Patience Jonathan Locks Down Abuja As She Holds Rally With NCWS

Wife of the president, Dame Patience Jonathan locked down Abuja for the better part of Thursday morning as a mass rally and carnival organized to take “stock of the gains recorded so far in the empowerment of Nigerian women and the quest for peace in the country” held at the Eagle Square in Abuja.
While the carnival organized by the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in collaboration with the office of the First Lady of the Federation held, residents and visitors to Abuja were subjected to unwarranted restriction and security cordon.
Workers were cut off from the Federal Secretariat on both Shehu Shagari Way and Ibrahim Babangida Road, forcing them to trek for miles to their offices.
Stern-looking, gun carrying security men who had arrived the venue before dawn were said to be ordering vehicles to be parked some 200 metres away from the Square, which is surrounded by the Federal Secretariat.
The programme which brought together over 15,000 Nigerian women is believed to have been organized as part of the ongoing underground campaign for President Jonathan’s 2015 presidential ambition.
As vehicular and human traffic was effectively cut off from all the routes leading to the venue of the First Lady’s rally, tagged, “Nigerian Women Rally for Peace and Empowerment”, frustrated motorists were funnelled to any available space, thereby leading to a chaotic traffic snarl for most part of the day.

As a result, all major streets in the Business District of Abuja, were overflowed with long queues of human and vehicular traffic.
A police helicopter was also seen hovering around the city as long as the programme lasted.
Mrs Jonathan, backed by Vice President, Namadi Sambo and some ministers and their spouses, smiled as she watched thousands of women dance and march past her.
Women in the various military and paramilitary agencies in the country and women organisations were mobilised to sing, dance and march all for the First Lady, just as groups gave goodwill messages to the President’s wife.

Drugs Worth N62bn Seized BY NDLEA In 2 Years

The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Dr Ahmadu Giade, said on Thursday that the agency seized drugs worth N62 billion in the last two years.

Giade announced this in a keynote address at a symposium, with the theme: “Enhancing Capacity for Substance Abuse, Research and Interventions’’, in Uyo.

Represented by Mrs Josephine Obi, the NDLEA Commander in Akwa Ibom, Giade said that 1,500 drug offenders were convicted by the agency annually.

He said that between the year 2000 and 2012, the agency intercepted 3.4 million kilogrammes of narcotics.

“This includes 2.8 million kg of cannabis, 178,120kg of cocaine, 195,283kg of heroin and 233,699kg of psychotropic substance,” he said.

The chairman suggested that the best way to prevent addiction was not to take drug at all, adding that parents should prevent their wards from drug abuse.

“Every family has a role to play because every addict belongs to a family.

“Parents must effectively communicate with their children, listen to them, strengthen the bond between them and live exemplary lifestyles for them to emulate,’’ he said.

Giade said that efforts were ongoing to address problems of inadequate funding, logistics and manpower faced by the agency to sustain their superiority over drug trafficking cartels in the country.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Chairman of the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse, Prof. Isidore Obot, said that substance abuse was not just a problem of individual, but a societal one.

Obot said that 70 per cent of those involved in drug abuse in the country were youth and advised them to stay off drugs.

He said that parents, guardians and employers should be involved in the issue of drug control in the country.

In her goodwill message, the state Director of National Orientation Agency, Mrs Catherine Ekpo, said that drug abuse was on the increase in the country.

Ekpo called on the participants to proffer solutions on the way of controlling drug abuse in the country.

She said the agency would continue to enlighten the public on the dangers of drug abuse to discourage the public from abusing drugs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the symposium was organised by the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse in collaboration with NDLEA and NOA. [NAN]

Low Turnout Mars ASSU’s Town Hall Meeting On Strike

There was a low turn-out at the town hall meeting called by ASUU on Thursday at the Mapo Hall in Ibadan.
Only a few residents, members of ASUU, activists and journalists were at the forum which was called to senstise people on the on-going strike.
Speaking at the forum, Dr Ademola Aremu, the National Treasurer of the union, said the education sector remains critical to the nation’s development.
“I want the Federal Government to move fast to end the 42-day-old ASUU strike so that the students can return to their studies,” he said.

