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The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board has uncovered 3,000 fake graduates who never set foot within the four walls of a classroom.
The board also decried the issue of illegal admissions by some institutions which, it said, had remained a source of embarrassment to the country.
The Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, made this known in a report published in the board’s bulletin, which was obtained by our correspondent in Abuja.
According to the bulletin, Oloyede disclosed this during a meeting with the leadership of the Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State Universities.
“Some ‘graduates’ had never entered the four walls of a university owing to the endemic corruption in the system but the board had documented over 3,000 of such cases.
“Illegal admission of candidates into tertiary institutions in the country is an embarrassment and a disservice to the nation,” the bulletin read.
The issue of illegal admissions has over the years been at the forefront of JAMB’s priorities.
The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education, in December 2023, ordered the JAMB to present a list of tertiary institutions that had conducted irregular and illegal admissions.
The examination body had earlier warned candidates to desist from accepting admissions offered by such institutions without full academic participation.
In the statement titled, “Cessation of illegal/irregular admission,” JAMB reiterated that all applications of admissions to first degree, national diploma, national innovation diploma and the Nigeria certificate in education into full-time, distance learning, part-time, outreach, sandwich, etc, must be processed only through JAMB.
The Rivers State Police Command said its men arrested the commander of a vigilante group identified as Felix Nwaobakata, with two human skulls and other parts at his hideout in Omoku in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state.
Also, the police said its operatives in a clampdown on the excesses of vigilante groups operating in the state had arrested seven other members of the local security outfit for sundry crimes including murder.
The spokesperson for the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Iringe-Koko said Nwaobakata, who is the Commander of the ONELGA Security and Peace Advisory Committee codenamed OSPAC is a principal suspect in the murder of two brothers in Idu in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of the state on May 1, 2024, on the allegations that they were kidnappers.
The statement noted that the arrest of Nwaobakata and other OSPAC members followed numerous complaints about their operations in different parts of the state, especially in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, saying the outfit recently attacked a police division in Omoku and clashed with other security agencies.
The statement reads, “The Rivers State Police Command has commenced a clampdown on the excesses of vigilante groups operating within the state.
“This follows numerous complaints about the operations of the ONELGA Security and Peace Advisory Committee (OSPAC) in different parts of the state, predominantly in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, as well as clashes with other security agencies by this vigilante group.
“On May 9, 2024, Alhaji Usman Seleh, the Chairman of the Hausa Indigenous Group in ONELGA, reported that OSPAC had abducted a member of his group. He proceeded to report the matter to the police. Consequently, the police invited the ONELGA OSPAC commander, Felix Nwaobakata, who refused to honour several invitations.
“Instead, the OSPAC outfit coordinated an attack on the police division in Omoku but the attack was thwarted as the police repelled them.
“Following this development, Tactical Units of the command stormed the ONELGA OSPAC Camp at Omoku and arrested Cheta Benjamin, Joshua Ekwosa, Innocent Ahiakwu, and four others.
“The ONELGA OSPAC Commander, Felix Nwaobakata, was subsequently arrested in his hideout in Omoku on June 17, 2023, where two human skulls and human bones were found in his possession.
“The arrested OSPAC Commander, Felix Nwaobakata, is also a principal suspect in the murder of two brothers, Collins Ugorji (32) and Newman Ugorji (39), of the Idu Community in ONELGA.
“The brothers were killed on May 1, 2024, by the OSPAC on the allegation that they were kidnappers. Their motorcycles were confiscated, and their bodies were taken to the OSPAC secretariat in Omoku and received by Felix Nwaobakata after residents lamented their criminal actions. The bodies of the brothers were not seen, and the investigation is ongoing.”
In another related incident, the state police image maker said, “On May 31, 2024, the youths of Egbeda Community in Emuoha LGA staged a peaceful protest to Lubrik Construction Company at Egbeda, and after being addressed by the police, they dispersed but were ambushed by a group of OSPAC members led by the Egbeda OSPAC Commander, Friday Ogbuji, who shot and killed the youth leader, Innocent Didia.
“The Rivers State Police Command has made further arrests and will continue to investigate these cases and related ones, which will then be charged to a court of competent jurisdiction.
“The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, has advised that any resident who has complaints of assault, extortion, or illegal detention should make a report at the nearest police station.
“The Rivers State Command is committed to carrying out its duty of protecting lives and property. It will not tolerate any act of illegality, excessive use of force, torture, fraudulent conversion of properties, and other varying forms of criminality by the OSPAC or any other vigilante outfit.”
