ALUU FOUR: Police sergeant, 2 others sentenced to death

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, yesterday, sentenced to death a Police Sergeant, Mr. Lucky Orji, and two others, David Ogbada and Ikechukwu Amadi alias Kapoon, for their roles in the murder of the four students of University of Port Harcourt, popularly known as the Aluu 4.
The court also discharged and acquitted four other accused persons in the case, namely Saviour Johnny, Abiodun Yusuf, Joshua Ekpe and Cyril Abang.

Lagos traditional ruler, 3 others arrested over Badoo killings

A traditional ruler of a community in Ikorodu area of Lagos has been arrested alongside three others in connection with activities of Badoo cult’s killings in the community with the latest on Sunday claiming the lives of a family of four at Oke- Ota Ibeshe community
The traditional ruler, identified simply as Awoyemi, was said to have been arrested for allowing his domain to be used as haven for badoo boys to perform rituals with human blood.
This is coming on the heels of the uncovering of shrines used by Badoo members to perform rituals at the end of any operation by Police operatives. 

4 days after kerosene explosion kills 4 siblings: Mother roams about begging people to help rescue her children from inferno

A woman, who lost four of her children in a kerosene explosion at her residence in Rumukwucha community, was seen yesterday around GRA Junction half-naked and appealing to passers-by to help rescue her children from the inferno.
The woman, identified as Iya Samson, lost her four children last Friday night in an explosion that resulted from the adulterated kerosene she poured into her cooking stove.
A resident in the neighbourhood, who gave his name as Uche, said the lady was cooking when the stove suddenly went up in flames, consuming her four children and other valuables in her apartment.
Uche's words: “We heard people saw her around GRA area of Port Harcourt begging that they should help recover her children from fire.
“Those who saw her did not know we were looking for her. They mistook her for a mad person.“

Husband begs
Meanwhile, her husband, Mr. Ademola Danaogun, has appealed to Port Harcourt residents to help bring back his wife wherever they see her.
He said they told him they saw the wife half-naked, urging people to help rescue her four children from an inferno.
He passionately appealed to the public not to attack his wife or mistake her for a witch, stressing that she had not recovered from the shock of the sad and painful loss
His words: “We have been looking for her since. Some said they saw her at Ogbogoro; we have gone there to look for her, but didn't find her.
“Yesterday evening, some people said they saw my wife at GRA. They said she was shouting that her four children were burning in fire.
“Please, if you see my wife, don’t kill her. People may conclude that she is a witch and had killed the children.
“No, it is not like that. I want to see her and take her home. We are going back to our state because we have lost everything.”

2 electrocuted, 10 injured in Minna

Niger State Emergency Management Agency, NSEMA, weekend, confirmed the death of two people from electrocution in Agwan Biri area in Minna, the state capital, with 10 others sustaining serious injuries.

Journalists beaten, properties destroyed as thugs invade Kaduna NUJ Secretariat

Armed thugs, yesterday, attacked journalists and others at the Kaduna State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, secretariat, disrupting a press conference being addressed by Senators Shehu Sani and Othman Hunkuyi on the outcome of the recently held congress of All Progressives Congress, APC.

Badoo gang strikes again in Ikorodu; kills 4, injures one

Suspected members of the dreaded Badoo boys struck, yesterday, at Oke-Ota area of Ikorodu, Lagos, leaving four members of a family dead, with a fifth member undergoing treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
However, the cult group has devised a new method of onslaught, as they no longer leave their weapon of murder at the scene of crime.
Nobody could say the exact time the incident occurred. But residents were said to have been attracted by the victims’ damaged window through which the assailants gained entrance. On close inspection, members of the family were found in pools of their blood.

Father burns 13-yr-old son with iron, ties him to window for 3 days

A father of five, Austin Segun, who tied his 13-year-old son to a burglar-proof for three days because a Church leader said the boy was a wizard, has been given an ultimatum to leave Eruemukohwarien community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
Mr. Segun was said to have been released on bail after he was arrested and detained at the Ughelli ‘A’ Division Police Station over the incident.
The victim, Tobi Segun, who just finished his Primary 6 School Leaving Certificate exams, was rescued by a group of vigilante, who heard him whimpering at about 2a.m.

