BREAKING; Former Minister dies after protracted illnes, Governor mourns

Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni (Rtd), the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, is dead.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, confirmed this in a statement by his Director of Press and Public Affairs (DOPPA), Dr Gyang Bere, on Thursday in Jos.

Mutfwang said that Useni, who also represented Plateau South Senatorial District between 2015 and 2019, died at the age of 82.

The governor also confirmed that the former FCT minister under Gen. Sani Abacha’s government, died on Thursday after a protracted illness.

Mutfwang, who described Useni’s demise as a huge loss to Plateau, urged his immediate family and residents of the state in general to take solace in God.

“On behalf of my family, the government, and the peace-loving people of Plateau, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy to the President, the Armed Forces and Tarok nation over the loss of this distinguished elder statesman.

“I wish to also extend my condolences to his immediate family and relations; I call on them to take solace in God in this trying time ,”Bere quoted Mutfwang as saying.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the deceased also served as Minister of Transport and Quarter-Master General of the Nigerian Army, among many other appointments during his military career.

After retirement, Useni ventured into politics where he served as Deputy Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and senator.

He was also the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau during the 2019 General Elections. (NAN)

Nigerian army denies alleged abandonment of wounded Soldier

The Nigerian Army has denied the allegation by one of its wounded soldiers, Lance Cpl. Itodo David, that he had been abandoned at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital (NARHK) Kaduna.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, made the rebuttal in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Nwachukwu said the army received the allegation with utmost concern the very touching and pathetic story of the soldier as narrated in a trending audio visual circulating in the social media.

He said the narration portrayed that the soldier had sustained an injury while on a combat operation and has been left in a state of abandonment and neglect since the incident.

According to him, though it is not untrue that Itodo had suffered a gunshot injury back in 2015, it was successfully managed at the same 44 NARHK and was fully restored to active life.

“Disturbing as Itodo’s current situation is, the narration did not, however, give a true picture of what transpired.

“He failed to acknowledge the untiring effort of the Nigerian army to provide medical and psychological support for the healing of the soldier and several other ailing personnel who had received medical intervention both within and outside the country.

“Lance Cpl Itodo David , a 33 year old male soldier is currently admitted in 44 NARHK following a complete spinal cord injury sustained four years ago, when he was knocked down by a fast moving vehicle while riding his motorbike at Abia State on Sept. 7, 2020.

“He was then resuscitated at the Federal Medical Centre Owerri before he was evacuated to 82 Division Medical Services and Hospital (DMSH) Enugu.

“He was subsequently referred on three months post injury with Quadriplegia (paralysis of both arms and legs), muscle atrophy (loss of muscle mass) and multiple pressure sores over the occiput, arms and the gluteal region as well as fracture and displacement of the cervical vertebra,” he said.

Nwachukwu said that the Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) revealed complete spinal cord transection injury.

He said the current situation, as revealed in the medical evaluation, indicated that Itodo’s inability to walk was permanent, which had been adequately explained to the soldier.

This finding, according to Nwachukwu, was corroborated by medical experts both within and outside the shores of the country, who conducted both physical and remote medical reviews of his condition.

He added that several medical interventions had been made to ameliorate his condition and had been placed on physiotherapy to improve his muscle tone, while the pressure sores were continuously dressed and managed and had also been regularly attended to by psychologists.

“The soldier has thus been on Conservative management in the hospital and not abandoned as wrongly portrayed in the video.

“The leadership of the Nigerian army genuinely empathizes with the personnel and wishes that it could do more to bring the soldier back to his feet in the face of a medically feasible opportunity,” he added. (NAN)

Church member I accommodated in my house defiled my Daughter – Man cries out

A man (name withheld) on Thursday narrated before an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court how a man, Blessing Adetula, allegedly defiled his nine-year-old daughter.

Adetula is standing trial on a count charge of sexual assault by penetration.

At the resumed hearing, the witness was led in evidence by the state counsel, Mr Babajide Boye.

He told the court that the defendant was his church member who he accommodated in his house.

“I know him from church.

“I accommodated him in my house because the work he was doing was close to my house.

“He could not go to work everyday from his own house,” the witness said.

The witness said that his daughter was nine at the time of the incident, adding that he has three children, two boys and a girl.

He revealed that the alleged incident happened on his wife’s birthday.

The witness said: “I was at work but my wife was at home because it was her birthday.

“My wife left home very early to Ikotun market to get something, before she came back, something happened.

“My wife over heard my daughter telling one of her brothers to tell their mother what happened.

“My daughter later confessed to her mother that Adetula inserted his manhood into her vagina.”

The witness told the court that he instructed his wife to report the case to the police

“The police took my daughter to Mirabel Medical Centre in Ikeja and ran some tests on her,” he said.

Justice Rahman Oshodi, after listening to the witness, adjourned the case until March 12 for cross-examination.

The prosecution alleged that the defendant committed the offence on March 8, 2020, at Raji Street, at Egbe Ikotun, Lagos.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offence contravene Section 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015. (NAN)