Herdsmen kidnap 3 teachers in Edo

THREE secondary school teachers in Ebomisi Secondary school, Ugbogiobo village in Ovia North-East Local Government Area have been kidnapped by suspected herdsmen.
It was gathered that the kidnappers are demanding for N10 million as ransom.
The three male teachers were abducted, Monday, while returning from school.
It was gathered that three other female teachers, who were said to be in the company of the abducted teachers, were allowed to go by the abductors.
In reaction, students from the school abandoned their classes and made bonfires on the Benin-Akure road leaving passengers and motorists stranded for many hours.

Project manager accussed of N199m theft

Police have arraigned a project manager, Olayinka Olafimihan, before a Tinubu magistrate’s court in Lagos for allegedly stealing N199 million from a company.
The suspect was accused of forging documents to steal cash, building materials and equipment valued at N199,074,880.15 belonging to Twins Wild Passion.
Olafimihan allegedly committed the offence between September 2014 and July 2016, while working as Project Manager of Twin Wild Passion in Lagos.
Police prosecutor, Goodluck Admoni, said the offence of forgery contravenes Section 361 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Gunmen kill 4 vigilante men for foiling kidnap in Aba

Four members of Abia State Vigilante Service, AVS, popularly known as Bakassi Boys, were, yesterday, shot dead by gunmen suspected to be members of a notorious gang in Aba.
This came as two gunmen, operating on a motorcycle, trailed a businessman from a bank and robbed him of an undisclosed sum of money at Ehere Road area of the city.
On the vigilante killings, it was gathered that while three of the AVS personnel died on the spot, the fourth died on his way to the hospital.

3-yr-old kidnapped in Lagos, sold thrice, rescued in Aba

The three-year-old girl kidnapped by her mother’s apprentice, Grace John, who had resumed five days earlier at their Alagbado shop in Lagos two months ago, was found in Abia State, weekend.
The little girl, as reliably gathered, had been sold to three different buyers in the eastern part of the country for prices ranging from N500,000 to N600,000.
After her abduction, she was taken to the kidnappers’ den, a forest in Badagry area of Lagos, from where her abductors proceeded to Onitsha, Anambra State, where she was sold to a woman for N500,000.
Dissatisfied with the choice of a baby girl, the first buyer, with an undisclosed identity, was said to have sold the girl to another buyer for N500,000 in Awka, Anambra State capital. The second buyer, in turn, sold the child to another man in Umuahia, Abia State capital for N600,000.

NIGERIA PRAYS: Muslims'll soon join — Gowon

Former Head of State and Convener of Nigeria Prays, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd.) has hinted that Muslims faithful will soon join the group as part of efforts toward religious harmony and peaceful co-existence.
This came as thousands of people, including commercial motorcyclists, drivers and petty traders, in Yola, abandoned their businesses to participate in a special prayer session for the speedy recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Gowon, who spoke in Yola during a courtesy call on Governor Mohammed Jibrilla of Adamawa State, said it was in realisation of the importance of such joint prayers that the Nigeria Prays had invited their Muslim counterparts to join the crusade.
Meanwhile, the prayer session for the speedy recovery of Buhari was organised by a political support group, Buhari Osibanjo Again, BOA, 2019.

FIRS seals Kabo Airlines, others over N200m tax liabilities

The Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, yesterday, sealed the offices of Kabo Airlines, Monaco Ventures Limited and Paki International Motors, all in Kano, over tax liabilities.
A statement by the service said Kabo Airlines owes N149,707,949.03 from the assessment year of 2004 to 2013.
According to the head of the enforcement team in Kano, Mr. Bukar Gana, the airline’s liabilities are made up of Income Tax and Education Tax.
He explained that the company did not contest the liabilities, an action which led to the sealing of its premises on Ashton Road, Kano State.
Also sealed up was Paki International Motors, which owes Company Income Tax of N51,148, 117.57, accumulated between 2008 and 2014.

18-yr-old abandons her baby under Oshodi bridge ’cos she doesn't know his father

Operatives of the Lagos State Task Force, yesterday, rescued a four-month-old baby boy abandoned by his mother inside a bag under the bridge at Oshodi.
They also arrested the mother, who said she took the action because she does not know who the baby’s father is and her mother had sent her away from home.
Chairman of the Task Force, Police Superintendent Olayinka Egbeyemi, who confirmed the incident, said that the enforcement team of the agency, while on duty under the bridge at Oshodi, rescued the baby boy, who was put naked inside a bag.
Egbeyemi disclosed further that the mother of the baby was arrested by an official of the agency, as she tried running away after dumping the baby.

