Why we kidnapped our grandma- Madueke brothers:

BY VINCENT UJUMADU, Awka  LAST year December, Madam Adafor Madueke, an 89 year-old grandmother, was full of life as she was expecting her children and grand children residing outside her Amaeku village, Adazi Ani in Anaocha local government area of Anambra State, to return for Christmas celebrations.  Madueke111The period usually provided her the opportunity to meet her loved ones and spend quality time with them.  However, unknown to Madam Madueke, two of her grandsons, Kingsley Chukwuebuka Madueke, 24, and Matthew Edozie Madueke, 22, were planning evil against her.  The two, who are undergraduates, had perfected plans with two other students, Chukwunonso Onuzulike, 23, from Enugu State and Gabriel Nnaji, 25, also from Enugu State, to abduct the Octogenarian for the purpose of extorting money from their uncle who had been responsible for their education over the years.  Chukwunonso, who is a graduate of Political Science at Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam campus and leader of a cult group, the Black Axe Confraternity in the university, as well as his other accomplice, Gabriel, who is a 400 –level public administration student of the same university, were contacted by Kingsley Madueke to assist him in executing the job.  The first meeting among the four persons took place on December 14, 2013 and by December 17, 2013, they had concluded arrangements on how to kidnap the woman. Though Gabriel Nnaji, the leader of the gang, said he was worried about the age of the woman and told her grandsons that the woman might not survive the ordeal, Kingsley Madueke insisted that the job must be done as they wanted to show off with the money from the kidnap during the Christmas celebration.  Christmas celebration  For the abduction proper, the four persons on December 16, 2013, snatched one of the shuttle buses belonging to Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka with which they carried the woman to a bush in Igbariam in Anambra East local government area of the state and kept her there throughout the period they were negotiating with members of the family.  While negotiation was going on, other members of the family never imagined that two of their members, Kingsley and Matthew, were the brains behind the kidnap.  The kidnap kingpins started negotiation for N50 million and eventually settled for N3 million.  For payment of the ransom, the Madueke family was directed to take the money to Obolo Afor, a border town between Enugu and Benue states on December 23, 2013, while the woman was released at Oyeagu, Abagana in Njikoka local government area of Anambra State on December 24, 2013. One week later, Madam Madueke died, apparently as a result of her ordeal in the custody of the kidnappers.  Nnaji, the leader of the gang, took N2 million as the boss and shared N1 million to the other five accomplices, including the grandsons of the woman. Matthew Madueke had spent only N20000 from his loot before the men of the Directorate of State Security, DSS, apprehended him and recovered N180000.  The body of Madam Madueke is still kept in the mortuary, apparently because the family is yet to raise funds for the burial, while all the people involved in the kidnap are cooling off at the Anambra State headquarters of the DSS.  Anambra State Director of State Security Services, DSS, Mr. Alex Okeiyi, while parading the kidnap suspects, said anybody planning to kidnap somebody in the state should know that he is taking a very big risk because his men have mastered all their plans.  “As it is, it is very difficult for a kidnap operation to succeed because we know more than the kidnappers know,” he said.  Looking sober in his handcuff, Kingsley Madueke told Crime Alert that he planned the kidnap of his grandmother because he and his brother, Matthew, were finding things difficult financially in school because their father was having family problems with their uncle who stopped assisting them in school.  The misunderstanding between their father and uncle, he said, started two years ago, adding that it was because of it that their uncle stopped assisting them financially in school, thereby making things difficult for them.  Kidnapping of grandma  Kingsley said: “I felt that the only way to get money from my uncle was by kidnapping our grandmother. At the time I nursed the idea of kidnapping grandma, it never occurred to me that she might not survive the hardship associated with kidnapping because of her age.  With her death and what is happening to us, I have realized the grave mistake I made in the first place.  I don’t know what will be my fate and that of my brother and I don’t even know how we are going to face members of our family. But my hope is that what had happened may lead to reconciliation between my father and my uncle,”he stated.  Okeiyi, the DSS state director said the suspects will soon appear in court. -

Vanguard...

