Akwa Ibom state governor's wife passes on

 

The Akwa Ibom state government has announced the passing of Pastor Mrs Patience Umo Eno, the wife of the state governor, Pastor Umo Eno. 

The State Commissioner for Information, Ini Ememobong, in a statement released this morning September 27, said late Mrs Eno d!ed following a yet undisclosed illness.

Ememobong’s statement tagged “Unexpected Sunset” reads;

“It is with heavy hearts that we (Akwa Ibom Government) announce the passing of the Wife of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Her Excellency, Pastor Mrs Patience Umo Eno, following an illness.

She passed away peacefully at the hospital, on 26th September, 2024, in the presence of her family. The family submits to the will of the Almighty and asks for the prayers and support of kind-hearted individuals during this difficult time.

Further details will be provided by the family as necessary. In the meantime, the family kindly requests privacy as they mourn their beloved wife, mother and grandmother.

His Excellency, the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno appreciates all who have stood by the first family in this period and assures all the citizens that despite this huge personal loss, his commitment to the service of the state is unwavering''

Justin Bieber sparks concern for his health with "gaunt appearance" as he's seen for the first time since Diddy's arrest

Singer Justin Bieber has sparked concern for his health after he stepped out in public looking thinner.

The popstar, who recently became a first-time father, stepped out this week for the first time since his former mentor Sean "Diddy" Combs was indicted on s£x trafficking charges last week.

The pair's previously close bond has been re-examined online as videos of them partying emerged when Justin was just 15-years-old.

Justin was spotted along with wife Hailey Bieber in Los Angeles as they attended a church together on Wednesday, September 25.

But the images of Justin - who has not been seen in weeks - shocked fans who quickly pointed out that he is looking gaunt and different from his usual self.

 

 

 

 

Fans of Justin took to social media to talk about their concern for the hitmaker.

One wrote: "Justin don't look healthy."

Another added: "He looks like he’s going through it . I don’t see happiness. Praying for him and what he went through."

A third person said: "Justin looks rough. Maybe being a new parent is hard or that diddy stuff is really getting to him."

Another wrote: "He doesn't look healthy and that hurts my heart."

Videos featuring a young Bieber and Sean "Diddy" Combs have resurfaced, raising eyebrows in the wake of the millionaire rapper's arrest earlier this month.

Combs, 54, was arrested at a New York City hotel on September 16 and later jailed without bail on federal charges of s£x trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs denies the charges, with his lawyer describing the music mogul as "an innocent man with nothing to hide."

As Combs remains incarcerated at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Centre, it's claimed Bieber is aware of his long-time friend and collaborator's legal troubles but is focusing his attention on parenthood instead.

A source close to Bieber, who recently welcomed son Jack into the world with wife Hailey Bieber, added the new dad has been "in a happy bubble" since Jack was born and “just wants to focus on being a great dad and husband.”

NSCDC arrests five suspected vandals in Abuja

Operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command have arrested five suspected vandals at two different locations in Abuja city center.

The spokesperson of the Corps, CSC Samuel Idoko, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, said two of the suspects, Suleiman Ibrahim, Male, 17 years, from Kano State and Abubakar Zakari, Male, 22 years also from Kano State were arrested around Wuse Market Bridge with iron poles by the operatives of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI) Department of the Command on routine patrol.

“The duo were trailed from the Arts and Culture Complex, Area 10, Garki, Abuja where they had vandalized the iron poles and were moving it to where they would sell to an already known buyers, they are currently giving useful information that will lead to the arrest of the buyers,” the statement read. 

"In a similar development, operatives of the anti-vandal unit of the Command acting on a tip off, arrested three (3) suspected vandals around Durumi 2 pantaker market, Abuja.

"The suspects, Aliyu Danladi, Male, 37 years from Kano State, Jamilu Abdulrahaman, Male, 25 years from Zamfara State and Usman Ibrahim, Male, 38 years from Sokoto State, were arrested at about midnight while attempting to move suspected stolen and vandalised items to the place where they would be sold.

"Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are part of a syndicate and are always in possession of items suspected to have been vandalised or stolen.

