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Whitney Adeniran: Prosecution tenders 3 documents against Chrisland staff as father testifies

Published

3 years ago

May 26, 2023

Chrisland Schools and Whitney Adeniran

Lagos State Government on Thursday tendered three documents in evidence against four staff of Chrisland Schools, charged with involuntary manslaughter of a 12-year-old student, Whitney Adeniran.

Ademoye Adewale, Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao and Vicoria Nwatu are standing trial on a two-count charge of involuntary manslaughter and reckless negligent acts.

They are charged before an Ikeja High Court but pleaded not guilty.

Whitney allegedly slumped and died during the school’s inter-house sports at Agege Stadium on Feb. 9.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr Babajide Martins, tendered the documents while leading Whitney’s father, Mr Adeyemi Adeniran, in evidence.

Justice Oyindamola Ogala admitted the documents in evidence as there was no objection from defence counsel.

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The documents are a medical report from Agege Central Hospital, a medical report from Inland Hospital, Lagos, and a printout of a screenshot of conversations from a snapchat group page entitled “Lagos Housewives”.

The father of the deceased, a businessman, told the court that his daughter left his house on Feb. 9 hale and hearty for the school’s inter-house sports.

He said that his wife was at the inter-house sports but was not informed that her daughter had been taken to hospital when the alleged incident occurred.

He said: “My wife called me and said she was told that Whitney slumped and had been rushed to a hospital.

“She said that the principal of the school told her that Whitney was already coming up before she left to the hospital.

“I told my wife to go and check up on her at the hospital and, if need be, she should let me know so that I could be there.

“After 10 minutes, she called back and said, ‘Start coming to Agege Central Hospital.’”

Adeyemi testified that he left everything he was doing and proceeded to Agege.

“It took me about 45 minutes to locate the place because it could not be found on Google Map.

“Eventually, when I arrived, I saw my wife by the roadside, she waved at me to stop.

“I got out of the car and told my personal assistant to leave the car on so as to quickly pick her (Whitney) up and take her to our family hospital at Ogudu.

“My wife told me to go inside and pray for my daughter, maybe she would wake up. I got inside, I saw her lifeless body on a table in a small room,” he said.

The witness said that he thought that his daughter was given an injection and was sleeping.

“In that room, I saw some teachers; so I went close to my daughter. I raised her up to my body, shouted and tapped her to wake up.

“I prayed but nothing happened. I shouted, I tapped her severally, nothing happened.

“I asked for the doctor of the facility. I knelt down before the doctor to do whatever she could to wake my daughter up but she responded that there is nothing she could do,” he told the court.

Adeyemi quoted the doctor as saying that Whitney was brought in dead.

“I stood up and went back to the room where she was laid, while the school nurse was still standing close to her.

“I asked the nurse what happened to Whitney, and she told me she slumped.

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“She said my daughter died at the stadium before she was brought to the hospital but she could not pronounce her dead because she was not a medical doctor,” he added.

He also testified that the doctor later came and told him that she would like to see him privately.

“The doctor told me that she would advise me not to waste time in burying my daughter.

“She really persuaded me. The principal and the school nurse were present.

“She said I should make sure I bury her in time and not put her in morgue and that I should not think of conducting any autopsy on her.

“I nearly agreed at a point because I did not know morgue and I had never bought a coffin.”

He told the court that the day before Whitney’s death, he played with her and she was hale and hearty.

“So I started asking myself why I should bury my daughter in a hurry without knowing what happen to her.

“The doctor told me to think of the money and the pain I would go through in the process of autopsy but I asked her, ‘What pain is worse than death of a child?’”

He said that he decided to find out the cause of is daughter’s death.

Adeyemi said that later, his wife heard some noise from Whitney phone but she did not know the phone’s password.

“My sister-in-law, Amaka, knows the password; so she opened the phone and messages started dropping from her snapchat group called ‘Lagos Housewives’.

“Some students sent messages there, saying that they knew the school would not tell the parents the truth.

“One of the students said, ‘We were there and we saw what happened. She was electrocuted.

“Another one said, ‘I saw Whitney on the iron rail close to the candy machine. The wire of the machine shocked like mad, she fell on the ground, started foaming in her mouth, and one stupid man came and started putting water on her.’

