Se x video: UNIOSUN lecturer says truth’ll soon prevail

The embattled lecturer at the Department of Languages and Linguistics of the Osun State1 University, Ikire Campus, Dr. Wale Ojoniyi, has said the truth about the se x video recently released by a 400 level student of the institution, Mercy Ikwue, will soon prevail.
Ojoniyi said this in a text message he sent to our correspondent in Osogbo on Thursday in response to the earlier story published by The PUNCH.
The lecturer described the video as a lie but did not say the man in the video was not him or that the tape was manipulated.
He was also silent on who might be behind the scandalous video clip.

The text message read, “Congratulations, Femi Makinde. When you know the truth, it will either set you free or imprison your conscience …..And very soon, you will know the truth. I have just read your lies.”
Meanwhile, some students of the UNIOSUN campus in Ikire, who called our correspondent on Thursday, expressed delight that the scandal was eventually blown open for everybody to see.
The students, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the matter would curb such practice which they claimed was not limited to Ojoniyi.
The students said Ikwue petitioned the school authority about the case and the lecturer was also suspended. They added that Ojoniyi just resumed from the suspension.
One of the students said there were many unreported cases of se xual assault going on in the school but nobody was ready to complain officially because of alleged cover-up and solidarity from other lecturers.
A former student said, “One of them (lecturers) who supervised me almost failed me. He (name withheld) asked me to come and meet him at a hotel on many occasions. I obliged but refused to let him have se x with me.
“It’s a pity I did not have a hidden camera, I would have nailed him like what was done to Ojoniyi. I had to complain when it became obvious that he would not let me go. I was assigned to another lecturer but that second lecturer did not demand anything outside academics from me.”
Ojoniyi was seen in the video clip na ked with the female student in a hotel room.
The lecturer, who was stark na ked, was seen caressing the lady intermittently but the female student who recorded the se xual activities with a webcam did not remove her top and she used the bedsheet as a wrapper all through the duration of the recording.
It was gathered that the lecturer had been pestering the student for an amorous affairs but the lady refused. Ojoniyi was however reported to be instrumental to the suspension of the student who was caught for examination malpractice.
Upon her resumption, the lecturer was said to have continued to pester her and she eventually agreed and met him in a hotel where she surreptitiously recorded the video.

Punch

CBN orders bank workers to declare assets

The Central Bank of Nigeria has ordered workers in all the 19 Deposit Money Banks in the country to declare their assets. The move analysts say looks like the Federal Government is beginning to expand its ongoing anti-corruption crusade to the private sector, especially the banking industry.
The directive, which came in a letter through the Banking Supervision Department of the CBN to all the 19 commercial banks in the country about four weeks ago, gave bank officials only one week to complete the assets declaration process, sources close to the DMBs said.

As of Thursday, investigation by our correspondent revealed that all the staff members of Ecobank Nigeria, First City Monument Bank Limited and Fidelity Bank Plc had complied with the directive.
Top officials of Ecobank, Fidelity Bank and FCMB, among others, confirmed the development. The workers said there was a directive from their management asking them to comply within one week.
Narrating his experience, a top official of one of the tier-1 banks, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said, “All our staff members, from the most junior to the most senior, were asked to declare their assets through a court affidavit. It was handled by the company’s lawyer.

“We were asked to declare all our assets, including developed and undeveloped parcels of land, properties, houses in Nigeria and outside Nigeria etc. We were asked to also declare everything, including power generators at home. We complied within one week.”
Top bank executives said the move by the apex bank was not unconnected to the Federal Government’s plans to extend its anti-corruption crusade to the private sector.
It was also gathered that fear had descended on bank workers, especially top officials whose assets were beyond their means.

It was learnt that the fear that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission might soon begin the examination of the details of the assets declaration forms vis-à-vis the properties some top banker own.
Some top bankers, who own huge assets, it was gathered, were panicky on how they would be able to justify the huge assets in their names should the EFCC and ICPC come knocking on their doors.
Commenting on the assets declaration, an executive director in one of the top three banks, said, “It is part of the ongoing anti-corruption crusade in the country. The Federal Government is trying to deepen the anti-corruption war in the private sector, and it is believed that the banking sector is a very critical sector. This is why the CBN has been mandated to do this.”
Unconfirmed sources at the CBN said the directive followed a letter from the Code of Conduct Bureau asking the central bank to direct all bank employees to declare their assets with immediate effect.

“The directive is from the Code of Conduct Bureau. It is an extant rule. Before now, most people have not been complying. So the CCB wrote a letter to the CBN reminding it about it. This is why the CBN had to write the banks to comply,” a top official of the apex bank told our correspondent on condition of anonymity.
The spokesperson for the CCB, Mr. Muhammed Idris, did not respond to calls or a text message sent to his mobile telephone.
However, independent findings by our correspondent showed that the CCB’s scope of operations covers only political officeholders.

By law, the CCB is mandated to distribute assets declaration forms to the general public.
The Acting Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, said the assets declaration was not a directive of the apex bank but a statutory requirement in line with the Bank Employees’ Declaration of Assets Act of 1986.
Asked why the CBN was enforcing its compliance at the moment, he said, “Why not now?”
The Bank Employees Declaration of Assets Act Cap B1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 provides for asset declaration by all bank employees.
The Act also empowers the President to extend the application of the law to other categories of persons.

