Photo: EFCC arrest company MD over N4billion fraud

Following over a hundred petitions from across the country on the operations of an alleged Wonder bank and its nefarious activities, the EFCC on Thursday October 6, arrested the Managing Director of “Lets Partner With You Ltd”, Chief. Patrick Shanchi Nwokike at his residence in Enugu, Enugu state.

Petitions from a cross section of Nigerians and cutting across religious, gender, ethnic, economic and social class indicate that the company had over the past five years solicited and obtained deposits of more than N4,000,000,000 ( Four Billion Naira Only) from the general public with promise of mouth watering interest in return.

According to investigations conducted by the Commission, the company has no license to solicit and manage funds for the public nor was it registered with Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, or the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Company, NDIC.

Further investigations revealed that a 10% (Ten percent) interest was for some time paid on invested capital which for no justifiable reason, was suddenly stopped and all efforts by depositors to have at least the capital of their investments returned nor terminate their investments proved abortive.

Many of the complainants alleged that the operators of the scheme especially, Chief Nwokike not only live very flamboyant lifestyles but acquired several personal assets as well as using their deposits for philanthropic enterprise. The company was also found to have over six accounts in about four banks with the CEO of “Lets Partner With You Ltd” and his wife being the only signatories to the accounts.

In his statement, Nwokike who acknowledged that depositor’s funds with his company was about N4,000,000,000( Four Billion Naira Only) , denied operating both money lending and investment business as alleged by the petitioners.

He stated that his company is into partnership business which receives money from interested partners who desires interest from their money after it might have been infused into businesses especially that of small scale traders.

Nwokike argued that the present problem facing his company is as a result of the general economic downturn in the country; an argument punctured by his depositors who said his company started defaulting even before the present economic woes.

Investigation is still on-going to ascertain the extent of the company’s operations, its culpability, likely recovery of funds and possible prosecution.

Police cuff and arrest 102 year old woman...find out why

Edie Simms is a 102-year-old woman with an unusual item on her to-do list. And, thanks to some officers in St. Louis, she was able to cross that off, CNN reports. Simms wanted to be arrested -- handcuffed, and placed in the back of a police cruiser.

"She was so excited that she can ride in a police car and she said, 'Do you think you could put those handcuffs on me?'" Michael Howard of the Five Star Senior Center told CNN affiliate KPLR.

"A St. Louis County car pulled up next to the police and Edie holds up her hands with the handcuffs on. She's just a riot."

Edie has produced over 400 handmade items -- scarves, eye glass cases, pot holders -- for the seniors at the center. Last Friday, she made her usual delivery, but this time she was ferried to the center in the back of a St. Louis PD car.

"We're more than happy to do these type of things," said Sgt. John McLaughlin. "We love it and we get more out of it than the seniors do." Simms couldn't be happier. "It`s a great world if you just open your eyes and look at it," she said. 

N’Assembly invites Buhari over economic recession

The National Assembly has passed a motion to invite President Muhammadu Buhari to address the legislature on efforts being made by his administration to resolve the current economic recession.

The Senate, on Thursday, passed the motion in concurrence with the House of Representatives, which had earlier on September 22, 2016, resolved to constitute an ad hoc committee to liaise with the Upper Chamber, with a view to inviting the President to brief a joint session of the National Assembly on the current economic downturn.

The motion partly read, “That the Senate do concur with the House of Representatives’ resolution passed on Thursday, 22nd of September, 2016, to wit: to invite the President and Commander-in-Chief to address a joint session of the National Assembly to intimate it on plans to get the country out of the recession to enable the House to take further legislative action.”

The Senate unanimously passed the motion when the President, Senator Bukola Saraki, took the vote.

The National Assembly is expected to officially communicate the invitation to the President soon.

Also, the House of Representatives on Thursday backed the Senate, asking President Buhari to forward an economic stimulus bill to the National Assembly on how to lead the nation out of the current recession.

Pastor’s aide defiles three-year-old girl

A 28-year-old man, Bethel Samuel, who is an aide to a new generation church pastor, has been arrested by security operatives from Rumuolumini Police Station for defiling a three-year-old girl.

Samuel allegedly had forcefully carnal knowledge of the toddler when his pastor sent him on an errand to get some money the pastor forgot at home.

The suspect, who confessed to the crime, told newsmen on Wednesday that he did not know what came over him before he held the girl and defiled her.

Blaming his act on the devil, Samuel explained that he committed the crime on Saturday after he failed to find his pastor’s money in the pastor’s room.

His victim, according to him, is the daughter of one of the pastor’s neighbours in Rumuonumini in Obio/Akpor LGA of Rivers State.

