This gentleman, Ibrahim Yucel, a Turkish man who was 42 years old at the time of the events, decided in 2013 to have his head locked in a cage with the intention of quitting smoking; his wife was the only one who had the keys and she only opened it during meals.
Details 🚨
It was in 2013 when a man from Turkey put a circular cage around his head to quit smoking. The story resurfaced recently and people are going nuts over the man’s unusual strategy to rid himself of his unhealthy habits. Though largely considered a rumour, the incident has truth to it. The Turkish man caged himself in a metal ball to quit cigarettes. Although images and videos of the man putting on the cage did reach social media, there were no reports about the man’s progress on quitting smoking after wearing the contraption.
The man was Ibrahim Yücel from the town of Kütahya in Turkey. According to reports, Ibrahim decided to lay rest to his fatal habit after his father passed away from lung cancer. He had made the cage with his own expertise after smoking two packs of cigarettes a day for more than two decades of his life. Well, it is safe to say that he had had his fill of smoking cigarettes. Ibrahim fashioned his contraption after getting inspired by motorcycle helmets worn by bikers. He made the head cage himself with the help of over 130 feet of copper wire. Once he was locked inside the cage, he handed over the keys to the cage to his family members in case his withdrawal symptoms compelled him to tinker with the lock on his head cage. Amid his quest to quit smoking, reports mentioned how his wife was super supportive of his endeavours, even his extreme bid to lock his head in a cage.
Even though the incident is over a decade old now, people online can still not believe that a man took such extreme steps to quit smoking.
Till today he still walks around with his head in a cage.
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Numerouno94: Key reasons why Kamala Harris Lost to Donald Trump.
1.) Americans are not ready to allow a woman lead them as President. In as much as they champion gender equality, they understand the dangers of electing a woman, a black or mixed raced as the POTUS. The current generation of Americans now are not ready for that risk.
2.) Americans don't joke with Israel's security. Whoever told Kamala Harris to criticize Israel, publicly condemning Israel defense of her homeland from Moslem terrorists attacks was wrong. She should have kept her mouth shut.
3.) In as much as Americans support freedom, equality and liberalism, the way Kamala Harris supports LGBT, Abortion, genderless madness and other anti Christian wokeism practices became worrisome to so many real Americans not the fake Americans wannabes.
4.) Most Americans are tired of Ukraine Russian war and they believe Trump can put an end to the war and save the world from a possible 3rd world war or nuclear battle. The Americans of today love fun and enjoyment more than anything and not ready to go to any war like Americans of the 1940s to 1990s
5.) Islamic Terrorists Madness in MiddleEast and the rising popularity of Iran. Americans believe only Trump can put a stop to Iran's madness in the MiddleEast.
6.) Migrant Influx. Many White Americans are tired of migrants trooping into their country. They believe if this is not checked, America will lose its glory in no distant time so they want a President that can be bold enough to stop or slow down migration to a great extent.
And Kamala Harris has been in support of allowing migrants in while Trump is against undocumented migrants coming into the US, especially those from Islamic countries, Africa, Haiti, Colombia and Mexico.
hotspec: With the hit and run twist, that may be a new lead. The cloth appears neater than it's a dog attack and no physical wound visible on the skin from that unclear image
So no cctv evidence of hit and run or just a hunch ?
Former US cybercriminal and now a cybersecurity consultant, Brett Johnson, has expressed skepticism about the likelihood of an easy release for Nigerian social media influencer, Ramon Abbas, known as Hushpuppi.
Hushpuppi is currently serving an 11-year prison sentence in the United States for international fraud.
Johnson, once on the FBI’s most-wanted list and currently a cybersecurity consultant for companies such as Microsoft, made this disclosure to The PUNCH at the just concluded GITEX Global event in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
He said that although he received a second chance after his criminal career, Abbas may struggle to find similar opportunities due to systemic inequalities.
“Hushpuppi may never get the second chance I did,” Johnson said, highlighting the challenges Abbas may face because of his background.
“I don’t know what type of opportunity that man is going to have because of where he is from. That’s the truth, and I think that’s a damn shame, but that’s the way the world is working right now,” he said.
Johnson masterminded ShadowCrew, an early online marketplace for illegal activities that helped pave the way for today’s darknet markets.
He was eventually arrested and cooperated with the Secret Service as a consultant and informant.
Speaking further, Johnson pointed out racial and socio-economic inequalities that often limit rehabilitation prospects, stating, “The truth of the matter is that white males have more opportunity than he’s (Abbas) going to have.”
The cybersecurity expert believes Abbas will encounter significant hurdles in attempting to rebuild his life after prison.
Hushpuppi had amassed over two million Instagram followers before his 2020 arrest in Dubai. Known for flaunting a luxurious lifestyle, Abbas allegedly funded his opulence through elaborate schemes that defrauded victims worldwide.
