‘OGA TITUS’ WAS NOT TO DISS D’BANJ

 

When the song ‘Oga Titus’ was released, many music lovers and observers started speculating that the Mavin Crew was dissing former record label artiste and executive, D’Banj who had been in the news for allegedly going broke as at the time.

D’Banj was reported to have been sued for an unpaid debt. He further fuelled the rumours when he spoke with on Olisa TV in a programme called ‘The Truth’ about his time at Mo’Hits. He had said the reason for the break-up was hinged on Dr. Sid.

Don Jazzy said, “Guys please enjoy my songs with an open mind. The only song I have done about any particular person is #Adaobi. I do not do diss songs. Thanks.

“#Katapot is actually just a love song. Just as #OgaTitus is just a funny local song. Please let it be just that. Thanks #SMD.”

He further recalled that while former record artistes, D’Banj and Wande Coal, were with the Mo’Hits crew, nobody was allowed to record such songs. All that the Mo’Hits expected to do was sing music he said.

“Even D’Banj and Wande Coal will tell u that I never allowed them record diss songs. Never been my style. I will not start now. Enjoy #Katapot,” he said.

Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records boasts of artistes like Reekado Banks, Korede Bello and Di’ja, Tiwa Savage, Dr. Sid and D’Prince.

N10BN JET STORY AGAINST ME MERE FABRICATION – ALISON-MADUEKE

Allison-Madueke

Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, yesterday, described as mere fabrication, allegations by her traducers that she spent N10 billion in leasing jets for her use.

The minister, who spoke in an interaction with some senior journalists in Abuja, said she was being framed by her accusers for merely rising up to change the Nigerian oil industry for the benefit of the country.

According to her, the lease of jets to run the highly technical and competitive oil industry is a common practice around the globe, since it is more cost-effective than buying.

The minister said it would have been unwise for anyone to spend N10 billion in leasing jets, an amount which can conveniently buy three new jets depending on the type.

She, however, admitted that although the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, had a jet that was meant for her use, she was advised by aviation experts to sell it off since it was bought and parked abroad for some years, thereby raising safety concerns.

The minister said the hiring of jets for official function was a normal practice which had been in existence since the inception of NNPC and that it was meant to enable the corporation carry out its oversight functions over players in the sector.

She said: “When I started work as minister, there was an oil aircraft but I was advised not to use it because of safety issues and we had to lease some planes for use. I was advised that it was more cost effective to lease planes for our operations.

“Based on what we were advised, and having added the figures, we felt satisfied it was better to be leasing plane for use. For the N10 billion, one can buy three planes. I don’t know how they came about that huge figure ascribed to me. It is unfortunate for some people to just sit down and accuse people without any fact or figure.

Describing the allegation of spending the huge amount on private jets as disappointing, Madueke said the NNPC, under her, had been most transparent since its inception, as she had tried to improve the system of corporate governance in accordance with global best practice.

The minister, however, decried the tendency by some Nigerians to bring her down, pointing out that she would not be distracted by such antics since she had a job to do for the country.

On the non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, the minister blamed it on several factors, among them, key players in the oil industry and vested political interests in the country.

CHERUBIM & SERAPHIM PASTOR GETS ARRESTED WITH HARD DRUGS

 

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have apprehended the resident pastor of the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim at Agodo-Egbe, Ikotun Lagos, over unlawful attempt to export of 174 kilogrammes of narcotic drugs to South Africa, the agency said on Monday.

NDLEA said the suspect, Prophet Michael Raji was arrested following the interception of the drug at the cargo section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) during pre-shipment examination.

“Preliminary investigation has indicated that the 60 year old suspect Michael Raji is a suspected top member of a drug syndicate operating in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa,” NDLEA said.

The pastor had three international passports bearing his photographs.

“One of the passports bears the name Michael Raji while the other two bear the name Kadigun Fatah Ola. It was equally discovered that the church premises where he ministers also serves as a warehouse for narcotics,” NDLEA said.

The seized drugs concealed inside large bags of foodstuff were found to contain 91kg of Methamphetamine and 83kg of Ephedrine with an estimated street value of N609 million.
A Mercedes Benz Jeep was also impounded during the operation.

NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar described the suspect as a smooth operator.

“I can tell you that this suspect is a smooth operator but we have uncovered his bag of tricks. The drugs were brought to the airport for export to South Africa where it was detected. Investigation eventually traced the movement of the drugs to his church premises where he was arrested,” Hamza stated.

NDLEA quoted the suspect in his statement as saying that he collected the drugs from a friend.

Court Fines TB Joshua, Synagogue N25,000 For Delaying Proceedings

 

Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court in Ikeja yesterday impose a fine of N25,000 on the founder of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet Temitope Joshua and the church for delaying the proceedings of a suit they filed against the Lagos State coroner.

Justice Okunnu awarded the cost against the applicants for what she described as a “ deliberate attempt by them to waste the time of the court and tax payers’ money.”

Joshua and his church had dragged the Coroner, Oyetade Komolafe, who is conducting an inquest into the collapse of a building belonging to the church, and the Lagos State Government before the court alleging bias and that the coroner has exceeded its jurisdiction.

