The Lagos State Government has activated its Emergency Response Committee, following the outbreak of diphtheria in the boarding house of King’s College, Victoria Island Annexe. 

Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi has advised the public not to panic, adding that an Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) has been activated to contain the outbreak and prevent undue fatalities.
According to Abayomi, the index case, a 12-year-old boy, presented with a sore throat and fever to the health facilities of the school on February 22 and was promptly referred and admitted to the pediatric emergency ward of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) where he was administered appropriate antibiotics and a full dose of diphtheria and toxoid serum.

Said the Commissioner: “Despite the timely intervention, the boy succumbed to progressive and irreversible inflammation of the heart (myocarditis) on the 6th of March. Myocarditis is a severe and recognized complication of the bacterial infection caused by the toxin. At the time of his death, an Emergency Operation Committee had already been activated and 34 close contacts of the deceased student were already being closely observed for symptoms.

Of these, 14 have developed symptoms consistent with diphtheria. In response, the affected students were transported to the Children’s Emergency Unit at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where they were screened by health professionals.

“Of the 14 that were examined,12 were determined to have developed early signs of Diphtheria and were admitted to receive antibiotics and the Diphtheria Antitoxoid Serum. No further cases have developed so far, and all 14 symptomatic students are recovering”.

Abayomi noted that a preliminary inspection of King’s College Annexe by health officials uncovered areas where Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures need to be improved and that process will commence immediately.

The State Government, in collaboration with Federal health agencies, are set to launch a targeted vaccination campaign for all consented students of the school (both the annexe on Victoria Island and the Main School in Igbosere), inclusive of all healthcare providers, to strengthen immunity against the deadly infection. This may likely expand statewide.

To ensure widespread public awareness, information leaflets detailing diphtheria symptoms, prevention, and early treatment options are being disseminated across all healthcare facilities in Lagos. The state government is also preparing a public health announcement to sensitize Lagosians about the outbreak, warning them to watch out for symptoms, such as sore throat, fever, difficulty in breathing, and swollen neck glands.

President Bola Tinubu, addressing political leaders from the South-South on Tuesday in Abuja, emphasised the critical need for adherence to the rule of law in Rivers State to ensure lasting peace and prosperity.

During a meeting with representatives and leaders of the Niger Delta under the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), President Tinubu reiterated that respect for the judiciary is crucial in upholding democracy and fostering harmony.

The President advised the leaders to be more broadminded, selfless and focused on the larger vision of salvaging the region, politically and economically, by insisting that the judiciary’s interpretations of the Constitution be respected.

“I am here by the grace of God, appreciating your support, prayers and concern. I cannot complain. I campaigned for this position and begged for the job. I must do it with all my heart, whatever it takes.

Nigeria is a great country. To some cabinet members here, from outside looking in and inside looking out, we have been doing our best to give Nigeria a re-bounce, a reset and a recalibration of the economic fortune.

“Yes, Niger Delta is the goose that lays the golden egg. We must care for the goose; otherwise, we lose the golden egg. I got your signal and your concern, particularly on Rivers State. I have been on the issue for quite some time. I foresaw the crisis festering for too long before I intervened.

“We reached an agreement, written agreement, and both parties signed.”

The President said stakeholders must make sacrifices for the state to move forward by recognising the Constitution.

This is a nation governed by the rule of law. I should not be here as President without a rule of law. I have total confidence in our judiciary. We have expectations. Human beings can make errors. But once the court has spoken, that is it.

“Please go back home and help implement the court rulings within the shortest possible time. I am putting the ball in your court. Help! Privately and openly intervene and counsel the governor. Pursue the path of peace and stability,” he added.

President Tinubu told the delegation that his priority remains community development, particularly projects and programmes that positively impact citizens.

“Go back home and take charge of peace. If you need me, let me know. I have given the situation enough time and enough consideration. We cannot fall back, and we will not. The people of Rivers State will not suffer because of democracy. We worked together on it. They will not suffer. They must be protected,” President Tinubu said.

Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq inspected the multistorey prototype primary school in Adeta, Ilorin, at the weekend, calling it another step to upgrade public school infrastructure along with the huge investments in the quality of teaching in the schools.

The administration is committed to investing more in the education sector this fiscal year to bridge the gaps in school infrastructure and digital literacy, he told reporters on the sideline of the inspection at Adeta.

He said the government’s KwaraLEARN programme is a watershed for teachers and public school pupils in the state as it builds learning processes around technology and best practices.

We are going to focus heavily on education and healthcare this year. Those are the major challenges that we have to overcome. With what we have in the KwaraLEARN programme through which we put digital devices in every classroom, we are intentionally doing what we have to do to make sure we bridge some gaps,” the Governor said.

“We have seen significant changes. As a result of the progress that we have made, many parents are taking their wards from private establishments to government schools because they have seen the change. This has seen an increase in enrollment. We are also reducing out-of-school children.

