''I Still Love Chris Brown'' - Rihanna Opens Up To Oprah

 

Rihanna did not mince words talking to Oprah about Chris Brown ... saying very simply, "I still love him."
As part of tonight's episode of "Oprah's Next Chapter," O asked RiRi where her relationship with Chris stands today, nearly three years after his brutal attack on her.

Rihanna explained, "We're very, very close friends. We built a trust again and that's it. We love each other and we probably always will."

RiRi says the two are just friends now and they are in no way back together ... though she did admit, "I think he was the love of my life."

Let's hope not.

Kim K, Kanye, Beyonce And Jay-Z Are Official Bestiez At The BET Awards!!!

What a perfect foursome!!!
THIS is the place we want to be! Forever! In Heaven! Until the end of time!!!Kim Kardashian has officially in our dreams made it to the top of Beyonce's Favorite Contacts in her iPhone!Kim and Bey were the deliciously soft bread in a Kanye/Jay-Z meat sandwich at the 2012 BET Awards in El Lay Sunday night.

The incredibly hawt foursome sat next to each other, yukking it up like a bunch of ol' pals giggling over champagne as if there wasn't a single care in the world.
And really, when you're this powerful, IS there a care in the world??
Not really! Especially when you've just won Video of the Year!
Kimye, of course, matched each other in their simple white outfits, while the Queen B dazzled in her shimmery yellow juiciness.
Look at these four! Just keep staring at them! Cuz we certainly can't look away! They not only have the best seat in the house, but not a single person in the Shrine Auditorium could keep their eyes off of them!
Wonder what kind of captivating convo these new BFFs are having?! Our minds are going crazy!!!

2 Students Commit Suicide Over WAEC Exam Failure

The recently released results by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) have claimed lives in Delta State. Two female students that failed their exams yesterday allegedly committed suicide in Asaba, the state capital. Reports said the students committed suicide after checking their result in the internet and discovered that it was unfavourable to them.
Sources said the victims had written the exams three times without passing their Maths and English Language, which led them to allegedly resolve to commit suicide.
Some persons who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity confirmed that the students had struggled to gain admission into the University in the last few years without success.
Police sources at the "B" Division Asaba said the students were allegedly found dead in their various rooms after a search partythat was conducted

-Leadership NG

Pastor Okotie's Wife Left Because He Cant Impregnate Her?

According to what First Weekly reported, Pastor Chris Okotie once said that Stephanie was destined to marry him from birth.

“She was not particularly certain whether it was what God wanted for her. So I had a situation where I had to get the Lord to persuade her that He is part of this agreement,” Okotie was quoted to have said.

But with the break-up after just four of marriage, many have queried if it was true Pastor Okotie actually heard from God that Stephanie was meant for him or he was just hallucinating.

After his marriage to Tina, his first wife, crashed, stories began to fly that the funky pastor was having affairs with several ladies in his congregation. This went on for a long time until Okotie eventually married Stephanie Henshaw four years ago.

Interestingly, Stephanie was a widow who had three children from two marriages. Rev. Okotie was her third husband.

However, not much was known about the state of affairs of the marriage as the couple was seen severally at public outings, holding hands and displaying public show of affection until he made the declaration of “irreconcilable differences” during a Sunday service recently.

Meanwhile, tongues have been wagging and public scrutiny had been beamed on the possible reason Rev. Okotie's second marriage crumbled. A very close source who claims to know Rev. Okotie well alleged that Okotie's marital problems stems from his presumed inability to father a child.

“It's very difficult to push to the public, but the reasons Okotie's marriages are not working is because of childlessness. It's a private thing, and he is battling the problem. Tina was with him for about 17 years without a child to show for the marriage. That was why Tina had to relocate to America, and remarried. I even heard she has a child now,” our source disclosed.

“A woman generally does not feel secure if she doesn't have a child for her husband, and especially if the man is seen or suspected of keeping other women. That is the issue with Okotie and Stephanie. I don't want to say more than this. Please,” the source stated.

But, in his reaction, a member of the Household of God Church defended their Pastor, saying the insinuation is wrong. “It is a rubbish talk....is the person God? It's only Rev. Okotie and Stephanie that know the reasons they got separated, and we are praying for them. It is wrong to say Rev. Okotie can't father a child,” the source said.

Young Pastor Impregnates Female Senior Pastor

Wonders shall never end in this country of ours as we have seen so many weird things happening. And in recent times we have seen people who claim to call themselves servants of God committing sins of the highest magnitude.
This is certainly not the best of times for the flocks of Lord’s Delight Ministries (a.k.a Delight Arena) located at No 51 Afolabi Street, Ishibiri road, Ajangbadi, Lagos, as its founder who is currently embroiled in a sordid divorce suit is accused of being impregnated by young pastor.


