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Tag: colleague

  • 150 doctors protest kidnap of colleague

    150 doctors protest kidnap of colleague

    Over 150 doctors from private, public, missionary hospitals and tertiary institutions in Cross River State, yesterday, protested in Calabar the kidnap of their colleague, Dr Emem Udoh.

    Udoh, a senior registrar in the Department of Pediatrics, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, was kidnapped on Monday in Calabar.

    The doctors, who wore black, threatened on Tuesday to stop work because six of their colleagues and relations had been kidnapped in the last few months.

    They had, however, celebrated the release of their colleague, Dr Usang Ekanem, on Sunday.

    Ekanem, who works in Cross River College of Education Medical Centre in Akamkpa Local Government Area, was kidnapped on December 26.

    The aggrieved doctors, who protested on major streets in Calabar to the Government House, condemned the government’s approach to abduction of doctors in the state.

    Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Chairman Dr Effiong Mkpanam said all hospitals would remain closed until their colleague is released.

    Mkpanam urged the government to address security challenges in the state.

    “We are not safe and we want people to know that we cannot go to work because we are not safe. We want unconditional release of Dr Emem Udoh who is a nursing mother and until she is released, all the doctors in Cross River State will sit at home.

    “Anybody who wants medical treatment should go to the neighbouring states,” he said.

    The chairman decried insecurity in the state, adding that Cross River is no longer safe for residents and tourists.

    NMA spokesman Dr Ernest Ochang said doctors in the state would sit at home anytime a doctor or a relation was kidnapped.

    “The litmus test for any leader is security and safety of its citizens. But when we are not safe, we dare say that the government has failed the litmus test. The government, however, has the litmus test of redeeming itself by ensuring the release of Dr Emem Udoh. If Udoh is brought back today, we will resume work today. But until then, anyone seeking medical attention in Cross River State should go to neighbouring states,” he said.

    The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ms Tina Agbor, said government was working to secure release of the abducted doctor.

    Agbor noted that Governor Ben Ayade is unhappy about the security situation.

    “It is unfortunate that soon after one of the doctors was released, another one was abducted, and this time, a woman. I am a woman and right now, the Security Adviser to the Governor is on the streets trying to solve this problem. You did not need to come here to remind us of our duty because we are doing something about it,” she said.

  • Foundation, lawyers present wheel chair, car to colleague

    Foundation, lawyers present wheel chair, car to colleague

    Ubani Foundation and a group of lawyers from the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), has presented a motorised wheelchair and a car to a physically challenged lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Idowu.

    Ubani, NBA Second Vice-President and Chairman of the NBA Welfare Committee said: “A lawyer brought the plight of Mr. Bamidele Idowu to my attention and I promised to help out.

    “When my primary constituency failed, I ran back to some of my colleagues who generously contributed initially for a motorised wheel chair, but fate changed the situation completely and we went for a car also in addition to a wheel chair.

    “Ubani foundation sowed the initial seed and so many other lawyer colleagues from Ikeja keyed in and that brought us this success story today.

    “I thank over 42 other lawyers who sowed this seed, most of them do not know want their names disclosed.  One Senior advocate of Nigeria who is a member of this branch gave us N100,000.00, the second highest donor after Ubani Foundation.

    “Others gave N50, 000.00 and several others N10, 000.00 and N5, 000.00 according to their economic strengths.”

    A director at the Citizens Right Centre of the State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. O.I. Adesina, who represented Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, praised Uani Foundation and the lawyers for their humanitarian gesture.

    She promised to draw the government’s attention Ubanui’s request that Idowu be offered employment in the Ministry of Justice

    Idowu expressed appreciation to his colleagues for the honour done him.

    “I feel great. My colleagues and the NBA have solved the problems of mobility for me. My greatest challenge now is how to have and maintain a regular income to sustain myself.

    “This will either come through employment or setting up a law office. I do not have a law office; I just do some charge and bail at Ikeja, Lagos to make ends meet.

