Help, I’m dying, my husband committed taboo by sleeping with me, my 12-yr-old daughter, woman cries out

• My wants divorce ‘cos I took another wife —Husband

Oja Oba/Mapo Court C Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State has adjourned till October 15 a divorce case brought before it by a man, John Dickson, against his wife, Mary Dickson.

John, who dragged his wife to court, alleged that she deserted him three years ago, adding that she left with their two children.

The plaintiff implored the court to dissolve their marriage since Mary had frustrated every effort he made at getting them reconciled.

He further pleaded with the court to grant him custody of their two children in order that he might give them adequate attention.

Mary agreed to divorce but refused that the plaintiff  be granted custody of their children.

John while giving his evidence told the court that:”My lord, my wife and I never quarreled or fought. I left home for work and by the time I returned she had packed her belongings and left with our two children.

“I didn’t send her out, but she left by her own volition. She moved out of my house after I took another wife.

“My lord, polygamy is a normal and acceptable practice in my village. My father had seven wives and they cohabited peacefully.

“My family members appealed to Mary on my behalf to return home but she remained adamant. Since I love her and our children dearly, I made it a habit to pay them a regular visit in her new apartment.

“Any time I was going, I would go with money and produce from my farm. I have never failed in paying their school fees and meeting all their other needs.

“My lord, despite all that I do, Mary has refused to change her mind, which is my reason for coming to court.

“She can walk out of our marriage, but she can’t walk out of it with our children. I pray the court to grant me custody of our two children, “John said.

“My mind is made up on divorcing John and there’s no going back on that, “Mary stated.

“John can be best described as an animal. I gave him my heart and my all. I stood by him and helped him to get on in life but he betrayed the trust I placed in him.

“My family members stood against our marriage but I insisted I was going to marry him. I did and moved in with him. I brought to live with us, Esther,  my 12-year-old  daughter who is one of the two children I had in my previous marriage.

“In order to make ends meet, I would leave home as early as 4:00 a.m. to purchase goods for sale. I normally leave our new born baby in the care of Esther and my husband.

“To my surprise, Esther suddenly took to running away from home, sometimes for about two weeks anytime I went to purchase my goods. I would bring her back home looking dirty and hungry after a search in the neighbourhood. I didn’t understand why she did this and she refused to tell me.

“My lord, it was her friend’s mother who let the cat out of the bag. She told me my husband defiled Esther and that she had been sleeping with her. According to her, Esther told her daughter who is her friend, who later told her. I didn’t believe all she told me but decided to ask Esther.

“When I inquired from Esther, she confessed my husband was in the habit of sleeping with her any time I was not at home and that he warned her never to tell me or anyone else. According to her, if she did he would stop funding my education and send me out of his house.

“I screamed after she told me all. I felt so anguished that I beat her. I was angry she kept such a thing from me. I took her to the hospital and it was confirmed that she was sexually active.

“He would have raped my second daughter who is Esther’s sister also but for God. She was then seven years old,” the defendant explained.

“My lord, what John did is an abomination in our village. It is a taboo for a man to sleep with both mother and daughter, which explains my poor health condition right now. I’m dying by the day.

“I left John’s house with Esther and the two children I had for him and moved into a rented apartment in the neighbourhood.

“I later moved in with one of my aunties when I could no longer afford the rent.

“I informed my husband’s family of the atrocity he committed but they were indifferent. They only made an effort I regarded as insignificant in settling the issue and left it worse. John’s sister warned Esther never to tell anyone she was defiled and constantly raped by John, “Mary added.

“Since we moved out of the house he never cared about our children’s survival or welfare. I reared goats and sold to pay our children’s school fees.

“Since it was obvious we needed money to carry out a ritual in our village to aver tragedy due to the abomination my husband committed, I asked that he gave me a small portion on his land to plant crops which proceeds we could use for the ritual but he refused.

“My lord, John’s brother later came for my goats which were four in number. He claimed they belonged to John. I was furious when I was told this and went to his house with Esther to claim my goats but he and his family members beat us blue black.

“Again, my lord, John’s indecent act is presently affecting Esther. She got married two years ago and became pregnant but she lost this pregnancy and has not had another since then.

“My lord, what I pray this court is to mandate John to go with me and Esther to our village to carry out the necessary ritual so that we could live normal lives again,” she pleaded.

Esther Isaiah giving her evidence told the court that:”My lord, I started living with my mother and her new husband, that is my step father at the age of 12. My father lives in Lagos.  I’m now 20 years old, but my step father started sleeping with me at the age of 12. He was the one who deflowered me and he slept with me on countless occasions. He always warned me not to tell anyone especially my mother. He threatened to stop paying my school fees if I ever did.

“He regularly used the opportunity of my mother’s absence to sleep with me. He got so reckless that he started sleeping with me on our farm,  that is in the open.

“I was afraid of telling my mother and took to running away from home whenever she was not around because I was helpless.

“I summoned courage and opened up to my friend who told her mother. It was my friend’s mother who later informed my mother.

“My lord, he actually attempted to rape my seven-year-old sister also, who came to spend her holiday with us. She told me he crawled to where she laid, rubbed his hand over her private part and tried to remove her pant but she cried out.

“She told our mother this but she didn’t believe her because she was head over heels in love with him.

“I’m now married but have no child yet. I lost my first pregnancy and have not had another since then which is almost two years.

“According to my mother, this is as a result of the abomination  committed  by my step father,” Esther concluded.

Father sentenced to 10 years for impregnating 13-year-old daughter

Justice Muslim Hassan of a Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday sentenced a 58-year-old farmer, Yesiru Onajobi, to 10 years’ imprisonment for defiling and impregnating his teenage daughter.

The convict, a resident of Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, was charged in 2011 on two counts of having carnal knowledge of his 13 year-old daughter.

He was prosecuted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons.

NAPTIP had told the court that after the death of Onaboji’s wife, he took custody of his only daughter who is a twin, while her brother was with relatives.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the convict was said to have molested his daughter repeatedly.

In his ruling, Justice Hassan held that it was difficult to disbelieve the evidence of the victim whom he said gave a vivid account of the incident, adding that her testimony remained constant at all times.

“I hereby sentence you, Yesiru Onajobi, to 10 years’ imprisonment each on counts one and two, without option of fine. The terms shall run concurrently from the date of arrest,” he ruled.

RCCG night vigil turns bloody as unknown man murder pastor in altar

An unidentified man has reportedly stabbed one of the pastors of Redeem christian church of God (RCCG) in the city of Portharcourt, Rivers state.

According to an eyewitness, the Redeem Parish on Danjuma Street, Off Odili Road in the Rivers State capital, was having a vigil when at about 3 am Friday, a strange man walked in to stab the pastor.

The man came through the gates at that ungodly time, stabbed the gate-man with a knife he was holding, brushed through the congregation to the altar, stabbed the pastor and walked out with impunity.

Police Relations Officer, Rivers Command, Nnamdi Omoni said, when contacted by Vanguard, that “The Command is aware. We have put machinery in place to ensure the arrest of the killer. An investigation has been launched.

The Redeem community in Port Harcourt were yet to respond to this report.

19 pregnant girls rescued in another baby factory

Barely a week after a-week-old baby was recovered from an illegal trade syndicate in Isheri-Osun, a Lagos community, the police have rescued 19 pregnant women at another baby factory.

The victims between ages 15 and 28 were said to have been kept at four different locations in Isheri-Osun and Ikotun where they were being ripped off their babies and sold N300,000 or N500,000 depending on the sex.

Four kids were also rescued in the operation led by Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Chike Ibe, a Chief Superintendent (CSP).

