A Monday early morning fire disaster at the residence of a Damaturu based renowned farmer, Engr. Samaila Adamu, destroyed grains and apartments worth millions of naira.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the fire outbreak was caused by burning sesame stalks in the house which is located at 3-Bedroom Housing Estate, Gujba road, Damaturu, led to the destruction of four rooms, about one hundred bags of grains, vehicle spare parts as well many bags of fertilizers, among other valuables.
They said efforts by people from the neighbourhood could not stop the raging fire as it continued uncontrollably until the arrival of trucks belonging to the State Fire Service and Yobe State University.
Though not his family house, the victim of the fire disaster, Adamu said the house is where he stores animal feeds as he is a farmer who also breeds livestock.
He described the incident “as an act from God”.
One of the fire fighters, Adamu Suleiman, who assisted in putting out the inferno, said even with their timely intervention so much damages have been recorded.
Actress Damilola Adegbite has warned fans not to allow themselves to be misled because most of the people they admire and want to be like are hiding their truth.
According to her, one should be very careful who he/she seek advice from because some people are hiding their truth and are showing off what she labels as smoke and mirror.
Sharing her thoughts about a post from a motivational speaker she came across, Damiloa has advised individuals to take life easy and stay in their lane not to be misled by anyone.
Her post advice opens one’s eyes against these fake motivational speakers who try to mislead people to do something while they do the other but behave as if everything is okay with them.
Popular cleric and leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari was incapacitated, not in control of his government and that the truth will soon be exposed.
The clergyman said the truth about the President and some officials of his administration would soon be exposed.
Primate Ayodele, who spoke during a live service in his Lagos church, on Sunday said cabals are in charge of Buhari’s government.
In a statement released on Monday, the cleric said the judiciary and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Mohammed Tanko is greatly affected by Buhari’s incapacity.
He said the judiciary system of Nigeria is on the verge of collapse due to the inefficiency of the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“President Buhari is incapacitated, he is not in charge of his government. Cabals are the ones ruling the country now. I foresee that the truth about him will be exposed soon.
“The CJN, Tanko Muhammed can not lead the judiciary again, the incapacity of the President has affected him, the judiciary system is on the verge of collapse,” he said.
Three brothers identified as Okiki Mulero 23, Micheal Mulero 21, and Joseph Mulero 17 have been arrested by officers of Ogun State Police Command for beating a security guard on duty at Otunba Gbenga Daniel Estate, Asero to death on the eve of Christmas Day.
The three brothers were arrested on Christmas Day.
Available information indicated that trouble started when the eldest of the brothers, Okiki, who is a commercial cyclist was denied entrance into the Estate for carrying more than one passenger contrary to the rule of the estate.
Okiki, who was infuriated allegedly called his two brothers, Micheal and Joseph to join him at the Estate and they subsequently joined hands in beating the two security guards on duty at entrance to the estate with planks.
In the process, one of the security men identified as Segun Godfrey Barde slumped and was subsequently rushed to a nearby hospital where he gave up the ghost on Christmas Day while receiving treatment.
The case was reported at Obantoko divisional headquarters by the CDA executives of the estate, consequent upon which the DPO, CSP Sunday Opebiyi detailed his detectives to go after the suspects and they were subsequently apprehended one after the other.
They have all confessed to the commission of the crime.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Cp Edward A. Ajogun has ordered the immediate transfers of the case to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence department for further investigation and prosecution.
The corpse of the victim has been deposited in the mortuary for post mortem examination
In recorded comments, US President Donald Trump urged Georgia's secretary of state, Republican Brad Raffensperger, to find enough votes from the US presidential election to deny the state to President-elect Joe Biden.
The conversation, published by the Washington Post on Sunday, was the latest in Trump's two-month effort to claim that his loss to Biden in the November 3 election was the result of voter fraud.
According to the Washington Post, Trump alternately berated Raffensperger and other officials, tried to flatter him, pleaded with him to act, and appeared to threaten "vague criminal consequences."
Throughout the call, Raffensperger and his lawyer explain to Trump that his arguments are based on debunked conspiracy theories. They tell him the 11,779 margin of victory for Biden was fair and accurate, but Trump is not satisfied.
"The people of Georgia are angry, the people in the country are angry," the president says. "And there's nothing wrong with saying, you know, um, that you've recalculated."
"All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes, which is one more than we have. Because we won the state."
The claims of ballot rigging have been widely rejected by state and federal election officials and by courts in numerous cases.
The Associated Press cited Biden senior adviser Bob Bauer as saying the recording was "irrefutable proof'' of Trump pressuring and threatening an official in his own party to "rescind a state's lawful, certified vote count and fabricate another in its place.''
Nancy Pelosi has been narrowly re-elected speaker of the United States House of Representatives as a new Congress took office amid the surging coronavirus pandemic and a plot by some Republicans to overturn President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over President Donald Trump.
