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Grade A Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State has adjourned till June 3, further hearing in the divorce suit brought before it by a man, Ige, against his wife, Sikira, whom he accused of irresponsibility and infidelity.
Ige added that Sikira was a dupe.
According to Ige, Sikira lacked the ability to take proper care of him and their children and always carried out her duties towards them in a lackadaisical manner.
The plaintiff explained further that the defendant encouraged him to employ the service of a particular plumber when he was building his house, but unknowing to him, the man was her lover.
Ige stated that Sikira was having s3xual affair with the plumber on a regular basis while he was at work.
The plaintiff added that the defendant connived with the plumber to dupe him by adding extra amount to every item he bought when carrying out plumbing work at his site.
Ige said that Sikira eventually moved out of his house and went with all his property.
The plaintiff stated that he desired a fresh start and therefore wanted a clean cut from his wife, which was why he was in court.
The defendant denied all the allegations brought against her but gave in to divorce.
The defendant described the plaintiff as the pot calling the kettle black.
According to the defendant, the plaintiff was in the habit of drinking himself to stupour and beating her.
She told the court how she caught her husband having sex with a teenager in their apartment.
Sikiral further explained that he once came back home drunk and that he beat and tore her clothes to shreds.
She added that he took the nude pictures of her and sent it to his girlfriend.
The defendant also said that the plaintiff’s girlfriend urged him to seek a way of afflicting the defendant with madness.
According to his girlfriend, it would cost just N200 to perpetrate the evil.
Ige gave his testimony, saying, “My lord, I came to court today because I want a clean cut from my wife.
“Sikira has ridiculed me enough. My life is also not safe with her.
“I met and fell in love with her, and went to her parents with my family to ask for her hand in marriage.
“I paid her bride price and provided all that her family demanded as marital rite.
“Sikara, after all I have spent, got to my house and started misbehaving.
“I realised after we got married that she lacked the ability to run a proper home.
“My wife was lackadaisical concerning my welfare and that of our children.
“The attention and dedication of a loving mother and wife was obviously missing in our lives.
“Sikirat preferred to be out all day than stay back home to keep me and our children company.
“My lord, I stopped trusting my wife a long time ago.
“Sikira is wicked and was unfaithful to me.
“She introduced a plumber to me when I was building my house, and I employed him to do the plumbing work.
“I never had an inkling that the man was her lover.
“They were consistently having s3xual affair while I was away at work.
“Sikira went further to connive with this man to dupe me.
“She would ask him to add an amount to the items he purchased for the plumbing work and collect this from him.
“My wife made our home a hell to live in and also made my life miserable.
“She later left with all my property.
“My lord, I want to put my past behind me and start life afresh.
“I, therefore, pray that this court grant me a clean cut from my wife.
“My lord, I pray that you dissolve our marriage and grant me custody of our children, who she hardly showed affection towards.”
Sikira stated, “My lord, my husband is the pot calling the kettle black.
“All he said about me are lies.
“Ige is irresponsible. He was always drinking himself to stupour and punching me.
“I once caught him having sex with a teenager in our room.
“He once came back home drunk and, as usual, descended on me with punches.
“He went further to tear my clothes, took my nude pictures and sent them to his girlfriend.
“His girlfriend urged him to afflict me with madness.
“She told him it would only cost him N200 to do so.
“I did not pack out of his house. He threw my belongings out.
“I am also no longer willing to stay married to him.
“I pray that our marriage be dissolved.”
The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo adjourned the case.
According to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited(NNPCL), the lingering fuel scarcity troubling Nigeria has been attributed to panic buying and exploitative practices by some petroleum marketers.
Naija News reports that in a bid to reassure the public, the NNPC has vowed that the current fuel queues will dissipate next week, asserting that it possesses sufficient fuel stocks to resolve the scarcity.
During a press briefing on Friday, NNPC spokesperson, Femi Soneye, disclosed that the corporation is prepared with over 1.5 billion litres of petroleum, which he insists is adequate for at least 30 days.
Soneye stated that while the NNPC is committed to ensuring fuel availability, the responsibility of fair distribution lies with the marketers, whom he accused of seeking to capitalize on the situation.
“The queues are clearing. They won’t just clear like that, because people are trying to hoard, while others are buying what they don’t need. That is why we keep saying there is enough product; there is no need to buy what you don’t need,” Soneye explained.
However, petroleum marketers have countered the NNPC’s position, arguing that the main issue is an inadequate supply of fuel, not their business practices.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) expressed frustration over the accusations, stating that marketers could not be blamed for hoarding a product that is simply not available in sufficient quantities.
