Driver Jailed For Abducting 15-Yr-Old Girl For Sex

A 27-year-old driver, Chukwuma Okeke, has been sentenced to one year in prison without an option of a fine by an Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrate's Court, for abducting a 15-year-old girl from his employer’s house and keeping her as his sex slave.

According to the prosecutor in the case, DSP. Godwin Anyanwu, Okeke kidnapped the girl on March 26, 2015, from their employer's house at 18b, Prince Bode Oluwo Street, Mende, Maryland, Lagos, and kept her in his house for the purpose of having sexual intercourse with her.

"The convict is the driver while the victim is a housemaid to the complainant, one Mr. and Mrs. Emeka Umeevuruo. The complainant went to work and when they returned, they discovered that the victim and her belongings were missing.

The complainant called her cell phone but it was not reachable and they reported the matter at the nearest police station.

During investigations, the police noticed that the convict had stopped going to the complainant’s house for his normal duty. The police officers visited the convict’s house and saw the victim there.

The convict said that he abducted the victim for sexual satisfaction."

During the trial, Okeke pleaded guilty to the charge of abducting a girl with intent to have sexual intercourse with her and begged for mercy.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs A.O. Soladoye, therefore sentenced him following a plea of guilt by him.

Photo: Terry G Takes Off His Dreads, Says I Am Free

Music act, Terry G has taken off his dreads after so many years of having them. He shared the photo above this morning with the caption, ‘I am free’. He looks cool....

Fire Razes Over 300 Shops At Ogbe-Ijoh Market

Over 300 shops were razed, Saturday evening, as Ogbe-Ijoh market in Warri, Delta State, went up in flames again.   

The cause of the fire which started at about 8.30 pm, was unknown, but clothing and building materials shops were among those razed.   

Traders were seen crying on Sunday morning at the market, lamenting their loss.   

There had been several fire incidents in Ogbe-Ijoh market in the last few years and on each occasion, government intervened by sending relief materials to the victims, but clearly, the reason for the frequent fire outbreaks has not been tackled. 

Five, Including Six-Month-Old Baby Burnt To Death As Bus Bursts Into Flames

No fewer than five persons, including a six-month old baby boy, were killed in a fire incident between Friday and Saturday in Lagos.

The Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasak Fadipe, disclosed this on Sunday.

He said that four of the victims were roasted to death in an accident that occurred at the Coastain area of the state, involving a commercial bus popularly known as `Danfo’.

According to him, the bus was carrying nine passengers when the accident happened. He said that the bus was coming from Lagos Island at a top speed while descending to Coastain when suddenly the driver lost control and hit the pavement. Fadipe added that the impact made the bus to summersault severally.

“The bus burst into flames, burning to death four men beyond recognition. Five others that sustained serious burnt were rescued and taken to the General Hospital, Marina, by the Lagos Emergency Ambulance Services.

“The police from Iponri Division removed the dead bodies to the same hospital. The incident happened on Saturday at about 12.12 p.m.,’’ he said.

Subsequently,  a six-month old baby boy was burnt to death at about 9.30 p.m. on Saturday at CA Street, House 52, Shagari Estate, Mosan Okunola, Ipaja.

Fadipe said the fire was caused by a candlestick lit by the mother of the child, who claimed to be taking fresh air outside, when the incident happened.

He, however, advised members of the public against the use of the candle, stressing that many lives have been lost to it use.

Fadipe also called on parents to always keep an eye on their children while sleeping, advising them against locking up children at home and leaving for a far distance. (NAN)

Ondo Government Says Ethanol Poisoning Responsible For Deaths In Irele

Ondo state government weekend says it suspects ethanol poisoning as responsible for the death of over 20 persons in Irele area of the state last week.

It dismissed insinuation that the alleged strange disease was contagious and put death tool at 18.

Conflicting reports emanated from the remote community last week over the outbreak of strange disease.

While the natives people in the community alleged that the death was caused by some unknown persons who committed sacrilege by breaking into the Malokun Shrine and stoling sacred objects, government insist such is unknown to science.

The Health Commissioner Dr Dayo Adeyanju, speaking in Akure said ‎”findings from post-mortem carried out on the victims and other laboratory tests revealed that the disease was neither epidemic nor contagious.

According to him” preliminary report shows that ethanol poison was found in the systems of all the victims. “Our investigations have also revealed that the victims, who, interestingly, were all Okada riders, gathered at some local joints to consume alcoholic substance mixed with roots and some other local herbs on the eve of the outbreak of the disease.

“I can assure you that the disease is in no way contagious. The fact that none of the caregivers has contracted the disease has greatly underscored this point.‎

Jonathan Denies Spending N2trn On April Elections, Campaigns

The Presidency has denied that it spent N2 trillion on April 19 election according to a media report.

The Presidency through Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President Media and Publicity, made this statement on Sunday.

