Photos: NDLEA arrest businessman with 225 grammes of cocaine inside his anus

Men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, have arrested 46 year old businessman Tochukwu Prosper Nzom who inserted 225gm of cocaine into his anus while preparing to board an Air France flight to Paris from the Muritala Mohammed International Airport yesterday June 4th.

According to a statement by the spokesperson of NDLEA, Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju, two other drug traffickers, identified as Idehen Prince Henry and Ilemena Chinedu Peter were also arrested with 915 grammes and 1.225kg of cocaine as they arrived Nigeria from Brazil on an Emirates flight.

When interrogated, 46 year old Nzom (pictured above) who hails from Anambra state and is married with two children, said he would have made $1, 500 if he had succeeded in trafficking the banned substance.

"I was drinking with friends when I heard them talking about drugs.

I actually volunteered to smuggle drugs because of my financial situation.

They agreed to pay me $1,500 because it was only three wraps weighing 225 grammes.

I am from a poor home,” he said

On his part, Idehen Prince Henry said he was promised $2, 500 by the people who sent him to traffic the drug "I am from Enugu State.

I am married to a Brazilian lady and we have a child.

I work as a sales boy in a supermarket.

I dropped out of school in Junior Secondary Class 3.

I overheard some of my friends discussing about drugs and I indicated interest.

That was how it started.

The drug was packed in a bag for me and they promised to pay me $2,500.

I am so sad, disappointed and ashamed of myself.”he said

Source Linda Ikeji

Photos: Gov. Ambode holds Security Council meeting, also meets with Law Enforcement officials

The Governor of Lagos State has held his first official security council meeting in the State.

He also met with Law Enforcement Officials. More pictures after the cut...

Source Linda Ikeji

Yola blast: Hospital seeks blood donations

The Federal Medical Centre, Yola, has called on members of the public to donate blood to victims of Thursday’s bomb blast that occurred at Yola Market.

The Public Relations Officer of the centre, Malam Mohammed Dodo, made the call on Friday in Yola in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.

Dodo said the hospital blood bank and other facilities, such as drugs, had been overstretched as a result of the incident.

“As I am speaking to you, we have 31 dead and 22 people seriously injured,” Dodo said.

Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of Yola Specialist Hospital, Dr. Bala Saidu, said 44 people were admitted to the hospital with various degrees of injury, out of which 25 had been treated and discharged.

“We only have 19 people now on admission,” Saidu said.

He said all the dead bodies from the incident had been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre.

Meanwhile, the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Mustapha and Adamawa Deputy Governor, Mr. Martins Babale, have visited the scene and victims of the incident.

They condemned the blast and urged the public to be more vigilant.

The Thursday night blast, which is the first in Yola town, according to the Public Relations Officer of the Adamawa Police Command, DSP Othman Abubakar, was carried out by two suicide bombers who are among the dead.

Kogi LG director’s kidnappers demand N30m

The kidnappers of the Director of Personnel Management, Okenne Local Government Area of Kogi State, Mr. Idowu Adeyemo, have demanded a ransom of N30m for his release.

A family member, Mr. Jude Odofin, in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Friday, said the abductors had established contacts with the relatives of the victim and had demanded a ransom of N30m.

According to him, Adeyemo was kidnapped by gunmen on Wednesday about 11am.

He added that the LG official was driving a Toyota Corolla 2014 model car along Kabba-Okenne road on his way to his office when he was abducted.

Odofin said the official car of the victim was abandoned while the LG official was taken to an unknown location.

He claimed that the matter had been reported to the Okennne and Lokoja police stations. But the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Collins Adebayo, said he was not aware of the kidnap.

Photo: Governor Ayo Fayose spotted on Okada this morning

Ekiti governor pictured on Okada this morning heading to the State House of Assembly to inaugurate new members.

Source Linda Ikeji

Perplexity in Ebonyi

The emergence of a new government in Ebonyi State has opened the door for a new era considering the leadership style and personalities of both Governor Dave Umahi and his deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe who are determined to transform the state.

