₦airaland Forum

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has denied authoring a statement on allegations of drug trafficking made against the ruling All Progressives Congress APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi told our Correspondent that the statement was fake.

The said statement had quoted INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr. Festus Okoye as saying the commission was in talks with United States authorities to get more details on the allegation with a view to determining whether the APC standard bearer may have violated relevant provisions of the Electoral Law 2022 (as amended).

Oyekanmi said the commission would soon issue a comprehensive statement to denounce the fake statement.

How is the MTN Internet Service in your area? There has been an outage in a little over 45mins here in Lagos.

A police witness in the trial of Chidinma Ojukwu, the suspected killer of the Super TV CEO, Usifo Ataga, Monday said the accused had sexual relations with her foster father, Onoh Ojukwu.

The police witness, Olusegun Bamidele, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, made the revelation during a trial-within-trial at the Lagos High Court sitting in Tafawa Balewa Square when he was cross-examined by Onwuka Egwu, counsel for Chidinma.

The police officer who is serving with the homicide department of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba on October 29, told the court the findings of his investigation team including how Chidinma confessed to killing Ataga during a scuffle in his hotel room on June 15, 2021.

The court, acting at the instance of the legal team of the accused person, had ordered a trial-within-trial to ascertain whether Chidinma's statement was made under duress.

During the trial on Monday, DSP Bamidele revealed to the court that his team found an intelligence report which revealed that Chidinma had sexual relations with her foster father, Vanguard reports.

“In the course of our detention of Mr. Ojukwu, we stumbled on intelligence that there was an amorous (sexual) relationship between the first defendant (Chidinma) and her foster father. That gave us a hint that Mr. Ojukwu was not sincere and that he was aware of the offence that Chidinma is standing trial for today,” he said.

“We found that she was concealing the real information. We also established that the mother of the first defendant never approved the custody of the first defendant to Ojukwu and it was on this basis that we charged him to court alongside the three defendants at the Magistrate Court so that the court can decide if he should get bail or not.”

The police witness who further recounted how Chidinma and the foster father, Ojukwu were arrested, insisted that the police followed due process in obtaining their statements at the Police station.

After listening to the testimony of the police witness, the presiding judge, Justice Yetunde Adesanya adjourned the trial to November 10.

GOVERNMENT SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

UNLAWFUL INVASION OF SCHOOL FACILITIES, STADIUMS AND VALUABLE PUBLIC PREMISES BY POLITICAL PARTIES: FINAL WARNING TO TRESSPASSERS.

It has been brought to the notice of Government that some misguided Political Parties are now embarking on the willful Invasion of School Facilities, Stadiums and Valuable Public Premises across the State all in the name of holding rallies and Political Campaigns.

Whereas, the Abia State Government, as a staunch promoter of participatory democracy and Democratic freedoms will continue to give necessary support to all citizens to exercise their rights, it must be pointed out that the enjoyment of such Constitutional rights must be conducted within the ambits of the law.

Public Utilities, School Facilities, Stadiums and Valuable Public Premises are properties of the people of Abia State entrusted into the care of Government. Therefore, no responsible Government will stand by and watch such Facilities as they are willfully vandalised and degraded by sadistic elements with malicious interests disguising as politicians. The unscrupulous acts of these lawless individuals and groups jeopardizes the efforts of Government at all levels to provide succour to our children and citizens for whom those Facilities were established.

In view of the foregoing, henceforth, in addition to notifying the Security Agencies, the written consent of the Education Secretary of a Local Government and the Executive Chairman of that local Government must be duly sought and obtained before the use of any Primary School Premises. Groups and individuals seeking to use any Secondary School should direct their applications and obtain their permit via the Secondary Education Management Board and the relevant Local Government Chairman.

Similarly, because of the sensitive and expensive nature of the modern turf and equipment recently installed in our Stadiums, the consent of the Abia State Ministry of Sports and the relevant Local Government and State Authorities must be formally sought and obtained. Applicants wishing to use the Aba Stadium and others must give adequate guarantee to take responsibility for any damage sustained as a result of their activities before being allowed to use that prestigious Monument.

