The Police escorts attached to Nigerian Grammy award-winning singer Damini Ogulu popularly called Burna Boy have broken silence over firing shots at fun-seekers at the Cubana Club in victoria Island, Lagos.
This comes barely a week after the married woman involved in the shooting incident gave her own version of the details of what transpired at the club in a series of social media posts.
Speaking with Vanguard, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi said the arrested police escorts, during interrogation, denied firing shots at the party and insisted that the bullet fired was not from their rifles.
The policemen were said to have argued that there were other uniformed policemen within the premises of the club when the incident happened.
The Police Public Relations Officer added that they have resorted to carrying out a ballistic investigation on the escorts’ riffles to know if they fired any shots or not.
Muyiwa Adejobi said: “Policemen attached to Burna Boy are under investigation because of the shooting at the club. Detectives have not been able to get the person who pulled the trigger because the policemen denied doing so.
“We have resorted to carrying out ballistic investigation on their rifles, to know if they fired any shot or not. They said they did not fire a shot but we just can’t believe the claim. We need an expert opinion to determine that. The outcome of the result will determine either to exonerate them or to nail them.”
MY attention has been drawn to a recent publication on webpage of sahara reporters titled “EXCLUSIVE: Anti-graft Agency, ICPC Uncovers Billions In Cash Meant For Arms, Ammunition To Fight Boko Haram In Abuja Home Of Ex-Chief Of Army Staff, Buratai”which was published on23/06/2022.
I have gone through the said Publication and have interfaced with Ambassador T.Y.Buratai and can authoritatively say the content of the publication is false, concocted and malicious.
It is on record that on or about 5th April 2018 President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the purchase of equipment worth $1bn for the military through the Ministry of Defence.It is a fact that first batch of Six Super Tucano fighter jets arrived Nigeria July 22, 2021 while final batch of the 12 A-29 Super Tucano fighter jets arrived October 18, 2021. No Arms fund is ever missing contrary to some previous mischievous publications.
For the records no such amount (#850M or any similar sum) was found with Ambassador Buratai nor does he have any Aide bearing such name. Ambasador Buratai has no office or house in Wuse Abuja(address not supplied by SR) nor does he have any bulletproof cars, BMW, G-Wagon (Particulars of vehicle not also supplied by SR) worth N450m and neither is ICPC investigating any such.
We view this as an orchestrated act aimed at tarnishing the image of LT General T.Y Buratai and we shall take all legal steps to hold the publishers accountable for such grievious character assassination on the image of LT.T.Y Buratai(RTD).
Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have reportedly raided the home of a former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.
According to the report, the ICPC operative recovered over a billion naira from Buratai, who is now Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic.
The anti-graft agency was said to have also recovered over 50 luxury watches, including at least two Rolex varieties, from the former army boss.
According to sources, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) had alerted the ICPC when it commenced a probe of an alleged military contractor named Salisu.
An ICPC source said: “NFIU discovered that N500 million was paid into Salisu’s account at once and quickly flagged it.
“When Salisu was queried he said he was a military contractor, but he was unable to show any evidence of carrying out any contract for the military.”
The NFIU later transferred the case to the ICPC who proceeded to carry out more investigation and the raid, which occurred last week.
Sahara Reporters had first reported the raid on Thursday night, which put the recovered funds at about N1.85 billion.
The ICPC had conducted a raid on Salisu’s home, recovering “hundreds of millions of naira, all in new notes,” a source told Peoples Gazette.
One of the source said: “We discovered that the place is owned by Buratai and he has been working with the man to loot military funds for many years.
“It is unfortunate that Nigerian soldiers are suffering at the war front due to lack of equipment.”
Speaking to the publication, Buratai said no warrant was obtained to search his house.
“Nobody obtained any warrants to search my place,” he said.
Buratai however disconnected the call when quizzed on whether or not he was confirming the raid and cash recovery from his property.
UK-based Actress, Juwon QUADRI to give marriage a second chance?
This might be the moment of joy for one of Nollywood favourite actors, Oluwajuwon Quadri as she is about to give marriage a second chance.
The mother of one who is based in UK, recently posted a picture ring on her micro-blogging page; Instagram with caption ‘marriage again..!’ but those who are close to her in the Queensland disclosed that actress who has been rumoured to have intimate relationship with ace actor Femi Adebayo is indeed giving marriage another shoot.
According a source in UK, juwon is in a serious relationship with a UK-based businessman and she flaunted it at her last movie premier; Jibola, which hosted numbers dignitaries here in London.
