Pastor arrested for conducting virginity test on member with finger

The Ogun State Police Command said yesterday, that it had arrested a pastor identified as  Adekunle Kayode, 34, for conducting virginity test on  a 20-year-old female member of his church in Abeokuta, the state capital, using his finger.

Kayode, a pastor in charge of Jesus Is The Way Evangelistic Ministry, Olorunsogo, Abeokuta, was reportedly arrested by detectives attached to Kemta Division  in his house, 3, Okeyidi Street, Abeokuta.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said the pastor’s arrest was carried out when the victim narrated her ordeal to her father who then informed the police of the incident.

The pastor was reported to have been engaging in the act in the church weekly in a bid to confirm the girl’s virginity status.

According to the PPRO, “there was also a drama when the victim received ‘holy spirit’ which propelled her to reveal the misdeeds of the pastor who has indulged in this ungodly act for years.

“Another suspect arrested for similar offence  is one Onatade Oluwasegun, 23, of 4, Sheriff Onatade Street, Obantoko for conspiring with the said pastor to use the victim for a ritual purpose.

“The father of the victim alleged that the duo were fond of dipping their fingers in the victim’s private part even when she was menstruating for reasons best known to them.

“She also claimed that the pastor recently confirmed her  virginity status when she was to take part in a church programme.

“The victim has also claimed that Oluwasegun used a charm while attempting to rape  her as directed by the pastor possibly for a ritual but she miraculously escaped.

“Meantime,  the police have recovered the charm from the pastor within the church premises.

“The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State, Ikemefuna Okoye, has directed that the matter be transferred to the SCID, Eleweran for further investigation.”

Man beats daughter to death

Also, a man,  Bisi Onigbogbo of J6 Camp, Ogbere, in  Ijebu-East Local Government Area of Ogun State  allegedly beat his 12-year-old daughter, Yemi Onigbogbo,  to death while trying to correct her for some misbehaviour, on Monday

According to the Police spokesman, shortly after the incident, the  suspect ran away immediately he noticed that the young girl was dead.

He said: “Efforts are being intensified by the police with the help of the community members to get him apprehended.”

See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/03/pastor-arrested-conducting-virginity-test-member-finger/#sthash.kYJmr2Cq.dpuf

Boko Haram kills 36, razes houses, schools in Borno

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists, who have been holding Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to ransom yesterday invaded Mafa, the headquarters of Mafa local government area of Borno State, killing over 36 residents before setting ablaze many residential and public buildings.

This fresh incident is happening barely 24 hours after another set of terrorists laid ambush on Mainok village on Saturday night killing over 40 residents with the sacking of the whole community after destroying property worth millions of naira.

On the same Saturday, some suspected terrorists detonated twin bombs at a densely populated area of Ajilari, Gomari Airport general area of Maiduguri Metropolis killing over 70 civilians, mostly football fans watching a live match in a nearby viewing centre.

Within the last one week, more than 300 people were killed while property worth billions of naira were destroyed in separate attacks masterminded by insurgents in troubled Borno.

The gunmen it was gathered invaded the town on Sunday night where they had a field day after overpowering the security operatives on guard and wrecked havoc on innocent civilians.

Mafa is about 40 kilometres drive from Maiduguri metropolis located East on the Maiduguri Gambouru Ngala, a boarder community with Chad and Cameroon Republic.

Our Correspondent gathered that prior to the attack, there were reports last week that some gunmen were sighted close to Mafa, which forced many residents to relocate to Maiduguri and settled with their relatives. When the gunmen eventually invaded the community,  only few courageous residents were still around with security operatives, and after the clash, there were casualties on all the sides including the security operatives, innocent civilians and the terrorists.

The gunmen according to sources, “ came into Mafa town at about midnight using Hilux Toyota vans armed with AK47 rifles, Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s), Rocket Propelled Launchers,  petrol bombs and opened fire on residents who were asleep.

“Property destroyed include schools, residential houses, shops, vehicles, motorcycles, and telecommunication masts, over 80% of the structures in Mafa have been destroyed during the clash”, the source said.

A resident, Mallam Aji Modu Usman who attended the mass burial of  the victims in Mafa on Monday morning said, “ we have so far buried 32 dead bodies this morning in Mafa according to Islamic rites. Among the dead was an old woman while others are men, but we are still recovering more dead bodies in and around Mafa bushes because we suspected some of those who attempted to flee the attackers  were however gunned down”. Usman narrated.

See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/03/boko-haram-kills-36-razes-houses-schools-borno/#sthash.98CITj6U.dpuf

Why I rejected centenary award — Soyinka

Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, said, yesterday, he rejected his nomination for centenary award by the Federal Government because he could not share the award with the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, who he described as a “murderer and thief of no redeeming quality”.

“I can’t think of nothing more grotesque and derisive of the lifetime struggle of several of this (Honours) List and their selfless services to humanity”, Soyinka said in a statement entitled, `The Canonisation of Terror’.
“I reject my share of this national insult”, he added.

Soyinka

Listing some of the atrocities that took place under Abacha that made the late Nigerian leader of undeserving of the centenary award, the Nobel Laureate said: “It is a confidence trick that speaks volumes of the perpetrators of such a fraud. We shall pass over – for instance – the slave mentality that concocts loose formulas for an Honours List that automatically elevate any violent bird of passage to the status of nation builders who may, or may not be demonstrably motivated by genuine love of nation.

Accordingly,  generalized but false attributes to known killers and treasury robbers is a disservice to history and a desecration of memory.  It also compromises the future. This failure to discriminate, to assess, and thereby make it possible to grudgingly concede that even out of a ‘doctrine of necessity’ – such as military dictatorship -  some demonstrable governance virtue may emerge, reveals nothing but national self-glorification in a moral void, the breeding grounds of future cankerworm in the nation’s edifice.

