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Tag: Akwa Ibom

  • Sad! Nursing mother drinks sniper, commits suicide in Akwa Ibom

    Sad! Nursing mother drinks sniper, commits suicide in Akwa Ibom

    A young nursing mother in her early thirties, Mrs Esther Frank, has committed suicide in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

     

    Mrs. Frank, an indigene of Anambra State, was said to have left a suicide note for her husband and two children, saying she was tired of the pressure.

     

    It was learnt that the deceased drank a bottle of sniper on Thursday and her body was discovered by neighbours in the room. The neighbours rushed the deceased to St Luke’s Hospital in Anua, Uyo, where she died.

     

    Recounting the incident on Friday in Uyo, a neighbour to the deceased, Mrs Iboro Etuk, said she and the deceased talked before the unfortunate incident.

     

    She said they stood outside the gate of their compound to buy water before the deceased told her to take care of her children as she was going out to buy something.

     

    Etuk noted that when she later heard the baby of the deceased crying continuously, she went inside the house of the deceased and found her on the floor.

     

    According to her, they rushed the deceased to the hospital where she died, leaving behind a three months old baby and three years old son.

     

    “Mrs Esther Frank, is in her early thirties. She just graduated from the Univeristy, and is yet to go for her youth service. She is from Anambra state while her husband, Mr Frank is from Delta state but he is currently in Dubai.

     

    “She sent her three year old boy to come and stay with my children. It has never happened before. She told me, “I am going to buy something, please take care of my children’.

     

    “Before that, we both stood outside to buy pure water but since we didn’t see it, she went back into her apartment, while I waited outside.

     

    “When I heard her baby crying, I told her son who was in my apartment, to take me inside the house. There I saw her laying on the floor. I shook her and told her to pick up her son but she did not respond.

     

    “I ran out and informed the landlady and the other tenants. They came and saw the bottle of sniper laying on the floor. We rushed her to the hospital where she died, Etuk told The Nation.

     

     

  • Coronavirus: Akwa Ibom raise suspicions over NCDC’s announcements, demands second tests

    Coronavirus: Akwa Ibom raise suspicions over NCDC’s announcements, demands second tests

    The Akwa Ibom government appears to be contesting the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)’s announcement of cases of the novel coronavirus in the state.

    The government has demanded a “reconfirmation” of the the announced cases, according to a statement released Thursday.

    The NCDC on Wednesday said there were five confirmed cases of the virus infection in the state.

    But the state government, in a statement from its Commissioner for Health, Dominic Ukpong, raised questions over the announcement by the NCDC, saying that there was “a disturbing breach in the test and reporting procedure” adopted by the agency.

    The Akwa Ibom government said it only heard about the results of the test in the news.

    It is unclear, for now, if the NCDC is required by protocols to inform state governments before the agency goes public with the results of COVID-19 tests.

    The statement from the Akwa Ibom government said even the director general of the NCDC was unaware of the result that was announced by the agency.

    “All 5 reported positive test cases have been contacted and they have showed no COVID-19 symptoms.

    “Owing to the irregularities observed in the testing and reporting procedure, Health Care Professionals in Akwa Ibom State have called for an immediate reconfirmation test on the 5 reported cases,” the statement said.

    The government said samples they have sent to the NCDC for the COVID-19 testing have all returned negative results.

  • BREAKING: COVID-19 enters Akwa Ibom, 5 cases confirmed, as Nigeria’s toll rise to 174

    BREAKING: COVID-19 enters Akwa Ibom, 5 cases confirmed, as Nigeria’s toll rise to 174

    Twenty-three new cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been reported in Nigeria, with 9 in Lagos, 7 in the FCT, 5 in Akwa Ibom, 1 in Kaduna and 1 in Bauchi State, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports as at 08:00 pm 1st April there are now 174 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria. Nine have been discharged with two deaths.

    Currently, there are now 91 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lagos- 91, FCT- 35, Osun- 14, Oyo- 8, Ogun- 4, Edo- 4, Kaduna- 4, Bauchi- 3, Enugu- 2, Ekiti- 2, Rivers-1, Benue- 1, and Akwa Ibom- 5.

    COVID-19: Gov. Emmanuel signs quarantine, restriction of movement law

    Meanwhile, Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel had signed the restriction of movement order for 30 days and the quarantine and treatment of persons with COVID-19 into law.

    This was contained in a press statement signed by the Commissioner of Information, Mr Charles Udoh, and made available to newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday.

    Udoh said that the law was signed by the governor on March 30, and comes into immediate effect.

