by Admin | Oct 25, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Akure, the Ondo State capital, has sentenced a prophetess, Felicia Oyelade, to two years’ imprisonment for forging land documents and selling same to unsuspecting members of the public. The 59-year-old prophetess was said to be in charge of the Christ Apostolic Church, Ori Oke Basiri, along Idanre Road, Akure. She had been standing trial on one count of forgery since 2013 following an allegation that she altered documents showing an agreement between her late husband, Olasunkanmi Oyelade, and the complainant in the matter, Mr. Isaac Babalola. According to the prosecution counsel, Mr. Adewale Bamisile, the convict altered the original documents to read 12 hectares of land purchased at a cost of N35,000, instead of 7.871 hectares purchased for N25,500 by her late husband in 1977. The prosecutor had said, “Oyelade’s shady deeds was exposed when she sold a portion of the land around Preston College, along kilometre 4, Akure-Owo Road, Akure, to an unsuspecting buyer with the forged document after the same land had been sold to another person by the rightful owner and complainant in the matter, Mr. Isaac Babalola.” Oyelade had pleaded not guilty to the charge of forgery levelled against her, saying she was part of the transaction between her husband and Babalola’s family when the land was bought. She said the documents were found in her husband’s room after the demise of her husband and that she had relied on it to sell the land to the people. After a plea for leniency because of Oyelade’s “teeming dependants and the church she was leading” by the convicts...
by Admin | Oct 24, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Lagos State Police Command has arrested some suspected members of Eiye Confraternity, who allegedly used a residence on Halidu Avenue in Shibiri, in the Okokomaiko area of the state, for cult activities, Punch reports. Among the suspects are three brothers, David Richard, 33; Sunday Richard, 39; and 29-year-old Odefe Richard. Two other siblings, John Agboroko, 30; and 34-year-old Matthew Agboroko, were also apprehended. Other suspects are Samson Okpe, 32; Paul Jago 30; Saheed Oriyomi; 32; and 29-year-old David Quenum from the Republic of Benin. The police said the residence belonged to one Mrs. Rosemary Lawrence, who lives on Old Marine Road, Apapa. According to Punch Metro, a shrine, where new members were initiated, was uncovered by a team of policemen who stormed the compound at about 5am on Saturday. It was gathered that wraps of drugs suspected to be cannabis were also recovered from the scene. A police source told our correspondent that some operatives had been on surveillance of the area prior to the arrest of the suspects. “There was a shrine in an apartment on that premises, where the suspects used to meet and initiate new members. We got information that the gang was initiating new members and we stormed the compound. Some of the suspects are siblings. We have been keeping a close watch on the group’s activities for some time. They are Eiye Confraternity members,” the source said. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the arrest, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, had directed that the suspects be charged to court. She said, “At about 11.30pm...
by Admin | Oct 24, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom have officially signed off on their divorce, and all that’s left is a judge’s John Hancock, TMZ has learned. Khloe and Lamar have reached a property settlement and each has now signed legal docs that were filed Friday. It’s been an on-again/off-again process. TMZ broke the story, Khloe first filed for divorce in December 2013, but the divorce stagnated for almost 2 years while Khloe went back and forth, trying at times to save their relationship and save...
by Admin | Oct 24, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI But for the intervention of the police, an alleged notorious leader of an armed robbery gang at Igando would have been lynched yesterday morning. Akeem Folorunso alias Scorpion was apprehended around 5:30am, after he and another suspect at large, attacked residents of 6, Ismail Abass Street, Igando. They were said to have broke into the house and attempted to rape a female occupant, when the victim’s father prevented them. Angered by his obstruction, the suspects, it was gathered attacked the man before carting away his properties. Neighbours who discovered what was happening, surrounded the residence and also contacted the police. Scorpion was nabbed while his colleague escaped. It was gathered that the residents beat him to a coma and wanted to lynch him before policemen from Igando Division got to the scene and whisked him away. Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, told Nation that the suspect was taken to the...
by Admin | Oct 24, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI At the commencement of investigative hearing into the alleged illegal repatriation of $13.9 billion out of the country by MTN yesterday, the company told the Senate Committee on Banks, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, that circumstances compelled it to move funds without observing the law. The Senate had on September 27, 2016, alleged that MTN in connivance with the Minister of Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, and four commercial banks exploited the porous Nigerian financial system to move the money out of the country without the required authorization. According to This Day, the upper legislative chamber according to a motion moved by Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West) on September 27, alleged that MTN smartly beat Nigeria’s financial regulatory laws by failing to obtain a certificate of capital importation (CCI) as authorised by CBN Financial and Miscellaneous Act within 24 hours between 2006 and 2016 before moving the money out of the country. It further alleged that the repatriation was done through four banks, viz: Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Diamond Bank and Citi Bank. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN, Fedi Moolman, admitted that the company moved funds without complying with the 24-hour order for the issuance of CCI, saying it was practically impossible to do so. Nevertheless, he stated that the action was taken without any deliberate intention to flout Nigerian laws but was rather compelled to do so because of circumstances which he said made it impossible for it to observe the 24-hour provision in the Act for issuance of CCI. He said: “There was no intention to flout the rule and regulation. The...
