Sunday, August 9, 2015

Robbers of Mohammed Babangida’s Wife’s Car Arrested in Katsina


The Nigerian police have arrested a group of men suspected to be the robbers who stole a car belonging to Mohammed Babangida's new wife after robbing her at gun point. Mohammed is the son of former Nigerian military dictator Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

In a daring operation, some armed robbers had snatched a 2015 Mercedes Benz S550 and a stash of cash from Mrs. Babangida at her father’s house in Ungwan Rimi area of Kaduna, the capital of Kaduna State. The robbery happened yesterday. Initial reports had it that the victim was Mrs Rahma Babangida, Mohammed's first wife. Turns out it is his new wife.

 Three of the four suspects were caught in Katsina State.

According to SaharaReporters, one of their two police sources stated that the robbers were trying to head out of Nigeria through Dusten Ma in Katsina State when the cellphone Mrs. Babangida had left in the stolen car gave them away.

One source in Kaduna told SaharaReporters that the robbers also took a gun belonging to a police officer who was part of Mrs. Babangida’s security detail.

Fear Of Prison? Jonathan secretly visited Buhari last week

Immediate past president, President Goodluck Jonathan, paid a secret visit to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, August 6. 
According to Punch Newspapers, the clandestine meeting was held inside the President’s official residence.
This would be the first time Jonathan would be visiting the Presidential Villa since he left in the morning of May 29 for the Eagles Square where Buhari took his oath of office and allegiance as his (Jonathan’s) successor.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, confirmed Jonathan’s visit and meeting with Buhari to our correspondent on Sunday.
Adesina, however, said he was not privy to the subject of discussion at the meeting.
A top Presidency official also confided in our correspondent that the meeting was strictly between Buhari and Jonathan.
He said the visit was made discreetly to the extent that photographs were not taken.
“Nobody was with them. I am sure they don’t want the visit to be an item in the media. That probably explains why the former president visited at night and went straight to the residence. They met for a few minutes in the President’s residence,” the official said

I paid Policemen N60,000 to escape from jail-Serial Robbery Suspect



A man's escape from police cell and re-arrest is generating controversy. Wasiu Saka, 30, was a notorious car robber in Ondo State and his mode of operation was to apply as a driver to un-suspecting employers and, after securing employment, abscond with their cars.

After stealing cars from his employers in Lagos State, Saka will drive to Akungba-Akoko, his home town in Ondo State, to show off that he had ‘arrived’ and live big after which he would sell the car at a ridiculous price and return to Lagos for another car theft operation.

He was arrested by detectives from the Ondo State Police Command last month with a Toyota Hiace bus marked, Lagos JJJ 94XD.
After interrogation, he reportedly confessed to have stolen the bus from a Good Samaritan who, after listening to his story that he has a family in Ondo State and had been jobless for months and desperately in need of a job to feed his family members, employed him as a driver.

Police sources hinted that Saka had stolen no fewer than four vehicles, including a vehicle belonging to a notable company in Lagos.
After his arrest on June 21, he, however, miraculously escaped from police cell in the night of the second day after the arrest.
His escape caused a stir as the police authorities queried the officers in charge of his case and a standing order was given to smoke him out from his hideout.

The suspect was re-arrested after a manhunt for him yielded result in Akungba-Akoko area.

Upon re-arrest, Saka allegedly confessed that his escape from police cell was made possible with help from some policemen, and that after paying them relocated to Ile-Ife, Osun State to avoid the prying eyes of police detectives.

He alleged that those who aided his escape from police cell also taught him what to do to avoid re-arrest.Saka alleged that while the police were searching for him, he was in touch with his accomplices from his hideout.

In Ile-Ife, Saka said he continued with his robbery business because, according to him, that was the only business he knew how to do.

He stated that he secured a driving job with one Mrs Rosemary Omotosho whom she took to church on Sunday, July 26, in her Toyota car marked Lagos LSR 68 DH.

Speaking exclusively with Sunday Vanguard after he was paraded by the Ondo State Police Command, alongside 36 other suspected criminals terrorizing the state, the suspect Saka said after he dropped his employer in church he fled with the car only to inform her that the vehicle had been stolen.

