4 suspected kidnappers arrested in Kwara

Kwara State Police Command, yesterday, paraded four suspected kidnappers, who have been allegedly terrorising residents of  Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesman of the command, Ajayi Okasanmi, who paraded the suspects before journalists in Ilorin, said they were arrested after they kidnapped a Sarikin Fulani, Aliyu Harande, at Omu-Aran town.

Okasanmi told journalists that the victim was kidnapped while praying in a mosque behind his house in the town.

He added that the suspects were arrested by the command’s anti-kidnap team, who swung into action after receiving report of the kidnap.

The police scribe also said the suspects, from whom he disclosed that police recovered a vehicle and guns, allegedly confessed to being responsible for various kidnapping cases around the Omu-Aran axis.

Okasanmi said the case was still under investigation as efforts were on to arrest the leader of the syndicate, who still at large.

The police spokesman also disclosed the arrest of three suspected cult members at Oke-Oyi area on the outskirts of Ilorin.

He said the suspects, who he described as members of Eiye confraternity, were rounded up when they were forcibly initiating some potential members, while items such as an axe, Eiye cult insignia and charms were recovered from them.

Okasami also said that police arrested five suspects in connection with an armed robbery case of which a man at Gaa-Akanbi area of Ilorin and another at Amayo Ganmo area in the Ilorin environs were victims.

Vanguard

Osinbajo raises alarm, says Boko Haram targeting VIPs

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo raised alarm, yesterday, that Boko Haram members were targeting to bomb the houses of VIPs.

This came as governors of Yobe, Ibrahim Gaidem and Borno, Kassim Shetima also stated that the insurgents still occupied five local governments of the two states.
Osinbajo made the disclosure during the National Economic Council, NEC, meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The Vice President, who decried the effect of the insurgency on the economic life of the north east, stated that public enlightenment needed to be carried out through radio and television to create more awareness.

He also argued that pressure should be mounted on the new service chiefs to stem the rising tide of insurgency in the country.

Meanwhile, there was no specific mention of the location of the VIP’s houses which the insurgents were said to be targeting for attack.
His concerns were contained in the communique issued at the end of the meeting and made available to newsmen

Scavengers being prepared by insurgents to dump bombs

According to the communique, “the Vice President regretted that the insurgency has affected the economic life of the north east and the country as a whole. He called for the council to speak as a team to put pressure on the service chiefs to increase their effort in fighting insurgency.

“There should be increase in sensitization and education channels like radio, television. The Vice President also disclosed that security report has it that scavengers are now being prepared by insurgents to dump refuse laden with bombs in the houses of VIPs.

“Governors of Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Kaduna, Gombe, Plateau and Bauchi States took turns to inform the council of security concerns in those regions,” while “Governors of Yobe and Borno raised the alarm of five local government areas of the two states still being in possession of the insurgents”.

The governors called for increase in military deployment and provision of sophisticated military equipment in those areas, insisting that “insurgents were still hiding in the Sambisa forest.”

While lending his voice, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State “suggested that special economic angle should be introduced in addition to military intervention to deal with Boko Haram problem.”

On cattle rustling and banditry, NEC stated Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State disclosed that most of the cattle rustlers were in Kumuku national part, saying that if not properly handled, it could result to another Sambisa forest.

On CBN intervention funds

Giving updates on intervention funds by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to states, NEC said it had “received a presentation from the CBN governor on the update of restructuring of bank loans for the states and payment of salary arrears.”

According to the communique, “the governor informed the council that following meetings with banks, it was agreed that existing loans should be restructured for the minimum of 20 years while salary arrears should also be restructured for the minimum of 15 years and not exceed more than 20 years.”

It added that states could opt for two options which incident “the bond option which will attract market rate and the dent restructuring option which will attract single digit rate.”

By way of resolution, “Council resolved that a four-man team made up of of the governor of Bauchi, Rivers, Ondo and Osun States are to follow up with the CBN to ensure that the issues of Excess Crude Collateral for the States are sorted out by next week Tuesday.”

States to cut cost of governance

Briefing State House corespondents at the end of the NEC meeting, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, who was flanked by the governors of Enugu, Plateau and Kebbi States, said NEC also directed states to reduce the cost of governance. He, however, did not give specifics on how that would be done.

He said: “We have just finished the 59th meeting economic council in which a lot of issues were deliberated upon. We resolved that all states should find ways to reduce their cost of governance.

“We do not have a  uniform template on how to reduce the cost of governance but is very clear that states in the specific situations will find different ways and means of ensuring the cost of running governance is not as huge as it has always been.

“So, it is left for the states in their respective situation to find different ways of cutting cost but what is important is that we cannot continue with the kind of huge burden or huge cost we apply to run our government. A situation where you are having a huge percentage of your budget as recurrent  expenditure is obviously not acceptable. And you must look for ways in reducing the cost of administration in the various states.”

Vanguard

Deal severely with those who ruined Nigeria, Clark tells Buhari

FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark yesterday raised alarm over the  level of corruption in the country and the economic crunch which have all combined to stagnate the progress of Nigeria over the years.

He warned that if President Muhammadu Buhari fails to deal severely with those who ruined Nigeria over the years, Nigeria as a country would sink.

In a six-page letter to President Buhari which was read to journalists yesterday at his Asokoro residence, Abuja, Chief Clark urged him to as a matter of urgency appoint a new Chairman for the Amnesty Programme as a replacement for the immediate past Chairman of the programme, Chief Kingsley Kuku, adding that he would be a sad man if the Amnesty programme fails.

