Court issues criminal summons against 8 Russians

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, issued criminal summons against eight Russians charged with unlawful importation of arms to Nigeria.
The accused: Chichkanov Vasily, Varlygin Igor, Komilov Alexander, Mishin Pavel, Korotchenko Andrey, Vorobev Mikhail, Stepan Oleksiuk and their vessel, “MV Myre Seadiver” are standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on the alleged offence.
The trial judge, Justice James issued the summons following an application by the prosecutor, Mrs Jane Igurnumbe, who informed the court of the absence of the accused.
She told the court that the accused who ought to be present in court for arraignment, were away from the country and urged the court to issue a criminal summons to compel them to be present in court.
The judge granted the prayers of the prosecutor, and ordered that a criminal summons be served on the accused.
He adjourned the case to July 9 for arraignment.
It will be recalled that 16 of the accused were first arraigned before Justice Okechukwu Okeke on February 19.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Justice Okeke had released them on bail to the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, while the vessel was admitted to bail in a bond of 500,000 dollars to be obtained from First Bank Plc.
At the last adjourned date on June 18, the Federal Government dropped charges against Eight of the accused, adding that it will press charges against the remaining Eight.
At their arraignment, the prosecutor, Mr Ernest Ezebilo had told the court that the defendants were arrested with their vessel by Naval officers on October 18, 2012, in Lagos state.
He said that the defendants had entered the Nigerian territorial waters with their vessel, without due licence and clearance from the Nigerian Custom Service.
According to the prosecutor, the accused had also refused to declare the content of the vessel contrary to the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act, 2002.
He said that when the vessel was arrested and opened by the Naval officers, a cache of firearms and ammunitions was discovered in it.
He said the alleged offences contravened the provisions of section 27 of the Firearms Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, as well as the provisions of the Miscellanous Offence Act, Cap M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The offence attracts a penalty of not less than 10 years upon conviction.

PDP: House divided against itself?

It was founded in 1998 when the then Military government lifted its ban on partisan politics. And for 14 years, it has controlled the nation’s political landscape. But issues in the party in recent times have caused apprehension over its chances to cross 2015.
Has the end come for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? Saturday Vanguard’s LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU,in this Special Piece, x-rays events that may make or mar the party’s chances in the 2015 general elections.
Has the end of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) come? This is one question the bigwigs of the party including President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan would not dare give vent to.

From Right, Vice President Namadi Sambo, President Goodluck
Jonathan, Chairman Of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Deputy National Chairman, Sam Jaja and Chairman Board Of Trustees Of The Party, Chief Tony Anenih at the PDP’s 61 National Executive Committee recently

