A famous religious singer based in Kano, Sheriff Rabiu Baba, is dead. Baba died on Thursday in his Kano residence after a protracted illness.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the famous musician, who was in his early 50s, became famous in the late 80s and early 90s. His songs were mostly religious with didactic values.
Many residents were shocked to receive the news of his death and prayed for the repose of his soul.
Ed Sheeran was the picture of happiness in a rare snap with wife Cherry Seaborn on Thursday as he took to Instagram to post a snap from their romantic break in Cambodia.
The Sing hitmaker, 28, looked up in awe at the beautiful historical ruins surrounding him in the post, as he also celebrated the release of his new single I Don't Care with Justin Bieber.
It came after it was also revealed that the star had doubled his fortune to be worth a staggering £160 million, thanks to the ongoing success of his 2017 album Divide.
In the snap, Ed cosied up to Cherry as they looked up in awe at the beautiful jungle surrounding them.
He wrote in the caption: 'Hope everyone enjoys the music coming out tomorrow. I’m super happy and proud of it. I’m currently in Cambodia in the jungle, but I’ve got a few bottles of beer for me and Cherry (and @securitykev) to celebrate the release tomorrow.
'Please play the song loud, dance, sing, smile to it. And tell your mum. Love you all x.'
The couple reportedly tied the knot in February following a secret Suffolk ceremony a year after they announced their engagement.
Police PRO, Dolapo Badmus has thrown a shade at Nigerian singer Naira Marley following his arrest by EFCC. Taking to IG she wrote about knowing only one NAIRA, and it’s the Nigerian currency, lol. Dolapo has always being against internet fraudsters.
A mosque was on lockdown and armed police were deployed after a gunshot rang out during Ramadan prayers last night.
Metropolitan Police confirmed there was a ‘firearm discharge’ at the Seven Kings Mosque in Ilford, east London.
According to onlookers, a gunman entered the religious building before being chased out and shooting what is thought to be a blank firing handgun once.
A large police presence was deployed at around 10.45pm on Thursday and will remain at the scene overnight.
No injuries or damage were caused and the incident is not being treated as terrorism-related, Scotland Yard said.
Several social media users said the alleged armed man had his face covered upon entering the mosque.
Worshipper Abdul Ahad wrote on Facebook: ‘A man with fully covered face entered the masjid during taraweeh prayers. Alhamdulillah no one injured or hurt, but one shot was fired and unfortunately he ran away.’
Another said: ‘Was just informed that a man wearing balaclavas entered Seven Kings Mosque in London with a gun and fired a shot.'
One worshipper wrote on Twitter that he was in the mosque at the time the shot was fired, adding: ‘During Taraweeh a guy entered the mosque with a gun.
‘Whilst praying I heard the sound of a loud bang. He was chased out by management, but ran away and still not found by the police.’
Ogun State Government has denied the transition committee set up by the governor-elect, Dapo Abiodun, access to some state-owned facilities for inspection.
The denial was contained in a letter from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, which was obtained by Punch in Abeokuta, the state capital, on Thursday.
It was gathered that the letter was a response to a request made by the transition committee chaired by the deputy governor-elect, Noimot Salako-Oyedele.
The committee requested to access some key government facilities for inspection.
But the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, said the facilities were being used for government business.
The letter dated May 8, 2019, read, “I wish to restate that his excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has directed that your committee shall be offered full cooperation and assistance in the discharge of your mandate.
“The challenge, however, appears to be that most of the facilities indicated in your text message – the Valley View Auditorium, the Presidential Lodge, Mitros, June 12 Cultural Centre, Stadium – are currently being used for the routine business of governance and therefore may not be available until about a few days to the May 29 inauguration as we had duly notified during our inaugural joint meeting of Monday, April 29, 2019.
“As you are aware, the state is preparing for the working visit of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, during the third week of May to inaugurate a number of legacy projects in commemoration of this administration’s end-of-tenure.
“Understandably, all hands are on the deck and most of the named state facilities will be in use. During the month of Ramadan, the state organises and engages in a number of daily programmes, culminating in the state’s special Iftar for which we routinely use many of the named facilities.”
The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress’ Caretaker Committee, Mr Tunde Oladunjoye, confirmed the development, saying that the transition committee set up by Amosun and headed by the SSG had been uncooperative.
