₦airaland Forum

When Nonso Ozoemena, a 28-year-old man, arrived in Lagos, his plan was to set up a business so that he would be able to support his widowed mother and his seven siblings in Anambra State.
Soon after, he was able to open a restaurant in Trade Fair Complex, FESTAC, and it seemed his dream was coming true.

His expectation was however eroded after a drunken police corporal, Mohammed Abubakar, shot him in the eye.

Ozoemena said he was shot in the eye in the FESTAC area on August 5, 2013.

Narrating what transpired on the fateful day, he said, “I had just returned from work and I was about entering my house at Amuwo Odofin when I heard the policeman arguing with someone in the next house. The policeman then called his colleagues for help.

“When his colleagues arrived, they persuaded him to leave the place because he was drunk. After much pleading, the policeman left. A few minutes later, the policeman returned with a gun and started shooting sporadically.

“One of the bullets hit me in the right eye. A barber, Bright John, was killed.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that during the shooting, a pregnant woman was hit while another man, Tayo Ajasa, was also shot in the thigh.

It was learnt that the policeman, who is attached to a security company in the area, fled the scene after realising the havoc he had wreaked.

Ozoemena and the other victims were later taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba.

It was learnt that while other victims were treated and discharged, Ozoemena, was taken to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital, where the eye was operated.

The company was also said to have contributed N146, 000 to pay the medical bill.

The victim, who had been discharged, told PUNCH Metro that he had not been able to go to work since the incident occurred.

He said he had been in constant pains and had found it difficult to sleep.

Our correspondent observed that pus was coming from Ozoemena eye. But the victim said the pus was the least of his problems.

He said, “I am in so much pain. The unfortunate thing is that I have not been able to tell my mother about the incident because I don’t want her to worry.

“I don’t have perfect vision anymore. In fact, a few days ago, I was knocked down by a vehicle coming from the right side while I was attempting to cross the road.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Umar Manko, had declared the policeman wanted.

Manko said the wanted policeman was attached to Police Mobile Force 17, Akure, Ondo State, and wondered what he was doing in Lagos.

However, Ozoemena’s lawyer, Mr. George Nwahajioke, said the police must compensate his client. The lawyer said declaring the policeman wanted was not enough, adding that the victim’s expectations had been eroded by the loss of his eye.

Nwahajioke, who lamented the increase in police brutality, said, “Nigerians are living in fear of arrogant culture of impunity within the Nigeria Police. Nonso Ozoemena is just one of the few lucky Nigerians to survive as our police, who are supposed to protect us, now turn the barrel of their guns at us.

“We are demanding N100m as compensation from the police and the company jointly and severally to help our client get the urgent medical attention he needs.”

All efforts to contact the company proved abortive as an email sent to it was not replied, while a text message sent to it was not responded to. - See more at: http://houseretailnews..com/#sthash.8uznlLS9.dpuf

Ethiopian Airlines will begin Addis Ababa – Enugu flights on 24 August, Nigeria’s aviation authorities disclosed on Monday, saying it will spare south-easterners the headache of travelling to Lagos or Abuja to fly abroad.
Authorities said the new international route gives every zone in Nigeria an opportunity to grow to its full potential in economic and social development.
“This marks the first international flight operation from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport since it was designated by the Federal Government as the only international airport in the South East zone and as part of the aviation master plan of this administration,” the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, said in a statement.
FAAN said Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, has written a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, informing him about the historic flight which will arrive the Enugu airport by 12.30 pm and depart by 1:30 pm local time in the four times weekly operation from the Coal City, largely regarded as the capital of the South East zone.

“The operation of Ethiopian Airlines into Enugu will be the satisfaction of an enduring call from the people of the South East who have for many years clamoured for an international airport for the zone, which they believe will reinforce the resourcefulness of the people, who are known for their entrepreneurship and trade,” said Yakubu Dati, FAAN mouthpiece.
Dati said from now on henceforth businessmen and other travellers from Enugu, Aba, Abakaliki, Onitsha, Owerri, Umuahia and as far as Asaba and Benin will be saved the distress of travelling for hours to Lagos and Abuja to catch international flights, trips that are sometimes fraught with problems.
“Many of the passengers have lost their goods on transit as they convey them from these cities to their final destinations on their arrival from their overseas trips,” Dati said.
- See more at: http://houseretailnews..com/2013/08/ethiopian-airlines-begins-enugu-addis.html#sthash.yxopRcmJ.dpuf

Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit, have arrested 10 suspected pipeline vandals who allegedly broke the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, pipelines in Elekete area of Ogun State to siphon petroleum products, at the weekend.
Recovered from the suspects were four boats and 140 jerrycans, of which 62 were filled with siphoned petroleum products.
Parading the suspects and exhibits before newsmen, yesterday, the unit’s commander, Friday Ibadin, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, explained that the vandals earlier stormed the area, Saturday night, where they broke one of the pipelines and loaded an unspecified amount of petroleum product.

Not satisfied, he said two separate gangs stormed the creeks again, Sunday night, but were arrested by the operatives led by the Lagos State Sector Commander, Osas Onaghaise, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, before they started siphoning.

He said four of the suspected vandals who earlier stormed the scene to siphon petroleum product were apprehended on their way out with the recovery of 62 jerrycans filled with petroleum products.
Ibadin said: “These suspects are among those that have been on our wanted list. With their arrest, we believe respite will return to this area. Currently, the pipeline had been opened because it was shut down to allow repairs to be carried out at the broken portions. They will be charged to court.”

Access to the terrain
He, however, attributed the cause of the vandals access to the terrain to low waters which needed only canoes to reach.
He said: “We are combatants and can only patrol the waters with canoes. Speed boats can’t be used there because of the level of the water. That not withstanding, we are using the available platforms at our disposal and this has so far paved the way for us.”
- See more at: http://houseretailnews..com/2013/08/exposed-modus-operandi-of-suspected.html#sthash.dSFUVnKn.dpuf

Google Nigeria is out with its list of the most googled items last month. From the top regular searches to the top mobile devices and entertainers.
From his music, to his expensive Porsche and his relationship with his girlfriend, Nigerians have definitely been keeping up with Wizkid making him the most searched entertainer in July.
The music sensation made history clinching the number one slot from Nollywood star Mercy Johnson, who has been Nigeria’s most searched personality for 2 years.
Jenifa star Funke Akindele takes the number 2 slot as the most googled movie star in Nigeria. Mercy Johnson drops to the number 3 slot.
Other stars on the most googled entertainers list includes Ini Edo, Tonto Dikeh, D’banj and Tiwa Savage and Genevieve Nnaji who ends the list with the number 10 slot.
The top most trending searches include the Royal Baby, ASUU Strike, Ramadan, Cory Monteith’s death and the Trayvon Martin/Zimmerman case.
Nigerians were also digging into Kerry Washington's personal life as her Nigerian-American NFL Player husband Nnamdi Asomugha ranks in at number 9.
- See more at: http://houseretailnews..com/2013/08/google-nigerias-top-searches-in-july.html#sthash.VX3D3xfc.dpuf

Beverly's boyfriend, Angelo has been evicted. The moment the live show ended Beverly went straight to her bed and cried her eyes out. But Melvin, the Nigerian other contestant, was there to console her. Here is what he said to her;

"You still have me. You will be fine. I will still be here for you. My bed is the biggest in the House. You can share it with me."
Lol, i am sure she will be fine soon. - See more at: http://houseretailnews..com/2013/08/angelos-eviction-beverly-cries-her-eyes.html#sthash.8QTEtH3T.dpuf

Pastor Ireti Ajanaku of Christ Revival Church, the man who had a face-off with Tope Alabi, the popular gospel singer is said to have kicked the bucket. He reportedly died yesterday night in his sleep after a brief illness in his hometown, Gbogan. As we speak, the father of the man of God who is very fair in complexion and the Landlord association of his community are holding a meeting on how to bury him. Well, we are still investigating to ascertain what exactly killed him from one of the members of the church. We shall keep you posted! - See more at: http://houseretailnews..com/2013/08/breaking-news-pastor-ajanaku-is-dead.html#sthash.dpHo4Ku8.dpuf

Akon and Yvonne Nelson pictured rocking Ankara.
http://3.bp..com/-Czk0QkGMjzg/UhEm-RvMFiI/AAAAAAAAEwU/vWrQDg2LVk4/s1600/Akon+And+Yvonne+Nelson+Pictured+In+Ankara.jpg