The statement read thus:

The front-page story of the Sunday Punch of April 19 alleging that the Presidency spent a whopping N2 trillion on the 2015 General elections, and that a Committee of Five has been set up by President Jonathan to conduct an audit on how the funds were disbursed by party members and state officials is mischievous, false and embarrassing.

The President has not set up any committee as alleged in that story. It is also not true that the Presidency and the Peoples Democratic Party used state funds, or spent N2 trillion during the campaigns. The innuendoes are wrong-headed; the motives behind the story are suspicious.

The story alleges, for example, that the Presidency spent N2trillion on elections and embarked on a money-sharing spree to party members, support groups and state officials. The authors of the story and their self-appointed megaphones further insinuate that public funds were deployed in this regard. Their allegation of a theft of public funds is extremely malicious.

How much is the budget of the Federal Government of Nigeria? The annual budget of the Federal Government is a little over N4 trillion. The story is practically suggesting that half of the federal budget was spent on elections. This kind of reckless insinuation is meant to incite the public and instigate national crisis.

With FAAC having to do everything possible every month to ensure disbursements and with the Federal Government heavily committed to the war against terror in the North East, where is the alleged N2 trillion from the Federal purse? President Jonathan and the People’s Democratic Party conducted the 2015 elections in strict accordance with the rule of law. The suggestion of any unlawful conduct cannot be sustained under any circumstances.

President Jonathan has done his best to protect and strengthen democracy and promote peace. He justly deserves all the accolades that he has received from both Nigerians and the international community for this. Certain persons and interest groups may not be happy that his profile has further risen and that his legacy is assured; but they do their country gross disservice when they act so unpatriotically.

Anyone who is engaged in imposing a crisis on the country by any means is not being fair to Nigeria. We can only appeal to the public to be wary of such reckless tactics now on display, which form the substance of an odd, malicious campaign after the elections.

We are particularly worried that since the March 28 and April 11 elections, some persons have continued to work very hard to diminish the Jonathan Presidency. They need to be reminded that the time for politics is over; it is now time to focus on the in-coming government, with emphasis on national development and moving the country forward.

Missing Mum Found After Baby Born In Amusement Park Bathroom

The mother of a newborn baby abandoned in public toilets at an amusement arcade has been found and is receiving medical treatment.

The infant was named April by staff at Ormskirk Hospital in Southport, where she is being treated.

She was just hours old when workers at Silcock's Amusement Arcade found her in the disabled toilet on Thursday evening.

An image of the child, wearing a pink playsuit, was released by Merseyside police as they sought to identify her mother and said she was "not in trouble".

Police said there were signs that April was "born where she was found".

Officers said they had traced the mother to an address in the Merseyside area.

Superintendent Claire Richards said: "I would like to thank the local community, the online community and the media for their assistance in this matter."

SkyNews

Maine Man Stuck In Seat Belt Causes Roaring Laughter

We never thought we would laugh so hard at a grown man stuck in a seat belt, but a video going viral on YouTube and Facebook has proved us wrong. 

Clint Chadbourne from Maine was having a pretty difficult time with the safety device while pulled over at a rest stop on Interstate 95 on his way home from Massachusetts. 

In the video, Clint playfully calls his wife Bonnie “Mom” as she tries to assist him out of the seat belt which he appears to be stuck behind. 

The other voice and laughter heard in the video is Clint’s daughter, Kelly. While trapped in the constraints, Clint says “I’m getting hydrophobic.”

Bonnie posted the video to Facebook, where it was shared more than 600,000 times. His wife also posted an update that, yes, Clint did in fact make it out of the seat belt. And, for the record Clint, hydrophobia is the fear of water, not getting stuck in a seat belt, which we don’t think is an actual clinical fear.

The video was also posted to YouTube, where one commenter summed up how we feel about the clip: “I think I just pulled a muscle laughing...”

See the video here

Breast Milk May Alter Behaviour Of Babies

Mothers may influence the mood and behaviour of their babies through their breast milk, researchers say.

There's growing evidence that mother's milk doesn't just affect the growth of a baby's body "but also areas of their brain that shape their motivations, their emotions, and therefore their behavioural activity," says Katie Hinde, an assistant professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University.

In a paper published in the journal Evolution, Medicine and Public Health, Hinde and two other researchers propose a way in which the composition of breast milk could influence a baby's brain and behaviour.

If food is scarce or there are a lot of predators around, it may be better for a mother to have a baby that is calmer and focuses on growing rather than one that is very active and playful, Hinde told CBC Radio's Quirks & Quarks in an interview that airs Saturday.

It may be possible to influence a baby's activity level by changing the composition of the milk to affect the bacteria in the infant's gut, she added.

Breast milk contains a lot of sugars that infants can't digest, but that feed bacteria that live in human intestines. Those bacteria don't just help digest food, said Hinde.

