4 Drivers to Cool off in Jail for Fighting with FRSC Officials

 Four drivers will be remanded in prison custody for allegedly fighting with officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission in Ilorin. According to an Ilorin Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, the accused, Suleiman Aweda, Segun Busari, Suleiman Raji and Lawal Yusuf, will be remanded in the Federal Prison Yard, Ilorin.

They had appeared before the court on a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, trespass and mischief, contrary to the Penal Code. According to the charge sheet, the accused entered the premises of FRSC, Jebba Unit, in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State and forcefully removed a Toyota Corolla car with registration number AE 814 PTG, impounded from Yusuf.

The charge also said that the accused vandalised the FRSC premises in the process of removing the vehicle, adding that the first accused, Yusuf, was arrested for contravening traffic laws and had his car impounded by FRSC operatives. The charge reads, “Yusuf was the person that mobilised his accomplices from the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Bode Sadu Branch, in Moro Local Government Area of Kwara.”

The prosecutor, Insp. Mojisola Olamokun, told the court that the alleged offences were not ordinarily bailable and urged the court to remand them in prison, pending the completion of investigation. Meanwhile, the accused persons pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the allegations against them. However, in her ruling, Magistrate Mariam Salahu ordered them to be remanded in the Federal Prison Yard, Ilorin, and adjourned the case till November 8.

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Gunmen k**lls village head, 17 others in Zamfara

Gunmen numbering about 20 on Tuesday attacked the Kaboro community in the Dansadau Emirate of Zamfara, k**ling 18 people, including the village head.

A survivor, Malam Sani Abdullahi, who narrated his ordeal to newsmen in Gusau, said the bandits, swooped on the village at about 4 a.m and began to shoot sporadically.

“It was when the shooting started that the village head, identified as Alhaji Maiyara, came out to plead with the gunmen to stop the heinous crime. But they got at him and k**led him.

“He was k**led instantly when they felt that he was disturbing them with his endless begging after he was warned to shut up and keep off.

“They fired from different angles of the village and k**led whoever attempted to escape, after k**ling our village head,’’ he said.

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Bauchi Civil Servant Docked Over Facebook Comments

A 30-year old civil servant, Abbas Faggo, detained by Bauchi State Government for allegedly posting a Facebook account of alleged monumental corruption in the state, was yesterday arraigned before a magistrate court over alleged injurious falsehood and defamation.

The prosecution accused Faggo of using his mobile telephone number to forward a message on his Facebook profile on September 4, alleging that the state funded the wedding of the state governor’s son, which took place at the Azare area of the state on September 8.

Faggo had commented on his Facebook on the alleged extravagant funding of Governor Yuguda’s son, Idris’ wedding. The case generated comments from over 500 people, including politicians, the Civil Liberties Organisation, CLO, prompting the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, to indicated interest in defending the accused person.

In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate, Adamu Madaki granted bail to Faggo.

According to the bail conditions, Faggo must produce two sureties, who must sign a bond of N500,000 each and then adjourned the case to November 15, to enable the prosecution get lawyer to address the issues raised by the defence that had obviously rendered the charges on the First Information Report, FIR defective.

Police prosecutor, Sergeant Mohammed Gaba, had earlier told the Court III, that the state Police Criminal Investigation  Department, SCID, received a request from the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Al-Mustapha Suleiman, to investigate the offence against Faggo, which was contrary to Sections 393 and 394 of the Penal Code.

When the case was mentioned, yesterday, counsel from different organisations led by Chairman of NBA in Bauchi State, Mohammed Alhassan, announced appearance for Faggo.

However, Garba told the court that police did not come with the accused, a situation which was opposed by the defense counsel and the presiding magistrate, who consequently ordered the police to produce the accused within 90minutes. The police complied with the order.

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Beware! Hurricane Sandy Fallout Coming to Lagos

Difficult times might be ahead for Nigerians living and doing business in Lagos. The Lagos State Government on Tuesday warned residents of the state to prepare for the ripple effect of Hurricane Sandy in the state.

Hurricane Sandy is a 2012 late-season violent tropical storm that has affected Jamaica, Cuba, the Bahamas, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the eastern seaboard of the United States of America.

The Commissioner for Waterfront Development and Infrastructure, Mr. Adesegun Oniru, said the government was projecting that within seven to 14 days, the state would experience the ripple effect of the hurricane in its coast lines.

He explained that the government based its projection on, “experience, records and study of past happenings” and had started taking precautionary measures.

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Police arrest stepfather who defiled 10-year-old girl

 Ogun State Police Command, Monday, said it had arrested man, 62, Alabi Ibrahim who defiled his 10 year-old step daughter.

Vanguard gathered that, the suspect was arrested at his house in Onikolobo, Abeokuta Monday and was  whisked away by the policemen who reportedly laid ambush for him.

It was further gathered that Ibrahim was subsequently quizzed by the Oluwo Police Station, before he was   transferred to Ilupeju Police Station along Ayetoro road, an area where he allegedly committed the crime.

