The Federal Government on Tuesday appointed musicians Mr Eazi and Timi Dakolo, and Saadatu Falila Hamu of the World Economic Forum as goodwill ambassadors for the #TobaccoFreeNigeria and #ClearTheAir campaign.
The appointment is part of campaign to raise awareness of the burdens and dangers of tobacco use in Nigeria.
The Federal Ministry of Health‘s twitter account made the announcement on Tuesday.
A 27-year-old man, Michael Ubani, who allegedly raped and stole from a 19-year-old physically challenged girl, was on Thursday remanded in the Kirikiri Prison, Lagos State.
The Magistrate, Mr. M. A. Etti, who gave the ruling at an Apapa Magistrates’ Court, said the accused should remain in custody pending when his bail application would be considered.
The accused, who resides at Olodi Apapa area of Apapa, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to a three-count of rape, assault, and stealing.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Olusegun Kokoye, told the court that the accused committed the offences on June 5 at his residence.
Kokoye alleged that the complainant was sleeping in her apartment when Ubani forcefully entered her room and raped her.
“The complainant said that the accused dragged her to the floor and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.
“She said that the accused also stole the N3,000 she kept in her wardrobe.
” The complainant said Ubani was apprehended by their neighbour who heard her screaming for help.
“The complainant reported the case to the police and Ubani was arrested and taken to the police station for further questioning,” he said.
The prosecutor said the offences contravened Sections 172, 287 and 260 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Section 260 prescribes a 14 -year jail term upon conviction for rape.
The case was adjourned till June 27, for a mention.
(NAN)
An internet fraudster ran a Match.com online dating scam to con seven men out of more than £100,000 by getting them to send her cash in exchange for a date.
Grace Akintaro, 24, pretended to be 'Amanda Jenson' and even spoke to at least two of her victims on the phone, persuading them to send her money for travel and expenses ahead of romantic rendezvous.
She was helped by Victoria Nwogu, 22, who admitted laundering some of the money on Akintaro received.
Akintaro told Woolwich Crown Court she began the scam because she was 'naive and used by this person I was in love with', and admitted asking for more cash from her victims claiming she needed to pay off debts.
The men were convinced their online romances with Amanda were genuine but dates were cancelled with one excuse after another.
Akintaro, of Greenwich pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud between August 1, 2014 and December 2, 2015.
The same charges were dropped against Nwogu, also of Greenwich, who pleaded guilty to one count of laundering £3,490 between April 29 and May 6, 2015.
Judge Nicholas Heathcote Williams QC said: 'Judging by what the victims say there were detrimental effects, both psychologically and financially.
'They were expecting to get their money back, they thought they were loaning the money.'
Victims were given different set bank account details to pay larger sums and told they belonged to her mother or landlord.
Akintaro even sent fake documents were used to provide evidence that Amanda Jenson was due to receive an inheritance from a relative and would then be able to pay the money back.
One of the victims handed over a total of more than £46,000 and a another gave the fraudster money from his dead wife's life assurance policy.
Another man took out an equity release on his house to pay her money.
One victim was told to go to a London airport to meet 'Amanda Jenson' who was on an inbound flight.
As he was standing outside the arrivals lounge he was called on his mobile and told she could see him waiting but had been held up by customs officials and needed more money before she could be released.
He refused to pay and went home.
Police know Akintaro visited bank branches at least sixteen times, withdrawing £23,000 of the victims' cash.
The total loss is £104,962 and prosecutor Kevin Dent said: 'The amounts going through Miss Akintaro's bank accounts add up to just over one hundred thousand pounds and directly link with the seven victims.'
Akintaro used her three bank accounts and a paypal account to transfer the money, but claims all she has to show for it is a £5,000 Renault Clio and a few hundred pounds.
The judge added: 'It was not a peripheral role because she was talking over the net.
'We are looking at high culpability because of the high number of victims and long period of time.
'These were romance frauds and the fact I am ordering a pre-sentence report is no indication as to the sentence. There is a real prospect she will go to prison.'
Mr Dent added: 'There would have to be a female involved and that was Miss Akintaro.
'She may not have been at the top of this, but played a role over a period of time.'
Detective Constable Mark Cresswell, of the Met's Fraud and Linked Crime Online (FALCON) unit, said: 'We managed to identify seven victims of this fraud but I suspect there are many more who have not contacted police.
'Romance fraud is often an under-reported crime as victims can be left feeling embarrassed about the sum of money they have handed over to someone they have never met.
'One of the victims we identified in this case said he had not reported it to police because he thought he felt he had been a "foolish old man".'
