₦airaland Forum

Matthias Nwogu

A civil servant with the Abia State ministry of lands and survey yesterday committed suicide over funds to purchase  uniforms demanded by the wife for women’ s day celebration of their church.

The deceased it was learnt, has not received his salaries for some months and was finding it difficult to meet his family’s monthly bills.

The civil servant identified only as Mr Nwakwo, who was  in his fifties  left a suicide  note in his  sitting room before his wife and his three children returned back from church.

The deceased, who hails from Ihe Ndume. community in Umuahia North local government and a father of four children; two in primary schools, while the remaining two are in secondary schools,  was said to have given excuses to the wife why he would not be going to church with them without indicating that he intended taking his life.

According to a family source who did not want his identity disclosed,the late civil servant before hanging himself often approached family members and some friends for financial assistance and raw food items to keep his family going

According to the source , ahead of yesterday’s  Mother’s Day,  the wife had asked her late husband for money to purchase the uniform clothes agreed by the women in the church to wear for the celebration, “I believe  his inability to foot the bill and other things may have resulted  in the man committing suicide,” he said.

A written note dropped by the deceased  which is now at the custody  of the police  in Ehimiri police station reads, “ I have no other place to go, no hope, nothing to give to my children  to eat and no salary  for the past four months, am sorry I have to do this.”

According  to a community leader, Eric Nkwokocha ,  the community felt bad with the demise of the community member.

He also  disclosed that the corpse has been deposited at the Federal Medical Center, Umuahia.

SOME Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) officials were on Saturday stabbed with cutlasses and broken bottles by miscreants and illegal abattoir operators at Idi-Araba near Lawanson in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos.

They also damaged the task force’s two Toyota Hilux vans and a Black Maria and stopped the operatives from sealing off the illegal abattoir.

In the melee, Wilson Alaba, a Superintendent of Police (SP), was macheted on his left hand and the agency’s driver, Adekunle Victor injured on the head and his left leg.
Victor is in hospital.

A suspected hoodlum, Olamilekan Adekunle, who was injured in the right arm was treated in a clinic and discharged.
Dr Aromire Samuel, who treated him, said no pellet was found in him.

The task force’s Public Relations Officer, Adebayo Taofiq, asked all illegal abattoirs and slabs in the state to comply with government’s directive.

For the first since former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye was reported to have jumped bail in London about 12 years ago, a British detective who apprehended the ex-governor for money laundering in the United Kingdom, was in Abuja Monday to give details of how the incident occurred.

Peter Clerk, a detective with the London Metropolitan Police, who testified as a witness in the trial of Dariye before the High Court of the Federal Capital territory (FCT) explained how Dariye jumped bail in London in 2004 while still serving as a governor.

Clerk, now retired, said the warrant issued by a London court for Dariye’s arrest was still valid today and that the ex-governor would be arrested anytime the United Kingdom authorities felt the need.

Dariye, who was Plateau governor between 1999 and 2007, and now senator representing Plateau Central, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on 23 counts of diversion of the N1.61bn ecological fund meant for land reclamation and flood chanelisation works at Bokkos part of the state.

The witness, who also gave details of how Dariye was arrested with a lady – Christabel Bentu – in a hotel in London in 2004, said the ex-governor opened nine accounts in Barclays Bank, London in 1995, and told the bank he (Dariye) was a Manager with Benue Cement.

Clerk, who said he retired in 2015, told the court that his investigation of Dariye was informed by the arrest of some of his associates, who claimed he (Dariye) owned some of the cash found on them.

Led in evidence by lead prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Clerk, who was the 9th prosecution witness, denied the defence’s insinuation that he came to testify in the case in Nigeria because of his anger against Dariye over his refusal to return to London after he was granted bail.

“On September 28, 2004 we were informed that Mr. Dariye was in London in a hotel. I went there with two other officers. When we got there, I informed him that we were investigating his accounts and we arrested him and informed him, under caution that we believe that the money in relation to money laundering. He said nothing.

“We further informed him that we will search the hotel room. We went to 1220 room and found Christabel Bentu and searched same and found 50,000 pounds cash. She said was arrested for suspicious money laundering. She said she is his Personal Assistant.

“We searched Mr. Dariye’s hotel room and found 43,000 pounds cash and other denominations and currencies. Christabel Bentu was taken to West Central Police Station, while Dariye was taken to another police station and he was interviewed by me for about 2 hours.

“In September 2004, I looked at Mr. Dariye in the eye and said to him, I know you are a very religious man. I asked him, will you come back on September 14, 2004? He said yes, he will, but failed to show up. Bentu also failed to show up.

“Immediately, we made an application for his arrest in Landon. The warrant is still valid till today. It was circulated in all computers that Dariye was wanted. If I had the evidence given to me in December 2004 by EFCC in Nigeria, Dariye would have been charged in London.

“We did not ask for his extradition because we knew he had immunity from prosecution as a serving governor. So we did not pursue extradition. When he left office in May 2007, the EFCC arrested him and started their proceedings. We did not interfere with that proceeding, because we know that domestic proceedings will take precedent,” Clerk said.

The witness also told the court how Dariye allegedly bought property in London, using a proxy.

He also told the court that Dariye opened nine accounts in Barclays Bank in 1995, but with little activities until May 1999 when Dariye became governor.

“The money that was paid by this company (Pinnacle Communications Limited) amounted to 395,000pounds for the property at No: 28 Regent Plaza Apartment, 8 Grevile Road, London, NW8.

“Barclays Bank confirmed that Pinnacle Communications had an account with their branch in North West. One Lucky Omorhuwa, his driver was arrested by me. The driver said, prior to the day of the purchase, he drove Dariye and Lucky Omorhuwa to purchase the apartment.
“Lucky was arrested and he admitted that he purchased the property for Dariye and that he was given naira equivalent in Nigeria.

“From examining Mr. Dariye’s account, we discovered that he travelled all over the world, from his passport, we saw stamps from several countries. We found seven pairs of shoes, which cost 700pounds per pair. He paid Euro7, 000 for a pen. He purchased a lot of things in high luxurious stores.

Under cross-examination by Dariye’s lawyer, Garba Pwul (SAN), the witness said “I’m here on my own free will. I started the investigation of the case in January 2004 in London. So, as a good police officer, I was interested in seeking to the end of the case I started. That was why I came.”

Clerk, who confirmed that he earlier testified some years before an investigative committee in Jos, Plateau State, explained that he did not complete his evidence before the investigating Committee in Jos because the defence was playing games.

“They would not ask me questions on the evidence. They had three days to cross examine me. They had ample opportunity to have asked me all they wanted. But they were playing game and were concerned about the admissibility of the evidence,” he said.

He admitted that the evidence he gave actually led to Dariye’s impeachment.
He also acknowledged that the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court set aside the impeachment.

On whether he knew the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court set aside the impeachment because he did not complete his evidence, he said the defence had sufficient to have concluded cross-examining him.

On whether it was not the same issue that played out, since he also refused to return to London, said he did not sign an undertaking, but that Dariye signed an undertaking.

“He broke the law in London by not coming back. He signed an undertaking to return but he refused to return. Mr. Dariye knows he is wanted in London. That is why he has not returned to London. Since 2004 and now, 2016, he has not returned to the UK. Before then, he used to frequent London every now and then.”

On Pwul’s claim that he was motivated to testify before the court by the anger he bore against Dariye, the witness said “In my career, there are many people, who have refused to return after being granted bail. You do not get angry, you get used to it. I was used to it.”

The witness said he attended the court today because of the invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). he told the court that he trip to Nigeria, accommodation and all other expenses have been taken care of by the National Crime Agency of the UK and the British High Commission in Nigeria.

Clerk ended his testimony Monday, following which the trial judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko adjourned to June 6 for continuation of trial.

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A suspected armed robber, Taofeek Lamidi, has told the police in Oyo State how he attacked a female trader with a machete and robbed her of N23,500. Lamidi of Ile Epo, Isale Oyo in Oyo town, who was earlier convicted for rape, was released from prison on February 1. But about three months later, he became a guest of the police along with 18 others linked to various criminal offences.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr Leye Oyebade, told journalists that on April 12 Lamidi accosted a woman, Fasilat Asimiyu, in Oyo town and proposed to befriend her in order to advance his criminal intent through her.

The suspect, while speaking with our correspondent, corroborated the commissioner’s statement when he said that he met the woman and proposed to her. According to him, the woman said she was living at Jamoosan Compound around Kanga area of Oyo town, but would not want him to visit her there.

The 41-year-old suspect said he was pushed to the idea of befriending Fasilat because his wife had died before he returned from prison and there was no one to take care of his children. He said:
“When I met this woman and proposed friendship to her, she said I could not come to her place at Kanga, but that she would be going to the Omooba Market at Iwo town the following day.

She said I could come and meet her there. “On April 23, I went to Omooba Market on a friend’s motorcycle and met her sitting down while selling kerosene and black market petrol.

I told her again that I wanted her to be my woman-friend and she agreed, but said that she needed money to boost her trade. “I told her I didn’t have money either, but that if I could see any of the traders who had money, I could snatch it for the benefit of both of us.

I told her, however, that I didn’t have any weapon to use, and she suggested a small ma ch e t e. When I said that I didn’t have money to buy one, she offered me N1,000 to buy it.

“A few days later, I borrowed the motorcycle of a friend of mine and went to Omooba Market. I was there around 7:30am and this woman welcomed me and I sat close to her at her shop till about 10am, trying to identify any trader who would have sold and made money to be transported back to Oyo.” Though, Fasilat denied having any such agreement with Lamidi.

She said: “I only discussed with him that he was wasting his time staying so long when petrol was very scarce and that he could be making cool money in Oyo if he had stayed there plying his business.”

But the suspect insisted that the woman was the one who eventually got a female trader for him while another one joined and they set off on the motorcycle, popularly called “Okada”.

He added: “On our way, I stopped at a point and brought out the machete I had bought from the N1,000 this woman gave me. I told the trader Fasilat got for me that it was her money that I wanted to collect, but she started arguing with me. So, I attacked her with the machete on her left shoulder and left thigh.”