It would be recalled that, a girl accused her step daughter of allegedly having habitually carnal knowledge of her.

The suspect was also reported to have bolted when the police got to his house in Onikolobo, Abeokuta.

Vanguard reliably gathered that, following the completion of his interrogation by  Policemen at Ilupeju Station, the suspect was later  transferred to the  State Criminal Investigation Department of the Anti- Human Trafficking and Child Labour for further interrogation.

Confirming the arrest of the suspect, the Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi said the suspect will soon be charged to court.

He said “the suspect has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department of Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Labour’ Adejobi told our correspondent”.

He further emphasised that, on completion of investigation the suspect will be charged to court, adding that the police is awaiting medical report carried out on the victim.

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Chinese Man Sues Wife For Having 'Ugly' Baby And Wins $120,000

Divorces are never pretty, but this one is pretty ugly. A man from northern China divorced and sued his wife for being ugly. He won $120,000 in the lawsuit and has once again made the world question the validity of phrases like “marriage” and “love”.

The northern Chinese man, Jian Feng, married his wife and was reportedly absolutely in love with her. Soon, as will happen, she became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl, which was when the problems arose for Feng.

He thought the baby was incredibly ugly, to the point where it horrified him. The baby resembled neither of her parents, so Feng demanded to know who the father was, because jumping to conclusions about your wife’s faithfulness is the obvious thing to do when you have an ugly baby.

As it turns out, his wife didn’t cheat, but did gloss over the fact that she had spent $100,000 on intense plastic surgery to severely change how she looked before she met him. It’s the kind of thing that can slip your mind on the first date. After his wife revealed this to him, Feng took the only right-minded course of action and divorced and sued her, claiming that she got him to marry her under false pretences. The false pretence presumably being that she was good looking. Incredibly, the (presumably male) judge sympathised with Feng and he won $120,000 in the case.

It’s usually the victim of court cases that you’re supposed to feel sorry for, but it’s kind of difficult to feel sorry for the man who is angry at his beautiful wife for being ugly at some point in her life. If you’re going to feel sorry for anyone, feel sorry for their child, whom will forever be known as the baby that broke her parent’s marriage – with her face.

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Man, 4 children die after poisoned corn meal in Enugu

A man identified as Mr. Charles Nnadi and his four children have been confirmed dead at Mbu Apochi community in Isiuzo local government area of Enugu State after taking a corn and cassava meal believed to have been poisoned.

The incident caused panic among residents of the community while members of the Nnadi family were thrown into mourning.

Sources said that Nnadi and six children became sick and unconscious after eating the mixture of cassava and corn flour and were rushed to St. Mark’s Hospital, Eha-Amufu by sympathizers but the family head and two of his children died few minutes later.

Following their death, four other members of the family, who were admitted along with them, were transferred to a trado-medical  hospital at Enugu-Ezike, Igbo Eze North local government where two of the children later gave up the ghost.

The remaining two are now lying critically at the hospital and their condition is said to be precarious.

Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the death of the five persons in Enugu, yesterday, said that the operatives of the state command had already began full scale investigations with a view to unraveling the mystery and circumstances surrounding the alleged incident of food poisoning.

Meanwhile, some sympathizers and relations of the deceased persons have described the incident as tragic and shocking, urging  law-enforcement agencies to ensure proper investigation of the matter to determine whether the food poisoning was masterminded by someone.

Such investigation, they said, was necessary to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book, lamenting that such mysterious deaths had become very rampant within Nsukka area in recent times.

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Top Delta State Female Government Worker Beaten And molestd By driver

It was a tragic experience for a Delta State top female government official, as she was attacked, beaten and allegedly molestd by three dare-devil men.

The incident happened at the victim’s (names withheld) residence in DDPA area of Asaba, the state capital.

It was gathered that the government’s appointee was left in coma after been attacked by a man believed to be her former driver and two others.

However, nemesis caught up with the culprits as they are now cooling their feet in police custody.

But DSP Charles Muka, the Public Relations Officer of the state’s police command maintained he is yet to be briefed on the ugly incident.

An unannounced visit to the victim’s three-bedroom apartment, revealed that the place had been deserted.

Giving an eye-witness account, a close source said, ”On the fateful day, the victim’s driver had reported to duty as usual.

He was soon joined by his predecessor, who had earlier been sacked by the madam. Nobody suspected anything was going on inside the house because of the high fence. 

But at about 10 p.m., the two drivers drove out of the compound in the madam’s jeep with 50 litres of fuel and never came back. 

Having regained consciousness at about 4 a.m, she struggled and managed to get to her neighbour’s gate to seek assistance. When she knocked at the gate, I peeped through a small hole and found out that she was the one, I opened the gate and discovered she had matchet cuts all over her body.

It was at that point we raised an alarm and rushed her to hospital,” he said. Continuing, he said there was blood stain on the walls in the victim’s apartment, adding that the blood on the floor had congealed.” They broke her head, molestd her and mutilated her body. The plot was to kill her, but God intervened.”

