Southerner Xtra 

Jehovah’s Witnesses make strange move on blood transfusion

My gistlovers, Jehovah’s Witnesses don revisit their long-standing position on blood, and this time, members get more room to make certain decisions by themselves.

The organisation don announce say each member can now personally decide whether to accept or donate four main blood components — red cells, white cells, plasma and platelets — based on their own conscience.

The announcement came from the organisation’s World Headquarters in Warwick, New York, and dem publish am on the group’s website on Friday. According to the statement, if another person’s blood contains any of these four main components, na the individual Witness go decide whether to accept or leave am.

Even if na donation specifically for another person’s medical treatment, the decision now dey left to the person’s conscience.

But make nobody misunderstand the update o. Jehovah’s Witnesses never change their position against whole-blood transfusions. That part still stand. The organisation still refers to the biblical instruction to “abstain from blood” in Acts 15:20 as the basis for its position, so this new announcement no mean say Witnesses don suddenly accept whole-blood transfusion.

International spokesman Paul Gillies also explained say blood still remains sacred to Jehovah’s Witnesses. According to am, dem still believe say life and blood na precious gifts from God, but when the matter concern these four main components, each person now has to make the decision according to their conscience and relationship with Jehovah.

The organisation explained say this latest change follows other adjustments wey dem don make before concerning blood fractions and the use of a person’s own blood during medical procedures.

Since the Bible no specifically address every one of these medical situations, Witnesses now get room to study the matter and decide for themselves wetin their conscience allow.

And for those wey dey wonder whether Jehovah’s Witnesses even believe in medical treatment, the organisation make that one clear too. Dem say their members dey seek quality medical care and no be faith healing dem dey practise.

Basically, the idea be say na for person to choose doctors and treatment options wey fit give effective medical care while still respecting the person’s religious beliefs and wishes.

Gillies also said local congregations no go interfere with members over their personal decisions concerning the four blood components. So if one Witness decides say him fit accept plasma, for example, another person fit decide say him no want accept am — and according to the new position, na their individual conscience go guide their choices.

Of course, social media people no even allow the announcement cool down before dem begin bring their own opinions come out.

One person argued, “If it can be changed or amended, it was never God’s word.” Another person simply asked, “Their Daddy GO sick?” while another no hide their frustration, saying, “One human being will sit down and tell me what to do with my own life in the name of religion.”

Another person face the religion itself, writing, “Religion is the biggest cult, one of the hardest to leave.” And just like that, wetin start as an internal policy change don turn another online debate about religion, medical choices and how much control religious organisations should have over their members’ personal decisions.

For now, the position wey Jehovah’s Witnesses maintain be say whole-blood transfusions remains against their religious beliefs. But when it comes to red cells, white cells, plasma and platelets, members now get the responsibility to decide for themselves. So for these four components, na each person’s conscience go determine wetin dem go choose.

Popular Anambra native doctor’s trouble deepens over viral charms

My people, Anambra don add another chapter to the growing crackdown on native doctors wey dey advertise questionable money-making rituals, and this one no be small matter.

Native doctor Ekene Igboekweze, popularly known as “Eke Hit,” don receive a 12-year sentence after an Anambra State High Court found him guilty on two counts.

But before you hear “12 years” and begin wonder whether him go spend the whole 12 years behind bars, make I explain the arrangement. Justice Jude Obiora sentenced Igboekweze to six years on count one and another six years on count two.

The two sentences, however, go run concurrently, meaning him no go serve 12 years one after another. Instead, the six-year terms go run at the same time, within the period wey him don already spend for detention counting towards the sentence. And no, court no give am option of fine.

Igboekweze and other suspects were first arraigned on April 4, 2025, and when e reach his turn to defend himself, he told the court say him be herbalist and member of the Odinani Okija Traditional Association.

According to am, na herbs and roots him dey use for his practice. He also told the court say some of the viral videos wey people associate with am were recorded before the Anambra State Homeland Security Law 2025 came into force.

But after hearing the evidence, Justice Obiora no accept everything wey come before the court. The judge held that the prosecution proved counts one and two beyond reasonable doubt, while count three was resolved in Igboekweze’s favour. So two counts land, one count clear.

Then come the part wey fit touch person small. Before the court handed down the sentence, Igboekweze pleaded for forgiveness and asked the judge to consider his family.

The man reportedly told the court say him don learn his lesson, and specially appealed on behalf of his newborn triplets wey him never even see since their birth. His wife, Elizabeth, and his half-brother also joined the plea, asking the court to show the said native doctor leniency.

His family members, however, gave the court another side of the man, describing him as somebody with good character. They told the court say he was his mother’s only son in a polygamous family, which made the situation even more emotional for them. But at the end of the day, na the court’s findings and the law carry the final say.

