Carpenter in court for attempting to defile a minor
A 37-year-old man, Abdullah Oseni, who allegedly assaulted a minor by attempting to defile her was on Wednesday charged before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates' Court, Lagos.
Oseni, a carpenter, lives at 23, Aishatte St., Agege, suburb of Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of attempt to commit sexual assault and escape from custody.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the offences were committed on May 19 at the residence of the accused.
Aigbokhan said that the accused locked the victim - a two-year-old neighbour’s daughter - in his room and was fingering her when her mother caught him.
"The accused was arrested, but he ran away from police custody," he said.
He said that the accused was re-arrested from his hideout by the police.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 106 and 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, granted the accused N500,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
Elias ordered the accused to deposit N50,000 into the Chief Registrar’s account and adjourned the case till June 22 for mention.
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No sign of EgyptAir plane technical problems before take-off - Sources
Sources within the Egyptian Investigation Committee said late on Tuesday that the EgyptAir jet that disappeared last week did not show technical problems before taking off from Paris.
The sources said the plane did not make contact with Egyptian air traffic control, but Egyptian air traffic controllers were able to see it on radar on a border area between Egyptian and Greek airspace.
He said the border area was known as KUMBI, 260 nautical miles from Cairo.
The sources said on condition of anonymity that the plane disappeared without swerving off radar screens after less than a minute of it entering Egyptian airspace.
The sources said air traffic controllers from Greece and Egypt had given differing accounts of the plane's final moments.
"A report said the plane had shown no technical problems before taking off, citing an Aircraft Technical Log signed by its pilot before takeoff.
"The paper said EgyptAir flight 804 transmitted 11 "electronic messages" starting at 2109 GMT on May 18, about 3 1/2 hours before disappearing from radar screens with 66 passengers and crew on board,’’ he said.
The report said the first two messages indicated the engines were functional.
It said the third message came at 0026 GMT on May 19 and showed a rise in the temperature of the co-pilot's window.
The report said the plane kept transmitting messages for the next three minutes before vanishing.
Meanwhile, Hisham Abdelhamid, Head of Egypt's Forensics Authority, has dismissed as premature a suggestion that the small size of the body parts retrieved since the Airbus 320 jet crashed indicated there had been an explosion on board.
"The assessment is mere assumption; it is too early to draw conclusions,” Abdelhamid said.
He said investigators were looking for clues in the human remains and debris recovered from the Mediterranean Sea.
He said the plane and its black box recorders, which could explain what brought down the Paris-to-Cairo flight as it entered Egyptian air space, had not been located.
An Egyptian forensics official said on condition of anonymity that the 23 bags of body parts had been collected, the largest no bigger than the palm of a hand.
He said their size pointed to an explosion, although no trace of explosives had been detected.
At least two other sources with direct knowledge of the investigation also said it would be premature to say what caused the plane to plunge into the sea.
"All we know is it disappeared suddenly without making a distress call," one of them said.
"Only by analysing the black boxes or a large amount of debris could authorities begin to form a clearer picture,’’ they said.
Egypt official disclosed that government had deployed a robot submarine and France has sent a search ship to help hunt for the black boxes.
He said it was not clear whether either of them can detect signals emitted by the flight recorders, lying in waters possibly 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) deep.
The official said the signal emitters had a battery life of 30 days.
He, however, said five days after the plane vanished from radar screens, air traffic controllers from Greece and Egypt were still giving differing accounts of its last moments.
Although government officials have acknowledged the need for international assistance, the U.S. Navy said Egypt had not formally requested American support beyond a P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft, which was deployed on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the relatives of the victims were giving DNA samples at a hotel near Cairo airport on Tuesday to help identify the body parts, their grief mixed with frustration.
Amjad Haqi, an Iraqi man whose mother Najla was flying back from medical treatment in France, said the families were being kept in the dark and had not been formally told that any body parts had been recovered.
He said all the officials were concerned about was to find the black box and the debris of the plane.
"That's their problem, not mine.
"And then they come and talk to us about insurance and compensation. I don't care about compensation, all I care about is to find my mother and bury her,’’ he said.
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Court dissolves 17-year-old marriage
A Lagos Island Customary Court on Wednesday dissolved the 17-year-old marriage between a transporter, Haruna Amunikoro, and his wife, Alimotu, after he complained that his wife built a house without informing him.
Granting the husband's request, the court President, Mr Awos Awosola, said that the effort of the court to reconcile the parties had failed, as Amunikoro insisted on divorce.
“The marriage between the two parties is hereby dissolved with effect from today in accordance with the Lagos State Customary Court Law, 2011, Order 3, Rule 7, as amended.
“The custody of the first child and only son, Anus, 15, is awarded to the father while that of the two girls, Simiyat, 10; and Aishat, 7, remains with the wife.
“The petitioner should pay the children's feeding allowances of N10,000 on a monthly basis through this honourable court and should also be responsible for the children school and hospital bills.
“However, both parties are granted unhindered access to the child/children at any reasonable time of the day,’’ he ruled.
Awosola also ordered the petitioner to give the respondent N250,000 compensation within seven days of the judgment with which to start her new life.
Amuniloro, 42, who resides at No. 91/93 Odunfa St., Lagos Island, in his petition, told the court that his wife, a trader, bought a plot of land in Ikorodu and built a bungalow on it without letting him know.
“My wife has also started giving out tricycle and motorcycle to riders and they pay for them on instalment, which is the same business that I do.
“I have warned her severally to stop the business but she would not listen. On two occasions she has stabbed me with a kitchen knife and a scissors.
“My wife is not sincere with me. She hides so many things about herself from me. I cannot cope with her secretive ways any more, please separate us,’’ he pleaded with the court.
Alimotu, who did not deny the allegations, said that she started being secretive with her husband
because of the sudden change in his behaviour and his infidelity.
She told the court that their marriage which was once blissful took a different turn in 2012 when they rented their own apartment.
“We were staying in my husband's family house before we rented our own apartment in 2012, since then my husband has been unfaithful to me.
Alimotu, who had consistently prayed the court to reconcile them as she still loved her husband, however, pleaded with the court to dissolve the marriage without further delay.
“Since I have been begging my husband and his family for so long and nothing positive have come of it, please dissolve the marriage so I can go on with my life,” she said.
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Man, 20, bags 15-year jail term for burglary
A 20-year-old-man, Adamu Abubakar, was on Monday sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for burglary and stealing by an Evbouriaria Magistrates' Court in Benin.
The convict had pleaded guilty to the three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, burglary and stealing.
The Prosecutor, ASP Aigbedion Obakpolor, had told the Court that the convict with others at large committed the crime on March 13, 2016 at No. 187, Sapele road in Benin.
Obakpolor said Abubakar stole goods estimated at N898,000, belonging to one Mrs Uyi Benson.
He said the offence contravened Sections 516 and 413 (2) of the Criminal Code Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976, as applicable in Edo.
The Magistrate, Mr F.O. Idiake, sentenced Abubakar to five years on each of the three counts, with no option of fine.
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4 die in auto crash in Bauchi
The Bauchi State Police Command said on Monday that four persons died in an auto crash on the Jos - Bauchi Road.
Haruna Mohammed, the command’s Public Relations Officer, in a statement in Bauchi, said that the accident followed a head on collision between a commercial vehicle and Opel Vectra car.
Mohammed gave the particulars of the vehicles as Opel Vectra, registered TRR 744 BAU and a Volkswagen Sharon with registration number ALK 238 XA.
He explained that the accident occurred at about 2.30 pm on Sunday at Tashan Durumi on the Bauchi - Jos highway.
Mohammed said that a police patrol team attached to Toro Division conveyed the victims to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBU), Bauchi.
He said that four persons, including drivers of the two vehicles were later certified dead by a medical doctor, while seven other occupants of the vehicles were responding to treatment.
Mohammed gave the names of the four deceased persons as Abdullahi Mamman, 45, of Takandan, Adamu Saleh, 25, Francis Agolu, a student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and Aliyu Umar, 46, from Gombe State.
