How relatives, others exposed amputee hawker

If not for family members and others who wanted their share of the cash donations, amputee sachet water hawker Mary Daniel’s lies would not have been exposed.

Miss Daniel claimed that her parents were dead, but some of her relatives seeking a share of the over N25m donated to her by Nigerians, said she lied.

The 26-year-old also did not say the truth about being an orphan.

A source close to the Lagos State government told The Nation that “some of these discrepancies started emerging on her birthday. Some things were observed that did not add up. Then, the strange calls. She also refused for her child to be brought to Lagos”.

The source added: “Later she came up and said she wanted to go alone to bring the child and those managing her refused since it was not safe to travel. Then, she was taken to where she should learn a skill but she refused. It was clear she just wanted to leave the state. With the information at the disposal of the state government, she was disallowed from travelling alone.

“She was first handed over to the Social Welfare Department but when they complained about accommodation and the Igala traditional ruler in Lagos indicated interest to take her, she was handed over to him.”

When The Nation contacted the leader of Igala community in Lagos State, Chief Sanni Yakubu Ejima, he confirmed that Miss Daniel was in his custody.

The Special Adviser, Office of Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, in a statement yesterday, said Miss Daniel was kept in protective custody to shield her from possible fraudsters, adding that the ultimate desire of government was to ensure she became a responsible citizen.

According to Adebowale, “she now has the resources to take care of herself and her baby. She can now have a new lease of life”.

She explained that the police were brought in to demonstrate that the state had taken good care of Ms. Daniel while its officials and to ensure her safety thereafter.

Princess Adebowale added that a committee would oversee Miss Daniel’s rehabilitation and ensure that the donated funds were judiciously utilised for the improvement of her standard of living.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso denied that the state was preventing Ms. Daniel from accessing her money.

He said: “We have handed over Mary Daniel to representatives of her Igala, Kogi State community here in Lagos. The handing over was done in the presence of representatives of the Ministries of Justice; Youth and Social Development, and police and a Non-Governmental Organisation.

“Government took the step to shield Ms. Daniel from possible fraudsters who may target the funds donated to her by well-meaning Nigerians. She is also free to set up her dream supermarket in Lagos since it was here that fortune smiled on her. This is a confirmation that Lagos is a land of hope and opportunities. A committee was also set up to ensure the funds are utilised judiciously.”

Baba Ijesha: Lagos govt wades into case, vows to ensure justice if…

Following the alleged molesting of a 14-year-old girl by Nollywood actor, James Olanrewaju, known as Baba Ijesha, the Lagos State Government has given its stance on the matter. Recall Nollywood actress Iyabo Ojo, comedienne Princess, and others had recently stormed the SCID, Panti, to protest alleged plans to release Baba Ijesha by the police.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Lagos, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, however, told newsmen that there were no plans to release the suspect as wrongly perceived. Wading into the matter, the Lagos State Government in a statement signed Friday, by its Domestic and Sexual Violence Response team said it is actively involved in the case. It further highlighted some sections of the Law dealing with the act and the likely punishment if Baba Ijesha is found guilty.

The copy of the press release below;

Earlier, the 48-year-old Olarenwaju James, popularly known as Baba Ijesha, was arrested on April 22 for allegedly defiling a minor. CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi had said in a statement that preliminary findings revealed that the suspect started assaulting the victim sexually since she was seven years’ old. There was an uproar following a report that a directive had been given for the release of the Nollywood acto from custody. The report was that the suspect could be released as he could not be detained indefinitely due to the ongoing strike by members of the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN). A video of the suspect confessing to the crime and begging for forgiveness had, however, gone viral following the rumour that investigation revealed that Baba Ijesha did not defile the victim. 

Vanguard News Nigeria

The presidency has reacted to accusations levelled against President Muhammadu Buhari by the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom over the insecurity in the country.

Ortom had on Tuesday accused President Buhari of working for the Fulani ethnic stock to take over Nigeria in a reaction to the recent killing of residents allegedly perpetrated by herdsmen.

But the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, condemned Governor Ortom for blaming President Buhari for the deaths.

In a statement titled ‘Governor Ortom Only Sees The Problems Of Others, He Doesn’t See His Own,’ on Thursday Shehu said the President was saddened by the killings in the country as well as the governor’s accusations.

He said, “The President expresses his condolences to the families of our dear citizens who lost their loved ones in the recent spate of killings in Benue State.

“Furthermore, he states that the rising levels of incidents, especially the killings and violence in various parts of the country call for further collaboration with security agencies to curb its recurrence.

“He also states his disappointment and sadness to hear Samuel Ortom, the Governor of Benue State make a litany of accusations against his person and his government following the recent unfortunate incidents in the state.”

