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Seun Kuti and his Mum
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Seun Kuti and his Mum↧
FROM THE ARCHIVES : Vintage photos of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and his women ... FROM WAY BACK IN THE 80s.
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Seun Kuti and his Mum↧
CHANGING TIMES AND CHANGING TIDES : Why Jonathan Sacked Oghiadomhe ... LeadershipNews
Uncertainty and anxiety have pervaded the seat of power, Aso Rock, following the removal of Mike Oghiadomhe as chief of staff by President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday.
The once-powerful presidential aide’s removal has been attributed to reports linking him with some alleged shady deals in the nation’s cash cow, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
His removal is interpreted in many quarters as the commencement of a cleansing exercise in the Presidency ahead of the 2015 elections.
Presidential aides and ministers, LEADERSHIP gathered, have embarked on lobby moves to save their jobs. It was learnt that Oghiadomhe was asked by the president to resign, following a series of official lapses that have been going on in the presidency, which were linked to the office of the former chief of staff.
The latest among the sins allegedly committed by Oghiadomhe was that he attempted to sideline the Sokoto State governor, Aliyu Wamakko, when President Jonathan visited the state last Saturday.
A source at the presidency told our correspondent that Oghiadomhe deliberately refused to write officially to Wamakko informing him that the president was visiting the state for a rally organised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Rather than write to alert the governor to the visit as had been the practice, Oghiadomhe was said to have chosen to deal with the deputy governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Shagari, using his own discretion to keep Wamakko away following the governor’s recent defection from the PDP to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Shagari had refused to follow his boss to the APC, which automatically makes him the leader of the PDP in the state.
According to the presidency source who pleaded anonymity, even though Wamakko openly expressed dismay over the manner in which he was kept in the dark over the presidential visit, the governor “still proceeded to do the needed preparations for the president’s visit by providing accommodation and other necessary logistics for the presidential advance team.
“Jonathan was visibly angry but tried to control his emotion when he was told and apparently resolved that Saturday to take a drastic action against his CoS,” the source added.
Another of Oghiadhome’s many sins, the source further told LEADERSHIP, was his failure to acknowledge a request by Niger State traditional rulers to pay the president a “thank-you” visit following the flag-off of the Zungeru power project in the state late last year.
Jonathan had also expressed his displeasure at the development at the time when the state governor, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, told him that months after the royal fathers wrote a letter requesting the visit, the office of the CoS had refused to acknowledge their letter.
Signs that Oghiadomhe had fallen out of favour with the president started to manifest in 2012 when the presidential delegation that went to Edo State for the grand fianle of the governorship campaign was shunned by the Oba of Benin. Rather than receive the delegation, the royal father insisted on having a private audience with President Jonathan owing to what a source linked to the short notice given to the palace. The source said Oghiadomhe did not write officially to the Oba until two days to the visit.
LEADERSHIP also gathered that when Oghiadomhe was informed about the termination of his service on Saturday, he quickly went to his office at the presidential villa, Abuja, to clear it of his personal belongings including photographs.
He was said to have attended a meeting with the president and his aides after which he tendered his resignation letter on Monday.
The Presidency also clarified that his decision to quit was to enable him engage in other political ventures.
Special adviser to the president on media and publicity Dr Reuben Abati refuted online reports suggesting that Jonathan fired Oghiadomhe following his involvement in alleged corruption and financial crime in the NNPC.
He said that the president has not named any replacement for Oghiadomhe yet.
Abati described speculations that the former CoS was fired as “callous and completely unreasonable”, even as he noted that Oghiadomhe had diligently served the Jonathan administration without blemish.
The presidential spokesman explained that Oghiadomhe’s resignation was in line with the directive by the president to his cabinet members that those who may wish to get involved in politics to contest for political offices should resign their appointments.
He said: “I can confirm to you that the chief of staff to the president has resigned his appointment and that it has nothing to do with the speculation that one online portal was trying to do out. The president received the letter this morning and he says he wishes to pursue other political necessities within our great party.
“You will recall that about two weeks ago before the president travelled to Ethiopia, he had announced in Council that if there was any member of the cabinet or an major political appointee who wanted to pursue some political endeavours, that he had been hearing rumours that some people wanted to pursue some other political interests in whatever capacity, that if such were going to be engaged heavily in political activities, they should let him know.
“And if they saw that they were going to be really busy that it would occupy their time, ordinarily, they should please step aside or let him know, or they should come and see him for discussion. It happened on the open floor of the Council. And you can see what I have pointed out as the reason for the chief of staff’s resignation. It is in line with that.”
Faulting online reports that the former CoS was sacked over corruption, Abati said, “So, we find the speculation, particularly by some of the online platforms as callous and completely unreasonable, considering that this is the man who has served and who has given time and energy to the pursuit of the good interest of our country.
“Mr. President appreciates his contributions and he would like to put on record that, indeed, he was a man who discharged his responsibilities diligently and the country is very grateful to him, and the president personally would like to wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Dokpesi may emerge Jonathan’s chief of staff
Meanwhile, indications emerged last night that President Jonathan may appoint Chairman of DAAR Communications limited as his new Chief of Staff (CoS).
A presidency source told LEADERSHIP that the choice of Dokpesi may not be unconnected to the fact he is from Edo State where the former CoS hails from and would be the appropriate son of the state in the South-east who is politically fit to take the appointment.
Besides, the source recalled that Dokpesi was the one who was tipped for the job before political consideration tilted the position in favour of Oghiadomhe.
Also, the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomole was also at the presidential villa where he met with the president for about 40 minutes and left shortly before it was confirmed that Oghiadomhe had resigned.
The mood at Aso Rock yesterday evening was that of excitement, following news that the erstwhile Chief of Staff to the president had resigned, as staff of the place were seen in groups according to their departments gossiping over the development.
Some of them expressed delight that sudden exit of the Chief of Staff who oversees the day to day running of affairs at the villa would change things for the better in terms of their welfare.
Anyim, Gulak’s jobs shaky as president mulls more changes
The sack of the presidential aide, it was learnt, would herald some more changes. President Jonathan was said to have made up his mind to effect “needful changes in the system”.
In the impending re-structuring, President Jonathan is said to be considering the appointment of a politician from the south-west as secretary to the government of the federation (SGF). The implication is that the current holder of the office, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, will give way if this thinking was implemented by the president amidst pressure coming from a section of Yoruba leaders who have complained about the absence of one of theirs in the Presidency.
Also being contemplated, according to findings by LEADERSHIP, is that a former governor from one of the northern states who recently joined the ruling party might be approached to take up the job of President Jonathan’s political adviser.
If the deal was sealed between the former governor and the president, it would see to the exit of the current political adviser, Ali Ahmed Gulak.
LEADERSHIP gathered that a few hours after the announcement of Oghiadomhe’s exit as chief of staff to the president, close allies of the president outside government started to receive phone calls from presidential aides and ministers.
“Well, the only permanent thing in life is change; that is the situation on ground and I think more and more changes are likely to follow because most of the ministers, advisers or assistants have become more of liabilities than assets to the president and this has to stop.
“We have seen some ministers or advisers not helping enough to propagate the ideals of the government they serve; rather, they promote themselves in all questionable manner. If we allow this to continue, then, we can as well forget this talk about 2015,” a source close to the president said on the telephone.
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ESCAPING FROM ALCATRAZ : Henry Okah Attempts Jail Break In South Africa ... LeadershipNews
Convicted Nigerian terrorist, Henry Okah made a futile attempt to escape from the South African prison where he is serving a life sentence.
South African media reported that Okah and four others made the botched escape on January 10 but the news only came out yesterday. Okah was jailed for 24 years by a South African court in March 2013 on 13 counts of terrorism relating to two car bombs which exploded on Independence Day in 2010 in Abuja, killing 12 people and injuring many others.
It was reported that observant wardens at the Leeuwkop Prison in Johannesburg, where Okah is imprisoned, foiled the escape attempt. Okah was escaping with Jaco Steyn, an infamous rapist in South Africa found guilty of 33 charges, including murder and sentenced to five life terms.
A South African newspaper reported yesterday that wardens at the prison found marks on the bars of a cell the two shared with five other prisoners on January 10.
“I can confirm that Okah is one of the five inmates that attempted to escape and whose efforts were foiled,” said Manelisi Wolela, an official.
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BLINDED BY LOVE : Police Inspector In N9m Marriage Fraud ... LeadershipNews
This is certainly not the best of times for a Nigerian lady based in the United States of America, Miss Veronica Okwara, who has accused an inspector in the Nigeria Police, Anthony Chukwu of defrauding her of N9 million under the false pretence of marrying her.
Veronica, a medical director (administration) in North Carolina USA, had thought the romance between her and Chukwu was genuine only for her to discover that her lover merely played some pranks by hiding his wife in Nigeria to be married to her in United States.
She alleged that Chukwu, attached to the ‘X’ Squad Section, Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Lagos, having succeeded in luring her into a fake marriage, converted the proceeds from the sale of vehicles and other imported items she asked him to sell on her behalf to his personal use.
Narrating her ordeal in a petition to the Inspector General of Police, a copy of which was made available to LEADERSHIP, Veronica said she returned to Nigeria on vacation sometime in 2010 when a member of her staff bolted with one of her trucks worth N3.8 million and it was while making efforts to recover her truck that she met the police officer who was then attached to the Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the police in Ikoyi, Lagos to handle the case.
Veronica said Chukwu who was then a sergeant arrested her run-away staff and recovered the truck for her and dazed by his astuteness and ability to combat crime, they became friends after the case, the relationship blossomed and Chukwu later proposed to her and she agreed to marry him.
