Metro

Family Of Seven Died of Suspected Food Poison in Benin

Published

5 years ago

October 9, 2020

A family of seven has been reportedly feared dead after eating meal susepected to be poisonous in Benin.

The ugly incident happened at No 40, Otete Street, off Textile Mill Road, Ogida quarters, in Egor Local Government Area of Edo.

A visit to the victim’s house, it was gathered that the place was deserted while a few sympathisers were seen outside the compound.

Speaking on the incident, one of the residents of the area who lives opposite the deceased house, Mrs. Christy Igbinadolor, said she was in her house that morning when a man came to ask her about the whereabouts of her neighbours, adding that she advised him to go to the house and knock at their door and if there is no response, he should go to the police station and report.

“This morning, when I woke up, I sat outside and I saw one man who came to ask me the whereabouts of these people (the victims) and I replied him that I am just waking up from sleep.

“I told him that I just sat down here reading my Bible. I said I have not seen them this morning but the only thing I see, is that, when I woke up last night, there was light in their house but when I woke up this morning, there was no light again.

“So, from there, the man went to the compound and knocked at their door, and when I asked what happened, he said their elder brother in Port Harcourt called him and that he should come down and find out what was going on.

“I told him that when there is no response, the only thing he should do is to go to the police station and report.

“The man went to the police station and when he came back, he came with some police men and some members of the man’s church.

“They broke the door and found out that some of them have died. So, they carried them to the hospital.

“They dragged about five of them out. Some of them have babies because one of the man’s daughters came with her children.

“The man’s children were grown up and they were the ones staying in the house while two of the man’s children were staying with the man’s late wife but they decided to come and mourn their mother here in Benin when this incident happened”, she said.

Another sympathiser, Mrs. Rachel Anyanwu, said the man who has lost his children to food poisoning, lost his wife five days ago and that those who have been rushed to the hospital were his children and his relatives who came to sympathize with him over the loss of his wife.

Anyanwu said they tried so hard to revive one of the children but all was to no avail before they were rushed to the hospital.

“The man lost his wife last week Sunday and today making it five days now. Those who were rushed to the hospital these morning were his children and other relatives who came to sympathize with the man over the death of his wife.

“I know the man as an evangelist while his late wife was a pastor”, she said.

Another sympathiser, Mr. Felix Ejofor, who rushed the victims to Central Hospital Benin, said he heard people crying at the compound which drew his attention and when he got there, he saw policemen already at the scene, adding that when he looked closely, two of the children were already in their school uniforms while a pot of food was also closed by.

“So, he decided to help them by rushing them to the hospital for quick medical attention.

Police Public Relations Officer in Edo State, Chidi Nwanbuzor, when contacted, initially said he has not been briefed yet and that when he finds out, he would get back to the reporter.

However, after some hours, when the reporter called back, he refused to pick his call.

Metro

Nigerian Army Suspends Statutory, Voluntary Retirement For Specific Officers

Published

9 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

10 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.