₦airaland Forum

The wife of a man, Tunde Olatubosun, standing trial for alleged murder of a motor-boy in Abeokuta, has been found dead.

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Mrs. Olatubosun was allegedly murdered in the family’s residence located in Gbonagun, an outskirt of Abeokuta, Ogun State. Her body was discovered in the house three days later.

The deceased was said to be the only occupant of the family apartment before the incident.

Her children were said to have been relocated to a family member’s place following her husband’s arrest and detention.

“The corpse of the woman was discovered in their house after about three days of looking for her. We are still investigating the mystery surrounding her death,” the Ogun police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr. Olatubosun allegedly shot dead Razaq Kasali at a car wash in Abeokuta. He initially ran away but was later arrested by the police.

He was arraingned before a Magistrate Court in Abeokuta on May 25 on a four-count charge of murder,armed robbery,illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and impersonation.

The police prosecutor, Moshood Hammed, told the court that the police was still awaiting the advice of the Director of Prosecution.

The magistrate, M.A. Akinyemi, in his ruling ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody at Ibara, Abeokuta, and also adjourned hearing to July 31.

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Kunle Falayi

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An ex - customs official, Ngwoke Emmanuel , has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for smuggling cannabis through the Seme border to Lagos Island.

He told officials after his arrest that he was paid half a million naira to smuggle the drugs disguised as used clothes.

The cannabis , which weighed 394 kg , was seized by Customs officers at the Gbaji checking-point along the Lagos - Badagry Expressway.

He was immediately transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for investigation.

According to NDLEA spokesperson , the estimated value of the drug is N4M.
NDLEA commander at the Seme border , Udotung Essien, said that the agency took custody of the suspect along with the weeds.

“ Investigation is ongoing and the suspect will soon be charged to court, ” he said .
The 39 - year - old suspect explained in his statement that he thought he was helping to smuggle used clothes.

Emmanuel said, “ I was paid N 500,000 to smuggle the goods from the border to Lagos Island but when the consignment was searched by customs officers at Gbaji checking point , it turned out to be cannabis.

“ That was how they arrested , dismissed and transferred me to NDLEA. I was only concerned about taking care of my wife and child . I did not know what next to do.

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Wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, has appealed to the House of Representatives to protect her from harassment from the nation’s security agencies.

Mrs. Jonathan said she escaped two assassination attempts this year.
The former first lady’s accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Police and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of harassing her.

According to the petition, “There have been assassination attempts, at least twice, between February and April, 2017 against our client ostensibly by the operatives of the EFCC along the Yenogoa-Mbiama road, Bayelsa State in furtherance of its unlawful actions against the (former) first family.

“Only recently, on the 8th and 9th June, 2017, the EFCC have commenced another fresh orchestration of raids on the personal properties of the NGOs of our client situated at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Expressway, Mbashi by Setraco junction, Abuja, FCT and ransacked the building, placing seals round it, all without any lawful court order or summons.

“This recent actions have agitated the urgent need for this petition to your office. The harassment against our client has persisted unabated.”

The appeal was contained in a petition addressed to Speaker Yakubu Dogara and presented to the House yesterday by Hon. Gogo Bright (PDP, Rivers).

The petition, dated June 9, and titled “Petition on the persistent, consistent and unwarranted personal attacks and harassment of Dame (Mrs.) Patience Ibifam Jonathan,” was signed by G.I. Abibo (SAN) of Granvillee Abibo and Co.

It read in part: “We, therefore, hereby complain to you formally against the agencies of the Federal Government, in particular, Mr. Ibrahim Magu of the EFCC; the NDLEA, amongst others, who have persistently, consistently and relentlessly unleashed an unwarranted campaign of incessant personal harassment and attacks on the person of our client, all in a bid to bring the former first lady into public ridicule, odium and dent of their hard earned reputation for no just cause.

“We posit that time and space will not be sufficient to restate the various acts of harassment of our client, who is singled out amongst all former first ladies in Nigeria for the unbridled treatment, and some of which are restated hereunder.

“The EFCC has orchestrated an endless pattern of freezing all accounts belonging to our client in every bank with spurious court orders including all or any accounts belonging to her relations; friends, associates or her non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which are charitable organisations or entities.

“Of all the former first ladies of this country, only the NGOs of our client, ARM Foundation or World Peace Outreach groups have been singled out for emasculation by the EFCC with repetitive raids on the offices of these NGOs and unwarranted freezing of their accounts even without any lawful court orders. It needs to be emphasised that these NGOs are the pet projects of our client, conceived, planted and nurtured by her with the goodwill and contributions of well-meaning persons in Nigeria and beyond….

“In February 2017, the EFCC made a spurious report against our client to the UK authorities and other international bodies; all in a grand design to forestall her renewal of her international visa and other travelling documents. The allegations sprouted out against our client by the EFCC, were duly investigated by the UK authorities and other international bodies who found the reports baseless and thereupon issued the international visa and other travel documents to our clients.”

While presenting the report, Hon. Bright pleaded that in view of the sacrifices Mrs. Jonathan’s husband made for the country while he was president, the House should wade into the matter and call the security agencies to order.

