Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have arrested Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the deceased gospel singer, Osinachi Nwachukwu.
The Command Spokespersons, DSP Josephine Udeh had confirmed his arrest in a phone conversation with THE WHISTLER on Sunday.
The mother of four children and indigene of Abia State reportedly died on Friday at an Abuja hospital after alleged domestic violence by her husband, Nwachukwu.
Udeh while confirming the situation, said Nwachukwu was arrested on Sunday after the younger brother to the deceased reported a case of “culpable homicide against one Mr Peter Nwachukwu who is a husband to the deceased.”
She added, “We picked him up and he is in our custody, Investigation is ongoing.”
Nwachukwu’s arrest came after the reports of his spouse’s death unravelled the situation of her marital situation that eventually led to her death.
Contrary to previous claims that the soul-driven singer had died due to throat cancer, many acquaintances, colleagues, neighbours and friends of the late singer had disclosed how high-handed Nwachukwu was in his marriage with Osinachi.
Many alleged that Nwachukwu was fond of physically abusing her while gagging her ministerial exploits. He had allegedly appointed himself manager over her art and proceeds.
The elder sister of the deceased, Favour Made in an interview said, “She did not die of cancer, The husband Mr Peter Nwachukwu hit her with his leg on the chest. All this while he had been beating her but my sister hid all that she was passing through from us.
“Before now, we told her to come out of the marriage, we told her that they are not divorcing, that it’s just separation. But she felt that God is against divorce.”
NDLEA Intercepts Cocaine In Children Duvets, Seizes Drugged Milo Beverage
No less than 101 parcels of Cocaine concealed in eight children duvets have been intercepted by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos.
According to a signed statement by Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy and made available to the National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, the illicit drug was brought into the country by a 52-year-old Brazilian returnee, Akudirinwa Hilary Uchenna who hails from Oru East Local Government area of Imo state.
He was arrested on Saturday 9th April at the D-Arrival Hall of the Lagos airport upon his return from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Doha aboard Qatar Airline flight, while the 101 parcels of the class A drug with a gross weight of 13.2 kilogram were recovered from his only check-in bag.
During preliminary interview, Uchenna who claimed to be a carpenter confessed that he was to be paid N5million for trafficking the drug after successfully delivering the consignment in Lagos.
In a related development, big pellets of skunk concealed in detergent containers have been intercepted at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu. A 37-year-old South African returnee, Ezekwesili Afamefune brought in the consignment weighing 730grams aboard Ethiopian Airline flight from Johannesburg, South Africa via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Ezekwesili is from Awka south local government area of Anambra state.
In Edo state, a 24-year-old drug dealer Christian John was arrested by NDLEA operatives in Egbeta, Ovia North East LGA for selling assorted illicit drugs which include sachets of drugged Milo beverage, cannabis sativa, swinol and tramadol tablets, while in Zamfara state, one Chibuzor Uba, 30, was arrested on Friday 8th April with 1,955 ampules of pentazocine at Kaura Namoda area of Zamfara state.
A cross-border drug trafficker, Stanley Chibuzor, 21, was on Friday 8th April arrested by officers of the Marine Unit of NDLEA stationed at Oron beach, Oron, Akwa Ibom state. The suspect who hails from Ihiala, Anambra state was nabbed with 11,190 tablets of Tramadol during the outward clearance of passengers traveling to Cameroon.
In Ondo state, a drug dealer who produces and sells skuchies, Oluwaseun Agboola, 25, was arrested on Thursday 7th April, at his Igoba, Second Gate, Akure residence where 73 bottles of skuchies weighing 77kg stocked in his kitchen were recovered. Skuchies are usually a mixture of Tramadol, Cannabis sativa, Codeine, Black Currant (popularly called Zobo) and water.
In Lagos, an early morning raid in the notorious Akala, Mushin area of the state on Saturday 9th April led to the seizure of 746.25 kilograms of cannabis.
While commending officers and men of the MMIA, AIIA, Edo, Zamfara, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Ondo state Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) charged them and their colleagues across the country to remain focussed and abstain from acts capable of compromising or jeopardising the collective goal of ridding Nigeria of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that subscribers whose SIM cards have been barred from making outgoing calls will not be unblocked by telcos if such cards are not linked with the National Identification Numbers (NINs).
