Abraham disclosed that those deployed would maintain safety before, during and after this year’s Eid el-Fitr celebration in Gombe.

The Commandant’s announcement was contained in a press statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the command, DSC Buhari Sa’ad.

Abraham stressed that personnel would be deployed on major roads, patrol teams and surveillance squads to cover critical national assets, worship centres, recreation centres, marketplaces, motor parks, shopping centres and black spots across the state for adequate security of lives and properties.

The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Gombe State Command, Achir Abraham, on Thursday, announced the deployment of 780 personnel for robust security arrangements and crime prevention.

Abraham disclosed that those deployed would maintain safety before, during and after this year’s Eid el-Fitr celebration in Gombe.

The Commandant’s announcement was contained in a press statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the command, DSC Buhari Sa’ad.

Abraham stressed that personnel would be deployed on major roads, patrol teams and surveillance squads to cover critical national assets, worship centres, recreation centres, marketplaces, motor parks, shopping centres and black spots across the state for adequate security of lives and properties.

Briefing journalists at the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, the commissioner disclosed that out of 19 suspected cases in Gombe, no less than three persons have been confirmed to have monkeypox.

Dahiru, who doubles as the state incident manager revealed that the state opted for testing with Polymerase Chain Reaction, which is the World Health Organisation’s approved method in order to ascertain the actual position of patients.

According to him, no death has been recorded, stressing that recovery was between three to four weeks period.

The health commissioner said, “We have 19 cases in the state, samples were collected from all the suspected cases and three returned positive for monkeypox virus.

These cases presented with fever lasting for more than one week despite treatment for common causes of fever, they developed rashes on the face and other parts of their body which prompted the suspicion of monkeypox. Samples were taken and sent to the laboratory for testing and they returned positive for monkeypox virus.”

While declaring the outbreak of monkeypox, Dahiru noted that he had activated the Incident Management System with full responsibility for surveillance.

Members of the public are advised to imbibe good personal and environmental hygiene and to report suspected cases to the nearest health facility.

“Be rest assured that the government is doing all it can to protect its people from this and any other outbreak,” the commissioner said.

Speaking at Pantami Township Stadium during the passing-out ceremony of 2021 batch B Stream I, Gombe State Coordinator, Ada Imoni, stated that appropriate punishments have been meted out to the erring Corps members.

Imoni revealed that the disciplinary committee did not only dish out punishments to the 12 corps members based on established bye-laws but also appraised the Community Development Service performance of 13 others for their delivery.

Our correspondent reports that out of the 14 corps members honoured; nine clinched State Governor’s award, while five others for the State Coordinator’s award.

Imoni said, “Your Excellency sir, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, a total of 775 corps members are set to pass out today, out of which eight absconded and four got an extension of service for various offences committed.

“The Corps Disciplinary Committee reviewed Community Development projects executed by Corps members for commendation and honours award and also looked into disciplinary cases.

“The constitution of the committee is to compile a list of outstanding corps members for award and erring corps for discipline in accordance with the NYSC bye-laws.”

The State Coordinator urged the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to assent to the NYSC Trust Fund bill, adding that it would not only strengthen the scheme but would secure the future of ex-corps members.

“It is no longer news that the two Chambers of the National assembly; the Senate and House of Representatives have passed the bill for the accelerated public hearing and subsequent adoption of the NYSC Trust Fund Bill.

It is my fervent prayer that Mr President assents to the bill in order to strengthen the operations of the scheme. With the NYSC Trust Fund in place, the question of what next after service year shall be put to rest, as corps members will have start-up capital that will make them great entrepreneurs and employers of labour,” Imoni added.

On his part, Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, who was represented by his Deputy, Manassah Jatau, urged the 775 ex-corps members to prepare for the future, emphasising that self-reliance was the surest option.

Yahaya explained that with the current economic challenges, white-collar jobs are not backed with security.

The Governor said, “Become self-reliant instead of expecting a white-collar job that is non-existent. Knowing is not enough, teach others, as you pass out today. Let me beg you that your religion, culture, is not the universal law of nature, understanding other people’s nature can reduce conflicts.”

Hassan Ajoke, from Offa in Kwara State, who distinguished herself by training over 30 Bolari women in shoe making, confectioneries, and soap making, was crowned as the overall best, out of nine that clinched the State Governor’s award.

Ajoke, who was the first corps camp director during her orientation said, “I’m elated I thank God for this honour. It has not been easy, I was able to give back to a community that has given me so much over the year.

“In the last year, I have moved around and I have noticed a number of segregated, marginalised people in some households. I started by speaking to my Local Government Inspector, who asked that I go and present it to the Hakimi (local chief), he accepted it and selected about 30 women for me.”

She revealed she used mainly her savings, adding that the funds generated were not enough to complete her entire project.

Babaita made this disclosure on Friday, in a press statement obtained by our correspondent which was signed by Public Relations Officer Mahid Abubakar, stressing that the strike notice was meant to cause disaffection between the public and the force.

The CP urged members of the public to disregard the fake news and go about their lawful businesses without fear of harassment or molestation of any kind, admonishing officers to maintain high standard of discipline which he said is the bedrock of the force.

Babaita said, “The attention of Gombe State Police Command has been drawn to inciting news being spread across some sections of the media, particularly the social media platforms that some members of the force will be embarking on a strike action with effect from March 26, 2022.

“The purported strike is fake, deliberate and calculated attempt by some unpatriotic individuals to cause disaffection between Police and the Public.

I wish to implore the good people of Gombe State, to disregard this misinformation and to assure them that, officers and men of the Command are compassionate servants of the citizens and there is no iota of truth on Police embarking on strike.”

Babaita explained that the police under the current Inspector General of Police Usman Baba has taken the affairs of its staff seriously.

The unnamed student of Gombe Senior Secondary School, Gombe, was transported to his school laboratory in an ambulance from his isolation centre to enable him to write his Chemistry practical examination.

The Gombe State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre disclosed these via its Twitter handle, @GombePHEOC, on Tuesday.

InsideOjodu had reported that the centre had on Monday announced that the candidate who tested positive to the virus on Sunday wrote his first examination, Mathematics, from his isolation centre.

The message read, “COVID-19 cannot stop our positive student from writing the practical Chemistry today.

“We ensured that; he was transported under IPC to the Chemistry laboratory in his school.

“The invigilator was counselled and given Personal Protective Equipment and the laboratory was decontaminated afterwards.”

See Tweet below: 

COVID-19 can not stop our POSITIVE student from writing the practical chemistry today.We ensured that;He was transported under IPC to the chemistry laboratory in his school,The invigilator was counselled and given PEP and the laboratory was decontaminated afterwards.@Chikwe_I pic.twitter.com/5pddVL4NMe

— Gombe PHEOC (@GombePHEOC) August 18, 2020

The tweet attracted commendation from many Twitter users including the Director-General, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu.

Ihekweazu, who was one of those tagged, responded via his Twitter handle, @Chikwe_I.

He wrote, “Good work by our colleagues in #Gombe.

“There are many exceptional colleagues, quietly pushing to make or country work. #Thankyou #keeppushing.”