PDP, APC primaries: Dollar, Naira rain for delegates

National Chairman, APC, John Oyegun and National Chairman, PDP, Adamu Mu’azu

The delegates that participated in the just concluded primaries of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress across the country have been laughing to the bank following the huge amount of money some aspirants reportedly paid to them.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the aspirants sent some of the money to the delegates through the leaders of their parties.

It was learnt that apart from the money, incentives such as promise of automatic employment, among others, were also deployed in wooing the delegates.

Some delegates who spoke to our correspondents confirmed that they were given money by some aspirants who needed their votes. However, the delegates pleaded anonymity for fear of reprisal from their party leaders.

Read more: http://www.punchng.com/news/pdp-apc-primaries-dollar-naira-rain-for-delegates/ 

Source: The PUNCH

Ex-militant, Tompolo, buys six warships

| credits: www.naval-technology.com

A former Niger Delta militant, Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, alia Tompolo, has bought seven decommissioned Norwegian battleships, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.

Reports by a Norwegian newspaper, Dagbladet, said that the fast-speed Hauk-class guided missile boats had been re-armed with new weaponry.

The report also revealed that Ekpemupolo’s most recent purchase is a KNM Horten, a fast-attack craft now used in fighting piracy in Nigeria’s waterways.

It was learnt that in spite of his alleged history of violence, Tompolo, now controls the Global West Vessel Service, a privately owned contractor for maritime security for the Nigerian Maritime Safety Agency.

Read more: http://www.punchng.com/news/ex-militant-tompolo-buys-six-warships/

Source: The PUNCH

A jungle in the city: Story of a 500-room house where tenants live as prisoners

 

Covered in a stream of sweat as he made for the narrow entrance leading outside the block, Okoli Nwabueze (not real name), cursed and grumbled angrily. He was deep in slumber by the time the fan in his room stopped rolling that afternoon and so couldn’t make it out on time to enjoy cool, ‘precious’ breeze. Lacking proper ventilation, electricity supply was the only means to keep the temperature within the room normal. Last year, when he paid N140, 000 as rent and related charges for 12 months to move into Agboye ‘Estate’, a gigantic structure with over 500 rooms stretching on about four plots of land on Oduntan Street, Ketu, Lagos, this was not what he expected. The situation leaves him deeply frustrated

Read more: 
http://www.punchng.com/news/a-jungle-in-the-city-story-of-a-500-room-house-where-tenants-live-as-prisoners/

Source: The PUNCH

HOW TEEN FEMALE SUICIDE BOMBER WAS NABBED

New facts have emerged of how security operatives arrested a 13-year-old girl while on suicide mission in Yan Kaba area of Kano state.

The girl, who was brought to Kano from Bauchi State along with the two female suicide bombers that struck at the Kanti Kwari market on Wednesday, was arrested hours after the Kwari explosion, with a suicide vest on her.

“The girl was with the two bombers that struck at Kwari market but when she saw the way her two partners died she ran from the scene together with the traders,” one source said, declining to be named.

“When she got to a place she boarded a tricycle and on their way she disclosed to him that she was wearing a suicide vest. She also assured the man that she won’t detonate the explosion on her as she doesn’t want to die,” the source added.

Confused by her disclosure, the tricycle operator took her to a clinic at Yan Kaba area of the city.

“It was the medical doctor of the private hospital that informed the security about the development. When the security operatives stormed there, they whisked her away after removing the suicide vest,” the source said.

Weekly Trust reliably gathered that the girl is helping security agents in trailing Boko Haram members who are in charge of the teen bombers that were reportedly brought to the state.

Our correspondent reports that he was arrested during a house-to-house search in Sabon Mandawari area of the state.

“The JTF men stormed the area around 2 am and conducted a house-to-house search. It was during the search that one of the sect’s kingpins was arrested,” a security source said.

The source added that the sect member who brought the teenagers from Bauchi is being trailed by the operatives of the JTF in Kano.

It would be recalled that Kano has witnessed a series of suicide bombings masterminded by female teenagers. The latest one was at the Kanti Kwari textile market where 10 persons lost their lives.

Kano State police commissioner, Alhaji Adenerele T. Shinaba, declined comment but demanded for a copy of the photograph of the suicide bomber.

Source: Daily Trust