FEATURES
Controversial catholic priest, Father Ejike Mbaka, has called on the government to create mass employment through entrepreneurship.
Mbaka said creating a platform for entrepreneurship will help take millions of youths, women and families out of poverty, hunger and economic hardship in Nigeria.
He made the call in Enugu while expressing concern over the prevailing economic situation in Nigeria.
The fiery preacher decried the high rate of unemployment among youths, stressing the need for an urgent measure to tackle the menace.
The Catholic priest stated that insecurity would fester if key social problems in the country were not addressed, adding that the current situation has made it important to encourage and support women to embrace entrepreneurship.
According to Mbaka: “This is the time to create mass employment through entrepreneurship and take millions of youths, women and families out of poverty, hunger and economic hardship.
“FeeFund is coming at a time Nigerians need it the most. It is important to address the country’s ongoing problem of economic hardship. This is why I have endorsed FeeFund. This is the way to go if we must create jobs for our youths and women.”
A report by Human Right Organisation, Amnesty International has revealed the ordeal of girl survivors of Boko Haram captivity, among whom were underaged forced into marriage with their captors and others raped.
The investigative report, titled, ‘Help us build our lives’: Girl survivors of Boko Haram and military abuses in north-east Nigeria’ released on Monday by the group captured the travails of the girls having survived trafficking and crimes against humanity by Boko Haram.
The report, based on 126 interviews, including 82 with survivors, conducted in-person in North East Nigeria and remotely between 2019 and 2024 unravelled how the litany of war crimes stole the childhood of the girls, many of them now young women.
The organisation, quoting the survivors and identifying them by their initials revealed: “At least eight girls witnessed Boko Haram kill their relatives. CA*, who was abducted aged around 13 in 2014, said: “One day, Boko Haram… came into our house.
“They told our father we’re non-believers. They shot my father in the back of his head and the bullet came through his eyes. We started crying. They said if we don’t keep quiet, they will kill my mother too.”
“Once abducted, most girls were then forcibly married. Child and forced marriage are common practices by Boko Haram, who generally consider girls to be “of age” to marry from early adolescence, or even before.
“Girls were used in a multitude of ways as “wives”, including being made to serve their “husbands” in sexual slavery and domestic servitude. At least 33 survivors of forced marriage told Amnesty International that their “husbands” raped them.
“HA* was a teenager when she “agreed” to be married to save her father from being killed. She told Amnesty International she was beaten when she refused her “husband”, and that he frequently raped her.
The organisation noted that all those abducted were threatened into living under strict rules with severely limited freedom of movement as any real or perceived breaches of these rules were met with physical punishment and, at times, prolonged periods of imprisonment.
“Boko Haram meted out punishments publicly to instil fear and exert control. At least 31 girls interviewed were forced to watch forms of punishment that included lashings, amputations and beheadings.”
“GH, now in her early 20s, spent around a decade in captivity. She was often forced to watch violent punishments and said: “Sometimes I dream about the corpses that I saw or the stoning of the women that I saw. Once I open my eyes, I can’t go back to sleep again.”
Amnesty International revealed further that a total of 28 interviewees said they bore children of sexual violence, and at least 20 were children themselves when they gave birth.
“Girls were used in a multitude of ways as ‘wives’, including being made to serve their ‘husbands’ in sexual slavery and domestic servitude. At least 33 survivors of forced marriage told Amnesty International that their ‘husbands’ raped them.
“HA* was a teenager when she ‘agreed’ to be married to save her father from being killed. She told Amnesty International she was beaten when she refused her ‘husband’, and that he frequently raped her.
For the violations in unlawful detention, the report said some of the girls were “rescued” by the Nigerian military or members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a state-sponsored militia, who later unlawfully detained many of them.
“Throughout the conflict, the Nigerian military has arbitrarily detained thousands of children for prolonged periods, and according to the report, “those not unlawfully detained were left to fend for themselves in displacement camps amid millions of other people needing humanitarian assistance.
