Category: SouthEast

In Aba, Abia State, a family’s agony over the killing of their 26-year-old undergraduate son is deepened by an alleged demand of N300,000 by police for his autopsy. SUNNY NWANKWO reports

The family gave everything to pay for their son’s university education, but on April 16 everything came crashing down. That day Chidera, a 26-year-old Mechanical Engineering student of University of Port Harcourt, answered a phone call in his parents’ house in Aba, Abia State’s commercial capital. He left the house to meet the caller. He never returned. His parents Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Opara have been in agony.

Chidera was stabbed to death by a young man described as not only a friend but also someone with whom he grew up in the same neighbourhood.

To the Oparas, it was a more than a sledgehammer blow. Chidera’s father, Isaac, has been weakened by years of sickness. His mother too is in poor health. The killing has torn the family apart.

But there is more horror. The police in the state is demanding N300,000 from the family for an autopsy, Mr Opara alleged.

The family neither has that amount of money nor is it willing to pay it if it were available because Opara argues that no amount of money will bring back Chidera. He told The Nation that all he is asking is for his son’s corpse to be released to him from the morgue so it can be buried.

The Oparas hail from Akabo in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State but live in Aba.

Six years ago, Chidera got admission to study Computer Science at Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUAU), Umudike. He was not excited because he wanted to study Mechanical Engineering. He later got another admission to University of Port Harcourt to pursue the course of his dream. On the verge of graduation, Chidera was killed.

Chidera’s killer is said to be held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Umuahia, the state capital.

The police at the SCID, Umuahia are allegedly demanding that Chidera’s family foot the bill for investigation logistics and his autopsy. The family, while speaking with newsmen in Aba, said that they were yet to overcome the trauma of Chidera’s death.

The father of the deceased who defied his bad health condition for over three years to speak on the death of his son, battled with his emotions as he spoke.

Pa Opara was not alone, as he disclosed that his wife is also battling with her failing health which has cost the family a fortune.

According to the family patriarch who claimed that police personnel at the SCID in Umuahia were demanding N300,000 for autopsy on the deceased and to also provide transport logistics to and fro Aba to come and investigate the matter.

But the family members of the deceased are only asking the police to release the body of their son for them to bury him as they are not ready for court case because of the financial involvement which they would rather prefer using to treat their ailing father and mother.

“I cannot say that I actually knew what happened. It was on a Monday, April 16 around 7am, my son woke up and was about to go outside. The mother called him but he told the mum that someone called him and that he will soon be back, that he wants to go answer someone that called him on the phone.

“We were still in bed when someone came to our house to tell us that some people were fighting. The person said that we should come and see that our son was fighting near our house.

“I have been down with stroke and the mum was equally down. We couldn’t rush out immediately because of our condition and by the time I got to the scene, the body of our son was lying in a pool of his blood.

“People who had gathered at the scene took my son’s corpse to a nearby hospital but they rejected him and by the time he was taken to the Abia State Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), the doctor told them that my son died about one hour ago.

“The case was transferred from Uratta Police Station to the State CID because the suspect, Chimezie Nwankpa had handed himself over to the police after stabbing my son with a sharp object believed to be a knife.

“When we got to Umuahia, they said that we should pay N300,000 for autopsy and also provide them with the vehicle that they will use to come to Aba for investigation. I told them that I don’t have that kind of money. Why do we need to pay for autopsy when we were not the people that killed our son? Is there any need for it in the first place after the suspect admitted that he was the one that stabbed Chidera my son?

“What we are saying is that they should release the mortuary tally for us to enable us to go and take him for burial. We are not ready to go to court with anyone. We don’t have the money for the autopsy and to charter a bus for police to come to Aba to do their work.

“For the past three years that I have been in this condition, it has been difficult for the family to feed. The earlier we bury that boy, the easier we come out of the shock and overcome the trauma and tragedy of his loss. We have spent enough money training him in the last six years in the university and now that this one has happened, we just want to bury him.