The actress fondly called Juwon is a producer with many film productions to her credit such as ‘Okan Mi’ ‘Fikemi,’ ‘Igboran,’ ‘Etan,’ ‘Adanwo nla,’ ‘Ewawumi,’ ‘Orun,’ ‘Odun marun,’ ‘Tianshi,’ ‘Secret of tomorrow,’ ‘Eku Imura.’
Oluwajuwon who is the CEO of TGL Logistics company based in London, gained prominence after the release of her debut film as a producer, ‘Okan mi,’ in 2014.
The Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola has slammed the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic party Ademola Adeleke.
Speaking at his re-election campaign held at Ibokun and Oriade constituency on Wednesday, the All Progressives Congress candidate, said Ademola Adeleke lacks the capacity to govern the state.
While making a mockery of the senator, Oyetola said governance is a serious business for serious-minded people and not a dancing competition or child’s play.
The governor claims that, given the numerous difficulties the state is currently facing, it takes divine wisdom and a person with a solid understanding of the art of governance to govern the state.
Oyetola concluded that he is endowed with the quality and wisdom of how to govern Osun State.
Naija News earlier reported that Nigerian legendary singer 2face Idibia on Wednesday met with candidates of the three major political parties participating in the July 16th election.
2face during the meeting urged the candidates to advise their supporters on the need to shun violence during the election.
Idibia persuaded Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the APC, Senator Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, and Akin Ogunbiyi of the Accord Party to sign a peace pact, pledging their commitment to a peaceful election, during separate meetings.
Online sports betting customers in Nigeria may henceforth have an additional hurdle to cross as the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to ensure gamers link their accounts with their National Identity Numbers.
Naija News understands that the resolution was reached on Thursday, June 23 after the lower chamber of the National Assembly read and assented to a motion by the member representing Ifo/Ewekoro constituency in the 9th National Assembly, Ibrahim Isiaka.
The Ogun State lawmaker explained in the motion that the global gaming market is undoubtedly a huge one estimated to generate between $400 to $500 billion yearly and with the consistency of the current trends, by 2022.
He observed that the platform is set to be worth around $565 billion with increasing amounts of revenues coming from online gaming in its many forms.
Isiaka expressed concerns that the customers are mostly anonymous, noting that with the level of transactions, it is risky to have poor data.
“Mindful that with age-restricted businesses like casinos and online gaming platforms, the critical barrier to entry for customers is age and identity verification, therefore there is an increased need for such verifications in virtual situations in order to secure both the customers and the operators.
“Imperative for regulators to place a premium on data security of gamers and gaming operators and one readily available way to achieve this is to integrate the National identity Numbers (NIN) into the data collection of both new and existing customers,” the lawmaker was quoted as saying during a plenary.
Naija News understands that Isiaka’s motion was received by his colleagues without hesitation.
The House has since directed the National Lottery Regulatory Commission to ensure that all gaming operators in Nigeria integrate the National Identity (NIN) in their data collection.
The House also mandated the Committee on Governmental Affairs to ensure compliance.
Naija News recalls that the Federal Government had sometimes in May through the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), vowed to weed out some Sports betting companies in the country.
The decision was taken following the discovery of some sports betting companies operating in Lagos State with forged permits.
NLRC Director-General, Lanre Gbajabiamila, in a statement made available to newsmen through the commission’s spokesperson, Magnus Ekechukwu, said some officials of the defaulting companies have been arrested and would be made a scapegoat to their likes still ghosting around.
Gbajabiamila said that the Commission will deploy every available legal instrument to weed out all criminal elements operating within the Nigerian gaming industry.
He reiterated that the arrested criminals are being prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others who could be nursing similar ideas.
Polaris Bank in N19 Million Criminal Deduction Mess
Innocent Chike, Polaris Bank Managing Director
A Magistrate Court sitting in Surulere area of Lagos has ordered Polaris Bank to refund the illegal deductions made on domiciliary and Naira accounts of three businesswomen with the bank to the tune of $30,769 (USD) N18,676,783.
The businesswomen – Mrs. Adebomi Orogun, Mrs. Kehinde Banjo, and Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ode had filed an originating application before the court against the bank over unjustifiable freezing of their accounts and subsequent illegal deductions on the said accounts.
In an application brought pursuant to Order 1 Rule 2 of the Magistrates’ Courts Civil Procedure Rules of Lagos State (2009), the businesswomen narrated how their USD (US Dollar), Euro, and Naira accounts were frozen by the bank without a valid court order.
They said the bank proceeded to make unauthorized deductions from their accounts without any justification whatsoever as there was no time they were accused of engaging in fraudulent activities with the said accounts.
In her affidavit in support of the application, the first applicant (Orogun) who maintained USD, Euro, and Naira accounts with Polaris Bank, said the bank usually deducts the requisite commission after every transaction she made.