by Admin | Oct 24, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 19-year-old man, Felix Gbadebo has been arrested by the Ogun state police for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl little girl (whose name was not released due to her age). In a statement by State Police Command image-maker, Abimbola Oyeyemi in Abeokuta on Sunday, the suspect called the little girl into his room on the pretext that he wanted to send her on an errand then raped her as soon as she entered his room. Oyeyemi said: “The suspect, according to the complainant, who is the father of the victim, called the girl, pretending he wanted to send her on an errand, and lured her into his room, where he used a pillow to cover her mouth and sexually abused her. “The girl reported the case to her father, who informed police. The victim’s father reported the incident at Sango Divisional Police Station, which led to the arrest of Gbadebo. Oyeyemi added: “The Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, has ordered the immediate transfer of the suspect to anti-human trafficking and child labour unit of the state Criminal Investigation and Intelligent Department for further investigation. “He appealed to parents to always be watchful of their children in order to prevent them from becoming victims in the hands of people with devilish...
by Admin | Oct 24, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI With the current high rate of unemployment, job losses and pressing financial needs in the country, it is not surprising that the youth are embracing questionable get rich quick schemes and opportunities. For instance, the number of Nigerians that now patronise the popular lottery games is on the increase. Some youths are also deeply involved in sport betting through such platforms as Nairabet, Merrybet and Bet9ja, among others. It is against this backdrop that the MMM Federal Republic of Nigeria made a grand entrance into the Nigerian investment market in 2016. MMM stands for Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox and takes its name from its founders, Sergei Panteleevich Mavrodi, Vyacheslav Mavrodi, and Olga Melnikova. The outfit was established in 1989 by these three Russian nationals, and promises its clients 30 per cent return on investment (ROI) for money put into the system for 30 days. The scheme prides itself as a mutual aid fund through which recruited members contribute money to assist others. The founders claimed they are not into banking, online business, investment company or a multi level marketing (MLM) programme. The scheme structure, however, indicates otherwise.For instance, members can have multi-level structures under them and receive bonus from each donation of every participant in their structures. The company has been able to persuade many Nigerians to buy into its idea. Many Nigerian big online Business coaches and entrepreneurs with vast subscriber base are encouraging their followers to key in to the MMM opportunity. Thus, some Nigerians have invested millions of Naira into this scheme and are enjoying their newfound wealth. This reporter has seen screenshots of money...
by Admin | Oct 24, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Some deadly kidnappers have been arrested by security operatives within the Niger Delta. The details of the arrest was made public by the Deputy Co-ordinator of the Operation Delta Safe’s Joint Media Campaign Centre, Thomas Otuji, who said that the troops of operation, in conjunction with the Nigerian police and vigilante group also rescued a kidnap victim. The victim, Mrs Patience Abere, who is the Chief Matron of Ughelli Central Hospital, was abducted by three armed men in her car, at her residence in Delta State. According to ChannelsTV, a statement issued by the spokesman for the command headquarters of ‘Operation Delta Safe’ in Yenagoa, Lieutenant Thomas Otuji, said the arrest was part of the recent successes recorded in the ongoing special operation against oil theft and other related crimes in the Niger Delta. Police are now looking for the other two suspects who fled on sighting the troops, one of the suspects, Innocent Egboboh, was apprehended while two locally made pistols and three live cartridges were recovered from the criminals. Similarly, troops of Sector-One also trailed and arrested suspected kidnappers, one Mr Simon Agbabule and his accomplice at Okwugbude community in Okpe Local Government Area, Delta State. The criminals were on their way to kidnap a victim when the troop monitored and swung on them. Items recovered included one AK 47 rifle, two magazines and 49 pieces of 7.62mm special ammunition. Aside successes recorded in the fight against kidnapping, they also achieved some success in the battle against illegal bunkering operations and attempted inducement of their troops. During a static operation the troops arrested one Mr...
