The N2.2bn fraud trial of the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, was stalled on Thursday due to the absence of the prosecution’s star witness, Musiliu Obanikoro.
The prosecuting counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the judge that Obanikoro, who was in court only on Tuesday testifying against Fayose, had been hospitalised.
Jacobs presented to the court a medical report from an Ikoyi hospital, stating that Obanikoro was unwell.
But receiving the report with misgivings, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun said it had better been genuine or the hospital and the doctor that issued it risked the loss of their licences, if the court verified the report and it was not genuine.
While adjourning the case till March 18, Justice Olatoregun said Obanikoro must unfailingly come to court, or risked being committed to prison for three months, “so that he can be coming to court in Black Maria.”
“He must present himself before the court on the next adjourned date or be compelled to do so,” Justice Olatoregun stressed.
Obanikoro is testifying against Fayose, who was his ally in the Peoples Democratic Party before he (Obanikoro) decamped to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
A 35-year-old housewife, Bukola Ilesanmi, on Thursday pleaded with an Ado-Ekiti Customary Court to dissolve her 16-year marriage to her husband, Kayode, on grounds of cruelty, being fetish and lack of care for the children.
Bukola, a resident of No. 9, Oke Ureje, Poly Road, Ado-Ekiti, told the court that her husband was fond of beating her every time with cutlass, while accusing her of being a witch.
According to her, Kayode does not take care of the children, adding that he always beat her, describing the beating as a regular experience since they married.
“I recall that my mother once asked me to divorce him because of the beating,” she said.
The mother of four also alleged that her husband was fetish, accusing him of always bringing charms to the house.
“He would threaten to beat me up should I refuse to use the charm. He is fond of taking my name to herbalists, as I confirmed when I saw my name written on a paper inside his pocket,” she alleged.
She said there was a time her husband asked her to bring her clothes to a herbalist but when she refused, Kayode fought her.
She, therefore, urged the court to dissolve the union and award her the custody of the children, ages between seven and 15.
The respondent, Kayode, 45, however, denied all the allegations levied against him by his wife, saying he was not fetish.
He admitted that one of his customers took him to a prophet where he was told that his wife needed deliverance.
Kayode also said there was a time his son was sick and a word of prophecy came to him that the child should take his bath with a special soap, but his wife refused.
“She claimed I wanted to use the boy for ritual. My wife is fond of cursing me, even to the extent of doing so in my shop.
“Presently, things have gone bad and down for me because of her curses. With her around, I am always afraid of coming home; but when she left, I have had peace of mind,” he said.
After hearing from both parties, the president of the court, Mrs. Olayinka Akomolede, adjourned the case until March 7 for judgment.
The Director, Strategic Communications of President Buhari 2019 Presidential Campaign, Festus Keyamo, (SAN), has distanced self from a fallacious statement making rounds on the social.
The outspoken senior advocate was quoted to have said that “President Buhari’s Loss of Memory is Normal, Even Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed Lost Their Memories At Some Point”.
Keyamo on his official tweeter handle squashed the assertion, adding that “This is classic FAKE NEWS, it has (no single link to a CREDIBLE source). The story therefore may have been spawned by mischief makers.
The Kano State Fire Service said fire has destroyed 70 temporary shops at Yan’Katako Market in Rijayar Lemo area of Kano.
The Spokesman of the State Fire Service, Alhaji Saidu Mohammed, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Kano on Thursday. The spokesman said 30 of the shops were completely razed down while 40 were slightly burnt.
The Spokesman of the State Fire Service, Alhaji Saidu Mohammed, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Kano on Thursday. The spokesman said 30 of the shops were completely razed down while 40 were slightly burnt.
Mohammed said the cause of the fire is being investigated.
The trial of the former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, was, Thursday, stalled following the failure of the prosecution witness, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to appear in court today, citing health condition.
Not satisfied with Obanikoro’s excuse which was made known to the judge by the counsel for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, however, threatened to jail Sen. Obanikoro if he fails to appear in court in the next sitting.
According to the judge, Obanikoro would be forced to appear in court in a Black Maria if he fails to appear in court and if it turns out his health claims are forged.
The EFCC’s counsel had presented to the judge a medical document claiming the Senator is hospitalised. But Justice Olatoregun warned that the doctor that issued the health documents would lose his or her license, if the court verifies and finds out that the claim is false.
