Nigerian officials were tight-lipped on Tuesday about the scope of a probe into a fatal church building collapse in Lagos that killed 115, as anger mounted against the popular head preacher.
The Lagos state governor’s spokesman Hakeem Bello said the government in Abuja had convened a committee of state and federal agencies to investigate the September 12 collapse.
But worries deepened over whether the federal government’s involvement and Nigeria’s well-documented culture of impunity for the rich and powerful would undermine a thorough investigation.

Joshua, who has thousands of followers in Nigeria and across the world, counts African heads of state among his flock, including Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan.
Bello offered few details about the probe and cancelled a scheduled news conference to provide updates on the incident at TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN).
“The best thing for us is to put things on hold now. Before this out, it would not be right to say this is this, this is that,” added Lagos state information commissioner Lateef Ibirogba.

A total of 84 South Africans were killed when a guesthouse housing foreign followers of the popular preacher and televangelist came down on the SCOAN complex in the Ikotun area of the city.
Rescue workers said the addition of extra floors to the three-storey building without reinforcing its foundations was likely to have caused the collapse.
But Joshua, a charismatic pastor known to his followers as “The Prophet” or “The Man of God” and who claims to work miracles, suggested it was a deliberate sabotage against his ministry.
Building collapses are frequent in Nigeria because of lax regulations and substandard construction materials.
Such collapses are usually investigated by state governments, which Dapo Thomas, a Lagos-based public affairs analyst, said made the federal authorities’ involvement worrying.
“That decision is patronising and this should not be in a true federal system. It is absurdity par excellence,” he told AFP.
Joshua’s following across Nigeria comprises members of the country’s massive poor and working classes as well as the elite such as President Jonathan, whom Joshua has met repeatedly.
Other African leaders past and present are also among the Joshua faithful.
“The probe of the collapse might indict some people,” said Femi Falana, a lawyer and human rights activist based in the city.
“Don’t forget, too, that it is an election year and they don’t want to offend some bigwigs in the church and society through a probe.”
Anger at the response to the disaster has been acute in South Africa, particularly over claims that lives could have been saved if church officials had not blocked access to rescue workers for three days.
Joshua, whose fortune was estimated at between $10 million and $15 million (8-12 million euros) by Forbes magazine in 2011, has announced he would travel to South Africa to meet survivors and their families.
But the youth wing of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party said the evangelical preacher should be barred from travelling until the investigation was complete.
“TB Joshua should not be allowed to come to South Africa until we know what happened to our fellow countrymen at his church,” said a statement signed by Rebone Tau, chairman of the youth league’s international relations committee.
Joshua’s emmanuel.tv network took out a full-page advertisement in the influential Lagos daily ThisDay on Monday, asking for a federal probe into the collapse, which he has linked to a low-flying plane apparently seen circling over the building beforehand.
The probe should “bring to book all those involved in the obvious terror attack of the Church aimed at not only embarrassing and discrediting Prophet T.B. Joshua… but the entire nation of Nigeria,” the advert said.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/fg-lagos-quiet-on-synagogue-building.html

The Senate on Tuesday honoured late Senator Pius Ewherido by passing the Corporate Manslaughter Bill 2014 into law after a clause-to-clause consideration.
The bill, tagged: “Bill for an Act to Make Provisions Creating the Offence of Corporate Manslaughter and for Matters Incidental Thereto 2013″, was sponsored by the late senator.
It seeks to punish corporate negligence and dereliction of duty, leading to death of victim and scaled second reading on 7 February 2013.

The Deputy Senate President, while presiding over the passage of the bill in Abuja, said the passage was in honour of the late senator.
“The passage of this bill into law is a befitting tribute to our late friend and colleague, Sen. Pius Ewherido. I am sure that wherever he is, he will be happy today that this bill has been eventually passed.”

NAN reports that the bill was fashioned after the British Corporate Manslaughter Bill and similar experience in Hong Kong.
Late Sen. Ewherido (PDP-Delta) who died on June 30, 2013, had said the bill was to protect citizens against occurrences like the DANA air crash.
He also said the bill, if passed into law, would equally punish any employee who served as an “accessory for manslaughter” by negligently performing or sabotaging their employers in any event which resulted in death.
In his lead debate, Ewherido had said provisions of the bill fell within the definition of killing in Section 308 of the Criminal Code.
Section 308 of the code states that “except as hereinafter set forth, any person who causes the death of another directly or indirectly by any means whatever is deemed to have killed another person”.
“Even in societies where the institutions of government charged with the prescription of standards are effective and functional, with disciplined and ethically committed people to their duties and countries, their governments recognise the new challenges posed by industrialisation, population explosion and mobility of humans.”
The bill was referred to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters before its passage into law.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/senate-passes-corporate-manslaughter.html

ANOTHER set of 10 terrorists, on Monday, surrendered to the Nigerian troops at Kawuri, Borno State, with their catche of arms and ammunition.
According to a statement on the Twitter handle of the Defence Headquarters, operations were ongoing in Konduga and its environs.

The tweet also added that there was no raid whatever in any part of Nigeria’s territory in pursuit of terrorists, as claimed in some reports.
Meanwhile, military sources, on Monday, revealed how the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, was killed during the battle to regain Konduga, Borno State.
Informed sources disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that Shekau had mobilised all his commanders to wage war against the Nigerian troops to regain the town.
The source said he had vowed to use Konduga to unleash the attack on Maiduguri, but, while planning his strategy, he did not know that the military was also planning ahead of him.
According to the source, Shekau had mobilised over 600 of his members for the battle with their armoured personnel carrier.
During the battle, the source said Shekau was shot on the legs and could not move, while the soldiers rushed and captured him.
He revealed that the Boko Haram leader was made to use his special signal phone to invite all his members to Konduga, on the premise that the Nigerian troops had been captured.
Unsuspecting members, it was gathered, moved to Konduga, jubilating that their leader and his men had recaptured the town, only for the troops to attack them, killing scores in the process.
During the shoot-out, it was gathered that Shekau made attempt to escape, but was shot dead.
Earlier, the source said Shekau had confirmed to the troops that he was not the original Shekau, and that their leader, the original Shekau, had been killed a year ago.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/10-more-boko-haram-commanders-surrender.html

The Founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Ikotun, Lagos State, Prophet T. B. Joshua, may face a class action suit if a plan by a South African opposition party materialises.
The party, the Democratic Alliance,   intends to write to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, urging her to assist South African victims of the SCOAN building collapse and their families to sue the cleric.

