British-born IS commander who recruited, trained UK terrorists killed in Yemen

A British-born IS terror commander, Abu Rayana al-Britani, who was reputed to have recruited and trained thousands of other UK terrorists, has been killed while leading an assault on a village in Yemen after years of jihadi activity.

The UK-born Islamic State commander had often boasted of his involvement in the killings of anti-Muslim figures in the UK and had also declared a jihad war on the country.

His obituary which was released by the terror group, claims he was a major IS figure who turned his back on gang life after being jailed in the UK.

He was said to have travelled to Yemen for terror training and IS claimed he returned to Britain and mentored a disciple who “killed one of the main guys harming Muslims” in Britain.

Intelligence experts are now trying to link the details in Abu Rayana’s tribute with a killing carried out on British soil.

al-Britani was reportedly shot while leading an assault on the village of al-Hamidah.

According to the IS propaganda newsletter, al-Naba, al-Britani, an ex-prisoner, was in his 30s and was born into a ‘conservative family’ in the UK where he was known as Yunus.

He was involved in gangs in his younger years and ‘was thrown in prison many times’.

The group said he became radicalised in the UK after ‘the invasion of Iraq’, and travelled to Yemen for terror training and to learn Arabic.

After returning to the UK, he worked to radicalise ‘Christians’ and convert several to Islam, including one ‘disciple’ who ‘became hostile to the Christians’ and ‘killed one of the main guys harming Muslims’ in Britain, the jihadi group claimed.

Al-Britaini returned to Yemen around 2011 ‘for jihad’, ISIS claimed, ‘had good positions’ and brought other foreign fighters to take part in a civil war in the country.

The group said he stayed in the country and fought in a war there in 2015, changing allegiance to Islamic State from al-Qaida and being appointed an emir – or commander – leading men into battles.

It was in one such fight in the village of Al-Humaydah where he was killed.

Police officer stabs colleague to death in Bayelsa

A police officer, Sgt. Governor Akpoboloukeme, on Thursday, stabbed his colleague to death in Bayelsa.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Ben Okolo, who confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Friday by the spokesman of the state police command, Asinmi Butswat, said the off-duty officer stabbed his colleague, Sgt. Sapele Eyeridideke, to death over a minor misunderstanding at Edepie in Yenagoa.

The suspect immediately fled the scene and attempted to flee to a neighbouring state when he was arrested along the East/West Road.

The police commissioner said he had ordered the detention of the suspect and a detailed investigation into the incident.

An eyewitness told journalists the two policemen, who are cousins, attended a marriage ceremony at a popular hotel in Yenagoa where the deceased cracked a joke as they sat on a table.

“The suspect didn’t feel happy about the joke and reacted in a violent manner.

“The two men almost exchanged blows but friends stepped in and settled the duo.

“They left the venue with the belief that they were going to their separate homes.

“Rather than go home, Akpobolokeme trailed Eyeridideke to a secluded place and stabbed him with a dagger on the left part of his rib cage killing him instantly.

“The corpse has been deposited at a mortuary,” the eyewitness said.

Islamic cleric drugs, kidnaps four-year-old cousin, demands N5m

The Katsina State Police Command has arrested a 39-year-old Islamic teacher, Jamilu Idris, for allegedly kidnapping his four-year-old cousin and demanding N5 million ransom.

Disclosing the development in a statement on Wednesday, the spokesman of the State Command, SP Gambo Isah, said the suspect, who was arrested on October 9, revealed that he allegedly kidnapped the victim on October 5, after drugging him.

According to Isah, the victim’s father negotiated the ransom to N500,000 and reported the incident to the police after paying the ransom, leading to the suspect’s arrest.

Idris, who was paraded at the State Command Headquarters on Wednesday, confessed to committing the crime.

The suspect said, “I regret my action; the devil pushed me into doing it.”

Meanwhile, 13 other suspects accused of various crimes were also paraded at the police headquarters on Wednesday.

They included two members of a vigilante in Faskari LGA, alleged to have committed armed robbery; four men alleged to have killed two women and injured a man and his two children in a robbery operation, a vandal and six others alleged to be selling fuel to bandits and serving as their informants.

Controversy as Ikoyi building owner, Femi Osibona feared dead in collapse

There are multiple speculations that the owner of the high rise 21-storey building that collapsed in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State, Femi Osibona, may have died in the mishap.

According to close sources, Osibona, the MD/CEO of Fourscore Homes, the company that was in charge of developing the high rise on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, was said to be holding a meeting with some potential clients on the eighth floor of the building at the time it came down.