N1.5bn contract scam: Court jails ex-NIMASA DG, Omatseye

Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Friday convicted a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Raymond Omatseye, of N1.5bn contract scam and sentenced him to five years imprisonment.
The judge pronounced Omatseye guilty of 24 out of the 27 counts pressed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

She sentenced him to five years imprisonment for each of the 24 proven counts, holding that the sentences would run concurrently.

“I am satisfied that the prosecution has proved its case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt in the face of the offences contained in counts 1-20, 23, 24 and 26 of the amended charge and I accordingly found the defendant guilty as charged,” the judge held.

Omatseye was arraigned on January 21, 2013 by the EFCC before Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia on an amended 27 counts.
The EFCC accused him of engaging in contract splitting and bid rigging to the tune of over N1.5bn while in office as the DG of NIMASA.
The offence, the anti-graft agency said, contravened Section 58(4) of the Public Procurement Act 2007.
Omatseye was also accused of breaching the provisions of Section 14(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004.
Upon his re-arraignment on January 21, 2013 he had pleaded not guilty, following which the court ordered the prosecution to open its case.
To prove the allegations, the EFCC, through its lawyer, Chief Godwin Obla (SAN), called three witnesses, among who was an EFCC investigator, Ibrahim Ahmed; a former Acting Director of Procurement with NIMASA, Mohammed Shehu; and an officer of the Bureau of Public Procurement, Aminu Aliyu.
But when called upon to respond to the anti-graft agency, Omatseye, through his lawyer, Mr. Olusina Sofola (SAN), filed a no-case submission, contending that the charge filed against him by the EFCC was defective.
He argued that the prosecution had failed in the final analysis to establish a prima facie case against him to warrant him to enter the dock to defend himself.
But Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia, in a ruling on February 2, 2015, dismissed Omatseye’s no-case application, holding that the EFCC had made a case strong enough to warrant him to canvass argument to exonerate himself of the charges.
Omatseye subsequently opened his defence at the end of which both parties on March 14, 2016 adopted their final written addresses and canvassed summary arguments.
In her final judgement on Friday, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia said she was satisfied that the EFCC proved the allegations in 24 out of the 27 counts against the former NIMASA boss beyond reasonable doubts.
She affirmed the allegation by the EFCC that Omatseye awarded various contracts between September 27, 2009 and February 15, 2010 in excess of the threshold stipulated in a circular dated March 11, 2009, released by the Bureau of Public Procurement, which was brought to his attention by a memo from the Ministry of Transportation.
Justice Ofili-Ajumogibia rejected the claim by the defence counsel, Edoka Onyeke, that Omatseye was unaware of the March 11, 2009 circular by the Bureau of Public Procurement, pointing out that he had admitted knowledge of the new threshold in his extrajudicial statement made to the EFCC and which was tendered in court as exhibit PD1.
“Exhibit PD1 was never challenged and same was admitted and I take it that it was truly made by the defendant. Not objecting to the statement of confession means admission,” the judge held, adding that the law was trite that ignorance was not an excuse under the rule.
The judge pointed out copies of various letters of contract awards approved by Omatseye which the EFCC tendered as exhibits, wherein he awarded various contracts in excess of N2.5m for the procurement of goods and N5m for the procurement of services in violation of the March 11, 2009 circular.

Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia held, “A calm reading of the above mentioned exhibits revealed that they are repetitive awards of contracts for the supply of goods approved by the defendant in his position as the DG of NIMASA and all the contracts are above the threshold set out in exhibit PD162 thereby violating the provisions of Section 16(1)(a) of the Public Procurement Act 2007.”

FG confirms two new polio cases

The World Health Organisation and the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole have confirmed an outbreak of wild polio virus in Borno State.
Adewole in a statement on Thursday said the outbreak has affected two children from Gwoza and Jere Local Government Areas of the State.
The Minister said the fresh cases were detected during an surveillance of North –Eastern states by health officials from the ministry.
Adewole who charged parents in the region to stay vigilant said a national emergency response team has been sent to Borno State for immediate polio vaccination campaign to prevent the spread of the virus locally and internationally.

He said, “Our overriding priority right now is to rapidly boost immunity in the affected areas to ensure that no more children are affected by this terrible disease.
“Local health officials with the support of partners including WHO and UNICEF are conducting detailed risk analysis to clearly ascertain the extent of circulation of the virus, and to assess overall levels of population immunity in order to guide the response.
“As an immediate response, about one million children are to be immunised in four local government areas in Borno State. Children in adjoining states of Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe will also be immunised bringing the number to about five million in the four states.”
The new cases of the wild polio virus recorded in Gwoza and Jere in Borno state has set back efforts towards declaring Nigeria polio free in 2017.
Nigeria was going to be declared polio free on July 24 next year, if the country did not record any new case.
Health authorities from the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja and its counterpart in Borno state have been silent on the reported new cases.
Our correspondent learnt that the World Health Organisation was about to issue a statement confirming that Africa has began the process of eradicating the disease on the continent on Wednesday. The organisation, however, recalled the statement after it learnt of the new cases in the Northern Nigeria state.
It was learnt that the Executive Secretary, the United Nations Populations Fund, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, made an emergency visit to the country on Thursday morning.
He was said to have met with President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Adewole to devise a 48 hours strategy to quickly address the spread of the wild polio virus in Borno State.
The Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, in July had met with top-ranking government officials and stakeholders to discuss efforts aimed at certifying Nigeria polio-free.
She expressed worries on the poor state of the primary health care system of the country and warned that this may frustrate the immunisation of children against the polio virus and the elimination of the diseases in the country.
Buhari who assured Moeti that all hands were on deck in Northern Nigerian states admitted that security problems in region, which had the highest number of unimmunised children, was a challenge that the Federal Government needed to tackle urgently.
He said, “The breakdown of law and order in the Northeast has posed challenges to regular immunisation. The condition of children in Internally Displaced Persons camps around the country is very pathetic.
‘‘But I know that the Federal and state governments in partnership with international organizations and NGOs are doing so much to provide healthcare, rebuild infrastructure and facilitate voluntary return of displaced persons to their communities.”

