Thirteen-year-old Boy dies after ‘attempting a stunt he saw on Social Media

A Southern California family is mourning the loss of their 13-year-old son, Nnamdi Glenn Ohaeri Jr., who they believe died after participating in a dangerous social media challenge similar to a past trend that claimed multiple young lives.

The teen was found unresponsive in his bedroom in Murrieta on the morning of February 3, just a day after spending time with his family watching the Grammy Awards.

When his parents discovered him, his mother immediately began performing CPR while his father, Nnamdi Ohaeri Sr., sought help from a neighbor and called emergency services.

Despite their efforts, the boy was later pronounced dead. While initial signs suggested the possibility of suicide, his parents were unconvinced and began their own investigation. They soon learned that their son may have been influenced by a hazardous social media challenge circulating among his peers.

The challenge, similar to the infamous “Blackout Challenge,” reportedly dares participants to render themselves unconscious. This trend has been linked to several deaths in recent years, prompting warnings from parents and authorities alike.

However, Ohaeri Jr. had no social media accounts, and his phone was equipped with strict parental controls, leading his parents to believe he learned about the challenge from classmates or friends.

The grieving parents now hope their son’s story will serve as a wake-up call for other families. They urge parents to be vigilant about the content and trends their children may encounter, whether online or through peer interactions.

Ohaeri Sr. reflected on the tragedy, acknowledging that while he had been proactive in discussing topics like drugs with his sons, he hadn’t considered the dangers of social media challenges.

“We don’t talk about not following social media trends or playing social media games,” he said. “And maybe we need to.”

In the aftermath of their son’s death, the family is left grappling with guilt and unanswered questions. “I’m going through the Rolodex of guilt now, wondering if we checked in enough or if I should have been less strict years ago,” Ohaeri Sr. shared.

The family hopes their heartbreaking experience will encourage other parents to have open conversations with their children about the hidden risks of social media and peer pressure.

Authorities have not yet released an official cause of death, and it remains unclear whether the incident is being investigated as a suicide or an accidental result of the social media challenge. The Murrieta Police Department has not provided further details on the case.

Several people neutralised as Military personnel hit suspected Bandits in major ambush

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) soldiers have killed a number of bandits in Tsafe Local Government Area (LGA), Zamfara State, in a decisive operation that involved targeted airstrikes.

The strike came after a well-planned intelligence operation, according to a report from “Zagazola Makama,” one of the top counter-insurgency publications in the Lake Chad region.

According to sources, the robbers had left Tsafe LGA and were thought to be connected to the notorious bandit boss Ado Aliero.

Their mission was to rustle cattle from nearby communities, a crime they successfully carried out before attempting to escape with the stolen livestock.

However, their retreat was cut short when they encountered resistance from local security forces. As the bandits moved into a mountainous area, security forces, tracking their movements, set up an ambush. Upon confirming the bandits’ location, the Nigerian Air Force was promptly alerted.

With precision, air assets were deployed to engage the fleeing bandits. Eyewitness accounts confirmed that numerous bandits were neutralized, though the precise death toll remained unverified at the time of the report.

Sources further revealed that at least 23 bandits were killed, with several others suffering injuries. Additionally, a significant number of rustled cattle were recovered by the troops, dealing a severe blow to the criminal operation in the region.

This successful strike underscores the growing effectiveness of coordinated intelligence and military operations in the ongoing fight against banditry and insurgency in northern Nigeria.

President Tinubu’s Minister takes on Ganduje as fesh crisis rocis APC

The Minister of State for Housing, Yusuf Abdullahi Atta, has cautioned the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje against any attempts to allow the current Chairman of the APC in Kano to continue in office for a fourth term.

The Minister was quoted to have warned that any attempt to gives the current Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Abbas another chance, would lead to serious crises in the party.

The Minister issued the threats at a caucus meeting in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano, on Saturday.

The Minister said, “we will not take it lightly with anybody trying to return Abdullahi Abbas to office after the expiration of his tenure, because it violates the constitution of the party”.

“We would not accept the Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas to be imposed on us for the fourth term, this will surely result in us decamping immediately from the party”, he threatened.

“We are saying loud and clear, I swear if Abdullahi Abbas is given another chance all of us will decamp from the party and APC will crash and lose 2027, this is my message to anybody who cares to listen”.

Yusuf Atta alleged that the arrogant and misguided disposition of Abdullahi Abbas as state Chairman is among the many negative tendencies that crippled and made the party to lost power in 2023.

“And up till today, the same person has not changed, therefore we are strongly warning that in any case and anyhow Abdullahi Abbas is given another chance everyone should consider the Party losing 2027.

” We were given good training by our parents and we know who God is, we never dare him but this man doesnt know that, therefore with him as Chairman APC is a foregone party in Kano.”

Atta said in 2023, APC won the governorship contest with Gawuna and Sule Garo as candidate and deputy but that Anti God remarks of Abdullahi Abbas truncated their victory.

There are reports that the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje is planning on reimposing Abdullahi Abbas to continue as the state chairman of the party for the fourth term.