We gathered  thatpolicemen and officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs earlier in the year stormed another baby factory at Igando and rescued malnourished children, pregnant women at the facility that also ran an alleged illegal creche.

While some of the expectant mothers knew their babies would be sold, others were brought to Lagos with promises of job only to be turned to baby making factories.

It was gathered that some of the victims were abducted from their home states and brought to the locations where men allegedly took advantage of them.

Those who said they accepted to sell their children to the syndicate claimed they were not offered the money promised, it was gathered.

He said the victims were brought from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo States.

According to Police Spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), detectives acted on a tip off at about 4pm on September 19 and stormed 14, Adisa Street, Ayanwale in Ikotun, 32 Owosho Street, Governor Road, Ikotun, 29, Olugbeyohun Street, Olakunle Bus Stop Abaranja and 4/6 Anomo Street, Abaranja.

He said the places were suspected to have been used for child trafficking, adding that two suspects Happiness Ukwuoma, 40 and Sherifat Ipeya, 54 were arrested in connection with the case.

“The suspects did not receive formal medical training but operate as nurses. The suspects are natives of Imo and Epe, Lagos States. The command has launched a manhunt of the principal suspect Madam Oluchi from Mbano in Imo State.

“She is a mother of five. The young women were mostly abducted by the suspects for the purpose of getting them pregnant and selling the babies to potential buyers. The girls were tricked with employment as domestic staff in Lagos. The suspects sold boys N500,000 and girls N300,000.

“The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu, has visited the scene and ordered the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) to take over the case.

“The command is working with other agencies and stakeholders in rehabilitating and resettling the pregnant girls and the babies. Investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be charged to court,” he said.

Woman sells her three kids for N500,000, blames hardship

A 25-year-old woman, Blessing Stephen, has confessed to trading all her three kids for N500,000.

Stephen was a member of a child trafficking syndicate recently smashed by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team.

Other arrested members of the syndicate are a self-acclaimed doctor, Una Godwin 58; Blessing John 27; Israel Ariyo 33; Itoro Anthony; 40 and Mforbong Ntoro, 48.

The operatives had launched a manhunt for one of the suspects, John, who abandoned a four-year-old boy in a church in the Ketu area of the state.

John was said to have abducted the boy, Ojo, at Ikota Housing Estate in Ajah sometime July 2019 and sold him in Akwa Ibom State to Ntoro for N350,000.

City Round learnt that Ntoro’s neighbours were alarmed by Ojo’s incessant cries and became suspicious, which forced the woman to return the child to John, asking her to get a baby as replacement.

John reportedly brought Ojo back to Lagos and abandoned him inside the church located along the road on the pretext that she wanted to pick some loads on the other side of the road.

Our correspondent learnt that the church reported the incident at the Ketu Police Station and the boy was later reunited with his parents.

Consequently, a petition was addressed to the IRT to fish out the suspect.

The team tracked down John a few weeks ago in Ibadan, Oyo State, and she led them to arrest her accomplices, Stephen and Ntoro.

She told the police that it was hardship that made her to engage in child trafficking, adding that she needed money to treat an ailment she was battling with.

John said, “I did an abortion which backfired. I had a surgery and needed money to continue treatment. I contacted my friend, Blessing Stephen, and she told me I could raise money by stealing a child. I abducted the boy and took him to Ibadan, Oyo State, where Blessing lived with her husband (Israel Ariyo).

“The boy spent three days with them before we took him to Akwa Ibom where we sold him to Mrs Ntoro for N350,000.”

Stephen, a native of Nsitayi, Akwa Ibom State, said apart from Ojo, she had sold three children of hers to Ntoro, who in turn resold them.

She said, “I once lived in Ikota, Ajah. I dated one Julius Abang and he impregnated me. I had a boy named Emmanuel for him in 2010 and the following year, we broke up. My mother was taking care of me and the boy but when life became unbearable, I sought advice from Mrs Ntoro, who is from my village.

“She advised me to sell the child and tell his father that he is dead. I sold him for N150,000. In 2012, my mother died and I travelled to Akwa Ibom for her burial. I dated another man, a truck driver, and he impregnated me. After some time, he abandoned me and I sold the child I had for him for N100,000.

“In 2013, I met another lover who is a motorcycle rider. Within six months, he impregnated me but he was so poor that he could not even feed me or pay rent. The engine of the motorcycle packed up and he became jobless. We sold the baby for N250,000 and Mrs Ntoro collected N20,000. Later Mrs Ntoro called from the village that she needed another baby boy. I told Blessing (John) but unfortunately we ran into trouble.”

It was gathered that Ntoro, while being interrogated by the police, disclosed that she worked with Anthony and Godwin.

Anthony said Godwin, who was the husband of her late friend, contracted her to look for buyers for children, adding that he received about N300,000 proceeds from two babies they sold.

Godwin said he helped women to sell their babies because they were desperately in need of money.

He said, “A woman told me that her husband was doing illegal oil bunkering and was killed in the process. She said life was tough for her and that she wanted to sell one of her five children to survive the hardship. I told Mrs Anthony to look for a buyer. She sold the baby N450,000 and I gave the mother N350,000 and I collected only N100,000.”

The police said Ntoro and Godwin were being investigated to track those they the children to.

I was promised N.2m to set man, wife, daughter on fire

Operatives of the Kano State Police Command have arrested one Alhaji Salisu Idris for setting fire that wiped out a family of three in Garaya village, in Ungogo Local Government Area of the state.

The midnight fire incident that occurred in the home of 50- year-old Alhaji Aminu Bala on the 25th September, 2019, killed him, his wife, Hajia Ruqayya Bala and their two- year-old daughter, Aisha Bala.

The victims were trapped in the burning building which was locked from outside with a padlock before it was set ablaze by the arsonist.
Younger brother of the deceased, who spoke to reporters in the village after the tragedy, explained that when they rushed to the scene of the fire, they noticed that the burning house was padlocked with a big key. He further alleged that they saw a man climbing over the wall of the compound as he fled the scene.

Following the lead, police said they had arrested 25-year-old Salisu Idris of Gayawa Gabas Quarters as a principal suspect, saying they trailed him to his hideout in Minjibir Local Government Area, where they effected his arrest.

A statement signed by the police spokesman, Deputy Superintendent of Police Abdullahi Haruna said they arrested the suspect with various degrees of burns on his body which were indicative of his clear involvement in the heinous act .

The police added that the suspect had since confessed his role in the said crime, saying that he admitted to have conspired with one other suspect, now at large, to set the family ablaze in return for a promised reward of N200,000.

The police vowed to arrest his alleged sponsor even as they indicated that forensic investigation had already commenced with a view to apprehending the alleged sponsor or any other suspect who participated in the crime.

They appreciated residents of the state for their cooperation and enjoined them not to relent in assisting the police with timely and credible information that would be helpful in their fight against crimes in the state.

