The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Popular Nigeria Newspapers

  • Mr. Ibu debunks stroke rumour

    Popular comic actor, John Okafor, a.k.a Mr. Ibu has debunked the rumours making the rounds that he is currently down with stroke.

    Mr. Ibu made this known via an Instagram post on Thursday

    In his words, “I am hale and hearty. I am speaking from my house, in Lekki.” “I have been receiving calls from across the world since today. I don’t know who is spreading this false news about me. I don’t know what they saying. Na their papa get stroke.”

    He also expressed disappointment over the ’wicked rumours’ and added that he has handed the rumour peddlers to God.

    He said, “Oh God! People are saying that I have stroke that I am down with stroke, why? How can you announce somebody’s sickness and you have many, you don’t even announce one. I don’t have any stroke please. This is my wife, my humble wife. Well, we hand over everything to God.”

  • Fire destroys eight shops in Kano

    The Kano State Fire Service on Friday said that eight shops were destroyed in an early morning fire at Katsina Road, Muletara roundabout, in Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano.

    Alhaji Saidu Mohammed, the spokesman of the service, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that the fire started at about 6. 15 a.m.

    Read Also: Kano Election Tribunal receives 33 petitions

    “We received a distress call at our station in Dawanua today (Friday) from one Aliyu Mansir at about 6. 151a.m that there was a fire at Muletara roundabout.

    “Upon receiving the information, we quickly sent a fire truck to the scene at about 6.58 a.m to bring the situation under control so as not to affect other shops,’’ he said.

    He said that the cause of the fire was still being investigated.

  • Herbalists remanded for being in possession of coffin

    An Ilorin Magistrates’ Court on Friday ordered that two herbalists be remanded in prison for allegedly being in possession of a coffin wrapped with white cloth which contained dangerous charms prepared for money ritual.

    The police charged Adewole Bashiru and Owuoade Olabisi with being in possession of criminal charms and Advance fee Fraud.

    Magistrate Aminat Shittu who ordered that Bashiru and Olabisi be remanded in Okekura Prison Yard, Ilorin, adjourned the case until April 12 for further mention.

    The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Sanni Abdullahi informed the court that the accused persons were arrested with in a Mazda car with registration number LND 451 CF with a coffin on Unity road, Ilorin.

    Read Also: Court disqualifies Ogboru as APC governorship candidate

    Abdullahi also said that the two calabashes were filled with black soap, cowries and other fetish charms were seized from the accused.

    He said that during interrogation, the accused persons confessed that they “prepared” the coffin for their customer, Wabi Amodu who paid N3.3 million.

    The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of sections 97 and 217 of the Penal Code Law and Sections 3(1) of Advance fee Fraud and Other related Offences 2006.

    After the charges were to them, they pleaded not guilty.

    Abdullahi, then prayed the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody pending the outcome of investigation.

  • Grammy-winning producer, Diplo hints on collaboration with Simi

    Grammy award-winning producer, songwriter and DJ, Diplo has hinted on a possible music collaboration with Nigerian alternative superstar, Simi.

    Diplo is the co-creator and lead member of the electronic dancehall music project Major Lazer, a member of the supergroup LSD, with Sia and Labrinth.

    He is also working with producer and DJ Skrillex as part of the electronic duo Jack Ü, as well as on Silk City with Mark Ronson.

    Diplo posted a photo of Simi recording in a studio with the caption, “Legend @simplysimi.”

    Simi in a studio as posted by Diplo on Instagram

    This comes days after Simi announced her upcoming album ‘Omo Charlie Champagne’ and revealed the retro album cover.

    On Wednesday, she wrote, “Guys, Is it doing you like you should pre-order something incredible? Look at her cute little cheeks,dont tell her no.”

    Read Also: Tiwa Savage acquires ‘customised’ luxury car

    NAN reports that although it is unsure if the collaboration will be part of the album, this is not the first time American, Diplo will be collaborating with a Nigerian artist.

    He recently headlined ‘Gidi Fest’ and a successful concert at Lagos’ Hard Rock Cafe. Diplo has also worked with a number of Nigerian artists including Burna Boy, Mr Eazi and Kizz Daniel.

  • Tonto Dikeh’s estranged husband accuses her of forgery, petitions IGP

    Mr Olakunle Churchill, the estranged husband of Tonto Dikeh, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammad Adamu, against the controversial actress.

    Churchil accused her former wife of document forgery and illegal sale of his Toyota Prado SUV vehicle worth N22 million.

    He submitted the letter through his lawyer, Ace Solicitors, to the office of the IGP and made the acknowledged copy, dated April 4, available on social media.

    The petitioner alleged that he acquired the said vehicle through his organisation, Big Church Group.

    He alleged that after their divorce, he left the white Prado SUV with Tonto Dikeh, and she thereafter forged ownership documents of the car, and eventually sold it.

    The petition read in part: “The car was bought for domestic use of the family, particularly in view of the fact that Ms Tonto Dikeh-Churchill (as she then was) had just put to bed.