Bethel said, “I am the personal assistant to my pastor. We were organising our crusade, going out to paste crusade posters when my pastor called me to say he forgot something at home.

“So, he directed me to go to his house and bring some money. It was there that I saw children playing around. So, I grabbed one of them. That was what happened.

“It was purely the handiwork of the devil. I don’t know what happened; all I know is that I am not happy over what is happening to me.

“I am calling on the parents and the police to have mercy on me. I am promising the government and the parents that if they allow me to go free, I will never misbehave again.”

The three-year-old victim has been taken to the hospital for treatment.

Speaking on the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, told newsmen that the suspect was arrested after the victim’s relations raised the alarm and the matter was reported to the police.

Omoni commended the Divisional Police Officer of Rumuolumini Divisional Headquarters, Mr. Kingsley Chukwueggu, for ensuring that the suspect, who was on the run was arrested.

He pointed out that the suspect would soon be charged to court, adding that the law must be allowed to take its course.

FG puts up N7bn presidential jets for sale

The Federal Government has listed two jets in the Presidential fleet for immediate sale.

The jets: Falcon 7x and Hawker 4000, were advertised on page 35 of Tuesday’s Thisday Newspapers

The adverts showed the performance and specifications of the jets, which indicated that they were still in good condition.

Interested buyers are to inspect the Falcon at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International, Airport Abuja while the Hawker 4000 would be inspected at Cessna Zurich Citation Service Centre, Zurich, Switzerland.

With selling of the air craft, the number of planes on the presidential fleet will be reduced to nine.

President Muhammadu Buhari as part of his campaign promise pledged to sell off most of the planes on the fleet to save cost.

The Presidency on Tuesday confirmed the sale, hinting that some of the aircraft will be given to the Nigerian Air Force for its operations.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, made this known in a statement in Abuja.

Shehu stated that the advertisements were duly authorised by the Presidency.

According to him, this is in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that aircraft in the presidential air fleet be reduced to cut cost.

He said that “when he (President Buhari) campaigned to become President, then being APC candidate Muhammadu Buhari, he promised to look at the presidential air fleet with a view to cutting down on waste.

“His directive to a government committee on this assignment is that he will like to see a compact and reliable aircraft for the safe airlift of government officials that go on special missions.

“This exercise is by no means complete.

“I am sure the Commander of Presidential air fleet will any time from now, call you to a ceremony at which he will hand over some aircraft to the Air Force for their operations.’’

The Presidential Aircraft Fleet contains 10 aircraft.

They are Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737-800 or AirForce One), one Gulfstream 550, one Gulfstream V (Gulfstream 500) and two Falcons 7X.

Others are one Hawker Sidley 4000, two AgustaWestland AW 139 helicopters and twoAgustaWestland AW 101 helicopter.

Photos: Middle aged woman electrocuted in Lagos

A middle aged woman identified as Mrs Okanlawon Florence was today electrocuted in her residence at Shokoya Close off Dapson Street, Oke Ira Ojodu LCDA  Lagos state. According to reports, the woman died while attempting to turn off her refrigerator following a fire outbreak from a PHCN transformer close to her house. 

The deceased's 14 year old daughter identified as Okanlawon Taiwo was also affected by the fire from the transformer and is currently receiving medical attention at the General Hopital Ifako Ijaye. 
It was gathered that the electrocuted woman died as a result of severe burns sustained. 

Preliminary report gathered by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA showed that the fire emanated from a high voltage 25kva transformer ( a 4 building mini transformer) which affected four buildings namely , House number 4, 7, 9a & 9b whose power supply emanate from the transformer .

However, the fire was quickly put out by combined effort of bystanders and emergency response team from the state.

Erisco Foods threatens to fire 1,500 workers, leave Nigeria

An indigenous firm, Erisco Foods, has said it may be forced to shut down its production in the country due to its inability to access foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria for the procurement of machinery.

The company’s Chief Executive, Mr. Eric Umeofia, said it would lay off 1,500 employees and quit Nigeria for a more favourable business environment if things don’t change.

He said this in Lagos on Wednesday when some of the company’s workers held a protest, lamenting plans by the company to halt operations and lay off workers.

Umeofia said, “It is difficult for indigenous manufacturers to access forex despite CBN’s promise to manufacturers that they will allocate 60 per cent of foreign exchange to them.

“It is unbelievable that for over two months, no forex has been allocated to Erisco Foods whereas the same forex is allocated daily for the importation of finished goods.

“Products that can be easily produced locally like fish head, tomato paste, razor blade are on the forex bids of the various banks.”

