NIGERIA: SUSPECTED COCAINE DEALER PLEADS GUILTY TO OFFENCE IN COURT

ILLICIT DRUGS

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a 24 year old male, Ibrahim Kabo who is facing drug peddling charges before the Abuja Federal High Court on Thursday pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him.

Addressing the court headed by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, the prosecution’s representative Mr. Mike Kassa said Kabo was brought before the Federal High Court on a two count charge in respect of the possession of illegal drugs by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

NIGERIA: BEAUTY QUEEN DROPS CROWN AFTER BEING SEXUALLY HARRASSED BY ORGANIZERS

 

CROWNED MISS CYNTHIA UGBAH

A beauty queen Miss Cynthia Ugbah, who won the Queen of Trust International 2015 has alleged sexual harassment by the pageant organizers and abdicated her crown.

Cynthia in her resignation letter addressed to the organizers said her decision was reached after much thought and careful consideration and with a conviction that it was of mutual benefit and for the sake of peace.

She said she had returned the crown and other items to the organizers but they continued to run a smear campaign against her. She said what she experienced at the pageant left her with only the option to resign. She went on to thank them for all they had done for her.

SENATOR BEN MURRAY-BRUCE GIVES OUT CHRISTMAS RICE TO HIS CONSTITUENTS FOR THE YULETIDE (PHOTOS)

The Christmas season 2015 has come and gone, however, some experiences are unforgettable for one reason or the other.

One of such is the sharing of rice and other food items, sometimes money inclusive by many politicians to their constituents to ensure that all had a decent meal to celebrate the season too.

All across Nigeria it was the norm and many remain grateful for the kind gesture. One of such politicians who did this was Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, the senator representing the Bayelsa East constituency of Bayelsa State and it was the local ofada rice which he eats himself. You can see pictures of the items in the photos below:

NIGERIA: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MOVE TO AMEND MINIMUM WAGE, REVENUE ALLOCATION LAWS

SPEAKER DOGARA

The House of Representatives is set to review the National Minimum Wage Act 2004 and the Allocation of Revenue Act 2004 with the second reading passage of their respective Amendment Bills at plenary on Wednesday.

The Bill for an Act to Amend the National Minimum Wage Act CAP. N.16 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 sponsored by Hon. Peter Akpatason and if passed into law, seeks to exclude the establishments that have foreign participation from the list of establishments exempted from the payment of national minimum wage.

ALFRED HAWIT: EX FIFA VICE PRESIDENT EXTRADITED TO THE USA TO FACE CORRUPTION CHARGES

MR. ALFREDO HAWIT

The FIFA whirlwind is consuming more people every day, this time it’s the former vice president of the association Alfredo Hawit, 64, who got his face stamped. He has been extradited from Switzerland to the United States and was to appear in court today.

He is the fifth FIFA official extradited by Switzerland to the United States in connection with the several financial controversies in the football body administration being investigated and he is alleged to have received hundreds of thousands of dollars as bribe when he was the General Secretary of the Honduran football federation.

FIFA RELIEVES ITS SECRETARY GENERAL JEROME VALCKE OF HIS JOB

FORMER FIFA SEC. GEN. JEROME VALCKE

The FIFA Ethics Committee is at it again, this time its bite is on Jerome Valcke, 55, the football governing body’s Secretary General who has been relieved of his job on the advice of its adjudicatory chamber headed by Hans-Joachim Eckert.

The Committee had carried out proceedings against him in respect of allegations of corruption and confirmed the termination of his appointment. The Secretary General had previously been on suspension from all football related activities for the same allegation. The former Secretary General has, however, denied the allegations which are connected to a set up that was supposed to sell tickets for the Brazil 2014 World at a price higher than their official price. The arrangement did not go through; as the contract was rescinded before any tickets could be sold.

NIGERIA: NNPC TANKER GOES UP IN FLAMES WHILE DISCHARGING FUEL IN ABUJA

BURNT PETROL TANKER

A petrol tanker belonging to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, on Tuesday, caught fire while discharging petrol at a filling station along Abdulsalami Abukakar Way, Apo, Abuja.

It was gathered that the tanker which was loaded with 45,000 litres of petrol, was completely burnt down, while the filling station was partly affected.

GHANA: COURT KEEPS IN REMAND ARTHUR SIMPSON-KENT, ALLEGED KILLER OF UK ACTRESS SIAN BLAKE & HER TWO SONS

SIAN BLAKE AND HER SONS

ARTHUR SIMPSON-KENT

Reports have it that a Magistrate court in Accra, capital of Ghana has ordered that British citizen, Arthur Simpson-Kent be remanded in police custody on his alleged murder of his girlfriend, British actress Sian Blake and her two children in the UK before his escape to Ghana.

