₦airaland Forum

The Imo State Police Command on Saturday confirmed that the Imo State Governor’s House at his (Hope Uzodinma) hometown, Omuma in Oru East local government area of the state, was attacked with a petrol bomb but that the hoodlums did not succeed in burning the house, only vehicles were damaged.

According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Orlando Ikeokwo, disclosed this to newsmen in Owerri, while reacting to the governor’s house attack.

The hoodlums, he said, were successfully repelled by security operatives. However, he confirmed that the hoodlums killed an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, during the attack.

He further said that as the hoodlums were trying to escape that they killed two security operatives at Mgbidi Junction, one a police Sergent and another NSCDC, officer.

He said: “Yes, I can confirm the story, the hoodlums attacked the Governor’s House by throwing in Petrol bomb as a result of which two cars were burnt, but they were successfully reppelled.

“And none of the buildings was set ablaze, however, one unarmed personnel of the NSCDC was killed in the process, the hoodlums while escaping also killed a Police Sergeant and another NSCDC personnel both in there private vehicles at Mgbidi junction.”

It should be recalled that Vanguard had reported that the same hoodlums who carried these attacks on the Imo governor’s house had carried out attacks in other places.

Parents of abducted students of Greenfield University, Kaduna have expressed shock bandits killed three of them despite ongoing negotiation.

Three of the abducted students were found dead in a community close to the University on Friday morning.

Abubakar Yusuf Sanga, the only male among the killed students, was buried in his home town in Sanga Local Government Area in accordance with Islamic rites.

“They called us (the parents) directly and individually, but they demanded for a collective ransom of N800 million.

“So, yesterday (Thursday) we (the parents) met at the school premises and we called them trying to negotiate the ransom, but they insisted on the N800 million.

“Yes, we pleaded with them (bandits) that the amount they were asking for was too much and beyond our power but we never imagined or expected they were going to be so cruel that they will resort to killing our children.”

Security operatives have foiled an attempt at jail break in Kano State, North-West Nigeria.

Security agents on Thursday evening prevented an attempted jailbreak at the Kurmawa Correctional Centre in Kano metropolis.

A reliable source at the prison said the incident happened when some prisoners complained bitterly about the poor quality of food they are served for iftar(breaking of fast) even though a philanthropist, Alhajii Abdussamad Rabiu, had provided adequate food items to cater for the Ramadan needs of the prisoners at the facility.

“This reason irked the prisoners, especially those at the condemned site, who attempted to break out and run away,” the source said.

It was gathered that the armed personnel at the facility had to shoot in the air to scare the prisoners who had caused the uproar in the prison yard.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Correctional Centre, DSC Musbahu Lawal Kofar Nasarawa, confirmed the incident.

“Yes, there was an attempt by some condemned prisoners to cause pandemonium in the prison. However, the concerted effort of the prison officials prevented their attempt.

He, however, explained that the protest was not about lack of food supply or poor quality of the food but rather it was caused by an attempt by the prison officials to collect illicit items found with the prisoners.

“The illicit items found were suspected to have been imported into the facility either by some staff of the facility or people who brought food items.

He confirmed that normalcy had since been restored and all prisoners are back in their confinement.

He said the correctional facility Controller, Mr Suleiman Suleiman has constituted a committee to find how the illegal items got into the facility so as to take necessary action to prevent a recurrence.

Lawal said the committee had been mandated to conduct a thorough investigation with a view to finding out those behind taking the illegal items into the facility.

EFCC Arrests 5 Internet Fraud Suspects in Kano

The Kano Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested five internet fraud suspects in Kano.

The suspects were arrested at Danbare Quarter, opposite Bayero University...

lalasticlala

The reigning Mrs World, Caroline Jurie, has resigned her title, the organisation running the pageant said late on Tuesday, weeks after she was involved in a controversy at the Mrs Sri Lanka event.

Jurie was arrested and released on bail this month after a fracas at the Mrs Sri Lanka pageant in Colombo, where Jurie forcibly removed the winner’s crown, claiming the other woman was a divorcee and not qualified to win the title.

