In a means to contain the rapidly-spreading Wuhan coronavirus, one county in the northern province of Hebei in China is offering a 1000 yuan ($140) bounty for each Wuhan person reported by residents, while the Heilongjiang province is threatening the death penalty to anyone caught deliberately spreading the virus.

In the eastern province of Jiangsu, police reportedly used metal poles to barricade the door of a family that had just come back from Wuhan and now the family relies on their neighbors to drop food on their back balcony for them.

The outbreak of the virus occurred in the central province of Hubei in December, and since then, authorities across the country have implemented strict controls, including checkpoints to screen people for fevers in toll booths, hotels, grocery stores, and train stations.

Several cities, including the epicenter Wuhan, have been put on lockdown, with government officials asking anyone traveling from the city to put themselves into quarantine for 14 days.

According to the South China Morning Post, the Heilongjiang province is seemingly taking the toughest stance, announcing that anyone who intentionally spreads the coronavirus to cause public harm could face the death penalty. Courts in different provinces in China are also releasing new guidelines on the use of laws to stop the spread of the virus.

In the northern municipality of Tianjin, a woman was detained on Tuesday after "deliberately concealing" having made contact with someone from an area stricken by the virus. The 36-year-old was taken into custody for "administrative detention," although no more details were given on what she had done, or when she would be released.
Source:
https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2020/02/04/chinese-authority-is-offering-people-140-to-snitch-on-those-who-have-visited-wuhan/

See more photos here: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/19/groom-beaten-to-death-at-his-wedding-reception-photos/

In California, a groom was beaten to death at his wedding reception by two uninvited men.

The Groom, Joe Melgoza, 30-years-old, was beaten to death with baseball bats by two uninvited brothers. Due to the attack, Melgoza suffered from a blunt-force trauma to the head. He was rushed to Chino Valley Medical Center, before he died.

The Police identified the suspects as brothers, Rony Aristides Castaneda Ramirez, 28-year-old, and 19-year-old Josue Daniel Castaneda Ramirez. According to the Chino Police Department, the siblings did not know Melgoza, but lived not far from the home of his wife's family in the 13200 block of 17th Street where the wedding reception was being held, and showed up at the celebration uninvited.

Melgoza's brother, Andy Velasquez, told NBC Los Angeles that the brothers got into a fight with some of the guests and were asked to leave, which they did, only to return a short time later armed with baseball bats. He added that his brother tried to confront the 'cowards,' who then pulled him away and killed him. He said:

My brother did not deserve to die like that, he was a good man, he was a solid man.

My brother was protecting his family. They came and they murdered him.

Joe Melgoza is survived by his wife of just a few hours, Esther Bustamante Melgoza, and his 11-year-old daughter.
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/19/groom-beaten-to-death-at-his-wedding-reception-photos/

See more photos here: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/19/16-year-old-female-staged-bronx-kidnapping-to-be-with-her-boyfriend/

Karol Sanchez, 16-year-old, who was kidnapped while walking with her mother in the Bronx, has been revealed that the whole thing was staged.

According to reports, the apparent kidnapping in the Bronx that sparked an Amber Alert and a citywide manhunt late Monday into Tuesday, was staged by Karol Sanchez and four accomplices. Sanchez allegedly confessed to it after being reunited with her family on Tuesday.

According to Sanchez, she staged her kidnap so she could be with her boyfriend, a 23-year-old reputed Crips gangbanger who was once arrested for murder. She also said she wasn't happy at home, and that was another reason for staging the kidnap.

An NYPD source said:

Her mother wanted to move them back to Honduras, but she [Karol] was adamantly against it.

No charges have been filed but police are looking for four male accomplices. In the surveillance video, four men were snatching her off Bronx Street, her mother fought for her but she was pushed to the ground while the men zoomed off with Karol on Monday night. A day later, she resurfaced "trembling" in the same area where she was "kidnapped" and walked up to police, before being taken in for questioning.

The teen and her family declined to comment as they left the station house Tuesday evening.
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/19/16-year-old-female-staged-bronx-kidnapping-to-be-with-her-boyfriend/

See more photos here: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/19/president-trump-to-face-trial-in-senate/

DonaldTrump has entered history as the third US president to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The House set up a trial in the Senate and voted on two charges that the president abused his power and that he had obstructed Congress. The trial will decide whether he remains in office.

