Nutritionists call for better national policy on unhealthy food

| credits: fitnesswithinsight.com

Nutritionists and health experts, on Tuesday called for a more robust national health policy on reducing unhealthy food consumption and prevention of non-communicable diseases.

The government, they demanded, must also be willing to implement such policy, without which the country risks a precarious future.

Leading the call at the ongoing annual conference of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology, a Consultant Nutritionist and Dietician with Rite Dieticians Clinic, Chika Ndiokwelu, said such policy, if well-articulated and implemented, would reduce the risks preventable NCDs pose to Nigerians.

She said the rising cases of NCDs coupled with the threat of communicable diseases put “double burden” on the country and its citizens, maintaining that some of the challenges could be reduced drastically if people imbibe ideal lifestyles and eat balance diets.

The expert said the country’s prevalence of obesity and overweight among children is 12 per cent (a sign of unhealthy lifestyle and eating habit) as against the 10 per cent global average. She said the situation, if allowed to continue, puts greater risk on the future of the country.

NCDs such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, Ndiokwelu said, kill both the poor and the rich whereas Nigerians still erroneously associate them with the wealthy. And to reduce the risk, she urged individual to focus on addressing related modifiable factors such smoking, harmful alcohol intake, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.

The country, she charged, must also begin to address the environmental and planning challenges that prevent safe active commuting while the society move towards health promoting programmes.

Nigerians and people living in other developing countries, according to the expert, are most vulnerable to NCDs because of absence of treatment facilities.

A panel discussion sponsored by Coca-Cola also brought many other experts together to examine NDS and other health challenges in the country and chart appropriate cause of action. The experts agreed that the country must scale up awareness campaign on the issues.

A professor of nutrition in the Ambrose Alli University, Ignatius Onimawo, reiterated earlier call on Nigerians to stay away from smoked meat especially suya. He noted that breast cancer has strong link with suya consumption.

Well-nourished kids will grow into healthy adults — Nestle boss

The authorities of Nestle Nigeria Plc have said that in order for children to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight that will enable them to become healthy adults, they must engage in regular physical activities and healthy eating habit.

Speaking at the Nestle Healthy Kids Programme Teachers’ Workshop on Friday, the managing Director/Chief Executive of Nestle, Mr. Dharnesh Gordhon, said after analysing the value chain, the company decided that the areas it could have the greatest impacts are nutrition, water and rural development.

“The Nestle Healthy Kids Programme forms an integral part of our commitment to improving global nutrition through the promotion of greater awareness, improved knowledge and effective practice of healthy eating and regular physical activity, which will have positive impact on health,” Gordhon said.

He said education was a powerful tool which would ensure that children understand the value of nutrition and physical activities throughout their lives.

He said, “As a leading nutrition, health and wellness company, we believe that we can make significant contributions to the development of nutrition education through extensive knowledge of nutrition and business competence, using experts in the education as the agents of change.

“Consequently, we are collaborating with the State Universal Basic Education Board, the ministries of education and health, as well as the non-governmental organisation, the Centre for Health Education, Population and Nutrition, to implement the Healthy Kids Programme in Nigeria.”

Gordhon noted that the primary goal of the nutrition education was to help children to adopt dietary habit that will promote health and reduce risks of diseases.

“Cognitive-focused education results in gains in knowledge, with little effects on behaviour. That is why Nestle Kids Programme emphasises behaviour-based nutrition education that encourages specific healthy eating behaviour such as eating less fat and sodium, and eating more fruits and vegetables.”

The whole-day event drew teachers from the public schools across the state, while notable academia taught workshops on nutrition, hygiene, hydration and other relevant topics.

Launched in 2011, the Nestle Kids Programme is aimed at raising awareness on the importance of good nutrition and an active lifestyle among school age children in the country

Alcohol hinders good sleep — Expert

Dr. Increase Adeosun

A former Head, Emergency Unit, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos and consultant psychiatrist, Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan-Remo, Dr. Increase Adeosun, in this interview with MOTUNRAYO JOEL, talks about insomnia

What is insomnia?

Insomnia is a disorder characterised by insufficient quantity or quality of sleep usually significant enough to cause distress and impair the functioning of the individual.

What causes insomnia?

There are several causes classifiable into primary and secondary causes. Secondary insomnia which arises from the symptoms of some other problems occurs more commonly. There are environmental factors such as noise, heat or cold, insects or mosquitoes; interruption in normal sleep schedule due to change in time zone or jet lag or shift work; stressful life occurrences, for instance bereavement, job loss, conflicts, relationship break-ups, financial misfortune, exams, bad news or other negative life events. Others include positive life events that involve change of routine or role shifts for example a new job, moving to a new house, birth of a new child and others.Normal physiological changes such as aging or pregnancy can cause insomnia; medical conditions associated with pain, difficulty in breathing, nocturnal (frequent urination at night), frequent bowel movement can cause pain; certain drugs or substances like caffeine, stimulants, and alcohol can interfere with sleep; and very importantly, insomnia is a symptom of several psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, substance use disorders, delirium, organic brain disorder and many others. Primary insomnia is essentially a psychiatric disorder that is not primarily attributable to an extrinsic factor

What are its symptoms?

Insomnia commonly manifests as difficulty in falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep (i.e. waking up often), waking up too early in the morning, or not feeling refreshed on wakening. Secondary symptoms include daytime sleepiness, emotional disturbances, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, poor concentration, poor memory and so on.

How long does insomnia last?

To make a diagnosis of primary insomnia, the individual must have experienced unsatisfactory sleep about thrice weekly for a minimum of one month, with associated distress and impairment of functioning. In some cases, insomnia is transient especially if the genesis is traceable to environmental or modifiable factors.

