Headlines
HELP!!! 17 Months Old Carina Needs N7.2m to Get Her Life Back
By Eric Elezuo
When on March 1, 2018, Carina Johnson was born; she was a beauty to behold and an added joy to the Johnson family. But that joy came to an abrupt end as she was diagnosed of a congenital heart defect six months after birth.
The baby’s heart condition was confirmed by two different Paediatric Cardiologists, who were consulted as the family frantically sought remedy to her incessant illness. The cardiologists further stated that she would have to undergo a surgery to correct the defect as urgent as possible.
Speaking exclusively to us, the mother of the child, Mrs. Seyi Johnson said that she had to practically beg for funds to carry out the surgery.
“I had to solicit for funds because we couldn’t afford it. And with the help of kind spirited Nigerians, we succeeded, and that was how Carina was moved to MIOT Hospital, Chennai, India, on December 3, 2018 where the surgery was carried.
But once again, the joy was short-lived as it was discovered that there were complications arising from the operation just two weeks after they returned to Nigeria in February 2019. And ever since then, Carina has spent about 95 percent of her life in the bed of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos.
According to the Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist, Dr. O. J. Sokunbi, in his report on Carina, she “ will require re-evaluation and if required, a redo surgery to address the residual heart lesion to improve her symptoms”.
The report further diagnosed leaky valve, vegetation on the high valve, High Pressures in the Lungs and Reduction in Platelets. It is worthy of note that she had been transfused 18 pints of platelets so far.
The long and short story on Carina, according to the doctors, is that the child needs a second surgery to correct the valve issues for her to be fine and live a normal life again.
The total cost for the second surgery in India is N7.2 million which the family cannot afford at the moment. However, according to Mrs. Johnson, “we have been able to raise N3.7 million, and we are calling on wonderful Nigerians and kind hearted individuals from across the globe to come to our aid and save Carina’s life.
Mrs. Johnson also revealed that the family is in touch with the Down Syndrome Foundation, whose President is Mrs. Rose Mordi. The Foundation has been in the forefront of putting together the surgery process for Carina, but unfortunately cannot foot the bill.
Attached are all relevant documents connected to Carina’s health matters since she was born.
The family once more call on well meaning Nigerians to help give this girl opportunity live life – something she is yet to do in as many as 17 months.
Kindly send donations to CARINA JOHNSON, STERLING BANK, 0069586005
Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, acting on the orders of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, through the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja, has extended an invitation to the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, for an “investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain”.
The said incident is in connection with the violence that broke out during the recent Eid-el-Fitr procession in Kano, which resulted in the death of a local vigilante member.
The incident happened as the Emir’s entourage moved from the Eid prayer ground to the palace in a traditional procession. The clash, which marred the otherwise peaceful celebration, led to the tragic loss of life of a vigilante member, Surajo Rabiu, and left one other injured.
The invitation was conveyed in an official letter dated April 4, 2025, and signed by Commissioner of Police, CP Olajide Rufus Ibitoye, on behalf of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in-charge of Force Intelligence Department (FID) Abuja.
The letter reads: “I have the directives of the Inspector General of Police, through the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Intelligence Department (FID), to invite you for an investigative meeting with regards to an incident that occurred during the Sallah celebration within your domain.”
The Emir has been requested to appear before the Force Intelligence Department in Abuja, opposite the Police Headquarters, Area 11, by 10:00am on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.
This development comes amid heightened tensions in Kano State following the earlier decision by the State Police Command to ban the annual Durbar festival due to security concerns. The ban, announced days before the Eid-el-Fitr celebration, was intended to prevent any possible breakdown of law and order during the festive period.
However, despite the suspension of the Durbar, a motorcade procession of Emir Sanusi II still took place on the third day of the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
The Kano State Police Commissioner, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, had also inaugurated an eight-member Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to investigate the violence.
As at the time of this report, there has been no official response from the Emir Sanusi II’s palace regarding the Police invitation.
Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has resigned his appointment.
Reports say the former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.
Further reports quoting presidency sources did not, however, provide details of the reasons for his decision, but only stated that it was on personal grounds.
Baba-Ahmed was appointed in September 2023 as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Over the past 17 months, he had represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from January 28 and 29, 2025 in Abuja.
The Supreme Court has set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja recognising Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).
In a unanimous judgment, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to have pronounced Abure National Chairman of the Labour Party, after finding out earlier that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership.
The apex court held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party, over which courts lacks jurisdiction.
The court further allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and one other, and held that it is meritorious.
It also proceeded to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure group of the Labour Party for being unmeritorious.
In January, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reiterated that Abure remained the chairman of the LP.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Hamma Barka, held that its judgment of November 13, 2024, which recognises Abure as national chairman, subsists and has not been set aside by any court.
Justice Barka made the declaration while delivering judgment in two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and the caretaker committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The appellate court in the two separate appeals held that it did not delve into the issue of the leadership of the Labour Party because such issues are not justiciable.
It said that anything done outside jurisdiction amounts to a nullity. Hence, the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on October 8, 2024, by Justice Emeka Nwite is of no effect because it was delivered without jurisdiction.