    “The car was bought in the name of our client’s company as a result of the partnership our client’s company had with Toyota at the material time.

    “When the marriage broke down irretrievably, Miss Tonto Dikeh made away with the said vehicle and sold the vehicle to unknown person(s).

    “This is without the consent of our client or the company, and without a proper paper work and change of ownership.

    Read Also: Tonto Dikeh is proud in cheap dress

    “Sir, this complaint has become imperative not for the purpose of recovering the said vehicle from Tonto Dikeh or any third party, but for record and documentation purposes.

    “It is to absolve our client and Big Church Group Limited of any liability in the event of the said vehicle being used for any illegal purpose, as our client is not aware of who the vehicle was sold to.”

    In a swift reaction, however, the actress said on her IG page: “Little by little the truth is coming out, and we all come out. Please keep shooting yourself on the leg, I am here for it.”

    The controversial actress got married in 2015 to Olakunle Churchill, a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist and they have a son from the union.

    However, the separation crisis started when it was reported that a certain woman had stepped into the scene, with Tonto Dikeh removing her husband’s surname from her Instagram account.

    After their divorce, the duo has been at war of words on social media, with Churchill demanding for exclusive access to his son, who nonetheless has been in the custody of the actress.

  • Police arrest ‘notorious’ suspected kidnapper in Ondo

    Police in conjunction with Meyatti Allah and community vigilante have arrested one of the notorious kidnappers terrorising travelers along Akunu-Ikakumo-Auga road in Akoko area of Ondo state.

    Sources said a man yet-to-be identified was travelling in his Mercedes benz car with registration Edo Ben 203 PW when he was kidnapped.

    His vehicle was reportedly abandoned between Auga and Akunu with the owner marched into the bush.

    It was learnt that a synergy between Edo and Ondo states Policemen coupled with Meyatti Allah group that pursued the kidnappers and exchanged gun shots with them, making it possible for the victim to escape from captivity around Ibillo, a community in Edo state.

    One of the suspected kidnappers who sustained gunshots was arrested where he went for medical attention.

    Police quickly recovered pistols, AK rifles and cutlasses from their hide out.

    Also, a 40-year cattle dealer, Fatai Amuda was kidnapped between Akunu and Ikakumo by suspected gunmen believed to be herdsmen.

    Read Also: Sokoto police arrest Nigerien gun fabricator, Alhassan

    The Akala of Ikaram, Oba Andrew Momodu where the boy hail from confirmed it while reporting the case to Ikare-Akoko Area Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police(ACP) Rauf Razak who assured him that police will comb the bush and deal ruthlessly with the criminals.

    Police Spokesman, Femi Joseph, while parading the deputy leader of the gang, Ismall Waku said it was the combined team of Meyatti Allah and Police that swooped on the hoodlums in their hide-out.

    According to him, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Ikare-Akoko on suspecting a car parked on the roadside alerted the leader of Meyatti Allah in the area, which led to the arrest of the suspect.

    Joseph said after much fire power, the gangsters fled to different directions after which Wakil was arrested with wounds sustained from gunshots.

    He said his other accomplices would be fished out soon to face the wrath of the law.

  • Breaking: One dead, official injured as drug addicts raze NDLEA office

    Rampaging youths on Thursday evening razed the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) office in Kazaure local government of Jigawa state.

    The office located along Daura-Kazaure road opposite Dikko Roni filing station was completely burnt down by the youths during the mob action.

    The youths also injured an NDLEA official identified as Stanley Sylvester, an Assistant Narcotic office I.

    Findings by our reporter indicated the youths were provoked after NDLEA operatives killed a suspected drug kingpin in the area.

    It was gathered the incident occurred when the operatives raided criminal hideouts in Kazaure town, headquarters of Kazaure local government area.

    An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, identified the deceased as 25-year-old Abubakar Lawal, a resident of Sha-iskawa Kazaure.

    Read Also: NDLEA arrests 81 for illicit drug peddling in Oyo

    He said the deceased ran for safety and jumped into Kazaure river during the raid where he was allegedly shot dead by the NDLEA operatives.

    Eyewitness said the killing resulted to crisis, making the angry youths to chase away NDLEA officials.

    They also burnt two of their vehicles and injured one official.

    When contacted, the Public Relation Officer to the Jigawa state Nigerian Security and Civil Defense, DSP Adamu Shehu confirmed the incident.

    He said: “The NDLEA personal raided a resident on which allegedly as hideout of illegal drugs consumption and trading.”

    Shehu added: “The NDLEA arrested some and while some escaped, one of them drowned in to Kazaure river and died.”

  • APC shops for new National Secretary

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) is searching for a new National Secretary following election of the immediate occupant, Mai Mala Buni as Yobe Governor-elect.

    The party is however looking towards the north east where Buni hails from for his successor.