The speculation of Osibona’s death was further fueled when the body of his personal assistant who was in the meeting as well was reportedly discovered from the rubble.

A popular Nigerian journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, also added verve to the death rumour when on Wednesday, she posted on her Facebook page what she claimed to be an authentic account of what happened.

In the post, Olunloyo wrote:

“A source at the #IkoyiBuildingCollapse just notified me that the body of Fourscore Homes MD/CEO Femi Osibona has been recovered & positively identified.

He was reportedly on his way to the 8th floor to show Wale Bob-Oseni something and had finished his meeting.

“Femi called Wale to the site earlier and Bob-Oseni stopped by on his way to catch a US flight.

“Femi was pulled out of the rubble with a steel beam pierced through his neck. He probably bled to death. Wale is still missing. Truly tragic.”
#ikoyibuildingcollapse

However, a call to a family member of the Osibonas in Ojota axis of the state tells a different story as the family is tight-lipped over the speculation that their brother is dead.

The family member who did not want his name mentioned told Ripples Nigeria:

Who told you Femi is dead? Our brother is not dead. Though I will not tell you where he is at the moment, I can tell you he is not dead.

“Those who wish him dead are the ones who will die. They are just jealous of his success and have been doing everything to bring him down. They have succeeded but this will not be the end of his life. He will bounce back stronger,” he said.

Death toll from Ikoyi building collapse hits 36

The death toll from the collapsed 21-storey building on Gerrard road in Ikoyi, Lagos has risen to 36.

This was confirmed on Thursday morning by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Speaking with journalists, Acting Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office, NEMA, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, said, “So far, 36 people – 33 males and three female — have been confirmed dead, while there were nine survivors.”

Meanwhile, the survivors from the rescue operation include one female and eight males.

The operation to rescue those trapped in the rubble of the 21-storey building which collapsed on Monday afternoon is still ongoing.

Families and friends of people trapped in the rubble have kept vigil at the scene, clinging onto hope and seeking answers, three days after the disaster.

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu put the death toll at 21 when he visited the scene on Wednesday afternoon.

Although the cause of the collapse is yet to be unravelled, the governor said there were obvious violations and “mistakes from all angles” in the tragedy.

He has set up a panel of inquiry into the incident and promised that those found culpable after the investigations by the panel, will be punished.

TBT with Normani @normani

Normani Kordei Hamilton born May 31, 1996) is an African-American/Indian-American/French-American singer, dancer and model. She is a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, alongside Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke, Dinah Jane, and formerly, Camila Cabello. Normani is a Mezzo-Soprano with 4 octaves and 3 notes and the third-youngest out of the original members.

Hamilton has been singing and dancing since four years old. Her main musical influences are Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson. She considered herself as a singer of Soul and Gospel until she was incorporated in a girl group. Hamilton has won a number awards and honors. Before The X Factor she competed in the Miss Texas and made ​​it to the final but decided to audition for The X Factor. During the program she had a great friendship with Arin Ray. There have been many rumors about a romantic relationship between the two, but both of them have denied. This has caused a conflict with the show and Simon Cowell. Hamilton also played the role of Bryn in a short film called “Book,” which deals with bullying and social prejudice. “There’s definitely a lot of pressure on us, being part of the team of Simon Cowell, because he is one of the most respected search engine talent in the world,” says Hamilton. “The fact that they believe in our potential as a group is a great achievement.” Hamilton has modeled for brands such as Target and has also made ​​appearances on the catwalk.
Normani says she’s a very shy and private person, but when it comes to perform on stage she’s a different person, “She (Beyoncé) says that she’s a very shy person, when she’s Beyoncé but when she gets on stage she’s Sasha Fierce. So when I’m on stage I pretend like I’m Beyoncé”. She does not like social media, due to her being private in real life.

Like most of the other girls, Normani’s first bootcamp wasn’t shown. Therefore, it is unknown what she had sung, until a fan revealed on Twitter that she sang “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys — Lauren Jauregui’s audition song. Normani sang What Makes You Beautiful against Arin Ray. Throughout this time, the two showed mild affection. The judges enjoyed both of their performances. Particularly Demi, who thought Normani was great. She was eliminated but then placed in Fifth Harmony.