Another source who doubles as a neighbour said that the attackers might have carried out the dastardly act as their own pound of flesh to the victim as she has always been too hostile to her domestic staff.

“Nobody stays here with her. She lives alone. Whenever the driver comes to pick her, he is not allowed to go into the house. He always hangs around the gate. Sometimes, he would sit on that stone and doze off. Her house girl too had to run away because of the way madam maltreated her. There was a day she poured hot water on the girl because of early morning tea,” she said.

However, following a tip-off,  security operatives of the state trailed the suspects to Abakiliki, Ebonyi State, where they had gone to dispose of the vehicle and were subsequently arrested

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Lagos to get bicycle lanes

 In a bid to give Nigeria’s most populous city an effective transport system, the state government has announced plans to introduce bicycles lanes on major roads across the city.

This announcement was made by the Commissioner for Transportation in Lagos, Mr Kayode Opeifa, on Sunday at a cycling event ‘Park and Ride’ which urge Nigerians to park their cars and ride bicycles for an enhanced lifestyle and cleaner environment.

Speaking at the event as the special guest, Mr Opeifa noted that “the bicycle programme is on and pretty soon, you will see some roads in Lagos, marked as bike zones.”According to the Commissioner, “what is alternative to Okada (motorcycle) is the bicycle.”

This is coming at a time when the state government is still embroiled in controversy with the Okada riders over their restriction to ride on some highways in the city and a recent clampdown on them for defaulting the new Lagos Traffic law.

Discouraging the use of okada on walkable distance, the Commissioner stated that “anybody who wants to take a bike (okada) from their house to the bus stop, should use their bicycles.”

“And when they (commuters in Lagos) get to the bus stop they should tie their bikes to the poles provided at the bus stop and join the BRT buses.” “The poles we are providing at the bus stops are not for decorations but for people to tie their bicycles” he added.

“All over the world, from London to Stockholm to Buenos Aires, people now ride their bikes to work because it saves the environment of the gaseous emissions that is harmful to the environment.”

He also noted that cycling will enhance people’s lifestyle and thereby improve their productive and lifespan which he claims will also have a resultant effect on the nation’s GDP.

Acknowledging that the tropical weather in Lagos will make it uncomfortable for cyclers, the Commissioner noted that “yes, the weather will make people sweat but offices will be urged to provide showers” to ameliorate the discomfort.

This he claimed is done across the world.Park n Ride is an annual event organized by On Air personality, Mannie of CoolFM Lagos, which urges people to park their cars and ride bicycles in a bid to address climate change and improve people’s lifestyle.

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Jailbreak In Port-Harcourt, 2 killed 4 Escaped

Two inmates of the Federal Prisons, Ahoada, Rivers State, were on Saturday feared dead while a prison staff was hurt during a foiled jailbreak.

Details of the incident were sketchy as of the time of filing this report.

But a source at the Rivers State Prisons command said the attempted jail break was contained, but was unaware of the death of the inmates.

“I know that a member of staff was injured in the process but I don’t know about about the death of any inmate. Actually, the inmates are those from the Bayelsa State command who are being kept in Ahoada prison. They were embarking on a riot,” the source said.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State police command, Ben Ugwuegbulam (DSP), said the two inmates were “fatally injured,” adding that the attempted jailbreak was effectively contained by a combination of various security agencies, including the police.

He explained that the attempted jailbreak failed as there was no escape route, adding that the two “fatally injured” inmates actually tried to escape through the ceiling but were shot at to prevent their escape.

“Today, 27.10 .12 at about 1700hrs, inmates of Federal Prisons, Ahoada, attempted tounlawfully break out from custody. Ahoada police area command swiftly mobilised to the scene and together with other security agencies, cordoned off the entire perimeters of the prisons.

“Consequently, the escaping inmates retreated to the confines of the prison, but two of the inmates that tried escaping through the ceiling were shot at to prevent their escape and were fatally wounded in the process. The situation has been brought under control. No escape recorded please,” Ugwuegbulam said.

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How Suntai’s plane crashed – Eyewitness account

People of Namtari village; a suburb of Yola the capital of Adamawa state, who were the first eye witnesses to arrive the scene of the Plane crash involving the Taraba state governor Danbaba Suntai who has now been flown to Germany for better medical attention from the National hospital Abuja where he was initially receiving care, gave their account of how the crash happened.

Our correspondent who visited the village of Namtari got a firsthand account from eyewitnesses.

The witnesses who initially declined comment on the ground that the incident involved high personalities told Channels Television that four occupants were in the flight and not six as widely reported.

Both Abubakar Bamanga and Umar Hamajoda who spoke to us in Hausa language said the plane was coming normally like any other aircraft, suddenly the sound changed and that was followed by an immediate U-turn giving all signs that the plane was going to crash, as it eventually did in a very familiar farm behind the NNPC depot.

