Celestial Church Prophet Owolere Odunuga Jailed In Kirikiri Over Visa Fraud

Prophet Owolere Odunuga of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), Ibeshe District, Ikorodu, who was arrested for alleged visa fraud, has been remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.

He allegedly confessed that he used part of the money to pay his tithe, used some to pay his house rent and invested the rest in his church.

At the Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court where he was arraigned, he also told the court that immigration officials at the airport collected N60,000 per passport to stamp a fake Visa for him.

Odunuga was arrested after he allegedly defrauded a housewife, Mrs Olayemi Oluwapelumi, of N752,000 under the false pretence of procuring United States of America Visa for her.

Odunuga said he worked as travel agent before he received a call from God to start his own church.

He admitted that the Dubai and South Africa Visas stamped on Mrs. Oluwapelumi’s passport were not genuine and that they were stamped at the airport by immigration officials whom he paid the money.

Odunuga was arrested by the police when he was lured to come and collect another money for procurement of a Visa for the victim.

According to Oluwapelumi, he knew Odunuga when they were living together at Ikorodu.

She said she approached him for Visa so that she will join her husband in USA.

She said she paid part of the N752,000 into his account and gave the rest as cash to him.

Mrs. Oluwapelumi narrated that trouble started when he took her to South African Embassy in Lagos and she was denied Visa.

She alleged that he went and stamped the passport with fake Visa stamp and gave it to her to go to the embassy to apply for Visa.

She said when she wanted to travel with the Visa again, it was discovered that the stamp on the passport was fake.

Mrs Oluwapelumi then went to the police to report the matter and he was arrested and taken to the station where he allegedly confessed.

When he was arraigned before Ejigbo Magistrate’s court for obtaining and stealing under the Criminal Code, he pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Magistrate, Mr P. E. Nwaka granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum. Odunuga was remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri till he fulfills his hail condition.

The matter was adjourned till 31 July, 2013.

18 soldiers face discipline for aiding Boko Haram, others

About 18 soldiers serving with the Joint Task Force code named Operation Restore Order in Borno State and the Special Task Force also known as Operation Safe Heaven in Plateau State are to be disciplined for aiding members of the dreaded Islamic sect, the Boko Haram, and others in the course of their duties.
Both JTF and STF were deployed to the two states following the menace of insurgents groups in the country. While the JTF is battling with Boko Haram in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, especially following the imposition of emergency rule in the three north-eastern states, the STF has been tackling Fulani herdsmen who have laid siege to Plateau state for the past 10 years.
The soldiers, comprising one officer and 17 junior ranks are to be tried under charges termed communication with the enemies.
The General Officer Commanding 3 Armored Division of Nigeria Army, Maj. Gen. Eboibowei Awala, inaugurated the General Court Martial at the 3 Armourd Division, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment in Jos on Monday.
Awala, speaking during the convening of the court-martial said part of their offenses included cowardly behaviour, murder and manslaughter, adding that they were duly investigated by the military police.

Fleeing robbers kill 10 travellers

Hell was let loose in the early hours of yesterday in Akure as some armed robbers invaded Olokuta  Medium Prison on Ondo Road Akure  in the state capital, freeing about 179 inmates  and killing 10 travellers.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the robbers, about 30, and fully armed, gained access  into the prison premises  around 1am after using an explosive device suspected to be  dynamite to break the prison’s wall.
The bandits had earlier vandalized the streetlights from the highway to the gate of the prison gate to ensure blackout during the operation.
The development, however,  caused pandemonium among the residents with the news  that the prison was attacked by members of the dreaded Boko Haram. Some of the inmates, including condemned criminals, those awaiting trials and others that were already serving terms, took advantage of the situation and escaped through the various bush paths.
It was gathered that over 100  armed robbers who have been jailed as well as those on awaiting trial, escaped during the jail- break along with other criminals who were also in the prison’s custody.The freeing bandits, it was learnt, were some of the robbers terrorizing the people of the state, arrested and prosecuted by the police and were ordered by the courts to be remanded in the prison’s custody
After carrying out the operation in the prisons, and while trying to escape with their colleagues from the scene, the robbers ran into some  travellers along Ondo Road whose vehicle had a flat tyre at a point very close to the entrance of the prison. They shot and killed 10 of the passengers  instantly, including the driver.
The robbers, after killing the occupants, waited and replaced the flat tyre with the extra before escaping with the mini bus
Speaking with newsmen, the state’s Comptroller of Prisons,  Mr. Tunde Olayiwola, described the invasion as unusual and alien to the state. He said the prison service will bring the culprits to book.
Olayiwola confirmed that only one prison warder was injured in the attack, adding that the affected officer was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
“We cannot specifically identify those behind the attack, but the attack is unusual. One of our officers was injured during the attack and he is in the hospital right now receiving treatment, but I am assuring that those behind the attack, will be brought to book.”
It was, however, gathered that few inmates have been arrested by security operatives as efforts were on to rearrest the fleeing inmates as security agents were seen as early as 8.30 am yesterday combing many  brothels in the state capital.
Meanwhile,  the state police command has allayed the fear that the attack was carried out by Boko Haram. A statement by the spokesman, Wole Ogodo, said there was no iota of truth in the rumour that the Islamist sect was responsible.

