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Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • Ex- governor’s aide’s daughter, community leader, wife kidnapped in Enugu

    A former Enugu State governor’s aide’s daughter, a community leader and his wife, were on Thursday abducted by gunmen in two different locations in Enugu State.

    Kosiso, the daughter of former Governor Chimaroke Nnamani’s aide, Frank Anioma, was said to be on her way to the New Haven market when she got missing.

    “Her phone was ringing when we called her number but there was no reply.

    Thereafter, it went into busy,” Anioma posted.

    The second incident occurred Thursday night at Amokwe, Udi Local Council along Old EnuguAwka Road where an Nnewi based businessman, Chief Ernest Otugo and his wife were kidnapped by gunmen.

    They were travelling to Enugu from Nnewi, to attend a social function billed for the next day in a chocolate colour Toyota Venza when the incident occurred.

    The couple also had their children and a family friend simply identified as Chief Reuben with them when the gunmen struck.

    Otugo, his wife and his friend, Reuben, said to be an indigene of Awka, Anambra State, were taken captive leaving behind the children.

    The wife was later released by the kidnappers for her to go and arrange for the ransom.

    The amount was not mentioned.

    Enugu State Police Command through its spokesman, Superintendent Ebere Amaraizu said the anti-kidnap operatives were on top of the situation.

    An advocacy group for the promotion of peace and good governance in Enugu State, Enugu Youths Coalition for Good Governance, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari, to direct the immediate redeployment of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Suleiman Balarabe, for lack of capacity and commitment to secure the state.

    The group, which frowned at the spate of crimes in the state since Balarabe assumed office as Enugu State Commissioner of Police, few weeks to the 2019 general election, said that the demand was borne out of their objective assessment of the performance of the police chief and the need to protect lives and property.

    In a statement signed by the Coordinator and Secretary, Hon. Ikechukwu Ibeh and Engr. Jude Onyema, respectively, the advocacy group maintained that Enugu State had been peaceful and one of the safest states in Nigeria, expressing deep concern that “if something urgent is not done to rejig the security architecture of the state; our state’s enviable status will be jeopardized.”

    Read Also: Anger over murder of woman in Enugu

    They stated that the present cases of kidnapping, murder and other criminal activities being witnessed in the state were strange and a sign of failure on the part of the security agencies in the state, especially the police.

    The group added that “this recent ugly experience was never encountered in Enugu State in the past three years when the immediate past Commissioner of Police, Mr. Danmallam Mohammed was in the saddle.”

    Another kidnap incident was recorded in neighbouring Imo State where gunmen abducted the wife of the Anglican Bishop of Ikeduru Diocese, Anuri Maduwuike.

    The incident occurred barely 24 hours after gunmen killed five people in a pre-dawn attack on another community in the state.

    It was gathered that the victim was abducted on her way home from Owerri. According to an eyewitness, the prelate’s wife was ambushed at a bad spot by Ekemele and whisked to an unknown destination.

    According to the source, “wife of the Anglican bishop of Ikeduru Diocese Mrs. Anuri Maduwuike was kidnapped by gunmen. We need prayers for God’s intervention for the safety and freedom of the God’s handmaid.”

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu, a Superintendent of Police, confirmed the development.

    The Police spokesperson told our correspondent that her abductors were yet to establish contacts with the victim’s family

  • Why I shunned PFN panel on Busola Dakolo’s rape allegation— Fatoyinbo

    Founder of Common wealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo, explained on Friday that he shunned the panel set up by the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) to probe the rape allegations against him by celebrity photographer, Busola Dakolo, because of legal advice.

    He said he could not honour the panel’s invitations because his lawyers realized the sitting might be partial.

    The PFN said on Thursday that its probe into the allegations against Fatoyinbo was inconclusive because the preacher refused to appear before it after several invitations.

    However, Senior Assistant to the COZA pastor, Ademola Adetuberu, in a statement in Abuja yesterday said that the legal advice was also premised on the statement issued by the PFN President, Bishop Felix Omobude, “where our pastor was publicly disowned.”

    He said: “We recall that when Pastor Fatoyinbo was invited by a phone call few days ago by Pastor Akinola Akinwale who is the National Administrative Secretary of PFN, we explained that our pastor would not honour the invitation due to legal advice hinged on the ongoing police investigation.

    Read Also: PFN: Fatoyinbo shunned our panel’s sittings

    “The legal advice was also premised on the press statement issued and personally signed by the PFN President, Bishop Felix Omobude, where our pastor was publicly disowned.

    “Based on the foregoing, we are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the PFN was already prejudiced and may not conduct an impartial session.

    “According to the report, Rev. Omobude, whom we hold in high esteem, went further to crucify our pastor without seeking to know his side of the story on the matter.

