A Nigerian working as a nurse in the United Kingdom, Ruth Auta, has been sentenced to three years in prison for neglecting her 10-week-old baby, Joshua Akerele, who died while she was at work.

The 28-year-old single mother had reportedly left Joshua alone in her nurse’s accommodation for eight hours on December 20, 2022, to complete her shift, according to a Daily Mail report.

On returning, she discovered her son lifeless in his cot and immediately called 999, reporting that he was not breathing.

The infant died an hour after the ambulance arrived despite resuscitation efforts. Tests revealed that he might have overheated due to excessive layers of clothing and bedding.

The report further claimed that Auta, who worked at the Royal Bolton Hospital, was charged with cruelty to a child.

She pleaded guilty at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on May 24, 2024, while her sentencing was delayed by a month.

On June 6, while attempting to board a flight to Nigeria, she was apprehended at Gatwick Airport with a one-way ticket.

She had told the police she had collected Joshua from a childminder, fed him, and then fell asleep with him on her bed. She claimed she found him unresponsive upon waking.

However, CCTV footage and incriminating text messages contradicted her story.

The footage showed Auta leaving and returning to her accommodation without Joshua, and texts revealed she had instructed her childminder to falsely state she was caring for Joshua that day.

The childminder later confirmed she had not seen the baby for several days.

Giving her judgement, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West Sara Davie, stated, “Ruth Auta failed to provide the care her baby needed and chose to leave him alone.

“As a nurse, she should have been aware of the dangers of leaving her child unattended. Her attempts to evade justice further demonstrate her lack of remorse.”

Armed bandits have obstructed the busy Gusau–Funtua highway, kidnapping an unspecified number of travellers.

According to Channels Television, Yusuf Tsafe, a commuter stranded in the area, said that the bandits set up a roadblock at the Tazame axis early on Thursday.

Armed with about 50 motorcycles, each carrying three people, the bandits abducted several travellers and remained on the road for hours.

Tsafe described how the bandits began their operation around 7 am and continued until at least 9 am.

Despite military efforts to address the situation, the road remains blocked, and no vehicles have been allowed to pass. Another commuter confirmed that the Magazu–Kucheri Road, which links Gusau to Funtua, has also been blocked by the bandits.

“They entered the road around 7 am, and till around 9am, they were still there, we just parked by the roadside waiting for the military to clear the road, we are seeing the bandits taking people inside the bush.

“The military guntruck moved to the area earlier, we were just hearing gunshots, but they are yet to open the road. Till now, no vehicle has been allowed to pass.”

Another commuter also confirmed to Channels Television that Magazu – Kucheri Road, which is also the road linking Gusau to Funtua, have been blocked by bandits this morning

“The military men asked us to stop because the bandits blocked the road, we are still waiting for them to clear the road,” the source said.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP Yazid Abubakar, stated that additional troops, including operatives from the Nigerian Police Mobile Squad, have been deployed to clear the road.

Zamfara State, along with other regions in northwestern and central Nigeria, has been plagued by armed gangs carrying out mass abductions for ransom and engaging in widespread looting and destruction.

The people of Moriki town in the Zurmi Local Government Area of the state are in fear as the deadline given to them by notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji, to pay an imposed N30m levy expired, PUNCH Online earlier reported.

But reacting to the development, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, described the bandit kingpin as a deranged person, wowing that the military would soon capture him.

No fewer than three persons lost their lives in April when bandits invaded a market in Tsafe town.

In May 2024, bandits attacked no fewer than 50 communities in the Zurmi Local Government Area of the state.

Beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s student loan scheme across the country have lamented the delay in the payment of the August monthly stipend.

Some of the students, in separate interviews with our correspondent, expressed their disappointment in the payment delay.

The PUNCH reports that students can choose to apply for upkeep loan apart from institutional loans, which is paid directly to institutions.

A total of 20,371 students from six tertiary institutions were said to have been paid a sum of N20,000 each as July stipends.

The institutions said to have benefitted from the disbursement are Bayero University, Kano State; Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State; University of Ilorin, Kwara State; University of Benin, Edo State; University of Ibadan, Oyo State; and University of Maiduguri, Borno State.

A BUK student, who spoke to our correspondent anonymously for fear of victimisation, said, “We haven’t received the August stipend. I am very confused. Please help us speak to them. The economy is getting too difficult. In fact, we are even trying to plead with them to please help us increase the stipend as the N20,000 cannot even get us anywhere.”

Another student from the University of Ibadan, who also spoke anonymously, said, “To be very honest, I was expecting it at month end but till now we have not got any feedback from them as to what the problem is.”

A student of the University of Benin, also speaking, said, “Honestly, it is getting too late. NELFUND needs to do something. Our school fees have been paid but at this point, the upkeep is much more important. Please help us reach out to them.”

Commenting on the development, NELFUND’s Director of Corporate Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi, said the students would likely be paid the N20,000 stipend this week.

“It’s been approved. They should get it this week,” Oluwatuyi said.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students has called on the Federal Government to increase the monthly stipend from N20,000 to N40,000.