He said that the high interest rates charged by commercial banks, importation as well as policy constraints were disincentives to manufacturer’s production in the country.

He said, “The prices of our products are high due to high cost of production and this is in addition that we currently generate our own power.

“We have lost over N3.5bn in our bid to industrialise Nigerian economy and (are) ready to move our production section to another country.”

Umeofia complained that the penchant of Nigerians for imported goods and lack of clear policy against importation of goods that could be manufactured locally were destroying manufacturers.

He said, “We have stock of tomato paste worth over N6bn now and not selling due to dumping and conspiracy against indigenous manufacturers.

“We have complained publicly and officially to all the relevant government agencies with loads of evidence, but regrettably nothing has changed till date.

“We will be forced against our patriotic wish to relocate our operations to a country where there is conducive and favourable environment for manufacturing if within 30 days from now nothing significant is done by the government to address these issues.

“We will lay off 1,500 of our employees in the factory, replicate our $150m investment in another country and from there import tomato paste to Nigeria.”

Erisco Foods has a production capacity of 450,000 metric tons of tomato paste annually for 22 brands with over 2,000 workers.

The company’s workers had in their hundreds held a peaceful protest against the management’s plan to shut its production worth about $150m.

The workers were seen carrying placards and chanting songs around the factory premises in Oregun, Lagos.

The Area Sales Manager, Erisco Foods, Mr. Ayoola Oladayo, urged the Federal Government to save their jobs by intervening in the situation of the company.

He said, “We appeal to the government to save our jobs and families.

“The unemployment rate is alarming and we do not want to be classified as jobless in this harsh economic situation of the country.

“About 2,000 of us will be affected in various factories if the company shuts down.

“We urge the government to assist Erisco Foods and other indigenous manufacturers to continue to contribute to the country’s GDP.”

Mr. Obinna Ezeugwa, another worker, said that the country needed active participation of the private sector to create employment for the citizens for sustainable economic development

Clashes in Gabon as Bongo narrowly wins re-election

Gabon’s president Ali Bongo was declared winner Wednesday of contested weekend elections, extending half-a-century of rule by the Bongo family which sparked clashes in the Central African nation.

Protesters shouting “Ali must go!” tried to storm the offices of the election commission shortly after authorities announced his re-election by a narrow majority.

Security forces used tear gas and stun grenades to push several hundred protesters back.

Bongo won 49.80 of the vote against 48.23 percent for his rival Jean Ping, or a razor-thin 5,594 votes of a total 627,805 registered voters, Interior Minister Pacome Moubelet-Boubeya.

Bongo, whose father held onto power for four decades, sought relection after winning a first term in 2009 in a poll that was marred by violence.

His rival, half-Chinese ex-diplomat Jean Ping, had also claimed victory, sparking fears of violence and the deployment of anti-riot police around the capital Libreville.

Any appeal by Ping would be likely to focus on disputed results in one of the country’s nine provinces — the Haut-Ogooue, the heartland of Bongo’s Teke ethnic group.

In Saturday’s vote, turnout was 59.46 percent nationwide but soared to 99.93 per cent in Haut-Ogooue, where Bongo won 95.5 percent of votes.

“It’s going to be difficult to get people to accept these results,” one member of the electoral commission confided to AFP, asking not to be named because of the sensitivity of the subject.

“We’ve never seen results like these, even during the father’s time,” he added.

Opposition delegates in the electoral commission boycotted a vote to approve the results on Wednesday and they have vowed to fight for a recount.

‘Credible results’As fears rose of a contested result and violence, the electoral commission and Bongo came under pressure from fellow politicians and the international community to deliver a fair outcome.

“The European Union repeats the call made by the head of its observer mission that results should be published for each polling booth,” a spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

The ruling party’s number two, Faustin Boukoubi, also broke ranks, calling for “fundamentally credible results” in order to maintain peace, “the most precious acquisition of the last decades.”

On Tuesday afternoon anti-riot police took position around the capital Libreville and later established checkpoints in various parts of the capital, blocking access to the presidential palace.

Light armoured vehicles also began to patrol along the Atlantic coast.

Giwa FC vs NFF: Court suspends football league

A Plateau High Court sitting in Bukuru, near Jos, has suspended the Nigerian Professional Football League pending when the League Management  Company  would reinstate Giwa Football Club Nigeria to the league

The court had,  in  a ruling on August 12, overturned the suspension of Giwa FC from the league by the LMC, and directed the company  to reinstate the football club to the league.

But the LMC had not, prompting Giwa to rush back to the court to demand for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights and asking that the orders be obeyed.

