Maxwell Ajukwu and Solomon Amodu, the two prisoners that escaped from Kuje Prison Abuja last Friday June 24th, have been re-arrested.
According to Sahara Reporters, prison officials confirmed the re-arrest of the two inmates and said they are currently being detained at the Department of State Security’s office in Abuja.
The prison officials did not state where or how the inmates were caught.
President Buhari yesterday reiterated the commitment of his administration to rescue the missing Chibok girls unharmed.
He gave the reassurance while hosting members of the diplomatic corps to a dinner to break the Ramadan fast at the state house Abuja.
“We are not letting up our efforts to rescue the Chibok girls. Our priority is to rescue them unharmed. Our main focus is to ensure their safe return to their homes and rehabilitation of their communities” he said
Billionaire business mogul, president of Dangote Group and Africa’s richest man, has yesterday, sent about 800 Nigerians to India, to learn the operations of a petrochemical refinery.
A source in the multi-billion naira company, Dangote Group, has exclusively confirmed to TheCable on Friday that billionaire business mogul and Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, is sending about 800 Nigerians to India, to learn the operations of a petrochemical refinery, adding that the first batch to be trained will leave for India on Sunday, March 20, 2016.
It was learnt that the 800 Nigerians will travel to the Asian country over the next 24 months in a batch of fifties, to learn from the nation with the largest refinery in the world.
India is home to the world’s largest refinery, Jamnagar Refinery Reliance Industries, Jamnagar, which refines as much as 1.2 million barrels per day.
“About 800 will be trained in batches within 24 months. The first batch of 50 is leaving for India on Sunday,” the source said.
Dangote is looking to creating employment within the Nigerian economy, rather than importing expatriates to run the first private refinery in Nigeria.
The refinery, projected to worth $9 billion, is being built to have a refining capacity of about 500,000 to 650,000 barrels per day.
“After receiving a private licence to build a refinery, Dangote has commenced the building of a 650,000 barrel per day (BPD) petroleum refinery, which will be the single largest in the world.
“The refinery would have a larger capacity than all of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) refineries put together,” the conglomerate said in a statement more than a year ago.
Dangote, who hosted Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), at the site of the refinery in January, assured Nigerians that the refinery would be ready to meet the nation’s need by 2018.
Justina Anochie, a Babcock University graduate, has reportedly been abducted by friends who wanted to make money off her family.
A fresh graduate of Babcock University, Justina Anochie was kidnapped by her friends that wanted to make money off her parents.
According to Punch, Anochie, who completed her nursing course in May, graduated from Babcock University in June 2016 returned to her off-campus residence at Ilishan, where she was abducted on Sunday around 9pm.
The case was reported at the Ikenne Police Division and was later transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
It was gathered that the kidnappers, who had contacted the family, demanded the payment of N10m as ransom but the money was later reduced to N5m after negotiations.
The victim’s sister, Mrs. Judith Nze, said that efforts to persuade the suspects to take N300,000 had been futile.
She added that the kidnappers were threatening to kill her (Justina) if the family did not withdraw the case from the police.
She said, “She has finished her programme in the school and was just waiting for some clearance. I learnt that the place she stays is isolated.
“She was taken on Sunday and since then we have all lost our peace. I have stopped going to the office because I can’t concentrate.
“Initially, we thought it was a joke until the kidnappers contacted us and demanded N10m as ransom. They later reduced it to N5m.
“They have refused the N300,000 we offered them, insisting that they would kill her if we don’t pay the money.
“They also said we must withdraw the case from the police as a condition for her release.
“My mother spoke with her this morning (Thursday) and she did not sound good. We are afraid they might harm her.
“We are just appealing to them to release her.”
A police source, however, said investigations had shown that the victim was kidnapped based on information from an insider.
The source explained that a female undergraduate of a university in Lagos State had been linked with the abduction.
She said, “It was an organised crime. Based on preliminary investigations, it appeared that her friends conspired against her. It was a set-up.
“We believe the kidnappers think that her parents are wealthy and they could make money from them. A female student of a school in Lagos has already been arrested.”
The spokesperson for Babcock University, Mr. Joshua Suleiman, said the victim was no longer a student of the school.
