Man Stabbed Over N10

The police at Idimu Police Division have arrested and charged a 24-year old man, Kunle Oyebanji, before Ejigbo Magistrates’ Court, in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, for allegedly stabbing a retailer, Umoru Musa, over N10 cigarette.

Oyebanji was charged with assault and refusing to pay for a stick of cigarette to Musa who sells provisions at 1, Pipeline Street, Idimu, Lagos.

Narrating what happened, Musa said Oyebanji usually  buys  provisions from him on credit.  But after some months, Musa said he stopped selling to him when he refused to pay his debts and threatened him whenever he asked for his money.

On the fateful day, Musa said the suspect came to his kiosk and demanded for a stick cigarette  but he refused to sell to him. But instead of leaving, Musa alleged that Oyebanji forcefully picked the cigarette and smoked at the kiosk.

Musa alleged that Oyebanji  refused to pay for the cigarette when he demanded for his money. Instead, Oyebanji  became angry and  questioned Musa for asking him for the money.

In annoyance it was alleged that Oyebanji brought out a knife from his pocket and  stabbed Musa several times.

When Musa began to  bleed and slump, Oyebani allegedly fled from the scene of the incident.
The matter was reported at Idimu Police Division, while Musa was  rushed to a nearby hospital in the area.
Oyebanji was later arrested and charged to court.

When he was arraigned in court, he pleaded not guilty.

Oyebanji admitted that he went to Musa’s kiosk to  buy cigarette on credit but he promised to pay him.
He said the problem began when Musa insisted that he must pay him before leaving the  kiosk .

Oyebanji said he explained to him that he had no money on him but  Musa insisted on  collecting his money.
The suspect said the argument resulted in exchange of words and a fight between them.

The presiding magistrate, Mr P. E. Nwaka, granted  Oyebanji  bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Why did Oluwatoyin Ruth Amusan jump into the Lagos lagoon?

It is no longer news that 48-year-old Oluwatoyin Ruth Amusan jumped into the Lagos lagoon by Leventis a few days ago. The question being asked by all who knew her, as well as witnesses to the suicide is: What could have made her choose to end her life, and in such a gruesome manner too?

Life may not have been particularly fair on Oluwatoyin Ruth Amusan.

Born 48 years ago to the Amusan family and the first of three children, Oluwatoyin had looked forward to a good life with lots of good things in stock.

However, things did not turn out as expected as she was childless even when she died at the age of 48. She may have concluded in her heart that all hope is lost and that she may never be able to have children or live life to the full.

This may have resulted in her decision to commit suicide by jumping into the Lagos Lagoon that black Thursday. Eye witnesses say they had initially thought she was enjoying the fresh breeze from the lagoon.
They were, however, taken aback when she suddenly dived into the lagoon. Her body was taken out of the water when it floated later.

Documents in a black polythene bag found at the bank of the lagoon, where witnesses said the woman had sat down for hours before jumping into the water, include Union Bank Savings Withdrawal Voucher, Union Bank Savings Deposit Voucher and Dividend Cheque of N8, 000 issued by Union Registrars. Also, the identity card found on her revealed that she resided at No 1, Sule Street, Ijegun, Ikotun Egbe, Lagos.
Those who retrieved her body from the lagoon stated that they were not around when she committed suicide, adding that their attention was drawn to her floating body.

“We just saw her body floating at the other end and we managed to get two ladders nearby which we used to draw out her body,” one of them said. Akin Amusan, one of the contacts in her phonebook, said he is the younger brother of the deceased and that he does not reside in Lagos. He further disclosed that the deceased has been mentally ill for some time and was recently discharged from a mental institution.
Ayodele Odetola, another of her contacts, who said he is her maternal uncle, also affirmed what Akin Amusan said about the deceased. “She had been ill for a while.

She had mental problems and she was discharged from the Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital in Yaba barely two weeks ago” Was it then a case of abandonment by her family, perhaps because of the stigma attached to persons with mental health issues in the Nigerian society?

Odetola further disclosed that he was with her when she was discharged from the psychiatric hospital and was indeed the person who took her home from the hospital.

He said, “It is true she had been ill mentally and she was taken to Yaba Psychiatric Hospital for treatment and rehabilitation. She was discharged about two weeks ago. I was with her during her discharge from the hospital.