Rescued
One of the vigilante members, who rescued the victim, told Vanguard that during their routine night patrol, they heard the faint cry of the boy saying he wants to die and that he can no longer bear the torture.
The vigilante member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Immediately, we alerted the community Youth Chairman and others. When we gained access into the house, we saw the boy alone, tied to the window protector while his hands were tied behind him.
“Though the parents were not at home, the landlord called the father on phone while the community Youth Chairman alerted the DPO of the Ughelli ‘A’ Division, who personally came and arrested the suspect.”

Why we tied him
—Step-mother
Confirming the incident, the victim’s step-mother, Mrs. Edijala Favour Segun, said: “They told us that he is a wizard at a Church we went to for prayers and he also admitted that he is a wizard.
“At a point, my husband had to use a hot iron to burn his palm and feet owing to his misbehaviour. Despite this, he opened the fridge in the house and ate everything.
“This led to my husband tying his hands and legs to the protector. He had just been tied for three days before we were arrested.
“On that day, our landlord called us on the phone that we should come back to the house. On getting home, we were faced with a crowd that started hitting my husband and me. 
“After some minutes, the Police came and arrested my husband, while I was asked to take Tobi to the Ughelli Central Hospital for treatment.
“My husband was able to secure his release, but the IPO in charge of the case ordered that we should move out of the community. This was documented and we all agreed to it including leaders of the community.”
Recounting his ordeal Tobi said: “I always run from the house because I am not comfortable. My mother is dead and the woman here is my step-mother.”

Odegbami’s houshelps accused of N150m jewellery theft

A 25-year-old housekeeper, Rose Patrick, and 26-year-old driver, Mohammed Abdulazeez, domestic staff of Mrs Oyindamola Odegbami, wife of former Nigeria footballer, Chief Segun Odegbami, were yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja magistrate’s court charged with stealing N150 million worth of jewellery. 
The duo were docked alongside Ester Pam, 28, a friend of the housekeeper, before Magistrate Y. O. Aje-Afunwa
They are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing. However, the duo denied the charges. 

Butcher bags 30 days jail sentence for stealing goat

A Minna magistrate’s court in Niger State, yesterday, sentenced a butcher, Abdulrahman Umaru, to 30 days imprisonment for stealing a goat.
Umaru, 28, was earlier arraigned on a count charge of theft, contrary to Section 287 of the Penal Code.
In her ruling, Magistrate Amina Musa said the prosecution had proved its case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt and that she had also taken note of the guilty plea of the accused.
Musa, therefore, convicted Umaru of the offence and sentenced him to 30 days in prison. The magistrate, however, gave the convict an option of N5,000 fine.

He was only after my money

After my four-year marriage ended bitterly, my friends insisted I went on an outing with them to cheer me up. While I was at a party, I got chatting to this nice-looking man and we really hit it off. 
The next day, he rang and asked me out and a relationship began. 
Over the months, he spent more time at my place than I did at his, as my flat is lots cosier. It took a while for me to find I was struggling to make ends meet. I went to my bank to get a current statement and noticed that small amounts— N2,000 or N5,000 at a time— had been taken out of my account when I was at work. 

Wicked step-mother

I broke up with my ex three years ago and I left with our daughter who is now five.
She used to have a good relationship with her father until he got married early last year and his new wife became hostile towards my little girl.

Lagos Building Collapse Day 2: Death toll rises to 8, 16 rescued

Collapse due to telecom’s mast mounted on building, Lagos govt fumes

Survivor

Two more bodies were, yesterday, recovered from the debris of the collapsed building at 3, Massey Street, Lagos Island, bringing the death toll to eight.
Among the dead was an 11-year-old boy, whose body was reportedly recovered at about midnight, while 16 people were rescued alive from the rubble.
According to eyewitnesses, the building went down at about 2.43p.m., Tuesday, during a rainstorm. Two bodies were recovered in the evening of the same day.
The rescue effort, which lasted throughout the night till the early hours of yesterday, saw many more bodies recovered.
This is just as, yesterday, survivors, relatives and sympathisers wailed uncontrollably while the rescue operation lasted.

