A 14-year-old girl has been sentenced to seven years in a juvenile prison after she pleaded guilty to murdering an Uber Eats driver during a botched carjacking.
The teenage girl, who can not be named for legal reason, was caught on camera with another girl, aged 15, trying to steal 66-year-old Mohammad Anwar’s car in Washington DC, while he was delivering food on March 23.
The girls tried to drive away in his car while he clung to the driver-side door. The girls crashed the car, ultimately killing Anwar, a father-of-three and grandfather-of-four, in the process.
Both girls were subsequently charged with murder and the 14-year-old, who was 13 at the time of the incident, was handed the maximum possible sentence at a hearing on Tuesday, July 6.
The 15-year-old, who has since turned 16, was handed the same sentence in June and will be released at the age of 21.
Other charges lodged against the girls were dropped as part of their plea deals with prosecutors, reports Fox 5 DC.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to borrow N2.3 trillion (about $6.183 billion) to fund the deficit in the 2021 Appropriation Act, has been approved by the senate.
The approval came after a report by the Committee on Local and Foreign Debts chaired by Senator Clifford Ordia (PDP, Edo) was considered. Presenting the report, Ordia said the request is not new as it was approved in the borrowing plan when the national assembly passed the 2021 budget.
He said;
“What we are about to pass is not a new borrowing, it has been approved in the 2021 budget.”
After the loan was approved, Senate President Ahmad Lawan said the national assembly must make sure that there are no frivolous expenditures by the executive.
Lawan said;
“Let me thank the committee, this is not a new loan. This is a borrowing plan we have approved.
“What we have done is to provide the necessary resolutions for the implementation of it.
“Every cent counts. Our committees must be alive to oversee it. No frivolous expenditures should be entertained.”
The Senate also directed the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Director-General of the Debt Management Office, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to submit to the National Assembly within ten (10) working days (excluding the day of close of trading) a letter containing the United State Dollars amount so raised and received as a result of the above approval together with the applicable exchange rate.
Barcelona superstar, Antoine Griezmann has been sacked as Konami’s Yu-Gi-Oh! ambassador.
The France international was only hired for the role by the Japanese company last month, a key partner of Barcelona.
But after a video emerged of him laughing along as Ousmane Dembele appeared to mock Asian workers during a club tour of Japan in 2019, Griezmann has been dropped.
Konami also produces the Pro Evolution Soccer series, with whom Barcelona are official partners.
In a statement, Konami revealed that they would be asking the Catalan side for its observations regarding the incident.
They wrote: “Konami Digital Entertainment believes, as is the philosophy of sports, that discrimination of any kind is unacceptable.
“Previously we had announced Antoine Griezmann as our Yu-Gi-Oh! contents ambassador, however in light of recent events we have decided to cancel the contract.
“With regard to our eFootball PES franchise, we will be requesting FC Barcelona as a club partner to explain the details of this case and its future actions.”
Among Dembele’s crass comments heard in the video, he said to Griezmann in French: “All these ugly faces, just so you can play PES [Pro Evolution Soccer], aren’t you ashamed?”
Barcelona’s Japanese shirt sponsors Rakuten have also contacted the club for comment.
Since the video came to light, both players have issued grovelling apologies, insisting that their language wasn’t racially motivated.
Griezmann said: “I have always been completely against all forms of discrimination.
“For the past few days, certain people have wanted to paint me as someone that I am not.
“I firmly refute the accusations made against me.
“I’m sorry if I have offended any of my Japanese friends.”
Dembele added: “Hello all, during these last few days, a private video dating back to 2019 has been circulating on social media.
“It all took place in Japan. It could’ve taken place anywhere on the planet and I would’ve used the same expression.
“I was therefore not targeting any community.
“I just happened to use this type of expression with my friends regardless of their origins.
“This video has since been made public. I appreciate therefore that it could’ve hurt the people present in these images.
“Because of this, I would like to sincerely apologise to them.”
Two dognappers have been arrested by police after trying to steal a very expensive puppy. The women were arrested on Monday, July 5, after allegedly stealing a French bulldog puppy worth $10,000 from a Texas pet store.
According to ABC News, the incident occurred around 12:25 p.m. at Petland Woodlands in Shenandoah, about 30 miles north of Houston.
Petland Woodlands manager, Andrew Jones (Pictured above with the dog) told police how the women came into the store and asked to see the puppy. As soon as the dog, Mario, was brought out, the women grabbed the pup, fled the store, and sped off in a silver Chevy HHR car with no license plates.
The women were shortly arrested after they stopped over to put back their license plates. The Little dog known as Mario was returned to the store unharmed. Both women have now been charged to court.
“This happens more often than we would like to say,” Jones, the store’s manager, told KTRK.
“French bulldogs are very highly sought after and, as a result, it is what people are attempting to steal.”
This is not the first time in recent memory that French bulldogs have been kidnapped.
In February this year, robbers shot a dog walker working for Lady Gaga and took two of the singer’s French bulldogs in Los Angeles.
Ryan Fischer, the dog walker, has since recovered.
Five people, including the woman who returned the dogs to the LAPD, face a number of charges, including attempted murder and dog robbery.
There was a fire outbreak on Wednesday morning, July 7, at Ladipo market in Lagos State.
The cause of the fire which reportedly started around 4:20am is yet to be known.
No fewer than seven shops were affected by the fire. The affected shops contained various types of explosive items, including domestic gas for sale, vehicle air conditioners, engine oil, paints and other car accessories.
Because most of the accessories were inflammable, firefighters had a hectic time putting out the fire.
The fire, which destroyed goods worth millions, razed a one-storey building situated in the market.
The Director-General of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the report.
He said that the agency received a call in the morning about the fire.
He noted that the LASEMA team responded at the scene to put out the fire.
The statement read, “The agency received distress calls on around 6:00 a.m. and activated its response plan. On arrival, the LRT discovered a storey building engulfed in flames.
“The cause of the fire could not be ascertained as at the time of writing this report, and no casualties have been recorded.”
A bank in the area evacuated cash from its vault on Wednesday following the fire outbreak.
A court in France has found eleven people guilty of sending abusive messages to a French teenager who posted videos criticizing Islam online.
After Mila (aged 16 then) was called a “dirty lesbian” by a Muslim blogger for speaking about her sexuality on Instagram she posted a clip on Instagram criticizing Islam.
She described Islam as a “religion of hate” which made her receive so many death threats.
Two opposing hashtags trended on social media: #JeSuisMila (I am Mila) and #JeNeSuisPasMila (I am not Mila) and France President Emmanuel Macron spoke out in support of the teenager, arguing that in France “we have the right to blaspheme”.
Mila, now aged 18 was forced to withdraw from school over the abuse and now lives under 24-hour police protection.
On Wednesday, July 7, 11 defendants were given suspended sentences for abusing her online and so will only serve time in prison if they are convicted for other crimes. Some will also have to pay €1,500 ($1,773; £1,287) in damages to the teenager, as well as €1,000 for her legal fees.
The judge said the tweets were part of a campaign of “harassment which had a psychological and physical impact” on Mila.