I find ‘baby bump’ irritating – Chimamanda

At a time when it has become a trend for celebrities to flaunt their pregnancies online, award-winning writer, Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie, has said that pregnancy is a sacred state that a woman ought to be discreet about.

According to her, this is the reason she did not make it a public matter when she was expecting her child.

In a recent interview with UK’s Channel 4 News, where she spoke about racism in America and the UK, among other matters, Chimamanda said, “I wanted my pregnancy to be something I shared with the people I love, with the people who know me. There is a kind of pregnancy as a trendy thing that I find very uncomfortable with and I deeply dislike expressions like ‘baby bump’.
“I find it very irritating. It was a very deeply introspective time, thinking about (how) my life is going to change forever and the enormousness of bringing a baby into the world. It was a sacred time for me and I wanted to share it with the people I love.”

Such approach to family matters also affects the way she has been keeping her child who, she, for instance, would want to lead an ordinary but meaningful life.

“I don’t want her to think it is normal to have her picture in newspapers, because it is not. Just because your mother happens to write and sometimes have her pictures in the newspapers, doesn’t mean you get to,” Chimamanda adds.
Although Chimamanda has lived in the US where she has phenomenally flourished as a writer, she is one new-generation Nigerian novelist who has not lost a sense of home.

From one book to the other, she edifies the Igbo spirit and seeks to get answers to socio-political questions that Nigeria still battle with.

Based on the stories she passionately tells in her works, such as Half of a Yellow Sun and Amerikana, she seems to have redefined phenomena such as westernisation, colonisation and globalisation – as she has proved that you can be at home even when you live away from home.

Labour minister warns banks against job losses By Audrey Mike -

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has warned commercial banks in the country against the violation of labour laws in the ongoing retrenchment of workers in the banking sector.

Ngige said the Federal Government would not tolerate flagrant disobedience of labour laws by any financial institution operating in the country.

The Deputy Director, Press, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Samuel Olowookere, quoted Ngige as having made the comment during a meeting with stakeholders in the banking and finance sector on labour laws.

He said that the meeting focussed on labour issues emanating from the recent retirement of workers in the banking sector.

Nigige was said to have reminded the representatives of the banks that the country was a signatory to the International Labour Organisation’s Conventions, which were against unfair labour practices.
He was quoted as saying, “You must obey all laws of the land, including labour laws, such as the Trade Union Act, T14 law of the federation concerning redundancy , and the Trade Dispute Act, which deals with the management of trade disputes, including employee-employers’ relationship.
“The ILO takes very seriously the issue of workers’ maltreatment in various guises, be it in the industries, construction sites or public service. Workers should be treated with dignity and decency.”

We don’t want to return home now – Siasia

The national U23 team coach Samson Siasia has said he will overhaul his defence after the African champions lost 2-0 to Colombia in their last group match in the Rio Games on Wednesday in Sao Paulo.

Siasia told The PUNCH after the match, “We still have a long way to go if we are to win a medal here but we must achieve by working hard and reducing our errors. We don’t want to go back home now or soon; we want to be on the pitch until the last game here.”

The former Super Eagles manager blamed the changes he made for the loss to the South Americans. He acknowledged that his defence was still worrisome.
He said, “Of course when you make too many changes, it won’t work the way you expected. If you lose, you go home, so all those mistakes we have been making mostly in the backline have to be corrected. We didn’t do a good job on the Colombian forwards. We really have to work harder on our defending.

“In the first half, we had a couple of good chances and Etebo had a very good one that he should have scored. But one good thing about him is that he always put himself in good positions. He didn’t score today; that’s football. Hopefully, in the next game, we can convert our chances and defend better.”
He added, “Colombia has always been a good team, in spite of the challenges they faced before coming to the Olympics. All the teams at this tournament are good; you just have to take your chances when you have them. The Colombians took their chances against us and are now in the quarter-finals.”
The team left Sao Paulo on Thursday morning for Salvador, where they will face Denmark at the Arena Fonte Nova on Saturday.
Punch

I am not arrogant – Ibrahimovic Speak

Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic says that accusations of arrogance against him are unfair and that his grand proclamations are merely expressions of supreme confidence.

The Swedish striker, who is in line to make his Premier League debut for United at Bournemouth on Sunday, is renowned for talking himself up and being dismissive of his opponents.

But the 34-year-old says that is merely a reflection of the drive that has enabled him to win league titles in four different countries and amass a huge haul of personal honours.

