Nigerian Newspapers
PLACENTA BUYERS ON THE PROWL
•Buy one for N1.5m
By CHIOMA IGBOKWE and OKEBUGWU BLESSED
“Madam, I can help you raise money to pay your hospital bill, if you can give me your placenta.” This was the statement of a middle aged man identified as Segun who specialises in buying and selling of placenta.
It was part of a conversation between Segun and a woman, Mrs. Chidera Okereke who was recently delivered of a bouncing baby boy in a hospital located in Mafoluku area of Lagos State.
Investigations by Saturday Sun reveal that the trend which has been going on as secret deals between sellers and buyers is however assumed an alarming dimensionproportion with the audacity with which placenta collectors now approach pregnant women to sell their babies placenta upon delivery. Placenta is an organ which links the foetus to the mother in mammals for transfer of oxygen and nutrients to the foetus and waste products to the mother. Mrs. Okereke is one of those who has had an encounter with the evil merchants.
She told Saturday Sun that one of the collectors of the human part, Segun approached her with an offer to help her settle her hospital bill in exchange of her baby’s placenta. Narrating her experience, she said: “I was outside waiting for my husband who had gone to source for money to settle my bill, when a man who later introduced himself as Segun accosted me. He claimed that one of the nurses directed him to come and meet me that I was in need of money to settle my hospital bill.
It was then that he told me that he is a placenta collector and that he would pay as much as N500, 000. “I thought he was joking till he brought out his cheque book, it was at that point that I started shouting. He ran away before people started gathering around. He claimed that he is a regular visitor in the hospital and used to deal with nurses but in recent times, the families demand their placenta after delivery.”
Also narrating her own encounter with one of the placenta collectors on the prowl, a nurse, Patricia (surname withheld) who works in a hospital at Mafoluku area of Oshodi, claimed that she was actually offered N2.5million to supply placenta to a certain landlord who lives close to the hospital. She said: “He is popularly known as Baba Saheed and owns a house few blocks after the hospital. One day, he called me and asked me if he can buy placenta from the hospital.
He promised to pay N1.5million for each baby’s placenta; I was shocked because that was a lot of money. I told him that I was not interested and he increased it to N2.5million and I still refused. To convince me, he said that there were so many places he could get supply but decided to try me since so many women were giving birth in the hospital.
“On a second thought, I drew the attention of the doctor who invited him over. He threatened to arrest him but later relented when Baba Saheed prostrated and started begging for mercy. He claimed that he got the contract from a big company. Since then it is a matter of policy that every pregnant woman must go home with her baby’s placenta after delivery.
Although both cases point to a possible act of illegality, findings show that placenta is believed by some communities to have power over the lives of the baby or its parents. Many species of mammals consume their placentas. Human and animal placentas are also widely believed to be used as a source of extracts used as ingredients in various consumer products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, hair care products, health tonics, and food products other than ritual consumption by the baby’s mother or family.
In China and Hongkong, the placenta is eaten, a practice known as placentophagy. It was also learnt that a company in Japan makes a drink called “Placenta Drink” which contains placenta. The company claims that “they use the placenta as raw material”, adding that the drink makes the body’s metabolism active. Medical practitioners who spoke with Saturday Sun said that due to the fear of those on the loose scouting for the human parts they now insist that mothers should go home with their placenta after delivery. Dr Jide Adeleke recalled that it took the grace of God for him to survive a particular scandal that nearly destroyed his hospital.
“I had a situation where one of the mothers after two days, came back to demand her placenta. She claimed that her mother in-law asked her to collect it back from us. Her argument was that it has been sold out to someone else. Our saving grace was that the spot where it was buried was still there and the placenta was exhumed. This is why in the labour ward it is boldly written, ‘remember to take your placenta.’ Another Doctor, Steve Maduekwe claimed that they bury them at the request of the family.
“We normally advise our patients to go home with their placenta. It is a sacred thing and property of the woman who could either bury it or dry it up for storage. In others some would ask you to dispose of it. It is unfortunate and it is also true that it is in demand. I was once contacted by an individual who wants to use them to produce cosmetics.
He offered good money and I advised him to go and meet the women.” Mrs. Onolaja, who owns a maternity home in Orile, claimed that she had been confronted severally to supply placenta and paid huge sum of money. Onoloja who spoke to Saturday Sun on phone said, “I am a Christian that is why I will never be party to that act. I was once confronted by a man who claims to be a representative of a cosmetic company in Lagos.
He claimed that he wanted those placentas to produce hair cream. I refused despite the amount in question. I always insist that my patients should go with their placenta. This is so because I cannot vouch for my staff, they are the ones who will dispose of it. Their offer is always much and could be tempting.”
Another midwife who also owns a maternity home in Agege said that it is not a new thing but that most of the collectors approach them with the excuse that it is used to produce cosmetics. “I have referred several of them to the nursing mothers. They own the placenta and have the right to dispose of it as they wish. It is humanly possible that they use it for ritual.
That is why it is important that every mother should demand her placenta after birth. In my village each placenta is buried and a tree would be planted on it in remembrance of that birth.” Also a laboratory scientist, Professor Sam Sokunbi argued that those collectors could be using them medically as it is in popular demand. He said “every production company believes in result and considering the benefits that could be accrued in the use of placenta, anything can be offered to get the product especially from a human being.
We cannot pretend that there are no evil men in the world but the truth remains that there is demand for placenta in Nigeria among the production companies. All they need to do is to enlighten Nigerians so that they can willingly offer their placenta for a certain price. We live in a world which believes so much in spirituality.”
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: The Sun Newspaper
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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