He said, “She graduated from the school in June. She is no more our student. We got the information just like you did that she was abducted. We don’t know beyond that.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident.
He also confirmed that a suspect had been arrested in connction with the abduction.
He said, “The incident happened on Sunday. Immediately we learnt of the abduction, we started investigations. We have already arrested a suspect and investigations are ongoing.”
Abass Akande Obesere, also known as Omo Rapala is a popular Fuji musician, who forced his way into the limelight through his “Vulgar” songs, which openly touch on issues that are considered taboo in the conservative Yoruba community. Following the paths of other successful musicians such as Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Obesere also has taken his own brand of Fuji music all over the world. He was initially signed with Sony Music but moved onto other labels after payment disputes. The Ibadan,Oyo -born musician recently stormed City People Magazine Corporate Office for its Showbiz Roundtable talk. The charismatic musician, who is set to release 2 new albums on Fuji and Hip-Hop titled Aja 1 spoke on his recent fight with his Marketer, Solid Worth Entertainment over the leak of his hip hop track, Ebelesua featuring Olamide, online. He also spoke on the controversy surrounding a sex tape allegedly involving him and a lady recently and many more. Excerpts
What is your say on the current rumour making the rounds that you were taken to court over the release of your new single “Ebelesua” featuring Olamide?
What I can say about it is that, there is no how you produce a good product that people wouldn’t want to pirate and that simply means you have done something good that many want to benefit from. The video was shot by Dr B Visual but I wouldn’t know if anyone used his/her phone to record us when we were on location because we are now living in a technology era, the piracy could have come from that area before leaked online which got the Promoter upset. A lot of people use their phones to record artistes or take pictures anytime we are shooting on location or at events. There are times that my security guys will be chasing them away, stop them because aside being a fan and you want to take selfie with me, I am very sure that such person may want to share it on social media for people to see, that moment, somebody who has forgotten about you or that want to do something with you will remember you. That is one of the advantages of taking pictures with your fans. Don’t ever downgrade anyone because for a person to take picture with you, that means he appreciates you, accommodate them. That may be where the video leaked out but the Promoter was like, he had spent so much on the video and he had the belief that he will make his money from it before the unexpected set in. He knew that the job was going places because a Fuji Artiste doing collabo with hip hop act, Olamide, is set to be a hit. That was what got the Promoter, Solid worth Entertainment upset. He tried to contact me but my numbers were not going through because I went to check on my family in Dublin. He called my manager to tell me that I should call him because he has something very urgent to tell me but also couldn’t inform me because he believed that apart from being a Promoter, he is also my friend and may be just wanted to gist with me. To my own surprise, I started reading it in the Newspaper that he will sue me and he got upset. I couldn’t fume at him also because naturally, I don’t fight my Promoters, right from the genesis of my career.
Don’t you think that one of your boys in the studio such as the Editor may have leaked the video online?
I wouldn’t know. Thank God Dr B is here, I didn’t even know this kind of question will come up before I told him to come here with me. He just came to check on me at home and I told him I am going to City People for an interview and he followed me. He can tell you one or two things about the video.
How did you resolve the issue?
We have resolved it. I have gone to meet him and he was lamenting about his loss. He said he checked Naijaloaded, he could see thousands of people downloading it and how did it get there. I told him I also don’t know and I am also doing my own investigation underground. I know he has spent a lot on the project which he needs to make back but the worse has been done. I told him even at that, he will still make his money back from it. After several pleading, he said it’s okay that he is no longer angry. He is now set to release the full album of my hip hop songs by the end of this Ramadan. At the same time, I am releasing another Fuji album and he is selling it.
What are you currently working on ?
Like I said earlier on, by the end of this Ramadan I will release my latest Fuji album titled “Aja 1”. It is God who made me number 1 and he said I should keep going as number one and that is the meaning. And I want people to know that because we are now in the hip hop world, I have no option than to blend in and that is why I did a collabo with some artistes such as Olamide, Reminisce and I have once worked with people like Timaya, 9ice, Lord of Ajasa and others. I have been on it for a long time. But everything is about time and everything is coming out now.
