Bishop Francis Wale-Oke, the Presiding Bishop, Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Ibadan, has been elected as the new National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) for a four-year tenure.
A statement by Kayode Oladeji, media aide to Mr. Wale-Oke, on Wednesday in Ibadan, said the cleric was unanimously elected by PFN National Advisory Council, on Tuesday, in Enugu.
Mr. Oladeji said Mr. Wale-Oke, who was the National Deputy President of the fellowship before his election, would take over from Rev. Felix Omobude, the General Superintendent of New Covenant Gospel Church, who had completed his tenure.
He added that Mr. Wale-Oke, who is also the proprietor of the Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, was elected as the seventh helmsman of the fellowship.
According to the statement, other elected officers of the fellowship are Archbishop John Praise Daniel of Dominion Chapel, Abuja, National Deputy President, Rev. Cosmas Ilechukwu of Charismatic Renewal Ministry, Owerri, National Secretary.
Rev. Sam Aboyeji of the Foursquare Gospel Church was elected as the National Treasurer. At the same time, Pastor John Ayodele of the Redeemed Christian Church of God emerged as the National Auditor.
Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu on Wednesday disclosed that the #EndSARS protesters who stormed his palace last year stole his $2 million and N17 million.
He spoke at the Glover Hall Memorial Commissioning, Lagos on Wednesday.
Akiolu told the people present at the event that he wanted to say it publicly that #EndSARS protesters stole $2 million and N17 million in his palace.
Speaking at the event, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the completion and formal commissioning of the remodeled Glover Memorial Hall reflected government’s determination to rebuild Lagos, revamp historic/public assets and also develop the Entertainment, Creative, and Tourism Sector, which is one of the pillars of the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda.
He said his administration was mindful of the fact that the tourism and entertainment sector is an integral part of socio-economic development, and the overall wellbeing of the citizens, which is why the sector would not be neglected in government’s drive to make Lagos a mega city.
Sanwo-Olu said although, the coronavirus pandemic and the mindless destruction which followed the EndSARS protests had a shattering impact on the economy, “we are Lagosians with the resilience, tenacity, strength and courage needed to overcome challenges and other vicissitudes. We are consolidating the gains of the past and charting fresh development trajectories for the future, with our focus on socio-economic gains that will outlive this administration.”
He said it was in line with this that government was providing the needed support for the entertainment and tourism sector to recover from the pandemic even as government provided the institutional framework for creative practitioners to excel and prosper.
“Today’s event signals a gradual return of activities within the tourism and entertainment sector. It is a boost for our creative practitioners and entertainers as well as the necessary catalyst for economic growth because if we properly harness our human and capital resources, tourism and entertainment will become major contributors to socio-economic growth and development.
“One of the ways in which we have been engendering economic growth is by channeling resources to productive sectors like the entertainment and tourism industry. We have, therefore, initiated several deliberate efforts and interventions to ensure that our creative practitioners are able to find their feet in the Post COVID-19 era.
“We have disbursed N1 billion to practitioners in the tourism, hospitality and entertainment sector as a financial stimulus to get the sector moving again and to overcome the challenges caused by the pandemic,” he disclosed.
Sanwo-Olu assured that the remodeled Glover Memorial Hall would not only boost activities in the entertainment and creative sector, but would also restore the glorious days when it served as a relaxation point for Lagosians, including those who live and work on the Island.
“It is a testament to a splendid past and an indicator of a more glorious future in which Lagosians have the jobs and opportunities that they require to flourish. On our part, we will not relent in fostering collaborative investments for the advancement of our shared prosperity,” he said.
Socio-political activist and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls movement, Aisha Yesufu has reacted to Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore’s appearance in court on Tuesday.
Sowore stormed the premises of a magistrate court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja with a supporter dressed as a native doctor.
The #RevolutionNow convener shared pictures of his arrival in court on Twitter with the title of Ola Rotimi’s book The Gods are Not to Blame as caption.
