A flat in Dagenham has been recovered as part of a National Crime Agency civil recovery investigation into a man believed to be a drug dealer and fraudster.
Mkpa Oju Uka, aged 50, from Essex, claimed the flat, worth around £310,000, had been bought with the profits of a second-hand clothes business, but investigators alleged it was paid for using the proceeds of drug sales and mortgage fraud.
The claim, which was brought back in April 2018, has taken more than a year to resolve due to Uka repeatedly using delaying tactics, such as not complying with court directions, to hinder the progress of the case.
A court order was obtained last week at a hearing in the High Court before the Hon. Mr. Justice Jay to recover the flat under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The NCA is seeking to recover a second property linked to this case later this year.
Andy Lewis, Head of Asset Denial at the NCA, said: “The defendant thought that delaying tactics would stop us pursuing this case, but we were persistent and in the end successful in recovering property we believe was obtained as a result of criminal activity.
“We will continue our work to identify and prosecute those linked to economic and financial crime, and take away their illicit assets using all the tools available to us.”
Sarah Pritchard, Director of the National Economic Crime Centre said: “This is a great result and demonstrates our firm commitment to tackling illicit finance in the UK.
“We will continue to target wealth we believe has been illegally obtained regardless of where and how it is hidden.”
Researchers in Australia have found evidence that young people appear to be increasingly growing bony protrusions at the base of their skulls, right above the neck.
Examining 1,200 X-ray images of adult Australians, the researchers found that 41 percent of those between 18 and 30 had developed these bone spurs, which is 8 percent more than the overall average.
Some were only 10 millimetres long (0.4 inches) and barely noticeable, while others were up to 30 mm in length (1.1 inches), as the scientists described in their 2018 study.
Lead author David Shahar, a health scientist at the University of The Sunshine Coast, recently told the BBC
that he has been a clinician for 20 years, and only in the last decade, increasingly he has been discovering that his patients have this growth on the skull,”
The growths are happening at a very particular spot of the skull: right at the lower back part of our heads we have a large plate known as the occipital bone, and towards its middle is a slight bump called the external occipital protuberance (EOP), where some of the neck ligaments and muscles are attached.
Because it’s an attachment site, the location of the EOP is technically an enthesis. These places in our skeletons can be prone to the development of spiky bone growths called enthesophytes, typically in response to mechanical stress – for example, additional muscle strain.
As Shahar and his colleague Mark Sayers’s data indicate, there’s a prevalence of EOPs growing longer in young people.
Other studies have noted that 68 percent of staff and students report neck pain after using mobile devices for, on average, 4.65 hours a day. Bad posture, of course, is nothing new, but this is significantly more time than we humans used to spend craning over a book or writing in our diaries just a few decades ago.
To be clear, these elongated EOPs are not necessarily harmful in their own right, but they could be a symptom of a larger problem. The ways in which our bodies compensate for poor posture could put added stress on certain joints and muscles, increasing our chances for injury or musculoskeletal issues in the future.
“Although the “tablet revolution” is fully and effectively entrenched in our daily activities, we must be reminded that these devices are only a decade old and it may be that related symptomatic disorders are only now emerging,” the authors conclude.
“Our results suggest that the younger age group in our study have experienced postural loads that are atypical throughout the other tested age groups.”
Staying happy and healthy this rainy season takes more effort than you think: We can’t just sing ‘rain, rain go away’ to shun the heavy downpours these days.
We have to prepare and protect our health and those of our loved ones, what with work and school in full gear.
Here are some clever ways to stay dry, safe and healthy now that the rainy season is upon us:
1. Always carry an umbrella
Getting wet from a sudden downpour can cause a sudden change in your body temperature that may lead to fever and colds. To avoid getting sick, don’t forget to bring your umbrella with you wherever you go. It’s not only the best rain gear but also a sickness shield against cough, colds or fever when you’re caught up on a rainy day.
2. Keep your nutrition up
Eating healthy food is the cheapest way to protect you from sickness. You can cook a hot soup to invigorate your body or eat Vitamin C-rich foods to boost your immune system to help repulse flu and infection. A delicious and healthy meal is what makes rainy days a little warmer.
3. Wash your hands thoroughly
To keep you from getting colds, cough, and influenza, regular hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. Wash your hands properly by lathering soap between your fingers, under your nails and the top of your hands. Then rinse and dry your hands thoroughly too.
