The Kogi State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), mourn as four staff members, a youth corps member and a
three-year-old girl died in an accident on Ajaokuta-Lokoja road on
Saturday. According to reports, the National Youth Service Corps member
was performing his primary assignment with the INEC office in Lokoja and
that the child belonged to one of the INEC staff members. The victims
were returning in the evening from Ayingba, Kogi, where they attended
the wedding ceremony of another INEC worker when the sad incident
occured. The Director of Voter Education and Publicity at Kogi Office of
INEC, Ahmed Biambo, confirmed the incident saying that the victims were
from the Information and Communication Technology and Accounts
departments of INEC. He said that the corpses have been deposited at
the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.The post 4 INEC staff, a youth corps member diein fatal Kogi road accident4 INEC staff, a youth corps member die in fatal Kogi road accident
The Kogi State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), mourn as four staff members, a youth corps member and a
three-year-old girl died in an accident on Ajaokuta-Lokoja road on
Saturday. According to reports, the National Youth Service Corps member
was performing his primary assignment with the INEC office in Lokoja and
that the child belonged to one of the INEC staff members. The victims
were returning in the evening from Ayingba, Kogi, where they attended
the wedding ceremony of another INEC worker when the sad incident
occured. The Director of Voter Education and Publicity at Kogi Office of
INEC, Ahmed Biambo, confirmed the incident saying that the victims were
from the Information and Communication Technology and Accounts
departments of INEC. He said that the corpses have been deposited at
the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.The post 4 INEC staff, a youth corps member diein fatal Kogi road accidentCo-incidence or nah? Paul and Jude Okoye's posts after Lola Omotayo's birthday message raises eyebrows
The beef in the Okoye family clearly seems far from over. Yesterday,
Paul and Peter Okoye (Psqaure) turned 39 and a barrage of birthday
messages flooded social media to wish them well. However, Paul and Jude
Okoye's posts a few hours after Lola Omotayo's (Peter's wife) birthday
message seems too shady to be ignored. In Lola's message she wrote, 'I
pray that our father in heaven speaks to you individually and softens
your hearts'. Paul in his post said, 'may God soften their
wickedness'. See all the screenshots below... 
The post Co-incidence or nah? Paul and Jude Okoye's posts after Lola Omotayo's birthday message raises eyebrowsThere's nothing more amazing than waking up and seeing you right next to me- Adesua tells Banky W on the occassion of their 1st tradversary
Actress, Adesua has taken to her Instagram page to celebrate her
husband, Banky W on the occassion of their first traditional wedding
anniversary on Monday, November 19. Posting this lovely photo on her
page, Adesua wrote''On this day, the quiet moments were the best.
Moments when I felt like it was just you and I. I thought back on the
tough months we had before this day (surgery And healing) and how God
brought us through. He's still keeping us and he has given us the most
beautiful life.A year ago, I was sure that I loved you as much as I
thought was humanly possible. A year later and I realise that I was so
wrong. I love you so much more. Thank you for stretching my heart
muscles and being such an amazing human being and husband. My husband.
Still in awe of the man that you are. There's nothing more amazing than
waking up and seeing you right next to me. I love you more than I can
put into words. My purpose partner, my guy, my lover (slurp), my
bubba.You were worth the wait.LOVE YOU PIECES.Happy tradiversary honey
@bankywellington#BAADFOREVERThe post There's
nothing more amazing than waking up and seeing you right next to me-
Adesua tells Banky W on the occassion of their 1st tradversary'Call me a bastard if Nigeria does not experience economic boom after Buhari's re-election' - Doyin Okupe's son tells Nigerians
Ditan Okupe, the son of former spokesperson of former President Goodluck
Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has asked Nigerians to call him a bastard if
Nigeria does not experience economic boom after President Buhari is
re-elected in 2019. Ditan who joined the Buhari Campaign Organization
this month against his father's wishes, wrote on his twitter this
morning ''If 2 years into PMBs next administration,Nigeria does not
begin to experience an economic boom the likes of which no African
nation has experienced ever before, then call me a bastard. Lol PMB
& PYO in 4yrs have laid a perfect foundation. Our success, as a
nation, is inevitable ''
The post 'Call me a bastard if Nigeria does not experience economic boom after Buhari's re-election' - Doyin Okupe's son tells Nigerians Rita Ora stuns in plunging pink gown emblazoned with feathers as she attends Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2018 (Photos)
English singer and actress, Rita Ora commanded attention as she arrived
for the Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2018 on Sunday evening in a
glamorous dress. The 27-year-old singer stunned in a pink satin gown
emblazoned with feathers running down the bodice and her hips.Continue
to see more photos below. 