‘Deeply pained’

President Buhari and his administration has come under heavy criticism over the violence and killings in several parts of the country. While many critics have accused him of failing to act to secure the nation, Mr Shehu suggested that the government was working to secure the nation.

“No responsible government takes pleasure in such events as the killing of the military and that of innocent citizens taking refuge in an Internally Displaced People’s camp,” he said.

“President Buhari is deeply pained by the terrible acts of violence happening not only in Benue State but also in other parts of the country and expects that the law enforcement agencies will go to every possible extent to catch the perpetrators of these heinous acts and bring them to justice.”

On April 27, after some internally displaced persons were killed in an IDP camp in Benue, Governor Ortom said: “What is happening now, to me, is very clear; Mr President is just working for these Fulanis to take over the whole country.”

“His body language is what is being played out. The body language, the action and inaction of Mr. President shows that he is only the President of Fulani people; I have known this.”

He also lamented that no fewer than 70 people have been killed in the last two weeks in three local governments in the Benue State.

See Garba Shehu’s full statement below:

GOVERNOR ORTOM ONLY SEES THE PROBLEMS OF OTHERS,  HE DOESN’T SEE HIS OWN

The President expresses his condolences to the families of our dear citizens who lost their loved ones in the recent spate of killings in Benue State.

Furthermore, he states that the rising levels of incidents, especially the killings and violence in various parts of the country call for further collaboration with security agencies to curb its recurrence.

He also states his disappointment and sadness to hear Samuel Ortom, the Governor of Benue State make a litany of accusations against his person and his government following the recent unfortunate incidents in the state.

No responsible government takes pleasure in such events as the killing of the military and that of innocent citizens taking refuge in an Internally Displaced People’s camp. President Buhari is deeply pained by the terrible acts of violence happening not only in Benue State but also in other parts of the country and expects that the law enforcement agencies will go to every possible extent to catch the perpetrators of these heinous acts and bring them to justice.

The lives of fellow citizens should not be desecrated by deploying them in political diatribe which unfortunately appeared to be the intent of the string of emotional attacks and blame laid at the doors of the President for those killings by Governor Ortom. President Buhari took an oath to defend the life and property of every citizen, a duty he takes seriously and is committed to ensuring.

Those citizens regardless of their affiliations, who either incite, sponsor or are proven to be abettors of these atrocities will face the law squarely and be answerable for their crimes against our fellow citizens and nation.

President Buhari continuously stresses that the strength of our country lies in our diversity in faith, culture, and traditions and attempts to sharpen the divide between northern and southern Nigeria, between Muslims and Christians, and between communities that have coexisted for centuries should be frowned upon and resisted. As Nigerians, we accuse colonial rulers of the policy of divide and rule. Today, it is our own leaders who put region against region, religion against religion, ethnic group against ethnic group and community against community.

The future of Benue State and indeed that of the entire country lies in harmony and respect for the law, order, and the constitution. It is the only way to achieve progress and development.

While the President will continue to keep security, police and the armed forces on their toes to be on top of their act in troubled parts of the country, the situation in the states will greatly be helped by everyone working together because that is the foundation on which progress and prosperity can be achieved.

Benue under the Ortom administration ought to cooperate with the Federal Government in the implementation of a number of national strategies programs in addressing underlying issues militating against peace, progress and development. This can still get done when the interest of the people is placed above all other interests. A government voted into office by the people, should treat the people as its masters and not as its servants.

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)

April 29, 2021

Mbaka calls for Buhari’s impeachment over rising insecurity

Catholic Priest and spiritual director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria (AMEN), Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka has called for the impeachment of President Muhammadu Buhari over the rising insecurity in the country.

Mbaka stated that it was sad how Buhari could maintain grave silence in the midst of the killings and deaths in the country, insisting that he may have lost touch with realities.

Speaking during worship on Wednesday evening in Enugu, he told his congregation that no civilized leader would remain in power with the spate of violence and ugly deaths that have bedeviled the nation.

“How can people be dying, the chief security officer of the country will be sitting down without making any comment,” Mbaka said.

“Gunmen attacking people everywhere. Buhari should have resigned honorably following his failure as a leader. Let me tell you if it is in a civilized country, by now, President Buhari will resign with what is happening. So it is amazing that he has chosen to sit tight while people are dying anyhow.”

Mbaka called on the National Assembly to swing into action and remove the president, should he fail to resign, saying that Nigerians are faced with great difficulty created by poverty and insecurity.

“Nigerians are crying because there’s no security in the country. The National Assembly should impeach the president if he doesn’t want to resign,” Mbaka said.

Mbaka warned the lawmakers that should they fail to impeach the president and begin to attack him; “…something worse than what they can never imagine will happen to the members.”

Mbaka emphasized that the nation cannot continue the way it is, warning that “enough has to be enough. There is time for everything”

 He also prayed to God to change the heart of the leaders, wondering how someone can become a billionaire with the commonwealth of the people.

