TheNewsGuru

Tag: Die

  • Aare Ona Kakanfo: Gani Adams blasts critics, says ‘I won’t die young’

    …promises not to dump OPC after coronation

    The Aare Ona Kakanfo-designate of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams, on Saturday dismissed superstitious belief that taking the title may lead to his early death.

    The National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress told newsmen in Lagos that not all those who held the position in the past had died young as is being speculated.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Adams will become the 15th Aare Ona Kankanfo of Yorubaland when installed.

    He said, “Let me say that death belongs to God. Only God can decide and determine when anyone can die and until God decides, I will not die young as the defender of my people.

    “Aare title is highly spiritual and I have handed over my destiny and tenure to God.

    “The position in the past meant that you have to continually fight wars to protect your people, and may be killed in the process, but that was before Nigeria became a sovereign nation.

    “The job in the modern era is limited in terms of physical defence because there are security apparatus to settle disputes.

    “However, it has become a position to unify the Yoruba race, defend their interest and believe in their cause.”

    The 47-year-old leader of the OPC also put to rest speculations that he would dump the group following his new status, saying he would continue to oversee its activities.

    He said, “The OPC is my sweat. I will delegate some powers to some members to continue to run it while I oversee it.

    “The OPC gave birth to the Oodua Progressive Union which I have established in 78 countries to cater for the interest of Yoruba people in Diaspora.

    “I will continue to have a stake not only in the OPC but in all groups in Yorubaland.

    “I intend to use my position to unify and strengthen all factionalised pressure and cultural groups in Yoruba land.”

    Adams added that in spite of his elevation to a higher office, he would continue to render selfless service to all Nigerians based on fairness and justice.

    The Aare Ona Kakanfo to be said that the title was not too big a shoe for him to fit into.

    He said, “I have managed millions of people in Yorubaland.

    “I began to fight for my people at a tender age of 29 years since 1999.

    “I have never been in government. I have always fought for the Yorubas.

    “I know the terrain of all Yoruba people and their culture. I only ask God for wisdom to unify my people more and see that there is unity, justice and fairness for and among my people.

    “This title is a reward from my people on the basis of honour and not salary.”

    On the issue of the true federalism, the OPC coordinator said that the difference between true federalism and restructuring was semantics.

    “I totally support either restructuring or true federalism because it would ensure equity and fairness for all Nigerians.

    “We will continue to agitate for a more prosperous Nigeria,” he added.

  • Ready-to-die Wike vows to face APC in 2019, says ‘all of us would go down with it’

    The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, says he is ready to lay down his life if it will ensure victory for the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 general elections.

    Wike said this in the latest issue of ‘The Interview,’ a monthly magazine.

    The governor said one of the reasons the then President, Goodluck Jonathan, lost the presidential election was that he was surrounded by insincere people, especially ministers.

    He, however, said Rivers State fought tooth and nail to ensure victory for the PDP in 2015 and 2019 would not be any different.

    Wike said, “The whole thing boils down to sincerity and commitment and sincerity. We said if things would not happen, all of us would go down with it. That was the driving spirit for us and that is what we are going to repeat in 2019.

    “If the Federal Government is going to kill all of us, so be it. Because we know what they have planned and their strategies and so when it is time, we will face the APC squarely in this state. Just watch.”

    The governor described Jonathan as a gentleman who condoned too many things.

    Wike said for instance, when Jonathan went to campaign in the North, he was stoned in a number of states but did nothing.

    The governor said if he were the President, things would have been different.

    He added, “God gave every leader his strength and way of doing things. You see, I will not accept that. Let the heavens fall. If Nigeria was going to end on that day, let it end. I will not take what he took. That is why I respect the man a lot. I will not take that.

    “If Nigeria will come down that day, let it come down. I mean, what is it? He was President and you were throwing stones at him? No single respect for that office? And you tell me to accept it? No, I will clamp down on you.”

    Wike said the fact that those who stoned Jonathan were neither arrested nor prosecuted, showed that some northern elements, including the ones in the PDP, sabotaged Jonathan’s campaign.

    He wondered why a northern state which was ruled by a PDP governor would allow such a thing to happen.

    The governor also said he supported what a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, did at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission when he attempted to stop the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, from announcing the results of the 2015 presidential election.

    Wike said Orubebe’s actions were justified since the elections were rigged.

    When asked if he supported what Orubebe, he said, “I did. Of course, why not? You saw clear rigging. I don’t like a system where you see something is going wrong and you keep quiet.”

    The governor, who is heading the PDP’s reconciliation committee, said his committee would do everything to attract as many political heavyweights into the party.