The party, according to its   Parliamentarian, Stevens Mokgalapa, believes the church may be criminally liable.
He spoke shortly after some survivors of the tragedy, including two orphaned toddlers, arrived in Pretoria and a call by the South African Minister in Charge of Pretoria, Jeff Radebe, for a probe by the Nigerian Federal Government.
Radebe, who put the death toll from the building collapse at 115, said that 84 South Africans were among.
South African President Jacob Zuma had last week said that 64 of his country men and women perished in the tragedy.
Nkoana-Mashabane was quoted by SABCNews.com as adding that the party felt that many lives could have been saved if rescue work had begun immediately after the building collapsed on September 12.
“The Democratic Alliance is quite saddened and concerned about the reports of alleged negligence from the church in Nigeria just after   the collapse of the building there. We also want to get the full disclosure of the assistance of the South African Government and the cooperation of the Nigerian government in as far as the tragedy is concerned,” Nkoana-Mashabane said.
In Pretoria, Radebe stressed the need for the Nigerian government to urgently conclude its probe of the “tragedy,’’ which, according to him, has opened up a diplomatic rift between the two African economic heavyweights.
Speaking after about two-dozen injured South Africans landed in Pretoria, Radebe explained that one of the survivors chose to remain in   SCOAN.
He said, “We understand from our assessment team that the total number of people who have perished is now 115, but those are not all South Africans. South Africans are about 84 that have died.”
Reuters quoted him as saying that the plan was to bring back “all the 26 survivors but there were only 25 who actually boarded the aircraft because one returned to the SCOAN   on Sunday.”
A 19-member medical team comprising specialised doctors, nurses and medical military paramedics took care of the injured on board a military C-130 aircraft.
“It’s the biggest evacuation effort by the (South African) Air Force since the dawn of democracy,” two decades ago, said Radebe.
He congratulated the work of South African emergency workers for the “biggest evacuation by the air force since the dawn of democracy”.
“We are keenly awaiting as a South African government, the investigation that is being conducted by the Nigerian government so that we get to the bottom of the cause of this disaster,” the minister said.
The C130 SA Air Force plane carrying the injured South Africans   arrived at the Swartkop Air Force Base in Pretoria on Monday morning. Apart from the two orphaned toddlers aged 18 months and two years, there was also   a six-year-old.
Acting Cabinet spokesperson Phumla Williams said, “These kids, we are expecting that the social development (department) will assist in making sure that they link them up with their relatives,” she told reporters outside the base.
“Yes, there is a process to make sure that they are taken to their families.”
Shortly after the plane landed, an initial batch of the survivors was whisked off to the Steve Biko Academic Hospital . Most of them   were carried out of the plane on stretchers and taken to ambulances parked nearby.
But the Public Relations Officer, National Emergency Management Agency, South-West zone, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, disagreed with Radebe, saying the death toll remained 86.
“We are the ones on the ground and we are sticking to our report that 86 people died and 131 people were injured. We coordinated the rescue operation and we have no other statement to issue,” Farinloye said.

source: http://odunlade.blogspot.com/2014/09/south-african-victims-families-may-sue.html

Controversies over the $9.3 million seized from two Nigerians and an Isreali on arrival in South Africa in a private jet boiled over on floor the House of Representatives on Tuesday as lawmakers from the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC walked out on their colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP over what they described as attempts to sweep the issue of the smuggled cash under the carpet by the latter.

Honourable Ismaila Kawu, the Deputy Minority Leader, Ismaila Kawu had in a motion raised on the floor asked the lawmakers to debate controversies surrounding the smuggled cash taken to South Africa in a private jet owned by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria.
While describing the issue of the smuggled cash as “very scandalous, very disgraceful and very appalling”, Kawu who moved the motion under matters of urgent National Importance asked the House to investigate the matter through its committees of Defence and Aviation.
But further attempt to debate the issue was nipped in the bud Honourable Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker who presided over the session.
Ihedioha said it is better to refer the matter to a committee, an assertion that resulted in a brief rowdiness in the House as mostly PDP lawmakers supported him.
The Deputy Speaker eventually called for a vote on the issue and majority of the members voted not to allow a debate. However, members of APC walked out of the green chamber immediately after the voting.
In a media briefing after the walk out, Honourable Samson Osagie, the Minority Whip, said APC lawmakers described the manner the $9.3m was smuggled out as a shame to the country.
“For us as a people and for us as lawmakers, we find this unacceptable, unethical, illegitimate and in our view, it is an illegal transaction,” said Osagie who added that the Federal Government should explain to Nigerians the source of the money and the real purpose it was meant for.
“If the indeed, the matter involves security issues like the purchase of arms by foreign government like Nigeria, why was the South African government not brought into the picture before hand and how could South African government be sure that the arms were purchased legitimately by the Nigerian government and not by the insurgents when there were no officials of the NSA’s office or the Director of state security department that accompany such money?,” Osagie who was flanked by other lawmakers queried.
There were allegations earlier in the day that the Federal Government had bribed members of House of Representatives with $20, 000 each and their Senate counterparts with $50, 000 each to stop them from probing the cash scandal now being tagged Oritshejaforgate.
The Senate had also last week initiated a probe into the smuggled cash scandal.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator George Sekibo told journalists last week that his committee has invited the National Security Adviser and other top military chiefs over the $9.3m cash seized by the South African government.
According to him, the military chiefs invited include Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, and Chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah.
The military commanders were expected to appear before the Senate commitee today.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/oritsejaforgate-apc-reps-walk-out-as.html

George Akume, Senate Minority Leader on Monday accused the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor of undermining the sanctity of the body.
Akume was reacting to the alleged involvement of Oritsejafor’s jet in a cash haul of $9.3 million to South Africa by two Nigerians and one Israeli.
In a statement released on Monday, Akume said the transportation of money negated Nigerian laws. “The circumstances surrounding the incident suggest that those ferrying the money did it in open breach of Nigerian and international laws. South Africa has already established a prima facie case of criminality involved in the questionable misadventure.”