Veronica said she fell into his trap and took him to the USA where they wedded at the North Carolina County Court Marriage Registry but later discovered that Chukwu was still married but planned with his wife to hide her and their three children at Oworonsoki area of Lagos in order to marry her.
The embattled woman said being her husband, she told him about her plans to import cars and other goods to Nigeria for sale and he agreed to r help her sell them and remit the money back to her.
She listed the items to include one Toyota Sienna wagon, one Toyota 4 Runner, one Nissan Pathfinder, one Toyota Sequoia, one Honda CRV and 25 laptop computers.
Veronica alleged that Chukwu sold the items and converted the proceeds for his personal use.
It was gathered that on receiving the petition, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, ordered the Interpol to investigate the matter.
When contacted by newsmen on phone, Chukwu said he knew the lady in question and admitted that the matter was being investigated by the Interpol.
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JISOS!!! SCANDALOUS SCANDAL : Lagos Popular Pastor Caught Pant Down With Member's Wife (SCANDALOUS PHOTOS) ... CKNNigeria
One of the top leaders in Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church Worldwide, popularly referred to as Special Apostle/Prophet I.T. Adewoye has been involved in a sex scandal and as things are turning out his ministerial career may have been wrecked due to his inability to control his sexual orgy.
However, Special Apostle/Prophet I.T. Adewoye is in his seventies. Prophet Adewoye is the spiritual leader and founder of Ayo Nio at the Idimu District in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.
His church located at 22, Idimu-Egbeda Road, Pipeline B/Stop is only a step to the Police Command at Idimu. One of the 53 district headquarters of C&S in Nigeria, USA and Europe, Ayo Nio is a big church congregation.
Impeccable said that Prophet Adewoye wields enormous influence in the area, and is often consulted on issues by individuals and groups. It is said that among those who go to him for spiritual help is Lagos State Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
From a polygamous family, Adejoke’s father, Alh. Saka Orelope is a popular politician in Alimosho Local Government. Her first marriage to an ambulance driver with National Orthopedic Hospital (Gbobi), Toyin Kembi, and father of her children collapsed like a badly arranged pack of cards.
However, if Prophet Adewoye and the Lagos deputy governor’s relationship has been hitch free, that of a private one, between the septuagenarian and a female member of his church, Mrs. Lateefat Balogun (pictured right and photographed with Prophet Adewoye on her matrimonial bed) has landed him in hot water.
We were told that Prophet Adewoye enjoyed romantic tryst with Mrs. Balogun. It was said that their secret love nest was the recess of the church. At times, they made use of Mrs. Balogun’s matrimonial home around Abidap Hotel at Abesan Housing Esate, Ipaja, whenever her husband was out of town.
It was gathered that their last meeting at Mrs. Balogun’s matrimonial home has pulled apart the curtains to reveal what was going on in the backstage of the revered man of God’s life. He was caught red-handed and photographed nude by Mrs. Balogun’s husband.
Boiling with rage, Mr. Balogun took out his anger by dragging Prophet Adewoye to the Police Command at Idimu where he was begged not to press charges against the septuagenarian pastor.↧
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THE CARNAGE IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC : ‘Today I met the Devil’: Photographer Recounts Witnessing A Public Lynching (DISTURBING IMAGE) ... TheTrent
In a shocking scene, Central African Republic troops first stabbed and then lynched a man suspected of belonging to now-disbanded Seleka rebels. The hideous act came just after a ceremony where the crisis-hit country’s new interim President Catherine Samba-Panza had addressed the armed forces, urging for national unity. Seleka fighters, largely Muslim, overthrew the government in Bangui last year, leading to months of chaos that saw the country’s standing army melt away. Clashes between ex-Seleka factions and Christian militias led to thousands of deaths and almost a quarter of the nation displaced by the unprecedented sectarian violence.
Members of the Central African Armed Forces (FACA) lynch a man suspected of being a former Seleka rebel on February 5, 2014, in Bangui. The impoverished former French colony descended into chaos last March when rebel forces overthrew the president, but an interim government lost control of the country. Rival Muslim and Christian militias are now battling each other and rogue checkpoints have been set up on nearly all main roads.Despite the presence of French and African peacekeeping troops, violence continues to rock the country, and has already forced about a fifth of the population of 4.6 million from their homes.
(Photo Credit: AFP/ ISSOUF SANOGO/Getty Images)
(Photo Credit: AFP/ ISSOUF SANOGO/Getty Images)
Today I met the Devil. In a scene Quentin Tarantino would not have dreamed scripting, I saw a man killed. Butchered. By his fellow countrymen. His mistake was to be named Idris and to be Muslim. What was first an orderly cheering crowd happy to hear they were finally going to get paid, turned in an instant into a tidal wave of barbarism.The VIPs had barely left. We have reached the point of no return in sectarian violence.
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TO BE OR NOT TO BE : Dokpesi Can’t be Trusted as Ogiadomhe’s Successor, Says Clark ... ThisDayLive
Chief Raymond Dokpesi
• Jubilation greets ex-chief of staff’s exit in Edo
Omon-Julius Onabu and Adibe Emenyonu
Amid speculations that President Goodluck Jonathan might pick media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, to succeed his former Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, who resigned on Monday, Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has advised the president against it.
He said Dokpesi, Chairman of DAAR Communications, owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power Radio, was not a suitable choice as Jonathan’s chief of staff because of his alleged treacherous character.
His opposition to the consideration of Dokpesi as the next chief of staff to the president came in the wake of wild jubilation in Fugar, the administrative headquarters of Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, following the resignation of Ogiadomhe.
Clark, at a press conference in Kiagbodo, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State yesterday, said he was opposed to Dokpesi being picked to replace Ogiadomhe.
He also accused Dokpesi of working closely with certain political opponents of Jonathan in the past, saying he could not have had such a sudden integrity somersault to be entrusted with the position.
“It is being rumoured that since the resignation of Chief Mike Ogiadomhe as chief of staff (to the president), the name of Raymond Dokpesi has appeared in many newspapers as a likely replacement for Ogiadomhe as chief of staff,” he added.
He described Dokpesi as being unfit and an improper person to succeed Ogiadomhe.
He added: “I am aware of the fact that Chief Raymond Dokpesi has been a regular caller at the presidency for some time now, without showing any sense of remorse and during his aggressive and notorious activities against President Jonathan between 2010 and 2011, particularly when he was the Campaign Director-General of President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
He added: “I am aware of the fact that Chief Raymond Dokpesi has been a regular caller at the presidency for some time now, without showing any sense of remorse and during his aggressive and notorious activities against President Jonathan between 2010 and 2011, particularly when he was the Campaign Director-General of President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.
“We later discovered that the grievances Chief Raymond Dokpesi had against Mr. President at the time was that the federal government refused to pay him the sum of N7 billion, after the U-17 World Cup competition in Abuja. We observed that shamefully, he found himself into the presidential campaign team when Babangida, Atiku Abubakar, General Ibrahim Gusau and Dr. Bukola Saraki among others, failed in their bid to stop President Jonathan’s re-election.
However, when asked what he thought about the speculation that the former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, might be chosen for the position, Clark said he had no personal interest in Ogiadomhe’s successor, adding that he was sufficiently knowledgeable about the antecedents of Dokpesi to declare him unsuitable for the job.
He said: “President Jonathan is at liberty to appoint whoever he chooses as his chief-of-staff.
Clark said though Jonathan had the constitutional authority, particularly under “Section 5 of the constitution to pick a person for the post (and) no one, therefore, can interfere or attempt to dictate to him,” he was duty bound “to speak my mind on any issue” as an elder statesman and senior citizen of Nigeria.
Clark said though Jonathan had the constitutional authority, particularly under “Section 5 of the constitution to pick a person for the post (and) no one, therefore, can interfere or attempt to dictate to him,” he was duty bound “to speak my mind on any issue” as an elder statesman and senior citizen of Nigeria.
“I want to state categorically that Dokpesi is not fit and proper person to replace Ogiadomhe in all aspects, having regard to his antecedent. Therefore, I wish to warn that those who are championing the cause or lobbying for him should put Nigeria first,” he said.
Meanwhile, Fugar, Ogiadomhe’s hometown, was in ecstatic mood yesterday as people celebrated his exit from the presidency.
Meanwhile, Fugar, Ogiadomhe’s hometown, was in ecstatic mood yesterday as people celebrated his exit from the presidency.
Their anger, according to sources, was premised on the fact that the former chief of staff failed to attract any meaningful development to the area since his appointment.
They said the only visible project in the community was initiated by the late former Chief of General Staff (CGS), Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe.
“We are happy when we heard the news. Of what relevant is Ogiadomhe to Fugar, Etsako, Edo North and Edo people whom he has neglected? Rather than developing his people, he used his position to oppress and intimidate our poor people. Look at what the late Akhigbe had done for us, but sadly he (Ogiadomhe) prefers to keep enmity until his death with a man who brought him to reckoning in Edo State. For us, it is a welcome development,” some of them said.
They said the only visible project in the community was initiated by the late former Chief of General Staff (CGS), Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe.
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AN EMERGING TREND FOR GAYS IN NIGERIA : JUNGLE JUSTICE: Mob Forces Gay Couple ‘To Have Se'x In Public’ In Rivers, Films Them [PICTURED] ... TON
Homose'xuals in Nigeria have continued to suffer discrimination and brutality which escalated following the criminalization of same se'x relationships.
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A gay couple in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers, were allegedly forced to made love in public while residents watched and filmed the act.
The incident is believed to have occurred on January 28.
According to reports, A mob forced an alleged gay couple out of their home and made them made love while being filmed on camera phones in Nigeria.
