Eight children were found dead inside a parked vehicle at 18 Adelayo street, Jah Michael bus stop, along Badagry Expressway, Lagos State on Saturday, December 4. 

It was gathered that the children aged four to six years old, had entered the parked Lexus SUV vehicle to play, mistakenly locked themselves and subsequently suffocated to death.

The vehicle is said to be parked in front of the owner’s house. 

Spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, who confirmed the incident said that the children's bodies have been recovered and deposited at the Badagry General Hospital's morgue for autopsy to determine the cause of death. 

"The eight children were said to have mistakenly locked themselves in an abandoned car while playing. Their bodies have been recovered and deposited at the Badagry General Hospital's morgue for autopsy so as to determine the actual cause of death," the PPRO stated.

"Notwithstanding the report made to the Police, the Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered a thorough and speedy investigation into the circumstances surrounding their death. The CP also commiserates with the families of the victims." he added

Tragedy hit the family of a newlywed couple in Bayelsa after nine persons, including the groom’s parents and his sibling, died in an auto crash.

The accident occurred at the tollgate along Glory Land drive in Igbogene axis of Yenagoa, the state capital.

According to an eyewitness, the deceased were returning to their base in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state after the wedding ceremony when the unfortunate incident happened.

Sources said that the bus which the deceased passengers boarded collided with an upcoming vehicle returning from Warri in Delta state.

The vehicles were reportedly trying to divert to the East-West road when the unfortunate incident happened, according to witnesses.

The cause of the accident may not be unconnected with the deplorable state of that axis of the East-West road, a witness said.

Officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) told Daily Trust at the scene of the incident that they had early evacuated four persons who sustained injuries to a hospital in Yenagoa, but one later died.

He said the commission will come out with official statement at the end of the operation since investigation is still ongoing.

Police Public Relations Officer in Bayelsa, SP Asinim Butswat, said the Command has commenced investigation into the incident.

He said, “The unfortunate accident occurred on Saturday 4th December, 2021 at about 1700hours, along the Glory Land drive, Igbogene, involving a Toyota Hiace Bus with Reg No. AKL 652 YP and a Toyota Forerunner Jeep with Reg No. KMK 923 AA.

“Sketch marks of the scene were taken, the accidented cars were also evacuated to the Igbogene Division for further inspection.

“The corpses of the victims were deposited at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri while the injured passengers are responding to treatment at the same facility.”

The deceased

By Dele Ogunyemi

Delta State Police Command has declared wanted one Michael Ogbeife, an SS3 student of Erhimu Secondary School, Abraka in the State, for beating a teacher of the school, Joseph Ossai, to death.

Michael is said to be on the run after perpetrating the illicit act on Thursday.

It was  gathered that Michael had on that fateful day engaged the teacher in a scuffle that resulted in the teacher giving up the ghost during the fight.

The deceased teacher, who was said to be in charge of Agricultural Science and Biology in the school until his demise, had reportedly flogged Michael’s younger sister, Promise Ogbeife who was involved in a dispute with her classmate.

It was gathered that Michael got infuriated by the teacher’s decision to flog his sister and the enraged SS3 student resorted to a fight with the teacher.

Sources said that Michael angrily left the school’s premises after his sister was flogged, and later returned back, heading straight to the staff room for a showdown with the teacher.

Some of our sources alleged that Michael had initially rushed home to get a charm before engaging the teacher in the fight.

It was gathered that the teacher collapsed after some punches from the student which left the teacher with a bleeding nose just as blood was also gushing out from his mouth.

Consequently, the teacher was rushed to a private hospital in the community, from where he was referred to the government hospital where he was confirmed dead on arrival.

Reacting to the gory incident, the proprietor of the school, Mr Erhimu, told journalists that he was awaiting full details of the matter, as he was not around when the incident happened.

The visibly worried proprietor has however directed that the school be shut till Monday noting that he had been to the police station over the matter.

Confirming the incident, the police public relations officer for Delta State Command, DSP Bright Edafe, told newsmen that the suspect is on the run.