“His arguments are unsustainable because he has vicarious liability at several levels. One, the vessel used for criminal activity belongs to him. Secondly, he commercially leased the vessel to Eagle Air, which is a company he holds an interest in and which in turn further leased same to the company that converted it to commercial use with his full knowledge and approval.
Akume further stated that: “The chain of ethical liability is unbroken. How will the pastor explain his involvement with people engaged in the murky waters of international arms trafficking?”
Akume said Oritsejafor’s actions is “working to destroy the little credibility that is left of CAN.
He said all Christians to rise against such acts. He said the bling-wearing Oritsejafor claimed that his congregation donated the same jet to him on the 40th anniversary of his ministry sometime in 2012 for doing God’s work.
Akume insinuated that the jet should have been used for God’s work instead of ferrying money. “The three passengers arrested in South Africa with the aircraft were not on pastoral visit to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ,” he said.
Akume then rubbished CAN for jumping into fray by insulting people and making statements that are more political than spiritual, he noted that, “CAN had been reduced into defending an apparent criminal act of taking such amount of money to South Africa to buy arms from the black market”.
“This was a private jet for spiritual work but as the owner himself has confessed, it was leased out for financial gain. The jet was on a mission to buy arms or so we are told. The arms merchants who hired the jet behaved as outlaws by brazenly breaching the laws of Nigeria, South Africa and the United Nations. This is against all the teachings of Christ who urged all his followers to be law abiding and give unto Caesar what is his.”
Akume then noted that foundation and basis for which CAN was established has been dented. “On 27th August, 1976, Christian leaders first met at the Catholic secretariat, Lagos, they agreed to establish an organisation that would promote cooperation among Christians, interfaith harmony and safeguard the welfare of all Nigerians.
“When CAN was eventually registered in 1986, it’s constitution clearly articulated among other objectives to act as ‘watchperson of the spiritual and moral welfare of the Nation. Another core objective is to promote understanding, peace and unity among the various people of Nigeria.”
“Since the present CAN leadership (led by Oritsejafor) came on board, CAN has become a sorry appendage of the (Presidential) villa. It has become politically partisan, obscenely materialistic and the voice of the oppressor rather than the oppressed.
The situation degenerated to a state that the single largest block of CAN, which is, the Catholic Church suspended itself from the national leadership of CAN until ‘sanity’ returns to the leadership.”
He accused the present leadership of CAN of silence in the face of scandals of President Goodluck Jonathan’s government.
“My appeal to our brothers in the North is that, what they see in CAN today has nothing to do with Christianity but everything to do with crass materialism and self-seeking opportunism,” he said.
He advised Oritsejafor “to sell this controversial jet and use the funds to reconstruct or rehabilitate churches destroyed by Boko Haram in the northeast of Nigeria.”
Oritsejafor’s church has, however, issued a statement last week saying the CAN president had interest in Eagle Air which owns the jet, but that he had no involvement with the cash haul because the plane had been leased to another company.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/arms-deal-oritsejafor-is-damaging-cans.html

The Niger State command of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Monday paraded Sampson Oghenedoro, a 28-year old staff of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for demanding N50 million from the state government to stop him from broadcasting a story on alleged fraudulent activities within the government.
Parading the suspect at the state command the DSS in Minna, the state of director, Dr. Larry Obiagwu, said Sampson was picked up by his men at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja while on his way to Minna to collect the said amount.

Sampson who works with the NTA Asaba, Delta state, as a producer/cameraman, operates under the name Fajiro Oliver, also works with Elomboh Communications, an online news medium.
Obiagwu explained that Sampson and two others, Stanley Gene and Francis Arinze both now at large, co-founded the Secret Reporters Group (SRG) with the alleged sole objective of blackmailing government officials and heads of organisations for pecuniary benefits.
He said in July and August, the suspect alerted top officials of the Niger state government on a threat to expose fraudulent activities taking place within the government or be paid N50 million to drop the story.
Obiagwo, however said that Sampson and his accomplices did not carry out any investigation on the Niger state government and that as a member of staff of the NTA in Delta state, Niger State is not part of his jurisdiction.
Speaking to journalists, the suspect said he had nothing to do with the alleged demand of N50 million from the state government, saying he was only on his way to Minna to balance his story.

source: http://odunlade.blogspot.com/2014/09/dss-arrests-nta-reporter-over-n50m.html

Taraba state governor, Danbaba Suntai and his deputy who is the acting governor of the state, Garba Umar could both be impeached if the plans of a ‘cabal’ in the state is successful.
According to the acting governor of the state, Umar, the cabal is trying to engineer the impeachment of both of them if the medical panel set up by the State House of Assembly finds that the governor is unfit to resume office.
Umar said in an interview aired on Monday that the plan is for both of them to be removed so that the unnamed ‘cabal’ will seize power illegally.

