NAF graduates another set of six instructor pilots at 401 Flying Training School, Kaduna

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Friday, 17 July 2020, graduated another set of Instructor Pilots (IPs) at the 401 Flying Training School (401 FTS) Kaduna.

The IP Course 12/2020 Course had 6 participants, comprising one Wing Commander, 2 Flight Lieutenants and 3 Flying Officers drawn from different platforms and units in the NAF, who completed the intensive 4-month training.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, represented by the Commandant Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Abdulganiu Olabisi, noted that 401 FTS had continued to fulfil its statutory role of providing effective flying training for almost 40 years as evidenced by the quality of its graduands over the years.

He, therefore, implored the school not to rest on its oars but to continue to strive towards more realistic training consistent with the operational imperatives in today’s aviation industry, producing the next generation of NAF aviators.

While congratulating the graduands for marking another significant milestone in their careers, the CAS reminded them that, as critical elements in the operational cycle, they must endeavour to contribute their quota to the upliftment of the standard of student pilots’ training thereby enhancing effectiveness of operations in the Service.

He also urged the graduands to work harder, read wider and fly with more precision in order to satisfy quest for knowledge of their students and set the right example.

“I can assure you that if you are prepared to do these, then you will find fulfilment in the job that you do and enjoy the rest of your flying career”, he added.

The CAS, therefore, enjoined them to seize the opportunities available to make a positive impact in the NAF and leave a legacy for their students who would remember them for the rest of their Service lives.

The CAS also commended the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, (AOC ATC) the Commander 401 FTS, IPs and other staff for their hard work and unflinching drive towards churning out yet another batch of new IPs for the NAF.

The CAS assured them that the Service, on its part, would continue to support their activities within available resources to provide result-oriented training.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Commander 401 FTS, Group Captain Nasiru Saidu, while thanking the CAS for his unrelenting support to the Unit, stated that the 6 Student Instructor Pilots (SIPs), who were drawn from various operational Units in the NAF, completed the IP course with high levels of airmanship and were therefore ready for deployment to both DA-40NG and Super Mushshak aircraft as instructors.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the presentation of Certificates and Badges to the Graduands.

Also present at the event were the representative of the AOC ATC, Deputy Director Operations HQ NAF, Principal Staff Officers of ATC as well as Commanders and Commandants of co-located NAF Units in Kaduna.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/naf-graduates-another-set-of-six.html

How kidnappers buried three victims alive in Rivers forest

Three corpses of kidnap victims have again been exhumed in Rivers state, this time, from a forest in Bera, Gokana Local Government Area (LGA) where suspected killers led the police.

The kidnap victims, Baridomale Sunday Tor, Baridon Gbarabera and Barisiton Nawee were said to have been buried alive with mouths and hands tied to their back by their abductors 14 March, 2020.

The suspected killers claimed they subjected the victims to the gruesome murder for reporting oil theft and perpetrators in the community.

The development comes barely two days after similar decomposing body of Dinebari Ereba Gospel, a potable water producing engineer, was recovered found in a forest in Alesa, Eleme LGA where separate kidnappers tied him to die in a three even after collecting One Million Naira ransom from relatives.

The two suspected killers of the latest victims, Prophet and Barididum Dabama a.k.a ‘kill and bury’, admitted the heinous crime at the scene of exhumation of the decomposing bodies.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni said the anti cultism unit of the State Command through intelligence gathering arrested the suspects who led the unit to the forest.

Omoni said the command under Commissioner of Police (CP) Joseph Mukan is determined than ever to end all crimes in Rivers.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/how-kidnappers-buried-three-victims.html

Tears Of Joy! Single Mother Who Hawks Pure-water Receives New Apartment, Cash Gift

A single mother of four who makes a living by selling pure water couldn't hide her joy after she received an apartment, and GHc 7,500 (N504,988.26) to get herself established.

Vida Nsor got the new apartment and cash gift from Stvafrica foundation. The foundation also aired the sachet water hawker’s story on their social media platforms.



The foundation revealed they were touched to offer their helping hand after watching the way she struggled to take care of herself and her children.

According to reports, several people donated huge amounts to the single mom, but an anonymous philanthropist went the extra mile to give the woman an apartment in addition.

With tears in her eyes, the woman showered blessings on everyone who partook in changing her life for the better.

Man Beheads His Friend After Seeing His N13Million Account Balance

A 29-year-old man has paid the supreme price for telling his friend about a huge sum his South Africa based elder brother sent to him for the completion of his (elder brother’s) housing project back home in Nigeria.

Abuchi Wisdom Nwachukwu, was allegedly murdered by Moses, his friend and colleague, after informing the latter that his elder brother had sent him the sum of N13 million to complete his housing project.



Nwachukwu, a native of Isiala-Mbano, Imo State, was allegedly hacked to death by Moses on January 7, 2020, during a night shift at the table water company where they worked in Auchi, Edo State, after which he took possession of Nwachukwu’s phone and ATM card.

Moses also went on to behead Nwachukwu’s lifeless body so that it would be recognized, dumping the headless body in a bush close to the company.

After getting rid of Nwachukwu, Moses took the latter’s phone and ATM card to some internet fraudsters in Auchi who helped him to withdraw the sum of N2.2 million from Nwachukwu’s account.

Thereafter, Moses approached various POS points in the city to withdraw various sums of money.

The police were puzzled when they Nwachukwu’s headless body but could not identify him. They took the body to the mortuary while Nwachukwu’s relatives in Imo State as well as his brother in South Africa worried about his sudden disappearance and their inability to reach him on the phone.

His South Africa based brother was said to have written a petition to the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, months after he could not locate his brother or hear from him. Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), headed by Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, swung into action to unravel the mystery behind Nwachukwu’s disappearance.

It was gathered that weeks into their investigation IRT operatives were able to trace the POS transactions Moses did with Nwachukwu’s ATM cards to Benin, Ore and Auchi parts of Edo State.

They later arrested him in a hotel in Auchi where he was hiding.

