The gunman who carried out the Parkland school shooting has been formally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Nikolas Cruz, who killed 17 people on February 14, 2018, formally received a sentence of life without parole on Wednesday, November 2, after families of his 17 slain victims spent two days berating him.
Judge Elizabeth Scherer sentenced him to 17 life terms for the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in suburban Fort Lauderdale.
Additionally, Scherer imposed a sentence of life in prison with a minimum of 20 years to serve on 14 of the 17 counts of attempted murder, and life without the possibility of parole for the remaining three counts of attempted murder. All counts are to run consecutively, the judge ruled.
The jury in Cruzs three-month penalty trial voted 9-3 on October 13 to sentence him to death, but Florida law requires unanimity for that sentence to be imposed.
Cruz acknowledged under questioning by the judge before sentencing that he is on medication but could understand what was occurring.
The sentencing came after two days of victim impact testimony in which parents, wives, siblings, and other relatives of slain victims and some of the surviving wounded walked to a lectern to address Cruz face to face.
The judge commended the families and wounded who testified, calling them strong, graceful, and patient.
During their impact statements, many family members criticized the law requiring jury unanimity for a death sentence. The families expressed their anger that will not be put to death.
Ifafunke Oketoyinbo Iyaosun, an Ifa priestess and Olokun goddess, has revealed some reasons responsible for the death of Ifeanyi, son of Nigerian singer, Davido.
The Ifa priestess said the deceased might be a spiritual child who is against a loud celebration.
In an online viral video, she said Davido and Chioma should have carried out a spiritual enquiry before celebrating Ifeanyi’s third birthday. She also noted that certain careless words from Chioma when she separated from Davido could have been responsible for Ifeanyi’s death.
She wrote;
“My condolence goes to Davido and Chioma; what happened isn’t what any parent would ever pray for. When this happened, I decided to find out what could be responsible. First, Ifeanyi just celebrated his third birthday, and this is where we come to play. This is why people should embark on terrestrial inquiry before celebrating children; embark on spiritual findings before celebrating a child; you don’t know if the child is from the mermaid world and doesn’t want a loud celebration. This is because this child had picked his day, which is after his third birthday. You can see that he died through water a few days after his third birthday.”
“Secondly, women should be careful of what they say; it could be that Chioma vowed that she would not reap from Ifeanyi if she returned to Davido when they separated. And when they reunited, this problem came. Thirdly, Davido is about to clock 30, and we don’t know what spiritual vow he made to attain fame. He may have vowed to renew his life with his first son because he is a glorious child and may also be a mermaid child.”
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) Northeast Zonal Secretary and state House of Assembly aspirant, Yusuf Sheriff Modu, popularly known as Sheriff Banki, has dumped the party for the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Banki disclosed his intention in a letter dated August 16, and addressed to the Chairman, Buduwa Bula Chira Banki, APC, Banki, Bama Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno State, Alhaji Babagana Kulami.
He cited “personal reasons” for his decision, while promising to make “very good use” of his experience with the APC “in my next destination”.
Sharing his resignation on his known Facebook page on Wednesday, Banki also wrote: “Bismillahi Rahmani Rahim
“The time has come for me to open a new page of my life….. I know some of my well wishers will be happy while some will be disappointed. However I took the best decision.”
Mixed reactions have trailed Banki’s defection. While his loyalists promised to continue supporting him, his critics gloated over the news.
Engineer makes snake 'walk' by constructing four robotic legs (photos/video)
A self-confessed snake-loving engineer, Allen Pan has built a robot for snakes that enables the reptile to 'walk' .
To date, there has never been any evidence of snakes with four legs appearing in the natural world. Scientists were at first excited in 2015 when a promising fossil was discovered, but it turned out to be a lizard
Due to his love for snakes, Pan went to a local pet shop to learn how snakes should walk by observing lizards.
He then constructed a tube-based housing with four mechanical legs that allow the snake to hop aboard and let the robotic limbs do the walking..
In order to test his work, Pan went to the home of a local snake breeder to find a reptile he can fit into the robot.