"Her voluntary resignation decision was made solely by Caroline herself," Mrs World Inc said late on Tuesday, in a news release on social media.

Jurie was not immediately reachable for comment.

Kate Schneider of Ireland, the runner-up in the 2020 contest which Jurie won, will be the new Mrs World 2020, the organisation said.

The organisation had said that it was a local matter for the country's pageant organisers to review and that it would have no bearing on the Mrs World 2021 contest that Sri Lanka will play host to this year.

The winner of the Mrs Sri Lanka pageant, Pushpika De Silva, filed a complaint against Jurie.

Jurie was arrested when she visited a police station to record her statement.

The winner of the Mrs Sri Lanka contest will compete in the Mrs World contest. Jurie won the Mrs Sri Lanka crown in 2019, and went on to win the Mrs World crown in 2020 in Las Vegas.

Thank you world ��
#crownpurpose

The World and European soccer bodies, FIFA and UEFA, must not prevent 12 of the continent’s leading clubs from creating a breakaway Super League, a Spanish commercial court said on Tuesday in a preliminary ruling.

FIFA and UEFA made no immediate comment about the case, which is likely to mark the start of a prolonged legal fight over the proposed league, which threatens to upend the long-established order of elite soccer in Europe.

It was not immediately clear what authority the Madrid court, which adjudicates corporate disputes, had over the Swiss-based soccer bodies.

The court said in a ruling seen by Reuters that FIFA, UEFA and all its associated soccer federations must not adopt “any measure that prohibits, restricts, limits or conditions in any way” the creation of the Super League.

It also warned them not to sanction any players or managers taking part.

The Super League project is headed by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, and the company that has been set up to the run the competition is based in Madrid.

The company applied to the Spanish court for an injunction to prevent soccer regulators from taking any action against its new league.

The judge slapped a preliminary block on FIFA and UEFA at least for the duration of the legal proceedings, which can take many months in Spain.

The court intervention came after both UEFA and FIFA warned they would impose sanctions on clubs and players competing in the new league, which has been set up as a rival to European soccer body UEFA’s established Champions League.

In a letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin on Monday, seen by Reuters, the “European Super League Company S.L.” said it was taking legal steps to protect its new venture.

The letter said the Super League had placed motions in several un-named courts “to ensure the seamless establishment and operation of the competition in accordance with applicable laws”.

Three of the 12 breakaway clubs are based in Spain — Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. The other nine are based in England and Italy.

PRESIDENT BUHARI: IDRISS DEBY WAS A GALLANT LEADER

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over "the sudden and tragic death of President Idriss Deby of Chad on the front line, fighting against rebel soldiers."

Reacting to the incident on Tuesday, President Buhari said: "I'm deeply shocked and devastated by the sudden death of Idriss Deby on the battle front to defend the sovereignty of his country."

According to the President, "the late Deby had played a very active role in our regional joint collaboration in the military campaign against the Boko Haram terrorists."

President Buhari described the late Chadian leader "as a friend of Nigeria who had enthusiastically lent his hand in our efforts to defeat the murderous Boko Haram terrorists that have posed grave security challenges not only for Nigeria, but also our African neighbours, particularly Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic."

He added that "the death of Deby will surely create a big vacuum in the efforts to jointly confront the Boko Haram terrorists and the Islamic State West Africa Province."

While condoling with the people of Chad and their new leader, President Buhari called for greater collaboration to defeat the terrorists.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
April 20, 2021

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

lalasticlala mynd44

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

#UPDATE The Chadian army have confirmed that General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, a four-star general who is the son of slain president Idriss Deby Itno, will replace him at the head of a military council

#BREAKING Chad imposes curfew and shuts borders after death of president Deby: army

#BREAKING Chad's army says government and parliament dissolved, vows 'democratic' elections after transition period

The U.K. government will put “everything on the table” to fight the European Super League plan — but is sitting on the sidelines for now.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told MPs the proposal for a number of elite football teams to form their own league and restrict entry to outside clubs was “tone deaf” and against the spirit of the game.