It would be recalled that 116 persons were killed after the six-storey building collapsed on Sept. 12, 2014.

In the suit filed by SCOAN and its founder through their counsel, Chief Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), they had asked for a judicial review of the proceedings before the coroner’s inquest which began on Oct. 13, 2014.

The applicants had also urged the court to declare that the coroner had exceeded the jurisdiction of a coroner’s court.

Shock In Bayelsa Over Mass Burial For Burnt Female Politicians

Residents of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital and families of the 11 female politicians killed on Saturday in a ghastly motor accident near the Old Ahoada Market road along the East-West road of Rivers State were yesterday gripped by shock and disbelief following the decision to conduct mass burial for the burnt corpses of the victims.

The decision, leadership gathered, was reached with the families of the victims because the corpses were burnt beyond recognition.

Leadership learnt that the remains of the 11 female politicians were conveyed to the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa by a team led by the former deputy governor of the state and state coordinator of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), Hon Werinipre Seibarugu.

It was gathered that the decision for a mass burial was reached following a pathologist’s advice that the possibility of conducting a deoxyribonucleic acid test will take up to six months. The families considered the time too long to bear.

The husband of one of the victims and staff of the State Broadcasting Corporation, Mr Matthew Utolor, told leadership that the families could not identify their loved ones, adding “I could not believe that I cannot identify my wife.”

Also speaking, Mr Ambrose Ayebakuro, the 33-year-old son of the deceased former House of Assembly member, Hon Ruby Benjamin, confirmed that they had been contacted on the need to conduct a mass burial for the victims. He said, “She was everything to us. But I take solace in the fact that she was close to God.”

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State governor, Hon Seriake Dickson visited the home of the secretary to the state government, Prof Edmund Alison-Oguru over the death of his wife, Mrs Elizabeth Oguru, following a fatal auto crash at Elele, along the East-West road.

Governor Dickson,described the incident as a tragic one, which claimed the lives of female politicians in the state.He said the news of the untimely death of the women came to him as a rude shock, described the incident as a painful and terrible blow to the state.

The members of the State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Hon. Konbowei Benson has described death as a heartache that no one can heal, adding that only God has the capacity to console the bereaved.

The only female member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. (Mrs) Agatha Goma, representing Ekeremor Constituency I, whose sister, Hon. Zimbra Pamowei,was one of the victim said the pain of the untimely death of the women is immeasurable.

ISLAM INFLUENCED MY MUSIC – ASA

 

Nigerian born internationally acclaimed artist, Bukola Elemide, popularly known as Asa, has revealed that she was once a Muslim and that Islam played an important role in her style of music.

Asa, in an interview with My Africa Podcast, told show host, Andre Blaze, about her Islamic background and how it influenced her music.

“I come from a Muslim background, and I actually had a stint with Islam. I was a Muslim for about 2 years or 3 years. I was a Muslim after high school because I lived with my grandparents. My grandparents were Muslims from Lagos Island, and yes it did influence the way I see things and the way I write.”

Asa further went on to emphasize the inspiration she received, crediting Islam as the major factor behind her song ‘Awé’, a single of her hugely successful self-titled debut album, ‘Asa’.

“It influenced the song ‘Awé’. You see just near where I used to live, there was a mosque, and we had a munedžim who calls out prayers.

“He would early morning by 5 O’clock, ‘Allaaaah’. That was amazing, It just inspired ‘Away’, so yeah, Islam, Christianity is always going to be part of my history.”

Asa is currently on a European tour for her album, ‘Bed of Stone’, visiting major cities on the continent.

OBA OF BENIN’S SON RESIGNS FROM OSHIOMHOLE’S GOVT, ALLEGES THREAT TO LIFE

BENIN — ANOTHER Prince of the Benin royal family, Prince Ekpen Erediauwa, has resigned his appointment as Executive Director (Government House) barely 24 hours after he alleged that Governor Adams Oshiomhole harassed and threatened his life over a parcel of land he acquired from the Federal Government some years ago.

Meanwhile, the Edo State Government, yesterday, denied the allegation.

Prince Erediauwa said he will also institute a legal action against the governor over the alleged harassment and threat to his life.
This is coming on the heels of the recent demolition of official residences of some staff of the University of Benin by the governor, as the dust raised by that action is yet to settle.

According to Prince Erediauwa, “There is a parcel of land at Okoro-Otun Avenue, GRA Benin. It is a Federal Government property based on investigations I conducted a few years ago. I made some contacts and acquired the land.

“Last week, the governor invited me and asked about the property, I said yes, I owned it and that some people were working on the land and I stopped them. I told him that the land belongs to me, and he asked me to stay away from the land.

“He said if I don’t stay away from the land, he would arrest me. He said if I send anybody there, the person will be physically manhandled. My lawyers are looking into the matter.”

The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Louis Odion, in his statement on the issue, said: “Our attention has been drawn to a wild allegation made by Ekpen Erediauwa that Governor Oshiomhole, was after his life over a parcel of land.

