News & Announcements

Police in Rivers State reported that they had detained the officers seen in a widely circulated video attacking a foreign visitor to the state.

According to Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police and Public Affairs Officer for the state police command, arrested individuals have already been transported to the force’s headquarters in Abuja.

Recall that two police officers assaulted a guy over the weekend in Rivers State before his wife.

Several have urged for the policemen in the popular video to be charged as a result of the event, which has sparked reactions in the state.

Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the development in Port Harcourt, claimed that the police officers responsible for the act had been detained.

Iringe-Koko claimed that two cops were involved in the crime, but she is unsure at this point whether they were both moved to Abuja at the same time.

She said; “Two people were involved in the act. They have been arrested and taken to Abuja. I don’t know at the moment whether two of them were taken to Abuja.”

Alhaji Nasiru Na’ayya, a well-known businessman in Gangarbi Village of the Rogo Local Government Area of Kano State, was abducted by gunmen early on Monday.

An eyewitness who is related to the victim and who confirmed the occurrence claimed that the burglars broke into the businessman’s home on Monday about midnight.

He claimed that as soon as they arrived at the house, they began firing randomly into the air, drawing the neighbors’ attention.

“When residents of the area attempted to prevent the gunmen from going with the victim, they shot two people, which led to the death of one instantly and another was injured and is currently receiving treatment at the hospital,” the eyewitness added.

When reached, SP Abdullahi Haruna, the state police command’s spokesman, verified the occurrence and said he was awaiting information from the divisional police officer at the scene.

He pledged to inform our journalist as soon as he had more information.

As at the time this report was submitted, he still hadn’t done anything.

The Lagos Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has received a petition from the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), seeking it to invalidate Governor Babajide Sanwo-election Olu’s and disqualify him due to allegedly fraudulent GCE results.

He allegedly submitted the fake exam results to INEC while he was running for governor in his first term.

As required by the Electoral Act of 2022, Mr. Adediran and PDP claimed that Mr. Sanwo-Olu had neglected to enclose a copy of the GCE O’Level results, which he claimed to have received in 1981, with his form EC9. They added that “this development sparked a curiosity, with Adediran and PDP applying for the CTC of Governor Sanwo-Olu 2019 from CF001.”

The petition stated, “It was then discovered that a statement of result issued by Ijebu Ife Community Grammar School, Ijebu-Ife for May/June 1981 GCE O’Level examination with examination number 17624/118, which he submitted for his first term election as governor of the state was not confirmed by WAEC. When JANDOR and PDP approached WAEC for confirmation, they were directed to purchase the scratch card for verification of the WAEC result scratch card, which then confirmed the results as not emanating from WAEC. It came back to be a fake result.”

The petitioners in the petition dated April 7 and designated EPT/LAG/GOV/01/2023 contested the results of the governorship election held on March 18 due to flagrant violations of the law and the rules of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

In contrast to INEC, who is the first respondent, the other respondents are Mr. Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, APC, Labour’s candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the Labour Party.

In addition to violating pertinent Electoral Act 2022 provisions, Mr. Adediran and PDP assert in their appeal that Messrs. Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat, and Rhodes-Vivour were ineligible to run for governor on March 18 at the time of the election.

Hence, the petitioners pleaded that all votes cast in their favor during the election would be deemed invalid.

“The second and third respondents, although not duly sponsored and not qualified, contested along with the first petitioner and others for the office of governor of Lagos state, the subject matter of this petition. Similarly, the fifth and sixth respondents, although not duly sponsored and not qualified, contested, along with the first petitioner and others the office of governor of Lagos state, the subject matter of this petition,” said PDP and its gubernatorial flag bearer.

The petitioners added, “The first respondent, upon the conclusion of the election, declared the second respondent, who was not properly sponsored by the fourth respondent, as the winner of the election to the office of governor of Lagos state. The fifth respondent, who was similarly not properly sponsored by the sixth respondent, was declared by the first respondent as having scored the second highest number of votes at the election to the office of Governor of Lagos State,” the petition explained.

The petitioners further stated that Messrs. Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat, who were deemed the election’s winners by INEC, should be disqualified on four grounds of non-compliance.