“Football is in our national DNA,” he told the House of Commons. “We invented it, we helped export it around the world and it’s been at the heart of British life for over a century.” He added: “We will not stand by and watch football be cravenly stripped of the things that made millions across the country love it.”

But Dowden said although the government will launch a fan-led review of the sport, it will hang back for now in the hope that existing football bodies will work out how to block the plan, with sanctions and other measures under discussion.

He insisted: “Be in no doubt. If they can’t act, we will. We will put everything on the table to stop this from happening.” Ministers will consider governance reform in football, he said, as well as tweaks to competition law, higher taxes and stripping clubs of their coronavirus support funds.

But the government could have a fight on its hands if it tries to step in and impose new rules on the sector. “I would quietly advise against the government getting sucked into this in a regulatory manner, because I think it’s a minefield,” said a senior Conservative MP who holds a season ticket for one of the clubs in question.

The super league would hand a guaranteed place every year to the same 15 “founder” teams, even if other sides outperform them, with only five additional places available on merit to outside teams each year. It would prevent rivals from accessing television and sponsorship cash. The move has already sparked the ire of U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron.

But there are questions over what the government can do to prevent the plan going ahead. Jonathan Compton, a lawyer with expertise in competition law, said it could be the English Football Association that falls foul of the rules if it goes ahead with threats for a retaliatory ban on super league teams from taking part in other domestic competitions.

“If you’re a member of the super league and you’re being excluded, by virtue of the fact you’re setting this up, from all competitions regulated by the Football Association, that I think is a real problem,” he said. He added that when it comes to the government blocking the super league plan, “I’m not sure that there is a rule that the government can step in and use here”.

Former Sports Minister Tracey Crouch will lead the government review, which will consider financial sustainability in football as well as governance and whether an independent regulator could help. It will also look at implementing a German-style system whereby supporters hold a majority of voting rights over their clubs.

Club owners, Dowden said, “should remember that they are only temporary custodians of these clubs and that they forget fans at their peril”.

The opposition Labour Party was also supportive of the government’s stance. Shadow Culture Secretary Jo Stevens welcomed the review, but called for more details. “Labour stands ready to do whatever it takes to stop this plan,” she said.

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

The Dean of Students’ Affairs, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi in Edo State, Dr Shola Eshiobo, has been found dead in his office.

A family source who craved anonymity, said the lifeless body of Eshiobo was discovered in his office on Sunday morning.

He said the wife of the deceased raised the alarm that her husband did not return home after he left for the office on Saturday.

He said, “He went to the office the house on Saturday afternoon that he was going to the office to attend to some official matter. He normally goes to the office when he has so much in his hands to do.

“At about 9 pm when he was not yet back home, the wife started calling his line but there was no pick-up and the call was not returned. She tried until late, still no response.

“Early in Sunday morning, she raised the alarm and told people around that the husband went to the office on Saturday but did not return. They went to the office, they saw his vehicle at the car park but when they got to his office they saw him dead in his office.”

The source said although no foul play was suspected, an autopsy will be carried out to ascertain the cause of the death.

“The corpse has been deposited at the mortuary. Although we are not suspecting any foul play for now, an autopsy will be carried out,” he added.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Auchi Polytechnic, Mr Mustapha Oshiobugie, described the incident as unfortunate.

“We heard about the unfortunate incident this morning (Sunday). The body has been taken to the morgue. An official statement will be made available on Monday,” he simply said.

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

lalasticlala mynd44

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

Escapees of Owerri Custodial Centre, Imo State

POLICE PRESS RELEASE, LAGOS STATE COMMAND, DATED 16TH APRIL, 2021

LAGOS POLICE ARREST SUSPECTED CULTISTS, ARMED ROBBERS IN TRANSIT

*Recover Arms, Charms*

The Police Operatives attached to Sagamu Road Division, Ikorodu, Lagos State, on 15th April, 2021, at about 1210am, arrested one *Rasheed Isiaka*, m, 40, of No 4, Olowonisaye Street, Ikorodu, Lagos State.