The least they can admit is that the party is going through some crucibles that will make it stronger ahead of the 2015 general elections. But in the reckoning of the opposition, PDP might just be on the verge of collapse. Why? The party in recent times has been so enmeshed in a series of crises that agitate the minds of many.
First, it was the issue of automatic tickets for President Goodluck Jonathan, some performing governors and members of the National Assembly for another term in office as being championed by the party’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Anthony Anenih. But even before Anenih shook the nation with the suggestion which many people had described as bizarre, there had been an all-time tsunami of disintegration which vehemently threatened the unity of the 36 governors of the Nigerian states under the umbrella of the Nigerian  overnors Forum (NGF). Yet again, the problem sprawled, prompting the suspension of two governors: Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State and Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto from the party owing to alleged anti-party activities. But while Wamako has been recalled, Amaechi’s fate is still hanging.
Meanwhile, the matter later continued, this time causing a mass sack of officials working at the national secretariat of the party with the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. To this end, 16 officials including the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, were affected. Tukur only escaped removal by a whisker.
Indeed, before the meeting of the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the Party that held in Abuja on Thursday, Tukur’s continued stay as the National Chairman of the Party was almost doomed. But with the influence and insistence of President Jonathan, Tukur bounced back.
The gale of resignations of the PDP officials in Abuja had a root. It was occasioned by the reports of a Committee chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Senator Puis Anyim Pius, who was asked to review the imports of the report of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on the PDP officials. According to the INEC, the elections that brought them to office were not properly conducted and so, they had to go.
Be that as it may, while the issues abound, keen analysts express real fears that the PDP might be heading for the rocks which may affect its chances of retaining its hold in the forthcoming 2015 elections, citing various ill events bedeviling the party as reasons.
Fallout of NGF Elections
The outcome of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, from which two parallel leaderships emerged, to some people, is an eloquent testimony that all is not well with the PDP. No one had envisaged that Rivers State Governor, Amaechi, would have won the election after so much hysteria, horse-trading and intrigues that played out against his candidacy.
But against all the apparent impediments wheeled on his way by the Presidency, the governors, especially the opposition governors, re-elected him for a second term. But that was not to be as Pro-Presidency Governors led by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Goodswill Akpabio, swiftly regrouped and queued behind the Plateau State Governor, Mr. David Jonah Jang as their Chairman, not minding the 19/16 votes which gave Amaechi victory over Jang.  At the moment, PDP controls more states than the opposition parties put together.
The reasoning was that if all the PDP governors had obeyed the directives of the Presidency and voted for the President’s candidate, Amaechi would have lost in the election. But they rebuffed and voted for Amaechi. What this meant was that there were some PDP governors who were obviously not at home with the role played by the Presidency in the election. Meanwhile, to say that the problem in the NGF is over would be far from true.
Jonathan’s second term bid
If President Jonathan is contesting in 2015, he is obviously doing that against some powerful interests in the North as was the case in 2011.
The PDP controlled states cut across the federation. To this end, some states in the North, according to analysts, would want to favour a Northern candidate who would make up the lost time of the North’s Presidency slot which was started by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Already, speculation has been rife that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had suggested the pair of Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido and his Rivers counter-part; Amaechi in the 2015 election, a development which many said has been the sole reason for Amaechi’s victimization.
But according to sources, President Jonathanneeds more than a passing dependence on some northern elements who they said are merely playing to the gallery if he must win the support of the north for his reelection. This, they predicated on an emerging collective resolve of the northern elements in the PDP to field a
northern candidate as against the candidacy of Jonathan.
His Performance
Throughout the world political history, the performance of elected officers while in their first missionary journey has always formed the foremost indices for their reelections. According to feelers, in the case of President Jonathan, his performance in the last two years has been a subject of debate.

Odumakin

This has caused a virulent division among many Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country who voted massively for him in 2011. While some may have scored him high, many said that Nigeria has completely whittled down on his watch.
But recently, the President gave himself a pass mark, saying his government has done creditably well in the last two years. Some Nigerians reacted to this.
Jonathan should quit self-deceit —Yinka Odumakin, Social analyst
If he had done well, it would have been well with Nigeria. The President should quit self-deceit and face the reality on the ground.
The country is haemorrhaging and Nigerians are groaning. A Presidentwho is doing chest thumbing in the midst of all that is going on may not be abreast of the situation.”
We can’t be fooled again —Alhaji Yerima Shettima, President, Arewa Consultative Forum
You see, Nigerians have come of age that never again will we just sit and fold arms and have people talk about policies and those polices do not have any impact on the people in the society.
Never shall we fold our arms and allow people to be just lying, organizing the media, standing on the podium and looking at the face of over 150 Nigerians, talking about policies as regards their so called Transformation agenda that the common man on the street cannot feel the impact of that transformation. So, to that extent, they have failed.

