₦airaland Forum

In 2009, when the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua travelled abroad for medical treatment, he refused to hand over power to former President Goodluck Jonathan, his deputy. As expected, this created a huge crisis, but what was to follow was nothing compared to the agitation for Jonathan to take over power.

The Save Nigeria Group (SNG) under the leadership of Tunde Bakare, fiery preacher, was in the forefront of the campaign for Jonathan to take charge.

The group, which was able to garner support from influential personalities in public space, staged rallies and a series of protests; the kitchen cabinet too wouldn’t not cave in easily: their message was simple, Yar’Adua could govern the country from anywhere.

“The powers of the president are not exercised territorially. Yar’Adua can exercise his powers anywhere in the world, on the plane, at the meeting of the United Nations or even on his sick bed, as long as he is not incapacitated by the sickness,” Michael Aondoakaa attorney-general had said at a press conference.

While Aondoakaa was theorising, the tenure of Idirs Kutigi as chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) was nearing its end, and Aloysius Katsina-Alu was ready to mount the saddle, but the only problem was that the man who had the constitutional authority to administer oath of office on Katsina-Alu was bedridden in faraway Saudi Arabia.

He was battling pericarditis, or so they made us believe, and a constitutional crisis was brewing.

“As the Vice-President, based on our laws, I do not have any powers to swear in the chief justice of Nigeria,” Jonathan had told those who wanted him to tinker with the idea.

The man, who eventually succeeded Yar’Adua did not stop there: “Ceremonial responsibilities and ceremonial functions are sometimes more serious than the real work we do. I do not have the powers to swear in the chief justice of the federation… The tradition has been there for 51 years. It is Mr President who swears in the chief justice.”

Jonathan was not just saying these things for the fun of it. He was not just talking, he had a confession, and of course this was after the issue had been resolved.

“I was worried that if we get to that Thursday and the chief justice of Nigeria is not sworn in, that means one arm of government has no leader and that would have been an invitation to chaos,” he had revealed.

“In fact, I even had to approach the former chief justice, that, ‘look, I have the powers to extend your period of stay in the office. Since I cannot swear in a new chief justice, can I extend your stay in office so that there will be no vacuum?’

“But he said it was not possible because the constitution says at the age of 70, he must go. But he promised he was going to re-examine the laws. I got back to my office; I was terribly worried within that period.”

Then came the solution: “Few days to the time, expiration of the tenure of the former CJN, the attorney-general came and showed me the act that says either the president or the chief justice of the federation can swear in the new chief justice of the federation. That law was there but nobody saw it.”

On December 30, 2009, Kutigi administered the oath on his successor, and trust Nigerians, this created conundrum among lawyers.

Rotimi Akeredolu, incumbent governor of Ondo state, who was then the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), had accused Kutigi of foisting two CJNs on the nation’.

Akeredolu said he was worried that the task which had been traditionally reserved for presidents was usurped by the retiring CJN.

“In my personal view, the swearing-in of the CJN is pure illegality. It is illegal because the country cannot have two CJNs at the same time. I was told that the outgoing CJN said in his speech that he is still the CJN till tomorrow (Thursday December 31); you can see the absurdity. It is unfortunate that the legal profession is letting itself into this illegality,” he had told reporters.

Well, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has just sworn in Walter Onnoghen as the substantive chief justice.

One must commend President Muhammadu Buhari for empowering his deputy to act. Otherwise, history would have repeated itself, and George Santayana, the Roman philosopher, who said: “Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it”, would have perhaps been laughing in derision.

lalasticlala

Treasuredlove:
Better pikin ngozi, u don proud me.
You have a legal marriage and then you marry another wife join, mumu-ism is not an excuse. Was he not told that he can't marry another wife till the wedding is dissolved in the court of law by the two willing parties? Yet so many men seem to disregard the law of marriage in Nigeria and even some women allow them get away with it. Marry another wife while you are legally married and you get jailed, simple.
Women are wising up
The rubbish man doesn't even know if he is the infertile one sed

From Emmanuel Uzor , Abakaliki


There was pandemonium yesterday when youths of Owutu Edda community in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State went on rampage over the shooting of a soldier in the community by policemen. In the melee, property worth millions of naira was destroyed.

Trouble started when officials of “Operation Safer Highway” of the police, at a police checkpoint along Nguzu Edda road, stopped a woman wearing a military cap on a motorcycle.

According to eyewitnesses, the woman had identified herself as the wife of a soldier, which angered one of the policemen at the checkpoint, who ordered her to call her husband before the cap could be released.

It was gathered that the woman made the call and her husband came to the scene only to be assaulted by the policemen, leading to more fisticuffs as the soldier resisted arrest by the policemen. In the process, one policeman shot him in the leg.

The youths, on hearing what happened to their soldier-brother, mobilised and attacked houses of all the policemen in the community, vandakising and burning household property.

Addressing the angry youths, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor David Umahi on Internal Security, Dr. Kenneth Ugballa, appealed to them to be calm, promising that government would look into the matter.