The suspect, who has been alleged of perpetrating many crimes in the entire Ikorodu area, has been placed under surveillance due to the intelligence gathered on him before he was evetually arrested.

Items recovered from him include two (2) locally-made pistols, one laptop, two suspected stolen Bajaj Motorcycles, two knives and some assorted charms.

Similarly, the same Sagamu Road Division operatives, on 16th April, 202, at about 5.45 am, arrested one *Tobiloba Akeem*, m, 22, at Itamagba, while he and his friend, now at large, were being held by one Inspector of Police, Atunramu Ojo, m, attached to
Oworonsoki Division of Lagos State for their aggressiveness and resistance to pay transport fare to the driver of a Toyota Previa Bus, with Reg No LSD 369 FU conveying the Inspector and the suspects.

The hot argument and gallantry act of the police Inspector attracted the Police Operatives on a routine patrol who eventually arrested the suspect with some dangerous weapons/items.

Items recovered from him, after search, include one locally-made pistol, some live cartridges and assorted charms.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, while commending the gallantry of the Police Inspector and other operatives for the feats, directed that the suspects be transferred to the Command's Special Squad for thorough investigation and possible prosecution.

E-SIGNED

CSP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI(mnipr)
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
LAGOS STATE COMMAND
IKEJA-LAGOS
DATED 16TH APRIL, 2021.

Nigeria is the number one importer of commercial services in Africa in 2020, data released by World Trade Organisation showed on Friday.

WTO noted that preliminary estimates were based on quarterly statistics.

“Figures for a number of countries and territories have been estimated by the Secretariat,” it said.

“Data for 2020 are not yet available for the United Arab Emirates. In 2019, commercial services exports were valued at US$72 billion and imports at US$73 billion.”

The United States on Thursday imposed a broad array of sanctions on Russia to punish it for alleged interference in the U.S. election, cyber-hacking, bullying Ukraine and other "malign" acts.

The measures blacklisted Russian companies, expelled Russian diplomats and placed limits on the Russian sovereign debt market. More penalties could come, although Washington did not want to escalate matters, the Biden administration said.

Moscow reacted angrily, saying this dangerously raised the temperature between the two countries. It summoned the U.S. ambassador for what it said would be a tough conversation.

Among the actions, President Joe Biden issue an executive order authorizing the U.S. government to sanction any sector of the Russian economy and used it to restrict Russia's ability to issue sovereign debt to punish Moscow for interfering in the 2020 U.S. election.

Biden barred U.S. financial institutions from taking part in the primary market for rouble-denominated Russian sovereign bonds from June 14. U.S. banks have been barred from taking part in the primary market for non-rouble sovereign bonds since 2019.

The U.S. Treasury also blacklisted 32 entities and individuals which it said had carried out Russian government-directed attempts to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election and other "acts of disinformation and interference".

In concert with the European Union, Britain, Australia and Canada, the Treasury also sanctioned eight individuals associated with Russia's ongoing occupation and repression in Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

The Kremlin, speaking ahead of the publication of the executive order, said the sanctions would reduce the chances of a summit between Biden and President Vladimir Putin taking place.

Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman said Moscow would respond to the sanctions in the near future.

Russia denies meddling in U.S. elections and orchestrating a cyber hack that used U.S. tech company SolarWinds Corp SWI.N to penetrate U.S. government networks. It also denies using a nerve agent to poison Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

It has also brushed off allegations that it put bounties on U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.

The White House said it was expelling 10 Russian diplomats in Washington D.C., including representatives of the Russian intelligence services and for the first time, formally named the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) as the perpetrator of the SolarWinds Corp hack.

Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, described the sanctions as "proportionate measures to defend American interests in response to harmful russian actions".

"His (Biden's) goal is to provide a significant and credible response but not to escalate the situation," Sullivan told CNN

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner said the sanctions were a "good first step" to showing that such actions were not acceptable.

"The scale and scope of this hack are beyond any that we’ve seen before, and (the sanctions) should make clear that we will hold Russia and other adversaries accountable for committing this kind of malicious cyber activity against American targets," he said in a statement.