The post Rita Ora stuns in plunging pink gown emblazoned with feathers as she attends Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2018 (Photos)''The best decision I have made in my adult life was to wait until I found my wife'' Banky W says as he celebrates wedding anniversary with Adesua
Banky W and his stunning wife, Adesua, are celebrating their first
traditional wedding anniversary today November 19th.In a post shared on
his Instagram page, Banky said the best decision he has made so far in
his adult life was waiting to find the right person as a wife.In his
post, he advised that people should endeavour not to give in to
pressures when on the journey to finding a life partner. Happy
anniversary to them. Read what he wrote belowBy far the best decision I
have made in my adult life, was to wait until I found my wife. People
will pressure you and try to make you feel inadequate or incomplete..
all because you're not living according to their own mental timetable.
Ignore them.Focus on your journey, your happiness, and on making
yourself a better person. My prayer is that you will discover, like I
did, that the right person is worth waiting for.Mrs W... I'm still
amazed that I get to call you mine. Thank you for loving me. Thank you
for building with me. Thank you for believing in me and for inspiring me
to be a better man. My purpose partner, my rock, my destiny, my Shug,
my wife, my life... Happy tradiversary Skuu. Love you SCATTER.
#BAAD2017 #BAAD2018The post ''The
best decision I have made in my adult life was to wait until I found my
wife'' Banky W says as he celebrates wedding anniversary with Adesua Stephanie Linus Becomes the ambassador for Nollycasting - The Number 1 Casting Site In Africa For Film/TV, Music Video, Commercials, Comedy & More!
Star actress, producer and director Stephanie Linus has been named the
ambassador for Nollycasting - the number 1 casting site in Africa for
Film/TV, Music Videos, Commercials, Comedy and more! This much needed
online platform was created to connect both new and seasoned talents
with the right people seeking to hire them. According to an official
statement from the creators of Nollycasting, the website is currently
accepting registrations from individuals with interest in acting, music
videos, commercials, voice overs, modeling, comedy and much more. This
is a sure way to put your skills and profile in front of several casting
directors and producers who may be interested in hiring you. The
website is very simple to use. Simply visit www.nollycasting.com and
sign up. Within a few minutes, users can create a profile, upload their
headshots, reels, resume and put their name in front of thousands of
casting directors. Profiles can be created for aspiring and seasoned
actors, actresses, movie set extras, music video vixens, back-up
singers, models, voice-over artists and much more. 
With
a pool of thousands of jobs available in the movie and music industry,
content creators often have the problem of finding the right people to
hire for certain jobs. This challenge also applies to talented people
who find it difficult in finding the kind of jobs that helps them
utilize and develop their creative talents. Nollycasting is here to make
that process easier. Nollycasting brand ambassador, Stephanie Linus,
noted that it was a timely initiative which would eliminate the huge
costs and difficulties associated with finding the right people to fill
certain roles. “People often ask me questions about how to get roles in
acting and other jobs in the entertainment industry,” she said. “I’m
glad I can now tell them about Nollycasting where they can connect with
the right people who need their skills. It also saves time and money for
producers and casting directors as they can now get all the talents
they need in one place.” This platform has been endorsed by several
veterans in the film and music industry who are eagerly looking for the
best talent to cast in their next projects. Find endless opportunities
for roles in: Acting, Commercials, Music videos, Modelling, Voice-overs,
Reality TV and more! Make that move towards achieving your dreams now
by signing up today! Nollycasting is now live on www.nollycasting.com
You can also connect with us on our social media
platforms: http://www.facebook.com/nollycasting www.twitter.com/nollycasting www.instagram.com/nollycasting The
post Stephanie
Linus Becomes the ambassador for Nollycasting - The Number 1 Casting
Site In Africa For Film/TV, Music Video, Commercials, Comedy & More!All the gist about the MTN Sponsored Olojo Festival
The ancient city of Ile-Ife is bustling with numerous activities, as the
annual Olojo festival takes on a life of its own. Each year, people
gather to celebrate the rich and dynamic Yoruba culture of Ile-Ife and
its origins. MTN Nigeria has joined a host of organizations to sponsor
the popular Yoruba festival. This is one of the many festivals that the
ICT company is supporting - to help promote the vibrant and intriguing
Nigerian culture. Friday, 28th September 2018, was the ‘Aare’ day as the
king wore the ancient Aare crown to all the major areas in Ile-Ife.
