₦airaland Forum

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, says alleged death of two from cerebrospinal meningitis in the metropolis was untrue.

The Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control had on April 7, released statistics which claimed that CRM killed two people in the state.

The statistics also indicated that three cases were recorded in the state so far.

A statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Mrs Adeola Salako on Sunday quoted the commissioner as saying that the report was false and capable of causing undue panic.

“The report carried by some newspapers and online platforms is untrue and does not represent the reality of the situation in Lagos State as at today.

For the avoidance of doubt , there are two main types of meningitis.

“The epidemic prone meningitis, which is referred to as Cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM), is caused by a bacteria called Neisseria Meningitides.

“ Its occurrence is seasonal or cyclical , depending on the level of herd immunity and climatic conditions.

“The second type of meningitis is Non -Epidemic Meningitis, which is usually caused by a virus or other bacteria , but not by Neisseria Meningitides.

“The Non -epidemic meningitis occurs without any seasonal pattern or periodicity , ’’Idris was quoted as saying. The commissioner said that a Disease Surveillance Notification Officer in the Lagos Island Local Government, had sometime in March reported nine suspected cases of meningitis from Massey Street Children Hospital with two deaths.

He said, however, that none of these was confirmed as due to CSM.

“Although, all the nine cases presented with clinical features of meningitis at that hospital, laboratory tests proved that they were either due to Haemophilus influenza or Streptococcus pneumoniae and not Neisseria meningitides.

“The ministry was also notified last week of a three - year -old boy, presenting clinically as meningitis at a registered private facility in Lagos , but the laboratory investigations did not confirm CSM.

“The blood culture yielded no growth but the urine culture yielded Klebsiella and not meningococcus; the patient is already responding to treatment.

“None of these cases, presented with a history of recent travel to any area with an outbreak of meningitis and neither were visits from such areas recorded with the aforementioned cases."

Idris urged the public to observe a high standard of personal and environmental hygiene as a preventive measure against the outbreak of the disease.

He said that such hygiene measures should include washing of hands with soap and water frequently and thoroughly.

“ Also , avoid direct contact with the discharges from an infected person and covering of mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.

“It is strongly advised that people should avoid overcrowding in living quarters, provide cross ventilation in sleeping and work - rooms and other places where many people come together.

“ People should get vaccinated with CSM vaccine when they travel to areas where meningitis outbreaks have been reported."

Idris said people should support the government efforts in its resolve to prevent the spread of the epidemic to the state.

Such support, he said should include by reporting suspected cases to the nearest public health facility.

“There is no need to panic; we will continue with our surveillance activities , constantly review our records and brief the public from time to time .’’

( NAN)

lalasticlala

“We flatly deny each and every false allegation and are confident that the legal system will vindicate Dr. Ozumba,” the accused family said in a statement read.

Eric Dumo


In many Nigerian cities today , the business of hotel has become one of the most popular vocations to engage in . While a lot of people visit such places to lodge as guests , others simply besiege them to satisfy their lust for cold drinks and other tasty eatables . But there are also dozens others whose only mission to such places is to hire one of the rooms for between one to two hours to have fun with a member of the opposite sex.

Usually known as ‘ short time ’ or ‘ short rest’ in many local hotels, patronage along this line is what in fact spins in the cash for a lot of these facilities and their owners . Morning , afternoon, night – individuals desperate for sexual pleasure ensure that this tradition never ceases, queuing for several hours for their turns to go into any of the rooms with their female ‘ partners’ for a rewarding session of sex.

However, while these hotels and their affordable ‘ short rest ’ packages have provided consenting men and women – young and old – to satisfy their libidinal urges , several others appear to have found new and quicker ways of cooling off when the feelings get too strong . While sex in uncompleted buildings has been around for a long time , cases of men and women making love in cars – even though not completely new as well, appears to be gaining popularity in many parts of Nigeria today, especially in Lagos . After weeks of careful observation in some very popular areas of Lagos , Saturday PUNCH ’ s findings revealed that indeed making love inside cars has become almost a norm these days in the city.

For example , during a night out at a popular club around the Government Residential Area section of Ikeja, Lagos capital , recently, our correspondent , while leaving the premises in company of a colleague , observed how a young man and a lady engaged in a hot romance at the back seat of the vehicle parked close to their own car. Amazed at the sight , our correspondent quietly walked past, watching from a close distance as the ‘ lovers ’ took the act to another level. After passionately kissing each other for about three minutes , the lady , without being prompted, hopped on top of the bulky- looking guy as the young man caressed her from head to the waistline in response. While still standing and looking amazed at the scene, a middle -aged security man working at the club , who was on routine patrol to ensure that parked cars were safe, interjected.

“ Bros , unadey surprised, ” he asked in Pidgin English , flashing a warm grin in the process . “ This na normal thing at this time of the day . We don see this type of show tire , so no be new thing for us . As long as na inside their own motor them knack themself , no wahala. The main thing be say the guy go settle us because without the security wey we dey provide , them for no fit enjoy each other, ” he added in more Pidgin English, as he walked away from the scene to continue with his inspection.

Time was 3:35am – the early hours of Saturday morning with the dew unleashing its icy anger on any man or object standing by.

But while the sight at the GRA came with a tinge of surprise , the experience became almost alarming as our correspondent drove towards Opebi to connect Alausa – about 10 minutes away. Just by the end of the turning connecting the bridge after Sheraton Hotel and Opebi , some rare sight greeted passersby . As if in a contest and trying to outdo the other opponents, young men and scantily- dressed ladies could be clearly seen ‘ digging ’ it out in two separate cars while taking different positions. The first car, a black Nissan Maxima , had one of the ladies kneeling on top of the front passenger seat with the guy ‘ giving it to her’ from the back . The occupants of the second vehicle, a Honda Accord model , took a similar position as the pair at the GRA , having the time of their lives without minding the occasional light flashed towards their direction by passing cars. The scene was about 50 metres away from a popular club in the area . Everybody around the place went about their normal business as if nothing strange was going on.