Mbaka also frowned at the activities of herdsmen that destroy the farmland of people without any repercussion and called on them to retreat.

He asked church leaders to come together and pray for God’s intervention on the land, insisting that they would not be spared should the present violence and killings continue in the land.

“I plead that the church leaders will understand me as a messenger of God and not begin to attack me because the danger is going to affect the church,” Mbaka said.

“When gunmen begin to strike inside the church, they will begin to kill one man of God or the other or even members of the church, who will go to the church again? The priests will lose their job, the Bishops will lose their jobs. So you better keep quiet or support what I’m saying.”

India’s Death Toll Hits New Record As COVID-19 ‘Tsunami’ Worsens

 India’s daily coronavirus death toll set a new record Saturday as the government battled to get oxygen to hospitals overwhelmed by the hundreds of thousands of new daily cases.

Twenty patients died in one night at one New Delhi hospital suffering from oxygen shortages, medical officials said. A Delhi court said that the new pandemic wave had become “a tsunami”.

Queues of COVID-19 patients and their fearful relatives were growing outside hospitals in major cities across India, the world’s new pandemic hotspot, which has now reported nearly one million new cases in three days.

Another 2,624 deaths were reported in 24 hours, taking the official toll to nearly 190,000 since the pandemic started.

More than 340,000 new cases were also reported, taking India’s total to 16.5 million, second only to the United States.

But many experts are predicting the current wave will not peak for at least three weeks and that the real death toll and case count are much higher.

Germany and Kuwait on Saturday followed the United Arab Emirates, Britain and New Zealand in restricting travel from the country.

 

Police personnel conduct checks on commuters at a temporary check post during the weekend lockdown imposed as a preventive measure against the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in Bangalore on April 24, 2021. (Photo by Manjunath Kiran / AFP)

 

Stung by criticism of its lack of preparation ahead of the wave of infections, the central government has organised special trains to get oxygen supplies to the worst-hit cities.

The Indian air force was also being used to transport oxygen tankers and other supplies around the country and to bring oxygen equipment from Singapore.

The government has also pressed industrialists to increase production of oxygen and life-saving drugs.

One ‘oxygen express’ carrying 30,000 litres for hospitals arrived in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh state, where armed guards were waiting to escort trucks that would carry the oxygen to hospitals.

Lucknow has been one of the worst-hit cities, with hospitals and crematoriums inundated with patients and bodies. Officials said the liquid oxygen would only be enough for half a day’s needs.

Uttar Pradesh, a state of 200 million people, has imposed a weekend lockdown in a bid to curb the spread.

In Delhi, the city government said it would begin setting up buffer stocks of oxygen.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said “the government should take over all oxygen plants through the army”.

Many patients are dying outside hospitals in the capital because of the lack of beds and oxygen.

 

Members of medical staff wearing protective gear carry the dead body of a Covid-19 coronavirus victim at a hospital in Amritsar on April 24, 2021. (Photo by Narinder NANU / AFP)

 

Twenty patients at the Jaipur Golden Hospital in the capital died during the night as it suffered oxygen shortages, the hospital’s director told Indian media.

He said that at one stage on Saturday morning, the reserve was down to 30 minutes and pressure had been reduced for the 200 coronavirus patients, most of whom were on emergency oxygen.

One charity has set up an overflow crematorium in a car park, with makeshift funeral pyres built to deal with the mounting deaths.

A Delhi High Court hearing a special petition on the pandemic measures said Saturday: “We’re calling it a wave, it’s actually a tsunami.”

Tight Security At National Assembly Over Alleged Security Threat

 

 

Increased security was observed at the National Assembly on Thursday as security agents spent more time inspecting vehicles coming into the assembly complex.

The search of vehicles was more intense than normal causing a long queue at the entrance into the assembly, Channels Television correspondent observed.

Staff and journalists also spent more time trying to get into the complex.

According to reports, there was an alleged security threat which necessitated the tighter inspection.

The country has been experiencing a wave of insecurity issues, including but not limited to an insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, secessionist agitations in the South-East and Fulani-Herdsmen crises across the Middle-Belt and several South-West states.

Earlier this week, Governor, Abubakar Bello, said the Federal Capital Territory was no longer safe after Boko Haram terrorists took over a community in Niger State.

Niger shares a long border with the FCT.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday sought the assistance of the United States in fighting insecurity across the country.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday also inaugurated a 40-man committee to find a solution to the country’s security challenges. The Committee is set to hold a four-day security summit in May.

Culled from Channelstv.com

FG Declares May 3 Public Holiday To Mark Workers Day

The Federal Government has declared Monday, May 3, 2021, as a public holiday to mark this year’s International Workers Day Celebration.