The lawmaker noted that no former first lady has been persecuted like Mrs. Jonathan since her husband left office. “No former first lady has been harassed like this before.

“But for the sacrifices that her husband has made for the country, the House should consider and call the security agencies to order,” Bright said.

The petition comes a day after an ad hoc committee of the House resolved to invite Jonathan to explain his role in the contentious Malabu oil deal.

It will be recalled that the House, on December 7, 2016, received a similar petition from the former first lady.

The continuous invasion of underaged sex workers in many Lagos brothels has turned a big headache for adult prostitutes who are now complaining the loss of their clients to those younger ones.

This has led to these adult hookers raising alarm and appealed to the security agents, especially the Nigeria Police, to intervene, not only to look into the ages of those young girls, but as well to save their business.

This new trend in sex business of engaging underaged girls between 12 and 17 years, P.M.EXPRESS gathered thrives because the owners of most brothels have discovered that engaging those girls enhance patronages and boost their customers demand.

P.M.EXPRESS investigation revealed that patrons indeed prefer these underaged girls to adult courtesans due to high quality sexual satisfaction they derived worthy of their monies.

It was also learnt that the girls charge less unlike the older colleagues who have other obligations to meet up.

P.M.EXPRESS interviewed some of the hotel managers and sex workers to know the motive behind the use of under-aged girls and what it will achieve for the management, the victims and how they get them to work as sex workers.

In a chat with P.M.EXPRESS, an hotel manager in Mushin simply known as Mr. Mike, said that there are more than 500 brothels in the area competing for customers and it is the kind of services the customers received that will make them to come back.

He said one of the strategy he adopted was to bring those under-aged girls to boost and attract customers to his hotel.

He said his customers are excited whenever they see those young girls and are motivated to patronize the girls and which is more money to the management.

On how he arranged to bring those girls, Mike said that there are agents who bring them from mostly South-East, Middle Belt and South south States.

“Once those agents are contacted, the number of the girls you demanded will be delivered to you and then the management will then packaged them in such a way to appeal to our customers attraction,” Mike told our correspondent.

He said the agreement are usually on any money realised by those girls will be divided into three: one goes to the management, while the remaining would be shared between the girls and their agent who brought them.

On the social implication and the future of those girls, Mike said some of those girls are spoilt children who enjoy what they are doing while some were brought and forced into prostitution.

One of the adult sex workers, who identified herself as Glory, said apart from the fact that clients prefer those girls which means bad business for them, their ages prick her mind.

“Some of them don’t understand this work, a man will enter their room and will stay there for several hours making different sex demands from them and at the end, such man will pay her very little and leave,” she said.

Some of the patrons who spoke to P.M.EXPRESS said they prefer those young girls because everything about them- breasts, private and other parts of her body is intact and enjoyable.

When our correspondent contacted the Area Commander, Zone D, Mushin, Lagos, he confirmed the development which he described as a menace and dangerous trend in the society.

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The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has advised the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and its Acting Chairman Ibrahim Mustafa Magu to stop “shadow-boxing” and leave Dr Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, governor of Zamfara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, to face his job.

In a statement by Head, Media & Public Affairs, Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat, Abulrazque Barkindo, the forum said Yari had for the umpteenth time told the commission that he neither owns a plot of land in Lagos nor owns or intends to build a hotel in Lagos.

The statement reads: “Yari had denied any links with a $3million hotel in Lagos which some online media attributed to him and in fact sued the publications responsible for that insidious report for libel.

“But for want of scapegoats in its battle against the National Assembly, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission continues to drag the governor’s name in the mud in a veiled effort to divert attention from the matters of the moment.

“The NGF therefore urges the public to note that this is not about any missing funds anymore as the NGF would like to categorically emphasise that it did not, at any material time, receive any funds from the Paris-London refund on behalf of any states.

“All states funds were remitted to them directly from the federation accounts by the Ministry of Finance. What the NGF received, it must be repeated here, was monies due to the consortium of consultants who verified the amounts due to all the states that were owed.

“Furthermore, the NGF would like to state that its involvement with the Paris-London Club refund had saved the states colossal amounts of money individually and collectively because instead of the high percentages agreed upon by the individual states to their separate consultants, the NGF drew the percentages down to 2% which was paid to the consortium.”

He said that before then states had agreed to pay consultants between 10 and 30 % as commission for recovering the over-deductions.

“It is however understandable that in the absence of a fall guy, the EFCC has consistently maligned the person of the Zamfara State governor and Chairman of the NGF, Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, even when the need to so do was untenable, ridiculous and absent.

“The NGF is asking the commanding heights of the EFCC to instead look elsewhere for its real or imagined enemies and allow Yari Abubakar to face enormous task of governing his state and leading the governors of Nigeria,”  Barkindo said.

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A Nigerian doctor, Dr. Ozak Esu, has brought honour to the country after she was named one of UK’s Top Female Engineers Under 35 years.’

Dr. Esu was recognized by The Daily Telegraph backed by the Women’s Engineering Society [WES], which released their list of 'Top 50 Women Under 35 In Engineering' to celebrate the notable achievements made by women in the sector.

She was picked from a pool of over 500 nominees based in the United Kingdom and of the final list of 50 brilliant women were chosen, Nigeria's Dr. Ozak Esu was one of them.