For people wey know “Eke Hit” from social media, his name no exactly be new. The native doctor, who hails from Umuofor Village in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area, became popular online for advertising charms wey him claimed could bring people wealth.

Na that online popularity later put am on the radar of Agunechemba security operatives, who arrested him alongside two other native doctors in February 2025.

The arrests came after the Anambra State Homeland Security Law 2025 was signed. The law specifically prohibits native doctors from claiming that they can make people wealthy through “Oke Ite” and other rituals.

The law also prohibits the preparation of charms for criminals. Basically, the authorities no just dey focus on traditional practice itself; the law targets specific claims and activities linked to crime and alleged wealth-making rituals.

And as news of the sentence hit social media, Nigerians quickly turned the comment section into their own courtroom. One person simply declared, “Good! This year no just favour bad people.” Another one went the spiritual route, asking, “So Amadioha didn’t save you?”

Then somebody bring another familiar name enter the matter, writing, “Meanwhile Akwa Okukor has been released and made an ambassador.” And one commentator no even bother before asking the question wey apparently dey everybody’s mind: “Wetin happen, him no disappear?”

Igboekweze’s case don add another major development to Anambra’s enforcement of its 2025 Homeland Security Law. The court has spoken on the two counts it found proved, while one count was resolved in his favour. But from the reactions online, e clear say social media people never finish their own questions about the matter.

HIV suspicion takes dark turn as Enugu police arrests 30-year-old man 

My gistlovers, one Enugu matter wey start with alleged HIV argument don turn something wey fit make person pause and ask, “Wetin really happen inside that house?”

A 30-year-old man, Okpara Chibuike Emmanuel, don land in police custody over the alleged killing of his girlfriend, Chinyere, whose body was allegedly hidden inside the toilet of his apartment for days.

According to the Enugu State Police Command, Emmanuel dey stay for Olympic Layout, One-Day, Enugu, and na after information about the incident reach police on Monday, September 21, officers from Awkunanaw Division moved to the area.

By the time dem reach there around 6:30pm, angry neighbours don already surround the suspect, and police had to rescue him from the mob before taking him away.

But make we go back to where the matter reportedly start from. Police say the incident happened on September 19 after Emmanuel and Chinyere allegedly enter argument. According to the police account, the argument turned violent when Emmanuel allegedly use pestle to hit the woman for head, leading to her death.

Wetin happen next na the part wey make the whole matter even more disturbing. The suspect allegedly wrapped the woman’s remains inside nylon and hide am inside the toilet. For days, nobody apparently know wetin happen until the smell coming from the apartment became too much for neighbours to ignore.

Na the odour led neighbours to the apartment, where dem allegedly force their way inside and found the woman’s decomposing body. By then, Emmanuel was reportedly apprehended by the angry crowd before armed police officers arrived and took control of the situation.

The remains have since been moved to a mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while police dey try locate the woman’s relatives.

And if you think say na ordinary lovers’ quarrel be the matter, wait first, because police say the argument allegedly get something to do with HIV. During preliminary interrogation, police say Emmanuel confessed and claimed that the disagreement was over allegations that either he or Chinyere had infected the other with HIV.

In another video, the suspect dey plead for mercy while explaining his own side of the story. He claimed that Chinyere had threatened to infect him with HIV and also alleged that she had attacked him with a stick on different occasions while he was sleeping.

According to Emmanuel’s account, he woke up during the incident and believed that Chinyere wanted to kill him. But when the men questioning him asked why he allegedly killed her, the suspect gave an answer wey make them vex— he claimed that HIV killed her, not him.

The people questioning him became angry and challenged the explanation, telling him say HIV no dey just kill person suddenly like that. And honestly, na this part dey make the case even more confusing because the suspect don give his own version of events, while police still need to establish wetin actually happen inside that apartment.

So make nobody rush to conclude yet. The exact circumstances surrounding Chinyere’s death never clear, and investigators still have to look at the physical evidence, autopsy result and other details to determine how she died and whether Emmanuel’s account matches what the evidence shows.

As the disturbing details begin circulate, Nigerians no hide their feelings about the matter. One person lamented, “A lot of women have died in relationships and marriages than being single. This is heartbreaking.” Another person simply said, “Human life no get value again for Nigeria.”

Somebody else could only shake their head and write, “Things are happening o, things are really happening in this life.” Another commentator, obviously looking at the gender angle of the story, simply wrote, “Always a man.”

Meanwhile, CP Mamman Bitrus Gia don direct the State CID to carry out a discreet and thorough investigation into the matter. Police say Emmanuel will be arraigned after the investigation is concluded.

For Chinyere, wetin remain now na unanswered questions — how exactly the argument turn deadly, wetin really happen inside that apartment and whether the suspect’s account go match the evidence investigators eventually gather. Na the ongoing investigation and autopsy go help provide those answers.