Upon interrogation, Moses admitted killing Nwachukwu. He also led IRT operatives to arrest suspected internet fraudsters—Yusuf Sagiru, Tony Bright and Terence Okochukwu—as well as businessman Jahswill Ogbonnaya, who were said to have helped Moses to pull out the sum of N6 million from the account.

Upon interrogation, Moses a 27-year-old native of Auchi, said his friend’s ghost had been hunting him since the day he killed him.

The Auchi Polytechnic graduate of Mechanical Engineering said: “I work in a table water company in Abely area of Auchi, and I have been working in that company in the last four years.

“When Nwachukwu got a job in the factory, I was the person who taught him how to operate the machine, so we became very close friends.

“While we were working, Nwachukwu told me about his brother who lives in South Africa and how he has been sending money to build his house for him.

“He showed me the alert for the N13 million his brother had just sent to him, saying that he would be travelling to his village to carry out the project. I felt jealous and I decided to steal the money.

“Since we were friends, I tricked him and collected his phone password. I went through it and found the PIN for his ATM card.

“Few days before the day he would be travelling, we worked on the same shift. I lured him outside the company, stabbed him with a knife and killed him.

“I dragged his body into the bush, and because I don’t want people to recognise him easily, I cut off his neck and buried it. Then I took his ATM card to some fraudsters. I gave it to one Yusuf and told him that I needed to hack the account.

“We withdrew N2.2 million from the account. I had trouble with Yusuf because he and the people he brought in wanted to cheat me.

“I killed him on January 8, 2020 and travelled to Ore and Benin City. I stayed in several hotels and was carrying different women, but Nwachukwu’s spirit started disturbing me.

“Whenever I want to sleep, the boy’s spirit will appear to me and will be crying. The girls that were with me would run away, saying that I want to use them for money ritual.”

Dekunle Fuji speaks on his spiritual battles... how he lost his memory in US

Gospel artiste, Dekunle Fuji, after a long silence has spoken up about what took him to the US, how he changed his name and how his band member jazzed him using his clothes.

He spoke about the many attacks he had, how he lost his memory and how none of his friends remembered he existed again. Speaking to Saturday Beats, the once famous singer said;

“When my performance at ‘The Experience’ concert flopped some years back, I kept asking myself what went wrong. The instrumentalists didn’t remember everything that we rehearsed. Meanwhile, I had fasted for 21 days prior to the programme. But what happened? The devil struck. I then decided to take a two-week break to cool off. When I got to the airport, I saw Pastor Paul Adefarasin (one of the organisers of the Experience concert), and he told me that what happened to me was a (spiritual) attack.


“I actually didn’t plan to relocate. I just needed a break. However, I couldn’t remember many things and I couldn’t find my passport. When I got to the US, the phone I went with spoilt. It was like everything was working against me.  None of my friends actually remembered that I existed. I asked myself, ‘How did I get here’?  I then thought perhaps, it was time for me to start a new life and I started bearing Michael. I recall that a white woman once saw me and told me God brought me out of Nigeria so I wouldn’t die a premature death.”

Recounting his experience, the singer said, “God started restoring me four years ago when a friend asked me to help him pick someone from Nigeria at the airport. I didn’t know the person I picked up was a prophet. He told me that one of my backup singers used my cloth to fight me. It was then I started regaining my memory. So, I decided to call the person in question on the phone. When he picked my call, he started crying, saying I should forgive him. He said he used my cloth to do certain diabolic things. He also confessed that it was one of my band boys that took him to the place where he charmed me.”

Dekunle Fuji, who now ministers to drug addicts and the homeless, said he prayed for Davido when he saw a vision that something evil was about to happen to him. He added, “Early this year, I saw (a vision) that something bad was about to happen to Davido and I said he must not die. I had to pray for him. I don’t know him personally and I’m not looking for friendship. I am glad that the death has now passed over him. He (Davido) should find a way to go to church and have a relationship with God. If I have the chance to talk to him, that is what I would tell him.”

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/dekunle-fuji-speaks-on-his-spiritual.html

Airforce begins investigation into Flying Officer Arotile’s death, detains two persons

Following the complaint by the family of late NAF Helicopter Combat Pilot, Flying Officer Tolulope Arotille, through her elder sister, Mrs Damilola Adegboye that the death of the combat pilot was suspicious and should be investigated, authorities of the Nigerian Air Force said on Friday night that discreet investigations have commenced into circumstances surrounding her death.

Also, the pan Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, on Thursday raised suspicion over the death of the female officer, rejecting the road accident explanation and calling for a Coroner’s Inquest into her death.

Vanguard gathered that towards this end, two persons are said to have been detained in Kaduna while Provost Officers are discreetly working to unearth the conversations she had on her phone on the day of the incident.


A source in Kaduna said the action of the NAF is to ensure there are no loopholes in the immediate and remote reasons that caused Tolulope’s death.

Recall that Flying Officer, Tolulope Arotile was killed after a road accident involving a former school mate

The NAF said the female officer sustained head injuries from the accident when she was “inadvertently hit by the reversing vehicle of an excited former Air Force secondary school classmate while trying to greet her.”

Mrs Adegboye had in an interview disclosed that the explanation given by the Nigerian Airforce that allegedly led to Flying Officer Arotile’s death was not convincing enough.

She had said, “We in the family are not convinced Tolu can just die like that in a freak accident. I know that the military is well trained in the art of investigations. We want them to carry out a thorough investigation that can convince us beyond all reasonable doubts that the incident that led to her death was real.

Mrs Adegboye hinged the family’s suspicion of the fact that Tolu and herself were in the room on the day of the incident, ” A call came into her phone which she picked but from the way they spoke, I knew the caller must be a senior officer calling her to come to Airforce Base. She felt reluctant and I offered to drop her off”.

“One hour later, I saw the story online that something serious has happened to her. I couldn’t believe that somebody I just dropped off was dead”.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, noted that at the end of the investigation, “whatever information needs to go out will go out”.