According to the Elder statesman, the President should know what it means to Nigeria as a country to have peace in the Niger Delta, just as he stressed  that quick appointment of a new Chairman even in acting capacity would help stop the imminent disintegration of the programme that has kept the peace in the Niger Delta.

The Ijaw leader said that the vacuum already created following the absence of Kuku’s successor was creating tension and if not managed immediately, it would lead to that era when the activities of the militants in the creeks, contributed to crude oil fall to about 7,000 barrel per day, compared to the present situation of 2.5 million barrel per day, adding that the problem with the programme at the moment, was lack of an authority to operate the account of the programme.

According to him, “the economy of the country and the eradication of corruption which has become systematic and endemic that has stagnated the progress of this country over the years and the culprit if not severely dealt with will sink the country. We, therefore, pray the Almighty God that these discussions will materialise and  achieve the desired result.

“Secondly, I now respectfully wish to bring to the attention of Mr. President the imminent danger facing the Amnesty programme. It would be recalled, that the former chairman of Amnesty programme and Adviser to Mr. President on Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Kingsley Kuku has since vacated his office as a result of change of government, but unfortunately, he has not been replaced by an  appointee even in acting capacity by Mr. President, and as a result, the whole  programme for now, is without leadership, and no one has the authority to operate the account of the Amnesty programme.”

Vanguard

He Got An Examiner's Job Just To Tear Up The Answer Scripts Of The Girl Who Rejected Him

To take revenge on an ex-classmate who rejected his proposal, an MSc student tore up four of her supplementary exam answer scripts at the evaluation centre of the Vijayanagara Sri Krishnadevaraya University, India, recently.

P Madhukumar, 26, was arrested on Tuesday after the university authorities discovered his criminal act and informed Ballari rural police. He was granted bail on Wednesday.

According to police, Madhukumar confessed to the crime. "I did this because she rejected my proposal. I wanted to take revenge. I tore papers from her answer script booklets and threw them into a bin in the toilet," police quoted Madhukumar as saying.

He failed in love, he failed his BSc

When Madhukumar and the girl were doing BSc, he proposed to her. When she spurned his advances, he started harassing her. Subsequently, the girl joined MSc Mathematics in the university, while Madhukumar failed in BSc.

A year later, when he joined MSc computer science in the university, he got a temporary job at the evaluation section for Rs 200 per day. At the centre, he started learning how answer scripts are bundled and stored. Alongside, he also started finding out how to identify the girl's answer scripts.

During the recent evaluation for supplementary exams, when he found four answer scripts of the girl, he immediately tore up papers from the booklets, but left the first and the last pages intact so as not to arouse suspicion. A university official, who found him moving round in a suspicious manner, immediately informed the higher authorities, who reached the spot and checked all the bundles handled by Madhukumar. They found papers from four booklets had been torn away.

Upon detailed inquiry, they realised all the four booklets belonged to one student. They immediately informed Ballari rural police, who visited the evaluation center and arrested the student. Police also recovered the papers torn out of the booklets.

Source: Times of India

BASKETMOUTH APOLOGISES TO D’BANJ AND DAVIDO OVER JOKE

Popular Nigerian comedian, Basketmouth, who recently had his annual show ‘Basketmouth Uncensored’ 2015 in Houston, Texas, USA, has apologized to singer Davido and D’banj over the joke he cracked about them at his show.

The comedian was quoted as saying “The first award that they will nominate me for, that I really respected was that award (MAMA), I really love the fact that I was nominated.

“Technically, I do not look at awards to judge how much I’m good; My award is you people. For the fact that you guys are coming to watch me, I got this much award. Like around the world. You guys are awesome.

“When they were doing the awards, P-Square, they won like two awards, best duo, Best this one. D’Banj won; I don’t know why. Then Davido won above WizKid, which is quite strange, but it’s allowed.”

But the comedian has come out publicly apologise to the singers stating that he was taken out of context.

In his words, “D’banj and Davido, my sincere apologies for what I said, it was taken out of context, It was a build up to a joke and was edited to make it look like I was dissing you guys. I'm honestly sorry. One love guys. When I'm back from my tour, we meet up and drink up water.”

I’M THE RICHEST WOMAN, OMONI OBOLI BOASTS

Nollywood actress, Omoni Oboli, has disclosed that no matter what happens to her, she would not depart from her family because they have been the source of her happiness.

The actress stated that money and fame could fade away including her beauty but where she could best find hope on is her boys.

She noted that she would gladly do anything to ensure that her family remains happy all the time.

My clan!!! If fame goes, if fortunes dwindle, if beauty disappears and everyone deserts! These right here, I can always count on! For this I am the richest and most blessed! I will do ANYTHING for them!

Meanwhile, the Omoni and her family members are still thanking God for the life of her husband, Nnamdi Oboli who recently became a year older.

Kourtney Kardashian Hires Top Celebrity Divorce Lawyer

Kourtney Kardashian is reportedly preparing for a custody /money battle with her Ex, Scott Disick. The mother of three was spotted in this photo, visiting a popular divorce lawyer’s office.

TMZ reports that Kourtney went to a Century City office building filled with lawyers, including divorce queen, know as Laura Wasser, a lawyer who Kim and Khloe used in their divorces, so it’s supposed that Kourtney would use her too.