Councillor arrested for battering elder brother’s wife in Rivers

 

Officers of River Police Command have arrested the leader of the Etche legislative assembly in the Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, Blackson Nwanyawu, for allegedly brutalizing a mother of six over allegation of witchcraft.

The battered woman, Love Nwanyawu, told journalists that the Councillor who is her husband’ s younger brother, along with two others, beat her to a pulp over allegation that she is a witch and has been bringing misfortunes to the family .

With a badly battered , swollen face, lacerations and bruises on her head, Nwanyawu said her ordeal began when she traveled to her husband’ s hometown, Omualu community and overheard the Councillor, his sister and a male relative, shouting on top of their voices in an intense argument.

She said Blackson and other persons then accused her of witchcraft and vowed to deal with her.

“I was surprised. The next thing I saw was that the three of them came at me, saying I was disturbing them and that I was a witch. They said anytime I come back, the house would not rest. I said how?

“They pounced on me and gave me a beating of my life. Just look at me. Their plan was to eliminate me. After beating me and locking me up, one went outside, brought a chair and used it to hit my head twice. When he ( councilor ) saw that blood was gushing out, he drove off . Others also left. With the blood, I shouted for help. They all said their brother is a Councilor and Leader of Etche legislative Assembly and nothing will happen.

“I am calling for people to help me to seek justice. My husband , I trained him from secondary school to University. He lived with me for years when my children were small. I paid his last school fees and he promised that when he graduated, he would ensure my children did not suffer .

“I was asking him,’ is this the promise you gave me?’ Look at how he made me. He wanted to send me to an early grave,” Nwanyawu said.

She claimed her husband has been ill because he was traumatized by the incident.

Love with injuries allegedly inflicted on her by Blackface

In his reaction, the accused Councillor, in a telephone interview aired on a radio station ( Nigeria Info 92 .3 FM , Port Harcourt) claimed that his brother’s wife insulted him .

“The woman keeps insulting me every day, when I have not had any issue with her. Your father called me; I say I am not regretting my action. I have tolerated more than I can bear,” he stated .

Blackson claimed the victim has been disparaging his reputation in the social media and that he would seek redress in court for remedies.

He promised to honour a Police invitation on the matter and make himself available for Investigation.

“There is no point talking too much because these things happen when you are in public office”

In a press statement, by SP Nnamdi Omoni, the spokesman for the state police command , confirmed receipt of the complaint, saying the matter was being investigated .

Omoni said, “The report got to us and we have initiated action. A team has been put in place, the suspect is with us to answer questions over the allegations against him. I am the officer in charge of the human rights desk, so, I am investigating the matter.”

Meanwhile, right advocacy groups are demanding justice for the brutalised woman.

Prince Wiro, a Port Harcourt based rights activist enjoined the Police to ensure that the woman gets Justice.

“It is inconceivable that a woman can be so beaten and battered because they feel that they are above the law. This is a clear case of human rights abuse all those involved should be prosecuted as a deterrent that nobody is above the law”.

Also the International Federation of Female Lawyers, FIDA, the Rivers State branch and members of the Rivers State Civil Society Organizations said they are closely monitoring case.

- PM NEWS

WAEC updates candidates on amendment of date of birth

 

The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) on Sunday informed candidates that the exam body no longer entertains requests for amendment of date of birth on certificates.

WAEC gave the update while responding to @Moyoninuoluwa1 who wanted to correct his date of birth on his certificate.

The Twitter user asked, “I’m applying for corrections of date of birth on my certificate which I got the requirements from Yaba office, I was told to apply in Kogi, when I got to Kogi office they told me it’s not possible and I need it asap. Pls help.”

And in response, WAEC wrote, “Please, be informed that WAEC in the five member countries no longer entertain requests for amendment of date of birth on certificates.”

Meanwhile, WAEC had last week announced the postponement of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination for private candidates in Nigeria to November 30, 2020.

- DAILY POST

Trump finally admits Biden won — but with a caveat

 United States President Donald Trump has finally admitted Joe Biden won the presidential election.

