BIAFRA TIMES PUBLISHER AND NINE OTHERS ARRAIGNED ON SEDITION CHARGES

The publisher of Biafra Times and nine others were on Monday, arraigned before a Lagos Magistrates Court in Ikeja for allegedly publishing and circulating seditious and malicious publication.
The accused, Peter Eke, the publisher, Jamiu Eke, Azeez Ayoola, Akeem Adebakin, Bisi Akeem, Adewumi Temitope, Sakiru Folorunsho, Rafiu Qudus, Kunle Olusola, and Ayodeji Odunyinbo, were arrested on Sunday night, January 29th, at a room located at no 33 Oguntolu Street, Somolu.

Lagos State Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, while parading the 10 suspects after the arrest ; said 515 copies of the offending newspaper were recovered during a raid on the printing press in Shomolu, Lagos. The printing press has been shut and the environment is being monitored. This is an offence punishable under the Criminal Law of Lagos State," Owoseni said.

The 30-year-old Eke, however, told journalists that he had no intention to promote disunity and disharmony among Nigerians. "I love my country and I love my president. My intention is not  to fight my country; I just want to pass out information to those who have no access to the Internet. I usually go on the Internet to source for information and publish. I have other papers on sports and social life which I publish. I decided to specialise on Biafra Times when I discovered it is always a sell-out anytime we published stories about eastern parts of the country. Sometimes, I go to newspaper vendors and hear people requesting for Biafra Times. We usually print about 5000 copies which we sell for N100 nationwide," he said.

The accused all pleaded not guilty to the seven count charges preferred against them by the Lagos State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID)

After their plea, their lawyer, Lucy Baadoo, had moved an application for bail of the accused, urging the court to release the accused on bail on liberal terms.

The bail application was however refused by the magistrate who rather ordered accelerated hearing of the case. She consequently adjourned the case to February 10, 17 and 24 for commencement of trial.

In the charge, the prosecutor, Effiong Asuquo, OC Legal of the State Criminal Investigations Department, Panti Yaba, alleged that the accused projected obscene article in an unlicensed publication known as ‘The Biafra Times’ on January 29, 2017

They were alleged to have reproduced statements, rumors and reports calculated at inciting secession in a section of the Nigerian federation and which publication is capable of putting the federal government in fear.

The publication is said to contain pictorial displays of persons living and dead in a manner likely to provoke or bring into disaffection some section of the Nigerian federation.

The accused were also alleged to have conducted themselves in a manner likely to constitute a breach of peace, by inducing fear in the public to abstain from going about their lawful business.

The offences is said to have contravened the provisions of Section 58, 59 and 403 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, Cap C17 Laws of the Federation, 2015.

THE ROYAL FATHER OF THE DAY: ALAYELUWA DE WHENO AHOLU MENU-TOYI 1(OFR,LL.D, D.Litt, JP) THE AKRAN OF BADAGRY

De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I (OFR,LL.D, D.Litt, JP), The Akran of Badagry Kingdom, was born in Lagos Island on 18th September, 1936. He is the fifth child of the 13th Akran of Badagry, His Majesty De Wheno Aholu Ajiyon-Kanho. He holds sway over a swathe of territory covering Badagry town and  70 adjourning villages and districts spread across the mainland and islands in Southwest Nigeria.

The Akran of  Badagry, ascended to the throne of his fore-father in 1977 and before then, he  was a  journalist whose exploits in the pen profession started in 1961 in the then West African Pilot established by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and spread across several platforms including Daily Sketch and New Nigeria where he rose to the position of Acting News Editor, South.
Before him, Badagary had been ruled by 14 paramount rulers, since the days of Akran Gbafoe in 1425.

Akran Menu-Toyi 1 is the permanent Vice-Chairman of Lagos State Council of Oba’s and Chiefs.
Badagry is the cradle of West African civilisation starting from 1839 when 500 slaves were liberated from Sierra Leone by the British and they were brought to Badagry to enable them go to their homes
The first educational system of Nigeria as a British colony started in Badagry where the first primary school was established by the Wesleyan mission (Methodist Church) in 1843 and named Nursery of Infant Church which later became St. Thomas’ Anglican Nursery and Primary School, founded by Rev. Golmer of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1845, inside the first storey building in Badagry.

 The Wesleyans in the same year 1843 then went to central Lagos and founded Olowogbowo Methodist School and Ereko Methodist School in 1869. Olowogbowo Methodist School is still waxing strong located just behind Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo while Ereko Mehodist School was relocated to Berkely Street and is also still waxing strong. The first secondary school in Badagry was built over one hundred years later called Badagry Grammar School in 1955 due to misunderstanding between the Missionaries and the natives that made them leave the town unceremoniously

De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi 1 was honored with the National Award of the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) in March 1981. On 7th April 1990, he was installed as the Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt and also on the occasion, he was awarded the Doctor of Laws (LL.D) Honoris Causa. On May 15, 2010, the Late President of Nigeria, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua, approved the appointment of His Majesty, De Wheno Aholu as Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt and on Saturday, 15th May, 2010, during the 26th Convocation of the university, he was installed as the Chancellor and again conferred with the Doctors of Letters (D.Litt) Honoris Causa.

