KIDNAPPED AMERICAN WORKER REGAINS HER FREEDOM

Rev. Phyllis Sortor, an American Missionary worker, who was kidnapped in the Hope Academy Compound in Kogi state on Monday February 23rd, has regained her freedom. According to the Kogi state Police Commissioner, no ransom was paid for her freedom.

IS EITHER CANNABIS BUSINESS OR WE DIE OF HUNGER...SUSPECTS

Two suspects, Raji Kabir, 22, and Yusuf Bako, 19, were arrested by Officers of the Lagos State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in different areas of the Lagos metropolis for selling cannabis, otherwise known as ‘Indian hemp’.

Kabir  in his own words said : “I was introduced into cannabis smoking by friends. Later, I began to sell cannabis at Agege and I used to make a profit of N2000 daily. I’ve stopped selling hemp about three times, but I kept going back to the business because I have no money to sustain myself.”

Bako’s story is not different from that of Kabir.

 He noted: “After my primary school in Lagos, I enrolled as an apprentice in an electrical workshop since I could not further my education. My friends introduced me to cannabis smoking. I began to sell about a year ago in order to sustain myself. Any day I didn’t go to work, I’ll go and sell hemp. I used to earn N1, 200 daily.”

According to NDLEA spokesman, Mitchel Ofoyeju, the seizures were made during raid operation conducted within Lagos.

Ofoyeju said that the first consignment of the drug, weighing 658.8 kilogrammes believed to have been imported from Ghana, was detected at Alaba Rago area of Lagos.

He added: “The team also discovered another 151.3 kilogrammes at Agege area of the State where the two suspected drug dealers were apprehended.”

The NDLEA Lagos State Commander, Mr. Aliyu Sule who confirmed the raid operation, said that it was based on intelligence report.

Sule further said: “Acting on intelligence report, we raided the water front at Alaba Rago area where we found compressed dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis. The team also raided Kasamu Street in Agege where 151.3 kilogrammes of cannabis was found hidden in the ceiling. Both seizures weighed 810.1 kilogrammes. Kabir and Bako were arrested during the operation. They are cooperating with our team of investigators.”

NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Giade has directed the commanders to intensify surveillance along the water ways. He said: “I have directed commanders to intensify maritime surveillance to prevent drugs from being smuggled into the country through the water. We are also working very hard to identify other members of the drug cartels. I can assure you that we will not relent in our offensive against drug cartels.”

 The NDLEA boss also called on parents to monitor their children adding that good parental care will go a long way in preventing drug trafficking and abuse.

HONEST NIGERIAN RETURNS $27,000 TO ITS OWNER @ MURTALA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LAGOS

 Josephine Agwu, pictured above, who works as a cleaner at the Murtala International Airport in Lagos, was on January 23rd, found a bag containing $27,000 which is 5.4 million in Naira equivalent while performing her duty.

Josephine who earns just N7,800 per month as salary took the bag to the security post at the airport for an announcement to be made for the owner to come forward & collect it, which was done.

Vanguard reports why she took the decision to return the money. Read that after the cut...

"I am from Enugu State, from Obonkpa in Nsukka Local Government. I live at Agbotukunyo in Agege. The incident happened on the 23rd of January 2015. I was on morning duty. So as I was sweeping around 6:30pm, I saw the bag on the ground and there were some passengers there so I thought that the bag could belong to one of them. But as I closed at 7:20pm, the person to relieve me on duty came that time. I was going to the toilet again, I saw the same bag there.

Then I told the passengers sitting there that they should be mindful of the bag because once they announce the flight they may forget it. They replied that the bag did not belong to them. Three of the passengers left, so I then picked the bag and took it to the FAAN security people. At first, they put the bag on the screening machine, before they opened the bag and discovered that there were many envelops in the bag containing money in different currencies including dollars. As they were counting it, I saw an NDLEA woman accompanied by one man and both of them were coming towards us.

They said that the man could be the owner of the bag. So when they came in, they interviewed the man and the man mentioned the amount of money and the colour of the bag. Before then, they had counted the money and it was exactly the amount that the man said. Then they carried the money and gave to the man for him to count. After counting, they asked him if the money was complete, he said yes and they snapped him picture. They asked him again about three times and they told the man that, ‘look at the woman that picked your bag’, and the man was looking at me. His name is Mr. Obinna Samuel. They told him that he should thank his God that if it were another person, that person would have run away with the bag but this woman didn’t do that. So I left and the man took the money and put inside the bag and went away. Then FAAN security personnel called me back, and they took my number On-Duty-Card (ODC) and my name.

