Rivers

Body Of New Born Baby Dumped At University Campus

Published

1 year ago

February 28, 2024

The body of a newly born baby has been found in front of the female hostel at the main campus of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Rumuolumeni Port Harcourt.
Eyewithness account said the dead baby was found with a placenta meanimg that the baby was born few minutes before being dumped by her mother.
According to the account a baby was found death and dumped at the female hostel (salvation hostel) of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education.
However the mother of the baby could not be found as at the time of filling this report.
Some students who withnessed the scene told newsmen that the baby was found with blood all over his body, describing it as a horrible scene.
Speaking to newsmen with newsmen the president Students Union Government( SUG) Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Moses Athenasius Bara confirmed the incident.
He said,the baby was found in a pit close to the female hostel about 50 kilometers away from the hostel adding that,the baby was already dead as at the time the students called his attention to the incident.
According to him,the baby is not up to a month he should be around few minutes after delivery
The SUG president said they are yet to know who the mother of the baby was.
According to him,”We don’t even know who actually dumped the baby there whether it is a students or an outsiders.
He however said,he doesn’t believe that students of the institution could do such thing because she would have been caught by her fellow students while dumping the baby.there or by her roommate or even the postress in the sense that, hostels are normally locked by 9:pm and opened at 5:am.
He argued that pregnancy is not something that can be hidden even for five months without being noticed.
“Also,the students of that particular hostel will not see their colleague in distress and keep mute, they will have raised alarm or better still take her to the school clinic” he said.
Bara said,it was a passersby who saw the baby and raised an alarm which attracted the attention of the students of the salvation hostel,the security personnel, the Dean of Student Affairs and the SUG himself.
According to him, the matter has been reported to the Rumuolumini Divisional Police station for wider investigation and to bring
the culprit and accomplices to book.
He urged, security personnel in the campus to put in more efforts in discharging their duties at any given time inorder to check future occurrence of such incident.
Bara also called on the students especially the females to take their studies seriously and not to engage themselves in this kind of act or any form of social vices.
Some of the students who spoke to newsmen said,the baby was found death already with blood all over the body and placenta along side with the baby.
They also said,the baby should be around five minutes after delivery adding that this might be as a result of economic challenges, rejection from parents or denial of the boyfriend that led the mother to dumped the baby that way.
Our Correspondent could not reached the University management for comment as at the time of filling this report.

John Bibor & Eunice Ubelejit

Rivers

Fubara Approves Building Admin Block, Hostels, Others For IAUE

Published

2 days ago

March 5, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the construction of key infrastructural projects in Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE).

The Governor, who gave the approval midweek during his maiden visit to the institution, was responding to requests made by the Chairman of the Governing Council and Pro-Chancellor of the university, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, said his administration will do everything possible to improve the current state of the University.

Addressing the crowd, comprising virtually the entire university community and its host community, after a tour of the Main Campus, the Governor explained that he had come based on the request made by the Governing Council Chairman to provide additional facilities in the school.

Earlier, the Governing Council boss, Amiesimaka, had stressed the need for the Rivers State Government to intervene urgently in critical areas of the institution.

He noted that the achievements and progress recorded by the institution in terms of infrastructural development were mainly those provided by TETFund, though the University is under the control of the Rivers State Government.

He, however, lauded the University’s Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, “for managing the institution very well despite the lack of government presence”.

In his response, the Governor automatically granted the request made for the building of new hostels for both male and female students, a new administrative block, a health center, and a sports complex.

Addressing students of the university, Fubara appealed to them to “use the rare opportunity provided for them to attain sound education”.

He also urged them to ensure that they remain focused and achieve the purpose for which they are in the university.

Sogbeba Dokubo

Rivers

Group Predicts Garden City Status Return For Rivers … Lauds Fubara Over New RIWAMA Boss’ Appointment

Published

2 days ago

March 5, 2025

The Tide

An environmental health advocacy group in Nigeria, the Community Health and Advocacy Initiative (CHAIN), has said Rivers State will soon return to its Garden City status.

The South-South Project Coordinator of CHAIN, Engr. Sunny Andy Dimkpa, who stated this recently on the sidelines of a two-day workshop themed “Eat, Clean and Live” in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, said this is due to the leadership style and focus of the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.

“Under the leadership of an astute administrator like Governor Fubara, who possesses extensive field knowledge in community health and the Rivers State environment, meaningful progress can be achieved”, he said.

Dimkpa used the fora to commend the State Governor for responding to the concerns of environmental stakeholders by strengthening waste management operations in the state, particularly with the appointment of Hon. Orukwem Amadi-Opareli as the Managing Director of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA).

He further praised the Governor for identifying young talents to drive key sectors of his economic reforms, noting that Amadi-Opareli’s leadership at RIWAMA signals the beginning of a transformative era for sanitation in Rivers State.

Describing Amadi-Opareli’s appointment as a clear testament to the Governor’s commitment to ridding Port Harcourt and its environs of filth, the CHAIN boss expressed optimism about the possibility of restoring Port Harcourt to its former Garden City status.

Towards this end, Dimkpa urged the new RIWAMA helmsman to “align the agency’s core mandate with Governor Fubara’s Sectoral Focus on Environment and Sanitation, while taking deliberate steps to engage communities and retraining of sanitation enforcement agents as a means of facilitating the efficient implementation of waste management policies”.

He also advocated for an improved sanitary culture among Rivers State residents, calling for the revival of the state’s monthly sanitation exercise.

Soibi Max-Alalibo

Rivers

Farmers Urge Govt, Corporate Bodies For Support … Wants More Youths In Farming

Published

2 days ago

March 5, 2025

The Tide

The Association of Farmers and Food Processors in Rivers State has called on government and corporate bodies to do more to support practicing farmers in the state in order to successfully tackle the issue of food scarcity and continuous increase in price.

President of the association, Chisom Dike, who made the call while speaking with our correspondent in Port Harcourt, said the aim is to make food available for Rivers people.

He said the agricultural sector comprises more of the elderly, adding that there is a need for young people to venture into farm business as it help to increase food production and processing across the State.

“We don’t have enough farmers in Rivers State. Also, there are more of elderly people farming in the agric industry. It is a challenge because we are not producing enough food.

“We need more young people, whether male or female, to invest in farming as it is equally a lucrative business”, he said.

The Association of Farmers further called on the government and relevant bodies to see how the effects of flooding can be managed, knowing that great losses have been recorded over the years due to flooding.

“Most times when these flooding occur we lose a lot of top soil which is a major ingredient for planting. We also lose our livestock and also our animals are exposed to infection due to the floods”, he stated.

Dike also commended the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for his interest in the agricultural industry, and for the commissioning of a Board of Directors to oversee the intended projects.

“We will like to appeal to the Ministry of Agriculture and other corporate bodies to be involved in promoting farming and food processing.

“The basic need of everybody is food, and if we can produce these foods, it will help in reducing crime”, he stated.

According to him, the level of criminal activities will be reduced if the price of commodities decreases across the State.

He also called on the State Government to pally with farmers of the state in order to know what their problems are, adding that Local Government Areas need to be equipped to be able to support farmers as most farming are done at the rural levels.

Iragunima Benice