With $900m net worth, Jay-Z dethrones Diddy as richest hip hop artiste

In the immortal words of Shawn Corey Carter, known professionally as Jay-Z, “people respect success, they respect big. They don’t even have to like your music. If you’re big enough, people are drawn to you”.

According to Forbes , the rapper is now the wealthiest hip hop artiste alive.

Here are the top five.

Jay-Z

The rap veteran comes in at number one for the first time since Forbes started counting in 2011.

With a humongous net worth of $900 million, the Brooklyn-born rap mogul’s jump to the top is largely due to the rising value of his interests in Armand de Brignac champagne and D’Ussé cognac, his ownership stakes in his Roc Nation empire and Tidal streaming service.

Diddy

Sean Combs is no stranger to this circle as he is known to be a regular in the Forbes top five list.

He comes in at number two with a net worth of $825 million despite increasing his fortune slightly in the past 12 months.

Dr. Dre

Andre Romelle Young takes the third position with a net worth of $770 million.

The American rapper and record producer’s rise is thanks to the market trends boosting his nine-figure windfall from Apple’s $3 billion buyout of Beats in 2014.

According to Forbes, Dr. Dre is also in line to receive a slug of Apple stock this summer worth well over $100 million; depending on the tech giant’s share price at the time. He could leapfrog Diddy and Jay-Z when that happens.

Drake and Eminem 

Aubrey Drake Graham (Drake) ties for the fourth position with Marshall Bruce Mathers (Eminem).

They both hold a net worth of $100 each.

Drake’s wealth is boosted by his equity stake in Virginia Black whiskey and real estate in Canada and California.

Eminem is not an active businessman like his colleagues in the music business, but he remains the best-selling rapper of all time. His debut on the list is aided by new album ‘Revival’. - Thecablestyle 

EFCC Docks Lawyer For N4m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna zonal office, on Friday, March 2, 2018, arraigned Rose-Marie Iwezie, a lawyer, before Justice Tukur of the Kaduna State High Court on one-count charge of criminal breach of trust and illegal diversion of funds to the tune of N4million.

The petitioner alleged that sometimes in April 2016, he instructed the defendant to sell his property located along Ring Road Unguwar Rimi, Kaduna, at the rate of N30million. After selling the property, the defendant allegedly remitted the sum of N26million to him leaving out a balance of N4million. Efforts by the petitioner to recover the balance proved abortive. Hence, he petitioned the EFCC. 

Investigations revealed that after selling the property at the agreed sum of N30million in February 2017, Iweze collected the money through the account of her legal firm; Rose Marie Iweze & Co. domiciled in one of the old generation banks, but refused to remit same in full to the owner even after being paid her legal fees of N1.5million.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Justice Tukur granted Iweze bail on self-recognizance and ordered the defendant to deposit her international passport with the EFCC. “The defendant must not travel outside Kaduna State without the permission of the court”, the judge added.

The case has been adjourned to April 26, 2018 for the commencement of trial.

Wilson Uwujaren

Head, Media & Publicity

March 2, 2018

Police arrest OPC member over alleged murder of student

The Police have arrested and detained a chieftain Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Dele Olorunfemi, over alleged murder of a student, Faramo Tope in Ikere-Ekiti.

The deceased, who was said to be a student of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti Campus, was said to have been killed at about 9.30 pm on Wednesday, February 28.

Tope was being conveyed with another passenger by a commercial motorcyclist when he was hit by bullets allegedly fired by some OPC men on patrol led by Olorunfemi.

The shooting incident reportedly took place along Winners’ Chapel Road in Oke Osun area of the town but the corpse of the deceased was dumped in a bush at Ona Owuro Road behind College Demonstration School.

The Nation gathered that the commercial motorcyclist who witnessed the killing of his passenger and identified the suspects reported the incident at Anaye Police Station in Uro Quarters of the town.

The report of the alleged murder led to the arrests of Olorunfemi and another suspect who was simply identified as “Bebe.” Another suspect identified as “Abule” is presently at large.

Residents of the area where the corpse was dumped also reported the killing at the same police station.

The corpse of the student has been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital, along Ise Road, Ikere.