Disu said that while recognising the relevance and importance of these vigilante groups in the Community Policing System, as regards information gathering and visibility, among others, the command would keep engaging and synergising with these groups on what was expected of them and their limitations.
“The rights of all as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended must be respected.
“The Rivers State Command wants to reassure the public and all key stakeholders that it will continue to work within the ambit of the law and issue a stern warning to any individual or group who chooses to operate outside the scope of the law,” the statement added.
Speaking with our correspondent later on Wednesday, Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said the suspects had already been charged in court.
She stated, “We (the police) have started the prosecution of the matter. The suspects have been charged in court. The CP is not happy over the activities of some of these vigilantes and he has said they must face the wrath of the law.”
Pandemonium erupted in the agrarian community of Okpare in Olomu Kingdom, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State on Wednesday morning following the gruesome murder of an Anglican priest by his son.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the priest, identified as Rev. Isaac Umurie, one of the reverends attached to St. John’s Anglican Church, Okpare-Olomu, was allegedly hacked to death in his sleep in the early hours of the day by his 28-year-old son, Ufuoma Umurie.
It was learnt that the gory incident occurred around 2 a.m., with the mother narrowly escaping being butchered alongside.
The suspect allegedly chased his mother while she was attempting to save the life of her husband, but narrowly escaped unhurt, sources said.
Ufuoma, who is presently in the police net, was said to have used a cutlass to hack his father’s skull and other parts of his body while asleep before neighbours and church members could gain access to the apartment.
Although what led to the incident was still sketchy as of the time of filing this report, multiple sources in the community alleged that Ufuoma was mentally unstable and that it was the second time that the suspect would be attacking the deceased father.
It was however gathered that in the ensuing melee, the suspect was overpowered, apprehended and handed over to the police at the Otu-Jeremi Divisional Headquarters for prosecution.
Commenting, one of the sources, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “This is the second time Ufuoma is attacking his father. The other time, he beat him up, and the Okpare-Olomu vigilantes held him. But the father pleaded that he should not be taken to the police station. We heard that he is not mentally stable.
“In today’s incident, he hacked the father with a cutlass, burst his skull, and mutilated other parts of his body. The priest has a few years to retire. He was brought closer home because of his retirement before this unfortunate incident”.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident.
Edafe also confirmed that “the suspect is already in police custody and he will be prosecuted for the crime.”
The United Kingdom will hold its first national election in almost five years on Thursday, with opinion polls suggesting that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party will be punished for failing to deliver on promises made during 14 years in power.
The centre-right Conservatives took power during the depths of the global financial crisis and have won three more elections since then. But those years have been marked by a sluggish economy, declining public services and a series of scandals, making the Tories, as they are commonly known, easy targets for critics on the left and right.
The Labour Party, which leans to the left, is far ahead in most opinion polls after focusing its campaign on a single word: Change.
But the Tories face other challenges as well. The new Reform Party is siphoning off votes from the rightwing of the Conservatives after criticizing the Tory leadership for failing to control immigration.
How will the election work?
People throughout the United Kingdom will elect all 650 members of the House of Commons, one for each local constituency. There are no primaries or run-offs, just a single round of voting on July 4.
Britain uses a “first past the post” system of voting, which means that the candidate that finishes top in each constituency will be elected, even if they don’t get 50% of the vote. This has generally cemented the dominance of the two largest parties, Conservatives and Labour, because it is difficult for smaller parties to win seats unless they have concentrated support in particular areas.
How is the prime minister chosen?
The party that commands a majority in the Commons, either alone or with the support of another party, will form the next government and its leader will be prime minister.
That means the results will determine the political direction of the government, which has been led by the center-right Conservatives for the past 14 years. The center-left Labour Party is widely seen to be in the strongest position.
Who is running?
Sunak, a former Treasury chief who has been prime minister since October 2022, is leading his party into the election. His primary opponent is Keir Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions in England and leader of the Labour Party since April 2020.
But other parties, some of which have strong regional support, could be crucial to forming a coalition government if no one wins an overall majority.
The Scottish National Party, which campaigns for Scottish independence, the Liberal Democrats, and the Democratic Unionist Party, which seeks to maintain ties between Britain and Northern Ireland, are currently the three largest parties in Parliament after the Conservatives and Labour. Many observers suggest the new Reform Party, fronted by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, may siphon votes from the Conservatives
Why are the Conservatives under pressure?
