Kidnappers demand N900m to release Isheri landlords

Kidnappers of three landlords at Oshorun Heritage Estate in Isheri, Lagos State, have demanded N900 million to release them.

Gunmen clad in military camouflages on Saturday morning stormed Channels Avenue, whisking away Kennedy Ucheagwu, Dr. Omololu Bello and Mr. Esang, who were on their routine exercise.

A resident, told The Nation that the kidnappers contacted the family of one of the victims to demand the ransom.

Man who named his dog Buhari pictured in court

40-year-old Joachim Chinakwe who was arrested for naming his dog ‘Buhari’ has been arraigned in court.
He was arrested on August 13, 2016, and was arraigned before a Sango Magistrate Court, Ogun State on Monday August 22, 2016.
The charge read in part,

Police raid gay wedding ceremony in Sokoto

A tip-off received by Nigeria's intelligence officers led to police raiding a suspected gay wedding ceremony on Saturday in the northern city of Sokoto , a police spokesman Almustafa Sani has told the BBC Hausa service.

Police were conducting a thorough investigating with a view to charge the two people arrested for being involved in "unnatural" conduct, he added.
Other people at the ceremony dispersed when police arrived at the venue, he added.

 Mr Sani said homosexuality was illegal under Nigeria's secular constitution, and Islamic law which is applied in Sokoto state.

Muslim Cleric & daughter arrested for distributing poisoned ''akara' to Lagos beggars

 
A 50-year-old Muslim cleric, Mohammed Yusuf, and daughter, Salamat, 18, were on Tuesday arraigned at a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly distributing poisoned ‘akara’, a local snack, to beggars.
The Yusufs, who are facing two charges of conspiracy and attempted murder, were alleged to have inserted needles in the snack before giving them to beggars.
The Prosecuting State Counsel, Barr. Ben Ekundayo, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on August 5 at about 2pm at Offin Street, Balogun, Lagos Island.
He alleged that the man and his daughter carried out the act with intent to endanger the lives of the beggars.

Woman, neighbor torture 16-year-old housemaid with iron(Photo)

A woman, Fatima Williams, and her neighbour, Waliu Yusuf, have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly brutalising a 16-year-old girl, identified only as Kemi, with a hot iron and electric cables.

It was learnt that the Kemi who was brought from Cotonou, Benin Republic,had been reportedly living with Williams, popularly called Alhaja, on Soji Adepegba Close, Allen Avenue, Ikeja,since January 2016 as a  housemaid.

It was gathered that the victim was allegedly tortured for not sweeping Williams’ compound last Thursday.

PUNCH Metro learnt that a resident informed the police and the suspects were arrested by the Ikeja Police Division on Friday, August 12.

A police source told our correspondent that the teenager had been admitted to the Police Cottage Hospital, Ikeja.

Kemi, who spoke with our correspondent in Yoruba, said, 

Nigerian Soldiers Pluck Out Eye Of FRSC Official For Trying To Stop Them From Torturing Civilian

An official of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Segun Enikuemehin, who dared to ask some military men who were assaulting a civilian to desist from such a dastardly act is currently at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) with one of his eyes totally damaged.

The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when Mr. Enikuemehin came upon the military men beating a harmless civilian,reports Sahara Reporters.
  Convinced that the military officials would beat the man to death if nothing was done, he reportedly walked up the angry soldiers and pleaded that they let the man go or hand him over to the police if he had done something illegal.

How Danfo driver killed robber, injures acccomplice in Lagos

 
A 54-year-old commercial bus driver, last week, displayed rare bravery: he overpowered two robbery suspects, who had attacked him, killing one and inflicting injury on the other, in Ejigbo area of Lagos.

 The suspects, who were operating on a motorcycle, snatched a bag from a woman who was going to work along Ronik Road, Ejigbo, before accosting the commercial bus driver, Mr Onyema Obinna, who was waiting for one of his passengers.

They ordered Obinna to bring out the money on him, threatening to shoot him if he acted otherwise. Explaining to Vanguard, Obinna said: 

Read More Below:

Dalung sends two U-23 players, officials back to Nigeria

Sports minister Solomon Dalung has sent two players and three officials of the national U-23 team back to Nigeria from the ongoing 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

It was learnt that the two alternate players Stanley Dimgba and goalkeeper Yusuf Mohammed alongside the team’s media officer, Timi Ebikagboro, curator and the team coordinator were sent packing from the games and flew out of Brazil to Nigeria on Monday night.