Confronted by these ‘ bizarre ’ scenes, our correspondent sampled the views of a handful of young men at a drinking joint recently to find out if they had ever had sex inside a car and what in fact motivated them to do so . While some said the act was one of their biggest sexual fetishes , others explained that they engaged in it out of curiosity to try ‘ something new’ and as the most convenient option at the time.

One young man , who identified himself only as Kayode, said that even though he is not proud to say it, he totally enjoyed the experience of making love in his Sports Utility Vehicle with his girlfriend of five years.

He said that though the lady initially refused to accede to the idea when he first mooted it to her while they were at an all -night event at a popular hotel on the Victoria Island area of the city , she however accepted after some persuasion.
Kayode however , pointed out that alcohol played a major role in the entire episode .

“ My girlfriend thought I was mad for even mentioning such to her that night at the club , ” he said . “ She felt it was a few hours to daybreak and that we could always wait to get home before having sex. But after some persuasion helped by the volume of alcohol that had gone into our system , she finally agreed. We went straight into the back seat of the car to ‘ rock’ ourselves.

“ The car was parked at a dark corner of a field opposite the hotel and luckily for me , my woman wore a mini gown, so it was easy for us to do it right inside the vehicle. But of course I had to switch on the engine for the air condition to run . I did it because I had heard friends saying it and I wanted to see how it feels like myself . It was a few minutes of madness we both enjoyed and still talk about till this day , ” he said.

Another young man at the joint , who refused to give out his name, also shared his experience with Saturday PUNCH . He narrated how in December 2016 during the bachelors ’ party of a friend he made love to a lady he had met only that night at the event inside his car.

According to him , after being ‘ moved ’ by the seductive dance steps of the light - complexioned lady , he stylishly lured her out of the party for a chat so that they could learn more about each other. He said in the middle of the discussion , the chemistry became intense , leading to an explosive session of sex right inside his Toyota Sienna vehicle.

“ Everything happened very fast, ” he said . “ We never both planned it for it to go that way because it was the first time we were meeting each other. But being grown ups, we clicked almost instantly as soon as we started dancing with each other. Once outside by the car , it wasn ’ t long before sex came in because of the chemistry between us at the time . We spent close to one hour inside the car.

“ For me , it was not the first time of having sex inside a car . I had done several times and really like the feelings it brings . Even though I can never forget that experience, I have done more than four times since that period , ” he added.

Interestingly, cases of people having sex inside cars are not limited to these alone – there are also few cases of homosexuals of having it in their cars. Some of them were even arrested by law enforcement agents .

For example , in January 2016, two men, who allegedly had anal sex inside a SUV , were paraded in a Magistrates ’ Court in Ikeja after being caught in the act by police officers .

The accused – Innocent Egbuna , 33, and Jide Ajayi , 21 were tried on a three - count charge bordering on conspiracy and act of gross indecency.

According to the prosecutor of the case , Sgt. Joseph Ajebe , the offences were committed on January 18 of that year along Ajao Road in Ikeja, Lagos.

“ The accused were found inside a parked Nissan Jeep with registration no . KSF 914 AC having anal sexual intercourse , ” he revealed .

Chief Magistrate of the court at the time , Mr . Alexander Komolafe, granted the two men bail in the sum of N 100, 000 each with two sureties in like sum respectively .
Five months later in June of that year , two other men were also arrested in Abuja while having sex in a car.

After their arrest, the suspects , Vincent Chikwukume and Nnandi Ujunwa, were brought before an Abuja Grade 1 Area Court for allegedly having sexual intercourse in a public place .

According to the prosecutor of the matter , A . Z . Dalhatu, the men were apprehended during a routine surveillance of one of the popular parts of the city around 12:45am by police officers.

That is not all . In 2015, a policewoman was demoted after being caught having sex in a car inside the premises of Police College, Ikeja , Lagos , during a promotional examination course .

The woman identified only as Helen and said to be married , was reported to have been discovered by a superior officer during a night patrol of the compound – hours after candidates were expected to have gone to bed. The man disappeared while being interrogated at the spot while the woman was punished for the act.

Strange or ‘ morally awkward ’ as it sounds , making love inside a car is not limited to Nigeria alone , it is a trend that has in fact continued to gain prominence in other parts of the world , too .

For instance , in April 2016, what started as a wild experience for a man and woman having sex while driving along a busy expressway in India ended on a tragic note after their car rammed into a stationary truck . Carried away by the sweetness of their bizarre act, the man died instantly after the crash while the woman suffered serious injuries to her head and leg.

The following month in Lusaka, Zambia , a taxi driver was beaten mercilessly after being caught making love to his friend ’ s wife inside a car.

The driver, Patrick Chanda , according to reports , claimed that the woman offered him sex rather than paying the transport fare.

“ After taking her to work in the morning, she told me that she will give me money later in the afternoon. I agreed and she later called me in the evening to pick her up somewhere. I demanded for my money but instead she complained that she didn ’ t have money and told me to sleep with her. I tried to resist her but she removed her underwear and squeezed me. It was at this stage when I got carried away and slept with her in my car, ” he said , as the woman’ s husband and other aggrieved residents pounced on him .

When Saturday Punch reached out to popular singer, 9ice over the trend, he frowned against it and gave his two cents on the issue.

He said , “ Personally I frown against such act and inasmuch as I understand the fact that sexual urge can grip someone anywhere , you have to be discreet about it. Instead of going into your car to have sex , why don’ t you just drive home or go to the nearest hotel and do what you have to do ? Those who engage in such act constitute public nuisance.

“ It is against the law and if you are unfortunate you are caught by the police, you are playing with jail term or a fine . This is something you could have avoided and it would just be for a few minutes of fun. I don’ t think it is worth it. Such a thing has never happened to me and even if a girl approached me and wanted to have sex with me in the car, I would definitely opt to go home or a hotel because my image and brand is at stake. I would not have sex in a car. ”

As for popular comedian, Bash , sex in the car is a no - no for him . He said no celebrity would engage in such because no one would want to ruin his brand over a few minutes of fun.

