Metro
Court Recommends Psychiatric Evaluation for Woman Who Drowned Daughter in Bucket of Water
The Lagos State Magistrates’ Court sitting in Igbosere has sent Oluwafunmilola Adisa, who drowned her daughter, Oluwanifemi, in a bucket of water, for psychiatric evaluation at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
This followed an application filed by the Office of the Public Defender, which is representing Oluwafunmilola, that based on Section 217 (3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of 2015, the defendant should be sent to hospital so that psychiatric tests could be conducted on her to determine her mental state.
PUNCH Metro had reported that after Oluwafunmilola perpetrated the crime at her place of residence on Plot 221 Gowon Estate in the Ipaja area of the state, she wrote a note to her sister, Damilola, detailing how she killed her daughter, and she went to the Gowon Police Station to report herself.
The 22-year-old, who blamed her daughter for the hardship she had been facing after she gave birth to her 21 months ago, had been in police custody since she reported the case.
However, Nigerians and non-governmental organisations, including the President, Nigeria Association of Psychiatrists, Taiwo Sheikh; and the Director, Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative, Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, had called for Oluwafunmilola’s psychiatric evaluation as she might be suffering from postpartum depression.
During the court proceedings on Wednesday, the presiding magistrate, Dora Ojo, approved the OPD’s application and adjourned the case till June 26, 2020, for further hearing.
In a statement made available to our correspondent, the spokesperson for the OPD, Mamud Hassan, said the Director of the agency, Dr Babajide Martins, promised to do everything within the legal framework to defend Oluwafunmilola, adding that it was the responsibility of his office to provide free legal services for indigent and vulnerable persons in the state.
The statement read in part, “The Lagos State Magistrates’ Court, Igbosere, has sent 22-year-old mother, Oluwafunmilola Adisa, accused of killing her 21-month-old daughter, Oluwanifemi, by drowning her in a bucket of water, to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital’s, Psychiatric Department for psychiatric evaluation.
“Delivering her ruling on Wednesday, the presiding magistrate, Dora Ojo, granted the application of the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender, which is representing the defendant, that based on Section 217 (3) of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law of 2015, the defendant should be sent to the teaching hospital for the necessary psychiatric tests to determine her state of mental health.
“It will be recalled that the defendant, on May 11, 2020, was arrested after being alleged to have killed her 21-month-old daughter, Oluwanifemi, by drowning her in a bucket of water at their place of residence at the Gowon Estate, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.”
The Punch
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has shifted the commencement of its Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) in full computer-based (CBT) mode to 2027, rather than 2026, as previously directed by the Federal government.
The 2026 May/June WASSCE will still be a test-run pilot of the full-CBT format, with students having the option of sitting for their papers in either CBT or paper-and-pen format.
The Chairman of Nigeria National Committee (NNC) of WAEC, who is the Federal Government’s Nominee, Hajia Binta Abdulkadir, gave the hint on Thursday at the opening session of this year’s Annual Meeting of NNC (63rd edition) in Umuahia, Abia State.
NNC is the highest decision-making organ of WAEC for Nigeria, and the committee comprises virtually all the education stakeholders in the country. Members meet once annually on a rotational basis among the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Abdulkadir, who doubles as Director of Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, stated that NEC WAEC is aware of the concerns that the federal government directives to the examination bodies to migrate to full-CBT by 2026 have been raised among the stakeholders.
“So, I want to assure that no candidate sitting the 2026 WASSCE will be disenfranchised in any form,” she stressed.
Hajia Abdukadir explained some of the recent efforts made by WAEC towards smooth migration to full-CBT mode, including the training of senior school students on the pilot test of the use of tablets and digital style in responding to Essay Questions on a computer, among others.
Speaking on the recent review of the Basic and Secondary School Curricula, she assured that no candidate would also be restricted from registering subjects from other subject groups or distinct elective fields.
She said: “Science students are not barred from taking Economics as an elective to complete their subject selection even as the period for Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) uploading has been extended for accurate capturing of CASS for candidates, who must take new subjects in line with the Federal government’s approved list for the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2026.”
The Psychiatric Hospital and Elderly People’s Home built in Aguleri, Anambra State, by the Founder of Seraphic Homes Foundation (SHF), Evangelist Chukwuebuka Anozie Obi, has started operations.
Speaking to journalists in his office in Lagos on Saturday, Evangelist Ebuka Obi, who is also the Spiritual Director of Zion Prayer Movement Outreach, said two mentally challenged people, a man and a woman, had already been admitted to the hospital after being rescued from the streets Of Anambra by the Rescue team set up by the Seraphic foundation. The man was picked up from Nteje community while the woman used to roam the streets of Onitsha Main Market from where she was rescued.
“The two were immediately assessed by psychiatric doctors and other health professionals who started treatment thereafter. They are now being looked after and provided with all the care they need completely free of charge,” Ebuka disclosed, adding that the rescue team would bring in more mentally challenged people in the days ahead.