APC disciplinary c'ttee summons Sen Kwankwaso

THE Kano State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, summoned the immediate past governor of the state, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to appear before a disciplinary committee headed by his former Commissioner for Land, Nadu Yahaya.
Reacting, Senator Kwankwaso (Kano Central) dismissed the purported invitation as an attempt by self-serving individuals for political relevance.
Kwankwaso, who spoke through his political aide, Aminu Gwarzo, said: “It sounds very odd for those who are not known to APC to embark on an exercise in futility.”
It will be recalled that crisis first broke out in the party when a faction, led by Mr. Ganduje, mulled taking disciplinary action against Senator Kwankwaso for allegedly “destabilising the peace of the state” during a condo-lence visit to the governor in March last year.

Bauchi govt denies misappropriating N8.6bn FG bailout

Bauchi State Government has debunked insinuations that it misappropriated the N8.6 billion bailout funds from the Federal Government.
Governor Mohammed Abubakar stated this yesterday, when he received a delegation of executives of the Ahmadu Bello University Alumni Association, who paid him a courtesy visit, at the government house.

Niger probes N4.4bn LGAs bailout funds

 Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State has inaugurated a seven-man administrative panel of inquiry to ascertain the utilisation of the N4.4 billion bailout to 12 local government councils for payment of workers' salary arrears.
A statement by Jibrin Baba Ndace, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said the panel headed by a retired Permanent Secretary in the state civil service, Mr. Daniel Tarachi, is to unravel why the affected local government councils failed to pay staff salaries despite the bailout by the state government.
Governor Sani Bello said the panel became necessary following the high level of financial recklessness and impunity at the grassroots level and the need to curtail the development from further causing more havoc.
He frowned at what he called “irresponsible behaviour of some of the local government chief executives” for refusing to pay their staff even when the state government had released funds to assist them.

Why I cut my wife’s corpse into bits—Suspect

The father of three, Sakiru Bello, who is currently being investigated at the homicide unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, has denied the allegation that he murdered his ex-wife, Sherifat Bello.
According to the 36-year-old suspect, “I called her on February 13 and she came to see me at home. Later, both of us went to the Island. It was on our way back that a commercial bus hit the bike that we boarded and she fell, hitting her head on the ground.
“When we got home, she started complaining of head pain and then she died. I didn’t take her to the hospital because I didn’t have money.

25-yr-old mechanic found dead in Calabar waste bin

A 25-year-old mechanic, identified as Okon, has been killed and his lifeless body dumped in a waste bin on White House Street, by Chamley in Calabar South.
Okon, who resides at 25, Webber Street, also in Calabar South, was dumped in the waste bin in the early hours of yesterday, with blood still gushing out from the back of his head and hand.
An eyewitness, Mrs. Ogechi Ogbuji, who sells bean cake (Akara) near the scene of the incident, said when she came out for business early yesterday, she discovered that there was a body in the waste bin at the junction.

Man kills rival in farm road over girlfriend in Ogun

A 43-year-old man, Adebisi Akinrin-mola, has been arrested by the Ogun State Police Command for killing one Ademola Asimiyu over a girlfriend.
The suspect reportedly claimed that the deceased accused him of snatching the woman from him and has been warning him to leave her.
Speaking on the incident, which happened Sunday afternoon at Ajebo village in Ijebu-Igbo area of Ogun State, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said: “The suspect, 36, claimed that the deceased has been threatening him over a woman he is dating.

Of character traits

A whistle blower's money

Palm wine laced with drugs kill 3 in Ondo party

THREE persons have reportedly died after drinking palm wine mixed with substances in Ilepa Quarters, Ikare-Akoko area of Ondo State, during their friend’s birthday bash.
The deceased, whose identities could not be ascertained at press time, attended their friend’s birthday and were served palm wine. The three died with about eight others rushed to the hospital after consuming the liquor and complaining of stomach upset.
The celebrant was alleged to have personally served them the drink during the party.

Wife of Edo Dep Gov comes to aid of abandoned triplets

The wife of the Edo State Deputy Governor, Mrs Maryann Shaibu, was a sad woman, weekend, as she visited the woman abandoned by her husband after giving birth to triplets in Benin, the state capital.
The condition under which the triplets were moved the Deputy Governor’s wife to order that they be moved immediately to a paediatric centre for proper medical care.
Mrs Shaibu also donated an undisclosed amount of money in cash along with some baby care items, milk and food stuff, with a promise to assist the mother of the kids to establish her business as a hair stylist.
The distressed mother was forced to cry out for assistance when the cost of taking care of the home and five children became unbearable.
Mrs Shaibu assured the nursing mother of more assistance to ensure that the babies are well taken care of, adding “I am doing this because children are blessings from God. So we will not allow them to die of malnutrition.