“The suspect is nowhere to be found for now, but his sister is in protective custody”, the PPRO said just as he insisted that efforts are being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspect.

Nigerian-born Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has been named among Financial Times’ 25 most influential women of 2021.

Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, was listed as number one.

However, FT said the list is unranked, adding that “We put the list together in collaboration with FT journalists from dozens of international bureaus, former women of the year and readers like you.

“Across continents, industries and issues, all of these remarkable women have shaped this tumultuous year. Each of them is sure to help shape the better ones to come.”

Christen Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank, described Okonjo-Iweala as fierce and talented a competitor.

“I have known Ngozi since 2005 and have seen her work tirelessly as a seasoned negotiator and crisis manager. Her 25 years at the World Bank demonstrated her resolve, including her handling of the food and financial crisis of 2008-09 and her determination to recover stolen assets.

“She has shattered glass ceilings with her complete competence, absolute integrity and good humour, becoming the first female finance minister and foreign minister in Nigeria, where she implemented tough reforms to enhance the transparency of the country’s public finances, and is the first woman and first African to lead the WTO.

“Ngozi is a force to be reckoned with.”

Full list: Okonjo-Iweala tops Financial Times’ 25 most influential women of 2021

1 – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Director-General, World Trade Organization

2 – Lina Khan

Chair, Federal Trade Commission

3 – Mary Barra

Chair and CEO, General Motors

4 – Gita Gopinath

Chief Economist, IMF

5 – Luiza Trajano

Businessperson and philanthropist

6 – Nancy Pelosi

Speaker, United States House of Representatives

7 – Mariam Al-Mahdi

Politician, Sudan

8 – Kate Bingham

Former Chair, UK Vaccine Taskforce

9 – Cathie Wood

Founder and CEO, Ark Investment Management

10- Rosalind Brewer

CEO, Walgreens Boots Alliance

11- Tsai Ing-Wen

President, Taiwan

12 – Frances Haugen

Data scientist and whistleblower

13 – Naomi Osaka

Athlete

14 – Elisa Loncón Antileo

President, Chile’s Constitutional Convention

15 – Agnes Chow

Democracy activist

16 – Liz Cheney

Congresswoman, United States House of Representatives

17 – Vanessa Nakate

Justice advocate

18 – Sotooda Forotan

Student and activist

19 – Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Leader, Co-ordination Council of Belarus

20 – Chloé Zhao

Film-maker

21 – Sally Rooney

Author

22 – Shonda Rhimes

Television producer, screenwriter and author

23 – Scarlett Johansson

Actor

24 – Paula Rego

Artist

25 -Gabriela Hearst

Creative Director, Chloé; Founder and Creative Director, Gabriela Hearst

Mrs Justina Agbumi, a housewife in Nasarawa State, has narrated how she got pregnant for her husband’s biological son.

The woman, who blamed the incident on a frosty relationship with her husband, said things fell apart in her marriage after she was unable to conceive.

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In a chat with The Nation, Agbumi said being childless for 19 years, she was curious to establish whether she was indeed barren.

She said she decided to put her fertility to test with the young man that was staying with them, not knowing he was the biological son of her husband.

Agbumi said her husband, who is now late, had brought in the young man and introduced him to her as one of his relatives from the village.

She said the relationship with her husband, which was once the envy of many, became laced with frustration because she was unable to conceive.

“It got to a point that I asked myself if I was still living with the same man I married. He suddenly became a beast, calling me barren, harlot and useless, just because I couldn’t take in.

“He was my best friend before we got married. We were ready to have children as quickly as possible so we could move on.

“But after five years and more, there was nothing. I didn’t take in, so I became worried.

“We went for several tests but we were told I had no problem but my husband had low sperm count and he needed to regulate his diet, which we did, but nothing changed.

“Because he is the only son, his mother had already become hostile to me, visiting regularly from the village while my husband also joined her in frustrating me.

“Before then, I visited places my faith would ordinarily not permit to, because all I wanted was a child. Yet nothing came out of it.

