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Tecno Unveils Spark 40 Series: Ultra-Slim, Ultra-Strong Built For The Long Run

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Tecno Unveils Spark 40 Series: Ultra-Slim, Ultra-Strong Built For The Long Run

TECNO, an AI-driven innovative technology brand, today officially launched the new SPARK 40 Series, leading the class with exceptional slimness and performance. This latest line-up includes four devices that take SPARK Series to the next level: SPARK 40 Pro+, SPARK 40 Pro, SPARK 40, SPARK 40C — each designed to serve the evolving demands of users across global markets. Featuring class-leading slimness, flagship-grade AMOLED displays, superior performance and durability, the SPARK 40 Series sets a new benchmark for entry-to-mid-tier smartphones, all at an unbeatable value.

Tecno Unveils Spark 40 Series: Ultra-Slim, Ultra-Strong Built For The Long Run
Tecno Unveils Spark 40 Series: Ultra-Slim, Ultra-Strong Built For The Long Run

Class-Leading Performance with All-day Endurance

The SPARK 40 Series offers robust performance and long-lasting battery life. At the heart of the SPARK 40 Pro+ is the world’s first MediaTek Helio G200 processor, a cutting-edge 6nm 4G platform that delivers an AnTuTu score of approximately 470,000. The SPARK 40 Pro carries a G100 Ultimate processor, enabling powerful performance.

The SPARK 40 Pro+, SPARK 40 Pro, and SPARK 40 are all powered by a 5200mAh battery, supported by 45W Super Flash Charge for speedy power-ups. The Pro+ takes charging innovation further with 30W fast wireless charging, a first in its segment, plus support for 5W reverse wireless charging for quick top-up needs and bypass charging to keep temperatures low during gaming.

TECNO’s 5-Year Promise ensures peace of mind. Devices are guaranteed to deliver smooth performance and maintain over 80% battery health after 2,000 full cycles.

Ultra-Slim Colorful Design Made for Gen Z

At just 6.49mm, the SPARK 40 Pro+ becomes the world’s thinnest curved wireless charging phone. The SPARK 40 Pro follows at 6.69mm, offering a lightweight feel without sacrificing toughness. Sophisticated matte finishes paired with colorful hues—including black, white, and the popular titanium—create a modern and vibrant aesthetic. Every model comes with a carefully curated palette of four distinctive color options.

All SPARK 40 Series devices are built with IP64-rated water and dust resistance, while the SPARK 40 Pro+ and Pro are reinforced with Corning® Gorilla Glass 7i, ensuring durability through daily wear and tear. Despite the slim frames, SPARK 40 Series promise all-round durability experience. Both the SPARK 40 Pro+ and SPARK 40 Pro meet up to 1.5-meter drop resistance standards, with reliable touch performance even with wet or oily finger.

Best-in-Class Immersive Audiovisual Experience

The SPARK 40 Pro and Pro+  elevate immersive visual experience via a 6.78” AMOLED 1.5K display with 144Hz refresh rate, 2160Hz instant touch sampling, and an eye-popping 4500 nits peak brightness, the strongest combination in its class, enabling users to enjoy immersive visuals in any environment. The SPARK 40 Series features  SGS Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution) Certification, reducing harmful blue light emissions for prolonged viewing comfort.

Audio is equally immersive, with dual stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos on the SPARK 40 Pro and Pro+ models for an elevated multimedia experience.

AI-Powered Intelligence and Smart Connectivity

With TECNO AI, the SPARK 40 Series elevates the user experience even more. Supported by platforms like ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and Gemini, it puts the intelligent Ella assistant directly in users’ hands. For learning and efficiency on the go, features like document-to-text conversion and Circle to Search allow users to instantly extract or explore information from what they see, making premium AI experiences both practical and accessible. Whether removing distractions from photos, translating, or summarizing phone calls in real time, users can unleash creativity and enhance communication without lifting more than a finger.