Telecomm mast
Meanwhile, Lagos State Building Control Agency, LASBCA, has said the building came down due to the additional load on its foundation brought on by the telecommunication mast mounted on the building two weeks ago.
Corroborating this point, one of the residents of the area, Mr. Yusuf Align, blamed the collapse on greed by the landlords.
Align said: “They know it is an old building and they allowed one of the communication networks to erect a mast on top of it. Even if they have paid them N10 million or more, what have they gained now?”

I0 burnt beyond recognition in Ife-Ibadan road accident

No fewer than 14 persons were burnt to death in an accident at Moremi Estate Junction, Opposite Energy Filling Station, along Ibadan-Ife Express road early yesterday.
It was gathered that the accident involved an 18-passenger commercial bus plying Ore/Ondo-Ibadan and a white diesel-laden truck with Lagos number plates: MUS 702 XH.

Yoruba broadcaster, Adebayo Faleti, dies at 86

Popular Yoruba actor, veteran broadcatser and playwright, Adebayo Faleti, died, yesterday, in his Ibadan home, aged 86.
One of his sons, Adeniyi, who confirmed the death yesterday in Ibadan, said he was helping his father with his bath when he died.
He said late Faleti observed the early morning devotion with the family members when he woke up and soon after told them that he prayed to God to send someone else to continue his mission as he was tired and longing for home.

It’s the devil, says man who’s been sleeping with 13-yr-old daughter

A 41-year-old man, Sikiru Odejide, who has been sleeping with his 13-year-old daughter (names withheld) since December 2016, has blamed the devil for his action.
The Ogun State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed that the arrest of the randy father was as a result of a complaint from the victim’s mother, who has been separated from the man.

Ebonyi 70-yr-old widow fined 3 goats for sleeping with 30-yr-old man

The couple

A 70-year-old widow, Mrs. Maria Okoh, caught having sex with a 30-year-old man in Amauzu Nkpoghoro village in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, was fined three goats after being paraded round the village to appease the land. 
It was gathered that the septuagenarian was caught in the act by one of her grandchildren, who had gone to give her food in her late husband’s house. 

Quack doctor infects 6-yr-old boy with HIV

A 30-year-old man alleged to be operating an illegal clinic and infecting a 6-year-old boy with HIV through transfusion of unscreened blood has been arrested by the Nasarawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The state Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Lawan Bashir-Kano, disclosed yesterday in Lafia that the suspect, Jonathan Ibrahim, was arrested on July 17Monday.

I wanted to prepare for my baby’s arrival—Robbery suspect

A 22-year-old graduate, who was arrested during a foiled robbery operation at a Lotto company in Ajagbadi area of Lagos, yesterday, began crying when he was informed that his pregnant wife had been delivered of a baby.
The suspect, Saidi Ayemojuba, who confessed that he joined a robbery gang due to frustration, explained that he went for the operation at the lotto company with the hope of using its proceed to prepare for his baby’s arrival, after which he would quit robbery.

‘Made-in-Nigeria goods, solution to recession’

ABUJA—PATRONAGE of made-in-Nigeria products is the solution to the country’s economic recession, as Nigerian manufacturers have shown that they can match the quality of imported goods.
This was the position of a Nigerian firm, Team Ideas Box, TIB, which also noted that the Federal Government and National Assembly have been campaigning for local manufacturers.

Traditional ruler fakes own kidnap, suspended by Gov Ambode

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has approved immediate suspension of the Baale of Shangisha in Magodo, Chief Yusuf Ogundare, for faking his kidnap, which allegedly took place barely eight days ago.
The governor’s action was sequel to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni’s allegation yesterday, that the accused Baale had confessed during investigation that he faked his abduction with his brother, Mohammed Adams' help.