The Agege LGA in Lagos has suspended food vendors in schools under the council as part of measures to curb the spread of the cholera outbreak in the state.

On June 11, Akin Abayomi, Lagos commissioner for health, said five people died while about 60 residents were hospitalised as a result of a suspected cholera outbreak in some parts of the city.

On June 15, the commissioner confirmed the cholera outbreak, noting that there have been 350 suspected cases, out of which 17 have been confirmed cases, with 15 fatalities.

As of Thursday, the number of cholera-related deaths in the state had risen to 24.

NAN reports that Ganiyu Egunjobi, chairman of Agege LGA, said the council has embarked on rigorous sensitisation to prevent the spread of the disease.

Egunjobi noted that market stakeholders and schools have also been sensitised over the radio on precautionary measures to ensure the disease is prevented in the community.

“We have suspended all school food vendors to ensure the safety of the pupils and students,” he said.

“We have informed both the pupils and students on radio stations to come with their foods to ensure their safety from the cholera disease.

“This development will allow us to detect and prevent outbreaks in our community. We are working tirelessly to prevent the menace of cholera outbreaks in our community.

“We are using various means to talk to our people, through landlord associations and others, to caution them on ensuring hygiene in preparing foods and drinks.

“We urge residents to acquaint themselves with precautionary measures against the deadly cholera disease outbreak.”

A student from Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo (AE-FUNAI) in Ebonyi has been murdered.

NAN reports that the student, identified as Maxwell Okeke, was abducted and killed while in the custody of his captors.

Joshua Ukandu, spokesperson of the Ebonyi state police, confirmed that four suspects have been arrested in connection to the case.

He said efforts had been made to rescue Maxwell alive but the student’s decomposing corpse was instead discovered on June 17.

“We have commenced an investigation on the matter and four persons have so far been arrested in connection with the heinous crime,” Ukandu said

“The victim’s body has been recovered and taken to the mortuary. The investigation is ongoing to unravel the death. Four suspects have been arrested so far.”

Elom Iyke Ubochi, the spokesperson at AE-FUNAI, said Okeke was an “extra-year” accounting student when he was murdered.

Ubochi urged anyone with useful information that could aid in the police investigation to come forward and assist the authorities.

“The security agencies have apprehended some of those alleged to be involved in the abduction,” he added.

“They did everything possible to rescue him alive.

“Unfortunately, on Monday, June 17, the decomposing body of Okeke was painfully recovered under the bridge at Ako stream in Nwakpu village, on Ikwo/Abakaliki Road.”

Academic staff at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Gusau in Zamfara, has conditionally suspended its strike.

In March, the staff union at FCE Gusau embarked on an indefinite strike that lasted up to three months.

The staffers were protesting the appointment of Hauwa’u Gimbiya Mukhtar Abdulkarim as provost of the college.

The staff union claimed that Abdulkarim was not qualified for the position. They demanded her resignation.

The union alleged that Abdulkarim was appointed “on the ground of misrepresentation of forged document”.

A coalition of civil society groups in Zamfara had staged a protest to decry the poor progress of academic activities at FCE Gusau.

NAN reports that Muktar Abdullahi, chairman of the union, said the strike was called off on Thursday after a meeting with its members.

Abdullahi said the union’s members have been directed to resume academic activities immediately.

The chairman also apologised to students of the institution for the inconveniences caused to them during the strike.

“Let me apologize to our students. I assure you that we shall recover from the long absence of academic activities,” he said.

“Whatever happened should be put behind us. We have now resumed full academic activities.

“Members of the union reached an agreement after the meeting. We were able to resolve the issues at stake.”