The spokesman called on members of the public whose relations might have embarked on a journey from Gombe to Bauchi, to visit the hospital for identification of their relatives.
He said that the case was under investigations to ascertain the actual cause of the accident.
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NiMet predicts thunderstorms for Monday
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has predicted thunderstorms over Abuja, Yola, Lafia, Jos and its environs on Monday morning.
The predictions are contained in the Weather Outlook issued by NiMet’s Central Forecast Office (CFO), in Abuja on Sunday.
It added that isolated thunderstorm would prevail over Abuja, Minna, Bida and Kaduna in the afternoon and evening hours with daytime maximum temperatures of 26 to 32 degrees Celsius.
The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy conditions with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Akure during morning hours.
It also predicted that localized thunderstorms are expected over Port-Harcourt, Calabar, Enugu and Awka later in the day with daytime maximum temperatures of 31 to 35 degrees Celsius.
NiMet also predicted that Katsina, Gusau, Sokoto and Kano would experience cloudy to partly cloudy situation with chances of thunderstorm in the morning.
It added that there would be localised thunderstorms later in the day around Maiduguri, Nguru and Potiskum with daytime maximum temperatures of 32 to 39 degrees Celsius.
It added that more chances of isolated thunderstorms are expected in most parts of the cities in the next 24hours.
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NLC suspends nationwide strike
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Sunday in Abuja suspended its nationwide strike over hike in electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of petrol in the country.
This is contained in a communique at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress.
The communique, signed by Mr Ayuba Wabba and Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, President and General-Secretary of the congress respectively, stated that the suspension was with immediate effect.
The congress commended the leadership of the National Assembly and All Progressives Congress, led by Sen. Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for the interfacing between the labour and the government on the issue.
The communique said that after due consultation with NASS and the intervention of Tinubu, NEC with its constituents, resolved to suspend the strike that commenced on May 18.
“The congress will resume negotiation with government on the twin issues of hike in electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of petroleum products and any other issues that may arise thereof.''
The communique said that NLC “remains committed to genuine dialogue within the framework of international established and recognised principles of representation.
“The congress will continue to resist wrong legislation, policies and programmes and will always act in the best interest of Nigerians.
“NLC remains the only pan-Nigerian organisation not affected by religion, region, creed, partnership or primordial sentiments.
“The congress urges the government to play by the rules in its engagement with its constituent parts, stakeholders and non-state actors as proof of its commitment to deepening our democracy''.
The communique therefore commended those who took part in the action in one way or the other and reaffirmed its commitment to the struggle.
It stated that the action was taken in the best interest of the poor and the weak and to also draw government attention to the danger of relying on the importation of petroleum products.
NLC urged the citizenry to be vigilant at all times, adding that the price of freedom remained eternal vigilance.
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Nigeria is broke- Lai Mohammed
The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed revealed to journalists on Wednesday, May 18, 2016, that Nigeria is broke.
He said this after a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting which was presided over by President Buhari at the villa.
Mohammed said the current economic state of the country was one of the reasons for the hike in fuel price.
The minister likened Nigeria’s situation to a man who earns N100,000 as salary, and suddenly his employer says he can only pay N30,000, adding that the man has to make some hard decisions to be able to survive.
Mohammed said “It is like somebody who has been earning N100,000 a month and he is faced with a situation where his employer says henceforth you will be earning N10,000 a month. He would need to make some very painful decisions and some very painful adjustments. That is the situation with Nigeria today.
“A few months ago, we were earning as much as $100 for every barrel of crude. In the months of February and March, we no longer have the resources, the foreign exchange to bring in refined fuel products. And our economy is shrinking.
“We appreciate the fact that the decision is going to affect everybody. We appreciate what we are going through, but Nigerians should also know that the government has the responsibility at times to take very difficult decisions. So, it is not always about popularity.”
EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo missing with 66 on board
An EgyptAir flight carrying 66 passengers and crew on a flight from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean Sea.
Egypt Air said the plane sent an emergency signal – possibly from an emergency beacon attached to the plane – at 04:26 a.m., two hours after it disappeared from radar screens.
Officials with the airline and the Egyptian civil aviation department told Reuters they believed the Airbus A320 had crashed into the sea.
“The theory that the plane crashed and fell is now confirmed after the preliminary search and after it did not arrive at any of the nearby airports.
“All causes for the disaster are open, whether it is a major technical fault or a terrorist action or any other circumstance.
“This will be ascertained when we inspect the plane’s wreckage and transcribe its black boxes, “a senior aviation officer said.
In water crashes, an underwater locator beacon attached to the aircraft’s flight recorders starts to emit a signal or ping.
This helps the search and rescue teams to locate the boxes, and the location of the crash.
The aircraft was carrying 56 passengers, including one child and two infants, and 10 crew, EgyptAir said.
They included 30 Egyptians and 15 French nationals, along with nationals from 10 other countries.
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Mom sentenced for killing disabled adopted daughter
An Illinois Circuit Court judge has sentenced Bonnie Liltz to four years imprisonment for drugging and killing her disabled 28-year-old daughter in a failed murder-suicide attempt nearly a year ago.
According to her defence Anthony, "Bonnie was absolutely crushed," adding that her bail was revoked and she was taken into custody immediately.
Liltz, 56, thought she needed to take her daughter Courtney's life in order to save it. Heaven was "the only place I knew she would be safe and happy," she told Illinois Circuit Court Judge Joel Greenblatt last week.
The mother, who suffers from "profound" health issues, Glasgow said, pleaded guilty last week to involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors reduced her initial murder charge.
The judge recommended Liltz be evaluated to determine whether she should be put in the medical wing at the Cook County Jail, but she will be there only until Friday before she is transferred to the
Lincoln Correctional Center, where she will undergo a new assessment, Glasgow said.
"I will continue to fight for Bonnie," he said.
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2 barbers get N250, 000 bail each for stabbing nieghbour in the eye
Two barbers who alleged stabbed one Sunday Adufe in the eye with a screwdriver were on Wednesday granted N250, 000 bail each by an Ikeja Magistrates' Court in Lagos.
The accused, Tanko Wasiu and Buhariyu Sulaimon, were also granted two sureties each in like sum as part of their bail conditions by the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Omolade Awope.
She said the sureties must show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Wasiu, 33 and Sulaimon, 22, both residents of No. 19, Calvary close, Obawole, Iju in Lagos State, are facing four-count charge bordering on breach of peace and assault.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the accused with some others still at large committed the offences on April 26 at Obawole Community, Iju-Ishaga, Lagos.
He said the accused assaulted Adufe by stabbing his eye and beating him with sticks and cable wires
``Adufe said the trouble started when he went to Wasiu’s wife to ask for the money she borrowed from him in March.
"The accused, then armed themselves with dangerous weapons, took Adufe to a carnal near their residence and accused him of having an affair with Wasiu’s wife before beating him,’’ he said.
Ayorinde said the offence contravened Sections 166, 170, 171 and 244 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
It was gathered that Section 171 prescribes three-year jail term for offenders.
The accused, however, pleaded innocence of the offences. Awope adjourned the case to June 3 for mention.
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Banks, customers in Lagos ignore NLC strike
Bank workers and customers in Lagos ignored the call by a faction of NLC that workers should go on strike on Wednesday as banking activities remained normal.
A correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited some banks in Lagos reported that they all opened for business.
She, however, reported that security was beefed up at bank premises on Marina and Central Business District (CBD) on Lagos Island as heavy police presence was noticed there.
Normal activities were also reported in banks in Ojuelegba, Mushin and on Ikorodu Road.
Some of the workers told NAN that they resumed as usual as early as 7.00 am.
They said that some customers, who were not sure of the situation, arrived before the opening time of 8.00 am.
A staff in one of the banks said his bank had kept on assuring customers that the bank would open to customers.
“You can see by yourself that activities in our branch are normal, we are law abiding organisation”.
At another bank, a customer said that she was surprised that various banks opened.