    According to him, the governor has ordered the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, to head the special enforcement team and ensure compliance.

    He appealed to Akwa Ibom residents to comply with the new law in view of the coronavirus pandemic, stressing that the restriction of movement will last till April 30.

    Udoh said that the law has declared COVID-19 as a dangerous infectious disease, saying it constitutes a serious and imminent threat to public health.

    He said that to control the spread of the disease, the government has ordered the prohibition of all public burials, public weddings, and other forms of public gatherings.

    “To control the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent the spread of the disease, the movement of persons and vehicles within the state are hereby restricted as follows: commercial tricycles shall carry not more than two passengers only.

    “Minibuses shall carry not more than one passenger per row, and a private vehicle shall carry not more than two persons at the back seat and one on the front seat.

    “All public parks, shops, eateries, clubs, restaurants, markets and offices within the state shall remain closed except for the sale of foodstuffs, drugs and other essential commodities.

    “All public burials, public weddings, and other forms of public gatherings are for the time being hereby prohibited.

    “All places of religious worship, churches, and mosques shall strictly observe the social distancing prescription of a minimum of one-metre spacing and not more than twenty persons per gathering.

    “In addition, handwashing facility with running water, soap and sanitiser shall be made available.

    “All borders and roads leading into and out of the state shall remain closed with immediate effect.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, all interstate transportation and movement on land, air, water are hereby prohibited.

    “Any person who knows or has reason to believe that he has symptoms of, or is suffering from the coronavirus disease shall not expose other persons to risk of infection by his presence or conduct in any public place or any other place.

    “Any person who knows or has reason to believe that he has symptoms of, or is suffering from the coronavirus disease shall submit himself for quarantine and treatment.

    “Any person who contravenes the provision of this regulations shall be prosecuted,” Udoh said.

    He, however, said that government had exempted recognised security personnel, fire service personnel, medical health workers and other personnel on essential duties and food supplies from the regulations.

    COVID-19: Gov. Emmanuel says 13 ventilators, health facilities in Akwa Ibom in good condition

    Also, the Akwa Ibom State Governor had on Wednesday in Uyo on during a tour of facilities in the Quaternary hospital said that the 13 ventilators and other medical facilities in the Ibom Multi-Specialist Hospital were in good condition.

    He said the visit the Quaternary hospital was to ascertain if the facilities were functioning in the event of any confirmed case of coronavirus in the state.

    Emmanuel commended the commitment of both the Chief Medical Director of the specialist hospital, Prof. Emmanuel Ekanem, and the Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, for their foresight which caused the government to improve the condition of the hospital.

    Emmanuel said he was satisfied with the state of the Intensive Care Unit, Emergency Theater, Ventilators for adults and babies as well as other states of the art equipment recently acquired by the government.

    According to him, the new emergency theatre is unprecedented and can be compared with any standard government hospital anywhere in the country.

    He further said his administration would continue to be proactive in providing healthcare facilities to Akwa Ibom people in line with international best practice.

    “My visit is to ensure that they have expanded the number of beds that we ordered to accommodate extra 20 facilities in case of any emergency and I’m happy with what I’ve seen.

    “It is not just to check the state of preparedness that we came, it’s to make sure what we’ve put on ground are functional and are working well.

    “I came here with the experts so that we can have a look, to see that those things work well. We wanted the whole 13 ventilators checked to be sure they are working very well, even though we don’t have any incident now of the COVID-19 in the state.

    “I’m sure you saw the kind of emergency theatre we have there. I want to be corrected, if that is in any teaching hospital in Nigeria, let somebody show me or take me there,” Emmanuel said.

    Emmanuel said that the facilities put in the hospital was not in reaction to the coronavirus scare, saying that they were provided to cater for the health needs of the people.

    The governor commended the efforts of the State medical team and assured that the government would continue to monitor the healthcare situation in the state to be ahead of the outbreak of any disease.

    “We are interested in every aspect of illness and to make sure that all our citizens are well taken care of.

    “We don’t just react. We put things in place to take care of the health of our citizens because every single life is as important as the life of the governor.

    “It is not only coronavirus that we should be concerned about. Malaria kills too. So we are interested in every aspect of illness and to make sure that all our citizens are well taken care of,” he said.

  • Akwa Ibom speaks on alleged outbreak of coronavirus

    Akwa Ibom speaks on alleged outbreak of coronavirus

    The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, on Friday dispelled the widely circulated rumour that some allegedly infected Chinese nationals had brought the killer disease into the state.

