Fraud / News / politics

EFCC moves ex-Anambra State Governor, Obiano to Abuja

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has moved immediate past Anambra Governor, Willie Obiano to Abuja after he was arrested in Lagos Thursday night.

EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujiaren, confirmed this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Friday in Lagos.

“The ex-governor was arrested in Lagos, but was moved to Abuja this morning (Friday),” Uwujiaren said.

Recall that the anti-graft commission busted Obiano at about 8.30p.m., Thursday, at the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on his way to Houston, Texas, U.S after handing over to his successor, Governor Charles Soludo. The commission’s spokesperson added that Obiano had been on the EFCC’s watch list for some months, adding that his immunity as a Governor prevented his arrest until he handed over to his successor.

Uwujiaren said the commission had requested the Nigeria Immigration Service to provide information on the former governor’s movement out of the country from airports, or other points of exit from the country.

As at time of filing this report, the EFCC is yet to release details on Obiano’s offence.…

Foreign / Military / News

Ukraine launches operations to flush Russian Military out of Kiev

The Ukrainian military said it has launched operations to flush the Russian military out of the outskirts of the capital, Kiev.

The head of the regional military administration of Kiev, Oleksandr Pavlyuk confirmed that there was “resistance from the enemy.”

“Russians were moving around their units,” Pavlyuk added.

He said he could not divulge any details as operations are ongoing. He called the situation in Kiev region difficult but “controllable,” adding that it was difficult to make any prognoses.

Pavlyuk said the road to the western city of Zhytomyr and the towns of Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel north-west of the capital, near the Kiev city limits, are most at risk, as is Makariv to the west.

Shelling reported at north of the capital, he added.…

Education / News

ASUU Strike: UI management orders closure of institution

The management of the University of Ibadan (UI) has closed down the institution due to the extended industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Registrar of the institution, Olubunmi Faluyi, Thursday made the position of the management known in a special bulletin addressed to the students.

According to the bulletin, students have been asked to vacate their halls of residence with immediate effect.

It read in part: “Management, at its meeting on Wednesday, 16 March, 2022, deliberated on the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which had now been extended by eight (8) weeks.

“As a result, academic activities in the University have become paralyzed. “Consequently, the Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the Senate, has directed that the University be closed until further notice,” it read.

Faluyi said post-graduate students who have paid their school fees and undergraduate students who are on industrial attachment or practical training are exempted from this vacation notice.

“Such students are to visit the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs for accommodation arrangement.

“A new date of resumption will be communicated in due course.

“Management wishes our students a safe journey to their various destinations”

Recall that ASUU on Monday 14th March extended its one month industrial action by eight weeks, citing inability of the government to meet its demand. NAN…

Education / News

ASUU Strike: UI management orders closure of institution

The management of the University of Ibadan (UI) has closed down the institution due to the extended industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The Registrar of the institution, Olubunmi Faluyi, Thursday made the position of the management known in a special bulletin addressed to the students.

According to the bulletin, students have been asked to vacate their halls of residence with immediate effect.

It read in part: “Management, at its meeting on Wednesday, 16 March, 2022, deliberated on the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which had now been extended by eight (8) weeks.

“As a result, academic activities in the University have become paralyzed. “Consequently, the Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of the Senate, has directed that the University be closed until further notice,” it read.

Faluyi said post-graduate students who have paid their school fees and undergraduate students who are on industrial attachment or practical training are exempted from this vacation notice.

“Such students are to visit the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs for accommodation arrangement.

“A new date of resumption will be communicated in due course.

“Management wishes our students a safe journey to their various destinations”

Recall that ASUU on Monday 14th March extended its one month industrial action by eight weeks, citing inability of the government to meet its demand. NAN…

Education / Music / News

2Face Idibia builds multimillion music studio for OAU

The music star made this known via his Instagram page on Tuesday, March 15, 2022.

“Sometime ago I was honored by the Great OAU as I was inducted into the school of music as A Fellow Of The School of music,” he captioned the video of the opening ceremony.

He also revealed plans to build a similar studio at the Benue State University (BSU).“Today I just commissioned the multimillion # studio I built for the music department in OAU ile-ife. up next is Benue State University #GRATEFUL #WARRIOR.”

The musician shared a picture of himself and Eyitope Ogunbodede, OAU’s vice-chancellor after the studio was commissioned.