According to Johnson, imprisonment could serve as an opportunity for self-improvement.
“I was told this when I went to prison: whatever you don’t like about yourself, whatever you want to change, you have the opportunity to change that in prison,” he said. “If you’re a criminal and you want a different life, you can work on that from prison and change your life.”
Johnson urged Abbas to use his time behind bars for transformation, advocating for rehabilitation of crime. “It’s better to help people than to hurt people,” he stated.
Cassius the saltwater crocodile held the Guinness World Records title as the world's largest crocodile in captivity.
The world's largest captive crocodile has died in Australia.
He was thought to be more than 110 years old.
Cassius, the 5.48m (18ft) reptile, also weighed over a ton.
He had lived in a wildlife sanctuary on Green Island near the Queensland tourist town of Cairns in Australia for more than 37 years, according to the sanctuary's Facebook post.
The Marineland Melanesia Crocodile Habitat said he had been in declining health since 15 October.
Sharing a post of Cassius enjoying a meal in his prime, they wrote: "He was very old and believed to be living beyond the years of a wild Croc."
Cassius originated in the neighbouring Northern Territory, where crocodiles are a key part of the region's tourist industry, the post said.
"Cassius will be deeply missed, but our love and memories of him will remain in our hearts forever," it added.
A saltwater crocodile, Cassius had held the Guinness World Records title as the world's largest crocodile in captivity.
Minors: Klinsmann applauds FG, knocks Atiku for inflammatory comments; advocates almajiri care homes
[quote]A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Dunukofia Local Government of Anambra State, Pharmacist Chinedu Ikeagwuonwu Klinsmann, has commended the Federal Government for its prompt intervention in the troubling case of the young #EndBadGovernance protesters recently arraigned in court on charges that include treason.
In a statement released today, Pharm. Klinsmann praised the directive given by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, instructing the police to transfer the protesters’ case file to his office and hand it over to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a comprehensive review. According to Klinsmann, this action underscores the sensitivity of the President Tinubu-led administration, especially in light of public outrage over reports of some suspects collapsing in court.
Klinsmann also aimed at former Vice President and 2023 PDP Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, accusing him of exploiting the situation for political gain. He described Atiku’s reference to the “wickedness of T-Pain” in criticizing the Tinubu administration as immature, unstatesmanlike, and inflammatory.
“Atiku’s expression of ‘horror’ at seeing the children in court was merely a façade,” Klinsmann asserted. “If he genuinely cared about their plight, he should have used his position as Vice President for eight years and his considerable wealth to address the underlying issues that drive these children to the streets, at least in Adamawa, his home state.”
Klinsmann further remarked, “Many of these children are in detention today because they were on the streets during the chaotic #EndBadGovernance protest. Atiku has no moral ground to criticize others for failures he could have addressed. These young protesters are clearly almajiri children. If Atiku, with all his resources, had established an Almajiri Child Care Home in Adamawa, it could have set a precedent for others and perhaps prevented the region from becoming a hotbed of banditry and insecurity.”
He also expressed disappointment over comments made by former Kano State Governor and 2023 NNPP Presidential Candidate, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who suggested that the Federal Government should prioritize tackling banditry, kidnapping, and Boko Haram instead of prosecuting children.
“Kwankwaso must remember that the apple does not fall far from the tree,” Klinsmann stated. “His failure to establish an Almajiri Child Care Home during his eight-year tenure as Governor of Kano State has significantly contributed to the high levels of youth violence, banditry, and insurgency in Northern Nigeria. Now, he seeks to deflect blame onto the Tinubu administration. It’s no surprise that Kano became the epicenter of the destruction that followed the #EndBadGovernance protest.”
Klinsmann emphasized that the northern political elite—and perhaps all Nigerians—must recognize that almajiri children represent a ticking time bomb. “These children are largely uneducated, disillusioned, and living in desperate conditions with no hope for the future,” he said.
He highlighted the stark contrast in how the #EndBadGovernance protest unfolded across different regions. “While the protest was relatively peaceful in the South and Middle Belt, it turned violent from the start in the North. Unlike their southern counterparts, who carried placards and banners, northern almajiri youths wielded sticks, cudgels, and machetes, looting shops and destroying public and private property.”
“We all witnessed images from the northern protests,” Klinsmann continued. “Billions of Naira were lost, and many lives were needlessly cut short, including innocent passersby struck by stray bullets. The situation was so dire that several northern states imposed dusk-to-dawn curfews.”