“This is nothing but an amateurish attempt at blackmail. The truth is that the young man had taken to a career of land speculation, engaging armed thugs to harass hapless developers all over town. He was enjoined to desist from these nefarious activities.

“It would have made sense if the young man had provided proof of ownership of the land he is laying claims to.

“Truly, these are political times when idle hands would push anything for bread and butter. I think it is quite instructive that the young man permitted himself the liberty to tell these funny lies yesterday in company of Edo PDP Chairman, Mr. Daniel Orbih.”

Meanwhile, the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has condemned what it called the forced acquisition of Prince Erediauwa’s land by the governor and described the action as an abomination in Benin Kingdom.

State chairman of the party, Chief Orbih, who addressed newsmen on the matter, asked commissioners from Edo South to resign their appointments if within seven days the governor fails to handover the disputed land to Prince Erediauwa.

SPIRITUAL ATTACK FORCED MY SON INTO ROBBERY— MOTHER

From left: Akeem Raji, Segun Ogunlodo alias Sangbere, and Taiwo Oluwole.

A middle-aged mother of four, Madam Oluwole, yesterday, broke down in tears on hearing of the arrest of her son, Taiwo Oluwole, for alleged armed robbery, saying he could not ordinarily have been an armed robber but for spiritual attack.

She said: “He went into robbery after a spiritual attack. As a mother, I have done all I could to make sure that Taiwo will be useful to himself.

“After his father died, I tried my best with the little I had to ensure that he completed his secondary school education.

“After that, I enrolled him in a printing outfit as an apprentice. He was attached to his boss for about a year and six months after he stopped. That was when I began to notice these despicable behaviours of his.

“I started with prayers, but there were no results. I took him to various native doctors and prayer homes for deliverance but nothing changed.

“Rather, he got worse by the day. He was not like this, which is why I strongly believe this is the work of the enemy to render my son useless in life.

“I have never collected anything from him because I know that the source of anything that comes through him is not clean. Even when he buys a gift for me, I reject it because I am strongly against his way of life.”

How he was arrested

Madam Oluwole is the mother of 30-year-old Taiwo Oluwole who was arrested by eagle-eyed anti-robbery detectives in Lagos State.

The suspect and one Segun Ogunlodo, alias Sangbere, 26, and Akeem Raji were alleged to be members of a five-man armed robbery gang said to be terrorizing Ebute-Meta, Oko-Baba, Oyingbo and its environs.

The arrest of Taiwo Oluwole at the scene of a robbery operation at about 2am reportedly led to the arrest of the other two suspects, while efforts are on to apprehend other members of the gang.

Vanguard learned that Taiwo Oluwole was accosted by men of the state Criminal Investigations Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, who were on routine patrol and a locally-made pistol and three live cartridges were recovered from him at the scene.

Confession

Confessing to the crime, Taiwo Oluwole said: “I am an armed robber and I have participated in several robbery operations.

“I started out as a pick-pocket, later I started breaking into people’s houses and stealing their valuables.

“Thereafter, I graduated into full-fledged armed robbery two years ago. I bought the gun from Segun Ogunlodo. He sold the gun to me for N18,000.

“I cannot explain why or how I went into robbery, because after my secondary education I went to learn printing for a year and six months, but did not complete my apprenticeship.”

Teenager stabs neighbour to death over firewood money

 

The police have arrested an 18-year-old man, Nwabuike Enwerem, for allegedly killing his teenage neighbour, Sunday IIaya.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Enwerem stabbed Ilaya with a knife on the left side of the neck during a scuffle over money given to their younger brothers to share.

The incident happened on Mulianu Street, Ajangbadi, Lagos State.

Our correspondent learnt that the duo fought to defend their younger brothers who were given money after fetching firewood for a ceremony in the neighbourhood.

After the job had been done, the suspect’s younger brother was said to have complained to him that he had been short-changed by the deceased’s younger brother.

A fight was said to have broken out in the neighbourhood and before anyone knew what was happening, Enwerem, was alleged to have entered his parent’s room and dashed out with a knife with which he stabbed and killed the victim.

The Anambra State indigene was arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court on one count of murder.

The charge read, “That you, Nnabaike Enwerem, on December 24, 2014, at about 8.30pm, at Mulianu Street, Ajangbadi, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, did unlawfully kill one Sunday Ilaya, aged 18 years, by stabbing him with a knife on the left side of his neck and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.”

The defendant’s plea was not taken for the charge.

The representative of the police prosecutor, Woman Corporal Lydia Akhadolome, applied that the defendant be remanded in custody, reminding the court that he was facing a murder charge.

She said the police were ready to transfer the case to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

The defence counsel, Saka Bello, did not oppose the remand application.

The magistrate, Nurudeen Layeni, granted the police application.

He said, “The defendant is to be remanded in custody for the first 30 days pending legal advice from the DPP. The police are also to duplicate the case file on time.”

The matter was adjourned till March 10, 2015 for legal advice.