“That was how I started living alone. I cried daily but that didn’t bring any succour.

“One day, I got an idea and decided to test my fertility with another man. I realised that would be adultery of the highest order, but I also felt it would be lesser sin if it was with my husband’s relation who was staying with us. I drew the young man closer and made him my best friend since my husband had stopped making love to me for close to seven months.

“Luring Godwin to start sleeping with me was a difficult decision but I was also considering my age.

“I had never cheated on my husband before, but I had reached the limit of my endurance and the circumstances around me was not in my favour.

“I concluded that I would test my fertility through Godwin. I had seen Godwin’s crotch during house cleaning, so I realised that his manhood was big enough to give me satisfaction, though he was only about 17 years old.

“I started admiring him anytime my husband went to work. I would summon courage and make advances to him, drawing him closer to me with petty items.

“In no time, he succumbed and we started having sex, though he was not too perfect because he had not been into it.

“But I was teaching him. I also warned him never to reveal it and threatened to kill him if he opened up to anybody.

“We progressed in that direction, especially during my ovulation period. In no distant time, he was able to impregnate me. I missed my period three months after.

“I was very happy that the plan to test my fertility worked and that what my husband could not do for years, Godwin did within a short time.

“One fortunate thing was that Godwin himself did not know that he was responsible for it. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t know that Godwin was actually the biological son of my husband. The entire family hid it from me so that I would not victimise him.”

A twist had occurred in the matter when Godwin secured admission into the College of Education, Akwanga, and was travelling to commence registration when he had an accident that claimed his life.

“He died before I was delivered of a baby boy.”

“When Godwin was buried, I did not attend his burial because I was not strong enough to travel to the village as I was heavily pregnant.

“But after his burial, I noticed that my husband was sad and affected by Godwin’s untimely death. He was affected psychologically so much that it almost cost him his job.

“He ceased to be a happy man, even when I delivered a baby boy for him.

“I made several attempts to discuss with him about the future of our new born baby, but it never interested him, because deep inside him, he knew he was not responsible for the pregnancy and was only pretending.

“The man was not happy at all. One morning, precisely in October this year, my husband abruptly woke me up and broke down in tears, but he was unable to tell me the cause of his misery.

“After about 40 minutes later, he was calm enough to tell me why he was crying.

“He started by apologising to me for not telling me from day one that the late Godwin was actually his biological son.

“He said that while growing up many years ago, he had an affair with a girl which resulted in pregnancy and the girl refused to abort it. She gave birth to Godwin and his mother brought him up.

“So when he met me and I showed serious dislike for any man who already had a child out of wedlock, he decided to hide it from me in order not to lose me.

“He said he didn’t know how to tell me about it all these years. He said he had wanted to reject the pregnancy but his parents took responsibility while he proceeded with his studies.

“He said that when he started working after his studies, he decided that the boy should come and stay with us so that I could train him. But he hid his true identity from me to avoid victimization.

“My husband again burst into tears that the late Godwin was his only son and that he knew full well that he was not responsible for the pregnancy that brought the new born baby boy.

“He pleaded with me to tell him the true father of the new born baby because we did not engage in any lovemaking in the period preceding the pregnancy.”

Justina said she realised at that point that lying would further complicate the situation, “so I decided to come clean.

“I burst into tears and cried uncontrollably. I found it difficult to explain to him since he had been plain with me at the late hour.

“I knelt down before him in tears and confessed to him that the late Godwin, his own son, was the father of my new born baby

“I pleaded with him to forgive me of all my sins; that it was an attempt to save my marriage and bear a child for him, and that I thought that rather than going outside, I should test my fertility with his relation to know whether the fault was from me or from him.

“I pleaded with him to forgive me of all my sins, saying that I took that course of action to protect the marriage and the consolation is that the new baby boy would replace his son, since it is his late son’s blood.”

According to Justina, her husband’s initial reaction was anger as he said he could not imagine his son sleeping with his wife to the point of impregnating her, and his wife allowing such to happen under the same roof.