This crown which the Ooni wears once a year, is the oldest in the Yoruba
land. All present are to pray fervently before the king moves in with
his traditional soldiers (lokoloko). These soldiers waved soaked canes
to scare the crowd and pave way for the king.
As
custom demands, Yoruba history was richly represented. One of the most
compelling sights was seeing one of the performers swallow razor blades
and spew them out with no injuries! After that it was spectacle after
spectacle all laced with thought provoking culture. The “Olosun” placed a
white branded pot in the middle of the stage on which 3 people sat and
yet it did not break. We watched water being poured into a basket, yet,
not a single drop spilled or dropped out of the basket. There were
rainmakers too, who seemed to control the rain! These men were chanting
inaudibly and all of a sudden, the dark skies began clearing up. What a
day to be in Ile Ife?! 
The post All the gist about the MTN Sponsored Olojo Festival Caption this new photo of President Buhari and his vice, Osinbajo
The photo was captured this morning as President Buhari launched APC's
Road Map for 2019 Campaign titled "Next Level" at the State House.The
post Caption this new photo of President Buhari and his vice, Osinbajo Abuja APC chieftain murdered by unknown gunmen, his wife and son in critical condition
A chieftain of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress APC in the
Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Pastor Benjamin Imeogu, has been
murdered by unknown gunmen.According to reports, Imeogu who was the
Chairman of the APC panel on the conduct of the National Assembly
primaries in the FCT, was attacked along the Nnamdi Azikiwe airport road
in Abuja last Thursday November 16th. He was reportedly shot five times
on the chest at close range.The deceased, his wife and three children
were reportedly returning back from church, The Transforming Church,
Galadimawa, when they were attacked. His wife and one of his sons are
currently battling for their lives as bullets passed through their
stomach while the remaining two children escaped with minor wounds,It is
yet to be ascertained if the attack was connected to the Abuja
Municipal Area Council elections in which the deceased actively
participated as the Chairman of the electoral committee.His remains has
since been deposited at the National Hospital’s morgue, while his wife
and son are battling for their lives at an undisclosed hospital.May his
soul rest in peace, Amen.The post Abuja APC chieftain murdered by unknown gunmen, his wife and son in critical conditionCourt rejects suit seeking registration of lesbian group in Nigeria
Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of a Federal High Court in Abuja, has dismissed a
suit challenging non-registration of a same sex group by the Corporate
Affairs Commission (CAC), for lacking in merit. The plaintiff, Pamela
Adie, in the court papers, said that sometime in October 2017, she
founded the “Lesbian Equality and Empowerment Initiatives” whose
objective was primarily to advocate for the rights of same sex sexual
orientation people but that her quest to register the association at the
CAC, through her counsel, Fajenyo Kayode, was declined. She then filed a
motion challenging the decision of the commission to decline the
registration of the association. In his judgment which was delivered
last Friday November 16th, Justice Dimgba held that the decision of CAC
refusing to register the group was in compliance with 30 (1) (c) of the
Companies And Allied Matters Act (CAMA) Cap C20 Laws of Federation of
Nigeria 2004.“It is my view that where either the proposed name of the
company or its aims and objectives are caught by the provisions of
Section 30 (1) (c) of CAMA, the respondent is duly empowered to reject
such an application for reservation of name or registration as it has
done in this case. “Section 30 (1) (c) of CAMA reads: “No company shall
be registered under this Act by a name which- (c) in the opinion of the
Commission is capable of being misleading as to the nature or extent of
its activities or is undesirable, offensive or otherwise contrary to
public policy.” the judge saidRecall that in January 2014, the Anti-Gay
law which proffers 14-year jail term for anyone caught in any act of
same sex, was assented to by former president Goodluck Jonathan.The post
Court rejects suit seeking registration of lesbian group in Nigeria Retraction and correction: John Abayomi Aruleba is the owner of Instablog9ja not John Abayomi
John Abayomi Aruleba, owner of Instablog9ja In an article on Linda
Ikeji’s Blog titled “LIB exclusive: Meet the owner of Instablog9ja -
John Abayomi” published on November 15, 2018 John Abayomi was mistakenly
identified by his picture as the owner of Instablog9ja. This mistake
was as a result of the exact similarities in the names of John Abayomi
who is an Online Editor with Punch and another John Abayomi Aruleba who
is the actual owner of Instablog9ja. The picture identification mistake
from our staff was sadly as a result of the uncanny yet not uncommon
similarities in the names of these two individuals. LIB is happy to set
the record straight, take full responsibility for the mix-up as we
tender our unreserved apology to John Abayomi of Punch Newspapers for
