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Tag: COMMUNITY

  • Goitre-infected community where victims reject medical help

    Goitre-infected community where victims reject medical help

    Blame plight on witches, wizards

    They cut a pitiable sight for the observer, but they are less disturbed about their plight. And like a camel saddled with a big burden, hundreds of residents of Ajara community in Badagry live with protruding lumps around their necks with measured despondency. And while a camel might know the source of its burden and certain that the burden would be lifted after some time, it is not so for Badagry’s army of goitre victims. They cannot place the source of the epidemic and are in the dark about how the yoke could be taken off their necks. Goiter, it was learnt, has been ravaging the serene community for years.

    Only recently, the Lagos State Government flagged off a surgical operation programme to address the scourge in the area which according 2006 . It was gathered that some of the victims who made themselves available for the exercise had their goitres removed through the intervention and their health have since been restored to normal. Investigation, however, revealed that a good number of the victims are not convinced that the solution to the problem lies in medical treatment. While they have been taking part in the various tests prescribed by the medical personnel, they have deliberately avoided the surgery that would see the lump removed.

    Some of the victims who spoke with The Nation strongly believe that their problem is spiritual. They remain rigid about their belief that their conditions resulted from attacks by their enemies. For all they care, the solution to the problem not medical but spiritual.

    One of the victims who share in this belief is 60-year-old Maria Godonu. Recalling the genesis of her problem, she said: “I started noticing it about 20 years ago. I went to the hospital the very moment I noticed it but they couldn’t carry out an operation on me because I was pregnant. I didn’t go back after giving birth. I have been going from one place to another in search of remedy to the problem.

    “I went to the primary health centre after it was announced that Governor Babatunde Fashola had flagged off a health programme to help the victims. The medical team has been calling to inform us about their plans for us.

    “They have taken us to the Lagos Island General Hospital on two occasions to undergo medical tests. I did about three tests between April and May but I don’t really know what the results were. All I know is that the results are with them in the hospital.

    “Apart from the tests we did in Lagos, we have also done some here in Ajara. They brought some medical personnel to examine us.”

     

    Spiritualising the problem

    After all the efforts she has put into the exercise, one would expect Godonu to jump at any offer of surgical operation to have the lump removed, but this is not the case. She cited spiritual reasons for staying away from surgical operations on two occasions.

    She said: “I would have gone for surgical operations long before now, but a prophecy from my pastor made me to jettison the idea. When I was contemplating going for the operation, I went to church one day and in the course of praying, a prophecy came that there was someone in the congregation who wanted to go for surgical operation. I was warned against doing so because it would lead to death. That was why I could not go for the operation.

    “After some time, I had a rethink and made up my mind to go for surgery. I took the decision because I realized that no matter how much one tries to run away from death, it remains an inevitable end.

    “At this point, my mind was made up once again to go for an operation. A few days to the time that I was supposed to go for the operation, my husband attended a church service and a prophecy came to him that I shouldn’t contemplate operation at all. They told him that the operations would be successful but it would lead to my death.

    “The prophecy further dampened my morale to go for the operation because it confirmed the first prophecy. If the prophecies had come from the same church or persons, I probably would have dismissed it as a conspiracy. I bought into it because it came from two different places and persons. One must be careful and never try to pay deaf ears to such warnings.”

    Asked if she could change her mind and go for a surgical operation, she said: “I don’t think I have the courage for an operation anymore. If God is speaking to you, you must be attentive because you don’t know who is after you. May God protect us from those that are after our lives but pretending to be friends.”

    Another victim, who identified herself simply as Sauda, says she dreads an operation because there is more to the problem than medical treatment can solve. “I have heard of the government programme but I don’t think I can be part of it,” she said with a tone of finality.

    “I am not convinced that the solution lies in medical treatment. I know somebody who went for a surgical operation to remove his, but as I am talking to you, the goitre is back on his neck. It has even grown bigger than it was before the operation.”

    Bose, a beneficiary of the state government’s health programme, said she was initially reluctant when she was asked to go for an operation.

    She said: “I was scared of going for an operation at the initial stage because I never thought that medical help could take care of the problem. Like several other victims, I had the belief that the affliction was not natural. I also lived with the feeling that some forces of darkness were behind the affliction in the entire area. Our fears were heightened by the rate at which the problem has been spreading in our area.”

    “Actually, if you look around, you will discover that this is the only area where the case is widespread. I have not really seen any area where the problem is endemic as it is in this area. In fact, we have had people that always campaign against going for operations to correct the anomaly because they feared that victims would die in the process.”

     

    Common challenges

    The victims say the problem gives them sharp pains which cause them sleeplessness nights.

    “I have been having sleepless nights because of it. The pains wake me up many times in the night. I have developed a sort of phobia for night. I have been a trader all my life but my children stopped me from engaging in business activities because of this,” Godonu said.

