The Nation Newspaper

Tag: loses

  • Faculty loses lecturer, student

    Faculty loses lecturer, student

    The Faculty of Education at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) has mourned a lecturer, Dr Maureen Ogwokhademhe at the Department of Counselling Education, who died at 41 from a protracted ailment.

    Penultimate Sunday, the faculty also lost a female undergraduate who died in an accident on the campus. It was reported that she was the only one that died in the incident, while others sustained serious injuries.

    The students, decked in black attire, have held a rally round the different faculties of the university.

    The students described the late lecturer as amiable, saying she was a diligent lecturer. One of them said: “She was indeed a great lecturer and her impact will forever be indelible in the department and the faculty at large.”

    There was a flurry of tears as president of the department was reading a farewell message in honour of the deceased lecturer and student. The students prayed that God should avert such tragedy in the department.

  • Emenike loses father-in-law

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State and publisher, Chief Ikechi Emenike, has lost his father-in-law, Sir Martin Ohadiugha.

    He died on February 18, 2014. According to Chief Emenike, the late Martin Ohadiugha “was to me, many people, many things rolled in one: father-in-law; father; brother; counsellor; confidant and morale booster”.

    A Knight of the Catholic Church, the late Sir Ohadiugha was General Manager of the Nigerian Telecommunications Ltd (NITEL). His tour of duty took him to several parts of the country including Kano, Yola, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Enugu.

    He was made the Vice Chairman of the Ohuhu Council of Elders after he retired because of his steadfastness .

    He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Lady Felicia Ohadiugha and children, Mr Emeka Ohadiugha, Assistant Director, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Dr (Mrs) Chinyere Uwaga; Dr (Mrs) Uzoma Emenike; and Mrs Dorothy Otaru.

    The late Ohadiugha will be buried on March 3 at his hometown, Umule in Ohuhu, Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State. According to Christian rites, Vigil Mass will be held for the late Octogenarian on March 2 and the outing service on March 4, all at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Umule.

  • Dana Air ‘loses over N4b to shutdown’

    Dana Air ‘loses over N4b to shutdown’

    Thirty days  after its operation was shut down by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA), DANA Air claims to have lost about N4billion in revenue in 2013 .

    According to a statement by DANA Air’s Head of Corporate Communications Tony Usidamen, the company’s financial report for 2012 showed that the airline  lost N14 billion last year.

    He said financial loss to Dana Air because of government’s shutdown in 2012 and 2013 was conservatively estimated  at about N18billion . “It is now over 30 days since the NCAA directive and, though the airline is open and ready for the audit, it is worrisome that there is still no clear indication when the ‘external auditors’ will commence the audit.

    “The sincerity of NCAA’s planned audit of the airline is now very much in doubt.

    “The continuous grounding of Dana Air is causing untold hardship for the hitherto gainfully-employed staff of the airline, and with NCAA’s inaction regarding the audit, there appears to be no relief in sight to the suffering of the airline’s staff and their numerous dependants.

  • ALSCON loses $1.6m monthly to high production cost

    The Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, is losing $1.6 million dollars monthly to high cost of production.

    The Director of Public/Government Relation, Mrs Tatyana Smirnova, stated this in IkotAbasi. She spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    “Each tonne of aluminium produced at ALSCON results in a loss of $886 dollars which leads to monthly loss of $1.6 million dollars by the plant.’’

    “At present, aluminium industry globally is going through one of the toughest periods in its history, she said.

    Mrs Smirnova said price of aluminium had continued to decline globally, noting that the price of aluminum stood at slightly over $1,700 per tonne.

    “At the current price of below $ 1,800, around 40 per cent of aluminium production is unprofitable,’’ she said.

    Mrs Smirnova said aluminium production was going down globally, adding that more than three million tonnes of aluminium production would be closed by the end of 2013.

    According to her, the major problem is the huge amount of stock available in the market since the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009.

    “The official London Metals Exchange (LME) has stocks exceeding five million tonnes, while the global stock is significantly higher,’’ she said.

    According to her, it will take the global aluminium market up to three years for supply and demand to balance and improve the current situation.

    Mrs Smirnova attributed the suspension of production at ALSCON in March to high cost of aluminium.

    She said that the company had a gas fired power plant of its own with capacity of 540 megawatts.

    Smirnova said that the power plant could satisfy the electricity needs of the smelter and also supplied excess production to the national grid.

  • CAC loses member

    A Deaconess of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Warri, Delta State, Madam Anirejoritse Elizabeth Olugbo, has passed on. According to her daughter, Mrs. Josephine Ahonaruogho, who was there when she died last Monday, she was about 100 years old.