 

 

Banker allegedly steals N25m from depositors’ accounts

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a banker for stealing money from depositors’ accounts to the tune of N25, 350,000. It was gathered that the banker, formerly a marketing officer with Fidelity Bank, allegedly dipped his hands into nine accounts of different customers.

But the worst-hit victim lost N21,710,000 to him. The accused, Friday Yahaya alias Peter Arikhan, was arraigned before Justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos State High Court sitting at Ikeja, on a 16-count charge bordering on stealing, impersonation and forgery. He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Head, Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said: “Yahaya, a former marketing ‘staff’ of Fidelity Bank, Balogun Business Association branch, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, allegedly defrauded nine customers of the bank through diversion of their deposits into his personal account with the bank.”

One of the charges reads: “Friday Yahaya (Peter Arikhan) sometime between the months of February and November 2013, at Lagos within the Ikeja Judicial Division, whilst being a staff of Fidelity Bank Plc, stole the sum of N21,710,000 from account number 6050729408 maintained by Ifeanyi Okoye, property of Fidelity Bank Plc.”

Akapo adjourned the matter till March 11 for hearing of defence bail application and ordered the accused to be Yahaya remanded in Ikoyi Prison.

Naira to exchange at N197/$

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, in a bid to salvage the Naira from speculators scrapped the official window where it sells dollar to end users through banks twice a week.

The Naira will now be sold at the ruling inter-bank market rate indicating an implicit devaluation of the currency. The Naira yesterday at the inter-bank market sold for N197 to the dollar.

Financial Market Dealers Quote, FMDQ, a group comprising Nigeria’s main commercial banks and the central bank, said commercial banks have also been banned from re-selling CBN dollars to other banks, another attempt to end speculation in the naira.

The CBN had at the liberalization of the economy opened the Whole Sale Dutch Auction but later replaced it with the Retail Dutch Auction System where banks bid for foreign exchange on behalf of their customers.

 

Scrapping its window of direct sale of foreign exchange

The CBN in scrapping its window of direct sale of foreign exchange to end users said all foreign exchange needs are to be sourced from the inter-bank market whose rate is N197 to a dollar.

This implies that Nigerians who need foreign exchange will now approach their banks and buy at the ruling rate. There had been about three different markets for purchasing foreign currency in the country.

These are the CBN window called the Retail Dutch Auction System, where the CBN sell dollars to end users twice a week at a much cheaper rate, the inter-bank where banks sell foreign exchange independently sourced by them at a higher rate, the bureau de change which margin is slightly higher than that of CBN, and the open market where small retailers sell forex on the streets at a more higher rate.

The existence of several markets has always given the impression that the Naira is over valued and some form of subsidy where those who buy from CBN sold at higher rate at the inter-bank market called round tripping.

The apex bank in a statement signed by its Director of Communication, Mr Ibrahim Mu’azu, yesterday said: “The managed float exchange rate regime, which the bank had adopted following the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market, has for the most part been successful in ensuring exchange rate stability in line with its mandate.

“In recent times, however, with the sharp decline in global oil prices and the resultant fall in the country’s foreign exchange earnings, the bank has observed a widening margin between the rates in the inter-bank and the RDAS window, thus engendering undesirable practices including round-tripping, speculative demand, rent-seeking, spurious demand, and inefficient use of scarce foreign exchange resources by economic agents.

“This has continued to put pressure on the nation’s foreign exchange reserves with no visible economic benefits to the productive sector of the economy and the general public.

“In view of the foregoing, it has become imperative that appropriate actions be taken to avert the emergence of a multiple exchange rate regime and preserve the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

 

RDAS/WDAS closed

“Consequently, we wish to inform all authorized dealers and the general public that, with effect from the date of this press release, the Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS/WDAS) foreign exchange window at the CBN is hereby closed. Henceforth, all demand for foreign exchange should be channelled to the Interbank Foreign Exchange Market. For the avoidance of doubt, all authorized dealers and the general public should note that the CBN will continue to intervene in the inter-bank foreign exchange market to meet genuine/legitimate demands.

Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves, which was $5.4 billion in 1999, rose to an overwhelming level of $51.3 billion at end of 2007 and further to $53.0 billion in 2008, but owing to the crash in the international price of crude oil in 2008 and the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the reserve declined to $42.4 billion in 2009 further declined from $38.138 billion at the end of April 2014 to $33.04 billion in February 2015.

Reactions

Reacting to the development, market operators welcomed the CBN action, saying it is long over due.

Mr. Bismarck Rewane, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Financial Derivative Company Limited said: “This means that the Naira is now priced at its fair value. It is one of the best moves the CBN has made in terms of stopping this nonsense that is going on at RDAS or no RDAS. It is now time to price the market at its fair value and take away all the middlemen and round tripping.

“So this is the true value of the currency, the speculators are out of business. Hitherto, products were not priced at RDAS window. For example airline tickets have been priced at N202 per dollar for the past six weeks. So what are we talking about? As a matter of fact, because the price is now high the demand will reduce and the currency will now have some respite.

