Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice have been denied bail by a magistrate’s court in London over charges that they trafficked a 15-year-old homeless Lagos boy with the intention to harvest his organs.
The arrest was announced by the London Metropolitan Police on Thursday, with officials saying the couple would be charged promptly before a court in Uxbridge.
Mr Ekweremadu appeared before a magistrate on Thursday afternoon and was denied bail.
Bishop Silas Eke of Kingly People’s Assembly has commended the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu for attracting development to Abia North senatorial district.
The fiery cleric while applauding the former Abia state governor for constructing over 63 rural roads in the district in three years said “Abia North senatorial district is lucky to have Kalu as her Senator”.
He stated this on Thursday morning in Bende Local Government Area while inspecting some road projects attracted by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu to the zone.
According to him, Kalu’s performance as a Senator in the last three years was the best in the history of the state, noting that the people of the zone would re-elect Kalu and other APC candidates in the 2023 general elections overwhelmingly.
“I have gone round the zone, it is the same story from Isuochi to Uturu, Bende to Alayi, Abiriba to Nkporo, Ututu to Arochukwu, Ohafia to Abam and even outside the zone. Roads and school renovation projects are scattered everywhere in the state courtesy of Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
“In all honesty, Abia North are lucky to have him as their senator. The Bible says say the truth and it shall set you free; I’m not a member of any political party. I am here to confirm what I saw on social media and I have seen them with my own eyes. The world must know that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is a brilliant performer,” he said.
The Osun State government has declared Friday, June 24, a work-free day to enable civil servants who have not obtained their Permanent Voter Card (PVC) to do so.
This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Wole Oyebamiji, obtained by ABN TV.
The statement reads in part: “The Government of Osun State acknowledges the importance of workers in the democratic process, and is aware that the only way workers can give life to their aspiration for a worker-friendly government is through their votes.”
The 2022 Osun State gubernatorial election will hold on 16 July 2022, to elect the governor of Osun State. Incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor Gboyega Oyetola is eligible for reelection and has been renominated by his party.
The primaries, scheduled for between 16 February and 12 March, resulted in Oyetola winning the APC nomination for a second time, albeit amid outcry from his primary challengers.
For the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), longtime internal disputes led to two parallel primaries being held as a faction nominated former senatorial candidate Dotun Babayemi while the faction recognized by the national PDP nominated former Senator for Osun West Ademola Adeleke, the party’s 2018 nominee.
As the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) only observed the primary that nominated Adeleke, he is listed as the PDP nominee.
Abia state Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, on Wednesday resolved the rift between the management of premium soap and detergent manufacturers, International Equitable Association (IEA) and their host community, Umuokeyibe Umungasi, Aba, thereby paving way for the resumption of production activities at the hitherto moribund factory of the industrial giants.
Speaking during a meeting between the feuding parties, Governor Ikpeazu applauded members of the community and their forebears for their foresight in donating their land in 1952 for the establishment of the factory as well as the peaceful negotiations which started in 2018 and led to the agreement to settle all the lingering issues. He directed the management of IEA to ensure that they abide by the terms of settlement including ensuring that youths of the community were gainfully employed at management and other levels within the organization.
“We are happy that our collective efforts to reinvigorate this company is yielding positive results and I am optimistic that production activities will soon start again at the factory which is one of the landmark organizations that made Aba an industrial hub”, the Governor said.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of IEA, Mr Sola Ajayi, expressed appreciation to the Governor for midwifing the settlement process and assured that the company was ready to resume production as soon as preliminary works were completed. He also thanked the Governor for fulfilling his promise to fix Nicholas Road, Aba, which leads to the factory and pledged the willingness of the company to be good corporate citizens.
Also speaking, the spokesman of the community, Prince Enyinnaya Ubani and the chairman of the community, Mr Chris Ubani, thanked the Governor for his developmental strides in the state as well as the pursuit of industrialization as a major pillar of his administration. They pledged to abide by the agreement reached by both parties.
IEA which commenced operations in 1954 manufactures popular detergent and soap brands such as Truck soap, Appolos detergent. Palmolive soap among others, before the ownership crises that led to the closure of the company in 2009.
The meeting which was held in Governor’s Lodge, Aba, was also attended by the state commissioner for Trade and Investment, Chief John Okiyi Kalu and other top government officials.
The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Nasarawa Eggon Local Government of Nasarawa State, CSP Haruna Abdulmalik have been reportedly kidnapped and taken to an unknown destination in the state.
CSP Haruna Abdulmalik
The DPO was said to be on patrol off Nasarawa Eggon – Akwanga Road on Thursday night when he encountered the gunmen around Bakyano.
Scanty information available to journalists at the time of filling this report had it that the DPO has been taken away to an unknown destination.
The kidnappers were said to have contacted his family, demanding N5m ransom.
Confirming the report, Deputy Chairman of the Local government area , Eng. Benjamin Kuze said the CSP was kidnapped at about 9pm in the area in Bakono road, adding that efforts to reach the DPO has not yielded positive result since the incident took place.
All effort to get the confirmation of the Police Command in the state has not been successful.
