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PHOTOS: Oyebanji Visits Rescued Ekiti School Pupils, Teachers In hospital

Published

3 months ago

February 4, 2024

Editor

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, visited the rescued pupils and teachers of Apostolic Faith Nursery and Primary School, Emure-Ekiti on Sunday at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, where they were receiving treatment.

The students and their teachers were brought to the hospital from Emure Ekiti by the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani, and some ministry officials, following the governor’s directive shortly after their release.

Governor Oyebanji who arrived at the hospital a few hours later, had a brief interaction with each of the students and their teachers at the Accident and Emergency Ward of the hospital.

The Governor was received by the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Filani; Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Prof Kayode Olabanji: and a member of the House of Assembly representing Emure Constituency, Alhaja Mariam Ogunlade and some government officials.

While congratulating the students and their teachers for regaining freedom from the abductors, the governor assured that the perpetrators of the crime would be fished out and punished accordingly.

He urged the medical team at the hospital not to be in a hurry to discharge the students, stressing the need for them to be properly managed, given the trauma they went through.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the visit, the governor praised the resilience of the children and expressed gratitude to God for their safe return.

He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his intervention in the matter. He also thanked heads of security agencies in the country for their swift response to the development.

He assured the people of the state that his administration will not rest on its oars in ensuring that criminal elements are flushed out of the state.

The governor said he remained committed to the security of lives and property of citizens of the state and would continue to collaborate with relevant security agencies and the traditional institutions in the war against criminals.

“We thank God for their safe return. I am excited and I give glory to God. I also thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his swift response and for giving specific directives. His intervention made a difference and I am thankful to him on behalf of Ekiti people. I am also thankful to the security chiefs for their support. They all put resources together and mobilized men and materials to ensure we rescue the children. All I can say is that we shall go after the criminals and we shall get them”. He added.

Expressing his condolences over the death of the bus driver of the abducted pupils, Mr Taiwo Olugbaye who was reportedly killed by the kidnappers, the Governor said government will not leave any stone unturned in the bid to apprehend the criminals as well as those involved in the killing of our two traditional rulers.

“It is very sad. My condolences to the family. I have directed the Deputy Governor to pay a visit to the family and to the Elemure to commiserate with them. But what I can assure Ekiti people is that we will go after the criminals.”

The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Filani who also confirmed that the the pupils and their teachers were in stable condition, said they were being attended to by a multidisciplinary team of medical personnel.

News

JUST IN: Court Denies Binance Executive, Gambaryan Bail

Published

42 mins ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

A Federal High Court Abuja, on Friday denied the bail application of a crypto currency firm executive, Tigran Gambaryan.

Justice Emeka Nwite, while delivering the ruling held that the bail application is refused as he has carefully gone through the application submitted before him and resolved that the defendant will jump bail if granted.

Gambaryan, his company, Binance Holdings Limited and a fellow top executive currently on the run, Nadeem Anjarwalla, were charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, with money laundering and terrorism financing .

Details shortly….

News

Malnutrition: UNICEF Introduces Liquid Supplement To Enhance Child Nutrient

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has introduced a liquid base supplement to enhance a child’s nutrient diet in order to wage war against malnutrition in Nigeria.

Mrs Philomena Irene, UNICEF’s Nutrition Specialist, Bauchi Field Office, stated this in Gombe on Thursday during a two-day media dialogue on Age-Appropriate Complementary Feeding for Children Aged 6-23 months.

According to her, the intervention was being carried out by the Progressive Action on Resilient System Through Innovation and Partnership (PARSNIP) project of UNICEF.

She however, explained that the project was being implemented in Dukku, Kaltungo and Kwame Local Government Areas of Gombe state.

She said the project basically focused on enhancing young children’s nutrient diet with the liquid base supplements, adding that the commodity is nutrient rich and has both protein, energy, 15 minerals and vitamins.

“It’s for children under the age of 6 to 23 months by adding it to their food. It was formulated for children living in severe food poverty.

“It has shown that these children living in severe food poverty can’t even have a meal in a day that is rich with five food groups which is the minimum.

“The idea is, if you give them one of the sachets of this commodity, they have taken one meal a day that is nutrient dense which contains 100 to 120 calories a day.

