The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian news

  • Woman seeks N11m for kidney transplant

    A kidney patient, Mrs Ijeoma Okwara, has cried out once again for financial support to undergo a renal transplant in a hospital in Mumbai, India.

    Her pathetic story was first published by Saturday Nation on August 10, wherein the estimated cost of the surgery was put at N11 million.

    In the report, the mother of three, a native of Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State, said she had spent all her life savings on hospital bills and had no money to pay for the transplant.

    A medical report issued by the Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, Lagos, revealed that 34-year-old Ijeoma was brought to the hospital  on February 18, 2019 ‘’with history of easy fatigability and elevated blood pressure.

    Read Also: ‘Please I need N8million for kidney transplant’

    ‘’History, physical examination and laboratory investigations were in keeping with chronic kidney diseases in a known hypertensive patient.

    The report added that she had been placed on hemodialysis twice weekly with oral medications including anti-hypertensive, subcutaneous erythropoietin and iron sucrose.

    She however disclosed that a sum of N500,000 had been realised from donations from kind hearted Nigerians following the publication.

    The distraught Ijeoma who thanked those who had donated so far towards her treatment further solicited donations to enable her meet up with the cost of the transplant.

    ‘’ So far, what we have been realise so far is N500, 000 out of N11 million requested for the transplant by an Indian hospital. I thank those who have taken out of their hard earned money to contribute to my treatment, and I also want to further call on them and others not to abandon me as I still need over N10 million to add to the amount realised so far in order to pay for the renal transplant. May the good Lord bless them as they do,’’ she said.

    Donations can still be forwarded to a Zenith Bank account number 2254452857 with the name Okwara Jane Ijeoma.

    She can also be reached on her mobile phone number- 07064821249.

  • Police arrest 100 robbery, kidnap suspects

    The police in Kano State on Friday paraded 100 suspected criminals including five men they described as notorious kidnappers.

    Police Commissioner Ahmed Illyasu who paraded the suspects told reporters in Kano that the Command’s Anti Kidnapping Squad through Operation Puff Adder tracked and arrested the five alleged kidnapper kingpins after threatening   one Sani Yahaya of Goron Dutse quarters through text messages

    He said: “on August 21, a letter of complaint was received from one Ibrahim Muhammad of Sani Majnagge Quarters, Gwale Local Government Area Kano that an SMS text message was sent to him threatening him that his son would be kidnapped.

    Read Also: Court remands three for alleged robbery

    “Puff Adder operatives attached to the Command’s Anti Kidnapping Squad were immediately drafted and swung into action.

    “One Hamisu Abdullahi alias Baban Gandu aged 37 years and Yusuf Abubakar 48 years were arrested. Suspects confessed to have conspired and extorted the sum of N120,000 from the complaint and would soon be charged to Court.”

    Iliyasu added: “based on technical intelligence, the special Anti-Robbery squad of operation Puff-Adder, Miyyetti Allah arrested one Saidu Abdullahi and four others at Falgore forest, Doguwa Local Government Area.

    “Suspects confessed to have been involved in a series of armed robbery and kidnapping and mentioned other members of their syndicate now at large.”

    Five other suspects were alleged to have stolen 124 solar batteries and vandalized a mast .

  • ‘Gun found on me was collateral for loan’

    A suspected drug baron, James Ameh (54), who was arrested by the Kogi State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has claimed that the Pump Action gun found on him was a collateral from a friend he loaned a sum of N80,000.

    Ameh, who was arrested in the early hours of Thursday, was found in possession of a loaded Pump Action gun.

    About 40 personnel of the NDLEA alongside officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) left Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, to arrest Ameh, who had been on the wanted list of the command for several months.

    It was gathered that the suspect who was arrested in Igolijo, Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area, had 10 hectares of land where he cultivated cannabis sativa (Indian hemp).

    Read Also: Customs intercept N5bn tramadol, other illicit drugs in Lagos

    Ameh who arrested alongside six other suspects, namely: Usman Bello, Eze Stanley, Innocent Ameh, Samuel Idoko, Ojima Ojo and Ekene Ukwueze.

    The suspect who is also a  native doctor denied ownership of the gun, saying that it served as collateral towards recovering his money.

    “I am not the real owner of this Pump Action gun. It belongs to a friend who is owing me N80,000. I needed my money back urgently to do something with it. I am sorry, I never knew that having this in my house would put me into trouble. As for the issue of dealing on drugs and having hectares of land for cannabis, it is also not true”.