Is insomnia treatable?

Definitely, insomnia is treatable and nobody should suffer from the distress arising from lack of sleep without seeking for help.

Must one see a doctor for this disorder?

As a starting point, there are simple self-help tips (sleep hygiene) that may be helpful depending on the cause of the insomnia. If this does not help,one needs to talk to one’s doctor. Subsequently, one may need referral to a psychiatrist. As earlier mentioned, primary insomnia is a psychiatric problem and secondary insomnia may be a secondary manifestation of other primary psychiatric disorders such as depression.

What does sleep hygiene entail?

It entails maintaining regular bed time routines; minimising daytime naps; reserving bedroom for sleep , this means one shouldn’t climb the bed till one feels sleepy, one shouldn’t turn one’s bed into a work station or dining arena. If one finds it difficult sleeping on a bed, get up and move to another room for a while before going back to bed; allow time to wind down before bed time music, for example take a warm bath,or engage in light reading. When eating, one’s food should be warm, small in quantity and easy to digest. Also one needs to work on other environmental factors such as noise, reduced lighting, comfortable bed. One needs to say no to drugs, alcohol, caffeine/kola/stimulant; avoid dwelling on negative issues at bed time.

What are the other treatment options available?

The first step the mental health expert (psychiatrist) takes is to conduct a thorough assessment which would culminate in a diagnosis. This process involves taking a comprehensive history from the patient and bed-partner and may include objective assessments such as polysomnography. This would inform the appropriate intervention. There may be need to prescribe certain medications in some instances, but going over the counter to buy drugs for sleep would do more harm than good on the long run. Psychological interventions, relaxation techniques and addressing concomitant or underlying problems are also essential.

Can insomnia be life-threatening?

Insomnia is very distressing and causes significant suffering. Remember that the functions of sleep is for psychological restoration, energy conservation, memory consolidation and maintenance of physiological/emotional equilibrium. You can’t function optimally if you are persistently sleep deprived. You are also prone to accidents.

When should one talk to their physician about it?

In some cases it should be done immediately. Once sleep hygiene is unhelpful, then seeing the doctor is essential.

What is the right amount of sleep one should get?

It varies from individuals to individuals. There are short-sleepers who don’t experience distress and find their sleep satisfactory. Required sleep also varies with age, on the average it is about seven hours.

How can one tell if they are getting enough sleep?

It depends on the quantity and quality (satisfaction, waking up happy/refreshed). You can also keep a sleep diary. Some people claim they are not sleeping but they actually are. There is what you called sleep-state misperception. They may need more objective assessments from video recordings, polysomnography or history from a roommate or spouse.

What can one do to avoid insomnia?

One should maintain regular sleep-wake schedule, maintain a healthy lifestyle, exercise, avoid drugs without prescriptions and hard drugs, seek help for emotional and mental health problems, seek appropriate treatment of medical problems and minimise offending environmental factors.

Does insomnia ever go away naturally?

If it is due to an environmental factor, or secondary to other problems, once the primary problem is removed, sleep may improve.

What is rapid eye movement sleep and why is it important?

Rapid eye movement sleep occurs in cycles and constitutes 20 to 25 per cent of duration of adult sleep. It is also called paradoxical sleep. During REM sleep, brain activity is fast, while muscle activity slows down almost to a point of paralysis. Dream is vivid during this period. The functions of REM sleep are not completely understood but evidence suggests that memory consolidation and brain development occurs during this phase. Infants spend up to half of their sleep time in REM phase.

Why is alcohol detrimental to sleep?

Alcohol is both a stimulant and a relaxant to the brain depending on the time interval after use. Alcohol may induce sleep initially but eventually leads to sleep fragmentation, frequent awakening and loss of sleep in the second half of the night. It has a rebound/withdrawal effect which makes the user worse off. If one really wants to enjoy quality sleep with no painful strings attached in the long term, avoid alcohol. Many people get hooked by the initial sedative property.

When faith impedes healing

The care of very ill patients is onerous enough. The added stress of having to cope with what is the considered opinion of one pastor or imam is making it more and more difficult to make people see reason, especially with respect to their well-being and the path to securing their health.

The status of any person’s health ought to be a private matter that could be divulged to the clergyman concerned so that he could support the treatment with prayers. However, it is no longer a situation in which the religious faith co-exists with the treatment, but one in which the established treatment is replaced by faith. As a result, many folks have died early, quite needlessly and in very bizarre circumstances.

What we have in many communities in Nigeria today is a situation where the person who is ill is asked to leave the hospital – where he is being treated – and go to a certain place for prayers or the village for some herbal medicines. A few examples will be enumerated here to show the extent of the problem.