Valentine: ancient tradition force Japanese women to buy gifts for lovers -

Japanese women flocked to department stores Thursday to buy Valentine’s Day chocolates for all the men in their lives, but more of them this year are dispensing with tradition and treating themselves or their friends.  In much of the West, February 14 is a day when men can sink or swim on their ability to make impressive dinner plans or buy a suitable bunch of flowers.  But in Japan it is the women who make the running, buying “honmei” (true love) chocolates for the husband or lover, and “giri” (obligation) treats for colleagues and bosses.  The custom stretches back to the late 1950s when a firm called Mary Chocolate began advertising Valentine’s Day as “the only day of the year a woman professes her love through presenting chocolate”.  Sayaka Aizawa, a 29-year-old housewife shopping for sweets at the Matsuzakaya department store in Tokyo, was unaware other countries celebrated the day differently.  “I have never thought of it. I thought women were supposed to give chocolate. I wish I were receiving them, but it’s not happening in Japan,” she said.  While chocolate-buying boyfriends and husbands remained few and far between on Thursday, not all the confectionery was intended for men.  “There are many women customers buying chocolate for themselves or for their female friends this year,” said store employee Chiyuki Daido, adding purchases were ranging from 3,000 yen to 15,000 yen ($30-$150).  These increasingly popular “tomo” (friend) chocolates are the industry’s attempt to squeeze more cash out of a shrinking population.  And while there is no campaign advocating splashing out on a box for personal consumption, some women said they would be giving into temptation.  “I want to buy one for myself if I can find a good one,” said Emi Kosaka, a 37-year-old corporate executive. “There are quite a lot of varieties around.”  An assortment of chocolates — milk, dark, white and even green tea variety — lined the impressive glass displays.  Belgian chocolatier Wittamer was proudly showing off a life-size chocolate squirrel eating a nut in its window, with a price tag of 10,500 yen ($102).  Elsewhere chocolates in the shape of miniature teddy bears, cakes and butterflies were being delicately gift-wrapped by shopkeepers.  Japan’s $4 billion-a-year chocolate business is driven by special days like Valentine’s, which set the cash tills ringing.  The country is Asia’s largest market for chocolate and accounts for a hefty slice of the world’s pie, which consultancy KPMG says was worth about $100 billion in 2012.  But lest any male think he’s got away with it too easily, Friday marks the beginning of the countdown to White Day — March 14th — when men have to buy gifts for all the women in their lives.  “I know this is unique to Japan,” said corporate executive Kosaka. “But it’s okay with me. This is a chance to buy a lot of chocolate.” -

vanguard

How to make Samosa:

Samosa is an Indian delicacy but Nigerians love it so much!  It is now a constant feature at every party. Be sure to look for it in the small chops section and hurry because it is usually one of the first to disappear.

Ingredients:

1 cup maida (all-purpose flour)
2 tbsp oil
large pinch ajwain (optional)
enough water to knead the maida
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
For the filling:
2 boiled potatoes, crumble
1/4 cup boiled peas
1/4 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1/2 tsp coriander pwd
pinch cumin pwd
pinch kasuri methi
dash of lemon juice
pinch of garam masala
chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

