A city council in South Korea said Wednesday, June 26, that their first administrative officer robot was defunct after throwing itself down some stairs, with local media mourning the country’s first robot suicide.

South Korea’s Gumi City Council announced the robot was found unresponsive after apparently falling down a two-meter staircase last week.

Witnesses saw the robot officer "circling in one spot as if something was there" before the accident occurred, but the exact cause of the fall is still being investigated, a city council official told AFP.

"Pieces have been collected and will be analysed by the company," the official said.

The official added that the robot had "helped with daily document deliveries, city promotion, and delivered information" to local residents.

"It was officially a part of the city hall, one of us," another official said. "It worked diligently."

The robot, made by Bear Robotics, a Californian robot-waiter startup, was appointed in August 2023.

It worked from 9 am to 6 pm and had its own civil service officer card.

Unlike other robots, which can typically only use one floor, the Gumi City Council robot could call an elevator and move floors on its own.

Headlines in local media questioned the apparent robot suicide, saying: "Why did the diligent civil officer do it?"

Others asked, "Was work too hard" for the robot?

South Korea is one of the most enthusiastic users of robots globally.

It has the highest robot density in the world, with one industrial robot for every 10 employees, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

Gumi City Council is currently not planning to adopt a second robot officer at this moment, it told AFP.

The Yobe State Police Command said it has arrested a 22-year-old housewife for allegedly stabbing her husband to death in the Abbari area of Damaturu metropolis.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

“On 26-06-24, at about 1000hrs, the C Divisional Police Headquarters received a complaint from a neighbor in Abbari Ward, Damaturu, about a couple, Ibrahim Yahaya, 25 years old, and Zainab Isa, 22 years old. The couple had a violent argument on the same date at about 0900hrs, which escalated into a scuffle.

“The wife used a knife to stab the husband in the chest, and he subsequently died from his grievous injury before the police rescue team arrived,” the statement said.

The suspect was arrested and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, for discreet investigation and subsequent prosecution.

The Police spokesman added that the housewife confessed that she did not intend to kill the husband, but stabbed him in self-defense during what she described as domestic violence against her.

“She further stated that their marriage had been marred by violence from the outset, often occurring when she requested food or money, and had continued even after the birth of their first child and the arrival of their second child, despite her husband’s inability to provide for their needs.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Yobe State Command, Garba Ahmed, has urged couples to report cases of abuse to the authorities for a durable solution or file a complaint with the nearest Sharia or family court for possible redress.

A judge on Wednesday found a woman guilty of killing her three children and sentenced her to 18 years imprisonment.

The convicted woman in New Zealand, Lauren Dickason, will begin her sentence at a mental health hospital for the triple killings, according to a Christchurch High Court official.

In a statement to local media after her sentencing, remorseful Lauren Dickason said, “I take responsibility for taking our three beautiful girls from this world.” 

She said that with particular reference to her husband, identified simply as Graham

“I would like to take this opportunity to convey the deepest and most sincere remorse for the extreme pain and hurt caused to my children and my family by my actions,” she added.

Laueen Dickason, a South African woman, was found guilty last August on three counts of murder after she was said to have smothered her two-year-old twins Maya and Karla and first daughter Liane who was six years old.

The killings took place in September 2021 while her husband was out to dinner with colleagues in Tamaru, New Zealand. 

He found the bodies of his children when he returned home.

The husband has since returned to South Africa from where the family had moved to New Zealand only a couple of weeks before the bloody act of his wife.

At a point during trial last year, Dickason admitted killing the girls but had pleaded infanticide, a defence in New Zealand for a mother blamed for the killing of her child if the balance of her mind was considered disturbed at the time of the killing.

The prosecution, however, contended that she fully knew what she did and knew that it was wrong while she was doing it.

A majority verdict by a jury of eight women and four men reportedly said Dickason was not insane at the time of the killings and was guilty of murder.

She, nonetheless, escaped life imprisonment, usually the penalty for murder in New Zealand.

Many women around the world have over time admitted to killing their own children, some of them advancing laughable reasons for the act.

Somewhere in England last year, a woman reportedly told a jury that she went into a rage and killed her two children because she did not want her husband to have the children.

