The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abia State

  • Security agencies vow to raid criminal hideouts in Abia

    Heads of various security agencies in Abia State have vowed to raid all the identified criminal hideouts in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state and other parts of the state.

    This was disclosed by the Abia State Commissioner of Police, CP Ene Okon at the Aba Area Command while flagging off Operation Puff Addar in compliance in Aba with the order of the Ag. Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu to tackle cases of cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes in the state and the country at large.

    According to Okon, the launching of the Operation Puff Addar in Aba was deliberate as the place of the commercial city to the economic development of the state and the country was a whole cannot be overemphasized and as such demand that efforts should be put in place to ensure that there was security of lives and property in order to promote business and economic activities in the state.

    The Abia Police chief while calling on its personnel to be professional, eschew corruption, violence and intimidation of members of the public, also asked them to rely more on intelligence gathering while performing their duties.

    Also stating that the operation would hinge on international best practices and in compliance with the rule of engagement, Okon disclosed that there will be intensive deployment of foot and vehicular patrol within the period the operation would last.

    “Today, Abia State Command is launching its own operation Puff Addar in the state to curb armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism and other violent crimes within the state,” Okon said.

    The Abia CP went on to link the upsurge of criminal activities in the state to some hoodlums who may have assisted some politicians in the state to carry out some duties during the election who now have nothing to do except bringing terror to the society.

    Read Also: JAMB cancels results in two centres in Abia

    He said: “This is a veritable way of telling the members of the public that the increase in crime rate in Abia, is not tolerated by us as such, something have to be done and that’s why we have to key in to the vision of the IGP by flagging off this operation.

    “This is not a mere ceremony. It’s an operation that will be carried out throughout Abia State. We have deliberately decided to pick Aba as the venue for the launching because of the peculiar nature of Aba and increase in crime rate.

    “You’ll agree with me that, the past three weeks and so, people have being very apprehensive due to incessant kidnapping and armed robbery which is not giving us very good image.

    “Flagging off of this operation today, is aimed towards eradicating the aforementioned crimes. We have all the strategies put in place to curb them all.”

    He revealed that Operation Puff Addar in Abia State will be anchored by Area Commanders and tactical Commanders who will be in charge of carrying out an already drawn operational order which will last for a very long time.

    “Personnel of this operation will carry arms and riot equipment. It is going to an intensive vehicular and foot patrol operation.

    “Members of the public may feel that we are going to inconvenient them, but we want you to understand that the inconveniences will be little and it’s for your own interest.

    “In this wise, we are going to carry out effective raid on every nooks and crannies of this state where we suspect criminals have turned to their hideouts.”

    The Abia CP however, urged members of the public to give useful information that will help us to get rid of these criminals.

    “We deserve a crime free society, a serene society and one that is habitable for investment. Aba is the commercial hub of the South East and other South South State and should not be place for criminals to dwell,” he said.

    In his speech, the Transitional Committee (TC) chairman of Aba North Local Government Area, Barr. Charles Esonu who spoke on behalf of his Aba South counterpart, Chief NCNC Okoli that was unavoidably absent promised to support the police and other security agencies in the state to realize the aim of the exercise in Aba and the state at large.

    Esonu who stated that crime isn’t respecter of any man warned those who are not ready to comport themselves and be law-abiding citizens to consider relocating from the state as the government and security agencies would not fold its arms to watch anybody or group of persons cause breach of peace in Aba North and South and any other parts of the state.

    The Aba North TC chairman who lamented the spate of cultism in the commercial town also warned parents to caution their children against being lured into or being used to cause trouble in the state.

    Meanwhile, HRH Eze Monday Ugbo, the traditional ruler of Aba-Ukwu Autonomous Community who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers urged the police to intensify fight against cultism suggesting that it is small cultists that grow to become big armed robbers.

    “In some areas in Aba, nobody is safe. I urged the CP to stop the cultists before they grow up and become serious armed robbers. They go to people’s house to collect money and beat people up without any control.

    “I am not safe myself, but I have to speak out. I beg you to beam the torchlight of Operation Puff Addar to cultists in Aba,” the king pleaded.

    In his remarks, the Aba Area Commander, Peter Okpara urged members of the public to provide the police and other security agencies in the state information about the activities of hoodlums in their neighbourhood, stressing that his office is always open for anyone that would want to come to his office to give out useful information about criminals in their area.