“In the street, one would refrain from insulting or threatening or insulting someone whose attitudes and words we dislike,” he added.
“The same goes for social media.”
Speaking to the media after the sentences were announced, Mila said: “I don’t ever want victims to be blamed again.”
“We have won and we’ll win again,” Mila said .
Her story has revived debate about freedom of speech and blasphemy in the country, as well as protection for schoolchildren from online bullying.
In October last year, a French schoolteacher was murdered after showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammed to a class discussing freedom of expression.
The Presidency has defended the security crackdown on popular Yoruba secessionist Sunday Igboho and the ‘interception’ of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement released by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu, the Presidency said Nnamdi Kanu who is the leader of a group known “for its murderous actions and virulent messaging was detained as a result of cross-border cooperation.”
Igboho was also accused of being a “militant ethnic secessionist, who has also been conducting acts of terror and disturbing the peace under the guise of protecting fellow kinsmen.”
The statement read;
“Last week, we saw the enhanced collaboration of the Nigerian law enforcement agencies, as they executed with great synchronisation arrests of individuals who had inflicted pain and hardships on fellow citizens.
“The subversive leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group known for its murderous actions and virulent messaging was detained as a result of cross-border cooperation.
“This international operation was executed in a closely coordinated fashion following which he was handed over to our National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and then returned to Nigeria to face the Law.
“The violence inspired by IPOB has led to hundreds of fatalities, particularly targeted at government assets and law enforcement agents.
“Additionally, there have been at last count, fifty-five (55) separate violent attacks, heavily concentrated in the Southeast, which heaped further hardship on our honest and hardworking citizens, preventing them from earning their livelihood and going about their normal lives.
“The government had long been monitoring the activities of IPOB and had strong cause to believe that their funding sources include proceeds of suspected illicit criminal activities.
“By this singular action of our security forces, sanity, calm and peace had been returned to our communities who previously lived in constant fear of these misguided elements.
“In furtherance of continued diligent work, the Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday, 1ST of July, raided the residence of a militant ethnic secessionist, who has also been conducting acts of terror and disturbing the peace under the guise of protecting fellow ‘kinsmen’.
“His seditious utterances and antics, which he is known to have publicly expressed, have overtime morphed into very hateful and vile laden speeches.
“It must be highlighted that the government respects fundamental rights of citizens to express their views and recognises this as a democratic tenet.
“However, any attempt to build an armoury, coupled with plans either subtle or expressed, to undermine our unity as a nation will not be condoned.
“Mr. President’s directives to security services regarding anyone seen to be carrying arms, particularly AK-47, are clear and require no further illumination. Assault weapons are not tools of peace loving people and as such, regardless of who they are and where they are from the security agencies should treat them all the same.
“The successes of our security agencies must be commended as they have demonstrated significant deftness, guile and secrecy in carrying out these missions. This level of professionalism must be sustained and brought to bear as we focus on extracting from our society those who have found a new trade in targeting students, rural dwellers and our citizens in the Northwest. The nation recognizes their efforts and sacrifice.”
An 11-year-old boy has obtained a bachelor’s degree in physics at the University of Antwerp.
Young graduate, Laurent Simons, from Oostende on the Flemish coast, Belgium, successfully completed a three-year course in one year, whilst also taking master’s courses on the side.
He outperformed other students by getting the highest distinction possible.
“Simons has been studying for his bachelor’s degree in physics since March 2020, and he now graduated with 85%, which is the highest distinction,” said an Antwerp University spokesperson.
“This year, he also took some courses from the master’s programme. After the summer, he will officially start his master’s degree,” the spokesperson added.
Simons, 11, said he put all other work on hold to take courses on classical mechanics and quantum physics, as he “wanted to know everything about these subjects right away.”
“Immortality, that is my goal. I want to be able to replace as many body parts as possible with mechanical parts. I have mapped out a path to get there. Quantum physics – the study of the smallest particles – is the first piece of the puzzle,” he said.
“Two things are important in such a study: acquiring knowledge and applying that knowledge. To achieve the second, I want to work with the best professors in the world, look inside their brains and find out how they think,” Simons added.
Simons studied at TU Eindhoven when he was nine years old, and would have been the youngest person ever to obtain a diploma in higher education, however, he left due to disagreements with the Dutch university before graduating.
He also previously studied at UGent where he already obtained credits, meaning he could obtain his bachelor’s degree with a shorter programme at Antwerp University.
A new law in Norway is coming into force that will make it illegal for social media influencers to post edited pictures without declaring what they’ve done.
This is part of an effort to “reduce body pressure” among young people.
The rules will affect any paid posts across all social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter and Snapchat.
Instagram influencers who do not explicitly state whether they have edited the photo, which is an advertisement, may be fined or imprisoned in Norway.
Advertisers and influencers paid by advertisers need to clearly label social media posts when retouched. The labels must be added when someone’s body shape, size or skin has been edited.
Harald V, the Norwegian monarch, decides when the law will come into force.
The Delta State Police Command has foiled a cult initiation ceremony and arrested 28 suspected cultists in Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.
Acting spokesperson of the command, DSP Bright Edafe, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, July 6, said eight robbery suspects were also arrested across the state.
Edafe said the suspected cultists were nabbed after successfully initiating Obanor Ifeanyi, Oliseh Onimichi, Moses Samuel and Olusola Ese.
“On the 3/7/2021 at about 0300hrs, State anti cult unit (SACU) detectives on a tip off of intelligence got an information that there will be a cult initiation at a bush in Ogume community forest in Ukwuani LGA of Delta State by members of the Aiye confraternity group a.k.a black axe,” he stated.
“The commander SACU detailed police operatives who stormed the bush around 0300 hours midnight, a total of twenty-eight (28) male suspects were arrested, though four suspects namely Obanor osasuyi ‘m’ 24, Oliseh Onimichi ‘m’ age 27yrs, moses samuel ‘m’ age 18yrs and Olusola Ese ‘m’ age 18yrs had already began the process of initiation, but the timely intervention of the police, the initiation process could not be completed, why the other suspects were not initiated. Items recovered two (2) locally made single barrel guns, eight vehicles, six (6) motorcycles and charms. Investigation is ongoing”
The PPRO added that on July 3, Safer Highway 018 stationed at Alifikede boundary between Edo and Delta States, while on stop and search intercepted a a Toyota Camry with Reg. No. RLU 04 MBB ash colour driven by Tochukwu Obinakana with Mohammed Maduabuchi,17.
“On interrogation, they could not give satisfactory account of themselves. They were arrested and taken to the station for further investigation where they later confessed that the said vehicle was snatched at gun point from a reverend father in Owerri and that they were. The vehicle was recovered and both suspect arrested. Investigation is ongoing.” he said.
In a similar development, the Delta state police Rapid Response Squad arrested four suspected armed robbers/cultists on 2 July, along Udu Road Warri.
