UN's plans for released Chibok girls, other victims

The released girls filled with emotions as they meet their parents about 2 years after abduction

UN Sec General

The United Nations has restated its unflinching support to Nigeria to enable the country overcome its security challenges and to properly re-settle millions of displaced persons, especially in  the north East region, which is  ravaged by the Boko Haram Islamic terrorist group.

This came from the Director of UN Information Center in Nigeria, Mr. Ronald Kayanja in an interview  with our correspondent on the 21 of the abducted Chibok girls that regained their freedom.

According to Kayanja , "although there is a lot publicity around the 221 Chibok girls that were abducted, there are  too many others who have been abducted.

"There are millions of children , women and even men who have been displaced and  who need a lot  of support. And there are even a lot more children who can't get enough food to eat.

"We are supporting and we will keep supporting Nigeria We are working very closely with government agencies including the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA to make sure they are re-settled and well taken cared of".

Kayanja who described the security problem in Nigeria as a nightmare and  something that should not be happening in the country ,  stated that the UN was happy to receive the news about the release of some of the girls and encouraged the government to continue in its efforts so that the others are also released.

"We received the news of the release of the Chibok girls like anyone else , from the media. We are so happy that this happened.

"As you can see, their parents are celebrating after what could be described as a nightmare for the parents and the community involved.

"We encourage the government to continue so that the others are also released. So we are very happy that this happened and we believe that the others will also come out.

"And we are also working to ensure that the girls who are released receive maximum support , so that they are integrated in the society.

"We are very much willing to support in whatever way that the United Nations can support Nigeria to make it overcomes this challenge. This is a nightmare indeed to the parents and the community. This is not something that should be happening in Nigeria".


Meanwhile , a statement made available to news men by the UN National Information Officer, in Lagos Nigeria , Mr. Oluseyi Soremekun, says the Secretary-General welcomes the reported release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls, following more than two years of captivity.

 It further says that Mr. Ban Ki-Moon ki-Mon  remains deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of the remaining schoolgirls and other victims of abduction by Boko Haram, who are still in captivity.

"The Secretary-General welcomes the reported release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls, following more than two years of captivity.  He remains deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of the remaining schoolgirls and other victims of abduction by Boko Haram, who are still in captivity.

"The Secretary-General urges the international community to continue supporting the government of Nigeria in its efforts to secure their release, rehabilitation and re integration. He calls for increased efforts to ensure additional humanitarian access in the north-east of Nigeria, and reiterates the continued commitment of the United Nations in this regard.

"The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, in his capacity as High Representative for Nigeria, continues to engage with the Nigerian authorities and international partners on this matter".


By Innocent Onoh

KAI Gives Stern Warning To Roadside Traders

Lagos Traders display wares on Roadsides ( Pix used for illustration)

Officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline Brigade, KAI, in Lagos State, today decried the continued flouting of the state's law against roadside trading, especially by business men and women in Obalende.

They said the attitude of the traders was sabotaging efforts to instill decency and cleanliness in the strategic Lagos town.

The officials who stormed the area in their numbers this morning, expressed regret that although they regularly come there for enforcement, the traders immediately returned to the roads and blocking them with their wares, as soon as they leave the vicinity.

According to our correspondents, the angry KAI officials, one of them named, Mr. Adeosun Adewale yelled at the traders and threatening to seize their commodities.

"Why are you people behaving like this. You will block everywhere. This was a place we tidied the other day; now everywhere has been covered with all manner of wares", said Mr. Adewale.

  

The officials, said even after flouting the laws against road side trading, some of the traders went ahead spreading untrue rumours that KAI officials intimidated them without any cause.

  "If we return to this place and still find these things, (pointing at a heap of fruits and nuts displayed for sale by a woman), we will seize everything. This is how you people show disregard to the laws; but when your wares are seized , you go about carrying false rumours and even reporting to the police and your relatives in authority , that KAI has arrested you without committing any offence", he concluded.

Our correspondent reports that, as early as 6 am, the traders have already covered the newly cleared open places at Obalende bus stop, with assorted types of wares including books, different types of fruits and nuts, and bottled drinks.

