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BREAKING: Like In Ibadan, 7 Children Feared Dead In Another Stampede During Palliative Sharing At Abuja Church—-At least 10 people, including children, are feared dead, and several others sustained injuries during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja, on Saturday morning.

The incident occurred as thousands of residents scrambled to receive palliatives distributed by the church.

The event, organised to provide relief to struggling residents, drew over 3,000 people, mostly from Mpape, Gishiri Village, and other nearby settlements. The National Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Padre Mike Nsikak Umoh, confirmed the tragic development, noting the suspension of the palliative distribution.

“Yes it’s true but with sketchy details,” he said.

An eyewitness described the scene as chaotic and tragic, revealing that at least seven of the deceased were children.

Many attendees arrived as early as 4:00 AM, hoping to secure their share of the palliatives. The stampede occurred between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM when the crowd surged forward.

“10 people have been reported dead, including children. We just received a call that they have passed on.

“Over 3,000 people came out to receive the palliative. It’s unfortunate. Some of them arrived as early as 4:00 AM. Most of those present were residents of Mpape, Gishiri Village, and other nearby settlements.

“The stampede occurred between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM. The distribution of palliatives has been suspended indefinitely, and people are dispersing. May God receive the souls of the departed and protect us from harm,” the eyewitness, a mother of five, said.

In response to the chaos, a combined team of police, military, and DSS officers was deployed to restore order and disperse the crowd. The church premises, initially filled with anxious beneficiaries, gradually cleared as security personnel enforced the suspension.

This tragedy mirrors a similar incident that occurred just days earlier in Ibadan, Oyo State, where a stampede at a children’s funfair resulted in the deaths of at least 35 children and left six others critically injured. The event, held at the Islamic High School in Bashorun, Ibadan, attracted over 5,000 children and turned fatal when attendees rushed to receive food and gifts distributed by the organizers.

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Alex Jimenez Frozen Out by Bournemouth Amid Growing Online Controversy

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Alex Jimenez Frozen Out by Bournemouth

Alex Jimenez Frozen Out by Bournemouth Amid Growing Online Controversy—-AFC Bournemouth have confirmed that defender Alex Jimenez will not be part of the squad for their upcoming Premier League clash against Fulham FC following social media controversy involving the player.

In an official statement released on Friday, Bournemouth said the club is aware of posts currently circulating online concerning the right-back and has launched an investigation into the matter.

“The club understand the seriousness of the matter and it is currently being investigated,” the statement read.

As a result, Jimenez has been withdrawn from selection for the Fulham fixture while the club continues its internal review.

Bournemouth added that no further comments will be made at this stage.

The nature of the posts or allegations has not yet been publicly clarified, but the development has quickly generated attention online ahead of the club’s latest Premier League outing.

Further updates are expected as investigations continue.

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JUST IN: FG Cracks Down on Honorary Degree Abuse, Bans Use of ‘Dr’ Title

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FG Cracks Down on Honorary Degree Abuse

JUST IN: FG Cracks Down on Honorary Degree Abuse, Bans Use of ‘Dr’ Title—-Government says honorary doctorate holders who present themselves as academic doctors risk legal and reputational consequences

The Federal Government has announced a nationwide ban on the use of the “Dr” title by recipients of honorary doctorate degrees in official, academic, and professional settings.

The directive was unveiled on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, during a briefing with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Speaking alongside the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Ahmad, Alausa disclosed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved a new uniform policy regulating the award and usage of honorary degrees by Nigerian universities.

According to the minister, the move is intended to curb what the government describes as years of abuse, politicisation, and commercialisation of honorary academic awards.

“The recent trend we’ve seen with the award of honorary degrees has revealed a growing abuse and politicisation of this academic privilege,” Alausa said.

He noted that honorary awards have increasingly been used for political patronage, financial influence, and recognition of serving public office holders—practices he described as inconsistent with the ethical principles guiding honorary degrees.

Under the newly approved policy, recipients of honorary doctorates are no longer permitted to prefix “Dr” to their names. Instead, they must clearly indicate the honorary nature of the award by placing the designation after their names.

For example, recipients may use formats such as Chief Louis Clark, D.Lit. (Honoris Causa) or Mrs Miriam Adamu, LL.D. Hons.

Alausa stressed that misrepresenting honorary degrees as academically earned qualifications will now be regarded as academic fraud and may attract both legal and reputational consequences.

The government also introduced stricter rules on the categories of honorary degrees Nigerian universities are allowed to confer. Institutions will now be limited to only four honorary degree types:

  • Doctor of Laws (LL.D)
  • Doctor of Letters (D.Lit)
  • Doctor of Science (D.Sc)
  • Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts)

In addition, universities that do not operate active PhD programmes will no longer be allowed to award honorary doctorates.

The policy is expected to significantly affect public figures, politicians, entertainers, religious leaders, and business personalities who commonly adopt the “Dr” title after receiving honorary recognitions.

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