“I don’t believe I’m arrogant in the way that people think,” he said in an interview with Sky Sports broadcast on Friday.

“I’m confident. I believe in myself. That’s not being arrogant. That’s something I believe is an individual strength in the human being.”
He added: “I’m a normal person. People have the image of me that I’m a bad boy, I’m this and I’m that. People are curious: ‘How is this Zlatan?’
“I’m a family guy. I’m taking care of my family, but when I come on the pitch I’m a lion. That’s the big difference.”

I discussed national matters with Buhari, says Soyinka

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, on Thursday met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.
The meeting, which lasted about an hour, was held inside the President’s office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Soyinka was accompanied by a former Managing Director, Daily Times of Nigeria, Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi.
The agenda of the meeting described as a private one was not made public and the Presidency did not issue any statement on it.

As he emerged from the President’s office after the meeting, the Nobel laureate was visibly surprised to see State House correspondents who were already laying ambush for him in front of the Press Gallery.
“I didn’t come to see you people,” he said as he attempted to break through a barricade set up by the journalists.
When it became clear to him that the reporters would not relent, Soyinka said, “I came to discuss national and international matters, general matters, that’s all!”

When further probed about the details of the discussion, he said he would not divulge such.
Clearly not comfortable with press interview, Soyinka declared, “I will be holding a press conference in about a week. You can ask me any question then, but now, please I will just like to get away.”
With that the journalists made way for him to leave the premises.

Solomon Dalung responds to the report that Mikel Obi paid $4000 to free squad after hotel officials held them to ransom over bills

John Mikel Obi reportedly paid $4000 to free the Olympic football squad after the team was held to ransom by hotel officials in Sao Paulo over bills incurred by additional NFF officials. (Read here) The Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, has denied the report through a statement released on the Minister's official Facebook page and signed by Nneka Ikem-Anibeze, his Special Adviser on Media .The statement read;

The attention of the Ministry of Youth and Sports has again been drawn to the news that Team Nigeria's Captain John Mikel Obi paid hotel bills accruing from the 8 unaccredited players and officials in Rio with the National U-23 team.

According to the Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung, the chief coach of the team Samson Siasia in company of another official had come knocking on his door at about 4am Sao Paolo time. "Siasia was in my room early this morning and said the hotel security had refused to allow the team leave the hotel due to unpaid hotel bills. I also lodged in the same hotel with the Permanent Secretary and other members of the National Assembly who came to watch the match against Columbia. I told him to add the bill to the permanent Secretary's bill so that he can clear it alongside other bills. The amount incurred by the excess officials and players is $4,600. When we checked out of the hotel, the money was added and the Permanent Secretary paid all outstanding bills. I am surprised to hear and read that Mikel Obi saved an embarrassing situation by paying the bills" Dalung stated.

The Minister also restated that 8 unofficially accredited persons have been following the team since they left Atlanta including 4 players and 4 officials. The organizers of the games, the International Olympic Committee are only responsible for 25 accredited players and officials including feeding, flights and accommodation.

"In Manaus, we were forced to pay camp allowances to the extra 4 players making 29. As we speak now, the Nigeria Football Federation is the only federation that does not have a single board member on ground. Not even the Secretary-General is here. So, it is really unfortunate that this is happening. We have paid all players and other athletes their first 11 days in camp and the payment of the rest of the days will commence today( Friday). We want to plead with the players to shelve all actions capable of distracting them from their upcoming game on Saturday against Denmark and channel all grievances through the appropriate route. We remain committed to the welfare of all our athletes in camp as we look forward to giving them our unhindered support" Dalung reassured.

Adrienne Bailon kisses new boyfriend and gospel singer Israel Houghton while on European Holiday (photos)

American singer-songwriter and television personality Adrienne Bailon is deeply in love with her new Grammy Award winning gospel singer boyfriend Israel Houghton and she wants the world to know. She today uploaded a GIF photo of her kissing Houghton while on vacation at Paris. On another Instagram post she also said that the very rich Houston flew her parents on their wedding anniversary to come and holiday with them in Paris.

The couple went public with their relationship in March a month after Israel announced his divorce from his wife of over 20 years. Israel and Adrienne are now currently in Greece.

More vacation photos after the cut.

 

Photos: VP Osinbajo, Speaker Dogara, Sokoto gov Tambuwal, others at the commissioning of new NBA House

Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo SAN, commissioned the new Nigerian Bar Association House in Abuja today August 12th. In attendance at the ceremony were the NBA President Augustine Alegeh, Speaker, House of Representative Yakubu Dogara, Sokoto state governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami amongst others. More photos after the cut.
 

 

Photos: Actor Junior Pope and wife expecting their second child

Nollywood actor Junior Pope Odonwodo and his wife Jennifer are expecting their second child. The couple got married in July 2014 and already have a son. Congrats to them. Continue to see more photos.

Muslim burkini party at French indoor pool cancelled after organisers received bullets in post

Organisers of a so-called ‘burkini party’ at an indoor swimming pool in France have cancelled the event after they were sent bullets in the post.

Smile 13, a devout Muslim group, had planned to hold the event at a pool they had hired in the town if Les Pennes-Mirabeau, southern France.

The group had made clear women should wear swimming costumes that complied with the Islamic dress code and be covered up ‘from the shoulder to the knee’, UK Mirror reports.
Local MP Valerie Boyer had already called for for the event to be scrapped because the Islamic garb ‘subjugates women’

And the town’s mayor Michel Amiel had said he would ban the party on the grounds that it was a ‘threat to public order’.
But Smile 13 has now said it is cancelling the swimming session on September 10 after receiving death threats and a package containing live ammunition.
The group wrote on its Facebook page:

“It’s with astonishment and regret that we have noted the extent of this controversy.
The situation has become surreal, from insults, incessant journalist requests, and death threats to members of the team.”

France banned the wearing of the full-face covering burka six years ago, with former president Nicolas sarkozy calling the garment a ‘walking coffin’.

Photos: Chaos as Court grants Ogun state speaker custody of his 8 year old son born by his mistress

There was a shouting match in the Customary Court at Agbeloba area of Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday which degenerated into a fight following the declaration by the court that an 8 year old son, whose mum is one Iyabo Adedotun, a former mistress of the Ogun state House of Assembly speaker, Suraj Adekunbi (pictured above), be handed over to him. Iyabo had dragged Suraj to court for allegedly threatening her life over their love child.

During the hearing of the case, Iyabo who is a staff of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, told the court that her former lover of 10 years and baby daddy had failed to live up to his responsibilities and had also prevented her from marrying any other person.
She asked the court to grant a retraining order so Suraj can stop threatening her.

On his part, the speaker through his counsel asked the court to grant him custody of their child. The three-member court panel granted Suraj’s wish and ordered that the child be handed over to him.
An angry Iyabo upon hearing the judgement started to shout and insisted she was never going to give up her son. One of her colleagues who tried to protect her and prevent the court from taken her child from her was beaten up. When the situation was becoming more chaotic, the police was invited while NSCDC staff also stormed the court in their number to protect their colleague.

A weeping Iyabo expressed dissatisfaction at the court ruling, asking if she will ever see her child again.
Photo credit: Iderade Shina

Daniel Amokachi’s twin sons get signed to top Turkish club, BJK Besiktas

Kalim and Nazim Amokachi, sons of Nigerian football legend, Daniel Amokachi, have been signed to top Turkish football club, BJK Besiktas. Congrats to them

Former footballer Chified wears open jacket, shows off her chest

She looks good. Meanwhile, it’s not only six packs you’re seeing in that photo on the left, there’s also bo obs there!

Jennifer Lopez is pregnant with her 3rd baby at 47?

I’m not sure I believe this story but that is what RadarOnline is claiming…read their report below…
Jennifer Lopez is pregnant at age 47 with boyfriend Casper Smart‘s baby, RadarOnline.com has confirmed, and the couple could not be more thrilled! A family source told Radar that Lopez is three months along – but they are waiting until she starts showing to officially announce the big news!
“Casper told all of his relatives this week and they are all so excited,” the insider said, adding, “They do not know the sex of the baby yet and they are just praying that they will have a healthy child and that there will be no complications.”
“His family really loves Jennifer and they are certain that she is going to make an excellent mother!”
Lopez — who is already a mother to eight-year-old twins with ex Marc Anthony, Max and Emme — briefly split with Smart in 2014. However, the duo remained best-friends, which eventually brought them back together!
“Jennifer is so good to Casper and when the two of them are together, she is just an ordinary woman. They really ground each other and are very much in love,” the source told Radar.

Petrol should sell for N151.87/litre, marketers insist

Though attempts have been made to assure Nigerians that there are no plans to increase the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly referred to as petrol, The PUNCH has gathered that the actual price at which the product should sell at filling stations is N151.87 per litre.
This “realistic” price is more than the maximum N145 per litre fixed by the Federal Government on May 11, 2016 when it liberalised the downstream oil sector, marketers with knowledge of the market and the pricing mechanism told one of our correspondents on Tuesday.
This, they said, was basically due to the continued scarcity of the United States dollar, adding that the true price of petrol was N151.87 litre, judging by the current ex-depot price of the commodity.
In Tuesday’s exclusive report by The PUNCH on a looming hike in petrol price, dealers explained that the ex-depot price of the product was N133.28 per litre and that the marketers were doing their best to manage the situation.

They stressed that the dollar hit an all-time high last week, as it exchanged for N400 at the parallel market, and called for urgent steps to address the situation in order to sell the PMS at the approved rates.
In a move to avert a price increase, it was learnt that the government conveyed a meeting of stakeholders in the downstream oil sector on Tuesday, which was held at the headquarters of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency in Abuja.
One of our correspondents gathered that participants at the meeting included officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the PPPRA, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners, as well as other concerned persons.
Explaining that the actual cost of the PMS had increased beyond the N145 per litre fixed rate, an oil dealer who attended the meeting stated that when the distribution margin for petrol was added to the ex-depot price, the real cost of the commodity was N151.87 per litre.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, said, “Since the ex-depot price is around N133.5 per litre and the selling price is N145 litre, when you remove the ex-depot cost from the selling price, you’ll get about N12. Now, from this N12, consider the distribution margin and other costs from the depot; if all these costs are less than N12, then the marketers are making profits and there will be no complaint.

“But if the reverse is the case, then they have a complaint. I want you to find out what is the marketers’ margin, transporters’ margin, bridging fund, Petroleum Equalisation Fund, administrative charges and more. When you add all these together, you will realise that truly, the marketers are doing all they can to hold the pump price at the N145 per litre band.”

Investigations by our correspondents from the PPPRA showed that when the various costs highlighted by the oil dealer were added together, the result was a margin of N18.71. By adding this to the N133.5 ex-depot price, the final figure is N151.87.

For specifics on the distribution margin for every litre of petrol consumed across the country, retailers charge N6; transporters’ allowance is N3.36; bridging fund, N6.2; dealers’ charge, N2.36; marine transport average, N0.15; and admin charge, N0.3; making a total of N18.71.
When asked to state how the marketers had been coping and who is paying the extra considering the fact that some stations were even dispensing petrol at rates lower than N145 per litre, another dealer said, “We met with the government and we made it clear to them that the situation is precarious. The competition has made many of us do things that may be considered unusual in some sense, all in a bid to stay afloat.
“But for how long can this be sustained? The competition has made the marketers to come up with ingenious ways to source forex, which is why some stations still sell below the N145 per litre price in order to attract customers and make turnover in bulk. But the truth is that this is unhealthy and cannot be sustained.”
On the meeting between government officials and the marketers, a senior official of the Petroleum Resources ministry stated that the government might either subsidise the product again or consider some form of concession to the marketers with respect to the cost of the dollar.
The official said, “The issue of forex has been a challenge to both the government and the oil marketers. All of a sudden, the dollar skyrocketed to about N400 and the product we are concerned with here is an international product. So, if they are bringing in the product by buying dollar at N350, then it is obvious that they are really working hard to remain in business.
“For if we are in a truly deregulated market environment, then the price of the product should have increased beyond N145 per litre; there is no doubt about that. Meanwhile, there was a highly confidential meeting between the management of the PPPRA and stakeholders in the sector on this matter.
“I may not be able to tell you the resolutions that were reached concerning the issue of pricing of petroleum products, but the body language of those who participated in the meeting suggests that the government may be considering some form of concessions to the oil marketers as it did for the Muslim pilgrims. We all know that the government cannot afford to increase petrol price again, not at this time.”
The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Maikanti Baru, told journalists in Abuja on Tuesday that he had not received any directive to increase petrol price.
He explained that the corporation had enough stock and that all was being done to meet the forex needs of the marketers.
However, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria have described the news of a looming increase in the pump price of petrol as unwelcome and worrisome.
The Chairman, NUPENG, Lagos Zone, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, said, “It is a bad idea to say petrol price will increase again. Nigerians will not welcome any further increase. Truly, we saw the foreign exchange crumbling on daily basis, but it shouldn’t be an excuse.”
He said if the government could subsidise forex for pilgrims, it should also be prepared to subsidise whatever increase that would come from any crisis the marketers might be having concerning the fuel price.
Korodo said, “Government should not take us for a ride because nobody is going to take it the way the marketers are thinking.
“Marketers are telling us what the government is planning to do, because on their own, they cannot just increase the price. They are only playing the script of the government and we are not going to succumb to such blackmail.”
The Chairman, TUC, Rivers State Chapter, Mr. Chika Onuegbu, said the government had made it clear that1 the price of petrol would not be more than N145 per litre.
He said, “And even at that point when the government made the agreement, we knew that it was making excess profits and it admitted to that fact. So, the government should be able to cushion the impact of the forex challenge marketers are facing.
“I think the government had an understanding with the marketers regarding the exchange rate that they will apply for importing their products.”
Onuegbu said it would be unfair to Nigerians for the price to be increased, adding, “We were told that at N145, things would be easy for the marketers.
“When they (marketers) were making super profits, they didn’t tell anybody. That was why as soon the price was increased, there was fuel in every filling station. The problem now is that they are not making as much profit as they used to make; therefore, they must punish Nigerians.”

Buhari inaugurates economic adviser, four others

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday administered oaths of office on four special advisers and one permanent secretary at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The brief ceremony took place shortly before the commencement of a meeting of the Federal Executive Council which the President presided over.

Those inaugurated included the Special Adviser on Social Investment, Mrs. Maryam Uwais; Special Adviser on Political Matter, Senator Babafemi Ojudu; Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu; Special Adviser on Planning, Tijani Abdullahi; and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Rafiu Enikanolaye.
While Uwais, Ojudu and Dipeolu were deployed in the Office of the Vice President, Abdullahi was deployed in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, most ministers; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita; some permanent secretaries, presidential aides and other top government officials witnessed the event.
The brief ceremony was also witnessed by some members of the immediate families of the appointees.
The four special advisers were among the 15 approved for Buhari by the National Assembly last year.
Some others had since resumed work having been earlier inaugurated.

EFCC arrests blogger over anti-Magu story

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested popular blogger, Mr. Abubakar Sidiqu Usman, otherwise known as Abusidiqu, over a recent report he published against the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

Friends of the blogger who reached out to The PUNCH said he was arrested by EFCC operatives early on Monday morning.

Confirming the arrest, the EFCC spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the blogger was arrested for cyber stalking.

In a statement, Uwujaren said, “The EFCC today arrested Mr. Abubakar Sidiq Usman, a blogger, for offences bordering on cyber stalking.

“The suspect who is the publisher of Abusidiqu.com was picked up at his Kubwa, Abuja home in the early hours of Monday August 8, 2016 by operatives of the EFCC and is currently being questioned over the alleged offence which contravenes sections of the Cyber Crime Act.

“The suspect has already been offered administrative bail and would be released to his elected sureties.”

Cyber stalking is defined as the repeated use of electronic communications to harass or frighten someone by sending threatening emails or spreading false messages online.1

Usman’s blog, Abusidiqu.com, published a report titled, ‘EFCC boss, Magu, commences total war with core EFCC staff’ on August 2, 2016.

The report stated that members of staff at the EFCC were complaining that they were being bullied by Magu.

It accused Magu of corruption, and of being jittery about the delay in his confirmation by the Senate.

FG begins airlift of 80,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia

The Federal Government has commenced the airlift of Muslim pilgrims with the inaugural flight to Saudi Arabia from the Sultan Abubakar III Airport, Sokoto on Monday.
According to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, about 80,000 pilgrims will be airlifted in the next five weeks through flight operations in 17 airports across the country.
FAAN, in a statement, added that a director in the Federal Ministry of Transport and the Chairman of the Aviation Monitoring Committee, Mr. Adamu Wakil, assured the pilgrims that safety and security infrastructure was given priority in all airports to ensure seamless passenger facilitation during the exercise.
The statement noted that two directors from FAAN, Olufemi Ogunode and Capt. Henry Omeogu, led various technical teams to supervise preparations for the exercise.

It said the inaugural flight was preceded by an airport ceremony attended by the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, and his counterpart from Zamfara, Abubakar Yari.
Other dignitaries at the ceremony included the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, as well as a few others who gave goodwill messages.
“Pilgrims from Sokoto and Zamfara states were amongst those that were airlifted on the inaugural flight amidst light showers,” FAAN said.
It stated that the Chairman of National Hajj Commission, Abdullahi Muktar, urged pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the country and shun acts that could bring dishonour to their faith and country.
FAAN reiterated that it would provide security and safety oversight to all airports, including state-owned airports that would participate in the airlift.

Biology teacher arrested for having se x with students

A 24-year-old teacher, Marquita Alston, in Tennessee has been arrested for allegedly seducing and having se x with five of her students.
Alston was said to have had se xual contact with five boys while a teacher at Pearl Cohn High School in Nashville.

The teacher, according to Metro UK, allegedly had the act with the students between September and November 2014.
Following a report the school principal had received about the teacher, the matter was reported to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department’s Se x Crimes, who started carrying out investigation since November 2014.

Police say some of the contacts may have occurred on the Pearl Cohn campus.
Since then, more and more alleged victims have stepped forward with evidence.
Alston has now been charged with five counts of statutory rape and is now free on a $1,000 (£760) bond.

The teacher resigned a month later after being placed on administrative leave by the school system when the investigation started, Metro Uk reported.

El-Zak Zakky: Stop Shiites from trekking to Abuja – CATE

The Coalition Against Terrorism and Extremism on Monday in Abuja called on the Federal Government to stop members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as the Shiite sect, led by Ibrahim El-Zak Zakky from trekking from Zaria, Kaduna State to Abuja.
The group said the members of the IMN constituted a serious security risk to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the entire country.

The spokesperson of CATE, Gabriel Onoja, told journalists that the Federal Government must not shirk in its responsibility to “protect other Nigerians from the extremism being promoted by the sect.”
While warning that the country already had enough security concerns, he called on the Federal Government to take action to manage the situation, warning that the IMN must not be allowed to export their culture of blockade of vital roads to another city least of all the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Onoja said, “With the existential threats facing the country at every turn, the message must be sent out clearly that no religious leader or adherent is above the law. Anyone who tries to further compromise our collective security should be made to answer for their actions.

“We urge religious, traditional and political leaders in the North to call this horde to order. Northern elites have a lot of work to do; those northern youths who attend only Islamic centres to the exclusion of contemporary education must be better managed henceforth as dubious scholars often find them willing recruits for extreme doctrines.”

Militants kill three soldiers, cart away weapons in Bayelsa

There are claims that Niger Delta youths may have returned to militancy following the destruction of pipelines in the region

Suspected militants on Monday attacked the location of the newly-activated Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, in Bayelsa State, and killed three soldiers.
The incident, which reportedly occurred about 9.30am, took place at Tombi Jetty, Ogolomabiri in Nembe Local Government Area of the state.
The militants were also said to have made away with military gunboats, rifles and other ammunition, after an ambush on the operatives stationed at a checkpoint.
The checkpoint, it was learnt, is located at the community’s entrance and had been in existence since the era of militancy in the Niger Delta.

