A section of the Umuahia Timber Market along Ahiaeke Road in Abia State has been set ablaze by angry traders.
This was after vigilantes tried to enforce the payment of N18,000 annual levy imposed by the Abia State Internal Revenue Board.
The vigilantes who had tried to close the shops of those who failed to pay the levy were resisted by the traders who angrily set ablaze the office of the local guards in the market.
This was after one of the traders identified as Indomie was shot dead and five others injured.
Vehicles were also torched during the confusion that ensued at the market.
Reacting, the Secretary to the State Government, Chris Ezem, condemned the incident and ordered for it to be investigated.
He said in a statement, “The impunity of burning buildings and other public institutions must stop forthwith, as arson remains a very serious crime against the state and humanity, which attracts severe consequences under our laws.
“Government will promptly discipline any Abia Vigilante Service personnel who harasses or intimidates citizens.”
The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has expressed concern over the resignation of 105 doctors in the service of Ondo in the last year.
Its State Chairman, Dr. Stella Adegbehingbe and State Secretary, Dr. Olorunfemi Owa in a statement released in Akure blamed the trend on irregular and percentage payment of salaries by the state government.
According to the leadership of the association “Some Departments in the State-owned Teaching Hospital, which could hitherto boast of between 6 and 8 Doctors are now left with 1 or 2 Doctors.
”This makes it practically impossible for the hospital to function at a minimum acceptable level.
“Consequential vacancies in the medical officer cadre need to he urgently tilled. About 50 medical Doctors in this cadre have left the employment of the Hospital Management Board without replacement over the last few months.
“Yawning vacancies exist in the Resident Doctor and Consultant cadres at the Teaching Hospital.
“These have remained difficult to till due to the haphazard safety payments.
“We have it on good records that about 105 medical doctors have resigned their employment from the Teaching Hospital in the last year alone.
“Ondo State has not been able to engage requisite numbers of House officers since 2019.
“This has made our work almost impossible because this group of Doctors have a peculiar role in Health service delivery.
“It is troubling to note that only three (3) house officers are left in the service of the Ondo State Government across the three senatorial zones.
They added that “There is no gainsaying that the ongoing laudable efforts at having a Contributory Health Insurance Scheme in the state can only be successful if the urgent issue of manpower need is adequately addressed,”
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are now a family of four! The Duchess of Sussex welcomed the couple’s second child — a baby girl — on Friday.
“It is with great joy that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, welcome their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, to the world,” read a statement from the couple released on Sunday.
“Lili was born on Friday, June 4 at 11:40 a.m. in the trusted care of the doctors and staff at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, CA. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz. Both mother and child are healthy and well, and settling in at home,” the statement continued. “Lili is named after her great-grandmother, Her Majesty The Queen, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Her middle name, Diana, was chosen to honor her beloved late grandmother, The Princess of Wales.”
“This is the second child for the couple, who also have a two-year-old son named Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The Duke and Duchess thank you for your warm wishes and prayers as they enjoy this special time as a family.”
Meghan and Harry also took to their Archewell website to share a personal message, writing, “On June 4th, we were blessed with the arrival of our daughter, Lili. She is more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe. Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family.”
The couple announced meghan’s pregnancy on Valentine’s Day, sharing, “We can confirm that Archie is going to be a big brother. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are overjoyed to be expecting their second child.”
During their interview with Oprah Winfrey in March, they revealed that they were expecting a baby girl.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Archie
“To have a boy then a girl — what more can you ask for?” Harry said.
They also shared they won’t have any more children following their baby girl’s arrival: “Two is it.”
Prince Harry added of his feelings upon learning the baby is a girl, “Grateful, having any child, any one or a two would have been amazing, but to have a boy and then a girl . . . now we’ve got our family and we’ve got four of us.”
Meghan and Harry announced their pregnancy news with a stunning black-and-white photo that was taken remotely via iPad by their friend and longtime photographer, Misan Harriman. A smiling (and barefoot!) Harry looks lovingly at Meghan, who cradles her baby bump as she rests in his lap.
The happy news came after Meghan revealed she suffered a miscarriage last July. “Losing a child means carrying an almost unbearable grief, experienced by many but talked about by few,” she wrote in a searingly honest and heartbreaking New York Times essay on November 25.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s pregnancy reveal on Feb. 14
Meghan, 39, and Harry, 36, officially stepped down from their roles as senior royals last year. Their desire to have a normal family life played a role in their groundbreaking decision.
A palace source previously told PEOPLE that by the time of Archie’s birth, “they knew they were going to hit the nuclear button” on their royal exit.