“The four suspects namely Prince Onotanare ‘m’ 22yrs of Ekurude Warri, Gift Ogbeje ‘m’ 19yrs of Ekurude Warri, Lucky Egere ‘m’ 22yrs of No. 7 Old Egan road Orhowunho community, Charles Eungu ‘m’ 25yrs of opposite Ultimate Hotel Jeddo and Joshua Omatseye 22yrs of Ekurude Warri were intercepted along Otokutu bridge Udu Warri,”the statement read.
“The Operative of RRS who had reasons to suspect them, subjected them to search, upon searching them, a fabricated barretta pistol with 9mm live ammunition was recovered from the first suspect, they all confessed to be members of Aiye and JVC confraternities. Investigation is ongoing.”
Similarly, on the 04/07/2021 at about 1830hrs, Operative of ‘A’ division Quick Response team while on patrol along NPA Link road received information that three young men on a tricycle were robbing innocent citizens of their valuables.
Edafe said “The team gave the hoodlums a hot chase, on sighting the police patrol team, one of the hoodlums Godbless Joseph ‘m’ sensing danger jumped out of the moving tricycle, he was later arrested while the two others fled with the tricycle. The suspect was searched and one (1) knife, two (2) Infinix phones were recovered from him,”
The two other suspects, one Ovoke Akpovikanyen and Ismaila Mohammed were later apprehended by the Warri Area Command patrol team. The owners of the phones have identified Godbless Joseph to be the person who robbed them of their phones. Investigation is ongoing.
Emeka Anyaegbunam from Nnewi, Anambra state and his wife have welcomed a set of triplets after 12 years of marriage.
Members of the Anyaegbunam family took to Facebook to announce the goodnews as well as thank God for his blessing.
According to Emeka’s sister, Ngozi Gloria Maduabum, the children, all boys, were born on June 30, 2021.
“Here comes our wonderful, miraculous babies. ( Three boys) God of wonders, I am still thanking you on behalf of my brother and his wife. Friends and family pls help us and continue to thank this our God o, cos who doesn’t know will not understand. Receive all the Glory God” she shared on Monday, July 5.
On July 4, another sister, Chinenye Anyaegbuman Ewuzie, wrote: “There is nothing u cannot do protocol breaker, Jehovah overdo,I appreciate you for blessing my elder brother with triplets all boys,after so many years of waiting upon you,All we have to say is thank you Lord,”
On Tuesday, July 6, Emeka’s younger brother, Ugochukwu Anyaegbunam, confirmed the good news.
“OUR ALMIGHTY GOD BLESSED MY SENIOR BROTHER EMEKA ANYAEGBUNAM WITH TRIPLETS(THREE BOUNCING BABY BOYS) AFTER 12YEARS OF BEING CHILDLESS,HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST.”
President of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse has been assassinated in his private residence by a group of armed men.
The country’s interim Prime Minister, Claude Joseph said a group of unidentified individuals attacked the private resident of Moise and shot him dead. First Lady Martine Moïse is hospitalized following the attack early Wednesday, July 7.
Speaking on a local radio station, the prime minister said the attack was carried out by an “armed commando group” that included foreign elements.
Joseph said in a statement quoted in media outlets;
“Around one o’clock in the morning, during the night of Tuesday 6th to Wednesday 7th of July 2021, a group of unidentified individuals, including some speaking Spanish, attacked the private residence of the president and fatally injured the head of state.”
The Prime Minister added that “all measures are being taken to guarantee the continuity of the state and to protect the nation.”
The attack occurred amid a rising wave of politically linked violence in the impoverished Caribbean nation. The nation of more than 11 million people had grown increasingly unstable and disgruntled under Moïse’s rule.
Its economic, political and social woes have deepened, with gang violence spiking heavily in the capital of Port-au-Prince, inflation spiraling and food and fuel becoming scarcer at times in a country where 60% of the population makes less than $2 a day. These troubles come as Haiti still tries to recover from the devastating 2010 earthquake and Hurricane Matthew that struck in 2016.
53-year-old Moïse had been ruling by decree for more than two years after the country failed to hold elections, which led to Parliament being dissolved. Opposition leaders have accused him of seeking to increase his power, including approving a decree that limited the powers of a court that audits government contracts and another that created an intelligence agency that answers only to the president.
While Haiti’s opposition claims Moïse should have stepped down on 7 February to coincide with the fifth anniversary of 2015 elections that were cancelled and then re-run a year later because of allegations of fraud, Moïse and his supporters rejected that argument, saying he only took power in 2017 after winning the re-run.
Haiti was scheduled to hold general elections later this year.
The FBI has announced it is still searching for some of the most violent rioters who participated in the deadly Capitol riot six months ago when supporters of former President Donald Trump clashed with law enforcement authorities in a failed attempt to halt the certification of President Joe Biden’s election.
On Tuesday night, July 6, the FBI released 11 new videos showing suspects with some of them engaged in hand-to-hand combat with police, a milestone in what has become the largest criminal investigation in U.S. history.
Since January, at least 535 people have been arrested, including 165 who have been charged with assaulting, resisting or interfering with police who battled rioters for hours.
Among the new videos released Tuesday by the FBI, one showed an unidentified man dressed in camouflage, a protective vest and clown mask hurling a pole into the direction of officers as a crowd of rioters pressed forward. Another clip showed an office being pulled to the ground on his back while a bearded man in a black hat and flannel shirt hovered the fallen officer.
The videos were accompanied by an appeal for the public’s help in identifying the suspects.
“As we mark six months since the violence at our nation’s Capitol, we continue to encourage the public to send tips to the FBI,” said Steven D’Antuono, chief of the FBI’s Washington, D.C. Field Office. “As we have seen with dozens of cases so far, the tips matter… The public has provided tremendous assistance to this investigation, and we are asking for additional help to identify other individuals for their role in the violence at the U.S. Capitol.”
Of the 165 suspects charged in offenses involving officers, more than 50 have involved weapons-related offenses that caused injuries. Eighty-three suspects were found to have ties to extremist organizations.
During the riot, 140 officers were assaulted, including 80 from the U.S. Capitol Police and about 60 from the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
“Not even during the Civil War did insurrectionists breach our Capitol, the citadel of our democracy,” Biden said in a statement Tuesday.
“But six months ago today, insurrectionists did. They launched a violent and deadly assault on the people’s house, on the people’s representatives, and on the Capitol police sworn to protect them, as our duly elected Congress carried out the sacred ritual of our republic and certified the Electoral College vote.
“This was not dissent. It was disorder. It posed an existential crisis and a test of whether our democracy could survive -a sad reminder that there is nothing guaranteed about our democracy.”
The issues surrounding the repatriation of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) will be discussed by the United Kingdom parliament.
The UK parliament in a schedule shared on its website, said it will discuss “the circumstances surrounding the transfer of Mr Kanu to Nigeria against his will” and the alleged role of the government of Kenya in the detention and alleged mistreatment of the IPOB leader.
Lord Alton of Liverpool is expected to raise the issue at the House of Lords. It read;
“To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the alleged role of the government of Kenya in the detention and alleged mistreatment of Nigerian activist Nnamadi Kanu, (2) the circumstances surrounding the transfer of Mr Kanu to Nigeria against his will, and (3) of any assistance being provided to him by the high commission in Abuja.”