IPMAN’s National Vice President, Hammed Fashola, stated, “That is far from the truth. You can only divert the product that you have. You don’t divert what you don’t have. On the issue of hoarding, you cannot hoard what you don’t have. It is not even making sense when you have fuel at this critical period, then you say you want to hoard it.”
Adding to the complexity of the situation, the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria confirmed the receipt of 300 million litres of fuel from eight vessels this week, suggesting that while supplies are arriving, distribution remains a challenge.
The South-West Regional Coordinator of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Ayo Cardoso, assured that the government is making concerted efforts to ensure the massive distribution of petroleum motor spirit (PMS) across the country.
“We have received over 300 million liters as of Tuesday. More have arrived as we speak, but I can’t give you the figure. Vessels will keep arriving in Nigeria for 15 days, which started counting on Monday, and we will keep distributing the product across the nation,” Cardoso stated.
As the NNPC and petroleum marketers navigate these turbulent waters, Nigerians continue to feel the impact of fuel scarcity, with many citizens facing increased hardship.
The situation has prompted calls for stringent measures against hoarding and profiteering, with the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources urging security agencies to take action against those exploiting the crisis.
Veteran actress, Shan George has claimed that her Zenith Bank account was drained of N3.6 million by an individual identified as Cecilia Chiagoziem Okoro.
In a video released on her Instagram account on Friday, the actress said she is “koboless” and appealed to Nigerians to help retrieve her money.
The actress shared a screenshot of the debit alert and wrote, “I need help cos I’m dy!ng. This person has just cleared my account.
“Pls my pple, everyone pls help. Pls Zenith Bank, Reverse it. I can’t access my app. I’m De@D”
In a video shared on her Instagram account, George called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and Zenith Bank to come to her rescue.
She added, “Cecilia Chiagoziem Okoro is the name of the person that has just wiped all the money in my account, 3.6 million into an Opay account.
“I am begging everybody, please Zenith bank, Opay, Abeg make una help me. I take God beg una.
“I don’t have any kobo anywhere again, what will I eat? I no fit beg, I beg una, make una help me.
“EFCC, Nigerian police, abeg, I don’t know the authorities, Zenith bank, I am begging you people.
“It’s just today, the 3rd of May, it’s not even up to an hour ago from now that I am doing this video.”
See the video below
Media
The renowned Nigerian pastor and founder of Abel Damina Ministries International, Dr Abel Damina, has provided a controversial remedy to people addicted to pornography, Naija News reports.
In a recent chat on Comfort FM’s Righteous Invasion of Truth (RIOT) programme in Uyo last month, the controversial Christian cleric shared his perspective on how individuals struggling with pornography addiction can overcome it completely.
Damina, who was asked for advice on how to stop and eliminate pornography addiction entirely, suggested that instead of trying to quit forcefully, individuals should continue watching pornography while simultaneously listening to the teachings of God.
“Don’t struggle to stop watching the porn. Don’t struggle at all. Just keep watching the porn. As you are watching the porn, spend more time hearing the ‘word’. If you watch porn for one hour, spend three to four hours hearing the word of God.
“Take not. Go get all my teachings on Christ. Just keep learning and learning. After a while, you will find out that your appetite for porn is dying, and the appetite for the word of God is growing. Before you know it, when you see porn, you will be irritated.
“Word of God will kill that appetite completely and give you a healthy appetite. That’s what to do. Don’t try to stop. In fact, keep watching, but spend more time studying God’s word, and you will find out that before you know it, your desire for porn would be gone,” the pastor stated.
Nevertheless, the submission made by Damina has faced opposition, particularly from conservative Christians on social media which strongly believed that the pastor was promoting sinful behaviour, primarily among individuals struggling with addiction.
Gideon Odoma, a well-known pastor from the Fortress Ministry, responded to Damina’s submission by categorizing pornography as a perversion.
“Christains have trivialise sexcapades. The things God call iniquities, we must never call it flexing,” he said.
Naija News reports that the clergyman, who had previously criticized Damina and Apostle Suleman for favouring the Old Testament instead of the New Testament, stated that both individuals are promoting incorrect teachings with the intention of leading Christians astray.
“The Damina and Suleman terms are wrong. It is as if their only objective in life is to derail believers, so they have a lot of time on their hands, and they find different creative ways to say the same useless things — Your sin does not matter — they find all sorts of ways to discredit as it were,” he said.
Speaking on pornographic addiction, another well-known clergyman, Chris Oyakhilome, referenced Habakkuk 2:15 to convey that pornography is a sinful behaviour that must be abstained from.