Outside of Fifth Harmony, Normani has demonstrated her talents as a solo artist by releasing several covers to SoundCloud and YouTube for her fans; Say It by Tory Lanez, Fake Love / Sneakin’ by Drake and Don’t Touch My Hair / Cranes in the Sky by Solange Knowles. Alongside this, before she auditioned for the X Factor, she released a video cover to YouTube of Beyoncé’s Best Thing I Never Had. She has also appeared in dance videos by the group’s choreographer, Sean Bankhead.
Normani released her debut single, “Love Lies” with Khalid from the Love, Simon soundtrack on 14 February 2018, making her the last of the group to release a solo single. The song reached over 50 million Spotify streams in less than a month, and debuted at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as entering the top forty in the UK. The song’s music video has also been successful, making it onto YouTube’s trending page and reaching over ten million views in several weeks. These statistics collectively name “Love Lies” the most successful Fifth Harmony solo single as of March 2018.
In April 2018, it was announced that Normani had signed to Keep Cool/RCA Records for her solo debut studio album. Normani confirmed she was working on an upcoming music collaboration with Missy Elliott. In May 2018, it was announced that she signed to a modeling contract with Wilhelmina. Over the next few months, Billboard confirmed Normani was collaborating with Calvin Harris and Kehlani. In August 2018, Normani was featured on Jessie Reyez’s remix of her song “Body Count” alongside Kehlani. She then featured with Davido on the song “Swing” from Quavo’s album Quavo Huncho (2018).

Ogun govt gifts OAU first class graduate N5m, house

Joy Oyinlola Adesina, a first class graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ife, has been rewarded by the Ogun State government following her stellar academic performance.

Adesina an indigene of Ogun State made headlines after she emerged as the best graduating student in the department of Medicine and Surgery, in the Faculty of Clinical Sciences.

The first class product was received by the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Wednesday, November 3 to honour her for her feat.

The governor confirmed on his official Instagram page that Adesina will be receiving the sum of N5 million, a bungalow and free scholarship for her residency programme at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOUTH.

Read the statement below.

Court sentences farmer to death for killing herdsman in self defence

A Yola High Court sitting in Adamawa State has sentenced a rice farmer, Kabiru Zelani to death by hanging for overpowering his assailant, said to be a herdsman.

According to SaharaReporters, the farmer had overpowered the herder identified as Ardo Ali and stabbed him to death.

Zelani, 22, reportedly used his attacker’s assault dagger to stab him to death during an invasion of his farmland on October 18, 2015 in Adamawa state.

The convict, who has been standing trial for more than 5 years, was on Tuesday handed a death sentence and would be hanged for stabbing an intruding herder, Ali, to death.

Zelani had narrated that “while working on my rice farm on 18th October, 2015, the deceased came and put his animals on my rice farm. When I saw that the animals were destroying the crops, I confronted the herder; so he became provoked.

“The herder used his cutlass and struck me on my right hand, the evidence of which could be seen here, a scar, showing serious injury, and that he also pulled out his knife and tried to stab me, but I (Zelani) fell the herder on the ground.”

Justice Fatimah Ahmed Tafida of the High Court IV, sitting in Yola, the state capital, convicted Zelani, after he was tried and found guilty of culpable homicide punishable by death contrary to section 221(b) of the state penal code law.

The judge declared that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and that “the court hereby sentences you, Kabiru Zelani, to death by hanging until certified dead by a medical doctor”.

Death toll in Lagos building collapse now 19, nine rescued

The death toll in the Lagos State building collapse in the Ikoyi area of the state has increased to 19 as of 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

An official of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA) confirmed this to journalists at the scene of the incident on Gerard Road, Ikoyi.

Also, the state government said nine persons had been rescued from the debris of the collapsed building.

The state’s Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadiri Hamzat, who disclosed this to journalists when he visited the victims at the Lagos Island General Hospital, said of the nine victims rescued, three had been discharged from the hospital while six others are admitted.

He promised that the state government would take full responsibility for the treatment of rescued victims.

Hamzat said: “So we have six people in here, all males, and thankfully they are doing well. The doctors have told us their state; they have minor injuries and nothing life-threatening thankfully. They are being treated and of course, as you know, the Lagos State Government is taking full responsibility for their treatment.

“We have their names and we will be getting in touch with their families. Nine people were rescued, six are here now, three people have gone home and as you know we have 10 dead bodies taken out of the place.”

Jeff Bezos praises Buhari at climate change conference

Founder of Amazon and One of the World’s richest men, Jeff Bezos has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership role in restoring degraded lands in Nigeria.

He gave the commendation during a climate change conference in Glasgow, Scotland, on Monday, November 1.

The COP26 side event themed, “Accelerating land restoration in Africa, the case of the Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative”, was attended by Jeff Bezos, President Buhari, French President Emmanuel Macron, Prince Charles and the Mauritanian President, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani.

The billionaire lauded Buhari’s commitment to Nigeria’s climate change actions.

“We are fortunate to have President Buhari of Nigeria with us today.

“Nigeria plays a critical role in the restoration movement and has pledged to restore 4 million hectares of degraded lands.

“This kind of ambition coming from Africa’s largest economy underscores just how vital this issue is,” Bezos said.

Owner of Ikoyi collapsed building got approval for 15 floors but built 21 – Lagos govt

The General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Gbolahan Oki, said on Monday night the owner of the collapsed 21-storey building in Ikoyi area of the state got the approval to construct only 15 floors.

In a chat with journalists shortly after the incident, Oki said the owner of the property had been arrested and would be prosecuted over the loss of lives in the incident.

At least four persons died and several others trapped in the rubble when the building which was located along Gerard Road in Ikoyi came down Monday afternoon.

The LASBCA chief said: ” He got an approval for a 15-storey building but he exceeded his limit. I am on ground here and the materials he used are so inferior and terrible.”

The materials he used and the reinforcement are so terrible. He got approval for 15 floors but built 21.”

Sanwo-Olu orders probe of Lagos building collapse

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has ordered a detailed probe into the collapse of a 21-storey building in the Ikoyi area of the state.

At least four people had been confirmed dead and several others trapped in the rubble when the building currently under construction along Gerard Road in Ikoyi came down Monday afternoon.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Culture, Gbenga Omotoso, disclosed this in a statement Monday night.

He said three persons had been rescued from the debris of the collapsed building.

The statement read: “The Lagos State Government has called for calm over the collapse today of a 21-storey building, which is under construction on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi.

Lagos Rescue Unit (LRU), Lagos State Fire Service, and Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS) are on the site, battling to save the lives of those under the rubble. Three persons have been rescued, even as the operations to save more lives continue.

“Governor Sanwo-Olu has ordered an investigation into the incident.

The Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has visited the site in the company of other officials, including the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Bamgbose- Martins, Special Adviser on Urban Development, Mr. Ganiyu Adele Ayuba; Special Adviser, GIS, and Physical Planning, Dr. Olajide Babatunde; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mrs. Abiola Kosegbe as well as General Manager, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu.

“The Deputy Governor directed security agents to cordon off the site to facilitate rescue efforts.

“The General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Arch. Gbolahan Oki, was also at the scene assessing the site for any likely damage to the surrounding structures.

“A report of the investigations will be made public in due course.”

Eight prophets drown while competing to retrieve “holy stick” from river

Eight prophets have reportedly drowned during a ceremony in Rushinga, Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe.

It was learnt that the clergymen from the Vadzidzi vaJeso Apostolic sect drowned on Saturday, October 30, at Mazowe River.

The incident took place at around 2pm at the Hungumwe River which lies at the confluence of Mazowe Tsvinje River.

The prophets were said to have fallen into a trance during their annual Passover ceremony and ended up inside the river, resulting in their drowning.

According to local media, the prophets were competing to retrieve a “holy stick” in the deep waters of the river during a ritual to select a Baptist.

The provincial development coordinator for Mashonaland Central Province, Timothy Maregere, who confirmed the incident, said that their bodies had since been retrieved.

“The group consisted of 10 ‘prophets’ and only two survived,” Maregere said.

Mashonaland Central deputy police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Naison Dhliwayo, on Sunday, named the now deceased as Nickson Singano (29), Peter Marera (31), Tendai Marera (28), Alexeio Makombe (26), Tichawana Katiyo (32), Isaac Dokora (21), Lanciot Dokora (34) and Chriswell Kunyengerera.

Police denies recalling Kyari from suspension

The Nigerian Police Force on Sunday denied recalling the suspended Head of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, Abba Kyari.

Reports had said Kyari who was suspended by the police authorities on August 1 over his indictment for alleged link with the suspended fraudster, Ramon Abass aka Hushpuppi, had been recalled.

The United States District Court for the Central District of California had in July issued a warrant of arrest on Kyari and five others over an alleged link with the suspected fraudster.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) alleged that the police officer collected money from Hushpuppi to detain one of his partners in Nigeria.

In a brief chat with journalists in Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, described reports on the police officer’s recall as unfounded.

Why Nigeria has not declared bandits as terrorists – Defence minister

The Minister of Defence, Major-Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtf) on Friday, explained why the Federal Government has not declared bandits wreaking havoc in the North-West part of the country as terrorists.

The National Assembly and other prominent Nigerians including the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, had a few weeks ago urged the federal government to declare the bandits as terrorists.

Magashi, who made the clarification in a chat with journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State, said the need to follow the right procedure was responsible for the federal government’s delay in declaring the bandits as terrorists.

He stressed that the bandits would be classified as terrorists once the procedure had been completed.

The minister said: “We are not declaring them terrorists because there is a procedure for doing that.

“When the procedure is followed, they will be classified as terrorists. We are waiting for the procedure to be completed.”

Enugu land commissioner resigns

The Enugu State Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Victor Nnam, has resigned from the position.

In a letter dated October 29, 2021, and addressed to the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the commissioner said he resigned from the position due to the removal of the ministry’s heads of departments who had done their work diligently.

He wrote: “Sir, when you appointed me the commissioner for lands and urban development, Enugu State, in 2015, I accepted the appointment with hope that I was going to be allowed to bring on board world best practice in land administration.

“I immediately proposed for establishment of a Geographical Information System (GIS) land administration system to enable the ministry to stamp out land grabbers and create investors’ confidence in our land system. The proposal was rejected without explanation to date.

However, the reason for my resignation is the recent removal of the professional heads of the departments under me on punitive ground for simply doing their jobs diligently.

“My conscience will no longer allow me to continue to serve your administration while those innocent professional senior civil servants are punished for doing the right thing.

“I hereby resign my appointment as the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Enugu State, with effect from today, Friday, 29th of October, 2021, and submit the Black Prado SUV with plate number: 1ENSG 5712 to your office.”

FIRS advocates single revenue agency for Nigeria

The Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) on Thursday urged the Federal Government to adopt a single revenue authority for the country to boost its revenue.

The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Muhammad Nami, made the call at an event hosted by the agency in conjunction with Pedabo Professional Services in Lagos.

He said: “The government should look into a way for consolidating or aggregating its accounting mechanism so that all taxes paid by all that have been levied by way of charges are accounted for by a single revenue authority in the country.”

According to him, the adoption of a single revenue authority will help ensure that taxes collected in the country are remitted in good time for the government to have money to fund its budgetary estimates, provide social amenities for the citizens.

Nami added: “It is not as if taxes are not being paid but because of the leakages in the system that we are trying to block, in the part of recognising those taxes.

“When you come into a country like ours, when you pay something to our airport authorities, are you going to say that no taxes have been paid?

“One thing there is for somebody to assess that maybe taxes are being paid, which is in line with the mandate of the FIRS, which is assessment, collection, and accounting for taxes.

“So if payments of taxes are done and collections are done by different agencies of the government, accounting for those incomes becomes a big challenge.”

Facebook rebrands, changes name to Meta

Social media giant, Facebook, on Thursday changed its name to Meta.

The Facebook Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mark Zuckerberg, who announced the change of name in a keynote address at the company’s Facebook Connect conference, said the change of name would reflect the company’s efforts at rebranding its future operations.

According to Zuckerberg, the company seeks to be identified as a “metaverse-first, not Facebook first.”

He said: “Our brand is so tightly linked to one product that it can’t possibly represent everything that we are doing today, let alone in the future. From now on, we are going to be metaverse-first, not Facebook first.”

The restructuring comes in a similar fashion as that of Google when it restructured the brand into Alphabet as the new holding company that now operates the search engine giants.

PFN wants Sheik Gumi arrested

The South-West Zone of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to arrest the controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi over his persistent calls that bandits should be given amnesty and not declared as terrorists.

PFN made the call on Wednesday in Lagos, at a conference attended by its chapters in the six South-West states.

According to the Christian body, Gumi should be the number one suspect, especially with his romance with the bandits.

PFN leader in the zone, Archbishop John Osa-Oni, said Gumi’s utterances were questionable and as such should be held responsible by the Federal Government.

He argued that Gumi would have been arrested if he was to be a Christian leader.

Meanwhile, Gumi had on different occasions, called for bandits to be given amnesty to make them to lay down their arms.

Specifically, the cleric who tagged the crisis between herders and farmers a “tribal war”, also urged farmers across the country to allow herdsmen to protect their forests.

Also, following the call by some Nigerian leaders that the bandits, who have been causing mayhem across should be declared terrorists, Gumi again kicked against the move, saying it would come with grave consequences.

While noting that the terrorism tag on the bandits would attract some unemployed youths, the cleric said: “The acts the Bandits are committing now in NW have gradually over time become tantamount to terrorism because wherever innocent people are fatal victims it’s pure terrorism.

“Yet, innocence these days is relative. We agreed if their children and women are also killed, they are guilty by association or collateral damage, so also the bandits may think the same way.

“It’s right for vigilantes to lynch Fulanis herdsmen or anyone that looks like them by profiling but wrong for the herdsmen to ransack villages in retribution. They are pushed to believe it is an existential war and in war, ethics are thrown to the winds.”