    Sauda also explained that the pains caused by the problem sometimes weaken her to the point that she would not be able to go about her normal business.

    She said: “There is no how this kind of heavy load would not make one to have pains. At times, the pains would be so severe that I would be incapable of doing anything. It can be more worrisome when it happens at night, because I would writhe in pains all night and have my eyes wide open all through the night.”

    A 70-year-old victim, Pa Jonas Penuola, also spoke about the pains caused by the problem.

    He said: “It used to give me a lot of pains in the past, but I hardly feel it in recent times. At the initial stage, I went to the hospital for treatment but it did not change the situation.

    “I started noticing the growth about 10 years ago. It started very small, and as time went on, it started increasing in size till it got to the stage it is right now. I am prepared to go for an operation whenever they ask us to come. I have no fears whatsoever about going for an operation.

     

    Stigma and exploitation

    Madam Godonu recalled that she had been fleeced of her hard earned money by fraudsters masquerading as traditional healers.

    She said: “I have spent so much money trying to find a solution to this problem. There was a time that somebody came and assured me that he would cure it. He made a concoction of bitter leaf and asked me to be rubbing it on the affected part. I was full of joy when he gave me the assurance that the goitre would disappear after using the concoction.

    “I followed all the instructions he gave me and used it religiously. Unfortunately, the concoction made the situation worse. Instead of curing me, it started giving me sore. I quickly discontinued its usage before it could worsen my situation.

    “Shortly after that experience, I went back to a nearby general hospital and was given some medications that made the goitre to reduce in size. If not for that medication, it would have become far bigger than you are seeing now.”

    She also spoke about the stigma and embarrassment she has gone through with the problem.

    “I have suffered series of embarrassments because of my condition. There was one woman who publicly abused me because of it. She told me to go and remove the heavy load on my neck simply because we had a minor misunderstanding. There has been countless number of similar insults on me over the years.

    “Besides, whenever I attend social functions, the guests would leave everything they are doing and fix their eyes on my neck. It is very embarrassing but there is nothing I can do about this, because it wasn’t an affliction I brought upon myself.”

    Pa Jonas also spoke about his ugly encounter with traditional healers, saying{“I have also tried several native medicines without any improvement. I have spent so much money patronising herbal medicines. I stopped doing this after I discovered that they were only ripping me off. There is no human being that would be happy to have this kind of burden on his neck. It easily disfigures the victim. I have lost my handsome look since I developed the problem.”

     

    Community leaders react

    A community leader who simply identified himself as Alhaji Raji noted that many people in the community were unwilling to go for operation because they believe the affliction is the handiwork of witches and that any attempt to operate it would lead to death.

    “The efforts of the government to have good number of the victims operated has suffered a setback because some of these people strongly believe that the problem is supernatural and can never be cured medically,” he said.

    “Even though some of the victims in this community have successfully undergone operation, numerous others have remained skeptical about going for it. They easily cite the examples of their colleagues who died shortly after they were operated upon in the hospital. They are never interested in knowing the cause of such person’s death. All they go about believing is that it was the surgical operation they had that killed them.

    “Another reason some of them give for shunning operations is the fact that some people who were successfully operated upon earlier experienced a fresh growth on their neck after some time. In fact, some of the victims have fled the community out of fear.

    “There is a particular woman who would never want to have anything to do with you the moment she knows that you are out to discuss the problem with her. She deliberately avoids medical personnel any time they come around.”

    Another community leader, who gave his name as Osawe Babatunde supports those who believe that the problem is spiritual.

    He said: “I would never blame anybody who refuses to go for operation. The problem cannot be ordinary and I don’t think that surgical operation is the answer to it. I cannot even advise my enemy to go for an operation because it will have dire consequences.

    “From every indication, the problem appears to have some invisible hands behind it. When you observe such development, you don’t just rush into applying medical treatment. It is pertinent that you do some consultations with the elders that are grounded in traditional healing methods in the community and do the needful.

    “If you ask me, I think there is an urgent need to appease the gods in the area so that the challenge can be taken care of. Medical efforts would only be a short term thing,” he added.

    In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director of Global Hospital, Alimosho, Lagos, Dr. Johnson Babatunde, dismissed the insinuations that goitre is the handiwork of witchcraft. He urged victims to be courageous enough to embrace the intervention of the Lagos State Government by going for surgery to remove their goitre.

    Babatunde said: “It is sad that people can still be holding on to unsubstantiated thoughts about goitre being the machination of witches and wizards. For the avoidance of doubt, goitre is the swelling of the neck resulting from the enlargement of the thyroid gland, and it can be caused by multiple factors, one of which is iodine deficiency.