any inconvenience this mistake has caused. Our publication was meant to
reveal the identity of John Abayomi Aruleba (pictured above), the owner
of instablog9ja who shares the same business address as his father, Dr
Aruleba owner of Aruking herbal herbs with business address in Sabo,
Yaba. The fact however still remains that John Abayomi Aruleba runs
Instablog9ja with his partner, Tosin Dotun Adeyemi EditorLinda Ikeji
BlogThe post Retraction and correction: John Abayomi Aruleba is the owner of Instablog9ja not John AbayomiBobrisky shares next rated video of himself giving head to his 'dildo' (18+)
Just when you think you've seen it all from Bobrisky! He shared this
video showing how to give 'blow job' and he's seen here experimenting
with a dildo. See the video below.... View this post on
Instagram #Bobrisky #BlowjobA post shared by The One
(@dignoromeristrum) on Nov 18, 2018 at 10:23am PSTThe post Bobrisky shares next rated video of himself giving head to his 'dildo' (18+)'Why I got married to Atiku 47-years ago' - Wife, Titi Abubakar reveals
Titi Atiku Abubakar, wife of the Presidential Candidate of the PDP,
Atiku Abubakar has said that her husband is a man of integrity,
stressing that she married him for his honesty and patriotism. She
spoke this weekend while receiving a campaign group, Women for Atiku,
that no one knew Atiku better than she does, having been married to him
for 47 years. She explained that contrary to unverified and vague
allegation of corruption by political detractors, Atiku was actually a
man whose integrity, honesty and sincerity earned him her love. In her
words, “I usually got confuse Whenever i read the false allegations of
corruption being spread by mischief makers against my husband in the
media. Most times i ask myself if they were referring to my husband whom
I have been married to for 47 years or a different person. Their
descriptions only befits the opposite of Atiku Abubakar, because he is
not corrupt as alleged”. According to her, since she married Atiku 47
years ago, she had never found him wanting in honesty, sincerity,
integrity and patriotism to his fatherland. She narrated how they were
brought together by divine destiny. “I was on my way back to Nigeria
from Benin Republic wher I went to visit my aunt at the idioroko boarder
and was accosted by ofifcers of the Customs Service. They had demanded
that I pay duty for a pair of brocade material which was a gift from
my aunt, an argument ensued between us and i told them to have the
brocade material for a keep because i couldn’t comprehend why i should
pay duty for a pair of brocade.Suddenly an officer by name Atiku
Abubakar who heard our argument summoned the officers to come along with
me to his office. He was the head of the command at the time.After
listening to both sides, Atiku demanded for the duty charge, dipped his
hand into his pocket and paid the duty and handed me the receipt smiling
and saying that ‘I will pay him back’.As the head of the command he
could have simply commanded them to let me go if he chose to, but his
patriotism to fatherland would never allow him do so, and that singular
act swept me off my feet and i eventually fell in love,” she said.The
post 'Why I got married to Atiku 47-years ago' - Wife, Titi Abubakar revealsThree months to 2019 presidential election; President Buhari unveils APC's ˜Next Level plan
As the campaign season for the 2019 elections officially kicks off
today, President Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has
released its roadmap. The roadmap themed Next Level is geared toward
seeking re-election across all thirty-six state of the federation and
the Federal Capital Territory. See below full text of the APC Roadmap
below:Four years ago, we promised Nigerians real change – in what we do
and how we do it. Nigerians sent a clear message in the last election,
and our platform offered a new, ambitious plan for a secure, prosperous
and corruption-free country. We have worked hard to fulfil our promises –
and while the road may have been difficult, over the last three and a
half years, we have laid the foundations for a strong, stable and
prosperous country for the majority of our people.Foundational work is
not often visible, neither is it glamorous – but it is vital to
achieving the kind of country we desire. Judging by the prior depth of
decay, deterioration and disrepair that Nigeria had sunken into, we are
certain that these past few years have put us in good stead to trudge on
the Next Level of building an even stronger nation for our
people. First things had to come first. We were a nation at war – but we
delivered on our commitment to secure the territorial integrity of our
nation in the face of a raging insurgency that devastated many parts of
the North East. We liberated 17 Local Government Areas from the grip of
insurgency. Brokering and sustaining peace in the Niger Delta has also
been crucial to stabilising the polity. Despite the difficult
circumstances presented by weak oil prices and reduced oil production,
we delivered on our commitment to make public investments to spur
economic growth, job creation, and broad-based prosperity.Agriculture
continues to expand our economic base, as do our investments in
deficient infrastructure across the length and breadth of this nation.
