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ICRC, NEDC Provide Aid To Victims Of Gwoza Bomb Attacks
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the North East Development Commission (NEDC) have come to the aid of victims of Gwoza suicide attack.
The surgical team of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) supported the State Specialist Hospital of Maiduguri in performing lifesaving surgeries and in providing emergency treatment for people who were critically injured during the blasts in the town of Gwoza in the north-east.
According to a statement by the ICRC, 41 patients, including children and women, arrived in Maiduguri Hospital between Saturday and Sunday, some continue to receive the needed care, and the ICRC has provided medical drugs and consumables to support the hospital’s emergency response.
The statement quoting the deputyhead of the ICRC sub-delegation in Maiduguri, Diana Japaridze, said: “It is heart wrenching to see civilians killed and wounded,”We strongly remind to all those involved in the fighting that civilians, especially children and women must be spared, and that hospitals must be sanctuaries of life, not scenes of deadly violence.”
The statement added that: “Indiscriminate attacks and attacks targeting civilians are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law. Healthcare facilities and personnel are also protected and must not be attacked.
Attacks against hospitals have devastating humanitarian consequences, as these facilities are the only lifeline for sick and wounded.
“We will continue our support for the civilians who are bearing the brunt of more than a decade of armed conflict including those displaced and injured”.
Ms. Japaridze added.On its part, the North East Development Commission (NEDC) said it is liaising with the Borno State Government on how and what to do to assist the victims of the bomb explosion that claimed the lives of about 30 people and injured over 40 others in Gwoza.
The Managing Director/CEO, NEDC, Ambassador Goni Alkali stated this during his sympathy visit to the victims of the Gwoza bomb blast at the Maiduguri State Specialist Hospital.
The NEDC MD who was received and conduct round the emergency ward of the hospital by the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Baba Shehu Mohammed, assured that NEDC is already working on modalities and strategies on areas of support and assistance to the victims and their families as part of the commissions mandatory services to people and victims of conflict in the region.
The MD/CEO expressed deep sympathy over the pathetic situation and reaffirmed the commissions willingness and determination to assist the victims where necessary in collaboration with the state government.
Earlier the CMD of the hospital appreciated NEDC for the visit and sympathy while disclosing that about 20 victims have so far been discharged including those with minor injuries.
News
Wike Aide to Ugochinyere : You’re a political misfit in Hushpuppi’s mode
…a ‘Ghana must go bag’ specialist
Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has described Imo Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, a federal lawmaker as a political misfit in the mode of ‘Hushpuppi’
and a product of the internal aberrations within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Olayinka’s comments followed Ugochinyere’s recent allegations that Wike and other members of the G5 governors are determined to destroy the PDP.
While appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Ugochinyere accused Wike and former governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) of working against the PDP’s interests.
In response, Olayinka, in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, criticized Ugochinyere’s political trajectory and alleged motivations.
Olayinka slammed Ugochinyere as a product of the PDP’s structural flaws, claiming he lacks the moral authority to question the loyalty of seasoned party members.
He stated, “This is what happens when someone who joined the PDP yesterday is given the party’s ticket today. If the PDP had functioned properly, a ‘Political Hushpuppi’ like Ugochinyere would never have emerged as its candidate while still affiliated with another party.”
He further alleged that despite being elected on the PDP platform, Ugochinyere maintains ties to his former party, the Action Peoples Party (APP), which he reportedly uses to exploit political opportunities, particularly in Rivers State.
Olayinka also mocked Ugochinyere for allegedly fabricating political titles to sustain his political relevance.
He claimed Ugochinyere has been parading himself as the “Spokesperson of Opposition Lawmakers Coalition in the 10th National Assembly,” a position that does not officially exist.
“In saner climes, such behavior would be met with legal consequences. CUPP is not a registered political party, and there is no record of a coalition of opposition lawmakers appointing him to any position,” Olayinka said.
Olayinka alleged that Ugochinyere uses his APP platform and the self-assigned title to leverage resources from Rivers State, calling his activities “political hustling” and a consistent pattern of exploitation.
“Whether he is using his former party, APP, or his so-called opposition lawmakers’ coalition, his goal has always been the same — to ‘cash out.’ It’s unfortunate that this kind of character continues to thrive in our political system,” he added.