    “It can be associated with over-function of the thyroid gland, excessive thyroid hormones, under-function of the gland or inadequate levels of thyroid hormones. When a goitre becomes very large, it can sometimes cause symptoms because it presses on adjacent structures such as the oesophagus and the trachea. Symptoms related to a large goitre include difficulty with swallowing, shortness of breath, wheezing (sound that results from turbulent air flow in and out of the trachea) and hoarseness.

    “And just as goitre cannot be linked to one particular disease, there is also no one specific treatment for it. The treatment depends upon the cause of the enlargement. Treatments for goitre can include medications, surgery, treatment with radioactive iodine, and simple observation. I want to therefore admonish those living with goitre to seek adequate medical solution or remedy to their problems.”

    A nutritionist, Mrs. Nkechi Okafor, said: “Goitre may occur in people who live in areas where the soil and water do not have enough iodine. As a result of this, people in these areas might also not get enough iodine in their diet.

    “The use of iodised salt in many food products in the advanced countries today prevents a lack of iodine in the diet and this is the reason why the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended minimal intake of iodised salt to prevent further spread of the disease in Nigeria. Therefore, it is necessary for people to ensure use of iodised salt in their diet or cooking.

    “In many cases of simple goitre, the cause is unknown. Other than lack of iodine, certain foods such as soy beans, peanuts and vegetables in the broccoli family have also been linked to goitre. To this end, consumption of these foods should either be reduced or discontinued.”

  • Ki-Moon urges international community to stand by Chibok girls

    Ki-Moon urges international community to stand by Chibok girls

    United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon yesterday reiterated his call for the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, more than 100 days after.

    Ki-moon expressed his full support for the worldwide vigils which took place yesterday.

    “I stand in solidarity with all those taking part in vigils today to demonstrate that the world has not forgotten the girls who were so cruelly abducted from their school 100 days ago,” said Mr. Ban in a message.

    “I repeat my call for their immediate release and for an end to discrimination, intimidation and violence against girls whose only wish is to gain an education. Only by shielding them from harm and enabling them to realize their full potential can we usher in a better future for all,” he added.

    Vigils were held yesterday around the world to demonstrate solidarity with the girls and their families. Supporters in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States organised a series of campaigns, including lighting the candles, under the banner #BringBackOurGirls to maximize the visibility for continued global concern.

    A wide coalition of organisations, including A World at School and its network of Global Youth Ambassadors and Girls Not Brides leaders, were spreading the campaign’s message. In Abuja, multiple events were organised by the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ group.

    In New York, at 5:30 p.m., supporters paid tributes to the girls by walking from Nigeria’s UN Mission to the world body’s Headquarters. A World at School also encouraged people to show their support for the initiative by signing a new online petition which calls for the safe return of the girls.

    The UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, is expected to send the petition to President Goodluck Jonathan. The Chibok girls’ families are also expected to sign the petition and offer their full support for the Safe Schools Initiative.

    That $23million dollar programme is designed to pilot 500 safe schools in Nigeria, while bringing the country’s Government and business leaders together with the international community to ensure safe education for all children.

    “Girls’ rights should be taken seriously and they should be at school free of intimidation and violence. We will mark the 100 days by pledging to rebuild their Chibok school, and by calling for international support for safe schools across Nigeria,” stressed Mr. Brown.

    The UN envoy urged the international community to stand in solidarity with the kidnapped schoolgirls and “never to abandon them”, while “reminding people that we are in the midst of a global civil rights struggle”.

  • Community angry over ‘illegal’ party congress

    Community angry over ‘illegal’ party congress

    Unless there is an urgent intervention by concerned authorities, the brewing tension in Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos, a serious crisis may erupt in the area soon.

    Amid outbursts of anger Friday evening, leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area held their maiden meeting and inauguration of the LCDA chapter of the party, following a congress election held on April 5, which was adjudged free and fair.

    They are, however, bitter over a “needless” rerun poll allegedly spearheaded by the member representing them in the House of Representatives, Hon. James Abiodun Faleke – which has since created a parallel leadership for the party in the area.

    Party leaders present at the parley, which was held at the Agidingbi Town Hall, Ikeja, included: Hon Olori Lola Bashorun, a former Vice Chairman of the LCDA; Chief Joseph Olaseinde Famakinwa, chairman of Ward C; Elder Alade Solomon, party lear from Oke-Ira, Ogba; Alhaja Kehinde Quadri, chairman, Ward A, and Hon Azeez Adebayo, Supervisor for Works in the LCDA.

    The mammoth crowd of party members and supporters that thronged the venue of the meeting loudly expressed their anger over the unsavoury development as they urged the state leaders of the party to attend to their grievances to avoid imminent chaos and save the party.