The Psychiatrist hospital which was built at Aguleri Anambra State, that cost over N1.6 billion was commissioned on September 19 by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State. It is designed to provide completely free psychiatric care to individuals battling mental illnesses. It offers comprehensive care including diagnosis, treatment, medication, rehabilitation, accommodation, and welfare to patients all at no cost to them or their families.
According to Ebuka, his foundation is “determined to create a society where the mentally challenged are no longer abandoned on the streets, but embraced, treated, rehabilitated and empowered to live meaningful lives after being reintegrated back to society”.
Seraphic Homes Foundation had in April this year opened the first ever Old People’s Home and Orphanage in Mgbirichi, Imo State. It was commissioned by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma. The state-of-the-art facility provides a safe and nurturing environment for orphans and elderly individuals, offering them a sense of belonging and care. “It is currently in operation and providing shelter, food, clothing, education, and healthcare for abandoned children, and ensuring that the elderly who have no one to take care of them are offered shelter and all the support they need in their old age”, the Evangelist added.
He explained that he established the foundation with the objective of touching and impacting lives positively and promoting the welfare of others, a passion he had always nursed from childhood upon being called by God early in life.
He stated that the foundation’s mission is to provide tangible help to those in need by addressing financial struggles and offering educational opportunities. “We run a whole range of programmes which support disadvantaged and impoverished families by providing scholarships for scores of children up to university level some of which have graduated as well as funding for patients who are unable to afford life-sustaining treatment and pay hospital bills for various health challenges”, he explained.
Evangelist Ebuka emphasized the importance of collective efforts to create a better world, encouraging individuals, businesses, and organizations to join the cause by donating, volunteering, or spreading the word.
He also disclosed plans to replicate the projects in all the states of the federation. “To serve humanity with all I have is my calling and this is what I am going to do for the rest of my life,” he declared.
Metro
At Kazeem’s Book Launch, Police Minister Canvasses Use of HR Drones for Effective Intelligence Gathering
The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has emphasized the importance of high-resolution drones for Police surveillance in the nation’s 36 states and Abuja, according to an statement made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP).
The Minister further urged the federal, state, and local governments, as well as the private sector, to cooperate in procuring the equipment while making a remark during the launch of a book titled Articles on Policy Dissemination: Navigating the Management Decision on Issues, written by Mr. Bolaji Oladimeji Kazeem, Deputy Director/Head of Information and Public Relations Unit of the Ministry, at the Ministry of Education Conference Hall, Abuja.
In his statement, read by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Ogbonnaya Nlia, the Minister noted that the High-Resolution Drone Surveillance will enable the Nigeria Police to gather intelligence and stay ahead of criminals such as bandits, kidnappers, illegal miners, terrorists, and anarchists in the country.
The Minister stated that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Police Affairs, has significantly improved intelligence sharing among security agencies, thereby reducing the tendency for them to work in silos by providing a platform for interaction and cooperation.
“The Ministry has rallied stakeholders to participate in the West African Information System (WAPIS) and Interpol’s 24/7 facility, highlighting the importance of information sharing in strengthening national security. This initiative has brought to light gaps in information sharing among security agencies, emphasizing the need for cooperation and collaboration to enhance security in Nigeria,” he said.
He averred that the Ministry of Police Affairs remains committed to implementing sustainable policies and programmes that will reform, re-equip, retrain, and motivate officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force.
Gaidam added that their efforts are aimed at ensuring professionalism, operational capability, and adherence to the rule of law, ultimately contributing to a safer and stronger Nigeria.
He recalled the Nigeria Police Training Institutions (Establishment) Act and the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Amendment) Act, the recently assented bills by Mr. President, to provide professional and continuous police training, sustainable funding for operational efficiency, and improved public trust and law enforcement ethics.
According to him, “I want to use this opportunity to appreciate the former and present Permanent Secretaries, the past and present directors, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, and stakeholders, who worked assiduously on the draft bills. This is a collective achievement of the police ecosystem.”
Senator Gaidam also commended the author’s efforts in compiling feature articles that project, analyze, and critique government policies, creating awareness and showcasing government activities.
Responding, the Author, Mr. Bolaji Oladimeji Kazeem, said he was pleased to have accomplished the task of compiling feature articles that project, analyze, and critique government policies, adding that the main goal is to create awareness and showcase government activities, reinforcing the potential of the Information cadre’s contributions to national development.
Earlier, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, represented by the AIG Zone 7, AIG Victor Olaiya, commended the author for creating an intellectually enriching event for a remarkable contribution to policy development and administrative excellence.
“At a time when clarity in communication, precision in policy direction, and sound decision-making play pivotal roles in national governance, this public ation arrives as both timely and impactful. It offers valuable insights that will undoubtedly benefit policy practitioners, public administrators, institutions, and stakeholders across multiple sectors,” he said.
He added that the Nigeria Police Force acknowledges the critical importance of effective policy dissemination inenhancing internal administration, strengthening institutional efficiency, anddeepening public trust. Our commitment to meaningful reforms and progressivepolicing is anchored on transparent communication, informed engagement, and theconsistent application of evidence-based practices.