"They can release chemical signals that travel to the infant's brain and shape neurodevelopment."

Studies in mice and rats show that signals released by bacteria in the gut can affect how sociable and anxious a baby is.

A recent study in human children also shows a link between the type of bacteria in their guts and their temperament, the researchers note in the paper.

"Is the mother then manipulating her milk to determine what those bacteria are doing?" asked Quirks & Quarks host Bob McDonald. "That is exactly our question," Hinde said.

She hopes other researchers who read the paper will start conducting experiments to find out.

My Husband No Longer Has Erection! Wife Defends Husband Against Alleged Rape Of 8-Year Old

Trouble started in the home of Mrs. Grace Adebiyi (not real name) in Akowonjo area of Lagos when she noticed a strange discharge from the private part of her eight-year-old daughter, as she slept on the night of Sunday April 12, 2015.

“I would not have been worried if not because that I had noticed she was walking awkwardly when we were going to church earlier in the day. But when I asked what was wrong with her, she said nothing,” the woman said.

But that night, as Comfort (not real name) slept, her mother decided to investigate what was wrong.

“It was then I noticed my daughter’s private part was chafed. I was worried, what could have happened to her?”Adebiyi said.

The worried mother roused her daughter and asked her what had been happening to her but the girl told her nothing happened.

Adebiyi said, “I told her to go back to sleep but my mind was not at rest. The following morning. I asked her again if anybody had been fingering her and if that was what caused the way she was chafed and could not walk properly. She told me nothing of such happened.

“I then threatened to take her to the police station. That was when she told me that she could only tell me if I would not beat her and if I would not confront the person who did it. When she told me, I nearly collapsed.”

The name the little girl mentioned was that of their 45-year-old tenant, Victor Aneke.

Before the incident, Mrs. Adebiyi and the Anekes, who had been living in the house since 1999, had been having a running battle over unpaid rent.

Victor actually admitted to our correspondent that he owed at least N200,000 in rent backlog.

Also, Mrs. Adebiyi said when she noticed that her daughter was too frequent in her tenant’s apartment, she warned her to stop going there.

“But I was not worried about sexual abuse because I knew the man’s wife was around,” she said.

The house is a kind commonly called ‘face-me-I-face-you’ in Lagos. One of the apartments in the building is used by Mrs. Adebiyi and her children. Her husband has been away on a long trip for many months.

The woman said she did not know what to do, as she was afraid of confronting her tenant about such an allegation all alone.

She notified child rights activists. When a test was conducted on the girl, a doctor at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Ikeja said that the girl had been raped a number of times.

Our correspondent, with child rights activist, Esther Ogwu, in tow, later paid the Anekes a visit in the course of the week.

After a warm welcome, Victor and his wife launched into a narration about how their landlady had been making their lives unbearable over their outstanding rent.

Victor said he only loves children and thus allowed Comfort to sleep and watch cartoons in his apartment.

Asked why he would allow the child stay in his apartment for extended periods of time even though he was not in good terms with the girl’s mother, Victor said other children also come to his apartment to play.

Victor said, “The woman always quarrels with me because she wants me out of her house but her husband is a friend and he told her to leave me alone.

“Telling her daughter to accuse me of molesting her was her latest ploy to send me out of this house. I have never touched the girl because she is like a daughter to me.”

While Victor spoke, his fuming wife, Joy, pleaded to have a say during the interview. The woman was angry that her husband could be accused of such “dirty crime”.

“How can she ask her daughter to lie against my husband just because she want us out of this house?” she said. “Let me tell you the truth, since my husband had an accident in March 2013, he has not had an erection.”

Her husband nodded as she made the revelation.

However, later, when our correspondent went out and was alone with Victor, he said “I will treat you well if this report could be written to show how innocent I am.”

Ogwu said the defence Joy put up for her husband was not tenable.

“She probably knows that her husband did it but and would rather protect him against the law.

“We may not be a law court that would judge him, but we will pursue this case to as far as needed to prove that the victim was not lying. We have interviewed her and we have no doubt that she is telling the truth.”

The case has been reported at the Ipaja Police Division. Victor who was initially arrested was released on bail on medical grounds.

The police spokesperson, Mr. Kenneth Nwosu has said that investigation is still ongoing in the case and the suspect would be charged to court as soon as findings are complete.

Punch

Girl Gives Birth To Baby Boy In Oyo After Making Love To A Snake

It sounds unbelievable, but from the account of 19-year-old Kehinde Adegoke, it really happened. The teenager who is an indigene of Ogbomoso in Oyo State, but whose parents live in Minna, Niger State, has told Sunday Tribune how she had sex with a snake in her dream for four years and eventually got pregnant without any physical relationship with any man.