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, made the announcement in a statement on Thursday.

Aregbesola who congratulated the Nigerian Workers for witnessing this year’s celebration commended them for their patience, understanding, and support in driving the policies and programmes of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, in its determination to move the country to the next level of its socio-economic development.

He called for more dedication and patriotism from all Nigerian Workers and the Labour Unions, saying the challenges of the moment will soon be over as the government is committed to the security of lives and properties of all Nigerians.

“ The Government is putting all strategies in place to curb the challenges of insecurity in the country.

“I, therefore, call on the Labour Force and all patriotic citizens to be fully committed to the task of putting insecurity to a permanent end as much as possible,” he added.

The minister wished all Nigerian Workers a peaceful May Day Celebration.

Rape Case: Davido slams Yomi Fabiyi for supporting Baba Ijesha

Davido has taken to social media to slam actor, Yomi Fabiyi over his purported support form embattled actor Baba Ijesha who was accused of defiling a minor.

In a post he made on his Instagram page, Yomi Fabiyi called out some of his colleagues who, according to him, come out to cast aspersions on a fallen man because they believe no one can help them.

The actor went on to say that he does not support evil or crime against women and children, but that he will always use his common sense and conscience in every situation.

He wrote:

Sometimes COMMON SENSE and CAUTION are needed more irrespective of ones personality and principle to serious issues or whatever you know. I am not going to be part of a bad antecedent. If my words come ambiguous, seek understanding before rushing to hurt your colleague online, too low and dirty.

I will continue to fight for what is right and I will never condone anyone reading negative meaning or isolate my words just to give a dog a bad name and subject to cyber bullying.

Gbogbo wa ni isowo ogun oh.

However, we all must be united on the bigger picture and the serious issue at hand. Focus to be hugely on the mental health of the minor and her guardians AND not to twist words or engage in needless drama of distractions. Count me out of social media or industry beef or recklessness

Fair trial, protection of human rights, and justice is crucial for the public to be on the right path.

Seek every protection to children and minors around you. SAY NO TO RAPE, SAY NO TO SEXUAL HARRASMENT, SAY NO TO CHILD ABUSE.

 Reacting to his post Davido simply shared a picture of the actor writing; 

Video emerges of crew of sunken Indonesia submarine

A poignant video has emerged showing the crew of a sunken Indonesian submarine singing happily together onboard their vessel.

 The video, filmed a few weeks before the KRI Nanggala 402 went down with all hands lost, shows some of the 53-strong crew singing “Sampai Jumpa”, an Indonesian hit whose title means “Goodbye”.

Submarine commander Heri Oktavian is among those gathered around a seaman strumming an acoustic guitar.

“Even though I’m not ready to be missing you, I’m not ready to live without you,” the sailors sing.

“I wish all the best for you.”

The video was recorded as a farewell for the outgoing commander of the navy’s submarine corps, whose successor took up his role in early March, Indonesian military spokesman Djawara Whimbo told AFP.

The German-built submarine — one of five in Indonesia’s fleet — disappeared early Wednesday while it was scheduled to do live torpedo training exercises off Bali.

Indonesia’s military announced Sunday it had found the vessel in pieces on the seafloor, around 800 metres (2,600 feet) below the surface.

How to Make Delicious Peanut Burger

 

What Is Peanut Burger?

Contrary to what some in the West might think, peanut burger is not a hamburger made out of peanuts. Rather, it is a popular West African snack that is loved by kids and adults alike. Made by coating peanuts (also called groundnuts) and then frying them, this snack is easy, inexpensive and delicious.

Peanut burger is best stored in an airtight container, preferably a jar.

Ingredients

• 3 cups raw peanuts (groundnuts)
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 2 or 3 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 cups vegetable oil

Instructions

1. You can use already roasted groundnuts (peanuts). But if you have raw peanuts, you can roast or fry them yourself. For extra flavor, I start the frying process by first soaking the peanuts in hot water for 15 minutes, then I drain and dry the peanuts for 1 hour. Next, I pour in a nice layer of table salt in a pan and then I fry (roast) the peanuts in the salt until they are brown. Sieve out the peanuts in a tray and leave them to cool.
2. Break the eggs into a bowl and add the salt and sugar. Whisk together.
3. In a bigger bowl, pour in the roasted peanuts. Pour in 1 tablespoon of the whisked egg and toss the peanuts. Next, pour in 1 tablespoon of flour and toss.
4. Repeat the process until both the flour and the eggs are exhausted. This will give you finely coated peanuts.
5. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the coated peanuts until they are nice and brown.
6. Your yummy peanut burger is ready.

Variations

• For extra flavor, you can add a drop of vanilla to the egg mixture.
• You can also add 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg and 1 teaspoon of powdered milk to the flour and mix.
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