The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Maryam Yalwaji Katagum, on Monday collapsed while on an official engagement in Bauchi.
The Minister who was in Bauchi to launch an empowerment programme at one of the shopping plazas in Bauchi suddenly slumped as she tried to deliver her speech at the ceremony and was immediately evacuated by officials to the Trauma centre of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) for immediate medical attention.
THISDAY gathered that the Minister who had been in Bauchi since Saturday featured in a live program on Globe FM radio on Sunday and had other personal engagements which must have exhausted her before the official program on Monday.
An eyewitness account revealed that since she arrived the venue of the ceremony, the Minister had looked withdrawn, touching her head occasionally as the programme was going on with the Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela in attendance.
Another eyewitness said that the Minister slumped as she stood up to deliver her address and launch the program. She was said to have held her head and went down flat. Aides and other officials at the venue acted promptly and rushed her to the hospital.
As of the time of filing this report, Katagum was at the trauma center of the ATBUTH where she was receiving medical attention with the Deputy Governor, Sen Baba Tela monitoring the situation.
During a visit to the Trauma Center of ATBUTH, officials of the Ministry as well as those of the State Government were seen monitoring the situation as one of them told our Correspondent that the Minister was indeed rushed to the hospital but declined further comments.
None of the medical personnel approached was ready to confirm the condition of the Minister apart from the fact that she was brought to the hospital and given adequate medical attention.
A top government official said that as soon as the situation was stabilized, the Minister will be flown to Abuja for further medical attention.