Nigeria Content Online

Police, civil
defence agents yesterday watched helplessly as irate mobs protested the
federal government purported confirmation of the acting Chief Medical
Director (CMD), Giyan Joshua Ndom, a medical doctor, as the head of the
Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

The protests, which
was the second in a month, consisting of various interest groups among
who were Islamic religious groups, invaded the streets of Keffi to
stage a protest against the consideration of Mr. Ndom as CMD.

Although during the
first protest on October 27, a truck loaded with armed policemen
cordoned off the premises against the protesters, yesterday’s peaceful
demonstration could not be prevented by the armed policemen who were
stationed there.

The groups
protesting the purported confirmation of Mr. Ndom are: Keffi Concerned
Group (KCG), Keffi Development Foundation (KDF), Jama’atul Izalatul
Bid’awa Ikamatul Sunnah (JIBWIS), which respective leaderships led the
peaceful demonstration that lasted from 9am to about 12noon. Leading
other interested groups including artisans and commercial motorcycles
who bore leaves and placards carrying anti-Ndom inscriptions, the
leaders, Abdullahi Modibbo and Aliyu Bawa, led the protesters through
the major streets of Keffi,

to the premises of the FMC, where some management staff met them to listen to their demands.

Indigenous claim

The protesters said
they do not want an indigene of Plateau State as CMD, alleging that
Governor Jonah Jang has forced many non-indigenes in his state out of
federal appointments.

But they said the
federal government could appoint any person from any state, including
Christians, but not a Plateau man.They also accused Mr. Ndom of
corruption.

But Mr. Ndom said
he was not corrupt, just as he said it was not his fault that he
emerged the best in the screening exercise for the job.

The board has been having difficulties confirming his appointment,
however, for months now because of widespread protests which his likely
emergence is generating in Keffi. Police spokesman in the state,
Richard Jinadu, did not pick his calls for comment, neither did he
respond to a text message sent to his phone.