Metro
Alleged Poisoning: Osun APC Advises Adeleke To Stop Free School Feeding Programme
Published
2 years agoon
By
Editor
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, on Tuesday, advised Gov. Ademola Adeleke to halt the free school feeding programme recently initiated by his administration in the state.
The call followed the recent incident of alleged food poisoning of 18 primary school pupils of St. James Primary School in Osogbo.
Recall that 18 pupils allegedly became ill after eating their free O-Meal diet, on Monday, and were rushed to an undisclosed hospital where they were all treated and later discharged.
Reacting to the reported incident, the APC Chairman, Mr Sooko Lawal, in a statement on Tuesday in Osogbo, said that the episode was another indices of lackadaisical leadership in the state.
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The statement by the party’s Director of Media and Information, Mr Kola Olabisi, and made available to newsmen, quoted Lawal as describing the incident as an embarrassment to the citizenry and a gauge of the unpreparedness of the “handlers”.
”The humanity in me became uncomfortable when one of victim’s mother gave account of her child coming back from school with an offensive odour similar to a rotten egg.
“If these allegationas are true, then Gov. Adeleke must have a clear conversation with his creator. How would the food vendors be dedicated when they are paid peanuts and are not supplied with the right food supplies? ” Lawal said.
He said that stakeholders should rise up to condemn the laissez faire approach to governance which was partly manifested with the suspected poisoning of 18 primary school pupils .
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Meanwhile, the Osun Government has ordered full investigation into the alleged food poisoning of in St. James Primary School (B), Owoope in Osogbo.
This is contained in a statement by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr Kolapo Alimi, and made availaible to newsmen in Osogbo.
The statement explained that Gov. Ademola Adeleke ordered the action and had directed the stoppage of free meals to pupils.
It stated that the affected cooks in the school and their planning officer for the programme had been summoned to a meeting on Tuesday.
“The governor has directed enforcement of food standard as well as the auditing of O-Meal structure to prevent future occurrence, ” the commissioner said.
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According to the statement, the state government has settled all medical bills of affected students after they were discharged from hospital.
Also, the Chairman of Local Government Education Authority, Mr Nathaniel Ojetola, said that 18 students were treated and discharged.
”The total student population of the school is 200 while only 103 were within the population receiving food from the O-Meal programme .
”Also, a government delegation is visiting families of the affected students,” the statement said.
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A Vietnam–based Nigerian, Samson Nwaubani, has been killed in a communal clash between the Okwu and Umuajata communities in Umuahia, Abia State.
According to The PUNCH, the incident occurred on Tuesday, August 27, during the annual New Yam festival held in Olokoro, where both communities are located.
It was gathered that tension had built up before the festival after a confrontation between a resident of Umuajata and another from Okwu degenerated into a fight.
The crisis reportedly escalated when youths from Okwu allegedly stormed the Umuajata community and destroyed some properties.
On the day of the New Yam festival, Samson and some Okwu youths were said to have passed through Umuajata while en route to the celebration grounds.
READ ALSO:Man Stabs Colleague To Death In Lagos Over Money Dispute
A source privy to the incident told our correspondent on Sunday that they were ambushed by suspected Umuajata youths, thereby resulting in a violent clash.
The source said Samson was stabbed in the process, after which he slumped and died on the spot.
“The New Yam festival holds in phases, and the one held last Tuesday was ongoing when a fight broke out between youths around the Umuajata area. We were later told that Samson and some men from Okwu were heading to the festival when some members of Umuajata attacked them. It was during the fight that he was stabbed in the neck and also macheted in his arm before he bled to death.”
Another source privy to the incident told newsmen that some elders had intervened earlier when the crisis began.
“What happened was as a result of a lingering dispute between the Okwu Olokoro and Umuajata Olokoro communities. When the problem started, the elders reached out to them to settle their differences. They also warned them against engaging in an act that could escalate the matter. Aside from the person who was killed, some people were also injured during the ambush,” the source narrated.
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Meanwhile, the Umuahia South Local Government Area of the state has suspended the celebration of a masquerader activity associated with the annual festival, citing rising cases of violence in the area.