Speaking on BBC Hausa radio Umar blasted those he called part of a cabal that wanted to seize power illegally in Taraba. He said there was no fight between him and the governor but that some associates were trying to create problems because of their own selfish reasons.
“Since they are saying my boss and I be impeached, it means they are not with him. They are lying; they just want to seize power illegally and there is no law that permits doing that in this country. The constitution must be abided by.
“And I don’t even know what offence I committed that would warrant my impeachment.”
Umar then alleged that the State Executive Council asked that a medical panel ascertain the governor’s state of health because of persistent claims by associates that the governor was fit enough.
“The issue of removal depends on the outcome of the medical panel. We just want to know the truth of his health status. Even me I don’t get to see him. I only see his photos just like you do in photographs and on television.”
Umar then denied the rumour that he had plans to replace his boss as governor on a permanent basis. “It is 22 months now that I have been acting as the governor and all along, I have never thought of anything like impeachment. But some people have continued to cause panic.
“I have been obedient to my boss, yet people will always say he is coming back to take over power. That is why we are trying to ascertain his health condition and then inform the world. Any time he comes and calls me to ask me to give back power to him, I will do that,” he stated.
Umar then said he has only been allowed to see Suntai once in 10 months, explaining that his recent efforts to receive the governor when he arrived Abuja airport last week was also halted.
“When the governor was returning, I had the information and I went to welcome him. But they told me he was going to land at the old wing of the airport, after keeping people at both wings in a clear deceit. I went there and waited, only for me to be told later he had since landed at the other wing. Before I could rush to the tarmac, he was put into a car and driven away immediately,” he said.
It would be recalled that Suntai returned to Nigeria last week, after two months and two weeks in the United Kingdom for further treatment on injuries he sustained during in a plane crash in October 2012. The governor had earlier spent 10 months in hospitals in Germany and the United States.
His associates say he is fit to take charge from Umar, who was made acting governor three weeks after the air crash near Yola.
But the State House of Assembly has now set up a medical panel to determine Suntai’s health status. Based on constitutional provisions, the governor would have to be removed if the panel determines that he is not fit to discharge his responsibilities.
A spokesman for Speaker Josiah Kente, Tanko Kaura, said he was not aware of a move by the House to impeach the acting governor. He added that this was a mere rumour.
If both Umar and Suntai are removed at the same time, the constitution provides that the speaker will take over as acting governor and a bye-election be conducted within 90 days.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/suntai-deputy-set-for-impeachment.html

About 100 hoodlums on Monday disrupted proceedings at an Ado Ekiti High Court after a judge decided to hear the substantive suit challenging the eligibility of Governor-elect, Ayodele Fayose, to contest the June 21 election.
The Punch reported that the invasion took place shortly after the judge, Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi, refused an application to set aside an order abridging the time for the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate to file his defence in the case filed on behalf of socio-political group, Ekiti-11 by a member, Mr. Femi Ajakaiye.
The judge had adjourned sitting till 12 noon to prepare a ruling in a similar matter filed by the Citizen Popular Party before trouble started.

As he was preparing to return for the continuation of the matter, angry youths besieged the court. The judge was smuggled out of the chambers through the back door to avoid being lynched by the aggressors.
Judges, lawyers and others in court, including journalists, ran for their lives as the protesters went berserk and went after perceived opponents of the PDP.
It could not be confirmed if the police made any arrest.
The hoodlums said they were aggrieved about the perceived partiality of the judge handling the case.
In the ensuing melee, the Chairman of Ado West Local Council Development Authority, Mr. Sunday Ibitoye, and Ajakaye, were attacked.
The hoodlums had earlier engaged in an argument with security officials in the court room for preventing some of them from entering the court while allowing others in.
The rampaging youths, who called the trial judge all sorts of unprintable names, alleged that he was partial in handling the matter for showing interest beyond official reasons.
The judge, who had assumed jurisdiction in the case had ruled that he could not reverse his decision to abridge the time as the court had become “functus officio” having taken a decision on the issue.
Contrary to the argument by the PDP, the court said the decision to abridge the time did not contravene Section 32 of the 1999 Constitution.
Justice Ogunyemi said the PDP and Fayose failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the reasons why the court could not hear the substantive suit.
The judge consequently dismissed the PDP’s application, saying the court could not set aside its own ruling of June 6, and that the time frame had been overtaken by events, which he maintained had rendered the whole exercise a mere academic exercise.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/pdp-thugs-storm-ekiti-court-over-fayose.html

A day old abandoned baby boy has been rescued from a drainage channel on Holy Timothy Street Aboru, Agbado Oke – Odo, LCDA, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.
The baby was found in the gutter on Friday, 19 October, 2014 at about 5pm by a petty trader, Mrs Ronke Balogun a.k.a Iya Owo whose shop is almost directly opposite the drainage.
According to Iya Owo, “a male passer-by who heard the baby crying called my attention to the spot where I found the baby wrapped in a window blind.”

She disclosed further that she immediately picked up the baby and took him to a nearby church, Holy Timothy K&S Church, Aboru situated about twenty metres to the spot and handed him over to a female church member, Prophetess Shola Adesanya who cleaned up the baby boy. Prophetess Adesanya explained that the baby was brought into the church at about 5pm but said the baby was delivered at about mid day.
The General Overseer of the church, Prophet Johnson Elijah, who facilitated the immediate procurement of all necessary baby needs, confirmed the incident but declined to speak further on the issue.
Meanwhile, the abandoned baby was taken to the juvenile section of Oke – Odo Police Division on Saturday.
The Head of the Section, Inspector Toyin Akorede disclosed that the baby has been transferred to Juvenile Welfare Centre (JWC) headquarters at Alakara, Mushin, Lagos.
However, some residents and sympathisers who craved anonymity said that the suspected mother of the baby is known and pledged to reveal her identity to law enforcement agents.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/abandoned-day-old-baby-boy-found-in.html

A 30-year old man has allegedly molested a 20-year old girl in Lagos, southwest Nigeria and uploaded her pictures on the internet.
The suspect, Olaniyan Oluwakayode, who hails from Osun State, allegedly molested the girl in his apartment at Ifako area of Lagos. He was arrested by the police and brought to the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, in handcuffs.
The victim (name withheld) from Akwa Ibom State, alleged that after being molested, Oluwakayode snapped her pictures despite pleas from his sister to desist from such barbaric act, saying Oluwakayode was never her boyfriend as he claimed.