“It is standard practice. So, we are investigating the circumstances leading to her death by a road traffic accident. It is an investigation. It may go beyond NAF.”

Already, the NAF has said the late Flying Officer Arotile would be given a Military burial on Thursday, July 23, at the National Military Cemetery, Abuja, with full military honours.

Arotile, a member of the Nigerian Defence Academy Regular Course 64, hailed from Iffe in the Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State and contributed to the efforts to rid the North-Central states of bandits and other criminal elements by flying combat missions.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/airforce-begins-investigation-into.html

Tope Alabi, TY Bello, Sammie Okposo, Mike Aremu, others to honour Ibidunni Ighodalo at 40

Tope Alabi, TY Bello, Sammie Okposo, Mike Aremu and other Gosel artistes will today honour late Ibidun Ighodalo who would have turned 40 today if she were to be alive.

Ibidun had planned to help 40 families looking for children get one through medical assistance, saying that would be a more appropriate way of marking her 40th birthday.

In her honour and in celebration of her 40th posthumous birthday, at least 29 gospel artistes will perform online today from 8pm to 12am.

Other artistes to perform are Tosin Alao, Ron Kenoly, Muyiwa Olanrewanju, Kunle Ayo, BJ Sax, Ibiayo Jeje, Alabi Oke, Psalmos, Efe Nathan, Yetunde Are, Seyi Ajayi, among others.

The event is tagged Global Worship Concert.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/tope-alabi-ty-bello-sammie-okposo-mike.html

Akinyele killings: 50-year-old herbalist gives me N500 anytime I kill my victims

Following the manhunt launched by the Oyo State Police Command to apprehend the culprits in connection with killings at the Akinyele axis of the state, the suspected serial killer of the innocent victims has confessed on how he was able to catch on his targets.

While parading the suspected criminals at the police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan on Friday, one of the suspects, Sunday Sodipe (19 years), disclosed that a certain herbalist who he worked for, Adedokun Yinusa Ajani (50 years), was the one sending him on such assignments.

He explained that anytime he wanted to go for the operation, the herbalist would instruct him to kneel down in front of him and he (Ajani) would make some incantations and then put something on his tongue three times.

The suspected serial killer said whenever he located his victims, he would hit them with a shovel and when they laid in a pool of their blood, he would make some incantations and move around the body three times and then back it. Sunday said he would back the body for about five minutes with his eyes closed before leaving the scene.

When asked if he was not afraid that anybody could come around while backing the body, the suspected serial killer said the herbalist had told him that nobody would come around during the period.

He said after the operation, he would return to the herbalist, who would make some incantations again. He confessed that he had carried out five of such operations and anytime he returned to the herbalist, the 50-year-old would have bought food for him and would give him N500.

When asked for the reasons for the killings, Sunday said he didn’t know as it was the herbalist who was just sending him on such errands. In his reaction, while speaking with a journalist, the herbalist, whom Sodipe said usually send him on the killing spree, denied ever knowing him (Sodipe).

The herbalist said Sunday’s mother brought him to his house some time ago that he was a wayward child and he did some spiritual work for him. He, however, said that after two months, she returned with the boy, asking him to learn how to become a herbalist.

“He had only spent six days with me when I told him to leave because I was not satisfied with his behaviour and it was not long after that that I was arrested by the police,” Ajani stated. Earlier, the state Commissioner of Police, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, had narrated how the police achieved the feat by arresting the suspects.

Enwonwu said the crimes coincided with the period he assumed office as the commissioner of police in the state and he immediately swung into action in a bid to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The police commissioner said the mobile phone of one of the victims was recovered from one Shehu Usman by the police,” and upon interrogation, the suspect denied his involvement in the crime but gave useful information which subsequently led to the arrest of Sodipe and Ajani.”

Enwonwu said the suspects were responsible for the killings of Wasilat Adeola, Barakat Bello, Grace Oshiagwu, Mojeed Tirimisiyu, who was just five years old, and the attack on Adeola Azeez and her daughter, Dolapo Oyeyemi, who both survived.

Recovered from the suspects are a hand shovel, a Techno mobile phone, an iPhone Xs Max and one itel phone. Four other suspected ritualists were also arrested at Akinyele Local Government Area. The main suspect, Abiodun Oladejo (35), was allegedly responsible for the killing of a woman, Oluwasayo Fagbemi, who was killed in front of her house at Sasa area on June 24, while washing plates at about 5:40 a.m.

Three other suspects were also arrested in connection with the killing and another attempted murder case. While speaking, Olasoji confessed how he killed his victim with a stick and wiped her blood with a handkerchief for ritual purposes.

Also, among those paraded by the police was a suspected rapist, Idowu Ajayi, who allegedly raped a 42-year-old physically-challenged woman, Kemi Adeniji, with three other suspects who are still at large. The suspect, however, denied participating in the criminal act, as he claimed he was in his shop when the incident occurred.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/akinyele-killings-50-year-old-herbalist.html

Nigerians react as Tiwa Savage ignores Wizkid on his birthday

Tiwa Savage and wizkid are one of the closest buddies in the Nigerian music industry no doubt, as there were even rumours the both were dating.

However, wizkid celebrated his 30th birthday on July 16th and that was the talk of the town.

All celebrities, and fans wished Wizkid a happy birthday on all social media but to everyone's surprise, Tiwa savage did not wish his bestie a happy birthday and Nigerians are worried.

See some of the reactions below:

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/nigerians-react-as-tiwa-savage-ignores.html

Three policemen chasing hoodlums drown in Oyo

The Oyo State Police Command has lost three constables who drowned in a bridge washed away by flood on Balogun Street in Oyo town.

The policemen, attached from Oyo Atiba Police Division, trailed some hoodlums to the area when the thugs started running towards the bridge.

According to an eyewitness, one of the hoodlums reportedly jumped into the water and the policemen jumped after him during which the officers drowned.

