Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Teens attack shops, stab 3 to death in Oyingbo

There was pandemonium on Freeman and Borno streets in the Oyingbo area of Lagos State when teenagers, armed with cutlasses and knives, attacked and looted shops, while some traders were injured in the area.
It was learnt that the teenagers, on the fateful day went to Old Apapa Road, Oyingbo, and stabbed three persons to death on Saturday. During the 30 mins attack on the two streets, the teenagers, who traders said numbered about 30, invaded the area at about 3pm and ordered the traders to leave their shops.

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It was learnt that the hoodlums injured traders who did not obey them on time, forcing others to abandon their wares and scamper to safety.
The teenagers were reportedly led by one Idris Aloma, who was said to be based in the Sawmill, Okobaba area.
 
Some of the traders said that the assailants’ ages ranged from 15 to 20.
One of the traders, Bolaji Olumofe, said:
“The boys were no fewer than 30. Most of them wore white shirts. They had cutlasses and guns with them. They stormed the streets, and started entering shops at will.
“They attacked traders and workers. One of the workers is being treated in a hospital as we speak. They stole television sets and handsets. It was a daylight robbery.
“These boys were in three factions. One of the factions claimed to be mourning one of their leaders who was killed on Thursday. The second faction came later to Borno Way and attacked traders there too.
“The onslaughts happened for about 30 minutes. The teenagers went towards Freeman Street, shooting and daring residents to come out. The policemen from Denton division later came, but the hoodlums had fled.”
In Borno Way, 2 women who were robbed and injured said:
“We were robbed at about 2.30pm. I have a refrigerator and I sell frozen foods. The boys just barged in with cutlasses and knives and began to seize bags and aprons. I lost about N300,000.
“Everyone ran away because of their number and weapons. My neighbour sells phones; they took all the phones after collecting her money. She has not come to the market since then.”
It was also learnt that workers at the Sawmill, Okobaba area, had sent a petition to the state Commissioner of Police to rid the area of hoodlums.
The security official, Musibau, noted that the hoodlums were Fagbayimu and Kogbagidi boys, who, he claimed, had been arrested and granted bail on several occasions.
 
He said
“The violence started in the Sawmill, Okobaba Estate area on Friday, where two of the hoodlums were killed. The faction there mobilised to old Apapa Road on Saturday and killed three persons in a reprisal.
“It was after then that they moved to the market area, and began to loot shops and attack the traders. The hoodlums are known as Fagbayimu and Kogbagidi boys. They have ring leaders such as Taoreed, Lekan Sondoko, Ajayi and others.
“One of the persons they killed on Old Apapa Road is identified simply as Yoyo-the-tailor. It was a full-scale onslaught. The vigilance groups are going after these hoodlums. We cannot allow them to continue to harass and terrorise our women.”
It was learnt that while business activities had returned to both streets, some of the shops were still closed.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Patricia Amadin, confirmed the incident.
She added that four suspects had been arrested in connection with the violence.
 
 
Punch

Carnival queen Rihanna parades around in tiny, sexy costume at Barbados festival

Rihanna, who is the carnival queen at the Barbados Annual Kadooment Day parade, wore a very sexy barely-there diamond sparkly bra, matching underwear and a huge feathered head-dress and wings, as she paraded around at the festival today. Her body looks fuller & hot. See more photos after the cut...



Jonathan raised fuel subsidy from N300bn to N1.9trn – Amaechi

Former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of increasing the country’s subsidy claim from N300 billion to N1.9trillion all by himself during his administration.
He said: 
“The fuel subsidy was N300 billion under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and it remained the same under late President  Yar’Adua. Within 6 months under President Jonathan, the fuel subsidy rose from N300 billion to N1.9 trillion. Yet, Jonathan wanted more money for fuel subsidy.
“Is it that the country now doubled its population or bought more machines or started manufacturing? As chairman of Governors Forum, I was in a position  to get my share of the N1.9 trillion but I chose the part of honesty and truth, you cannot catch me being dishonest.
“There was a time I walked into a meeting with the president (Goodluck Jonathan)  and at the meeting, the argument was that they wanted more money for oil subsidy. As the chairman of Governors Forum, I stood my ground and told the president I was not going to support that.
“He asked me why and I explained that we were already in court on the issue of fuel subsidy. The president abused the hell out of my life. I have huge respect for the president, but the only thing that made me disagree with him was on the issue of the management of the country’s treasury.