For some time now, it has been making the rounds underground that Filebe singer, Jaywon, is having issues with his record label, Kenny Ogungbe’s Kennis Music.
While some have alleged that Jaywon has called it quits with the label that made 2face into an international brand, others have said that he will call it quits.
All along, there has been nothing really concrete from both parties, but Kennis Music’s parent company, Kennis Communications, has come out to warn the musician over his contract situation, probably in a bid to forestall such problems it had with another of its artists, Maga Don Pay singer, Kelly Hansome.
In a statement lucidly titled ‘Jaywon signed for 3 full albums,’ Kennis Music reminded Jaywon that he signed a 3-album deal and only one, Meet Jaywon, has been released so far.
The statement also cemented the label’s position on the Jaywon issue by declaring that “discussion of Jaywon’s contract renewal is not on the front burner.” In recent times, artists having problems with their labels has been rife in the music industry.
Celebrated cases that readily come to mind are the ongoing BrymO, Chocolate City faceoff; May D, P-Square brouhaha and Eva, Trybe Records sudden split. A respected music egghead has however warned Jaywon to honour his contract with Kennis Music as Kelly Hansome who reneged on his is yet to get his career back on track since then.
- See more at: http://houseretailnews..com/2013/08/be-careful-kenny-ogungbe-gives-jaywon.html#sthash.OaVYw9qb.dpuf

Mr Kayode Sotunde, a retired Nigerian soldier has narrated his death experience after he woke from the dead at a Kano mortuary in April.
The ex-military man who died en-route Kano on the 11th of April, 2013 is a living witness that heaven and hell is real.

On the fateful day of his death, the passenger bus taking him and others to Kano from Gboko crashed on the road. All the 17 passengers on the bus died on the spot.

Sotunde who is yet to gain his health back said he woke up 3 days after his death at Ahmadu Bello University Hospital morgue in Kano where his corpse and that of others were deposited for families to claim them for burial.

The former military man narrated his death experience to Sunday Sun in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday.

Interview excerpts below ;


Journey from Gboko to mortuary

On that fateful day, that was April 11, 2013, I was travelling from Gboko to Kano to see my younger brother, Jide Sotunde, a soldier serving in Kano. We had agreed on the journey which we had thought would afford us to discuss important issues, including the possibilities of getting another job that would not be too far from where I had my wife.

I retired from the Nigerian Army, (Supply and Transport), Apapa Lagos where I served for 30 years, during which I also participated in many peace keeping force assignments outside Nigeria.

After retirement, I got a job as a security guard at the Dangote Cement, Gboko, Benue State from where I also resigned because of the distance of my workplace and where my family was based in Osogbo.

The ill-fated vehicle was an 18-seater passenger bus, which I boarded in Gboko en-route Kano. We were barely two hours into the journey when a passenger asked us to pray. Since it was a normal thing for a passenger to offer to pray on such a long journey, I did not heed his call. I was just playing with my mobile phone set.

Aside from that, I didn’t believe in the prayer since I didn’t know anything about Jesus Christ. I was a freethinker who neither went to church nor worshipped any idol. We were making progress on the journey when suddenly there was a bang. That was all I could recollect about the journey until I woke up three days after in the mortuary of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Kano where I was told that I died in an accident and my corpse along with other 17 passengers were deposited there.

Even though the hospital authorities told me that I was in their morgue for three days as a dead man, I actually spent more days there before I could regain my senses.

I was to be buried in Kano

I was told that before I returned from the land of the dead, my family had instructed my younger brother who I was visiting in Kano before the accident to bury me in Kano since they could not afford the N150,000, which was said to have been requested by transporters to take my corpse from Kano to Abeokuta. My elder sister, Moradeke Sotunde played a prominent role in this regard.

I was also told that it was at the point that my corpse was being prepared for interment that suddenly I returned to the land of the living after my corpse was taken out of the mortuary for prayers by Islamic clerics who were said to have sprinkled water on my corpse preparatory to my burial. I was also told that my hair was also shaved as demanded by the clerics.

I was told that my corpse was taken out of the mortuary after they had dug my grave and organised some clerics to offer the funeral prayers.

They wanted to bury me in Kano because my family members couldn’t afford N150,000 demanded for carrying my corpse to Abeokuta for burial. The initial plan was to move my corpse back home to Abeokuta, where a grave had been dug but for the transportation cost.