Since their mutual confession on October 2021, however, their life has not remained the same as their previous cat and dog relationship deteriorated further.

She said: “He (Donald) kept emaciating. He hardly talked and was not excited about the new baby.

“We hardly talked and he hardly responded to my conversation. At a point, I was afraid that he might kill my son. His aloofness really worried me, so I ran out of the house to one of my uncles who also stays in town.

“Two days after, precisely on the 27th of October, my husband slept and died in his sleep.

“Now his people are saying I might have been responsible for his death, and they are threatening to kill me too,” she said amid tears.

Justina added: “My brother, I am not myself. I am confused. I don’t deserve to be alive again, so I’m contemplating suicide because my effort to give my husband a child has ruined my life.

While it was difficult to confront the two families due to the calamity that befell them, our correspondent managed to speak with the late Donald’s mother, and she said: “She (Justina) killed my only son.

“From day one when we realised she could not conceive, we asked her to go but she refused.

“She brought instability into my son’s life which led to his death.

“My son told me all that happened before he died.”

She refused to talk further in spite of promptings from our correspondent.

Justina’s uncle, Mr Stephen, told our correspondent that he would not say anything “until after the burial of my sister’s husband.

“But for now, she is staying with me. Let them prove that she was responsible for her husband’s death.

“I will consult with our parents, particularly our father, because our mother is not alive.”

 By Lovina Anthony

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command said it has arrested one Mfon Essien, a native of Ikot Andem Itam village in Itu Local Government Area of the state who was parading himself as a soldier as well as one Samuel Isaac Jumbo of No. 26 Asokoro Road, Area II, Abuja who was also parading himself as a medical doctor.

The command Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko Macdon who disclosed this in a press statement on Friday said the suspects were arrested on intelligence adding that the duo were using that means to intimidate and defraud members of the public.

According to the statement, “relying on a report on 30/11/2021 at about 11:00am, Quick Intervention Unit Operatives of the Command proceeded to Tranquility Hotel, Nung Oku village, in Ibesikpo Asutan L.G.A and arrested one Samuel Isaac Jumbo ‘m’, aged 29yrs old of No. 26 Asokoro Road, Area II, Abuja who claimed to be a Medical Doctor attached to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).

“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime and stated that he is not a Medical Doctor as claimed. In his confessional statement, he stated that in 2015, he told his mother that he had gotten admission into the University of Lagos to study Medicine.

Since then, he has collected various sums of money from her. He further stated that on 3/11/2021, he told his mother that he was going for National Youth Service ( NYSC ) at Rivers State and collected the sum of two hundred thousand naira (N200,000.00) for accommodation from her after she had bought a lot of household items for him.

“He took the money and items, came down to Uyo, squandered it and continue to deceive unsuspecting members of the Public and the hotel management that he was a Medical Doctor.

“To convince the public, he will dress up or carry his lab coat, use a bolt cab to UUTH Abak Road, after loitering around for a while, he goes back to his hotel and look for unsuspecting members of the public to defraud.”

On the fake soldier, the police spokesperson said operatives of Anti-Robbery Squad had on November, 16, 2021 at about 1:00am while on a Stop and Search operation along Nwaniba arrested the suspect who resides at Idu Uruan, Uruan L.G.A.

He added that the suspect during interrogation has confessed to the crime of impersonation and had led operatives to his house where two pairs of Army uniforms, Army shorts, two Army sweaters, Army belt, two Army caps, three pairs of Army boot, two Army jack-knives, two walkie talkie, one live Jacket, one stethoscope and a blue colour Toyota Camry car with Reg. No. LSR 735 AC were recovered.

He noted that all the suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.

Naval spokesperson, Commodore Suleman Dahun, confirmed the development to our correspondent on Friday.

Cute Abiola was said to have been missing on Monday, November 15, 2021, when his colleague in the comedy industry, Debo Adedayo aka Mr Macaroni, raised the alarm that he was nowhere to be found after reporting at his office in Navy Town, Lagos, that same day.