In his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor appreciated the singer.

Ogunbodede revealed that OAU now has the best recording studio in any Nigerian university, thanks to 2Baba.

Innocent Ujah Idibia, known by his stage name 2Baba, is a Nigerian musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, humanitarian, and activist.

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News / Security

Four killed as gunmen attack NDLEA facility in Ebonyi

The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed that four persons were killed in Tuesday’s attack on the facility of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the state.

The spokesperson of the Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Loveth Odah, confirmed the incident on Tuesday.

Odah said that security agencies killed two of the gunmen, while others escaped with  injuries at the incident that occurred at Ntezi.

She added: “Too bad, one of the officers and a patient at the NDLEA rehabilitation center were also killed. “The security agencies are still searching the bush to get some of the gunmen who were injured.”

The spokesperson added that two riffles and other ammunitions were recovered from the attackers.

“Other items recovered include: 140 rounds of K2 ammunition, 36 rounds of GPMG live ammunition, 30 rounds of Ak 47 rounds of ammunition, a 4Runner jeep, motorcycles, military and police uniforms, charms amongst others,” Odah said.

An Officer of NDLEA, who preferred anonymity, also said four persons were killed in the attack.

“Security agencies repelled the attack on our office, located at Ntezi, Ishíelu local government area of the state around 2pm on Tuesday,” the Officer said.…

News / politics

Tinubu demanded to be my vice president as ACN presidential candidate — Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on members of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party to be united in working towards the victory of party in 2023.

Abubakar spoke in an interactive session with BoT members to seek their support for his presidential aspiration in Abuja.

He said anything short of victory would not be good for the party.

He said that the 2023 general election offered the party the opportunity to return to power. He said: “I am worried and you should be worried too that if we do not win, it means we will be in opposition again for the next eight years.

“By the next eight years, I don’t know how many will be left in politics and it may even ultimately lead to the death of the party because people gravitate, particularly in developing countries, towards governments.

“Ordinary people naturally gravitate towards government.

“So this is a very, very crucial and historical moment in history, for our survival.

“I want you to think about it.

“We are now at a crucial moment in this country.

“Many of you here, it is either we retire together or we move on together.”

The former vice president said that PDP administration had from 1999 to 2007 had remarkable achievements that has not been matched by any subsequent administration.

Abubakar said that PDP would scored more votes in 2023 if the BoT members worked together.

He said: “Somebody said that we recorded 12 million votes during the last election.

“Those are not only my votes.

“Those were our votes.

“In achieving or recording those 11 million votes, it was all of us and I believe if we work together again, we can surpass those votes.”

Abubakar dismissed insinuations that he was working against the possible zoning of the PDP presidential ticket to the South East.

He said: “In the party, we invented and formulated this zoning policy simply because we wanted every part of this country to have a sense of belonging and I personally have …

Crime / News / Security

Senate moves to re-amend Proceeds of Crime Bill 2022

The Senate, on Tuesday, moved to re-amend the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Bill, 2022, passed by the chamber on March 9, 2022, last week.

The decision to re-amend the bill followed the consideration of a motion for re-commital sponsored by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North).

In his presentation, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi, relied on Orders 1(b) and 52(6) of the Senate Standing Orders 2022 (as amended) to move for the amendment of the bill.

He explained that the re-amendment of the bill became imperative in view of the amendment that was made to Clause 74 which placed the Burden of proof on the investigating Agencies but not on the Defendant as recommended by the Joint Committee in its report. According to him, the amendment runs contrary to the provision of Article 12(7) of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC).

Article 12(7) of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime provides that, “States Parties may consider the possibility of requiring that an offender demonstrate the lawful origin of alleged proceeds of crime or other property liable to confiscation.”

On the need to amend the Clause 74 of the bill, Abdullahi said, “the implication of the amendment is that civil forfeitures would be a thing of the past in Nigeria as there would not be final forfeitures without a conviction.

“Implying that all property seized are included in the clause, even those that may be incidental to an arrest and may contain evidence needed for investigation of the crime.”

“For example, phones, computers, documents, photographs etc recovered from suspected kidnappers, drug barons, human and child traffickers, cyber criminals, terrorists and the like would also wait for convictions before they can be seized, even in situations where the suspects are at large and the properties can be recovered for the benefit of the victim and Nigerians where applicable.

