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Re-looting Abacha’s Loot

By
Shalom Ekelaka
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Re-looting Abacha's Loot

I read online a story about how the Federal Government has ‘disbursed’ over $103M to the poor. The money was reported to be part of the recovered loot of former Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha.

The Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, Mrs Maryam Uwais was reported to have made the claim, saying the Federal Government has been channelling the recovered loot and International Development Association/World Bank credit towards programmes and policies designed to address the plight of the poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

The news, assuming what she said is true, would have been good news. Alas, it’s corruption disguised as aids to the non-existant poor. Don’t get me wrong; there are poor people in Nigeria. I just don’t think anything was given to anyone.

Delivering an address on Monday at a training on illicit funds, Mrs Uwais was reported to have said from the August 2018 to the October payment cycle, the total amount disbursed from the Abacha loot was $76,538,530 and $27,099,028 from the IDA credit.

Mrs Uwais said the funds were specifically being disbursed to beneficiaries of the National Cash Transfer Programme, a component of the National Social Investment Programme, noting that the gesture was positively changing the fortune of many Nigerians. What could be farther from the truth!

She said the decision to distribute the Abacha loot and the IDA funds to poor and vulnerable Nigerians, who were sourced from a National Social Register collated by the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office, was reached by the Swiss government, the World Bank and the Federal Government.

To add the Swiss government and World Bank (for credibility sake) to a carefully orchestrated move to defraud Nigerians is to show the level of desperation to cover up the government’s track. Who are the poor and vulnerable Nigerians? How were they selected?

It’s no more news that lists compelled by successive governments in Nigeria are usually filled with ‘loyal’ party members from the grassroot up to the Presidency. These people may not represent the truly poor. Accountability by government to the citizens is past giving figures in speeches; the right questions must be asked to ascertain the truth or otherwise of such claims.

The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has always led the citizens to believe it is interested in their welfare and can reach them with financial aid. TraderMoni, formerly supervised by the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is a quick pointer. How has TraderMoni helped the common man out of poverty?

This is Nigeria where a sachet of pure water is sold for #10. Save cheap ‘sweets’ and chewing gums, there’s hardly a thing you can get below #10. It’s counter-productive to think a loan of about #10000 would help lift a man from poverty; it can’t even get him by in a week.

Stop defrauding us. Stop engaging in acts that stain your names and cast aspersions on you. How long do you think you can keep up with unrelatable milestones? Who’s deceiving who?

We demand a thorough breakdown of the supposed investments on the poor. How they were sourced must me throughly looked through also. We can’t keep running a government who delivers only in speeches with no traceable act to back them up.

God bless Nigeria.

Aroso Akintomide
Twitter: @tomidearoso

Breaking News: NYSC Members Will Enjoy New Minimum Wage

By
Shalom Ekelaka
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Breaking News: NYSC Members Will Enjoy New Minimum Wage

Mr Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development on Wednesday said that members of the National Youth Service Corps would enjoy the new minimum wage of N30,000.

He said this via his official Twitter handle.

Dare said that the NYSC Director General, Brig Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim would provide details of the new allowance after he has been briefed by the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Youth and Social Development.

He tweeted, “Next week the DG NYSC will provide details of the new ‘allowee’ for the Youth Corp members after full briefing from the Ministries of Finance And MYSD.”

The Federal Government had on April 18, 2019 agreed to pay N30,000 as the new minimum wage and on Friday, FG and organised labour agreed on the consequential adjustment, which had been a point of discussion for months.

On Wednesday, the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo issued a deadline for the payment of arrears on the minimum wage.

See Dare’s tweet:

Chaos In UNILAG As Student Confesses To Be A Mermaid (Video)

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-

Pandemonium broke out in Fagunwa hall, a female hostel in the University of Lagos, last night October 22nd, after students residing in the hall claimed a fellow student confessed that she is a mermaid.

Upon hearing the news that one of them confessed she was of the marine world, female students ran out of the hostel for ”safety.”

According to reports shared by some students of UNILAG, the alleged mermaid known as Olamide was said to have had misunderstanding with another student identified as Blessing who she was accomodating in her room. Olamide claimed Blessing stole her necklace and threatened to deal with Blessing with powers from the ”Marine Spirits.”