In a tweet on Sunday, the president acknowledged Biden’s victory but said attributed it his rival’s victory to irregularities.

“He won because the Election was Rigged. NO VOTE WATCHERS OR OBSERVERS allowed, vote tabulated by a Radical Left privately owned company, Dominion, with a bad reputation & bum equipment that couldn’t even qualify for Texas (which I won by a lot!), the Fake & Silent Media, & more!” he tweeted.

Trump had claimed victory on the night of the election.

- THECABLE

US election: How Trump’s behaviour will influence Africa – Shehu Sani

 

Shehu Sani, a former Nigerian lawmaker, has lamented the unfolding events in the United States.

The US presidential election was a tight battle between President Donald Trump of the Republican Party and Joe Biden, candidate of the Democratic Party.

Joe Biden, however, emerged as winner after polling over 270 electoral college votes although the winner has not been officially announced.

Also, the General Services Administration (GSA), has since failed to recognise him as President-elect

Although Biden has since assumed his role as the President-elect, preparing to takeover White House, the incumbent, President Trump has refused to concede defeat.

Trump has filed a flurry of court cases challenging Biden’s victory in the election which he (Trump) alleged was marred by massive corruption and fraud.

The incumbent has recently expressed hope of being declared winner of the election, saying results that would be announced next week would put him ahead of Biden.

And Sani, in a tweet on Sunday, pointed out that Trump’s body language is already sending the wrong signal to tyrants in Africa and other parts of the world.

“America has always been an exemplar for democracy and freedom,” he tweeted.

“The behavior of its leader not just threaten the moral standard of that country but gives tyrants in Africa and other parts of the World a justification to suffocate democracy. The events in America is of concern to us,” he added.

- DAILY POST

Gunmen massacre 34 people inside night bus

 Gunmen massacred no fewer than 34 people in an attack on a bus on Saturday night.

The attack happened in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, in western Ethiopia, the national human rights body said on Sunday.

And it occurred amidst security vacuum in the country, as military campaign was intensified to subdue Tigray in the north.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission said the number of people killed was likely to rise after what it called a “gruesome” attack on the passenger bus.

It said there were reports of “similar” attacks, and of people fleeing the violence, in other parts of the region.

“The latest attack is a grim addition to the human cost which we bear collectively,” Daniel Bekele, commission head, said.

- PM NEWS

2023: Nigeria will be in pieces, says Buhari’s critic, Buba Galadima

 Prominent political analyst, member of the Board of Trustees of the All Progressives Congress, and one-time ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, Buba Galadima, has said President Buhari will leave Nigeria in pieces by 2023.

Galadima while airing his view on the crisis rocking the All Progressive Congress, the Buhari presidency and political intrigues ahead of the 2023 general elections, disclosed this in an interview with The Punch.

In his words, while speaking on what will happen by the time President Buhari leaves office in 2023 and where he espies Nigeria as a nation, Galadima said, “In pieces! That is the imagination of everybody! We are already in pieces; it is just that we have not disintegrated. It is difficult to divide Nigeria, not because it cannot be divided, but because of our own internal contradictions.

“If you say the South-West should form a country, of their own, I want to assure you that Lagos will object, Ekiti people will object. They will never go back to Ibadan.

“If you say let those who were part of the old Eastern Region go back, I want to assure you that the ordinary Efik man, the Oron, Ibibio, Anang, Kalabari, Ekwere, Ijaw man will never accept to go back as citizens of Biafra, the ordinary Ebonyi man will never agree to be part of an Eastern Region that will take them back to Enugu.

“These are our internal contradictions. How do you now define the North-Central?”

- PM NEWS

DEMO-CRAZY !! Anambra lawmaker distributes cassava stems to constituents

 

Patrick Obalim-Udoba, lawmaker representing Anambra west in the state house of assembly, has distributed bundles of  “high-yield” cassava stems to the people of his constituency.

Obalim-Udoba, said cassava stem will help the communities to mitigate the negative effect of the flood and allow them to kick-start farming in earnest.