The actions initially sent the Russian rouble down more than 2% against the dollar and to a more than five-month low against the euro before clawing back some losses.

After more than a year of the coronavirus pandemic, most of us have become used to working from home by now.

That’s more than 12 months of video calls, being told you’re not on mute, and out-of-control arguments such as the infamous Handforth Parish Council Zoom.

But for those of us who have messed up, at least we can remind ourselves we’re not an MP…

One Canadian member of Parliament, William Amos, became Zoom’s latest victim of awkward moments when he found himself in a compromising position in front of his colleagues.

Mr Amos, who has represented the Quebec district of Pontiac since 2015, appeared on the screens of his House of Commons colleagues stark naked yesterday.

A screenshot, obtained by The Canadian Press, shows Mr Amos standing behind a desk between the Quebec and Canadian flags.

His private parts are hidden by what appears to be a mobile phone in one hand.

In a statement, Mr Amos apologised for the ‘unintentional distraction’.

A screenshot shows Mr Amos standing behind a desk between the Quebec and Canadian flags, with his private parts hidden by what appears to be a mobile phone (Picture: Parliament Canada)
‘This was an unfortunate error,’ he wrote in an email, ‘My video was accidentally turned on as I was changing into my work clothes after going for a jog.

I made a really unfortunate mistake today & obviously I’m embarrassed by it. My camera was accidentally left on as I changed into work clothes after going for a jog. I sincerely apologize to all my colleagues in the House. It was an honest mistake + it won’t happen again.

William Amos

Mr Amos, who is the parliamentary secretary to Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, was visible only to Parliament members and staffers on an internal video conference feed.

Because he was not speaking, his image did not show up on the feed which could be watched by the public.

Claude DeBellefeuille, a legislator for the opposition Bloc Quebecois party, suggested in a point of order that parliamentary decorum requires male Parliament members to wear a jacket and tie — and a shirt, underwear and trousers.

1. While we do not want to join issues with the @FinMinNigeria, we believe it is our duty to offer useful advice for the benefit of our country.

2. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, @ZShamsuna should rally Nigerians to stem the obvious fiscal slide facing our country.

3. Rather than play the Ostrich, we urge the government to take urgent steps to end the current monetary rascality, so as to prevent the prevailing economic challenge from degenerating further.

4. We believe it is imperative to approach the Nigerian project with all sense of responsibility and commitment and not play to the gallery because ultimately, time shall be the judge of us all.

POLICE PRESS RELEASE, LAGOS STATE COMMAND, DATED 14TH APRIL, 2021

POLICE ARREST VIGILANTE MAN FOR KILLING PASSERBY, 17 SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBERS, RECOVER ARMS

The police operatives attached to Ijora Division of the command, on Tuesday, 13th April 2021, at about 2pm arrested one Vigilante member, Lukman Rasak, m, 30, for shooting one Musa Yahaya, m, 28, on his chest at Ijora area of the state. The victim was rushed to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.

The police were alerted and raced to the place, arrested the suspect and recovered his gun with some cartridges.

In another development, the policemen attached to Elemoro Division, on 14/04/2021 at about 2am, arrested seventeen (17) suspected armed robbers at their various hideouts within the area based on intelligent gathering.

The suspects are Oladapo Job, m, 22, Abdulraheem Sidibaba, m, 20, Abdulrasheed Adebayo, m, 20, Tajudeen Abdullahi, m, Agbaje Sunday,m, 21 and twelve (12) others.

Items recovered from them are: Three (3) cut-to-size locally-made pistols and four (4) live catridges.

They are the suspected armed robbers alleged to be terrorising and robbing the residents and POS Operators at Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State. They are giving useful information to the police on their various activities and/or operations in Lekki area.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered that all the suspects be transferred to State CID, Panti, Yaba-Lagos, for proper investigation and possible prosecution.

The police boss also affirmed that the command will be more proactive in its anti crime strategies by taking the fights against criminals and hoodlums in the state to their hideouts.

E-SIGNED

CSP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI(mnipr)
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
LAGOS STATE COMMAND
IKEJA-LAGOS
DATED 14TH APRIL, 2021.