Baba Ijesha opens defence in alleged sexual assault trial

The Lagos State Special Offences Court has fixed February 17 for embattled Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, aka Baba Ijesha, to open his defence in the alleged child molestation case against him.

 

Baba Ijesha was dragged before the court for allegedly defiling the foster daughter of comedian, Princess. He is facing a six-count charge bordering on the indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by penetration. The offences, according to the police, contravene sections 135, 259, 262, 263 and 262 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

 

During the hearing of the case on Wednesday, January 26, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo fixed the date for the actor to open his defence after his counsel, O. Alo, notified the court that the senior defence counsel, Dada Awosika (SAN), was indisposed and urged the court for a short adjournment date. At the Wednesday proceedings, Alo told the court that the defendant had decided to enter into defence and would no longer be filing a no-case submission.

 

“We did not file a no-case submission again. In view of the development, we pray the court to give us a date. Both senior lawyers representing the defendant are not in court, although Babatunde Ogala had informed Mr Awosika that he would not be in court today. Mr Awosika is indisposed; he didn’t know that he would not be able to be in court. We apologise, my Lord.”Alo said

 

The prosecution counsel, Jide Martins, objected to the adjournment and urged Alo to continue with the matter.

 

However, Justice Taiwo, who held that the lawyers had always attended proceedings, granted the request of the defence. She noted that if the senior lawyers were not in court on the next adjourned date, Alo would continue with the matter.

 

Justice Taiwo thereafter adjourned the matter till February 17 and 18, 2022, for defence.

 

Three arrested for dealing in adulterated petrol in Osun by NSCDC

Three men have been arrested by the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), for allegedly dealing in adulterated petroleum products.

 

The suspects who have been paraded by the Commandant of NSCDC in the state, Emmanuel Ocheja, have been identified as Adeyeye Emmauel, Nasiru Adamu and Isa Mohammed at the Corps headquarters in Osogbo.

 

The three suspects were arrested at Ibodi junction, Ilesa, with 19 jerricans of 25 liters of adulterated fuel. The suspects however denied the allegation.

 

Ocheja said the suspects would be charged to court to serve as a deterrent to others.

'Before any other zone goes for a second turn, Igbo should at least have their first turn' - Ohanaeze Ndigbo

Igbo Socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has declared that the Igbo tribe is fully prepared to ensure that one of them emerges president of Nigeria in 2023. 

President General of the group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor, while urging President Muhammadu Buhari to continue his policy of national healing and reconciliation to the end said the South South and South West had produced presidents and vice presidents since 1999 with the Igbo left out.

According to Obiozor, during these periods the Igbo had totally supported the presidential aspirations of other Southern regions represented by Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, respectively but that in the spirit of equity, justice and fairness, the presidential tickets of all political parties should be zoned to the South East, while the South West and South South should support the South East zone.

 

His statement read;

 “Let it be known and clearly understood that Ndigbo are more prepared than the north when President Buhari was elected in 2015. By then Boko Haram had threatened to overrun the north and the country, and the nation’s priority then was security and the issue of who will guarantee security to the country favoured Buhari, a former Head of State, a General e.t.c. The only preparation in the north was having available a man like Buhari presumed to have the capacity to confront the security challenges in the North and the rest of the country.

 “In the South West, how prepared were they in 1999 when President Obasanjo was elected? In fact, many people from the South West did not vote for him in that election. The people of the South West zone were deep in the crises of NADECO and displeasure over the June 12, 1993 election annulment. Here, notwithstanding, the Nigerian nation and the people through the two main national political parties zoned the Presidency to the South West in order to heal and reconcile the nation over the post 1993 election crisis.

 “Today, if the truth must be told, the imperative of zoning the presidency to the South East is an idea whose time has come. Certainly, Ndigbo are prepared and look forward to it as a national priority. It is also indeed reasonable and logical that before any other zone in the country goes for a second turn of occupying the office of the presidency that Ndigbo should at least have their first turn.”

Suicide in Jigawa - 25-year-old man

A 25-year-old man identified as Nasiru Badamasi, has committed suicide at Tsadawa village in Taura local Government area of Jigawa State.

 

Spokesperson for the state police command, Lawan Shiisu, who confirmed the incident on Tuesday in Dutse, said the victim hung himself to a tree using his trousers.

 

He said that the victim, who was earlier reported missing, was found hanging to a tree in a bush at the outskirts of Zangon Maje village on Monday night, January 24. 