    The rumour had generated fear and tension in the state, causing people to avoid public gatherings even as they started avoiding handshakes and physical contacts.

    However, despite the earlier panic the state government has not ordered the closure of schools and prohibition of religious gatherings of more than 50 persons as it is in other states in the country.

    Addressing a press conference in his office in Uyo, Ukpong, flanked by officials of his ministry, said: “You may have read a rash of misinformation and outright mischief peddled by certain individuals which went viral on the social media platforms about the status of the coronavirus in Akwa lbom State.

    “I want to assure the public that rumours and false information going around social media about some Chinese and coronavirus in Akwa lbom State is completely false.

    “For emphasis, let me state here categorically and unambiguously, that there is no confirmed case of Covid-19 infection in Akwa lbom State as I speak to you.”

    The health commissioner said the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, had weeks ago given him and the staff of his ministry the marching order to be on top of the issue.

    “As a proactive government, even before the first confirmed case in Nigeria was reported, Akwa lbom State Government had, through the Ministry of Health, initiated measures to prevent the

    outbreak and contain the infection in the event of an outbreak in Akwa lbom State,” he said.

  • We lost 5 corps members to death in A’ Ibom – NYSC

    We lost 5 corps members to death in A’ Ibom – NYSC

    The Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Akwa Ibom, Mr Julius Amusan, said on Thursday that five corps members serving in the state died during the 2019 Batch “A” service year.

    Amusan who made the closure during the passing out parade of the corps members in Uyo, said the corps members died in different circumstances.

    “May I, therefore, humbly request that we observe a minute silence in memory of the late patriots. May their souls continue to rest in perfect peace,” he prayed.

    He said 23 members would repeat the service and explained that seven of them absconded while 16 violated the schemes’ by-laws.

    The coordinator said the absconded members had been recommended to repeat the service whenever they showed up.

    Amusun commended those that successfully completed the mandatory service.

    In his remarks, Gov.Udom Emmanuel promised to improve the welfare of corps members in the state.

    Emmanuel, represented by Mrs. Mary Bassey, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths and Sports, commended the Federal Government for increasing the monthly allowance of corps members from N19, 800 to N33, 000.

    “On our part, this government will not relent in paying adequate attention to the welfare and security of corps members.

    “I commend your zeal and welcome you to the larger society where you are expected to continue to make individual and collective contributions towards national growth and development.

    “Let me state here clearly that the National Youth Service Corps has been a critical partner in the development of Akwa Ibom state.

    “Your contributions in the implementation of government policies and programmes impacted greatly on all sectors, particularly education, agriculture, infrastructural development and health care delivery.

    “The government and people of Akwa Ibom state cannot compensate you adequately for filling the gap in our educational and socio economic lives,” Emmanuel said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 2019 Batch ‘A’ corps members deployed to the state were 2,582.

  • Police arrest fake army captain, 5 suspects for child trafficking [photo]

    Police arrest fake army captain, 5 suspects for child trafficking [photo]

    The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a fake army captain and his accomplices for car snatching, and five suspects for trafficking, theft and abduction of underage children.


    The Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nudam Fredrick said in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Uyo, that the fake captain who was arrested with his accomplices specialised in the snatching of vehicles.

    He added that the arrests led to the recovery of one Toyota Corolla car with registration number EG 710 EKY, one Toyota Carina car with registration number TTU 331 SC and one Honda CRV with registration number RSH 189 EKY, while a search in the house of the fake captain led to the recovery of an army uniform.

    The PPRO identified the child trafficking and theft suspects as Esther Akpan (42yrs), Peace Bassey Okon, Otobong Akpan (21), Ndukeabasi Okon and her husband Ndianabasi Okon. He reassured the people and residents of the state that the security of their lives and property was of utmost important to the Police, adding that the command will do everything within the limit of the law to ensure that the state is peaceful. He urged the people to volunteer useful information that will aid in the effective policing of the state.

    “Operatives of SARS on 2nd February, 2020 at about 11:30pm swung into action and arrested one Kingsley Nelson ‘m’ of Abak Local Government Area, and two (2) other members of his syndicate, namely Solomon Etim Essien ‘m’ and Stephen Joseph ‘m’, both of Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, who specialize in snatching of vehicles and have been on the sensitive radar of the Command. “The arrest culminated in the recovery of one Toyota Corolla car with registration number EG 710 EKY, one Toyota Carina car with registration number TTU 331 SC and one Honda CRV with registration number RSH 189 EKY. “Search conducted at suspect’s residence led to the recovery of an army uniform with the insignia of a captain. Investigation is in progress. “On January, 5, 2020, a combined team of Anti-Child theft, Itu division intercepted an 18-seater Jimbei Hiace bus with Reg. No. YEN 709 XA, conveying six under age children namely, Elisha Joseph Akpan, aged 12years, Emmanuel Peter Edim (14), Elijah Victor Michael (15), Saviour Etete Amos (16), Effanga Asuquo Etim, (16) and David Sunday Akpan (15), all males from Akpabuyo, Cross River State.

