Wole Soyinka has asked the Federal Government of Nigeria to apologize to Sunday Igboho after officials of the Department of State Services invaded his home.
The DSS invaded Igboho’s house in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, July 1, and two of his associates were killed during the invasion.
Igboho has been calling for a “Yoruba Nation” in response to what he has described as a “Fulani invasion” of the South-West. He has been declared wanted by the DSS.
In an interview with BBC Pidgin published on Monday, July 5, Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, said the government’s actions and rationale for invading Igboho’s home “stinks.”
He said: “My advise to the government is that they should stop pursuing Igboho as a criminal, because you have begun by acting in a criminal fashion against him.
“If and when Igboho comes to trial, I guarantee you the government will be very embarrassed.
“I think they should tell Igboho ‘we made a mistake’, ‘we should not have acted in this way’, ‘you are no longer wanted’, ‘go back to your home’. In fact, escort him to his home and let him resume his normal life.”
Soyinka said Igboho’s fight for freedom was caused by criminal acts of enemies of Nigeria who “appear to be supported by the force of the State.”
While Soyinka added that he doesn’t “like the sound of a Yoruba Nation” any more than he likes the sound of a Tiv or Igbo nation, but he said the country must be restructured through the decentralisation of power.
A 25-year-old actress in West Bengal, India, has lodged a complaint with the Kolkata Police alleging that she has been receiving a barrage of online hate comments regarding her “dusky skin tone”
Shruti Das, who debuted in 2019 in Bengali soap “Trinayani“, said she had been shamed for her skin tone for the last two years but it reached a point where she could not take it anymore as the attacks were becoming more and more personal.
The popular Bengali television actress alleged that she has been called ‘Blackboard’ and ‘Kalindi’.
“When we worship Kali and Krishna [Indian deities] who both are dark complexioned but we cannot accept a heroine who is not of fair skin. I was surprised to find that one girl from Katwa posted some comments on the verified facebook page of the channel I am working for. This has been happening for the last two years and I felt that there should be a protest to this. So, I lodged a complaint with the Kolkata police and I believe that action will be initiated,” Das said.
“The trolls accused me of manipulating my partner, who is a director, to get this role. They claim it would otherwise have been impossible for a dusky person like me to get such a chance,”
Das said initially, everyone around asked her to ignore the trolls, and so she did. But it only got more vicious with time.
“I am in a steady relationship with the director of my first TV serial ‘Trinayani’, and the hate brigade, after getting to know that, has been making distasteful remarks, questioning my character and my talent. I thought if I take it lying down any further, it would only give them more reasons to continue with this hatred,” said the actress, who now plays the lead in ‘Desher Maati’
“Since childhood, I have been facing such abusive comments because of my dusky colour. I always wanted to be an actress and worked really hard to achieve this place. But people still abuse me because of my skintone. They also feel I have made some compromises to bag a role or forced someone to cast me,” Shruti added.
The actress, who tagged the Kolkata Police on Facebook to draw attention to the nasty comments targeted at her, was told to email the details to its cyber cell.
A senior police officer said the matter was being looked into.
“The cyber cell of the Kolkata Police has received an email from actor Shruti Das regarding the online abuse that she had been facing because of her dusky skin tone. The actor, in her complaint, has said she had been receiving such hatred since 2019. She has also attached screenshots of the social media comments,” the officer said.
Ms Das said many in the industry, too, had made her skin tone a topic of discussion, with some from the production units having said that she wouldn’t have got her second gig, if she wasn’t given the right kind of makeup and presentation in the first soap.
She pointed out that she wasn’t the first actor to have faced the brunt for her skin colour.
“Some of my seniors, who are now household names, have gone through similar predicaments for their complexion,” Ms Das claimed.
Film and TV actor Parno Mitra said it is a matter of shame that people get targeted for their skin tone in a country like India, where most of the people are brown.
“With the advertising world, media and film industries having glorified light skin colour for so long, it is but natural that this prejudice against skin colour still exists. Often, we are told to put on makeup in a way that would make our skin tone a few shades lighter. I usually avoid too much makeup,” Parno Mitra said.
Director Swarnendu Samaddar, who is in a relationship with Ms Das, said he has often tried to shut down the trolls on social media, but that has barely helped.
“Looks alone cannot ensure success in the industry. Talent matters more than anything else. Not just Shruti, there are several others who have made a name for themselves by sheer dint of talent. Trolls keep making offensive remarks with no regard for an individual’s sentiments. Strong action should be initiated against them,” he said.
Pastor Daniel Olukoya, General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) has been ordered by a United States district court in Maryland to pay $7,320 within 30 days to Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters.
Olukoya had filed a lawsuit against Sowore in 2018 after a 2017 report of his church members in Maryland accusing him of importing religious books without paying customs duties.
The 49-paragraph lawsuit he filed bordered on defamation, defamation per se and false light. However after Olukoya failed to provide documents on UK Charity Commission’s investigation of his church, Sowore filed a motion to compel him.
Though Olukoya insisted that he has responded to the discovery requests and that the motion to compel him was therefore moot, Justice Theodore D. Chuang who ruled on the case said his response to the motion to compel contained a serious misrepresentation.
Chuang said;
“Unfortunately, Olukoya’s response to the motion to compel contained a serious misrepresentation; he had not produced any documents relating to proceedings before the U.K. Charity Commission related to Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International.
“The conclusion is that; for the reasons set forth above, the defendants’ motion for sanctions will be granted in part and denied in part.
“The court will enter the following sanctions against the defendants: Olukoya is prohibited from (1) making any use of any documents related to the U.K. Charity Commission that he produced to the defendants after January 2, 2021; and from (2) challenging the admissibility of these documents on any basis other than Fed. R. Evid. 401 and 403.
“Olukoya will also be required to pay the defendants’ reasonable attorney’s fees incurred in connection with his discovery failures, which total $7,320.00, within 30 days of the date of this order. Payment should be made directly to the defendants’ attorneys. These sanctions are entered against Olukoya pursuant to Rules 37(c) and 26(g).”
Former militant commander and head of the Biafra Customary Government (BCG), Mujahid Asari Dokubo has mocked leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu over his arrest.
Dokubo who had fallen out with Kanu weeks before his arrest, recalled how he vowed to destroy the IPOB leader’s empire. He accused Kanu of defrauding Biafrans, saying he has been unable to account for funds remitted to him.
The BCG leader also accused Kanu of being a conman and an extortionist, claiming he asked “Biafrans” to pay him monthly or risk not being allowed into Biafra.
He said;
“Nnamdi Kanu, I promised I will smoke you out. Your madness never start, this one wey start now, na market e dey go. You have harmed Biafrans and traded with us so much.
“You collected our money in the name of defence funds and you cannot give account. You are demanding that all Biafrans should pay money to you on monthly basis or they will not be allowed to enter Biafra. Doesn’t that make you a conman, an extortionist?
“You alleged that that you gave me N20 million, video doesn’t lie. When I stated it last year leading to election, you were so cowardly not to respond to me. You sent your followers to respond to me and they said a lot of things and I demanded the evidence that I demanded N20 million from you.
“I have never been a member of IPOB, you gave me N20 million, tell us is it by bank transfer, is it by cash, who brought the cash to me? I’m waiting. Produce the evidence.”
Dokubo also stated that he is not like Nnamdi Kanu who runs away from his land. He added;
“I can’t run away from my land because they will overrun it. I am not like you Ben Johnson… I fought all the way to the supreme court. My record is in the Supreme Court, you can check it.”
The police has revealed the cause of the explosion which occurred in Kaduna state on Saturday July 3.
Recall that the explosion in Badarawa area of the state, led to the death of a child and also left two others injured. A 7-year-old child was said to have died in the explosion, while those who sustained injuries are aged nine and seven.
The state police spokesperson, Muhammed Jalige said the explosion was caused by improvised explosive devices concealed in three bottles of a popular children’s yoghurt drink.
Jalige said;
“Three children picked up the bottles, but unknown to them, they contained explosive substance. The children started playing football with the bottles; as a result, two of the bottles exploded injuring the three children.
“The victims were however rushed to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital for treatment, where one of them died owing to injuries he sustained from the explosion.
“One of the victims was treated and discharged, while the third child is still receiving treatment.
“The Command’s Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) is carrying out a holistic forensic analysis of the device with a view to apprehending those responsible for this heinous act.”
The Chairman of Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Professor John Ibu, who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged N24.6 million fraud, has been identified as the father of Pastor Becky Enenche, wife of Pastor Paul Enenche, founder of Dunamis International Gospel Centre.
Becky Eneche was formerly known as Rebecca Inyangbe Ibu before marriage.
On June 28, the EFCC announced that its Makurdi Zonal Office arraigned Dr Paul Enenche’s father-in-law, Professor John Ibu, alongside one Chief Abukenchi Suleiman and his company, ADB Motors Venters Nigeria Limited before Justice Abdu Dogo of the Federal High Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State.
They were arraigned on charges of conspiracy and obtaining N24, 650,000 (twenty-four million, six hundred and fifty thousand Naira only) by false pretences.
The EFCC alleged that the duo obtained the said sum from the Benue State University Teaching Hospital under the guise of purchasing a Toyota Landcruiser Prado 2018 Model which was never bought.
Count one of the charge reads: “That you, Professor John Ibu, being the Board Chairman, Benue State University Teaching Hospital, you Chief Abukenchi Suleiman, being the Managing Director ADB Motors Ventures Nigeria Ltd and you, ADB Motors Ventures Nigeria Ltd sometime in July 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud conspired amongst yourselves and obtained the sum of N24,650,000 (Twenty Four Million Six Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira only) from the Benue State University Teaching Hospital Board for the purchase of a Toyota Landcruiser Prado 2018 Model under false pretences that you have the capacity to supply which pretence you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Count two reads: “That you, Professor John Ibu, being the Board Chairman, Benue State University Teaching Hospital sometime in July 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did use your position to confer an unfair advantage to yourself by collecting a bribe, to the tune of N10, 900,000 (Ten Million Nine Hundred Thousand Naira only), from one Chief Abukenchi Suleiman of ADB Motors Ventures Nig. Ltd, on behalf of Atirogo & Sons Enterprises, paid into Access Bank account Number 0049185884, a company you’re the Managing Director and thereby committed an offence, contrary to Section 19 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under the same Act.”
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges preferred against them.
Based on their pleas, prosecution counsel, George Chia-Yakua asked for a trial date and that the defendants be remanded in a correctional facility.
However, counsel for Professor John Ibu, S. O. Vekuwu, moved a motion for the bail of his client on self-recognizance. He informed the court that his client had been on administrative bail offered by the EFCC.
