38,000 unidentified persons living with HIV in Imo—Ihedioha

Governor Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State has said there were about 38,000 unidentified people living with Human Immune Virus, HIV, in the state, adding that the prevalence rate, which placed the state above the 1.4 percent, was saddening.

Governor Ihedioha made the revelation yesterday in Owerri, while annoucing free treatment for all persons living with HIV, in the state, in a scheme termed Antiretroviral Therapy, ART, Surge Response.

According to him, “we are saddened with the statistics of the prevalence rate in the state. We are fully committed to identifying the 38,000 persons said to be living with HIV, and enlisting them for treatment.

“All fees previously charged by government medical establishments for the treatment of HIV are, hereby, banned. Any government official or employee that violates this directive would face commensurate sanction.”

I was mad for one month after boyfriend used my panties for ritual— Physiotherapist

A 32-year-old lady, Rachael Godwin, yesterday, gave a startling account of how she narrowly escaped death, after her boyfriend allegedly used her panties for money ritual.
Rachael, a physiotherapist, said she went mad for close to a month after the incident, but regained her sanity after undergoing prayer sessions at an unnamed church in Lagos.
Rachael, a staff of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Yaba, explained that she met her boyfriend, identified simply as Olumide, in January last year, inside a BRT bus, enroute Ikeja from Ikorodu.
According to her, “when we got talking inside the BRT, he directed me on how to get to the Police headquarters and we exchanged contacts in the process.
“Thereafter, in the course of our interactions, he told me he had a Sexually Transmitted Disease, STD, and I administered treatment on him.

N’Delta agitators fight over WO1 Izon Ebi title

NIGER DELTA campaigners, on the platform of 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience, who called off the subsisting seven-month ceasefire with the Federal Government penultimate Wednesday, rescinded its decision, weekend.
However, the group and Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders, NDRC, another agitating group, which challenged restarting of hostilities by the former, continued with their bickering, with the demand that NDRC “stop using the sobriquet WO1 Izon and find another title to use in signing its press releases.”

...as Orbih accuses him of ballooning state debt to N300bn

EDO State chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, has accused Governor Godwin Obaseki of ballooning Edo State debt profile from N4 billion in 2008 to over N300 billion and $245 billion in 2018.
Chief Orbih, who addressed a rally at Oghomere in Etsako Central Local Government Area of the state, however, commended Obaseki for his courage to admit that his government was failing because of the huge debt profile his government inherited.

Edo govt not burdened with inherited debts—Obaseki

GOVERNOR Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has denied reports that his administration was being bugged down by huge inherited debts.
A statement, yesterday, by his Special Adviser, Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie said the reports were false and should be regarded as fake news and mere fabrication with no basis.

Farmer punches mother-in-law dead over child custody in Ondo

Ondo State Police Command, weekend, declared a 29-year-old farmer, Segun Daniel, wanted for punching his mother-in-law, Mrs. Beatrice Lajuwomi, to death over custody of his child.
The incident happened at a farm settlement in Igbotako, Okitipupa council area of the state on Saturday.
The deceased, mother of the child, Olamiotan Lajuwomi, and her child had been living together in the farm settlement, while the suspect lived separately.
The suspect insisted that her daughter should be living with him and not the mother-in-law in the farm settlement and an argument ensued, which degenerated into a scuffle.
The issue, according to reports, had been unresolved for months until the suspect insisted on taking the girl into his custody.

Nigerian pilgrim dies in Saudi Arabia

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, has confirmed the death of a female Nigerian pilgrim in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Head of the Medical Team of NAHCON, Ibrahim Kana, confirmed the development while speaking with journalists in Makkah, yesterday.

Sex worker found dead by roadside in Benin

We heard cries of 'please take the bag at 4a.m.’—Resident

THE lifeless body of a young woman identified as Precious, said to be a commercial sex worker, was yesterday morning discovered at the roadside in Upper Mission Extension, around Imuetinyan Junction, on the outskirts of Benin, the Edo State capital.
A resident of the area claimed they heard a noise around 4a.m., around where the body was found and only heard “Please, please take the bag,” but that they could not come out because the area was dark.