• A few years ago at one of the tertiary health institutions in Lagos, there was a four-year-old boy who was the only child of the parents, both of whom are Jehovah’s Witnesses. The little boy had kidney cancer and thus required surgery to remove the tumour and pave the way for chemotherapy. Potentially, this is a curable type of cancer in children. The parents refused to consent to blood transfusion based on their faith. Not only that, a sizeable number of their congregation was on hand to ensure the parents did not compromise their belief. They sang and prayed with the parents and encouraged them to consent to surgery but with the understanding that there would be no blood transfusion. On the fateful day, the surgery was done but the degree of blood loss was, despite all precautions taken to minimise it, still too much for the little boy’s heart to bear. He died. One would have expected sadness from the parents and the parish members who abandoned whatever they were doing in order to encourage the young parents. They were jubilant instead because “the boy’s parents kept the faith”.
• Several weeks ago, in the same hospital, another bizarre situation occurred. A two-year-old girl was on treatment for a life-threatening ailment. The parents belong to different faiths; the mother is a Jehovah’s Witness and the father an Anglican. The child required some blood transfusion in order to make it safe enough for the toxic drugs that she needed to be given. The father consented to transfusion but the mother refused. She was the one staying with the child in the hospital and was ably supported by her church members. As the treatment could not proceed in the absence of blood, there was no possible hope of recovery and the poor soul departed this earth aided and abetted by the mother and the church.
• Some 20 years ago, when I first encountered this peculiar trait among the Jehovah’s Witnesses, one could not help feeling sad that the benefit of fine diagnostic work was allowed to waste simply because of a belief in some doctrine. A diagnostic puzzle was resolved by a dedicated team and the old man was offered surgery. He would undergo surgery, he said, if only he could be guaranteed there would be no blood transfusion. Since nobody could give him that one guarantee, he rejected the surgical option and was dead within three months.
• About a year ago at a general hospital was a seven-month-old male infant with a strangulated inguinal hernia. The child was gravely ill with dehydration, constipation, intermittent fever and an inability to feed. The child was resuscitated with intravenous fluids and antibiotics and a tube was passed into his stomach through the nose to drain it of its contents and make him somewhat more comfortable. All the relevant tests were done and the parents told that an emergency operation needed to be performed to save his life. Within an hour, the father appeared on the scene. He said he was a pastor and that his child would not be marked with a knife. He then began to quote the scripture and said that his son was a gift from above and that such a gift could not have sorrow added to it. Surgery was sorrow and he was taking his son home to enable him get perfect healing. No amount of counter quotations could convince him to act otherwise. He was not impressed that God performed the first operation and with anaesthesia for that matter. He merely countered that God did not have to cut man open in order to perform that feat.
• A middle-aged man was recently diagnosed with internal haemorrhoids from which he bled intermittently over a two-month period. He was offered various medications but did not really get the result he had hoped for and so was offered an operation. He ran away from Lagos when he was confronted with that option to his village in Edo state for herbal treatment and has not, to my knowledge, returned to his family in Lagos up till this time. This is a bit odd because when people fall ill in the hinterland and they have relatives in any of the cities, they tend to migrate in the direction of the better healthcare facilities there. However, some city dwellers with strong faith in the efficacy of herbal products would rather do the opposite and seek help from alternative practitioners.
• There was also this young woman who had suffered recurrent episodes of miscarriage in the past. She was pregnant again some months ago when she began to bleed through the vagina. She went to the hospital that she normally attends and was admitted. Her pastor soon got wind of her predicament and counselled her that what she needed more was prayer and fasting and not hospitalisation. She discharged herself and went to their church for the said prayers and fasting. After several days, she returned to the hospital where an ultrasound scan done revealed that she had suffered yet another abortion. The pastor was more persuasive, however, and assured her that the baby was in place but was merely weak. The baby was not dead he emphasised and so there were more prayers said to prevent the baby’s death. The scan report was dismissed as the report of man. By this time, an infection had set in and she was taken back to her hospital when she became more ill every day that passed. That infection was so severe and so prolonged that it is not now possible to determine if indeed she can even get pregnant again. Such is the damage that has now been wrought.
• Finally, is the case of a certain female infant who was six months old at the time she was taken to a hospital with intestinal obstruction. She was diagnosed with intussusceptions, a malady in which a part of the intestinal tract forces itself into an adjacent part and causes a blockage. An operation was offered the child which the parents accepted but a certain imam, who did not even show up, sent a message that the child was not to be operated but should instead be brought to him in their village for treatment. The parents took the baby away without delay.

In all of these instances, the end result is predictable. We also see the powerful influence of clergymen and women in inducing confused people to making wrong choices that ultimately lead to loss of life.

This piece was first published on May 18, 2014.

National Assembly okays autonomy for LGs

Senate President, David Mark

The National Assembly on Tuesday approved financial and administrative autonomy for all the 774 local government authorities in Nigeria by amending section 124 of the 1999 Constitution.

The section provides a consequential provision for making the councils a full third-tier government without undue interference from the state governments.

The ammendment was one of the 22 others approved by the House of Representatives last week and ratified by the Senate on Tuesday.

Both chambers of the National Assembly had through a conference committee harmonised versions of the amendments to the constitution they carried out   last month.

By the development, the National Assembly has ratified all the 23 clauses and sections that had been ammended by both chambers.

The newly ammended document which would be sent to the state Houses of Assembly for consideration, also approved the creation of the Office of Auditor – General of the Local Government as well as the State Local Government Service Commission.

The section also deleted the State Independent Electoral Commission from the constitution thereby vesting the powers to conduct council elections on only the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The National Assembly also made provisions for Independent candidacy in future elections   by ammending sections 65 and 106 of the constitution.

It   however retained the immunity clause in the constitution for the President and governors which the   House   had earlier removed.

But it conferred immunity on the lawmakers in respect of words spoken or written in the exercise of their legislative duties through amendment to section four. Section 9 of the constitution was also amended by removing the need for Presidential assent in constitution alteration.

The new amendment also makes it mandatory for the President to deliver a State-of-the Nation address to a joint meeting of the National Assembly once a year as contained in section 67.

The INEC, by the ammendment, can now de-register political parties for non -fulfillment of certain conditions like breach of registration requirements and failure to secure or win either a presidential, governorship, council chairmanship or a seat in the National Assembly or state assembly.

Another striking feature of the amendment is section 124 which abolishes SIECs and creates the office of the Auditor -General of the Local Government as well as the State Local Government Service Commission.