I took her to my house in Ikorodu when she was discharged and she had been staying with us since that time. She was already okay and was doing fine. We even went to church together on Sunday.

“On Monday, she said she was going to make some withdrawals from her account to renovate the house where she was living before the incidence.

When she was leaving, I asked her when she would return and she said she would not return that day and that was why we did not know on time that something had gone wrong because I was thinking that she went to her house for the renovation as she had earlier said.

I was shocked when I got the call last Thursday telling me that my niece had been found dead in the Lagos Lagoon. It is really sad.”

On what could have led to Toyin’s suicide, Odetola disclosed that she had issues that had resulted into serious depression for her. According to him, the deceased was married at a point but had some misunderstanding with her husband.

“She had some problems bothering her mind. She was married at a point but had a misunderstanding with her husband. They were on the verge of making up when she became mentally ill. She was discharged from the psychiatric hospital barely two weeks ago.”

Witnesses to the suicide speculate that the documents found on the deceased, which included share dividends of various companies supposedly owned by her father, may have contributed to her undoing.
Odetola, however, denied these insinuations emphatically, saying the relationship between the deceased and her siblings was cordial. “She had a very good relationship with her siblings and it could be described as cordial.

They got along well and interacted very well.

Toyin was a nice person and would be badly missed in the family. It is just unfortunate that things ended this way. Talking about the situation is really weighing me own. I am very sad,” Odetola said.

Bash Ali walks out on Sports Minister

Abuja - A meeting between Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi and cruiserweight boxer Bash Ali ended abruptly on Tuesday in Abuja with both sides giving contrasting views of what had happened.
The meeting was earlier said to be a courtesy visit to Abdullahi by Ali on the proposed historical fight.

Officials at the minister’s office at the National Sports Commission (NSC) had earlier said Ali was expected to apologise to the minister during the meeting.
But Ali had walked out of the meeting after about 15 minutes.
He later told newsmen that while he was there to apologise to the minister if he had offended him but he felt he was being interrogated.
The boxer said the minister refused to co-operate with him on the boxing fight which would have created employment for athletes.
“Nigeria is bigger than all of us. We have a big fight to do that will bring about employment and provide an avenue for athletes to exhibit their talents. But, unfortunately, the minister refused to co-operate with me.
“We discussed for 15 minutes and I told him if I have done anything in the course of trying to bring the historical event to Nigeria which has offended him, I am very sorry,’’ he said.
According to him, “the minister went on and wanted to do more interrogation and I told him this was not the appropriate time for allegations and I walked out.’’
However, the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Julius Ogunro, while responding to inquiries on the issue, said Ali had apologised to the minister at the meeting.
He also confirmed that the event ended in a deadlock, saying the minister had asked Ali to tell him (Abdullahi) if he ever asked him for money.
The minister’s aide said Ali could not respond to the question and the development had ended the meeting.
“The meeting ended in a deadlock because, after he apologised to the minister that he was sorry, the minister asked him whether he (Abdullahi) asked him for money. But Bash (Ali) could not respond.
“And the minister said if he (Ali) was not willing to tell the whole world that he did not ask for bribe he would not have a meeting with him,” he said
Ogunro said even though the Nigerian government does not sponsor professional sports, but the sports minister had wanted to help Ali out.
“He will go out of his way to do that, which is a privilege and not a right,’’ he said.(NAN)

Ondo senator weeps for endorsing under age girl marriage

The member representing Ondo Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, wept before members of his constituency in Akure on Monday as he apologised to them that he voted in error to support the senate resolution backing marriage of underage girls.
Akinyelure was summoned by his constituents to explain his role in the controversial passage of a resolution to retain the provision of Section 29 (4) (b) of the 1999 Constitution, which states that a married underage girl is deemed to be an adult.
Politicians, women groups and students had besieged the Adegbemile Hall, venue of the meeting, with placards to protest against what they described as the legalisation of sexual abuse of young girls, which their representative had supported.

But Akinyelure burst into tears as he laboured to convince the obviously enraged crowd at the tension-soaked session that he mistakenly pressed the wrong button during the electronic voting exercise thinking that he was voting against child marriage.

