Ten hunters have been arrested by the Ondo State police command over the mysterious death of one of their colleagues, Abiodun Olanipekun during a hunting expedition in Arigidi Akoko, Akoko North West area of the state.

The deceased also a hunter was said to have gone on hunting expedition with his friends in the thick Agbaluku forest in Arigidi only to be brought back dead.

According to the OndoState police PRO, Wole Ogodo, the preliminary investigation showed that Olanipekun committed suicide. He however noted that investigation into the case continuing.

The family of the deceased revealed that reports brought by the suspects was that Abiodun Olanipekun, while fiddling with his dane gun mistakenly shot himself dead.

Another source said he aimed the gun at an animal but the bullets refused to be released following which he decided to adjust it only for the cork to snap killing him instantly.The police, is however, trying to unravel another report that maybe one of the hunters mistakenly shot the deceased thinking he was an animal during the expedition.

However, Vanguard learnt that the bullets pierced through his mouth and the head and ripped it open.

He was said to have died on the spot and his corpse deposited at the mortuary of the Specialist hospital in Ikare. His 10 friends are said to be in detention at the Oke-Agbe Divisional Police station for questioning but the police PRO, Ogodo claimed ignorance of the arrest of the suspects.

Ogodo, however, said that a paramount traditional ruler in the town reported the matter to the divisional Police station in Arigidi.

An Uncle of the deceased, Mr Dele Ajayi who confirmed the death of Abiodun said that several versions of what happened in the forest during the tragic hunting expedition were given by the suspects.

Ajayi, however, said that the family members of Abiodun have taken the ugly incident as an act of God.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that the traditional ruler has promised the police authorities in the state to help in fishing out other suspects now on the run.

Police PRO said that the investigation into the death of the hunter continues.

Imagine a popular Nigerian actress, Bisi Komolafe died a day before new year. She was not privileged to see 2013.

Another popular musician and a Nigerian Representative in Big brother Africa, Goldie died on Valentine’s day. Before the news of Goldie’s death could die down, another Nollywood Actor and producer, Collins Chukwu Died in Abuja Hospital after a brief illness, barely a week today.

The following morning, Monday, a Nigerian Former Super Eagles defender, Okey Isima was announced dead by his close friends. As if these deaths were not enough, Nigerians were thrown into another shock and painful loss of another Nollywood Actor, Justus Esiri last Tuesday.

But the bitter truth is that some else is in the hospital right now struggling for life. Somebody can’t read this. There is someone breathing his/her last breath at the moment, but the Lord has given you a better life.

You are Alive and kicking today. Is it because you are special? Think twice and Appreciate God and His unconditional love for you.

We decree to your life at this moment of time, that:

 

    what is killing others will not kill you
    what is affecting others will not affect you
    the road that some people passed and die, you will pass through it and be save
    your name will be spiritually changed to success and favour
    throughout 2013 you will not know sorrow

And you will see 2014 among the living.

A 60-year-old man who said he’s a pastor, Simon Dike, and three other persons were, yesterday, arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate Court in Lagos, for allegedly selling a month and 18-day-old baby boy for N60,000.



Three men were yesterday arraigned before an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrate Court for allegedly selling a month-old baby for N60,000.

The accused persons are Simon Dike, 60, who claimed to be pastor, Joy Uzochukwa, 27, the mother of the baby; Margaret Obinwa, 49, an auxiliary nurse and Chibuzor Ogbonna, 50, who was said to be the father of the baby.

The baby’s father is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy in human trafficking and selling of a baby, while the auxiliary nurse, Obinwa is facing a one-count charge of purchasing the baby, and Dike is also facing a two-count charge of human trafficking and failure to use all reasonable means to prevent the commission of the offence by the mother of the baby and the auxiliary nurse.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Police prosecutor, ASP Henry Obiazi said “all the accused persons are residents of Odongunyan, Ikorodu and the crime was committed on January 4, a day after the baby was born, at De-Ifes Medical Centre, Odogunyan, Ikorodu, Lagos.”

