Monkey Pox: Obiano clashes with Nigerian Army

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Monkey Pox: Obiano clashes with Nigerian Army

----stops Army Medical mission
----Army insists on medical mission
----Stampede, confusion in Anambra

From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Awka Confusion, stamped trailed the medical mission
Against the directive to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army by Governor Willie Obiano to stop forthwith it's medical mission in Ozubulu and environs, Anambra state because the state was put in the dark by the purported immunisation, the Nigerian Army has said it is continuing the exercise.
Commisioner for Education, Prof Kate Omenugha decried that the Nigerian Army did not inform the state about the medical mission hence the suspicious alarm and panic but said no child died in Anambra.
Omenugha informed further that the medical mission was not meant for children but adults and confirmed Health commissioner has been drafted to the area.
The Authority reports that Public and Private schools in Anambra were shut abruptly about Noon when news broke that some military men were forcing school children to take Monkey pox immunisation and about 10 have dropped dead. 

Nobody knew how the rumour came about but it spread like wild fire.
Hundreds of thousands of parents rushed to the schools to withdrew their children.
At some schools like Steve John of God,  the parents scaled the fence to go home with their wards but were shut out as school activities continued. 

In a Public statement entitled :"EXERCISE EGWU EKE 11: FREE MEDICAL OUTREACH NOT HARMFUL TO ANYONE" signed by Sagir  Musa, Director Public Relations 82 Division Nigerian Army,  the Army states: 

"The attention of the 82 Division Nigerian Army(NA), has bèen drawn to a silly and mischievous publication now trending on the social media alleging that the ongoing free medical services giving to some communities in the South Eastern Region of Nigeria is with a sinister motive of depopulating the region through the so called "monkey pox vaccination" purportedly being conducted by the NA in the region.
"The Division wishes to make it clear that the free medical outreach is not a vaccine intended to infect monkey pox or any major contemporary or emerging diseases in Nigeria to the people of South East or any part of the country.

" The exercise is part of the corporate social responsibility initiatives imbued in to the overall Exercise EGWU EKE 11 package, to the people of the South Eastern Region which is the Area of Responsibility of the 82 Division NA and is also the theatre of the Exercise. 

"Instructively, the free medical services in the region started on the 18th of September 2017 in Nkwaagu community of Abakaliki Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi State.  At the event, the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, the Chairman of the LGA and some traditional rulers of the benefiting community were there at the flagg off of the exercise by the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General TY Buratai.
"Other areas where the programme was conducted were Ovim in Isoukwato LGA of Abia State, Mbaise in Imo State, ORJI River in Enugu and now Ozubulo in Anambra State.
"In all the mentioned areas, there has not been any recorded incident or complain of any kind arising from the noble humanitarian gesture of the NA. 

"Hence, the wicked, ill  motivated rumour/ lies is the handiwork of unpatriotic elements who can go to any length to discredit the noble services of the NA in the region, which at the moment they will not succeed.
"The 82 Division NA also wishes to thank all the good people of Ozubulo in Ekwusigo LGA including  the chairman Engineer Ofademe Ikenna and the Honourable Commissioner for Health Anambra State Dr Akabuike who turned out enmass to grace/ benefit from the Exercise. Also our appreciation to the Anambra State National Coordinator of Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme Dr Okafor for gracing the occasion and commended the exercise.

"The publics are hereby please requested to disregard the wicked rumour for the good of the people.
Obiano in his statement through the Secretary to the state Government, Prof Solo Chukwulobelu states" the attention of the State Government has been drawn to an on going medical outreach being undertaken by the Army in Ozubulu, Ekwusigo Local Government Area.
"The State has been made to understand that the exercise is part of Army social responsibility to members of the public.

However, strong apprehension among the populace has followed the exercise leading to withdrawal of students from schools by parents, misconception of the actual motive behind the exercise by stakeholders, community leaders and a general reservation by the public for whom the outreach is intended.
To this end and to ensure no further escalation of the situation, His Excellency the Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has contacted the Army Authories and advised for immediate stoppage of the medical outreach until wide sensitization is conducted to reassure people of its intentions and benefits. The exercise has therefore been put on hold.

Parents and guardians are strongly advised to stop withdrawing their wards from schools as the situation has been handled. All schools within the State will remain open as there is no cause for alarm! Community leaders, Presidents General and all Stakeholders are hereby reassured of the commitment of the Governor and the State Government to the wellbeing  of Ndi Anambra. The State Government also strongly condemns observed rhetorics on social media completely misrepresenting the situation with insinuations of spread of diseases and death of students in schools arising from the exercise. "The State categorically refutes these rhetorics and confirms that there is no death of any student anywhere in the State. Mischief makers are warned to desist from spreading falsehood. Anambra remains calm and peaceful!
Then the Nigerian Police reaction in a statement from its Public Relations Officer,  Nkiruka Nwode, ASP states: Following the rumor being spread by some misguided elements that some persons on soldier uniform invaded schools in Anambra injecting monkey pox to scholars.

"The Anambra State Police Command  wishes to inform the general Public and Ndi-Anambra that the rumour/false story being spread is falsehood. It is pertinent to note that it is a routine medical outreach by the military. 

It is difficult to understand what the people who spread such false story will gain in this evil story which is aimed at truncating the peace of Ndi-Anambra and education of the children.
"However, the Command wishes to assure the general public and Ndi-Anambra of their safety at all times and to disregard such story, debunk it as hard as they could" statement concludes.

Monkey Pox: Obiano clashes with Nigerian Army Monkey Pox: Obiano clashes with Nigerian Army Reviewed by RowlandGate on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 Rating: 5

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