He stressed that nudity is viewed as disgraceful by God, linking pornography to prostitution due to its roots in the Greek word “porneia,” which means prostitute.
“The indication is that once nakedness is being made public, it is a shame when you’re not a child. As far as God is concerned, that is a shame.
“It started from Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden apple. Their eyes were open and they found that they were naked and then covered themselves with leaves and hid from God. Christians desist from it. Those who believe in Jesus should not do it,” he stressed.
A new report released in Abuja has unveiled a concerning landscape of food insecurity affecting a vast majority of Nigerian households.
According to the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrients Survey, only about 21% of households in Nigeria are considered food secure.
Naija News reports that the survey, a collaborative effort between the Federal government, foreign partners, and stakeholders in the food sector, paints a dire picture with 79% of households facing varying degrees of food insecurity.
Dr. Olarinwaju Isiaka, one of the researchers presenting the report, highlighted some distressing statistics: about 59% of households are moderately food insecure, while another 20% face severe food insecurity.
The study, focusing on women of reproductive age, children aged 0-59 months, and adolescent girls, found that a staggering 41.5% of households had not had enough money to buy food in the week preceding the survey.
Adding to the complexity of food access issues, the report also sheds light on sanitation challenges. Approximately 23% of Nigerian households lack toilet facilities, which compounds the public health challenges associated with food insecurity.
The availability of clean water, a critical component of food hygiene and overall health also varies significantly across the country.
The report stated that 62.9% of households have access to improved water sources, 42.6% use borehole water systems, and 17.40% rely on protected well water.
The distribution of these resources is uneven, with the South East and South-South zones showing the lowest access to piped water but the highest access to borehole facilities.
The disparities in water supply were noted by Dr. Michael Ojo, the Country Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), who expressed concern over the decline in water supply infrastructure.
“It is worrisome that we are not going forward in water supply from 11-1.1%, showing a decline of 10% within a period of 10 years,” he said.
Dr. Ojo also critiqued the fragmented approach to addressing these critical issues, stating, “The reason Nigeria has an issue with the food system is that every stakeholder has been working in silos without addressing the root cause of the problem.”
He emphasized the need for concerted efforts to overhaul the nation’s food system, considering the entire chain of processes involved in food production and distribution.
Former Big Brother Naija contestant Ifu Ennada has shared a directed message to men regarding marital priorities.
In a recent Instagram post, Ennada emphasized that men who prioritize their mothers over their wives aren’t prepared for marriage and should reconsider tying the knot.
She further stated that anyone who wants to argue with her should read the scripture.
Ennada said: “To all the men who place their mothers above their wives. I believe any man who places his mother above his wife is not ready for marriage. In fact, he has no business being married. Before you argue with me, let Genesis 2.24 be your guide.”
Nigeria’s financial sector fraud surged by 496.96 per cent from 2019 to 2023 amid the rise of electronic payment.
Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System disclosed this in its recent ‘Annual Fraud Landscape’ report.
The report said Nigeria’s Bank customers lost N59.33 billion between 2019 and 2023, with losses increasing from N2.96 billion in 2019 to N17.67 billion in 2023.
“The amount lost to fraud has increased over the past five years along with the growth of financial transactions in the digital payments sector.
“The Mobile channel was statistically the most profitable channel for fraudsters in 2023 with a Fraud Interest Index of 34 per cent. It is followed by Internet Banking and POS with 33.99 per cent and 26.37 per cent, respectively”, NIBSS stated.
The development comes amid the 463 percent surge in electronic transactions, which will reach N611.06 trillion in 2023 and N108.42 trillion in 2019.
In the same period, mobile subscriptions have grown by 21.68 per cent, from 184.43 million as of the end of December 2019 to 224.41 million as of 2023.
DAILY POST reports that electronic payments hit N234 in the first quarter of 2024.
MTN Nigeria said it had eliminated at least 8.6 million lines from its network in compliance with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) ruling of February 28, 2024, which requires telecommunication companies to disconnect SIM cards not linked to the National Identity Number (NIN).
This information was disclosed in the company’s financial report for the first quarter (Q1) of 2024, indicating an impact on the operations of the quarter.
MTN specified that users with more than five lines connected to an unverified NIN and those who did not submit their NIN are the ones affected by the complete ban on their lines.
Additionally, MTN mentioned that the NCC has extended the deadline from April 15 to July 31, 2024, to allow users with fewer than five lines connected to an unverified NIN more time to complete the necessary verification process.
Karl Toriola, the CEO of MTN Nigeria, addressed the effects of the NIN-SIM linkage exercise and the regulatory directive on the sector, stating that during the quarter, the company also continued to manage the effects on its business of the industry-wide directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for a full barring of subscriber lines not linked to their National Identity Number (NIN) – the NIN-SIM directive.