He said that because Omotosho is rich, he wanted to extort her before selling the car and bolting away.
Five days later, he called her again that some people had recovered the car in Ibadan but were demanding for N35, 000 before they could bring back the car to her.
The employer, according to him, immediately sent a recharge voucher of N10,000 to him to pay.
According to him, he informed the boss that the people insisted that the car would not be released until the balance was paid.As this went on, he said he relocated to Akungba-Akoko with the car.


It was gathered that it was while he was being interrogated for the previous alleged crimes that his activities in Ife came to light .However, during interrogation, the suspect alleged that he was able to escape from police cell after settling some policemen with N60,000.

“When I was told that I would be taken to court and may be remanded in Olokuta Prison, I discussed with some policemen on how they could assist me” I later paid them N60, 000 and they facilitated my escape from cell and I fled to Ile-Ife. Saka described the police allegation that he escaped from cell as unfair, saying he paid his way through.
But two policemen, who reportedly witnessed the interview, were said to have shouted him down, describing him as a chronic liar and notorious car robber who spoke from both sides of the mouth.They queried how the same policemen he was accusing of aiding his escape were the ones that re-arrested him.


According to them, the suspect was a drowning man looking for those to pull down and blackmail.

However, the state Police Commissioner, Isaac Eke, and the policemen did not say how Saka escaped from police cell but only interested in his re-arrest.

Vanguard

Fashola & IT Firm Deny Spending N78million for Fashola’s Website


The IT firm named by the Lagos State procurement office as receiving N78 million for the upgrade of former Governor Babatunde Fashola’s personal website, has totally denied being paid the amount.

After it was revealed that the immediate past governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, approved an outrageous N78.3 million from the state’s treasury for the upgrade of his personal website, Nigerians went bonkers.

Info Access Plus Limited is now saying its quotation for the job was N12.5 million, and that the state eventually spent N10 million.  Read the statement they just released below:
Our attention is drawn to the twitter campaign alleging that the Lagos State Government (LASG), led by His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN spent Seventy Eight Million Naira (N78M) to upgrade the www.tundefashola.com web site, a site dedicated to giving citizens unfettered access to the Governor’s daily activities and open access to information. 
It is imperative to state here that, the website in question is not Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola’s personal website but an official website which reports and documents his official activities as a way of socially accounting for his stewardship to the people of Lagos State. This initiative of having an official website for the Governor was to build on the earlier commitment to open access which saw Governor Fashola being the first serving governor to publish his telephone number on the pages of newspapers. 
As pressure mounted on that number, the website and all of its social media handles became alternative platforms for people to directly engage with their elected governor. 
While we do not hold brief for the Lagos State Government, the selective loading of contracts awarded and executed by the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency is itself suspect and aimed at a pre-determined end. The statement of the Contract Line Item and the cost ascribed on the website of the agency are therefore misleading and mischievous. 
For avoidance of doubt, we are by this medium therefore laying bare the facts for the public:
Introduction 
The former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, set out to streamline easy access to himself, while in office and to document his activities for the citizens. 
From 2008 and up till May 29, 2015, the www.tundefashola.com web site has processed thousands of press releases/speeches, more than 6 million pictures, thousands of videos to generate world class, content-rich online information collaterals for the former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN. 
The same www.tundefashola.com web site provides great opportunities for the Lagos State Government, as it collates all activities of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, and his government during his two terms.
  • What Did LASG Get For the alleged “N78M”?
N12.5m was quoted for the upgrade of the www.tundefashola.com web site, which includes complete re-design of all the hundreds of page templates. Meanwhile, the LASG spent less than N10m on this and not N78M being bandied on the social around.
Info Access Plus Limited will provide free technical support for the entire life cycle of the web site. 
Info Access Plus Limited will manage the contents of the site, which consist of press releases, speeches, photos, videos, etc for one year. 
Info Access Plus Limited developed and managed the first and only web-based 1-year Countdown Clock to May 29, 2015 on a 24-hourly basis off the back of this same service cost for a period of 1 year from 2014 to May 29, 2015. 
Info Access Plus Limited developed mobile apps for the top four platforms, namely Apple iOS, Google Play, Microsoft Windows Phone 8 and Blackberry World off the back of this same service cost. 
Info Access Plus Limited will provide free technical support throughout the life cycles of all these mobile apps also off the back of this same service cost.
  • For the Records
In addition, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, personally paid for the www.brforg.org web site, even when he was the Lagos State Governor. He felt that www.brforg.org is the online presence of his Non-Governmental Organization, BRF Organization. 
Again, we state for the records, that the website in question is the official website of the Governor of Lagos State and not Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola’s personal website as being disparagingly alleged by the campaigners. 
  • Quality Software Development Takes Serious Effort, Time and Resources
According to Bloomberg, the Obamacare Enrollment System web site costs more than $2 Billion. 
According to the YCharts, the Annual Facebook Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $2.153B from revenue of $12.47B. 
According to the same YCharts, the Annual Twitter Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $446.31M from revenue of $1.403B. 
According to the same YCharts, the Annual Microsoft Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $33.04B from revenue of $93.58B. 
According to the same YCharts, the Annual Google Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $25.69B from revenue of $66B. 
According to the same YCharts, the Annual Apple Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $112.26B from revenue of $182.80B. 
All these private sector driven Operating Costs still run into several billions, while taking serious effort to reduce waste. 
It’s evident from these stated facts that good products take huge amount of planning, time and resources. 
Was the Facebook built and maintained with less than $500,000? Anyone making this claim is dubious. 
Signed on Behalf of Info Access Plus Limited

