We have seized over 1000 diplomatic passports from ex-public officers – NIS CG

The Comptroller General, CG, of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Muhammad Babandede, on Saturday disclosed that no fewer than a thousand diplomatic passports have been intercepted and seized from former political office holders who failed to handover their passport upon leaving office.

Recall that Babandede had in May ordered the arrest of former political office holders and retired public servants who are still in possession of Official/Diplomatic passports, directing officers on duty at the various airports in the country to arrest such persons and hand them over for prosecution.

But addressing select journalists at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, the CG disclosed that since he handed the order, many former political office holders have already turned in their passports.

His words, “The strategy we have put up for those still holding diplomatic passport is to ensure they don’t cross the border. Passports are meant for travel. So anybody who crosses the border in or out; the passports are intercepted and seized. We have seized over a thousand since that time.

“But what is important is that many political office holders have returned their passports. There are cases we have prosecuted jointly with the ministry of justice, some people who have double diplomatic passports; some people who have passports they have not returned. There are a lot of cases ongoing like this.”

Babandede, who went on to declare that foreigners in the country must obey the law and ensure that they are well documented, stated that a law has been concluded upon to be sign by the Interior Minister before the end of the year which would force every Nigerian to register in their local government of residence.

According to him, “We have already concluded to sign a law. The Minister of Interior will in the next month sign Immigration Regulation. This regulation will mandate that every foreigner must register at the local government of his or her residence.

“This will change the paradigm. It means we will have a documentation of all none Nigerians residing in Nigeria. They will be forced to register in each local government of their residence; not local government where they are working. This means we can monitor them.

“It will be made also compulsory for anybody who provides accommodation for them to report if they don’t register. So there is no excuse; if you have house; if you have hotel; and there is a foreigner; you have to report and make sure the person registers,” he said.

Admitting that Nigerian visas are difficult to get and that resident’s permit takes time to deliver, the Immigrations boss pointed out that President Muhammadu Buhari has given the directive that anyone who applies for a Nigeria Immigration facility, must get it on time.

He said, “The airports are crowded, resident’s permit takes time to deliver. Services should be time bound. It’s not right for you to apply for facilities in government and wait indefinitely with no reply. If you go to Immigration office and apply for passport, we must give you that facility within a period of time; and if we cannot we must reply you and say we cannot deliver due to certain reasons.

“We want ease way of getting the visa; we have the task of doing that before the end of the year. We need to cut bureaucracy; we need to curb corruption; we need to put the right officers in the right place.

“We are reviewing the visa policy; we want to give investors who have genuine money to come and invest in Nigeria, we give them an automatic residence permit to reside in Nigeria. We want to make visa on arrival easy; certain categories of persons who do business in the country can collect their visas in the airport. But this visa on arrival is people bound; you have to come and apply in the office of the Comptroller-General and he has to approve then you give to the airline; why can’t we do it real time online. This is what we are achieving.

“We are doing a lot to ease the way people enter Nigeria. It is only when you come to Nigeria that you see long queues at the airport. We are not the only ones involved. FAAN has to do something to make sure machines work; the airport has good air conditions. But also we are expanding our arrival and departure systems by ensuring that officers clear as quickly as possible.

“We want to reduce touts at the airports. So many people who has no business in the airport are there at the airport. As a Comptroller-General, when I travel I follow the queue, we want to reduce those level of big men. I have spoken with my colleagues at FAAN that we should give opportunity for those who want to be big men to pay. In other countries, they pay as VIPs but security must not be compromised.”

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20 Nigerians arrested as Italian Police raid Black Axe mafia gang

Police in Italy have arrested more than 20 alleged members of a dangerous Nigerian mafia gang called the Black Axe.

The suspects are accused of indulging in protection and prostitution rackers, drug dealing and human trafficking.

They were apprehended after a member of the gang became an informant and revealed the secrets of the criminal network, including the identities of senior members.


The anti-mafia squad in Palermo, Sicily, who carried out the nationwide operation, were able to pick up the head of the group’s Italian operation in Padua.

In recent months, there have also been arrests in Torino and Milan.

According to reports, the Black Axe have forged links with the Italian mafia, the Cosa Nosta and the gangsters import drugs which are then distributed by the Nigerians.

The rise of the criminal syndicate, has been linked to increase in migrants crossing over from North Africa.

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Trump under fire for Ivanka’s presence at meeting with Japanese PM

Ivanka Trump has been pictured in Trump’s meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Trump Tower on November 17, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

US President-elect Donald Trump has come under further criticism for involving his family members in his political duties after his daughter Ivanka has been pictured attending a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The Japanese government released photos of a meeting between Trump and Abe on Thursday evening at Trump Tower in New York, showing the billionaire’s daughter and her husband, Jared Kushner, were present at Trump’s very first meeting with a world leader.

The presence of Ivanka Trump, who has no government security clearance, only became public because the Japanese government released photos.

Abe, who said after the meeting that he had a “very candid discussion” with the president-elect, did not discuss who else attended the gathering.
Trump released a separate photograph of himself and Abe on Facebook with a caption saying, “It was a pleasure to have Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stop by my home and begin a great friendship.”

He had barred members of the press from attending the meeting; this also raised criticism that he will not honor White House traditions of transparency as president.

“This is not the way we behave in the world’s leading constitutional democracy,” says Norman Eisen, special counsel and ethics adviser to President Barack Obama between 2009 and 2011. “It’s like something out of a tin-pot oligarchy.”

He described Ivanka and Kushner’s presence at the meeting as “shocking” and unprecedented.

“If you’ve got one member of the power couple—Jared Kushner, whispering in the President[-elect]’s ear—and if you’ve got the other, the wife and daughter, who is running businesses, it merges the Trump Organization and the United States into one huge conglomerate managed by the Trumps for their own interests,” he added.

When asked by the New York Times about Ivanka’s presence at the meeting with the leader of one of the key allies of the US, an individual close to the family who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she would not be attending meetings like this in the future.

“Trump has always encouraged Ivanka and his children to attend meetings with him,” the Times quoted the person as saying. “This meeting in question was very informal. However, they obviously need to adjust to the new realities at hand, which they will.”

A former State Department official, Moira Whelan, however, said, “Meeting of two heads of state is never an informal occurrence.”

She said that anyone present for such a conversation between two heads of state should, at a minimum, have security clearance and should also be an expert in Japanese affairs.

Meanwhile, the New York Times reported Trump’s son-in-law, Kushner was consulting a lawyer to find out how he could join Trump’s forthcoming administration. Kushner also lacks government security clearance.

Although the President of the United States isn’t bound by the federal conflict of interest law, he is under fire by several lawyers, including those who are part of the Republican Party, for “this unprecedented blurring of lines,” Eisen said.

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Help!!! We're Dying Daily - Infected Couple, Other Nigerian HIV Patients Cry Out

Patients who spoke to correspondents (Photo: Daily Sun)

Since the debilitating economic hardship hit the nation, dozens of persons living with HIV/AIDs had died daily, but unreported, especially in remote communities, villages and hamlets where stigmatization was still high, while those who have seemingly lost hope in the battle for survival now literally await death.

