I Will Sign More Death Warrants – Oshiomole

Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole has said he would sign the death warrants of those convicted for murder. Giving the assurance in Benin on Thursday when members of the Conference of Non-Governmental Organisations (CONGOs) paid him a courtesy visit, Oshiomhole said, “There are seven convicts whose cases are being reviewed. I will sign the death warrant of any of them, especially kidnappers, found to have killed any of their victims. “I believe that those who kill by the sword should also die by the sword,” the governor said. Oshiomhole said that signing convicts’ death warrants was a signal to other criminals that the state was a wrong place for criminal activities, adding that the non-execution of convicted criminals in the last 15 to 20 years had not led to reduction in criminality in the state. He, however, said that the government was proposing to the state legislature that if kidnappers released their victims unharmed and without r*ping them, such kidnappers should be given life imprisonment. Oshiomhole also said that if the need arose, the Edo Government would make law to protect the girl-child from underage marriage. He, however, pointed out that the girl-child marriage was not an issue in the state, adding that the problem with Nigeria was not in making laws but implementing them. The governor said that there was the need to strengthen the partnership between the Edo government and NGOs. Earlier, the President of CONGOs, Mr Jude Obasami, said although CONGOs condemn kidnapping and other crimes, Edo government “should apply human face” with regards to signing death warrants.

Two Women Remanded In Prison For Fighting Over A Man

An Apapa Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, has remanded two women in prison for fighting in public over a man. Ogechi Nmerenini, 23 and Bilikisu Akinyode, 22, were arrested by the police at Atebo Street, Ajegunle and charged with disturbing public peace. The fight broke out between the women when they discovered that they were dating the same man in Ajegunle area of Lagos. One of them however suggested that they should continue sharing the man, but the other refused, insisting on having the man to herself alone, leading to a fight in which they injured each other. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge. Presiding magistrate, Mr. M.K.O. Fadeyi, granted them bail in the sum of N20,000 with one surety in like sum, while he ordered that they be remanded in prison until they meet the bail conditions.

The matter was adjourned till 6 September for mention.

Senior Advocate, Mike Ozekhome Kidnapped Along Benin-Auchi Road

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and Human Rights Activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome, has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen. The suave and outspoken lawyer, who is well respected for his views on constitutional and public laws, was traveling along the Benin-Auchi road on Friday when he was seized by kidnappers on the notorious Ehor stretch of the road. As at the time of publishing this news, there has been no information on his where about or that of his driver, who was also abducted and neither have the perpetrators made any contact.

Details later…

Why We Dislike Nigerians With A Passion – Republic of Benin people

One would have thought that there would be mutual love and respect between Nigerians living in Benin Republic and indigenes of the neighbouring country, especially as they interact on a daily basis in their business and social lives.

This is not so, however, going by Saturday PUNCH’s investigation which revealed that there is a discreet hostility from the Béninoise to Nigerians living in their country. Although Nigerians abound in the country -both as students or workers – there is usually an aggressive attitude once a Benin indigene realises that one is a Nigerian. The only people that seem to love Nigerians in the country are their females. A Nigerian businessman, Promise Nwadigos of Digos Worldwide Limited, told Saturday PUNCH that he visits Benin Republic regularly because of the nature of his business. According to the civil engineer, the men of Benin do not like Nigerians because their women easily fall in love with Nigerians. He also added that an average Benin man was lazy and expected his wife to be the breadwinner of the family. He said, “I come here every two weeks because of my car business and also, I import white cement from India and marbles too. It is cheaper to ‘clear’ the goods here than in Nigeria. Most young men that come here would want to live at ease. “I’ll prefer to date a girl from Benin Republic than a Nigerian girl because they do not ask for money. In a scenario where you would give a Nigerian girl N5,000 her, a Benin girl would rather you feed her, accommodate here and give her N1,000. Benin people are not rich. Most of them are low-income earners; so whatever happens here is mostly done by Nigerians.” Nwadigos added that Béninoise girls like Nigerian men because they (Nigerian men) work very hard and take care of the women. He said, “They like Nigerian guys because we are hard working and decision makers. The women work the most here. Their men are the type of people that tie wrapper and wait for their women to bring food for them. An average Nigerian guy will work and want to impress his lady with his success. I know that some of the men here in Benin do not like Nigerians. For instance, if you take a cab and they find out you are a Nigerian, they are always aggressive, even with their bikes. “Their girls like us, they don’t just like us because we are Nigerians, they like us because we are hard working, we know what we are doing and we are rich. They love us for our hard work. Most of their men here are taxi drivers and they do not go to school. Some are palm wine tappers, some sell bread. They live a useless life.” However, an estate agent in the country, Cena Rodrick, told Saturday PUNCH that Nwadigos claims were not true. He stated that Béninoise men were hard working. He acknowledged that there was hostility towards Nigerians but said it was because some Béninoise have been swindled occasionally by Nigerians; especially the Igbos.