South African Pastor that made Church Members Drink Petrol, Eat Snakes Weds


24-year-old Prophet Penuel Tshepo, of the End Time Disciples Ministries in Soshanguv, South Africa recently sparked outrage online after he allegedly commanded a snake to turn into chocolate, then had his church members feast on the reptile as a show of their faith in God's power. 

Dude got married today to his excited heartthrob Boitumelo Rakubu. See the pics after the cut. Penuel is the same pastor who once made his church members eat grass, eat fellow members' hair, clothes and at one other time made them drink petrol. Very bizarre, shocking things. 


His bride
Photos from her hen night:



See Photos: Man Without Limbs Pastor Nick Vujicic Welcomes Second Baby



Their second bundle of joy has arrived. Nick's wife was delivered of a baby boy today. 
The excited second time dad shared photos on his Facebook page.



Ogun Sex Workers warn ritualists touch us again and meet your end


The group of commercial sex workers held the candlelight procession in honour of their colleagues murdered by an unknown customer. The victim was identified as Sitira.
During the procession, they ventilated their grievances on the spate of the killing of prostitutes in Abeokuta for ritual purposes.
Sitira, 23, was said to have been murdered last Sunday by suspected ritual killers while her remains were dumped at a refuse site. Eyewitness said her remains were dropped from a moving Sport Utility Vehicle at Oloomore junction, Abeokuta in the early hours of that fateful day.
A chunk of flesh was severed off her right arm by her killers. The protesting sex workers, numbering about 50, identified their slain colleague with different names such as Titi and Folake.
They sang, “Oro nla leda, oro nla leda, eyin tepa Titi, t’eje odagba, oro nla leda. Omo yin maku, Omo yin maku, eyin tepa Titi t’eje odagba, omo yin maku.”
When translated literally, it means, ‘‘You have done something grievous by killing Titi prematurely. The killers of Titi (Sitira) have done something grievous. Their children will die, those that killed Titi will lose their children.”
 Speaking with journalists, some of them claimed that aside Sitira, another colleague was killed in the same manner and her mutilated body was discovered in a ditch at the same Olomoore, Abeokuta.
They stated that they were not unaware of the antics of the suspected ritual killers who are currently on the prowl, and they would do anything to check their activities.