For the purpose of accountability and efficient service delivery, Section 81 was ammended. The section provides for the funding of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, national security agencies, the Nigeria Police Force, the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission directly from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

The powers of the Federal Government to impose a minimum wage of all workers on state governments was removed from the exclusive list and moved to the concurrent list.

Also removed from the exclusive list are   Pensions, Railways, and Stamp Duties, Arbitration, Environment, Health, Housing, Road Safety, Youths, Land and Agriculture.

Exclusive jurisdiction was also conferred on the Federal High Court for trial of election offences.

The National Assembly also   provides that a court or tribunal shall not stay any proceedings on account of any interlocutors appeal; and that where a “force majeure occurs, the period shall not be counted in the computation of the 180 days for the purpose of determining election petitions.

Sections 174 and 211 were also amended to establish the Office of the Attorney – General of the Federation and Attorney – General of a state respectively as distinct from Minister of Justice and Commissioner for Justice.

Section 45 was similarly altered to provide for the establishment of the National Assembly Service Commission and State House of Assembly Service Commission.

However the 23 amendments will have to be approved by two-thirds of the state Houses of Assembly before they can become operational.

The Senate President, David Mark, has therefore directed that the report should be forwarded to all the 36 states of the federation immediately.

But after the Senate adopted the report, its Chairman on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang,   kicked against the process of the adoption.

According to Enang, since the Senate debated only eight out of the 23 amendments, it was wrong for it to have adopted the whole report without needed debate.

He was however ruled out of Order by Mark, who quoted the senate Standing Order 53(6) to knock him off his argument.

The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, explained that   the National Assembly would upon receipt of the report from the state Houses of Assembly, forward the final document   for presidential assent.

Police parade dogs that attacked four-year-old boy

The dogs
| credits: Olaleye Aluko

The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday paraded the two dogs that attacked four-year-old Omonigho Abraham in the Igando area of the state.

The police, while parading the two German shepherd dogs at its headquarters in Ikeja, added that the dogs had been examined and had been found to be disease-free.

The Commissioner of Police, Cornelius Aderanti, said it was important to parade the dogs so that the public would be convinced that the dogs were still in police custody, and had not been released as was being rumoured.

He, however, said only a court of law could decide whether the two dogs-which devoured the scalp of the little boy-would be killed or not.

He said, “We have brought the dogs out so that the public would know that they are still in police custody. They have been examined and they show no negative trait. It is only the court that will decide what happens to them. The police cannot decide to kill the dogs.”

PUNCH Metro had reported on Tuesday, October 21, that the victim, Omonigho, had asked the police and the government to ensure that the dogs which almost took his life be killed.

It was reported that Omonigho, who was now in the Burns and Plastic Wards of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja still had a bandaged head and some scars on his face.

On Tuesday at the police command, a veterinary police officer, Yahaya Usman, also told journalists that the medical report showed the dogs had no infection.

He said, “Initially, we quarantined the dogs and wanted to find out whether the dogs had any disease or not. That was the first step taken by the police. The dogs were under our watch for weeks.

“So far, they have not shown any negative trait. The medical history shows that they don’t have rabies or the Ebola Virus Disease. The dogs are with us, and only the court will determine what happens to them.”

Meanwhile, the victim’s father, Mr. Odiah Abraham, said apart from the attack on his son, the dogs had also terrorised other residents.

He said three days prior to his son’s attack, the dogs had chased a neighbour and residents had thereafter warned the dog owner.

He said, “Three days to the incident, a woman who lives in the neighbourhood had gone downstairs to spread her clothes on the line. She had left and was approaching her room when the dogs broke out of their cage and pursued her. She was just lucky that she was close to her room, if not they would have bitten her.

“She ran in and shut the door against herself. The dogs stood at the gate for some time and when they saw she did not open, they ran back to their cage. My wife met the dog’s owner and told him to do something about the dogs, as there were little children within the neighbourhood, but he just ignored the warning.”

However, the owner of the dogs, Mr. Stanley Wesley, has been arraigned in court for negligence but has been granted bail.

Fayemi spent N50m on two beds, says Fayose

One of the beds
| credits: Government House

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has accused his predecessor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, of spending N50m on beds in his and his wife’s bedrooms in the newly built Ekiti State Government House.

He claimed in a statement made available to journalists in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday that what was spent on the two bedrooms, their toilets and bathrooms was in the region of N100m.

The statement titled “N3.3bn new Government House Is Fayemi’s Show of Wickedness To Ekiti People,” was signed by his Special Assistant on Information and Social Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka.

But Fayemi, through his media aide, Olayinka Oyebode, said the allegation   was more about The Comedy of Errors. He advised Fayose to stop the theatre of absurd.

The statement by Olayinka described the new government house as an act of insensitivity to the plight of Ekiti people, many of whom, could not afford to feed once in a day.

According to the statement, no progressive-minded Ekiti person would see the “out-of-this-world luxury” provided with over N3.3bn borrowed funds for Fayemi, his wife and children and will not weep for the state and its people.

It claimed that the bed on which Fayemi slept before he left government   was   N30m while that   of his wife was over N20m.

The second bedroom

The statement read in part, “Between Fayemi and his wife, what was spent on their bedrooms, toilets and bathrooms will be in the region of N100m.

“How can a responsible government use borrowed funds to provide this kind of luxury for the governor and his family alone in a state where a lot of people cannot afford to feed more than once in a day?

“People should ask the former governor what was really wrong with the abandoned governor’s lodge used by his (Fayemi) predecessors?

“Shouldn’t such funds expended on the hilltop edifice have been used to resuscitate the moribund textile factory in Ado-Ekiti that was turned to lock-up shops to provide employment for our teeming   youths?

“Also, was Fayemi living in that manner of opulence before he became governor? Was he sleeping on a body-massaging bed and bathing in an electric-controlled Jacuzzi?

“Here is Fayemi, who could not pay workers salaries, owing them two-month   salaries before he left. A Fayemi, who out of sheer wickedness refused to pay pensioners N2.4bn pension and gratuities; N400m workers leave bonus, N700m subventions to parastatals and tertiary institutions and remit N2.4bn four months’ cooperative society’s deductions from workers salaries preferring to use N3.3bn borrowed funds to provide luxury for himself, his wife and children alone.

“This is wickedness!’’

The statement quoted Fayose as being alarmed at the waste of Ekiti resources to provide comfort for a single family out of the thousands of households in the state.

It added, “The governor would have preferred to sell out the property and use the fund to provide basic amenities and employment opportunities for the people.”

The statement also alleged that Fayemi was planning to buy a helicopter if he had returned to office for a second term because the plan was for him “to run government from the comfort of Oke-Ayoba Government House and move from there to anywhere he wanted without the people seeing him.”

It added, “That’s also the reason he (Fayemi) refused to renovate the Governor’s Office, leaving it in a state of disrepair because he knew that he was not going to use the office during his second term.

“Also, contract for the maintenance of the property was already awarded for N150m per annum.

“When we visited the Government House for the first time yesterday, Mr Governor was like; how I wish I can sell off this place or turn it to commercial use? It is simply wicked for a governor to be more interested in this manner of ostentatious comfort at the expense of the people.”

Fayose, according to the statement, wondered “if the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whom Fayemi and his so-called progressives claimed as their role-model, lived in any government house, much less of building an Emperor-like house for himself.”

“Did the late Adekunle Ajasin build a monarchical government house for himself? Did Baba Lateef Jakande live in any government house? These are great Yoruba sons, who recorded landmark achievements as premier of the old Western Region and governors of Lagos State and the old Ondo State respectively.

“The duo of Ajasin and Jakande were able to impact tremendously on their states because they did not like to waste public funds on the provision of luxury for themselves.”

The statement said that “left for Governor Fayose, he won’t use that aristocratic government house because it is a symbol of oppression in itself.”

The statement added, “He(Fayose) will prefer to live where Ekiti people can easily see him, touch him, eat with him and discuss the progress of the state together.

“But abandoning it would amount to colossal waste of public funds; but Governor Fayose will not hide himself from the masses.”

Fayemi’s media aide, however dismissed the allegation by Fayose, saying “I have taken a guided tour of that place and I don’t think I have seen such an outcry.

“I don’t know where they got their figure from; it sounds absurd. I ‘ll advise them to stop this theatre of absurd. Governance is a serious business and I am appealing to them not to reduce it to a joke.

“They are turning Ekiti into a circus show and they should stop it. It is childish and puerile for them to have come up with that figure. There is nothing ostentatious about Dr. Fayemi’s lifestyle: the lodge is there as a property of the state.

“Whether Fayose stays there or not is his cup of tea. The new government house is a legacy building. Dr. Fayemi did not go with it to Isan-Ekiti; it is for the state. It is not about personal aggrandisement; it is a befitting edifice for the state. Go to other states of the federation and see their government houses. Ekiti state deserves the best.”

Pistorius jailed for five years for killing girlfriend

Oscar Pistorius

Oscar Pistorius has been sentenced to five years imprisonment for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day of last year Eurosport reports.

The Olympic and Paralympic runner was convicted of culpable homicide last month for shooting dead 29-year-old law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria.

Judge Thokozile Masipa – only the second black woman to rise to the bench – stressed the difficulty of arriving at a decision that was “fair and just to society and to the accused”, but ordered that Pistorius serve a maximum of five years for the crime.

His only reaction was to wipe his eyes before two police officers led him down to the holding cells beneath the High Court in the heart of the South African capital.

Ninety minutes later, an armoured police vehicle carrying Pistorius – still dressed in dark suit, white shirt and black tie – left the building through a throng of reporters towards Pretoria Central Prison, where he is expected to serve his time.

Once the execution site for opponents of South Africa’s former white-minority government, the jail is now home to the country’s most hardened criminals, including the man known as “Prime Evil”, apartheid death squad leader Eugene de Kock. Prisons officials said Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated when he was a baby, would be housed in a separate and secure hospital wing of the massive complex.

His family remained calm throughout the sentencing.

Pistorius was also sentenced to three years for unlawful discharge of a firearm in a restaurant, with that portion of the sentence suspended for five years.

After the proceedings, one of Pistorius’s legal team, Roxanne Adams, told Sky News that Pistorius will serve just a sixth of his sentence in prison – a mere 10 months –before serving the rest of his sentence under house arrest.

“Justice was served,” said the Steenkamp family lawyer, Dup de Bruyn, adding that it was “the right sentence” – but the victim’s mother put things in a different light.

“There is no closure without Reeva, unless you can magic her back,” said June Steenkanp.

Why we killed Newswatch editor – Robbery suspects

The suspects with recovered ammuntion
| credits: Olaleye Aluko

The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday paraded a robbery gang, which confessed to have killed a former Assistant Editor of the Newswatch newspapers, Mr. Toyin Obadina, in one of their operations.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Monday, February 3, that some gunmen in two Sports Utility Vehicles shot Obadina in the Ikorodu area of Lagos around 1am. It had also been reported that 50-year-old Obadina, who hailed from Ogun State, died the following day during a surgery to remove the bullets lodged in his stomach.

According to the police, four suspects: Adeshina Festus, Sunday Samuel, Ibrahim Adeokin and Babatunde Makinde were arrested while two others-identified simply as Oke and Benjamin- were killed by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad during another operation.

