ACTING President Yemi Osinbajo has promised a review of welfare packages to the victims of Boko Haram insurgents, especially those in Chibok community, Borno State.
Osinbajo made the promise last night receiving Borno Elders, led by the Governor Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villan in Abuja on a thank-you visit for the safe return of the 82 Chibok schoolgirls.
The current allocation for humanitarian services in the region, he noted, was grossly inadequate to cater for the traumatised people of the community.
He said: “We thank God for bringing back our girls from captivity. For anyone who is a parent, it is just a very traumatic thing. We deserve to be excited that this is happening and we pray that the others will come back.
“What has happened is largely on the account of the international community. They believed in the integrity of the President. So, many have sacrificed so much in the course of this insurgency.”
Shettima expressed the delegation’s profound gratitude to Buhari’s government for the safe return of the 82 girls.
“We are here principally to thank Mr. President, you and all senior adies to Mr. President, DSS DG, the Army for bringing back our girls. President Buhari has the country at heart. We must as Nigerians thank God for Mr. President.”
Tag: Victims
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Victims of attacks will be catered for, says Osinbajo
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NAPTIP rescues 69 victims of human trafficking
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP), Kano Zone, claims to have rescued no fewer than 69 victims of human trafficking from January to date.
The NAPTIP Zonal Commander in Kano, Mr Shehu Umar, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano yesterday that 32 of the rescued are male and 37 female.
Umar said the command had recorded no fewer than 32 cases of child labour, unlawful canal knowledge, wandering in the streets by minors, child abuse and illegal entry for greener pasture, among others.
He said the command was able to arrest 33 suspects out of whom 23 were males, while 10 were females.
The zonal commander also said that the command had recorded one case of internal trafficking and eight cases of external trafficking as well as secured one conviction during the period under review.
The defendant, one Yunusa Umar, 28, was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on April 12, without an option of fine and was ordered to also pay N1 million.
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‘Light in The Dark’ for victims of rape
The recent unveiling of ‘Light in The Dark’, a movie by filmmaker, Ekene Som Mekwunye, held at the Waterside Lounge in Ikoyi, Lagos, attracting top Nollywood stars including Joke Silva and Rita Dominic, brand expert, Charles O’Tudor and Cool FM OAP, Mannie.
The movie which parades top actors like Rita Dominic, Joke Silva, Kalu Ikeagwu, Ngozi Nwosu, Kiki Omeili, Mannie of Cool FM Lagos, among other stars aims to discourage rape in the society and how best to integrate rape victims back into the society.
“We are planning to make a film that would show the effects of rape, what it does to women and more importantly, how best victims can handle it,” said Mekwunye.
“We will be looking at it from a slightly different angle in this film as we see what happens when a married woman is raped in front of her family. The film also shows a little of the friction in inter-tribal marriages and the way men look at issue in such marriages.”
Charles O’Tudor described the movie as one that will keep the viewer’s spellbound, saying there are opportunities inherent for brands to take advantage of in the movie.
Mekwunye is a multiple award-winning filmmaker with strong interest in photography and teaching. His short film titled ‘Oblivious’ was awarded the winner of Best Short Film in Africa by the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) in 2015. Another of his films, ‘The Encounter’ which is set during the Biafran war and based on an encounter with Gen. Ojukwu also won best Jury selected film at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), in November 2015 and also got a review on the Newsweek magazine in Europe. -
Caring for road accident victims
A lot of innocent victims of road accidents have died for lack of financial support for their medical treatments. They were innocent passengers in the vehicle of a careless driver or a victim of another careless road user.
Some of these innocent victims even died because there was no Police report needed to commence their treatment early enough.
Many families have been thrown into debts because one or more innocent member(s) of their families were victims of accidents not caused by them.
These innocent victims could be likened to victims of man-made or natural disasters for whom governments and humanitarian agencies do provide free treatments and relief materials without any form of transfer of initial direct costs to their family members. There are also no clogs as to the procurement of police reports or deposit of money at hospitals before the commencement of treatments. This is because the hospitals know that the cost of the treatments administered on them will be fully borne by the governments and or the humanitarian agencies. This makes the number of lives saved in such disasters higher compared to what happens to victims of road traffic accidents whose burdens are unfortunately left for their family members to bear.
Not long ago, I witnessed an accident scene along Ogbomosho-Ilorin road where innocent victims were screaming in their pools of blood while sympathisers stood helplessly for fear of being roped if they attempted to take them to hospitals before the arrival of officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission and the Nigeria Police. Some of the victims died for lack of prompt attention.
There is, therefore, an urgent need for the Federal and state government to come up with a policy and Executive pronouncement that victims of road accidents should be given prompt assistance and treatment by whoever (Members of the public) and whichever agency gets to the scene first. Governments should take up the responsibility of financing the treatment of the victims of road accidents as well as the provision of necessary after-treatment care and support with the relevant insurance supports.