The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) recruited 4, 916 workers in the last three years without following due process, Daily Trust investigations have shown.

An analysis of official documents revealed that over 90 percent of the recruitment, which favoured the southern part of the country was done from 2013 to 2015.

The vacancies were neither declared nor advertised for qualified and interested persons to compete for the positions.
The documents showed that the agency responsible for hiring workers for the federal government recruited 486 in 2013; 4, 368 in 2014 and 50 in 2015 without adhering to federal character principles.

The federal character principle requires even distribution of the positions across the country, but the FCSC hired 73.9 percent of the staff from the South, leaving only 26.1 percent for the North.

The Federal Character Commission (FCC) said the recruitment “threw away all common sense and wisdom of national cohesion and integration by favouring other states to the detriment of others.”

The South-south and South-west geo-political zones got the lion’s share of the recruitments over the three-year period at the expense of the rest of the zones in the country, the official documents revealed.
South-south got 1,647 (33.6 per cent); South-west 1,336 (27.2 percent); South-east 642 (13.1 percent); North-central 509 (10.4 percent); North-west 447 (9.1 percent) and North-east 323 (6.6 percent).

The FCC Act No 34 of 1996 prescribes fairness and equity in the distribution of public posts and socio-economic infrastructures among the various federating units of the country.
The federal character commission derives its powers from sections 14 (3) and (4) of the 1999 Constitution.

The document seen by the Daily Trust showed that the FCSC might have jettisoned federal character in its recruitments as Delta state alone got 13.1 percent of the total public positions as against Jigawa and Ebonyi states that got 0.7 percent each.

States with the highest slots are Delta, 642; Ogun 295, Oyo 254 and Edo 240, while those with least slots include the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) which got 22 and Jigawa and Ebonyi which had 36 each.
Daily Trust learnt that the FCC had written to the FCSC over the “breach” of the federal character principles in the recruitment.

The letter dated May 3, 2016 and signed by the acting Executive Chairman of the FCC, Dr. Shettima Bukar Abba, described the recruitment as “glaringly lopsided” and the federal character principle as “grossly abused.”

The FCC said it was inconceivable and unjust for the South-south to be allocated 33.6 percent of the total candidates recruited as against 26 percent allocated to the North-east, North-west and North-central combined.

The letter also questioned the allocation of 27.2 percent of the candidates recruited from the South-west, more than the allocation of the entire three zones of the North combined.

“In retrospect, this breach couldn’t have occurred if the leadership of the Civil Service Commission had listened to our clarion call for partnership and synergy to enable a just, fair and equitable distribution of these posts,” the letter read.

The FCC advised the FCSC to start the process of redressing the inequality and undertake the 2016 recruitment exercise by adopting the federal character balancing index developed by the FCC.

But the spokesperson of the FCSC, Dr Joel Oruche told the Daily Trust that the discrepancies in the recruitments within the past few years could be attributed to specific staff requirements from the MDAs in specialised fields, gender factors, presidential awardees for 2012, 2013 and 2014, who were granted automatic employments, skilled physically challenged and wider range of job selection for states with limited skilled manpower.

“The Principle of Federal Character is a dynamic process and it requires balancing from time to time. In addition to our effort, educational imbalance has contributed to its slow process and it would take some time for a full accomplishment of the desired national result. It is not only in the North that we have this sort of imbalance, it also affects some disadvantaged states in the South,” he said.

He said to address such discrepancies, where some states could not meet up with the selection criteria, Kaduna and Kogi states enjoyed higher allocation to address North-South imbalance.

The special assistant on media to FCC chairman, Mr Idris Abdullahi, said “We seem to have an issue with the Federal Civil Service Commission. They felt they are independent and there are many independent bodies. The constitution is so clear that the composition of the government of the federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria,” he said.

Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja

A former Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has revealed that his office was funded monthly by the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

Okupe, who served under Jonathan from 2012 to 2015, said this on his official Twitter handle.

He, however, said he had nothing to do with the arms scam which cost the country over $15bn in stolen funds.

Okupe said, “I was not paid arms deal money. The NSA paid for the running of my office monthly from August 2012. Dasukigate was in 2014. I did not take part in the campaign.”

The former spokesman for Jonathan, however, received bashing from several of his followers online who wondered why his office should get security votes.

A Twitter use, Ojezs, asked, “You’re just implicating yourself. Is it the NSA office that employed you?”

Another user, Ayoola Ayodeji, wrote, “You probably mistake some of us for hungry people. A day will come when you won’t be able to sleep because poor people are outside your gate.”

In his response, Okupe wrote, “You guys are idiotic. You wait and pray for the innocent to be punished. It will not happen. You must think some of us are terrified.”

It had been reported in January that Okupe got at least N1.6bn off Dasuki in three shady cyber security contracts.

One of the contracts had instructions to hunt down unfriendly media websites with Distributed Denial of Service attacks.

It was believed to be a project conceived to shut down online media platforms perceived as friendly towards Muhammadu Buhari, the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2015 election.

The other contract was to intercept all optic fibre cables landing in Nigeria. The third was a passive mass and target GSM interception that had the ability to decrypt ciphers and operate undetected.

The contracts that were allegedly awarded Okupe’s cronies, reinforces claims that the former NSA merely doled out cash and contracts to cronies and political associates and violated procurement regulations in the process.

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Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Tuesday travel to London, United Kingdom to participate in the international Anti-Corruption Summit, which will be held in the British capital on Thursday.

According to a statement on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President, as an internationally recognised leader in the global fight against corruption, will play a prominent part in the summit which will be hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron with many other Heads of State and Government in attendance.

Adesina said Buhari would head of the summit’s opening, deliver a keynote address titled, ‘Why we must tackle corruption together’ at a pre-summit conference of development partners, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, Transparency International and other civil society groups on Wednesday.

The presidential spokesman also disclosed that the President is one of the world leaders scheduled to speak at the opening session of the Anti-Corruption Summit with others, including Prime Minister Cameron and the President of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim.

He added that Buhari would thereafter join other participating heads of state and government at special plenary sessions on exposing corruption, tackling corruption and driving out corruption.

The statement read in part, “In his address to the summit and interactions with other participating leaders, President Buhari will urge the international community to move faster on the dismantling of safe havens for the proceeds of corruption and the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin.

“The President will also reaffirm his administration’s unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption and the Federal Government’s readiness to partner with international agencies and other countries to identify, apprehend and punish corrupt public officials.

“President Buhari’s delegation to the Summit will include the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Alhaji Abubakar Malami and the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

“Before returning to Abuja on Friday, May 13, 2016, the President is expected to have a separate meeting with Prime Minister Cameron to discuss ongoing Nigeria-Britain collaboration in the war against corruption and terrorism, as well as other issues, including trade and economic relations between both countries.”

‘Nonye Ben-Nwankwo and Kunle Falayi

In February 2016, a 43-year-old traditional medicine practitioner, Ahmed Akinlade, was arrested in Akure, Ondo State, after allegedly “turning a mother of two, who approached him for help on her marriage to a sex slave.”

When the victim was interrogated by the police, she had explained that all she did was meant to save her marriage.

“I came to him because he told me he would help me to get my husband back. My marriage is important to me. He said part of the rituals he would do might involve him sleeping with me once. It sounded stupid but I have heard from people before that what he does works. That was why I agreed when he told me I needed to sleep with him,” She said.

She is just one of numerous women who go to extreme length to make sure their marriage is intact.

In these days of marriage break-ups, divorce and separation, some Nigerian women, no matter what it takes, wouldn’t want to be caught napping. They would do whatever they feel or think is necessary to keep their marriage from falling apart and to make their husband love them more.

If there is one thing that frightens many married women, it is the prospect of losing their marriages in which they have invested so much emotionally and materially.
These women, irrespective of class, looks, educational background or status, go all out to do crazy things to keep their homes together.

Perhaps the fear of the numerous marriages that break up yearly is the reason women are going extra miles to find a solution when there are indications that their unions may be heading for the rocks.

Saturday PUNCH spoke with some women who shared experiences on what they have had to do to save their marriages.

As extraordinary, weird and downright pathetic as some actions some women take may be, marriages fail every day. A case in point is the marriage break up saga of popular singer, Tiwa Savage and Tajudeen Balogun, AKA Teebillz, a trending topic that has yet to go away. If the fanfare, pomp and ceremony that accompany a wedding ceremony are bulwarks against break ups, the marriage of Tiwa and Teebillz would have lasted two lifetimes.

Marriage “doctors” to the rescue

The demand for intervention on marriage troubles seems to have created a niche market, which some “sharp” Nigerians are taking advantage of.

In many Lagos buses, it is not strange to see pasted little stickers advertising one “Dr. Love” or “Dr. Marriage” who specialises in helping women win their love interests to helping to “heal” their marriages.

In recent times, such “doctors” have taken their market to the social media.

A young woman, who identified herself as Grace based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, shared her “success story” after her encounter with one of such marriage doctors based in Lokoja, Kogi State.

The woman, who explained that her husband had abandoned her and the children for some years, said one of such doctors worked his ‘magic’ and soon, the runaway husband came back home.
According to her, it only took a spell.

“I contacted and shared my experience with him and he gave me the terms and conditions, which I agreed to. To cut the long story short, I am now living happily ever after with my husband. He also casts spells like lover’s spells, protection spells, business spells and exam spells,” Grace said.

Of course, there was no way Grace’s claims could be verified, but she insisted that the spell gave her back her runaway husband.
Even though some women would not go as far as casting spells to save their marriages, others from one prophet to another seeking help to get back their husbands.

“These days, many people run to one prophet or another for help on marital issues. But when they hear about people using spells for marital problems, they criticise them. I would never use any. But what is the difference between the two? Do you know what some prophets ask such women to do?” Mrs. Bolaji Adebiyi, a business woman, who has been married for 26 years, told Saturday Punch .

One of our correspondents contacted one of such love doctors, through the phone numbers provided on an advertisement bill pasted on a Lagos public bus, promising “rejuvenation of your love life, marriage, business and happiness.”