Dr. Esu left Nigeria to study in the UK after she became worried by the energy problems in the country in the year 2008.

She had gotten admission to study an IET accredited B.Eng in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Loughborough University and completed her Ph.D. at the same university in 2015, and currently, works at a top engineering consultancy company in the UK.

Speaking of the honour done to her, Dr. Esu said that the energy problem in Nigeria was what inspired her to study Electronic and Electrical Engineer at the University.

"I am sincerely honoured to make this list of truly inspirational engineers shaping our modern-day society.

Without seeming dismissive of my hard work, and passion for sustainable engineering development, my contributions to engineering are possible due to the tremendous support I continue to receive," she said.

Currently working to become a chartered engineer and serving as a guest lecturer at the University of Bath, Dr. Esu managed to find the time to also complete an award-winning project recognized for innovation and energy use.

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By Owen Akenzua,

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The Anioma regional headquarters of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Boji-Owa, Ika North East Local Council of Delta State was on Sunday, July 2, 2017 filled to capacity as family members, friends and well wishers of Samuel Anayo John Obute joined him in offering special thanksgiving to God for raising him from death in a mortuary in India after he was confirmed dead in Australia by medical doctors.

Giving his testimony, 30-year-old Obute said he was diagnosed to have had a ventricular centre defect, heart problem, five years ago. After being diagnosed of heart problems, his health condition began to deteriorate to the extent that he occasionally collapses.

Obute, a medical student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, told the congregation that further medical examination on him revealed that he has seven holes in his heart where he was subsequently informed that the sum of N24 million was needed for him to go for heart transplant in New Delhi, India.

According to him, the Delta State government immensely assisted in raising the money with which he was flown to India together with his Nigerian surgeon. He said when they arrived New Delhi, the Indian capital, he collapsed and was rushed to the intensive care unit of the medical facility where he was booked for surgery.

“At the Indian hospital, we were told that we were four weeks behind schedule and that my health condition had gone terribly bad that they could not remedy the situation. “As a result of this devastating news, my Nigerian Surgeon activated his medical contact in Australia where we were asked to fly into the country.

“At this point, we became helpless as there was no arrangement for us to move from India to Australia. Luckily, a friend of my Nigerian Surgeon who, by divine providence, came to India, volunteered his private jet with which we were flown to Australia. When we got to Australia after 13 hours flight, I became unconscious. I was later told by my Nigerian Surgeon that the doctors in the medical facility in Australia where I was flown to, confirmed that I was already dead after conducting a medical examination on me.

“A certificate confirming my death was issued to my surgeon by the doctors in Australia who subsequently asked him to fly my corpse back to India. When we got to India, I was told that my body was taken to the mortuary and that as the hospital attendant was about to lock the door to the mortuary where I was kept, my body began to feel terribly cold, a development that made me to shout for help.

“When the mortuary attendant saw me, he ran away and my doctor who was attracted to the mortuary by my shout for help, came in and brought me out. It was when I asked him of what we were doing in India instead of being in Australia that he narrated what happened to me, adding that he had earlier informed my parents in Nigeria that I was dead,” Samuel explained.

Samuel told the mammoth congregation who were held spellbound listening to his testimony that the only thing he remembered in his unconscious state was how angels were operating on him.

Apparently shocked about the development, he said the medical team in the Indian hospital had to repeat all the medical tests earlier conducted on him only to found out that he was no longer having any health problem.

Earlier in his sermon titled: “Jesus Christ: The Same Yesterday, Today and Forever,” the former Delta State Overseer of the church, Pastor Jude Chukwuocha, harped on the nQeed for Nigerians to surrender their lives to God so as to enjoy the blessings and wonders of God in their lives.

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An Arabic teacher has beaten up his older sister in court premises, allegedly for testifying against him and his wife.

The man, Sule Olayiwola, was dragged before the Ibadan Customary Court sitting on Mapo Hill on Monday by his wife, Omolara, who had alleged that Olayiwola was brutish and uncaring for her and the four children of the eight - year marriage.

The court had dissolved the union on grounds of threat to life , battery and lack of care.

“ We will not allow you as husband and wife to destroy the future of your innocent children through your unbridled violence and hooliganism.

“ This eight - year marriage is hereby dissolved, ” the President of the court, Mr. Ademola Odunade, had ruled.

According to Odunade , since Omolara and Sule have chosen to “live like rat and cat, ” the court will not allow them to destroy the future of their innocent children.

“ The marriage is hereby dissolved and the custody of the four children produced by the union is hereby awarded to their mother, Omolara.

“ Sule shall pay a monthly feeding allowance of N10,000 for the upkeep of the children and also be responsible for their education and other welfare matters, ” he said.

Sule wept profusely when the court refused to grant him the custody of the children and vented his anger on his elder sister outside the court room.

He descended on her, slapping and punching her for daring to tell the court that both Sule and Omolara were troublemakers who had refused to let peace reign.

It took the intervention of security personnel in the court premises to restore order and free the sister.

Earlier, Omolara, a trader and mother of four, had told the court that her estranged husband had been threatening her life.

