Serious tension recently took over Ojurowo, Folumo in the Isale Eko area of Lagos Island, Lagos State, on Friday.

The tension spread after members of the public caught an unidentified woman for kidnapping and selling children.

City Round reports that the woman had kidnapped the children from the Ijora area of the state and brought them to Isale Eko to sell them.

In a video clip that trending on X on Friday, people gathered around a building suspected to be where the woman was caught while conducting her illegal business.

According to the person heard speaking in the video, the woman confessed that she was going to sell the children for the sum of N250,000.

“They caught five children with her. She said she sells each of them for N50,000, making N250,000. They said she brought the five children from Ijora. If you know anyone looking for their child in Ijora, please come to Isale Eko in Ojurowo,” the man was heard saying.

However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, during a chat with our correspondent on Friday, said a 20-year-old man, Maxwell Nweke, was arrested for abducting five boys in the Adeniji Adele area of Lagos Island.

It was gathered that Nweke lured the victims into following him to an unknown location after he purchased N500 worth of puff puff from them.

However, the victims raised the alarm after discovering the suspect had tricked them. This led to the arrest of Nweke by police operatives in Adenji Adele on Thursday afternoon.

Hundeyin said, “Officers of Adeniji Adele arrested one Maxwell Nweke, aged 20. In his possession were five boys within the ages of eight and 12 years.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect bought puff puff worth N200 from one of them and immediately paid for it.

“He thereafter collected puff-puff worth N500 and asked the boys to follow him to Lagos Island to collect the money.

“While on the way, the boys suspected that he was luring them to an unknown place. The boys immediately raised an alarm that warranted the suspect’s arrest. The boys have been reunited with their parents and the investigation is ongoing.”

Peter Obi, an ex-Anambra State Governor and Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, has described Nigeria as poverty capital of the world, with the hungriest and most insecure people on earth.

Obi has, in recent time, been consistently speaking out against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, faulting its policies and focus especially amid economic crisis hitting the country.

In a post on his X handle (formerly known as Twitter), Peter Obi described it as disheartening how those in authority dismiss the country’s challenges by saying “we are not the only ones struggling with poverty and hunger.”

He said, “It is disheartening to hear those in charge, who were hired to address our problems, make statements like ‘we are not the only ones struggling with poverty and hunger’.

“We are the poverty capital of the world, among the most insecure people on earth, among the hungriest, have poor education quality and the highest number of out-of-school children, high infant mortality, corruption, unemployment, the highest income gap between the poor and the rich, high corruption perception index, infrastructure and healthcare challenges, and more.”

Obi, however, urged leaders to come up with concrete solutions and clear vision to address the country’s challenges, maintaining that mere comparisons of challenges with other countries would not solve the problems.

“Instead of merely acknowledging that other countries face similar challenges, we need to hear a thorough plan of action to tackle our unique struggles. We require concrete solutions and a clear vision to address these issues, not comparisons that downplay our circumstances.

“I urge those in leadership positions to offer tangible solutions, not mere reminders that others face similar challenges. We need a comprehensive approach to tackle our specific challenges, not marginalizations that dismiss our experiences.”

Hazel Oyeze Onou, the popular Big Brother Naija reality star and singer, who is also known as Whitemoney, has recalled how he resisted seduction from a rich married woman during his days of humble beginning.

In an interview with Echoo Room, Whitemoney revealed that he was living under a bridge at Ojuelegba, Lagos, when a married woman offered him a blank cheque to sleep with her but he refused despite his condition.

He added that it is against his principle to sleep with a married woman.

He said, “I got a blank cheque from a lady when I was living under Ojuelegba Bridge.

“Then I was learning cosmetology, she came into the store to buy something, then she saw me and gave me her number to call her.

“I called her. She was so beautiful. We started talking and then she called me to meet her at a hotel then she put out a blank cheque for me.

“Before she put out the blank cheque, she made a mistake by sending me her family picture. She had about five boys.

“She was one of those women that their husbands are hardly around. If she had not done that, maybe I would have slept with her.

“But the fact that I know that she was married, I refused. I have a law, I can never sleep with a married woman.”

Joseph Aloba, father of the late singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, also known as Mohbad, has expressed suspicions regarding the toxicology and autopsy results from tests performed on his son's body, suggesting possible foul play.

Recall that in May, a pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), informed the Coroner’s Inquest that the autopsy conducted on Mohbad was inconclusive in determining the cause of death.

The pathologist attributed the inconclusive autopsy to factors such as body decomposition and potential reactions to medications Mohbad received before his death, among others.

Also, toxicology test was conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) using samples of the gastric content, blood, bone marrow, liver, kidney, and lung.