At the centre of the storm is Pastor Rita Obioma Obiakor, the General Overseer of the church and her minister husband, Pastor Paulinus Obiakor who are both entangled in a web of accusations and counter accusations of infidelity, and behaviours unbecoming of the clergy as the couple dragged itself before a customary court, sitting at Ojo, Lagos, under President T.A Said.

The embattled couple is seeking for the dissolution of their 15-year-old marriage.

The Orlu, Imo State-born prophetess alleged her estranged husband and father of her four children, has turned a thorn in her flesh. Speaking through her counsel, Godson Samuel, she justified her decision to opt out of the troubled marriage thus: ‘’ My husband is on the verge of destroying all the works and efforts that I have put in place to establish this church over the years”.

Continuing, she outlined the heart of the matter: “I got married to him when I was barely 16 years old, and he, 27 years. Then he had nothing, jobless and looking very unkempt. I started doing odd jobs to make both ends meet. Precisely in 2005, the Lord called me into his vineyard to serve him and show his people the right path.

My calling was a prophetic one, so was my ministry. Since the establishment of that ministry in our two-bedroom apartment at Amukoko, the Lord has been blessing us. But my husband was like a Judas to my ministry. He was always behaving abnormally to the members, until I made him a part of the church and also gave him a good post. Yet he wouldn’t let me be. He is always accusing me of sleeping with church members during night vigil or anointing services”.

The mother of four further alleged that her husband’s greed and jealousy has done much damage to the image she had laboured so much to build. The disharmony between the couple degenerated to the extent that she was forced to buy another plot of land at Shibiri, Ajangbadi, a faraway suburb, and constructed a new church, thereby abandoning the old church located at No. 1 Bakare Street, Amukoko.

She also abandoned their accommodation, as well as give up some members of the old church to her estranged man. “I moved in with my children to a rented apartment close to the (new) church while my faithful members moved into our new church,”

In spite of all these, she alleged that he continued to harass her and members of her new church, which consequently began to affect the church’s growth. “So I had to ban him from entering the church and having access to the members too,” she avowed.

When however, her husband Pastor Obiakor stepped into the dock to give his own side of the story, he brought a new twist to the divorce case. The 45-year old clergy in his testimony against his wife alleged atrocities which contradict her position as the general overseer.

He accused his wife of defiling the church by sleeping with prominent male members of the congregation in order to raise fund and establish herself financially. The land she acquired for the new church and her new apartment, he avowed were paid for with fund she raised from her illicit sexual affairs with male church members.

“My wife is the founder of the church, but as her husband, I am entitled to be the general overseer of the church. I had suspected my wife was frolicking with the wealthy and influential members of the church, my fears were eventually ascertained when she abandoned me and moved to her new church and apartment at Shibiri with a younger man she employed as her personal assistant known as Pastor Nwachineye,” Obiakor claimed.

He further dropped a bombshell that she was impregnated by one of the pastors she employed. He substantiated this accusation by alleging that she took the man in question to the village and had introduced him to her family members and relatives as her new husband. “That is a big sacrilege because I am still very much alive and active, so why would she take another man to replace me,” he argued.

His bitterness towards his wife, Obiakor asserted, was that she has been denying him access to their children.

“When I insisted on seeing my kids to know how they were faring, she adamantly refused and urged me to pay a certain amount into her joint account with her new pastor lover. I did that just to make sure my kids are fine and well taken care of,” he reaffirmed.

In spite of everything, Pastor Obiakor was not prepared to let go of his wife. He affirmed that his estranged wife was more like the bread winner of the family before the union ran into troubled waters, that it was she that brought him fame and fortune; therefore, he is ready to forgive her of her transgressions and even take her back as his wife if only she would withdraw the suit. The case was later adjourned for further hearing.

Meanwhile, the whole scenario from another angle is that the entire members of the church have summoned their pastor that should she return to that man 'hubby' it is definitely going to be just her and her family that will be congregation.

Pastor Adeboye & RCCG deny "red colour" messages

A message making the rounds on BlackBerry messenger, social networks and as text messages advising people not to wear red, blue, pink or purple has been repudiated by the Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.
The message being broadcast on social networks reads : "Pls no one shud put ? red 2mao, includin U̅_??̊???̊ pants, bra, handky, wrist watch, beads, e.t.c. Dis news iz from d redemption camp. Our blood shall never b used 4 rituals in Nigeria. Don't neglect dis msg. Spread d news 2 everyone.But He dat dwel in d secret place of d most high shal abide under d shadow of d almighty…No Shakin for U&Me."

In a Facebook post, Adeboye urged people to disregard the messages as they did not emanate from either him or the church.