We implemented a responsible and transparent fiscal plan for the
challenging economic times that saw us doing more even with lesser oil
revenues. Grand scale corruption perpetrated at the highest level of
government is now a thing of the past, just as the Treasury Single
Account (TSA) has made it more difficult for ministries, departments and
agencies to exercise the unrestrained liberties that helped foster a
climate conducive to corruption.The nation’s wealth is now being
invested in capital projects to expand infrastructure and connect
people, goods and opportunities by rail, road and air. Also, the Federal
Government supported state governments with bailouts that enabled them
to pay workers on their payroll. We took an unprecedented step towards
creating a fairer and more equitable society by implementing Africa’s
biggest social investment programme. Through the National Social
Investment Programme, we are providing direct support to over 13 million
Nigerians who need it by giving relief and assistance to unemployed
youth, our children, the weak and vulnerable as well as small and medium
businesses. But even as we lay the foundation for a stable and
prosperous nation, we acknowledge there is still much to do.The Next
Levelof effort focuses on job creation across various sectors. From an
enlargement of the N-Power programme to investing in technology and
creative sector jobs to agriculture and revolutionising access to credit
for entrepreneurs and artisans, there is scope for over 15 million new
jobs.The march away from a mono-economy must continue with our
industrialisation plan coming to fore. With specific plans underway to
exploit the comparative advantage of the geopolitical zones and
different states by developing 6 Industrial Parks and 109 Special
Production and Processing Centres (SPPCs) across each senatorial
district, our incremental move away from oil dependence is assured.In
addition, our development of the Special Economic Zones will quickly
concretise our Made in Nigeria for Export (MINE) plan. To sustain food
production and value addition, our mechanisation policy for agriculture
will make tractors and processors easily accessible and available for
farmers across Nigeria. We will continue a wide scale training policy,
prioritising technology to reach the demography of young people within
the productive sector on a massive scale even as we create jobs and
growth within our economy. We believe that our people who are still in
poverty have a direct way out and up through our expanded National
Social Investment Programme. We believe we can implement the painstaking
and comprehensive policy and work we have done to bring an end to the
perennial conflict between farmers and herders – a conflict which is
heightened by a struggle for land, water and pasture and the effects of
climate change and every now and then, opportunistic and cynical
manipulation by political actors. We are implementing a blend of
measures that ensures that justice, order, modernisation and new
economic paradigms emerge. Perhaps our biggest ambition yet is the
overhaul of our education sector. Every child counts – and simply,
whatever it takes to prepare our teachers, curriculum and classrooms to
attain the right educational goals that grow our country, will be done.
We will remodel 10,000 schools every year and retrain our teachers to
impart science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics using
coding, animation, robotics to re-interpret our curriculum.We know that
to succeed, moral integrity and conscience must continue to form the
dominant character of our nation and its leadership. Corruption is an
existential threat to Nigeria. Despite the gains we have made in closing
the gates, we know that there is still much ground to cover to stop
systemic corruption. We are committed to deepening the work we started
this first term such that the nation’s assets and resources continue to
be organised and utilised to do good for the common man.The next four
years will be quite significant for our country. Nigeria is faced with a
choice to keep building a new Nigeria- making a break from its tainted
past which favoured an opportunistic few. Our choices will shape us –
our economic security and our future prosperity. Nigeria, more than ever
before, needs a stable and people-focused government to move the agenda
for our country forward. Join us on this journey to the Next Level of a
prosperous, strong and stable Nigeria! Nigerians, we are all going
higher!The post Three months to 2019 presidential election; President Buhari unveils APC's Next Level plan12 dead in Vietnam floods, landslides
Flash floods and landslides killed at least 12 people in central Vietnam, officials said Sunday, as hundreds of troops were dispatched to clean up destroyed villages and washed out roads.
Heavy rains pounded the central Khanh Hoa province over the past few days as tropical depression Toraji blew in from the South China Sea, triggering landslides that wiped out houses and destroyed a small reservoir.