He condemned the shooting and assured them that the police authorities would investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to book.

Meanwhile, the victim, Ikechukwu Nnachi, is currently receiving treatment in a military hospital in Ohafia, Abia State.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has accused Christians of fueling rumours about President Muhammadu Buhari’s health on social media.

He said this during a Prayer Convocation for Nigeria on Mount Zion, Jerusalem, to conclude the 2016 pilgrimage.

Lawal accused Christians of criticizing Muslims for pursing their agenda instead of them to pursue their own agenda.

The SGF, in a statement issued by Head of Media, Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), warned Christians to desist from what he described as “pull him down syndrome.”

He said it was appalling to see Christians complain about the Federal Government despite occupying prominent positrons in the government.

The Executive Secretary of the NCPC, Rev. Tor Uja, pilgrims decided to hold a one-day prayer in Jerusalem for the restoration and perfection of President Buhari’s health.

Uja said having an honest man like Buhari to lead the country is an opportunity Nigerians should not miss.

He stressed that a nation like Nigeria with all the symbols of greatness could only be built to last by those who have been established on the enduring virtues of Christ.

He urged Christians to live up to their calling in Christ and lead by example in being strategic in their reasoning and planning.

“I feel sad that people come on pilgrimage and when they leave here, their character is even worse. I want you to make up your mind that you won’t deny Jesus Christ,” he said.

An estranged wife, Modupe Daisi, on Monday, told the Customary Court sitting in Aiyedun- Ekiti, that her husband, Sunday Owolabi, consented to her dating their farm labourer, only for him to accuse her of adultery.

The plaintiff was seeking an order of the court to retrieve the N50,000 receipt of the farmland she bought through her husband in 2009.

Modupe giving evidence before the court alleged that her husband had once told her labourer, one Ojo Folorunso, to feel free to have sex with her.

She said that her husband later turned around to accuse her of adultery

She said, “My husband had some time in the past told the man, who was assisting me on my farm, to feel free to date me.

“ My husband even showed Folorunso where he was operated on when he had a surgery.

“ My husband, then, said that he could no longer perform sexually as a result of the surgical operation he had.

“ In December 2016, I went to spend seven days working on our plantation.

“ On my return home, my husband began to threaten me that he would kill me with a machete.

“ He alleged that I went to enjoy myself with my labourer.”

The woman told the court that she divorced her husband 10 years ago , but they resettled two years after when the man came to plead with her.

The 75- year -old husband, Sunday Owolabi, who was absent in court on Monday, was, however , represented by his younger brother, Omoniyi Owolabi.

Omoniyi told the court that his elder brother’ s absence was due to an illness.

He said that the defendant chased out his wife because she was alleged to have eloped with her farm labourer.

The president of the customary court, Mrs Yemisi Ojo , in her ruling, ordered that a search warrant be sent to Sunday’s house.

Ojo said the search warrant should retrieve some of the property the woman claimed she could not pack along with her while leaving her matrimonial home.

The president also ordered that the plaintiff should bring a witness to the court that would affirm her claim of paying for the farmland in contention.

She then adjourned the case to March 27 for the continuation of hearing.
( NAN)

Outspoken Senior Pastor of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, is now enmeshed in a controversy over an alleged failed marriage proposal to a Canada-based Nigerian lady.

The lady, an artist, Miss Stephanie Otobo, is demanding N500 million from Apostle Suleman as damages for breach of promise to marry her. But when contacted, Apostle Suleman told New Telegraph that it was a blackmail.

In a letter of March 3, addressed to the pastor from the chambers of Stephanie’s lawyer, Festus Keyamo, it was claimed that the lady started a relationship with Apostle Suleman sometimes in June 2015 in Canada after the pastor told her he had formally divorced his wife.

Apostle Suleman was said to have invited the lady from Canada to Europe where “he always slept with her all night after church programmes, at a time she was the one who normally sent the topic of the pastor’s sermon and the song to be rendered”.

It was further claimed that Stephanie was later invited by the pastor to his church in Nigeria where he begged her to get pregnant for him because he wanted more male children.

The letter reads in part: “Our client later got pregnant for you and at that time you formally proposed marriage to her which she accepted. “In furtherance to the said marriage proposal, you went to our client’s family with drinks and gifts for an introduction.

At the introduction, in which our client’s mother, sister, uncle, cousins and other family members were in attendance, you informed them of your intention to marry our client as your wife.

“You also made our client to forfeit her house, cars, friends and other things in Canada as you promised to get a house for her in Nigeria and make her comfortable.

“Despite the foregoing, you finally called it quit with our client and has resorted to threatening her life through different persons and agencies.”

The pastor was given a week to make the payment failure which a legal action would be instituted against him. Keyamo also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, seeking the immediate release of his client whom he claimed was arrested by the police at the instance of Apostle Suleman.

