APAPA GRIDLOCK - HOODLUMS ON RAMPAGE AS MOTORIST WERE STRANDED FOR 12 HOURS.

Motorists and commuters trapped in Oshodi-Apapa expressway traffic gridlock Tuesday night had a raw deal in the hands of hoodlums as they were attacked and robbed of valuables including cash and phones, and tablet PCs(i-pads).

Last week, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, announced the establishment of a special task force to maintain a passable space along  Oshodi/Apapa express way, with a view to ameliorating the sufferings of motorists and commuters plying the route.

The task force has however failed to provide the necessary security promised by the Police Commissioner as no policeman or other security personnel were in sight. The hoodlums had a field day harassing, molesting and robbing commuters trapped between Otto Wolff and Coconut bus-stops for more than seven hours from 8pm and 7a.m.

JONATHAN FAILED - BOYLOAF (EX NIGER-DELTA MILITANT LEADER)

A former militant leader in the Niger Delta, Ebikabowei Victor Ben, a.k.a General Boyloaf, speaks to PREMIUM TIMES’ Aderonke Ogunleye about the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, and the incoming Muhammadu Buhari government. Boyloaf says the oil rich Niger Delta did not benefit from the Jonathan Presidency. He pledges to work with Mr. Buhari, and explains why former militants in the region did not carry out their threats to go to war if Mr. Jonathan lost the March 28 presidential election.

COURT RESERVES JUDGEMENT ON FEMI FANI KAYODE'S (@REALFFK) MONEY LAUNDERING CASE FOR JUNE 18.

A Federal High Court in Lagos has reserved judgment in the trial of a former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, who is charged with money laundering, for June 18, 2015.

The judgment date was fixed by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia on Monday following the adoption of final written addresses and summary arguments by lawyers to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the accused person.

Fani-Kayode, whose trial began in 2008 before Justice Ramat Mohammed, was accused by the EFCC to have laundered about N100m while he was Minister of Culture and Tourism and subsequently Aviation Minister.

The supposed laundered sum got reduced to N2.1m on November 17, 2014 after Ofili-Ajumogobia, dismissed 38 out of the 40 counts leveled against Fani-Kayode by the EFCC for want of proof.

While urging the court on Monday to uphold the remaining two counts and to accordingly convict Fani-Kayode, the EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Festus Keyamo said the former minister had failed to exonerate himself of the allegations.

He noted that the object of the charge was that Fani-Kayode transacted in cash sums above N500,000, which was the threshold stipulated by the Money Laundering Act.

According to the prosecutor, Fani-Kayode himself had admitted making such transactions in his confessional statement of December 22, 2008 made to the EFCC.

His words, “In this statement, he admitted that he transacted in cash above N500,000. My Lord, this statement went in without objection by the accused person and the statement was voluntary.

“With the combination of this confessional statement and the statement of the IPO that investigated the allegation, we rely on all of these to submit that we have discharged our burden that monies were received by the accused person in cash and were not done through any financial institution.”

While declaring that the prosecution had discharged its duty once it established that Fani-Kayode transacted in large sums above the Money Laundering threshold, Keyamo noted that it was left for Fani-Kayode to explain the source of the money.

According to him, “Once you cannot explain the source of the large sum of money found on you, you are guilty of money laundering. If the prosecution must show where the money is coming from, then the whole essence of the money laundering law is defeated.

“It is not in all cases that the burden of proof lies on the prosecution; the burden at this point shifts to the accused person,” Keyamo argued.

The prosecution counsel further argued that the court could not simply believe that the large sums in cash that Fani-Kayode allegedly transacted were proceeds of his father’s estate, saying the accused should have called the tenant, who paid to testify in court and back it up with his statement of account.

In his reaction, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr. Adedayo Adedipe (SAN), in his summary argument, maintained that Fani-Kayode made no confession to the EFCC, adding that the anti-graft agency had failed to show that Fani-Kayode actually accepted a cash sum of N1m as alleged in one of the counts.

Adedipe noted that the EFCC had also failed to show to the court the person who handed the cash sum to the accused persons.

FOUR MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING A WOMAN WRONGLY ACCUSED OF BURNING THE KORAN.