The enthusiastic man who picked the call, promptly said, “say no more” when he was given a cooked up story about a husband that has become a serial cheat and abuser.

“All you need is a talisman and some magic words. I got training from India. There are so many fake people around defrauding people. But I am happy that you got in touch with me. I don’t want you to send money because that would not be wise since you have not seen me before. You need to meet me personally. I will tell you what you need to do and how you will use the talisman I would be giving you,” he said.

He finally said that the initial cost of the spiritual intervention would be N35,000, which he said should be paid only if the journalist believed in his power. But our reporter never honoured his invitation to the meeting which was supposed to take place in a very remote part of Igando, Lagos.

Baby purchase

In a society where having a baby is seen as the fruit of any marriage, women who have not yet conceived are pushed to seek alternatives without their husbands’ knowledge.

A 34-year-old woman landed in trouble recently when she was connected to a baby sale racket, an issue which is no longer a shock in Nigeria, where many baby making “factories” have been uncovered in the last few years.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the woman, who is still in police custody in Abia State, was arrested when a stolen baby was traced to her.

She was reported to have told the police that her childlessness and the threat by her husband to send her packing if she failed to have a baby pushed her into looking for a way to buy a baby.

All it required was for her to pretend to be pregnant for as long as she could keep up the deception. The trick was in sustaining the pretence for the period of nine months during which, she said, she ensured that the husband saw her just few times as she was away in her village most of the time.

It is unclear how much she paid for the baby, which she presented to her husband as her new born child only to be arrested six months after her joyful husband celebrated the “birth” of a baby meant to save their marriage.

The story of this woman underlines the desperation that the prospect of marriage crash sometimes forces on women, making them to undertake dangerous ventures that would keep their men down by all means.

But while some are busy buying babies to appease their men who are desperate to become fathers, some women simply try to become a little more creative.

They enrol in gym clubs.

Nothing is as good as keeping one’s husband and improving one’s health at the same time. But while many women go through rigorous workout sessions for their psychological and physical health, many women with weight issues say the idea is to improve their weights and look so good such that their husbands would think twice before philandering.

University of Lagos psychologist, Prof. Oni Fagbohungbe, believes such women may be on the right track but not in all cases.

He said, “Women’s sense of security is very fragile. Whenever they feel their sense of security is threatened, they would do anything to normalise that situation.

Research has confirmed that most women have very strong id, the personality structure, which dominates their behaviour. The id controls the requirements of life and we call it the ‘I-want’ of life.

“This is why when a woman thinks a man is cheating and she may lose her marriage, without waiting for evidence, the id would make her to do everything to retain the husband’s commitment.

“Whether it (going to the gym to look good) works to get the husband back or not, it is the perception of the woman that matters in this situation. It is like a placebo effect. It works in some cases. But if a woman comes out with the wrong diagnosis of such marital problem, it will be curing a problem with the wrong medicine.

“Behaviour is a stimulus response connectivity. If the man sees something better or more attractive out there, he responds by gravitating towards it. Unless the woman understands that thing and incorporate it into her own behavioural repertoire, the man would stay away.”

Cheating back into his arm

When all methods fail to get a philandering husband back, Saturday PUNCH learnt some women actually try to hit back by embarking on a cheating venture of their own.

Whether this would work will always be a controversial issue between both sexes.
Liz Owoyori, who has been married for eight years, shared her story with Saturday PUNCH, She explained, “I have realised that arguing or fighting a cheating husband usually does not work. I would never support that a woman should cheat on her husband to get him back but I realised that some men actually hate to lose.

“There was a time I thought my husband might be cheating. Rather than cheat, what I did was to pretend to also cheat. I started text-chatting late into the night and hiding my phone and messages. I made him conscious of the fact that I was hiding something. I was shocked when I realised that he quickly changed. He became more dedicated. It was obvious he did not want to lose me. Now I understand why some people believe that cheating saves some marriages.”

While society is never usually sympathetic to cheats, some claim it provides clarity and sometimes jolts men back into being committed to their wives.
Prof. Fagbohungbe believes this can also actually work in some cases.

He told our correspondent, “Cheating on a cheating husband can work and it may not work in certain cases. In our culture, a promiscuous man does not attract so much negativity. That is why a man can have a wife and a concubine and society does not frown on it. But when a woman counters negativity with negativity, she sometimes ends up being the one who fails.

“The problem is that we are too shy about discussing issues about our life. In the African setting, even when a woman is not enjoying a sexual contact; she would not talk so that the husband would not feel she is too wild.”

Going under the knife

For those who may not dare to go and visit a prophet or engage the services of a ‘love doctor’, they try to ‘improve’ their looks in order to look more beautiful so that their men wouldn’t have any need to look outside.

Jacinta Emmanuel, a Lagos-based banker told our correspondent she had to get butt implant since she found out her husband favoured women with big backside.

“I didn’t tell him I was going for such surgery. But few years ago, I was in the UK for vacation and I had to do the surgery. I had noticed the way my husband would always drool each time he saw ladies with big bum. I knew if I didn’t do anything about my flat backside, my husband would always cheat on me and I may even lose him. I had to quickly do it.”

Emmanuel who said her husband never found out about the surgery, claims her husband loves her more these days.

“I came back and I started wearing stuff that would enhance my backside. He was thrilled. He eventually asked me what happened and I told him I exercised and I ate good food. He believed me. I used the opportunity to save my marriage. It has been okay since then and he hardly looks at ladies as he used to,” she said.

Ufoma Utebor who works in an oil servicing company also said she had to do cosmetic surgery on her breasts so that her husband would appreciate her more.

“Men are incredible people. If you live with your man, you ought to know what he likes and desires. I got married to my man five years ago and he fantasises and tells me he wished my boobs were bigger. I knew he would likely be going after ladies with big bosom so I had to do something about mine.”

Unlike Emmanuel, Utebor said she asked for permission from her husband before she decided to go for breast implants.
“He told me as long as it wasn’t risky, he wouldn’t mind if I could do anything that would make my breasts bigger. Two years into our marriage when we went for vacation in the US, I had to enlarge my breasts and my husband simply loves it!” she said excitedly

‘What has sustained our marriage’

Even as marriages break up on a daily basis and some other people do strange things to keep theirs intact, some Nigerians say they have been able to sustain their marriage by doing nothing extraordinary.

Mr. Mike Nzeagwu who runs a PR firm in Lagos, has been married to his wife for 20 years and he said his marriage has been filled with wonderful memories.

While admitting it has not always been rosy, Nzeagwu said God in particular, has been able to sustain his home and there hasn’t been any reason for marriage break-up.

“My wife wanted to quit after the first few weeks in the marriage. She couldn’t tell me what the problem was but she kept saying she didn’t bargain for this. I had to keep calming her down again and again. Since then, it has been wonderful.

“What has sustained my marriage is trust in God and trust in ourselves. We trust in each other. My wife is a very strong Christian.

Even though I am a pastor, my wife is still stronger than me. She has been a pillar of support. There have been ups and downs but the ups have been more than the downs. There is openness. If I don’t have money, she gives me hers. She can give me her ATM card to go and withdraw money.

We don’t hide anything from each other. We don’t allow third parties to interfere in our marriage. We have had issues no doubt but we don’t allow anybody to know about our issues.

“I was open to her. We got married on a Saturday and on a Tuesday, I was sent to Kano. We got to the airport and she said she wanted to drink water. You know things are usually expensive at the airport. I had to tell her I wouldn’t buy it. I told her to endure until we got out of the airport so I could buy her water at a reasonable price. From the first day, she knew I was the kind of person that tried to manage his resources very well. I have been open to her; I have never hidden anything from her. I showed her my pay slip, the first time I took her to my house, and there was no furniture. I thought she would change her mind after the first visit but she didn’t. She is not materialistic. She has made sacrifices in her work to take care of the children.”

Nzeagwu said he is usually puzzled when he hears strange stories of what women do to keep their home intact.

“But I don’t blame those women because they may have felt threatened. It is possible they love their husbands, otherwise they would have decided to carry their bags and walk away. The Bible says you shouldn’t go to Egypt for help. If you pray to God, He can protect your marriage. You don’t have to go to a babalawo (herbalist). He might give the woman juju that would make her love the babalawo more than the husband. Leave everything to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”

Like Nzeagwu, Mrs. Vivian Anyaegbu who works in a non -governmental organisation in Lagos said she has been married to her husband for 15 years and they have been able to weather the storm all these years.

Giving tips on how she has sustained her marriage, Anyaegbu said, “There is no competition in this institution. There is no first position or second position. If a couple is able to survive the first six years in marriage, then you know it would be difficult for them to break up. Those years are seen as a testing period in marriage. There should be love in a marriage no doubt but what is more important is understanding and trust.

“I don’t think anybody should venture into any diabolical act. Herbalists would always want something in return. Just pray. We need respect in marriage, mutual respect. Everybody is important. If you know your partner is important and you treat the person right, you will be okay.

“I wanted to leave my marriage in the first two years. I packed my bags and said I wasn’t marrying again but then, I didn’t get to the gate. I was planning in my bedroom but I didn’t carry it out. As long as God has destined that man for you, he will always provide happiness at the end. Why would you want to be separated? It is better for you to be there and endure than expose yourselves to several men who will end up messing your life,” she said.

The Chairman/Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd.) has said that the Agency saved two suspected drug traffickers from untimely death for swallowing 137 wraps of cocaine.

The duo and three other suspected narcotic traffickers were apprehended at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja with 8.588kgs of cocaine.

Apart from two suspects that ingested wraps of cocaine, three others were caught with cocaine hidden in socks and chocolates.

Abdallah said that both suspects would have died as a result of complications arising from the ingestion of 137 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine.

According to the NDLEA boss, “two passengers from Sao Paulo, Brazil enroute Dubai have been saved from premature death by the prompt intervention of narcotic officers.

The suspects were in a critical health condition on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport due to drug ingestion.

They were immediately rushed to the hospital for intensive medical care. All 137 wraps of cocaine ingested by the suspects have been successfully evacuated from their system and they are now in a stable health condition.”