A drastic cut in funding, particularly from international donor agencies and epileptic inputs from the states and Federal Government on drugs, supplements and other vital items needed for the support and sustenance of persons infected with the deadly Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) across the country, has placed the lives of millions of citizens on the balance.

Abdulkadir Abubakar, Project and Monitoring Officer, Kwara State Action Committee for the Control of Aids (KWASACA), confirmed the gale of deaths, adding that with families not reporting the causes of death in some communities, with others dying at home, agencies saddled with the responsibility of HIV/AIDS management and control had been unable to gather adequate statistics on the ratio of death of the male, female and children.

However, Nusiratu Ahmed, a 34-year-old victim resident in Kwara State, adduced reasons for the current situation: “The cost and non-availability of the drugs especially, to poor people, is responsible for the high number of deaths of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)”, she said in an exclusive chat with one of our correspondents, urging governments at all levels to intervene urgently by providing the requisite drugs at subsidized rates to reduce HIV/AIDS induced deaths silently sweeping across the country at the moment.

The Project Manager of Kogi State Agency for the Control of Aids (KOSACA), Dr Musa Gabriel, admitted that poverty is the major plight of HIV/AIDS victims in the country, as most of them neither feed properly before taking their drugs where available, nor have money to enable them access health facilities and receive drugs given to them free-of-charge.

Checks by our correspondents in Nasarawa, Benue, and Plateau States listed on the 4th, 8th and 19th positions respectively in the national prevalence chart, as well as other states in the North-central zone revealed an alarming, but subdued statistics of child and maternal mortality, with the states and federal authorities reeling out conflicting annual and bi-annual figures of victims, with most state governments keeping mum on the deaths occasioned in recent times by the deadly disease.

KWARA:

In Kwara State, Project Manager and Secretary, Kwara State AIDS Control Agency, Dr. Johnson Oyeniyi, disclosed that the state government had in the past six years committed N60 million to the fight against the dreaded HIV/AIDS, but expressed fears that the projected prevalence for HIV/AIDS for the state may rise to 2.8 percent of the 2.9 population, if active intervention does not commence now.

“We had expected that we would achieve three per cent prevalence rate on the average but now we have achieved 1.8 per cent. We are working with stakeholders to further reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS”, he emphasized.

Speaking on her plight, one of the people living with the disease in Kwara State, Nusiratu Ahmed said initially, she was stigmatized by her relations when diagnosed as being HIV positive because many of them started regarding her as promiscuous.

She confessed the situation had made her almost end her life by suicide, but with education and enlightenment, her people now assist and encouraging her to make sure she survived.

Gbenga Adeyi, a driver said when he was told of his status, it was as if he had received his death warrant, but with proper counseling and adherence to instructions from hospitals, he is living a normal life.

He said apart from his wife, no other person knew of his HIV/AIDS status as many would have taunted him at the slightest opportunity. But he said he has learnt a lot on the causes, symptoms and prevention of HIV, which he is also using in counseling people not presently.

KOGI:

Few years ago, issues relating to AIDS in Kogi State were despicably  scary and frightening. The mere mention of the dreaded disease was enough to sink one’s heart; every sick person, especially those with considerable loss of physique and strength, were considered as having contracted the disease.

In 2001, when the trend of HIV/AIDS epidemic in Kogi State was high, the prevalence rate was put at 5.7 percent, but in subsequent years, it gradually reduced to 5.5 percent in 2005, and 5.1 percent in 2008. However in2010, it rose to a frightening 5.8 percent, until it was gradually reduced to 1.4 percent in 2012, a figure the state government had claimed in the prevalence rating till date.

Since 2001, a total number of 36,953 persons were cumulatively enrolled in the state as people living with HIV and receiving HIV care with 24,849 being female, representing 67.3 per cent, while 32.7 per cent are male.

Statistics at the Kogi State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KOSACA), indicated that of the 913, 679 women of reproductive age recorded, 22.7 per cent were pregnant, with 446 out of 775 testing positive between January and December, 2015.

Speaking with a correspondent, the project manager of KOSACA, Dr Musa Gabriel who declined to give the numbers of deaths so far recorded within the last five years including the numbers of orphaned children however, said there was a sharp drop of cases recorded in the state.

Dr Musa said though the state currently has 34 comprehensive health sites and 270 feeder sites where patients could get drugs or counseling, he regretted that the state has fewer CD4 machines which he said are used to initiate patients to know whether they could start treatment or not.

He disclosed that since the programme was donor-driven and mainly funded by World Bank in partnership with other agencies, the KOSACA contends with the issue of inadequate funding as the state merely contributes only about five per cent in terms of counterpart funding.

A correspondent spoke with few of the patients at the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, where they came for treatment, though most of them were reluctant in responding to questions put to them, even as they declined taking their photographs.

Mrs Awwal Danladi, 27, a nursing mother who had been living with the disease since last year, said she tested positive to HIV during one of her ante natal sessions. “Well, I thank Allah for the early discovery of this disease, because this enabled the medical people to quickly rally round me and devised a means whereby my son was not affected too,” she revealed.

She said apart from her husband who is also positive, nobody actually knew in the family that she is positive except on days when she joined other victims on queue at the hospital to receive drugs.

For Bimbola, (surname withheld), a 23-year -old student of Kogi Polytechnic, Lokoja, she says, “honestly, this disease is terrible and it could be more harrowing if your friends and neighbours discover you are having it; most times, I feel so much inferior in the midst of my friends and that makes me not to associate freely.

I felt like committing suicide when I tested positive in 2013 and all kinds of negative thoughts came all over me, but with counseling and sermons from men of God, I made up my mind that I would not die now but live, and God has been helping me live positively with it.

“Initially, I faced discrimination from my family members who knew I am infected; as for friends, I doubt if anyone really knew, but I tell you, I always nursed self pity and guilt and this made me to discriminate against myself before anybody discriminates against me. But my life is in the hands of God, and so I must trudge on.”

Click here to read the full report on Daily Sun.

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Singer, Banky W 'Dabs' in the Sky as He Jumps Off a Helicopter During Skydiving in Dubai (Photos)

Sensational R&B singer, Banky W, is having the best of his life in Dubai, and has shared the horrific moment he jumped out from a helicopter during a skydiving in Dubai.

Popular Nigerian singer, rapper and actor, Olubankole Wellington, known by his stage name as Banky W, is presently in Dubai and has been having an amazing time out there.

The record label executive and music director, shared photos from a Safari trip as he revealed how he decided to conquer his fears when he went skydiving. He also surprisingly did the ‘dab’ dance style in mid-air.

"You only live once.. but if you live like this, once is more than enough," he captioned one of the photos shared on instagram.

