The police in Kwara State have commenced an investigation into the disappearance of the umbilical cord and placenta of a newborn baby at Government Cottage Hospital, Iloffa in the Oke-Ero Local Government Area of the state.
The mother, identified as Mrs C. Williams, a class teacher at Orota Secondary School, Odo-Owa, was reported to have had the child on Sunday night but was not given the umbilical cord and the placenta by the hospital’s workers.
Five of the workers were later arrested in connection with the missing parts and were being detained by the general Investigation unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department of the command in Ilorin.
The suspects detained by the police include a resident doctor, three nurses and a ward attendant at the hospital.
According to Reports, the police were invited when efforts to settle the controversy at various levels failed,
It was further gathered that it took the efforts of elders of Odo-Owa community to calm some angry youths who suspected foul play and were about to burn down the hospital on Tuesday over the incident.
Mrs Williams, while narrating her ordeal, said that she was rushed to the hospital while experiencing labour pains on Sunday afternoon and gave birth to a baby at about 7 pm the same day.
“I was feeling some labour pains on Sunday and I got to the cottage hospital, some minutes past 1 pm on Sunday, and told the nurse I met on duty that I was having contractions; she was the one that attended to me after confirming that I was truly in labour.
“She took me into the labour room and asked me to wait because I still had more time. Not quite long after I came, the doctor also came in and instructed the nurse to usher me into the labour room,” she said.
She said that after having the baby, the following morning, she was discharged and allowed to go home.
She, however, said that the hospital workers gave her a bag containing her items but did not give her the placenta and the umbilical cord of the baby when they asked her to go home.
“Although they handed a black nylon bag to me, I discovered that there were two missing items inside the nylon; they are the umbilical cord and the placenta,” she said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ejire-Adeyemi Toun, confirmed the incident, adding that the investigation was ongoing.
“The police are investigating the incident and five suspects have been arrested in connection with it,” the PPRO said.
Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has been applauded for nominating Miss Nafisat Buge a youth corps member who just completed the mandatory one-year national service as a commissioner designate.
Reacting to the nomination, Kwara State Coordinator of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Mr. Olaoluwa Onifade on behalf of the corps’ Director General, Brigadier General Yisha’u Ahmed, described it as a clear testimony of the passion the governor has for youths.
The NYSC Coordinator said given the right atmosphere, the youths would excel in whatever capacity they were placed considering the various trainings they received during their service year, beginning with the orientation course and their primary assignment.
“Your consideration of someone who has just finished the service has filled the NYSC scheme and the entire youth constituency in the state with a strong sense of pride and I would like to appreciate His Excellency for this rare feat and singular honour done to boost the morale of the youths”.
Mr Onifade further stated that Governor Abdulrazaq’s continued support for the scheme and entire youths was a clear example that his youth-friendly leadership style is worthy of emulation.
The Kwara State NYSC Coordinator also congratulated the commissioner designate on the honour bestowed on her and asserted that she would remain a proud ambassador of the NYSC.
The commissioner-designate, Nafisat Buge holds a BSC in Library and Information Science from the University of Ilorin.
Taking a walk around areas including Oke-Ado, Orita-Challenge, J. Allen junction, Dugbe Bank Road, Dugbe-Eleyele route in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, it is not unusual to catch sight of mentally challenged persons.
Some of whom can be seen lying on road medians, marketplaces, and road intersections. And their number keeps increasing. These are just a few among the numerous ones that stroll the streets in Oyo State.
What calls for concern is the threat they pose when they become violent, and cases of this abound.
What calls for concern is the threat they pose when they become violent, and cases of this abound.
For example, this year, a mentally ill man strangled a secondary school student to death in Ondo. The tragic incident took place in Arogbo, Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state. The victim, identified as Timibra Meretighan, was taking his Junior Secondary WAEC examination
Same tragic episode was recorded in Delta State in July 2022, where a mentally ill man, Wisdom Solomon, stabbed a young man in his early 20s, Chukwunonso Odo, to death in Asaba.
In 2018, in Enugu, a man suffering from insanity smashed his father’s head with a pestle leading to the victim’s death.
