Popular Nigerian singer, Simi replied a fan who felt her talent was not meant for this world.
The fan who was probably thrilled which the singer’s unique and lovely voice posted a comment which the singer probably see as a ‘big time thing’. The fan wrote;
Simi is one of the singers that are suppose to be in Heaven singing.Hallelujah to God, cause this world don’t deserve that voice.
The Duduke star seemed to find the post amusing and she had a funny reply for it. According to Simi, she was not complaining at all about singing here on earth.
She wrote:
“Please oh I'm not complaining oh. I'm ok here oh”
Toyin Abraham has for the first time shown the face of her cute son, Ire’s identity after welcoming him in August 2019.
Interestingly, Toyin Abraham decided to unveil Ire’s identity in a very unexpected way months after shielding him from the prying eyes of social media.
The proud mother of one took to her Instagram page to share a video that promotes a new game her son has launched ‘Ire Game’ writing;
“Hello, my name is IREOLUWA AJEYEMI. I am the founder of Africa’s first indigenous trivia game, edutainment solutions and a content entrepreneur. We just released our very first – IRE GAME… This is the best indigenous quiz game for children and adults to test insight and knowledge of culture and history, having fun while learning.
Deliberately designed with ‘home’ feel and traditional landmarks – 100% Yoruba theme with a switch button for the non-yoruba speaking lovers. We hope you will love it as much as we love you. We will appreciate your feedback. For more visit: www.iregame.com..and join all our social media community Enjoy! #iregame #ajeyemisfamily”
The federal government announced on Saturday that the United States has removed all visa reciprocity fees for Nigerians seeking visas to the country with effect from December 3.
Disclosing this at the weekend, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the development was sequel to the removal of excess visa application, processing and biometric fees for American citizens applying for Nigerian visas.
It would be recalled that the Donald Trump administration had in 2019 imposed the reciprocity fee for all approved non-immigrant visa applications by Nigerians.
The fee was charged in addition to visa application fees for only applicants who are issued visas.
The additional reciprocity fees which ranged from $80 to $303 depending on the class of visa, took effect from August 29 last year. The US Embassy in Nigeria said the reciprocity fees were in response to unsuccessful talks with Nigeria to adjust the fees it charges American applicants. It argued that the total cost for a US citizen to obtain a visa to Nigeria was higher than the total cost for a Nigerian to obtain a comparable visa to the United States.
The Mission insisted that the reciprocity fee was meant to eliminate the cost difference as required by US laws. Announcing the removal of the reciprocity fee in a statement, the MFA spokesman, Ferdinand Nwonye, said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the United States Government has removed all visa reciprocity fees for Nigerian citizens seeking visas to the United States. “The positive development is in line with the removal of excess visa application, processing and biometric fees for United States citizens applying for Nigerian visas by the Nigerian Government.
Kidnappers have killed a man, identified as Sani Khalil Digana, despite receiving a ransom for his release.
The deceased was abducted on November 21 by gunmen suspected to be bandits on the road linking the Kaduna international airport and the Rigasa station of the Kaduna-Abuja train.
He was attacked alongside a students’ leader and #SecureNorth campaigner, Rabiu Auwal, who was shot, and Umar Bn El-Khatab.
The three young men were inside a vehicle when the gunmen fired at them around 9 pm along the road.
A relative of the deceased, who preferred anonymity, confirmed his death, saying the kidnappers killed Digana after collecting ransom for his release.
Four policemen have reportedly drowned in a river in Bayelsa State on their way to place of their assigned duty to monitor the senatorial bye-election in the state.
The policemen and other were said to be heading to Southern Ijaw Local Government Area when the tragedy occurred.
While four policemen were reported drowned, some others were rescued.
Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the tragedy, saying that the boat capsized on their way to Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
According to him, the police were yet to ascertain the number of cops involved in the accident.
Butswat stated that the command was monitoring the incident and that from the information gathered, it was a boat mishap and some of policemen were declared missing and some rescued.
He clarified that it was not an attack, but a boat mishap.
Butswat said the police could not say that someone was dead because it would be too hasty to say so, as some might have swum to safety.
“It is when it is confirmed by medical personnel that we can say they are dead. For now, they are missing,” he told The Nation.
Three of the inmates who escaped in the jailbreak of two prisons in Edo after the ENDSARS protests turned violent have been rearrested for robbery.
