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  • 2019 African Tour: Olapade vows to rediscover form at FCT Classic

    After his inability to grab any title in the two tournaments of this year’s African Tour, defending champion of the FCT Classic, Sunday Olapade believes he would rediscover his form.

    As the tournament tees off today Tuesday, April 9, Olapade said he is in top shape to turn the tide against most of his rivals.

    “I hope to regain my form this time and I feel great going into the tournament. I also think I am in great shape to retain my title to regain back my status on the African Tour,” Olapade said.

    Also, inform Zimbabwean star, Visitor Mapwanya will be missing when the tournament begins.

    The Zimbabwean will be conspicuously missing among the array of stars competing at the tournament.

    The Zimbabwean was forced to a playoff after making a birdie on the 18th during the final round of last year’s event but he later went on to record a victory over Ghana’s Vincent Torgah.

    According to the organisers, the absence of the Zimbabwean will not affect the quality of players that will be competing as it will give room for a new champion to emerge.

    The 4th FCT Classic will see the number one player on the order of merit, Ghana’s competing in his quest to dominate the African Tour.

    Having won the 2019 season opener  “Eko Challenge Cup” in February and successfully defending his title at the “Memorarae Championship” last Month in Owerri, the Ghanaian star is poised for another victory in Abuja.

    The event will be hold from April 9 to 12 at the IBB International Golf and Country Club and it will also feature other top players in the likes of Paul Patrick, Emos Koblarh, Mike Ubi and Christopher Ambe.

  • Six men charged with cultism, unlawful assault

    Six men were on Monday docked before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court over alleged assault and membership of an unlawful society.

    The defendants, Yusuf Ajose, 27; Abogun Sodiq, 32; Joseph Owolabi, 23; Kehinde Abogun, 38; Bright Marcus, 20; and Segun Joseph, 26, all residents of Igbo Efon area of Lekki, Lagos, are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, assault and membership  of an unlawful society.

    They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    According to the  Prosecutor, ASP Benson Emuerhi, the defendants committed the offences on March 9, at 5.10p.m. at Igbo Efon, Lekki.

    READ ALSO: Cultism: Shaibu orders partial shutdown of two schools in Benin

    Emuerhi said that the defendants and others still at large  conspired  and assaulted one Mr  Oluwaseun Adeshina by using a knife, cutlass and daggers to inflict injuries on his head and right leg.

    “They were also found to conduct activities of an unlawful society known as “Eiye confraternity”.

    The alleged offences contravene Sections 41, 173 (a), and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Chief Magistrate Olufunke Sule-Amzat granted the defendants bail in the sum of N50, 000 each with one surety each.

    Sule-Amzat ordered that the sureties should be gainfully employed and possess evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    She adjourned the case until June 3 for mention.

  • Kogi: Judiciary prays court to nullify Assembly resolution on removal of CJ

    Kogi Judiciary on Monday approached the State High Court sitting in Koton-Karfe seeking nullification of the April 2, resolution of Kogi House of Assembly recommending the removal of the Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah.

    The motion was filed by Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, leading 11 other lawyers including five Senior Advocates of Nigeria on behalf of the claimants/applicants, Justice Ajanah and Chief Registrar of the state High Court, Alhaji Yahaya Adamu.

    Awomolo said the Motion Notice (Motion NO. HC/KK02M/201) was brought pursuant to Order 11, Rules 1 and 2 of Kogi State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2006 to counter the action of the Assembly in defying the court order in the impasse between the Legislature and the Executive arms.

    The motion has Kogi House of Assembly; Speaker of the House; Bello Abdullahi, chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee; Gov. Yahaya Bello and the Attorney-General of Kogi.

    The claimants/applicants in the motion contended that the House of Assembly defied the pendency of Suit NO. HC/KK/11CV/2018 and the interim injunctive Orders of the Court to have sat and issued a resolution in respect of the matter.

    They prayed for an order of the court nullifying and setting aside the resolution purportedly passed by the House at its plenary sitting of 2nd April, 2019 in defiance of the pendency of the suit.

    Read Also: Kogi CJ: NBA urges caution

    The action of the Legislative Assembly also defied the interim injunctive Orders of Court by acting upon a report submitted to it by its Public Accounts Committee and resolving that:

    “The Chief Judge of Kogi State (the 1st Claimant/Applicant herein) be removed for alleged gross misconduct, and

    ii) That the Chief Registrar of Kogi State High Court (2nd Claimant/Applicant herein) should be referred to the Kogi State Judicial Service Commission for disciplinary action for misconduct.”

    The motion was on the grounds that the purported resolution of the 1st-3rd defendants was made during the pendency of this suit and a subsisting order of this Court restraining the defendants from taking any steps In respect of the substantive matter.

    The motion also held that orders of court were meant to be obeyed by parties adding that the said resolution of the 1st – 3rd defendants violated the said Order of the court and amounted therefore, “to self help which is deprecated by the law.”

    It also argued that the said resolution having been mede during the pendency of the suit and a subsisting order of the Court, was a nullity under the Law and ought to be set aside.

