Five of the 110 Dapchi schoolgirls that were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents died as a result of heart attack and trauma, one of them has revealed.

The insurgents had kidnapped the girls from their school in Dapchi, Yobe state, on February 19.

On Wednesday, 105 of them were released with one still in their custody.

“Five of our colleagues died of heart attack, trauma and stress as a result of the long trip,” Khadija Grema, one of the freed girls, told Channels TV.

“They didn’t allow us close to them. One of us was held back on the religious ground. She is a Christian and refused to denounce her religion.”

Grema said they were “well treated” while in the custody of the insurgents.

She said after being taken away from their school, they travelled through the bush and “as we continued (the journey), they (Boko Haram members) asked for those who are fasting among us. They then serve us drinks, meat and food after which we say our prayers and continue the journey.

“We crossed several rivers and streams and into one house where we leave on till our departure day.

“But to be honest we were well treated. They didn’t torture us as they treated us well throughout our stay in captivity, neither did they subject us to any molestation (or) any kind of sexual harassment.

“We didn’t know why they brought us back but they told us we are Muslims and we share the same faith and they don’t want us to suffer.”

The federal government has said the girls were released “unconditionally”.

 

 

 

An Aero Contractors flight from Sokoto to Abuja made an emergency landing on Wednesday due to a faulty landing gear. The Boeing 737/500 aircraft was said to have touched down at the Sultan Abubakar III Airport, Sokoto, at about 2:45pm while the passengers were asked to disembark and wait at the departure lounge for further briefing.

Nigeria has been ranked the fifth-happiest nation in Africa and 91st globally according to the 2018 United Nations World Happiness Report.

In 2016, Nigeria stood at 103 in the world and 6th in Africa respectively.

The country then moved up from its position of 95 in 2017 at the global level, indicating that Nigerians are happier people now, despite the nation’s economic and security challenges.

The 2018 report assessed 156 countries happiness levels based on six factors – per capita Gross Domestic Product, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, social support and absence of corruption in government or business.

The scheduled arraignment of the Chairman of Code of Conduct Tribunal, Mr. Danladi Umar over an allegation of receiving N10million from one Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo has been stalled.

Mr Umar was to be arraigned before the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, but court authorities said the matter has been transferred to FCT High Court, Jabi.

The charge was filed on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by Festus Keyamo, SAN, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

Members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch on Tuesday staged a protest over the reviewed Land Use Charge Law in Lagos State.

The lawyers during the protest marched to the Governor’s Office in Alausa, Ikeja, the state capital, carrying a banner and various placards with inscriptions lamenting over the law.

They were led by the Chairman of the Lagos NBA, Adesina Ogunlana.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola says he is not afraid of law courts following a suit filed against the government by some power generating companies (GenCos).

The GenCos had levelled accusations against the government regarding “special treatment” that allegedly favoured two power generating companies – Azura Power West Africa Limited and Accugas Limited.

April 16 has been fixed for hearing of the suit at a federal high court in Abuja.

Speaking with operators in Akwa Ibom on Monday, the minister asked the GenCos to be ready to face scrutiny in the court of public opinion.

According to him, while the GenCos have the right to file charges against the government, they should be ready to disclose hard facts on a number of issues including a “N701 billion payment assurance guarantee to pay their monthly power bills”.

“Lately, I have read reports that some Generation Companies (GenCos) (not Ibom Power) have gone to court, filing claims against the government,” he said.