“ I am not for it because it is not ideal . I am aware that it happens during events especially among those that go to the club but to me , it is not sensible . To have sex you have to use your private part and it has to be done in the confines of a private space. It is impossible for me to engage in such a thing because sex has to do with consent between two people. I cannot agree to have sex in a car. There is no way such a thing can happen with my consent. I don ’ t take alcohol , neither do I take drugs.

I can state for a fact that celebrities do not engage in such because we have a name to protect . Imagine a celebrity caught pants down in a car, his brand would be adversely affected, ” Bash said.

A fashion designer, Bose Oguntoye, on Friday pleaded with an Agege Customary Court, Lagos, to end her five-year-old marriage, citing her husband’s fetish practices and threats to her life.

“My husband is too money conscious and is desperate to make money at all costs.

“I live in fear of the unknown because of all kinds of charms l see with him.

“He also beats me up at any slightest opportunity, especially when he is not in a good mood, he visits his anger on me,’’ she told the court.

Testifying before Mr Phillips Williams, the court President, she said there was no love lost between them again.

“Sometime in April 2015, when l became pregnant with our second child, my husband placed a charm on me and l became sick and eventually ran mad.’’

He took me to somewhere in Matogun, Ikorodu under the pretext of curing me and l was being fed with all sorts of assorted charms.

The petitioner said that she is still alive today due to the intervention of her family members who came to take her away, when her health was deteriorating.

“I was taken to Ikare in Ondo State where l spent five months, before l became hale and hearty again.’’

Bose alleged that when she came back to her matrimonial home, her husband did not relent in his fetish ways.

“He took me to a muslim cleric who gave me a substance and told me not to get close to my husband for sometime.

“On getting home, my husband told me to move to my parent’s house, which l refused. This led to a series of misunderstandings between us.’’

According to the petitioner, the respondent became confrontational with her.

“He told me that he wants to be rich this year under any circumstances. l must build houses and buy cars’’ to which l replied “there is no problem with that, as long as you don’t use me for money rituals.’’

Bose told the court that the respondent used force to collect her two children from her, under the guise of being a police officer.

“They made me write a statement under duress, to release my children and they took them away from me, claiming that l was mentally unstable.’’

“I had to run for my dear life when l realised he was making serious efforts to use me for money rituals.

The respondent, Adewale Oguntoye, an indigene of Ondo State, resident at No. 4, Oluyomi Olusesi St., Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, however, denied the allegations, but was ready for the dissolution of the marriage.

According to the father of two, there has been a frosty relationship between him and his wife since she came up with the idea of going to another church.

Adewale, a resident of No. 4, Oluyomi Olusesi St., Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, claimed that the petitioner had been keeping late nights and would not disclose her whereabouts.

“She started misbehaving, keeping all sorts of friends and became disrespectful to me.’’

Adewale said he suspected his wife was dating the pastor of the church she started attending, even after he vehemently disagreed and warned her not to continue, she remained adamant.

He alleged that the pastor took the petitioner out on Valentine’s Day and bought her different gifts.

The respondent described his wife as an adulterer.

On the allegation of trying to use his wife for money rituals, the respondent denied, but the petitioner remained adamant.

NAN reports that the court’s president later invited the estranged couple to his chambers for a possible resolution of the crisis.

He then adjourned the case until April 20, for hearing. (NAN)

lalasticlala

CastedDude:
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Lagos Zonal office has discovered over 400 million naira in an abandoned Bureau De Change...Operatives of the anti-graft agency are still counting the cash as at the time of filing this report...

Source; http://www.nationalhelm.net/2017/04/efcc-discovers-over-n400-million-in.html

A 29- year- old man, Ajao Olalekan, was on Friday arraigned in an Ikorodu Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for alleged forceful sexual intercourse with his 19-year -old girlfriend.

Olalekan, the resident of Morayo Benson Street, Ikorodu, is facing a charge of forceful sexual intercourse, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Cpl. John Iberedem, told the court that the accused committed the offence at his residence on March 19, at 2.00 p.m.

“ The girl in question ( name withheld) was the accused person’ s girlfriend, but there was an agreement between them that there won't be any sexual intercourse until after they are married.

“ On the day of the incident, the accused invited his girlfriend to his house; the defendant’ s friend was in the sitting room.

“The accused took his girlfriend inside the room, his friend increased the volume of the television , and the accused forcefully deflowered her.

“Investigation revealed that he had planned with his friend to increase the volume of the television when he took her inside.

“It was then she cried out and reported to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, which took up the case , and reported it at the Igbogbo Police Station, ” he said.

Iberedem said the offence contravened Section 258 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State, which stipulates life imprisonment for offenders.

The Magistrate, Mrs. Abiodun Shoniyi, granted him bail in the sum of N150,000, with two sureties that must show evidence of three years of tax payment.

Shoniyi adjourned the case until May 11, for trial.
( NAN)

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said candidates that registered for the 2017 computer based Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examinations (UTME) would take mock tests tomorrow

JAMB Registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede made the announcement at a meeting with ‘internal stakeholders’ in Abuja yesterday.

He said the mock exams which would take place nationwide were meant to prepare candidates for the real exams. Only candidates that paid for the mock test were eligible to sit.

Oloyede said the challenges being faced by candidates in the beginning of the UTME registration exercise was resolved.

He said about one million UTME candidates were registered as at yesterday.

Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja


Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that Nigerians still believe in the Peoples Democratic Party.

The former President spoke at the ongoing PDP Stakeholders Meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that the former ruling remains the only hope for the country and begged its members to bury their differences in order to end the crisis bedeviling it .

He said the party remains a light in democratic governance and that members of the party should not insult and blame each other anymore.

“ We shall overcome the challenges and I can assure you that the PDP will rise again , ” he said .