Klinsmann attributed the root cause of the almajiri crisis to pervasive poverty, which compels parents to send their children to almajiri schools. “Deprived of parental love and care from an early age, these children are sent into a harsh environment to seek knowledge but are ultimately driven by survival,” he said. “Begging for food, money, and basic needs becomes their only option. Without proper food, shelter, and care, many fall into cycles of drug addiction, violence, and crime.”
He noted that some almajiri children fall victim to ritualists and human traffickers, while others are manipulated into becoming political thugs, hired killers, and extremists.
“The perpetuation of the almajiri phenomenon is rooted in years of poor leadership and the neglect of the masses by the northern elite,” Klinsmann observed. He stressed that while the Federal Government has taken steps to address the problem, education is on the concurrent legislative list, meaning state and local governments also play critical roles in providing basic education.
Beyond education, Klinsmann advocated for the creation of care homes staffed by trained personnel to provide foster care and guidance. “Former President Goodluck Jonathan initiated a program to integrate western education into the Islamic education system, committing billions to build almajiri schools across Northern Nigeria.”
He noted that the Buhari administration also had plans to address the almajiri system by establishing the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education. This body was designed to implement education, skill acquisition, and entrepreneurship programs to combat illiteracy and youth poverty. “Unfortunately, the impact of the Commission is yet to be felt,” he lamented.
“These efforts have fallen short because the children need more than education—they need a nurturing environment where they feel loved and supported,” Klinsmann said. “They need parental discipline and guidance.”
Pharm. Klinsmann called on the National Assembly and the governors of the 19 northern states to enact laws that would establish a comprehensive national strategy for the care and protection of almajiri children. “If these children had been in care homes during the #EndBadGovernance protest, they would not have been used as instruments of destruction,” he said.
He urged local governments to establish children’s homes within their communities and collaborate with state governments in developing the necessary infrastructure for the care and rehabilitation of these children. “States should work with relevant public and private entities, including NGOs, donor agencies, and multinational companies, to create systems that ensure neglected children receive community and state-based support.”
In conclusion, Klinsmann commended the Federal Government’s efforts to reform almajiri education and appealed for widespread support. “I call on affluent individuals to engage in philanthropic initiatives aimed at improving the lives of almajiri children. While northern leaders have failed them, it is now our collective responsibility to rescue and rehabilitate these children. If left unaddressed, they pose a significant risk to our future and that of our own children.”
N15m bribe claim: Bobrisky released on bail after denying voicenote
[quote]The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, on bail.
The embattled cross-dresser was stopped and removed from an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos late Thursday night while attempting to leave the country for London, the United Kingdom.
He quickly alerted his followers on social media about the arrest, stating that he sustained injuries during the process.
Bobrisky wrote, “Nigerians, help me, EFCC just arrested me. I’m badly injured.”
He was subsequently flown to the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja, where he was interrogated on his bribery allegations against the commission.
In a voice note shared by a controversial social critic, Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky allegedly said he bribed EFCC officers with N15m to drop money laundering charges against him.
Libya begins mass arrest of Nigerians after CAF verdict
Following the verdict delivered by the Confederation of African Football in response to the complaint lodged by the Nigeria Football Federation over the recent inhumane treatment meted out to the Super Eagles in Libya, members of the Nigerian community have reported mass arrests and fines in the country.
The Nigerian football team was held at the Al-Abraq Airport in eastern Libya for over 20 hours upon arrival for the second leg of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles and Libya’s national team.
The contingent was scheduled to land at the Benghazi Airport and travel for nearly four hours by road to Benina, where the match was to be played.
However, less than an hour before landing, the Tunisian pilot reportedly received a directive from Libyan authorities to divert the flight to the Al-Abraq Airport, located 150 miles away from the destination.
The development sparked widespread outrage, forcing the NFF to withdraw the Super Eagles from the qualifying match and file an official complaint to CAF.
In its ruling on Saturday, October 26, signed by its Chairman, Ousmane Kane, the disciplinary committee of the African football body awarded the Super Eagles of Nigeria three points and three goals for the abandoned match.
The disciplinary board ruled that the Libyan Football Federation breached Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations and Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
The panel also ordered the LFF to pay a fine of $50,000 within 60 days of the notification of the decision.
Displeased with the verdict, the LFF President Nasser Al-Suwai’I described it as “unjust and malicious,” alleging that the NFF’s influence within CAF played a major role in the outcome.
A report on Monday by a Libyan outlet, Libyan Observer, quoted Al-Suwai’I saying the LFF would file an official appeal within hours and that if the appeal was denied, the body would resort to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to ensure “their legitimate rights are secured.”
Campaign against Nigerians
Following the CAF ruling, a popular Libyan news blog, Libya News Today 1, posted on Sunday, stating, “All Libyan TV channels are urging the government to arrest the Nigerian workers who are working here in Libya without legal papers. They have to pay $500 plus taxes.
