Wow, No one saw this coming. BamBam has just been evicted from the Big brother Naija house on a Saturday, just moments after the party came to an end.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
Girl, Woman Killed In Lagos Building Collapse
The deceased residents were identified as Sherifat Olalere and 35-year-old Toyin Ogundimu while one Mustapha Salaudeen was injured.
Punch learnt that the incident happened around 10am when many residents were around.
The affected section – makeshift structure at the back of the building was said to have been distressed for some time.
Officials of the Lagos State Management Agency, and the state fire service and policemen who responded to a distressed call from the area, removed the two corpses and deposited them in a mortuary.
The LASEMA General Manager, Mr Adesina Tiamiyu said other occupants of the building had been evacuated.
He urged occupants of residential buildings in the state to be conscious of cracks on the walls and raise the alarm.
Meet 3 Brave Boys Who Saved A Suicidal Man Few Seconds To His Death (DETAILS)
The boys, Devonte Cafferkey-Wilson, Sami Farah and Shaun Young, all of Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, did not hesitate when they spotted the troubled 21-year-old man on the wrong side of the bridge’s safety barrier with a rope round his neck and preparing to jump.
Aged 13, 14, and 12 at the time, the trio rushed to the barrier and managed to grab the man’s legs through the railings while Shaun ran to get a woman, Joanne Stammer, 47, who was passing by, to come and help.
She joined the other boys putting her arms through the barrier and round the man’s waist to pull him back.
Then James Higlett, 39, also of Waltham Cross, arrived at the scene and helped the others to hold the man who was struggling to get free until police and the fire service arrived to get him to safety.
The incident took place in September last year, and now the rescue heroes have all been awarded Royal Humane Society Certificates of Commendation.
They were given the awards following a recommendation from Hertfordshire Police who have said the man would certainly have died but for the swift action taken by the brave boys.
Andrew Chapman, Secretary of the Royal Humane Society added his personal praise he announced the awards at the Society’s London headquarters he said: “There is no doubt that without the quick thinking and action of the three boys the man would have jumped and would have died.
“They were the right people in the right place at the right time and showed tremendous presence of mind in acting as they did particularly bearing in mind their ages.
“All too often these days we hear stories about misdeeds by youngsters.
“If ever there was a story to balance up the bad ones this is it. These three excelled themselves.
“Their parents, their schools and everyone else should be incredibly proud of them.
“The two adults also played a major role in this harrowing incident and just like the boys, richly deserve the awards they are to receive.”
Source: The Sun UK
Head Teacher Demoted To Classroom Teacher... see his offence
His demotion was ordered by the Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (CR-SUBEB) for payslip forgery.
Daily Post reports that the payslip was purportedly forged to enable the suspect access computer allocation from the Head of Service.
“SUBEB checked records and discovered that the alleged deduction in the payslip was not recorded there. Upon further interrogation, Ikpi confessed to having forged the payslip,” a source said.
Confirming the forgery, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr Stephen Odey who expressed disappointment over the incident said, “This man came to my payroll unit with this payslip claiming that some money was deducted from his salary for Computer and when he went to Head of service to collect the computer, they told him to come here for refunds because the money he was claiming wasn’t remitted to them from SUBEB.”
Odey said the demotion of the suspect was to serve as deterrent to others.
“To serve as a deterrent, we have decided to demote and suspend him while investigations continue. We have directed that the Executive Secretary should inform the deputy to take over as head teacher with immediate effect”, Odey said.
Warning Teachers to desist from all forms of criminality, Odey said the eagle eye of the Board was upon them.
“We are setting an eagle eye on teachers because from what he told us, we believe strongly that others have either attempted to do this or are doing this”, he said.
In his confessional Statement, Ikpi said, “I doctored pay advice for the month of January 2018 with an amount of three thousand six hundred and ninety-five naira for collection of computer equipment from Head of Service. The act was discovered by SUBEB payroll staff”.
He however appealed to the Board for forgiveness.
“I am pleading that I should be forgiven for such obnoxious behaviour. It will never happen again,” he appealed.
90-Year-Old Man Sends Heartbreaking Message To Buhari From Benue State IDP Camp
It started from January 1 when the state was thrown into a quagmire and bloodletting of highly imperious and far reaching proportion.
According to Vanguard, these group of persons popularly referred to as the bastion of wisdom who constitute over 20 percent of the over 170,000 persons displaced by the incursions of herdsmen in close to 50 Benue communities affected by the crisis, were forced out of their ancestral homes by the devastating bloodbath that has left the entire state in despair.
These senior citizens who have seen the better part of their sojourn on earth live a life of the weak and fragile and deserve to be treated with care.
Regrettably, since January 1 when the bloody killings in the communities of Guma and Local government areas of the state started, these group of persons who, given their status, are in dare need of sustained medicare and support have been forced into a life of abject misery in eight camps of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. The camps were created in by the Benue state government to cater for the need of victims of the crisis.
Several of them in their state of fragility who spoke to Saturday Vanguard were yet to come to terms with what has befallen them and their children in a pogrom that has created a huge humanitarian crisis in the state.
They collectively held that the invasion of their communities by herdsmen who wantonly killed their children, raped their wives and daughters and razed their homes, farmland and food barns was the most dehumanizing encounter ever experienced in their entire life time.
The heartrending stories of these seniour citizens who recounted how they escaped the butchery of marauding herdsmen even after loosing their children and loved ones to the crisis have brought to the fore the urgent need to have them relocate quickly to their ancestral homes to live in peace before their due time to bid the earth farewell.
In all the camps visited, it’s same mind-burgling tale of despair, hopelessness, anguish, extreme haplessness and distress by these group of persons who deserve much better befitting reverence for a people of their ages.
Narrating his ordeal to Vanguard, 80 year old Athanasius Gida said he narrowly escaped alive from his ancestral home at Tse-Agbe Guma local government area, few days ago with his four children, five grandchildren and two wives when armed herdsmen sneaked into the community at night shooting sporadically and razing buildings and huts in the village.
“When they came, my children and grandchildren carried me and their mother on their backs while my younger wife ran with her children.
“We ran for close to two hours all through the night until we got to a safe area when it was almost morning and we luckily made it to this already overflowing camp.
“Since arriving here, my family and I sleep outside because the camp is already housing more than its capacity and we are yet to get a sleep space.
“In this camp we have only 16 toilets for these thousands of people, so most of us defecate in the open including our children with its attendant health hazards.