 

"On January 24,  at about 2:30 p.m., the District Head of Kwalam, Alhaji Muttaka Uba, called and informed that one Naziru Badamasi, aged 25,  of Tsadawa village of Taura LGA, and who was suffering from mental illness, was nowhere to be found after he left home on the same date, at about 12:30 p.m," the PPRO stated. 

 

"He was later found after he hung himself with his trousers on tree outskirts of Zangon Maje village, also in Taura LGA,” he said.

 

Mr Shiisu added that upon receipt of the information, a team of police officers moved to the scene and took the corpse to Ringim General Hospital, where it was certified dead by a medical doctor.

 

According to him, the corpse was later released to the deceased’s relatives for burial as no foul play was suspected in the case after preliminary investigation.

 

It was gathered that the victim was married with a daughter. 

Alcohol production in sachet and PET bottles bans by NAFDAC

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced that it has stopped the registration of alcohol in sachet, small volume PET and glass bottles below 200 millilitres.

 

This was disclosed in a statement released by the agency on behalf of its Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola  Adeyeye, on Monday January 24.

 

Adeyeye said the decision to ban registration of new alcoholic drinks in sachet and small volume PET and glass bottles above 30 per cent Alcohol by Volume (ABV), was taken in line with recommendation of a high powered committee of the Federal Ministry of Health,  NAFDAC and Federal Competition, Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and Industry, Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), and Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN) in December 2018.

 

Manufacturers of low volume alcohol beverages (200ml) with satisfactory laboratory reports already submitted to NAFDAC for registration before the decision, have been directed to reformulate their products to stipulated standards free of charge.

 

Adeyeye added that the agency will ensure that the validity of renewal of already registered alcoholic products in the affected category does not exceed the year 2024.

 

The statement read; 

 

“Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria was also given a matching order to embark on intensive nation-wide sensitization campaigns against underage consumption of alcohol by adolescents below the age of 18 years in the bid to stem the tide of alcohol abuse in the country.

“Producers of alcohol in sachets and small volume agreed to reduce production by 50 per cent with effect from January 31st, 2022 while ensuring the products are completely phased out in the country by 31st January 2024.

” The agency is committed to the strict implementation of the regulations and regulatory measures towards safeguarding the health of Nigerians particularly the vulnerable youths against the dangers of reckless consumption of alcohol.”

Obasanjo Tells PDP Leaders - I can never return to your party

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday January 22, told leaders of Peoples Democratic Party that he can never return to the opposition party where he was elected as Nigeria's President for two terms.

 

Obasanjo renounced his membership of the party, when he fell out with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in the buildup to the 2015 election.

 

Addressing the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu and other stakeholders who visited him in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday, the former President said he had no intention to return to partisan politics or the PDP.

 

Those on the team include PDP Vice Presidential candidate in 2019 election, Peter Obi, former Governors, Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo), Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Donald Duke (Cross River).

 

Obasanjo who addressed the larger gathering of PDP stakeholders after a closed door meeting, admitted that having governed Nigeria twice on the PDP platform, the party would continue to be part of his history.

 

He said; 

 

“I’m no longer in partisan politics and there is nothing that can bring back. Anybody who wants my advice, I will always be there in the best interest of Nigeria.

“Whatever I do in my own life…because I became president on the platform of PDP, PDP will continue to be part of my life. Since the day I tore my PDP card, that was the day I ceased to be a member of PDP. That day I vowed not to be a member of any political party.

“I will continue to be a statesman.”

 

Obasanjo also told Ayu that he has the problems of PDP and Nigeria on his shoulders, and prayed God give him the wisdom to carry it.

 

Responding, Ayu told Obasanjo that “if you leave PDP, the blood of PDP will never leave you.” He said the party would always require his fatherly advice towards governance in Nigeria.

 

Ayu further applauded Obasanjo for being passionate about the progress, unity and development of the country, noting that “what we have now falls short of the leadership Nigeria deserves.”

Many dead as rival gang members shoot openly in the street (videos)

Two rival gangs have been spotted engaging in a gun battle and knife fight in a disturbing video fast circulating on social media. 

 

Four people were reportedly killed during the fight which occurred at Nima, Ghana.

 

A swift intervention by the police restored calm and normalcy in the area. The Police in a statement, assured residents of their utmost security and safety as “the suspected criminals are being pursued to face justice.”

