My relationship with Gov. Rochas Okorocha – Actress Shirley Igwe clears air on rumored affair

In October 2013, the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, appointed Nollywood actress, Shirley Igwe, as his principal protocol officer, a post she held for about two years before quitting to face her acting career.

During her time as the governor’s aide, tongues went wagging that there was an amorous affair between the duo. PUNCHrecently caught up with the former Delta soap model and surprisingly, she was not aware of the rumours about her.

However, she was quick to clear the air and talk about her relationship with her former boss.

She said it was only normal for people to have such an opinion. The actress said, “I am not aware that people said I had an amorous relationship with the governor.That is not true. I worked as his protocol officer and that made us quite close.

Apart from handling his guests, I handled every other aspect of his itinerary. I was at every meeting and convention with him, so it is very common and I would not be surprised if they linked us together. If they see a pretty lady everywhere with someone, people would easily jump into conclusion that they are dating.”

The pretty damsel further opened up on her love life as she disclosed that she is not in a relationship at the moment. While hinting on the kind of man she would love to walk down the aisle with, the actress who recently turned 30, added that she was not in a hurry to settle down.

Igwe said, “I don’t feel any pressure to get married at 30. If my mother was around, she could have been pressuring me but I don’t feel any pressure. I am from a family that believe in doing things at the right time and do not rush into it quickly only to rush out. Take your time to choose your man and make sure that you are doing great for yourself.

“When it comes to my ideal man, I want a God-fearing man who is financially stable. I also want a loving man. I only dated once in the university and when I graduated, I was busy with work. Then when I had the time, I dated again but it did not work out. The truth is that it is not easy for beautiful people to be in stable relationships. I think it has to do with the mind and jealousy.”

5 arrested in Adamawa over murder of pregnant woman accused of witchcraft

5 suspects believed to have carried out the unlawful killing of a pregnant woman accused of witchcraft in Adamawa State, have been arrested by officers of the Adamawa State Police Command.

The State’s police Commissioner Mr Moses Jitoboh, told newsmen that the suspects attacked their victim identified as Ayina Afraimu in Falu village of Guyuk local government area of the state.

It was also gathered that the 32-year-old pregnant woman was attacked with sticks and a rope, after she was accused of supposedly causing the death of persons in the village using metaphysical powers.

“Suspects who committed this nefarious offence are: Abraham Adamu, 18, Malachi Yilafane, 35, Thomas Aji, 54, Zakariya Chorum, 56 and Miss Newana Ilihal, 20”, Jitoboh said.

Plan To Recall Me From Senate Dead On Arrival – Melaye

Senator Dino Melaye on Friday described a protest staged in Lokoja, Kogi State, in favour of move to recall him from the upper legislative chamber as a non-issue.

He said the move allegedly being instigated by the state governor, Yahaya Bello, was dead on arrival.

The Kogi West senator,  in a text message to The Nation in Abuja, accused Governor Bello of going around media houses in the country to say “Dino Melaye recall process begins.

My Experience As Waiter Made Me A Good Thief- Suspect

For the last three years, 38-year-old Augustine Joseph and his accomplice, 49-year-old George Ijie, had targeted event centres in Lagos, in a stealing spree, which the police put a stop to recently.

Saturday Punch learnt that the duo had at different times hit event centres in the state pretending to be ushers, journalists or guests.

Joseph in his statement to the police explained that his life of crime started in 2013 after he lost his job with a construction company and tried to find another job without success.

The father of two explained that he worked in a hotel in Ajao Estate after he arrived Lagos in 2009. According to him, his work as a waiter in the hotel would later prove useful.

He said, “Based on the experience I had as a waiter while working in the hotel, I started attending conferences and would pretend to be one of the waiters at the event. I used the opportunity stealing mobile phones from guests at events.

“I was also stealing expensive wines used to decorate high tables of such events and selling them off. When I noticed that many organisers of events easily became suspicious of me, I switched to pretending to be a journalist.

“I operated alone but I noticed that there were many thieves who operated like me. When I got to some events, and the organisers announced to guests to secure their belongings because of thieves, I would leave to avoid getting caught.”