Our correspondent, who posed as a customer spoke to some of them at Iwe Iroyin and the MKO Abiola International Stadium, Kuto.
They expressed anger about the development, vowing to go diabolical to bring the suspects to book.
For someone like Ajike (not her real name), no amount of money would make her follow any ‘client’ to his home again.
“I have vowed that nothing would make me follow any customer home again. That is why they have been able to kill some of us for rituals. It’s either they follow me to where I stay or we go to a hotel. If our dead colleagues had brought these men to the places we operate (hotels), this wickedness would not have taken place,” she said.
Another prostitute, who identified herself as ‘Tee baby,’ expressed grief over the death of their colleagues. While hitting her hands on her chest, she said she was ready to challenge any ritual killer who crosses her path.
She said, “Any ritual killer, who attempts to take my life will be punished. If he thinks that I am a prostitute and has no worth, I am going to make sure he does not live to tell his own story. I am saying it now and confirming it, that as far as we are concerned here in Stadium, my babes (colleagues) are ready for them. They should come with their charms. We will deal with them. I will no longer follow anyone to anywhere other than a hotel. Now, we are potent as a bomb.”
Abimbola, another sex worker, told our correspondent that she saw Sitira being driven away in an exotic car the night she was murdered.
“She was with another prostitute and they entered one fine car that night. I was shocked to learn that Titi was dead. In fact, I have decided to fortify myself spiritually since this is the only job I do and I have not been able to secure any good job aside prostitution.
“But as far as they cannot get me a job, they cannot stop me from prostitution. The only thing they have succeeded in doing is that they have called my attention to the fact that I am too far from my spiritual fathers and mothers. Anyone who knows any ritual killer should let them know that it is payback time. They should come with their charms, we are ready for them.”
Sidikat who is also a prostitute preferred to rain curses on the ritual killers who murdered her colleagues. She said, 
“None of them will live up to old age, and they shall use their own hands to bury their own children.”
She added, “I will however be more cautious of the men I follow to hotels. But any of them nursing any evil thoughts will meet their waterloo with me. I am set to do the unthinkable with them. I know they (ritual killers) will still come around, but they should remember that every day is for the thief, one day will be for the owner. I will not say more than that.”
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, on Thursday read the riot act to ritual killers, cult members and other criminals in the state.
Ali stated, “I have told my men to shoot any cult member or ritual killers caught in action. We will no longer tolerate all these killings.
“So many developmental activities have taken place in the state. So many companies are in the state and some expatriates are here. These activities might scare them.”

Aisha Buhari Takes over Patience Jonathan’s Office


Notwithstanding the change in nomenclature, it has been revealed that Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has been operating from the Office of the First Lady located inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Ahead of the March 28 presidential election, Buhari, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, had promised that he would not have an office for the First Lady should he emerge victorious at the election.

“The Office of the First Lady is not in the constitution, so there’s no official role for them,” Buhari had said.

As the campaigns progressed however, Mrs. Buhari joined the APC team. That made observers doubt
whether the President would be able to walk his talk.

Since her husband’s assumption of office, Mrs. Buhari has dropped the title of “First Lady” used by her predecessors, including Mrs. Patience Jonathan. She adopted the title of “Wife of the President.”

Investigations by PUNCH have, however, showed that apart from the nomenclature, nothing significant has changed.

Mrs. Buhari and her handlers operate from the First Lady’s office used by her predecessors, it was learnt. The office is located beside the official residence of the President.

Her office, like it was under her predecessors, houses her staff members, including personal aides, security details and protocol officials, among others.

She has so far organised events similar to the ones that were not in short supply under her immediate predecessor, Mrs. Jonathan.

The first event organised by Mrs. Buhari was an elaborate “thank you dinner” she organised in honour of APC women and youths for supporting her husband’s election.

The President’s wife, during the recently concluded Ramadan, also broke her fast with some women leaders and the less privileged.

Recently, the Office of the Wife of the President, in conjunction with a United Kingdom-based private firm, organised a seminar on protocol, etiquette and security for wives of state governors.

At that event, the President’s wife charged the wives of the state governors to come up with laudable programmes to complement their husbands’ efforts.

At the conclusion of Ramadan, Mrs. Buhari also hosted children to an elaborate Sallah party.

All these events were held inside the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, with glamour.

Apart from these, the President’s wife, represented by some individuals, had donated either cash or relief items to internally displaced persons and other groups in parts of the country.

Our correspondent also learnt that she is at the verge of initiating a pet project, a platform that will be used to meet specific needs.

That has also been the style of previous First Ladies.

The Director of Media in the Office of the Wife of the President, Zakari Yau Nadabo, confirmed to our correspondent on Thursday that arrangements were ongoing for a pet project for Mrs. Buhari.

Nadabo said the first step was to identify the area where the President’s wife is interested in making intervention.

He said, “It is not about initiating a pet project alone. The first step is to identify the area. The plan is already in the pipeline. Issues are just beginning to take shape.

“We do not want to rush. We want to take our time to do a careful analysis so that we can intervene in critical areas.”