“ I never thought that I was bargaining for constant punches , slaps, hunger and thirst in the union I embarked on with Sule.

“He has turned me into a punching bag and as if that is not enough, Sule has exposed the four innocent children and I to unbearable hunger.

“ We suffered all sorts — maltreatment, emotional, physical and psychological trauma. Sule did not even cater for our children's education, ” Omolara said.

Sule had agreed to the dissolution of the marriage , and had also urged the court to award the custody of the children to him.

Sule , who earned his living as an Arabic teacher , told the court that his wife is a “ devil incarnate and a jealous woman. ”

“ Omolara has never seen anything good in me , she is troublesome, as she keeps blackmailing me around town.

“I established a business for her, but she wasted both the capital and the profit and, contrary to her claims, I have always catered for her and the children, ” Sule said.

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By Tony Ogaga


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It is a bright sunny afternoon and Ikotun bus stop, Lagos, is a beehive of activities, with a crowd milling amid traffic chaos, characterised by honking and cursing from motorists.

Above the din, her voice rings out as she screams: “Cele Express, Cele Express!”
She is Emmanuella Ndukwe, an indigene of Afikwe, Ebonyi State and an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) graduate of Business Administration from Lagos State Polytechnic, proving behind a Suzuki ‘danfo’ mini bus wheels that ‘what a man can do a woman can do even better.’
You watch in awe as she expertly manouvres her vehicle through the dense traffic with the rugged edge of a dyed-in-the- wool Lagos danfo driver.


Once upon a time

Before now, Emmanuella made a living as a caterer. She had a thriving eatery at Isolo, but was forced to take to commercial driving, after business collapsed. According to her, the 2015 general elections and subsequent economic recession were responsible for her business travails.

We were seated in her mini bus at Ikotun bus stop as she shares her story.
“I had some challenges. Business was no longer the way it used to be. Even before the recession, in 2014 during the electioneering, people became afraid that there might be a breakdown of law and order, so a lot of people were trying to manage the little they had, so business was not booming the way it used to be.

So, at a point, I travelled to my village, but when I came back, my landlady told me that she wanted to make use of the place. I begged her, but she said: ‘no way,’ that I had locked up the shop for about six months and my rent had already expired, so I had to leave. I said okay reluctantly. It was a very painful moment for me, because I had no source of livelihood”


Down but not out

Indeed, the next couple of months were tough as pretty Emmanuella tried to make ends meet. Most young girls would opt for the easy way out, by selling their bodies. Why did she not take that option?
“Me, sell my body for cash? Never!” she retorts. “I can’t descend so low. It is a taboo where I come from and besides, my Christian upbringing runs contrary to that. I would rather starve than sell my body for money.”


Inspired

Luckily for her, her elder brother had a Suzuki mini bus, which had been mismanaged previously by three other drivers and had thus been parked out of frustration. Determined to be economically independent, she went for it!

Emmanuella breaks into a smile, as she picks the thread of narration: “My brother was aghast! He was like ‘a lady should have no business driving a bus.’ But I said ‘no, I saw a lady driving tricycle (Keke Marwa) and I know that I can do the same instead of staying at home, doing nothing, fighting and gossiping, let me just take the step. He didn’t agree. He was like ‘you don’t need to stress yourself’ but I said no, Nigeria today is all about stress. I understand the stress of driving, but it is still better than doing nothing. I told him I had taken a decision, so he should just let me do it.”

Eventually, her brother caved in and sent her to a driving school, after which she hit the road and today the rest is history.

What is her average day like? “Everyday depends on my system, because I don’t work every day. If I wake up and I feel that my body is not that okay to drive, I stay at home. On a day I go to work, I wake up as early as 5:30am and start preparing things. By 6:00 am I am out of the house and work till 12:00 noon when I take a break to rest. Then, between 4:00 pm and 5:00pm I come out again to work before closing for the day.”


Harassment

The world of a female bus driver is not a tea party, she reveals. “Well, everything comes with its challenges, but as time goes on, you begin to know people and people will begin to know you. At the early stage, it was not easy. I had a lot of stress fighting and dragging issues with ‘ agberos ’ (touts).

“I thought they wanted to extort money from me. It was later I got to know that there are some places you pay some money and there are others you don’t pay, but if you can’t give them money, you must be ready to plead with them. But sometimes you meet those rough ones who don’t give a damn that you are a woman. All they want is their money and they will even go to the extent of fighting a woman.”

Recounting a nasty experience she says: “There was a day I came out in the evening and this ‘ agbero’ came asking for money. I told him I had just hit the road, so, I didn’t have money. I pleaded that he should he let me work before paying him, but he insisted I give him his money immediately. Before I knew it, he opened my door and ran away with my spare tyre. I was like ‘do you know how much you are carrying because of N100 that you want to collect?’ But he said ‘madam, just go. When you pay up, you will collect your tyre.’ Thank God a male passenger was sitting in front, so he paid the N100 for me and the ‘agbero’ returned my tyre.

“I had another encounter where the agbero went as far as lifting his hand to strike me! Luckily, a man intervened and warned him to steer clear off me! He said ‘so you want to fight her? You don’t know that this is a lady? Did they forbid you to work? She is working and you are there relaxed because you don’t want to work and you are now asking her for N100?’

