I TURNED DOWN N6B HOUSE... WHY I NEED NEW CAR-Saraki

Responding to an exclusive story by PREMIUM TIMES, that Senate President Bukola Saraki has taken delivery of new cars, worth over N300million. His office has issued the statement below

Read full statement below.

“Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has said only his official vehicle, a MercedezBenz, was changed and that the spare car in the convoy is the old one he inherited and has been using since he assumed office June last year.

“Reacting to the claim by Premium Times that the Senate President has taken delivery of vehicles worth N330m, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Special Adviser, stated that it was wrong for Premium Times to classify vehicles provided for security agencies like the police and State Security Service by the National Assembly management for their operations as vehicles bought for the Senate President.

“It is an obvious fact that the official and spare cars that the Senate President inherited and has been using are old and have been malfunctioning. There are instances like the day Dr. Saraki visited Keffi for the marriage of the daughter of Senator Abdullahi Adamu and another day at the Presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport that the spare vehicle broke down. In both instances, the spare vehicle did not return home with the convoy. The same vehicle had malfunctioned at the Presidential Villa and National Mosque on different occasions. It is for this reason that the Senate President approved that instead of providing two vehicles for him as he is entitled, only one should be bought to replace the official vehicle while the old official car should be converted to spare car.

“Also, if the National Assembly Management chose to provide operational vehicles for Security Agencies, should that be presented as if they are personal or official vehicles meant for the use of Dr. Saraki? These are vehicles that cannot be used for other purposes and by other people. The Senate President also have no control over the security vehicles.

“it is also surprising that despite the fact that Premium Times in the same story reported that the order for the vehicle was made in December, it chose to calculate the value of the vehicles based on current exchange rate of the Naira to the dollar. This is obviously a mischief aimed at making the figure look huge and justify the screaming headline.

“The press should avoid deliberately inciting members of the public against public officials. The Senate President and his colleagues are conscious of the economic situation in the country and will continue to act responsibly and responsively.

“Just last week, Dr. Saraki was informed that the Ministry of FCT in its 2016 budget proposed a N6 billion estimate for the construction of the official residence of the Senate President. He outrightly rejected the proposal and directed Senator Dino Melaye, Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT to bring down the cost to one billion Naira. He said that it should be made known to the Ministry that if it cannot construct the building with N1 billion then they should leave out the project entirely till after his tenure. He said he will rather stay in his present abode. Senator Melaye had already acted as instructed as indicated in the report his committee presented to the Appropriation Committee.

“It should therefore be noted that if Dr. Saraki can demonstrate frugality and responsible leadership in a matter that saved the country so much money, how can it then be presented as if purchase of cars is a big issue that he cares so much about? Those who know the antecedent of the Senate President know that there is no type of vehicle that can excite him at this stage in his life”, Olaniyonu stated.
Signed
Yusuph Olaniyonu
Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) to the Senate President

PAYING BRIDE PRICE TURNED ME TO KIDNAPPER - Suspect

A Kidnap suspect, Chukwudi  who was arrested alongside some other members of the gang, including Joseph Chiaotu, aka Ejima, 21, Anozie Chinonso, 25 and 27-year-old Chukwuma Agim, who is a prison official, in connection with the kidnap of a woman in Imo State.

He was studying Mechanical Engineering at Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Imo State before he dropped out in his final year. “What led me into kidnapping was unfortunate,” he said.

According to him, the pressure to raise the bride price of his pregnant girlfriend lured him into the crime. He said, “My girlfriend is pregnant and I have been under pressure to pay her bride price but I had no money. She told me that since she became pregnant her mother had been ostracised by her fellow women in their village. The pressure was too much that I needed to look for money by all means.”

He contacted two of his friends; Nnamdi, who is now in prison, and Chiboy, who later introduced him to Agim for the illicit business.

He said, “Agim, being a prison official, was the one making way for us whenever we approached a police check point but our first operation was not successful because the person we targeted escaped. But on the second operation, Chiboy went with a policeman and they kidnapped the woman.”