See more photos below;

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Labour, Afenifere slam ex-govs, others over jumbo pension

The organised labour has condemned the practice of legislating to give huge severance packages and pension rights to former Presidents and governors in the country.

The General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, and the President of the Trade Union Congress, Mr. Bala Kaigama, in separate interviews with newmen, called for a review of the severance packages in the interest of the country and in view of the recession it has entered.

The unionists’ comments came few days after the Edo State House of Assembly amended the 2007 Pension Rights of the Governor and Deputy Governor Law to include the provision of a building valued at not more than N200m for a former governor and another worth N100m for his deputy.

Besides Edo, other states that have passed laws on life pension for the former governors include Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Kwara.

Condemning such laws, Kaigama said that it was unfair for such severance packages and huge life benefits to be given to the former Presidents and governors, who according to him, made so much money while in office.

He said that it was unfair for somebody who served for eight years to be given life pension and other fat benefits when those who served the country for 35 years were given peanuts in retirement.

He said, “We condemn it in strong terms and we urge them to reverse such laws. We have never seen a country where somebody will just serve for eight years and get humongous pay package at the end of his or her tenure. Then somebody who has served for 35 years is given peanuts at the end of service.

“We think it is unfair and we strongly condemn these laws that are meant for the enrichment of the ruling class in this country.”

Also, the General Secretary of the NLC, Ozo-Eson, said that the severance packages being legislated to be given to political office holders in the country should be revisited as they do not portray the current reality and seriousness in an era of economic recession.

He said that as more politicians joined the group of ex-Presidents and governors, the packages approved for them in retirement would task the meager resources of the country and the states.

The 1999 Constitution provides that any person that has held office as President or Vice-President of the country is entitled to pension equivalent to salaries of the incumbent occupants of the offices at each point in time.

Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said, “They loot in office and loot on in retirement. It smacks of uncaring, unfeeling and very cold elite. They have conquered the land and are doing all things for their own greed and avarice. It would continue until the people are ready to say ‘enough.’”

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Heartbreaking Photos Of A Homeless Female Yabatech Graduate Who Has Been Sleeping By The Roadside In Lagos

Queen Okoye

As shared By Natasha Akpoti on Facebook. Read below:

‘Queen needs your help!!!

Last night I, like many were disturbed about the news of a young lad burnt to death for attempting to steal garri. The images haunted my sleep. Not only because of the gruesome murder of a human being bitten hard by poverty, but because of those human beings that carried the act and worse off, those who stood by capturing his death with their phones.

This morning on my to the Singaporean embassy in Lagos, I saw besides the gates of Eko hotel, a lady laying on the floor and everyone (black and white) walked past her like she didn’t exist . I picked up my phone and took this picture (below) with the hope that I could share a lesson of poverty with you all.

At the embassy, I couldn’t get her image off my head. I felt even ashamed to have taken only the picture without stopping to hear her story.

Immediately I stepped out of the embassy, I drove right back to her. Woke her up and this is what she said in fluent English.

My name is Queen Okoye. I am 31 years old and a graduate of YabaTech. I am from Orsu LGA in Imo state (she paused to spell Orsu for me). Her father is Mr. Basil a Okoye. Mother is late. She lived with her boyfriend whilst in school. Their relationship fell apart and he kicked her out of his apartment. She has lived on the streets for years because her sister (married with children ) refused to assist her.

I asked if she was on drugs and alcohol, but she said no. I noticed she smiled a little too much but always added “I am happy a beautiful lady like you acknowledged me. People walk by me everyday like I don’t exist “. This broke my heart.

So I asked permission to take a picture and share her story with you good people. She asked ” will they help or laugh at me. People call me crazy” . I told her the God that made me see her will make others connect to her.

I also asked if she had any message for you all . She looked at me and said ” tell them I need help to get out of the streets. It all started like a joke and now I can’t believe how low I have fallen. I might need some counseling and medical attention because being out here changes one drastically. I need a place to sleep and a job to fend for myself . Please ”

Beloved Nigerians, in our heart lies the power to do good and evil. I understand hunger’s pain. I know exactly the danger poverty sting’s delves to ones psych. At this trying times, let’s be sure to Chanel our frustration to the right persons and not the vulnerable like us.

Today, I had an option to be like everyone and walk past Queen but I decided to be better. Everyone of us can attempt a little kindness and love to each homeless person; or anyone about to be lynched by a crowd. A little effort goes a long way.

Queen stays in front of Eko hotel’s fence. She is waiting for someone to read this and reach out to her. So if you work in Lagos state welfare department or know any agency in charge of women, pls get to Queen. Let’s all share a little kindness because it would all come back to us.

Queen needs you’

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Update!!! The truth about Rahama Ndimi and Mohammed Babangida

Babangida's wife petitions Buhari

A source close to the Babangida family has revealed that Rahama Ndimi, the estranged wife of Mohammed Babangida lied in her petition to top Nigerians over a planned abduction.

Ndimi has written a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Sultan of Sokoto alleging that her former husband who is the son of the former head of state was going to kidnap her children while also claiming threat to her life.

A source close to the Babagida family who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the case was still in court and that Rahama was only trying to fool the people she was writing to.

The source said the estranged wife of Babangida was insincere in her allegation as she actually prevented the children from returning to school.

Read the statement below:

After failing in her bid to force the court to do her bidding, Rahama Ndimi is not done yet. She has through her lawyer petitioned the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Chief Justice of the Federation as well as the Inspector General of Police alleging harassment by Mohammed son to former military leader, Ibrahim Babangida.  This is in spite of the fact that she has also decided not to obey a simple court order concerning her children’s custody.

If the truth be told, Rahama is all out to drag her former husband and his family’s name in the mud.  She had through various text messages threatened to do this ever before the issue of. Custody of the kids went to court and this is exactly what she is doing now.

To buttress this point, we can easily refer to the way in which she shouts that assassins and killer policemen are after her each time the court bailiff comes around to execute the court order or even when relations whom she knows visit to discuss issues relating to the kids.

The kids have been with their father even since she moved out of the family home in Minna about four years ago.  She moved out on her own volition and left her kids.  Despite all these, Mohammed still ensured that the family came together during vacation through holiday trips abroad.

After the last one, she refused to allow the kids come back to Minna.  Mohammed had allowed the kids to wait with her after the trip.  She had to be cajoled into coming to Minna before the kids were returned to school.

At that point, efforts were made to ensure that she was placated with gifts and money. Unknown to Mohammed, she only took a break.  When during the long vacation, the kids went to her again for another holiday, she refused to release them for school, for the second time.

Even when the Sharia Court that is presently hearing the custody suit decided that the children should be returned to their father so that the status quo be maintained, she refused it.  She appealed against the decision of the Sharia Court and lost. Yet, she has refused to obey the Court order.

Rather, she decided to put the kids in another school in Abuja. Meanwhile, each time court bailiff and policemen attempted to enforce the court order,  she would take to Instagram claiming that her rights are being trampled upon.