    “I am optimistic as Mrs. Adeniji promised to mention my case to Governor  Ambode,” Idowu said.

  • Veteran educationist honours colleague

    Veteran educationist Alhaji Jimoh Gbadamosi has dedicated a trophy in memory of a teacher, Alhaji Rasheed Folami.

    Gbadamosi presented the trophy to the management of  Anwar-ul-Islam College, Agege at a reception which attracted many pupils and old boys of the school.

    He said Folami invested in the development qualitative education in the country.

    Folami was one of the pioneer teachers of Saka-Tinubu Memorial Ahmadiyya High School, which was founded by the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam in 1948.

    He was instrumental to  the school’s winning of the Zard Cup,  which later became known as Principals’ Cup. His pupils made outstanding grades in their West African School Certificate Examination.

    Gbadamosi described the late Folami as a master educationist, who believed in the provision of total education to enable boys and girls grow as responsible citizens.

    He said: “As a professional colleague, I feel proud to be associated with the late Alhaji Folami and that is why I consider him deserving of being honoured with a trophy for inter house sport football competition.”

    Gbadamosi urged the government to revive the enthusiasm for sports in education, so as to motivate the breeding of academically sound, disciplined and morally balanced citizens.

    The spirit of tolerance and fairness, according to him, should be reawakened through education as the key mechanism of curbing corruption.

    “This will help the students in the school to develop their sports skill and perform well in competitions. Games should be well developed to help the students develop discipline and tolerance so that when you are defeated you don’t riot. It is being done by certain schools who attack one another after competition. That is why I gave the trophy to inter house sport,” he said.

    Gbadamosi, a former principal Anwaru-Islam College, also commissioned a mini-health centre provided by the worldwide body of Anwar-ul-Islam College, Agege Old Students Association (ACAOSA).

    The President, Anwaru-Islam Movement of Nigeria, Alhaji Mubashir Ojelade said the body was happy about the donation of the cup, which he noted would benefit sports.

    “The movement is happy about it, we are happy about it. The school has had the opportunity of producing three players for the national soccer team. This is an extension of our reputation,” Ojelade said.

    ACAOSA President-General (PG) Alhaji Lawal Pedro (SAN) said the trophy was an honour to remember a mentor who did so much for the school, the students and sports.

    He said: “The trophy has been donated as a football trophy within the school so that we can develop the culture of adding sports to education. The chairman of today was the captain of the school in his own days in which the school took the Principals’ Cup and later represented Nigeria in Ghana. Sports is where you learn discipline. If you are a disciplined footballer, in your life you will be disciplined. If you don’t add sport with truancy but add sports to education, you will get the best.”

  • Apprentice ‘kills’ colleague

    A 21-year-old apprentice, Chibuike Emmanuel, has allegedly stabbed his colleague, Chika Nwankwo, 25, to death.

    The incident occurred at a car upholstery workshop at Aja Street, Aba, Abia State.

    The Nation learnt that the victim was certified dead by the doctor at St. Anthony’s Hospital, Aba.

    Eyewitnesses attributed the death to excessive bleeding.

    While some alleged that Emmanuel stabbed Nwankwo in the shoulder with a pair of scissors, others alleged that Nwankwo was stabbed in the neck with a knife during a misunderstanding.

    It was gathered that the previous day, Emmanuel lent N200 to Nwankwo, who promised to repay the next day.

    The Nation learnt that trouble ensued after attempts by Emmanuel to make Nwankwo repay the debt failed.

    The victim was reportedly in the police custody.

    Spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna could not be reached last night for comments.

  • Police arrest herders for ‘kidnap, murder of colleague’

    The police in Ogun State have arrested two herders for alleged kidnap and murder of another herder, Taye Amodu.

    Hassan Amodu and Abubakar Abdullah, the police said, allegedly kidnapped and murdered their victim on October 23, at Obada Oko, Abeokuta, where they allegedly rustled eight of his cattle.

