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Plateau school collapse: Grieving mother recounts late son’s memories
By Francesca Hangeior.
A bereaved mother identified as Blessing Onovo recalls the fond memories of her late 15-year-old son, Chidera, who died after his school building collapsed last Friday, July 12, 2024, in Jos, Plateau State.
Chidera attended Saint Academy located in the Busa Buji community, Jos North Local Government Area of the state, with his younger sister, Chisom.
In an interview with the BBC, as reported on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, the grieving mother recalled how her son, Chidera was caring for her and his siblings.
She said, “He saved up his lunch money to buy biscuits to share with his siblings and he was always the one who noticed my moods and would ask, ‘Mummy are you fine?’”
Chidera had found a passion in drawing, but unfortunately, the young boy who left home for school early Friday with his younger sister never returned.
His father, Chike, was “relieved” after Chidera’s sister was pulled out from under the rubble but at the same time, he wondered the whereabouts of his first child.
“I saw my daughter Chisom being dragged out. I was relieved, but I kept shouting ‘Where is Chidera, my son?’
“It took about an hour before an excavator came,” Chike lamented.
The boy’s body was later found in his classroom on the first floor, the BBC reports.
The school’s two-storey building collapsed at about 8:30 am, claiming 22 persons while about 154 were trapped under the rubble before they were evacuated to various hospitals.
The unfortunate incident happened while students and teachers were in their respective classes.
According to the investigative panel set up by the Federal Government, the physical observation of the building looked distressed as weak materials were used for the building.
Another parent, Victor Dennis, 43, lost his son, Emmanuel, to the incident. The boy’s lifeless body was found at a local morgue the next day, Saturday, July 13.
“My boy was a good boy. He didn’t deserve to die. They killed my son. He didn’t do anything wrong. He just went to school to learn,” Dennis stated.
The report noted that while Emmanuel was being buried, his mother remained “inconsolable” as she grieved her son’s death at home, adding that several people were involved in the rescue operation, and some others voluntarily donated blood across hospitals where the survivors were admitted.
In an interview by one of our correspondents, some of the survivors, while on their hospital beds, recounted that the building suddenly collapsed while they were having classes, stating that the loud noise that accompanied the collapse felt like the world had come to an end.
An SS1 student noted that a teacher shunned an observation raised by one of the students, saying, “I am an SS1 student. Our teacher was teaching us in the class, and he was writing on the board when the building suddenly collapsed on our heads. The noise was so loud, and it was as if the world was about to end. Everywhere was dark, and I did not know where I was as the debris covered me. I found it hard to breathe at all because the decking just covered me.
“Before the building collapsed, I heard one of the students telling a teacher that the building was shaking but he asked the student to shut up and enter the class. Shortly after sitting down, the building caved in.”
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, had ordered the closure of the collapsed school and the arrest of artisanal miners operating around residential areas in the state.
The state government also declared a three-day mourning period following the sad incident.
Also, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa called for an immediate investigation into the building collapse, noting that anyone found culpable must be brought to justice.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared the former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Force, Abdulrashid Maina, wanted.
The declaration was contained in a statement signed by the commission’s Head, Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, on Wednesday.
Maina, alongside, his son, Faisal, was on October 25, 2019 arraigned on 12-count charges bordering on money laundering and concealment of proceeds of unlawful act.
He was subsequently sentenced to 61 years in prison.
Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja convicted Maina for allegedly stealing N2 billion meant for pensioners, expressing regrets that many pensioners died out of suffering.
The former pension reform task team boss was convicted on count 2, 6, 9, 3, 7 and 10 of the charges filed against him.
He was also found guilty of concealing his true identity as a signatory to accounts opened in UBA and Fidelity Bank.
Maina was said to have used the identity of his family members without their knowledge.
The court added that Maina could not prove that the money in the accounts were not stolen.
The latest public notice by the EFCC reads, “The public is hereby notified that ABDULRASHEED ABDULLAHI MAINA, whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of Receiving Stolen Properties. Maina, 61, is an indigene of Biu in Borno State.
“Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: [email protected] or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”
DCP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has decried the level of moral decadence in Nigeria following recent reports of an armed robbery incident in Delta state.
Recall that a 45-year-old man identified as Lawrence Onowenakpo, was arrested on September 19 and other fleeing members of his gang were intercepted while driving two Toyota Sienna vehicles conveying musical equipment allegedly stolen from a church.
Reacting via social media, Adejobi said in the past, people ran to church for refuge but incidents like k!dnapping and armed robbery have become recurring.
He wrote, “These armed robbers went to rob a church, carted away church items including musical equipment. No respect for the house of God again. When I was growing, many people used to seek refuge in the church, keep things in the vicarage.
“But now, priests are even being kidnapped, house of God robbed and attacked, and children of God are exposed to dangers. Do we blame the government for this again? Of course No.
“This could be tailored to social decadence and moral decay which must be addressed as quickly as possible. Not all the time we blame the government for issues like this, at times, we need to seek and canvass for personal or individual transformation towards improved society. Armed robbery in the church!!!. Oga oo. Ire oo”
The Cross River State Police Command has released the photograph of a woman found dead in a hotel in Calabar South, as detectives intensify efforts to identify her and locate the unidentified male guest who lodged with her.
The woman was found dead earlier this month in a hotel room along Clifford Lane, Calabar South, after reportedly checking into the facility with a man whose whereabouts remain unknown.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, the Command appealed to members of the public who may recognise the deceased or have information about her identity, family or associates to come forward.
The Police said preliminary investigations established that the woman had lodged at the hotel alongside a male guest, adding that efforts were ongoing to locate him and establish the circumstances surrounding her death.
The latest development follows the Command’s September 8 report that an unidentified female guest had been found unresponsive in Room 2 of the hotel.
According to the earlier police account, the male guest who checked into the hotel with the woman had not been properly documented at the time of their admission.
The woman was reportedly discovered by the receptionist after the door to the room was noticed to be open.
Police investigators who visited the scene reportedly observed apparent marks of violence on the woman’s face and neck.
She was subsequently taken to the General Hospital, Calabar, where she was confirmed dead before her remains were deposited at the mortuary.
Meanwhile, the receptionist on duty at the time of the incident remains in police custody and is assisting investigators.
The Command said the receptionist was being questioned over the admission of the guests and events preceding the discovery of the deceased.
However, the Police stressed that his detention should not be interpreted as a determination of guilt.
According to the Command, any further action would be based on available evidence and carried out in accordance with the law.
The Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, has directed that the investigation be conducted professionally and objectively.
The investigation is expected to establish the identity of the deceased, determine the circumstances surrounding her death, locate the male guest and establish the roles, if any, of persons connected to the incident.
The Police appealed to anyone who recognises the woman or has information that could assist investigators in locating the male guest to contact the Police Control Room on 0706 797 7330 or 0905 827 3057, or visit the nearest police station.
The Command said further updates would be communicated as the investigation progresses.
EFCC declares Abdulrashhed Maina wanted
‘No Respect For House Of God Again’ – Ex-Police PRO Reacts As Thieves Raid Church
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