In regions with poor or no signal, TECNO’s FreeLink™ technology enables offline voice and file sharing via bluetooth with a theoretical range of up to 2 kilometers, delivering the best user experience within 200 meters even in complex environments. Enhanced with Super WiFi 2.0, GPS 2.0, NFC, and an IR remote control, the SPARK 40 Series delivers seamless connectivity wherever life takes you.

Regarding the camera capability, the Series also features a 50MP ultra-clear main camera with EIS  electronic stabilization technology(available on Spark 40 Pro+) and RAW domain algorithms, enabling sharper, more natural image processing. The SPARK 40 Series is powered by HiOS 15, TECNO’s latest Android-based operating system, delivering a refreshed and AI-enabled user experience. Key features include AI assistant Ella, dual system, rounding out a polished, future-ready user experience.

With the SPARK 40 Series, TECNO challenges expectations of what affordable smartphones can deliver — combining style and strength, intelligence and endurance, all in a sleek body. Whether it’s a user’s first smartphone or their next upgrade, the SPARK 40 Series is built to keep up and built to last.

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About TECNO

TECNO is an AI-driven innovative technology brand with a presence in over 70 markets across five continents. Committed to transforming the digital experience in global emerging markets, TECNO relentlessly pursues the perfect integration of contemporary aesthetic design with the latest technologies and artificial intelligence. Today, TECNO offers a comprehensive ecosystem of AI-powered products, including smartphones, smart wearables, laptops, tablets, smart gaming devices, the HiOS operating system, and smart home products. Guided by its brand essence of “Stop At Nothing,” TECNO continues to pioneer the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and AI-driven experiences for forward-looking individuals, inspiring them to never stop pursuing their best selves and brightest futures. For more information, please visit TECNO’s official site: www.tecno-mobile.com.

FRSC confirms 2 dead, 10 injured in Jigawa auto crash

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FRSC confirms 2 dead, 10 injured in Jigawa auto crash

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed two persons dead and 10 injured in an auto crash that occurred along Ringim-Kano road, in Ringim Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Umar Mas’ud, the FRSC Sector Commander told newsmen in Dutse on Friday that the incident which involved two Volkswagen cars (Golf), was caused by over speeding and wrongful overtaking.

Mas’ud said that 13 persons were involved in the incident which occurred at about 10:40 a.m on Thursday.

The sector commander added that all the 13 persons involved are from Bareda village in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The sector commander further stated that the Corps recovered N2.1million belonging to one of the deceased victims and one survivour.

Mas’udu said the money had since been handed over to the victims’ relatives in the presence of the area’s Divisional Police Officer (DPO), ASP Abdullahi Ibrahim.

He commended the Corps’ Unit Command in charge of the area for their transparency and diligence in recovering and returning the money.

“It is my pleasure to inform the general public that our personnel were involved in a rescue operation in the Ringim area on Thursday and during the exercise, the sum of N2,166,700 was recovered.

“After thorough investigation with the support of the police in the area, all the money recovered was handed over to relatives of the victims.

The sector commander further reassured of the Corp’s commitment to integrity and its mandate to serve the public with compassion and transparency.

Mas’udu advised motorists to desist from over speeding, wrongful overtaking and other acts capable of causing road crashes under whatever circumstances.

Police foil gunmen attack on personnel in Nasarawa State

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Police foil gunmen attack on personnel in Nasarawa State

The Police Command in Nasarawa State says it has foiled an attack on its personnel by gunmen on Kadarko-Makurdi Road, a Benue border community in Keana Local Government Area.

SP Ramhan Nansel, the Command’s spokesperson disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Lafia.

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He said that the suspected assailants attacked the police personnel on duty on Tuesday, around 10:55 pm.

“The gunmen who ambushed and attacked our personnel came from Benue forest and started shooting sporadically.

“Displaying gallantry and tactical superiority, the personnel engaged the assailants in a fierce gun duel.

“They successfully repelled the attack and forced the criminals to flee into the Benue forest with suspected gunshot wounds.