Some of the those at the meeting are Senator Ahmed Makarfi , Deputy Senate President , Ike Ekweremadu ; Uche Secondus, Prof. Wale Oladipo, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh , Chairman of the party’ s Board of Trustees , Senator Walid Jibrin.

Only Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti had arrived for the meeting as of the time of filing this report .

The National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff , had also just arrived for the meeting.

lalasticlala

sarrki:
Enemies of state food is ready

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has which had earlier ordered the freezing of Ex-First Lady, Patience Jonathan's multiple accounts, have on Wednesday, unfreezes of her account.

Patience Jonathan, whose multiple bank accounts were frozen by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos few months ago, has had one of her account with Skye Bank unfrozen.

According to SaharaReporters who broke the news on social media, Patience Jonathan's account with $5.9million were on Thursday morning, unfreezes by the High Court.

"FLASH: Anti-corruption war suffers another judicial blow as court Defreezes Patience Jonathan's @SkyeBank acct # 2110001712 with $5.9million," SR Tweeted.

A field assessment report on the projects embarked upon with recovered public funds by previous governments has alleged re-looting of the funds.

The report was conducted by a coalition of civil society organizations, including Human and Environmental Development Agenda, (HEDA Resource Centre), Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), Journalists for Democratic Rights, (JODER), Value and Integrity Group and PLAYYA.

The investigations specifically focused on the $505 million Abacha loot recovered from Swiss Government in 2004 which the government under President Olusegun Obasanjo committed to financing specific projects under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

However, the findings conducted by the CSOs early this year revealed that most of the projects were either not carried out or were abandoned.

The report which was presented in Lagos yesterday also contained video footages of project sites in 23 locations scattered across five geo-political zones of the country covering Rivers, Cross River, Imo, Anambra, Oyo, Ogun, Adamawa and Sokoto states.

Presenting the report and the documentary at a briefing, Chairman of CSNAC, Mr. Suraju Olanrewaju said the coalition was compiling the list of contractors with a view to forwarding them to the anti-graft agencies for investigation.

He said the investigation was conducted to awaken Nigerians’ consciousness that fighting corruption did not end in recovering looted funds but people must take interest in how the recovered funds were utilized.

He said the government at the time took the commendable step of channeling the funds into specific public projects with the aim of building legacy projects from funds recovered from corrupt public officials but many of the projects were not properly executed by the contractors.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the Nigerian naira is overvalued by about 10 percent to 20 percent.

Speaking at a news briefing in Washington on Wednesday, Gene Leon, IMF mission chief for Nigeria, said the Nigerian government has acknowledged the need for reforms, but must implement its reform plans.

“The Nigerian economy has been hit by lower oil prices and lower production and the need for adjustment is recognised by the government,” Leon said.

“They have started in articulating the economic recovery and growth plan and what needs to happen now is that plan needs to be implemented and continue in a very resolute way.”

He also said that the IMF sees a need for a foreign exchange adjustment, in a bid avoid a disorderly depreciation of the naira.

“We do find there to be some over-valuation at this point of the naira, of the official currency, somewhere to the tune of 10 to 20 percent.”

The IMF Staff country report, which was unveiled on Wednesday also showed that Nigeria’s multiple devaluation between 2014 and 2016, affected the private sector, especially the banks.

“During the past year, banking sector growth was dominated by the impact of a depreciating naira, given 45 percent of the banks’ loan book is in foreign currency,” the IMF staff report read.

“The depreciation of the naira may in some cases benefit those banks with FX assets that outweigh their FX obligations, through net valuation gain.

“However, FX risks either from a shortage of FX or further naira depreciation could also lead to defaults, which will increase required provisioning and reduce profits.

“With about 45 percent of loans and 40 percent of NPLs in foreign currency, a further depreciation of the naira by 50 percent would increase NPLs net of provisions to capital by 12 percentage point (from 28 to 40 percent)”.

The Niger State Government has ordered the re-arraignment of a man sentenced to one-month imprisonment for abduction and rape of a nine-year-old boy, who eventually died.

The convict, Nuhu Musa, 37, was sentenced to one-month imprisonment with an option of N30, 000 fine by a Kontagora Magistrates’ Court for kidnap and rape of a minor.

The incident occurred in Kontagora Local Government Area of Niger.

Mr. Musa’s jail term ended on Tuesday.
The public relations officer of the Niger Police Command, Bala Elkana, said on Tuesday in Minna that further investigations would be carried out on the case, and that Mr. Musa would be charged with murder, rape and kidnap.

Mr. Elkana said Mr. Musa’s sentence was not commensurate with his offences, adding that the child eventually died from injuries sustained from the rape.

Meanwhile, Mariam Kolo, Director-General of the Niger State Child Rights Protection Agency, said the child was abducted alongside four other boys.

She said Mr. Musa had sex with the deceased and injured him severely.

Mrs. Kolo said the child was consequently taken to a hospital and operated upon but died the following day.

She said Mr. Musa was arrested, charged to court and given a sentence of one-month imprisonment on a two-count charge.

She said Mr. Musa was sentenced to one month imprisonment on each of the counts of rape and abduction with an option of fine of N30,000.

The director-general said the agency had recommended Mr. Musa’s re-arrest and re-arraignment.

She said the state government had given the mother of the child a grinding machine and some money to start a business to comfort her. (NAN)

The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board (CDFIPB) has suspended three senior Prisons officers, CP Peter Yeni Tenkwa, DCP Abubakar Abaka and SP John Bukar indicted for their complicity in the issuance of unauthorised medical report on Bala Ngelari, the former Governor of Adamawa State serving a 5 year jail term in Yola prison.

The Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Prisons Service, Francis Enobore disclosed this in a statement made available to Daily Trust on Tuesday.

He said the letter dated 3rd April, 2017 and signed by the Director / Secretary of the Board, Mr. Sunday Dan Ogu, approved the suspension of the officers pending the outcome of all necessary investigations into the matter.

