Chidinma Ojukwu, the alleged killer of SuperTV CEO, Micheal Ataga has been crowned as Miss Cell 2022.
The suspect whose trial is still ongoing, won the beauty pageant held at Kirikiri correctional facility to mark the 2022 International Women’s Day.
The female inmates also showcased their various talents and skills.
The Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA has announced the successful capture of a notorious drug Kingpin, Micha Godwin in Taraba State.
Micha plies his evil trade in Nukai market, along Jalingo-Wukari road, Jalingo.
NDLEA operatives stormed the market at about 2.30pm on Tuesday to arrest the drug dealer and evacuate illicit substances in his warehouse. During the bust, Anti-narcotic officers came under serious attack from the kingpin and his boys and at least seven agents were injured and one of their vehicles damaged.
A reinforcement from the state Command of the Agency and other security agencies was quickly deployed to rescue the operatives from the scene of attack.
Despite the attack, the officers managed to arrest their target before recovering some quantities of illicit drugs from the suspect and thereafter retreated to take the wounded to the hospital for treatment.
Reacting to the incident, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) condemned the attack and directed immediate switch to new operational guidelines that will make officers and men well-positioned to defend themselves adequately in the course of carrying out their duties.
He warned that henceforth any obstruction or attack on NDLEA operatives in line of duty by suspects or their supporters would receive commensurate response.
Four policemen have been reported dead after the convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari‘s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola; and his counterpart in Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, crashed.
It was learnt that the crash occurred on Tuesday evening during the inspection of a bridge in Asaba, Delta State.
An eyewitness, John Okorie, disclosed that the driver lost control of the vehicle conveying security operatives and crashed into a deep pit.
According to the witness, the incident occurred when the vehicle conveying the security operatives was negotiating a bend leading to the construction site of the Second Niger Bridge.
It was gathered that the vehicle veered off the road while it was speeding to meet up with the ministers’ vehicles.
A Delta Line driver told The PUNCH that, “the policeman driver was speeding and while negotiating the bend because of the speed could not control the vehicle. They crashed into a deep pit. I was at the back of the convoy, driving slowly.
“With the help of other people, we rescued four of them but they were badly injured. They were shouting as the vehicle fell on them.”
Gambari, Fashola and Ngige went ahead with the inspection of the Second Niger Bridge.
No fewer than 76 security operatives, comprising 13 soldiers, five policemen, and 58 vigilantes, have been reported dead following a series of attacks by bandits across Kebbi State in the last two days.
At Kanya, a village in the Danko-Wasagu district of Kebbi State, the bandits reportedly killed 19 security personnel and one vigilante.
The bandits in their large numbers invaded the village on Tuesday and engaged security personnel in a gun battle for hours, security personnel told AFP.
According to the news agency, the bandits had overpowered the personnel, leading to the death of 19 officers, comprising 13 soldiers, 5 policemen and one vigilante.
Eight other security personnel, including four soldiers, were hospitalised with wounds while the remains of the deceased have been reportedly taken to Zuru Local Government Area (LGA).
The incident came barely 24 hours after about 57 vigilantes were reportedly killed around Sakaba village on Monday.
“We believe they were the same bandits who killed the vigilantes that attacked our village,” a Local resident Musa Arzika told the medium.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday condemned the attack and killings of the vigilantes. He assured Nigerians he “will do all it takes to tackle this monster decisively”.
He said, “While extending my sympathy to the families of the victims of this savagery, let me use this opportunity to also call on our security forces to be more proactive and redouble their efforts in order to frustrate the operational plans of the terrorists before they even launch attacks”.
More than 13 soldiers have been killed by bandits in Zuru Emirate of Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria.
Society gazette reports that the incident on Tuesday follows Sunday evening’s bloodbath in the same area where the terrorists killed 63 members of the volunteer security group popularly known as Yan-Sa-Kai.
Details of this attack on soldiers is still sketchy, but this newspaper scooped that the bandits were fleeing from military airstrikes in neighbouring Niger State.
At least 63 vigilantes from five communities of Kebbi State were confirmed dead after bandits ambushed them Sunday evening.
Traditional rulers of two of the affected communities told BBC Hausa that the vigilantes were ambushed while chasing the bandits who had attacked the communities.
But additional sources from Sakaba Local Government Area of the state said the number of casualties was higher.
Remains of the victims who were killed in the wee hours of Monday have since been buried amid tears and condemnation.
The president of the United States, Joe Biden on Wednesday boasted that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, will never subdue Ukraine following a military operation in the country which began on February 24 and has left about 570 persons dead according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA.
Biden, however admitted that a portion of the Ukrainian territory may come under Putin’s full control but not the entire country.
“This much is already clear: Ukraine will never be a victory for Putin. Putin may be able to take a city — but he will never be able to hold the country,” he stated in a Twitter post.
Biden’s comment is apparently on the stiff economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the US, Western Allies and the European Union, EU including the United Kingdom.
But Putin had already waved them aside insisting that his directive in Ukraine was “going as planned”.
After Russia’s military seized a nuclear plant in Ukraine (Zaporizhzhia) last week, Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman, is now accusing the US of concealing biological weapons in Ukraine.
“We can conclude that components of biological weapons were being developed in Ukrainian laboratories in direct proximity to Russian territory,” she stated on Tuesday.
But Ukraine’s Energy Minister, Herman Halushchenko, alleged that Russia positioned 500 soldiers inside the nuclear plant for the purpose of spreading propaganda.
While presidents on various sides keeps apportioning blames, civilians have been displaced.
“2 million people have now fled. Unless the war is stopped, the same will be true for many more,” the UN refugee agency tweeted on Wednesday.