Giving a summary of the incident, a student wrote:

“A girl named Blessing who is being squatted by Olamide in Fagunwa hall had a misunderstanding with her. The misunderstanding was caused by a missing wristwatch. Upon losing her necklace, Olamide suspected Blessing and immediately sent her packing from the room and also wrote long notes stating and threatening her not to ever mess with the Marine spirits frankly stating that she is one of them. This statement and notes written by the “mammy water” sparked speculations that she was an actual water goddess. Her roommates said that she only baths in the morning, upon waking, her bed is always soaked, she wakes up to soak and pour water on her leg, praying to a necklace over her bed every morning.

“These statements provoked her roommates who dragged her outside while still emphatically insisting that she’s a mermaid.

“These frustrations caused her (mammy water) to reveal that the missing necklace (the one that causes fight) makes her turn into a fish. After these confessions, the Able-bodied Alpha base were then invited into the hostel to lead her out.”

 

Breaking News: Abortion, Same Sex Marriage Now Legal

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
Breaking News: Abortion, Same Sex Marriage Now Legal

Same-sex marriage and abortion became legal in Northern Ireland at the stroke of midnight Tuesday. Abortions and same-sex marriages are now — for the first time — legal in Northern Ireland

Legislation that the U.K.’s Parliament approved earlier this year to legalize same-sex marriage and extend abortion rights in Northern Ireland went into effect at the stroke of midnight Tuesday.

Until now, the region was the only part of the U.K. that did not allow same-sex marriage, and it had the country’s most restrictive abortion rules.

With abortion now decriminalized, no criminal charges can be brought against women who seek abortion services or against health care workers who provide an abortion or assist in one.

All existing investigations and criminal prosecutions relating to abortions were also dropped on Tuesday. But the final legal framework for abortion won’t go into effect until the end of March.

As such, those seeking a surgical abortion still have to travel to other parts of the U.K. for the time being; the British government will cover travel expenses.

Medical assistance will be provided for those who seek an abortion using pills. According to the BBC, once the regulations are implemented next year, medical abortions will be provided on two hospital sites in Northern Ireland.

The legislation also mandates that same-sex marriage regulations be put in place by Jan. 13. Because U.K. couples have to indicate they’re getting married at least 28 days before doing so, the first weddings are expected to be held in the week of Valentine’s Day.

Staring At Women’s Breasts Helps Men Live Longer, Healthier Lives – Study

By
Shalom Ekelaka
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Staring At Women's Breasts Helps Men Live Longer, Healthier Lives - Study

A study done by a German scientist, Karen Weatherby, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, has revealed that staring at women’s breasts is healthy and also elongates the life span of men.

The study, which was carried out over a period of five years, involved 500 men, half of whom were instructed to stare at women’s breasts in a lustful manner for no less than 10 minutes every day.

The other half were instructed to abstain from doing such.

It concluded that men who stared at breasts, more often, showed lower rates of heart problems, slower resting heart rate and lower blood pressure, all of which enable a healthy living and long life.

The study said men should stare at breasts for 10 minutes a day to improve the wellness of their hearts and live longer.

“Just 10 minutes of staring at the charms of a well-endowed female every day is roughly equivalent to a 30-minute aerobics work-out,” the study revealed.

When the two groups of men were tested, men that stared at breasts daily had lower blood pressure, slower resting pulse rates, as well as fewer instances of coronary artery disease.

“Sexual excitement gets the heart pumping and improves blood circulation. Gazing at breasts makes men healthier and engaging in this activity a few minutes daily cuts the risk of stroke and heart attack by half.

“We believe that by doing so consistently, the average man can extend his life for four to five years,’’ he added.

(NAN)

Port Harcourt Serial Killer Pleads Guilty For Nine Murders

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
Port Harcourt Serial Killer Pleads Guilty For Nine Murders

The serial killer, Gracious David West, surprised many in the Rivers State High Court on Tuesday when he pleaded guilty to killing nine young women in different hotels.

West was finally arraigned on Tuesday after he first appeared before Justice Adolphus Enebeli on Monday without a lawyer representing him.

He had during his parade in September following his arrest confessed to killing seven young women; one in Lagos, one in Owerri, Imo State, and five in Rivers State.

West had stated then, “So far, I have killed five girls in Port Harcourt; one in Owerri, and another in Lagos. I started the killing in Lagos. I took N52,000 from the bank account of the first girl I killed in Lagos. Thereafter, I went to Port Harcourt, then to Owerri, and later returned to Port Harcourt.

