Metro

14-yr-old Boy Commits Suicide In Calabar

Published

2 years ago

October 30, 2023

Residents of Ekondo street in Calabar agitated and are asking questions how a fourteen year-old could commit suicide with a shoelace as string.

The boy whose name was given as Donald resides with his grandmother at 49, Ekondo Street in Calabar South and on Saturday afternoon, he was alleged to have committed suicide by tying a shoe race around his neck.

One of his friends, Eyo told Vanguard that the boy after completing his morning chores that Saturday morning went to buy cassava meal locally called fufu and was the last they heard or saw the boy.

“After going to buy the fufu, nobody heard from him again until about 12 noon when the grandmother called a carpenter to help him bring the boy down from where he was leaning on the wall with a rope on his neck.”

He said the carpenter asked what happened but the woman did not say anything tangible prompting the carpenter to run out of the premises to raise alarm.

”Nobody heard any noise from the compound until the carpenter ran out and raised alarm and we all went inside the compound. The boys legs were on the floor, there was no table or object which the boy climbed on to fix his head on the noose and the string round his neck was just a shoe lace”. Donald stated.

He said the police from Atakpa Police station came in to assess the situation and later went back.

“The police did not touch the boy and and others who were called to take the boy down did not touch the body and when the woman was asked to take the boy down she refused.”

Another resident of the street said he is at a loss how the boy could have committed suicide with a shoe lace.

“There is no how the boy could tie that tiny rope on his neck to commit suicide without the shoe lace cutting”.

He said since the boy died he has been having nightmares and seeing the boy in his dream.

“We were very close and since Saturday afternoon when I saw him leaning on that wall with a rope round his neck, each time I sleep, I see him and he .keeps asking for justice. All these are happening because the boy is an orphan. His dad and mother are both dead.”

When Vanguard visited the 49, Ekondo street, the gate was locked and neigbours say the occupants had gone to church.

“She has gone to church and will not be back till later in the evening” Miss Elizabeth Edet, a shop owner in the neighbourhood said.

Ms Irene Ugbo, the Cross River Police Command Spokesman said she is yet to be briefed on the matte. “If the incident took place on Saturday, then I would get the details on Monday during briefing” she said

Metro

Nigerian Army Suspends Statutory, Voluntary Retirement For Specific Officers

Published

15 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Army has announced the indefinite suspension of all statutory and voluntary retirements for specific categories of officers.

According to an internal memo dated 3 December 2025, signed by Major General E. I. Okoro on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, this is in response to the nationwide security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu.

Okoro explained that the measure is intended to preserve manpower, expertise, and operational readiness while the Armed Forces rapidly expand to tackle the escalating insecurity across Nigeria.

Citing the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers (HTACOS) 2024, the document pointed out that officers normally retire upon reaching the prescribed age for their rank, completing 35 years of service, or after repeated failures in promotion or conversion processes.

However, Paragraph 3.10(e) permits service extensions when it is in the interest of the military.

“Military service of a commissioned officer entails a period of unbroken service in the AFN from the date of enlistment or commissioning to the date of retirement. The period of service is determined by conditions enshrined in the HTACOS Officers 2024. These include attainment of age ceilings on various ranks, 35 years maximum length of service, and other criteria provided in Paragraphs 11.02(d) and 17.15, among extant regulations,” the memo partly read.

“Notwithstanding these provisions, Chapter 3.10(e) of HTACOS Officers 2024 allows for extension of service to officers in the interest of the service.

“The President and Commander-in-Chief declared a nationwide security emergency on November 26, mandating the expansion of the AFN and other security agencies. In line with this, and to rapidly expand manpower, it has become expedient to temporarily suspend all statutory and voluntary retirements from the Nigerian Army with immediate effect.”

According to the memo, the suspension affects Army officers in the following categories: Those who have failed promotion examinations three times, those passed over for promotion three times, those who have reached the age ceiling for their current rank, those who have failed conversion boards three times and those who have completed 35 years of service.

It explained that affected officers who wish to remain in service may apply for an extension beyond their original retirement dates.

However, the memo clarified that: “Officers in these categories who are not interested in extension of service are to continue with the normal retirement procedure. Officers desirous of extension should note that upon extension, they are not eligible for career progression, including promotion, career courses, NA sponsorship, self-sponsored courses, secondment, or extra-regimental appointments.”

Metro

NDLEA Seizes 7.6m Tramadol Pills, 76,273kg Cannabis In Nationwide Raids

Published

16 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has announced the seizure of more than 7.6 million tramadol pills and 76,273 kilograms of cannabis strains in coordinated operations across several states, with multiple suspects arrested.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the seizures were made during intelligence-led raids between 1 and 6 December.

In Delta State, operatives recovered 3,874,000 tramadol pills and 252.2 litres of codeine syrup from a warehouse at Oko market, Asaba. In Imo State, 1.2 million tramadol tablets were intercepted from a vehicle driven by 35-year-old Kelechi Nwakocha along the Onitsha-Owerri road.

In Adamawa, officers stopped a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Jos to Mubi with 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol and exol-5 tablets concealed in jumbo bags mixed with footwear. Two suspects, Kabiru Buba, 25, and Hamza Abubakar, 32, were arrested. Another suspect, Mudansir Rabiu, 27, was apprehended in Kano with 197,000 exol-5 pills.

In Ekiti, NDLEA destroyed 14,654 kilograms of skunk in Omuo forest and 54,300 kilograms in warehouses at Asin-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the operations. In Ondo, 5,442 kilograms of skunk were seized in Igoba forest, Akure North, with five suspects taken into custody.

Further arrests were made in Niger State, where 500 kilograms of skunk were recovered from a van along Mokwa-Jebba road, and in Abuja, where 22 kilograms of synthetic cannabis known as Colorado were intercepted at Abaji expressway. A follow-up operation at Jabi park led to the arrest of a female receiver, Ali Blessing, 33. Another suspect, Aliyu Usman, 39, was arrested with 24 kilograms of skunk and 573,500 exol-5 pills along Kwali-Gwagwalada expressway.

In Lagos, 113 kilograms of Canadian Loud were recovered from Ezenwa Udoka at Ladipo market, while Izuchukwu Usulor was arrested with 351 kilograms of skunk in Onipanu. Susan Okoro was also arrested with 104.1 kilograms at Trade Fair complex, Ojo. In Edo, 447.5 kilograms of skunk were seized from two vehicles in Agho forest, Akoko Edo, and 315.8 kilograms were recovered from a warehouse in Isiefve community, Ohuwunde Local Government Area.

The Agency confirmed that sensitisation activities under its War Against Drug Abuse initiative continued during the week in schools, worship centres and communities across Kano, Benue and Rivers States.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), commended the officers involved.

“Their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts, are well appreciated,” he said.
The Agency stated that investigations are ongoing and suspects will be prosecuted accordingly.