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Nigerian student dies in UK after chronic illness

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Late Nigerian student Douglas Izevbigie
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The death of a Nigerian student, Douglas Izevbigie, in the United Kingdom has sparked fresh concerns over chronic illnesses among Nigerians living abroad, as members of the community launch a fundraising appeal to support his burial.

It was learnt on Wednesday that a GoFundMe appeal was created following his death on January 21 at a UK hospital after a battle with aggressive leukaemia.

The fundraiser, shared widely among Nigerians in the UK, was organised by a woman identified simply as Sephora, who said the funds would assist the deceased’s sister, Kate, and their family with funeral and related expenses.

Sephora, who described herself as Kate’s colleague, said Douglas, 37, travelled to the UK in 2024 as an international student to pursue a master’s degree at Sheffield Hallam University.

According to her, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia midway through his studies last year and spent long periods in and out of hospital due to complications.

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“In the middle of his studies last year, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia. He underwent treatment and was frequently in and out of the hospital with complications,” she wrote.

“Even through it all, he continued trying to keep up with his studies, showing remarkable strength and determination.”

She added that Douglas died unexpectedly after he was found unwell and unresponsive in his room by his sister.

“Tragically, Douglas passed away unexpectedly on January 21. He was found unwell and unresponsive in his room by his sister and was taken to A&E, but despite urgent medical care, he sadly passed away,” the appeal stated.

Sephora described the loss as particularly devastating for Kate, who had recently lost their mother in Nigeria and had been Douglas’ primary support system throughout his illness.

“This has been a devastating loss for Kate, especially as she has recently also lost her mum in Nigeria. Kate supported Douglas throughout his time in the UK, including helping to fund his travel here and being his main support while he battled illness far from home,” she said.

Explaining the purpose of the fundraiser, she noted that the family planned to bury Douglas in the UK due to the high cost of repatriating his remains to Nigeria.

“We are raising money to cover Douglas’ funeral expenses here in the UK, as well as any other unexpected costs that may come up during this time.

“The family’s plan is to lay him to rest here, as repatriation and funeral costs in Nigeria would be far too expensive,” she added, appealing for donations and support.

Following news of his death, several Nigerians took to social media to express concerns about what they described as a growing number of chronic illness cases among Nigerians living in the UK.

Reacting on X, Modupe Adeboye-Ayoroh wrote, “Now this is the height of ‘too many’ Nigerians in the UK falling sick with chronic illnesses and passing away shortly after. Can doctors look into this pattern and educate people on what could be the causes, if it can be avoided for others?”

Another user, @EmperorJakarta, urged Nigerians relocating to the UK to prioritise medical check-ups.

“Every Nigerian that comes to the UK should be encouraged to immediately register with a GP and do full body checks, including all organs, to ensure there aren’t underlying issues that need to be treated or managed,” the post read.

Paying tribute, another acquaintance, Osamuyi, wrote, “My coursemate in school. Douglas, your passing is a serious loss to us. May God grant your family the fortitude to bear this loss.”

Olumide Adeyemi also questioned the trend, saying, “I don’t know if it is just me, but I have seen so many Nigerians get diagnosed with leukaemia in the UK. Is it that the disease doesn’t get detected in Nigeria, or what they consume over there?”

Douglas’ death comes less than five days after another Nigerian in the UK, Saburi Adeniji, died after battling a severe brain stem injury.

Adeniji, a footballer and left winger for Kings Park Rangers Football Club of Sudbury, Great Cornard, Suffolk, was confirmed dead on Friday morning, according to a statement by the non-league club.

The club said he had been in intensive care and held on until arrangements were made for his family to travel to the UK. His death followed earlier public appeals for prayers and financial support.

The incidents have further stirred conversations within the Nigerian diaspora about health awareness, early diagnosis, and access to medical care abroad. (The Punch)

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Two Suspected Bandits Killed in Kano Ransom Collection Ambush, ₦10m Recovered

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Two suspected bandits have been killed and ₦10 million recovered after local hunters intercepted a gang allegedly involved in a kidnapping operation in Falgore Forest, Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, shortly after three suspected bandits collected the ransom demanded for the release of a 45-year-old man, Kabiru Aliyu.

Aliyu, a resident of Falgore Village, was abducted on September 11, 2026.