Emmanuella says that encounter changed a lot of things concerning women drivers at Ikotun: “It seems as if the ‘agbero’ chairman and other people debated the issue after the incident and took a decision that henceforth, no female driver should
be harassed again. Rather, they should encourage us, because the job is meant for men.”


Romance at the wheels

Emmanuella is a pretty and chocolaty-skinned damsel. No doubt she has what it takes to sway heads. When she drives, do men ‘toast’ her at the wheels?
She replies in the affirmative. “Yes, of course, you know, when you see something good you appreciate. A lot of times, men are like ‘madam, can I have your contact. I want to call you.’ And I am like, ‘aahhh! You cannot call me-o, I don’t like people calling me.’ And they will say ‘there is nothing wrong, I just want to say hi.’ The reason is if you give some people your number, they will misunderstand the whole thing.

“On this job I meet different faces everyday that appreciate my work. There was a day a man asked: ‘madam, can you work in a company? Can you drive a commercial bus down to the East?’ I said wow! That is quite a distance. I can’t drive far. Another said that they were recruiting at Ikeja for BRT bus drivers and asked if I was interested? So, I gave him my number and later he called me to come over for a test, but I told him I was no longer interested, because I was planning to go back to school. The truth is, I just want to put things in order, get some money, so I can train myself and go back to school.”

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From LINUS OOTA, Lafia

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It was a tortuous search for the fruit of the womb for a Nasarawa State- born couple, Shedrack and Mercy Audu. For 17 years, they ran from pillar to post, seeking medical and divine solutions to their childlessness after tying the nuptial not in 1998.

On November 7, 2016, God answered their supplications and blessed them with a set of twins, a boy and a girl, whom they christened Joseph and Philomena.

Expectedly, their birth instantly wiped off their tears and pain they suffered for almost two decades, as they savoured the glory of God wherever they went.

Basking in the euphoria of the arrival of their precious babies, Shedrack, a lecturer at Nasarawa State Polytechnic and his wife went to Makurdi, Benue State, on the invitation of his bosom friend, Fidelis Mbaka, to show him their bundles of joy.

On the scheduled date, Monday, April 17, 2017, the couple set out with the babies at about 10.30am aboard a commuter vehicle, which took off from the Lafia motor park en-route Makurdi. Then, the unexpected happened a few kilometres to their destination.

A 911 vehicle loaded with yam coming from the opposite direction rammed into their vehicle while manouvring off a crater, killing seven persons on the spot including the 5-month old twin babies. Among the dead were the driver and four other passengers aboard the Toyota car in which Shedrack was travelling with his family.

Life is worthless now


However, the couple were the only survivors, rescued and rushed to the General Hospital, Daudu, where they were revived and placed on intensive care for one week, before being transferred to the Dalhatu Specialist Hospital, Lafia, Nasarawa State capital. They were recently certified fit and discharged.

“My brother, life is worthless and meaningless to me now; I have surrendered my life to God. I am 50 years old while my wife is 42; we have allowed God to do His wish”, says Shedrack, as he told our correspondent the story of his battle with childlessness before a breakthrough, but the joy was short-lived.

“My twins were born on November 7, 2016, and they died on April 17, 2017. I met my wife who is of Eggon extraction from Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, in 1998 at the University of Jos where I was studying for my Master’s degree in Business Management; she was a student in the Theatre Arts department.

We dated for a year and got married. Three years after our marriage, there was no pregnancy and we became worried; we visited Dalhatu Specialist Hospital for medical checkup and after a detailed examination, it was discovered that she did an abortion in 1997 through a quack doctor, which affected her womb.

“From that time till 2016, we were in and out of the hospital trying to see how she could conceive to no avail. We were initially afraid that once she reached menopause, it would be a big problem; she suggested we go for in-vitro fertilization (IVF-test tube) where the eggs and sperm are fertilized outside the womb into test tube, but I disagreed. We remained faithful to God until February 2016, when she conceived naturally and delivered through caesarian operation. We were extremely happy, but God has taken them away”, he lamented.

How my babies died


Shedrack, who hails from Lafia Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, also gave graphic details of the fatal crash, which claimed his babies. “As we were approaching Daudu in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, a fully loaded 911 truck was dodging a pothole at the time our car was also negotiating to dodge it; the truck rammed into our car. My wife was carrying our female baby, Philomina, while I lapped the male, Joseph; they died instantly as they were badly hit by fragments of the crushed car; the driver and four other passengers also died on the spot, while my wife and I sustained injuries. We were taken to the Daudu General Hospital unconscious, but my twin babies who died instantly were taken to Lafia and buried by my younger brother who was contacted through my telephone”.

Highway of death


Checks indicated that Shedrack’s fate had befallen many others who had lost loved ones on the terribly bad Lafia-Makurdi highway. It is a nightmare for commuters plying the road, as auto crashes are recorded almost daily.

Within the past two months alone, no fewer than 47 lives were lost while 42 others sustained injuries in 21 incidents, according to available statistics. Barely a week before the accident which involved Shedrack’s family, the driver and entire passengers in a 14-seater commuter bus perished when a trailer conveying livestock rammed into their vehicle. The accident occurred less than one hour after the Abuja bound bus departed Makurdi on April 8, 2017.