Mallam Yerima Shettima

Two years is a long time to address out of 7, 5, 2 point agenda or whatever they call it. But we have not seen even a quarter of it.
Both roads, light, dividends of democracy, stability of the country, issues of insecurity; those things have marred the country completely.
The economy is nothing to write home about. And very unfortunately, we brought a woman, I mean the Minister of Finance who regales us with statistics but physically you cannot feel the impact on the economy.
So, we are no longer fools and we cannot be fooled by anybody. I see that gathering of yesterday as a gathering of friends, colleagues and those who wait for appointments from the government and are willing to give standing ovation and clap.
In a developed nation, you dare not face the public and say such a thing he has said. It is an insult on the sensibilities of the people of the country and we sit down and clap hands. It’s very unfortunate that we were not there. If we were there, we wouldn’t have clapped hands because Jonathan has not done anything. All they are busy doing is to squash tax-payers’ money and deceive Nigerians with statistics. What kind of reservation when Nigerians are dying of hunger? There are accidents on our roads.”
Lending a voice also, a legal practitioner, Mr. Osa Director, said the President’s action amounted to “unnecessary self glorification and adulation which does not match the reality on ground.”
PDP BoT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, recently stirred the hornet’s nest, calling for automatic ticket for Jonathan, PDP Governors and  members of the National Assembly with an elevated caveat “who have performed well”.
His words:  “I do not see anything wrong if the PDP considers automatic tickets for the president and its governors who have performed well and are seeking for a second term. It is my view that with the outstanding performance of President Jonathan in the areas of power, rail and water transportation, road construction, aviation reforms, education, agriculture, job creation, etc., the party should not find it difficult in granting him the opportunity to serve a second term, if he so desires.
“Over the years, our primaries have been the most serious sources of rancour and disunity in our ranks, and, that we usually invest so much resources and energy fighting ourselves in the primaries that should have gone into the larger battle against our political rivals.
“I had admonished that we could not continue this tradition of internal warfare and hope that we would have enough energy left to win elections.”
Anenih’s idea, many believe, angered many a PDP member who saw that as being undemocratic. It means that those who have ambitions in 2015 wouldn’t get a chance to gun for the tickets of the party. This, many now see as a challenge that might greet the party.
APC Fever
Then enter the gathering of the major opposition parties under the name All Progressive Congress, APC. For the first time in the history of Nigerian politics, three different  opposition parties; The All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, are coming together with the  sole aim of dislodging the ruling PDP from power in 2015.
Though, it has its own challenges, many are of the view that with the “many sins” of the PDP government in the last 14 years of democratic rule in the Nigeria and the present crises in the party, the APC might just be waiting to form a new government in 2015.
But when Saturday Vanguard sought the view of Comrade Yinka Odumakin, he said “anybody who is banking his political fortunes on the PDP crises is wasting his time. PDP is like a mafia, as far as they are in charge of political appointments, etc, they will still rally themselves together and continue their agenda.
Some people will leave and some people will sit back. Some of those people who will leave can also come back. Atiku left before and came back. Anybody waiting for the PDP to collapse before he can do anything is not serious. They should do their home work.”
Crises before
Crises are evitable in human circles. And so, PDP being a human creation would from time to time encounter challenges. According to most analysts, the party had encountered similar problems in the past but surmounted them. Such times included the days of Chief Audu Ogbeh, Ahamdu Ali, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor who had rough times during their tenures as Chairmen of the party. And so, the recent shake-up in the party should cause a stir.
Bottomline:
Whether PDP, which claims to be the largest political party in the African Continent, tears itself apart or mends fences with its members, the concern of the people however is largely on the need to better the lot of the masses who have had to suffer so much in the midst of plenty consequent upon bad political leadership in the country.
To them, it does not matter if the salvation later comes from the ruling party, the emerging APC or from any other political party. But only time will tell.

