Taraba state chief judge, Justice Joel Agya, on Friday, sentenced one Yusufa Adamu and Adamu Abdullahi to death by hanging for kidnapping Balkisu Kambe and Maryam Musa in Gashaka Local Government area of the State.

Agya, who delivered the judgment at the Taraba High Court 1 in Jalingo said the prosecution counsel has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the duo committed the crime in 2019.

He also found them guilty on the charges of criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms, and he sentenced each of them to 10 years without the option of a fine for each of the offences making it 20 years each.


The judge explained that the sentence on criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms would take effect from 2019 when they were arrested and detained.

According to him, the defendants had made confessional statements individually about the kidnapping of Balkisu Kambe at Angwan America in Baruwa on Sept 29, 2019, and that of Maryam Musa on Sept 2, 2019, at Serti and others in Gashaka Local Government area where they collected ransom.

He noted that one of the victims, Kambe identified the defendants as members of the gang that abducted her in her house when they could not find her husband in his room on that day, saying they unmasked themselves when they took her to the bush for two days before her husband sent them N1,000,000 ransom.

“Based on Section Three, paragraph eight of the Kidnapping and Abduction Law of Taraba 2019, I hereby sentence you to death by hanging on the neck, may God have mercy on your souls.

“You however, have the right to apply to the Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy to for the sentence to be committed to life imprisonment especially since no life was lost in the process of kidnapping,” he said.

Mr Samson Gimba, the Prosecution counsel hailed the judgement as sound and commendable.

Mr Mahanar Puki, counsel to the defendants had pleaded for mercy when the guilty verdict was pronounced before the judge passed the sentence.


Puki had told the court that the convicts were first-time offenders and had shown remorse throughout the period of trial and should be shown some mercy.

 

The Nigeria Police, Abia Command, has rescued 16 pregnant women and eight children at a baby factory in Aba, its Public Relations Officer, Maureen Chinaka, said in a statement on Friday in Umuahia.

Chinaka, however, refused to disclose the location of the baby factory in Aba, opining that further details could compromise ongoing investigation.

She said the Police also arrested one Onyinyechi Okoro (29) and Ekene Okezie (32), suspected operators of the baby factory.


According to the statement, the rescued persons are: Joy Mathew (27), Stella Okon (22), Bella Okon (19) and Idara Emmanuel (24).

Others are: Blessing Okon (19), Blessing Edet (20), Promise Akpan (22), Joy Edet (17), Josephine Asuquo (19) and Glory John (19).

Goodness Peter (20), Ifeoma Ozoemena (22), Victoria Robert (20), Blessed Monday (17), Victoria Liberty (21) and Anita Sunday (21) were also rescued by the Police.

Among the eight children rescued are five females – China Marvelous (11), Nancy Sunday (9), Marvelous Sunday (6), Martha Ubong (2) and Deborah Ndifreke (2).

Three male children among those rescued are: Praise Answer (2) Goodness Destiny (4) and Victor Aniebeti (2).

Chinaka said the victims were rescued when the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in Aba, using credible information, raided the baby factory on March 7.

According to her, the rescued girls and children are kept by Mrs Onyinyechi Okoro from Ihechiowa in Arochukwu LGA and from Arondizuogu in Ideato LGA of Imo.

The PPRO said that discreet investigations were ongoing regarding the baby factory’s operations.

She, therefore, urged people to be security conscious and support police activities by volunteering information on suspects and criminal activities.


Chinaka said the police remained committed to protecting law -abiding citizens, adding that it would continue to ensure the safety of lives and property of residents of Abia.

The remains of the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe, as well as those of his wife and son, have arrived Nigeria.

The corpses of the Wigwes arrived the Port Harcourt International Airport from United States, US, on Friday.

The funeral of the trio will hold on Saturday at Isiokpo, his hometown, in Ikwerre LGA of Rivers State.

 

Wigwe, alongside his wife, son, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), died in a helicopter crash at the border of Nevada and California in the US last month.