It was also revealed that the question tagged ‘HL1665’ was tabled on July 5, 2021 and will be “due for answer” by the “relevant government department” by July 19, 2021.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has condemned the abduction of some students from Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Guterres’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, disclosed this while briefing correspondents on Tuesday, July 6, at the UN headquarters in New York.
Dujarric said that Guterres condemned the kidnapping of the students.
Dujarric said: “I can tell you that the Secretary-General strongly condemns the abduction of students from the Bethel Baptist School as well as hospital employees in two separate incidents in Kaduna State on July 5.
“The Secretary-General is disturbed by the frequency of kidnapping for ransom of predominantly children from schools by extremist groups and criminal networks.”
According to Dujarric, Guterres underscores the need to bring perpetrators of the grave human rights violations to account and also enhance the safety and security of schools and educational facilities.
Recall that bandits stormed the boarding school in the early hours of Monday, July 5, and abducted students.
Father of a kidnapped student praying at the school for safe return of his child
154 students were in school at the time of the abduction. Authorities said 28 students were rescued from the bandits. 121 students are still in the bandits’ custody. No explanation has been given on the remaining five students.
Banned sprinter, Sha’Carri Richardson won’t be competing in the Tokyo Olympics at all this summer, after USA Track and Field decided not to include her in its lineup in the wake of her one-month suspension over positive test for marijuana.
The 21-year-old, who won 100m at the US Olympic trials in June, was expected to be one of the biggest stars at the upcoming Tokyo Games. But last week the USATF announced the runner would be suspended for a month after the drug test.
On Tuesday, the US track body announced the 21-year-old wouldn’t make the roster for the relay because of the drug test, ending her Olympic hopes.
“While USATF fully agrees that the merit of the World Anti-Doping Agency rules related to THC [a chemical in marijuana] should be reevaluated, it would be detrimental to the integrity of the US Olympic Team Trials for Track & Field if USATF amended its policies following competition, only weeks before the Olympic Games,” the organisation said in a statement on Tuesday.
“All USATF athletes are equally aware of and must adhere to the current anti-doping code, and our credibility as the National Governing Body would be lost if rules were only enforced under certain circumstances.”
In an interview on Friday with the Today Show, Ms Richardson said she used marijuana, which is legal in Oregon, to cope with the recent revelation during an interview that her biological mother was dead, which left her “in a state of emotional panic.”
“Right now, I’m just putting all of my energy into dealing with what I need to do to heal myself,” she said on the show last week. “If I’m allowed to receive that blessing, then I’m grateful for it. But if not, right now, I’m going to just focus on myself.”
“I want to take responsibility for my actions,” she added. “I’m not looking for an excuse.”
The first batch contingent of Team Nigeria have left for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The team members departed on Tuesday, July 6, through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The Director, Federation of Elites Athletes Department (FEAD), Simeon Ebhojiaye in a statement explained that the members include the Canoeing team; Ayomide Bello and her coach Ebenezer Ukwunna; Esther Toko and her coach Regina Enofe of Rowing event alongside Secretary-General Olubunmi Oluode.
Also in the team is the Special Adviser on Sports to the Minister, Mary Onyali; Medical crew of Dr. Samuel Ogbondeminu – Okoh Joseph, Abdulsalam Shuaibu, and Ekundayo Ogunkunle.
Earlier on Monday, an advance team of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development departed via the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
The second batch will depart on July 13th.
Nigeria will be competing in nine sports at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics which runs from July 23rd- August 8th. The Paralympians will be competing in four sports from August 24-September 5, 2021.
The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Sunday Dare at the send forth ceremony held in Abuja on Tuesday morning said the departure of the team for the Games is evidence that “working in unison, we can collectively, achieve whatever we set our minds to achieve as humans.”
He said all the athletes and officials that would feature at the Games have been severally educated on COVID-19 compliance and anti-doping instructions and urged them to adhere to the rules in order to compete safely and avoid the discomfort of COVID-19 isolation.
“In continuation of his grandiose support to the sports sector, President Muhammdu Buhari has committed enormous resources in the preparation and participation of Team Nigeria for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. As part of this effort, Mr. President would formally unveil the official Team Nigeria uniform for the Games during the presentation of the contingent to His Excellency, by the Honourable Minister,” Dare added.
The Nigeria contingent to Games is scheduled to move to Tokyo in four batches as follows:
A British Army soldier has been kicked out of the military for stealing a colleague’s bank card – to buy FIFA points for his Xbox.
The dismissed officer, Private Lewis Billam bought £216 worth of the virtual currency used in the popular football video game.
Bulford Military Court heard that the 27-year-old bought three lots of £71.99 FIFA points packs on his colleague Private Megan Martin’s card. The £71.99 packs give players 12,000 points which can be spent in the game.
The points can buy ‘FUT packs’ which allow players to build a squad of footballers or ‘FUT Draft’ which lets players pick the best fit for each position from a five-player draw, Mail Online reports.
After stealing Pvt Martin’s card at a party, Pvt Billam also purchased £16 worth of items at a local garage, the report said.
Pte Billam was found out when everyone who attended the party in March 2020 was rounded up and asked to show their Xbox account history – if they had one. When Pte Billam showed his account, it was discovered that he made three transactions, and was then found in possession of the card.
It was also discovered that Pte Billam used another colleague’s card to buy £227 worth of items in Tesco before this incident.
In August 2019, Pte Billam approached Lance Corporal Joshua Gibbon and asked to borrow his card to buy cigarettes and a drink, promising to return the card later. But instead of cigarettes and a drink, Pte Billam bought something worth £101 and another item worth £126.
The court heard that Pte Billam’s excessive consumption of alcohol had led him to have little or no money in the past.
Judge Advocate Alistair McGrigor told Pte Billam that he would be dismissed from the military as it was clear the army no longer wanted to keep him on.
He said: ‘Soldiers who steal from colleagues undermine the respect and comradeship that is the basis of service life.’
Pte Billam, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, told the court he ‘sincerely apologised’ for what he had done after previously pleading guilty to three charges of fraud.
He said: ‘The things that I did were not acceptable and I do sincerely apologise.’
As well as being kicked out of the army, Pte Billam was ordered to repay the full amount of the money he took from Pvt Martin and LCpl Gibbon and received a 12-month service community order with a 30 days rehab activity requirement.
Members of Katsina State Peoples Democratic Party Social Media Organization have started sharpening their skills in the use of locally made catapults for self-defense against armed bandits.
The exercise is tagged “Operation Catapult Shoot”.
According to the youths, the exercise is in response to Governor Aminu Ballo Masari’s directive that people of the State should defend themselves against bandits’ attacks.
Recall that Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, during the inauguration of Katsina Joint Security Operations and Communication Control Centre, said it was ridiculous that people in the state are not defending themselves against bandits’ attack.
He said, “Why should I sit in my village and be only making telephone calls without doing anything?
“Every bandit, every criminal has an address, has a location, and they are human beings like us. The only difference is that they have taken arms against us; does it mean we have nothing to take against them?”