“Unfortunately, one police officer, Insp Sunday Apochie, sustained gunshot injuries during the exchange,” Nansel said.

According to Nansel, a reinforcement team from the Kadarko Division responded swiftly, rescued the injured officer, and recovered his service AK-47 rifle from the scene.

He, however, said that a civilian residing near the scene of the incident, was hit by a stray bullet from the gunmen and tragically lost his life.

He the injured officer was immediately taken to the Primary Health Care Centre, Kadarko and later referred to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia, and currently receiving treatment and responding well.

Nansel said that the Commissioner of Police, Shetima Jauro-Mohammed, had directed an intensive investigation and manhunt to track down and apprehend the fleeing suspects.

He added that the CP also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased civilian.

“The commissioner visited the injured officer at the hospital and gave him succour,” he said.

The Command’s spokesperson, therefore, assured the public that all necessary measures were being taken to arrest and bring the perpetrators of the heinous act to justice and forestall future occurrences

‘Such good English’: Liberians confused, angry at Trump comments to Boakai

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‘Such good English’: Liberians confused, angry at Trump comments to Boakai

Liberians are expressing confusion and anger after United States President Donald Trump praised the English skills of their country’s President Joseph Boakai.

“Such good English,” Trump said to Boakai at the White House on Wednesday, with visible surprise. “Such beautiful English.”

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English has been the West African nation’s official language since the 1800s. But Trump did not stop there.

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“Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?” he continued, as Boakai murmured a response. “Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia?”

The exchange took place during a meeting in the White House between Trump and five West African leaders, amid a pivot from aid to trade in US foreign policy.

Liberia has had deep ties with Washington for centuries, stemming from the drive to relocate freed slaves from the US.

Foday Massaquio, chairman of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots, said that while the remarks were typical of Trump’s engagement with foreign leaders, what some saw as a condescending tone was amplified by the fact that the leaders were African.

“As a matter of fact, it also proves that the West is not taking us seriously as Africans,” he said. “President Trump was condescending; he was very disrespectful to the African leader.”

Kula Fofana, spokesperson for Boakai’s office, told the Associated Press news agency: “I believe that as journalists, it is important to focus on the substantive discussions at the summit.”

“We find it a good thing that President Trump is commending our president for his way of speaking and the clarity he provided during the meeting,” she added. “However, we look forward to achieving the substantive request specifically engaging in a stronger bilateral relationship with the United States.”

Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Liberia’s foreign minister, said on X that “President Trump’s comment on Boakai’s ‘beautiful English’ simply acknowledged Liberia’s familiar American-rooted accent and no offence was taken”.

“Our linguistic heritage is deeply American‑influenced, & this was simply recognised by Donald Trump. We remain committed to strengthening Liberia‑US ties, built on mutual respect, shared values, and meaningful partnership,” the minister said.

US President Donald Trump meets African leaders at the White House
US President Donald Trump participates in a multilateral lunch with visiting African Leaders in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, the US on July 9, 2025 [AFP]

Close relationship in the past

But for others, Trump’s comments added to the sense of betrayal that became palpable in Liberia in recent months.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration dissolved the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and said it was no longer following what it called “a charity-based foreign aid model”.

That decision sent shock waves across Liberia, where US support made up almost 2.6 percent of the gross national income, the highest percentage anywhere in the world, according to the Center for Global Development.

Liberians thought they would be spared from Trump’s cuts because of the countries’ close relationship. Their political system is modelled on that of the US, along with its flag. Liberians often refer to the US as their “big brother”.

Liberia was one of the first countries to receive USAID support, starting in 1961. Its street signs, taxis and school buses resemble those in New York.

“Liberia is a longstanding friend of the USA, therefore Trump should have understood that we speak English as an official language,” said Moses Dennis, 37, a businessman from Monrovia. He added that Boakai did not go to Washington for “an English-speaking competition”.

