Policemen torture student for demanding to know offence

A Mass Communication student of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Taiwo Rasaq, has lamented that some policemen attached to the Owutu Police Division tortured and detained him unlawfully.
Rasaq claimed that the only “crime” he committed was demanding to know the reason for his arrest.
The victim, who was apprehended during a raid in the Agric area of Ikorodu, said he parted with N30,000 before he regained his freedom.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Rasaq was about to disembark from a tricycle when the policemen picked him up around 9.30pm on May 30.
He said the policemen arrested 30 others and whisked them away to the station, adding that he was slapped several times when he requested to know his offence.
He said, “On May 30, around 9.30pm, I was coming from Egbeda in a tricycle. As I was about alighting at Ori-Okuta, in the Agric area, some policemen from the Owutu division arrested me. They arrested many people including those that went to buy bread and garri for dinner.
“When we got to the station, we met over 30 boys who had also been arrested like us. I demanded to know why I was arrested, but they did not answer. A few minutes after, they told me to remove my clothes and drop my belongings, but I refused.
“I told them I would not undress until I knew why I was arrested. I asked them to allow me make my statements and call my people. Three of them walked up to me and slapped me several times.
“One of them said, ‘You think you know the law, you will sleep in the cell tonight’.
“I kept telling them that I deserved to know my offence and if they couldn’t tell me, then it’s a kidnap. One of them slapped me again, while others manhandled me, so I kept quiet.”
Rasaq said the policemen allegedly collected between N5,000 and N10,000 from others, but he paid N30,000 for being ‘stubborn’ before he was released.
“We were over 70 that they arrested. They didn’t interrogate us or allow us to write any statement. The following morning, the bargain started from N10,000 and they threatened to move us to the Kirikiri Prisons. People begged and they agreed to take N5,000.

“My people begged them as well, they collected N30,000 from me for being stubborn.
Two other officers said they would not allow me go until I paid them another N1,000 privately, which I did. Though I couldn’t take pictures of the officers, I took their names and tags. They are: Odetunde Taofeek of Force Number 366967 and Iniobong Bassey of Force Number 023349,” he added.
Another victim, Yemi Ajayi, who resides in Igbo Olomu Junction, said he had attempted to explain to the policemen that a 15-year-old boy they arrested was his son’s friend, when he was beaten up and arrested.
He said, “I was in front of my wife’s shop around 9pm when the boy was shouting my name. I went to meet the police and told them who the boy was, but they did not listen. They hit me with the butt of their gun, fired tear gas canisters and threw me inside their van. The DPO was there too; he didn’t listen to me. It was my people that came to pay for my bail the next day and I was taken to a hospital. As I speak with you, I am still in pains.”
The Officer-in-Charge of the Nigeria Police Complaint Response Unit, CSP Abayomi Shogunle, said the raid was to rid Ikorodu of cult groups and violent attacks.
He said, “It is a week-long operation and it is in response to recent cult-related attacks in Ikorodu town. Some of the apprehended persons, found not to be linked to the ongoing investigation, have been released after initial screening, while 120 persons of interest arrested at different locations have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.”
The Lagos State Police spokesperson promised to get back to our correspondent on the incident.
Punch

Dolapo Osinbajo and kids in beautiful family potrait

The vice president’s wife shared this beautiful pic with her three kids.

See the Orlando nightclub where 50 were killed by a terrorist before SWAT team killed him (photos)

Omar Mateen, who is the worst mass shooter in American history, shot more than 100 people with an AR-15 assault rifle and handgun on the dance floor at Orlando’s Pulse night club early Sunday morning before he was gunned down by SWAT police. See more photos of the devastated place after the cut.