Enobore said a new Controller and officer in-charge have been posted to take over the state command and Yola prison respectively including a medical doctor to oversee the prison clinic.

He said the officers have since resumed duties.

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja


The Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, on Tuesday attributed the renewed outbreak of meningitis which has claimed hundreds of lives in parts of the country to flagrant disobedience to God.

Specifically, he said fornication was the main reason God was punishing Nigeria with meningitis.

He added that God decided to send Type C of the disease which has no vaccine as punishment for Nigerians’ nefarious activities .

Yari said this in an interview he granted in Hausa shortly after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa , Abuja .

The governor specifically named fornication as one of the sins which may have made God to inflict the country with the disease.

He said , “ What we used to know as far as meningitis is concerned is the Type A virus.

“ The World Health Organisation has carried out vaccinations against this Type A virus , not just in Zamfara , but in many other states .

“ However , because people refused to stop their nefarious activities, God now decided to send Type C virus , which has no vaccination.

“ People have turned away from God and he has promised that ‘ if you do anyhow, you see anyhow. ’ That is just the cause of this outbreak , as far as I am concerned.

“ There is no way fornication will be so rampant and God will not send a disease that cannot be cured . ”

The governor expressed the belief that the epidemic will end once Nigerians decide to repent from their sinful way of life.

“ The most important thing is for our people to know that their relationship with God is not smooth . All they need to do is repent and everything will be alright , ” he explained .

He said political leaders were doing their best in educating the people, but would not be able to go about arresting them if they failed to obey.

The governor said his administration was committed to addressing the outbreak , saying he summoned an emergency meeting when it started.

The meeting , according to him , was attended by state and local government officials as well as traditional rulers.

He said there is shortage of vaccine for the Type C with the five million doses available not enough for Zamfara State alone .

He said the Ministry of Health has only 50, 000 doses of the vaccine adding that 20, 000 was given to his state because of the high casualties recorded there .

“ Our focus as a state now is to continue treating those who are infected with the disease , but as for vaccination , it has an international dimension .

“ We have information that Nigeria will get the highest percentage of the five million doses available now.

“ Apart from WHO, other international bodies such as the Bill Gates foundation and UNICEF are also currently focusing on how to tackle the outbreak, ” he said .

The police said after the dastardly act, the couple went ahead to download the act and shared it on the social media and among their neighbours.

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 55-year-old man, Abdulkadir Mohammed in Gamawa Local Government Area of Bauchi State, along with his 20-year-old daughter for attempted murder.

Mohammed, was also accused of having sex and impregnating his daughter identified as, Dije Abdulkadir.

Dije, as a result of the alleged immoral act with her father, took in and after putting to bed threw the baby into a well.

Addressing reporters in Bauchi, the Commissioner of Police, Garba Umar, said the suspects were arrested by police officers attached to Gamawa Division.

He said, “The suspect gave birth to a baby girl and threw her inside the well with the intent to kill her.

“However, the timely intervention of well-meaning individuals in the area, who helped and rescued the baby alive, saved her life.

“The suspect confessed that her biological father impregnated her and they decided to do away with the baby.

“The suspects confessed to the act and were charged to court.

By Ismail Omipidan

Kaduna governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai, is no doubt facing what could pass for a political battle of his life. And the outcome would make or mar him politically.

Already, following the long memo he wrote to President Muhammadu Buhari, in September 2016, details of which was leaked to the media last month, there are moves by some All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftains, to block him from seeking a second term, and to also frustrate any effort that may see him replacing Buhari, as the party’s presidential candidate, should Buhari decide not to run in 2019.

Two persons, Saturday Sun further learnt, have been penciled down as possible replacement for El-Rufai, ahead of the Kaduna governorship contest. They are: current Senator, representing Kaduna North, Suleiman Hunkuyi and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Isa Ashiru. But for Buhari, it would have been difficult for El-Rufai to defeat Ashiru at the APC’s primary in the run up to the 2015 polls.

Ashiru is a member of the APC-Akida, while Hunkuyi, from his public appearance is not. But like all members of the APC-Akida, Hunkuyi too, Saturday Sun can reveal, is not pleased with the way El-Rufai is running the party and the affairs of the state.

Although, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, representing Kaduna North, who incidentally provided the structures that saw El-Rufai defeating Isa Ashiru, at the APC primary election in the build up to the 2015 elections, seems to be appearing in public with el-Rufai, Saturday Sun can reveal that at the appropriate time, Hunkuyi, would confront el-Rufai frontally for the governorship contest. If that happens, it would no doubt further deplete the support base of the governor.

Long before el-Rufai’s memo was leaked, he has been having a running battle with the APC faction in the state, known as APC Akida. Once the issue of the memo became public knowledge, the APC Akida came out publicly to upbraid el-Rufai, declaring that everything the governor accused Buhari of, he too was guilty of them.

Addressing a press conference last Sunday in Kaduna, Chairman, APC-Akida, Mataimaki Tom Maiyashi, said unless all aggrieved members are brought under one roof, the party was doomed in the state, adding that the governor was not the right person to write a memo to the President because, “It was a case of a pot calling the kettle black”.

He further said that the Kaduna governor lacks the moral standing to raise the issues he raised in the memo as his approach to governance was not different from the observations he made in his memo to President Buhari.

el-Rufai’s lopsided cabinet

Kaduna is made up of 23 Councils. The state for political convenience is further divided into three Senatorial Districts: Kaduna North, Kaduna South and Kaduna Central. But while Kaduna South Senatorial District, which is predominantly Christians, has eight Councils, the remaining two Senatorial Districts, which are predominantly Muslims, have 15 Councils. But there are also about two Councils, within the Kaduna Central that are also predominantly Christians.

Although in the Southern Senatorial District, there are pockets of Muslims who are indigenous to the state, there are also substantial number of non-natives, who are equally Muslims, same, goes for the two other Senatorial Districts.