The vigilantes are heard jeering on the explicit video as they make the two men masturbate each other and then have anal se'x outside.
A large crowd of onlookers gathered to watch the men’s humiliation. The video is reported by Nigerian sources on the ground to have come from Port Harcourt, a city with a population of almost 2million including its suburban area, in the south of the country.
It is believed it was filmed last Tuesday (28 January). The exact details of the case – beyond what is captured on the video – are impossible to confirm. But GSN was told the alleged couple were informed on as being homose'xual.
A crowd gathered, forced them to leave the house and made them ‘re-enact’ the ‘homose'xual acts’ they allegedly were carrying out in private.
The footage was then shared on social media. GSN has seen the video but is not embedding to avoid exposing the two men to further danger and humiliation and because of its extremely explicit nature. The photo has been blurred to protect them.
A gay couple in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers, were allegedly forced to made love in public while residents watched and filmed the act.
The incident is believed to have occurred on January 28.
According to reports, A mob forced an alleged gay couple out of their home and made them made love while being filmed on camera phones in Nigeria.
The vigilantes are heard jeering on the explicit video as they make the two men masturbate each other and then have anal se'x outside.
A large crowd of onlookers gathered to watch the men’s humiliation. The video is reported by Nigerian sources on the ground to have come from Port Harcourt, a city with a population of almost 2million including its suburban area, in the south of the country.
It is believed it was filmed last Tuesday (28 January). The exact details of the case – beyond what is captured on the video – are impossible to confirm. But GSN was told the alleged couple were informed on as being homose'xual.
A crowd gathered, forced them to leave the house and made them ‘re-enact’ the ‘homose'xual acts’ they allegedly were carrying out in private.
The footage was then shared on social media. GSN has seen the video but is not embedding to avoid exposing the two men to further danger and humiliation and because of its extremely explicit nature. The photo has been blurred to protect them.
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WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH MEN TODAY? : The pastor poured anointing oil on my private part and raped me – 16-year-old girl recounts ordeal ... NAN
A 16-year-old rape victim on Tuesday told an Abuja High Court that the accused poured anointing oil on her and raped her in the name of removing evil spirits inside her.
She told Justice Hussieni Baba-Yusuf that Basil Princewill of Mountain Mover Fire Ministry Church, Nyanya, in 2012 told her he had a revelation that her foundation was dirty.
The victim told the court that Princewill said that her father’s wife was trying to kill her and that the Lord told him to perform a quick deliverance on her.
“I agreed for the deliverance to be carried out on me. During the deliverance, he carried a white handkerchief and a bottle of oil and asked me to remove my clothes.
“He also asked me if I was menstruating and I told him no.
“He told me that I am possessed with many evil spirits that have stained my blood and it will only take my husband to deliver me and I was not married, he said that he will carry out the cleansing on me,’’ she said.
The victim testified that the accused led her into his bedroom and asked her to close her eyes, brought his handkerchief and placed it over her head and she became very weak.
She said the accused raped her.
“I cried and begged him to stop but he refused. All I remember is that I fainted and woke up later to see that I was bleeding from my private parts.
She said that the accused also told her that the “deliverance’’ will need to be take place again after a while to complete the cleansing of her blood.
“Sometime in December 2012, he sent for me against and told me that the spirits were stubborn and he lured me with alcohol and asked me to go home.
“After that I discovered that I was pregnant, he took me to Fantanu Head Medical Centre, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, for an abortion.
“The doctor, took me to a room inside his office and brought out instruments and asked his nurses to prepare me for an evacuation.
“I saw the instruments and I ran out of the hospital (papa) Apostle ran after me and beat me up, saying I want to bring shame to him,’’ she told testified.
She further said that the accused dragged her into the hospital and left a directive that she should not leave the hospital until he comes for her.
The victim told the court that she was kept inside a room after the evacuation and was not allowed to leave the hospital as instructed by the accused.
She said that her mum later took her to a family doctor, who diagnosed that she had a recent abortion.
Baba-Yusuf adjourned the case to Feb. 20, for cross-examination. (NAN)
She told Justice Hussieni Baba-Yusuf that Basil Princewill of Mountain Mover Fire Ministry Church, Nyanya, in 2012 told her he had a revelation that her foundation was dirty.
The victim told the court that Princewill said that her father’s wife was trying to kill her and that the Lord told him to perform a quick deliverance on her.
“I agreed for the deliverance to be carried out on me. During the deliverance, he carried a white handkerchief and a bottle of oil and asked me to remove my clothes.
“He also asked me if I was menstruating and I told him no.
“He told me that I am possessed with many evil spirits that have stained my blood and it will only take my husband to deliver me and I was not married, he said that he will carry out the cleansing on me,’’ she said.
The victim testified that the accused led her into his bedroom and asked her to close her eyes, brought his handkerchief and placed it over her head and she became very weak.
She said the accused raped her.
“I cried and begged him to stop but he refused. All I remember is that I fainted and woke up later to see that I was bleeding from my private parts.
“When he was done, he helped me to wear my clothes and he called Pastor Moses Onuoha and asked him to take me outside and burn the handkerchief,’’ she said.
She said that the accused also told her that the “deliverance’’ will need to be take place again after a while to complete the cleansing of her blood.
“Sometime in December 2012, he sent for me against and told me that the spirits were stubborn and he lured me with alcohol and asked me to go home.
“After that I discovered that I was pregnant, he took me to Fantanu Head Medical Centre, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, for an abortion.
“The doctor, took me to a room inside his office and brought out instruments and asked his nurses to prepare me for an evacuation.
“I saw the instruments and I ran out of the hospital (papa) Apostle ran after me and beat me up, saying I want to bring shame to him,’’ she told testified.
She further said that the accused dragged her into the hospital and left a directive that she should not leave the hospital until he comes for her.
The victim told the court that she was kept inside a room after the evacuation and was not allowed to leave the hospital as instructed by the accused.
She said that her mum later took her to a family doctor, who diagnosed that she had a recent abortion.
Baba-Yusuf adjourned the case to Feb. 20, for cross-examination. (NAN)
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COULD THIS BR TRUE? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE PLEASE? : ‘Roasted human head was on the menu’: Police shut down restaurant for serving human flesh in Anambra ... YNaij.com
The police in Anambra are said to have made a horrific discovery of a cannibal restaurant right within the state.
Operatives of the police force are said to have invaded the restaurant, which had roasted human head on the menu, and arrested 11 people for their participation in the business.
The officers were informed of the activities of the restaurant by a pastor who had unwittingly partaken of the gory meal.
The Mirror reports:
The bloodied and disembodied heads were found wrapped in cellophane sheets – and police said roasted human head was even on the MENU.
Two AK-47 guns, other weapons, dozens of rounds of ammunition and several mobile phones were also discovered.
On local resident said: “We always saw weird people coming and going.”
A pastor, who was surprised to learn he had been served human flesh, complained to the police.
“I ate at the restaurant and the bill was very high,” he told Your Jewish News.
“The workers told me that I ate human flesh.
“I was shocked.”
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TRIBUTE : NET SPECIAL: Goldie Harvey – One year after ... NigerianEntertainmentNews
On year later: The death of Goldie Harvey still stings in the hearts of family, friends and fans
A flood of tears and tributes poured in about a year ago, on Thursday, February 14, 2013, when it was announced that Nigerian superstar singer, Goldie, had passed away.
Born Susan Oluwabunmi Filani, the late singer was bubbly, adventurous, full of life, and ready to take over the African music scene with her charm and infectious personality.
Goldie attended the 55th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Photo: Twitter
How she died
She had just returned from attending the 55th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles when she gave up the ghost after complaining of a severe headache. A few minutes after 10pm, Goldie was pronounced dead on arrival at Reddington Hospital, Victoria Island.
This picture served as the lead photo NET used in publishing the special report on Goldie’s death. Left: A photo of the SUV used in carrying her dead body from Reddington Hospital at Ikoyi to the morgue at Ikeja. Photo: Filed photo
What caused her death
It was reported that the singer suffered from deep vein thrombosis, resulting from pulmonary embolism— a sudden blockage of a lung artery as a result of a 12-hour flight from the US to Lagos.
Goldie was buried at Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi, Lagos
Her Burial
The burial ceremony of the late pop singer held at the Vaults and Gardens, located in Ikoyi, Lagos Island on Monday, February 25, 2013. Family members, colleagues, friends and acquaintances gathered as the late singer was laid to rest. In attendance were eLDee, Kenny and ID Ogungbe, label mates, Capital FEMI, Joe EL and Jaywon. Tiwa Savage, Dele Momodu, OJB Jezreel, Gbenga Adeyinka and Dele Momodu and many others…
Despite harsh criticisms on her music, Goldie was fearless and fully committed to her career as a musician and performer
Her music career
Goldie Susan Harvey was a terrific entertainer who passionately strived for years to actualise her dreams, not minding criticisms. She grew up in a family that made sure her life revolved around church activities, yet against all odds and the wishes of her strict father, she found herself gravitating towards secular entertainment. With the encouragement of Cool FM’s Manny, she launched a music career and in less than five years had made a mark on the Nigerian music industry.
Her bold and colourful videos, exuberant personality and animated performances were just a few of the unique traits that propelled her to the apex of her career and cemented her position as a true pop-diva. Goldie exuded a personality that sometimes flitted between stark eccentricity and extraordinary creativity, factors that endeared many to her.
Goldie made Prezzo her ‘man’ and go-to guy while in the Big Brother House
Big Brother Stargame participation and Prezzo
Africa got a first-hand feel of her when Goldie represented Nigeria on the 2012 Big Brother reality show, where she played a mother-like role to most of the housemates. She was constantly in the company of Kenyan rapper, Prezzo, with many speculating that they would eventually hook up and probably get married. She was heart-wrenched when Prezzo got evicted, and would go on to become the last person to be evicted from the house.