    Highlight of the event that attracted heads and representatives of heads of other security agencies in attendance was the flagging off exercise of the security operation by the Abia State Commissioner of Police.

     

  • I’ll retrieve my mandate from you, Sen. Ohuabuwa tells Kalu

    The senator representing Abia North senatorial district, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, has vowed to retrieve his “stolen” mandate from a former Abia State governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Kalu winner of the poll in the February elections and the Commission had since issued Kalu with Certificate of Return.

    Ohuabunwa is a sitting senator who was elected on the platform of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) but Kalu contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    But Ohuabunwa said INEC breached its own guidelines by giving Kalu the certificate of return, stressing that the “margin of win” recorded by Kalu was far less than the number of cancelled votes in that election.

    The senator said, “Kalu knows that what he has is a stolen mandate which he will soon surrender. He knows the truth but only thinks he can play smart. But unfortunately for him, we are resolute in reclaiming the people’s mandate”.

    Read Also: Senate: I’ve forgiven Theodore Orji, says Kalu

    Leaders of the PDP in Abia who were on solidarity visits to the senators, also vowed to ensure that the party explored every available means permissible in law to retrieve the mandate from Kalu.

    Zonal chairman of the PDP, Mr. Mathew Ibe who led the delegation of party chieftains to Ohuabunwa, said there was overwhelming evidence to believe that Kalu’s election cannot stand the scrutiny of electoral laws.

    Ibe appealed to the Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and the national leadership of the PDP to give Ohuanbunwa all the support he needed to retrieve the party’s mandate.

     

  • Train kills truck driver, conductor in Aba

    A yet-to-be-identified articulate truck driver has been reportedly killed in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State by a cargo train.

    The incident, our reporter gathered, occurred at a railway crossing located behind the popular Cemetery market in Aba South Local Government Area of the state.

    Sources at the scene told our reporter that the driver of the articulated truck and his conductor died at the spot.

    According to them, the train was reportedly returning to Aba from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    A source, who pleaded anonymity, said that the body of the conductor was evacuated in the night while the body of the driver was evacuated Thursday morning by the Aba Railway authority.

    Narrating the incident, a source at the location who gave his name as Kingsley Okoro said: “The driver of the truck, we learnt brought ice fish to a warehouse located near the railway. We was said to have finished offloading the fish before his truck got stuck at the middle of the rail track.

    “The driver was said to have made frantic attempts to move away the truck from the rail track. Luck was said to have ran out of him when the passenger and cargo train coming back from Port Harcourt to Aba suddenly surfaced.

    Read also: Abia to meet corps members’ needs

    “The driver and the conductor couldn’t escape as the train rammed into the stationary truck while the driver was trying to fix his spoilt car.

    “The body of the conductor, we learnt was taken away in the night from the point where the train dragged the car to while the body of the driver which was trapped under the car was later taken away in ambulance this morning.

    “The identity of the driver and the conductor were yet to be known.

    “The cold room has remained a ghost land as many of its customers who came in the morning, on hearing the news and to possibly avoid police arrest, avoided the cold room.”

    Attempts to speak with the Aba Railway authorities failed as some of the personnel claimed that they were not authorized to speak with the press.

  • Police confirm murder of Ugochukwu Mbadi, arrest of brother’s ex-wife

    The Police in Abia on Sunday confirmed the murder of a young man, Ugochukwu Mbadi by hired killers in Aba, the commercial hub of the state.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the state command, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna, also told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba that one Divine Ubasinachi, the ex-wife of Mbadi’s younger brother had been arrested for alleged complicity in the murder.

    Ogbonna said that Ubasinachi was arrested as a principal suspect in the murder because she had threatened to make the Mbadi family to cry before the murder took place.

    He said that the deceased was killed on Saturday evening in a beer palour located at No. 8 Uwakwe street.

    According to him, the deceased was shot dead in the bar owned by one Amarachi Chikezie.

    The police PRO also said that the deceased’s mother and father living at No. 9 Medical Drive in Njoku road off Ukaegbu road in Aba are all alive.

    He said that the suspect had been arrested and taken into custody.

    Read Also: Police confirm two Delta suspected robbers dead

    He added that the matter had been transferred to the state CID for further investigation.

    Ogbonna said that the deceased’s body had been removed from the crime scene and kept in an undisclosed location.