Liberia flag
The Liberian flag, above, is modelled on the US flag [File: Luc Gnago/Reuters[

‘Condescending and ridiculing’

Dennis’s views were echoed by Siokin Civicus Barsi-Giah, a close associate of Liberia’s former President George Weah.

“Liberia is an English-speaking country,” he said. “Former slaves and slave owners decided to organise themselves to let go of many people who were in slavery in the United States of America, and they landed on these shores now called the Republic of Liberia.”

For him, the exchange was “condescending and ridiculing”.

“Joseph Boakai was not praised. He was mocked by the greatest president in the world, who is leading the greatest country in the world,” he said.

Some, however, said that given Trump’s style, Wednesday’s remarks were meant as praise.

“To some, the comment may carry a whiff of condescension, echoing a longstanding Western tendency to express surprise when African leaders display intellectual fluency,” said Abraham Julian Wennah, director of research at the African Methodist Episcopal University. “In postcolonial contexts, language has long been weaponised to question legitimacy and competence.”

But if one looks at “Trump’s rhetorical style”, the remarks were “an acknowledgment of Boakai’s polish, intellect and readiness for global engagement”, Wennah added.

Bill granting head of Mali’s junta, Gen. Assimi Goita, five more years in power signed into law

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Bill granting head of Mali’s junta, Gen. Assimi Goita, five more years in power signed into law

The head of Mali’s junta General Assimi Goita has granted himself a five-year presidential mandate, renewable “as many times as necessary” and without election, in a bill signed into law on Thursday.

The bill implemented recommendations of the national dialogue consultations organised by the military regime in April and boycotted by political parties. It was passed by the military-appointed legislative body last week.

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The law, which Goita approved on Tuesday, allows him to lead the West African nation until at least 2030, despite the military government’s initial pledge to return to civilian rule in March 2024.

In May, he signed a decree dissolving all political parties. It coincided with a surge in kidnappings of pro-democracy activists in the capital, Bamako, and just days after a demonstration by several hundred activists.

Restrictions on freedom

The new law is the latest in a series of restrictions on freedoms by Mali’s military leadership to consolidate its power in the jihadist-hit Sahelian nation.

Goita has led the country since orchestrating two coups in 2020 and 2021 as an insurgency by jihadi groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group worsened.

Mali, a landlocked nation in the semiarid region of Sahel, has been embroiled in political instability that swept across West and Central Africa over the last decade.

We’re not interested in truncating democracy- ADC

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We’re not interested in truncating democracy- ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) says it is not interested in truncating Nigeria’s democracy.

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It said it mission was to rescue power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) through democratic means.

Interim National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this in statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Abdullahi was reacting to a tweet by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga.

He said that Onanuga had alleged that the opposition was planning to overthrow the President Bola Tinubu government before 2027.

Abdullahi described the allegation as a baseless and false narrative aimed to clampdown on opposition leaders and activities under the guise of national security.

“We are not soldiers, we are politicians. We don’t have bullets; we only have the ballots.

“When the time comes, we will only present our solutions and an alternative vision of the future to the Nigerian people and leave them to make their choice,” he said.

He wondered why the APC, the first opposition party to “come to power in Nigeria now appeared to find it strange that there is an opposition at all.”

Abdullahi urged Tinubu to caution his aides from further baseless and dangerous allegations that may heat up the system even two years ahead of the next election.

He also called on Nigerians to reject any underhand tactics to discredit the opposition and silence alternative voices.

Abdullahi stressed that the health of Nigeria’s democracy depends on a free, open, and competitive political environment.

He said that the ADC remained committed to building a better Nigeria, through peace, democratic participation.

Alleged N6.9bn Fraud: Judge’s Absence Stalls Fayose’s No-Case Submission

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Alleged N6.9bn Fraud: Judge’s Absence Stalls Fayose’s No-Case Submission

 

 

The scheduled ruling on the No-case submission filed by a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos was stalled on Thursday, July 10, 2025, due to the absence of the Judge.