“My concern is that since I don’t have the money to go on with trouble, they should release the body of my son for burial and if they want to continue with their investigation, they can go ahead, but keeping the body of my child and delaying the burial is what I don’t like. My son has died and he is not going to come back.

“Seven years in the university is enough stress and now that he is no more, let them release his body to the family for burial. I can no longer take their insults and abusiveness.

“They said that the corpse is now police case; that they will do investigation and go to the mortuary to conduct autopsy. What has happened has happened. There is nothing that we can do to bring back my dead son,” the deceased father narrated.

Did the police ask Chidera’s family to pay N300,000 for autopsy and other costs?

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna (DSP) said “the conduct of autopsy is very vital for the prosecution. The bereaved has the right to provide a pathologist. However, give the father of the deceased my number to call, pls.”

The Anambra State government has honoured persons and organisations focused on scaling back the ravages of malaria, the world’s worst scourge, NWANOSIKE ONU reports

It may be little of build, but it is beyond doubt that the winged, leggy anopheles mosquito is something to fear. The bloodthirsty creature is the biggest killer in the world, taking out far more people than HIV/AIDS or even terrorists.

That was why the Anambra Government honoured 22 persons and partner organisations for their contribution in battling the scoutge in the state.

The awards were presented to them in Awka, by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Akabuike.

He said government was concerned about the deaths caused by malaria, especially among pregnant women and children below the age of five.

The award ceremony was part of activities to end this year’s World Anti-Malaria Day in the state.

The awards were presented in different categories including Anti-Malaria Ambassadors; Health Excellence Award; Community Health Philantropist; Excellent Service Award and Plaque of Particpation.

According to him, “The goal is to reduce malaria burden to pre-elimination levels and bring malaria related mortality to zero.

“Recent increases in resources, political will and commitment have led to discussions and partnerships which promises the possibility of malaria elimination and ultimate eradication,” Akabuike said.

He said the state government launched the Special Malaria Intervention Project to reduce the scourge of the disease.

Akabuike added that Governor Willie Obiano’s administration’s programmes to improve health of the people had resulted in the renovation and construction of healthcare centres across the state.

“We have upgraded 16 this year and transformed a total of 120 since inception of this administration. Plans are on to make Onitsha General Hospital a Specialist Hospital,” he said.

He, therefore, commended the awardees for their donations and free services, while urging them to sustain the partnership and support to the administration.

The event was organised in partnership with Queen Cynthia Azubuogu Foundation and the Anambra Transformation Ambassadors (ATA).

Speaking, Miss Cynthia Azubuogu of Queen Cynthia Azubuogu Foundation commended the partners for committing their resources and services towards eliminating the disease.

“The three year-old Foundation has focused more on eliminating malaria scourge in the state, but malaria is not a scourge for a few people to fight. All hands must be on deck to win the battle against the disease,” she said.

Speaking on behalf of the awardees, Mr Ebuka Okafor, who bagged Health Excellence Award, said the honour would spur them to do more.

“Malaria is a deadly disease that requires the collaboration of all. We must sustain the support and services and create more awareness to demonstrate how committed we are to touching lives of people in the state and across Nigeria,” he said.

Okafor, who is the Managing Director of Ebuka Okafor Foundation, said his foundation had so far supported over 5,000 widows, pregnant women and youths over the years and pledged to sustain the effort.

In a remark, the traditional ruler of Umueri, Igwe Ben Emeka, commended the ministry and partner organisations for recognising the people.

Emeka, who also bagged a similar award in 2017, urged other well-meaning individuals and organisations in the state to support government’s efforts in the health sector.

Other awardees included Mr Daniel Chukwudozie of Dozzy Group, Prof. Joseph Ikechebele of Life International Hospital and Chief Chukwuma Obiora of Greenlife, among others.

A football match, distribution of treated mosquito nets and malaria drugs in major markets across the state were earlier carried out as part of activities to mark the event.

Peace Mass Transit (PMT) Limited, a mini-bus transport company, has added 100 buses to its fleet.

The buses are all products of newly established PMT Vehicle Assembly Plant, located in the Emene Industrial Layout headquarters of the company.