”Such abandonment of moral rigour comes full circle sooner or later. The survivors of a plague known as Boko Haram, students in a place of enlightenment and moral instruction, are taken to a place of healing dedicated to an individual contagion – a murderer and thief of no redeeming quality known as Sani Abacha, one whose plunder is still being pursued all over the world and recovered piecemeal by international consortiums – at the behest of this same government which sees fit to place him on the nation’s Roll of Honour!”

See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/03/rejected-centenary-award-soyinka/#sthash.EoIAM0W3.dpuf

Boko Haram Bombs Maiduguri: Over 100 feared dead

It was another tragic day in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, yesterday, after twin explosions reportedly killed about 100 people, some of them football fans.

The first explosion was said to have killed dozens of the fans in a ‘viewing centre’ when suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were detonated at about 6pm.

The second explosion, it was learnt, went off as rescuers rushed to the scene, killing many more.

In another location, Dugolong village, in Askira Uba local government area of the state, about 20 persons were allegedly killed.

It was not clear if the incident was a terror attack or resulted from airstrikes as an airforce fighter jet was said to have been spotted around the scene at the time of attack.

Meanwhile, a female student of the state college of education, Waka, in Biu LGA was said to have been slaughtered by suspected Boko Haram insurgents on Friday.

In the Maiduguri attack, fans, according to an eye witness, were watching football in a ‘viewing centre’ when the explosion occurred.

“The explosion apparently left about 70 dead,” the eye witness said.

The blast was said to have attracted many people nearby including wedding guests who launched a rescue operation.

“Moments after the rescue operation got underway, another explosion went off, killing many more and wounding several others.”

File: Scene of the bomb blast at the post office area of Maiduguri in Borno State

The eye witness believed the second explosion was detonated from two pick up vans disguised as selling firewood.

“As I am talking to you now, we have counted over 70 corpses. Even then, some have been taken to hospital, dead or injured. We probably have at least 100 dead,” he added.

In the Dugolong attack, report said insurgents laid an ambush which killed over 20 people, while another version said the deaths resulted from airstrikes launched by government forces.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Lawal Tanko, confirmed the incident but could not give casuality figures. But a security source, confirmed the incidents thus: “Yes, there were twin explosions in Maiduguri metropolis on Saturday evening. There was also an attack in Dugolong on Friday. Although we are yet to ascertain those behind the Dugolong incident, preliminary investigation revealed that the attack took place when a fighter jet was firing at suspected insurgents killing over 20 of them”.

At press time, a fighter jet was seen hovering over Maiduguri while most residents could not wait for the 9pm curfew imposed on the Borno capital before rushing back home leaving almost all the streets deserted.

Yesterday’s bombings came in the wake of the insurgency attack on a school in Yobe State last week which killed about 59 students; and another raid in Adamawa State with over two dozens deaths.

See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/03/boko-haram-bombs-maiduguri-100-feared-dead/#sthash.m1UTCMPb.dpuf

Kidnappers Demand N500m Ransom To Free Jonathan's Uncle

By SaharaReporters, New York

Abductors of Inengite Nitabai, the 70-year old uncle of President Goodluck Jonathan, have demanded a N500m ransom.
A security source said that the abductors threatened to kill him if the family fails to produce the money.
The source also said the family had constituted a committee to evaluate the demand, establish negotiations with the abductors and facilitate his release.
He said the kidnappers had also warned against the involvement of security operatives in the matter.
"The kidnappers contacted the family four days after and demanded a whopping sum of N500m. It is believed that the family of the victim has begun negotiations with the hoodlums," he said.
Tension and panic set in when the kidnappers failed to establish any contact with the family of their victim three days after he was abducted.
That development was said to have rattled the Presidency, which reportedly ordered a massive deployment of security in Otuoke, the hometown of the Jonathans, and the Niger Delta creeks.
The gunmen abducted Nitabai on Sunday after collecting about N400,000 from his wife.
It would be recalled that on October 14 last year, Augusta Douglas Ayam, the sister of Mr. Oronto Douglas, the Special Advisor to President Jonathan on Research and Strategy, was also kidnapped in the same area.  
She was released after nine days, and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta MEND, claiming to have made accidental contact with the kidnappers, confirmed that the Jonathan government paid $200,000 US as ransom for her release.  
The movement said the kidnappers wanted to use the incident to make a political statement, as they were disgusted at the ostentation they had witnessed during the burial of Oronto’s father in December last year.  That event featured the widespread use of government equipment, including free use of military helicopters to shuttle guests and merchandise.

It was on one of those trips that Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Yakowa, and former National Security Adviser Andrew Owoye Azazi died in a crash.

Lawyer nabbed with cash bribe for EFCC operatives

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a legal practitioner, Barrister Ayodele Owoka, 47, over allegations of bribery.

He was arrested on Thursday, February 27, 2014 at the Commission’s office in Ikoyi, Lagos as he attempted to bribe a team of operatives investigating a case of contract inflation, abuse of office, stealing, embezzlement and misappropriation of funds at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State.

Barrister Ayodele Owoka

Upon his arrest, the suspect confessed that he offered the operatives N1.2 Million which was allegedly given to him by the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. O. A. Omotosho, to bribe the team to soft pedal on their investigations.

Ayodele confessed that Omotosho gave him a total sum of N1.5 Million but that he kept N300, 000 for his personal use and offered the operatives the balance of N1.2Million as bribe.

The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest and indicated that the suspect would soon be arraigned.

See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/03/lawyer-nabbed-cash-bribe-efcc-operatives/#sthash.QSvAOhB1.dpuf