As they heard the sound of the crash, they picked their touch lights as it was already getting dark and they ran to the scene of the crash.

On arrival, one of the occupants was already out of the aircraft and crying for help as he asked them to hasten up the rescue because three others including the Taraba state Governor were still inside the plane for fear of possible fire outbreak.

They however confirm that the governor was the last to be rescued because it took them time to locate his whereabout as he was equally trapped under the now wrecked plane and being held down by the seatbelt.

“The plane was passing and suddenly we heard an unusual sound then we saw it made a u turn and began to crash, and as we got to the scene, I was holding touch light while others were carrying out the rescue. It was a terrible experience. The governor was the last to be rescued” Abubakar Bamanga said.

The Farmer whose crops were destroyed, Mr. Zirrah Koji who was at the crash site during our visit also prayed for the speedy recovery of the victims while soliciting for assistance towards some compensation.

Efforts to get the version of the airport authority on the rescue carried out or what actually led to the crashed failed as they declined comment.

Similarly, efforts to interview the victims who were said to be receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre Yola proved abortive as we were barred from knowing their conditions.

Hospital source who pleaded anonymity told Channels television that two of the victims were in stable condition while the other is still laying critical at the accident and emergency unit of the clinic as the governor had already been moved to the National Hospital; Abuja may flown out of the country for extended treatment.

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Gowon hits Achebe on civil war

War time Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has criticized  renowned author, Professor Chinua Achebe, over his new book  on the Nigerian civil war, saying he{Achebe }does not know the issue he was writing about.

Gowon said he was ready to face the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague on the matter if necessary.

“What role did Achebe play in the secessionist plans? Achebe must  have been outside the country during the war and probably did not know what happened during the period otherwise he would not have written on what he was not sure of “, he  remarked.

The erstwhile Nigerian leader,  who was answering questions from journalis

ts  courtesy, visit to Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu at the Presidential Lodge, Minna, Niger state, yesterday, said Achebe must have been talking out of ignorance, adding that he and the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo had  no regrets over their roles in the civil war, pointing out that if there was no secession, there would not have been civil war.

“In fact , if there was no secession by the south eastern part of the country, there would have been no civil war because right from the beginning of the crises,  the war would have been averted if not for the secession . It was something I believed we could have stopped,”  he stressed.

Gowon  also debunked  the claim by the author that his administration embarked on the mass killing of Igbo,  adding that the federal troops did not also use hunger as a weapon to dislodge the dissidents.

“It  was the Igbo that objected to the creation of corridor for movements of  medical  aid  and food supplies  to the civilian population at the period; on this,  I am ready to face the International Criminal Court of Justice at the Hague for prosecution over  the role played by me during the war  and, fortunately,  some Nigerians are still alive to bear witness to the roles played by both the leadership of the secessionist group and the then Federal Military Government under my leadership, “the war-time leader stated.

He also recalled that during the war, a  ship named “Josina”  and owned by the secessionist group, which they claimed was carrying agricultural implements,  was captured by federal  troops and it was subjected to a thorough search and the cargo turned out to  be a collection of  arms and ammunition.

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World’s Biggest Bra Put Up For Auction

 The world’s biggest bra is being auctioned for a breast cancer charity. Although, technically, the record-setting bra isn’t even the largest cup available.

 

How is that possible? Well, the bra, modeled on a 34B T-shirt bra, is actually a “mega 1,360B” that is nearly as big as two tennis courts and weighs as much as 1,800 traditional bras.

“Our aim in auctioning the bra is to build awareness and involvement in Wear It Pink Day as well as raise money for Breast Cancer Campaign in the process,” said the director of Chillisauce.co.uk, Adrian Simpson, whose group is auctioning off the bra.

The bra is being auctioned on eBay with a starting bid of £500 (U.S. $800.30). The auction continues through October 28, 2012.

Along with the actual bra itself, the winning bidder will receive a copy of the Guinness World Records official certificate. The record-setting bra first made headlines in October 2011, when it was suspended from the ITV Tower in London, in conjunction with last year’s Wear It Pink Day.

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61-year-old Brazilian Woman Gives Birth To Twins

Antônia Letícia Asti fulfilled her lifelong dream to become a mother--one week after her 61st birthday.

Talk about a birthday gift. According to the Brazilian news website G1, the woman gave birth to not one but two babies Tuesday night in Santos, a coastal city about an hour south of São Paulo. The births followed three unsuccessful in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures over the last ten years.

“I’m extremely happy. I fulfilled my dream of being a mother. Thank God and the doctor,” Asti told Brazilian news website G1. “It was a struggle, but thanks to God, I did it. Anyone who wants a victory needs to fight. I never for a moment thought about quitting. I always wanted to be a mother. We never had a lot of money, but we saved a lot to achieve our dream,”.

Before this final attempt, the office assistant and her 55-year-old husband, José César Asti, decided to look into adoption. The couple's attempt to adopt was rebuffed due to their age according the Spanish wire service Efe.