 

The EFCC had, on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, re-arraigned Fayose and Spotless Investment Limited on an 11-count charge bordering on money laundering and stealing to the tune of N6.9bn ( Six Billion Nine Hundred Million Naira).

The defendants had first been arraigned on October 22, 2018 before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.

 

At the last adjourned on May 19, 2025, counsel to Fayose, Chief Kanu Agabi SAN, had argued the no-case submission dated May 16, 2025 and further submitted that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against his client.

 

He had also told the court that Abiodun Agbele, whom he described as a co-conspirator in the alleged transaction, was not charged alongside Fayose.

 

“The predicate offences on which these charges are based do not hold water.

 

“Criminal breach of trust and conspiracy are distinct charges, and no co-conspirator was docked with the defendant, “ he had argued.

 

Counsel to the second defendant, Spotless Investment Limited, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, had also adopted the no-case submission.

 

Responding, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, had urged the court to dismiss the no-case submissions.

 

Jacobs had also cited a counter-affidavit and written address dated May 8, 2025, and further submitted that the defendants failed to explain the suspicious financial transactions.

 

Jacobs had also queried why Fayose did not use his personal bank account for the transactions “if they were clean.”

 

He had also drawn the attention of the court to the fact that a prosecution witness, Abubakar Madaki, an investigator with the EFCC, had in his testimony, stated that Fayose used associates to purchase properties both in Nigeria and abroad.

 

“ These are associates who later denied ownership of the properties, even though Fayose had claimed them in his statement,” he had added.

 

According to him, Obanikoro’s testimony that Fayose personally requested the funds in cash and introduced Agbele to handle the delivery required a defence from the accused.

 

Consequently, Justice Aneke had adjourned the matter till July 10, 2025( today) for ruling on the no-case submission.

 

However, the ruling on the no-case submission could not go on Thursday due to the absence of the Judge, who was said to have “received an official emergency call requiring his attention.

Insecurity: “It’s Like We’re Losing Entire Anambra to Killer Herdsmen” — Onyeeze, Accord Party Standard Bearer, Laments

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Insecurity: “It’s Like We’re Losing Entire Anambra to Killer Herdsmen” — Onyeeze, Accord Party Standard Bearer, Laments

 

By Chuks Eke

The Accord Party gubernatorial candidate for the upcoming November 8 Anambra state governorship election, Sir Charles Chidi Onyeeze, has expressed deep concern over the escalating insecurity in the state. He lamented that it feels as though the people of Anambra are on the verge of losing their entire state to killer herdsmen and other non-state actors.

Onyeeze stated that if elected governor, his first priority would be to address the root causes undermining the safety of lives and property in Anambra. He vowed to use the security votes allocated to the state judiciously to curb these threats at their source.

Speaking through Chief Uchenna Ndumanya, Director-General of his Campaign Organization, at an event held at Umueri Recreation Club, Otuocha in Anambra East Local Government Area, Onyeeze emphasized that the primary responsibility of any responsive government is to protect its citizens.

Flanked by Chief Alex Akorah, Director of Special Duties and ChiefJohn Onyi, Director, Media and Publicity of the Campaign Organization, Onyeeze further outlined his development plans. He said that once security is stabilized, he would prioritize mechanized agriculture to achieve food sufficiency and eliminate hunger and starvation in the state.

On the issue of cultism infiltrating primary and secondary schools, Onyeeze warned that schools would be thoroughly sanitized. He also pledged to establish technical schools and institute self-employment programs to equip young people with practical skills, empowering them to sustain themselves after graduation.

“I have offered myself to serve diligently through Accord Party to liberate Ndi Anambra from economic backwardness and shackles of poverty, if elected in the November 2025 governorship election,” Onyeeze stated.