According to him, he usually approached some unwitting guests who use their phones to take photographs and offered to help them take the snapshots. But once their faces were turned, he disappeared with their phones.

According to him, he also adopted the approach of moving about event centres with mobile phone chargers.

He said, “I would ask guests if they wanted to charge their phones. And since they would think I work at the centre, they hand over their phones and I run away with them.”

However, Joseph and his friend, Ijie, were nabbed by the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team after stealing the mobile phone of a journalist on Victoria Island, Lagos.

A source stated that when the journalist reported the theft of her phone to the police, investigation showed that Joseph was captured by one of the CCTV cameras of the venue.

The mobile phone was tracked and traced to the Computer Village in Ikeja where Joseph sold it.  The buyer was arrested and subsequently led IRT operatives to Joseph’s hideout.

Shortly after, he confessed to working with Ijie, whom he described as one of his buyers and a specialist in stealing video cameras and laptops from event centres also.

Joseph said, “I can’t count the number of phones I have stolen.  I get information about these conferences on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

“When I stole the phone of the journalist, I spent N25,000 to repair the Samsung S6, and sold it for N35,000.”

Ijie, 49, who is also a Delta State indigene, told the police, “People are careless.  They leave their laptops and mobile phones carelessly on the table at events. People like that are the ones we target.

“I have a registered company known as Systems X Limited where I repair laptops.  I was arrested because I was dealing with Austin, whom I met through one Aliyu three years ago.    I have bought a stolen laptop from Austin.  I have also stolen laptops and cameras at press conferences and seminars across Lagos.  I have stolen over 40 laptops since I started doing this.”

It was learnt that Ijie had previously been nabbed for stealing a laptop belonging to one Moruf Aregbesola, at an event centre in Lagos.

Like Joseph, he was also caught through a CCTV footage, which showed him leaving the scene with the laptop.

“Three laptops were eventually recovered from me at the time and I was charged to court but I was granted bail and when I came out, I stopped doing the business. Two weeks ago, I received a call from Austin who is a member of our syndicate and he told me that he had a laptop to sell, I was arrested when I came to take the laptop from him.”

The police said the suspects would be charged to court after necessary investigations.

THERE ARE TOO MANY DRINKING JOINTS IN ANAMBRA – MONARCH

Chief Alex Onyido, the traditional ruler of Ogilisi, Idemili South Local Government in Anambra, has called for stringent measures to curtail the growing number of drinking joints in the state.
Onyido made the call on Friday in Awka, while speaking at the the 2017 edition of Lady Victoria Onyido quiz competition, organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, for secondary schools.

“The trend is worrisome and not in the best interest of public health.
“Such facilities breed crime and criminality; the rate at which such businesses are springing up in all corners calls for concern,” he said.
Onyido, who is the sponsor of the quiz competition, said that it was meant to draw government’s attention to the use of illicit drugs among secondary school students.

The monarch lauded NDLEA’s commitment to the fight against drug abuse and peddling, pointing out that drug addiction and abuse could lead to other vices like kidnapping, armed robbery and prostitution.
In his speech, Gov. Willie Obiano commended the sponsor and NDLEA for the effective collaboration in the fight against drug abuse in the society.

Obiano, who was represented by Prof. Kate Omenugha, Commissioner for Education, said that his administration was committed to quality education that would enhance students’ capacity to compete with their peers the world over.

NDLEA Commander in Anambra, Mr Sule Momodu, in a brief remark, said that the competition, which started four years ago, had yielded positive results.
Momodu commended the Anambra government for establishing Drug Free Clubs in secondary schools.

EBONYI/CROSS RIVER COMMUNAL CLASHES: 4 KILLED IN EBONYI, 1000 DISPLACED

The lingering communal crisis between the people of Ofunakpa Inyimagu community in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State and their neighbors of Nsobo community in Obubara council area of Cross River State has taken another dimension following the killing of four indigenes of Ebonyi community and the displacement of more than 1000 women and children in the communal clashes.

It was gathered that the bone of contention has been the land
dispute between the two communities which witnessed the first attack and truce in 1984. Our correspondent, who visited the community yesterday, observed that the community is now a ghost of itself as only police men were sighted at two strategic points in the once bubbling village.