Couple sells 4-month-old son, 2 others for N600,000 in Imo

OPERATIVES of Imo State Police Command have arrested a man, Mr. Ugochukwu Nwachukwu, 28, and his 30-year-old wife, Glory, for selling three babies, including their four months old son, for N600,000.
Parading the couple alongside 17 other suspects at the Imo State Police Headquarters, Police Commissioner, Mr. Dazuki Galadanchi, said: “Suspects were arrested by operatives of Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command at Umuokai Owerri-Nta in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State.
“They lured one Jovita Aloka of Irette in Owerri West Local Government Area to Naze Owerri North Local Government, all in Imo State.

Decomposing bodies of 8 family members found in C-River

Tragedy struck yesterday, when eight decomposing bodies of a Cameroonian family were discovered in their room at Abico Junction in Ikom Local Govern-ment Area of Cross River State.
The incident caused panic as neighbours did not know that fellow occupants had passed on days before, until stench from the apartment alerted them.

23-yr-old drug addict kills father, sister, injures six neighbours

lHusband of attacked woman shoots him dead

IT was a sad weekend at Ifelemenu, Ekpaomaka in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, as a 23-year-old man, Julius Nwigboaka, went berserk, killing his father, Chief Nwode Nwigboaka and his sister (name withheld).
The suspect also inflicted machete cuts on six other residents of the area, before he was gunned down by the husband of one of his victims.
A source, who simply identified himself as Ekoyo, said the suspect had taken hard drugs when he came into the house and killed his father, who asked him where he had been since.

Bus driver, conductor, passenger die in Ojuelegba Bridge truck accident

*The bus driver had not collected his change after eating—Food seller

THREE persons, a commercial bus driver, his conductor and a passenger, died when a truck loaded with boards and plywood tilted on the Ojuelegba Bridge, Surulere, Lagos State, late Tuesday night.
General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, said two other persons were injured in the accident, which occurred at 8.p.m.

Kogi LG boss appoints 200 aides

*130 SSAs, 30 media aides, 38 c'ttee members
*...SSA Movement, SSA Tricycles, SSA Farm Produce, SA General

THE newly-appointed Administrator of Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, Prince Ishaq Okolo, yesterday, announced the appointment of 198 aides, besides his two other aides, to serve the council in various capacities.
Of the 200 aides, 130 are Senior Special Assistants; 30, media aides; while others are to serve in various committees.
The appointment, signed by the administrator’s Personal Secretary, Alhaji Lampex, said the appointment was in line with the New Direction Agenda of Governor Yahaya Bello to reduce unemployment in the state.

Gunshots rock Delta community as Police, youths clash

EKU—THERE was pandemonium yesterday afternoon, at Eku community, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, following a clash between youths of the community and security operatives said to be attached to Presco Oil Plc.
Speaking on the incident, a security source in the community disclosed that youths from the community had tried to attack a team of policemen, who were having a confrontation with a youth from the community.

3 policemen dismissed for spraying tear-gas on asthmatic man

The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed three policemen— an inspector and two sergeants— for spraying tear-gas on a man at Chinese Town, Ojota, causing him to collapse in an asthmatic fit, last Friday.
The officers are Inspector Momoh Sulaiman, Force Number 220957; Sergeant Emmanuel Monday, Force Number 429659, and Sergeant Adamu Usman, 434246.

Rub-a-dub master, Ras Kimono passes on at 60

Nigerian reggae music legend, Ras Kimono (Ekeleke Elumuelu), died yesterday morning, weeks after turning 60, at a private hospital in Lagos, where he was rushed to after complaining of feeling funny.
Ras Kimono was said to have concluded plans to travel to the United States last Friday before complaining of feeling funny.
According to reports, the legendary reggae artiste suddenly slumped and was rushed to a hospital in Ikeja, from where he was taken to Lagoon Hospital on the Island and later confirmed dead.
Kimono was initially married to Cybil, who had a set of twins in Nigeria, before they later separated in USA.
Kimono, a revolutionary singer, last public outing was at Sir Shina Peters 60th birthday celebration at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island.

Family of 7, one other die in Enugu auto crash

NO fewer than eight persons, yesterday, died in a motor accident along Ugwuonyeama, Enugu-Onitsha Expressway in Enugu State with four sustaining severe injuries.
According to Enugu State Police Command, seven members of a family were killed in the accident that occurred at about 8a.m., on the Enugu axis of the expressway.