    He said the party could even go as far as wooing a former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and a former Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.

    Wike said, “What is the crime in wooing people? Who told you that we would not woo people like Tinubu and Kwankwaso? You see, whether they will come or not is immaterial. Those that the APC wooed, did they not join the APC?

    “Who told you that we would not go and woo prominent APC governors? That does not mean that they will come. All the APC leaders at the National Assembly, were they not PDP people? What is all this trouble about wooing and not wooing?”

    The governor said he did not regret helping a former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, to emerge as the PDP chairman despite the fact that it nearly led to the total collapse of the party.

    He said at the time, he did not know that Sheriff was “an agent of darkness.”

    Wike added, “Why should I regret? I am not a coward. I am not one of those that takes decisions and goes back to say I am not part of that decision.”

  • Hajj 2017: Five Nigerian pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia

    Five out of the 81,200 Nigerian pilgrims to this year’s hajj in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, have reportedly died.

    The Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mohammed, announced the passage of four the pilgrims in Tuesday in Makkah, Islam’s holiest city.

    Mr. Mohammed, who spoke at the 2017 pre-Arafat meeting with Hajj stakeholders, however declined to disclosed the identities of the late pilgrims as well as the circumstances that led to their death.

    He said such information could only be disclosed after their families had been appropriately informed.

    The NAHCON chair pleaded with the media to withhold the details so as not to further devastate the families of the affected pilgrims.

    Shortly after the chairman spoke, an official on the medical team of NAHCON announced the passage of another pilgrim from Kwara.

    A total 81,200 Nigerian pilgrims are performing this year’s hajj, all of whom have converged on Makkah after some of them visited and prayed at the Prophet Mohammed’s mosque in Madinah.

    A few other pilgrims came directly to Makkah after flying into Saudi Arabia through the nearby city of Jeddah.

    All the pilgrims have performed the rites of Umrah, the lesser hajj, at al-Masjid al-Haram in which is situated the Kabah.

    On Wednesday, the pilgrims, like their counterparts from other parts of the world, will move to the city of Mina to spend the eve of the 9th of Dhul-Hijah.

    The pilgrims will then proceed to Arafat on Thursday praising Allah and reciting the Qur’an.

  • 20 students die in bus crash en route to write exam

    20 students die in bus crash en route to write exam

    29 school children, two teachers and a driver have died in a bus crash near Karatu in northern Tanzania Saturday morning.

    The students of the Lucky Vincent English-Medium School in Arusha city were en route to write an examination in Karatu when their bus skidded off the road and fell into a river, police say.

    Regional police commander Charles Mkumbo confirmed the death toll to the media, adding that several children escaped with injuries.

    Rescue operations were launched immediately after the accident to recover the bodies that included 12 boys and 17 girls.

    The accident is believed to have been caused by rainfall in the hilly area, but the police commander says they are investigating the incident.

    President John Magufuli has commiserated with the families of the students in a statement describing the accident as a “national tragedy”.

  • Queens College shutdown as diarrhoea kills two students

    Queens College shutdown as diarrhoea kills two students

    Queens College, Yaba, in Lagos, has been shutdown after two students allegedly died of diarrhoea, between Thursday, February 23 and Friday, February 24, 2017.

    Two female boarding students, Vivian Osuinyi and Bithia Itulua reportedly died after vomiting and stooling.

    They allegedly ate Spaghetti and drank water served in the Refectory by the college cooks, Daily Sun reports.

    The Federal Ministry of Health, which gave this order, said it had commenced investigations into the death of the students.

    It was gathered that following the outbreak of diarrhoea in the school, parents, whose wards resumed on Monday, contacted officials of the Parents Teacher Association (PTA), to find out the situation of things.

    Only Senior Secondary III students resumed on Monday, to complete their examinations while the junior students were expected in school next week, but, with the outbreak of diarrhoea and the directive by health officials to send the students home, it will affect the resumption of other students.

    A senior staff told Daily Sun that health officials have directed that the SS III students will also be sent home to enable Lagos State health officials investigate the source of the diarrhoea as well as carry out environmental exercise in the school.

    “As soon the SS III students finish their Mathematics examination, today, they will go home. We have informed parents about their coming home.

    “The health officials insisted the students must vacate the college to allow for thorough investigation”, the source said.

    The staff, however, added that, “some parents are just blowing the issue out of proportion. The issue started a month ago when some students complained and were treated at the sickbay and two weeks ago, a student vomited and stooled and she died later.

    “The new Old Girls Association president called the principal to inform her of another death which we are yet to confirm.’’