The suspects, Osamuyi Omoregbe, Raymond Aimua and Omon Ayo, were among 34 suspects police paraded for armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism.
Operatives of the Edo state police command has rearrested three inmates who escaped from the two correctional centres in Edo following the attack on the centres by hoodlums during the #EndSARS protest over alleged armed robbery.
The state police commissioner Johnson Kokumon said the three escapees would be charged for escaping detention as well as the fresh crime committed.
He explained that the criminal elements now pretend to be taxi drivers and dispossess passengers of belongings in the process of conveying them to their destinations.
Kokumon said it is worrisome that about 2,000 criminal inmates escaped from the custodian centres into the city, assuring that the police will not rest until all are arrested and arm and ammunition carted away are recovered.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, has insisted that nobody was killed during the #EndSARS protest at Lekki toll gate in Lagos State on October 20.
Buratai said those claiming protesters were killed were seeing “double.”
Hours before a curfew was scheduled to begin, soldiers had stormed the Lekki toll gate on October 20 where protesters had gathered and started shooting, killing an unconfirmed number of people.
The incident has received widespread condemnation within and outside Nigeria.
Speaking on Friday at the decoration of 39 newly promoted Major-Generals, Buratai maintained that there was no corpse during the shooting at the toll gate.
He said, “I am glad that we held the Spiritual Warfare Seminar on Wednesday and most of the decorated Generals today are graduates of the Spiritual Warfare Seminar.
“I must say that the spiritual warfare seminar we had last time helped us during the last #EndSARS protest to the extent that there was no single corpse, but some persons saw double at Lekki toll gate in Lagos State.
“We will continue to protect every law-abiding Nigerian anywhere in the country, and we will do that in accordance with the rules of engagement and confines of the constitution.”
Despite Buratai’s self-righteous claims, the army has been giving self-indicting explanations before a sitting Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry investigating the Lekki incident.
The army had initially explained that it used only blank ammunition at the scene of the protests, but following a CNN investigation which exposed that expended Serbian bullets purchased by the army were found at the location, the military gave another explanation.
The Commander of the 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, formerly Brig-Gen Ahmed Taiwo, had led the army’s desperate attempt to cover up its tracks.
Taiwo later explained on November 22 before the panel that the Phase Four of the military internal security operation, which was deployed at the Lekki tollgate on the night October 20, involved the use of both live and blank ammunition.
He said the soldiers took live bullets to the scene for self-defence.
Taiwo said the troops that operated at the tollgate on that night were indeed armed with live bullets. He, however, maintained that only soldiers with blank bullets fired shots into the air.
Hoodlums in Ogun village have shot a Divisional of Police Officer, DPO, abducted four policemen and carted away two AK 47 rifles.
The incident took place at Aba Tuntun village, Ijebu-Igbo in the Ijebu -North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Spokesman, Ogun State Police Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi confirmed the abduction, but said three of the policemen had been rescued.
Asides the policemen, three vigilante men were also kidnapped by the hoodlums.
The police reportedly visited the village to disarmed some hoodlums following a complaint by the village head that some hoodlums were in possession of firearms.
Acting on a petition by the Baale of the village, a team of 15 policemen and 35 local vigilantes stormed the village on Thursday.
They successfully raided the village and seized six single-barreled guns, 16 dane guns, and 16 cartridges were from the hoodlums.
According to The Punch, their colleagues ambushed the security operatives, launched attacks on them as they were leaving the community.
They reportedly fired gunshots at the police and attacked them with other dangerous weapons.
The DPO was reportedly shot in the arm while some others sustained various gunshot injuries, while four policemen and three vigilantes were kidnapped.
Here are photos from the wedding of Deola Smart and luxury designer, Malivelihood. The wedding took place at the National Ecumenical Centre Abuja today.
In attendance were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and wife, Dolapo.More photos below...
Billionaire businessman and father-in-law of actress, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Harry Akande, has died. He was 77 years old.
Akande, who was the Agba Oye of Ibadanland, died after a brief illness in the early hours of Saturday. He was was aged 77.
Akande’s death was announced in a statement on Saturday by Dakore's husband, Olumide Akande, who described the death of the businessman as a huge shock to the family.
The statement read, “Chief Harry Ayoade Akande, Agba Oye of Ibadanland (March 3, 1943-December 5, 2020)
“In the early hours of Saturday, December 5, 2020, our patriarch Chief Harry Ayodele Akande passed away following a brief illness.