    The Nation gathered Waziri Bulama is highly favoured to emerge as new National Secretary, having contested the position during the last electoral convention of the party, which produced the current leadership.

    Bulama, who served as the Deputy Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council during the last elections, stepped down to pave the way for Buni to emerge unopposed after an agreement by leaders of the party from the north east.

    A highly placed official of the party told The Nation that the north east is expected to fill the vacancy, adding the leaders are expected to meet and come up with their choice for the position.

    “The position is zoned to the north east and we expect them to meet very soon and come up with their choice.

    “It is that choice they will submit to the NWC as the National Secretary”.

    The Nation also gathered that the battle for the position is raging between Borno and Yobe state with APC leaders from Borno insisting it is their turn to produce the National Secretary.

    The party source said the National Working Committee of the party would have decided on the issue but for the absence of the National Chairman.

    “The absence of the National Chairman is what is delaying the announcement since the NWC would have taken decision on the issue of National Secretary this week.

    “The Borno State governor, Alhaji Kassim Shettima had written Oshiomhole recommending Bulama, just as the stakeholders from the North East had endorsed him.

    “Former members of the defunct CPC are also in support of the candidature of Bulama. For them it would give them sense of belonging in the party leadership.

    Read Also: Rivers APC primaries: Supreme court fixes April 8, 11 to hear 4 appeals

    “Also of importance was that Bulama’s administrative competence was highly exhibited during the Presidential Campaign as the Deputy Director General (Coordination).

    “In fact, one of the leaders of the party was said to be so impressed with Waziri’s deep intellect, his eloquent marketing of Mr. President and APC programmes all through the period of the campaigns, especially in live television programmes and debates, that he remarked, ‘this is our next national secretary’,” the source informed.

    The Nation learnt however that former Presidential Liason Officer for National Assembly to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Kashim Imam, who also contested the position during the party convention is also interested in the job.

  • Our statements at EFCC not voluntary – Ondo PDP chieftains

    People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chairman in Ondo State Clement Faboyede and its former campaign director in the state Modupe Adetokunbo Thursday told the Federal High Court in Lagos that statements they made at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was not voluntary.

    The commission accused them of violating the Money Laundering Act by receiving N500 million in cash ahead of the 2015 general election.

    Faboyede was accused of making N500 million cash payment to the Ondo PDP Election Committee.

    The prosecution said the defendants committed the offence on March 27, 2015, contrary to Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, punishable under Section 16(2).

    Faboyede and Adetokunbo pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned last June 29 and were granted bail for N50 million each with one surety in like sum.

    At the trial Thursday, the second prosecution witness, Mr Usman Zakari, who was led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Mohammed Idris, said he was part of a team that investigated the case.

    According to him, sometime in April 2015, the commission received intelligence report that the defendants received N500 million illegally.

    He said payment receipts showed that the defendants received the cash on March 27, 2015.

    Zakari said an invitation letter was sent to the defendants, which they honoured on December 8, 2016.

    The witness said during the interview, the defendants were shown the payment receipts, and they both identified their signatures, residential addresses and phone numbers.

    According to Zakari, the defendants were subsequently cautioned before their statements were obtained.

    He urged the court to note that the defendants did not present any financial instruments for the withdrawal of the sums, adding that the monies did not emanate from any of them.

    When the prosecutor asked the witness if he would be able to identify the defendants’ statements, he replied, “Yes”.

    Read Also: PDP, Secondus congratulate Wike, others on victory

    Idris then sought to tender the statements, but defence counsel Mr Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) objected.

    He said the statements dated December 9, 2016, December 14, 2016, January 10, 2017, February 14, 2017, May 31, 2017; January 24, 2018, March 22, 2018 and March 28, 2018 were not made voluntarily made.

    He said the fact they were not made voluntarily violated Section 29(2/(a) of the Evidence Act.

    Jegede, however, did not object to the statements of December 8, 2016 and May 23, 2018.

    Defence counsel, therefore, urged the court to order a trial-within-trial so as to test the statements’ voluntariness.

    Justice Saliu Saidu adjourned until May 16.

  • Man docked for stealing snails, onions, rice

    A 48-year old man, Osazee Benjamin, has been arraigned before an Oredo Magistrate Court for stealing items such as snails, rice, onions, groundnut oil, tomatoes and beans at the Oba Market in Bénin City.

    Benjamin was said to have stolen the items worth N220,000 between February 22 and April 1st 2019.

    Police Prosecutor, Inspector Patrick Agbonifo, told the court the offences were punishable under Section 390 and 340 of the Criminal code cap 48 vol II Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria.

    Inspector Agbonifo said suspected stolen items such as braziers, children slippers, wrist watches, spaghetti were found on the accused person.

    Read Also: Court remands two men for raping family friend’s daughter

    Benjamin, however, pleaded not guilty to the six-count charges preferred against him.

    Presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Ivie Akere, granted the accused bail to the sum of N50,000 or a surety in like sum who must be a family member.

    She adjourned the case to April 10 for trial.