    Speaking with newsmen shortly after the arrest the head of the Kogi State Command of the NDLEA, Alhaji Idris Bello, said that the arrest of the suspect and his accomplices, was through information gathered by officers of the command.

    He warned that anyone that is caught engaging in illegal drug business will be made to face the full wrath of the law, adding that the suspects will be charged to court at the end of investigation.

  • Court berates NSCDC over illegal detention, grants suspect bail

    Justice Nkeonye Maha, of the Federal High Court on Friday berated the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for the illegal detention of one Mr Sunday Agu, a tricyclist in Abuja.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Agu had on Aug. 29 dragged Mr Abdullahi Gana, Commandant General, NSCDC, before the Federal High Court, Abuja over alleged illegal detention.

    Also joined in the suit are three officers of the Corps; Abdulmajeed Imam, Agili Chinedu and Yebage Adamu who are 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents respectively.

    While the NSCDC Niger State Command, Commandant is the 4th respondent, Gana, NSCDC, Christy Ojide, and Alex Ojide are 5th, 6th,7th and 8th respondents respectively.

    Counsel to the plaintiff, Ifeanyi Igwe had told Justice Maha, that the matter was brought in pursuant to section 35 (1) to (6), 34(1), 37, 41, 44, and 46(1) of the 1999 constitution, Articles 4,5,6,12(1) and 14 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

    Igwe told the judge that since the applicant was detained on July 16, he had been in the Corps’ detention at David Mark Road, NSCDC Headquarter, Minna, for no justification.

    Read Also: NSCDC parades suspected illegal oil dealers in Abia

    According to him, his client was accused and detained by the NSCDC for allegedly standing in as a guarantor to a hire purchase agreement between one Mr Chibuike Agu (hirer) a tricyclist and Mrs Christy Ojide (owner).

    Justice Maha had on Aug. 29 ordered the release of Agu from NSCDC detention if not arraigned within three days and adjourned the case until Sept. 6.

    She said that the NSCDC was not at liberty to bring a charge against a person under the Advance Free Fraud Act which is under the jurisdiction of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    She warned that if such conduct continued, the Corps would let law breakers go free.

    NAN also reports that the Judge invited the NSCDC counsel, Mr Imam and Counsel to Agu , Mr Ifeanyi Igwe on Sept. 13. to balance justice between the applicant and defendant.

    She however granted Agu bail on the terms of providing a surety with the sum of at least N500,000 in his bank account, alongside a landed property in Abuja.

    She added that he should afterwards depose to an affidavit verifying the terms of compliance.

    Counsel to NSCDC, Imam told NAN that In view of NSCDC Act I, the corps is empowered to prosecute on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

    “By the charge, the accused person is being charged by the name of the AGF in line with section 3 of the NSCDC Act,  the Act empowers the corps to prosecute on behalf of the AGF.

    “NSCDC is a special prosecutor under the AGF, section 3 (1), paragraph H; the Corps shall have power to prosecute, criminal activities aimed at depriving people of their properties.

  • Two burglars arrested by IRT operatives

    The police have arrested a university undergraduate, Samuel Sopehinman, 30, and one Olaide Tajudeen, 31, for burglary and selling of stolen properties.

    They were apprehended recently by operatives attached to the Ogun State annex office of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), following a petition by one Adeniran Adeyemi.

    Operatives were said to have traced Tajudeen to his hideout at Ijoko town near Sango-Ota, Ogun state.

    Recovered from the suspects were one black head gear, one cutlass, one chisel, two pendants gold, two gold chains, gold earrings and his confession led to the arrest of Sopehinman.

    The stolen items were given to Sopehinman in turn sold it to one Alhaji who had been ordered to return all the stolen items he allegedly bought from the burglars.

    Read Also: Suspected 25-yr-old burglar arrested

    The suspect said he broke into the house through the ceiling at about 9:30pm and stole gold necklace with the pendants, earring, laptop valued at N560,000.

    He said:” The flat I burgled is in the next street called Church street, Ijoko area of Sango, Ogun state. I am married with a child. My wife did not know that I am a burglar until I was arrested.

    ‘’I live in Ijoko while my wife lives in Ikirun, a town in Osun state. She relocated to Osun State when she lost her mother, while I stayed back in Ogun State to do my burglary work.