“Though we get food to eat but the truth is that the condition here is not what I desire at this age when I’m supposed to be in my house till my time to meet my creator.
“I am pleading with the federal government to direct the military to chase away the herdsmen who have taken over our communities so that we can all return to our homes.
“The state government is doing so much to help us but we heard that Governor Samuel Ortom has no control over the military and can do little when it comes to giving directives to the soldiers posted to the state to help us.
“If that is not done and quickly too, I’m afraid many of us including our children may die in this camp. I pray that this crisis does not lead us to that point”
On his part, 90 year old Damsa Utur who spoke as he fought back tears, said herdsmen slaughtered his 50 year old son Shior at his farm early January when they struck at Tse-Ukpam village.
According to him, “it was few days into the new year, when herdsmen came to our village in the morning when most of our people had gone to the farm.
“They came shooting sporadically and living anything or person they saw they shot or butchered with their knives. My son was one of those they killed he was in the farm that morning with his children. While my grandchildren escaped, my son was no so lucky. They caught up with him and beheaded him.
“When we all managed to escape I later realized that my son was killed with several others they caught. My world was almost coming to an end but I summoned courage and ensured that I retrieved his corpse and gave him the burial he deserved.
“I had thought that my first son would bury me because I’m almost at my exit point, but herdsmen took him away when I needed him most.
“I am a helpless man but God is my source of strength. I am only begging President Muhammadu Buhari to come to our aid by availing us some form of compensation. Our homes and farms have been destroyed and our communities have been taken over by herdsmen.
“All we desire now is to go back to our villages. We cannot continue to live like this. I want to return to my village with my family so that my children and grandchildren can go back to school and also engage in farming because this place is obviously not convenient for anyone despite the effort of state government and other groups who help us in the camp.”
“You can also see that my wife of over 60 years is disabled and staying here is not helping her condition no matter the assistance we get for daily survival.” the nonagenarian said as he fought back tears.
On her part, 68 year old widow, Mbafan Kwagh who said she escaped miraculously with her 12 children and grandchildren from Torkula village recalled her ordeal stressing that she survived with her children through the mercy of God.
“I cannot understand how we were able to make it alive to Daudu when herdsmen stormed our village in their numbers very late in the night in the first few days into the new year.
“I was able to run with the help of my children and grandchildren and we trekked several kilometers to Daudu. It was as if a war was going on because the sporadic gunshots were coming from everywhere and I noticed that farmland, houses and huts were on fire.
“When I could not understand the strange occurrence coupled with the shout of help I heard from the distance, I immediately woke my children and we all started running leaving all our belongings and food behind.
“We have lived in this camp since that time but we are tired of staying here because all my grandchildren can no loner go to school and we cannot access our farms.
“We heard that soldiers have been sent to ensure peace in our villages but since their coming, those who tried to get to the villages were killed so it means that we cannot go back until the soldiers chase away the killer herdsmen who are currently occupying our communities.
“Today we are in pains and hunger because we can no longer take care of needs of our children and we cannot also support our family the way we used to do. We certainly cannot continue to live on the government and donors. How long can we carry on like this?
“Please tell the federal government to arrest all those who are behind the killings in our villages. It is only when that is done that we will be convinced that the government in Abuja has no hand in the trauma we are going through in Benue.”
As for 84 year old Pa James Igbaa who looked sick and frail though moved around with the aid of a stick, said he was yet to reach members of his family since the crisis.
“I am yet to reach many of my family members but some of our relatives told me that some of them were sighted in the camps at Daudu.
“I am tired of living here in the camp, I cannot continue like this, living on the help and assistance from the state government and various groups when even at my age I still go to my farm from where I make good money to give my children and family members the support and assistance they desire.
“Tell the federal government that we are disappointed in them. Why can’t they stop these herdsmen from coming to attack Benue? Why can’t the federal government give us reason to believe that we are still part of Nigeria?
“They claimed they have sent soldiers to our villages so that we can go back home but all those who tried to enter their villages never made it back to the camp. They were either killed or chased away by herdsmen.
“This is not the Nigeria I was born into. Today some people have come to take over our land and the federal government is turning a blind eye as if we don’t have a government. But I know that God will give Benue Justice in no distant time.”
It is the same narrative for the aged victims who are currently taking refuge in the eight IDPs camps in Logo and Guma local government areas since since January 1.
No PVC, No Communion - Pastor Tells Church Members
The cleric made the declaration in a short video uploaded on YouTube on Friday, March 30. He said those who do not have voters card should sit down when other members are taking the communion in church.
Pastor Igbinijesu said Peter Obi became governor of Anambra state after a Catholic archbishop issued a similar instruction in the state.
He said those talking and praying for Nigeria but had no PVC's were doing so in vain.
High Ranking Traditional Ruler In Delta Sentenced To Death
Agbofodoh, one of the highest ranking chiefs of Uvwie Kingdom, was arrested on June 17, 2016, and was later arraigned in court for crimes bordering on murder.
He was sentenced by the Delta State High Court 4, in Asaba, after being found guilty of all four count charges preferred against him. He was sentenced to death by hanging.
Charges preferred against him were conspiracy to commit murder, the substantial offence of murder, conspiracy to commit attempted murder and an attempted murder.
The Nation reports that he was alleged to have been linked to series of killings within Ekpan and its environs, including the murder of one Edigbe Ikpesa sometime in October 2012. He was also implicated in the Delta Mall robbery/wanton destruction in January, 2016.
Efforts to get some leaders of the community, including the chairman of the Ekpan Community Development Committee, Innocent Adjenughure-Akpotedja, to comment were unsuccessful.
#BBnaija - “I Want my Girl Back” Lolu begs Anto as Tobi Keeps Flirting with Her. (Video)
Anto previously said she felt heart broken and even cried in her dairy session after discovering Lolu was involved in a serious relationship outside.
Zahra Buhari Indimi Is Pregnant [Photos]
Thousands Line The Streets To Pay Tribute To Physicist Stephen Hawking
‘Our father’s life and work meant many things to many people, both religious and non-religious. So, the service will be both inclusive and traditional, reflecting the breadth and diversity of his life,’ they said.
A private reception is to follow at Trinity College. Although it is a private service, with around 500 of his family and friend expected to attend, the crowds have gathered to watch the funeral cortege.
The flags of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, Trinity Hall, Cambridge and University College, Oxford are flying at half-mast in honour of Professor Hawking.
Tributes poured in from around the world upon Hawking’s death, from the Queen to NASA, reflecting his huge impact as a physicist and an inspiration, in his refusal to give up in the face of his crippling motor neurone disease.