Obiazi told the court further that Uzochukwa went to meet Obinwa to help her abort the pregnancy as an auxiliary nurse but she encouraged her not to abort but sell the baby, adding that Obinwa then introduced Uzochukwa to Dike, who wanted to buy the baby, as he has has been married for 28 years without a child.

The prosecutor said that Uzochukwa signed an undertaking not to demand for the baby after collecting the money, which she accepted the offer.

“Uzochukwa left Ogbonna who impregnated her because he didn’t take care of her and married another man, called Kingsley, who later hatched the plan to sell the baby boy to the men of Oodua Peoples’ Congress, OPC who later reported the case to the police,” the prosecutor added.

The Chief magistrate, Miss S.O Solebo, who presided over the case granted Uzochukwa and Dike bail in the sum of N100, 000 each with a responsible surety in like sum, while Obinwa and Ogbonna were granted bail in the sum of N200, 000 each with two sureties in like sum, and ordered that the baby should be taken to Lagos State Motherless Babies home in Victoria Island, Lagos, while Uzochukwa should only be permitted to see the baby under the supervision of the matron of the Home.

She then adjourned the case till March 13 for further hearing.

Tonto Dikeh who made her début in Nollywood few years back is naturally fair in complexion. But despite this, the controversial actress has gone ahead to tone her skin in a manner that makes her to  look like  a ‘weird beauty.’Her fans are expressing fear that the actress whose green veins have become so obvious through her now thin-layered skin, may soon break down with a skin disease.

Speculations are also rife that Tonto may have gone through a whitening machine to get her skin whiter than normal.

WG  learnt from a tweet bird that despite Tonto’s denial that she’d stopped smoking, the actress is still secretly smoking her thing. A concerned fan of the actress expressed her fear this way:  “This girl will not kill herself.”

You’ve heard that phrase before, “Live every moment as if it was your last.” In this season, as we remember singer, Goldie Harvey who passed on last week, it now more than ever before bears repetition. If the ‘Touch my body” singer knew that she was nearing the end of her days on earth, would she have done things differently? It’s quite difficult to say; because the dead don’t talk. But as we go through the last days of Goldie Harvey, perhaps you can answer that question for yourself.

Her final event

The last event Goldie Harvey officially attended was the 55th Grammy awards in Los Angeles. The singer is said to have arrived the event in the company of Kenny Ogungbe, Founder of Kennis Music and Nollywood actor cum politician, Richard Mofe Damijo on February 12.However, because there were no photos taken in the actual hall or on the actual red carpet at the grammy awards, many believe that the bunch could not get into the venue. Until Goldie’s passing on, social media was awash with mix feelings about her leopard skin dress as well as her pose on the streets of Los Angeles and not at the Grammies. There’s an event we are sure she actually attended; a pre-Grammy party with American Musicians Ciara, and Chaka Khan on February 8th.

The Diva’s last words

It’s quite difficult to decipher what Goldie’s last words were, but her last tweet is one to remember. On February 13, few hours before she passed on, Goldie tweeted on her personal twitter page, OLUWAG?LDIE ?@GoldieHarvey:   “A season of abstinence enhances creativity, inner strength and major answers to prayer…?”Goldie did her last photo shoot with her very close and equally controversial friend, Derenele Edun for SIMS magazine. Goldie looked Goddess-like in a black dress and magnificient make up for the shoot. Derenle was one of the last people who saw her alive.

Her last Interview

Goldie’s last known official interview was with an online station, Ibakatv in November 2012. In the five minute chat, the singer spotting a revealing gold dress opened up about her growing up, education, likes and dislikes and her experience in the Big Brother House. When asked about her beauty tips, Goldie said: “Surround yourself with happy people who will make you happy, because if you’re miserable, you’ll always feel ugly.”