The regulator revealed the condition in a statement where it said network service providers have been directed to strictly comply.
The NCC said, “This information has become necessary in view of a viral web link (https://bit.ly/NCC-Sim-Unbar-Gov-Ng) being circulated on social media and on some websites.
“The link and accompanying narrative represent patent misinformation and disinformation certainly designed to mislead the general public about the SIM cards that are barred from making calls, due to non-linkage with NIN at the set deadline.”
Networks service providers on March 4, 2022 barred over 73 million SIM cards that were not linked to a NIN from making outgoing calls following the Federal Government directive.
The FG had directed subscribers to link their SIMs to their NIN back in December 2020 with several deadlines. The final deadline was March 31, 2021.
But subscribers whose lines have been blocked are seeking solution from several sources, both unapproved.
“The misleading, viral message mischievously displays NCC logo and ostensibly promises members of the public that, by clicking the web link and following further instructions in that regard, subscribers with barred SIM cards can unbar such SIMs across mobile networks without a valid NIN.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NCC wishes to state categorically that it never issued such statement, directing subscribers or indicating that subscribers can unbar their SIM without a NIN. As such, the originators and peddlers of the spurious message were out to mischievously mislead unsuspecting members of public. Therefore, their message should be disregarded.
“The NCC is the national regulatory authority for telecommunications in Nigeria, and it is co-driving the process of the NIN-SIM linkage with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) as directed by the Federal Government.
“The Commission will not, under any circumstance, act contrary to Federal Government’s directive to MNOs to bar SIMs cards not linked to NINs at the expiration of the last deadline given for the NIN-SIM linkage exercise.
“Having disclaimed the false viral message, the Commission wishes to officially inform affected telecom subscribers on how they can get their SIMs actively connected to make calls.
“First, for subscribers that have not registered for their NIN, what to do is to get their SIM registered at accredited centres across the country and then link the NIN with their SIM cards through channels provided by their service providers.
“Secondly, for subscribers with registered NINs, what to do is to simply go and link the NIN with their SIMs through channels provided by their service providers.
“The NCC, therefore, uses this opportunity to reiterate its commitment to the Federal Government’s directive on the NIN-SIM Linkage to among others, strengthen security situation in the country, assist in other socio-economic planning activities of the government, as well as to always advance the course of consumer protection from falling victim to the antics of cyber fraudsters.”
Meanwhile, the commision also denied conducting any form of recruitment .
It said the advertisement indicating there is ongoing recruitment at NCC, circulating on Twitter and through polymediation, may have been diffused to other social media networks, is a scam and should be disregarded.
” NCC wishes to also inform the general public that it is not recruiting at the moment.”
Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC) formerly Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has joined the list of aspirants vying for the presidency in 2023.
Bakare declared this at a virtual meeting on Saturday.
“I have a vision of a New Nigeria that was birthed in me from childhood and an honest aspiration to serve as the 16th president of my beloved nation, Nigeria,” he said.
The declaration is coming about six months after President Muhammadu Buhari received Bakare at the villa where his former running mate confided in him on his next political move.
The Coalition of Southern and Middle Belt Youth Leaders Assembly, COSMBYLA, has asked the Federal Government to immediately direct the network providers to unbar Nigerians who are blocked for failing to link their lines with National Identification Number, NIN.
DAILY POST recalls that about 72 million Nigerians have been barred from making calls following a directive by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr. Isa Ali Pantami.
Reacting, COSMBYLA condemned the development, saying several Nigerians have been denied access to their businesses.
A statement by the President General of the coalition, Goodluck Ibem alleged that some officials of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC responsible for generating NIN are extorting some network subscribers who want to reinstate their line
The groups also demanded the immediate resignation of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami and the Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Aliyu Azeez Abubakar over the alleged plan to cut some Nigerians off from their various livelihood.
The statement reads in part, “Nigerians who depended on phone calls to feed their families can no longer do so because their lines have been barred from making outgoing calls.