Kerosene explosion kills 50-yr-old woman in Cross River

A 50-year-old housewife, Jenny Ibor Okpa, of Ofalosi village in Nko, Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River, yesterday, died from kerosene explosion.
It was gathered that the deceased attempted to light a lantern with a matchstick, when it exploded and flames engulfed her entire room.
An eyewitness said that it was the woman’s cry for help that attracted her husband, neighbours and other good Samaritans, who fought hard to put out the fire on her body. But she had reportedly suffered severe burns.

I killed my day-old baby ’cos she'll be extra burden—ABEOKUTA WOMAN

A 40-year-old woman and a mother of two, Foluke Owolewa, arrested by men of Ogun State Police Command for killing her one-day-old baby, has said she took the step because her two other children were not being taken care of by her husband.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in a statement, said the incident, which happened at Ipamesan area of Sango Ota, was reported at Sango Divisional Headquarters by the Vice Chairman of the Community Development Association in the area.

Fayose storms Finance ministry over withheld Ekiti allocation

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, took his complaint of the Federal Government’s failure to pay his state’s, January budget support allocation of N1.1 billion to the Federal Ministry of Finance, yesterday.
He told newsmen in Abuja, that he was at the ministry to follow-up on the payment which he said his state deserved, just like all other states of the federation.
His words, “I believe I should do a follow-up today (yesterday) to meet with the Minister of Finance for an update because she actually called me  on Tuesday that she just got back but she is going to look into it today (yesterday) and have it resolved as soon as possible.
“You will however appreciate that Ekiti civil servants are restive, having spent Christmas and there is no money in January, obviously there will be challenges.
“By the time I got here the Minister had already gone for the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting, but I met the Special Adviser, who assured me that the matter will be resolved when the Minister returns.
“What we are talking about is part of the monthly allocation and the budget support which is about N1.1billion that has not been paid.
“I believe this should be done immediately and I want to believe also that it was a mix up and not politically motivated but if it is political, they will have a lot of questions to answer why it should be so.
“If they want to fight Fayose, they should fight Fayose, not the civil servants of Ekiti, but I appreciate her  promise to resolve the matter promptly.
“So, naturally I have to be here when it happened to be  Ekiti State alone, I have to be suspicious. The Minister has given me her word, at her level as a minister, that is good enough.
“If the promise of the Minister to resolve this issue as quickly as possible is not adhered to, I will have to bring it back to the public domain. We are all in the court of the public opinion where the public is able to judge whether justice is served at all times. Governance is beyond all of us but I want to believe that they will do it.”

How I built 2 houses from ransom money —Turkish scool kidnapper

A suspected kidnapper arrested by the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team , IRT, in connection with last Thursday's kidnap of Secretary of the Isheri North Estate, Government Reserved Area, Lagos, has revealed that he got N250,000 from the N5 million ransom paid for the victim, Mr Dayo Adekoya's release.
Gunmen numbering 20, stormed the estate at midnight, killing three guards who challenged them, before gaining entry into Adekoya’s apartment whisking him away in their waiting boat.
Adekoya was however released in the early hours of Monday  and has since reunited with his family.
Operatives of the IGP’s IRT, traced one of Adekoya’s abductors to Century Village in Ogijo town, Ogun State, where he was arrested Tuesday.
During interrogation, the suspect identified as Joseph Omoni, a native of Ajapa community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, admitted he participated in the crime, adding that he got  N250,000 as his share of the ransom paid.

Man kills, rapes woman ‘for collecting so much money from me’

Sunday Ushie, a man arrested by officers of Cross River State Police Command, has revealed that he killed his ‘woman friend’ before having sex with her because she turned down his amorous demands after collecting huge amount of money from him.
It was learned that Ushie was arrested after the landlord of the deceased reported to the police that his tenant, Nnenna Samuel, was killed by the suspect, with her right hand, left leg and mouth severed.
When the suspect was paraded by the police in Calabar, the 35-year-old Ushie said he was forced into committing the act because the deceased usually collect money from him and would never allow him to make love to her.