Comrade Nuraddeen Adam Kankara Tina, the State Chairman of the Katsina State Peoples Democratic Party Social Media Organization, led other members of the social media group to launch the catapult training exercise in Katsina metropolis, in response to the State Governor’s call that residents defend themselves.
He said: “We embark on the exercise in compliance with the recent directive issued by the Katsina State government and we are determined to expand the exercise across local government areas of the state”.
A Pastor of the United Evangelical Church has been arrested by the Cross River state police command for allegedly being in possession of human skull.
45-year-old Michael Bassey was arrested following a complaint from a concerned citizen on threat to life.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Sikiru Akande said the suspect was arrested at No. 56 Uwanse by Asuquo Ekpo Street in Calabar South.
Akande said;
“The suspect was arrested with one human skull tied with the complainant’s picture and carved human image with red clothes.
“Investigation is still ongoing and the suspect will be arraigned in court.”
Bassey however denied being into any diabolical act. He told newsmen that he has been conducting healing services for his congregation members before his arrest.
The Pastor said;
“I don’t know anything about this human skull. I am innocent of the charges against me. my mother gave me Bible and garment as a young boy, then I started helping people by liberating them from various curses and enchantments,’ he said.
“I started by liberating my family who always “sacrificed” their male children for the female ones to survive, I broke that covenant and I have been liberating people in Cross River and beyond, I am not a killer, I only help people.
“I am not a herbalist, I am a prophet, I was ordained at a Church ( names withheld)at Azikiwe Street, Calabar by my spiritual father. After I liberate people, they come back and show appreciation, I am not a native doctor ” he added.
A Magistrate Court sitting in Lokoja has sentenced a student of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja to 8 years imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms and unlawful association.
Shehu Tenimu Mohammed, an ND II student of the Department of Public Administration, was nabbed with a locally fabricated revolver pistol and five rounds of live ammunition while making his way through the main entrance of the Polytechnic on Friday, April 9, 2021.
Delivering his Judgement on Tuesday, July 6, the trial judge, Justice Mohammed convicted the suspect on the three-count charge having pleaded guilty to the offences in the charge sheet, and also fined him the sum of Eight thousand Naira.
Barr. Samuel Ikutanwa, the prosecuting counsel at the hearing had demanded the charges to be read to the hearing of the accused person, who pleaded guilty to committing the offences of unlawful association, possession of firearms and a member of a cult group.
A homeless man, Moses Ewan(pictured above), 35 has confessed to killing his neighbor in Brooklyn, New York.
Police said Moses Ewan, confessed to the crime and told shelter workers Friday night, July 2, that he killed his roommate, Ronald Snoddy, 67, whose body was later found in his East New York apartment with multiple stab wounds.
A neighbor who lived near the victim at the Spring Creek Towers, said she never suspected Moses Ewan would take another man’s life.
“I spoke to him about the word of God,” said the neighbor, who said she was too afraid to share her name.
“I said you have a very powerful name. I would always encourage him. ‘Go to church. Be positive. These streets are no good.’ ”
The neighbor said she sensed something was not quite about Ewan, but was shocked to hear him confess.
“To me, he was always a sweet person,” the neighbor said. “I can’t believe I know the killer.”
Friends of the victim said Snoddy took Ewan into his home three years ago after meeting him at a local grocery store where Ewan worked, and learning about his plight.
Snoddy had reportedly lived in the Spring Creek Towers for more than 25 years, working odd jobs, including a stint as a parking lot attendant.
His neighbors say he loved to cook, and often went to the supermarket, which was where he met Ewan.
“Ronnie’s the kind of person who’s too friendly,” said neighbor Migdalia Vega.
“You meet him, you have a friend for life.”
Vega (pictured below) said she was home with her daughter Friday, and that Ewan knocked on their door after the slaying.
They heard him, but by the time someone reached the door, he was gone.
Police said Ewan later showed up at the 30th St. Men’s Shelter in Kips Bay, claiming he killed his roommate in an apartment they shared.
According to a criminal complaint, Ewan showed up at the shelter saying he couldn’t go home, and needed a place to stay because he had killed his roommate
Shelter officials also called police, who went to the 10th-floor apartment on Saturday at 4:30 a.m. where the body of Snoddy was found sprawled out on a bedroom floor with stab wounds to his head and body.
Ewan was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon.
Another neighbor revealed Snoddy had survived a stroke last year.
“He was a survivor,” she said, describing him as a “people person” with “a good heart.”
“Honestly, I was kind of scared of him,” she said. “One day I was sitting out there and I guess he felt comfortable enough to conversate.”
She said he asked her if she had a boyfriend.
“I said ‘Oh, I’m going upstairs now.’ ”
The woman said Ewan used to complain about having to sleep on the sofa.
“OK, if you’re living in someone else’s house, they’re not going to allow you to come in their bedroom,” she said. “Get you a pullout bed and put it in the living room.
The Morocco international was signed on Tuesday, July 6, for €60 million (£52m/$71m), plus €10m (£9m$12m) in add-ons.
“I feel a great sense of pride today,” Hakimi told PSG’s official website.
“After Spain, Germany and Italy, Paris Saint-Germain offers me the chance to discover a new championship with one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.
“I can’t wait to meet my new team-mates, the fans and experience the incredible colour and passion inside the Parc des Princes.
“I share the same big ambitions as the coaching staff and my teammates and will do everything I can to deliver what is expected of me.”
Inter Milan’s CEO Giuseppe Marotta explained that the club’s dire financial situation meant they had no choice than to sell him.
He told Sky Italia: “Obviously, this is a painful moment for us, but I am an administrator who must guarantee the economic sustainability of the club during a difficult time for the world of football in general.
“Once the Hakimi operation is concluded, it will allow us to have a bit of breathing room and we really hope that we will no longer need to sell any other big players, as we want to maintain most of the squad that won the Scudetto.”
Hakimi made 37 appearances in all competitions for Inter during his one season at the club, helping them win the Serie A title.
Paris Saint-Germain football club of France have completed the signing of full-back Achraf Hakimi from Inter Milan.
The Morocco international was signed on Tuesday, July 6, for €60 million (£52m/$71m), plus €10m (£9m$12m) in add-ons.
“I feel a great sense of pride today,” Hakimi told PSG’s official website.
“After Spain, Germany and Italy, Paris Saint-Germain offers me the chance to discover a new championship with one of the most prestigious clubs in the world.
“I can’t wait to meet my new team-mates, the fans and experience the incredible colour and passion inside the Parc des Princes.
“I share the same big ambitions as the coaching staff and my teammates and will do everything I can to deliver what is expected of me.”
Inter Milan’s CEO Giuseppe Marotta explained that the club’s dire financial situation meant they had no choice than to sell him.
He told Sky Italia: “Obviously, this is a painful moment for us, but I am an administrator who must guarantee the economic sustainability of the club during a difficult time for the world of football in general.
“Once the Hakimi operation is concluded, it will allow us to have a bit of breathing room and we really hope that we will no longer need to sell any other big players, as we want to maintain most of the squad that won the Scudetto.”
Hakimi made 37 appearances in all competitions for Inter during his one season at the club, helping them win the Serie A title.
A 15-year-old boy has been convicted of murdering his friend after luring him into woodland and attempting to decapitate him.
Roberts Buncis was found dead in Fishtoft, near Boston in Lincolnshire, on 12 December 2020- two days before his 13th birthday.
The convicted teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had stabbed Roberts multiple times.
A trial at Lincoln Crown Court heard that the defendant ‘intended at the very least to inflict serious violence’ on his young victim because ‘he was a snitch’.
The teenager claimed Roberts had taken the knife to the scene and he ‘lost control’ when the youngster attempted to stab him.
He claimed he “lost control” when the youngster attacked him.
Jurors dismissed the defendant’s account after under two hours of deliberations, and instead concluded he was ‘motivated by anger and tried to punish the deceased rather than losing self-control’.
The youth admitted manslaughter mid-way through his trial but denied murder.
Addressing the defendant after his conviction on Monday, Mr. Justice Jeremy Baker told him: ‘You have been found guilty of the murder of Roberts Buncis.
‘In due course, a sentence will have to be imposed upon you.
‘The type of sentence will be explained to you I am quite sure, but the actual sentence will have to be the subject of discussion between counsel and myself.
‘You will remain in custody in the meantime.’
Adjourning the case to a date to be fixed, the judge told the youth’s barrister: ‘I am not intending to proceed to sentence this afternoon.
‘I fully understand that there may well be material which the defence and possibly the prosecution, will want to provide to me, which will be relevant to the sentencing exercise.
‘It may be that you would like to give some thought to the nature of that material.
‘In any event, it’s not a straight-forward sentencing exercise, and I would welcome input from both yourself and the Crown as to the appropriate sentence in this case, as far as length is concerned.’
The judge, who excused the jurors from further jury service for the next five years, said he would consider an application to lift reporting restrictions in the case at the sentencing hearing.
Acting on behalf of the youth, defence QC Brendan Kelly admitted the violence was ‘extraordinary’ but submitted it indicated a ‘loss of control’ from the defendant.
Addressing the jury during the trial, the prosecution told the jury the murder was ‘brutal’, ‘sustained’ and ‘gratuitous’.
The teenager was remanded in custody until sentencing at a later date.
Jeff Bezos has stepped down as the chief executive of Amazon 27 years after he founded the company.
The American billionaire, 57, Amazon’s biggest shareholder with a stake worth about $180 billion, is being replaced by Andy Jassy, the mastermind behind Amazon’s cloud computing division.
Earlier this year, Mr. Bezos announced his decision to step down in order to be able to focus on initiatives such as his plans for private space travel.
Making his announcement, Mr. Bezos said he wanted to “focus [his] energies and attention on new products and early initiatives” in his new role of executive chair.
“This journey began some 27 years ago. Amazon was only an idea, and it had no name. The question I was asked most frequently at that time was, ‘What’s the internet?’ Blessedly, I haven’t had to explain that in a long while,” he wrote in a letter to Amazon employees earlier this year.
“Today, we employ 1.3 million talented, dedicated people, serve hundreds of millions of customers and businesses, and are widely recognised as one of the most successful companies in the world.”
Mr Bezos said he would “stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives” but also concentrate on projects away from the day-to-day running of the business in his new position.
He said the move would give him the “time and energy” needed to “focus on the Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin, The Washington Post” and his “other passions”.
Mr Bezos said that he had “full confidence” in his replacement, Mr. Jassy.
“Andy is well known inside the company and has been at Amazon almost as long as I have. He will be an outstanding leader, and he has my full confidence,” he said.
The change in management happened on Monday, exactly 27 years after Mr. Bezos founded the company as an internet bookseller.
Czech Republic captain, Vladimír Darida has announced his retirement from international football after his country’s elimination from the 2020 Euro.
The 30-year-old who plays as a central midfielder missed the 2-0 victory over the Netherlands in the Round of 16 with an unspecified injury and came on as a substitute in the 2-1 loss to Denmark in the Euro 2020 quarterfinals on Saturday.
Since his debut in a warmup match for Euro 2012 against Israel, Darida played 76 games for the national team, scoring eight goals.
In a statement, Vladimír said he wants to spend more time with his family.
“I experienced beautiful moments in the national team,” Darida said in a statement. “Now, I’d like to spend much more time with my family and my young son.
Darida came through at Viktoria Plze?, also spending time on loan at FK Baník Sokolov in 2011. He joined Freiburg in 2013. Darida signed for Hertha BSC from relegated Freiburg ahead of the 2015-16 season.
Jamaica is set to petition Queen Elizabeth for compensation to all its citizens as slavery reparations.
The Caribbean country’s government is to petition her Majesty for billions of pounds of compensation but critics say British taxpayers have already paid to free slaves.
Merchants made a fortune as slave traders in Jamaica after it became a British Colony in 1707.
Many Jamaicans are descendants of slaves who suffered under the oppressive regime.
The country gained independence from the UK in 1962 but has kept the Queen as head of state.
And now Jamaica wants compensation as the country’s Culture Minister announced the move to its House of Representatives.
Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange said: “We are especially pleased to announce that we have made further steps in our strides towards seeking reparatory justice for the victims and descendants of the transatlantic slave trade.
“The petition is to be presented to the Queen of the UK and or the government of the UK.”
She said Jamaica’s National Council of Reparation had fully backed the petition and ministers had agreed that: “The Attorney General’s chambers would need to weigh up the merits of the petition in the eventuality of the government of Jamaica’s involvement in the petition and that it would be the responsibility of the Attorney General’s chambers to file the petition on behalf of the people of Jamaica.”
David Cameron faced calls to pay billions of pounds in slavery reparations when he visited the former colony in 2015. That year, taxpayers finally paid off debt from compensating slave owners when the practice was abolished in 1833.
Thomas Mace-Archer-Mills, historian and founder of the British Monarchists Society, said: “Britain has already paid its share and then some – the price of freedom for Jamaica’s slaves.
“There needs to come a day where individuals, peoples, and the nations of today need to take accountability for themselves, their own actions, and situations, and stop blaming centuries-old dead people and less savoury histories of the past.”
He added: “Britain through the slave acts of the 1800s actually went into debt buying the freedom of slaves throughout the empire.
“At the time, the British government paid 20 million pounds, the equivalent of around 17 billion pounds today – to compensate slave owners for the lost capital associated with freeing slaves.
“This pay-out was a massive 40% of the government’s budget and required many bonds to slave owners to effectuate the law.”
More than 20,000 people signed an online petition calling on the UK government to compensate “all Caribbean & African Descendants” last December.
The Minister of Justice and Solicitor-General of the Government of Alberta, Canada, Kelechi Madu, has slammed the Nigerian Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, over the re-arrest of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
In a post on his LinkedIn page, Madu said if reports that Kanu was abducted from Kenya were true, Malami was not only a ”disgrace to the rule of law but also not worthy to be a public officer.”
The Canadian official, who is also the Deputy Government House Leader, said Nigeria and Kenya violated international law in the manner Kanu was extradited and called on world leaders to apply appropriate sanctions.