    Upon receiving the information, it was learnt that the Commissioner, Ahmed Iliyasu, directed the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) to fish out the perpetrators.

    Spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi said the hideout of the suspects was uncovered about 5:30pm that day at Imeko.

    “Their hideout was in a forest and operatives stormed the place.  The suspects were arrested and a pump action gun loaded with four live cartridges and two cutlasses were recovered.

    “During interrogation, they confessed to have killed the victim because he strugged with them when they were taking him away. His body was buried in a shallow grave inside the forest. They equally confessed to have taken away eight of the victim’s cows.

    “The suspects will be arraigned after investigation.”

  • Police arrest 15 students for ‘colleague’s death’

    Jigawa State Police Command has arrested 15 students for the death of their colleague in Yankwashi Local Government, spokesman Jinjiri Abdu told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.

    He said the suspects, all students of Government Science and Technical College, Karkarna, were arrested on August 8.

    Abdu said the students, aged 17 and 19, were suspected to have killed their colleague after they beat him up with sticks.

    He added that the suspects allegedly took the deceased to a bush close to the school on August 6 and beat him up about 2.30 a.m.

    ‘‘The suspects were said to have formed a disciplinary committee to deal with the deceased after they suspected him to be a homosexual.

    ‘‘So on that fateful day, they decided to deal with him by allegedly taking him to the bush and beating him up with sticks.

    ‘‘After the beating, they brought him back to school, and it was only his body that was found the following morning.

    ‘‘He was taken to hospital where he was confirmed dead,’’ Abdu said.

    He said investigation into the case has begun, adding that the suspects will soon be arraigned.

    The spokesman said the body had been handed over to his family for burial.

    NAN recalled that the state command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) recently arrested four students of the same school for allegedly stealing 18 mini Samsung laptops.

    The students allegedly stole the items from the college’s computer room.

    NAN also recalled that the Federal Government donated 25 laptops to the college, out of which the suspects allegedly stole 18.

  • Students protest death of colleagues

    Students protest death of colleagues

    Students of the Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC), Owinni area of Oyo town in Oyo State, have protested the death of five of their colleagues. The untimely death of the five female students has brought to the fore the need to rehabilitate the federal road that is in very bad shape and to curtail the activities of street traders.

    The students, who had just resumed for new academic session were said to have left their school on permission to have hairdo at the neighbouring Sabo Market, just few kilometers away.

    After the hairdo, the students boarded an intra-city mini-bus back to school.

    The students and other passengers were waiting for a mini-lorry fully loaded with garri to pass by, when the mini-lorry ran into a big pothole beside the mini-bus.

    Consequently, the driver of the mini-lorry lost control and the vehicle fell on the mini-bus and smashed it, killing six persons (five students and the driver) on board.

    Other passengers were said to have sustained various degrees of injuries in the incident.

    Unexpectedly, the street traders and other traders inside the market, who apparently were not disturbed by the tragic incident, resumed for business the next day, to the amazement of residents.

    They were beaten up and chased away by street urchins who stormed the market.

    Mourning the departed souls of their colleagues, who had since been buried, students of the college staged peaceful protest to the Alaafin’s palace and Atiba Hall where caretaker chairmen of the four local government areas in the metropolis, namely Afijio, Atiba, Oyo-East and Oyo-West and other community leaders converged for a town hall meeting.

    The students accompanied by their Principal, Mrs. T. A. Olasusi, members of management and teachers, carried placards with different inscriptions calling for abolition of street trading, rehabilitation of the federal road and relocation of commercial vehicles loading garri to and from the market.

    Fielding questions from reporters shortly after paying condolence visit to the management of the college, the caretaker Chairman of Atiba Local Government Area, Mr. Gbolagade Okeniyi, described the incident as “very disheartening”.

    He said: “Before now, the local government had rehabilitated the federal road thrice, checkmated the activities of traders on the road and relocated the mini-lorry commercial vehicle operators to a newly constructed site known as Beta.”

