Report reaching us made us to know that the son of the former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Ariwera Adolphus Jonathan, died in a London hospital today.
The boy was said to have been sick for some time. Although, the Jonathan's family had been trying hard to prevent the news from spreading.
Credit: Nairaland
NB: The veracity of this hasn't not confirmed.
Former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure FUTA, Prof Albert Ilemobade was yesterday abducted by gunmen.
Ilemobade was the vice chancellor between 1987 to 1995.
He was said to have been abducted alongside with his gateman at his Ijapo residence, in Akure, the Ondo state capital.
Ilemobade, a septuagenarian was said to have been abducted by gunmen at his residence.
The house maid reportedly saw the gunmen when they took the former don away.
The gunmen on their arrival at the residence of the former Vice Chancellor approached the gateman, but before he knew what was happening a gun was reportedly pointed at him and he was asked to lead them to the living room where the former Vice Chancellor was accosted and asked to follow them to their vehicle.
Vanguard gathered that the gate man was bundled into the vehicle when he attempted to raise an alarm.
They reportedly whisked them away to an unknown destination.
His car was later abandoned by his kidnappers along Ijare road.
Family members of the abducted former Vice Chancellor have besieged his residence.
The Police Image Maker Wole Ogodo said investigation into the matter is in progress.
It will be recalled that the Executive secretary of Cocoa Association of Nigeria CAN Mr Michael Adewunmi who was kidnapped last week has been released after the family paid an undisclosed amount as ransom.
Adewunmi was abducted on his way to his office in Akure.
Credit: Vanguard
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has expressed regret over his inability to pay salaries for months now.
He however added that contrary to reports, he was not helpless about the unpaid salaries of civil servants in his state because he has Allah.
Delivering a Ramadan Lecture at the Women Development Centre, Abuja, the governor used the occasion to debunk reports that he ever said he was ‘helpless’.
He delivered a lecture titled : “Ramadan, Living in The Season of Positive Change”at the event organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society.
Aregbesola said, “It is extremely painful that I cannot pay salary. It is painful that I have to be in this condition.
“I am not helpless because I have Allah and the people with me. And whoever has Allah and the people has everything,” he said, assuring that he was making efforts to pay the outstanding salaries of the civil servants soon.
He noted that the state borrowed up to N25 billion from banks to support the allocation from the federation account to pay workers salaries but the banks have refused to continue lending him money.
He explained that the state’s wage bill was N3.5 billion monthly and his administration has found it difficult to pay in the face of dwindling allocation in spite of increase in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from N900 million to N8 billion annually.
“I didn’t envisage that 400,000 barrels of crude oil would be stolen daily. But the whipping boys must be the governors and I am the ‘Chief’ of the whipping boys,” Aregbesola said.
He expressed delight with the re-emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as Nigeria’s leader. Also, the governor hailed the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society which organized the event.
Aregbesola said “terrorism is a challenge to Islam and it is the Muslims who will solve it”.
He maintained that Islam does not support killing without judicial ruling.
Some of the dignitaries at the lecture included Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais, wife of Nasarawa state governor, Mrs Mairo Al-makura, Senators Abubakar Sodangi and Khairat Gwadwabe as well as a former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Suleiman and many more.
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, in Osun State has described as insensitive and callous the statement credited to the ruling All Progressives Congress APC that workers in Osun state constitute less than one percent of the population.
Speaking on behalf of the party Prince Diran Odeyemi, the Director, Media and Strategy said the APC has publicly shown to the world that it has lost focus and not responsive to the plight of Osun citizens.
According to the party, “The APC arithmetic of 1% civil servant is a formular coined for them after the election forgetting that these hard working servants are financiers of over 90% of the populace in the state.
Credit: Vanguard
Operatives of the Homicide sections of Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, FCIID, Alagbon, Lagos, is currently investigating the alleged kidnap and murder of the son of a Customs officer.
The victim, identified as Enere Ukonga, was reportedly kidnapped in his residence at No, 10, Ajanaku Street, off Salvation Road, Opebi, Ikeja by a gospel artist and two others.
The suspects, who were identified as Elijah John, Ibrahim Maina and Okafor Jude, purportedly kidnapped the victim from his home, killed and buried him.
Vanguard learned that trouble started after the father of the deceased, Mr. Ajayi Ukonga was contracted by one Osarentin Enabulele to clear his goods at the port.
Enabulele allegedly gave the deceased’s father about N1 million for clearing of the goods from the port.
It was gathered that immediately the father of the deceased collected the money, he started the processing of clearing goods, while he waited for Enabulele to come with the Bill of Lading of the goods to finally clear the goods. After waiting for some time, it was discovered that Enabulele had no bill of lading of the goods.
He said: “I was surprised that one day he came to demand for his N1 million, that I should not continue with the clearing. I told him that I have already used it for his job. To my surprise, Enabulele and four others came and kidnapped my son, killed him and buried his body at Abesan Estate, Ipaja, where we later exhumed his body for re-burial.
“We are carrying out DNA test on his body with a view to ascertaining he is the person in question. While the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the DNA result is out.”
The, FCIID, Public Relations Officer, Mr. Friday Achibong, who confirm ed the incident, said the suspects had been declared wanted.
