Yes, painfully the boy died

A distressing video trended on social media last weekend. If you love children your heart will sink while watching it. It was about a boy-child who was choking and struggling for life in a footage of about 12 seconds. There were other videos associated with the tragedy. Though his age and name were not given, the boy must certainly be less than 10 years-old. He had tubes passed through his nostrils ostensibly to aid his breathing. But the tubes were crude. And so his breathing came across like sounds from a snoring adult. Every breath in the short video hits the heart like an evil arrow from the bowstrings of a shooter who is adept at shooting to kill. The image was haunting. And then the boy died. It was shattering. He must be the child of a nobody. He may already have been buried in an unmarked grave. In my Igbo part of Nigeria, and probably elsewhere in Africa, no parents would want to behold and be constantly reminded of the burial spot for a child who died so young, almost while still in the cradle. PLEASE READ: Human trafficking: NAPTIP rescues two young boys in A’Ibom This depressing incident reportedly happened in Ebonyi state in the south east of our country. It was posted on social media by a netizen who goes by the title of Asiwaju of Igboland. This person may be mimicking the Asiwaju of Yorubaland who happens to be the current president of Nigeria, Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Because this netizen and the president share a title, it may just be necessary for  the president’s aides to bring the video of the boy that eventually died to the attention of the president. Why? We will return to the ‘why’ presently. The sad story was that no hospital in Ebonyi state including federal government health institutions could readily provide appropriate tools to attempt saving the life of the stricken boy. The father of the child was reported to have lamented moments before the kid died: “God don’t let anything happen to my son! Ebonyi state is your forefathers home, nothing will happen to you. Since 12pm, it’s now they are accepting to treat you. The whole of Ebonyi state does not have a tracheostomy tube to suck out groundnuts… I came back home to Ebonyi with my family, putting everything behind to start a new life but today I regret my decision. Since 12pm I have been running round Abakaliki (Ebonyi state capital) to do an X-ray for my son that swallowed something that has been affecting his breathing and no hospital can tend (attend) to us. I am currently at FETHA (and) they are referring us to UNTH ( University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital), Enugu”. And that’s the summary of how Nigeria happened to an innocent child and his ostensibly grief-stricken young parents. Needless death Ordinarily, an object such as a groundnut lodged in a child’s throat, if that was what happened, should not be a death sentence. Some medical professionals said that such objects can be dislodged within hours with the availability of appropriate equipment and personnel, and the patient discharged from the hospital in hours, at most in 24 hours. Not here. Because we do not care. Francis Nwifuru is the governor of Ebonyi state who was anointed and installed by his predecessor David Umahi, the current federal minister of works. Umahi was alleged to have transformed Ebonyi state in terms of infrastructure which included the establishment of a medical university. It appears the closest thing to achievement by Governor Nwifuru in the health sector was his discovery and arrest late last year of some workers in a primary health facility who were engaged in the business of selling the facility’s branded stationery. The video of the governor’s unscheduled visit and discovery made the rounds on social media. PLEASE READ: Africa at crossroads: Power, progress and the AI Revolution There’s no intention here to isolate Umahi and Nwifuru, not even Ebonyi state, for the purpose of calling them out or making them the fall guys, and an errant state. No. To varying degrees, what happened to this kid and his parents in Ebonyi state could happen anywhere else in our country. Like Umahi and Nwifuru, the dividends of democracy for our rulers are defined by the construction and provision of infrastructure and facilities that the eyes can see such as roads and white elephant projects like airports. The 700 km Lagos – Calabar coastal highway and the Badagry(Lagos)-Sokoto 1,068 km desert highway are two of such ongoing projects. Whenever our rulers manage to grudgingly construct school classrooms and build hospitals, they barely bother to furnish them with requisite tools and equipment. Once they are done with the aspects that eyes can see which, by the way, are often poorly executed, they leave us to our own devices. Classrooms are hardly equipped with teaching and learning tools, and hospitals are usually bereft of the latest health gadgets and trained, skillful and dedicated professionals and ancillary staff. Our rulers get away with murder because we do not hold them to account. We do not hold them to account because our rulers have systematically and radically weaponised poverty. They make us scramble for crumbs. They make us feel extremely grateful to them whenever they use a little portion of our common patrimony to minister to our basic needs. Systemic failure A preponderant majority of Nigeria’s rulers are not just insensitive, they are thoroughly wicked. They offer us run down schools while they send and keep their own children abroad for quality education in safe environments. They leave us with hospitals that are actually morgues, worse than ‘mere consulting clinics’ while they and their families travel abroad on medical tourism to treat headaches and toothaches. They throw us to the dogs to contend with death traps called highways as they fly across the country in scheduled commercial aircraft and private jets. While on the roads, if

A Youth corps member dies, others injured while going to orientation camp

A corps member has died in a road crash while going to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Ebonyi. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in the state, Mr Henry Igwe, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Thursday. Igwe said that the crash occurred on Wednesday at about 2 p.m. on Amasiri-Okigwe Road, Amenu village in Okposi, Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state. “It involved two vehicles – a 14-seater Toyota commercial bus, grey colour and a commercial Mercedes Benz tipper. “From our preliminary findings, it might have been caused by speeding on the part of the commercial bus. “The identities and details of the number of those injured have yet to be ascertained because the victims were actually rescued by bystanders in the area,” he said. The sector commander said that the injured had been taken to David Umahi Federal Hospital in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area, adding that they were currently in stable condition.

