World Glaucoma Week: Garki Hospital offers free eye treatment

To mark this year's World Glaucoma Week, Garki General Hospital will be offering free eye treatment to residents of Abuja from March 7 - 11.

The Consultant Ophthalmologist of the hospital, Dr Sewuese Bitto told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN that the hospital would hold health talks during the period to educate the public and increase awareness about the effects of glaucoma, risk factors and how to prevent the disease.

NAN reports that World Glaucoma Week WGW is a joint global initiative of the World Glaucoma Association, WGA and the World Glaucoma Patients Association, WGPA.

Bitto noted that many Nigerians are not aware that glaucoma is incurable and its effects on the eyes irreversible.

“According to the Nigerian National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey conducted in 2005 to 2007 the proportion of individuals with glaucoma in Nigeria is 50 per cent.

“If another survey is conducted, the figure may be more. No survey has been carried out since then to determine if various intervention methods have helped to reduce or control the disease.

“We do not even have enough optometrists and ophthalmologists in the country that can adequately cater for glaucoma patients in the cities not to talk of rural communities.

“We need to reach out to these people, increase awareness about the disease and encourage them to take themselves for regular checks at the hospital,” she said.

According to Bitto, studies show that black people are three to four times more at risk of developing glaucoma than Caucasians. 

She explained that people with high intraocular pressure, those over 40 years and individuals with thin cornea were also at high risk of developing glaucoma.

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Ese's abductor now in police custody - Force PRO

The Police Force Public Relations Officer, Bisi Kolawole has confirmed that the water vendor-turned tricycle operator, Yunusa who abducted Ese Oruru is now in police custody.

She made the confirmation during a press conference attended by Ese's mother at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

Kolawole told newsmen that Ese would undergo comprehensive medical examinations to ascertain her state of health.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase has ordered an investigation into why Ese's rescue was delayed for over five months.

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Immigration recruitment tragedy: Moro denies N676.7m fraud charge

Former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro on Monday pleaded not guilty to fraud and money laundering charges in connection with the N676.7m fraudulently obtained from applicants in the 2014 Immigration recruitment tragedy.

Moro is accused of conniving with three former civil servants and Drexel Tech Nigeria Ltd to defraud 676,675 job applicants of the said amount.

According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the accused persons obtained the sum of N1000 from each of the job applicants “under the false pretence that the money represents payment for their online recruitment exercise."

The anti graft agency alleged that the proceeds from the recruitment scam were used to purchase and renovate property in an upscale district of Abuja.

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Ese Oruru reunites with mother as father seeks T B Joshua's help

The much anticipated reunion between abducted school girl Ese Oruru and her mother Rose has taken place in Abuja.

Mother and daughter will be meeting with the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase later this morning.

They will be catching a 5 pm flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to Portharcourt from where they will be heading home to Bayelsa.

Meanwhile, Ese's father Mr Charles Oruru has declared that he will be seeking spiritual assistance from Pastor T B Joshua of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations, SCOAN.

Ese's abductor, Yunusa aka Yellow has already been arrested and flown to Abuja for questioning.

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Another case of child abduction and forced conversion to Islam

As Nigerians eagerly await the resolution of the Ese Oruru abduction saga, another case of girl child abduction has risen to confront them.

A certain Paul Adaji in a petition to the police alleged that two men abducted his 15 year-old sister and took her to Sokoto where she is to be converted to Islam.

He shared an excerpt of the police report on Facebook.

“BENUE people let’s help our own. Keep sharing until she gets help. SUMMARY Subject matter: Forceful abduction Name of complainant: Paul Isaac Adaji, from ohimini L.G area of Benue state. Reasons complain about: Forcefully abduction of my younger sister by two of our neighbours (Monde & Suleiman) and the Hisbah group in gidan kukah, Runjin sambo area sokoto, with the intention of converting her to Islam. They confirmed to the police that they took the girl to the sultan’s palace, but the police later said nothing but ask the complainant to go and maintain peace. Date missing: Since on the 12th of August 2015. Name of the Girl: Patience Paul. Her age Now: 15 years. Language spoken: Idoma Her whereabouts: In the Sultans palace. GSM Number of the Hisbah commander’s or abductors: Ilyasu Muhammed Gsm No. 08169317038 Umar Dauda Gada Gsm No. 08035584277 Dr. Kasarawa (GSM Num. not known)

Thanks and hope to hear from you soon. N.B

Source : The Herald

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Unlawful possession of firearm: 3 suspects granted N150,000 bail each

An Upper Area Court in Gudu District, Abuja, on Tuesday admitted 3 suspects, Emmanuel Abaronye, Williams Gwabee and Joel Okechukwu to bail in the sum of N150,000 each for unlawful possession of a locally-made pistol.

The presiding judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, ordered the defendants to produce one surety each in like sum, and adjourned the case till April 25 for hearing.

The accused, Abanonye, 30, Gwabee, 25 and Okechukwu, 27, all of Orozo, Abuja, are answering to a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and unlawful possession of a locally made pistol.

The Prosecutor, Umoh Inah, told the court that the accused were arrested by a police patrol team from the FCT command, Abuja, on Dec. 31, 2015.

He explained that the defendants were found to be in possession of a locally-made pistol and could not give a satisfactory explanation as to how they got the weapon.

The accused however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The offences according to the prosecution contravened Sections 97 and 319 of the Penal Code.

NAN

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#FreeEse: It's unislamic for a 14 year-old girl to give herself for marriage - Emir

Emir of Kano, HRH Muhammad Sanusi II, has ordered the immediate release of Ese  Oruru to the Police DIG, Zone 1, Kano, as a first step in the process of reuniting her with her parents.

Sanusi who issued the order to Kano sharia court also distanced himself and the Kano Emirate Council from the alleged abduction.

“I have ordered the Sharia Commission to liaise with the office of Assistant Inspector General of Police, zone 1, to repatriate and reconcile the teenager with her family immediately.

“The emirate had intervened earlier over the abducted girl and took the appropriate decision of sending her back to her parents and advised that her health condition be checked,” he said.

The Emir said that when he heard that the underaged girl had married herself off to a man from Kano, he advised that she was too young to do so and should seek her parents' consent.

“It’s un-Islamic for a lady of her age to give herself off for marriage and also unacceptable for the lady to leave her parents just to get married to any man, anywhere and especially in Islam.

“On that note, I instructed that the lady be taken to the AIG in Bayelsa, and he should hand her over to her parents,” he said.

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