City Crime
Coronavirus Cases Increase Anxiety, Depression
The Medical Director, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Enugu, Dr Monday Igwe, says there has been increase in cases of anxiety and depression brought to the hospital since the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic.
Igwe told newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday that the COVID-19 pandemic brought human and economic losses leading many to a situation of hopelessness, anxiety and depression.
He said that just as the pandemic affected the economic and physical wellbeing; it also had a lot of psychological and psychiatric consequences.
“So many people due to losses such as their means of livelihood, and even the restrictions of their movement during the lockdown has affected them psychologically.
“Some people, especially those who are prone to mental illness are developing psychological and psychiatric complications.
“It is already showing by the increasing number of cases we see each day in the hospital.
“Recently, we have been recording a lot of anxiety and depression cases and all these are as a result of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“At times it is even triggered by some event surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic; some losses, some fear of getting the virus.
“Some are getting into hard drugs and substance abuse occasioned by not going to work and having ample time to associate with bad companies has affect them negatively”, Igwe said.
“You see more people engage in taking cannabis, alcohol and other injurious substances now than before,’’ he said.
The medical director, however, said that the hospital did not have ready statistics on the rise.
“It is evidently clear that there has been a spike from our daily consulting and treatment.’’
On how the health facility coped with the pandemic; Igwe said that the hospital was initially overwhelmed by the challenges posed by COVID-19, especially on social and physical distancing “since mentally ill persons are not easily controlled’’.
“You will be saying something and will be saying something else. So, we earlier had the challenge of controlling them to maintain social and physical distancing, especially for those in the outpatient ward,’’ he said.
The medical director, however, said that the first thing the management did was to buy more canopies and seats as well as proper seating arrangement in the waiting areas and changed seating arrangement in the consulting rooms.
“We also had issues of funds for procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and where to even buy them; so we had to improvise with what we can do locally.
“The pharmacy department was mobilised and it is producing hand sanitisers, liquid soap, disinfectants and other things needed for human and environmental cleaning of the hospital.
“Our occupational therapy department has been mobilised with new sawing machines and accessories to produce local facemasks in large quantities to complement the surgical ones we can afford.
“We are spending more on buying water from water vendors daily.
“However, the Federal Government through the NCDC and UNIDO made some supplies of these essential PPE to the hospital recently,’’ he said.
Igwe appealed to philanthropic individuals, organisations and foundations to assist the hospital to overcome some of its challenges.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu is the only specialised psychiatric and psychological treatment facility in the South-East but the hospital also serves some parts of the South-South and North Central. (NAN)
City Crime
Delta Attorney-General Laments Hike In Human Trafficking
Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole (SAN) has lamented the increasing rate of human trafficking, especially the girl child in the state.
Ohwovoriole decried the increase in his office in Asaba when the zonal commander of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Nduka Nwawenne paid him a courtesy visit.
The Attorney-General stated that it was against the dignity of the state and disheartening to see that Delta State now ranked first in human trafficking, overtaking Edo State.
He stressed the need for stakeholders to tackle the menace, adding that if it was one single victim that was rescued, they would be rewarded for their efforts.
Ohwovoriole stated that young girls were the most vulnerable ones in the issue of human trafficking, stressing that children from poor family backgrounds also fall victim to human trafficking.
While saying that their request for an office space in the state would be looked into, to see how the government could be of assistance to them, he assured them of his ministry’s partnership in the fight against human trafficking.
He said that the Task Force on human trafficking and irregular migration, which he chairs, should be having regular meetings.
Earlier, the Zonal Commander of Naptip, Mr. Nwawenne informed the commissioner that Delta state had overtaken Edo state as the foremost state in human trafficking in nigeria.
He told the Attorney-General that their Zonal Command was the first to be established in Nigeria because of the prevailing issues of human trafficking in the area, noting that ika south was the highest in cases of human trafficking as a result of its proximity with edo state.
Nwawenne appealed to the Commissioner and the State Government to provide office accommodation for their officials to operate in Asaba.
City Crime
Army Arrests 50 Foreigners, Others For Job Racketeering
The Nigerian Army said it has arrested 50 suspects, including foreigners, for alleged international job racketeering in Lagos.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, who addressed journalists in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the suspects were arrested during an operation jointly conducted by the Army and the Nigeria Immigration Service.
He also disclosed that no fewer than 13 criminals were killed and 88 arrested during various operations across 20 states of the federation.
Among those arrested include 50 suspects comprising foreigners who were nabbed for alleged International job racketeering.
Onyema said, “In the South-West region, on November 2, 2023, troops of 9 Brigade Nigerian Army in conjunction with personnel of Nigerian Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, conducted a raid operation on a suspected criminal hideout at Ifako Ijaye.
“During the operation, 50 suspects, including foreigners who specialise in international job racketeering, were arrested. In a similar development same day, the same troops arrested two suspects at a hotel in Ogba in the Ikeja LGA.
“The arrest was in connection with the murder of one Mallam Idris Ardo, the Ardo of Panya Village in Plateau State. Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the arrested suspects masterminded the killing of Ardo and fled the community since the incident occurred.”
City Crime
Elder Statesman Charges FG On Judges, Magistrates’ Security
An elders statesman and advocate of oil rights in the Niger Delta, Rev Sokari Soberekon, has called on the Federal Government to beef up security for High Court Judges and Magistrates in the country. The iconoclastic doctor of humanities made this plea while addressing newsmen during the just concluded 2023/2024 rededication of the legal year of the Rivers State Judiciary held at the St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church in Port Harcourt last Thursday.
Soberekon stressed the essence of maximised security for Judges and Magistrates in Nigeria to ensure prompt and fearless dispensation of justice, equity and fairplay. He, maintained that apart from armed Police orderlies, the Judges and Magistrates should be legally authorised to keep personal arms for self defence when necessary, adding that this innovative policy would enhance the desired environment for an independent judiciary.
According to the octogenarian minority rights activist, the judiciary is the sanctuary of justice and equity.
He recalled the circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder of the former Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Late. Chief Bola Ige.
Soberekon noted that, in spite of the retinue of official security aides attached to the late former Governor of Oyo State, Ige would not have been murdered if he was personally armed on that fateful day of his demise.
Soberekon emphasised the need to shun eye service in the nation’s polity.
He, however, maintained that the only Oga in politics is God Almighty, who he said uses people to install others in office.
Soberekon recalled the meeting he had with King Alfred Diete-Spiff in Lagos from where the pioneer Governor of the State started planning the blueprint of the old Rivers State.
He said what Rivers State needs now is peace, and applauded the placard with the description, ‘Peace’, displayed during the rededication ceremony.
He noted with delight that while delivering a sermon at the occasion, the Vicar of the church advised Nigerians to give peace a chance and also to build a nation where peace and justice reign.
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