25 yrs of civil rule: IPoB lawyer queries rationale behind Nigeria’s democratic contradictions

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25 yrs of civil rule: IPoB lawyer queries rationale behind Nigeria’s democratic contradictions

 

By Chuks Eke

Sir Ifeany C. Ejiofot Esq. (KSC), Legal Practitioner, Public Affairs Analyst and Advocate for Accountable Governance has queried the rationale behind contradictions in our 25 years of civil rule and two years of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

In a press statement issued on Thursday titled: “Reflection/Democracy Day Edition. June 12 – 25 Years of Civil Rule, 2 Years into a New
Dispensation. A Time to Reckon, Rethink, and Reawaken – From a Biafran Lens”, Ejiofor lamented that for all these years, Nigeria is yet to stand on it’s feat in terms economy, security and political stability.

According to Ejiofor, “Today, as Nigeria marks 25 years of uninterrupted civil rule and two years under the current administration, we must look beyond official ceremonies and scripted rhetoric”.

“For the Biafran people – especially the Igbo nation-this is not a time for celebration, but for sober reflection. We must confront the painful contradictions of a democracy that has too often excluded, oppressed, and vilified the very voices that cry out for justice, fairness and self-determination”.

“Have the Fruits of Democracy Truly Reached Alaigbo?, He asked. In the so-called Nigerian democracy, do our people feel protected or persecuted? Are our communities in the South-East being empowered, or are they targeted with military raids, economic strangulation, and political marginalization?”

“Is the Average Biafran Better Off Today? With every fuel hike, currency crash, and failed promise, are our traders, artisans, and youth thriving – or simply struggling to survive in a federation that seems designed to frustrate them?”

“Is the Economy Liberating or Suppressing Our Potential?
Despite our industry and innovation, Biafran businesses face policy hostility, limited infrastructure, and deliberate exclusion. Where is the economic policy that empowers Ndigbo, not punishes them for daring to succeed?”

“Are We Safer – Or Under Siege?
From Orlu to Aba, from Enugu to Nnewi, our people live under the shadow of state-sponsored violence, unchecked brutality, and rising insecurity. Peace has become a privilege, not a right. Who will protect us when those sworn to do so become the source of fear?”

“Unity or Uniformity? Is Nigeria truly a union of equal nations – or a forced marriage where one region dominates, while others are told to keep quiet and conform? Can there be unity without justice? Can there be peace without truth?”

“A call to courage and conscience – for Biafra and beyond. Democracy, if it is to mean anything to us, must not be about slogans or elections alone. It must answer to the cries of the marginalized, not just the ambitions of the elite.
It must recognize the right of all peoples – including the Biafrans – to exist, to speak, to be heard, and if need be, to chart their own course”.

“This Democracy Day, let us raise not only our voices but our values. Let us demand a system that respects the dignity of every region, tribe, and tongue. Let us insist that our children must not inherit the silence of the oppressed.
Because democracy, like freedom, dies in fear – and thrives in truth”.

“Nigeria cannot rise while it keeps some of its most vibrant people on their knees. This is not the time to fold our arms.
This is the time to think, to organize, and to reclaim our dignity – peacefully, lawfully, and resolutely”.

“To remember June 12 is to remember the price of silence.
To honour it is to demand a federation built on fairness – or the freedom to build our own.
May the voice of Biafra never be silenced. The journey continues – not by chance, but by choice”.

Another UNIZIK Student Dies Over Missing Spare Key and Negligence

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Another UNIZIK Student Dies Over Missing Spare Key and Negligence

 

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

Barely two days after Tochi Martins Attah, a 300-level student of the Department of Microbiology at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, slumped and died while playing football; the institution has been thrown into mourning aging, following the death of another promising student.

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The deceased, Miss Chioma Ajana Isabella, a 100-level Law student of UNIZIK died on Wednesday, with her sudden demise linked to the harsh and widely-condemned policy of Emelda Hostel, a hostel located within the university campus where she lived.

The deceased, described by her mates as intelligent, promising, and full of dreams, was said to have lost her room key and had approached the Management of the hostel to request a spare key, explaining that she was diabetic and urgently needed to access her insulin medication kept inside her refrigerator. Her plea, however, fell on deaf ears.

