WHO SHOULD BE FIRED FOR THIS ? VIDEO INCLUDED: The moment Greek news went X-Rated and broadcast porn

Many tuned in to watch the evening news only to be visited be  a shocking news.
Television news presenters have a tough time.

Warning - Graphic Video Content.
One sartorial or verbal mix-up and you're sunk. Get yourself caught off guard during your maiden broadcast and its goodnight and thanks for the 'and finallys'.
Fall foul to the 'thinking-the-mic-is-off syndrome' and you'll become an internet sensation overnight.
Perhaps, therefore, the presenter of a Greek news programme that accidentally aired graphic pornographic footage should just be grateful it wasn't his whoops moment.
Viewers who tuned into watch a news broadcast earlier this week on Greece's state-owned public TV station ET3 were greeted by the sight of a monitor in the background showing pornographic footage.
According to reports on the gossip website Gawker the sex scene on the screen behind the remarkably unflappable presenter was an erotic movie that was being shown on ET1 at the same time.

JUDGEMENT BEGINS: Jailed preacher, Mohammed Hamid, who trained 21/7 bombers ‘linked’ to Woolwich attack suspect, Michael Adebolajo

One of the suspects in the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby is believed to have had contact with a “terrorist instructor” now in prison for running military-style training camps which were used by Islamist extremists including the 21/7 London bombers, The Independent has learnt.

Michael Adebolajo is understood to have attended talks given by preacher Mohammed Hamid, who called himself Osama bin London, and a bookstall run by Hamid in Marble Arch, central London.
There is nothing to suggest that Adebolajo was engaged in activities at the time which warranted deploying resources to track him during a period of intense militant Muslim activity.
Hamid, a 55-year-old former crack addict, was convicted of “grooming” young Muslim men for jihad. At his trial in Woolwich Crown court in 2008, the jury was played secretly taped recordings of him talking about the victims of the 7/7 bombings, saying: “Fifty-two? That's not even a breakfast for me,” and telling a comrade to be like “Jack the Ripper” and not get caught. Video footage was shown of a water melon being sliced in half amid cheering, in what was supposedly a demonstration of “beheading”.
Hamid, whose family came to Britain from Tanzania, was found guilty at the trial of three counts of soliciting murder and three counts of providing terrorism training, and jailed indefinitely, for a minimum of seven-and-a-half years. One of his followers, Atilla Ahmet, of Turkish Cypriot extraction, who had at one stage been a bodyguard for the radical cleric Abu Hamza, pleaded guilty to three counts of soliciting murder.
Among those who passed through the camps he organised, in Cumbria and the New Forest, were five men who were later convicted of the failed bomb plot of 21 July 2005. Hamid was accused of acting as the mentor of the would-be suicide bombers who wanted to emulate the devastation caused by the 7/7 attacks.
Hamid and 14 others were arrested and convicted in an operation, Overamp, in which crucial evidence was gained by an undercover police officer who had infiltrated the group, known only by his codename “Dawood”, as well as by bugs placed by MI5 in the homes of the suspects.
Members of the group were seized while they were sitting down for dinner at a Chinese restaurant. Detectives had found out about the meeting and location through surveillance; minutes before armed officers burst in, one of the suspects was heard to say “MI5 has probably bugged the place”.

Looks Like Laughter Time : Ali Baba, Basketmouth, Others Perform As Glo Laffta Fest Returns

The proudly Nigerian telecom, Globacom, which marked its 10th anniversary recently, is set to enliven five cities with its hugely popular comedy, music and dance show, the Glo Laffa Fest in its renewed efforts to delight its subscribers.

In its sixth edition, the show, which kicks off on Sunday, May 26 in Benin City at the Bestwestern Hotel, will parade the best hands in the nation’s entertainment industry.

A statement issued in Lagos by the company on yesterday said the show would also be staged in Owerri, Imo State, on June 9, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on June 23, Abuja on July 7 and Lagos on July 21. Globacom said that the Glo Laffta Fest is coming in a re-invigorated form to suit the needs of its teaming subscribers across the country.

Artistes billed to perform at the Benin edition of the show include Basketmouth, I Go Die, Akpororo, Bovi, Oke Bakassi, Gordons and Dan D Humorous, from the comedy sector, while Flavour, Wande Coal and Lynxx will feature from the music industry. For the Owerri show, Basketmouth, I Go Die, Akpororo, Gordons, Funny Bone, Bovi, 2cantalk, Wande Coal, Naeto C and Omawunmi, are scheduled to entertain the audience.

Those that will perform at the Port Harcourt show are Okey Bakassi, Seyi Law, Basketmouth, Funny Bone and Akpororo while musicians such as MI, Bez, Burna Boy and Waje, will add flavor to the event. Basketmouth, Okey Bakassi, I Go Die, Gordons, Seyi Law, Akpororo and Funny Bone as well as Naeto C, Flavour, Bez and Chidynma, will feature at the Abuja edition.
For the Lagos show, Basketmouth, Ali Baba, Akpororo, Seyi Law, Bovi, Funny Bone, MI, Waje, Omawunmi and Burna Boy have been scheduled to perform.

There will also be special appearances and drama skits by Nollywood stars such as Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha, Noso Diobi, Funke Akindele and Odunlade Adekola as part of the entertainment package for the audience.

Merciless Mercy Johnson returns back to work

Star actress Mercy Johnson resumes work this month. She is back on location with director and producer, Elvis Chucks. This is MJ’s first job after giving birth in December.

‘I want to say thank you to the fans, friends, colleagues and producers who were there for me. Many of them proved to be friends on and off work. Many adjusted their schedules for me and sent in their greetings during the child dedication. I resumed work this week with grateful heart and understanding that I am here because God through the help of people made it possible. Or how could I explain the overwhelming votes I got at AMVCA despite been away and inactivity on social media? How could I explain the numbers of producers and scripts waiting for my return? How could I explain the overwhelming love and gifts while I was away? I am very grateful and here to say a big thank you to everyone who played a role and those who as much as had good wishes in their hearts. Thank you and God bless you’

During her ‘absence’, she gave birth to her first child, Purity, moved into a new mansion with her husband, Prince and won the Best Actress in comedy at the maiden edition of Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards (AMVCA).

All the while, she has remained a subject of interest as many producers and a couple of corporate organization continued to  discuss movies and other businesses with her. She’s returning on the heels of the record set by the film by one of her films, Dumebi,  which is one the highest selling.

She earned her first film credit in The Maid in 2003

Interesting - I spend half a million on my hair every month – Ghanaian actress, Mumuni

In the entire Africa, Ghana and Nigeria especially, entertainment has grown wider than we envisaged. This growth is very fast , making it possible to almost compete side by side with Hollywood.
So, there’ll be no need to doubt the same growth in proportion to its fashion sense, ranking our actresses and actors among best world dressers.

Mumuni: Before and After!

But even as fashion conscious as we are, our ladies, although give as much attention to their hair but hardly flaunt the price.
This isn’t so in the case of Ghanian actress, Salma Mumuni. She has suddenly gone gaga about her hair and wont give the social media a break, a week not passing by without robbing on our faces her hair price tags.
Meanwhile, maybe to put herself on the list of most sought after Ghanian actresses, Salma decided to change her looks. She’s now gone from the long-haired Salma, into a short-haired one.
Recently, she revealed the monthly sum she now spends to maintain her new hair cut. According to her, over $3,000 goes down into maintaining her new look so that she can stand out among her peers. “I maintain it every week too”, she added.

POVERTY!!!!!!!!!!!!! : Man, 60, allegedly kills wife over N500

Oronna Street in Abule-Egba area of Lagos was, yesterday, thrown into confusion after a 60-year-old man who allegedly killed his wife over his missing N500, locked himself up with the corpse.
Reports said fight broke out after the man identified as Gbadebo Elegbede, accused his 17-year-old son  of stealing his N500 at about 7am. His wife, Maria, was said to have defended his son, an action that reportedly led to a verbal confrontation with her husband,which degenerated into a scuffle.
In the process, Gbadebo was said to have hit his wife with a hard object on the face, causing her to slump.
His son, Johnson, was said to have attempted to lift his mother from the floor only to discover  that she was motionless and bleeding from the mouth and nose.
Johnson reportedly ran out to alert neighbours to come to his mother’s help, but they met the door of the apartment locked from inside, with Gbadebo threatening to kill anyone who attempted to force the door open.
Eye witnesses said some of the deceased’s relatives who rushed to the scene were also prevented from seeing Maria’s corpse as the door was still locked.
Policemen at nearby divisions who were contacted  said they had not been informed about the incident yesterday evening.
An eye witness said , “ this is not the fight time he is doing this. The first time they lost their daughter, he locked her up in the room preventing everyone, including his wife from coming inside.
Till date no one can  tell what he did with her corpse. . As you can see, everyone is afraid of him in this area”, the eye witness who simply gave her name as Nwankego told Vanguard on the telephone.
As at 4pm, Vanguard gathered that  Gbadebo was still inside the room with Maria’s corpse.
source vanguard

Newborn baby rescued from a four-inch wide drainpipe in China after being 'flushed down toilet

 

 

Warning: This video contains images which some viewers may find distressing
A newborn baby has been rescued from a four-inch wide drainpipe after apparently being flushed down the toilet.