Professor Hawking’s coffin will be carried by six porters from the college. An arrangement of white lilies, to represent the universe, and another of white roses as the polar star will be placed on Hawking’s solid oak coffin. When he arrives, the church bell will 76 times, once for each year of his life.
Eddie Redmayne, who was among the first mourners to arrive at the church, will read Ecclesiastes 3.1-11 at the service. He played Professor Hawking in The Theory of Everything, a movie about his life, a role for which he was awarded and Academy award. Felicity Jones, who played his wife, Jane Hawking in the adaptation, was not far behind alongside her fiancé Charles Guard.
Eulogies will be delivered by Robert Hawking, Prof Hawking’s eldest child, and Professor Fay Dowker, a former student of Prof Hawking.
The service will be officiated by the Reverend Dr Cally Hammond, Dean of Cambridge University’s Gonville and Caius College, where Prof Hawking was a fellow for 52 years.
Professor Hawking’s ashes will be interred in Westminster Abbey in June, next to Sir Isaac Newton.
‘For this reason, we have decided to hold his funeral in the city that he loved so much and which loved him. ‘Our father’s life and work meant many things to many people, both religious and non-religious.
So, the service will be both inclusive and traditional, reflecting the breadth and diversity of his life. ‘We would like to thank Gonville & Caius College, the University of Cambridge and Trinity College, Cambridge for their assistance with our father’s funeral service.’ Several thousand people have visited Gonville & Caius since Professor Hawking’s death to sign a book of condolence.’
Beautiful Promises In The Bible To Bless You
The Bible is full of promises. According to Bible Gateway, 5,467 promises to be exact. And every one of those promises are for believers. All the promises have been fulfilled.
“For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’ And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ which means ‘Yes’ ascends to God for his glory.” (2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT)
This means all 5,467 are done, complete in Christ. Unfortunately, very few of us believe and access said promises. Why?
It is easy to blame the devil, yet I believe many promises are left unfulfilled because we are ignorant. We neglect to embrace the promises of God as though our life depends on it.
Jesus said the truth you know will set you free (John 8:32).
The following promises are truths you should know;
1. You are righteous.
“For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17 NLT)
The first promise to fully embrace is your righteousness in Christ. No matter what you did in the past, you are righteous today if you believe in the Son.
2. You are a new creation.
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT)
Repent today before it's too late. As the righteousness of God in Christ, you are a new creation. You were a sinner. You were full of sinful desires, but that is the old you. Now you are righteous and desire righteousness. You were weak but now you are strong. Your life is brand new.
3. You are protected.
“For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.” (Psalm 91:3 NLT)
God promises protection. In an uncertain world, you have the certainty of God's protection from every trap, every temptation, every deadly disease, and everything that may threaten your life.
4. You can have complete healing.
“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 NLT)
When sick people were brought to Jesus, He healed them all. The Lord's heart for humanity has not changed. Jesus desires to heal all. If you are sick anywhere in your body - eyes, digestion, mental illness, blood condition, cancer, any ailment - embrace the promise of total healing because of the wounds of Jesus.
5. You will not be condemned.
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1 NLT)
The devil is the accuser. He will condemn you and bring up past mistakes and sin. He is quick to remind you of where you missed it. But there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. Repent today and be saved.
6. You cannot be separated from God's love.
“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow — not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below — indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
Do you ever feel unloved? Unworthy? Your Heavenly Father never sees you that way. Nothing can ever separate you from the love of God. If you live right you will enjoy his love. It is ever reaching for you.
7. You are blessed.
“You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: Your towns and your fields will be blessed. Your children and your crops will be blessed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be blessed. Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be blessed. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed.” (Deuteronomy 28:2-6 NLT)
There's a whole bunch of promises in Deuteronomy 28. The promises are based on obedience to the law of God. As New Covenant believers, the promises of Deuteronomy 28 are available to you and me because of Jesus' obedience to the law. Because He fulfilled the law completely, I have access to every promise of Deuteronomy 28 and am free of every curse. Your children are blessed, your career is blessed, your household are blessed, and wherever you go is blessed. Repent and accept Jesus truly as your Lord and Saviour.
8. You will be victorious.
“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 NLT)
No matter what you are going through, no matter how hard things may seem, overwhelming victory is yours. Victory will happen. Persevere through the storm.
9. Jesus is coming soon.
“He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon!’ Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)
Embrace the promise Jesus is coming soon. May it put urgency in your life. May it remind you to share the love of Jesus with all you meet. May you look forward to the day in great anticipation when you see Your Savior face to face.
Prayer...
Father, I choose to fully embrace your promises for me. I believe them and act upon them. I will not allow the devil's voice to speak loudest in my life. The promises of Your Word drown him out. I receive Your righteousness, protection, health, blessings, love, victory and freedom. In Jesus precious name, Amen.
[written by Sarah Coleman]
PHOTO: Lagos Most Wanted Cultist Arrested By Police
He was reportedly feared by cult groups within Mushin, Itire, Lawanson and Ilasamaja areas of the state.
It was further gathered that,
while he was in detention, cult activities and war reduced, but as soon as he was released, there was a marked escalation of rival cult wars.
Following the cult war that started after his released, Commissioner of Police Imohimi Edgal ordered Police detectives to fish out Father and his alleged killer gang members.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Chike Oti, said: “Based on credible intelligence available to us that some cultists led by Kanmi alias Father were planning to strike in Ilasamaja community on March 29, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, directed the Divisional Police Officer of Ilasamaja, SP. Oriyomi Oluwasanmi Titilayo to bring to an end the reign of the bloodthirsty cult henchman who had been terrorising that community for a long time now and had become worse since he came back from the prison.
“True to type, at exactly 5 pm, Kanmi, whose trademarks were sorrow, tears and blood, arrived the community with his gang unknown to him that his rank had been infiltrated by the underground operatives of the Command.”
The DPO’s team, already on standby for him and his gang, sighted Kanmi at Hassan Street, Ilasamaja with two of his criminal associates in a fight with a young man suspected to be a member of a rival confraternity. Kanmi had lifted his matchet to cut his rival before he was challenged by the police team.
“He immediately took to his heels and was pursued and arrested by the police. He was frisked and a locally-made pistol loaded with two cartridges was recovered from him. Also arrested was one Alami Samuel, 22, an associate of Kanmi.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police has warned those who belong to nefarious clandestine societies to renounce their membership or risk arrest and prosecution.