“At that time, I remembered her black lips and black tongue I saw when I saw her lifeless body at the clinic,” the witness said.

The witness further told the court that members of the school’s management came on a condolence visit and told the family not to go on social media.

“I spoke with the principal and she told me that the cause of her death might have been heart attack but I do not believe her because the autopsy result says otherwise and my suspicion was that it might have been electrocution.

“This is because I have seen people electrocuted,” he said.

The judge adjourned the case until June 1 for continuation of cross-examination of the witness. (NAN)

Related Topics:Chrisland Schools Whitney Adeniran

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Kukah Rejects Hausa Identity Label, Says He Is From Kaduna, Not Hausa

Published

9 hours ago

April 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam, Anambra State, Matthew Kukah

Kukah Rejects Hausa Identity Label, Says He Is From Kaduna, Not Hausa

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Chancellor of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam, Anambra State, Matthew Kukah, has urged Nigerians to stop referring to him as a Hausa man, clarifying that his ethnic identity is often misunderstood.

Kukah made the clarification on Saturday during the university’s 16th convocation ceremony, where he was formally installed as Chancellor.

The cleric said that while he is a Nigerian and resides in northern Nigeria, he is not of Hausa origin, noting that repeated misidentification has followed him across different parts of the country.

“I am a typical Nigerian from Anchuna, Ikulu Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, but not a Hausa man by origin. Nigerians should stop addressing me as a Hausa person,” he said.

Kukah’s remarks come amid broader national conversations around ethnic identity, stereotyping, and national unity, particularly in a country with over 250 ethnic groups where identity is often mistakenly tied to geography or residence.

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He urged graduating students at the ceremony to prioritise good character, discipline, and responsibility in their relationships with their families, institution, and society at large.

The bishop, known for his advocacy on governance, democracy, and interfaith harmony, also commended the Anambra State Government for its investment in education, noting that the state continues to rank strongly in academic development.

He also expressed appreciation to Governor Chukwuma Soludo for appointing him as Chancellor of the institution, describing it as a role he intends to use to strengthen the university’s academic standards and vision.

Governor Soludo, who attended the convocation as Visitor to the university, described the ceremony as a celebration of academic excellence and national development.

He highlighted the importance of universities in producing skilled graduates capable of solving real-world problems, rather than relying solely on theoretical knowledge.

Soludo also announced several incentives for outstanding students, including a ₦4 million cash award to the overall best graduating student, Somtochukwu Augustus Ume of the Economics Department, who finished with a CGPA of 4.85.

In addition, the governor awarded scholarships to 37 first-class graduates to support postgraduate studies in any public university of their choice.

The event marked a major academic milestone for COOU, with stakeholders emphasising the need for stronger collaboration between government and higher institutions to improve educational outcomes in Nigeria.

Kukah Rejects Hausa Identity Label, Says He Is From Kaduna, Not Hausa

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Fake News, Disinformation Fueled 2020 #EndSARS Protests – Lai Mohammed

Published

9 hours ago

April 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed

Fake News, Disinformation Fueled 2020 #EndSARS Protests – Lai Mohammed

Former Minister of Information and Culture under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Lai Mohammed, has said the October 2020 #EndSARS protests were driven more by fake news and disinformation than by any shortcomings in government communication.

His remarks were contained in a statement issued to Peoples Gazette on Sunday by his media aide, Nnamdi Atupulazi, following a high-level forum at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), where he spoke on governance, media responsibility, and crisis communication.

The #EndSARS protests began in October 2020 as a youth-led movement demanding the end of police brutality in Nigeria, particularly against the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The demonstrations quickly spread across major cities and gained global attention, becoming one of the most significant civic movements in Nigeria’s recent history.

According to Lai Mohammed, while the protests initially reflected genuine public anger, they were later “hijacked” and escalated by the spread of misinformation, unverified reports, and doctored content across both social media and traditional media platforms.

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“The problem we had was not the usual communication gap between the government and the citizens. It was fake news and disinformation, coupled with unbridled violence,” he said.