The long queue in NIN registration centres makes it very difficult for Nigerians to get registered, resorting to demands of a bribe by the NIMC officials.
Now that the telecommunication companies have barred outgoing calls of all unlinked lines, these NIMC officials will use it as an ample opportunity to increase the extortion rate.
It is so unfortunate that such a high-level fraud will be going on and the FG will look the other way as if nothing is happening, this tells of complicity on the part of the Federal government.
“We demand that the phone lines of Nigerians be unbarred immediately, NIMC Officials should stop extorting Nigerians”.
A former presidential media aide during the tenure of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri has mocked the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi for declaring interest in the 2023 Presidency.
It will be recalled that Amaechi on Saturday, officially joined the 2023 presidential race after declaring interest to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
Reacting to the declaration, Omokri via his Twitter handle said Amaechi would not even win in Rivers State.
He charged the Minister to rather channel his energy towards the rescue of the kidnap victims from the recent Abuja-Kaduna train attack by terrorists.
He tweeted: “See the man who is suppose to be in charge of rescuing the over 100 Nigerians abducted by terrorists during last week’s Abuja-Kaduna train bombing!
“Even in Rivers, Amaechi will lose, because when you sell your brother to outsiders, even your buyer won’t trust you.”
Meanwhile, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has expressed confidence that he would emerge as the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking on Saturday, Bello said he is sure of defeating the likes of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other aspirants seeking to clinch the APC presidential ticket for 2023.
Naija News reports Governor Bello who is also a presidential aspirant expressed the confidence while answering questions at the second GYB annual seminar for political and crime correspondents and editors.
Specifically, he stated that he is not afraid of Tinubu or any other aspirant, boasting that he would defeat them all at the APC presidential primaries and go ahead to win the 2023 presidential election.
The Governor added that he has not less than 16 million ready votes from Nigerians and he is sure of becoming a champion.
Speaker Obasa advocates better funding for Nigeria’s health sector
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has mentioned poor funding of the health sector in Nigeria as a hindrance to the country’s attainment of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) target of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Dr. Obasa spoke on Thursday at a 2-day health programme organised by the House in conjunction with the Legislative Advocacy Initiative For Sustainable Development (LISDEL) aimed at enhancing the capacities of legislators and key stakeholders in the health sector of Lagos state as part of moves to help Nigeria meet the universal health coverage.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, Obasa said Nigeria is embattled with various challenges in the health sector, but that poor funding has become a major issue.
“To my mind, the biggest challenge facing the health sector in Nigeria is lack of adequate financing. This is because none of the other problems is too obscure to identify or complicated to solve.
“To solve the problems of lack of adequate financing and thereby invest in the health sector and achieve the Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria, you, the stakeholders have come up with laudable innovative ideas like the Community-based Health Intervention/Insurance.
“This initiative is largely addressing the issue of ‘out-of-pocket payments’ and would alleviate the struggles of our people in the rural areas.
“On this note, I salute the determination of the stakeholders in this sector for your efforts day and night to tackle these rather evasive but tormenting problems,” the Speaker’s representative said.
In his keynote address, the chairman of the committee on health of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Olusola Sokunle, noted that the programme would help address the basics of ensuring universal health coverage policies and objectives.
He commended LISDEL for helping legislators, clerks of various Houses of Assembly and others with capacity building in relation to health financing.
“It is targeted at strengthening the state’s health sector and deepening legislators’ understanding of health financing, universal health coverage and public health coverage objectives,” Sokunle said about the programme.
He promised more partnerships with stakeholders to make the health sector of Lagos better.
Speaking concerning the programme, the chairman of the House Committee on Information, Hon. David Setonji, noted that even though Lagos still had a lot to grapple with, the state is doing well and taking the right steps to meet the WHO targets.
Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly
World Health Day: Let’s Ensure Good Nutrition For Children Because#OurChildrenOurResponsibility
World Health Day (WHD) is celebrated every April 7. This is the day that commemorates the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. WHD aims to focus on a specific theme relevant to public health each year. This year WHO is focusing global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on wellbeing.