SAD!! 2face’s Father Alleged to Have Kidney Disease

Who knows, maybe by the time this year ends, the havoc kidney disease wrought, or nearly wrought on the entertainment industry will be the major talking point? There have been three highly publicised cases of kidney disease already. The first was that of Fuji House Of Commotion actress, Ngozi Nwosu. Hardly had her own subsided than that of African Queen producer, OJB Jezreel, took over. His received more publicity than Nwosu’s because he demanded for N16m from the public for treatment, as against N6m requested by her. Shortly after OJB’s, that of comedian De Don took over. In his own case, however, it was his blood brother who needed a kidney and he valiantly stepped up and donated one of his to him. And just like it wasn’t De Don who had a kidney problem, but his relative, it has sensationally emerged that African Queen singer, 2face Idibia, is also having his own kidney issues through his father who is said to have kidney disease. 2face’s father is said to have had his own kidney problem before OJB’s own surfaced and a school of thought claims it’s the reason why 2face kept a low public profile regarding OJB’s. And when Entervaganza called 2face’s publicist, Bayo Omisore, he didn’t deny it but bluffed his way around it. “Even if it’s true,” he conceded, “it’s a private affair. 2face has his own private life and this is private.”

End to malaria in sight.. Vaccine Invented To Prevent Malaria Forever

The ovation was loud. It was also global. It rages still. At last, an end seem in sight to the killer disease: malaria. A vaccine has been discovered. It is called Pf-SPZ. But will this vaccine finally bring an end to the scourge of the tropics and Africa? Or will it go the way of its predecessor and never see the light of the market?

The news was received with a lot of jubilation not only in Africa but around the globe. An investigational malaria vaccine developed by scientists at Sanaria Inc. and known as PfSPZ Vaccine has been found to be safe, to generate an immune system response, and to offer protection against malaria infection in healthy adults. This, the pharmaceutical firm ascribed to the results of an early-stage clinical trial. Why the huge celebration and global excitement? Malaria poses a tremendous public health problem. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that in 2010, there were 219 million cases of malaria (with an uncertainty range of 154 million to 289 million) leading to approximately 660,000 deaths (with an uncertainty range of 610 000 to 971 000), mostly among African children. Between 2000 and 2010 malaria mortality rates fell by more than 25 per cent globally. Most deaths occur among children living in Africa where a child dies every minute from malaria. According to WHO country-level burden estimates available for 2010 an estimated 80 per cent of malaria deaths occur in just 14 countries and about 80 per cent of cases occur in 17 countries. Together, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria account for over 40 per cent of the estimated total of malaria deaths globally. The highest levels of Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite, are found in Africa. It has been estimated that 342 million people remained exposed to this very high transmission risk in 2010. The PfSPZ Vaccine is composed of live but weakened sporozoites of the species Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly of the malaria-causing parasites. Sanaria Inc, the United States based drug firm is, however, not the first to embark on finding a vaccine for the ravaging disease. An attempt had been made earlier by GlaxoSmith- Kline. Some years ago when the British drug firm announced its breakthrough on malaria vaccine, it was also well celebrated. Subsequent monitoring and results have, however, proved that the effect of the vaccine waned as time progressed thereby creating a soft underbelly in the once acclaimed medical breakthrough. According to Reuters, the effectiveness of an experimental malaria vaccine developed by GlaxoSmith- Kline waned over time, with the shot protecting only 16.8 percent of children over four years, according to trial data. Results from a separate trial last year showed the vaccine was only 30 percent effective in babies. “The results are kind of disappointing because we’d all like to see a malaria vaccine that has closer to 80 percent or 100 percent efficacy,” the media agency quoted Christopher Plowe, a malaria researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in the United States, who was not involved in the RTS,S trial. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday, the new data found that although RTS,S initially had a protection rate as high as 53 percent, after an average of eight months that effectiveness faded swiftly. GSK’s study involved 447 children in Kilifi, Kenya, who had been part of a mid-stage, or phase II, trial to assess the safety and efficacy of RTS,S. Of the 447 children, 320 were able to be followed up for four years.

However, the recently announced PfSPZ Vaccine clinical evaluation which was conducted by researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in the US in its Phase I enrolled 57 healthy adult volunteers between the ages 18 to 45 years who never had malaria. Of these, 40 participants received the vaccine and 17 did not. To evaluate the vaccine’s safety, vaccinees were split into groups receiving two to six intravenous doses of PfSPZ Vaccine at increasing dosages. After vaccination, participants were monitored closely for seven days. No severe adverse effects associated with the vaccine occurred, and no malaria infections related to vaccination were observed. Based on blood measurements, researchers found that participants who received a higher total dosage of PfSPZ Vaccine generated more antibodies against malaria and more T cells—a type of immune system cell—specific to the vaccine. To evaluate whether and how well the PfSPZ Vaccine prevented malaria infection, each participant— the vaccinees as well as the control group that did not receive vaccine—was exposed to bites by five mosquitoes carrying the P. falciparum strain from which the PfSPZ Vaccine was derived. This controlled human malaria infection procedure—a standard process in malaria vaccine trials—took place three weeks after participants received their final vaccination. Participants were monitored as outpatients for seven days and then admitted to the NIH Clinical Center, where they stayed until they were diagnosed with malaria, treated with anti-malarial drugs and cured of infection, or shown to be free of infection. The researchers found that the higher dosages of PfSPZ Vaccine were associated with protection against malaria infection. Only three of the 15 participants who received higher dosages of the vaccine became infected, compared to 16 of 17 participants in the lower dosage group who became infected. Among the 12 participants who received no vaccine, 11 participants became infected after mosquito challenge