He also alleged that some foreign media outlets amplified tensions by relying on unverified or misleading content, which he said contributed to a distorted global perception of events during the protests.

“What we saw during #EndSARS was the dangerous power of disinformation in real time,” he noted, adding that it highlights the need for stronger fact-checking systems, media accountability, and information regulation frameworks.

The former minister further stated that the experience underscored the growing global challenge of information disorder, especially during crises.

In the same address, Mohammed also referenced Nigeria’s communication response during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying the government had to develop its strategy from scratch due to the absence of a recent global precedent.

“When COVID-19 broke out, there was no template to fall back on. So we had to devise our own communication strategy on the go,” he said.

He explained that the administration adopted daily briefings, multi-platform messaging, and engagement with media outlets to ensure widespread dissemination of public health information. He added that materials were translated into major Nigerian languages and Pidgin English to improve public understanding.

The event at LSE formed part of his speaking tour in the United Kingdom, where he also discussed governance communication and leadership, anchored on his memoir, “Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments That Defined an Administration,” which documents his time as government spokesperson from 2015 to 2023.

The comments are likely to reignite debate around the causes and handling of the #EndSARS protests, which remain a sensitive subject in Nigeria’s political and civic discourse.

Fake News, Disinformation Fueled 2020 #EndSARS Protests – Lai Mohammed

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NDLEA Intercepts Suspected ISIS-Linked Drug in Kwara

Published

10 hours ago

April 26, 2026

Trends Admin

NDLEA Intercepts Suspected ISIS-Linked Drug in Kwara

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a consignment of Captagon pills in Kwara State, marking a significant breakthrough in Nigeria’s fight against illicit drug trafficking and its links to global criminal networks.

The agency described the seizure as particularly notable, coming nearly five years after what it previously identified as Africa’s first interception of Captagon at Apapa Port in Lagos.

Captagon, an amphetamine-based stimulant, is widely abused in parts of the Middle East and has been linked to armed groups, including the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Authorities say proceeds from the drug trade are often used to fund extremist activities, while the substance itself is used to enhance endurance and reduce fear among fighters.

In a statement issued by NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, operatives intercepted the latest shipment on April 21, 2026, along Bode Saadu Road in Kwara State.

A search conducted on a 33-year-old suspect, identified as N. Mu’azu, led to the recovery of 10,000 pills of Captagon concealed in 10 packs, alongside nine packets of Tapentadol 250mg, a powerful opioid.

Babafemi noted that Captagon can sell for as much as $25 per pill on the black market, making it a lucrative commodity for trafficking syndicates.

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In a related operation on April 24 at the same location, NDLEA operatives intercepted another trailer (registration number RMY-70XA), uncovering a hidden compartment loaded with multiple illicit substances. The seizure included:

155,900 capsules of Tramadol
6,000 ampoules of Tramadol injection
3,000 tablets of Co-Codamol
9,000 tablets of Bromazepam

A 24-year-old suspect, Aminu Isah, was arrested in connection with the consignment.

In Oyo State, along the Ibadan–Oyo Expressway, NDLEA officers intercepted a commercial bus traveling to Sokoto. A passenger, 33-year-old Eze Prince Emeka, was subjected to a body scan after exhibiting suspicious behaviour.

The scan confirmed ingestion of illicit substances, and under medical observation, he excreted 45 pellets of cocaine weighing 1.043 kilograms in three separate excretions.

Investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly opted for road travel to evade airport screening. He was reportedly planning to pass through trans-Saharan routes, with Algeria as a transit point and a possible final destination in Europe—highlighting the international dimension of Nigeria’s drug trafficking routes.

Further operations in Edo State led to the interception of a truck carrying 1,196,000 pills of pharmaceutical opioids along the Benin–Lagos Expressway. Two suspects, Osagie Igbinibo, 43, and Omijie Malik, 44, were arrested, with the consignment reportedly bound for Onitsha.

The NDLEA said the coordinated operations underscore the growing scale and sophistication of drug trafficking networks in Nigeria, including the use of concealed compartments, human couriers, and multi-state distribution channels.

The agency reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying surveillance and enforcement, warning that the convergence of drug trafficking and terrorism financing poses a serious threat to national and regional security.