He added: “This impacted the development of our user base across all of our key business units (voice, data, and fintech) in Q1 2024. Although we had to fully bar 8.6 million subscribers in line with the directive, we minimised the net effect of the barred subscribers, and our total number of subscribers only decreased by 2 million in Q1, closing with a total of 77.7 million subscribers.”
Toriola stated that this demonstrated the effectiveness of the company’s customer value management (CVM) initiatives, contributing to lower churn rates, improved customer loyalty, and an increase in total connections.
Information provided by the NCC indicates that the combined active mobile subscriptions in Nigeria from MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile decreased from 224.4 million in December 2023 to 219 million by March 2024 due to the enforcement of the mandatory NIN-SIM registration policy by all telecom service providers.
“MTN also reported a decline in its data subscribers in the quarter under review. Active data subscribers declined marginally by approximately 78,000 to 44.5 million. Notwithstanding these headwinds, we recorded increased activity within the base, with voice traffic rising by 5.1 per cent and data traffic by 40.6 per cent. This is a result of the consistent growth in demand for data and voice, supported by our attractive offers to customers and continuous investment in network quality and coverage,” Toriola stated
Popular content creator and singer Nasboi has said that social media influencing and skitmaking is very lucrative.
The singer stated this during an appearance on Bahd And Boujee Podcast co-hosted by reality star Tolanibaj and actress Moet Abebe.
He said that because of how well paid skitmakers are he once thought that Sydney Talker was an internet fraudster.
However, Nasboi said that after he joined the industry he realised how lucrative it was.
He said many people still accuse skit makers and influencers of fraud because they don’t know how lucrative the creative industry is.
According to him, “Before I became a skit maker, I could beat my chest that Sydney was a Yahoo boy [internet fraudster]. Because I didn’t know how lucrative the creative industry was until I joined.
“A lot of female influencers and skit makers are also being trolled. Social media users often accuse them of sleeping with men for money but they don’t know these female influencers make a lot of money from endorsements and advertisements.
“Yahoo [internet scam] is stressful. It’s not even as lucrative as skit making. There are some skit makers who are not popular but earning huge amounts of money. I know someone who made $33,000 off a video on Facebook. He is not even popular.”
[NaijaNews]
A 45-year old man, Chiemenam Adigwe, has been arrested by the operatives of the Delta State Police Command for allegedly manufacturing fake alcoholic drinks in Bomadi, Bomadi local government area of the state.
Police accused the suspect, a native of Akpo community in Aguata local government, Anambra State, of mixing ethanol with water and then add flavor before packaging the fake drinks in empty bottles of popular beverage brands which he usually buys from Onitsha.
The suspect confessed to telling those he supplied that he usually order the drinks from Onitsha.
Adigwe was apprehended on 25th April 2024 at about 1100hours following an intelligence received about his fake production of alcoholic drinks in Bomadi.
On receiving the intelligence, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi directed the DPO of Bomadi Division to ensure that the suspect is tracked down, arrested and brought to book.
The DPO then led operatives to the hideout of the suspect where he was arrested with over hundred bottles of counterfeit Gordons, Chelsea, Eagle Schnapps and McDowell.
CP Olufemi confirmed this while parading the suspect among other arrested persons for various criminal activities in Asaba.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect committed the offense. He is in police custody while investigation is ongoing,” Olufemi said.
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The Kano State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has intercepted a tanker carrying over 20,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) along Ibrahim Taiwo Road amidst the shortage of petroleum products in the state.
A statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SC Ibrahim Abdullahi, revealed that the tanker was suspected to have diverted the petrol from a filling station in Kano and was heading to an undisclosed location in neighbouring Katsina State when it was intercepted.
Abdullahi said, “An investigation is underway, and upon conclusion, the petroleum product will be returned and offloaded at the original designated filling station in Kano. Legal action will be taken against the offenders.”
Meanwhile, the Command also addressed concerns about criminal activities in the Bachirawa Kwanar Ungoggo Market in Ungoggo local government.
Abdullahi said traders at the market have reported the activities of miscreants bordering on vandalism, theft of private property, and dealing in illicit drugs to the NSCDC.
In response, he said a joint operation involving NSCDC personnel from the armed squad unit and vigilante groups was assembled and this has resulted in the arrest of over 50 suspected criminals in the market.
The NSCDC spokesman confirmed that investigations into the matter have commenced, and that the suspects will face prosecution for their alleged crimes at the appropriate time.