Chairman of the Landlords Association of the area, Pastor David Owotobi, said the corpse was dumped when members of his church were having all night prayer.

“After our programme in the church, our members were going back home and they came back to report that a corpse was dropped very close to our church.

“I went there when and I saw the corpse there; on the second day very early in the morning, I went to the police station to report what happened on our street.”

Confirming the incident in a telephone chat, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdullahi Chafe, said only one person has been arrested.

Chafe said: “I can confirm that such an incident occurred, one person has been arrested and he will be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.” - The Nation 

Terrible !! I stole gravels to complete my house – Groom-to-be confesses

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Jigawa has said it arrested a 25-year-old groom-to-be over alleged theft of road shoulder gravels in Babura Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesman of the corps, DSC Adamu Shehu, said the suspect was arrested by men of the command with 11 bags of 50 kilograms of gravels he allegedly stole from the shoulder of Aduware village road.

He said that the suspect, who confessed to committing the offence, told the corps he stole the gravels in order to complete the building of his house in the area.

“The suspects said he stole the gravels in order to complete the building of his house, and not to sell them”, Shehu told NAN.

“He said he needed the gravels as it is just three weeks to his wedding.

“He was arrested with 11 bags of 50kgs full of gravels obtained from the shoulder of one of the roads in Aduware village in Babura Local Government Area by our men on routine patrol on the road,” he said.

The spokesman added that the suspect would soon be charged to court.

According to him, it is an act of vandalism for anyone to take gravels from any part of a road, no matter his reason (s).

“So, the corps will not fold its arm while people vandalise infrastructure provided by government at all levels for the well being of the citizens.

“So, anyone caught vandalising any infrastructure will be made to face the full wrath of the law, no matter his reason,” Shehu warned. - Daily Post

Evans: Soldier standing trial with kidnap kingpin allegedly collected N20,000 per job

The bail application of a soldier, Victor Aduba, standing trial with a suspected kidnapping kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans, was on Friday denied at an Ikeja High Court.

This is as Justice Hakeem Oshodi, in his ruling, disclosed that the soldier collected N20,000 in payments during operations for Evans.

He said that Aduba, an army corporal would constitute a high flight risk if granted bail.

“Although an accused person is presumed innocent pending the determination of his case but in granting bail, the court considers the gravity of the offence.

“And the offenders possibility of interfering with course of trial and the antecedents of the offender. The sixth defendant would constitute high-flight risk.

“I have noted especially his admissions in his statement of his involvement in illegal activities in which he receives payments of N20, 000.

“In addition, there is no proof before the court that he has an address in Lagos. His bail application is hereby denied,” NAN quoted the judge as ruling.

Evans and Aduba are also standing trial alongside Uche Amadi, Ogechi Uchechukwu, Okwuchukwu Nwachukwu and Chilaka Ifeanyi on charges of kidnapping.

During the day’s proceedings, Nwachukwu, the fourth defendant, who had opted to represent himself and not to use the services of a legal practitioner refused to cross-examine Mr Anselm Dunu.

Anselm is the first prosecution witness and a brother to an alleged victim, Mr Donatius Dunu.

On November 3, 2017 Anselm had in his testimony, told the court that the defendants had demanded one million Euros as ransom for the release of his younger brother Donatius.

A second prosecution witness could not give his testimony, due to the proceedings being stalled because of the absence of Mr Olukoya Ogungbeje, the Defence Counsel, representing Evans and Amadi.

Oshodi adjourned the case until March 16 for continuation of trial. - Daily Post

UK flight cancellations: Snow and extreme weather sees over 1,250 flights cancelled as Heathrow Airport grounds 358 planes

More than 1,250 flights to and from UK and Irish airports have been grounded as fierce Storm Emma kept a firm grip on the country.

Passengers travelling from major flight hubs including Heathrow and Gatwick faced cancellations as more heavy snow and freezing gales lashed Britain and Ireland.

Some 358 flights were grounded at Heathrow, 54 at London City and 38 at Gatwick as Storm Emma wreaked havoc.

All three urge people to check their flight status before travelling to the airport.

Where are the most flights delayed?