    Hon Bashorun told The Nation: “The problem here is about somebody who claims to be our representative desiring to control the leadership of all the six wards here. Hon Faleke was at the April 5 congress which was free and fair. But because he could not realise his ambition of having his people in all the wards, he organised a bogus rerun and went to the state leadership of our party to lie that his own version was the authentic. Interestingly, the state leadership said there was no rerun anywhere. This is unacceptable. We just want to assure the party that we are on ground here. They have taken over the key to our secretariat; that is why we are he because we don’t want trouble. Let the state intervene and ensure justice now.”

    Famakinwa, who echoed Bashorun’s views, said the matter demanded urgent attention by the authorities in the party because of the imminence of the 2015 election, adding however, that they remained loyal members of APC in the area.

    Also, Alhaja Quadri said the rerun is illegal and unjust, saying: “I am the only elected woman in the free and fair poll. To now say that the same poll should be set aside is strange; it does not help the course of justice and ideal democracy. We need help here.”

    Both Solomon and Adebayo also expressed displeasure over the development, adding that it would be too much of a political risk to leave the area in the throes of the mounting tension.

    When contacted, Faleke, in an SMS, said: “I think you should contact the party secretariat at Acme. Why should I destroy the party we have built? Those that organised the parallel (congress) are Hon Oloro and sadly Baba Eto who incidentally is the deputy chairman of the party in the state.”

    However, Oloro (the LCDA’s chairman) exonerated himself and Baba Eto, saying it was the people that organised the congress. “I was Hon Faleke’s deputy for two terms when he chaired this council; I did not give him any problem. It is strange and unbelievable that today, whatever happens, he is always quick to mention my name,” he added.

  • Community mistakes students for Boko Haram

    Some 300-Level students of  Mass Communication at the Kogi State University, Anyigba, were  on Saturday mistaken for members of the Boko Haram sect while on a trip to Amalla community in Enugu-ezike Local Government Area of Enugu State.

    The students who arrived at the community at about 3pm were on assignment for Oral Community newspaper. On arrival, the students were directed to the palace of the traditional ruler.

    According to one of the students, Kelvin Eze, on getting to the palace, the palace minister suspected the students to be members of Boko Haram and was about calling for their arrest. Later, a call was put through to their Head of Department for confirmation of the students’ status.

    The students were later received and allowed to carry out their assignment.

  • Enactus hits community with empowerment seminar

    Members of the Entrepreneurship Action in Us (ENACTUS) Club at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, have organised free empowerment seminar for residents of Emure community.

    The seminar was held at Community Grammar School, Emure Ile, Ondo State.

    No fewer than 40 members of the community were trained on how to produce detergents and allied products, including strategies to market the products.

    Residents were taught how to make liquid dish wash, disinfectant and toilet wash.

    Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE, Joseph Adebowale, the group leader, said:  “We discover a passion that if unleashed can inspire others to fulfil their dreams. We discover innovations that will make people live a healthier life, which can also be a source of income if properly harnessed. We discovered a problem at Emure-Ile community and decided to provide solutions. We targeted the people of this community that live below one dollar per day and we decided that the best way to empower their men and women is to train them on what will help the community and boost their income,” he stated.

    Its Faculty Advisor at the institution, Mr Akintan Akinyemi, said: “Considering the relevant economic, social and environmental factors, the seminar is bound to improve the quality and standard of living of the participants. We empower people in need by applying business and economic concepts and and entrepreneurial approach to improve their quality of life and standard of living.”

     

  • Community rejects institute’s director

    Community rejects institute’s director

    The people of Umuokahia Autonomous Community in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State have praised President Goodluck Jonathan, the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike and other key stakeholders who played significant roles in restoring the autonomous status of National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Aba allegedly proscribed four years ago by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

    They also called on both President Jonathan and the Supervising Minister of Education to resist attempts by “highly placed individuals” who they alleged were working assiduously to ensure that a former Director of the NINLAN under University of Nigeria, Nsukka Campus Prof. Clara Ikekeonwu was appointed a substantive director now that the institute has regained its autonomy.

    While addressing the management board of NINLAN Demonstration Nursery, Primary and Secondary school at his palace, the traditional ruler of Umuokahia community (a community that hosts NINLAN Demonstration Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools as well as NINLAN’s temporary campus), His Royal Highness (HRH) Eze Okey Ananaba called on the Supervising Minister of Education to distance himself from those championing the return of Prof. Ikekeonwu as the substantive director of the institute.

    Eze Ananaba recalled a stale relationship between the host community and the former director of the institute while it was merged with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Campus. He alleged that the former director was running the institute as a personal business without even considering the interest of the host community.

    He said: “We the people of Umuokahia in Obingwa Local Government Area are happy with President Goodluck Jonathan, Nyesom Wike (education minister), Senators Nkechi Nwaogu, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Uche Chukwumerije, among others who played key roles in ensuring that NINLAN was demerged from UNN Nsukka Campus.