While voting took place, President Trump addressed a campaign rally in Battle Creek, Michigan, saying:

While we're creating jobs and fighting for Michigan, the radical left in Congress is consumed with envy and hatred and rage, you see what's going on.

Both votes fell along party lines with nearly all Democrats voting for the charges and all Republicans against the charges. The House called for votes on the two charges: first, abuse of power, stemming from president Trump's alleged attempt to pressure Ukraine to announce investigations into his Democratic political rival, Joe Biden, and second, obstruction of Congress, because the president allegedly refused to co-operate with the impeachment inquiry, withholding documentary evidence and barring his key aides from giving evidence.

The vote for the first article of impeachment, abuse of power, was passed 230-197 and the second, for obstruction of Congress, 229-198. The proceedings on Wednesday began with members of Mr Trump's #RepublicanParty calling for votes on procedural issues in an effort to frustrate the process. Following this was a vote on the rules to be set out for the impeachment, which kicked off 10 hours of partisan debate on the merits of the two impeachment charges against President Trump.

For President Trump to be removed from office, the trial would require a two-thirds majority ( 67 senators ) to convict and remove the president. Republicans control the Senate, 53 to 47, and Mr. Trump is widely expectant to be acquitted.
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/19/president-trump-to-face-trial-in-senate/

See more photos here: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/18/couple-married-for-70-years-die-20-minutes-apart/

A Michigan couple who were married for 70 years and did everything together, died within 20 minutes apart in the same hospice care.

Les and Freda Austin, both 90-year-old and from Jackson, checked in hospice on December 6 and were in beds side by side when they died the following day.

The couple met in high school, had their first date at the school's prom and got married in 1949. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in November 2019.

The couple’s son, Michael Austin, said:

I think they knew each other was passing and they are eternally together. And I think it was beautiful.

If they had to go, this way was about as romantic as you could get.

Their daughter, Sandy Maes, told reporters:

They did everything together. They didn’t stop with death.

They went and saw pretty much every lighthouse in Michigan and some beyond Michigan.

My dad has to have the biggest collection of lighthouse sweatshirts and T-shirts anywhere.

Freda enjoyed preparing meals for the family. She collected more than 1,000 cookbooks and was known for her chocolate chip and sour cream cookies, while Les liked John Wayne memorabilia and Both enjoyed camping in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and lighthouses.

Les angered his wife when he signed up for military service during the Korean War without telling Freda. One of their granddaughters, Leah Smith, said:

I know she was upset about that.

Seventy years together sure isn’t easy…but at the end of those 70 years together, they still cared so deeply for each other and loved each other so, so very much.

I’m so happy they went together. I think it would have been torture for either of them to be here alone.

In addition to Maes, Austin and Smith, the couple is survived by three other grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Les and Freda Austin were held on Tuesday, December 17, in Mason, near Lansing, Michigan.
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/18/couple-married-for-70-years-die-20-minutes-apart/

See more photos here: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/18/nigerian-lady-gives-her-life-to-christ-burns-her-wigs-makeup-clothes-photos/

A Nigerian lady, Lorritha Ezekiel Olorunda, burnt her wigs, makeup products and clothes after giving her life. Lorritha who shared her story via Facebook disclosed that she gave her life to Christ after a commercial motorcyclist preached to her while she was on her way home from the market.

Lorritha said she had to get rid of her worldly outfits after the commercial motorcyclist played a "cassette of revelation" by a lady who God allegedly saved from hell and sent to the world to save souls. She uploaded pictures of her burnt items on her Facebook account with the caption:

Good morning brethren, I want to appreciate God for what he has done in my life, it was all about yesterday I went to market as I was returning God used the byke man to minister to me although my husband has been preaching these things to me but the devil never allow me see to it, the byke man God used him to save me and through one cassette of a revelation by one sister that God saved from hell and send her to the world to save souls, my people please am begging all of us there's no gain in all these things, be urself be natural say no to all these worldly things today and be saved, some people might be surprised seeing this post even my husband was surprised today on the action.I took even my family when they heard it, most of these items you are seeing here cost me a lot but what does it profit a man to gain the world and loose his soul, my dear ladies that can't do without trouser please read Deuteronomy 22vs5, have you ever asked yourself Where's all these attachment and weavon coming from?I was once a victim of this but I don't want us to be found in hell when God remembers us, have you tried asking your self if I die today where am I going? Please theres still time for us to amend our ways before it's late, thank you all and God bless you for reading and I pray for the grace for us to enter the kingdom of God on the last day because that day will be terrible.