“First, I was in doubt if banks would open because of the speculation that a faction of the NLC would stage a protest today.
``But believe me, activities are normal, but just that security is tight probably because of the fact that miscreants may want to take advantage of the situation.
Another customer said he was happy that banks opened as he was scared of keeping money in his shop.
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CCT stands down Saraki's trial over prosecution counsel absence
Absence of EFCC lead Counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) has forced the Code of Conduct Tribunal to stand down the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki till 12:30 p.m.
Saraki was arraigned by the Federal Government on 16-count allegations of false asset declaration and money laundering, which he had pleaded not guilty.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Mr Danladi Umar, on Wednesday said in view of the development and by consent of parties in the matter ``the trial is hereby stand down till 12:30pm’’.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr H.O.B Ejiga, told the tribunal that his principal was at the Federal High Court handling another matter.
Ejiga, therefore, urged the tribunal to stand down the matter for an hour to enable his principal attend to the proceedings in the interest of Justice.
In his response, Counsel to Saraki, Mr Paul Usoroh (SAN), said he had no objection to the request of the prosecution.
Usoroh said that they have already discussed the issue before the proceedings commence.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tribunal is expected to continue with the cross-examination of EFCC witness, Mr Michael Wetkas.
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Police arrest fake lawyer after 10 years of practice
The Police in Ogun State have arrested 47 years man, Mr Ayodele Balogun from Otta in Ado Odo Otta Local Government Area of the state for practicing as a lawyer in the last 10 years without training, the Nation reports.
Ayodele who has been parading himself as a trained lawyer and practicing at the Otta arm of the state Judiciary, was arrested by Detectives attached to the Otta Division of the Ogun Police Command following complainant that he had duped somebody of N140,000: 00k (One Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira only).
The Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said while the suspect was being interrogated, a notable legal practitioner in Otta also alerted them of his criminal antecedents and the need to interrogate him extensively.
Adejobi added that the Police Commissioner, Abdulmajid Ali, who expressed disappointment in the suspect's alleged involvement in nefarious activities, has vowed to make Ogun State hot for criminals and unscrupulous elements.
"While the police detectives were on with their interrogation, one of the revered legal practitioners in the area alerted the police of the suspect's criminal antecedents and urged the police to widen the scope of their interrogation, hence the confession of Ayodele Balogun, who has been practicing at a popular chamber in otta for a decade, to be a fake legal practitioner.
" The suspect and others,who might be indicted in the course of police investigation,be charged to court without delay and his(their) details be sent to the Nigerian Bar Association and other concerned groups/bodies for necessary action," Adejobi said.
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Fuel Price: I cannot guarantee monitoring all NNPC stations, says Kachikwu
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu has said that his ministry and relevant agencies cannot guarantee rational behaviour of managers at all NNPC Mega stations nationwide.
Kachikwu made the statement in Abuja on Monday while addressing members of the House of Representatives during a special interactive on the "New Framework for PMS Supply and Distribution, organised by the assembly.
He said that monitoring was necessary with regard to product sale at a price that was below those of independent marketers.
The minister spoke in response to a question on why NNPC l stations which got locally refined products at little or no cost were selling almost at the same price as independent marketers, which sold l at N145 per litre.
"The NNPC mega stations are supposed to sell at a much lower price than the other marketers but right now some of them are selling between N143 and N145.
"But that is something we are looking at correcting,’’ he said.
Kachikwu said this was to "reduce nuisance value potential of the stations in the metropolis while stations in the hinterland are to sell at N135 per litre."
The lawmakers asked the minister to state the obvious by telling Nigerians that there was no deregulation of any kind but a price increase resulting from foreign exchange differential since the government still controlled the price.
Kachikwu told the House that the decision taken was aimed at curbing the problems of product diversion, hoarding, under-dispensing and pipeline vandalism.
"We first looked at the number of litres on which subsidy was being paid.
"The new policy is to address both subsidy issues as well as product availability and distribution which is saving Nigeria about one billion dollars quarterly," he said.
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Osun Assembly Advocates Equity and Fairness Over LAUTECH Management
Osun State House of Assembly has frown at the management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho for not being equitable in the management of the institution.
It also directed the Management and the Governing Council to revert its decision "on the injustice" meted out to the Bursar of the institution, Mr Olagunju Adeniyi over his appointment.
Members of the Assembly who expressed their displeasure at a meeting with the management of the institution at the Assembly Complex in Osogbo on Wednesday, said the state was not being given the fair share of the benefits from the University.
The University is jointly owned and being co-funded by the Osun and Oyo states.
Honourable Najeem Salaam, who led the discussions, said, in the area of construction of facilities, appointment of staff, welfare among others, Osun has always been cheated by the management,
saying, majority of the benefit are skewed in favour of Oyo state.
According to him, most of the intervention funds, including TETFUND have been used majorly in Oyo, while the College of Medicine located in Osun was left undeveloped.
He said that since the institution is jointly owned and co-funded, there must be equity in the sharing of its benefits, saying, the Assembly would not allow the injustice to continue.
Noting that the governments of the two states have no issue with the sharing of the benefits, he observed that the civil servants in the institution have been using their discretion to cause disharmony between the two states.
He said the state Assembly would go to any length to get what is due to the state without going beyond its boundary or clash with its sister state Oyo.
On the appointment of Bursar, the speaker directed the LAUTECH management to review his case and ensure that justice is done.
The bursar, registrar and librarian of the institution have been holding the position on acting capacity since 2013 and were recently confirmed as substantive office holders with five years tenure.
When the letters were issued to the registrar and the librarian as substantive office holders to spend five year tenure starting from 2016, the bursar was isolated and reportedly had his letter back dated to 2013 to spend only more two years, a situation that attracted the rages of the Assembly.
The speaker then directed that the bursar should either be issued his own letter of five year tenure, or the appointments of other officers are back dated to 2013 to ensure justice in the matter.
He subsequently commended the management of the institution for using ingenuity to generate revenue and sustain the payment of salary of its staff when the owner states were having difficulties in paying the subvention to the institution.
Speaking, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Abiodun Adebayo who represented the Vice Chancellor said some of the decisions that have attracted the rages of the Assembly were actually taken by the Governing Council.
He said he would take the concern of the house to the management for review and necessary actions.
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Lagos Court Acquits Four of Attempted Robbery
Justice
Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Ikeja High Court on Wednesday acquitted four men of a
three-count charge of conspiracy, attempted armed robbery and illegal
possession of firearms.
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Kuwait Arrest 30 Africans in a New Raid
Carpenter in court for attempting to defile a minor
A 37-year-old man, Abdullah Oseni, who allegedly assaulted a minor by attempting to defile her was on Wednesday charged before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates' Court, Lagos.
Oseni, a carpenter, lives at 23, Aishatte St., Agege, suburb of Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of attempt to commit sexual assault and escape from custody.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Benedict Aigbokhan, told the court that the offences were committed on May 19 at the residence of the accused.
Aigbokhan said that the accused locked the victim - a two-year-old neighbour’s daughter - in his room and was fingering her when her mother caught him.
"The accused was arrested, but he ran away from police custody," he said.
He said that the accused was re-arrested from his hideout by the police.
He said that the offences contravened Sections 106 and 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, granted the accused N500,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
Elias ordered the accused to deposit N50,000 into the Chief Registrar’s account and adjourned the case till June 22 for mention.
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No sign of EgyptAir plane technical problems before take-off - Sources
Sources within the Egyptian Investigation Committee said late on Tuesday that the EgyptAir jet that disappeared last week did not show technical problems before taking off from Paris.
The sources said the plane did not make contact with Egyptian air traffic control, but Egyptian air traffic controllers were able to see it on radar on a border area between Egyptian and Greek airspace.
He said the border area was known as KUMBI, 260 nautical miles from Cairo.
The sources said on condition of anonymity that the plane disappeared without swerving off radar screens after less than a minute of it entering Egyptian airspace.
The sources said air traffic controllers from Greece and Egypt had given differing accounts of the plane's final moments.