“Another example of a conundrum, is the “Ikoyi Loot” case, where no one has yet come to claim ownership of the funds and since there are no suspects …

News / politics

PDP crisis: Obaseki manipulating Shaibu, Kassim Afegbua alleges

Kassim Afegbua, a former campaign spokesman for ex-Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has disclosed that the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his Deputy, Philip Shaibu, cannot win against the Peoples Democratic Party and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in the ongoing verbal war occasioned by an intra-party crisis.

This is as he also alleged that Obaseki had been in the habit of manipulating Shaibu and “making him (Shaibu) the fall-guy of a system that has been heavily compromised.”

Both governors had been engaging in verbal war, with Wike and Obaseki going after each other jugular.

While Wike said he was not in the same class as his Edo counterpart when it comes to party politics, Obaseki warned Wike not to cause disruption in PDP, adding that the party is not his personal property. But Afegbua, a former PDP member in the state, said he was in “doubt if they (Obaseki and Shaibu) will live to enjoy the spoil of their new agitation.”

Giving insight into the protracted party crisis in an article titled, ‘Wike and political asylum seekers in Edo (1)’, Afegbu blamed Obaseki and his deputy for the ongoing verbal war.

According to him, Wike’s position is predicated on the new arrogance of power that has become the second nature of the Edo first two citizens.

The article read in part, “For being an insider to all processes that threw up Governor Obaseki and his Deputy, Governor Wike knows exactly what he was talking about. And the solution to all these is the 9-lettered word; gratitude.

“Just show appreciation and gratitude… Otherwise, the present political impasse in the state will continue its macabre dance.

“Governor Obaseki and his co-travelers often behave like political asylum seekers. As migrants who were helped to cross the border, they got into the asylum camp, participated in the internal politics of the camp, and got familiar with it. Having been given residency, they now want to undo the real citizens of the country.

“In fact, they are telling the real citizens that though …

Entertainment / News

Police arrest, arraign woman for distributing petrol as souvenir

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested and arraigned Ogbulu Chidinma Pearl, the prime suspect who distributed kegs of petrol as souvenirs at her party held at Havilah Events Centre, Victoria Island on 4th March 2022.

Ogbulu Chidinma Pearl was arraigned on four counts of conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, endangering human life by distributing combustible matter in a public gathering, intent to harm another and unlawfully carrying on the business of storage and containerising petroleum product without a permit.

Ogbulu was arraigned Monday 14th March 2022 at the Special Offences (Mobile) Court of Lagos State in the Ikeja Magisterial District, Holden at Oshodi.

Recall that following the viral video of the distribution of petrol as a souvenir recently, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, had ordered the arrest of the suspect who was then at large.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police reiterates the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property and further warns citizens against acts capable of endangering human lives.…

News

Another batch of Nigerians fleeing Russia-Ukraine war arrives Abuja

As another batch of evacuees from the Ukrainian-Russia crisis touched down in Abuja from Warsaw on in the early hours of Friday.

According to available information, they landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 1:40am.

Receiving the 124 evacuees, including an infant, the Head of Technology Transfer Innovation of NIDCOM, Hon. AbdurRahman Terab, said in addition to the $100 given to each returnee, the commission in partnership with MTN gave each of them a free SIM loaded with N5,000 airtime.

According to Terab, once the sim is activated, the N5,000 airtime will multiply to N19,500 worth of airtime.

This additional gesture was well received and appreciated by all the evacuees.

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Entertainment / Movies / News

Michael B. Jordan to star alongside Will Smith in ‘I Am Legend’ sequel

Fans of ‘I Am Legend’ finally have a sequel to look forward to many thanks to Michael B. Jordan.

According to reports, the ‘Black Panther’ star will star and co-produce the upcoming sequel of the film alongside Oscar nominee Will Smith who is set to reprise his role as scientist Robert Neville.

In an exclusive with ET, Smith revealed that the idea for the sequel was pitched by Jordan.

While a director is yet to be confirmed, Deadline reports that the film’s screenplay will be by Academy award winner Akiva Goldsman while Smith will co-produce the sequel with Jon Mone, co-president of Westbrook Studios, Elizabeth Raposo and Jordan. James Lassiter will serve as executive produce the film.