Source:
https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/18/nigerian-lady-gives-her-life-to-christ-burns-her-wigs-makeup-clothes-photos/

See more photos: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/18/lagos-state-government-selling-50kg-lake-rice-for-%e2%82%a617000/

The Lagos State Government(LASG) announced on Tuesday on the sale of Lake Rice for the Yuletide celebrations. The 50kg bag of rice costs N17,000, while the 25kg bag is sold for N8,500.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Gbolahan Lawal, said in a statement, that the rice, which is a product of collaboration between Lagos and Kebbi states, would be available in various centres across the state. Some of the centres includes the Agricultural Development Authority Complex, Oko-Oba, Agege, the Lagos State Agriculture Inputs Supply Authority, Ojo, the Blue Roof at LTV Complex, Agidingbi, Ikeja, the Farm Service Centre, Epe, Odogunyan Farm Service Centre, Ikorodu, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Farm Centre, Ajah, Government Technical School, Ikotun, Farm Service Centre, Badagry, and the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba.

A speaker for the Commissioner for Agriculture, Gbolahan Lawal, said:

The commissioner noted that the state government would continue to ensure adequate production and fair distribution of Lake Rice, with a view to ensuring its availability to the masses in the various designated sales centres across the state.

He gave assurance that the government would continue to embark on agricultural policies and programmes to ensure food security in the state in line with the THEMES agenda of the present administration.

Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/18/lagos-state-government-selling-50kg-lake-rice-for-%e2%82%a617000/

Plateau state university located in the Bokkos Local Government Area of the state was attacked by unknown gunmen on Monday, who took valuables from students, injured some students and raped one student.

The President of the Students Union Government (SUG) of the Plateau State University, Mr Ezekiel Lutei, on Tuesday confirmed the rape of one of the female student by the gunmen.

The SUG President said the raped victim has been rushed to the hospital for medical attention, and the matter has been reported to the school authorities.

According to Ezekiel, the gunmen took some students money and other valuables including phones. He said in a statement:

What happened was that there was a rehearsal for a play production by some 200 level and 400 level students of the Theatre Arts Department at the Open Air Theatre.

While the rehearsal was going on, the gunmen stormed the place around 10 pm on Monday and attacked the students. In the process, one female student was raped while others sustained injury.

Several others had their belongings including phones and money forcefully taken away before the gunmen escaped. This is not the first time students would be attacked in the university by gunmen and there is the need for those concerned to secure the lives of students to avoid further occurrence.

Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/18/gunmen-invades-plateau-state-university-one-student-raped-several-others-injured/

Alhaji Sani Harisu, 65-year-old and his son, Anas, 23-year-old, was arrested by the Katsina State Police Command for allegedly being in possession of two AK 47 rifles.

Police Commissioner CP, Sani Buba, said men of Operation Puff Adder, led by O/C SARS Katsina, swung into action following a tip-off, mobilised to the location and arrested the suspects.

According to Harisu, he and his son were ignorant of the law concerning firearms and kept the guns, though without bullets, for self-protection. He also pleaded for forgiveness.

Addressing newsmen, command spokesman Superintendent, Gambo Isa, who represented Police Commissioner CP Sani Buba, said the men were arrested for being in possession of two AK 47 rifles. He said:

Our unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property is yielding positive result. This feat was achieved as a result of robust community policing engagement through the process of dialogue, visibility policing, unrelenting and aggressive counter-crime strategies.

I must as well commend the collective effort, support and cooperation of well-meaning people in the state with the police.

During investigation, the suspects confessed to the crime and led policemen to the scene where two AK 47 rifles with breech numbers 406071 and 1413174 D60 were recovered.

The suspects confessed to have seized the firearms from suspected bandits who attacked their villages last December, but refused to hand over the seized weapons to the police. Investigation is on.

Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/17/father-son-arrested-for-possession-of-ak-47-rifles/

Watch video here: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/16/michelle-obama-ellen-degeneres-surprises-dc-elementary-school-with-christmas-gifts-video/

Former first lady of America, Michelle Obama, and Tv presenter, Ellen DeGeneres, surprised Highlands Elementary School in Washington DC with amazing Christmas gifts.

The surprise visit was part of the Ellen’s Greatest Night of Giveaways on The Ellen Show. Ellen donated $100,000 to the school while Michelle donated a basketball court and also upgraded their labs with Mac systems to aid learning.

