News
Seven journalist perish in another auto crash after Anthony Joshua’s tragedy!
It was another sad tale of fatal car crash on Monday, a day Nigeria almost lost Anthony Joshua – British-born former World Heavyweight boxing champion, with reports emerging that the cold hand of death claimed seven journalists in similar circumstances, just hours apart.
Monday’s auto crash, said to have occurred along the Yola–Kumo road, after Billiri axis in Gombe state, reportedly claimed the lives of some staff members of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Gombe, who were returning from the wedding ceremony of a colleague held in the Billiri LGA of the state.
Channels Television, which quoted preliminary reports as attributing the accident to a burst tyre on the bus conveying the victims those who lost their lives to include Zarah Umar, Manager, News and Senior Special Assistant to the governor in the office of the first lady; Manu Haruna Kwami, manager administration, NTA; Isa Lawan, film editor, NTA; and Musa Tabra, a retired manager news.
Others are Aminu Adamu, senior driver; Adams Danladi of StarTimes; and Judith Kutus, information officer with the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
Mohammed Saddam, a member of the rescue team of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in the state, said in a statement that four persons sustained injuries in the accident.
“The victims were taken to Amana Clinic and General Hospital, Billiri, respectively, and later on, both the injured victims and the dead bodies were all conveyed to the specialist hospital, Gombe, on referral,” the statement reads.
Inuwa Yahaya, Governor of the state, while conveying his condolences through Ismaila Misilli, his spokesman, said he received the news of the fatal crash with “overwhelming grief, shock, and deep emotional pain,” adding that the victims were dedicated media professionals.
His words: “This tragedy is deeply painful. We have lost colleagues, partners in progress, and devoted public servants who served with passion and a strong sense of duty. Their absence will be felt for a long time.”
Alhassan Yahya, National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists, who also sent his condolences, described the incident as “a devastating blow to the journalism community, not only in Gombe state but across Nigeria,” adding that the the deceased were committed practitioners who served the public with courage, integrity, and professionalism, noting that “their loss has left an irreplaceable void in our noble profession.”
He added: “On behalf of the National Executive Council (NEC), the entire NUJ family nationwide, and the Nigerian media community, the Union extends its heartfelt condolences to the Gombe State Council of the NUJ and the families, friends, and colleagues of the deceased.
“The NUJ shares in this moment of grief and stands in full solidarity with the bereaved families and the Gombe State media family. We pray that Almighty God grants eternal rest to the souls of the departed and gives their loved ones the fortitude to bear the painful loss.”
Linking the incident to poor infrastructure in the country, Yahya said the incident again underscored the urgent need for improved road safety measures and responsible driving to prevent avoidable loss of lives, especially for professionals, often on the road in the line of duty.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, announced the approval of the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion as emergency intervention funding.
Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, who conveyed the development to the public, said the fund would strengthen the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical national public health emergency response activities.
To be chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, the committee with membership drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and state representatives is also expected to get briefings on their plans to contain the disease.
Onanuga, stated that Tinubu also specifically directed all states hosting international airports and international border corridors, as well as relevant MDAs, to submit their plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for consideration and coordinated implementation.
Stating that the President’s move followed a stakeholder meeting convened under the CoS to review Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies against the possible importation of Ebola into the country., the statement informed that the Task Force would also intensify passenger screening at all international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols.
Other measures would also include enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk airline routes, including Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines; and the immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at the Lagos and Abuja international airports, with other airports to follow.
Other measures include the mandatory activation of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as the disinfection of departure halls, cargoes, baggage areas and airport facilities as precautionary environmental measures.
The President also directed the advisory group to consult with security, diplomatic and aviation bodies on regulating flights from affected and designated high-risk countries and mandated the task force to designate specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to enable controlled screening and isolation procedures, and to consider adjusting flight schedules to minimise interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
Justice Akintoye Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Tuesday ordered the remand of Paul Jibrin Oweleke in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged cybercrime offences linked to social media broadcasts that allegedly called for overthrow of President Bola Tinubu.
Specifically, Oweleke, in a two-count charge was accused of publishing posts on his online platform known as “Oweleke TV”, urging the Nigerian military to remove the President from office in a manner similar to takeovers in some West African countries, an act the agency said bordered on incitement and the use of a computer system to disseminate content considered prejudicial to national security and constitutional governance.
Oweleke’s broadcasts, the agency stressed, were capable of inciting public disorder and promoting disaffection against the government, which will undermine the country’s democracy.
Legal argument had ensued immediately after Oweleke, pleaded not guilty to the charges, with his lawyer kicking vehemently against the prayer of the agency that the court should order his remand pending the commencement of trial, on the ground that a bail application had already been filed and served on the prosecution.
But Aluko, who was persuaded to grant the prayer, went with the DSS, while adjourning the matter to June 16 for the hearing of the bail application, stating that Oweleke, would remain in the facility of the agency pending the outcome.
By June 29 all medical doctors in public hospitals in Nigeria will drop their stethoscopes and other instruments of healthcare, unless the Federal Government settles all unpaid allowances, salary arrears, delayed training funds, and worsening welfare concerns of its members across the country’s health sector.
This was the notice served to the government on Monday, through The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the umbrella under which the doctors operate, after rising from Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) held in Kano.
In the 21-day ultimatum to the government, the doctors warned that it would not be able to guarantee industrial harmony if the issues remain unresolved within the 21-day period.
In the resolution conveying their position, signed by Mohammad Suleiman, President, Shuaibu Ibrahim, Secretary-General, and Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, Publicity and Social Secretary, on Friday, the body regretted that government had failed to fulfil several commitments to doctors despite repeated assurances and engagements.
“The association hereby declares an industrial dispute with the federal government of Nigeria on the outlined matters above and cannot guarantee industrial harmony after the 21-day window period given to address all the demands,” the communique reads.
The association said it is giving the federal government the 21-day window to commence concrete actions towards the development and implementation of a national healthcare workers assault prevention and response protocol
and the initiation of the necessary legislative process to address the menace.
NARD also demanded the release and payment of the 2026 medical residency training fund (MRTF) to all eligible resident doctors nationwide within the next 21 days.
The association questioned the unpaid salary and promotion arrears in several federal and state health institutions, as well as discrepancies in professional allowances reflected in members’ May 2026 salaries.
It highlighted the welfare issues affecting house officers, including salary delays, unpaid arrears, and difficulties with internship placement and onboarding processes that remain unresolved.
It also accused Motunrayo Omidiran, executive chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), of delaying the issuance of letters of compliance to federal health institutions, noting that the delay has hampered recruitment efforts, manpower shortages, and brain drain in the sector.
NARD expressed worries about the increasing assaults, harassment, intimidation, and violent attacks against doctors while on duty, demanding the arrests, investigation, and prosecution of perpetrators.
It called for the establishment of a national healthcare workers’ assault prevention and response protocol within 21 days by the federal government and security agencies.
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