Save Isoko language before it is too late

SOS from the College of Education, Warri

The Isoko language challenge is now becoming perennial. Yearly we go about seeking sponsors or scholarship for the Isoko language students in the College of Education, Warri and the response have not been the best expected.
From all indices, Isoko language is greatly degenerating-it is seriously endangered.
Our children are no longer interested in learning or using the language, while avenues for speaking or using it are getting more and more reduced by the day. Getting students to study Isoko language (future teachers) has not been easy either.
At the College of Education Warri, there is the threat of phasing out any department that is not viable, that is  not having appreciable number of students.
The above picture is the foundation for the yearly appeal, lecturers here have been making effort to seek scholarship.
In 1991 and 1992, Chief Paul Erhiri gave scholarship to all the students and many students responded.
Major Gen. Omu (Rtd) paid their students fees one year, while High Chief Iduh has helped with N100,000 twice now. The Isoko club helped with N300,000 twice, which they have promised to pay annually . This is not enough to service all the students school fees.
As such this year the Isoko language lecturers have to pay N66,000 each (some paid more) to make up for the students scholarship fees.
We have thirteen students and we do not know how to encourage more students to come in for the next admission with this trend. Without scholarship, if we do not have new students, the  Isoko Department will fold up gradually and so there will be no where to train Isoko language teachers again.
We therefore call on our patriotic Isoko sons and daughters, and other stakeholders to come to our aid before is it too late. Itsekiri`s sponsorship for their students has been consistent and encouraging. We have been having insults, mockery and disdain when we go to individuals to ask for help. Isoko patriots, show yourself now before it is too late. Your language is your identity-do not kill it.
Dr Agbada E.O & Rev Okedi J.O. (07034921444, 08022172940)

My step-father raped me, sexually abused my younger sister – Woman tells court

An Ibadan-based fashion designer, Esther Isaiah, on Wednesday accused her step-father, John Dickson, of raping her and sexually abusing her younger sister.

Testifying in a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, Isaiah, 20, also alleged that her step-father was responsible for her childlessness.

“Our step-father, started molesting me at age 12 and my younger sister, whenever we visit our mother in her matrimonial home.

“Whenever my mother is not at home, my step-father will threaten that he will kill me if I don’t allow him sleep with me. So, I allowed him in order to live.

“He raped me so many times. I never told my mother because I didn’t know what will happen, but, I told my friends.

“He also raped my younger sister. She told me that our step-father comes into the room where she sleeps with a mask and rapes her,” she said.

Earlier, Dickson who spoke through an interpreter said that he filed the divorce suit on grounds of abandonment.

He alleged that his wife, Mary, abandoned him for three years without any reason.

However, Mary countered her husband’s submission of abandonment when she described him as evil and an animal in human skin.

“It is true that I left Dickson’s home. He raped my daughter, one of the two children I had before I married him.

“The girl was afraid to tell me what my husband did to her and she stopped visiting me.

“In Cross River, where I am from, it is a taboo for a man to sleep with a step-daughter and her mother.

“Except a certain sacrifice is performed, the step-daughter might never conceive and the mother will die.

”I am currently sick and need urgent spiritual deliverance,” Mary said.

After listening to the testimonies, Chief Ademola Odunade, the court’s President, ordered all the parties concerned to ensure that they did the needful since it was a matter of life and death.

He held that Dickson might be charged for a felony.

The arbitrator adjourned the case till Oct. 15 for judgment.

Why price of local rice is high – Millers

• Say border closure boosts capacity

A few weeks ago, President Muhammadu Buhari, in an unprecedented move, shut down the nation’s borders as efforts by the Nigeria Customs to curtail cross-border smuggling activities, which is badly affecting rice farmers and processors, particularly, appeared fruitless.

The closure led to increased activities in the local rice industry as cost of the foreign variety shot beyond the reach of most average Nigerians who hitherto did not see much good in what is produced locally.

However, some believe the price of the local rice is still high as an effective alternative to the imported variety.

For example, a 50kg bag of Mama Pride rice produced by Olam rice farm in Rukubi, Nasarawa State, at some shopping malls, costs between N19, 500 and N19, 999 while Tomato Rice, which is a Thai imported brand costs between N21,000 and N23,000 – an insignificant difference. This inconsequential difference, some observers said, might not change the attitude of loyal foreign rice consumers.

“Until a 50kg bag of imported rice costs two times the price of local rice and the smuggling routes along the northern fringes are heavily controlled, affordable imported rice will still hit our local markets,” a consumer, Sani Bello, told this reporter in Abuja.

In Doma, Nasarawa State, this reporter witnessed increased activities around rice and farmers appeared to be happy with the business.

But their conversation on the cost of production showed they were concerned over the  rising cost of labour, quality seeds,  and climate related issues, which they said affect yield and turnover.

But for the processors, the heydays are here. Market for their product has broadened as even local small mill operators also record increased demand for rice.

Big players who have invested so much in the production are also very happy, Daily Trust gathered.

Alhaji Abdullahi Idris Zuru, Managing Director, Labana Rice Mills Ltd in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, in a telephone interview with Daily Trust, acknowledged that the closure of the border has improved their sales.

“The truth is it has improved our sales and it has equally increased our production. Before the closure, most of the existing rice mills had milled and stored the commodity in their warehouses because there was no market. Some even suspended production. For those who are strong, they kept on milling and storing despite absence of any good sale,” he said.

Alhaji Idris painted two scenarios which he said hold serious implications in allowing massive foreign rice smuggling. One was that the federal government, through the CBN, gave farmers loans under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and the farmers have produced the commodity and they are expected to pay back the loan.

He however noted that where the millers are unable to buy from the farmers, they would not be able to repay the loan.

“Even if we buy, we buy it without much value because we are not selling and at the end of the day, the farmer cannot even get the cost of production not to talk of profit,” he added.

Secondly, Zuru said, investors who heeded government’s call and invested in the agro-allied industry will be in a fix because at the end of the day, they will produce but they cannot sell, adding that there were rice mills that government assisted with loans to buy machinery and which spent more money processing rice that they have not been able to sell.

“These are serious problems. Some rice mills suspended production, some reduced their workforce, some have been operating under capacity but with the border closure, almost all the mills have picked up. The millers are selling, the farmers are selling and if this is sustained, you will see more people going back to the farm to continue rice production and the millers too will increase their capacity,” the Labana Rice MD stated.

Why price of local rice is high

The Managing Director, Labana Rice Mills Ltd, explained why the price of the local rice has gone up.

“To be honest with you, the price has increased to some extent because, with the border closure, millers went out to get paddy from farmers and the farmers, knowing that the borders have been closed, and the millers will come for it, increased the price, and only a few of them have it because some had earlier given up on the business because the price was not encouraging.

“A ton of rice which was sold at N100,000, is about N120,000 to N122, 000 as I speak with you now. If the farmers are encouraged and they return to the farm based on this policy and produce more, basically the price will crash and if the millers process more, the price will drop for the consumers.

“When more mills come on board, the price must drop. The current price is because the policy has just come on board,” Alhaji Idris said.

Mr Ade Adefeko, Vice President, Corporate and Government Relations, who is also in charge of External Communication and Stakeholder Management at Olam Nigeria, a major rice producer with 14,000 hectares of farmland, told Daily Trust  that about two million metric tons of foreign rice were smuggled into the country annually through  various land borders.

He added that the border closure policy was in the right direction as it would protect the investments in the country’s rice industry.

But he expressed worry that the smugglers have developed new and “more innovative routes” over the years to bring rice into the country, adding that “this trade of smuggling rice into Nigeria evolved over time especially since the ban on direct rice imports into Nigerian ports.”

The Olam vice president expressed belief that “apart from the strict border control policies, the solution lay in the economic policy of making Nigerian paddy and finished rice cheaper and passing on a strong message of advocating Nigerian rice to all consumers consistently through the mass media.

“Smuggling probably can’t be completely removed, but it can be drastically reduced if this two-pronged strategy is implemented with zeal.”

Increased milling activities since border closure

Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Maifata, National Chairman of Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN), at a press conference in Abuja, confirmed that mills that were hitherto unable to compete have now resumed production.

RIPAN at the press conference, said without the intervention, Nigeria would have lost about $400 million (about N150 billion) to smuggling.

Similarly, the Secretary General of Rice Millers, Importers and Distributors Association of Nigeria (RIMIDAN), Muhammed Shuaib, stated that millers were increasing their capacity with production and now recording additional one million metric tons.

Reports from Ebonyi State, a major rice hub in the South-east, indicated that there has been increased activity in the rice business.