Not only that, Kehinde was delivered of a baby boy in the early hours of March 28, 2015. The baby, however, brought strangeness as he had two teeth protruding from the gum in its lower jaw. He

however died on Sunday, March 29 without any ill health pinned to him.

For four years, Kehinde said she had to deal with a strange spirit which always came to her in a dream in form of a snake. She said the snake would turn into a Fulani man who would have sex with her, and afterwards transform into a snake, before crawling away.

She disclosed that she had to leave Niger State in October 2014 for Ogbomoso, when she suddenly found herself pregnant without having physical intercourse.

She was, however, full of joy that she received deliverance from demonic possession through the prayers and deliverance sessions she went through at one church in Ogbomoso. She expressed appreciation to the founder of the church, Apostle Johnson Olayinka Afolabi a.k.a. Okoto Jesu, that God used him to set her free from satanic bondage.

Narrating her story, Kehinde told Tribune:

“My parents live in Niger but I am from Ogbomoso, Oyo State. I was troubled by an unseen spirit. I would see the snake beside me. The snake would then turn to a Fulani man who would have intercourse with me. It started about four years ago.

After the intercourse, the Fulani man would turn to a snake again and leave. Whenever I woke up, I would not see any semen indicating that I had sexual intercourse. But in the dream, he would climax and release in me.

I have never had any man who wooed me in real life and looked like the man. His face was strange. The Fulani man also used to appear to me in real life, but I was the only person who would see him. He dared not see me with any man, even if the person was my brother. He would frown and warn me off the man. This would make me change my countenance to whomever I was talking with.

Also, if I wanted to tell my parents what I was experiencing, he would appear and warned me against revealing anything. That was why the experience I was having spanned some years.”

Her life story changed when she discovered she was pregnant towards the end of 2014. According to her,:

“I noticed that I was pregnant in October 2014. My stomach started protruding and the change in me was noticed by my mother and neighbours. They asked whether I was pregnant and I said no. Though I did not see my menses, my thinking was that it was a temporary reaction and that it would still come since I didn't have sexual intercourse.

When I went to a hospital to carry out a pregnancy test, it was positive. I was surprised because I did not have intercourse with any man. My parents did not believe me and were furious with me. I was so confused that I left Minna for Ogbomoso in Oyo State.

At Ogbomoso, someone told me about a church. I met the founder, Apostle Johnson Olayinka Afolabi a.k.a. Okoto Jesu. He asked me to go through marathon and dry fasting which spanned 41 days.

After the fasting, I did not feel anything in my tummy again. All I noticed was that my stomach would be flat whenever I woke up in the morning but it would protrude immediately I ate. I went through another fast in March after which I experienced my miracle.”

The alleged miracle happened on March 27.

“At about 9 a.m., I started feeling stomach pain. Nothing was moving in me. I took some drugs and the pain subsided. It started again and I had to go to Prophet Afolabi . He prayed into water which he asked me to drink. The pain did not subside.

By evening, the pain had become unbearable. Prophet was told and he blessed water again and sent it to me through one of his pastors. After drinking the water the second time, I vomited. The vomit was smelly. That was all I knew as I passed out.

I did not know how I got to the hospital. I learnt Okoto Jesu poured water in the church bell and rang the bell seven times, commanding all evil spirits in me to vanish in the name of Jesus. I was then taken to a private hospital (names withheld).

I became fully conscious of my environment during delivery. The baby was also changing its skin to different colours after birth. My mother was present in the hospital. I noticed that the baby had two teeth in the lower jaw. I did not breast-feed the baby. But he died on Sunday, March 29.

Since then, I have been delivered and free from manipulations of the spirit world. I no longer see the snake or the Fulani man.”

Kehinde also disclosed that she had familiar spirit and belonged to a group of destroyers (egbe abatenije), though she went through deliverance in 2011. Before the deliverance, she said she used to see herself in the midst of other children, with all of them adorning black garments.

She also revealed that she was initiated into a demonic group by four women whom she knew physically, though saying that two of them were dead. But all that had become a thing of the past, she stated.

The account of the girl was corroborated by Prophet Afolabi who is popularly called Okoto Jesu. According to him: “When Kehinde was brought to our church, we pressed her stomach but couldn’t feel any pregnancy. We told her to go through dry fast.

 She fasted for three days three times making a total of nine days and she did it without any adverse effect, which could not have been so if she was pregnant. She also observed white fast. The prayers offered her and the water given to drink turned the demons in her into a human form which came out as a baby.

  

Even when she was taking to the hospital, the nurse who examined her said she was still a virgin, which confirmed that she was indeed possessed. It was simply God at work.” Okoto Jesu said that a case like that of Kehinde had never happened in his church “though we have had cases of women who were pregnant for six, seven years but delivered when they got here.”

Kehinde’s mother, Mrs Adegoke, told Sunday Tribune that Kehinde was a strange child right from when she was in her womb, saying that the twin brother died at birth. She disclosed that when Kehinde was undergoing deliverance session in 2011, she was rolling on the ground and screaming that witches should leave her alone as she was no longer willing to be their tool.