Asti’s obstetrician, Dr. Orlando de Castro Neto, has worked with the Brazilian couple since their first IVF attempt in 1992, when Asti was in her 50s.

"Antônia had preserved embryos from the first fertilization [attempt at IVF], but the embryos have a validity of 10 years, more or less, and they were reaching their end. She said she wanted to use them for a new attempt," Neto told Efe.

The twins, Sofia and Roberto, were delivered by caesarian section prematurely at 31 weeks due to the mother’s severe hypertension. The newborns weighed approximately 900 grams (nearly 2 pounds) and will remain in the hospital until they reach an ideal weight, Hospital Director Segundo Marco Antônio Antun told G1. Antônia remained in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for 40 hours after the birth to monitor her high blood pressure.

“I’m great. I am very well disposed to take care of them," Asti told G1 after leaving the ICU on Thursday. "I do not consider myself 61. I think my birthdate is wrong.”

Despite the risks and difficulties of becoming a mother at Asti’s age, her doctor also seems to think her birthdate is not an issue.

"The age didn't matter at all," Neto told Efe "The only condition is that a woman has a uterus.”

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Mother Abandons Day-Old Baby To Die On The Road In Calabar

Despite the establishment of a centre, “Mothers Against Child Abandonment” [MACA] by the wife of the Cross River State Governor, Mrs. Obioma Imoke, a yet to be identified mother last Wednesday in Calabar k**led and abandoned her baby in a bush.

The dead baby boy was found behind the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital [UCTH] medical Students Hostel on Moore Road, Calabar, ironically besides the office of the Governor’s wife.

The incident created a spectacle within the hostel and Mrs. Imoke’s office as curious onlookers trooped to behold the baby whose umbilical cord was still intact where they rained curses on the unidentified mother and at the same time asking God why He should allow such an unprepared mothers to conceive when millions were out there looking for children.

Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Health/NGO and Special Projects, Dr. Regina Ejemot-Nwadiaro who rushed to the scene, said her attention was drawn to the incident by an anonymous caller and that when she confirmed the story, immediately called the Calabar Urban Development Authority (CUDA) who subsequently alerted the Police.

She condemned the dastardly act as "callous, inhuman and outright wickedness", adding: “It is thus disheartening that in spite of the consistent efforts by Mrs. Imoke and the MACA team, people could still dump babies”.

Nwadiaro explained that the main goal of MACA was to prevent teenage pregnancy and child abandonment and ultimately to save lives and called on the public to avail themselves of the services MACA as its ultimate goal is to contribute to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals especially as it concerns Child and Maternal Mortality.

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Nigerian student breaks world record, scores 4.0 over 4.0 in Turkish varsity

*Tunji receiving diploma from the President, Turkish Republic of North Cyprus

A genius could be referred to as an exceptional child who is academically sound. But, how would you describe an individual who never misses a point in his examinations from first year in the university to the final year? If there is any adjective to qualify such a person, that word could best describe Tunji Olu-Taiwo, an Engineering student of Eastern Mediterranean University in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus who obtained 4.0 CGPA out of 4.0 CGPA, the first ever in the department.

Encomiums have continued to be showered on Tunji Olu-Taiwo from various quarters, because his impressive performance has placed him in the spotlight.

Over the years, Nigeria’s human resources have ranked among the best in the world partly due to the profound efforts of critical-minded parents that stimulate the astuteness that hides within every student, begging for whom to push the trigger.

Tunji Olu-Taiwo, who hails from Ifako-Ijaye Local Government Area of Lagos State, emerged the best graduating student from the Faculty of Engineering, obtaining a status of High Honours (first class).

Tunji is the first African to have bagged such a status in the Department of Engineering, obtaining a degree in Engineering on a Grade Point Average of 4.00 out of 4.00 (straight A’s).

Amid great honour and eulogy sang by the students and academic, expressing marvel at the development, Vanguard met with Tunji in an online chat to speak more on his success.

Mark Elliot Zuckerberg as Role Model

“I am looking up to Mark Zuckerberg, he is a genius I love to emulate,” Tunji said. Mark Elliot Zuckerberg (born May 14, 1984) is an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur. He is best known as one of the five co-founders of the social networking site, Facebook. Zuckerberg is the chairman and chief executive of Facebook. Inc.

Further Study

“I plan to further by specializing in the field of software engineering. “Software Engineering is a course I have cherished right from time. I know I owe the society more with this, that is the reason that I wish to go further in that regard for this dream to be fulfilled.”

Hopes and challenges in Nigeria

Tunji expressed hope in Nigeria when he said; “there is no place like home,” adding; “I like the fact that no matter the difficult situations Nigerians find themselves in, they still try to be happy.”