In the petition dated March 4, Stephanie was said to have been arrested inside a banking hall by the police on March 3, at the “behest of Apostle Suleman on a trumped up allegation of fraud and related offences”.
But in his reaction to the allegations, the pastor said Stephanie was only out to exploit and blackmail him.

WhiteSoup:
I does not even knows what people gains from washing this show. I think the battle life have been draw between Kemen andTboss

Alexander Okere, Benin

A man , suspected to be a cable thief, has been reportedly electrocuted at Faith Street , off Owena road, in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State .

The deceased , identified as one Omoivie, was said to have died while attempting to steal some electric cables at a high voltage distribution system belonging to the Benin Electricity Distribution Company in the area.

It was also learnt that the BEDC was yet to connect the area to the HVDS.

A source in the area said that the corpse of the victim was sighted near some mini transformers with a pliers by his side on Thursday morning.

According to the source , the cable thief may have been killed between 2a.m and 3a.m due to the fluctuation of power experienced during the period .

Some sympathisers who were at the scene said that the deceased was recently released from prison , after spending many months awaiting trial for cable theft .

He was also said to be the eldest son of his family.

However, some residents alleged that the deceased may have been a serial thief as many cables connected to the HVDS in the area had been stolen since they had not been electrified for public use.

A landlord in the area , Okhuorabo Isaac , said , “ We always bought cables for our transformers and they were stolen in this area. ”

Another resident, Believe Ovamwanta, said , “ There was electricity when the incident happened . The boy was killed because of induction of the wires . ”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Nkombe , could not be reached for comments.

But the Public Relations Officer of the distribution company , Tayo Adekunle, confirmed the incident adding that investigation had commenced.

The Spanish Government has appointed a Minister of Sex in order to boost the nation’s declining population.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy confirmed Edelmira Barreira as the country’s top sex official.

With this move, the government hopes to boost Spain’s falling birth rate, which is one of the lowest in the developed world.

The Spanish government revealed that the move is aimed at getting Spaniards produce more babies.

Experts have however attributed the decline in birth rate among Spaniards to long working hours and the culture of eating late at night.

Spain in recent years has recorded declining birth rates which according to reports places it among developing countries with the lowest index.

By Ismail Mudashir

The Auditor-General’s report has exposed a N2 billion financial scandal in the National Assembly expenditure, according to document seen by Daily Trust.

The revelation came at a time the National Assembly has been under increasing pressure to make its budget expenditure open.

Details of the lawmakers’ annual budget of over $100 billion have been shrouded in secrecy since 2010.

The AGF’s annual report, exclusively obtained by our correspondent, said the illegalities were perpetrated in 13 transactions.

The transactions involved both chambers of the National Assembly, the Management as well as the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), and the National Institute for Legislative Studies (NILS).

The report said House incurred the highest infraction of N1.1 billon followed by Management, N347.8 million; NILS, N246.5 milliion; the Senate N205.7 million; legislative aides N70 million and NASC,N30 million.

The annual report for 31st December 2015 was laid on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday by the Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki referred it to the Senate Committee on Public Accounts for further legislative actions. The committee was given four weeks to look into the matter.

At the House, the Auditor-General observed that contracts for the purchase of 48 Units of Utility Vehicles were awarded to three contractors at N624 million.

The report stated that, “records however showed that the supply of 14 Units of these motor vehicles were not made. The Clerk has been informed and has been requested to recover monies paid for the outstanding 14 vehicles and forward the recovery particulars for audit verification.”

Also at the House, the Auditor-General said 50 cash advances amounting to N499.6 million were granted to staff to carry out various assignments.

“However, as at the time of writing this report in August, 2016, more than a year after, the advances are yet to be retired.
“Some of the vouchers were granted multiple advances without retiring the previous ones in violation of the Financial Regulations which provides that no new advance should be granted, if the previous ones had not been retired” it stated.

The report said that the Clerk of the National Assembly had been requested to recover the advances from the affected officers and furnish the Auditor-General with the recovery particulars for audit verification.

For the Senate, the Auditor-General’s report said N186million meant for the payment of Motor Vehicle Loan which was paid into a Commercial Bank Account as indicated in the mandate was misapplied for other purposes such as organizing Senate Retreat and Pre-Valedictory Session of the 7th Senate.

This action, according to the report, violates the provision of Financial Regulations 417 which states that, “Votes must be applied only to the purpose for which money is provided. Expenditure incorrectly charged to a Vote shall be disallowed”.

The Clerk of the National Assembly has been notified and requested to explain reasons for the Violation of extant rule. He was also asked to recover the fund and forward the particulars for audit verification.

Still on the Senate, it was observed that Bank Charges amounting to N15.9 million were charged for the period July to December, 2015.

“This is contrary to the provisions of e-Payment Circular Ref no. TRY/A8/88/2008 which requires that individual benefits and claims should be effected through their personal Bank accounts. Financial Regulations 734 also provides that ‘’ No Government Organization or Agency shall place government funds in any Commercial Bank that will charge any commission on transactions “.