 

An Afghan court has sentenced four men to death for their part in the brutal murder of a woman who was falsely accused of burning a copy of the Koran.

In a slaying that shocked the nation and inspired calls for authorities to ensure equal rights for women and protection from violence, a 27-year-old woman named Farkhunda was savagely beaten to death in a frenzied mob attack in the capital Kabul earlier this year.

The religious scholar was pushed from a roof, run over by a car and set on fire before her body was thrown in the Kabul River in full view of several policeman after bogus rumours spread that she had deliberately damaged of copy of the Islamic holy book.

BOLLYWOOD STAR "SALMAN KHAN" FOUND GUILTY & JAILED FOR 5 YRS IN HIT & RUN CASE.

Accused of losing control of his SUV following a night of drinking rum and cocktails, the Kick star in 2002 drove over homeless people and fled the scene. It was later revealed that his misconduct behind the wheel, led to the death of one of the homeless people.

A constable attached to Khan’s security detail said in his statement to police that the drunk actor lost control of the car while driving at about 90 kilometres an hour. “The people were sleeping on the footpath. Salman and (his cousin) Kamaal ran away from the spot,” the constable, who died in 2007 of tuberculosis, said.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS BROKE, BORROWS N473BN TO PAY SALARIES & RECURRENT EXPENDITURE - OKONJO IWEALA.

The Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday, put to rest fears of immediate removal of fuel subsidy, as she confirmed that N145.2 billion provision was made for it in 2015 budget.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, she said: “I want to clarify that there has been some misinformation that has gone around in the media about the fact that the National Assembly passed the 2015 budget without provision for fuel subsidy. It is not true. It is important  to note that the National Assembly approved the N100 billion provisions for PMS and N45.2 billion provision for kerosene subsidy.

They approved that. So it is not true that they approved the budget without the subsidy. They retained various elements of the first line charges we put in. But let me say that they were based on the above parameters. The gross federally collectable revenue for the federation increased by N169.845 billion. From N9.64 trillion to N9.78 trillion as a result of raising the benchmark price by a dollar.

THE DANGEROUS EMERGING MONOPOLY IN THE TELECOMS SECTOR.

In business, it is said that big things often start small. In nature, science has proven that mega things commence almost unnoticed. What with the torrential rainfall starting with vapour? For major things, it is a matter of little drops of water making a mighty ocean. This gives strategy its pride of place in business.

Foresight, belief, courage and willingness to take risks characterise those who venture. In today’s world, success stories are made of people who rely on these traits to explore nature, markets, terrains or territories where others often have reason to doubt or stay away.

They, in part, confer the early mover advantage on businesses, together with the numerous benefits that come with it. The story of the telecommunications industry in Nigeria illustrates this. With the auctioning of GSM licences in 2001, Nigerians felt liberated from the shackles of the then state-run monopoly, NITEL.

MILITARY BEGINS COURT MARTIAL OF GENERAL BLAMED FOR THE LOSS OF BAGA TO BOKO HARAM.

BRIGADIER GENERAL ENITAN RANSOME-KUTI

The Nigerian military on Monday commenced the court martial of a Brigadier General, Enitan Ransome-Kuti, and four other senior officers, blamed for the loss of Baga in Borno State, to Boko Haram insurgents in January.

Ransome-Kuti, his Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel G.A. Suru, and some other senior officers, were arrested for failing to repel Boko Haram attack on the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Baga.

Also arrested were the Commanding Officers of the 134 and 174 Battalions — Lieutenant Colonel Haruna and Major Aliyu. The two battalions are under the MNJTF. Ransome-Kuti was the commander of the multinational force during the attack.

SENATE PRESIDENCY SEAT - APC MUST AVOID PITFALL.

The eighth Senate will be inaugurated by June 4, 2015 and all eyes are already on the hallowed chamber regarding who will emerge the number one Senator in the country under the new dispensation. Right from 1999 when, against all odds the late Senator Evan Enwerem emerged the Senate president to other Senate presidents that emerged after him like late Senator Chuba Okadigbo (1999 -2000), Anyim Pius Anyim (2000-2003), Adolphus Wabara (2003-2005), Ken Nnamani (2005-2007), and current President, David Mark, the process leading to their emergence has always been that of suspense and surprise, filled with extensive political lobbying and intrigues.

