News
Nusing mother stranded in hospital, alleges husband diverted medical fund
By Francesca Hangeior
A new mother, Susan Ubangha, has cried for help over her deteriorating health condition after giving birth at the Alimosho General Hospital in the Igando area of Lagos State.
This is as she alleged that her husband used the money meant for her medical bill to buy a phone and a dog.
Ubangha, in a lengthy post on her X handle, stated that her ordeal started in the weeks leading to the delivery of her baby as she started to experience sudden and severe shortness of breath.
The nursing mother who claimed to have been rushed to the hospital alleged that her husband failed to pay for her hospital bills.
She claimed that her husband was opposed to a caesarean section due to the financial constraints while he suggested that would deliver the baby naturally.
She wrote, “I got traditionally married recently and took in. I thought that was the best thing that happened to me, everything was going well until I entered the 35th week. I suddenly developed shortness of breath, I could barely walk two seconds without being out of breath. Thinking it was one of those symptoms of late pregnancy, I didn’t take it seriously until the 14th of April when I could barely breathe, and couldn’t lift my head up.
“I was rushed to a nearby clinic, they couldn’t handle me, so I was taken to my hospital where I was admitted and placed on oxygen. The doctors told my husband we should opt for CS, as I and my unborn child were at risk. My husband said no, that I’d definitely deliver naturally.
“He insisted he had no money for CS and that they should work on stabilising my breathing. So for three days, I was on oxygen and feeling better. Seeing that I was responding to treatment, my husband went around and insisted I should be discharged against the doctor’s advice.”
Ubangha said she became weak to argue with her husband whose insistence led her to be discharged from the hospital.
She however noted that she developed breathing problems again after she arrived home, adding that her husband thereafter bought a herbal drink which he asked her to drink to make her baby’s head turn for natural delivery.
She further narrated she was in so much pain that she drank only for the pain to intensify while she struggled so much till about 1 am in the morning when she couldn’t take it anymore.
She said, “I cried out, my neighbours came running and I was again rushed to the hospital, admitted and placed on oxygen. While my doctors determined what to do, my husband insisted he had no money for a cesarean section. All these while, I was spending my life’s savings on medications, this and that tests.”
“This dragged on until the morning of 29th April, I was broken, my baby wasn’t moving, my breathing wasn’t good, I couldn’t push and my baby’s position was beached. I cried out on Facebook where a kind Samaritan sent me 500k to pay for CS and whatever else I might need afterwards.”
On how her husband allegedly squandered the money Ubangha said, “I immediately sent the sum of 180k and an additional 60k so he could pay for the surgery and whatever we might need. He took the money and spent it instead on a phone and bought a dog while I was battling with life, thinking he was paying.
She said, “We waited from 10 am when I gave him the money to about 2 pm, Doctors were shouting, time was running out, I had to call his sister, counted another N180,000 and gave her, she’s the one who paid. He came at 6 pm when I was being wheeled into the theatre. I could hear both of them fighting, the sister threatening to arrest him.”
Ubangha who eventually gave birth through a cesarean section alleged that her husband had abandoned her, as she was left with her newborn baby girl and her aged mother at the hospital.
Ubangha explained that she was stranded having spent all she had on the medical bills and food, and appealed to the public for help to save her.
In a picture attached to the post, the nursing mother could be seen with a swollen leg
“First diagnosis was that I had peripartum cardiomyopathy. I’ve done ECKG, chest X-ray and a series of other blood tests that I’m waiting for a report on. Whatever the outcome, I will need every help I can get. I need about 500k to help with whatever treatment plan and to help facilitate my discharge process,” she added.
Ubangha explained that she was stranded having spent all she had on the medical bills and food, and appealed to the public for help to save her.
In a picture attached to the post, the nursing mother could be seen with a swollen leg
“First diagnosis was that I had peripartum cardiomyopathy. I’ve done ECKG, chest X-ray and a series of other blood tests that I’m waiting for report on
Whatever the outcome, I will need every help I can get. I need about 500k to help with whatever treatment plan and to help facilitate my discharge process,” she added.
A special panel of the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has reserved judgment in five separate appeals arising from the legal disputes surrounding the conduct of the 2024 local government elections in Kano State.
The appeals stem from two rulings delivered by the Federal High Court in Kano, which, among other declarations, nullified the composition of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission.
The cases include Appeal No. CA/KN/20/2025, filed by KANSIEC with the Independent National Electoral Commission and four others listed as respondents.
Another, CA/KN/233/2024, was filed by the Kano State House of Assembly and another party, with Aminu Aliyu Tiga and 14 others as respondents.
Appeal CA/KN/290/2024 was brought by the Attorney General of Kano State and six others against the All Progressives Congress and three others.
Additionally, Appeal CA/KN/291/2024 was filed by KANSIEC and eight others, with the Kano State House of Assembly and six others listed as respondents.
In the appeal marked CA/KN/233/2024, the Kano State House of Assembly and another appellant, represented by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), urged the appellate court to overturn the judgment of the Federal High Court, which had barred KANSIEC from conducting local government elections.
Awomolo argued that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the case, noting that the suit filed by Aminu Tiga and the APC was statute-barred at the time of filing.
He also contended that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to initiate the case.
Justice Simon Amobeda of the Federal High Court had, on October 22, 2024, restrained KANSIEC from conducting elections in the 44 local government areas of Kano State.
The judge ruled that the electoral commission’s members were card-carrying members of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party, in breach of Sections 197 and 200 of the 1999 Constitution.
Justice Amobeda further directed INEC not to release the national voters’ register for the purpose of the local government elections in the state.
Additionally, he barred the police, the Department of State Services, and other security agencies from providing support or protection for the polls.
Unhappy with the verdict, the Kano State House of Assembly and other affected parties approached the Court of Appeal, arguing that local government election matters are under the exclusive purview of the state and can only be adjudicated by a Kano State High Court—not the Federal High Court.
After hearing all arguments on Tuesday, the three-member appellate panel led by Justice Georgewill Ekanem announced that judgment had been reserved and would be delivered on a date to be communicated to the parties involved.
Workers at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, in Ondo State on Tuesday embarked on an indefinite strike over the non-payment of salaries by the Ondo State Government.
The striking workers, who are members of the Non-Academic Staff Union and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, staged a peaceful protest on the institution’s campus to express their grievances.
The aggrieved staff revealed they are being owed six months’ salaries and accused the government of failing to implement the national minimum wage.
They carried placards with messages including, “We are hungry, pay our six months’ salaries,” “Mr Governor, please implement our 2025 budget,” and “Acting Rector, please clear our 2022, 2023, and 2024 promotion arrears.”
During the protest, the Chairman of NASU, RUGIPO chapter, Mr. Julius Olugbenga-Aro, and his SSANIP counterpart, Mr. Saka Olokungboye, called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to urgently address the workers’ demands.
They lamented the hardship faced by their members, saying many are unable to meet basic needs due to the unpaid wages.
Olugbenga-Aro stated, “This protest is to express our frustration over the non-payment of six months’ salary arrears and the failure of the Ondo State Government to implement the national minimum wage for polytechnic staff.”
While acknowledging some of the governor’s developmental efforts at the institution, including the recent approval for the polytechnic’s conversion to a university, the union leaders appealed for more urgent actions.
They urged the state government to approve immediate payment of the outstanding salaries, ensure full implementation of the 2025 institutional budget, and begin payment of the new national minimum wage.
They also warned that failure to act swiftly could result in prolonged disruptions to the academic calendar, further affecting students and the institution at large.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Tuesday awarded the sum of N100m in general damages against Louisville Girls Secondary School, Gwagwalada, for negligence of duty of care which led to the death of a student.
Mr Ifeanyi Ikpeatusim had sued the school for negligence that resulted in the death of his 9-year-old daughter, Kamzie,
In the suit marked CV/1738/18, Ikpeatusim alleged that the school’s failure to provide adequate medical attention after Kamzie who fell ill shortly after her admission and resumption in the school led to her untimely death.
Kamzie, who was admitted as a boarding student in September 2017 became severely ill by October 2 and died a few days later.
Justice Sylvanus Oriji, while delivering judgment in the suit brought before the court after awarding the N100m cost, ordered a 10 per cent interest on the judgment sum from April 8 until full payment.
He also awarded an additional N300,000 as the cost of the suit.
Justice Oriji while pronouncing the decision of the court, held that the evidence presented showed the school and its agents acted negligently by failing to attend promptly and adequately to Kamzie’s medical needs.
“The claimant established his allegations of negligence against the school.
“There is no amount of money that can bring back the child to life,” he stated.
Justice Oriji however acknowledged the fact that one significant outcome of the case was the improvement of the school’s sickbay following the incident.
He noted that the presence of doctors attending to students twice daily was a commendable development.
While the claimant had asked the court to order the school to name one of its structures in Kamzie’s name in her honour, Justice Oriji noted that the improvement in the school’s sickbay was sufficient enough to know the school is making amends from its mistake.
“The court thinks that the improvement in the sickbay, ensuring doctors are available twice daily, is in honour of Kamzie, as part of reforms recommended by her family.
“The claimant should take solace in the fact that Kamzie has been honoured by the school through these improvements.”
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