NPF, Ebonyi Command, Arrests 1, 270 suspects in 2024

Ebony State Command of @NgPolice said on Tuesday, it made a total arrest 1, 270 suspects in connection with various offences in 2024. The Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Joshua Ukandu told newsmen in Abakaliki that the suspects were arrested at different locations across the state. He explained their offences to include: cultism, kidnapping, murder and homicide, rape and defilement, unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, and robbery, among others. READ ALSO: Zamfara Bombing Linked to Lakurawa Terrorists Further breakdown of the 1, 270 suspects shows that 38 were involved in rape and defilement, 120 for murder and homicide. “19 suspects were arrested for kidnapping, 119 in connection with armed robbery, 27 for unlawful possession of firearms and 913 for other offences,” he said. Mr. Ukandu stated that the Commissioner of Police, CP Anthonia Uche-Anya, has assured the command’s commitment to the security of lives and property in the state. Though no word was said about the level of prosecution of any of the cases, the Command Spokesman iterates that, “The CP is urging all residents in the state to be law-abiding and support the operations of the command to achieve a crime-free society for the citizens. READ ALSO: Private Jets Must Get Clearance Before Leaving Nigeria, Says Keyamo “We thank the residents of the state for their support thus far and solicit their continued support towards bringing crime to the barest minimum in the state. “The command is ever ready to fight against crime and criminality. I urge citizens to stay away from criminal tendencies in the 13 local government areas in Ebonyi State,” Ukandu advised.

Ebonyi Governor Suspends Two Commissioners Over Misconduct

The two suspended commissioners are Dr. Moses Ekuma, for Health, and Francis Ori, the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development In a statement, Ebonyi Commissioner for information, Jude Okpor said the State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, took the action against the two key officials in his administration due to a reported case of gross misconduct and poor performance.  Dr. Ekuma faces a three-month suspension, while Ori’s suspension is indefinite. Reports indicate that the suspensions stem from issues such as missing health ministry property, linked to an alleged theft by staff, and the mishandling of the Amaeze Housing Scheme by Ori.  The governor’s intervention followed an inspection on Saturday evening, where health ministry officials were found in the act of diverting state materials.  Those involved were arrested and are set for prosecution.

Gunmen Attack Military Checkpoint In Ebonyi

OLukayode Egbetokun, Inspector General of Police

The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed the attack by gunmen on a military checkpoint along the Amangwu axis of the Amasiri-Owutu Road in Edda local government area of Ebonyi State.

2 Killed As Tanker Explosion Rocks Ebonyi

A tragic incident shook the Abakaliki–Onueke-Afikpo Expressway as a fuel-laden tanker erupted in a massive explosion, resulting in two casualties.   Igwe Nnabuife, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) sector commander in Ebonyi State, confirmed the tragic event on Saturday in Abakaliki. According to Nnabuife, the tanker transporting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) caught fire around 8:20 pm on Friday at the airport junction axis of the highway.  The intensity of the blaze was such that the vehicle’s registration number couldn’t be identified due to being burnt beyond recognition. “Regrettably, two individuals lost their lives, while another sustained severe injuries. The deceased have been transported to Alex-Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, while the injured party received medical attention at Onueke General Hospital in Ezza-South Local Government Area,” the Sector Commander said.

Sit-at-Home: Police nab 15 suspects over Ebonyi shooting

Sit-at-Home: Police nab 15 suspects over Ebonyi shooting

The Police in Ebonyi have announced the arrest of 15 persons suspected to be involved in the shooting by IPOB members on Tuesday at the new market and Ishieke axis of the state. The shooting was carried out as the suspects forced people to abide by the order issued by the Proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), stopping all residents from coming out of their homes for seven days, from July 3 to 10. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Faleye Olayele told reporters in Abakaliki that among the 15 suspects arrested from their hideouts, were two herbalists, Okwudili Otozi and Nnenna Ali. “They have attacked our area commander and burnt our vehicle. They have been terrorizing the state. On July 4, they came to Ishieke firing sporadically and that was on Tuesday. “I want to tell you that 15 of them have been apprehended, together with their herbalists. We recovered arms and charms of different kinds. Olayele said that the suspects were preparing for another attack on Friday when they were arrested by the police. “This shows that our officers are dedicated to their duties; the arrest was made possible by our men through the information we got,” he said and warned all criminal elements to steer clear of Ebonyi. However, one of the herbalists told newsmen that he was forced to join the gang. “I did not know that they wanted to operate in Ebonyi; they came to me and requested for medicine and I gave it to them, after which they forced me to join them to the bush for further preparations. “Please, I was forced to follow them after I gave them the medicine,” Otozi claimed.