The Conservatives have faced one challenge after another since they took power in 2010. First there was the fallout from the global financial crisis, which swelled Britain’s debt and caused the Tories to impose years of austerity to balance the budget. They then led Britain out of the European Union, battled one of the deadliest COVID-19 outbreaks in western Europe, and saw inflation soar after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Regardless of the circumstances, many voters blame the Conservatives for the litany of problems facing Britain, from sewage spills and unreliable train service to the cost-of-living crisis, crime and the influx of migrants crossing the English Channel on inflatable boats.
On top of that, the party has been tarred by the repeated ethical lapses of government ministers, including lockdown-busting parties in government offices. The scandals chased former Prime Minister Boris Johnson from office and ultimately from Parliament after he was found to have lied to lawmakers. His successor, Liz Truss, lasted just 45 days after her economic policies cratered the economy.
What are the big issues?
The economy: Britain has struggled with high inflation and slow economic growth, which have combined to make most people feel poorer. The Conservatives succeeded in controlling inflation, which slowed to 2% in the year through May after peaking at 11.1% in October 2022, but growth remains sluggish, raising questions about the government’s economic policies.
Immigration: Thousands of asylum seekers and economic migrants have crossed the English Channel in flimsy inflatable boats in recent years, triggering criticism that the government has lost control of Britain’s borders. The Conservatives’ signature policy for stopping the boats is a plan to deport some of these migrants to Rwanda. Critics say the plan violates international law, is inhumane, and will do nothing to stop people fleeing war, unrest and famine.
Health care: Britain’s National Health Service, which provides free health care to everyone, is plagued with long waiting lists for everything from dental care to cancer treatment. Newspapers are filled with stories about seriously ill patients forced to wait hours for an ambulance, then longer still for a hospital bed.
The environment: Sunak has backtracked on a series of environmental commitments, pushing back the deadline for ending the sale of gasoline- and diesel-powered passenger vehicles and authorizing new oil drilling in the North Sea. Critics say these are the wrong policies at a time the world is trying to combat climate change.
Why is the election being held now?
Sunak surprised pundits and most of his own lawmakers six weeks ago when he set the election for July 4, at least three months earlier than expected.
While most observers thought the vote would take place in the fall, Sunak gambled on a summer election, hoping that positive economic news would help him persuade voters that Conservative policies were beginning to work.
The decision was so startling that it landed the Tories in hot water. Allegations have emerged that party members and police officers assigned to protect government officials had placed wagers on a summer election, suggesting they had inside information and damaging Sunak’s ability to claim that his party is more trustworthy than Labour.
Commentators had been speculating about the timing of the election for months because the parliamentary term was scheduled to end in mid-December. While each parliament is elected for up to five years, the prime minister can call an election whenever it is most advantageous politically.
An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has died by suicide at his residence in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
The deceased, a member of Course 5, was described as diligent, efficient, and unassuming.
A source at the headquarters of the commission said, “The deceased was a diligent and efficient operative, known for his unassuming nature. His death has come as a shock to everyone at the EFCC.”
An investigation is currently underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the suicide, EFCC spokesperson Mr. Dele Oyewale confirmed.
When asked about the incident, Mr. Oyewale reiterated, “An investigation is currently underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the suicide.”
He added that the Commission is exploring possible factors, including mental health and family challenges, that may have contributed to the operative’s depression and tragic decision.
The EFCC has not released the operative’s name pending the conclusion of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the suicide.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disclosed another interception of a significant amount of arms and ammunition at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA) in Lagos, valued at ₦270 million.
The intercepted consignment, which originated from Turkiye, was found in the cargo section of the airport, and one suspect has been apprehended.
It was mentioned that military equipment and gear were also seized by the Airport Command of NCS.
Naija News reports that the latest recovery is coming barely 48 hours after the seizure of a container filled with arms and ammunition smuggled into the country from Turkiye at Onne Port, Rivers State.
Confirming the latest recovery in a statement issued on Wednesday night, the Comptroller General of the NCS, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said, “On 19th June 2024, the MMA 2 command deployed personnel to man all exit points and conducted examination on all consignment due to the intelligence available to us and upon examination a parcel with number 235/587737755 which originated from Turkiye was intercepted.
“The consignment was exterminated from the rest, and it was gathered that 55 pieces of Tomahawk semi-automatic short gun were Intercepted with one suspect arrested.”