Weeping in court as Judge dismisses case of extra-judicial murder

IT was a pitiable sight at the Anambra State High Court complex in Awka Thursday, as members of the family of the late Onyeka Agupugo from Agulu in Anaocha local government area of Anambra State, who was murdered by the police at a check point in Agulu on Agust 11, 2010, wept uncontrollably when a High Court Judge dismissed the case of the murder for lack of merit.
Onyeka, 29, who was a building contractor before his death, was riding on a motorcycle with another person when the police accosted them at the popular Nwagu junction in Agulu only for one of the policemen to fire at him on the chest following a minor argument over how much to part with.
Onyeka’s wife, Chinenye, who was four months pregnant when the husband was murdered and her mother in-law, Mrs. Florence Agupugo, caused a stir at the court premises by shedding tears and wailing, and it took the intervention of their relations who accompanied them to court to calm them down. They had gone to court to enforce the fundamental right of their husband and son.
Against their expectation, however, the presiding judge, Justice C.A. Emembolu, in dismissing the matter brought to court by Chinenye and her mother in- law, held that ‘the right to life dies when the owner dies.’
Chinenye, who told Saturday Vanguard that the child she put to bed after the death of her husband is one year and four months at present, said her worry is that she has nobody to take care of her and the child, since her late husband was the breadwinner of the family.
Amidst sobs she said: “After the death of my husband, the police promised to come to our aide, but up till now, nothing has been done.  Rather, they are in court defending the person who killed my husband and on top of that the Judge has dismissed the matter. I am confused and this judgment has brought back the memories of what I went through immediately I was informed of the death of my husband.
“Some people are treating this matter as if it was a fowl that was killed, forgetting that it was a full fledged human being who had family and other relations to cater for.
“We had gone to court hoping that court would prevail on the police to pay compensation to the family, but here we are going home dejected. Our lawyer has told us that he will appeal the judgment and we are giving him the go ahead.

FIFA U20: Nigeria – Portugal 2 – 3

The  Flying Eagles of Nigeria, Friday, lost 2 -3  to  Portugal  in the ongoing FIFA Under 20 World Cup  group stage football at the Kadir Has stadium in Kayseri in Turkey.

Mikel Confirms Chelsea Exit

Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi has confirmed Galatasaray have made him an offer and he is ready quit his EPL club.

"I'm very pleased with Galatasaray's offer," Mikel told Turkish newspaper Sabah.

"I asked Drogba for advice and he told me that Istanbul is a fantastic city, that Galatasaray is a huge club and that I have to make the move.

"I have played at Chelsea for a long time and it's now time for me to leave.

"I'm still only 26 and it's great to receive an offer from a club [Galatasaray] playing Champions League football and doing well in the competition."

The Nigeria international said he does not expect any cash problems and Chelsea to stand in his move to Turkey.

"Talks have reached an advanced level between Chelsea and Galatasaray. Chelsea won't make the move difficult and regarding my salary there won't be a problem,” he said.

"All that is left is for the clubs to reach an agreement."

The 26-year-old defensive midfielder joined Chelsea from FK Lyn for €26 million in 2006 and has four years left on his contract.

Mikel has made 277 appearances for Chelsea during which time he has won the Premier League title, four FA Cups and lifted the Champions League as well as the Europa League trophy

Galatasaray are considering their options in the defensive midfield position after talks with Juventus over a transfer for Felipe Melo hit a stalemate.