The Clark has been asked to recover the amount and furnish the Auditor-General with the recovery particulars for audit verification.

In the Management accounts, the Auditor-General said the personnel Account was overdrawn in two instances, and this attracted a penalty amounting to N8.8 million in violation of the provisions of Financial Regulations 710 which states that “No Government Bank Account shall be overdrawn or any temporary advance obtained from a bank and any bank charges incurred shall be recovered from the Accounting officer.”

The Clerk has been requested to pay back the money and furnish the Auditor-General with the payment particulars for audit verification.

It also observed that account payment vouchers amounting to N115.9 million paid by the Management within the first 6 (Six) months of the financial year 2015, were not produced for audit examination.

“Therefore, I cannot attest to them as proper charges against public funds. The Clerk of the National Assembly has been requested to produce the vouchers or recover the total sum under reference, and the particulars forwarded for audit verification,” it reads.

It was further observed that Cash Advances totalling N158million granted to members of staff in 17 instances between the months of January and June 2015 are yet to be retired at the time of writing this report in the month of August 2016, (more than a year after payments) in flagrant disregard of extant regulations which stipulate that all advances should be retired/accounted for, immediately after the completion of the assignment for which funds were granted.

The Clerk has been communicated that the defaulters should be sanctioned in line with the provision of Financial Regulation.

During the Audit of National Assembly Budget & Research Office (NABRO) account, financial scandal of N66million was observed. It said there was Vital/relevant supporting documents.

The Audit of the Personnel Accounts of the Legislative Aides revealed that a total sum of N78.5million was expended on the payment of Overtime/Special Allowances to officials who are not Legislative Aides, in the months of November and December 2015.

“This payment found to be irregular has been brought to the attention of the Clerk of the National Assembly. He should produce the enabling authority, otherwise he should return the sum of N70, 560,000.00 to Government Treasury and furnish Auditor-General with the recovery particulars for verification,” the report stated.

In case of the National Assembly Service Commission, an amount totalling N17million was deducted from four months’ salaries by the commission in the year 2015 as PAYE (Pay As You Earn) and claimed to have been remitted to the Federal inland Revenue Services without any evidence of payment to FIRS.

“If evidence cannot be produced, then they said amount should be recovered and paid back to FlRS (and) furnish the Auditor-General with payment particulars for verification.”

At the NILS, it was observed that despite the prohibition of payments by cheque by the Federal government, except in extreme cases, the institute used cheque to make payment for transactions amounting to N246 million.

This act, according to the report contravenes the provisions of Financial Regulation 631 which says all payment shall be made through electronic payment.

lalasticlala

A former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Godknows Igali, has forfeited 47 SUV cars to Federal government, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said.

The information is contained in a report by EFCC which the anti-graft agency submitted to Senate Committee on Financial Crimes and Anti-corruption.

The report said that the cars were seized in Utako, Abuja residence of the former Permanent Secretary.

Igali is currently undergoing investigation by EFCC over alleged corruption.

Meanwhile, Senate Wednesday kicked against donation of building and furniture to EFCC by unnamed state governor.
The upper chamber said that such donation has the capacity hamper the war against corruption in the country.

Senator Dino Melaye who spoke at a budget defence session with the EFCC expressed dissatisfaction with a situation where governors are donating money to the anti-graft agency.

Melaye, (Kogi West) insisted such development would tamper the independence of the EFCC.

The committee demanded for review of the contract details of EFCC building which is put at N26 billion against the initial N18.8 billion awarded to Julius Berger.

The committee wondered how a contract awarded at N18.8 billion will be increased to N24 billion and later a request of additional N2 billion for power plant and sewage.

It asked how a 10-storey building will be awarded without sewage and power plant from when the contract began.

The Chairman of the committee, Senator Chukwuka Utazi said the signing of the contract was against the advice given by the Bureau of Public Procurement.

Utazi noted that considering what was going with the EFCC building, there was need for Julius Berger management to appear before the committee.

He also said that the consultant that advised the EFCC to go against the advice of BPP on the contract should appear before the committee.

There was drama Wednesday at the screening of an 82 year old ambassadorial nominee, Justice Sylvanus Nsofor, by the Senate committee on Foreign Affairs.

The ambassadorial nominee vehemently refused to recite the National Anthem as requested by the committee.

Members of the committee were left speechless as Justice Nsofor (rtd) argued with them.

The name of the 82 year old nominee was forwarded to the Senate for screening and confirmation by President Muhammadu Buhari.

A member of the committee, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East), asked Justice Nsofor a couple of questions which included to recite the National Anthem.

Apparently exhausted by the argument of the nominee and his seeming determination not to recite the anthem, the committee asked Nsofor to take a bow and go.

Justice Sylvanus A Nsofor, a nominee from Imo State, was born on March 17, 1935 in Oguta, Imo State.

He was a one-time Judge of the High Court of Nigeria, Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Lecturer in Law, Holborn College of Law, London.