This is a prototype of KwaraLEARN School. This is called a prototype in the sense that we have to rethink how we design and build our schools and learning environment. It is the way we want to build our schools. This is just the beginning.

“Parents are taking advantage of KwaraLEARN to enrol their children in public schools. By and large, we have seen an upturn in enrollment in our schools, and the learning outcomes are exceedingly very good. We are glad that we went into the KwaraLEARN programme and we are going to strengthen it

The Governor of Ondo State, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has reaffirmed his confidence in the judiciary following the Supreme Court’s dismissal of the appeal challenging his candidacy in the last gubernatorial election.

The apex court on Tuesday threw out the case of the PDP candidate, Agboola Ajayi, affirming that the emergence of the governor and his deputy, Dr Olayide Adelami, as the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was valid.

Reacting to the ruling, on his arrival in Akure from Abuja, Governor Aiyedatiwa stated that the verdict further proved that both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal were upholding the principles of justice and fairness.

“It shows that the Supreme Court and the Appeal Court are doing a good job in ensuring that democracy is upheld. The courts have consistently based their judgments on facts and the law, and this ruling is no different. From the analysis by the judiciary, it is clear that our party won the election convincingly, and this has now been reaffirmed at the highest level,” the Governor stated.

Responding to questions on recent security challenges in the State, the Governor emphasized that security remains a top priority for his administration, assuring residents that his government has been actively supporting security outfits to ensure peace and stability.

The protection of lives and property is the primary duty of any government, and that is what our administration is focused on. We have been working tirelessly with all security agencies to ensure that Ondo State remains safe for all residents,” he said.

Our administration has continued to invest in intelligence gathering, surveillance, and logistics to strengthen security in the state. We are working closely with security agencies to improve response times and ensure the safety of our communities.

“We recognize that security is a collective responsibility, and we are ensuring that all hands are on deck to keep Ondo State safe. Our government remains committed to ensuring peace and stability in every part of the state,” Aiyedatiwa added.

The Governor disclosed that plans are underway to procure necessary gadgets and equipment for the security agencies in the State to enhance their operations.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has called for the establishment of a Nigerian Air Force base to complement the security architecture of the state.

Abiodun also made a case for the establishment of a Nigerian Air Force school in the state to raise morally sound children for the nation.

The governor made the demands at a meeting with a delegation from the Chief of Air Staff, led by Air Vice Marshal Enebong Effiom, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Tuesday.

The governor, who acknowledged the importance of security in the socio-economic development of any nation, said that apart from ensuring that the state has the full complement of the Nigerian Armed Forces, the presence of the men and women of the Air Force would further strengthen the security of the state as the industrial capital of the country.

“I had the opportunity to meet with the Chief of Air Staff yesterday (Monday) at his office in Abuja, and we exchanged ideas on a lot of issues, particularly regarding the airport.

“I shared with the Chief of Air Staff that having an airport also provides us the opportunity to have the men and women of the Nigerian Air Force complement our security architecture, and that my desire is not just for us to have the Air Force at the airport, but to have an Air Force base here in Ogun State,” he said.

“We believe that considering the fact that we have the Nigerian Army in Abeokuta, the Police, and the Nigerian Navy School here, we also need the Nigerian Air Force.

“I also spoke to the Chief of Air Staff yesterday about going beyond a base and looking at how we can partner with you to have an Air Force school in Ogun State, and that is something we are very passionate about in Ogun State.

“Whatever it is that we can do to support that initiative, you can take it for granted, so that we also have the opportunity to encourage our citizens in the state to join the Nigerian Air Force.

“If we can begin to nurture these young ones and incubate them in the right atmosphere of learning, they will have a better understanding of what kind of career opportunities it can provide for them,” the governor noted.

Abiodun, who appreciated the Chief of Air Staff for sending a powerful delegation made up of very senior officers to meet with him, stated that his administration is ready to welcome the force in the state, as he is prepared to provide temporary offices and accommodation for the immediate takeoff of the base.

“I had offered one of our institutions, our model school that has not been put into use, to reduce the burden that comes with setting up a base for the Air Force.

In the meantime, I can authoritatively say that with the support of the Chief of Air Staff, we will have the Air Force presence at the airport almost immediately. We will build a suitable office for the Air Force at the airport, and we will provide accommodation for the personnel who will be providing the services required at the airport.

“All the support, I have assured the Chief of Air Staff, will go beyond complementing our law enforcement architecture; this will be one of our legacies,” Abiodun added.

The governor noted that his administration has provided land and other support to the Nigerian Navy to establish a base at Ogun Waterside, adding that the groundbreaking for the Naval base is expected to take place in a few weeks’ time.

While outlining some projects carried out by his administration to encourage more investors into the state, Governor Abiodun said that roads have been constructed to link up rail lines, while the airport is part of the state’s master plan on transportation.

• Today is Friday, March 7, 2025