​COVID-19: Zakzaky’s wife asks court to vacate order releasing her for treatment, claims ‘good health’

Counsels to the wife of Sheikh Ibrahim Yakubu El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), have urged the Kaduna State High Court to vacate the order it earlier made directing the Nigeria Correctional Service to release her for COVID-19 treatment.

The court, therefore, revoked the order after an oral application was made by H.G. Magashi from the chambers of Falana who told the court that Zeenah has regained her health.

According to Justice Gideon Kurada, “upon an oral application moved by H.G. Magashi, Esq. holding the brief of Femi Falana SAN, counsel for the 1 defendant and of Edwin Inegedu, Esq. of counsel for the 2nd defendant applying for an order vacating an earlier order made on 26th January 2021 for 2nd defendant to be taken to a government hospital for treatment.”

“The situation has changed as the 2nd defendant regained her good health and the unfettered access to medical facilities granted her by the correctional services centre, Kaduna. It is hereby ordered that the application is granted and the order of court made on 26 January 2021 is hereby vacated,” he said.

Recall that on 26th January, Justice Kurada, ordered Mrs Zakzaky to be released when her counsel, Femi Falana, presented a medical report and asked the court to allow her access medical treatment for COVID-19 out of detention in accordance to NCDC protocol.

​Again, Presidency alerts Nigerians on smear campaign plot against Buhari

The Presidency has alerted the nation of another orchestrated smear campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari, using some online newspapers and blogs.

Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s spokesman, who raised the alert in a statement in Abuja on Friday, said the campaign was designed to further exacerbate tension in the land, by portraying the president as pandering to ethnic and other primordial tendencies.

According to him, this narrative is contrary to Buhari’s pledge to belong to all Nigerians.

The statement read in part: “The campaign, scheduled to be launched anytime soon through editorials and purported special investigative stories, is designed to further exacerbate tension in the land, by portraying the President as pandering to ethnic and other primordial tendencies, contrary to his pledge to belong to all Nigerians.

“Impeccable security findings indicate that those behind the plot have procured online blogs and newspapers, which are to launch coordinated publications, alleging subjugation and suppression of a particular religion and ethnic groups.

“A specific medium has so far contacted some opinion leaders, especially those very critical of President Buhari.

“Part of the planned publication is to make unwary readers believe that the President has continually used the powers of his office to shield and protect an ethnic group against crimes of murder, kidnappings, rape and banditry in the southern, middle belt and some northern states.

“The publication will also refer Nigerians to a 58-page document, which chronicles purported atrocities of the ethnic group in the South since 2017, all of which it claims the Presidency has turned blind eyes to.

“Again, the hatchet job will allege that the President has continued to place members of his ethnic nationality in sensitive positions, so as to confer undue advantage on them. This allegation is by no means supported with reasonable facts and figures.’’

Buhari had on Thursday while meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, restated his even-handedness on the issues of ethnicity and religion.

The president said: “The Federal Government under my leadership does not, and will not, allow religious prejudice or partisanship to influence any of its decisions and policies.

“It is my solemn decision to be fair and just to all segments of society.”

Adesina, however, maintained that those who were bent on stoking ethnic and religious unrest in the country had remained deaf to reason, and impervious to reality.

“They are hell-bent on distorting reality, and Nigerians are urged to be wary of them. It is all about the quest for power, and filthy lucre,’’ he added.

​FG constructs 43 roads in tertiary institutions — Fashola

Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Works and Housing, says Federal Government has embarked on construction of 43 roads in different tertiary institutions across the country.

Fashola disclosed this during the inauguration of two kilometer road at Federal University Dutsinma, Katsina state on Thursday.

The minister who was represented by the Federal Controller, Works and Housing, Katsina State, Mr Babagoni Tahir, said that 29 of the road projects had already been completed.

He noted that the projects were interventions to ease transportation and improve infrastructure in the institutions.

” The infrastructure needs is steadily being abridged by a gradual processes of repairs, renewal and construction on major highways and that has reached the schools,” he said.

He revealed that the road projects would assist to enhance the quality of education to be impacted to the students in those institutions of higher learning.

” The feedback from students in the schools where the intervention were provided are fruitful and encouraging,” he said.

The minister said that the government would continue to provide such interventions in its tertiary institutions for the development of education sector.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Armayau Bichi, commended the ministry for choosing it among the beneficiaries of the project.

Bichi further called on the ministry to construct another 10 kilometre road at the university main campus to enhance teaching and learning.