"A report said the plane had shown no technical problems before taking off, citing an Aircraft Technical Log signed by its pilot before takeoff.
"The paper said EgyptAir flight 804 transmitted 11 "electronic messages" starting at 2109 GMT on May 18, about 3 1/2 hours before disappearing from radar screens with 66 passengers and crew on board,’’ he said.
The report said the first two messages indicated the engines were functional.
It said the third message came at 0026 GMT on May 19 and showed a rise in the temperature of the co-pilot's window.
The report said the plane kept transmitting messages for the next three minutes before vanishing.
Meanwhile, Hisham Abdelhamid, Head of Egypt's Forensics Authority, has dismissed as premature a suggestion that the small size of the body parts retrieved since the Airbus 320 jet crashed indicated there had been an explosion on board.
"The assessment is mere assumption; it is too early to draw conclusions,” Abdelhamid said.
He said investigators were looking for clues in the human remains and debris recovered from the Mediterranean Sea.
He said the plane and its black box recorders, which could explain what brought down the Paris-to-Cairo flight as it entered Egyptian air space, had not been located.
An Egyptian forensics official said on condition of anonymity that the 23 bags of body parts had been collected, the largest no bigger than the palm of a hand.
He said their size pointed to an explosion, although no trace of explosives had been detected.
At least two other sources with direct knowledge of the investigation also said it would be premature to say what caused the plane to plunge into the sea.
"All we know is it disappeared suddenly without making a distress call," one of them said.
"Only by analysing the black boxes or a large amount of debris could authorities begin to form a clearer picture,’’ they said.
Egypt official disclosed that government had deployed a robot submarine and France has sent a search ship to help hunt for the black boxes.
He said it was not clear whether either of them can detect signals emitted by the flight recorders, lying in waters possibly 3,000 metres (10,000 feet) deep.
The official said the signal emitters had a battery life of 30 days.
He, however, said five days after the plane vanished from radar screens, air traffic controllers from Greece and Egypt were still giving differing accounts of its last moments.
Although government officials have acknowledged the need for international assistance, the U.S. Navy said Egypt had not formally requested American support beyond a P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft, which was deployed on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the relatives of the victims were giving DNA samples at a hotel near Cairo airport on Tuesday to help identify the body parts, their grief mixed with frustration.
Amjad Haqi, an Iraqi man whose mother Najla was flying back from medical treatment in France, said the families were being kept in the dark and had not been formally told that any body parts had been recovered.
He said all the officials were concerned about was to find the black box and the debris of the plane.
"That's their problem, not mine.
"And then they come and talk to us about insurance and compensation. I don't care about compensation, all I care about is to find my mother and bury her,’’ he said.
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Court dissolves 17-year-old marriage
A Lagos Island Customary Court on Wednesday dissolved the 17-year-old marriage between a transporter, Haruna Amunikoro, and his wife, Alimotu, after he complained that his wife built a house without informing him.
Granting the husband's request, the court President, Mr Awos Awosola, said that the effort of the court to reconcile the parties had failed, as Amunikoro insisted on divorce.
“The marriage between the two parties is hereby dissolved with effect from today in accordance with the Lagos State Customary Court Law, 2011, Order 3, Rule 7, as amended.
“The custody of the first child and only son, Anus, 15, is awarded to the father while that of the two girls, Simiyat, 10; and Aishat, 7, remains with the wife.
“The petitioner should pay the children's feeding allowances of N10,000 on a monthly basis through this honourable court and should also be responsible for the children school and hospital bills.
“However, both parties are granted unhindered access to the child/children at any reasonable time of the day,’’ he ruled.
Awosola also ordered the petitioner to give the respondent N250,000 compensation within seven days of the judgment with which to start her new life.
Amuniloro, 42, who resides at No. 91/93 Odunfa St., Lagos Island, in his petition, told the court that his wife, a trader, bought a plot of land in Ikorodu and built a bungalow on it without letting him know.
“My wife has also started giving out tricycle and motorcycle to riders and they pay for them on instalment, which is the same business that I do.
“I have warned her severally to stop the business but she would not listen. On two occasions she has stabbed me with a kitchen knife and a scissors.
“My wife is not sincere with me. She hides so many things about herself from me. I cannot cope with her secretive ways any more, please separate us,’’ he pleaded with the court.
Alimotu, who did not deny the allegations, said that she started being secretive with her husband
because of the sudden change in his behaviour and his infidelity.
She told the court that their marriage which was once blissful took a different turn in 2012 when they rented their own apartment.
“We were staying in my husband's family house before we rented our own apartment in 2012, since then my husband has been unfaithful to me.
“He brings different kinds of women into our matrimonial home and sleeps with them on our bed.
“Whenever I confronted him, he beats me. On three occasions my husband beat me to a pulp and stripped me naked.
“I joined him in doing thesame business because it is a lucrative one, but since I started it, I have had no rest of mind,’’ she said.
Alimotu, who had consistently prayed the court to reconcile them as she still loved her husband, however, pleaded with the court to dissolve the marriage without further delay.
“Since I have been begging my husband and his family for so long and nothing positive have come of it, please dissolve the marriage so I can go on with my life,” she said.
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Man, 20, bags 15-year jail term for burglary
A 20-year-old-man, Adamu Abubakar, was on Monday sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for burglary and stealing by an Evbouriaria Magistrates' Court in Benin.
The convict had pleaded guilty to the three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, burglary and stealing.
The Prosecutor, ASP Aigbedion Obakpolor, had told the Court that the convict with others at large committed the crime on March 13, 2016 at No. 187, Sapele road in Benin.
Obakpolor said Abubakar stole goods estimated at N898,000, belonging to one Mrs Uyi Benson.
He said the offence contravened Sections 516 and 413 (2) of the Criminal Code Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976, as applicable in Edo.
The Magistrate, Mr F.O. Idiake, sentenced Abubakar to five years on each of the three counts, with no option of fine.
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4 die in auto crash in Bauchi
The Bauchi State Police Command said on Monday that four persons died in an auto crash on the Jos - Bauchi Road.
Haruna Mohammed, the command’s Public Relations Officer, in a statement in Bauchi, said that the accident followed a head on collision between a commercial vehicle and Opel Vectra car.
Mohammed gave the particulars of the vehicles as Opel Vectra, registered TRR 744 BAU and a Volkswagen Sharon with registration number ALK 238 XA.
He explained that the accident occurred at about 2.30 pm on Sunday at Tashan Durumi on the Bauchi - Jos highway.
Mohammed said that a police patrol team attached to Toro Division conveyed the victims to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBU), Bauchi.
He said that four persons, including drivers of the two vehicles were later certified dead by a medical doctor, while seven other occupants of the vehicles were responding to treatment.
Mohammed gave the names of the four deceased persons as Abdullahi Mamman, 45, of Takandan, Adamu Saleh, 25, Francis Agolu, a student of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, and Aliyu Umar, 46, from Gombe State.
The spokesman called on members of the public whose relations might have embarked on a journey from Gombe to Bauchi, to visit the hospital for identification of their relatives.
He said that the case was under investigations to ascertain the actual cause of the accident.
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NiMet predicts thunderstorms for Monday
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has predicted thunderstorms over Abuja, Yola, Lafia, Jos and its environs on Monday morning.
The predictions are contained in the Weather Outlook issued by NiMet’s Central Forecast Office (CFO), in Abuja on Sunday.
It added that isolated thunderstorm would prevail over Abuja, Minna, Bida and Kaduna in the afternoon and evening hours with daytime maximum temperatures of 26 to 32 degrees Celsius.
The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy conditions with prospects of isolated thunderstorms over Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta and Akure during morning hours.
It also predicted that localized thunderstorms are expected over Port-Harcourt, Calabar, Enugu and Awka later in the day with daytime maximum temperatures of 31 to 35 degrees Celsius.
NiMet also predicted that Katsina, Gusau, Sokoto and Kano would experience cloudy to partly cloudy situation with chances of thunderstorm in the morning.