Four weeks later, a 16-year-old girl, Fatima Usman, whose father died in a crash on the road in 2001 when she was barely two weeks old, lost her mum on the same spot, which claimed her dad. Apart from her mother, Fatima lost three other members of her family, including her grandfather, aunt, and a cousin. She was the only survivor of the crash, which occurred on May 9, 2017, while they were travelling to Makurdi to attend a naming. Sadly, Fatima is the only child of her late parents, now left alone in a daily battle for survival.

“I remember everything that happened on that ill-fated day”, she told our correspondent in an emotion-laden voice; “I remember crawling out of the vehicle with deep cuts on my knees, I remember my aunt screaming my mum’s name and she wasn’t answering; I remember pulling out my mobile phone and calling a neighbour in Lafia to inform him of what had happened; we were taken to General Hospital Gbajumba in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, where my mum, aunt, cousin and grandfather, all died, except me. I’ve been diagnosed of post traumatic stress disorder. I don’t know what to do.

Friday, June 16, 2017 was my mum’s birthday, and I spent the whole day crying”, Fatima, an SS3 student of Government Science Secondary School, Lafia, lamented.

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By Oluseyi Awojulugbe


Two Nigerians have reached the final rounds of the 2017 Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) competition.

The finals of the challenge, which is themed ‘African Innovation: Investing in Prosperity’, will hold in Accra, Ghana, on July 18.

Innovators from nine African countries including Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe were shortlisted.

Some of the solutions submitted addressed challenges in agriculture value chain, healthcare, energy, communications, service industries as well as surveillance using drone technology.

Olanisun Adewale developed a sweat tuberculosis test, a non-invasive rapid diagnostic test to detect tuberculosis.

Sweat TB test leverages on TB specific marker in sweat of patients, to produce a point- of- care test to detect TB, within ten minutes, without any needle prick.

Omolabake Adenle (pictured) developed a voice recognition and speech synthesis software for African languages.

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The software solution can understand and digitise spoken African languages, and synthesise speech from African languages presented as digitised text.

“We are pleased to share with you the names of our IPA2017 nominees as we continue on our mission to catalyse the innovation spirit and unlock untapped potential in Africa,” Walter Fust, AIF board chairman said in a statement.

“For the first time, this year’s nominees include innovators from Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Zimbabwe.

“Moreover, given the instrumental role African women play in transforming Africa, it is thrilling to see more women among the 10 nominees with game changing innovations.

“By providing platforms to recognise innovation excellence in Africa and mobilising for African innovators, we continue to live up to our credo of engaging, inspiring and transforming.

“The inspiring stories of these nominees remind us that innovation and African-led solutions are indeed the answer to Africa’s growth and prosperity.”

President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana has been scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the awards ceremony.

The winner will get a grand prize of $100,000. There is a second prize of $25 000; a special prize for social impact, $25 000; a voucher for each of the seven IPA nominees of $5 000 and additional incentives including investment opportunities and training.

Posted by Mayowa Tijani

The federal government has fine-tuned plans to punish and possibly jail entertainers who evade taxes after the nine-month grace period set out by the recently launched voluntary asset and income declaration scheme (VAIDS).

TheCable learnt that for 15 months, the federal government via various agencies and departments, to include the private sector, has been gathering information on tax compliance of many celebrities and high net worth individuals in the country.

“Highly qualified” agents of the federal ministry of finance have worked with the banks, Nigeria Financial Intelligent Unit (NFIU), bureau de change (BDCs), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), to monitor the degree of tax compliance of many celebrities and high net worth individuals.

The government has also reviewed land ownership, ownership of exotic cars, yatchs, private jets and other luxurious properties to understand the earnings and assets of many of these persons, relative to their taxes.

Following massive revelations, the government launched VAIDS, a scheme that allows these celebrities and other Nigerians to declare their assets and income, and pay necessary taxes without interest, penalty or investigation.

TheCable understands that the scheme, which will run for nine months, is a grace period for the celebrities to make amends of face the full wrath of the law, which could include jail term of up to five years.

For celebrities with houses in exotic locations worth millions of naira, and a tax record not consistent with the value of the property, the goverment advises that such celebrities “ complete form VA1 ” and clarify sources of income for the house and pay necessary taxes within July 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018.

Celebrities who do not take advantage of the scheme risk “up to five-year imprisonment, get severe extra penalties: up to 100% of the outstanding tax due, a compound interest at 21% per annum, and foreiture of such assets”.

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By Dyepkazah Shibayan

Doyin Okupe, a former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, has announced his decision to quit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement on Sunday, Okupe cited the leadership crisis in the party as one of the reasons he is leaving the PDP.

“It is with deep regret that I publicly announce my resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party,” he said.

“It has to be public because the PDP no longer exists in my ward as a single unified party; it was when I joined it.”

He said that political parties have lost their importance and identities because of nepotism.

“Today, political parties have lost their importance and identities. Once the candidate is Northern, his party is immaterial, all northerners irrespective of their professed party affiliation will vote for him.