In regards to anti-South South allegation, he said:
“I told the president then that those who were accusing me of being anti South South will come out and tell the world the development that has happened to the South South under his presidency. The president confirmed it himself during the campaign that he has done nothing, he said: “I know I’ve done nothing but if you vote for me, I’ll do…” so I call him I’ll do president.
“This prompted the trouble between me and the Jonathan administration.”
Recalling his face-off with Jonathan, he stated that the genesis of their differences dated back when the former president reduced the allocation due to Rivers State from N20 billion to paltry N6 billion, adding that he never worked against the South South zone.

He alleged that the current government of his state under Governor Nyesom Wike was working against him being appointed a Minister on the grounds that he would determine the course of the state politics.
He said:
“Some people will say I betrayed the South South, I have no word for betrayal. May God not give me the ambition the current governor of Rivers State has, he can sell anybody. God should rather put me to death than to have an ambition to sell this country.
“The current governor of Rivers State and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are afraid of me getting appointment at the national level, because that will determine the politics of Rivers State. They know that the current president abhors corruption and the only way to stop me from getting appointment is to paint that picture of corruption.

Cleaner loses his leg in 3rd escalator accident in China

A 35-year-old cleaner at a Shanghai mall had his left leg amputated after it became stuck in an escalator last night in the third such incredibly tragic and frightening case in just this past week.
 
CCTV footage released by Cloud Nine Shopping Mall has revealed what transpired in moments before the accident.
At 10.21pm that evening, the mall was closing for the day but the escalator leading to the metro station was still in operation. Minutes later, 35-year-old cleaner Zhang is seen standing on a mop where the stairs meet the floorplate, using his weight to clean the steps of the escalator.

A section soon gives way and Zhang’s left leg is stuck inside the escalator. By pressing a red button, Zhang was able to immediately turn off the escalator. Rescuers arrived at the scene at 10.50pm with equipment and eventually managed to free him from the escalator, and send him to the hospital, where the decision was later made to amputate his leg because it was so badly mangled.

In pain from the amputation, Zhang, who had just started working at the mall in May, tells local reporters that a similar incident had happened with this escalator just a fortnight ago, and he had reported the malfunction to management then.

A Cloud Nine spokesperson says that cleaning of the escalators should technically only begin at 10.30pm when they are stopped.
“We are deeply pained by this tragedy which resulted because standard operating procedures were not adhered to,” he said. “We will be stepping up supervision in the execution of safety measures to make sure all employees stick to standard operating procedures to prevent similar incidents from happening in future.”

This makes the third reported escalator accident of this past week. Last Sunday, a 30-year-old woman was able to save her son but not herself in a horrific accident in Hubei province. Just two days later, a toddler had his arm dragged into an escalator at a mall in Guangxi province.

Additionally, another gruesome machinery accident happened on Thursday as a 21-year-old woman was crushed to death in elevator accident in Zhejiang province


Kim K shows off her baby bump

Kim K showed off her baby bump as she stepped out with friends in New Orleans. She's glowing. More photos after the cut..