He said for his involvement in the deal and for taking food to the victim in the bush, he was given N100,000 as his share. He said, “Chiboy told me that he got only N1.1m from the woman but when we were arrested, the woman told us she paid N3m as ransom. The moment I got my own share, I gave my girlfriend part of it to start the preparation (for the wedding) while I went to the market to buy drinks. That was when I got a call from Agim and when I met him I was arrested.”

Agim, a prison official from Imo State who said he is now remorseful was lured by an inmate, Nnadozie to be become a kidnapper.

He recalled that when he was posted to the Owerri prison, his mother, who was also serving in the prison, warned him to be wary of one inmate, named Vampire, and his friends so as not to get into trouble. He maintained that he was reluctant when Nnamdi approached him but that he later found the offer attractive.

He began, “I was in my final year student in Imo State University where I was studying Insurance. I was earning N43,000 monthly as a prison official and I was even thankful because I didn’t join the Service with a first degree.

“When I came for industrial attachment last year, our chief warder told us that there was a notorious kidnapper called Vampire who was arrested and would be brought to Owerri Prison. Early this year I met Nnamdi who was in the same cell with Vampire. Nnamdi first asked me to get him a phone and he offered me N3,000 but I refused. So, he met another officer who got him the phone. They kept pressurising me that they wanted us to be friends.

“So, one day, we sat behind the food store and they told me several stories about their escapade in kidnapping and I found it attractive. They told me they were rich people and they used to visit several popular bars in major towns in the South East and South South states and that when they observe rich people leaving the bar, they go after them and kidnap them.”

He said at the end of the conversation, they gave him a number and that with that he was able to link other members, including Chiboy, aka Eze Ekudeley, whom he called a big kidnapper, Ejima and Chukwudi.

He said they used to work with a policeman and that on the day they went to pick their victim, a woman, she wasn’t the main the target but she was traced to her house where she was picked.

“It was Nnamdi who called me to ook after the woman in the bush. I borrowed money from a friend and used it to buy food for the woman. I gave the food to Uzordima to give to the woman. I learnt the woman stayed for two days. I was given N100, 000 after the N1.1m ransom was collected. I bought clothes, settled my debt and fixed my car.

He said he was arrested few days after the operation. “It was Ejima who led them to me. I regret getting myself into this mess he lamented,” he added.

On his part, Ejima said his share of the ransom was N70,000, out of which he used N10,000 to buy shoes and clothes. “I don’t know how the police heard about what I did; they came after me and arrested me. I led the police to arrest the prison official and four other members of the gang, but we were unable to arrest Chiboy. He noticed the presence of the police and he attempted to escape. He ran into the bus and the police fired several shots at him but he wasn’t hit.

Chinonso, who also hailed from Imo State, said poverty led him into kidnapping. “All I was looking for was a little money to buy a bus on hire purchase because the one I had got spoilt. I met Ejima recently and I told him I needed assistance because I had no job. He promised he would help me.”

He explained that he participated in the kidnap and that his share was N100,000 but that he was arrested when he was about hiring a bus. “It was poverty that led me into this crime. I am a very poor person struggling for myself and my family. I have no one helping me and my mother is a very old woman. I pray this woman (the victim) and her family would forgive me, he said.

Nigerian Dad Beats Son To Death In Dubai, To Be Deported After 10-Year Jail Term

A Nigerian father who was convicted of beating his 12-year-old son to death for not doing homework, has been sentenced to 10 years in jail.
ZA, 37, will be deported after serving his sentence.
The man rushed his son’s body to hospital one day in April last year telling doctors that he had given his son milk and the boy took ill after that, complaining of stomach pain and vomiting.
Meanwhile, the boy’s private tuition teacher, Pakistani, 52-year-old GI, claimed that she had seen bruises on the boy’s face and body several times.
She said that the boy first evaded her questions but later revealed that his dad beats him and added that one day the boy pleaded with her to help him in a subject that she did not teach him. The boy claimed that if she did not help him solve the math, his dad would beat him, the teacher testified.