Speaking for the organized private sector, Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Muda Yusuf said: “The closure of the RDAS foreign exchange window has the following implications: It will result in the escalation of production costs for firms that had access to this forex window. Such firms will experience cost increases of up to 20 per cent.

“This will also impact on sales performance, profit margins and ultimately capacity utilization of manufacturing firms. Import duty and other port charges which are computed as a percentage of import costs will also increase. This implies additional pressure on operating costs for erstwhile beneficiaries of the CBN RDAS forex window. Firms funding requirements (in naira) will increase as firms will need to source more funds in the banks to fund their forex needs.

On his part, Razia Khan, Managing Director, Head, Macro Global Research, Standard Bank said: “With Nigeria foreign reserves under pressure, and amid growing concern that a wide RDAS-inter-bank spread would encourage ‘round-tripping’, the CBN will now stop RDAS auctions, effectively discontinuing its foreign exchange subsidy for certain categories of demand. This is positive news, and should help create more transparency in the Nigerian market. However, with oil prices currently at levels where foreign reserves will be difficult to replenish, the CBN’s appetite for continued support of the inter-bank foreign exchange rate will be closely monitored.

Kunle Ezun, a currency analyst said: “This is implicit devaluation. There won’t be any change in the inter-bank market rate because since last week, this is what the CBN has been doing. Also this is what the market actually advised them to do. They advised the CBN, you can’t keep subsidising the naira in RDAS, why don’t you put everybody on the same platform.”

 

We pay N300 to enter Nigeria – Illegal immigrant

 

 

A suspected illegal immigrant from the Niger Republic, Shuaib Kaneda, says many illegal immigrants usually entered Nigeria by paying between N300 and N500 to unidentified persons.

Shuaib added that he had spent eight years in Nigeria, but could not acquire valid documents before he was arrested by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command.

The 34-year-old was among 82 illegal immigrants paraded on Wednesday at the command’s office in Alagbon, Lagos.

The suspects were said to have been arrested at different parts of the Lagos Island area after an intelligence report.

Shuaib was arrested along with a relative, Idris, who had spent barely one year in the country when he was caught.

Shuaib, who spoke in pidgin, said, “I have been here for about eight years now. I work as a loader and make between N1, 000 and N1, 500 a day. I use the money I make to feed my family in the Niger Republic. I am married and have two children and they are in Niger.

“I travel home every six or eight months. The people at the border see many of us when we come in. Sometimes, they collect N300 and other times, we give them N500 before we pass.”

His brother, Idris, also explained that he came into the country to make money which he usually sent home to his family of three.

Another suspect, Alimaru Saliade, told PUNCH Metro that he sneaked into the country by mixing up with cows being transported into Nigeria.

Saliade, who claimed not to know his age, said in pidgin, “I followed cows to Lagos. I have been here for four years now and I have not been able to get my documents because I don’t have money.”

For Yaya Ibrahim, coming to Lagos was to avoid being idle in the village.

“I was in my village and was not doing anything. So, my uncle asked me to come and work in Lagos and that was how I found myself here. My parents live in Ghana but we are from Niger,” he said.

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, Muyiwa Odunubi, said the command raided the suspects based on intelligence report.

He said while some of the suspects were caught around banks’ branches, others were found sleeping under the bridge and “constituting nuisance to residents”.

He said, “We have a surveillance team that keeps a tab on illegal immigrants in the state. When our men went out, they got them in all manner of places. Some were caught around banks, others were found sleeping under benches. Even fuel stations were not spared.

“In the Idumota area of the state for instance, we found that they have a room where they sleep. It is not clear whether they rented the apartment or somebody gave them the place. We introduced ourselves and arrested them; they never resisted.”

The Comptroller of the state’s command, Mrs. Justina Ahmadu, commended the officials, adding that the service would intensify efforts to rid the state of anything that could constitute security risk.

She waved away Shuaib’s claim, saying most of the illegal immigrants came into the country through unauthorised routes because they did not have valid documents that could guarantee their stay.

“This is a continuous exercise and we will continue to weed out illegal immigrants from the state. Anyone without a valid passport or resident’s card will be sent packing.

“We appeal to Lagosians to cooperate with us during our operations by not harbouring any illegal immigrant or fighting our men. This is the only way they can assist us to discharge our functions efficiently,” she said.

 

‘How street gates can check crime’

 

The residents of Buhari and Adelaja streets in the Kosofe Local Government Area, Ogudu, Lagos State have revealed how they were able to tackle crime and criminality.

According to them, after the measures they put in place, they have not witnessed crime in the last 10 years. The people only wake up to hear about robberies, stealing and burglaries on other streets.

They explained that a few years ago, they were besieged by different types of crime, ranging from robberies to stealing. Sick and tired of it, they called a meeting and came up with a master plan. It was a plan that seemed so simple, but is still yielding fruits. They had built a main gate to the street, decided on closing and opening time and incorporated policemen attached to ‘Area H’ Police Command, Ogudu, in every security discussion and decision they took. The Secretary of the Landlords’ Association, Mr Ibrahim Oladoja, said: “We no longer have security challenge.