The smile seemed to disappear from her face when asked about alleged visits between herself and Prezzo. “It’s my personal life” she said, “it’s my business and how I choose to live my life is no one’s business.” Ironically, Goldie though playfully, mentioned death in that interview. Her words: “I hate cockroaches, if I see a cockroach here, I could just take off my clothes and just die.”

The Controversial star’s last scandal

“What was Goldie’s last scandal?” This is one question that we will be trying to answer for years to come.  Just when we thought that the BBA drama with Prezzo would last us a lifetime, Goldie passed on mysteriously with a lot of hullaballoo as to the cause of her death.

Then came Andrew Harvey with the wedding pictures.  Before we could recover to take a breather, Ifeoma Harvey who claims to have been Goldie’s best friend says the deceased star snatched her husband, Andrew who is seriously ill in a hospital in Malaysia.

Whether friend or family, fan or foe, the Goldie situation sure makes you wonder: “What if today was my last day on earth?”

As things stand now,Kenyan rapper, Prezzo may not be ‘allowed’ to see the corpse of his beloved friend, Goldie, if the threat made by the songstress’ husband, Andrew Harvey is anything to reckon with.

During the week,  Malaysian based Briton, Harvey who happens to be legally married to Goldie and also, an administrator on Goldie’s official facebook page, warned Prezzo never to bother to attend Goldie’s funeral rites. He accused the Kenyan rapper of causing a lot of pain to the family.However, following the threat, Prezzo during the week returned to his country. Those in the know said, he made his flight booking last Monday.

Andrew claimed that he agreed with Goldie to keep their affair private but the mere fact that she   had publicly moved on with Prezzo left much to be desired.  Prezzo, Goldie and Channel O TV presenter, Denrele Edun were in the final stages of launching their reality show dubbed ‘Tru Friendship’ but all this has been dealt a blow.

4Sho 4Shizzy star had travelled to Nigeria to spend a late Valentine’s night with Goldie but unfortunately, that was the very day she passed on. Prezzo was speechless until the following day when he penned down a poem as a tribute to his dear friend he met in the Big Brother Africa house.

Goldie’s death brought  Andrew Harvey to the limelight with pictorial evidence of their 2005 Wedding which was followed with a warning to Prezzo to leave “him and Goldie’s family to mourn in peace as he had caused us lot of pain.”

OPERATIVES of the Nigeria Custom Service, NCS, Murtala Muhammed International Airports, MMIA, Command, yesterday arrested a passenger with $1.1 million at MMIA, Lagos on his way to Kenya.



This came as the command intercepted over $12.1 million from 14 persons who tried to smuggle money out of the country in contravention of extant regulations in 2012.

Disclosing this development at NCS office at the airport, Area Comptroller, Mr Charles Epowei Edike, identified the passenger as Professor Ofoegbu  Charles Ononuju, who claimed to be the director of an oil firm (name withheld). According to Mr. Edike, the professor with passport registration number A04008969 claimed that he was travelling with such a huge amount of money to solve a dispute with Kenya community over oil blocks.Edike said “the passenger declared the currency both on forms CDF1A and CDF1B, but claimed he was travelling with Kenya Airways flight number QR542 to Kenya, to solve dispute with Kenya community over oil blocks”

The Comptroller noted that the passenger and the currency had been handed over to officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation.

Giving detail of activities of the command in 2012, Edike said in 2012, the NCS, MMIA Command intercepted over $12.1 million from 14 persons who tried to smuggled money out of the country in contravention of extant regulations.

LAGOS — An alleged mastermind and prime suspect of Monday bomb explosion at Miracle Sand Beach in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State,which killed the chairman of  Sand Dredgers Association, Chief Oladele Pius, and injured a Police Inspector,  has been arrested.The suspect whose identity could not be ascertained was alleged to have orchestrated the explosion with the help of nine other persons. Surprisingly, he was discovered to be one of the deceased oldest staff.