 

It read; 

 

Police Contained Nima Violence

The Police strongly intervened in the Nima violence and brought the situation under control. Meanwhile, the suspected criminals are being pursued to face justice. Full details will be provided at an opportune time.

 

 

Watch the videos below...

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger involved in car crash (photos)

Hollywood actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger has been involved in a car accident, his spokesman has confirmed.

 

The four-vehicle crash, which occurred on Friday afternoon, January 21 in Los Angeles left one person with injuries, Los Angeles Police said.

Photos from the scene published by TMZ show a large SUV on top of at least two vehicles at an intersection in Brentwood while the 'Terminator' actor can be seen standing nearby.

 

Police said that no arrest has been made and ruled out the involvement of drugs and alcohol.

 

Officers did not identify those involved but the actor and former California governor's spokesman confirmed to the Los Angeles Times that he was driving the SUV when the incident occurred.

 

A report by police, seen by CBS Los Angeles, said that the SUV driver was "near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Allenford Avenue, when a collision occurred with a red Prius making a u-turn as he continued through a 'red arrow' signal to turn left."

 

It added that the SUV rolled on top of the Prius and ended up hitting two other vehicles.

 

 

One person was taken to hospital by ambulance, but the injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

Schwarzenegger's spokesman said that the actor was uninjured and had spoken with emergency services and the injured person.

 

 

President Buhari Tells Nigerians To ‘Be Fair In Your Assessment Of My Government’

President Buhari has asked Nigerians to be fair in their assessment of his government and what it has achieved from 2015 to date.

The President stated this in Kafanchan, Kaduna state yesterdayday, January 20.

Giving the assurances of the determination of his administration “to hand over a better Nigeria than the one we inherited,” he urged Nigerians to be fair in their assessment of what his government has achieved especially on the campaign promises he made ahead of the 2015 elections.

In an address at the palace of Alhaji Muhammadu Isa 11, the Emir of Jama’a, President Buhari said “we are doing our efforts to consolidate the system for the good of the people because they matter.”

To this end, he spoke about the use of the police and the military, in dealing with security situations but urged Nigerians to develop confidence in civil authority to build a system “free of chaos.”

“Nobody,” he warned emphatically, “should be allowed to raise an army of thugs to force himself on the people.“must be very clear” he added

No Shoot Day On The Burial Day Of Actor Sam Obiago

The Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) has declared a "No Shoot Day" on February 11, the burial date of veteran actor, Sam Obiago.

In a circular sent out by the AGN National President, Ejezie Emeka Rollas, it was announced that no member of the guild in Asaba, Delta state, will shoot a movie scene on that day.

This is to enable AGN members attend the burial of Sam Obiago.

In a letter addressed to Presidents and Heads of Guilds and Association in Nollywood, AGN President appealed to them to permit the Guild members on their production sets to observe a No Shoot Day on the date set for Obiago's burial to enable members take part in the final burial ceremony.

The President also used the opportunity to invite All Heads of Guilds and Associations to attend the burial ceremony.

Sam Obiago, a veteran Nollywood Actor passed on in December 2021.

Not again! Singer Faze cry out after Losing His Mother

Chibuzor Oji, better known by his stage name Faze, has lost his mother Faith.

The singer's mother died on Jan. 12, 2022, two weeks to her 76th birthday.

This comes less than a year after the singer lost his twin sister.

"My heart is heavy, " Faze confessed as he mourns his mother.

See below:

Free Commercial Bank In Nigeria Launched by Christ Embassy

The Loveworld Nation, also known as Christ Embassy, has officially launched its own commercial financial institution, called Parallex Bank, with a view to redefining customer experience through digital innovation.

 Parallex bank has been operating over the years as a microfinance bank until the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, granted it license to go into full banking services.

The transition into a commercial bank was launched on Friday at its headquaters in Victoria Island, Lagos.

“Parallex Bank Limited was incorporated as a limited liability company on the 22nd day of May 2020, having successfully converted from Parallex Microfinance Bank (a National Microfinance Bank incorporated in 2008 as a Unit MFB) to a commercial bank duly licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to carry out commercial banking services,” the bank stated on its website.

Part of the special features of the bank includes “5 Free Inter-bank Transfer Daily” and “No Maintenance Fees on all accounts.”

According to the bank, “it will be leveraging the best talents and technology to deliver unparalleled value to our stakeholders.”

The CEO of Loveworld Nation, Dr. Pastor Adeolu Phillips, is the bank’s chairman.