World Cup Qualifier: Malawi Name Strong And Hefty Squad To Face Nigeria

Malawi have announced a strong 23-man squad for next month’s World Cup qualifier against Nigeria on September 7. Malawi coach Tom Saintfiet dropped Mozambique-based captain Joseph Kamwendo and revealed that the squad will further be trimmed to 20 players to travel to Calabar for the Group F decisive match. Kamwendo alongside Robert Ng’ambi, Esau Kanyenda, Chiukepo Msowoya and Foster Namwela, were unable to report for a friendly match which Malawi won 1-0 in Rwanda on August 14. Though Ng’ambi, Msowoya and Namwela are sure of making the final squad, Kamwendo who plays for Liga Muculmana, has not made it. Instead ex-Santos midfielder Tawonga Chimodzi has since been recalled following Kanyenda’s injury worry. Kamwendo was earlier critical of the Football Association of Malawi’s $10 000 pledge to the coach if he beats Nigeria at a time when players’ demands for improved game bonuses were ignored. Malawi players get $80 each for a win. Also missing in Saintfiet’s squad are veteran winger Fischer Kondowe and striker Gastin Simkonda. Saturday Mirror gathered that the Malawian team has been punctuated with reports of indiscipline. The squad leaves for Botswana on September 1 for Abidjan, before arriving Calabar on September 4. The Super Eagles lead the group on nine points and can qualify to the final qualifying round for a place at the World Cup with a draw, whereas the Flames, on seven points, have a win as the only option. Flames full squad comprises of goalkeepers; Owen Chaima (Big Bullets) and Charles Swini (Silver Strikers). Defenders are James Sangala (free agent), Moses Chavula (Costa do Sol, Mozambique), Harry Nyirenda (Black Leopards, South Africa), John Lanjesi (Civo United), Limbikani Mzava (Bloemfontein Celtic, South Africa), George Nyirenda (Big Bullets), Lucky Malata (Silver Strikers) and Foster Namwera (Ferroviaro de Nampula, Mozambique). The midfielders invited include; Chimango Kayira (Big Bullets), Robert N’gambi (Platinum Stars, South Africa), Dave Banda (Kamuzu Barracks), Tawonga Chimodzi (Iraklis Psachna, Greece), Phillip Masiye (Blue Eagles), Micium Mhone (Blue Eagles), Douglas Chirambo (Big Bullets)and Peter Wadabwa (Golden Arrows, South Africa), while the strikers are Chiukepo Msowoya (Maxaquene, Mozambique), Robin Ngalande (Wits University, South Africa), Gabadinho Mhango (Big Bullets), Atusaye Nyondo (University of Pretoria, South Africa) and John C.J. Banda (Blue Eagles). Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has rejected Coach Stephen Keshi’s jumbo list of 42 players and instructed the Super Eagles’ coach to focus primarily on earning Nigeria a 2014 FIFA World Cup finals ticket. Arising from its meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, the NFF Technical and Development Committee told Keshi to come up with a 23-man list for the World Cup cracker against Malawi in Calabar next month, and do away with the jumbo list of 42 that he had earlier submitted. The former Nigeria captain has been told in no uncertain terms that there would be no elaborate camp for 24 home-based players, earlier scheduled to arrive in Abuja on Sunday, out of which only five will make the shortlist for the match in Calabar. Keshi is expected to harmonise his list and submit a reviewed document to the NFF soon.

How Vigilante Boys Nabbed Man Who attempt to Dump Toddler Into Lagoon

What could two men be doing on a bridge in the dead of the night with the remains of a toddler? That is the question the people of Majidun, Lagos State and law enforcement agents are trying to unravel.

In the early hours of Friday 2 August, 2013 a man who simply identified himself as Ishola was apprehended by some night guards while allegedly trying to dump the remains of a toddler into the lagoon. On his arrest, the night guards reportedly handed the suspected ritual killer to a combined patrol team of soldiers and policemen. The incident reportedly occurred at Majidun area along Mile 12-Ikorodu expressway around 2:15 a.m. It was said that Ishola had driven a black SUV to the scene. He had another man sitting beside him in the vehicle. After pulling his car to a halt, Ishola and the other occupant reportedly alighted and walked towards the Majidun bridge which was some metres away. Having starred into the dark night for several minutes and assuring themselves that no one was in sight, it was reported that the two men moved back into the car. Moments after, Ishola reportedly got out of the car and opened its boot. He reportedly dragged out a big sized polythene bag, otherwise called Ghana Must Go bag. But unknown to Ishola and his partner, some three night guards were apparently retiring under a kiosk not far from the bridge and immediately noticed Ishola’s SUV as it advanced eventually came to a halt close to the bridge. So, upon sighting the two occupants of the car alighting and walking briskly towards the bridge, the guards kept their cool and watched events unfold. They did not have to wait long before they realised why the two men were there at that time of the day. Ishola reportedly dragged the big bag towards the edge of the bridge and attempted to dump it into the Lagoon. But just as he was about shifting his position to throw the bag into the water, the three guards reportedly yelled at him, urging him to refrain throwing the bag into the water, while they raced towards him. It was also reported that a bemused Ishola remained where he was until the guards got to him. One of the guards, who preferred anonymity, narrated that when asked what was contained in the bag, Ishola told them it was dirt, but the guards were unconvinced by the latter’s explanations. According to the guard, “It was like a drama before our eyes. We had gone round the area as part of our work and were relaxing inside a kiosk there when we saw the car pulled up by the roadside. Initially, I personally thought they had flat tyres or that something was wrong with the car. But we remained where we were and watched was happening. “Moments after they had parked the car, we saw two men came out of the car and walked towards the bridge and looked left and right as if watching to see if anyone was watching them. At that stage, we suspected that something was amiss. “It was not long before the two men walked back into the car and this man just got out of the car again and went to the boot and dragged down a big Ghana Must Go bag. As he headed towards the edge of the bridge to throw the bag into the water, we shouted at him not to or risk being shot,” he said. The guard claimed that initially when he was asked what was in the bag, Ishola told them it was dirt from his house. But the guards appeared unmoved by the man’s explanations. The guard continued: “Because we were suspicious of the man’s explanation we asked him to open it but he refused. When he would not open it, one of us grabbed the bag from him and opened it. We were shocked to see a dead baby boy wrapped with white cloth inside the bag. When he realized that the game was up, the man knelt down and started begging us,” the guard said. Just as they were still questioning Ishola where he brought the dead boy from, a patrol vehicle of a combined military and police team, reportedly sped past and made a U-turn apparently on seeing the men who gathered by the bridge. Once arriving there, the patrol team asked what the matter was and after narration from one of the guards, they reportedly took the man away with them. However, Ishola’s other partner in the vehicle reportedly denied knowledge of the consignment of the bag. The man was reported to have said that he was only asked to accompany Ishola to the scene because of the time of day it was, but never knew the content of the bag. “We saw both of them came out of the vehicle first before they went back inside. The man could not claim not to know what they were going there to do,” the guard affirmed. One of the security operatives also reportedly ordered for the key to Ishola’s car and drove the car behind their Hilux van. A spokesman from the Lagos State Police Command told Saturday Mirror that the mater had not been reported at the station, but maintained that efforts would be made to locate the whereabouts of the arrested Ishola.