The policy statement shuld also include the arrest and prosecution of the surviving drivers (whoever caused the accidents if he or she escapes or survives).
When road and/or road furniture are damaged in the course of the crash, those found guilty must be made to repair or replace such infrastructures.
These and allied actions if taken, will improve the safety-consciousness of drivers, reduce the rate of accidents and deaths as well as instil hope in the vehicle occupants as citizens of Nigeria. -
Victims kill suspected ‘kidnapper’ as four flee den
•Police chief: they were rescued
Four of the seven persons kidnapped on a farm in Epe last Tuesday have regained their freedom. They reported fled from the kidnappers’ den where they were held.
But, Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni claimed that they were rescued.
The victims identities could not be ascertained as at press time yesterday.
Yesterday, five persons escaped after being kidnapped from Eliaja Farms in Epe.
They escaped following disagreement among the kidnappers over the sharing of money withdrawn from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) with a victim’s card.
The victims were said to have been left with two of the kidnappers, while others went to engage Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operative in a gun battle.
The victims were said to have taken on the duo, killed one of them; incapacitated the other and fled.
According to a source: “Trouble started after the kidnappers fought over money. We heard they argued among themselves over money. The kidnappers withdrew money from ATM gallery with the card of one of the victims.
“It was in the process of fighting over the money that one of them was shot and killed. Apparently angry and mourning their slain colleague, five among them stormed Elisia Farm, hoping to abduct another set of victims.
“They met policemen. They immediately opened fire and riddled a police patrol van with bullets. The policemen scampered in different directions, leaving their vehicle.
But the policemen later regrouped, called for reinforcement and engaged them.”
According to the source, it was the third time gunmen were attacking the Eliasa farms. He said over 30 of them came yesterday.
The source said: “The RRS patrol vehicle stationed in the community was riddled with bullets from the kidnappers. While the gun battle between the police and the kidnappers was going on, about five workers of Eliasa Farm were whisked away.
”We can’t ascertain the number of farm workers abducted for now. We cannot go into the farm presently. Those of us who were around when they came, had to escape. We are going to have a head count later to know the number of workers kidnapped. There were gunshots everywhere. The community is under attack.”
The kidnappers were said to have been injured in the exchange.
Some RRS vehicles were damaged, but no policeman was injured.
Contacted, police chief Owoseni said no one was kidnapped. The police, he claimed, rescued the four farm workers.
He said: “Police operatives deployed to comb the area rescued the victims. Then some of the kidnappers came out in an attempt to abduct more farmers but they were engaged in gun battle with the operatives. They ended up retreating.” -
Succour for victims
•Federal Government should assuage pains of bomb blast victims 15 years after
It is 15 years since bomb blasts rocked the Ikeja Cantonment of the Nigerian Army in Lagos, leading to the death of about 1,000 persons, five hundred injured and about 12,000 families displaced. In the aftermath, governments at the federal and state levels promised to compensate the victims as well as take actions to remediate the situation and prevent a recurrence. But the gvernment has failed to meet with the responsibility.
The victims who marked the 15th anniversary on January 27 have been recounting the sad experience and how they have largely been ignored by the authorities. While the chairman of the victims, Mr. Nurudeen Oyegbemi, said half of the families duly registered have been compensated by the Lagos State Government, the Federal Government is said to have stopped at making empty promises.
This is unfair. Given the level of physical losses suffered by the families, with some having to relocate, it is unfortunate that the Federal Government that retains about 52 per cent of the national resources failed to play its part. This is even the more painful when it is realised that the military, its funding and control, is on the exclusive legislative list.
As the Commander of Ikeja Garrison, Brigadier-General George Emdin, said then: “On behalf of the military, we are sorry; this is an old ammunition depot with high-calibre bombs … some efforts were being made in the recent past to try to improve the storage facility, but this accident happened before the high authorities could do what was needed.” It was an indication that negligence was largely responsible for the calamity. Yet, the government could not rise to the occasion. It is time governments realised that they exist to cater to the welfare of citizens. The immediate actions taken in providing temporary accommodation and needs of the victims were undertaken by the state government.
The Federal Government’s inability to provide necessary succour despite the promises made in the heat of the moment is similar to agreements willfully breached by the government. This is at the root of industrial disharmony in the country. Teachers, doctors, judiciary and aviation workers, among others, down tools regularly because government has failed to implement signed commitments. This must change if the country is to march forward.
There are suggestions that the government has equally failed to take stock of armouries in the military formations and the storage condition. We call on the Federal Government, in conjunction with the military authorities, to immediately take stock and put in place remedies. There is no reason why such poorly maintained and potentially dangerous facilities should be put in residential environment.