by Admin | Oct 23, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of Lagos State Police Command have apprehended a tricycle operator, popularly called, “Keke Marwa”, for allegedly abducting a 15-year old girl and turning her to a sex slave… The suspect, Dada Azeez, 28, had abducted his victim (names witheld) on October 5 while on errand for her aunt in Agege area before the RRS operatives rescued her on October 21th, 2016 from his den in the same Agege area of the state. The alleged abduction of the girl was disclosed by her sister, Mrs. Gbemisola, who disclosed that the girl was abducted with a sum of N58, 000:00 meant for her thrift contribution. The suspect, after weeks of lodging in several locations to evade arrest, was eventually nabbed by the operatives at his residence at 7, Oseni Street, Danjuma Cinema area, Agege with the girl in his one room apartment. Confessing to the crime, the suspect disclosed that he wooed the girl when she was 14-years old at her sister’ shop in Agege. “We started having secret affair about a year ago. But her sister frowned at our relationship when she got to knows” he claimed. He continued that ” Unknown to her, we were still seeing each other. In order to be having regular conversation with her, I bought a mobile phone for her and instructed her to hide it from her sister. So, whenever she intended coming to meet me, she would call and I will describe our meeting point for her”. He added: “then I thought if she could elope with me that would be better for...
by Admin | Oct 23, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A 40-year-old man from Okpoma village in Yala Local Government Area, Cross River State, Dominic Iyayi Ogar, has thrown his in-laws into mourning following the gruesome murder of his wife and their only daughter. Ogar is alleged to have committed the dastardly act on October 8, 2016 in Mpape, Abuja. Sunday Sun reporter learnt from the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory Command, Mr. Mohammed Mustafa, that Ogar, who slept with his wife and their only daughter on the same bed, woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, took a knife and stabbed both of them to death, and they died instantly. Mustafa said that Ogar then carried the corpses of the dead 27-year-old wife, Omago and the daughter, two-year-old Blessing to a nearby nursery and primary school in the area; he allegedly wrote a small note and dropped it beside the corpses and then ran off to hide in his farm. His evil deed, however, came to light when one of his neighbours, Destiny Onwusuaka, noticed a trail of blood that led to the door of the family house. In a chat with Sunday Sun reporter, Onwusuaka said: “It was around 7:00am when I discovered stains of blood on the floor and followed the trail to the door of Ogar. When I looked into the room, I saw a pool of blood but I didn’t see the husband or the victims. “It was later that I saw the two corpses where the husband dropped them. I shouted and called our neighbours. We then ran to the police to report what we saw. We started...
by Admin | Oct 21, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Mr. Ebebe Ukpong, whom Justice Inyang Okoro in his letter accused of leading the former governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State, Umana Umana, to his house to discuss issue of bribe, has denied the allegation. A statement by Ukpong on Thursday indicated that he (Ukpong) did not lead anybody to Justice Okoro nor attend any meeting in Okoro’s house where the said issue was discussed. “I have never led anyone to Justice Okoro nor attended any meeting in his house where the issue of bribery, corruption of any kind or perversion of justice was discussed. “Of course, I could never have and will never contemplate such as it is against my personal principles informed by my relationship with the Almighty God. I stand always for the truth, integrity and fairness,” the statement added. Okoro, one of the judges arrested by the Department of State Services over allegation of corruption, in a letter to the Chief Justice, Mahmud Mohammed, had said, “Umana also made the same request of assistance to win his appeal at the Supreme Court. Umana talked about ‘seeing’ the justices who would hear the appeal. “Pastor (Dr.) Ebebe Ukpong, who led Mr. Umana Umana to my house, intercepted and said that the issue of ‘seeing’ the justices was not part of their visit and that, as a pastor, he would not be part of such a discussion. Mr. Umana apologised. I advised them to go and pray about the matter and get a good lawyer. That was how they left my house.” Ukpong, who described Justice Okoro as a brother, whom...
by Admin | Oct 20, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI The police in Lagos State have arrested a man, identified only as Nathaniel, for allegedly drugging and raping his 14-year-old housemaid in the Ikotun area of the state. PUNCH Metro learnt that Nathaniel, who stayed on Ajisegiri Street, in the Egbe area, was arrested by the Ikotun Police Division on Sunday. It was gathered that the suspect allegedly lured his housemaid, Chinwe (pseudonym), with a cup of juice penultimate Monday, which contained a sedative. The two persons were reportedly alone in the apartment on the day. The victim, who is an orphan, was brought from a village in the south eastern part of Nigeria to work in Nathaniel’s house. It was said that when she woke up, she found that she was naked. She also reportedly found semen in her private parts. Our correspondent gathered that after the incident, Chinwe fled the house, dropping a letter for the suspect’s wife to intimate her on the sexual abuse she (Chinwe) had allegedly suffered. It was learnt that the teenager also confided in a neighbour, who is a pastor in the area. The pastor was said to have informed a child rights’ organisation, which in turn reported at a police station. In the letter obtained by PUNCH Metro, Chinwe wrote that she did not want to return to the house as she was fed up with sexual abuses allegedly by Nathaniel. She said, “Dear aunty, I want to go. I am suffering here. Look at what your husband has been doing to me. The last time that he did it, he gave me a drink and I did not...
