Tanker Explosion In Delta Kills 17 (Photos)

A tanker explosion which reportedly happened near Koko junction section of the Benin/Sapele Expressway, Ethiope West Council area of Delta state on Wednesday has reportedly burnt atleast 17 people to death.

Four vehicles reportedly got destroyed in the incident.



The sad incident occured around 8am while the police said only three persons died in the inferno.

According to report, the petrol-laden Eveco truck was trying to manoeuvre a bad spot when it fell.

The said truck reportedly exploded when residents of the area rushed to the scene to scoop fuel.

A reliable source said driver of the tanker had gone to report the incident and residents scooping fuel at the Police checkpoint in Koko junction when they heard the explosion.

The source said the victims, though unidentified, included a man and a woman.

Hushpuppi not released, still in US prison, Lawyer speaks

A Chicago-based lawyer, Gal Pissetzky, has denied rumours insinuating the release of Ramoni Abbas aka Husspuppi, an alleged multi-million dollar fraudster facing charges in the U.S.

On Wednesday, screenshots of the Bureau of Prisons website, showing his release, went viral.

According to the details on the website, Huspuppi was released on July 20.

But his legal representative, Mr Pissetzky, said the bureau’s records showed ‘released’ because of his transfer to California.

“These reports are not true. He has not been released. The Bureau of prisons website shows that he was released simply because he is being transferred now to California,” he said Wednesday evening.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/hushpuppi-not-released-still-in-us.html

Terrifying video shows Mexican cartel soldiers showing off their heavy weapons

Terrifying footage shows dozens of uniformed gunmen posing with military-grade weapons near armored pickup trucks emblazoned with the initials of the Jalisco drug cartel in Mexico as the country's top security officials launch an investigation into the video.

In what appears to be a show of power, several dozen masked men are heard shouting they are 'people of Mencho,' a nickname used by Jalisco New Generation Cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera.

Almost all of the uniformed men wearing bulletproof vests wield assault rifles, and some appear to have belt-fed machine guns or .50 caliber sniper rifles.

Many of the trucks in a column of about 20 vehicles parked on a dirt road have improvised gun turrets or plate-steel armor welded onto them.


Mexico's top security official, Alfonso Durazo, wrote that the video is being analyzed to confirm whether it is authentic and when it was made.

Durazo wrote on his Twitter account that 'there is no criminal group that has the capacity to successfully defy federal security forces, and much less with this staged event'.

The video was posted on social media sites Thursday, which coincided with President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador's visit to the states of Guanajuato, Jalisco and Colima, some of the cartel's strongholds.

'They are sending a clear message... that they basically rule Mexico, not Lopez Obrador,' said Mike Vigil, a former chief of international operations for the US Drug Enforcement Administration.

A spokesman for Lopez Obrador's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. López Obrador met Thursday with Jalisco Gov Enrique Alfaro to discuss security issues.

'In the face of threats, intimidations, we say to Governor Alfaro that he is not alone, that we are with him in facing the challenge of crime,' López Obrador said.

'This problem cannot be solved with massacres. It is going to be done more with intelligence than force,' said López Obrador.

The president defended his policy of avoiding confrontation with the cartels.

He prefers to address social problems like poverty and unemployment that he says contribute to crime.

But the strategy, branded by Lopez Obrador as one of 'hugs, not bullets,' has emboldened criminal groups, many security analysts say.

The president's approach 'has only led these cartels to operate with more impunity,' Vigil said.

It was unclear when the video had been filmed, but it appeared to be authentic, Vigil said.

The Jalisco cartel is regarded as Mexico's strongest gang, along with the Sinaloa Cartel formerly led by jailed kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/terrifying-video-shows-mexican-cartel.html

774,000 Jobs: Keyamo Will Take Charge, Labour Ministry Replies National Assembly

The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity on Wednesday rejected resolutions of both chambers of the National Assembly calling for the removal of the Minister of State, Festus Keyamo, from supervising recruitment of 774 ,000 Nigerians for the Special Public Works programme.



The ministry’s Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr Charles Akpan, in an interview with The Punch in Abuja, said “nothing has changed.”

The Senate and the House of Reps had, at their separate sessions on Tuesday, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to stop Keyamo from supervising the recruitment of 774,000 Nigerians.

Recall that the lawmakers and Keyamo last month clashed when the minister was ordered out of the sitting of the Senate committee investigating the special works programme. The senators accused him of raising his voice against them.

On July 1, the National Assembly said it had stopped the planned recruitment on the grounds that Keyamo had hijacked it from the National Directorate of Employment.

But despite the National Assembly's directive, Keyamo, on July 14, said he had got the approval of the President to supervise the recruitment.

The Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, and the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, subsequently met the President over the issue.

After the meeting, Buhari ’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement titled, “President Buhari reads riot act to ministers, MDAs, chief executives on relationship with NASS,” said the President had warned his appointees that he would not accept any act of disrespect to the National Assembly.

On Tuesday, the National Assembly said the Minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, should supervise the programme.

In the Senate, the Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Opeyemi Bamidele, brought the motion through a point of order.

He said Keyamo erred in law by taking over an assignment which was constitutionally assigned to the NDE through the Revised 2020 Appropriation Act.

He said the Federal parliament approved N52bn for the NDE to execute the exercise but lamented that the labour ministry, through Keyamo, had hijacked it.

But Akpan told The Punch that the exercise would be supervised by Keyamo, under whose office the NDE operates.

Akpan stated, “The special works programme is with the NDE, but our ministry is the supervising ministry for NDE and because of that, we monitor their activities and the ministry of labour was given the responsibility to handle that assignment, and it is under the supervision of the minister of state. So, whatever the directorate does, it would report to the minister of state; so nothing has changed.”

N52bn public works fund for NDE, not labour ministry, Senate insists 
When asked to react to the Ministry of Labour’s statement, the spokesperson for the Senate, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said the position of the red chamber on the 774,000 job recruitment issue had not changed.

The senator told one of our correspondents that the copy of the Appropriation Act signed by the President by virtue of Section 82 recognises the National Directorate on Employment as the agency saddled with the responsibilities of implementing the Federal Works Programme.

He said, “The Appropriation Act in making provision for N 52b for the public works had the NDE in mind. There is a difference between the agency and the Ministry of Labour.

“The NDE is not the same as the ministry of labour, employment and productivity and they are not at par.

“What the Senate is insisting is that it is not by accident that the budget was domiciled in the NDE and not the main ministry.

“In carrying out the budget in order not to breach the law, the executive must comply with the terms of this.

“The budget is not just the amount that has been earmarked, it is also earmarked for whom that amount of money should be spent, and also the agency saddled with that responsibility.

“The budget is specific as to the agency in which the budget is domiciled, it is the NDE, No minister can assume a power that is not vested in terms of expending money that has been appropriated.

“It is clear in our resolution. We are not doubting the fact that the agency in which the minister is the chairman has power of supervision but power of supervision is different from power for implementation and our power of oversight under the constitution is not only about corruption it is also about exposing inefficiency.

“We are insisting that the legality and the constitutionality of the programme must be followed to the letter.

“The Appropriation Act is a legal instrument that must be followed.

“We have sounded a note of warning to anybody that the budget ( N52 bn) must be implemented according to the letter. ”
NEWS

543 New Cases Of Coronavirus In Nigeria, Total Now 38,344

In the last 24 hours, 543 new cases of COVID19 were reported in Nigeria;
Lagos-180, FCT-86, Kaduna-56, Edo-47, Ondo-37, Kwara-35, Ogun-19, Rivers-19, Kano-17, Ebonyi-16, Enugu-16, Delta-7, Bayelsa-4, Bauchi-3, Abia-1.

A total of 38,344 confirmed cases in Nigeria. The breakdown;

Scientists develop blood test that can detect cancer four years ahead

A blood test can detect signs of cancer four years before symptoms appear, an “exciting” new study led by Chinese researchers found.

The non-invasive blood test, called PanSeer, detects cancer in 95 percent of individuals who have no symptoms but later receive a diagnosis, the researchers found.

“We demonstrated that five types of cancer can be detected through a DNA methylation-based blood test up to four years before conventional diagnosis,” the team wrote in the Nature Communications journal.

The tests, known as liquid biopsies, are likely unable to predict patients who will later develop cancer — but instead they can identify those with existing cancerous growths that have not yet been spotted by other detection methods.

Researchers say the test is based on screening DNA found in blood plasma for tags called methyl groups that tend to appear in tumors, according to the Guardian.

The team used blood plasma samples collected from people in China between 2007 and 2014.

While this isn’t the first time research indicated that a blood test can aid in the early detection of cancer, the team told the outlet that — unlike many other studies — this one shows that cancers can be detected before patients appear to show any symptoms.

Dr. Eric Klein, of Cleveland Clinic’s Taussig Cancer Institute, told the Guardian the study is a step in the right direction.

“This is an exciting study which provides further confirmation that methylation-based assays can detect cell-free circulating tumour DNA and may form the basis for new screening tests that detect cancer at early stages,” he said. “There is a need for such tests to screen for cancers for which there are currently no effective screening paradigms.”

The Chinese study does have limitations — including the relatively small sample size, inadequate storage, and concerns about possible contamination, according to the report.

The test also does not have the ability to identify the type of cancer a person has.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/scientists-develop-blood-test-that-can.html

25 teenagers and their leader allegedly arrested while shooting p.o.r.n.ography

Kenyan police reportedly arrests 25 teenagers (10 girls and 15 boys)  for allegedly shooting p.o.r.nographic videos.

The youngsters were caught in the act after an anonymous tip by a neighbor, they were arrested while  shooting the video alongside a man identified as Caleb who is believed to be their leader.

According to an eyewitness, they were arrested on Monday, July 20 in a rented apartment in Maraba Estate in the evening while shooting the Pornographic videos.

“I was doing my garbage collecting business, which is when I noticed something strange, there were so many condoms wrapped in a poly bad and I also heard some noise from the house.

“When I walked into the house, I got shocked, the girls were in the act and there was a man shooting.

“I went to tip the police and they immediately drove to the scene where the suspects are reported to have been having both raw s.e.x and protected s e.x,” the witness is quoted as saying.

OCPD of Kakamega Central David Kabena who is reported to have confirmed the arrest said his outfit acted swiftly based on a tipoff and nabbed the teenagers setting up the cameras for the shooting.

“All these are minors and we found them during the act and arrested them. We will deal with the man (Caleb) for he is the one misleading them into this act,” the police boss said.



source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/25-teenagers-and-their-leader-allegedly.html

Hushpuppi: More woes for Nigerians as UAE gives visa ultimatum

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ordered Nigerians with expired visas to leave the country on or before August 17, 2020.

This development comes weeks after Dubai police cracked down on some Nigerians including Abass Ramon, popularly known as Hushpuppi, for fraud.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Nigerian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE, announced that the UAE government has given waivers on fines and penalties to Nigerian nationalities whose visas expired before March 1 and expect the affected Nigerians to leave the UAE on or before August 17.

The embassy enjoined the affected Nigerians to join the evacuation flights arranged from the country before the expiration of the grace period.

The statement reads in part;

“The Embassy wishes to inform that the government of the United Arab Emirates has granted waivers on fines/penalties on visas that expired before 1st March 2020 to leave the country on or before 17th of August, 2020.

”Consequently, the Embassy is urging fellow Nigerians living in the UAE to avail themselves of this opportunity to return home with the impending Air Peace evacuation flight scheduled for 1st August 2020, and or subsequent Emirates evacuation flights before the expiration of the grace period.

”Accordingly, affected Nigerian nationals who are willing to return home are kindly requested to submit their names and passport numbers to the Embassy and or the Consulate for onward transmission to the UAE authorities to obtain the necessary clearance.”

Also, UAE recently excluded Nigeria from a list of countries permitted to fly into the Emirates.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/hushpuppi-more-woes-for-nigerians-as.html

Suspected Boko Haram fighters execute five aid workers in Borno

A video has surfaced online showing the execution of five persons by masked men in military camouflage, suspected to be Boko Haram fighters.

A voice was heard speaking in Hausa before the execution, saying that the five persons were working for infidels.

“Those of you that are being used by infidels to turn others to infidels, know this today oh, you who work for infidel groups, you satisfy their aims but they do not care about you and that is why when we catch you they do not show concern. Our call to you is to repent and follow Allah; we shall waylay you in all the roads that you follow and if you don’t listen, the fate of these ones will befall you,” the voice said.

The execution immediately followed his speech at the cue of another voice that said “bisimillah.”

The slain persons are believed to be aid workers captured during a raid in Monguno Local Government of Borno State on June 13, 2020.

They include staff of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Action Against Hunger, Rich International, International Rescue Committee and a security guard.

The execution came after the insurgents demanded the sum of 500,000 dollars to release them.

A staff of the SEMA who pleaded anonymity identified his colleague among those executed, who had also featured in a recent video where they spoke from captivity pleading with the government to intervene.

Despite several air raids by the military and assurances by the Federal Government that many insurgents have been neutralised, they have continued to resurface, attacking communities, aid workers, and even military bases.

Last year, Jihadists aligned with the Islamic State group released a video showing a female aid worker and five male colleagues who had been kidnapped in an attack in northeast Nigeria.

Aid group, Action Against Hunger, had said earlier that one of its staff members along with three health workers and two drivers were missing after their convoy was attacked near the border with Niger.

One of the six hostages who had been held since July, was eventually executed in September, while four others were killed in December.

Thereafter, the French aid group, said it was “extremely concerned and called for the immediate release of its staff member, Grace, who was the only one left in captivity.”

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/suspected-boko-haram-fighters-execute.html

Biden labels Trump first U.S. racist president

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden labeled Donald Trump on Wednesday the first racist to become U.S. president.

The Trump camp quickly rejected the label.

Biden, who was vice president under Barack Obama, the first Black U.S. president, fielded a question at a Service Employees International Union roundtable from a healthcare worker concerned about the Republican president calling the coronavirus pandemic the “China virus.”

He responded by saying it was “absolutely sickening” how Trump “deals with people based on the colour of their skin, their national origin, where they’re from.”

He added: “No sitting president’s ever done this. Never, never, never.

“No Republican president has done this. No Democratic president.

“We’ve had racists, and they’ve existed, and they’ve tried to get elected president. He’s the first one that has.”

Trump campaign senior adviser Katrina Pierson fired back, calling Biden’s comments “an insult to the intelligence of Black voters” given the onetime senator’s past work with segregationist lawmakers.

She said Trump “loves all people” and “works hard to empower all Americans.”

A number of U.S. presidents owned slaves or supported policies including the repression of Native Americans and segregation of Black Americans.

Princeton University said last month it was dropping former President Woodrow Wilson’s name from the school, citing his racist thinking and policies.

The Biden-Trump exchange marks an escalation in what had already been a heated clash on race in the campaign being waged between the two candidates, who are both white, ahead of their Nov. 3 election contest.

Biden previously criticized Trump for stoking racial division, often saying that he was motivated to run for office by his outrage over Trump’s assessment that “both sides” were to blame for violence between white supremacists and counter-protesters at a 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Race became an even more central issue as protests raged over unarmed African Americans being killed by police in the aftermath of the May death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police office pressed his neck into the pavement for more than eight minutes.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/biden-labels-trump-first-us-racist.html

Liverpool finally receive their trophy, fans party outside Anfield [Photos]

Liverpool finally received their English Premier League trophy on Wednesday night ending 30 years of waiting for their 19th cup.

Manager Jürgen Klopp followed by his coaching team and players went up to collect their winners’ medals at the purple podium.

Mohamed Salah was wrapped in an Egypt flag. Trent Alexander-Arnold, the 21-year-old Liverpool-born defender who has never seen Liverpool as English champions, peered down inspecting his medal.

Finally, the trophy was received as fireworks exploded around Anfield, smoke and pyrotechnics filling the emptiness of the arena where Liverpool had just beaten Chelsea 5-3 in a thrilling final — and 18th — home win of the season.

“It would be perfect with the stadium full,” Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said. “But you cannot change it.”

As his players partied around him on a field covered in confetti, Klopp had a message for the absent supporters.

I don’t know when this bullshit virus is gone,” the German said. “Then we will have a party all together. Make sure you are all ready then.”

The Premier League trophy didn’t even exist when Liverpool was last champion of England in 1990. This new competition was only formed two years later.

But Liverpool’s 19th title was clinched the earliest of any time in English football history stretching back into the 19th century, by winning with seven games to spare.

“The expectation is so high,” Henderson said. “It’s been a process, it’s been a journey. It hasn’t happened overnight.”

Thousands of supporters also celebrated outside Anfield last month when the team’s first top-flight title in 30 years was confirmed and huge numbers gathered at the city’s Pier Head the following night, where police reported violent confrontations.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/liverpool-finally-receive-their-trophy.html

Just IN: DSS boss Abba slaps aviation security officer at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has reported another breach of its security protocol at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

This time it involved the head of the Department of State Services(DSS) at the airport, Safiyanu Abba.

According to FAAN, Abba not only breached the security procedure at the airport, he also slapped a security officer, who wanted to ensure compliance.

“We note with dismay that Mr Safiyanu Abba, the Head of DSS at NAIA deliberately obstructed airport Security process, and slapped an Aviation Security Officer”, FAAN tweeted on Wednesday.

FAAN said the assaulted officer was performing his duty by calling on Mr Safiyanu Abba to desist from doing so.

“This happened on the 17th July at about 15:25 hours. He breached security procedure by obstructing further searching of a visitor who had just walked through the metal detector and activated the alarm.

“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria strongly condemns this abuse of power and the Security process in our airport. This has also been duly escalated.

“FAAN committed to our core values of safety Security and comfort”.

FAAN had similarly reported such breaches in recent days.

On 16 July, FAAN blew the whistle on Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa state, who arrived Port Harcourt international Airport aboard aircraft 5N-IZY, at 17:08 hrs on 14th July 2020, along with an entourage of eight.

All of them refused to comply with the COVID-19 protocol and security procedure.

FAAN said they flagrantly refused to have their temperature checked, or being sanitised by the health officials.

“His whole entourage of 8 did exactly as he did. The team that came to receive them drove right through the barricades up to the terminal building ignoring traffic and Aviation Security instructions”, FAAN said.

FAAN also recently reported former Governor Abdulaziz Yari for refusing to allow his luggage decontaminated.

However, none of the infractions degenerated into an assault like Safiyanu Abba’s.

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/just-in-dss-boss-abba-slaps-aviation.html

Kim Kardashian breaks silence over Kanye's twitter meltdown

Kim Kardashian took has taking to Instagram following her husband, Kanye West's late night Twitter meltdown, saying she is 'powerless' and calling her husband 'brilliant but complicated'.

The reality star said 'his words sometimes do not align with his intentions'  after Kanye last night claimed he has been 'trying to get divorced' from Kim since she met his fellow rapper Meek Mill at a hotel.

In his latest rambling Twitter outburst, West said Tuesday that Kim was 'out of line' to meet Meek Mill to talk about 'prison reform', and blasted her mother Kris Jenner as 'Kris Jong-Un' while accusing the pair of 'white supremacy'. 


Sharing three pages to her Instagram story Wednesday morning Kim said: 'Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor.'

She told her 180 million followers: 'I understand Kanye is subject to criticism because he is a public figure and his actions at times can cause strong opinions and emotions. He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bi-polar disorder.

'Those who are close with Kanye know his heart and understand his words some times do not align with his intentions.'

West on Tuesday repeated his claim that his wife and mother-in-law had 'tried to fly in with two doctors' to have him hospitalized amid concerns about his well-being after his bizarre entry into the 2020 presidential race. 

'Kris and Kim put out a statement without my approval... that's not what a wife should do,' Kanye said after reports that the Kardashians were infuriated by his latest antics. Source told TMZ Wednesday that the Kardashians 'don't know what to do' as Kanye is 'clearly not receptive to getting help'.

Kanye deleted his late-night tweets barely half an hour after posting them, except for a final post in which he signed them off as coming from 'the future president'.

Kim wrote Wednesday: 'As many of you know, Kanye has bi-polar disorder. Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand.

'I’ve never spoken publicly about how this has affected us at home because I am very protective of our children and Kanye’s right to privacy when it comes to his health. But today, I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health.

'People who are unaware or far removed from this experience can be judgmental and not understand that the individual themselves have to engage in the process of getting help no matter how hard family and friends try.

'Living with bi-polar disorder does not diminish or invalidate his dreams and his creative ideas, no matter how big or unobtainable they may feel to some. That is part of his genius and as we have all witnessed, many of his big dreams have come true.'

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/kim-kardashian-breaks-silence-over.html

Nollywood actor, Yusuf Satia is dead

Nollywood actor, Yusuf Satia, is dead. The news of his death was revealed by actor and producer, Kunle Afod, via his verified Instagram page.

“So sad to hear this …RIP. Yusuf Satia is gone. Tried so much to see you this year and celebrate you but it was aborted,” he wrote.

Satia, who frequently featured in Yoruba movies, was most popular for his role in ‘Ijinle Pam Pam’. The cause of his death is yet to be revealed.

View this post on Instagram

So sad to hear this ... RIP Yusuf satia Is gone... Tried so much to see you this year and celebrate you but it was aborted... 😭😭😭 Continue to rest on

A post shared by Adekunle afod (@kunleafod) on Jul 21, 2020 at 8:50am PDT

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/nollywood-actor-yusuf-satia-is-dead.html

Movie which will see Senator Dino Melaye debut into Nollywood shows today on AIT

The movie which will launch Senator Dino Melaye into Nollywood will today show on AIT, 9pm precisely and the Senator is pleading to his followers to all watch it.

Announcing his feature, the politician wrote;

source https://www.ladunliadinews.com/2020/07/movie-which-will-see-senator-dino.html

President Buhari Presides Over 9th Virtual FEC Meeting (Photos)

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday presiding over another virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, due to the Coronavirus pandemic that made it impossible for all cabinet ministers to be president at the chamber.

At the commencement of the meeting at the Council Chambers, The State House, Abuja, a minute silence was observed in honour of late Mallam Ismaila Isa Funtua, who passed away on Monday.

Female UNIBEN Lecturer Killed As Police Chase Driver Over N100 Bribe (Photos)

Dr. Stella Okotie, a staff of the University of Benin, was on Tuesday sent to early grave when a commercial bus driver running from police extortion rammed into her.

The terrible incident happened in Benin City at about 6:30pm along the ever-busy Benin-Lagos expressway, close to the UNIBEN main gate.



The deceased was until her demise, a lecturer at the UNIBEN faculty of Education. Aside Okotie, one person was said to have also been killed with another sustaining some injuries, according to Campus Gist.

The victims were killed while a commercial bus driver was running away from the police officers who had earlier flagged his vehicle down, demanding N100 bribe.

One of the officers was said to have jumped into the moving bus and engaged in a physical struggle with the bus driver, dragging the steering wheel in the process.

According to an eyewitness, the late UNIBEN staff was standing at the walkway alongside her husband, Dr. Williams Okotie, also a staff of UNIBEN and her son when the bus hit her and their stationery UNIBEN water supply van.

“The police officers were pursuing a commercial bus in quest for money leading to a physical struggle between one of the officers and driver of the vehicle,” he told Campus Gist.

“While the police was struggling the steering wheel with the driver, the bus ram into Dr. Okotie who was standing on the walk way just by the side of her vehicle, killing her on the spot.”

Following the incident, the police officers fled the scene leaving behind one of their colleague who was beaten to pulp and almost left for dead by angry mob but for the quick intervention of a woman believed to be his wife.

Consequently, residents and passersby barricaded the ever-busy new Lagos road right in front of the UNIBEN Ugbowo main gate, causing heavy traffic gridlock for hours.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Chidi Nwabuzor could not be reached for comments. The university management is yet to issue a statement as at the time of filing this report.

Ekiti Governor Fayemi Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State confirmed his status via a Tweet;

I took my third Covid-19 test yesterday and it came back positive. I'm generally ok and I'm already self isolating at home and receiving the best of care from my medical team. I'm delegating critical tasks to my Deputy but will continue routine duty from home. 

Magu Opens Up: "Recovered Vehicles Auctioned To Presidential Villa, Others"

The suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, says some of the vehicles recovered by the EFCC were auctioned to the Presidential Villa, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as well as the Federal Inland Revenue Services and other agencies.

He further stated that some of these agencies had not paid for the vehicles but there was an arrangement that the money would be deducted from their financial allocation.



Magu, in a letter addressed to the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel titled, ‘Re: Alleged Case of Conspiracy, Enrichment, Abuse of Public Office and Other Infractions,’ explained how some of the recovered vehicles were auctioned.

The letter was in response to an earlier report by the Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets in which Magu was accused of being unable to account for the interest accrued to N550bn recovered funds as well as recovered vehicles and houses.

In his response to the allegations of being unable to account for recovered vehicles, Magu stated, “On allocation of vehicles to some government agencies through special auction with presidential approval. The beneficiary agencies are: the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management of which the valued price is to be debited from their allocation; State House, National Commission for Refugees and Displaced Persons; Federal Inland Revenue Service and National Directorate of Employment.”

The suspended EFCC boss said about 450 other vehicles, which had been recovered, had yet to be sold despite receiving presidential approval to do so.

“The commission presently has presidential approval to dispose over 450 forfeited vehicles located in Lagos and Abuja. The vehicles have been valued by the National Automotive Council Valuers and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. But no sale/disposal has been conducted yet,” Magu stated.

He said some of the houses permanently forfeited to the Federal Government by looters had also been handed over to some government agencies like the Voice of Nigeria, North -East Development Commission and the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate.

The suspended EFCC boss explained that some other properties, which had been forfeited pending the outcome of court cases, were being rented by the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Nigerian Army and other agencies of government.

The letter further read, “Real properties finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria and allocated to some agencies for official use in line with the Presidential approval are: Voice of Nigeria, National Directorate of Employment, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, North East Development Commission and Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate.

“Properties under interim forfeiture order are rented by the following government agencies: Nigerian Army, Federal Ministry of Finance, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

“Other agencies of government that have approached the commission to rent properties under interim forfeiture order include: National Human Rights Commission and National Council for Arts and culture.”

Magu said the commission also temporarily handed over property in Lagos to the Lagos State Government for use as isolation centres for COVID-19 patients.

The suspended EFCC boss attached photographs of some of the recovered assets to the letter he addressed to the panel.

However, it was learnt that an attempt by Magu’s lawyer, Wahab Shittu, to submit the letter to the panel on Monday was rebuffed.

The panel was said to have insisted that there was no basis for the letter and informed Shittu that Magu would be summoned if there was a need for clarification.

“An attempt to submit the letter to the secretary of the panel on Monday failed. Magu’s team was informed that the panel does not entertain letters but it is purely an investigative one. If there is a need for clarification, Magu would be invited,” a source said.

Governor Umahi Sacks 1,800 Appointees, Gives Reasons

Governor David Nweze Umahi of Ebonyi State has sacked over 1,800 of his aides over what he described as "nonchalant attitudes of his appointees in Executive Assistants, Senior Technical Assistant and Technical Assistants".

Umahi made this known when he signed into law, the Ebonyi State 2020 Revised Budget of 132billion in a virtual ceremony with stakeholders physically present at the Ecumenical Centre Abakaliki.



Governor Umahi who approved the dissolution of the 3 categories of appointees said the sack is effective from 1st August, 2020.

He, however, urged those interested in rendering services to the state government in their capabilities to reapply after their dissolutions which will be subject to approval by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies where they wish to serve.

The governor further said that if you are reapplying and you have no agricultural farm, then, you need not apply as applicants must show where they are farming because the state government is doing everything possible to turn the minds of Ebonyians from appointment position to business minds.

"If you are reapplying, you must explain what you did before, show where your farm is and be sponsored by either Commissioners, SAs, SSAs, Boards and Commissions.", he added.

During the event, the Governor also noted that the budget had passed through various processes, starting with the citizens' budgets for the inclusion of omitted areas and necessary inputs.