‘My battle with blood cancer’ - Vast of Bracket

Nwachukwu Ozioko is one of the duo that make up the music group, Bracket, that recorded the monster hit song, Yori Yori. It was therefore disheartening for their fans when it was disclosed earlier this year that he had cancer and was receiving treatment in London. He finally returned to the country last week and speaks about his battle with cancer

Many Nigerians find it extremely difficult to speak of their health problems. Can you tell us about yours?

Well, I used to feel sick, and then I got very, very sick, and I used to go to this hospital in Nigeria, that’s where I was diagnosed, they ran all the tests and when the results came out, the haematologist adviced us to go outside the country. There’s nothing wrong with our country, but he adviced us to go outside, and we had to go to UK. Even to get the visa, we first of all applied for a normal visa, but when we got there, luckily for us, we saw that they have this priority visa, if you have travelled to America, to any Schengen country or to Australia within two years, you can apply for a priority visa, and we were qualified, so we applied, and within three, four days, the visa came out. And luckily, in the UK, we met my friend whose brother is a doctor and he spoke to his brother so we could get an easy appointment with an haematologist he referred us to. When we met the haematologist, he said we had to redo all the tests we had done in Nigeria. Of course they had to. And afterwards, they said they were ready to start the treatment. They started with bone marrow. And it wasn’t an easy one. It was very, very difficult. I thought I would lose all the blood in my body, but glory be to God, I survived it. The first chemotherapy was also very difficult because after one week, I started having problems, due to lack of blood, so I had to go to the hospital again, and I had blood transfusion. And after it, thank God it worked well, I got back to myself. The money was very expensive, though. Just for one night, we paid a whole lot of money. And then I had the second chemo and one week after it, I started exercising because the doctor said you don’t have to stay and wait for the medication to work on its own, you have to exercise, even if it’s just one minute of exercise. And it was after the third chemotherapy that my hospital picture leaked, that made the whole world know I had cancer, but by then I was already returning to being a human being, because I was dead already. After the fourth chemotherapy, we shot the video of Temperature in London. I didn’t even know I could do it, but I had gained weight by then. Normally, the chemotherapy cycle was supposed to be six, but the haematologist told us it would be eight instead, and I said to myself, maybe they don’t know what they are doing, maybe they want to eat our money, but my partner, my manager, my CEO, they gave me the courage that since I’ve done four chemo cycles, there’s nothing to stop me doing the remaining four. So I was very, very down but I had to pick courage. Then after the last chemo, they said I would have to do a lumber punch, inject my spine. They did it after the fifth chemo, it was very, very difficult, I thought I was going to be paralysed, but glory be to God, I came through it. And they said they had to do it again to prevent the disease getting to the brain. But by then, we were already going down when it comes to pocket. But I had to do it.

Can you tell us yourself exactly what sort of cancer you had?

I had lymphoma, cancer of the blood, and I asked the doctor, what’s the cause, and he said, nobody knows the cause for now, that it’s just like two black people giving birth to an albino, you cannot explain why it was so.

So what really kept you going?

First of all, it’s God. Before I went there, I saw myself dying, but we got the visa, which was the handwork of God, we went there, we got the link to the haematologist who takes care of cancer alone and we were able to get an easy link, I said oh, God is working. That was part of the courage. And my family, my partner, my CEO, my manager, they were all there for me, we all travelled together, they make sure I eat, drink my juice, take my medication, that was the second courage. And when my hospital picture leaked, I was reading and all my fans were praying for me, and some said if this guy dies, I’m gonna die, and I was like oh my God, I have to survive, plus the media that made everyone hear all the prayers, that also gave me courage.

What have you learnt from the experience?