The appeal, according to Mr. Adediran and the PDP, also touched on four more infractions that called for Mr. Rhodes-Vivour, who was adjudged to have received the second-highest number of votes in the election, to be disqualified.

The petitioners claimed that the APC had broken a rule outlined in the “INEC Time Table and Schedule of Activities for the 2023 General Election” that required all political parties to notify INEC 21 days in advance of the primary poll.

They further stated that such notice has to come from the political party’s national office and be signed by both the national chairman and national secretary.

“Contrary to this provision, the Lagos state chapter of the APC, through her letter dated 24th May 2022 notified the state resident electoral commissioner of the party primary election held on 26th May 2022, with details of the venue of the said primary. The notification from the state chapter of APC was therefore invalid, null and void according to the Electoral Act 2022,” the petition further stated.

The petitioners continued by stating that the APC also disregarded the requirement of the Electoral Act 2022, which states that every political party supporting a candidate in the general election must submit the candidate(s)’ nomination form in Form EC9 no later than 180 days prior to the general election’s conduct.

The petitioners also cited the Form EC9’s omission of the oath page for the third respondent, Mr. Hamzat, which would have demonstrated that it was not signed by the commissioner for oath within the time frame required by the Electoral Law 2022. Without the oath page, the entire Form EC9 and the data contained therein are useless.

The management of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, the company that makes Peak Milk, has apologized to the Christian Association of Nigeria for using a metaphor involving Jesus Christ’s crucifixion to advertise their product on Good Friday and stated that the social media advertisement has been taken down.

The organization acknowledged the sensitivity of the social media post “given the gravity of the season,” but insisted that neither the solemnity of the season nor the unparalleled sacrifice of Jesus Christ were being overly exploited.

In a letter titled “Apology for the Good Friday social media post by the Peak Brand” and dated April 10 2023, addressed to Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President of CAN, Ore Famurewa, Executive Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc (Corporate Affairs), expressed regret.

The letter read,

“We hereby restate our commitment to our unwavering mission of nurturing Nigeria while maintaining the respect of all religious laws, tenets and guidelines.

“Once again, please accept our deepest apology and pledge to prevent a reoccurrence of such in the future. Do accept the assurances of my esteemed regards”, Famurewa said.

In a statement made available to The PUNCH by its General Secretary, Joseph Daramola, WAMCO described the advertisement as “insensitive, offensive, and totally unacceptable.”

Joseph Daramola, the General Secretary of WAMCO, provided a statement to the newsmen in which the organization referred to the advertisement as “insensitive, offensive, and absolutely inappropriate.”

The Christian Action Network (CAN) announced it was considering harsh sanctions against the company, including a Christian boycott of their products, while also cautioning all businesses and organizations to be mindful of the religious and cultural sensitivities of their customers when promoting their products.

According to the organization, any attempt to minimize or denigrate our beliefs will not be tolerated.

After the advertising, the Christendom has expressed public outrage, labeling it “blasphemous.”

Daramola claimed that the advertising was an insult to the millions of Christians in Nigeria and throughout the world in addition to being insulting to the Christian faith.

He had said, “Good Friday is a solemn day for Christians all over the world, a day we commemorate the death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who was crucified on the cross for our sins. It is not a day to be used for crass commercial purposes.

“FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC’s action is not only disrespectful to the Christian faith but also an affront to the millions of Christians in Nigeria and beyond. We are deeply disappointed that a company of such repute would stoop so low to exploit the religious sentiments of its customers for profit.

“We are considering sanctions against FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, including a boycott of their products by our members and all well-meaning Nigerians who share our concerns. We call on the company to issue an unreserved apology to the Christian community and withdraw the offensive advert immediately.

“We recall a similar incident in the past when Sterling Bank Plc used crucifixion imagery to promote their product. We condemned it then, and we condemn it now.

“We, therefore, urge all companies and organisations to be mindful of the religious and cultural sensitivities of their customers when promoting their products. We will not tolerate any attempt to trivialise or disrespect our faith. Be warned!”

Police in Louisville, Kentucky, has confirmed that at least five people have been killed in a shooting at a bank in the city.