    “With all due respect, we consider this a prejudicial position in dispensing justice and fairness.”

    Continuing, Adetuberu said: “Even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was given an opportunity for a fair hearing by the kangaroo panel set up with the prime motive of condemning Him to death.”

    He denied there were written invitations from the panel or PFN leadership aside from the phone calls requesting for his presence.

    Fatoyinbo promised to appear before the panel as soon as the police probe into the allegation was concluded.

    “Once the police investigation is over, our pastor is ready to honour the invitation.

    “We have also been legally advised to deploy judicial intervention to clear our pastor as soon as possible, and the process has commenced in earnest,” he said.

  • I leave IPOB leader’s threat to God and the law, says Nwodo

    NATIONAL President of apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nnia Nwodo, says he has left the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to God and the law.

    Nwodo’s remark was contained in an open letter to Ndigbo concerning an online video in which Kanu made series of allegations against him.

    “I have noted the threats to my life from the IPOB leader.  I leave that to God and the law,” Nwodo wrote.

    Read Also: No regrets attacking Ekweremadu – IPOB

    Calling on South East leaders to condemn the IPOB leader’s action, Nwodo said: “Ndigbo, I have championed your cause with every amount of energy in me.  I have worked with little encouragement or assistance. Thank God my team and I have elevated Ohanaeze Ndigbo to an enviable status.  It is dangerous for our solidarity and ultimate success if we allow these vituperative outbursts to truncate our solidarity.

    “In spite of all I say, I salute Nnamdi for his courage and his persistence in upholding our case but I urge you all to rise up and condemn what is condemnable.  Speak up and shame those who would want us to split into pieces and destroy our resolve to fight as a united people.

    As a father, I will always forgive an erring child but not without drawing his attention to a misdemeanor which should never be repeated.

  • Angry transporters shut market, protest extortion in Ogun

    Commercial activities were crippled on Wednesday after transporters including commercial motorcyclists popularly called okada blocked access roads leading to Oja Odan market and parts of Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, in protest against  alleged extortion by law enforcement agents.

    The protest triggered a traffic gridlock as vehicles conveying  traders and buyers  from several towns in the country and the Republic of Benin to the market could not move from where they were parked.

    The protesters accused policemen, customs operatives and vehicle inspectors of extortion at checkpoints on the roads.

    Holding leaves in their hands and chanting solidarity songs, the protesters asked the appropriate  authorities to dismantle the  checkpoints.

    Some of the transporters told  The Nation that the law enforcement agents had formed the habit of intimidating  and harassing motorists and commercial motorcyclists.

    Read Also: Group protests alleged harassment of APC members in Imo

    A commercial bus driver, Ismail Alarape said “We have appealed to the security forces several times to no avail. We have been paying heavily at the checkpoints manned by the police, customs men and vehicle inspectors.

    “The bulk of what we make from fares paid by passengers goes to these law enforcement agents as bribe while we have little or nothing left to for  ourselves and family members. We don’t want checkpoints here anymore because of the extortion by law enforcement personnel.’’

    An okada rider identified simply as Deyemi said: “We don’t carry hard drugs, yet we are constantly harassed for money. I am a graduate, but there is no job available in the country, that is why I work as okada man to make ends meet but the police have made life unbearable for us here. We want them removed from our roads.

    ‘’Many of us got our motorbikes on loan and it has been difficult paying back our creditors because of police extortion.’’

    A trader, Jolayemi Ojo lamented that she could not carry out transactions at the market because of the lock down.

    “It is sad that this is happening on a day like this when many people from various parts of the country and neighbouring Benin Republic have come to this market for trading activities.

    “Every entry point to the market and access road have been blocked and no one can enter the market. Some of us have sold our perishable goods at cheap prices because we cannot take them home and that’s a huge loss to us.’’

    Police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)  said normalcy had  returned to the areas.

    “It was a protest carried out by some transporters who asked that checkpoints be removed from their neighbourhoods. The Police Area Commander has since addressed the protesters and normalcy has been restored.’’

  • MONACO VS NIMES OLYMPIQUE: Onyekuru targets first win

    SUPER Eagles forward, Henry Onyekuru has said Monaco are well poised to claim their first win of the season as they host relegation strugglers Nimes Olympique tomorrow.

    The 21-year-old, who was officially unveiled at the Stade Louis II on Wednesday, stated that the squad have already moved on from their opening two league losses and will now focus on securing their first three points of the season.

    “The whole team is ready for the clash this weekend; we have had a difficult start to the season but I believe this game against Nimes will give us the perfect atmosphere to claim our first win of the season.

    Everybody in the team is working well and we just want to ensure we put smiles on the faces of our fans and kickstart our league campaign,” Onyekuru said.