The latest effort, which involved a petition being sent to President Buhari and other top Nigerians is another step aimed at scandalising Mohammed and his family. What would a reasonable woman be looking for sending petitions to public figures when she has a case in court over the same issue?

Obviously, after she had failed to secure what she want through the court and social media, she  has decided to try public figures hoping they will come to her rescue in a bid to perpetuate illegality. We also reliably gathered that her father had never at any point supported her moves as he had ab initio told her to take the kids back to their father.

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How woman used stolen car to sow seed to pastor in Lagos

A 44-year old housewife, Mary Onu and her daughter, Alice, were Friday arraigned before a Magistrate’s court sitting in Isolo, Lagos State for allegedly stealing a Nissan Infiniti SUV, belonging to a car dealer.

Onu reportedly used the stolen car to sow a seed offering to her church prophet, Solomon Orimisan of the Celestial Church of Christ located at Gabriel Bell close, Bamishile Estate in Idimu area of the state.

Onu, who was a member of the church reportedly went to the prophet and told him that she wanted to appreciate him for his assistance and prayer to her and her family which had benefited them, adding that she wanted to sow a seed offering with the Infiniti model QX56 worth N2m.

The Delta State-born, however, asked him to pay only N500, 000 as a token and Orimisan agreed and paid the money into her account.

The prosecutor, Mr A.U. Ojei told the court that Onu drove the SUV to the church with the owner, who is a car dealer and introduced him as her driver.

When they went into the church to discuss, the owner of the SUV was unaware what was going on and after Orimisan paid the money, she left both of them inside the church premises and absconded.

The prophet reportedly asked the car dealer to leave, notifying him that he had settled with Onu.

The shocked car owner subsequently explained what transpired between him and Mary before the vehicle was brought to the church.

At that point, the prophet realized that Mary had scammed him and he reported to the Idimu police command who trailed Mary and her daughter for several weeks and later arrested them in their hideout.

While her mother was arrested for stealing the car, Alice was arrested on the grounds that she signed the agreement and handed over the Jeep to Prophet Orimisan after she obtained a token sum of N500, 000 in exchange for the vehicle.

Onu reportedly confessed to the crime at the police station but claimed she had already spent the money to solve her personal problem.

The duo charged with conspiracy, obtaining under false pretence and stealing under the Criminal Code, however, pleaded not guilty before the presiding Magistrate, Mrs A.K. Shonubi.

Shonubi granted them bail in the sum of N200,000 with one surety in like sum, ordering that they be remanded in prison custody pending when they will perfect their bail condition.

She adjourned till November 24 for trial.

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A python was found dead with swollen stomach. What they found inside was a surprise

Pythons are a species of snakes from the boa family, but with certain characteristics that make them different. They feed on warm-blooded animals, wrapping them with their body and asphyxiating them. They tend to be harmless.

A few months ago, a python was found dead in South Africa. Its belly was swollen in an uncommon way. All the central part of its body was very swollen.

Vets were suspecting the damage was done by another animal, but they never imagined what it really was. To discover what had caused the snake’s death, the vets practiced an autopsy and found something unexpected.

The python had a porcupine inside. The porcupine was 31 inches long and weighed 29 pounds.  The porcupine’s spines had torn all the python’s entrails. The mammal was already dead.

Watch Video...

It was a surprise for all to discover what was inside the python.

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#Nigeria2019: Buhari Not Being Honest, Boko Haram Still Very Alive, Deadly – Atiku

APC NATIONAL LEADERS, AKANDE, BUHARI, ATIKU, ONU, TINUBU

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday countered claims by the Nigerian government that the terrorist Boko Haram group has been defeated.

Speaking in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, at the 11th Founder’s Day Ceremony of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), the former vice president said Boko Haram remained deadly, and that it was premature to declare that the insurgency was over.

“The insurgents still occupy a specific geographical space,” Atiku said. “They (Boko Haram) still retain the capacity for occasional deadly attacks. Many citizens in the zone still remain vulnerable and live in fear.”

The former vice president’s comments appeared to counter repeated claims by President Muhammadu Buhari and his information minister, Lai Mohammed, that Boko Haram had been defeated, and was no longer holding any territory in the country.

In his 2016 Independence Day speech, October 1, Mr. Buhari insisted the sect was defeated in December 2015 even as the group continued its onslaught across the Northeast, launching deadly attacks and killing soldiers and civilians.

But in his Saturday speech, which was emailed to PREMIUM TIMES, Atiku said it was premature for anyone to claim victory over Boko Haram at this time.

Like Mr. Buhari, Atiku belongs to the ruling All Progressives Congress, a shaky political platform, whose leading members have bickered consistently since it came to power in mid 2015.

“We cannot say that the problem is over until every displaced person is able to return home, to the office, to the market, to the farm, and resume normal activities,” the politician said.

“We cannot say it is over until we rebuild the schools, the churches, the hospitals, the markets, and the homes that had been destroyed. And we cannot say it’s over until the survivors of this insurgency receive the help they need, including psychological therapy to deal with the trauma that they have been through.

“I visited an IDP camp on Saturday and had the privilege of teaching a math class to some children. But the site of hundreds of children running around and unable to attend school was very gut wrenching. It still breaks my heart. So we cannot say the insurgency is over until all the displaced children return to their schools.

“And, as I indicated last year, it would not be enough for people to simply return to their pre-insurgency lives. We must do better than that otherwise we would only have papered over the wound without really treating it.

“People must return to something better, to hope, to improved schools, to improved economic opportunities, to freedom of worship and improved inter-religious harmony.”

Read Atiku’s full speech below.

Protocol

Let me join President Ensign and the MC in welcoming you to this year’s Founder’s Day ceremony of this university. It doesn’t feel that long ago when we broke ground here for what is to be the first private university in Northern Nigeria, and the first American university in Sub-Saharan Africa. Here we are today at the 11th Founder’s Day of this dream we the AUN.

Looking back and looking around, we have made tremendous progress. The little acorn is growing into a promising oak. But there’s a lot still left to be done. As you know, the work of building a great university never really finishes. A university is a living organism. It has to keep growing; it is continuously nourished. It becomes ever more complex but also integrated, more extended, and more interesting.

This past year has been particularly challenging for us and for the country. The country’s economy, which had remained weak, slid into a recession. There has been little public spending as the new government in Abuja and most state capitals try to figure out how to proceed with governance, just as oil production and revenues plummeted. And when citizens, including parents, have little income to spend, especially in the midst of uncertainty, the effect spreads to various sectors of the economy, including higher education.

But it was also a year that saw significant improvements in the security situation in the North East, our catchment area. The commitment of the Federal government and the state governments in this zone, as well as the support of the governments of our neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger, have pushed back against the violent insurgency and improved the security of citizens in the area.

The improvement in the security situation also means that some internally displaced persons have been able to return to their homes and try to resume normal lives. I would like to specially acknowledge the efforts of our security forces in making these possible.