Abdallah however, warned that people should eschew dangerous and criminal acts that are inimical to their well being, public health and safety. “Drug ingestion is a very risky act that exposes drug traffickers to early graves. People must desist from such injurious acts, protect their precious lives as well as promote public well being and safety.

The Agency will continue to protect lives and enhance public security by ensuring that narcotic drugs are only made available for medical and scientific purposes” the Chairman stated.

NDLEA commander at the Abuja airport, Hamisu Lawan said that all five suspects were arrested while attempting to smuggle drugs into the country from Brazil and United Arab Emirates. “The two suspects that escaped death are Ogbobe James Chidiebere, 33, who ingested 62 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.131kg and Okonkwo Ernest Nonye, 33, who ingested 75 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.375kg.

Three other suspects are Okanimeh Chinedu Niclopez, 33, arrested with a duty free bag stocked with 3.3kg of cocaine hidden inside chocolates; Obeche Ignatius Emeka, 29, and Ikeaba Chidi Anthony, 31, caught with 1kg and 1.782kg of cocaine hidden inside socks” Hamisu stated.

Ogbobe James Chidiebere and Okonkwo Ernest Nonye who are from Enugu State were thankful to the NDLEA for saving their lives. In the words of Ogbobe, “I thank the NDLEA for taking us to the hospital on time.

I know that I made a mistake, but I never knew that it could lead to my death. Even though, they will take me to court, I still thank God that I am alive. This has taught me a bitter lesson.”

All the suspects will soon be charged to court.

It was a shocking and mysterious incident that shook residents of Camp 6 in the Bia West District of Western Region, Ghana, when a 40-year-old man, Emmanuel Azumbila and his young son, Enoch, allegedly ran mad after eating a local meal of 'Fufu' (A meal made by boiling cassava, yams or plantains and then pounding them into a dough-like consistency), 'Palm nut' soup.

According to reports, shortly after eating the meal that was bought from a nearby restaurant, the father and son began behaving in a strange manner, screaming and tearing off their clothes and running into the streets naked before other residents managed to get a hold of them.

They were quickly rushed to a hospital where doctors had to battle to hold them down to as to administer treatment on them. It was gathered that initial medical reports suggested that the meal may have been drugged or that the ingredients used to prepare the meal had been contaminated

lalasticlala

Samson Folarin

All hell broke loose on Wednesday on Olaleye Street, in the Iponri area of Lagos State, after an armed robber shot dead a leader of the Oodua People’s Congress, Sanjo Akintoye, during a failed attack.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the robber, who came on a motorcycle with another suspect, expended his bullets on the 43-year-old security guard, who struggled with him till the end.

As he made to reload his pistol, residents swooped on him and broke his skull with stones, sticks and bottles.

He died on the spot and the corpse was recovered by policemen from the Iponri division.

Our correspondent, who visited the scene, learnt that the suspect and his accomplice had trailed a worker at a construction site, who had gone to withdraw N500,000 from a branch of Zenith bank in the area.

A witness, who did not identify himself, said the rider and the passenger were challenged for riding a motorcycle into the area.

He said, “One of us was asked to withdraw money from the Zenith Bank around 11am. As he was coming back on foot, he was surprised to see two people following him on a motorcycle.

“One of us, Baba Bolu, challenged them for riding motorcycle into the area. The man at the back of the motorcycle shot him in the leg and in the hand. Baba Bolu lost a finger. Chairman (Akintoye) was returning from the toilet when he heard the gunshots and he confronted the robber.

“The robber faced him and released a hail of bullets on him. Chairman was hit, but he moved closer to the suspect. The robber continued to fire shots till he expended his bullets.”

Another witness said the gunshots attracted the attention of other OPC members and some residents in the area.

He said while the robber was shooting Akintoye, the residents had blocked all escape routes.

“Some of us stood on the road, while others stayed behind vehicles. Immediately we saw that he had expended his bullets, one of us attacked the robber as he climbed the motorcycle to flee the scene.

“He fell. Some other people moved closer and hit him with planks, bottles and any weapon they could find, but the rider escaped,” he added.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Akintoye was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was confirmed dead.

The news of his death was said to have angered residents, who again stabbed the suspect.

Our correspondent gathered that a robber had two months ago entered the estate on a motorcycle and escaped with N500,000 after trailing another resident from the same bank.

A worker in the estate, Francis Oloto, said that the incident was captured on a CCTV, adding that the robber had a motorcyclist waiting for him at the junction.

He said, “That day, he wore a fez cap and jeans. He trailed the worker till he got here.

From what we saw on the CCTV, he was accompanied by three motorcyclists who were waiting at the junction.

“Immediately he collected the money at gunpoint, he mounted one of the motorcycles and rode off while others followed. He made away with the N500,000.”

PUNCH Metro observed as friends and relatives of the slain OPC leader lamented that they were not allowed access to firearms.

One of them, who did not identify himself, said, “We discussed it at our last meeting that we need to have guns to be able to function well.”

The deceased was described as an amiable leader, who devoted his time and energy to maintaining peace and order in the area.

Arrangements were being made for his burial when our correspondent left the area.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the police recovered one pistol with nine expended and 10 unexpended cartridges.

She said, “Today, at about 11am, one Adeyemi reported that he was attacked by two armed men on a motorcycle, who asked him to hand over the money he had withdrawn to them. He resisted and in the process, he was shot on his right leg which attracted passersby.

“The hoodlums, sensing danger, shot at one Olatunji Ogundele and Sanjo Akintoye. One of the culprits was overpowered by the crowd and lynched, while the other escaped.

“The victims were rushed to a hospital for treatment, while the corpse of the armed robber has been taken to the Yaba General Hospital mortuary.”

Lagos - A 40-year-old man, Mr Sunday Oladipupo, has asked an Orile Agege Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his marriage with Bukola over alleged adulterous behaviour by his wife.

" I caught my wife in bed with her supposed brother, I want a divorce, " Oladipupo, a driver, told the court on Thursday.

The complainant lives at 7, Nmbosi Avenue, AIT Road, Alakuko, a suburb of Lagos told the court.

"I caught my wife red-handed with a man she introduced to me as her brother, they were both naked and in the act.

"She pushed me to beating her because I always feel jealous anytime I see her with another man.

``Before I kill her and myself, it is better we part ways," he said.

Oladipupo claimed that Bukola did not respect him and left home at will and returned when she liked.

He said that his wife left home since September 2015 with his children, aged four and nine years.

"She was pregnant when she left my house but the most painful part was that her man friend called me on phone and told me to ask my wife about the paternity of our two children," he said.

The complainant told the court that he was tired of the union and wanted a divorce.
However, Bukola denied the allegation but supported the dissolution of the union.

"I am not adulterous and I was not pregnant when I left his house in 2015.

" I left home because he beat me anyhow, I did not have peace of mind with him, I am tired of the marriage, I support the dissolution," she said.

The Court President, Dr Kayode Whenu, told the couple to maintain the peace and adjourned the matter to May 10 for further hearing. (NAN)

A bill for a law which prescribes five-year jail term for lecturers who engage in sexual relationship with students passed its first reading in the Senate on Wednesday.

The bill, sponsored by Ovie Omo-Agege (Labour-Delta Central) and co-sponsored by 46 other senators, seeks to completely prohibit any form of sexual relationship between lecturers and their students.

Briefing journalists after plenary, Mr. Omo-Agege said that the nation’s institutions of higher learning must be sanitised to rid them of lecturers who saw female students as “prize’’.

According to him, when the bill is passed and signed into law, any lecturer found guilty will be liable to a jail term of up to five years but not less than two years with no option of fine.

“When passed into law, it makes it a criminal offence for any educator in a university, polytechnic or any other tertiary educational institution to violate or exploit the student-lecturer fiduciary relationship for sexual pleasures.

“The bill imposes stiff penalties on offenders in its overall objective of providing tighter statutory protection for students against sexual hostility and all forms of sexual harassment in tertiary schools.

“The bill provides a compulsory five-year jail term for lecturers who sexually harass students.

“When passed into law, vice chancellors of universities, rectors of polytechnics and other chief executives of institutions of higher learning will go to jail for two years if they fail to act within a week on complaints of sexual harassment made by students.

“The bill expressly allows sexually harassed students, their parents or guardians to seek civil remedies in damages against sexual predator lecturers before or after their successful criminal prosecution by the State.

“The bill also seeks to protect, from sexual harassment, prospective students seeking admissions into institutions of learning, students of generally low mental capacity and physically challenged students,’’ he stated.

The lawmaker said that it was practicable in other climes as “honour codes’’ but stressed that it should be domesticated in Nigeria in the Penal form.

The bill reads: “An educator shall be guilty of committing an offence of sexual harassment against a student if he/she has sexual intercourse with a student.

“He or she shall be guilty if he has sexual intercourse with a student or demands for sex from a student or a prospective student as a condition to study in an institution.

“He or she shall be guilty if he has sexual intercourse with a student or demands for sex from a student or a prospective student as a condition to the giving of a passing grade.

“ He or she shall be guilty if he solicits sex from or makes sexual advances at a student when the sexual solicitation or sexual advances result in an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for the student.

“He or she shall be guilty if he directs or induces another person to commit any act of sexual harassment under this Act, or cooperates in the commission of sexual harassment by another person.

“He or she shall be guilty if he grabs, hugs, rubs or strokes or touches or pinches the breasts or hair or lips or hips or buttocks or any other sensual part of the body of a student.

“He or she shall be guilty if he displays, gives or sends by hand or courier or electronic or any other means naked or sexually explicit pictures or videos or sex related objects to a student.

“He or she shall be guilty if he whistles or winks at a student or screams or exclaims or jokes or makes sexually complimentary or uncomplimentary remarks about a student’s physique,” he said.

The bill also has provisions to sanction students who falsely accuse lecturers of sexual harassment. Such students could face dismissal from the school but no jail term was prescribed.

According to the bill, the only exemption is where the student is legally married to the lecturer before admission in the school as a student.

It states that the consent of the student shall not serve, in anyway, as a defence as the bill seeks to completely ban lecturer-student relationships.