"Please inform all your friends and family members that I, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, did not send any message out informing you not to wear a particular colour and do not have any issues with whatever colour.

"No message stating you should not wear a particular color was ever authorized by The Redemption Camp or my office. Please be mindful and careful of erroneous messages.

"If you want a true change in your life be at The Redemption Camp, This Thursday at7 pm, Friday at 7 pm and Saturday at 7 pm. To ensure no one uses your blood for anything."

-Vanguard

PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE TO RETIRE ?

Before now, there are serious of insinuations and side talks about the retirement of the most respected and powerful clergyman, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. Even during his 70th birthday, some certain authorities in the church, we learnt, gathered to raise a motion that the man of God should be retired as he clocked 70.


In on of the articles written by the man of God, it was discovered that he has already written about the kind of retirement he wants. In this literary work, he well explained how he intends to retire.

The article culled from the Open Heavens annual publication of Monday October 3rd, 2011, Daddy Adeboye, as he’s fondly called wrote about `The True Face of Retirement. He said God has so much to give to man, and the spirit man has so much space to be filled by God…..``Sometimes, when I see some of our elders retiring, I shake my head because contrary to what they think, it is only the beginning for them. Retirement actually means more time to pray all night since you are not going to the office in the morning.

The greatest literally work done by John the Beloved was Book of Revelation-a revelation he got while banished on the Island of Patmos. If God allows me to retire, I would sit at His feet daily and learn from Him, receive revelations and pour these into books for generations unborn. This way, by His grace, I could produce a book every month until he calls me home.’’ Obviously, this should tell those who clamour for his retirement that the respected man of God whose regime as the G.O brought goodness to the church cannot be retired by any man but God.

It's so evident that even when God has permitted him to retire; he will still be involved in the work of God, publishing revelations from God to the members of the church and other denominations. ‘Would sit at His feet’, of course, the only place a man can sit at the feet of Christ is in the vineyard, so, it should be understood that until God says come home, Pa Adeboye remains the General Overseer of one of the biggest congregation churches in the world.

Nigerian DanceQueen Kaffy Set To Launch Dance Reality TV Show

Guinness record holder and Nigerian dance queen Kaffy set to Launch her own reality TV show. The show which would display a number of dance talents from around the coutry and bring them into the limelight. It just seems to be like everyone is doing the reality TV thingy lately. It should commence real soon. Watch this space for more info.

Excitement as MDA auditions hold in Coal City

Dance lovers converged and participated at the auditions of popular family reality TV show, Season Six, Maltina Dance All (MDA) tagged: The Most Spectacular at Dannic Hotel, Enugu to showcase their dancing skills for the prize money of N6 million and a new car.

Speaking on the occasion, Assistant Brand Manager Maltina, Abayomi Abidakun said, the MDA is one way Maltina has utilized to continually connect with its consumers in a relaxed, exciting and fun-filled manner. “The MDA is about the ability of a family to create unique dance steps for each dance style.

The academy entails serious work but we are proud of the result over the last five seasons. Some of the dancers have taken their dancing skills to a whole new level both locally and internationally.” He added. The first day of the audition in Enugu involved different age categories dancing for a prize.

The five-12 age category saw 10-year-old Tochukwu Gideon winning a generator while 12-year-old Odinake Onyemazu came second and nine years-old, Agbo Chinecherem, came third and won a television set and home theatre system respectively.

The 13-19 age category saw Chinaza Nwalee 13, in the first position, Chimezie Ibekwe 19 and Prince Adio, 18, in the second and third positions respectively. The 20-30 age category was won by Achor Ifeanyi George, 21 years old while Israel Uchenna and Anosike Sophia were first and second runners up respectively.

The category of 31 years and above saw Mrs. Agbo Cynthia, coming first position, while Mrs. Lizzy Ogbedo and Echebe Theck came second and third respectively. Mrs. Ogbedo thanked Maltina as she appreciated the wonderful opportunity the brand was providing to create excitement and fun for all ages.

The second day auditions saw individuals between the ages of 18-30 perform daring, spectacular and unique dance steps to qualify for a position in the MDA academy. At the end of the day, Dosari Iyore, 22, Jerry Obiajulu Ukadike, 19, Matilda Ozurumba Chiamaka 20, Davidson Enijie, 23, Melanie Ezinne Onyebuagu, 25, Amibo Michael Moxie 24, Anosike Sophia Chibugo, 20 and Achor Ifeanyi George, 21, were selected to represent Enugu State in the academy. They will proceed to the next level of screening which include dancing with their families and medical fitness.

Facebook murder: Why we killed Cynthia

The police in Lagos yesterday paraded the suspects who killed Cynthia Ozokogu, 24, whose body was traced to a morgue in the metropolis at the weekend.