However, more still needs to be done to restore normalcy in this area. The insurgency remains. The insurgents still occupy a specific geographical space. They still retain the capacity for occasional deadly attacks. Many citizens in the zone still remain vulnerable and live in fear; and we cannot say that the problem is over until every displaced person is able to return home, to the office, to the market, to the farm, and resume normal activities. We cannot say it is over until we rebuild the schools, the churches, the hospitals, the markets, and the homes that had been destroyed.

And we cannot say it’s over until the survivors of this insurgency receive the help they need, including psychological therapy to deal with the trauma that they have been through. I visited an IDP camp on Saturday and had the privilege of teaching a math class to some children. But the site of hundreds of children running around and unable to attend school was very gut wrenching. It still breaks my heart. So we cannot say the insurgency is over until all the displaced children return to their schools.

And, as I indicated last year, it would not be enough for people to simply return to their pre-insurgency lives. We must do better than that otherwise we would only have papered over the wound without really treating it. People must return to something better, to hope, to improved schools, to improved economic opportunities, to freedom of worship and improved inter-religious harmony.

People must return to the realization that it is ok not only to be different but also to learn, including so-called Western education. You see, Western education really belongs to humanity since different parts of the world contributed to that which we now call Western education and culture. In any case, nobody says we must take everything that is associated with that culture; we can take that which helps us improve our societies while ignoring that which doesn’t.

And we must no longer wait for socio-economic and political problems to fester for a long time before we tackle them, the way we routinely wait for small potholes on our roads to develop into huge gullies and death-traps before we try to fix them, if at all. That should be a critical lesson of this insurgency.

So let us take immediate steps to put our people to work. Let’s fix our roads, bridges and schools and other infrastructure. Let us expand schooling in this zone and other parts of the country. Let’s expand enrolment, and hire and train highly qualified and motivated teachers who are paid well. Let’s resolve to strictly enforce the law that makes primary and secondary education free and compulsory in this country so that every child stays in school until at least the age of 18. Let us expand vocational training in addition to improving our universities and polytechnics.

Let us expose our youth to entrepreneurship as part of their education, to help us to really create employment and grow the economy and incomes in a sustainable way. Germany seems to offer a great example on vocation training and apprenticeship. We may want to carefully study its system to see how we can adopt elements of it for our country, our people and our economy.

When we take these measures that expand educational and career opportunities for our young people, we give them hope; we give them positive things to aspire to. We must demonstrate to our youth that living is far better than dying. When we provide them these opportunities we are likely to see more of them receive the kinds of awards and honours that were bestowed on these outstanding people that were so honoured here today.

But we should not stop there. Citizens are not just about jobs and incomes. We have to take measures to facilitate citizen engagement, especially the youth. Our young people have to take greater interest in public affairs. And I am not just talking about voting in elections. They should be organized and participate in debates on public policy and community service.

And as a country, we have to find ways to lift up those who need help, to give voice to the voiceless, to listen to the voices of those who feel marginalized and left behind, and find ways to address their concerns. The recent Brexit referendum in the UK and the November 8 Presidential election in the US hold important lessons for us. Being established and stable democracies they had peaceful outcomes. We may not be that lucky because of the fragility of our democratic and other public institutions.

To our students I say your handwork and sacrifices are worth it. You are among the privileged. So take full advantage of the opportunities you have.

 Education is an opportunity and remains the key that unlocks opportunities and opens new horizons. And in the contemporary world, those without education and requisite skills will have a harder time attaining social mobility.

This is the world of big data, of coding, of genetic engineering, of 3D printing, of renewable energy, of artificial intelligence, of self-driving automobiles, of space tourism, of inter-connected devices (the internet of things), and of social diversity and inclusion. You have the opportunity to prepare and equip yourselves for that world so that you, your families and your country are not left behind.

I sincerely thank the leadership of this University under the tireless Dr Margee Ensign. I salute the faculty and staff, all of you that make this place work. Let me also thank the Board of Trustees, under the very smart and meticulous Akin Kekere-Ekun, for its work over the past year and the preceding years.

We also owe a debt of gratitude to the state and federal governments for the improved security in the environment within which AUN operates. I congratulate those honoured here today. You are truly deserving of your awards.

Let’s all rededicate ourselves to improving this university, this dream, and this region and our country.

Thank you.

PremiumTimes

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How Tinubu, Ambode, Aregbesola shunned APC Ondo rally

– Tinubu, three other southwestern governors have reportedly boycotted the APC mega rally in Ondo state

– This has further fueled speculations that the national leader of the party may be planning to form a new political party

– All the APC governors, have however, pledged their support for their candidate in Ondo state

Reports that national leader of the All Progessives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu is planning to float a new political party may be true afterall as he shunned the party’s campaign rally in Ondo state.1053215

According to The Punch, Tinubu as well as Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Rauf Aregbesola and Abiola Ajimobi of Lagos, Osun and Oyo states respectively, were not at the rally in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

President Muhammadu Buhari and some other governors on the platform of the APC were present at the mega rally as APC seeks to wrestle the state from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which has Jimoh Ibrahim as the leading candidate.

Although the real reason for the governors’ absence could not be ascertained as at press time, there are rumours that they may have refused to attend based on their loyalty to the national leader, on whose back they rode to take power in their respective states.

Rochas Okorocha, the chairman of the APC governors’ forum, however, informed those present at the gathering that, regardless of the absence of the other governors, they were all standing behind Rotimi Akeredolu, the party’s flagbearer in the November 26 election in Ondo.

“Ondo State must join the progressives states in Nigeria, therefore we must vote for him and he will win the election. Akeredolu rejected federal appointments because he loves you people. He wants to serve you, so vote for him,” he was quoted to have said.

Recall that Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele, in a warning to Nigerian politicians, raised an alarm that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are likely to lose key personalities this year.

In a no-holds-barred chat with our correspondent, the revered Nigerian prophet noted that the PDP is under a spiritual attack and unless they go for cleansing, they are not likely to be free.

He added that the party will break into two and while the new version of the party will go, “the old will remain. The Makarfi/Sheriff synergy will not work.”

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Nnamdi Kanu a combination of Azikwe, Ojukwu, Kaduna Nzeogwu all rolled into one – Fani- Kayode

Chief Femi Fani- Kayode

Former spokesperson to ex- President Goodluck Jonathan campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode said Saturday that him and others would join hands with the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu to collectively bring down those he termed, their collective enemies.

In a statement, Fani- Kayode who extolled the qualities of Kanu, said that he is not just a combination of Owelle Nnamdi Azikwe and Dim Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu: but a combination of Azikwe, Ojukwu and Major Kaduna Nzeogwu all rolled into one.

According to Fani- Kayode, Kanu who loves the Igbos, serves as a rallying point for Igbo nationalism, the fight for self-determination of the people of the east and the establishment of the sovereign state of Biafra.

