He disclosed this in a tweet on Sunday, saying the accident appears fatal.
He said, “A military aircraft King Air 350 has just crashed short of our Abuja runway after reporting engine failure enroute Minna. It appears to be fatal. We should remain calm & wait for the outcome of investigation by the military, while we pray for the departed soul/souls if any.”
Details later…
During the shooting, some protesters reportedly died while others secured varying degrees of injuries.
The Punch gathered that those arrested on Saturday are Victoria Oniru, Tokunbo, Tunde Abass, Leon, Omolara Alagbala, and Adekunle.
It was learnt that the protesters had converged on Victoria Island when police officers from Maroko Police Station arrested them.
It was also learnt that the protesters were later transferred to Adeniji Adele Police Station before being detained at Panti.
In a statement, Eti-Osa Bar Forum Legal Aid Clinic and Situation Room for #OccupyLekki demanded the immediate release of the protesters.
The statement titled, ‘#120thDayMemorial: We demand the release of Victoria Oniru and others now’, was signed by the Chairman of the Forum, Oladotun Hassan; and Secretary, Ayo Ademiluyi.
It read in part, “We condemn in particular the role of Maroko Police Station, which have become notorious since the 20th day of October 2020 for police brutality and violation of fundamental human rights.
“We are also no less surprised that the Adeniji Adele Police Station, which is “formerly” the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad is still the custodial centre for the arrested Memorial Walkers. Indeed, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad is alive, well, and kicking.
“We hereby demand the immediate release of the Memorial Walkers and call on everyone to call the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Police Command, CP Hakeem Odumosu to demand their release.”
The bandits were said to have abducted women and children in Gurmana village in the State.
Disclosing this, former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani alleged that the bandits who wore military uniform struck at about 4 p.m.
In a tweet, the former lawmaker claimed that some of the residents who tried to escape drowned in River Kaduna.
“Bandits in Military uniform attacked Gurmana, a village in Niger State around 4pm yesterday. They abducted mostly women and children.
“Some who tried to escape drowned in the River Kaduna. I spoke to one of the survivors, a teacher, now seeking refuge in Kuta, Niger State. A tragedy, a day,” he tweeted.
This is coming barely a week after bandits had abducted some students from Government Science College in Kagara.
The victory also gave the Serbian his 18th Grand Slam title, two shy from record holders, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal.
For Medvedev, it was another hope dashed for a first Grand Slam victory.
Sunday Punch gathered that the duo had fought over the ownership of the farmland which belonged to their late father, exchanging blows in the process.
They were said to have also hit each other with charms and died in a few minutes’ interval.
A resident, who spoke to punch correspondent on condition of anonymity, said, “Jima took a tractor to plough his rice farmland close to River Benue but his immediate elder brother, Iorhemba, got wind of it and went to the farm to meet his younger brother. He ordered the tractor driver to stop work.”
The resident stated further that Iorhemba’s action led to a heated argument between him and his brother.
He added, “They both fought, evoking incantations and using charms. Iorhemba slumped. People who were around to broker peace tried to revive him but suddenly, his younger brother also slumped. They were rushed to a hospital at Agagbe where they were confirmed dead.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Catherine Anene, who confirmed the incident, said that the siblings died in strange circumstances.
She said, “It is true. The incident was reported but the brothers slumped and died. It was strange.”
Olaotan who turned 69 on Wednesday, February 17, is still in a Turkey hospital battling with the effects of a traumatic brain injury he suffered after a ghastly car accident in October 2016.
His wife, Julia, has been relentlessly seeking support for him and some actors have also solicited for support on Olaotan’s behalf.
In 2019, billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Femi Otedola donated N30m to the actor.
Speaking to Punch Newspaper, Julia thanked Otedola and other well-meaning Nigerians that had supported, but stated that she still needed money to offset her husband’s hospital bills.
She said, “I need all the help I can get. I have been silent but now, I am drowning. Apart from Mr Otedola and a few other people who have supported me, I still need help. His monthly expenses are $7,500, excluding the caregiver’s salary and other things like feeding and toiletries.
“The money for his stem cell procedure is about $150,000. He has done the first procedure, and he needs to undergo the second one. I want to bring my husband back home. The last time I paid hospital bills was in March 2019.
“He has been receiving treatment without payment but the agency that helped with his medical travelling, Radmed, has been doing so much for us. They have been very humane because most of the hospital bills have been paid by them.