This directive has become necessary for the protection of our common good and advancement of decency in our political conduct and takes immediate effect.

Signed.
Barr. Eze Chikamnayo
Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy Abia State

Five children (Zainab, Zulaihat, Fatima, Ummu Salma, Ibrahim) of a former Accountant General of Zamfara State, Abubakar Bello Furfuri, have regained their freedom from the hands of armed bandits, PRNigeria can authoritatively report.

They were released on Monday, exactly five months and a day after terrorists had abducted them.

PRNigeria gathered from local sources in the North West that a huge amount was paid as ransom to facilitate the victims’ release.

Our reporter however could not confirm the veracity of the claim at press time.

Those freed were among the Ex-Zamfara Accountant General’s seven children reportedly kidnapped, few months ago.

Recalled that armed bandits, in early June, stormed the residence of the ex-accountant general in the Furfuri community, Bungudu Local Government Area and abducted nine members of his family including two housewives.

However, some of the captives were released after payment of ransom.

JUST IN:
The abducted girls of Furfuri village of Bungudu Local Government have regained their freedom after a coordinated rescue operation accelerated by the State Security Council.

His Excellency, Governor Bello Matawalle received the released girls at the Government House in Gusau.

Signed:
Abdulwali Anwar Tahir
New Media Aide to the Governor
7th November, 2022

ASUU: @femigbaja appeals for calm, says @MBuhari to intervene soon.

Fenway Sports Group (FSG) has put Liverpool up for sale.

A full sales presentation has been produced for interested parties.

FSG has looked at opportunities in the past but decided against moving forward with them. It is unclear whether or not a deal will eventually be done, but FSG is inviting offers.

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley have been retained to assist with the process.

A statement from FSG, who also own the Boston Red Sox, to The Athletic read: “There have been a number of recent changes of ownership and rumours of changes in ownership at EPL clubs and inevitably we are asked regularly about Fenway Sports Group’s ownership in Liverpool.

“FSG has frequently received expressions of interest from third parties seeking to become shareholders in Liverpool. FSG has said before that under the right terms and conditions we would consider new shareholders if it was in the best interests of Liverpool as a club.

“FSG remains fully committed to the success of Liverpool, both on and off the pitch.”

The group has owned Liverpool since October 2010, when it bought the club from George Gillett Jr. and Tom Hicks.

During that time, Liverpool appointed Jurgen Klopp as manager. They won their first Premier League title in 2019-20, which was also their first championship for 30 years. They also captured the FA Cup, Carabao Cup and the Champions League.

During FSG’s ownership Anfield has been transformed, with a new £110million Main Stand, while the Anfield Road Stand is being redeveloped. That £80m project will be completed next summer and boost capacity to around 61,000.

FSG has also overseen the club’s move from Melwood to a new £50m training facility in Kirkby.

It is principally owned by John W. Henry, who was one of two founders alongside chairman Tom Werner. FSG also own the Red Sox, television network NESN, 50 per cent of Roush Fenway Racing and Fenway Sports Management.

FSG sold an 11 per cent stake in the company for $750m (£655m) to RedBird Capital Partners last year and subsequently bought a controlling stake in top-flight NHL ice hockey team the Pittsburgh Penguins.

There have been controversial elements to FSG’s ownership of the club. In 2019, they were criticised after the club tried to trademark the name Liverpool, with supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly campaigning against the move.

Liverpool were also one of six Premier League sides to commit to the failed European Super League last year. After protests, they withdrew from the project. Henry apologised publicly to the fans.

When Werner spoke to The Athletic in May, he insisted FSG wasn’t going anywhere. He said: “Yes, we still see it as a long-term project. We are hungry to win more trophies for the club.”