    “We are, however, urging the Supervising Minister of Education to distance himself from some persons who are campaigning for the re-appointment of Prof. Clara Ikekeonwu as the institute’s director now that the institute is autonomous.

    “Before Clara was appointed NINLAN director, we had good relationship with the institute, but things changed when she assumed office as the director. During her tenure as the executive director, she never visited this palace for one day.

    “Her relationship with this community until she left was nothing to write home about and so, we are opposed to any move by any person to appoint Prof. Clara the executive director of NINLAN now that the institute has regained its autonomy. Any move to re-appoint her outside the judgment of the Umuahia Federal High Court means that we will head back to court to ensure that the decision of the court is implemented,” the traditional said.

    While calling for the setting up of an audit panel of inquiry to investigate the activities of the former director, Eze Okey Ananaba appealed for the re-instatement of disengaged workers that were not paid their entitlement since 2007, appointment of a substantive director that will carry the community along in the scheme of things, employment opportunities for citizens of the area and full implementation of Umuahia Federal High Court judgment on suit No. FHC/UM/CS/84/2007.

    Earlier in an address, Dr. Patricia Ijioma who visited the palace in company of other members of staff revealed that they were on the familiarisation tour to introduce the newly members of the constituted governing board of the school to the royal father and to inform him that NINLAN has regained its autonomy from the UNN.

    Mrs. Ijioma, soliciting the co-operation of the royal father with the management of the school, expressed hope that their visit would further strengthen the institution’s relationship with its host community.

    Recall that the Federal Government, in a bid to promote the teaching and learning of Nigerian local Languages, in 1993 through the Ministry of Education headed by Prof. Babatunde Aliyu Fafunwa, had established Nigerian French Language Village (NFLV), Badagry Lagos State, Nigerian Arabic Village (NAV), Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State and National Institute for Nigerian Languages, along Ogbor Hill New Umuahia Road, Umuokahia Autonomous Community Abia State respectively, with only NINLAN out of the lot being backed by Decree 117, now Act 117) that empowers it to fulfill the objectives for which it was set up.

  • Ebonyi community tense over mining

    •Minister, DSS, CP petitioned

    Mining lead has brought more than joy to the community. Blood and tears have also come with it.

    There is appreciable tension in Umuobii Ekka community in Ebonyi State following the stoppage of work at a lead mining site in the village by some angry youths protesting discrimination, neglect and violation of their rights.

    Some stakeholders allegedly sent thugs to disperse the youths to enable the miners resume their business but the community would rather the youths’ demands were addressed.

    The community petitioned the Minister for Mining and Steel Development through the mining officer in Abakaliki, and the traditional ruler of Ekka community calling for a review of agreement entered into before the mining started.

    Umuobii Ekka Development Union in a petition to the Minister, the police and the State Security Service (SSS) signed by the chairman of the community, Nwaka Felix and the youth president, Nworie Sunday, said only their intervention could save the situation.

    They appealed to the minister in a petition entitled “Report of violation and discrimination of our rights,” lamenting that they have been assaulted, humiliated and dehumanised even in their own land since mining of lead for commercial use started there.

    The petition reads: ‘We, the people of Umuobii wish to express our grief and neglect based on how we are being treated since the issue of mining project came up. We have been humiliated, assaulted and dehumanised. The kind of discrimination bestowed on us has intoxication and difficulties which is the arrangement and plans of the stake holder and our traditional rule in particular.

    “Therefore, the initial arrangement before commencement of the work was violated and abandoned which brought about this information. There was no proper negotiation between the host village and the community at large, we have never being given official consultation or called for dialogue. Besides, the strategic way they put the project made it to have the tendency of individual interest, which the village disagreed with, for its incompatibility, inducement, and of undue influence which might lead to oppositions.

    “And the people of Umuobii have such perception and decided to disagree with such inhuman arrangement as it lacked mutual co-existence, no compromise, no consensus and iota of relationship of trust between the host village and stake-holders.

    Umuobii people lamented that they were not carried along and were disengaged by the stakeholders during the negotiation of agreement between the mining team and the community when they supposed to be carried along.

    “However, the people of Umuobii were disengaged during the preparation of agreement that will drive the mining project. God is not foolish when he planted such mineral there, we need strategies that are essential to positive approach, and we need to be carried along. We need opportunities for transformation and development. We believe that these means are to develop procedure for identifying conflict that are yet to come and put a stop to it.

    Meanwhile, it is the duty of the host village to choose somebody that has no questionable character and as well allowed to hear their view in the new agreement that are yet to come because the last one lacked good representation of the host village.

    “So the village Umuobii has suffered neglect: since creation of the earth by the community leaders, there has never being any dividend we have ever receive our share ,we have never received any portion of the community communal land, no allocation of government appointment that has ever reached our us. And we always agitate for it, and we have being struggling to be part of, and our agitation is to be allowed to be part of the decision and as to receive our percentage.