Justice I. I. Kunda in his ruling on Wednesday decried what he described as the “delay tactics” being employed by the counsel to the LMC, Olumide Olujimi, to prolong the case; knowing fully well that the Nigerian league is time-bound, and the league would have effectively ended before the case was determined.The judge, while declaring the case adjourned sine die,  also told the defendants that they could proceed with their appeal at the Appeal Court if they so wish.

He said the counsels to the Nigerian Football Federation and the LMC had not filed response to the motion on notice, nor the orders given; and had not sorted out the legal representation of the league. Thus, the case is a live one.

The judge agreed with the counsel to the applicants that the league might have ended and may not favour Giwa FC should the club wait for the case to go to the appellate court.

This, Kunda said, would have rendered the whole court process a mere academic exercise. He thus ordered for the suspension of the league pending the determination of the appeal court and granted the prayers of the league management company and the NFF for notice of appeal at the appeal court.

Chairman of Giwa Football Club Supporters Club, Mustapha Abubakar, had gone to court to challenge the expulsion of Giwa FC from the Nigerian professional football league.

Kunda had, on August 12, ordered NFF and LMC to reinstate Giwa FC to the league.

Meanwhile, the LMC has filed an appeal against the ruling at the Appeal  Court.

Brazil’s Senate impeaches Rousseff

Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff was stripped of the country’s presidency on Wednesday in a Senate impeachment vote ending 13 years of leftist rule in Latin America’s biggest economy.

Rousseff, 68, was convicted by 61 of the 81 senators of illegally manipulating the national budget. The vote, passing the needed two-thirds majority, meant she was immediately removed from office.

Cheers — and cries of disappointment — erupted in the blue-carpeted, circular Senate chamber as the verdict flashed up on the electronic voting screen.

Pro-impeachment senators burst into a rendering of the national anthem, some waving Brazilian flags, while allies of Rousseff stood stony faced.

“I will not associate my name to this infamy,” read a sign held up by one senator.

Brazil’s first female president, holed up in the presidential palace on the outskirts of the capital Brasilia with close aides, was expected to make a statement soon after the vote.

Her vice president-turned bitter political enemy, Michel Temer, will be sworn as her replacement at about 3pm.

The veteran center-right politician, whom Rousseff accuses of using the impeachment process to mount a coup, was then to leave for a G20 summit in China.

About 50 leftist demonstrators gathered outside the presidential palace to show their support.

“We are protesting against the coup and fighting for democracy,” said 61-year-old farmer Orlando Ribeiro.

In the center of the capital, extra security and the closing of avenues near the Senate caused massive traffic jams. Police said they were preparing for large protests later in the day.

Anti-Rousseff anger

Rousseff, from the leftist Workers’ Party, is accused of taking illegal state loans to patch budget holes in 2014, masking the country’s problems as it slid into its deepest recession in decades.

She told the Senate during a marathon 14-hour session on Monday that she is innocent and that abuse of the impeachment process put Brazil’s democracy, restored in 1985 after a two-decades-long military dictatorship, at risk.

Recalling how she was tortured and imprisoned in the 1970s for belonging to a leftist guerrilla group, Rousseff urged senators to “vote against impeachment, vote for democracy… Do not accept a coup.”

However, huge anti-Rousseff street demonstrations over the last year have reflected nationwide anger at her management of a country suffering double-digit unemployment and inflation.

The once mighty Workers’ Party, meanwhile, has struggled to stage more than small rallies.

Temer, who was in an uncomfortable partnership with Rousseff before finally splitting, will be president until the next scheduled elections in late 2018.

The 75-year-old, known more as a backroom wheeler-dealer than street politician, took over in an interim role after Rousseff’s initial suspension in May.

He immediately named a new government with an agenda of shifting Brazil to the right after more than a decade of leftist rule that saw 29 million people lifted from poverty, but became bogged down in corruption and the economic slump.

Temer has earned plaudits from investors, but it remains uncertain whether he will have voters’ support to push through the painful austerity reforms he promises.

Emotions spill over

Lawyers presenting closing arguments on Tuesday could not hold back their emotions as the clock wound down on a crisis that has paralyzed Brazilian politics for months, helping deepen national gloom over recession and runaway corruption.

A lead lawyer for the case against Rousseff, Senator Janaina Paschoal, wept as she asked forgiveness for causing the president “suffering,” but insisted it was the right thing to do.

“The Brazilian people must be aware that nothing illegal and illegitimate is being done here,” she said.

Rousseff’s counsel, veteran lawyer Jose Eduardo Cardozo, retorted that the charges were trumped up to punish the president’s support for a huge corruption investigation that has snared many of Brazil’s elite.