Vanguard gathered that he was arrested at the scene of the blast, yesterday, while retrieving some wires buried under the sand, suspected to have been  connected to the explosive device which rocked the area.

None, at first, raised an eyebrow when he was  sighted loitering around the explosion scene, which has been vacated by the deceased colleagues. But all of a sudden, a man later discovered to be an undercover policeman reportedly appeared from nowhere and apprehended him with the wires.

Although it could not be ascertained what his mission was, Police sources hinted that it could have been a ploy to further hinder the already difficult attempt by bomb experts to ascertain  the type of explosives used.

Effort to reach the Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, on the arrest failed. But sources at the Police Headquarters, confirmed the arrest, hinting that investigation at the end  would ascertain the real position.

Suspect names 9 accomplices

 It was also gathered that during interrogation, the suspect mentioned nine other persons as his accomplices. At press time, it was gathered that the investigative team headed by the Area ‘E’ Commander, Mr Dan Okoro, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, was on the trail of the suspects mentioned. It was, however, said that some of them had bolted.

“Yes, it is true that we are holding someone in connection with Monday’s explosion.  We are still quizzing him. From the way he is talking, he looks suspicious. But we cannot outrightly state whether he is the prime suspect or not now until investigation is concluded,” Police sources told Vanguard yesterday.

Youths plan protest

Meanwhile, youths and beneficiaries of the late Oladele’s kind gesture still throng his apartment.

When Vanguard visited, the youths were planning to stage a peaceful protest to Alausa to expressed their displeasure at the Lagos State Police Command position that an electrical fault caused the death of their benefactor and also to appeal to Governor Babatunde Fashola to prevail on the Police to fish out perpetrators of the dastardly act.   They even deprived some policemen from entering the deceased duplex

However, family members o f the late Oladele have  reportedly started making arrangement on his interment.

*As Tambuwal tasks IGP to produce Maina now
ABUJA- MEMBERS of the House of Representatives Tuesday supported the earlier call by the Senate to sack Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force Team, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina.

Also, the Speaker of the House, Hon Aminu Tambuwal has asked the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar to produce Maina to answer questions on how over N200billion pension fund was allegedly mismanaged.

The resolution to concur with the Senate over Maina’s sack arose from a motion brought to the floor of the House by the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon Albert Sam-Tsokwa representing Taraba State tagged: “House Concurrence to Senate Resolution on Dismissal of Mr Abdulrasheed Maina for Refusal to Appear before the Senate.”
Abdulrasheed
Tsokwa who led the debate said that: “the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Wednesday 13th February 2013 passed Resolution (S/Res/033/02/13) requesting, that Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina be dismissed from the Public Service of the Federal Republic of Nigeria immediately and be disengaged from all acts relating to public duty;

” The Inspector General of Police should appear before the Committee on Police Affairs to give reasons why he did not act on the Warrant issued by the President of the Senate.”

After deliberations on the matter, the Speaker put the motion to a voice vote and it was unanimously adopted.

The Speaker however, charged the IGP to immediately liaise with Interpol and get Maina arrested.

He said, “we won’t be fighting corruption in isolation of some people through selective processes. Whatever Maina represent we cannot pretend to be fighting corruption yet we are condoling corruption.

“Every available fact here is against him, those of us in high places must not be seen to be condoling corruption or we will be seen to be paying lip service to the fight against corruption. Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina should be investigated and prosecuted. “

President Francois Hollande confirmed that seven French tourists from one family, including four children, were kidnapped Tuesday in northern Cameroon and said he suspected a Nigeria group was responsible.

“What is most probable is they were taken to Nigeria,” Hollande said, adding that they were seized by a Nigeria-based “terrorist group that we know well”.

The  seven French tourists, apparently three adults and four children, were kidnapped Tuesday by unidentified men in northern Cameroon, near the border with Nigeria, a source close to the French embassy in Yaounde said.

