Governor visits pilgrims, gives each 300 Riyals gift

Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State has given each pilgrim from the state performing the 2026 Hajj 300 Saudi Riyals to support their welfare during the pilgrimage.

The governor announced the gesture on Thursday night while visiting Kaduna pilgrims at their tents in Mina, Saudi Arabia.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Malam Ibraheem Musa, said the amount was equivalent to about N114,000 at the current exchange rate.

According to the statement, the governor commended the pilgrims and the management of the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency for the successful conduct of the Hajj exercise.

He also praised the Kaduna State Hajj Delegation Committee, led by Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha, for ensuring a hitch-free pilgrimage.

Sani said his administration made every effort to ensure the success of the pilgrimage and the comfort of the pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

The governor, however, apologised for any minor challenges experienced during the exercise, saying such lapses were unintentional.

“As human beings, we can only plan, but Allah determines the final outcome,” he said.

Narrating his experience before arriving at the pilgrims’ camp, Sani said he trekked for several hours after roads leading to the area were blocked.

“The distance between my tent and the pilgrims’ camp is about two to three kilometers, and ordinarily, I would have arrived quickly.

“However, all roads leading here were blocked, and I had to trek for about four to five hours before reaching this place,” he said.

The governor urged the pilgrims to continue praying for peace, unity, and development in Nigeria, stressing that meaningful development would only thrive in a peaceful environment.

He also prayed for divine guidance and transformation for individuals causing unrest in society.

According to him, politics and the quest for public office should never be valued above human lives.

Earlier, the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency, Malam Salihu Abubakar, commended the governor for his continued support and commitment to improving pilgrims’ welfare.

He noted that the governor had consistently approved requests aimed at enhancing Hajj operations and ensuring the comfort of Kaduna pilgrims.

Also speaking, the Auditor General of Kaduna State, Alhaji Abubakar Abdullahi, said no governor of the state had visited pilgrims in their tents since 1999 except Gov. Uba Sani.

Abdullahi urged the pilgrims to continue supporting and praying for the governor, and for sustained peace and development in Kaduna State and Nigeria at large. (NAN)

Two Soldiers arrested, detained over assault on vigilantes, woman

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have arrested two military personnel over their alleged involvement in an attack that left three vigilante members and a woman injured in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The incident reportedly occurred on Thursday afternoon in the Kugiya area of Bukuru following a dispute linked to the seizure of a motorcycle and reports of suspected armed men in the area.

Security analyst, Zagazola Makama, disclosed the development in a post shared on X on Thursday night.

According to security sources, operatives attached to Sector 6 of Operation Safe Haven responded to a distress call at about 4:00 p.m. and discovered that four persons had sustained varying degrees of injuries during the confrontation.

The injured victims included three members of a local vigilante group and a woman identified as Mrs. Kaneng Nyang Bot.

The two soldiers allegedly connected to the assault were subsequently taken into custody by military authorities.

They were identified as Private Adam Saheed of the 123 Special Forces Battalion, who was said to be on pass at the time of the incident, and Gunner Mohammed Shuaibu of the 351 Artillery Regiment attached to the 376 Artillery Regiment in Damaturu.

Sources disclosed that Shuaibu’s official pass had reportedly expired on April 24.

Preliminary investigations indicated that the altercation began during an attempt to confiscate a motorcycle at the scene.

The soldiers are currently being detained and are expected to undergo disciplinary and administrative procedures in line with military regulations.

Nigerian Govt places eight States including FCT on high alert as Ebola spread

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has placed Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kano, Rivers and several other states on high alert over the possible importation of the deadly Bundibugyo strain of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into the country.

The agency, in a public health advisory issued on Thursday to health commissioners in all 36 states and the FCT, warned that Nigeria’s risk of importing the virus has now been classified as “HIGH” following the worsening outbreak in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

According to the NCDC, the development has triggered an urgent nationwide preparedness response aimed at strengthening surveillance systems, isolation facilities, laboratory readiness and infection prevention measures across the country.

The advisory followed the World Health Organisation’s declaration of the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), a move the NCDC said signalled the need for immediate readiness before any suspected case emerges in Nigeria.

Although no Ebola case has been confirmed in the country, the agency said a joint Dynamic Risk Assessment conducted with partners after the WHO declaration showed that Nigeria remains vulnerable because of regional migration, international travel, porous land borders and extensive trade routes linking West and Central Africa.

The NCDC disclosed that 1,077 suspected cases and 247 deaths had already been recorded in the affected countries, with a fatality rate of 24.6 per cent.

“The overall risk of importation of the disease into Nigeria has been assessed as HIGH due to increasing ongoing regional transmission, international travel, regional population movement, major airports, seaports, porous land borders, informal crossings and trade routes,” the agency stated.

It explained that states were grouped into preparedness categories based on exposure risks and likelihood of virus importation.

States classified as high-risk include Lagos, FCT, Rivers, Kano, Enugu, Borno, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Taraba and Adamawa because of their international airports, seaports, major commercial corridors and border activities.

The NCDC directed all states to immediately activate comprehensive preparedness measures to ensure rapid detection and containment of any suspected infection.

“The immediate objective of our national preparedness and readiness efforts is to ensure that every State and the FCT can reasonably detect, contain and respond swiftly to any suspected case while protecting health workers and sustaining essential health services,” the advisory added.

The agency stressed that the Bundibugyo Ebola strain currently has no approved vaccine or specific treatment, warning that available Ebola vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapies are mainly designed for the Zaire strain and may not provide adequate protection in the present outbreak.

It also clarified that Ebola is not airborne but spreads through direct contact with infected blood, body fluids, contaminated surfaces or infected animals.

The NCDC urged healthcare workers across the country to remain vigilant, noting that the disease often presents symptoms similar to malaria, Lassa fever and other febrile illnesses in its early stages.

“Health workers must not wait for bleeding before suspecting Ebola in any patient with compatible symptoms and relevant travel or exposure history,” the agency warned.

Symptoms listed by the agency include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, rash, hiccups, unexplained bleeding and signs of shock.

The NCDC further confirmed that its National Emergency Operations Centre had already been activated in alert mode to coordinate preparedness efforts nationwide, including surveillance, case management, infection prevention, sample handling and public risk communication.

State governments were also directed to ensure operational readiness in both public and private hospitals through effective contact tracing systems, functional isolation centres and adequate protection for healthcare workers.

The agency said it was collaborating with development partners and state authorities to strengthen the country’s emergency response framework and prevent any possible outbreak or community transmission.

It, however, cautioned that sustained vigilance, adequate funding and strict compliance with preparedness protocols would determine Nigeria’s ability to effectively contain any potential Ebola outbreak.