The witness, who gave his name as Okunola Abbas said, “On Sunday, July 12, some policemen from Oyo Atiba division were passing through Balogun Street in Oyo town and saw some hoodlums smoking weed in the area.

“The area is notorious for hooliganism. The policemen parked their van and four of them started running after the hoodlums. So, being their base and knowing the area well, the hoodlums jumped into the flooded bridge. The policemen chased one of the hoodlums to the bridge and three of them jumped after him.

“They were not lucky as they were swallowed up by the mud. It was later that a bulldozer was used to bring their corpses out.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Olugbenga Fadeyi, confirmed the incident, adding that four suspects had been arrested by the police over the incident.

He said, “The policemen carried out a raid. They went to a criminal hideout in the area. Some of the hoodlums ran and one of them jumped and entered a canal. The policemen followed them.

“Unfortunately, the policemen drowned. It was a painful loss for us. The suspected criminal and three others have been arrested and we are still investigating them. It was based on a tipoff that our men went to the criminal hideout. The hoodlums had been disturbing the area. The report before me is that they are suspected criminals and investigations will reveal more details later.”

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/three-policemen-chasing-hoodlums-drown.html

Comedian Taaooma completes NYSC

Talented comedian, Mariam Apaokagi popularly known as Taaooma has shared some pictures on social media to celebrate her NYSC Passing Out Parade.

The screen diva who has built great fans on social media through her educative and hilarious comedy skits on Instagram studied Tourism, hospitality, and event Management from Kwara state University.

Sharing the good news on her Instagram, Taaooma via the caption noted how glad she is to have been able to complete her one-year mandatory service without any hitch.

She wrote: “Alhamdulilah!!! I can’t thank God enough, God bless God NYSC Kapeesh We move!”

View this post on Instagram

Alhamdulilah!!! I can’t thank God enough, God bless God 😭😭 NYSC Kapeesh 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 We move !

A post shared by Apaokagi Maryam (@taaooma) on Jul 17, 2020 at 5:51am PDT

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/comedian-taaooma-completes-nysc.html

Sexual Harassment Saga: Akpabio Sues Joi Nunieh

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said he has instructed his lawyers to seek necessary redress in a court of competent jurisdiction on his behalf over the defamatory statements made by the former acting managing director of the Interim Management Committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Ms Joi Nunieh.



Ms Nunieh in an interview with newsmen had raised some accusations against the former governor of Akwa-Ibom.

But in a statement signed Thursday in Abuja by Akpabio special assistant on media, Anietie Ekong, described all the allegations as “cornucopia of false, malicious and libellous,” adding that the Minister will seek redress in a Court of law.

The statement said: “The Honourable Minister’s initial attitude was to allow his lawyers and the judicial system vindicate him of the false allegations against him, but he is compelled to react to some of the wayward allegations levied against his person by Ms Nunieh, especially the one bothering on sexual harassment.

“To start with, let it be known that there is no scintilla of truth in all the allegations peddled around by Ms Nunieh. They are simply false! The Honourable Minister did not at any time, place or circumstance make any form of sexual advances to Ms Nunieh, not even to put himself in a position or posture suggestive of sexual advances towards Ms Nunieh, or any female staff of his Ministry or the NDDC.

“For the records, the Honourable Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON, is happily married and contented with his wife. Together they are blessed with children, four (4) of whom are young women. The Honourable Minister is an avid believer of the Affirmative Action and that was visible in the appointments he made as a two (2) term Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State between 2007 and 2015."

Why US Police Arrests Gokada Founder's PA For His Murder

The personal assistant of Fahim Saleh, who was found decapitated and dismembered in his Manhattan apartment this week was arrested early on Friday and is expected to be charged in the grisly killing, according to two officials briefed on the matter.

Tech entrepreneur, Fahim Saleh, 33, was discovered dead on Tuesday afternoon by his sister inside his $2.25 million apartment in a luxury building on the Lower East Side, the police said.

She had gone to check in on him after not hearing from him for about a day.



She found a gruesome scene: Mr. Saleh’s head and limbs had been removed, and parts of his body had been placed in large plastic bags. An electric saw was still plugged in nearby.

The personal assistant, Tyrese Devon Haspil, 21, was expected to be charged in a criminal complaint with second degree murder and other crimes.

According to New York Times, detectives believe that the motive for the killing stemmed from Mr. Saleh having discovered that the assistant had stolen tens of thousands of dollars from him, despite the fact that Mr. Saleh had not reported the man and had set up what amounted to a repayment plan for him to return the money, one of the officials said.

Investigators have also concluded that Mr. Saleh was killed on Monday, the day before his body was found, and that the killer returned the next day to Mr. Saleh’s apartment on East Houston Street to dismember the body and clean up the crime scene.

Detectives believe that the killer, dressed in a black three-piece suit, white shirt and tie, wearing a black mask and carrying a duffle bag, followed Mr. Saleh off an elevator in his building and into his apartment, a law enforcement official said. He used a Taser to immobilize Mr. Saleh and then stabbed him to death.

Security video taken from inside the elevator shows the killer later using a battery-operated portable vacuum cleaner in an apparent effort to remove any traces of his presence, the official said.

New York City’s medical examiner announced on Thursday that Mr. Saleh had died from multiple stab wounds to his neck and torso. Initially, a law enforcement official had described the killing as a “hit” and said it looked “like a professional job.”

Detectives investigating the murder believe the killer’s work dismembering the body was interrupted when Mr. Saleh’s sister buzzed from the building’s lobby, another official said, prompting him to flee through the apartment’s back door and into a stairwell before the sister arrived.

Mr. Saleh’s family said in a statement on Wednesday that the gruesome killing was so shocking it was unfathomable.

“Fahim is more than what you are reading,” the family said. “He is so much more. His brilliant and innovative mind took everyone who was a part of his world on a journey and he made sure never to leave anyone behind.”

Mr. Saleh was born in Saudi Arabia to Bangladeshi parents who eventually settled near Poughkeepsie, N.Y., a small city on the Hudson River.