Mix the floor with salt, oil and ghee, combine to form a crumbly mixture. Now slowly add enough water to make a pliable dough, not too soft. Divide the dough and shape into balls. Keep aside covered with moist cloth for 15-20 mts.
Meanwhile, heat a vessel, add oil, add cumin seeds and allow to brown. Add the ginger, spice powders and a tbsp of water and saute for a few secs. Add the crumbled potato and boiled peas and cook over medium flame for a few minutes, approx 3-4 mts. Add kasuri methi and lemon juice, combine. Add the coriander leaves and turn off heat.
Now that the stuffing is ready, prepare the outer layer for the samosas.
Roll each ball with the rolling pin into a slightly thin puri, slightly elongated in shape. Take a knife and divide the rolled puri into two by cutting through the center.
Now take a semi-circle piece of the roti, and make a fold in the shape of a triangle. Seal along the fold. Now place this cone between your thumb and index finger and place a ball of the stuffing inside. Wet your finger and run it along the edges of the dough with water and seal to enclose the stuffing.
Press the ends firmly so that the filling does not come out during the deep frying process. Prepare with the rest of the dough in the same manner.
Heat enough oil in a wide vessel to deep fry the samosas. Heat the oil till hot but not piping hot. Reduce flame to low medium and drop 2-3 samosas into the oil slowly and deep fry them till golden brown, turning them carefully to the other side so that it cooks on all sides. Deep fry on low to medium heat and not piping hot oil.
Remove onto absorbent paper and serve warm over a cup of chai.

Note:

Its better to make samosas in batches. Roll out, stuff and deep fry 3-4 samosas at a time (batch-wise). While preparing the next batch of samosas, reduce the stove flame and carry out the process. When deep frying the next batch, see that the oil is hot enough to deep fry. Keep the prepared samosas covered through out the preparation process.

Samosa is an Indian delicacy but Nigerians love it so much!
It is now a constant feature at every party. Be sure to look for it in the small chops section and hurry because it is usually one of the first to disappear.
- See more at: http://www.allnigerianrecipes.com/small-chops/indian-samosa.html#sthash.6npG7PLX.dpuf

Samosa is an Indian delicacy but Nigerians love it so much!
It is now a constant feature at every party. Be sure to look for it in the small chops section and hurry because it is usually one of the first to disappear.
- See more at: http://www.allnigerianrecipes.com/small-chops/indian-samosa.html#sthash.6npG7PLX.dpuf

Father, 2 daughters die as vehicle plunges into Lagos lagoon -

 LAGOS — Three members of the same family died early, yesterday, in Lagos as the vehicle in which they were travelling plunged into Ikota river on Lekki-Epe expressway. The accident, which occurred at about 1: 00 am, less than 50 metres from the second toll gate, claimed the lives of father and two daughters, while the wife, who sustained serious injuries, is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.  Vanguard gathered that driver of the vehicle, a Toyota 4 Runner Sports Utility Van, SUV, with registration LAGOS DN 866 JJJ, was trying to avoid an articulated vehicle when he veered off the road and plunged into the river. A source said the man and his two daughters died instantly, while the wife was rescued with serious injuries. It was learnt that the victims were flung into the river as soon as the vehicle hit the waters and this reportedly created a challenge for the rescue team in recovering their bodies.  Officials of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Lekki Concession Company, LCC, and Lagos State Ambulance Services, LASAMBUS, were seen at the accident scene at about 9:00 am recovering the vehicle from the river, after the victims had been taken to the mortuary.  An official of LASEMA, who craved anonymity, confirmed three deaths and one survivor, explaining that the accident occurred because the driver of the SUV tried to avoid an articulated vehicle close to Ikota river bridge and, thereafter, plunged into the river.  One of the front tyres of the SUV pulled off as a result of impact of the crash. Though the accident occurred very early in the morning, the scene attracted a huge crowd of onlookers, with accompanying traffic gridlock. -

Vanguard........

MAN THREATEN TO COMMIT SUICIDE ON VALANTINES' DAY

A 57-year old man, Denis Amayo, has threatened to commit suicide on Valentine’s Day (14 February) should Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State fail to pay his eight-month pension arrears.
Amayo who addressed journalists in Benin this morning, said he served the state meritoriously for 35 years in the Ministry of Agriculture and retired in August last year.
A document he tendered showed that he joined the then Bendel State Ministry of Agriculture on July 7, 1978 and retired as a field overseer last year.
He said the death of his father whose corpse is in the mortuary, necessitated his demand for the payment of his pension arrears.
“I am my father’s first born. It will be immoral of me to task my younger ones to bring money for his burial while I cannot bring anything for the burial,” he stated.
In his hand-written petition to Governor Oshiomhole, the Igbanke-born father of four said the state was owing him “eight months pension arrears,” adding “please sir, pay me before February 14, 2014. I lost my father, otherwise, I will commit suicide.”
He warned that should the governor failed to pay him, he will sacrifice his life to raise awareness for other pensioners owed several months of unpaid pensions.