An additional six people have been injured and taken to local hospitals, including a police officer.
Members of the public have been asked to stay away from a part of East Main.

Video from the area showed heavily armed police cordoning off a commercial property in the downtown area. The suspect has died, police confirmed.

In a brief news conference, Louisville Police said that officers were first alerted to an active shooter situation at about 08:30 local time (15:40 BST) and arrived within minutes. At the scene, they encountered ongoing gunfire, according to Deputy Police Chief Paul Humphrey.

It is unclear what led to the suspect’s death and whether the culprit is being counted as one of the five dead.

The incident took place in Louisville’s Old National Bank in the city’s downtown area. The location is close to the Louisville Slugger Field baseball stadium and several blocks from the Kentucky International Convention Centre and Muhammad Ali Centre.

The public has been asked to stay out of the area while the investigation continues.

News footage from the scene shows a heavy police presence, with damaged glass and discarded medical equipment at one location.Credit BBC

A suspect in the case of an Ibadan-based Instagram cloth vendor, Adeshina Olayinka, popularly called Khadi, who died at Wetland Hotel, Akobo, in Ibadan, is in police custody, according to a source in the hotel.

According to reports, Olayinka reportedly died after the man she was with her checked out early on Thursday morning, and a phone call was made to Khadi’s room by the receptionist who confirmed her safety.

The suspect was said to be currently detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

Investigations revealed that the suspect, whose name was withheld, voluntarily presented himself to the police at Akobo Police Station having heard that his attention was needed by the police over the death of Olayinka.

During a visit to the hotel, the manager and supervisor were not on seats, but a staff member, who did not want his name in print, said, “We wouldn’t have known until 12 noon check out time if not for the power bank that one of the receptionists lent her.

So, when we discovered that she was still breathing, we quickly called the Police at Akobo Police Station but unfortunately, she died before getting to the hospital.

“So, we called the suspect to inform him about the incident. He was shocked and rushed down to the hotel to present himself to the police. The case has been transferred to the state CID. Actually, he is one of our customers here. He always patronizes us. And when he came around (before he presented himself to the Police), he said the lady was complaining that night that she was weak. And that was why he just allowed her to rest,” a staff member of the hotel added.

As of press time, the security operatives were yet to unravel the circumstances behind her death but the state Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, said the police had commenced an investigation into the matter.

Osifeso said, “Investigation is in progress. Updates would be provided accordingly, please.”

Meanwhile, the hotel management had in a statement expressed its cooperation with the Nigeria Police in the investigation into the cause of the deceased’s death.

The management said, “To the general public and our dear valued guests, we regret to inform you that an unfortunate incident occurred at our hotel, Wetland Hotel. One of our guests passed away while staying with us. We are fully cooperating with the authorities in their investigation into this matter, and we assure you that we are doing everything we can to assist the police in their efforts to determine the cause of death.”

The statement further assured guests of the hotel’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of hygiene and safety while expressing condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

In the state’s Toungo Local Government Area on Sunday, the Adamawa State Police Command and hunters killed a suspected kidnapper and freed two victims.

Suleiman Nguroje, a police spokesman, said in Yola on Monday that it was one of the achievements of the police’s cooperative efforts to put an end to kidnapping, robbery, cattle rustling, and illegal firearm ownership.

“One kidnapper was neutralised when he and his gang arrived at a spot to receive N2million ransom demanded from relatives of the kidnapped victims.

“The suspected kidnappers sighted our men around the area and engaged them in a gun duel so as to escape arrest.

“One of them was neutralised while others escaped with bullet wounds,’’ he stated.

Suleiman Abdullahi, 23, and Ruwa Buba, 11, both inhabitants of Mayo Sumsum Village in Toungo LGA, were recovered unharmed, Nguroje continued.

He claimed that Afolabi Babatola, the commissioner of police in Adamawa, praised the bravery of the hunters and members of the Toungo Divisional Police Office.

In order to prevent the kidnap gang from forming a new cell anywhere in the state, Babatola ordered the joint operations team to find any evading members.