Reacting in a Twitter post of her own, Yesufu said Sowore is mad man and asking him what he was doing.
Court workers, journalists, policemen, and other visitors were stunned at the presence of Sowore’s ‘native doctor’, with many breaking out in laughter.
Sowore is standing trial along with others over allegation of unlawful assembly and incitement, following a protest in the Abuja.
Men of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested four men who specialised in stealing mobile phones at ceremonies.
The four suspects were arrested last week during the inauguration ceremony of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu second term ceremony in Akure, Ondo State capital.
The four suspects who include Ojo Femi aged 30, Abiodun Adewale aged 45, Kayode Olarewaju aged 45 years, and Aiwole Kola aged 25, admitted to have stolen seven handset phones at the International Event and Cultural Centre known as the Dome.
The suspects who had escaped from the scene of the crime were apprehended by men of the Operation Scorpion Squad attached to the Ondo State government along the Ilesha-Akure road.
The four suspects were said to be heading to their various base in Oyo, Osun and Kwara states while all phones were recovered from them by the security operatives.
One of the suspects, Ojo, from Ibadan, Oyo State capital, who was found with six phones confessed to the crime and said it was one of his friend that gave him the phones, while Adewale claimed he picked the phone on the ground.
Ojo admitted that being a specialist in picking phones at parties and said he used to sell the phones from N8000 and above.
The Ondo State Police spokesman, Mr Tee-Leo Ikoro, said the suspects would soon be charged to court.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 479 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 156,496.
The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Tuesday.
“On the 2nd of March 2021, 479 new confirmed cases and 8 deaths were recorded in Nigeria.
“Till date, 156496 cases have been confirmed, 134551 cases have been discharged and 1923 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory
“The 479 new cases are reported from 22 states- Lagos (153), Enugu (75), Rivers (50), FCT (40), Kaduna (18), Ebonyi (17), Plateau (17), Edo (17), Borno (16), Oyo (12) Kano (11), Abia (10), Cross River (10), Taraba (9), Nasarawa (7), Bauchi (4), Bayelsa (3), Delta (3), Ekiti (2), Niger (2), Ogun (2) and Akwa Ibom (1),” the NCDC said.
A 39-year old labourer, Mohammed Ibrahim, has been sentenced to death by hanging by a High Court sitting in Abeokuta.
The convict was tried and convicted on a two-count charge of murder and attempted murder.
He was accused of killing a two-year-old baby and also found guilty of an attempt to kill one Rabi Yakubu.
Ibrahim was sentenced to death and life imprisonment for the two-count charge.
Delivering his judgement, Justice Ayokunle Rotimi-Balogun, held that the prosecution proved the charge of murder beyond all reasonable doubts.
She held that the convict was guilty of both charges which contravened Section 320, 316(1) and 319(1) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.
The Prosecuting counsel, Mrs Oluwabumi Akinola, had told the court that the defendant committed the offence on April 12, 2014, at Ofada town, Owode Egba in Abeokuta.
Akinola said the defendant had followed Mrs Yakubu, who had her two-year-old son strapped to her back, as she wanted to ease herself.
“On getting into the bush she dropped her baby on the ground for her to defecate, when Ibrahim attacked her with a knife, attempting to cut off her neck.
“The complainant, the mother of the two-year-old boy, struggled with Ibrahim and escaped to call for help without carrying her son.
“When Ibrahim realised he did not succeed in cutting off her head which he needed for sale, he then cut off the complainant’s son’s head,” she said.
Akinola told the court that the defendant made a confessional statement that his intention was to kill the woman and cut off her head.
She said the convict had negotiated with a woman at Ibadan in Ibode market, who was ready to pay him N120,000 for a human head.
“Unfortunately for him when he took the baby’s head to the buyer, she refused to pay the amount as promised. So he collected the head back and went to bury it,” she said
The prosecutor said police later apprehended the defendant, following Yakubu’s lodgment of the case at the police station.