Chris Brown & Daughter Stun In Another Photo

Chris Brown and Daughter pictured in LA yesterday. They look cool together!

Boy, 14, Arrested For Stabbing 18-Yr-Old Girl To Death

THE police in Bauchi on Thursday arrested a 14-year-old boy, Ismael Idris, for stabbing an 18-year-old girl, one Ramatu Aminu, who later died at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.

According to a statement made available to journalists at the weekend by the Bauchi State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Haruna Mohammed, Idris, a resident of Kofar Gombe ward in Bauchi metropolis, used a scissor to stab the deceased in the neck at a bakery, over a minor argument.

He stated that the girl was rushed to ATBUTH for treatment but later died while being treated.

“On Thursday 16, 2015, at about 17:45hrs, police detectives attached to Township Division arrested one Ismael Idris, male, 14 years of Kofar Gombe ward in Bauchi State.

“The suspect used scissors to stab one Ramatu Aminu, female, 18-year-old, of Shekal ward on her neck, over minor argument, at a bakery. She was rushed to ATBU Teaching Hospital for medical attention but later died while receiving treatment,” the police spokesman stated.

The PPRO, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), however, informed that the police were investigating the case.

Today's Newspaper Headlines, Sunday, April 19, 2015

VANGUARD

• Why I’m not proud to call Buhari my president — Aribisala
• Mysterious deaths in Ondo: The god is not to blame
• Why my cabinet will be small – Buhari
• Impeachment Threat: I am ready to negotiate with APC lawmakers — Fayose
• Why Senate asked Jonathan to return original copy of Constitution Amendment Bill
• I went into armed robbery to feed my baby, pay school fees – Nursing mother
• ECOWAS new tariff regime will boost Nigeria’s economy – Compt Jubrin
• Why I can’t marry a fellow actor – Seyi Ashekun
• War in Nollywood over piracy
• Buhari’s government: ICT stakeholders set digital agenda
• My long experience with Buhari
• Adefuye, Lagos LG scribes congratulate Buhari, Tinubu, Osinbajo
• The military and the Boko Haram challenge
• The Oxford and Cambridge Club Debate: Nigerian Democracy and the Economy
• Why Keshi’s contract signing  failed
• CHIBOK ABDUCTIONS:We, the guilty Nigerians
• 60 killed in battle over fish pond
• Sen. Gemade calls for prosecution of Army Commandant over assault
• Jonathan’s, National Assembly’s last battle
• Chibok girls, one year on
• Black Monday in Abuja: Lamentations over tanker fire deaths
• Developing internally generated revenue in an era of diversification
• The Igbo agenda in Buhari administration, by Pro. ABC Nwosu
• Chibok: Nothing without the girls
• We won’t allow criminals hurt Nigeria’s interest — Ambassador
• Worrisome Gangsterism in the South West
• Three things Buhari must do
• Confederations Cup: Warri Wolves walk tight rope
• Chibok girls kidnapping timelime
• We spent the last 10 years projecting Nigeria positively — Yemisi Alatise
• ‘Why Igbo never vote out of fear’ -
• Xenophobia: Dear South Africans, blame your leaders, not foreigners
• The Lagos Palaver
• Inconclusive Abia Guber: Wabara, Abia South leaders on war path
• DELTA: Ogboru rejects guber result, heads for tribunal
• Bala Mohammed FCT legacies
• The fallacies of delusional negative triumphalism (2)
• Modern world has no space for ethnic politics – Gov. Oshiomhole
• Oronto Douglas, a blessing to Niger Delta — Ijaws
• Madness in S/Africa: We stand with Jonathan government on safety of Nigerians — Buhari
• Living with the enemy: Inside wife beaters’ homes, by battered women
• ‘#BringBackOurGirls Now And Alive’
• Alleged Seizure of Property: Effurun landlords drag Delta govt to court
• How S/African king sparked xenophobic attacks on Nigerians, others
• S/South APC youths want Reps Deputy Speaker zoned to Edo

THE NATION

•  Governors move to hijack PDP from Jonathan
•  Mark plots return as Senate President
•  Row as FG concedes $470m national security system to private firm
•  Kogi deputy governor’s wife, three others injured in Lagos building collapse
•  2015 Polls: Intrigues that cost Jonathan the presidency
•  50 Nigerians affected by South African violence
•  APC and the Tinubu phenomenon
•  After the biggest party
•  Ondo deaths: Youths committed sacrilege, says Chief
•  How far can the customer go?
•  Implications of Change Manifesto (1)
•  WikiLeaks puts NIMASA in the spotlight
•  Ayo Fayose: Before it is too late
•  Beyond May 29: as one ruling party replaces another, five things to keep in mind
•  If APC is to succeed
•  ‘Why I follow in my father’s footsteps’
•  The Fayose paradox
•  APC’s far-reaching poll win
•  TM hackers on the rampage
•  ‘Consistency, innovation required to build sustainable brands’