“Seven French tourists were captured today by men, apparently on motorbikes, in the Cameroonian locality of Dadanga on the frontier with Nigeria,” the source said. “Clearly the tourists were returning from the Waza natural park.”

A security source in the area told AFP the kidnapping “involved three adults and four children,” adding that security forces were hunting for the kidnappers the length of the border with Nigeria.

An anonymous source in Waza park said the tourists went to visit the park yesterday. “They slept in the park’s tourist camp where they left this morning,” the source said.

It’s the first time that Western tourists have been kidnapped in Cameroon, although hostage taking frequently occurs off the Cameroonian coast, the last incident dating back to February 8.

Gunmen suspected to be terrorists on Monday night in a separate attacks in Konduga and Askira- Uba Local Government Areas of Borno state, razed down Divisional Police Headquarters including vehicles parked within the premises and killed a Police inspector (name withheld), a vigilante member and a civilian.

Konduga is about 40 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital which had witnessed series of attacks and killings in recent past. While Askira- Uba is about 180 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital which shares boarder with some parts of Adamawa state.

Our correspondent report that the separate incidents which started simultaneously at about 6:30pm when the terrorists, fully armed with sophisticated weapons came to the towns, took the policemen in Konduga Divisional Police Station on duty unawares, where they started shooting and later threw some Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to the police station and razed it down completely.

The Konduga attack led to the killing of a Police inspector leaving about five of them sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds.

Also in the Konduga attack, a police source said the official vehicle of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and others within the premises were all burnt beyond recognition.

The source who is a Police officer in Maiduguri confirmed the incident in a telephone call. He said, ” at about 6:30pm, some suspected terrorists attacked Konduga and Lassa town of Askira -Uba Council areas where they killed an Inspector, he added that in the Lassa attack, a vigilante member and one civilian were also killed by the attackers.

Sanaa – A Yemeni military helicopter crashed in a crowded neighbourhood in the central area of the capital Sanaa on Tuesday, leaving at least five people killed and several others injured, local officials said.

Officials at the operation room of the Yemeni Air Force Base confirmed that a military helicopter crashed near the Sanaa University in downtown Sanaa, where thousands of protesters against former President Ali Abdullah Saleh have been camping for nearly

two years.

One of the officials said that the crashed helicopter was a “Russian-made Sokhoi”.

According to a Yemen Times report, the chopper was on a training mission when it crashed.

Rescue operations were on with ambulances moving the injured to hospitals.

A military plane crash becuase of a technical problem killed 13 people in Sanaa on

Feb. 15.

Ten people were killed when a military cargo plane crashed in the city on Nov 21

LAGOS — It was a bloody weekend at Igando area of Lagos State, when a suspected kidnapper said to be operating in Delta State, attacked the Lagos home of his girlfriend, killing her and seven others.

Vanguard gathered that the alleged kidnapper, identified simply as Henry, who is currently on the run, stormed the home of his girlfriend known as Sandra, around 10 p.m on Saturday, with an Ak-47 rifle and opened fire on all the occupants of the apartment, leaving Sandra, her elder sister, with two of her elder sister’s children dead.
Sandra’s twin sister and one of her elder sister’s daughter, however, survived.

Henry was also said to have proceeded to the home of another of Sandra’s elder sisters, living in the area, where he reportedly killed the woman and her three children.

The news of the killing quickly threw the area into disarray, as residents hurriedly shut their doors to avoid being hit by the rampaging kidnapper.

Policemen from all formations in the state were said to have raced down to Igando in search of the kidnapper who they said drove in a Sport Utility Van, SUV, to the scene.

Sources told Vanguard that an occupant of the building where Sandra was killed, reported at the Igando Police Station that robbers were operating in their building.

But when the police got to  the scene, the gunman had left, but they discovered the lifeless bodies of Sandra, her elder sister and her children, while Sandra’s twin sister who sustained  bullet wound told the police who their attacker was.