The judge, however, adjourned the case till March 18 with a warning to Senator Obanikoro to appear in court that day or “… he can be coming to court in Black Maria.”
The judge also said that, “He must present himself before the court on the next adjourned date or be compelled to do so.”
In a sudden twist of events, Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has ordered the contractor handling renovation works at Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar Mata to immediately demobilize to pave way for the campaign rally of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to hold at the stadium.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Youths and Culture, Malam Muhammad Garba, indicated that the directive does not affect ongoing overhaul of the Indoor Sports Complex.
According to the statement, “accordingly, the contractor has been directed to remove all machineries from the precinct of the stadium till after the campaign rally, while the state darling teams, Kano Pillars have been told to use the Pillars Stadium, Sabon Gari for its training sessions. The general renovation of the stadium aimed at giving the stadium a face-lift included the installation of the new scoreboard, the running track and provision of sources for steady water supply to all parts of the stadium.
This is coming after allegations were raised that the Governor had ordered the closure of the stadium because of PDP's rally.
They tied the knot after just twelve weeks of dating in September at the New York City courthouse.
And Hailey Baldwin, 22, and Justin Bieber, 24, told Vogue that they abstained from having s-x until they were man and wife as they appear in an intimate spread in the publication, shot by acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz.
The couple said celibacy was one of the best decisions they ever made, but admitted that marriage was 'always going to be hard' and added that it is not a 'magical fantasy.'
Justin said his first interview in two years, that his religious beliefs led him to decide to abstain from being intimate with Hailey after the pop star said he had previously had 'a legitimate problem with s-x.'
The singer was famously seen sneaking out of a brothel in Brazil covered in white bedsheets by his minders, back in 2013.
The What Do You Mean hitmaker revealed that in June of 2018 he had been celibate already for more than a year. The singer was likely celibate during part of his relationship with Selena Gomez, 26, as it only ended that spring.
He explained: 'God doesn’t ask us not to have s-x for him because he wants rules and stuff. He’s like, I’m trying to protect you from hurt and pain.
'I think s-x can cause a lot of pain. Sometimes people have s-x because they don’t feel good enough. Because they lack self-worth. Women do that, and guys do that.
'I wanted to rededicate myself to God in that way because I really felt it was better for the condition of my soul. And I believe that God blessed me with Hailey as a result. There are perks. You get rewarded for good behavior.'
He admits that wanting to have s-x was part of the reason they got married so quickly. But not all of it.
Justin said: 'When I saw her last June, I just forgot how much I loved her and how much I missed her and how much of a positive impact she made on my life.
'I was like, "Holy cow, this is what I’ve been looking for".'
The pair first met back in 2009, but eyebrows were raised when Justin rekindled his romance with Hailey three years ago.
They had ran into each other at a conference in Miami hosted by Rich Wilkerson Jr., the pastor of Vous Church, who officiated Kim and Kanye's wedding.
It was just six months after he split from singer Selena Gomez, 26, his on-off girlfriend since 2010.
Justin and Hailey tied the knot in a secret courthouse ceremony in New York City in September and have bought a house in Toronto.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority says it has deployed 1,000 personnel to monitor traffic during the presidential campaign of the All Progressives Congress on Saturday in Lagos.
Mr Chris Olakpe, LASTMA Chief Executive Officer, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday.
Olakpe said that the agency was prepared to monitor and control traffic within the state during the APC presidential campaign.
“We are well prepared for the APC Campaign on Saturday to monitor and ensure the free flow of vehicular movement across the state.
“Different logistics have been put in place to bring back traffic officials at various corridors to manage the flow of traffic.
“Close to 1,000 personnel have been deployed to ensure that critical areas are manned for parking, traffic control and management,’’ he said.
Blac Chyna's personal woes have continued to spiral as her own mother has claimed she should temporarily relinquish custody of daughter Dream.
Chyna, 30, shares the two-year-old with ex Rob Kardashian, 31, with the pair finally agreeing to joint custody after an acrimonious split.
However, amid claims Chyna has been involved in several fights of late and has been accused of neglecting her daughter, the model's mother Tokyo Toni has spoken out.
Tokyo told TMZ that she believes Chyna's personal life is currently a 'mess' and that Dream should stay with Rob until things are sorted.