In 2017, at Budo Alaka village in Kisi, in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, a suspected mentally-ill man set a house on fire killing five family members, who sleeping at the time.
Why this significant increase? One might be forced to ask.
According to reports by the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN),, 60 million Nigerians are suffering from mental illnesses, with only about 10 per cent of them being able to access appropriate care and more than 90 per cent who are unable to access it.
But then, the nation has psychiatrist hospitals spread across the regions, which are Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Centre, Kwara, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Benin, Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kaduna, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Maiduguri, State Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Awka, Anambra, Psychiatric Hospital, Eket, Akwa Ibom, Psychiatric Hospital, Sokoto, Kano State Psychiatric Hospital, Kano, and Psychiatric Hospital, Abia.
There are also Federal and State government-owned multi-specialist hospitals which offer psychiatric services:
National Hospital, Abuja, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo, UCH (University College Hospital), Ibadan, Oyo, OAU Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Kwara, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, Usman Dan Fodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital, Kano, University of Nsukka Teaching Hospital, Enugu, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti, Ekiti, Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo, Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta, Federal Medical Centre, Bida, Niger, Federal Medical Centre, Adamawa: Yola Specialist Hospital, Bauchi: General Hospital, Bauchi, Benue: General Hospital, Makurdi, Delta: General Hospital, Warri, Edo: Central Hospital, Edo: Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Ondo: Akure General Hospital, Oyo: Ring Road Specialist Hospital, Ibadan, and Rivers: Psychiatric Hospital Rumuigbo, Port Harcourt.
Are these medical facilities not simply enough given the country’s rising cases of mentally challenged?
A psychologist, Dr Oluwafisayo Adebimpe attributes the spike in the number of mentally challenged on the streets to lack of necessary care on the part of the government and families of affected persons.
Dr Adebimpe also pointed out that religious and cultural misconceptions were also responsible factors.
According to a Consultant Community & Rehabilitation Psychiatrist, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Doctor Lucky Onofa, citing the World Health Organization’s findings in 2020, about 20-30% of Nigerians have one form of mental illness or the other; translating to 45-67 million Nigerians suffering from various mental illnesses out of 224 million people (Worldometer, 2023).
Dr Onofa observed that there is a sharp rise in the prevalence of substance abuse in Nigeria especially among the youth, thus the number of homeless mentally ill persons all over the streets in Nigeria has increased.
He said mentally challenged persons suffer a double dose of disadvantages as homelessness and mental illness are both stigmatizing, stressing that it is an eye-sore for mentally ill persons to wander on the streets, adding also that the proportion of homeless mentally –ill persons on the street is an indication of the quality of health services of the country.
Dr Onofa says the causes of the increasing figure of mentally challenged on the streets are multifactorial- multiple factors acting in concert: nature of the mental illness – Major mental illnesses like Schizophrenia, Drug abuse, Dementia, late intervention to the mental illness, burnt out among families- Mental illness require long term treatment and family becomes burnt out in terms of financial and physical responsibilities, family and societal hostility, stigma towards the mentally ill. He maintained that part of the problem included inadequate mental health facilities for admission of mentally –ill persons, and grossly inadequate Psychiatrist 1: 1 million Persons. Just as he points out the same inadequacy in doctors patient ratio: of doctors and Health Professionals: 1 Doctor to 10,000 persons (NMA 2022), and WHO recommends 1:600.
The Consultant Psychiatrist pointed out that being on the streets or homeless complicates the condition of mentally ill persons. These include worsening of mental illness, Comorbidities- Physical illness, infections, infestation, Drug abuse, being killed by hit-and-run drivers, being kidnapped for rituals, and various forms of abuse; the female could be sexually abused and contract HIV and other STDS, while they in turn could be violent, a threat to members of the public.
Dr Onafa explained that homelessness among mentally ill persons could be prevented, noting that all hands must be on deck. He called for the implementation of the New Mental Health Act in Nigeria, increase budgetary allocation to Health (15% of the total budget to the Health Sector as stipulated by Abuja declaration,2001), making mental health treatment free, establishment of rehabilitation centres at the local, state and FG level, social and housing infrastructure, increasing the number of health facilities and mental health professionals, reducing brain drain of health workers, integration of mental health into primary health care, increased family involvement, and involvement of spiritual institutions and NGOs and other critical stakeholders.