The most recent takeover of a major Premier League side was the Todd Boehly-led purchase of Chelsea, which cost £2.5billion.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday in Abuja lamented that the commission is currently facing 600 court cases that arose over the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections.

Yakubu revealed the situation became worrisome when a political party served 70 court summons on the electoral body in one day on the same issue.

He said that most of the cases seeking an order of court to compel INEC to accept their nominations were instituted after the closure of time allowed by law for nominations.

The INEC Chief spoke at a Capability Building organized by the Court of Appeal for Election Petition Tribunal members billed to adjudicate on election disputes for next year’s general elections.

Despite the enormity of the court cases, Yakubu assured that the electoral body would obey and abide by all valid court orders at all times.

He, however, cautioned high courts to resist the temptation of attempts to review final judgments of the Supreme Court on election disputes.

From experience, he said that INEC has found that most politicians and political parties are litigation-happy, dragging the electoral body on frivolous and vexatious issues.

Yakubu said that the 2023 general elections would bring better experience into Nigeria’s political space, being the first to be conducted after the repeal of the 2010 Electoral Act and the first since the advent of the 2022 new Electoral Act that gives legal backing to the use of technology in the conduct of elections in the country.

He assured that the planned 2023 general elections would be free and fair.

He appealed to the Judiciary to be absolutely neutral along with INEC.

Timo Werner suffered an ankle injury last night in the win over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Scans today in Leipzig showed that he has unfortunately torn the syndesmosis ligament in his left ankle and will therefore be out for the rest of 2022.

Paul Pogba will miss World Cup due to injury, his agent has confirmed.

lexy2014:
Which club did Luis Enrique play for?

Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmad, has disassociated her ministry from the planned move by the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) to redesign the naira.

The minister, who commented on the policy in response to a question raised by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central) during the 2023 budget defense session with the Senate Committee on Finance, warned CBN of consequences that may arise from the new policy.

Senator Bamidele had told the minister that barely two days after the announcement of the plan, the effect on the value of the naira to the US dollar was being felt.

“Just two days after the announcement of the policy, the value of naira to a US dollar has risen from N740 to N788 due to a rush in exchange of naira notes for foreign currencies, particularly dollars.

In her quick response, the minister said she and her ministry are not aware of the policy but only heard of it from the media.

“Distinguished senators, we were not consulted at the Ministry of Finance by CBN on the planned naira redesigning and cannot comment on it as regards merits or otherwise.

“However as a Nigerian privileged to be at the top of Nigeria’s fiscal management, the policy as rolled out at this time portends serious consequences on the value of the naira to other foreign currencies.

“I will however appeal to this committee to invite the CBN governor for required explanations as regards merits of the planned policy and rightness or otherwise of its implementation now,” she said.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had on Wednesday said that the apex bank would redesign the country’s currency from N200 denomination to N1000 notes.

He said that the action was taken in order to take control of the currency in circulation, just as he posited that 80 percent of the nation’s currency notes were outside bank vaults and that the CBN would not allow the situation to continue.

Manchester United's No 1, David de Gea will not be at the World Cup in Qatar.
Coach Luis Enrique picked a 55-man pre-list which has been submitted to the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF), the governing body of football in Spain.

Enrique, who played for La Roja in the 1994, 1998 & 2002 W/Cups, selected 5 players per position, from which the final 26 will know their fate on November 11.

Goalkeepers:
Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao)
Robert Sánchez (Brighton & Hove Albion)
David Raya (Brentford)

Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea) & David Soria (Getafe) will act as replacement(s) in the case of injury or illness to any of the first three choices.

Sunday Michael, a witness at the accident scene of late ex-Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) housemate, Patrick Fakoya, popularly known as Rico Swavey, on Thursday gave an account of what happened at the scene.

Rico Swavey died on Oct. 13 after being involved in a ghastly motor accident on Oct. 11.

Until his death, he was a singer, lawyer and actor, who was born in 1993.

Michael, a Uber driver, during a news briefing organised by the late Rico Swavey’s family, said while trying to convey the deceased to a hospital after the accident, he never perceived any smell of alcohol on his body.