First of all, I learnt that life is very, very precious. No matter what you do or wherever you are, don’t look down on anybody because you don’t know who will help you tomorrow. And another thing is that you don’t have to be scared of death, just live your normal life and if death comes, don’t say it will be the end, just don’t worry yourself because if you are scared of death, you will die. But if you are not … at a point, when I was very, very scared, that was when the sickness came in full, but when I started getting courage, I stood up, what is this, I’m not scared anymore, if it will happen, let it happen, and nothing has happened, and nothing will happen.

How did it even begin?

(Smash responds) Basically, from time to time, he had been complaining of chest pain, and he goes to a doctor who gives him some drugs, but after a while, he will complain again. Then it got so bad in the last week of October that we had to go to the so-called biggest hospital in Lagos. Well, they tried their best, but it wasn’t good enough because it took us three months to get their test results, and that’s why we were going for all the concerts we had last year, and he was able to perform because we had a drug that would give him some energy on stage. But finally we had to cancel everything as Nigerian doctors were confused, one would tell us I suspect tuberculosis, another would say I suspect a growth. A growth is cancer already, but they didn’t want to say it, and they kept us in suspense and everybody was scared that we don’t know what’s going on, but when we got to London, it took them just two days to get the test results out and the treatment started that week. Here, they treat cancer patients like animals because of lack of funds but over there, it’s the opposite, their reception is fantastic that you forget it’s cancer they are treating.

So you feel if he didn’t go to London, he would have died?

(Smash responds again) I can’t really say he would have, but I will do say he would have had a very slim chance. For instance, the UK doctor told us that in the three-month period we were waiting for the test results to come out here, the thing was getting worse.

Security Guard Shot for Daring Former Oga on Toll Collection

For daring to question his former boss’s frivolous spending of proceeds from their ‘work,’ a security man is currently recovering at an undisclosed hospital in Lagos after being shot and several bullets extracted from his legs and thighs. Toib Alamu used to collect tolls from shop owners and other traders for a factional leader of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) identified simply as Toba. When the going was good between master and subject, Alamu was Toba’s most trusted and reliable collector of tolls in an area spanning dozens of streets around Jibowu, Mushin and Fadeyi areas of Lagos State. However, somewhere along the line, Alamu, 32, reportedly fell out with his boss and had to take to working as a security man. It is reported that now as a security guard, part of Alamu’s briefs was to guard dozens of commercial buses parked on a particular stretch of road Because of his new job, a clash was imminent between him and his former boss as the latter was the one said to be in control of the collection of the parking lot tolls before that time. Odd as his job appears, Alamu is also a devout and practising Muslim. On series of occasions in the past, Alamu had allegedly been attacked by agents of his former boss. No matter the seeming atrocities committed in the course of his duties, Alamu was always quick to seek the face of his Creator. Quite unlike his peers, Alamu even always observed the whole 30 days of Ramadan (the Muslim fasting period). But unfortunately, it was during the last Muslim fasting period that Alamu’s perceived enemies chose to strike him rendering him almost crippled now. On Saturday, 13 July, 2013, around 8:50p.m, Alamu was outside the Ansarudeen mosque at Lawani area of Jibowu discussing with one of the elders of the mosque. As a matter of fact, Alamu was said to have been saddled with the task of delivering the Tafsir (sermon) the next day and was seeking knowledge from the cleric. But while he was in discussion with the cleric, a green Toyota Camry car reportedly moved towards where Alamu sat with the elderly cleric. Since he was not stranger to atrocities of cultists and notorious groups, having worked closely with many of them in the past, Alamu sensed danger lurked around. So, he reportedly got up to see where the suspecting car was heading to. Alamu later said he identified one Dauda Adigun, said to be a protégé of his former boss with whom he had been at daggers-drawn. Speaking with Saturday Mirror, Alamu claimed he immediately recognised Adigun in the car. He continued: “When I saw Dauda inside the car, I immediately knew they came for me. So I dashed towards the driver of the car and that was when I saw all of them. They were six in number including the driver all wearing black T-shirts. As I tried to grab the steering from the driver, Dauda brought out a gun shot me in the thighs and legs.” Alamu reportedly fell, but the mob that had gathered prevented the assailants from finishing off their ‘job’. They reportedly sped off in the car leaving a profusely bleeding Alamu on the asphalt. He was eventually rushed to a nearby hospital where he was reportedly given first aid before he was referred to another hospital. In the meantime, the alleged mastermind of the attack, Toba, was reportedly arrested by security operatives last week but was later freed because of what some called “order from above.” Alamu recounted further: “After the gunshots and blood was gushing out of my legs and thighs, I heard one of the occupants in the car saying ‘Dauda why did you come out of the vehicle before you shoot? You know people in the area know you well. Oga did not say you should come down from the car.’” A resident of the area identified as Alhaji Baba Dele confirmed the attack to Saturday Mirror. According to Baba Dele, “We all left the mosque together but Toib stayed behind to see one of the leaders there. Though my house was just 10 blocks away from the mosque, I had not stepped into my compound when I heard gunshots. After coming out of hiding and I headed back to where the sounds came from, it was Toib I saw on the ground in the pool of his own blood.” An inspector at Alade Police Station told Saturday Mirror that Toib and the gang that attacked him had been locked in a fierce battle for the ownership of motor park which had cost a lot of lives in the area. A police source at Panti also confirmed Toba’s arrest but declined to comment on his sudden release.