I know how to live in adversity and in plenty – Iwuala

Mrs. Dinah Iwuala

Mrs. Dinah Iwuala recently clocked 75 years.  She is married to Engr. D.O.C. Iwuala  from Irete in Owerri West L.G.A of Imo State. In this interview with Advocate Abiegbe, she speaks on life as she sees it.
How was your childhood ?
I grew up without really knowing my parents. My father died when I was three years. My mother died six months later. She said she couldn’t live without my father because they were so much in love. My younger sister was six months old when our mother died. I had four older siblings. I am the fifth child. My uncle and his wife had to take care of us until my eldest brother came of age and took over our responsibilities. My elder sister had to marry early in order to assist us.
Immediately after my mother’s death, more attention was given to my younger sister since she was a baby and I felt somehow neglected. My eldest brother could not further his education because there was no money to send him to school, so he had to learn a trade. But in all, my uncle and  my elder siblings were there for us that we didn’t really miss our parents much. By God’s grace, today, I am what I am, and that my younger sister is  a  matron at the Federal Medical Centre in Owerri. Today, she has two hospitals in Owerri, all her children are graduates and she is doing well.
Tell us about your educational background
I went to Irete Primary School back in the village. I was very brilliant in school. I took the first or second positions in class. From there, I was transferred to Orogwe Primary School to continue from Primary 4.
I didn’t finish before my elder brother came and took me to Lagos. I completed my primary education at Princess Primary School where I wrote the entrance examination and gained admission to Methodist Girls High School, Yaba. Somehow my academic performance dropped. At this time, my elder brother was married and the wife was having children almost every year.
I was always busy with domestic work that I didn’t have time to do my school assignments. My principal observed this and recommended that I be sent to another christian school, St. Annes Secondary School, Ibadan which was a boarding School. So I went there. Three of late Obafemi Awolowo’s daughters were there. Their father used to come  on visiting days and all of us would run around him.
After completing my secondary education, I returned to Lagos and went to the School of Arts and Science. It was an evening School. I was preparing to study Medicine. At the same time, I took up a job as a Clerical Assistant with the Ministry of External Affairs. It was by this time my husband came and said I should come and continue my studies abroad.
How and when did you meet your husband?
I met him in my brother’s house. Our Town Union organized a send-forth party for him in my  brother’s house in Lagos. He used to live in Zaria but he had to come for the send-forth party on  his way to the U.K for studies. I never knew at that time that he took interest in me.
He travelled by ship and from there, he wrote to me by post card and I replied. We continued like that for  a period of about three years until he said I should come over and continue my education abroad. At  the time we started corresponding, I was at St. Annes Ibadan.  In 1965, his father brought wine to  my brother at home and my traditional marriage was done in absentia. I had to travel and meet him in London. There, we did our church wedding on the 28th of August 1965.
I told him we would not start raising children until after our studies. He was of the opinion that we should have at  least one and get foster parents that would take care of the child while we continued with our studies. I immediately took in and had a set of twins (males) in 1966. Back then in London, when a woman delivered, whether she was strong or not, she must stay at least ten days in the hospital  before she was discharged. After delivery, I was very sick.
They said I had what they called post-natal depression. I thought I was going to have a baby girl but two boys came forth. I was  very unhappy. At the same time, we were hearing stories that there was war or rumours of war back home in Nigeria and that added to my depression.
At the expiration of ten days when my  husband came to take me home,  I was not in the maternity ward. The hospital authorities had taken me to the psychiatric department. They then advised my husband that I should be sterilized from having more children, because child-bearing was the main reason for the ailment.
My husband objected. The sickness now prevented me from the studies I had always dreamt of. They then advised me to think of something I enjoy doing. I had to register with the South East London School of Education where I studied Dress Making (Fashion Designing). I was given drugs to take care of my ailment. I didn’t have children again until eight years later after we returned to Nigeria.
So what were you doing when you returned?
On returning, I opened a school of dress making at Onibore Street in Ikate, Surulere. I had  students in uniform that I was teaching. I had tailors sewing for me. Indeed, business was booming. I was making wedding gowns.
There was a time when the work load became so much that I didn’t have enough time to sleep and then the sickness came again. My husband had to advise me to do something less stressful. I had to give up the fashion school because I couldn’t teach them again and there was nobody to show them what to do. I ended up taking a job as a teacher at Our Lords School in Surulere near the fire service station at Ojuelegba.