It added that there would be localised thunderstorms later in the day around Maiduguri, Nguru and Potiskum with daytime maximum temperatures of 32 to 39 degrees Celsius.
It added that more chances of isolated thunderstorms are expected in most parts of the cities in the next 24hours.
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NLC suspends nationwide strike
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Sunday in Abuja suspended its nationwide strike over hike in electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of petrol in the country.
This is contained in a communique at the end of an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the congress.
The communique, signed by Mr Ayuba Wabba and Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, President and General-Secretary of the congress respectively, stated that the suspension was with immediate effect.
The congress commended the leadership of the National Assembly and All Progressives Congress, led by Sen. Ahmed Bola Tinubu, for the interfacing between the labour and the government on the issue.
The communique said that after due consultation with NASS and the intervention of Tinubu, NEC with its constituents, resolved to suspend the strike that commenced on May 18.
“The congress will resume negotiation with government on the twin issues of hike in electricity tariff and increase in the pump price of petroleum products and any other issues that may arise thereof.''
The communique said that NLC “remains committed to genuine dialogue within the framework of international established and recognised principles of representation.
“The congress will continue to resist wrong legislation, policies and programmes and will always act in the best interest of Nigerians.
“NLC remains the only pan-Nigerian organisation not affected by religion, region, creed, partnership or primordial sentiments.
“The congress urges the government to play by the rules in its engagement with its constituent parts, stakeholders and non-state actors as proof of its commitment to deepening our democracy''.
The communique therefore commended those who took part in the action in one way or the other and reaffirmed its commitment to the struggle.
It stated that the action was taken in the best interest of the poor and the weak and to also draw government attention to the danger of relying on the importation of petroleum products.
NLC urged the citizenry to be vigilant at all times, adding that the price of freedom remained eternal vigilance.
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Nigeria is broke- Lai Mohammed
The minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed revealed to journalists on Wednesday, May 18, 2016, that Nigeria is broke.
He said this after a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting which was presided over by President Buhari at the villa.
Mohammed said the current economic state of the country was one of the reasons for the hike in fuel price.
The minister likened Nigeria’s situation to a man who earns N100,000 as salary, and suddenly his employer says he can only pay N30,000, adding that the man has to make some hard decisions to be able to survive.
Mohammed said “It is like somebody who has been earning N100,000 a month and he is faced with a situation where his employer says henceforth you will be earning N10,000 a month. He would need to make some very painful decisions and some very painful adjustments. That is the situation with Nigeria today.
“A few months ago, we were earning as much as $100 for every barrel of crude. In the months of February and March, we no longer have the resources, the foreign exchange to bring in refined fuel products. And our economy is shrinking.
“We appreciate the fact that the decision is going to affect everybody. We appreciate what we are going through, but Nigerians should also know that the government has the responsibility at times to take very difficult decisions. So, it is not always about popularity.”
EgyptAir flight from Paris to Cairo missing with 66 on board
An EgyptAir flight carrying 66 passengers and crew on a flight from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar over the Mediterranean Sea.
Egypt Air said the plane sent an emergency signal – possibly from an emergency beacon attached to the plane – at 04:26 a.m., two hours after it disappeared from radar screens.
Officials with the airline and the Egyptian civil aviation department told Reuters they believed the Airbus A320 had crashed into the sea.
“The theory that the plane crashed and fell is now confirmed after the preliminary search and after it did not arrive at any of the nearby airports.
“All causes for the disaster are open, whether it is a major technical fault or a terrorist action or any other circumstance.
“This will be ascertained when we inspect the plane’s wreckage and transcribe its black boxes, “a senior aviation officer said.
In water crashes, an underwater locator beacon attached to the aircraft’s flight recorders starts to emit a signal or ping.
This helps the search and rescue teams to locate the boxes, and the location of the crash.
The aircraft was carrying 56 passengers, including one child and two infants, and 10 crew, EgyptAir said.
They included 30 Egyptians and 15 French nationals, along with nationals from 10 other countries.
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Mom sentenced for killing disabled adopted daughter
An Illinois Circuit Court judge has sentenced Bonnie Liltz to four years imprisonment for drugging and killing her disabled 28-year-old daughter in a failed murder-suicide attempt nearly a year ago.
According to her defence Anthony, "Bonnie was absolutely crushed," adding that her bail was revoked and she was taken into custody immediately.
Liltz, 56, thought she needed to take her daughter Courtney's life in order to save it. Heaven was "the only place I knew she would be safe and happy," she told Illinois Circuit Court Judge Joel Greenblatt last week.
The mother, who suffers from "profound" health issues, Glasgow said, pleaded guilty last week to involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors reduced her initial murder charge.
The judge recommended Liltz be evaluated to determine whether she should be put in the medical wing at the Cook County Jail, but she will be there only until Friday before she is transferred to the
Lincoln Correctional Center, where she will undergo a new assessment, Glasgow said.
Glasgow, who is "absolutely stunned" by the sentence, plans to file a motion to reconsider the ruling.
"I will continue to fight for Bonnie," he said.
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2 barbers get N250, 000 bail each for stabbing nieghbour in the eye
Two barbers who alleged stabbed one Sunday Adufe in the eye with a screwdriver were on Wednesday granted N250, 000 bail each by an Ikeja Magistrates' Court in Lagos.
The accused, Tanko Wasiu and Buhariyu Sulaimon, were also granted two sureties each in like sum as part of their bail conditions by the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Omolade Awope.
She said the sureties must show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Wasiu, 33 and Sulaimon, 22, both residents of No. 19, Calvary close, Obawole, Iju in Lagos State, are facing four-count charge bordering on breach of peace and assault.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the accused with some others still at large committed the offences on April 26 at Obawole Community, Iju-Ishaga, Lagos.
He said the accused assaulted Adufe by stabbing his eye and beating him with sticks and cable wires
``Adufe said the trouble started when he went to Wasiu’s wife to ask for the money she borrowed from him in March.
"The accused, then armed themselves with dangerous weapons, took Adufe to a carnal near their residence and accused him of having an affair with Wasiu’s wife before beating him,’’ he said.
Ayorinde said the offence contravened Sections 166, 170, 171 and 244 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
It was gathered that Section 171 prescribes three-year jail term for offenders.
The accused, however, pleaded innocence of the offences. Awope adjourned the case to June 3 for mention.
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Banks, customers in Lagos ignore NLC strike
Bank workers and customers in Lagos ignored the call by a faction of NLC that workers should go on strike on Wednesday as banking activities remained normal.
A correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited some banks in Lagos reported that they all opened for business.
She, however, reported that security was beefed up at bank premises on Marina and Central Business District (CBD) on Lagos Island as heavy police presence was noticed there.
Normal activities were also reported in banks in Ojuelegba, Mushin and on Ikorodu Road.
Some of the workers told NAN that they resumed as usual as early as 7.00 am.
They said that some customers, who were not sure of the situation, arrived before the opening time of 8.00 am.
A staff in one of the banks said his bank had kept on assuring customers that the bank would open to customers.
“You can see by yourself that activities in our branch are normal, we are law abiding organisation”.
At another bank, a customer said that she was surprised that various banks opened.
“First, I was in doubt if banks would open because of the speculation that a faction of the NLC would stage a protest today.
``But believe me, activities are normal, but just that security is tight probably because of the fact that miscreants may want to take advantage of the situation.
Another customer said he was happy that banks opened as he was scared of keeping money in his shop.
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CCT stands down Saraki's trial over prosecution counsel absence
Absence of EFCC lead Counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) has forced the Code of Conduct Tribunal to stand down the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki till 12:30 p.m.
Saraki was arraigned by the Federal Government on 16-count allegations of false asset declaration and money laundering, which he had pleaded not guilty.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Mr Danladi Umar, on Wednesday said in view of the development and by consent of parties in the matter ``the trial is hereby stand down till 12:30pm’’.
The prosecuting counsel, Mr H.O.B Ejiga, told the tribunal that his principal was at the Federal High Court handling another matter.