3 Men To Die for Robbery, 2 Boys Nabbed For Rầping Women Going Home From Night Vigil

An Ado Ekiti High Court yesterday sentenced three men to death by hanging. In his judgment, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi, said, “after careful consideration of the evidences before the court, I hereby find the accused persons guilty to the charges of conspiracy and armed robbery as charged and hereby convict them thereof ”. The condemned persons Taiwo Hassan (39), Henry Okeke (30) and Oladimeji Olanrewaju (27) had in December 2010 robbed one Mr Lateef Saka of his cell-phone, the sum of N360.00 and a Toyota bus at gun-point. Earlier during the trial, the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Oluwaseun Fasote, a legal officer in the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, had told the court that the convicts committed the offence on 7 December, 2010, along Ado-Afao Road, in the Ado-Ekiti Judicial Division of Ekiti State. According to the charge sheet preferred against them, the three condemned persons “conspired together to commit felony to wit: Armed Robbery”. It stated: “Taiwo Hassan, Henry Okeke and Oladimeji Olanrewaju on the same date place and time while armed with offensive weapon to wit: gun, robbed one Mr Lateef Saka of his cell-phone, the sum of N360.00 and a Toyota Hummer bus with registration No XQ 987 BDG.” The prosecutor had said that the offences committed contravened Sections: 6(B),1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R11 Volume 14, Laws of Nigeria 2004. In a related development, policemen from the State Police Command have arrested a two-man armed robbery gang who robbed and rầpèd two women returning from a prayer vigil. Spokesman for the Command, Mr Victor Babayemi, said in a statement that the suspects, 19-year-old Olaseni Daramola and 20-year-old Olumide Tunde robbed the victims of two Blackberry and one nokia phones, handbags containing a Holy Bible and other valuables. The police spokesman said the women were returning from a prayer vigil organised by a church at Falegan Area, Ado-Ekiti at about 4am when the armed hoodlums accosted them, pretending to be members of local vigilance groups and in the process robbed and rầpèd them in an uncompleted building nearby.

Mentor: Rapper Olamide & Yung6ix Pose Together

The two rappers were photographed together a couple of days ago. Seems like the duo have plans of cooking up something in the studio, we can’t wait. Their pose together is a little bit weird though, if you know what I mean.

First Aid For Tooth loss

If a permanent tooth is knocked out, get emergency dental care. It’s sometimes possible to successfully implant permanent teeth that have been knocked out, but only if you follow the steps below immediately — before you see a dentist. If your tooth is knocked out: Handle your tooth by the top or crown only, not the roots. Don’t rub the tooth or scrape it to remove debris. This damages the root surface, making the tooth less likely to survive. Gently rinse your tooth in a bowl of tap water. Don’t hold it under running water. Try to replace your tooth in the socket. If it doesn’t go all the way into place, bite down slowly and gently on gauze or a moistened tea bag to help keep it in place. Hold the tooth in place until you see your dentist. If you can’t replace your tooth in the socket, immediately place it in some milk, your own saliva or a warm, mild saltwater solution — 1/4 teaspoon salt to 1 quart water (about 1 milliliter of salt to about 1 liter water).

Get medical attention from a dentist or emergency room immediately.

Relationships – 11 Tips For Getting Over Your Ex!!!

Getting over your ex is one of the great dilemmas. It is rarely a quick and easy process, and it is often complicated by all the things that the two of you still have in common, like friends, favorite. Maybe the most frustrating thing about the whole process is that even if ending the relationship was the right thing to do — even if they bailed on you — it can still be hard to bury all those memories and move on with your life.

1. Take Them Off That Pedestal First things first: Stop acting like your ex was God’s gift to men. They were not perfect. If we are being honest, they probably were not even close. Make a list of their annoying traits. Let your buddies bad-mouth them. Do whatever you have to do — just take them off that pedestal!!!!

2. Exercise Your New Found Freedoms Being single should be about doing whatever the hell you want. Look, you have ditched the ball and chain. You are free. So, hop on a plane to Vegas with your brother, or just sit on your a*s and watch basketball all day. Taking pleasure in all of those things that you couldn’t do as a boyfriend is a great way to get over your ex.

3. Remember The Bad Times
It is pretty common for guys to idealize their significant others after a breakup. You will just be going about your business, and then, suddenly, you’ll remember an inside joke or a great date. Then you’ll grin, thinking about a cute personality quirk they had, and before long, you’re fantasizing about how great your relationship used to be.

4. Snap out of it.

One of the most important tip for getting over your ex is to remember the bad times. Focus on the fights and the problems. Recollect their bad habits and shady behavior. It’s like taking a cold shower

5. Hang With Your Friends
One of the things you had to sacrifice when in a committed relationship was time with your friends. Lovers are notorious time-bandits, always greedy for more and more of your attention. But now that you’re single, you can reconnect with the buds you left behind. Not only will it be fun, but it will also be therapeutic because hanging out with your friends is one of the most rewarding of tips for getting over your ex

6. Don’t Try Getting Your Stuff Back
By the same token, you don’t want to try to get your stuff back. You can’t have a relationship relapse if you don’t allow yourself to see your ex. Forget about all that stuff you left at her place. Consider it gone. The money you are going to have to spend to replace a few DVDs is a small price to pay to avoid an ex who could be either desperately needy or irrationally angry

7. Throw Away Any Reminders
That dopey-looking teddy bear they gave you for your birthday, the sappy love letters they wrote, the adorable pictures of the two of you — chuck ’em. Throw it all away. The sooner you get all that junk out of your house, the sooner you will get over they.