The executive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, stressed the importance of following rules and regulations for the growth and development of the country.
He emphasized that the lack of compliance with these regulations is the root cause of corruption in the country.
Naija News reports that the Chairman of EFCC disclosed this during a courtesy visit by a delegation from Compliance Institute Nigeria (CIN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Olukoyede pledged his support and commitment to CIN, while citing lack of compliance as the primary cause of corruption in the country.
According to him, “The success of any process or procedure in any society is based on the issue of compliance. The difference between developed countries and undeveloped ones is simply compliance.
“If you take compliance out of developed countries, they would be as terrible and as poor as the undeveloped countries. If we get it right with compliance, we have gotten it right with governance and corporate governance in Nigeria.”
“Compliance has been dear to my heart. It is the core of my professionalism and practice. So, you have found the right partner in me.
“We are ready on our part in EFCC to collaborate with you. The essence of our work is compliance and enforcement. We make people play by the rules and if they don’t, we apply the force of law. We are ready to cooperate and collaborate with you. We will support your activities and your programmes.”
The Schengen visa is a document that allows non-European Union (EU) citizens to enter, travel within, and leave the Schengen Area, which comprises 26 European countries that have abolished passport and other types of border control at their mutual borders.
These countries have agreed to common visa policies and procedures, allowing travelers to move freely within the area without needing separate visas for each country.
The Schengen visa is issued by one of the Schengen Area member states and grants entry to all member countries for a specified period, typically up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
However obtaining a Schengen visa can be tiring and frustrating especially if it keeps getting rejected after meeting several criteria.
Here are six common reasons why you Schengen visa application might be rejected.
1. Incomplete or incorrect documentation
If any required documents are missing or filled out incorrectly, it can lead to a rejection.
Also, providing false information or withholding important details on the application form can lead to a rejection and may also result in a ban from future applications.
2. Lack of travel insurance
Failure to provide proof of travel insurance covering medical emergencies and repatriation can result in a visa rejection.
This is because travel insurance is a compulsory requirement needed while applying for a Schengen visa.
3. Unconvincing travel itinerary
If the purpose of the trip or the itinerary provided by the applicant seems unclear or not well-planned, the visa may be denied.
Therefore it is important to clearly state the purpose of your visit whether for vacation, tourism, family visit or study.
4. Insufficient funds
If the applicant cannot prove they have enough money to cover their expenses during their stay in the Schengen area, the visa may be rejected.
5. Previous immigration or visa violations
If the applicant has a history of overstaying visas or other immigration violations, it can greatly reduce the chances of getting a Schengen visa.
6. Lack of strong ties to home country
If the applicant cannot demonstrate strong ties to their home country, such as stable employment, property ownership, or family relationships, it may cast doubt on their intention to return after their trip.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has identified the government’s bulk purchases of foodstuffs for palliative distribution as a key factor exacerbating the food inflation crisis in Nigeria.
Speaking during the March Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, Cardoso expressed concerns about the inflationary impact of these purchases, with the details published on the CBN’s official website.
Naija News recalls that the MPC increased the benchmark interest rate to 24.75% from 22.75% in an effort to combat rising inflation.
Despite these measures, the national inflation rate soared to 33.2% in March, with food inflation particularly severe at 40.01%, a significant increase from the previous year’s rate of 24.45%, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
The spike in food prices comes in the wake of the Federal Government’s decision to eliminate fuel subsidies, prompting an allocation of ₦5 billion to each state and the Federal Capital Territory for food purchases intended for the economically vulnerable. This move, however, has contributed to inflationary pressures.
“Despite notable stability in the foreign exchange market resulting from decisions taken at that 293rd MPC meeting, inflationary pressure remains unabated,” Cardoso stated.
He highlighted that the government’s interventions in the food market have introduced new inflationary dimensions, exacerbated by seasonal fluctuations during religious and festive periods.
Emphasizing the structural nature of the current inflation, Cardoso argued for a combined fiscal and monetary strategy to address the issue effectively.
“This could be considered as evidence of the impact of decisions reached at the 293rd MPC meeting,” he noted, pointing out that primary drivers of inflation now include hikes in food and energy prices due to structural factors.
MPC member Bala Bello also commented on the inflationary trend, noting its impact on the economy.
He said, “Inflation is currently unacceptably high and requires decisive and coordinated efforts to curb it, given its adverse impact on citizens’ purchasing power, investment decisions, and broad output performance.”
Bello acknowledged the government’s initiatives to mitigate food insecurity, such as distributing seeds and supporting dry-season farming, as critical, though insufficient to counter the broader inflationary trends.