Two days after the alarm was raised, Dahun had announced that the funnyman wasn’t missing but was detained for contravening the military laws by posting a video of himself in military uniform on social media, an act which is said to be in violation of the armed forces’ social media policy.

Dahun had also added that the comedian failed to show up when called upon to explain himself but only returned after the expiration of his leave on November 15, 2021, and was put behind bars the same day.

Speaking with The PUNCH on Friday, the naval spokesman maintained that Ahmad knowingly violated the armed forces’ social media policy but was given a punishment after he was tried for misconduct and indiscipline.

He added that the funnyman is no longer in the naval detention as he has been released to serve his punishment.

PUNCH

Peter Dada

The Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, Ondo State capital, has discharged and acquitted the founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Akure, Alfa Babatunde, who was earlier convicted by the state High Court over the missing of a one-year-old boy, Gold Kolawole.

Kolawole was abducted in the church in November 2019 by an unknown person, during the church service. Defendants were thereafter arrested by the men of the Directorate of State Security and later charged to court on a two-count of kidnapping and aiding and abetting to kidnap.

The lower court, presided over by Justice Olusegun Odusola in 2020 sentenced Babatunde and five others – Omodara Olayinka, Margaret Oyebola, Grace Ogunjobi, Egunjobi Motunrayo and Esther Kayode – to life imprisonment, having found them guilty of two charges.

However, the high court judgement was upturned as the appellate judge, Justice Hammah Barka, said the circumstantial evidence upon which the lower court based its judgement was not enough to convict the appellants.

As a result, he discharged and acquitted the appellants.

In his reaction, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Titiloye, who is also the prosecutor, said the state government would study the judgement before deciding on the next step to take on the matter.

He said, “The court has affirmed that DSS can investigate any case and does not have a jurisdictional problem to investigate a case like this. However, the court has stated that the circumstantial evidence upon which the conviction was based upon at the lower court is not enough to sustain the conviction of the defendants. Our attitude from the state is that we study the judgement and take the proper steps we are supposed to take on the matter.”

The counsel to the appellant, who was represented by Akinyemi Omoware, said the court judgement had shown that truth would prevail over falsehood.

“It was held that the appellant was not found culpable of the alleged offence. He is not guilty as pronounced upon by the trial court. We are using this medium to tell the members of the church and the general public that they should rejoice with conscience. They should not go out causing problems. They should take it that that is the will of God. We are happy about this,” the counsel said.

A support group, Health Professionals for Senator Gershom Bassey in collaboration with the Cross River Medical and Dental Students Association celebrated this year's World's AIDs Day with a free medical outreach on the 2nd of December, 2021 at Holy Child Secondary School, Calabar.

The epoch-making event to mark the World AIDS Day, celebrated globally on the 1st of December every year, began with an awareness rally followed by a medical outreach on the 1st and 2nd of December respectively.

Over 2000 persons  benefited from the gesture of the group, comprising students, teachers and members of the public.

A mental health talk was presented by Dr. Amaku of the Federal Neuro-psychiatry Hospital, and an awareness lecture on COVID-19 and the Vaccine by Dr. Aworo Maryvic.

Beneficiaries of the medical outreach also received free testing (HIV, Random blood glucose, malaria parasite, hepatitis B and C, weight and blood pressure measurement) and counseling. Students also got face masks and hand sanitizers to help with the prevention of Corona Virus.

Speaking at the event, Senator Gershom Bassey, a senator representing Cross River South in the Senate, represented by Dr. Ogar Emmanuel Idoko stated that the well being of the masses remains a crucial responsibility of government at all levels, and even as hands are put together to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there is a moral responsibility to launch programs like this to act as a vehicle through which the health and wellbeing of residents of Cross River would be catered for. 

