The body of Abuja-based singer, Ifunanya Nwangene, who died after a snake bite, has been transported to her father in Enugu State, the Abuja Metropolitan Music Society Choir has said.

The choir, in a detailed account released on Monday and signed by its director, Sam Ezugwu, provided a timeline of events leading to Nwangene’s death, amid public debate over the availability of antivenom and allegations of medical negligence.

According to the statement, the incident began at 10:13am on Saturday when a member of the choir, Stephanie, sent an urgent message to the Amemuso Choir WhatsApp group asking for assistance around Jabi and the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja.

“I immediately called her to ask what was wrong. She informed me that Ifunanya had been bitten by a snake,” Ezugwu said.

In a copy of the statement issued, he said emergency arrangements were made as members of the choir, including Vincent, proceeded to FMC, while others also made their way to the hospital.

Upon arrival, Ezugwu said doctors were already attending to the singer.

“She was struggling to breathe, had been placed on oxygen, and was unable to speak, though she tried to communicate using hand gestures,” the statement read.

The choir director said a doctor at the emergency ward confirmed that Nwangene arrived at the hospital on her own and had explained that she was bitten by a grey snake.

He added that her uncle, identified as Joseph, was also present at the hospital.

Nwangene was placed on a drip and administered antivenom alongside other treatments. However, the statement said doctors later informed the team that additional medication, including Neostigmine, was urgently required, as the hospital’s supply had been exhausted.

After confirming availability at a pharmacy near the National Hospital, Ezugwu said he and Vincent immediately went to purchase the medication.

“As we were leaving the emergency ward, I noticed that Ifunanya appeared no longer to be breathing.

“However, since the doctors were still actively checking her blood pressure and administering interventions, I left with cautious hope,” he said.

While they were on their way back to FMC, Ezugwu said they were informed that doctors had commenced resuscitation efforts. Moments later, they received confirmation that the singer had been pronounced dead.

“We returned to the hospital to find Ifunanya’s lifeless body on the bed. We cried, prayed, screamed, but she could no longer hear us,” the statement added.

The choir further disclosed that inquiries revealed Nwangene was bitten on the wrist by a snake while sleeping in her room at Lugbe, Abuja, between 8:00am and 9:00am.

According to the account, neighbours tied her hand to slow the spread of the venom and attempted to help her get to the hospital.

A neighbour’s vehicle reportedly failed to start, forcing her to run about 500 metres to the estate gate before taking a motorcycle to Divine Health Hospital, where she was referred to FMC due to the non-availability of antivenom.

While en route to FMC at about 9:40am, Nwangene reportedly contacted friends, family members and the choir for help.

Ezugwu said her father, Mr Nwangene, who was in constant communication with those on ground, later requested that arrangements be made to transport his daughter’s body to Enugu.

The body was subsequently moved to the mortuary, embalmed and conveyed by ambulance to Enugu after prayers were said at Guardian Angel Catholic Chapel, Lugbe, by the Assistant Parish Priest, Fr Stephen Biodun.

Following her death, a snake handler was engaged to inspect her residence.

“A medium-sized cobra was found inside her room, another smaller snake near her doormat, and a third in a nearby compound. It was concluded that the cobra was responsible for the fatal bite,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, DAILY GAZETTE had earlier reported that the Federal Capital Territory Administration assured residents that antivenom is fully stocked and accessible in all FCTA-owned hospitals and public health centres.

The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, said the territory maintains sufficient supplies of polyvalent and multivalent antivenoms.

“Different forms and types of anti-snake venom are widely available across FCTA-owned hospitals and public health facilities,” she said, adding that stocking decisions are guided by collaboration with veterinary doctors to identify common snake species in the FCT.

She said the antivenoms are centrally stored at the Abuja Central Medical Stores and managed to ensure quality and cold-chain integrity.

Also reacting, the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, denied allegations of negligence, saying all necessary medical interventions were administered.

“Our medical staff provided immediate and appropriate treatment, including resuscitation efforts, intravenous fluids, intranasal oxygen, and the administration of polyvalent snake antivenom,” the hospital said.

FMC added that Nwangene suffered severe neurotoxic complications and deteriorated suddenly while being prepared for transfer to the Intensive Care Unit.

“Despite all efforts to stabilise her condition and provide CPR, we were unable to revive her,” the statement said.

The hospital dismissed claims of non-availability of antivenom as unfounded.

The Amemuso Choir described Nwangene’s death as a major loss to Abuja’s music community, noting that burial arrangements would be announced later.

A High Court of Nasarawa State sitting in Lafia has sentenced Saidu Idi to death by hanging after finding him guilty of armed robbery and culpable homicide.

The verdict was delivered on Monday by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Aisha Muhammed Usman, in a case linked to an incident that occurred in 2015.

Idi was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.

While the court discharged him on the charge of conspiracy, it held that the prosecution proved the offences of armed robbery and culpable homicide beyond reasonable doubt.

According to the court, the victim, identified as a herdsman, was attacked in the Kopuna area of one of the local government areas in the state.

