Woman nabbed for stealing infant during christening

The Nasarawa State Police Command says it has arrested one Khadija Aliyu for allegedly stealing a seven-day-old baby girl during a naming ceremony in the Keffi area of the state.

This is just as the command also arrested an ex-convict, Hussaini Mohammed, for allegedly stealing motorcycles in the same area.

it was reported that  in a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Rahman Nansel, on Sunday, that the suspect was arrested at about 6:30 pm on Saturday.

Nansel said the suspect had pretended to be pregnant and, while the christening was ongoing, she sneaked into the house and stole the baby who had been laid to sleep

She was said to have carried the baby on her back, covered her with a veil, and escaped before being tracked down by police operatives.

He said, “At about 6:30 hrs, police operatives attached to the Keffi Division arrested one Khadija Aliyu for stealing a seven-day-old baby girl during a naming ceremony in Keffi.

“The suspect, who had been claiming to be pregnant, attended a naming ceremony at Behind INEC office, Keffi.

“While the event was ongoing, she sneaked into the house, stole the baby that was laid to sleep, carried the child on her back, covered her with a veil, and escaped before she was later arrested.”

In another incident, Rahman disclosed that Mohammed was apprehended for allegedly stealing motorcycles in the same area.

According to the PPRO, Hussaini, who was recently discharged from a correctional facility, was apprehended during the investigation into a case of stolen motorcycles.

Nansel said, “During the investigation, three motorcycles suspected to be stolen items were recovered from the suspect as exhibits.”

He added that the Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu Nadada, called on members of the public with cases of stolen motorcycles to visit the Angwan Lambu Division in Keffi with proofs of ownership and lay claims to the items.

PUNCH Metro reported in July 2023 that a 19-year-old woman from Ishehi Hamlet in Misau Local Government Area of Bauchi State was arrested by the police for allegedly stealing a newborn baby.

The suspect, Hajara Usman, had allegedly stolen the infant after conspiring with an 18-year-old man, Ibrahim Usman, of Dugurgama Hamlet.

The Bauchi State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, said the suspect was arrested after a resident of the Galawa Area of Akuyam District in Misau LGA reported the incident at the Akuyam Police Outstation that his daughter’s newborn baby was stolen at about 4:30 am.

11 states Received Alerts Over planned Release Of lagdo dam By Cameroon

By shonibare Timileyin

The Federal Government on Tuesday alerted Nigerians to the water release from Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.

The FG made this known in a press statement signed by the Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, Umar Muhammed.

The statement noted that the authorities of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon will initiate controlled water releases starting from Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

It said the water discharge is anticipated to progressively escalate to 1000m³/s over the next seven days based on the inflow from the upstream Garoua River.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency wishes to notify the general public that the authorities of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon have communicated to the agency that they will initiate controlled water releases at a rate of 100m³/s (8,640,000m³/day) starting today, 17 September 2023.

“The water discharge is anticipated to progressively escalate to 1000m³/s over the next seven days based on the inflow from the upstream Garoua River, which serves as the primary source into the reservoir and a significant tributary to the Benue River.

“Nonetheless, the dam operators have indicated that the planned water discharges will be gradual to avoid surpassing the conveyance capacity of the Benue river system and triggering substantial flooding downstream in Nigeria. The overflow from the Lagdo Dam is projected to cease once there is a noticeable reduction in the flow into the Lagdo reservoir,” the statement read in part.

The agency, however, said there was no cause for alarm.

“The agency unequivocally states that there is no need for alarm as major flooding downstream in Nigeria is not anticipated since the flow levels along the Benue River are still within cautionary limits.

“Nevertheless, it is of utmost importance for all states bordering the Benue River system, namely: Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross Rivers, and Rivers, along with the government at all levels (federal, state, and LGAs) to heighten their vigilance and implement appropriate preparedness measures to mitigate potential flooding impacts that may arise due to an increase in flow levels of our major rivers during this period.

“The agency will continue to diligently monitor the flow conditions of the transboundary Benue River and the national inland rivers, and consistently provide regular updates on water levels across major rivers to prevent further flood disasters,” it added.

The dam is located in the Northern Province of Cameroon, on the Benue River, in the Niger basin. The lake covers an area of 586

The release of water from Lagdo Dam has long been a cause for concern for many in Nigeria as it affects many states because it serves as the entry point of River Benue.

Last week, there was a devastating flood in Borno State which killed over 30 persons and affected over a million citizens in the state.

Cleric Cries Out For Help as wife gives birth to 11 babies

A 56-year-old Islamic cleric based in Ajasse-Cotonou in the Benin Republic, Alfa Yahya Nafiu, has confirmed that his wife delivered 11 babies in Nigeria’s neighbouring country between July and August this year.

Yahya, an indigene of Onikeke compound, Popo Giwa area, Ilorin, Kwara State capital, said his wife, whose name was given as Chognika Latoyossi Alake, a native of Ajasse-Cotonou, gave birth to the 11 babies in a traditional birth attendant’s home in Porto Novo in Benin Republic between July 7 and August 14, 2024.

He, however, lamented that two of the 11 children were lost at birth leaving the rest nine surviving.

In a telephone conversation on Wednesday, Yahya said, “Yes, it is true that my wife gave birth to 11 children after a long period of pregnancy. They are eight boys and three girls. The babies were delivered in two separate months, July 7 and August 14 at a traditional birth attendant’s home in Porto Novo. She gave birth to six children in July and the rest five in August. We lost two of the children at birth. One out of the first six died while one of the last five children also died but I’m grateful to Allah that the rest nine children and their mother are alive”, he said.

He, however, lamented that his family was having financial challenge due to the huge amount of money required in taking care of the babies and their mother as well as transporting the babies to Ilorin.

“One other major challenge that we are  now facing before we could bring the children home to Ilorin to show them to my parents is how to raise money for the marriage rites, as well as medical bills and police report”, Yahya said.

He appealed to both the Federal and Kwara State governments as well as well-to-do people in society to come to his aid by giving him financial assistance to take care of the babies whom he described as a favour from Allah.

Also, the Chief Imam of Iponrin in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, Alhaji Zakariyau Nafiu, who is the elder brother of Yahya confirmed that Latoyosi, who is the third wife of his brother, gave birth to 11 babies in Cotonou.

He said, “My brother’s third wife, Latoyosi, gave birth to 11 children in Cotonou. As it is customary of the Ilorin people, we have informed the Emir of Ilorin, Mai Maitaba Olola wa Alhaji Sulu-Gambari of the birth of the children and other people who are supposed to know of it.”

Also reacting to the news of the birth of the babies, the national president of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union, Alhaji Abdulmumini Abdulmalik, confirmed that the father of the children hails from Onikeke Compound, Popo Giwa area of Ilorin.

He expressed delight that an Ilorin indigene living in Cotonou, Benin Republic had been blessed with decuplets.

“While welcoming the decuplets and congratulating the parents on this uncommon blessing, we rejoice with the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, during whose reign this glorious history of an Ilorin indigene having decuplets is recorded”, he added.

Abdulmalik appealed to both government and public-spirited individuals, especially the philanthropists in Ilorin Emirate, to support Nafiu financially and materially to enable him to fulfil his parental responsibility.