The distribution held at Umueze Anam and was witnessed by residents of communities that make up the local government area.

Obalim-Udoba said flood destroyed all the cassava stems stored by his people who are predominantly farmers and.

Noting that cultivation of cassava usually starts between November and December, he said this prompted him to distribute the high yield stems which will germinate soon.

He advised the farmers to use the cassava stems judiciously.

This is not the first time he would distribute cassava stems to his constituency.

In 2019, the lawmaker distributed two truckloads of cassava stems to his constituents.

At the presentation, he had said the gesture was to reduce the stress of the farmers going to nearby communities in search of cassava stems after flood disasters and had promised to make it an annual event.

Obalim-Udoba’s gesture comes after Murtala Gwarmai, senior special assistant on youth development to Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, “empowered” some youth in the state with donkeys.

Gwarmai had reportedly said the beneficiaries requested the donkeys to aid them in transporting sand, gravel, and blocks so as to boost their business.

- THECABLE

World faces hunger pandemic in 2021: WFP

 

The world would move from COVID-19 pandemic this year to hunger pandemic in 2021, David Beasly, head of the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.

“Next year is going to be worse than 2020’, Beasly whose agency won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize said.

According to him, without billions of dollars in aid to WFP, “we are going to have famines of biblical proportions in 2021.”

He said Yemen, South Sudan, northeastern Nigeria and Burkina Faso have some areas that “have reached a critical hunger situation following years of conflict or other shocks.

Beasly said this in an interview with The Associated Press.

He said the Nobel Peace Prize has given the UN agency a spotlight and megaphone to warn world leaders about 2021.

“So this was really a gift from above,” Beasley said, recalling the surprise and delight of WFP’s 20,000 staffers worldwide, and his own shock at being interrupted during a meeting in Niger in Africa’s Sahel region with the news.

Beasley recalled his warning to the U.N. Security Council in April that as the world was dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, it was also “on the brink of a hunger pandemic” that could lead to “multiple famines of biblical proportions” within a few months if immediate action wasn’t taken.

“We were able to avert it in 2020 … because the world leaders responded with money, stimulus packages, deferral of debt,” he said.

Now, Beasley said, COVID-19 is surging again, economies are continuing to deteriorate particularly in low- and middle-income countries, and there is another wave of lockdowns and shutdowns.

But he said the money that was available in 2020 isn’t going to be available in 2021.

He said he has been using the Nobel to meet leaders virtually and in person, talk to parliaments, and give speeches to sensitize those with power to “this tragedy that we are facing — crises that really are going to be extraordinary over the next, who knows, 12 to 18 months.”

“I’m telling them you’re not going to have enough money to fund all the projects you historically fund,” he said.

“Those are important things,” Beasley said, but he likened the upcoming crisis to the Titanic saying “right now, we really need to focus on icebergs, and icebergs are famine, starvation, destabilization and migration.”

Beasley said WFP needs $15 billion next year — $5 billion just to avert famine and $10 billion to carry out the agency’s global programs including for malnourished children and school lunches which are often the only meal youngsters get.

“If I could get that coupled with our normal money, then we avert famine around the world” and minimize destabilization as well as migration. he said.

In addition to raising extra money from governments, Beasley said, his other “great hope” is that billionaires that have made billions during the COVID-19 pandemic will step up on a one-time basis. He plans to start pushing this message probably in December or January.

In April, Beasley said 135 million people faced “crisis levels of hunger or worse.”

A WFP analysis then showed that COVID=19 could push an additional 130 million people “to the brink of starvation by the end of 2020.”

He said in Wednesday’s virtual interview from Rome, where WFP is based, that while famine was averted this year, the number of people facing crisis levels of hunger is increasing toward 270 million.

“There’s about three dozen countries that could possibly enter the famine conditions if we don’t have the money we need,” Beasley said.

According to a joint analysis by WFP and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in October, 20 countries “are likely to face potential spikes in high acute food insecurity” in the next three to six months, “and require urgent attention.”