PMNEW

Today is Facebook's 10th anniversary.

Read  Mark Zuckerberg's words and wish facebook happy birthday!

It's been an amazing journey so far, and I'm so grateful to be a part of it. It's rare to be able to touch so many people's lives, and I try to remind myself to make the most of every day and have the biggest impact I can.

People often ask if I always knew that Facebook would become what it is today. No way.

I remember getting pizza with my friends one night in college shortly after opening Facebook. I told them I was excited to help connect our school community, but one day someone needed to connect the whole world.

I always thought this was important -- giving people the power to share and stay connected, empowering people to build their own communities themselves.

When I reflect on the last 10 years, one question I ask myself is: why were we the ones to build this? We were just students. We had way fewer resources than big companies. If they had focused on this problem, they could have done it.

The only answer I can think of is: we just cared more.

While some doubted that connecting the world was actually important, we were building. While others doubted that this would be sustainable, you were forming lasting connections.

We just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today.

That's why I'm even more excited about the next ten years than the last. The first ten years were about bootstrapping this network. Now we have the resources to help people across the world solve even bigger and more important problems.

Today, only one-third of the world's population has access to the internet. In the next decade, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to connect the other two-thirds.

Today, social networks are mostly about sharing moments. In the next decade, they'll also help you answer questions and solve complex problems.

Today, we have only a few ways to share our experiences. In the next decade, technology will enable us to create many more ways to capture and communicate new kinds of experiences.

It's been amazing to see how all of you have used our tools to build a real community. You've shared the happy moments and the painful ones. You've started new families, and kept spread out families connected. You've created new services and built small businesses. You've helped each other in so many ways.

I'm so grateful to be able to help build these tools for you. I feel a deep responsibility to make the most of my time here and serve you the best I can.

Thank you for letting me be a part of this journey.

Police nab 22-yr-old for cloning Egba monarch’s facebook -

Police nab 22-yr-old for cloning Egba monarch’s facebook -

LAGOS—A middle-aged man, Gani Akinmade, has been arrested by operatives of the Special Fraud Unit, Milverton, Ikoyi, Lagos, for allegedly   cloning the identity of the  Alake of Egbaland on facebook, with an attempt to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.  The Commissioner of Police SFU, Tunde Ogunsakin, in a statement said the unit received a complaint on  July 22, 2013, where it was alleged that between May 3 and 22, 2013, a frausdster with phone number 08096897566 opened a facebook account with the name of HRM Oba Micheal Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, the Alake of Egbaland and attempted to swindle one Olubukola Awofeso, a UK resident whom he met on social network facebook, of  N300,000.00.  The suspect was also said to have attempted to lure the victim to partner in a business of supplying 300 transformers valued at more than N1 billion. The said Gani Akinmade is 22-year-old and a native of Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State.  A drop-out of Tai Solarin College of Education, Ijebu-Ode. He confessed to the crime but stated that he conspired with one Seyi Lewis and Ifeanyi to perpetrate the fraud. -

Culled from Vanguard.

The Unbelievable Reason Why 18-year girl Gave Her 3-Month-Old Baby 'Otapiapia' Poison:

The Unbelievable Reason Why 18-year girl Gave Her 3-Month-Old Baby 'Otapiapia' Poison:

