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Media personality, DaddyFreeze, has once again taken a swipe at Nigerian Christians.
In a post shared on his Instagram page, Daddy Freeze said that Chinese men and women do not pray and that up to ”90% of them are irreligious, yet they produce billionaires in USD every 5 days, unlike Nigeria where people set up imaginary fire altars, pray for destiny helpers and yet we have only three USD billionaires.”
Monday October 3 has been declared a public holiday by the federal government to mark the nation’s 62nd independence anniversary celebration.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government. While wishing Nigerians a memorable independence celebration, he reminded them of how founding fathers, in spite of the differences in faith, tribe and tongue, still came together for Nigeria’s independence.
A statement signed by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, read;
“The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulates all Nigerians on this year’s celebration and assures of government’s commitment to tackling all the challenges facing the nation and bring smiles to the faces of all the people.
“The world is going through dire economic and security challenges which have also affected our nation.
However, I am assuring us all that the government will not abandon the people, but will continue to confront all these challenges with all the might at our disposal until respite comes our way.
“Our warmth, welcoming spirit and love as well as our unbounded human capital and the richness of our land, make Nigeria unarguably the leading black nation in the world and Africa’s pride and beacon of hope. If we can rally ourselves together to harness our potentials, we shall be the greatest nation on the earth.
“A country of over 200 million people whose natural talents, grit and passion glitter like the precious diamond that we are; Nigerians are sparkling like diamonds in the pack, whether in the academia, science and technology, business, innovation, music, entertainment, fashion or culture.
“Though our nation is going through challenges, especially on security, these challenges are temporary and do not define us.
We are defined by the greatness of the Nigerian people in our diversity, strength, ingenuity and resilience.
“We shall overcome all the challenges. A time is coming when we shall look at this period in retrospect and give thanks to the most high for the stormy waters we have waded through and the triumphs we have recorded over the challenges that look so huge and gargantuan today.”
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said that the lost glory of Ile-Ife and Nigeria at large would be restored soonest.
The traditional ruler gave the assurance at the grand finale of Olojo festival in Ile-Ife, on Monday, as he visited the family royal compound, Agbedegbede and some other notable areas.
Ogunwusi appreciated the Almighty God for sparing Nigeria, in spite of the challenges facing the nation and its people till date.
Noting that the Olojo festival would bring light and comfort to the people of Osun State, Nigeria and the entire continent after the celebration.
“Whenever we celebrate Olojo festival, all the prayers offered are speedily answered, for the Aare Crown that comes out once in a year is a symbol of peace and harmony.
“And it’s a point of contact to God Almighty towards resolving all issues in Nigeria, as the country gears up for the next general elections in 2023,” he said.
According to Ooni, this year’s festival would bring an end to the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities which has paralysed academic activities in the nation’s universities.
He assured that with his prayers, the next general elections would be free, fair and credible, saying that the celebration of Olojo festival would restore normalcy.
“By God’s Grace, we are coming back here next year to thank God and to testify to the power of God that everything is settled,” he added.
Mary Remmy Njoku has questioned why Nigerians refer to those who speak with Nigerian accents a “local”.
The actress/producer said there are foreigners in Nigeria who speak English with an accent but they are not shamed for that, yet Nigerians shame themselves for speaking with an accent.
She encouraged Nigerians to embrace their accents and leave the foreign accents for when they travel abroad.
Some Nigerian women in London wore uniform outfits popularly known as ‘Aso Ebi’ to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday.
Though wearing different colours of the same fabric, the group of women had the late queen’s image on the front of their outfits.
The pictures were shared on Owambeuk’s Instagram page on Tuesday with the caption;
Our London Aunties are not joking ooo❤️❤️❤️ Repping Naija all the way 💙💙💙. It started as a joke and one of us took it seriously.
The outfits were turned around in four days and delivered from Lagos to London the day before the event.
It went viral and the Palace has now requested for it to be displayed at the London Museum.”
A Nigerian man, Solomon Osinloye, has accused some police officers in Lagos of planting drugs in his uber and asking him to pay N50000 to be freed.
In a Twitter thread, Solomon said his insistence that he is an asthma patient and had recently done a drug test made the officers set him free.
He alleged that the officers told him if they wanted to set him up they would.
When asked by Lagos state police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, if he would be able to recognise the police officers if he sees them, Solomon replied in the affirmative.
Read his account below…
A Nigerian man has shared photos of what he found under the tiles of a house in Lagos.