“The fine that Libya is accused of will be paid by Nigerian citizens who live in Libya. We have been subjected to injustice. We have no borders with Nigeria. What benefit are they to us? They’re a burden on the Libyan people. They have to go back home.”
The blog has more than 188,000 followers on Facebook and 57,000 likes.
The post was accompanied by a video of a Libyan TV presenter, who said, “Anyone who is living in Libya and working without paying tax is eating haram, which means sinful money. The government should make every effort to arrest all Nigerians who are working in Libya so that they can pay a tax of $500 and regulate their stay in the country by obtaining residence permits.”
Another Libyan site, Libya INF.TV, reported that Libyan stations wanted the government to start arresting Nigerian workers.
“Those who don’t have Libyan papers will have to pay a fine of $500 for taxes. If you refuse deportation, no mercy. The Libyan government will pay the Nigerian government from their citizens’ money,” the post said.
Mass arrests
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, a Nigerian living in Tripoli, the Libyan capital, Adenaike Emmanuel, said the arrests began on Sunday after the CAF statement was released in the country.
“They have already started. The news came out on Saturday, and they were saying they can’t accept it and that they are not the ones who will pay the money. They have started proving this.
“Someone called me and said they had already begun arresting people in his area. The same thing is happening here in Tripoli. In some places, people were arrested on Sunday morning and afternoon. As I mentioned before, Libyans don’t hide their feelings. They believe that by doing this, they are getting their revenge,” Adenaike stated.
The President of the Nigerian community in Libya, Peter Omoregbie, also confirmed the arrests in a video shared by multiple Libya-based Nigerian blogs during the week.
Omoregbie, who confirmed this while making an official report at the Libyan immigration office on Monday, said, “The arrests started on Sunday night in some areas in Tedora. They are arresting innocent people. They don’t even care whether you have passports or residence permits. They just don’t care, which doesn’t happen in other countries.”
When asked to provide background to the incident, he said, “The football body is an association on its own, which the government isn’t supposed to interfere with according to CAF laws. There was a football match scheduled between Nigeria and Libya on October 15. Nigeria was supposed to arrive in Benghazi, but they were diverted to another state, so the match could not take place. The Nigerian football team then returned home. Since then, CAF has investigated the issue and set up a committee to find out what really happened.
Akpoguma yearns for Super Eagles return Uche on Villa, Newcastle radar “Yesterday, the verdict was issued that Libya has to pay a fine of $50,000 to CAF due to the way they treated the Nigerian football team. Now, on social media, Libyan journalists and numerous bloggers are saying that Nigeria will be made to pay the $50,000 fine by arresting all Nigerians in Libya. But in other countries, nothing like that happens.
“As the community leader, I received some videos showing that the arrests started last night in the Tedora area. They said the Libyan police have started arresting Nigerians, whether they have passports or not. Some of us are already afraid, calling everywhere to ask what to do. Sometimes, as community leaders, we are helpless. Even the Nigerian Embassy’s hands are sometimes tied. But international bodies need to intervene in this situation.”
Two days after Omoregbie’s report, another Nigerian in the country, Omo Oba Legba, said the arrests had intensified.
In a Facebook video posted on Wednesday, he said, “My Arab master, who is a policeman, just called me now and told me not to go out to buy anything because they have started arresting Nigerians in Libya. I asked him, ‘What about those with Libyan passports?’ But he said they aren’t considering passports and that anyone who is Nigerian will be arrested. That’s why I decided to alert our people so they know how far this issue has gone.
“The Super Eagles had what they needed to and returned. They got their money, whether they won or not. But see the problem they’ve caused for us. If Nigeria was good, we wouldn’t have come to Libya to suffer. The Nigerian team only faced a day of hardship—what about other Nigerians here who face the same treatment every day? My Arab told me that until the CAF fine is overturned, they won’t stop arresting Nigerians. Please, we appeal to the Nigerian government to come to our aid.”
Similarly, Libya INF.TV posted a video on Thursday where a Nigerian pleaded with the Libyan police to stop the indiscriminate arrests.
He said, “Football has nothing to do with us. If you want to catch them, catch them when they come here. Leave us out of this. And to the Nigerian team, I don’t know what you’re thinking, coming here to play football with the Libyan people. You don’t have sense. Please, Libyan police, please.”
Libyan rights institution warns security agents
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Institution for Human Rights in Libya, Ahmed Hamza, has warned against retaliatory acts targeting Nigerian workers in the country in the aftermath of the CAF ruling.
According to Libya Review, Hamza noted that some media platforms were inciting hostility towards foreigners by portraying them as illegal or irregular residents.
“We warn against any form of retaliation against foreign and migrant workers in Libya, especially Nigerian workers, by security forces, armed groups, or citizens,” Hamza stated.