How did your husband react to all these?
My husband has been a very lovely man. He was always  there for me. At the time I was  sick, he took care of the children, even feeding them at night. He has been very wonderful. He told me  what he was earning was more than enough to take care of me and the children but I just didn’t want to be idle. Before I married, I prayed to God for a man that would love me no matter what.
And God gave me such a man. My husband has remained loving and caring till date. Most times he helps me with domestic chores. You know what we call each other? We call each other sweetheart; but we don’t even call it in full, we just say SWEE. Presently, we’ve been married for 48 years and our love still glows!
As a young girl, what was it about your husband that made you fall in love with him?
As a young girl, I didn’t want to be far away from my home. I wanted to be close to my brother because I loved him so much. I wanted somebody that attends the same Anglican Church with me because I was not prepared to leave the Anglican Church. I hated a situation where couples attended different Churches. I wanted a man in whose village there was a stream where one can get water easily.
There are certain villages where one has to trek a very long distance before you get water. I never wanted that. There were many suitors coming. When I made enquiries and they did not fall into my criteria, I eliminated such a suitor. When my husband came, he met my criteria and that was it. My brother had an electrical engineering company after he was able to train himself at Yaba Tech. When I realized that my husband was going to study electrical engineering abroad, I became the more interested because he was in the same line with my brother’s profession. When we returned to Nigeria after his studies, he even worked in my brother’s company, since his expatriate workers left during the war.
My husband later became one of the directors. Somehow, I said in my heart I didn’t want a man whose mother was still alive. Fortunately for me, my husband lost his mother when he was a boy. The father remarried. My step-mother-in-law now happened to be a very nice woman. She was so good to me, I now thought within me, if this woman is this good, perharps my mother-in-law would have been better!
I then regretted that I wished for a man whose mother was dead. His entire family has been good to me. We  took many of them into our house and trained them to be graduates. Today, one of his step-sisters is married to an Anglican priest and they are doing well.
Today you are a grandmother. How is your relationship with your daughters-in-law? 
My relationship with them is very cordial. God blessed me with very lovely daughters-in-law . You know I was looking for daughters and I didn’t get them in time. I have three boys and a girl. I’m very happy with the daughters-in-law God gave to me.
They don’t joke with me at all. Imagine this! One of them lost the mother; she brought her own share of her mother’s clothes to me saying I’m now the only mother she has that I should take them. That was so touching. The other is a gynaecologist and she is wonderful.
The rate of divorce among couples these days is on the increase. What is it that has kept your marriage?
I can confidently say, God has magnetised us together and nothing but death can separate us. Both of us prayed before we got married.  The fear and love of God has kept us together. There is a hymn I requested for on my wedding day. “Love divine, all loves excelling”. Till date, we always sing this hymn together.
Can you share some of your good times and bad times?
To me, everyday is a good day as long as I am alive. God has been very gracious to me and my family.There was something that happened on my wedding day, (she went for her wedding album) look at this picture. Here we were only pretending to be cutting this cake.
This cake was supposed to be three steps. But here you are seeing only two steps. We have already eaten the 3rd step which was the base. The photographer disappeared after the Church service. We never knew he had another function to cover. It was after we had almost finished the reception that he came and then asked us to pose for this photograph. I was very angry but in this picture, we are pretending to be smiling.
Your most memorable day
Mmmh……This is a difficult one. Okay after I had our last child (a daughter),  my husband was not in town. On the day he returned, we made an unforgettable love that was different from the others we’ve ever had. I cannot forget that day.
Looking back, how would you say life has been?
Life has been sweet and bitter. But I can say that the sweet part is more than the bitter part. We’ve known what it is to live in adversity and in plenty; in season and out of season. God has blessed me with a man who is there for me in sickness and in health. God has given me wonderful children and in-laws who are all graduates.  He has blessed us with landed property. I have been able to win some souls for the Lord. In all, I give thanks to God.
What is your advice to young women who are about to get married and those whose marriages are already shaking?
I will advise them to pray and allow God to lead them in their choice of life partner. Women should learn how to search the scriptures and live by it.
They should attend fellowships and be closer to God. If Abigail in the Bible (1st Sam 25) could  put up with the horrible and bad tempered and mean Nabal until he died and she remarried, women should learn to cope in their marriages and not to see divorce as an option.