On his part, a sociologist, Dr Niyi Oladeji, pointed out that the presence of the mentally challenged on the streets constituted a threat, urging the government to do all it takes to get them off the nation’s streets.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the conviction of two Kwara journalists, Gidado Yushau and Alfred Olufemi on conspiracy and defamation charges.
A Magistrate Court sitting in Kwara State had convicted the duo over a false publication about an Agro-allied company based in the state.
The publication, “Inside a Kwara Factory where Indian Hemp is Legalised” was published in the News Digest publication in the 2018 edition.
The convicted journalists who worked for News Digest, an online publication, were found guilty of criminal conspiracy and defamation by the court on February 7, 2023
CPJ, an independent, nonprofit organisation that promotes press freedom worldwide described the conviction as “a chilling message to the Nigerian press” on Friday.
It also highlighted the urgent need for authorities to reform the country’s laws and ensure journalism is not criminalised.
According to the CPJ’s Africa program coordinator, Angela Quintal, the duo should have never been charged, let alone convicted.
“Nigerian journalists Gidado Yushau and Alfred Olufemi should never have been charged, let alone convicted, for publishing an investigative report about a factory.
“The telecom surveillance used to bring the journalists into custody, followed by a more than three-year-long trial, demonstrates the lengths Nigerian authorities will go to arrest and prosecute the press,” she said.
Before charges were filed, CPJ disclosed that police leveraged Yushau and Alfred’s access to call data and briefly detained a News Digest web developer and at least two other journalists in their efforts to locate Yushau and Olufemi.
CPJ added that, “The telecom surveillance, along with two similar cases in 2017 and 2018, prompted an ongoing lawsuit against the Nigerian Communications Commission over regulations granting warrantless access to telecom subscribers’ information.”
Earlier, while delivering judgement on the matter after about five years of legal battle, the magistrate, Mr A.S Muhammad said, “I have carefully considered the evidence of PW1 (Shakirat Yusuf) on the character of the convicts as well as considered the Allocutus made by learned counsel to the convicts and I have equally reflected on the provisions of sections 316 and 417 of the Kwara State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2018. In compliance with the provisions under S.417 (2) (d) of the Kwara State ACJL, 2018, I shall not pass a maximum sentence on the convicts.
“Premised on the forgoing for the offence of conspiracy, I sentence the 1st and 2nd defendants to a fine of N40,000 only each or 2 months imprisonment in default of payment.
“On defamation, the 1st and 2nd convicts are sentenced to a fine of N60,000.00 only each or 3 months imprisonment in default of payment.
“For clarity, each of the convicts is to pay a fine of N100,000.00 only for the offences of conspiracy and defamation respectively, having been convicted in default of payment, the sentence shall run concurrently.
26-year-old Rukayat Shittu has won a seat in the Kwara State House of Assembly.
Rukayat, a former Senate President of Congress of NOUN Students (CONS), will represent Owode/Onire constituency, Asa local government of Kwara State.
In the result announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Returning Officer, Professor Hakeem Ijaya, the lady who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 7,521 votes to beat her Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival who polled 6,957 votes in Saturday’s exercise.
Meanwhile, INEC has declared the Kwara State Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon Yakubu Danladi-Salihu of the APC winner of the Ilesha-Gwanara state constituency after edging out his main contestant, Usman Abubakar of the PDP.
Declaring the result at the collation centre for the Ilesha/Gwanara constituency at the Gwanara LGEA Primary School, the Returning Officer, Dr. Adewale Rafiu, said he polled 14, 949 votes while his closest rival got 2,072 votes.
“Yakubu Danladi-Salihu of APC having satisfied the requirements of the law is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Dr. Rafiu declared.
In his acceptance speech, the Speaker lauded his constituents for their massive support that culminated in his victory, assuring them that he would continue to prioritize their welfare.
“I wish to thank my constituents for the show of love and massive support that earned me this sweet victory at the poll, I’ll continue to appreciate and reciprocate this rare gesture with another superlative performance in office while prioritizing people’s welfare,” he stated.