Veronique John, 50, told Nottingham Crown Court that she stabbed her son Ethan John, 11, severally, and inflicted brain damage on her daughter Elizabeth John; after which she went for her estranged husband and almost also killed him.

The couple lived separately, as they had been having issues for a while, including a dispute over who should keep the children.

In Nigeria’s Kano city, a story emerged in 2020 about a mother who allegedly stabbed her children to death because her husband married a second wife.

It was established that she became mad with jealousy and set about eliminating her own children while the husband was having what he believed was a good time with his new wife in another house.

In Kaduna two years ago when one Faith Hassan was arrested by the Police for allegedly killing her one-year-old daughter, she said it was for a chance to marry her boyfriend.

The boyfriend, she said, did not want her to come to him with another man’s child.

She made the confession while crying out her heart, moaning that she did not realise what she was doing until her baby became a lifeless body.

A 67-year-old man, Segun Oyedepo, Owner of Fedeco International College, Ibadan, was on Wednesday docked in a Grade ‘A’ Customary Court in Ibadan for allegedly embezzling money meant for the National Examinations Council, NECO for students.

Oyedepo, who pleaded not guilty, is charged with theft and obtaining money under pretence.

The prosecutor, Philip Amusan, told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offence between September 2023 and June 2024, at the aforementioned school.

Amusan alleged that the defendant fraudulently obtained N1.7 million which was meant for about 13 students’ NECO registration.

He alleged that the defendant obtained the money from one Hammed Olayode and 12 others to register the students but failed to do so.

Amusan said the offence contravenes the provisions of Sections 419 and 390(9) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The Court’s President, Mrs Sukurat Yusuf, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum.

Yusuf held that one of the sureties must be a relation of the defendant and have evidence of two years of tax clearance and then adjourned the case until July 19 for hearing.

Famous Nigerian songstress, Teniola Apata has declared interest in her colleague, Mayorkun.

Teni disclosed her interest following Mayorkun’s appearance at Davido’s wedding on Tuesday.

A viral photo of Mayorkun posing with Davido and Chioma was shared on Instagram.

Reacting to the picture, Teni took to the comment session to reveal her interest.

She wrote; “Na me go still marry Mayor.”

Dangote Group has released an official statement over the fire incident at its refinery on Wednesday.

A statement from Dangote Refinery described the fire as minor, adding that it has been contained.

“Dangote Refinery contains minor fire at its effluent treatment plant

“We have swiftly contained a minor fire incident at our effluent treatment plant (ETP), today Wednesday, 26th June.

“There is no cause for alarm as the refinery is operating and there is no recorded injury or bodily harm to all our staff on duty,” the statement said.

DAILY POST reported earlier that explosions were heard on Wednesday after a major fire outbreak at the refinery located at the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.

On Wednesday, June 26, a Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court sitting in Gwagwalada, sentenced a fake senator, Tom Makwe to two years imprisonment.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had arraigned the convict for swindling a Spaniard of 47, 082 Euros.

He was arraigned on two counts of intent to defraud over the internet.

The convict pleaded guilty to the charge and begged the court for leniency.

Delivering judgment, Justice Aliyu Shafa, also gave him an option of a fine of N5 million.

Shafa ordered that the N30 million, and 1,300 dollars recovered from the convict be forfeited to the victim, Maria Del Rosario san Jose Garces through the Spanish embassy in Nigeria and evidence of forfeiture be filed through the registrar of the court within two weeks.

He directed that the items recovered from the convict, including one black Camry 2017 model car, Samsung S 23, Apple iPhone 13 cellphone and HP EliteBook be forfeited to the government and the proceeds of sale be remitted to the victim through the Spanish embassy in Nigeria.

Earlier, the convict in his plea for mercy told the court that he was sincerely sorry for his misconduct and bad character.

“I am a changed person and plead with the court to tamper justice with mercy. I will never have anything to do with internet fraud again,” he pleaded.

The Defence Counsel, Adaji Abel in support of the allocutus by the convict pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy.

Abel said that the convict was a first-time offender, had co-operated with the EFCC investigation, made restitution and had provided useful information to the investigator to arrest other fraudsters.

The Prosecution Counsel, Deborah Adamu-Eteh told the court that the convict between December 12, 2021 and November 12, 2022, with intent to defraud over the internet pretended to be Fahad Tonny Makwe, Bryan and Senator Tompolo.