This is because we ensured that miscreants were kicked out of this area. “In the past, the issue of security had been a recurring problem. We had issues of burglaries and stealing. These criminal elements used to find their ways into our homes.

There was rampant stealing of car radios. This was quite some years ago, but we have improved our security considerably.” Oladoja said that the success had been achieved with the cooperation of the Community Development Association (CDA). He explained that the Landlords’ Association built a gate at the main entrance of the street and stipulated opening and closing hours for the residents.

He also said that the employment of security men had also helped tremendously in checking crime rate in the area. “The monthly meeting of the Landlords’ Association had helped. In the meeting we discuss any new development that may come up. The meetings often serve as a forum to discuss all the happenings in the street and houses,” the secretary added.

Oladoja said that the Anti- Robbery Squad of the Area ‘H’ Police Command used to conduct a daily patrol every night to monitor the area.

He said: “Our area is peaceful. The impact of the churches and mosques, in terms of prayers, has no doubt been helpful. The traditional ruler, with his rites and sacrifices, has also been helpful.” One of the residents, Mrs Esther Akinboye, said in the past, there were issues in terms of security, owing to the fact that there were no security guards.

 

Nigerians mock Reno Omokri as Jonathan appoints Obi Asika as SSA on Social Media

 

 

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday appointed Obi Asika as Senior Special Assistant on Social Media. He replaces the controversial Reno Omokri. Minutes after the news broke out that Omokri had been replaced, Nigerians took to the different social media to jubilate and mock him.

Contrary to rumour that he was sacked, it was learnt that Omokri, who recently was fingered in a burglary case that involved the burglars stealing N25 million belonging to a group supporting the re-election bid of Jonathan, got demoted and replaced by Obi Asika.


Apart from this, a recent poll Omokri conducted between his boss and the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Muhammadu Buhari, saw Jonathan losing to Buhari. The poll was shut down in controversial circumstances.

It is however not known if his demotion is related to the growing controversies surrounding his person or if President Jonathan is simply not satisfied with his performance.

Many of those who took to Twitter last night urged him to dust his resume and start looking for another job.

Some even told him about some companies and banks in Nigeria which currently have vacancies for him to apply while some reminded him of how he blocked them for criticising him.

One of the respondents with the Twitter handle: ‘@ebuka_akara’ told him: “bros @renoomokri, Immigration and Union Bank are currently recruiting. Should I send you the link with the Fear of God?”

As the tweets became unbearable, Omokri asked while quoting the Bible: “ why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?”

But another respondent replied him: “because you are giving them rice instead of teaching them farming.” Another said: “I’m sure I don’t know. Moreover, it is of no consequence to me,” just as Tunde Hamed said: “you are now quoting Bible abi! Ur time is up Reno.”

A respondent by the handle ‘@DDJumare’ said: “today is Reno Omokri’s judgement day….GEJ has a way of rewarding his dogsýÿ Well, Doyin Okupe can continue barking before his time comes!
”
Another told him: “bros, nobody is raging and imagining anything. If anything it is you who should rage and imagine a proper retirement for yourself!”

One said: “don’t blame pastor Reno, he hitherto forgot that nothing lasts forever, except those “danduala parfum.”

A respondent noted: “GEJ has 1. Reduced PMS to N87/ltr, 2. Postponed Elections, 3. Suspended OBJ, 4. Sacked Reno Omokri. What more do you want?”

A respondent by the handle: ‘@Lady_Deelicious’ mocked: “what am I hearing? Reno Omokri’s poll finally got him the axe? Is this true? Oh GEJ why? Oh why? People cry with me, I can’t do it aloneýÿ”

A respondent, Gbemi Oyebisi, noted: “last year Reno Omokri, aka Wendel Smillin, blocked me and now the Presidency has relieved and replaced him. God knows best.”

Who is Obi Asika?

He was born Obodoechina Ukpabi Asika on 3 October, 1968, and hails from Onitsha in Anambra State, eastern Nigeria.

Obi’s father, the late Anthony Ukpabi Asika (28 June 1936—14 September 2004), was Administrator of East Central State during the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon.

He is a 1990 Law Graduate of the University of Warwick and Chairman/CEO, Storm 360 Ltd from 2008 to 2012.

Asika worked as an executive producer on Big Brother Nigeria, Doctor’s Quarters, Dragons Den Nigeria, The Apprentice Africa, Calabar Rocks, Etisalat One Million Dollar Show, 100% Naija and Naija Sings.

In 2008 he was appointed Non-Executive Director of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), a position he occupies to date, and he is Founder/ Chairman of Dragon Africa.

He is married to Yetunde Bakare, a lawyer.

 

BOBBI KRISTINA BROWN'S FATHER, BOBBY BROWN, ISSUES STATEMENT ABOUT HER HOSPITALIZATION

Bobby Brown is speaking out for the first time about his daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown's hospitalization, more than 24 hours after she was found unconscious in a bathtub at her home near Atlanta.