The incident took place in China’s Zhejiang province on Saturday, with firefighters called to the scene after residents of an apartment complex heard the baby’s cries coming from inside the building’s plumbing system.
With the pipe just 10cm in diameter, rescuers were unable to remove the baby at the scene, so ended up sawing through the sewage system to remove a section and take it to hospital.
The baby boy, thought to be just a few days old, is now said to be in a stable condition after doctors used pliers to carefully break apart the tube containing him. He has been named Baby No 59 after the number of hospital incubator he is recovering in, according to the Associated Press.
Footage shown on Chinese state television captured the dramatic rescue, leading to a number of guests visiting the hospital to bring food, nappies, and clothing for the seemingly abandoned child.
The incident drew condemnation across Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, with one user quoted as saying “The parents who did this have hearts even filthier than that sewage pipe”, while another said: “Can these people be called human beings?”
China has strict rules on family planning, with a one-child policy in place since 1982 in an effort to combat the country’s skyrocketing population.
Although there are a number of exceptions in place, many families face large fines for breaking the family-planning rules. This has led to a huge number of babies being abandoned every year - with girls by far the majority of the victims - leading to numerous deaths occurring as a result.

 

 

My life under threat, Amaechi cries out … as PDP suspends him

Hours after he was suspended from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, yesterday, solicited prayers from citizens of the state against desperate persons who he claimed were after his life.
The suspension of Amaechi from the party was agreed during an unscheduled and unusually early morning meeting of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party at the residence of the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. The meeting, Vanguard learnt, commenced at 8.00 a.m.
The meeting came two days ahead of the regular meeting of the NWC which normally holds on Wednesdays. It was also three days after Amaechi beat the odds with his re-election as chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF. He had been allegedly opposed by the PDP Governors’ Forum, PDP-GF ahead of the election.

Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State

The governor spoke amidst strong opposition from his loyalists and some party chieftains over what they described as the continued reign of lawlesness in the party. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in a sharp reaction called on the founders of the party to mobilise against what he described as the party’s slip towards disintegration.
The suspension of the governor was, however, welcomed by the newly inaugurated Rivers State executive of the PDP that is opposed to the governor.
The governor’s suspension was hinged on what the party described as his refusal to order the reinstatement of members of the Obio Akpor Local Government executive who were suspended from office by the orders of the Rivers State House of Assembly upon allegations of corruption raised against the LG executive.
Hours after the suspension was announced, the party at a press conference said that it had constituted a committee headed by Mr. Joe Gadzama, SAN, to probe allegations raised against Amaechi.
Other members of the committee are PDP National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon; Inalegwu Onche, Friday Nwosu, Udorji Amedu, Ola Kukuyi, Wakil Mohammed, Yusuf Jangwe, Mrs Bola Doherty, Mr. Tanimu Adamson and Anicho Okoro as Secretary.
The time frame for the committee’s assignment was, however, not given.
SOURCE: VANGUARD

OGBONI CONFRATERNITY MEMBERS CLASH IN OGUN STATE NAIJA

Members of Ogboni Confraternity in Osogbo may have turned Osun Grooves to a battle groung following a serious fracas, which ensued, between two factions of the group.
During the fracas, which occurred last week, the Curator and Site Manager of the National Museum, Osogbo, under the National Commission for Museum and Monument Department of the Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Olakunle Makinde, was beaten up in the cross fire that ensued between the factions and he was hospitalised.
Consequently, staff of the commission, whose office is located inside the Osun Grooves, have deserted the place for almost a week for fear of being attacked like their boss.
It was gathered that the fracas started following attempt to appoint new leader of the confraternity in Osogbo, called Are Ogboni.
It was alleged that one Okiki was appointed the new Are Ogboni and was supposed to be crowned by the Oluawo, identified as Alhaji Adebisi, but because of the rift between Okiki and Oluawo, Adebisi was by-passed and the World President, known as Alaye, was invited from Imesi-Ile for the installation.
Shortly after the installation, the poster of the new Are Ogboni was conspicuously pasted on the Ogboni meeting centre, called Iledi, located inside Osun grooves.
It was learnt that some members loyal to Adebisi, the Oluawo, allegedly tore the posters, which resulted into fracas.
In the ensued melee, several people were reportedly injured as dangerous weapons were freely used before the intervention of policemen from the Zone 11 of the Nigeria Police.
Some personalities were arrested, detained and later released on bail.
Efforts of members loyal to Okiki, the new Are Ogboni, to take over the control of Iledi, compounded the crisis, as the two factions lay claim to the  centre located inside the grooves.
The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, and his traditional chiefs, were said to have intervened in the matter and appealed to the two factions to maintain the law and order, promising to look into the matter.
It was also learnt the matter have been officially reported to the Director General,  National Museum and Monuments, Yusuf Abdudala Usman, and Director of Heritage Sites and Monuments, Oluremi Adebayo, and security operatives for the protection of lives of staff of the Osogbo National Museum.

IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY : CONDOLENCES Angelina Jolie's aunt Debbie Martin dies of breast cancer

Angelina Jolie’s aunt has died of breast cancer less than a fortnight after the actress drew international praise for her decision to have a double mastectomy.

Debbie Martin died in a hospital near San Diego, California, on Sunday. The 61-year-old, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2004, was the younger sister of Jolie’s mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who also died of cancer in 2007.
The death is likely to further vindicate the actress’s decision to have both breasts removed after she discovered she had inherited the defective gene BRCA1, which gave her an 87 per cent chance of developing breast cancer and a 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer.
The 37-year-old Oscar-winner, who is married to Brad Pitt, was widely praised for her courage by health campaigners and politicians. The Foreign Secretary William Hague, who visited the Democratic Republic of Congo with Jolie recently as part of their joint campaign for international action against mass rape in conflicts, called her a “brave lady” who would be an “inspiration to many”. The actress, who is a United Nations special envoy for its work with refugees, said the reason behind her decision was to reassure her three biological and three adopted children that the illness which claimed their grandmother would not do the same to her.
Jolie’s operation has sharpened the debate over genetic diagnosis, allowing high-risk patients to take pre-emptive action against life-threatening diseases.
Debbie Martin’s husband, Ron, said his wife would have chosen to undergo preventive surgery like Jolie had she known about the risk of getting cancer before her diagnosis. “We have seen Angelina a number of times since Debbie was diagnosed with breast cancer,” he said.
“Debbie and I were both very proud of her recent decision to have the double mastectomy and to do everything she can to keep her family from having to go through what we’ve been through.”
BRCA1 is a mutant gene which greatly increases the chances of developing cancer. About 12 per cent of women will develop breast cancer at some point in their life, according to the US National Cancer Institute, and nearly two-thirds of women who inherit BRCA1 or a similar faulty gene, BRCA2, will contract the illness.

Girlfriend of Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas accused of 'playing down' his wealth

The girlfriend of Barcelona footballer Cesc Fabregas has been accused of playing down his wealth as she fights her ex-husband over their £7 million marital home.

The former Arsenal footballer’s girlfriend and mother of his children, Daniella Semaan, 38, is involved in a bitter legal dispute with her property tycoon ex-husband, Elie Taktouk.
Ms Semaan, who gave birth to Fàbregas’s first child two weeks ago, told judges that that she received little financial support from Fabregas.
Her evidence led Mr Justice Coleridge to rule that Mr Taktouk, whose has owns properties in Kensington and Chelsea, must sell the London flat, worth £7m, and provide Ms Semaan with £1.4 million to buy a new home.
A company, controlled by Mr Fàbregas, later made a £5.4 million bid to buy the flat.
Mr Taktouk, 38, now alleges that the move was part of a plot to allow Ms Semaan to keep the flat while making a profit of almost £1.5 million.
According to The Times, Stephen Lyon, a barrister acting on behalf of Mr Taktouk, argued that the previous judge would have ruled differently in the case had he known about the former Arsenal footballer's property plans.
“We say it is rather extraordinary that, less than three weeks after judgment was handed down, through his company in Barcelona he was offering to purchase [the flat],” he said.
The barrister also argued that both Fàbregas's wealth and how much he spent on his girlfriend were played down in the initial hearing.
However, yesterday the appeals court judge dismissed Mr Taktouk’s application, saying: “No doubt [Mr Fabregas] will support the child, but [his] long-term support for the wife is not something which could be counted on.”
An application by Mr Taktouk to block sale of the flat will be heard by a judge within weeks.