    Expressing dismay at the care-free and recalcitrant attitudes of both the street traders and mini-lorry drivers, he assured that the local government would apply full weights of the law on anyone who contravenes its directives.

     

  • Tears for a dear colleague

    Tears for a dear colleague

    A student of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Effurun, Delta State, Enakeme Ohwojero, has died, throwing the school into mourning. The graduating student of Electrical Department fell into a coma and died of diabetes, six weeks to her graduation. GBENGA OJO reports.

    •Student dies of diabetes weeks to graduation

    DiabetesEvery final year student who participated in the Students’ Week of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Effurun, Delta State, was upbeat. For the graduating students, it was the last social event they would hold with others as they  had only six weeks to their graduation.

    Like other final year students, Enakeme Ohwojero was excited. She looked forward excitedly to her last day on the campus. Alas, the Higher National Diploma (HND) II Electrical Department student would not see the day; she died of hyperglycaemia penultimate Saturday.

    Hyperglycaemia is a condition where there is excess glucose in the patient’s blood stream, a condition associated with diabetes mellitus.

    Enakeme, 35, died four days after she went into a coma, following a crisis. Her colleagues were shocked by her death. They went round the hostels to inform all final year students of the tragic news. Some bowed their heads for  minutes in grief, battling to cope with the development.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the late Enakeme left the campus for Abuja after the Students’ Week to visit her fiancé, Peter Okeke, also a student in the Electrical Department. Peter, it was learnt, deferred his studies to enable him keep his job at the Abuja office of Nestle Nigeria.

    Three days before she left for Abuja, CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the late Enakeme complained of body weakness. She embarked on the journey but slumped on arrival in Abuja. She slumped hours after being stabilised in an hospital, prompting her fiancé to call her family in Warri.

    Peter took the late Enakeme back to her family members for attention. The late Enakeme’s close friend and room mate, Queen Longman, who had been trying to reach her on phone, learnt of her health crisis through her  elder sister. Queen, it was learnt, informed the school management, which sent a medical team to Bryant Hospital where she was on admission. She Enakeme died before the school team got to the hospital.

    A source told CAMPUSLIFE that the family appreciated Peter’s effort and described him as a good man for bringing their daughter back home.

    Queen could not be consoled when she learnt of her friend’s death. She fought back tears, recalling her last moments with the late Enakeme.

    She said: “Enakeme never told me she was bidding final goodbye when she left for Abuja a few days ago. I became worried when I could not get her on phone and WhatsApp. I never thought something tragic would happen when I called Enakeme’s phone. It rang for days without response until her elder sister picked and told me she was unconscious at Bryant Hospital in Warri.

    “When I got the news, I informed other roommates and the school. We all left to see her at the hospital, but we were told she died a few hours before we got there. This is my saddest moment, because Enakeme didn’t show any sign that she was leaving. I hope somebody can tell me this is not true.”

    The atmosphere was gloomy on campus, last Monday. Final year students, clad in black attires, held a procession to mourn their  colleague, who they fondly called Keme.

    Addressing them, the Vice Principal, Mrs Emily Ahragba, described Enakeme’s death as “a loss to PTI and Nigeria”, regretting that the deceased did not fulfil her purpose.

    She said: “The news of Enakeme’s death came to us with sadness. We wish we got the information about her sickness earlier; we would have tried our best to save her life.”

    Mrs Ahragba urged the final year students to take heart and prayed that the school would not record such incident again.

    A hospital source told CAMPUSLIFE that the late student was brought penultimate Thursday by “a young man and a lady”, after which different tests were run on her.

    “It is unfortunate that we lost her on Saturday to hyperglycemia that has eaten deep into her,” the source said, advising students to always go for regular checkup.

    Enakeme’s colleagues described her as “nice, friendly, jovial and intelligent”.