Of all the Senate presidents that have emerged since 1999, only the incumbent Senator David Mark representing Benue South has been able to evade the popular ‘banana peel’ that successfully brought down about three Senate Presidents between 1999 and 2007. Since 2007 when Mark emerged, the banana peel seems to have been swept away and so far he remains the longest serving Senate president in the nation’s history.

However, the recent development in the political arena, especially the result of 2015 election in the country has changed the setting with All Progressive Congress winning 60 out of the 109 senatorial seats across the country, leaving People Democratic Party with 49.

PRAISE SINGERS MISLED PRESIDENT JONATHAN - SAYS PDP CHAIRMAN ADAMU MUAZU.

The blame game among top Peoples Democratic Party members continued on Tuesday with the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, saying praise singers and insincere people misled President Goodluck Jonathan during the electioneering period.

Mu’azu, who is under pressure from some members of the party to resign for not doing enough to boost   Jonathan’s chances during electioneering, took to his Twitter handle on Tuesday to defend himself and other members of the party’s National Working Committee.

Insisting that he would not resign, he said those that were praise-singing and insincerely advising” the President during the campaign period were responsible for the PDP defeat in the March 28 election.

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR HITS BACK AT HIS FAMILY VIA FACEBOOK POST.

Emmanuel Adebayor has taken to Facebook to refute claims suggesting he had turned his back on his family by outlining everything he has done for his relatives.

The 31-year-old Premier League striker, who played down reports suggesting he kicked his mother out of his house back in November, has listed all of the items he has bought his close family relatives during his time as a professional footballer.

Adebayor insists he has decided to alert the public of his argument with his family in order to ensure 'other African families learn from this'.

READ HIS FULL STATEMENT AFTER THE CUT.....

(GRAPHIC) POLICEMAN KILLS HIMSELF, A SENIOR COLLEAGUE AND A RECHARGE CARD SELLER THEY FOUGHT OVER.

According to eyewitnesses, this incident happened at Karu town near CBN quarters in Abuja on Thursday April 30th. The police corporal who had been dating the recharge card seller, went to see her on that fateful day and met her in company of another police officer who he immediately accused of sleeping with his girlfriend. 

The accusation was said to have made his senior colleague angry who then ordered him to leave the place or he will be dealt with. This was said to have enraged the police corporal who threatened to himself, the girl and the senior officer so that none of them will have the girl. True to his threat, he corked his gun and shot the girl first, then the police officer and then shot himself in the head. 

Graphic pic from the scene after the cut...

TORTURE OF PEPPER SELLERS IN EJIGBO - COURT REMANDS 10 IN PRISON.

Hope you remember this pathetic story about Ejigbo Pepper Sodomy. Read HERE1 & HERE2.

An Ikeja High Court, Tuesday, remanded in prison custody nine men and one woman charged in connection with the Ejigbo Pepper Sodomy. The 10 were brought to court over the torture, attempted murder and sodomy of three females accused of stealing pepper at Oba Morufu International Market in Ejigbo area of Lagos State.

The defendants are Isiaka Waidi, 61; Saheed Adisa, 29; Lateef Tijani, 37; Ahmed Adisa, 65; Azeez Akinosun, 36; Jimoh Busari, 50; Adekunle Adenuga, 38; Oloruntoyin Dauda, 46; Buhari Yusuf, 22; and Abdullahi Haruna, 20.

JUST BEFORE PROFESSOR JEGA RETIRES ...............

If Prof. Attahiru Jega is looking forward to a restful retirement after such a herculean national duty, he must address his mind to the serious issues that came out of Akwa Ibom and Rivers State after the general elections.

From newspaper editorials, TV debates, social media discussions, commentaries and opinion articles, the overall performance of the INEC Chairman in the conduct of the general elections is being blighted by the commission’s handling of the post-poll complaints in the two states.

Since democracy is all about expression of the will of the people at all times and locations, the success of the elections in other parts of the country cannot make up for the debacle in Akwa Ibom and Rivers State.