At the popular Abakaliki rice mill in the state, traders at the market said the closure of the border has tremendously impacted the business of rice.

The traders,  called on the federal government not to reopen the border but to provide loan for rice farmers in the state to expand production.

Mr. Peter Simeon, who has spent over 46 years in the business, made the call while speaking with Daily Trust in Abakaliki.

“Since the closure, traders from Lagos State, Anambra, Aba and Port Harcourt are now buying rice from this mill.

“Yesterday, I sold many bags to traders from Port Harcourt, Aba, Owerri among others.

“So these days, rice farmers smile home with their cash as against what obtained before when milled rice stayed in our hands for weeks before we sold it. Now we don’t have leftover as it used to be.

“That is why we are calling on the federal government to continue with the closure of the border,’’ Mr. Simeon said.

Tome Ugboma Foundation donates notebooks, educational materials to schools in Isoko, Abor and Patani.

Recently, the Tome Ugboma foundation has donated notebooks and other educational materials to schools in rural areas of Isoko nation, including Abor and Patani. The founder, Mr Tome Ugboma has been giving scholarship to intelligent and indigent students.
While speaking with the press recently, he had noted that his aim of floating the foundation is to show appreciation to God almighty. He noted that education is key in everyone’s life, especially in this century.

Idheze Grammar School Ambassadors for Greatness Celebrates School 40th Anniversary

... as Ogor, Uredi, Okpowo bag awards

By Kelvin Ohoror

The old students of Idheze Grammar School known as Ambassadors for Greatness recently celebrated the school 40th anniversary held at the school playground Idheze, Isoko South local government area, Delta State. The Idheze Grammar School was founded in 1979.
Awards was presented to Rt. Hon. Leo Ogor Okuweh, Mr. Blessyn Okpowo, Engr. Osu Etemu, Late Oruah Elijah Etheigho, High Chief Uredi, Hon. Ross Uredi, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Ogbe and Engr. Mark Elebe  amongst others for their contribution towards the development of the community and the school respectively.
Speaking to newsmen during the event one of the old students of the school and also the president general of Idheze community Mr. Goddy Egene said that, the reason why the event was organised is to restore the lost glory of Idheze Grammar School to ensure that they bring back development to the school.
According to him, "When I came on board as the President General of Idheze Development Union, two days after my election I visited the primary and secondary school and I asked the principal and the Headmistress what are the challenges facing the schools and they told me, and I realised that the only way to tackle those challenges and achieve result is not to depend on government, we the old students must come together and give back to the school"
Mr. Egene also stressed that
"Coincidentally this year made it 40 years the school was founded, we decided to come together to encourage the students and teachers so that the school can be great again to ensure the students are taught in a conducive atmosphere.

He further noted that, after this event “we will go home and look at what we have done, assessed them and plan to make more milestone”, noting that hopefully when the school will be 45 they will mark it.

He affirmed that, the Idheze Grammar School Ambassadors for Greatness will continue to do things internally to ensure they promote the school to standard.
The first lecture of the 40th anniversary of Idheze Grammar School title 'Community development: a collective responsibility for all ' was deliverered by Comrade Prince Ogheneruona Oruah.

According to him, community development is a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems affecting the well-being of the people.
Comrade Oruah disclosed that community development seeks to improve quality of life, build community capacity in order to address issues and take advantages of opportunities, find common grounds and balance competing interests.
He added that,the youths must have ardent knowledge and foresight of the concepts of respect, genuineness and positive attitude in 'Community development: responsibility for all'  if they must be the leaders of tomorrow.

"Cleaning the drains, clearing the grass in sensitive locations, taking community matters as one will take personal matters, respect for constituted authority is part of the whole, protecting community owned facilities like the schools, post offices and street lights fall into the category of community development," he stated.

Meanwhile the second 40th anniversary lecture the 'Obstacles/deprivations of the Isoko child; the way forward' was delivered by Engr Osu Etemu.
Engr.Etemu said that, the Isoko child have obstacle and deprivations noting that the only way to overcome those obstacles and deprivations is to librate themselves from that mindset of unseen obstacles.
He further said that "We the Isoko people have one believe which is witchcraft, I have no helper, but once you are determine to do anything you will do it. Certain people will say I have try and things are not working, but you can only fail when you stop trying"
Engr. Etemu also stressed that for the past 20 years in Isoko things has change, Isoko now have a lot of billionaires, noting that there is no obstacles anywhere, unleash your vision and follow it through, there is nothing holding any Isoko child from succeeding.

In her goodwill message the principal of Idheze Grammar School Mrs. Gladys Afemari-Oro noted that, since she became the principal of the school, the sons and daughters of the community have actually helped the school financially and physically, stressing that their good deeds is everywhere in the community.
She also used the event to point out some of the challenges the school is facing, saying that the school need examination hall, needs perimeter fencing, renovation of the principal and staff quarters and one blocks of toilets for students and teachers.
She also commended Mr. Blessyn Okpowo, Mrs Juliet Afeme and Mr. Friday Uwomano for been a great help to Idheze Grammar School.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of note books and photocopier machine to the school by the Idheze Grammar School Ambassadors for Greatness. School bags were also presented to best academics performing students of the school.

Why snail is forbidden in some Isoko communities

By Michael Ekokoruwe

Land snail is the common name for terrestrial gastropod mollusks that have shells. Typical garden snails are usually safe to handle and eventually eaten by many, but forbidden by majority depending on the reasons which majorly stern from traditional believe and general concept of the importance attached to it.
Not everybody finds the snail spirit animal pleasant, but it symbolizes deep and powerful things that can bring you good tidings. This group of animals are often completely misunderstood and now endangered, and at the same time it is an example of how we are dealing with our environment.

The starting point is therefore the immediate environment and direct experience of the people. A snail’s body consists of five main parts, the head, the neck, the visceral hump, the tail and the foot.
The aesthetic appearance and diversity of snail’s starts in opposition to their very low popularity because of tradition and custom believe of some communities in Isoko land.

When they think about snails, many people associate them with the endless fight against the seemingly invincible protection it has for the people due to popular traditional instinct of it been used during war period to protect and safe people from enemies as it was used to prepare charms for protection.
The relationship with this interesting and extremely diverse group of animals is often reduced to that of invincible protection against enemies. Snails can cause feelings of disgust in many people because of traditional believe.
Many communities in Isoko, particularly Ozoro, Isoko North local government area of Delta State, believes that the snail protects against enemies, because during the war period, it was used by a female traditional doctor as sacrifice to the gods of the land known as “Odimodi” to protect the people from enemies.

The tradition and custom believe also emanated from the respect and regard given to snail because of the symbolic spiritual freedom from enemies during war period. The snail is a sacred animal that must not be killed or eaten by indigenes.
According to elders of the land, if indigenes eat the snail knowingly, the repercussion is death as the gods of the land will attack the person that violates, showing desecration of the land and sanctity of the people deliberately.

The snail if found during the day time by indigenes, the disgust feeling and respect is shown by using any object to push it away from coming close, even as touching it attracts evil curse which if not immediately cleansed through the use of white cockerel may lead to death.
The snail is forbidden by most indigenes of the community except few that had intertribal marriages. However, visitors and non-indigenes are free to eat and can take the snail for sale to other communities, but must be collected only at night and taken out at odd hours.

Snails are not kept in the house and also forbidden by Oleh community indigenes, in Isoko South local government area of Delta state. The animal is not sold in the market neither seen around the popular area of the community.
According to elders, snail was used to express anger and insults as a sign of hatred. This eventually developed a disgust feeling on snail consumption by indigenes of the area and it transcended from that generation to this present generation.