Following the cult war that started after his released, Commissioner of Police Imohimi Edgal ordered Police detectives to fish out Father and his alleged killer gang members.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Chike Oti, said: “Based on credible intelligence available to us that some cultists led by Kanmi alias Father were planning to strike in Ilasamaja community on March 29, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, directed the Divisional Police Officer of Ilasamaja, SP. Oriyomi Oluwasanmi Titilayo to bring to an end the reign of the bloodthirsty cult henchman who had been terrorising that community for a long time now and had become worse since he came back from the prison.
“True to type, at exactly 5 pm, Kanmi, whose trademarks were sorrow, tears and blood, arrived the community with his gang unknown to him that his rank had been infiltrated by the underground operatives of the Command.”
The DPO’s team, already on standby for him and his gang, sighted Kanmi at Hassan Street, Ilasamaja with two of his criminal associates in a fight with a young man suspected to be a member of a rival confraternity. Kanmi had lifted his matchet to cut his rival before he was challenged by the police team.
“He immediately took to his heels and was pursued and arrested by the police. He was frisked and a locally-made pistol loaded with two cartridges was recovered from him. Also arrested was one Alami Samuel, 22, an associate of Kanmi.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police has warned those who belong to nefarious clandestine societies to renounce their membership or risk arrest and prosecution.
After 27yrs of Marriage, 57yrs Old Nigerian Woman Gives Birth To Twins
Interestingly, this happened 7 years after reaching her menopause stage. We celebrate with her!
Dino Melaye Talks Tough: "APC Not Different From PDP...Nearing Its Grave"
“There are many crises in APC, let the truth be told. Everybody is sabotaging one another. Something should be done, otherwise, the funeral trumpet may be blown on APC."
Speaking on BBC Hausa, Melaye said, “I have to say the truth. There are problems in this party. Look at how senator Misau was taken to court, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki was also taken to court, then you said we should not tell the truth?
“I am not afraid to tell the truth on anybody, whether on Buhari, Saraki, or even my father. I have to speak against injustice. APC and PDP patronize the same market."
He further stated that his recall process was a handiwork of Kogi governor Yahaya Bello, stressing that he would only return to his constituency when his tenure expires on May 20, 2019.
“Are you asking me about my recall process? I will only return to my constituency on May 20, 2019 because I enjoy massive love from my constituents. The matter is also at Supreme Court.
“This is all a handiwork of Yahaya Bello, just because I advised him to pay salary arrears to Kogi State workers. You are all aware how his government, despite receiving two trenches of Paris Club refund fund, failed to pay salary for several months.
“We can recall how a worker committed suicide for lack of salary. Hunger and poverty don’t know any political party. So, for telling him this, that is why he is witch-hunting me.
“This man is not working in Kogi State. You cannot show even one Kilometre road constructed by his administration, and he said we should not tell the truth. I must tell the truth even if I would be killed”.
“I am not afraid to tell the truth on anybody, whether on Buhari, Saraki, or even my father. I have to speak against injustice. APC and PDP patronize the same market."
He further stated that his recall process was a handiwork of Kogi governor Yahaya Bello, stressing that he would only return to his constituency when his tenure expires on May 20, 2019.
“Are you asking me about my recall process? I will only return to my constituency on May 20, 2019 because I enjoy massive love from my constituents. The matter is also at Supreme Court.
“This is all a handiwork of Yahaya Bello, just because I advised him to pay salary arrears to Kogi State workers. You are all aware how his government, despite receiving two trenches of Paris Club refund fund, failed to pay salary for several months.
“We can recall how a worker committed suicide for lack of salary. Hunger and poverty don’t know any political party. So, for telling him this, that is why he is witch-hunting me.
“This man is not working in Kogi State. You cannot show even one Kilometre road constructed by his administration, and he said we should not tell the truth. I must tell the truth even if I would be killed”.
Man Commits Suicide After Row With Girlfriend
The incident happened penultimate Monday at the deceased’s home in the Abule Iroko area of Sango, in Sango/Ijoko Local Council Development Area of Ogun State.
The deceased was said to have moved into his apartment three months ago.
An altercation was said to have broken out between the deceased and his girlfriend called Esther, following which the lady left the decease’s home in anger.
According to sources, Agboola’s mood changed immediately his girlfriend stormed out of his room and he kept top himself for several hours.
” No one can tell whether it was due to what happened between him and his girlfriend, but we noticed that he was not happy after his girlfriend left in anger and he kept to himself afterwards.
”He later went back to his room and did not come out again. It was when some people knocked on his door and got no response that they peeped through the window and saw his body dangling from the ceiling.”
It was learnt that before his tragic death, Agboola had never been visited by his family members, hence, it was difficult to locate his relatives.
A resident said: ” We know that he is a native of Abeokuta, we never saw him with any of his family members throughout his brief stay in this house.
How I Was Forced To Sleep Among Dead Bodies - Nigerian Tells Shocking Story
It was in that situation that he met CNN crew who came into the prison where he narrated his ordeal and that of other Nigerians in prison. Just last month, the CNN crew visited Edo state to do a report on Human Trafficking and also spoke to Richie.
Richie who is now working in a barbing saloon to make ends meet as well as assist his mother and younger ones narrated his experience in Libya to Vanguard. He also spoke about the curse placed by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare 11 on human traffickers. Excerpts:
Richie who is now working in a barbing saloon to make ends meet as well as assist his mother and younger ones narrated his experience in Libya to Vanguard. He also spoke about the curse placed by the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare 11 on human traffickers. Excerpts:
Can you tell us why you decided to leave Nigeria in the first place?
I left Nigeria in July 2016. I was actually heading to Europe but when I got to Libya, the person I paid money to did not deliver it to the driver who took me there. So the driver had to sell us into slavery in order to recover his money. I spent eight months in that camp which was like hell. They always beat up the men who could not provide them with money while our girls were forced into prostitution. I spent about one year and six months before I came back. My mother who did not have anything had to go and borrow N200,000 which I paid before I bought myself out of slavery. So it was a sad experience.
I decided to travel because When I was growing up, It was only my mother who was taking care of me. My father was never there for us, I believe all he did was to bring me to this world. Only my Mum was doing everything and I knew that the stress was too much for her. So I thought about traveling to go and make money to help my family. Things were hard for us, it was difficult to feed or even go to school. I just felt I should leave so as to help. I never planned to return this way because I had a mission. But I am still grateful to God for making it possible for me to come back alive.