The bill also imposes on institutions the responsibility to protect students who initiate a sexual harassment charge.
(NAN)

lalasticlala

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

ONITSHA - To God, it was power above Satan. But to the human mind, it was a miracle. A 46-year old mad woman who had roamed the streets for 35 years insane, becoming a chorister shortly after she was delivered from the bondage of marine spirits who tormented for the whole period.

Simply identified as Sister Chioma who hails from Ntigha in Ngwa area of Abia State, she automatically regained her consciousness as the evil spirits tormenting her fled during an encounter with Prophet Onyeka Chibuzo (Agina)of the Church of Last Born (a.k.a the Anointed Assembly).

The miracle leading to her deliverance took place on March 11, 2016 at the premises of Onitsha Main Market where Prophet Onyeka and members of his church went to hold outreach prayers for the traders.

On how the feat was achieved, the source stated that while the Prophet was firing his prayers during the outreach, Chioma passed through the arena and when he saw her in tattered clothes, God said to him that the hour of miracle had come.

According to Prophet Onyeka who spoke in his church at Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, during a special dedication service where Chioma is presently worshiping, “I held Chioma by the hand as she was passing by and she shouted, ‘’hapu m!” (which means leave me alone!) and I immediately ordered her to bow down”.

“Initially, she disobeyed me by repeating the command after me to also bow down but I knew I was not fighting with Sister Chioma, but the evil spirit that was tormenting her. It was, however, at the sixth command that she fell down and immediately realized that she was almost naked.

“Sympathizers who were around and listening to my preaching, on humanitarian ground started donating clothes to her and among them, two women who had pity on her, took her to a secluded corner, cleaned her up and shaved her dreaded hair”, Prophet Onyeka stated.

He disclosed that God made a startling revelation to him during the prayer session that Chioma’s case was exceptional it was marine spirit which was spearheaded by occult men who were desperate in amassing wealth through occultic and ritual practices that were responsible for her madness.

Narrating her ordeal from grass to grace, sister Chioma who is now a strong member and chorister at the Church of Last Born (a.k.a the Anointed Assembly), said she didn’t know how she became mad nor what actually brought her to Onitsha.

According to her, “all I knew was that my parents were dead long time ago before my madness started. My late parent had only two of us in the family, my sister, Nkechi and I but Nkechi was married before my sanity began”. Chioma also recalled that she worked as a labourer in peoples’ farms, a job she did to earn her living before she finally became insane.

She said she did not know who or what was responsible for her past ugly condition which she must have passed through in the last 35 years, adding that she was told by a witness who could be in her late thirties that she (witness) was only seven years old when she (Chioma) became mad.

Chioma who is now a melodious singer, singing beautiful gospel songs during their Church services, thanked God for driving away the marine spirits that tormented her and for saving her from the hands of the cultists/ritualists that tended to use her for money spinning rituals, adding that many peoples’ lives had been ruined in this manner by the so-called ritualists and cultists who are being used by the Satan and his agents to kill and destroy the children of God.

Two women who witnessed the miraculous work, Evangelist Rose Nwachukwu and Mrs Ada Jesus confessed to have known Chioma for years as she usually passed along major streets of Onitsha and Onitsha main market, where they transact their businesses.

Benin - The Speaker of Edo House of Assembly, Mr Victor Edoro, has been impeached by 16 of the 24 members of the assembly on Tuesday.

In his place, a woman, Mrs Elizabeth Ativie was elected by the lawmakers as the new Speaker.

The impeachment followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Mr Folly Ogedemgbe (APC-Owan- East) and seconded by Mr Patrick Illuobe (PDP - Esan-North East).

``This is an impeachment notice signed by 16 members that the speaker Victor Edoroh and his deputy, are hereby impeached,’’ Ogedemgbe said during the house sitting.

NAN reports that shortly after moving the motion, Ogedemgbe nominated Illuobe to preside over the election, who thereafter called for nomination for a new speaker and deputy.

Ativie's name was submitted as speaker by Mr Victor Assen (APC-Owan-East), while Mr Justin Okonobo ( APC-Igueben) was nominated as deputy speaker by Henry Okhuobo (APC-Orhionmwon).

The two were subsequently approved to lead the House by the lawmakers.
A mild drama, however, ensued immediately after the new speaker took her seat, when the assembly's chamber was invaded by some suspected thugs.

The situation made security operatives to immediately take over control of the assembly's premises, as staff scampered for safety.

lalasticlala

The Federal Government failed today to produce former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja for trial in corruption charges brought against him by the government.

Although the witnesses in the case were assembled by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in court, the trial was scuttled by the failure of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) to release Dasuki to EFCC for the trial.

At the resumed of the case, counsel to the EFCC Mr Oluwaleke Atolagbe informed Justice Baba Yusuf that he had made serious efforts through the EFCC to contact the DSS to produce the first defendant in court and regretted that as at the time the court was sitting his efforts did not yield fruitful result.

The counsel informed the court that there was no indication that the former NSA would be brought to court for the trial even though the witnesses are in court and that also Mr. Rotimi Jacob (SAN) who was supposed to be the lead prosecution counsel was at the Court of Appeal for a different matter.

Atolagbe appealed that the matter be stood down pending the arrival of Mr. Jacob in Court to come and shed more light on the absence of Dasuki.

However, Counsel to Salisu Shuaib, a former Director of Finance ONSA, Chief Akin Olujimi said that the coming into court of Jacob would be inconsequential in the absence of the first defendant (Dasuki).

Olujimi, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Justice Minister, told the court that the prosecution had failed to produce the defendant in court and ought to admit that and asked for adjournment. The SAN informed Justice Baba Yusuf that it is settled in law that trial cannot go ahead in the absence of the defendant and prayed the Judge to grant adjournment to the prosecution to enable them take steps to produce Dasuki in Court on the adjourned date.

Olujimi also asked the court to issue a stern warning to the prosecution to be serious in the trial and to ensure that Dasuki is produced in court at all stages of the trial as demanded by law.

In his own submission, counsel to Aminu Baba-Kusa, aformer Executive at NNPC, Mr Solomon Umor informed Justice Baba Yusuf that “ordinarily the prosecution ought to apply for a bench warrant against Dasuki for a failure to appear in court for trial but noted that in the instance case, the prosecution would not do so because they are the one responsible for the absence of Dasuki because of his unwarranted detention.

“Lets the truth be told here that it is the Federal Government that is frustrating this trial because it wants to eat its cake and have it at the same time. By this I mean the government wanted the first defendant tried for criminal matter and yet it was not ready to allow the defendant have access to his lawyers or even to court to face that trial
“I would have asked that the defendants in this case be discharged and allow to go home pending the time the prosecution would get serious for their trial. But I will reluctantly concede to one more adjournment be granted to the prosecution.

“Let me say that this adjournment should go with stern warning to the prosecution should not come before this court with another story because the defendants must not be held to ransom by the unwilling prosecution.”

In his ruling, Justice Baba Yusuf said that that it was the responsibility of the prosecution to produce the defendant in court as required by law but regretted that the prosecution has unfortunately abdicated this responsibility today as far as this case is concerned.

However, the Judge said because the conduct of the prosecution had been good in the past, he granted an adjournment of the trial till May 23, 2016.

The Federal Government on Monday said it was currently subsidising Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol at N12.62 per litre.

It said that the subsidy figure was for petrol imported directly by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and dispensed at its retail outlets, while the rate was N12.88 per litre for other oil marketers.
This was contained in the latest Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) Template released in Abuja.

It said that although provision was not made for subsidy in the 2016 budget, it would be defrayed from “recoveries” made by the country from oil transactions in the first quarter of 2016.

According to the agency, between January and March, 2016, the Federal Government was able to save about N10 billion as a result of selling the product above the Expected Open Market Price.

It explained that without the subsidy and given the landing cost of the product, it ought to be sold at N98.62 per litre at NNPC outlets and at N99.38 per litre by major and independent oil marketers.

According to the template, the expected open market price is the actual price of the product without subsidy and it was based on the current exchange rate of N197 to a dollar.

A breakdown of the template revealed that for NNPC retail outlets and independent and major oil marketers, landing cost of PMS imported into the country was N84.32 and N85.08 per litre, respectively.

It stated that the distribution margin, which included retailers, transportation, bridging fund and dealers margin stood at N14.30 for both NNPC and other marketers.

“This brings the current Expected Open Market Price to N98.62 and N99.38 for NNPC retail outlets and other marketers respectively,” it said.

lalasticlala

Findings revealed that the Federal Government withdrew over N75 billion in September 2010 alone. On September 1 and 15, the government withdrew N40.5 billion and N35.5 billion, which were purportedly “released to CFR as loan to fund INEC for 2010 general elections. Another N11.3 billion was withdrawn on October 13 and “released” to INEC as loan for the same election.

Cyriacus Izuekwe

A young man, Abbey Ahmed, whose penis was fractured during a fight has broken down and wept bitterly at the police station after he realized that he might not be able to perform his sexual duties anymore.

Our correspondent gathered that his penis fractured after a fight between the victim, Abbey Ahmed and the suspect, Allen Edema. The incident happened at Okun Owa, Apapa area of Lagos state, southwest Nigeria where the duo reside.

Ahmed who was rushed to the hospital after the fight discovered that his penis could not erect again due to injury he sustained.

Edema who inflicted the injury has since been arrested and charged before Apapa Magistrate court with assault that caused grievous injury on the victim.

Our reporter gathered that Edema allegedly attacked Ahmed on his penis causing him to become unconscious.

PM NEWS gathered that an argument ensued between the victim and the suspect with others now at large.

The quarrel resulted in both the victim and suspect engaging in a fight during which Edema injured Ahmed’s penis which led to the fight.

The victim was taken to hospital where it was discovered that he suffered severe injury on his penis and where it was confirmed that he cannot perform again.

After the matter was reported to the police, Edema was arrested and charged to court with the alleged offence.

He pleaded not guilty.

The presiding magistrate, Mr T. Abolarenwa granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum.

Edema was remanded in prison custody pending he will perfect his bail condition.
The matter was adjourned till 11 May 2016.