Michelle also gave each of the students and teachers an iPad and Mac book respectively. According to iMore, 65% of the students are either homeless or in foster care.

In the video, the former US first lady talked about how the school was lacking in updated computers as she replaced every one of them with Macbook (for general use), laptops (for teachers) and iPads (for each of the students).
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/16/michelle-obama-ellen-degeneres-surprises-dc-elementary-school-with-christmas-gifts-video/

Watch video here: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/16/kanye-west-samples-davidos-song-in-his-sunday-service-worship-video/

American rapper, Kanye West, on Sunday had a church ministration where he sampled Nigerian singer, Davido’s rhythm to his 2017 hit song, ‘IF’ during his praise and worship session.

Kanye who has been going on tours to promote his new album, Jesus is King, was seen in a video moving his body to 'If' rhythm as his choir sang their personal rendition to the rhythm of the hit song.
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/16/kanye-west-samples-davidos-song-in-his-sunday-service-worship-video/

The Nigerian Police arrested three armed robbers who invaded & robbed patients at a private hospital at Omolaja Odunbaku street Oremeji area of Ibafo in Obafemi Owode local government area of Ogun state.

The suspects, Folarin Azeez, aka Hyper Temitope Bolariwa, aka Tincan and Kolade Ahmed were arrested following a distress call received from police emergency centre which stated that armed robbers invaded the hospital and dispossessed patients in the hospital of their belongings.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer for the Command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the items recovered from the suspects includes 12 different types of Android and iPhones as well as wrist watches. He also said the DPO of Ibafo division, SP Abiodun Ayinde led policemen to the scene. He said:

The policemen didn't relent in their efforts to apprehend the hoodlums. The efforts paid off on the 12th of December 2019 when intelligence investigation revealed that the hoodlums were hibernating somewhere in shimawa area.

The DPO and his operatives moved to the area where the three suspects were subsequently apprehended.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Kenneth Ebrimson ordered the immediate transfer of the suspects to special anti robbery squad (SARS) for an in depth investigation into their various robbery activities.

Source:
https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/16/robbers-invade-hospital-takes-patients-belongings/

British actor, Colin Firth, and his Italian wife, co-founder and creative director of Eco-Age, Livia Firth, has put an end to their 22-years marriage. The couple have two sons, Luca and Matteo.

The couple's publicists made the announcement, saying:

Colin and Livia Firth have separated. They maintain a close friendship and remain united in their love for their children.

They kindly ask for privacy. There will be no further comment.

Source:
https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/15/colin-firth-his-wife-split-after-being-married-for-22-years/

The alleged execution of four aid workers by terrorist, Boko Haram, has been condemned by President of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The President revealed this in a statement read by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adeshina, in Abuja on Saturday. He said that the defeat of evil by good is inevitable, no matter the pyrrhic victory evildoers seem to win. He said:

Evil will always be defeated by good at the end of the day. Whatever seeming victory evil records, eventually rebounds on the evildoer.

We are resolved to beat evil in this land, and we remain unrelenting till we achieve it.

The aid workers wete abducted near Damasak, Borno State in July and had been held by the terrorist in spite of efforts to secure their release.

The President also urged all insurgents to lay down their arms and rejoin decent humanity.
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/14/president-buhari-condemns-alleged-execution-of-four-aid-workers-by-boko-haram-in-borno-state/

See more here: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/14/customs-officials-charges-johnny-drille-n120k-to-bail-clothes-worth-n70k/

Nigerian singer and songwriter, Johnny Drille, bewailed the actions portrayed by some customs officers who allegedly asked him to pay N120k before he could claim his clothing worth N70k.

He made this lamentation via his official Twitter account on Friday, stating that he had ordered the clothing from a store for his shows in both Benin and Abuja before the customs officers made the demands. He further queried the rationale behind the absurd demand.
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/14/customs-officials-charges-johnny-drille-n120k-to-bail-clothes-worth-n70k/

See more photos: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/08/120000-banana-tapped-to-a-wall-was-eaten-by-someone-else/

A banana taped to a wall by artist Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian" presented by Perrotin Gallery and on view at Art Basel Miami 2019 at Miami Beach Convention Center on December 6, 2019 in Miami Beach, Florida which was reportedly sold for $120,000 has been ripped off and devoured by an individual.