Our correspondent learnt that the gang was arrested in its hideout in Ajelogo, Mile 12 on Thursday, October 17 following a tip-off.

During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the police that they were responsible for the killing of the owner of a Toyota Salon car with number plate, AKD 701 CE. The gang confessed to have snatched the vehicle at the Lucky Fibre area, Ikorodu on Friday, February 1, and abandoned the corpse of the owner at about 1am.

The police thereafter discovered that the victim was Obadina, the Newswatch Assistant Editor.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, the suspects said Oke, their gang leader, had shot the editor because he (Obadina) ‘struggled’ with the gang over his laptop.

Festus, 21, said, “On that night, I drove one of the two SUVs. When the man was approaching, we blocked his vehicle at a bad portion of the Ikorodu Road. After he was forced to stop, our ring leaders in the other vehicle, Oke and Benjamin, went to meet him.

“I and the others stayed back. As this went on, we noticed that an argument ensued between them, and Oke shot him. The editor probably felt only the two robbers were at the spot, and he was trying to defend himself.

“I joined the gang for operations around January. We have gone on about three operations. We operated on Itamaga Road, Ikorodu Road and Ishaga. Our robbery was only on the highway. I was working as a commercial driver before I joined the gang. It was Oke who brought the two guns that we were using. We usually started from around 8pm till midnight. We were six in the gang.”

Samuel, 22, from Udu, Delta State, added that Oke wanted Obadina to part with his laptop, and a struggle had ensued.

He said, “Oke our leader had carried the journalist’s laptop, and the man dragged the property with him. In annoyance, he shot him in the chest. I was part of the gang. I was inside the second vehicle. Oke and Benjamin were inside the Toyota Sienna that blocked the journalist’s vehicle.

“After shooting the journalist, we immediately drove away. We were all furious with Oke for shooting him. But we were afraid so that he would not shoot us too because he was a violent man. He had shot Babatunde before. After two weeks, we went again to Mile 12 for another robbery, and it was in the process that the police caught us, and they killed Oke during that operation.”

Our correspondent learnt that two other robbery suspects linked to the gang, identified simply as Olasheu and Omo Alhaja, were still at large.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Cornelius Aderanti, said despite the fact that investigations into the murder took months, the police were able to eventually apprehend the suspects.

He said, “We were able to recover two locally-made single-barrelled guns, 12 rounds of live cartridges, one Nissan Xtera and one Toyota Yaris car from the gang. The suspects were apprehended by a team of crack detectives led by Operations Commander, SARS, Abba Kyari.

“Like in all climes, investigations can drag on for years, but eventually the suspects will be hunted down. Therefore, the police have been able to round up the people behind this unfortunate incident. They will be made to pay for their deeds.”

Dogs attacked my brother inside our flat ─ Seven-year-old

Omonigbo before and after the attack
| credits: Photos: Samson Folarin

Four-year-old Omonigho Abraham is currently battling for his life at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, after his scalp was eaten by two dogs.

The dogs chewed the skin and exposed the victim’s skull during the attack which happened on Thursday on Adegboyega Street, Akesan Estate, in the Igando area of Lagos.

PUNCH Metro had reported last week that the police arrested the two dogs for attacking Omonigho.

However, our correspondent learnt from eyewitnesses that the dogs dragged him through the compound for more than one hour while policemen and sympathisers watched helplessly at the entrance of the house for fear of being attacked by the savage dogs.

The immediate elder brother of the victim, seven-year-old Osemudiamen, told our correspondent that the dogs had chased him, Omonigho and their elder brother, Bobby, while they were taking turns to ride a bicycle.

He said, “We were riding a bicycle in the compound when the big dogs ─ Jack and Gadaffi ─ started barking at us. Later, they moved towards us.

“My elder brother and I quickly ran upstairs and locked the door while Omo (Omonigho), who could not run fast, was left behind.

“When he got to the door, he knocked that we should open for him and as we did, one of the dogs forced his way into the house with him.

“We all ran out. Bobby jumped down from upstairs and I also jumped. But Omo could not jump, so the dog attacked him.

“The other dog also joined in the attack and there was nothing we could do.”

It was learnt that the screams of the children who managed to get outside attracted passersby and residents who besieged the house.

No fewer than seven policemen from the Igando Police Station reportedly stood at the gate, confused.

An eyewitness, who lived on the street, but pleaded anonymity, said, “The police came, but said there was nothing they could do. The dogs were growling as they ate the child alive and that sent fear into everyone. Nobody could move inside to challenge the dogs. Everybody was just shouting in confusion and wielding sticks.”

The victim’s mother, Mrs. Helen Abraham, who was away when the incident happened, said her son had been injured by the time she arrived at the scene.

She said, “When I got there, I met a crowd. They asked me not to go inside, but I refused to listen to them. One of the dogs emerged from the corridor with blood stains in its mouth. I ran inside. The other dog, on sighting me, pounced, but I fought back. It later ran away. I called on people who joined me to take him to a hospital.

“This has been a nightmare I want to wake up from.”

The victim’s father, Mr. Odia Abraham, said the medical personnel at the Igando General Hospital asked them to transfer him to LASUTH because of the severity of the attack.

“The doctor at Igando said his condition was critical and we should take him to LASUTH. When the incident happened, I was away at work.

“But when I got home, I saw parts of my son’s scalp on the floor. The dogs dragged him through the compound for about one and half hours and nobody moved near them. His face was also affected, but thankfully it did not get to his eyes.

“His two brothers, who survived, also got injured. The seven-year-old who spoke with you has a fracture, which we are still treating. The other, who is 13 years, has a minor injury.