 TRIBUNE

• Plateau gov-elect alleges plan to sell government properties
• 2015 election results, silent revolution —Bauchi REC
• Man, 25, bags 6 months jail term for acquiring multiple PVCs
• Air traffic controllers embark on strike tomorrow
• PDP writes INEC, alleges APC plans to tamper with ballot papers
• Overbilling of customers: NERC goes tough on Abuja discos
• 45 killed in communal clash in Benue
• Boy, 14, arrested for stabbing 18-yr-old girl to death
• My social contract with Rivers people, my bond —Wike
• 3 die, 6 injured in Lagos auto crash, building collapse
• LG chairman kidnapped in Rivers
•  ‘OPC hugely contributed to the peaceful polls’
• Arewa chieftain lauds Aregbesola over APC victory in S/West
• INEC presents certificates of return in Nassarawa, Taraba, Abia
•  ‘Lead in character and conduct’
• Imalefalafia residents congratulate Ajimobi

THISDAY

• Finally, APC Zones Speaker to Southwest, SGF to S'East
• Buhari May Unveil Transition Committee Members This Week
• Our monitoring team remains on alert, says Ogun govt
• IMF Lauds Nigeria’s Response to Declining Oil Prices
• Boko Haram: Ground Troops Enter Sambisa in Search of Chibok Girls
• 50 Killed in Another Bloody Communal Clash in Benue
• Kogi Deputy Gov’s Wife, 3 Others Injured in Explosion
• Okupe: Chibok Girls Kidnapped to Make Jonathan’s Govt Look Incompetent
• Nasarawa: Gunmen Disrupt Bye-election, 5 Apprehended
• Impeachment: I’m Ready to Negotiate with APC Lawmakers, Says Fayose
• Civil Society Groups List Grounds for Cancellation of Imo Guber Poll
• Focus on Employment Generation, Akpabio Charges Successor
• PDP Reps Member Joins Speaker Race
• Owelle Salutes Jonathan’s Statesmanship, Hails Buhari, Ambode
• Contractor Seeks Justice over Alleged Unfair Treatment by Bank
• Boroffice: Why APC is Closing its Doors to Defectors
• Kuku Denies Contributing Funds for APC Presidential Election
• Ohuabunwa Hailed as Senator-elect in Abia, Gets Certificate of Return
• CACTI Congratulates Buhari, Commends Jonathan on 2015 Elections
• Ikpeazu Calls for Removal of Abia REC, Returning Officer
• Okun People in Lagos, Ogun Congratulate Buhari, Ambode, Amosun
• Nigeria and the Xenophobic Violence in South Africa
• Jonathan’s Request for Humanitarian Aid
• Learning from the Poll
• Festus Okoye: The Future of Elections in Nigeria’ll be Technology-based
• A Gale of Defections: What Hope for Opposition?

60 Killed In Battle Over Fish Pond

No fewer than 60 persons were feared killed at the weekend in a bloody communal crisis between Ologba and Egba communities of Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the latest crisis which left many with varying degrees of injury was a fallout of a lingering dispute between the fishing communities over the ownership of a fishing pond in the area.

The latest crisis between the sister villages came on the heels of last month’s outrageous conflict in Egba community which claimed close to 100 lives when suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded the community.

According to our source, “the truth is that there is no love lost between the two communities whose preoccupation is mainly fishing.

“Unfortunately, the bitter rivalry between the communities and bottled-up anger for one another has lingered for several years and sometimes resulting in intermittent skirmishes; this latest conflict could have claimed over 60 lives because more bodies are still being recovered from the two communities.

“As I speak to you today, (Saturday) the Egba people attacked Ologba during a funeral procession early this morning, after the Friday attack, just when the people were trying to bury their dead. So many people were killed in that attack and more bodies are still being recovered from the scene so we expect the causality figure to rise.”

Speaking on the matter, Sir John Ngbede, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deputy governorship candidate at the last elections, who hails from the area, said the communities have been embroiled in long standing issues.

Ngbede also confirmed that the crisis which started Friday evening had displaced so any persons who now live as refugees at Obagaji, the Agatu Local Government Area Headquarters.

When contacted, the Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hyacinth Dagala, explained that the villagers had been fighting over a fish pond for some time.

Dagala, however, pointed out that the latest crisis allegedly broke out as a result of deep rooted suspicion by the Egba community on allegations that the Ologba people had organised last month’s deadly Fulani invasion against them.

He said the Police had so far recorded 23 deaths but added that he was yet to update the figures and the report as at press time.

The Police Commissioner however assured that security had been beefed up in the feuding communities adding that investigations into the matter had also commenced.