Advice for the Government

Poverty, I believe is the greatest distraction, frustrating process of seeking admission into universities and lack of steady electricity are some dire challenges the people, especially students, usually grapple with, in his honest opinion. Tunji advised the government thus:

“Admissions should be done on a per semester basis. I will advise that the Federal Government should try to provide constant electricity. This, to me, will automatically eradicate about 50 per cent of Nigeria’s problems. Also, a simple advice for all students is that the road to success is not on a straight path. Patience is a very important virtue that should be put to good use.”

His Background

“My father, Dr. Mike Olufemi Taiwo is a dental surgeon and a retired army officer. He is from Lagos State. My mother, Mrs. Ajoke Lillian Olu-Taiwo is a business consultant. She hails from Kogi State.

My parents modelled my life the way it is today. They took time to instill discipline in me. I was born and raised in the great city of Kano. I grew up in a large Catholic family, with three brothers and four sisters. I started reading at a very young age. My parents made sure I did my assignments and that zeal still remains in me up to this moment.”

Tunji’s father who spoke with Vanguard about Tunji’s up- bringing said; “I brought up all my children in Kano. I noticed that many parents allow their children freedom to wander about after school which I detested so I made it mandatory for my children to remain home-bound. I was part of their lives. I made sure their home works were done and their books studied on daily basis. I was their mentor and at the same time, their friend.

“Nevertheless, because all work without play makes Jack a dull boy, so I provided indoor games for my children. When they were big enough to play table tennis, I played the game with them. It was fun.

“I also taught them chess and was always beating them, but when Tunji came from Cyprus, he started beating me hands down and I began to marvel. I was not too surprised about the result he made,” said Dr Olu Taiwo.

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Epileptic Student, 23, Di**s During The Ministration Of His Teenage Pastor

According to PUNCH Crime Digest, Police in Iree have arrested 19-year-old Adebayo Kehinde over the d***th of a member of the church during an anointing vigil service in the church at Iree, Osun State.



According to reports, on October 5, 2012, Kehinde alongside other pastors had organized a vigil which the 23-year-old Tobi attended.

During the ministration, Tobi who is a sickler and epileptic fell and it was assumed that he had fallen under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

However it was discovered at the wee hours of the next day that on the floor lay the lifeless body of Tobi who had experienced epileptic convulsions during the midnight prayers and had d***d in the process.

It was further reported that Tobi’s landlord alerted the police who arrested Kehinde at the Iree police station. Few days after receiving bail, he was rearrested and transferred to the Osun State Criminal Investigation Department Command.

While addressing news men, the Police Spokesperson for the state, Sade Odoro, denied reports that the teenage pastor was being held in their custody claiming that the parents of the deceased did not make the case a criminal one since they knew the health condition of their child.

However, further investigations according to PUNCH also revealed that Kehinde was truly being held by the State police.

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BIZARRE!!! Man raped his own Mom

South African Police are hunting for a 33-year-old suspect who allegedly raped his 55-year-old mother in Matatiele’s Luphindo village.

It is alleged that the suspect, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, forced his way into her bedroom and threatened her with a knife before dragging her to a neighbour’s house, where the alleged rape took place.

Matatiele police spokesman Lieutenant Raphael Motloung said after the incident, the suspect ran away, leaving his traumatised mother locked in the house.

Recounting the events, he said it is alleged that on October 14, at about 7pm the victim was asleep next to a male friend in her bedroom when the son knocked at their door.

Apparently the suspect came home hungry and shouted outside the house, telling his mother he wanted food.

“He was making a noise and his mother was worried about neighbours and went to open the door for him. Once inside the house he kept asking for food but his mother told him to cook for himself as she had already gone to bed,” said Motloung.

It is alleged that the suspect got angry and went to the bedroom, where he threatened to stab the friend and his mother with a bush knife he was carrying.

“He then pulled the blanket off them and dragged his mother to a neighbour’s house.

“It is alleged that he kept her there for the whole night and repeatedly raped her until the early hours. He then ran away.”

The victim reported the matter to the police and they conducted a search but it has yielded nothing and the suspect is still at large.

Motloung said it was worrying to see many older women being victims of crime in communities and called on people to report such cases to the police

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Nigerian Youths Are Lazy And Don't Read - El-Rufai

Amazingly, the controversial pint sized former minister of the FCT and now chieftain of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Malam Nasir Elrufai, has accused Nigerian youths of being lazy and quick to judge. 

Elrufai made the accusation today on the Social networking site, Twitter (see tweets below) Elrufai was apparently reacting to the youths who regularly accuse him of corruption and high handedness when he was in office. 

Elrufai is currently facing a corruption charge at an Abuja court bordering on the lands he seized from legitimate owners and reallocated to friends and his wives and Underaged son.

 Amazingly the same Elrufai who is so sensitive to criticism regularly insults the person of the President of Nigeria on his facebook and twitter profile, using foul words to describe President Jonathan. It may be recalled that Elrufai had asked Nigerians not to vote for Muhammadu Buhari in October of 2010 alleging that Buhari was too old to be president and that he was primordial having chosen his military vice, Tunde Idiagbon, from the same region (North) as himself. 