The 2007 post-apocalyptic thriller is based on the 1954 novel of the same title by Richard Matheson.

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Entertainment / Gospel / Music / News

Popular UK based pastor sprays Davido pounds in nightclub

Controversial United Kingdom-based pastor Tobi Adeboyega has been spotted spraying Nigerian music star, Davido, pounds in a nightclub.

Dressed in a baseball jacket and several gold necklaces the pastor was seen dancing with the music star as he performed his latest single, ‘Ke Star‘ featuring Focalist.

Adeboyega is the founder of Salvation Proclaimers Anointed Church (SPAC Nation), also known as the NXTION Family, a Pentecostal Church based in London, England. The flamboyant pastor has been caught in several controversies within and outside the church.

In 2021, the pastor took to social media, where he shared videos of his exotic cars.

Adebgoyega lives in a mansion valued at £2.5 million and drives flashy cars, such as an orange and a yellow Lamborghini, a black Mercedes Benz G-Wagon SUV, a black Brabus and a black Range Rover SUV.

These cars according to TheWillNigeria, cost between $150.000 and $2 million apiece.

This new video is coming days after Davido performed at his sold-out concert in the UK.

The concert had several Nigerian artists like Patoranking, CKay, Teni, Adekunle Gold, Zlatan, Vict0ny, Pheelz and a host of others perform at the 20,000 O2 Arena, venue of the concert.

Other African artists who performed at the show include Stonebwoy and Focalist.

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Education / News

Strike: ASUU payment platform failed integrity test, FG insists

The Federal Government says it is still waiting for the Academic Staff Union of Universities to upgrade and return to it the Universities Transparency Accountability Solution, which was said to have failed integrity test.

ASUU embarked on a one month warning strike on February 14 to press home its demands involving about N1.3 trillion.

The union also wants the Federal Government to adopt the UTAS payment platform to replace the Integrated Personnel and Payment Information System.

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Inuwa, however, insisted that UTAS has failed the necessary tests that should qualify it to be used as a payment platform. Inuwa stated this when he fielded questions from State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja on Wednesday.

Reacting to the contentious issues that led to the ongoing ASUU strike, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, said when he received a letter from the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, requesting a review of the submission and the technical ability of the software of the system, he forwarded the request to NITDA

Pantami said: “NITDA conducted their own analysis, their own testing and sent same back to me, and I drafted a cover letter I forwarded to the Minister of Labour and Employment, and I copied the two Ministers of Education, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, and also office of the Accountant General of the Federation and even NUC (National University Commission).”

Pantami, however, directed the Director-General of NITDA, who sat beside him, to give the situation report on the matter.

Inuwa said: “When we received the request to review UTAS, you know building complex system like UTAS that involves employees’ personal data and also payment system, we have to subject it to best practice tests before approving.

“Normally, when we are reviewing that kind of system, we perform three tests.

“Firstly, because when you’re …

News / politics

Obasanjo: How Nigeria can move from being a country to a Nation

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said that the country must strive to enthrone justice, equity and fair play in order to build a strong, united nation.

Obasanjo, who is on a tour of the South East, said this when he made a brief stop at the Vision Africa Radio, Umuahia.

He was the Special Guest of Honour at the prize/award presentation to the winners of the 2021 Schools’ Debate, organized by the station, in conjunction with the Abia State Ministry of Education.

He said: “One of the things I believe we need in this country is nation building.  “We have not built a nation.

“We have a country but we need to weave, integrate that country into a nation.

“And you will not get that unless you have justice, fairness, equality and everybody having a stake in that project called Nigeria.

“If that is the situation that we need at the national and continental levels, it means you have to have it at other levels down to the family level.

“Any family where there is no justice, fair play and equity will not be stable.

“This applies to any country, community and state.

“If Nigeria needs these attributes, then any state in Nigeria needs it as much as Nigeria.”

Obasanjo said that this was one of the gospels he had been preaching since he celebrated his 85th birthday last week.

He congratulated the three schools that emerged winners at the debate and admonished them to learn to be good communicators, if they hope to become great achievers in future.

According to him, it takes a good communicator to marshal out his points convincingly, saying that bad communicators end up as poor achievers because of their inability to put their ideas across convincingly, notwithstanding how beautiful they might be.

He also commended the President of the station, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, for organizing the program designed to groom young ones and support the growth of education.