But while it is easier for Muslims to claim to have come from either the North or Central District of the state for the purpose of political benefits and patronage, it is always difficult for a Christian to claim either of the two Senatorial Districts, just as the Christians would also resist any attempt to allow a Muslim nominee to represent Kaduna South Senatorial District for the purpose of political patronage.

For instance, when Senator Nenadi Usman first signified her intention to run for the Senate, to represent Kaduna South Senatorial District, the mere fact that her husband is a Muslim, was used as campaign tool against her. Though a Christian, the people of the area believed that she was not likely to stand up and be counted when the need arises.

What however helped Nenadi’s election in 2011, was that the then serving Senator, who later defected to the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, had alienated himself from the people. Ironically, this was the same man the people had queued behind in 2007 against a more formidable Hassan Hyet, the then SSG, heavily backed by the then government.

However, for the Muslims in the state, it is always easy for them to navigate between North and Central Senatorial Districts of the state, for political gains.

Before Patrick Yakowa became governor in 2010, from 1999, there was a deliberate act of political balancing, whereby the SSG and Deputy Governor, will always come from Southern Kaduna. But when Yakowa, from Southern Kaduna became governor, he retained the SSG, from his area. He was however quick to correct it, after he won the election in 2011, by bringing on board Abdullahi Samaila Lawal Yakawada, a Muslim, the first Muslim to be so appointed since 1999, as SSG.

But following his death, Ramalan Yero, Yakowa’s deputy, who became governor, removed Yakawada, and brought in another Muslim, from the Zaria axis, as SSG, thus altering the political balancing act of the state, again.

el-Rufai’s case appears worse. Saturday Sun’s investigations revealed that he not only altered the political balancing act; he has continued to carry on, as if the Southern Kaduna area does not matter in his future political calculations.

For instance, while el-Rufai, from Zaria, is the governor, the SSG, Chief of Staff and the Head of Service are not only Muslims, but are all from Zaria. Also, out of 15 commissioners, only five are Christians from Southern Kaduna, the remaining 10 are all Muslims from either the Central or the Northern Senatorial districts. Again, in a minor cabinet reshuffle, el-Rufai removed a Veterinary Doctor, Manzo Daniel Maigairi, as Commissioner for Agric and Forestry and replaced him with Professor Kabiru Mato, a Political Scientist, a Muslim, from the Northern Senatorial district. Maigari, a Christian, from Southern Kaduna, is now Commissioner for Trade and Commerce.

Also, since coming on board of el-Rufai as governor, he has sent not less than five Southern Kaduna youths, including a traditional ruler to prison. “With all these, how do you expect the Southern Kaduna people not to scream? And the governor’s arrogant silence and arrogant explanations do not also help matters, most of the time,” a former government official, who is a Muslim, from the Central Senatorial district of the state, told Saturday Sun.

The Kaduna APC memo

Before the APC faction’s reaction to el-Rufai’s memo, the chairman, APC caucus in the state, Alhaji Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan , who had all along been on the side of el-Rufai, also fired a memo to the governor, once his memo to Buhari, became public knowledge.

In the memo, titled “OPEN MEMO TO GOVERNOR NASIR EL- RUFAI ON THE REPOSITIONING OF APC KADUNA STATE AND GOVERNANCE,” the APC caucus chairman said “The party is docile in its statutory duties and activities as a political party. No Excos, and Stakeholders’ Meetings from the Ward to State Levels.

“Most Stakeholders and members are feeling used and dumped and lack of consultations in decision making processes as it affects the party at the Local, State and National Levels.”

The party also complained of the governor’s long standing ally, Jimi Lawal, insisting that Lawal was not known to the APC in Kaduna state, as he was reaping from where he did not sow.

el-Rufai fires back

Efforts by Saturday Sun to get el-Rufai’s reaction, proved abortive, as two weeks after making contacts, and sending two mails to one of his media aides, he was yet to get back. However, one of the governor’s confidants spoke to Saturday Sun in confidence, just as el-Rufai, tried to address some of the issues in an interview he granted one of the northern-based Newspapers last week.

According to one of the close confidants of the governor, who spoke to Saturday Sun in confidence, “El-Rufai could not have leaked the memo to the President, because he handed over the memo to him, hand-to-hand. Those within the corridors of power, who are not happy with Kyari and Babachir Lawal, may have leaked the memo”, the governor’s confidant, declared.

On his part, el-Rufai, took the chairman of the party’s caucus to the cleaners, saying “I will talk about Jimmy Lawal. Those that said he did not contribute to our election are totally ignorant. He was a member of the CPC from 2010. He was in the presidential campaign council of President Buhari in the 2011 elections. After we lost the election and started the process of merger, he was in the renewal committee. He was a member of the APC Merger Committee under the chairmanship of Tom Ikimi, representing the CPC.

“The people who are making that claim are those from the PDP who joined the party after we had struggled and formed it. They don’t know the history. One of them is Tijjani Ramalan, who wrote and I responded to say: “When Jimmy was working for the CPC and was in the APC merger committee, you were in another party. That’s why you don’t know. The fact that you don’t know doesn’t mean you are right. If you don’t know you should ask.

“There are people who were not part of our campaign; they were not even members of our party, but we made them commissioners. We were looking for people like Dr. Ya’u Usman, who has a PhD in Physics and was a director in the Federal Civil Service. We were looking for somebody with those kinds of skills to be appointed as commissioner for environment. I did not see him until the day I swore him in as commissioner. We just looked at his curriculum vitae and appointed him. Government has to have a mix of that.

“What I observed in the Federal Government was that people who were in the PDP were brought in and given positions of responsibility that should have gone to longtime APC members with similar or even better skills. But those that were saddled with the task of recommending those to be appointed did not even know the history of the APC. These mistakes were made. This is what I wanted us to avoid because many longtime party members are complaining. If anybody says this is happening in Kaduna, I will say that it is just sour grapes. I picked people I knew could deliver”.

lalasticlala

DDeliverer:
I don't really know where to post this, but since it all started here, I think i should post it here in this section.
It all started after the "9ja has finished me" https://www.nairaland.com/3210525/nigeria-finished-me thread, 8-9months ago. 8-9months ago, I had nothing but a phone, a fine face and a degree in Biochemistry. No concrete plan, no job, no nothing.