The artwork "Comedian" comprised a banana bought in a Miami grocery store, and a single piece of duct tape. There were three editions, the gallery said, adding that two had already sold for around $120,000.

The banana was eaten by a performance artist, David Datuna, amid a crowd of stunned onlookers, some of whom posted videos of the incident. He uploaded a video of the incident on his Instagram account with the caption :

I really love this installation. It's very delicious.

It's unclear whether the banana being eaten will detract from the artwork's value, or whether Cattelan plans to buy more bananas and start again.

The gallery's founder, Emmanuel Perrotin, said the bananas are "a symbol of global trade, a double entendre, as well as a classic device for humor," adding that the artist turns mundane objects into "vehicles of both delight and critique."

The artists did not provide potential buyers with instructions on what to do when the artwork starts to decompose.
According to a press statement from Galerie Perrotin, the artist first came up with the idea a year ago. He said:

Back then, Cattelan was thinking of a sculpture that was shaped like a banana.

Every time he traveled, he brought a banana with him and hung it in his hotel room to find inspiration. He made several models: first in resin, then in bronze and in painted bronze (before) finally coming back to the initial idea of a real banana.

Cattelan is known for sculptures that challenge popular culture. One of his artworks, an 18-carat-gold toilet, valued at around $6 million made headlines in September when it was ripped out of a wall and stolen from Bleinheim Palace in England.
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/08/120000-banana-tapped-to-a-wall-was-eaten-by-someone-else/

WBC Heavyweight Champion of the world, Deontay Wilder attacked Anthony Joshua over his "weak winning mentality" after his win against Andy Ruiz on Saturday night in Saudi Arabia to reclaim his four heavyweight title. Joshua won the fight with points and his strategy during the fight was moving around the ring to avoid getting a knock out punch from Ruiz.


Wilder attacked the Joshua's tactics saying if he was the one that Ruiz had knocked out in the first fight, he would have put Ruiz's body on the ground. He also warned fans not to get their hopes up of a Joshua- Wilder rematch. He said:

Joshua did what he had to do to get the win. He ran around the ring and was on his bike all day,“Basically, he had Klitschko in the camp and he was a lot like Klitschko. That jab-grab-hold method. That’s all he did tonight.

You want to dominate guys, man. Maybe I’m just too rough, too hard-core and too much of a dream for this time and era, maybe the world wants that nice s***.

My mentality is so different from these other fighters. But when I think of myself as a champion, you want to come out there and whoop his ass.

I’m not coming in, after losing to this guy, to just dance and grab and jab and hold. I’m going to show the world and convince them I am the very best and that no one is close to me.

How can no-one say I’m not the very best in the world now?”"I’ve given you what you pay for each and every time, especially when we’re talking about a heavyweight bout.

Fans come to see knockouts. They come to see something dramatic, a body lying on the canvas, spread like it’s having birth. That’s what people want to see, and that’s my mentality.

Joshua had many times he could’ve gone for the finish after he landed the right hand. When you land the right hand, you’ve tackled the distance. When you land that punch, you know you’re in exact position for the second time around. But he was so hesitant… Joshua’s mentality was to survive. The Klitschko method.

The difference is my mentality is that of a beast, a warrior, a king, an emperor, all those things. If he calls himself a king, he’s just on the nicer side of it. This is a brutal sport and that’s how I treat it. I ain’t showing no love for anybody in that ring.

After beating Ruiz, Joshua announced that he will like to face Wilder but Wilder said:

I don’t think we’ll ever see a unification bout. We’ll never see it, and I don’t want people to get their hopes up on it because it’ll never happen.

They couldn’t say anything about fighting me. They couldn’t mention my name. They went around me. I’m too dangerous. You’ve seen what I do in the ring. I don’t play around. And they know if Ruiz can get Joshua out of there, imagine. That’s why they stayed away from me.

Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/08/deontay-wilder-speaks-against-anthony-joshuas-win-to-andy-ruiz/

General overseer of Christ Apostolic Church(CAC), Prophet Samuel Abiara, expressed his support for the Social Media Bill. He made this announcement at a press conference in Ibadan, Oyo state on Saturday December 7th.