Dr. Ogar who is also the Director General of  Health Professionals For Senator Gershom Bassey (HP4SGB), said the group is a conglomerate of seasoned professionals who believe in the vision of Senator Gershom Bassey. He also appreciated the collaboration with the leadership of the Cross River Medical Student Association(CRIMSA) led by Abraham Ntui and Eton Victoria

In his vote of thanks, Comrade Ina Igbong, Head of strategy and mobilization, HP4SGB expressed appreciation to Senator Bassey for the show of high humanitarian gesture. Comrade Ewa Anthony(Head of Student Mobilization, HP4SGB) also thank the Senator for the gesture and assured of continued support for the his mandate.

See photos from the event:

Nollywood actress, Ini Edo, has confirmed rumours of her welcoming a daughter through a surrogate mother.

After days of keeping silent since the rumours began, the actress finally opened up in an interview with Stella Korkus, which was published on Friday.

Surrogacy is a practice where a woman (a surrogate) carries a child for another person through artificial insemination of eggs.

Confirming the news, Edo stated that the daughter was genetically hers because her eggs were used to fertilize the child.

She said, “Yes I do have a daughter and I had her through surrogacy. The eggs are mine and so genetically, she’s my blood.

“I chose this path to fulfil my dream of becoming a mother. I still have a good number of eggs frozen in case I decide to do surrogacy again or carry my baby myself.”

She also mentioned that she had the daughter almost a year ago, stating that she planned on breaking the news herself.

“I was hoping to talk about her on her first birthday in a few months but mischief makers beat me to it and spoilt the beautiful story with lies,” Edo said.

Reacting to rumours that her child’s father was a married man, identified as Kome, the actress said, “It is so sad that in Nigeria, when a ‘single’ woman is friends with a guy, it must mean to people that they are dating.

“Kome has been my friend for years and that’s what it is, period. He is a responsible family man and doesn’t deserve to be dragged into my motherhood story.”

She then revealed that she opted for a donor because of her fears saying, “I opted for a donor for me and my baby’s peace of mind.

“Another major reason I opted for a donor is because it scares me so much when I see banter and controversies between a mother and a father over a baby in public forums.”

During the interview, Edo also opened up about her past miscarriages, pointing out that her experience did not influence her decision on surrogacy.

“I had a series of miscarriages in the past but that wasn’t my reason for going this route .I still hope to carry babies In my womb in the future, God willing,” the actress said.

Cristiano Ronaldo Is Named Budweiser King Of The Match vs Arsenal After Scoring Twice.

Taking His Goal Tally To 801 Official Career Goals.

Michael Carrick has stepped down as Manchester United first-team coach and will leave the club following the conclusion of his spell as caretaker manager.

The 40-year-old's decision to walk away ahead of interim boss Ralf Rangnick's arrival was announced just minutes after he took charge of Thursday night's 3-2 Premier League victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Carrick, who played 464 games for United between 2006 and 2018 and won five Premier League titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups, the Champions League, the Europa League and the Club World Cup, served on the staff under both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

He said: "My time at this great club will always rank as the best years of my career. When I first signed over 15 years ago, I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined winning so many trophies and I will certainly never forget the fantastic memories both as a player and as a member of the coaching team.

"However, after a lot of thought and deliberation, I have decided that now is the right time for me to leave the club.

"I want to place on record my thanks to all of the players and a special mention goes to the backroom staff, working long hours with such a great group of people has been a real pleasure and I have made some long-lasting friendships.

Carrick says he only told the Manchester United players he was leaving the club at full-time after their 3-2 victory against Arsenal

"I am, and will always be, a Manchester United fan and will come to as many matches as possible. I would like to wish Ralf, the staff, the players and the fans all the best for the future and I look forward to being in the stands and supporting the boys as a fan."

CSP Ibrahim Ishaq

By Jethro Ibileke

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, CSP Ibrahim Ishaq, who was kidnapped by gunmen has regained his freedom, after six days in captivity of his abductors.

Ishaq was kidnapped on the evening of Friday, November 27, while driving his private car. He was accosted around Ise river along the old Auchi-Ekperi-Agenebode road.

His abductors later demanded the sum of N50 million as ransom.

