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Michelle Sam, the new face of Heart Disease victims and steps taken for survival.

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SAD! 13-Month-Old Michelle Sam Dies After Heart Surgery, Family Donates Proceeds To Charity
After several months of sourcing for funds for the survival of the kid, the Sam family has lost 13-month-old Michelle Sam to Symptomatic Heart Disease.
michelle-sam
Michelle was suffering from several heart conditions that lay undetected until she fell sick and was diagnosed of Symptomatic Heart Disease last April.
Later on, the family cried out for help of N6m from the general public for a heart surgery in India. Luckily for them, they met the target and preparation started for the family to fly out the little girl out of the country to begin her treatment.
However, the family was told the chances of Michelle surviving the surgery is very slim.
This prompted the father to channel his search to several America hospitals.
But unfortunately, the surgery could cost them from 30 to 40million Naira as against the initial cost of 6million in India.
In preparation for the America surgery, the family have to travel to Ghana to rerun some test before setting off to America for her treatment.
The consultants however, cut short their plans when, they were told, the hospital waiting list is too long for her to have the procedure in time, so her parents put all their efforts into raising money for a private operation to save their daughter’s life at the National Hospital in Abuja.
The mother said she knows other patients have been waiting a year for treatment, but Michelle can’t wait that long.
Mrs Sam said her baby was always in and out of hospital and was prone to a lot of infections.
She also disclosed that the pressure was already tough on the family, who desperately do not want to lose their daughter.
She said: ‘I have collapsed two times in hospital because of the stress, and have had to have counselling to help me deal with things
‘My husband had to be strong for the family and continue working as I’ve been off work for the last couple of months, looking after Michelle.
‘All I wanted was to help my baby, more than anything else in this world.’
Fast forward to November 15, the surgery was successfully carried out in Hospital for Humanity in Abuja by league of American doctors who were concerned about Michelle health and flew down to Nigeria for the surgery.
The joy of seeing their child recuperating was cut short on November 28, when 13 months old Michelle couldn’t bear the pain any longer and succumbed to death.
However, the left over proceeds from the donations from well meaning Nigerians has been used to set up a foundation in the name of Michelle Sam to help others going through the same predicament overcome it at early stage.
The family had also donated massively for another patient suffering from Heart surgery in Abuja few days after losing their own daughter.
Symptomatic Heart Disease is a birth defect of the heart in which there are holes between chambers of the heart, and the valves that control the flow of blood between these chambers may not be formed correctly.
This means that blood flows where it normally should not be able to, and extra blood flows to the lungs.
May God rest Michelle’s soul.

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IGP directs FCID to take over investigation of Jimoh Abdulqaudri’s death in Police custody

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The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, made an unscheduled visit to Ilorin, Kwara State, on Sunday and directed the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) to immediately take over the investigation into the death of Jimoh Abdulqaudri, who reportedly died in police detention on Friday, December 20, 2024.

Jimoh, who had been arrested over a debt of N220,000 owed to his employer, Mr. Peter, was allegedly tortured to death by some police officers at the Kwara State Command. The police initially informed the family that he had hung himself in the cell.

While addressing Balogun Fulani, the traditional ruler of the community, IGP Egbetokun urged the people, particularly the youth, not to take the law into their own hands. He assured the community that a thorough investigation would be conducted and that justice would be served.

“I have directed the Commissioner of Police to investigate this matter thoroughly. We will get to the root of this incident and make the findings public,” Egbetokun said. “I ask for calm and caution, as we await the outcome of the investigation. I am already forming my opinion, but I will not conclude until the investigation is complete.”

The IGP also stated that “very competent detectives” had taken over the investigation, expressing confidence that the truth about Jimoh’s death would be revealed.

In his comments, IGP Egbetokun assured the deceased’s family of the police’s support, saying, “We will support the family in any way we can. If there is anything we can do to ease their pain during this difficult time, they should reach out to us.”

Various community leaders, including Balogun Fulani, youth representatives, and the Ilorin Descendants Union, demanded justice for Jimoh’s death.

Jimoh’s family, including his elder brother Ismail and his mother, Mrs. Adijat Moriyike, told the IGP that the deceased had been tortured by the police. They claimed that police operatives had beaten him with a hard object, causing his nose to bleed, and later falsely reported that he had committed suicide.

“My brother was arrested over a debt of N220,000, and we were in the process of settling it,” his elder brother explained. “He was arrested with his phone and N350,000. We were called around midnight on December 20 to bail him, but when we arrived at the police headquarters, we were told he had been taken to the hospital. At the General Hospital mortuary, we saw his body covered in blood. They claimed he hanged himself, but my brother was tall and couldn’t have done that in the cell.”

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IGP Never Ordered Beating, Attacks On Policemen During Stop And Search. It Is A Lie – FPRO

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The Nigeria Police Force wishes to address a viral fake news story that has emerged, claiming that Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., has instructed citizens to physically assault and throw stones at police officers who request to search their phones.