Brutal Truths : ALCOHOL AND PREGNANCY

As an expectant mother, Melissa trusted her doctor and never thought twice about taking his advice. That’s why when a friend told her that drinking an occasional glass of wine during pregnancy was harmless, she promptly checked with her doctor to confirm whether this was true. To her surprise, her doctor said drinking one glass of red wine a day was fine and may even help to increase circulation. And so she did.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and a range of lifelong disorders known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).

“He never asked me how many drinks I have a day or if I binge drink. There wasn’t any dialogue,” she recalls.

A growing problem

When Melissa gave birth, her baby boy looked perfect. But as he got older, Melissa realized things didn’t seem quite right.
“On his first day of kindergarten, the school called me because he had turned over all of the chairs that people, weren’t sitting in, turned over items in the kitchen area in the classroom and had thrown his shoes at the teacher,” she says.

Seeking help

Melissa and her son, now nine years old, continue on a journey to find the best possible care for him. Over the years, they have been to many doctors and counselors seeking a correct diagnosis for him. Because Melissa is aware of her alcohol use during pregnancy, she feels that this is the only possible cause for the behavioral and impulse control challenges her son faces.

Facing the facts

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and a range of lifelong disorders known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Behavioral and intellectual disabilities for people with FASDs include learning disabilities, hyperactivity, difficulty paying attention, speech and language delays, poor memory, low IQ, difficulty in school (especially with math and social skills) and poor reasoning and judgment skills. These issues are due to the specific type of brain damage caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. People born with FASDs can also have problems with vision and hearing, and problems with their organs including the heart and kidneys. FASDs are completely preventable if a woman does not consume alcohol during pregnancy.
Click here to learn more about other symptoms of FASDs.


source: Melinda Carstens

Really Sad: Wife of policeman killed in Badagry alleges neglect

Two years after the murders of three police officers attached to the Badagry Police Division on May 25, 2011, the wife of one of them has decried the inability of the authorities to bring the killers to justice.

Divisional Police Officer, Samuel Salisu, Divisional Crime Officer, Samson Okedusi and Assistant Superintendent of Police, Taofeek Afolabi, were killed by suspected soldiers attached to the 243 Recce Battalion Barracks, Ibereko, Badagry in Lagos State.

The slain officers were on a peace mission to the army barracks, allegedly on the invitation of the commandant of the barracks, simply identified as Colonel Nabasa, to settle a rift between the police and the army over the killing of a staff sergeant allegedly by a riot police officer attached to the Lagos State security outfit, the Rapid Response Squad on May 23 2011.

The wife of the DCO, Mrs. Temitayo Okedusi, told PUNCH Metro that the police and the government had failed to arrest and prosecute her husband’s killers.

She said, “It is two years now and we have not heard that anything has been done to those who killed my husband and other police officers in Badagry.

“In my husband’s case, I will continue to demand justice. I want the government to find my husband’s killers and bring them to book. If I had the means, I would have taken the government, the police and army to court for sweeping the death of my husband under the carpet.”

Okedusi said the police and most of her husband’s friends had abandoned the family, adding that it was difficult to even get her husband’s gratuity.

She said, “The people who promised to assist us are nowhere to be found. The proceeds from the little business I do are what we have been living on. Till date, we have not been able to access my husband’s gratuity because of the 10 per cent commission the Probate Court is asking for.

“We were asked to get a letter of Administration from the Probate Court. To do this, we are supposed to pay 10 per cent of Okedusi’s entire money in the bank to the probate court first. This will cost us N330,000.

“The family does not have this money and that is what is delaying us from getting my husband’s gratuity and entitlements. We are now stranded.”

Okedusi lamented the inability of the police force and government to take care of the wives and children of slain police officers.

She said, “Serving policemen are not helping the wives of the dead officers. Despite the fact that my husband died in active duty, we have been left alone to fend for ourselves.

“If the government is assisting the wives of soldiers killed by Boko Haram and militants, they should also compensate the families of policemen killed in active duty. There is a day set aside for remembering fallen soldiers, but there is no recognition for the policemen killed while protecting this country. This is not fair.”

Samson Okedusi was killed five months to his retirement from the force.

The Chief Executive officer of CLEEN Foundation, Innocent Chukwuma, during last year’s remembrance, had said the Badagry Police Station won the Altus Global Alliance, Annual Police Station Visitors Week Award, under the leadership of the slain officers in 2010.

Chukwuma had said, “It is unfortunate that the officers were brutally murdered as the Badagry Police Station, under their leadership, won an Altus award last year. We were told that the police and the military will set up a panel to investigate that heinous crime. As we speak to you today, the report of that panel has not been seen.”

source: punch metro

Residents flee as hoodlums kill policemen, injure many

Some suspected hoodlums on Thursday, killed two policemen and injured unspecified number of residents in Imowo Nla community in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

One of the policemen, named Ikpi Ikpi, an inspector, was said to have been ambushed in the early hours of Wednesday.

An eyewitness, who craved anonymity, said Ikpi and some of his men were going for a  raid in company with some residents when he met his untimely death.

The eyewitness said, “It was around 4am on Wednesday when Ikpi went for a raid in the community. But unknown to him, some hoodlums from Ikorodu had laid siege to the community.

“Because the community was enveloped in darkness at that time, the Inspector and his men were unaware of the hoodlums’ presence. Ikpi was hit by a bullet fired by the hoodlums.”

He said the other policeman, who died on Thursday, was cut with machete on Tuesday, when the hoodlums numbering over 100 first invaded the community.

 “On Tuesday when the hoodlums struck, only four policemen were available. The hoodlums attacked the policemen to send signal to the community.  Three of the policemen ran away, but the last one was inflicted with machete cuts.

“The policeman, who was initially rushed to a hospital in Ikorodu, died today (Thursday),” the eyewitness said.

it was  learnt that some of the hoodlums were members of the Imowo Nla community.

A community leader, who did not want his name mentioned, said, “Some of them are our children. They have aligned with some criminals to unleash mayhem on the community because they do not have the freedom to sell lands anyhow in the community.

Because of the invasion by the hoodlums, residents have fled their homes.

A resident, who identified himself as Wale, said fear had pervaded the entire area as the hoodlums usually come out in the night to unleash havoc.

It was learnt that some of the hoodlums had been arrested by the police.

It was learnt that officers of the Police Mobile Force and men from Area N command overpowered some of the hoodlums and arrested an unspecified number of them.

Head of Ifegbua Family in Imowo Nla, Chief Ishaka Aborisade, appealed to the relevant authorities to ensure permanent security presence in the community.

Aborisade said if not for the heavy police presence in the area, the casualties would have been unimaginable.

He urged the government to investigate those unleashing mayhem on the community.

When visited the community on Thursday, it was observed that the small community was heavily guarded by fierce-looking policemen drawn from the Mobile Unit and from Area N command.

source: punch metro

Son takes father to court for assault

A 27-year-old man, Aliu Yekini, brought his father, Kareem, before an Ejigbo magistrate’s court for slapping him in the face with a native ring.

He said the action made him to almost lose his left eye.

Kareem, who was arraigned on  three counts of assault admitted slapping Aliu but said it was with a “decorative ring” and he never meant any harm.

The Magistrate, Mrs. M.B Folami, rebuked Kareem for assaulting his son and said he could have reprimanded him in a mild manner.

She said, “I think I am supposed to hand you over to the Lagos State Government. What if you had removed his eye? Because you gave birth to him does not give you the right to batter him to the point of almost blinding him.”

Folami however asked Aliu if he took local gin, popularly called paraga, and smoked cigarette, which the latter admitted to.

She said, “Better go and mend your ways and stop taking cigarette and paraga. That was what your father was probably trying to correct you on when he almost blinded you.”

In a dramatic twist, Aliu told the court that he wanted to withdraw the charges against his father and would want to settle the matter the family way.

After being led in evidence to ascertain what informed his decision, the three counts was quashed against the defendant.

I kidnapped my aunt to DEAL with her – Lebanese (WICKEDNESS)

A 23-year-old Lebanese, who was arrested for kidnapping his 61-year-old aunty, told journalists on Thursday that he committed the crime to punish her.