Samson Folarin

Tragedy struck in Dattawa, in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, as four children suffocated after mistakenly locking themselves in a car.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the children – Umar Mansir (male, 9); Maryam Salisu (female, 12); Sadiyya Bashir (female, 7); and Fatima Ibrahim (female, 3) – lived with their parents in Rigasa Quarters and always played together.

However, their parents were said to have gone out on Thursday and one of them left his Honda Civic car unlocked in the compound.

The children were reported to have entered into the car and later closed the door.
It was said that one of them pressed the lock button and as the car got heated, the children became trapped.

A resident said the kids suffocated, adding that their parents did not know they were dead until they came back home in the evening.

He said, “The incident happened on Thursday, but the police did not get to know until the following day.

“The children lived in the same compound. Their parents went out on a visit that day and they started playing on the premises of their building.

“Later, they got into the car and locked the doors. When the heat became too much, they made efforts to get out to no avail. We saw scratches on the vehicles upholstery and the marks of their hands on the windows.

“However, they could neither get out nor find help and they died in the car. When their parents returned, they started searching for them. When the search was futile, somebody decided to check the car, and the children were there, dead.”

Our correspondent gathered that the incident threw the whole neighbourhood into mourning.

PUNCH Metro was told that the corpses were kept till the following morning, after which they were buried.

A police source said the police in the Rigasa area got wind of the incident on Friday and stormed the area.

He said, “The families did not report to the police for reasons best known to them. By the time the police got to the place on Friday, the residents had already prepared the corpses for burial. The whole community was in tears. The children were buried that day in accordance with Islamic rites.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Kaduna State, Zubairu Abubakar, confirmed the incident, adding that the police had started investigations.

He said, “The incident happened on Thursday, but we learnt about it on Friday, April 29, 2016. The lifeless bodies of the four children were traced to a Honda Civic car parked in the compound. Investigation is in progress.”

lalasticlala

A man arrested by the operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command for being a major buyer of stolen mobile phones in Lagos, has confessed to have bought over 4,256 mobile phones from robbers, pickpockets and one – chance gangs operating in the state .

The suspect, Kazeem Bamidele, 42, who is the Second Vice Chairman of the National Union of Road and Transport Workers’ (NURTW), Ajegunle Unit, equally confessed to the RRS Intelligence Team that he has over 52 boys in Lagos State, who steal and sell “clean phones” to him constantly.

Kazeem, popularly known as “Elewure” in the social circle, was arrested , when the RRS Intelligence Team quizzed two stolen phones users in Kogi State in connection with abduction and robbery cases in Lagos State.

The operatives had upon returning from a week – long investigation to Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kogi State, swung into actions by arresting Elewure from his shop in Boundary Market, Ajegunle, after he was fingered to have been the seller of two Blackberry Z10 phones and a CAT phone collected from victims of robbery and abduction incidences in the metropolis.

Kazeem said, “I have over 52 boys who sell clean stolen mobile phones to me. On the average, I receive 38 ‘clean’ phones in a week. I have been in the business for more than two years”

He also confessed that ” Boundary Market in Ajegunle, where I have office and shop, is where they sell the phones to me and that is where the buyers equally get them. I know they are stolen phones. Nearly every guy in Ajegunle is involved in this kind of runs. It is what they do to survive.”

“I was pushed into the business by family pressure. I have two wives and seven children. I have so many dependants. What I pay as school fees alone is staggering ” the suspect claimed

Bamidele also stated that ” I had too many problems in life. My mother gave birth to 13 children for my father. Though both of them are no more, only three of us are left. I am the breadwinner of the family’

“My first wife’s children are part of the predicament I have. Since I married the second wife, I have not known peace. Can you believe that since I was arrested, she has never called or visited me? I know this is a lesson for me in life. She has seven children for me and what I paid as school fees for her children is staggering”, he stated.

He continued that “I started out in life as ‘elubo’, pepper and maize grinder. I know that most of these phones were gotten from pickpocketing, one chance and robbery” .

The suspect added that ” My second wife has mounted so much pressure on me to quit the business long ago but the financial pressure was stunning. I think I have come to a point I don’t need to be advised to stop it now”:.

He revealed that ” I buy Infinix Hot 2 at N10k and sell N12,000; Blackberry Z30 at N20,000:00 and sell at N22,000:00; buy Infinix Hot Note at N15,000:00 and sell at N17,000 and Samsung Galaxy X3 at N11,000 and sell at N14,000. I don’t buy iPhone because of its locking system”.

Investigators revealed that as at the time of his arrest, five stolen mobile phones were found with him. He is presently helping the police to pick up his boys from their hide-outs, bus stops and routes of operations.

Already, two commercial buses “danfo” used for robbery and one chance operations are presently at RRS Headquarters in Alausa.
It was also learnt that the
suspect revealed to the police most of the boys ,who bring phones to his shop , stay in hotels around the state.

” some of the phones traced to Elewure were that of high profile members of the society as well as celebrities” our source said.

According to the Police PPRO, SP Dolapo Badmos the force was following up the suspect’s revelations and is making steady progress in the investigations of the case.
The suspect has been transferred to SARS for further

Sheriff had proposed an amendment to the party’s constitution, whereby he added a clause that the body would need to consult him before it could call for any meeting.

Unlike before, the BoT, of which the national chairman is a member, does not need his permission to hold its meeting.

Four high court judges in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are currently under the radar of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly frustrating the probe of high-profile corruption cases.

The judges are said to have developed a penchant for going soft with suspects who approach their courts to stop their trial for corruption by EFCC.

Their courts, The Nation gathered yesterday, have thus become an attraction for suspects who want to frustrate their trials.

The anti- graft agency is already mulling the idea of a tribunal to try suspects with overwhelming evidence of corruption cases against them.

A well placed source in EFCC said the agency’s suspicion was aroused by spurious injunctions’ persistently coming from the judges.

“In the past few weeks, we have discovered that almost every day, there was one judgment or the other against us. We have been subjected to arrangee injunctions,” a well placed source said.

“Some judges in the FCT have been bought over by some high-profile suspects on trial for corruption. From our findings, four judges are involved.

“We are trying to reach out to the Chief Judge of FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello on our observations and the ethics of the Bench.

What these big suspects do is that they always try to compromise these four judges. Thereafter, they bring applications to their courts under the enforcement of fundamental human rights to get reprieve and frustrate investigation by EFCC.

“Even before we interrogate these suspects, the judges would have issued orders for their release.”

The source said that although there are designated judges handling corruption-related matters “maybe we will come up with a tribunal to fast-track the trial of all these suspects who have looted our treasury.”

The source however said that “the judges at the Federal High Court have improved on their treatment of corruption cases.”

The EFCC recently lodged a formal complaint of alleged misconduct against Justice M. N. Yunusa (Federal High Court) with the National Judicial Council (NJC).
He was alleged to have been bribed with N225,000 by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Rickey Tarfa.

It was not immediately clear if these four judges might be referred to the NJC.
A petition against a judge passes through four stages in NJC as follows:

Receipt of a petition by CJN.
Sending the petition to the Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committee (PCAC) to determine the merit or otherwise of the issues.

Genuine complaint goes to NJC Plenary
NJC raises Fact-Finding Committee to hear from the petitioner(s) and the defendants and their lawyers.

The NJC and the President are empowered to determine a judge’s fate in line with the process outlined by the Part I, Paragraph I, Section 21(b) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 292(1)( a)(i)
Part I, Paragraph I, Section 21(b) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution reads: “For the avoidance of doubt, the said Third Schedule, Part I, Paragraph I, Section 21(b) of the Constitution provides that “the NJC shall have power to recommend to the President the removal from office of (the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Justices of the Supreme Court, the President and Justices of the Court of Appeal, and the Chief Judge and Judges of the Federal High Court) and to exercise disciplinary control over such officers”

Section 292(1)( a)(i) says: “A judicial officer shall not be removed from his office or appointment before his age of retirement, except in the following circumstances (a) in the case of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the President of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and President, Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, by the President( of Nigeria), acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate, praying that he be so removed for his inability to discharge the functions of his office or appointment (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body) or for misconduct or contravention of the Code of Conduct.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is closingin on a former governor from the Southern part of the country, who is alleged to own 29 choice property in the United Arab Emirate (UAE), Saturday Telegraph’s investigation has revealed.

Sources disclosed that the former governor would soon be invited to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, to answer questions on the alleged ownership of the luxury houses, each of which is said to be valued at over $1 million. It will be recalled that New Telegraph had exclusively reported on Monday the tracing of the property by the Foreign Desk Office of the EFCC.

A source, who spoke in confidence with Saturday Telegraph, said the commission was determined to deploy all that is legitimately required, to recover the controversial property, once it has incontrovertible evidence to link the ownership of the property to the erstwhile governor.

He insisted that the said luxury homes, were allegedly acquired through offshore companies, who are also responsible for their management. This is even as Saturday Telegraph further gathered, that the UAE government was mounting pressure on the offshore companies to come clean on the true ownership of the assets.

The decision by the Federal Government to seek the support of the government of UAE, and the latter’s cooperation, Saturday Telegraph learnt, comes on the heels of a subsisting Bilateral Agreement, which countries signed sometime in January.

The signing, which took place in Abu Dhabi, was witnessed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Crown Prince of the UAE, Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. “Further to the earlier tracing of the assets, the EFCC is working towards inviting the ex-governor to come and defend himself,” the source said.

Asked to be specific on the date, he declined, saying: “I can’t tell you that; you will know once that happens.” He added that: “The UAE government is mounting pressure on the offshore companies to make some disclosures to it, which will definitely help our investigation. Once all relevant procedures are concluded, and the commission feels strongly it has a prima facie case, it will charge him to court.”

Mathew Dike

In this report, MATHEW DIKE recounts the tragic end of late Mrs. Theresa Ode, a woman snatched from her husband by a local government chairman, who got her impregnated and abandoned her to die in a Lagos hospital during childbirth.

If Joseph Ode’s emotional travail is limited only to his wife being snatched by a randy politician, it wouldn’t have been too tragic a lost for him to bear. But the bereaved General Editor at Newswatch Magazine is currently in a state of mourning. Not only was his wife, Mrs. Theresa Ode, taken from him by a former council chairman of Oju local government council in Benue State, Mr. Bright Ogaji. After being impregnated by the council boss, Theresa died on her delivery bed, while giving birth on April 3.