At the boundary, it was also observed that more than 50 houses were burnt down while others were looted and as well vandalised by the attackers. Some of the burnt items including cars, motorcycles, yam barn and other sundry materials littered the areas.

At the refugee camp located at Ofunakpa Community Secondary School, EYES OF LAGOS met malnourished women, children including men and youths who are currently taking refuge in the school as their houses were all burnt down.

In an interview with the village head of the community, Mr. Nwofurakpa Emmanuel explained that the crisis erupted on April 4th, 2017 when at about 8.00am, their neighbouring community attacked their people with various dangerous materials which led to the death of the first victim.

The village head said that when his people came to inquire what was wrong, the Nsobo people reinforced, came in the company of heavily armed security personnel, who susceptibly gave them cover, while they attacked the community and sacked them from their houses without any resistance.
’’While the unwarranted attack lasted, four people from our community were in the process killed and their corpses taken away by the attackers.’’

Source :Eyes of Lagos Tv

Dammy Krane arrested yesterday in Miami, US for grand theft and credit card fraud

Nigerian singer and performer, Johnson- Hunga Oyindamola Emmanuel, popularly known as Dammy Krane, was reportedly arrested yesterday in Miami, United States, for grand theft, credit card fraud and Identity fraud.

We can confirm authoritatively that Nigerian singer, Dammy Krane was indeed arrested in Miami yesterday. Days leading up to his arrest for theft, fraud and grand theft, the singer has been on social media flaunting his recent private jets trips. Now, the verified twitter account of Tap Jets have come out to claim responsibility for handing the singer over to the police tweeting that he attempted to book Tap Jets flight using stolen credit card numbers. They vowed to prosecute him to the full extent of the law.

My wife’s mother would say I should not kill her daughter with sex

“My children will never inherit my property either dead or alive if my wife divorces me,’’ a 39-year-old fruit seller, Amidu Olalere, told an Igando Customary Court on Friday in Lagos.

According to Vanguard, Olalere said this while responding to a divorce suit filed by his wife, Adeola, for the dissolution of their 11-year-old marriage on the grounds of constant battering.

Olalere, who accused his wife of starving him of sex, said, “My wife is always denying me sex, and whenever I reported her to her mother, she will ask me how many times will I be having sex with her daughter.

“She would ask me not to kill her with sex, instead of admonishing her.”

The respondent said his wife moved out from his house with the children in January to stay with her mother and that whenever he called her, her mother would be raining curses on him.

“There was a day my mother-in-law cursed me, and I also cursed her that thunder will kill her.” He said his mother-in-law was always accusing him of planning to use her daughter for ritual. On whether the children are his, Olalere said that he doubted the paternity of the four children.

“Whenever my wife and I quarrel, she tells me that the children are not mine; so, I am confused if truly the children belong to me,’’ he said.

The husband, however, pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage, saying in spite of her shortcomings he still loves her. Earlier, the wife had accused her husband of beating her on the slightest provocation. “He once beat me to the point that I fainted and I was hospitalised for four days.

“When I was on admission, none of his family members came to see me since we all live in a family house and my husband also refused to pay the bills,” she said, urging the court to terminate the marriage.

“I am no longer interested in the marriage.” After listening to their submissions, the judge, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, adjourned the case till July 25 for judgment.

Chibok Girls graduate from top rated High School in Washington USA

The first escaped Chibok schoolgirls to successfully attend and complete an American High School graduated Thursday night in the United States Capital. The two girls known simply by their first names Debbie and Grace graduated after completing junior year (11th grade) and senior year (12 grade) at a prestigious private international school in the Washington metro area in America.

Debbie and Grace were part of the first 57 girls who escaped from Boko Haram terrorists after the mass abduction of almost 300 Chibok schoolgirls in April 2014. Unlike most of their colleagues who jumped out of trucks en route, the two were taken all the way to the terrorists camp in Sambisa before they escaped and made it back home in a terrifying journey that took about a week with their captors in hot pursuit. They were the last to escape Boko Haram until last year's escape of Amina Ali after two years in captivity.