Oladunjoye said a meeting scheduled for last Monday could not hold because of the SSG’s absence.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arrested fast rising singer, Naira Marley. He is currently being questioned at the EFFC office in Lagos.
Though the reason behind his arrest is yet to be made public, the singer with real names as Afeez Fashola might have been arrested in connection with his statements on social media which glorifies yahoo boys.
Gunmen have shot dead a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Omunakwe Benson.
Omunakwe was killed on Agip Estate in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Wednesday.
The gunmen were said to have driven into the estate and shot the victim, who was a former aspirant of the House of Assembly, while he was going back home around 8.45pm.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident, adding that two persons had been arrested in connection with the murder.
An 18-year-old student, Ahmed Abubakar, of Government Day Secondary School in Katsina State has allegedly killed his colleague, Mikailu Mustapha, following a misunderstanding between them over a girl.
The police said Abubakar, a.k.a Sha’aban, stabbed Mustapha to death during a misunderstanding, adding that he had confessed to the crime.
Consequently, he was arraigned before a Katsina Magistrates’ Court for culpable homicide under Section 221 of the Penal Code.
The police prosecutor, ASP Sani Ado, told the court on Thursday that investigation was still in progress.
The presiding magistrate, Hajiya Fadile Dikko, adjourned the matter till June 11 and remanded the accused in prison custody.
Kissing with tongues can spread the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea, researchers have warned.
Scientists say the STI can be caught through saliva – despite the NHS dismissing kissing as a way of passing it on.
And spreading the infection this way may be more common than expected, the Australian researchers claimed.
They found gay men were more likely to have gonorrhoea in their throat than their p-nis – and the risk of spreading it was greater for kissing than for oral s-x.
Antiseptic mouthwash could, the scientists suggested, be created to try and kill the bacteria, which can cause a sore throat and swollen lymph nodes.
The research into oropharyngeal gonorrhoea comes amid growing concerns about 'super' strains of the STI that are becoming resistant to medicine.
Scientists at Monash University and the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre in Australia surveyed around 3,000 gay and bisexual men in the city.
'A number of pieces of evidence suggest transmission from the oropharynx [back of the throat] may be more common than previously thought,' Professor Eric Chow and his colleagues wrote in the paper.
'[The bacteria] can be cultured from saliva, suggesting that the exchange of saliva between individuals may potentially transmit gonorrhoea.
'Several case reports in the 1970s suggested kissing as a mode of transmission for oropharyngeal gonorrhoea... but kissing has always been neglected as a risk factor'.
Professor Chow said a rise in global reports of gonorrhoea strains which are evolving to stop antibiotics working against them is cause for concern.
Doctors and scientists must find new ways of stopping the infection, he warned, and efforts are currently focused on encouraging condom use during s-x.
The Duchess of Sussex took inspiration for her newborn son's name from a beloved pet, it is claimed .
A former close friend of Meghan told The Sun the moniker appeared to be a reference to her cat named Archie, who she shared with her mother Doria Ragland, 62.
'Doria rescued Archie and he became an important part of the household. Meghan loved playing with him and she was always talking about him to her friends,' they told the publication.
'It's no surprise she named her new baby Archie. She loved that cat.'
Meghan, 37, is believed to have told friends the cat ended becoming fat after constantly feeding it grapes.
The cat is believed to have died while the former actress was in college at Northwestern University in Chicago.
Meghan and Harry welcomed Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor on Monday and introduced him to the world at a photocall in Windsor Castle, on Wednesday.
Cardi B is an open book even when it comes to sharing what work she’s had done. The rapper revealed at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis over the weekend that she got liposuction aside from getting her boobs re-done after giving birth.
“I shouldn’t really be performing because moving too much is gonna f—k up my lipo,” she told the crowd, according to People. “But bitch, I’m still gonna get my motherf—king money back, let’s go!”
Cardi, 26, told Entertainment Tonight that she wanted to be honest with her fans to show that getting plastic surgery is not a quick fix.
“I feel like a lot of people look at girls on Instagram and think, ‘Oh, they got their lipo done, and it was so easy,’ and it’s just such a long, hard process,” the rapper said. “It’s almost like the same process as after you give birth to a baby and you see your body change, and snapping it back,” she revealed.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's surrogate is in labor. Her sister Kourtney Kardashian broke the news during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Thursday, as she revealed the power couple were currently at the hospital and awaiting the birth of their fourth child, a son, via surrogate.