I Went Into Armed Robbery To Feed My Baby, Pay School Fees – Nursing Mother

A 32-year-old nursing mother, who was caught for alleged armed robbery in Lagos,  has blamed her plight on the huge financial burden on her.

According to the Lebanese woman,  who identified herself as Amira Abudallahi, “my financial responsibility and the economic situation of the country led me into armed robbery”.  “I have five kids but I am divorced.  I just had a baby.  The baby is six months old now. Since I started working with the gang, I have made over N12 million. I used part of it to buy a car and the other to pay my children’s school fees,”  she said after being paraded by the Lagos State Police Command.

“I am not proud of myself neither am I proud of what has happened. I just hope I can make a positive change on the society.  I pray God will give me the opportunity to do so in future. I believe no one is above mistake and I believe God will grant me  the grace.

“ What I did was wrong, but  nobody is above mistake. It was my financial responsibility and the economic situation of the country that led me into the gang. I live in Lekki. What I do for the gang is that I talk with prospective victims on the phone. Senator gives me the number, tells me what to say and then I call the victim. I have not built any house; I still live in a rented two-bedroom apartment in Lekki”.

Amira  was alleged to be  a member of a six-man armed robbery gang  which specialised in impersonating operatives of EFCC to rob bureau de change operators  in Abuja and Lagos.

Other suspects are  Princewill Eze, aka Senator Nwobodo, 55; Daniel Okpara, 30; Paul Irior, 37; Bassey Williams Ekpenyong, 39; and Royal Nwabuike, 32. They were arrested in Lagos, Ogun, and Abuja respectively.

Lagos State  Commissioner of Police,  Kayode Aderanti, while parading the suspects, said that, on February 25,  at about 5pm, he received information about a gang of armed robbers  using the  EFCC uniform  and  handcuffs to rob bureau de change operators in Abuja and Lagos of  dollars,  pounds sterling and Euro.

Aderanti subsequently asked the state Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) commander,  Abba Kyari, to launch a  manhunt. The manhunt paid off as  detectives tracked and arrested the suspected gang leader, Senator  Nwobodo,  in Ajah on February 27,  at about 4pm. His alleged  confession led to the arrest of  Amira  and other members of the gang.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that  detectives  also recovered one Bryco59 pistol with serial no 930945 with six rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, single barrel pistol cut to size with four live cartridges, a  Toyota Highlander jeep ash colour with registration number, No LSR 110 DB,  a  Toyota  Highlander jeep maroon colour with registration number No LSR 671 DK, a  Toyota  Sienna 2012 model, with registration number JJ424CQ,  a  Toyota  Four runner with registration number KRD 449 DG, one Toyota Carmy saloon car unregistered, four million naira  cash and  13,000 US dollars  cash.

The  suspects were said to  have a complete  set  of communication system of the police  inside  a  vehicle which allowed  them  to intercept police  communications. They also reportedly had  police escort vehicles, police walkie talkie, EFCC vest used impersonate the anti-graft agencies  officials.

Confessing to the crime, Eze  said, “I didn’t recruit anyone of them into the gang; they all joined the gang on their own freewill because they are all adults. I am from Ikanu lGA, Enugu state. I am married with five children. I was into hospitality business before I ventured into robbery.  The senator name is an appellation. I did not hold a political position. I live in a rented apartment at VGC. I did not own the house. Some of my daughters are in school abroad.

“We have made about N15m. I have used the money to buy different property, but the police have seized them all. I bought different vehicles”.

Another member of the gang, a dismissed police officer, Paul Irior, said: “We  were not using  guns. I was serving with CMS Mopol 2, Lagos. I built a house in Benin. I met the senator in 2014. My role was to act as policeman. I would wear uniform and pose with the fake EFCC officials. Any time they had a deal, they invited me. Sometimes, I got a million per operation.

“They would bring the money to us in convenient places like hotels and banks. I also run a hotel. It is about five years now that we started the deals. I was arrested by the police four years ago for a similar issue, but secured bail  by the  court.

Lagos State Police Command spokesman, Ken Nwosu, said efforts were on to  arrest  the only gang member still at large.

Mysterious Deaths In Ondo: The God Is Not To Blame

THE deaths in a remote community of Irele in Irele local government area of Ondo State were attributed to the action of  six boys who broke into the shrine of Molokun, the deity of the people  and desecrated it by stealing artifacts and sacred objects.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the potency of  the god of the community was  tested when the thieves  unveiled the “ Agogo Ide”, one of the sacred objects in the shrine  covered with white apron.

A  source said even the worshipers and traditionalists in charge of the shrine do not look at the sacred object with naked  eyes.

 “The Agogo Ide is never seen by anybody . But those who broke into the shrine unveiled the sacred object and this is an abomination hence the deaths  in the community,” the source said.