“Chief Harry Akande was an astute businessman of international repute whose legacy and influence cut across continents.
“But by far his greatest passion was for a better Nigeria that guaranteed equity and justice for all. It is our fervent hope that this will be a reality in the not too distant future.
“His passing is a huge shock to his immediate and extended family, friends, and associates. We are all grappling to make some sense of it.
“As we seek the repose of his gentle soul, we ask you to in turn to uphold us in your prayers while we pass through this very turbulent period of our lives occasioned by the loss of someone as dear as him.”
Ad-hoc officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were caught sleeping on Saturday in Ikorodu as voters refused to come out to vote at the Lagos East Senatorial bye-election.
Most of the voters were mid-aged people while the youths who clamoured for #EndSARS and made so much noise did not come out to vote.
As a result of the few voters on ground, INEC officials decided to take a nap.
A soldier, whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, on Saturday, assaulted a young lady who was dressed in a manner he considered indecent.
The incident happened around 9:47 am at Oju-Ore in the Ota area of Ogun State.
The lady, who was clad in a pair of shorts and white knitted coverup, was trekking on the road when she was assaulted.
Eyewitnesses told The Punch that the soldier, who was riding in a commercial bus, alighted from the bus and pounced on the young lady, unprovoked.
Eyewitnesses reported that he slapped the young lady repeatedly and when the shocked lady attempted to run away from the unprovoked assault, he pulled her back violently with her braided long hair.
The soldier was caught on video yanking off the young lady’s blouse and had also wanted to take off her bra when passersby intervened.
They begged him repeatedly before he let go of the lady.
He then joined the commercial bus he was riding in and the driver drove off.
Efforts to reach the spokesman for 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Olaniyi Osoba, for comments proved abortive on Saturday as his line was switched off as of the time of filing this report.
Last month, soldiers deployed in the streets of Beere in Ibadan, Oyo State, to curb the #EndSARS protests were also caught on camera flogging a woman for what they termed ‘indecent dressing’.
Rights group, Amnesty International, has accused the Nigerian military of committing several acts of abuse some of which include whipping, forced haircuts, and sometimes, extrajudicial killings.
Nigerians on twitter have blasted the billionaire's son and ex BBNaija housemate, Kiddwaya after he bragged about his connection saying connection is more important than money.
Recall the reality Tv star made his bragging rights known in a tweet he posted on his Twitter page on Friday, December 4.
According to him, it’s not always about money but rather; one’s network, access and the kinds of people saved in their contacts list.
He threw shades saying “false hope is a MF” while noting that money comes and goes but network remains.
He wrote on Twitter, “Forget about money. I want to see your network. Do you have access? What doors can you open? If I look thru your phone what names will I see? This game is about longevity. Money comes and goes but your network is there to stay. False hope is a mf trust me. Stay focused be smart!”
Over 50 hoodlums disrupted the electoral process in the polling units at Agbala town, Ikorodu, during the Lagos-bye elections on Saturday.
The hoodlums who claimed to belong to different cult groups ( Eiye and Aiye included) stormed polling unit 009 and polling unit 008, ward 18, Agbala village, Ikorodu Local Government Area.
As of 11.48 am, the entrance of the polling unit 008, in Agbala village, was closed with the 3 security officers at the scene overwhelmed.
Trouble started when the different cult groups demanded money in exchange for the peaceful conduct of the voting exercise.
However, a man yet-to-be-identified gave out money to one of the cultists which led to an uproar from other members.
The Police Command in Benue says it has arrested Mr Jeremiah Nnamdi, a student of Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi (FUAM) over the alleged killing of an associate professor at the institution, Karl Kwaghger.
This is contained in a statement on Saturday by the command’s spokesperson, DSP Catherine Anene.
The university don was killed on Nov. 28 at the Tarka Foundation, Gboko, where he had gone for relaxation.
The police said that the suspect, who hails from Imo State was arrested in Abuja while trying to sell a car belonging to the deceased.
“Swiftly, police detectives were deployed to the scene where they met the victim brutally stabbed on his ribs and cut on his neck.
“The victim was rushed to Bishop Murray Hospital where he was confirmed dead and was deposited at the morgue.
“During the investigation, one Jeremiah Nnamdi of Umigwe village, Imo State, a student of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi was arrested in Abuja where he went to sell the car of the deceased.”