By Innocent Onoh

LASRRA Registration: Residents call for more hands at Ifelodun Council

The authorities in Ifelodun Local Council Development Area , under Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, have been urged to employ more hands to ensure the speedy registration of people in the ongoing registration of residents by the Lagos State Residents registration Agency, LASRRA.

This call came from some residents who were among the large crowd of people that turned out at the council to be registered.

They said because the registering officers including some youth corps members, were not enough, some of them have spent more than two days at the council without success.

According to a particular woman, by the time she reported to the council at seven o’clock in the morning last Friday, she was already 24^th in a list of over 80 persons that came before 8 o’clock that day.

However, she regretted that even though she came that early, she was not attended to , as the officials already had a back log of people that came in previous days.

Reacting, an officer of the council who spoke on condition of anonymity, advised residents to try and come very early and put down their names in the attendance list, while waiting for their turns.

The officer said documents required to be registered include, utility bill, Identity Card and Voters Card.

Investigation revealed that most of the residents needed the LASRRA registration , to enable them access some services by the state government, including gaining admission into Lagos State skill acquisition institutes.


Story by Innocent Onoh

Shocking! 74-year-old Man Defiles Two Young Girls Inside Workshop in Delta State

Godwin Agbada

 

Godwin Agbada, a 74-year-old man has been arrested by the police for defiling two girls.

 

Agbada allegedly defiled two girls aged 12 and 14 years in his workshop.

 

 He has however blamed the devil for the act.

 

According to The Nation, Agbada, who was paraded at the headquarters of the Delta State Police Command in Asaba, yesterday admitted to the offence, but denied having carnal knowledge of another victim, Ebele Olise.

 

The 74-year-old suspect, who expressed regret over his action, stated that both minors often came to his workshop to visit and that he frequently gave them money.

 

He said he is married with five children.

 

Asked if he could defend himself before his wife and children following his arrest, Agbada said: ‘Yes, I fit look my children for face. I noh shame, but I noh happy with wetin I do. Na devil make me do am.’

 

The Public Relations Officer of the Delta State Police Command, Celestina Kalu, who briefed reporters said Godwin has been arrested and that medical report confirmed the commission of the offence.

“Investigation revealed that the victim was invited to the suspect’s workshop by one Ebele Olise, aged 14, where both were defiled by the suspect who, thereafter, gave them N200.00 each.”

13-year-old Girl Goes on 68-day Dry Fasting to Bring Good Luck to Family

A young girl who had only gone on dry fasting to bring good luck to her family has ended up with much more than she bargained.

Aradhana

 

 A 13-year-old girl from Jain in India has died in the city after observing a 68-day fast.

 

According to The Times of India, the girl, identified only as Aradhana, observed the 'Chaturmas' fast to bring good luck to her family. Her father, Laxmichand Sansadiya, had recently suffered huge loss in his jewellery business.

 

A Chennai-based priest had advised the girl's parents to ask their daughter to observe the 'Chaturmas' fast in order to recover from the loss in business and earn huge profits.

 

Aradhana's 10-week long fast ended on the 3rd October and it was celebrated with a huge event at their house called 'Paarana'. The event was also attended by Padma Rao, a Telangana minister from Secunderabad area.

 

Soon after, she was rushed to a hospital because of dehydration. 

 

The girl had slipped into coma after prolonged starvation and the doctors said that her intestines had dried up after the fasting and both her kidneys were also severely damaged.

 

The doctors declared her 'brought dead'.

 

A complaint has been lodged by the child rights' association seeking immediate action against Aradhana's parents.

Commotion as Newly Married Couple Were Robbed on Their Wedding Day in Benue State

The couple

 

John Itodo, an Assistant Inspector of Nigeria Prisons Service attached to Otukpo Division, and his wife have been robbed.

 

The man was in the early hour of Friday robbed at gun point with his bride, Jesse and other family members while returning from their traditional marriage.