The Akran said he could not also forget in a hurry what he considered as his most embarrassing moment in life as he recalled: “One day in 1978, when Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (retired) was the military administrator of Lagos State, he came to Badagry on an official visit and we prepared for him because it was just about a year after my coronation.

“We arranged for cultural displays and did all we could to entertain him. We just heard all of a sudden that he would not be coming to the palace again as the tradition demands. He actually came to Badagry, but he did not visit the palace. It was disturbing and quite puzzling, but few days later, we knew the reason for his action. We were told that some people informed him that I am stubborn and headstrong, and that I should have come to welcome him at the Badagry Roundabout. They went further to inform him that I disliked his administration and that I was promoting sectionalism.

“Ebitu Ukiwe agreed with the misconception and lies when he did not see me at the roundabout to welcome him. He saw me as an enemy of his government. He was very angry with me and he cancelled his scheduled visit to the palace. It was a story that was promoted by the media. It took the intervention of my senior colleague at the Daily Sketch who was the press officer of the then Head of State, General Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Nwokoye, who did not only intervened, but implored the Head of State to intervene.

“It was Gen. Obasanjo who then educated the governor on the tradition in Yorubaland that any visiting president or governor must visit the palace of the paramount ruler before they can now go with him to other places of interest in his domain. He told the governor that it is not done in Yorubaland for a royal father to leave his palace to receive a visitor outside. Ebitu Ukiwe argued that when he was in Niger State, the Emir came to the airport to welcome him. But the head of state told him that the traditions were different and advised him to contact me so that we could resolve the matter amicably.

“The administrator did not get in touch with me until three months later. When he contacted me, I went to him and we talked it over. I was greatly embarrassed by this incident because I was expecting the governor with all my chiefs and notable people in the kingdom. It was a great embarrassment.’’

NIGERIA CUSTOM SERVICE RELEASE PRESS STATEMENT OVER GUNS INTERCEPTED IN LAGOS !

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has explained in a press statement delivered by the Comptroller-General of NCS Hameed Ali at a briefing in Lagos on Monday, January 30,how it outfit intercepted and seized a massive weapons haul of 661 brand new pump-action rifles in Lagos state.

The statement read: "On Sunday 22nd January 2017, the Roving Team of the NCS Federal Operations Unit while on information patrol intercepted a Mack truck with registration number BDG 265 XG conveying a 1x40ft Container with Number: PONU/825914/3along Mile 2 Apapa road.


"The truck was immediately taken to the premises of FOU Zone A,Ikeja where Physical examination revealed 49 boxes containing a total number of 661 pieces of pump action rifles concealed with steal doors and other merchandize goods."


The Customs clarified that the actions of the importer contravened the provisions of the Nigerian laws and it is even more so given the fragile level of security in the country at the moment.


It added: "These Rifles are under absolute prohibition; therefore its importation is illegal. Such deadly contravention of the law is even more unacceptable considering the fragile security situation in some parts of the country."


The Customs confirmed the arrest of three people in connection with the importation of the large arms. They suspects' names were given as: Oscan Okafor (Importer) age 51, Mahmud Hassan (Clearing Agent) age 56 and Sadique Mustapha (who accompanied the consignment to its destination) age 28.


Hameed Ali says more arrests could still be made as an investigation has been opened into the matter.

He said: "Investigation has already commenced and I have directed that the drag net should be wide enough to fish out all persons involved in the importation and clearing of the consignment. Already, the Officers involved in the clearance of this container are with the Comptroller FOU Zone ‘A’Ikeja."

From Naij.

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Photo credit: Libarty Studio

"LOVES YOU LIKE TRUMP LOVES PUTIN" ~~~TOOLZO TO HUSBAND AS THEY CELEBRATE TRADIVERSRY !

 It's one year today and the couple took to social media to mark their tradiversary. See Capt. Tunde's message after the cut..

TWO SUSPECTED FEMALE ROBBERS CAUGHT WITH LOTS OF MASTER KEYS IN PORT-HARCOURT ! (PHOTOS)

 These two girls, Uchechi and Favour were caught with lots of master keys they allegedly use in robbing around their neighbourhood in Port Harcourt. They were caught today and handed over to the police. See more photos after the cut..

(According to Facebook user: Bright Jossy )

NIGERIA CUSTOMS REPORTEDLY SEIZE 49 BOXES CONTAINING PUMP ACTION RIFLES !

Opratives  of the Nigeria Customs Service in Lagos have seized 49 boxes containing 661 pieces of Pump Action Rifles found a inside container. The items were seized this morning.

 Photo credit: Ifunanya Eze