    “During investigation, the suspects, one Esther Asuquo Akpan (42) and Solomon Akpan (21) confessed that they were taking the victims from Calabar, Cross River state to Osun State for child labour. “The Command has transferred the victims to Ministry of Women Affairs for custody, while the suspects have been charged to court. “Again, on January, 7, 2020, Operatives of Anti-Child theft, Mbo division arrested one Peace Okon who allegedly abducted one Joy Effiong Ekpeima ‘f (16) and Peace Effiong Ekpeima (17yrs) both females, in November, 2019 and took them to her sister’s house in Ogun State, denied them access to contact their parents, subjected them to forced labour and exploitation.

    “During questioning, suspect admitted sending the victims to her sister without their parents or guardians consent. Investigation revealed that the suspect took advantage of the victims being dropped out-of -school occasioned by inability of their parents to pay their school fees and abducted them for forced labour. “In view of the above, operatives proceeded to Ogun State and arrested the suspect’s sister, one Sandra Bassey who took custody of the victims. Suspects have been charged to court.

    “In another development, the operatives acted on a tip-off that one Ndukeabasi Ndianabasi Okon of Nung Ukim Village, Uyo and her husband, Mr. Ndianabasi Okon are child trafficking/theft syndicate who take possession of pregnant girls until delivery and sell out the babies.

    “Operatives of Anti-Child Theft swung into action and arrested one Ndukeabasi Ndianabasi. While Ndianabasi Okon took to flight. During investigation, Ndukeabasi confessed that she and her husband now at large have been in the illicit business since 2016.

    “She added that they normally sell male and female children at the rate of four hundred thousand (N400, 000.00) and three hundred thousand (N300, 000.00) respectively.

    “Two pregnant teenage victims, Peace Sunday (17), of Eka Ediene Vilage with seven months pregnancy, and Esther Victor Jeremiah (15) of Ikot Inyang village with five months pregnancy, all in Oruk Anam Local Government area were rescued,” he stated.

  • ‘In Akwa Ibom, they don’t do election, they write results,’ says INEC REC, Igini

    ‘In Akwa Ibom, they don’t do election, they write results,’ says INEC REC, Igini

    Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Mike Igini has indicted his predecessors in the south-southern state, saying elections do not hold in the entirety of the state.

    He stressed that he has evidence to support his claims, especially as it relates to the 2015 and 2019 general elections.

    “In that same 2015 in Akwa Ibom, they ‘allocated’ five percent (of votes) to the current President,” the REC alleged during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.

    He was, however, asked to be mindful of his choice of words and he insisted, “Yes, allocated! Because in Akwa Ibom they don’t do election, they write results.”

    Igini added, “I have the records, you go there; because when I arrived in Akwa Ibom State, leaders – traditional rulers, religious leaders; all groups came to me but that is not new to me, I was the commissioner in neighbouring Cross River State.”

    He said the days of not conducting elections were gone and promised that the electoral system in Akwa Ibom State would witness a major turnaround.

    The INEC official revealed that he had informed stakeholders in the state after he assumed office that it would no longer be business as usual.

    He also reacted to the allegation of bias preferred against him by some political groups, saying they were only making attempts to secure undue advantages.

    Igini noted that the political actors and the leaders in the state ignored his warning but treated him like the Proverbial Noah in the bible.

    He said, “Noah told the children of God that there will be a great flood, but they didn’t take that seriously.

    “I told them that under my watch in Akwa Ibom State, it is the will of the people that will govern.”

  • Rerun: Police arrest suspected hijackers of election materials in A-Ibom

    Rerun: Police arrest suspected hijackers of election materials in A-Ibom

    The police in Akwa Ibom State on Saturday said they had arrested some persons who allegedly hijacked election materials during the rerun election in Essien Udim Local Government area.

    A chieftain of People Democratic Party and Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Prince Ukpong Akpabio, had alleged that election materials were recovered from the residence of an APC chieftain.

    The materials, according to Akpabio, were meant for six units in Akpautong in the Appeal Court ordered re- run election in Essien Udim council area.