Fifty people have been confirmed dead after a Philippine Air Force plane crashed in the southern Philippines on Sunday. It’s one of the country’s worst military air disasters in 30 years.
The C-130 military plane was reportedly carrying 96 military personnel and crew from Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao to Sulu province when it missed the runway on the island of Jolo and crashed at the nearby Patikul village at 11.30 am local time on Sunday, according to Philippine Armed Forces chief Cirilito Sobejana and media reports.
The joint task force at Sulu said in a statement: “Minutes after the crash, troops and civilian volunteers rushed to the site for search and rescue. Per eyewitnesses, several soldiers were seen jumping out of the aircraft before it hit the ground sparing them from the explosion caused by the crash.”
Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched into the crash. Reports of personnel jumping out of the plane will also be investigated, the statement said.
Major General Edgard Arevalo, a spokesperson for the military, told the media that 47 army personnel have died, while 49 survived the crash. He said those injured are being treated in hospitals.
Maj Gen Arevalo told the media that all personnel on the place were new graduates who had just completed their military training. He also said that three civilians were killed on the ground and four were injured.
“We have people on the ground to make sure the integrity of the pieces of the evidence that we will retrieve, most particularly the flight data recorder,” he added. “Aside from eyewitness accounts, we are also looking for recordings, radio conversation recordings between the pilot and the control tower.”
Maj Gen. Arevalo said the military had secured the crash site and was trying to ensure that the militants on the island didn’t disrupt the search efforts.
Reuters reported that this military plane air disaster was the country’s worst. In 1993, a C-130 had crashed in which 30 people had lost their lives.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating the death of a 13-year-old boy three days after he received his second dose of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine.
The boy, Jacob Clynick, had no underlying health conditions when he died in his sleep shortly after his second shot, his aunt Tammy Burages, told the Detroit Free Press, and health operatives are trying to see if there is a connection between the vaccine he received and his death.
Jacob received his second shot in mid-June and died three days later after complaining of common post-vaccine symptoms including fatigue and fever, his aunt, said of the boy looking forward to his freshman year of high school.
“He passed away in the middle of the night at home,” she told the Detroit Free Press.
“We are currently looking at toxicology, tissue reports, blood work,” Saginaw County medical examiner Dr. Russell Bush told The Detroit News.
“There will be discussions with the CDC and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Obviously, everyone is concerned with this case. We’re doing everything we can as far as testing and looking at potential problems related to the young man’s death.”
An autopsy showed his heart was enlarged and that there was fluid around it, Burages told the newspaper, but health experts said it could take three to five months to determine an exact cause of death, and whether it was somehow related to the vaccine.
“CDC is aware of a 13-year-old boy in Michigan who died after receiving a COVID-19 vaccination,” CDC spokeswoman Martha Sharan told WSET-TV.
“This case is currently under investigation and until the investigation is complete, it is premature to assign a specific cause of death.”
Roman Catholic church head, Pope Francis has undergone surgery hours after attending the traditional Sunday Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday July 4, the Vatican has announced.
According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, the pope had surgery for “colon diverticulitis,”
Diverticulitis is an inflammation caused when people develop small sacs in the walls of the colon. The sacs or pouches are called diverticuli. It’s usually symptomless, but can cause discomfort and, sometimes, bleeding.
The Holy See press office said in a statement: “This afternoon his Holiness Pope Francis went to the Gemelli hospital — Rome — for a scheduled surgical intervention for a symptomatic stenotic diverticulitis. Surgery will be carried out by professor Sergio Alfieri. At the end of the surgery a medical bulletin will be issued.”
The still-standing portion of the partially collapsed condo building in Miami, Florida, that has claimed 24 lives, with 121 people still unaccounted for, was brought down using explosives Sunday night, July 4.
The blast took place at 10 p.m. ET, 11 days after the shocking collapse of much of the residential Champlain Towers structure on June 24.
County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava said the demolition of the remaining portion of the building was a necessary step for crews to continue their search for any possible survivors of the disaster.
“Bringing down this building in a controlled manner is critical to expanding the scope of our search-and-rescue effort,” Cava told reporters at a news conference, according to The Associated Press.
Search crews will resume sifting through the rubble after the demolition as soon as they receive an “all clear” signal from site managers, the mayor said.
Officials hope they could find more survivors even though the odds of finding anyone still alive after more than a week are not favorable.
Concerns had developed in recent days that the still-standing portion of the building was unsafe and could have endangered search crews as they worked at the site, hence the decision was made to explode the building.
Another factor that made the government hasten the building explosion was the approach of Tropical Storm Elsa, which was heading toward Florida after barreling through the Caribbean over the past several days .
One person has been confirmed dead and two others injured in an explosion that took place in Badarawa area in Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the state police command, Muhammad Jalige, in a statement released today, June 4, said the explosion happened around 4.30 pm on Saturday, June 3.
Jalige said after the incident, the victims were immediately taken to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna, for treatment where it was reported that one of the victims died, one was treated and discharged, while the third victim is still receiving treatment.
He said investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the explosion and its result would be made public upon completion of the exercise.
The police in Kwara state have arrested a man for allegedly killing his father, Michael Olagunju, and selling his body parts to some ritualists in Kajola, Odo-Owa in the Oke-Ero Local Government Area of the state.
Late Olagunju was allegedly murdered on his farm at Kajola last Thursday by his son who connived with some ritualists to remove Olagunju’s body parts, including his two hands and his heart.
Confirming the incident to newsmen, the spokesperson of the state police command, Ajayi Okasanmi, said;
“A farmer was killed on his farm at Kajola in Odo-Owa last week. One suspect has been arrested in connection with the crime. The Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Bagega, has ordered discreet Investigation into the matter.”
Flamboyant Kenyan preacher, Reverend Lucy Natasha, has debunked allegations that she allegedly arranged a threesome session for a Nigerian Evangelist with her aide and a female member of her church in 2015.
This comes after the now former church member who goes by the Facebook, Martha Mwihaki Hinga, on Tuesday, June 29, claimed that Rev. Natasha invited her for dinner together with the Nigerian Evangelist.
According to Mwihaki, Rev. Natasha and her mother and the brother left leaving her with her aide and the Nigerian guest preacher.
“Within 20 minutes I realized that Lucy had left together with her brother and mom, and I in the company of the pastor and the aide were left, little did I know that the girl was part of the script for a Threesome. Hahaha, yes I said a threesome,” the woman claimed.
She further claimed that the Nigerian preacher asked them to pray together but instead both allegedly sandwiched her.
The allegations soon went viral on social media prompting the clergywoman to issue a statement on Wednesday, June 30.
The statement posted on her social media pages by her communition team said the allegations are malicious plans aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the Empowerment Christian Church leader.
“As a ministry that is very active in preaching through various social media platforms, we seek to unequivocally dissociate ourselves with a malicious story tarnishing the reputation of our leader Rev Natasha and the ministry we are doing,” the statement read.
“We began our Miracle Monday Services in October 2017 and the same has been publicly broadcasted on our official handles. In the greatest words, the story and expose going round is totally false, unfounded, and out there to disparage our mandate.
“It’s worth noting that the said Martha Mwihaki Hinga is a Pseudo account that has now deactivated; she and/or her cohort has never been part of us. We wish to categorically state that we are a ministry committed to maintaining Biblical standards both in Theology and Practice. We are above board and deal with all attendees, members, public with utmost respect and integrity.
“Our church Empowerment Christian Church ECC remains a beacon of hope, an oasis of God’s love, and a sanctuary of worship, prayer and the Bible.
“To all the friends of ECC, Sons and daughters across the nations, partners, Natasha Hands of Compassion Team members continue keeping us, the Oracle in prayers as we continue shining the banner of God’s love to all. 2 Timothy 3:12 “And all who live a godly life in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution.”
Head of Communication for Rev Natasha Ministries.
Below are details of the expose:
PART ONE I met Reverend Lucy Natasha after a friend of mine introduced me to her church in early 2014, just about when she officially began to house most of her services, mid-week and Sunday Services at Six-Eighty Hotel.
I used to see her on social media but that was it, nothing much, apart from her usual contextualization of prosperity gospel to excite her fanatic congregation, because those are usually not Christians in pursuit of the true gospel.
Just like Now, she still had a palatial state of the art office setting marked with weird arts, Portraits of popular Nigerian Televangelists, I remember that of the Late TB Joshua, a 6-inch red carpet and very fine men frequenting her office, I later learnt that they were her protocol and handlers. I was a little bit shocked because I am not a big fan of Nigerian pastors, I actually don’t trust them. My friend who took me there was constantly gazing at me because I appeared skeptical over everything, especially the portrait of a known controversial pastor TB.
She loves calling people daughter, so she stretched her hand and reached out to me, “Good afternoon my beautiful daughter, Of course my age not withstanding I agreed and responded. I am way older than her, I dubiously smiled and responded “Good afternoon my spiritual mom, although physically I may be your mom. “She has a very good voice, so she smiled and the exchange of pleasantries was done.
I partly introduced myself and expressed part of the reason why I was there, I however, insisted that it is my friend who persuaded me to see her because she felt that I would fit into her ministry as a deacon taking into account my passion for God’s work and at the time I needed a place to worship and initiate my ministry work. She looked elated and clumsily said that I was at the best place.
Now, there’s this brother of him, who has some slippery hair, that guy was then the P.A. She called him and in he came with a 3-page form for registration. I was then requested to follow Rev in a small private extension for sort of some grilling or up-close, a very small extension that could only fit two persons. She asked me to get off my shoes and enter. I think that was now the beginning of my indoctrination to a “cult”.
I started filling details on the sheet she handed to me. I was putting on my details as I popped my eyes on and off to her just to monitor things. My friends mimi hata mwanaume hajaniangalia na macho nikablush.The gaze was very very veeery suggestive, Well I ignored because I assumed that was her nature, well she’s pretty and that’s not a far-fetched habit by beautiful girls. I filled the form while still throwing my eyes randomly on her, to signal either I needed to consult on something but that was in guise of trying to angalia vile kunaenda.
Suddenly, I felt something chilling down my body. Have you felt cold, then a petrifying thing runs down your spine? That is what I felt and the next thing was Rev asking me to get close to her for prayer. I actually hadn’t completed the form, but I was on my feet moving towards Lucy after that wave on my body. I then immediately closed my eyes and opened them, Alas the person next to me was not her, this was her mother (You know how close they are with the mother), Reverend was not there. I have NEVER ever seen that.