The Duke of Sussex/@SaveChildrenUK Meghan Markle and Archie
When Archie was born, the couple’s focus shifted, even more, to “doing what’s right for their family,” added another friend.
Maj. Hamza Al Mustapha, Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late military head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, says the current effort to amend the 1999 Constitution might not work, as it is being done in a rush.
Al Mustapha said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.
“Constitutional amendments are done to carry everybody along, but I can see a Constitutional amendment carrying a few elites in a hurry.
“Constitutional amendments should be given time and should not be seen carrying the opinions of a few elites abandoning the majority.
“Most Nigerians especially the downtrodden in rural communities are not even aware of what is going on, they don’t even have the money to travel to the urban centres for public hearing.
“At the end of the day, you end up listening to the views of a few elites in trying to amend the constitution,” he said.
Al Mustapha said the elites were the problem of the country.
“The elites are the problem of Nigeria, institutions are killed by the elites, they determine government direction, they are government contractors and top civil servants in the country are also part of the elites.
“So the problem of Nigeria revolves around the elites.
“The whole thing has nothing to do with the poor masses, even the issue of mutual suspicious among ethnic groups is being championed by the elites,” he said.
Al Mustapha said that the same elites who claimed that the 1999 Constitution was done in a rush were trying to amend the constitution in a rush.
“You say that the 1999 constitution was rejected because it was done in a rush and here you are doing amendment haphazardly.
“At the end of the day, you will still call for another Constitutional review because anything that is done outside reality, so long as it has to do with rights of man in governance is fake arrangement,” he said.
Al Mustapha said the best way to ensure a successful constitution amendment was to anchor the process around the Nigerian masses and not the elites.
” If you want to have an acceptable constitution for everybody in the country, then you require a detailed plan of action that will carry everybody along across the country.
“You don’t rush Constitutional amendment, you have to anchor everything around the masses and not the elites.
“Constitutional amendments also need time to be successful,” he said. (NAN)
Some unknown gunmen have caused a stampede among members of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Amakohia in Owerri, the Imo State capital, during Mass celebration.
The gunmen were matching on the street of Amakohia/Orlu road in their numbers, wearing black attires and masks.
According to our state correspondent, they were matching freely and shooting sporadically in the air to scare people away including the police and army.
The parade caused serious stampede both at the church and Amakohia modern market as people scampered for safety.
However, the church gate was immediately locked to prevent the gun-wielding men from gaining entrance into the premises.
The parade lasted for about 40 minutes and caused motorists and pedestrians to use alternative routes to their destinations.
Further reports said the gunmen were also spotted at Orji axis of Owerri and Spibat road, where they shot continuously in the air.
Meanwhile, no casualties were recorded as residents were of the view that their targets were the police and army.
Five feared killed as hoodlums masquerading as unknown gunmen attempted an attack on the Police headquarters this morning, 6 June, but suffered a huge defeat.
Police Command in Imo has repelled another attempt by hoodlums to attack the command’s headquarters in Owerri on Sunday, killing five of the attackers in a gun duel.
The command also announced that it had began an in-depth investigation into circumstances surrounding the death of Uguchi Unachukwu, who returned home from Germany and was allegedly murdered on May 31 in Imo.
The Commissioner of Police in Imo, CP Abutu Yaro confirmed the failed attack in a statement signed by the command’s Spokesman, SP Bala Alkana.
Yaro said gallant officers killed five of the hoodlums during crossfire, while others fled with bullet injuries.
“Hoodlums masquerading as unknown gunmen attempted an attack on the police headquarters this morning but suffered a huge defeat.
“They made efforts to access the police headquarters through the Works Layout around Avan Nursery and Primary School but were vehemently repelled.
“They came in a white Hummer Bus, five of the hoodlums were killed during an exchange of fire and others were injured.
“The Hummer bus was recovered with four Ak47 rifles, previously stolen from the police during a recent attack on its station, while officers have been deployed to apprehend the fleeing hoodlums.
On Unachukwu’s death, the police commissioner said the command would unravel circumstances leading to the death.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Unachukwu was shot dead on his way to the Sam Mbakwe Airport to catch a flight to travel back to Germany.
He was allegedly murdered in front of his wife and two children by men in a military uniform.
The CP vowed to stop at nothing to unravel the incident.
“On May 31, 2021, at about 0804 hours, the deceased person was alleged to have been shot by personnel suspected to be staff of 211 Regiment of the Nigerian Air Force, responsible for the security of the International Airport.
“The deceased is said to be on his way to catch a flight to Lagos, a survivor stated that one of the Air Force operatives shot the car of Unachukwu when he failed to stop at the Air Force checkpoint after they had flagged him down.
“The Air Force team at the toll gate, who were already on red alert especially considering the recent killing of a high-profile politician around the same area, intercepted a fast-approaching Mercedes Benz vehicle.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the personnel flagged down the vehicle and ordered the driver to park by the roadside for search but the driver who at first slowed down and pretended to move to the side of the road, suddenly took off.
“According to the Air Force, being suspicious of the mission of the occupants of the said vehicle at the International Airport, they made effort to demobilise the vehicle and when the vehicle eventually came to a halt, the operatives rounded it and ordered the occupants out.
“It was at this point that a female passenger in the car mentioned that the man driving the vehicle was her husband and that he was rushing to catch his flight.
“He was, however, rushed to hospital by the Air Force team for medical attention where the doctors on duty made frantic efforts to stabilise him, but he later died at about 1900 hours of the same date.
“We sue for calm and assure the family and friends of the deceased that no stone will be left unturned in unravelling the circumstances surrounding the death,” the statement. (NAN)
No fewer than 15 people have been killed in an overnight attack by killer Fulani herdsmen at Igangan, in Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The gunmen suspected to be of Fulani origin invaded the town late on Saturday, burning fuel stations, houses, shops and the palace of Oba Lasisi Adeoye, the monarch of the town, an eye witness recounts.
He said the armed men operated till the early hours of Sunday.
The assailants who were said to be many, reportedly shot dead ten residents and security agents who were said to have rushed to the town also killed five among the attackers.
A truck loaded with cassava flour and some cars were said to have been set ablaze by the rampaging gunmen during the midnight attack.
According to The Cable, some of the residents of Ayete, which is the headquarters of Ibarapa North Local Government Council, said that residents of Igangan sent messages across to them and others in Ibarapa communities to help them get across to security agencies to come to their rescue.
”You need to come to Igangan now to see the destruction here and ruins off the town after the attack. Around 11 pm on Saturday, Fulanis in large number stormed our community and began to burn all petrol stations. They burned shops, houses and the palace of our king. They burnt several houses too.
“They killed over 10 people and injured many others. They used sophisticated weapons in the attack. But their activities were later repelled by men of the Oyo State Security Network Agency otherwise known as Amotekun) and youths in the town. Four of the attackers were killed while others fled. As I speak to you, there are dead bodies in front of me.”
The Convener of Igangan Development Advocates, Oladiran Oladokun, said that the attack had subsided at around 3 am.
Ibarapa in Iganagan community has been under grievous attack in recent times by Fulani herdsmen.
Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho had in January issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Seriki Fulani, Abdulkadir Salihu, who was accused of being behind many of the attacks.
On the expiration of the ultimatum, angry youths from Ibarapa communities invaded the Seriki’s residence and destroyed his property.
TB Joshua was one of Africa’s most influential evangelists, with top politicians among his followers
Nigerian preacher TB Joshua, one of Africa’s most influential evangelists, has died at the age of 57.
A post on his Facebook page, which has more than five million followers, said: “God has taken His servant”.
He was said to have died on Saturday shortly after conducting a live broadcast, but the cause of his death has not been made public.
Tens of thousands would attend his services, with top politicians from across Africa among his followers.
But his teachings and practises were also controversial.
In April, YouTube suspended his account due to allegations of hate speech after a rights body filed a complaint over videos showing the preacher conducting prayers to “cure” gay people.
Facebook also removed at least one post showing a woman being slapped while Joshua said he was casting out a “demonic spirit”.
Tributes have been pouring in on social media for the preacher, widely referred to as Prophet TB Joshua by his followers.
Who was TB Joshua?
Temitope Balogun Joshua was the founder of the Synagogue, Church of All Nations. He was one of Nigeria’s most popular televangelists but was perhaps the least flamboyant of his peers.
Tens of thousands of people have attended his weekly services in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos.
TB Joshua preached across the world
His rise to prominence in the late 1990s coincided with the explosion of “miracle” programmes performed on national TV by various pastors.
TB Joshua was often mocked for lacking the finesse of his colleagues during “deliverance” sessions – an intense prayer that resembles exorcism.
His ministry professed to heal all manner of illnesses including HIV/Aids and attracted people from all over the world.
One of his churches collapsed, killing at least 116 people
Known as the “Prophet” by his followers, he ran the Christian television station Emmanuel TV and often toured Africa, the US, the UK and South America.
In 2014, one of his churches collapsed, killing at least 116 people, including many South Africans.
A coroner in a Lagos court said “the church was culpable because of criminal negligence”, but he never faced any charges.
TB Joshua was one of Africa’s most influential evangelists, with top politicians among his followers