@Elkrosmediahub who shared photos of what looks like a charm, said it was discovered after he decided to renovate a new space he got.
He tweeted; Took a space in Lagos recently, didn’t like the flooring, so I decided to break the tiles and add flooring amongst the renovation I was doing there. My tiler sent me these images yesterday. Said he found them buried under the tiles
Asked the facility manager and they said it was a woman that left before the last guy that used the space.
Advice? If you can, always renovate. Change the floor and the POP. Humans are weird in this part of the country. It’s fine if you don’t believe in juju and stuff tho.
A Nigerian soldier has come out to appeal to Nigerians to vote wisely in the 2023 general elections.
In the video, the soldier stated that if Nigerians fail to vote for the right leaders, a war that is supposed to last for just 24 hours, will go on for years.
He added that voting right determines the peace of a nation.
According to him, soldiers take orders from their commanders while citizens have the power to vote in their leaders.
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Tuesday vowed that his government would not allow any candidate use their “personal resources or influence to intimidate other Nigerians” ahead of the next year general elections.
He added that in six months, Nigerians will appreciate his government that it respects them.According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President spoke when he received members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum led by its Chairman, Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, at the State House, Abuja.
The statement was titled ‘Why I believe in non-interference in the political process, Buhari.’Citing the outcome of the Ekiti, Anambra and Osun States governorship elections, the President assured Nigerians of his desire to bequeath strong political institutions through non-interference in elections.
This, he noted, would give credence to the political process, ensure participation and inclusiveness, and show that the governing party respects the electorate.
The President said,
“I want Nigerians to know that we respect them, and for us to show that, we will allow them to vote who they want.
We all witnessed what happened in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states. What happened in those states gives me a lot of hope that we are succeeding.
“We will not allow anyone to use personal resources or their influence to intimidate other Nigerians. We will not allow intimidations materially, morally or physically. This is the kind of leadership that can emerge and consolidate our nation.
“In six months, Nigerians will appreciate the government of the All Progressives Congress that we are sincere and we respect them.’’
To the APC political leaders, he called for intensified efforts in “thinking, meeting and strategising for the 2023 elections.’’
In his remarks, the Chairman of the PGF thanked the President for his leadership, affirming that the Nigerian economy had been growing, in spite of challenges.
“We want to congratulate you on the positive trajectory of the economy, with the 3.5% growth in the second quarter, up from 3.1% of the first quarter of this year. Infrastructure projects are ongoing in different parts of the country, and the social intervention programme is expanding,’’
Bagudu stated.
However, the spokesperson of the Peoples Democratic Party, Debo Olugunagba, said the President’s statement was an acknowledgement of the need to ensure free, fair and credible elections “without unnecessary interference by money bags.”Ologunagba stated,
“We believe that this election should be based on issues, not about who can purchase who.
We know that the leaders and the veterans of the APC, as reported in various media, are always interested in buying votes and trying as much as possible to derail the will of the Nigerian people, either by corruptly buying votes, or unleashing violence, which of course, we have the records.
“So, if the President says that today, that is a welcome development, with the hope that the President will keep his word for once on that, because if his performance in other sectors, particularly security, is anything to go by, then we need to take that statement with a pinch of salt.’’
A Nigerian lady has narrated the discrimination Nigerian students who fled Ukraine following the ongoing war with Russia, are being subjected to by universities in the European country.
@Chylady revealed that Nigerian students who fled Ukraine are being pressurized to pay their fees for September and return to the country without their safety being guaranteed.
She also said the Ukrainian universities are threatening to expel the students if they don’t pay their fees and are also frustrating their requests for transcripts to transfer to other universities.
It was also alleged that while these universities are facilitating the transfer of Ukrainian students into European universities, they threaten African students who request for their transcripts and also insist they must pay they must their school fees or risk getting expelled.
The chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said that despite the number of Nigerians aiming to leave the country, there is also a significant number returning to the country.
Dabiri-Erewa, who spoke at a press briefing at the state house in Abuja on Thursday, August 25, said a number of persons are returning to Nigeria to invest in the agricultural and healthcare sector.
“We speak of “japa” as a one-way phenomenon, but we also have Nigerians constantly returning home. There are examples of Nigerians returning home, occasionally or permanently, to do interesting things, in agriculture, healthcare, etc.
The hospital where the VP was recently treated was set up by diaspora doctors. I’m not saying Nigeria’s not a challenging environment, but we must also acknowledge those who are coming back home to do impactful things” she said.