Nigeria Idol 3 winner, Moses to drop new singles

Moses

A few months after he emerged the first male winner of the Etisalat-Nigeria-sponsored Nigerian Idol Season 3, Moses Obi-Adigwe is set to release the first set of his singles.
He disclosed this during a visit to the headquarters of telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria, for the first exclusive listening session for his new songs.

Speaking while receiving Moses and his entourage which included the Managing Director of Optima Media Group (OMG), Mr. Rotimi Pedro, the Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Steven Evans, said it was reassuring to see that Moses was still as passionate as he was during the show.
“We are very pleased that Moses has that innovative, creative, daring and dynamic spirit which is very important to us as a company. He has not disappointed us and it is great to see that he has been working hard even after the show,” he said.
The two songs, ‘Love Letter’ (featuring Eva) and ‘Beautiful’, had been written by Moses with his signature afrocentric and soulful touch. “These are very outstanding works coming from Moses! Congratulations. We believe these songs will do very well. We’re very committed and emotionally attached to the Nigerian Idol. It is something we want to turn into a long-term relationship, because it is a genuine partnership.” said Evans.
Meanwhile, Moses has described his new singles as a blend of old school swing, with an infusion of the guitar and talking drums.

NAFDAC uncovers illegal cosmetics factory in Lagos

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Friday uncovered an illegal cosmetics manufacturing factory that specialises in producing fast moving cosmetics, particularly, complexion creams.
The factory which was originally licensed by NAFDAC to manufacture Floxvik Queen Helen Fair lotion with NAFDAC registration number: 02-6498 and Floxvik Queen Helen Shower Bath 1 with registration Number 02- 7223 was caught with packages containing cosmetics labels for unregistered Olay Goat’s Milk cream, Olay carrot and Olay lightening shower cream at National Handling and Company, NAHCO, Shed, Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
According to the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, the suspect, Mr. Ikechukwu Valentine Anichebe,  the managing director of the company located at 6 Nnobi Street, Iyana – Iba, Ojo, Lagos has been arrested.
Orhii, who spoke at a news conference, said the factory had been sealed off, pointing out that further investigations had revealed that other counterfeit products included Dr Miracles Clarifying shower cream amongst others.
”The Dr. Miracle clarifying shower Milk is purported to have been manufactured by Floxvik, Laboratories Incorporated, New York, United State of America, while the Olay Carrot Complexion was labelled to deceive people that they were made in Island but they are all manufactured in Nigeria by Mr. Ikechukwu Valentine Anichebe’s company in Ojo, Lagos.”
Orhii further said that his Agency arrested an importer, Mr. Nwachukwu Odinaka of  13. Isa Street, Igando Lagos for illegal importation of counterfeit Postinor -2 tablets.

Golden boot not my priority – Oduamadi

Super Eagles forward, Nnamdi Oduamadi is not worried about finishing as top scorer at the ongoing 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup in Brazil.
The Varese man scored a brilliant hattrick against Tahiti in Nigeria’s opening on Monday and currently heads the goal scorer’s standing in the tournament.

He is however more concerned about helping the African champions seal a semi final berth at the tournament with a win against Uruguay on Thursday.
“I am not thinking about finishing as top scorer. What is important is helping my nations beat Uruguay (on Thursday) and I won’t start getting worked up about an issue that could eventually turn out to be a distraction,” Oduamadi exclusively told supersport.com.
The 22-year-old who went into the history books as the first Nigerian to score more than once in a single game at a senior Fifa international tournament took the time to discuss his performance against Tahiti where he netted a treble.
“I was happy to score three goals but what was most important was the winning the game. I also want to use this opportunity to thank my teammates for assisting me get the goals,” he said.
Oduamadi will start against Uruguay in Nigeria’s next game in the tournament at the Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador and the attacker wants to make his mark with yet another impressive display.
“Uruguay is a much better side than Tahiti so we know it will not be an easy game. I will try to score against but the most important thing remains a win for Nigeria,” he concluded.
Oduamadi is the first African to score a hattrick in the history of the Fifa Confederations Cup.

B-E-T-R-A-Y-A-L: House-help, lover, fake soldiers arrested for robbing master of $100,000

The Suspects

Operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, Lagos have arrested a  female house help who allegedly connived with her boyfriend and two fake soldiers to rob her master of over 100,000 Dollars.
The 23 year-old house help, Adaeze Ijeoma, allegedly sneaked into her master’s bedroom  located in Maryland,  Lagos, last month, after he  traveled out of the country.  Unsure of where to keep the foreign currency, she reportedly took it to her boyfriend, one Onyebuchi Uche, only for him to flee with the money, leaving Adaeze in doubt.
On his part, Onyebuchi , who has been jobless for years,  rushed to Alade market, Ikeja where he changed some of the dollars to naira and thereafter, deposited the sum of N8 million in two banks. He thereafter, told operatives at SARS that he also bought  a car; ‘End of Discussion’ and a plot of land in an undisclosed area where he had started molding blocks for building.
Determined to get her own share of the loot from him, betrayed Adaeze was said to have confided with one of her relatives identified simply as Nnamdi to help retrieve the money from her estranged lover.
Nnamdi and two other persons clad in Military camouflage reportedly stormed Maryland last week where on spotting Onyebuchi, bundled him inside his new vehicle and took him to a hotel in Mende area of Lagos, where they reportedly tortured him and forced him to disclose where he kept the money. They reportedly managed to get the sum of N6.5 million from two separate banks where Onyebuchi kept the money, including the new car he bought.