The unionist said ASUU members were at Mapo Hall to drum up support from the public on the condition of the education sector.
Also speaking, Dr Olusegun Ajiboye, ASUU Chairman, University of Ibadan branch, called on Nigerians to support the campaign for better funding of universities.
“Education is the bedrock of the nation’s development through capacity training,” he said.
He called on government to sustain the dialogue with ASUU with a view to ending the strike. [NAN]

A 31-year old woman now faces 16 felony counts for alleged séx crimes involving five students.
Summer Michelle Hansen, a former special education teacher, has been charged with séx crimes involving five underage boys, all students at the Southern California high school where she once taught.

Hansen, arrested in June, is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday on 16 felony counts, including unlawful séxual intercourse with a minor, unlawful oral copulation with a minor, and sending harmful matter to a minor. If convicted, she could face up to 13 years in state prison. In a statement released Tuesday, the Riverside District Attorney’s Office said the alleged crimes took place between May 2012 and May 2013, and occurred “in her classroom, in a utility room at the school, in her vehicle while parked near one victim’s home, and at another victim’s home.” None of the victims were students that Hansen taught.

Hansen’s attorney has maintained her innocence, and claims that the former teacher had her phone hacked, according to the Corona Press-Enterprise. Court documents obtained by the newspaper tell a different story.

According to a Corona police declaration, one of Hansen’s victims told a detective that the teacher had sent him “inappropriate text messages suggesting séxual contact” that culminated in the teacher offering him séx as a prize for doing well in a baseball game.

An investigation of Hansen was launched in June after a former student at Centennial High Schoolcame forward and told officials that he had a séxual relationship with the teacher.

According to the Press-Enterprise, that student “told police that while he was 18 and after he graduated, Hansen would send him séxual text messages and cellphone photos that showed her in her underwéar. The former student also said two underage boys told him that they had had séx with Hansen.”
During the course of their investigation, the police identified multiple victims under the age of 18.

 

Lagos Neighbourhood In Shock As Police Find Man’s Decomposing Body In His Apartment

The shocking discovery of a man’s decomposing corpse in his apartment at 9, Ezemegbu Drive, Okota area of Lagos is now being investigated by the Lagos State Police Command, with arrest of two persons, a security guard attached to the building and a woman having been effected already, in connection with the discovery.

According to reports, the deceased identified as Sylvanus Ikelie Okoye, from Abidi Umu Ochi, in Anambra State who was a trader in Lagos Island, was last seen two weeks ago, his whereabouts unknown and his apartment under lock and key.

Residents said stench from the corpse had filled the area, but no one suspected it was that of a decomposing corpse until yesterday.

An eyewitnesses who spoke to Vanguard said the landlord of the three-storey building met the guard discussing in hush tone with someone. Out of curiosity, he was said to have requested to know what the discussion was all about, only for the security man to inform him that Okoye’s keys and phone were handed over to him two weeks ago.

The landlord was said to have contacted policemen at Ago division who visited the house, comprising eight flats. When Okoye’s apartment was opened, it was a gory sight as his decomposing body was found on the floor, with a pestle and a knife suspected to have been used to murder the 39-year-old man found on the bed.

“The landlord said they have been perceiving foul odour which they assumed was from a dead rat. The security man said a woman who sells provision downstairs gave him, Okoye’s key and phone. On her part, we heard she said the items were given to her by an unknown visitor to keep for the owner.

“Everyone who knew him described him as an easy going fellow and an introvert. We were all surprised that a thing like this happened without anyone’s knowledge until now,” a resident who preferred anonymity said.

Appealing to the police to carry out a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of his brother’s death and bring the perpetrators to book, Paul Okoye, who was invited by the police said he did not know that his brother had been missing since two weeks. According to him, Okoye was not married.

“I was called by the landlord that they have not seen my brother for sometime and that his phone and house key were in their custody. I rushed to his place and when we opened the door to his flat, we saw his body smelling. A rope was tied to his neck,with a pestle and a knife on his bed,Unknown persons murdered him,” Paul said.