“However, my fear is that if another Nigerian needs the agency’s services, they might be reluctant because of their experience with us.
“I am just hoping that somebody out there would have compassion. But, I don’t want to appear like an ingrate because Nigerians have given support and everyone has their cross to carry.”
Julia, who hasn’t seen her husband physically since May 2019, said that she often spoke with him via video calls, and whenever they spoke, she could see that he was ‘fighting for his life.
She said, “He is improving, especially when it comes to recognising people. Also, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have not been able to visit him.
“I owe the hospital so much money that my travelling to see him without paying outstanding bills would not be good. Because of the debt, the hospital has cut down on some of his treatments such as physiotherapy, although they still give him basic treatments. They managed him very well, and he has even received the COVID-19 vaccine.
“They have called me several times about my debt and even threatened to dump him at the Nigerian Embassy and report me there too. They feel I have absconded because they have not seen me.
“We have not been able to start the second treatment after the one that Otedola graciously paid for. I have not been able to raise the $70,000 that is needed,” she added.
He would speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Sunday February 28.
The gathering would be one of the largest annual gatherings of political conservatives.
He would address the congress on “the future of the Republican Party and the conservative movement.”
The former president also is expected to challenge the “disastrous amnesty and border policies of American President, Joe Biden.
Trump remains a strong political force in US politics as a poll by Quinnipiac University this week revealed that three-quarter of Republicans want him to play a prominent role in the party.
Since his departure from the White House, the former president so far has been silent despite claims the election was rigged.
He however, called-in to a cable TV news program after the death of popular radio host, Rush Limbaugh. Trump hinted at a future political run.
“I won’t say yet but we have tremendous support. And I’m looking at poll numbers that are through the roof.”
“Let’s say somebody gets impeached, typically your numbers would go down, they would go down like a dead balloon. But the numbers are very good, they’re very high,” he said.
So far, the agency has tested 1,441,013 samples since Covid-19 index case was announced on Feb. 27, 2020.
The NCDC also registered 18 Covid-19-related deaths, raising the total fatalities in Nigeria to 1,831.
Delta posted 12 of the deaths, raising its toll from 52 to 64.
Lagos also reported three new deaths. Its death toll is now 384.
Other states that recorded one death each were Kaduna, Kano and Abia.
The health agency announced that the 645 new infections were reported from 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The agency said that Lagos State took the lead with 282 cases, Ogun had 72, the FCT reported 50, while Kaduna, Osun, and Imo reported 33, 24, and 23 cases, respectively.
Other states with new infections are Abia (21), Borno (18), Oyo (17), Edo (15), Nasarawa (15), Taraba (14), Ekiti (11), Ondo (11), Plateau (11), Kano (10), Rivers seven, Delta five, Bauchi, three and Jigawa, three.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs made the denial on Saturday in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr Ferdinand Nwonye.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the misleading report was quoted out of context following the meeting with Onyeama and his Beninese counterpart on Feb. 18 in Abuja.
“The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to misleading reports in the media that the Republic of Benin is aspiring to be the 37 State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, in the presence of his counterpart from the Republic of Benin granted a Press Interview after a very fruitful meeting between Ministerial delegations from both countries.
“And stated therein ‘… the President of Benin Republic said he would like the relations between the two countries to be so close as if Benin was the 37th State of Nigeria’.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria has no territorial ambition and has never aspired to make Benin or any country as part of Nigeria.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs was therefore quoted out of context and the general public should kindly disregard the wrong information,” the ministry urged.
Players of Adamawa United were attacked on Friday evening by gunmen while on their way to Lagos for a match against MFM football club.
They were attacked at the Benin by-pass by the gunmen who abducted the driver and took him into the forest.
Emmanuel Zara, Chairman, Adamawa United disclosed that the abductors have established contact and that they were asking for N50 million.
Zira told The Punch that “The abductors already reached out to us and they made a demand of N50m ransom for the release of the bus driver. We hope for his safe return.”
Earlier, as the gunmen attacked the players, their phones, money and other valuables were taken away from them.
The driver of the bus was said to have been seized and taken with away by the attackers.
According to one of the players, Sadiq Lawan who spoke on phone to Yola from Benin, about eight of the attackers emerged from the bush and swooped on the team, shooting into the air.