The two schoolgirls were among a dozen Nigerian girls sponsored to school abroad by a Nigerian NGO Education Must Continue Initiative with the help of US based international human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe. EMC is run by victims helping victims overcome the impact of the insurgency by the world's deadliest terror group Boko Haram which has destroyed hundreds of schools and killed thousands.

By this graduation, Debbie and Grace became the first escaped Chibok girls to graduate from an American high school with diplomas after completing and meeting academic standards. This comes three years after terrorists interrupted their education during their final year in school in northeast Nigeria. Several other girls had dropped out of EMC's school abroad project after managing to graduate from middle school (8th grade) last year and are now attempting to take the GED exam (external GCE equivalent).

On hand to witness the historic graduation of the two Chibok girls in the class of 2017 were a delegation from Nigeria which included the founders and directors of Education Must Continue Initiative Mr and Mrs Paul Gadzama and the parent of one of the girls who traveled all the way from Chibok in northeast Nigeria. The only Chibok girl currently pursuing a degree program in an American university, cut short her summer vacation in Nigeria to return for the graduation of her colleagues. The girls' American host families and Barrister Emmanuel Ogebe and his family were among the audience who witnessed the historic graduation.

The class of 2017 was the 50th graduation of the school which was the first high school in America to win a prestigious President's award last year. The Chibok girls were among only 21 students who graduated as a few international students were unable to graduate.

In remarks during a celebratory reception, the Chibok girls thanked their host families, the NGO volunteers from EMC for supporting them to achieve their dreams. They particularly appreciated them for driving the girls daily to and fro from school for two years. 

Also speaking, the parent visiting from Nigeria stated that he had personally seen that the team had done more for his daughter in America than he could have done for them in Nigeria and thanked them for their love.

Recounting the story of how he conceived the project by divine favor, human rights lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe described how he first brought the orphan of a pastor murdered by Boko Haram to school in the US in 2013. The following year, Boko Haram attacked her village and abducted 276 girls. Consequently because he had helped an orphan from Chibok before he was able to help these ones as well. He concluded that "unless God builds a house, the laborers labor in vain."

He appreciated the sacrifice of EMC founders Mr and Mrs Gadzama who flew at their own expense to witness the girls' graduation after missing their own daughter's graduation with a masters in Public Health (MPH) in Michigan just a few weeks earlier.

He also thanked EMC's American volunteer Education Adviser Deanna who helped obtain admission and scholarships to the exclusive $35,000 per year school for her role after their former school tried to take advantage of them. The girls had to repeat 11th grade after their initial school failed to meet up to its obligations.

A church Thanksgiving is planned for the girls who are exploring their future endeavors following graduation.  Among several awards won by them was an award for "Most hard working student in English as Second Language 3". "This is an outstanding feat for Chibok girls especially given the fact that in Nigeria, most continue to speak in Hausa to the consternation of many Nigerians. This shows that our education model of immersion - placing the students in American homes - was immensely successful as they are now able to engage confidently, communicate effectively and blossom generally," says Emmanuel Ogebe the International Program Director. "This is why the girls in EMC's US program are the most articulate Chibok girls anywhere in the world."

Confirming this, host parents including lawyers, doctors and accountants narrated tales of how Americanized the girls are quoting one as saying "mum, the weather is gross" while on another occasion explaining to her host mum, an American doctor, how Uber, the app-based taxi service, operates.

With this graduation, EMC has no more students in high school in the US. All are now post-secondary level and exceed all the Chibok girls in the Nigerian programs run by the Federal Government and Borno State government. EMC and AUN's programs are the two most advanced programs for Chibok girls. "The fact that these girls could succeed inspite of the worst of terrorism and the opposition of their own government no less is proof that the gates of hell cannot prevail against the March of a girl committed to achieving her dreams or any band of individuals united to support them. They are truly a testament to the indomitable human spirit under guidance of a great God. Not one iota of support has come from any government anywhere. Rather we have paid the Nigerian and US governments numerous times for various needs for the girls. At the end of the day, our labor of love has been crowned with success in spite of all the naysayers and saboteurs. To God alone by the glory. We thank all our friends and supporters," Ogebe says.

Out off the five girls placed in this same school, one of them is now in college earning a degree, two graduated with diplomas on Thursday while two who were taken by the Nigerian government last year still don't have a diploma.