The elders disclosed that during war period, snail was used to treat wounds and injuries of war with instant solution to victims of gun and cutlass bruises. The importance and respect for snail as animal that protects became intrinsically accepted and taken as forbidden to the indigenes.
This also created a popular believe that snail is a sacred animal that saved victims of war and must not be eaten neither sold by indigenes of the community. However, non-indigenes are however allowed to eat and collect for sale in other communities.
Most communities in Isoko North and South local government area forbids eaten of snails.
Similar reasons were given at Olomoro, Irri and other communities, saying the snail was used as sacrifice to “Odimodi” god for protection against enemies during war and therefore cannot be killed or eaten as food.

But snail is delicacy to other tribes as it is highly priced due to the rich nature of the collagen – rich mucus from the mollusks, which to some cosmetic firm are now more valuable than gold.
Snail is a rich diet food to many eateries and many big malls. The snail is processed as food and sold either as meat or added to other processed food. Snail has become a necessary meat that is eaten in prepared soup mixed with vegetable in other tribes.

The demand for snail in such area has motivated buyers to move to Isoko communities as private market has been created for non-indigenes that scout for it during the night and sold secretly at designated locations.
A small bag of snail costs between N26, 000 to N28, 000 because of the market value cashing on global snail beauty market even as many people are doing snail farms because the competition is high both in price and demand.

Conclusively, majority of Isoko people forbids snail because it was used as charm for preventive measures during the war and generally accepted till date.

In some part of Isoko land, eating the snail as food does not kill but the desecration and anticipated fear of the unknown which the elders described as inviting the wrath of the gods constitutes danger and eventually forbidden.

However, non-indigenes and few others mostly Christians eat snail secretly which according to them has no effect of any sort because they do not believe the traditional custom and danger's inherent in eating of the snail as instituted by the elders of the land.

Police raid Islamiya school, arrest 7 teachers, evacuate 300 children

There was confusion in Rigasa Community of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State as the State Police Command raided an Islamiya school, arrested seven teachers and evacuated about 300 children.

The police said the children were kept in a very dehumanising condition an allegation the school authority denied.

We gathered that the raid was carried out by the police who stormed the area, Thursday, afternoon in about ten vehicles with heavily armed officers.

We gathered that the name of the school is Imamu Ahmad Bn Hambal located at layin maidubun Tsumma in Rigasa area.

One of the residents who identified himself as Shehu, a preacher in the school  denied the police allegation about the condition the children were kept.

He said that all the children in the school were there with the consent of their parents.

“What they  are saying is not true, because all the children are there with the consent of their parents. The parents signed a form before the children were enrolled in the school. The parents brings food for their children daily and they also know the condition they are in,” Shehu explains.

“We were very surprised when the police came and evacuated the children, as well as removed all the students food brought by their parents before they shut down the school. This is unfair because we have parents who will testify if their children are kept in bad conduction as claimed by the police,” he said.

He added that immediately the police raided the school many parents rushed to the scene to see their children.

The Police Command Public Relations Officer Yakubu Sabo said the children will be reunited with their parents after handing them over to the state Government.

” They were kept in dehumanising condition in the name of undergoing or acquiring qur’anic knowledge. With many of them with scars on their back which shows they were beaten. So we are investigating the school to know the owner of the facility is he said,” he said

Gunmen kill personal assistant to Ihedioha’s aide

Residents of Imo State are now living in fear following the murder of a prominent indigene of the state, Bruno Uchechukwu, by gunmen.

The incident occurred on Sunday at the popular Cherubim junction in Owerri.

Bruno, who died at a nearby hospital, was the Personal Assistant to the Chairman of the State Moveable Assets Recovery Committee, Jasper Ndubuaku.

The 32-year-old Bruno, who hailed from Atta in the Ikeduru Local Government Area of the state, was resident at No. 32 Elekwenwa Street, Owerri, and was survived by an aged mother.

We gathered that the incident occurred a few weeks after Ndubuaku was assaulted by some youths alleged to be loyal to the immediate past administration in the state.

Reacting to the incident, Ndubuaku, a two-time member of the Imo state House of Assembly representing the Isiala Mbano Constituency, expressed shock at the incident, saying that the killing was either targeted at him or done to frighten him to abandon his job.

The former lawmaker fingered the opposition for being behind the killing, saying, “Ever since the administration of Emeka Ihedioha came to power, the opposition has wreaked a series of havocs on the state.”

He stated that he would not be deterred in his commitment to continue with his assignment for the state despite the attempts to stop him and his men.

Ndubuaku said, “The young man (Bruno) was my personal assistant. I think his killing was done by some people, who are trying to hit me or frighten me out of this job, and I don’t find it funny. I don’t know who is behind it, but definitely, it will not be far from the opposition.

“They have done their worst but nothing will stop me. Even if they hit me, as I am dying, my spirit will keep fighting.”

The state Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Ladodo, while reacting to the incident, said the command had commenced investigation into the incident with a view to arresting those behind the killing.

Ladodo, who spoke through the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Orlando Ikokwu, said only a thorough investigation would reveal if the killing was politically motivated or not.

“Currently, we are keeping our fingers crossed and working on the leads we have so far,” he stated.

Plateau family demands detained suspect’s body

Controversy on Wednesday surrounded the death of a suspect in police detention, Mr Nanpo Sambo, as his  family members  urged a Jos Federal High Court to order the Inspector-General of Police to produce his remains.

The family of Sambo, who made the call through their counsel, Mr  D.G. Dashe, accused the IG and Mr Abba Kyari, officer in charge of Intelligence Response Team, of lying to the court that he (Sambo) died in cell while in detention.

“We don’t believe the story of the police,” Dashe said.

The police, had through their counsel, Mr Joshua Ayanna, told the presiding judge, Justice Dorcas Agishi, that Sambo died on July 6 while in detention in their Abuja cell.

But Dashe said, “They are claiming that he (Sambo) is dead. We don’t believe them. An uncle of his spoke with him around July ending, weeks after they (police) claimed he died on July 6.”

“We submit that the must obey the court order, and until this court certified that the accused person is dead, they must obey the court. If he is dead they must produce his corpse to show that he is truly dead,”  Dashe argued.

ICPC recovers three ambulances, 500KVA Transformer from Senator Buruji Kashamu

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday said it has recovered three ambulances and a 500KVA Transformer which are Constituency Project items from Sen. Buruji Kashamu.

The agency said the items were part of 2016 Constituency Projects meant to be distributed to Ogun East Senatorial District.

The items were discovered at his Constituency Project Office in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

A statement by the Spokesperson for the Commission, Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni, said the commission uncovered the items following intelligence alert by a concerned citizen.

The statement said: “The three ambulances which were procured at the cost of N6m each, were meant to be supplied to Obada Healthcare Centre, Oke Sopin in Ijebu North Local Government Area; Community Health Centre, Itele in  Ijebu East Local Government Area; and Community Health Centre, Ogijo in Sagamu Local Government Area respectively.

“The transformer is the last of an initial eleven meant for distribution to various communities of Ogun East Senatorial District which were procured at the cost of N3.6m each, bringing the total for the entire eleven transformers to N39.5m.

“The commission received intelligence about the items from a concerned citizen who became aware of the commission’s Constituency Project Tracking Group initiative which exercise has so far covered 12 states of the federation.

“The recovered items were seized and the vehicles were moved to a Police Station while the 500KVA Transformer was marked with the Commission’s seizure seal and in the interim, kept in the custody of the Manager of the Senator’s office.

P&ID contract is a “scam” – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday said the Process and Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID) contract with the Nigerian government was a "scam" aimed at cheating Nigeria of "billions of dollars".