Adamu-Eteh said the convict claimed to be a white man, Diplomatic Solicitor with a phone number +34613208672.

She said the convict in that assumed character, obtained the sum of 47,082 Euros from one Maria Del Rosario San Jose Garces, a citizen of Spain through a Bitcoin wallet address that he created.

On Tuesday, Sheikh Muhydeen Bello, a popular Nigerian Islamic cleric, charged the political class to be mindful of their actions while in office, saying, “you will all become story after office.”

He also said that Nigerian politicians don’t need much but are never satisfied with what they have and that they don’t have fear of God.

He gave this advice during the four-year remembrance of the late former Governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, held at his private residence, Ring Road, in Ibadan, the state capital.

Bello further charged them to live lives that would speak better about them, urging them to use the gathering to unite the political family of the Ajimobis and the All Progressives Congress in the state.

“Without unity, you may not be able to carry on the late Ajimobi legacies.”

The cleric, thereafter, called on the state APC 2023 governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin, to retrace his steps and be the rallying point for other party members.

“The former Senate leader needs to change some wrong notions some people are having about him while also seeking a way forward for the state.

“Ajimobi was not the only governor who ever served the state, but look at his people, who are still gathered to honour and remember him. We all will become history someday. Nothing goes forever.

“Politicians don’t need much, but you are never satisfied with what you have. You politicians, be satisfied with little. You don’t have fear of God. You ate with Ajimobi, yet you fought him, and you still think you are angry with him even in death.

“This is about Ajimobi; we are seeing his end; they will also see our ends, too. Let’s work for posterity and see what our future will look like.

“God asked us to fear him and said that He would repay us for all that we do on earth. Let’s stand upright in all our doings.

“As you are all seated here as politicians, love each other. Be one. Let there be oneness among you all. Ajimobi died; he left people behind. What have you done that you will be remembered for when you are gone? Be one united body as a political family and party. Don’t fight and envy each other. Always speak your mind truthfully to each other.

“People are not happy with the way all of you are behaving and relating. Come together, be strong and united in honour of Ajimobi. He lived a life that unites people, yet you people are not united after his death,” he lamented.

Dignitaries in attendance were the wife of the deceased, Florence Ajimobi; a younger brother of the deceased, Wasiu Ajimobi; former Deputy Governor, Alake Adeyemo, a former deputy governor to Governor Seyi Makinde, Rauf Olaniyan, Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacheus Adelabu, Oyo APC governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin, Senators Sharafadeen Alli (Oyo South), Fatai Buhari (Oyo North), Yunus Akintunde (Oyo Central) and a former Secretary to Oyo State Government, Olalekan Alli.

Others were former Sports Minister Sunday Dare, Adeola Akande, former Oyo APC Chairman Akin Oke, Akeem Agbaje, ex-Health Commissioner Azeez Adeduntan, ex-ALGON Oyo Chairmen Abass Aleshinloye, Yekeen Popoola, Kolapo Daisi, Bisoye Fagade, Seyi Adisa, Kehinde Subair, Azeez Bolaji, Olayemi Ariba, Olatunji Olawale.

Salman Dogo Garba, the newly-appointed Police Commissioner to Kano, has reacted to allegations that he is a blood relative of the deposed Emir Aminu Ado Bayero.

Garba insisted that he is in Kano to serve everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity or colour.

“I am first and foremost a Nigerian, and I am here to serve Nigerians. The news of me belonging to the same family as Bayero is new to me; this is the first time I am hearing it. For me, I will do my best for Kano,” he stated.

He assured the public of his commitment to ensuring effective security measures in the state.

Speaking during a press briefing at the Bompai Police Headquarters, Garba acknowledged the challenges facing the state, including the resurgence of thuggery activities, and promised to tackle them head-on.

The commissioner outlined his strategies, which include community policing engagements, synergy with other security agencies, use of technology, professionalism, and accountability.

He also emphasized the need for collective responsibility in addressing security concerns and pledged to work closely with the government and citizens to build trust and ensure a safer Kano State.

Garba commended his predecessor, AIG Mohammed Usaini Gumel, for his achievements and promised to build on his legacy.

Dogo urged the public to support the police in their efforts to ensure peace and stability in the state.