Cynthia is the last child and only daughter of Major Gen. Ozokogu (rtd).

She was killed on July 22, 2012 in an hotel in FESTAC, Lagos State.

There were a lot of posers at the parade of her suspected killers in Ikeja yesterday.

The suspects Okume and Ezeke (surnames withheld by us), one of them a university student, were driven there in a sleek car.

The suspects, who met their victim, Cynthia, on Facebook, were alleged to have sexually molested the victim, tied and chained her before she was finally murdered.

The Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko, told newsmen that Ezeke was arrested in Anambra State while his colleague, a 100 level Accounting student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Okume, was nabbed in FESTAC, Lagos.

Manko stated that detectives from Area E Command, FESTAC got a lead into the case when they got the suspects’ pictures in a footage from a Close Circuit Camera TV (CCTV) that was installed in the hotel.. “We discovered that two young men came to the hotel and went to the room and after sometime came out with a package.

They were arrested and have confessed that they killed the lady,” he added.

Facts about the case: Manko said that on July 22 this year, in FESTAC, the police found a lady dead in her hotel room tied and chained.

He stated the police discovered that “somebody called demanding that the body of the bastard be removed.”

Manka said when the body was found, the police had no details about the identity of the deceased.

“From the yellow card that was found, we got her passport number from the internet and the Nigerian Immigration Service was able to link her up and was able to establish her actual identity,” he said.

Manko said that the suspects told the police that they established contact with the deceased via the internet.

He said the suspects were able to establish that she is a businesswoman who comes to Lagos to buy goods, with her outlet in Abuja, thus concluding that she must have money.

He said that one of the suspects gave her a flight ticket and an accommodation in the hotel.

The suspects, Manko said, drugged the drink, which they gave to the deceased.

The drug, he explained, got the deceased knocked off and the suspects settled down for what they were there for, but that unfortunately, she died in the process.

“She struggled before she collapsed and they got her killed,” Manko added.

Suspects’ confessional statement: The suspects confessed to journalists that they actually met the victim on Facebook and that their intention was to dispossess Cynthia of her belongings and did not intend to kill her.

Okume said that they drugged the deceased with medicine, which they injected in three of the drinks they gave to the deceased.

He denied having sexual intercourse with her, adding that the condom that was found in her hotel room was not used by them.

He explained that they only used a sexual toy (vibrator), which they found on the deceased.

Okume, the 100 level Accounting student, admitted that the deceased was their fourth victim.

‘We always meet with our victims in different hotels in FESTAC,” he added.

He, however, denied killing the three other victims and that the death of the only daughter of the retired General was quite unfortunate.

Posers: The suspects, who were smartly dressed, were brought to the command headquarters Ikeja in a sleek car.

Recall that prior to the discovery of her body in the morgue last Saturday, Cynthia had been declared missing by her family since July 22 after she had left her base in Nasarawa State to come to Lagos for shopping.

Attempts by her relations and concerned friends to ascertain her whereabouts were not successful, prompting them to circulate messages on the social media, but no one could give vital information about her.

Prior to the discovery of the body, her family had no inkling she was dead.

Rather, she was listed as a missing person.

According to reports, the deceased, who was running a postgraduate programme in Public Administration at the Nasarawa State University, was lured into Lagos by a group of men whose stock in trade is to deceive young girls and kill them after dispossessing them of their belongings.

There was a twist in the case when the body was found in a mortuary in Lagos and indications pointed to the fact that the deceased was killed in the hotel she lodged in before she was taken to the mortuary.

According to sources, the deceased was said to have been robbed and killed in the hotel by the same people she was supposed to do business with.

At the hotel, the duo, who went to pick her at the airport, having allegedly connived with a staff of the hotel and a pharmacist who produced the substance used to drug her, immediately executed their plan.

The deceased was tied up, robbed of all the money she brought for her business and strangled her to death.

The suspects immediately dispossessed her of her phones, her identity card and other things that could be used to identify her.


-www.sunnewsonline.com

It’s my life, my damage – Tonto Dikeh

Despite the controversy and buzz that seemed to have followed the yet-to-be-released blockbuster movie, My Life, My Damage was simply phenomenal and one of her best performances till date. Complimenting on her character in the movie, Dikeh before to the Damage trilogy, showed to many why she is one of the actresses of tomorrow’s Nollywood.

Written and produced by vivacious and amiable actress cum producer, Uche Jombo, My Life, My Damage deals with the consequences of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. A young lady who lives a reckless life abroad as a drug addict is given a rude shock when she discovers that she’s HIV positive and now has to seek redemption for herself. The movie tells the ugly story of young Dora I whose dream of becoming a medical doctor takes her on a roller coaster of missed steps that eventually defined her life.

