News

15-yr-old Girl Dies In Akwa Ibom School

Published

2 years ago

May 25, 2023

The parents of late Miss Edima Umoh, an SSS3 student of Full Life Academy, on Airport Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, who died in the school hostel have asked the school authority to furnish them with full detail of events that led to their daughter’s untimely death.

The 15-year-old student of the school, who was writing her West African Examinations Council, reportedly died last Friday in her hostel at 4 p.m., after complaining of a headache.

But the parents in a letter through their lawyer, Edikan Lawrence, regretted that the school authority was yet to furnish them with a detailed account of what led to their daughter’s death.

The letter addressed to Proprietor, Full Life Academy, and copied the state Commissioner for Education and Commissioner of Police, read: “The saddest part of the entire story is that up to this moment, the school has not been able to give a full and detailed account of what transpired within your school campus that culminated into such a regrettable, untimely painful and unfortunate loss of an exceptionally bright, lively and intelligent girl of 15 years old in your custody and care, who died of ‘unnatural causes’.

“Predicated on the foregoing, we have our client’s instruction and indeed that of the entire Richard Umoh family, to demand a full disclosure and formal statement of all events, including the minutest details, leading to the death of Miss Edima Umoh, addressed to the family through our office within 48 hours of the service of this letter.

“Take notice that where you fail or refuse to act in terms of this demand within the time stated above, we have our client’s instruction to resort to other legal measures to ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done in this case and this will be without further recourse to you.”

But while addressing newsmen, yesterday, on the matter, the management of Full Life Academy, through the Principal of the academy, Aniefonteabasi Victor-Williams, said: “We are fully aware of the demise of our student, Edima Umoh. She was in SS3, currently writing her final exams. She has been in this school from creche and was the only pioneer student remaining to graduate before the sad event took place.

“Everything happened quickly because by the time that I was called, I was already ministering in my husband’s church as I’m also a pastor. Shortly before we left school, she was healthy. We even sent her to call us another student from the hostel.

“We were told that she earlier complained of a headache and the nurse gave her paracetamol, during lunchtime, 2:30 p.m., and she was fine. She went to eat and even requested more because we run a very homely facility here. If a child is not satisfied, she has the right to get more meals.

“At the time I and the day-students left the school, the matron said Edima complained again that she was having a headache, the nurse wanted to initiate a malaria treatment, ‘Coaterm,’ so that the headache does not result in fever, but she rejected, saying she preferred her mother to come to the school with ‘Amatem’ drug.

“She asked the matron to call her mother, which she did immediately. She spoke with her mother and asked the mother to come to the school with Amatem and pepper soup.

“She also asked that the mother should pray for her three times but the mother felt like the daughter was over-panicking and kept responding that she should calm down, and that she would bring everything she mentioned.

“Shortly after speaking with her mother, she became calm, and asked the hostel parents and hostel prefect, who were there to allow her rest, and they felt it was proper to let her rest. The hostel parents assigned the school senior prefect, who is her classmate to stay with her.

“When we asked the head girl, she responded that Edima was calm and had slept, so she left her room to also sleep upstairs. Not long after, she started snoring, being that they knew her not to be snoring while sleeping.

“Another classmate came to ask who was snoring, and when her name was mentioned, she allowed her to rest because of her health.

“The hostel parents came back to check those on Prep if they were reading. That was when they saw a white substance mixed with blood coming out from Edima’s nose.

“That was when they raised the alarm and there was panic everywhere. By the time they carried her out of the bed, she had messed herself up, they cleaned her up and the nurse tried resuscitating her until the doctor arrived, we affiliate with Premier Clinic.

“My boss and other school leaders were called and they all ran down to the school immediately. I met them at the Premier Clinic, where the girl was on oxygen and we prayed, hoping she will respond. We also reached out to Jeconiah Specialist Hospital, the consultant said we should bring her, it was when we got there that she was confirmed dead.”

Asked whether the deceased had underlying health issues, the Principal responded: “The mother never told us. What we observed was that earlier this year, she had a headache that made her abstain from school for two weeks after which she started wearing glasses.

“She was a day student, so, the mother told the school that it was optical issues that led to the migraine headache and that it calmed after she was given the glasses.”

VANGUARD

News

Anambra Guber: ‘I’m On Sabbatical,’ Don’t Use My Name In Your Campaign, Ngige Tells APC

Published

5 hours ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

Former Anambra State governor and two-time minister, Senator Chris Ngige, has asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, and his running mate, Senator Uche Ekwunife, not to link him to their campaign, saying he is currently on sabbatical from partisan politics.

A campaign poster featuring Ngige alongside the APC candidates has been circulating on social media, creating the impression that he is backing the party in the November 8 governorship election.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Hyggi Obialo, Ngige clarified that his consent was neither sought nor obtained before the publication was released.