‘When any other animal has deformed legs, humanity comes together to spit in God’s face, and we build that animal awesome new cyborg legs,’ Pan tells the camera in a video that has picked up over 2.5 million views on YouTube in just two days.
‘But nobody loves snakes enough to build them robot legs. Nobody except for me. Snake lover: Allen Pan.’
It is believed that snakes did once walk upon the land around 150 million years ago
A study published in 2016 pointed out that some snakes, like pythons, do retain the tiny vestiges of legs as two small bumps on either side of their pelvis.
How Atiku, Tinubu, Obidients reacted to Kenyan presidential election results
The declaration of Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto as winner of the presidential election has not only caused controversies in the East African country, but also in Nigeria, the most populous black nation.
Ruto, who won by 50.49% (7,176,141 votes) was declared the President-elect by the electoral agency, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Wafuka Chebukati on Monday.
However, Raila Odinga, who has contested five times, garnered 48.85% (6,942,930 votes), and rejected the result describing it as “null and void.”
Similarly, four of the seven IEBC commissioners, led by vice chairperson Juliana Cherera, have faulted the results.
It has been a different narrative in Nigeria, the country that has arguably blazed the trail in politics and diplomatic relations in the African continent, as its people trade words ahead of the 2023 general elections using presidential candidates in Kenya as hypotheses.
Obidients On Monday, supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, popularly known as Obidients, likened Ruto to Obi who contested once and won, and Odinga to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, a serial contender.
Some of them also mentioned the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu in their tweets.
A tweep @firstladyship said: “William Ruto ran for the FIRST TIME in a two years old party. His boss, President Uhuru Kenyatta, endorsed his opponent, Raila Odinga. Yet, Ruto won.
“Peter Obi is running for the FIRST TIME against a serial contestant another endorsed by Buhari. God IS DIRECTING A MOVIE.
“Nigerians, PAY ATTENTION to what’s happening across Africa. Zambia and Kenya did it. Nigeria should be no different.
“William Ruto won in Kenya, against Raila Odinga (a 5th time serial contestant) like Atiku.”
“This is Raila Odinga’s 5th presidential race. This time, he had the organs of the state and the incumbent president behind him. O lu le (knocked down) for the 5th time.
“A time must come when one must tweak one’s ambition. Try, try, try again but six times? I’d say let it go now Baba,” @Omojuwa added.
Reno In what seems like a reaction to the Obidients’ tweets, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s ex-aide, Reno Omokri, likened Wajackoyah to Obi who has many supporters on social media but came last among the four candidates.
Omokri said this on his verified Twitter page on Tuesday.
@renoomokri tweeted: “George Wajackoyah was Kenya’s Peter Obi to a T. He dominated social media. He won every Twitter poll.
“And just like Peter, he had a girl on Twitter that was insulting every prominent Kenyan that could have helped Wajackoyah win. Election came. Wajackoyah was LAST!”
According to IEBC, Wajackoyah, the 63-year-old Law professor came third with 0.44% having 61,969 votes while David Waihiga with 0.23% came last with 31.987 votes.
Atiku Meanwhile, both Atiku and Tinubu have reacted to Kenya’s results via their verified Twitter and Instagram handles respectively.
Atiku @atiku said, “Whatever issues there are about the election can always be resolved within the ambits of the law. As one, Kenyans will be the better for it.
“Congratulations to President-elect William Ruto @WilliamsRuto, and kudos to Raila Odinga @RailaOdinga for a closely fought contest.”
Tinubu @officialasiwajubat posted, “I congratulate William Ruto and his UDA party on his election as the next president of Kenya.
“I also congratulate and commend the people of Kenya on the peaceful conduct of the elections.
“While urging all Kenyans to accept this result and shun violence, I enjoin them to seek peaceful adjudication of all disputes through the Kenyan legal system.
“This shall be the greatest testament to the progress Kenya has made in strengthening the core institutions of its democracy.
“It is my prayer that as President, Mr. Ruto will unite the country, bringing all Kenyans together to move their great nation forward and implementing the progressive policies and reforms desired by the people.
“I wish Mr. Ruto and all the people of Kenya the very best and look forward to a continued beneficial and cordial relationship between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Kenya.”