Former North American Bureau Chief of The Guardian, Laolu Akande, has resumed as the spokesman of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
Pastor Akande was in the Aso Villa on Monday as President Muhammadu Buhari and his V.P officially relocated to the seat of power.
As a journalist reporting for the leading Nigerian newspapers including The Guardian, Pastor Akande is regarded as the longest serving African correspondent at the United Nations, and the only Nigerian journalist so far to have interviewed a sitting American president in the White House when he interviewed former President George W. Bush. He has also exclusively interviewed American folk hero, General Colin Powell, billionaires like Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Donald Trump and several African leaders and presidents.
Pastor Akande started his journalism career as a Reporter in 1989 writing for the Guardian titles and later moved over to the founding team of The News Magazine in 1993, where he became that magazine’s Senior Writer. In 1995 he joined Nigerian Tribune titled first as Special Projects Editor and later became the Editor of Tribune on Saturday in 1997, before he relocated to the US in 1998.
In the US where he is also an adjunct college professor, Pastor Akande is the founder of Empowered Newswire, and has continuously reported about Nigerians and Nigerian issues especially in the US and Canada in the last 13 years.
He had earlier worked with leading American newspapers including the Philadelphia Inquirer, and New York Newsday. Also at the United Nations, he worked briefly as a Press Officer and later as Advocacy Consultant between 2002-2004.
He became a pastor in 2007 at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Jesus Friends Assembly in Long Island, New York. Pastor Akande is Christian Association of Nigerian-Americans, CANAN’s Executive Director.
Doctors at a private hospital in Ajah area of Lagos State are battling to save the lives of three residents of Alabeko Estate, who were attacked, weekend, by thugs.
The thugs were alleged to have been hired by a land speculator in an attempt to forcefully claim some portions of land, some of which already had structures on them.
The thugs, as gathered, stormed the estate at about 12.30p.m., when the landlords were having a meeting with landowners, otherwise known as omo-onile, whom they claimed sold the portions of land to them.
Some residents, who are making moves to flee the area over threat to their lives, alleged that the attack was supervised by a team of Mobile Policemen from MOPOL 23, Obalende, adding that they (policemen) allegedly fired canisters of tear-gas at them and also beat them with horse whip.
However, in a sharp reaction, police sources described the claim as false, hinting that Police had to use tear gas to disperse the rampaging thugs.
When contacted, spokesman for Lagos State Police Command, Kenneth Nwosu said: “Investigations are ongoing to unravel what transpired.
“The command is poised to ensure that residents of Alabeko and its environs enjoy police protection like other residents in Lagos State.”
Credit: Vanguard
Civil servants in Awka have agreed with the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kifasi’s submission that some of them squandered their salaries on non-essentials.
Kefasi said in a live radio programme on Saturday that some workers spent their money on beer to the detriment of other vital needs, adding that it was “misplaced priority”.
A correspondent who sought the reaction of workers in the Anambra capital reports that some of the workers, especially the womenfolk, supported the number one civil servant.
Mrs Nkechi Awuzie said the current situation in the country required that wage earners should spend wisely.
“What our boss said is not far from the truth because when you go to beer joints in the evenings, you will see a lot of civil servants there enjoying themselves and you and I know that a bottle of beer costs about N200.
“All I want my colleagues in service to do is to be prudent in their spending pattern by going for their needs more than for their wants,” she said.
Miss Ify Okonkwo of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teching Hospital agreed that most workers needed to be educated on prudent management for the little they were paid to sustain them till the end of every month.
“If there is anything most workers need, it is a tutorial on prudent management so that what comes their way in terms of salary will be efficiently used till the end of another month,” she said.
For Mr Anthony Igbanugo, a federal civil servant, it is right to say that workers spend more on non-essentials but that the government should all the same look into the popular demand for a pay rise.
“Due to the pressure civil servants go through in putting their homes in order, it is normal to relax to take the pressure off, although one has to part with some needed cash.
“There is the need for our government to enhance our salary to be at par with those in oil companies and other sectors,” he said. (NAN)
2011 winner of Big Brother Africa (BBA), Karen Igho, is an expectant mother.
The controversial star recently showed off her protruding stomach for all to see. Lately, she has been off radar, especially after she got married some months ago.
Karen said she is stronger with baby bump.
According to her, “You are pregnant and you are powerful. You are bold and you are beautiful. Go forward in your boldness, in your beauty and in your contentedness. Trust your body to birth and know that the collective power of women worldwide will be with you.”
Karen married her man of nine years, Yaroslav Rakos on Saturday December 13th, 2014 in Jos and has since been enjoying all the love and care she deserves in her union.
Former Big Brother Africa (BBA) stars, Pokello Nare from Zimbabwe and Elikem Kumordzi from Ghana, have secretly tied the knot. This is coming after it was rumoured in 2014 that they had ended their romantic affair.
In May 2014, Elikem proposed to Pokello at the Ghana Music Awards. But after Elikem confessed having an affair with a 46-year-old woman, it was rumoured that they got separated.
But while their fans were still if thinking they would ever reconcile again, they played a fast one on them and got married secretly.
They reportedly held their traditional marriage over the weekend in Zimbabwe.
Pokello, who shared the good news, stated that despite their differences, they have finally agreed to spend the rest of their lives together. She announced that she is now Mrs Kumordzie.
