Metro
Sniper Claims Another Victim – a Secondary School Student
The family of Favour Ekemedili, a Senior Secondary School 1 pupil of the Cedar College, Baruwa, in the Ipaja area of Lagos State, has been thrown into mourning after she allegedly died of drinking a beverage said to be laced with an insecticide, Sniper, on the school premises.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Favour was in the classroom receiving lectures with her classmates when she allegedly took the beverage.
Immediately after consuming the beverage, it was learnt that she started complaining of severe stomach ache and was rushed to the school’s sickbay for urgent medical treatment.
While the nurse on duty was examining her to ascertain the cause of the discomfort, our correspondent gathered that Favour’s classmates, who saw when she took the beverage, were said to have showed the school management the leftover.
The beverage, after being examined, was discovered to be laced with Sniper and this prompted the school management to rush her to the General Hospital.
The Principal of the school, Samuel Adeliyi, said the management discovered that the beverage that Favour took was the cause of her stomach ache, because her classmates saw when she consumed it.
While commiserating with the bereaved family, the principal said the school management had paid a condolence visit to the family.
Adeliyi said, “On that faithful day, the first period was over and the teacher had left the class for the next teacher to come in. While they were waiting for the next teacher to come in, the girl (Favour) stood up, brought out the drink from her bag, went to the window and started drinking it.
“As she was drinking it, she poured some quantity through the window. Her classmate even challenged her for pouring the beverage away, but she didn’t answer them and as the next teacher entered the class, she threw the bottle away through the window.
“Three minutes later, she started complaining of stomach ache and she fell down. The classmates quickly rushed her to the sickbay and while she was being attended to by the nurse, her classmates, who went in search of the bottle, brought it to the sickbay to show the nurse what she took. When they smelled the content, they realised that the drink was Sniper. So, the nurse realised that the case was beyond the capacity of the sickbay and rushed her to the hospital that the school uses.”
When contacted, the deceased’s mother, Nkem, blamed the school management for not properly monitoring her daughter while in their care.
“I don’t have any issue; I leave everything to God. Whatever I say cannot change what has happened. My daughter left my house and went to school; while in the class, was she monitored? But I leave everything to God because whatever I say cannot bring back my daughter,” she stated.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, in a statement on Sunday, said Favour died while receiving treatment at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.He added that the remaining content of the beverage bottle had been taken to the laboratory for testing.
He stated that the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department had commenced investigation into the incident.
Elkana said, “On Thursday, May 30, 2019, around 5.40pm, the Ipaja Police Station received a complaint from the Cedar College, Baruwa, that on the same date around 9am, one Favour Ekemedili, an SS1 pupil complained of severe stomach ache and was rushed to the school’s sickbay. The school’s sickbay immediately moved her to the general hospital, which in turn referred her to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where she was admitted for medical attention.
“Her parents were contacted by the school authority. She died around 6pm while receiving treatment. Her friends, who witnessed the incident, stated that the stomach ache started after the girl took a beverage, known as Fanjuice. On a close check of the bottle, it was discovered that it contained an insecticide known as Sniper and not the beverage. The chemical substance was taken for laboratory testing. Homicide detectives from the SCIID are investigating the case.”
The Punch
Abuja, the nation’s federal capital, came alive with joy and excitement on Wednesday as a new set of winners in the ongoing Globacom Festival of Joy promotion received mouth-watering prizes they won at a special presentation ceremony held at the premises of Globacom at Aminu Kano Crescent.
A glittering brand new Toyota Prado, a brand new Kia Picanto, tricycles (Keke Napep) and scores of other prizes including power generating sets, sewing machines and grinding machines were handed over to joyful winners.
Sarah Ilya Madu was presented the keys to her brand-new Toyota Prado by Senator Simon Lalong, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth Development, supported by a stellar cast of celebrities and influencers.
Sarah, a federal civil servant from Borno State, who emerged winner of the Toyota Prado in the draw of the promotion held in Abuja last Friday, expressed shock when she was called up. She dropped the call from Globacom several times because the news was too good to be believed.
She said, “I was prevailed upon by my colleagues to do a video call with the Glo staff who called me. Even when I saw the office environment, I was still doubtful.” She added that when she eventually agreed to visit the Glo office, she went with a hefty colleague just in case she was being set up.
Ufot Victor, a 43-year-old businessman based in the FCT, was expectant about winning as he had been recharging regularly so as to cross the minimum requirement for a car. Winning a brand new Kia Picanto was a huge reward for his dedication.
Other lucky winners also went home with tricycles (Keke), power generating sets, sewing machines and grinding machines. Ireimiya Mallo, a SIM registration agent and native of Nasarawa State, who won Keke, said, ”I was so joyful on learning I had won a Keke”. He disclosed that he would be deploying it for commercial purpose”, while the winner of a power generating set, Felix Gabriel, thanked Globacom for always remembering Nigerians every year in its annual promos.
The Special Guest, Senator Simon Lalong, praised the Chairman of Globacom for putting the promo in place for Nigerians and also extolled his strong support for sports. He said he would love to be a winner in the Glo promo one day soon. Also Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the spokesman of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youth Development, said Globacom has always been a brand after his heart, adding that the network is not just attracting customers but also giving out to show that it means well not only for the customers but also for Nigerians.
In his remarks at the event, Globacom’s Head of Division, North West, Mr. Kazeem Kaka, said that to participate in the Festival of Joy promo, new and existing subscribers should dial *611# so as to opt into the promo and to keep recharging thereafter to meet the threshold for the various prizes. He added that new subscribers can participate immediately by purchasing a new SIM, registering it and dialing *611#.
Guests at the event included representatives of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Mariam Imam, Assistant Director, Consumer Affairs at the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Moses Iyi; comedians, Tee A, Seyi Law, and Gordons.
Others were Nollywood duo of Ebube Nwagbo and Juliet Ibrahim as well as popular content creator, Kiekie.
U.S immigration and border officials will be able to arrest migrants at so-called “sensitive” locations again, after the Trump administration overturned policies limiting where such arrests could happen.
Officers will now be able to make arrests at designated “sensitive” areas, including houses of worship, schools, and hospitals.
Officials have been prohibited from doing this since 2011.
Later, the Biden administration expanded the regulation, further restricting the authority’s powers.
“Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
“The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.”
A second directive reinstates the ability for the U.S. to quickly deport any undocumented person arrested who is unable to prove they have been in the country for more than two years.
A 23-year-old Turkish OnlyFans model, Azranur AV aka Ezra Vandan, has been arrested by Istanbul police after announcing her plan to engage in sexual activity with 100 men within 24 hours.
Vandan’s social media post, in which she declared her intention to live-stream the act in an attempt to set a national record, was deemed “obscene” and “damaging” to public morals by authorities.
“My goal is to break a Turkish record first, then a world record!” she wrote in the now-viral post.
Her arrest was carried out by the Morality Bureau of the Istanbul Security Branch Directorate at a cosmetic surgery clinic in Atasehir, Istanbul.