"The items recovered from them include three (3) Electronic bill boards, two (2) Solar batteries, one (1) Gas cylinder, one (1) Generator set, one (1) Refrigerator gas cylinder, one (1) Iron hammer, one (1) Big Iron scissors, one (1) Air Conditioner gas pipe, Abuja vehicle plate number, two (2) Iron Pinches, one (1) Machete, and two (2) Plastic drums.

"According to findings, buyers come to the location where they were arrested at ungodly hours with trucks to buy the items and convey them to destinations yet to be known.

"The FCT Commandant of NSCDC, Olusola Odumosu, PhD, once again called for the regulation of pantaker markets in the FCT as they have become notorious places where vandalised and stolen items are sold.

"If we must rid the FCT of scavengers and vandals who are sabotaging the efforts of the government on infrastructural development, then, there is an urgent need to regulate pantaker markets in the Federal Capital, Territory"

"The majority of stolen and vandalised items from road and railway corridors, including household items as well as electrical installations find their way into the hands of waiting buyers at the pantaker markets and this has become increasingly worrisome", he said.

Investigation is currently ongoing to ensure that justice is served and the perpetrators of these heinous crimes would be held accountable and made to face the full wrath of the law as the NSCDC, FCT Command has zero tolerance for vandalism." 

 

 

Bobrisky: NBA demands probe of N15m bribery allegation against EFCC

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed concern over allegations that officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accepted a N15 million bribe to drop a money laundering case against convicted crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky.

In a statement issued by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the NBA applauded the EFCC for its prompt decision to investigate the matter and called for an independent inquiry by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Describing the allegations as disturbing, the NBA emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to determine whether the bribe was indeed paid and whether such practices occur to influence the charges against defendants in criminal cases. The legal body stated that the investigation would also assess the transparency of the investigative process and the procedures used for charging defendants in court.

Additionally, the NBA urged the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to address claims that Bobrisky did not serve his sentence in a correctional facility and to provide clear details regarding the conditions under which his sentence was served.

“The NBA acknowledges that all individuals and institutions accused are entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty,” the statement read.

“However, we insist that a swift and thorough investigation be carried out to establish the truth. If any public official is found culpable, appropriate legal actions must be taken to hold them accountable. If it is proven that he was allowed to serve his sentence outside a Correctional Facility, in breach of the law and a court order, the officers and officials responsible must be prosecuted and dismissed from service. Any person found complicit must face the full weight of the law,” the NBA added.

FG increases allowance of NYSC members from N33,000 to N77,000

The Federal Government has approved the increment of corps members’ monthly allowance from N33,000 to N77,000, effective from July 2024. 

The increment was announced on Wednesday evening, September 25, in a statement posted by the National Youth Service Corps on its official Facebook page.

The statement reads;

“The Federal Government has approved the increment of Corps Members’ monthly allowance to Seventy-Seven Thousand Naira (N77,000) with effect from July 2024.

This is in line with the enactment of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024. This was contained in a letter from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, dated 25th September 2024 and signed by the Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta.

Prior to this, the Director General, NYSC Brigadier General YD Ahmed, had paid an advocacy visit to the Chairman in which he solicited for a robust welfare package for Corps Members.

The NYSC Boss is thankful to the Federal Government for the timely gesture and is optimistic that it will not only bring much needed succor to the Corps Members, but also boost their morale and motivate them to do even more, in their service to the nation.”

Bobrisky Saga: Falz gives VeryDarkMan 24 hours to apologize and retract his statement

Rapper, Folarin Falana aka Falz has given VeryDarkMan 24 hours to apologize and retract his comment about him. 

Recall that on Tuesday September 24th, social activist VeryDarkMan released a purported audio conversation between Bobrisky and a male friend in which Bob claimed he spoke with Falz in prison and that Falz and his dad, Femi Falana, SAN, tried to get him a presidential pardon.

VDM, in his reaction, expressed disgust at Falz and his father for associating with Bobrisky and even asked if Falz ‘dey do.’