She added that her daughter is on a 'downward spiral' and is concerned by the star's fling with rapper Kid Buu who was accused of assaulting Chyna - claims he denies - and has prior charges for child abuse.
Tokyo reasoned: 'It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see something is terribly wrong.'
Cristiano Ronaldo's mother has spoken out to defend the football star against r-pe allegations which have rocked his career.
Dolores Aveiro said she had 'confidence' in the 34-year-old Portugal forward and insisted: 'I know the son I have.'
The mother-of-four also lashed out at Ronaldo's American accuser Kathryn Mayorga, saying she 'didn't go to his hotel room to play cards'.
Mayorga accuses Ronaldo of raping her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009 but the Juventus player has strongly denied the claims.
The former model also claims she was coerced into signing a £290,000 settlement for her silence.
At a PR launch in Lisbon she said: 'I have confidence in my son when it comes to what happened.
Dolores, who spends most of her time in her native Madeira, showed her backing for her son on social media last October by posting a picture on him in a Superman cape.
It was posted alongside a message which read: 'I want to see who has the courage to put this photo on their profile for a week and make a chain for him..for Portugal, for him, for us and for the union of our people, for justice. He deserves it.'
An Ilorin Magistrate court on Wednesday ordered that five accused persons brought before it in connection with the January 13, 2019 attack on the Agbaji, Ilorin family residence of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki be remanded in the Federal prison custody, Ilorin.
The five accused persons according to the Police First Information Report (FIR) are Omotosho Alawo, Ibrahim Shittu, Usman Ayilara Gobir, Ahmed Shina and Olashehu Ndarabi.
They were alleged to have been involved in the political mayhem and unleashed terror on Agbaji and Ode Alfa Nda communities, Ilorin during an electioneering campaign in the metropolis.
According to the FIR, the suspects engaged themselves in a free-for-all during which at least four persons: Yusuf Babatunde, Ibrahim Taofeeq, Adisa Muritala, Hussein Hassan sustained serious injuries.
The fracas, the Police FIR alleged also led to the destruction of several vehicles parked within the areas by innocent citizens while buildings were also damaged.
It added that concerted efforts of the operatives of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigating Department, Police headquarters, Ilorin led to the arrest of the accused persons.
The FIR stated that the accused persons had confessed to having actively participated in the fracas with others who are presently at large.
The report also said that one of the telephone sets allegedly stolen at the scene of the mayhem was recovered from one of the accused persons, Omotoso Alawo.
The accused persons were dragged before the court over alleged criminal conspiracy, mischief, theft, an attempt to commit an offence to with culpable homicide contrary to sections 97,327,288,299 of the Penal code. They all pleaded not guilty to the four counts.
The prosecutor, Gbenga Ayeni, urged the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody pending the conclusion of police investigation on the matter.
The counsel of the accused persons, Mr Ayodeji Saka prayed the court to discountenance the submission of the prosecutor, arguing that the accused were still presumed innocent until contrarily proven. He said that remanding his clients is tantamount to pre-trial conviction.
In her ruling, Magistrate Mariam Dasuki ordered that the all the accused persons should be remanded in the custody of the Federal prison and adjourn the case till February 12, 2019 for hearing.
They're known for their head-turning red carpet fashion. And Kim Kardashian, 38, and sister Kourtney Kardashian, 39, did it again on Wednesday, when the reality TV superstar sisters took to the amfAR gala in New York City wearing matching black.
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians mainstays wowed at the star-studded event at Cipriani's Wall Street in the color coordinated Versace dresses, with Kim exposing her abundant cleavage, and Kourtney putting her best leg forward in a garment with a high thigh split.
Kim looked sensational in her very daring choice of gown from the top designer, putting her cleavage in the spotlight thanks to the plunging design.
Elder sister Kourtney meanwhile put the spotlight on her toned legs, posing to show off her pins in her thigh-high split gown in her classic black heels.
A woman is currently on the run after allegedly bathing her husband with hot water mixed with pepper. The nursing mom was alleged to have carried out the wrong act at their home in Amukpe axis, Sapele, Delta state.
After the attack, she absconded leaving their 3-months old baby behind.
The actress and mom of one has been putting her rapid snap back on display. Latest on Jegede’s table is CONFIDENCE and here’s what the yummy mom has to say.