“We said they should send them back home if they could not take care of them (players and officials,” Nigeria Football Federation spokesman told The PUNCH.

Dalung had complained of the huge financial burden of taking care of the extra players and officials after the players were prevented from leaving the hotel over the unpaid bills of eight of their unaccredited players and officials.

Dalung said 84 players and four officials – unofficially accredited persons had been with the team since they left Atlanta for Brazil.

“The organisers of the Games, the International Olympic Committee, are only responsible for 25 accredited players and officials including feeding, flights and accommodation. We have been carrying the rest along. In Manaus, we were forced to pay camp allowances to the extra four players making 29,” Dalung added.

Chibok Girls "Buhari has not done enough" - Aisha Yesufu says

 

 Aisha Yesufu said the federal government had not done enough in rescuing 218 Chibok schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists.

Co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) advocacy group, Aisha Yesufu has chided the federal government over its inability to secure the release of 218 schoolgirls who were abducted from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state in April, 2014.

Yesufu who spoke exclusively with Pulse correspondent in Abuja lauded the efforts of the Nigerian Army in northeast but stated that a lot more still needs to be done by the federal government.

She lamented the information gap between the government and Nigerians.

"Our sisters are there in Sambisa, they are waiting for this nation to rescue them and up till now they haven't," she said.

"I don't think government is doing enough. A lot has been done in the fight against insurgency but there is a whole lot that needs to be done that is not being done.

"Amina Ali, you remember was found, she is one of our 219 Chibok girls and that is how we have 218 in captivity and what are the informations she brought. How has the federal government used the information she provided?

We’ll sue Goodluck Jonathan over assassination claims – MEND

 

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has threatened to sue former President, Goodluck Jonathan for alleging that it has plans to assassinate him.

Jonathan made the claim while denying being a sponsor of militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

The former president also extended the accusation to the leaders of MEND, Henry and Charles Okah who are being tried for terrorism in Nigeria and South Africa.

MEND made the threat via a statement released by spokesman, Jomo Gbomo on Tuesday, August 9, 2016.

15 inmates escape from Nsukka prison

 
At least 15 inmates have escaped in a jailbreak that occurred at Nsukka Prison in Enugu state.Quoting a source at the prison, NAN said the inmates broke their cells and scaled over the perimeter fence late Tuesday.

“The inmates carefully opened their cells and scaled the perimeter fence of the prisons,” the source was reported as saying.“Before prison officials on night duty knew what was happening, about 15 inmates had escaped.”

 Lawrence Okonkwo, controller of prison, confirmed the jailbreak but declined to give the number of inmates that escaped.

“Yes there was a jailbreak last night in Nsukka prison but I am not in a position to say how many prisoners escaped,” he said.
“We are expecting the Enugu state prisons controller, Mr Isaiah Amariri, in Nsukka prison so that we brief him on what happened last night.
“He will be the one to tell the public the number of inmates that escaped, the re-arrested ones and efforts put in place to arrest those still on the run.”

Photo: Members of a notorious child stealing and trafficking syndicate arrested in Ebonyi State

 

The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a notorious syndicate who specialized in child stealing/ trafficking.

State Commissioner of Police, Peace Ibekwe Abdallah said the suspects, who were arrested on July 16, 2016 at Uburu Ohaozara LGA, came to the area with a Toyota Camry car with registration No. BEN-173-AU to unleash their wicked act on the people. Their names are; Anthonia Okeke, Chukwuka Muonye and Raphael Kanwei (pictured with other arrested suspects)

Alleged budget padding: The lawmakers are thieves- Obasanjo says

 
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo today said the allegations of budget padding by Speaker Yakubu and thirteen other members of the House of Representatives shows that the lawmakers are thieves and have proven his comments in 2012 when he described the National Assembly as an institution filled with rogues and armed robbers. Speaking in a telephone interview with Premiumtimes, Obasanjo said President Buhari should not release funds for the constituency projects of the lawmakers.

Cache of Bullets Unearthed at Construction site in Anambra

 
The Anambra State Police Command on Tuesday said a cache of bullets was discovered by some labourers working at a construction site at Umuowelle, Agulu in Anaocha Local Government Area of the state.