The world was shocked when a certain Andrew Harvey surfaced hours after Goldie’s burial to claim he was legally married to the singer
Post-demise revelations
After her demise, several previously unknown details about her life began to surface. First came Andrew Harvey, who claimed to be Goldie’s legitimate husband. In an exclusive interview with NET, Harvey revealed his relationship with the singer and further backed his claims by posting several pictures of both of them, including wedding pictures.
Questions began to pop up from various quarters, as several people wondered what the whole fuss over ‘Prezzo’ (her Big Brother housemate/rumoured boyfriend) was if she was indeed married, but Goldie wasn’t here to give answers.
Shortly after featuring in BBA; Goldie began recording an ‘African Invasion’ album
After the Big Brother show and the exposure she got from the continent, Goldie finalised plans to embark on an Africa-conquering quest, which would have firmly secured her reputation as an artiste on the African stage. In fact, she was more than ready as she had already recorded a number of songs, including ‘Miliki’ with Ugandan artist, Navio, and ‘Ika Maarun’ featuring South African artist, Anatti and the hit track ‘Skibobo’ with feat Tanzanian act AY. Sadly, she was not around to personally promote the songs, which could have possibly cemented her standing as a top female African artist.
Part of the properties auctioned at Goldie’s house
Family auctioned her properties
Her family auctioned Goldie’s properties on Wednesday, May 1, 2013. The auction was held at her residence, Ologunkutere Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, as friends, fans and admirers of the late singer came in to buy various items, with many hoping to keep them as souvenirs. Goldie’s costumes were given to the Theatre Arts Department of the University of Lagos, Akoka and some of her books were given to the Technology Department of the Yaba College of Technology.
Andrew Harvey and his fiancé Beth Buenaventura
Her husband re-marrying
On August 3, 2013, late Goldie’s husband, Andrew Harvey celebrated his birthday at the Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur. He later posted photos of him kissing a lady who was wearing a ring on her left hand, prompting rumours he’s remarrying. It was later discovered that the lady in question is a Malaysia-based Filipino woman named Beth Buenaventura. According to her Facebook profile, Buenaventura hails from Quezon City, Philippines. She currently works at the Las Carretas Mexican Restaurants, Kuala Lumpur – Ampang. Beth’s relationship status reads ‘In a relationship since March 2013′ with Andrew Harvey, which implies that Andrew moved on barely a month after Goldie’s death.
Goldie pictured here on set with best friend Denrele. The pair had announced their joint TV show
Friends and colleagues still mourn her
Since her death, family, friends, colleagues and fans have not ceased to mourn her. Former label mates Essence, Jaywon and Jo-El and others recorded tribute songs for the late singer. Others, including close friend, Denrele Edun, Karen Igho and Uti Nwachukwu, have never ceased to mention her. Recently speaking to NET, Uti said, ‘I miss her heart, she was such a kind soul.’ In her memory, her label has just released a mixtape of tribute songs titled ‘Kennis Music Presents DJ Vinnie – Goldie Tribute’, dedicated to Goldie.
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WHEN WE DON'T GIVE A DAMN : Kerosene: Marketers pay NNPC officials N195bn bribe ... PunchNews
Oil marketers may have paid over N195.5bn as a bribe to officials of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation before getting allocations to lift kerosene between 2010 and 2012, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.
It was learnt that the NNPC compelled marketers to pay a bribe of N25 per litre which was usually described as mobilisation fee, to petroleum ministry and top NNPC officials before they could get allocations to lift kerosene.
A source, who asked not to be named but who is in the oil industry, added that marketers who could pay the NNPC and petroleum ministry’s top shots N25 on every litre got kerosene allocations.
The source said, “So many things are happening and that is why it is almost impossible to sell kerosene to end users below N170. For any marketer to get allocation, you will pay N25 per litre and this is aside from other expenses that are incurred to get the product to the end users.’’
The NNPC has been the sole importer of kerosene despite a directive by the late President Musa Yar’Adua in 2009, which asked the corporation to discontinue the kerosene subsidy.
Investigation also revealed that many portfolio marketers, who are cronies of government and top NNPC officials, among other marketers, were those able to get allocations to lift kerosene in the last three years.
An analysis of figures obtained from the official website of the NNPC showing the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company sales of household kerosene revealed that 2.996 billion litres of the product were sold in 2010.
In 2011, 2.869 billion litres were sold; while in 2012, the corporation sold 3.123 billion litres of the commodity to consumers.
When put together, the NNPC sold 8.988 billion litres of kerosene within a three- year period of 2010 to 2012.
Investigation by one of our correspondents showed that the NNPC might have spent N988.84bn on kerosene subsidy between 2010 and 2012.
This is because the corporation currently imports the product at N156.46k per litre and sells to marketers at N40.90k per litre.
With 8.988 billion litres of kerosene sold in three years, the source said about 7.819 billion litres must have been lifted by oil marketers who had to pay N25 for every litre of kerosene allocation they got between 2010 and 2012.
This, he said, was premised on the fact that marketers control about 87 per cent of retail outlets in the country, while the NNPC only operates 37 mega stations, 12 floating mega stations and over 500 affiliate stations.
In view of this, the source said if marketers had lifted about 7.819 billion litres of kerosene, a whopping sum of N195.5bn must have been paid as a bribe to NNPC officials before they could get the kerosene allocations.
He explained that though marketers would usually get allocations to lift kerosene at N40.90k, “they had to pay N25 per litre as mobilisation fee to NNPC officials without which they could not get the allocations.”
He said, “If you add N25 to N40.90k, the marketers are already paying almost N70 per litre and by the time they add their operational costs and other expenses to it, it will be practically impossible for them to sell kerosene at the official retail price of N50 per litre.
“How can such a marketer sell at N50 per litre after parting with N25 on every litre and incurring other costs,” the source asked.
The ex-depot price of kerosene is N40.90, but the landing cost plus margin, according to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency is N156.46 per litre.
The pricing template made available on the PPPRA website put the cost and freight of kerosene at N130.47; lightering expenses, N4.09; NPA charges, N0.68; financing, N0.64; Jetty depot charge, N0.80; and storage charge, N3.00.
These, according to the PPPRA, amount to N140.97 and with another N15.49 distribution margin, the total cost is N156.46 per litre.
This, the PPPRA stated, included retailers’ margin of N4.60, transporters’ margin of N2.99, dealers’ margin of N1.75, bridging fund of N5.85, marine transport average of N0.15 and administrative charges of N0.15.
Although there have been conflicting figures, the NNPC is said to be paying between N107.46 and N110 as subsidy on each litre of kerosene sold to consumers in the country.
When contacted, the acting Group General Manager, Public Affairs, NNPC, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, said, “You can’t just make blanket accusations against the NNPC. It helps for you to tell us in which of our 22 depots this thing is happening. Who are the officials involved? If you don’t come out with the fact, we will not know.
“It is unfair for people to be making wild and unsubstantiated allegations or accusations against the NNPC. If people have facts to support their allegations, they should present them to us and we will investigate and take necessary actions.”
He, however, admitted that the NNPC sold kerosene at N40.90k per litre, but lamented that marketers were selling it between N120 and N130 per litre to the Nigerian public.
Our correspondents also gathered that some consumers buy the product at prices ranging between N170 and N250 per litre, depending on their location in the country.
The Director, Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law, University of Ibadan and President, Nigerian Association for Energy Economics, Prof. Adeola Adenikinju, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said a study done in 2013 showed a huge margin in kerosene prices at filling stations across the country and the ‘official price’ claimed by the NNPC.
On the average, Adenikinju said the national pump price of kerosene deviated from the official price by about N64.38.
He said, “The deviation was most significant in Abuja with a margin of over N100 per litre. Three states, Enugu, Kogi and Cross River, recorded excess margins of N90 per litre.
“Corresponding margin for Bauchi was N85 per litre, Taraba, Lagos and Kano, N80. However, the margins were much lower in Benue, Kaduna and Ekiti.”
The professor said the analysis of variations between official price and hawkers’ market price was even more dramatic, ranging from N30 per litre in Ekiti to N150 per litre in Bauchi.
He said, “The NNPC cannot claim ignorance of this sharp practice. Some would even argue that NNPC contributed significantly to the emergence of this thriving unofficial market. These unofficial channels are not self-sufficient and they depend to a very large extent on supply from the official sources.
“Given the revelation from the probe panel and the evidence on ground, the average Nigerian does not benefit from the so-called subsidy on kerosene and should therefore be stopped.”
The Group Executive Director, Production and Exploration, NNPC, Dr. Abiye Membere, noted that it was not the fault of the NNPC that the product was sold at prices above the N50 pump price.
He said it was worrisome to see people retail the product at such exorbitant rates, adding that such a situation was beyond the NNPC.
The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, had said the NNPC sold kerosene at a subsidised rate of N40 while buying it at N150.
Sanusi said, “The burden of proof on the NNPC is to show where they obtained authorisation to purchase kerosene at N150/litre from federation funds and sell at about N40/litre, knowing well that this product sells in the market at N170-N220/litre. At what point was the presidential directive revered?”
The Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Mr. Dakuku Peterside, had recently said the government spent N110bn on kerosene subsidy in 2010, N324bn in 2011 and N200bn in 2012, which came up to N634bn within the three years.