After graduating from Bentley University in Waltham, Mass., in 2009, he built an app called PrankDial that allowed users to send prerecorded prank calls. Mr. Saleh said he eventually built PrankDial into a $10 million business.

Mr. Saleh went on to found Pathao, a motorcycle ride-sharing start-up in Bangladesh. He left that company in 2018 to begin a similar venture in Nigeria, an app known as Gokada.

At the time of his death, Mr. Saleh was the chief executive of Gokada and oversaw a shift in its business during a turbulent time. In February, Nigerian officials began enforcing a ban on motorcycle taxis in major commercial and residential parts of the country’s largest city, Lagos.

Gokada was forced to halt its ride-hailing business and laid workers off, but Mr. Saleh pivoted the company to focus on food and parcel delivery and business logistics.

“Fahim’s passion for Nigeria and its youth was immeasurable,” Gokada said in a statement. “He believed young Nigerians were extremely bright and talented individuals who would flourish if just given the right opportunity.”

Mr. Saleh was also the founding partner in a Manhattan-based venture capital fund, Adventure Capital, that invested in similar transit start-ups in Colombia and Bangladesh.

600 New Cases Of Coronavirus In Nigeria, Total Now 35,454

In the last 24 hours, 600 new cases of COVID19 were reported in Nigeria;
Lagos-129, FCT-118, Oyo-87, Kano-55, Benue-42, Enugu-35, Kwara-28, Imo-16, Ogun-13, Kaduna-12, Ondo-12, Delta-11, Edo-11, Plateau-8, Nasarawa-6, Ekiti-6, Niger-6, Borno-4, Abia-4, Gombe-3.

A total of 35,454 confirmed cases in Nigeria. The breakdown;

Ex personal security chief to Mark Zuckerberg is again accused of using racist and sexist language in the workplace

Facebook CEO's Mark Zuckerberg's former personal security chief has again been accused of racist and s3xist workplace conduct, a year after he stepped down in the face of similar claims.

Liam Booth, a former Secret Service agent who once served in President Barack Obama's personal protection detail, resigned from Zuckerberg's family office in 2019 following a probe into s3xual harassment and racism complaints.

Now, three former and current staffers at the secretive family office, called West Street, have leveled fresh claims against Booth in sworn statements reported by Business Insider.

A spokesperson for Zuckerberg said that an outside investigation had found nothing to substantiate the allegations, calling them the baseless claims of disgruntled ex-employees seeking a legal payday.


There have been no accusations of misconduct leveled at either Mark Zuckerberg or his wife personally. The allegations also do not relate to Facebook's workplace.

The new declarations alleging workplace misconduct were drawn up by the office of celebrity attorney Lisa Bloom, who is representing two former West Street employees in legal action against their former employer.

West Street manages the personal affairs of Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, including maintaining their sprawling estate in Hawaii and hiring nannies, chefs, and other household staff.

The newly revealed declarations accuse Booth, who headed up Zuckerberg's personal security, of shocking workplace behavior, according to Business Insider.

In one, a former senior manager of executive protection alleged that Booth told him Black Lives Matter movement was a 'terrorist organiZation,' and described a female worker, who is black, as a 'ghetto b***h,' a 'hoodrat,' and a 'c**t.'

In another declaration, a female security worker said that Booth 'stated that he was "tired of all the Black Lives Matter bulls**t,"' and that he 'often used the word "n*****" to label African Americans.'

Additionally, she alleged that Booth disparaged Chan, who is Asian, calling her 'a bad driver while deliberately making his eyes narrower.
'

She also claimed that Booth 'balked against Priscilla Chan's goal that the workforce be more diverse and employ more people of color.'

All three of the workers claimed in the declarations to have heard Booth make anti-gay remarks.

An administrative staffer said Booth 'made homophobic jokes' at the expense of a gay staffer, while the former senior manager of executive protection and the female security worker each said they heard him use the slur 'f*g.'

In prior demand letters sent by Bloom's law firm, Booth was also accused of slapping the crotch and groping the buttocks of a gay staffer at a July 2018 event.

The female administrative staffer said in her declaration that she was present at the event, and that she 'did observe Mr. Booth place his hands on [that staffer's] buttocks that night.'

'[He] told me that the nonconsensual touching made him uncomfortable,' she said of the gay staffer. She also alleged that Booth sexually harassed her that evening, wrapping his arm around her waist and sexually propositioning her.

Of the three declarations, two were signed by former West Street employees, and one by a current West Street employee.

Zuckerberg's personal spokesman, Ben LaBolt, told Business Insider that the current employee, the administrative staffer, had recanted some of the allegations in her declaration.

Last year, Booth resigned after an investigation into alleged workplace transgressions.

At the time, Booth was accused of making racist comments such as 'white lives matter more than black lives'.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/ex-personal-security-chief-to-mark.html

Gokada founder Fahim Saleh died of multiple stab wounds, medical examiner says

Fahim Salem, founder and CEO of Gokada, died of multiple stab wounds, New York City's medical examiner said on Thursday.

Saleh, 33, was found dead in his Manhattan's Lower East Side apartment earlier this week with his body dismembered.

An autopsy by the city's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Saleh died as a result of stab wounds to the neck and torso and found his manner of death to be homicide, a spokesperson told CNN.

Authorities are still investigating Saleh's death. He was last seen in surveillance video getting into an elevator in his apartment building and a man dressed in all black -- who police believe is Saleh's assailant -- entering the elevator with him, according to the law enforcement official.


The elevator in Saleh's building goes straight into the apartment units there, the source said.

Saleh was the founder and CEO of Gokada, a motorbike-hailing app in Nigeria. His family described him as a "brilliant and innovative mind" in a statement confirming his death.

"The headlines talk about a crime we still cannot fathom," the statement said.

"Fahim is more than what you are reading. He is so much more. His brilliant and innovative mind took everyone who was a part of his world on a journey and he made sure never to leave anyone behind.