    “In addition, the only preventive approach to combat this potential conflict is divine intervention, resolution and proper mediation at this pre-conflict stage as planned by the stake holders  and not by deploying thugs in the arena of the mining. And right now we the Umuobii do not believe in crisis which shows that we are peacemakers. We are crying because our rights have been breached, we have been embarrassed, during the bargaining process, and we have being consciously oppressed. And this is the fact that sufficient ground for us to put our bargaining power was not given to us…

    “We believe the principle of equality before the law. We believe in the principle of social value, substantive and distributive justice which states that one should be allowed to earn his due.

    The community appealed to Senator Paulinus Igwe, Senate Committee Chairman on Police representing their senatorial zone and Hon Ede representing Isienu-Ezza federal constituency to call the people trying to undermine the villagers to order. They said only Senator Igwe built a hospital in Ndiagu which is the only government presence there.

    The community in another letter to the traditional ruler of Ekka community, Igwe Fidelis Ekechi Chukwu further said that the people of Umuobii have agreed and stated that this sharing formula should be observed and the host village of the mining land has to be treated as required if this mining project should succeed.

    The community said it is unthinkable for anyone to deny them the benefits of a mining field in their backyard. They insist that Umuobii village must be given 50 per cent as hosts of the mining field.

    The Umuobii village also demanded that their residents should get 60 per cent of any scholarship coming to the area.

  • Enugu community cries out over vigilance group

    Enugu community cries out over vigilance group

    The Neighbourhood Watch of an Enugu State community is under intense scrutiny following allegations of victimisation levelled against the outfit, a development that has shaken up the entire community.

    The vigilance outfit, Aji Community Neighbourhood Watch in Igboeze North Local Government Area has been accused of masterminding the killing of some innocent citizens of the Aji community “purely on the grounds of vendetta and not on grounds of commission of any crime.”

    As a result of a petition to the Inspector-General of Police by a section of the community, men from the Force Headquarters Abuja, penultimate week stormed Aji and whisked away the chairman of the Aji Community Neighbourhood Watch and two others believed to have been masterminds of the series of killings that bedevilled the community in the past three months.

    In the month of March 2014, the Aji Community witnessed the assassination of two persons named Oforma Itodo four days after he buried his mother and Obinna Onoja one week later.

    It was learnt that prior to the death of Itodo, he raised an alarm in a written petition to the Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Abubakar over a threat to his life in which the I-G, in turn, forwarded the petition to the Enugu State Police Commissioner for prompt investigation.

    Narrating to our correspondent on the alleged killings in Aji, a source from the community who pleaded anonymity for security reasons, said Obinna Onoja was gruesomely killed by the Aji Neighbourhood Watch after alleging that he stole some undisclosed items from the compound of a top Enugu State Government official.

    The source narrated:  “Before the Enugu State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) could arrive in the scene where Obinna Onoja was killed, the Neighbourhood Watch group tortured him severely, using axe and machetes to chop off his toes.”

    While confirming that his group arrested Obinna Onoja over some criminal activities in the community for interrogation, the Chairman of Aji Neighbourhood Watch, Mr. Joseph Azegba denied their involvement in his death, adding that they only interrogated him after which he was handed over to the police for further questioning.

    “We did not kill Obinna Onoja. We only contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Igbo-Eze North and the SARS and handed him over for further investigation into his case,” he said.

    In the case of Oforma Itodo who was also allegedly killed by the same Aji Neighbourhood Watch few days after burying his mother, a family member who narrated the act, said they were about 50 who stormed their compound with axe, guns and machetes and refused to listen to appeals made by those who were still mourning.

    He said: “The assailants went straight for Oforma who was carrying his little baby and started assaulting him after which they dragged him out of the compound to an undisclosed location where they butchered him and abandoned his lifeless body.

    “We are still in the dark over the barbaric act of the vigilance group. This is why we decided to petition the Inspector-General of Police to help us unravel the reason behind their actions and bring to book the killers of our brother.”

    The family source made reference to the earlier petition written by the deceased to the Inspector-General of Police where he raised an alarm that his life was no longer safe in the community.

    According to him, the matter was surprisingly charged to court and Oforma, who initially was the complainant, suddenly became the accused.

    “What we discovered in the court was a total contrast to what my brother complained in his petition. They completely twisted the matter and surprisingly my brother became the accused but to God be the glory the High Court in Enugu discovered the truth and discharged him.

    “But ever since his discharge from court, the same set of people whom we know have the backing of a top government official in the community have been terrorising the entire community hiding under Aji Neighbourhood Watch to carry out their evil acts. They kept on trailing Oforma until they finally made sure they hacked him to death.

    “We know the killers of our brother and can identify some of them because they came in the day time. They didn’t wear any mask. You know this is an era of rule of law and democracy; if actually Oforma committed any offence, what any right thinking person should do is to hand him over to the security agency for prosecution and not taking laws into their own hands.