Buhari spoke at the General Assembly of the United Nations, making this the first time the Nigerian leader will speak about the issue publicly. “We are giving notice to international criminal groups by the vigorous prosecution of the P&ID scam attempting to cheat Nigeria of billions of dollars,” Buhari said.

Media reports quoted government officials as saying the contract was signed while late president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was critically ill and Goodluck Jonathan was acting president. Jonathan has since denied any knowledge of the contract. The deal, a 20-year gas contract, was to build and operate a plant to refine natural gas into “lean gas” in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

The gas was being flared in the Niger Delta and the Nigerian government thought it was good business to have a company convert some of that wasted, poisonous gas into electricity in the face of Nigeria’s perennial power woes. The contract also stated that the government would install the necessary pipelines and infrastructure and receive the lean gas free of charge to power Nigeria’s fragile national grid, the company said.

The company, according to a report by Bloomberg, was registered in the British Virgin Islands but had no website or track record. Its chairman was Michael “Mick” Quinn, a 68-year-old Irishman with a rakish moustache and decades of experience in Nigeria, mostly as a military contractor. In a blog post on a website suspected to be operated by pro-P&ID entities pandidfacts.com it was claimed the Nigerian government had failed to meet its commitments, causing the project to flounder.

“This meant Nigeria would lose the opportunity of a new power supply, and P&ID would lose 20 years’ worth of profits,” it said, adding that it attempted to find solutions but “Nigeria refused to come to the table” hence the arbitration that commenced in 2012 before a tribunal in London. Although during the arbitration Nigeria claimed to be interested in reaching an amicable settlement with P&ID, in fact Nigeria never made a serious offer and it became clear that Nigeria was attending settlement discussions only to delay the proceedings.”

In August of 2019, P&ID won its case against Nigeria. Initially awarded for $6.6 billion, the contract sum would later rise to $9.6 billion due to accrued interest since 2013. However, on September 19, 2019, a Federal High Court in Abuja convicted two of P&ID representatives in Nigeria of charges bordering on money laundering, abuse of office and economic sabotage.

The court also ordered P&ID to forfeit all its assets to the Nigerian government. The company representatives had pleaded guilty to 11 counts of fraud, money laundering, tax evasion and other charges. Attorney-General Abubakar Malami says the contract was signed with no clear terms and conditions and that it “was engineered to fail” and defraud Nigeria, a claim reechoed by President Buhari on Tuesday.

The company, however, called the judgment a “sham” and a clear case of intimidation by the state. It said none of the individuals convicted are current employees. The firm also stated that it hasn’t received communication from Nigerian authorities about the investigations. The company said it will continue its efforts to identify and seize Nigerian assets to recover its money.

Today Thursday, September 26, 2019, a Nigerian government delegation head to the UK to persuade a British court to set aside an order permitting P&ID to seize $9.6 billion worth of assets from Nigeria, since the cash equivalent is not forthcoming.

The Nigerian government delegation includes the Attorney General, Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele and Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu. This is “about not allowing a case based on fraudulence to proceed,” Malami was quoted as saying by the New York Times. CBN Chief has warned of “advanced consequences for the Nigerian economy” if P&ID is allowed to seize Nigeria’s assets

Encourage girl-child on science education, Okowa urges parents

Delta Governor, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, has advised parents and guardians to encourage the girl-child to study science-related courses in school.


The governor gave the advice when he received members of Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) led by the National President, Mrs Felicia Agubata, in Asaba on Tuesday.

He said that the girl-child should be motivated to study competitive courses, especially the sciences, explaining that with science-based courses, more job opportunities would be created in the country.

The governor, who was presented with an award by APWEN for being an “Inspirational Leader in Job Creation, Education, and Infrastructure Development”, said “your advocacy for the girl-child is encouraging.

``There is the need to ensure that more girl-children embrace the sciences and the competitive side of study.

“The more science-based courses we embrace, the more entrepreneurial skills that we can grow to check unemployment because unemployment makes it difficult to check insecurity.”

He emphasized that at primary and secondary school levels children should be given good education to lay a solid foundation for their future endeavours, adding that the government had given attention to the recruitment of teachers.

“In Delta, we recently carried out employment of teachers with 90 per cent of them in the sciences, because we are emphasizing merit in the employment to ensure that we lay solid foundation for our children at primary and secondary levels.

“We are also doing a lot in technical education, because we believe that people can acquire skills in a secondary school system that is technologically-based.

``We have revamped six technical colleges and we promised to construct 19 more before the end of my tenure,” Okowa said.

He commended APWEN for choosing Asaba for its meeting and urged the members for their commitment to create awareness for the girl-child in science education.

Earlier, Agbubata had told the governor that they were in Delta for their meeting, disclosing that they were spurred to present the award to him based on the giant strides recorded by his administration in road construction, airport, education, job creation and others.

She commended the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Ebieri Otuaro, an engineer, for her commitment to the growth to engineering profession.

Nigerian man faces trial in US for raping fellow student who came to watch movie in his room

Onyekackukwu Chukwuebuke Igwilo, a 20-year-old male Towson University resident student, has been charged in connection with the alleged rape of another student.

He was charged with first-degree rape, attempted first-degree rape, false imprisonment and first- and second-degree assault in Maryland, U.S

Officials said the victim was assaulted around 3:30 p.m. Sunday in the 400 block of Towson Way. The victim told police she had gone to her friend, Igwilo’s room to watch a movie.

They were watching the movie when he touched her and climbed on top of her, the victim said. Officials said the victim said, "No," but he put his hands on her throat. .

When she told him again to stop, the suspect raped her and would not let her leave, officials said. Igwilo finally let her leave and she had visible and physical injuries. She then contacted campus police.

The Towson University Police reported the case to the county police around 7:30 p.m. TU police secured the crime scene, found Igwilo and detained him until county police arrived. The suspect is being held without bail.

Why I killed my mother in-law, 2 others

A 44-year-old tipper driver, Edoghogho Omorogbe,  has been arrested by the operatives of the Edo State Police  Command for allegedly killing his 52-year-old mother-in-law, Mrs. Alice Omorogbe,  25 year-old sister-in-law, Blessing Efe and her six-month-old daughter.

Omorogbe was among the over 100 suspects paraded by the state Police Commissioner, DanMallam Mohammed, at the weekend for their alleged involvement in various crimes in the state.

Mohammed said the suspects killed the victims on September 10, at their residence at Iguadolor community in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, the bodies of the victims were discovered a day after the killing, adding that a two- year-old boy who was also inside the room during the attack escaped unhurt. He said the suspect would be charged to court soon.

In an interview with journalists, the suspect said he decided to kill the victims because they hired boys to beat him up anytime he had problem with his wife.

“I killed them out of annoyance because my mother-in-law used to send boys to beat me up. I sustained this injury in my left eye in one of the attacks. Anytime I had issues with my wife, my mother-in-law would say ‘why am I talking to my wife like that’.  And each time I quarrelled with my wife, she sent boys to beat me up,” he said.

He added, “when I got to the house, I met the door open. I then sneaked into the room and killed them with a cutlass. I didn’t intend to kill the baby but I don’t know how the cutlass touched the baby. When the matter was announced on television, my father asked me if I was the one that did it and I told him that I was the one. I don’t hide anything from him. He then called the police who came to the house and arrested me”.

The police commissioner said the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.

CP orders DPO to produce escaped rapist brothers

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, has ordered the Divisional Police Officer, Odo-Noforija Police Station, Buba Amos, to produce two brothers alleged to have raped a teenager in the Epe area of the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, told our correspondent on Tuesday that the DPO was also expected to bring along the case file.

PUNCH Metro had reported that the two suspects, Alaba and Abiodun Musa, allegedly took turns to rape the victim last Monday in the Igbooye community.

They were alleged to have hypnotised the 16-year-old before taking turns to violate her.