Prison experience
I was in prison before I went to the deportation camp. In the prison, I was maltreated and fed only once a day. I was in that Giran prison suffering and I was forced to even sleep with dead bodies. I thought I was going to die there but a miracle happened. In fact, it was even a Nigerian girl who saved me. When she was set free from the prison she insisted she would leave with her husband. She claimed that I was married to her, I did not even know until they came to me and pointed at me whether I was the one and I said yes. That was how I was released. From there they took us to the deportation camp.
You said you were sold into slavery in Libya, how did it happen?
The slave business in Libya was being masterminded by our fellow Nigerians. I even saw one Nigerian man who sold his own cousin into slavery. When someone had been sold to a particular camp, that person would have to call his relations in Nigeria to send money in order to be free from slavery. In my own case, they bought me for N110,000 and they asked me to pay N200,000 to secure my release. It is a big business for Nigerians who are into it there but It is a crime against God and humanity. They are wicked people.
Did you try to cross the Mediterranean sea
Yes I tried crossing, in fact I was in the camp near the sea before the Libyan militias stormed the place and arrested all of us. They took some of us to prison while some escaped.
What is your reaction to the curse placed on human traffickers by the Oba of Benin?
I believe that the Oba´s curse will help because I am aware that the girls always took oath before they were sponsored abroad. Almost all the girls I met in Libya told me how they took oath before they came. I am very happy with the curse because Nigerians over there were wicked to their fellow citizens. From what I have heard, the Oba´s curse will check their wickedness. But we also have some of these girls who on their own wanted to travel out to help their families. Some of them were also from poor homes and they had seen people who traveled abroad and made money through prostitution. So the idea was that instead of embarking on prostitution here in Nigeria it would be better to go abroad where more money would be made. It was not all of them who were forced to go, some voluntarily asked the traffickers and it was only when they got there that they would see that it was not easy paying back such amount of money demanded by the women traffickers.
So what have you been doing since you came back?
I have been working at a barbing salon and at the end of the day I split the money into three and give the owner of the shop two parts while I take one part. That is what I use to assist my mother and younger ones. I was 20 years old when I traveled. I want Nigerian leaders to emulate Pastor TB Joshua who has been helping most of us. I met him severally and he has been of great help to me and my family. When we went there initially with my group, he gave us N1.6 which we shared. And apart from that he still picked three of us aside and gave me additional N200,000 and that was the money I used to clear the debt owed by my mother which she sent to me when I bought myself out of slavery in Libya.
I want to appeal to government to create jobs although it will be difficult to stop people from traveling because even if you learn a trade you will need electricity to work and it is not there. But if government can make electricity available, jobs will be created here and people will prefer to stay here than traveling out of the country. In Libya we had 24 hours power supply. If not for the crisis in Libya, I would prefer to work in Libya than working here in Nigeria. If for instance I barb for six hours in Libya I would make at least N10,000. But if I work in Nigeria for a whole day, I can never make such amount of money. Even if I make the money here it will be used to buy diesel or fuel to power the generator.
I will also like to commend Edo state government. I was trained on entrepreneurship but I am still waiting for the government to now empower us. I appeal to government to do what they promised us.
Why can’t you further your education?
I wrote WAEC before I traveled but I have not collected the result. Honestly I would have loved to further my education but when I look at the situation in the family, my younger ones are there and no body is there to take care of them, so I had to sacrifice myself to assist them. If I decide to go to school now, I will be using the money I make to solve my school problem while my mother and my younger ones will be suffering.
Rich Man Murdered By Assassins Paid By His Own Wife
Police in the south of Thailand have announced the arrest of five people in the murder of Krabi municipal engineer Montree Upla aka "Tik", 57.
Montree was shot on the Thung Yai to Lamthap road in Nakorn Sri Thammarat on February 21st. He was on his way to see his minor wife with whom he had two children aged 1 and 3. She is a hairdresser in the local market.
Montree was shot multiple times with several guns and was found dead at the scene.
Acting on warrants police arrested his wife Nichaphat Aolakneua, 54, a resident of Ao Lak and four others. One man remains at large.
Police say that the wife ordered the killing after the husband filed for divorce.
The man has assets worth 10 million baht, said Thai Rath.
All the suspects deny charges of premeditated murder.
Source: Thai Rath
All the suspects deny charges of premeditated murder.
Source: Thai Rath
Christian Dapchi Girl Leah Sharibu Escaped From Boko Haram But Ended In Wrong Hands
The insurgents abducted 110 students on February 19 and released them a month later, with the exception of Sharibu and five students who died in captivity.
They reportedly held Sharibu back for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.
The Cable reports that some of Sharibu’s schoolmates said while in custody, she had sneaked away with two other girls — but was unfortunate to walk into the wrong arms.
“We thought she was just going round the corner, but she sneaked out along with Maryam and Amira (the other two classmates),” Aisha Ibiwa, one of the girls, told UK Guardian.
They were said to have walked for three days in the course of their escape from the insurgents. A family they met for help on how to return home to Dapchi rather facilitated their return to the insurgents.
Hajara Adamu, another of Leah’s friends, recalled: “The Fulani man (from the family) said to them, ‘so you are the missing girls that we’ve heard about on the radio.’ He gave them a jerrycan filled with cow’s milk and brought them back.”
“Leah and her group weren’t flogged. They [Boko Haram] said it was because they had suffered a lot while trying to escape.”
Adamu said she had also tried to escape but suffered same fate as Sharibu.
She added that the insurgents laughed at them for attempting to escape, mocking them that “we wanted to go back to the land of unbelievers.”
While in custody, the girls recalled that one of the Boko Haram leaders whom they knew as “the Khalifa” came to see them every week.
During those visits, he was said to have told them they would not stay for too long in custody.
“We don’t have any issue with you – our issue is with the government,” he had told them, according to Adamu. “They’ve taken our men. Don’t worry, you’ll all go home soon.”
“He’d take off his balaclava and say: ‘You shouldn’t go back to Nigeria. It’s a country of sinners and unbelievers. When you go back, convince your parents to come back here to the Islamic caliphate with you'.”
Cop Sacked For Shooting Black Man Selling CDs
Shocking new footage of officer Blane Salamoni swearing over the lifeless body of Alton Sterling has emerged as the cop was sacked over the 2016 shooting.
Salamoni will not face criminal charges but the Baton Rouge police department found he had "violated department standards" through his use of force and losing his temper Police Chief Murphy Paul told a news conference.
The second officer, Howie Lake, was suspended for three days for failing to maintain his composure.