“They (attackers) ordered us out, took our money and our phones. It was later we found out that our driver was taken away. We came back to Benin City,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Adamawa State Ministry of Youths and Sports, Alhaji Aliyu Jada confirmed the attack.
The researchers say the association might explain the increased infertility rates in polluted areas.
The study, conducted in China, according to the researchers, tracked more than 10,000 couples.
It found that those who experienced higher levels of particulate pollution were one-fifth more likely to fail to become pregnant within a year of beginning to try.
The study, led by Qin Li of the Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China, was published in the Environment International journal.
The researchers collected reproductive information, socio-demographic characteristics, and lifestyle data of 10,211 couples at risk of pregnancy from a large-scale community-based fertility survey in China.
Then, they estimated each participant’s one-year, three-year, and five-year average particulate matter exposure levels, based on remote sensing information.
The researchers also estimated the fecundability odds ratio and the odds ratio of infertility.
Among the 10,211 couples, 6,875 (67 per cent) had conceived spontaneously, with a median time to pregnancy (TTP) of five months.
“PM2.5 exposure was associated with reduced human fecundity, presented by a longer TTP and higher odds of infertility, which might explain the increased infertility rates in areas with heavy PM2.5 pollution,” the researchers said.
They further said, “In conclusion, our study provides novel evidence that exposure to PM2.5 is associated with a longer TTP and increased odds of infertility. Further studies are required to evaluate potential mechanisms and confirm the association between air pollution and fecundity decrements, which might be responsible for increased infertility rates in areas with heavy PM2.5 pollution.”
In the prediction model, the researchers also found that a woman’s particulate matter exposure level was associated with the likelihood of achieving a pregnancy within certain months of trying.Commenting on the study, President, Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, Prof. Oluwarotimi Akinola, said the principle of fertility is that the female egg and male sperm should be in the right environment.
“The principle of fertility is that there should be a correct environment for the female egg to be produced or the male sperm to be available.
Ever since then, the thespian fondly referred to simply as RMD has become a household name in Nigeria and the world due to his acting prowess.
The 60-year-old actor who has a career that spans over three decades is now getting bald and spots greybeards. Quite active on the social media platform, Instagram, the actor often takes pictures looking dapper in his clothes as he rocks his grey beards and baldness with pride.
In an exclusive chat with The Punch, during the screening of the movie, Fine Wine, the actor stated that he has been blessed with his career as he has also always been a hard-working person.
Known to have a full rich black hair during his youthful days, the actor spoke about getting old. While talking about old age and the changes that come with the transition, the 60-year-old noted that he embraces it gracefully as ‘everyone gets old.’
The thespian said, “I embrace the fact that I am getting bald and old gracefully. I embrace the transition. It is not difficult for me to embrace getting old, everybody gets old. Why will I be afraid to be old?”
During an interactive question and answer session with her fans on Instagram, the unidentified fan asked;
“Can you take Blossom back?”
In her response, she said;
“Who is that?”
This is coming barely one year after they walked down the aisle.
Emmanuel and Anita had their white wedding in March 2020.
In a tweet on Saturday, Adeboye branded the ‘prayer points’ as ‘fake news’ and said he never issued it and he never asked anyone to issue it on his behalf.
The so-called ‘prayer points’ partly read, “The Fulani Moslems, well-organised, have encircled us with high calibre arms and ammunition pretending they are cattle-rearers, wait for orders to overrun our land and kill our people. They have perfected their strategies.
“Now, oh Lord, arise and defend us; contend with those that contend with us.
“Oh Lord, protect us. Stop them from destroying our farmlands, raping our women, killing our people, burning our houses, kidnapping and robbing us.”
But the 78-year-old cleric urged the general public to disregard the so-called ‘prayer points’ as he did not come up with it.
“Calvary greetings! Please ignore this prayer point titled, “Prayer from Daddy G. O. Adeboye”,” he captioned a copy of the so-called ‘prayer points’.
“It is not from me and I have not assigned anyone to come up with it. I am not associated with the content neither the author of the content. Please beware of such! God bless you!” he added.
Calvary greetings!
— Pastor Adeboye (@PastorEAAdeboye) February 20, 2021
Please ignore this prayer point titled “Prayer from Daddy G. O. Adeboye”.
It is not from me and I have not assigned anyone to come up with it.
I am not associated with the content neither the author of the content.
Please beware of such!
God bless you!!! pic.twitter.com/B0mqTA6MLM
Destiny Etiko was part of a group of actors led by the President of the Actor’s Guild of Nigeria to see Yahaya Bello.