“From there, some were ‘reunited’ with their surrendered Boko Haram ‘husband’ in a government-run transit camp, exposing them to the risk of continued abuse.”
According to Samira Daoud, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, “An enormous number of girls suffered horrific abuse in Boko Haram captivity, with many survivors then detained or neglected by their government.
“Now, they are sending a clear message to the Nigerian government and its international partners. They urgently need increased specialist support to rebuild their lives.”
Read full reports here
Popular social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popular known as VeryDarkMan, has been released from police custody after a Federal High Court in Abuja granted him bail on Monday.
VeryDarkMan was arrested in May on five counts of cyberstalking.
The charges stemmed from comments he made about celebrities and accusations against senior police officers.
The controversial influencer faced charges related to comments he made about actress Iyabo Ojo and cross-dresser Bobrisky. The charges included accusations of spreading false information and causing annoyance.
He also criticized the police for not arresting Bobrisky, alleging some officers had inappropriate relationships with the cross-dresser. The police denied these claims, stating there were no legal grounds for Bobrisky’s arrest.
The prosecuting counsel initially opposed VeryDarkMan’s bail request, seeking to remand him in prison. However, his lawyers successfully argued against his continued detention in police custody.
Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon of the Federal High Court granted the bail request and he was taken to the National Cybercrime Centre.
The charges against him read, “That you Martins Vincent Otse (A.K.A. VERYDARKBLACKMAN) ‘M’, 29 YRS of Supreme Court Estate Karu, Abuja on or about 29th October, 2023, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and intentionally posted videos, by means of computer system on your Instagram handles ‘verydarkblackman’, which video contained information that is grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character wherein you stated that one Iyabo Ojo is having indecent sexual relationship with her daughter knowing or having reasons to believe that the information in the video you posted on your Instagram handle is false and you thereby committed the offence of Cyberstalking contrary to and punishable under section 24 (1)(a) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) ACT, 2015.
“That you Martins Vincent Otse (A.K.A. VERYDARKBLACKMAN) ‘M’, 29 years of Supreme Court Estate Karu, Abuja on or about 19th March, 2024, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and intentionally posted videos, by means of computer system on your Instagram handles ‘verydarkblackman’ containing information you know or had reasons to believe to be false, wherein you stated that Bobrisky is pimping young boys for Senators and Senior Police Officers to sleep with, which statement you made for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, insult, injury.”
His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju confirmed that he will be released on bail on Tuesday.
The Federal Government has threatened to sue hospitals that decline to treat patients rushed in for emergency treatment.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, issued the warning on Sunday at the “Unlock Grants Award” event in Abuja.
Recall that earlier this year, the Federal Ministry of Health was given a mandate by the House of Representatives to take firm action against hospitals and healthcare facilities that refuse to treat accident or gunshot victims without first obtaining a police report.
Kennedy-Ohanenye, however, said that Federal Government hospitals would henceforth be required to place signs outside their doors that reads: ‘No more rejection of emergency patients’.
She said: “Our hospitals will also put a sign of ‘No more rejection of emergency patients.’ These are some of the major issues we have in this country. I am in touch with Maitama Hospital. But now, I have a mobile court for any hospital that does that.
“I use this opportunity to call on all Nigerians to be vigilant.
“Let me also say that I am proud of Nigerians. I love the way they are using social media to tackle issues. But focus and continue to tackle the main issues as you are doing. Keep it up. But this is the time for action.
“Let all of us buckle up to prevent emergency patients from being rejected. I am still going to keep calling on Nigerians. This fight is not for one person alone. It is for all of us.”
35 members of the House of Representatives have proposed a Bill for an Act demanding the constitutional alteration to provide for the rotation of executive powers among the six geopolitical zones.
This according to them is to ensure equal representation and reduce the desperation and tempo of agitation for the creation of states.
The lawmakers led by Rep. Ikenga Ugochinyere (PDP-Imo), made the call while addressing a news conference at the National Assembly in Abuja on Monday.