“Senator Chris Ngige is on sabbatical from active partisan politics as he takes a well-deserved rest after 25 years in politics and public service,” the statement read. “We advise those behind the poster to respect his wishes, as he has repeatedly stated in public that he is out of partisan politics for now.”

Ngige served as governor of Anambra State from 2003 to 2006, represented Anambra Central in the Senate from 2011 to 2015, and was Minister of Labour and Employment from 2015 to 2023.

News

8,246 mentally ill inmates in custody nationwide – NCoS

Published

5 hours ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Correctional Service(NCoS) says no fewer than 8,246 inmates are currently suffering from mental illness across the custodial centres nationwide.

The Assistant Controller General of Corrections (ACG), in charge of Medical Services, Dr Glory Essien, disclosed the figure during a public hearing on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent Investigative Panel on Alleged Corruption, Abuse of Power, Torture, and Other Inhumane Treatment by the NCoS began the third public hearing on Monday.

Essien, however, highlighted the harsh reality of incarceration and its impact on mental health during her address to the panel.

“We have 8,246 inmates with mental health conditions in our custodial centres.

“From the moment someone is brought in, those who have seen a custodial centre know what I mean.

“The police escort them to the gate, and it’s opened, they’re admitted, and then that gate is locked behind them.

“That instant loss of freedom can trigger something. Some begin to show signs of disturbed behaviour almost immediately, as if something in their mind has shifted,”she said.

Essien explained that the prison system relied on an internal network of trained inmate-leaders who assisted staff in identifying those showing signs of psychological distress.

According to her, these leaders are trained to alert the staff when they notice concerning behaviour.

“They might say, ‘This inmate seems dazed, hasn’t eaten, hasn’t spoken to anyone.’ That helps us intervene early,” she said.

Essien said in spite of these efforts, the scale of mental health issues far exceeded the available resources.

She said: “If you’re in a facility housing 500 to 1,000 inmates, and you’re the only attending doctor, nurse, or psychologist, it’s simply not possible to monitor everyone individually.

“That’s why we rely on these trained inmates to help us identify those in need, so we can provide care as best we can,” she said.

She, however, underscored the logistical challenges of delivering mental healthcare in correctional facilities.

“Mental illness is chronic. It’s not like malaria, where a single dose clears up the issue, highlighting transportation issues, limited drug supplies, and staff shortages as ongoing obstacles.

“We’re not operating in a five-star environment.But with the little we have, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of our work,” she maintained.

Similarly, the Assistant Controller General of Corrections in charge of pharmaceutical services, Mohammed Bashir, addressed concerns around drug provision and mental health treatment.

He said that the Federal Government had actually been doing its utmost to ensure that it catered to the health needs of the inmates.

“Money has been appropriated, but is the money enough? No.

“Out of 81,122 inmates in 256 correctional facilities nationwide, about 2.3 per cent are female,” he said.

Bashir revealed that a single item, such as sanitary pads for menstruating inmates, costs over “four million naira monthly.

On mental healthcare, Bashir confirmed that a psychological services unit had been created within the service to focus on treatment.

“We have partnership with this psychiatric and psychological association. We have the consultants who usually go to about 12 designated custodial centres that have a large number of these cases,” he said.

He, however, admitted that drug supplies often ran out within weeks due to inadequate funding and staffing.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary(PS) in the Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani, called for urgent support and systemic changes.

Ajani made a passionate appeal to the Nigerian Medical Association and pharmaceutical companies for support.

“Please come to Macedonia and help us. We are in dire need of psychiatric and psychological aid in remote states beyond Abuja and Lagos.”

Ajani, who chairs the panel, expressed concern over the maldistribution of mental health professionals.

“Let them not only be centered in Abuja and Lagos. We need them to go out to the fields. Because if we even put two in the states, it will help them,” she added.

The PS emphasized the importance of transparency and collaboration with private companies, noting that public-private partnerships would be beneficial.

According to her, we can approach companies that can give us drugs as CSR; they do it.

“So, don’t let us sit in the office and forget our primary responsibility.

“Do it now. Build a bridge and empower younger people to be able to sustain that bridge that you are building,” she emphasised.

News

Tinubu Appoints New NCC Chairman, Fresh Board Members

Published

6 hours ago

August 12, 2025

Editor

President Tinubu has approved the appointment of Idris Olorunnimbe as Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Dr Aminu Waida, will continue to serve in that capacity.

President Tinubu also approved the appointments of the members of the board of the NCC.

The members include Abraham Oshidami, Executive Commissioner, Technical Services; Rimini Makama, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management; Hajia Maryam Bayi, Former Director, Human Capital and Administration; Col Abdulwahab Lawal (retd); Senator Lekan Mustafa; Chris Okorie, and Princess Oforitsenere Emiko.