“We marked Omo’s fourth year birthday in June. He is a very intelligent boy and he always tells me he wants to be a soldier because he loves to protect people. I am hoping this thing will not affect his brain,” he said.

The police were said to have arrested the owner of the dogs, one Stanley Wesley.

A resident said the people living in the house had warned Wesley about his dogs but he refused to listen.

She said, “We became alarmed when he brought a third dog recently which was more ferocious and bigger than the others. Whenever he took that dog on a walk, even adults would be scared.

“People told him to find a place to keep his giant dogs, but he refused to listen. It was the new dog that first followed those children into the house.”

When our correspondent visited the Burns and Plastic Ward of LASUTH, he was told the victim was asleep.

The matron in charge of the ward told our correspondent she would not comment unless the Public Relations Officer of the hospital gave an approval.

However, the PRO was said to be unavailable as he was on leave.

A medical officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victim’s condition was “serious and critical.”

The Police spokesperson, Lagos State Command, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said the police were the ones that actually rescued the victim.

Nwosu said, “I can confirm to you that on September 25, at about 5.40pm, dogs belonging to one Stanley Wesley attacked and harmed a four-year-old boy and the matter was reported at the Igando Police Division.

“The report from the Divisional Police Officer indicated that the dogs were being kept to undergo some tests, while their owner had been arrested. The report that the police did not do anything is not true.”

Ebola: ‘US yet to request for assistance’

 

THE Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu on Monday said there had been no formal request from the United States for Nigeria’s assistance in combating the Ebola Virus disease.

“As at Friday really, there was no formal request by the United States, for assistance in the containment of Ebola Virus Disease”, the minister, who spoke through his Special Assistant (Media and Communications), Mr. Dan Nwomeh, said during an enquiry by our correspondent on Monday in Abuja.

The US had last week recorded its first case of EVD in circumstances similar to the importation of the virus to Nigeria by the Liberian-born American Diplomat, late Mr. Patrick Sawyer.

Thomas Duncan, the first person to have been diagnosed with EVD in the US, is said to be fighting for his life in a hospital in Dallas.

Based on the feat recorded by the Federal Government in the containment of EVD in Lagos and Port Harcourt, speculations had been rife that the President Barak Obama’s administration would seek the intervention of Nigeria.

The EVD case in US was recorded in Dallas, and was from a patient who had reportedly flown in from Liberia.

A statement from the Director of Centre for Disease Control and the Texas Health Department, Dr. Tom Frieden, said the patient had been hospitalised while contact tracing had commenced

Marketers make N148.5bn illegal profit on kerosene

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke
| credits: File copy

Between January and September this year, oil marketers in the country made not less than N148.5bn illegal profit on Dual Purpose Kerosene sold to Nigerians.

Officially, the DPK is meant to be sold at N50 per litre, but this has not been the case as consumers have continued to buy the product at N100 and above per litre.

Daily supply of kerosene to the market is put at 11 million litres by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, which implies that over N550m illegitimate profit is made by oil marketers daily on the product at a retail price of N100 per litre.

By implication, over N16.5bn abnormal profit is made every month, meaning that between January and September this year, a total of N148.5bn would have been dubiously made by marketers across the country.

This development informed the directive of the Department of Petroleum Resources last week that all marketers should revert to the regulated price of N50 per litre or be prepared to be sanctioned.

The Director, DPR, Mr. George Osahon, had said that, henceforth, marketers selling kerosene above N50 would be sanctioned.

He described the situation as disturbing and warned the marketers to desist from such an act, adding that DPR would from now on sanction any retail outlet caught selling kerosene above the approved price.

Sources in the downstream subsector of the petroleum industry, who spoke to our correspondent in separate interviews on Monday, however, said it was impracticable to sell kerosene at N50 per litre.

A marketer, who would not want to be quoted because of the sensitivity of the issue, told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday that the process had been compromised from the beginning.

He said from the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company’s template, the cost price of kerosene per litre is N40.90, with a five per cent refundable deposit, which had never been refunded, putting the figure at N42.95.

The source added, “A marketer will also need to hire a vessel to convey the product to the depot and this cost about N3 per litre. Aside this, another N3 will have to be paid as depot charge by the marketer. All these will amount to about N48.95 and the product hasn’t left the marketer’s tank.

“You still have to transport the product from the tank to petrol stations for about N1 per litre. Already, the marketer has incurred a cost of N49.95 before the product gets to the consumer.”

Another marketer told our correspondent that officially, N4.60 was the approved margin on kerosene per litre, noting that the addition of the margin to the cost incurred by marketers would take the price above N50 per litre.

The marketer also said that oftentimes, the product was never bought atN42.95 by his colleagues.

According to him, marketers are meant to pay some additional costs in form of bribe to get the product, which automatically shoots up the price.

The Managing Director, PPMC, Mr. Haruna Momoh, had blamed the price anomaly in the kerosene market to sharp practices of some middlemen in the industry.

He said, “It is the wish of the government to make kerosene available, but our research from when we came in is a totally different picture to compare with the good intention of the government. The product is diverted to neighbouring countries and also used for production and construction.”

Momoh said though his organisation was a bulk supplier of kerosene, “the job of ensuring that it reaches Nigerians at the official price of N50 is outside my purview.”

Expressing surprise that the product was often not available to Nigerians, Momoh said 11 million litres of kerosene were being supplied on daily basis at the cost of N40.90, stressing that the supply was coming from two major sources, importation and local production by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Lt. Col, 15 others to face trial over Chibok girls

A screengrab taken on May 12, 2014, from a video of Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram obtained by AFP shows girls, wearing the full-length hijab and praying in an undisclosed rural location.
| credits: AFP

The Nigerian Army has concluded arrangements to arraign 16 soldiers over the April 14, 2014, abduction of over 200 students of the Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.