At least a dozen people have been killed so far while a search was ongoing for several others, an official from the provincial disaster office told AFP, refusing to be named.
“We have mobilised hundreds of army troops to help people restore lives and clean up damaged roads,” he said.
The main highway linking north and south Vietnam was temporarily blocked and some railway routes were interrupted, while images on state media showed destroyed houses buried under debris and vehicles submerged in floods.
Panicked residents told of running from their homes as landslides rumbled down nearby mountains.
“We ran away after hearing the huge sound of fallen rocks… When we returned a few hours later, all our houses were destroyed,” said Nha Trang city resident Liem, quoted by Khanh Hoa province’s official online news site.
Khanh Hoa — home to the popular coastal resort city of Nha Trang – was ravaged by typhoon Damrey last year, which killed 27 people.
Vietnam is routinely hit by heavy rains during typhoon season from May to October.
At least 185 people have been killed in natural disasters across Vietnam since January.Last year, 389 people were reported dead in natural disasters, causing damage worth $2.6 billion, according to official figures.
Ebola response effort suspended after clashes in DR Congo
Efforts to fight an Ebola outbreak in DR Congo’s restive eastern Beni region were suspended Saturday after clashes just a “few metres” from a local emergency centre and the hotels of several response teams, the health ministry said.
UN peacekeepers from the MONUSCO mission repelled an offensive by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia in Beni city’s northern Boikene neighbourhood late Friday, a ministry statement said.
The ADF, a shadowy armed group that has killed hundreds of people since 2014 and at least seven peacekeepers in clashes just this week, wanted to “attack one of MONUSCO’s bases”, the statement added.
“We escaped death thanks to MONUSCO, which is very close to us in Boikene,” a resident told the UN’s Okapi radio.
The health ministry said that “all field activities were suspended and the emergency operations centre remains closed” on Saturday, adding that Ebola health worker response teams had stayed in their hotels.
Also on Saturday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said 16 of its staff members in Beni had been temporarily evacuated after a shell hit the building they were staying in.
Michel Yao, WHO’s coordinator for Ebola response operations in Beni, told AFP that no one was injured, adding that it was not known whether the shell came from the ADF or MONUSCO forces.
Health Minister Dr Oly Ilunga Kalenga said he deplored these acts of violence and the outbreak “remains dangerous, particularly in Beni”.
Since August 1, the Ebola outbreak in Beni, home to up to 300,000 people, has killed 213 people.
The UN has said unrest is hampering efforts to contain the disease in a region that has been troubled for decades by inter-ethnic bloodshed and militia violence.
The ADF is an Islamist-rooted group that rose in western Uganda in 1995, led by Jamil Mukulu, a converted Muslim.
Forced out of Uganda, it operates in the border area in the DRC’s North Kivu province.
A ceremony was held Saturday in Beni for six peacekeepers from Malawi and one from Tanzania who were killed in an operation against the ADF this week.
Fifteen other peacekeepers were killed in an ADF attack on a MONUSCO base in Beni in December last year.
Seven fishermen shot dead by militiamen
Suspected Congolese militiamen shot dead seven Ugandan fishermen and wounded another on Lake Albert, which straddles the two countries’ border, police said Sunday.
Uganda’s deputy police commander in the region Amos Muhindo said the gunmen opened fire on the fishermen as they went to retrieve the body of a colleague killed by the same group earlier last week.
“Seven Ugandan fishermen were shot dead by the Congolese militia on Saturday as they went into the water near Kaiso landing site (in Hoima district, Uganda) to search for the body of their colleague,” he said.
“One person survived and has been taken to Hoima hospital with gunshot wounds.”
He said the attack was reportedly carried out by five armed men in military uniform, adding that it was the third time in a week the alleged militia members crossed to the Ugandan side of the lake for illegal fishing and attacked locals.
Tensions have soared on the lakes straddling the Democratic Republic of Congo-Uganda border in recent months as Kampala has increasingly attempted to crack down on illegal fishing, spurred by dwindling fish resources.
Uganda has deployed the military onto the water and hundreds of Congolese fishermen have been arrested.
In July, the armed forces of Uganda and the DRC clashed on Lake Edward, leaving two Ugandan soldiers and three civilians dead.
Aside from illegal fishermen, armed groups which are rife in the conflict-torn eastern DRC also operate on the lake, robbing fishermen of their boats, engines and catch or seizing them and demanding ransoms.