40 die as JTF cracks down on Boko Haram in Borno

No fewer than 40 Boko Haram insurgents may have died in a crack down on the sect at the weekend by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State. Military sources hinted that the task force had burst a Boko Haram hideout at Zabarmari ward in Jere Local Government Area of the state, leading to a shoot-out with the insurgents.
“About 40 of the Boko Haram men died,” the source said. Also a vigilance youth group popularly known as Civilian JTF reportedly intercepted another set of three high profile Boko Haram men believed to be on their way to Jigawa State on attack mission at Borno Express Motor Park.
“The vigilance group later handed over the three suspects to the JTF unit, one of the suspects said they were from Bama Local Government on a suicide mission to Jigawa and other states in the North. In fact, one of them revealed that all their weapons have been transported to the target areas waiting for them to arrive before they were apprehended,” the source said.
Zabarmari is believed to be one of the major hideouts of Boko Haram in Maiduguri where security operatives had engaged the sect members in fierce gun battle
Meanwhile, the JTF had commended the vigilance group for its cooperation and resilience in tackling the insurgents.
Spokesman of the task force, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa in a statement yesterday said: “The Task Force supports and commends the heroic and patriotic efforts of citizens and residents of the state especially the youths who are daily rising against Boko Haram terrorism in the state.
“We wish to allay the fears and concerns of some members of the public as regards the activities of the youths popularly known as ‘Civilian JTF’ in the state,” adding that it had since “commenced the process of monitoring, guiding and regulating the activities of the vigilance youths with the view to making them operate within the ambit of the law.”
He said the move was to make them more useful in fighting Boko Haram terrorism in Borno State without becoming a nuisance to the society.
>>>vanguard

A/Court dismisses ACN appeal against Mimiko

The Appeal Court sitting in Akure has Monday, dismissed the appeal by the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) against the judgement of the Elections Tribunal which upheld the election of Olusegun Mimiko as governor of Ondo State.
Details later.

Breaking news>>>Pius Ewherido is dead

Senator Ewherido.

SENATOR Pius Ewherido is dead he died of stroke, Sunday evening in Abuja.

Pius Ewherido,  was a member of the Nigeria Delta State  House Assemby between May 1999 and May 2007. He was elected Senator for Delta Central in the April 2011 national elections, running on the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) platform.
Born on May 4, 1963 in Ughelli. He attended Notre Dame College, Ozoro and Urhobo College, Effuruin, Delta State. He went on to the University of Ife where he studied Philosophy. After his National Youth Service, Ewherido became a businessman in Warri. He also studied Law at the University of Benin and was later called to the Bar.
Ewherido joined the United Nigerian Congress Party (UNCP) during the NigerianThirdRepublic. After the transition to democracy was aborted by SaniAbacha, he left politics and returned to business. In 1998 he joined the (PDP) and in April 1999 he was elected to represent the Ughelli South constituency election in the Delta State House of Assembly.
He was appointed Deputy Speaker of the House when it convened in June 1999. From 15 May 2000 until 20 March 2001 he was leader of the Assembly. Ewherido was re-elected in April 2003, and was Deputy Speaker of the Assembly from May 2003 until May 2007.
More details soon.