PMT Executive Director in charge of operations, Collins Uche Udedi, disclosed that the new buses would be assigned to drivers and deployed to the PMT depots across the country soon.

Peace Mass Transit has an active fleet of 3,000 buses with at least 2,000 on the road daily.  It regularly freshens up the fleet to meet customer expectations and also maintain its market leadership.

The launch of the 100 buses is coming at a time most transport companies are closing down altogether, making losses and or resorting to fairly used (Tokunbo) vehicles. There are no Tokunbo buses in the entire PMT fleet.

PMT Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Samuel Maduka Onyishi, maintained that he runs the company more or less as a “ministry” and not strictly as business, and would therefore, always do what it takes to keep the company as industry leader, at all times.

“The brand new buses we are injecting cost almost N 17 million per unit, but I have a pact with both God and our huge clientele to offer the best possible services at all, times,” he stated after inspecting the newly assembled buses.

Onyishi expressed gratitude to God and also Nigerians of all works of life who have kept faith with PMT for over 20years, urging them not to waiver.

“Our customers deserve even more and no less,” he added. “We will never take their patronage for granted because they have brought us thus far.”He reiterated that the introduction of the new buses was a “strategic fleet rejig” and in no way signified or suggested older vehicles had any maintenance issues or were about to be discarded.  “Our maintenance culture is second to none, top notch and the team is manned by technicians and engineers some of whom are trained abroad. Any PMT vehicle on the highway out there, even those on local routes, are regularly checked in for maintenance, not when it breaks down, but when it becomes due. They also run on brand new tyres which are replaced on attainment of a certain mileage, not when they burst or are worn out”.

The oldest post primary school in Nigeria founded by an individual, The Aggrey Memorial College, Arochukwu has come to life, thanks to Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCO).

The school established in 1932 by the legendary educationist and the first Igbo graduate, the late Dr. Alvan Ikoku, has almost remained comatose since the school was partitioned into two to accommodate the Abia State College of Education Technical (ASCETA) on temporary basis.

Most of the important structures and facilities were conceded to the ASCETA and as the years rolled on, the famous Aggrey Memorial College started shrinking in size and students population as the Abia state owned College of Education continued in its advancement by coveting more structures belonging to the school. It was becoming apparently clear that the College of Education was no longer there on temporary basis as it continued to expand and claim the structures belonging to the school.

But the old students of Aggrey Memorial College both at home and in diaspora assembled and took up the challenge to sal vage their alma mater from total extinction. And through one of them, the alumni attracted the SNEPCO to build a modern Integrated Science Block for the school.

The Integrated Science Block which was commissioned in a ground-breaking ceremony is fully furnished with modern science equipment and sufficient laboratory chemicals that would serve the school for a minimum of two years.

It consists of civil infrastructural facility housing four laboratories for Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Integrated Science fully furnished with modern science equipment, tables and chairs to accommodate 120 users at a time. Each laboratory has an adjoining office for the subject teacher and a preparatory room where equipment is stored and preparation of chemicals are carried out.

The facility also has a common inter connected lobby for easy accessibility to each of the laboratories as well as a single main entrance into the facility in front and an exit door behind for the purposes of access control.

Altogether, there are eight toilet facilities for the students and teachers within the building. A fascinating aspect of the project is the provision of solar system powered borehole and 2000 litres elevated water tank for 24 hour water distribution to the facility.

The managing director of the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, Mr. Bayo Ojulari who was represented at the occasion by the company’s Business Development Manager, Mr. Segun Owolabi explained that the project aimed to promote educational support programmes to help Nigerian youths and support the government in the task of providing high quality educational facilities in public schools.

“The facility will promote teaching and learning of science subjects and provide a conducive learning environment to stimulate student’s interest. Our hope is that this project will help in no small measure to prepare more Nigerian students for the anticipated technological take-off in the nation,” he stressed.

To the students he he charged them: “I urge you to make use of this facility. The possibilities in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) world are endless.”