This claim is entirely false and has no basis in reality. The IGP has not issued any such directive encouraging violence against law enforcement officers. Instead, he has called on citizens to report instances of police misconduct through appropriate channels. This approach underscores the importance of accountability and maintaining the rule of law, rather than resorting to violent actions.

Members of the public are urged to make use of the following Police helplines & contacts to lay complaints whenever necessary: +2347056792065, +2349133333785, +2349133333786, @PoliceNG on X, @ngpolice on Facebook, and @nigeriapoliceforce on Instagram. Citizens can also contact us by mail through; pressforabuja@police.gov.ng and reach us through the police website at npf.gov.ng

Members of the public are advised to remain vigilant against misinformation and verify information through credible sources. The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to fostering a cooperative and trustful relationship between the police and the communities they serve.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI
FPRO, ABUJA.
22ND DECEMBER 2024.

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Court stops customs from seizing imported rice in markets, seaports

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A court of appeal in Kaduna has ruled that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) should not impound foreign rice in the open market or on highways.

In a judgment delivered on December 6, a three-member panel of justices led by Ntong Ntong held that existing laws restrict NCS’ enforcement to land borders only.

The judgment was delivered in an appeal filed by the NCS, against a decision of the federal high court that acquitted one Suleiman Mohammed, a businessman, of charges related to the importation of rice.

Customs had arrested Mohammed after seizing a truck carrying 613 bags of foreign rice and 80 bags of millet belonging to the businessman on June 14, 2019, along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway.

Mohammed was charged and arraigned on a two-count charge.

However, in a judgment delivered on November 10, 2021, Z. B. Abubakar, trial judge, acquitted the defendants of the charges.

Abubakar held that the plaintiffs (customs) failed to adduce enough evidence to prove that the defendant imported the goods.

The judge also held that there is no subsisting blanket ban on the importation of foreign rice as claimed by the plaintiffs.

“…the evidence led by the prosecution through PW1, PW2, PW3 and the Exhibits tendered has not established that the Defendant imported Exhibit ‘NCS B1-B612’. Even the investigation conducted by the complainant (Nigeria Customs Service Board) on Exhibit ‘NCS B1-B612,” the judge held.

“As a matter of fact, Exhibit ‘NCS D’ could not reveal who imported the said Exhibits or where they imported from.

“It should be borne in mind that importation of foreign rice is not absolutely or totally prohibited. It is only importation of the product through the land borders of this country that was proscribed by the Federal Government vide Circular No. NCS/TXT/1XE/045/S.416/VOL.1X of 18th March, 2016. The circular provided that foreign rice only be imported into the country through seaports.”

The trial judge held that the prosecution failed to show that the goods were imported through land borders, adding that “the said exhibits could have been imported through the seaport, and the court is entitled to presume so”.

Furthermore, the lower court held that “loading any foreign rice into a truck is not an offence under both Sections 46(b) and 47(1) (a) (ii) of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) (Supra)”.

“It is the landing or unloading of goods or foreign rice at designated customs port CA/K/33/C/2022 or wharf that is prohibited by the aforementioned provisions of the Act,” the judge ruled.

‘APPEAL IS A HOAX’

Aggrieved by the trial court’s judgment, NCS filed an appeal.

However, the appellate court commended the trial court judge for “doing justice in the evaluation of the law and evidence adduced before it”.

Ntong said he agreed with the arguments put forward by the respondent’s lawyer and the judgment of the trial court.

“Truly, I also agree with the learned trial judge, that Kaduna-Zaria expressway is not a “Land border” as stipulated by the law and Exhibit “NCS D,” the justice held.

“Importation of foreign rice in any wise is not generally prohibited. It is restricted to land borders alone.

“If I were in the shoes of the appellant (NCS), I would have honourably thrown in the towel as this appeal is simply a hoax, a fluke and unmeritorious whatsoever.

“From the evidence in the Record of Appeal, the Respondent was merely a purchaser for value and not an importer. The Appellant ought to have arrested the importer and not a mere purchaser from open market with a receipt of purchase Exhibit NCS D.

“How can a fowl leave to attack who killed it to pursue who is de-feathering it? This is an Annang-African Idiom that means the Appellant ought not to shut its eyes away from the importer and be chasing petty traders and consumers who buy from the open market. After all prohibited or contraband goods always pass through the borders which are the beats of the Appellant.”

Consequently, the court dismissed the appeal in favour of the respondents.

The court further ordered customs to return all the goods seized from the businessman in 2019 or pay him the money equivalent.

“Consequently, the Appellant is hereby ordered to release or cause the release of the 613 bags of foreign rice, 80 bags of millet, Exhibit “C” and DAF truck with Registration Number: 57 BS 45 impounded and confiscated from the Respondent on 14th June, 2019 to the said Respondent Suleiman Mohammed or his representative forthwith,” the judge ruled.

“Where it has become difficult or impossible to return the items aforesaid, the Appellant shall pay to the Respondent a sum of money equivalent to the current price or cost of the items aforementioned.”

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