It is not yet clear whether the committee will recommend the confirmation of Justice Nsofor.

Another ambassadorial nominee, Mr. Adeyinka Olatokunbo Asekun, unlike Nsofor answered all the questions posed to him by members of the committee.

Asekun’s name was forwarded to the Senate by the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo for confirmation for ambassadorial posting.

On how Nigeria could strengthen the Naira through its foreign exchange policy, Asekun advised the Gederal Government to embark on rebuilding the country’s export structure in the various countries.

Mr. Asekun, who had a stint as a retail banker, was educated at the Wisconsin University and California State University, both in the United States of America.

By Mulikatu Mukaila



The Social Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration has arrested 55 commercial sex workers during an operation recently.

City News gathered that the operation, which was carried out between 1.00a.m. to 5.00a.m. on Thursday, was part of a ministerial directive to relevant agencies in the city management to purge the city of unwholesome activities.

While speaking on the development, the Acting Secretary of Social Development Secretariat, Mrs. Adebola Elegbede, decried the high number of commercial sex workers in the Federal Capital Territory, stressing that it was not surprising that the FCT is rated highest in Nigeria with HIV/AIDs prevalence.

Elegbede who called on women of easy virtue to engage themselves in meaningful ventures, also used the occasion to pledge the readiness of the FCT Administration to train repentant commercial sex workers in various entrepreneurial skills.

She, however, warned that a mobile court has been set up to prosecute those who are not willing to change from their old habit, just as she called on the menfolk to stop patronising commercial sex workers in their own interest.

“Since we carried out a major demolition in Apo where teenage prostitution was perpetuated, the Social Development Secretariat decided to focus on some major spots within the city centre.

“Those of them who are willing to turn a new leaf will be rehabilitated in our Rehabilitation Centre in Lugbe and offer them training in various entrepreneurial skills. At the end of such training, we will counsel them and a starter pack will be given to them to set up some small scale businesses that will dignify them as women.

“It is heartbreaking that a woman will offer her body for money in the name of poverty. It is unacceptable and we at the Social Development Secretariat will continue to do our best to rid Abuja of such nuisance.

“It is regrettable that well-placed Nigerians are calling me to release their clients instead of joining hands with the secretariat to battle this menace.

“My mobile phone is inundated with calls not to prosecute those arrested. I am not surprised that Abuja is rated highest in HIV/AIDS prevalence in the country,” Elegbede said.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo says the nation's elite, especially politicians and clerics, are corrupt because they have decided that wealth as a measure of worth.

The acting president said this at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday while inaugurating the Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) for Sustainable Development Goals.

"We've decided, as elite in this country, that wealth is a measure of worth. It is a decision we've made consciously or unconsciously. The political elite have decided that wealth is a measure of worth and that is why you find so much corruption among the political elite. Even the religious elite believe that it is a blessing of God," he said

He said he had always believed that the Nigerian political, business and religious elite have a responsibility to "do something for our society which will affect it fundamentally."

Osinbajo explained that everywhere in the world, it was that elite that had always made a difference in the societies as they were the ones responsible for transformation.

He noted that many of the societies that had been truly transformed had done so because their elite decided it was necessary to do so.

"Sometimes, when you look at our situation, you think that it's necessary to force the political and private sector elite together to do something. But the truth is that whether or not we recognise it formally, they're doing things together whether it is for good or ill. The important thing is to recognise that we have an important role to play," he stated.

According to the acting president, in some other climes, human beings' value is in their contributions to the society.

"Those societies, of course, have done better than those who have decided that wealth, no matter how it was obtained, is a measure of worth. I think it's important if our elite decide that dealing with poverty is worth the while and that it'll measure whether or not we're serious about our society.

"There is an enormous responsibility placed upon us as elite to do something about the millions of the extremely poor in our midst. It is a responsibility that we cannot take lightly at all. This is how we are going to be measured. At the end of our lives, the question that will be asked is what is the impact that we made on people's lives", he added.

lalasticlala

Since the announcement that her wedding has hit the rocks actress Tonto Dikeh and ex-wife of philanthropist Olakunle Churchill has gone to the press with a number of stories, with the latest being that her ex-husband infected her with sexually transmitted diseases and, that all the cars she bought in the course of their wedding were bought by her.

The Port Harcourt-born actress also disclosed that she had used her “connections” to get the family going a number of times, because, her ex-hubby according to her, had nothing.

However, an amused source within the family has replied her, howbeit indirectly.

According to this source who would rather remain unnamed, as many who would expect Churchill to respond would be disappointed, because “he really has no time for all these tale-telling. However, I can tell you one thing: he is far from surprised.

“How would she say she bought him all the vehicles they were driving? That is not possible. In fact, I was with Churchill this morning and he showed the keys to and all the receipts of the cars. If she really did buy them she should have taken the keys and receipts when she was leaving.

“You see, everything began when she had a disagreement with his mother and pushed her. When he returned, she was wondering how he would react to that. But he kept his cool and left the house, instead of getting into squabble with her. It was one of the things that made her uneasy. These things did not happen in one day,” repeated the source.