The witness said that while with a passenger in his car at about 12.00 a.m. along Sangotedo/Ajah Road, in Lagos, he suddenly saw a car run into a concrete road demarcation.

He noted that a huge sound likened to that of a dynamite was heard from the accident direction, which was scary.

”Nobody went close to rescue the victim as I beckoned on people around to help but nobody was willing to.

I went close to the scene and discovered that the car was locked, badly damaged and the engine split into two,” he said.

He said he had to break the car’s windscreen to gain access into the car when he discovered that Rico Swavey who was the only victim was already unconscious and bleeding from the nose.

“Looking at Rico Swavey, he looked exactly like my brother, I couldn’t leave him. So, I took it upon myself to take him to the hospital, he was not drunk because I did not smell alcohol on his body or mouth.

“Doren Hospital was the closest hospital to the accident scene, just five minutes drive, so I took him in my car to the place, it took over 2 hours before he was attended to and after being examined, a doctor said he needed instant surgery, demanding for some deposit before he could be treated.

“I took him to another nearby hospital, Evercare Hospital, where he was attended to after one hour.

“Meanwhile, all this while, nobody called Rico Swavey’s line until after arriving at Evercare when one of his friends called, she later came to join me but at the sight of him, she collapsed.

“Evercare also demanded for some deposit but when they discovered that he was a celebrity, they decided to commence treatment on him, I know if Rico Swavey was given prompt medical care, he would have been alive now,” he said.

Late Rico Swavey’s father and mother
The deceased’s cousin, Mayo Dele, noted that the essence of the media briefing was to call the attention of the Lagos State Government and the Nigerian medical system to the truth surrounding late Rico Swavey’s death.

Dele said that the briefing was also to ensure necessary steps were taken by all concerned to guide against the recurrence of a similar case where individuals that need urgent medical care would be denied, due to financial problems, leading to untimely death.

He said human life should be prioritised regardless of what was at stake.

He expressed disappointment as none of the officials from Doren or Evercare Hospitals honoured the invitation for the briefing.

“The Lagos State Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice and Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives were invited but never showed up.

“Evercare Hospital where late Swavey was eventually treated billed the family the sum of N4.2 million before treatment could commence.

“The family made a deposit of N3.5 million for late Swavey’s treatment and upon his death, the hospital management disclosed that N1.9 million was used and that the balance will be refunded.

“The balance has not been remitted as promised,” Dele said.

He said the money generated from the public, meant to cater for Swavey’s medical bills was still with Paystack, an online payment platform.

According to him, Paystack notified the family of its plan to carry out some verification before the money is released.

He said when the family gains access to the money, it would be used to invest in immortalising late Rico Swavey.

“We the family of late Rico Swavey appreciate everyone who has sympathised with us at this trying time.

“We are planning to establish a formidable foundation in honour of late Swavey, it will be channelled toward solving a particular problem, it will be something of value to keep Swavey’s name alive.

“We had over 400 people donate on that platform, we really appreciate everyone for the kind gesture,” he said.

Leroy Fakoya, late Rico Swavey’s elder brother, advised the state government that in a bid to demarcate lanes on the highway, plastic and reflective materials should be used instead of concrete.

Fakoya, who was sober over the death of his younger brother, said that Rico Swavey died due to the negligence of the medical team at Evercare and Doren Hospitals.

“If Swavey had got treatment early enough, he would probably still be alive now, money should not be prioritised over human life.

“They only started treating him when they discovered he was a celebrity, what if he is an ordinary fellow who is not a public figure, we need to change this narrative,” he said.

Michael Adigun, late Rico Swavey’s personal assistant, called on medical personnel generally to ensure that individuals who need medical attention are attended to promptly.

A former national publicity secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has resigned his membership of the party, noting that he would be involved henceforth in non-partisan politics.