Nigerian Train Crashes Into Truck

A Nigerian passenger train that took off from Kano and bound for Lagos crashed into a faulty truck late this afternoon (Nigerian time), officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have confirmed. The accident took place a few meters from the Kakau Train Station in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State.
Two sources said the truck involved in the accident was loaded with human waste, specifically excreta. The truck was reportedly stuck on the rail line as the Lagos-bound passengers train rammed into it.
An official at the North West Zonal Office of NEMA disclosed that the agency received a distress call after the accident. The agency’s emergency response team was then mobilized and sent to the scene of the accident to undertake rescue operations.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to SaharaReporters stated that the faulty truck belonged to Ibe Nigeria Limited. “The truck just broke down right at the rail line.
Then the moving train crashed into it, resulting in the derailment of the train,” one eyewitness said.
Neither NEMA nor eyewitnesses disclosed information about any casualties among the passengers. However, an eyewitness said four passengers sustained serious injuries. The injured were reportedly evacuated to Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna State for treatment. SaharaReporters was unable to obtain official confirmation from the hospital.
Our correspondent said NEMA officials had conducted an on-the-spot-assessment to determine the extent of the damages.

Police kill Bamigbetan’s kidnappers, arrest two

The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested members of a kidnapping syndicate suspected to have kidnapped the Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Bamigbetan.

According to the police, the suspects were arrested shortly after kidnapping an Indian, Vivex Changrani, in the early hours of Monday.

The Commissioner of Police for the command, Umar Manko, said the suspects were not based in Lagos but only operated in the state on weekends after which they would flee to Ghana.

He said apart from Bamigbetan, the suspects had been involved in a series of high-profile kidnapping including that of a Federal High Court judge in Lagos.

He said, “Based on painstaking investigation and tracking of Nigerian kidnappers who kidnapped Ejigbo LCDA Chairman, Kehinde Bamigbetan, a sitting Federal High Court Judge and other notable individuals in Lagos, a team of detectives, led by the Officer in Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, traced the kidnappers to the Agbara area of Ogun State where the kidnappers have their camp.

“After 72 hours of laying ambush, the policemen stormed the house where the kidnappers were gathered. A gun duel ensued and seven kidnappers were killed. Two of the kdinappers, Ogbonna Emenike and Uchenna Nwanyu, were arrested alive with bullet wounds while four AK47 rifles, 28 AK47 magazines and over 1,000 rounds of AK47 live ammunition were recovered.

“A Honda CRV and a Nissan Pathfinder as well as charms were recovered from them. An Indian national, Vivex Changrani, who was kidnapped at Ikoyi two hours before the operation, was also rescued by the police.”

Manko said the suspects were able to evade arrest for so long because they were in Ghana and due to international law, Nigeria policemen had to collaborate with INTERPOL to track the suspects.

The police boss said the suspects operated in army uniforms which deceived members of the public.

“We discovered that because the suspects operated in army uniform, they easily got away. Sometimes, they could even alight from their vehicles in broad daylight and direct traffic in order to escape,” he said.

According to police detectives, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, the suspects lived flamboyant lifestyles in Ghana.

A police source, said the leader of the gang, Jonah Benjamin  Osinachi aka China, who was killed during a gun duel with the police, owned a big restaurant in Ghana and other investments which he funded with proceeds from his illegitimate business.

He said, “The suspects only struck during weekends after which they would go back to Ghana. For instance, after kidnapping Bamigbetan, they received $50,000 (N8m) as ransom. They went back to Ghana without any money.

“Rather, what they did was to give the money to a bureau de change operator who then helped them to transfer the money through an agent to Ghana.”

The suspects however said they were not members of the gang but only friends to the killed suspects.

Nwanyu said, “I am not a kidnapper, China employed me to manage his restaurant in Ghana and I have been doing that for two years now. I came with China, his wife and two kids on Sunday because they said they wanted to renew their passports at FESTAC.”

Another suspect, Emenike, said he was not part of the gang. He said he was only released from prison last Monday and was only at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Indian victim, Changrani, however identified the suspects as his captors. He commended the police for rescuing him less than five hours after his abduction.

He said, “I have been living in Nigeria for seven years and I work for a plastic-manufacturing company. On Sunday night, around 12am, I was on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, when men in army uniform flagged down my vehicle. They jumped into my car and pushed me into the back seat.