Olayinka advised Ugochinyere to redirect his energy toward serving his constituents, noting that they have expressed dissatisfaction with his performance. “Instead of obsessing over Wike and the G5, he should focus on fulfilling his legislative duties to prevent his constituents from passing further votes of no confidence against him,” he said.
The back-and-forth underscores the tensions within the PDP and the broader political discourse about loyalty, representation, and integrity in Nigeria’s political landscape.
News
Genotype incompatibility: Bauchi couple cancels wedding days to ceremony
A Bauchi State resident, Muhammad Ibrahim, has cancelled his wedding ceremony after medical tests revealed he is not genetically compatible with his fiancée, Fatima Abdulqadir.
In a Facebook post shared on November 21, 2024, Ibrahim announced the decision to call off the wedding, which was scheduled for November 29, 2024.
He explained that both he and his fiancée were AS genotype carriers, posing a significant risk of having children with sickle cell disease.
Ibrahim, a Zoology graduate from Bauchi State University, disclosed that they discovered this only last month after undergoing tests at two separate hospitals to confirm the results.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that the couple had been in a three-year relationship but had not prioritised genotype testing, assuming there would be no issues.
In the Facebook post, Ibrahim wrote, “Dear friends and family, it’s with an incredibly heavy heart that I regretfully announce the cancellation of my upcoming wedding.
“Due to unforeseen genetic compatibility issues, my partner and I have made the difficult decision to go our separate ways.”
He described the news as a “devastating shock”, adding that their inability to proceed with the wedding had left him heartbroken.
Ibrahim in a chat said some family members encouraged him and his fiancée to proceed with their plans, but they declined.
He noted that the decision was made out of concern for potential health risks associated with having children who might inherit the sickle cell gene.
Meanwhile, the couple’s decision drew sympathy from their social media friends, with many commending their courage.
Ibrahim concluded his post by asking for prayers and understanding during what he described as a “dark hour.”
“It’s for the unborn children not to suffer,” one commenter wrote.
Another added, “This is a wake-up call for everyone to prioritise genotype testing early in relationships.”
News
Angry mob sets two revenue collectors ablaze in Anambra
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
An angry mob has reportedly set ablaze two yet-to-be-identified revenue collectors of the Anambra State Government for causing a tipper driver to ram and kill a bystander at the Old Market Road along Venn Road by Egerton Bus Stop in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, caused confusion, thereby leading to gridlock in the area.
Eyewitnesses near the scene said the tipper driver lost control of the vehicle and rammed into the bystander as the revenue touts were dragging the steering of the vehicle with him.
According to sources, the revenue collectors were chasing the tipper driver over a payment they wanted him to make before he rammed into the man.
One of the sources said, “There was chaos in Onitsha as an angry mob set ablaze about two revenue touts, while four others were lucky as they managed to escape. The revenue collectors, numbering about six were chasing the tipper driver over a certain amount they asked him to pay.
“As they were chasing him, some of them were dragging the steering with him, but unfortunately, in the process, the tipper driver lost control and rammed into a passerby, killing him instantly.
“Immediately, the revenue collectors saw the damage they had caused; they tried to flee the scene, but the Onitsha mob got angry and descended on them, setting ablaze two of them instantly while four of them managed to escape.
“This is one death too many that has been going on in Anambra in the last two years. The person who the tipper driver rammed into was a known person. We cannot continue like this anymore. These revenue touts of the state government have killed more Ndi Anambra than non-state actors.”
Another source and a trader in the area also said, “Onitsha was hot this morning at Egerton by Old Market Road. Revenuemen were dragging steering with a tipper driver because he refused to bribe them, and in the process, the vehicle ran over an innocent man.
“Then, seeing the result of their stupid action, they tried to run away. But the angry people chased and caught two of them and set them on fire.”
The videos of the incident showing the burnt corpses of the revenue collectors have been making the rounds on social media to corroborate the story.
The Chairman of the association, Ebuka Unekwe, who also confirmed the development, lamented that the revenue collectors have been a pain on the neck of tipper drivers in the last two years.
When contacted on the development, on Saturday, the Anambra State Police Command’s spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the development, saying the police have responded swiftly to bring the situation under control.
He said, “Anambra Police responded swiftly on the receipt of the fatal accident that happened within that area.
“We are already working with the relevant authorities to ascertain what happened and find an amicable solution to such, especially on future occurrences.
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