    The former Galatasaray goal poacher, however, expressed his delight ahead of making his official home debut as he hopes to leave a lasting impression on the Monaco fans.

    Hit with series of injuries and suspension, bottom placed Monaco will welcome 19th placed Nimes to the Stade Louis II hoping to secure their first point and goal of the campaign having suffered back to back losses against Lyon and Metz.

  • Tenant rapes, strangles Ekiti landlady

    The police have launched a manhunt for a yet-to-be identified commercial motorcyclist popularly called okada , who on Thursday allegedly raped and killed a  middle aged woman, Mrs Bukola Olarewaju in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.

    The suspect was alleged to have broken into the woman’s room located at Olorunda area of the state capital with a cutlass and forcibly perpetrated the dastard act.

    The mother of three was raped and strangled by the suspect identified as her tenant.

    It was said that the suspect who was a tenant to the deceased fled after committing the nefarious act.

    A resident who asked not to be named said the woman was raped around 11am while her husband had gone to work and children were away at a summer coaching centre.

    The source said the corpse of the woman was seen in the room while her two hands were tied by the unnamed assailant before she was forcibly raped.

    Read Also: Why I shunned PFN panel on Busola Dakolo’s rape allegation— Fatoyinbo

    “Her two hands were bound while her pant was down which confirmed that he was raped”.

    Contacted, the police public Relations Officer Caleb Ikechukwu confirmed the incident, saying the suspect after raping the woman strangulate her to death.

    He disclosed that medical examination conducted on the deceased at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) confirmed that she was raped before  being strangled to death by her assailant.

    “Medical examination confirmed the above but we have not been able to ascertain who actually committed the crime and what actually led to that.

    “Apart from this, we saw condom and semen within the scene where the crime was committed, which also substantiated the fact that she was actually raped.

    “We were told that a man, who was a neighbour actually did it and fled. We are yet to arrest the man but proper security arrangements have been made that would ensure speedy arrest of the suspect”.

    Ikechukwu said the deceased’s husband had deposited her body at EKSUTH morgue while investigation is ongoing on the matter.

  • Moshood Abiola Stadium will be ready to host Eagles — Sports Minister

    IN his official inspection of the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Friday, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has promised to renovate the Stadium’s pitch to enable it host future Super Eagles matches and other international matches.

    The Minister was, however, failed to mention when the stadium will be ready as a result of funding difficulties. He also praised the work done by his predecessor to maintain the facilities tagging it as 90 per cent functional.

    “Against the general perception that this place (Moshood Abiola Stadium) was under total disrepair and non-functional, what I have seen here is that this place is functional up to almost 90 per cent, which is impressive.

    “I have seen that in the last several months since the beginning of the year a lot of works have been done here. There is ongoing work. (Right now) we are standing in the velodrome, only South Africa has this type of velodrome and it is one of the best in Africa. It is fully functional. A competition was just held here in July which was an African event.

    Read Also: Fayose hails Buhari on Abiola

    “I think what I have seen here is impressive. This facility is first class and Nigeria and Nigerians should be proud of the facility. What we intend to do is to bring it up to 100 per cent.

    “You can see that the culture of maintenance has gained ground here and it would intensified to make sure that we maintain not just the velodrome, but the pitch, while other facilities would be brought up to date.

    “I have just been sworn just 78 hours ago. I have been briefed and based on that we will see how we can get extra funding and renovate the stadium.

    “We are going to prioritise the (Abuja Stadium) football pitch. I don’t want to put a time frame but it will be sufficient to say that it is right at the top of the agenda because we know it will take some time.

    Nigerians are interested and want the (Super Eagles) matches played in Abuja. It will be ready soon,” the minister assured.

     

  • Maid bolts with employer’s N1. 6m six hours after she was employed

    It took a newly employed housemaid only six hours after she  started work to show her hand: she stole  N1.6million cash in foreign currencies belonging to her boss.

    But 26- year- old  Franca Amaha could not enjoy the loot for long as the police arrested her shortly afterwards  and is now undergoing interrogation.

    Amaha who hails from Cross Rivers State had allegedly approached an employment agent for a domestic job on July 24, 2019 using a fake name , address and guarantor.

    She got the job and was subsequently assigned to  one Mrs Taiye  at  Masha area of Surulere ,Lagos ,the following day.

    A few hours later that same day , she accompanied her boss to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, to pick her boss’ sister who had returned to the country from abroad.

    Moments after they returned to the house, Amaha  allegedly sneaked into the guest’s room ,ransacked her  luggage and  stole $2800, £1000 and 2000 Dutch Guilder.

    She hurriedly left the house and switched off her phone so that she could not be reached.

    Read Also: Woman arraigned for N22.9b allegedly received from ex-NSA Dasuki

    Her boss immediately lodged a report at the  nearest police station in Surulere.