According to the Kano State Police Command, the suspects were intercepted by local hunters, popularly known as Yan Bula, while returning to their hideout after collecting the ransom.

Two of the suspects reportedly died during the confrontation, while the third escaped with injuries. The hunters recovered the entire ₦10 million ransom.

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The police spokesperson, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said preliminary investigations identified one of the deceased suspects as Dogo Isah, a commercial motorcycle operator from Maigwanda Village in Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The operation was carried out under Operation Kukan Kura, a security initiative aimed at tackling kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes in Kano State.

The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, commended the hunters for their intervention and directed security operatives to intensify efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspect and recover any weapons used by the gang.

The rescued victim was subsequently debriefed, medically examined and reunited with his family.

The incident highlights the role of local hunters in intelligence gathering and rural security, particularly in areas where difficult terrain poses challenges to conventional security operations.

However, the escape of one of the suspects leaves security operatives with the task of tracking him down and determining whether the gang was involved in other kidnapping incidents in the region.

The police urged residents to provide credible information that could assist ongoing efforts to apprehend fleeing suspects and prevent further criminal activities.

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2027: Atiku’s Son Pledges 10 Buses for Tinubu’s Re-election Campaign

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Abba Atiku Abubakar speaks during a visit to the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, where he pledged 10 buses for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign. Photo: Hon Yusi Buba/Facebook
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Abba Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, has pledged 10 buses to support mobilisation for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Abba made the pledge during a visit to the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretariat in Abuja on Friday, according to a statement issued by Yusi Buba, Senior Special Assistant on Youth Mobilisation to the party’s Deputy National Chairman.

He was received by the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Bukar Dalori.

Buba said Abba commended the party’s leadership and Tinubu’s administration, expressing support for the President’s continued stay in office.

“In a demonstration of his commitment to the political engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections, Hon. Abba Atiku Abubakar announced the donation of ten buses to support activities aimed at mobilising support for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima in 2027,” the statement said.

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The APC aide said Dalori welcomed Abba and acknowledged his pledge, describing it as support for the party’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the elections.

The development followed Abba’s announcement of a nationwide mobilisation campaign for Tinubu’s re-election and the unveiling of the Haske Bola Tinubu Organisation, a political support group established to advance the President’s second-term ambition.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, Abba said the organisation would commence activities in the Federal Capital Territory before expanding to other parts of the country.

He also announced plans for a two-million-man mobilisation march across the six geopolitical zones, with the exercise scheduled to begin in Abuja.

Abba defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC in January, declaring his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.

His father, Atiku Abubakar, is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election.

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NCDC Identifies Two Suspected Ebola Cases In North-East

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Two suspected cases of Ebola disease have been identified in the North-East region of the country.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) disclosed this in a post via its official X handle on Saturday, adding that both individuals had been isolated.
It also said contact identification and listing are ongoing, and laboratory testing is underway.

According to the agency, confirmation is subject to laboratory results.
Two suspected cases of Ebola disease have been identified in Nigeria’s North-East region. Both individuals have been isolated, contact identification and listing is ongoing, and laboratory testing is being conducted,” the NCDC said.

“Being classified as suspected cases does not mean they are confirmed Ebola cases; confirmation is subject to laboratory results.

“The public is advised to maintain good hand hygiene, practise enhanced sanitation and follow guidance from public health authorities. Further updates will be provided as verified information becomes available.”

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The latest update by the NCDC came days after it said it identified another contact, an e-hailing driver, linked to the confirmed case of the recent Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, increasing the number of primary contacts to 54.

The NCDC Director-General, Dr. Jide Idris, told Channels Television on October 26 that efforts were ongoing to identify the secondary contacts.

“So we are not out of the woods yet until we are sure that we have all the contacts, and they have been followed up. So we are still not out of the woods; because the index case is out doesn’t mean that we don’t have that,” he said.

The Federal Government had announced Nigeria’s first confirmed case of the Bundibugyo strain in Abuja on October 20, 2026, identifying the patient as a woman with a recent travel history to Uganda, who returned to Nigeria with symptoms on October 7, but the Ugandan authorities denied reports of an Ebola outbreak in the East African country.

The index patient was later flown to Switzerland along with her husband.

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