I remember trying to scream but the voice wouldn’t be audible, you have tried to scream in your dreams and the only thing that comes out is a distant feeling of shouting but the actual shout not being projected, that was it. The person now next to me (the mother) started speaking in weird voices asking me to “Tulia Tulia,Kuna Roho anasema wewe ni mtumishi”As she was saying that, weirdly I was being caressed and fondled by someone I couldn’t see. The feeling was so strong that I actually started getting too close to the mom praying for me. For now handle that I will be back.
PART TWO That was weird because in my entire years of allegiance to Christ I have never felt that. I have never seen that. Let’s just say the feeling was way too ungodly as a happenstance between a prayer session. When I partially began to realize I was in between something not so nice, I began to battle out the grip with aggression. I tried pulling myself away from her until she could no longer control me.
I finally was off the hook but totally scared. Rev was then back and we were now the three of us, myself Lucy and her mother. There were only two seats, so Rev was on her feet with an iPad. Things were now a little bit calm and I was at ease though overwhelmed by events. I think they managed to capture my inner person and my spiritual responsiveness as afterwards I no longer treated them with hostility. She then introduced what was typed on the Tablet as a “Report” from the Lord concerning me on her ministry.
I remember her telling me that the Lord had spoken and that I would be appropriated as deacon in the assembly. First I was hesitant but then there appeared to be a spiritual capture, so I sort of nodded as a sign of affirmation. I am woman who puts on long dresses, the first thing I was guided to do was put on relatively shorter dresses, the logic behind that was mysterious but obviously that was a sexual connotation for seduction, which is a pillar for Lucy’s church. FACT.
The lady giving me instructions was a young lady, slightly above her twenties, same thing, seductive looks with extraordinary disagreeable attraction. One thing, never in your walk of faith ignore any red flag, if there are funny theatrics right from the word go, disappear and run for your dear life. I got embraced in the church and that was it. I was a “daughter” in the ministry. Days turned into weeks and months and so on.
My first encounter with the “Liberalism” concept was when Lucy openly tried to fix me in a sexual escapade with a guest Nigerian Evangelist accompanied with one of her aide’s in 2015.
After the usual Oracle services, as a deacon (senior church member) you have the prerogative of having an after service meeting to evaluate a few things as well as take time with a guest in case of any. After that particular service we walked out of Lucy’s Office and went to a private guest lounge, just within Six-eighty. We were 5 of us, Myself, the Nigerian Evangelist, one of her aides, her mom and the brother.
As it were, we had dinner and it was time to leave because I am a mom and wife. There was some form of resistance on any attempt to leave, any aim that suggested that I was leaving was met with some forms of tushughuli that did not make sense.Mara sijui “wait a minute for us to clear the bill”,oh “Hold on Mum is changing” among others. Within say 20 or so minutes I realized that Lucy had left together with her bro and mom, and I in the company of the pastor and the aide were left, little did I know that the girl was part of script for a Threesome. Hahaha,Yes I said a Threesome.
The Nigerian Con (Sexual predator) requested to have me get close to him so that we could have a prayer benediction and then leave as the rest had already left. I obliged because I was in a hurry to leave. Suddenly, From behind, the lady aide softly held my waist, we were a bit close in terms of acquaintanceship so I did not take offence.
However, the moment I was sandwiched between them, I knew this was not a prayer but something else, perhaps a plan to kill me, because the thought of a sexual encounter was far-fetched. How now? I became very aggressive, and threatened to scream if they did not get out of my way.
The moment both of them realized that I was not in the business of entertaining that nonsense, they simultaneously let go their arms and retreated to the seats. I uttered no word and left immediately traumatized. The final part and my redemption journey coming your way.
Some security guards attached to the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (Glory Dome) located along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Road, Abuja have arrested six human rights activists for wearing #BuhariMustGo (Anti-President Muhammadu Buhari) T-Shirts to the church.
About ten activists went to the church on Sunday morning to worship at the church but some of them were surprisingly rounded up and arrested by the church security guards who later handed them over to the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS). Six of the activists were whisked away in a Hilux van and two power bikes.
The activists were manhandled and beaten by the DSS operatives on the church premises, who also seized their mobile phones.
Paul Enenche is the Senior Pastor of the church. A source said, “Security men at Dunamis Gospel Church have arrested activists who wore #BuhariMustGo T-shirts to their church service: the church security later handed them over to DSS officials who are currently torturing them.
“I thought Pastor Dr Paul Enenche was also preaching about justice! The six activists were driven away in a DSS Hilux van and two power bikes. Shame on the house of God!
“About 10 activists decided to attend Dunamis church in their #BuhariMustGo T-shirts. The church asked all first-timers to come out for prayers.
The patriotic citizens obeyed the clarion call from the altar with their fully displayed BuhariMustGo shirts.
“They were immediately apprehended by the church security on their way out of the church and subsequently handed to the DSS.
Kudos to the courageous activists for this creativity. I’m certain if the activists had worn a shirt with the inscription ‘Sai Buhari’, they would have ranked as Pastor Enenche’s new best friend.”
The police command in Akwa Ibom says an officer was injured following an attack by gunmen on a divisional station in Udung Uko LGA of the state.
The police officer, who was one of those on duty at the station, sustained injury in an attempt to repel the attack on Saturday evening.
The assailants were said to have arrived in a Sienna Toyota vehicle and opened fire on the station.
Odiko MacDon, the police public relations officer (PPRO) in the state, confirmed the attack to TheCable on Sunday.
He said the officer who sustained injury is receiving treatment.
Macdon said the situation would have been worse if not for the policemen on duty who repelled the attack.
“I can only confirm that one of our personnel sustained injuries during the attack,” he said.
“But we believe the gunmen fled with gunshot wounds. The shooting was sporadic.”
Police stations in Akwa Ibom have witnessed a series of violent attacks in recent times.
On May 10, vehicles at the police station in Ikot Odon Otoro, Abak LGA of Akwa Ibom, were set ablaze by gunmen.
The incident occurred hours after six persons — five officers and the wife of a policeman — were killed following an attack on the divisional headquarters in Ini LGA of Akwa Ibom state.
Former South African president, Jacob Zuma has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty for defying a court order to appear before an inquiry probing wide-ranging allegations of corruption during his tenure from 2009 to 2018.
This is the first time in South Africa’s history that a former president has been sentenced to prison.
Zuma, who wasn’t present for the ruling on Tuesday, June 29, was ordered to hand himself over within five days to a police station in his hometown of Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal province or in Johannesburg.
Back in January, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zuma had to respond to questions from a judicial commission headed by Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. But the 79-year-old former intelligence operative accused the court and Zondo of bias, walked out of one scheduled panel hearing in November, and boycotted another in February.
The panel responded by filing contempt charges against him.
“The Constitutional Court can do nothing but conclude that Mr. Zuma is guilty of the crime of contempt of court,” acting Chief Justice Sisi Khampepe said in a ruling in Johannesburg on Tuesday. “Mr. Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma is sentenced to undergo 15 months imprisonment.”
According to report, the government estimates more than 500 billion rand ($35 billion) was stolen from the state during Zuma’s rule, and at least 40 witnesses who’ve appeared before in court linked the ex-president to the looting spree.
However, Zuma, who was forced to quit in 2018, has denied wrongdoing and says the allegations against him are part of a smear campaign.
Embattled Yoruba nation agitator, Sunday Igboho, has estimated the losses incurred during the raid of his Ibadan apartment by DSS agents last Thursday, July 1 at N500 million.
Igboho said this in a letter written to the Federal government through his counsel Chief Yomi Alliyu (SAN). The activist in his letter sought a public apology for what he called a violation of his fundamental rights during the invasion of his house and the institution of a probe of the action of the security officials that conducted the raid.
Alliyu alleged that those arrested in Igboho’s house were allegedly being tortured to incriminate him and state that guns and ammunition were recovered from his house.
“Sunday Igboho knew that he would be arrested one day hence retaining our services. He could not be that daft to keep incriminating articles in his house!
“Our client’s house is a 5 bedroom duplex with 5 chalets of 2 and 3 bedrooms. These were totally damaged with operatives allegedly arguing on whether to burn down the edifice as done to his former palatial house. The lady officer allegedly put her foot down against arson.”
Chidinma Ojukwu, the University of Lagos student who was arrested for killing SuperTV CEO Usifo Ataga, has narrated how she carried out the act.
In an interview with an NTA News correspondent, Chidinma revealed that they met at a party through Usifo’s friend who was dating her friend. According to her, it was also the first time they slept together.
The UNILAG student who disclosed that they were both high when they got into a fight at the shortlet apartment they lodged, said she tied his hands while he was sleeping and stabbed him repeatedly before stealing his money “which was what she wanted”.
She also disclosed that she fled with some of his items because she felt there will be a manhunt for her.
When asked why she never asked Usifo for money before stealing and also killing him, she said he had never agreed to give her money. Chidinma also said there was no agreement on the amount he will pay her after they had sex.
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a Nigerian woman based in Brazil, Mrs. Anita Ugochinyere Ogbonna, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja, with 100 pellets of cocaine concealed in her private part and handbag.
NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, July 4, said the mother of three was arrested on arrival in Abuja via Qatar Air from Sao Paulo, Brazil through Doha on Friday night, July 2.
“The suspect was arrested on Friday night on arrival in Abuja via Qatar Air from Sao Paulo, Brazil through Doha. Upon a proper search, 12 wraps of cocaine inserted in her private part were extracted while another 88 pellets stuffed in socks were discovered hidden in her handbag,” Babafemi stated.
“During interrogation, Mrs. Ogbonna, who is a mother of three children, all resident in Brazil, claimed she lost her husband three years ago. She confessed she decided to traffick the illicit drug to raise money for the burial of her father scheduled for 22nd July in Imo state,”
“She said one Emeka, alias KC also based in Brazil gave her the drug to deliver in Nigeria for a fee of $3,000. She said she pushed the wraps of cocaine into her private part after her attempts to swallow the pellets failed. The suspect who owns a shop where she sells African foodstuffs in Brazil further claimed she had to drop her three young children with a Kenyan lady who is her neighbour in Brazil before she embarked on the quick-money-journey.” he added.
BW Global Group LLC, an American lobbyist, intervened in the case of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Nigerian secessionist group, who was illegally arrested in Kenya and repatriated to Nigeria.
Attorney of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami, announced on Tuesday that Kanu, who fled Nigeria in 2017, during which he escaped an assassination attempt by government forces that raided his home in Umuahia, killing dozens of civilians, was “intercepted ‘on Sunday’… brought back to Nigeria, in order to continue facing trial after disappearing”.