He said, “In the year 2010, we spent N110,068,533,988 to subsidise kerosene. This is not the cost of kerosene but the cost of subsidising the product alone. In 2011, it got worse and the government spent N324,089,961,319 on kerosene subsidy. Although we have yet to reconcile this, we spent N200bn in subsidising kerosene in 2012.
“So, in three years, we have spent N634bn subsidising kerosene. This is one-third of what we spend in a year on capital budget.”
He described kerosene subsidy as “a network of corruption” and “a network of fraud.”
However, a human rights lawyer, Wahab Shittu, said such allegations should be substantiated to assist anti-corruption agencies in carrying out investigations.
He said, “Every allegation bordering on corruption and criminality must be expressly proved beyond conjecture, suspicion, accusation and counter-accusation. There must be proof and I think that the fight against corruption cannot be won if whistle-blowers are not prepared to come into the open and provide solid incontrovertible evidence.
“People must be prepared to make sacrifices if this fight will be won. So those who want to sanitise this society must be prepared to make sacrifices. To substantiate the allegations, they must give names in particular circumstances. They can even write petitions anonymously and forward to the appropriate agencies so that they follow up with investigations.”
But another human rights lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, completely disagreed with Shittu’s assertion, saying that whistle-blowers do not have to risk their lives to expose corruption. Ogunye also said that the allegation should not be taken lightly considering the recent allegations made by the CBN governor about a missing N20bn.
He said, “These allegations coming from a whistle-blower following the recent allegation made by the CBN governor, which has the subject matter of kerosene, is again, very disturbing.
“We have seen the case of the former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, where a whistle-blower made allegations before media investigation. Later investigations by the legislature and the presidency established the truth of the allegation first made by the whistle-blower. So this allegation should not be dismissed with a wave of the hand, and, therefore, the anti-corruption agencies cannot bait the whistle-blowers by asking them to come forward.
“Anonymous information like this is not allowed for the demonstration of unreasonable courage. If the allegation is that some people are paying about N195bn to bribe certain persons in a country where assassination is rife and killings can be procured with less than N1m, so will it be an act of courage for someone to come out and say I’m the one that said it. That lie that NNPC and others can’t do anything unless you name names is despicable and ought not to be taken seriously. What we expect the anti-corruption agencies to do is to examine the information and then work on it to unravel it, after all that’s why they are there; it’s their job.”
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DISCHARGED AND ACQUITTED : N9bn contract scam: Court frees Bankole ... PunchNews
An Abuja Federal High Court on Friday discharged and acquitted a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission could not prove a 16-count criminal charge bordering on a N9bn contract scam filed against him.
Justice Evoh Chukwu, in a ruling on a no-case-submission filed by Bankole after the prosecution had called its witnesses, held that there was no evidence linking the former speaker to the alleged offences.
The EFCC had accused Bankole of perpetrating a contract fraud, involving the purchase of two Range Rover bulletproof vehicles; two Range Rover vehicles (without bullet proof); three Mercedes Benz S-600 cars; 400 units of DSTV systems; 400 television sets; 800 units of desktop computers; 100 units of Sharp digital copier; and 400 units of HP LaserJets 2600N.
The addresses presented by the companies which executed the contracts for the procurement of the items turned out to be false as well as other information provided in their profiles.
The anti-graft agency alleged that most of the purchases were contrary to Sections 17 to 56 of the Public Procurement Act No.14 of 2007, and punishable under Section 58(5) of the same Act.
With a private lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo, prosecuting the case, Bankole was arraigned over the 16-count charge, to which he pleaded not guilty.
However, the trial proceeded with the prosecution calling six witnesses, including officials of the National Assembly, to testify.
After the prosecution had called its last witness, Bankole, through his lawyer, Mr. O. Akoni, SAN, filed an application for a no-case-submission, asking the court to acquit and discharge him on the grounds that the EFCC had not established a prima facie case against him.
Ruling on the no-case-submission on Friday, Justice Chukwu stressed that, in order to prove the case against the former Speaker, the EFCC must prove that the “accused person (Bankole) colluded with the supplier or contractor to supply at inflated prices.”
He held that the anti-graft agency was unable to prove such. The judge further noted that witnesses brought by the prosecution all admitted that Bankole was not the chief accounting officer of the House.
Justice Chukwu added that all the witnesses also admitted that the contract for the purchase of the controversial items followed due process.
He said, “All the witnesses told the court that the procedure for the award of the contract followed due process. None of them showed that the accused person entered into a collusive agreement with the contractors or their agents.
“The accused person does not own any of the companies,” he added, citing the testimony of some of the prosecution witnesses, who told the court that investigations did not disclose that Bankole was a shareholder, director or signatory to any of the companies that benefitted from the contract.
Continuing, the judge held that the prosecution did not provide any evidence to prove that Bankole benefitted from the contract.
“In the totality of the evidence of the prosecution, there is nothing to show that the accused person acted with intention to defraud – there is no evidence to show that he selected the companies that were awarded the contract.
“There is no evidence to show that any of the companies were fronting for the accused person.
“There is no evidence to show that the accused person was a director or a shareholder in any of the companies.”
On January 31, 2012, a Federal Capital Territory High Court headed by Justice S. B. Belgore, had freed Bankole and his former Deputy, Ibrahim Nafada, of a criminal charged involving an alleged mismanagement of N38m.
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WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH MEN TODAY? : Dad from hell: Man arrested for impregnating his daughter in Edo, forced her to abort twice ... YNaij.com
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THE RISING PROFILE OF MOB JUSTICE : R-O-B-B-E-R-Y A-T-T-A-C-K-S: Residents of Calabar resort to jungle justice (VIEWER DISCRETION) ... VanguardNews
Warning: Story contains graphic photo!
By Emmanuel Una, Calabar
Since the beginning of 2014, criminals have been on the onslaught in Cross River State especially in Calabar, the state capital, attacking and dispossessing residents of money and valuables.
Reports of nocturnal visits by criminals particularly, in Calabar South neighbourhoods have become a recurring decimal. As a result of this ugly development, many residents have been forced to form vigilante groups to take over the security of their streets and neighbourhood.
And as expected, when security is in the hands of people who are not trained in security issues, extra-judicial killings and jungle justice becomes the order of the day, and that is what is happening in Calabar currently. In the past few weeks, in an effort to protect themselves, angry mobs and vigilante groups have apprehended and lynched over 20 criminals. The year opened with the lynching of two female robbery suspects and their male accomplice who attempted to snatch N1.5 million from a woman.
The robbery suspects said to be undergraduates and their male partner were battered and stripped naked at Murtala Mohammed Highway/ Atekong Drive and before the police arrived, the young man who was inflicted with a deep machete cut on his forehead had died. The gulf car they used was set ablaze and pushed into a drainage.
The gang reportedly ambushed the businesswoman who had gone to withdraw N1.5 million at a bank along Calabar Road, near the Watt market, where they approached her to join their cab. The woman who appeared eager to arrive home because of the money she had withdrawn, immediately accepted and boarded the taxi.
Trouble started as she got to her destination only to discover that the taxi driver became unwilling to allow her alight from the vehicle. Subsequently, the bandits reportedly brought out a gun and ordered her to cooperate with them if she did not want to get hurt. “They told me to co-operate with them and quietly hand over the N1.5 million or I would be killed; Suddenly, I became angry in my spirit because this money is contribution money and my members would not believe me that the money was stolen. So, I was ready to die and I began to raise alarm.”
In a related development, on Monday, February 10, 2014, two robbery suspects were butchered along Mayne Avenue/Atu/ Marian roundabout and their operational vehicle, a Volkswagen Vento car set ablaze about 10am.
An eye witness who gave his name as Asuquo narrated to Crime Guard how the thieves, operating in a Vento car as taxi, picked up a lady who had just collected some money at a new generation bank along Murtala Highway. “The lady was going to Goldie, so they took her through Target and when they got close to this place, they snatched her bag and pushed the woman out. She started screaming and luckily, some cars that were passing blocked their car and the thieves were trapped.”
He said when the thieves saw that they had been trapped, they simply wound their car glasses and remained inside because the place is a busy roundabout and an attempt to escape would have been fruitless. So, they simply remained inside the car. “I used my hand and broke open the car glasses and dragged out the boys and some people came with machetes.”
The thieves, Asuquo narrated, were inflicted severe cuts before the arrival of a team of policemen from the Atakpa Police Division and they taken into custody.
In the same vein, another suspected criminal was also killed along Okpo Ene Street and his corpse dumped at Abasi Obori market. The suspect, said to be a member of a three -man gang was said to have rented a taxi on charter. When they got to Okpene /Mayne Avenue, they ransacked the vehicle and robbed the driver. ‘The driver raised alarm and some people went after them and one of them was caught and lynched,” he stated.
*Lynched suspect
Also at Anantigha, two suspected robbers operating in a tricycle popularly known as keke NAPEP were killed and their tricycle set ablaze by angry mob. Earlier in the week, another suspected notorious criminal was apprehended by members of the vigilante along Uwanse Street and when he was about to be lynched, he pleaded that his life should be spared so that he would take the police to the hideout of his gang. “That night, he led a team of SARS to their hideout and four other suspects and their weapons were apprehended by the police.A resident of Uwanse, Mr. Akpan Udo-Ekpo told Crime Guard that they decided to confront the criminals since the number of hoodlums has increased tremendously in the city. “These boys have become too many and the police cannot be everywhere, so we have to combat them ourselves if we must live in peace in this city,”he said.
Mr. Udo-Ekpo said before now, they used to apprehend criminals and hand them over to the police but such hoodlums later find their way out and return to terrorize people. Another resident, Moses Etim said they decided to form vigilante groups to tackle the high crime rate in the area to protect themselves.