Rather than provide immediate help, the Hostel Management reportedly told her that their policy required her two roommates to pay ₦40,000 each — totalling ₦120,000 — before the spare key could be released, even while there are many spare keys available. Despite repeated appeals, explanations, and even warnings about her medical condition, she was allegedly denied access to the room.

Left without her medication for three consecutive days, her health deteriorated drastically, and she eventually collapsed on Sunday and was rushed to the hospital in a critical state, but all efforts to revive her proved abortive. By Wednesday morning, she was confirmed dead.

Recounting the ugly incident, a source at UNIZIK wrote: “Isabella died simply because of the weird policy at Emalda hostel whereby if you lose your key, you will have to pay to pay handsomely for you to be given the spare key. But Isabella’s case was different for medical reasons. She was diabetic. And it was said that the door key has the jam and lock feature. Either she misplaced her key or forgot it inside the room.

“The lady Manager of the refused to give her the spare key to open the door, insisting that she must follow the protocol of paying penalty of N40,000 (Forty Thousand Naira).

“For three days, she was refused access to her room simply because the hostel manager said she was “careless.” She was asking for the keys to have access to her drugs as she is dependent on insulin. Yet, they refused. She was kept away from her drugs for three days. She was told to bring

“She eventually collapsed and was rushed to UNIZIK Medical Centre. At the hospital, her condition became very critical. She then lapsed into hypoglycemic shock. A few days later, on Wednesday, she passed away.

“She was full of life, getting ready to be called to the Law Students Association Bar next week, which she was excited about, dallying and gossiping about her dress. She was somebody’s daughter, somebody’s sister. Now, she is gone just because of negligence and lack of emotional intelligence by hostel officials.”

The sad incident has continued to generate reactions and condemnations from within and outside the university community, with many describing the hostel’s actions as not only insensitive and exploitative, but grossly inhumane. The ₦40,000 spare key charge, which many students say is a standing policy in Emelda Hostel, has been strongly condemned, with several students recounting similar experiences of being forced to pay the same amount even in emergency situations.

Students also revealed that Emelda Hostel, despite being located within the university premises, is not owned by the institution and has over the years attracted criticisms for its rigid policies and high-handedness, especially towards students facing one challenge or another. A classmate of the deceased, who narrated her own ordeal on social media, said she had once been forced to pay ₦120,000 before being allowed access to her room under similar circumstances, describing the policy as exploitative and lacking any trace of empathy.

Until her death, Chioma was said to be preparing to be called to the LAWSA Bar, with plans already in motion for the ceremony. Her friends described her as cheerful and focused, noting that her only offence was misplacing her key — something they say should never have resulted in death, if those concerned had acted with the slightest sense of humanity.

In response to the unfortunate incident and the growing public outcry, the Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Professor Carol Chinyelugo Arinze-Umobi, has constituted an eight-man investigative committee to look into the activities of Emelda Hostel Management and the circumstances surrounding the student’s death.

The committee, chaired by Professor Mike Oddih, has been mandated to thoroughly investigate the incident, examine the operational methods of the hostel, and submit its report within one week. Other members of the panel include Professor Okey Charles Ogu, Professor Richard Uwakwe, Rev. Fr. Professor Ken Oraegbunam, Professor Tracie Uto-Ezeajugh, Barrister Philomena Okoye, the SUG President Eze Samuel, and Miss Ogo Okolo who will serve as the Secretary.

Meanwhile, many students have called for a complete overhaul of private hostel regulations within the university, insisting that no facility operating on campus should be allowed to implement policies that place profit above the lives and wellbeing of students. There are also calls for legal actions to be instituted against the Management of Emelda Hostel, to serve as a deterrent to others.

Chioma’s death, many believe, should not be swept under the carpet, but should mark a turning point in how student welfare and emergency situations are handled.

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