 

Justice Rosemond Agyirie making the order directed also that while the suspect was in the police custody he should be allowed to have free and unlimited access to his legal representatives.

NIGERIA: SOLDIERS DETAIN 65 CHIBOK GIRLS' PARENTS IN BORNO

BRING BACK OUR GIRLS RALLY IN ACTION

Soldiers have detained 65 parents of the abducted Chibok girls who were on their way to Abuja from Borno to participate in the protest of the Bringbackourgirls (BBOG) movement scheduled for Thursday.

According to Tunji Olanrewaju, a member of the BBOG strategic team and spokesman, who spoke with TheCable, the 65 parents were stopped at Askira, near Chibok, in Borno state by soldiers acting on “orders from Above”.

“Over 120 of them (Chibok parents) were supposed to come for the march on Thursday.  So they were leaving Chibok this morning because it is a two-day trip.They set out at 7am  – about 64 0r 65 of them – in several buses, but they were stopped at Askira by soldiers,” Olarenwaju explained.

BAD CONTRACTS: THIS IS WHY BRITAIN’S DOCTORS HAVE GONE ON STRIKE TODAY

STRIKE ACTION

Tens of thousands of junior doctors across England have gone on strike Tuesday over government plans to change their work contracts in a way that medics claim will leave them worse off.

The action, the first such for over 40 years, is the latest twist in a chronic financing crisis at the state-funded National Health Service, and comes after weeks of increasingly bitter recriminations between the doctors and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Across much of England, patients received only emergency care, while planned over 3,500 operations and many more consultations were postponed. It’s the first of the first of three planned days of strike action. The BBC reported that over a third of the doctors involved had reported for work as normal, but that’s because they were due to perform the pared-down emergency services, rather than because they were strike-breaking.

Junior doctors (a phrase that covers those who have just graduated from med school to those with as much

NIGERIA: PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI SAYS HE DID NOT WITHDRAW 2016 BUDGE FROM THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

PRESIDENT BUHARI PRESENTING THE 2016 BUDGET AT NASS

The seems to be an ongoing controversy over the whereabouts of the 2016 budget submitted by the Presidency to the National Assembly and today, Tuesday, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu reacting said President Muhammadu Buhari did not withdraw the 2016 Budget from the National Assembly.

MARRIAGE BLUES: NICK CANNON SAYS NO TO MARRIAGE AFTER MARIAH CAREY

MARIAH & NICK WHEN ALL WAS WELL

Seems Mariah Carey, 45, left a sour taste of marriage in ex-husband, Nick Cannon, 35, and he is not afraid to show it. It is reported that Nick speaking in an interview said “I feel like marriage isn’t for everyone.” He added “A friend of mine put it the funniest way. He said, ‘If you heard that there was a 50/50 chance of living or dying when you jump out of a plane, you probably wouldn’t go skydiving.’ There’s like a 50/50 chance of marriage working. If it didn’t work out for you the first time, and you still survived it, you probably shouldn’t do it again.”

CRAZY: WANTED CRIMINAL SENDS OHIO POLICE A PREFERRED SELFIE PHOTO FOR HIS MUG SHOT

POLICE SHOT ON THE LEFT AND ON THE RIGHT PUGH'S

Strange things never stop to happen, and strange people never cease to make them happen. The officers in the Police Department in Lima, Ohio must have had some shock and may be some fun to go with it. The officers were in search of a man with several warrants on him. The Police in a bid to have the public assist with information helpful in the apprehension of the fugitive put pictures of him online on social media. Then comes a crazy response from the wanted man with a complaint… the pictures put up by the Police Department did not look good to him and guess what? The criminal goes ahead to send them a picture of himself, one he finds preferable. He even called the Police on the matter!

The criminal, Donald A. Pugh, 45, also known as Chip had not honored his invitation by the Police in respect

DEADLY MISTAKE: BRITISH NEWSCASTER MISTAKENLY ANNOUNCES DEATH OF BRITISH PM, DAVID CAMERON INSTEAD OF LEGENDARY MUSICIAN DAVID BOWIE

BRITISH PM DAVID CAMERON

A slip of the tongue can be sometime very embarrassing, then imagine this being made on radio being broadcast to a multitude of people and the subject of your mistake… the national leader of your country! This was the case of a radio newscaster, Fiona Winchester of the Heart FM Radio in Britain when she was reading the 8:30am news on Monday. She announced the death of the British Prime Minister David Cameron before realizing her mistake and making right her announcement by stating that it was the legendary musician, the late David Bowie who died recently after a bout with cancer.