He cautioned that unlawful actions against foreigners could lead to repercussions in domestic and even international justice.
When Sunday PUNCH contacted the Libyan Embassy in Abuja for comments, a lady who identified herself simply as Rose said she was not authorised to talk.
She said, “As you can see, I am not the media secretary. Whatever information you need, kindly put it into writing and send it to the embassy. Then, they will respond to it. Address the letter to the ambassador of the Libyan embassy.”
Our correspondent wrote a letter of inquiry to the embassy as requested. However, 48 hours later, there was no response.
A request for information from the Nigerian Embassy in Tripoli was also not replied to as of press time.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Eche Abu-Obe, simply said, “I have sent a message to the Director Africa.”
The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission had yet to respond to calls and a text message from Sunday PUNCH as of the time of filing this report.
Ex-envoy urges probe
A former Nigerian ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, said the Federal Government should investigate the retaliatory arrests and report Libya to the African Union.
He said, “The Nigerian government doesn’t have hardcore evidence, and if they do, they should report Libya to the African Union. If Nigerians collate evidence of the maltreatment, the Federal Government can protest directly to the Libyan government over what Nigerians are facing.”
Amedu-Ode further advised Nigerians in the Arab country to keep low profiles until the situation was under control.
“If the atmosphere is too hot for them, they should leave Libya,” he added.
I had a relationship like this 13years ago, we parted ways cos nobody wan shift for nobody........unfortunately, now she keeps sending me "What God Cannot Do Does Not exist" prayers every morning even though I have moved on smoothly wit someone that understands the values of respect, peace and privacy.
Here's the country with the most worthless currency in the world
In every country, their currency is the medium of exchange and a means of identification, but this is not the case in Zimbabwe.
Here’s why the Zimbabwean dollar is one of the most useless currencies in the world: They don’t even use it as a medium of exchange
Since 2009, Zimbabwe uses other currencies, forgoing its own after the hyperinflation of over 5,000 percent made it virtually worthless.
Zimbabwe is uses currencies like the U.S. dollar, South African rand, British pound, Indian rupee, Japanese yen, and Chinese yuan, for day-to-day purchases to address hyperinflation.
This system has led to a deflation rate of -2.3%, according to Zimbabwe's bank governor.
They used to have a trillion-dollar note
Zimbabwe's Z$100,000,000,000,000 note, one trillion Zimbabwean dollars, was worth $0.40 when it was exchanged for U.S. dollars up until April 2016.
It is now being sold for higher prices as a novelty or collector's item on eBay.
When inflation got to 230,000,000 per cent in 2009, the country's central bank declared the U.S. dollar as its official currency.
Mismanaged economy Inflation brought on by the government's excessive money printing has devalued the currency.
Zimbabwe's economy has been damaged by problems like political unrest, corruption, and unsustainable fiscal policies.
For necessities, Zimbabwe is largely dependent on imports. Purchasing foreign goods is difficult due to the ZWL's low value, which further devalues the currency as demand for stable foreign currencies rises.
Zimbabwe's economics stands as a warning post for countries that export nothing and import everything.
Russian court fines Google $20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
A Russian court has ruled that Google owes Russian media stations around $20 decillion in fines for blocking their content, and the fines could get bigger.
To put that into perspective, the World Bank estimates global GDP as around $100 trillion, which is peanuts compared to the prospective fine. Google would therefore have to find more money than exists on Earth to pay Moscow - but on Tuesday fell a little short of that mark when it posted $88 billion quarterly revenue.
The bizarre amount has been calculated after a four-year court case that started after YouTube banned the ultra-nationalist Russian channel Tsargrad in 2020 in response to the US sanctions imposed against its owner. Following Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022 more channels were added to the banned list and 17 stations are now suing the Chocolate Factory, including Zvezda (a TV channel owned by Putin's Ministry of Defence), according to local media.
"Google was called by a Russian court to administrative liability under Art. 13.41 of the Administrative Offenses Code for removing channels on the YouTube platform. The court ordered the company to restore these channels," lawyer Ivan Morozov told state media outlet TASS.
The court imposed a fine of 100 thousand rubles ($1,025) per day, with the total fine doubling every week. Owing to compound interest (Einstein's eighth wonder of the world), Google is now on the hook for an insane amount of money, or what the judge on Monday called “a case in which there are many, many zeros.”
Not that there's much chance of bankrupting Alphabet over the issue. Google in Russia has been inactive since 2022 after the search giant effectively pulled out of the country following Putin's special military operation. Google says the Russian authorities had seized its bank accounts and the offshoot was essentially bankrupt. The ad-spreader had over 200 staff in Russia and, while some have been relocated, others were laid off.
The battle is now on in courts around the globe as Russia seeks to seize Google's assets, with little success. The Chocolate Factory certainly seems sanguine about it.