Besides, despite the existence of agencies such as the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and information centres at the state and local government levels, Nigerians remain ill-informed about emergency procedures. Most of those who died and sustained injuries in the 2002 incident did outside the cantonment. They sank in the Isolo canal owing to panic, not knowing what to do. Others, mainly children, were crushed as they attempted to cross the highway at Ikeja by equally frightened motorists attempting to run away from danger even when they did not know the direction the blasts came from. Handling such emergencies and First Aid should be taught at the secondary and tertiary education levels.
The military should learn from that incident, as well as the blasts that still occur occasionally from ill-disposed bombs from the civil war in the South East, to take proper care in locating armouries in the North East where the anti-insurgency war is being fought now to avoid similar havocs in the future. Fifteen years after, it is time to put closure to the sad episode. -
Air Force honours victims of 1992 Ejigbo crash
Twenty-five years after over 100 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel died in a plane crash at Ejigbo Lagos, the service has honoured the pilots and engineer of the ill-fated C-130 aircraft.
It named the newly constructed two blocks of six by three bedrooms for married officers after them- Wing Commanders Pere Alabosun, Ali Mamadi and Squadron Leader JA Adeiza.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, who inaugurated the buildings at the headquarters, Logistics Command in Lagos, said the officers embarked on a mission to save lives that morning but paid the ultimate price.
He also described as the accidental bombing of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Rann, Borno State as unfortunate, noting it occurred while the personnel were on a mission to protect the very IDPs.
He said: “These structures were constructed to address the inadequacy of houses in the base and in various units across the country.
“We are also embarking on massive renovation/upgrading of existing quarters that were hitherto dilapidated to improve their conditions.
“The projects commissioned are named after our colleagues who fell in the line of duty.
“They died during the C-130 air crash at Ejigbo on September 26, 1992. We have ensured that the welfare of the families of fallen personnel are catered for.
“We provide accommodation for their families and those who died in service, their families get bulk pension of five years.
“The NAF has contributed greatly to the restoration of peace, security, humanitarian efforts and well-being of Nigerians.
“We have performed credibly well in all the ongoing operations we are engaged in.
“These were achieved through effective projection of air power in various operations to soften the ground for the surface forces.”
“Although remarkable successes were achieved, the incident of January 17 in the northeast is highly regrettable and unfortunate.
On the Rann accidental bombing, Abubakar said: “The days between the incident and now have been the most painful for us.
“However, we take solace in the fact that it was in a bid to secure this same victims that this sad incident occurred.
“We are reviewing our processes to unravel how this sad incident could have occurred and to prevent future occurrences.
“I urge you not to be discouraged by thus unfortunate incident but we will continue to strive harder to secure our communities and add value to our societies.”
The Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Yahaya described the buildings as another milestone project for the NAF personnel in Lagos.
He said: “This would go a long way in ameliorating the shortage of officers’ residential quarters in Lagos area.
“Improving the personnel’s living condition has not only raised their morale but has also modelled them into a highly professional and disciplined troop for effective, efficient and timely employment in response to Nigeria’s national security imperatives.” -
Kidnappers demand N100m for Turkish school victims
•School shut down
The abductors of eight pupils and workers of Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC) have made a ransom demand of N100 million to free them, The Nation learnt yesterday.
It was gathered that the kidnappers contacted the husband of one of the victims early yesterday to make the demand.
The plea that the families did not have that amount of money was rejected by the kidnappers, it was learnt.
“The kidnappers called early this morning and demanded N100m. That is what they are insisting on for now, but the family cannot raise that amount.
“We are worried. We hope God will touch their heart to free all the victims. The police are also assuring us that they are on top of the situation,” a source close to the family said.
But the Ogun State Police Command denied knowledge of any contact with or discussion on ransom from the kidnappers.
Spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi said the police were still doing all they could to rescue the victims.
He said: “We are not aware of that. We are not aware. We are doing our own job trying to get the victims rescued, so we are not aware of any discussion about ransom.”
Also yesterday, students of the college were sent home and academic activities suspended.
Vice Principal (Academic), Mr. Olayinka Aderoju, told The Nation that the school had been closed for this week, after which a Parents’ Teachers Association (PTA) meeting will be held and the reopening will be discussed.
He was hopeful that the victims would be returned safely.
Aderoju said: “For security reasons, we cannot divulge any information about the development yet. But we are doing our part and the security operatives are doing theirs, but we cannot say anything that can jeopardize the efforts. But we are hopeful of their early release and freedom. For now the school is observing a break in order to identify with those abducted students and staff. We cannot continue as though things are normal. In any case, we are hopeful that very soon there will be good result for us. For now, we have not decided how long the break will be but on Saturday we will hold a PTA meeting where we will review the situation and after that we will determine what to do but before then, we are hopeful.”