'Confidence isn't walking into a room with your nose in the air, and thinking you are better than everyone else, it's walking into a room and not having to compare yourself with anyone else in the first place. Be humble in your confidence yet courageous in your character. If u have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.'
The Coalition of United Political Parties on Thursday said it has uncovered an alleged plan by the Federal Government to implicate the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in a case of alleged gunrunning and perpetuating electoral violence.
It claimed that the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki; Senator Dino Melaye and other opposition leaders are also targeted in the plot.
The coalition’s spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, made the allegation in a statement made available to journalists.
He said, “Elements of the ruling party have commenced the branding of some vehicles with the colours of the opposition bearing the photos of these opposition leaders and have acquired arms which will be hidden in the vehicles and the vehicles will be driven to join the campaign convoy of the opposition consensus candidate in Kwara, Kogi and Adamawa and other parts of the country where they have also selected.
“The vehicles will eventually be searched by the police and the arms recovered.
“Their plot will include mobilising thugs and causing violence on the day of such recovery so as to tag the opposition as violent.
“The APC leaders are aware Nigerians now know them for their violence which has trailed their campaigns nationwide.
Nigerian p-rn star, KingTblack has called out singer Oritsefemi for allegedly sliding into the DM of his girl and tried to lure her into him. The call out is quiet much, lol....
A federal court in Lagos has issued a warrant for the arrest of the former director general of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayodele Oke, and his wife, Folashade.
Chukwujekwu Aneke, the judge, gave the order after hearing an application to that effect from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“I have carefully considered the oral application for the arrest of the person mentioned herein and I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the said application is meritorious,” Mr Aneke said.
“Accordingly the application is hereby granted as prayed.
“It is hereby ordered that Ambassador Ayodele Oke and wife, Folasade Oke be arrested anywhere they have been sighted in the world.”
Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, Wednesday night mocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) over their “incessant replacement” of police commissioner in Kwara state.
He spoke in reaction to deployment of Kayode Egbetokun, former Chief Security Officer to APC national leader, Bola Tinubu.
Saraki while addressing his supporters during the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) rally at Balogun Fulani ward in Ilorin south local government area of the state said “they (the opposition) are scared to come and meet our people that is why they are busy changing police commissioner every day but that won’t change our peoples resolve to continue to support us.
“The support we received shows that we are on ground with the people and they are still fully supporting us.
“Let other party come and meet our people and see if people will receive them the way they received us.
“We are always with the people unlike them who are usually home during elections to deceive our people.
“If the APC is popular as they claim let them come home and show their strength just like we did. They cannot intimidate our people with police.”
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has disowned campaign posters circulating in parts of the state promoting him as the Kwara South Senatorial Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor spoke via a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Muyideen Akorede.
Mr Ahmed described the posters as fake since they were not approved, sanctioned or sponsored by him as he was no longer the PDP Kwara South senatorial candidate.
He said he stood by his earlier decision to concede the PDP Kwara South senatorial ticket to the incumbent senator, Rafiu Ibrahim, in the interest of equity and fairness.
Mr Ahmed added that he subsequently formally withdrew from the senatorial race in full compliance with the provisions and processes specified by the Electoral Act.
The governor said that on the basis of that decision, he had since campaigned for Mr Ibrahim and could, therefore, not have authorised the fake campaign posters. Lobatan!
The Lagos State government has asked the British Museum to return the Lander Stool, believed to be the first object taken from the country during the colonial period, artnet.com is reporting.
The historic wood carving was taken from Nigeria in 1830 by an English explorer, Richard Lander.
The art market website referenced a statement from Lagos State, which stated
that the item would go on display in the redeveloped John K. Randle Centre of Yoruba History and Culture, due to open in Lagos later in the year.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Tourism & Culture, Steve Ayorinde, explained that the centre, which will be “a befitting home” for the artefact, is nearing completion in Lagos.
The Lander Stool, which is currently at the British Museum, would be a focal point of the exhibition of the centre when it opens later in the year.
Speaking at the British Museum, Mr Ayorinde said the Lander Stool is just the first ‘key artefact’ Nigeria will be requesting.
He noted that discussions are also unfolding with the Musée du quai Branly in Paris.
“Africa is now taking seriously the need to have befitting homes and facilities and structures that can welcome what we believe will be the beginning of the return of some of the works that are here,” he said.