“Until the god is appeased, the deaths will continue. But the chief priest and traditionalists have consulted and asked women to appease the Malokun by pouring buckets of water in front of the shrine.”

Sunday Vanguard learnt that the boys underrated the god of the land and, like lightening, it struck, leaving many persons dead. The thieves  reportedly moved the sacred objects from the shrine and sold them to a man who  resold it to some foreigners.

Reports had it that those who shared from the proceeds of the sales and who they gave the money to in exchange for goods and services died in turns.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the Malokun shrine was broken into by the boys after they had protected  themselves   through the help of a  herbalist outside the community.

At the last count, about 30 persons, between  ages 25 and 40, died  horrible deaths because of their alleged connection to the abomination.

Those who died as a result of the alleged abomination  were said to have been initially afflicted with  blindness, elongation of  tongues and  unconsciousness.

The perpetrators, it was learnt, shared N100,000 each from the proceeds after which they reportedly went on  spending spree in the community.

The news of the desecration of the shrine was said to have been relayed to the traditional ruler of the town who invited the chief priest and other traditionalists to conduct a fact-finding visit to the shrine.

The breakage into the shrine   was   said to have been the first of its kind in the history of the community.

But Ondo State government  linked the deaths to an outbreak of a strange disease.

High Priest Lemo

Already, the state  government and the World Health Organization have sent representatives to the community.

The Ondo government  deployed the Personnel Protective Equipment purchased during recent Ebola scare in the country to the area with their handlers.

The state Health Commissioner, Dr Dayo Adeyanju, who led government delegation to  Irele, said  the reason given by the natives  that the deaths resulted from the desecration of a shrine in the town could  not be scientifically proved. Adeyanju confirmed that 12 persons died on the day the incident happened.

According to the Commissioner, the “presentation from the investigations carried out on the victims did not reveal symptoms of the dreaded Ebola disease.” He said the state government had moved into the area to curtail the spread of the strange disease.

The preliminary report, Adeyanju said, showed that the victims complained of headache and later lost their sight before they finally gave up. The commissioner,  who assured that government would do everything possible to control the  ailment, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners were already involved in the matter.

“Samples taken from the victims had been sent to Lagos for proper investigation while government had been engaging in advocacy to ensure that new cases are reported,”he stated, adding that concealment could be devastating. Adeyanju asked relations of the victims not to bury the corpses of affected people at home.

He said that they should take those that are dead to the cemetery and to take precautions during burials.Meanwhile, residents are said to be moving out of the area for fear of the strange sickness  to Okitipupa and Ore.

 The chief priest of Malokun shrine, High Chief Lemo, in an interview with Sunday Vanguard, said the breaking into the shrine by unknown persons was a sacrilege hence the deaths recorded in the community.

The Shrine

Also, one of the traditionalists in the town, High Chief Akingboye, confirmed that some persons had the effrontery to break into the sacred shrine and carted away sacred objects. Akingboye said over 20 persons had died as a result of the sacrilege. He pointed out that he is satisfied with the intervention of the state government.

Another community leader, Ayodele Omole, said the deaths in the community had created panic, forcing many to relocate to neighboring communities.

He pointed out that the solution to the problem was beyond the state  Ministry of Health,  adding that the appeasement of the god is the lasting solution.

A doctor at the General Hospital, Irele, Dr Segun Ayodele, said that what happened in the town was an outbreak of  a disease which killed people mysteriously. Ayodele said the state government had deployed over 20 medical personnel to the community. According to him,  Ayade and Irele communities were worst hit by the deaths.

The NEMA South -West Information Officer, Ibrahim Farinloye, said all relevant agencies had been mobilized to unravel the   mystery behind the deaths in the community.

Meanwhile, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, in a broadcast, said the state had witnessed a major health challenge.

“A yet to be named ailment whose causative agents, diagnosis and cure are also yet to be determined struck in locations in Irele Local Government Area of our state, killing 17 people and stoking panic and fear,”Mimiko said.

“In all, 17 deaths have been confirmed in Ayadi community and Ode Irele township and all the deaths were preceded by symptoms of sudden blurred vision, headache and loss of consciousness.

“It must be said that the team was dispatched to the communities affected and the General Hospital as well as other health facilities, to gather needed information about the nature, scope and circumstances of the outbreak.   Key informants interview, hospital record search and patient interview were used to obtain information.

“I must state that the symptoms in this situation are not peculiar to any known epidemic and so have remained largely confounding.

“Specifically, it must be stressed, the symptoms observed in the two communities of Ayadi and Ode Irele bear no resemblance to those associated with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).”

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It was a war of words as Nollywood Yoruba actress Dayo Amusa, shares some new pictures on Instagram.  She shared the new pictures of her makeup from her new makeup artist and tagged it "Aye Mi"(my life) .See more pictures after the cut.

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