    “What we later understood was that there has been a parallel Neighbourhood Watch group in the community and that the killing of Oforma was to permanently seal the confession made by a member of the other group which they claimed Oforma was privy to,” he said.

    Women of the community, under the aegis of Aji Women Forum (AWF) with Mrs. Amaka Uramah as leader, had cried out to relevant authorities to disband the Neighbourhood Watch before the community becomes a war zone.

    The women leader lamented bitterly on the spate of killings in the community.

    She said: “Our sons are being killed under mysterious circumstances. The killings were as a result of the dissolution of the previous vigilance group: we lost three of our young men last year and again two of them have also been killed recently.

    “Before this crisis, Aji community has been relatively peaceful to the extent that our traditional ruler, Igwe Simeon Osisi Itodo was honoured as the most security conscious traditional ruler in the entire Southeast geo-political zone.

    “As mothers, who carried these children in our wombs for nine months, we are tired of seeing horrible things and we want an end to it now,” she said.

    Uramah, a teacher and chairperson of the Catholic Women Organisation in Aji recounted how body parts of their sons were mutilated.

    According to her, last year, one Festus Idoko and Ndubuisi were slaughtered and their body parts mutilated while another, Uche Nwaossai’s decomposed body was found in his father’s water tank.

  • Community honours Yobe APC chair

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe State has elected ward, local government and state officials, and Alhaji Mai Mala Buni, Special Adviser to Governor Ibrahim Gaidam on Political and Legislative Affairs is the state chairman of the party.

    The state congress was held under a peaceful atmosphere at the Cultural Centre along Maiduguri Road in Damaturu. Thirty-four other elective positions were also filled at the event.

    A former governor of the state Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim who moved the motion for the adoption of all the candidates informed the gathering that all the stakeholders were involved in the consensus process. He describe the motion as a “big responsibility with few words of expression”. His motion was seconded by the Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Adamu Dala Dogo and wild acceptance from the delegates.

    In his remarks, Gaidam expressed happiness over the maturity of the stakeholders in Yobe, describing them as “law-abiding”.

    “All our previous congresses have been done on consensus without any problem. I am confident that this will not be an exception. We have always achieved our consensus in Yobe because all of us are law-abiding and loyal party members. I am happy with this internal democracy that our dear state is always imbibed.

    “I want to put on record that all these would have been achieved without the involved and wide consultation of all the stakeholders involved. I call on all to give out new leaders the desired cooperation to succeed so that together we can push out PDP out of Aso Rock Villa.

    The returning officer of the APC Usman IYA Abbass praised the consensus initiative of the state stressing that his work in the state became easier with the consensus, describing it as a model for the country.

    After his was unanimously elected as the new chairman of the APC in the state, Dogo’s his community comprising of Gujba/Gulani gathered in Damaturu, the state capital to honour one of their own for attaining such an exalted position in the hierarchy of the state.

    Though such honours are expectedly done on home soil, however the volatility of Gujba/Gulani Local Government areas at the moment due to Boko Haram attacks forced the people to move to Damaturu to honor their son,  Alhaji Mai Mala Buni.

    Speaking at the occasion Mr. Ahmed Mustapha Goniri who is also the Commissioner of Justice in the state, noted that it was such a day of joy for the community for one of their own to be elected in such an exalted position in the party in the state.

    While extolling the sterling leadership qualities of the Yobe APC chairman, Barr. Ahmed took time out to commend Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam for the peaceful conduct of the election which brough Mai Mala Buni to the position.

    In his views, the Director General of Yobe Islamic Centre Dr. Zaji Bunu called on the new chairman of use his position to make more enemies than friends, stressing that leadership comes from Allah and the same Allah can strip one off from it.

    Dr. Zaji Bunu also admonished the the chairman not to forget the trust of the people that elected him into the office, while calling on him to imbibe an all inclusive government and consult widely before taking any major decision so as to avoid mistakes.

  • A community in need of bridge

    A community in need of bridge

    Of all their needs, a bridge appears to be the most urgent. So much depends on it, but it is in bad shape.

    Karatudu and Ungwan Romi are two fast-growing settlements located side by side in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The two communities are on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis. Karatudu is behind the Federal Housing Estate along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway. The community lacks basic amenities such as access roads, schools and even a police post. As the rains begin to set in, the worries of the community mount. They will have to raise money for their children’s school, and for them to do that, they must go to the market.

    The road to the market sinks the heart. Why? The Karatudu Bridge, which is yet to be completed almost two years after a fresh contract was awarded. Work on the project has stopped because, according to officials of Tiger Cat, the firm handling the project, there is no money to go ahead with it. The people are also concern because according to some of them, the contractors have started trimming their staff because of lack of money.