“After I killed a girl, I collected her phone and sold it at Waterlines and the MTN office (in Port Harcourt). I met the last girl at a club in Port Harcourt.”

But those present in court on Tuesday were bewildered when West admitted killing nine persons when the charges were read to him.

He, however, pleaded not guilty to attempting to kill his 10th victim on September 18, 2019.

He told the court that he never intended to kill her, but only tied her to a chair and left her in the hotel room.

Speaking with journalists outside the courtroom, the prosecuting counsel, Gladys Imegwu, said it was in the best interest of the state for the Rivers State Ministry of Justice to take over the prosecution of the suspect.

She stated, “The court actually ruled on the application of the lawyer from the Ministry of Justice through the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, who made an application to take over the case. It is their constitutional right and the court granted the application; we are not opposed to it.

“It is for the betterment of the state and we are working together. At the same time, we made it clear that we have prosecutorial power; even the Criminal Justice Law gives us that power.”

The Principal State Counsel from the DPP office, Chidi Ekeh, said the move to take over the prosecution was to ensure that justice was served.

He stated, “We consider this case a very sensitive one, because of the fact that most of the nine victims were killed in Rivers State; so, we want to send a message to Rivers residents that lives are valued and that such an offence cannot be toyed with.

“We will prosecute this matter to its logical conclusion and ensure that justice prevails at the end of the day.”

The counsel for the defendant, Vincent Chukwu, said his client’s guilty plea was not enough to convict him of the crime.

Chukwu stated, “The offence in question is a capital offence; whether my client did it or not, the presumption is that the prosecution must still prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. So, it is not for the defendant to just say I am guilty and liable and it ends there.

“Because the punishment is death, the burden is now on the prosecution to go ahead and prove its case and we are waiting for it.

“My client has a very plausible defence, which we shall open at the appropriate time. We had fruitful deliberations with him on Monday and we hope for the best in the matter.”

Justice Enebeli ordered that West be remanded in a correctional centre and adjourned the matter till November 18, 2019, for hearing.

Maina Forfeits 23 Houses To FG (Full List And Photos)

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
Maina Forfeits 23 Houses To FG (Full List And Photos)

A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an interim forfeiture order on 23 properties traced to the former boss of Pension Reform Task Team, Abdurasheed Maina.

Justice Folasade Giwa-Ogunbanjo granted the order on Tuesday after hearing an ex parte motion by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Moving the ex parte motion, the EFCC’s counsel, Mohammed Abubakar, alleged that the properties were suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities traced to Maina and his associates.

The court also gave an order directing the publication of the order of interim forfeiture in a national daily newspaper.

Abubakar said the newspaper publication was aimed at inviting any person or body with interest in the assets and properties listed in the schedule to show cause within 14 days of such publication why a final order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of the said assets and properties should not be made.

The motion was brought pursuant to Section 17(1) and (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.

The properties include houses, estates, companies, among others, located in Abuja, Kaduna, Borno and Nasarawa states.

The houses include a two-bedroomed semidetached located at Life Camp, Abuja and a plot of land in Cadastral Zone, Utako, both acquired in Maina’s wife’s name.

They also include a duplex located in Kaduna acquired in his son’s name and a plot of land in Cadastral Zone acquired in his mother’s name.

There are also a duplex in Kubwa, Abuja acquired in Maina’s name; a three-bedroomed bungalow acquired in the name of a company where his relations are directors, and a farm in Karshi, Nasarawa State acquired in the son’s name.

The application was supported by a 30-paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Mohammed Goji with 34 exhibits attached.Maina Forfeits 23 Houses To FG (Full List And Photos)

The deponent averred that sometime in 2010, the commission was invited by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to assist in the verification biometric exercise of the Federal Civil Service pensioners, saying, “That in the course of the exercise, two fake pensioners were discovered, leading to a large scale investigation for more fake pensioners.

“That in the course of investigation, it was discovered that large scale corruption in the form of stealing and money laundering of pension fund had taken place, spearheaded by one Abdulrasheed Maina, who was the chairman of PRTT along with his accomplices.