Falz in a statement from his father’s chambers which was released this evening, confirmed that Bobrisky reached out to him on May 4 to ask for N3 million to secure a VIP section in the prison. He, however said he refused to give Bobrisky any money. He said VDM’s comment portrayed him to be a homos£xual, one to pervert the cause of justice and a complicit in the upturning of justice for financial gains.

Falz said VDM also portrayed him as a fake human rights activist without contacting him to hear his side of the story.

The rapper, through his lawyers, has demanded an ‘immediate retraction of the offensive and derogatory publication' as well as an apology prominently published on all the platforms to which he has disseminated it without any justification whatsoever.

The lawyers say that if VDM fails to do this within 24 (twenty-four) hours, they would seek appropriate legal remedies, including monetary damages against VDM.

 

Diddy suggests Prince Harry and William were invited to his parties in resurfaced chat

 

Sean "Diddy" Combs joked about inviting Prince William and Prince Harry to one of his parties years before the recent allegations about him and his freak-off parties came to light. 

The record label boss was arrested by federal agents this week after a number of civil lawsuits accusing him of sex trafficking, sexual abuse and rape.

It is alleged victims at Diddy's Freak Off parties were drugged and forced to have s3x. In some cases, attendees claim they were left with such severe injuries that they needed weeks to recover.

Amid the case, a 2011 interview on the Graham Norton Show has resurfaced. In it, Diddy suggested he had invited Prince Harry and Prince William to one of his parties in their younger days. 

Graham asked: "I read that you want to get Prince William and Prince Harry to the Diddy party."

Diddy replied: "Not anymore, they're off the list. But before, when they were young bucks they were getting up to trouble themselves. So I was like, 'Hey, why don't you come out and hang with me'."

There is no evidence the royal brothers ever attended. 

Harry was named in one of the lawsuits against Diddy but is not accused of any wrongdoing. 

Producer Mr Jones states in the document, which was first filed in February, that people were drawn to the rapper because of his access to high-profile figures such as Harry. 

According to Page Six, the Duke of Sussex and his brother William both met Diddy in 2007.

They hosted a party to thank everyone who took part in the “Concert for Diana” benefit at Wembley Stadium. At the concert, Diddy performed his 1997 hit "I’ll Be Missing You" which had originally been intended as a eulogy to the Notorious B.I.G.

At the backstage party after the show, Prince William was pictured shaking hands with the rapper, and Prince Harry was snapped embracing Diddy and rival rapper Kanye West.

"I was hungry" - Man says as court sentences him to six months imprisonment for stealing three yam tubers in Osun

 

An Osun State Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Osogbo on Monday, September 23, sentenced an aluminium worker, Sunday Ejoh, to six months imprisonment for stealing three tubers of yam.

Ejoh who appeared before Magistrate Mr M. Olatunji, had been arraigned on one count of theft of the yam, valued at N3,000.

Giving the facts of the case, the prosecutor in charge, Mr Jacob Akintunde, said, “Ejoh, on September 22nd, 2024, did steal three tubers of yam valued at N3,000 belonging to one Oluwole Durojaye.”

The prosecutor stated that the stolen tubers, a cutlass, and a pair of slippers were recovered from the defendant.

He added that the offence committed was contrary to and punishable under “Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Law of Osun State, Nigeria 2002.”

The artisan, who had no legal representation, pleaded guilty, stating that hunger had compelled him to commit the crime.

 "I was hungry, and I have a family," he told the court. 

Delivering judgment on the matter, Magistrate Olatunji found the defendant guilty and subsequently sentenced him to “six months’ imprisonment with an option of a N25,000 fine.”

Olatunji also directed that the stolen yam should be returned to the owner. 

Two suspected drug dealers arrested with 120 wraps of cocaine in Lagos

 

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two suspected drug dealers for possession of 120 pellets of a substance suspected to be cocaine.

The spokesperson of the command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, September 20, 2024, said the suspects were arrested in the Ojo area of the state following a tip-off. 

“The duo of Sunday Nwabufor ‘m’ aged 47 of Festac and Obinna Nweke ‘m’ aged 45 of Ketu Mile 12 were arrested by officers of Ojo Division on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at about 1400hrs in the Ojo area of Lagos State following a tip-off. They were found with 120 wraps of substance suspected to be cocaine,” he stated.