The Nigerian Senate on Monday passed an amendment to the Child’s Rights Act 2003, barring persons convicted of s.e.xual offences from working with children.
This followed the presentation of a report by the Chairman of the Committee on Women Affairs, Betty Apiafi, on the Child’s Rights Act amendment.
The lawmakers said the amendment will further give protection to the Nigerian child from sexual violence and abuse suffered in the hands of caregivers and similar persons responsible for their well-being.
In a tweet on Tuesday, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan said, “This is a very important amendment. This amendment is meant to cure those kinds of societal ills and keep away those rapists from our children.”
The Senate also passed the Older Persons Rights and Privileges Bill which seeks to address the social and economic challenges triggered by ageing.
The bill also addresses the need for the government to formulate policies that will incorporate the elderly and cater to their well-being.
It provides for a fine of N2 million for organisations and N200,000 for individuals found discriminating against older persons.
Nigerian woman, Ebere Precious Ogbodo and her four children, Rejoice, Merkel, Harmony and Engel were killed in a fire incident in Jos, Plateau state.
The tragic incident occurred in Gyel community, Jos South Local Government Area of the state on Thursday night, February 25.
The fire, whose cause could not be ascertained as at press time, reportedly lasted for several hours.
While the four children died instantly, their mother, Ebere was rushed to Dee Medical Centre in Bukuru, but unfortunately died the next day.
Philip Ogbodo, the husband of the 35-year-old woman, who is also the father of the children, said the incident happened after he went out to watch a football match.
Ogbodo said he was on his way back from the football viewing centre when he saw neighbours trying to put out the fire in his house.
The burial arrangement has been announced as the deceased persons will be laid to rest on Thursday, March 4, 2021, at Ndiagu Amodu Awkunanaw in the Nkanu Local Government Area of Enugu state.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday arraigned a Dutch, Peiter Borremans, and his wife, Nkechi Borremans, on fraud charges involving $330,000.
They alleged that the defendants received the money, equivalent to about N125.7million at official exchange rate, for the sale of a marine tanker vessel which they were said to have failed to deliver to the buyer.
The commission said in a statement that the duo was arraigned alongside their firm, Lagon Trade Limited, on two counts of conspiracy and obtaining by false pretence.
According to the statement, the defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them before E. A Obile of the Federal High Court, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The anti-graft agency said investigation into the alleged crime followed the complaint by a petitioner who alleged that his companies Jackkyson Multi Services Limited and Alot General services Limited, allegedly offered to purchase a marine tanker vessel from Lagon Trade Limited for $1,100,000.
The petitioner was said to have made a part payment of $330,000 for the vessel.
The defendants allegedly vanished into thin air after collecting the money and all efforts to get a refund or delivery of the vessel proved abortive.
The EFCC said their offence is contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Peiter Borremans, Nkechi Borremans, and Lagon Trade Limited, on or about the 31st day of July 2014 at Port Harcourt within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court with intent to defraud did obtain the sum of Three Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars ($330,000:00) only from Jackkyson Multi Services Limited and Alot General Services Limited, as advance payment meant for the purchase of Marine Tanker Vessel, a pretext you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) and (2) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Ibadan, on Tuesday, remanded 11 persons over the alleged kidnap and death of an Ibarapa fuel station owner and other two young girls.
The defendants include Abubakar Idris, 23; Rabiu Usman, 22; Umar Usman, 22; Usman Saliu, 20; Sahibu Idi, 24; Tiamiyu Isah, 55; Rasak Ramon, 45 and Kate Mohammed, 25. Others are: Umar Ahmadu,30; Kabiru Adamu, 25 and Muhammadu Abdullahi, 25.
The defendants were in arraigned on a seven-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping, causing death and unlawful dispossession of cell phone.
The Magistrate, Mrs O. A. Akande, who did not take their plea, remanded all the defendants in Abolongo correctional facility, pending the outcome of the case file from Oyo State Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP). Akande, thereafter, adjourned the case till May 4, for hearing.