That was how it happened. People are praising me, FAAN said that they are going to give me automatic employment but I have not heard from them till now. People should appreciate what they have. People do a lot of bad things because they are not happy with what they have. With the little I earn, I try to manage it well. If I can’t manage that small money that I earn, even if I begin to earn N1 million, I will still not know how to manage it. So, I am telling every Nige­rian to be happy in any situation they find themselves. Don’t be faster than your shadow because so many things will go wrong. Sometimes things get bad because people want to be like others. All fin­ gers are not equal. It is true that God promised those who serve him riches, but people should be careful how they go about it. I am telling people to have pa­ tience. It is because people want quick money that is why some people become thieves.

On the part of my management, in fact they are happy, all my supervisors. In short they are doing good things for me, even they are carrying me like egg, even my MD. They have added money to my salary. In short, my manager, Madam Eunice has been doing many things for me since the incident, praising me. She said that she knows that she can trust me, and that I cannot see anything that does not belong to me and I take it away" she said

Josephine says for showing such a remarkable decision, her company has decided to increase her salary from N7,800 to N15,000 monthly and also the management of FAAN has promised to make her a permanent staff

"FAAN (Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria) said that they are going to give me automatic employment, but I have not heard from them till now. On the part of my management, they are happy, all my supervisors. In short, they are doing good things for me. Now, they carry me like egg, even my MD.” she said

Meanwhile the Lagos state House of Assembly on Monday February 22nd at its plenary session decided to invite Josephine to the House to honor her for her honesty.

1MILLION MARCH FOR BUHARI IN LAGOS

 Lagosians march in support of Buhari today. Here are pictures from the ongoing march. See more after the cut...

OBASANJO..A NATIONALIST..TEACHER..DISCIPLINARIAN..TUTOR IN DIGNITY & BOLDNESS..TINUBU

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo caught Senator Bola Tinubu unawares at Obasanjo’s 78th birthday lecture held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State, when he called on the former governor to address the guests. 

The All Progressives Congress, stated admitted former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, re-shaped his life positively. 
“You trapped me innocently with a great wisdom of a 78-year-old,” Tinubu said. “I’m honoured to be here and many of you will see this as a rare occasion but this is an opportunity to pay tribute to a nationalist, a teacher, a disciplinarian and a tutor in dignity and boldness. 

‪Senator Tinubu, however, acknowledged past altercations between both leaders while they were in power. 

“Yes, it is true, there are no permanent friends or permanent enemies in politics,” he said. “What is common is common interest. Once upon a time, some nine years ago, I went to the (Aso Rock) Villa, the President, Olusegun Obasanjo, asked me to walk out and was just abusing me in the papers and I said, “Baba, you are a tenant here. This house belongs to Nigeria. If I get to Ota, you can send me out. I brought file about Nigeria.”And he said, “That is true, sit down.” 

‪He said despite their less-than friendly past, Mr. Obasanjo was still worthy of celebration. 

“If I could tell you several events that occurred between the two of us in the interest of the nation, I would write an epistle but today is not for that,” Mr. Tinubu said. “But how do you celebrate truly and honour a man who has kept you on your toes? Between Baba Olusegun Obasanjo and myself, what I can say is gratitude from me because you kept me on my toes. 

“Each time we disagree on things of principle, I took him to court. One time, as the President, he saw me and said, “You took me to court. We can’t be friends after the court.” And I told him, “I didn’t take you to court, I took the Nigeria President to court.” And he said, “Get out of my way” and I told him, I wouldn’t get out of the way until I get what I want.” 

Mr. Tinubu also disclosed a recent attempt at an alliance with Mr. Obasanjo, who was formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party but now an elder statesman without any party affiliation. 

“…When we started this present regime of merger and alliances and we visited him, we told him we wanted him to be a navigator,” Mr. Tinubu narrated. “He said, “Navigator? I am still in my party. I will try to avoid partisanship because of Nigeria. If you people put up a good team for the sake of this country, I will give you wisdom.” 

“And if you look at what has been happening since then, Obasanjo is an open book, you read a line, you pick a paragraph, you learn, you comply. If you drink from that fountain of wisdom, you will see value in it. He is very committed to the Nigerian nation. 

“As we were talking few minutes ago, I said Nigeria is the giant of Africa and he said, “I hope you will remove the k-leg.” I said, “The elephantiasis would be killed.” He said by what and I said by the APC.” 

Mr. Tinubu praised Mr. Obasanjo for quitting the PDP by publicly tearing up his membership card. 

“It wasn’t about anything else, it was about the love of our country, patriotism, putting the country first before self,” he said. “There’s nothing Obasanjo would have wanted in terms of material wealth, oil well, oil lifting – whatever from (President Goodluck Jonathan) that he wouldn’t have gotten or what from PDP that he wouldn’t have gotten as a retention service.
“He put all of that aside, believed in the unity, cohesion, and progress of this country in order to free himself from that bondage of commitment to partisan politics that is probably drifting in the middle of the storm of a political change. He would rather be afloat and chart a new course.” 