The source continued that claims by the actress that her ex-husband is gay have not held, either.

“As for that claim, she got one of her fruit cakes, one Uche Maduagwu, to make that video on Youtube, in which he alleged that Churchill had something to do with Bobrisky and SwankyJerry, but the post was hurriedly removed, with Maduagwu claiming that his account was hacked.

“The blogs and websites that took on the news hurriedly brought it down, because they were scared of being sued.‎

“No one knows why she is doing what she is doing. Maybe, she is using their son as bait and as a means to get sympathy from the people on social media.

“As for the foundation, she wanted both foundations to be merged, but bearing the name of her foundation. That was why, last year, after the Big Church Foundation had organized its work, the Tonto Dikeh Foundation organized its own.

“She did that, because she wanted the NGOs to be joined together and handed over to her, so that she can use her celebrity status and run the whole show.

Churchill, on the other hand, was passionate about the whole thing, as a way to help the masses and did not want it to be hijacked by someone who just wanted it for show.

“It is a known fact that she latched onto her hubby’s connections to float and finance the Tonto Dikeh Foundation, even though she claims it is the other way round [which is a lie, by the way],” said the source to LEADERSHIP.

“When things came to a point that I could not condone, she boasted that she would use her overwhelming influence on social media to drag my name in the mud, then rubbish my foundation. That is what she is all about right now.

“And, as for her claims that I beat her, I never laid a damn finger on her; not one day, even for a second,” said Churchill.

A source, close to the family squealed to LEADERSHIP that: “Many times she would smoke her weed and begin to misbehave, breaking things in the house for as much as two hours,” said the source, who explained that a blogger and one of the actress’ friends, Adeola Olonilua, was recently arrested by Churchill for abusing him and publishing false information about him on her blog.

lalasticlala

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has pumped fresh $180 million into the foreign exchange market, in its bid to solve the problem of forex scarcity, bedevilling Nigeria’s business environment.

The apex bank injected $80 million for personal travel allowance (PTA), school fees, and medical trips abroad, while another $100 million was sent into the system via banks for wholesale forwards market.

In a statement signed by Isaac Okorafor, the bank’s spokesperson, the CBN said its commitment to providing enough forex for legitimate business remains unshaken, reiterating that it would do everything possible to ensure the steady supply of forex to the market.

Within the last week, the naira appreciated drastically, following the CBN intervention at the interbank market.

A bureau de change operator told TheCable that the market is expecting the naira to settle around 385 per dollar, in the coming days.

The CBN had maintained that much of the dollar demand had been a bubble created by speculators and hoarders of the greenback.

On a radio programme on Monday the apex bank had warned market players and keepers of dollars to make hay and sell their holdings in order to avoid heavy losses.

lalasticlala

An estranged wife, Sola Bamisile, 30, on Monday told an Ikole Ekiti Customary Court that she could no longer bear her husband’s strong sexual urge.

The petitioner alleged that her husband, Bayo Bamisile, constantly beat her whenever she refused him sex.

Sola told the court that within five and a half years of their marriage she had given birth to four children.

She also alleged that the respondent failed to care for her and the children.

According to her, none of the children is in school.

“I always quarrel with my husband because none of our children is in school; there is no proper care for me and the children.

“My husband is always concerned about having sex with me whenever he has taken palm-wine.

“He has not even paid my dowry,’’ she said.

The petitioner, however, told the court that her husband and his family members had been reaching out to her to reconsider her divorce move.

“My husband and his family have been coming to me to change my mind about the divorce.

“He has also written a letter of undertaking to be of good behaviour,’’ she said.

The petitioner tendered the letter of undertaking in court as exhibit.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the letter was admitted by the court.

The respondent denied the allegation of constantly fighting his wife and failing to take care of his family.

He however admitted not paying the dowry.

The president of the court, Mrs Yemisi Ojo, ruled that the plaintiff should monitor the respondent’s behaviour for three months to ascertain if he had changed.

She also ordered that the man should enrol his children in school before the next adjourned date.

Ojo adjourned the case to May 8 for report of settlement. (NAN)

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday said more than 25 of its staff members were receiving medical attention as a result of attacks suffered during Saturday’s supplementary election in Etche local government area of Rivers state.

In an interview with NAN in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Aniedi Ikoiwak, resident electoral commissioner (REC) blamed the attacks on the people of Rivers.

He said one of the victims just regained consciousness on Sunday.

“This is one area that Nigerians should ask questions: over 25 INEC staff members are in hospital today because the people of Rivers state decided to either kill or wound them,” he said.

“They were all beaten up because they went to those villages to conduct an election.

“Let the people of Rivers state tell us the offence any of them committed. What did they do? They were bringing materials for the election; they decided to descend on them, beat them up, collect their personal belongings and run away.”

Ikoiwak noted that the victims were on official duty and needed a peaceful environment to achieve success.
He called on Nigerians to condemn the alleged attack.