 

According to Daily Post, Itodo, younger brother to Yemi Itodo, had concluded a traditional marriage rite with his bride in Etulo, a suburb of Katsina-Ala local government of Benue State on Thursday and was to move to Otukpa in Ogbadibo LGA same day for their wedding ceremony billed for Saturday.

 

The vehicle carrying the newly married couple, however, broke down in Aliade, Gwer LGA and the couple and some family members had to sleep over at Aliade.

 

“As early as 4 am on Friday, we set out for onward movement to Otukpa and the journey was smooth until we got to a place called Atlo, after Otukpo.

“We saw a military check-point by 6am with about 5 soldiers on uniform, fully armed, flagging down our car and we parked”, a family source revealed

 

Speaking further, the source said “We thought they were genuine soldiers because they were kitted with Army Uniform and carrying weapons. They also blocked the federal road with logs of wood and lanterns on both sides of the road, to suggest it was a military or police check-point.

 

“One of them entered our vehicle and asked the driver to move towards a path in the bush while the rest unknown’ soldiers’ were following with legs.

“They took us to a nearby bush and dispossessed us of a large sum of money and all our belongings, including a professional video camera and photo camera with the memory card which contained all our marriage activities yesterday”.

 

He said the matter has been reported at the Otukpo Police Area Command.

Resident raises alarm over alleged sharp practices by Lagos private doctors

 

Picture used for illustration

A Lagos resident has called on the state government to take a close look at activities of private medical firms, who he accused of trading on lives of patients especially those of pregnant women and babies.

The resident who did not want his name mentioned for security reasons alleged that private health institutions have formed a network among themselves, through which they exploit the people.

Correspondent ran into the angry resident at a hospital near Coker Bridge, in Coker Aguda council, where his wife was on admission as at Wednesday this week.

He was furious at the medical practitioners for referring his wife for multiple medical screenings, at huge cost, thus leaving him with no money to treat her.

The resident who suspected that the diagnostic centers and the hospital, were working together to exploit him, complained that some of the test results they gave were wrong, as they diagnosed appendices instead of ulcer.

 “Immediately my wife told me of abdominal pain, we started observing and suspected ulcer. But when we went to the hospital, the doctor prescribed medical test and referred us to a diagnostic Centre. Because they were very not professional, they said it was appendicitis. That I did not believe because my wife had undergone appendix operation before. So, I prevented them from performing the operation.The doctor, thereafter referred us to another diagnostic Centre on Ogunlana Street,, Surulere. There it was confirmed that she has epigastric ulcer”.

According to him, when he refused them from operating his wife, on the ground that she had undergone appendicitis operation, the doctor of the private hospital referred them to another test instead of treating her.

 “When I was telling this doctor of the real lab result, he insisted we should run a third test for confirmation. I have spent so much on test alone. What I am concerned is that all the money we have been spending would have been enough to treat her”.

The resident said with the hard times in the country, the onus is on government to protect the masses, especially in issues of health.

“It is coming from my pulse. I am not happy because I am not seeing any improvement. The money used for running so many tests, would have been used to treat her. I would have gone out of this place since. I have so many things to do with money, not only on my wife. I am really disappointed”.

“Things are really not easy in this country. So you have to manage the little you have prudently. If you don’t manage your money well, you go bankrupt and start borrowing. I don’t want to be a borrower. It is not even good. The Bible condemns it”.

When the attention of the head of the medical team was drawn to the uproar caused by the man, the doctor threatened to stop treating his wife and subsequently discharge her forcefully.

"This women is leaving this hospital this moment. Imagine, he (referring to the man) has not even being meeting up in paying the medical bills totaling over N50,000, yet he had the gut to complain that his wife was not given proper treatment", said the doctor.

Meanwhile another resident also reported of a false diagnosis by a diagnostic centre in Ikorodu area the state, which said she won’t be able to deliver her baby due to narrow pelvis and it turned out to be false.

The women said she ended up delivering her baby weighing over 4kg.

Although government hospitals are seen as better alternatives, many Lagos residents still avoid them, because of bureaucratic bottlenecks causing them to wait for  long hours before treatment , among others.