    Contract for the construction of the bridge and access road linking the Federal Housing, Karatudu and Ungwan Romi was awarded in November 2012 by the Kaduna State government with a 25 percent mobilisation fee paid by the government.

    Before the award of the contract, residents of Karatudu had suffered untold hardship especially during the raining season as they had to made do with a make shift structure which served them as a bridge and was often washed away whenever there is a heavy rain fall. Then came the Chikun local government who awarded contract for the construction of a bridge across the Romi river to serve the communities.

    After erecting two pillars, the contractors abandoned the project allegedly for lack of money. But residents of the area accused the contractors of sharing the money meant for the project with politicians and cried out to the late governor, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa for help.

    Their cry yeilded result in 2012 when the government awarded the contract for the bridge. Sarkin Karatudu (Village Head), Daniel Karatudu told The Nation that the community is unhappy that the bridge has not been completed and appeal to the government to do everything possible to ensure that it is completed before the rains sets in fully.

    he said the community was very happy when the contract was awarded because they felt that at last, government has remembered them.

    “When the contract was awarded by the Yakowa administration, we heaved a sigh of relief. You can see that Ungwan Romi where our children attend school is only a stone’s throw from here. But during the rainy season, our children spend close to N300 daily to attend school because they have to travel through the Federal Housing to Gonin Gora before going to school. As you can see, going through these places is like taking us back and that journey takes nothing less than twenty minutes. But with the bridge, that will only take us less than five minutes and the children will not have to pay transport fare to school.

    “So, our joy knew no bounds when the work started. But for a long time now, the work has stopped and the contractors are telling us that they have not been paid by the government and so, they cannot continue with the project. We are at a loss because the rains are coming again and yet we don’t have any bridge to use. If they knew that they will not complete the project, they would have left the old one we were managing so that we don’t have under go much suffering. But now, we don’t even have any to manage. If you go to the place, you find out that the community are trying to put up a make shift there, but once it rain, it will be washed away”.

    The traditional ruler said they have been appealing to the youths to be calm as he believe that something will be done about the project and appeal to the governor to come to their aide. He said “God used Yakowa to award contract for this project in order to put a smile on our face. The same God has called him. We appeal to Governor Yero not to abandon us now. God has made it possible that he is the one on the seat now. He should hear our cry and pay the contractors so that the project will continue before the rains so that we can always send our children to school. We know that he is a listening governor”.

    Another elder in the community who would not disclose his name, said then non-completion of the bridge is frustrating them as they are forced to spend heavily to get to the market for their children to go to school. He claimed that often, people fall into the river and die while trying to cross. He accused the government of abandoning them in the community. He said “look at us here. We have a large number of voters in this place and more people are moving into this place. Unfortunately, we don’t have a secondary school for our children, we don’t have a market and we don’t even have a police post here. Our road is bad and the bridge we have been managing has been pulled down to pave way for the one the government says they are constructing for us. But for the past one year, the work has been abandoned and the contractors complain of lack of money. As I speak with you, they have started laying off their staff and moving their equipment away from here. That is a clear sign that they work has been abandoned. We don’t know what we have done to deserve this kind of treatment”.

    One of the youths in the community who operates a commercial motor cycle, John Idris said the only condition for them to participate in the forthcoming elections is for the government to complete the bridge for them. He said “we are tired of this kind of treatment from the government. We are tired of promises that are not fulfilled. Look at this place, we are suffering here and nothing is being done about it. Go and tell the governor that if he does not complete this project, he should not expect our votes come 2015. We will give the vote to another person”.

    Project Manager of Tiger Cat, the construction company handling the project, Engr, Khalil Iyad told The Nation that the delay in the completion of the project is basically that of finance, pointing out that once money is available to remaining work on the entire project will be completed within four months. He said “the major project is basically finance. We have actually forwarded so many certificates to government for payment and we have been soliciting pleading with the government for payment so that we can move on fully with the project. We have done 75 percent of the project and have placed certificates for payment since June 2013, but none have been cleared”. However, there seems to be some ray of light at the end of the tunnel for the project as according to Iyad the governor has assured them of payment saying “the governor has assured us that he has taken some loans just to pay contractors and consultants. So, we believe strongly that Insha Allah, within a week of two, we will be paid and the work will continue. What is remaining on that bridge is just the slap decking which is the final phase of the bridge”.

    A visit to the site of the bridge revealed that there is still much work to be done on the bridge to make it usable by the benefiting communities. But Iyad said this is not so, pointing out that the only work remaining on the bridge is the slap decking which he said is the final phase of work on the bridge. What about sand filling the approach to the bridge on both sides which has not been done? He said “when our certificates are cleared, we have to pay compensation for some of the buildings there and run them down before we sand fill the area. When the finance is there, the bridge is just two months work, but the project as a whole might take four months to finish”.