Many loyalists of the immediate past governor, Chief Martins Elechi who had convinced him not to allow his then deputy to take over from him have been perplexed at the policies and mode of administration of the new government in the state.

Governor Umahi has been applauded for the maturity so far exhibited by him as many who had expected him to dissolved all the Coordinators, Caretaker Committee Chairmen, permanent secretaries and witch-hunt contractors have been disappointed as he has allowed them to continue to play their roles in the administration of the state.

Many critics of Governor Umahi are still stunned over his appointment of members of the opposition political parties into his government; the appointment of the senatorial candidate for Ebonyi Central zone of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, during the last election, Prof Ben Odo as his Secretary to the State Government, SSG have so far baffled many in the state.

At different quarters, Governor Umahi who has been having series of meetings with stakeholders in the state including traditional rulers and Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has been hailed for his considerations and application of the human face he has brought into the administration of the state.

Many were apparently disappointed with the contents of his inaugural speech as they had expected him to make declarations of war against all those who did not vote for him during the last election.

“We will govern for those who voted for us.

We will govern for those who voted against us and we will govern for those who did not vote at all.

“Democracy is an excellent method through which the people have an opportunity to choose their preferred representatives.

“But it is definitely not a means to exclude anybody from the affairs of the society or from the dividends of democracy.

We are alert to these great instructions of democracy and we will obey”.

At different levels of governance, the people of the state see him as the people’s Governor as he has stated that the people will come first in his government, followed by infrastructure and then the economy.

Under 20 World Cup: Take every game as the final, Nigerians in S/Africa tell Flying Eagles

Pretoria (S/Africa) – Nigerians resident in South Africa yesterday, urged the National U-20 team, Flying Eagles, to take every of their matches at the ongoing FIFA Under 20 World Cup as a final game.

The President of Nigerian Union in South Africa, Ikechukwu Anyene, said in Pretoria, South Africa, that the Eagles had improved their chances of advancing in the tournament with the emphatic 4-0 demolition of Democratic Republic of Korea.

“The African U-20 champions have proved that they are a force to be reckoned with.

Nigerians in South Africa are proud of them and we are happy they won’’.

Anyene urged the team to put behind them the 2-4 loss to Brazil in their opening game and remain focused so as to win in the other games.

Mathem Okafor, a Johannesburg-based IT specialist said the Eagles’ victory was significant for the country.

Iurge the team to take each match as the final, so that they can play with enthusiasm and vigour as a team.

“They should be level-headed and play according to the instruction of Coach Manu Garba.

We have made great strides and they should make us proud,’’ he said.

The chairman of Nigerian Union in Northern Cape Province of South Africa, Kennedy Osagie, said the victory would motivate the team to go for more good results in the tournament.

“I am happy they overcame their initial loss to Brazil to take up the challenge in the second game’’.

According to Osagie, the victory did not come as a surprise to many Nigerians in South Africa because Nigeria performs well in world youth tournaments.

“I am optimistic that the team will go far in this tournament,’’ he said.

Lawrence Okolo, a Pretoria-based businessman said the team’s victory was pleasing and good news to all Nigerians resident in South Africa.

“This is a pleasing result for all Nigerians.

We are proud of the players.

“As a Nigerian, I wish them luck in the tournament and pray that they go places in the World Cup,’’ he said. (NAN)

CBN adjusts forex rate to N196.95 per dollar

Nigeria’s central bank adjusted its exchange rate peg to N196.95 to the dollar from the 197 it set in February after the currency’s value was eroded by the fall in oil prices, data on its website showed yesterday.

The bank adjusted the rate at which it sold hard currency this week, dealers said, noting that the change was too small to be considered a revaluation for the naira, particularly in the face of dwindling foreign reserves.

at its adjusted rate.

The naira was trading at 198.95 to the dollar on the inter-bank market and between 215 to 218 in the parallel market.

