• ‘There’s nothing wrong with him’
By Adetutu Folasade-Koyi and James Ojo, Abuja
The family of former presidential aide, Dr Waripamowei Dudafa, who is currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised the alarm that his health is failing.
Mr. Thomas Akpoebi, who spoke on behalf of the family, said Dudafa needs medical help which is being denied him in custody.
In a swift reaction, yesterday, the EFCC dismissed the insinuation and insisted that detainees have access to quality medical care.
Besides, EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren told Daily Sun yesterday that the commission will not be distracted by false alarms.
“The commission will not be distracted by any false alarm regarding the health condition of any suspect as all suspects in the custody of the EFCC have access to the best medical care.
“All inmates also have access to their lawyers and family members at the designated visiting hours. The quality of care in EFCC holding facility is the reason why accused persons regularly plead in court, to be remanded in EFCC custody,” he said.
Regardless, the family insisted that the anti-graft agency had denied Dudafa access to proper medical attention.
The family raised the alarm six days after it was published that the former presidential aide had been released.
Akpoebi alleged in a statement issued yesterday that Dudafa’s health began to deteriorate about two weeks ago just as he debunked a national daily’s report that EFCC had released Dudafa. “We, members of the Dudafa family, are frightened at the level of deliberate neglect and abandonment (Dr Waripamowei) Dudafa has been subjected in the EFCC custody since his incarceration about 50 days ago.
“This is the first time we are constrained to say something to the world since the arrest and detention of our brother and this is deliberate in order for the law to take its full circle despite the media trial that has been orchestrated.
“We are particularly disturbed that the EFCC told a national daily on Wednesday last week that Dudafa had been released. This is far from the truth and an attempt to mislead the public in order to endanger our brother’s life in their custody. This is a despotic way of fighting corruption. “In the last 12 days, Dudafa has suffered series of health issues that require medical attention. He has been managing a spinal cord challenge which has relapsed significantly in the last three days. He has had incessant cough and cold with visible signs of malaria and has lost appetite completely.
“This is worrisome and life threatening because, no member of his family has since been allowed to bring in drugs let alone bring in his personal physician to carry out necessary checks on him.
“His efforts to even reach family members to bring in his prescribed drugs have been frustrated by the EFCC as his mobile lines are all seized.
This is just unfortunate, Akpoebi rounded off.
Dudafa was reportedly arrested on April 18 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Boko Haram: Over 334 North East households in danger – OXFAM
From Theresa Egba, Abuja
An international organisation, OXFAM, has disclosed that over 334, 608,000 households of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), are in danger of epidemic in the North-East region of the country, following the devastation caused by Boko Haram attacks.
The Humanitarian Manager, OXFAM Nigeria, Olayinka Fagbemi, who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja, on the assessment report on Livelihoods and Economic Recovery Assessment 2016, called on government and development partners to move fast and save the situation.
The assessment report by OXFAM was done on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The report covered four states, which include Adamawa, Borno, Gombe and Yobe, and also indicated a ravaged situation of IDPs, and returnees.
Fagbemi said: “The objective of the assessment was to gain systematic and representative information of the economic situation of the local population, of returnees and IDPs settled with host communities and to present a comparative analysis between the affected population in Adamawa, Borno, Gombe and Yobe states.“In these states, 334, 608,000 households were covered with eight supervisors, three focal persons and 28 enumerators on the field. Water and sanitation are critical for reconstruction in the states because these factors affect the IDPs, and also there could be disease outbreak in these IDPs camps. “Prevalence of excreta in the immediate environment is usually a result of open defecation, which most often indicates unavailability/inadequacy of sanitation facilities or hygiene habits of the population. 55 per cent of households do not have these facilities.
“The majority of households in the assessed local government areas are in dire need of improved sources of drinking water. Individuals with high chronic illnesses, such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, liver cirrhosis, HIV, tuberculosis, were present in 23 per cent of the households assessed. In general, Nafada with 49 per cent has the highest case of open defecation by children followed by Potiskum with 31 per cent, and Fika 30 per cent, while Konduga six per cent and Maiha 21 per cent have the lowest,” he stated.
According to him key findings in the assessment show that 61 per cent of households are without water, while 55 per cent of households do not have access to sanitation devices.
He also expressed optimism that the essence of the assessment report will spur action by contributing to build the resilience of affected people and communities to overcome the negative consequences of the crisis and maintain a decent standard of living.
Some of the recommendations made in the assessment report to improve the life of IDPs include increased level of food security and food self-reliance, sustained and improved access to basic and community infrastructure, the creation and stabilisation of livelihoods and economic opportunities for socio-economic recovery, and the promotion of social cohesion and local participation to strengthen community resilience and mitigate the effects of the protracted crisis.