He said, “And when that time comes we shall stand shoulder to shoulder with men like who is the leader of IPOB a Nnamdi Kanu and face down our collective enemies.” In a statement titled, “the Heart and Soul of Nnamdi Kanu, Chief Fani- Kayode said, “In my essay titled “Head Bloodied But Not Bowed And The Ascension Of President-Elect Donald J. Trump” (Part 1) I wrote the following: “When I went to visit the great and brilliant freedom fighter, Nnamdi Kanu, who is the leader of IPOB and easily the most courageous, powerful and credible Igbo leader in Nigeria today in his cell we had a very instructive and long discussion.

“I had never met Nnamdi before and I was amazed at his depth of knowledge, his immense courage and his deep convictions.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the man is going places and in him the Igbo have an Ojukwu and a Nnamdi Azikiwe all rolled into one. He is destined for greatness”.

“Apparantly my words have created quite a stir amongst those who believe that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu cannot be mentioned in the same breath as Azikiwe or Ojukwu, both of whom, in my view, are also great men.

“Yet despite their reservations I believe that we must give honor to whom it is due. Consequently I have no regrets for what I have said.

“Those that are upset at the fact that I spoke highly of the IPOB leader are misguided and, worst still, they lack vision, foresight and insight.

“They not only lack the ability to perceive individuals and events accurately but they also lack the gift of discermment. They may see the man but they cannot assess or recognise the spirit that is in him and that motivates him.
“Worse of all they are suffering from good old fashioned envy and they have been afflicted with the worst form of ignorance.

“Most of them have never even met Kanu let alone know him. I sat next to him for three solid hours in the most challenging and difficult circumstances.

“We discussed our respective views about Nigeria, our collective history, the suffering and marginalisation of our respective people, the Nigerian civil war, the reptilian and violent nature of the Nigerian state, the present dispensation, the Buhari government and the way forward.

“I have associated with, met and worked with many men of influence and power since I entered the combustible fray of politics thirty years ago but this one was different.

“This was a man that had what I would describe as a Mahatma Ghandi-like quality. That is to say he is one that is prepared to sacrifice everything and anything for his beliefs, his people and his cause.

“Like the great Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace I have no doubt that if he deemed it necessary he would go as far as to sacrifice his very life in the struggle for freedom and independence for his Igbo people from the Nigerian state and from our internal colonial masters and for the establishment of his beloved Biafra.

“Not all may agree with him on that course but they must respect his determination, passion and courage. “Very few Nigerian leaders have that level of selflessness and commitment to any cause and, simply put, I admire it.

“I looked deeply into his eyes as we spoke and I touched and weighed his soul. “I can tell you, without any fear of contradiction, that he is a profoundly good man who loves his Igbo people deeply.

“He is also well-educated and widely-read and he is a formidable intellectual. “We may not have agreed on everything but I can tell you this much: we share an aversion to the spread of radical Islam and terror in Nigeria and indeed throughout the world.

“We also share deep concerns about the oppression of our people by the state, the vicious persecution and desperate attempt to silence all the voices of the opposition in our country, the marginalisation and suppression of the good people and ethnic nationalities of the south and the Middle Belt, the implementation of a plainly racist and apartheid-like agenda by our government, the regular and consistent practice of genocide by our security forces, the rise in power and increasing callousness and brutality of the Fulani miltias and herdsmen in our midst, the not so hidden agenda to Islamise our nation and violate the secularity of our state, the violation of court orders, the brazen intimidation of the Judiciary and the resort to the most barbarous and hideous form of gestapo tactics, tyranny and human rights abuses by the Buhari administration.

“I can also tell you that he feels and shares the pain of the Igbo and he yearns for their liberation and emanciption from an increasingly hostile and oppressive Nigerian state.

“He is not a politician in the true sense of the word but rather a freedom fighter and a charissmatic leader who has managed to inspire millions of Igbo youth all over the world to once again have faith in themselves and their collective cause and aspirations. In my view that is a good thing.

“I can also tell you this: he is a man of great faith and conviction and his rise to prominence is not ordinary but instead prophetic.

“He cannot be destroyed or silenced by any government or man born of woman because the Lord is with him and He is using him. He is using him to say and do the things that many believe but that are too scared to say or do.

“Other leaders have had their time in the past and now this is his. He is paying a very heavy price right now for what God will use him for in the future.

“I recognise that fact and I sincerely hope and pray that his Igbo people will come to appreciate him and do so as well.

“Very few leaders can or would be willing to take the pain and make the kind of sacrifice that this man is making today.

“I am a very cautious and circumspect person and it takes me a while to warm to people or for them to win my confidence. Yet this case was different.

“Nnamdi and I, rather like Che Guevera and Fidel Castro at the beginning of the Cuban revolution, connected immediately and he won my trust, respect and admiration. “If there is anyone that can truly build the much needed bridge between the south-west, the south-south and the south-east it is Nnamdi Kanu.

“This is because he is pragmatic and sincere. It is because he is respectful and accomodating of alternative points of view and dissenting opinions and he speaks from a position of knowledge and strength.

It ibecause he is very proud of his Igbo heritage and he would never betray his people or prostitute his principles. “The truth is that he is not just a combination of Owelle Nnamdi Azikwe and Dim Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu: he is a combination of Azikwe, Ojukwu AND Major Kaduna Nzeogwu all rolled into one.

“The fire of revolution and the yearning for fundamental and equitable change burns in his blood and resides in his bones.

“He has spoken up for, defended and fought for the preservation and dignity of his people just as those other three leaders did in the past at different times in our history.

“He also serves as a rallying point for Igbo nationalism, the fight for self-determination of the people of the east and the establishment of the sovereign state of Biafra.

“His love, remarkable courage and sheer passion for his people and their cause is boundless and unfathomable.

“The Igbo is blessed to have him as one of the most respected and reverred leaders in our entire history as a nation.

“They would do well to appreciate him more, pray for him, stand up for him, line up behind him and insist that the government honors the numerous court orders that have granted him bail and release him from prison.

“Why? Because he bleeds and suffers for their collective cause and he is sacrificing all to remove their shame and lift their pain.

“What a man he is. What a mighty spirit. What a beautiful soul. What a braveheart.

“Permit me to conclude this contribution with the following observations. “All over the world today the concept of political correctness has been discredited and rejected. Consequently right-wing nationalist and ultra-nationalist groups and political parties are rising up and regaining credibility and power.

“In the United Kingdom we have the Nick Farage’s of this world and his UKIP whose magnificent efforts resulted in Brexit. In France we have the Marie Le Pen’s and her National Front. In Hungary we have the Viktor Orban’s and his Fidesz party.

“In the United States of America we have the Donald Trump’s and his new and redefined Republican party. “We also have plain-speaking and honest men like Michael Flynn, who has just been appointed as Trump’s National Security Advisor.

“Political parties with a similar ideology and that are led by equally strong-willed, focused and charissmatic figures are also making great waves and slowly gaining more power and relevance in Italy, Germany, Austria, Holland, Greece, Belgium, Hungary, Russia, the Phillipines, Israel and indeed all over the world.

