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UNIZIK Fresh Graduate Escaping Prankster’s Tricycle Robbery Dies, Friend Hospitalised

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A fresh graduate of the Department of Quantity Surveying, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Ifunanya Miracle, also known as Bliss, has lost her life during an attempt to escape a yet-to-be-identified prankster’s robbery on the premises of the school in the Awka area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that Ifunanya’s friend, identified as Peace, a student in the Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, who was also involved in the robbery, sustained varying degrees of injury and was said to have been rushed to the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital for treatment.

Report has it that Ifunanya, during her studies, engaged in the business of Point-of-Sale operations on the premises of the school.

The graduate was said to have closed her business for the day on Sunday, June 9, 2024, and boarded a tricycle along with Peace to a destination.

The two were said to be on their way when a passenger, who sat beside them, allegedly attempted to rob them of their valuables.

A student of the school, under anonymity  for fear of victimisation, said that in a desperate attempt to escape the robbery, the two students jumped out of the moving tricycle, adding that while Peace sustained injuries, Miracle was unlucky as she hit her head on the ground during the attempt to escape the operation.

The student said, “Miracle just graduated from the university and does a Point-of-Sale operation in the school. The incident happened around 7 pm on June 9, 2024. She does her PoS business at the front of my residence.

“She usually packed her business stuff under the staircase in our compound and the stuff is still there. She packed it and put it back there in the evening. But all of a sudden, we just heard that she was dead.

“We were like how; she still dropped her stuff under the staircase of our compound on Monday. From what we gathered, she was on a moving tricycle with her friend when a fellow passenger, ordered them to give him their phones.

“While trying to escape, Miracle jumped out of the tricycle and hit her head on the road and by the time she was rushed to the hospital, she had died. Her friend, who also jumped out of the tricycle sustained injuries and she is still in hospital.”

Another student said the man, who ordered the victims to surrender their property, later claimed that he was pranking them, adding that unconfirmed reports indicated that the man had reported himself to the police.

The student said, “We heard the guy has reported himself at the police station and claimed it was a prank. How can he be pranking someone on a moving tricycle? After the incident, we have not heard anything. This lady (Miracle) just died because of the carelessness of some people who claimed to be pranksters.

“It could be that he wanted to rob and when he saw the outcome of his action, he changed the argument to pranking because of what happened. The university has not said anything about the case. The fact that the school has not addressed it is a concern. The girl just did her convocation.

“The girl who died is Ifunanya Miracle, also known as Bliss, and she was a student in the Department of Quantity Surveying. Her friend’s name is Peace, in the Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry. She was hospitalised after the incident.”

The spokesperson for the school, Dr Emmanuel Ojukwu, when contacted on Monday, confirmed the case and noted that the prankster, a final-year student of the school, would face disciplinary measures after Miracle had been buried.

He said, “The university is fully aware of the incident. It was not a robbery but a very expensive prank. The students were told to bring their phones but they didn’t know it was a prank. So, they jumped, one died and one survived.

“The families of the victims and that of the final-year student who pranked the victims have held a meeting with us and it was established that it was a prank.

“The families have reached some agreement and we want the process of the burial to take place before the student that pranked them will face disciplinary measures.

“It was an unfortunate incident; the school regrets it, the student who pranked them regrets it and the family of the concerned student will take responsibility for the funeral of the dead victim and the hospital bill of the other student. We use this opportunity to warn students to avoid expensive pranks that lead to death, the person will face the music.”

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Federal Government Earmarks N827bn For Education Infrastructure In 2025 Budget

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Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has announced that the Federal Government has disbursed a total of N34bn in loans to students studying at tertiary institutions across the country through the “Nigeria Education Loan Fund.”

The President made this statement on Wednesday while presenting the N49.7tn 2025 budget estimates to a joint session of the National Assembly. He also highlighted that the government has allocated N826bn for infrastructure development in the education sector for the 2025 fiscal year.

He stated, “Our administration has so far disbursed N34bn to over 300,000 students via the Nigeria Education Loan Fund.”

“In the 2025 budget, we have made provision for N826.90bn for infrastructure development in the educational sector. This provision also includes those for the Universal Basic Education and the nine new higher educational institutions.”

He continued, “We are convinced that Universal Health Coverage initiatives will strengthen primary healthcare systems across Nigeria. In this way, we have allocated N402bn for infrastructure investments in the health sector in the 2025 budget and another N282.65bn for the Basic Health Care Fund.”

“Our hospitals will be revitalised with medication and better resources, ensuring quality care for all Nigerians.”

“This is consistent with the Federal Government’s planned procurement of essential drugs for distribution to public healthcare facilities nationwide, improving healthcare access and reducing medical import dependency.”

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President Tinubu Targets N1,500 Per Dollar Rate In 2025 Budget Goals

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Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, stated that the Federal Government aims to stabilise the exchange rate at N1,500 to the dollar to ensure the smooth implementation of the 2025 budget.

This marks a reduction of about N200 from the current rate of N1,700 to a dollar.

President Tinubu made this known while presenting the 2025 Appropriation Bill to a joint session of the 11th National Assembly in Abuja.

“The budget projects that inflation will decline from the current rate of 34.6% to 15% next year, while the exchange rate will improve from approximately N1,700 per dollar to N1,500. The base crude oil production assumption is set at 2.06 million barrels per day”, he said.

“The projections are based on the following observations: reducing the importation of petroleum products, increasing exports of refined petroleum”. He added.

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JUST IN: 32 Reportedly Die In Ibadan Children Programme Stampede

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At least 32 people have tragically lost their lives during a stampede at a children’s carnival in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, in the early hours of Wednesday.

A statement from the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, revealed that the stampede occurred at a private children’s funfair at Islamic High School, Basorun, resulting in the deaths of 32 people, mostly children, with some others sustaining injuries.

He mentioned that the state government promptly deployed a rapid response team to the site following the incident.

The commissioner confirmed that the victims have been transported to various hospitals across Ibadan for medical treatment.

While thanking the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, for quickly activating all available response teams to assist at the scene, Oyelade emphasized that the state government will do everything possible to support the victims of the stampede during this difficult time.

He noted that the sate government was not involved in the planning of the carnival, adding that the Ministry of Health was also not carried along in the organisation of the private end of the year children funfair.

Oyelade emphasised the importance of proper coordination when organising events of such magnitude, especially those involving children and elders.

“We are currently awaiting a detailed report from the Commissioner of Police to clarify the total number of victims involved in this unfortunate incident,” he said.

The commissioner urged parents who are concerned about the whereabouts of their children to check the following medical facilities in Ibadan where affected children were taken for proper medical attention, with a valid means of identification:

  • Patnas Hospital, Basorun
  • Western Hospital, Basorun
  • Ringroad State Hospital
  • Molly Specialist Hospital
  • University College Hospital (UCH)

“Oyo State Government extends its deepest sympathies to the families affected by this tragedy while also urging the public to remain calm and cooperative as relevant pieces of information are gathered and necessary supports arranged for the victims,” he added.

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