Falz Bags His First BET Awards Nomination

 



Rapper, comedian, actor (triple threat) Falz get his first major international recognition.  He’s been shortlisted for the best new international act category at the 2016 BET Awards. Falz is the only Nigerian nominated for this category.
The rapper goes head to head with Section Boyz (South London), WSTRN (West London),  Emtee (South Africa), TKAY (Australia) and MHD (France).
Falz’ first major award came earlier in the year at  the 2016 AMVCA, where he won in the Best Actor (Comedy) category for his supporting role in Funke Akindele’s “Jenifa’s Diary”.
This BET Nomination follows the release of his critically acclaimed sophomore album – “Stories That Touch” in 2015.

VIDEO: Chris Brown & Wizkid Perform “African Bad Girl” @ #OneHellofaNight Tour, Amsterdam

 

VIDEO: Chris Brown & Wizkid Perform “African Bad Girl” @ #OneHellofaNight Tour, Amsterdam

As we told y’all earlier, Chris Brown is currently on his #OneHellofaNight European Tour 2016 alongside our very own Wizkid. Last night, Wiz and Breezy performed their unreleased collaboration on the Sarz-produced track “African Bad Girl” (recorded in 2014) at the Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam

Legendary Music Producer, OJB Jezreel Dies At Age 49

Legendary Music Producer, OJB Jezreel Dies At Age 49

It is with sadness in our hearts that we report that Babatunde Okungbowa, known to the world as OJB Jezreel passed on early this morning, Tuesday, June 14, 2016.
His kidney transplant had failed completely since last week.
He was down with kidney related disease, and consequently was flown to India for a transplant in 2013.
After the successful surgery, OJB Jezreel, showered praises on his first wife, Mama J, for being there for him and donating one of her kidneys to save his life.
OJB passes on a month to his 50th birthday. His body has been deposited in a morgue at Isolo General Hospital.
He is survived by three wives, June, Korede, Mabel and eight children.
Further information will be communicated to the public through this medium.

#RIPOJB

Why Jide Kosoko cannot bury our daughter – Henrietta Kosoko’s family

We earlier reported that late Henrietta Kosoko’s funeral that was scheduled to hold today at Atan Cemetery, Yaba, Lagos has been canceled.

Information Nigeria gathered that her family does not recognize Prince Jide Kosoko as her husband, hence their decision to demand that their daughter’s body be return to Delta state for burial.
READ: 15 Things You May Not Know About Henrietta Kosoko
According to a source close to the family, ‘Henrietta is Urhobo woman from Delta state, where they cherish their culture. Jide Kosoko didn’t go to her family house in Delta to pay her dowry’.
The source added: ‘He met her here in Lagos and they got married and never made any attempt to go to the village with her to do the needful. Because of this, her family doesn’t see him as their in-law.’
Another source close to the Kosoko family also confirmed that the late actress will be buried in Delta saying, ‘Her family has kicked against our initial plans to bury her here in Lagos. They said it’s against their culture. So we had no choice than to obey want they want.’
Henrietta who last week celebrated her 53rd birthday was said to have slumped and died on Monday, June 6. Her remains will be moved to her hometown in Delta State today for burial

Banks Agree To Suspend Mass Sack Of Workers

The Chief Executives of Banks in Nigeria may have hearkened to the threat by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige to withdraw their license if they do not suspend the ongoing mass retrenchment in their banks.
At the end of the Bankers Committee meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, the executives agreed to “minimize exits” from their banks in view of the challenges facing the economy.
They however, said the sack of workers found to be wanting in the system will continue.
The Managing Director/CEO of Standard Chartered Nigeria, Mrs. Bola Adesola, made the Bankers Committee’s position known in a press briefing at the end of their meeting yesterday.
Close to two thousand bank staff were sacked in the last two weeks amid economic crisis, leading the minister to issue a statement last week directing financial institutions, especially banks, to suspend the retrenchment exercise pending the outcome of conciliatory meetings in the industry.
Mr. Ngige, however, was forced to announce that the federal government may revoke the licenses of banks and telecommunication companies that ignore his directive to stop mass sack of workers, following reports on Tuesday that 200 staff of Skye Bank were laid off.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Mrs Adesola said “Banks in the country are looking at ways to ensure that we minimise exits from our institutions. There will always be exits if there is fraud and so forth, people will exit institutions”.
She said banks pulling back on retrenching workers is not new stressing that “it is something we have discussed in the past where the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor prevailed on the banks to minimise any exits from the institutions”.
The Standard Chartered, Nigeria, CEO added that “Banks understand the implication of people not being in employment. So, we noted the market sentiments and going forward it will be difficult but there will be reasons why people will exit not just in the banking industry but in telecoms and other industries. It is something that we will manage”.