“It is very sad. None of them was beaten up in his home but where they went to conduct an election,” he said.

“Why shouldn’t Nigerians discuss that? Why should people sent to conduct an election be beaten up and their belongings taken away from them?”

But Nyesom Wike, governor of the state, has described the election as one of the most peaceful in the history of the state.

Speaking at a church service in Port Harcourt, Wike commended security operatives for the role they played in the exercise.

“For the first time, I want to commend the security operatives in the state. If they have been doing this way, we wouldn’t have been having problems in this state,” he said.

“This is the first election I have seen in my life, since this government came, that you don’t see too much involvement of security operatives and that is why nobody has died, that’s why the election went on peacefully.

“I told the opposition party, because security is not interfering, that’s why you can’t get one seat. If they were carrying [electoral] materials as they used to do before, they would have allocated some seats.

“So, I want to commend them.”
About 700 staff members of INEC were mobilised for the supplementary legislative election in Etche.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) had withdrawn from assisting INEC in the election due to security issues.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged victorious in the exercise.

Igbeaku Orji

Police in Abia State have arrested three suspected armed robbers, Chinedu Nwachukwu (gang member) Michael Ukpai (criminal receiver) and Ngozi Emmanuel (a female amourer). Parading the suspects, among others arrested for various offences, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Leye Oyebade, said on February 2, “about 2030hrs, a report was received from the duo of Onyebuchi John and Joy Igwe, both of 35 Ibenekwu Street and 64 Emonye Street all in Aba respectively, that they were attacked in their residence by a gang of three armed men”.

Oyebade added that the hoodlums made away with the GSM phones of their victims and other valuables after shooting them in the legs.

He said: “The prompt response of Ndiegoro police to the scene led to the arrest of one of the hoodlums, Uche Echela, with a bullet wound.

His arrest led to the subsequent arrest of Chinedu Nwachukwu, Michael Ukpai and Ngozi Emmanuel.” The commissioner said that a suspected stolen blackberry phone was recovered from Ukpai while seven SIM cards of different networks as well as one Techno phone were recovered from Nwachukwu.

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A 36-year old woman Angela Unachukwu has been arrested and charged before a Lagos court after she jumped a high fence to escape after she duped some members of a Catholic Church in Ijegun, a suburb of Lagos.

However, she was pursued and arrested and taken to station where she confessed.

Unachukwu, who hailed from Mbaitoli and married to an Mbaise, Imo State husband, went to St Vincent The Poor Society of St Joachim and Ann Catholic Church in Ijegun area of Lagos and defrauded some members of the church’s society of over N1 million.

Some of the victims are Chinedu Ezeonyi, Mrs Oluchkwu Onwuachumba, Victoria Ogunshakin and others.

P.M.EXPRESS gathered that Unachukwu moved into Ijegun area and joined the society and lied to members that her house was gutted by fire which drew sympathy from the members.

She then approached some members including their leaders and solicited for financial assistance to transact a business and later returned their money.

One of the victims, Chinedu Ezeonyi reportedly gave her N400,000 while others also helped her with promise that she will returned the money in three days.

On the day she was to refund the money, she reportedly forged bank deposit slip stamped with Access Bank Plc official stamp and sent to Ezeonyi as a prove that she had paid the money into her account.

When Ezeonyi went to the bank to confirm the transaction, she was told that there was no such transaction.

However, when the victims got the wind that she had parked her load and about to run away with their money, they went after her.

When some of the victims got to her house, she jumped the house fence and attempted to escape and she was pursued and apprehended.

Unachukwu was later brought to Isolo Magistrate’s court and charged with fraud and criminal conversion under the Criminal Code.

When she was arraigned, she pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Magistrate, Mrs A.K. Shonubi granted her bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.

She was remanded in prison custody pending when she will perfect her bail.

The matter was adjourned till 9 March 2017.

Wole Shadare

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have discovered 6.158kg of heroin abandoned at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.

The consignment, which originated from Pakistan, was left unclaimed on the conveyor belt at the arrival hall during the inward screening of passengers on an Etihad Airways flight.

Two suspected drug traffickers were also apprehended at the airport while attempting to smuggle 2.035kg of cocaine concealed in cassava flour to Nairobi, Kenya and 2.485kg of cannabis to Qatar.

NDLEA commander at the airport, Ahmadu Garba said that the abandoned heroin was hidden inside a bag of clothes.

“Officers detected 6.158kg of heroin hidden amidst clothes in the abandoned luggage.

Oluwasheto Abiodun, a 39-year-old electrician, was found in possession of 2.035kg of cocaine while Ibe Divine, a 33-year-old welder, was caught with 2.485kg of cannabis. Both cases are currently under investigation,” he stated.

Abiodun told officials that he was asked to send the drug to Nairobi by his childhood friend.

“I am an electrician based in Lagos. My childhood friend asked me to buy perfumes, sun glasses and shirts for him. After I bought the items, he then called that somebody will give me cassava flour to add and send to Nairobi in Kenya.