Despite threats from the suspects, the teenager was said to have opened up to some residents, as community youths apprehended the brothers and handed them over to the men of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps.

The security men in turn handed them over to the police.

Elkana had last Tuesday told PUNCH Metro that Muazu had instructed that the suspects be transferred to the Gender Unit of the command in Ikeja.

However, the suspects were said to have escaped in controversial circumstances.

When our correspondent contacted the DPO, he denied the claim, saying it was not true that the brothers had escaped.

Another policeman at the station insisted that they were still in custody.

A source told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that Amos was making frantic efforts to produce the suspects.

“He has already asked for two days to produce them,” the source added.

Reacting to the reported escape of the brothers, Elkana said a fresh directive had been issued for the DPO to produce them.

“We have called for the case file. We asked the DPO to come with the parties and the case diary since he told you that they did not escape,” the PPRO stated.

Asked if the DPO had submitted any report on the whereabouts of the suspects, Elkana said the command was awaiting his compliance with the order first.

He noted that further actions would be taken if the suspects were not produced.

2 lovers arrested for allegedly hacking into NHIS account, N60m theft

Two lovers, Tunde Ogunseye and Funmiayo Oyelaja, have been arrested for allegedly hacking into the federal government’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) account and stealing N60 million from it.

The suspects, who had been on the police wanted list, were said to have bolted to Ghana when the lid was blown on their act.

The police alleged that Oyelaja took advantage of being a staff of Clearline International Limited, a Health Management Office (HMO) based in Lagos, to hack into the account.

At the Lagos police headquarters, Ikeja, where the two suspects were paraded yesterday, Oyelaja, a mother of two, told journalists, “I worked with Clearline International Limited from 2014 to early 2019. What we do there is that we act as the middleman between the NHIS and hospitals. When the NHIS gives us money to pay hospitals, we would not spend all that was given to us and would not refund the excess to the NHIS purse.

Ogunseye, however, denied any involvement in the crime, though he admitted he knew about the alleged fraud.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, who paraded the suspects, said they would soon be charged to court.

How dismissed soldiers use Army uniforms for robbery

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested seven dismissed soldiers for allegedly using military uniforms and accoutrements during robbery in the state.

The dismissed servicemen according to the police, would hijack their victims at gun point under the guise of being a member of “OPS MESSA.”

It was gathered that the suspects would order their victims to drive to a lonely area where they would order the victims out of the car at gunpoint, robbed them and zoom off with their cars.

The gang members who were paraded Monday, by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, at the Police Officer’s Mess, GRA, Ikeja, admitted, belonging to a gang of robbers terrorising residents of the state.

Those arrested were identified as Oluchukwu, 30, Adeyemo, 42, Olufemi, 47, Iseyin Samuel Isreal, 41, Ibeh, 29, Anochime,36, and Ebedot 27.

In his confessional statement, Oluchukwu, said that he was dismissed from the Nigerian Army, in 2013 while serving in the North East.

“I was dismissed because I took permission from my unit commander to go back home to treat myself. I stayed beyond the one week period I was permitted to stay. When I was dismissed, I went back home, stayed for a while before hooking up with other of my colleagues who were also dismissed in Lagos.

“I started a new life by escorting commercial vehicles. I was making N3,500 each day. I met other members of the gang while escorting vehicles. We came together to form a new gang. We were later arrested.”

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, while parading the suspects said that the command received a lot of distress calls from residents of Ijegun and its environ about the activities of some armed robbers who operated in military uniforms.

Muazu said that one of such incidents happened on February 18 at about 4.30 pm, where a commuter who was travelling to Ibadan from Ijegun was accosted by the said armed robbers in military uniforms dispossessed him of his Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle, RX330 Black in colour at gunpoint.

He said that it was on the strength of the complaints that the command charged the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) to identify the gang and apprehend them.

“Members of the robbery gang were arrested at Ijegun, Baruwa Estate, Ipaja, Iyana-Ipaja, Ishashi and Ikotun areas of Lagos. They are Oluchukwu , 30, Adeyemo,42, Olufemi, 47, Iseyin, 41, Ibeh, 29, Anochime, 36, and Ebedot, 27.

“Investigation revealed that the suspects were dismissed soldiers. Items recovered from them included 12 pairs of military camouflage uniforms, two cutlasses, ATM cards, military ID cards, jack knives, a female pant and a local ring.

“The suspects confessed to being responsible for a series of robberies within Ijegun and its environs. The suspects will be charged to court at the end of investigation,” he added.

House of Reps member accused of sleeping with married woman after promising her N20m finally speaks

Following a recent report that he slept with a married woman after promising her millions, a house of rep member has broken his silence.

Uju Kingsley Chima, a Federal lawmaker accused of raping a woman, Nkeiruka Cynthia Kamalu, in 2015 has denied the allegation.



According to TheNation, Mr Chima, the House of Representatives member for Ohaji/Egbema, Oguta and Oru West Federal Constituency of Imo State, said Kamalu was a liar and serial fraudster out to extort money from him.



He told The Nation that Kamalu was also trying to divert attention from her two N40 million fraud cases at a high and magistrate’s court in Owerri, the Imo State capital.



“It is a pure case of fraud, someone who has been defrauding for years. Pure case of fraud! She even defrauded my friend to the tune of over N10 million. (There is) evidence, complete evidence!”, Chima said.



Kamalu had claimed that she lost her pregnancy for Chima’s baby, but that at his instance, she adopted a baby which would be theirs. The baby subsequently died.



But the lawmaker denied that Kamalu was ever pregnant for him. He insisted that she lied that she had a baby for him in Canada through In vitro fertilization (IVF) and demanded that he send her $45,000.



Chima said: “Now, you are a man, let me ask you a question: somebody that said you raped her in 2015, and in 2018, the same person came and said she had birth (sic) for you: Is it possible?

“The same person that said you raped her in 2015 came back in 2018 and said you asked her to go and adopt a child for you: is it possible?

“This girl came up on 12th of December that she was pregnant. I said ‘did I impregnate you?’ She said ‘No’, that she did IVF. I said ‘I have never had anything, I have never had intercourse, how could you now come up to say I impregnated you? How? Is it by air?’ She said she did IVF. Because she knew I was running an election the next month, that was in February. She wanted to extort money from me through that means.”



In court documents seen by The Nation, Kamalu said her adopted baby died of ill-health in Lagos on April 30, 2019.



She attached a purported Lagos State Government issued death certificate.



But the lawmaker described her action as fraudulent.



He said: “When I couldn’t hold it, I personally went and reported to the police: ‘Look at what is transpiring.’ The police, on its own, went into investigation, discovered, not even me, discovered, I didn’t know that she bought a child in Enugu and the child died in Lagos.”

“So, you can see the level of fraud that she has been perpetrating. All her statements are evidenced, even in the courts she stood in the dock and was saying all of these things. That was in Owerri. The magistrate was so angry and remanded her. They released her this month or last month only for her to tell a story that I raped her.

“This lady has been doing this. Trying to use that way to extort money from me and when I realised her mischievous attitude, the matter was reported to the police and the police went into investigation. It was the police that even discovered that this lady even bought a child in Enugu, trying to use the child to cover up the pregnancy she said she lost, because she said she was pregnant, when she was not.

“She wasn’t pregnant, she claimed I should pay her, is it $45,000? That she had the child in Canada, twins. She was using a Canadian line to call. She even forged a visa, a Canadian visa, that she was in Canada already, that I should send money to her in Canada.

“Where will I get $45,000 to send to her? I quickly ran to the police, but before then I had already reported her to the SSS (State Security Service) for fraud, but because I was running an election, they said I should play along so that I can have tangible things against her, which happened.”