However,  just when Adaeze was contemplating on what to do with her own share of the recovered loot, an eight man robbery gang reportedly stormed her master’s home, where an unspecified amount  including his phones and other valuables were carted away.
The robbery case was reported at SARS after which Adaeze and two other persons were arrested.  Although she denied having a hand in the recent robbery, she however, disclosed her role in the theft of 100,000 Dollars.
In this interview with Crime Guard, she said: “ I am from Akri village in  Ogbaru Local Government area of  Anambra State. I left the village in 2010, after my secondary school education  in search of greener pastures in Lagos, where I started working as a house-help for  Chief Uche and was paid the sum of  N10,000 monthly.  I lived in the same apartment with chief and to be honest to him, he has treated me as a member of the family.
“I met my boyfriend Onyebuchi after being lonely for a while in 2011. I was tempted to steal my boss’s money and gave it to my boyfriend to keep so that we can start our own life. I gave him because he promised he would marry me. I stole the money so that we can, at least, get a lease of life when married.  I believed he would use it wisely because he has always had plans for the future.
“But I began suspecting foul play after he stopped picking my calls . When I went to where he lives in Mende, I was told he usually came home late. Later, those who know us told me he started driving a car.  That was when I contacted my uncle, Nnamdi to help retrieve the money from him. On the day, he was to go with his two soldier friends, I waited at Mende for Onyebuchi and when I sighted him, I pointed him to them and left for home immediately. After he was tortured, he called me on the phone that he was sick and when I went to see him, he said some robbers stole the money from him and even battered him to stupor.
“I swear, I do not know anything about the other robbery operation in the house. The robbers came armed and forced me to take them round the house. They only got some money in the guest room and took my master’s Black berry phone, his gold wrist watch and other things. They also took my phone but left it at the backyard.  I did what I did out of love for my boyfriend, not knowing he would betray me. Now he has fled, leaving me to bear the consequences alone, without having a taste of the money, “ she stated in tears.
On his part, Nnamdi claimed he was once a military personnel but resigned on his return from a foreign mission where he got the sum of N2 million. Surprisingly, Nnamdi was discovered to be an in-law to Chief Uche.   “I am from Akaokwa village, in Ideato North Local Government area, Imo State and the complainant  is married  to  my father’s sister. I used to sleep in their house  any time I came to Lagos to sell  palm oil and at times, I spent  one month.
“When Adaeze told me about the money, I threatened I was going to tell her boss. But on second thought, I thought if I got the money, I could use it to enrich myself.  I then contacted  Chima, my friend who is now at large. It was Chima who contacted  a soldier who initially gave his name as Corporal Humphrey. It was later we discovered he was a dismissed soldier.  We lodged at Tropicana Hotel in Mende Maryland ,where we took  Onyebuchi  to. I was in full Army uniform while Ajaghe my other friend,  was wearing a camouflage  cap, pretending to be soldiers.
“We tied him to a ceiling fan and beat him in order to force him to tell us where he kept the money. We seized his car. And ordered him to transfer the N2.4 million  he said was in First Bank and N5.5 million in Fidelity bank to my account for easy withdrawal. We used ATM card to withdraw the money for one week  from one of the banks  while we withdrew the rest from separate branches of the other bank. At the end, I gave Onyebuchi’s car to Chima to keep  and N500,000 to Ajaghe , while I kept the rest, with the hope of giving some to Adaeze and keeping the rest”, he said, adding that he knew nothing about the robbery operation at Chief Uche’s apartment.
The Commander, SARS, Mr Abba Kyari, said the suspects would be charged to court while efforts were still on to arrested other fleeing members of the gang.