“He stops me anytime I am going to work. He approached me and I told him I was not ready to give him a reply. I did not go to his house. On my way back from work on Tuesday last week, I saw someone running out of his house, because there is a bush around their compound so he jumped from the fence down and held my hand and said he wants to do what’s on his mind.
“So I asked him why would he do what’s on his mind when I have not even accepted his advances, he said he would do what is on his mind today; so he dragged me  into the bush. When I wanted to shout, he brought out a knife and said if I shouted, he would kill me there.
“So from the bush, he dragged me to his house and locked the door. I tried all I could to open it but I couldn’t because the door is an iron door and  very strong. He used his legs to hold my neck, he tore my skirt, my pant and my bra. He beat me very well on my head, neck and body and removed my pant and he slept with me. After he finished sleeping with me, I couldn’t shout again because he was beating me and forcing me to open my legs. When I refused, he also held my neck so I couldn’t shout,” she alleged.

According to her, when Oluwakayode’s sister came back around to 9.00pm, she asked her brother to open the door, asking him if he wanted to kill somebody’s else child.
The victim said when he heard his sister shouting, he took her to the second room and still slept with her after which she urinated on the floor.
“His sister then came through the second window and pleaded with him to let me go, telling him that if she was the person that was being treated like that, would he be happy about it?  I started crying. I am 20 years old and I work as an Office Assistant and I learnt Fashion Designing.
“He has been asking me out for a long time. I was never his girlfriend, I have my own boyfriend. He molested me with pains, even his sister was crying and he snapped me immediately and his sister even said she will call his mother because even if she was the one they did that thing to, he would even over react,” she stated.
The suspect, Oluwakayode denied molesting her, saying she was his girlfriend.
“I was fighting with my girlfriend but they are accusing me of molesting her. I never deny the fact that I snapped her picture when she was naked. We were fighting inside, but any other allegation levelled against me is a big lie. The only thing I did which I do not deny is that I snapped her naked picture.
“We were fighting inside and she has been hurting me for a very long period and we had an issue which made me delete her number. Last week, she flashed me. When I saw the strange number, I called the number back immediately. When I heard her voice, I asked her what she wanted because she told me that her name was Blessing, until we had the issue and she said her name is Comfort,” he explained.
According to him, he met her passing by in June when he approached her to ask her for her phone number, which she obliged.
“Immediately, I called her and on her way back, she flashed me and I called her back and we met. She even came to my house and we sat outside and talked. She agreed to date me. There was a day we spoke on phone and she was asking me if I had an apartment, I told her that I didn’t want to rush into anything, that I wanted to settle down in my business. I do branding in my house at Ifako.
“They said I molested her, but one thing is that I have a conscience and she also has a conscience and let our conscience judge. I believe with all the proof, the truth is that I never denied beating her, I did beat her with my head on her face and on her back when she held my manhood; so all the allegation of bringing out a powder, a knife and belt, I did not do it because I have a conscience and she has a conscience, that’s all,” he explained.
Director of Child Development, WAPA, Mrs. Alaba Fadairo said the case would be charged to court as it was a case of molesting and uploading the pictures on the internet.
“From here, we are going to the court because it is an infringement on someone’s right. But it is not immediate because all the necessary tests have to be done, like the evidence, medical report and all. The most important thing is to ensure she has not been infected with HIV. The hospital should be able to prove to us to back up her claims
“You do not have to force a person to have your way. It has to be mutual consent. The most barbaric aspect is that it was done and it was aired. Where is the dignity of the woman? It shows the person is callous and wicked and I think we should allow the arm of the law take its course so that the girl could feel justice has been served,” she said.
Fadairo said the case would not be swept under the carpet except the victim herself was opting out, saying government would not give up.
“That’s why I am going to follow it up to the letter and see that the matter is handled. There is no going back.
“It’s a dent on the victim and it’s not about rape, it’s about putting her pictures on social media. I don’t think anyone will want to opt out. You also know the government has zero tolerance for issues of child abuse except we are not in the know. He is likely to face imprisonment, but the number of years is at the discretion of the court.”

A $10million reward may soon be offered by the American government as a way to get tips on the recent highly-publicized deaths of James Foley and Steven Sotloff.
Agence France Presse reported on the development, saying the hefty sum was 'unanimously approved [in] a bill' by the Senate on Friday.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said 'One way we can honor the memories of James Foley and Steven Sotloff is to bring their evil murderers to justice, which this measure will help do,' according to the news service.
AFP reported that Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) said 'Our country lost two of its own, and we must do everything possible to bring the terrorists who committed these atrocities to justice.'