“It has protein, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins,” she said.

The UNICEF Nutrition Specialist also explained that under the project, UNICEF also helps the states to create an enabling environment, health system strengthening and improving diet and practices.

News

Rivers Crisis: Fubara Mocks Wike, Says ‘We’ve Defeated Our Enemies’

Published

4 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, declared on Thursday that his battles were over as he had defeated his opponents, who are not sleeping with their two eyes open.

He said he had turned the tide against his opponents, noting that he was still in office about to mark his first anniversary, contrary to the plan by his detractors.

Fubara spoke on Thursday amid the ranging feud between him and his predecessor and estranged political godfather, Nyesom Wike.

Last October, Fubara survived an impeachment plot by members of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to Wike.

As of Wednesday, nine members of his cabinet loyal to Wike had tendered their resignation and exited.

Addressing the national and state leadership of the Ijaw Youth Council on Thursday at the Government House in Port Harcourt, Fubara said he appreciated their support and the assurance that they were with him but said, “there is nothing to call on you for because we have already defeated them.”

According to The PUNCH, the IYC leadership was on a solidarity walk to the Government House in Port Harcourt, to celebrate the Isaac Adaka Boro Day.

The solidarity walk was part of activities to celebrate the heroic exploits of the late Major Isaac Adaka Boro, 56 years after his death, which is observed on May 16, every year.

Boro, it will be recalled, formed the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, an armed militia with members consisting mainly of his fellow Ijaw ethnic group who declared the Niger Delta Republic on February 23, 1966, and fought with federal forces for 12 days before they were defeated.

After he was granted amnesty, he enlisted and was commissioned as a Major in the Nigerian Army, fought on the side of the Federal Government during the civil war but was killed under mysterious circumstances in active service in 1968 at Ogu (near Okrika) in Rivers State on May 9, 1968.

Speaking with the Ijaw youths, Fubara acknowledged the assurances of brotherly support from the council and urged the Ijaw Nation to key into the ongoing celebration of the liberation the state now enjoyed.

“I am happy that you’ve told me this morning that when I call on you, you will respond. But there is nothing to call on you for because we have already defeated them.

“By the special grace of God, what they thought that they would have done to us while we were celebrating our one year in office, they are the ones sleeping with their two eyes open. It shows that we have the Ijaw blood. And what is that blood: it is the blood of action; less talk, more action,” Fubara said.

Fubara noted that Boro genuinely stood for equity, justice, and fair play, and pursued his course to ensure liberation for the Ijaw people and their clans.

He described every genuine Rivers man as a liberator, adding that he was delighted to receive them on such auspicious day to re-enact the common purpose of liberation that they shared.

“Because he (Isaac Boro) stood for that unique thing, even after his death, we still celebrate him because he was a liberator.

“Every Rivers man, it doesn’t matter whether you are Ijaw or upland, the most important thing is that every genuine Rivers man must be a liberator.

“And I’m happy that you have come here today. I have also received you because we have one common purpose: to liberate our dear state. We are not going back on that.”

The governor thanked the crowd for their assurances of being available to respond to his call and stand by him and appealed to Ijaw youths to conduct themselves peacefully as they celebrate Major Isaac Adaka Boro Day.

He stressed that it should be done in the same spirit that had enveloped the state now, celebrating victory over his political detractors.

In his speech, the National President of IYC, Mr Jonathan Lokpobiri, described the day as historic, because Ijaw people were meeting with their governor on Major Isaac Adaka Boro Day of Memorial.

He warned all detractors to retrace their steps and allow the governor, who had the full mandate of the people, to discharge his duties to Rivers people.

He commended Fubara for his courage, bravery and commitment to good governance, insisting that his struggle and triumph resonated with the hope of all Ijaw people.

Also speaking, the Chairman of IYC, Eastern Zone, Mr Tamuno Kpokpo, said the visit was not to signify an ethnic war, but to lend support in the protection of the interest and continuous development of Rivers State.

Kpokpo said the IYC would stand to resist anybody or group of persons anywhere who dared to cause any distraction of governance in the state.

PUNCH