Metro

Teenage Girl Sets School On Fire, Kills 19 Students Over Seized Phone

Published

3 years ago

May 25, 2023

A dormitory blaze that killed 19 children in Guyana was set by a teenage student who was upset that her cell phone had been taken away, officials say.

The fire broke out at the Mahdia Secondary School in the South American country late on Sunday. A statement from the Guyana Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was “maliciously set.”

National Security Adviser Gerald Gouveia told the Associated Press that the suspect in the incident, a pupil at the school, was accused of setting the dorm on fire after being disciplined for having a liaison with an older man.

“A female student is suspected of having set the devastating fire because her cellular phone was taken away by the dorm mother and a teacher,” Mark Ramotar, Guyana Police’s communications chief, said in a statement seen by the local news outlet Stabroek News.

The AP reported that the dormitory had been locked to stop the girls from sneaking out at night.

Gouveia told the AP that the house mother had been asleep inside the building and panicked when she could not find the keys to unlock the doors. She made it out but “lost her five-year-old child in the fire,” he said.

When firefighters arrived, the wood-and-concrete building that housed the 57 children was “engulfed in flames,” the fire service said.

The building’s windows were heavily barred and five doors were locked, it added.

The AP reported that the dormitory had been locked to stop the girls from sneaking out at night.

Gouveia told the AP that the house mother had been asleep inside the building and panicked when she could not find the keys to unlock the doors. She made it out but “lost her five-year-old child in the fire,” he said.

When firefighters arrived, the wood-and-concrete building that housed the 57 children was “engulfed in flames,” the fire service said.

The building’s windows were heavily barred and five doors were locked, it added.

Metro

Why I Charged My Husband Money For Sex —Woman

Published

21 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

Matero Local Court, Zambia, has heard how a woman from Chisamba, sexually starved her husband for four years, after he failed to pay her K3,000 she charged him for having a child out of wedlock.

According to Zambia Observer, Sophia Kwale, 32, a teacher by profession, said in line with her tradition, as admission of guilt for having a child, her husband, Samuel Chongo, 38, was supposed to pay her the money commonly known as ‘ndapusa’ (admission of guilt).

“In my tradition, when a man has a child outside wedlock, he is supposed to apologise by paying ndapusa.

“This can be in money or material form.

“I asked him to pay me K3,000 only or he wasn’t going to have sex with me,” she said.

Sophia said her husband later refused to pay ndapusa but wanted to have sex with her, so she charged him K500 which he paid instantly before she allowed him to engage in the act.

“I charged him K500 to make love with me and he paid it instantly.

“This was only last month. Before that, we last had sex in 2021.

“I didn’t even enjoy the sex because it was forced,” she said.

Metro

Organ Harvesting: Ekiti Sacks Surgeon After Panel’s Findings, Suspends Support Staff

Published

22 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

Ekiti State government has dismissed the Surgeon who had primary responsibility for the surgery of a patient whose kidneys were removed from the service of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) with immediate effect.

This followed the submission of the report of the 7-man investigation panel chaired by Professor Francis Faduyile to the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani.

Recall the panel was constituted 11 days ago to investigate the claim made by a patient, Mr. Joshua Afolayan regarding a surgical procedure he underwent at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH).

According to a statement by Filani, “Upon careful review of the report and its recommendations, the Ekiti State government has approved the following actions:

“That the surgeon who had primary responsibility for the surgery is to be dismissed from the service of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) with immediate effect.

“All members of the surgical team present in the theatre on the day of the operation are to be suspended from duty for a period of one month, pending further administrative review.

“The Ekiti State government will bear the full cost of a new kidney transplant for Afolayan, will take responsibility for his post-transplant care as well as transplant related medical maintenance for a period of two years.

“In line with the recommendations of the panel, a comprehensive reorganisation of relevant departments within EKSUTH will be undertaken to strengthen clinical governance, accountability, and patient safety.”

Filani said that while the Ekiti State government continues to stand firmly behind the many dedicated and hardworking health professionals at EKSUTH and acknowledges their sacrifices and commitment to service, it would not hesitate to take decisive action where professional standards are breached.

“The government remains resolute in its commitment to protecting patients, upholding ethical and professional standards in healthcare delivery, and restoring and sustaining public confidence in the Ekiti State health system.

“Necessary reforms will be pursued to ensure that incidents of this nature do not re-occur and that EKSUTH continues to serve as a centre of excellence in patient care.

“We thank the people of Ekiti State for their patience, and trust, and we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to continued improvement in quality health care, compassion, and responsible governance.”

Metro

My Ex-husband Has Refused To Give Me, Our Unborn Child, Money For Upkeep, Woman Tells Court

Published

22 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

Please, grant me time to settle the issue —Husband

A pregnant woman, Harira Aliyu, has asked a Shari’a court sitting in Rigasa, Kaduna State, to compel her former husband, Nasiru Al-Hassan to provide financial support for her upkeep.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the complainant also prayed the court to confirm one pronouncement of divorce made by Nasiru in March.

“I am eight months pregnant. Since our divorce in March, he has only been able to send me money for two months for my upkeep and our unborn child.

“It is important that he continues to provide for me as I await delivery in a month’s time,” she told the court.

In his defense, the defendant who spoke through his counsel, Abubakar Sani, said he was just briefed recently.

He asked the court to give him more time to respond to the petition.

The judge, Malam Mukhtar Aliyu adjourned the case.