Nigerian comedienne Anita Afoke Asuoha, popularly known as Real Warri Pikin, has shared how a motivational speaker nearly drove her to attempt suicide.

She made this revelation in a post on her Instagram page, on Wednesday, in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day.

The comedienne revealed that in 2018 her husband fell into debt after being persuaded by a motivational speaker to explore various business ventures in the quest for financial success.

Her husband, motivated by the advice, tried his hand at several businesses in hopes of achieving financial success, but instead, they found themselves in debt amounting to ₦22 million.

Asuoha shared the emotional story as part of her commemoration of World Suicide Prevention Day. She revealed that, feeling overwhelmed by the financial burden, she attempted suicide in June 2018.

“I tried suicide so you don’t have to, in 2018, June 6, 3 pm to be precise, I attempted suicide, I gave up on life because the burden was too much.

“Life just dey hit me left right and center, life dey turn me round like barber chair. And I felt like the only way to escape is to end the pain,” she said in a video clip shared on her Instagram page.

In a video posted alongside her message, the comedienne disclosed that a family member arrived just in time to prevent her from ending her life.

She urged her followers not to see suicide as an option, no matter how tough life may seem, reminding them that life is made up of seasons and phases.

“Suicide is making a permanent decision to a temporary problem. And most of all, hold on to God and do the one your power reach,” the comedienne said.

Wunmi, the widow of late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has shared an emotional tribute on social media to mark the one-year anniversary of his death.

In her heartfelt message on Instagram, Wunmi expressed how deeply she and their son, Liam, have missed Mohbad since his passing.

She reflected on the plans they had together and prayed for his soul to find peace, asking God to forgive his shortcomings.

In the lengthy tribute, she wrote: “llerioluwa mi, Husband of my youth, my best friend! It’s been a year today-a year since you left me and our Liam in this cold world. It’s been so hard. I miss you so much. Liam misses you too. I wish you were here to see him; you would have been an incredible father.

“I still don’t know how I’ve survived without you. God, I wish you were here every single day-every millisecond of the day. Your passing brought me unbearable pain, but it has also shaped me. I’ve learned so much, and I’m still learning. I’ll never be okay with you not being here; it messes with my head.

“I keep thinking it’s a nightmare I’ll wake up from, but 366 days have passed, and I haven’t. Oko mi, we had so many plans together, and you had so much more to give to this world. It hurts deeply to know that all our dreams, everything you worked so hard for, are now gone with you.

“I want you to know that Liam and I are holding on to the strength and love you gave us. Every day, I see pieces of you in him-your kindness, your smile, your spirit. I promise to raise him with the same love and care you would have given him, keeping your memory alive in every step of his life.

“But today, I choose to celebrate you. Today, I choose to honor your legacy. Today, I choose to give all glory to God for blessing me with you, llerioluwa. Today, I choose to be grateful for the gift of Liam-the beauty for our ashes.

“My love, I pray for your soul today. I ask that God forgives you of all your shortcomings and welcomes you to rest at His right hand. I hope it’s always a celebration up there for you. I love you so much. Thank you for Liam-I’m forever grateful for the gift of him! Fly high with the angels, love of my life.”

Her emotional message touched many fans and followers, who offered their support in the comments, as they remembered Mohbad on this solemn occasion.

In a surprising twist, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced that it will not sign the peace accord, just two hours before the planned signing ceremony.

This move is coming ahead of the September 21 governorship election, where the peace accord was intended to promote a peaceful and harmonious electoral process among contending political parties.

Recall that Governor Godwin Obaseki had earlier declared that his party Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may not sign the peace accord because the party has lost faith in the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Addressing a press conference at the party secretariat, Emperor Jarret Tenebe said the party declined to sign the accord because two months after a police inspector Onuh Akor, who was the orderly to the candidate of the party, Sen Monday Okpebholo was shot and killed along Airport Road, nobody has been arrested and prosecuted.

Details soon …

Samson Siasia, a former Super Eagles head coach, says he believes the team is currently lacking a creative midfielder.

Siasia said the Super Eagles need a playmaker in the mould of former captain of the side, Austine Jay Jay Okocha to be a world-beater.

Nigeria is yet to find a suitable replacement for Okocha since the former Bolton Wanderers star quit international football in 2006.

Former Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi was expected to take up the role but failed to live up to expectations.

Fulham star, Alex Iwobi has been used in the number 10 role in recent years but Siasia claimed he is not good enough to play the position.

“We don’t have an offensive midfield player that can give the last pass to the strikers. We have great strikers, but we need someone that is missing,” Siasia told Lagos Talks.

“Iwobi can not play that position. He’s a good player, but he’s not doing as much as he’s supposed to as an offensive player. We have to look for that person in the centre of the field, who can give the last passes and score goals.

“In the defence and other parts, right and left midfield, we are good. We need someone like Jay-Jay Okocha, but it has to be somebody that can score more than him.”