    Earlier, a source who pleaded not to have his or her name in print, told NAN that the murder, which created panic in the area, reminded residents of recent cult clashes in the area.

    The source also said that Ugochukwu was about to wed and had gone to let his people into his plans before his killers shot him dead.

    NAN

     

  • Herdsmen attack: Abia to offset medical bill of victim

    Abia State government has announced its readiness to offset the medical bill of a female victim that survived attempt by a Fulani herdsman to sniff out life from her at Ogbor ancient Kingdom in Aba North Local Government Area of the state.

    This was disclosed by the wife of the State Governor Deaconess Nkechi Ikpeazu when she paid unscheduled visit to the victim, Esther Ibem-Nmecha at the Aba General Hospital where she has in the past two weeks been receiving medical attention.

    Ibem-Nmecha, a single mother was fortnight ago attacked by a Fulani herdsman identified as Garuba Salisu at No. 1 Peppels road behind the popular Enyimba Hotel on Aba-Ikot Ekpene expressway after she had asked him to remove his cows from her business premises.

    Abia First Lady who was said to have visited the hospital on her return from visit overseas directed the management of the hospital to ensure that they gave Esther the best treatment and medical services that would enhance her recovery speed.

    Deaconess Ikpeazu who was touched with the condition of the victim who was in pains throughout the stay of the First Lady assured that the state government would ensure that the matter wasn’t swept under the carpet.

    “I just came back and heard about what happened and I decided to come by myself. The governor has said that the government will settle every medical bill.

    READ ALSO: Abia oil communities flaunt cultural feast

    “I’m therefore pleading with the hospital management to do whatever you can do and be assured that government will take care of everything.

    “I know that the man who did this is already in the custody and the government is not keeping silent. Something must be done to see that we don’t have this kind of thing again,” she said.

    Speaking to journalists, the Chief Executive, Hospital Management Board of Abia State, Dr. Ngozi Nduka said that efforts are on ground to pull specialists to see how the victim can still make use of her severed left hand.

    “We have prosthesis. We are going to invite plastic surgeons to see what they can do. The fingers are already off. We are not going to fix them back because they didn’t come with her.

    “She came here without those fingers. If the Plastic surgeons wants to have her fingers fixed with prosthesis (artificial fingers) then she can still use those fingers.

    “Thank God it’s on her left fingers except if she is left handed. So, I believe that with the plastic surgeons coming in, there could be some forms of rehabilitation to ensure that her finger is still usable.”

    Nduka who said she cannot estimate the exact amount the surgery may cost, went further to say that it will cost a lot.

    She appreciated the Abia first lady for her visit and assurance that the government will foot every medical bill involved.

    Also speaking, the Transitional Committee Chairman of Aba North Local Government Area, Barr. Charles Esonu assured that he would make sure that the attacker, Garuba Salisu who is already remanded in prison would face full trial.

    Esonu further disclosed that he has started interacting with the Hausa-Fulani community in the local government to ensure that there won’t be any recurrence.

    According to him, he would also reach out to the members of the State House of Assembly to see how the anti-grazing law in the state would be further strengthened.

     

  • Gunmen kill about-to-wed man

    Gunmen have killed a young man at Ogbor, in Aba North Local Government Area of Abia State.

    The incident, which The Nation learnt, occurred at Uwakwe Street, off Ukaegbu Road, Ogbor-Hill, has caused panic in the area.

    Sources said the deceased, who reportedly visited his parents, was the only person killed by the gunmen, who, however, dispossessed others of their belongings.

    The sources said they suspected the killing to be cult-related.

    They said: “We don’t know the young man, but some people said he came to visit his parents at Medical Drive, near Ukaegbu Road.

    “According to reports, he entered a bar and a few minutes later, armed men stormed the area and struck.

    “We suspect that the gunmen trailed him to the bar. They only robbed other people in the vicinity.

    “We learnt that he was planning to wed and came to inform his family, who live on Medical Drive.

    “We ran into our houses when we heard what happened. We thought cultists were fighting again, but later found out that it was the deceased that was targeted.

    “We are now afraid because of the killing.”

    Police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna confirmed the incident in a phone interview with our reporter.

    He said he was yet to be properly briefed on what happened.

    The Nation gathered that the body had been deposited at the mortuary.