Kayode Sotunde Narrates Death Experience

My brother, truly, there is life after death. I can also tell you that there is a living God. You may not believe me, but I am a living witness to this. I may not be able to describe Heaven or Hell, but there is another life after this one that we are living.

This place I am talking about is full of snow. I may not have been to America, but I have heard about snow. Where we were was full of snow, with plenty of something that I can describe as alum stones; whitish in colour with something I can describe as granite in this physical world. In spite of the terrible cold, there was no day that we felt cold and it was never harmful to us.

All of us were there without knowing whether we are male or female. We couldn’t see our eyes, mouth and nose. We had no leg; we had no arm, but we floated in the air without our bodies touching the ground. We were flying around what I will describe as another planet.

On the third day of my arrival on the strange planet, they gave me a message that we were expecting one big prophet.

After the message was delivered, they nominated ushers among us to welcome the prophet. And seconds later, people started trooping in, jubilating as if a goal was just scored in a football match.

On that planet, there were many stars which were not stable in one place, like we have in the sky in this world. I noticed that on a daily basis, people kept on increasing, even though we don’t know from where they came.

I was in this mood until they (I don’t know them) told me that I should go back home to work for the Lord. According to them, there were many people in the world who are not only in bondage, but are also afflicted with human pains. They also instructed that I should work for the Lord and heel people. I was even arguing, putting up some resistance that I could not do it. This was the condition I found myself until I opened my eyes and saw Jide, my younger brother in this part of the world again.

In God’s vineyard
Since the Lord has directed me to work for Him, I will surely do so because ‘to be forewarned, is to be forearmed.’ It was because of this that I went to do my thanksgiving service at the Mountain of Fire and Miracle, in Lagos with the General Overseer, Pastor Olukoya.

The Lord has started performing miracles in other people’s lives through me. I don’t want to sound boastful, but God has started using me. I do pray for people now and they usually return to tell me that their problems have been solved. It is the Lord’s doing.

I have already prayed for a woman who has married been for 14 years without a child that God will give her the fruit of the womb. The person who lives in Ikorodu spoke to me through the telephone and I believe Lord will answer her prayers and request. I have accepted to work in God’s vineyard till I return to Him.

Day I returned to Abeokuta

I caused a stir in this area when I returned alive to Abeokuta because people including my family members, except my brother who was with me when I rose from the dead, did not know I had risen from the dead.

On arrival in Abeokuta, we played pranks on my people as they did not know that I was returning to home alive that day.

When we got nearer home, the person that accompanied me decided to call Kemi, my mother’s last born that we were already in Abeokuta. When my sister saw me, she fainted and was later revived. She was shivering when she woke up.

We later told her to return home to tell others that I had risen from the dead. On my way, I saw people mourning me, wearing black attire.

I trekked a distance of about 800 metres to my father’s house. There, a grave had also been dug beside my late father’s before the family decided to bury my corpse in Kano. I waved as people were expressing shock and disbelief at seeing me alive. When I attempted to move closer to a woman in her shop, she ran away, thinking I was a ghost and pleading that she had no hands in my death. My sister, Moradeke who lives in Lagos was also wearing a black attire, mourning along with others until I returned home.

I returned to Abeokuta on the very day I was to be buried. I even met many of the mourners, wearing black (including my sisters) who had gathered in my father’s house here, (Sabo Abeokuta).

There was also a particular woman who threw away the beans meal she was eating and ran away from her shop when she sighted me.

I kept on saying that I was not dead, but she found it difficult to believe me.

Health challenges

Although I have returned from the land of the dead, I have not fully regained my health as I am talking to you. I have both chest and body pains. In fact, medically speaking, I am not alright. I usually run strange temperature. That was why I visited the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba for medical treatment. I vomit blood each time I cough. I can’t engage in any hard labour.

Besides, a lot of strange things have started happening to me. Sometimes, I feel as if I am still in the mortuary. I will be seeing a lot of heads. My sight is not normal, it sometimes fails me. I have also started giving messages to people about things that they don’t know about their family. - See more at: http://houseretailnews..com/2013/08/dead-man-wakes-up-in-kano-morgue-after.html#sthash.6I7ZTt1t.dpuf