Residents were tasked by the police commissioner to always tell the authorities of the whereabouts of offenders, particularly those who had been discovered with gunshot wounds, according to Nguroje.

A business woman, Adeshina Olayinka popularly known as Khadi, who is an online vendor and social media influencer was found dead in a hotel room in Ibadan Oyo State capital after lodging with a yet-to-be-identified man.

The deceased who ran an online boutique, where she sold female outfits, was said to have been found dead in a hotel in the Akobo area of the state on Thursday night, 6 April, 2023.

As at the time of filling in this report, the circumstances surrounding her death remain mystery but, it was gathered that her corpse was discovered by a receptionist of the establishment. 

It was gathered that the state Police Command has begun an investigation into the incident.

On Thursday, three men—Olayinka Idowu, 39; Caleb Saviour, 45; and Andrew Ogoh, 36—were charged with kidnapping and assault and appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in the Ogba neighborhood of Lagos State.

Inspector Shola Akindeko, a police officer, was allegedly kidnapped by the defendants, taken to an unidentified location, and then assaulted.

Idowu, one of the suspects, is accused of destroying the policeman’s iPhone XR, which was worth N185,000.

Idowu, Saviour, and Ogoh were additionally charged with three counts of assault that were technically felonies, including assault causing bodily harm and causing a breach of public peace.

Inspector Josephine Ikhayyera, the police prosecutor, stated that the crime was punished under Articles 411, 168(D), and 350 of the Lagos State Criminal Laws of Nigeria (2015).

The charge read, “That you, Olayinka Idowu, Caleb Saviour and Andrew Ogoh on April 3, 2023, around 8.30pm at BRT Garage Awori U-turn, Abule-Egba in the Ikeja Magisterial District did commit felony to wit assault occasioning harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

“That you, Olayinka Idowu, Caleb Saviour and Andrew Ogoh, on April 3, 2023, around 8.30pm at BRT Garage Awori U-turn, Abule-Egba in the Ikeja Magisterial District did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by forcefully taking an officer to an unknown destination and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 168(D) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

“That you, Olayinka Idowu, on the same date, time and place at the aforementioned Magisterial District did wilfully damage iPhone XR valued at N185,000 property of Inspector Shola Akindeko and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 350 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.”

Yet, they entered a not guilty plea to the accusations.

The suspect had the choice to pay a fine of N150,000 with two sureties each in the same amount, according to Magistrate L.A. Owolabi.

The case was therefore postponed until May 3 for mention by Owolabi.

Nigeria and 53 other nations have been listed on the red list by the UK as not being actively sought out by employers in the health and social care sector.

The declaration was made in the updated code of conduct for England’s foreign hiring of healthcare and social service workers.

Before conducting any recruitment drive, it is advised that employers, recruitment organizations, agencies, collaborations, and contractual bodies review the red country list for updates.

The code defined active international recruitment as the method by which UK health and social care employers (including local authorities), contracting bodies, recruitment organizations, agencies, collaborations, and subcontractors target people to market UK employment opportunities with the intention of hiring them for a position in the UK health or social care sector. Targeting can take place physically or virtually, and it can result in real employment or not.

The code of practice is applicable to the hiring of all foreign nationals working in the UK’s health and social care sectors, including all permanent, temporary, and locum employees working in both clinical and non-clinical contexts.

This includes, but is not limited to, allied health professionals, care providers, dental professionals, medical professionals, medical staff, midwives, nursing professionals, residential and domiciliary care providers, social workers, and support personnel.

Remember that the UK halted the hiring of healthcare professionals from Nigeria and 46 other nations in 2021, citing the threat posed by the rising volume of health and social care worker migration from low- and lower-middle-income countries.

On March 8, 2023, the WHO identified Nigeria and 54 other nations as having the most urgent workforce issues connected to universal health care.

However, the red and amber nation list does not preclude individual health and social care workers who reside in those countries from applying directly to health and social care employers without being targeted by a third party, like a recruiting organization, agency, or recruitment cooperation.

The countries placed on the red list of ‘No active recruitment’ in alphabetical order are Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia.

Other countries are Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Samoa, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Republic of Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.