“This is a farce,” he said in a speech during which his voice alternated between shouts and near whispers.

“We should ask her forgiveness if she is convicted,” he added. “History will treat her fairly. History will absolve Dilma Rousseff if you convict her.”

Niger Delta militants are confused, says NNPC

There is an indication that the Federal Government has yet to commence any negotiation with the Niger Delta militants as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has declared that the militants are confused.

According to the NNPC, the confusion has made government officials more cautious, as it has triggered “serious concern” in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

The corporation noted that the inability of the militants to abide by the ceasefire agreement announced earlier in the month and the dissenting voices among the various agitating groups in the region had shown that there was confusion among them.

When asked to state the militant group that government was negotiating with, considering the fact that there had been different statements from various agitators in the region, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mr. Mohammed Garba-Deen, referred our correspondent to the Media Head, FMPR, Mr. Idang Alibi.

But Alibi could not be reached as he did not answer calls to his telephone and did not respond to a text message sent to him up till the time of filing this report.

However, when probed further, Garba-Deen stated that the ministry and, in fact, the NNPC, were concerned about the confusion among militants in the Niger Delta.

He refuted claims that the Federal Government had also been thrown into confusion as touching which group to negotiate with.

Garba-Deen said, “There is no confusion on the part of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. If anybody is confused, it is the militants that are confused because they are disorganised. They have refused to organise themselves into one, instead they have NDA, MEND and many others.

“So under this circumstance, the petroleum ministry is taking its time so that it does not negotiate with the wrong people. And that is not confusion. That is caution. The situation is causing concern and not confusion on our side, because we will like a situation where a credible and authentic group emerges.

“And whichever group emerges, it should have all the backing of those making agitations in the Niger Delta. So it is therefore important to state that we are not confused but cautious, because from all indications, the confusion is on the part of the militants from the region.”

Nigerian economy performing better than IMF’s prediction – Presidency

The Presidency on Wednesday claimed that the nation’s economy, which is currently in recession, is performing better than the predictions of the International Monetary Fund.

This is just as it admitted that the inflation and unemployment rates in the country had remained “stubbornly high” despite government’s efforts.

The Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, stated this in a statement while reacting to the Gross Domestic Product figures for the 2016 second quarter by the National Bureau of Statistics.

Dipeolu said the report, while confirming a temporary decline, has also indicated what he called hopeful expectation in the country’s economic trajectory.

He said there were clear indications that the second half of the year will be better.

“Besides the growth recorded in the agriculture and solid mineral sectors, the Nigerian economy in response to the policies of the Buhari presidency is also doing better than what the IMF had estimated with clear indications that the second half of the year would be even much better,” he said.

He said the current administration would continue to work diligently on the economy and engage with all stakeholders to ensure that beneficial policy initiatives were actively pursued and the dividends delivered to the Nigerian people.

The presidential aide quoted the recently released data from the NBS as showing a decline in GDP by -2.06% in the second quarter of 2016 on a year-on-year basis.

He attributed the outcome to a sharp contraction in the oil sector due to huge losses of crude oil production as a result of vandalisation and sabotage.

Throwback photos of Ogun state governor, Ibikunle Amosun and his family

Photos:Fathia Balogun at the City People Awards 2016

Yay! Peter Okoye says P-Square is back! And that brother Jude Okoye is back as his manager

Peter Okoye says the problems with P-Square is over and that they are back! Can I hear amen from all P-Square fans? Continue to read his statement and video he released...

Two killed in Florida nightclub shooting

At least two people were killed and 14 others wounded in a shooting early Monday at a Florida nightclub, police said, in an incident that reportedly occurred at a party for teenagers.
The attack comes just six weeks after an attack at a gay club in the state left 49 dead in the worst massacre on US soil since 9/11.
Officers have detained one “person of interest” and two other individuals for questioning over the latest shooting, which happened at Club Blu in Fort Myers.
The venue was holding a party for teens at the time, according to the local CBS affiliate.