A life she wishes could be reversed. Dead to her brother and alien to the world around her, Dora (Tonto Dikeh) choice of relationship brought about reversed romance, one filled with fun but with grave consequences. With an arresting plot, gripping story line and a commendable picture quality, My Life, My Damage showcases an array of international stars including Thomas H. Altman, Dani Palmer and Biola Williams, whose delivery and collaboration with two of Nollywood’s best, Tonto Dikeh and Bukky Wright gave an award-winning performance that made the message in the movie a compelling; delight to follow and easy to comprehend .

Speaking on the movie, the producer, Uche Jombo, said it’s high time Africa began to make movies that can best address some of the ills that has long affected it. “…Yea I agree that My Life, My Damage addresses a social phenomenon that is common to people the world over but like they say “Charity begins at home”. The earlier we begin to inform our children of the dangers of keeping bad company, the better so as to avoid future regret. The HIV/AIDS scourge and drug abuse has devastated many families the world over.

While some contacted the disease through ignorance, others were innocently infected. Set to begin its American tour with its first screening at the Nollywood Film Festival New York (NEA Awards) on September 1, 2012, the movie, directed by Moses Inwang, was set in modern day America. It got its good scenery from the state of Minnesota with some scenes shot in some choice locations in Lagos, Nigeria.

Rihanna’s Super Raunchy Tweet — Message To Chris Brown?

RiRi tweeted an x-rated message and it sounds like she’s trying to grab Chris Brown’s attention! 

  Now that Rihanna’s openly confessed her love for ex-flame Chris Brown — she’s not holding anything back. The 23-year-old singer took it to Twitter to share — what should be dubbed — her most provocative tweet yet. “So much d**k riding that my c*ck hurt!” she tweeted on August 22. We’re speechless. Is this another Twitter attempt to grab Chris Brown’s attention? What do YOU think, ? 

Reinvest Ibori’s Money On Education – University Don

In the midst of what can only be described as a shameful tussle between the Federal Government and the government of Delta State for the ownership of the yet unclaimed money recovered from former Delta State Governor, James Ibori.

A university don has advised that the money be re-invested in the education system. The don, Prof Ayodele Jegede, a University of Ibadan lecturer has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to order that recovered stolen money be re-invested in the education system. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Jegede made this call on Tuesday in Ibadan while thanking the former Ogun State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Sina Kawonise, for renovating some offices in the institution at the cost of N2.1m.

Professor Jegede said all the stolen money recovered from corrupt former governors and other public office holders should be invested in the development of the education sector. In his words the don said, “The latest of such funds are those from James Ibori running into several millions of dollars… The recovered funds should be invested in education to build young Nigerians who can make the dream of the founding fathers come to reality.”

He continues: “It should not be sent back to state government or be kept in the Federal Government vault because it may soon disappear… I am saying that funds recovered from fraudulent practices should be dedicated to a project.” He then submitted that every such recovered fund should be dedicated to building an infrastructure for Nigerians in the health, education and power sectors.

Four Foreign Oil workers kidnapped By Gunmen Released

Four foreign oil workers who were kidnapped when unknown gunmen attacked their vessel in the Gulf of Guinea off Nigeria on August 4 have been released, their employer Sea Trucks Group said Thursday.

“They were released last night,” company spokeswoman Corrie van Kessel told AFP, regarding the Indonesian, Iranian, Malaysian and Thai nationals.

“They are OK. The families have been informed and we are very much relieved,” she added, but declined to comment on the details of the release, including whether a ransom was paid.

Asked whether the prisoners sustained serious injuries or faced abuse while in captivity, van Kessel said, “No, not at all.”

Nigeria’s navy spokesman Kabir Aliyu told AFP he had heard that the four were free, but said he did not have details and it was not clear if Nigeria’s marine forces played a role in any rescue operation.

Sea Trucks Group provides support services, including cargo vessels, to the oil majors operating off Nigeria.

In the early hours of August 4, suspected sea pirates stormed one of the company’s barges and opened fire, killing two Nigerian sailors and injuring two others.

Aliyu previously said that the sailors had been stationed on the barge following a security request from the company.

The Gulf of Guinea has seen a sharp rise in the number of reported pirate attacks over the last six months, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

In a report released last month, IMB said there had been 32 piracy incidents recorded in the waters off Nigeria and Benin in the first half of 2012, up from 25 attacks in all of last year.

Many of the raids have involved “high levels of violence” or kidnappings, and were increasingly occurring further offshore, the report added.

In a number of cases, attacks have been aimed at stealing fuel being transported by tankers, which can then be sold on the region’s lucrative black market.

Nigeria and neighbouring Benin launched joint patrols last year to address the problem.

On July 27, gunmen attacked a vessel transporting workers for Italian firm Agip in the Delta’s Bayelsa state, leaving at least one person dead.

