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Federal Government College, Ikot Ekpene, Old Students Association, is battling with 29 other schools as it moves to retain its trophy in the Unity Schools Old Students Association, USOSA, national sports fiesta.

DAILY POST recalls that FGC Ikot Ekpene won the prestigious overall title during the last year edition of the competition.

In this year’s event, Enugu is playing host to 30 Unity Schools from across the country.

The week-long event features football, tug of war, march-past, swimming, long tennis, table tennis, snooker, ludo, draft, badminton, volleyball, basketball, gulf, among others.

Speaking during a courtesy call on Prof Chidiebere Onyia, the Secretary to the Government of Enugu State, USOSA President-General, Michael Magaji, said the annual sports event promotes unity and national integration, with Enugu hosting this year’s edition.

“We believe in a sound mind and a sound body. This year, Enugu is hosting 30 schools to compete, interact and reconnect.

“It’s also a way of showing that people from different backgrounds can come together, compete and still uphold excellence,” he said.

He added that local schools would also be involved through invitational events to encourage wider participation.

Magaji, who re-echoed his calls for quality education, noted that reforms should go beyond infrastructure, but touch on inclusion and nation-building.

He used Enugu as an example, noting that the smart-school initiative was offering the grassroots and the underserved “the opportunity to participate in the 21st-century knowledge economy”.

He said USOSA remains committed to improving education through both advocacy and direct intervention.

“We are focused on education for the 21st-century child, looking at how it is delivered, the methods, and the teaching techniques,” he said.

In his remarks, Onyia said the state’s education reform programme was still at a foundational stage but already making steady progress, especially through the Smart Green Schools initiative.

He said after engaging USOSA and receiving feedback on curriculum and pedagogy, most of the smart green schools had started onboarding students.

30 unity schools old students compete for glory as national sports fiesta holds in Enugu

Across cassava-producing communities, women sustain one of Nigeria’s most consumed staple foods through a layered system of labour, ownership, and machinery, where survival work continues daily under trees, makeshits shelters and within processing centres

The smell of fermented cassava hangs in the air long before the work comes into view, sharp, sour, and heavy in the morning heat.

In Gabaraku in Bida Local Government Area and Gwada in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, among other areas, women are already at work beneath scattered trees, sitting on bare ground with buckets, knives, and piles of cassava tubers spread around them.

A few steps away stand government-supported processing centres established under the Federal Government/ International Fund for Agricultural Development, (IFAD)-backed Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) in the state.

They are functional with platforms, water points, and structured processing spaces. But the most visible labour is happening outside the centres.

Under the trees, the work begins

Nigeria produces more cassava than any country in the world, yet much of it is still processed by hand.

Nigeria remains the world’s largest producer of cassava, with annual output running into tens of millions of metric tonnes.

A significant portion of this is processed into garri, a staple food eaten daily across homes. In practical terms, millions of Nigerians rely on garri every day, making it one of the most consistently consumed foods in the country.

Across cassava-producing communities, women dominate the processing stage from peeling and washing to frying and drying.

In many rural clusters, they make up the overwhelming majority of the workforce, sustaining a system where production depends more on physical effort than machinery.

It is this largely unseen labour that keeps garri available in markets and homes across the country.

Economy built in layers

What unfolds is not one system, but several working at once.

Some women own cassava and bring it for processing into garri for sale.

Others do not own anything. They survive through daily labour, peeling cassava, pressing sacks, or frying garri for small payments.

A third group standing slightly apart comprises machine owners who provide grating services for a fee.

Together, they form the hidden structure behind one of Nigeria’s most consumed staple foods.

Hauwawu Under The Tree

Under a tree in Gabaraku community, 22-year-old Hauwawu sits on the bare ground, peeling cassava with steady, practiced movements.

Beside her, her four-month-old baby lies on a small cloth spread over the dust.

Around her, other women continue working with knives scraping cassava in a rhythm that does not break.