LOVE IN THE AIR, BILLIONAIRE MEDIA MAGNET RUPERT MURDOCH AND ACTRESS JERRY HALL ENGAGED TO MARRY

RUPERT MURDOCK AND JERRY HALL

Australian-American Rupert Murdock, 84 and current love, American former supermodel and actress Jerry Hall, 59, seemed to have upped the ante soon after they attended the Golden Globes award night Sunday. They have started the journey to seal their love with the announcement of their engagement which appeared in the London based newspaper The Times owned by Murdock.

NIGERIA: STATE SECURITY SERVICES OPERATIVES RESCUE SUPER EAGLES PLAYER'S WIFE FROM KIDNAPPERS

FEGOR OGUDE AND WIFE, MEMUNAT

The wife of Super Eagles midfielder, Fegor Ogude, who was abducted by kidnappers last Monday night by gunmen in Warri, Delta state has been freed from the clutches by personnel of the State Security Service.‎ This information was announced in a tweet by the Media Officer of the National Under-23 Team, Timi Ebikagboro on his Twitter handle @ebikagboro.

In it he said: “To God be the glory, the wife of SE player Fegor Ogude, Memunat has been released, she was released minutes ago, and is now with her family.”

NIGERIA: TIMI DAKOLO TO HEADLINE 40 MAN CAST LOVE IS … THE MUSICAL 3

MUSIC STAR TIMI DAKOLO

The Headies 2015 Best Male Vocalist and R&B artiste Timi Dakolo will be leading a 40-man ensemble on Friday, 5 February at the third edition of “Love Is…The Musical” holding at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The musical, created and directed by Ice Nweke, will be the richest and most nuanced in the series thus far.

According to Clementine Vervelde, the event Producer, the idea behind this edition of Love Is…The Musical is to take the exploration of the theme of love to a new elemental level that resonates with everyone at a very deep part of their soul.

FIFA’S BALLON d’Or 2015 AWARDS HELD AS LIONEL MESSI WINS WORLD FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR FOR THE FIFTH TIME

The Ballon d’Or awards, an annual award organized by the world football body, FIFA held today, January 11, in Zurich with many football stars and officials in attendance, all with one thing in mind, to know the winners of the different categories but most especially the winner of the World Footballer of the year award. There was much to savor and to top it all; Lionel Messi of Barcelona/Spain beat Cristiano Ronaldo in a return to pick up the award for the fifth time.

The winner of the award is picked from the votes of the captain and the coach of all international teams who vote their choice for the top three footballers of the year. The collation of all the votes produces a winner who takes the award. Lionel won by a majority.

Another significant winner was a little known Brazilian striker, Wendell Lira who won the 2015 FIFA Puskas Award for a magnificent bicycle kick resulting in a goal against Atletico Goianiensia.

Also of note was the winner of the women’s World Player of the Year, America’s Carli Lloyd, a great contributor to America’s victory in the Women’s World Cup.

Luis Enrique, coach of Barcelona won the Men’s Coach of the Year while that for the female went to Jill Ellis of the United States of America.

There is also the FIFA FIFPro World XI which has among others Neymar, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as forwards.

See pictures of the Award below:

WORLD FOOTBALLER 2015. LIONEL MESSI

WORLD FOOTBALLERS OF 2015 MALE & FEMALE

NIGERIA: WHY THE EFCC HAS NOT ARRESTED FORMER PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN OVER $2.1B ARMS DEAL - ACTING CHAIRMAN

EFCC ACTING CHAIRMAN IBRAHIM MAGU

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, on Monday offered explanations on why former President Goodluck Jonathan has not been arrested over the controversial $2.1 billion arms deal.

The fund, which was managed by the Office of former National Security Adviser, retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, has led to the arrest, detention, questioning and arraignment of so many prominent Nigerians, with some wondering why Jonathan, believed to be the principal actor in the unfolding scenario, had not been arrested or summoned for questioning.

Offering reasons why Jonathan was yet to be summoned by the EFCC, Magu said no document has been traced to Jonathan giving any approval for the disbursement of the money for any other purpose than arms purchase.

PRINCE WILLIAM GETS A NEW HAIRCUT FOR 2016, WHO DID IT?

PRINCE WILLIAM SPOTTING A NEW HAIRCUT WITH WIFE

Hmm! Prince William seems to be in the spotlight now for the new haircut he has on. It seems the hairstyle brings a totally new look to the successor to the British throne, one which is different from what anyone has known of the 33 year old since birth.

The Prince shocked many with his new appearance and he sure gave his wife Princess Kate a run for her money this time as he was rather the news maker and not his wife.

RELEASE OF FORMER MILITARY ADMINISTRATOR JAFARU ISA BY EFCC ALLEGEDLY ATTRIBUTED TO HIS RETURN OF N100 MILLION BUT QUESTIONS ARISE

BRIG. GEN. JAFARU ISA (RTD.)