“We formed vigilante to protect ourselves from these criminals and we will continue to do so until we have peace.”
Mr Hogan Bassey, the spokesman of the Cross River State Police Command said the police were aware of the several incidents of jungle justice and advised residents to report cases of attack to the police and not take laws into their hands. “We are aware of these cases; you know incidents of ‘one chance’ robbery have become rampant in this city and we are not resting in our efforts to make the city crime free.”
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WHY NAIJA? : Houston Based Nigerian Noel Tochukwu Assassinated During Nigeria Trip ... NewsRescue
“Imo youths condemn murder of Prince Noel Tochukwu Unegbu; urge security agencies to unravel his killers.
We, the youths of Imo State, operating under the aegis of “Noel: Bring the Killers to Justice Coalition“, have condemned the gruesome murder of Prince Noel Tochukwu Unegbu in his hotel room (name withheld) at Amakohia, Owerri, Imo State, on the wee hours of Tuesday, February 4, 2014, by unknown gunmen.
His death raised so many questions about the security of the people of the state, especially the youths.
We however wonder what could be the cause of the death of the USA-based show business promoter, who just returned to his home state to organize a show that would add value to the youths of the state, only to be murdered in cold blood two weeks upon return.
While no tangible reason has been given about the actual cause of his untimely death, we, the youths of the state in a well attended meeting on Saturday February 8, 2014, resolved as follows.
OUR DEMANDS
1. That explanations be given by the management of the Hotel, where Prince Noel Tochukwu Unegbu was gruesomely murdered in his room on February 4, 2014.
2. That we are angry with the said Hotel management and security agencies in the state for lapses which led to his unfortunate death.
3. That a delegation should be sent to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of State Security Service.
4. That security should be fortified in the state, especially in the hotels.
5. That the Ministry of Culture and Tourism should ensure that every hotel in the state has technology gadgets so as to forestall further occurrence.
6. That a delegation should equally be sent to the Chief of Staff, Government House, Owerri, to know the position of the state government regarding the condemnable killing of Prince Unegbu.
7. That we totally condemn the stigmatization of a young man who was gruesomely murdered by online reports.
8. That we condemn Frontline Express Newspaper report which published false information about the dead. We therefore urge the editor of the newspaper to retract the false report in the best interest of the state.
9. We also condemn the nonchalant attitude of the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Kenneth Emelu, over the murder of Prince Unegbu.
10. We demand that the actual cause of the death of our friend and brother, Prince Unegbu, be made public, instead of some people pursuing shadows.
11. That hence it is believed that the Hotel, where Prince Unegbu was murdered has CCTV cameras, the hotel management should help security agencies to uncover the killers of the young man.
12. That Fontline Express Newspaper should produce the person(s) who submitted the stigmatization report against Prince Unegbu, as it will help the security agencies to nab his killers, since the said news report was a correspondent report.
13. That a Bill be sent to the Imo State House of Assembly to mandate hotel managements in Imo to have functional CCTV cameras.
14. That Imo Youths say ‘No” to gruesome murder of the youths of the state.
15. That the Hotel in which the promoter was murdered has now become a death trap to the society. We recall that a popular Nollywood actor, Sam Loco Efe had died mysteriously in same hotel. We therefore demand its closure.
16. That Imo youths should rise above the challenges of the present times, so as to stop further occurrence of such gruesome murder.
17. That the killers of Prince Unegbu be brought to justice and his family adequately compensated.
18. That security agencies should leave no stone unturned in making sure that his killers are brought to justice.
19. That Imo youths will send delegation to security agencies in order to bring the perpetrators to book.
20. That as a way to register our grievances, we have resolved to embark on demonstration in Owerri, the state capital, but that will be after our World Press Conference.
21. We therefore request the state government, security agencies, Imolites and the general public, to help us unravel the killers of the promising Ideato North LGA-born, USA-based show promoter, Prince Unegbu.
22. That the meeting constituted a committee with Comrade Precious Nwadike as Chairman, Comrade Chidiebube Okeoma, Secretary; Chilos Godsent, Pastor Don Ezehben, Prince Ikem Obioma, Chinedu Hardy Nwadike and Princess Steiner, as members.
Signed:
Comrade Nwadike Precious – Chairman
Comrade Chidiebube Okeoma – Secretary
Princess Steiner Opara – Member
Chinedu Hardy Nwadike – Member
Prince Ikem Obioma – Member
Pastor Don O Ezeben – Member
Honourable Chilos Godsent – Member
For and on behalf of Noel: Bring the killers to justice coalition. February 8, 2014.”
It can be noted that Prince Noel Tochukwu participated in a musical project titled “Bright Light Project – Save the World” with the goal of spreading peace in Africa and the World.
The Mayor of Houston, Annise Parker, was featured in the music video.
We, the youths of Imo State, operating under the aegis of “Noel: Bring the Killers to Justice Coalition“, have condemned the gruesome murder of Prince Noel Tochukwu Unegbu in his hotel room (name withheld) at Amakohia, Owerri, Imo State, on the wee hours of Tuesday, February 4, 2014, by unknown gunmen.
His death raised so many questions about the security of the people of the state, especially the youths.
We however wonder what could be the cause of the death of the USA-based show business promoter, who just returned to his home state to organize a show that would add value to the youths of the state, only to be murdered in cold blood two weeks upon return.
While no tangible reason has been given about the actual cause of his untimely death, we, the youths of the state in a well attended meeting on Saturday February 8, 2014, resolved as follows.
OUR DEMANDS
1. That explanations be given by the management of the Hotel, where Prince Noel Tochukwu Unegbu was gruesomely murdered in his room on February 4, 2014.
2. That we are angry with the said Hotel management and security agencies in the state for lapses which led to his unfortunate death.
3. That a delegation should be sent to the Commissioner of Police and the Director of State Security Service.
4. That security should be fortified in the state, especially in the hotels.
5. That the Ministry of Culture and Tourism should ensure that every hotel in the state has technology gadgets so as to forestall further occurrence.
6. That a delegation should equally be sent to the Chief of Staff, Government House, Owerri, to know the position of the state government regarding the condemnable killing of Prince Unegbu.
7. That we totally condemn the stigmatization of a young man who was gruesomely murdered by online reports.
8. That we condemn Frontline Express Newspaper report which published false information about the dead. We therefore urge the editor of the newspaper to retract the false report in the best interest of the state.
9. We also condemn the nonchalant attitude of the state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Hon. Kenneth Emelu, over the murder of Prince Unegbu.
10. We demand that the actual cause of the death of our friend and brother, Prince Unegbu, be made public, instead of some people pursuing shadows.
11. That hence it is believed that the Hotel, where Prince Unegbu was murdered has CCTV cameras, the hotel management should help security agencies to uncover the killers of the young man.
12. That Fontline Express Newspaper should produce the person(s) who submitted the stigmatization report against Prince Unegbu, as it will help the security agencies to nab his killers, since the said news report was a correspondent report.
13. That a Bill be sent to the Imo State House of Assembly to mandate hotel managements in Imo to have functional CCTV cameras.
14. That Imo Youths say ‘No” to gruesome murder of the youths of the state.
15. That the Hotel in which the promoter was murdered has now become a death trap to the society. We recall that a popular Nollywood actor, Sam Loco Efe had died mysteriously in same hotel. We therefore demand its closure.
16. That Imo youths should rise above the challenges of the present times, so as to stop further occurrence of such gruesome murder.
17. That the killers of Prince Unegbu be brought to justice and his family adequately compensated.
18. That security agencies should leave no stone unturned in making sure that his killers are brought to justice.
19. That Imo youths will send delegation to security agencies in order to bring the perpetrators to book.
20. That as a way to register our grievances, we have resolved to embark on demonstration in Owerri, the state capital, but that will be after our World Press Conference.
21. We therefore request the state government, security agencies, Imolites and the general public, to help us unravel the killers of the promising Ideato North LGA-born, USA-based show promoter, Prince Unegbu.
22. That the meeting constituted a committee with Comrade Precious Nwadike as Chairman, Comrade Chidiebube Okeoma, Secretary; Chilos Godsent, Pastor Don Ezehben, Prince Ikem Obioma, Chinedu Hardy Nwadike and Princess Steiner, as members.
Signed:
Comrade Nwadike Precious – Chairman
Comrade Chidiebube Okeoma – Secretary
Princess Steiner Opara – Member
Chinedu Hardy Nwadike – Member
Prince Ikem Obioma – Member
Pastor Don O Ezeben – Member
Honourable Chilos Godsent – Member
For and on behalf of Noel: Bring the killers to justice coalition. February 8, 2014.”
It can be noted that Prince Noel Tochukwu participated in a musical project titled “Bright Light Project – Save the World” with the goal of spreading peace in Africa and the World.
The Mayor of Houston, Annise Parker, was featured in the music video.
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PAYING THE ULTIMATE PRICE FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS ... WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOUTH'S TODAY? : GRAPHIC PHOTO: Ghanaian Student Commits Suicide Over Exam Results (18+ ONLY!) ... InformationNigeria
Identified as Solomon Obeng, the Basic Education student committed suicide by hanging himself in the uncompleted building on Vals Day after realizing he had obtained 3Es in his examination.
According to the University’s regulations, obtaining 3Es in an examination meant an outright dismissal after grades have been displayed on the school’s notice boards.
Some students who could not phantom why the deceased committed suicide considering the fact that ‘the results could be manipulated’ told 233 Live News the University management was to blame for the unfortunate happening.
“Why should someone’s world come to an end because he is unable to get 50% in an exams?” a student, Nana Kwasi Frimpong asked.