    A prominent trader, particularly in dry fish business during her younger days, the late Madam Olugbo, according to family sources, will be buried in her compound at Ekurede-Itsekiri, Warri on July 13 after a funeral service at the same venue. A Christian wake will be held in her honour on July, while an outing service will hold on July 14, at the CAC Cathedral, Warri-Sapele Road, Warri.

    Madam Olugbo is also survived by several grandchildren including Mr. Alex Gbiwen, Assistant Director, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Abuja and Chief Richard Oma Ahonaruogho, immediate past president of the University of Benin Alumni Association (UBAA) and Chairman of the Conference of Alumni Associations of Nigerian Universities (CAANU); several great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and other relations.

  • 37-yr-old woman Loses two kids to kerosine explosion

    37-yr-old woman Loses two kids to kerosine explosion

    Husband critically ill

    Mrs. Jane Olisakwe’s heart bleeds. Last Wednesday when the reporter encountered the woman at a down-town pentecostal church, she was distraught. Although, she had been seen among other brethren in a concert of praise and hand-locking prayer session but when she opened her mouth to reveal her pains, her inner tears flowed like a running tap and she let the reporter know that she truly needed the divine to overcome her predicament.

    The 37-year-old trader and National Diploma holder in Business Studies has just lost two children to a ravenous fire and may also lose her husband, who hovers between life and death on hospital bed, if help eludes him.

    The Olisamekas were swindled of their relative happiness on December 26, 2012 following a kerosene explosion that rocked their two-room apartment at No 14, Ikire Street, off Akeredolu Street, Olambe, Ogun State.

    Jane’s husband, Emmanuel Olisakwe, a tricycle operator, was returning home when he asked his wife to prepare yam and fried egg for dinner. He was, however, told by his wife that there was no enough kerosene to power the stove and lantern at home.

    Emmanuel was to later branch off at filling station in Akute, Ogun State, to purchase a three -litre of kerosene and headed home. A few minutes later, he poured some of the kerosene into a lantern, while his wife was busy preparing the meal. As Emmanuel tried to light the lantern, it exploded and killed two of his children. He too sustained stubborn wounds that have not only refused to heal but left him bedridden.

    “The incident happened that day at about 7 pm. My husband had asked me to prepare yam and fried egg for dinner and I told him that there was no kerosene at home to fuel the stove. While returning home, he bought kerosene at a filling station in Akute. I was trying to slice some yam when I heard my 10-month-old baby’s cry. So, I quickly left the yam I was slicing to attend to the baby who was with one of our neighbours. Since it was nightfall, my husband was about lighting the lantern after putting kerosene into it when the lantern exploded and burnt him and my kids,” recalled Jane amid tears.

    As gathered, the fireballs landed first on the couple’s five-year-old son, Miracle, burning him beyond recognition. He died the next day. Their eight-year-old daughter, Ebube, would have escaped unhurt but the fire balls landed on her newly fixed hair and was severally burnt. She battled death for 17 days before she died in hospital.

    “My husband was trying to strike the match when the lantern exploded and fireballs caught Ebube and Miracle, who were seated beside him. They were burnt beyond recognition. Neigbours helped us to take them to Ikeja General Hospital where my daughter died the next day, while my son died precisely on January 11, 2013.”

    Life has indeed turned nightmarish for the mother of four and an indigene of Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, whose husband is now lying critically ill at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUCOM) as a result of the injury is sustained from the fire incident.

    “Since then, my husband has been lying critically ill at the Burns Unit of the hospital because his two hands and legs were severely burnt. However, his hands have healed, but his badly hurt legs have refused to heal. We have just spent the sum of N200, 000 on a surgery that was carried out on his legs yesterday. But by my calculation, I could not have spent less than N2 million so far on his treatment through the support of family members, friends and associates. Yet, we still need more money to take care of his accumulated medical bills running into about N600, 000.”

    An attempt by our reporter to speak with Olisakwe at LASUCOM was turned down by an employee of the hospital on the grounds that “the man you are looking for just underwent a surgery and cannot have access to visitors because he is to undergo strict observation for some days.”

    The gaping hole which the unfortunate incident has created in the fortune of the Olisakwes is fast rubbing off on their children.

    “We have just moved into the house about six months before the fire incident. And because of the trauma, I have since been living with our 10-year-old son, Victor, who is about entering secondary school and it has not been easy coping with other domestic responsibilities. In fact, my son’s education would have been truncated but for the intervention of the proprietress of his school and some of her teaching staff who offered him a lifeline.

    “I have been married to my husband since 2001 with four children but have lost two of them now. I have since been squatting with one of my friends because I cannot cope with living in the same house where the fire killed my son and daughter and has rendered my husband incapacitated. He is a native of Nnewi, Anambra State, and my husband was a former employee of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). He lost his job following a major shake up in the firm and has since been operating a commercial tricycle to earn a living.”

    Those who are willing to offer any financial assistance can forward same to Mrs. Jane Nkechi Olisakwe’s First Bank account-3069048378, while she can be reached on 08139234474.

  • Boko Haram loses 20 men as army barracks raid fails

    Boko Haram loses 20 men as army barracks raid fails

    Security agencies have launched a fresh probe into the whereabouts of Boko Haram leader Imam Abubakar Shekau, who denied calling for a ceasefire in a video released at the weekend.

    They are working on clues that Shekau and his wanted commanders may still be holed up either in Northern Mali or among Al-Qaeda in The Maghreb.

    Twenty suspected members of the sect were killed after a failed attack on a military barracks in Borno yesterday.

    The video tape has forced the government to direct all military formations, the police and security agencies to be on the alert.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The sudden appearance of Shekau has created a fresh security challenge to locate his actual whereabouts. It also showed that his look-alike might have been shot to death in the past few months by security agencies.

    “We are suspecting that he is either still holed up in Northern Mali or among the Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb with his commanders.

    “We are collaborating with France , Niger , Chad and Malian authorities to locate these Boko Haram leaders.

    On the alleged ceasefire declared by the sect, the source said: “It is obvious from Shekau’s video message that a faction of Boko Haram was interested in dialogue. This has confirmed intelligence report that the ceasefire should not be trusted in any manner.

    “It has become obvious too that the sect had broken into factions. Members of one of the factions also came out in masks to address a briefing in Maiduguri last week.”

    Concerning Shekau’s threat that Boko Haram will strike soon, the source added: “All military, police and security agencies have been re-directed to be on the alert. We are not taking it lightly at all.

    “We will re-strategise because it is obvious that they went underground in the last few months to evaluate their methods. These Boko Haram leaders are however still wanted by the Joint Task Force(JTF).”

    On the JTF’s list are five members of the Shurra Committee (the highest making body of the sect) and 19 Boko Haram commanders.

    The five members of the Shurra Committee, are Imam Abubakar Shekau (N50million); Habibu Yusuf (a.k.a Asalafi) N25million; Khalid Albarnawai ( N25million); Momodu Bama (N25 million), and Mohammed Zangina (N25million).

    The Boko Haram Commanders are: Abu Saad (N10million), Abba Kaka (N10million), Abdulmalik Bama (N10million) , Umar Fulata(N10million), Alhaji Mustapha (Massa), Ibrahim (N10million), Abubakar Suleiman-Habu (a.k.a Khalid), N10million; Hassan Jazair N10million, Ali Jalingo (N10million), Alhaji Musa Modu (N10million), Bashir Aketa (N10million), Abba Goroma(N10million), Ibrahim Bashir (N10million), Abubakar Zakariya (N10milion), and Tukur Ahmed Mohammed (N10million).

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) or Operation Restore Order (ORO) said yesterday that it repelled an attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on the military barracks in Munguno, Borno State.

    Munguno is about 200 km from Maiduguri, the state capital.

    “Information available to JTF indicated that some suspected terrorists attempted to attack a military barracks in Munguno, headquarters of Munguno Local Government Area of Borno State on Sunday.

    “The attack was repelled by the JTF troops on the outskirts of the barracks,” JTF spokesman Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa stated in a statement in Maiduguri.

    He said 20 of the attackers were killed during a gun duel with soldiers.

    “The encounter led to the death of 20 suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

    “Three four-wheel drive vehicles and eight motor cycles used by the suspects were destroyed and several arms and ammunition were recovered.

    “The following items were recovered. Seven AK 47 rifles, 10 rocket propeller grenade, two RPG Tubes, large quantities of assorted ammunition and eight assorted magazines,” he said.

    Lt. Col. Musa said that the JTF arrested also the suspected masterminds of last week’s bomb blasts in Maiduguri.

    “In a related development, based on intelligence reports, a special operation was conducted by the JTF, which resulted in the arrest of two suspected high profile commanders of the Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri.

    “Those arrested were suspected to be responsible for the February 28 explosions which coincided with the Progressive Governors’ meeting in Maiduguri,” Lt.-Col. Musa said, adding that the two suspects were being interrogated.

  • Semiat, five, loses kidney battle

    Three years after she was diagnosed with a chronic kidney disease, five-year-old Semiat Eto-Oluwa Amisu, has lost the battle for life. She died at the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Osun State, on January 29, about four weeks after her admission on January 1.

    She had a bilateral Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) and needed N10 million for kidney transplant.

    Her parents, Dr. Kehinde Amisu, a Senior Lecturer at Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo and Mrs. O. H. Amisu, who works at Isolo General Hospital, said the girl underwent surgery and a few rounds of dialysis before she died.

    The parents had made frantic efforts to give her a new lease of life. They said Semiat was in high spirits before her death.

    Semiat died after the needed fund had been raised and arrangements concluded for her trip to India for the corrective surgery. On January 8, The Nation on its health page sought financial assistance for her. The Champion also did a similar thing in its January 5-6 edition.

    A savings account number 0228592473 was opened for her at Wema Bank, LASU branch for the purpose.

    The parents said Semiat’s account had been credited with N10, 180, 000 within the short period of the publications. They expressed gratitude to the donors.

    Semiat’s death reportedly baffled her doctors because she was responding to dialysis and other palliative treatments in preparation for renal transplant.

    She has since been buried according to Islamic rites.

    The family said the donations had been refunded, less the N400, 000 withdrawn from the account to pay Semiat’s bills before her death. Amisu said N9, 400, 000 was refunded to ASUU-LASU and some others.

    The parents expressed gratitude to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LASU branch) for donating a N8 million. Other donors include the Faculty of Science, LASU, N669,500; LASU Muslim Community, N100, 000; LASU MBA, N368, 500; Atanda, N100, 000; Semiat Zakariah, N100, 000; Toyibat Mosque, N16, 000; and Account Staff, Isolo General Hospital, N100,000. The parents also acknowledged donations from some close friends and relations, including Dr. Debola Yusuff.

  • Man loses five children in Kaduna night fire

    Man loses five children in Kaduna night fire

    The arrival of a new baby is supposed to stir joy in a family. That, however, was not the case for the family of Mohammed Aminu Okene.

    The arrival of the family’s new baby was followed almost immediately by the death of his five other children in a night fire that engulfed their house at E 36, Faskari Street in the Kakuri area of the Kaduna metropolis.

    The fire outbreak believed to have been caused by candlelight occurred at about 11 pm on Thursday while Okene went on a visit to his wife at the St. Gerard Catholic Hospital where she had just been delivered of a baby.

    The deceased children’s names were given as, Sadiya (16), Ramat (11), Monsir (7), Khalid (9), while the name of the fifth child, who was said to be 14 years old, could not be ascertained at press time. They have since been buried according to Islamic rites.

    One of the children was said to have died on the way to the hospital, three others died at the hospital while the fifth died while Okene had gone to bury the other four.

    News of the death of the fifth child was said not to have been broken to him yet while he spoke reporters amid sobs.

    Okene said he had earlier taken the children to the hospital to see their mother and the new baby. He took them back home and returned to the hospital only to be told a few hours later that his house was on fire.

    By the time he got home, the two-bedroom apartment had been razed and the five children had been badly burnt.

    He said: “Life is now meaningless to me. I will only take solace in God. It is a terrible moment in my life. Losing five children is the worst thing that has happened to me in life. I can’t even wish that my enemies go through the kind of pain I am going through right now. But Allah, who gives life, is also the one that takes it, and only He knows why He took them.

    “I had a cordial relationship with my children. We lived happily together, and it is very difficult for me to forget. Yesterday, I took them to their mother in the hospital to see her after undergoing caesarean operation to deliver a baby. I prayed with my children in the hospital for Allah’s protection over them and their mother.”

    The Nation learnt that efforts by neighbours to force the door open to rescue the children initially proved difficult. By the time they finally succeeded in breaking the door, the victims were in terrible conditions.

    The fire was said to have been put off by fire fighters and neighbours at about 11.30 pm.

    Eyewitnesses said, “We suspected candle light, because the eldest of them, Sadiya, had gone to buy kerosene earlier, but she did not get kerosene. So, she bought a candle which they lit and slept off.”

  • ABS’ Rahman Bashir loses wife

    ABS’ Rahman Bashir loses wife

    Abubakar Bukola Saraki FC attacking midfielder, Rahman Bashir lost his wife, Mariam on Sunday morning.

    The second best Highest Goal Scorer of the NPL last season lost Mariam just a few months after their marriage.

    The technical Manager of ABS FC Coach Kabir Sulaiman Dogo led team officials, players and supporters to the burial according to Islamic rites.

    Also, the General Manager of the Club Alloy Chukwuemeka who is presently on an official assignment in Abuja has described her death as shocking considering her role in the success of her husband’s career.

    He said the young woman always accompanied her husband to both training and home matches.

    “We pray for the repose of her soul and may Allah grant the husband and the entire family the fortitude to bear the loss. May her soul rest in peace. Amin,” Chukwuemeka said.

    Meanwhile, ABS FC will open their second phase of camping ahead of the 2012/2013 season today.

    The team concluded the first phase of their preparation for the 2012/2013 Nigeria Premier League season, playing 14 matches in the period under review, and losing none.

    The second phase begins today, and is expected to include a closed camping in Lokoja, Kogi state, before the kick-off of the season.