Oshiomhole survives sacking, gets state chairs’ backing
There are strong indications that the
plot to remove the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress,
Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has failed as he is enjoying the backing of a
majority of the state chairmen of the party and other officers.
Investigations by
on Saturday showed that except for states, such as Ogun and Imo, where
the governors were not satisfied with the outcomes of the primaries
conducted by the Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee, most state
chairmen of the party had vowed to resist any plot to remove the
national chairman.
There were reports a few weeks ago that
there was a plot to remove Oshiomhole because of the manner he handled
the party’s primaries, which some governors, including Ibikunle Amosun
(Ogun); Rochas Okorochas (Imo) and Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), had
faulted.
A member of the APC NWC, who confided in
one of our correspondents, said the former Edo State governor had not
reached out to state chairmen of the party to stop the plot.
The party chieftain stated, “There is no
reason for him to do that because only two or three states are against
him. Any plan to remove Oshiomhole will fail because he is enjoying the
support of many states. Anybody that is bent on removing him now that
elections are approaching will plunge the party into another crisis that
may affect its chances at the polls.”
The National Leader of the All
Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, said the Oshiomhole’s
position as national chairman is not under any threat despite
allegations that he (Oshiomhole) reportedly collected huge bribes from
some governorship candidates.
The former Lagos State governor said
based on this, he was not lobbying to save Oshiomhole’s job because
there was no basis for it.
Speaking in an interview with our
correspondent on Saturday through his Media Adviser, Mr Tunde Rahman, he
stated that allegations such as the one against the APC chairman were
bound to trail party primaries as those who suffered electoral defeat
would always want to blame somebody for their failure.
“I really don’t understand what you mean
by lobbying. One, His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is at present
out of town. Two, and more importantly is the job of the APC Chairman,
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, threatened in any way? I don’t think so.
“I’m aware that Chairman Oshiomhole has
met with President Muhammadu Buhari at least twice since these
allegations were made and the President has never indicated he has lost
confidence in his chairman. All that has been said against the chairman
remains mere allegations and he has challenged those who made such
allegations to come forward with evidence.
“Allegations like that will normally
come and this is understandable when you are confronted with primaries
where some lost and some others won.”
Party marching away from impunity – Oyo chapter
The Oyo State chapter of the APC said
the party had stopped impunity. The party’s spokesman in the state, Dr
AbdulAzeez Olatunde, said Oshiomhole had yet to reach out to the party
executives in Oyo to starve off his removal.
Olatunde, who is the Director of Media,
Research and Strategies and Publicity Secretary of the party, stated,
“Don’t forget that we are in the thick of intense politicking where all
manners of decorated lies are being thrown at the national chairman
because of his intimidating character as a former labour leader with
lots of accomplishments.”
“The APC is unshakable. We are marching Nigeria away from the era of impunity,” he added.
No problem with national chair –Ekiti APC chairman
In the same vein, the APC Chairman in
Ekiti State, Paul Omotoso, on his part, said the party in state had no
issue arising from the primaries.
Omotoso said the party did not have any
axe to grind with Oshiomhole over the primaries as “elections in Ekiti
State were conducted and candidates who won were returned and presented
intact to the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
The APC state chairman told Sunday PUNCH
in Ado Ekiti on Saturday that the issues arising from the primaries,
which led to Oshiomhole alleging that some individuals in the party had
ganged up to remove him from office, would be resolved by the party.
He said, “ The national chairman did not
reach out to us to help save his job. It is an internal matter which
the party can handle. Everything will be resolved. Our leaders are
capable.”
In Rivers State, the Publicity Secretary
of the APC, Mr Chris Finebone, said the party at the state level was
not expecting Oshiomhole to reach out to it.
Finebone explained that the position of
the APC national chairman was not threatened and as such did not need to
begin to meet with any state chapter of the party.
“His (Oshiomhole) job is never
threatened at all. It is only those who lost out in the power tussle
that are trying to be heard,” he said.
Akeredolu, Ondo chair disagree
In Ondo State, it was reliably gathered
that the Chairman of the party, Mr Ade Adetimehin, and the state
governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, were not on the same page on the issue
of the removal of the national chairman.
A source in the party said while
Akeredolu was in support of Oshiomhole’s removal, the state party
chairman was supporting the national chairman.
The source said, “The way things are
going on in Ondo APC, it seems the governor and the chairman do not
agree on the issue. The governor wants Oshiomhole out as the chairman
but Adetimehin opposes this.