The decisions followed an administrative review of the July 2016 shooting, and both officers plan to appeal, Paul said.
The steps are designed “to bring closure to a cloud that has been over our community for far too long,” he said.
Sterling was among black men killed by police whose deaths sparked U.S. protests and helped fuel the Black Lives Matter movement.
Police released four videos of the confrontation with Sterling outside a convenience store, where he was selling CDs.
One showed Salamoni calling Sterling a "stupid a** mother f***er" as he stood over his lifeless body.
Salamoni said he was angry and blamed Sterling for having "forced" him to shoot.
Paul called the footage from a police dash camera, officers’ body cameras, and a store surveillance camera “graphic and shocking to the conscience.”
Salamoni’s camera shows him yelling at Sterling with expletives to put his hands on a car.
He points a gun at his Sterling’s head and shouts he will shoot him if he moves.
While struggling with Sterling, both officers’ cameras came loose.
Lake’s footage ends by showing Sterling on his back in the parking lot, blood draining from his body.
Sterling, 37, was shot after a resident reported he had been threatened by a black man selling CDs.
Police said Sterling was trying to pull a loaded gun out of his pocket when Salamoni opened fire.
Lawyers representing Sterling’s five children applauded Salamoni’s firing, but expressed disappointment that the officers would not face charges.
“The person who was out of control was Blane Salamoni,” attorney Michael Adams said at a news conference.
"The person who stood by and let him be out of control was Howie Lake. That’s a tragedy."
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said this week that Lake and Salamoni would not face charges since they had reason to believe that Sterling was armed and was resisting arrest.
The U.S. Department of Justice declined to prosecute the officers for civil rights violations in 2017, citing insufficient evidence
We shine by Double en ft Emcode (mp3 download)
""Trap like never before""
Baddas rappers are hear with the hotest collabo.. Unn best rapper Double N features The popular EMCODE in new hit song titled "WE SHINE".. Dont miss it... Its lit..
DOWNLOAD MP3
3 Hero Schoolboys, Saved Man From Suicide.
The boys were on their way back from school at the time and they saved the man's life while he stood on the edge of an A10 overpass in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire on September 21 last year.
Devonte Cafferkey, 13, and Sammy Farah, 14, rushed to grab the man and persuade him not jump while their friend Shawn Young, who was 12 at the time, called for help
The boys are now set to be presented with national awards.
While they tried to stop the man jumping and talk him out of suicide, he passed the boys his mobile phone saying 'if it rings, don't answer it'.
The boys later appeared on This Morning and spoke about the incident with hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby.
On the show, Devonte Cafferkey said: 'Yeah we were the first to arrive. We were persuading him not to jump. He was crying and wiping his eyes. We said, "You’ve got family and stuff, it’s not worth it".'
The boys were also helped by 47-year-old Joanne Stammers, who is registered disabled with Klippel-Trénaunay syndrome, a rare disability that makes her highly prone to blood clotting.
Despite her condition, which prevents her from working, Joanne took over from the boys and held onto the man 'for what feels like forever'.
She was left with bruising all over her arms.
Another man, James Higlett, also helped to save the man's life.
All five will receive awards from the Royal Humane Society, a charity promoting life-saving intervention.
12-year-old Shawn's mother, Carol, was amazed at the boys' maturity and said they have 'just got on with it' since their brave rescue.
She said: 'I am extremely proud of all three of them, they are all good boys and it's nice that they are getting recognised for doing something good in the community.
'Quite often in the national news there are a lot of negative reports about young people so it is nice to have something positive.
'They are very young and I marvel at how they are all dealing with it. Every time I speak to them I learn something new about what happened.
'For example, the man was passing out and got heavier for them, I didn't know that until recently.'
Jacqueline Cafferkey, Devonte's mother, found out about the hero awards a couple of weeks ago and described it as a 'huge achievement'.
The three children, who go to St Mary's High School in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, have already picked up Special Achievement Awards at the Broxbourne Youth Awards for their bravery.
Meanwhile, Ms Stammers described the award as a 'great honour' and said she is still in touch with Mrs Cafferkey.
'It's amazing to get this award, it's obviously under sad circumstances but it's also great that the kids are getting something for what they did,' she said.
'I am really pleased for them and I hope other children can see it's worth stopping to help someone.'
Ms Stammers, who was on her way back from visiting her mother in Waltham Cross when she saw Shawn calling for help, revealed she 'hates' going under the bridge now and avoids it when she can.
She still sees her mother once a week and pays special attention to any bridge she goes under to make sure nobody is standing by the edge.
The heroes of the day were nominated for their awards by Hertfordshire Police.
A date for the awards presentation has not yet been set.
My Patients Make Advances To Me - Nigerian Psychiatrist Doctor
Out of all the branches in the medical field, why did you choose to specialise in mental health? On several occasions, people have asked me this same question, I get this question from my relatives, patients and even their relatives as well as to why I chose this path. Many years ago when I was in the medical school, I noticed that I had this strange attraction to people that had mental health challenges. Initially, it started with a fear which the general population actually have towards people with mental health disturbances but it also made me more curious. Over time, I was privileged to be with doctors who managed these patients and I got to see a patient transform from being hostile to being loveable. For me, I realised that these people actually need love instead of being stigmatised. They needed people to understand them. Mental health is one of the most highly stigmatised conditions globally especially in this part of the world. Instead of us to stigmatise these people, they need to be understood and helped. The more I got involved the more I got to understand them and found out that I must have been called to help them because I have the passion for the job. I wanted to do more and nurse them to recovery and over the years, that is what has kept me in this part of mental health. I need to do more, to reach out to as many people as I can as regards their mental health and well-being.
How did you overcome the fear you had for people with mental health disturbance?
The more I spent time with these people, I understood how to relate with them better. It is no fault of theirs to be in that emotional state; it was based on their experience, suspecting people’s actions. For some people when you are suspicious of others, you begin to have this self-defence mechanism to protect yourself. Most times people would interpret that as hostility. It was not till I had fully delved into this field that I realised that it is just a function of their state of mind at that point in time. The more I understood it, the less the fear I had. I learnt of better ways to approach them instead of avoiding them like other people would. If you are calm enough to hear them out, then you are likely to gain their trust and you would get a lot out of them and this would assist you in helping them.
How do you handle hostile patients?