EFCC: 2 arrested over seperate plans to steal seized $2.1m NHIS cash


Two persons have made separate attempts to claim the $2.1m (about N418million) cash seized by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The NDLEA had on July 3 intercepted the cash which was being conveyed by a bureau de change operator, Mr. Ibiteye John Bamidele.

Following his confession that he was on money laundering errand allegedly for a former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Olufemi Thomas, the NDLEA had on July 8 handed over the suspect and the cash to the EFCC.

Investigations by SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday reveal that two different persons have showed up at the Lagos office of the EFCC to claim the cash.Our correspondent learnt that one of the impostors, a man, who showed up to claim ownership of the money, later confessed to EFCC operatives that he was hired by some persons he didn’t name to retrieve the money from the commission.

His claim was said to have been punctured by the EFCC team and he was subsequently arrested.Similarly, a lady was also said to have appeared at the Lagos office of the EFCC, claiming that she was the one that gave Bamidele the money.

The lady was said to have made repeated calls to the supposed owner of the money who failed to fulfil his promise that he would meet her at the EFCC office.

When she realised that her partner had failed her with the refusal to appear at the commission. She was also said to have pleaded for mercy especially when the operatives confronted her with facts from Bamidele. 

 A top officer of the EFCC, who spoke on condition of anonymity toSUNDAY PUNCH, said, 
“Another thing you must know about this drama is that the commission has foiled some attempts to retrieve the money.“From the time the case was handed over to the commission on July 8, 2015 to date, two people have come forward to claim the money.“A few days after the money was handed over to the EFCC, a man came to the office to claim the money but when he was grilled, he contradicted himself. In fact, he said he was hired by some persons to claim and retrieve the money from the commission.“Apart from the man, another woman showed up the following day to claim that she was the one who gave Bamidele the money.“According to her claim, the money was proceeds of an investment which was liquidated with a bank and was intended to be used to purchase a property for the construction of a cardiac centre.
“However, her claim fell through when operatives confronted her. The bureau de change operator who was caught with the money did not mention her name. Then she realised that she wasn’t going anywhere with her lies, she started pleading for mercy.”
Meanwhile, indications emerged on Saturday that Thomas had been granted administrative bail on Friday by the EFCC after undergoing interrogation in relation to the seized $2.1m.The EFCC had invited the former NHIS boss, the prime suspect, for interrogation on Friday and released him after hours of interrogation.

SUNDAY PUNCH gathered on Saturday that the EFCC operatives, who grilled the ex-NHIS boss in relation to the ownership of the controversial money, asked him to report to the Lagos office of the commission for further investigation whenever he is needed.

Another senior officer of the EFCC, who also spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said,
 “The case involving the seized $2.1 million is still pending. The man was interrogated on Friday but released to go on what we call administrative bail.“Since the case is a Lagos case, he is expected to be reporting to the commission’s office in Lagos whenever he is needed.

Prior to Thomas’ interrogation, the EFCC had given the indication that it could declare him wanted after weeks of searching for him.

Photo: Osita Iheme loses one of his transport vehicles in an accident


Actor Osita Iheme aka 'Paw Paw' announced on social media that he lost one of his vehicles in his transport business in an accident yesterday. Eya...but thankfully, no life was lost!

50Cent offered Rick Ross' baby mama $3m settlement and she said no!

A court has awarded Rick Ross babymama Lestonia Leviston $7million in damages but according to new reports, before taking the case to trial, 50 Cent offered her $3m but she said no. 50cent sold half of his music publishing to pay her off but she refused. Below is how NY Daily News is reporting it
"Jackson's team disclosed that to drum up cash to pay for two large lawsuits - Leviston's and a $17 million judgment won by Sleek Audio, which said the rapper stole their headphone idea - Jackson sold his entire catalog of music to Kobalt Music Group for $6 million.
When one of his lawyers said the first $3 million sale to Kobalt was used partly for ordinary living expenses, Jackson quipped "I don't remember having lots of money." The lawyer said the second sale was made so Jackson could make [Rick Ross' baby's mother] Leviston a settlement offer but she refused to take it.

Flood in Abuja this morning after heavy rain (photos)

This is the condition of Maraba and Nyanya road in Abuja this morning after heavy rain. More pics after the cut...