“Thankfully Nigeria has not been left out. We have men like Nnamdi Kanu in the east, Ganiyu Adams in the west, Asari Dokubo in the Niger Delta and others from elsewhere who believe passionately in the restructuring of the Federation, the redefinition of the Nigerian state, the right of self-determination for their respective people and the expression of power, pride, self-respect and dignity for their various ethnic nationalities.

“Freedom beckons whilst the wind of change is blowing across the world and no-one can stop it.

“I thank God for that and I also thank Him for the millions of men of courage, strength and vision that have joined the fray. “Whatever happens in Nigeria and whatever may come our way, one thing remains clear: an idea whose time has come cannot be successfully resisted. Today may belong to our oppressors but tomorrow belongs to us.

“At the appointed time we shall rise up to where we belong as a people and we shall free ourselves from the demonic shackles and satanic chains that have have been placed upon us by our collective tormentors.

“And when that time comes we shall stand shoulder to shoulder with men like Nnamdi Kanu and face down our collective enemies.

“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob shall rise to our defence and the Lord of Hosts, the Ancient of Days, the God of the Armies of Israel and He who holds the universe together by the power of His word shall lift us up to where we belong.”

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Bobrisky arrested for physically assaulting female fan [PHOTOS]

Controversial cross-dresser, Bobrisky, was this morning arrested and detained in Lagos, for allegedly beating up a female fan whom he thought was taking his pictures.

According to an eyewitness who shared the news with The Comment Section, the unindentified lady spotted the famous male barbie and began to film.


Bobrisky, whose real name is Olanrewaju Okuneye, did not find this funny and reportedly pounced on her. The police was alerted and he was then taken away in a black police van on Herbert Macaulay road in Yaba, Lagos.


He has since been released and has uploaded new videos on his Snapchat to update his fans.

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Anambra: No one can force me into exile – Peter Obi

Obi Peter

The former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has said he would only encourage Anambra people to pray for Governor Willie Obiano as no one could force him into exile.

Obi said this yesterday at the burial of the father of Chief Emeka Offor at Oraifite when he was asked to react to a newspaper publication of yesterday headlined: “Obiano threatens to unleash attack on former Gov, SSG”, where the Governor was quoted to have said that he would exploit all the bullets in his armoury against the former Governor, SSG or any person that attacked him.

On what he would do if the Governor carried out his threat, Obi who recalled the eight years he was the Governor, said that in those eight years that nobody was attacked or stopped from visiting the State, and wondered why the attack would start now, when, according to him, the State should be advancing in civilization by upholding the tenets of democracy and decency.

On the call by the former Governor that he should stop visiting Anambra State and attending events in the State, Obi said that such order amounted to asking him to go on exile, since, according to him, he had his house in Onitsha and lived in the town. He said nobody was barred during his time, because not just that decency was against such but that the Constitution guaranteed the freedom of movement.

Speaking further, Obi said that throughout his tenure as the Governor of Anambra State that everybody, including past governors were neither barred from visiting the State nor attending events in the State because, according to him, “it is a freedom guaranteed by the constitution.”

Again, he said: “I served Anambra State for eight years. As the Governor, I kept saying I would live in the State for the rest of my life to enable me share the joy and grieves of the people. Why would somebody, for instance, said I should not attend events in the State?

“Why would somebody request I stop saying what I did as the Governor of Anambra State, when people are still talking about the good deeds of the likes of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief M.I Okpara?”

Obi insisted he would continue to say what he did, provided he said the truth.
“Most of the things are said are not for self-adulation, but to use my experience to demonstrate to our people that we can do certain things we thought as impossible, example is the fact that I returned schools to the Church and provided them with over 30,000 computers, generators and internet connectivity.

“The fact that under our Government, we cleared arrears of pension of over N35 billion, paid for all the certificate generated by contractors without borrowing a kobo, but instead left money, including dollars for the State.” Obi said.

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Igbos should stop lamenting Their Loss of Political Power in Nigeria- Amaechi

First republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi has called on Igbos to stop complaining about their loss of political clout in the country.

Instead, they should strive to conquer economic and technical power, and exploit their ingenuity by using their technical and business acumen to develop their land, he said.

Citing Nnewi as an example, the elder statesman observed that the people of the area have been investing at home, developing their town and providing employment for their people.

He spoke at a political round-table organized by the Movement for Greater Anambra State, MOFGAS, in Awka.

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Bag of Rice Crashes and Sells for N13,000 in Some States

*Photo used for illustrative purpose*

The Head, Development Financing Department, CBN, Owerri Branch, Mrs Nkechi Osuji, has revealed that a bag of rice is now being bought in some states for just N13,000.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, says the agricultural initiative, `Anchor Borrowers Programme’ launched by the Federal Government has led to significant reduction in the price of local rice.

The Head, Development Financing Department, CBN, Owerri Branch, Mrs Nkechi Osuji,  made the disclosure on Saturday in Owerri.

She spoke at a sensitisation workshop organised by the office of Executive Assistant to Governor Rochas Okorocha on Human Capacity Development and Poverty Alleviation.

The one-day event was attended by local government representatives of small holder farmers, cooperative societies, youths and women groups drawn from the 27 local government areas of Imo.

Osuji said as a result of the new agricultural initiative, a 50kg bag of local rice now sells for N13,000 in states that have embraced the Anchor Borrowers Programme.

She said that if more states join the programme rice production would be greatly boosted.

Osuji told the participants that the CBN, Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry, commercial and micro-finance banks have provisions to finance agricultural activities.

She advised participants to embrace the programme as it was capable of creating thousands of jobs as well as boost the overall development of the nation.

The Imo State Coordinator of National Directorate of Employment, Mrs Ngozi Iheancho, commended the initiative and urged participants to embrace the programme.

She said that NDE in the state was ready to support the programme and advised against what she called involvement of `ghost farmers’ in the programme.

She said, “Let there be no ghost farmers and unnecessary bureaucracy in the implementation of the programme in Imo.

“If this programme is genuinely executed, a lot of jobs and wealth will be created in Imo.”

Dr Edwin Uche, the Executive Assistant to Gov. Okorocha on Human Capacity Development and Poverty Alleviation, said the event was organised on order to expose farmers.

Uche said the state would expose farmers to grow rice, cassava, and maize, noting that the short and long term target of the programme is to create thousands of jobs in a year.

Participants who spoke, appealed to the organisers to step up action to ensure that Imo farmers key into the scheme like farmers in other states.

NAN

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20 Years After, Otokoto Ritual Killer in Owerri Finally Executed: Here are 20 Things to Know About the Hanged Convict

Others arrested in the case

One of the men convicted in the widely reported case of the ritual murder of an 11-year-old boy in 1996 in Owerri, Imo State, has reportedly been hanged.

Chief Vincent Duru, one of the men convicted in the celebrated case of the ritual murder of an 11-year-old boy, Ikechukwu Okoronkwo, on September 19, 1996 in Owerri, Imo State, has reportedly been hanged.