Dabiri-Erewa said the commission is making an effort to see that Nigerians in the diaspora are allowed to vote.
“The national assembly is still not interested in diaspora voting, but we will not relent and continue to engage with them.
Because I believe everyone should know that the diaspora should be able to vote. So we hope that we continue to engage with the parliament. There’s a big deal about diaspora voting” she said
The Phnom Penh Appeal Court has upheld the life sentence given by the municipal court to two Nigerian men, a Filipina and Cambodian woman, in connection with smuggling of more than 2.5 kilogrammes of cocaine from Brazil to Cambodia in 2014.
Presiding Judge Ky Rithy said, “After having a clear consideration in this case, the Judges’ Council of the Phnom Penh Appeal Court has found that the sentences given by the Phnom Penh Appeal Court is appropriate and fit for their offence.”
The four convicts have the rights to appeal against the judgement to the Supreme Court within a month.
Judge Ky Rithy named the four as 49-year-old former nurse from Philippines Macoy Mavill Villamor; Nigerian cloth vendors Emmanuel Thankgod, male, 41; and Michael Sunshine, male, 39; and Cambodian Meng Sinuon, 38, a former waitress working with a French-owned-restaurant living in Chamkar Mon district’s Phsar Doeum Thkov commune.
Macoy was sentenced on September 16, 2014 by the Municipal Court with a life sentence while Sunshine got 30 years, Thankgod 27 years, and Meng Sinuon got 22 years in prison.
Besides, all the convicts were slapped with fine of $10,000 each. They were charged with ‘drug transport and trafficking’ under Article 40 of the Law on Drug Control.
Macoy was arrested on February 12, 2014 at the Phnom Penh International Airport in a joint operation by the police in the anti-drug department at the Ministry of Interior, the excise and customs police officers and immigration police.
Police seized a total of 2,513 grammes of cocaine powders from Macoy and her confession led to the arrest of Nigerians who arrived to receive the drug from her.
A Twitter user, Ibrahim took to the platform on Monday, August 22, to disclose that his mother was shot by bandits along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.
According to him, the bandits also abducted one of his relatives during the attack.
His family member, Saleem Quardir, who confirmed the incident, said the victim was shot and dumped alive along the road.
Commenting on the tweet on Tuesday, a user said it may be a false news posted to tarnish the ‘good job of President Buhari and Governor El Rufai.’
Meanwhile, Ibrahim in an update, said his mother is receiving treatment in a hospital.
The Federal government has banned the use of foreign models and voice-over artists for advertisements targeted at Nigerians.
Olalekan Fadolapo, Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), disclosed this in a statement released on Monday, August 22.
According to Fadolapo, the new policy will take effect from October 1, 2022. He said the move was aimed at promoting local content and talents and increasing economic growth.
“In line with the federal government’s policy of developing local talent, inclusive economic growth and the need to take necessary steps and actions aimed at growing the Nigerian advertising industry, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), being the apex advertising, advertisement and marketing communications’ regulatory agency of the federal government, has in accordance with its statutory mandates, responsibilities and powers as conveyed by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria Act No. 23 of 2022, bans the use of foreign models and voice-over artists on any advertisement targeted or exposed on the Nigerian advertising space with effect from 1st October 2022.
All advertisements, advertising and marketing communications materials are to make use of only Nigerian models and voice-over artists.
Ongoing campaigns are permitted to run out their terms, however, subsequent applications for re-validation for continued exposure of such materials will not be granted by the advertising standards panel (ASP).
Advertisers, advertisement agencies, media houses, advertising community and the general public are hereby enjoined to take note.”
Former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, has said that President Buhari has done well in leading the country.
Yuguda shared this opinion when he appeared on Channels TV this morning. “Mr President has done his best. Everybody’s best is different.
So I can say the President has done his best. And he has appointed actors to assist him to manage the country – they are also doing their best. It all depends on somebody’s assessments.
As far as I’m concerned, the President has done his best.” he said Yuguda argued that despite the fact that the Nigerian economy and security were “a little bit depressing”, the President has done well.
“Any rational Nigerian will know that it could not have been any better no matter who was there on the driving seat.
Most of these things that are happening to us are historical. If you are coming from an environment where the foundation has been distorted then what you reap is what you sow.
Security, for instance, is a historical thing. it didn’t start with Buhari’s government. It started in 2008, 2009.” Yuguda argued that security challenges cannot be associated with the President.