    Last Friday, her remains were interred at the family compound in Okpara Inland in Ethiope East Local Government Area.

    At the funeral, a drama ensued when one of her classmates announced that she was not dead. The student, described as a born again, claimed that he could wake her up. He aimed to open the brown coffin bearing the late Enakeme’s remains but was prevented by the Students’ Union Government (SUG) leaders.

    As the student was being taken away, he was screaming: “I can wake up Keme; she’s not dead…don’t let us lose faith…”

    President of Winners Campus Fellowship Daniel Unigwe, who conducted a short service at the funeral, advised students to give their lives to Christ, saying: “Tomorrow may be too late just the way death took away our dear Sister Keme unexpectedly”.

    In his tribute, president of the PTI chapter of National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU) Israel Osiobe said: “Keme was full of life and energy the last time I saw her. She was looking radiant. Little did I know that it was my last encounter with her.”

    One of the late Enakeme’s hostel mates, Joy Ehigiamusoe, a HND 1 Science Laboratory Technology student, said: “She was the most friendly and down-to-earth student I have ever met. She brought smiles to the faces of everyone she came across. The very last day I saw her, she was excited and full of life. I never knew she would never come back to cheer us up again in my room.”

    The Ovie (King) of Urhobo Students Union (NUUS), Dominic Onovughe, recalled his last encounter with her. He said: “I saw Keme on June 13 and asked of the Urhobo souvenirs which I told her to share among members. I told her I would deliver the souvenirs at her hostel but I never knew we will not meet again. She was a fine NUUS member and she was loved by everybody. We will miss her.”

    Before her death, the late Enakeme was the Oniemo (mother of all) of NUUS and Assistant Sisters’ Coordinator, Winners Campus Fellowship.

  • Student-leader ‘slaps’ colleague

    Student-leader ‘slaps’ colleague

    Does a student deserve to be attacked for holding opposing views? This is what has been puzzling students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State since a 200-Level student, Moshood Olajide, was slapped by a student-leader for advising freshers on unionism. TEMITOPE YAKUBU reports.

    Moshood Olajide, a 200-Level Sociology and Anthropology student of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, got more than he bargained for when he decided to advise freshers to participate in unionism. The advice allegedly earned him slaps from a colleague, identified as Mubarak Akinkunmi, who is said to be a member of the caretaker committee set up by management to oversee the  Students’ Union Government (SUG).

    It all happened at Angola Hall last Thursday when Moshood, a student-activist, told the freshers to disregard an earlier announcement by the hostel’s representative, Dele Williams, a 200-Level International Relations student, warning them against taking part in unionism.

    Dele, it was learnt, told the freshers that they would be rusticated if they participated in unionism. He cited the case of Olawale Ogunruku, a fresher who was allegedly suspended in 2011 for protesting against acceptance fee increment. Olawale, he said, is still regretting his action as management was yet to reinstate him.

    But, the advice did not go down well with Moshood, who also went round the Hall of Residence to tell the freshers to participate in unionism. He confronted Dele and told him to stop discouraging the freshers.

    Moshood accused Dele of attempting to criminalise Olawale’s action, which he described as “justifiable”.

    As they arguing, chairman of the SUG Caretaker Committee Michael Ajala came in with some students, including Mubarak.

    Mubarak allegedly hit Moshood and slapped him for speaking against the caretaker committee. Moshood, it was learnt, maintained his cool in the face of provocation.

    CAMPUSLIFE learnt that the attack may not be unconnected with Moshood’s resignation from the committee as the public relations officer four months ago. His resignation followed an allegation that the committee is management’s puppet.

    After allegedly slapping Moshood, Mubarak was added to the private social media platform of the committee as a member, an action other members are frowning at.

    A member of the committee, who asked not to be named, said: “I am surprised the committee chairman is encouraging rascality. How would he add someone who was unruly in the presence of many students to our private page? Michael is making the committee to lose its integrity among students.”