The news service pointed out that the bill has yet to be approved by the House of Representatives.
The developments took place on the same day President Barack Obama signed into law legislation authorizing the military to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels fighting Islamic State militants in the Middle East.
A $10million reward may soon be offered by the American government as a way to get tips on Support: Sen. Marco Rubio (pictured) said of the bill 'One way we can honor the memories of James Foley and Steven Sotloff is to bring their evil murderers to justice, which this measure will help do'
Obama acted a day after a Senate vote capped congressional action on the request, which passed by wide margins despite reservation about whether his strategy will do enough to stop the surging terrorist group, which has seized large swaths of Iraq and Syria. Congress will revisit the issue after the midterm elections.
Thursday's bipartisan 78-22 tally Thursday blended support from Obama's close Democratic allies and some of his fiercest GOP critics, including top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. It put leading contenders for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination on opposite sides. Some of Obama's liberal allies defected.
The legislation also provides funding for the government after the end of the budget year on Sept. 30, eliminating any threat of a shutdown in the run-up to November elections that will seat a new House and decide control of the Senate. The House approved the bill on Wednesday.
Obama said Thursday that the support from both Republicans and Democrats 'shows the world that Americans are united' in combating the Islamic State group. He said the militants thought they could frighten or intimidate Americans, but the Senate vote had showed them they were wrong.
'As Americans, we do not give in to fear,' Obama said. 'We pull together. We stand together.'
U.S. troops would train Syrian rebels at camps in Saudi Arabia, though the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, said it could take a year before they would return to the battlefield in Syria. The arm-and-train authority only extends into December, and lawmakers are to revisit the issue in a postelection, lame-duck session.The developments took place on the same day President Barack Obama signed into law legislation authorizing the military to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels fighting Islamic State militants in the Middle East.Thursday's bipartisan 78-22 tally Thursday blended support from Obama's close Democratic allies and some of his fiercest GOP critics. ISIS militants are allegedly seen in this file photograph
Supporters of the proposal agreed that more has to be done to combat Islamic State extremists who are on the move in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. estimates the extremists can muster 20,000 to 31,500 fighters across Syria and Iraq, with two-thirds of them in Syria and the rest in Iraq. Terrorism experts say they are better organized and more dangerous than al-Qaida, which is lending urgency to the effort.
But opponents of Obama's strategy say it would hand weapons to shadowy groups that could prove untrustworthy and whose top priority is to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad.
'Intervention when both choices are bad is a mistake. Intervention when both sides are evil is a mistake. Intervention that destabilizes the Middle East is a mistake,' said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who is considering a run for the White House in 2016. 'And yet, here we are again, wading into a civil war.'
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who's also weighing a presidential run, joined Paul in opposition, while Sen. Rubio, also a potential candidate, supported the president's request.
'We will confront ISIL one way or the other, and I believe the sooner the better,' Rubio said, using an alternate acronym for the group. 'What we are asked to do now is approve funding to arm moderate rebel elements in Syria. There is no guarantee of success. There is none. But there is a guarantee of failure if we do not even try.'
Liberal opponents included rising Democratic star Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
'Not only are countries in the region not stepping up in the fight ... but believe it or not several of these Gulf states are empowering' Islamic State forces as well as al-Qaida allied groups with financial contributions, Sanders said.
Some strong opponents of the war in Iraq swung behind the president, alarmed by the Islamic State threat.
'I am so cautious when it comes to voting to go to war,' said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. 'In this case, if I were to sit back and say I'm too afraid, I'm too nervous, that is exactly the wrong signal to send.'
More hawkish lawmakers said Obama's strategy won't be enough to blunt the advance of Islamic State forces. Obama has ordered U.S. airstrikes as well but is adamant that he won't send combat troops to battle the Islamic extremists.
Top administration officials again fanned out across Capitol Hill on Thursday to sell the president's strategy, with Secretary of State John Kerry pushing back on an argument by some that Syria's rebels lack moderates, or at least any with the capacity to make a difference in the war. He told the House Foreign Affairs Committee about several opposition groups, each comprising up to 4,000 fighters, which have battled Islamic State militants and other extremists over the past year.
Kerry said the coalition that will fight the Islamic State group counts 50 countries. He said countries in Europe, the Arab world and elsewhere had committed to taking part militarily, without specifying any by name.
Some senators opposed arming the Syrian rebels but voted for the measure anyway to avoid a government shutdown. Others, including Rubio, supported it despite opposing the underlying spending measure.

source: http://odunlade.blogspot.com/2014/09/us-senate-agrees-to-offer-10million.html

Meet the beautiful cat burglar who's taking the internet by storm.
Stéphanie Beaudoin was arrested last month in Victoriaville, Canada on charges she broke into some 42 homes in the area.
But Beaudoin's small-time scheming made international news when the Montreal Journal published a photo of the 'hot' hoodlum in a bikini.
Too pretty for prison? Stéphanie Beaudoin was arrested last month and has been charged with 114 counts including theft and owning an illegal cache of nine firearmsNot alone: Beaudoin allegedly worked with three underage accomplices to break in to 42 homes in the Athabaska and Maple areas
Canadian authorities believe Beaudoin worked with three underage accomplices - ages 13, 15 and 17 - to burgle residence in the Athabaska and Maple areas.
The nursing student and her cohorts allegedly broke into the homes using the back door or basement windows.
Last week, the Crown filed even more charges against Beaudoin, bringing the total up to a staggering 114 counts.
She faces charges of breaking and entering, receiving stolen property, as well as illegally owning and storing a cache of nine firearms. Beaudoin (right) pictured in August with her lawyer Denis Lavigne. She is due back in court on November 17'Stephanie Beaudoin will steal your heart, then your stuff,' one Twitter user wrote after the bikini picture was published online. Beaudoin pictured above last monthGunslinger: Beaudoin is also facing charges for illegally owning a storing a cache of nine weapons, which police discovered in the back of her car 
Police found the guns in the back of Beaudoin's white Mitsubishi Lancer.
'The record is impressive. I was given a document that [is] at least 12 inches thick,' her lawyer Denis Lavigne told La Nouvelle Union newspaper.
Mr Lavigne says his client has seen a doctor to determine her mental state during the time of the robberies. 
Beaudoin is due back in court on November 17.Pictures have also been published to a Facebook fan page, which describes Beaudoin as a 'news personality' The Facebook page has so far received more than 2,000 likes
A Facebook fan page, describing Beaudoin as a 'news personality', has received more than 2,000 likes.
Since pictures of Beaudoin were published online, Twitter users have dubbed her the newest world's sexiest criminal
'Stephanie Beaudoin will steal your heart, then your stuff,' one Twitter user wrote.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/the-worlds-sexiest-criminal.html

THE leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is enmeshed in crisis over an alleged disappearance of not less than N400 million being contributions of Nigerian workers to a housing scheme.
The money, which allegedly grew wings from one of the accounts of the NLC in a new generation bank in Abuja was meant for a mortgage scheme for Nigerian workers initiated by a private company (names withheld); alongside a Greek national( name withheld) as a principal partners in collaboration with the leadership of the NLC.