On the Onne Port in Rivers State, the Service reported earlier that it intercepted a 40-feet container with the number MAEU165396, which contained pump action rifles and ammunition worth N4.17 billion.
Naija News learnt that due to the numerous risk factors linked to the importation, it caught the attention of the Customs Service, resulting in a comprehensive inspection of the container.
This inspection unveiled that the container was carrying 844 rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition imported into the country from Turkiye.
IT was confusion and lamentation galore in Lagos, yesterday, as activities in most parts of the state were paralysed following early morning rains that left many neighbourhoods heavily flooded, with motorists trapped along major roads, including the ever-busy Third Mainland Bridge.
It was also blame galore, with many pointing accusing fingers at the state government for failing to enforce environmental protection laws and prosecuting those caught dumping refuse in drainage channels leading to their blockage and flooding whenever it rains.
For instance, an environmental expert and publisher of EnvironNews, a publication on environment issues, Mr Michael Simire, said: “About nine hours of torrential rainfall is a lot of water that is bound to cause some sort of havoc in a city like Lagos that has a considerable landmass below sea level and with numerous swampy areas that have all become built-up residential areas.
“The poor drainage network is worsened by the habit of dumping refuse in drainage channels which become blocked and lead to flooded neighbourhoods. Also, a considerable amount of structures in Lagos are built along drainage channels.
“Government should endeavour to clear and maintain the secondary and primary drainage channels so that they can accommodate run-offs from heavy rains like this one.”
Poor drainage system, planning lead to flooding — Experts
Also reacting, a consulting town planner, Mr Ayo Adejumo said “Everything that was not planned will give bad or wrong results or lead to disasters such as flooding we experience all over Lagos now.
The lack of proper planning of our environment is giving us what we see now in our environment.
When the government spends money to do development plans and they are not implemented, ungodly situations like flooding is what we get because development plans take care of environmental issues like this and profer adequate mitigation measures.
“Lack of provision of dump sites as part of planning is also a factor causing flooding as residents of Lagos dump wastes and refuse in the drainage and water bodies thus blocking free flow of water.
“Inefficient physical development control is another major cause. People build to block water channels. Government, through its planning agencies, should not have allowed this.”
We’re unable to leave our homes — Residents
Some Lagos residents, who spoke with Vanguard, lamented that poor drainage system in some parts of the metropolis, such as Oworosonki, Oshodi, and Alimosho, among others, is the major cause of the perennial flooding situation in the state.
Expressing their displeasure with the flooding situation in the state, they called on the state government to come to their rescue.
A resident of Lekki, one of the worst hit by flood, lamented that the flooding in their area has become so massive lately that they are unable to leave their homes.
LAWMA seals building over refuse dumping
But speaking with Vanguard over a viral video where some residents were seen dumping refuse in the drainage, a Lagos State government official vowed that the suspect would be fished out and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.
In the Ijesha area of the state, the state government sealed an apartment building whose occupants were seen throwing trash into the street.
The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab confirmed the development.
An X user, Adeoye Adetutu had posted a picture of some residents appearing to throw their trash out on the street, tagging the commissioner in the image.
Adetutu wrote: “(These) people just poured out their waste to the street water. This is no 2 Akewukewe Street beside Ikate Local Government in Ijesha Surulere.”
In response, Wahab requested that the matter be looked into by the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA.
In an update hours later, the commissioner said: “The house has been identified and locked immediately by the Environmental Health Service Department of Itire-Ikate LCDA.”
NiMet predicts 3-day thunderstorm
The torrential rain which more or less confirmed the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NiMet, earlier prediction of thunderstorms and rains from Wednesday to Friday across the country, lasted for several hours.
Many residents whose houses were submerged in flood were seen bailing out storm water from their apartments.
Some commuters, who braved the rain by venturing out soon, found themselves stranded at flooded bus stops.
Also, many daring motorists had sad tales to tell as their vehicles broke down in the flooded highways in different parts of the city.
To add to the confusion and dismay, the combination of high-intensity rainfall and heavy flooding led to trees falling across some roads and roofs being blown off some buildings in parts of the metropolis.
Children, wards stopped from going to school
As a result of the downpour, some parents and guardians stopped their children and wards who are not currently sitting for examinations from going to school. Indeed, some public and private schools recorded low turnout as pupils stayed away, while parents with vehicles were seen dropping off their children in their various schools.