Evidence presented before the court showed that the victim was first shot before his money and other valuables were taken.

The Attorney-General of Nasarawa State and Commissioner for Justice, Isaac Danladi, who led the prosecution, described the judgment as a landmark, noting that the case had lasted for about 11 years.

He said both the prosecution and the defence were given adequate opportunity to present their cases, stressing that the court delivered its judgment without fear or favour.

Danladi added that the ruling would serve as a deterrent to criminals in the state.

However, counsel to the defendant, Chidi Okorie Kanu, faulted the judgment and announced plans to challenge it at the Court of Appeal.

Kanu said the defence was dissatisfied with the decision and would carefully study the judgment before filing an appeal.

He cited alleged inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case, particularly the testimony of one of the witnesses, whom he said could not clearly recall making a statement to the police.

According to him, the appellate court would be asked to review the propriety of the conviction and sentence.

Founder of the David Christian Centre and relationship coach, Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo, has defended his decision to get a tattoo, insisting that there is no scriptural basis forbidding Christians from having tattoos.

The cleric recently sparked debate on social media after unveiling a tattoo on his arm bearing the Roman numeral “3:16,” a reference to John 3:16 of the Bible.

Critics faulted the action, citing Leviticus 19:28, which warns against marking the body.

Responding to the backlash, Okonkwo dismissed the criticisms as rooted in personal preferences and outdated religious traditions rather than clear biblical instruction.

He argued that nowhere in the New Testament is there an explicit prohibition against tattoos for Christians.

“There is no scripture that says a child of God cannot have a tattoo,” he said.

“People are projecting their personal convictions, church culture, or what they believe the Holy Spirit told them onto others. That is not how faith works.”

The pastor challenged his critics to provide either scriptural or scientific evidence showing that tattoos negatively affect a person’s character or spirituality.

“Someone must explain how ink on the skin suddenly makes a person immoral or ungodly. There must be proof, not assumptions,” he added.

Okonkwo also questioned the selective moral outrage surrounding tattoos, noting that practices once condemned in churches, such as wearing makeup, earrings, jeans, or human hair, are now widely accepted.

In a TikTok video addressing critics, he argued that eyebrow tattoos and microblading, commonly practised by many Christians, fall within the same category of body markings.

“People criticising tattoos are doing eyebrow tattoos and wearing human hair to church. If painting eyebrows is acceptable, then tattoos should not suddenly be treated as evil,” he said.

He further likened the stigma around tattoos to the church’s historical aversion to politics, arguing that shunning certain spaces only leaves them to those perceived as immoral.

Okonkwo acknowledged that tattoos are sometimes associated with negative stereotypes but maintained that character, not appearance, defines a person’s values.

According to him, many responsible and morally upright individuals have tattoos.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have suspended their planned protest in the Federal Capital Territory, directing workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to resume their duties immediately.

The decision followed an overnight engagement between labour leaders, the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and members of the Senate Committee on the FCT.

The meeting, which began late Monday and continued into the early hours of Tuesday, resulted in an agreement that led to the unions halting the protest and restoring normal operations across FCTA offices.

Details shortly…

Former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, has filed a motion challenging the interim forfeiture of some of his properties seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The properties, 57 in total, were temporarily forfeited to the federal government on January 6 by a Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Judge Emema Nwite, following an ex parte application by the EFCC.

The properties are allegedly linked to Malami and two of his sons, Abdulaziz Malami and Abiru Rahman Malami.

Malami, through his counsel Joseph Daudu (SAN), argued that the EFCC obtained the order by misrepresenting facts and suppressing material information.

He asked the court to dismiss the forfeiture to prevent “conflicting outcomes and duplicative litigation,” claiming the proceedings violate his right to property, presumption of innocence, and family life.

The former AGF specifically challenged the interim forfeiture of three properties, including a plot on Lamido Crescent, Kano; a duplex in Wuse II, Abuja; and the ADC Kadi Malami Foundation Building, purchased for N56 million and held in trust for his late father’s estate.

Daudu outlined Malami’s declared sources of income, including N374 million from salaries, allowances, severance, and sitting allowances from board memberships; N574 million from disposal of assets; N10.02 billion from business turnover; N2.52 billion in business loans; N958 million in traditional gifts; and N509.88 million from proceeds of a book he authored.

He argued these legitimate sources demonstrate that the properties were lawfully acquired.

Legal experts, however, have noted that public officers in Nigeria are prohibited from accepting gifts that could influence their official duties.

Obioma Ezenwobodo, former NBA Garki Branch chairman, said such gifts could constitute corruption.

Similarly, civil society groups and activists have questioned the legitimacy of the sums claimed by Malami, highlighting potential violations of anti-corruption laws.

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) notes that ministerial salaries in Nigeria are approximately N7.8 million annually, raising further scrutiny over Malami’s claims of N374 million in salary and N958 million in gifts.

The court has yet to schedule a hearing on the matter, and the case was returned to the Chief Judge for reassignment after being handled during the court’s vacation.

Malami is also facing a separate EFCC money laundering charge and is currently detained by the Department of State Services over allegations of terrorism financing.