    Condemnation is trailing Mubarak’s action, with students asking him to stop hiding behind the union’s façade to “display rascality”.

    President of OAU’s chapter of the Association of Campus Journalists (ACJ) Olanrewaju Oyedeji said: “Slapping is an offence on the campus and any member of the union is not expected to support it. Why should any student slap his colleague because of difference of opinion? This only makes mockery of the caretaker committee.”

    Muraina Mujeeb, a Local Government Studies student, described Mubarak’s action as “ridiculous”, saying: “This is the most shocking thing I have seen this semester. The caretaker committee is promoting violence on the campus. Nobody should be attacked or slapped for holding a view. We must tolerate people’s opinion, no matter how trivial.”

    The development is fueling calls for the dissolution of the caretaker committee. Students took to social media complaining that the committee is not representing their interest.

    Ausin Okoro, a student, wrote: “Who are these nonentities calling themselves acting union leaders? Even if the members of the committee lack a level of decorum and discipline, shouldn’t the chairman call them to order? We are surprised the chairman is promoting rascality. This is ridiculous and it is a mockery of what the union stands for. Let the committee be disbanded.”

    Another student, who simply identified himself as Comrade Joe, wrote: “Why should anyone slap a fellow student because of difference of opinion? This is a punishable offence. Such a student would not go scot-free if the SUG were to be in place. The committee members have paraded themselves as thugs. They can’t lead OAU students.”

    Moshood declined to speak on the issue when contacted on phone by CAMPUSLIFE.

    He said he was invited by members of the committee on Friday for investigation into the  case.

    Mubarak did not pick our correspondent’s calls. He did not reply our text messages too.

    It was learnt that the committee has embarked on reconciliation to appease students. The committee is said to be reaching out to the students’ groups, which have been criticising its members for docility and incompetence.

  • Court remands 38-yr-old hunter in prison for allegedly shooting colleague dead

    Another kept in custody for shooting couple

    A 38-year-old hunter has has been arrested for killing his colleague in Ilawe, a community in Ekiti State.

    Emmanuel Lamidi allegedly shot Benjamin Patrick dead during a hunting expedition at Awelewa Farm in Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti South West Local Government Area, on May 8.

    Lamidi, however, told the court that he mistakenly took his colleague for an animal during the expedition.

    He was subsequently arrested and charged before an Ado Ekiti Magistrate’s Court.

    Police prosecutor, Seargent Monica Ikebuilo, told the court that Lamidi committed the offence at about 23:00hrs on May 8 at Awelewa farm, Ilawe-Ekiti in Ekiti South West Local Government Area.

    She said the accused unlawfully killed his victim by shooting him dead with a locally made gun.

    The offence, according to the prosecutor, contravened Section 325 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

    Ikebuilo said she had forwarded his case file to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

    The plea of the accused was not taken as he said that he killed an animal and not his friend.

    His counsel, Chris Omokhafe, prayed the court for a short date of adjournment as they await advice from DPP’s office.

    Magistrate Doyin Akosile consequently ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody pending DPP’s advice.

    She adjourned the case to June 16 for further hearing.

    In another case heard by the court, a 62- year-old man, James Sunday, was also remanded for allegedly shooting a couple in front of their house.

    Police Prosecutor, Seargent Monica Ikebuilo, told the court that the accused committed the offence on May 6, 2016, at Ago Aduloju area, Ado-Ekiti.

    She alleged that the accused, on the said date, unlawfully attempted to kill a couple, Nwankwo Emmanuel and Chiwodu Emmanuel, by shooting at them in front of their house.

    According to her, the offence contravened Section 320 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 16 Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

    She said the duplicated case file had been forwarded to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

    The plea of the accused was not taken as his counsel, Chris Omokhafe, prayed the court for short adjournment.

    Magistrate Akosile consequently ordered the remand of the accused in prison custody pending the advice from DPP’s office.

    She adjourned the case to June 16 for further hearing.