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A newborn baby has reportedly died just days after birth following an alleged dispute between the child’s parents over a “push gift” promised to the mother.

According to reports circulating online, the mother allegedly refused to breastfeed or adequately feed the baby after her husband failed to buy her a car as a gift following the delivery.

The newborn was reportedly left without sufficient nourishment as the disagreement between the couple continued.

Tragically, the baby is said to have died only days after birth.

The disturbing allegation has triggered outrage online, with many questioning how a dispute over a material gift could allegedly escalate to a situation with such devastating consequences for a newborn.

However, details surrounding the reported death remain unclear, and the allegation has not been independently verified. It is also not yet clear whether authorities or medical professionals have confirmed the cause of death.

The report has nevertheless renewed concerns about the vulnerability of newborns and the critical importance of ensuring that babies receive adequate feeding and medical attention, particularly in the first days of life.

It has also sparked wider conversations about postpartum support, communication between couples and the need to prioritise a newborn’s health and safety during periods of marital disagreement.

As questions continue to surround the circumstances of the reported death, calls are growing for the facts to be established and any claims of neglect to be properly investigated.

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The Federal Government is considering the termination of its concession agreement with the Benin-Asaba Expressway Concession Company Limited (BAECC) over alleged breaches of key provisions of the contract.

The Federal Ministry of Works said the concessionaire’s alleged failure to meet critical obligations under the agreement had contributed to the worsening condition of the 125-kilometre Benin-Asaba Expressway and increased hardship for motorists.

The Federal Controller of Works in Edo State, Engr. Babatunde Tajudeen, disclosed this during a press briefing on the controversial concession, saying the ministry was exploring measures to restore the highway while efforts to resolve the dispute continue.

The highway, which runs from the Ring Road Roundabout in Benin City to Summit Junction in Asaba, Delta State, is a major transport corridor connecting the South-South, South-East and parts of the South-West.

The road was concessioned to BAECC under the Federal Government’s Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), a public-private partnership framework designed to attract private investment and technical expertise into the rehabilitation and management of federal highways.

The Federal Executive Council approved the concession on January 16, 2023, under a 25-year Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Transfer arrangement, including a three-year construction period. The concession agreement was signed on May 23, 2023.

Tajudeen said the Works Minister, David Umahi, raised concerns over the concessionaire’s performance during an inspection of the project with Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo on August 25, 2026.

According to him, the inspection revealed several alleged violations, including the removal of stable asphalt surfaces, engagement of personnel considered unqualified for the project, inadequate capacity to execute the works, slow progress, substandard construction and ineffective traffic management.

He said the situation had repeatedly triggered severe traffic congestion along the corridor.

“Everybody knows there is a dispute in the course of the execution of the contract. They peeled off our asphalt, exposing the subgrade foundation to excessive rainwater. By so doing, the subgrade material has become oversaturated,” Tajudeen said.

The Federal Controller said the ministry had proposed a mutual termination of the concession, citing concerns that the continued execution of the project under the existing arrangement could further worsen the condition of the highway.

He added that there were also concerns that the concessionaire might be unable to complete the project within the approved Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation.

As an immediate measure, the ministry has asked BAECC to reinstate the asphalt removed from sections of the highway and permit technically competent contractors engaged by the Federal Ministry of Works to intervene while the concession dispute is being resolved.

Tajudeen assured motorists that the ministry was working to find a lawful and sustainable solution to the crisis.

He appealed to road users to remain patient, saying the government was determined to restore the highway and reduce the hardship caused by the deteriorating sections and recurring traffic gridlock.

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The trial of Udeme Otike-Odibi, a former Lagos banker and lawyer convicted of killing and mutilating her husband, Symphorosa Otike-Odibi, remains one of the most disturbing murder cases to come before the Lagos State High Court.

Otike-Odibi was convicted in 2023 of murdering her husband and mutilating his corpse. The court subsequently sentenced her to death by hanging for the murder and imposed a five-year prison term for misconduct involving a corpse.

The case dates back to May 3, 2018, when Symphorosa was found dead at the couple’s home in Diamond Estate, Ajah, Lagos, following a violent domestic confrontation.

The night of the murder

The prosecution’s case was that a disagreement between the couple, reportedly linked to allegations of infidelity and marital problems, escalated into violence.

According to evidence presented in court, Otike-Odibi first struck her husband with a frying pan before stabbing him in the abdomen with a kitchen knife.

The prosecution maintained that the attack was not a spontaneous crime of passion but a deliberate act.

Shortly after midnight on May 3, Otike-Odibi reportedly sent a troubling text message to her friend, Maureen Offor. The message raised concerns about her state of mind, prompting her friend to respond and remind her of plans they had discussed, including travelling to the United Kingdom and prioritising her health.

By about 2am, Symphorosa’s sister, Dr Anwuli Akwukwuma, became concerned after being unable to reach him. She contacted a neighbour, Stanley Grange-Koko, to check on the couple.

When family members and neighbours eventually gained access to the residence, Symphorosa was found dead on the marital bed.

The prosecution told the court that his abdomen had been cut open and his genitals severed and placed in his hand.

Medical evidence

The prosecution relied heavily on forensic and medical evidence to establish how Symphorosa died.

Pathologist Dr John Soyemi testified that the deceased suffered massive internal blood loss estimated at about 3.5 litres. According to his evidence, the fatal injuries were caused by damage to blood vessels in the mesentery, the tissue supporting the intestines, after a deep knife wound to the abdomen.

The defence also argued that Otike-Odibi had attempted to take her own life after killing her husband.

However, Dr Booyemi Oyeneyin, who treated her at Safeway Hospital on the morning of the incident, testified that the six wounds found on her abdomen were superficial.

The doctor said the injuries did not penetrate her internal organs and were consistent with what he described as hesitation-type wounds.

The prosecution used the medical evidence to challenge the claim that Otike-Odibi had been involved in a mutual attack or had genuinely attempted suicide.

Defence challenges confession

Otike-Odibi’s defence team, led by Oluseye Banjoko, challenged the admissibility of statements she made to detectives at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.

The defence argued that the statements should be rejected because they were not video-recorded and were not made in the presence of a lawyer, citing provisions of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law and the 1999 Constitution.

The prosecution countered that the statements were voluntary and that their admissibility should be determined under the applicable provisions of the Evidence Act.

In a ruling delivered on April 11, 2019, Justice Adedayo Akintoye rejected the defence’s objection and admitted the statements as evidence.

The court held that the absence of a video recording or legal representation did not automatically render a voluntary statement inadmissible.

Mental-health argument rejected

The defence also sought to establish that Otike-Odibi was not in a sound mental state when the incident occurred.

But the prosecution’s forensic evidence, witness testimony and circumstances surrounding the killing were relied upon to establish that she understood her actions.