According to a source, who pleaded anonymity: “Sandra’s twin sister told us that the attacker was her late twin sister’s boyfriend who is familiar with everyone in their family but nobody knew he was a kidnapper.

“She told us that her late sister used to visit the boyfriend, Henry, at his base in Delta State and in one of such visits two weeks ago, some heavily armed men stormed Henry’s apartment manhandling Sandra in the process.

She added that the armed men reportedly told Sandra that her lover absconded with their share of the ransom paid to them for one of their  kidnapping exploits, threatening to wipe out all his (Henry’s) family members if he did not pay them their money.

Thereafter, Sandra contacted her family members in Lagos, informing them of what had happened to her and they rushed to Delta State and brought her to Lagos for proper treatments. But while she was receiving the treatment, Henry, feeling betrayed, stormed their Lagos home. She told us that the moment Henry entered their apartment, her sister’s children welcomed him without knowing that he was out to kill them.

LAGOS — Two persons, one of them said to be a prophet with a white garment church, have been arrested by the Police in Lagos, following  the discovery of fresh human parts in their custody.



Vanguard gathered that policemen attached to Ikotun division on patrol accosted two men at about 12: 30 p.m, Friday, with a Ghana-must-go bag. When they requested to know the content of the bag, one of the men bolted.

When the bag was eventually opened, fresh human parts were found  inside  two containers.
The  recovered parts  included  five fingers, a human heart, liver, kidney and intestines, all concealed in separate plastics filled with water. The plastics were, thereafter, tied inside separate polythene bags and kept  in the carry-all bag.

Apparently to avoid suspicion, the suspects added soup ingredients such as salt, tomatoes and two pairs of bathroom slippers in a separate nylon bag which they placed on top of the human parts.

However, during interrogation, the arrested suspect identified as Kunle Olaide, claimed the bag was given to him by his friend who bolted when they were stopped.

On further interrogation, it was discovered that Kunle and his fleeing partner, slept in the  church the previous night.

Kunle confessed to be coming from the church located in Egbe area of the state when they were accosted by the policemen. His confessional statement led to the arrest of the said prophet of the church, Dare Akinrosoye.

 

She wept like a baby as the court said they had ceased to be husband and wife after 21 years of marriage.

She denied all the allegations levelled against her including the killing of the junior wife and her child.

It all happened at an Agege Grade A Customary Court, Lagos where the husband, Wahab Adekola, had dragged her over alleged fetish acts and nagging.

The court granted the husband’s prayer to dissolve the marriage, saying it had broken down irretrievably. As court president Emmanuel Shokunle made the pronouncement, the respondent Abibatu, a civil servant, threw herself on the ground and refused to be consoled.

”I do not know anything about the death of his wife and child. I loved my husband. I shared every single penny I made with him, when he had nothing”, she said..

”I contributed to the building of the house.I built a house for another woman to dwell in, now another woman will train my children for me.

”If I had known, I would not have contributed to the building of the house he is staying in now with his wife”. The petitioner,  Adekola, a transporter, who lives at Aparadija new site, Ota, Ogun, narrated during the hearing of the case, how his second wife died alongside her child.

”I went outside to look for love when I was frustrated by the woman I married; I needed a woman that would pamper me. ”I found love outside my home; but the woman died suddenly with our five-month-old baby.

”I am so sure my first wife was responsible because she always threatened to kill any woman associated with me.

”She nagged a lot, she was troublesome and always in the mood to fight. I did not enjoy myself throughout our stay together.

”She pushed me to have girl friends because she did not give me peace at home; also, I am a true Muslim, I am entitled to marry more than one wife.

”Any time she heard that I was going out with any lady, she would look for the lady and threaten to kill her,” he said. ”I lived in fear all through my years with her, yet, I paid for everything at home. I want the court to dissolve the union. ”I want the court to tell her to desist from coming to my abode and I want custody of my children,” he said.