4. Drink plenty of water
There’s nothing better than sipping on a warm drink while the rain pours outside. Keep your hydration levels up by drinking 6 to 8 cups of water a day with a squeeze of lemon. Warm water gets your blood circulation going, which leads to a strong immune system that can protect you against getting infections and allergies.
5. Avoid rush hour commutes
Heavy rains with possible flooding can make commuting more difficult. If you have the chance to avoid hours when congestion is at its peak, do so. Avoid the hassle and the possibility of getting stuck in a downpour, leave earlier in the morning, or talk to your boss about your schedule adjustment.
6. Have some backup clothes ready
Since it’s easy to get wet during rainy days, walking around with your wet clothes is like inviting a virus into your body resulting in a fever and common cold. Prevent this by stashing away a pair of extra clothes at the office or at your gym during rainy days.
7. Keep up with weather updates
Stay up-to-date with the latest news and weather forecast which you can monitor not only on the radio and TV but also on social networking sites. Follow accounts that share useful information about weather and traffic updates, which might help you to get rid away from flooded areas and find alternate routes.
Nigerian Afro-soul superstar, Asa Elemide has released a new single titled ‘Good Thing’.
The singer took to her Instagram handle @asoofficial to announce the drop of her new song, her second album this year.
The lyric of the new single which bragged on the loss of an ex-lover, also emphasised on how her ex lost a “good thing” in her and what she stands for.
The song was a follow up to her comeback song ‘The Beginning’ which she released some weeks back.
Aṣa’s music influence grew from her father’s music collection built up for his work as a cinematographer, with records featuring American, Nigerian and African soul classics such as Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Sunny Ade, Diana Ross, Miriam Makeba.
She won the prestigious French Constant in Award in 2008, where she was voted best fresh talent of 10 singers in Paris.
Other albums released include: Beautiful Imperfection in collaboration with a French composer Nicolas Mollard, “Bed of Stone’’ released in August 2014 and the singer went on a world tour from 2015 to 2017.
A Nollywood writer, actor and director, Kagho Harley Akpor, has reportedly drowned in a swimming pool at a popular hotel in Asaba, Delta State.
Although the details of the incident were still sketchy as of press time, according to multiple reports, Akpor was at a location shooting a movie with other crew members when he fell into the pool and drowned as a result of lack of swimming skills.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Adeleke Adeyinka, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday, however, said he could not give details. Adeleke said contrary to rumours, the deceased was not at a movie location when he drowned, but simply went to the swimming pool for other reasons.
David Adeleke, award-winning Afrobeat star better known as Davido, has officially launched a mobile gaming application dubbed ’30 BG Money Run Jungle’.
The singer took to his Instagram account an hour ago to announce that his game is officially out and millions of naira will be given away for the next one week.
Here is all you need to do below:
Go to @30bgmoneyrungame follow and click the link in the bio to download the Game
Take a screenshot
Post and tag #30BGMoneyRun. There will be draws on IG every day at 6pm West African time to pick winners at random.
Each winner gets 10k naira just for downloading
Let’s RUN for the Money!!! (for apple users it would be available soon )
A statement on the app’s official social media page shows that ’30 BG Money Run Jungle’ is currently available for only Android smartphone users subscribed to MTN network.
“The Game You have been waiting for…Yes! there is cash to be won in the game. Run for 30 BILLION!!!!,” it wrote.
One of the e-posters promoting the game launch featured an avatar that shares a striking resemblance with the ‘If’ singer, donning the ‘OBO” signature neck-chain.
The gifted music star also revealed that plans are underway to release an IOS compatible version of the application.
He had earlier hinted fans about the launch.
“Who’s ready???? Can’t believe I’m about to have an actual GAME!!!,” Davido wrote.
It appears the Afrobeat star is keen on dabbling into more tasking business ventures surpassing the familiar boundaries of his music career.
Merging technology with entertainment to design a gaming platform is an innovative effort in the history of Nigerian celebrities.
He should surely be applauded for being a pacesetter.
Winner of 2018 Big Brother Naija (BBN) ‘Double Wahala’ reality show, Miracle Igbokwe Ikechukwu has obtained certification as “Instrument Rated” pilot.
Ikechukwu celebrated the feat on his Instagram page @miracleikechukwu, saying: A lot of turbulence while en-route but finally landed.. ✈️“Instrument Rated!”😎.. It’s only Your Grace Lord.. Thank🙏🏾 You.. and to everyone who has supported meh thus far, I Appreciate 🙌🏾… GOD Bless.. 👨🏽✈️”
In January this year, Miracle announced on the same platform that he has enrolled at Epic Flight Academy, Florida, United States to complete his aviation training and obtain his commercial pilot license, CPL.