The 45-year-old singer and ex-husband of her mother, the late Whitney Houston, rushed to be by her side at the hospital on Saturday upon hearing the devastating news. He and several other family members, including her husband Nick Gordon, who found her face down in the filled tub and helped try to revive her, are at the medical center.

"Privacy is requested in this matter," Bobby said in a statement to E! News. "Please allow for my family to deal with this matter and give my daughter the love and support she needs at this time."

"The report that Bobbi Kristina Brown has been taken to the hospital in Atlanta, Georgia is accurate," his lawyer said. "No additional information will be forthcoming."

Her condition remains unclear. Medical officials and family members have not commented. A source told E! News that Bobbi Kristina was still unresponsive and was breathing with the help of a ventilator. According to two other sources, she is not in a medically induced coma, as reported by several outlets.

Houston had died from accidental drowning, spurred by cocaine use and a heart condition, at age 48, nearly three years ago exactly. She too was found unconscious in a bathtub, at a hotel room in Beverly Hills.

Police are still investigating Bobbi Kristina's medical incident and have not found illegal substances at her home. Her cousin, Jerod Brown, who goes by the name YF Kennedy, told E! News exclusive that she doesn't do drugs and has not been drinking alcohol.

"It's a rough time lately with the anniversary," he said. "So this is a blow to the family."

Bobby had recently given a candid interview to Lifetime after it aired a television movie about Houston, in which he talked about their turbulent relationships and their struggles with substance abuse, adding that they never allowed Bobbi Kristina to see them do drugs.

YF Kennedy told E! News that she did not watch the Lifetime movie but did catch her father's interview and was "very proud of him."

He also recently launched a #PrayForBK campaign on Twitter, saying, "Let's all show sis how much she is loved. She is human. Now's not the time for negativity."

Soludo Fires Back At Okonjo-Iweala: N30trillion Stolen Under Your Watch | Professor Charles Soludo

 


Former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Professor Charles Soludo, yesterday slammed the minister of finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for what he described as the mismanagement of the economy under her watch.

“I will show that while you are introducing austerity measures and soon to eviscerate the citizens, our public finance is haemorrhaging to the point that an estimated N30 trillion is missing or stolen or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged — under your watch,” Soludo alleged.

“The issues at stake are too grave to be trivialized through name-calling. As I write, the naira exchange rate to the dollar is at N215 (from N158 a few months ago) and unless oil price recovers, this is just the beginning. For the sake of Nigeria, I won’t keep quiet anymore.”

Soludo also rejected claims by Okonjo-Iweala that he performed poorly as governor of the CBN, insisting that his performance as CBN governor was locally and globally acknowledged.

Soludo further asserted that no CBN governor in the history of Nigeria had a achieved the record of delivering 24 consecutive months of single digit inflation as he did as the apex bank’s governor until the advent of the unprecedented global crisis in 2008.

Soludo accused the coordinating minister of the economy of running the country’s economy aground and blaming the state governors for failure to save for the rainy days whereas the federal government has benefitted more from sharing the Excess Crude Account (ECA) savings.

“I hereby challenge your attempt to blame others for not saving for the rainy day. It is not a virtue when you are quick to appropriate all the credit when things are going well, but shift the blame when they go wrong,” Soludo stated.

“You blame the state governors, who, according to you, have taken the federal government to the Supreme Court – not that a Supreme Court judgement forced your hands. For your information, the governors have never agreed to savings and always threatened court action even under Obasanjo. Why did we save under Obasanjo but not under Jonathan? Two keywords explain it: leadership and integrity.”

According to Soludo, the Governor Chibuike Amaechi-led NGF insisted on sharing the funds because they found out that the federal government was illegally fiddling with the savings.

“So, as Nigerians still wonder, if billions of dollars are now ‘missing’ under your nose, why should governors trust you to keep their money?” said Soludo.

“Do the states that have taken the federal government to the Supreme Court and refused to save also include the PDP governors, who are in the majority? If so, then it is fatal: even governors of your own party, PDP, do not trust you to keep their money! Furthermore, did the governors also stop the federal government from saving part of its share? If you ran a surplus budget at the federal level, you would have had credibility to blame others or to say they did not listen to your advice.”

“The key point is that since you were running huge deficits yourself, it was also in your own interest to share the ECA. You did not show leadership or credibility, full stop.”

“You are brilliant Madam, but you need serious help,” he said while reeling our data to show the porous state of the Nigerian economy. Having spent all your life in the World Bank bureaucracy largely in administration/operations, no one will blame you if your economics has become a bit rusty.”

He also accused Okonjo-Iwealla of forging Nigeria’s national economic statistics.

“What worries me is that this government is the first in our history to attempt to manipulate our national statistics under Okonjo-Iweala. When the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) published the poverty figures in 2011, she felt indicted and incensed. She called upon the World Bank to come and examine the ‘methodology’ and get NBS to ‘review’ its numbers,” Soludo alleged.

“Oby Ezekwesili (as VP Africa Region rejected the call to try to tamper with a country’s statistics). Once Oby left, the World Bank started talking about ‘new figures’, without conducting any new surveys. I was told about it by a World Bank economist, and I cautioned that it was a dangerous gamble that would damage the credibility of the NBS.