At one point during the visit, the baby is lifted briefly and held for a few minutes.

There is no pause in the work.

Moments later, the child is returned to the cloth. Hauwawu adjusts it slightly, leans forward, and continues peeling cassava as the cluster around her carries on.

Her hands do not stop.

“I don’t have anything doing,” she stated quietly, adding: “So I come out every day to peel cassava to earn something for my children.”

Halima: Years Of The Same Work

Not far from her, Halima, 45, works through her own pile of cassava, her wrapper tied tightly around her as she peels.

Her hands move steadily, though slower than the younger women around her.

“I have been doing this work for years. It is not easy, but it is what we have,” she explained.

She paused briefly to stretch her fingers before returning to the pile:

“If I don’t come out, there is no money for the day.”

Around them, cassava peels gather on the ground as dust rises in the heat.

Amina: Eight Children To Feed

Amina, a mother of eight, sits on a low stool beside a growing heap of cassava, peeling quickly as the morning heat builds.

Her work is constant, driven less by routine and more by urgency.

“I have many children to take care of,” she explained without looking up.

“If I don’t come out to work, there will be nothing at home,” she further stated.

She adjusted her wrapper and continued: “This work is what keeps us going.”

The Crushing Machine And Its Owner

At the centre of the process, the sound changes.

A machine roars as cassava is fed into it in steady batches. The machine is owned by an individual operator who charges for each use.

Women arrive with basins of peeled cassava, waiting their turn as the machine runs continuously.

Wet cassava mash spills out in thick heaps, quickly gathered by waiting hands before the next batch follows.

Some women without cassava of their own remain near the machine, assisting by feeding cassava into the grinder or carrying the mash away.

They are paid small amounts for their effort.

In the whole process, the machine owner does not peel or fry.

as his income comes from every turn of the machine.

From Pressing To Fire: The Work Does Not Slow

After grating, the cassava mash is packed into sacks and tightly pressed to remove excess water.

The liquid drains out sometimes through channels provided at the processing centres, and in other cases directly onto the surrounding ground where drainage is limited.

The mash is then left to ferment briefly before further processing.

From here, it is sieved to remove fibres and lumps, breaking it into fine granules ready for frying.

Processing takes different directions at this stage depending on use.

Some batches are taken straight to the frying stage to produce garri commonly used for making eba, a staple swallow eaten in many homes.

Others are allowed to ferment longer, developing the sour taste preferred by those who soak garri in water for drinking.

Near the frying area, Kaka, 50, stands over a wide pan, turning garri over firewood.

Smoke circles her face as heat rises sharply from the stove.

“This work needs strength,” she noted without stopping, adding: “If you are tired and you stop, the garri will burn”

She adjusted her stance slightly and continued stirring.

“We have been doing it like this for a long time,” she added.

After frying, garri is spread out to dry.

Some women use elevated platforms provided within the processing centres.

Others spread theirs on sacks or bare ground under the sun, depending on where they work.

Children move in and out of the workspace. Some helping, others sitting quietly beside their mothers.

A System Of Three Economies

Not all women occupy the same position in this system.

Cassava owners carry the risk and eventual profit of production.

Labourers depend on daily earnings from peeling, frying, and processing while machine owners earn from service.

But across all three, income remains uncertain.

The Price Of The Day’s Work

Gogo sits beside a sack of finished garri, tying it carefully as others prepare theirs for sale.

Her work for the moment is done, but the uncertainty remains.

“The problem is selling,” she observed, adding: “You can work all day and still not get good money.”

She tightens the sack and looks toward the others.

“Sometimes buyers come and price it low. We don’t have a choice,” she stated.

Inside And Outside The Structure

Inside the processing centres, cooperative members work with training, shared facilities, and access to organised markets under the VCDP programme.

One beneficiary, Patience Jeremiah, says the training has improved her processing methods and helped her access better market opportunities.

But just beyond the centres, independent women continue differently.

They are not part of cooperatives.

“We want to be on our own,” one woman says.

They rely on daily labour, informal buyers, and flexible arrangements that allow them to earn as they work.

Both systems exist in the same communities — side by side, but not together.

The End Of The Day

As evening approaches, the rhythm begins to slow.

Sacks of garri are tied and lifted.

Firewood smoke fades into the air just as the smell of cassava lingers across both the processing centres and the open spaces under trees.

Each sack represents hours of labour, peeling, crushing, pressing, sieving, frying, and drying and carried out through multiple hands and multiple systems.

In Nigeria’s cassava economy, garri is not just produced, it is worked into existence daily.

And under trees and inside processing centres alike, the same labour begins again when morning returns.

Hidden labour behind Nigeria’s garri: How women labour for hours to feed homes

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has raised concerns over the Federal Government’s continued reliance on borrowing despite the removal of petrol subsidy.

Speaking during an interview on News Central TV on Friday, the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) warned that weak fiscal discipline could undermine the gains expected from recent economic reforms.

Sanusi, who has long criticised the subsidy regime, reiterated that it was unsustainable and faulted the country’s previous dependence on foreign refineries while domestic facilities remained underutilised.

“We cannot continue supporting foreign refineries as an oil-producing country while our own refineries are not functioning,” he said.

He, however, acknowledged recent improvements in the sector, noting that Nigeria is beginning to shift from heavy reliance on imports to domestic refining and export.

“Today, we have our own domestic refinery. We are no longer importing petroleum products; we are even exporting to Europe. That is positive for the economy,” he added.

Despite backing the policy direction, the former CBN governor questioned the sequencing and timing of the reforms, particularly the removal of subsidy and liberalisation of the foreign exchange market.

He argued that implementing such measures in a loose monetary environment contributed to the sharp depreciation of the naira.

“Artificial exchange rates, especially when you’re printing money, cannot work. There was going to be a devaluation.”

“For me, removing subsidy or liberalising exchange rates, these are good interventions. Were they done at the right time? Those are certain questions. Were there other things that should be done that have not been done? These are other issues.

“Liberalising the exchange rate in a loose monetary environment contributed to the currency’s rapid depreciation.

“It’s not enough to say, oh, they removed subsidy. You had to. When you get to a point where 100% of your revenue goes into debt service, you cannot continue. Where is the money going to come from?

“However, if you decide to remove subsidy and liberalise exchange rates in an environment of very loose monetary conditions, before you have tightened money supply, the Naira drops to a bottomless pit. That was a timing issue.

“We’ve removed the subsidy. We’re now spending it. What we should not see is fiscal consolidation. You cannot remove wastages and continue borrowing. I’ve said this before. You need to see the benefits. If you’re not paying the subsidy and you’ve got the money, why are we still borrowing and borrowing? What are we borrowing for?”

His comments come amid controversy over a fresh loan request by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has asked the Senate to approve a $516.3 million loan for sections of the proposed Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway.

In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President said the 1,000-kilometre project is intended to connect Nigeria’s North-West and South-West regions.

The borrowing plan has drawn criticism from several quarters, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who described the project as commendable but urged the government to explore alternative funding options instead of increasing debt.

 

President Bola Tinubu on Friday administered the oath of office to Dr Muttaqha Rabe Darma from Katsina State as the new minister of housing and urban development, following his Senate clearance.

He replaced Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, who recently resigned.

President Tinubu, at the short ceremony at the State House, congratulated Dr Darma for coming on board at this “very challenging time of national development.

“You have a very rich and interesting background. As a leader, we need competent hands like yours.

“There is no doubt that you have rendered valuable services in all the assignments you have embarked upon; You are a fitting peg in the right position,” he said.

The President told him to be ready to serve in any capacity in which he is called upon.

Dr Darma is a distinguished Nigerian scholar, administrator, and development expert who holds a Doctor of Business Administration degree from the University of Liverpool and a PhD in Industrial Engineering from Atlantic International University, USA.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bayero University, Kano, and later earned a Master’s in Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Benin.

A member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Nigerian Institute of Management, Dr Darma served as Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund from 2008 to 2012. Thereafter, he held key positions, including Commissioner for Works, Housing and Transport, and Commissioner for Rural and Social Development in Katsina State, among others.

He has also contributed to academia as a lecturer at Bayero University, Kano.

Residents of Orisunmibare Pakiotan in Ogbomoso North local government area, Oyo State, have declared that the roads linking the community with other parts of the town are no more motorable.

The residents appealed to the State government under the leadership of Engineer Seyi Makinde, the local government Chairman and other concerned authorities to come to their aid.

DAILY POST reports that the community is located behind Ayanyan Cattle market and Ogbomoso Government Reserved Area along the new Ogbomoso/ Ilorin Expressway.

The residents lamented that the roads had become an eyesore.

A community leader, Dr Tobi Fajobi called on the State and local governments to come to their rescue.

Fajobi, who spoke on behalf of other members of the community on Friday, regretted that all the roads within the community were no more motorable.

He said, “We call on both the state and Ogbomoso North local governments to come to our aid in fixing this road and bridge.

“It is a new community with a large population and houses. The road is highly dilapidated, hence hindering free flow of traffic.

“Ideally, we should spend just 2-4 minutes to the junction, but due to the poor state of the road, we spend more than 15 minutes.

“The alternative routes are not also reliable as they’re not in good conditions apart from being too long to ply. We, therefore, appeal to them to assist us by urgently intervening.

“Since the state government’s contractors are presently doing good jobs in Ogbomoso, rehabilitating and constructing new roads and bridges, our plight should be considered”.

‘Our roads no more motorable’ – Ogbomoso residents appeal to Makinde, others

 

Beady Nnanna, a producer and publisher, tells Punch Newspaper how her sister, Blessing Okolie, lost her life due to medical negligence by a doctor, who allegedly left a pair of scissors in her stomach during fibroid surgery at a private hospital in Lagos State

Tell us about yourself.

 I’m a media personality, the producer of Beadysworld TV and publisher of Beadysworld Blog News. I’m also an influencer and social activist.

What is your relationship with the late Blessing Okolie?

She was my sister.

How old was she?

She was 44 years old.

What led to her initial visit to the hospital?

She had a fibroid, and it was very big, as if she was pregnant. Even when people saw her, they mistook her for being pregnant. That fibroid was really disturbing, and she was married.

But the husband left her because of that fibroid. She couldn’t give birth to a child. So, the last time the mother tried to call the man to know why they were having issues, the man said to her, “You know that your daughter has a problem with fibroids.”

He said it as if having a fibroid had become a crime. For almost two years, the husband did not show any concern, so the situation got her worried, and she really wanted to remove the fibroid to see if she could have a child.

In December 2025, we took her to the Air Force Base Hospital, but she declined. She said she didn’t want to go there and that she wanted to go to a particular hospital at Igoke Estate, around Abule Egba, Lagos State.

I asked her why she wanted to go there because I felt that the hospital was not standard enough, but she said the hospital was good and that someone who had done the surgery there before recommended the place to her.

I objected to her idea because I just couldn’t understand why she would leave a good hospital for a non-standard one.

What happened at the hospital?

On March 27, 2026, she came to my house, and we drove to the hospital. Meanwhile, that was the first time I would visit that medical centre. We saw the doctor standing outside, but I was not happy, and I was not satisfied with what I saw there.

Blessing kept telling me that I should not bother myself and that the doctor was good. After a while, they gave us a ward where we slept till the next morning.

What were you not satisfied with about the hospital in the first instance?

The hospital was not standard. Looking at everything there, it didn’t look standard at all. So, on March 28, very early in the morning, they came to call her that it was time for her to enter the theatre.

Then she went there at exactly 7:22 am, and we were there till 11:49 am. She had the surgery, and it was okay, and they brought her outside the theatre, where there was a bench, and they laid her there.

She was there, and she didn’t even notice anything. I was the one who cleaned her mouth because she was already tired. When I asked the doctor what was wrong, he said she would come up and that I should keep calling her name.

So, if I called Blessing, she would respond by opening her eyes slightly, but she was not talking. We were there for about four to five hours, and they said they wanted to give her tea and milk to drink, but I objected.

I challenged them on how they would give tea and milk to someone who had just had that kind of surgery. The lady called Oloma, whom she said introduced her to the hospital, said they also gave her the same tea when she had her surgery, but I insisted.

I then said that if they needed to give her anything, they should give her Lipton and hot water instead. They said she needed the energy to climb up the staircase because their theatre was downstairs, while the ward was upstairs.

What happened thereafter?

The nurse and the other lady, Oloma, took Blessing out of the theatre and gave her the tea. So, I requested that they let her rest very well. After a while, around 8:30 am, they came back and said they wanted to take her upstairs.

I was surprised that they could allow someone who had just had surgery to walk. Normally, she was in pain because it is a normal thing for somebody who has just gone through surgery to feel pain.

Nnanna

At what point did you begin to sense that something was seriously wrong after the surgery?

On Sunday, Blessing started talking, and people came to visit her. On Monday, she was still talking, but she was complaining of a particular pain in her abdomen, and by Tuesday, things had changed.

On Wednesday, her stomach started swelling up. I called the doctor and asked what the problem was, but he said there was nothing. I refused to listen to him and insisted that something was wrong because her stomach had swollen.

So, I asked that we do a scan to find out why the stomach was swollen, but the doctor insisted that there was no problem. They gave her an injection and set a drip for her.

Yet, on Wednesday and Thursday, the stomach was still swelling, and I kept clamouring that we should do a scan. But they said there was nothing in her stomach and accused me of trying to teach them their job.

Then they said what if they did the scan and nothing was there? I responded that I just needed to be sure because I was not satisfied with the way her stomach was swelling. I was bothered because of that.

How did you discover that there was a pair of scissors inside her stomach?

I never thought of scissors when she was complaining about that pain in the side of the stomach. I was even thinking that they had harvested one of her organs, so I kept begging for a scan, but they refused.

She had the surgery on Saturday, and almost a week after the surgery, she was still in serious pain. They then brought out a pipe, put it in her nose, and started draining something greenish out of her stomach.

I said, “Doctor, let’s have a scan.” But they kept saying, “What is wrong with this woman? Do you want to teach us our job?” I told them that I just wanted to be sure that nothing was wrong. Blessing’s health worsened to the point that she couldn’t even stand up.

At one point, they said we should stop giving her anything. We even stopped giving her water, and she was there without water or anything. That was for ten days after the surgery.

So, a new doctor came there to see her, and it was the first time I saw him. He asked me questions, and I started explaining to him. That was when I realised that those people did not even have products for patients.

After I explained to the doctor that I had been asking for a scan to be done for over a week, he said they should get the scans done on her. That was how they gave me a letter to go do the scans elsewhere.

When I got to the lab where they asked me to go, I was told that they had not been doing it for over two years. So, the nurse who came with me said we should go back.

I was angry and didn’t know when I said, “Are you mad? Go back to where when I came out of this hospital without a scan?” We then went to Clinix, where we did the scan.

What did the scan detect?

They did the scan and gave it to me. We paid over N90,000 for it. When I read the result, it stated that a metal was inside her stomach below her abdomen.

At that moment, I cried and drove Blessing back to the hospital. One of the people who did the scan asked me to take her back because her condition had already worsened.

How did the doctor react at the hospital when you showed them the result of the scan?

They were ashamed of themselves. I could see the surprise and shame all over them, but I didn’t say anything.

What explanation did they give for the medical error after seeing the result from the scan?

They did not say anything, and I was just looking at them. I could have escalated it to their management, but the owner of the hospital was not around. The only doctor around was the one I gave the result to.

Then they came to her ward and said they needed to wheel her into the theatre again. I asked them why, and they said they needed to open the surgery again. That was someone who had not taken water or food for over five days, and she was already weak.

Then I asked why they didn’t refer us to a big hospital like Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Federal Medical Centre, or Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. But they said no and that she would be fine.

Then she was wheeled into the theatre for the second time, but I wasn’t even sure she could withstand it because she was already weak.

Was she placed on oxygen?

On April 7, they wheeled her into the theatre again, and the surgery was carried out, and they said they had removed what was in her belly.

Hearing that, I expected that there should be a difference and her health should improve, but on April 8, there was still no difference, and she was still the same. I said again that they should refer us to another big hospital, but they kept saying that she would be fine.

At that point, I was very worried because the green substance was still coming from her belly. The next day, she deteriorated, and they put her on oxygen. I kept telling them to refer us because I saw that they could not handle it, and any time I said that, they would make me feel like I was being troublesome.

I asked one of the doctors, who said she would get better, but her intestines were weak. I shouted because her intestines became weak because of the scissors that were left in her stomach for 10 days.

On Friday, I was already weak, so I decided to go home. When I told Blessing that I was going home to freshen up, she begged me not to leave her, but I promised her that I would return.

So, I went home and got back to the hospital around 11 pm. When I saw her, I knew she was not herself, and I called the hospital staff. But I found out that they didn’t even know what to do.

They were always trying to manage things, so they went to bring oxygen for her again. Immediately she was placed on oxygen, the light went off.

I asked them to turn on the generator, and they said they didn’t have fuel. I became uncomfortable and started shouting because it was a few minutes before 3 am. I thought they were going to leave her till daybreak.

Then I threatened them that I would burn down the hospital if they didn’t take my sister out of there. That was when they gave me a letter around 3 am. I told the doctor to follow us, but he refused, saying he could only follow if it was an emergency.

I asked, “Is this not an emergency? Are you not supposed to give us an ambulance and a doctor or a nurse to hand us over?”

But the doctor said no and that maybe a nurse would go with us. Then they called Mr Abiodun, the owner, who told the nurse not to follow us. The doctor on duty also told the nurse to remove the drip.

I was so angry, so I beat the nurse out of the car. When the doctor came, I confronted him and asked why they wanted to remove the drip at that hour.

After the altercation, they left my car, and I carried my sister with no medical support around Abule Egba and went to LASUTH. When we got there, they said there was no space. I begged them to treat her in my car, but they refused.

Then I started making calls, and someone hinted that we should take her to the O&G Medical Emergency at LASUTH, so they started treating her.

They attended to her, but bureaucracy and protocols affected us. They began treatment a few minutes to 4 am and said she would be admitted to the ICU.

How much did you pay at the hospital?

We paid N1.2m, aside from over N1m spent on drugs and tests. At the first hospital, we also spent a lot.

For injections and tablets, there was one we bought for N27,000, and we bought five or six at a time. They charged N650,000 for the surgery.

That Sunday, we bought drugs of N180,000 each and another of N250,000. But early the next morning, they called us and said her heart had stopped.

They said they tried to revive her, but she passed. I begged them to resuscitate her again, but they couldn’t. That was how my sister died.

Looking back, what do you think could have been done differently to save Blessing?

If they had done a scan the second day after the surgery, they would have detected the object earlier, and she might have survived. But most of her organs were already infected before the scissors were removed.

Has she been buried?

No, she is still in the mortuary.

Did you report the inconsistencies at the first hospital to the police?

Yes, I did.

Have you received any update from the police yet on the case?

No, we have not. They sent us to Zone 2 instead.

What kind of justice do you seek for your sister?

Despite the hospital knowing that my sister had died, they did not even bother to reach out. We personally called them, but till today, the doctor has not shown up.

That hospital needs to be shut down. My sister is dead now, but I don’t want others to experience what she went through. That is why I am clamouring for justice. The government needs to investigate and shut down the hospital.

We await autopsy report on Blessing Okolie’s death — OAR Medical Director

Dr Abiodun Ojifinni, Medical Director of OAR Medical Centre, Abule-Egba, Lagos State, speaks to AYOOLA OLASUPO about the allegation that the death of one of their patients, Blessing Okolie, was caused by complications developed after a pair of scissors was left in her stomach during a myomectomy (surgery for the removal of fibroid)

Is it true that Blessing Okolie had a fibroid removal surgery at your facility?

 Blessing Okolie had a myomectomy, which is a surgery for a fibroid in our facility on the 28th of March 2026. She was fine initially but a few days after the surgery there were complications of sepsis, which is a bacterial infection, after the surgery.

We were managing the situation until the family, especially Beady, asked for a referral because she wasn’t satisfied with the progress her sister was making on treatment. At her insistence, we referred her to the Lagos State University of Teaching Hospital, where we later learnt that she passed on after a few days of admission.

We actually commiserated with the family. At this time, I think it was a good time to start addressing the half-truths and the falsehoods that have been circulating on social media.

She claimed that Blessing’s health condition had already worsened before your facility eventually granted her request to be transferred to another hospital. What can you say about that?

Those are the half-truths and falsehoods I’m talking about, and I’m saying that in order not to offend the sensitivity of the people who have lost a loved one, especially in respect for the departed person, we should actually wait.

 There is an autopsy request that was made at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. The real cause of death will be spelt out in histopathology. That is the most authentic cause of death test that we all should wait for. We enjoined Ms Beady to take things easy and find a way of talking to her.

 I know she still hurts by the turn of events at the end of the day. We did not want anything to happen to any of our patients. She might not remember that Blessing was actually a friend, apart from being a patient in my hospital. So, we are eagerly awaiting the results of the autopsy. As you know, when something is awaiting a coroner’s inquest, then we have to wait and hear from the pathologist.

Beady also said that another surgery was performed on Blessing at your facility after the scan detected that a metal was inside her belly. Is it true that the metal was a pair of scissors?

This is why I said that, for the reasons of not exchanging words that will offend the sensitivity of the people who are mourning at this time, we should wait and let the results of the coroner’s inquest be published. Then, we can come back and talk about this.

It is in the interest of everybody because it is not right to have a government agency handling this issue.

It amounts to prejudice to start talking about it this way. But I really appreciate the effort you took to talk to me about it. Please, I am open to any discussion about it when the coroner’s inquest is published.

Are you saying that the state government is currently on the matter?

 Yes, the late Blessing departed at LASUTH, and part of their requirements is that once there is a controversy in the cause of death, they will go ahead to do a coroner’s inquest, and that is what everybody is waiting for. We all should talk to Beady to take things easy, and let’s look at the natural cause of death together.

Punch 

Napoli manager, Antonio Conte, has insisted that he was disappointed with striker Romelu Lukaku.

Conte spoke following Napoli’s 4-0 win against Cremonese in the Serie A on Friday.

Recall that Lukaku is facing disciplinary action for skipping the club’s training.

Napoli is considering taking legal action against the Belgian after he failed to report for training some days ago.

Lukaku had spent the last international break in Belgium while recovering from injury.

Speaking on the development, Conte told DAZN, “I’m disappointed by Romelu Lukaku. He didn’t even come to say hi to me. I didn’t speak to Romelu.

“He was there, close to my office, and we didn’t talk. I was not expecting this situation.”

Serie A: ‘I’m disappointed by Lukaku’ – Napoli manager, Antonio Conte

Pastor Chris Okafor’s ‘cyberstalking’ suit has stalled over actress Doris Ogala’s absence

The actress was sued by Chris Okafor, founder of the Mountain of Liberty and Miracle Ministry, and was later arraigned on a four-count charge.

The charge includes publishing personal materials without consent, dissemination of false information, cyberbullying, and attempted extortion.

However, the case was stalled on Thursday after Ogala failed to appear in court.

During the proceedings, prosecuting counsel Tolulope Mokuola drew the court’s attention to Ogala’s absence and applied for a bench warrant, noting that she had been duly served with the hearing notice.

In response, Temiloluwa Akindayini, Ogala’s lawyer, said she was absent due to health reasons, adding that she underwent surgery two days earlier.

“My Lord, the defendant is indisposed, having undergone a surgical procedure on April 21, 2026,” he said.

“She is currently in Abia state recuperating. An affidavit to that effect has been filed before this honourable court.”

Mokuola, however, faulted Akindayini for failing to notify the prosecution ahead of the hearing by serving the affidavit, and questioned the authenticity of the medical report presented by the defence.

Akintayo Aluko, the presiding judge, declined the application for a bench warrant, adding that Ogala should be given the benefit of the doubt, especially as an affidavit had been presented before the court.

The prosecuting counsel also urged the court to ensure that any subsequent medical report is issued by a government hospital and that the defence be held accountable if Ogala fails to appear at the next adjourned date.

The next hearing has now been fixed for June 9.

The court had earlier barred Ogala and social media activist VeryDarkMan from making references to Okafor and his ministry on social media platforms.

Ogala had alleged she was in a relationship with Okafor from 2017 and ended her previous marriage at his urging, accusing him of later betraying her despite promises of marriage.

She demanded he either marry her or pay compensation, eventually seeking N1 billion in damages.

Amid the dispute, Okafor married Pearl, initially dismissing Ogala’s reaction as “the devil’s anger”.

He later apologised and acknowledged their past relationship, but subsequently retracted the apology, claiming he was under pressure.

 Statement issued by Edo State Police Command 

The attention of the Edo State Police Command has been drawn to a viral video circulating on social media, showing the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, on official duty. In the video, one Emmanuel Eghogho, a comedian, was seen making certain remarks. 

The Command wishes to state unequivocally that the comments made in the video by the said Emmanuel Eghogho are entirely those of the individual and do not in any way reflect the views, position, or disposition of the Commissioner of Police or the Edo State Police Command. At no point did the Commissioner of Police endorse, adopt, or align himself with the remarks made.

For the avoidance of doubt, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc remains a thorough professional and a non-partisan officer who is fully committed to the constitutional mandate of the Nigeria Police Force. 

It will be recalled that the Command had earlier called on all political parties, their supporters, and the general public to conduct their political activities peacefully, lawfully, and without hindrance. The Command reiterates that every individual and group is free to pursue their legitimate political interests in accordance with the law.

However, the Command wishes to strongly warn that any act of violence, incitement, thuggery, or any conduct capable of undermining public peace and security will not be tolerated under any guise. Anyone found engaging in acts capable of breaching public order will be dealt with decisively in accordance with the law.

The Edo State Police Command remains steadfast in its commitment to maintaining peace, public safety, and the protection of democratic processes across the State.

ASP ENO IKOEDEM

Police Public Relations Officer

For:

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE  

Edo State Command.

Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov has said that US military actions in Iran and Venezuela are driven by a desire to control oil resources.

Speaking during an interview with state media, Lavrov said the US prioritises its own economic interests and is willing to use measures such as coups or targeting foreign leaders to secure access to natural resources.

According to him, the US has a doctrine of dominance in global energy markets and does not hide that oil is a key factor behind its interventions.

The Russian foreign minister also slammed what he described as the erosion of international law.

He argued that global decisions are increasingly shaped by power rather than rules.

” America’s actions in countries like Iran and Venezuela are driven only by oil interests,” Lavrov said.

War: US actions in Iran, Venezuela driven by oil interests – Russia