Nutrition plays a very crucial role in ensuring humans are healthy. It is an important part of an individual’s overall health and development right from a very young age. Proper and balanced nutrition is directly linked to improved infant, toddler, child, and maternal health and wellbeing. It offers stronger immunity, lowers the risk of health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and improves longevity. Also, healthy children are not just physically strong but also mentally sound. Having balanced and healthy nutrition also helps boost their productivity and helps create more opportunities to break the cycle of poverty eventually.
Malnutrition, in any form, poses a significant threat to human health. Not having proper and balanced nutrition can lead to malnutrition. Currently, the world faces two types of malnutrition – undernourishment, and obesity. The former tends to be more prevalent among the economically disadvantaged populations in low and middle-income countries.
Good nutrition in the early stages of life sets the stage for lifelong health. In the words of Anne Mulcahy, “Investing in early childhood nutrition is a surefire strategy. The returns are incredibly high.”
One of the keys to parenting healthy children is providing them with a healthy and nutritious diet..
Key nutrients in supporting optimal growth and development…When a child consumes a balanced diet, they can develop their physical and mental skills in the present and the future. The benefits impacted by nutrition while the child is young are:
Ensures proper development of the brain, which helps the neurocognitive process
Improves a child’s physical health and ensures an active social life as the child grows old.
Supports the immune system to ably fight against various infectious diseases
Key nutrients for brain development… Phospholipids are known to be essential nutrients for brain development. These nutrients are structural components of neurological systems (neural networks), and deficits during early life can impact brain function long-term. Long-chain omega 3s like DHA and ARA and other brain-supportive nutrients may also benefit proper neural network development and enhance visual acuity and cognition.
Key nutrients for physical growth… Proteins are the building blocks of physical growth. Dietary protein requirements are higher in children than in adults because they have faster growth and development rates due to their increased cell turnover. Inadequacy of high-quality dietary proteins can cause stunted growth, poor body composition, and wasting. Calcium and vitamin D play an important role in physical development too. Calcium is the main component of the skeleton, while vitamin D ensures calcium reaches the growing bones.
Key nutrients for supporting immunity… A variety of vitamins and minerals that include micronutrients such as Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, and Selenium, among others, have vital functions in the human body. Several studies have found that children provided with foods high in these essential micronutrients improve their immune system’s response rate and help them steer clear of various immune system diseases.
Childhood is the most significant period of growth and development, both physically and mentally. Setting the foundation with good nutrition during childhood has a profound impact, even during later life, and helps develop society and the world as a whole.
Multi-nutrient fortified Growing Up Milk such as Peak 456 formulated for children ages four to six is an excellent way to ensure optimal intake of several vitamins and minerals in a child’s daily diet.
On this World Health Day, let’s take a pledge to support WHO’s initiative of #OurPlanetOurHealth by focusing on good nutrition for our children’s health which can help them grow strong and smart.
The Federal High Court has adjourned ruling on the bail application filed by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to 18 and 26 May.
Kanu’s trial is to continue after the ruling is delivered.
Justice Binta Nyako of the court had earlier struck out 8 of the 15 count terrorism-related charges leveled against him by the federal government, leaving only 7.
Citing judicial authorities, Mike Ozekhome SAN , opined that “Until a person is tried and convicted, he should be allowed to walk free.”
He said because of the presumption of innocence, Kanu is innocent until proven otherwise.
“I humbly urge my lord to use your discretion to grant him bail subject to my lord’s condition.
“You can limit him to stay in my house and I will not allow him to move around,” he said jokingly.
But FG’s counsel, M.S. Labaran urged the court to refuse the application, adding that Kanu had allegedly violated the earlier bail granted him.
“My lord granted him bail on 2017 on health ground, but since then till date, no medical record was submitted to the court until he jumped bail.
“What we should be saying is contempt of court because he has flagrantly violated the orders of the court,” he said.
He urged the judge to be guided by her discretion vis-a-vis the circumstances of the case “and in the alternative, order accelerated hearing on this matter so that the defendant can know his fate one way or the other.”
“The case starts on 18 and 26 May, and I will deliver my ruling,” Justice Nyako said.