by Admin | Oct 20, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI A suspected armed robber arrested by security operatives attached to Ndiegoro Police Division in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, has said that the quest for money to pay his medical bill led him into armed robbery. The suspect, identified as Ifeanyi Chukwundukwe, and other members of his gang allegedly robbed a betting shop (BET9JA) at No. 21, Ogechi Street, Aba on several occasions. The 32-year-old Chukwundukwe together with one Joseph Umah, (23) and one Chijoke Godwin reportedly stole a laptop computer from the shop and sold it to one Ifeanyi Okocha at the cost of N15,000. It was learnt that the gang, which had been robbing shops in the area, had robbed the betting shop over three times and based on the advice by the police, the shop owner put in place security measures. The security measures, it was gathered, led to the arrest of the suspects. The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeleye Oyabade, who confirmed the arrest of the suspects, said Umah and Chukwundukwe, were also suspected to be members of a gang that attacked and killed two policemen at the Ogbor Hill area of Aba. Oyabade advised members of the public to take proactive measures to protect their properties and business premises by fixing security devices. He said the police had launched a manhunt for the fleeing members of the gang, while those arrested would soon be arraigned. Speaking with Southern City News, Chukwundukwe confessed to stealing the laptop and selling it to raise money for a surgical operation. He said, “I have something that looks like a boil on my...
by Admin | Oct 20, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI Sometime ago, the United Nations declared every October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child. This year’s theme was Girls’ Progress = Goals’ Progress: What Counts for Girls. Though there are 17 Sustainable Development Goals, SDG5 speaks of Gender Equality while SDG10 talks of Reduced Inequalities. The Nigerian girl-child needs both. The United Nations says: “Only through explicit focus on collecting and analysing girl-focused, girl-relevant and sex-disaggregated data, and using these data to inform key policy and programme decisions can we adequately measure and understand the opportunities and challenges girls face, and identify and track progress towards solutions to their most pressing problems”. In Nigeria, credible data are a serious challenge to national planning. More often than not, we rely on data provided by international agencies. Such data themselves might be based on projections and not actual figures, hence not totally reliable for planning purposes. Truth be told, the Nigerian girl is seriously challenged. How do I mean? The chances of a girl child realising her full potential is slimmer than those of a boy child. This is because there are more out-of-school girls than there are boys. There are also more girls dropping out of school than their male counterparts. This is largely due to such primordial sentiments as the one expressed by President Muhammadu Buhari in Germany last week when he said his wife belonged to “the kitchen, the living room and the other room.” That, unfortunately, is the belief of many uneducated parents. They see no need to send their female children to school as they are viewed as cooks and baby...
by Admin | Oct 20, 2016 | Blog
Follow @NigeriaPI ‘We don’t want to go back’: 100 Chibok schoolgirls refuse to leave their Boko Haram captors after two years in captivity *Boko Haram jihadists abducted 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in April 2014 *50 escaped quickly but the others have been held in terrible conditions *President Buhari of Nigeria negotiated the release of 21 girls last week *His spokesman said they were hoping another 83 would be freed soon *But a community leader said 100 of the girls do not want to come back *They were forced to have babies for their captors and apparently fear the stigma of ‘Boko Haram wives’ if they return A community leader involved in the negotiations to obtain the release of the schoolgirls abducted from Chibok in northern Nigeria has said more than 100 of them are unwilling to return home. More than 200 girls were taken from a school in Chibok in April 2014 by members of the extremist Islamist Boko Haram group, who have held them in captivity ever since, forcibly converting many from Christianity. After 21 of the girls were released last week – possibly following the payment of a ransom – Nigeria’s government is negotiating the release of another 83. But Pogu Bitrus, chairman of the Chibok Development Association, said more than 100 others appeared unwilling to leave their captors. He said they were ashamed to return home because they were forced to marry extremists and have their babies. This video was released by Boko Haram in August. Some of the girls may be be suffering from ‘Stockholm syndrome’, where they identify with and feel affection for their...
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