The Senator said he had aligned his thought with that of other senators, who supported the resolution that the provision should be expunged from the constitution.
He added that the resolution was paraphrased again in a way that confused him to mean that pressing the ‘No’ button would mean voting against the resolution that the resolution should be retained in the constitution.

He said, “I am very sorry for this costly mistake. I actually voted in error. I pressed the ‘No’ button during the electronic voting session, thinking that I was kicking against the early marriage. I can never support such barbaric and wicked bill.”

William and Kate name son George Alexander Louis

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate have revealed their new born son's name.

Kensington Palace said in a short statement this evening:
'The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to announce that they have named their son George Alexander Louis. The baby will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.

Photo: Al Mustapha visits TB Joshua immediately after release

Al-Mustapha was released yesterday Friday July 12th after many years in prison, and his first port of call after his release was T.B Joshua's place.

T.B Joshua explains why Al-Mustapha visited him first:
I got to know him many years ago when a petition was addressed to General Bamaiyi who was the then Chairman of the NDLEA. As you know, several efforts had been made by my detractors to bring me and my ministry down. One of those efforts was that petition. I was arrested for investigation and it was later discovered that it was a tissue of lies. I spent nine days with them for investigation and they found the whole thing to be a fabrication. From there, I was taken to Aso Rock (City of Power) to see the president. It was there that I met Mustapha.

I was able to reveal to them who I am by telling them what was to come as a prophet. One of those things I mentioned to them and to Mustapha in particular, was what he went through, though he did not believe me then. That was why when it came to pass, I was the first person he remembered. I told him that he would spend several years in prison and would be finally released which no one else had ever told him.

That is why you see him coming here as his first port of call. Where there is no vision, people perish.

I am surprised you are asking me why he is coming here first. When you look into your archives  as journalists, you will find many stories in the past about my visit to Aso Rock, (City of Power) while Bamaiyi was Chairman of NDLEA. Many magazines and newspapers published my visions and prophecies on the government and the presidency.

When you know your picture of tomorrow, it will impart a strength to endure your present difficulty. When you know what you are passing through now will not last long, you will endure it. This is vision; this is prophecy. This can only come by revelation. This is what the Bible means by, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). I will leave you here.

Breaking: 30 students feared killed in fresh attack in Potiskum, Yobe

Armed Islamic militants have killed 29 students and an English teacher in an attack on a boarding school in Yobe State in northeastern Nigeria.

Survivors being treated for burns and gunshot wounds said some students were burned alive in the attack, which allegedly took place early Saturday and which is believed to have been carried out by the radical Boko Haram Islamic group.

Gunmen stormed the premises of Government Secondary School in the town of Mamudo in Yobe State at around 3am, setting fire to parts of the complex.

Dozens of children from the 1,200-student school escaped into the bush and have not been seen since, reports Sky News.

Incidentally, Yobe is one of the three northern states in which President Goodluck Jonathan imposed a state of emergency in an effort to stem the insecurity ravaging the area. Adamawa and Borno are the other two states effected by emergency rule.

Parents rushed to the school and screamed in anguish as they tried to identify the charred and dead bodies of the victims.

Mohammed Musa, who taught English at the school, died after he was shot in the chest.

One 15-year-old who survived the attack told of how he awoke to find one of the attackers pointing a gun at him.

Speaking at Potsikum General Hospital, Musa Hassan said: "We were sleeping when we heard gunshots. When I woke up, someone was pointing a gun at me."

He put up his hands in defence and was shot in his right hand, the one he uses to write with, and lost four fingers.

The child said the gunmen came armed with jerry cans of fuel that they used to torch the school's administrative block and one of the hostels.

"They burned the children alive," he added.

Farmer Malam Abdullahi found the bodies of two of his sons, a 10-year-old shot in the back as he apparently tried to run away, and a 12-year-old shot in the chest.

He said he planned to withdraw his three remaining sons from another school nearby.

"That's it, I'm taking my other boys out of school," he said.

He complained there was no protection for students despite the deployment of thousands of troops since the government declared a state of emergency mid-May in three northeastern states.

"It's not safe," he said. "The gunmen are attacking schools and there is no protection for students despite all the soldiers," he added.

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