London Heathrow: 358

Dublin: 338

Edinburgh: 120

Glasgow International: 77

Bristol: 62

London City: 54

Manchester: 40

London Gatwick: 38

Cork: 38

Birmingham: 34

Dublin Airport suffered 338 cancellations while Edinburgh, Glasgow International, Bristol and Manchester were also affected.

Ryanair announced on Friday that all flights scheduled to and from Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Knock and Shannon Airports had been cancelled.

Bosses advised passengers using other airports to check before they travelled.

Aer Lingus also cancelled all short-haul arrivals and departures at Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Belfast and Knock.

The major disruption comes amid a week-long Arctic blast for the UK and Ireland.

Yellow weather warnings were in place across swathes of Britain amid extreme weather conditions.

This afternoon two of the UK's biggest commuter rail firms warned commuters to return home as “early as possible”. - Evening Standard

Russia to use 7,000 CCTV cameras during presidential election

Almost 7,000 Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras will be operating at Moscow polling stations during the upcoming presidential election to ensure public safety, an official said.

Vladimir Chernikov, the Head of Moscow Government’s Department on Regional Security and Countering Corruption, said this on Friday in Moscow.

Chernikov said “to ensure security at polling stations, more than 1,500 ballot processing complexes (BPCs) were purchased, while polling stations were equipped with almost 7,000 surveillance cameras – two cameras at a station.”

The premises, located near the local election commissions, will be checked by the authorities a day before the election, the official noted.

“All buildings adjacent to the polling stations, as well as the attics and cellars, will be inspected by representatives of housing and communal organisations and by the Interior Ministry’s officers.

“Additional checks will be held directly on the eve of the Election Day,” Chernikov added.

The polling stations and adjacent territories will also be taken under round-the-clock protection and will be verified by technical means and service dogs during the Election Day, according to the official.

“Near the buildings, where the voting will be held, the police officers will be operating the access control with the use of metal detectors,” the department’s chief underlined.

The Russian presidential election is scheduled for March 18, while the campaign kicked off on December 18.

IPOB Appeals Order Declaring It A Terrorist Organization

Lawyer representing Biafra secessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor has submitted a notice of appeal seeking a reversal of court order proscribing the group and labeling it a terrorist organization.

In the notice of appeal, the lawyer listed five grounds on which the ruling of the lower court should not be allowed to stand.

The lawyer asked the court to examine whether IPOB meets the requirements for a group to be designated a terrorist organization as stated in Nigeria’s Terrorism Act.

The lawyer also argued that contrary to stipulations in the Act, the president did not ‘personally’ sign the order declaring IPOB a terrorist organization.

“The purported President’s approval dated the 18th September, 2017 addressed to the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, captioned “Approval of the President, Commander-In-chief of the Armed Forces for the declaration/proscription of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a Terrorist Organization pursuant to section 2(I) (A) (B) & (C) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013”, was signed by ABBA KYARI, designated as Chief of Staff to the President, and was not signed by the President as required under Section 2 (1)(C) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act, 2013,” IPOB lawyer said in the notice filed at the court of appeal.

According to the lawyer, the signing of the order declaring IPOB a terrorist organization by Chief of Staff to the President is a violation of section 2 (1)(C) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.

The lawyer also asked the appellate court to examine the process adopted by the lower court in declaring IPOB a terrorist organization, as he insisted that his client was not granted fair hearing.

He also maintained that that the constitution provides for freedom of association and that IPOB does not possess any weapon capable of inflicting harm on anybody.

Specifically, the lawyer asked the court to declare, “Whether the Respondent/Applicant is a juristic person capable of suing or being sued in Nigeria Court, whether the order made Exparte on 25th September 2017 proscribing the Respondent/Applicant was made in violation of the principle of audi alterem partem (fair hearing) and whether the Applicant’s right to freedom of expression, assembly and association has been breached”.

The lawyer added that affidavit evidence placed before the lower court shows in clear terms that the Appellant does not possess any form of arms, or weapons in the exercise of their constitutionally guaranteed rights; or have any history of violence or had engaged in any form of killings”.

He also asserted that there are other groups in the country engaging in notorious activities, yet has not been labelled as terrorist group while asking the appellate court to overturn the ruling of the lower court. - Sahara reporters