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How my 3 children died of suffocation in my husband’s borrowed car – Kwara woman

Published

10 months ago

March 2, 2024

Shade Silifat Abdulkadir

How my 3 children died of suffocation in my husband’s borrowed car – Kwara woman

Shade Silifat Abdulkadir, the mother of the three children who died of asphyxiation in a parked car in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, has opened up on the circumstances that surrounded the death of her kids.

She also recounted the events leading up to the tragic incident.

Newstrends had reported on Tuesday that the three kids suffocated to death in the car last week Sunday, while their mother was away to make ends meet and get what they would eat.

The first child, Maryam was 10 years old, Nudrah, the second child was 8 years and the third, Mohammed, was 2.

It’s gathered that the vehicle was borrowed by their father from his elder brother.

Speaking on the incident, the despondent and grief-battered 37-year-old mother, appealed to Nigerians, especially mothers, to come to her aid.

She made made appeal in an interview with journalists at her family house, Ile Magaji, Taiwo Isale, in Ilorin.

She also disclosed that it wasn’t the first time they were alone while she ran errands and tried to eke a living, adding that leaving them in the house while she was away to make ends meet was something she did from time to time.

She added that her husband’s decision to marry a second wife contributed immensely to the demise of her children.

Narrating the incident, Shade said, “It happened on Sunday around some minutes to 2:00 pm, shortly after I finished cooking rice for them. It was my second daughter, Nudrah, who told me that she would not eat rice in school the next day (Monday) and that she would prefer spaghetti.

“I have money in the shop and N700 in my Opay account but was left with cash of N200 only. I live at No 8 Boluke area in the Zango-Kulende area of Ilorin and operate a shop at Oke-Andi, Zango, where I sell provisions and other items.

“It would only cost me N200 to go and come back home. So I told my children that if at all, what I have is not up to buying what you want, I have people I can collect money from till I get to shop on Monday and I left. This is not the first time I would leave them and go to buy something.

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“Sometimes, I would leave them and go and fetch water and they would be playing inside. At times, if I get a job from churches, mosques or from any celebrant to help make doughnuts or snacks, because I am also a caterer, I go and deliver it to the customers and leave the children at home.

“My husband married another wife which I didn’t get to know on time. I faced a lot of issues in my marriage which is now 11 years and there has never been peace.

“My husband has been moving with the lady called Kafayat from Oke-Ode for quite some time and I was told to be patient and my family and his are aware of the development.

“Sometimes he comes home around 11:00 pm and leaves home very early in the morning. All my children were not gotten in peace, it was from one trouble to another. Sometimes, if we had a quarrel, he would drive me outside in the middle of the night. His name is Jimoh Abdulkadir from Babanloma in Kwara South.

“It happened that he impregnated the girl but the child died after birth. On the day of marriage, he introduced the wife to me. But penultimate Saturday, the lady gave birth again. I am not his first wife. A lady had given birth to a child for him before but I met him as a single father and he was not like this before I married him.

“So after his second wife had her second child, my husband informed me and I went to greet him.

“When I woke up on Sunday, I saw the voice note of my husband that Kafayat has relocated from her previous apartment in case I still want to come and greet her. They have been married not even up to a year and they had a societal wedding unlike mine which was only Nikkah.

“On Thursday and Saturday, I went to greet her in the new location described by my husband. And it was after I went to greet Kafayat at home that he suddenly changed his attitude towards me. If I sleep in the bedroom, he would sleep in the parlour and if I sleep in the parlour, he would go to the bedroom. But all my family and friends advised me to be patient for the sake of the children whenever I complained.

“They didn’t tell me anything about the naming ceremony except people that called me to ask why I was not present,” Shade declared.

She said it was on Saturday, after they finished the naming, that her husband brought the car owned by his elder brother home which they used to do all the running around and packing of items during the event.

“Although before we got married, his brother had been using the car and this is not his first time he would borrow it.

“If we were talking during the period or I had a premonition of what would happen, I would have told him to return the car to the owner who will need it to go to work on Monday. He didn’t return the car and didn’t park it at the venue of the event. Why is it that he had to pack it here where I am staying?

“Now the car was there from that Saturday till Sunday when the incident happened.

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“After the children requested noodles to take to school the next day, I went to the shop to get the indomie noodles for them. Before I went, my last born, Mohammed, was crying but I said the sun was much and I would not want to take him outside because of the heat. I called Maryam who is the eldest to take care of her siblings.