According to her, “I regularly transact on my Euro account with the bank. I recently wanted to transfer money with my Euro account, only to discover that I no longer have access to make any transaction.
“I also discovered that there was no available balance left in my USD account. I was confused and had to make an inquiry with the bank to know the reason why I no longer have access to my Euro account and why my USD account was cleared out. However, I was informed by the Bank that they had not been deducting the proper commission per transaction on my account which they only commence later and ultimately led to my USD account being cleared out.
“This action carried out by the Bank was done entirely without recourse to me, who believed that all due commissions had been deducted and I had enough balance to plan my life with. On the 4th of March, 2022, I was shocked to discover that all my accounts (USD, EURO, and Naira) with the respondent (Polaris Bank) had been frozen and a post no debit order was placed on them.”
Orogun said she was neither informed nor given a satisfactory reason for the cruel act by the respondent, adding: “I did not engage in any fraudulent activity nor have I been officially accused of same by the bank. Hence, the freezing and placing of a post no debit on my accounts was totally unnecessary.”
She said the actions of the respondent greatly disrupted her business activities and also subjected her to financial cruelty with no hope as to when her accounts would be unfrozen.
“The actions of the respondent have also caused financial distress due to my inability to complete pending transactions,” she averred.
The other applicants also deposed to affidavits containing similar facts.
The bank failed to neither show up nor present any evidence to counter the claim of the applicants, while after reviewing the facts of the case, Magistrate Oluwatoyin Otitoju held that the action of the bank was illegal and void.
“An order of this Honourable Court is hereby made declaring the “post no debit” order placed on the 1st applicant USD, Euro, and Naira accounts and 2nd applicant’s USD and Naira accounts, and 3rd applicant’s USD and Naira accounts by the respondent (Polaris Bank) as illegal.
“An order of this Honourable Court is hereby made declaring the unauthorized deductions from the 1st applicant’s USD account, 2nd applicant’s USD account, and 3rd applicant’s USD account as illegal and void.
“An order of this Honourable Court is hereby made directing the respondent to revert the applicants’ accounts back to status quo as of 17th January 2022,” the court held.
The London’s Metropolitan Police Service charged one Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu(55) and Ike Ekweremadu, with conspiracy offences linked to allegations of organ harvesting.
The UK website reads : “A woman and a man were charged today with conspiring to arrange the travel of a child into the UK in order to harvest organs.
“The charges follow an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime team.
“[A] Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 (10.9.66) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.
“[B] Ike Ekweremadu, 60 (12.05.62) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.
“They have both been remanded in custody and will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court later today.
“The investigation was launched after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May 2022.
“A child has been safeguarded and we are working closely with partners on continued support.
“As criminal proceedings are now under way we will not be providing further details.
It is uncertain if the Ekweremadu mentioned in the UK police website is the same as former Nigeria deputy senate president.
But checks by THE WHISTLER showed that the date of birth of the suspect and the name of the wife match that of the former deputy Senate president.
The suspected killers of worshippers of St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, have been arrested by the Ondo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps.
According to a local radio station in Akure, Crest Fm, Amotekun operatives also recovered some weapons and vehicles used to perpetrate the terror attack on the church on June 5.
Recall that gunmen stormed the Catholic church located on Owa-Iuwa Street and killed over 40 persons and injured 70 others injured during a Sunday mass.
The terrorists also used some explosives during the attack before they opened fire on the worshippers. The perpetrators then fled the scene immediately after they carried out the attack.
Days after the sad incident, the Federal Government linked the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) to the terror attack in the ancient town.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, revealed this while addressing State House correspondents after a meeting of the National Security Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the former Governor of Osun State, the federal government has located the terrorists responsible for the killing of worshippers in Owo.
In a swift reaction, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State refuted the claim that ISWAP was being the terror attack, saying that there is no evidence that points to the terror group.
Also, the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, disagreed with the federal government’s assertion.
A student of Mount Carmel Girls’ Secondary School in Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State, Motunrayo John, has been swept away by flood at a location close to a river called Dada.
The incident happened after the victim, who is in Junior Secondary School 3, had left the school premises after closing hours. She was said to have dipped her legs into the heavy flood in an attempt to know the depth.
According to an eyewitness account, the victim had lost balance and was already carried away by the flood into the river before help could reach her.
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The spokesperson of Ondo State Police Command, SP Funmilayo Odunlami, confirmed the incident in a telephone conversation with Channels Television.
Odunlami described the incident as very unfortunate, noting that parents and guardians should always caution their children and wards from taking such dangerous acts.
She, however, disclosed that a search and rescue operation for the student has commenced, expressing hope that she would be found.