Madu demanded the release of Kanu. He also urged the Nigerian government to ensure his safety.
Madu wrote: “The Attorney-General of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami, is a disgrace to the rule of law and not worthy to be an officer of the court.
“He has shown himself to be a bigot who does not understand what it means to live in a pluralistic society governed by the dictates of the rule of law.”
Madu added: “Nigeria is burning, and the people of Nigeria, except those who are holding the country down, want out.
“You cannot destroy the hope and aspirations of a people destined for greatness and expect them to bow down in servitude.
“You cannot destroy a generation of people and expect them not to fight for their freedom. The power of guns, state-sponsored terrorism will not achieve peace or the preservation of Nigeria.
“The Igbo and other ethnic groups in Nigeria who are calling for Nigeria to be renegotiated do not seek violence or war. They seek peace. They seek progress and the advancement of their people. They seek fairness, safety, equity, and justice for their people.
“They seek the opportunity for their children to grow up and achieve their God-given abundant potential.
“They seek the rise of a people with the work ethic, intellect and capacity to be a truly global super power on the continent of Africa. They seek dignity over inhumane treatment. They seek life over death.
“Friends of the black world must unite and liberate the people of Nigeria from this bondage and from the claws of corrupt and inept politicians who have no business being near the corridor of Nigeria’s political power.”
In what has been seen as a major blow to transgender rights, the British Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has said one must have a vagina to be a woman.
The housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, said being a woman is a biological matter.
He said he agreed with his colleague Liz Truss, who is the minister for women and equalities, when she said “women do have vaginas”.
Their comments are a blow to activists campaigning for trans people to get the right to self-identify as their lived gender.
Last autumn the government went back on its promise to change the Gender Recognition Act to allow people to “self-ID”.
Mr Jenrick told Times Radio: “I think there’s a matter of biology, of course, what is a woman.
“I mean absolutely, I agree with Liz Truss. That’s the point that she’s made in the past.
“Undoubtedly, of course, we want to ensure that those people who are trans can live their life comfortably.
“I want everyone to be able to live their life the way they want to and be happy and to find love wherever they can do.
“One does have to be aware of the impact on other people and that means we have to be particularly sensitive in terms of some of those settings that we as a government are responsible for like schools, like hospitals, like prisons.
“One has to tread carefully and think through all of the consequences of this for other members of society.”
Wolverhampton MP Mr Jenrick, 39, was accused online of “transphobia” and told to “stick to [his] day job” over his statement.
But others backed him.
One person said: “It’s like saying do you need to have sex to create a baby. It’s obvious that in order to be a biological women you will have a vagina. People calling it transphobic because they don’t like the truth.”
Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has claimed that Nnamdi Kanu was kidnapped by the federal government of Nigeria, adding that it is wrong.
Kanu was extradited to Nigeria to face trial after he jumped bail and fled the country in 2017.
Details of his arrest have not been revealed but Wole Soyinka says he believes the IPOB leader was kidnapped.
Speaking with BBC Pidgin in an interview published on Monday, July 5, Soyinka said there would be an uproar in the country if the truth of how Kanu was arrested becomes known.
He said: “It’s not for me to tell the president to prepare itself because it’s going to be a huge squawk when the truth about how Kanu was arrested comes out. People are alleging this or that. That is one phase whether Nigeria has acted outside international law.”
The literary icon continued: “The second issue, however, has to do with Kanu’s conduct outside the nation. There’s been a level of hate rhetoric which has been unfortunate, from Kanu. Hate rhetoric is an issue that can only be judged by the laws of any nation.
Was it right ‘to have been kidnapped?’ You can say intercepted as much as you want but I think Kanu was kidnapped. That is wrong internationally and morally.”
Wole Soyinka, while commenting on the reactions that have trailed the swiftness with which the federal government arrested Kanu, said the federal government has not shown the same eagerness in going after bandits and insurgents.
Soyinka said: “The government can not wash itself clean on what seems to be a kind of comparative energy in pursuing the destabilised forces in the nation.
“If we take ourselves back, once when I threw a challenge to Buhari, what I expect from a true leader is to issue an order, give a deadline that any illegal occupant of any villages, farms is given 48hours to quit after which the mighty forces of the nation will be unleashed on them. It was ignored.
“Years later, he came to say ‘we will respond to these people in the language they understand’. This is what I expected him to have said years ago, at the beginning of the insurgency.
“Their leadership–the Miyetti Allah — should have been arrested years ago, long before IPOB was declared a terrorist organisation.”
Soyinka said the Miyetti Allah group has continued to act unchecked while the federal government has refused to “mount the same energy against them”.
“So people are right to say there has been an unequal and irregular approach to security and enforcement in this nation,” he added.
France star footballer, Kylian Mbappe has reportedly rejected the latest contract offered to him by French club Paris Saint-Germain.
Mbappe has a year remaining on his deal at Parc des Princes, and could leave at the end of next season as a free agent.
PSG have insisted that their most prized asset will not be allowed to leave in 2021, and have offered him a new deal wary he could leave on a free next summer.
However, according to a report by Marca, the 22-year-old Mbappe and PSG officials are far apart in their contractual negotiations.
Mbappe reportedly prefers to sign a new contract with the guarantee of being able to make the switch elsewhere if another club makes a suitable offer.
However, PSG don’t want such a clause in the new contracts as it would go against rules outlined by the French Professional Football League.
Russian hackers suspected to be behind a mass extortion attack that affected hundreds of companies worldwide late on Sunday, July 4, have demanded $70 million to restore the data they are holding ransom.
According to a posting on a dark web site, the cybercrime gang, a Russia-linked group that is counted among the cybercriminal world’s most prolific extortionists, known as REvil are making the outrageous demand to be paid in Bitcoin, knowing they hold data belonging to hundreds of companies worldwide.
REvil’s ransomware attack, which the group executed on Friday, was among the most dramatic hacks they’ve ever carried out
The cyber gang broke into Kaseya, a Miami-based information technology firm, and used their access to breach some of its clients’ clients, setting off a chain reaction that quickly paralyzed the computers of hundreds of firms worldwide.
To explain how damaging the attack was, Swedish Coop grocery store chain had to close hundreds of stores on Saturday because its cash registers had been knocked offline as a consequence of the attack.
Agencies or companies affected included schools, small public-sector bodies, travel and leisure organizations, credit unions and accountants, said Ross McKerchar, chief information security officer at Sophos Group Plc (SOPH.L).
Erica Mena has blasted Joe Budden’s ex-girlfriend, Kaylin Garcia, while accusing her of having sex with Safaree.
This public call-out comes after Erica Mena filed for divorce from Safaree shortly before their second child was born.
On July 4, video emerged showing Safaree with Kaylin, from Love & Hip Hop New York City, at his birthday celebration in Miami.
It was claimed in the video that Kaylin was Safaree’s date to the event.
Reacting, Erica blasted Kaylin while reminding her that Safaree is her ex, Joe Budden’s friend.
Despite filing for divorce, Erica referred to Safaree as her “husband” and also blasted him. She said he hasn’t seen their 6-day-old son, who is in the ICU, in 4 days.