Born on 17 February, 1995 in Lagos, Miracle Igbokwe Ikechukwu’s home state is Imo. He attended Dee Unique International High School in Owerri.
In pursuit of his desire to become a pilot, he went to study at the IAC International Aviation College. He also was a student of Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, which is in Zaria, where he obtained the pilot license.
From Google checks, we can understand why the feat of obtaining pilot certification is a big deal for Miracle, who is hoping to become a commercial plane pilot.
“An Instrument Rating is a rating that is added to a Private Pilot or Commercial Pilot License and refers to the qualifications that a pilot must have in order to fly under Instrument Flight Rules or IFR. The check ride is divided into an oral part and a flight part.
In the US, a pilot is required to have completed a minimum of 35 hours of flight instruction and 35 hours of ground instruction to obtain the instrument rating. The Instrument Rating costs approximately $7,920. This cost includes flight time, flight instruction, ground instruction, books and supplies, written exam fees, and checkride fees.
“You must have logged the following: At least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command. At least 10 of these hours must be in airplanes for an instrument-airplane rating. A total of 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time.
“The length of time it takes to earn your Instrument Rating depends upon how often you fly. You can receive your Instrument rating in as little as 30 days if you fly everyday. Most students fly on average 2-3 times per week. At this pace you can receive your Instrument rating in as little as 90 days”.
That pounding in your head or worsening headache or migraine could be the result of your workplace. In fact, 113 million days of work are lost each year in the United States because of migraines alone. Concourse News brings you Nine ways your job might be causing you headache.
Most people with headaches or even migraines prefer to handle the problem themselves, says Elizabeth Loder, MD, chief of the division of headache and pain at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “I know a lot of my patients with headaches have bosses who are sympathetic, and I have other patients who don’t want their bosses to know,” she says. “Our experience treating patients is that most of them want to stay at work and, if they have to leave, they want to get back as quickly as possible.”
Read on to figure out whether your workplace could be causing your headaches and how you can take steps to avoid or better cope with the pain.
Commuting
Before you even reach your desk, your morning commute to work can trigger a headache or migraine. This head pain could have several origins. For one, people with migraines are sensitive to motion and are more likely to get motion sickness. In fact, motion sickness is one of the hallmarks of migraine.
Commuting can also bring with it changes in light patterns, and people who get migraines are notoriously sensitive to light. “If you happen to be driving into the sun, it can be particularly bad,” notes Dr. Loder. Sound familiar? Talk to your boss or supervisor to find out if you can vary your hours, or try taking another route to and from work.
Bad Lighting
Light sensitivity may continue to be an issue once you reach your desk and be particularly difficult to deal with if you work in a cubicle, or any space where you can’t control the overhead lighting. “Venetian blinds that make light patterns on the wall are also a problem for some people,” Loder notes. If the lighting in your work area could be provoking a headache or migraine, talk to your supervisor about options for changing or adjusting the lighting source.
Stress
“Communicating with your boss, PowerPoint presentations, negotiations — these are all things that can add up to stress in the workplace and that can trigger a migraine,” says Teshamae Monteith, MD, assistant professor of neurology and director of the headache program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She urges people with headaches and migraines to see a headache specialist for proper evaluation and treatment. If you’re prone to headaches or migraines and have a big presentation or meeting coming up, build some relaxation activity into your day and take extra care of yourself.
Eye Strain
Sitting in front of a computer all day can lead to a headache from eye strain. Your eyes work harder to read a computer screen than a printed page, and glare compounds the problem. To find out if eye strain is causing your headaches, schedule an eye exam and ask your eye doctor if you’d benefit from special glasses for computer work.
Other things you can do: adjust your monitor so that you’re looking downward at the screen or put an anti-glare filter on the screen. In addition, dry eye can also play a role in head pain, so blink your eyes frequently to restore moisture, and try the “20-20” rule: Every 20 minutes, look away from the screen for 20 seconds to allow your eyes to refocus.
Poor Body Mechanics
Your task should suit you, not the other way around. If you have to strain your body to do your work, your energy will be sapped, and you’ll feel tired — which can set the stage for a headache. Pay attention to both your office furniture and your position in it to avoid headache pain. Try these tips:
1. Choose an ergonomic chair that cushions your body and adjusts so that you can place your feet flat on the floor with your thighs parallel to the ground.