He added: “We are confused now; we have called in the police from Okota Police Station and they have collected the knife and pestle. What I am craving for now is justice. Police should investigate this matter and prosecute all involved.

“We were told that the mallam who guards their house was not around on that fateful day, so a certain man dropped the key to my brother’s house and his telephone handset with a woman who sells in front of the house.”

Woman Suffers Severe Burns From Kerosene Explosion

A mother of six was on Wednesday night burnt beyond recognition in a kerosene explosion at her Sandfil village home, Warri Overside, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State. Mrs. Bread Bear, an indigene of Kalafiogbene in Bomadi Local Government Area of the state has been responsible for her husband who had been bedridden for the past 15 years, according to a Niger Delta activist, Alhaji Yusuf Eregebene, who confirmed the incident.

“The source of the bad kerosene that exploded, as she tried to light a lantern at about 8.30 pm on Wednesday, was not known,” he said. According to him, “her children and other 18 persons were in the rooms in the building with four provision stores with goods worth millions of naira, which were all destroyed by fire.”

Alhaji Eregbene therefore appealed to the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Delta State Emergency Management Agency and well-meaning individuals to come to the aid of the poor family, as clothes and feeding have become a problem.

“Mrs. Bear is the person that was burnt in the incident. However, others lost their properties and it was sympathetic neighbours that rushed her to local clinic in Obotebe town in Burutu local government area,” a resident said.

Fake Army Major Paraded In Edo After Duping Citizens Of N10m

A man who allegedly defrauded several persons of over N10 million while parading himself as an army major was yesterday paraded by soldiers attached to attached to the Edo State joint military anti-robbery unit, code named Operation Thunder Storm. Army Public Relations Officer, Capt. Roselyn Managbe, while parading the fake army major identified as Kabiru John from Nasarawa State, and other suspected criminals at the 4 Brigade Army Headquarters, Benin City, said the suspect had perpetrated frauds, including tricking one Ayeni Friday and one Tony Kabaka into parting with their vehicles.

According to her, Kabaka parted with his Lexus SUV in exchange for securing entry into the army school for his son, as promised by the fake army major. Kabaka, Chairman of Akugbe Ventures, is one of the consultants to the Edo State government on revenue generation.

Managbe said soldiers from the brigade also arrested suspected robbers, including Monday Aigbe, an ex-convict and a suspected narcotic dealer, Mrs. Josephine Ochini.

“on June 20, 2013, one Mr. Ayeni Friday of 17, Eguaeveon Avenue, Benin City complained to troops of Operation Thunder Storm that he gave his vehicle, a blue Chrysler 300 2005/2006 model without registration number to one Major John Kabiru of 4 Brigade Provost Company for repairs on May 28, 2013. He said efforts to retrieve his car from him proved abortive.

“Our preliminary investigation revealed that Mr. Kabiru John had been parading himself as a major in the Nigerian Army. It was also revealed that he claimed to be serving in 4 Brigade as the Officer Commanding the Provost Company. It was further revealed that he was always seen around dressed in full military gear while involving himself in all forms of shady deals and duping unsuspecting victims.

“Mr. John Kabiru confessed that the Lexus SUV which was recovered from him with registration number EDO BF 607 USL belonged to one Mr. Tony Kabaka of 18, Etete GRA, Benin-City.

“The suspect claimed that he trickishly collected the Lexus SUV from the victim with the promise that he would secure admission for his son into the Nigeria Defence Academy. He also confessed that he had duped several unsuspecting persons under the pretext of either helping them to join the Nigerian Army or securing admissions for their wards into military institutions,” Managbe said.

The fake army Major claimed to have joined the army in 2003, but was dismissed in 2006. He also said he graduated in Electrical Engineering, from Nasarrawa State Polytechnic.

“I served at 82 Battalion, Jos, but I was dismissed in 2006, with the rank of private. I was doing it (impersonating) because friends that I knew thought I was still in the army. I have learnt to think good things, I have learnt to stay out of crime and stop parading myself wrongly,” John said.

One fake JTF staff tag, International passport, combat gears, an army kit bag, a digital camera and a vehicle number plate, were some of the items recovered from the fake officer.