The suspect, Mohammed Dannawi, said he kidnapped the victim, Alhaja Essa Dannawi, not because of money but because she offended him and his wife.

He said he carried out the evil act with a former employee of his aunt, Obi Kwentua, to whom he gave the spare key to her house.

He said, “My aunty did something very bad to my wife and I and so I decided to punish her. I met with Obi (Kwentua) and told him that I wanted my aunty kidnapped. I gave him the spare key to her house and he in turn hired some boys to do the work.

“On the day of the operation, I left the house and five guys stormed the place and took my aunty away. The plan was not to demand money from her, it was just punishment.”

It was learnt that the kidnappers, however, demanded N100m ransom but later agreed to collect N4m. It was while attempting to collect the ransom that one of the suspects was arrested.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said after Essa went missing, policemen started by interrogating members of her immediate family.

She said Mohammed confessed and through his cooperation, his aunty was rescued.

She said, “On May 2, 2013, at about 3:15am, a Lebanese woman, Essa Dannawi, who is 61 years old, was kidnapped at her residence at 40, Abule Nla Road, Ebute Meta and the case was transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The officer in charge, Abba Kyari, had an extensive interview with members of her family and her nephew (Mohammed) was arrested on May 9.

“Upon interrogation, he confessed to organising the kidnap because his aunt offended him. SARS operatives used him to arrest his accomplice (Kwentua) at Rita Lori Hotel, Surulere, where he came to collect N4m from the relatives of the victim. She (Essa) was later released at Oyingbo area.”

It was learnt that the other suspects were still at large.

JAMBITES TAKE NOTE: Fraudsters flood Internet with fake UTME results

Fraudsters have taken to www.topix.net, an online forum disguising  as officials of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board. They are promising candidates sitting for the ongoing Computer Based Test version of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination an upgrade of their scores.

A total of 91,610 students who registered for the computer-based test, in lieu of the traditional paper-to-pencil-test, in the JAMB 2013 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations are sitting for the ongoing CBT, which will last till  June 1 in various centres across the country. However, the results of the Examination is being released in batches.

Our correspondent, who visited the website on Thursday, observed that parents and guardians as well as their children and wards were being canvassed to place calls to various designated telephone lines in order to have their results upgraded.

One of the fraudsters, with the name Mr. Imade,  states on the forum, “JAMB Computer Based Test Result is out. Mass failure was recorded. For help and upgrading call081432418***.”

To deceive unsuspecting members of the public, some of the fraudsters listed some names and claimed that their UTME/ CBT results had been upgraded. One of the fraudsters, who registered his identity on the forum with ‘JAMB Official’,  posted a list of 11 names which he presented as a testimony to the kind of assistance that  he was ready to provide for his supposed clients. Those he listed scored between 200 and 277 marks.

While posting the list, he explains, “Congratulation to the following names (sic) for your score has just been upgraded. For those student who still wish to upgrade their jamb scores and get admission in to their various schools, they should contact us on 07068320***.”

On Wednesday,  another fraudster stated on the website, “Congratulations to all JAMBITES that have checked their results. Is your result been (sic) seized not released  or you score is too low. Here is an opportunity for you to upgrade your result up to 270. Contact us on 08104546***.”

For those who have yet to write the CBT exam, the fraudsters have promised to supply answers to  the questions. One of such fraudsters is called Thompson,  who claimed on the forum  to have  assisted scores of candidates seeking admission into higher institutions of learning.

Thompson said that answers to all questions would be sent to the mobile phones of all those who patronised his services, at least two hours to the CBT examination.

Thompson said, “This platform is for 2013/2014 Joint Admission and Matriculation Board CBT answers only. If you have registered for 2013/2014 JAMB CBT, here is your opportunity to Score 280+ in this exam and be free for ever from JAMB issues every year.

“To get your JAMB CBT answers, send your four UTME subjects, JAMB registration number to 08063223126 and call to know how you can get the answers.

“Heaven helps those who help themselves,  hurry now. It is not all about brilliance, but “connection” and ‘who knows who.’ It is guaranteed because giving students the best always is my primary assignment and I’ll and that is why they all trusted me.”

Meanwhile, the fraudsters went on to perfect their scheming by posting testimonies of those they had supposedly helped with CBT result upgrade on the platform. One of such persons, with the name, Joy, who commented on a thread opened by one of the fraudsters, Mr. Rowland, says, “Thank you for upgrading me from 171 to 219.”

However,JAMB has issued a disclaimer via its Facebook page in which it distanced itself from such activities.

JAMB says claims made by such fraudsters on the Internet were untrue and that they have no access to its database.

The warning  it posted on the social network states, “Information reaching JAMB shows Internet fraudsters are already telling candidates that their results could be upgraded in one form or the other. This is pure deceit, the public and candidates are hereby advised to disregard these fraudsters since they do not have access to our data.”

Pregnant woman, husband, sell unborn baby for N200,000

A 23-year-old pregnant woman caused a stir at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters on Thursday after she confessed that she had sold her unborn baby for N200,000, in advance.

The suspect, Adaeze Mba, who was arrested for conniving with her husband to sell their neighbour’s four-year-old son for N400, 000, said it was poverty that pushed them to crime.

She confessed that she and her husband, Chibueze, had sold two other children for N700, 000.

She said, “In March 2013, my neighbour’s son, Stanley Ezeaka, was following me about in the compound at Jakande Estate and it was at that time that my husband received a phone call from his partner that she needed a child for sale. My husband then suggested that we took Stanley even though he was a bit old.

“We travelled to Imo State the following morning and sold him for N400, 000 after  which we relocated to Calabar.”

When asked why she took to crime and how she would feel if someone bought her own children, she said, “I am seven months pregnant and as I speak to you, my husband has already sold our unborn baby for N200, 000.

“I was against it but he convinced me to agree to it, saying he had already collected the money.”

When asked about the other children she and her husband had sold, she said, “The male child was sold at N400,000 while the female child, who was two months old but is now over a year old, was sold at N300,000.”

Chibueze on his part, said he went into the business last year. He said he had sold ‘only’ three children to his business partner, Benedicta Ogbonna, and maintained that the children were in turn sold to caring parents and not ritual killers.

He said, “One of the children was born by a mentally challenged woman; so I have committed no crime by selling the child to people who would take care of her.”

Ogbonna, who bought the three children from Chibueze and his wife at different times, said she sold children to bAREEN.

She said, “I am doing this business for humanitarian reasons and not for monetary gain. I am 35 years old and I have four children. I can never sell my own children and in fact my husband does not know I am into this kind of business.

“Chibueze brought Stanley to me and told me that his mother was a prostitute so he sold him to me at N400, 000. I then sold Stanley to Mrs. Patricia Anibogwu for N600,000. So far, I have sold only three children. I buy boys at N400, 000 and girls at N300,000.

“I use the money to take care of people and also invest it in my business. I sell shoes for a living at Anambra Wholesale Market.”

Anibogwu, who was the final buyer, said she thought Ogbonna was an employee of an orphanage. She said she bought Stanley because she was lonely having lost her husband.

She said amid tears that, “I was married for 28 years without a child. After my husband died, I decided to adopt the child because I was lonely. Someone introduced me to Ogbonna. Ogbonna told me she worked at an orphanage and would sell Stanley to me for N600, 000.

“I used my savings to pay for him and she brought Stanley to a roadside. I took Stanley home and started taking care of him like my own child. I changed his name to Uchenna. Ogbonna promised me that she would give me legal documents later but, unfortunately, I was arrested.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, urged parents to be vigilant and also advised childless women to go through the formal process of adoption rather than buying children.

She said, “In March 2013, one Caleb Ezeaka reported at Ilemba Hausa Police Division that his son, Stanley, had gone missing the previous day, adding that he was last seen with his neighbour, Adaeze Mba. All efforts to reach the neighbour proved abortive as she and her husband had disappeared and their phones were switched off.

“Through investigations, we traced them to Calabar and they confessed that they had sold him at N400,000 to one Benedicta Ogbonna. We traced Ogbonna to Anambra who then said she had sold him to Patricia Anibogwu for N600,000. So we arrested them all.

“Adaeze and her husband, Chibueze, confessed that they had sold three children to Ogbonna and they were also rescued. One of the children was sold when she was three months old and she is now a year and three months old.”

SOURCE : PUNCH

Pope Francis: Being an atheist is alright as long as you do good , Hmmmmmm !!!!!!!!

Pope Francis has said that atheists should be seen as good people as long as they do good, in a move to urge people of all religions - or no religion at all - to get along.