This is one among many unreported cases of affluent politicians, who under the lure of the forbidden fruit, use ill gotten wealth from the public tilt to seduce vulnerable wives of ordinary citizens. Like the biblical David who snatched Uriah’s wife and eventually plotted the cold blooded murder of the faithful and true soldier at his duty post, such human predators, whose past time is covetousness, abound in the society despite the warning of the tenth commandment that “thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife and property”
When Theresa got married to Mr Ode, a senior journalist, there was jubilation.

People regarded them as models in their local community, Oju, in Benue State, especially after Ode sent his wife to the Lagos State University (LASU) where she graduated with flying colours from the Accounting department. With God by her side, she became a banker, while her husband believed that the sky was her limit. Theresa was the love of her husband’s life and he did everything to make her happy – cash gift, petting – just name it!

They were still enveloped in their love, even after begetting three children, before the devil came in form of politics, using the ex- local government chairman of Oju council, Ogaji, to achieve his goal of destroying a once happy and progressing marriage.

LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that Ode had contested the Benue State House of Assembly election, but unfortunately luck ran out on him and he lost the election. All hope was not lost as he was compensated with the position of a media aide to the then governor, Gabriel Suswam. His wife, Theresa was said to have resigned from her banking job.

Ode said he loved his party and party men, and so he was one of Ogaji’s political ally and staunch supporter when he was vying for the chairmanship position of their local government in 2011. He said he assisted him enough till victory became his. While Ode was busy assisting Ogaji during his campaign, he never had the premonition that Ogaji was nursing plans to snatch his wife in ‘swagger bravado’ if he succeeded as the chairman.

The devil perfected his homework against Ode when Ogaji won the council poll. Since then, the council boss allegedly started mapping out strategy to make the woman dump her husband for him. He eventually did. After renting a 2-bedroom flat for Theresa and the children, he got her impregnated. But she gave birth to a baby boy who never tasted her mother’s breast milk. Theresa died immediately after she was delivered of the child.

The Game Plan
Ode recounted how Ogaji called him and informed him that he was giving him a slot to nominate any woman of his choice to occupy the position of technical chairman of the local government. He said he did not envisage Ogaji had plotted a plan to use the slot and cause problem between him and his wife.

Ogaji was said to have called Theresa and inform her that he told her husband to nominate a woman that would occupy a juicy position in the council, but instead of bringing her, Ode presented another woman’s name to him. Ode said that was the point things started falling apart between him and his wife. This, he said, led to the council boss eloping with the woman and his three children. Ogaji went ahead to impersonate Ode, using his name to rent a flat at 16, Jimmy Oyebanjo Street, Abule- Egba, in Lagos State for his wife.

Ode’s story
Narrating his ordeal, Ode said, “In 2012, my wife’s character changed. She behaved very strange to me. Her statements made me to be convinced that something wrong was happening. She unusually became so arrogant. She would not do what I ask her to do. The relationship deteriorated. That was how we started having issues on daily basis. When I went for an operation after I had an accident, she was visiting but, in some cases, quarreling with me in the hospital.

“I spent 2014 in a hospital in Jos. I told her that the two families- I mean my family and her own family- would come and reconcile us. They came; even her uncle who lives in Lagos, Tony Iji, was among those that came. That was the day they were holding election in April. She packed her belongings and left my house in Makurdi. She moved to the house she was building in Makurdi.

After packing out of my house, I saw her three times and we talked about my children that she eloped with and other issues.

“I was always going to school to see my children. One day I went to school as usual to see them, only for me to learn that the children travelled. They said my children did not return to school after Christmas. I was bordered. Some people would tell me that she called them that she was in Ghana. I was shocked to hear that my wife died in a hospital on Sunday, April 3, in Lagos. They said she died after giving birth in a hospital.

“From my own understanding, she must have been charmed by that dubious man, Ogaji. He must have lured her with money and position. I’m not ruling out diabolical means. I cannot rule out money. Let me tell you how the former Oju local government chairman, Bright Ogaji, caused problem in my family. Ogaji told me to submit the name of any woman that will occupy the position of technical chairman. I submitted another woman’s name as he did not give time to do consultation. When I gave him the name, he asked after my wife.

“We were in the same party. and I was his supporter. That was why he called me to nominate somebody for an appointment. After that he promised my wife something bigger. He promised her technical chairman when it was time to decide or approve.

During one of our festival, my wife told me that he has given her a contract to bring actors popularly known as Aki and Pawpaw to the community during the festival. I asked her how much was approved. She did not respond. I began to wonder how much the local government approved for the festival. My wife is not a politician. They probably promised her she would be very rich”.

Commenting further on the betrayal, heartbroken Ode said, “It is typical of him (Ogaji). No good man can treat his political ally like that. No honest person can do that. He is a dubious person. He took away my wife and children to suffer them. It is difficult to describe how I feel- feeling of betrayal and pain in my heart.

“I believe my wife was not in control of herself. I feel sad for such callous people. I feel sad that my children were moved from one place to another. I want God to take control of the situation. Let Him handle him for what he has done”.

The suspect, Ogaji’s Reaction
When contacted, Ogaji who spoke to LEADERSHIP Weekend on phone said, “The issue is very risky to comment on. The issue is a very sensitive matter because life is involved. I don’t want to make comment because I don’t want to be misquoted. So, no comment”.

The Late Theresa’s Landlord Speaks
When this reporter visited 16, Jimmy Oyebanjo Street, Abule- Egba, in Lagos State, the wife of the landlord, Mr Shola Adetele was in another shop opposite her building. Mrs Adetele called her husband on phone and he commented. He said, “When the woman (Theresa Ode) first came to us that she wanted to rent a flat, my wife told her that we would not rent a flat to anybody who did not come with her husband. We cannot rent a house to a single woman except she comes with her husband.

“She later came with the man (Ogaji) who she described as her husband. The man identified himself as Joseph Ode. The receipt we issued to him was written Joseph Ode. It was after the woman died that we knew that the man impersonated the name of the real husband of the woman (Joseph Ode). As she was dying she had to talk to people and gave us the number of her family member to call. I had to call one of them. The man (Theresa’s uncle) was surprised to know that she was living in Lagos.

“The fake husband said he travelled to USA a week before she delivered the baby boy in a maternity and died. The man is a very wicked and bad man. God will punish him for what he has done. He has runaway and the Police are looking for him. He betrayed his friend. Took his wife and children and claimed they are his children. He sleeps in the flat in some occasions. At times he would come stay with them and later go back. I thought the man probably had two wives and wanted to rent another flat for the other wife. Both the man and the woman deceived us”, he added.

Corroborating the landlord’s explanation, his wife, Mrs Adetele said, “I was the person that issued the receipt of payment of the rent to them. They paid for only one year. The children called the man daddy. So, we believed they are his children. The woman hardly come out of the flat unless she wanted to buy something. I did not see the woman driving any car. She is very poor as far as I’m concerned. She is owing a lot of people money in the area.

She bought chicken N750 and did not pay the woman since how many weeks before she died. She also bought baby clothes on credit. She is owing a lot of people money. But as she died nobody is interested in collecting the money from the family. She was a gentle person. She hardly talks. God will punish that wicked man that went to remove her from her husband’s house from Makurdi to Lagos.

“The family should follow the case up. See as people were crying when she died. There was nobody to take care of her when the period to deliver approached. Her mother is the one taking care of the new born baby now. She delivered in a church nearby. The church has maternity. But she died in another hospital. Nobody has died in that church maternity before”.

Christ Apostolic Church Maternity Reacts
A female Evangelist, Juliana Olalekan who partook in the delivery of the late Theresa’s baby at Christ Apostolic Church, Agbala Agbara Itusile Int’l Miracle Centre, 22, Jibowu Street, Abule- Egba spoke to LEADERSHIP Weekend about the deceased.

She told this reporter that for decades, thousands of people have been delivered of their babies and nobody has died in the church during childbirth.

She said, “We have not recorded any death at all. When the woman came, she did not drop any money. She had no money to drop. You know this is a church. We do charity work here. We don’t charge people money. It is whatever you have you give freely. The woman did not let us know that she committed such sin. We should have prayed for her so that God will forgive her of her sins. May be she wouldn’t have died. She wouldn’t have had such complication.

“We had to refer her to another hospital when we discovered that her condition was deteriorating. May God forgive her all her sins and may her soul rest in peace. Amen! I’m one of those that delivered her of the baby boy. We have been offering this kind of charity service for a very long time”.

1st Mainland Hospital And Maternity Reacts
The medical director of 1st Mainland Hospital and Maternity, 66, Sanni Balogun Street, Abule-Egba, Lagos where Theresa Ode died, Dr Adegun was not in the hospital when LEADERSHIP visited. He attempted not speak on the issue but this reporter managed to get a comment from him on phone. Hear him:”I don’t want to comment on this. But we did our best for her. We cared for her. Who will die will die. She had complication and they brought her to us from another place”.

Theresa’s Uncle Speaks
Embittered uncle of the late Theresa, Daniel Ocheme (not real name) disclosed that he and some other members of the family were invited by Ode’s family to resolve the lingering issue but to no avail, as the woman would not listen to both families. He said, “She was my sister. This is a marriage that lasted for 22 years. The woman later refused to stay with her husband.

“But we never knew that a man in the person of the former Oju local government Chairman, Bright Ogaji was (allegedly ) luring her with money and other things so that she would fall into her trap. Theresa and Joseph Ode married in 1994. Joseph is my in-law. Joseph was the General editor of News Watch and Pioneer editor of Financial Standard. He left there to become head of corporate communication of Chartered Bank before he left for politics in Benue State.

From 1994 the lovebirds were living happily with their three children, in Makurdi. Sometime last year the woman packed out of his house in Makurdi to her own house she built in the same Makurdi. She moved with her children. The first daughter is in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. The other two girls are in secondary and primary schools respectively.