    ‘’I was an aluminum fabrication before I ventured into robbery. I did not have enough customers and patronage. I was pushed into burglary by extreme financial stagnation coupled with my desire to buy keke,( tricycle) on hire purchase with  the little deposit I made but, before I know it,  I was arrested in my first attempt.’’

    In his confession, Sopehinman said:  “I am from Abeokuta. I had an accident which led to the amputation of my right leg. I had the accident on my way to the Lagos State University (LASU) this year where I am a 300 level Business Administration student.

    ‘’I have deferred my studies but I can go back if given a second chance. When I came back from hospital I started music downloading business at Ijoko. I became part of this crime because Tajudeen works as a ticketer of a transport union at the bus stop where I have a stall. He told me that he wanted to sell some items but he did not tell me that they were stolen. But because he was offering the items at cheap prices and I felt that I could get small money to help myself . I sold the jewelry to one Mallam but I did  not follow him to burgle. My father is a retired naval officer and he is not yet aware of my case. I regret being involved in this case.’’

  • Youths urged to live in peace

    A member of the World Dialogues Council for the area of Nigeria and Founder/ President of Globastorm Safety Foundation, Honourable Olumuyiwa Babalola, has called for peaceful coexistence among youths in Nigeria and Africa at large.

    He made the disclosure while addressing some youths and adults in Ado – Ekiti about the loss of lives and property of Nigerians based in South Africa.

    Read Also: Youths ‘should seek’ vocational skills

    He said: “We are all Africans. We need development. Destroying property and killing are not the solutions to our problems. We must show love to one another”.

    Babalola said Africans should use the occasion of the International Day of Peace billed for    October 21 to work towards peace, love, harmony and justice.

  • Mixed emotions as Mugabe dies at 95

    An avalanche of tributes on Friday trailed the death of the first president of independent Zimbabwe, Mr. Robert Gabriel Mugabe.

    Mugabe, 95, died while receiving treatment in a Singaporean hospital.

    News of the death was broken by his successor and long standing ally, President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

    “It is with utmost sadness that I announce the passing of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President Robert Mugabe,” Mnangwana said on his official Twitter platform.

    Zimbabwe, according to him , has lost an icon of liberation and Pan Africanist.

    “Cde Mugabe was an icon of liberation ,a pan-Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people .His contribution to the history of our nation and continent will never be forgotten .May his soul rest in eternal peace,”  he said.

    President Muhammadu Buhari in a condolence message commiserated with family members, friends and political associates of the political activist who fought for the independence of the country from colonial rule, and lived most of his life in public service.

    Buhari said  Mugabe’s sacrifices, especially in struggling for the political and economic emancipation of his people, would  always be remembered by posterity.

    He was a man of courage, says Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyata

    President Uhuru Kenyata of Kenya said: ”In this moment of sorrow, my thoughts and prayers go out to his family, his relatives and the people of Zimbabwe who, for many years, he served with commitment and dedication.

    “Words cannot convey the magnitude of the loss as former President Mugabe was an elder statesman, a freedom fighter and a pan-Africanist who played a major role in shaping the interests of the continent.”

    President John Magufuli of Tanzania said:

    “Africa has lost one of its bravest and Pan-Africanist leaders who led by example in opposing colonialism.”

    President Hege Geingob of Namibia said: “As Namibians, we owe President Mugabe a deep sense of gratitude for his immense and selfless contributions to the liberation of our country. The loss of the people of Zimbabwe is Africa’s loss.

    Read Also: 20 key miliestones of Mugabe’s life

    President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa said: “South Africans join the people and government of Zimbabwe in mourning the passing of a liberation fighter and champion of Africa’s cause against colonialism.

    “Under President Mugabe’s leadership, Zimbabwe’s sustained and valiant struggle against colonialism inspired our own struggle against apartheid and built in us the hope that one day South Africa too would be free.”

    President Edgar Lungu of Zambia said: “I am saddened at the passing of a Pan-Africanist, Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President Robert Mugabe.

    “He will be remembered for his fight for Africa’s liberation and standing up to fearlessly defend a continent he loved. His place in the annals of Africa’s political history is well assured.”

    Obasanjo: he was  one of Africa’s greatest freedom fighters

    Former Nigeria’s President Olusegun Obasanjo described Mugabe as an indomitable fighter who contributed in no small measure to the liberation of his country from apartheid and oppressive radicalism.

