FEATURES
Wunmi has replied her father-in-law over his demand for a DNA test to be conducted on late Mohbad's son Liam.
The widow of the late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad urged the father of the deceased, Joseph Aloba to get a court order for the DNA test.
Recall that there have been calls by Mohbad’s father, and some concerned Nigerians for a DNA test to be conducted on the late singer’s son, Liam, to ascertain his true paternity.
Wunmi had previously said she was open for a DNA test on her son, demanding that it should be conducted both in Nigeria and abroad.
However, in a recent series of Instagram posts, Mohbad’s widow cried out for help, claiming that she and Liam were being threatened.
“Nigerians I and Liam are at your mercy! Are you going to allow what happened to ilerioluwa happen to us?
“They are threatening us daily, they have taken our freedom from us! Nigerians help us,” she wrote.
She further disclosed that Mohbad’s father had pressured them into having a child and wondered why he is requesting a DNA test now.
“I never wanted to have a baby at that time but baba told Mohbad and I the holy spirit told him I should get him a grandson who would buy the coffin that would bury him.
“I got to know I was pregnant 5th of August same year, my father in-law was so ecstatic over the news of my pregnancy.
“Why is he trying to defame the treasure his son left behind?” She queried.
She, however, stated her willingness to carry out the DNA test, and urged her father-in-law to get a court order.
“Go and get court order cos it’s time I put my enemies to shame”, Wunmi wrote.
Suspected hoodlums have set ablaze the Neni Police station in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra state.
Armed assailants also allegedly ignited flames at the Anaocha Local Government Headquarters, chanting hostile songs directed at the Divisional Police Officer (DPO).
A few days earlier, gunmen had attacked the Awgbu police station, resulting in the deaths of two officers, while another narrowly escaped.
According to sources, the assault on the local government headquarters occurred between 3 am and 4 am today (Thursday).
Our correspondent equally gathered that the hoodlums whisked away some police operatives, including female police personnel at the police station.
The source said the hoodlums alleged that Anaocha Police Station had become another SARS station.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Anambra state police command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga confirmed the incident.
He stated that though the hoodlums attacked the police station with IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), they however, did not take away any arms, and did not whisk away any police personnel.
He said the hoodlums were successfully repelled by the superior firepower of the police operatives who engaged them and forced them to flee.
He further said the police operations were still ongoing in the area as of the time he was reacting to the development.
He promised to communicate further developments on the incident later.
On the killing of the policemen at Awgbu police station by the gunmen, he refused to react to it, but a senior officer confirmed it to The Nation.
The source said the command was on the trail of the hoodlums, adding, “They want to scare those ready for the Easter holidays, but we are ready for them.”
A resident, who preferred anonymity, informed The Nation that gunmen had been conducting operations in several villages unknown to many, suggesting that Anambra was not as secure as some had assumed.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has launched an investigation after discovering 20 young women who are suspected to have been associated with Madzibaba Ishmael, a religious leader, at a clandestine location in Marimba, Harare.
These women were reportedly taken from Madzibaba Ishmael’s shrine in Nyabira, raising concerns about their well-being and the circumstances surrounding their presence in the hideout.
The authorities are probing the situation to determine the reasons behind their relocation and ensure their safety. It’s unclear at this stage how the women ended up in the hideout or if they were held against their will.
Madzibaba Ishmael, whose name is associated with a notorious religious cult is likely to be central to the investigation as the authorities seek to understand the connections between him and the women found in the hideout.
Further details regarding the conditions of the women and the motives behind their relocation are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.
[ZWNEWS]
A newly wedded wife, Amina Abashe, allegedly poured boiling water on her husband, Shehu Abdullahi, following a disagreement over her frequent phone calls with other men.
The incident happened in Kontangora Local Government Area of Niger State.
The husband, Abdullahi, who spoke with Daily Trust, from his hospital bed at the Kontagora General Hospital, said they got married two months ago after the death of his former wife.
He said his wife first attempted to stab him to death but that he was able to collect the knife from her before she went to take the water she was boiling and poured it on him.
Abdullahi explained that two months after the marriage was contracted, his wife refused to move to his house and that he went to her parents' house to complain.
He said that on Tuesday evening, the day the incident happened, his wife called him on the phone to come to their house and that right there, she told him that she was no longer interested in the marriage, saying that she had someone who would pay back his dowry.
He alleged that at that same venue, she was on the phone with a man suspected to be her boyfriend.
“At that point, I became angry and attempted to seize the phone from her and she took a knife to stab me but I was able to collect the knife from her,” he added.
Adebayo Shittu, a former Minister of Communications in the Muhammadu Buhari administration has described banditry as a rebellion against the neglect of the poor people in the Northern Nigeria.
Shittu stated this in an interview on Arise Television on Thursday.
He said, “What is happening in the Northwest and Northeast in particular is a rebellion against the neglect of the poor.
“Now that we have the issue of banditry on our hands, we have over the years been spending billions of naira in kinetic approach and it’s because people left out of education and civilization that Westernization brings about are rebelling.”
Shittu said the level of education was the reason why there is little or no records of banditry in the Southwest.
The former Minister said bandits are people rebelling due to lack of education.
Shittu said, “Why there is no banditry in the southwest is because we chose to educate the children.
“When you fail to educate people, over the years they will grow up to find out that the social inequality like some people enjoying light, some driving cars, and they are left out. This makes them start rebellion against the society.”
Shittu’s comment comes after his earlier advice to President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to give bandits a promising future through negotiation.
According to him, most of the bandits are able-bodied men who the Federal Government should retain.
The former Minister said a non-kinetic approach in dealing with banditry would bring about a lot of results.
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Nigeria, an international fast food restaurant chain, has issued an apology to Adebola Daniel, son of Gbenga Daniel, former governor of Ogun state, over discriminatory treatment.
In a statement on its X page on Thursday, the fast-food chain expressed deep regret for the distress experienced by the customer and pledged swift action to address the issue.
On March 27, Daniel posted on his official X page about his experience at the KFC outlet at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) branch.
According to Daniel, the restaurant had stopped him and his family from entering, stating that “no wheelchairs were allowed”.
Following his statement, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on March 28, said it had shut down KFC over discrimination against Daniel.
FAAN instructed KFC management to tender an unreserved apology, in writing, to Daniel, and a policy statement of non-discrimination be written and pasted conspicuously at its door post at MMIA before it resumed operation.
Reacting to the accusation, KFC reiterated its commitment to opposing bias or discrimination in any shape or form, with inclusivity and respect as fundamental principles of its values.
“KFC is unwavering in our stance against bias or discrimination in any form, with inclusivity and respect as non-negotiable pillars of our values,” the company said.
“However, this recent incident has underscored the pressing need for immediate action. We have embarked on efforts to address the situation.
“We deeply regret the frustration and distress experienced by our guest and extend sincere apologies to those affected.
“In response, we are urgently implementing inclusion training for all our employees. This incident is not reflective of our standards, and we will act swiftly to rectify it.
“We are actively exploring actions to equip our team members and restaurants better to ensure that every guest feels genuinely welcomed and that we deliver empathetic customer service that proactively addresses the diverse needs of each guest.”
‘FCCPC CONDEMNS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CONSUMERS’
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) condemned the discrimination against Daniel.
In a statement on Thursday, Adamu Abdullahi, FCCPC’s acting executive vice chairman (EVC) and chief executive officer (CEO), said the commission strongly condemns any form of discrimination against consumers, especially those based on disability.
Abdullahi said the commission would work with relevant authorities to ensure appropriate redress for the aggrieved consumer.
He said the commission would also ensure KFC took full responsibility for its actions.
The EVC said section 17 of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) emphasises the obligation to eliminate practices detrimental to competition and consumer welfare to safeguard consumer interests.
Abdullahi said discriminatory actions, such as those witnessed at the KFC outlet, undermined their principles and would not be tolerated.
A pregnant woman, Mrs. Mmesoma Odili, from Umuosiegbo village, Umunya in Oyi local government area of Anambra State, is in a devastating mood following the loss of her pregnancy during eight days of detention at the Zone 13 Police Headquarters, Ukpo, Anambra State.
It was gathered that the police had to arrest Mmesoma when they could not lay hands on her husband over a land dispute in the area.
An indigene of the community, Mr. Jude Ikeanyionwu, who said the dispute has torn the area apart, called on the state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, and other stakeholders in the state, to intervene in the worrisome situation before it leads to the loss of more lives.
Ikeanyionwu said: “Mmesoma’s husband is a member of the community’s vigilante group and one of those opposed to the illegal attempt to sell our communal land by some of our elders.
“When the men of Zone 13 Police came to arrest those who do not want our land to be sold since we had shared it among the various families and they could not find Mmesoma’s husband, they arrested his pregnant wife.
“For eight days she was in detention and it was during this period that she had a miscarriage and lost her three months pregnancy. The police had to let her go when she was almost dying in detention.
“The situation in our kindred now is that those who want to sell our land by force have been harassing us with police from Abuja, such that all the men in the village no longer sleep in their houses for fear of arrest.
“We have no other land, which was why a decision was taken to share the large expanse with the various families, which has been done. It is, therefore, surprising that my uncle, who was chairman of the kindred, insisted on selling the land when we and our children have no other land to lay hands on.”
The wanted traditional ruler of Ewu kingdom in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, HRM Clement Ikolo Oghenerukevwe has surrendered his self to police in the state over the killing of 17 Soldiers in the Okuama Community.
The monarch was declared wanted along side the president general of Ewu, Prof Ekpekpo Arthur and six others over the alleged killing of 17 soldiers by the Defence Headquarters of the Nigerian Army.
Though, the report was sketchy, it was learned the the Monarch held a Press Conference briefing before submitting himself to the police.
According to a statement by the traditional in the briefing, “I am very surprised that my name as the monarch of the kingdom will appear in the list of wanted persons.
“I have no hand in the killings, I have no hand in encouraging anybody to kill anybody, it is against my philosophy as a human being and my faith as a Catholic.
“It is a serious crime against humanity and they need to look at the appropriate places and do thorough investigation to know all those who has committed this and bring them to bookans let justice prevail.
“I am not a party to this and like I have said earlier, the state government is aware of the turbulence I have been going through and as I speak, an arrangement was made by the government to invite the opponents recently just before this happenings.
“To invite those who are fighting me in the kingdom to reconcile the differences and allow me to go into the kingdom and start to rule as the monarch of the place.
“I have not being able to set up anything, I have not been able to set up my traditional council, I have done nothing in the kingdom.
“So I barely know anything right now, I have no information, I know nothing Iam only just in the process of set up a structure to enable me rule in the kingdom.”
The panel set up by the Edo State Chief Judge, Daniel Okungbowa, to investigate the allegation of misconduct levelled against the state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, by the Edo State House of Assembly, will begin sitting at the Judges Conference Room, New High Court Complex, Benin, on April 3.
The House of Assembly commenced impeachment proceedings against Shaibu on March 5, accusing him of perjury and leaking of government’s secrets.
However, all efforts to get the impeachment notice to him proved abortive, as he was said to be out of the state.
After it became clear that the notice could not be served physically, the House served him the notice through substitution (by publishing the letter in three national dailies).
The impeachment move is believed to be the latest development in the rift between Shaibu and his principal, Governor Godwin Obaseki, which reportedly started when Shaibu declared his interest in joining this year’s Edo governorship race.
The Chief Judge constituted a seven-man panel on March 22 but dropped two members, Prof Violet Aigbokhaebo and Prof Boniface Onomion Edegbai, on Monday.
The panel has Justice S.A. Omonua (retd.) as chairman. Other members are Professor Theresa Akpoghome, Oghogho Ayodele Oviasu, Dr. Andrew Oliha, Idris Abdulkareen, President Aigbokhian and Mariam Erakhoba Ilavbare.
A statement signed by the administrative secretary of the panel, George Odidi, on Thursday read, “Take notice that consequent upon the inauguration of the above panel by His Lordship the Hon. Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Daniel Okungbowa, in line with Section 188 Subsection 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the said panel shall commence sitting at Judges Conference room, New High Court Complex, Benin City on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 10am prompt.
Five suspects, suspected to be involved in a significant cocaine-smuggling operation, have been apprehended by anti-narcotics detectives in Kenya.
This followed the interception of a woman at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) carrying 57 pellets of cocaine concealed in her private parts.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations in a statement on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, said the primary suspect, Apoko Damaris Adhiambo, had concealed the pellets in her underwear when she was flagged down at JKIA's terminal A1 central screening area just before boarding a Madagascar-bound plane on Tuesday.
Upon interrogation, the suspect revealed she was recruited into the cocaine smuggling syndicate by one Harriet Asaba, a woman living in Nairobi.
Using forensic technologies, detectives tracked Asaba to Accra Road in Nairobi and arrested her.
“A woman's stratagem to traffic 57 pellets of cocaine to Madagascar by escaping the grip of our security apparatus at the Jomo Kenyatta Intn'l Airport proved futile last night, when anti-narcotics detectives noted the nose candy stuffed in her under garments and rerouted her travel itinerary to a police cell,” the statement read.
"In the 10.30pm interception, Apoko Damaris Adhiambo, 32, was flagged down at terminal A1's central screening area, as she checked in to board Kenya Airways KQ 256 flight to Antananarivo, Madagascar.
"A body scanner at the checkpoint revealed suspicious items concealed around her privates, triggering a quick search that saw over 600g of the highly addictive gak discovered. A spot test conducted on the discovery was positive for the coca product.
"After a moment of interrogation by female anti-narcotics officers, Apoko revealed to have been recruited by a Ugandan national identified as Harriet Asaba who resided within the Kenyan Capital.
"Deploying forensic technologies, detectives traced Asaba to Accra Road in Nairobi CBD and effected her arrest.
"In the painstaking pursuit to break the entire syndicate, the second suspect led officers to Free Area Hotel building and into the VIP Beauty Shop, where a meticulous search was conducted and another 33 pellets of crack found.
"Therein, three more suspects namely Nangonzi Shirah (a Ugandan national), Esther Wanjiru, 24 and Sophia Kathambi aged 24 were also rounded up.
"Presumptive test on the second recovery also tested positive for Cocaine, weighing approximately 396 grams.
“Whereas prosecution processes have been instigated on the arrested suspects, further investigations are ongoing jointly with the InterPol team to track down the recipients of the drugs at Antananarivo.”
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American entrepreneur and crypto king, Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for his role in defrauding users of the collapsed cryptocurrency exchange FTX.
In a federal courtroom in lower Manhattan, United States District Judge Lewis Kaplan called the defense argument misleading, logically flawed, and speculative.
Kaplan said Bankman-Fried had obstructed justice and tampered with witnesses in mounting his defense — something Kaplan said he weighed in his sentencing decision.
After a two-hour hearing the judge, Lewis Kaplan, said Bankman-Fried knew what he was doing was criminal and regretted making a bad bet about the likelihood of being caught.
Bankman-Fried, wearing a beige jailhouse jumpsuit, struck an apologetic tone, saying he had made a series of “selfish” decisions while leading FTX and “threw it all away.”
“It haunts me every day,” he said in a statement. “There are a lot of mistakes that I made.”
Bankman-Fried, however, told the court that FTX had the ability to repay customers when it collapsed.
Meanwhile, the prosecutors said Bankman-Fried took more than $10bn (£7.9bn) from unsuspecting customers in “one of the biggest financial frauds” in US history.
FTX was valued at $32bn before it went bankrupt in 2022 and SBF crafted a public image that drew in celebrities, politicians and business titans.
Prosecutors had sought as much as 50 years, while Bankman-Fried’s legal team argued for no more than six and half years.
He was convicted on seven criminal counts in November and has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since.
[Vanguard]
Eniola Ajao, the movie producer, has apologised over the controversies trailing the ‘best-dressed female’ award presented to Bobrisky, the crossdresser, at her recently-held movie premiere.
‘Ajakaju: Beast of Two Worlds’ premiere was held on Sunday at Circle Mall, Lekki, Lagos.
Femi Adebayo announced the self-acclaimed transgender as the winner of the N1 million attached to the award.
Bobrisky’s victory, however, stirred controversies online with celebrities and fans questioning the parameters used in handing out the award.
There was a heated war of words between actress Dayo Amusa and Omotayo Sanusi, Adebayo’s wife, while Portable, the controversial singer, referred to Bobrisky as a “disgrace to brotherhood”.
But in an Instagram post, Ajao apologised to all the parties involved in the saga.
The filmmaker expressed “reverence for women” while pledging “never to engage in behaviour that diminishes their role in society”.
The movie star explained that the decision to hand Bobrisky the ‘best-dressed female’ award was a “ploy to create publicity” for the movie.
To make amends, Eniola also announced two new winners for the ‘best-dressed female’ category, adding that each will receive N1 million as a “token of my sincere apology and appreciation for their grace and elegance”.
“I address you all today, taking full responsibility and seeking your pardon with my deepest regrets for the distress and turmoil caused by the events surrounding the selection of Best Dressed at the premiere of “AJAKAJU,” the statement reads in part.
“First, I want to extend my sincerest apologies to the Muslim community, especially during this sacred month of Ramadan.
“To the women in our society, I want to express my profound apologies. As a woman myself, I understand the importance of upholding and honoring our gender with dignity and respect. I want to assure you that I hold the utmost reverence for womanhood, and I would never intentionally engage in any behavior that diminishes or disparages the role of women in our society.
“I also extend my heartfelt apologies to My honorable and supportive boss Femi Adebayo @femiadebayosalami and his wife, @iyanaladuke and @dayoamusa for the undue backlash they faced as a result of the announcement made at our event. I deeply regret the insults and disrespect directed towards them, and I take full responsibility for any harm caused.
“To Bobrisky @bobrisky222 I offer my sincere apologies for putting you in a difficult position. The decision to award you was never meant to cause harm or controversy but was rather an attempt to generate publicity for our movie. I am truly sorry for any distress this may have caused you.
“To make amends and correct my mistakes, I have decided to honour two females, Bode Alao and one other beautiful woman as the best-dressed females at the premiere. Each will receive a sum of N1,000,000.”
It, however, remains to be seen if the award and money handed to Bobrisky would be taken from her.
Pelumi Nubi, the Nigerian travel content creator driving from London to Lagos, says she will continue the journey — despite surviving a car accident.
On Tuesday, Nubi revealed that she was involved in a car accident.
She also shared a picture of the now-wrecked car she had used for the trip.
The front part of the car was severely mangled while the windscreen had also been shattered.
She accompanied the post with the caption: “Say a prayer for me”.
In a post via her Instagram page on Wednesday, Nubi said she “miraculously survived” the accident.
She said she will be “taking things easy” for now and continue her trip when she regains her strength.
“God has really shown His mercy. Miraculously, I emerged unharmed from the accident – I survived,” she said.
“A big thank you for all your love, prayers, and good thoughts! It’s crystal clear to me that I have a family here online, rooting for me every step of the way.
“I am taking it easy for now, but I’m definitely going to keep going. The journey is far from over, and with renewed strength and your unwavering support, I will continue to move forward.”
View this post on Instagram
Nubi was making the trip in a purple Peugeot 107. The vehicle was customised with features that enabled space for sleeping and dining.
It, however, remains unknown which country she was in at the time of the accident and what caused the crash.
In November, Nubi announced her intention to embark on a solo trip from London to Lagos.
She commenced the trip on January 30.
Pelumi had initially announced that she would arrive in Lagos on March 23.
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However, she said the date had been changed due to border issues she was experiencing in some countries.
She recently disclosed that she was denied entry at the Sierra Leonian and Liberian borders.
Wasiu Ayinde, the Fuji singer fondly called Kwam 1, has opened up on his plans to return to school.
The Fuji star spoke about his love for education in a recent chat with journalists at his Mayegun Resort in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun.
The 67-year-old singer confirmed he is a “school dropout”, adding that he will enroll as an undergraduate at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) in Ago-Iwoye, Ogun state.
Kwam 1 said he had discussed his intentions with the dean of the school of music. He added that part of his decision to pursue a degree at OOU is to see how he can contribute to developing the varsity’s music faculty.
“All my life I do research. Every opportunity that I have. Presently I am in school. As a matter of fact, I will soon be a fresher at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU). I am just trying to do things in my own way to suit myself. You learn till you die,” he said.
“Very recently I had the opportunity to go and attend a function at the OOU. We had a mass set of graduands. The bands on the stand tried their hands on some of my works to recognise my presence. I was so overjoyous that time. So, in the form of wanting to appreciate them more, I sought to speak to the leader of the band and there I was told it was a band from the music class of OOU and they just started that class. I showed so much interest. I called for further discussion and in the cause of doing that I told them I want to enroll. I want to be part of them to see how we can develop a lot out of that.
“… part of what I also discussed with the dean of the school of music at OOU was that we can do better. To bring a whole lot of artistes. The state is blessed with many names like Haruna Ishola, Ayuba, Shina Peters, Wizkid, Olamide, and D’banj. I told the dean that people like me can be used to bring everybody together and develop. That is what prompted me to want to go back to school.
“I am a school dropout… I know the value of education… will I say I have self-education? Any sane person will never criticise the beauty of education.”
Ayinde, an indigene of Ijebu-Ode, was born in Lagos in 1957.
Kwam 1 attended Government College, Isolo, Lagos. He was unable to complete his education as a result of his father’s death.
With over five decades in the music industry and several awards and accolades, Kwam 1 is regarded as an icon in Nigeria.