The United States Mission to Nigeria has praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the improved functions of the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) during the Ekiti governorship election.
Recall that the Ekiti election was held over the weekend, and Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared the winner of the exercise.
Oyebanji polled 187,057 votes to defeat his two closest challengers — Segun Oni of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who got 82,211 votes, and Bisi Kolawole of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who got 67,457 votes.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the US said the exercise was largely peaceful and urged Nigerians to be more active in political participation.
“The United States Mission to Nigeria congratulates the citizens of Ekiti State on the largely peaceful conduct of the gubernatorial election on June 18,” the statement reads.
“We commend the concerted efforts of INEC staff and security personnel which helped facilitate a secure election with a credible outcome.
“We note the election’s technical improvements including that the newly adopted bi-modal verification accreditation system (BVAS) functioned properly in the vast majority of polling stations.
“We encourage all citizens to register to vote as the country moves towards national elections.”
The Amotekun Corps in Ondo State have arrested a number of persons in connection with the massacre of worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State.
The Commander of the Corp, Adetunji Adeleye made this disclosure while addressing newsmen in Akure, the state capital.
Adeleye, however, did not give the actual figure of the suspects arrested, but the corps leader was optimistic that everyone who was involved in the Owo Attack would be brought to book.
When contacted for confirmations, the Ondo State Police Command through its spokesperson, SP Funmilayo Odunlami, said the force is not aware of such and arrest.
Nevertheless, it is expected that the Amotekun Corps would hand the suspects over to the police for further investigations and onward prosecution.
This arrest is the latest development following the attack which left millions devastated across the country.
It comes barely 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari assured Nigerians that the attackers who he described as “cowards” behind recent assaults on churches in the country will be punished.
“As for the cowards, they will be punished for their crimes. We will bring them to justice. Rest assured that the full might of Nigeria’s formidable security and intelligence forces are involved in that endeavor,” Buhari was quoted as saying in a statement by his media aide Garba Shehu.
“For now, I urge all Nigerians to come together in prayer-whether Christian, Muslim, or any of our great faiths- let us hold the victims and their families in our hearts and minds.
“Let us show the cowards who seek to divide us along religious lines that we will not be divided. Let us show them that Nigerians will continue to cherish what we share while respecting each other’s differences. Let us show them that Nigerians will never be bullied by cowards, extremists, or terrorists.”
According to President Buhari, the country’s religious freedom and diversity are what makes Nigeria great.
The UK Metropolitan Police has revealed that the child in the centre of an Organ Harvesting Case involving Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu is below 18 years.
ABN TV on Thursday reported that Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice were arrested for plotting to bring in a child from Nigeria for Organ Harvesting.
Both were charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting. They have been remanded in custody and will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The Metropolitan Police revealed that the child who is under the age of 18 is in care. Organ harvesting involves removing parts of the body, often for cash and against the victim’s will.
The police, however, did not reveal the gender or the actual age of the child – or the location of the arrests. But given the suspects are appearing in court in Uxbridge, it is likely they were held at the nearby Heathrow Airport.
Ekweremadu has been in the UK for at least two weeks having met with members of the Nigerian community in Britain in Lincoln around ten days ago. An investigation was launched into his activities after detectives were alerted to potential offences under modern slavery legislation in May.
Jigawa State citizens have called on political parties and candidates to review their manifestoes and campaign strategies to suit the demand of the people of the state.
This was contained in a ”Next Jigawa guiding document” on the citizens’ inputs for the development of the state
“Next Jigawa” is comprised of academicians, civil servants, professionals, businessmen, religious scholars, civil society activists, and other nonpartisan people who have a passion for the development of the state.
Professor Haruna Ibrahim, Chairman of the group said the documents were produced to influence the political parties and their candidates to understand the citizens’ needs and work based on their demands.
He said, ” We have conducted a survey and also gathered citizens’ inputs from all the communities across the 27 local government areas of the state and we finally came up with this document which we hope will be adopted as a guide by political parties and their candidates”
“The document contains areas that need quick and urgent response such as education, health, civil service, commerce, environment, and other areas”
He noted that if the inputs are considered, they would help in the development of the state.
Gospel singer, Mercy Chinwo is set to walk down the aisle with the absolute love of her life, Pastor Blessed of Waterbrook church where singer, Banky W also pastors in.
Sharing photos on her Instagram page moments ago, the beautiful 31-year-old singer wrote “I am blessed to be blessed with the blessed official. The thoughts of doing the next phase and the rest phase of my life with you makes the blessing more real… I love you Sweet”
Also announcing the good news, the groom-to-be, Pastor Blessed wrote “I’M THE MAN THE LORD SHOWED MERCY! Mercy Chinwo, thanks for saying YES!
I LOVE YOU DEARLY!
Ecclesiastical 9:9
Live happily with the woman you love through all the meaningless days of life that God has given you under the sun. The wife God gives you is your REWARD for all your earthly toil.”
The Commander, Guards Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Adebisi Onasanya, has warned that bandits and criminal elements operating within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and...
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