Since their death, tributes have continued to pour in for Wigwe as sympathizers recalled his deeds while alive.

 
Last modified on Friday, 08 March 2024 17:06

An Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun State, on Friday remanded nine persons for allegedly kidnapping and killing six girls for money ritual.

The Police charged the defendants, whose addresses were not provided, with kidnapping, murder, robbery and conspiracy.

The defendants are: Moses Aruwaji, 45, Adebayo Azeez, 32, Mariam Aruwaji, 42, Akinwunmi, 20 and Sheriff Agbani, 23. 

Others are: Samuel Monday, 42, Osojieahon Aijonohouria, 24, Peter Oluwalolese, 48 and Jamiu Yufuf, 48.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, CSP Adaramola Felix, informed the court that the defendants and others still at large, committed the offenses between September 28 2023 and January 11.

Felix said the defendants conspired among themselves to kidnap and kill the victims – Sulaimon Adijat, Lucy Blessing, Lawal Adunni, Olarewaju Abosede, Ezeh Chom and one Pretty – for ritual purposes.

He said they also robbed Adijat of her cellphone valued at N70,000. 

The prosecutor said the offenses contravened Sections 23(2), 24(2), 319(2) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun, 2006.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr D. O. Ilo said the defendants should be remanded in Ibara Correctional Centre, pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The magistrate did not take the plea of the defendants.

She adjourned the case until May 8 for further hearing.


 

Famous Nigerian singer, Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid, has spoken about his relationship with colleague, Burna Boy.

Wizkid, speaking in his latest interview, explained that they initially met while working on Burna Boy’s album “African Giant.”

Sharing a humorous incident from their collaboration studio, he said things took an unexpected turn after his inebriation
despite the initial hiccup.


Wizkid further referred to Burna Boy as his family, adding that having two great people in the same room will undoubtedly result in some amazing music.

In the video, Wizkid said; “Burna Boy and I are like family, when you have two great people in the room, you are bound to make amazing music.”

Tinubu Is Better Than Peter Obi - El-Rufai (Video)

 

The son of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Bello El-Rufai, has submitted that the Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi is not in the league of President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, Tinubu is far better than Obi, and the former Anambra State Governor can’t even be compared to the likes of former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola or his father, Mallam El-Rufai.

The younger El-Rufai made the submission during a chat with Seun Okinbaloye on the latest edition of the Mic on Podcast.

He added that if the opposition parties really wanted to defeat Tinubu in the last general elections, Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and Obi himself should have worked together.

On those with the habit of dragging people online or offline, El-Rufai said he is not afraid to be called out and is ready to reply accordingly.

See the video.

Media

List Of Buhari's Cabinet Ministers That Retained Their Portfolios


 

A human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has called for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the financial dealings of cabinet members and appointees who served under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

The former president’s tenure, which spanned from 2015 to 2023, has come under scrutiny following the trial of ex-Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

In a statement released on Friday, Olajengbesi highlighted the urgent need for such a probe, pointing to “startling revelations” that have emerged from Emefiele’s trial, notably the alleged forgery of signatures belonging to Buhari and the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

These allegations, part of a $6.2 million fraud case related to funding for foreign observers in the last elections, have raised serious concerns about the integrity of financial transactions conducted during Buhari’s presidency.

Olajengbesi praised the EFCC’s efforts in bringing to light these allegations and emphasized the importance of extending the investigation to cover all individuals who held positions of power during the eight-year period.

He argued that auditing the financial transactions of Buhari’s government officials is crucial to ensuring accountability and transparency within Nigeria’s public sector.

The lawyer’s call for an expanded probe comes at a time when the EFCC is intensifying its efforts to combat corruption and financial crimes within the country.

By investigating former cabinet members and government appointees, the EFCC would be taking a significant step towards dismantling corrupt practices and reinforcing the principles of good governance.

Olajengbesi said, “The audacity of those in power and their criminal influence is becoming too much and must be stopped.