Marketers of petroleum products in Nigeria have reportedly written to President Bola Tinubu to complain that the drop in price of Dangote Refinery’s diesel to N900 per litre, is negatively affecting their businesses.

Devakumar Edwin,  Vice President, Dangote Industries Limited, disclosed this on a Twitter Spaces session organized by Nairametrics.

Edwin highlighted some of the challenges facing the Dangote Refinery and its impact on Nigeria’s fuel supply and prices.

According to him, the refinery, located in the Lekki Free Zone near Lagos, struggles to sell about 29 tankers of diesel per day due to low patronage from local petroleum product importers.

“As a result of this poor local patronage, the refinery exports most of its diesel and aviation fuel,” he said.

However, he said despite the challenges, 44% of the refinery’s petrol production capacity is sufficient to meet all of the country’s local demand.

Daily Trust reports that the Dangote Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, started naphtha exports in March, low-sulphur straight run fuel oil (LSSR) exports in May, and began selling diesel and jet fuel domestically in April

In June, it started exporting diesel fuel meeting European specifications.

Tensions are rising in Edo State as Odion Olaye, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Edo, made provocative statements during a recent campaign event in Egor, Benin City.

In support of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Asue Ighodalo, Olaye’s remarks have sparked controversy ahead of the September 21 gubernatorial election.

A video that has since gone viral captures Olaye confidently assuring PDP supporters of victory, specifically predicting that Egor will be won by the PDP.

However, it was his subsequent comment that has caused a significant stir: Olaye warned that the state “will burn” if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not declare Ighodalo the winner of the upcoming poll.

These remarks have raised concerns about the potential for unrest dependent on the election results, with various stakeholders calling for calm and a focus on democratic processes rather than incendiary rhetoric.

Olaye said, “I want to assure you that PDP, our party, is going to win Egor 80 percent come 21st of this month and on 22nd of this month, they must declare Asue Ighodalo the winner.

“If they refuse to do that, Edo state will burn.”

His comments come on the heels of allegations and counter allegations by parties.

In one of the scenarios, the state PDP Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, said it has uncovered plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use fake INEC staff who would be posing as technical staff to tamper with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

Media Director of APC Campaign Council, Prince Kassim Afegbua, however dismissed the allegation.

Watch the video below:

A Lagos State Special Offences Court, in Ikeja, on Tuesday, convicted and sentenced an American businessman, Marco Antonio Ramirez, to  74 years imprisonment, for defrauding victims of $1.2m, through an EB-5 visa scam and an additional $368,698.24, in fraud.

Justice Mojisola Dada, who handed down the sentence, found Ramirez guilty on two separate consolidated charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The court ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

On the first charge, Ramirez was sentenced to eight years each on counts one to six, and 10 years each on counts seven and eight.

On the second charge, he received 10 years each on counts one to 12 for obtaining money by false pretence, and 10 years each on counts 13 to 16 for stealing.

The EFCC said Ramirez and his companies, USA Now LLC, Eagle Ford Instalodge Group LP, and USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, obtained the said money from their victims by promising them access to the  Employment-Based Fifth Preference United States of America Investor Programme, which would qualify them to be eligible for the issuance of USA Green Card and permanent residency, but that the convict reneged on his promise.

Instead of fulfilling these promises, Ramirez converted the funds for his personal use.

Dada, in her judgment, held that “The convict dishonestly converted the money meant for investments to his personal use.

“The prosecution has successfully proved that the promises made to the victims were false, and the funds obtained were under fraudulent pretences,” she said.

The EFCC said Ramirez’s fraudulent activities took place in 2013, noting that one of the victims, Godson Echegile, lost $545,000 to Ramirez under the false pretext that it was a processing fee for his investment, which would qualify him for a U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 programme.

He was initially arraigned on 12 counts bordering on fraud and he pleaded not guilty. Later, the EFCC amended the charge and Ramirez was re-arraigned on 16 counts on June 24, 2022.

The American was said to have committed the offences on February 5 2013 and April 18, 2013, in Lagos.

When the trial commenced, the prosecution counsel, M.S. Owede, who led Samuel Daji, tendered several documentary evidence and called witnesses to prove the allegations against him and he was cross-examined by the defence counsel, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN).

The case suffered several adjournments at the stage of adoption of final written addresses before counsel in the suit eventually adopted their final addresses on May 8, 2024, and the judge adjourned for judgment.

However, while delivering judgment on Tuesday, Dada found Ramirez guilty as charged and sentenced him to 10 years each on counts one to 12 bordering on obtaining by false pretence, and 10 years each on counts 13 to 16 bordering on stealing.

The judge also found him guilty on another separate amended nine-count charge bordering on $368,698.24 fraud.

In a separate case, Ramirez was found guilty of defrauding another victim, Gabriel Ogie Edeoghon, for $250,000 on July 26, 2013.

He falsely claimed that the money was for an investment in the USA Now Energy Capital Group LP, which would make Edeoghon eligible for a U.S. Green Card through the EB-5 visa programme.

Ramirez received additional sentences of eight years each on counts one to six and 10 years each on counts seven and eight for this particular fraud.