"We have ongoing legal matters relating to Russia. For example, civil judgments that include compounding penalties have been imposed upon us in connection with disputes regarding the termination of accounts, including those of sanctioned parties," Alphabet reported in its last earnings statement [PDF].
"We do not believe these ongoing legal matters will have a material adverse effect."
Federal High Court is not the Apex court, the execution of this decision will be stayed while Appeal is filed. CBN cannot put a whole state on hold, because of a controversial decision driven by the apathy btw Wike & Fubara.
Minna—Bandits have reportedly taken over the military training camp at Nagwamase Military Cantonment in Kontagora, headquarters of Kontagora Local Government Area of Niger State.
This has led to the sack of no fewer than 23 communities within the vicinity of the camp.
The training camp is one of the biggest military training ground in the country.
A motion of urgent public importance brought by the member representing Kontagora 11 state House of Assembly, Abdullah Isah during plenary, yesterday, revealed that the military camp occupies a vast land which extends to part of Mariga Local Government Area of the state, which he said has been taken over by the bandits.
Top 5 highest-paying jobs in Africa The Assembly, therefore, urged the state government to liaise with the military authority with a view to flush out the bandits from the training camp which also plays host to about 23 communities in the area.
The member in his motion said: “This military camp has now been taken over by bandits, who have established at least eight different camps in the area.
“The training camp has posed a serious security challenge to communities within the camp both in Kontagora and Mariga LGAs.”
According to him, communities within the training camp have come under intense attacks in the past month from the bandits who he said operate with impunity.
He said some members of the communities who were abducted during the recent were still in the den of the bandits.
The member cried out to the government to take decisive decisions towards flushing out the terrorists from the camp.
The members also called on the government to further assist the military with modern equipments and logistics towards flushing out the armed men from the the training camp and restore peace to the area. Residents from the 23 sacked communities are predominantly farmers, who have invariably fled their ancestral homes and farms.
How Nigerian Army Bought, Refurbished 60-Year-Old Fire-fighting Helicopters Abandoned In South Africa, Presented Aircraft As New
The aircraft were registered as NA 010 and NA 011.
In June 2024, the Nigerian Army led by Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, received two Bell UH-1H 'Huey' helicopters at a ceremony held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
The aircraft were registered as NA 010 and NA 011.
Army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement after the ceremony claimed the helicopters were bought new.
“The Nigerian Army (NA) has taken a significant step in enhancing its operational capabilities with the delivery of the first batch of new aircrafts (sic),” he had said.
“The berthing of the aircrafts (sic) marks a significant milestone in the development of the Nigerian Army Aviation’s capacity to provide air support for ground operations.
“The aircraft BELL UH-1H (HUEY) helicopters, were formally received by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja in a brief ceremony held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Thursday 20 June, 2024.”
In a video also seen by SaharaReporters, the Coordinator of Nigerian Army Aviation, Brig.-Gen. Musa Alkali, said the introduction of the air platforms marked a new chapter in army’s operational readiness and ability to respond swiftly and effectively to diverse security challenges.
Checks by SaharaReporters showed the helicopters were not new as claimed.
The aircraft are former forest fire fighting choppers in South Africa used for many years and subsequently abandoned.
SaharaReporters learnt that NA 011, was previously registered as ZT-RAI while NA 010 was previously registered as ZT-RCS while in the country.
They were however bought and refurbished by the Nigerian Army authorities.
A check on avcom.co.zashowed both helicopters were put up for sale on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.
“Two Bell UH-1H Huey helicopters ZT-RCS and ZT-RAI were recently noted flying at Rand Airport painted in an overall olive drab livery. These former forest fire fighting helicopters had been in South Africa for several years but were put up for sale earlier this year.
“Photos and videos subsequently published on social media platforms showed several Nigerian Army helicopter pilots received training on these two helicopters at Henley Air.
“While these two helicopters have not yet featured in this update as cancelled from the local register they were subsequently shown on social media and news agency posts on delivery to the recently-established Nigerian Army Aviation Airwing at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, Nigeria on 20 June wearing the serial numbers NA 010 and NA 011 respectively,” SA Flyer, an African aviation magazine reported on August 24, 2024.
According to Defensehere.com, NA 010, which was previously registered as ZT-RCS in South Africa was manufactured in 1968 and it was used by the US Army before transitioning to the civilian market as N518CB.
It was then exported to South Africa by Northwest Helicopters in 2014.
NA 011, previously registered as ZT-RAI in South Africa was originally manufactured in 1966, the website added.
It was also used by the US Army until 1996, after which it was transferred to Helinet Corp in California and operated under the registration N313CF.
Later, it was used by Northwest Helicopters and Turbines LLC before being delivered to South Africa in 2015.