The House voted 216-209 to reinstate Pelosi on Sunday after Democrats lost 11 seats in the November elections to command a narrower 222-212 majority.
Five Democrats chose not to support her – two voted for Democratic legislators who were not running while three others simply voted “present”.
Pelosi, the only woman to have ever served as speaker, has led the House Democrats for 17 years.
“As we are sworn in today, we accept a responsibility as daunting and demanding as any that previous generations of leadership have faced. We begin the new Congress during a time of extraordinary difficulty,” Pelosi said in a floor speech that noted the deaths of more than 350,000 Americans from the COVID-19 pandemic.
A real estate officer in Magodo area, Lagos State has narrated the last moments he shared with Tunde Thomas, the late husband of Moyo Thomas, who was allegedly involved in office romance with the Managing Director of the First City Monument Bank, Adam Nuru.
The anonymous person, who wrote on Twitter using @Fada_Flo, stated that Thomas was indeed depressed and alone in his last days.
No fewer than 2,311 persons have already signed a petition calling for the sacking of the FCMB Managing Director over his alleged affair with a former worker of the bank, Moyo Thomas.
The petition is also asking the Central Bank of Nigeria and the FCMB board to dismiss Nuru on ethical grounds.
A cross-section of Nigerians have also condemned the FCMB Managing Director over the alleged affair, which reportedly made Thomas depressed and eventually led to his death.
The estate company officer narrated that he had gone to inspect the house in which Thomas lived in Magodo and was surprised that he was alone at home and lying on the bed.
He said, “No one is as shocked at this #FCMB issue as I am. Tunde Thomas lived in one of the properties the company I work for manages in Magodo. I saw him two weeks prior to his death, he looked depressed then but he told me he had just woken up. I noticed that he was alone in the house.
“His children's bedroom looked like it hadn't been occupied in a while, I assumed that they were abroad with his wife, Moyosore. I went to inspect the property to know if it was in a good state and Mr. Tunde just laid on his bed throughout the inspection and told me to let him know when I was done.
“I later heard rumors he and his wife had issues and that he had even done introduction (an event that is organised for families of partners planning marriage to know each other) with a new woman, only for me to hear that he slumped and died two weeks later. Omo! This life ehn e no balance at all.”
A Nigerian, Tobiloba Kehinde, has pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court for his role as a money launderer in a romance scam that defrauded multiple victims, including elder Americans, of millions, U.S. Attorney Trent Shores has said.
Kehinde, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering before the U.S. District Court Judge Gregory K. Frizzell.
Kehinde's sentencing hearing is set for March 29, 2021.
"In the last year, Americans were defrauded out of more than $200 million due to romance scams. Whether these con artists are romancing vulnerable elder victims online or facilitating money laundering to hide the illicit proceeds, this U.S. Attorney's Office will never stop fighting to get justice for the victims," said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
"Today, Tobiloba Kehinde, becomes the third conspirator brought to justice for his role in a Nigerian romance scheme."
In his plea agreement, Kehinde admitted that he knew the money involved in the financial transactions involved the proceeds from unlawful activity.
He further stated that he knew the financial transactions were designed, in whole or in part, to conceal or disguise the nature, the location, the source, the ownership, or the control of the proceeds of the unlawful activity.
Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe is dead. He died on Sunday in Lagos of suspected COVID-19 complications.
Both UNILAG branch Chairman of THE Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Dele Ashiru and Personal Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professsor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Mr A.O. Bolarinwa, confirmed the death of the professor of Systems Engineering.
Though they said the were not sure of the cause of his death, unconfirmed sources including the UNILAG alumni group Whatsaap platform said the professor died of COVID-19 complications.
The platform read: “With great sadness, we announce the passing unto glory a very distinguished alumnus and a past Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, who died this evening from complications of COVID-19.
“We pray that his soul rests in peace and the Lord comfort his family and all of us he left behind.”
Professor Ibidapo-Obe retired from UNILAG about two years ago after reaching the mandatory 70 years retirement age and was said to have moved to his Lekki home same year.
He was also a former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State and President of Nigeria Academy of Science.
Until his death, he was the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council of Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State.
Unknown gunmen have reportedly kidnapped a medical doctor, Akindele John Kayode, at one Health Care Center, Tapa, in Ibarapa North Local Government. The doctor was reportedly abducted around 11 pm on Saturday.
This happened just a few hours after some bandits killed a Chief Executive Officer of an independent marketer and his two young cousins in Idere.
It was gathered that the CEO of the filling station and his cousins were killed by unknown gunmen, around 7pm on Saturday, January 2nd, in Idere, Ibarapa Central Local Government.
As a result of the incessant attacks, people of the area have called on federal and state governments saying bandits appear to have taken over the area.
When the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gbenga Fadeyi was called, he said he did not have details as of the time of filing this report.
He said, “I don’t have any details yet. When I have been briefed about the incident, I will call you”.