As the 38-year-old reality star was also set to appear on the show, however Kourtney revealed the reason for her absence - much to the shock of both the audience and their mother Kris Jenner, who was left bewildered.
It remains unclear if the 41-year-old rapper and 38-year-old reality star will be in the delivery room though Kim was during the birth of daughter Chicago.
Kim may not have been present but her three kids daughter North, five, son Saint, three, and daughter Chicago, 15 months made a surprise appearance with three more of their cousins.
Ellen asked about why the middle Kardashian sister was absent and Kourtney, 40, replied: 'So, my mom doesn't even know this but Kim's surrogate went into labor so she's at the hospital.
Kris, 63, appeared to be blindsided by the news as her mouth dropped and she said: 'What are we doing here? Come on, Ellen! Fire up the car.'
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed workers at the nation’s airports and those in the 163 countries that are members of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to subject the
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, to ridicule for inviting thugs against workers during a “lawful protest” in his house.
Rising from its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting last night, the congress demanded what it called unreserved apology from the minister for his action.
It also advised the government to ensure that the minister was not reappointed into the next cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari.
NLC President Ayuba Wabba addressed reporters yesterday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, after the meeting.
He said the minister’s action indicated that he was not fit to occupy a public office and should not be reappointed in the next administration.
Wabba said Ngige has no right to change the appointment by President Buhari on the excuse that he did not recommend Chief Frank Kokori to head the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) board.
The labour leader said the real reason the minister opposed Kokori was because the veteran labour leader cannot be compromised.
He stressed that since the minister had been talking about corruption at NSITF, the government should set up a judicial commission of enquiry to verify the actual corrupt persons in the agency.
Wabba said even after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigation into the financial activities of the previous board in which a Permanent Secretary in the ministry was charged, NLC’s representatives on the NSITF board were not found wanting.
“Who are the actual corrupt people in NSITF? Is the board that has not been inaugurated or it is the minister?” he queried.
Wabba said the NLC had sent messages to workers in the 163 countries with ITUC membership to embarrass the minister, especially at airports where workers operate.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ilorin Zonal Office, Thursday arrested a member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebayo Muhammed, over alleged offences bordering on obtaining N4 million under false pretence.
Muhammed, who is representing Malete/Ipuru Constituency in the State Assembly, was said to have sometime in 2015 sold some plots of land which did not belong to him, to a group of teachers and issued receipts to the buyers in the name of a non-existent company.
It was further alleged that he has resisted all attempts by his victims to recover their money.
EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade, said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja.
He added, “The complainants, Mary Kolade, Ezekiel Babatunde, Felicia Adebiyi, Grace Awolola, Julius Omole and Abiodun Balogun alleged that the suspect sold plots of land to them, which he claimed to be the owner but they later discovered that the land belonged to the Federal Ministry of Land and Housing.
“After paying about N4million (Four Million Naira) to the lawmaker, we decided to carry out survey on the plots of land, so as to put our survey number in the Deed of Transfer between him and us but only to discover through the officials of the Kwara State Ministry of Land and Housing that the said plots of land belonged to the Federal Ministry of Land and Housing.
“Other people who also wanted to develop the plots of land he sold to them were equally barred from constructing anything on it.”
Orilade affirmed that Muhammed would soon be charged to court upon the completion of investigations.
Gboyega Oyetola, Governor of Osun State on Thursday said his electoral victory at the Court of Appeal was an indication that the truth had prevailed.
Oyetola in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Adeniyi Adesina, said in Osogbo that the victory had validated the mandate the people of the state freely gave to him in September 2018.
Oyetola said: “You spoke with conviction; your voice and choice are clear to the world, and the judiciary, the last hope of the people and arbiter of the truth, has proved to the world that it is always on the side of justice.
“After months of uncertainty and waiting in judicial wilderness, truth has finally prevailed over falsehood and the voice of the majority has ultimately gained dominance over the phony attempts to manipulate justice.
“Today’s victory has proved to all and sundry that there is a limit to the extent to which falsehood and propaganda could be used to suppress the truth and the will of the people.