    He said all the hoodlums who carted the election materials were arrested and were being detained at the state Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Nnudam Fredrick, told correspondents at the collation centre in Essien Udim local government area (LGA) that some arrests had indeed been made in connection with electoral malpractices in the area.

    He, however, did not state if they were recovered from the residence of any politician. The police spokesperson said the suspects were being detained at the state Police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo

    Akpabio also alleged that INEC ad-hoc staff, including an electoral officer, were caught thumb-printing in the home of the APC chieftain, whose name he declined to mention. His words: “It took the strength of the Nigeria Police to recover the stolen materials in the politician’s house. The ad-hoc staff, including one of the electoral officers assigned to the area, who were abducted with the materials were forced to thumb-print the ballot papers instead of the voters. Those arrested were too many. The police had to call for prison van to ferry them to the state police headquarters.”

  • Over 5000 homeless as fire razes fishing community in Akwa Ibom

    No fewer than 2,000 houses have been burnt and over 5,000 people rendered homeless following a fire incident that occurred in the early hours on Friday at Iwoukpom community in Ibeno council area of Akwa Ibom State.

    While the cause of the fire could not be ascertained as at press time however finding s revealed that properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed in the fishing community mostly occupied by Yoruba fishermen

    Most of the buildings were constructed with wood thereby increasing the fatality rate of incident even as fishing equipment and fishes were burnt.

    It was also not immediately known if lives were lost. Loud wailings from victims were heard as the recounted their loses.

    Mrs Idongesit Udoh, a mother of three children who was crying said she could not pick a pin from her house before the inferno rendered her homeless.

    “The entire building was razed completely and I could not pick a pin in the house,” she lamented.

    She called on the state government, kind hearted individuals, and others to come to their rescue, lamenting that she does not have room on her head anymore.

    The youth leader of Ibeno council area, Mr. Kingsley Asuquo expressed his disappointed that the incident happened.

    He said the fire incident destroyed completely everything in the environment including fishing equipment in the area.

    “It is pathetic and the people have lost everything in their life, so there is no word that is qualified to explain the circumstances,” he cried out.

    He said that over thousands of people had been rendered homeless and called on state government to provide internal displaced camp for the affected victims.

    The leader of the Yoruba community, Mr. Foli Ogungbemi, Special Adviser to the Chairman of Ibeno on non- indigenes said the entire place was settled mostly by Yoruba people.

    He said that when the incident happened the people were running for their safety and none could really know the root cause of the inferno.

     

  • Police seal Governor Udom’s church in Akwa Ibom, gives reasons

    The police in Akwa Ibom have explained why they sealed up Qua Iboe church along No 112 Ikot Ekpene road on Sunday where Governor Udom Emmanuel worships.

    The state Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed said the sealing of the church was to avert a clash among worshippers over the change name from Qua Iboe to United Evangelical Church.

    He also regretted that the action of his men had led to some worshippers sustaining varying degrees of injury.

    Ahmed said the police were alerted of the plan by a faction in the ongoing crisis to factions to foment rouble and decided to seal the church to prevent further break down of law and order.

    He said” police seal the church to prevent crisis. Last Sunday there was a crisis among the worshippers in which many people were injured. We got information that a faction of the church was coming there to cause trouble, so our officers were there to prevent further clash”.

    It was gathered that the police arrived the church premises as early as 6 am and barricaded the entrance, preventing early the morning worshipers from going in to worship.

    Governor Udoma Emmanuel and some prominent members of the church were allegedly accused of having personal interest in the matter rocking the church.

    But speaking on Sunday, against the backdrop of insinuations, the Governor declared that he has no personal interest in the crisis, adding that he was rather committed to ensuring that peace return to
    the United Evangelical Church which was originally founded as Qua Iboe Church.

    Governor Emmanuel who said he has been making progress in bringing peace and harmony between the two contending parties urged agents of blackmail to direct their miss-applied talents elsewhere.

    He said “It is very wrong for certain elements to make unfounded allegations concerning my role in the local assembly on Ikot Ekpene road,” said the Governor at a peace parley with the two parties.

    “In a peace meeting I had with the leadership of the church on Thursday, September 26, I had outlined the processes and plans for peace to return to the both the local and the national leadership of the church.

    “The parties were very satisfied with the plans outlined and went back very happy. Very soon, we hope to see the full restoration of peace and understanding between the two groups.

    “I think it is sad and unfortunate for some people to exploit the matter and make unfounded allegations against me.” Governor Emmanuel added.