Most hard hit by the heavy flooding were places like Ikeja, Agege, Ikorodu Road, Oworosonki, Egbeda, Oshodi, Funsho Williams, Lekki, Ajah, Obalende, among others.
Multiple videos and pictures which trended online captured areas such as the Iyana-Oworo, Olopo Meji area toward the Third Mainland Bridge submerged in flood, resulting in a chaotic traffic situation, extending as far Alapere, old Toll Gate, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway of the state.
Hoodlums collect levies from pedestrians in flooded areas
Some miscreants in the mostly affected areas took advantage of the situation to make quick money from innocent pedestrians by extorting them before allowing pedestrians to pass through improvised structures across flooded areas.
A video of one of the scenes captured saw miscreants laying siege under the Lagos Trade Fair, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, demanding the sum of N100 per individual before they could be allowed passage over the flooded part, claiming they provided the structures through their efforts and not government’s.
It was the same situation at Agege, Oshodi, Obalende and other areas monitored as hoodlums carried pedestrians on their backs for agreed fee ranging from N100, N200, and above across flooded points.
Meanwhile, some pedestrians, who felt they were being compelled to pay under duress, refused to pay, resulting in altercations with the hoodlums.
Residents react, recount bitter experiences
A resident in the Ojodu area of the state, Bode Alayande, said: “This situation is a recurrent experience annually in Lagos. So what would the government say it is doing to address this worrisome, life-threatening situation? The answer is obvious, practically nothing.”
Also, Mr Kayode Abolore, a businessman, who resides in Egbeda and works on the Island, recounted his experience.
He said: “I left home at about 6 am when the rain was still minimal. On getting to the Ejigbo area to connect Seven and Eight, the entire road was covered with stormwater as motorists and commuters were stranded. I had to make a detour back home after about two hours of standstill with the rain getting more intense.
“I believe the flood was a result of blocked drainage channels. Local governments should be alive to their responsibilities by supporting the efforts of the state government.”
Lagos govt reacts
Reacting to yesterday’s downpour, the Lagos State Government called for calm from residents over the flash flood, saying despite the severity of the situation, there was no cause for alarm.
Wahab, in a statement, explained that Lagos has experienced about nine hours of non-stop rainfall since the early hours of Wednesday, coupled with heavy rainfall which the state has been experiencing daily since last week resulting in a rise in the level of the Lagos lagoon.
He said: “Lagos is a coastal city with almost one-third of its landmass underwater, as such necessitating a genuine reason for every resident to be more responsive to the state of the environment.
“The state government on its part has embarked on a-year-long maintenance and cleaning of all its secondary and primary collectors to be able to contain runoffs that may come from heavy rainfalls.
Residents on their part are expected to regularly clean and maintain the tertiary drains in front of their tenements and refrain from dumping refuse in the drains for the collective good of everyone.”
On the flood experienced around the Falomo area, Wahab said: “The contractors have deployed, and mobilized men to the blocked outlets to allow for seamless movement of stormwater.”
NiMET prediction
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, NiMet, had earlier predicted thunderstorms and rains from Wednesday to Friday across the country. NiMet‘s weather outlook released on Tuesday in Abuja predicted morning thunderstorms on Wednesday over parts of Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Taraba and Adamawa states.
NiMET said: “While afternoon/evening thunderstorms are expected over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Jigawa, Kaduna, Yobe, Bauchi and Gombe states.
“Thunderstorms are expected over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Benue and Niger states in the North Central in the morning. Later in the day, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi, Kwara, the Federal Capital Territory and Benue states,”
According to NiMet, morning rains are expected over parts of Lagos, Ondo, Delta, Ogun, Abia, Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers states in the southern region. It anticipated high prospects of continuous rains for Lagos which might lead to flooding. The agency forecast thunderstorms with rains over the entire region during the afternoon and evening hours.
It predicted morning thunderstorms over parts of Kano, Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna states on Thursday with thunderstorms over parts of Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Jigawa states later in the day.
“Thunderstorms are expected over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Kogi and Niger states in the North Central in the morning. Later in the day, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Nasarawa, Plateau and Benue states.
“Morning thunderstorms with rains are expected over parts of Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Lagos, Delta, Abia, Rivers, Edo, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states in the southern region.
“Rains are expected over the entire region during the afternoon and evening hours, “it said.
NiMer predicted morning thunderstorms over parts of Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Bauchi and Gombe states on Friday while thunderstorms are expected over the entire region later in the day.
