El Rufai - Lockdown, curfew in force

The Kaduna State Government has said the lockdown in the state is still in force.

In a statement issued by Governor Nasir el-Rufai ‘s Special Adviser on Media and Communication,  Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, the government said that the order would remain in force until Tuesday, June 9. The statement added, 

“Governor Nasir El-Rufai will address the state on Tuesday and will specify the next steps for the state; which sectors will be permitted to open and the safety guidelines that each sector is expected to comply with before reopening. No market, school or place of worship will reopen until the government makes the required proclamation.”

The government was reacting to a report that it had reviewed the state quarantine law.

Adekeye said El-Rufai would address the state on Tuesday during which the next step in the COVID-19 fight would be revealed.

COVID-19 : 4-month old child recovers in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Government has discharged a four-month-old baby that recently tested positive for coronavirus in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Amina Mohammed Baloni announced this in a statement on Saturday, May 30, 2020.

The child was among the 20 coronavirus cases detected in the state two weeks ago.

The commissioner, however, noted that Kaduna as of Friday, May 29, 2020, had 76 active cases.

According to her, out of “the total number of 232 cases reported, 149 have been discharged, while seven deaths have been recorded.”

Baloni, who said almost 2000 samples have been tested in the city opined that the number of cases is expected to rise due to increased testing. She said, 

“The state has tested almost 2000 samples but case numbers are likely to rise further as more tests are conducted in more places.

COVID-19 cases have been recorded in 33 wards in nine local government areas of the state: Chikun, Giwa, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Makarfi, Sabon-Gari, Soba, and Zaria.

The data shows that 80% of the infected persons are male.”

"Consider yourself sacked" - El Rufai to striking health workers

Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai has warned health workers in the state on strike against industrial action. He made it clear that any worker who fails to report for duty should consider himself/herself sacked.

The threat came after the seven-day strike called by the health workers in the state for the deductions carried out by the government on their salaries.

However, El Rufai vowed to keep the health facilities running and to protect staff members willing to provide services to the public. In his official response to the notice of strike issued by the health workers, said that he would not succumb to blackmail.

A statement signed his by Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, warned:

“Government rejects the strike threat and will regard persons who fail to show up at their assigned places of work as having forfeited their employment. Every health worker that is willing to work is required to sign the register at the Ministry of Health and the health institutions to which they are deployed.”

Graphic : Fulani Herdsmen launch fresh attacks on Kaduna communities

Again, Fulani herdsmen have launched attacks on at least five villager and displaced residents of seven communities in Kaduna State.

From 19th to 24th May, the armed herdsmen attacked Idazau, Etissi, Bakin Kogi, Dutsen Gora, UN Gora, Pushu Kallah and Magunguna villages. They left 5 persons dead, 78 injured, destroyed 607 houses and rustled 231 cows in their wake.

It was also gathered that at least 51 people are missing after the attacks. A resident revealed that they are scared of going back to claim their dead as their villages are still occupied by their attackers.

Some churches such as the Catholic Church in Idazau, ECWA in Etiissi, ECWA in Bakin Kogi and ECWA in Magunguna were reported burnt to the ground during the attacks.

Islamic scholar advises against Sallah in Kaduna State

The Islamic scholar gave the advice while speaking to newsmen shortly after Gov. Nasir El-Rufai met with some Islamic scholars at the Government House.

He pointed out that the Eid celebration comes up only once in a year, adding that the rate of COVID-19 infections and related deaths were fewer in Kaduna state because of the proactive actions taken by government from the onset of the pandemic.

Gumi noted that unlike other countries where crowds in worship places could be controlled in the event of lifting the lockdown, in Nigeria it would be practically impossible.

“Once you allow people to come and pray, they are going to troop out in thousands you cannot control. The point is that we have stayed for over two months under lockdown; we are afraid that one single day will come and spoil all the gains that we had.

Kaduna is one of the states that have the least infection rates. We can see the rate of the calamity in other northern states like Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Yobe, Borno, but Alhamdulillah, because Kaduna had gone into lockdown earlier than these states, we have less infection rates. Nobody can deny this fact,’’ he said.

At the meeting, Gumi said that the Islamic scholars had advised the State Government on measures to take regarding the lockdown, adding that it is left for the government to take whatever decision it deemed fit.

Gumi, who is also a medical doctor, advised people to be their brothers’ keepers in these trying times.

He stressed that it was important for political leaders to consult other segments of the society, religious leaders, traditional leaders, professionals, on issues that concern the state.