2. Use chair arms for arm support while you type. Don’t rest wrists on your keyboard.
3. To avoid neck strain and headaches, use a headset or earbuds if you’re often on the phone while typing.
4. Get up and stretch frequently. Its a good excuse to refill your water bottle or walk over to a co-worker’s cubicle instead of sending an e-mail.
Strong Odors
People who get migraines are not only sensitive to light and noise, but also to odors. Perfume, cigarette smoke, and cleaning solutions are the most commonly mentioned offenders. Strict no-smoking policies in the workplace have probably helped some, and you might try varying your hours to avoid times when the cleaning crew is at work. As for perfume, both cheap and expensive scents can trigger migraines, so try a diplomatic word to any co-worker who douses rather than dabs it on.
Noise
“Noise can be a problem for people who get migraines,” notes Dr. Monteith. “They are very sensitive to environmental stimuli; their brains seem to have problems filtering it all out.” If noise in the workplace is giving you a headache or triggering a migraine, possible solutions include wearing earplugs or noise-canceling headphones. Consider talking to your boss about moving to a more quiet area, or whether it would be possible to get a noise-canceling machine or noise-absorption panels.
Lack of Exercise
Exercise is a stress reliever, so it follows that a lack of exercise may cause headaches. Although this has not been well-studied (there’s more research showing that exercise can bring on a headache, for instance), one study found that a lack of exercise, along with other risk factors, like obesity and smoking, was more likely to cause headaches. So if you’re stuck at your desk, be sure to get up, stretch your legs, and walk around a bit. That can help relieve stress and, in turn, lessen the likelihood of a headache.
Changes in Routine
“Generally, people who get migraines don’t adjust well to a change in routine,” says Loder. So if work demands force you to come in early or stay late, you may pay the price with a headache or a migraine. Triggers include getting hungry if you skip meals at the office, or a lack of sleep if you stay up late finishing a project. Shift work can also be a problem as well, she notes.
Some fixes to relieve head pain and overall discomfort include getting up to walk around or stretch, keeping an apple or nuts handy, and making sure you maintain the rest of your daily routine as much as possible during peak work periods.
Busty Nollywood actress Cossy Orjiakor has revealed that her marriage may not last a month. She disclosed this in an interview with the Sun newspaper when asked if she is scared of marriage.
According to her:
“I am not scared of marriage. However, if it is somebody that is crazy enough to like someone like me; that would be great! But then, I am not that kind of person that is really into the love thing. .
I cut-off easily, so I don’t know if I get married it is going to last a month unless the guy is f**king crazy and good to go. There was a time I had a boyfriend. I was cool with this dude and he wasn’t even giving me plenty of money and all that.
One day, a man just came into the house and was like ‘oh, this girl? You will not marry her-o’. I was angry and was like ‘who the hell wants to marry your son?’”
A former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Jonathan Asake, has described the new move to create Ruga settlements in some parts of the country as an attempt to ‘Fulanise’ the country.
He said this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday.
Asake, who was a member of the seventh House of Representatives between 2011 and 2015, said the term ‘Ruga’ was a Fulani word and it was thus hypocritical of anyone to say when it is implemented across the nation, it would not be exclusive to Fulani.
Asake, who is from southern Kaduna, said in 1987, the then government of Kaduna State approved Ruga settlements in the old Kachia Local Government Area which now comprises Zangon Kataf, Chikun, Kajuru, and Kachia Local Government Areas.
He, however, said over time, the Fulani began to expand these settlements and today, some of them are being converted to Emirates.
Asake, who is a leader of the Middle Belt Forum, said, “I’m from Zangon Kataf Local Government Area in Kaduna State. We have what was established in 1987 as the Kachia grazing reserve in the then old Kachia LG which comprises Zangon Kataf, Chikun and Kajuru and Kachia Local Government Areas of today.
“That grazing reserve has been changed to Laduga. Laduga is actually a Fulani word and no indigene is there. The land has been taken over from the indigenes. And that place is now a big town, with big hospitals and roads.
“In fact, the last voter registration exercise there, two registration machines were put there. Today, they have a district head and they are asking for an emirate. It is just a model of what will happen tomorrow in this country when these settlements are established. You will have state constituencies in the state assembly established all over the country strictly for Fulani.”
Asake said the Ruga initiative must be rejected because the government’s ultimate plan is to take over ancestral land from indigenous owners and give it to a particular people.
He hailed socio-cultural groups in the South, especially Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo for rejecting the idea.