According to the police, the suspect has already confessed to the crime and further investigation is ongoing.
“The suspect confessed to the crime and further stated that his initial intention was to threaten the victim with a make-believe gun and rob the deceased of his car.
“But he ended up killing him because of his resistance and took the car away,” the police added.
Health Minister of the northern Indian state of Haryana Anil Vij, who was given a trial dose of a Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in November, tested positive for the virus on Saturday.
Vij, who is the holding charge of several ministries including health, said on Twitter that he had contracted the virus.
He urged people, who came in contact with him in recent days to undergo a test.
“I have been tested COVID-19 positive.
“I am admitted in civil hospital Ambala cantonment.
“All those who have come in close contact to me are advised to get themselves tested for COVID-19,” Vij wrote.
In November, 67-year-old Vij was administered a trial dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as part of the third phase trial of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.
He had earlier announced that he would be the first volunteer in his state for the vaccine.
Haryana state has so far reported 240,841 cases of COVID-19 and 2,539 related deaths.
On Saturday morning, the federal health ministry said the number of COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 9,608,211 and the death toll has risen to 139,700.
India is in the grip of the ongoing COVID-19 and globally it is the second worst-hit country by the pandemic.
Afrobeat musician, Femi Kuti, has opened up on the reason his father, Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti never gave him sound education.
He said Fela never sent him to school because he wanted to use him as an experiment, to prove that he could be successful without acquiring education.
He said this recently in an interview with presenters of Your View, an all-female talk show on TVC.
According to him, though Fela was great, he had his faults, one of which was his refusal to send him to school, an experiment he believes was very risky.
“Yes Fela was great. But Fela did have faults. But one of the faults is that Fela wanted to use me as an experiment. His excuse was that I would be successful without going to school.
“And his mother, my mother, everybody, just freaked out. No! When I became successful he was like, ‘Didn’t I tell you? Me that went through that experiment I know it was very risky.”
According to Femi it was because he didn’t want what befell him to also happen to his son, Made, whom he saw as very gifted right from the outset, that he made sure he studied music abroad. And that has paid off. Made has not only followed his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, he has released two singles, Free Your Mind and Your Enemy.
A man was spotted celebrating his birthday in a tricycle converted mini swimming pool.
His friends and well wishers were also spotted at the scene hailing the celebrant as others wish him a happy birthday.
In a video trending on social media, the young man was spotted celebrating his birthday in an extraordinary way by having fun at the back of a tricycle as he was being conveyed around town.
This attracted a lot of attention as a lot of people stepped out to wish him a happy birthday.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Army, Senator Ali Ndume, said he has instructed his legal team to begin the process of terminating the surety bond he signed for captured fugitive Abdulrasheed Maina.
The senator from Borno said he could no longer continue to stand surety for the former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Force Team, because he has proven to be untrustworthy.
Abdulrasheed Maina, who jumped bail was on Friday ordered by a Federal High Court to be remanded in custody till the end of his trial.
Justice Okon Abang made the order following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prosecuting counsel, Mr Mohammed Abubakar.
Maina, who is being prosecuted by the EFCC on N2 billion money laundering charge, had jumped bail and fled to the Republic of Niger.
But he was returned to court for the first time on Friday following his extradition to Nigeria on Thursday.
Ndume, who is representing Borno South Senatorial District in the Senate, stood surety for Maina, his constituent, because the court asked Maina to produce a serving senator as his surety, as part of his bail condition.
After Maina jumped bail, Justice Okon Abang remanded Ndume in the Kuje Correctional Centre for four days.
Ndume commended the Inspector-General of Police (Mohammed Adamu) and other security personnel that were involved in the arrest and extradition of Maina.
“I commend the Nigeria Police Force for executing the bench warrant issued on Maina by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has applied to withdraw the suit it filed to stop various panels probing allegations of rights abuses and other acts of impunity by police officials, particularly men of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020 was filed on November 9, 2020 by the NPF, through its lawyer, O. M. Atoyebi (SAN).
In the notice of discontinuance filed early on Friday by a lawyer to the NPF, Festus Ibude, reads: “Take notice that the plaintiff herein intends to and doth hereby wholly withdraws its suit against all the defendants.”
Listed as defendants in the case include the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the attorneys-general of the states and chairmen of the panels set up by the states.