“By lowering the central bank rate offered to banks albeit very moderately, the central bank is adding to pressures on FX reserves … equivalent to around 4.9 months of imports,” Angus Downie, head of research at Ecobank said. Nigeria’s foreign reserves fell to $29.4 billion by June 2, down 20.1 percent from a year ago as the central bank burns cash to defend the local currency. The bank merged its bi-weekly currency auctions market with the interbank market in February and fixed the exchange rate, a move that amounted to a de facto devaluation of the currency of Africa’s biggest economy.

The regulator had also banned commercial lenders from re-selling central bank dollars among themselves, which was an attempt to curb speculation on the naira.

The naira Non-Deliverable Forwards – currency derivatives traded offshore – pointed to the local currency being priced at 221-225 to the greenback in six month’s time.

“Small changes in the rate could possibly allow the central bank to gauge the changes in demand and supply dynamics which would inform decisions on when and how best to start lifting forex restrictions,” Cobus de Hart of South Africa’s NKC Independent Economists aid.

More graphic photos from the Yola bomb blast this evening

At least 10 people died this evening after a bomb exploded in ftont of the Jimeta modern market in Yola, Adamawa.

I have some photos from the scene and it's quite horrific. See them after the cut. *warning - graphic photos*

Story by Linda Ikeji

Death toll in Ghana disasters now 150, 3 days mourning declared

The death toll in the flood disaster and gas station explosion that rocked Accra the Ghanaian capital on Tuesday night has risen to 150.

Ghanaian president has declared 3-days of mourning for victims of the disasters.

source Linda Ikeji

More photos from Dangote Cement commissioning in Ethiopia

Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote today June 4th took a lot of Nigerian businessman and captains of industries to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for the commissioning of his Dangote Cement Plant.

CBN governor, NSE CEO, former Calabar governor, Donald Duke, billionaire business men Femi Otedola, Jim Ovia and MDs of Access Bank, Zenith Bank and First Bank and the Prime Minsiter of Ethiopia were all at the event.

See the photos after the cut...

Cecil Hammond with CBN governor

Dangote and his guests

Former MD of Access Bank Aig with other guests admiring the plant

MDs of First Bank and Access Bank

Cecil Hammond with ex-governors Donald Duke and Niyi Adebayo

Dangote with NSE CEO

Aliko Dangote giving a speech

Prime Minister of Ethiopia giving a speech

source Linda Ikeji

Photo of Nigerian lady shot dead by her ex-boyfriend in the US two days ago

What a beauty! And she was a college graduate.

This is the 24 year old graduate of University of Maryland who was shot dead on Monday June 1st by her ex-boyfriend, 27 year old Donald Bricker.

Mariam Folashade Adebayo broke up with Donald a few months ago but he refused to leave her alone.

On the night of the murder, he'd told her to meet him so they could talk, saying he would harm himself if she didn't come.

She went to see him and they began arguing in his car in a parking lot at Target.

When Mariam decided she'd had enough, she got out of the car and that was when Donald followed with a gun in his hand and fired at her...twice.

See photo of the murderer after the cut...

Source Linda Ikeji

Four soldiers killed in blast in Maiduguri

At least four soldiers were killed in a blast that occurred at a checkpoint in Maiduguri, Borno state today June 4th. Eyewitnesses say a truck carrying firewood exploded near the gates of the Maimalari Barracks, killing the soldiers and injuring many others.

"At least four soldiers were killed and several injured," one resident told AFP

Story by Linda Ikeji

Graphic photos: Bomb blast in Yola

A bomb explosion occurred in front of the Jimeta main market in Yola Adamawa state at about 7:45pm today June 4th.

Eyewitnesses say the residents of the area had just finished observing their evening prayers at a nearby praying ground when the bomb detonated.

It is believed the explosion was carried out by a male suicide bomber.

Unconfirmed reports say as much as ten persons have been certified dead from the blast. Some survivors pictured above. More photos after the cut...

Source Linda Ikeji