Olamide has been appreciating me for so long because I recall in his first album, “Eni Duro” where he said he will be jumping like Obesere Papa Tosibe and he is still doing that. I have watched most of his video, at the end, he will do something that has to do with me. That was why when I called him for us to do a collabo, he was excited about it. He asked me if I was to do the beat or him and I said do yours and I will do mine here, the two beats are okay and he agreed that we should release mine first before it was later leaked on-line. His own version is the one we are set to release now.
What was the experience like working with Olamide and can you tell us what Ebelesua means.?
Working with Olamide was fun. Ebelesua is a slang to appreciate something. If you buy a new car, people will say this car is fucking good, that’s Ebelesua.
We saw a report recently which stated that 3 years after, Obesere’s sex scandal video leaks out, what do you have to say about it?
In Nigeria, a lot of people respect me a lot because they see me as a decent person, reliable and responsible man; I am an easy going person. This issue of rape scandal has been forgotten by a lot of people but because of my status and the new generation that will still come will hear about it, so I intentionally did the video for a record purpose and that was when it was boiling. And that is why the lady couldn’t come out again because if you go to Panti Police Station, you will find out that the lady is still wanted and all I did was to clear the air on my own side of the story. That was why I shot the video titled Stop Sebe. When it happened, I felt so bad because I am equally a man of my words. I stood on what I said which never changed and God was at my side and he really proved himself that I am innocent in the allegation forcefully put on me. It was just a scam.
How did you get out of the issue?
Nobody assisted me before I came out of the case; it was only God who brought me out of it. The Policemen in Panti really did their job diligently. This particular lady in question has done the same thing to several people and they came out to the Police station to share their encounters with the Police. They were ready to face her, the Police went to the address she dropped and on getting there, they found out that she gave them a fake address.
How did you meet the lady?
I met her through someone in Ibadan, the woman is called Bola, she has been a fan for a very long time before she came to me to assist her to talk to one of my biggest fans, a big time businesswoman, to be suppling her bags of rice. I only did her a favour.
At a point, we hardly heard about you before you later bounced back, what really happened?
It is still all for God. Even Jesus also mentioned it in the bible that “I will be visible but a time comes that you won’t see me again,” not for evil. But sometimes you fight some battles underground. This life is full of war and the prayer we should all be praying when we wake up in the morning is that we should conquer our enemies. There is no particular day that I want to eat that I won’t think about the masses who couldn’t afford to feed themselves, and I always make sure I cater for them in my own little way because I know the definition of hunger and suffering.
What are the battles you fought that made you fizzle out just like that?
It is not as if I just went on a sabbatical, I was releasing album back to back. They started the battle with me with words of mouth by saying I said I won’t sing my style of music again when I return from hajj. That alone distracted the attention of my fans. Even if I release any album, they won’t buy it because they believe that I have said I won’t sing the kind of music they want again, but with prayers and my ruggedness, I conquered them. I have lost count of the album I did while I laid low. I have a studio in my house where I work also.
Who do you suspect may be responsible for these wars you battled in the last few years?