Army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, could not be reached for comment as calls to his line were not answered.
He had also yet to reply to a message sent to him on the matter as of the time of filing this report.
‘Well-armed’ terrorists preventing Nigeria from resolving electricity crisis in the North – Senator
The senator briefs his colleagues on efforts to restore electricity in Northern Nigeria
‘Well-armed’ terrorists are occupying strategic places around the source of damaged power transmission cables that have caused blackouts in many northern Nigerian states for over a week, a senator said. Their presence has, therefore, prevented urgently needed repairs from being executed, Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president, added.
Mr Jibrin, who said he has been in constant communication with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), briefed his colleagues in the Senate on Tuesday.
He said the TCN is working with the NSA and security agencies to restore electricity supply to affected states.
Last week, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said its Shiroro-Mando transmission line was vandalised, causing a power outage in about 17 of the 19 northern states.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that some of the places where the damage occurred are communities where terrorists operate. The terrorists, locally called bandits, routinely kill and kidnap residents and travellers in such communities.
It is not clear if the terrorists deliberately sabotaged the transmission facilities.
Aside from vandalism of transmission lines, poor maintenance of electricity infrastructure has been one of the major causes of poor power supply in the country.
On Monday, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said he had briefed President Bola Tinubu about the cause of the problem and proposed the construction of localised solar plants as a long-term solution to the challenges of electricity in the north.
Striking the Terrorists During the Senate plenary, Mr Jibrin said the terrorists have to be dealt with before the repairs are carried out.
He said the security agencies are preparing to strike their hideouts.
“The National Security Adviser is on top of the issue. We have been discussing it with him personally. I have been talking with the National Security Adviser. I have been talking with the TCN Managing Director.
“They are very ready to go there, but the fact is that the place has been occupied by terrorists that are well-armed, well-armed to the teeth. And so the security agencies are preparing to strike the area and get that threat off that place,” he said.
Mr Jibrin noted that there is proper coordination between the NSA and TCN management to resolve the electricity issues.
“But it’s not something we need to say because that would compromise their preparation to deal with the threat. So as we speak, all hands are on deck to deal with the situation. I just feel it’s proper I inform this whole sitting of what is happening.
“We’re in contact with them. We’re in touch with them, and we’re discussing with both the TCN and the NSA office,” Mr Jibrin added.
Mr Jibrin said the government does not want to divulge details of its operations to prevent the security agencies’ plans from being compromised.
“Now what has been done now is that the security agencies are putting their hands together to get to that spot and try to eradicate or take away the threat that has been there for quite a while.
“And it’s an arrangement that is not something that will be said to the public because that would compromise the arrangement or the preparation the security agencies are going to deal with the matter. So as we speak, the president has ordered and directed that the security agencies should do all within their powers to make sure that they deal with that threat.”
Justice Amobeda Defies Federal High Court Chief Judge’s Transfer Order Since June, Refuses To Leave Kano For Kogi
A Federal High Court Judge Justice Simon Amobeda has refused to comply with a judicial transfer order to Kogi State, nearly three months after the directive from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Hon. Justice John T. Tsoho.
Justice Amobeda, who had been based in Kano, was posted to Kogi in July 2024, yet he has remained in Kano.
SaharaReporters learnt that Justice Tsoho issued a nationwide posting directive dated July 12, 2024, mandating all reassigned judges to report to their new divisions, which include major centres such as Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano, Kwara, and Kogi.
In the directive, Justice Tsoho disclosed that all affected judges were to complete any remaining cases where defence hearings were closed before departing.
Meanwhile, the Chief Judge himself is set to operate between Abuja and Lagos.
The source said that Justice Amobeda’s decision not to report to Kogi is stirring discussions within the judiciary, especially following criticism surrounding one of his judgments that reportedly contained strict conditions.
"The reason for his non-compliance with the transfer remains unclear, and it is yet to be confirmed whether any disciplinary actions will be considered by the Federal High Court’s leadership," a source said.
Another source on Monday, recalled that despite Justice Simon Amobeda’s recent transfer to the Federal High Court in Kogi, he issued a ruling on Saturday’s Kano local government elections, annulling the victories of all 44 chairmanship and councillorship candidates from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The judgment, delivered by Justice Amobeda in Kano on Friday, addressed a case filed by Muhammad Babayo and an NNPP faction disputing the party’s leadership.
Justice Amobeda ordered the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) to accept a new candidates’ list from the faction led by the recognized state chairman, Dalhatu Usman.
“The defendant is hereby restrained from releasing the voters register for the 2nd Defendant to conduct the proposed election on 26th October 2024,” declared Justice Amobeda.
The case named the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); KANSIEC; the Inspector General of Police, and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) as defendants.