It anticipated a partly cloudy atmosphere in the morning over the North Central region with thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Benue and Kogi states later in the day.
“Morning rains are expected over parts of Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states in the southern region.
“In the afternoon/evening hours, rains are expected over the entire region during the afternoon/evening hours,” it said.
NiMet urged the public to take adequate precautions as strong winds might precede the rains in areas where thunderstorms were likely to occur.
It further urged the public to take note and take safety precautions in places where continuous rains were expected, flood incidences might occur.
It advised Airline operators to get updated weather reports and forecasts from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Sankara, the headquarters of Ukum Local Government Area in Benue State, was set ablaze by protesting youths on Wednesday.
The National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed the incident in a statement released late Wednesday.
According to the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Prof. Sam Egwu, the attack took place at 2 pm during a protest against the activities of bandits in the region.
The demonstration turned violent, resulting in the destruction of various government facilities, including the INEC office.
Although no casualties were reported, the damage to the building was extensive.
See photos from the scene below:
The statement mentioned that numerous items were destroyed, such as furniture, 10 electric generators, 300 ballot boxes, and 270 voting cubicles.
Olumekun stated that security agencies have been informed and have dispatched personnel to the area to restore order and investigate the incident.
The statement read, “The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue State, Professor Sam Egwu, has reported that our Local Government Area office in Sankara, headquarters of Ukum Local Government Area, has been attacked and burnt down.
“The incident occurred at 2 p.m. today, Wednesday, 3rd July 2024, when the youths in the area were said to be protesting against the activities of bandits who attacked facilities of government agencies, including INEC.
“Although no casualties were reported, the building has been extensively damaged. Office furniture and other movable and immovable materials, including 10 electric generators, 300 ballot boxes, and 270 voting cubicles, were destroyed in the attack.”
It could be recalled that the INEC released data on December 16, 2022, revealing that there were 50 attacks on its facilities in the past four years across 15 states.
Imo State had the highest number of incidents, with a total of 11 attacks.
Sheila Courage, the estranged wife of singer, Davido’s Logistics Manager, Israel Afeare, popularly known as Israel DMW, has said she has no regret ending her marriage.
Naija News recalls that Israel and Sheila tied the knot in a star-studded wedding ceremony that was held in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
However, the couple got separated barely eight months after their lavish wedding over allegations of domestic violence and infidelity from both parties.
In a recent podcast interview with her friend, Ginika, Shiela admitted that she was hurt after her ex-husband involved her friend and her mother in their divorce saga.
She said, “I did not regret any decision I have taken because it was all bound to happen. I believe strongly that God is in charge of all that happens in our lives, whether positive or negative, there’s a master planner behind everything.
“But I’ve had my moments of sadness. I feel so bad about the whole thing especially the way my friend and my mum were dragged into it [our divorce]. That has hurt me. But generally, I have zero regrets.”
A Ghanaian chef, Ebenezer Smith, popularly known as Chef Smith, has been arrested and detained for fabricating a Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual.
Smith, at a press conference on Tuesday, announced himself on social media as the new world record holder for a purported 820-hour 25-minute cook-a-thon, from February 1, 2024 to March 6, 2024.
The Public Relations Executive for Guinness World Record, Alina Polianskaya, refuted the claims made by Smith in an interview with the BBC, saying, “No, this is not true at all. He does not hold the GWR title, and that is not our certificate.
“The current and true record for the longest cooking marathon (individual) is 119hr 57 min 16 sec and was achieved by Alan Fisher (Ireland) in Matsue, Shimane, Japan, from 28 September to 3 October 2023,” he added.
DAILY POST recalls that Irish chef Alan Fisher is the current record holder for the longest cooking hours, having clocked in 119 hours and 57 minutes, surpassing Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci.
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A newly constructed two-storey building has collapsed at No 12 Cameroun Street off Ewenla in the Mushin area of Lagos State.
DAILY POST gathered that the incident occurred on Wednesday following the torrential rain which has triggered floods in many parts of the state.
The state emergency management agency, LASEMA confirmed the ugly development, saying at least seven persons were rescued and rushed to hospital.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, told journalists that three females and four males were rescued.
According to the Agency, the rescue team “have searched the rubble and can confirm that there is no victim underneath the collapsed building. The area had been cordoned off”.
Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and privileges has announced the appointment of 500 aides.