The Catholic leader, who heads the 1.2 billion-strong Church, made his comments in the homily of his morning Mass in his residence, a daily event where he speaks without prepared comments.
He told the story of a Catholic who asked a priest if even atheists could be redeemed by Jesus.

"Even them, everyone," the pope answered, according to Vatican Radio. "We all have the duty to do good," he said.

"Just do good and we'll find a meeting point," the pope said in a hypothetical conversation in which someone told a priest: "But I don't believe. I'm an atheist."

Pope Francis's comments are in marked contrast to his predecessor Benedict, who is reported to have left some non-Catholics feeling that he saw them as second-class believers.

Video has emerged of suspect Michael Adebolajo at an Islamist protest in 2007 (Left, in white clothes)

Woolwich murder: Government defends security services

The government has defended security services against criticism they missed signs which might have helped prevent the murder of a soldier in London.

The UK's security services face a Commons inquiry after it was confirmed the two men arrested over the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby were known to MI5.
But Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said it was impossible to control everyone all the time.
The suspects are known to be Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale.
Mr Pickles told BBC Breakfast: "Peers and MPs will do a thorough investigation in terms of what the security forces knew but I've seen experts on security explaining how difficult it is in a free society to be able to control everyone."
Drummer Rigby, 25, was murdered on a street in Woolwich, south-east London on Wednesday afternoon.

A prayer service was held for Drummer Rigby in his home town 

Shortly after the killing, a man, thought to be 28-year-old Mr Adebolajo, was filmed by a passer-by, saying he had carried out the attack because British soldiers killed Muslims every day.
Armed police arrived on the scene 13 minutes after the first 999 call and shot the two suspected attackers, who had made no attempt to flee.
Footage of shooting More than 30 people have been attending a prayer service in Drummer Rigby's home town of Middleton, Greater Manchester on Friday morning. Residents on the Langley estate where he grew up are being urged to fly union jacks by community activists.
The former head of counter terrorism at MI6, Richard Barrett, told BBC Two's Newsnight programme how hard it could be to detect attacks of the type seen in Woolwich - despite the suspects having been known to MI5 for eight years.
"I assume that these people are probably coming out of a small group without, necessarily, any overseas connections or any other broader connections in the United Kingdom which could come to the attention of the security services more than they did," he said.
"When does a person who expresses radical views, who joins a radical group, flip over to be a violent extremist?
"To find the signals, the red flags as it were, I think is enormously hard."

Woolwich killer named as Michael Adebolajo: both attackers known to MI5

One of the Woolwich killers is a British citizen of Nigerian descent who became obsessed with Islamic extremism as a schoolboy, it was revealed today.

Former classmates of Michael Adebolajo told the Standard how he started becoming interested in Islam aged 15 or 16 having been raised as a Christian.
They said his Nigerian parents became so worried about his behaviour that they moved him from their home in Romford to London in a bid to protect him from being radicalised.
Today anti-terror police raided addresses in London, Lincolnshire and in Romford and took away members of his family for questioning.
Both killers of the British soldier who was hacked to death in the street in Woolwich yesterday were revealed today as known to MI5 but are thought to have acted alone.
But detectives are investigating claims that Adebolajo may have been radicalised after attending meetings of the now banned group Al Muhajiroun.
Adebolajo, believed to be 28, was filmed after the atrocity wielding a bloodied meat cleaver, saying: "We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you."


In the chilling footage, with hands covered in blood, he explains his terrifying actions, saying : "We must fight them as they fight us. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,"
The killer is said to have formally converted to Islam in 2003 when he started using the name Mujahid.
He attended Marshalls Park school in Romford and was described as a "nice, normal guy" by friends, who expressed "utter shock" at seeing him on television covered in blood brandishing a meat cleaver and machete, declaring "you and your kids will be next".
A friend, who asked not to be identified, said: "He was a Christian. A nice, normal guy. All his friends were white and used to go round to each other's houses all the time.
"He started getting involved with Islam aged about 15 or 16, and that is why his parents moved him away out of the area. It is utterly shocking to see what he has done. It's unbelievable."
Adebolajo began attending meetings of the banned Islamist organisation Al Muhajiroun and its successor organisations but stopped going two years ago.
Anjem Choudary, the former leader of the group, said: "I knew him as Mujahid. He attended our meetings and my lectures. I wouldn't describe him as a member [of Al Muhajiroun]. There were lots of people who came to our activities who weren't necessarily members.
"He was a pleasant, quiet guy. He converted to Islam in about 2003. He was  just a completely normal guy. He was interested in Islam, in memorising the Koran. He disappeared about two years ago. I don't know what influences he has been under since then."
His accomplice in the attacks is believed to have come from nearby Harold Hill.
Anti-terror police were today preparing to question the two men who are under armed guard in two London hospitals. Neither is said to have life threatening injuries after being shot by armed officers who arrived at the scene.
Officers were searching several addresses in London, Romford and Lincolnshire which are connected with the men.
A woman, said to be Michael's sister, was taken away by police from an address in Romford while officers raided a house in Lincolnshire believed to belong to his dad, nurse Anthony Adebolajo, 56.
In another raid in Greenwich neighbours told the BBC that four people - two sisters in their 30s, an older woman and a teenage boy, were all taken away in a police van.
The Prime Minister pledged to be “absolutely resolute” and urged Britons to carry on with their everyday lives.
In a statement outside No 10, David Cameron said: “This country will be absolutely resolute in its stand against violent extremism and terror.
“We will never give in to terror or to terrorism in any of its forms.”
The Prime Minister said every community in the land was united in condemnation of the murder. He praised the brave women who tended the body of the dead soldier and stood up to his killers.
But he said there was no reason for people to change their lives. “I’m not in favour of kneejerk responses,” he said. “One of the best ways of defeating terrorism is going about our everyday lives and that is what we shall do.”
Assistant Commissioner Simon Byrne urged Londoners to remain calm after around 50 supporters from the English Defence League threw bottles at police near the scene of the Woolwich murder last night.
He said : "The investigation into the shocking murder of a serving soldier yesterday is ongoing, and is of course a major investigation for us.
"It is only right that the ongoing investigations are allowed to take place and I would ask for Londoners help and support for us to continue. Please remain calm. London is at its best when we all come together and now is the time to do that"
He also denied reports that it took armed officers 20 minutes to reach the scene of the attack in John Wilson Street, Woolwich yesterday.
Police said the first 999 call to reports of a man being attacked in Woolwich was logged at 2.20pm. Four minutes later firearms officers were ordered to the scene following reports that the men were armed with knives and a gun.
Police said the first armed officers deployed to confront the two men 10 minutes later at 2.34pm.
Scotland Yard formally confirmed today that the victim was a serving soldier but said they were not releasing his name at the request of his family.
Security chiefs, police and politicians, including London mayor Boris Johnson, met to discuss their response to the "barbaric" attack at a meeting of the Government's Cobra crisis committee this morning.
Leaving the meeting of Cobra, which lasted around one hour, Mr Johnson appeared to indicate that yesterday's attack was being seen as a one-off incident.
He said: "Everything I am hearing leads me to think that Londoners can go about their business in the normal way and we are going to bring the killers to justice."
Earlier Mr Johnson also praised the bravery of the people of Woolwich in standing up to the two killers.


Witnesses said the two men first used a car to run over the soldier who was wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt.
Then they dragged him to the side of the road and using a meat cleaver and knives hacked at him "like a piece of meat" and tried to behead him.
The men then dumped his body in the middle of the road and calmly talked to bystanders while they appeared to wait for police to arrive.
Meanwhile, a woman who risked her life to confront one of the killers who murdered the soldier in broad daylight in front of horrified passers by described how she tried to calm him moments after the barbaric attack.
Cub leader Ingrid Loyau-Kennett, 48, was on a bus heading through Woolwich when she spotted the stricken soldier lying bloodied in the road.
Her bravery - and that of others who tried to reason with the killers - has been praised, particularly in the wake of amateur footage from the scene, which shows one of the killers making political statements about the slaughter while still brandishing weapons.
She told ITV Daybreak : "He said 'Don't touch, I killed him'. I said 'Why?' He said 'He's a British soldier. He killed people. He killed Muslim people in Muslim countries'.
"And I said, OK. So what would you like? I tried to make him talk about how he felt. He said all the bombs dropping and blindly killing women, children
The victim, thought to be aged 20, had reportedly been on duty at an Army recruitment office in central London was on his way back to the Royal Artillery Barracks when he was attacked.
The dark blue Vauxhall Tigra used in the attack in John Wilson Street was covered with a red tarpaulin and taken away by a tow truck last night.
Security was tightened around all military bases across the UK today.
In London extra armed patrols were deployed around barracks but sources denied reports that military personnel had been told not to wear uniforms off base.
In a statement, the Greenwich Islamic Centre said: "The Muslims of the Greenwich Islamic Centre in the Royal Borough of Greenwich today condemn in the strongest terms the barbaric murder of a serving Army officer and share the grief and sorrow of the nation. Our hearts go out to the family, colleagues and friends of the victim of this despicable and horrific tragedy.

My friend tricked me into robbery -Suspect

The usual excuses of armed robbers when caught were “this is my first time,” but this seems to have changed with the confession of an armed robbery suspect, Abiodun Olabode, who during interrogation by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, confessed how his friend tricked him to the robbery.
Olabode, in his plea, confessed that he never knew that his friend was a member of an Abeokuta-based gang of armed robbers.
“I came to Abeokuta because he said I should come to collect money, which he promised me, because I had earlier begged him to assist me.”
But the adamant 29-year-old, who refused to mention his friend’s name, explained that he was excited when his friend asked him to accompany him to a place where he would collect the money he would give him. Olabode said he had already arrived at the place, when he realised that he had slipped into troubled water with the countenance of the men he met.
During the robbery operation at Metro-Patrol of the PHCN installation at Oke-Efon axis, Abeokuta, some vigilant residents beat the robbers by alerting the NSCDC office after which a team quickly stormed the scene.
While other members of the gang escaped unhurt, Olabode could not, hence his arrest and the wild jubilation of the residents who showered praises on the NSCDC for their timely intervention that saved the day.
A resident who pleaded anonymity said “How the NSCDC officials operated that day was a reflection of the quality of their training. We know another law enforcement agent that would rather give us an excuse than coming to rescue us from the robbers,” the source said.
One short gun and one Nokia phone were recovered from the scene, but Olabode maintained that he knew nothing about the items.
The NSCDC commandant, Ogun State Command, Akinwande Aboluwoye, is set to deploy more men to the government owned installations to ward off the vandals.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the command, Kareem Olanrewaju, the commandant had also ordered the immediate transfer of Olabode to a sister agency for further investigation and prosecution.

I cherish lovely boobs, smooth faces - Boy Alinco

Bayo Bankole  better known as Boy Alinco came into the limelight acting as one of the characters in the Papa Ajasco and company series. The graduate of Drama from the Obafemi Awolowo University of Ife has since become a household name in Nollywood. He speaks with Joan Omionawele on his journey into acting, his new movie, his family, among other issues. Excerpts.

WHY and when did you go into acting?
Well, that is something I cannot really explain, my life as actor started when I was young, I attended African Church Secondary School and I was a strong member of the drama club. Fortunately for us, we had a teacher who was art inclined. I usually played lead roles even though that was amateur stuff, but after secondary school, I discovered National Theatre and the place was not far from where I lived.

During those days, I could not afford to pay for transport, I therefore used to trek to National Theatre for rehearsals. I think Lisabi Theatre, which is still there really created the opportunity for me to go into acting.

There was this big guy, Hakeem Akinmoladun, who used to play basketball and used to come around and then fans would mill around him to hail him, I always looked at him from a distance and quietly wished I was a superstar. Maybe this was among the things that prompted me to go into acting. Also, I think it is a career God has chosen for me.

How has the journey been?
It has been so wonderful and interesting, there have been ups and downs but nothing comes so easy. But in arts and entertainment, you get to a level where you get established and you must have set a standard for yourself and people appreciate you and discover that you are well endowed and ups and downs will become history. At a point, an artiste gets well created and appreciated.

What is the difference between Bayo Bankole and Boy Alinco
I have dropped that name since 2007, but Bayo Bankole is a serious and focused person unlike Boy Alinco, who was portrayed as a playboy.

Why did you drop it?
It is a question I really do not want to answer, there have been  different insinuations about my departure from Wale Adenuga Productions, I really don’t want to open old wounds.

What are you doing at the moment?
I have my own production outfit, I an MC too.

What’s next for you?
I have produced a new movie, called Oloja Ire, and its been out since late last year. I have been a freelance actor all my life, and I am not really under any control

How did you and Pepeye fit so well into those roles?
I acted with just one Pepeye, Eunice Alele, a wonderful lady

(cuts in)..Are you still in contact with her?
She is outside the country now. I have lost her contact as we haven’t spoken in years.

We had a perfect chemistry because we were like a family, it was like we shared a bond, we joked when appropriate. We were like a team, I could call Pa James a vulture and I could tease Papa Ajasco about his big tommy, on and off set, we were like brothers and sisters.

And that is the only way you can have a perfect comedy, When there is no complex, you don’t feel inferior and you don’t feel superior, a perfect blend creates a perfect team for situational comedy.

Are you trying to say some people were making you feel inferior?
No, don’t get me wrong, I mean in comedy, you must have a brotherly relationship because it gives you a perfect  way to express yourself. Comedy is an internal thing. Check out the stand-up comedians we have today, though I am not a stand-up comedian, what I know about stand-up comedy in terms of performance is that the comedian must have a perfect synergy with the audience.  If not, there is no way the comedian would not make a mess of himself because he would either not be able to please the audience or be misunderstood.

You are meeting them one on one and that flow must be perfect. So, when you are having a situational comedy, that’s  comedy for television, the whole team must be able to relate with ease.

The whole team must be able to joke among themselves, abuse one another, using light jokes. For instance, the Boy Alinco now might not be able to insult Pa James and that is what really works out. The relationship between the whole team was beyond the series. This was a man that made me develop goose pimples the first day I met him on set because I used to watch him when I was a little child.

Why were you chosen for the role?
I cannot really explain it, but I would say destiny brought me to act the role

(Cuts in..) Not your character, perfection or physique?
 Owo blow was shot in 1995 and the guy that shot the movie was with Wale Adenuga at AIT, Mr Niyi Wuraola. I was in school then, but I used to come from Ife for the recording every weekend. I saw the audition notice for Papa Ajasco and Company and  refused to go because I wouldn’t want to go there and it would turn out to be a movie and I would have to leave school and spend two to three weeks recording  movies.

That Saturday, I returned for the shooting of “Magnet” another soap I was acting, I got the card of Mr Wale Adenuga from my boss, Mr Taiwo Ogundipe, he told me that Mr Adenuga was telling them that he had gotten every other character except ‘Boy Alinco” and Mr Wuraola immediately told him that he needed to go and look for me, once you get him, you have gotten your character. And that was it.

What was your background like?
I grew up at Ebute Metta and attended African Church Primary School,

And your parents allowed you to study Drama? Those days, parents either wanted their children to be lawyers and doctors or what do you think?
Well, when I decided to study drama, I was already fending for myself. After my secondary school, I worked briefly with Federal Radio Corperation of Nigeria for about two years and after that, I had to resign to go back to school.

Are you thinking of going into full-time comedy?
I cannot go into full-time comedy, as I am already an actor. I am so flexible that I can do anything, act anything, I do not want to be a clown.

So, you can act softer roles?
Of course, you need to see my new movie Oloja Ire, when you see it you would see the real me. I was able to really express and purgate emotions

But that is not the impression that people have?
Well, maybe that was because of the Boy Alnico character, I am a very serious and flexible person, I can fit perfectly into any role.

What do you value most in life?
My family is irreplaceable, I value my environment, my people and the people around me.

For how many years have you been married?
Nine years…

What has been your most painful experience in life?
I don’t think I have one.

Why, are you not a human being?
I don’t get pissed off easily because of my religion, I am a Christian Cabalist.

What does it mean to be a Christian Cabalist?
 Cabalas are a set of Christians who believe that Jesus Himself was the perfect example of a Cabalist.  Believing in Cabala and believing in Christ makes you a Christian Cabalist. As a Cabalist, we don’t feel pain because whatever happens to us is the way we have planned it. I have been able to manage my life and so there is no pain.

During the making of the soap opera, there was a rumour that you were very frivolous and non challant?
I am not surprised  about the impression people have about me because I live my life the way it comes. Yes, I used to smoke, but I did not stop because I had cough or tuberculosis, I stopped because I needed to stop and in my negotiation with God, I told him that I wanted to stop.and I stopped.

What is the most embarrassing thing you have done?
I can never be embarrassed.

Who is your role model?
Al Paccino, Olu Jacobs. Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett, Sola Fosudo and Ola Rotimi. They are wonderful people.

What kind of people can’t you work or live with?
I don’t run away from people, but I don’t like catty people, cats are close to man but not as close as dogs. You know when a dog is angry but you can never know when a cat is angry, they are very sly, and sly people are dangerous.

Is there anything you did then that you feel you should have done better?
I don’t think of the past, I think of the future and try to move with time.

In other words, are you fulfilled?
To God be the glory, yes. If I don’t do what I am doing, I would have been a filling station attendant.

Are you still in contact with Wale Adenuga?
I just did a soap entitled Itohan with him.

So, you don’t have any rift with him?
He is a very nice and wonderful person, we had our personal differences which have been sorted out.

What qualities do you look out for in a woman?
Brain and beauty

What specific attributes do you look out for, every man looks for brain and beauty?
…Lovely boobs, smooth face.

source: trib

5 killed as cultists invade Alaba Market , Lagos

THERE was pandemonium at the popular Alaba International Market, Lagos, on Wednesday, as five people were killed by gunmen.
The deceased were suspected cult members, who were caught unawares by a rival gang that invaded the market around 3.30 p.m.
The incident occured around Fancy and Furniture section of the market, as sounds of sporadic gunshots shook many parts of the markets.
Traders and buyers at the market scampered for safety, as many shop owners hurriedly closed their shops for the fear of being attacked.
An eyewitness, simply identified as Segun, who claimed to have arrived the scene shortly after the gunmen escaped, said five bodies were lying dead close to Ubakazon Plaza in the market.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the victims were drinking at a joint in the market when the gunmen opened fire on them, killing five of them instantly.
A senior police officer at Oojo police station, while speaking under the condition of anonymity, confirmed that four people were killed “close to Alaba Market.”
The police officer, however, denied that the deceased persons were traders, insisting that they were “miscreants,” drinking at a joint.
Efforts to get the reaction of the image maker in charge of the state police command, Ngozi Braide, failed as her mobile phone was switched off.
Meanwhile, the corpses of the deceased men have been taken away by policemen from Oojo police station.
SOURCE; TRIBUNE

Sickening, deluded and unforgivable Bloody attack brings terror to capital’s streets

 

 Terrorism returned to the streets of Britain yesterday when a soldier was murdered by two suspected Islamists who attempted to behead and disembowel him as he left a barracks, in the first deadly attack since the 2005 London bombings.

One of the suspected killers, who addressed an onlooker who had a camera, said the pair had carried out the attack "because David Cameron, [the] British government sent troops in Arabic country".
As pedestrians stood close by the armed men, he went on: "We swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you," according to footage obtained by ITV News .
The Independent understands the dead soldier – who was wearing a Help for Heroes T-shirt – was a member of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, which is currently based overseas. He was ambushed by the men as he left the base in Woolwich, south-east London, who attacked him and then dragged his body into the middle of the road to pose for photographs while standing over him waving a cleaver and a gun, according to witnesses.
Mr Cameron was cutting short a meeting with European leaders to chair a meeting of the emergency committee Cobra today as police and security services investigate whether the two men – later shot and wounded by police – were working alone or as part of a bigger group.
"It's the most appalling crime," he told reporters in Paris. "We are obviously urgently seeking the full facts but there are strong indications that it's a terrorist incident."
He said that they were looking at every aspect of security for troops across Britain, but he added: "The best way to defeat terrorism is to make sure you continue to live your life and make sure that terrorism never wins."
The London Mayor Boris Johnson added: "This afternoon's attack in Woolwich is a sickening, deluded and unforgivable act of violence."
Only hours after the attack was carried out, video footage of one of the suspected killers emerged. With his hands bloodied and carrying a cleaver, he is seen telling the bystander with a camera: "I apologise that women had to witness this today but in our lands our women have to see the same. You people will never be safe. Remove your governments – they don't care about you."
The man, who spoke English without a foreign accent, then saunters back across the road towards his victim lying in the street to join his apparent accomplice. The two men made no attempt to escape and charged a police car carrying an armed response team when it arrived at the scene about 15 minutes after the killing, according to a witness.
"The black guy ran at them with a meat cleaver before it stopped and he was right by the car when they shot him," said Julia Wilders, 51, who lives close by. The second man, who had a gun, was also shot, she said.
The men were taken to separate hospitals by air ambulance and they were expected to survive despite their injuries, according to police last night.
The men were believed to have waited outside the Woolwich barracks of the 2nd Battalion, the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, which has deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, where one of its members, Sergeant Johnson Beharry, won the VC.
Military sources said the soldier had left the barracks by car, but witnesses indicated that he was rammed while walking along the road in an apparently pre-arranged ambush, before being attacked while he was propped up against a wall of a block of flats.
One witness, identified only as James, said he and his partner saw two black men attack a young man aged about 20 with kitchen knives like he was "a piece of meat".
"They were hacking at this poor guy, literally," he told LBC Radio, adding that a group of brave women tried to shield the soldier from the two men.
"They were hacking at him, chopping him, cutting him. These two guys were crazed. They were just animals. They dragged him from the pavement and dumped his body in the middle of the road and left his body there."
Children returning from a school trip were kept locked inside nearby Mulgrave Primary School while the police operation played out.
One local woman said she thought she saw one of the suspects preaching in Woolwich town centre about a week ago. Her daughter, Rebecca France, 18, said yesterday: "It was really political and angry. She said she thought it was strange because he was different from the usual guys who preach in the name of Jesus – he wasn't doing that."
The Muslim Council of Britain said the use of "Islamic slogans" indicated they were motivated by their faith. A statement from the council said: "This is a truly barbaric act that has no basis in Islam and we condemn this unreservedly. Our thoughts are with the victim and his family. We understand the victim is a serving member of the armed forces. Muslims have long served in this country's armed forces, proudly and with honour.
"This attack on a member of the armed forces is dishonourable, and no cause justifies this murder."
Police had set up a series of cordons around the scene last night with extra police patrols in the area and helicopters crossing the skies overhead. The Independent Police Complaints Commission said it sent 12 investigators to the scene to investigate the police shooting after reports of at least six shots being fired.
Shortly before 10pm last night the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, confirmed the murder investigation was being led by Counter Terrorism Command with two men arrested. He added: “It is hard to comprehend the shocking and horrific scenes we have seen this afternoon on a busy street as Londoners went about their day as normal.”
Last night there were clashes between EDL supporters and police in Woolwich after officers surrounded the local Islamic centre.
Islamists have threatened a number of times to behead a British soldier in retaliation for involvement in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Six years ago a group of British Pakistanis based in Birmingham were convicted of plotting such an attack and their leader, Parviz Khan, received a life sentence.
Khan admitted planning to lure a soldier off the streets then film the beheading. He was described in court as having the "most violent and extreme Islamist views" and his aim was to deter any Muslim from joining the British Army.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT

BIZZARE!!!!!!! MAN ATTACKED IN THE OPEN AND BEHEADED IN UK

Two men spent the night under arrest in hospital as counter-terrorism police investigate the killing in Woolwich.
One man - his hands covered in blood- was filmed by a passer-by, saying he carried out the attack because British soldiers killed Muslims every day.
The PM is to chair a Cobra emergency response committee later.
David Cameron flew back from France yesterday to lead the government response. The meeting will be attended by politicians, the UK's most senior police officer and the new head of MI5.
Meanwhile, security has been increased at barracks across London.
The two suspects were shot and wounded by police after the attack - which took place in John Wilson Street, the A205, at 14:20 BST.
One is in a serious condition while the other is also being treated for injuries.

This man was photographed brandishing a knife and speaking to a woman at the scene

Eyewitnesses say the victim was hacked to death by two men shouting Islamist slogans.
The men made no attempt to flee and encouraged people to take pictures of them and their victim.
One of the men was filmed wielding a bloodied meat cleaver and making political statements.
"I apologise that women have had to witness this today, but in our land our women have to see the same," he said.
"You people will never be safe. Remove your government, they don't care about you."
The other was pictured holding a knife and speaking to a woman at the scene.

Nine reasons your man can’t trust you; compiled by a woman

If you complain that your husband or partner does not trust you, he may have good reason not to. Of course there are men who are just insecure, suspicious and jealous and do not have the ability to trust anyone. In the case of the man who is unable to trust, you may be able to change your behaviour to make him more comfortable, but he also has to take the steps that are needed to overcome his trust “issues”.The following are the reasons that may be standing in the way of a loving and trusting relationship with your “honey”:

You try to control everything
If you take over everything, you never give your man the opportunity to “do his thing”. This sends him a silent message that you have no faith in him and you don’t trust him. Why should he trust you if you don’t trust him? Trust is learned and earned and it is a two-way street. To build trust with your man, start with small things like letting him pick the restaurant when you go out to eat or letting him pick the movie on date night.

 You’re not vulnerable
No one can be a “superstar” at everything and when you allow your man to see where you fall short, you are opening the door to a more intimate and trusting relationship. Let him see you without all the hair and make-up work, so he can see and accept the real you. You may feel a little insecure but once you see that it’s safe to be yourself, he will feel safe too.

 You don’t cry on his shoulder
You don’t have to be a weepy mess all the time and literally cry on your man’s shoulder but you can confide in him when you have something troubling on your mind. When you confide in him, he feels more comfortable confiding in you as well.

You’re judgmental
Being judgemental and critical of your partner is one of the quickest ways to kill the trust in a relationship because it makes your partner feel unsafe. People make mistakes and if they don’t feel like they can still be loved and accepted, they are less likely to trust. If your man makes a mistake and tells you about it, judging and criticising him means that next time he won’t trust you enough to tell you what happened. The same goes for feelings; if he tells you how he feels about something and you dismiss his feelings, he will not tell you how he feels next time.

You don’t keep your word
If you say you’re going to do something, do it. Once you start saying you’re going to do something and then don’t follow through, you’re showing your partner that you can not be trusted. Even with seemingly small things like time; when you agree to be somewhere at a specific time, don’t be late.

 You’re two faced
If you act one way in front of him and then another way in front of your parents, he may start wondering about you. If you can hide who you are from other people, who’s to say you’re not hiding things from him as well? The same goes for telling lies. If he hears you being dishonest with others, he can wonder if you are dishonest with him as well.

You’re not honest all the time
Tell your man the truth. Even small lies add up over time. It is better to just tell the truth rather than risk eroding the trust in your relationship.

You’re secretive
If you’re a secretive person, it can be hard for your man to trust you, especially if he’s been betrayed by you or someone else before. Be as open as you can about who you’re talking to, emailing, texting and spending time with.

 You don’t “have his back”
Your man needs to feel like you’re on his side. If you disagree with him, it’s better not to do it in mixed company, for instance. Support him in the moment and if it’s important, you can tell him about which points you disagree with, in private. Your man can’t trust you if you throw him under the bus in front of other people but he will appreciate it if you reserve your disagreements until the appropriate time.

Fortune is angry with me - Kanayo O Kanayo

Kanayo O Kanayo, fondly called KOK by friends and fans, is a veteran in Nollywood. With 33 years in the industry, the Imo State- born actor and alumnus of the University of Lagos speaks with Adunola Oladapo on his success story in the movie industry and his new love, politics. Excerpts:

For Nollywood, you have been there all the way. What can you say about the industry? Has it been a success story? What are the challenges and necessary interventions that would move the industry higher?
Nollywood is a sure, definite success story; the only industry in Nigeria that came from nothing to something; never enjoyed any government patronage, yet became a brand. However, Nollywood as presently constituted got to its peak before it started.  I recall with nostalgia the days in Lagos, Enugu etc when production buses moved in different directions for shoot. We were at work, producers generated employment, directors developed technical know-how to those who understudied them, and fledgling actors emerged.

There was passion and practitioners were committed. What you watch on DSTV now is what I would describe creatively as “Operation was successful, but the patient died.” This was how good we were 10 years ago. The grass is no longer green. The days and years of passion, commitment, creative engineering has reduced. I feel very bad to be reporting this very sad commentary. For a clearer understanding of those outside the precincts of Nollywood, the industry was nurtured by the benevolence of traders, who did their best to produce movies in video cassette format.

There was no design to build an industry. Till date also, no design has been made to build an industry, hence, the industry is largely unstructured.
The marketers/distributors as designated also doubled as executive producers (sponsors), they did utmost “miracle” of turning around this video market to a world brand of filmmaking.

What did they get wrong along the line?
They took all the risks but failed to employ the services of experts who could help it transit to the level of sustenance it needed for new trends and challenges that evolved. There is a lot to say but for another day. By intervention, government must buy into the industry and bail it out. If those who laboured and made Nollywood an international brand are finding it difficult benefit from the $200m facility, it is the duty of government to remove whatever obstacles, so that resources can be ploughed into the art and entertainment industry to strengthen it.
There has been absence of institutional funding mechanism. For the survival of Nollywood, the following points are critical: establishment of enabling law for enhancement of professional practice. Creation of synergy between various parastatal agencies for greater efficiency. Promotion of foreign and local investment in the industry; favourable tax laws in form of tax rebates and tax holidays and lastly, practitioners, especially actors, should be sponsored to international festivals.

Can you tell us some of your achievements?
I have received several professional and service awards in Nigeria and abroad including Afro Hollywood Award London 2000, African Actor of the Year 2006, Ambassador Award New York 2009 and Nollywood Award of Excellence.

33 years as an actor, do you feel fulfilled and see your life as a success story worthy of emulation?
This is one area I may not have wanted to comment on. I am constrained for the reasons of evaluation of the years gone by, especially for posterity sake to say that God has been most benevolent to me in terms of my life and talent. If not for artistic and intellectual contentment, I would have left a long time ago. The actor in Nigeria is loved but not respected.

My contemporaries in other disciplines have better stories to tell than I do. My children are expected to go to the best schools, fame has smiled on me, but fortune frowns constantly and threatens my retirement.

What are some of your memorable roles that give you sense of satisfaction and those you really wouldn’t have taken if you had had a choice?
 I do not romanticise over passionate roles or dispassionate ideas. Every role represents a gap between a character and its linkage to other characters. But suffice it to say that “Lost Kingdom,” produced by Infinity Merchants in 1999 presented a glimpse of how people graduate from one crime to the other. It was exhilarating to lead one of the largest casts in a Nigerian movie set to achieve that standard of movie production in 1999.
 I would not have taken those that did not put Nigeria first, those that lacked social relevance to the labours of our heroes’ pasts, those that had strong dictates from executive producers who only thought about profit and not about creative enterprise.

You usually play dignified roles like a rich man, top politician, successful businessman or at times, one who will do money rituals. Has this anything to do with your personality? Can you choose your roles?
Not by design but by casting. The casting directors or panel decide who plays what. The actor has no contribution to this, only his flexibility does

How does your role in movies affect your relationship with the public?
I am at home with the roles I play. I am at peace with the Almighty God for giving me the talent to exhibit what he implanted in me. My fans see my role as close to nature and are proud of me, as I am one of them in their millions. God bless Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike. I say this with every sense of modesty; I am one of the most beloved actors of this generation. I do not know why people love me this much.

If you were not an actor, what would you have been doing?
For me, I would have been a lawyer.

Can you tell us about your family?
I am married to Nneka Onyekwere and we have a family of four. A girl and three boys. They all live with me happily in Lagos.

No doubt you are a veteran in Nollywood and certainly have paid your dues. But with your new interest in politics, do you think you are prepared for politics and do you have the requisite experience in human management?
I have been in several areas in the private sector managing men and resources. My understanding so far has been very intriguing. It’s fascinating. Human capacity development and what you refer to as human management are essentially related. To develop human capacity, people must be given platforms to express their talents in a very friendly environment. That way, the inner capabilities will surface.

No individual is without a talent. I have allowed men, women, boys and girls who have worked under me as Public Relation practitioner, actor, among others, to express themselves without limitations, and to those I have mentored, it has been a rewarding and worthwhile experience. When I am confronted with such statement as ‘do you think you are prepared to play politics,’ it elicits the feeling of treachery. As a Masters Degree holder in Political Science from the University of Lagos, I feel somehow offended by that street definition of politics as simply characterised by thuggery, arson, ballot box snatching, killing, maiming etc. That statement makes me remember what Shirley Maclane said, “It is useless to hold a man to anything he says while he is in love, drunk or running for office. I do not know how to play politics, I know how to serve.”

Specifically, what do you want to achieve in politics, first for yourself and then for the community, the nation?
 It is self evident that politics offers a wider opportunity for effecting change, access to government and the governed, show the light and the people will find the way. For my community, I want to be continuously seen as an asset to the people, development, and standards for measurement of values and creative enterprise.

And for this great country, that has offered me access to harnessing my other talent, I want to be one of the ideological dispatch riders of this nation by imposition of ideological supremacy on the psyche of our people – what the former Senate President, the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, would refer to as Quotable Quotes. With my varied talents, I do not want to be a passerby or an on- looker to the events that shape our nation.

What is your plan for 2015 and which political party would you be considering?
The year 2015 looks far, yet very near. My people will decide. I am in constant touch with my constituency and in regular consultation with the needs, challenges and aspirations of my zone. My membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is by choice, political prostitution is not an option to effective representation. The year 2015 is the bridge, when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. We crawl, walk or run, but surely we will cross it.
SOURCE: TRIBUNE