AMBASSADORIAL NOMINEES: Buhari shuns politicians

· 11 women make list
· Picks 47 career civil servants
President Muhammadu Buhari has dumped the political class in the list of ambassador-designates he sent to the Senate on Thursday for confirmation.
In the all-career Foreign Service officers’ list, 11 wom­en were in the 47 names the President plans to appoint as Ambassadors or High Com­missioners, depending on the countries of their assignment.
This is the first time in re­cent years that any Nigerian leader will appoint only career diplomats as the country’s en­voys.
Buhari’s action may not go down well with politicians, es­pecially from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who have been lobbying for ambassadorial positions.
The move will however open up the space in the foreign service for the elevation of oth­er officers to the positions being vacated by the nominees.
Last night, Foreign Service analysts described the Presi­dent’s action as a major com­pensation for the diplomats and a big boost for the Service.
The Senate President, Bu­kola Saraki, who disclosed the President’s list on Thursday, said Buhari wants the Upper House to clear the nominees promptly.
Buhari had on July 9, 2015 recalled Nigerian ambassadors on the Foreign Missions and since then the nation’s em­bassies have been operating without Ambassadors or High Commissioners.
Saraki, who read the letter dated June 6, 2016, explained that President Buhari had re­quested the Senate to approve the list of the nominees at the shortest possible time.
The letter read in part: “In accordance with Section 171(1) (C) sub-section 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), I have the honour to forward the attached list of 47 career foreign service officers as ambassadors-designate for consideration and confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Copies of their curriculum vitae are attached: It is my hope that this would receive the usu­al prompt attention of the dis­tinguished members of the Sen­ate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The nominees are: Obin­na Chukwuemeka Agbugba, Salisu Umaru, Inyang Udoh-Inyang, Okeke Vivian Nwun­aku, Liman Munir, Ndem Jane Ada, Mohammed Hassan Has­san, Martin Nyong Cobham, Ja­net Omoleegho Olisa, Itegbo­je Sunday, Olatunde Adesesan and Lilian Ijeukwu Onoh.
Others are: Manaja Tulah Isa, Ngozi Ukaeje, Bello Ka­zaure Husseini, Enoch Pear Duchies Garba Baba, Usman Bakori Aliyu, Umar Zainable Salisu, Momoh Sheidu Omeiza, Kadiri Ayinla Audu, Balogun Hakeem, Inusa Ahmed, Ibra­him Isa, Bankole Adegboyega Adeoye and Ibidapo Obe Olu­wasegun.
Other nominees are Ogun­daro Sakirat, Eric Bell-Gam,
Attahiru Haliru, Rahmatu A. Dunama, Musa Saban Mam­man, Kabiru Bala, Adamu On­oze Shuaibu, D. A. Agev, T.K. Gongulong, Ibrahim Hamza, K.C. Nwachukwu and Q.I. Worlu.
The list also had E.K. Ogun­tuase, I. A. Paragalada, L.A. Gashagar, Olufemi Abikoye, Habu Abubakar Gwani Ibra­him, Rabiu Akawu, Ode­ka Janet Bisong and Sonaike Odekunbi Abibat.
According to the letter, the list is made up of only career civil servants in the Foreign Service.