Ejiga, therefore, urged the tribunal to stand down the matter for an hour to enable his principal attend to the proceedings in the interest of Justice.
In his response, Counsel to Saraki, Mr Paul Usoroh (SAN), said he had no objection to the request of the prosecution.
Usoroh said that they have already discussed the issue before the proceedings commence.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the tribunal is expected to continue with the cross-examination of EFCC witness, Mr Michael Wetkas.
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Police arrest fake lawyer after 10 years of practice
The Police in Ogun State have arrested 47 years man, Mr Ayodele Balogun from Otta in Ado Odo Otta Local Government Area of the state for practicing as a lawyer in the last 10 years without training, the Nation reports.
Ayodele who has been parading himself as a trained lawyer and practicing at the Otta arm of the state Judiciary, was arrested by Detectives attached to the Otta Division of the Ogun Police Command following complainant that he had duped somebody of N140,000: 00k (One Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira only).
The Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said while the suspect was being interrogated, a notable legal practitioner in Otta also alerted them of his criminal antecedents and the need to interrogate him extensively.
Adejobi added that the Police Commissioner, Abdulmajid Ali, who expressed disappointment in the suspect's alleged involvement in nefarious activities, has vowed to make Ogun State hot for criminals and unscrupulous elements.
"While the police detectives were on with their interrogation, one of the revered legal practitioners in the area alerted the police of the suspect's criminal antecedents and urged the police to widen the scope of their interrogation, hence the confession of Ayodele Balogun, who has been practicing at a popular chamber in otta for a decade, to be a fake legal practitioner.
" The suspect and others,who might be indicted in the course of police investigation,be charged to court without delay and his(their) details be sent to the Nigerian Bar Association and other concerned groups/bodies for necessary action," Adejobi said.
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Fuel Price: I cannot guarantee monitoring all NNPC stations, says Kachikwu
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu has said that his ministry and relevant agencies cannot guarantee rational behaviour of managers at all NNPC Mega stations nationwide.
Kachikwu made the statement in Abuja on Monday while addressing members of the House of Representatives during a special interactive on the "New Framework for PMS Supply and Distribution, organised by the assembly.
He said that monitoring was necessary with regard to product sale at a price that was below those of independent marketers.
The minister spoke in response to a question on why NNPC l stations which got locally refined products at little or no cost were selling almost at the same price as independent marketers, which sold l at N145 per litre.
"The NNPC mega stations are supposed to sell at a much lower price than the other marketers but right now some of them are selling between N143 and N145.
"But that is something we are looking at correcting,’’ he said.
Kachikwu said this was to "reduce nuisance value potential of the stations in the metropolis while stations in the hinterland are to sell at N135 per litre."
The lawmakers asked the minister to state the obvious by telling Nigerians that there was no deregulation of any kind but a price increase resulting from foreign exchange differential since the government still controlled the price.
Kachikwu told the House that the decision taken was aimed at curbing the problems of product diversion, hoarding, under-dispensing and pipeline vandalism.
"We first looked at the number of litres on which subsidy was being paid.
"The new policy is to address both subsidy issues as well as product availability and distribution which is saving Nigeria about one billion dollars quarterly," he said.
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Osun Assembly Advocates Equity and Fairness Over LAUTECH Management
Osun State House of Assembly has frown at the management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho for not being equitable in the management of the institution.
It also directed the Management and the Governing Council to revert its decision "on the injustice" meted out to the Bursar of the institution, Mr Olagunju Adeniyi over his appointment.
Members of the Assembly who expressed their displeasure at a meeting with the management of the institution at the Assembly Complex in Osogbo on Wednesday, said the state was not being given the fair share of the benefits from the University.
The University is jointly owned and being co-funded by the Osun and Oyo states.
A statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy said, the Speaker,
Honourable Najeem Salaam, who led the discussions, said, in the area of construction of facilities, appointment of staff, welfare among others, Osun has always been cheated by the management,
saying, majority of the benefit are skewed in favour of Oyo state.
According to him, most of the intervention funds, including TETFUND have been used majorly in Oyo, while the College of Medicine located in Osun was left undeveloped.
He said that since the institution is jointly owned and co-funded, there must be equity in the sharing of its benefits, saying, the Assembly would not allow the injustice to continue.
Noting that the governments of the two states have no issue with the sharing of the benefits, he observed that the civil servants in the institution have been using their discretion to cause disharmony between the two states.
He said the state Assembly would go to any length to get what is due to the state without going beyond its boundary or clash with its sister state Oyo.
On the appointment of Bursar, the speaker directed the LAUTECH management to review his case and ensure that justice is done.
The bursar, registrar and librarian of the institution have been holding the position on acting capacity since 2013 and were recently confirmed as substantive office holders with five years tenure.
When the letters were issued to the registrar and the librarian as substantive office holders to spend five year tenure starting from 2016, the bursar was isolated and reportedly had his letter back dated to 2013 to spend only more two years, a situation that attracted the rages of the Assembly.
The speaker then directed that the bursar should either be issued his own letter of five year tenure, or the appointments of other officers are back dated to 2013 to ensure justice in the matter.
He subsequently commended the management of the institution for using ingenuity to generate revenue and sustain the payment of salary of its staff when the owner states were having difficulties in paying the subvention to the institution.
Speaking, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Abiodun Adebayo who represented the Vice Chancellor said some of the decisions that have attracted the rages of the Assembly were actually taken by the Governing Council.
He said he would take the concern of the house to the management for review and necessary actions.
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Lagos Court Acquits Four of Attempted Robbery
Justice
Oluwatoyin Ipaye of an Ikeja High Court on Wednesday acquitted four men of a
three-count charge of conspiracy, attempted armed robbery and illegal
possession of firearms.
The
men are Raman Salawudeen, Ayo Olapada, Franklin Akpobuwa and Sese Demilade.
Justice
Ipaye said: "The prosecution has failed to prove its case beyond
reasonable doubts; the defendants are hereby discharged and acquitted.
"You
have been given a second chance, go and look for gainful employment.
"It
is better to be road sweepers than be involved in nefarious activities. I do
not want to see you in my court again."
Ipaye
said the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubts.
"I
find no evidence pointing to conspiracy; it was only the first defendant that
was identified at the bus stop.
"On
the attempted robbery charge, the totality of the evidence was that the last
overt act was crossing the road.
“There
was no evidence that the defendant threatened or took calculated steps to rob
Sylvester Okor.
“On
illegal possession of firearms in a public place as contained in Section 296
(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, a person's residence cannot be seen as
a public place.
There
is no shred of evidence that Sese was found in possession of a firearm in a
public place," she ruled.
Ealier,
the prosecution led by Mr Akin George, had alleged that the defendants
attempted to rob a man, Sylvester Okor, on June 16, 2013 at Peace Estate,
Market Bus Stop, Badagry in Lagos State.
The
prosecution claimed that the defendants were walking behind Okor at a petrol
station when a vigilance group in the neighbourhood alerted him of their
presence and they fled.
“The
defendants ran immediately Okor was alerted and the vigilantes gave them a hot
chase and Akpobuwa, the first defendant, slipped and was caught while the other
accomplices escaped.
“He
was caught in front of the petrol station and a handkerchief and two live
cartridges were found in his possession.”
George
said a locally made pistol was found in the home of Sese, one of the
defendants, adding that the neighbourhood had been experiencing robberies,
which led to the setting up of the vigilance group.
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Kuwait Arrest 30 Africans in a New Raid
30
African nationals were arrested on Thursday, March 31 after a team of officers
from the General Residency Affairs Investigation Department at the Interior
Ministry, Kuwait uncovered the illegal activities of a gang of five Ethiopians
operating a bogus domestic labor office through which they provide shelter to
absconding workers and then ‘sell’ them to other sponsors.
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Church members demand removal of pastor over
immorality
Angry
members of a church in Soweto, South Africa on Good Friday protested, waving
placards and calling for the removal of their pastor for allegedly wrecking a
family he had counseled.