“I would like to thank you all, the good people of The State of Osun, for your robust support and steadfastness throughout the needless periods of political travail and tribulation.
“I am persuaded by your indisputable mandate and the sound judgment of the Court of Appeal that the road to ultimate victory is smooth and unshakable.
“My administration took off on a note of equitable and quality service delivery to the people of our dear state. That resolve is on course.
“I urge you all to be peaceful and to go about your legitimate businesses as we revel in this well-deserved victory.
“I seize this opportunity to once again ask for the cooperation of all the citizens, partners, and friends of the State of Osun as we move forward with the state’s development agenda,” Oyetola said.
One of the co-founders of Facebook called on Thursday for the social media behemoth to be broken up, warning that the company’s head, Mark Zuckerberg, had become far too powerful.
“It’s time to break up Facebook,” said Chris Hughes, who along with Zuckerberg founded the online network in their dorm room while both were students at Harvard University in 2004.
In an editorial published in The New York Times, Hughes said that Zuckerberg’s “focus on growth led him to sacrifice security and civility for clicks,” and warned that his global influence had become “staggering.”
Zuckerberg not only controls Facebook but also the widely used Instagram and WhatsApp platforms, and Hughes said that “Facebook’s board works more like an advisory committee than an overseer.”
Hughes, who quit Facebook more than a decade ago, was pictured in the newspaper together with Zuckerberg when both were fresh-faced students launching Facebook as a campus networking tool.
He accused Facebook of acquiring or copying all of its competitors to achieve dominance in the social media field, meaning that investors were reluctant to back any rivals because they know they cannot compete for long.
Zuckerberg “has created a leviathan that crowds out entrepreneurship and restricts consumer choice,” wrote Hughes, who is now a member of the Economic Security Project, which is pushing for a universal basic income in the United States.
After buying up its main competitors Instagram, where people can publish photos, and WhatsApp, a secure messaging service, Facebook now has 2.7 billion monthly users across its platforms and made a first quarter profit of $2.43 billion this year.
“The most problematic aspect of Facebook’s power is Mark’s unilateral control over speech. There is no precedent for his ability to monitor, organize and even censor the conversations of 2 billion people,” said Hughes.
The company has been rocked by a series of scandals recently, including allowing its users’ data to be harvested by research companies and its slow response to Russia using Facebook as a means to spread disinformation during the 2016 U.S. election campaign.
The company is reportedly expecting to face a fine of $5 billion.
“The American government needs to do two things: break up Facebook’s monopoly and regulate the company to make it more accountable to the American people,” Hughes said, urging the government to break away Instagram and WhatsApp and prevent new acquisitions for several years.
“Even after a breakup, Facebook would be a hugely profitable business with billions to invest in new technologies — and a more competitive market would only encourage those investments,” he said.
Hughes said the breakup, under existing anti-trust laws, would allow better privacy protections for social media users and would cost U.S. authorities almost nothing.
Hughes said that he remained friends with Zuckerberg, noting that “he’s human. But it’s his very humanity that makes his unchecked power so problematic.”
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Imo State Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old single mother, Nneka Donatus, who allegedly sold her baby girl a day after putting to bed.
The mother of the baby, who spoke to newsmen at the command headquarters in Owerri on Thursday, confessed that she used part of the proceeds to buy a phone, wrapper and slippers for herself.
Also arrested was a level 12 civil servant at the state Ministry of Women Affairs, Ujunwa Udechukwu, 40; and Nneoma Onwusereaka, 37; who allegedly conspired with the single mother to sell the baby to a couple.
She explained that while she bought a phone, wrapper and slippers for herself, she wanted to use what remained of the money to start a business.
The woman, who spoke in her native dialect, said, “I sold my baby girl for N600,000 and used N15,000 from the money to buy a phone, wrapper and slippers and transported myself back home.
“I asked Nneoma Onwusereaka and her husband, who had the balance to use it to start a business for me. I have five children already and I am separated from my former husband.”
A civil servant, who was arrested in connection with the crime, said she was rewarded with N10,000 for connecting the buyer with the seller.
The 40-year-old civil servant admitted that she made a mistake, adding that the N10,000 was paid into her account the following day.
A police source told journalists while the single mother put to bed on March 28, the day old baby was sold for N600,000 on March 29 at Ezinachi in the Okigwe LGA of Imo State.