BW Global, whom the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) hired in March to advocate for his secessionist group in the US State Department and Congress, said his detention and repatriation were illegal.
The company said by email Thursday that the illegal repatriation of Kanu to Nigeria “would violate international law,” noting that it has filed a complaint with UK authorities over the treatment of Kanu, a dual Nigerian-UK citizen.
The company did not disclose other actions and plans to secure the release of the separatist leader who resurfaced in the country on June 27 and appeared in federal court in Abuja blindfolded and handcuffed, where his trial was adjourned for a month — July 26, 2021.
Meanwhile, just 24 hours after Kenyan authorities denied that Mr. Kanu had been arrested in the country; Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lawyer for the separatist leader, said his client confirmed he was arrested in Kenya and ill-treated before being handed over to Nigerian authorities.
“My Client – Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was actually abducted by the accursed Kenya’s Special Police Force on the 18th of June 2021 at their International Airport, and consequently taken to an undisclosed residence under dehumanizing conditions,” said Ejiofor.
“He was tortured and subjected to all forms of inhuman treatment which worsened his health condition. He was illegally detained for eight (8) good DAYS in Kenya before being transfered to their Nigerian counterpart.
“He was purportedly investigated on a bogus charge while in their custody, ostensibly, awaiting to be handed over after their findings proved him innocent of all the spurious allegations. They later beckoned on their Nigerian Counterpart to take over.
“Kenyan Government was deeply involved in the abduction, detention and ill-treatment of my Client before the illegal handover to their Nigerian counterpart.”
The lawyer also said that Nnamdi Kanu needed medical attention after confirming that the torture affected his heart.
“A scan of his heart showed that the heart has enlarged by 13% due to the dehumanizing treatment meted to him. There will be need for immediate proper medical examination and attention for him,” he said.
A video shared online shows the moment some Traditionalists stormed Yoruba Nation Rally in Lagos, defies police presence.
Recall that Sunday Igboho had fixed 3rd July for Oduduwa Nation Rally before his house was raided by the Nigerian security operatives causing havoc, which scared away some of his followers from attending the Mega Rally scheduled in Lagos. They tried to arrest him but he disappeared. Some of his men were killed.
The Nigerian police took over the Rally venue, vows to arrest anyone who dares to conduct Rally for Nigeria’s breakup.
In the video which surfaced online today, 3rd July, Many female Traditionalists stormed the Rally venue chanting “Oduduwa Nation” but the police couldn’t do anything.
Amotekun, the Ondo State Security Network Agency has arrested 400 cows in its ongoing “Operation Clean up” in the state.
The state Commander of the corps, Mr Adetunji Adeleye disclosed this to newsmen in Akure on Friday, July 2.
According to him, local hunters helped them arrest the cows.
He also stated that the state government’s directive to all local government chairmen to set up a vigilante system was bringing positive results.
He said, “We started from the state capital and combed all the black spots and made over 400 arrests before we headed to the local government areas and concentrated on the northern senatorial district of the state where we embarked on 24 hours patrol.
“We engaged the services of local hunters and vigilantes to join our men and patrol the forest. Substantially, we were also able to drive out the bad guys in recent times. You will find out that most of the kidnap cases you get nowadays are at the border.
“We have put out searchlight and we have mapped out security strategies to checkmate the activities of those bad people. Ose local government area has boundaries with Edo and Kogi States and it offers an easy-access way out. But we are checking them,” he added.
A female California corrections officer has been jailed for reportedly having sex with an inmate in full view of 11 other inmates.
Tina Gonzalez, 26, who worked as a Fresno County corrections officer since 2016 was arrested in May 2020 following an investigation into her conduct. The Sheriff’s Office was reportedly given a tip-off that an inmate had been having sex with a correctional officer and that she had smuggled in a phone.
The investigation also revealed that alongside the phone, Gonzalez had smuggled in razors, which could have been used as weapons.
It was also revealed that she cut a hole in her uniform pants to make it easier to have sex in Fresno County Jail, according to The Fresno Bee.
Her former boss, Assistant Sheriff Steve McComas, told the court that he had witnessed many “pretty disgusting things” during his 26-years on the job but nothing as shocking as hearing of Gonzalez’s sex session in full view of other inmates.
“That is something only a depraved mind can come up with,” McComas told the court, according to the local paper.
“She took an oath which she betrayed and in doing so endangered her coworkers’ lives,” McComas said.
“But she has shown no remorse. She continually calls and has sexually explicit conversations with the inmate in question and boasts about the crimes she carried out,” he told the court, according to the Bee.
Gonzalez pleaded no contest in April to sexual activity by a detention facility employee with a consenting inmate, as well as possessing drugs or alcohol, and a cell phone to give to an inmate, the outlet said.
Her former boss called for her to get the maximum sentence of three years and eight months in prison. But Judge Michael Idiart refused, noting that her early plea and lack of criminal history and instead sentenced her to seven months in the county jail followed by two years of probation.
“I think what you did was terrible, stupid and you have ruined your career,” Idiart told Gonzalez.
“But I also believe that people can redeem themselves and you have the rest of your life to do that. Good luck,” the judge told her.
The US government under Joe Biden has ordered a halt on federal executions that were resumed in 2020 under the Trump administration after a 17-year hiatus.
The Trump administration carried out 13 federal executions during the former president’s final months in office, before the Trump the last execution occured 17 years ago during the Bush Administration.
However President Joe Biden, who appointed Merrick Garland, the US government’s attorney general, has paused the executions while Garland also ordered a review of the rules around the death penalty
Garland also ordered officials to review the drugs administered during lethal injection amid reports that prisoners may have experienced severe pain while dying.
In issuing the moratorium, Attorney General Garland cited the disproportionate number of racial minorities who are sentenced to capital punishment.
“The Department of Justice must ensure that everyone in the federal criminal justice system is not only afforded the rights guaranteed by the constitution and laws of the United States, but is also treated fairly and humanely,” Mr Garland said.
“That obligation has special force in capital cases.”
There are about 50 people currently on federal death row, according to the non-partisan Death Penalty Information Center.
Executions had been ordered to resume in 2020 by Trump’s Attorney General William Barr, who argued that the federal government owed “the victims and their families to carry forward the sentence imposed by our justice system”.
The majority of US executions are administered by states, where some 2,500 prisoners are on death row. Texas leads the country with 570 executions since 1976.
The German government has recommended the use of two covid-19 vaccine shots saying it greatly increases the immunity of people against the disease
The statement by the German government appears to be the strongest recommendation given by any country or body over the mixing of Covid-19 vaccines on efficacy grounds.
The German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) said that people who receive a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine “should get an mRNA vaccine as their second dose, regardless of their age.”
Germany is now officially the first country to strongly recommend that people who have received a first dose of AstraZeneca receive either a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine as their second dose.
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel helped pave the way for mixed vaccine use when she received the Moderna shot in June as her second dose following a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
STIKO said that “current study results” show that the immune response generated after a mixed dose vaccination “is clearly superior.”
The mRNA vaccines currently approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) are Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
The EMA said in a press briefing on Thursday that although they are not “not in a position to make any definitive recommendation on the use of different Covid-19 vaccines for the two doses” there is a “strong scientific rationale” behind the approach
A study carried out by researchers at the University of Oxford and published June 28 found that “alternating doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines generate robust immune responses against COVID-19.”
According to a University of Oxford press release, the paper found that “both ‘mixed’ schedules (Pfizer-BioNTech followed by Oxford-AstraZeneca, and Oxford-AstraZeneca followed by Pfizer-BioNTech) induced high concentrations of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG protein when doses were administered four weeks apart.”
Marco Cavaleri, head of Biological Health Threats and Vaccines Strategy for the EMA said the EMA would continue to review the data as it becomes available.
Cavaleri stared that although the EMA makes recommendations “based on all the available evidence on the benefits and risk of a specific vaccine,” the responsibility for how the vaccination should be administered falls to “the expert bodies guiding the vaccination campaigns in each member state.”
Germany’s updated covid-19 guidance comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that Europe could face a new wave in August due to the relaxation of restrictions and low vaccination coverage.
Abhimanyu Mishra has become the youngest grandmaster in the history of chess at just 12 years old.
Mishra, who is from New Jersey, US, broke Sergey Karjakin’s record of 12 years and seven months in Budapest, Hungary on Wednesday, June 30 at the age of 12 years, four months and 25 days old.
To become a grandmaster in chess, a player must achieve three grandmaster norms – an award given for a high level of performance in a chess tournament — as well as achieving an 2500 Elo rating given out by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), the rankings that govern international chess competition.
At the tournament, Mishra defeated grandmaster Leon Mendonca in the thrilling ninth round to earn his third and final norm having earned his first two over the previous two months.
He had already topped the required 2500 Elo rating mark in June.
The record he has achieved has stood for 19 years 66 days before he broke it.
Posting a message on Twitter, he wrote “Finally checkmated the biggest opponent (ongoing pandemic) which stopped me for 14 months. Thanks everybody for all your love and support. Looking forward for World cup.”
When he was just seven, Mishra became the United States Chess Federation’s youngest Expert.
He became the youngest National Master when he was nine, and then at 10 years, nine months and 20 days old, he became the youngest ever International Master.
Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo popular known as Sunday Igboho has explained how his Ibadan residence was attacked by men he claimed to be military personnel in the early hours of today July 1.
In an interview with BBC Yoruba, Igboho said
“I just heard plenty bullet in my compound and gunshot in front of my house. They were shouting Sunday Igboho come out, we are DSS, we are soldiers, come out!
So I peeped through the window, and I saw them in DSS uniform and soldiers so I was surprised because I didn’t kill anyone nor fight with anybody, what I’m doing is to fight for me people.
All the rally I’m doing is a peaceful rally, so I’m fighting for my family too because all the bandits killed my family, raped them kidnapped them and take ransom from them.
Government refused to do the right thing, that’s why I came out to support my family to fight for our right. So I was surprised.
Yes, I was in the house when they came. They killed about two guys. The shooting was too much. They destroyed all my properties, all my vehicles.”he said
Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) has alleged that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the group, was arrested by the Kenyan Government before he was handed over to the Department of State Services.
Kanu, who is being prosecuted on charges of treasonable felony, was rearrested after jumping bail and repatriated to Nigeria last Sunday, June 27.
Kenya has denied involvement in Kanu’s arrest after receiving threats from IPOB.
The Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Wilfred Machage, denied his country was involved in Kanu’s and admonished Nigerians to ask the Federal Government how the IPOB leader was apprehended. Read HERE
On Friday night, July 2, Kanu’s lawyer, Ejiofor took to social media to refute the Ambassador’s claim after he was allowed to visit Kanu in Prison.