SaharaReporters learned that earlier, on October 22, Justice Amobeda delivered a controversial judgment, despite having been transferred to Kogi State since July.
Just four days before the Kano Local Government Area elections, Justice Amobeda dismissed Prof. Sani Malumfashi as the Chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, noting that he was a card-carrying member of a political party.
In his ruling last Tuesday, Justice Amobeda addressed a case filed by Aminu Aliyu Tiga and the All Progressives Congress.
The defendants include the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, the Kano State House of Assembly, the Attorney General of Kano State, INEC, the Director of the Department of State Services, the Commissioner of Police for Kano, the State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Kano State Command, Anas Muhammad Mustapha, Mukhtar Garba Dandago, Isyaku Ibrahim Kunya, Kabir Jibril Zakirai, and Amina Inuwa Fagge.
The court ruled that the 9th to 14th defendants, as members of the NNPP and active participants in partisan politics, were ineligible to serve as the chairman and members of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, in line with sections 197(1)(b) and 200(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 4 of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 2001.
In June, Justice Amobeda also ruled on the case of the deposed Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, affirming his right to freedom of movement and civil liberties, and ordering the Kano State Government to pay him N10 million in damages.
In his recent judgment, Justice Amobeda granted the applicant’s counsel's withdrawal of reliefs 1 and 2, recognizing their legal right to do so, effectively removing those reliefs from the case.
He further asserted the court's jurisdiction, stressing that the case fell within the scope of fundamental human rights abuses under the Constitution, thereby authorizing the court’s authority over the matter.
The remaining reliefs requested by the applicants include damages totalling N5 billion for alleged threats to their human rights.
Omowunmi, widow of the late singer and rapper, Ilerioluwa Aloba aka Mohbad, has expressed readiness to conduct a Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test to determine the paternity of their only son, Liam.
PUNCH Metro reported that the deceased singer’s father, Joseph Aloba, filed a suit seeking a DNA test for his grandson.
In the application filed by the legal team to Joseph, the family sought an order to serve Wunmi by posting all the originating processes and other processes in the suit on the last-known address of the respondent.
The family’s legal team led by Emmanuel Oroko, however, argued that attempts to serve Wunmi failed.
The Magistrates Court, during its sitting on July 9, 2024, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, directed both parties to explore an alternative dispute resolution, leading to closed-door negotiations that also failed to yield an agreement.
In a statement obtained by PUNCH Metro on Sunday, a representative of the family’s legal team, Monisola Odumosu, stated that Wunmi had agreed to carry out the DNA.
Odumosu added that this was followed by the settlement terms drafted by both parties.
Odumosu in the statement disclosed that, “Emmanuel Oroko informed the court that both parties had settled outside the court and are ready to move the terms of the settlement already filed and served on Wunmi Aloba’s lawyers. In response, Kabir Akingbolu, Esq. (leading Adams Atata Esq. and M.K.O Orire Esq.) concurred, and the court adopted the terms of settlement as the judgment of the court.
According to Odumosu, Mohbad’s widow agreed in the terms of the settlement that the DNA test be conducted in a recognised and accredited government or private medical facility within Lagos State or another agreeable hospital outside the state.
The lawyer also noted that Mohbad’s father had agreed to bear the cost of the test processes and other associated fees.
“In the terms filed before the court, the respondent, Wunmi Aloba, consented to submit herself and her son, (Master Liam Aloba), for the conduct of a Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) at Two (2) recognised and accredited government or private medical facilities within Lagos State or other agreeable hospital outside Lagos State. In turn, the applicant, Mr. Joseph Aloba, agreed to bear the cost of the DNA test processes, including the fees for the testing facility, the collection of samples, and any associated legal or administrative fees.
“The court further ordered that the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) test be conducted at a mutually agreed-upon laboratory or medical centre within Nigeria. To ensure and ascertain the reliability of the test, the court further appointed some officers to supervise the process of the DNA test,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, according to the statement, the court also ordered that both parties should bear their respective costs regarding this case except the processing of the DNA tests the applicant undertook to bear.
Mohbad died at the age of 27, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.
Being a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022. The Lagos State Police Command had on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.
His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, amongst others.
The body of Mohbad was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.
Meanwhile, some observers from various countries have raised concerns over the coroner’s inquest into Mohbad’s death, citing alleged unfair proceedings and potential suppression of evidence.
The group, in a statement on Sunday, stated that they were advocating truth, fairness, equity, and accountability, and had been monitoring the court sitting at Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria.
The observers expressed reservations about adjournments of the proceedings and other factors they alleged threatened justice for Mohbad.
During the cross-examination of Mohbad’s widow, Omowunmi Adebanjo, the observers also alleged that counsels were constantly interjected and prevented from gathering desired information.
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