He also debunked her claim that he promised her N20 million or promised to buy her a house.

Two female suspects arrested for selling over 50 babies

The Police have arrested two suspects involved in the buying and selling of new born babies in the Ejigbo area of Lagos.

The suspects, Gift Michael, 24, and Florence Nkem Douglas, 50, were accosted with a week old baby boy, on August 26, 2019, by residents of Ejigbo area, at Jakande Gate.

It was learnt that the residents, who had been suspecting the duo, to be dealing in the sales of babies, had trailed the suspects to Jakande Gate.

Investigations by the police revealed that Douglas operated an unregistered maternity home and clinic, named Flofidel Clinic and Maternity Homes, with branches in Shosanya Street, I82, Ijegun road and Okunola Ijagemo areas.

Pregnant women who patronised the clinic were said to be mostly teenage girls and single mothers.

The suspects who were en route Akure to sell the baby boy for N1 Million, confessed to have been in the business for over five years and have sold over 50 babies.

According to Douglas, a baby boy is referred to as ‘Blue’, while a baby girl is referred to as ‘ Pink’. She further stated that babies are sold between N500,000 and N1 Million, depending on the sex.

The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Elkana Bala, confirmed the arrest of the suspects.

Bala in a statement issued on Sunday, said, “ On August 26, 2019, at 3.30p.m., a police officer attached to the Motor traffic Division of Ejigbo Police Division while controlling traffic at Jakande Gate, Ejigbo noticed a sort of commotion close to her traffic point. She intervened and discovered that the brouhaha was about a lady named Gift Michael, found with a suspected new born baby.

“ In her company was her ‘madam’, Florence Nkem Douglas, both of Ijegun area of Isheri.

They were about to be mobbed due to the alarm raised by those who had been trailing the duo from their residence in Ijegun, as the whole community had been suspecting them for long for being in the business of buying and selling of babies in their Maternity, but for the timely intervention of the traffic Police woman, who came to their rescue.

“ The women with the baby were rescued to Ejigbo Divisional Police Headquarters, where indepth investigation was conducted.

Investigation revealed that Douglas, a native of Igueben in Edo State, who is not a registered Nurse operates two Maternity Clinic named Flofidel Clinic and Maternity Homes with branches in Shosanya Street, I82, Ijegun road and Okunola Ijagemo areas.

“ On interrogation, Douglas admitted to have been in the business of sales of babies for a while. She revealed that a baby girl is referred to as “Pink” while a baby boy is called “Bue”; and are both referred to as “Market”.

She further confessed that the baby boy found in their custody at Jakande Gate, Ejigbo, suspected to be a week old was brought to her from Gombe, enroute Akure and was to be sold for N500,000.”

The Lagos PPRO said the rescued baby who appeared sick, with symptoms suspected to be jaundice was promptly taken to the hospital for medical attention.

It was further gathered that the Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP Zubairu Muazu, has ordered the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba to take over the investigation, and ensure all members of the syndicate are apprehended.

Woman beats mother-in-law into coma

A 30-year-old woman, Adenike, was on Tuesday arraigned in an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly beating her mother-in-law into a coma.

Adenike, whose address was not provided, is charged with attempted murder.

The prosecutor, Insp. Bankole Olasunkanmi told the court that the defendant committed the offence on September 9 at Ado-Ekiti.

Olasunkanmi said that the defendant attacked her 63-year-old mother-in-law, Mrs Comfort.

He said that the victim was still in a coma.

Olasunkanmi said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 320 of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State, 2012.

He urged the Court to remand the defendant in prison pending legal advice from the office of Director of Public Prosecutions.

The plea of the defendant was not taken.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Abdulhamid Lawal remanded the defendant and adjourned the case until October 17 for mention.

"I killed commandant because she sacked me as PTA chairman" Man confesses

Our source reports on more details regarding the killing of Navy Commandant Oluwayemisi Ogundana, of Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Secondary School, Jaji emerged on Monday.

Investigation reveals that the deceased was having an extramarital affair with her suspected killer.  Asides the relationship, the murderer, one Mr Simon Bernard, who was the Chairman of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of the school, was sacked from the position on the orders of the Commandant, Commander Ogundana.


We gathered that Mr Bernard was also infuriated that after sacking him as PTA Chairman, the Commandant refused to pay him the sum of N2.5million which she had agreed to pay him.

Disclosing how the perpetrators of the crime were arrested, a source said they were nabbed by Provost Officers of Nigerian Air Force at the Air Provost Squadron in Kaduna. A civilian driver, from Jaji, was said to have packed a Toyota Highlander belonging to the Commander Ogundana at Air Provost Squadron Office in Kaduna owing to fuel shortage in the car and went out of the base to buy fuel.

Before coming back to put the fuel into the car and move it out, the Air Provost had laid an ambush for the civilian having gotten wind that the car belonged to a missing Navy Commander from Jaji.

On his return, the civilian was arrested by the Air force and taken into custody During interrogation, the civilian driver confessed that the Highlander jeep was given to him to sell by someone in Jaji.

With the information, the Airforce launched a manhunt for the principal suspect who lives in Jaji. After several days of hunting and near misses, the main suspect, Mr Simon Bernard, who is a teacher serving in the school and one-time Chairman, Parents Teachers Association at AFCSC Secondary School, Jaji was apprehended. During interrogation, the suspect (Mr Simon Bernard) confessed to the killing of Navy Commandant Ogundana at Angwan Loya village in Jaji.

He said he was having extramarital affairs with the Commandant and stated that he killed Commander Oluwayemisi because she promised to give him the sum of N2.5million and reneged.

He further confessed that he had several confrontations with Commandant Ogundana along with other staff over her decision to have him (Bernard) sacked as the PTA Chairman of the school and he bore the grudge against her.

Our source gathered that the recovered Toyota Highlander Jeep is currently parked at NAF Base Kaduna and that a team of Naval Police Officers from Abuja have taken the suspects into custody while investigations continue.

Nigerian lady identifies man who robbed her

A suspected armed robber and rapist, Makinde Abiodun, has been arrested by men of the Ogun state police command after a lady who Abiodun and other members of his gang robbed and raped, identified him at the police station.

A statement released by the state police command spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, says that Makinde and other members of his gang currently at large, operated a ‘one-chance’ syndicate that put a vehicle on the Sango-Owode Road along Idiroko in Ogun State, disguising as a commercial vehicle but with an ulterior motive of dispossessing unsuspecting passengers of their belongings.

Oyeyemi in his statement said Makinde and his other gang members robbed two ladies, Gloria Edoh and Saidat Akinola, who boarded the vehicle wherein Makinde and one other posed as passengers. According to the victims, they both boarded the cab from Owode enroute to Sango, but on getting to Olokopupo area of Atan otta, Makinde and his gang members suddenly brought out knives and other dangerous weapons with which they forced them to surrender their belongings. The sums of N37, 000 and #48, 0000 were collected from each of the victims. They were also forced to surrender their Techno phones and thereafter, pushed out of the moving vehicle, thereby sustaining varying degree of injuries.

The victims had to go for treatments at a nearby hospital. As the victims were leaving the hospital, they sighted and identified Makinde as one of the hoodlums that attacked them and raised an alarm. He was apprehended by the DPO Atan-Otta, SP Abiodun Salau who was on a routine patrol of the area with his men.

While at the station, one woman (name withheld) who had earlier complained of a similar incident, identified Makinde as one of the hoodlums who robbed and raped her the previous day. She said that her pant was also taken away by her attackers.

“The suspect has confessed participating in the two robbery incidents,” Oyeyemi said

The police say Makinde will be charged to court soon while efforts are being made to arrest the other members of his gang.