Speaking at the event, Chief Obasanjo warned against toying with loyalty to the country in the interest of its developmental growth. 

“Loyalty and relationship must be guided and controlled by what is true, what is right and what is in the best interest of the majority,” he said. 

He said loyalty to Nigeria should not be undermined by anything except the truth. 

He noted that the two of the event’s speakers in their presentations did not suggest magic as solutions to Nigeria’s problems. He said there was nothing they told the gathering that was impossible. 

“But all they have said boils down to one thing – leadership, and until we get it right, anytime we do not get it right, we cannot get any other thing right; don’t let us deceive ourselves,” Mr. Obasanjo said. “Whether it is security, science and technology or innovation or the development of the economy or education, they all boil down to leadership and at all levels. May God give us the leadership that occasions like this deserve in Nigeria.”
‪
Mr. Obasanjo expressed optimism that Nigeria would get it right. He said the citizens have no choice than to do well. 

“I am an incurable optimist about this country, and maybe because I have seen, in my short span of life, a little bit of what is possible and a little bit of what can go wrong and what can be made to go wrong, then, maybe that is why I am an incurable optimist and I believe that all will be well in this country,” he said. “We have no choice anyway; all has to be well.” 

‪He said there was no reason why any Nigerian child, at this point in time, should not have basic education and good food and the youth, employment. 

“And if all those things that all these young ones are expecting are not there, in 15 years time, they would be good recruits for Boko Haram or its equivalent,”Obasanjo said.

TINUBU vs AIT: COURT GRANTED AN ACCELERATED HEARING

Read the press statement below...

In a motion Exparte filed before an Ikeja High Court on Friday March 6th 2015, the court granted an accelerated hearing for motion on notice in the case of defamatory and libellous documentary aired on DAAR Communications, AIT. The granted accelerated hearing comes up on Monday March 16, 2015.

The exparte motion brought before  Ikeja High Court - sought an order of interim injunction restraining  the respondent, AIT whether by itself, agents, privies and or other persons from producing  or continuing to broadcast, airing, or continuing to reproduce any defamatory documentary against the applicant which AIT started to broadcast on Sunday 1st of march , 2015 and has been repeating on a daily basis since then, 

Pending the airing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction dated 5th March ,2015  filed in this suit.

The motion further noted as a fact that damages would not adequately compensate applicant/claimant if this ex-parte order is not granted. It prayed that the res of this suit may be extinguished if the ex-parte order is not granted. That there is real, imminent and urgent threat and danger of continuing to decimate the person and integrity of the applicant by the respondent by continuing to air the offensive broadcast if the ex-parte motion is not granted. That unless this application is granted, the defendant will not relent or suspend the broadcast of the said libelous documentary and that it is in the interest of justice to grant this application.

The legal effect of the filing and notification of the pendency of a law suit under the legal doctrine of lis pendens is that all parties should exercise extreme caution particularly restraint in continuing with the act complained of. This is the minimal requirement of any law abiding citizen.

This duty also extends to other members of the society who are expected to refrain from aggravating the damage complained of or in any way contributing to the quantum of damage. It takes on a more compelling dimension in this instance where the claimant has applied for injunctive restraining orders against the material complained against.

The contrary can hardly be argued against the fact that affront to the judicial institution attracts criminal implications.
 The Tinubu legal team is led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN. Dr. Tunji Abayomi is also part of the legal team.

Sunday Dare

Media Adviser To Former Governor Bola Tinubu

LOVE SCAM: UNDERGRADUATE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY DEFRAUDING A BRITON £54,000

Obiechina Chikeluba 21, an undergraduate of the Federal Science and Technical College Yaba, has been held for allegedly milking a UK lady the sum of £54,000, in another love scam.

Chikeluba ,posing as an American citizen called, Jackson, met the lady via Facebook sometimes in 2013 and later defrauded her to the tune of N20 million.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arrested Chikeluba for swindling Kieran Oakes, the UK citizen.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspect, using the assumed profile of an American, Lisa Jackson, entered into a relationship with Oakes, with the pair agreeing to get married.

In the course of their relationship, ‘Jackson’ at various times collected money to the tune of £54,000 from Oakes, to enable him travel to the UK to meet her.

Uwujaren said: “After an endless wait for her fiancé, it dawned on the Briton that she had been conned, and consequently petitioned the EFCC. Operatives of the Commission arrested Chikeluba in a sting operation on February 24, 2015 in Lagos while attempting to collect a parcel sent to him. He will appear in court as soon as investigation is concluded.”