Due to my jobless state I started spending plenty more time in the internet especially on Nairaland. It was on one of those 'lightless' nights that I created that thread. On that thread some guy asked me to reply his PM. On the average I get like 3-4 pms everyday, requests I generally ignore. But in that fateful day, I don't know what happened. I just replied him. It was the reply that changed my life. I replied sucess without realizing it (ALL OF YOU THAT IGNORE PMS, I SORRY FOR UNA).

After I replied, the man sent me a message about how the thread really touched him, how he laughed and cried at the same time while perusing the thread. I thanked him and went to bed. The next morning I woke up to another message. He wanted to discuss something and he needed my phone number. I gave it to him.

He called that morning and introduced himeslf as (name withheld) and that he would like us to have lunch, if it was okay by me. (OKAY BY ME? which kind question be that?) He told me to wait at a particular bus stop that his driver would pick me.

To cut the long story, He was opening a new company and he needed a young person to play a supervisory role. He wanted me to be his new director. I swear, tears dropped from my eyes. He asked if I was interested , I couldn't even talk, I could only nod ( because tears gather for my eyes). He brought out his cheque book, asked for my official name, scribbled something's, tore out the leaf and gave it to me. He asked if the money could cover for my wardrobe, transport and 3months salary, I almost broke my neck nodding. The money was more than enough.

Look at me, broke and hungry the previous night, few hours later, I was rich and I had a job that would make me more money. My case is truly different.

I feel it is only apopriate to pay my tithe to nairaland because I am who I am today because of nairaland. So I'd be giving 20 nairalanders 5k each this night.

God bless seun
God bless lalasticla.la
God bless nairaland

I love you all. Thanks.

Cc 9ja has finished me crew

Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos have discovered cocaine hidden inside the boxer shorts and luggage of a passenger.

Two suspected drug traffickers, jewellery and auto parts dealers have been apprehended in connection with unlawful importation of narcotics.

The suspects according to the Agency are Okonkwo Godwin, 57, an importer of jewellery found with cocaine in his boxer shorts and Nnaemeka David Chinedu, 37, an auto parts dealer who ingested 94 wraps of heroin.

This is one of the largest quantities of drugs ingested by a suspect at the Lagos airport lately.

NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Ahmadu Garba said that the suspects arrived from Brazil and Uganda with cocaine and heroin respectively.

“Two suspected drug traffickers are currently being interrogated for illegally importing narcotics into the country. Okonkwo Godwin was caught with one wrap of cocaine in his boxer shorts and another inside his bag all weighing 750 grammes.

He was arrested during the inward screening of passengers on a South African Airline flight from Brazil while Nnaemeka David Chinedu was arrested for ingesting ninety-four wraps of heroin weighing 1.595kg during the screening of passengers on Rwand Airline from Uganda” Ahmadu stated.

The 57 year old suspect, Okonkwo Godwin who hid a parcel of cocaine in his boxer shorts told narcotic investigators that he smuggled drugs because of his numerous financial problems.

“I am married with two children but I am in a terrible financial crisis. I used to import jewellery for sale at Trade Fair complex in Lagos and Onitsha main market. Things have changed so drastically that l even finds it difficult to feed my family.

This was what led me into drug trafficking. l was given two wraps of cocaine; one was hidden in my boxer shorts while the other was in my luggage. The agreement was for me to sell the drug and share the proceeds with my partner in Brazil,” Okonkwo stated.

Nnaemeka David Chinedu said that he swallowed 94 wraps of heroin for 450,000 naira out of desperation.

“I ingested drugs for N450, 000 naira because l was desperate. This is my first time of smuggling drugs. I have been selling auto parts in Lagos for the past 15 years but l must admit that things are very rough with me financially. I was paid to smuggle drugs from Uganda to make ends meet,” Nnaemeka explained.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) said that the Agency will continue to disappoint the plans of drug traffickers who wish to make money from drug trafficking.

In his words, “NDLEA is working very hard to intercept drugs at all entry points and also arrest every trafficker.

“Those who intend to enrich themselves with proceeds of drugs will end up in detention. The arrests so far made validate our resolve to address the problem of drug trafficking in the country”.

The suspects will soon be charged to court.

lalasticlala

A Nigerian soldier, Sunday Umaru, has been dragged before a Barkin-Ladi High Court in Plateau, for allegedly killing his lover, Charity Thomas, over a phone call.

Mr. Umaru, a married man, was a private in the Nigerian Army and on posting at the Special Task Force (STF), sector 7, Barkin-Ladi, at the time of the incident, on January 23, 2016.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the hearing, scheduled for March 30, could not hold due to the absence of Justice Samson Gang.

Mr. Umaru was first arraigned on July 14, 2016 on a one-count charge of culpable homicide.

He was accused of killing his lover Ms. Thomas by stabbing her with a knife in the stomach and slaughtering her thereafter. Mr. Umaru attacked the woman who had arrived from Kaduna to visit him.

According to the prosecutor, W.T Awe, of the Plateau State Ministry of Justice, the accused person committed the crime on January 23, 2016 in Barkin-Ladi.

Mr. Awe, during the arraignment, told the court that the Nigeria Army had court-martialed the accused, dismissed him after they found him guilty, and handed him over to the police for prosecution.

He said the accused person had told the police, in a confessional statement, that the deceased visited him sometime in January 2016, after which they had a misunderstanding which led to her death.

“In the statement, the accused alleged that the deceased used a kitchen knife to stab herself after which he (accused), removed the knife and `helped’ her to complete the act by slaughtering her,” Mr. Awe stated.