Abiara said the bill is not aimed at gagging freedom of speech but to fight fake news and sensationalism that could destroy the nation. He further went on to say some unscrupulous elements use social media to spread fake news about Nigerian leaders and clergymen. He said:

It is good that social media has expanded the information space globally. People connect and communicate better than before. But that privilege has been abused many times by unscrupulous elements who have been spreading fake news and libeling government officials and church leaders. People should be free to talk but once they report false or fake news, there should be consequences. They should not be allowed to get away with abusing the platform.

Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/08/prophet-samuel-abiara-declares-support-for-social-media-bill/

A man was nabbed by some Customs officers when they found portions of rice strapped to his body.

According to reports, the man was trying to smuggle rice into the country before he was apprehended by the officers.
Watch the video here:
https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/08/man-arrested-with-portions-of-rice-strapped-to-his-body-video/

The senior pastor of the Living Faith Church(Winners Chapel), Bishop David Oyedepo, has once again spoken against the passed Social Media Bill which is yet to be signed in the Nigerian Senate. The social media bill has passed the second reading in the senate.

Ministering in his church, Oyedepo said the Federal government should look out for hate acts and not hate speech. He said:

They are looking for hate speech, they are not looking for hate act. Which one is worse, hate speech or hate act? They’ll see somebody and cut his head and you’re free and they’ll see somebody and say you’re stupid then you die. Can you imagine that? It is a stone age mentality. But I think we’re free from it now, but there is nothing wrong in trying to make attempt. Do they think we are all dummies?

What education do you have, where did you get it from that you want to bamboozle everybody? You’re not doing well, you’re not doing well. They must tell you you’re not doing well. Hear me, please hear me and answer me, is this government doing well?

Watch the video of Bishop Oyedepo speaking on the issue: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/08/bishop-oyedepo-throws-shades-at-buharis-government-speaks-against-social-media-bill-video/

Chinedu & Uchenna
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/07/futo-students-who-traveled-to-croatia-representing-nigeria-in-a-table-tennis-competition-lands-in-refugee-camp/

Abia Uchenna and Eboh Chinedu are students of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) who attended an international table tennis competition in Croatia and after the event ended up in a Bosnian refugee camp.

They arrived in Zagreb, capital of Croatia, on November 12, 2019 for the fifth world inter-university championships held in the country.

According to UK Guardian, Uchenna & Chinedu participated in the competition and were preparing to return to Lagos via Istanbul, Turkey, on November 18 before they got arrested.

The 18-year-old students decided to take a walk around the country’s capital the night before their departure when they were apprehended by police officers who requested their documents. Chinedu said:

We tried to explain who we were and that our documents were in the hostel, but they took us to a police station. They paid no attention to what we were saying.

The officers later transferred the students to the country’s Bosnia-Herzegovina border, where Croatian authorities had gathered a group of illegal migrants attempting to cross into the country.

The group was ordered by the Police to move through the woods and into Bosnia-Herzegovina, with a threat that “they would shoot those who refuse”. Chinedu added:

I refused to go into the woods. The officer told me he would shoot me if I didn’t move.

The FUTO students joined a host of illegal immigrants who moved into Bosnia-Herzegovina and ended up in a camp in Velika Kladuša, where thousands of migrants were stuck in tents.

It was until the end of November that the camp volunteers assisted Uchenna and Chinedu in contacting representatives of the table-tennis competition to tell them of the students whereabouts.

The organiser of the table tennis competition, Alberto Tanghetti, surprised about the event, wondering why the police officers deported the students to a refugee camp. He said the officers should have accompanied the students to the hostel for confirmation of identification documents. He said:

They told me two students from Nigeria were taken to Bosnia by Croatian police, I asked them to send me photos and their names. After careful verification, we confirmed that those boys had participated in the tournament and had regular visas, issued by the Croatian authorities. I really don’t understand what happened, because even the police in Pula were notified that they were here.

It is even more absurd that no one believed the boys when they tried to explain to the police officers that they had regular visas. It would have sufficed to accompany them to the hostel to verify that they had entered Croatia legally.

The Croatian ministry of interior confirmed that the Nigerians had regular visas and entered the country legally but claimed that the students were making an attempt to remain in the country.

The ministry also said the students had checked out from the hostel before being stopped by the police, but there was no explanation of why the police officers deported the students to the Bosnian refugee camp, knowing that the students had entered the country with a flight to Zagreb and not from Bosnia.
Source: https://lifewithcuttons.com.ng/2019/12/07/futo-students-who-traveled-to-croatia-representing-nigeria-in-a-table-tennis-competition-lands-in-refugee-camp/