Comedian Freddie Starr posted an emotional update on Facebook just days before he was found dead at his Costa del Sol bolthole telling his followers he was 'getting tired now'.
The 76-year-old entertainer, who fled to Spain in 2015 after being hit with a £960,000 legal bill defending historic s-x attack accusations, was discovered at 3pm yesterday lying naked on the floor by his carer.
The chain-smoker, who had battled with health problems and had a quadruple heart bypass following a heart attack in 2010, was last saw alive in the morning and is believed to have died of natural causes.
Just days before his death he posted on Facebook to thank his fans for their support and give them an update on his condition, following his long-running health issues.
'Hello everyone hope everyone is ok? Me yes I'm ok getting tired more now but otherwise I'm doing good,' he wrote on Wednesday last week.
'I just have to say thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all the kind comments and messages it really does mean a lot so thank you to each and everyone of you thanks so much. Freddie.'
Tributes have flooded in for the entertainer who one of the biggest comic stars of the 70s, 80s and 90s and was loved for his wild and unpredictable behaviour on stage.
The Senate on Thursday rejected a bill proposing the establishment of Maritime University of Nigeria, Lokoja in Kogi.
The rejection followed presentation of the bill by the sponsor, Sen. Isaac Alfa (PDP-Kogi).
The bill, which was listed for second reading, was rejected by the lawmakers through voice vote.
While making their contributions, the lawmakers had advised the sponsor of the bill to withdraw it following several reasons including the need for more work to be done.
Alfa however, refused to withdraw the bill, saying he had done a lot of work on it.
He urged the lawmakers not to attach geographical location and other sentiments to the bill.
Sen Barau Jibrin (Kano North) noted that there was a new federal university in Lokoja while suggesting that the proposed maritime university should be sited in another riverine community of the same state.
Sen. Olusola Adeyeye (APC-Osun), said there was no need for the university, adding that universities across the country were poorly funded.
“You create universities and get under funding. I will continue to oppose every new university until old ones are funded.
“Let the universities in the maritime areas create maritime faculties. We should not embark on 419 for our children until old ones are funded,” Adeyeye said.
Sen. Biodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti), said the sponsor of the bill should withdraw it for more work.
In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, put it to a voice vote and the nays had it.
The Lagos State Police Command on Thursday exhumed four corpses dumped in a septic tank in Ikorodu area of Lagos.
Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of the four persons.
A statement issued by Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bala Elkana said on 14 March, 2019, at about 5:50pm, the command received a complaint from Ikorodu area that some unidentified persons approached one Alhaji Yakubu Musa and Alhaji Hassan Umaru, both operators of Bureau de Change at Benson area, Ikorodu and informed them that they have a relation who returned from overseas and needed to sell 10,000 US Dollars.
“They initially requested that payment will be made in a bank in Ikorodu but on getting to the bank, the suspects moved the operators to an unknown destination and started demanding for ransom from their friends and relatives. That despite paying the sum of one million, six hundred thousand Naira as ransom, the abductors refused to release the victims and nothing more was heard from them. The victims phones remained switched off,” he explained.
Elkana said the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu detailed the Commander, Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) to carryout an in depth investigation into the matter with a view of rescuing the victims and apprehending the suspects.
He disclosed that operatives from SARS, Ipakodo base led by SP Godfrey Soriwei arrested three suspects, namely; Oluwatosin Olanrewaju, 40; Mayowa Olawuni, a.k.a General and Babatunde Idris, a.k.a Aloma.
“The suspects confessed to the commission of the crime and led operatives to their den in Ikorodu where they dumped the corpses in a septic tank. Two locally made single barrel guns with five live cartridges, one locally made gun with three ammunition, one locally made revolver pistol with three live ammunition, one cutlass, one axe and some charms were recovered from them.
“Investigation revealed that the suspects had at various times used the abandoned company as their den, where all their targets are killed and dumped in the septic tank. As part of the investigation, four decomposed bodies were today, recovered from the septic tank for autopsy.
“The suspects confessed to have killed the other two rival cult members and dumped them in the septic tank before killing the two Bureau de change operators. They are currently assisting the police in the arrest of the other fleeing members of the gang. Investigation is ongoing, suspects will be charged to Court as soon as investigation is completed,” Elkana said.