     

  • Army van knocks down Woman in Abia

    It was a sad day in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State as a hilux van belonging to the Nigerian Army allegedly knocked down a yet-to-be identified female pedestrian said to be apparently heading towards her home at Ogbor Hill part of the city.

    The incident our reporter gathered, took place at the popular Waterside Bridge along Aba/Ikot-Ekpene Expressway on Friday evening.

    Sources at the popular Aba abattoir located within the area stated that the incident happened at about 6PM when the soldiers were driving against traffic as there was gridlock that usually greet the Aba-Ikot Ekpene axis of the expressway especially in the evening, though they alleged that the heavy gridlock was because of the presence of a police team at the end of the bridge, conducting stop and search operation.

    Read Also: Woman accused of squeezing manhood

    According to the sources, the soldiers immediately rushed out of their van to carry the victim into their vehicle to unknown destination.

    The sources who could not ascertain whether the soldiers were responding to a distress call said that the woman’s chances of survival were slim because of the impact of the accident on her as she was said to be bleeding when she was taken off the scene by the soldiers.

    A source who claimed to have witnessed the accident said that it could have been avoided if only the soldiers were not on a high speed even while they were driving against traffic.

    According to the source, the over-speeding patrol van rammed into the woman while she was trying to cross over to the other side of the road.

    “This accident could have been avoided if the army van didn’t drive against traffic. They were not only driving against traffic, they were also over- speeding.

    “There was a heavy traffic at the bridge as usual every evening. The soldiers decided to ply one-way with heavy speed. I wonder why a good driver who is plying one-way on a double lane road will still be over- speeding?

    “I don’t know why soldiers are always in a hurry in the streets of Aba when their vehicles are moving. They always want all of us to disappear whenever they’re passing notwithstanding the circumstances. I don’t know if that woman will survive.”

    Adding his voice, another eyewitness who simply gave his name as Lucky said, “Everyone shifted behind when they noticed it was an army van that hit the woman.

    “Aba people were getting agitated and the situation almost escalated, but most of us reasonably moved away from the scene as they carried the body into their van.

    “You know how they behave. If you try to ask questions or even make some moves that may even help them, they could tag you anything and waste your precious life.

    “May be they took her to hospital, but I expect them to reach her family as soon as possible and tell them what happened to her because it was an avoidable accident.”

    A military who pleaded anonymous debunked the insinuations that the woman was dead, but stated that she was rushed to a private medical facility where she was promptly attended to.

    Though the source could not ascertain whether the soldiers were responding to a distress call when probed on why the soldiers were driving against traffic as alleged, it disclosed that the woman who is a sister-in-law to a top officer in a sister security agency was moved to Port Harcourt, Rivers State Saturday morning on the directives of her brother-in-law.

  • 2019 polls: Ikpeazu commends Navy for ensuring adequate security in Abia

    The governor of Abia state, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has commended members of the Nigerian Navy for the security role they played in the state during the last general election which led to a peaceful and orderly elections.

    Ikpeazu said that the navy in conjunction with other security agencies operating in the state played significant roles that made the state to have a secured and protected environment devoid of election violence before, during and after the elections.

    Speaking during the convocation ceremony of the Nigerian Navy Finance and Logistics College (NNFLC) Owerrinta, Abia state, Ikpeazu praised the efforts of the commandant/rector of the school for the successful packaging of the diploma courses.

    Ikpeazu represented by his deputy, Sir Ude Oko-Chukwu recalled that since the school was established in the state that it has gone a long way in ensuring the security of life and property of the people of Owerrinta in particular and the state at large, while calling on them to continue in securing the state.

    The Abia state governor assured the navy of the readiness of his administration to continue to provide logistics and infrastructure for the college within the resources available so that they could continue to protect the host community and the entire state at all times.

    In his address the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command and chairman of the governing board of the college, Rear Admiral S. I. Enoch described the ceremony as a partial fulfillment of the vision and mission of the navy which encourages acquisition of knowledge by its personnel to enhance their operational duties.

    Admiral Enoch noted that, “Nigerian Navy believes very strongly that knowledge is power and that by giving personnel relevant knowledge through education, they can thrive and prosper in a globalized world especially in support of military operations”.

    He told the graduating students, “I am glad that you made good use of the opportunity offered to you by the Nigerian Navy and the navy college at Owerrinta in particular to improve yourselves, which will make you good ambassadors of the college wherever you operate”.