The Abia State Commissioner for Education, Professor Ikechi Mgbeoji, who was represented by the Director for Scholarship in Abia state Ministry of Education, Mrs. Christy Ibeji expressed gratitude to Shell for the gesture which he said it was first of its kind in Abia State.

The commissioner assured that the facility would be well taken care of by the ministry and the students of the school would as well be gingered into making good use of the facility.

The old students of the school who were well represented at the occasion and with a delegation from the United States were led by Mrs. Grace Okaro. In a moving speech presented by Okaro on behalf of the alumni, the old students lamented the decay in infrastructure in the school.

While pledging to undertake the payment of salaries of security guards for the facility, they pleaded with the state government via the ministry of education for the release of the school hall (Abena Hall) and the Independence Park, where the founder, Dr. Alvan Ikoku and his wife were laid to rest for renovation and upgrade. These two facilities were conceded to the College of Education.

Said Okaro: “The Association will sing the praises of this present dispensation if it concedes to Aggrey Memorial College, Arochukwu, the ownership of the popular Abna Hall and the Independence Park where the remains of its founder, Dr Alvan Ikoku and his beloved wife, Goomsu were laid to rest. Many of the Alumni are emotionally and sentimentally attached to these two edifices.

Abna Hall was our traditional place of worship and assembly. In addition, it was the place where we sat for our terminal examinations.

Moreover, Abna Hall was host to three very important symbols that portray the school’s greatness, given its age; the first was the Best Students’ Roll of Honour, second was the Senior Prefects’ Roll of Honour and lastly, was the Crocodile Symbol Carving, which was presented to the founder, Dr Alvan Ikoku, when he addressed the International Teachers’ Forum, completely in Latin Language. On the other hand, the Independence Park, aside being a National Historic

Site, was a place that symbolised freedom and liberty for the students. Everything Dr Alvan Ikoku did in the school and wherever he went was designed to liberate the mind to be progressive and contribute to posterity. The park was to teach the students the liberating force of independence.

Hence, while in the park, you were free from coercive rules of prefects and egotistic senior students who loved to bully the junior ones. Even school rules and regulations did not apply to you while in the Independence Park.

Whenever, we return to the school as old students with our families, we are proud to let our children see and feel, those edifices and symbols that helped to a large extent to mould us to the responsible citizens that we are today.

It is with regret that, I emphasise that many of us have broken down in tears after seeing what is left of this once elevated and pristine institution. We are determined to change that and against that backdrop, we fervently and passionately appeal to the Abia State government, to restore the ownership of Abna Hall and Independence Park to Aggrey Memorial College, Arochukwu without which our history will be incomplete.”

Former chairman, Senate Committee on Oil and Gas, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu has declared her interest to run for the Abia Central senatorial seat in 2019 against incumbent senator Theodore Orji, and other contenders to the seat.

Nwaogu, who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, told reporters that she would make a public declaration of her intention before the end of May when she would have concluded the ongoing consultation with political stakeholders in the constituency.

Giving reasons why she wanted to contest for the senate in 2019, the former lawmaker who had represented the zone between 2007 and 2014, said, “I need to continually add value to the senate representation in Abia Central. In the last three years, the difference has been clear. People have seen and noticed the difference between what it was and what it is now. And therefore, luckily, there is no limitation to the number of times you can go to the legislature. I need to go back to the senate to restore the lost accessibility of a representative to our people.

“I need to go back there to restore the participation as a senator in the hallowed chamber of the senate to continue to develop the democratic value in terms of lawmaking that has been absent.

“I need to go back there to restore the vibrancy and the home touch that has been absent since 2015 till date.

“There are so many reasons why I should go back, why I need to go back and why the people are yearning for Nkechi Nwaogu to go back to the senate to represent the good people of Abia Central District in the National Assembly.”

Asked how ready she is to slug it out with the incumbent Senator representing the zone and immediate past Governor of the state, Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji, Nwaogu responded “I will defeat him. I won’t say it will be easy, but with God on my side, I will defeat him and it will happen. I am the David in this fight.”