  • “Buhari is bound to fall ill or die anytime if…” – PMB’s only surviving sister speaks

    Hajiya Rakiya Adamu, the only surviving sister of President Muhammadu Buhari, has appealed to Nigerians to pray for the president, instead of spreading rumours about his health.

    She made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Daura, Katsina State yesterday.

    The 84-year-old said the President needed the prayers of every Nigerian for him to succeed in the task of addressing the problems facing the nation.

    She said that President Buhari being a mortal was bound to fall ill or even die “at any time his creator wishes.”

    She said she speaks with the president daily since his departure to London on annual leave and he is in high spirit.

    “I just returned from the lesser Hajj and even while in Saudi Arabia, I was communicating with him daily,” she added.

    The president’s sister, popularly called Amadodo, told NAN that while in Saudi Arabia, she communicated with Buhari every 10 hours. (NAN)

     

  • Uncle raped me 7 times, said I will die if I tell anyone, says 6-year-old-girl

    A six-year-old girl, identified only as Mariam has recounted how she was raped seven times by the 21-year-old son of her school’s proprietress, Sirotullahi Abdufatahi.

    The minor narrated how ‘uncle’ Sirotulahi would come to her room some nights to pull her out of the bed she shares with other girls who are her mates at a boarding school called Medinat Al Munawarat Islamic Nursery and Primary School located at Iju, Ogun state, to rape her.

    The Basic One pupil said Sirotulahi usually instructed her to pull down her pant and eventually have forceful canal knowledge of her.

    According to a report by The Punch, Mariam, wearing a long hijab, said: “Uncle Sirotullahi usually came to our room where we sleep. When they switch off the light, he would come and pull me from the bed.

    “Then, he would pull down my pant and also remove his own trousers. He always bring out his thing and put it in my ‘bum’ here (pointing to her crotch).

    “Sometimes, he would come into the room and take another girl,” she said.

    Asked how many times this happened, Mariam counted her fingers as if to remember and said seven times.

    Her mother, Sola, said she had to send Mariam, her only child to the boarding school at such a young age because it was run by people in her religion, and she believed she could get the right education and care as she worked to cater for her.

    She said, “I did not imagine something like this could ever happen to my daughter in that school.

    “I have known the school proprietress, Mrs. Modinat Ashafa, and mother of the suspect since she was younger and she was a student of the woman at a point.

    “I didn’t notice anything was wrong with Mariam when I bathed her and neither did she complain about any discomfort, until the week Mariam was supposed to resume school for the year, she was at her big aunty’s house when she decided to share with her cousin, a girl about her age, her “school stories”.

    “I realised the last abuse might have taken place long before their holiday, maybe that was why I did not notice any physical discomfort at the time she came home.

    “Immediately my aunty told me what my daughter told her own daughter, I examined my daughter and was shocked by what I saw. It was obvious the hole I saw there did not come there during one encounter.

    “I rushed to the school and confronted the proprietress. Rather than invite his son to ask him questions, she picked up her phone, called and asked him if it was true he was raping the girls he taught. Of course, he denied it.

    “I then took my daughter to a hospital where some doctors examined her and confirmed what I already knew. She was only examined, they did not test her for diseases. The doctors said she had indeed been defiled,” Sola added, sobbing.

    Continuing, she said, Sirotullahi had also warned Mariam never to tell anybody, in fact threatening her that she was going to die if she told me, her mother.”

    Sola stated that they contacted Ashafa (suspect’s mother) and she begged for the case not to be reported.

    At a point, she sobbed, asking that she would do whatever was needed to appeal to the family of the girl.

    Ashafa was quoted as saying, “When I was informed about the case, I called my son and he denied it. He is currently in Sokoto where he is schooling.

    “He is not 21, he is just a 15-year-old secondary school student. I was confused when he denied the accusation because I did not think my son would lie.

    “He was at home for holiday at the time he allegedly raped the girl. When he came, because we do not have enough teachers, I told him to help out by teaching the lower classes. I have been operating this kind of school for over 27 years.

    “My son swore that he knew nothing about it. I don’t know what to do. Truly, the mother has told me about her visit to the hospital and about how much she needs to pay for treatment and tests on the girl but I have no money. I have been very broke.

    “I told her that she should be patient with me and that I would find the money. I can only beg her. If it is about money, I will find money.”

    But Sola refuted Ashafa’s claim that her son was ‘just 15 years old’.

    She said, “I’m very sure the boy is 21, not 15. Even if he is 15, so what?” Sola quizzed, begging for the case to be handled and properly investigated.

    However, the report has not been officially reported at the Ogun Police Command where the incident happened.