“That the said Abdulrasheed Maina alongside one of his cohorts, Stephen Oronsanye, the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had set out to siphon funds belonging to the Federal Civil Service pensioners by setting up a fraudulent nationwide biometric enrolment exercise for pensioners on Federal Government payroll under the auspices of a Pension Reform Committee.”

See full list of all his assets:Maina Forfeits 23 Houses To FG (Full List And Photos) Maina Forfeits 23 Houses To FG (Full List And Photos) Maina Forfeits 23 Houses To FG (Full List And Photos)

The matter was adjourned till November 19 for mention.

EFCC Recovers N20m Worth Of Watches From Mompha

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
EFCC Recovers N20m Worth Of Watches From Mompha

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Lagos zonal office, has arrested a social media celebrity, Ismaila Mustapha, popularly known as Mompha, for alleged involvement in Internet fraud and money laundering.

At the point of arrest, five wristwatches with a total value of over N20m was claimed to have been recovered from him.

The anti-graft agency said the suspect was arrested on Friday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on his way to Dubai, United Arab Emirate, following series of intelligence reports said to be linking him to organised transnational cyber fraud and money laundering.

“Mustapha allegedly perpetrates his fraudulent activities under the cover of being a Bureau de Change operator, to launder his proceeds of crime,” the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

The commission disclosed that the suspect had volunteered useful information while investigation continued, adding that he would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.

Policemen Kill Apprentice, Dump His Corpse In Stream

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
Policemen Kill Apprentice, Dump His Corpse In Stream

Personnel of the Enugu State Police Command allegedly killed an apprentice mechanic, Okey Chinweike, and dumped his body in a stream at Onuato in Ogui Nike, Enugu North Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Chinweike, who hailed from Ikwo in Ebonyi State, was an apprentice motor mechanic with one Obiora, whose shop was located on the Presidential Road by the Onuato junction.

Southern City News learnt that the victim, who was said to have returned not quite long from the burial of his only brother, had gone to a football viewing centre about four poles away from the shop to watch a match after the close of work when he met his death.

Sources in the area, who spoke to our correspondent on Monday when he visited the scene of the incident, said the victim was already going home when personnel from the Ogui Police Station came to raid the area and started shooting indiscriminately.

An eyewitness told our correspondent on condition of anonymity, “There was commotion and people were running in different directions. However, the innocent man, who didn’t know the roads very well, because he was not living in the neighbourhood, joined the people running and he was shot by one of the policemen.

“It was after the raid that Chinweike was declared missing. But on Thursday morning, some scavengers saw a floating body in the stream and ran to the neighbourhood to inform the residents.

“Immediately, the incident was reported at the Ogui Police Division by the local vigilante group. Some policemen came and after seeing the floating body, they left and never came back. The body was discovered around 10am but it was around 5pm that his co-apprentice brought it out from the stream after the only surviving sister came and identified him.”

When our correspondent visited the mechanic workshop on Monday, Chinweike’s colleagues described his death as painful and demanded justice for him.

One of the deceased’s colleagues, who gave his name as Emeka Ezeh, said, “When we brought out his body from the stream, there was blood clot in his nose and head. There was equally a hole in his head, suggesting that he was shot in the head.”

Although Chinweike was buried the same Thursday in his home town in Ikwo, his colleagues want a thorough investigation into the incident with a view to fishing out the trigger-happy police personnel to face justice.

They described Chinweike as a gentle and easy-going young man, who neither smoked nor drink alcohol, and wondered why the police would kill him.

When the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, was contacted on the telephone over the incident, he said he had yet to receive information on it, but noted that whoever killed Chinweike would be fished out.

“When the police send you on an assignment and if you go outside what you were asked to do, you will face the consequences,” he said.

$5m Scam: Full Story Behind Mompha’s Arrest Revealed

By
Shalom Ekelaka
-
$5m Scam: Full Story Behind Mompha's Arrest Revealed

The reason behind the arrest of the Nigeria Bureau De change king, Mompha has been revealed.

Mompha was arrested some days ago, but no one knows the reason for his arrest by Interpol. Some tweeter users have allegedly reported that the Bureau De change King was arrested over a $5million internet scam.

An Instagram user, @TosinOlugbenga, reported that “Mompha escaped from Interpol arrest in Dubai and he flew to Nigeria secretly.

He was tracked through his airline ticket and on Interpol request, he was arrested by EFCC on a $5m internet scam”.

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