In her defence, Abibatu, of number 9, Biodun Sobadan Street, Agidingbi, denied the allegations.

”My husband was a good and loving man when he had nothing, but because he is comfortable now, he does not want me again,” she said. ”I am ready to leave him, but I want the court to beg him so that he will not kill me. I know I was charmed by either him or one of his girl friends that wanted him at all costs”.

Following the discovery of dead bodies found floating on Ezzu river in Anambra State, the five local government areas of Awka North, Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum and Oyi which make up Omambala area of Anambra State, on Thursday, expressed fears that all the communities along the Ezzu River that empties into Anambra River may become victims of an epidemic.

A delegation of Omambala Forum visited the palace of the traditional ruler of Amansea, Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo, to discuss the fate of the various communities living along the river, as the delegation’s leader, Dr. Nnanna Egwu said the communities should be taken into consideration, in view of the environmental consequences posed by the floating dead bodies to their people.

“Ezzu River is part of the great Omabala River and if it is polluted in Amansea because of the mysterious dead bodies floating on it, it will equally affect other communities within the area. This issue has been discussed at the enlarged meeting of Omambala Forum.

“The river that passes through Amansea is part of Omabala River that traverses over 20 communities and that is why the matter should be of great importance to everybody. We are using this medium to appeal to the Federal Government to wade into this matter because before December last year, our people reported that some dead bodies were floating in our river. We did not take it seriously because it was not up to the magnitude of the Ezzu River discovery,” he said.

The House of Representatives, yesterday, moved to ban the use of foreign currencies in local and domestic transactions in Nigeria. This was sequel to a motion brought to the floor of the House by Hon Nadu Karibe, representing Bayelsa State.

Karibe who led the debate had argued that “every country has its currency which serves as a means of exchange, a symbol of identity, a source of pride and a sign of independence and economic stability.”

He also observed that “without equivocation, the Naira is the only means of exchange for local and domestic transactions in Nigeria. There is a growing trend in the use of foreign currencies, especially the US Dollar for payments of school fees, hotel bills, real estate, rent and purchase in bars, night clubs, luxury good shops, in Nigeria.”

He further argued that “this trend has led to the high demand of these foreign currencies, especially the US Dollars in Nigeria.”

Speaker of the House, Hon Aminu Tambuwal at this juncture asked members to make their contributions.

In his contribution, Hon Warman Ogoriba said: “I was in South Africa where I wanted to pay my hotel bills in dollars and it was rejected. Honestly I was pleasantly surprised because here Nigerians freely use the dollar. I urge members to support the motion and the CBN to ban the use of foreign currencies in local transactions”.

Speaking in the same vein, Hon Buba Jibrin representing Kogi State said: “In my opinion this motion is very timely. In foreign lands we are made to change dollars into local currencies using our passport as an identification mark. But here in Nigeria even in our shopping malls dollars are freely used and that is wrong. It is only the high and mighty that spends Dollars the way they like.”

Speaking against the motion, Hon Aminu Sulayman said: “I see this motion as a glorified one as only inconsequential number of Nigerians use the dollar in Nigeria. This matter should be left for the appropriate authority to handle or the motion should be thrown out through the window.”

The Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal quickly pointed out to Sulayman that there was no window in the chamber.

Also in his contribution, Hon Ali Madaki representing Kano said: “If Nigeria is really serious and wants investors, we need to use Dollars. If we look at Dubai today Dollars are openly used and just in the 1970s they came here to borrow money from us. They wanted to borrow $10 million but the then Obasanjo administration was told the place was a desert but look at Dubai today, is it not better than Nigeria? We need investors to grow our economy

A man who was declared ineligible for unemployment benefit has died after setting himself on fire outside a job centre in western France.

Police in Nantes tried to stop the unnamed man, 43, but he managed to pass them, dousing himself in petrol and setting himself alight. The police had been alerted by messages he sent to the media announcing his plans to kill himself publicly.

The jobless number in France recently rose to levels not seen in 12 years. With more than three million people unemployed, the Socialist government has struggled to create new jobs in its first year in office.

Last month, a jobless man in the Spanish city of Malaga also died after setting himself alight. On Tuesday morning, the man in Nantes sent an email, declaring his intention to burn himself, which was later published in a local newspaper, Presse-Ocean. He said he had worked enough hours to qualify legally for benefit but had been refused.

Nearly three hours later, the man wrote again to say the centre was closed and he planned to return there with petrol, either on Wednesday or Thursday. Police mounted a watch outside the job centre on Wednesday morning after trying unsuccessfully to contact the man, an unnamed policeman told the paper.

“But this man arrived via an adjacent street,” the policeman said. “He was already in flames and out of sight of the police.”

Rescue services were unable to save the man’s life. The state employment agency in Paris confirmed the man had been registered at the centre in Nantes and said he had no longer been entitled to benefit. Local politicians reacted with horror to news of the self-immolation, adding that only a formal inquest could perhaps establish the man’s true motives.

“The collective reality of unemployment should not make us forget the everyday, individual distress of each unemployed person,” said Jacques Auxiette, chairman of the Pays de la Loire regional council.

Chris Brown and Drake are taking their feud to court.

Brown and Drake have reportedly sued each other over the nightclub brawl that went down at New York City’s W.i.P. last June, according to TMZ.

Model Romain Julien allegedly filed a lawsuit in August against both R&B stars as well as the SoHo hotspot for injuries he claimed he sustained, TMZ reports. But neither Brown nor Drake is taking the blame and each is asking the judge to make the other pay damages in the event Julien wins his suit.

This is not the first legal drama to come out of the brawl, which was supposedly sparked by an argument over Rihanna.

Although no criminal charges have been filed, NBA star Tony Parker filed a $20 million lawsuit against the club’s owners a week after the June 14 incident, notes MTV News.

Additionally, the owner of Greenhouse and sister club W.i.P. sued Brown and Drake for $16 million after the brawl, during which both R&B singers’ entourages supposedly threw “highball glasses laden with alcohol” and shattered “the handles of bottles of spirits to use as makeshift knives,” according to DNA Info. The owner claims the brawl ruined a previous licensing deal by sullying the club’s reputation.


When the fight went down, Brown was dating Karrueche Tran. But these days, now that Brown is back with Rihanna, the model has been hanging out with Drake.

Tran and Drake were spotted partying together after the Grammy Awards on Sunday at Hyde nightclub in Los Angeles. She also recently tweeted lyrics from one of Drake’s songs, which left some speculating the two might have hooked up.

A former basketball star was allegedly stabbed to death in his sleep by his wife after she caught him looking at child pórnography, it has been claimed.

Maria Rey Garcia-Pellon used two knives to murder Matthew White in the early hours of Monday morning at their suburban home in Media, Pennsylvania.

The teacher reportedly stabbed her husband – who played for the University of Pennsylvania and led the Penn Quakers to the Final Four in 1979′s NCAA Tournament – several times in the throat.

The 53-year-old, who also played professionally for the Portland Trail Blazers and in Spain, woke up during the frenzied assault and tried to fight her off.
Matthew White (21), right, was found stabbed in the neck Monday, Feb. 11 in bed at his home in Philadelphia, police said.

But he was too weak and soon succumbed to his injuries and died, reports Philly

Garcia-Pellon, who also attended the prestigious Ivy League university, reportedly told police: “I caught him looking at pórnography, young girls, I love kids. I had to do it.”

After the attack, she changed her clothes and went to a friend’s house. Police were called to the couple’s home and White was found dead in his bed.

Garcia-Pellon also arrived at the home, where officers arrested her and charged her with first-degree murder.