And before you ask, yes, it’s fine to keep items that don’t evoke any emotional connections. But clothes, jewelry, keepsakes, and the like that remind you of them should be ditched

8. Avoid Their Friends And Where They Hang
If you want to avoid the temptations that come with bumping into an ex, you might have to make some sacrifices. You might have to cut ties with some of your mutual friends. You might have to avoid some of your favorite haunts (because they are their favorite haunts, too). Trust this, it is a small price to pay for peace of mind.

9. Work Out
Without a lover gobbling up hours out of every day, you may be wondering what to do with yourself. Now that you’re single, we suggest hitting the gym or taking a jog. It’s a healthy way to work out all of that post-breakup frustration. Getting in shape is also a good way to boost your self-esteem. And don’t forget: The gym is a great place to meet people ……*winks

10. Don’t Contact Them
This may be the most important of tip for getting over your ex. After you’ve gotten closer, don’t contact her. Go cold turkey. Seriously. Maybe you said some crap about trying to stay friends, maybe you made some idiot vow to “always be there for each other,” but forget it. By staying in touch with old flames,you’re asking for months (if not years) of on-again-off-again uncertainty. So, throw out their phone numbers, stop texting them and unfriend them on Facebook. Imagine how freaked out you’ll be the first time you see some strange dude in their profile picture, and you will see why a clean break is essential.

11. Get someone else
One of the reasons we equivocate about leaving an ex behind is because — no matter how confident we are, we worry we won’t find someone new. That’s what sends us crawling back to our familiar, comfy, dysfunctional exes time and time again. It is time to find someone who would love you again……

Collapse Of Barricade On Mokola Flyover: We’ve Been Vindicated, Says Oyo PDP

The Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made jest of the newly commissioned flyover in Mokola area of Ibadan built by the All Progressives Congress, APC-led administration of Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, saying the collapse of the iron barricade placed at the entrance of the bridge was an indication that it was a substandard project. While describing the state government’s reaction that opposition in the state had damaged the bridge as lame and unfounded, PDP, in a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan and signed by its public relations officer, Mr Kehinde Salawu, noted that there was no way a substandard project would stand the test of time.

“We sympathise with thousands of people caught in the traffic gridlock which greeted the collapse of Ajimobi’s barricade on the Mokola Bridge. “It is a huge shame that barely two months after the commissioning of the N2.9 billion bridge, some parts of the bridge could begin to collapse after small impacts. One wonders what would happen if the motorist had hit the bridge itself,” the party said. The PDP urged the state government to come up with better excuses for its failing in the past two years rather than point fingers in the direction of the opposition, adding that the reaction was a futile attempt at saving face.

APC Will Soon Split And Members Will Join PDP – Ekweremadu

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has predicted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would split and its members will join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Ekweremadu, who made this known while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, said the PDP leadership and its members were unperturbed over the new party, the fanfare that greeted its registration notwithstanding. While calling the APC a ‘gang-up’, Ekweremadu, however, said the ruling PDP was happy with the emergence of the party as the task of contending with several opposition parties during elections had been reduced. “We are not worried about the APC. For us, that makes the game more interesting. We usually used to contend with several parties and now we just only have one party to contend with and it makes the matter much easier for us. “You know in Nigerian politics, gang-up never works. You are the ones calling it a coalition but I will call it a gang-up. So, they will split and they will still come back to us in PDP and we will welcome them,” he said.

35 Feared Killed In Boko Haram Attack On Borno Village

Gunmen suspected to be members of Islamist extremist group Boko Haram have attacked a village in Borno State, killing at least 35 people and wounding 14, military authorities said on Friday. “Boko Haram people attacked the village on the ground that they have refused to cooperate with them, that they refused their message,” defence spokesman, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade told AFP of the incident in Dumba. “The report that was presented has it that 35 people were killed and 14 wounded.”

The attack occurred on Monday, but the information had not become public until Friday with phone lines cut in the region and the village located in a remote area. (AFP)

Lagos Arrests 57 Hoodlums In Oshodi Over Violation Of Environmental Laws

57 suspected hoodlums have been arrested in Oshodi axis of Lagos State over alleged violation of the state environmental law. Twenty of the hoodlums are aged between 14 and 17 while 35 others are adults. One of the suspects, Segun Akinlade, was arrested last week and arraigned before the Special Offences Court Alausa, where he was sentenced to 24 hours community service, but returned to the spot and was re-arrested. Chairman of the Lagos Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences Unit, Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, Bayo Sulaiman who led the enforcement team, explained that the underage suspects would first of all be taken to the family court and that after being convicted, would be taken to remand homes for proper rehabilitation. “The state government is determined to rid the streets of hoodlums and it wouldn’t pardon children found during the raid. We will arrest them but we (Taskforce) don’t jail children as it is speculated in some quarters. He lamented that underage children had continued to carry out nefarious activities in Oshodi, saying that they were being groomed by the adult touts to take over from them in the future.

Lady, 20, Sentenced To Five Years Imprisonment For Stealing Baby In Church

An Abuja Chief Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced 20-year-old woman, Juli Markus, to five years imprisonment for stealing a four-month-old baby in a church. The Chief Magistrate, Fati Tafida, said that the convict was guilty as charged and handed her the sentence without an option of fine. “From all the evidences before the court, it has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the crime of stealing a baby. “She is, hereby, ordered to spend 1,825 days in prison without an option of fine,’’ Ms. Tafida said. The convict, who claimed to be a tailor, residing at Angwan Cement area of Life Camp, Abuja, was earlier arraigned on a one count of stealing a child.