It was also learnt that heavy sounds of gunshots allegedly fired during the surprise attack unsettled the community for about 30 minutes.
The situation was said to have thrown the residents of the community into panic, as many of them who initially thought the area was under siege ran in different directions for safety.
It was further learnt that the gunmen, who stormed the area with unspecified number of speedboats, dressed in white uniform to deceive their targets of their real intentions.
Their immaculate white dresses, it was learnt, were designed to create an impression that they were members of a white garment church on a funeral procession.
A resident of Nembe, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there was widespread fear in the community.
The source said, “The attack was deadly and well planned. Nobody had expected that such a thing would happen at such a time when the jetties were busy with people preparing to go about their businesses.
“I am sure even the soldiers did not expect such an incident to happen at that time. Some persons who were already sailing out of Nembe said they saw the gunmen but thought they were mourners because of the way they dressed.”
The source added that following the attack, some residents in Nembe started fleeing the community while others were thinking of following suit due to widespread fear of reprisal by soldiers.
Reacting to the killing of the soldiers, the Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Bayelsa State chapter, Chief Nengi James, condemned the attack, wondering why an attack of such nature would occur in broad daylight.
According to him, the military needs to be vigilant to prevent the stealing of its arms and ammunition to perpetrate violence in the state and in the region.
The embattled President, Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, condemned the killing of the soldiers.
A military source, who did not want his name mentioned because he was not authorised to speak, confirmed the development.
He said the leadership of the ODS, angry at the development, immediately deployed two Alpha Fighter jets to go after the suspected militants.
“Operation Delta Safe has cordoned off the road leading to Nembe. We are on the trail of the criminals and there is no way they can escape. The maritime comportment is also involved in combing the creeks,” the source said.
But calls to the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, ODS, Lt. Col. Olaolu Daudu, were not responded to. Also, a text message to his mobile phone was not responded to as of the time of filing the report.
A year ago, on August 8, suspected militants had launched an attack on the same military formation, killing five soldiers and carting away arms and ammunition.

Fraudsters use footballer, Onazi Ogenyi’s Mastercard for transactions in Shanghai while he is in Hungary

He narrated his recent experience on his twitter handle this afternoon.

Hungry villagers steal poisonous grains which was meant for destruction, in Katsina

Members of Ladanawa village in Katsina state stole bags of poisonous grains meant for destruction in the state. Speaking to journalist on the recent development, the state Commissioner for Local Government, Abdulkadir Ahmed Zakka, said a truck carrying 300 bags of grains from the state Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (KTARDA) main store to another location for destruction, broke down in the village while on its way. The hungry villagers came out in their numbers and began to steal from the grains which had poured out of the bags.

Zakka who paid a visit to the community, appealed to the villagers not to consume the grains and that they should return it immediately so they can be destroyed. He said security operatives have been mandated to conduct house to house search and that anyone found with the poisonous grains will be punished

FG submits 5 proposals to Swiss govt on how it will spend Abacha’s $132million loot if returned

The Federal Government has submitted five proposals to the government of Switzerland detailing how it will spend the $132million Abacha loot if returned. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami told the Nation that the Federal government was trying to meet the terms of Switzerland before the money is returned.

“We got a request from Switzerland that we should provide a list of projects that we will spend the $321million on. The government has done its homework and submitted five proposals that have bearing with social benefit projects. Some of the projects have been captured in this year’s budget. They will impact on all Nigerians. They wrote back to us on the fact that they will want the World Bank to be directly involved in the monitoring of the projects with a caveat that we have to pay monitoring fees. We have not come to terms with paying monitoring fees for all the projects. We have not taken any decision to pay the bills for all the projects or to restrict the payment to two of the projects. We are already collaborating with World Bank on three projects which will accelerate the nation’s development.”he said

The Federal government in March last year signed an agreement with Switzerland government on the return of the $321million. The agreement titled:

“Letter of Intent on the restitution of illegally-acquired assets forfeited in Switzerland,” was signed by Malami, and the Swiss Head of Foreign Affairs Department, Didier Burkhalter.

It stated that $321 million acquired fraudulently by the Abacha family, was initially deposited in Luxemburg before being confiscated by the Swiss Republic Judiciary and Canton of Geneva following a December 11, 2014 forfeiture order.

Nigerian girl, 17, secures admission to 13 universities

A 17-year- old girl, Serena Omo-Lamai, has been granted admission to study in 13 universities in America and Canada.
Omo-Lamai, who graduated from Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, last year, however, opted for Syracuse University, United States, to study Bio-Medical Engineering.

Some of the universities where she was offered admission include Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, New York University, among others.

Speaking in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, Omo-Lamai said she settled for Syracuse University because of the institution’s world-class research laboratory and a $51,000 scholarship offer.

The teenager, who aspires to be a medical engineer, disclosed that she would study medicine as a second degree.
“I feel very honoured and I feel it is an opportunity to work harder. I know that I have to justify the offer. I chose Syracuse University because it has a very good research lab and the offer came with $51,000 scholarship. I have always loved Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Geography.

“My hope is to study medicine for a second degree, but I would love to be a medical engineer. Most of the medical equipment in the country are imported and I would like a situation where medical equipment is manufactured here in Nigeria.

“My parents are my role models, but I am also inspired by anyone who is hard working, anyone who puts so much efforts into what they do,” she said.

A statement from the Vice-Principal, Dowen College, Mr. Muraina Olusesi, on Monday, said Omo-Lamai was the valedictorian of the school last year.

He said, “Alumni students of the school have continued to show the stuff they are made of in the world of academic excellence. Serena Omo-Lamai was our best graduating pupil in the 2014/2015 academic session and she has done it again.

“She secured admission to 13 universities across the globe, but she has settled for Syracuse University where she signed up to read Bio-Medical Engineering, with an annual scholarship of $56,000.

“Also, Daniel Obaseyi Buraimo, Class of 2010, graduated with First Class honours degree in Computer Science from the University of San Francisco, California, USA. According to the university, he is the first Nigerian to attain this height.”