He wrote, “My client, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was actually abducted by the accursed Kenya’s Special Police Force on the 18th of June 2021 at their International Airport, and consequently taken to an undisclosed residence under dehumanising conditions.
“He was tortured and subjected to all forms of inhuman treatment which worsened his health condition. He was illegally detained for eight good days in Kenya before being transferred to their Nigerian counterpart.
“He was purportedly investigated on a bogus charge while in their custody, ostensibly awaiting to be handed over after their findings proved him innocent of all the spurious allegations. They later beckoned on their Nigerian counterpart to take over.
“The Kenya government was deeply involved in the abduction, detention and ill-treatment of my client before the illegal handover to their Nigerian counterpart.”
Ejiofor also alleged that the health condition of the IPOB leader was deteriorating as a result of how he was handled by the Kenyan government.
He added, “A scan of his heart showed that the heart has enlarged by 13 per cent due to the dehumanising treatment meted out to him. There will be a need for immediate proper medical examination and attention for him.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu conveyed his goodwill message to all IPOB family members worldwide, and craved your unrelentless prayers. We are going back to the court for the needful. Other details cannot be entertained here. His fortified legal team will address these infractions at the proper forum as we progress. Other details on our legal strategy may not be made public.
“With Chukwuokike Abiama on our side, victory is assured. For if God Almighty be for us, who can be against us? ”
Security agents deployed to Ojota, venue of the Yoruba Nation rally in Lagos state have dispersed the protesters with teargas and arrested a few of them.
The protesters gathered at the venue despite the directive of the state police command against their planned protest.
Security operatives including men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and their vans were deployed to the venue of the protest in the early hours of today to prevent them from protesting. However, they defied the directive and converged.
Those arrested were held in a waiting Black Maria. The police also cordoned off the strategic points where the protesters had gathered.
The state Commissioner of police, Hakeem Odumosu, who addressed journalists during the week, said the state cannot afford to experience the violence that occurred when the October 2020 #EndSARS protest was hijacked by some hoodlums.
Meanwhile, normalcy has been restored to the venue of the protest.
A 38-year-old Nigerian man has been arrested with 7,000 ecstasy pills in Bang Khun Khunthian district of Bangkok, Thailand.
Paschal Nwaenyi was arrested in front of a building at the Eua-arthon 2 housing estate in the Tha Kham area of Bang Khunthian on Thursday night, July 1, said Pol Col Piyarat Suparat, chief of the Patrol and Special Operations Division, also known as the 191 Police.
Seized from the suspect were 7,140 ecstasy pills, two mobile phones and a Totoya Altis car. He allegedly sold the drugs in nightclubs.
The arrest was made after police received information that members of a major foreign drug gang in Bang Khunthian had rented a house in Tha Kham to store illicit drugs to be sold to patrons of nightspots on Rama II Road, said Pol Col Piyarat.
Officers who searched the man’s room on the second floor of of a building at the housing estate found the drugs in plastic bags stuffed into camera boxes.
The suspect denied any involvement in the drug trade. But a police investigation found that the gang had bought drugs from a trafficker and sold them to visitors at nightspots in the surrounding area.
Mr Nwaenyi was handed over to narcotics suppression police for legal action.
The Methodist Church Nigeria (MCN) today July 2 announced it had severed all ties with its British counterpart over the latter’s approval of same-sex marriage.
The church’s decision was disclosed in a statement released by its Director, Media and Public Relations, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, in Lagos. Daramola said that the Church expressed its displeasure over the decision of the British Church in favor of same-sex marriage.
According to him, the position of MCN was made known by its Prelate, His Eminence Chukwumerije Kanu-Uche, in a message he shared with members of the church today. He said Kanu-Uche announced that MCN was cutting formal ties with the British Methodist Church (BMC) due to the latter’s decision to vote in favour of same sex marriage at the just-concluded conference.
He said that what the British Methodist Conference had done was predicted by John Wesley that, “a time will come when the Methodist Church will exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion and denying the power thereof unless they continue with the spiritual fervency with which they first started.” The prelate reminded the members that the British Methodist Church was no longer the mother Church of MCN.
“She is only a sister Church. MCN gained autonomy in 1962 and became autocephalous in 1963. So, we can part ways with the British Conference and have nothing to lose. I only pity those romancing with them because of pecuniary interest.
Suggestion to write or visit the British Methodist Conference is an insult on Methodist church.’
As a remedial measure let every Bishop, and Archbishop tell our members that MCN does not support gay or same-sex marriage,’’ Kanu-Uche said
Malaysian Police have arrested six Nigerian men and a Malaysian woman believed to be members of a syndicate involved in love scams.
The suspects aged between 33 and 42, were arrested during two raids around Kajang in Kuala Lumpur.
Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Comm Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din, said the syndicate was also linked to at least eight love scam cases, involving losses estimated at RM3.7 million.
“The investigation also found that the syndicate members entered the country using student and social visa. When their visas expired, they continued to live here illegally to continue with their fraud activities.” he said in a statement on Sunday, June 27.
“We also seized eight laptops, 17 mobile phones, three thumb drives, two modems, two routers, two ATM cards, two Nigerian passports and as an assortment of documents,” he said.
Comm Mohd Kamarudin said the syndicate operated in two separate groups, with one creating fake accounts on social media while the other looked for mule accounts.
“The syndicate then worked with locals, who would pose as Customs officers or employees of courier companies, to dupe their victims.”
Kamarudin advised the public to always be wary of requests for friendship or love on social media, especially those who promised gifts.
“We urge the public to exercise caution when befriending people online, especially those who promise gifts as a sign of affection. The public must also not panic or be gullible when receiving calls or messages from anyone claiming to be from courier companies or Customs asking for payment in order to release a parcel,” he said.
The Kenya government has denied claims of being involved in the arrest and extradition of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, saying “it does not want to be dragged into Nigeria’s internal affairs.”
Kenya High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Wilfred Machage, said this at a media briefing in Abuja today, July 2.
According to Machage, the allegation was “concocted” to pitch Nigerians in the south-east against the Kenyan people.
“I want to address the allegation by denying that Kenya was involved in the alleged arrest in Kenya and extradition to Nigeria of Mr Kanu. The allegation is fictional, imaginary and deliberately concocted to fuel antagonistic feeling amongst the southern section of the Nigerian people against the Kenya people.
Indeed many countries have been accused — Rwanda, Czech Republic, Britain, Ethiopia — and God knows which other countries.
I want to challenge anyone with facts relating to this alleged arrest in Kenya to present this fact. This will include how and who was particularly involved in the alleged arrest.
Nigeria is a sovereign country. It’s your country. Instead of facing the Kenyan high commission in Nigeria to ask some of these questions, you should face your government. The government of Nigeria knows how they arrested him. They have the answers, not me.”he said
Recall that days after Kanu was paraded in Abuja, his younger brother alleged that he was arrested and extradited from Kenya.
Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has reacted to the claims made by the Department of State Services (DSS) that he had an armoury stored in his Ibadan residence that was raided on Thursday, July 1.
The spokesperson for the service, Peter Afunnaya, while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Thursday evening, confirmed that the agency carried out the raid on Igboho’s Ibadan residence in the early hours of Thursday, July 1. He said the service got intelligence that Ighoho had stockpiled arms in his house. Paraded before newsmen included Seven (7) AK-47 assault rifles, Three (3) Pump Action guns, Thirty (30) fully charged AK-47 magazines, Five Thousand (5,000) rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, Five (5) Cutlasses, amongst others. The agency also declared Igboho wanted. Read here.
In a statement released this evening by his media aide, Olayomi Koiki, he said the DSS had no right to declare him wanted as there was no prior invitation sent to him by the agency neither was any search warrant used by the officers who invaded his home. He also denied claims that the arms found in his residence were his. According to him, he protects himself with charms.
The statement reads
”The invasion of my home by Nigerian security operatives and the Department of State Security’s (DSS) announcement that I am wanted has made it essential for me to set the records straight for Nigerians and the international community.
Nigerian security operatives invaded my residence in the early hours of Wednesday, 1 July, 2021. The invasion was done without a search warrant. I was not invited for questioning/investigation at any government facility before the invasion. The operatives that stormed my residence destroyed my properties, killed persons and stole valuables and money. Pictures and videos of their atrocities have been widely reported in the media.
Nigerians and the world at large are aware of my resistance to the incessant killings, raping and kidnapping of my people in Southwest Nigeria by armed Fulani herdsmen. The failure of President Muhammadu Buhari and his government to curb the criminal activities of the murderous herdsmen necessitated my intervention. I ordinarily would not have intervened if government had lived up to its responsibility of securing the Southwest and Nigeria at large from the criminal activities of the President’s ethnic men.
Of public knowledge, my intervention has not let to any loss of live or bloodshed. My means of curbing criminality is to the chase the criminal Fulani herdsmen out of their hideouts in company of the people of the affected communities. It is because of the foreseen government persecution that videos of such interventions were transmitted live on social media. Nigerians, the security operatives, and the presidency are aware that I have never moved against the peaceful Fulani’s and other tribes living peacefully in the Southwest. My unjust persecution — for defending my people and community — is therefore surprising and unwarranted.
After several unsuccessful attempts to link me to any crime, the Buhari regime desperately opt to forcefully silence me, so that the criminal herdsmen, who enjoys government’s sympathy, protection and immunity, can easily outrun the Southwest. The presidency’s serial antics and desperation to acquire people’s ancestral lands across Nigeria for foreign Fulani herdsmen because they share ethnicity and occupation with the President is well known to Nigerians and the international community. I am being seen as a threat to the Fulanization agenda in the Southwest, hence the desperation to soil my name.
Nigerians and the international community should please be aware that the security operatives that invaded my home either planted the ammunitions being paraded in the media in my home or harvest them from their armoury to frame me. The arms paraded are not mine, they are government magic. I protect myself with traditional powers, not with guns.
Federal government framed me up and the sequence of events brings the truth bare. Why would the security agents invade my home at night and destroy my surveillance cameras before carrying out their operation if not that they had an ulterior motive? In this modern age of technological advancement, why did the security operatives not put on body cameras to record their activities from the point of entry to their time of exit? Their action is a testament that the Buhari regime is incurable of using desperate approach to silence peaceful social interventions.