We’ve ended IPOB sit-at-home in Imo — Uzodinma,If you come to Imo, there is nothing called sit-at-home again. We have been able to support our security officers to occupy the space."
The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has said the sit-at-home order of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has ended in most parts of Imo State, except in remote places.
Mr Uzodinma disclosed this on Tuesday during an interview on “Politics Today”, a political programme on Channels TV.
IPOB had last year announced Mondays as sit-at-home days in the South-east to force the federal government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is standing trial for treason.
Mr Uzodinma said the people of the state now move freely on Mondays.
He said the government of Imo State has given adequate support to security agencies in the state thereby allowing people to move freely on such days.
“If you come to Imo, there is nothing called sit-at-home again. We have been able to support our security officers to occupy the space,” Mr Uzodinma said.
He also stated that he is opposed to arming vigilante groups, including Ebube Agu floated by state governments in the South-east because they are not properly trained.
Mr Uzodinma stated that the South-east security outfit should be saddled with intelligence gathering to assist other security outfits.
Ebube Agu has been accused of human rights violations and extrajudicial killings in the region, particularly in Imo State.
In July, the outfit was accused of carrying out a massacre in Otulu Ubawaha, a community in Oru Local Government of Imo State.
Speaking on the allegations of needless attacks by Ebube Agu, the governor alleged that some of the attacks are carried out by “bandits impersonating Ebube Agu” personnel.
“Those who don’t want peace are the ones complaining. Some of these bandits are now operating as Ebube Agu. These bandits attack communities and come up with propaganda that it is Ebube Agu,” he said.
I will not join issue with Peter Obi, Our people are obedient to APC
Mr Uzodinma, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also spoke on the presidential race and the rising popularity of the candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.
He said he will not join issues with Mr Obi but that he is committed to marketing the presidential candidate of his party, Bola Tinubu.
“My party is APC, I have my candidate in my party. I don’t know what will come out of the consultations. I don’t want to join issues with Peter Obi, whom you know is not a member of my party. I know that members of APC are obedient to APC,” Mr Uzodinma said.
‘They using you to catch cruise’ – Peter Obi mocked after meeting Wike, Ortom others
The Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has been mocked over his meeting with some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Obi had met with Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu; former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and Mohammed Adoke.
Others at the meeting include former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke and former Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwanbo, among others.
The meeting is the second time the former Governor of Anambra State would be meeting with Wike after dumping the PDP and declaring his presidential ambition on the LP platform.
Reacting to the meeting, a political activist, Deji Adeyanju, said Obi was being used to “catch a cruise.”
In a tweet, Adeyanju wondered why Obi, who was touted as the country’s saviour, would always meet PDP chieftains.
“The person they say wants to save Nigeria from corrupt PDP and APC is always running to PDP folks, and he doesn’t know they are just using him to catch a cruise. That’s why I said the Obidents are PDP Lite. Good thing is February is almost here.
Tinubu denies demanding N50bn monthly from former Lagos Gov, Ambode
The presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has denied reports alleging that he demanded N50 billion monthly from the former Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode during his administration.
DAILY POST reports that Ambode who emerged governor of the state in 2025, had only four years in office as his attempt to secure a second tenure failed after he lost the APC primary election in 2018.
A report recently emerged online alleging that part of his inability to secure the APC governorship ticket in 2018 was his refusal to remit the said amount to Asiawaju.
Debunking the report on Tuesday, a statement by the Director, Media and Communications for Tinubu Campaign Organisation(TCO), Bayo Onanuga said Tinubu could not have made such a demand.
“The spuriousness of the statement is in the evidence that Lagos did not begin to clock N50 billion revenue until after Ambode left office.
“Tinubu could not have demanded a billion monthly payment from Ambode when the state government didn’t make such in a month throughout the tenure of Ambode”, the statement added.
The statement revealed that the site where some of the fake news emanated from has been identified as World of News with URL as world news.
According to Onanuga, “A content analysis of the site clearly showed that it is a Biafra news platform.