The anatomical and pathological findings revealed that Mohbad had an injury on his right forearm and his body was exhumed with moderate to severe decomposition.

The report said the cause of death could not be ascertained, however, it stated that there is a possibility of drug reaction in view of any significant post-mortem and toxicology findings.

However, Joseph Aloba and his family rejected the toxicology and autopsy results, saying that they suspect the results might have been manipulated.

Speaking on Arise News Television’ Morning Show programme, Aloba said, “I as well as the public suspect foul play on the toxicology report carried on Mohbad. 

“There was a lot of delay in the process. Mohbad did not die a natural death, I saw him 2 days to his death.”

Also, Aloba family’s legal team said, “We, the legal representatives of the Aloba family, express our profound dissatisfaction and disappointment with the recent announcement regarding the toxicology test results of the late Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba (Mohbad), which have been declared inconclusive by the pathologist.

“This outcome is entirely unacceptable to us and the Aloba family and raises serious concerns about the integrity and thoroughness of the investigation by the police and the medical team into the untimely death of their beloved son, brother, and friend. 

“The Aloba family and the world demand to know where the toxicology test was carried out as this has impugned the integrity.”

Between July 2023 and May 2024 in Akwa Ibom, the NDLEA apprehended 300 suspects and confiscated 190.419 kg of hard drugs.

NDLEA Commander in Akwa Ibom, Obot Bassey, disclosed this at a news conference to mark the 2024 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Uyo on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the theme for this year’s International Drug Day is: “The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention”.

Bassey said that out of the 300 suspects arrested, 249 were male and 51 female, and that no fewer than 61 drug offenders were convicted in the state within the period.

She said that the command had treated and rehabilitated 24 male drug-dependent persons, and carried out anti drug abuse campaigns at 82 locations across the state.

“Drug abuse negatively impact people’s health and their well-being. Many deadly drugs are permeating the illicit drug market and causing havocs on people’s health,” she said.

She called on corporate bodies and philanthropists to participate actively in the campaign against drug abuse.

Nigerian activist and member of the Labour Party 2023 presidential campaign team, Aisha Yesufu, has explained Peter Obi, the party’s flagbearer in the last general election, did not create the Obidient movement.

Yesufu said the Obidient movement was formed due to the fallout of the EndSARS killings.

She pointed out that the collective anger by Nigerian youths led to the formation of the Obidient movement of which Obi is a beneficiary.

Posting on X, Yesufu wrote: “Nobody created Obidient movement. After the #EndSARS killing by APC government many became interested in politics since they were mocked and told to vote those who killed the protesters. There was a collective anger to vote out APC. Peter Obi was a beneficiary of that collective anger of the people.

“When he made his intentions to run for presidency many with that collective anger supported him and from there the name was coined to fit the candidate following the habit of naming supporters after a person supported in Nigeria. There was already a movement before the name OBIdient was coined.”

The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) has clarified recent reports that Nigerian musician Burna Boy paid the medical bills for all patients during a recent visit.

Contrary to widespread claims, the hospital stated that the singer only settled the bills for selected patients.

Burna Boy made headlines earlier this month following his philanthropic activities in Port Harcourt, which included paying medical bills and distributing foodstuff to those in need.

However, reports circulating in various media outlets inaccurately suggested that the musician had completely cleared outstanding medical bills for all patients at UPTH.

In a statement released by the hospital’s spokesperson, Elabha Meni, on Friday, the institution set the record straight while commending Burna Boy for his generosity.

The spokesperson clarified that the hospital did not receive direct payments from Burna Boy or his team on behalf of patients to cover healthcare costs, debunking earlier claims made by several blogs and news sites.

“We commend Burna Boy’s kindness in financially assisting select patients in our hospital to offset their bills during his visit on June 11.

“However, contrary to reports stating that all patients’ bills in UPTH were paid during the visit, only selected patients received cash gifts or donations.

“The hospital did not receive direct payments from the musician and his team on behalf of patients to support this worthy course of reducing healthcare costs,” Meni’s statements read.

Popular Afrobeat singer Ayra Starr has opened up on the reason she is unable to stand up straight, attributing it to the immense effort she’s put into her music career this year.

Taking to her microblogging platform, X (formerly Twitter), the “Blood Samaritan” coroner playfully addressed her fans, shedding light on her bent waist.

In her post, Ayra Starr humorously claimed that her condition is a result of carrying the Afrobeat genre on her back throughout the year.

She wrote;

“Guys I actually can’t stand straight ??‍♀️it’s not my fault My waist is bent from carrying Afrobeats on my back this year ??.”