The Police Prosecutor, Simon Emmanuel, had earlier told the court that the baby’s father, Obadiah Idi, of Kado Village, reported the matter at the Life Camp Police Station on June 30. He said that while the complainant was attending a Sunday church service with his family in Kado, the convict deceived his 11-year-old daughter, Rebecca, who was holding the baby, and collected the baby from her. Mr. Emmanuel said the convict then escaped with the baby to an unknown destination, but was found and arrested by the police. He said that during interrogation, the convict confessed to committing the crime, saying that she took the baby to Auta Balefi Town in Nasarawa State where she sold him to one Christiana Zaka. Mr. Emmanuel said that Ms. Zaka, the convict’s accomplice, was later arrested and the baby, named Daniel, recovered from her. Ms. Zaka, 43, is also standing trial on a one count of receiving a stolen child before the court.

Ese Walter Deletes Facebook, Twitter Accounts After Revealing Affair With Her Pastor

Following comments on her blog post which has gone viral, Ese Walter has deleted her Facebook profile. Her twitter account has also been closed, and sources close to her say she has “broken her public sim”. Ese Walter has come out to confess an ‘abuse’ by a man of God whom she said payed the “touch not my anointed card” on her why she indulged in the illicit affair they had. As much as efforts are on to hear the pastor’s side of the story, the lady’s story has been followed by many comments mostly criticising the pastor for his alleged actions. Although no comments yet from the church of the accused man of God, several other commenters, while condemning the pastor’s actions if it were true, blamed the girl for the role she played. A commenter on INFORMATION NIGERIA with the name George said “I’ve seen and heard Pastors who do worse than this. But personally, I don’t believe her. To me her story sounds lame and fictitious. If she made it all up, she should fabricate and come up with something much more interesting.” To Gail, “She’s rebellious!” Gail continued, “Why did you allow him to have fun with you and after feel guilty as if he defiled you? You sound as if he dumped u! I’m not siding him but your story is not the real content of the drama! You need to be psychoanalised!” While some commended her for her bravery at coming out to speak about her experience, others condemned her, saying she was looking for cheap publicity. Harsh words might have reopened her wounds, if there were any, and the backlash on social media may be too much for her to bear, prompting her to delete her Facebook and Twitter accounts. As the truth unfolds, fingers are crossed and people are earnestly waiting to hear the pastor’s side of the story.

National Assembly, FG Urge ASUU To Call Off Strike

The leadership of the National Assembly, NASS, and the Federal Government, yesterday, appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to call off the lingering strike. The NASS and FG made the plea after a meeting with Pro-Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors of public universities in Abuja. The FG, according to them, has made offers and commitment to necessitate the resumption of academic activities in the nation’s public universities. Senate Chairman on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, said, “The Senate Committee has always sought the required fund for our nation’s universities. “We plead with ASUU for immediate end of the strike. We want to plead with lecturers to be more sensitive to their scale of priorities especially in the area of education and timely implementations of agreements. The present ASUU strike must end. It is time for the nation to take the bull by the horn”. Aslo speaking, Chairman House Committee on Education, Honourable Aminu Suleiman said, “I want to commend all those who have fought for the proper funding of our universities in the country. The Federal Government have also taken position to identify the needs of all our Federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to stop this problem once and for all. “It is gratifying to know that government has shifted grounds and it is also in our position to passionately appeal to the aggrieved members of ASUU in the interest of the system to also make concession so that students can resume school”. “We always agree to disagree we can always disagree without disrupting the system. We must appreciate that by prolonging this strike we are doing more harm to the system and causing more problems for the country in general. “What government has done is quite in line with the legislative agenda which we set out for ourselves as members of House of Representatives. No sacrifice is too much in ensuring the development of the sector,” Suleiman said.

On his part, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said the FG has already demonstrated sufficient commitment to the implementation of 2009 FG/ASUU agreement. According to him, President Goodluck Jonathan has set N100 billion to develop infrastructure in 61 universities and N30 billion to support the university councils in settling the earned allowances. “Government is making every effort to revitalise the university system, by this demonstration of clear commitment to revitalise the university system, government hereby urges every staff of the nation’s universities to return to work as all issues are being resolved,” Anyim said.

He noted that most of the issues contained in the 2009 agreement, which necessitated the current strike had been fully met except for the earned allowances which ASUU pegged at N92 billion. According to him: “On July 2, 2013, ASUU declared what it called, “total and indefinite strike” over issues it says have remained unresolved pertaining to an agreement it reached with government in 2009. “It is pertinent to narrate the genesis of the 2009 agreement, ASUU went on strike action in 2006 based on their request for a review of personnel matters, on account of this, government initiated a Needs assessment of the university system comprising federal and states universities, the negotiations led to the 2009 agreement. “Some of issues which bothered on amendment of pensionable retirement age of academics in the professorial cadre, consolidated peculiar allowances (CONPUAA), exclusively for university teaching staff, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), setting up of budget monitoring committee in all public universities have been fully implemented,” he added. He further said that areas where government hands were tied like the transfer of Federal Government landed property to universities have been clearly explained why it would not be possible to implement such aspects. “Government has been clear that it cannot transfer government landed property to ASUU because it has no structure to manage or maintain such property. “Government is however willing to support any council that sets up a property company with management structure to compete with others in the industry,” he stated. The SGF therefore appealed to the university teachers to call of the eight weeks old strike.