    Obasanjo, whose military government in the late 1970s massively supported the liberation   struggle in Zimbabwe, said in a letter to President Emmerson Mnangagwa that he received the news of Mugabe’s death with immense sadness.

    The deceased, he added, was “a frontline leader, an activist, an indomitable fighter for the liberation of Zimbabwe from apartheid and oppressive racialism, a statesman par excellence and a tireless advocate of the preservation of the mystique of Africa’s moral and cultural values who had selflessly dedicated himself to public service for most of his life, particularly as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980-1987 and also as President from 1987-2017.”

    Britain:  Zimbabweans ‘suffered for too long’ under Mugabe

    A British foreign office spokesperson said  Zimbabwean people “suffered for too long” under the “autocratic rule” of late former leader Robert Mugabe.

    “There are mixed emotions in Zimbabwe today at the death of Robert Mugabe,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

    He was ‘outstanding’ leader, China says

    China, which was one of Zimbabwe’s strong allies during the struggle for independence, described Mugabe   as an “outstanding” leader of his nation’s liberation movement.

    “Throughout his life, he firmly defended the sovereignty of his country, opposed foreign interference and actively promoted the cooperative relationship between China and Zimbabwe and China and Africa,” a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

    Putin: he made great personal contribution to the struggle

    Russian President Vladimir Putin said: “Many important events in the modern history of Zimbabwe were associated with the name of Robert Mugabe,” according to the message published on the Kremlin website.

    Putin said that Mugabe made a great personal contribution to the struggle for the independence of Zimbabwe and to the construction of institutions.

    Nelson Chamisa , leader of Zimbabwe’s main opposition party-Movement for Democratic Change, said: “My condolences to the Mugabe family and Africa for the passing on of Zimbabwe’s founding President. This is a dark moment for the family because a giant among them has fallen. May the Lord comfort them.

    “Even though I and our party, the MDC, and the Zimbabwean people had great political differences with the late former President during his tenure in office and disagreed for decades, we recognise his contribution made during his lifetime as a nation’s founding President.

    Mpho Balopi, Secretary General, Botswana Democratic Party, said: “Comrade Mugabe was one of Africa’s most renowned freedom fighters and also one of the founding fathers of what is today known as SADC (the intergovernmental Southern African Development Community, whose headquarters are in Botswana).

    “The history of our respective parties’ fraternal relations would be incomplete without mention of Uncle Bob, as he was affectionately known. It is beyond any doubt that he leaves an indelible mark on the politics of the region.”

  • Broda Shaggy, Jaywon others for Ifektive’s Home coming concert

    TOP comedians Broda Shaggy, Helen Paul, Yaw, among many others, have been listed to perform at the maiden edition of Naija FM’ OAP, Ifektive’s Home-coming Concert.

    The event will hold tomorrow, Sunday September 8, at the Cubicle Events center, Isheri, Alimosho, Lagos.

    Speaking about the event, the organiser, Ifektive, said most comedy shows are done on the island but 70% attendants are from the mainland, which is why he thinks it should take a turn this time.

    “We thought that we should bring this same premium comedy show to the people and that is what I’m doing with Home-coming”, said Ifektive.

    “A lot of time people travel from that mainland to the island for comedy shows and most times when the show ends at the middle of the night,  quite a number of people don’t get to go home, they just stay there till: the morning. So, how about bringing this to the mainland and you can still go back to your home after the show?

    “The good thing is that you will still get the same premium event; it will be fine the same way it’s being done on the island.

    The multi-talented comedian and film maker stated that the audience will experience a whole new content from him and other performing comedians.

    “What differentiate this show is the content; a lot of people know that Ifektive is a content king. I do content for a lot of people. This is going to be different and I can assure you that the comedians will crack new sets of jokes because they know they are meeting a new set of audience”.

    Other comedians slated for the concert include Ali Baba, Koffi, Funnybone, Nedu, Acapella, Senator, while Jaywon and Sound Sultan will be dishing out good music.

  • #BBNAIJA: Esther is a sneaky girl, says Ike

    ESTHER may be out of the Big Brother Naija house, but she’s not out of the minds of her now ex-housemates.

    Lovebirds and current co-Heads of House, Mercy and Ike, still have some spicy words to share about Esther, as we’ve seen on the latest episode of Showmax’s Extra View.

    During a discussion between Mercy and Ike, the former revealed that Esther had played a fast one with Diane over Nelson. Fans of the show will remember that Nelson, an ex-housemate, had been a love interest of BFFs Esther and Diane while he was in the house.