Kaylin Garcia responded, saying she and Safaree are just friends and “nothing more”.
The governors of the Southern States have insisted that the next President of Nigeria must be from the South. This was part of the decisions reached at the meeting of the southern states governors in Lagos today July 5.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state who is the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum, disclosed this while reading from a communique jointly signed by the governors after a closed-door meeting in Alausa, Lagos State today July 5.
“The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness and unanimously agrees that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the Southern Region” Governor Akeredolu said on behalf of the governors
The governors also reinstated calls for state police and commended security operatives for their efforts in restoring security and safety and commiserated with families and loved ones of those who have fallen in the line of duty.
The Forum commended the National Assembly for the progress made in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and rejected the proposed 3% and support the 5% share of the oil revenue to the host community as recommended by the House of Representatives.
See the full communique by the governors below
COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING OF THE GOVERNORS OF SOUTHERN NIGERIA AT THE LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT HOUSE, IKEJA, LAGOS STATE, ON MONDAY, 5TH JULY, 2021 NIGERIA.
The Southern Governors Forum at the end of the meeting held on Monday, 5th July 2021 reviewed the situation in the Country and focused on the current security situation, constitutional amendment, Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).
Rising from the meeting, the Forum agreed on the following:
Re-affirmed their commitment to the unity of Nigeria on the pillars of equity, fairness, justice, progress, and peaceful co-existence between and amongst its people.
The Forum reiterates its commitment to the politics of equity, fairness and unanimously agrees that the presidency of Nigeria be rotated between Southern and Northern Nigeria and resolved that the next president of Nigeria should emerge from the Southern Region.
Security. a. The Forum reviewed the security situation in the country and commends security operatives for their relentless efforts in restoring security and safety and commiserates with families and loved ones of those who have fallen in the line of duty; b. Re-emphasized the need for State Police; c. Resolved that if for any reason security institutions need to undertake an operation in any State, the Chief Security Officer of the State must be duly informed; d. the forum frowns at selective criminal administration of Justice and resolved that arrests should be made within the ambit of the Law and fundamental human rights; e. Set a timeline of Wednesday, 1st September 2021 for the promulgation of the anti-open grazing law in all Member States; and f. Resolved that Funds deducted from the Federation Account for the Nigeria Police Security Trust Fund should be distributed among the States and Federal Government to combat security challenges.
Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) Law: i. The Forum commends the National Assembly for the progress made in the passage of the PIB; ii. the Forum rejects the proposed 3% and support the 5% share of the oil revenue to the host community as recommended by the House of Representatives; iii. the forum also rejects the proposed 30% share of profit for the exploration of oil and gas in the basins; iv. However, the forum rejects the ownership structure of the proposed Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). The Forum disagrees that the company be vested in the Federal Ministry of Finance but should be held in trust by Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) since all tiers of Government have stakes in that vehicle.
In order to consolidate our democracy and strengthen the Electoral process, the Southern Governors’ Forum rejects the removal of the Electronic transmission of the election result from the electoral act; and also rejects the confirmation of exclusive jurisdiction in pre-election matters on the Federal High Court.
The Forum unanimously chose Lagos State as its permanent secretariat and appreciated the Governor of Lagos State for the wonderful hosting of this meeting while commending him for his good work in the State.
Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu SAN
Governor, Ondo State, and Chairman, Southern Governors’ Forum
A Russian porn star and erotic model has fallen to her death from a residential tower block in Russia.
Kristina Lisina, 29, known on porn sites as Kristina the Foxx, was found dead on Tuesday June 2, after falling from a 22nd-storey window in St Petersburg, Russia.
Lisina’s body was found near a high residential block in the Nevsky district.
CCTV footage showed her entering the block apparently eating a bag of crisps shortly before her fall.
Police investigating the death say she was found with a coin in her hand engraved with the words: ‘You are always in my heart.’
Her boyfriend, Rustam M., broke the news of her death to her followers while appealing for funds to help with funeral costs.
Meanwhile her friends say she had talked in recent weeks of feeling lonely and wanting to start a family.
She had also recently bought a small house in St Petersburg.
The police are probing her death, according to newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets.
Kristina, from Siberia, had said in an interview that she went into the porn industry after failing to find her way working in a bank.
‘I moved to St. Petersburg from Krasnoyarsk, worked in a bank for exactly five days, and I realised that I was not interested,’ she said.
‘I don’t understand what to talk about with these people.
The Taliban in Afghanistan have warned the US and NATO to remove all their troops from the country by September 11.
According to the Taliban, any foreign troops left in Afghanistan after Nato’s September withdrawal deadline will be at risk as occupiers.
The warning comes amid reports that 1,000 mainly US troops could remain on the ground to protect diplomatic missions and Kabul’s international airport.
The US and Nato’s 20-year military mission in Afghanistan prompted by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the NewYork Twin Towers has all but ended, but violence in the country continues to rise, and the Taliban continues to take more territory.
Under a deal with the militant group during the Trump regime, the US and its Nato allies agreed to withdraw all troops in return for a commitment by the Taliban not to allow al-Qaeda or any other extremist group to operate in the areas they control.
President Joe Biden set a deadline of 11 September – the 20-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the US – for American troops to fully withdraw
Afghan forces say they are prepared to take charge of security of the country but the Taliban has seized about 40 percent of the provinces ,and concern is is growing whether they can secure Kabul once the US leaves
Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen speaking to BBC said seizing Kabul militarily was “not Taliban policy”.
He said no foreign forces – including military contractors – should remain in the city after the withdrawal was complete.
“If they leave behind their forces against the Doha agreement then in that case it will be the decision of our leadership how we proceed,” Shaheen told the BBC.
“We would react and the final decision is with our leadership,” he added.
Diplomats, NGOs and other foreign civilians would not be targeted by the Taliban, he insisted, and no ongoing protection force for them was needed.
“We are against the foreign military forces, not diplomats, NGOs and workers and NGOs functioning and embassies functioning – that is something our people need. We will not pose any threat to them,” he said.
Shaheen described last week’s withdrawal from Bagram Airfield – once the largest US military base in Afghanistan – as a “historic moment”.
US-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in October 2001 after finding out that the group had been harbouring Osama Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda figures linked to the 9/11 attacks in the US.
Biden says the American pull-out is justified as US forces have made sure Afghanistan cannot become a base for foreign jihadists to plot against the West again.
Thousands of followers of the late T.B Joshua gathered for a night of tributes and candlelight procession in his honour on Monday night, July 5.
The candlelight procession held at the SCOAN Faith Resort in the Ikotun area of Lagos and was led by his widow, Evelyn Joshua.
The pastor, televangelist, philanthropist, leader and founder of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) died on June 5 at the age of 57.
Sharing photos from his candlelight procession, TB Joshua Ministries wrote on Facebook: “Glory be to Jesus Christ – our father in the Lord has gone home to be with his Creator! His memory and legacy will continue for generations to come, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ!”
Below are more photos.
TB Joshua’s widow, Evelyn, leading the procession.
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.