“Yes, he is the overall head, but if you see something going wrong in terms of security, you hold the Governor responsible.
You (Governor) are sworn in to protect life and property because you own the land.
The President does not have land, so you don’t expect the President to secure your land.”he said
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old houseboy for the gruesome murder of his boss’ 13-year-old girl daughter after he impregnated her.
The suspect, Munkaila Ado, allegedly impregnated the minor and connived with her mother to take her to Gombe State for an abortion.
Spokesperson of the command, SP Ahmed Wakil on Saturday, August 13, 2022, said that two other suspects including a woman who administed the abortion substance, were also arrested for conspiracy.
According to Wakil, after successfully aborting the four-month-old pregnancy, the suspect and his friend strangled the victim, burnt her body beyond recognition and buried her in a shallow grave at a nearby bush.
The spokesperson said that the teenager’s father, who discovered that his daughter was missing and suspected his houseboy and his accomplice, reported the matter at the Alkaleri Divisional Police Headquarters.
“On 10/08/2022 at about 09:00a.m., One Alhaji Danladi Mohammed ‘m’ of Mai’ari Arewa village Pali lodged a formal complaint at the Divisional Police Headquarters Alkaleri that, on 04/08/2022 his biological daughter one Safiya Alhaji Danladi ‘f’ aged 13yrs of the same address left home suspected missing and that he strongly suspected his house boy one Munkaila Ado ‘m’ aged 27yrs and one Muazu Umaru aged 35yrs all of the same address to be the principal suspects on the whereabouts of his missing daughter,” the statement read.
“On the strength of that preliminary investigation commence, the scene was visited led by DPO Alkaleri and evacuated the victim to General Hospital Alkaleri, where she was certified dead by a medical Doctor.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed that the missing girl was his girlfriend who was four-month pregnant to the knowledge of her mother but unknown to the father Alhaji Danladi Mohammed.
“He further revealed that he conspired with the mother of the missing girl and his accomplice Muazu Umar, took the victim to Gombe to procure an abortion, thereafter on reaching Gombe the victim was led to one Hajiya Amina Abubakar ‘f’ 50yr-old house in Jekada Fari behind specialist hospital Gombe where the victim was administered with some substances to cause miscarriage.
“Eventually on their way to mai’ari village along Akko LGA Gombe State, the two aforementioned suspects strangulate the victim, consequently, the victim fell unconscious and gave up the ghost, in the same vein burnt the body of the victim beyond recognition and buried her in a shallow grave at a nearby bush in Akko LGA Gombe state.
“Meanwhile, the two aforesaid suspects were arrested despite violating the human rights and dignity of the girl child.
“The Command assured the general public will continue to be updated as the investigation unfolds.
“The Commissioner of Police Bauchi State Command CP Umar Mamman Sanda fdc directed that the case be transferred to SCID for discreet investigation.”
Three civil society organisations have asked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to give an account of the missing and the dead in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack.The Community of Practice against Mass Atrocities and the Joint Action Civil Society Committee under the aegis of Nigeria Mourns said the abduction of the passengers of the ill-fated train was an indication of Buhari’s “continued failure to protect the lives and property of Nigerians”.
The groups condemned in strong terms the spate of insecurity across the country and called on the Federal Government to take “actionable steps to mitigate further attacks by terrorist groups”.
In a statement posted on the global petition website, change.org, which had gathered over 7,000 signatures as of the time of filing this report, the groups noted that the Buhari regime had failed in its primary responsibility to its citizens.
“Since the Kaduna train attack, the government has failed to account for the number of persons rescued, the missing and the dead, failing in its primary purpose as provided for in Section 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution which states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”, and Section 17(2) (c): “governmental actions shall be humane”.
“We point out that the level of humaneness envisioned by our constitution is lacking in the actions of the government in each of these incidents, and that these actions rather suggest that the value for human life in Nigeria is now at its lowest and that the government is failing in its constitutional duties,” part of the statement read.
In the same vein, Global Rights, which also petitioned Buhari on change.org asked the FG to secure the release of the remaining abductees.
“None of us are free till all victims of abductions across the country are free. Our security is a constitutionally prescribed duty of the government,” part of the statement read.
Four terror suspects arrested in Bauchi State by the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have said they murdered a former Divisional Police Officer (DPO) CSP Garkuwa because he gave them a tough time while they carried out their nefarious activities.