    In his welcome speech, the Commandant/Rector of the college, Navy Capt Omotola Omotayo Olukoya said that the event was the maiden edition which is for three different sets of graduating students of 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and 2017/2018.

    Navy Capt Olukoya said, “It is worthy to note that since the inception of the academic branch which is National Diploma (ND) section, the college has turned out three sets of ND graduates in accountancy and they include, one Distinction, 22 Upper Credit, 42 Lower Credit and 4 Pass”.

    He noted that reports available to the college showed that where the students were posted for their industrial experience and one one work experience, “Your out put showed that you are well grounded in your chosen discipline”.

    The Commandant/Rector of the college explained that they are making efforts to get the National Board for Technical Education to accredit the Higher National Diploma in accountancy and some course such as ND in Hospitality management, Purchasing and Supply and Marketing.

    In his valedictory speech on behalf of other students, the over all best graduating student, Ezemonye Michael thanked the navy and the college for the opportunity given to them and for teaching them well and pledged to be good ambassadors of the college.

    The high point of the event which was attended by sister agencies was the institutionalizing of award of the sum of N100,000 each year for the best graduating accountancy student by the deputy governor, Sir Oko-Chukwu a chartered accountant.

     

     

  • ‘Kainji, Jebba plants lose N900m monthly over stranded 150mw’

    Following the stranded over 150Mega Watts (MW) in Kainji and Jebba Hydro Power Plants, the operator Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited Limited (MESL), is currently incurring excess of N900 million monthly.

    The Executive Director, Siraj Abdullahi disclosed this to reporters that were in Kainji plant, Kainji in Niger State, to get first hand information on the stranded power issue.

    He said that ” On an average we loses N900million every month as a result of power that we have that is ready to go to the grid and it is not taken either by ram down or by high grid frequency. There are worse months we lose over a billion.”

    Due to the losses, the  company has planned to sell its stranded power to some local and international eligible customers.

    Abdullahi, however, noted that the only snag that is delaying the company from vending its electricity directly to the consumers through the eligible customers policy is the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

    According to him, the commission that has been sitting on the customers and generation companies’ applications  for the operation of the eligible customer policy, has not formally approved any application for eligible customer operation.

    His words: “They (NERC) have been putting a lot of impediments on the eligible customer policy. Our customers have applied, we have applied, we have given all necessary documentations. But till today, they (NERC) have not given anybody any formal approval. So, I am not sure they are helping us, as much as they should be helping us.”

    He admitted that the company has been through the arrangement of the West African Power Pool (WAPP) shopping for eligible customers for the stranded power from neighbouring countries of Niger, Bukinafaso, and Benin Republic.

    Read Also: AfDB approves $100m for Kainji, Jebba hydro power projects

    In preparation for the supply of power for the international customers, the MESL has opened idle pits in the plants to install two turbines that produce 120mw each for onward transmission to the West coast.

    Abdullahi noted that “that is why we are full members of WAPP. We want to plan to see if we can get to Niger, Bukinafaso, and beyond.

    Continuing, he said that “We are working on another unit one G9 that will give us 80mw. We have started decoupling one G7 that will give us another 100mw. We are doing two G6 in Jebba for 96mw. Even for the local market we are rapping up. This year we are going to start two G6 in Jebba.”

    According to him, there is a limit to what the company can sell to the eligible customers because the commission does not allow 100% eligible. He stressed that it will be a fantastic idea if the firm is allowed to send 250mw to eligible customer.

    He disclosed that on the average on the grid, the MESL has never done 650mw, noting that “the day we did 822mw, on 16th of September, 2018, we killed a cow here to celebrate.”

    Mr. Oladele Sunday, who conducted the reporters round the plants explained that the stranded power in Kainji at that moment was 34mw that was rammed down (load reduction) , noting that the case of Jebba was different as it was outright shutdown of 120mw.

    Enumerating the five eligible customers of the company, he said they are Came Industries, Ilorin; Came Integrated Steel Rolling Mill; Olam Farm, Ilorin; Lord Smith Techno Nigeria Ltd in Ewekoro, Ogun State and Inland Galaxy in Aba, Abia State.

    He further revealed that other Chinese companies were already requesting to become their eligible customers.

    He  revealed that the company has been using transmission and DisCo network  to distribute power to its eligible customers. He said that “without using DisCos or TCN, we have to run a line from our facilities.”