Cyrus Mody of IMB, who closely tracks the region, said pirate attacks in the gulf have long gone under-reported and the area had likely seen more violence than recent figures suggest.

As a result, some companies working in the region may not have been fully prepared for the risks involved.

A 2009 amnesty deal sharply reduced unrest in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, but the militants that operated there were notorious for kidnapping foreign oil workers.

Sporadic incidents continue to occur since the amnesty, including kidnappings for ransom.

Unrest in the Delta had curbed oil production in Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer and the world’s eighth largest, but output has recovered since the amnesty.

Sea Trucks Group, which also operates in Australia and East Asia, was founded as a Nigerian firm in 1977 before expanding and currently has a corporate support office in the Netherlands, where van Kessel is based.

Tonto Dike & Rukky Sanda Donate N1M To cancer patient

Circulating over the internet has been the story of the cancer patient that needed 4million naira to save herself. As at yesterday she was said to have received 2million from producer Don Jazzy and the young talented ladysaid she, as at the closing of yesterday, had 2.6million, but today Tonto Dike and Rukky Sanda were said to have donated a topping sum of one million to save the lady. Obviously the question of what our celebrities use their money for seem to be getting answered. It is a very good thing to save a life, and it is a thing to emulate. Our celebrities are using this opportunities to pass a big message to us, and we should learn from their footstep.

4 Women, 4 Men Arraigned for Drinking “Ogogoro” in Public

In what can only be described as the dawn of a new era in Lagos state, those who have always committed petty crimes, going unpunished for same, will now have to be very careful after at least eight people, including four women, have been arraigned before an Apapa Magistrate court in Lagos, for allegedly drinking local gin (popularly known as Ogogoro) and smoking in an unacceptable manner in the public.

The accused persons are: Nkereuwen Akpan, 29, James Patricia, 39, Jenifer John, 27, Salami Kazeem, 37, Festus Opara, 35, Princess Pius, 26, Gold Johnson, 27 and John Idoh, 32.

They were charged on two counts of misdemeanour and unlawful assembly. The prosecutor, Sgt. Uche Kalu, told the court that on August 14 at 1:20 a.m at Kazuma roundabout, Apapa, the accused persons unlawfully gathered to smoke and drink the local gin in a manner to cause fear and panic in the neighbourhood. Kalu said the offence of the accused contravened Sections 409 and 44(1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

However, when the charge was read to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty. Meanwhile, the ChiefMagistrate, Mrs A. K. Shonubi, granted them bail in the sum of N20, 000 with one surety in the like sum each and adjourned the matter till September 17.

Death rolls as Gunmen Open Fire on Worshippers in Mosque

At least two people were killed when gunmen attacked two mosques in Biu, Borno State between Monday evening and Tuesday morning. According to a resident, “Two gunmen joined our Mosque for the early morning prayers and shot a worshiper at close range. He died on the spot… Two hours after the incident, a local Islamic cleric was trailed to another mosque by separate gunmen, who opened fire on the worshippers.

“The worshippers had to run for safety. But the cleric was shot dead before men of Joint Task Force, code-named Operation Flush II arrived at the scene and condoned off the area to prevent further attacks and killings.”

Spokesman of Borno State Police Command, Mr. Gideon Jibrin, have confirmed the incidents according to him, the attacks and killings, occurred Monday night and in the early hours of Tuesday, when the police headquarters received reports from the BiuPolice Area Commander, indicating that two persons, including an Islamic cleric, were killed by unknown gunmen, suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect.

He also pointed out that no arrests had been made, urging residents to continue to cooperate with JTF andpolice, by providing information on the hideouts of criminals, who are terrorising innocent citizens, including soldiers and policemen in the state.

NUC Chief: Our Graduates Are Not Unemployable

Industries where Nigerian graduates can get the relevant experience to compete favorably in the labor market have shut down, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) Professor Julius Okojie has said.

Okojie made the statement at the Training of Trainers workshop on the teaching of general entrepreneurship courses in Nigerian universities which held in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said a first degree is not enough for graduates to display competent skills until they receive training from industries which are no longer available to offer that service.

He said there is need to develop a critical mass of trainers in the university system who would teach students how to develop entrepreneurial skills in their areas of specialization.

“As a directive from federal government, we have just developed a Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards for Entrepreneurship to be offered as a degree programme and as soon as we get approval, it would start to run in some universities,” he said.

Professor Murtala Sagagi Director Centre for African Entrepreneurship Research & Training at Bayero University Kano (BUK) said it is important to change the mindset of youths so that rather than be frustrated by the system they begin to think entrepreneurially.