There have been questions raised about the quick release from detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Brigadier General Jafaru Isa, Rtd., onetime military administrator of Kaduna State, party chief of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) and alleged acolyte of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Brig. Gen. Isa was arrested in Abuja by the EFCC on Wednesday on the allegation that he collected N170 million from the country’s former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki in the ongoing investigation of the illegal dispensing of funds meant for the acquisition of military equipment for use by the Nigerian armed forces in its fight against the Boko Haram Islamist extremists.

NIGERIA: KIDNAPPERS ABDUCT APC’S ONDO GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANT IN ABUJA

VICTOR OLABINTAN

All is not going well for the All Progressives Congress (APC) for now, over the weekend it was not successful in the governorship elections that held in Bayelsa state and now it has to contend with another governorship issue in Ondo state.

Today, one of APC’s gubernatorial aspirants for the Ondo state 2016 governorship election, Victor Olabintan, who was also the former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly was allegedly kidnapped in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.

NIGERIA: FAYOSE ARRESTS TWO FAKE BUHARI’S SECURITY AIDES

SUSPECTS BENEDICT OLA IDEGA & ABDULSALAMI LEADER H.

Two men, who claimed to be President Mohammadu Buhari’s private security aides, were reportedly arrested on Saturday at the Afao-Ekiti country home of the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose for presenting themselves as staff of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), with influence over the report of the military panel set up to investigate alleged involvement in partisan politics by some soldiers and officers during the 2014/ 2015 gubernatorial election conducted in some states such as Ekiti, Osun, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom.

A statement by the Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka said the two men, Benedict Ola Idega and Abdulsalami Leader H. claimed that they already have the preliminary report of the military panel and that with the cooperation of the governor, they could manipulate the final report if necessary. They also said the army panel report was targeted at some top army officers that the Federal Government wanted to punish.

NIGERIA: PDP’S SERIAKE DICKSON WINS ELECTION TO RETURN AS GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE

GOVERNOR SERIAKE DICKSON

The Governorship election in Bayelsa State has finally been successfully concluded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and a winner declared in the person of the current Governor, Seriake Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The supplementary election in the Southern Ijaw and some other Local Government Areas held on Saturday, January 9 was basically a contest between the PDP candidate and that of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva.

NIGERIA - SOPHIA MOMODU, DAVIDO, BABY IMADE: BITTER FEUD OVER

SOPHIA MOMODU AND BABY IMADE

Dele Momodu, Ovation Publisher has hinted that the child custody feud between music star Davido and his cousin, Sophia Momodu is over.

The family quarrel which began after Christmas, with the stoppage at the Murtala Muhammed Airport of Davido and sister from taking out Baby Imade to Dubai, on suspicion of child kidnapping, exploded into exchanges between Davido and Momodu. Then an apology followed from Davido to Momodu. Davido

HUNGER GAMES ACTRESS AMANDLA STENBERG COMES OUT FOR REAL AS BISEXUAL

AMANDLA STENBERG

Hunger Games actress, 17 year old Amandla Stenberg is the focus of the cover story in February 2016’s edition of the Teen Vogue magazine. The cover story by Solange Knowles will see her use the opportunity to come out of the closet. In the story headlined “How Our February Cover Star Amandla Stenberg Learned to Love Her Blackness,” the star seeks to inspire other black women come out clean and be their real self.

USA: MAN SETS HOME ON FIRE TRYING TO BURN BEDBUGS IN DETROIT

BEDBUG

An apartment complex in Detroit, USA was completely razed by fire on Sunday January 3, morning when a man frustrated by the budbugs in his own unit tried to get rid of them by dousing himself and the property inside with alcohol. The fire, however, was ignited when he subsequently tried to burn one of the bedbugs and the fire spread not only to his body but to the property in his apartment. The resultant flame left him seriously burnt, four units of the complex were destroyed while about 24 other units were left damaged by water.

JEAN FRANCOIS LOSCUITO, NIGERIA’S SUPER EAGLES COACH UNDERGOES SURGICAL OPERATION IN SOUTH AFRICA

SUPER EAGLES ASST. COACH LOSCUITO

Nigeria’s Super Eagles’ assistant coach, Jean Francois Loscuito was yesterday, January 9, suddenly admitted in hospital and rushed to the theater for a surgical operation in South Africa.

Reports from the team’s training camp in Pretoria where the players are preparing for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) state that Mr. Loscuito had earlier on been complaining of an upset stomach. The ailment seemingly beyond what could be controlled by the team’s medical personnel necessitated the evacuation of the German to an unnamed hospital in Pretoria where he taken straight to the theater for an emergency surgery which was performed successfully.