The incident is said to have heighten apprehension among the people of Fugar, the administrative headquarters of the LGA.

Spokesman of Edo Police Command, SP Kontongs Bello, announced the release of the DPO Thursday night, in a terse statement on the Command’s WhatsApp platform.

The statement said: “This is to inform officers, men of the Command and the press that CSP Ibrahim Ishaq, DPO Fugar has been freed by the Command operatives from the kidnappers den.

“Thank God for the ruggedness of Commissioner of Police, CP Philip Ogbadu. Further details will be provided soon.”

Bello, however, did not mention if ransom was paid to secure the release of CSP Ishaq or if any arrest has been made in connection with the kidnap.

By Obio Monday

The Governor of Cross-River State, Prof. Ben Ayade has vowed  not to sign the Anti-Open Grazing Bill into law in the state.

Southern governors had agreed to ban open grazing and had given a timeline for laws to be enacted to that effect.

Some governors in the south had already signed the Bill into law while those that are yet to do so have such bills at different stages of legislation.

In a conference today, December 2, in his office in Calabar, Governor Ayade rebuked acts to illegitimate the legal jobs of many Fulani herdsmen which is Open-Grazing. 

The Governor went on to reveal that we cannot by law illegitimate the legitimate jobs of the Nomadic Herdsmen.

“Even though Southern Governors have made it clear that all Southern Governors must pass the Anti-open Grazing Law, Cross River has not, I have not because I have to find a solution, I cannot ask my Herdsmen brothers whether of Northern or Southern parts of the country to shut down their trade and stay confined whether they have a pasture or not”.

The Governor further stated that it’s very insensitive to shut down the Herdsmen just because they don’t have the funds to setup confined grazing or any other issue, adding that if he obliged to the Southern Governors’ orders, it would lead to anarchy in Cross-River State. 

“If indeed open-grazing is coming with severe consequences, we should come together and look for a solution, we must find a way to create a balance between the herders and the farmers and that’s the essence of being a leader”- The Governor added.

Gov. Ben Ayade in the closing stages of his speech stated that he decided to pull back from signing the law and looked into possible solutions, he said that that is why the State House of Assembly is enacting Open-Grazing Management Law in the state.

He noted that the management law is not a prohibition and that he thinks that it isn’t morally and ethically acceptable to prohibit a business that has been functioning before he was born.

Watch the video below:

Cambodian president (L) and his son

By Reuters/NAN

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, in power for the past 36 years on Thursday offered support for his eldest son as his potential successor.

He then defended the idea of establishing a political dynasty.

Hun Sen, who has presided over a broad crackdown on the opposition, civil society and the media in the Southeast Asian country that began in the run-up to 2018 elections, has in the past said he planned to rule until he felt he should stop.

His son, Hun Manet, 44, a deputy commander of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and joint chief of staff, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1999.

“I announce today that I support my son to continue as prime minister, but it is through an election,” Hun Sen said in a speech in the coastal province of Preah Sihanouk.

Hun Manet also has a doctorate in economics from Britain’s Bristol University and Hun Sen defended the idea of establishing a political dynasty.

“Even Japan has its own dynasty, like (former prime minister) Abe. His grandfather was prime minister and he had visited Cambodia. Abe’s father was a foreign minister and Abe was a prime minister,” Hun Sen said.

Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), which has been in power since 1979, holds every seat in the 125-member legislature after the main opposition was dissolved ahead of the 2018 election, accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

Western countries and human rights groups have long condemned Hun Sen for crackdowns on opponents, civil rights groups and the media.

In June last year, Hun Sen said the ruling party would be a dominant force in politics for as long as a century, telling the opposition it should wait until the next life if it wants to take power.

Suspected ritualists

Men of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a seven-member gang for allegedly killing a resident, Sunday Okosun, and selling his body parts for a money-making ritual.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

Oyeyemi noted that the suspects were arrested in different parts of Abeokuta, the state capital.