However, just two months after making that statement, Elrufai became one of Buhari's chief campaigners asking Nigerians to vote for the man he had condemned only weeks ago!

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Ten Years Old Appointed Virgin Atlantic Manager

A 10 year-old primary school pupil, has been appointed by giant British airline, Virgin Atlantic as its first Junior Approvals Manager for its refurbished Boeing 747plane. 

 Wonder how he pulled it? Billy Yeomans, a plane fanatic beat over 600 candidates who applied for the contest to find the next Sir Richard Branson.

 He impressed judges by creating his own plane cabin in his family home, collecting over 30 aeroplane safety cards and navigating his father on a flight to Switzerland.

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Lesson For Those That Want To Die For Politicians

Governor Fashola's relationship with Okada people, during the governorship Election and after Election....See Pictures below:

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Power Drunk Sokoto Governor Flogs PHCN Manager For Failing To Supply Electricity To His House

Governor of Sokoto State, Northwest Nigeria, Aliyu Wamakko, has flogged a manager of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, for failing to supply electricity to his community.

Premium Times, an online news portal reports that the governor flogged the manager and ordered his security officials to assault two other PHCN staff.

The management of the Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, KEDC, a subsidiary of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, accused the Governor of assaulting the workers.

The Acting Managing Director of the Company, Mohammed Adamu, made this known at a press briefing late Monday at the company’s Doka office in Kaduna.

Mr. Adamu explained that the staff was summoned by the governor and was beaten to a pulp by the Governor and some of his aides.

“On Saturday, 20th October, 2012, an unusual and unfortunate event took place which was beyond our comprehension. On the said date our business manager, Gwiwa Business Unit, Sokoto state, Moses Osigwe, was invited by the Executive Governor of the State, Aliyu Magatarkada Wamakko to his personal residence, over the issue of lack of power supply to his hometown, Wamakko, as a result of a failed 2.5MVA transformer.

“He accused our staff of deliberately denying his community, Wamakko, of power supply. As the business manager was trying to explain to him, the governor just brought out a horse whip (popularly known as bulala in Hausa language) and lashed him to a pulp,” Mr. Adamu said.

The PHCN boss said the governor’s brutality did not stop at being the direct aggressor, “as he also invited and instructed two hefty mobile police men to continue with the beating spree until the business manager fell on the ground and became unconscious.”

“In the same vain, the Governor did not stop at the beating of our business manager but invited two other staff of the company namely, Isyaku Daura, Officer 2 (Electrical) and Nuruddeen Mohammed, Staff 1 (Lines) and ordered the mobile policemen to beat them up, also to a pulp,” he lamented.

He described the governor’s action as uncalled for, barbaric, and uncivilised. The Senior Special Assistant to the Sokoto state Governor, Sani Umar, when contacted on phone told reporters that he was driving and would call back. He was yet to do so as at the time of this report.

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Fashola has no right to ban us on federal highways

Commercial motorcycle operators under the aegis of the All Nigerians Autobike Commercial Owners and workers Association (ANACOWA) want the court to declare Section 3(1) of the new Lagos Traffic Law, which prohibits the riding, driving or propelling of a cart, wheel barrow, motorcycle or tricycle on the major highways in Lagos, as unconstitutional.

They further asked for a declaration that the defendants have no power ‘whatsoever’ to make any law to regulate traffic on any of the Federal Trunk or Highway Roads.

They argue that restricting their operations on the said roads would violate their rights to freedom of movement, guaranteed by Section 41(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.

The defendants in the suit are the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State House of Assembly and the Attorney-General of Lagos State, Mr Ade Ipaye.

Presiding Justice Aishat Opesanwo however dismissed an interlocutory application which they filed to restrain the government from implementing the new Lagos State Traffic Law.

At Wednesday’s proceedings, counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr Bamidele Aturu, told the court that they were withdrawing their interlocutory application so that they could get an accelerated hearing of the main suit.

“We believe that there is a need for the court to urgently deal with this matter because it is in the interest of the generality of the populace”adding that “many of them (Okada riders) have been suffering from this draconian action of the government to restrict the motorcyclists from operating in federal high ways” stated Mr Aturu.

“We are therefore asking the court to strike out the application and grant us an accelerated hearing of the substantive suit”, he said.

In the main suit, the motorcyclists challenged the ban placed on them from plying 475 roads in the state.

Road rampage

However, the Attorney general of the State, Mr Ade Ipaye who is the third defendant and counsel to Lagos State Government, informed the court that the law was already being enforced in the state with effect from the 2nd of August 2012.

He noted that “it was in reaction to its enforcement that the claimants herein only on Monday October 22, 2012 went on rampage.”

The Attorney General also noted that the law enforcement agencies were not joined as defendants in the suit.

“They are not parties to this action and we cannot tell this honourable court that they will not do their duty in enforcing the law”, he said.

The court has however fixed the 16th of November for hearing of the substantive suit.