2023: Peter Obi meets U.S. Consul-General, William Stevens, discusses new Nigeria
The Labour Party Presidential candidate, Peter Obi on Tuesday met with the Consul-General of the United States in Nigeria, William B. Stevens.
The former Anambra State governor disclosed this in a tweet on his verified Twitter handle on Wednesday.
According to him, they had constructive discussions and exchanged ideas during the meeting.
Peter Obi said he shared his vision of a new, secure and united Nigeria which would be birthed by the actualization of his presidential ambition with the US Consul-General.
“It was my pleasure to meet with William B. Stevens, the new Consul-General of the United States in Nigeria[/b]. We had constructive discussions and exchanged ideas.
“I also shared with him my vision of a new, secure and united Nigeria in which governance and development will be driven by production.
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has described Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Presidential Congress (APC) as the solution to Nigeria’s challenges.
He also described Tinubu as a unifier whose conducts have been instrumental to the sustenance of one Nigeria.
In a statement signed by Alli Ibraheem, his Chief Press Secretary, Oba Akanbi noted that as a detribalised Nigerian, Tinubu turned Lagos State into a template for other States to copy from.
According to him, “Tinubu is a detribalized Nigerian. His milestones in turning Lagos State to a cynosure of all eyes is a credit to his image. Entrust Nigeria in his hand and go to sleep. You will see wonder when you wake up.”
While asking those that condemn the APC presidential candidate to assess his mental assets, Oluwo added that governance had nothing to do with age.
“Most of those castigating Tinubu have personal issues. Many are saying he is arrogant because he tells the truth.
“People may think he is arrogant because he tells the truth. Anybody who tells the truth is adjudged to be arrogant. People say I’m arrogant too. It is because I love and cherish the truth.
“Give him Nigeria to rule and go and sleep. He will do wonder before you wake up,” he said
Nigerian novelist Biyi Bandele is dead, A statement released by his family on Monday said he died on Sunday in Lagos.[/i]
Novelist, playwright, and filmmaker, Biyi Bandele, has died.
A statement released by his family on Monday said he died on Sunday in Lagos.
He was 54.
Temi Bandele, the deceased’s daughter who issued the statement on behalf of the family, described him as “a prodigiously talented writer and film-maker, as well as a loyal friend and beloved father.”
“He was a storyteller to his bones, with an unblinking perspective, singular voice and wisdom which spoke boldly through all of his art, in poetry, novels, plays and on screen. He told stories which made a profound impact and inspired many all over the world. His legacy will live on through his work.
“He was taken from us much too soon. He had already said so much so beautifully, and had so much more to say.
“We ask everyone to please respect the privacy of his family and friends as we grieve his loss,” the statement read.
Biyi was born in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, to parents who were from Abeokuta, Ogun State.
He was studying Dramatic Arts at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile Ife, when he won the BBC Playwriting Competition, and thereafter relocated to England where he had a flourishing career as a writer.
He was a dedicated artist with a strong passion for life and a string of successes in his writing and filmmaking career. His latest work is Elesin Oba, the King’s Horseman (2022), which he adapted from Wole Soyinka’s classic drama, Death & The King’s Horseman, and directed for EbonyLife Films. The film is yet to be released but slated to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, TIFF, in September.
He had earlier co-directed Blood Sisters, a 4-part Netflix-original television drama series, also for EbonyLife Films. His earlier works include Half of a Yellow Sun (Shareman Media & State Films, 2013) adapted from Chimamanda Adichie’s novel of same title; Fifty (Ebony Films, 2015). He was also a director of the highly successful Television Series, SHUGA: What’s Your Reality. He directed FELA – Father of Afrobeat (2018), a TV special documentary for the BBC; and his self-produced TV-Movie documentary, Africa States of Independence (2010).
His fiction and non-fiction work include The Street, Burma Boy, a novel, a recreation of the story of his father and other veterans of the Second World War, who served in Burma, India, which he was working on to be adapted for Film. His other writing works include The Man Who Came in from the Back of Beyond, The Sympathetic Undertaker, and Yoruba Boy Running, which he recently concluded and submitted for publishing.
Biyi was a devoted father to his son, Korede and daughter, Temi.
Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike on Sunday, met with governors backing him to plot a way forward as the 2023 presidential elections draw closer.
Wike is apparently still annoyed with the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar over his seeming lack of effort at reconciliation following their fallout after his selection of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.
The closed-door meeting, which was held in Rivers State Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, was attended by state governors known to be his major backers including Sam Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).
Also in the meeting were former state governors including Donald Duke (Cross River), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), Ibrahim Idris (Kogi) and Jonah Jang (Plateau).
Others include former PDP Deputy National Vice Chairman North, Senator Suleiman Nazif; former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Adoke; member of the House of Representatives from Kogi State, Tijjani Yusuf, among others.
The meeting was largely geared towards figuring out a way forward.The group is miffed that despite humiliating the Rivers governor, the PDP presidential candidate had yet to reach out to him to placate him as being pushed by Governor Ortom.
Gana, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees and North Central Coordinator of the Wike Presidential campaign, spoke briefly to reporters after the meeting saying: “This is the first meeting we are holding with all our candidates in the states after the primaries. We are united and are one.
“We know that developments will unfold and when they do, we shall brief Nigerians."
Why so fixated on the mod that even banned you? I don’t give a flying-fck. I see a ban, I wait it out.
Some of you claim you don’t take NL personal, but small ban and you would come out with AK47. Firing everywhere and threatening fire and brimstones.
They don’t. They just assume it has to be the most wicked mod.
Hahaha
I have never been banned on Nairaland, But from what the majority of Nairalanders are saying against the mod(Mynd44), then I know he is very BIASED and TRIBALISTIC.
They hate Mynd44 because he banned them and I am the one dating him. Do they know how many times I have been banned this year? Mynd banned my alternate for “5000 yrs” because I mentioned him after he banned my main. I deactivated that account.
Justwise is hated in the Travel section, but that section is one of the sanest (if not the sanest) on Nairaland.
Funny enough, when they are at the receiving end of bullies, I am 99% sure it is this same Mynd that responds when they slam the report button. Abeg, Mynd44, some of us dey your back. We need more bad cops here.
There is tension in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, following the arrest of a suspected Boko Haram leader.
DAILY POST gathered that the suspected terrorist was arrested Saturday night by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Ogun State.
Most residents of Abeokuta have now been thrown into a panic mood, as information about the arrest went viral within the State capital.
This is coming amidst rumour that terrorists are planning to attack some States in the South West.
On Sunday, a reliable source informed our correspondent that the suspected Boko Haram leader was arrested at Ijaye area of the metropolis.
The suspected terrorist was said to have initially tried to resist arrest before he later bowed to the superior power of the DSS operatives.
It was gathered that the Boko Haram leader had left Katsina for Abeokuta, where he was employed as a security guard.
However, he had since been gathering intelligence for terrorist attacks.
Security sources hinted that the man was purposely in Abeokuta to set up terrorists’ cells for kidnapping and terror attacks.
He was said to have done the same in Abuja, Kaduna and Zamfara before he moved to Abeokuta.
“However, intelligence gathering gave him out and he was promptly apprehended before he succeeded in Abeokuta,” a source said, adding that there are still many of them being monitored.
It was learnt that the Boko Haram commander is still in the custody of the DSS.
Contacted, the spokesman of the DSS, Peter Afunanya, neither denied nor confirmed the arrest.
Replying to a message sent to him, he said, “No comment.”
Also, the Ogun police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the command was yet to be informed of the arrest.
donaldking100: Seems you are used to dating only dirty men. That's an easy way to identify an olosho & a runs-babe because they have no other option than to still sleep with the man like that just so she can get her daily bread.
Bro, you are very right....it seems she usually date dirty men of her type.
ItalianProf: Haven't you seen the documentary on Nigerian gangstas in Italy, India and South Africa? It's not Buhari's fault. It's man's inhumanity to man. Bow because of a similar event, UAE suspended granting visa to Nigeria. Who knows what the Italian government will do next as a result of this.
Crime › Parkland School Shooter Sentenced To Life In Prison Without Parole (photo)) by IMPACT05(op): 7:20am On Nov 03, 2022