“As I am talking to you today,
Adetimehin is confused on the matter because he doesn’t want to go
against the wish of the governor, who is the leader of the party in the
state, but he ( Adetimehin) couldn’t come out to give his support to
Oshiomhole. That is why we are neutral on the matter in Ondo State and
that is why the party is being silent on the issue.”
Attempts to get the APC state chairman did not succeed as he did not return calls to his mobile on Saturday.
We’re not happy with Oshiomhole –Imo
But the Imo State chapter of the party
said it remained aggrieved with the decisions Oshiomhole took during the
party’s protracted primaries in the state.
The state Publicity Secretary, Jones
Onwuasoanya, said the party’s constitution was very clear on how an
“errant officer” should be disciplined.
Onwuasoanya said, “The national chairman
has not reached out to us to save his job. Let me state it that it is
not within the purview of the state chapters of the party to decide the
fate of any errant national officer.
“But the truth is that we are not happy
with him on some of the steps he took regarding the outcome of the
primary elections in Imo state.”
In like manner, in Ogun State, the
crisis between the state chapter of the APC Oshiomhole had worsened
following the refusal of the chairman to grant the request of the state
governor, Ibikunle Amosun.
Niyi Odebode, Chukwudi Akasike, Femi Makinde, Ademola Babalola,Bola Bamigbola, Olaide Oyelude, Tunji Bosun, Armstrong Bakam, Abiodun Nejo, Peter Dada, and Chidiebube Okeoma
Photos: Survivor narrates how bribe-seeking policemen disappeared after causing ghastly accident while chasing truck driver in Enugu
A lucky survivor of a ghastly accident has narrated how he escaped death
in an accident caused by alleged bribe-seeking police officers in
Nkalagu, Enugu State. Read post by Mazi Ogbonna, a UNN graduate and
linguist: "I came out from this bus today alive. I was sitting behind
the driver. I was the last person to board the vehicle. I was to sit at
the front seat amidst the driver and other man sitting on the
passenger's seat but the driver told me my legs are too long I should
sit behind. I insisted. But went to ease myself, upon returning, someone
else sat there, I sat behind the driver. Getting to Nkalagu, something
happened. My hands are trembling to type right now. But two things I
must talk about: First, Peace driver is not to be blamed but Nigerian
Police Force. They caused the accident. They were chasing tipper to
collect money, which failed brakes and smashed our vehicle on motion and
pushed it to another truck loaded with stones which hit us from front
and tumbled. The stone buried a man called Emmanuel right there in front
of my poor eyes. Shovels were used to pull stones away to save him, no
way. We were helpless in the bus as everywhere was locked up...I saw
blood everywhere. I saw what seemed to be my end. But my prayer every
morning has been "let what God allow in my life happen, I will take
everything, anything I see". I Iooked around and saw people as helpless
as I was. I wanted to help them but I couldn't help myself. I saw a man
trapped by the seatbelt. Those at the front rows are crushed. Driver's
arms are broken. I screamed, out in pain, all windows locked. From the
shattered glasses, I peeped out my head....waving for help but it seemed
not coming. People were running away. Fuel was leaking. It could be set
ablaze. My legs were trapped and my head out...I never knew I was on
top of a man screaming for help, looking for ways to escape
death—untimely death. I could have helped him but my senses weren't
intact. I was to save my life. I was weak and tired. My psychology has
ran to the state of imbalance. I flew out of the vehicle...how that
happened I can't tell but I know that my head is safe. Could it be my
head that landed on the well-tarred road or my leg, or hands? Whichever
way, I ran far away leaving my bag which contained serious documents,
my international passport....my two phones were lost out in the vehicle.
The screaming and cries of the people filled the air. Emmanuel was not
found yet. Emmanuel was untimely buried by the stones heaped on
him. Maazi Ogbonnaya ran far away, his phones weren't there with
him...his bag too. But in all, I have just a little bruise on my leg.
Policemen who caused the accident turned to smokes and disappeared. A
good Samaritan drove me to Enugu. Second: Thank you Jehovah for saving
my life. You are always there for me. What might have been the fate of
the poor widow who hugged her son this morning with smiles and fade him
goodbye? What if...? For now I can't talk more but I am alive. Nothing
happened to me. No bone is broken. I am cool. That is my picture after
the accident. The shattered truck you see here hit us. A doctor is here
to treat me. 
The post Photos:
Survivor narrates how bribe-seeking policemen disappeared after causing
ghastly accident while chasing truck driver in Enugu