Metuh’s resignation was contained in a letter he wrote to the PDP national chairman, Dr Iyochia Ayu, dated October 25 and sighted by LEADERSHIP on Wednesday.

He also said he has submitted his resignation letter to the ward chairman of the party in his home State of Anambra.

The former PDP spokesman said he decided to resign from party politics because he believes he will contribute more to democracy and good governance in Nigeria by being non-partisan.

Metuh was the longest-serving elected member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP, and won election to serve in several national positions at six consecutive national conventions of the Party.

According to the letter, titled “Resignation From The PDP”, Metuh said, “During my three weeks trip for medical and personal reasons, I came to the realization that I can no longer play partisan politics in Nigeria. The reason for this decision is that from my experience and the nature of politics and development in Nigeria, I believe that I will contribute more to Democracy and good governance in Nigeria by being non-partisan. Being Non-Partisan gives me the status to work for the strategic interest and well-being of the Nigerian people without the hinderance of partisanship.

“In that regard, I write respectfully, to formally inform you of my resignation from the PDP and cessation of partisan politics.

“I have duly enjoyed my membership of the PDP and remain proud of being the longest elected member of the National Executive Committee, one who won election to serve in several national positions at six (6) consecutive National Conventions of the Party. I will cherish the values and ideals learnt from the founding fathers at the inception of our nascent democracy.

“Any future participation in politics will only be limited to non-partisan involvements in areas of sustaining and deepening democracy and governance in Nigerian and at the global level.

“I pray you continue to insist on issue-based engagement in our political space as the country cannot afford the bitterness and divisions that may arise otherwise.

“In line with the constitution of the PDP, I have forwarded a copy of my resignation to my ward Chairman. May God bless us all.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has redesigned some new naira notes.

Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, said this at a press conference on Wednesday.

Emefiele said the new design and issues will be effective from December 2022.

He advised Nigerians to take old notes to banks for the new notes.

According to Emefiele, the new notes include N200, N500 and N1000.

Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, has admitted his team missed Cristiano Ronaldo’s finishing after they could only draw 1-1 with Chelsea on Saturday.

The Red Devils dominated the first half, but failed to make their dominance count at Stamford Bridge.

The hosts then took the lead through Jorginho’s penalty, before Casemiro’s late header ensured they got a share of the points.

Ronaldo was dropped for the match, after he stormed off from the bench at Old Trafford, as United beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 on Wednesday.

Ten Hag told Sky Sports: "First half Rashford had two big chances, Antony one against one. You have to score goals in such moments because in top games three chances is massive. You have to score."

“As always, he [Ronaldo] can score goals and he is value for us. We need him, it’s clear and you see it also in this game. He can finish off, that’s quite obvious.

“I think I have said enough about that situation. Let’s focus on this game, it was a good game for my team and I have to compliment my team.

“If you can deliver this after four games in 10 day and then dictate this first half, the second half were really well organised and you fight back, I think that has to be the focus.”

Tyson Fury has stated that the chances of a showdown fight between himself and two-time former unified world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, are not going to materialise.

Their clash was an almost certain signature away from an agreement in December, but talks made no headway, leaving a frustrated Fury to opt for another all-English showdown against Derek Chisora.

Fury who is the WBA heavyweight champion blamed the breakdown in negotiations on Joshua and his team’s refusal to make realistic commitments to its actualisation.

Speaking during his promotional interview for his fight against Chisora, who was the British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion from 2010 to 2011, the Gypsy King said he was done wasting time with Joshua.

“At least I’ve got this to show for all the time I wasted on that big dosser of a coward,” an angry Fury said.

Speaking about Joshua’s supposed evasion, Fury claimed Chisora whom he had beaten in 2010 and 2014 was a much more formidable opponent.

‘The fight didn’t happen because they didn’t want it. After the first seven days of discussions, they never had any intentions of it taking place.

“‘Joshua realised how daunting the task was and he got talked out of it by his people and himself.”