Queen Margrethe of Denmark has become the first royal to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.
The 80-year-old was inoculated on New Year's Day, according to a brief statement issued by the Royal Court.
It was also confirmed that the monarch would receive the second dose in around three weeks as is usual with the batch.
Margrethe II is the first European sovereign to officially announce the news of her vaccination.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace refuses to say if Her Majesty or Prince Philip have been given the Covid vaccine, insisting that it's a 'private' matter.
The statement from the Danish royal house read: 'Her Majesty the Queen was vaccinated today against COVID-19. The Queen will be re-vaccinated in about three weeks' time.'
Other world leaders to have already been vaccinated include US president-elect Joe Biden, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Czech prime minister Andrej Babis and Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
A 16-year-old girl, Melojeuekun Barakat Mayowa, who accused the Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Abiodun Abudu-Balogun of s.e.x.ual harassment, appears to be making a u-turn on the case.
She has recorded another video wherein she was seen saying there was misconception and misunderstanding between her and the commissioner.
Mayowa’s video is coming few hours after the Ogun State Government announced the suspension of Abudu-Balogun to enable him cooperate fully with the investigation being carried out by the police.
According to the short video, Mayowa appreciated everyone who has shown supports about the case.
In a dramatic twist, she appealed that the case be allowed to rest.
“I want to use this opportunity to appeal to meaningful Nigerians to please allow this matter to rest,” she said.
Gerry and the Pacemakers singer Gerry Marsden, whose version of You'll Never Walk Alone became a football terrace anthem for his hometown club of Liverpool, has died at the age of 78.
His family said he died on Sunday after a short illness not linked to Covid-19.
Marsden's band was one of the biggest success stories of the Merseybeat era, and in 1963 became the first to have their first three songs top the chart.
The band's other best known hit, Ferry Cross The Mersey, came in 1964.
It was written by Marsden himself as a tribute to his city, and reached number eight.
Marsden was made an MBE in 2003 for services to charity after supporting victims of the Hillsborough disaster.
At the time, he said he was "over the moon" to have received the honour, following his support for numerous charities across Merseyside and beyond.
Marsden's daughter, Yvette Marbeck, said he went into hospital on Boxing Day after tests showed he had a serious blood infection that had travelled to his heart.
Ms Marbeck told the PA news agency: "It was a very short illness and too quick to comprehend really."
He died in hospital, Ms Marbeck said, adding: "He was our dad, our hero, warm, funny and what you see is what you got."
Liverpool FC posted on social media that Marsden's words would "live on forever with us".
It is with such great sadness that we hear of Gerry Marsden’s passing.
Public and private primary and secondary schools in Lagos State are not reopening on Monday, January 4, 2021, as earlier announced, but, their reopening depends on how the second wave of Covid-19 goes, it was gathered on Sunday.
When asked whether the schools would reopen as earlier announced by the Ministry of Education, the spokesman, Mr Kayode Abayomi, noted that recent developments concerning the second wave of the pandemic would not allow that.
“Please, recall that the Ministry of Education earlier announced 4th of January as resumption date for the second term 2020/2021 academic session, but this has since been overtaken by the turn of events due to the recent waves of Covid-19 pandemic.
“As a result of the spike in Coronavirus pandemic, Mr. Governor announced the indefinite closure of all schools. To this end, kindly be informed that a new date of resumption will be announced as soon as possible”, Abayomi stated.
Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa, on Sunday, joined other Christians in the state to offer praises to God for witnessing the first Sunday of 2021. Diri, who worshipped at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Sampou, his hometown, told the congregation that he never knew the community would produce a governor, while he was supporting the governorship aspiration of others.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Daniel Alabrah, quoted Diri as saying that when it was time for God’s destined purpose, it would surely manifest.
He said: “Sometimes I wonder that all the time I had been supporting the governorship aspiration of others, I did not know that God had destined me, even before I was born, to be governor. So when your time comes, nobody can stop it.
“If the same God could do this for me, He will do it for you. Just be faithful, have free mind and He will do it again and again,” he said.
The governor urged Christians to be faithful to God in order to unlock more earthly blessings, just as he called on the people of the state to always give thanks and pay less attention to their worries.
South Africa, which has been hard hit by a second wave of coronavirus cases, hopes to obtain its first vaccine doses next month, the health minister announced Sunday.
In recent weeks the South African government has come in for criticism, particularly from health experts, over the delay in starting a programme of inoculation against Covid-19.
“We are targeting February,” Dr Zweli Mkhize told a news conference, while cautioning that before that can happen negotiations must be concluded with vaccine makers including Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca, as well as with Russian and Chinese laboratories.
To finance its vaccine programme, the administration plans to seek help from the private sector as well as from the country’s main health insurers.
South Africa is also participating in Covax, the World Health Organisation’s mechanism for global vaccine distribution.