Destiny Etiko shared a picture from the visit to the governor on Instagram.
She captioned the photo; “HIS EXCELLENCY…YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO, God bless you more for the warm reception.”
The picture has since stirred reactions from Nigerians who dragged her for wearing an ''indecent'' outfit on such a visit, which forced the actress to turn off the comment section on her page.
Some attributed such visits to governors as the reason for the flamboyant lifestyle of some Nollywood actresses
Here are some of the comments:
@Bomajane “Make we dey talk true, but that outfit isn’t appropriate for an official visit to the Governor’s office now.”
@Daniel_Regha “So, Destiny Etiko the actress couldn’t dress decently when visiting Yahaya Bello? This is discouraging. What was the purpose of the visit in the first place? People especially celebrities should normalise promoting good morals so people who look up to them can emulate such morals.”
@Alfred_uvoh “No wonder they are always buying and buying and buying and the male actors just dey look like dundee.”
@Cassie_Chidiago “What sort of dressing is this, very inappropriate.”
@Irelexicon ” Some women will not just make heaven, if I am a sitting governor and you carry this come greet me, I go turn you down. Unless I invite you for clubbing but I can’t cheat on my future wife.”
@Tayoteye “Visiting a sitting Governor dressed up in curvy revealing clothes. Governance na cruise for this country. Is it an official visit, courtesy visit or Personal visit?
@Vivianetim4 “I remember when Kim Kardashian was going to the white house, she was dressed in a corporate attire. There’s dignity in dressing properly for any occasion.”
@OfficialOmojay “Just forget the visiting first, still forget her wrong choice of outfit to Governor’s house. Destiny dress sense na zero over zero.”
Ezekwesili said this while condemning the abduction of 27 Kagara students from Niger State, adding that a strange incestuous relationship now exists between the government and abductors.
The ex-minister said the friendship has enabled the industry of abduction to flourish in Nigeria on basic market principles of demand and supply.
Taking a swipe at the government, Ezekwesili said she hoped the students remain safe until President Muhammadu Buhari ‘reaches out to the abductors’.
Ezekwesili who took to Twitter wrote: “Still no positive development on the Kagara students abduction, @NigeriaGov? Truly disastrous that Education is now under the daily threat of barbarism.
“May God keep them safe until President Buhari reaches out to their abductors as he did for #KankaraBoys in Katsina.
In another post, she tweeted: “There’s now an industry of abduction flourishing on basic market principles of demand and supply. It is enabled by a strange incestuous relationship between the government and the abductors.
“Folks in Federal and State Governments are throwing this friendship in faces of Citizens. SHAME.”
The fire started about midnight and all efforts to reach the Osun State Fire Service proved futile.
Daily Post reports that all the numbers given out by Osun Fire Service for Osogbo, Ikirun and Ile-Ife could not be reached as they were all switched off.
A source disclosed that he finally reached the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Osun Fire Service after which he promised to swing into action.
According to her, on contacting the Federal Fire Service, Osun Command, the PRO, Adijat Basiri revealed that she got information that they were later alerted about the fire.
She said, “We declined going there due to security reasons. We requested for security back-up but couldn’t get one because Ikirun is a hot zone where we are usually attacked. This has occurred about twice in the past.”
As at the time of this report, numbers to the Osun Fire Service could not be reached to get their own side of the story.
He gave her the house saying his grandmother deserves the best and congratulated her.
Sharing a photo of them together and also a picture of the house on social media, Churchill who is now married to Rosy Meurer wrote;
“Sending warmest wishes for your new home. You deserve the best grandma you are my everything congratulations 🙏🙏🥰”
Stevie Wonder made this revelation on Oprah Winfrey’s show, ‘The Oprah Conversation’.
He said he is tired of racial injustice in America and doesn’t want his descendants to beg for respect and value.
In his words, “I want to see the nation smile again, and I want to see it before I move to Ghana.”
“I’m going to do that. I’m going to move permanently to Ghana.”
“Because I don’t want to see my children’s children’s children’s have to say ‘Oh please, like me. Please respect me. Please value me. What kind of sh*t is that?” he told Oprah.
The 70 years-old music legend added that he wants the world to become a better place where there is no racial injustice.
He said: “I want the world to get better. I want us to get beyond this place. I want us all to go to the funeral of hate. That’s what I want.”