Reality star, Tacha has told her fans not to expect giveaways from her because other celebrities constantly give out to their fans because they don’t make money the way she makes her.
Taking to twitter, she wrote;
"People have different flows of income, same way people have different ways of spending their money! Don’t expect me “giving and giving” because others “give give” those “others” don’t make money the way I make it. They are not me and I am not them!"
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Niger State Command, have recovered 27 new firearms from two suspects during a routine stop-and-search operation in Kontagora area of the state.
The suspects: Danjuma Auta, 35, and Daniel Danrangi, 25, both male and from Dirin Daji, Sakaba Local Government Area of Kebbi State were arrested along Kontagora-Zuru road, Niger on Monday night.
According to the Niger Commander of the agency, Mr. Aloye Isaac Oludare, the duo were arrested with 12 locally-fabricated AK-47 rifles and 15 locally-fabricated pistols. The rifles were concealed in a white sack while on a motorcycle to an unknown place when they were arrested.
“Kontagora where the weapons were seized is about 107 kilometers from Kagara, a town in Niger where there have been mass abductions of women, children and secondary school students in the last one month.
“Preliminary investigation shows that the fabricator of the weapons resides in Kamfaninwaya, not far away from Kontagora, while one of the pistols is fully loaded. The suspects and the weapons will be transferred to the Nigerian Police Headquarters, Minna for further investigation and prosecution of the suspects”, he stated.
Some angry youths numbering about 20 on Monday night beat to coma the clergyman in charge of United Evangelical Church, Pastor Michael Samson, in Iyano community under Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State.
It was gathered that the incident happened at about 11pm on Monday night.
Trouble started when the pastor had during the day denied the youth access to the church with their masquerade while they were performing a ceremony.
Angered by the pastor’s resistance, the youth came back angrily, fully kitted with dangerous objects to beat the pastor when he was fast asleep.
It was also gathered that the pastor is currently admitted at Idah general hospital.
“They wanted to perform to the gods of the land which we call ‘Ane’ in Igala land. The pastor told them that this is not the right place to do it and they should leave. After leaving, they came back in the night fully kitted with dangerous objects to beat him to coma.
“They were up to 20. We are praying right now that nothing should happen to our brother because he is currently in critical condition.
“The incident has been reported to the Police Division in Onyedega under Ibaji LGA,” one of the pastor family narrated to our correspondent on Tuesday afternoon.
It was, however, gathered that the police is on the trail of persons allegedly behind the act.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has observed the increasing number of messages published in the print media by groups and individuals, congratulating Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa on his well-deserved appointment as the Executive Chairman of the Commission.
While the open exhibition of affection and solidarity may be salutary in our cultural milieu, and indeed appreciated, it is however inauspicious at this point in time and gradually turning into a distraction.
Mr. Bawa is assuming the leadership of the EFCC at a time of great challenge and he desires to hit the ground running.
What he needs from well-wishers and indeed all Nigerians, is support and prayers, and more importantly, credible information that will further the work of the Commission.
He therefore appeals to all his admirers and well-wishers who might have the intention of demonstrating their love and support for him through paid newspaper advertisement to desist, and instead channel such resources to more worthy causes, such as making donations to Orphanages and Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps.
The federal government has tasked the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to develop a robust scheme for protecting schools across the country.
This, it said, was born out of its resolve to ensure children’s safety everywhere, especially within the school environment, from kidnappers and armed men.
The Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Interior, Mohammed Manga, said in a statement on Monday in Abuja on behalf of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbeshola.
According to the statement, Aregbesola gave the charge when he decorated Ahmed Audi as the new commandant-general of the NSCDC.
It said, “Children are a specially protected social category. They are innocent and, at the same time, vulnerable. They are as vulnerable to external circumstances as to their own wiles.”
According to the statement, Aregbesola expressed sadness over the spate of kidnappings of students.
He, however, urged the NSCDC to continue to work in synergy with other security agencies to immediately restore peace and security in the country, particularly within the school environment.
