News
Our Ordeal In Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina – FUTO students
Two table Tennis players from Federal University of Technology, Owerri detained in Bosnia-Herzegovina refugee camp, have returned home and narrated their ordeal, from the day they were mistakenly arrested by Croatia security and dumped at the Bosnia border.
Abia Uchenna and Eboh Chinedu, both students of Federal University of Technology Owerri(FUTO), returned to Nigeria late on the night of Dec. 20.
The two students were received by the Secretary of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Mr Sule Yakubu Bassi, who represented the Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
The chairman welcomed the students back home and asked them to narrate their ordeal in Croatia, so that some lessons would be learnt from their story and most importantly for Nigerian youths to hear and learn from it.
The FUTO students on arrival in Abuja
Uchenna and Chinedu listed among their ordeal while in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina language barrier, harsh and hostile treatment and camp conditions as well as feeding.
They said they were however overwhelmed with joy to be back home.
Dabiri-Erewa also urged Nigerian students to always be of good behaviour wherever they found themselves by obeying the laws of the country they were visiting.
She commended the Federal Government through the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, the Nigerian Ambassador to Hungary, and all mission staff for the humane and prompt response to the plight of the two Nigerians.
After narrating their nasty experiences in the hands of Croatian authorities, the two students said: ”First of all, we want to thank NIDCOM for the kind gesture they have shown us and the citizens of this great country Nigeria when we were passing through the challenges out in the foreign land.
“We want to thank especially Mama Diaspora in the person of Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
”She is indeed a mother – someone that Nigerians in diaspora could depend on.
“The way she spoke to us on telephone from Nigeria when we were in camp in Bosnia was very encouraging,
”We cannot thank her enough, she provided hotel accommodation and feeding when we arrived here in Abuja,” they said.
They applauded the quick intervention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Hungary, and all Embassy Staff in Budapest.
Uchenna and Chinedu arrived Croatia on Nov. 12, to participate in the fifth World Inter Universities Championship, had visas granting them the right to stay until Nov. 18, 2019.
The Inter-Universities organisation confirmed that the original copies of the visas issued by the Croatian authorities to both students was valid at the time of their detention.
The pair, left Pula for the Croatian capital, Zagreb, after the tournament and were supposed to fly to Lagos on November.L
“The night before our departure, on the Nov. 17, we checked out from the hostel and went for a walk in Zagreb,” Chinedu said in an interview.
“Suddenly, we were stopped by the police who asked us for our identification documents.
“We tried to explain that our passports were in the hostel and that we had a regular visa, but they paid no attention to what we were saying .”
The officers allegedly mistook them for undocumented immigrants, put them in a van and transferred them to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina where, that day, Croatian authorities had gathered a group of migrants who were intercepted as they were attempting to cross into the country.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, issued the directive during an unscheduled visit to the facility on Sunday.
He also revealed plans to launch a nationwide emergency care training programme aimed at standardising and improving response capacities across public hospitals.
The visit came in response to a viral video showing victims of an accident allegedly left unattended at the hospital’s emergency unit. The footage, which sparked outrage and allegations of negligence on social media, prompted the government to set up an investigative panel to probe the incident.
Dr. Salako said he received the panel’s report before arriving at the hospital. During the inspection, he engaged with frontline medical staff, assessed infrastructure, and reviewed the facility’s operational readiness to handle emergencies.
“You are in the eye of the storm, responsible for saving lives. Even if you’ve done one million things right, one mistake is what the public will remember,” Salako told the staff during the visit.
As part of immediate corrective measures, the minister ordered the hospital management to increase the number of casualty officers per shift from two to at least four, aimed at improving response time and ensuring newly recruited health assistants are fully integrated into clinical operations.
Salako also identified infrastructure gaps within the emergency unit, calling for urgent upgrades to complement recent improvements in electricity and water supply. “These improvements must be ongoing and focused on patient needs,” he stressed.
On security concerns, hospital officials told the minister that the facility is working with private security firms and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to regulate access to the emergency area.
Salako emphasised the need for enhanced surveillance systems, noting that CCTV footage has proved critical in previous investigations.
Responding to the minister’s inquiries, Head of the Emergency Unit, Dr. Timothy Sama’ila, admitted existing challenges such as limited space, high patient volumes, and staff shortages.
The minister’s visit underscored the government’s renewed commitment to ensuring that all Nigerians have access to prompt and quality emergency care services.
Former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has joined millions of Nigerians in mourning the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a statesman whose leadership embodied integrity, patriotism, and an unwavering commitment to the ideals of national unity and progress.
In a solemn tribute, Ambode recounted the personal and institutional support Buhari extended to Lagos State during his administration, emphasizing that the former president’s actions reflected his deep appreciation for the state’s strategic importance.
“President Buhari was a strong and ardent supporter of Lagos State,” Ambode stated. “During my tenure as Governor, he granted us significant concessions, including the permission to upgrade the Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road to a multi-carriage highway and the handover of several federal properties like the Presidential Lodge in Marina.”
He noted that Buhari’s decisions were not merely political gestures but signs of visionary leadership anchored in fairness, equity, and a desire to see every part of Nigeria thrive.
“President Buhari led with dignity, calm resolve, and a fear of God. His belief in the promise of our nation and his deep sense of responsibility to the people defined his time in office,” Ambode said.
While extending condolences to the Buhari family and the nation, Ambode prayed for peace for the departed and comfort for those left behind. “On behalf of my family and myself, I offer our deepest condolences. May Almighty Allah accept his good deeds and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.”
Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023, is widely remembered for his firm stance on anti-corruption, discipline in governance, and national cohesion.
As tributes continue to pour in, Ambode’s message highlights the enduring legacy Buhari leaves behind, a legacy of service, principle, and commitment to Nigeria’s unity.
…Paperwork Ongoing For Release Of Buhari’s Body In London
Former President Muhammadu Buhari would be buried on Tuesday and not today, as earlier reported.
He died on Sunday afternoon in a London clinic.
A presidential delegation arrived London on Monday morning to repatriate his body home, The Nation had earlier reported.
Katsina Deputy Governor Lawal Jobe announced the postponement of the burial to reporters on Monday afternoon in a chat with reporters..
Jobe arrived the Daura residence of the former President by 11.27am to inspect the site for the final burial.
Meanwhile, the paperwork to perfect the release of the remains of former Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari from a hospital in London has begun.
It was disclosed that the remains of the late Nigerian former president would be released once the documentations were perfected.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and other top government functionaries are in London to bring Buhari’s remains back to Nigeria.
Channels Television reported that Shettima and other Nigerian top government officials are helping to facilitate the final paper works for the release of Buhari’s remains.
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