The topic of the debate was: “The development of a nation’s sound education system ensures …

Entertainment / Music / News

Wizkid’s ‘Essence’ gets certified double platinum in the US

On March 3, 2022, Nigerian singer, Wizkid‘s ‘Essence’ got certified double platinum in the US. This comes after it became the first Nigerian song to be certified platinum in the US.

An album or single is certified platinum when it moves the equivalent of two million physical sales in the US.

On October 5, 2021, it was reported that ‘Essence,’ Wizkid and Tems’ summer banger has been certified platinum in the US. It also becomes the first African song to hit that milestone.

To be clear, this is the version that features only Tems, and peaked at No. 54 on the Billboard Hot 100, not the version which features Justin Bieber, and has since peaked at No. 10 on the same chart.

On September 2, 2021, Nigerian superstar, Wizkid’s groundbreaking single, ‘Essence’ was certified Gold in the US.

 

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Entertainment / Law / News

Princess told me to kiss, suck the child’s br*ast – Baba Ijesha tells court

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Baba Ijesha made this revelation while being led in evidence by the defence counsel, Dada Awosika (SAN).

Baba Ijesha told the court that the foster mother of the minor, Ms Damilola Adekoya, a comedian also known as Princess, had called and requested him to be part of the movie production.

“On April 19, 2021, Princess sent me a message that she wanted to start a production and she would like me to play the role of a lover boy which I replied ‘okay’.

“She said I was to play the role of a lover boy adding that she wanted to surprise people that I can also play normal roles.

“She said the story is about rape and she wanted to tell the story in another dimension,” he said.

The defence counsel tendered before the court, a printout of WhatsApp message between Princess and the defendant, which was admitted into evidence by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo.

The embattled actor said he asked Princess for the movie location but she told him to come over to her house.

“Before I entered, Princess met me at the balcony that the movie production was a Lagos State project, adding that the state wanted her to be the face of ‘anti child molestation.’

“She told me to improvise and create a story by myself. I told her the house was dark when I entered. She said we should rehearse that she would use her phone.

“Princess told me to kiss and suck the breast of the child, adding that the dress the girl was wearing was purposely for the role the girl wanted to play.

“She would leave the room so that the child would not be shy to play out the role.

“All those things we are seeing in that video is just acting. My lord check my record when it comes to acting, I can kill myself and die for acting. She was the one directing and filming my angles,” he said.

Baba

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Entertainment / News

Kanye West’s new girlfriend, Chaney Jones, claims Nigerian origin

American rapper, Kanye West’s new girlfriend, Chaney Jones, has said that she is of Nigerian heritage.

The Kim-look-alike model took to her Instagram Story to share some details about herself.

Jones disclosed that she’s of European and West African descent while reeling out two countries from each of the continents.

The 24-year-old model also dismissed the notions that she underwent surgery on her face; owing to her resemblance to Kanye’s ex-wife, Kim Kardashian.

“Some facts about me. I’m European, French, German, West African, Nigerian and Ghanaian”

“I’m the COO of First State Behavioral Health (link in bio)

“I’m currently getting my masters in counselling maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

“No, I have never had surgery on my face, I was born like this.

“I am a 24 year old Virgo born on August 28th, I am from Dover, Delaware.”

Pulse had earlier reported that Kanye and Kim’s marriage was officially ended by Judge Steve Cochran on Wednesday, March 2, 2022.

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Foreign / News

Netflix suspends service in Russia amid Ukraine invasion

Netflix has moved to suspend its streaming service in Russia following President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

According to multiple reports, the streamer announced that it would suspend all future projects, acquisitions and now all of its services in Russia in a bid to protest the war spearheaded by the country.

“Given the circumstances on the ground, we have decided to suspend our service in Russia,” a spokesperson for Netflix said in a recent interview.

Prior to the latest move, Netflix had confirmed four new Russian originals including a crime thriller series directed by Russian filmmaker Dasha Zhuk. The series which had began principal photography was put on hold.

Although relatively new in Russia (the streaming platform launched in 2016 with an estimated 1 million subscribers), the latest move joins other global corporate bodies as well as film studios who have in recent weeks moved to boycott the country amid the ongoing war.

Companies including Microsoft and Apple announced that they were suspending activities in the country even as they continue to face sanctions.

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