Mr. Awe further quoted the accused as saying that he was in the sitting room while Ms. Thomas was in the kitchen at about 7 p.m. when the woman’s phone rang and he picked the call.

The accused, in the statement, said that a man’s voice insisted on speaking with Ms. Thomas, but that he (accused) demanded to know who he (caller) was.

He claimed that instead of answering his inquiries, the voice rained insults on him.

Mr. Umaru, according to the statement, dropped the call, went to the kitchen and asked Ms. Thomas who the caller was, but the woman refused to provide answers to his questions, instead reminding Mr. Umaru that he was a married man.

The accused further claimed that Ms. Thomas, in a fit of anger, called off the relationship and declared that she was no more interested, especially since her parents had consistently warned her against the affair.

“Umaru said that he got angry and slapped her, which angered Charity, who quickly picked a knife and stabbed herself in the stomach,” Mr. Awe told the court.

The statement further indicated that Charity failed down thereafter, with the accused removing the knife from her stomach and slaughtering her “to complete the job she started”.

Mr. Umaru thereafter took her body outside, left it there and reported for duty at 8 p.m.
The prosecutor said the accused, from his duty point, went to see his family at the Maxwell Kobe Cantonment, Rukuba Barracks, after telling his boss that his wife wanted to see him over “a very pressing issue”.

“Charity’s lifeless body was found the next day by neighbours, while military men, who came to evacuate the body, trailed the blood marks to the accused person’s house.

“Friends of the accused also recognised the girl as Umaru’s lover, who was seen with him the previous day,” Mr. Awe told the court.

He said a team of military men, mobilised to go after the accused, arrested him at his home in the barracks, while in the company of his family.

According to Mr. Awe, the accused was court-martialed by the military and dismissed, after which he was handed over to the police for prosecution.

He said during investigation, police discovered several gory pictures and videos of the deceased that the accused took in his phone, immediately after the murder.
The accused has, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

NAN reports that at his first appearance in July 2016, Mr. Umaru’s counsel, David Adudu, prayed the court to grant his client bail, citing section 36(5) of the 1999 constitution which says that an accused is presumed innocent until otherwise proven.

Mr. Adudu had added that if the bail was granted, his client would neither jump bail nor interfere with police investigation.

Justice Samson Gang admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N200, 000 and two sureties in like sum.

Mr. Gang, who ordered that the sureties must reside within the jurisdiction of the court, said they must submit two copies of their recent passport photographs, copies of their national ID cards, GCE certificates and copies of their Rights of Occupancy.

He thereafter adjourned the matter to March 30, for hearing.

NAN reports that with the judge not available to hear the case, the matter was adjourned to May 25. (NAN)

The source said , “ We actually invited about four senior CBN officials on Wednesday but only two showed up. One of them told us that he was ill and asked us to reschedule the invitation.

A student of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye in Ogun State, Mr Olamijulo Mayowa Emmanuel who is in 300L has been declared missing after he left home on 27th march 2017 and has not been seen since then.

Mayowa, of the department of geophysics, was said to have boarded a bus from Ibadan, with the intention of going to Konigba junction, Ago Iwoye but all efforts to get through to him have been in vain.

It was revealed through the office of students affairs that he is a senator and constituency leader of the faculty of science in OOU.

And his father Mr Olamijulo said to our Reporter via a phone interview that he dropped him at Iwo road a popular park in Ibadan yesterday morning and they’ve not heard anything from him since then.

The concerned father then came to Ago Iwoye to complain today, “he said it has been confirmed that there was no accident on the road” so definitely something else must have prevented him from reaching home, he then solicit to the public to help contact him on *07031937092* if any lead is found.

A member of the House of Representatives, Nse Ekpenyong, was on Thursday arraigned at the Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for alleged forgery of a polytechnic diploma.

Mr. Ekpenyong represents the Oron Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State.

The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, which arraigned the federal lawmaker on nine count charges, accused him of forging a national diploma certificate of the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State.

“That you Nse Bassey Ekpenyong on or about 22 November 2012, at Uyo, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did make a document to wit: Abia State Polytechnic National Diploma Certificate in Business Administration with No. 001181 dated 22nd November, 2012 with intent that it may be acted upon as genuine which you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1 (2) (C) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M 17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) 2007 and punishable under section 1 (2) of the same Act,” says one of the charges preferred against the lawmaker.

Mr. Ekpenyong pleaded not guilty to the charges. And from the accused box, he watched as his lawyer, Emmanuel Isangedoho, argued for his bail which was opposed by the EFCC.

The lawmaker wore a brown colour Niger Delta wear. He cut the image of a dejected and lonely man. He occasionally brought out a white handkerchief to wipe his face.

The presiding judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu, said the case would be treated speedily.

She granted the lawmaker bail in the sum of N10 million and adjourned the case to April 12.

The EFCC was represented by Ahmedu Arogha.

The case is coming amid a controversy over the genuineness of the university certificate of a Nigerian senator, Dino Melaye.

Mr. Melaye, a former member of the House of Representatives, from Kogi State, was accused of falsely claiming to have graduated from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

On Tuesday, ABU vice chancellor told the Senate Mr. Melaye graduated from the school with a third class bachelors in geography.

A Senate committee cleared Mr. Melaye of wrongdoing, basing its decision on the VC’s testimony.

But the school’s position has been questioned, with some Nigerians demanding evidence beyond an oral testimony by the vice chancellor.

A seven-month-old baby allegedly raped by her step father one Magaji Dansade is in critical health condition at the Turai Umar Yaradua Maternity and Children Hospital,Katsina.

Dansade was said to have raped his step daughter last week in their matrimonial house at Dangaske Village in Musawa local government.

The victims biological father Ibrahim Nuhu said all I want for now is to save the life of my daughter and for justice to take its cause to serve as deterrent to others.

The suspect has since been arrested by the police and when contatcted the commands public relation officer Isa Gambo said the CP is expected to brief on the matter tomorrow.