The boy’s situation was discussed at a school meeting and the father was summoned. He, however, told the supervisor that he wanted his son to excel in his studies because he spend all his money on his education.
The security guard at the building also testified that he had one day heard screams and on checking found the man pushing his son underwater. When he intervened, the man allegedly dismissed him saying he was teaching his son swimming.
CCTV footages revealed the dad taking the boy to swimming pool when no one was there and he had a stick with him.
The watchman also recalled seeing bruises on the boy and one day he caught the boy with a swollen forehead.
The father confessed to police that he beat up his son with a wooden stick or shoes or punched him. Allegedly on April 18, the father received an email from the school about his son’s low performance.
“I punished him and prevented him from going out. I asked him to stay at home and do his homework. He was being careless, so I slapped him in the face, but he continued drawing in his book. I got angry and beat him up and then again asked him to do his homework. Then I gave him milk and asked him to continue doing his homework. However, he started vomiting, and told me that he had stomach pain,” the man told police.

“While I was in the kitchen, I heard a sound. On looking I found my son on the floor. I took him to the bathroom and then asked him to clean up. But again in the bathroom he fell down. So I took him to hospital,” the father added.
He said he took the boy to hospital at 10.30pm but records show the boy was in hospital only around midnight. He was declared dead on arrival at hospital.

DNA tests reveal that the boy was not his biological son.
Police found blood vomit at home. They also found an iPad that the boy used, through which he had sought help online. A sentence reading, “Help, I got hit on my stomach,” was found on the iPad.
Post-mortem revealed that the boy died due to internal bleeding. His intestines were also damaged.
The man had denied the charges of pre-meditated murder. He was sentenced to 10 years in jail, after which he will be deported.

BUSINESSWOMAN PAID FAKE NAIRA NOTES IN LAGOS GTB BRANCH

Lagos based businesswoman, Fadhilat Yetunde Badmus shared an unpleasant experience at a GT Bank branch in Lagos, where she  allegedly got fake naira notes from a transaction at the  said branch.

Not only was she alarmed by this development, she has also chosen to alert other bank customers not to fall prey as she  allegedly did.

She posted her experience on her Facebook page.  Her post below :

"Salam Ailekum my people, would like you all to take note of the latest trend in banks, just withdrew some substantial amount of money from GTB bank on Oba Akran(Road, Ikeja, Lagos) inside Forte Filling Station, but on getting to another bank to deposit was told 15k out of the money is fake, was mad and caused a great scene that the manager came out and was investigated but alas, it's actually fake. If I had sent someone to withdraw I  would have accused him/her of being dubious. Please be @ alert and vigilant, the banks officials are now thieves and dubious real life and looking for ways to cut corners. Kindly share and pass till it gets around. Thanks and God bless."

OYEGUN GOES ON VACATION... Says his seat not threatened

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC),. has said that he would be embarking on a 10-day working break to enable him rest.

‎The Deputy National Chairman, South, Engr. Segun Oni, will act on his behalf during the vacation.

At the APC National Secretariat, Chief Odigie-Oyegun clarified reports that his one month  vacation could signal the beginning of his disengagement from the party

EFCC NOT INVESTIGATING OONI - Tokunbo Sijuwade

In a swift reaction to reports that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi is being investigated by EFCC, the  Sijuwade and Ogunwusi royal families issued a joint statement signed by Prince Adetokunbo Sijuwade and Prince Adesina Ogunwusi to
counter the claim.

Below is the  statement :

GIANNI INFANTINO IS NEW FIFA PRESIDENT

Gianni Infantino has won Fifa's election for a new president, it has been announced.

UEFA 's General Secretary secured 115 vs in the second round of polls, beating off favourite Salman Bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa into second while Prince Ali bin Hussein finished third.