Lagos driver and LASTMA officer

The fight

Injured

Patched up

Operatives of Lagos State Task Force have arrested and charged to court a suspect, identified as Mr. Benjamin Archibong, 20, for allegedly attacking and injuring a Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, officer, Mr. Omomoyesan Olumide, while on official duty around Lekki-Ajah area.
It will be recalled that a similar incident occurred in Apapa ports area late last year, when a LASTMA officer, while on duty, was attacked and killed by some rampaging commercial motorcyclists, popularly called Okadamen.

ONE CHANCE ROBBER CONFESSES: I didn't heed my mother’s warning

A member of a notorious One Chance robbery gang, Ajibola Alao, 29, arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, of Lagos State Police Command, has said he failed to heed his late mother’s advice not to steal the fruits of other people’s sweat.
The suspect, who showed remorse for his actions, was arrested for allegedly robbing innocent victims.
Alao was arrested last Thursday during one of his routine operations in Oshodi area of the state, after dispossessing their lone passenger, Mr. Asotie Benedict, of his two phones and N61,000.
The suspect, in company of the driver and conductor, using their operational bus, a Volkswagen Transporter, Danfo, with the number plates APP 820 XE, picked up their passenger, Benedict, 24, at Ladipo.
But Alao and his accomplices refused to drop Benedict at Oshodi Under Bridge, his destination.
On seeing LASTMA officials at the bus stop, they pretended they were ascending the bridge towards Oshodi Oke; it was at this point they dispossessed Asotie of his Blackberry Passport and Samsung, and his wallet containing N60,000 before forcing him to alight, while the vehicle was in motion.

Textile workers shut down firm over welfare

Organised labour, yesterday, shut down production at Royal Sack Industry, Sango-Ota, Ogun State, as negotiations over workers’ welfare broke down when the company’s Managing Director, Mr. Kirshor Bodani, stopped management from signing the communiqué issued at the end of a meeting with labour leaders.

Unidentified jogger slumps, dies in Lagos

An unidentified man reportedly slumped, yesterday morning, while jogging at Ilupeju by-pass area, and was confirmed dead at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, where he was rushed to by the response unit of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA.
It was gathered from police officers at the scene of the incident that the man, believed to be in his 20s, was wearing Arsenal FC branded jersey, with no other form of identification on him.

Terrorists chop off colleagues limbs for wanting to surrender

A 31-year-old Boko Haram insurgent, Muhammad Abubakar, yesterday, said his hand and leg were chopped off because he was planning to surrender and quit the battle in Sambisa Forest.
Abubakar disclosed this to newsmen in Maiduguri during a briefing organised by Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, to update journalists on “Operation Rescue Finale.”
Abubakar said he was punished because of his decision to renounce his membership of the group and embrace peace.
According to him, “I had told a friend, Hassan Dan-Guduma, that I was going to surrender as the movement had no meaning to me anymore.

Terrorism Charge: Court adjourns Ndume’s trial till March 27

A Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja yesterday, adjourned till March 27 to resume hearing on the four-count terrorism charge pending against Senator Mohammed Ndume.
Ndume, who is representing Borno South federal constituency, was docked before the court on December 3, 2013, over allegation that he was one of the top sponsors of the Boko Haram sect.
The Federal Government alleged that he was the one that hitherto furnished the sect with information that aided their terrorist operations in the country.

Police to arrest, prosecute arms-bearing herdsmen in Delta

DELTA State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, yesterday, said any herdsman caught destroying people’s crops, molesting or preventing farmers from accessing their farmlands or bearing arms or any other dangerous weapons would be arrested and prosecuted.

Itsekiri insist on Okerenghigho for Maritime University

Itsekiri leaders have reiterated their call on the Federal Government to relocate the Maritime University currently sited in Okerenkoko to Okerenghigho in Omadino, insisting that the relocation is imperative in view of a subsisting, valid court judgement.
The call is coming on the heels of a sharp disagreement between Ijaw and Itsekiri leaders at the Senate last Wednesday during a hearing on a bill for the establishment of the university, sponsored by Senator James Manager (PDP, Delta South).

6 days to court appearance, Seun Egbegbe arrested for N6.3m forex scam

Less than six days to his appearance before Magistrate A. J. Atunwa at Roseline Omotosho Court House in Ikeja, GRA, for alleged theft of nine iPhone sets, Nollywood filmmaker, Seun Egbegbe, who had a celebrated romance with popular actress, Toyin Aimakhu, has been arrested for a case of fraud at the Gbagada General Hospital, Lagos.
The reports, supported by a video clip, which has since gone viral on social media, claims that the filmmaker, disguised as a doctor, attempted to defraud a Bureau de Change operator of hard currency of an amount above N6 million.
Confirming the report, the Lagos State Police Command has issued a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus.