Metro

Nigerian Woman In UK On Trial For Starving Son To Death

Published

3 years ago

April 28, 2023

A Nigerian woman, Olabisi Abubakar, 42, from Cardiff, is facing trial in the United Kingdom for two counts of manslaughter and child cruelty relating to the death of her three-year-old son, Taiwo Abubakar.

Olabisi, accused of killing her three-year-old son through religious fasting, told police she had “locked herself away” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Mail Online.

She is being tried before the Cardiff Crown Court where it was revealed that police forced entry to her flat in the Cathays area on June 29, 2020 after a friend raised concerns for her welfare.

Olabisi, who was thin, malnourished and dehydrated, was found lying on a sofa bed next to the body of her son, Taiwo.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Taiwo weighed 9.8 kilos (22 pounds), with pathologist Dr Stephen Leadbetter finding his death was caused by malnutrition and dehydration.

The court heard Olabisi was sectioned on June 30, 2020 and has remained detained in hospital, where she is being treated for paranoid schizophrenia, Mail Online says.

The prosecutor, Peter Donnison, told the court that Olabisi was deemed fit for police interview in October 2020 and was interviewed by officers on eight occasions.

In one interview, according to Donnison, Olabisi described “the effect on her of the pressures of not having help, fearing coronavirus for herself and her child, and her immigration status.”

Mr Donnison said: “She described them as depressing. She said she was a religious woman and prayed to God and believed he had heard her and answered prayers and kept them safe.

“She had been taking her child out daily but she had to stop doing that due to the coronavirus. She described herself as locking herself away due to the coronavirus and her neighbour.”

Olabisi had been having issues with a neighbour at the property she was living at in Cwmdare Street, Cardiff, and was an asylum seeker.

The court was told that she is a devout Pentecostal Christian and fasts as part of her faith.

Prosecutors allege that Olabisi caused her young son to fast of both food and water along with her, due to fears over the coronavirus pandemic and personal pressures, according to Mail Online.

However, in police interviews Olabisi repeatedly denied this and said children should not fast until the age of 12.

Mr Donnison said: “She said she would dry fast when she wanted to speak to God and hear something from God.

“She said her child did not fast, he did eat, and she gave him food to eat.”

She told police she had fallen asleep on June 26 and believed she had gone to heaven before being brought back to life when her neighbour and police officers arrived.

Donnison said: “Olabisi Abubakar said she couldn’t explain what happened to her. She was asleep on the bed and that is what she remembered last. She said she believed she was being punished by God.”

In a police interview, Olabisi said: “I saw myself among the dead in heaven. I was saying, ‘I don’t want to die’. Then I saw the angels of God and they brought me back to life.”

The court heard a series of facts agreed by the prosecution and defence in the trial, read by Mr Donnison.

This included evidence that health visitors saw Olabisi and Taiwo before the pandemic and had no concerns, including in relation to her religion and religious practices.

They were not seen by healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 lockdown.

In February 2020, a police officer was called to a noise complaint by Olabisi’s neighbour and attended her room, which he described as “clean and warm”.

Taiwo was seen playing loudly and appeared “very energetic” and healthy, Mr Donnison said.

Police searched the property after Taiwo’s body was discovered on June 29 and found a note on food in a fridge, stating: “Do not touch anything, whooping cough, virus, save yourself.”

Olabisi wrote a series of notes while in an ambulance and in hospital, stating she was “very hungry” and “can’t stand up” as well that Taiwo was dead, Mail Online reports.

Olabisi told a police officer in hospital: “I don’t eat, I can’t cook, because of coronavirus I can’t go and buy food.”

Doctors found Olabisi was suffering delusions and she was sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 on June 30 2020, with detention in hospital still ongoing for her to receive treatment.

The jury has been told it is not disputed that Olabisi, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and moved to London in 2011, neglected her son but the issue is her state of mind at the time, according to Mail Online.

As Olabisi’s trial continues, the court will have to decide whether Olabisi may have been insane, which would make her not guilty of charges against her by reason of insanity.

Caroline Rees KC is expected to open the defence case for Olabisi, who denies manslaughter and two counts of child cruelty, on Thursday afternoon.

Metro

JUST IN: Appeal Court Dismisses Nnamdi Kanu’s Rights Violation Case Against DSS DG, AGF

Published

34 minutes ago

November 28, 2025

Editor

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday struck out an appeal filed by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and convicted terrorism offender, challenging alleged violations of his fundamental rights while in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The court held that the appeal was without merit and had become academic following Kanu’s November 20 conviction for terrorism by a Federal High Court.

A three-member panel of the appellate court ruled that Kanu’s claims regarding breaches of his rights to human dignity, access to quality health care, and freedom of religion were no longer actionable after his life imprisonment sentence and subsequent remand in prison custody.

In the lead judgment, Justice Boloukuromo Moses Ugo noted that the matter had become academic following confirmation by Kanu’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, at the start of proceedings that his client was being held at Sokoto Prison. Justice Ugo stated that the court could no longer grant Kanu’s request to be transferred to Kuje Prison, which he had sought as part of the appeal.

The judge further observed that since Kanu had previously indicated a preference for prison custody, the court could no longer grant his prayers in light of his conviction and current imprisonment at the facility he had desired.

The appeal challenged the July 3 ruling of Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja, now retired, which had dismissed Kanu’s fundamental rights enforcement suit on the grounds that he failed to substantiate his claims.

The respondents in the appeal were the Director-General of the DSS, the Department of State Services, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The court’s judgment effectively ends the legal challenge to Kanu’s detention conditions, following his life sentence for terrorism offences.

Recall that on November 20, 2025, a Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a series of rulings convicting Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on several terrorism-related charges.

Justice James Omotosho, presiding over the matter, first found Kanu guilty on two counts linked to engaging in acts of terrorism. The court held that his repeated declarations of sit-at-home orders, alongside threats of violence and killings issued through various broadcasts, amounted to terrorism under the relevant laws.

As the judgment progressed, the court also ruled on three additional counts, convicting Kanu of belonging to a proscribed organisation and of inciting his followers to violence.

Justice Omotosho stated that the prosecution presented evidence showing that Kanu remained a member of IPOB and its affiliate, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), despite their proscription.

The court further held that broadcasts attributed to Kanu were shown to have encouraged attacks that led to the deaths of security personnel and the destruction of public facilities, including police stations.

Metro

Oyo: Properties Worth Millions Of Naira Destroyed As Fire Ravages Residential Buildings

Published

49 minutes ago

November 28, 2025

Editor

Properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed as a result of fire that ravaged two residential buildings in Oyo State.

It was gathered on Friday that the incidents occurred in Ibadan, the state capital and Kishi town.

The first incident occurred at 17 Prestige Estate, Joop Bad hour Crescent, Onírẹlẹ in Ibadan.

The living room of the four-bedroom duplex residential building was engulfed by fire in the incident which occurred Wednesday night.

Properties worth millions of naira were affected although no life was lost in the incident.

The second fire incident occurred at 1, Alhaji Rosco Street, Ajangba Area in Kishi town on Wednesday night.

It was learnt that the generator room of the residential building was seriously affected.

Properties worth millions of were said to be affected.

Chairman of Oyo State Fire Service, Hon Maroof Akinwande confirmed the two incidents on Friday.

Akinwande noted that no life was lost in the two incidents.

He said, “On getting there, it was the living room of a four-bedroom duplex residential building engulfed by fire. Our officers promptly launched a coordinated attack on the blaze and restricted the fire from spreading to other parts of the building.

“No casualty was recorded, the properties worth millions of naira were saved by the officers of the agency, and the cause of the fire incident is still under investigation”.

He also confirmed the second fire incident.

He said, “Upon arrival, it was the generator room of a four-bedroom flat engulfed EAby fire.

“The firemen swiftly swung into action and curtailed the fire from spreading to the main building.

“The fire was completely extinguished within a twinkle of an eye.”

Metro

JUST IN: One Dead As Ngige Escapes Assassination

Published

18 hours ago

November 27, 2025

Editor

Gunmen who dressed in police and army camouflage on Thursday attacked the convoy of the former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige, leaving one dead.

A lady who was caught videoing the gunmen reportedly came out of her hairdressing salon.

She was shot and died on the spot after she was spotted capturing the incident with her phone yesterday.

Ngige, who last served as the Labour Minister, reportedly escaped death following an attack on his convoy as he was not in the vehicle at the time of the incident.

It was learnt that the gunmen ran into the former governor’s convoy along Nkpor–Nnobi Road in Idemili North Local Government Area of the State and opened fire, prompting return fire from security operatives in the convoy.

According to a source, a police officer and a civilian who owned a shop were also injured during the gunmen’s attack.

A statement issued by Ngige’s media aide, Fred Chukwuelobe, confirmed that the former governor was not in the convoy when the assailants struck.

The statement noted that the attackers, reportedly dressed in police and army uniforms, opened fire on the pilot vehicle, injuring the lead escort.

The statement stressed that the policeman in the pilot car sustained gunshot wounds, while the attackers made away with his gun and uniform.

The pilot vehicle, it was gathered, was riddled with bullets during the assault.

Ngige, who spoke by phone through Chukwuelobe, said: “I just got off the phone with His Excellency, and he confirmed the development, promising to do all he can to ensure that those injured receive adequate treatment.”

He also commiserated with the family of the unfortunate lady who was killed while videoing the scene,” Chukwuelobe said.

“A shop owner who ran out to see what was happening was also shot. He reportedly lost a significant amount of blood and is scheduled for surgery to remove bullets, but doctors expect him to make a full recovery.

The injured escort leader has also undergone surgery and is responding well,” he added.

Ngige’s side dismissed insinuations that a police officer was killed in the attack.

Contacted, the State Command confirmed the attack on the former governor Ngige’s convoy, clarifying that the police had recovered the vehicle, which was riddled with bullets by the gunmen.