With this result, Danladi-Salihu has now won the seat of the Ilesha-Gwanara constituency for a second term.
Mistura Durosinlorun from Kwara state and Dominion Ntupe from Lagos state have emerged champions in the under 16 girls and boys category of the 5th Racket festival.
Miss Durosinlorun defeated Delight Temple from Akwa Ibom state by three straight sets of 11/7, 11/4 and 11/7 in the final of the competition played at the Squash court of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.
Dominion Ntupe on the other hand edged Daniel Nze from Akwa Ibom state by three sets to one to emerge the champion in the male category.
Speaking with journalists, The President, National Squash Federation, Mr Boye Oyerinde represented by the Zonal coordinator, North Central, Mr Yusuf Durosinlorun said the federation would continue to organise regular competitions for the junior athletes to enable them to get exposed.
Mr Oyerinde expressed satisfaction with the performance of the players throughout the competition
Also, a former Nigerian National Squash player, Mr Adekunle Adebiyi explained that the competition was to give Nigerian child a platform to participate in sport, to discover talented players, retain, mentor and support them to attain greater heights.
Kwara State Government has suspended the head of an Arabic school in Ilorin, the state capital over unsavoury manner students were punished for alleged misconduct in the school. It is recalled that a video that went viral at the weekend showed four male students of an Arabic school caning the affected students while being forced to kneel for allegedly taking alcohol.
According to a statement by the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, a government delegation has visited the Arabic school whose students were seen in a video footage being punished for alleged conducts conceived to be contrary to the rules of the school.
The government team comprised the Mrs Kawu; Special Assistant to the Governor on Religion (Islam) Alhaji Danmaigoro; Dr Saudat AbduBaqi of the University of Ilorin; Mallam Lawal Olohungbebe of Kwara State University; and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye.
The team was joined by the Divisional Police Officer Ganmo SP Oko Nkama and a representative of the NSCDC, DSC Parati AbdulHameed.
The statement also said the government’s team carefully listened to the authorities of the Arabic school, the father of the sole girl in the video, and four other students involved in the unsavoury development.
“Regardless of the explanations of the authorities on the development, the self-confessed consent of the parents and regret of the affected students, the government seriously frowns at the harsh beating seen in the footage.
“Consequently, the government has directed the setting up of an investigative committee, comprising Muslim scholars, leaders and government officials, to look into the issue while the head of the Arabic school, who admitted to directing the punishment, has been asked to step aside pending the conclusion of the investigation.
“The government has also taken the affected students to a public hospital for proper medical examination and treatment. This is to ensure that none of them suffers any physical or psychological damage. “The government appeals for calm while the committee does its works and submits a report for further action. “The government commends the Ganmo Muslim community for the support given to the team.”
“Consequently, the government has directed the setting up of an investigative committee, comprising Muslim scholars, leaders and government officials, to look into the issue while the head of the Arabic school, who admitted to directing the punishment, has been asked to step aside pending the conclusion of the investigation.
“The government has also taken the affected students to a public hospital for proper medical examination and treatment. This is to ensure that none of them suffers any physical or psychological damage.
“The government appeals for calm while the committee does its works and submits a report for further action.
“The government commends the Ganmo Muslim community for the support given to the team.”
Oyo and Kwara state governments are to set up a working team to look into security challenges between the two states around its borders following security threats in some parts of Oyo leading to movement of people from Oyo state to Kwara.
The team is also expected to address issues of movement of internally displaced persons between the two states.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state made this known after a closed door meeting with the Governor of Kwara state,Mr AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman and security heads in both states including the traditional rulers within the border towns.
According to governor Makinde, the step became imperative as the internally displaced persons have now spread across thirteen villages and seven local government areas in Kwara state
Governor Makinde said there would be a renewed commitment to deepen intelligence through collaboration with traditional rulers around border towns and security operatives.
The governor while thanking the government of Kwara state and heads of the joint security team for both states, said Oyo would further synegise with Kwara on national livestock trasformation plans since the state has begun implementation on the policy.