Most people with mental health issues are not hostile; I would probably say that one third of them are hostile and at the point where you get the history of a client being hostile or has exhibited any form of hostility, which may be from verbal aggression or physical aggression, everything you do in the presence of that client is important ranging from your posture to your look and the way you talk to the person. You may have your hands behind your back and he would feel there is something you are hiding. You would not want to respond to the person with a harsh tone if his voice is raised at you. You would have to be calm and hear him out. Most times, what they want to see is someone that understands their own point of view rather than taking sides with their relatives at that point. This would only make them get angry, so, it starts with a conversation. Be as civil as you can be. That is the first approach. After you must have done all this and it has failed, every method you know by the books to calm this person down has failed, depending on the circumstance; you may let him be for a while. Sometimes when he finds out that you are not listening to him anymore because he is too agitated, he cools off. If he fails to do that and you find out that verbal aggression is tilting toward physical aggression, then you may need some external help like physical or chemical restrains as the need may be, not forgetting that in the course of managing this client, it is important as a mental health professional you ensure that the person is safe. He is not a risk to himself or the people around him.
In the course of your career, have you had any terrible experience in the hands of hostile clients?
I am sure if you ask any psychiatrist out there or anyone working in the mental health sector, they would tell you that they have all had their bad days if they have been in the profession for a long while. The least of them has been verbal aggression, they use all kinds of abusive words on me but I know that I am there to help them and most time we do not listen to what they say at that point in time because we know that it is not the true person speaking, he just needs help to come out of that state.
Yes, I have had some form of aggression from some clients. I have had a client strike me on the face; I mean she gave me a ‘hot’ slap in the process of talking to her. Afterwards, she wrote me an apology letter when she was a lot calmer. She said that she was just agitated. I also had another client who once spat on my face but the family kept pleading on the client’s behalf. That is what we call occupational hazards. There are a lot of risks involved in what we do particularly when you are a female. It happens but as much as possible, we try to minimise them.
Is it right to say that the profession is more challenging for women?
Yes, I think it is more challenging but overtime, women have been able to push that gender barrier and you would find out that more women are coming into the mental health field. The reason is because of the perception people have about the profession. I have had relatives sit with me and ask me what I am doing in this field because they think it should be a man’s job. They think of the risk of violence and they believe women are so fragile they may not be able to handle the stress of the job. Over time, the job has only made me stronger. Some years ago, I was in charge of a male drug rehabilitation centre. For about two years, I decided how these people were managed till recovery so you can imagine me in the midst of men. Also, if there is drug use, the risk of violence is higher and you would see all sorts of things. At the end of the day, we were best of friends and they came to respect me.
But don’t you also face stigmatisation being a psychiatrist?
Yes, we do even among colleagues. The stigma is in multiple stages; there is the stigma the clients face, there is the stigma the family faces and there is also the stigma the doctor faces among colleagues and members of the society and it is because people do not know a lot about mental health. There was a time I was at an event and we were asked to introduce ourselves; I stood up and introduced myself as a psychiatrist and people looked at me in a funny way. Some even asked if there were psychiatrists in Nigeria and I had to laugh but I replied in the affirmative.
I think that there is this lame perception that people have and they say that it only takes an unstable person to understand an unstable person. Some people also say that after treating people with mental health challenges for a long period of time, you would also begin to lose your mind but it is not true. I have not lost my mind in any way and unless I tell you that I am a psychiatrist, you would think that I am a regular doctor.
Do you get remarks like you look too fashionable or beautiful to be in this field?
I hear it a lot, sadly from relatives of my clients but I do not think that because I am a psychiatrist, I need to look shabby or unkempt, that is sending a wrong message. Do not forget that being in this field also helps me because I am more knowledgeable about how to manage my mental health. I do not need to break down like the clients I am managing. If people tell me that ‘what is a beautiful woman like you doing in this field?’ I tell them that it is to treat their relatives. Whatever you do, you should still be able to stick to your identity and look good at every point in time even when you work in the field. Regardless of the way I look, when there is work to be done, I do it.
Do you get love advances from your patients?
Yes, I do.
How do you handle that situation?
I have a polite way of telling them and letting them know that I am not interested and as much as possible it is important to let them know that the rejection has nothing to do with their mental state. It is so easy for that to be misunderstood. They may think it is because they have a psychiatric issue but you let them know that it has nothing to do with that. Also, in the professional ethics, there are lines you don’t cross. There is a professional ethic that states that as long as you remain my patient, there is no other relationship we can have. So if you understand what our ethics are, you would stick to that; but you have to communicate it nicely to the person.
When do you take time off work?
I try as much as possible to make out time for myself. When I want to relax, I spend time with my family; my husband and children. We go on family vacations, cinemas, other fun places. There is what we call the stress that comes with the job; it is a bit difficult for you to be a good mental health professional and not get involved emotionally with your clients. You begin to feel what your clients feel and you cannot help but worry about them. Even after you have discharged these patients, you are still concerned about them. You can imagine the number of clients I worry about. It takes a toll on you over time, so it is extremely important for you to maintain your well-being and you can only do this if you can stay off work for a while and have some rest. As much as possible, I try to make my weekend free unless I have emergencies. I use my weekend to relax and I would head to the spa for a massage treatment or hang out with my husband and kids.
Your job is 24hours; how has your husband been coping?
Sometimes we are home late at night and I receive a call about a patient and from the conversation, I know the case is bad so I have to leave home that late. He knows that I would need to see the patient that night. Because of the confidentiality of what we do, I do not discuss my patients with him but he has an idea and he is worried about me. He had been a very supportive husband as regards my career and he is always concerned about what I do but I know that in his mind, he still nurses the fear as regards my safety. Each time I tell him that I need to see a patient or I have an intervention because a patient has broken down, all he says most time is, ‘please be careful, just be careful.’ He worries about me a lot.
Did he meet you on the job?
Yes, he met me during the early years of my training.
How did he feel wooing a psychiatrist?
He had his reservations. He met me in this profession but I think the way he felt about me was a lot stronger than whatever his reservations were about the profession. By association and hanging out with me, over time, it helped to demystify his perception of mental health. I have made him see that there is no big deal in this profession. He knows a lot about it now. There are even times that he refers people to me.
How did you meet your husband?
We met through a friend. It is a long story but I don’t think I want to talk about it.
How Can You Release Only 6 Names After Making So Much Noise About Looters?
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere; a Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed; and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, among others, came down heavily on the Government over the release of a looters’ list containing just six names.
They described the list as laughable while accusing the government and the APC of spreading propaganda and lies.
The Federal Government on Friday made good its promise to release to Nigerians the list containing names of alleged treasury looters.
