The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi said the cholera death toll has risen to 24.

Abayomi disclosed this in a post on his Instagram handle on Friday.

He also has confirmed 35 cases out of the 417 suspected cases across 20 Local Government Areas in the state.

The Commissioner said the situation report as of June 19, 2024, indicated, “417 suspected cases, 35 confirmed cases, and 24 recorded deaths.”

He advised residents to ensure personal and environmental hygiene.

He advised, “Let’s adhere strictly to personal and environmental hygiene. Let’s stay safe #ForAGreaterLagos”

The cases were reported from Agege, Badagry, Ikeja, Mushin, Ajeromi-Ifelofun, Epe, Ikorodu, Ojo, Alimosho, and Eti-Osa.

Others were Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Amuwo-Odofin, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Shomolu, Apapa, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos mainland, and Surulere.

Cholera is a food and water-borne disease caused by ingesting the bacteria— Vibrio cholerae — in contaminated water and food. Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea, and the severe forms of the disease can kill within hours if left untreated.

In Nigeria, cholera is an endemic and seasonal disease, occurring annually mostly during the rainy season and more frequently in areas with poor sanitation.

The World Health Organisation on Thursday announced a spike in cholera in several regions of the world, with almost 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths reported in 24 countries since the start of 2024.

WHO said the Eastern Mediterranean Region reported the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the Southeast Asia Region, and the European Region.

The global health body, however, noted that there are no reported cases in the Western Region, according to its bulletin released on Wednesday.

It said it exhausted its global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccines by March but was able to exceed “the emergency target of five million doses in early June for the first time in 2024.”

The Punch

A Federal High Court in Kano has set aside the procedures taken by the Kano State government to repeal the Kano Emirate Council Repeal Law 2024.

The law, recently passed by the Kano State House of Assembly on May 23, was immediately signed into law by Governor Abba Yusuf and was used to dethrone Emir Aminu Ado Bayero and reappoint Muhammadu Sanusi II as the 16th Emir of Kano.

Also, it was used to reverse the creation of four emirates—Bichi, Rano, Karaye, and Gaya, established by the former governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, in 2020.

However, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba, Aminu Danagundi, who was represented by Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), challenged the legality of the new law and asked the court to declare the law null and void.

After hearing the motion last Friday, the presiding judge, Justice Abdullahi Liman, adjourned the ruling till this Thursday.

Counsel to the State House of Assembly and its Speaker, Eyitayo Fatogun (SAN), informed the court of a notice of appeal filed at the Court of Appeal, seeking a stay proceedings.

However, Justice Liman noted that there was no evidence that the appeal had been entered nor any formal application for a stay filed.

In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Liman set aside the action of the Kano government, ordering parties to maintain the status quo.

The judge held that the defendants were aware of the interim order granted by the court but chose to ignore it and went ahead with the implementation of the law.

Justice Liman, therefore, ruled that he would assume his coercive powers to enforce compliance with his order.

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja Federal High Court has denied suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, bail.

In his ruling, the judge held that Kyari’s bail is at the discretion of the court in line with section 161 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

The judge ruled that Kyari had not shown any evidence to warrant the court granting him bail.

On May 22, the judge had granted the former boss of the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, temporary two-week bail to bury his mother.

However, the two weeks were extended by a week upon an application filed by Mr. Kyari for an extension of the bail.

On June 1, Kyari perfected the bail conditions and was released the same day.

At today’s proceedings, Justice Emeka Nwite refused to extend his earlier order but granted accelerated hearing in the case.

Kyari was detained following his arrest on February 14, 2022, by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for alleged involvement with an international drug cartel.

He, along with four members of the Police Intelligence Response Team—Sunday Ubia, Bawa James, Simon Agirigba, and John Nuhu—was arraigned on March 7, 2022.

Two suspected drug traffickers, Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne, who were arrested at Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, were also charged.

While Kyari and the IRT members pleaded not guilty, Umeibe and Ezenwanne pleaded guilty and were convicted.