“But when I came back, I noticed that the children had scattered the entire room and met the door open. I also saw their shoes and envisaged they would not be out of the premises because they would put on their shoes if they were going outside the gate. I never thought of the vehicle even for a second.

“From my house to the shop is just a N100 bike. I called out for them when I came and couldn’t find them. Initially I thought they were playing hide and seek with me. I checked everywhere but to no avail. My landlady had gone to work because she was on morning duty.

“The flat next to us was occupied by aged couples and my children don’t usually go inside their house except on a few occasions.

“When I couldn’t find them, I checked inside the domestic well but nothing was there, I took Okada to the junction crying that I couldn’t find my children.

“When I came back, I went to knock at the door of the next flat to tell them that I couldn’t find my children, the woman’s husband was already asleep.

“She told me she heard their cries about 10 minutes ago, when she was even calling Maryam, asking why she was beating her siblings. Later something just told me to check inside the vehicle and I saw them inside.

“I managed to open one of the doors and met them just lying down but the remaining three doors did not open. I was asking them why they went inside the car, which they don’t usually do. But their posture and the way I saw them made me terrified, I called them but no answer and I started shouting for help.

“It was the woman’s husband that came to force the other doors open and dragged Mohammed out, his hand got injured in the process.

“So my shout later attracted some boys and other people outside, some of whom jumped our security fence and we started pouring water on them to revive them but to no avail. It was those people that rushed them to Olutayo hospital, I didn’t see them after that.

“Me and my husband were still not in talking terms up till that Sunday morning, though he slept in the house that day but people would hardly know that we have issues or are quarrelling because he still used to take us to the shop and drop us at home and the children were even appreciating him. Even if he wants to communicate with me, it’s through the children.

“Earlier before that day, he sent Maryam to go and ask a nearby vulcanizer, Jamiu, how much it will cost to repair one of the tyres of the vehicle,” she stated.

The distraught mother added: “Since the incident I have not set my eyes on their dad but I was told he came here at our family house.

“He has also called me twice since the incident saying thrash for all I care, asking when am I coming home or what do I feel.

“The police came and I also narrated this to them. They said the Inspector General of Police was interested and was the one who called the Commissioner of Police to inquire what was going on in Kwara State before they later sent officers here.

“But I have strengthened my faith in Almighty Allah coupled with the people that God surrounded me with. That is just what is keeping me going.”

How my 3 children died of suffocation in my husband’s borrowed car – Kwara woman

metro

CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has imposed a N150 million fine on a commercial bank for failing to dispense cash through its Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

This action follows an unannounced inspection by the apex bank, which uncovered deliberate cash hoarding and ATM manipulation by the erring bank.

Sources within the CBN revealed that the sanctioned bank was caught disabling its ATMs, thereby denying customers access to their funds while prioritizing cash disbursements to select VIP clients.

A staff member of the CBN stressed that the apex bank would not tolerate such practices.

“The Bank will not spare any Deposit Money Bank (DMB) caught in the act of hoarding cash or found favoring VIP customers over other customers,” the official stated.

To this end, the CBN has intensified spot checks on banks nationwide, exposing various illicit cash-handling practices by some unscrupulous financial institutions.

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For now, the CBN is imposing financial penalties on defaulting banks. However, according to the official, the next phase of enforcement will include publicly naming and shaming offending banks and prosecuting implicated bank officials.

“This fine is just the beginning. The CBN is determined to hold banks accountable for any actions that undermine public trust and the integrity of the banking system,” the official added.

Despite the ongoing challenges, the CBN has reiterated its commitment to promoting cashless banking in the country.

Another senior official disclosed that the apex bank’s management is intensifying efforts to encourage the use of electronic channels for transactions.

“The frustration faced by account holders is undermining our push for a cashless economy. We are doubling down on initiatives to restore public confidence in electronic banking solutions,” the official said.

CBN fines bank found hoarding cash N150m

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Three days to Christmas, food prices, transport fares hit the roof

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Three days to Christmas, food prices, transport fares hit the roof

According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights ,UDHR, Article 25(1), everyone has the right to standard of living adequate for their health and well-being, which includes access to food, clothing, and housing.

Similarly, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ,ICESCR, Article 11 emphasizes the right to an adequate standard of living, including sufficient food.

Furthermore, the Covenant recognizes the fundamental right to be free from hunger and advocates for measures both individual and international to eliminate hunger.

It is widely acknowledged that inadequate food availability can lead to health issues, as food is as essential to health as air is to breathing.

The situation is exacerbated by the rising costs of healthcare, which are increasingly out of reach for many due to ongoing inflation.