Fury, whose WBC belt will be on the line will face Chisora come December 3 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Stray rat gets high on C/S: So this rat � on Friday strayed into the exhibit room where cannabis was stored in one of @ndlea_nigeria commands and few minutes after, it began to misbehave. Need I say more? The message is clear. #SayNoToMindAlteringSubstances#

Diogo Jota is set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines due to the calf muscle injury he sustained against Manchester City on Sunday, which will also rule him out of Portugal’s World Cup campaign.

The forward was carried from the pitch in stoppage time of the 1-0 win at Anfield and will subsequently miss Liverpool’s remaining eight fixtures prior to the international break in November, as well as his country’s participation in the Qatar finals.

Jota does not require surgery on the issue, however.

Offering an update at his pre-West Ham United press conference, Jürgen Klopp confirmed: “It’s really not good news about Diogo. Yes, he will miss the World Cup. [It’s a] pretty serious injury in the calf muscle and now the recovery process starts. That’s it pretty much.

“That is the first diagnosis, which was pretty clear, and all the rest will now follow in the next few days.

“It is very sad news for the boy, and for us as well of course [and] for Portugal.”

Klopp did not put a timescale on Jota’s return to action, adding: “[It will have a] big impact. So now we can say that because he will not be in for a long time; we talk about months.

“So, we will see. I don’t want to put now a number on it because I always hope in the middle of the rehab there is a very positive development and we can cut days off the rehab phase, but it will be long.”

The injury is the second Jota has suffered in 2022-23 so far, with the No.20 missing the opening weeks of the campaign due to a hamstring complaint.

Asked how the 25-year-old had reacted to the news, Klopp said: “It’s Diogo and he’s surprisingly OK, so far. He is an incredibly smart boy and very reflective.

“I think he knew it when we carried him off the pitch, when I spoke to him for a second. When I came out, we passed each other after the game and he explained what happened. I think in that moment he knew already it was a serious one and could be pretty impactful for his World Cup dreams.”

This happened Sat, as a result of a fracas , during a football match between Afican and Indian Students. The Nigerian mission immediately took custody of 86 Nigerian students, invited the representatives of the Indian govt, got their commitment to ensure safety of the students who then returned back to campus on Sunday . Calm has returned to the campus. A few injuries were recorded and further investigations are ongoing.

The Nigerian mission had made it clear that the Indian authorities would be held responsible if anything happens to any of the students.

There is already a written commitment by the Indian Authorities to protect our students. Any student feeling threatened should pls report to the Nigerian mission in Delhi immediately.

I have just received emergency reports of attacks on @OfficialPDPNig supporters by thugs sponsored to scuttle the ongoing PDP campaign rally in Kaduna State. This is undemocratic and against the Peace Accord all parties signed up for just a few weeks ago.

I urge President Muhammadu Buhari to call on all parties to call their supporters and members to order and to ensure that campaigns, just as with the elections themselves, are kept free, fair and safe. -AA

The breach has been contained by security agents and the rally proceedings is going on.

The first signs that the authorities here were up to some mischief was when they denied the PDP use of the ultra modern Ahmadu Bello Stadium. This is a breach of the Peace Accord and INEC guidelines.

The Lagos High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) has watched the chilling footage of Chidinma Ojukwu confessing to stabbing to death the Chief Executive Officer of Super Tv, Usifo Michael Ataga, alone.

It also viewed the grim footage of Ataga’s lifeless body recorded shortly after he was found in a Lagos short-let apartment serviced apartment.

Recall that Ojukwu, a 300-level, Mass Communication student at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), is the prime suspect in Ataga’s murder.

She is standing trial for the alleged offence alongside her sister and third defendant Chioma Egbuchu, and second defendant Adedapo Quadri.

They have been on trial since October 12, 2021, when they were arraigned at the high court before Justice Yetunde Adesanya.

According to the Lagos State Government, which is prosecuting them, the alleged murder took place on June 15, 2021, at 19, Adewale Oshin Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

At the resumption of proceedings, the prosecution played the video recording from a Compact Disc (CD) on a large screen in the courtroom.