WE PAID THE KIDNAPPERS N2.5MILLION. -#OREKOYA3

 

Contrary to earlier claims that the Orekoya family paid the kidnappers who abducted their three kids the sum of N13 million, the family actually paid N2.5 million.

Mrs. Adebisi Orekoya, had over the weekend, revealed that the family parted with N2.5 million as against the initial N15 million demanded by the kidnappers as ransom.

Speaking to a group of working mothers in Lagos at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Orekoya had taken time to recount their ordeal before they were reunited with their kids.

She made this disclosure at a national awareness and sensitisation seminar against child kidnapping in Nigeria.

RESCUED WOMEN NARRATE ORDEAL IN BOKO HARAM'S CAPTIVITY.

Boko Haram fighters killed older boys and men in front of their families before taking women and children into the forest where many died of hunger and disease, freed captives told Reuters on Sunday after they were brought to a refugee camp in Yola, Adamawa State.

The Nigerian army rescued hundreds of women and children last week from the Islamist fighters in Sambisa Forest in a major operation that has turned international attention to the plight of hostages.

After days on the road in pickup trucks, hundreds were released on Sunday into the care of authorities at a refugee camp in Yola, to be fed and treated for injuries. They spoke to reporters for the first time.

BODE GEORGE DESTROYED PDP IN THE SOUTH WEST - PDP SECRETARY.

There appears to be no end to the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party as its National Secretary, Adewale Oladipo, on Sunday accused the South-West leaders of the PDP of sowing a seed of discord in the party.

Oladipo, who was reacting to a call on Friday by the South-West leaders on the members of the PDP National Working Committee   to resign their positions, said it was unfortunate that they ( the South-West leaders) who should know better had   resorted to divisive politics.

The leaders had   in a statement after their meeting in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti hinged their call for   the resignation of the NWC members, including the National Chairman of the PDP, on the party’s poor performance in the just concluded general elections.

WHO IS AFRAID OF TINUBU'S WAR CHEST???????????????

Who is afraid of Tinubu’s  ‘war chest, vast network and very effective political structures?’ These are valuable outstanding points that the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has used to achieve results that are being widely applauded today. 

slimy terrain of politics, it is possible that insiders can paradoxically play oppositional roles, and the media can be used to carry out a programme to discredit a power player of distinction such as Tinubu. Could this be the case in the developing drama of Tinubu denigration? Whether the stones are being thrown from within his camp or from outside his circle, it is futile because the individual they seek to bring down is up and standing like the Rock of Gibraltar.

WHY JONATHAN'S MEN ARE FIGHTING WITH PDP CHAIRMAN, ADAMU MUAZU.

The crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP deepened at the weekend just as reasons stoking the conflict that has pitched President Goodluck Jonathan and his aides against the National Working Committee, NWC of the party began to unfold. At the heart of the crisis, Vanguard learnt is the struggle for the soul of the party ahead of the 2019 presidential election.

Vanguard sources gathered that associates of President Jonathan are determined to shove away the Adamu Mu‘azu-led NWC in favour of a more pliable executive for the purpose of ensuring the return of President Jonathan as presidential candidate or in the alternative a candidate of their choice in 2019.

The NWC, Vanguard learnt was, however, looking beyond Jonathan with their eyes fixed on the Northeast for the 2019 presidential candidate with a leading chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC from that region in their sights.

214 RESCUED GIRLS FROM THE JAWS OF BOKO HARAM ARE PREGNANT.

The latest rescue of additional 234 women and children by the Nigerian Army from the Sambisa Forest in Borno State, indicated, yesterday, that a sizeable number of the rescued girls were visibly pregnant, even as unofficial reports put the latest number of pregnant girls in one of the camps in Borno as at last Saturday at 214.

Giving this indication in Lagos, Executive Director, UNFPA, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, also disclosed that in the last one year, the organization had taken deliveries of over 16,000 pregnancies in the troubled North East part of the country.

Osotimehin, while giving update of the response to the rehabilitation of the rescued women and children,  said the organization, in anticipation of the magnitude of the problem on hand, had put in place a formidable team in collaboration with the Federal and state governments, to first restore the dignity of the girls, who, he said, are facing severe psychosocial trauma.