, Nguru Highway-Karasuwa Galu town, Fika-Maluri, Jaji Maji-Karasuwa town, and Kukuri-Chukuriwa-Dawasa among others”. Bego stated.
The Commissioner further explained that Governor Buni expended N3.5 billion in building four Ultra Modern Sesame Seeds Cleansing, Processing and Packaging processing centres across the state.
These factories he said, are located in Machina, Potiskum, Nguru and Damaturu local government areas, as Yobe state is the largest producer of Sesame seeds in Nigeria as at today.
Over 600 patients receive free kidney dialysis, and other treatment on a monthly basis……………Bego
News
Man beaten to death over alleged affair with married woman in Bauchi

Man beaten to death over alleged affair with married woman in Bauchi
By: Zagazola Makama
A 30-year-old man has been allegedly beaten to death by a husband for attempting to entice his wife in Lumbu community, Ningi Local Government Area.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred at about 2:09 a.m. on Friday when the deceased, identified as Sanusi Tinau, allegedly visited the house of a yet-to-be-identified man to entice his wife.
The husband reportedly attacked Tinau, beating him to a state of unconsciousness before fleeing the scene.
Police operatives responded promptly, evacuating the victim to the General Hospital, Ningi, where he was confirmed dead by a medical doctor.
The report said efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspect as investigation continues.
Man beaten to death over alleged affair with married woman in Bauchi
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