"There are no words or actions to provide any of us comfort except the capture of the person who exhibited nothing short of evil upon our loved one."

As a high schooler, Saleh founded PrankDial.com, a website for prerecorded prank phone calls that, he wrote in 2018, had generated over $10 million since its start. He continued to build and sell sites throughout his teens and his time at Bentley University.

Most recently, he founded the venture capital firm Adventure Capital, which invested in ride-sharing start-ups in countries like Bangladesh and Colombia.

On Medium, where he blogged regularly, he called his founding of Gokada "one of the most out there things" he'd ever done. His limited knowledge of Nigeria's transportation system at first turned off Nigerians he tried to recruit for his start-up.

In 2019, Gokada raised $5.3 million in seed funding and hired over 800 drivers, but Gokada's business hit an unexpected drawback in February when Lagos state banned commercial motorcycles in the city.

Saleh filmed a plea on behalf of his employees to lift the ban as the company pivoted to delivery and was working toward launching a boat hailing service, he told CNN in February.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/gokada-founder-fahim-saleh-died-of.html

Court Orders EFCC To Return Bukola Saraki’s Houses

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday reversed its order forfeiting to the Federal Government two houses in Ilorin belonging to a former Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The court, in a judgment by Justice Rilwan Aikawa, released the houses back to Saraki, while dismissing an application by the EFCC seeking to permanently forfeit the houses to the Federal Government.



The EFCC had in December last year secured a court order for the interim forfeiture of the houses – Plots No. 10 and No. 11 Abdulkadir Road, GRA, Ilorin, Kwara State – after telling the court that they were acquired with proceeds of unlawful activities allegedly perpetrated by Saraki while he was Kwara State Governor between 2003 and 2011.

But attempts by the EFCC to convert the temporary forfeiture order to a permanent forfeiture order was vehemently resisted by Saraki, leading eventually to the discharge of the temporary forfeiture order on Thursday by Justice Aikawa.

The judge said he found no sufficient basis in the EFCC application and he could not “find my way through” to grant the permanent forfeiture order.

In its application, the EFCC had told the court how it received and investigated “a damning intelligence report, showing monumental fraud perpetrated in the treasury of the Kwara State Government between 2003 and 2011,” when Saraki was the governor of the state.

An operative of the EFCC, Olamide Sadiq said, “Whilst investigation was ongoing several fraudulent transactions were discovered.

“I know for a fact and verily believe that our investigation has revealed the following mind-boggling findings, among others:

“That between 2003 and 2011, Dr Olubukola Abubakar Saraki was the Executive Governor of Kwara State.

“That whilst he held the aforementioned position, the common pattern was that after payment of monthly allocation by the Federal Government to the Kwara State Government, a cumulative sum of not less than N100m will be deposited into the Kwara Government House account.

“That upon the payment of the said N100m, same will, in turn, be withdrawn in cash by one Mr Afeez Yusuf from the Kwara State Government House, Ilorin’s account in bits and brought to the Government House.”

But Saraki had, through his lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), described the EFCC suit as an abuse of court process and an attempt to scandalise him.

He argued that it was a ploy by the EFCC to review the July 6, 2018 decision of the Supreme Court “discharging the applicant from culpability arising from the same money and houses which are the subject matter of this action.”

The judge agreed with Saraki and dismissed EFCC's case.

President Buhari Reacts To The Drama In NDDC

Apparently piqued by recent dramas spinning out of the administration and investigations of activities within the Niger Delta Development Commission's (NDDC) President Muhmmadu Buhari has called for caution.

It would be recalled that recent interactions among officials of the NDDC, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, as well as the way they had related with the National Assembly, had made screaming negative news headlines in the last few days.

However, in his first public reaction to the NDDC saga, including revelations and relations with the National Assembly, President Buhari directed that activities be better coordinated among security and investigating agencies with the National Assembly.

According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President said the need for the call for caution became necessary to ensure that the administration’s effort to bring sanity, transparency and accountability to the management of the large amount of resources dedicated to development of the Niger Delta sub-region is not derailed.

In his reaction to the unfolding drama, which include attacks and counter attacks between and around persons, institutions, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), President Buhari expressed his strong determination to get to the root of the problem undermining the development of the Niger Delta and its peoples in spite of enormous national resources voted year after year for this singular purpose.

According to the directive, auditing firms and investigative agencies working in collaboration with National Assembly Committees to resolve the challenges in the NDDC must initiate actions in a time-bound manner and duly inform the Presidency of the actions being taken.

The President also directed timely sharing of information and knowledge in a way to speedily assist the administration to diagnose what had gone wrong in the past and what needs to be done to make corrections in order to return the NDDC to its original mandate of making life better for people in Niger Delta.

He said the administration wants to bring about “rapid, even and sustainable development to the region.”

The President gave firm assurance that his administration would put in place a transparent and accountable governance framework, not only in the NDDC but in all other institutions of government.

Fresh Yahoo Boy: EFCC Arrest Young Man, His Girlfriend & Mother

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Benin, Edo state, has arrested one Kenneth Gift, a student of the University of Port Harcourt, for allegedly engaging in internet fraud.

In a statement on Thursday, Dele Oyewale, the commission’s spokesperson, said the 22-year-old computer science undergraduate was arrested alongside Dandy Spice, his girlfriend, and Dorah Aninah, his mother, in Agbor, Delta state.



Oyewale said they were arrested following a petition received from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

“Their arrest was sequel to a petition from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, and intelligence by operatives of the Commission,” Oyewale said.

“Items recovered from them at the point of arrest include a 5-bedroom duplex, Mercedes-Benz CA250, Mercedes-Benz C250, Mercedes Benz GLK 350, laptop computers and mobile phones.”

“The suspects have made useful statements and will be charged to court as soon as investigations are complete,” the EFCC said.

Magu Responds To 15 Allegations Against Him (Full Details)

The suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has written to the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel to debunk allegations published in the media during his detention.

Magu, who was arrested on July 6 was released from detention on Wednesday.

Through his counsel, Wahab Shittu, he maintained his innocence, claiming that the allegations raised in the media reports were fabricated and aimed at tarnishing his image and rubbish the credibility and image of EFCC.



Magu denied ownership of any property in Dubai, while refuting report that some dollars and expensive jewelries and wrist watches were found in his house during a raid by security operatives.

He also said it was untrue that he gave N28 million or any amount to Mr Femi Falana SAN as maliciously reported. “Our client has never given the sum of N4billion or any sum at all to Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON, Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria as wrongly reported.

“This allegation is complete falsehood designed to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the Vice President and our client,” Magu noted on allegation that he gave money to Osinbajo.

President Muhammadu Buhari constituted the Justice Salami-led panel holding its sittings at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to probe various allegations leveled against Magu, following petitions by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the Department of State Service (DSS).

Malami’s memo allegedly accused Magu of diversion of recovered loot. The memo was said to contain 22 allegations against the embattled EFCC chairman.

President Buhari had on Friday approved the suspension of Magu as Acting Chairman of the EFCC through an announcement by the AGF and appointed the agency’s Director of Operations, Mohammed Umar, to take charge and oversee the activities of the Commission pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation by Justice Salami-led panel.

A day after his suspension, the presidency opened up on the reasons Magu was being investigated.

A presidential media aide, Garba Shehu, in an official statement issued on the suspension of Magu, said a series of documented allegations were made against him.

Shehu said there were grounds for a detailed investigation to be conducted, following a preliminary review of the allegations leveled against Magu and several other members of his staff.

He said an investigative panel was therefore constituted in compliance with the extant laws governing the convening of such a body.

Garba, who said Magu was being given an opportunity to defend himself, added that those insinuating that his probe signified the failure of the anti-corruption war had missed the point.

Read the full text of Mr Magu’s defence below: Attention: Hon Justice Isa Ayo Salami (Rtd), Gentlemen:

PUBLICATIONS PREJUDICIAL TO THE PROCEEDINGS OF THIS HONOURABLE PANEL
We act as Counsel of Choice to Mr Ibrahim Mustafa Magu, the suspended Acting Chairman of the EFCC hereinafter referred to as “Our Client” and on whose behalf and specific instructions we write as follows: This is a follow-up to our letter dated 10th July, 2020 on behalf of our client.

Please be advised that the attention of our client has been drawn to serial falsehood publications in the media in respect of matters which never featured in the proceedings of this Honourable Panel.

These falsehood publications being orchestrated in the media include the following:

NFIU SUBMITS REPORT ON MAGU’S FOREX TRANSACTIONS TO PANEL (SEE THE PUNCH OF TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2020)
This report was published in The PUNCH on Tuesday July 14, 2020. Our client states categorically that he has not been confronted on alleged illegal transactions and no such report was tendered by NFIU in any proceedings before this panel involving him till date.

Our client states categorically that the maximum forex transactions he has been involved in is the sum of $10,000 (Ten Thousand Dollars) till date. Our client also wishes to place on record that he has no link with Kaduna-based Bureau De Change Operator as erroneously reported in the publication.

ALLEGED N573 MILLION DUBAI PROPERTY LINKED TO MAGU
This allegation is outright falsehood and is denied by our client in unmistakable terms. It is instructive to state that the General Overseer of Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministries, Prophet Emmanuel Omale, in a pre-litigation letter addressed to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday 13th July, 2020, denied the allegations that he bought a property in Dubai worth N573 million on behalf of our client.

Our client challenges his accusers to provide details of such property and proof of ownership by our client. Instructively, The PUNCH at Page 8 of Tuesday July 14th, 2020 had published the denial of Prophet Emmanuel Omale to set the record straight.

ALLEGED DIVERSION OF INTEREST ON RECOVERED FUNDS (SUNDAY PUNCH EDITION OF 12TH JULY, 2020)
This Publication on Front Page of Sunday Punch Edition of 12th of July, 20320 is outright falsehood. Our client states that all recovered funds are lodged with TSA Account with Central Bank of Nigeria.

It is elementary that funds in TSA Account lodged with CBN do not generate interest. It is therefore falsehood to publish that our client placed N500 billion (Five Hundred and Fifty Billion) recovered loot into deposit account.

The alleged transaction never featured in the proceedings before this Honourable Panel. Our client was never confronted with any such allegation in the proceedings before this panel and the news is blatant falsehood.

DAY 6: PANEL QUIZZES MAGU ON N700 MILLION TRAINING FUND (VANGUARD, TUESDAY 14TH JULY, 2020)
The allegation that this Panel requested our client to account for the sum of N700 million meant for the commission’s operatives is not true.

Our client has not been confronted with such allegation by this Honourable Panel. Our client does not disburse any such funds in the EFCC.

The immediate Director of Finance and Administration (DFA) summoned by the Panel must have furnished details on this as the custodian of the funds. Our client denies this allegation completely.

Funds earmarked for training was properly utilised by the Commission. The DFA and the Director of Audit will explain the utilisation of the funds meant for training with supporting documentations.

ALLEGED BID TO SPIRIT MAGU AWAY BUSTED (VANGUARD, JULY 14TH 2020 PG. 5)
The allegation that there were plans by some associates of our client to spirit him out of detention as published above is complete fabrication.

Since our client has been in detention Nine (9) days ago, he has cooperated maximally with Law Enforcement Agents. Our client is only allowed very few restricted and fully screened visitors. No such incident took place as reported and this is an attempt to bring our client on collision course with the authorities he respects enormously.

Our client, as a commissioner of police, will never escape from custody as he remains innocent and a patriotic citizen.

SALAMI PANEL GRILLS MAGU, EFCC DIRECTORS AGAIN (DAILY TRUST, TUESDAY 14TH JULY, 2020 PG. 3)
The allegation that our client was grilled by the Panel on Monday, 13th July, 2020 as reported above is complete falsehood.

The correct position was that our client and his Counsel (Mr. Wahab Shittu) arrived the venue of the ongoing Investigations on Monday 13th July, 2020 by 9am.

Our client and his Counsel were kept at the waiting room of the venue of the sittings unattended to from 9am to 9pm when our client was taken back to custody.

This followed the same pattern on Thursday and Friday last week when our client waited for 12 hours without being called upon by the Panel to partake in the proceedings.

Witnesses called by the Panel were interrogated by the Panel without the participation of our client or his Counsel in the proceedings. This was also the pattern on Tuesday, 14th July, 2020. Our client chose to wait patiently on the panel.

ALLEGED PAYMENT OF N4 BILLION TO PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO SAN, GCON, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA 
Our client strongly denies this falsehood against the respected Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Our client has never given the sum of N4billion or any sum at all to Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, GCON, Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria as wrongly reported.

This allegation is complete falsehood designed to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the Vice President and our client.

ALLEGED PAYMENT OF N28 MILLION TO FEMI FALANA SAN
This allegation is complete fabrication. Our client never gave N28 million or any amount to Mr Femi Falana SAN as maliciously reported. Our client also denies any link with a Kaduna-based Bureau De Change Operator as alleged.

SEARCH OF OUR CLIENT’S HOUSE – NO INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE FOUND
Our client confirms that his House was searched last Monday in his absence while in custody, but no incriminating evidence was found. It is untrue as reported that some dollars and expensive jewelries and wrist watches were found.

Our client states that the search into his house did not reveal any incriminating evidence or materials. The cars removed from his residence were official vehicles assigned to our client as acting Chairman of EFCC.

DENIAL OF COPIES OF ALLEGATIONS AGAINST OUR CLIENT
Our client is spending the 9th day in custody without being given copy of the allegations against him to enable him formally respond to same.

Our client is ready to formally respond to allegations and furnish documentary evidence in support if served with the copy of the allegations.

Our client respectfully demands the following:

a) A copy of the report of the Presidential Audit Committee

b) A copy of the memo of HAGF to the President on our client

c) Individual Petitions submitted to the Panel against our client.

Our client observes that rather being afforded copies of the allegations against him, some of these allegations are flying round on Social Media platforms with prejudicial consequences.

Our client requests that these allegations be formally served on him to enable him respond to same immediately.

Our client observes that the Panel has issued official statement to the effect that it did not authorise the detention of our client. We request the Panel to recommend to the Inspector General of Police in whose custody our client is to release him from custody to enable him adequately prepare his defence and attend to his failing health.

We plead with the authorities to release our client from custody.

QUESTIONS OVER ALLEGED N5BILLION ELECTION FUND (VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 13, 2020)
Our client denies receiving from INEC or anybody the sum of N5billion Election Fund as maliciously reported above. Our client has never been confronted with the alleged N5billion Election Fund by this Panel.

This outrageous sum quoted above is outright falsehood. Funds released by INEC to EFCC were disbursed directly to the beneficiaries who participated in the electoral process.

This information can be verified from the INEC Chair, the Director of Finance and Administration EFCC and Director of Audit respectively. Our client has absolutely nothing to do with the sum disbursed as Electoral Fund and never benefitted from the disbursement.

The story is complete fabrication designed to tarnish the image of our client.

ALLEGED FAILURE TO SUBMIT EFCC AUDITED ACCOUNTS FOR FOUR (4) YEARS (THISDAY, MONDAY, JULY 13, 2020).
This publication above is complete fabrication. The truth is that EFCC under our client’s watch is not in arrears on the submission of Audited Accounts. EFCC has complied in the submission of Audited Accounts for four years running.

The Audited Account for 2020 will be due statutorily for submission in September, 2020 by virtue of Section 37 of the EFCC Act, 2004.

DSS, POLICE GO AFTER NFIU OFFICE BURGLARS (DAILY SUN, MONDAY, JULY 13, 2020).
Our client denies any link in the alleged burgling of the office of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), located at No 12, Ibrahim Taiwo Street, Aso Villa. Our client has no link with the Kaduna-based Bureau De Change (BDC) as reported. Our client states that an attempt to link him with the burglary or the Bureau De Change is a cheap blackmail. Our Client calls for investigation to unravel the truth.

SUSPENDED EFCC BOSS ALLEGEDLY QUERIED OVER 322 RECOVERED PROPERTIES DAILY SUN JULY 13TH, 2020
It is untrue that this Honourable Panel queried our client over 322 recovered properties. In the interrogation of our client so far this has never featured even if the head of Assets Forfeiture of the EFCC has appeared before the Panel.

Our client has also not been given a copy of the report of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA).

This publication is complete fabrication. The truth is that EFCC under our client’s watch is ready to respond to this allegation if obliged a copy of PCARA.

There has been no mismanagement of and certainly, there is no lack of transparency in the management of recovered assets under the leadership of our client. Our client’s detailed explanations are as follows:

SEIZED PROPERTIES ALLEGEDLY CORNERED BY TOP EFCC OFFICIALS, MAGU’S FRIENDS – PANEL (THE PUNCH, JULY 13TH, 2020)
The above publication is outright falsehood. Our client requests answers to the following:

a) Who are the EFCC officials who cornered the properties?

b) What specific properties were cornered? And by who?

c) Who were these Magu’s friends who cornered these properties?

Our client insists that these imputations attributed to the Panel are outright falsehood. Our client states that these allegations never featured in the proceedings of the panel.

GENERAL COMMENTS
The charges against our client are trumped-up allegations designed to tarnish his image and rubbish the credibility and image of EFCC which has been Stellar and outstanding under our client’s watch.

Based on the above circumstances, our client was not given adequate time and facilities for his defence and his demand for a copy of the allegations against him has not been honoured till date.

We appeal to the Honourable Panel to consider the above and uphold the Fundamental Rights to fair hearing of our client. Kindly find attached, copies of these newspapers for ease of reference.

Please accept our best Professional Regards. Wahab Shittu (Esq) WK SHITTU & CO