He said that the lawmakers were also seeking the amendment of Section III of the constitution to provide for the recognition of the division of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones.
He added that they were also seeking the provision of a single tenure of six years for the President and Governors in the country.
“The bill is also seeking reduction in government spending and wastage, efficiency in governance, and national stability by providing a single term of six years for the President and Governors.
According to them, we want the creation of the office of two vice presidents from the southern and northern parts of Nigeria.
” The 1st vice shall be a succession Vice president, while the 2nd Vice president shall be a Minister in charge of the Economy, and both shall be Ministers.
He added that, the financial autonomy and accountability of Local Government Councils by prescribing an independent Consolidated Local Government Council Account was germane.
This, he said would be solely superintended by Local Councils and prescribing long-term imprisonment for any misuse of Local Government funds.
He said that the bill would seek to amend the relevant sections of the Electoral Act to ensure that all elections at both Federal and State levels were held on the same day among others.
The lawmaker said that the bill if become an Act, would ensure that all elections and election-related litigation were concluded within a period of six months.
This, according to his is before the swearing into office of the validly elected person for the office contested.
“Ours is a commitment to building a united, stable, and prosperous nation. Nigeria can and must become a great and modern nation.”
[Vanguard]
A final-year Electrical Electronics student at Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, has been shot dead by suspected armed robbers.
The victim, identified as Saviour, was said to have been shot around 8:00 pm on Saturday near his former residence in Ikot Uboh, Ikot Ekpene LGA, while trying to protect his cellphone from the robbers.
A source close to the school said the armed robbers opened fire on their victim as he tried to raise the alarm.
The source noted, “Apart from his phone, the devils took nothing away. I pray that God comforts his mother and siblings and grants his soul eternal rest.
“I urge the Akwa Ibom State government and security agencies to fish out those bad elements, especially in our institutions, to ensure peace for our children.”
However, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John, who confirmed the incident, said the command is working round the clock to ensure that the culprits are brought to book.
“The perpetrators will be apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law. It is the determination of CP Waheed Ayilara to rid Akwa Ibom State of criminal elements. And this is not negotiable,” she assured.
An erstwhile National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Salihu Lukman, has said that there is no difference between the ruling party and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Lukman, who made this statement while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics monitored by DAILY POST, said the APC was now becoming worse than the PDP it came to replace.
According to him, the PDP was becoming a one-man show where internal democracy had been dumped and candidates imposed on the electorate, stressing that it was the reason they came up with the APC.
The APC chieftain said they came up with the idea of the opposition parties merging to defeat the PDP and correct some of the anomalies noticed at that time.
“We were clear on the kind of party APC should be. We saw the weaknesses of the PDP, apart from the imposition of candidates, part of the problem was that elected candidates were not accountable to the party or anybody and we thought building the APC would depart from that and that was where the slogan ‘change’ came from.
“When the debate about the manifesto of the party was going on, the conception was that the party was going to be social democratic with a priority on the issues of health, education and social services but the party has deviated,” Lukman said.
Lukman said part of the party’s problems started from Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, adding that the President was like an emperor because he was the singular electoral asset of the party.
“We were hoping with Asiwaju (President Bola Ahmed Tinubu), things will start changing,” he said, lamenting that things rather got worse.
“We are having a party where some of its organs have not been convened since its formation. We are having a party in which for one year no meeting has taken place and that party is controlling the government,” the APC chieftain lamented.
Maureen Esisi, the estranged wife of Nollywood star, Blossom Chukwujekwu, has said she regrets marrying the actor.
Appearing on the ‘The House Chronicles’ podcast, the fashion designer described the five years of their marriage as “wasted years”.
Esisi lamented that she would have been a mother of two by now if she had married someone else.
“I regret marrying him [Blossom Chukwujekwu]. It was wasted years. Five years of my life, that’s a lot. I would have married somebody else and probably had two kids by now,” she said.
“I wished I had kids. Because trying to have kids now is just scary and annoying. I’m currently working on having kids. I don’t know how it’s going to happen but I must get pregnant this year.”
DAILY POST recalls that Chukwujekwu got married to Pastor Ehinome, at Christ Embassy in June 2022, three years after his marriage to Maureen Esisi packed up.
Esisi insisted that the actor was the one who “walked away,” stressing that for her “divorce wasn’t an option”.
She maintained that they were not officially divorced, as she didn’t sign any legal documents.
Justin Dean, the ex-husband of an American-based Nigerian dancer, Korra Obidi, has threatened to jail his ex-wife.
Dean made this known in a post via his Instagram story.
He noted that filing a restraining order and jail term would be possible if Korra continued to spread more lies about him.
Dean added that the reign of terror was over as he called for peace between the duo.
He wrote, “Lies are over! Restraining order and jail time are possible if my ex speaks more lies. The reign of terror is over. Let peace reign.”
Controversial therapist, Blessing CEO, has opened up on the reasons behind her early marriage and shared her thoughts on the current state of marriages.
During an appearance on the ‘ThisIsPop’ podcast, she discussed her personal experiences and the factors contributing to the rise in marriage failures today.
Blessing CEO explained that her decision to marry at the young age of 18 stemmed from a lack of parental love and support.
She revealed that began dating at 15, seeking affection and validation that she felt was missing from her home environment.
This early pursuit of romantic relationships eventually led to her marriage, which, despite her hopes, did not last.
Reflecting on the differences between past and present marital practices, Blessing CEO noted that marriages were once characterized by a thorough vetting process.
Families would conduct detailed inquiries and investigations into the backgrounds of potential partners, ensuring a greater degree of stability and compatibility.
According to Blessing CEO, the absence of this approach in contemporary marriages contributes to their frequent breakdowns.
In her podcast appearance, Blessing CEO emphasized that many modern marriages are entered into spontaneously, without the necessary groundwork and understanding.
This lack of preparation and the absence of family involvement, she argues, are key reasons why many marriages today fail.
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Nigeria creative industry have done more for national awareness than any ambassador – Ali Baba
AFOLABI
Veteran comedian Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, highlights the significant impact of Nigerian musicians on national awareness.
According to him, these talented individuals have done more to promote Nigeria’s image than any official ambassador.
In a recent interview with Channels Television, Ali Baba expressed his disappointment that despite the entertainment industry’s substantial contributions to the nation’s growth, it remains overlooked in government economic plans.
He lamented that a recent 200-page report by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, forecasting the country’s economic future, failed to acknowledge the entertainment and creative industry’s value.
Ali Baba emphasized that the creative industry’s influence extends far beyond Nigeria’s borders, citing Burna Boy as an example.
He stated that the Grammy-winning artist has put Nigeria on the global map, showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage to a worldwide audience.
In his words:
“Two years ago, a forecast of the Nigerian economy in the next five years was looked into by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and the entertainment and creative industry was not considered.
“A booklet of about 200 pages was done and the creative industry was not considered. The value of the creative industry in Nigeria is beyond the country.”
“Burna Boy has done a lot more for the Nigerian national awareness than any ambassador that have been posted to America, the UK or any other place. So Nigerian artists are creating national awareness and making other countries to know about us than any ambassador would have done.”
Police arrest 27-yr-old lady for stabbing partner to death over ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ proceeds in Imo
AFOLABI
The Imo state Police command has arrested a 27-year-old lady, Oluchi Nzemechi, from Uzoagba in Ikeduru Council Area of Imo state, for stabbing to death her partner, Kelechi Nzemechi, over alleged failure to give her a cut of alleged internet fraud proceeds (Yahoo Yahoo) to the tune of 250 Million Rupiah.
The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Henry Okoye, stated this to newsmen in Owerri on Monday, while parading the suspect.
Explaining how it happened, the Police command said the “Operatives of the Imo State Police Command through painstaking investigation have arrested a 27-year-old young lady, named Oluchi Nzemechi ‘f’, of Uzoagba in Ikeduru LGA of Imo State, for stabbing her partner, Kelechi Nzemechi, ‘m’, 31yrs, to death.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime, admitting that her lover lured her into internet fraud aka ‘yahoo yahoo’. That on 02/06/2024, she had a heated argument with him for failing to give her a cut of an alleged 250 Million Rupiah they fraudulently obtained from a victim in Indonesia, during which she used a kitchen knife and stabbed him on the upper part of his body.”
“The suspect further revealed that in a bid to cover up her criminal acts, she swiftly wrote on a piece of paper; ‘you think you can eat my money and go free, I am baba for the boys, I am coming for your wife and your child including your family’ and placed it on the lifeless body of the victim and ran away from the house. She also stated that she has been living with the victim since 2019 and has a child for him.
“Effort is intensified to recover the alleged 250 million Indonesia Rupiah for a possible return to the owner. The suspect is currently undergoing an investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department and will certainly be arraigned in court,” Police said.
Media
The European Union (EU) collected €3,435,200 from rejected Schengen visa applications from Nigeria in 2023, according to statistics on Schengen visas.
The EU governments globally garnered €130 million from such rejections, with African and Asian countries bearing 90% of the costs, as reported by EUobserver.
The report highlights that African countries are particularly affected, with visa rejection rates reaching 40-50% for nations like Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria.
These figures, however, do not account for the additional costs incurred from missed travel opportunities for business and leisure, or the expenses related to legal advice and private agencies involved in visa processing.
The phenomenon of visa rejections has been termed “reverse remittances” as shared by EUobserver, emphasising that these non-refundable fees remain with the EU governments regardless of the application outcome.
“Visa inequality has very tangible consequences and the world’s poorest pay the price,” Marta Foresti, founder of LAGO Collective and senior visiting fellow at the Overseas Development Institute, told EUobserver.
“You can think of the costs of rejected visas as ‘reverse remittances’, money flowing from poor to rich countries. We never hear about these costs when discussing aid or migration, it is time to change that,” she added.
Morocco and Algeria top the list for the highest number of visa applications to the EU.
Data also shows that rejection rates for short-term visitor visas to Europe and the UK are higher for applicants from low and middle-income countries.
The total cost of Schengen visa rejections increased to €130 million in 2023, up from €105 million in 2022.
The rejection rate is anticipated to rise further in 2024, as the EU visa application fee for adults is set to increase from €80 to €90 on June 11, following a recent decision by the EU Commission.
Renowned Nollywood actor, Hanks Anuku, has recounted how a viral video that falsely portrayed him as mentally unstable ruined his career and caused him pain.
Recalls that a video of the movie star went viral in 2022, with Anuku dressed in tattered clothes, roaming around the streets of Asaba, and many people insinuated he was mentally unstable.
Shortly after the video surfaced online, his colleague, Shan George, debunked the claim, stating that Anuku is “not insane” as widely speculated.
Addressing the incident in an interview with Facebook content creator, Lucky Udu, Anuku revealed that the video was from a movie set.
The thespian explained that he was preparing for a role as a mentally unstable character and was getting into character by visiting the environment and meditating.
Anuku lamented the loss of friends, producers, and job opportunities, stating that the viral video left him jobless and isolated.
The actor added that he went through pain and was heartbroken, adding that those who circulated the video destroyed his image.
He said, “I was trying to get into character for a role I was going to play, a madman role. Someone who was not in his correct senses or right frame of mind.
“So I had to go naturally visit the environment on how I would play it in that same neighbourhood. I was just showing the way the director wanted me to do it, meditating and getting into character.
“I lost friends, producers no longer contacted me for jobs. I lost a lot of money, I lost jobs, and I was jobless. People did not care about me. It was God who directed my footsteps to a good soul.
“I went through pain, if you were in my shoes you would feel it. I was heartbroken for these people to do this to me.”