His sentence said to have been carried out on Sunday, November 13, 2016, is coming 13 years after his 2003 conviction.

To refresh memories on the case, which became popularly known as the ‘Otokoto murder’ at the time, here are 20 things to know:

1. The victim, Okoronkwo, a groundnut seller, was lured into a highbrow hotel called Otokoko in Owerri and beheaded.

2. Okoronko was reportedly given a bottle of Coca-Cola that had been spiked with drug before he was killed.

3. The hotel was owned by Chief Vincent Duru, who became known as Chief Otokoto during the lengthy trial that followed his arrest.

4. Apart from being beheaded, the culprits reportedly removed different other organs from his body including his genitals before burying the corpse in a shallow grave.

5. The crime was discovered when 32-year-old Innocent Ekeanyanwu, who beheaded the boy left the hotel to deliver the head in a polythene bag to a client. An okada rider, who gave him a ride discovered the fresh human head and alerted the police later. Ekeanyanwu was intercepted by the police on his way back.

6. When the news of the boys’ murder broke, for many days, angry residents of Owerri trooped to the streets in what became known as the Otokoto Riots. Houses, hotels, supermarkets, and vehicles suspected to belong to the suspects and those suspected to belong to fraudsters or people of shady characters were burnt.

7. Ekeanyanwu was to deliver the boy’s head to an influential figure, Chief Leonard Unaogu at Eziama in Ikeduru Local Council Area of the state but Unaogu had reportedly travelled. He was said to have had no choice but to take the boy’s head to Owerri.

8. A popular photograph showing Ekeanyanwu holding the victim’s head was later released to the media, sparking the anger of Owerri residents.

9. In the ensuing riots, the residents burnt down Duru’s Otokoto Hotel and houses. They also destroyed the cars and a petrol station belonging to Eze Onu Egwu Nwoke. The homes of some government officials were not spared.

10. Just three days after his arrest, Ekeanyanwu was found dead in police custody. He was suspected to have been poisoned but the police released a statement to deny any foul play.

11. Three police officers were sentenced to death by hanging by an Owerri High Court in 2002 for their roles in the death of Ekeanyanwu, who was supposed to be the principal witness in the case.

12. Before his death, Ekeanyanwu had confessed that Unaogu was the brains behind the ritual killing syndicate he worked for.

13. Policemen who later searched the premises of Otokoto Hotel reportedly exhumed some bodies of people suspected to be victims of the syndicate.

14. When Unaogu was arrested, he denied knowing Ekeanyanwu, who was a gardener at the Otokoto Hotel during the time of the crime. Duru was also arrested and both he and Unaogu denied knowing each other during their trial, a claim rejected by the judge. Five others were arrested in connection with the case.

15. Trial of the suspects started on December 9, 1996.

16. Nwosu-Iheme sentenced all the seven suspects including Unaogu and Duru to death.

17. Unaogu would later die at the Port Harcourt Prisons in mysterious circumstances.

18. Duru, a native of Umudim Community in Ikeduru Local Government Area, of Imo State, appealed his conviction but the sentence was upheld by the Appeal Court.

19. During the Otokoto trial, Duru’s son, Obicheozor , was arrested in connection with a kidnapping case allegedly carried out by a gang he belonged to, Black Scorpions. In 1997, Obicheozor was executed by firing squad along with six others.

20. One of the convicted, Ebenezer Egwueke, would later appeal his conviction too and eventually found to be innocent. He was freed after 16 years in prison. By the time he was out in 2013, he was 62 years old.

Credits: The Punch

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Live Update: Buhari leads APC to Ondo, ahead of polls

President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC are throwing all their weight in support of Rotimi Akeredolu SAN, their candidate in the forthcoming Ondo polls.

Abdullahi Kure says APC will go into extinction soon

President Buhari is to lead the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a rally for the APC gubernatorial candidate in Ondo state.

Join Naij.com as we take you through the entire rally in Ondo state which is spearheaded by President Buhari.

Chairman, Chief Oyegun has been invited to the stage as the APC tries to enact something symbolic.

“Those in favour Aketi will be the next governor of Ondo state, say I, the I’s have it” – The Senate President ends his speech

“Vote APC and more development will come to Ondo state” – Saraki comes down to earth, pleading with the Ondo paople.

14:18 – The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has been invited to the podium

14:15 – “A tu gbo do gbe-ra –wa yele-yele mo! “ Governor Amosun goes into Yoruba to reach the hearts of the people.

“Let me alert all of us here that what we are about to do is not just about Aketi alone” – Governor Amosun

14:11 Governor Amosun of Ogun state begins his oration by eulogizing President Buhari.

“You have to recover your honesty, and that’s why you will come together and vote for him” – Governor Ganduje

“Papa Deceive Pikin, Pikin Deceive Papa, Poverty Development Party”- Oshiomhole rouses the crowd with a heightened oration as the governor of Kano state takes to the stage.

“When your heart is clean, God will bless you eventually” – Oshiomhole keeps the crowd spellbound.

“What happened in Edo, shall also happen in Ondo” – Oshiomhole charges party faithfuls, as President Buhari smiles on

13:58 – Oshiomhole takes the microphone, cast aspersions at PDP and the crowd cheers rancorously.

“0n the day of election, drag your father, your mother, your children, all of you should go and vote” – Yahaya Bello

13:52 – Governor Yahaya Bello takes to the stage

13:51 – Aketi is a man chosen by God says Governor Okorocha, as he annpounces to the Ondo People that the APC victory has been signed, sealed and delivered.

13:47 – Rochas Okorocha takes the rostrum, given opening orations to the delight of the Akure people.

No fewer that 25 state governors of the party, Federal Executive Council, FEC members, national assembly members, ministers and other party chieftains are also expected at the rally slated for the Democracy Park, Akure.

Vanguard reports that the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo is also expected to grace the ceremony.

It remains uncertain if the former governor of Lagos state Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Osun state governor Rauf Aregbesola and Lagos state governor Akinwunmi Ambode would be attending the rally.

This is because of the no love lost between the Tinubu camp and that of Akeredolu over his emergence as the candidate of the party.

It was gathered that buses have been sent to all the 203 wards across the state to mobilize party members to the rally.

The national chairman of the Party Chief John Oyegun will lead the National Executive Committee NEC members to the rally ahead of next week election.

Oyegun had led state governors, ministers and national assembly members to the flag off of the campaign of Akeredolu last week. Today’s mega rally would be the last before the November 26 governorship election.

President Buhari and the leadership of the party are billed to arrive the state capital by 10am.

The state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko is expected to receive the president at the Akure Airport today, November 19.

The President’s advanced team had arrived the state capital on Thursday.

Meanwhile, there are fears that President Buhari might not make it to the rally after all, this is as a tweet by the All Progressives Congress (APC) shows that the delegation to Ondo state will be led by the party’s national chairman, Chief Oyegun.

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