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Lance Corporal Philomena Female Soldier Beaten By Superiors, Sent To Psychiatric Hospital — Son

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A female soldier attached to Ilese Sappers Barracks, Division 2, Ogun State, Lance Corporal Philomena Nnamoko, who alleged that her senior colleagues had been bullying and harassing her following her refusal to give in to their sexual advances, was allegedly beaten and sent to the Yaba Psychiatric Hospital following her interview (with The Punch) on January 28, 2024.

Philomena, in the interview, had spoken about how some of her superiors made sexual advances at her, claiming that she had written several letters seeking a voluntary discharge from the army, but was not granted.

Confirming that she was beaten and bundled to a psychiatric hospital, the only child of the soldier, Emmanuel Brown, on Monday evening said that he got the information that his mother was assaulted on Sunday night.

He said, “I got the information around 10 pm, and I rushed to the Medical Reception Station inside the barracks. When I got there, she was unconscious. When she regained consciousness, she explained how they beat her up. I feel horrible because of the stress, and I was saddened to see bruises on her body. While there, she even vomited, and I had to clean her up and cover her with clothes, because she was feeling cold.

“On getting to the MRS this (Monday) morning, I discovered that they had taken her to the Yaba Psychiatric Hospital. I was confused as to what happened to her to warrant her being taken to a psychiatric hospital.”

Corroborating Brown’s account, Philomena’s lawyer, Kayode Oshiyemi, also told our correspondent that his client was assaulted by a senior officer on Monday, alleging that they lied that she had a mental disorder to cover up for the assault.

He said, “She was assaulted yesterday (Sunday) by a captain in the barracks. They lied that she had mental issues to cover up the assault. They called her to the office this morning (Monday) and assaulted her. As we speak, she has been taken to Yaba under the guise that she has mental illness.

“But, she is very stable, and there is nothing wrong with her. She has been my client for over one year, so I know there is nothing wrong with her mentally. She consistently gave details of how she was harassed, assaulted and nearly raped. She is mentally stable, as she did not show any trace of mental illness. She brought documents to my office and answered all my questions very well. Whenever she was harassed, she called to inform me of the developments.

“They kept asking her to write (discharge) letters which were not submitted to the appropriate quarters.”

Philomena’s twin brother, Philip Edwin, also insisted to our correspondent that nothing was wrong with his twin sister’s mental health, as they were both relating properly.  He said, “Her son just called me today (Monday) and explained what happened to her last night. Meanwhile, she (Philomena) was with me last Wednesday, and we spoke very well. She is mentally okay, and even my friends can testify to it. There is nothing wrong with her mentally.

“I am feeling horrible, and I am not happy about it. The Army has a problem with her, and that is what is causing these issues.”

Meanwhile, all efforts to speak with the army’s spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, proved abortive as his number was unreachable, and he did not reply to messages sent to him via SMS and WhatsApp as of the time of filing this report.

 

Credit: The Punch

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BREAKING: Remains Of Late President Buhari Arrives In Katsina [VIDEO]

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The body of former President Muhammadu Buhari has reached Katsina State for his official burial ceremony.

Contrary to the initially scheduled arrival time, the former president’s remains landed at exactly 1:59 pm, shortly after President Bola Tinubu arrived.

The aircraft carrying Buhari’s remains landed at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, where President Tinubu was expected to receive it before it would be transported to Daura for the burial.

Members of Buhari’s family also arrived at the airport, including the visibly emotional former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, who was seen among the crowd.

Aisha Buhari and her children, all dressed in black, were accompanied by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.

Contrary to earlier reports suggesting the body would be flown in as cargo, Buhari’s remains arrived aboard the presidential jet, which also carried his family and a delegation led by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

 

More to come…

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Amaechi Wears Turban To Buhari’s Burial In Daura

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Rotimi Amaechi, who previously served as the minister of transportation, attended the funeral of former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina state, wearing a turban.

Buhari, the former president and head of state, passed away on July 13. His burial took place in his hometown, Daura, amidst national mourning.

Amaechi wore the cultural headgear to the ceremony held in honour of the late leader.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, Buhari’s remains were transported from London to Nigeria aboard the presidential jet.

Why Is Amaechi Wearing A Turban?

Amaechi received the title of Dan Amanar of Daura — which translates to “trusted son of Daura” — on February 5, 2022, as an acknowledgment of his contributions to the transport sector.

At that time, Silas Zwingina, a former deputy majority leader in the Senate, dismissed suggestions that the turbaning had political undertones, instead calling it a cultural show of gratitude by the Daura Emirate.

Zwingina stated that the Daura Emirate traditionally honours those who have made significant contributions to the development of the area.

He said it was unrelated to politics and urged people not to attach unnecessary meanings to the gesture, noting that Amaechi’s completed projects in Daura and across Nigeria stood on their own.

Amaechi’s turban has previously stirred controversy. In 2022, Musa Saidu, a leader of Arewa in the south, asked him to refrain from using the turban during political campaigns.

Saidu said the turban carries strong Islamic significance and should not be used as a political symbol.

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What Buhari Told Me About President Tinubu After Fuel Subsidy Removal — Katsina Governor Radda

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Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State shared details of his conversations with the late former President Muhammadu Buhari following his retirement, including a discussion on President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove petrol subsidy at the start of his administration.

While addressing reporters at the late president’s burial in Daura, Radda recounted his interactions with Buhari after he left office in 2023. He described gaining insights from Buhari’s leadership and patriotic values during this period.

He said that once Buhari returned to Daura after completing his term in 2023, they were able to engage more frequently, which allowed him to benefit from the former president’s wisdom and humor.

Radda mentioned that their conversations often focused on the challenges facing Nigerians and national service.

He shared that Buhari once told him, Your Excellency, go and do your best and be honest as a leader. You cannot satisfy Nigerians; only God can do that. He added that Buhari often spoke about the burdens he faced in office but felt relieved after retirement.

According to Radda, Buhari also said, I pity Bola (President Tinubu) for what he is doing. He is a brave man for removing the fuel subsidy. When I was president, whenever I made an attempt to remove the subsidy, a lot of people would give me too many reasons not to do so. But Bola did it immediately. If he had consulted people, he could not have removed the fuel subsidy now.

Radda emphasized that this was one of the conversations with Buhari that will stay with him. He said Buhari’s passing has left a significant void in Katsina State that will be difficult to fill.

President Tinubu ended the petrol subsidy on 29 May 2023, the day he assumed office after Buhari. He said the move was necessary to support economic growth and advance national progress.

He also stated that the Nigerian economy had long been underperforming due to various structural issues that hindered its development.

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