“The husband was going to see the children in their school during this period of misunderstanding. But in early January, he went to the school only to find out that the children had been withdrawn from the school by their mother. Theresa changed the phone number of her daughter in the university. The man (Joseph Ode) contacted the family of his wife which I’m a member.

“Since then we have been looking for her to know where she was and where she was living. We could not declare her missing because some people said she had called them on phone to tell them she was in Ghana or Paris. Few days before she died she told some people she was in Ghana. No family member knew her whereabouts until Sunday, April 3 that she died of complication after giving birth to a baby boy.

“I got a call from the landlord of the house that Ogaji rented for her at 16, Jimmy Oyebanjo Street, Abule- Egba, in Lagos State. When I picked the call he asked whether I was related to Theresa Ode and I said ‘yes, but she is not in Lagos’ because we never knew she was in Lagos. It was then that he told me that Theresa Ode was his tenant but was sick, that gave birth to a baby boy and died, but the baby boy is alive and is with Theresa’s mother.

“When he gave us the address we went there. He took us to the church cum maternity where she delivered and another hospital where she died. The hospital had already moved and deposited the corpse in the mortuary at Ajunwon. We went to the place and we saw the body; it was Theresa. We also saw her two children in her residence at Agbule Egba.

Police Begin Manhunt For Suspect
Meanwhile, the Lagos State police command has declared Ogaji wanted and are ready to arrest him anywhere they see him, according to Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos. “The Police are investigating the matter. The divisional police officer of Oko- Oba police station has briefed me on the matter. We have commenced manhunt for the suspect.

I learnt he is not in the country. I learnt the family had buried the deceased. If they did autopsy before burial that would be okay so that we and the whole world can know what led to her death”, Badmos told LEADERSHIP Weekend

Cyriacus Izuekwe

Obinna James has been arrested and charged before Apapa Magistrate’s court for allegedly brutalizing his wife, Ebere over sex overture to have more children in their home in Apapa, Lagos State Western Nigeria.

He was remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri for the alleged offence under the Criminal code.

The incident happened at 26 Babatunde street, Olodi Apapa where they reside. The mother of three who is a hawker resisted her husband’s attempts to impregnate her.

She reportedly told him that they were not financial buoyant to add to the three kids they already have, comprising a girl and two boys.

Enugu State-born Obinna is a commercial driver and his wife Ebere only just began street hawking to assist her husband and the family.

It was learnt that an attempt for Obinna to have his way led to Ebere fleeing their apartment.

In anger, Obinna chased her and held her on the street, forcing her to return to their apartment but she vigorously resisted him.

Vexed by her stance, Obinna battered her and threw her inside gutter, leaving her seriously bruised and badly injured.

It took the intervention of the residents who rescued the victim and took her to a hospital for treatment.

The residents who saw what happened contacted the police and he was arrested.

At the station, the police asked him to apologize to his wife and take care of his medical bill but he refused.

The police preferred charges against him and arraigned him before the court with assault and occasional harm.
He pleaded not guilty.

The presiding magistrate, Mr T. Abolarinwa granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

The matter was further adjourned till 11 May 2016.

He was remanded in prison pending when he will perfect his bail condition.

Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja

A meeting of state governors held Wednesday night to address the nation’s economic crisis was again inconclusive.

That was the second time in a week that the Nigeria Governors Forum could not reach a conclusion on the crisis which has led to the inability of many state governments to pay salaries.

The forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, told State House correspondents at the end of the meeting held inside the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja that no conclusion had been reached on the matter.

Yari who is the governor of Zamfara State said the governors would meet again to continue deliberation and would also seek an audience with President Muhammadu Buhari on the matter.

He said, “The meeting was about the economy. You know we are in a very bad situation and we need to come together and discuss intensively about this economy because it is what is now giving the states headache and by extension the Federal Government.

“If you look carefully at this month’s federation account, it is the worst ever in the last six years.

“So, definitely we had to come to a round table. We were elected under different party platforms to perform, not just to pay salaries and it is worse off not to be able to pay salaries.

“So, the issue is very very serious that we are coming back to discuss it and if we have the opportunity, we will come back to see our leader Mr. President.”

When reminded that the Federal Government recently helped state governments with bailouts, Yari said beyond bailouts, the governors were more interested in permanent solutions to the economic problem.

He said although the governors were talking about diversification, that is a long term programme.

The governor said, “Yes, we are discussing about diversification but you should understand that it is a long term programme. We are looking for a short term formula for you to live, at least survive before the long term.

“So on diversification, we are looking at agriculture, which is supposed to be the major focus long time ago but has been neglected by the past administrations.

“Now that we found ourselves in this situation, we are working harder to diversify the economy and to look forward to a more permanent solution should in case oil goes out of existence but at the same time we have to look for a short term solution.”

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, also confirmed that the meeting was about finding a lasting solution to the economic crisis, saying all of them were concerned about the dwindling economy.

Fayose said as leaders, the state governors believed they must come together to find a solution.

He however disagreed with Yari that past administrations neglected agriculture.
He said, “That is subjective. Every leader at one time or the other must have done their best within the ambit of availability.

“For me, every former President, every former leader had made their contributions and I commend them. The new people on the saddle of leadership must continue to give their best.

“Before now, recession was in America and the west, now we have recession facing us. What we depend on as source of our revenue is dwindling. It is not the making of any man, it i another trend in our history that we have to deal with and we are doing just that.

“We will do our best we can only try our best, we have time and tenure.”

Also, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, said there was no one single meeting that could find a solution to all the economic issues.

He said, “You convene and reconvene. No human being can know it all at a particular point in time.

“The economic issues we have now is not only pertaining to Nigeria, it is a global issue, so you can’t just at one meeting of about two hours fashion out entire solution for the country.

“We trouble shoot some points, we discuss those points and we have to weigh the impact of those points both the positive negative, the extreme, the mid-point.

“And you know once you are bringing out certain policies, you also need to align those policies with the social cultural environment that you are operating in.

“What may work in this part of the world may not work in other parts even though it is a good policy. So realign and readjust and connect these things together and bring out something that can work is not something a two-hour meeting can achieve.”

Fight over a woman between two neighbouring communities of Badarawa Kwaru and Unguwar Yero in Kaduna North local government area of Kaduna State has turned bloody.

DAILY POST gathered that not fewer than six persons have lost their lives since the eruption of fight on Sunday night, while several others have sustained various degree of injuries.

As at the time of filing this report Wednesday afternoon, there is heavy presence of Police and soldiers as residents remain indoor.

Several gunshots were fired into the air at interval.

Eye witnesses accounts said the fight started between two men on Sunday night over a woman.

Emmanuel Kaja told DAILY POST that a man from Kwaru community came on motorbike to Unguwar Yero to see his alleged concubine who incidentally is a wife of a man in Unguwar Yero.

According to him, “The woman was in relationship with the man from Kwaru when she was a girl and used to give her money when they were dating. The lady in question married another person. But after their marriage, the lady and her former boyfriend were still going out.

“On that Sunday evening, the Kwaru man came as usual to look for his concubine.
They met as usual, but the husband who was already suspecting his wife trailed her to where they were standing. So, when he accosted them, the Kwaru man kicked his bike and stabbed the man from Kwaru in the stomach.

“The man later died before he could be rushed to the hospital. But, what got people of the area angry is that, the Governor later came begging the people to be patient without taking action to bring the culprit to book.

“That was why Unguwar Yero people also started attacking people suspected to be Hausa-Muslim,” he said.

Another eye witness also told DAILY POST that governor Nasir El-Rufai who was at Unguwar Yero on Sunday night to broker peace was stoned by the angry youths.

He said, “When the governor arrived the area, the angry youths didn’t even allow him to speak, they just started chanting ‘bama so’, meaning, ‘we don’t want’.

Meanwhile, after the Governor’s visit, the crisis started taking religious and ethnic dimensions since Monday, as groups from the neighboring Kwaru and Unguwar Yero resulted to attacking people identified as members of the opposite ethnic or religious group.

As at Wednesday morning, tension had risen again, as youths suspected to be of Kwaru extraction stormed Ghana Road area of Malali and Unguwar Yero, attacking two traders, one of whom is feared dead.

Casualties figure, according to eye witnesses, now stands at six.

Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, Zubairu Abubakar, did not take calls to his phone.

One Omotosho Adejoke has dragged her husband, Omotosho Musili before an Igando Customary court sitting Lagos state, alleging that he confused and lured her with charms before they got married.

The complainant, a 39-year-old food vendor told the court on Wednesday that her husband was adulterous.

She claimed her husband was in the habit of bringing his lovers to their one-room apartment to spend days or months before leaving.

She, however, prayed the curt to dissolve her 16-year-old marriage, stating that, “When I was single, my husband approached me that he wanted to marry me, I told him that I had a fiancé and that our marriage was near.

“Musili a bricklayer came back the following day and touched me, I don’t know how I got to his village, and I started having babies.

“As an orphan, nobody looked for me but now I am back to my senses,” she lamented.

On accusation of infidelity, Adejoke said “I always leave the bed for them and sleep on the floor, on four occasions I had reported him to our families.

“Recently, he came home with a lady who stole my pants and brassier, I discovered that after she had left.

“I told my husband to retrieve my underwear from his lover, he later came home with a bra and pant but those were not the underwear that were missing,” she added, noting that her husband was always threatening her life.

“My husband is threatening to kill me, my hair dresser informed me that anytime I finished making my hair that my husband always come begging her to give him my hair.

“And he always tell me that if I leave him that he will kill me and run away.

“I am the one responsible for feeding the family, paying the house rent and the children’s school fees,” the mother of four boys noted, adding that she was scared of contracting sexually transmitted diseases from her husband due to his unfaithfulness.

Meanwhile, on his part, her 47-year-old husband denied all the allegations.

He said, “I pay my bills, I usually give her N500 per day, but she also assists me as any good wife will do.

“I returned the underwear my lover took away from our house and I never approached my wife’s hairdresser requesting for her hair.

The respondent begged the court to help him appeal to his wife that he still loves her.

The Court President, Adegboyega Omilola, advised the couple to go back home, talk over the issue in peace and adjourned the matter till May 20.