    The arrangement, according to him, is that the MESL pays wheeling charge for using their facilities.

    One of the officials in charge of Business Development, Mr. Umar Aliyu, noted that for one to qualify as an eligible customer, there are customers that operate within the space of TCN’s 330 and 132 KV, those ones only need to do transmission use of system agreement.

    He added that “but where an eligible customer’s prospect falls within a DisCos space, we still give him power but we have to do a distribution use of system agreement.

    According The Sunday, at times, the operator releases  the water from the dam because of the stranded power.

  • Child needs N12m for heart surgery

    The arrival of their twin daughters brought joy to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Nwaugha. Now, that joy is threatened as one of the babies has been diagnosed with a heart disease.

    Nwaugha hails from Ngor Okpuala in Imo State but lives with his family in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

    While the Nwaughas were basking in the euphoria of the babies’ arrival, the sad news came. One of the twins was diagnosed with a life-threatening ailment.

    According to a medical report, made available to our reporter by Mr. Nwaugha, the baby is diagnosed with a hole in the heart that needs urgent operation if the child would be alive to celebrate her first birthday.

    Nwaugha who is a federal civil servant has exhausted his money and needs the help of well-meaning Abians and Nigerians to come to the rescue of their family.

    Speaking to our reporter, Mr. Nwaugha who spoke amidst intermittent cries, said, “I am from Ngo Okpuala in Imo State.

    I live at No. 16, Road K, World Bank Housing Estate in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State. I am a civil servant with the Federal Ministry of Environment, Calabar, Cross River State and I work in the accounts department.

    “One of my twin babies became sick after their delivery on October 26, 2018. They were delivered through CS (Caesarean Section). When we were still at the hospital after their delivery, the doctor who came to check on them noticed that one of the twins was breathing fast and hard.

    “In the two months that we spent at the hospital for close monitoring of the children, we were sent for scan from Federal Medical Center (FMC), Umuahia to University Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu. It was found out that the baby has a very big hole in the heart.

    “They said that the operation will not be carried out in Nigeria. They said it can be operated in India, USA and another country that I cannot remember.

    “They don’t have the machine in Umuahia to scan a baby of two months. But in UNTH, they have the machine which enables one to see the heart of the baby and the hole on the screen. We saw everything through the scan. It was through the scan that I started imagining what my baby was going through.

    “Before the arrival of the twins, I already had three children; a boy and two girls. The last of them is about five years.

    “At the moment, it takes a lot of things including money to ensure that this baby stays alive daily. It hasn’t been easy, from sleeping at the hospital to taking care of other kids at home and combining them with my work. We stayed in hospital for about two months while they were monitoring the babies.

    “We were later discharged after it was established that one of the babies has a hole in the heart. We were however asked to be coming to the hospital every Tuesday in the week to check the baby and to get drugs. The baby is eating well, but the major challenge is her breathing; her breathing is so bad that you can’t even sleep with her.

    “Taking care of the two kids and their siblings has not been an easy thing. Immediately I receive my salary, it goes into taking care of the medical bills and meeting some of the needs of their siblings.

    “My sister and boss in the office have been assisting me financially whenever I run to them. I sometimes go to get loan from my bank (Access). When the month ends, they go to remittal to collect it. Sometimes, I take salary advance to buy their milk and pampers and when they pay salaries, the bank, like I said, will take whatever that I borrowed and leave the balance for me. That has been the way we have been managing all these while.

    “We got to know about the treatment in India through the doctor that has been taking care of the baby. What is holding us back is the money that we will use to pay the baby’s hospital bills and cover other logistics.

    Read also: Day Corona tackled child’s mental health, depression

    “The doctors in Enugu and Umuahia said that it may cost us about N10m-N12m to cover our medical and flight expenses. We have already made contacts with about two or three hospitals in India, but we can no longer go further since we don’t have the capital to push further the matter.

    “That is why we are making this appeal to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and wife including other governors of the Southeast and philanthropists to please come to our help. This is a crucial time for our family. We need their help and cannot just sit and watch our child; Victory Chinwendu die helplessly. She deserves to live and we will go to any extent legally possibly to ensure that we get this matter solved.

    “I have equally been trying to reach the likes Kanu Nwankwo Heart Foundation, but all efforts seem to be futile.”

    The account number to make the donations is Fidelity Bank 5332205142 Nwugha Christopher O.