The Fort Myers Police Department reported that while two individuals were fatally shot, “at least 14-16” more sustained minor to life-threatening wounds during the episode, which occurred at approximately 12:30 am (0430 GMT) in the club’s parking lot.
A nearby home and vehicles were also shot at, resulting in one minor injury, the department said in a statement.
“At this time the scene is still very active as investigators and crime scene personnel attempt to determine what had occurred,” the statement said, adding that multiple area streets had been closed.
Officers are “actively canvassing the area looking for other persons who may be involved in this incident,” although the area had been deemed safe.
An attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12 left 49 dead in the worst gun massacre in recent US history.
Police killed the gunman, Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old US citizen of Afghan origin, after a three-hour standoff.
The Islamic State jihadist group claimed responsibility for that attack, calling the Mateen “one of the soldiers of the caliphate.” US authorities have said he was apparently radicalized after watching jihadist propaganda online.
That rampage and other recent shootings have renewed debate about gun laws in the United States.
After the incident, the White House denounced the “cowardice” of US senators who failed to pass gun control legislation.
President Barack Obama, a Democrat, has repeatedly called for Republicans to realize the cost of their opposition to gun control and spending on mental health and drug treatment.
“We refuse to fund drug treatment and mental health programs. We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book,” he said at a recent memorial service for five police officers shot in Dallas.
Last month, Democratic lawmakers staged a virtually unprecedented 24-hour sit-in in Congress after Republicans refused to allow a vote on two widely supported measures.

BREAKING: Edo Speaker steps down

Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie, the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, has stepped down from the role.

She was replaced by the Deputy Speaker, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, by 18 out of the 24 members of the House and sworn in at about 11am on Monday.

It would be recalled that Ativie was sworn in on May ‎3 her predecessor, Victor Edoror, was impeached.

Ativie decided to step down after a motion was moved by the Majority Leader, Folly Ogedengbe, under matters of urgent public importance, for a change in the leadership of the House.

‎Ogedengbe explained that the change was necessary to ensure fairness in the political system, so that the three senatorial districts would be represented.

The incumbent State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, hails from Edo North senatorial district while his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, and Ativie hail from Edo South.

Okonoboh represents Igueben constituency in Edo Central senatorial district.

Rules 1(2), 20, 22 and 73 of the House were relaxed before the member representing Owan East ‎asked Ativie to step down for the Igueben lawmaker to assume officer while she took office as his deputy.

Ogedengbe “I going to move that there is a change of leadership in the House in order that this state moves forward, that there will be fairness and equity in the system, that the three senatorial districts will be properly accommodated. I am going to move with a heavy heart.

“I move, therefore, that the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie, should step down and assume office as Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly and that the Deputy Speaker, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, be promoted as the new Speaker.‎”

He had noted that 17 members had supported the change of leadership.

But 18 members stood up for identification in support of the motion, which was seconded by the member representing Oredo West, Chris Okaeben.

 While accepting the change, Ativie said that her short stay in office recorded tremendous achievements as the members worked as a team.

Ativie commended the lawmakers for giving her the opportunity to serve and urged them to accord same to her successor.

She said, “Although this is a huge a difficult sacrifice to make, I believe that it should be done for the sake of the people of Edo State. No sacrifice will be too big to pay in meeting the yearning aspirations of or people, who elected us to this House‎.

“Today, I bury my pride and my ambition for the general good of the people and the state, through which I emerged as a legislator.”

On his part, Okonoboh said that his emergency was a result of wide consultations within the All Progressives Congress

He noted that the new development was a House matter that was devoid of any interference from the governor.

He commended Ativie for her willingness to step down in a manner unprecedented in the entire country, vowing that all her appointments would remain‎ valid

Why I starved, chained my son – Pastor Francis

Francis Taiwo, a Celestial Church of Christ pastor who starved and kept his nine-year-old son in chains for months, has been arrested.

The 40-year-old pastor was apprehended by the police from the Onipanu division on Sunday at his church – CCC, Key of Joy Parish – in Ajibawo, Atan, in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Police sources told PUNCH Metro that Francis might be charged with attempted murder, among other offences, after the completion of investigation.

“The pastor may be charged with attempted murder. His action was capable of killing the boy,” one of the sources said.

Our correspondent had reported that Francis chained his son, Korede, to the altar in the church for more than a month and starved him until he went into a coma in an attempt to cast out the supposed spirit that made the boy to steal.

Korede was, however, rescued on Friday during a joint operation by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the police, after receiving a tip-off from residents of the area.

Korede’s stepmother, Kehinde, had also been arrested for allegedly aiding the cruelty meted out to the boy.

Korede, who said he aspired to be a doctor, had blamed his father for his stealing habit.

“It is true that I stole a pot of soup and a bowl of eba in our house. I also stole in the neighbourhood. My father’s inability to give money to my stepmother for the upkeep of the family caused it. When I was chained, my father and stepmother fed me twice a day. Some days, I was not given any food. I want to go back to school because I want to be a doctor in the future. I do not want to go back to my father’s house,” Korede had said.

Francis, a father of five who hails from Benin Republic, confessed to the act in his statement to the police, adding that Korede’s mother was late.

He said, “I was ordained a pastor in the CCC in 2012. I had divorced two wives, including Korede’s mother, Maria; she is late now. She had four children for me – two boys and two girls – before she divorced me in 2007 after she gave birth to Korede. I chained Korede because he is possessed. An evil spirit makes him to steal. He needs deliverance. His siblings are not living with me.”

A resident, who identified himself only as Elijah, said Francis had been warned on several occasions against unleashing violence on the victim.

He said, “His father has been chaining him for the past six months. He would chain him for hours and release him. His grouse is that Korede steals and runs away from home and he thinks a spirit is controlling the child. He once took him to a river in chains for deliverance.”

The Ogun State police spokesperson, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, said the case had been transferred to the child labour unit of the command for investigation.

“The case has been transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the command for necessary investigation and actions as directed by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of zone 2, AIG Abdulmajid Ali,” he said.

Egypt trains 100 Nigerians in medicine, agric

Egypt says it had trained over 100 Nigerian officials in medicine, agriculture, security and counter-terrorism investigation and engineering in order to improve Nigeria’s expertise in various fields.

It stated that the training courses were provided and funded by the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development, an organ of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to strengthen bilateral relations with Nigeria.

The Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ashraf Salama, disclosed this on Thursday night during the 64th anniversary celebration of the Egyptian revolution that toppled the monarchy in Egypt peacefully and established the republic.

The envoy, said his main objective was to bring his country and Nigeria closer and to strengthen bilateral ties thereby setting a solid example of inter-African relations on the continent.

Salama, who is approaching the end of his tenure after spending four years as ambassador, stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Egypt had further cemented the cooperation between the Arab nation and Nigeria.

On the multilateral level, the envoy said that Egypt and Nigeria have supported each other’s nominees in various international organisations, the last of which was the support of Nigeria to Egypt to become a non-permanent member at the United Nations Security Council.

“Another emerging area of cooperation between the two countries is in the field of training; In the last year, Egypt has trained more than 100 Nigerian officials in different fields which include security and counter-terrorism investigation, medicine, engineering, agriculture and so on,” Salama said.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadija Ibrahim, lauded Egypt for the donations and medical assistance to displaced Nigerians in various Internally Displaced Peoples camps in Abuja and the North-East

Two on trial for stealing onions

The Police on Friday arraigned two men, Toheeb Adesokan and Mutiu Olatinwo in an Iyaganku Senior magistrates’ Court, Ibadan, for allegedly stealing onions and other items valued at N100, 000.

Adesokan (20), a motorcycle mechanic, and Olatinwo (25), a motor mechanic both residents of Olunde, Aba Baale, Ibadan, were charged on a three charges of conspiracy, break-in and stealing.

The prosecutor, Insp. Samad Aliu, told the court that the defendants allegedly conspired to break into the house of one Funmilayo Ogunsanya on July 16.

Aliu alleged that the defendants broke into the house at about 4 p.m. at Olunde area of Ibadan.

He said that they stole rechargeable lamp, manual blender, fragile plates, glass cups, electric blender and food stuffs such as yam flour, rice and onions.

Aliu said the total value of stolen items was N100,000, while the offences contravened Section 390 (9), 411 (2) and 516 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State 2000.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Patricia Adetuyibi, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum and adjourned the case till Sept. 27, for hearing.

IMF MD, Lagarde, to stand trial over $400m payout

IMF chief Christine Lagarde was ordered Friday to stand trial in France over a massive state payout to a colourful tycoon when she was French economy minister, dealing a setback to her stellar career.

France’s highest appeals court dismissed Lagarde’s challenge against the decision to try her for negligence in her handling of a dispute between a state-owned bank and businessman Bernard Tapie.

Tapie walked away with a staggering 404 million euros ($445 million) in compensation in 2008 after Lagarde ordered the long-running row over the sale of sports gear giant Adidas to be resolved by arbitration.

Friday’s ruling means the 60-year-old IMF chief will go before a special tribunal that hears cases against government ministers accused of wrongdoing in the discharge of their duties.

The ruling is a blow to the IMF boss, who has long been touted as a potential future French president.

She insists she acted in France’s best interests in the case, and the IMF expressed firm backing for her as it was confirmed she would face trial.

The Washington-based lender “continues to express its confidence in the Managing Director’s ability to effectively carry out her duties,” said IMF spokesman Gerry Rice.

Her lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve said he was “convinced” that Lagarde would be “absolved of all responsibility”.

Lagarde will be the third successive IMF chief to face trial.

Her predecessor, compatriot Dominique Strauss-Kahn, was acquitted of pimping by a French court last year, four years after he resigned his IMF post to fight separate sexual assault allegations.

Spain’s former IMF chief Rodrigo Rato has also been ordered to stand trial for misusing funds when he was head of Spanish lender Bankia.

Lagarde was placed under formal investigation in 2014 over her handling of a long-running dispute with Tapie, who claimed he was defrauded by the state-controlled bank Credit Lyonnais in its handling of his sale of Adidas in the 1990s.

The case against Lagarde stems from her decision to allow the row be settled by arbitration instead of by the courts, which would likely have resulted in a much smaller bill for the state.

Prosecutors have also questioned her failure to challenge the massive award.

A court has since found the arbitration to be fraudulent because one of the arbitrators had links to 73-year-old Tapie, a flamboyant figure who served as cities minister in the 1990s and has also dabbled in acting.

– ‘Clear conscience’ –

Lagarde has denied any wrongdoing or that she acted on orders from then president Nicolas Sarkozy, of whom Tapie was a supporter.

In an interview with AFP in Washington earlier this month she insisted she had a “clear conscience”.

“I’ve always acted in accordance with the law, and I’ve always had in mind the public interest.

“It was not my duty to select the arbitration panel, to investigate their past and history, and I had no reason to doubt their probity and honesty,” she said.

Investigating magistrates however found evidence of “serious negligence on the part of a minister tasked with conducting affairs of state” and in December ordered the case go to trial.

Lagarde appealed the decision, but her challenge was struck out Friday.

The former corporate lawyer became the first woman to head the IMF when she replaced Strauss-Kahn in July 2011.

The ruling comes just days after she began her second term as head of the institution, where she has been hailed as both a tough negotiator and a skilled consensus-builder.

If tried and convicted, she risks up to a year in prison and a fine of 15,000 euros.

Air force plane goes missing with 29 on board

India on Friday mounted a massive search and rescue operation for an Indian Air Force plane that went missing with 29 people on board over the Bay of Bengal.

With concern mounting hours after its disappearance, five surveillance aircraft and 13 navy and coastguard ships launched the search for the aircraft, which vanished shortly after take-off from the southern city of Chennai.

The aircraft was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of the remote Andaman and Nicobar islands.

“Full scale search & rescue launched to look for IAF AN 32 overdue at Port Blair since 1130 hrs. Max assets being deployed at earliest,” the defence ministry tweeted.

The Russian-built Antonov AN-32 military transport plane was carrying service personnel and six crew members as it undertook a routine courier service to the Indian islands.

The last contact with the plane was made around 15 minutes after take-off from Tambaram Air Force Station on the outskirts of Chennai, an IAF spokesman said.

“A search operation is on. The plane was airborne at 8:30 am (0300 GMT)and was supposed to land at Port Blair at 11:30,” Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said.

The AN-32, equipped with navigational aids, are the IAF’s workhorse aircraft and capable of flying for up to four hours without refuelling.

An IAF source told AFP the radar data from the missing aircraft showed it making a sharp left turn before rapidly losing altitude.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed. Let’s hope and pray for the best,” he said, requesting anonymity.

Retired Air Marshal Anil Chopra said searching for an aircraft in an ocean was complex and that knowledge of the last known position of the plane would be critical for any breakthrough.

“Unfortunately the radar cover in Indian east coast does not cover full area… As time elapses uncertainty and risk increases,” he posted on Twitter.

“Searching an aircraft in an ocean is as complex as finding a ping pong ball on Siachen glacier,” he tweeted, referring to the Himalayan glacier.

– Poor safety record –

The Indian Air Force, which relies heavily on Russian-made equipment and has around 100 AN-32s in its fleet, has been blighted by a poor safety record.

In one of the worst disasters involving an AN-32 in India, 20 people on board died while three civilians were burnt to death when the plane crashed near a New Delhi airport in 1999.

And in 2013, all 20 people on board a military helicopter were killed when it crashed in northern India.

The Indian air force has gradually been getting rid of some of its older planes, some of which date back to the 1960s.

Experts have warned India’s delay in revamping its outdated military aircraft threatens national security, with some of the fleet virtually on their last legs.

New deals have been mired in bureaucratic wrangles, most notably the agreement to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation, which has been pending since 2012.

India is the world’s largest arms importer, with the US its number one supplier.

The South Asian nation has been trying to develop its own warplanes but delays and technical shortcomings have marred progress.

Beautiful yet devastating photo: A father makes things fun for his children despite their circumstances

A father from Syria is pictured washing with his children in a bath tub in the ruins and surrounding devastation of a house.