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Flood divides S-South in three

THE ravaging flood which started last month has partitioned oil-rich South-South geo-political zone into three parts and turned the East-West Road, the only highway linking the six states of the region, into a river.

As at yesterday, Edo and Delta states were on one side, having been cut off from Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. Bayelsa is isolated, as people could not access the state from neighboring Rivers State.

Rivers, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states are the only three states in the South-South where people could pass through via the East-West Road.

Vanguard reporters who went on a tour of the East-West Road, yesterday, discovered that flood had cut off the road at Uwheru in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State. They had to board a boat to get to Patani, the boundary town between Delta and Bayelsa states.

At Patani, the reporters took another boat to cross over to Bayelsa State, but could not get to Rivers State, as the road had been severed between Mbiama and Ahoada.

East-West Road no longer passable

It was gathered that to get to Rivers State, transporters and other motorists from Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states have to pass through the South-East states of Anambra, Abia and Imo, as East-West Road is no longer passable.

Delta State portion of the East-West Road appears to be the worst hit with boat drivers and motorcyclists making brisk business, while some youths have built makeshift wooden bridges and collect toll of N100 from pedestrians before passage.

At Uwheru, our reporters joined other travelers to cross the “River Jordan” created by flood on the East-West Road before boarding a boat to Ohoror, also in Ughelli North Local Government Area.

From Ohoror, they took another boat across Umeh community to Aven, near Patani, from where motorcyclists took them to Patani town.

Patani devastated

At Patani, where the former national president of Ijaw Youth Council, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, had, through his nongovernmental organization, Rural Health Africa Initiative, RAHI, set up a relief camp for flood victims from Patani, Buluangiama, Abari and other affected communities in Delta State, the devastation was enormous.

Dr. Ekiyor, whose residence in Patani is under water, told Vanguard that since the flood started, the East-West Road had been cut off.

He said:  “I was in New York when I got information that flood had sacked my community. I had to rush down to Nigeria. I took a flight to Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, but I could  not cross to Bayelsa to get to Delta State.

“I abandoned my car at Ahoada area with my driver and stripped myself to my boxers to cross the river on East-West road to a point where I was able to board a boat and later found myself in Patani.

“I have been here in Patani for more than three weeks, trying to assist the flood victims. We have been cut off from other parts of the state and the South-South zone.  You can see the situation yourself.”

Ekiyor wondered why the Federal Government had not gone to fix the East-West Road, saying that  when flood cut off Kogi-Abuja expressway, the Federal Government quickly intervened.

“Why is the situation different in the case of East-West Road? Are they saying they are not aware?” he asked.

He said that bringing relief materials to the victims in the RAHI flood camp was difficult, as people, including government officials could not access the place because of flood.

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Dangote, Elumelu nominated for Forbes Africa Person award

 Chairman of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and former Managing Director, United Bank for Africa Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu, have been selected along with three other individuals for the 2012 edition of the Forbes Africa Person of the year award.

 

The other persons are Dr. James Mwangi, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Equity Bank Limited, Kenya; Joyce Banda, President of Malawi and Stephen Saad, Co-founder, Aspen Pharmacare.

According to a statement by Forbes Africa, Dangote, Elumelu and the others were nominated by its readers because of their impact on African business in the past year.

The magazine said the Forbes Africa Person of the Year award would go to the individual who has had the most influence on events of the year gone by, adding that with the release of the final shortlist, voting has started on the magazine’s website.

The magazine said voting would close on Thursday, November 1, 2012, and the Forbes Africa Person of the Year would be revealed in an event in Nigeria.

“Aliko Dangote and Tony Elumelu are two Nigerians who made the final five. Dangote was there also last year before the awards was won by fellow country man and Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi who did not make the final cut this year,” the magazine maintained.

On the nominees, Forbes said Aliko Dangote, founder and president of Dangote Group, last year’s runner-up to Forbes Africa Person of the Year, is still Africa’s richest man worth more than $11.2 billion. Dangote continues to be one of the continent’s biggest employers. He promises to donate most of his fortune to charitable causes upon his retirement.

“Dr James Mwangi won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2012 as well as Africa’s Innovation Leader of the Year Award in 2012. Equity Bank is planning to extend its financial services to Ethiopia when the country opens its banking industry for foreign investors.

“Banda, Malawi’s first female leader, has restored strained diplomatic ties with neighbours and the international community. Her administration has embraced investor friendly economic policies; she cut her salary by 30 per cent; sold the presidential jet and a fleet of luxury cars in austerity drive.

“Tony Elumelu, the multi-millionaire, grooms African business leaders and enterpreneurs through the Tony Elumelu Foundation. He is the leading advocate of Africapitalism, an economic philosophy that embodies the private sector’s commitment to Africa’s economic transformation through long-term investments.

“Stephen Saad is the biggest shareholder of the largest publicly traded drug manufacturer, Aspen. The company has a market capitalisation of $6 billion. Saad became a multimillionaire at 29. Now aged 47, he employs more than 6,000 people.”

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