Keshi’s Corpse Moved To Public Hospital For Autopsy

The family of the late former Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, has moved his remains from Faith Mediplex Hospital, Benin, to Stella Obasanjo Hospital for autopsy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Keshi’s remains had been deposited at Faith Mediplex where the former Super Eagles captain was rushed to early on Wednesday.
The family’s spokesman, Ricky Aburimen, who had rushed the late national team player to the hospital, told newsmen that the move became necessary for autopsy to be conducted on the body.
He said Keshi was not a registered patient in the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“And as such, his remains needed to be moved to a government-owned hospital for a proper investigation into cause of his death,’’ Aburimen said.
He said the cause of his death should not be a subject of speculation, hence, the reason for the autopsy.
Aburimen, who is the immediate older brother to the late wife of the Nigeria soccer icon, described Keshi’s death as shocking.
According to him, he had complained of pains in his leg for some days and they kept massaging it for him. When he complained of it last night, they massaged it again.
“About one and half hours after the massaging, he was in serious distress and was gasping for breath.
“That was how we rushed him to the hospital (Faith Mediplex), a distance of about 20 minutes.
“But by the time we arrived at the hospital, the doctor certified him dead.
“That was sometime between 11:30 and 11:45pm. It was the nurse that first came out. She checked for his pulse‎ and said there was no pulse in him.
“Doctors later came and did all the stuffs they did, but nothing came out of it,’’ he said.
When asked what could have been the likely cause of Keshi’s death,‎ Aburime said no one should speculate the cause of his death, until an autopsy is conducted by qualified doctors.
Aburimen said the report of the autopsy would be made public at a press conference befitting of Keshi’s status.
Also at the hospital was Ebuka Ofuone, a cousin of the late coach, who was said to have lived with him from his childhood but he could barely utter a word as a result of grief.
Keshi, 54, had won the African Cup of Nations for Nigeria as a player in 1994 and repeated the feat as coach in South Africa in 2013.
Source: PMNews

Former Nigeria Air Chief, Accused Of Money Laundering, Wants Out-Of-Court Settlement

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday heard that a former Chief of Air Staff, Mohammed Umar, had commenced an out-of-court settlement negotiation in the money laundering charge against him.

Mr. Umar is being tried on a seven-count charge of laundering N4.8 billion, while he was Chief of Air Staff.
He had pleaded not guilty and was granted bail by Justice Binta Nyako on self-recognition.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, Mr. Umar’s Counsel, Hassan Liman, informed the court of moves by his client to have the matter settled out of court.
Mr. Liman said his client held meetings with officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He said the first meeting, involving the head of the legal department of the commission, the prosecuting counsel and Mr. Umar, was held on May 31 while another meeting was held on June 3.
He said that in attendance at both meetings was a member of the EFCC’s task force, Ibrahim Musa, and the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir.
He said it was resolved that the defendant should send a formal communication to the commission.
Mr. Liman further disclosed that a formal letter addressed to the Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, dated June 6, had already been dispatched.
Confirming the development, the prosecuting counsel said he was aware that the defendant wrote to the chairman of the commission.
He said that in the letter, the defendant was seeking to engage the Federal Government in a discussion over the charge.
“I also confirm that there were meetings between the defendant and the commission where I was also in attendance,’’ Mr. Tahir said.
When the matter was called, the prosecuting counsel said they were ready for the trial, but Mr. Liman said that it would be prejudicial to commence trial.
Mr. Liman said this was in view of the ongoing attempt to settle out of court.
He urged the court to grant an adjournment to enable them proceed with the out-of-court settlement in spite of the fact that the matter had been set down for trial.
The prosecuting counsel, however, insisted that the out-of-court settlement was not a ground to stop trial since it was not a civil matter.
Mr. Tahir urged the court to order the commencement of trial.
Justice Nyako, however, held that trial could not commence since the condition precedent for trial had not been met by the defence.
Mrs. Nyako said the defence ought to have filed a summary of defence for the trial to commence.
She adjourned the matter till June 16 for commencement of trial.
Source: NAN