    She was traced to the residence of one of her friends at  Ajah , Lagos where operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) arrested her.

    In her confession, the suspect said she stole the money to enable her pay for her mother’s treatment.

    Amaha who said she came to  Lagos in 2014 had first  worked as a maid  for another woman  who paid her N20000 per month and enrolled   her  for a diploma programme at the  Isolo campus of the  Lagos State Polytechnic in Isolo.

    “After staying with her for two and  half years, she started complaining that I was returning late  from school and that I was no longer  performing my home chores. I left when her complaints became unbearable for me,” she said.

    “When I left her house, I went into the street and started doing prostitution. When my brothers heard that I was into prostitution, they asked me to come back home.

    “I went back to our village. From there, I  went to Onitsha, Anambra State, where I spent some time with my brothers.  When I came back to Lagos I worked as a house help with a woman in Ikorodu for three months and went back to the village and started farming.

    “I came back to Lagos again to look for job in order to raise money. I approached one Mr Frank who is a job agent and he led me to one Mr. Ade who linked me up with the woman in Surulere whom I started working for.

    “However, before I started working for the woman she told me about herself and gave me advice on how to work for her and she said that my salary would be paid through my agent.

    “But I gave her a  fake name and address because I had the intention of stealing her money or anything of value which I could  easily sell. So,  when I   got to the woman’s house around noon, we went to the airport around 3:30pm to pick her sister and we parked all the woman’s luggage into the house.

    “I later opened the bag and took six pieces of $100, five pieces of  £20 , five pieces of $20totalling $700 and  £100 pounds. I changed $100 and made my hair with it and bought a new pair of sleepers.

    ‘’I changed the remaining money and deposited it into my account.  I stole her money because I got a call from my village that my mother was sick.  Please help me to beg her to forgive me. I will not do it again.”

  • D’Tigress, NBBF presents Afrobasket trophy to Minister of Sports

    THE victorious D’Tigress team and some members of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board led by its president, Engineer Musa Kida paid a courtesy call on the newly appointed Minister of Sport, Dare Sunday in his office in Abuja.

    The brief ceremony which had in attendance the Permanent Secretary and high ranking officials of the Ministry of Sports saw the presentation of the 2019 Afrobasket Women trophy to the Honorable Minister.

    While presenting the trophy, NBBF President, Engr Kida described the occasion as a significant one which marks the beginning of many things to come for the new minister. He said the courtesy call was the federation’s way of welcoming the Minister to office while celebrating the 2019 Afrobasket feat with him as the number one sports administrator in the country.

    “We are glad as a federation that we are the first to welcome the new minister to office with a trophy which we won in Senegal. This is not just another event for us as NBBF, it is a landmark achievement as we have been presented with such a golden opportunity to interface personally with the Minister.”

    Kida said at a crucial time like this with many international events to prosecute, it was imperative for the NBBF board to visit the minister so he could have firsthand information about what is happening in the federation.

    Read Also: Buhari congratulates female basketball team, D’Tigress

    “Our men are in China and we all know how they got there. The women are the current African Champions. So, we needed to see the Minister and tell him about our plight. We are quite hopeful with the meeting we had with the Minister that things can only get better.”

    While addressing the team, Sunday said, “Basketball has come to stay in this country. You serve as ambassador for other girls and for the youth that we want to develop. I want to thank you for this victory. Nigerians want to thank you for this back-to-back victory.”

    He challenged the NBBF board and the D’Tigress not to relent on their effort stressing that the result of hard work is more work.

    “We want more laurels. The government of President Muhammadu Buhari will continue to give the D’Tigress the support it needs both financially and otherwise. You heard how the president followed the games and at some point once we have a confirmed date, D’Tigress will be in Abuja and I will lead them to present the cup to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Present at the event were the duo of D’Tigress players, Sarah Imovbioh and Kunaiyi Pallas Akpannah who represented the team while the NBBF had in attendance, Babatunde Ogunade, Col Sam Ahmedu (rtd) and Alhaji Abba Kaka.

  • Hajj: 546 first batch of Kaduna pilgrims return

    No fewer than 546 Muslim pilgrims from Kaduna State, representing the first batch, on Friday returned from Saudi Arabia.

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Kaduna State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board’s Public Relations Officer, Malam Yunusa Abdullahi, made this known in a statement in Kaduna.

    He said that the return journey had started after successful completion of Hajj rites by pilgrims from the state.

    According to him, the aircraft landed at Kaduna International Airport early hours of Friday with 546 pilgrims via Max airline.“The pilgrims arrived with their luggage.We thank God for a hitch-free airlift back home,” Abdullahi said.

    A total of  3, 546 pilgrims from Kaduna State performed the 2019 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.