An 18-year-old girl identified as Aisha Abdullahi has been arrested by the police in Taraba state after she allegedly poisoned her 3-month-old baby, Ibrahim Ubale with 'otapiapia,' a local poison which she bought for N200.
Aisha who admitted killing her son said she did it because he was a bastard. She said her kin, neighbours and even her mother had tagged the baby a 'bastard child' and she had received all manner of insults.
"People said that I was carrying a bastard child and that, even the man, Safiyanu Ubale, who is responsible for the pregnancy, denied it and left me to take care of the baby alone. Even my own mother complained that she had grown tired of taking care of me and my bastard child, whenever we had a misunderstanding."
Speaking about the incident, Madam Maimuna Zakari who reported the case to the police, she reported the case so that the woman can pay for her wicked act.
Confirming the incident, the district police officer, Ukam Stephen said that the suspect confessed to the crime and that the bottle containing the substance was found empty at the scene, adding that the case has since been transferred to the state CID for necessary investigations.

Naij

Breast cancer prevention: How to reduce your risk

Breast cancer prevention starts with healthy habits — such as limiting alcohol and staying physically active. Understand what you can do to reduce your breast cancer risk. By Mayo Clinic Staff

If you're concerned about breast cancer, you may be wondering if there are steps you can take toward breast cancer prevention. Some risk factors, such as family history, can't be changed. However, there are lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk.

What can I do to reduce my risk of breast cancer?

Lifestyle changes have been shown in studies to decrease breast cancer risk even in high-risk women.  The following are steps you can take to lower your risk:

• Limit alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. If you choose to drink alcohol — including beer, wine or liquor — limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.
• Don't smoke. Accumulating evidence suggests a link between smoking and breast cancer risk, particularly in premenopausal women. In addition, not smoking is one of the best things you can do for your overall health.
• Control your weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This is especially true if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause.
• Be physically active. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly, plus strength training at least twice a week.
• Breast-feed. Breast-feeding may play a role in breast cancer prevention. The longer you breast-feed, the greater the protective effect.
• Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy for more than three to five years increases the risk of breast cancer. If you're taking hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms, ask your doctor about other options. You may be able to manage your symptoms with nonhormonal therapies, such as physical activity. If you decide that the benefits of short-term hormone therapy outweigh the risks, use the lowest dose that works for you.
• Avoid exposure to radiation and environmental pollution. Medical-imaging methods, such as computerized tomography, use high doses of radiation, which have been linked with breast cancer risk. Reduce your exposure by having such tests only when absolutely necessary. While more studies are needed, some research suggests a link between breast cancer and exposure to the chemicals found in some workplaces, gasoline fumes and vehicle exhaust.

Can a healthy diet prevent breast cancer?

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables hasn't been consistently shown to offer protection from breast cancer. In addition, a low-fat diet appears to offer only a slight reduction in the risk of breast cancer.
However, eating a healthy diet may decrease your risk of other types of cancer, as well as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. A healthy diet can also help you maintain a healthy weight — a key factor in breast cancer prevention.

How I Stabbed My Wife To Death With A Spoon – Convict Confesses

A man identified as Edet Okon has been sentenced to death by hanging by a Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos for stabbing his wife to death with a spoon in the dead of night.
Okon, who had earlier been found guilty of the offence of murder by a Lagos State High Court and sentenced to death by hanging, had approached the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal in 2010 to reverse the decision of the lower court but a three-man panel of the court of appeal, led by Justice Joseph Ikyegh, ordered that Okon be hanged for intentionally killing his wife.
Justice Ikyegh, who read the lead judgement, held that Mrs. Okon's blood was crying for vengeance and the "appellant should reap what he has sown blood for blood."
Okon had claimed at the court that he was insane at the time he stabbed his wife to death with a 'spoon' in the middle of the night. He said he had thypoid and was not with his senses. Two family members had also testified that mental illness was a common trait in the Okon family.
Okon's evidence that he suffered typhoid and suddenly woke up at night and engaged in a struggle with his wife, the court held, was rightly rejected by the lower court.
According to the court of appeal, the burden of proving insanity was entirely on the appellant and Okon failed to prove that he was not only insane, but was also not in control of himself at the time of committing the offence.
The justices of the Court of Appeal said there was no medical evidence to prove the state of the mind of the appellant at the point of the offence.

NAIJ.