The unwarranted military invasion of Lekki, gruesome killing of peaceful EndSARS protesters, and evacuation of their bodies on 20 October 2020 is still fresh in the mind of Nigerians. A similar approach was adopted during the invasion of my home. The security operatives killed scores and took away their bodies. Buhari’s regime would have declared that ‘unknown gunmen’ invaded my home if they had succeeded in killing me. Nigerians and the international community should beware that desperate efforts are being made to force those arrested to make implicating confession statement. I advise the DSS to desist from their unprofessional acts and devote such energy to eradicating insecurity.
Nigerians and the international community should please note that I am a law-abiding citizen without blemish. I advise President Buhari to, in the interest of Nigerians that voted him to power, order his henchmen to desist from using falsehood and unholy tactics to soil my name. Such energy should be devoted to taming the herdsmen and bandits freely committing heinous crimes across Nigeria with impunity because their kinsman is in power.
Yoruba people would not be demanding for a nation if government had lived up to its responsibilities. Self-determination is not a crime and all effort to silence us and acquire our ancestral land for local and foreign criminal herdsmen will fail. Many Ken Saro-Wiwa arose after Nigerian government unjustly executed the non-violent activist. Those that emerged after him confronted government and almost brought Nigeria to its knees. I am another Saro-Wiwa. Therefore, I advise President Buhari to learn from the mistake of past governments. I am not Nigeria’s problem and should not be framed up or intimidated for contributing my quota to ensure peace reigns in my region and country.”
The Comptroller Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone B, Kaduna Comptroller Albashir Hamisu psc(+) today July 2nd, handed over two suspects arrested in possession of one hundred and sixty-seven (167) parcels of substance suspected to be cannabis to the Kaduna State, Commander National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
A statement released by the Customs PRO, ASCI Ma Magaji said the suspects, one Mr. Monday Ike and Mr. Emeka Akwali, were arrested in one Honda accord vehicle with registration number AEE 132 AA by officers of Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone B along Zaria-Kaduna expressway at about 1410hrs following credible information received.
The Comptroller while handing over the suspects with the items, tasked the NDLEA to further investigate the suspects with the aim of uncovering all those behind this illicit trade and further called on the general and trading public to work with Customs to report criminal activities.
A groom with terminal cancer collapsed and died at the altar as his horrified bride walked down the aisle with their son.
Paul Wynn, 57, a father of eleven children from North Ayrshire, Scotland, collapsed at Saltcoats town hall last Friday just minutes before he was due to be wed to Alison Wynn, his partner of 21 years.
According to Mail Online, Mr. Wynn was originally diagnosed with cancer in May and was later told it had turned terminal eight days before he then decided to marry his partner Alison, 36.
The report said he was told he had six weeks and two months left to live by doctors, who told him his pancreatic cancer had spread to his liver and lungs.
On the day, which was supposed to their wedding, Wynn collapsed at the altar as Alison walked towards him with their son.
Alison described him as a ‘fantastic dad’ in a heartfelt tribute following his sudden death. She also revealed that her partner hadn’t received any treatment before his death.
Alison said: ‘If I had known we didn’t have long I would’ve tried to arrange the wedding for the beginning of the week. He never actually got any treatment.’
Alison left her home on the afternoon of Friday, June 25 feeling overwhelmed after organising a wedding at such short notice. She waited 10 minutes outside the town hall for a friend to bring her flowers after she forgot them at home.
Paul Wynn with his sons Sandy, Marcus, and Tarquin on his wedding day – before his death
After collecting them, she went upstairs where she saw the groom, who she said looked uncomfortable.
She explained: ‘By the time I had gotten my flowers and went up the stairs. Everything seemed to be okay although Paul seemed to be a bit uncomfortable by this point and his kilt had been loosened a wee bit to help him feel more comfortable.
‘He had actually been wheeled up in an office chair into the lift and taken up the stairs as he had no energy to get up to the room. He was out of breath and struggling from what I was told.’
Sandy, 20, the couple’s eldest child, walked her mother down the aisle after the guests were seated.
As Alison started her walk, she realised Mr Wynn had slumped down in the chair.
She said: ‘By the time I got to him I called his name a couple of times. He didn’t turn round, he didn’t look at me and I realised there was something wrong and I started breaking down and I started shouting his name and we knew something wasn’t right.’
First-aiders also rushed to administer CPR and use a defibrillator – but Mr Wynn couldn’t be revived.
Reacting to her partner’s death, Alison said: ‘It was hard. It’s taken me a wee while to get to where I am now and every day just seems to merge into one.
‘It feels like only yesterday that it happened. I’m having to get up and moving every day for the sake of my children but I can’t eat.
‘Paul and I lost a child in 2004 after I had a miscarriage so it give me a bit of comfort that he’s up there with our child. His mother passed away in 2020 so at least he’s with her now too.’
The couple had met in 1999, before having an on-and-off relationship. They had five kids together, Sandy, 20; Tarquin, 15, Marcus, 13, Louise, eight, and Poppy, four. Mr. Wynn also shares six other children from past relationships.
Toni Kroos has retired from international football following Germany’s exit from Euro 2020.
Kroos’ announcement comes days after England’s 2-0 victory against Germany at Wembley and he says he wanted to focus more on Real Madrid and also on his family hence his decision to retire.
Kroos confirmed his international retirement on Instagram on Friday afternoon, July 2, writing: “I’ve played for Germany 106 times. There won’t be another time.
“I would have dearly wished – and I gave everything again – that there would have been 109 internationals in the end and that this one big title, the European Championship, would have been added at the end.
“I had made the decision to quit after this tournament for a long time. It had been clear to me for a long time that I would not be available for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
“Mainly because I want to focus fully on my goals with Real Madrid for the next few years. In addition, from now on I will deliberately allow myself breaks that have not existed as a national player for eleven years.
“And moreover, as a husband and dad, I would also like to be there for my wife and three children.
“It was a great honour for me to be able to wear this jersey for such a long time. I did it with pride and passion.
“Thanks to all fans and supporters who carried and supported me with their applause and cheers. And thanks to all the critics for their extra motivation.
“At the very end I would like to say thank you very much to Jogi Low. He made me a national player and world champion. He trusted me. We have written a success story for a long time.
“It was an honour for me, doing it well – and good luck and success to Hansi Flick [Low’s successor as Germany coach].”
Juan Mata has signed a new one-year contract with Manchester United.
The Spanish midfielder, who was signed from Chelsea in 2014, has made 273 appearances for United, scoring 51 goals and registering 47 assists.
He became a free agent when his contract ran out on Wednesday. But United have confirmed that Mata has signed a new deal at the club until June 2022.
A statement read: ‘Manchester United is delighted to announce Juan Mata has agreed a one-year contract, keeping him at Old Trafford until June 2022.
Dubbed a magician on the pitch and a gentleman off it, Mata has become one of the most popular players in recent United history and he is highly respected by all of his teammates.
‘With a new one-year contract agreed and pre-season training about to start at Carrington, Juan is raring to go in what will be his ninth campaign at United. Congratulations on your new deal, El Mago.’
The 33-year-old featured only 18 times for United last season,
The announcement for the 33-year-old’s extension follows Thursday’s confirmation that the club had reached an agreement with Borussia Dortmund for the signing of England forward Jadon Sancho in a deal worth £73m.
Sancho, 21, will undergo a medical following his involvement in Euro 2020 before completing his switch to Old Trafford.
The Petroleum Industry Bill has been passed by the Senate and House of Representatives.
At the House of Representatives, the bill was passed after clauses of the bill were considered based on the recommendation of the Committee on PIB.
Chairman of the House Adhoc Committee on the PIB, Rep. Mohammed Tahir Mongunu moved for the consideration of the motion at about 1.00pm on Thursday July 1. He presented a report, saying the bill would make the oil and gas industry more transparent and competitive.
Mongunu said;
“That the House do consider the Report of the Ahoc Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill on an Act to Provide Legal, Governance, Regulatory and Fiscal Framework for the Nigerlan Petroleum Industry, the Development of Host Communities; and for Related Matters, 2021 (HB. 1061) and approve the Recommendations therein.”
Lawmakers in the lower chamber of the national assembly then voted on 319 clauses of the bill. After the bill was passed, Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila commended the lawmakers for “making Nigeria proud”.
At the senate, the bill was passed after a clause by clause consideration of the report of its joint committee on Petroleum (Upstream, Downstream and Gas) on PIB.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan congratulated the lawmakers and said the Ninth National Assembly has achieved one of its fundamental legislative agenda.
Angelina Jolie and The Weeknd have sparked dating rumors after they were spotted leaving the same restaurant together in LA on Thursday evening.
The American actress, 46, and Canadian singer, 31, had spent the night at celebrity hotspot Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica and were pictured leaving just moments apart, according to reports.
Angelina is currently going through a divorce battle with Brad Pitt. The 46-year-old actress filed for divorce from Brad on Sept. 19, 2016. They first met on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith in 2004, while Brad was still married to Friends star Jennifer Aniston.The pair were together for 10 years before marrying in 2014, but split just two years after tying the knot. They share six kids: Maddox Chivan, 19, Pax Thien, 17, Zahara, Shiloh, 15, Knox Léon, 12, and Vivienne 12.
Angelina Jolie is not publicly known to be friends with The Weeknd- whose real name is Abel Tesfaye. But for the outing, the actress wore a silk dress, while the singer rocked a denim jacket and jeans.
Page Six reports that the pair “dined together there for hours” and although they are both single, it’s thought they were on a business meeting.
This comes weeks after got tongues wagging when she was seen leaving ex-husband Jonny Lee Miller’s apartment after what appeared to be an intimate dinner together.
The pair were married in March 1996, but separated just 18 months later. Their divorce was made official in 1999.
Yoruba Nation Agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho’s media aide, Olayomi Koiki, says despite the Lagos state police command’s directive, he will be leading the Yoruba Nation rally earlier scheduled to hold in the state tomorrow Saturday, July 3.
In a live broadcast this morning, Koiki explained that the rally will go as planned at Ojota, adding that Igboho will be back stronger.
“I can still confirm officially that the Lagos rally in as much as whatever news or rumours you’ve been listening to from different outlets, will go as planned
The 3rd of July Mega rally will go as planned. All arrangements for the rally has been planned and nothing has changed.
I have spoken to the organisers, nothing has changed so far. 3rd of July from exactly 9:00am in the morning. The whole arrangement and planning is going on.”
I’ve spoken with the general Secretary of Ilana Omo Odua, George Akinola and also in the early hours before noon, I spoke with Banji Akintoye and he is working tirelessly for the release of those taken away.
The rally in Lagos is going to be a peaceful rally, it is going to be a mega rally, do not be disturbed about what happened. So many development took place at Igboho’s house.
