PAUL ORUDE, BAUCHI
The tension generated over massive deaths in Azare , Katagum Local
Government Area of Bauchi State amid coronavirus has taken a new
dimension as a coalition of Katagum youth organisations has threatened
to sue the Executive Chairman of the State Primary Health Care
Development Agency BSPHCDA, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, over claims
that illegal abortions were responsible.
In a press release made available to journalists in Bauchi, on Sunday,
a copy obtained by Daily Sun, secretary of the coalition, Mukhtar
Muhammad, demanded that Daily Trust immediately withdraws the story as
it portrays the community in bad light and tender an unreserved
apology.
“We read with great dismay a statement purportedly made by the
Executive Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development
Agency, published on page 28 of the Daily Trust newspaper of Saturday
30 May, 2020, where the chairman was quoted by the paper as saying
that the cause of the mysterious deaths in Azare community of Katagum
local government area in the northern part of Bauchi state is  due to
illegal abortions and unplanned pregnancies by both married and
unmarried women of childbearing ages who after becoming pregnant
visited quack health practitioners,” the release, said.
“This statement sounds ridiculous and has corroborated the accusations
of plan by Bauchi State government to lower the estimation of Katagum
zone to achieve their political and sentimental ambitions. We will not
accept this and we will respond through both legal and civil action,”
it added
“We demand Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, chairman of the agency to prove the
allegation, bring the medical personnel involved to justice or
withdraw and apologize over the statement. Otherwise, he will face
civil and legal action,” it concluded.
But a statement signed by the agency’s Information
Officer, Ibrahim Sani, claimed that the media was “reckless” and has
wrongly quoted the Executive Secretary during a round table media
parley discussion to underscore the importance of child spacing.
“Dr Mohammed was emphasing on the importance of child-birth spacing
which he said if properly applied would reduce the death of women by
200 per cent and avoid the risk of illegal abortions caused by
unqualified medical personnel at the expense of getting quick money,”
Sani said in a  release issued on Sunday.
“The Executive Chairman did not attack any community or mentioned any
part of the state as being prevalent in high cases of unwanted
pregnancy as the media (not Daily Sun” reported,” he said.
Dr Mohammed however did not apologise  but rather debunked the reports
and cautioned journalists to always cross-check their facts before
going to press, a stance that will likely not appease the Katagun
youth who are demanding an apology from him