Governor Ambode appoints 19 new permanent secretaries

Press statement from Lagos state government
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has approved the appointment of 19 new Permanent Secretaries in the State Public Service. In a statement issued on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, the appointments are in line with the Governor’s drive to restructure the civil service for efficient performance and service delivery. The development is also coming on the heels of the streamlining of some existing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) aimed at ensuring greater efficiency.
The new Permanent Secretaries, the statement said, have been deployed across board in the new structure of the civil service.
The names of the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries are Mr. Bamgboye Abiodun; Mrs. Dapo-Thomas Boladele Aderemi; Mrs. Ariyo Elizabeth Olabisi; Mrs. Adekanye Adebunmi Elizabeth; Mr. Bode Agoro; Dr. (Mrs.) Ayandele Olufolayimika Abiose; Dr. (Mrs.) Sodeinde Nuriat Ibironke; Mr. Odeyemi Mohammed Adesina; Mrs. Odulana Arinola Olufunmilayo. Others are Mrs. Onisarotu Adesina Jemil; Engr. Bade-Adebowale Ajibade Caster; Mrs. Amosu Sewande Ayodele; Mr. Kadiri Abayomi Adebisi; Mrs. Anifowoshe Amidat Abiola; Mr. Adeyemi Folarin Anthony; Dr. (Mrs.) Oduwole Olanike Elizabeth; Mr. Mustapha Abdul Ahmed Olorunfemi; Mrs. Odunlami Funlola Adesola and Mr. Odupitan James Olusola.
Meanwhile, 15 Permanent Secretaries have also been retired from the civil service accordingly. Governor Ambode is expected to swear in the new Permanent Secretaries at the Lagos House, Alausa on Wednesday, August 5th.

Photos: VP Osinbajo in Zambia to commission Dangote cement factory

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo arrived Zambia yesterday for a one day visit where he will be joining the Zambian president, Edgar Chagwa Lungu to commission a 1.5Mt Dangote Cement plant and 30MW coal-fired power plant in Ndola, Zambia. Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomole and some top Nigerian businessmen are in Zambia for the commissioning. More photos after the cut...



Yay! I made Credit Suisse 50 Movers And Shakers In Africa list

Wow! So honored. I made Credit Suisse's 50 Movers and Shakers in Africa list. Credit Suisse Bank of Switzerland has a quarterly magazine called The Bulletin which is usually distributed to their high net worth and private banking clients all across the world and they recently published an issue on Africa and put me in their list of 50 people making things happen in the continent. Yay!


The magazine got published yesterday and other Nigerians on the list are; Tony Elumelu, Aliko Dangote, Mo Abudu, Chimamanda Adichie, Davido, Raji Fashola, Genevieve Nnaji, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Japhet Omojuwa, Wole Soyinka and Michael Akindele

Monday, August 3, 2015

Oil theft: We have identified accomplice countries and banks- Buhari


President Buhari says investigations being carried out on the oil sector have revealed countries and banks that have aided and abetted the people behind oil theft in Nigeria. He said this when a delegation of US congress members paid him a visit at the state house today August 3rd.
"We are getting cooperation from the international community, including information on ships that take crude oil from Nigeria and change direction, or pour their contents into other ships mid-stream. Some monies were paid to individual accounts. We're identifying the financial institutions and countries that are involved. I have been assured that when we get all our documents together, the United States and other countries will treat our case with sympathy,’’ he said.

Akon and Lighting Africa team meets Governor Ambode

Akon and his Akon Lighting Africa Team met with Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday August 2nd at the State House. Also at the meeting was the artiste May D and Akon's Rep in Nigeria Ayo Shonaiya. Another photo after the cut...

Army to review case of soldiers condemned to death for mutiny


The Nigerian Army has ordered a review of the courts-martial of more than 600 soldiers and officers condemned to death for mutiny and deserting the battle against Boko Haram in the North East.

AP reports that a statement released signed by army administrator, Maj. Gen. A. B. Abubakar yesterday August 2nd, states that all the accused and condemned soldiers will appear before a committee that will sit and review their cases in Kaduna state from Aug. 7 to Aug. 24.

The soldiers had at different times revolted against their commanders over lack of weapons to fight Boko Haram members. Seems like former Chief of Defense Staff Alex Badeh now agrees with them.

Anybody close to me knows that I don't like money- Rotimi Amaechi


Former Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi said people close to him know that he doesn't like money. He said this yesterday August 2nd during a special reception held in his honor by some of his friends in Abuja,. The comment was made in response to allegations by Governor Nyesom Wike that he embezzled money while in office. 
 "Governor Nyesome Wike has again sponsored one advert in a bid to rubbish me. Only God knows that if there is one thing I don’t like, I don’t like money. Anybody close to me knows that I don’t like money. The governor and PDP are afraid of me getting an appointment to the national executive council. The current president abhors corruption and the only way they can stop me from getting the appointment is to paint me with corruption. And the people that know me in Rivers State know that I don’t like money. In Rivers, people know I don’t like money.” he said