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WALLOWING IN THE CESSPIT OF CORRUPTION AND SLEAZE ... WHEN WILL WE GIVE A DAMN? : NNPC spends N1.35bn annually on 36 employees ... PunchNews
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has been spending N1.35bn annually on 36 of its employees redeployed to the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board.
This much was discovered and made known by the Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies in its report.
Apart from the fuel subsidy issue, the NCDMB, which was established on April 22, 2010, came under serious scrutiny from the members of the Stephen Oronsaye Committee.
A breakdown of the figure by the committee showed that each of the 36 NNPC officials deployed in the new board received on the average N37m per annum.
The committee noted that the figure “is very high and cannot be supported when the basic salary per annum in the public sector is N216,000.”
The committee has also listed the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency and the Petroleum Equalisation Funds among agencies that should lose their independent status.
According to the 660-page report exclusively obtained by SATURDAY PUNCH, the committee, led by a former Head of Service (Oronsaye), recommended a merger of the PPPRA with the PEF as an antidote to the fraud in fuel importation and distribution in the country.
Oronsaye and his colleagues in the committee recommended that the PPPRA and PEF be collapsed into a single department under the supervision of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
In recommending the merger of some of the core agencies in the nation’s corruption-ridden oil industry, the committee said, “The PPPRA and the PEF be merged into a single department in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources; and there should be full automation of the bridging process of distribution of petroleum products to eliminate abuse.”
The Committee stated that the statutory functions of the PEF could be carried out as a department in the petroleum ministry.
The report stated that the PPPRA and PEF perform functions that have a cause and effect relationship, which makes it necessary for an alignment of functions for a better efficient service delivery.
“The committee believes that the performance of the functions of the agencies does not need a complicated apparatus in the form of two parastatals and their boards.
“Their collapse into a single department in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources would reduce the widely reported financial and procedural abuse in the oil sector.
“The need will therefore arise to fully automate the bridging process of the distribution of petroleum products to eliminate abuses.”
In arriving at its decision, the committee stated that the 26-member board of the PPPRA is rather unwieldy.
The committee members argued that PPPRA would cease to exist with the phased removal of fuel subsidy in the country and with the expected enactment of the Petroleum Act.
Oronsaye and the members of his committee made serious observations about the administration of the NNPC.
According to the committee, the NNPC has been maintaining a workforce considered inimical to the nation’s economy.
The committee put the workforce of the corporation at 9,765 out of which 1,386, 7,331 and 1,048 are management, senior, and junior staff respectively.
It was also the observation of the committee that “the NNPC structure is unwieldy in terms of the size of its workforce and this constitutes a big drain on government resources.”
The committee observed that the NNPC is violating a constitutional stipulation, which forbids a minister to be chairman of a parastatal under them and recommended that an independent chairman be appointed to head the governing board by the President in accordance with “extant Federal Government Guidelines on the Administration of Federal Government Parastatals.”
The committee recommended a periodic management audit of the corporation.
It was further observed that the NCDMB and the Petroleum Technology Development Trust Fund were performing similar functions of training qualified Nigerians for placement in the oil and gas sector of the economy, which the committee said could have been performed by a single agency.
The report said, “The committee further observed similarities in the functions of the NCDMB and the Petroleum Technology Development Trust Fund.
“While the NCDMB focuses on the initiation, design and implementation of effective indigenous research and development capacity for Nigeria’s oil and gas and solid minerals industry, and while the core functions performed by the two bodies could be performed by one agency, the committee is of the view that the bodies – the PTDF and the NCDMB – should be merged to ensure greater synergy and have a one-stop shop for training and placement of competent Nigerians in the oil and gas sector.”
The committee, therefore, recommended that the PTDF be subsumed in the NCDMB as a way of ensuring an effective coordination in the training and placement of competent Nigerians in the oil sector.
It recommended the amendment of the NCDMB law to enable it to take over the PTDF.
The Oronsaye Committee further recommended the scrapping of 38 agencies, the merger of 52 others in addition to the reversion of the status of 14 agencies to departments in ministries.
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It is also part of the recommendations of the committee that the government shou ld stop the funding of certain agencies that are expected to be self-sustaining.
On the issue of the scourge of corruption in the country, the committee gave some insight into its recommendations for the merger of the anti-graft agencies in the country.
The committee recommended the merger of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Code of Conduct Bureau, because of the similarity of functions performed by the agencies.
The committee recommended the establishment of an independent anti-corruption agency in place of the EFCC, ICPC and CCB.
“The Code of Conduct Bureau should be merged with the ICPC and EFCC into a strengthened parastatal and that the law should accord it independence and autonomy,” the report stated.
It is part of the recommendations that the Code of Conduct Tribunal be renamed the Anti-Corruption Tribunal, entrusted with the sole responsibility of handling cases referred to it by the proposed anti-corruption body.
The committee stated that the recommended Anti-Corruption Tribunal should be “granted the status of a Court of Superior Records.”
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It was recommended that the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit be made an autonomous body now domiciled in the EFCC.
The committee observed that the recommendations involving the anti-corruption agencies and the special tribunal for corruption would take a strenuous constitutional amendment, which they agreed, was worth the stress.
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COULD THIS BE RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE AT WORK? : He Tied My Mouth And Defiled Me For An Hour, I’m Glad A Bus Hit Him – 12 Year Old Narrates (PHOTO) ... PunchNews
On January 18, 2014, Adeleke, who is an apprentice meat seller at Tinubu Market in Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos, allegedly added his name to a long list of s*xual predators walking the streets of Lagos.
![Capture]()
That day, which would change the life of 12-year-old Bisola (not real name) forever, was when Adeleke ambushed the young girl and defiled her for one hour.
Adeleke was eventually arrested but in his attempt to escape from the police custody, he was hit by a moving vehicle when he ran across the road.
Adeleke’s boss supplies meat to Bisola’s mother, a food vendor. It was learnt that the suspect had on occasions delivered meat to the girl’s mother.
Giving detail of the incident, Bisola narrated;
“I followed a friend to buy sugar in the market (she sells sugar to assist her family) and when I was coming, he (Adeleke) told me to follow him to their shop to collect meat for my mother. I followed him but I did not enter the shop. There was nobody else around. It was after 7pm. He told me to enter but I said he should bring out the meat. He then said I should take the meat from the freezer. As I attempted to open the freezer, he grabbed me and tied a cloth over my face and mouth. “He held me down and pulled off my pants. He did not leave me until around 8.30pm. I could not shout. The place was dark.”
The girl paused, her eyes moist with tears as she narrated the story. “I am happy a vehicle hit him,” she said.
Bisola was defiled for an hour by her estimation. She said she remembered the time Adeleke finally released her because she had to look at the clock on the wall of the shop because she knew her mother would have been looking for her. The young girl rushed out of her captor’s embrace bleeding and bruised. But shame and confusion would not allow her to go straight to her mother.
Her mother narrated that on that fateful day, she had expected Bisola to return but when she did not, she retired to bed, thinking that her daughter must have stayed late in her friend’s house.
“I heard her enter the house later. But around 3am, she started to sob loudly,” she said.
Both mother and daughter live in a small decrepit wooden shack around Gowon Estate.
When the woman went to check on her daughter, she noticed her underwear was soaked in blood. which had started running down her legs. She was about to scream but quickly changed her mind because she was afraid of alerting her husband, Bisola’s step-father, to what had happened.
“But by morning, I could not hide it anymore. She told me the person responsible for it and around 5am, we went to report at the Gowon Estate Police Division, Ipaja. The man was later arrested,” the woman said.
Bisola was taken to the hospital and a doctor who examined her immediately recommended surgery to repair her damaged private part. After the surgery, she was on admission for two days.
The doctor’s report obtained by our correspondent indicated that she was brought to the hospital “bleeding profusely from second degree laceration in her private part and broken hymen.”
But a day after the young man was arrested, he was released by the police.
Director of the Esther Child Rights Foundation, Mrs. Esther Ogwu, said she intervened in the matter when the victim’s step brother reported the incident to her.
She told Saturday PUNCH, “It was really absurd that he would be released that way. I could not believe that in the face of the increasing child abuse and molestation being reported every day, the police could still release a suspect without promptly charging him to court.
“The girl was defiled on a Saturday; by Monday, the man was arrested. But by Wednesday, the family said they went to the police station and were informed by the investigating police officer that he had been released.
“I informed the Lagos Public Advice Centre of the development and officials of the centre contacted the police division. The IPO was forced to rearrest the boy. I just wonder if the police have heard of the Child Rights Act.”
One of the reasons for enacting the Child Rights Act in 2003 is to stem the tide of child abuse and molestation in Nigeria and reinforce the legal provision against it.
Adeleke was rearrested and locked up preparatory to his transfer to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.
But the suspect had a different idea. He decided to escape. As soon as the IPO turned her back, Adeleke ran out of the station and was about to cross the road when he was hit by a commercial bus.
Of course, the bus did not stop, as he would later tell our correspondent in the hospital.
An OP Mesa military team, who saw him injured on the road took him to the hospital.
Asked why he decided to escape, he said, “I was just afraid. I did not know that it would become such a serious matter.”
But when he was asked why he defiled the girl when he could have paid to sleep with a commercial s*x worker, he said he did not r*pe her.
“I did not r*pe her sir. She is my girlfriend. We have been dating since early last year. She always called me ‘okobo’ (a Yoruba word for eunuch),” he said.
Bisola’s mother would later refute this claim as a concocted story because she only moved to Ipaja with her daughter in August 2013.
Adeleke disputed that Bisola is just 12 years old which makes her a minor.
He said Bisola had told him that she was 18 years old. But when our correspondent met the girl, there was nothing to indicate that a man could be fooled into thinking she could even be up to 15 years old.