“If you want to ‘review methodology’, you conduct another survey but you can’t change ‘methodology’ because you don’t like the published figures. No government in our history has tried it: even Sani Abacha allowed a poverty survey that put poverty at 67 per cent under his regime.”

According to Soludo, at this rate nobody will believe statistics coming from the Nigerian government again.

Strauss-Kahn goes on trial for 'pimping'

The sexual proclivities of ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn come under the spotlight again Monday when he goes on trial in France for "pimping" four years after a sex scandal cost him a shot at the presidency.
The disgraced 65-year-old economist finds himself back in the dock -- this time in the northern French city of Lille -- accused of being part of a prostitution ring used by his entourage to organise sex parties for him in Brussels, Paris and Washington.
Lurid details of group sex and high-end prostitution are likely to emerge in the three-week trial during which Strauss-Kahn will take the stand alongside a colourful cast of characters including luxury hotel managers, police, freemasons and a brothel owner nicknamed "Dodo the Pimp."
The trial will be the latest in a series of legal woes that have allowed judges and journalists to peek behind the bedroom door of a man once tipped as a potential challenger to former French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
The former head of the International Monetary Fund, known in France as DSK, saw his career implode in 2011 when he was paraded handcuffed in front of the world's cameras after a New York hotel maid accused him of sexual assault.
While those criminal charges were dropped and the case settled in a civil suit, further humiliation ensued as a litany of sordid tales -- from affairs to further charges of violence against women -- emerged.

Then, six months after the scandal in New York, his name cropped up in an investigation into a prostitution ring in northern France and Belgium known as the "Carlton Affair" after one of the swish hotels in Lille where local businessmen and police officials would organise sex parties.
Self-confessed 'libertine'
The run-of-the-mill probe into a vice ring revealed some of the prostitutes involved had been paid to participate in orgies attended by Strauss-Kahn, who was charged with "aggravated pimping in an organised group".
The silver-haired former finance minister admits to being a "libertine" who enjoys orgies but has steadfastly denied being aware the women attending the parties were paid.
This is the crux of the case the state will have to prove: whether he knew the women lavishing their attention on him were prostitutes and whether he played a role in organising their presence
In France, while prostitution is legal, "proxenitisme", or procuring, is not.
So-called pimping has a much wider scope in the eyes of the law than its usual definition as an agent for prostitutes, and includes profiting from and aiding and abetting prostitution.
But even prosecutors have been divided over whether there is enough evidence for DSK to face trial and a possible 10 year jail term. In 2013 state prosecutor Frederic Fevre called for the charges to be dropped, but investigating judges overruled him and ordered DSK to stand trial.
Former presidential hopeful
Their probe found that DSK was the "king of the party", and they are seeking to prove his mere presence gave rise to prostitution as his entourage organised the evenings according to his schedule.
Those attending the gatherings described "carnage with a heap of mattresses on the floor", with DSK the focus of several women at a time in an atmosphere more of "pure sexual consummation" than a typical swinger's party.
Before the trial proper begins, the court will on Monday deal with a host of procedural applications, such as one for the trial to take place behind closed doors from one of the prostitutes testifying.
The first to take the stand among the 14 accused on Tuesday will be the Carlton's former public relations manager Rene Kojfer who is accused of organising prostitutes for "well-connected men", often setting them up in his hotel.
He is also accused of doing publicity for another accused, a pimp who owns a string of brothels near the French border in Belgium, where rules are more lax.
Dominique Alderweireld, nicknamed "Dodo la Saumure" -- which loosely translates as Dodo the Mackerel, the French slang for pimp -- is accused of procuring prostitutes for Kojfer, some of whom were employed at the orgies attended by DSK.
Strauss-Kahn will be in court for the start of the trial and will be cross-examined from 10 February.

Bruce Jenner removing photos of himself as man from home

Bruce Jenner is removing photos of himself as a man from his home.

The 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians' star has started trying to erase his past as a man after a source close to the family confirmed he is to transition to life as a woman.

A source revealed: ''Many of the pictures of him at his home when he was a man have been taken out of the frames and off the walls.''

The 65-year-old TV personality - who has children Burt, 36, Cassandra, 34, Brandon, 33, Brody, 31, Kendall, 19, and Kylie Jenner, 17 - is believed to be ''finally happy'' after deciding on the change, and is hoping to document his upcoming process with a new reality show.

The source continued: ''This is not a joke, the number one name for the show that is being thrown around is Trans-Jenner! It almost is too perfect.

''But another name they are also throwing around is Bruce Jenner - My Journey.

''They don't want to fully scare off potential viewers with a very risky title for a very risky life change.''

Despite his decision to live as a woman, the former Olympic athlete - who announced his split from wife Kris Jenner in October 2013 - still ''loves'' women, and wants to continue to date females.

A source told Hollywood Life: ''As a woman, he still wants to continue sleeping with women.

''He loves women and loves having sex with women, always has, always will. What he never liked, was his body and being a man. He's always felt he was born in the wrong body.''