The N400 million allegedly looted is part cost of a housing project estimated to cost $6 billion,or N960 billion.
According to the NLC and the company, “NLC land in various state capitals would be used for the project”.
The agreement which was said to be aimed at providing houses for workers in the 36 states was signed by then NLC Acting President, Mr. Promise Adewusi, and the private firm in Abuja.
Following disclosure of this missing money, the NLC summoned an emergency National Administrative Council, NAC, meeting on Wednesday, September 18 at Labour House in Abuja.
It was gathered that subscribers to the scheme had protested at Labour House before the NAC meeting commenced.
The developer has no land which was confirmed by FCT minister hence the ground breaking could not take place on May Day as scheduled.
An involved suspect said to be on the run, according to a top official of the NLC was apprehended and handed over to the Directorate of State Service, DSS, in Abuja and was later released.
An authoritative source at the meeting, quoted the NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar as saying that   the suspect “forged “his signature twice.
Other sources said the suspect in his statement named four officials of the NLC with whom he allegedly shared the money, two of   whom are elected officers while the other two are secretariat staff.
A NAC member who was at the meeting said other members asked why an NLC account should have one signatory instead of at least two — national president and treasurer — in line with the norms in the trade union movement.
In most trade unions, any two of either the president, treasurer or trustee are signatories to a trade union’s account.
It was learnt that the issue of the looted money generated heated argument at the meeting as other members queried how anyone could have stolen so much money from the Congress account.
Sources said the issue came up during last Month meeting of NLC’s National Executive Council, NEC, in Enugu, but was glossed over.
According to impeccable sources,   a key leader of the NLC who allegedly introduced the suspect to the Congress said unknown to the NLC, the suspect opened another account besides the one in which NLC leaders and representatives of the private company are signatories.
The plan was to build affordable houses for all willing NLC members, whose figure is put at eight million. The labour movement is worried about the 40 million housing deficit that exists in the country as revealed by a United Nations study.
Speaking to Vanguard, NLC General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Esan, denied knowledge of the of fraud, but admitted that NLC had issues with one of the three companies it was partnering with in the housing scheme for workers.
He said Congress would, within the week in advertorials explain its position and assured subscribers to the scheme that their money was 100 percent safe.
According to him, “I do not know anything about fraud or missing money over a housing scheme. I can confirm to you that NLC has arrangements with two or three companies on housing scheme for workers. The first is delayed and we have issues with it. But all those who subscribed to the scheme that NLC is signatory to, I can assure them that their money is 100 percent safe. But for those who contributed to where NLC is not a signatory, we have nothing to do with that. Within this week, we will make our position known on this and also reassure our subscribers that their money is 100 percent safe. We intend to take advertorials in some newspapers to explain this.”
The project is expected to cost about $6 billion or N960 billion. The interest rate (2% Per Annum) of the total amount of the property can be spread over five, 10 or 15 years (subscribers to choose), this is well below what is available in the Nigerian mortgage market today.
The NLC land in various state capitals would be used for the project.
The houses that would be provided include , two and three bedrooms bungalows, while the housing estates would also include construction of a four-star hotel with a 180-guestroom capacity.

source: http://odunlade.blogspot.com/2014/09/n400m-mortgage-scam-tears-nlc-apart.html

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS Ikeja Lagos, have arrested a woman said to be wife of a dare devil armed robber. She was arrested for selling guns to armed robbers.
The 34-year-old suspect identified as Sarah Emmanuel, an indigene of Ogun State used to hawk wares before she went into illegal arms supply.

According to reports, the mother of two was apprehended after some SARS operatives apprehended some armed robbery suspects, who revealed during interrogation that they bought their guns from her.
It was gathered that the suspect and her friend, one Modinat, who is currently at large used to buy locally made guns from a border town between Benin Republic and Nigeria and re-sell same to armed robbers.
’’I live in Sango Otta, I have two children; the first is 10years old while the other is six. I am a trained hair dresser.
“I was arrested because my friend Modinat escaped. We have been friends for six years. “She asked me to accompany her to Idiroko where she told me of her plan to purchase a gun for one Ismaila, her armed robber lover from whom she collected N25, 000. I only accompanied her to Ifonyin once. “I am widow and my husband a border town between Nigeria and Benin Republic where we bought the gun for N15, 000.
‘’It was after Ismaila’s arrest by operatives of SARS that he confessed that he bought the guns from Modinat and I.
‘’When the officers went to arrest her she escaped and I was arrested her she escaped and I was arrested instead. I only accompanied her to Ifonyin once.
‘’I am a widow and my husband, who was an armed robber was killed by police, we were married for ten years but I didn’t know he was an armed robber before he was killed.
‘’My husband was actually killed two years ago during a robbery operation at Ilasa. Before I was arrested I was involved in street trading. ‘’If the police release me I will assist them to arrest my friend Modinat.”

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/police-arrest-woman-for-supplying-arms.html

MAIDUGURI — Suspected members of dreaded Boko Haram terrorists, yesterday, attacked a market in Monguno village killing nine persons, while 10 others sustained various degrees of gun-shot wounds.
Monguno is about 100 kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital that had witnessed relative peace for almost a year ago after failed attempt by the terrorists to destroy the military barracks in the area.

Sources told Vanguard that the insurgents who disguised as customers stormed the market at about 3p.m., weekend, and opened fire on the traders before fleeing the scene of the incident.
A trader, Mallam Abubakar Ali Monguno, said, the insurgents were suspected to be on a target mission as they shot at selected traders before escaping, saying, “when they stormed the market, they shot at my neighbour, before proceeding to other shops as they were much selective in their operations.”
The source noted that, many petty traders abandoned their wares during the shooting and only resurfaced, yesterday, morning to take their wares.
Efforts to speak with the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gidoen Jubrin, proved abortive, but a senior security personnel confirmed the attack and killings.
He said: “Yes, some suspected members of Boko Haram sect launched an attack on Monguno village market killing nine persons and injuring about 10 others currently receiving treatment in one of the treatment centres in the state.
“Already security operatives have been drafted to the scene and normalcy has since been restored in the area.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/boko-haram-kills-9-injures-10-in-borno.html

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned those nursing the plan to postpone the 2015 general elections to perish the thought, saying Nigerians will not accept, under any guise whatsoever, any scheme by desperate elected officials to get tenure elongation by subterfuge.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said those who are flying the kite of pushing forward the elections ostensibly because the nation is at war are trying to imperil the nation’s democracy.

“Election is the lifeblood of democracy, the mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates. It is the only way for the citizenry to renew and refresh the governing process so they can get the most benefits out of democracy. Therefore, anyone that tries to sabotage this mechanism is aiming a dagger straight at the heart of democracy,” it said.
APC said the statement credited to Senate President David Mark, that “there is no question of elections, it is not even on the table now. We are in a state of war,” reflects the thinking in government circles, even though the Senate President, having run into a wall of opposition over his unfortunate statement, has tried to step back from the comments.
“We in the APC saw this coming, and we have said it at several fora: That the Jonathan administration has deliberately allowed the insurgency in the North-east, an opposition stronghold, to fester so he can cash in on it to get re-elected. Simply put, the administration has been playing dirty politics with Boko Haram, at the expense of the lives and property of the citizenry and the well-being of the nation.
“However, the administration is being too clever by half to think that Nigerians will reward it for its failure in its main reason for existence, which is the protection of the welfare and security of the citizens. There is just no way this government will be allowed to profit from its ineptness and its conspiracy to prolong an insurgency that should have ended a long time ago,” the party said.
It said the statement by INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega, that the commission has started preparing for elections even in the North-east, represents a ray of hope, but warned the electoral body to remain steadfast and not to cave in to what will be massive pressure from the Jonathan administration and its gong beaters to scuttle the 2015 elections.
APC said just like Jega has said, countries like Afghanistan and Iraq successfully held elections even though they are in a state of war, hence there is no reason why Nigeria cannot organize elections because of the insurgency in a part of the country.
“We know the Jonathan administration is mortally afraid to face the electorate, having failed woefully to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people. We know many elected officials are also aware that they will be punished by the electorate because they have failed them (the electorate). It is therefore easy for them to queue behind any plot to ensure the 2015 general elections do not hold as planned, so they can get tenure extension.
“However, we have got news for these saboteurs: Nigerians have seen through their game and will not allow them to succeed in endangering our democracy. 2015 elections must hold as scheduled. This is not negotiable,” the party warned.

source: http://odunlade.blogspot.com/2014/09/apc-warns-against-plan-to-postpone-2015.html

Lying in the rubble of the guesthouse, only able to tell if it was night or day through a tiny crack, Lindiwe Ndwandwe heard the screams of others beneath the debris slowly turn silent.
For five days the 33-year-old was trapped inside a toilet next to the dining hall of the collapsed Synagogue Church of All Nations, breathing only through a small hole in the wreckage.
In the end, she was forced to drink her own urine to survive.

“It’s like a dream to me that really, it’s me that came out from here,” the South African told AFP on Sunday as she surveyed the remains of the church in the Nigerian city of Lagos.
“I don’t believe it. The tears that I cry, it’s because I don’t believe.”
A total of 86 people were killed and dozens more left trapped when the guesthouse attached to the church run by Nigerian preacher TB Joshua collapsed on September 12.
Some 350 South Africans were thought to be visiting the church in the Ikotun neighbourhood of the megacity of Lagos when the three-storey building came down during construction work.
Joshua, one of Nigeria’s best-known evangelical preachers referred to by followers across the world as “The Prophet” or “The Man of God”, on Sunday pledged to go to South Africa to meet survivors and their families.
He observed a minute of silence at his weekly morning service, and said he would “be travelling to South Africa to meet people from South Africa and other nations… in memory of martyrs of faith”.
But South Africa’s largest opposition party on Sunday said it will push the government to launch a class action against the church, where 84 of its nationals lost their lives.
Democratic Alliance shadow foreign minister Stevens Mokgalapa said the fact that rescue workers complained that staff at the church had impeded their work in the immediate aftermath of the disaster meant there could be cause for legal action.
“The DA believes that there is now enough evidence for the South African government to, at the very least, explore the possibility of a class action suit against the (church) on behalf of the affected families,” Mokgalapa said in a statement.
“It stands to reason that the church and its members may be criminally liable for the death of a number of South Africans who could have been rescued from the rubble if rescue work was speedily permitted.”
South Africa is sending a plane to Lagos to retrieve survivors of the disaster, media outlets reported.
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan visited the church on Saturday and promised to investigate the cause of the tragedy.
He said he would hold talks with stakeholders in the construction industry on how to prevent such a thing happening again, expressing his condolences to South African President Jacob Zuma.

source: http://www.ralphcrown.com/2014/09/survivor-of-synagogue-church-collapse.html

Five Boko Haram militants have surrendered to Nigeria troops in Konduga the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said on its Twitter page on Sunday.
DHQ said the insurgents pleaded for mercy after surrendering their weapons. It said some of the captured insurgents were already giving useful information.
“As the heat on terrorists continues, five terrorists yesterday surrendered with all their weapons to troops in Konduga pleading for mercy,” the tweet read.
“Other captured terrorists have also been giving useful information on the subsequent plans of the group in an apparent offer to cooperate,” another tweet said.
It would be recalled that Nigerian troops launched an offensive in Konduga, Borno state, capturing one of Boko Haram’s high ranking commanders killing 60 members of the sect.