The suspect said, “That day, I went to buy fuel and she followed me. When I returned home, I told her to leave but she would not. She was tickling me and calling me okobo.
“I told her to leave and I saw her off but she came back and started tickling me again. I then decided to do it. But when I pulled off her underwear and realised she was still a virgin, I decided to leave her but she started taunting me again. Then I did it. I did not know that she would bleed like that and that it would become a police matter.”
When asked why he blindfolded and muffled the girl’s mouth with a piece of cloth, Adeleke denied doing that.
The young man, who said he was an indigene of Abeokuta, only finished primary school.
It’s been learnt that since Adeleke got to the hospital, his relations had not come to pay for his treatment. The hospital is planning to discharge him prematurely. It was learnt that his treatment had been stopped.
But there is fear that Adeleke might escape if discharged as the IPO had only visited the suspect once.
Adeleke said his mother was late but added that his brother and boss were looking for money to offset his medical bills.
Meanwhile, Bisola’s mother and step-father have changed course on the case.
When our correspondent visited them on Sunday, the step-father, who did not hide his anger, said he had no money to prosecute the suspect.
“They should release him. I don’t have any money to move around to prosecute anybody. We have spent enough money already. Nobody should come and disturb me again,” he said.
Bisola’s step-father, who did not seem to be literate, was told that prosecuting Adeleke was not his job but that of the police and that he did not have to spend money.
“What about moving here and there when the police call us or when we need to go to court? The man himself is poor. It is not worth it,” he said.
Bisola’s mother, who seemed helpless in the face of her husband’s attitude, also concurred.
“We spent money on her treatment; we have even incurred debt. We will leave the matter to God,” she said.
That day, which would change the life of 12-year-old Bisola (not real name) forever, was when Adeleke ambushed the young girl and defiled her for one hour.
Adeleke was eventually arrested but in his attempt to escape from the police custody, he was hit by a moving vehicle when he ran across the road.
Adeleke’s boss supplies meat to Bisola’s mother, a food vendor. It was learnt that the suspect had on occasions delivered meat to the girl’s mother.
Giving detail of the incident, Bisola narrated;
“I followed a friend to buy sugar in the market (she sells sugar to assist her family) and when I was coming, he (Adeleke) told me to follow him to their shop to collect meat for my mother. I followed him but I did not enter the shop. There was nobody else around. It was after 7pm. He told me to enter but I said he should bring out the meat. He then said I should take the meat from the freezer. As I attempted to open the freezer, he grabbed me and tied a cloth over my face and mouth. “He held me down and pulled off my pants. He did not leave me until around 8.30pm. I could not shout. The place was dark.”
The girl paused, her eyes moist with tears as she narrated the story. “I am happy a vehicle hit him,” she said.
Bisola was defiled for an hour by her estimation. She said she remembered the time Adeleke finally released her because she had to look at the clock on the wall of the shop because she knew her mother would have been looking for her. The young girl rushed out of her captor’s embrace bleeding and bruised. But shame and confusion would not allow her to go straight to her mother.
Her mother narrated that on that fateful day, she had expected Bisola to return but when she did not, she retired to bed, thinking that her daughter must have stayed late in her friend’s house.
“I heard her enter the house later. But around 3am, she started to sob loudly,” she said.
Both mother and daughter live in a small decrepit wooden shack around Gowon Estate.
When the woman went to check on her daughter, she noticed her underwear was soaked in blood. which had started running down her legs. She was about to scream but quickly changed her mind because she was afraid of alerting her husband, Bisola’s step-father, to what had happened.
“But by morning, I could not hide it anymore. She told me the person responsible for it and around 5am, we went to report at the Gowon Estate Police Division, Ipaja. The man was later arrested,” the woman said.
Bisola was taken to the hospital and a doctor who examined her immediately recommended surgery to repair her damaged private part. After the surgery, she was on admission for two days.
The doctor’s report obtained by our correspondent indicated that she was brought to the hospital “bleeding profusely from second degree laceration in her private part and broken hymen.”
But a day after the young man was arrested, he was released by the police.
Director of the Esther Child Rights Foundation, Mrs. Esther Ogwu, said she intervened in the matter when the victim’s step brother reported the incident to her.
She told Saturday PUNCH, “It was really absurd that he would be released that way. I could not believe that in the face of the increasing child abuse and molestation being reported every day, the police could still release a suspect without promptly charging him to court.
“The girl was defiled on a Saturday; by Monday, the man was arrested. But by Wednesday, the family said they went to the police station and were informed by the investigating police officer that he had been released.
“I informed the Lagos Public Advice Centre of the development and officials of the centre contacted the police division. The IPO was forced to rearrest the boy. I just wonder if the police have heard of the Child Rights Act.”
One of the reasons for enacting the Child Rights Act in 2003 is to stem the tide of child abuse and molestation in Nigeria and reinforce the legal provision against it.
Adeleke was rearrested and locked up preparatory to his transfer to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.
But the suspect had a different idea. He decided to escape. As soon as the IPO turned her back, Adeleke ran out of the station and was about to cross the road when he was hit by a commercial bus.
Of course, the bus did not stop, as he would later tell our correspondent in the hospital.
An OP Mesa military team, who saw him injured on the road took him to the hospital.
Asked why he decided to escape, he said, “I was just afraid. I did not know that it would become such a serious matter.”
But when he was asked why he defiled the girl when he could have paid to sleep with a commercial s*x worker, he said he did not r*pe her.
“I did not r*pe her sir. She is my girlfriend. We have been dating since early last year. She always called me ‘okobo’ (a Yoruba word for eunuch),” he said.
Bisola’s mother would later refute this claim as a concocted story because she only moved to Ipaja with her daughter in August 2013.
Adeleke disputed that Bisola is just 12 years old which makes her a minor.
He said Bisola had told him that she was 18 years old. But when our correspondent met the girl, there was nothing to indicate that a man could be fooled into thinking she could even be up to 15 years old.
The suspect said, “That day, I went to buy fuel and she followed me. When I returned home, I told her to leave but she would not. She was tickling me and calling me okobo.
“I told her to leave and I saw her off but she came back and started tickling me again. I then decided to do it. But when I pulled off her underwear and realised she was still a virgin, I decided to leave her but she started taunting me again. Then I did it. I did not know that she would bleed like that and that it would become a police matter.”
When asked why he blindfolded and muffled the girl’s mouth with a piece of cloth, Adeleke denied doing that.
The young man, who said he was an indigene of Abeokuta, only finished primary school.
It’s been learnt that since Adeleke got to the hospital, his relations had not come to pay for his treatment. The hospital is planning to discharge him prematurely. It was learnt that his treatment had been stopped.
But there is fear that Adeleke might escape if discharged as the IPO had only visited the suspect once.
Adeleke said his mother was late but added that his brother and boss were looking for money to offset his medical bills.
Meanwhile, Bisola’s mother and step-father have changed course on the case.
When our correspondent visited them on Sunday, the step-father, who did not hide his anger, said he had no money to prosecute the suspect.
“They should release him. I don’t have any money to move around to prosecute anybody. We have spent enough money already. Nobody should come and disturb me again,” he said.
Bisola’s step-father, who did not seem to be literate, was told that prosecuting Adeleke was not his job but that of the police and that he did not have to spend money.
“What about moving here and there when the police call us or when we need to go to court? The man himself is poor. It is not worth it,” he said.
Bisola’s mother, who seemed helpless in the face of her husband’s attitude, also concurred.
“We spent money on her treatment; we have even incurred debt. We will leave the matter to God,” she said.
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LOOK WHO'S TALKING : God will punish politicians, govs who failed to touch the lives of people — Shekarau ... VanguardNews
Theformer Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau has warned that any political office holder or state governor that failed to impact positively on the lives of the people would not escape God’s punishment.
Shekarau spoke yesterday in Yenagoa during the Bayelsa monthly transparency and ceremony marking two years in office of the Bayelsan Governor, Seriake Dickson.
He said any state governor and political appointee that embarked on road construction and other capital projects without proper welfare policies, prompt payment of pensions and other economic empowerment will incur the full wrath of God.
The former Kano State governor rated Dickson high in the area of respect for rule of law, proper siting of peoples oriented projects, fiscal regulatory control and anti-corruption.
According to him, the performance of any administration will be judged on the “How” and the “Why”.
He said: “If the How and Why are not in accordance to God’s law and the peoples benefit, God’s blessing will not be with you.
He said: “If the How and Why are not in accordance to God’s law and the peoples benefit, God’s blessing will not be with you.
”The transparency aspect of governance is in accordance with the law of God. All the judgement of God on politicians will be placed on two pillars. It will be that of why and how. If your Why is not Godly and your How is not in accordance with the dictate of God, God has no business with you. And your end result may be hell fire.
”Clerics have told us that we should make our future a priority with transparency and probity and God will prioritize our years.
”When a man in the village heard all the billions read out in the transparency briefing of the governor, he may likely dismiss it with a wave of hand.He will declare that he has not seen it on his plate of food. And therefore, any action, policies and programmes initiated by government, in a small way, must go to change the lives of the human being”.
Shekarau said though he had just defected to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) and had wondered what a PDP governor such as Hon. Seriake Dickson will show him as performance,”but I am now convinced that PDP Governors can perform.”
On the fight against corruption in Bayelsa State, he commended the Bayelsa governor over the signing into law a bill for the establishment of an anti-corruption agency in the state.
In his solidarity message, the Leader of the Caucus of National Assembly members from Bayelsa State, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri commended the performance of the state governor and agreed that such performances will ensure victory for the ruling PDP in the state in 2015.
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