The list which was released by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Lagos, on Friday, identified the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus; former National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh; and the Chairman of DAAR Communications, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, as some of the people who looted the treasury.
Also on the list were the names of Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, a former Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan; a cousin of former President Jonathan, Robert Azibaola; and an unnamed former PDP Financial Secretary.
In July 2017, the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), said the Federal Government would publish the names of treasury looters intermittently after it must have met some conditions.
This was after a Federal High Court in Lagos gave a ruling compelling the Federal Government to “immediately release to Nigerians information about the names of high-ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered and the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.”
The Federal Government, through The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had on June 4, 2016, disclosed that it had recovered cash sums of N78,325,354,631.82, $185,119,584.61, £3,508,355.46 and €11,250, among others, between May 29, 2015, and May 25, 2016.
Twenty-two months after, the information minister released a list with just six names.
The information minister said, “The PDP has challenged us to name the looters under their watch. They said they did not loot the treasury. Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch. Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology to Nigerians.
“Let’s just give them a teaser with this list: PDP Chairman, Uche Secondus, (on the 19th of February, 2015, he took N200m only from the office of the then National Security Adviser); the then PDP Financial Secretary (on the 24th of October, 2014, he took N600m only from the office of the then NSA); the then National Publicity Secretary, Olisah Metuh, (on trial for collecting N1.4bn from the office of the then NSA.
“Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications, (on trial for taking N2.1bn from the office of the then NSA); former SSA to President Goodluck Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, (on trial over N830m kept in accounts of four different companies); former President Jonathan’s cousin, Robert Azibaola, (on Thursday, a Federal High Court ruled that he has a case to answer for collecting $40m from the office of the then NSA.)”
Mohammed, who stated that the list was just a tip of the iceberg, said, “We did not make these cases up. Many of these cases are in court and the records are available. Some of the people on this list are seeking plea bargain, and that is a fact.
“We insist that Nigeria was looted blind under the watch of the PDP, and that the starting point in tendering an apology is for them to return the loot. It’s like a robber admitting to stealing your car and apologising, but then saying he will keep the car anyway. It doesn’t work that way.”
The information minister said, “The PDP is a hypocrite. And that reminds me of what English writer, William Hazlitt, said, ‘’The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy. The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy.’’
He vowed that the APC-led Federal Government would not stop talking about the massive looting under the PDP.
“They brought Nigeria to this sorry pass. We are now looking around for loans to build infrastructure, and they ask us not to talk about it. We will talk about it."
Nigerians react
But the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, accused the Federal Government of spreading propaganda and playing politics with the matter, even though, he said it would be good for Nigeria to get to a point where people found to have stolen public funds were named and shamed.
“We should get to a point where we should have a culture of naming and shaming of those who pilfer funds but what Mohammed and the government are doing is very funny. They have been talking about fighting corruption and recovering money, so after three years, it is only six names they could bring out. And even then by our law, an accused person is presumed innocent until found guilty. For now, you can call them alleged looters, not looters because the court has yet to convict them.”
Odumakin also noted that none of the politicians in the current government or those who defected from other parties to the APC and have been accused of corruption was on the list.
He said, “All they are doing is just playing cheap politics with their so-called anti-corruption war; the truth is that there is no war going on anywhere. It is just propaganda. And a minister of the government should not be engaged in this type of shenanigan. The APC can be playing this kind of politics but it is too low for the government to be playing this kind of politics.”
Also, a Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, described the APC’s short list of names of alleged looters as an “anticlimax” after about three years of talking about fighting corruption and looting of public funds.
He said, “I think Mohammed, his party and the President are guilty of the lies that they have been telling Nigerians. If indeed all the noise that has been made concerns only about five people, then something is wrong and I am certainly disappointed. So you are telling me that for the three years that you have been talking about corruption and promising to release the names of looters, you have been talking about only five people.
“If indeed they only had evidence that there are about five people who are responsible for our economic woes, then that to me sounds like a monumental anti-climax. There are quite a number of people who I believe are thieves and there is a substantial and overwhelming evidence against them and I believe the money they stole is known to people in the Presidency, the government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. If they cannot recover the money, then forget about Nigeria, it is finished. And I don’t believe Lai Mohammed because he has lied so many times and if his own idea of politics is to abuse his position and lie to the people, then we are in a very serious trouble because the whole thing is cynical, untrue and you begin to wonder who is to be believed because this government is not believable.”
Similarly, the President, Ijaw Youth Council, Mr. Eric Omare, described the government’s action as “ridiculous and childish.”
“This is because, under the laws of this country, anybody that is accused of committing an offence is presumed to be innocent until the person is found guilty by the court of law. So when you say somebody is a looter, it is a pronouncement that the person is guilty.
“And none of the names on the list has been convicted. Even this week, Azibaola was cleared of most of the charges against him by the court. So how could you release the name of that person as a looter? So it simply shows that the anti-corruption war of Buhari’s government is failing and so, it’s just struggling to save its face. It didn’t meet the expectation of Nigerians and that list should be dismissed with a wave of the hand; it doesn’t make sense.”
Also, the President, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Malachy Ugwummadu, described the list as an insult on the intelligence of Nigerians.
He said if the Federal Government was serious about total anti-corruption war, it should also “look inwards” and name ex-PDP chieftains who were now in the APC.
Furthermore, he said conviction and prosecution of looters were the real proof of any anti-corruption fight.
Dino Melaye Saga: Police Re-Arrest 5 Out of 6 Escapee Criminals
The suspects were linked to the Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye.
Two of the alleged criminals, Kabiru Saidu, a.k.a Osama (31) and Nuhu Salisu (25 ) aka small, were first arrested on January 19 at Ogojueje in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State and they confessed to being hired by Mr. Melaye to cause mayhem in the state.
Osama, who, according to the Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, confessed that he had been working as a political thug for Alhaji Mohammed Audu who later introduced him to Senator Dino Melaye is the only suspect still on the run.
Osama told the Police that he met Melaye at Airport road, Abuja inside the Senator Melaye’s car in the month of December 2017.
“The suspect further confessed that Sen. Dino Melaye told him that they should start working for him as his political thugs and they should recruit and train other thugs to work for him in preparation for the 2019 general elections to enable him (Dino Melaye) challenge his political opponents.
However, following the escape of the suspects from custody, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, ordered the removal of the State commissioner of police, Ali Janga.
Sources in the Police, however confirmed to SR that five out of the six suspects have been re-arrested.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)