“This is the major reason why there has been a total absence of opposition in the country in the last two years, and may probably be responsible for the polarisation and sharp ethnic divisions we are currently witnessing in the country.

“In the east, there is intense anger and loud call for secession, in the south-south, there is absolute indignation and very resolute demand for total control of their resources, while the south-west is bellicose and hell bent on true federalism and restructuring which many prominent Northerners openly oppose for good or for bad.

“Under these circumstances, political parties have lost their flavour and relevance. Certainly, a party like my former party, PDP has no future in the evolving Nigerian political circus.”

He lamented that the leadership crisis of the PDP was worse in Ogun state as he could not fit into the groups of Ladi Adebutu or Buruji Kashamu.

“The situation in the country may in the nearest future require that matured men of goodwill standby to play a unifying role for political stability of the country. My membership of PDP may directly or indirectly preclude me from gratifying such noble and patriotic desire.

“Undeniably, I have been one of the major beneficiaries (not financially) of the PDP.

But for a fact, the PDP and the APC are political platforms that have now expired or in the process of being so.

“Therefore, no matter my commitment and passion for this great party, the PDP, it has become menopausal and can no longer bear fruits. I have therefore decided to withdraw a bit and study the political situation more critically and thereafter take a decision soonest on my next political move.

“I will miss my friends, associates and co-travellers on this tortuous political journey and adventure. However, it is also still possible that our paths cross in the nearest future, which will be a delight.”

He said that if it is God’s will to continue to participate in national politics, he will be back.

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A 27-year old man, Michael Ubani has been arrested and charged before an Apapa Magistrates court for conduct likely to cause breach of peace by engaging a 19-year old girl in her parents’ room.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the incident happened at Apapa, Lagos where both the suspect and the victim’s parents reside.

Our correspondent was unable to confirm if it was indeed a consensual agreement between the suspect and the victim.

However, police source said the suspect allegedly sneaked into the victim’s parent’s apartment when her parents were not around and engaged her in a sex romp allegedly without her consent.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that while they were in the act, the father of the victim came back unexpectedly, met the door locked from inside.

He was said to have forced them to open the door.

It was gathered that the victim later burst into tears and told her father that she was inside the room when Ubani sneaked into their apartment and threw her on the floor.

She claimed that the suspect forcefully removed her pant and went ahead to have a canal knowledge of her.

The matter was reported to the police at Apapa division and Ubani was arrested and charged to court under the Criminal Code.
He pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Magistrate, Mr M.A. Etti granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

Ubani was then remanded in prison custody pending when he will perfect his bail condition.

The matter was adjourned till 17 July 2017.

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Renowned blogger, Comrade Austin Okai, has accused Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of attempting to swap the computer used in his double voter registration saga.

Okai, who spoke during Eid in Lokoja, called for an overhaul of INEC workers in Kogi to stem further manipulations.

He maintained that the governor is running around to repair his image, following global condemnation of his double registration.

His words: “The current impasse on Governor Yahaya Bello’s double registration is a pointer to the lack of confidence in INEC, both in Kogi and the headquarters, in future elections. I urge INEC to replace all card readers meant for kogi elections in the future.”

Okai added that the investigative panel compounded the scenario with their plans to swap the laptop used for the registration.

According to him, the data on the laptop was deleted and the Electoral Officer, Mr. Ajani, brought another for scrutiny.

Okai challenged INEC to request for the laptops in Lokoja council and recall the HOD ICT and VOTER Registry, the accountant and Administrative Secretary, whose complicity is obvious through inducement from the government, for investigation.

But Governor Bello, through his Director General on Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, described the allegation as characteristic of the author and his sponsors. “It is baseless and unfounded”, he said.

His words: “If Governor Yahaya Bello is not popular, why are they jittery? The governor is not prepared for the 2019 politics yet. He has a mandate to discharge and he will work for the people until his last day in office.

“It is unfortunate that the social media has provided a platform for such an unintelligent allegation. We do not have to react to such. Governor Yahaya Bello does not work in INEC and clear statements have been made that the governor was in Dubai on the said day.

“INEC has not started registering people offshore and it is free to investigate any issue that affects it.

“The governor is committed to fulfilling his obligations to the people. He is busy building roads, schools, hospitals and making agriculture the epicentre of our economic prosperity. These are the issues that can attract the attention of the governor.

“The media should concentrate on development rather than promoting irrelevant issues. We want the media to partner us to take Kogi to new heights.”

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shininglight78:
Somebody help me please. Feeling suicidal now. Am so depressed. I just want to die. 09027846955

A top investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has escaped death by the whiskers when gunmen opened fire on him in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Austin Okwor, an operative in the Property Fraud Section of the EFCC Zonal office in Port Harcourt, had closed late for the day on June 24, and as he left office, he was suddenly accosted by a gang of hoodlums who opened fire on him, a statement by the anti-graft agency said.

“Luckily for him, he was able to shake off his assailants but not without sustaining some bullet wounds as they kept firing at him,” the statement by Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesman for the commission, said.

“He was rushed to a private hospital in Port Harcourt where he is receiving treatment. According to Ishaq Salihu, Head of the Zonal office, the incident has already been reported to the Police in Port Harcourt.”