We might get a form of video from Igboho about the Lagos rally, which might be released, we’ll be deciding that in the next 24 hours.”
He (Igboho) asked me to tell you all, not to be weighed down about what happened, he is standing with the Yoruba Nation agenda” he said
Former Nigeria captain, John Obi Mikel has left Stoke City to join Al Kuwait SC in Asia on a year’s deal.
The announcement was made by the club on Thursday July 1, after the former Chelsea and Stoke City midfielder terminated his contract by mutual consent.
The Brigadiers disclosed that Mikel penned a one-year contract that will keep him at the club for the 2021-22 season.
Mikel’s signing comes as reinforcement for Al Kuwait, who finished third in the League last season behind Al-Qadsia and leaders Al-Arabi.
After leaving Chelsea, where he won several trophies including the Uefa Champions League, Uefa Europa League, the Premier League, FA Cup, and League Cup, he played for, Tianjin Teda in the Chinese Super League, Trabzonspor, and Middlesbrough. He later joined Stoke City.
Stoke boss Michael O’Neill told the club’s official website: ‘Although John triggered the second year of his contract, we always had an agreement in place whereby we would let him leave if a significant overseas opportunity came along.
‘John is a fantastic professional and was a huge presence for us last season both on and off the field, particularly with the young players in our first-team squad.
‘I really enjoyed working with him and would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his contribution and wish him every success for the future.’
Sergio Ramos has reportedly accepted a two-year contract offer from Paris Saint-Germain after rejecting two offers from Premier League clubs.
The 35-year-old Spanish defender became a free agent after leaving Real Madrid last month when the Spanish club refused to give in to his contract demands.
According to RMC Sport, Ramos looks to be set to join Mauricio Pochettino’s side. The French outlet report that the centre back’s brother has been in Paris to finalise a deal.
The report claims that Ramos rejected offers from two English clubs in favour of joining PSG, despite being offered a considerably higher wage by one of the teams.
The defender is expected to complete the move subject to a medical, which will take place in a couple of days.
PSG will have no issues paying the Spaniard’s hefty wages and will value his experience, especially in the Champions League.
Ramos spent 16 years at the Bernabeu, where he notched 101 goals in 671 appearances, winning four Champions League and five La Liga titles.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has declared Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, wanted.
The spokesperson for the service, Peter Afunnaya, while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, July 1, confirmed that the agency carried out the raid on Igboho’s Ibadan residence in the early hours of Thursday, July 1. He said the service got intelligence that Ighoho had stockpiled arms in his house.
According to Afunnaya, DSS operatives came under heavy attack by nine men suspected to be his guards with six of them armed with AK- 47 and pump-action rifles. Afunnaya said during the exchange of gunfire, two of Igboho’s men were gunned down while the rest were subdued and arrested.
He added that one of the operatives sustained gunshot injuries during the encounter.
He mentioned that items recovered during the operation include seven AK-47 assault rifles, 3 Pump Action Guns, 30 fully charged AK-47 magazines, 5, 000 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 5 cutlasses, and 1 Jackknife.
”In the early hours (about 0134 hours) of today, 1st July, 2021, a joint team of security operatives raided the residence of Sunday Adeniyi Adeyemo a.k.a. SUNDAY IGBOHO at Soka, Ibadan, Oyo State. This was based on intelligence that he had stockpiled arms in the place. On approach to the residence, the team came under heavy gun attack by nine (9) men, suspected to be IGBOHO’s guards. Six (6) of them were armed with an AK-47 gun and Three (3) others, with Pump-Action riffles.
In the course of the exchange, two (2) of IGBOHO’s armed men were gunned down while the rest were subdued and arrested. Only one operative who was shot by the assailants on his right hand sustained injury. He has however received medical attention and is very stable.
Afterwards, the team procedurally searched the house and subsequently recovered the following among others:
i. Seven (7) AK-47 assault rifles; ii. Three (3) Pump Action guns; iii. Thirty (30) fully charged AK-47 magazines; iv. Five Thousand (5,000) rounds of 7.62mm ammunition; v. Five (5) Cutlasses, One (1) Jackknife, One (1) Pen Knife vi. Two (2) Pistol holsters; vii. One (1) binoculars viii. A wallet containing Five (5) US Dollars in one (1) Dollar denomination; local and international driver’s licences in his name, ATM Cards, a German residence permit No. YO2N6K1NY bearing his name; ix. Two (2) whistles; x. Fifty (5) Cartridges; xi. Eighteen (18) Walkie-Talkies; xii. Three Voodoo charm jackets/traditional body armour; xiii. Two (2) Laptops (One (1) Toshiba and One (1) Compaq); and xiv. His International Passport and those of many others (as displayed here). Further exploitation and forensic analysis are ongoing.
Aside the items recovered from the building, about thirteen (13) suspects including twelve (12) males and one (1) female were arrested and brought to Abuja. While one suspect is being profiled, the other twelve (12) paraded here are:
i. Abdulateef OFEYAGBE ii. Amoda BABATUNDE aka Lady K (female) iii. Tajudeen ERINOYEN iv. Diakola ADEMOLA v. Abideen SHITTU vi. Jamiu NOAH vii. Ayobami DONALD viii. Adelabe USMAN ix. Oluwafelumi KUNLE x. Raji KAZEEM xi. Taiwo OPEYEMI and xii. Bamidele SUNDAY.
Highlights of this brief are to inform Nigerians and the world that Sunday Igboho and his group, in the guise of a campaign for self-determination, have become well-armed and determined to undermine public order.
The arrest and seizures are no doubt confirmation of a grand plan by Igboho and cohorts to wage a violent insurrection against the Nigerian state.
Alert foreign missions and licensing authorities within and outside Nigeria about this development and the possibility that Igboho could declare some of his personal permit and identity cards missing in order to seek their replacement.
Apprise stakeholders that the Five (5) AK-47 assault rifles recovered from the building are suspected to be those collected by IGBOHO’s men from Nigerian Customs and Immigration personnel at Idi Iroko, Ogun State
The gun duel which lasted for an hour offered IGBOHO the chance to escape. Sunday ADEYEMO a.k.a Sunday IGBOHO is now on the run. IGBOHO may run as far as he can. He may hide as long as he wants.
He might have attacked security operatives as his strength carried him. But this will be the end of his shenanigans. Soon, he will not have a hiding place. His strength will sure fail him. And the law will catch up with him. The law may be slow. But it will be steady.
Consequently, ADEYEMO/IGBOHO is advised to turn himself into the nearest security agency. Those cheering and eulogising him may appeal to or advise him to do the needful. He should surrender himself to the appropriate authorities. He or anyone can never be above the law. Meanwhile, those arrested will be charged accordingly”he said
The Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex have united to unveil a statue of Diana, Princess of Wales, more than 20 years after her death.
William and Harry came together for a ceremony in Kensington Palace’s redesigned Sunken Garden on Thursday, July 1, on what would have been their mother’s 60th birthday.
It was their first appearance together since the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April.
United in grief for their mother, who was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997, the brothers unveiled the figure of Diana, which showed her surrounded by three children who represent “the universality and generational impact of the princess’ work,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.
“The statue aims to reflect the warmth, elegance and energy of Diana,” it added.
Beneath the statue is a plinth engraved with her name and the date of the unveiling and a paving stone with lines of poetry.
Harry, Duke of Sussex, and William, Duke of Cambridge, were joined at the unveiling on Thursday by Diana’s siblings, Earl Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and Lady Jane Fellowes, along with other close family members. The statue’s sculptor and the garden’s designer were also in attendance.
“Today, on what would have been our mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength, and character — qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better,” William and Harry said in a joint statement.
“Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy.”
Diana lived at Kensington Palace during and after her marriage to Prince Charles and raised William and Harry there. It is now home to William’s family.
Recently rearrested leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has written to the British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Catriona Laing, asking that the British authorities file a Diplomatic note with Nigeria’s Federal High Court indicating Britain’s sovereign interest in his trial as a British citizen.
Recall that the leader of the separatist group was arrested last Sunday and re-arraigned before an Abuja court on Tuesday, June 29.
In his letter titled, “Re: Urgent Request for Consular Assistance to OKWU-KANU, Nwannekaenyi Nnamdi Kenny (a British Citizen)”, and written by his legal counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu said the British authorities must declare that he is not a criminal but “a person who possesses a political opinion which the Nigerian authorities are seeking to suppress using punishment of some sort.”
The letter in part reads
“We are solicitors to the above-named British citizen, on whose behalf and Instruction we write this letter to request urgent Consular assistance to him. Mr. Okwu-Kanu (aka Nnamdi Kanu) is the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Director of Radio Biafra, both of which are corporate citizens of the United Kingdom.
Mr. Kanu resides in the United Kingdom, from which soil he departed on an overseas trip on or about June 19, 2021, on a British Passport No: 556543086 (copy of biographic page attached herewith).
We are reliably informed that while he was on said overseas travel, he was intercepted in Kenya by Nigeria’s foreign security agents and brought to Nigeria against his will on or about June 27, 2021, and ‘arraigned’ before the Federal High Court in Abuja without the benefit of Counsel on June 29, 2031. Currently, he is being detained in the Directorate of State Security Services (DSS) custody in Abuja.
Your Excellency, permit us to point to a few legal, political and diplomatic issues that have been implicated in this matter. They are;
Mr Kanu is a British citizen travelling on a valid British passport when he was seized in a third country and forcibly brought to Nigeria. Such an act constitutes an unlawful rendition of a bonafide British citizen.
He was not travelling on Nigerian passport or the passport of any other country, including that of Kenya. There is no extant Order of extradition by any British Court or any other foreign Court (including Kenya) and we are informed that no pending extradition proceedings are standing against him in Britain or Kenya.
There is no deportation Order by any Kenyan Court or other authority that made him subject to deportation. But if there was, the country of his deportation should have been Britain on which passport he was travelling. Deporting him to Nigeria just because he was born in Nigeria, but not travelling on her passport, is unlawful under international law.
The enterprise upon which Mr Kanu is engaged, which is: seeking the restoration of the defunct State of Biafra through a referendum is a protected political opinion (i.e. self-determination) under British and Nigerian Laws, where it is enacted at CAP A9, Article 20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
In our view, the manner of his interception and forcible deportation to Nigeria is extra-legal and does not comport with the pertinent international laws and treaties to which Nigeria is subject.
Based on the foregoing, we hereby make the following Prayers; That Mr Kanu be granted every possible Consular assistance to which he is entitled as a British citizen; that Mr Kanu be categorized as a high profile political prisoner or a prisoner of conscience and be thus rendered the highest diplomatic protection under municipal and international laws.
That the Nigerian authorities be prevailed upon to immediately allow access to Mr Kanu by his Lawyers, Doctors and Family members.
That the Nigerian authorities be prevailed upon to immediately avail Mr Kanu the opportunity of being taken to any hospital of his choice for medical examination.
That the British authorities file a Diplomatic Note or other legal processes with Nigeria’s Federal High Court and the Office of the Attorney General of Nigeria indicating her sovereign interest in Mr Kanu’s matter.
That the British authorities declare that Mr Kanu is not a criminal but a person who possesses a political opinion the Nigerian authorities seek to suppress using punishment of some sort.
That the British authorities urgently demand the unconditional release of Mr Kanu from detention. While we await your urgent and most favourable considerations of our Prayers, please be assured of our highest esteem for Your Excellency, the High Commission and the British Government”
Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels and her husband, Ned Nwoko threw a lavish party for their son, Munir, who clocked one-year-old on Tuesday, June 29.
Proud mom, Regina, took to Instagram to share photos from the event which was attended by their celebrities friends, and family.
In the post, the actress expressed her gratitude to those who came to celebrate with them.
She wrote: “First of all, I am LOVED and now I know that 29/June has to be one of my best days on earth….
A hearty and loving ‘Thank You’ to everyone that made it even more special. The party may be over, but I still play the events over and over in my head. I had such a great time. Thank you for making time for me & my baby moon on his special day….Thank you for sharing in one of the best days of our lives…..thank you for the abundant gifts and your immense love….Thank you for celebrating my moon… @princemunirnwoko thank you …thank you…thank you…. The gratitude in my heart is excessive and I am shorts of words. Permit me to flood your timeline with lots of pictures as I can’t get over.”
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has said that the country will lose nothing if an Igbo man becomes President of the country.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust, the lawmaker who countered claim of power being all about negotiation through compromise, described it as a psychological thing. He also pointed that the villages of those who have ruled the country are not better than that of others.
Ekweremadu said;
People have said it publicly and privately, arguments have been raised in this aspect, negotiations have taken place, compromises are being done. I have not lost faith in that happening because 2023 is still around the corner, but it’s left for people like you in the media, if you see wisdom in what we’re saying, to also proclaim it, you push for it. When people are unjustly treated, it’s unlikely for them to be interested in peace.
For a man who stays in a house, it’ll be irresponsible for him to put fire in that same house if you’re doing everything to make sure that your family is living together. What will this country lose if an Igbo man becomes president? Nothing! The best they can get is to help stabilise the country. Whatever happens will help to stabilise the country.
For the purpose of argument and statistics, those who have ruled this country as presidents, do you think their villages are better than others? It’s a psychological thing. Those who have ruled this country from the south to the north to the west, check their villages, local governments or states; are they better than the other ones? They are not! It makes no sense for somebody like me. It’s just a psychological issue. So, we’ll lose nothing by doing that.
Lionel Messi is now a free agent following the expiration of his contract with Barcelona.
The 34-year-old, who about 12 months earlier made an attempt to leave Barcelona, is no longer under contract with the Spanish giants and can now join any club if he decides to.
Messi’s contract officially expired as soon as the clock struck 12a.m on July 1 and although there were reports that he would likely re-sign with the Spanish giants, nothing concrete has been done.
There are reports that Messi and Barcelona will work towards a contract, but until there is a conclusive evidence that it is indeed in the pipeline, Messi being a free agent is bound to attract the attention of plenty clubs .
Messi was in hot form in the just concluded season, as he emerged as the leading scorer in the Spanish league with 30 goals and helped Barcelona win the Copa del Rey title.
Messi has won 35 titles in 17 seasons, helping the club win the Champions League four times, the Spanish league 10 times, the Copa del Rey seven times and the Spanish Super Cup eight times.
Messi has a record six Ballon d’Or awards. He is the team’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances, and the top scorer in the Spanish league with 474 goals in 520 matches. He also is the player with most matches with the club. He was the top scorer in the Spanish league in eight seasons and the top scorer in the Champions League on six occasions.
Chinese President, Xi Jinping has warned Taiwan on it’s indepence move, warning other countries like the US to not interfere.
On Thursday, July 1, Xi Jinping marked his Communist Party’s 100th anniversary from Tiananmen Square and struck a bellicose tone, reconfirming China’s ‘historic mission’ to control Taiwan .
Xi said ; “No foreign forces will ever coerce and enslave us.”
“Whoever attempts to do that, will surely break their heads on the steel Great Wall built with the blood and flesh of 1.4 billion of Chinese people,” he said.
Xi did not mention any country by name, but the message was clearly intended for the U.S.
Xi called China’s commitment to unify itself with Taiwan “unshakable” and said promised “resolute action to utterly defeat any attempt toward ‘Taiwan independence.’”
The crowd jubilated as Xi made his comments.
US President Biden has made it clear that China is the biggest challenge for the U.S.
In February, he announced the formation of a Defense Department China Task Force to assess the future challenge from China and earlier this month, G7 member states agreed to an initiative aimed at challenging China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Taiwan and China separated amid civil war in 1949 and China says it is determined to bring the island under its control by force if necessary. The U.S. switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but is legally required to ensure Taiwan can defend itself.
The self-governing democratic island enjoys strong bipartisan support in Washington.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has given an insight into how the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, was arrested last Sunday, June 27.
Kanu was on Tuesday, June 29 paraded before newsmen. There have been speculations as to where he was extradited from. While his brother claimed he was arrested in Kenya, unconfirmed sources allege he was picked up from the UK.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja today July 1, the Minister said some countries and intelligence agencies, with which it has obligations, assisted to arrest Kanu. He however was silent on the country that offered assistance.
“Finally, there have been speculations on how this re-arrest was pulled off and in which country the hitherto fugitive leader of the proscribed IPOB was nabbed.
What we can tell you, once again, is that the re-arrest was made possible by the diligent efforts of our security and intelligence agencies, in collaboration with countries with which we have obligations. We continue to respect and honour the obligations. ”he said
The Minister said the security and intelligence agencies had been on Kanu’s trail fo two years.
”It will interest Nigerians to know that for over two years, our security and intelligence agencies were on the trail of the proscribed IPOB leader as he lived a five-star life across several countries, travelling on chartered private jets, living in luxury apartments and turning out in designing clothes and shoes.
Of course, as we all saw, he was wearing an attire made by Fendi, a luxury Italian fashion brand, when he was arrested.
As you are aware, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, has been rearrested and repatriated to Nigeria to resume his trial.
This was made possible through the collaboration of Nigerian security and intelligence agencies. Kanu, who is facing an 11-count charge of treason, treasonable felony, terrorism and illegal possession of firearms, among others, jumped bail in 2017 and left the country.
On Tuesday, Kanu was re-arraigned in court and ordered to be remanded in the custody of the DSS, while the case was adjourned till July 26-27, 2021.
Gentlemen, the Federal Government wishes to commend the Nigerian security and intelligence agencies, who collaborated to re-arrest the proscribed IPOB leader in one of the most classic operations of its type in the world. We commend the professionalism, diligence, patriotism and painstaking efforts of our security and intelligence agencies.
We also thank the sister international agencies that collaborated with us to pull off this arrest.”he said
The police in Ogun state have arrested a 25-year-old man, Adetoro Kazeem, a resident of No 2, Paara street Alakia area of Ibadan, for blackmail and extortion.
According to a statement released by DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, spokesperson of the state police command, the suspect was arrested following a report by one Gloria Ogunnupebi, who reported at Obalende divisional headquarters Ijebu ode that, in the month of May 2021, she received a message from a strange foreign number via a voice note on her WhatsApp that she should send the sum of two hundred thousand Naira or else her nude picture will be uploaded on social media for public consumption.
”She stated further that, to prevent the caller from exposing her to moral and public ridicule, she sent the said amount to him, with the hope that everything is over. But surprisingly, the person continued demanding for money from her every two weeks, and that he has extorted her up to the tune of seven million, three hundred and sixty three thousand, nine hundred naira (#7,363,900).
She explained further that she decided to report when she got tired of the continuous extortion and started contemplating suicide.
Upon the report, the DPO Obalende Division, SP Salami Murphy, mobilized his crack detectives to go after the suspect. The detectives embarked on intelligence and technical base investigation, and they successfully traced the suspect to his hideout in Ibadan Oyo state, where he was apprehended.
On interrogation, the suspect who confessed to the commission of the crime, informed the investigators that he has many OPAY accounts with different names through which he used to receive money from his victims.”the statement in part read
Oyeyemi added that the commissioner of police Cp Edward Awolowo Ajogun, who commended the detectives for a well-done job, has ordered an in-depth investigation into the past activities of the suspect with the view to charge him to court as soon as possible.
Former US President, Donald Trump has blasted US president Joe Biden for reversing his border and Immigration policies even as the immigration surge at the southern border continues to take a turn for the worst
Trump together with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott joined a Fox News’ Town Hall on “Hannity” on Wednesday night, June 30, to reflect on his effective policies now reversed by President Biden.
“It was over,” Trump said.
“We stopped a lot of the drugs that were coming in, which is very tough to do. And they have some real criminals bringing this stuff in. They have the toughest people, these cartels. These are tough, smart people.”
Trump called the increase in human and drug trafficking “a disgrace” since his administration had it “largely stopped” for months.
He also blasted theU.S. government’s policy of catching criminals at the border and releasing them back also known as ‘catch and release’
Trump called on the federal government to step in and help the state of Texas manage the crisis at the border which Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he’s ready to take matters into his own hands.
“We in Texas have been left to our own devices to fend for ourselves, just like we’re some outpost somewhere along some territory that the federal government doesn’t care about anymore,” Abbott said.
“It’s not like it was with President Trump. He cared about Texas. He stepped up to Texas. He built the wall in Texas.”
Abbott argued that the first mistake the Biden administration made was neglecting to enforce immigration laws already passed by Congress, leading to an open border system. Since the state of Texas has declared a disaster, the governor announced that migrant arrests will be made.
“The penalties have increased for anybody trespassing, anybody who vandalizes anything, and they’re going to go to jail,” he said.
“We are working with sheriffs, men and women in the White House behind me.”
“We’re going to start arresting people, putting people behind bars, putting them in jail by giving them the red carpet treatment the Biden administration has been giving them.”
Before the town hall meeting, Trump took a trip to the Texas border and used it as an opportunity to assail Biden.
“We did a hell of a job,” Trump said
“Now we have an open, really dangerous border.”
“We have a sick country. It’s sick in elections, and it’s sick on the border.”