The minister reminded the new NSCDC boss that he was mounting the organisation’s saddle at a critical time.
“It is going to be rough but that, as a motivational speaker once wrote, it is great challenges that produce heroes and men of history,” the statement added.
He also tasked the corps to develop a robust scheme that would check the menace in the schools and ensure the protection of critical national assets such as oil pipelines.
“Another scheme, like the Agro Rangers, should also be developed to cover full agriculture and offer protection to all categories of farmers.
“Protecting crop farmers and pastoralists is a matter of national food security,” he added.
A mobile court in Benin, Edo, on Monday, sentenced 32 people to community services for not wearing face masks.
The Edo government has made it mandatory for residents to wear face masks and obey other Covid-19 protocols in order to curb the spread of the virus.
The Prosecuting Counsel, Uyi Omoruyi, said that the 32 people were arrested within Benin metropolis and they pleaded guilty to the offence.
The Chief Magistrate, Rusberth Imafidon, directed the convicts to carry out community services in line with the Correctional Centre of Non-custodian regulation.
The punishment includes clearing drains, shrubs, picking of trash, compulsory community sensitisation and grass cutting among others.
Mr. Imafidon noted that the offenders should be punished for three hours for two days to serve as a deterrent to other violators.
He, however, did not give them the option of a fine.
He ordered that correctional officers should supervise offenders during the punishment period.
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara says repentant bandits assisted security agencies in the operation that led to the Jangebe schoolgirls’ rescue.
The governor, who received the girls at about 5 am on Tuesday in Gusau, said the 279 girls were returned safely without a ransom paid to the bandits.
“This is the result of our peace efforts (with bandits) and putting to shame all those saying there is no security in this country.
“We have been in discussion since Friday with the abductors and reached an agreement on Monday by 4 pm that the girls were released.
“We are happy that all 279 have safely returned. They will undergo medical checks and given balanced diets to recuperate by the state government before they are handed back to their respective families.
“I want to appeal to parents not to remove their children from school as a result of this. We will ensure additional security in all the schools.
“We thank all media outlets for their support throughout these trying times,” the governor said.
Mr. Matawalle congratulated the parents of the victims and Nigerians for the safe return of the girls.
On Friday, armed bandits abducted the female students from their dormitories in Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe.
One of the victims, Hafsatu Anka, an SS II student who spoke in tears, said they laid in trenches littered with human faeces.
“We saw other people, including women and children and father of one of our schoolmates who had been in the den for three months.
“They walked us on foot, and some of us had a dislocation in our foot. They would pray as Muslims but never allowed us to pray, and they fed us with rice in which they put sand after cooking,” Miss Hafsat narrated.
Bandits have released schoolgirls who were abducted from a government college in Jangebe, Zamfara, on Friday.
Governor Bello Matawalle said the girls were freed on Tuesday morning. It was unclear how many of the 317 girls were released and under what terms, but the governor’s statement indicated a substantial majority.
“It gladdens my heart to announce the release of the abducted students of GGSS Jangebe from captivity,” Mr. Matawalle said. “This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts.”
The governor thanked Allah and urged the public to rejoice with the state on achieving a safe return of the schoolgirls.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's sister, Dr. Njideka Udochi, has emerged as the family doctor of the year 2021 in Maryland, USA, a few days after Ngozi assumed office as the first female head and first African to lead the World Trade Organization.
Udochi, a graduate of medicine from the University of Nigeria, with over 33 years of experience in the medical line becomes the first black woman to win the reputable award.
The US-based family physician, according to Nigeria Abroad, is the founder of the Millennial Family Care and was recognized as the top doctor by Baltimore Magazine in 2019. Her sister, Madam Ngozi was so proud of her and immediately sent her a ‘shoutout’ on Twitter to acknowledge her feat.
“Congratulations Dr. Njideka Udochi, Maryland’s Family Physician Of The Year. Thank you for your care of COVID-19 patients and for saving so many lives. Proud of you my sister,” she tweeted.