Difficult situations

In Nigeria, harsh economic conditions are forcing households into difficult situations, with many going to bed hungry due to skyrocketing food prices. With Christmas just three days away, our correspondents visited local food markets in Lagos and Abuja to see how citizens are coping with the rising cost of goods and services.

In the locations, buyers and sellers expressed their frustrations over the increasing prices of food items.

At Agric Market in Ikorodu, Mummy Somto, lamented that she had never witnessed such high prices in her lifetime.

She noted that a chicken that cost N15,000 last year now sells for N35,000, with only older layers available for N15,000.

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“What will that do for my family? We have never seen it like this in Nigeria. I hope this hope is the hope,” she said.

At Mile 12 International Market, trucks filled with perishable goods such as tomatoes, peppers, onions, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, cabbages, and other vegetables were lined up for unloading while eager buyers waited nearby.

When asked about the high prices despite the abundance of food, truck owner Alhaji Shehu, explained that the situation arose from expenses related to diesel, farm security, police and military checkpoints before reaching Lagos.

He mentioned spending between N500,000 and N800,000 per truck, which inevitably raises prices.
“This is our business, and we are not pleased with the high costs either. If I sell my goods, I still need to buy what I don’t sell. It’s suffocating us. I also commend the buyers,” Shehu added.

Bags of rice

Mrs. Bukky Osagie, a rice vendor at Mike 12, shared her concerns about escalating prices: “Last December, a bag of rice was between N65,000 and N70,000. Today, it’s from N95,000 depending on the brand. Traders are exhausted. People are buying half bags because they can’t afford full ones. They also need to buy additional items. How do people survive this trend? This has to stop if the government truly cares for its citizens.”

At Daleko Market, Mrs. Hannah, was seen pricing vegetable oil when she declared, “Whether the devil likes it or not, we will celebrate with our families and share love during this season. We will just have to adjust our spending according to our means.”

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As of the time of filing this report, a 25-liter container of vegetable oil was selling for between N86,000 and N95,000 depending on the brand.

Garri was priced at N56,000, while Ijebu Gaari was N58,000.

A carton of satchel tomatoes ranged from N8,800 to N9,200 while a pack of spaghetti cost N23,000.
70 grams of noodles were priced between N9,800 and N10,500. A roll of curry or thyme sold for N550 each, while small bulbs of onion reached as high as N200, making them almost unaffordable for many.

Christmas cheer

In Abuja, soaring food prices and steep transportation costs are casting a shadow over Christmas celebrations for many families.

The cost of essential holiday items, such as poultry, has surged, with chickens priced between ¦ 15,000 and ¦ 25,000, and turkeys reaching up to ¦ 130,000 in some markets.

Sunday Vanguard learned that rising feed prices, transportation costs, and supply chain disruptions are driving these increases.

Additionally, a 50-kg bag of rice now costs between ¦ 94,000 and ¦ 125,000, a significant leap from previous months.

Transportation fares have also skyrocketed, with transport fare from Abuja to major cities such as Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Enugu increasing from 15 percent to 35 percent in the past month.

For instance, a trip from Abuja to Lagos by road, which previously cost ¦ 28,000–¦ 35,000, now ranges between ¦ 46,500 and ¦ 60,000.

Three days to Christmas, food prices, transport fares hit the roof

VANGUARD

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Three Ogun varsity students die in auto crash

Published

4 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Ogun State Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola

Three Ogun varsity students die in auto crash

The Police Command in Ogun State has confirmed the death of three university students in a single-vehicle accident on the Ilisan-Ago-Iwoye Road.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the command’s spokesperson, SP Omolola Odutola, revealed that the victims were suspected to be students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye.

The incident, which occurred around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, involved an Opel car with registration number AAA-126 HE. The vehicle was reportedly driven by Adekunle Adebiyi, a resident of 5 Sunmibare Street, Awa Ijebu.

“The accident was caused by overspeeding, leading to the driver losing control and the vehicle flipping into the bush,” Odutola explained.

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She further disclosed that one male passenger, whose identity is yet to be confirmed but is believed to be an OOU student, died on the spot. His body was taken to the mortuary at General Hospital, Ijebu Ode.

“Two female students from Olabisi Onabanjo University — Dada Oluwanifesimi, 18, and Miracle Daniel, 19 — were rushed to Love and Care Hospital but sadly passed away while receiving treatment,” she added.

The vehicle involved in the crash has been recovered and is now in police custody.

Odutola assured the public that further updates on the tragic incident would be provided and advised motorists to adhere to traffic regulations, particularly during the festive season.