‎A 13-year-old teenager in India tragically lost his life after his family kept him immersed in the Ganges River for 12 hours following a snake bite instead of seeking medical help, the country’s media reported.

‎The death of the young boy recently caused outrage throughout India and reignited the heated debate regarding the potentially deadly consequences of superstition and the denial of proper medical care.

‎Acting on the instructions of a ‘witch doctor,’ a rural family kept their 13-year-old son immersed in the holy Ganges River for 12 hours, instead of taking him to a hospital after he got bitten by the poisonous snake.

‎The boy, whose name was given simply as Amit, a Class 4 student from Pitampur village in Uttar Pradesh, was bitten by the snake last week Thursday.

‎He immediately told his family what happened, but instead of rushing him to a hospital, they decided to consult a witch doctor.

‎The man reportedly told the family to tie Amit to bamboo poles and keep his body immersed in the Ganges River, so that the holy water of the river could cure him.

‎Indian media reported after 12 hours, the family noticed that Amit had become unconscious, and then they finally decided to take him to a medical doctor, but by that time, there was nothing to be done.

‎Even after learning of Amit’s death, the family allegedly tried to throw his body into the Ganges, hoping for a miracle.

‎Dr. Shashank Chaudhary of the health centre in the village told reporters that he and his colleagues routinely conduct awareness-raising campaigns, urging people to come to the hospital immediately after getting bitten by snakes, as every minute counts.

‎Amit’s preventable death sparked outrage on social media, with many asking that his parents should face consequences for their negligence.

PRESS STATEMENT
From: Okun Development Association (ODA)

The Okun Development Association (ODA), on behalf of Okun sons and daughters worldwide, extend sincere appreciation to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,
GCFR, for the appointment of Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN, as Chairman of the
Independent National Electoral Commission. (INEC). We receive this decision as a clear
endorsement of competence and character, and as a call to national service, anchored on
merit. The confidence reposed in Prof. Amupitan SAN, is an honour to Okunland, to Kogi
State, and to every Nigerian who believes that public office should reward integrity and
capacity.

ODA declares, without reservations, our unflinching support for Prof. Joash Amupitan
SAN, as he assumes leadership of INEC at a defining moment in our nation’s democratic
journey. His public and academic record reflect uncommon discipline, fidelity to due
process, and abiding respect for institutions. In every assignment he has handled, Prof.
Amupitan SAN, has shown the temperament, intellectual depth, and moral courage
required to manage sensitive national duties with fairness and firmness. We are assured
that these qualities will guide his stewardship of the Commission.

Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN, personifies the values Okunland holds dear: honesty, hard
work, humility, and service above self. As a scholar, he has raised generations of
Nigerians who today serve in critical sectors of our society. As an administrator, he has
built systems that outlast individuals.

His commitment to strong, impartial institutions is exactly what INEC requires to
consolidate public trust. We are confident that under his leadership, the Commission will
discharge its constitutional mandate without fear or favour, and that his tenure will
strengthen the credibility of our electoral process.

ODA is mindful that the office of INEC Chairman will always attract intense public
scrutiny. While such scrutiny is part of democracy, we respectfully remind all
stakeholders, political actors, and concerned citizens that Nigeria’s constitutional order
provides established channels for resolving disputes. We therefore urge any aggrieved
parties to ventilate their concerns through the appropriate legal and institutional
mechanisms. We call for restraint in public commentary and ask all Nigerians to grant
Prof. Amupitan the calm and institutional space needed to serve the nation with neutrality,
courage and desired result.

The Okun Development Association reaffirms its commitment to national unity,
democratic stability, and the success of the Tinubu administration. We assure the
President and the Nigerian people that Prof. Joash Amupitan SAN, will discharge his
responsibilities with honour, will bring credibility and candour to his office, to Okunland,
and to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We request the prayers and goodwill of all citizens
as he undertakes this solemn duty for the nation.

God bless Okunland.
God bless Kogi State.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Signed:

Amb. (Chief) Akenson Rotimi
President General,
Okun Development Association.
President-General: Amb. Akenson Rotimi
08075259447

The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office has sealed four properties across Ikotun and Ajah for illegally discharging untreated wastewater into public spaces.

The enforcement action, carried out on Wednesday and Thursday, targeted two residential properties at 13, Oritola Street and 1, Temitope Street, Pipeline, Ikotun.

The commissioner for the environment, Tokunbo Wahab, who disclosed the development on X on Thursday, added that a public toilet and a mechanic workshop along Badore Road, Ajah, were also sealed on Thursday.

Wahab said the Ikotun properties were sealed following public complaints, repeated warnings and verified findings from an investigation.

Some of the sealed locations. Photo: Tokunbo Wahab on X
He said the owners had been deliberately channelling untreated wastewater through pipes onto roads.

“The present situation, which remains unabated, showed that the properties were deliberately releasing untreated wastewater into the environment through pipes onto the roads, thereby constituting public nuisance,” he said.

The Ajah premises were shut over what the agency described as “indiscriminate discharge of wastewater into the public drain and the environment.”

Wahab warned that the crackdown would continue, saying individuals and organisations found violating environmental regulations would face appropriate sanctions and possible prosecution under enabling laws.

“@followlasg reiterates the need for residents and property managers to adhere strictly to proper wastewater management practices.

“Individual or organisation found contravening environmental regulations will be meted with appropriate sanctions and possible prosecution in accordance with the enabling laws,” Wahab added.oads, thereby constituting public nuisance,” he said.

The The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office has sealed four properties across Ikotun and Ajah for illegally discharging untreated wastewater into public spaces.

The enforcement action, carried out on Wednesday and Thursday, targeted two residential properties at 13, Oritola Street and 1, Temitope Street, Pipeline, Ikotun.

The commissioner for the environment, Tokunbo Wahab, who disclosed the development on X on Thursday, added that a public toilet and a mechanic workshop along Badore Road, Ajah, were also sealed on Thursday.

Wahab said the Ikotun properties were sealed following public complaints, repeated warnings and verified findings from an investigation.Ajah premises were shut over what the agency described as “indiscriminate discharge of wastewater into the public drain and the environment.”

Wahab warned that the crackdown would continue, saying individuals and organisations found violating environmental regulations would face appropriate sanctions and possible prosecution under enabling laws.

“@followlasg reiterates the need for residents and property managers to adhere strictly to proper wastewater management practices.

“Individual or organisation found contravening environmental regulations will be meted with appropriate sanctions and possible prosecution in accordance with the enabling laws,” Wahab added.