"Then I took the matter to senior
church members and asked for help." He said the pastor had helped him and
his wife in the past. "Whenever there was a
misunderstanding between me and my wife he would come and speak to us."
Johannes Tlhapi, 56 said they had prepared
for Easter prayers but they were disrupted because of a man who wouldn’t simply
resign instead of waiting for an investigation.
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Court Grants Teenager Bail of N50,000 for Alleged Theft
A
Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, on Wednesday admitted two teenagers to
bail in the sum of N50,000 each for alleged theft of plasma Television valued
N32,000.
According
to News Agency of Nigeria {NAN}, the defendants, Ibeh Joseph, and Usman Shuaibu,
were arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, house trespass
and theft.
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Girl, Four Beheaded in Taiwan Knife Attack
Central News Agency {CNA} has reported that four-year old girl was beheaded in Taiwan in what appears to have been a random knife attack.
According to the agency, a 33-year-old man attacked the girl with a cleaver in full view of her mother on Monday morning as they were on their way to a metro station in Taipei, the island's capital.
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EgyptAir Hijacker Had Fake Explosive Jacket On
It has been
revealed that the EgyptAir hijacker wore false explosive.
This was
revealed by, permanent secretary for the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Alexandros Zinon.
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The Nigeria Police for have disclosed that two sons of two police officers and a kidnapper were part of the eight armed robbery suspected gang that were killed during a fire battle with the police at Nsukka on Good Friday.
According to South East Voice, one of the armed robbers was the son of a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, while the other was the son of a serving police inspector.
Four other suspects, two of whom were identified as Ifeanyi Ogbu and Abuchi Ogbaje from Igboeze South Local Government Area were also reportedly killed while trying to rob their victims on Friday.
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APC is Real Threat to Nigeria's Security - Fayose's Aide
- Read the press statement below...
Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka has described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the real threat to the security of Nigeria and its people, saying; “The major threat to national security is a party that lost election since June 21, 2014 and still trying to get back to power, using crude means including turning itself to the mouthpiece of the Department of State Services (DSS).
“Instead of lavishing millions of Naira on TKO Aluko and others, they should rather use such money to empower the remnants of their party members in Ekiti State who are in dire need of financial help.”
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FG to hunt down killers of NYSC member
Minister of Youths and Sports Development,
Solomon Dalung, says the Federal Government will hunt down the killers of the
NYSC member, Samuel Okonta, who was killed during the rerun election in Rivers
state last Saturday. Dalung said this while paying a condolence visit to the
Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Johnson Olawumi yesterday March
23rd.
He berated politicians
for always engaging in politics with bitterness.
30
African nationals were arrested on Thursday, March 31 after a team of officers
from the General Residency Affairs Investigation Department at the Interior
Ministry, Kuwait uncovered the illegal activities of a gang of five Ethiopians
operating a bogus domestic labor office through which they provide shelter to
absconding workers and then ‘sell’ them to other sponsors.
In a press statement, the Public Relations and Security Media
Department disclosed the arrest came after the officers received information
about the gang. After obtaining a warrant from the Public Prosecution, the
officers raided the suspects’ place. This led to the arrest of 30 persons — 17
men and 13 women — of various African nationalities including Ethiopians.
Initial
investigations revealed the suspects offer shelter to absconding workers and
promise to provide them with another job. They then refer these workers to
other employers who pay around KD 90 to KD 250 as recruitment fee. They give
receipts to the employers under the name of the bogus recruitment office.
The
officers also discovered that the gang has an agreement with the runaway
workers for them to escape from the new sponsors and they will be referred to
other employers. A case was registered and all those arrested during the raid
were referred to the concerned security department for legal measures.
_________________________________________________________________
Church members demand removal of pastor over
immorality
Angry
members of a church in Soweto, South Africa on Good Friday protested, waving
placards and calling for the removal of their pastor for allegedly wrecking a
family he had counseled.
Ezekiel
Letlape , 45 from Dobsonville, Soweto claimed that his wife was cheating on him
with the pastor. He even showed the SunTeam the loving SMSes (pictured) sent by
his wife to the pastor. He said he tried to speak to the pastor but didn’t get
straight answers...
"Then I took the matter to senior
church members and asked for help." He said the pastor had helped him and
his wife in the past. "Whenever there was a
misunderstanding between me and my wife he would come and speak to us."
Letlape said he looked on the pastor as his
father.
"I didn’t know that he was a wolf in
sheep’s clothing. He has torn my family apart," he said.
When Daily Sun SA spoke to Ezekiel’s wife
Sentebaleng Letlape, 42 at their house, she admitted to sending
loving SMSes to the pastor but she said she was not sleeping with the pastor.
"I was just flirting with him because
I felt lonely and neglected by my husband. The pastor is very nice to
everyone," she claimed adding that she and her husband have not slept in
the same bed for two years because he was a serial cheater.
"He would sleep out and only come
back the next morning. He didn’t want to sleep with me until one day I cheated
on him openly to give him a taste of his own medicine."
Ezekiel confirmed that he had cheated on
his wife in the past and it was the same pastor, who counselled them about it.
When the SunTeam went to his office, the
pastor asked not to be photographed and told the church secretary to speak to
the paper. She said the pastor could not comment on the allegation against him
because the matter was with the presbytery.
Church member Tebogo Sebokwane, 62 vowed
there will be no service until the pastor steps down.
"We have evidence of the allegations
and it is sad that he is implicated in such damning claims," he said.
Johannes Tlhapi, 56 said they had prepared
for Easter prayers but they were disrupted because of a man who wouldn’t simply
resign instead of waiting for an investigation.
________________________________________________________________
Court Grants Teenager Bail of N50,000 for Alleged Theft
A
Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, on Wednesday admitted two teenagers to
bail in the sum of N50,000 each for alleged theft of plasma Television valued
N32,000.
According
to News Agency of Nigeria {NAN}, the defendants, Ibeh Joseph, and Usman Shuaibu,
were arraigned on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, house trespass
and theft.
The
presiding officer, Mr Albert Maga, ordered the defendants to produce one
reliable surety each in like sum.
Maga
said that the surety must be resident within the court’s jurisdiction, swear to
affidavit of means and must tender two passport photographs to the court.
He
said that the address of the surety must be verified by the police in-charge of
the case, and adjourned the matter till April 12 for further hearing.
The
Prosecutor, Cpl. Friday Adaji, told the court that Blessing Isah of Aso C,
Mararaba, reported the matter at the Calvary Road Police Station, Mararaba, on
March 24.
The
prosecutor said that the defendants confessed committing the crime during
police interrogation and sold the Television to one Samuel at the rate of
N8,000.
He
said that the offence contravened Sections 97, 355 and 287 of the Penal Code.
The
defendants pleaded not guilty to charges.
Defence
Counsel Iyke Emmanuel applied for their bail, and prayed the court to temper
justice with mercy on his clients.
He
assured the court that the defendants would not jump bail, adding that they
have reliable sureties to take them on bail.
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Girl, Four Beheaded in Taiwan Knife Attack
Central News Agency {CNA} has reported that four-year old girl was beheaded in Taiwan in what appears to have been a random knife attack.
According to the agency, a 33-year-old man attacked the girl with a cleaver in full view of her mother on Monday morning as they were on their way to a metro station in Taipei, the island's capital.
According to the mother of the slain girl, she saw the man approaching and at first thought he was going to help her daughter but he drew his knife and decapitated her.
In her words: "at first I thought he was going to lift up the bike to help my daughter. When I walked over to tell him that it's OK, I saw both of them fall on the ground, and the suspect was wielding the knife and cutting my daughter.
"I saw the suspect slashing my daughter with a cleaver. I immediately grabbed him but I could not pull him away."
"I'm devastated, because I will never see her again, and she'll never see her siblings again," the mother lamented.
The suspect is identified only by his surname Wang.
CNA cited police that the man had a history of mental illness and had received treatment at a psychiatric hospital.
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EgyptAir Hijacker Had Fake Explosive Jacket On
It has been
revealed that the EgyptAir hijacker wore false explosive.