Of those, Yemen, South Sudan, northeastern Nigeria and Burkina Faso have some areas that “have reached a critical hunger situation following years of conflict or other shocks,” the U.N. agencies said, and any further deterioration in coming months “could lead to a risk of famine.”

Other countries requiring “urgent attention” are Afghanistan, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lebanon, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somali, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, they said.

Beasley said a COVID-19 vaccine “will create some optimism that hopefully will help jump the economies around the world, particularly the Western economies. But the WFP executive director said there’s already been $17 billion of economic stimulus this year “and we’re not going to have that globally.”

“We’re very, very, very concerned” that with deferred debt payments for low- and middle-income countries resuming in January, new lockdowns and the rippling economic impact, “2021’s going to be a very bad year,” Beasley said.

- PM NEWS

‘Stop before I disgrace you in public’ — Yetunde Bakare warns men sending her nude photos

 

Yetunde Bakare, a Nigerian actress, has threatened to expose some men who she said keep sending her nudes in one-on-one conversations.

The Yoruba movie star took to her Instagram page on Saturday to share a photo of herself in the caption of which she opened up on her ordeal.

“Please, to y’all sending nudes to my DM, kindly stop before I disgrace you publicly!” she wrote in the emoji-laden post.

“I don’t care about long d**k so y’all should stop harassing me. Somebody can’t even check dm in peace. Which one is 10 commandments of eating P**sy? Please y’all should avoid me.”

Bakare isn’t the first entertainer to publicly speak on her experience with fans who send unsolicited messages.

In April, Naira Marley had pleaded with some “random ladies” who were sending him nude photos to stop doing so because he was “observing the Muslim fasting season.”

“Stop asking me if I’m fasting. Because it says if you are sick, pregnant, and have problems with your head or mad, those people shouldn’t fast, and I don’t fall into that category,” the controversial singer had said.

“To all of you that keep sending bum, stop sending me now. When I wasn’t fasting you weren’t sending me any nudes, stop sending me bum.”

Charles Okocha, a Nollywood star, had also threatened legal action against an individual who shared a picture of his in which his torso was visibly edited out and merged with that of a naked woman.

- THECABLE LIFESYLE 

Youths are angry, hungry – Ooni

 

The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi says youths’ anger and hunger should be pacified with supports in form of training, mentorship and other empowerment initiatives.

Ooni explained that youths are angry because they are hungry and the only way to get them out of the anger is to continue to empower them.

The monarch disclosed this during the commencement of his fifth year coronation anniversary and graduation of Ojaja II Fashion Training Institute (OFTI) students in Ile-Ife.

“In line with the celebration of my 5th year on the throne, I have mapped out plans to empower 5,000 youths to be financially independent and be able to feed others.

“I hereby call on Nigerian leaders, political, traditional and religious leaders to know that it is now a necessity to empower the youths. Out of our earnings, let us dedicate part to the empowerment of youths in our areas. We must consider this as a necessity and what should be done on a regular basis.

“We just had a sample of youth restiveness and it should be a lesson to all of us that nobody can handle their anger, so it is about time that we know that it is unwise to keep money in the bank while the needy continue to wallow in poverty,” he said.

Speaking on whether constitutional roles should be assigned to traditional rulers, Ooni explained that such would hasten Nigeria’s journey to prosperity, as traditional rulers remained the closest to the people.

“We were with President Muhammadu Buhari two weeks ago and the issue was discussed and we are making progress. We have roles to play, we are not competing with them and I believe that we shall get there.” The Ooni added.

At the event, 65 youths who successfully completed their trainings as fashion designers were empowered with instruments and equipment procured by the Ooni, with support from the International Breweries, Ilesa and other partners.

On behalf of the beneficiaries, Comfort Adebisi thanked the Ooni for the gift of new working equipment and the training which she described as the best.

Similarly, some victims of human trafficking, 55 in number, who were repatriated from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Omar and other parts of the world stormed the palace to thank the monarch for giving them a new life.

- DAILY POST

Pep Guardiola to extend stay with Man City

 

Pep Guardiola is edging closer to signing a new contract with Premier League side Manchester City.