“The EFCC must not stop at just the former CBN Governor Godwin, Emefiele, but should carry out an entire audit of principal actors who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. There should be a deterrent for bad behavior.

“Again, the case of the suspended Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salihijo over alleged N1.2bn fraud is fresh, and a pointer to the gross abuse of power by those who served under Buhari.

“Emefiele and all those who served under the Buhari adminis8⅞ÿÿtration should be properly audited and given a chance to clear their names as the corruption that manifested under that government is gargantuan.”

The apex Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged President Bola Tinubu to strategically overhaul his economic team.

Ohanaeze said strategically overhauling his economic team would address the escalating crisis in the Southwest and North.

It said Tinubu should emulate former President Olusegun Obasanjo and allow globally renowned Igbos steer his restructured economic team.


In a statement he signed, factional Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said: “President Tinubu should promptly consider a strategic overhaul of his Economic Team to address the escalating crises witnessed in the North and Southwest regions.

“It is paramount for President Tinubu to recognize the prevailing atmosphere of relative peace in the Southeast, underscored by the absence of rampant looting of essential resources that has plagued regions such as Abuja, parts of the North, and Southwest.

“Acknowledging the integral role played by Ndigbo as the economic backbone of Nigeria, President Tinubu is implored to draw inspiration from the leadership demonstrated by former president Obasanjo’s economic team, which was steered by globally renowned Igbo economists. Central to this proposal is the establishment of a new economic consortium led by Igbo professionals and advocating for Nigeria’s integration into the BRICS economic bloc, fostering a robust Naira that can compete effectively with other currencies through the discontinuation of the Dollar in Nigeria.”

Countries in the world

 

Are you aware Yoruba is not only spoken in Nigeria? It is predominantly across some other countries you will read about here. Yoruba is one of the largest ethnic groups in Nigeria; it is mostly spoken in the Southwestern part of the country. The language has its roots as a Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family.

Farming is a major occupation; trading too is an integral aspect of the lives of Yoruba people. Cocoa is a major cash crop including maize, plantains, yams, groundnuts, and millet. In terms of artistic skills and productivity, Yorubas have always been among the best in Africa. Traditionally, women engage in basket weaving, cotton spinning, and cloth dyeing. Bronze casting was at its peak in Yoruba land between the 13th and 14th centuries and has since been a symbol of excellence across West Africa.

1. Salvador, Brazil

Brazil, one of the Yoruba-speaking countries, has a history of African descent. Salvador is a city and capital of Bahia in Brazil. It is located in the southern area of the country which separates it from the Atlantic Ocean. Yorubas are quite predominant there and they worship Ogun, Yemoja, Sango, and Egungun. 

 
 

The existence of this tribe in Salvador can be traced to the migration that happened during the “Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade” centuries ago. One of the unique traits of these people is their relentless effort to practice their tradition despite the sorrow and struggles they went through as slaves. 

The worshippers of the Yoruba gods are known to always dress in white garments led by priests and priestesses. It is always quite interesting whenever they make sacrifices at the shrine and dance to the melodious tune of a traditional drum called “Ilu Agere”. Another cultural trait exhibited by the Yorubas in Salvador is their love for bean cake known as “Akara” – it is highly consumed; and prepared with the same recipe as in Nigeria like palm oil, onions, beans, and pepper.

2. Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a Western African country. A Portuguese explorer called “Pedro de Sinatra” was the first to discover Freetown harbour in the 15th century. “Serra Lyoa” (Lion Mountains) refers to the different hills that surround the harbour. Sierra Leone is one of the most prominent Yoruba-speaking countries in the world. The liberated Yoruba slaves in the mid-19th century who later settled in this country are referred to as “Oku or Aku. ” They reside mostly in Banjul and are found in Fourah Bay, Fula Town, and Aberdeen Village. 