Magistrates In Nasarawa Embark On Indefinite Strike As JUSUN Issues 7-day Ultimatum

Magistrate courts in Lafia, Nasarawa State were shut down on Wednesday as the state’s chapter of the Magistrates Association of Nigeria (MAN) embarked on an indefinite strike action.

There were also reports of some magistrate courts in other parts of the state suffering the same fate.

Magistrates were seen formed in groups discussing the strike in many of the courts.

It will be recalled that the association had in a statement issued Wednesday in Lafia and signed by its Public Relations Officer, Habila Abundaga, announced the commencement of the strike action.

The statement also directed all magistrates in the state to down tools indefinitely, with effect from the midnight of August. 21, 2012, and urged members to be law-abiding.

It had said the strike action was as a result of the failure of the state governor, Tanko Al-Makura, to accede to the law officers’ demands.

Similarly, the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in the state had issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to resolve all the issues raised by the body.

The union announced this in a communiqué signed by Sunday Daniel and Danjuma Yakubu, the Nasarawa State Chapter Vice Chairman and Public Relations Officer, respectively.

It had said this was necessary if its members were not to proceed on a strike, alleging that the state Judicial Service Commission (JSC) failed to dialogue with it.

“The commission does not appreciate the place of discussions, negotiation or a bargaining process in resolving labour-related issues in the judiciary,’’ the union said.

Reacting to the magistrates’ strike, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mohammed Abdullahi, told NAN that government was yet to understand the law officers’ grouse.

He however assured that the state government was still ready to dialogue. (NAN)

Man O’ War Dissociates Self From Paramilitary Group

The National -Commander of Man O’ War Nigeria, Ikenna Chidoka has warned the public to desist from conducting business with a certain Dr. Gbenga Aloba who claims he is the Commandant -General of a group called Man O’War Association.

Reacting to a story published in a national daily, Chidoka said it has become pertinent to alert the public on the illegal activities of the group, adding that Aloba has no right to address the press on issues of security.

The National-Commander in a statement issued by his Special Assistant John Abbah yesterday in Abuja called on Aloba to respect the Federal High Court ruling which outlawed the Man O’War Association.

The statement read in part, “The Man O’ War Association of Nigeria was registered in error by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). It has since been deregistered following the judgment given in favour of the CAC and the Citizenship and Training Center by Honorable Justice B.I. Molokwu on December 11 2011, hence the association seized to exist and has no identity as it is now an illegal body.”

NUPENG Backs Trial Of Subsidy Thieves

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has denied claims that the union was on strike at the prompting of oil marketers indicted in the oil subsidy scam.

The President of NUPENG, Igwe Achese, who stated this on Wednesday night in Abuja after a meeting with the Federal Government delegation led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Pius Anyim, also said the union was fully behind attempts to prosecute anyone found culpable in the fraud.

He said, “Let me say that this government has all it takes, they have the tools. Like we rightly said, we will not as a union compromise on fraudulent activities. We said clearly that any marketer that is found wanting, should be prosecuted.

“If you recall, it is the union in 2010, that raised this issue of subsidy scam that was on going in PPPRA. Today, we are happy that the issue is on the ground, whether we like it or not; at least, we have been able to see one or two evidence that something is wrong.

“We have agreed stay off the media and I don’t need to mention them again, that something went wrong in the disbursement of this money. They have agreed as well that they are reconstituting a committee to look into these issues of PPPRA issues subsidy payment scam, but I hope and I assure you tomorrow that we shall have a way forward.”

Lawyers Kick Against Death Penalty

The Lawyers Without Borders France also known as Avocats Sans Frontieres France (ASFF) yesterday said it will ensure the abolition of death penalty in the country’s criminal justice system.

In a press statement on the outcome of its Saving Lives project in Benue, Edo and Lagos Wednesday, the agency said the conferences are aimed at sensitizing and discussing with stakeholders in the criminal justice system on the abolition of the death penalty regime and the rights of death row inmates in Nigeria.

It said participants to the conferences urged the National Assembly to enact laws that will “pave way for an alternative to the death sentence in Nigeria’s criminal justice system”.

ASFF stated that the Lagos State Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, representative of his Benue state counterpart and director Public Prosecution, Mrs Veronica Ayongur and a clergyman Rev Fidelis Arhedo agreed that death sentence is “retributive and not fool proof”.

Man Kills Wife, Two Children, Spares One-Year-Old

Police are investigating this Berlin home, where a man allegedly killed his wife and two of their children earlier this week. Authorities say he spared the life of the youngest, a one-year-old girl, and then took his own.

A nearby hospital meanwhile confirmed that the couple's baby survived. The father had dropped off the girl in their so called "Babyklappe," a box intended for desperate parents to anonymously drop off their babies.

According to German media reports, neighbours described the man as a 69-year-old architect who left his original family in Bavaria to start a new one in Berlin with his 28-year-old secretary.

Berlin police said neighbours called the emergency services after noticing that the family's car had not been moved for several days and a window had remained open.

An Enugu Chief Magistrates’ Court presided over by Chief Magistrate F. Chukwu on Wednesday granted bail to two accused persons in the sum of N200,000 each.

The accused persons, Immaculate Oguejiofor and Walter Oguejiofor, are facing charges of assault before the chief magistrate.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while Immaculate is being tried for allegedly stabbing one Mr Okafor with a broken bottle, Walter is accused of damaging a roofing sheet, with both incidents taking place at the same place and time.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel to the accused, Messrs P.D. Okafor and S.I. Anike respectively, pleaded with the court to grant their clients bail.

MTN and CPC To Meet Over “Recharge And Win Aircraft’’ Promo

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) is to meet with MTN over the latter's recharge and win promotion.
Mr Abiodun Obimuyiwa, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, CPC, who made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) inAbuja on Wednesday, did not disclose the date of the proposed meeting.

MTN had on August 17, in Lagos, launched the Ultimate Wonder, anew customer-based 'recharge and win' promo.

Customers are expected to win weekly cash prizes while the ultimate winner would go home with a Cessna 182TAeroplane in a grand prize presentation in October.

Obimuyiwa said the issue had agitated a lot of minds, adding that the council was concerned about it. "We have sent a letter to them and they have agreed to come for a meeting.''

The deputy director however, said that "there is a pending court case on sales promotion between MTN and CPC as a result of which MTN did subject its promotions to CPC.''

He added that reports from the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) showed that there was a 400,000 dollars invoice from MTN meant for the winner of the aircraft. (NAN)

Mountain Of Fire Ministry Fires 50 Pastors For Stealing Church Money

The filth and misdemeanours that permeate the house of God hasreared up its head again. This time around it is at the Dr. D. K. Olukoya-led Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM) church, where 50 of the church pastors have just been reprimanded over allegations of financial impropriety and embezzlement of church funds. As the story goes, one Dr. Jeremiah Ajibola, who is the Assistant Regional Overseer (ARO) of the CAASO Regional Headquarters was said to have been queried from the headquarters over the decline in revenue coming from the CAASO region to the headquarters. Following this, an accountant was sent from the headquarters to CAASO region to assist in the shoring up of their revenue and maintaining adequate financial propriety.
The figures we scooped from our sources are as follows:
APRIL – An increment of N100,000
MAY – Over N800,000
JULY – Above N650,000

Baba Fryo Hospitalised After Assault By Policemen

Popular musician, Friday Igwe aka Baba Fryo, has threatened to sue the Nigeria Police Force for serious injuries sustained from an assault by five policemen in Lagos.

Fryo, who spoke from his hospital bed on a radio station in Lagos,Wazobia FM on Wednesday morning, said he was beaten by the five policemen at Iyana Ishasi, a suburb of Lagos around 2a.m when he tried to appeal to them to stop manhandling two young ladies.

The musician said the incident happened on Tuesday after the two girls had rebuffed entreaties by two policemen to follow them to an unknown destination.
He said the two policemen went to get five colleagues of theirs and pounced on these girls, hitting them viciously with guns, batons and boots.
When he heard the commotion from his room in his friend's hotel, he said he moved to the scene to find out what was amiss.

He stated that when he begged the seven policemen to stop beating the girls, one of them turned to him and gave him some hot slaps.

Within seconds, four others joined in beating him, leaving him with fractures.

He said when he reported the matter to the DPO of a nearby police station, he sympathised with him.
But Fryo said he was taken aback when no mention was made of who would bear the cost of his treatment.

He vowed that he would sue the police if nothing was done aboutthe matter, noting that a scan had confirmed that he sustained a fracture in one of his legs.

Baba Fryo is widely known for his hit track – Dem Go Dey Pose.

When our correspondent reached the spokesperson for the statepolice command, Ngozi Baride, for comments, she was said to bein a meeting.
She did not also respond to an SMS sent to her mobile phone.
More details later.
-Punch

Prezzo Wants To Marry Goldie

The 32-year-old Kenyan who is currently visiting in Nigeria, says he did not just travel ‘all the way from Kenya to play in Nigeria’; but to come and express his feelings to a woman nature brought his way in the Big Brother star game house  

Prezzo, who apologised to Nigerians for the way he treated Goldie in the house, says he’s announcing his interest in Goldie publicly because they both met publicly in the Big Brother house; adding that he is ready to do whatever it takes to make her his Mrs.

           ‘I was not able to express all my feelings to Goldie in the house due to paranoia and I            am ready to come and fight for a prize that worth it and that will make me a real winner…’ 

No word yet from Goldie.