The Spaniard has been at the Citizens’ helm for the past five years, and with his contract expiring at the end of the 2020/21 campaign questions were raised over whether he would extend his stay beyond this season.

The Telegraph, however, reports that the former Barcelona coach is close to putting pen to paper on a new deal, ruling out a possible Etihad exit.

The Telegraph’s report states that those close to Guardiola believe he is more likely to remain in England over a move to another country as he has been linked with returns to both Barcelona and Bayern Munich.

Guardiola has provided the Citizens with the most successful spell in their Premier League history, winning back-to-back top-flight titles in 2018 and 2019. His expansive style of play and pursuit of perfection revolutionized the modern English game, creating some of the most exciting and attacking teams ever seen.

- PM NEWS

FCT, Oyo top list as NCDC confirms 112 new COVID-19 infections

 

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 112 new cases in 14 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

The agency confirmed the new cases in its update for November 14, 2020.

According to the breakdown, FCT and Oyo topped the list of states with 27 infections each, followed by Bayelsa and Rivers with nine new positive samples each, while Kano recorded the least figure with one case.

Nigeria has recorded over 1,000 new cases within the past week — as of November 7, the country had confirmed 63,790 infections.

In fact, within the past two weeks beginning on November 1, the country has confirmed over 2,000 new positive samples.

Meanwhile, the number of new recoveries has dropped steadily over the past weeks.

As of July 31, Nigeria had confirmed 43,151 discharged patients, and the figure increased to 54,008 by August 31.

However, within the month of September, the recovery count recorded only a slight increase, as it moved from 54,247 on September 1 to 58,848 within four weeks.

Nigeria crossed 61,000 recoveries with 93 people discharged across the country on Saturday — a total of 61,029 patients have now been confirmed to have recovered from COVID-19.

No new death was recorded on Saturday, leaving the current fatality toll at 1,163.

A total of 64,996 coronavirus infections have now been confirmed across the country.

- THECABLE

CORRUPTION SHOWBIZ !!! First Bank ex-staff arraigned for allegedly stealing N18.9m via ATM

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a former staff of First Bank, Philip Orumade.

He was charged before Justice Efe Ikponmwonba of the Edo State High Court, Benin.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the defendant faces nine counts of stealing.

In November 2019, Orumade, while in charge of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) deposits, allegedly stole N18,903,000 from the machine at Aduwawa branch of First Bank.

The offence was contrary to Section 383 of Bendel State Criminal Code Law (as applicable to Edo State) and punishable under Section 390(7).

Orumade pleaded “not guilty” when the charges were read to him.

Ibrahim Mohammed, the prosecution counsel, prayed the court to fix a date for commencement of trial.

Martha Imafu, the defence counsel, informed the court of a pending motion for bail.

In his ruling, Justice Ikponwonba granted the Orumade bail in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in like sum.

Ikponwonba said the surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court.

The judge adjourned the matter until January 27, 2021.

- DAILY POST

Teenager stabs man to death over girlfriend

 

A teenager identified as Kabiru Ahmed On Wednesday, November 11 stabbed another man to death in Bauchi over a girlfriend.

According to the police, the incident occurred On November 11, 2020, at Anguwar Mahaukata, Bauchi State.

Police spokesperson,DSP Ahmed Wakil who confirmed the incident in an official statement said; “On November 11, 2020, about 9.45 pm, a distress call was received from a good Samaritan that one Hamza Usman (23) of Anguwar Mahaukata, Bauchi went to the house of his girlfriend by the name Ramlat Shehu (not real name), 15, of the same address. He was attacked and stabbed in his chest by one Kabiru Ahmed, 18, of Karofi.

“As a result of the bleeding, he was rushed to the hospital for medical examination. There, a doctor certified him dead. On receipt of the information, a team of policemen was drafted to the scene and the principal suspect, Kabiru Ahmed, was arrested,” the statement said.

The suspect, however, confessed to the crime and alleged that one Abdul aka Walplay and Waleed aka Bandi, were his accomplices.

The matter has been transferred to the Special Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation.

- PM NEWS