The Office of the Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), told the United Nations Security Council, recently that the death toll on Ukrainian territory is about 570.
“After 13 days of intense fighting, civilian casualties continue to mount across the country. Between 4 a.m. on 24 February and midnight on 7 March, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reports at least 1,335 civilian casualties, including 474 killed, although the actual number of civilian casualties is likely much higher. OHCHR reports 545 casualties in Donetska and Luhanska oblasts (72 killed and 337 injured in Government-controlled areas, GCA, and 24 killed and 112 injured in non-Government-controlled areas, NGCA) and 790 civilian casualties in other regions of Ukraine,” it stated in a statement on Tuesday.
Obasa said this while addressing some protesters who stormed the House to urge the lawmakers to act on the case of the victim.
The 22-year-old was reportedly killed inside a Bus Rapid Transit vehicle on her way from the Lekki area of the State recently.
The protesters, who came to the Assembly with the immediate elder sister of the deceased, said it was painful that such an incident happened. They also called for more efforts by the government to ensure the security of lives and property.
Obasa, who said he and his colleagues were very concerned about the incident, sympathised with the family and friends of the victim.
While urging Nigerians not to preempt the police which is investigating the case, he said the House would continue to follow up to ensure justice is served appropriately.
“The erroneous belief that it would be swept under the carpet is unnecessary. The driver has been arrested and is in custody.
“We are watching and must ensure justice is done on the case. The Governor has spoken about it and I just want to appeal that we work together to get justice.
“We will do everything to make sure that justice is served. Justice must be served. And everybody in Lagos must be protected,” he told the protesters.
Earlier during plenary, the Speaker urged Nigeria, its citizens and leaders to use the opportunity of the International Women’s Day to address whatever is lacking in the push for equity for women.
Commending women for their resilience and importance, Obasa, however, expressed sadness that the women have become victims of heinous crimes.
“As a government, we must look inward to see the areas that are beneficial to the women. Women have become victims of violence and other crimes. What have we done for the emancipation of our women? How much of our women have we lost during child birth?
“We must encourage our women to be successful and live better,” he said.
He charged all the committees of the House to work for the benefit of women in the State.
Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Photos 1-3: Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, with his colleagues addressing protesters and relations of Bamise Ayanwole.
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday expressed sadness over the death of Oluwabamise Ayanwole, who earlier was declared missing after boarding a Lagos Bus Rapid Transit.
Sanwo-Olu in a post on Instagram noted that the life of Lagosians is important to the government and it will not take the security of the people for granted.
He promised that no stones would be left unturned in the investigations and arrest of anyone involved in the death of Ayanwole.
The Governor of Lagos State vowed that justice will be served, adding that his prayer is with the family of the 22-year-old.
The statement reads, “Dear Lagosians, the life of every citizen of the state matters to us, and we do not take the security of our people for granted.
“We will, therefore, leave no stones unturned in the investigations and arrest of everyone found culpable in the kidnap and death of Miss Oluwabamise Ayanwole.
“The driver of the BRT bus involved in this unfortunate incident has been arrested, and the management of Lagos Bus Service Ltd has been directed to cooperate fully with security agencies in their investigations so that the full weight of the law is brought down on everyone involved in this ugly incident.
“To Oluwabamise’s family and loved ones, my thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time, may the Almighty God console you. I hereby give you my word that JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED.
“To fellow Lagosians, I assure you that I am following all the investigations closely, and will ensure that Oluwabamise gets the justice she deserves.
“I also assure you all that the BRT services remain safe, despite this condemnable act.
“Once again, my sincere condolences to the Ayanwole family. May Oluwabamise’s soul Rest In Peace. Amen.”
This is coming after the fashion designer was declared dead by a relative to the deceased.
The Benin Republic Government has released Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo Ighoho to Yoruba Leader, Professor Banji Akintoye.
This was made known in a statement to Naija News on Monday by the Communications Secretary to Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye.
The Activist was released on Monday to a Yoruba Leader and Leader of the Umbrella body of Yoruba Self-determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Akintoye and a French Language Expert/Deputy Alana of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Professor Wale Adeniran.
Akintoye described the release of Ighoho as a Triumph of Truth over Darkness in Yoruba Land.
However, Sunday Igboho’s counsel, Mr Yomi Alliyu, SAN, told Vanguard that he was released to attend to health in a Beninese hospital.
Alliyu said: “Igboho has not been released, he was only released to be taken to the hospital. The last time we spoke, I told you that we are making arrangements to take care of his health. So, he was released based on health grounds.”
A 2023 Presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore has been assaulted and arrested by the men of the Nigerian Police, at SARS Headquarters, Apo, Abuja.
Sowore alongside Deji Adeyanju, Barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi, and other activists were at the SARS headquarters to make an appearance, following an allegation from the Nigerian Police that he “jumped bail”, and also to inquire about charges filed against him by a former House of Representatives member, Ned Nwoko.
It can be recalled that Abubakar Marshal, Sowore’s lawyer was arrested last Friday, and has since been in remand at Keffi Prison, on the claim that his client jumped bail.
It was gathered that activists who were singing solidarity songs while approaching the gate were violently stopped as they engaged Sowore in a shouting match, asking him to ask his lawyers and supporters to go back.
But when the activist was about to explain to them that he was there to make himself available to the police to prove that he had not jumped bail and not on the run as claimed, the policemen assaulted him.
They dragged Sowore inside the facility and assaulted other activists with him including Adeyanju. Some of the activists were also arrested in the process.
The police also attacked some lawyers and journalists who were trying to film the scene.