He identified them as Lekan Oladipupo, 38; Sulaiman Aremu, 30; Ifayemi Madru, 24; Shittu Saheed, 38; Samod Sulaiman, 35; Akanji Moruf, 23; and Tajudeen Adekunle, 36.

The PPRO explained that the men were arrested following a report lodged by the younger brother of the victim, Abraham, at the Bode Olude divisional police headquarters.

He said Abraham told the police that he visited his brother at Agbara village via Mawuko Abeokuta “only to discover that he had been brutally murdered by unknown persons and his remains dismembered.”

Oyeyemi said the Bode Olude Divisional Police Officer, DSP Durojaye Rotimi, visited the scene with a team of detectives.

“The detectives embarked on an intelligence-based investigation to unravel those behind the dastardly act.

“Acting on credible information, the detectives traced and apprehended Lekan Oladipupo, who on interrogation confessed to being the actual person who shot and killed the deceased with his dane gun.

“His confession led to the arrest of the other six suspects.

“On interrogation, all the suspects narrated their respective roles in the gruesome murder of the deceased and others who had been killed in similar circumstances.

“Lekan Oladipupo informed the police that his role was to look for their victims, usually in the bush around the Mawuko area, and shoot such unfortunate persons.

“He would then contact Sulaiman Aremu, who would butcher the corpse of the victim and remove vital parts to be distributed to their standby customers.

“The customers are Ifayemi Badru, who bought the heart, hands and other parts of the body. Shittu Saheed bought the head; Akanji Moruf bought the heart of another of their victims, while Tajudeen Adekunle bought the head,” the police added.

He said the suspects confessed to killing no fewer than four persons in similar circumstances and sold their body parts for money rituals.

The PPRO said, “They (suspects) also informed the police that they had code names for each human part whenever they wanted to request it from their butcher.

“For example, they refer to a human head as ball, the heart as transformer, while the hand is codenamed as fans. The gun and cutlass they used for the dastardly act have been recovered.”

Oyeyemi said the state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, had ordered that the suspects be transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation with a view to charging them to court as soon as possible.

Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has lamented the passing of Second Republic Senate President, Dr Joseph Wayas, describing his death as a monumental loss to Cross River State in particular and Nigeria as a whole.

Dr Wayas died in the early hours of Tuesday in a London hospital.

In a press statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, Ayade said Dr Wayas left indelible footprints on the sands of time.

"As a state, Cross River is in pains as we mourn the passing of our illustrious son. He was a rare gem. Dr Wayas' demise is indeed a monumental loss to our dear state and Nigeria", Ayade was quoted as saying in the statement.

According to the governor, " as Senate President, Dr Wayas contributed to the deepening of Nigeria's democratic ethos through his robust and vibrant leadership of the upper legislative chamber.

"And since his retirement from active politics, the former Senate President had been playing a fatherly and stabilising role in the politics and affairs of our state.”

He condoled with Dr Wayas’ family, assuring them that his demise is a collective loss and the pains a shared one.

“We are with you in this moment of grief. We have you in our hearts and prayers,” the government assured the deceased family.

Nnamdi Kanu

By Fadehan Oyeyemi

Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday has shifted the trial of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, from January 19 to 18 next year.

The shift in the trial date followed the abridgment of time granted by the judge following a passionate plea to that effect.

Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, had approached the court with an application seeking an order of the court to accommodate the trial in November and December this year as against the earlier fixed January 19.

Shuaib Labaran, who stood for the Federal Government, however, told the court that a counter affidavit opposing the request by the government has been filled and served on Kanu.

Justice Nyako however cut in and informed Kanu’s lawyer that the application for time abridgment cannot be considered because there is no judicial time for such an issue.

In the drama that ensued, the case diary of the court was read to the lawyer to establish that the court has other cases to attend to.

However, following the insistence, Justice Nyako agreed to shift other cases slated for January 18 to accommodate the trial which will last till January 19 and 20.

Justice Nyako ordered DSS to allow Kanu to practice his faith, change his clothes, and be given the maximum possible comfort in the detention facility.