It showed Ataga lying on the floor facing up with his hands spread open wearing a white singlet and boxers stained with blood. His head was close to the wall and there was blood on the floor on his right-hand side.

There were also large blood stains on the floor and the pillow and duvet cover.

The video also showed Ojukwu narrating how she killed Ataga during interrogation by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Olusegun Bamidele from the Intelligence and Tactical Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, Yaba.

The defendant said she met Ataga through a friend and they started speaking to each other and that on June 13, 2021, he asked her to look for a place for them to stay, so she got the short-let apartment where they ate, drank, took drugs and where he was killed.

Ojukwu said: “After I got to the place on Sunday, we were smoking loudly, drinking, watching movies and then I went to get food.

“The drug we were taking got finished and I ordered another one and went downstairs to get it from the delivery guy in the morning; that was on June 14, 2021.

“Then on Tuesday, we drank and smoked loud and I added Rophynol to his drink and we had sex. I was on the bed and he was on the chair.

“Then later he started disturbing me for more sex. I was tired and after struggling with him, he had his way and still wanted more.

“He wanted it, he was no longer himself and I thought he was no more interested in sex, only for him to return to the bed to ask for more sex.

“I pushed him away, which resulted in him hitting his head against a stool that had a glass. He had a cut on his leg and he became weak.

“I got a knife and stabbed him in the neck, ribs and stomach so that he would not be able to harm me. I tied his hands with a handkerchief.

“His blood was out and I was scared. I just packed everything, my clothes were also stained with blood, I just packed my things and left.

“I took the knife and handkerchief and when I got home, I threw the knife and handkerchief away.

“Michael (Ataga) was a friend that we just talked to. I didn’t know him that deeply and we did not talk regularly.”

When she was asked in the video if she was assisted in killing the deceased as she couldn’t have done it alone because of his physique, Ojukwu said: “There was nobody that assisted me, I did it alone.

Asked why she didn’t call for help, she said: “Obviously I was scared that was why I left.”

Asked what was the motive behind her killing Ataga, she said: “There was no motive behind it.”

DSP Bamidele, who is the ninth prosecution witness, also asked Ojukwu why she was using a foreign number and why she hid her number.

The defendant responded that she already had a foreign number registered on social media that she used to chat with people.

Asked why the owner of the service apartment didn’t know her identity, she replied: “She didn’t ask for my identification.

“It was a text that I got. If she had said that the place was not available I would have left for another place.”

On why she used a fake name “Mary Johnson” in opening a bank account, the defendant said she tried her real name but the account was blocked hence her decision to use Mary Johnson.

During examination in chief by prosecution counsel Mrs Adenike Oluwafemi, Bamidele said the police recovered some items from the defendant’s house, including a small pink purse containing two syringes, eight pieces of Rophynol tablets, two sanitary pads, a small perfume, jewellery an iPhone, a notebook, a diary and an HP laptop.

Other items were the defendant’s ID card with her name Ojukwu Chidinma Adora, Ataga’s driving licence, Ojukwu’s UBA ATM card, Super net ID card with Ataga’s name, then three other cards that had the deceased’s name and six blank complimentary cards, among others.

In a short ruling, Justice Adesanya dismissed the defendant’s objection and admitted the items in evidence.

Earlier, the witness showed the court pictures of the apartment.

The three defendants were arraigned on October 12, 2021 on nine counts preferred against them by the Lagos State Government.

Ojukwu and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, stabbing, forgery, making of bank statements and stealing.

The third defendant, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count – stealing of an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga.

The case was adjourned till October 12, for the continuation of trial.

@KMbappe is now PSG'S all-time leading scorer in the @ChampionsLeague with 31 goals after that penalty against Benfica!

31 - Kylian Mbappé has scored his 31st goal with Paris in the UEFA Champions League, overtaking Edinson Cavani (30) to become PSG's outright top goalscorer in the competition. Pivot.