    “We were talking about who we like in the house and Diane told Esther that she likes Nelson, and the next two days she (Esther) took Nelson,” Mercy shared with Ike.

    Continuing she said: “Diane told me she didn’t see Tuoyo as a boyfriend; I like Tuoyo differently. I have feelings for this person (Nelson) and she made it very clear; she didn’t hide it. Then the day we had this discussion, it was still Esther who asked us who she (Diane) liked. She didn’t want to, but Diane just said it and the next thing you (Esther) are with this guy and we don’t even know what happened”.

    Mercy further revealed that Esther didn’t state that she liked Nelson during the discussion, leading Ike to describe Esther as a “sneaky girl”.

    During his last days in the house, Nelson shared more than a few cuddly moments with Esther, an action which Mercy has now revealed affected Diane badly.

  • Appointment by Gbajabiamila a turning point in my life — Physically-challenged aide of House of Reps Speaker

    Although he is physically-challenged, the Special Assistant to the Speaker of the House of Representatives on Special Needs and Equal opportunities, Abdulsalam Idowu Kamaldeen has not allowed himself to be weighed down by his physical condition.

    While many in his situation resort to begging perpetually as a means of survival, he took education with all the seriousness he could muster, seeing himself through school with funds he raised from begging and ending up bagging two degrees from the University of Lagos, including a BSc in Political Science and an LLB which he capped with BL, having graduated from the reputable Nigerian Law School.

    Yet he believes that even with his academic attainments, he would be nowhere without the favour he got from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila. He reckons that Gbajabiamila’s decision to appoint him as one of his aides is the master stroke that has turned his life around completely.

    In a chat with our correspondent, Kwara State-born Kamaldeen said he would be eternally grateful to Gbajabiamila for singling him out of the estimated 25 million physically-challenged people in the country for the appointment.

    Kamaldeen, a lawyer, said: “Who says the Speaker cannot appoint an able-bodied person as his assistant on special needs. He only deemed it fit that a physically-challenged person should occupy the seat. It is a great credit to him that he was able to see ability in my disability,” he said.

    He believes that his appointment amounts to a breakthrough for people with disabilities, saying that many people would now expect Osinbajo’s move to be replicated at every level of government.

    He said: “The creation of the office is from the good intention of the Speaker, and I know that a lot of programmes will now flow from that good intention to the advantage of physically-challenged people.

    “Let me be fair with you; this is not an issue of money. It is an opportunity to let people know about the physically-challenged and stop discriminating against them.

    “I said the other time that a lot people celebrated the Speaker. I belong to a lot of associations of the physically-challenged. I saw how people celebrated the Speaker over the appointment. A lot of associations and NGOs were calling me. They were very happy.”

    He said the fact that political office holders have now started realising the need to involve the physically-challenged in governance made them glad. “So, it is not all about me. It is about creating awareness, because this can go a very long way in the future to extent of it being replicated across the 36 states if they would emulate the Speaker,” he said.

    In 2017, Kamaldeen was singled out by the National Assembly for special praise as one of the few Nigerians who endured extremely tough conditions to go through school. Speaking about the honour, he said: “For me to be so honoured by the National Assembly, you can imagine someone from under the bridge, now getting to National Assembly and being honoured. That was the greatest moment of my life. I felt very great.”

    Kamaldeen recalled that Gbajabiamila had given him a car long before he appointed him as his aide. Now he says he is looking to the future with optimism and would soon be getting married.

    “Yes, I will, very soon,” he said in response to a question about his plans for marriage. Although he would not volunteer the exact date for marriage, he said he was already in a relationship.

    “I can’t give you a date,” he said when the reporter asked when he would likely tie the nuptial knot with his Kwara-born heartthrob.

    Asked what advice he would give to other people in his condition, he said: “First and foremost, once you are alive, you must expect both good and evil no matter how hard you pray. So, when you find yourself physically challenged, what it mean is that that part of the body is permanently disabled or partially disabled, so you can’t use it normally. But you can use all the other parts, so you need not condemn yourself.

    “I have never in my life grieved over my condition. I am happy the way you are happy. I hardly fall sick. My advice will be this: if you can’t use your leg or you can’t use your eyes, it does not mean the end of life. You can utilise the other parts of your body to become somebody so important, if not for the society, at least for yourself.

    “The worst human being in life is one who is useless for himself or herself.”