They have once battled me spiritually but when they couldn’t get me, they began to disseminate fallacy about me. I want people to present the newspaper or TV/Radio station that reported that I said I won’t sing my style of music “Ashakasha” again. That is why whenever I go out and I overheard people saying it, I will just say God will soon manifest Himself to them. Even if I have other businesses I do beside music, I will never make it paramount over my music because that is what gave birth to others. So, I wouldn’t know who is exactly behind it but I know it is not natural. All I know is that don’t join the people saying “Kosi Aye” (terrestrial power”), there is terrestrial power and also there is prayers but believe in yourself that you shall accomplish that which God said about you. Pray that it is only if God has been captured that you will be captured. In my style of music, present governor Ambode can sing out of it, Ex governors, Babatunde Fashola and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu too. When Fashola was still on seat and he met me in Tinubu’s office one day where I sat quietly at a corner, he shouted my name “Rapala” so serious that people around got to know that I was around. He didn’t act as a governor but as a fan. In 2003 when Tinubu wanted to re-contest, he instructed his aides to look for me to handle his campaign song. Rilwan Aleshinloye (Alesh) was assigned to look for me and he said he doesn’t know how to look for me because Wasiu Ayinde is his friend, Asiwaju insisted that he wanted me, to an extent that he made it compulsory and even ready to fight them also. Alesh told me all these that I am saying. Alesh met with Gaji who was K1’s manager at the time and he came to me. GSM wasn’t common like that in that period. When I got to Alausa the following day, they were congratulating themselves and said how did you get him and I was wondering what’s going on. They told me they wanted me to do an album for Asiwaju’s campaign. In that same meeting, I told them I won’t do the job alone that I have other competent Fuji Artistes. I recommended Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde for them. I remember I once told Wasiu Ayinde when we were having a meeting at Too Much Money’s office and i said Alhaji, I was the one who made Tinubu recognize you because I recommended you to him. I told his aides to call you, if I was your enemy, I don’t think I will do that. After that, I recommended other Fuji artistes also. What I want to bring out of this is that I already have my fans who are prominent people and they are interested in my kind of music such as Otunba Omisore, former minister, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, several kings and prominent people are my diehard fans and I perform at their events regularly. So, if you are after my downfall, you will remain at the bus stop forever because you can’t stop my destiny from shining, you can only drag it back a little. I still remain number one in my own kind of music. The kind of voice I use and my style isn’t what anyone can copy. No matter where I am performing, once you hear my voice, you will easily recognize me.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State Thursday announced that he has settled the political differences between him and his deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu.
The governor made the announcement at a reconciliation and thank you party organized for ward leaders of the All Progressives Congress.
Dr. Odubu and some of his supporters were, however, absent at the party.
P.M.NEWS recalled that the once cordial relationship between Oshiomhole and his deputy became frosty after the governor supported the Chairman of his economic team, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to succeed him.
Oshiomhole who told the APC members to go back to the wards and reconcile with all aggrieved party members, disclosed that he would personally visit some APC members to heal the wounds.
He said the campaign message of the APC would change since, according to him, ”a more credible candidate has emerged in the PDP.”
He said: “Let us imbibe the spirit of oneness. I was excited of having the privilege to brief President Buhari of the outcome of our primaries and the Preisdent said he is proud of all you who participated in that process. This will be the first time a sitting president will hold the hand of our party candidate and present him to the people of our great state.”
“As you return to your wards, align with leaders of each of those wards to call a meeting and had time together. Remind them that they voted for the party. Convene meetings at the ward level to bring all the ward leaders together. We need to visit them and we will visit them. They worked much harder. They deserve our commendation.
“This is the time to settle small quarrels within the party. No more rumours. Help us to unite, to reconcile, to restore old friendship and old alliances. I have renewed mine with my deputy governor. It is one party, one family and one destination.
“PDP has elected a more credible candidate. The problem with that is that the candidate is not carrying the kind of baggage the fake pastor is carrying. Our campaign message must be different.”
In his speech, the State Chairman of the APC, Anselm Ojezua, disclosed that many of the governorship aspirants of the party have promised to work for the successes of the APC during the elections.
Also speaking, the party’s flag-bearer in the September 10 governorship election, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, promised to continue the process of reconciliation and work towards making the party solid.
His words, “Every member of APC will benefit. We are one party. We watch the language we use because we know one day will come when we will come together to work. Forgive and forget whatever mistake of the past. Come September, we will sing victory song.
Nollywood filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan has gotten a mentorship deal in a new project that Sahara Group has marked out to take care of filming in the country. The project called ‘Grooming Film Extrapreneurs with Kunle Afolayan’ is designed to see the creativity and brilliance of aspiring filmmakers in the country.
Mr Afolayan was unveiled on Thursday as the main focus of the initiative which is being driven by Sahara Foundation, the Group’s corporate responsibility vehicle.
According to the group Communications head of Sahara Group, Bethel Obioma , the project will benefit 12million beneficiaries in the next four years.
“The initiative will be implemented via a competition that will require young film makers in Nigeria channel their creativity into celebrating entrepreneurship in Nigeria by shooting a 15-minute documentary that captures entrepreneurs at work across the nation,” Obioma began.
He said, “The theme of the documentary is: My Nigeria, My Platform…Nigeria through entrepreneurs’ eyes. Whilst the documentaries will help shape a positive narrative about Nigeria – one that captures our enterprise and productivity as a people – we also plan to use this platform to create a hub of shared creativity and thinking in the film industry that will promote and sustain growth.”
Obioma concludes, “Multiple award winning and leading filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan is the lead faculty for the project. Kunle will over-see the process of shortlisting entries and grooming the eventual winner for six months.”
The Delta State House of Assembly has amended the Delta State Anti-Kidnapping Law 2016 and approved life imprisonment for any person convicted of kidnapping in the state.
This followed the a letter to the House from Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who appealed for reconsideration of Section 4, Sub-Section 1 of the Delta State Anti-Kidnapping Law, 2016 as passed by the House, which made provision for death penalty.
“The Right Honourable Speaker and Honourable Members of the House are aware that death penalty is globally no longer fashionable as it breaches human right to life and torture, both of which are protected under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations in 1948. Besides, there is heightened campaign and overwhelming support for the abolition of death penalty globally,” Okowa wrote.
“Since the world is a global village, Delta State cannot be an exception, hence the passionate call to the House to reconsider the Section under reference and change the death sentence prescribed therein to life imprisonment.
The new law (as amended) approves life imprisonment for any person who contravenes section (3) of the Law.
“Any person who contravenes section (3) of this law commits an offence and shall on conviction be sentenced to life imprisonment without fine,” the new law states.
“No person shall kidnap or detain another person or prevent another person from applying to a court for his release or from disclosing to any other person the place where he is being or prevent any person entitled to have access to another from discovering the place where he is held hostage with or without demand for ransom:
“Any person who initiates a compromise, settlement or refuses to give testimony in court in respect of offences charged under this law shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to be sentenced to life imprisonment.
“The owner of a property who knowingly lets or allows his property/premises to another for the purpose of harbouring any person is guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to life imprisonment and forfeiture of the said property to the State.”
President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration would rebuild Nigeria, including the Niger Delta region, and asks for patience and understanding from the citizenry.
Receiving a delegation of Niger Delta Dialogue and Contact Group, led by His Royal Highness, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, the Amanyanabo of Twon Brass, Bayelsa State, at State House, Abuja, Thursday, President Buhari pledged that under his watch Nigeria will witness judicious utilization of resources.
“We intend to rebuild this country; so that our children and grand-children will have a good place they can call their own. A lot of damage has been done, so I want you to tell the people to be patient.
“When you get together with other leaders, please pacify the people. We will utilize the resources of Nigeria with integrity and rebuild the country.”
The President said the gazette on the Niger Delta amnesty programme by the Umaru Yar’Adua administration is being studied with a view to determining what had been fulfilled, promising that whatever is left would equally be addressed.
“I want to get as much intelligence as possible on the situation in the Niger Delta. I have encouraged law enforcement agencies to contact leaders like you in order to have enough information to deal with the issues once and for all, “the President said.
He sympathized with investors who borrowed lots of money to invest in the Niger Delta region and have not recouped their investments due to insecurity.
He used the occasion of his audience with the Group to reiterate his appeal to those who perpetrate violence to embrace peace and give government a chance.
The leader of the Group, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, said the group was made of peace builders, dedicated to peace and stability in the region.
Barely two weeks after striking civil servants in Ondo state locked out the state governor, Segun Mimiko, from office over unpaid 5 months salary, aggrieved pensioners in Ogun state yesterday locked the state Commissioner for Finance, Adewale Osinowo, inside his office at the government house at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, over their two months unpaid pensions.
The pensioners, under the aegis of the Association of Local Government Pensioners in the state, stormed the office complex and demanded to see the Commissioner. When he refused to come out and attend to them, the pensioners forced their way into the government house and locked the entrance into his office.
The pensioners said they were angry that the state government had refused to pay them their May and June pensions. According to them, about 60 members of their association had died in the last few weeks owing to the non availability of their pensions. The commissioner later attended to them and promised that their pension would be paid immediately