Mr. Okwor is one of the operatives investigating some sensitive cases including that pertaining to corrupt judicial officials, Mr. Uwujaren said.

The commission said before the incident, the officer had been receiving threat messages.

One of such messages which he received sometime in May 2017 was reported to the Police, the commission said.

“This incident underlines the hazards which operatives of the Commission are daily exposed to in the discharge of their duties,” the statement said.

Mr. Uwujaren recalled that in September 14, 2010, the head of the Commission’s Forensic Unit, Abdullahi Muazu, was shot and killed by unknown gunmen in Kaduna.

Six months earlier, the commission said, a team of prosecutors returning to Enugu after a court appearance in Owerri, Imo State, was attacked by gunmen who opened fire on them.

Eze Edoga, the police escort, was cut down while a senior counsel with the Commission, Joseph Uzor, was critically wounded but survived.

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A former Minister of Health, Professor Eyitayo Lambo, former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), Major Gen. Julius Oshanupin (rtd) and Tunde Ipinmisho have disassociated themselves from a statement credited to Okun Development Initiative (ODI) which included them among those endorsing the embattled senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye.

The eminent indigenes of Kogi West denied ever endorsing any statement on the recall of Melaye.

In a statement sent to THISDAY yesterday and signed by Lambo, Ojo, Oshanupin and Ipinmisho, they demanded a retraction of the story alleging that they supported Melaye.

The eminent sons from Kogi West stated that based on their reputations which they achieved after decades of hard work, they would not allow anyone rub it in the mud or drag it into the messy recall process going on in Kogi State.

The statement read in parts: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly issued by the Okun Development Initiative on the ongoing attempt to recall Senator Dino Melaye (APC – Kogi West). Curiously, our names were given out as signatories to the document.

“We wish to state that we do not know ODI and have no relationship with the body in any form whatsoever. It therefore follows that we did not and indeed could not have signed any statement for an organisation with which we are not affiliated.

“We have earned our reputations through decades of hard work and would go to any length to resist attempts by anybody or group to draw us into the mess going on in Kogi State.

“This forgery is unacceptable to us and we demand an immediate retraction and an apology from those behind it.”

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CYRIACUS IZUEKWE


This is not the best of times for single ladies whose ages are close to the menopausal stage in Lagos as suitors are not forthcoming due to the economic situation in the country.

The men are reluctant to marry due to the uncertainty of the future of marriages which has thrown the fate of some single women into jeopardy.

P.M.EXPRESS investigation revealed that single ladies between the ages of between 35 and above 40 were under intense pressure from their families to get married.

Some of the men who spoke to P.M.EXPRESS said they were either not ready or were not going for marriage because they fear they will not be able to cope with the financial obligations that have to do with marriage.

Though, there were no available data which showed that men were not going for marriage because of economic hardship, but the general consensus indicated such development.

Miss Mary Onazi, 39, said she has stopped going to her parents because of the pressure she was getting from them about marriage.

She said it was not that she does not want to marry, “where’s the man? she asked”
Onazi said that she has tried everything practically possible to attract a man to marry, but said some of the men she had contact with were not ready for marriage.

Miss Nkechi Azubuike, 37, said that she had hope in God for a suitor but she had had her heart broken by several men who pretended they wanted to marry her, ‘obtained’ her money and dumped her.

Azubuike said she fell into those traps because of the pressure she was getting from her family.

“Now I have dedicated my service to God, If I see husband, fine, If i don’t see glory be to God” Azubuike said.

Another lady, a 41-year old Sherry Onyejeke said that she has stopped seeing her parents and members of her family who felt betrayed because she had not gotten a husband.

She said she has been a victim of marriage fraud and betrayal due to the pressure she was getting from her family and have resorted to her fate.

She narrated that some of the single men were lazy and do not have courage to embark on marriage because they want already made money.

She maintained that she will not force herself to any man for marriage and so decided to be alone for now.

Some married women who spoke to P.M.EXPRESS said the pride of any woman was to get married and you cannot blame the pressure coming from families of such single ladies as they’re expected.

Mrs Agnes Nwoke said any lady who did not get a husband was seen as a minus to the family.

She said there was delay also because the process of preparing for marriage now takes a longer time because of the increase in failed marriages.

And so men now watch the conduct of the ladies closely, crosscheck their character before they will make up their minds to marry.

A viral dramatic video of a young Nigerian has been trending on social media recently over an unbecoming business engagement with a commercial sex worker.

A trending video of a bold commercial sex worker and a customer have caused a stir online.

The alleged prostitute wearing a red top, black pants and red sandals to match is seen harrassing the man dressed in a blue native attire for allegedly sleping with her and refusing to honour their financial agreement.

The young woman who looked agitated could be seen screaming "you must pay me my money today, so you knew you never had money and you took me to your house".

The seemingly confused man denied sleeping with her but appealed to her to exercise patience with him as her payment wasn't on ground.

A man could be seen in the short Snapchat video clip trying to mediate in the ugly drama.

This has attracted humour online as Nigerians laugh off the careless action of the man which has led to his public disgrace. How the drama ended still remains unclear.

See some screenshots taken from the video clip below: