The Federal Government, on Wednesday, revealed that it has reached out to the British Government over the threat by the UK Parliament, to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials over their roles in the EndSARS protests.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, stated this while fielding questions from State House reporters at the end of the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, the Nigerian government has reached out to present its own side of the story.
Onyeama also argued that lawmakers are not responsible for imposing sanctions.
“Yes, we have reached out to the UK government. The meeting that took place were Parliamentarians and they do not speak for the UK government which acts for the United Kingdom and they have also heard the side of the (Nigerian) government regarding everything that has happened.
“So, we have been in touch with them and engaging with them. Of course, as in any democracy, the members of parliament are able to also able to air their view.
“But what is important, is that a balanced picture is made available to them, before they take any decision,” Onyeama said.
The police in Lagos have arrested four suspected armed robbers terrorizing Alakuko area of the State and its environs.
Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said the police operatives attached to Alakuko Station, with the help of members of some communities, arrested the four suspected armed robbers on 24th November, 2020 at about 12am.
“The suspects have been terrorising and dipossessing residents of AMJE Bus Stop, Ajegunle, Masalasi and Dalemo communities in Alakuko Area of Lagos State of their belongings.
”One locally-made pistol with four life cartridges was recovered from them,” Adejobi said.
The suspected armed robbers included Suleiman Babajide, 26; Mustapha Michael, 25 and Daniel Gideon, 26.
Adejobi said the Commissioner of Police has ordered that the suspects be transferred to State CID, Panti, for thorough investigation, while he charged other police stations and operatives in the command to make Lagos incondusive for criminals and miscreants to operate or hibernate particularly during the ember months.
Police in Adamawa State have confirmed the kidnap of wife and son of a police man attached to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Witnesses reported that the kidnappers stormed the residence of Sergeant Hammandikko Nyako in Yolde Pate community on the outskirts of Yola on Monday night.
Sources indicated that when the kidnappers could not find the police sergeant whom they believed was in town, they whisked away his wife and son at gun point.
Nigerian singer Bankole Wellington also known as Banky W has penned down an emotional message to his wife Adesua Etomi as they celebrate their 3rd wedding anniversary.
Taking to his verified Instagram page, the music executive shared clips from both the traditional wedding in Nigeria and the white wedding in South Africa, making his fans and followers to reminisce on how the couple literally shut down the internet in 2017.
Popular singer, Justin Bieber has reacted to being nominated in ‘pop’ categories at the 2020 Grammys.
Bieber picked four nomination this year for Best Pop album, Best Pop solo performance, Best Country duo performance and Best Pop group performance.
But, Bieber expressed dissatisfaction at the nomination category, stating that his album was set out to be R&B not Pop.
On his Instagram page, Bieber wrote: “To the Grammys, I am flattered to be acknowledged and appreciated for my artistry. I am very meticulous and intentional about my music. With that being said I set out I set out to make an R&B album. Changes is an R&B album. It is not being acknowledged as an R&B album which is very strange to me.”
Bieber, however, expressed gratitude to the Grammys organisers for nominations and respecting his music.
His post added: “Please don’t mistake this as me being ungrateful, these are just my thoughts take em or leave em.”
A woman identified as Emilia Sunday has been arrested by police operatives in Anambra State for attempting to sell her three-month-old baby boy.
The woman who hails from Akwa Ibom State and claims to be 21 told police operatives that her decision was predicated on hardship.
She attempted to sell the baby for N150,000 before she was arrested by the police on a tip off.
Spokesperson for Anambra State Police Command, SP Haruna Mohammed who discloses this to journalists said further investigation on the matter had been opened, while the baby has also been taken from her.
“On the 24/11/2020 at about 6:pm, following intelligence report, Police operatives attached to Ojoto Division in Anambra State arrested one Emila Sunday ‘f’ who claimed to be 21 years old from Akwa Ibom State, with a three months old baby boy at Ire-village, Ojoto.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the woman is attempting to sell her three months old baby boy which the suspect claimed was due to hardship.
“The baby was rescued in good health and investigation is ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the matter,” Mohammed said.
The unbelievable has occurred in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
According to Twitter influencer, Lazy Writa, a lady who went to collect her National ID card wearing a ripped jeans was given a thread and needle to sew it before she could be attended to and that's after she allegedly paid the sum of N3000.
He also claimed that another girl who was there in a mini skirt, was sent home, has there was no remedy to her mini skirt. His claims after the cut....
In a bid to curb the frequent petroleum tanker crashes on roads, the Federal Government has expressed its intention to ban the importation of articulated trucks older than 10 years.
The government has also directed the Federal Road Safety Corps to commence the enforcement of the maximum load capacity of 45,000 litres of petroleum products by trucks.
These were part of the resolutions reached by the Major Oil Marketers of Nigeria and the National Association of Road Transport Owners at the renewal workshop held on September 24, which has now been scheduled for implementation during a follow-up meeting held at the Federal Road Safety Corps national headquarters Abuja, on Monday.
A statement on Tuesday by the FRSC spokesman, Bisi Kazeem, titled, ‘FG takes measures with strategic stakeholders against petroleum tanker crashes,’ disclosed that the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, at the parley.
It said the meeting also recommended that the SGF should consider securing a Presidential directive for urgent intervention in the provision of soft loans for truck renewal using a similar template as applicable to pharmaceutical companies and other sectors of the economy at the peak of COVID -19.
Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode has defended former Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, saying he never took half of Central Bank with him to London
A British parliamentarian, Tom Tugendhat, had on Monday alleged that Gowon took half of the money in Central Bank with him to London when he was overthrown in 1975.
But Fani-Kayode on Tuesday said whatever people might say or feel about Gowon, it is not true that he took half of Central Bank with him when he went on exile to the UK and studied at Warwick University after being removed in a coup by General Murtala Mohammed.
“I have my views about Gowon and what I consider to be his role in the mass murder and genocide of 3 million Igbos during the civil war and I have often expressed it but he was not a thief and neither did he amass wealth for himself when he was Head of State.
“As a matter of fact, he was the darling of the British Government and no Nigerian leader, living or dead, has been as close to successive British Governments as he. This very young British MP is trying to revise history and demonise a man who served and protected British interests in Nigeria when he was in power more than any other and this is most dishonourable and unfair,” he said.
Fani-Kayode said the truth was that the greatest looters in the history of humanity were the British themselves and if he wants to criticise Nigerian leaders let him do so with facts and not fabricate lies in a scurrilous and essentially racist attempt to confirm the stereotyping of every Nigerian and African leader as being corrupt.
“The truth is that even though they pretend and sweep it under the carpet, there are as many corrupt British leaders, government officials and public servants today as there are Nigerian and this has always been the case.”
According to him, the “difference is that they are not so obvious and brazen and they cover theirs up very well in a very sophisticated banking system which thrives on taking in dirty money and keeping it.
”Whoever this MP is should get his facts right and stick to talking about the #EndSARS protests rather than talk about our history which he evidently knows nothing about.”
Following the gruesome murder of a newspaper vendor, Ifeanyichukwu Okereke, by a security aide of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, the family of the victim has demanded for the sum of N500m as compensation.
The Okereke family said it would take legal action against Gbajabiamila if all the demands were not met within seven days.
This was contained in a letter dated November 23, 2020 signed by lawyer to the family, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN).
The letter reads in part, “Our clients have instructed us to make from your good self, the following modest demands: That you use your good offices to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide (Abdullahi Hassan), who went on a frolic of his own, clearly acted outside the purview of his duty and responsibility by shooting to death an innocent, harmless.
“That you adequately compensate the Okereke family with a modest sum of N500m only. This monetary demand can never adequately replace or take the place of their son, husband, brother, and breadwinner’s life. But it will at least mitigate the obvious trauma and hardship the premature demise of their irreplaceable breadwinner has placed on them.
“Take note therefore that it is our clients’ firm instruction that in the event that you fail, refuse and/or neglect to accede to or proffer reasonable compensatory terms to our above modest demands within seven days from the date of this letter, we shall without any further correspondences from us, take appropriate legal steps to enforce our clients’ constitutional rights.”
The Department of State Services had last week arrested the operative, who shot Okereke, Abdullahi Hassan.
Also Gbajabiamila had visited the family of the deceased and promised to ensure that they do not suffer.
However, the family demanded more, adding that nothing could bring the dead vendor back to life.
The family also asked the Speaker to ensure that the safety of vendors was guaranteed as they had become afraid to return to the streets since the tragic incident.
She is set to launch her own brand of beauty and skin care products with a release date of January 1, 2021.
And on Tuesday, Jennifer Lopez shared what appears to be an ad for her skin and beauty line.
The 51-year-old ageless stunner posted a video of herself completely n.a.k.e.d as the camera showed off various angles of her incredibly toned and fit figure.
The sizzling clip, which she revealed in the caption was captured by photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.
The tune the video was set to was also 'new music' from the icon herself, per her caption.
Jennifer captioned it: '#InTheMorning #MorningFace #TurkeyEgg #NewMusic @mertalas and Marcus.'
Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Nollywood actress and wife of Nigerian musician, Banky W, has slammed President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide, Lauretta Onochie, over a picture she shared to advise people on the importance of wearing face masks.
The picture shows some little kids wearing face masks made out of cartons.
Onochie had posted the picture on her Twitter page while urging Nigerians to ensure they wore face masks.
She wrote, “Wearing a mask is not a political statement, it’s not punishment by the government. Protect yourself, wear one. These have made efforts with masking where those of us who are more vulnerable and susceptible to COVID-19 are still swearing that it’s a scam. God bless their efforts.”
Reacting to Onochie's post, Etomi-Wellington wrote, “You are a disgrace both home and abroad. You should be ashamed that these children have to do this with cardboards. Instead of talking about how to tackle poverty so they can be protected adequately against the virus, you're spewing this nonsense.
“This picture made me so angry and brought tears to my eyes. They are so small, so vulnerable and so unprotected.
“I am finally accepting the fact that some human beings really are dead on the inside. Didn't understand how that could be even possible. I'm realising every day that it is.”
WEARING A MASK IS NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT.
ITS NOT PUNISHMENT BY GOVERNMENT
PROTECT YOURSELF.
🛑Wear one🛑
These have made efforts with masking where those of us who are more vulnerable & susceptible to COVID-19 are still swearing that it's a scam.
God bless their efforts pic.twitter.com/DDCHuHwMYS
You are a disgrace. Both home & abroad. You should be ashamed that these children have to do this with cardboards. Instead of talking about how to tackle poverty so they can be protected adequately against the virus, you're spewing this nonsense. 😡😡😡 https://t.co/JV04N0LUfm
From The Daily Show to music's biggest night! Trevor Noah has been tapped to host the 63rd Grammy Awards on Jan. 31, marking his debut as the ceremony's emcee.
The Recording Academy and CBS revealed the news Tuesday morning, hours before the nominees are set to be announced.
"Despite the fact that I am extremely disappointed that the Grammys have refused to have me sing or be nominated for best pop album, I am thrilled to be hosting this auspicious event," Trevor said in a statement.
"I think as a one-time Grammy nominee, I am the best person to provide a shoulder to all the amazing artists who do not win on the night because I too know the pain of not winning the award! (This is a metaphorical shoulder, I'm not trying to catch corona). See you at the 63rd Grammys!"
Noah will be following in the footsteps of Alicia Keys, who hosted the last two ceremonies. And while the comedian may seem like an unexpected choice, his Daily Show predecessor Jon Stewart emceed the awards show back in 2001 and 2002. Noah was also nominated for Best Comedy Album at this year's Grammys but lost out to Dave Chappelle's Sticks & Stones.
The US has issued a new temporary rule for African tourists.
US News quoting Reuters reported that the new rule could require tourist and business travelers from two dozen countries, most in Africa, to pay a bond of as much as $15,000 to visit the United States.
The U.S. State Department said the temporary final rule, which takes effect December 24 and runs through June 24, targets countries whose nationals have higher rates of overstaying B-2 visas for tourists and B-1 visas for business travelers.
The Trump administration said the six-month pilot program aims to test the feasibility of collecting such bonds and will serve as a diplomatic deterrence to overstaying the visas.
CNN has shunned FG and released a second report on Lekki shootings
This is coming amid threats of sanction from the Federal Government over its investigative report on the shootings at Lekki toll plaza during the #EndSARS protests.
The network today released a second report with more damning footage showing soldiers shooting at unarmed protesters on October 20, 2020.
The fresh report also shows the Commander, 81 Division, Brig.Gen Ahmed Taiwo, admitting before the judicial panel in Lagos that his men indeed took live ammunition to the tollgate.
The CNN report also highlights the fact that Brig.Gen Taiwo’s claim is at variance with the minister’s who had claimed last week that the army fired blank bullets.
The fresh report also shows protesters running as soldiers open fire at the tollgate.
Police officers have launched investigations after a 70-year-old man was hospitalised at the Machakos Level V Hospital in Kenya with burn injuries following an attack by a mob.
The elderly man, Francis Mutunga, was set on fire on Monday by mob that cornered him at Kalima Mungu, Kalama Sub-County in Machakos County hours after he had slashed and injured three family members.
Mutunga is said to have arrived home at night while drunk and armed with a machete.
He reportedly attacked his daughter-in-law and two children, a boy aged six and a girl aged 15.
The four, including the assailant, are all receiving treatment at the Machakos hospital.
After the elderly man fled from the angry neighbours at night, his houses were burnt to the ground in retaliation for his brutal attack on family members.
The elderly man was rescued by police officers from the mob that caught up with him in the morning and lit him on fire.
