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Hundreds of people have fled their villages in a rural community in Niger State after weekend attacks by armed groups left 10 dead and at least 160 missing, a local government chairman and two residents said on Monday.
A year after President Bola Tinubu came to power promising to end widespread insecurity, kidnappings in the northwest by armed gangs demanding ransoms have become almost routine, with authorities seemingly powerless to stop them.
Gunmen on motorbikes first attacked Kuchi community in Niger state's Munya local government area on Friday evening, killing five residents and five hunters who tried to fight back, before kidnapping dozens of people, said local chairman Aminu Ajume.
The gunmen returned on Sunday night and seized livestock and food and burned shops, forcing at least 700 villagers to flee to nearby communities, Ajume added.
"As I am speaking to you, Munya is (a) no go area. They moved from house to house abducting people ... they abducted 160 villagers, including women," he told Reuters by phone.
Kidnapping gangs, known locally as bandits, and members from a faction of insurgent group Boko Haram joined forces to launch the attacks, Ajume said without providing evidence.
Boko Haram has been fighting an insurgency in the northeast since 2009 but Niger authorities have previously said its smaller faction had cells in the state and carried out some attacks.
The police and army spokespersons in Niger state did not respond to several requests for comment.
Maryam Abubakar, a resident, said she hid in the toilet when she heard sporadic gunfire around 1900 GMT on Friday and gunmen burst into her home shortly after.
"It was raining at that time. The bandits entered the house, searched the rooms and kitchen and they took my aunt and her two children," Abubakar said, adding the three were still missing.
Musa Auwal was in his shop when gunmen attacked on Friday but he hid in a nearby bush, he said. When he returned the next day, his shop had been looted, so he fled to stay with relatives 60 km away.
The Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri has massively expanded his cabinet with the appointment of 182 special assistants just as he also sent a list of 57 names to the state House of Assembly for appointment as heads of boards and commissions.
A press statement issued in Yola by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor Humwashi Wonosikou, stated that the appointments are with immediate effect.
Arewa PUNCH’s scrutiny of the names revealed that the appointments have all the 21 local governments represented.
In a similar development, the governor appointed Dr. Micheal Zika, the former Personal Assistant to former Governor Jibrila Bindow as the executive secretary Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency.
The naira depreciated in the parallel segment of the foreign exchange (FX) market on Monday. At the Lagos street market, currency traders, known as bureau de change (BDC) operators, quoted the naira at N1,520 to the dollar. The traders set the buying price at N1,490 and the selling price at N1,520, resulting in a profit margin of N30. This marks a decline of N10 or 0.66 percent from the N1,510/$ traded on May 24.
Conversely, in the official market, the naira appreciated by 9.6 percent or N143, reaching N1,339.33/$ on Monday from N1,482.81/$ on May 24. According to FMDQ Exchange, which oversees official FX trading in Nigeria, the highest exchange rate during trading hours was N1,501/$, and the lowest was N1,310/$. A daily turnover of $180.80 million was recorded at the official window.
The Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) stated on May 23 that the naira's weakening is driven by unearned income chasing the local currency, rather than a surge in demand for the dollar. Aminu Gwadabe, president of ABCON, attributed the naira's depreciation to corruption, not the activities of BDCs.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Calabar Zone has expressed reservations about the Federal Government’s student loan, describing it as a ploy to enslave Nigerian students and make them remain indebted to the country forever.
The Federal Government student loan officially came on stream last Friday when the portal for loan applications opened.
The PUNCH reports that no fewer than 3,764 students from 126 institutions sent in applications on the opening day.
The Federal Government explained that the initiative was to ensure that no Nigerian youth is denied higher education on account of lack of funds.
But addressing a press conference in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital on Monday, the Zonal Chairperson of ASUU, Dr Happiness Uduk, insisted that the student loan was a ploy to enslave Nigerian youths.
Uduk said it was disheartening that the people who attended schools on scholarship, enjoyed meal subsidies, bursary awards, among others, were now implementing loans for students.
The National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, had also repeatedly criticised the student loan, saying the government should rather give students bursaries.
Uduk, in a statement jointly signed by the eight union chairpersons, reasoned that instead of loans, the Federal Government should give subvention to higher institutions.
She argued that such a move would bring about a positive turnaround in the tertiary institutions.
Uduk said, “It is disheartening that people who attended schools on scholarship, enjoyed meal subsidies, free laundry services, and bursary awards are the same running our economy today.
“Their children are on scholarship in the best foreign universities in the world but after siphoning our economy, they turn around to impose a strangulating education loan on taxpayers’ children who will be enslaved and remain indebted to the country forever. They do not mind the devastating effect of this scheme on the country, such as depression, suicide, and colossal loss of intellectuals.
“To this end, we vehemently condemn the idea of education loans and state clearly that using the money for intervention in higher institutions will bring about a positive turnaround of events that will make our institutions self-reliant with highly subsidised tertiary education in Nigeria.”
The ASUU chairperson called on the Federal Government to come to a renegotiation table and reconvene a committee to review the agreement reached by ASUU leadership and Prof. Nimi Brigs-led government committee with a view to adjusting the document according to the current economic realities so as to have acceptable salary structure for university lecturers.
She also condemned the indiscriminate proliferation of universities in Nigeria without adequate funding by both the federal and state governments, noting that the 2020 ASUU-FGN Memorandum of Action, which stressed the need to review the NUC Act to make it more potent in arresting the reckless and excessive establishment of universities, be fully implemented.
“We urge the President Tinubu-led administration to refrain from further proliferation of universities and rather consolidate on the already existing ones. What we need are universities that are adequately equipped and empowered to address the challenges confronting Nigeria not glorified schools,” she said.
On the ongoing minimum wage negotiation, the ASUU Calabar Zone urged the FG to immediately deploy the instrumentality of collective bargaining to conclude the social dialogue, saying such would lessen the invasive decline in the socio-economic lives of Nigerians.
Yusuf Adepitan, known as Ijoba Danku, a well-known promoter and talent manager, has labeled his former client, Portable, as immature.
Adepitan revealed that the controversial singer initially lied to him when they first met.
He shared that he had once taken legal action against Portable but later withdrew the lawsuit after the singer’s father intervened and pleaded on his behalf.
Expressing his regret, Danku said he wishes he had never gotten involved with Portable.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Doyin’s Corner podcast, Danku stated, “Portable is still a boy. Before Portable came to me, he lied to me. I actually sued him but his father pleaded with me and I accepted to drop the suit. If there is someone I wish I never allowed into my circle, it is Portable.”
The Lagos State Police Command has stated its officers in Ipaja Police Division have successfully repelled an early morning attack on their division by operators of commercial motorcycles, commonly known as Okada riders.
The State Police Command’s Spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed that the attack came after police officers commenced the day’s enforcement of the existing ban on motorcycles in Lagos State.
“The attackers, who came in their hundreds, stormed the station with dangerous weapons, shooting at the officers and attempting to overrun the station.
“While officers and men of the division held their ground, reinforcement came from the Area Command and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS). Two of the attackers were fatally injured during the attack,” said SP Hundeyin.
He, however, noted that this did not deter the officers from accomplishing their mandate, as over 200 motorcycles were impounded and some of the attackers arrested, with one locally made firearm retrieved.
He reaffirmed that the Lagos State Police Command will not be cowed into abdicating its responsibilities of enforcement of all duly passed laws and maintenance of law and order within the society.
LEADERSHIP earlier reported that in the unexpected incident early Monday morning, over 100 hoodlums launched a coordinated attack on the Ipaja Police Station in Lagos State, leading to a fierce exchange of gunfire with Policemen with several of the assailants reportedly killed.
Alexer Peres, the estranged wife of singer, Harrysong, has hit hard at him following his infidelity allegations against her.
Recall that Harrysong claimed that his wife, Alexer, was unfaithful in their marriage and got pregnant for another man despite marrying her due to emotional blackmail.
He said he regrets marrying into his wife’s family, claiming that infidelity runs in it as her mother, who has been married to seven men, still cheats.
Reacting, Peres debunked Harrysong’s claims, saying her mother only remarried once after the death of her father.
She also challenged the singer to come forward with evidence that she cheated on him.
She went on to claim that it is Harrysong’s mum who has six children out of wedlock for six different men.
Peres further claimed that Harrysong is a product of incest and bedwets.
On her Instagram account, she wrote:
“Do you all know that Harrysong bed wets? Yes celebrity wey Dey piss for body.
“Oh so sorry to break it to u all. I also get to deal with this daily, while calling him my lord.
“You said I convinced you to get married to me? A 20 years old girl, convincing a full grown man to get married to her?
“Please make me understand, never knew I was married to a robot, Who couldn’t make decisions for himself. Same you who told me your ex-girlfriend used charms on you.
“And now your eyes are open since u met me So it’s now me that forced marriage on you, really?
“I never knew my mum married 6 husbands wow, chronic narcissist.
“My mum only remarried when she lost her husband, as i speak, she is happily married, with her dowry paid in full.
“Since when did it become a crime for a widow to remarry? And what does the words ’till death do us part’ mean?
“Pained soul why are u trying to project your insecurities on me? We all know your mum gave birth to 6 children for 6 different men.
None of which she was married to.“And you, a product of incest. Imagine having 5 siblings and you don’t know who their fathers are.
“Why throw stones, when you live in a glass house?”
Peres said she was open to conducting DNA tests on their children to prove her innocence.
She added that the singer was the one who gave her all kinds of sexually transmitted diseases except HIV and Hepatitis B.
Nigerian filmmaker cum movie actress, Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi has on children’s day taken to social media to express how unhappy she is today.
Despite wishing all children a wonderful day, the actress and mother of one admonished parents against raising children with kids gloves because times have changed.
Toyin Abraham cited examples of youths who bash their elders on social media under the guise of being “woke” and the jungle justice which took place in Ajayi Crowther university where a student was accused of theft.
She added that children should be raised with values and be taught respect as lack of home training is currently the order of the day in many settings today.
In her lengthy note, Toyin Abraham stated:
“I am not happy on this children’s day
Happy Children’s Day to all children and to parents who were once children. As we celebrate this day, it is essential to acknowledge the need for better parenting. Recent online encounters and observations compel me to share this heartfelt message with every parent and guardian.
The quality of children we are raising today needs serious attention. We now have kids who see respect and courtesy as burdens. How do we feel reading some of the things the youth say to adults online under the guise of being “woke” or adopting a “no tolerance” attitude? Many of us were not raised the way we are raising our kids today. We are raising them with kid gloves because we believe times have changed. However, different times are not an excuse to raise disrespectful children.
Despite our age and blessings, there are still things we would not tell our parents, not out of fear, but out of respect. This Children’s Day should remind us to do better as parents and raise children who are respectful and kind. The recent tragic event at Ajayi Crowther University, where students killed a fellow student in the name of jungle justice, highlights the severe consequences of a lack of home training and moral values. Even if theft occurred, it does not justify taking another person’s life.
Respect, courtesy, responsibility, kindness, and hard work are values we were raised with. Although we may not have liked the discipline at the time, we are grateful to our parents today for instilling these values in us. We have a nation-building responsibility to raise the next generation of quality individuals.
Happy Children’s Day once again. May God keep our children for us, protect us from all forms of evil, and grant us a great celebration filled with wonderful experiences for the kids.
My name is Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi. I was once a little child, and I am now entrusted with the responsibility of raising quality children for a better society and nation.”
In a tragic incident in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, Pastor Joshua Musa was killed by bandits even after a ransom had been paid for his release.
Pastor Musa, originally from Nasarawa State, served at the Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) in the Sarkin Pawa Community before his untimely death.
The harrowing event unfolded when Pastor Musa, along with his wife and several others, were kidnapped by bandits seven days ago.
Despite the payment of the demanded ransom, which led to their initial release, the bandits brutally killed Pastor Musa as they were leaving the kidnapping site.
His wife and the other victims were spared and allowed to return home.
The loss has deeply affected the community and members of the ECWA, prompting an outpouring of grief on social media.
A church member, Sunny Danbaba, expressed his sorrow online, stating, “This pastor and his wife were kidnapped at Shiroro DCC. After payment to release them, on their way coming out of the bush, they killed him.”
The motive behind the murder, especially after receiving the ransom, remains unclear, adding to the fears and concerns of the local population regarding the escalating bandit activities in the region.
As of this report, the spokesperson of the state police command, Wasiu Abiodun, has yet to release an official statement on the incident.
Former beauty queen, Precious Chikwendu, the ex-wife of former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, was conspicuously absent at the birthday soiree of their triplet sons, Liam, Aiden and Ragnar.
The boys turned six on May 21, and their father threw them a birthday party at home during the weekend.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain shared photos of the party via his Instagram page on Monday.
The photos captured FFK posing with his boys and another woman at the birthday soiree.
He captioned the photos, “What a wonderful birthday celebration we had for my three handsome sons Ragnar, Aiden and Liam on Saturday. Thanks to all those that came and that prayed for us and most importantly we give thanks to the Lord for all He has done. Blessings!”
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Nigerians are experiencing more pain as the prices of prepaid electricity meters have gone up after seven weeks of the electricity tariff hike on April 3.
This comes after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission announced the deregulation of Meter Asset Provider.
Recall that on April 30, NERC, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Sanusi Garba, and Commissioner of Legal, Licensing, and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye, removed electricity meter price capping.
Before NERC announced the meter price deregulation, electricity distribution companies sold single and three-phased meters at a capped price of N81,975.16 and N143,836.16. However, a recent meter price announcement by Discos showed that the price of single and three meters have surged to as high as N135,240.01 and N241,875.00, depending on the vendor company.
DAILY POST gathered that the Abuja Electricity Company quoted between N91,835.10 and N135,240.01 for single-phased metres by different metre vendors. Also, AEDC said the price of a three-phase metre is between N160,646.93 and N241,875.00.
Eko Electricity Distribution Company’s new meter prices increased from N122,337.76 to N167,700 for a single-phase meter. Also, the phase meter rose to N206.737.42 and N258,000.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said in a ministerial briefing in Abuja last week that Nigerians’ experience following the electricity tariff hike is temporary.
Meanwhile, outside of rising energy costs, Nigerians have continued to groan over the untamed rise in the cost of food, as food inflation increased to 40.53 percent in April 2024.
Glamour Girls: My Pastor Suspended Me After I Shot A Nude Scene With Eucharia Anunobi – Zack Orji
AFOLABI
Veteran Nollywood actor, Zack Orji, has revealed that he was suspended by his pastor after starring in the popular film, ‘Glamour Girls’ of the 1990s.
Naija News reports that the thespian shot a nude scene with co-star, Eucharia Anunobi.
He, however, stated that the scene had a negative impact on his marital life.
The multiple award-winning actor said a lot of people were feeding his wife’s mind with negative stories against him which led to his pastor suspending him.
Orji made these disclosures while featuring on a podcast tagged ‘Nollywood Hardcore: The Legend’s Untold Story.’
The 1994 Glamour Girls, a two-part film, was about independent single women embarking on their independence within Nigeria’s traditionally patriarchal society through escorting.
Directed by Chika Onukwufor, the story revealed young women engaging in prostitution, as they battled between accomplishing their dreams and maintaining societal norms.
Recounting the impact of the movie on his life, Orji told Emmanuel Ehumadu, host of the Podcast who is popularly known as Labista, that his pastor called him that he had received many disturbing reports about the matter.
When asked about the impact of the film, Orji said, “Back then, we were talking about the 90s before the 2000s. I was married, yes.”
On whether he had issues with his wife, the actor said, “I did. Even though she’s an actress, so they were putting a lot of things in her mind.
“I remember after the movie was released, my pastor invited me and said that he had been receiving too many calls. (He said) How can Zack go and do this kind of thing? He said he called me because he wanted to suspend me. But he wanted to inform me first of all before suspending me.
“And he said well, he was not going to tell anybody that it was just between us. While this happened, I was on another set, we were filming in Ikeja GRA. There was this guy called Alex who was very well-known in the industry back then.
“He worked with Punch Newspapers, he came to the set where I was filming and said,” I just want to confirm from you before going to the press: is it true that you have been suspended by your church? I said who told you that?”
Nollywood film actress Bukky Wright is one of the most celebrated actresses out of the country. Sadly, she made a departure from Nollywood for a long time, but is now back.
In a fresh interview with The Nigerian Tribune, Bukky Wright explained that she had to leave the movie industry for the sake of her children.
Stating that she lives for them, the thespian said they needed her more at the time, so she chose them over her career.
The popular actress also revealed that during her hiatus, she wasn’t just functioning as a mother, but she became a cyber security analyst. In Bukky Wright’s words:
“I just felt like doing something else for myself. I decided to go back to school and, you know, put my hands into something else. I’m happy I did. Now, I can boast that I’m a cyber security analyst. I’m certified in information security in the US. It felt good to at least try something out and go out of my comfort zone. I’ve always been somebody who would always go out of her comfort zone. I don’t believe in impossibilities.
“At the time that I left, I had to leave because my children needed me more. I’m a mother and I would always say that I live for my children. My children needed me and I had to be at their beck call. You know there is always a time in the life of a mother that your children need you the most. And when they need you the most, you have to show up for them. That was what I did, and I did not want to waste that time doing nothing, career-wise. So, I challenged myself. I challenged my children as well. Sometimes they’re like, ‘Mommy, do you want to be a professor or what?’”
Speaking on why she’s returned to the industry, Bukky Wright who recently had her Ramadan birthday prayer said:
“I feel there’s still something in me to give to the entertainment industry in Nigeria. It actually hits to the core of my fans anytime I post anything on Instagram, they’ll be like, ‘You need to come back’. My sons also kept encouraging me, they said, ‘It’s time you go back again and do something in the movie industry in Nigeria.’ Right now, I’m here for Nora Awolowo. She brought me in for ‘Red Circle’.
“It feels really good and I’m so happy about the warm welcome from everybody. I’m happy to be back. Did I miss the industry? Yes, I did.”
Popular social media personality Saida Boj has delved into her past, revealing insights and regrets concerning her relationship with a married man.
Saida Boj shared insights into her personal experiences, opening up on the emotional and financial toll of being in a relationship with a married partner.
In a recent interview, Saida Boj addressed her personal missteps, openly admitting to dating a married man in 2023.
She expressed deep regret for this decision, citing the significant financial strain it imposed on her life.
Saida Boj went on to reveal that her regrets stemmed not only from the moral implications of being involved with a married individual but also from the practical consequences of the relationship.
She expressed disappointment at not receiving financial support from her partner, which left her in a precarious financial situation.
Furthermore, she revealed that her major reason for regretting the relationship with the married man was her sympathy for his wife.
In her words;
In her words, “I was with this guy last year and he used me; he had money but didn’t give and he was a married man. I regret it so bad because I always feel pity for married women.”
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