This was
revealed by, permanent secretary for the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Alexandros Zinon.
The flight had
been hijacked by a man who officials described as "unstable" after he
held the passengers and crew hostage with a fake explosive belt, forcing the
plane to divert to Cyprus -- apparently over issues involving his ex-wife, a
Cypriot. He also has a criminal record,
The incident
ended relatively peacefully on Tuesday when the plane's crew and passengers
left the aircraft and authorities took the hijacker into custody.
Cyprus
spokesman, Nikos Christodoulides confirmed that "The hijacker has been arrested,", adding a few
minutes later, "All passengers and crew are safe."
Cyprus state
television showed video of the hijacker, wearing a white shirt, being led away
by a phalanx of police. Presidential spokesman Alaa Yousuf identified the
Egyptian man as Seif El Din Mustafa.
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The Nigeria Police for have disclosed that two sons of two police officers and a kidnapper were part of the eight armed robbery suspected gang that were killed during a fire battle with the police at Nsukka on Good Friday.
According to South East Voice, one of the armed robbers was the son of a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, while the other was the son of a serving police inspector.
South East Voice reiterated further that eight suspects were killed at separate operations in the university town in Enugu State by the Police Anti- Robbery Squad, SARS.
It was gathered that one of the sons of the police officers identified simply as Arinze Ossai hailed from Igboeze North Local Government Area, stationed his robbery gang at a hotel in the area from where the gang terrorized the entire local government area and its environs for several months, robbing and kidnapping people in the area.
Igboeze North vigilante group working on a tip off had contacted SARS at the Area command, Nsukka which later accosted the gang which had earlier robbed a Toyota Venza vehicle belonging to a returnee from Malaysia.
Four other suspects, two of whom were identified as Ifeanyi Ogbu and Abuchi Ogbaje from Igboeze South Local Government Area were also reportedly killed while trying to rob their victims on Friday.
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APC is Real Threat to Nigeria's Security - Fayose's Aide
- Read the press statement below...
Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka has described the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the real threat to the security of Nigeria and its people, saying; “The major threat to national security is a party that lost election since June 21, 2014 and still trying to get back to power, using crude means including turning itself to the mouthpiece of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Olayinka, who reacted to a statement by the APC in Ekiti State that the State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose was a threat to national security, said “it is only in Nigeria that a party that ran Ekiti State aground in four years and was rejected in six straight elections by the people can still be talking.” He said; “The question that Nigerians must ask the APC Spokesperson in Ekiti State, Taiwo Olatunbosun is whether he now doubles as the DSS spokesperson.
“In the last three weeks, everything the APC speculated that the DSS was going to do was exactly what the security agency did and that has reinforced the belief that the DSS was working in collaboration with the APC in Ekiti State to destabilise the Fayose-led government. “It is also a fact that the chairman of APC in Ekiti State, Chief Jide Awe who is standing trial for murder was hosted to a dinner in the Presidential Villa while TKO Aluko on whose bench warrant was issued for alleged perjury is going about with armed security men.”
The governor’s spokesperson said no organisation is qualified as a threat to the security of Nigeria other than the APC that was compromising major government institutions, including DSS such that functionaries of the party were now the ones telling the security agency who to arrest and detained indefinitely in Ekiti State.
He said a party like the APC that its government kept silent when over 400 Agatus were killed by Fulani herdsmen in Benue State and women were raped, farmlands destroyed by the herdsmen in other parts of the country cannot be anything other than threat to national security. “Or what should Nigeria call a party that caused the murder of over 20 Nigerians, including Youth Corp member in Bayelsa and Rivers States just because of desperation to win elections?
“When you try to truncate democratically elected government, deny Nigerians rights to fair hearing by detaining them indefinitely and disobey court orders, while also failing to conduct free and fair elections, what is such a government inviting other than breakdown of law and order? And what should such a party in power be called other than security threat to Nigeria?”
Olayinka counselled leaders of the APC in Ekiti State, especially former governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi to stop falling prey to political 419, whom he said were collecting millions of Naira from them, claiming to be helping them to fight Governor Fayose, adding that; “The APC leaders should ask themselves what result they have achieved since they started investing their money in this ‘Fayose must go’ agenda immediately after they were defeated in the entire 16 Local Councils in the State.
“Instead of lavishing millions of Naira on TKO Aluko and others, they should rather use such money to empower the remnants of their party members in Ekiti State who are in dire need of financial help.”
Minister of Youths and Sports Development,
Solomon Dalung, says the Federal Government will hunt down the killers of the
NYSC member, Samuel Okonta, who was killed during the rerun election in Rivers
state last Saturday. Dalung said this while paying a condolence visit to the
Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Johnson Olawumi yesterday March
23rd.
He berated politicians
for always engaging in politics with bitterness.
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Man stripped naked and beaten up by mob after he allegedly tried to rob a woman at an ATM
A 31-year-old man has been hospitalized
after he was brutally beaten by a mob for allegedly attempting to rob a woman
at an ATM in Giyani, Limpopo, South Africa.
According to local reports, the woman
screamed, attracting the attention of people around. The mob gathered around
the man, stripped him naked, paraded him in town and beat him so severely that
he had to be taken to Nkhensani Hospital in an ambulance.
Giyani police spokesperson, Insp. Thomas
Makhuvele, said the police arrived to intervene.
"The man is recovering in hospital
and is not dead or in critical condition, as it is rumoured."
At the time of his hospitalisation, the
man was unconscious. He later on opened a case of assault against the mob,
according to Makhuvhele.
The woman who claimed to have been robbed
by the man has not yet come forward to press any charge of theft. Rumours of a
gang from Nkowankowa, (outside Tzaneen) operating in Giyani have been
circulating around Giyani.
The group is said to travel in a white VW
Citi Golf which operates as their escape car. The group loiters around ATMs and
look for victims who look like they may need assistance.
However, according to Makhuvele, since no
one has come forward with any information or pressed any charges, the man could
walk off free.
"As no one has pressed any criminal
charges against the man, he is currently not under police guard."
Makhuvele said.
The community is requested not to take
matters into their own hands, but advised to rather go to the Giyani Police
Station to give the police any information that could lead to criminal activity
being curbed.
The police are investigating the matter
and looking for the people responsible for the vicious assault of the man.
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Food and beverages sector set to sack 3m workers due to Forex crisis
Leaders of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff
Association, FOBTOB, have alleged that employers of Labor in their sector are
planning to sack 3 million workers as most of the companies are finding it hard
to get foreign exchange to use in purchasing raw materials for production.
According to Vanguard, President of the association, Quadri
Olaleye, spoke at a press briefing in Lagos yesterday March 23rd, where he said
that between 2012 and the first half of 2015, over 3,000 workers were sacked in
the guise of re-engineering, restructuring, right sizing, downsizing,
redundancy and re-organisation.
He said many of the companies gave the same reasons of difficult
business terrain, dwindling profit, irregular and insufficient power supply
“The current situation has reached a pathetic level, because
it
seems all the employers in our sector are in competition with each
other on who can lay off the most workers. Every company is now calling for a
downsizing of the workforce, and this time under the guise of lack of foreign
exchange due to the Federal Government’s recent policy on foreign exchange. We
are aware that not all the raw materials used in our industry can be sourced
locally. Where they can be found, they are mostly not available in commercial
quantity. That is why it is imperative that the government, through the Central
Bank of Nigeria, CBN, takes a second look at the policy on foreign exchange to
avoid shutting down the companies in our industry.” he said.
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Troops rescue 180 hostages from Boko Haram camps
Troops of the 7 Division Garrison and 112 Battalion assisted by some Civilian JTF, conducted clearing operations at Menari, Bulamari, Zangebe, Maafa, Mijigine, Baale and Kaltaram villages in Mafa Local Government Area yesterday March 23rd, killing 5 Boko Haram terrorists and rescued 180 persons and their cattle held hostages by the terrorists at Giltimari and Baale.
More photos after the cut.
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