A Match spokesperson said: 'We are appalled by these crimes and welcome the convictions in this case. Sadly, there is a tiny minority of people who set out to harm others and while this is not confined to dating sites or even the internet, those who do should be brought to justice.
'Our member's safety is our highest priority and we regularly advise our community to be vigilant, to report any suspicious activity and follow the safety recommendations available online and through the app.'
They will return for sentencing on June 20.
-Culled from Daily Mail
The mother of notorious kidnap kingpin, Chukwudubem Onwuamadike, a.k.a Evans, who was recently arrested in Lagos, has reportedly gone into hiding to avoid the crowd that besiege her Umudim, Nnewi home in Anambra state after news of the arrest of her son filtered in.
Her disappearance coincided with the disclosure by the Obi of Umudim, his village, Chief Benneth Okafor, that the arrested kidnap kingpin was not known in his community as he hardly visited home, neither did he have any investment in the community.
Lady Nwosu (Evans’mother) on the run Lady Nwosu, as Evan’s mother is popularly called, was described as a no nonsense woman.
Contrary to insinuations from some quarters that her son bought her a car from the proceed of kidnapping; Vanguard gathered that she rides a lady motorcycle popularly called Nwanyi Nnewi.
She was also said to be assisting vendors sell their wares after which they pay her commission weekly. But when Vanguard arrived the canteen where she sells, she was said to have gone into hiding since Tuesday. A woman who spoke on the condition of anonymity said:
“she went into hiding because people were trooping in to sympathise with her over the arrest of her son. Some came for different purpose; to make mockery of her and to see the face of the mother of the arrested kidnapper. Even you newsmen were troubling her. She has been crying since news of the arrest reached her. I do not know where she has gone to but I think it is good for her.”
Suspected kidnap kingpin Chukwudemeje George Onwuamadike alias Evans is not finding it funny in police custody. He is weeping that he is being held among “common poor criminals”, The Nation learnt yesterday.
The kingpin, who was arrested on Saturday at his 3, Fred Shoboyede Street, Magodo, Lagos home, is being kept in a maximum security cell.
It was gathered that Evans broke down yesterday, lamenting the state of the police cell.
A source said he lamented that after making billions, owning gold, diamond and living like a king, he finally ended up in a cell with poor suspects.
It was gathered that he told his interrogators he has two other detention camps in Lagos.He was also said to have confessed that he started off as an armed robber in Sokoto State.
The source said:
“He has been weeping uncontrollably because he is in a cell with common poor criminals despite all the wealth and mansions he owned.
“He has started talking. He has given us locations of other detention camps he had in Lagos. Aside Igando, he had two others and detectives would visit the place. He also said that his very first robbery was in Sokoto State and that they killed the victim.
“He is still being interrogated and more details would come out after the camps have been visited.”
Meanwhile, The Nation learnt yesterday that Evans has been excommunicated from Nnewi for over five years because of the terror he unleashed on wealthy indigenes of the town.
It was also learnt that his second in command, Felix Chinemerem, a native of Amanagu in Abia State, was also declared wanted in 2014, after his criminal activities led to the killing of many innocent people.
It was learnt that Chinemerem took part in the kidnap of a prominent Nigerian, which prompted policemen to storm the community and allegedly shot randomly, killing villagers.
After the incident, the villagers were said to have moved to kill him but he fled and had not been seen since then.
The Nation
Richard Williams, the 75 year old father of tennis champs Serena and Venus Williams', has filed for divorce from his much younger wife in West Palm Beach, Florida.
In his petition, the 75-year-old tennis coach often credited with training his daughter into tennis superstars, believes his 38-year-old wife of seven years, Lakeisha Williams, is an alcoholic.
He also claims she is stealing his social security checks and transferred ownership of their cars and a house to herself by forging his signature.
Daily Mail reports exclusively that Williams, who married Lakeisha in 2010, also claims she moved out last year and left their now 5-year-old son, Dylan, in his exclusive care. Lakeisha is barely older than his two two daughters - Serena is 35 and Venus will turn 37 on Saturday.
Richard Williams also alleges she left him for 'a new person' who has 'serious criminal, felony charges pending who could impose a danger to the minor child,' the document reads.
When reached on her cellphone, Lakeisha said she couldn't talk and hung up.
But Sandy Becher, her Miami lawyer, called Richard's petition 'outrageous.'
'We categorically deny each and all the allegations he has made in the petition,' Becher said.
'When the issues come before the court, they'll be proven to be patently false.'
A phone dealer has been arrested by Operatives of Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command . The dealer specializes in buyi...