Three of the soldiers are officers while the remaining 13 soldiers belong to other ranks.

Our correspondent gathered in Abuja on Monday that barring any last minute change, they would appear before the General Court Martial at the Maxwell Khobe Military Cantonment, Rukuba, Jos in Plateau State after the Sallah holidays.

The officers are Lieutenant Col. A. O. Ojo, Capt. O. O. Ogunrinde, and 2nd Lieutenant V.I. Godknows.

The 16 are among 117 soldiers   facing a GCM convened by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Army in Kaduna, Maj.Gen. K. C. Osuji, on August 6, 2014.

A source said their trial would take place at the headquarters of the 3rd Armoured Division, Rukuba in Jos for security reasons.

The GCM panel comprises Col. J.J. Ogunlade (President); Col. J. O. Sokoya, Col. M. Kadiri, Col. M. W. Abubakar, Col. A. A. Bamgbose, Col. A. Garba and Col E.M. Albara.

   Lt. Colonels B. Garke and   O. S. Obot are the waiting members of the panel which has Captain A. Mohammed as the judge advocate and Lt. G. B. Suleiman as the liaison officer.

Investigations on Monday revealed that Ojo, who was the Unit Commander, in Biu, was summoned to the GCM in relation with the conflict in the number of girls said to have been abducted by Boko Haram insurgents and those   rescued at the time of the incident.

The officer is also being charged for alleged failure to reinforce the Chibok community when the incident occurred.

It was gathered that the officers were being charged for failure to perform military duty, an offence that attracts a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.

A source, who confided in our correspondent said that the Lt. Colonel had stated that the number he gave was not the one that was used in a statement by the Defence Headquarters on the reported rescue of some of the abducted girls.

The said statement was later withdrawn.

The source said, “The Lt. Colonel is being charged for allegedly giving information without verification, negligent performance of military duty and not going to reinforce the place where the incident took place. The charge attracts a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.”

He also said that Ojo had not completely taken over from his predecessor and had complained about the number of men and equipment on the ground when the abduction took place two days after his arrival in Biu for the mission.

It was stated that the shortage of men was shown by the fact that only the 2nd Lt. and 13 soldiers were in Chibok   in spite of the fact that the place had a heavy presence of insurgents.

It was gathered that the other soldiers led by Godknows were on duty at the headquarters of the Chibok Local Government Area on the day of the incident.

Another source told our correspondent that the Army was not   notified of the examinations that were going on in the school.

The source said that a statement by the Principal of the School, Asabe Kwambura, corroborated the soldiers’ claim.

Investigations revealed that the soldiers left their location in Chibok to lay in ambush when they received a report that insurgents were planning to attack them on the night the schoolgirls were seized.

They were said to have lost a soldier during the face-off with the Boko Haram members.

The source said,   “Only Godknows and 13 soldiers were on duty in Chibok. They were not stationed within the school. No soldier was stationed in the school and they didn’t know that the school was in session.

“Nobody notified these people that the girls were having an examination in the school. Even the principal admitted in her statement that the soldiers were not notified.

“They were told that their camp was about to be attacked so they went out to lay in ambush for insurgents. One of the soldiers died.

“But I can confirm to you that the Army has   concluded preparations to arraign them.”

The abduction of the schoolgirls sparked global outrage with world leaders   calling on the terrorist group and the Federal Government to ensure their safe release.

Ekiti indigenes’ll go on exile for Fayose –Falana

Mr. Femi Falana

LAGOS lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, has said that some indigenes of Ekiti State are planning to go on exile as soon as the governor-elect of the state, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, assumes office.

Fayose, who won the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti, will be sworn in on October 16.

Falana, who is an indigene of the state, said, “It is clear that the people have been taken back to the era of state-sponsored terrorism. Already, rival drivers’ unions and urchins are unleashing mayhem on innocent people, including judges and judiciary workers.

“Fayose should be advised not to frustrate his own inauguration. With the ongoing political crisis, some development agencies have decided to pull out of the state.

“I know industrialists who have decided to relocate to neighbouring states. I have some friends who have resolved to go on exile from Ekiti State for the next four years.

“The exodus of business and the elite will have adverse effect on the fragile economy of the state because no investor takes funds to any place where the rule of law is in abeyance.”

Asked if the people of the state had made a mistake in electing Fayose as their governor, Falana said the wishes of the people must be respected.

“The Ekiti people are perfectly entitled to elect whoever they like to govern them. That is what bourgeois democracy is all about. Up till now, the world is still paying for the decision of the American people to elect George Bush Jr. I believe that the wishes of the Ekiti electorate should be respected,” he said.

“However, Fayose owes himself a duty to turn away from violence because no leader can govern in an atmosphere of anarchy and chaos. He has to embrace the rule of law,” Falana added.

Reacting to Falana’s claims, a media aide to the governor-elect, Lere Olayinka, said the Ekiti people had made their choice and that “Falana, as a lawyer, should know that he does not have more stake in Ekiti than the over 200,000 Ekiti people, who expressed their preference for Fayose with their votes on June 21.”

Olayinka said, “Ekiti people have spoken loudly with their votes and if the likes of Falana does not like the decision the people have made, they can relocate to wherever they so desire.

“As for Fayose, he will remain committed to the welfare of the teachers, local government workers, civil servants, health workers, okada riders, artisans, market men and women, students and others who gave him their votes on June 21, not minding the anger of the likes of Falana, who believe that Ekiti people cannot choose their own governor.”