 

The slaves discussed here were mostly Yoruba business people from Abeokuta and Lagos. In addition to what we mentioned earlier, Oku people are descendants of liberated Yoruba Africans who later settled in Sierra Leone – they eventually formed a distinctive community right from the 1840s. 

 

3. Benin Republic

Benin Republic, formerly known as Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. The capital city is Porto-Novo; the seat of governance is in Cotonou — the economic capital and the most populous city. The economy of the country is heavily dependent on agriculture. 

As one of the Yoruba-speaking countries, Benin Republic shares history with Nigeria ethnically. “Ketu” is the name adopted by the Yorubas and their traditional ruler is called “Alaketu” — related to Ile-Ife, Nigeria. According to history, Ketu is one of the original kingdoms established by the children of Oduduwa but some sources claim the kingdom was much dependent on Oyo; they paid annual tribute to them. 

Regardless of the different narrations, without a doubt, Oyo and Ketu have maintained close friendships due to their historical, cultural, and ethnic ties. When the kingdom was part of Oyo’s forces, they often fought Dahomey but they were eventually defeated in the 1880s and sold into slavery. The Benin Yoruba has a unique accent because of the influence of some languages like “Egun” spoken in the country.

4. Togo

Togo, a country in West Africa also part of the Yoruba-speaking countries, shares formidable similarities with its counterparts in Nigeria. The capital is called “Lome” – it extends to the Gulf of Guinea. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, the coastal region was the European slave trade post — it is referred to as “The Slave Coast.”  

Atakpame, a town in Togo, shares similarities with Abeokuta and Oyo. This small town in Togo is surrounded by seven mountains just like the aforementioned state in Nigeria – that has Olumo Rock and Oke Ibadan as their ancestral symbols. Atakpame also shares historical similarities with Idanre in Ondo state — a town with huge and beautiful mountains. 

The Ife Togo – a dialect of Yoruba is spoken by about ninety thousand people in Atakpame. The Ife settlers migrated from Dahomey into the Togolese territory and founded Atakpame. Ife Togo dialect retains all the originality and tonal features of the Yoruba language; every word is tone marked but just the mid tone which is no longer marked in the current writing system of Yoruba in Nigeria is still marked. Another angle is, two consonants that are no longer allowed to be used together are still present in Ife Togo; for instance “Oshogbo’ should be “Osogbo’”, and “Ogbomosho” is now “Ogbomoso.” 

5. Côte d’Ivoire

Côte d’Ivoire is located in the Western part of Africa. Its capital is called Yamoussoukro; the largest city and economic centre is Abidjan. The official language of the country is French;  indigenous languages are also widely used. One of the first set of migrants in Côte d’Ivoire were the Ejigbos but they first settled in Ghana, Togo, and Benin. 

Ejigbo is a city in Osun state, Nigeria founded by Akinjole Ogiyan  — a descendant of Oduduwa. Together with his brother, the founder of Ikire-Ile, left Ile-Ife with Oranmiyan to establish their own town. Akinjole became the paramount ruler of many villages across Yoruba land. 

Ejigbo people have a long history as emigrants mostly to Côte d’Ivoire since the 1900s. They refer to their community leader as “Oba”. It could be “Oba Aboba”, “Oba Treichville” and so on. The Oba of Abidjan is referred to as “Oba Abidjan ” – he is the head of the Ejigbo community leader of Cote d’Ivoire. The love of trading has made the Ejigbos more comfortable in Abidjan and has become a welcoming place for Yoruba speakers.

 

Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen is set to make his 100th Serie A appearance for reigning champions Napoli against Torino.

The Partenopei will entertain Torino at the Diego Armando Maradona on Friday (today).

Osimhen linked up with Napoli from Ligue 1 club, Lille in 2020.


The 25-year-old has featured in 99 league games from a possible 141.

The striker has so far scored 61 goals for Napoli in the Italian top-flight.

He helped Napoli win their first Scudetto in over three decades last season, netting 26 times in 32 league outings.

Last modified on Friday, 08 March 2024 09:42