She said the aides will help her monitor her constituency projects.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmaker, who represents Oluyole federal constituency in Oyo State made this declaration via a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday.
She maintained that the primary responsibility of the aides is to ensure timely reporting of project requirements relating to health, school infrastructure, education, roads, electricity and empowerment initiatives.
She further stated that the new aides would collaborate with grassroots community leaders to ensure equitable distribution of democratic dividends throughout the constituency.
Akande-Sadipe noted that the appointments was aimed at ensuring effective service delivery in her constituency.
“Their primary responsibility is to ensure timely reporting of project requirements, health, school infrastructure, education, roads, electricity, empowerment initiatives, and more to Hon. Tolu and the constituency office administration team.
“Additionally, they will oversee project supervision, leveraging their residency within the communities across the Local Government Area.
“They will collaborate closely with grassroots community leaders to ensure equitable distribution of democratic dividends throughout the LG,” she said.
Yuki Gambaryan, wife of Tigran, the detained Binance executive in Nigeria, has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) to drop the charges against her husband.
On June 14, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) dropped its tax charges against the Binance’s head of financial crime compliance.
In April, the anti-graft body had arraigned Binance Holdings Limited, a cryptocurrency firm, and Gambaryan, over allegations bordering on money laundering.
The company and its executive were arraigned on a five-count charge before Emeka Nwite, a judge at the federal high court in Abuja, on April 8.
In a statement on Tuesday, Yuki asked the EFCC to follow the steps of FIRS.
She said her husband and his family are finding it more difficult to deal with his continued detention.
“He is suffering immensely under the strain of this injustice. I respectfully urge the EFCC to follow the example set by their colleagues at the FIRS (tax authority) and drop the charges against Tigran,” she said.
“As I have stated many times before and as the evidence in court is showing, Tigran has never been a decision-maker at Binance, and there is no justification for his continued detention.
“It is time for the Nigerian authorities to do the right thing and release my innocent husband. This situation has gone too far.”
According to the statement, Gambaryan’s health continues to “deteriorate in detention and he complained of numbness in his foot as well as back pain”.
“He has had double pneumonia and malaria whilst in prison,” Yuki said.
In the statement, Yuki said the federal high court in Abuja ordered Kuje correctional facility to release the medical records of Gambaryan — covering his visit to the hospital on June 3 — to his lawyers.
On Tuesday, the cross-examination of a witness from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — the first witness presented by the EFCC in the ongoing trial of Binance and Gambaryan — was completed.
The trial has been adjourned to July 5.
Police have exhumed the corpse of a 72-year-old female trader, identified as Mrs Vero Akazuma, who was killed and buried in a shallow grave on a farm at Afuze, in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
Yhe corpse of the deceased was exhumed from the grave by a combined team of police, vigilantes and mortuary attendants. She was reportedly killed on June 17, 2024, when her regular customer called her from Auchi to come and purchase corn on his farm.
The deceased and the farmer, according to eyewitnesses, boarded a motorcycle to the farm.
That the farmer, instead of selling corn to the woman, killed her, took her money, buried her remains in a shallow grave and escaped.
It was further gathered that the children who were worried when their mother did not return home reported the incident to police stations in Auchi and Afuze, respectively, where she was subsequently declared missing.
The case was transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Unit of the Edo State Police Command, which went into extensive investigation.
During the investigations, the deceased’s mobile phone was traced to the commercial motorcyclist who conveyed them to the farm, and he was arrested. The motorcyclist, during interrogation, admitted to taking the duo to the farm but added that he only dropped them on the farm and left her with one Michael, the farmer.
As part of the ongoing investigations, policemen from the Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrime Unit embarked on bush combing operations. The efforts paid off on June 26, 2024, when they discovered a grave in the bush where she was buried. They exhumed the decomposing body of the woman from the grave and deposited it in the mortuary for an autopsy and further investigation.
The farmer, whom the locals identified as Michael, is currently at large, as police assured that he would be fished out of his hideout.
In a video that has gone viral at the scene of the exhumation of the corpse, the son of the deceased is heard describing the incident as fortunate.
The son, identified as Mr Okonofua, said his mother hailed from Esan West Local Government Area but married in Esan Central Local Government Area.
While lamenting the killing of his mother, he stated that instead of only collecting her money, they also took her life.
Okonofua, who was heard speaking in the background of the video, wept profusely, stating that his mother travelled from Auchi, where she lived, to Afuze to purchase the corn, but she never returned home.