According to a statement seen by our correspondent on Sunday, the suspension followed an emergency peace and security meeting convened on Thursday by the Executive Mayor of the Umuahia South Local Government Area, Chinedu Enwereuzo, alongside traditional rulers of the Olokoro Clan, security chiefs, and other stakeholders.
The statement signed by Enwereuzor partly read, “The Igba Ekpe associated with Iriji (New Yam) festivals is suspended across Umuahia South LGA until further notice. This decision stems from intelligence linking certain festivities to insecurity and criminal activities.
“Ndi Eze, community leaders, and youth groups are directed to enforce full compliance, as communities or groups of persons who violate this directive will face the full force of the law. This suspension will be reviewed once risks are addressed, while cultural identity will continue to be promoted through safe and lawful activities.”
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The council boss urged residents to prioritise peace and unity, especially in the Okwu and Umuajata communities of the Olokoro Clan, where the incident happened.
He added that the safety of lives and property remained the paramount concern of his administration.
When contacted on Monday, the state Police Public Relations Officer of the Abia State command, Maureen Chinaka, did not respond to calls made to her telephone line.
A text message sent to her had yet to be responded to as of the time this report was filed.
Metro
12 Saudi-bound Trafficking Victims Rescued In Kano
Published
6 hours agoon
September 2, 2025By
Editor
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Kano Zonal Command, has taken custody of 12 rescued victims of human trafficking, all of whom are female and aged between 15 and 50, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Mr Abdullahi Babale, confirmed the development on Monday in Kano while receiving the victims from the Kano State Hisbah Board, which carried out the rescue operation in collaboration with the agency.
According to Babale, the victims were intercepted on Sunday at Karota Luxurious Park, Hotoro Western Bye-Pass, while en route to Ghana and onward to Saudi Arabia for suspected labour exploitation.
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He disclosed that the victims, who hailed from Kano, Katsina, Borno, Jigawa, and Zamfara states, were being trafficked under the guise of seeking better job opportunities abroad.
NAN reports that one suspect, identified as Mohammed Saleh, 45, was arrested in connection with the case.
Babale said efforts were ongoing to apprehend other key suspects involved in the trafficking network.
“The rescue and arrest are in line with the directive of the NAPTIP Director-General, Hajiya Binta Adamu-Bello, to intensify intelligence gathering and crack down on suspected traffickers operating within Nigeria,” Babale stated.
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He commended the Commander-General of the Kano Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, and the Kano State Government for their continued collaboration in the fight against human trafficking and the protection of vulnerable citizens.
Babale assured the public that the victims would undergo counselling and rehabilitation before being reunited with their families, in line with NAPTIP’s victim-centred approach.
He also called on parents to be more vigilant in safeguarding their children from traffickers who exploit economic hardship and lure victims with false promises of greener pastures abroad.
“We urge members of the public to report any suspicious movement or activities related to human trafficking in their communities,” he added.
Metro
Residents Loot Foodstuffs For Distribution By Lawmaker
Published
6 hours agoon
September 2, 2025By
Editor
Some Niger State residents on Sunday looted foodstuffs and other items meant for distribution in a programme organised by the lawmaker representing Suleja/Tafato, Hon. Adamu Tanko, to indigent constituents.
It was gathered that the incident occurred in Suleja Local Government Area of the state when the items were in an open space where people were expected to come and take their share. However, rather than the people orderly coming and collecting the relief items, they resorted to rushing to the venue and looting them.
The PUNCH learnt on Monday that a stampede occurred as a large crowd of people were seen looting the items and running away with them. Some security personnel were seen pursuing the looters to retrieve the items from them.
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The state police spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the incident on Monday, stated that the items were meant for distribution to the public.
“On 31/8/2025 at about 4pm, during an empowerment programme of Hon. Adamu Tanko representing Suleja/Tafa, which took place at the Suleja Stadium, some members of the crowd attempted to disrupt the exercise, and began to pick some of the food items away.
“Police operatives and other security personnel deployed at the programme controlled the situation, retrieved the items, and normalcy was restored without any hitch,” Abiodun said.
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