“However, during search operation at the airport, two parcels of cocaine weighing 2.035 were hidden inside the flour. This was what led to my arrest. I was only given the sum of N300,000 to buy the items, but my action has led me into detention,” Abiodun, who is a single parent, lamented.

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By Msue Aza

Some girls suspected to be students have found a juicy business in a newly opened hotel name (withheld) in Sabon Tasha, a suburb in Kaduna city where they dance naked for money to entertain people.

LEADERSHIP investigations revealed that, the girls in their early twenties have been hired by a new big hotel located along Post Office Road,Sabon Tasha to dance without cloth covering their body for 20,000 naira per one night performance.

Our correspondent who visited the newly opened hotel on a facts finding mission observed that, boys less than twenty years of age are not allowed to enter the naked room, while an adult pays N2,000 as entrance fee.

It noticed that,the hotel has become hot spot and side of attraction where married and single men trooped in the night to catch fun and reduce stress after hectic day work.
It further observed that,a bottle of beer in other ordinary sitting rooms attracts normal price,although beers in the naked dancing room are expensive as some brands go for N1,000 per bottle,while others cost N500.

One of the regular customers who gave his name as Step John, said he patronised the hotel to reduce stress and forget about the recession: “This hotel is like a therapy. I don’t miss the hotel especially Friday and Saturday club. Even if I am sick this place we cure me. Those naked dancers,i don’t know where they are from but I heard that some are from Ghana and others are from different parts of Nigeria. From the looks of things some are students of higher institutions”.

Aloe James, one of the Security guards of the hotel, said the management paid heavily to nake ladies, “Our management paid them very well. It seems some of the dancers are students. They are not from Kaduna State but they do come every Fridays till
Sunday before going back.

On Friday,if you come after 9pm you can’t get seat inside the room except outside. People complained about recession but my brother no recession here in the night.

People spend money here like sand. If there are enough customers who come and watch the naked dance, they pay each 20,000 and above,” he said.

However, the management of the hotel declined comment after several attempts.

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

A top minister with The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Ikosi Parish, Ketu district, Pastor Jamiu Ishola Kolawole has been arrested and charged before a Lagos court for allegedly defrauded one of his tenants, Dr Emeka Ugwunze to the tune of N9 million in Lagos.

The incident happened at 2 Gbagada Road, Gbagada, Lagos where Ugwunze rented an apartment on a two-storey building owned by Kolawole.

The defendant is now facing Criminal charge of obtaining money under false pretence and stealing before Isolo Magistrate’s court presided by Mrs O.A. Adedayo.

The 57-year old Kolawole, who was once deported from abroad, approached his tenant, Dr Ugwunze and asked him to pay seven years rent arrears because he was facing financial challenges due to his deportation.

P.M.EXPRESS learnt that about one month later, he approached Ugwunze again and informed him that he had hectares of land in his Ikorodu hometown and he needed money to perfect the land documentation so that he would sell part of the land and use the rest to build houses on the remaining.

Kolawole then told his tenant that he wanted to sell his two-storey building, and use the money to process the Ikorodu land document at the Lagos State Land Bureau .

He explained to the victim that he did not want to sell the house to another person because he had assisted him in the past.

And to prove how serious and commited, Kolawole handed over to Ugwunze all the house documents to prove to him he actually wanted to sell the house.

During the court proceedings, Kolawole admitted that Ugwunze paid him the total sum of N9 million out of the N20 million they agreed with further agreement that he would pay the balance at a further date.

However, after obtaining the initial money, he then disappeared and refused to sign deed of transfer to Ugwunze.

When it was time to balance him the remaining N11 million, Kolawole said he had changed his mind as his family advised him against selling the house.

When Ugwunze requested that the suspect should refund the initial N9 million paid to him, it was then he allegedly started dribbling Ugwunze for almost seven years now.

The scam was reported to the Special Fraud Unit and Kolawole was arrested and charged to court.

He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in prison custody pending when he will perfect the bail condition.

During the trial, Kolawole admitted that he actually obtained the money and wanted to sell the house but reneged when Ugwunze defaulted by not paying the balance.

He also told the court that he actually handed the house documents and was unable to return the litigant’s money because he took him to court.

The matter was adjourned till 11 April for cross examination and continuation of trial.

A house wife resident in Wadata area of Makurdi is currently under investigation by the Benue State Police Command for allegedly killing her three-year-old step daughter.

Witnesses said yesterday that the lifeless body of Khadija Abdulrahman, the three-year-old who went missing on Tuesday was found yesterday in an uncompleted building around Wadata. It was learnt that family members and neighbours made several efforts to find the child whose mother was divorced from the father earlier but to no avail.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moses Yamu, who confirmed the recovery of the deceased baby girl in an uncompleted building near River Benue, added that a woman was arrested on suspicion and that investigation had begun to determine whether or not she was responsible for the killing of the baby.

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