According to Channels Television, the state’s commissioner of police Sam Okaula, at the scene of the discovery, said several buckets were unearthed and that there were still some left which were yet to be brought to the surface.

Okaula later told reporters that investigation had commenced to determine when the bullets were bought, who bought and buried them, and the reason behind it.

Okaula called on residents to provide relevant information that would aid investigation, adding that a high powered surveillance would be put in the area to ensure the police got to the root of the matter.

Photo Credit: Channels TV

6 Boko Haram Supects Arrested in Lagos

 

                                                       Illustrative Photo

A Civilian Joint Task Force has arrested six suspected Boko Haram members at different areas in Lagos.

According to Vanguard, the Head of the civilian Joint Task Force, the Mai- Kanuribe of Lagos and Seriki Hausawa of Ijora Kingdom, Alhaji Mustapha Mohammed said that the arrests were made based on intelligence.

He added that the suspects disclosed disclosed that they fled Bama, and Konduga local government areas as well as Baga town in Borno, following the offensive of military operatives against insurgents in the state.

He gave their identities as Ibrahim Ali, Abubakar Ahmed, Babagana Blam Ali, Goigoi Kamsalem, Ibrahim Mohammed and Adams.

7 Year Old Detained Over Alleged Murder

                                                    

                                                             Chibuike’s Mother

Family members are saying that their 7-year-old son has been in police custody since May 30 2016 over alleged murder.

The Enugu police command took Chibuike, his siblings, and their mother, Nwakaego into custody after Chibuike allegedly shot a 12-year-old boy, Oluebube Boniface, on May 29, 2016.

Nwakaego, who works as a housekeeper for one Edwin Oforma at his residence in the Independence Layout area of Enugu, said that the tragic incident took place when she was in church.

On May 29, while I was away at the Adoration Ministry at Emene in Enugu, for the Sunday church service, my boss’ son, Chukwunanu Oforma, a National Youth Service Corps member, asked my son, Chibuike, and Chibuike’s 10-year-old brother, Ifeanyichukwu, to tidy up a room belonging to his father.

While Ifeanyichukwu swept the room, Chibuike laid the bed. Chibuike found a gun near the bed where he was working, and he took it to Ifeanyichukwu, who asked him to return it.

It was while he was returning the gun that he mistakenly pulled the trigger, releasing a bullet which struck Oluebube, who was in the next compound, on the chest. He died on the spot.

Panic As Suspected Victim Arrives Lagos Airport

 
The patient, a Nigerian identified as Mr. Theophilus Onnakhinon, came into the country from disease-ravaged Sierra Leone aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight.

Pandemonium erupted at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, (MMIA) in Lagos on Wednesday, October 29, when a suspected Ebola patient arrived at the facility.

The patient, a Nigerian identified as Mr. Theophilus Onnakhinon, came into the country from disease-ravaged Sierra Leone aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight.

Onnakhinon was however said to have been successfully treated for the disease and cleared of all infection.

Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi visits Pres. Jonathan again

Emir of Kano, Alhaji Mohammed Sanusi II, in company of members of The Kano Emirate visited President Jonathan at Aso Rock Villa earlier today October 30th.

The former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria was reportedly at the Villa to reconcile with President Jonathan after the rift between them following Sanusi's sack from office as CBN governor. See more photos after the cut...

“I’ve given Igbo people some appointments they’ve never had before” – Pres. Jonathan

 

President Goodluck Jonathan says his administration has ensured that Igbo people are well represented in government, and that he has appointed them to positions that previous administrations did not give them.

He stated this during the  annual World Igbo Congress Day in Houston, Texas, which took place on Saturday, August 3oth, Punch reports.

Here are excerpts of the speech he gave at the event, said to be provided to the press by presidential spokesman, Reuben Abati:

Watch This Nigerian Policeman Assault A Pregnant Woman In Lagos

In the wake of an incident in Ajah that had some Policemen run over a motor cyclist in a cop chase, a look at the past antecedents of the police force has shown that they have a history of molesting innocent citizens in the name of carrying out their job.
Another incident that spans over two months ago shows how a policeman physically assaulted a pregnant woman in Lagos. In the video, he is shown rough handling her aggressively. While her identity could not be shown because of the angle of the filming, the sound of the passengers close by made it clear that he knew she was pregnant.
Though his arrest was ordered, a similar and even more fatal repetition of police brutality like this has a lot of people wondering who to entrust their safety to.