    The High Court presided over by Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, adjourned the matter until April 12.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the motion was supported with a 15-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Alhaji Yahaya Adamu, the Chief Registrar and also one of the claimants/applicants.

    Adamu noted that the court had on Dec, 12, 2018, restrained the defendants themselves, their agents or privies from acting or threatening to act or interfere in any way detrimental to the claimants in the discharge of their duties as Chief Judge and Chief Registrar respectively.

  • Ikpeazu sacks political appointees

    As part of the efforts of the incumbent governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to constitute a new set of people that would form part of his yet-to-be inaugurated government, Ikpeazu on Saturday announced the dissolution of all political appointees.

    According to a release by the permanent secretary of government house, Elder Bernard Ogbonna, those serving in the office of the Deputy Governor and Wife of the Governor are also affected by the order.

    Ikpeazu also directed Commissioners, Secretary to State Government, his Secretary, the Deputy Chief of Staff (both Governor and Deputy Governor) and the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to continue to perform their official duties till further notice.

    Ikpeazu while thanking all the political appointees for their contributions to the success of his administration in the past four years assured that their contributions to the making of a more progressive Abia would never be forgotten.

    The release further disclosed that Ikpeazu also dissolved the board of Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB).

    The members of the board were equally directed members of the board to immediately hand over to the most senior staff in the board.

    READ ALSO: Ikpeazu to Abia workers: we’ll pay your salaries promptly

    The release read, “Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has approved the immediate dissolution of the body of appointees to the Governor, including Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants and Technical Officers..

    “The Governor also directs that Commissioners, Secretary to State Government, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Deputy Chief of Staff (office of Governor and Deputy Governor) and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor continue to perform their official duties till further notice.

    “He wishes to express profound appreciation to all those who contributed to the success of his administration in the past four years and assures that their contributions to the making of a more progressive Abia would never be forgotten”.

    However sources within the Abia State Government House disclosed that there has been intense lobbying among the outgoing political appointees who are seeking for reappointment as party members and close associates to the governor who felt sidelined in the first four years of the Ikpeazu led administration are equally hoping that they would be appointed to one political position as they claimed to have vigorously worked for the reelection of Ikpeazu at the just concluded polls.

  • Two Nigerians stabbed to death in South Africa

    The death toll of Nigerians killed in South Africa has continued to rise with another two being the latest victims in ongoing xenophobic attacks on foreigners in that country.

    The latest victims were stabbed to death during xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg and Cape Town on April 5 and April 6, 2019, respectively.

    The Assistant Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Union in South Africa (NUSA), Mr Odefa Ikele, confirmed the killings in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Johannesburg on Monday.

    ”The Nigerian community lost two citizens to gruesome murders over the weekend.

    ”Mr Bonny Iwuoha, 48, from Ihitte/Uboma in Imo state, was stabbed to death at about 11:45 p.m. on April 6, 2019 in Johannesburg South.

    ”We gathered that his assailants followed him from 152 Hay Street Turffontein, and thereafter, stabbed and killed him in front of his gate at Turf Road, Turffontein.

    ”The killing was witnessed by Mr Izochukwu Nwokocha, also known as, Nwa Father,” he said.

    Ikele said the killing had been reported and a case of murder opened at Booysens Police Station in Johannesburg South.

    READ ALSO: Community decries killing of Nigerian in South Africa

    He said that another Nigerian, Goziem Akpenyi, also lost his life in similar circumstance on April 5, 2019.

    ”Akpenyi was allegedly stabbed to death by three unknown coloured South African men after an argument with the deceased.

    ”The incident took place at in Cape Town at about 1 p.m. on Friday, April 5, 2019.

    ”These latest killings add to four other Nigerians who were shot dead in March. Three of the victims were murdered in Sunnyside, Pretoria and one in Balfour Park, Johannesburg,” he said.

    Ikele said that NUSA was concerned over the incessant killings of Nigerians and worried that the perpetrators had not been brought to book.

    According to him, the arrest and prosecution of the culprits by the South African Police would put to a stop the daily killings of Nigerians.

    ”We call on the Nigerian Government to impress on their South African counterpart that the killings have to be investigated and the culprits prosecuted,” he appealed.

  • Wife drags ex-husband to court for allegedly denying pregnancy

    A 28-year-old divorcee, Bilkisu Aminu, on Monday dragged her ex-husband, Muhammad Jibril, to a Sharia Court I siting at Magajin Gari, Kaduna, over alleged denial of her pregnancy.

    The case was earlier mentioned on April 1 when the Judge, Dahiru Lawal, ordered the wife to go for a pregnancy test to ascertain the pregnancy.

    Lawal, after going through the pregnancy test result confirmed the pregnancy and ordered the parties to appear before the court on April 15 for further hearing.

    Earlier, the complainant, who resides on Benin Street, Kaduna, told the court that she got married to the defendant for three months before they were divorced.

    READ ALSO: Woman drags ex-husband to court over abandonment of daughter

    “He divorced me on Feb. 6, but after few days at home, I went to a private hospital and the doctor confirmed that I am pregnant.

    “I called Jibril to inform him of the pregnancy; he told me that he will visit me which he never did,” she said.

    Jibril, 32, who resides along Zaria Road in Kaduna told the court that he was not responsible for the pregnancy.

    He said he had no sex with his divorced wife for over two months during their three-month marriage.

    “We had series of misunderstanding within the few months of our marriage, we did not have sex at all while in the third month of our marriage,” Jibril said.

  • FG signs $523,823 agreement with Islamic Bank

    The federal government has signed a $523,823 (N185, 957,165 million) Technical Assistant (TA) Agreement grant with the Islamic Development Bank (ISDB) Group, in Marrakesh, Morocco.

    According to a statement issued and signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance on Media and Communications, Mr Paul Ella Abechi, “the TA agreement grants would be used to address capacity building/equipment and logistics upgrade in the Hajj Commission and for the improvement of cotton, textile and garment value chain in the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.”

    READ ALSO: Obi blasts federal government “tradermoni”

    The statement added that “the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) will get $243,823.0, for capacity building/equipment and logistics upgrade while the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment will receive the balance of $280,000 for the improvement of cotton, textile and garment value chain.”

    Nigeria’s Minister of finance Zainab Ahmed signed on behalf of the Federal Government while President of the ISDB Group, Dr. Bandar M. H. Hajjar, signed on behalf of the Group, at the 44th ISDB Group Annual Meeting held in Marrakesh, Morrocco.

    Also on the sidelines of the meeting, the Minister was said to have told participants at the conference that state governments in Nigeria are doing their best to boost agriculture and food production. According to her, “State governments in Nigeria are adopting cluster farming which has eased access to funds by farmers, increased growth and allows access to facilities without collateral.”

  • Three killed, others wounded as cultists clash in Imo

    No fewer than three persons were Sunday night murdered in the Mechanic Village area of Owerri, the Imo State capital following a bloody clash between rival cult gangs.

    The victims who were killed with machete and other dangerous weapons were said to be members of the Aiye confraternity.

    Over 15 persons including students in one of the higher institutions in the state have been killed in cult-related clashes in the state in the last one month.

    According to an eyewitness account, the rampaging cultists invaded the community around 12.30am and laid ambush for their targets who were returning from an outing.

    The source who didn’t want to be mentioned, said that they were armed with machetes, clubs and other dangerous weapons.

    READ ALSO: Two suspected cultists docked for possession of tramadol

    He disclosed that apart from those that were killed several other people who tried to rescue the victims from the assailants sustained machete wounds.

    Meanwhile residents of Mechanic Village, one of the satellite towns around Owerri, have lamented the rate of cult related killings in the community.

    They appealed to security agencies to track down the rampaging cultists who they said have turned their lives into nightmare.

    According to one of the residents, who pleaded anonymity, “we now live in fear everyday; it is a very sad development most of the gruesome killings are carried out in the day time under the full glare of the parents of the victims. We want the government to come to our aid”.

    However efforts to get the State Police Command to confirm the incident were not successful as repeated the State Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, a Superintendent of Police could not be reached.

  • Three die in Lagos/Ibadan Expressway auto crash

    Three persons were on Monday confirmed dead in an accident involving a tipper loaded with granite and a Dangote truck around Mile 12 Market, Ogere, Ogun, on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

    Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Spokesperson for Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) in Ogun, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta.

    Akinbiyi said that the accident occurred around 5:45 a.m., saying that the accident was caused by the tipper with registration number MUS-589 XX.

    Read Also: Four injured, motorcycles burnt in Ekiti tanker accident

    “We learnt that the tipper was heading inbound Lagos on top speed from a Quarry at Isara. It lost control and rammed into the Dangote truck with registration number NSR-89 YQ from behind.

    “The three people who lost their lives were in the loaded tipper.

    “The two accidented vehicles were taken to the Police Motor Traffic Division at Ogere,’’ he said.

    Akinbiyi said that the corpses of the deceased had been deposited at FOS Mortuary, Ipara.

  • Speakership: Ajimobi mobilises Oyo Reps for Gbajabiamila

    The support for the candidacy of the House of Representatives Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila as the Speaker of the 9th Assembly got a boost over the weekend when All Progressives Congress (APC) members-elect from Oyo State pledged their loyalty, with a promise to abide by the Party’s decision on the choice of the leadership position.

    This followed the intervention of the Governor of Oyo State, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, who hosted the nine APC members-elect in his Ibadan residence on Sunday, where he advised them to toe party line by following the decision reached by the leadership of the Party in determining the leadership of the 9th Assembly and to support Gbajabiamila’s aspiration as the next Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.

    Read Also: Why we’re sticking to Gbajabiamila on House leadership, by Kaduna Rep

    In a statement on Monday by Akeem Adeyemi, the APC Southwest Coordinator of Gbajabiamila Speakership Campaign Council, the members-elect assured the governor of their loyalty and determination to ensure that the House Leader succeed as the Speaker of the next Assembly.

    The statement reads in part: “The nine members-elect appreciated the Governor for providing a sound leadership and positive direction for the party, and; however, promised the Governor their full cooperation, after each member had spoken in acceptance of the Governor’s endorsement of the House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.”