The suspects, Hashimu Galadima alias Kan Wuka, Abduwahab Abdulhassan alias Emeka, Hamidu Saleh, and Abdulwahab Ahmed alias Dan Mama were arrested by the DCP Tunji Disu-led elite squad following an investigation into high-profile murders, kidnappings and armed robbery incidents in the State.
The Nation reports that three members of the gang were arrested at Dass Local Government area of Bauchi State and their confessions to the police led to the arrest of the fourth suspect.
In his confessional statement, Hashimu, 48, who’s the gang leader said all members of his gang hated the DPO because he usually arrested them and prevented their operations within his jurisdiction.
He said the lawmaker’s murder was masterminded by Abdulwahab Alhassan because he offended them. The ex-convict said the lawmaker usually gave people money but never gave him even when he requested.
“My gang killed Honourable Mante and kidnapped three of his family members. He offended me but I am not the only one that he offended.He used to give people money but he never gave me. That is why I don’t like him. I have begged him for money many times.
He did not give me but he was giving other people money.I did not want to kill him but Abdulhassan also told me that he hated the honourable and we should kill him. It was even Abdulhassan that facilitated how we located him and gained entrance into his house” he said.
Hashimu who said he served two-year jail term for criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping, said he continued the acts when he was released from prison. Alhassan claimed that he did not follow them to the lawmaker’s residence but provided the gang with information.
“I am into sale of hard drugs. I know most of these criminals and sell hard drugs to them. My problem with Honourable Mante is that he refused to help me when I had problem with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Bauchi.
I sent people to him with the hope that he will assist me by using his position to facilitate my release from the NDLEA but he ignored me. I spent one year in prison and I was released to go and unite with my family” the suspect said
The spokesperson of the state police command, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the arrest of the suspects, assuring that the service under Inspector General (IG) Alkali Usman was committed to the protection of lives and properties in all parts of the country.
Some Nigerian photographers have shared their experiences with grooms on wedding day.
They disclosed this during a question and answer session with popular wedding photographer, Henry Orji, on Instagram. According to one of the photographers, a groom engaged in threesome on the morning of his wedding.
“I remember one time groom was having a threesome in the morning before dressup so had to wait for him to finish before we started shooting. Also the babes from the threesome came to the wedding later.”
The National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) has said the viral video mocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu is being taken out of context for political gains.
The organization condemned in very strong terms those making political gains out of the video, insisting that it is apolitical and does not have any preferred candidate for the upcoming 2023 presidential elections.
Recall that on Monday, August 8, a video of members of the Confraternity holding a procession in which they could be seen gyrating to an anti-Tinubu song and poked fun at Tinubu for a speech he made in June in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he asked that power should be handed over to him.
Tinubu had in his speech in Abeokuta said; ”Emi lo kan’, which means ”It’s my turn’.
During his speech he also mentioned how he consoled President Muhammadu Buhari after he had lost the presidential election thrice and pledged to make him President come 2015.
The lyrics of the song the pyrates sang read;
”Hand dey shake, leg dey shake, Baba wey no well, e de shout emi lo kan (Hands are shaking, legs are shaking.
A sick old man is shouting ‘it’s my turn’). Emi lo kan (2ce), Baba wey no well, him dey shout emi lokan (It’s my turn (2ce), a sick old man is shouting ‘it’s my turn’”
They sang Some Nigerians including Professor Wole Soyinka who is one of the founders of the group found the lyrics distasteful.
Soyinka in a statement condemned the song and said it was ”frankly appalling”.
In our view, it proceeded without event, until this extremely limited video made this appearance. Quite contrary to the manner in which certain aspects of the video are being portrayed, no aspect of this procession or the event itself was political.
Rather it was the typical climax of our annual general meeting. At no time in the history of this organization has this event, or indeed any of our events had any slanted political leanings” he said
Owoaje clarified that the organization does not mock or discriminate against the physical condition of any person as it also has members who are physically challenged.
We have members who belong to different political parties and are absolutely free to support any candidate of their choice. It is most unfortunate that political capital is being made of this with interpretations that are totally at variance with the philosophy of the Pyrates Confraternity.
Unequivocally, we condemn this in very strong terms. We understand that political merchants desperately seeking media mileage are all over the place misinforming and twisting events to suit their political agenda.
However, we wish to re -emphasise that the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) are not supporting or backing any candidate for the office of the President or any other office in the 2023 general elections and beyond.
As an organisation in tune with disadvantaged and voiceless people, we are committed to the enthronement of a just society in which no one is discriminated against based on tribe, religion, gender or disability.