Parents and authorities of the school were thrown into panic at the weekend, when kidnappers dressed in military camouflage uniforms, stormed the school and whisked away three students, three female supervisors, one female cook and a female Turkish teacher.
Two of the abducted students were preparing for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) exam.
The VP called for government’s intervention to end the spate of kidnappings across the country, noting that the lives of innocent children were at risk.
“This shows that government has a big responsibility on its hands. This situation is getting out of hand and government has so much left to be done. Are they trying to tell people that their children are not safe anymore, even in their schools? I think they can do better in the area of security,” he said.
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Oniba kidnap: Two victims died of bullet wounds, says pathologist
The two persons killed during the kidnap of the Oniba of Iba, Oba Goriola Oseni, died of bullet wounds, a Lagos High Court has been told.
A consultant pathologist, Dr. Sunday Soyemi, told Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo that autopsy comfirmed that the palace guard, Sunday Okanlawon and a motorcyclist, Joseph Okeke, were shot dead.
A statement by the Ministry of Justice said Soyemi spoke while being led in evidence by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem during the trial of Duba Furejo, Ododowo Isaiah Reuben Anthony and Yerin Fresh for the monarch’s kidnap.
Soyemi, a senior lecturer at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) said he performed the autopsy on the duo.
Soyemi said Okanlawo’s body was identified by his son, Seun, and the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Sergeant Ademo Rahim. Okeke’s body was identified by the IPO.
He said: “The essential findings on Okanlawon were a circular hole on the shoulder at the back, a structure on the bridge of the nose, and a structural defeat on the upper part of the head”.
The base of the skull, he said, showed fracture, adding that there was bleeding into the brain and extensive cerebral laceration.
The autopsy report, he said, attributed Okanlawon’s death to “severe cranial cerebral injury following a penetrative injury to the skull”.
Soyemi said Okeke’s autopsy report showed a destruction of the left femoral vessel.
“There was an entry and exit wound and this is usually caused by bullet wound’’, he added.
Soyemi said the wounds on both bodies were consistent with bullet wounds and gun shot.
He said after the post-mortem, death certificates were issued to the bereaved families.
Under cross examination by the defendants’ lawyer, Soyemi insisted that Okanlawon and Okeke died of bullet wounds.
Sergeant Rahim said during investigation he discovered that Okanlawon was shot in the head.
The defendants are standing trial on an eight-count charge of kidnapping the Iba monarch, conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, robbery, armed robbery and felony.
The charge alleged that Okanlawon and Okeke were murdered by the defendants during the kidnap.
Justice Taiwo adjourned the case to February 3, 10 and 14.
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Adamawa twin blast victims get relief from President
ICPC attends to injured
A Presidential delegation, led by Special Adviser on Policy Development and Strategy, Ibrahim Bapetel, yesterday visited Adamawa State to condole with the government and victims of the Madagali twin bomb blast.
The delegation presented drugs, consumables and money to victims at Michika General Hospital.
Bapetel told the victims President Muhammadu Buhari was concerned with their plight and assures them he would contain the insurgency.
“The President received news of the unfortunate incident with shock and directed me to come and commiserate with you, identify with your plight and assess your health condition,” he said.
Principal Medical Officer of Michika General Hospital Dr Tanko Bathuel, who received the items on behalf of victims, thanked the delegation and promised they will be used judiciously.
In his remarks, Regimental Medical Officer, 115 Battalion, Michika, Lt. Abdul Saliu, said five of the 76 persons admitted to the hospital had died.
He said others were responding to treatment, and eight did major surgery.
Chairman of Madagali Yusuf Mohammed, who thanked the delegation for the gesture, said normalcy had returned to the area and people were going about their normal businesses.
A victim, Sajoh Buba, appreciated the support and lauded other groups and organisations, such as Military medical corps, NEMA and Red Cross.
The surgical teams of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have treated 90 victims in the Maiduguri, Borno State and Madagali, Adamawa State blasts.
ICRC’s Health Coordinator in Nigeria Dr Hashemi Padshah, spoke in a statement yesterday.
“An ICRC surgical team, together with surgeons from Michika General Hospital, treated 76 victims of the blast in Madagali market.
“Another team treated 15 people injured in Maiduguri on Sunday,” he said.
Padshah said the Red Cross had two surgical teams in the country, which treated over 1,800 patients in Northeast within the year.
He added that ICRC equipped 16 primary health-care centres and nine mobile clinics to provide health care services to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees and others.
Padshah noted that 13,000 children, under five years, were treated of malnutrition.
He said 15,500 babies were delivered in ICRC-supported clinics.