“An hour later, they pushed me into their own vehicle, blindfolded me. After some hours, they took me into their house and locked me in a room and told me to sleep. Around 5am, I started hearing gunshots and when the police identified themselves, I screamed for help and they rescued me. The police did a fantastic job.”

>>> vanguard

DISCOVERY: Women really are more likely to orgаsm if they’re with an attractive man

Some women prefer a sensitive New Man to a rugged brute.  But according to research, they’re missing out between the sheets.

A study of couples’ sex lives has found that women have more orgasms with men they rated as more masculine and dominant. Unsurprisingly, those with good-looking partners also fared better.
A study into sexual relationships found that women had more orgasms, and at the best times for conception, with men they thought were handsome and dominant.
Women who found their partners most attractive were more likely to orgasm at the same time or just after men, which is the optimum time to get pregnant.
In the past, female orgasm has been thought of as biologically useless.
But researchers from Pennsylvania State University claim the findings support the theory that female orgasms have an evolutionary function.
Previous evidence appears to show that it may help retain sperm after sex and promote conception.
This research appears to show that female orgasm could be a way of selecting the best genes for procreation.
The report, ‘Men’s masculinity and attractiveness predict their female partners’ reported orgasm frequency and timing’, were published in Evolution and Human Behaviour.
The authors concluded: ‘Although our results require replication, they are consistent with the hypothesis that female orgasm is a copulatory mate choice mechanism, perhaps for selecting high-quality genes for offspring.’
The researchers interviewed 110 couples from a U.S. university and questioned them on when they experienced an orgasm and whether it was before, after or at the same time as their partner.
Women were asked to rate their own attractiveness out of 10 and how dominant or masculine their boyfriend or husband is. Men were asked to rate their own attractiveness, dominance and masculinity and their partner’s femininity.
The ratings were then compared to ratings on attractive judged by a separate group of people.
They were also rated on objective characteristics such as facial masculinity and symmetry.
Results showed that if the man is particularly attractive or masculine, the woman is much more likely to orgasm at the same time or just after her partner, and thus increase the chance of getting pregnant.
According to the researchers, a woman is more likely to become pregnant if she has an orgasm either one minute before or 45 minutes after a male has ejaculated.
David Puts, lead author, wrote: ‘We found that objective measures of the quality of women’s mates – men’s attractiveness and masculinity – significantly predicted the women’s orgasms.
‘Earlier-timed orgasms suggest more intense sexual arousal and indeed are associated with greater sexual pleasure.’

Security Man Breaks ATM, Steals N12m

A security man and employee of First Bank Nigeria Plc, Jibowu Branch, Seyi Jaiyeola, is standing trial at a magistrate’s court in Ebute Meta for allegedly breaking the company’s automated teller machine and stealing a sum of N12, 533,900.

The bank’s branch Service Manager, Mr. Kayode Aiyewunmi, who gave evidence in court, said Jaiyeola was on a N20, 000 monthly pay and was a member of the Odua People’s Congress.
He said the company had observed that one of the bank’s four ATMs was having a reconciliation problem and had employed the service of an expert to help unravel mysterious disappearances of money.
Aiyewunmi said, “We discovered that there was always a shortage of cash in the machine.
“Despite our reconciliation efforts, the ATM was still having problems and we engaged the service of an expert who submitted his report and said the machine did not have any reconciliation issue.
“He said somebody was breaking into the machine in the middle of the night to steal the cash.
“I reported the matter to my boss, who said I should conduct an investigation into  the matter. “When the last breakage happened, we went to play back the branch’ CCTV, and we now saw Jaiyeola in the middle of the night, opening the window at the back of my office. There’s a control panel which controls the security door, which he touched. So, the CCTV stopped.”
He said it was at that point the company concluded he was the brain behind the theft.
He said after the matter was reported at the Onipanu Police station, and the accused was arrested, he led them to his house, where he allegedly confessed to the crime.
Aiyewunmi said, “When we got to his house for a search, we recovered N243,945 cash. The police then asked him what else he did with the money. He said he bought a car, which was parked at the house there, a Toyota Corolla. Then we recovered a new generator. He also took the police to the building he was constructing which was near completion.” He said after recovering the item, First Bank transferred the matter to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.
Jaiyeola was arraigned on a five counts of fraud and stealing and was subsequently granted bail in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum.
The prosecution counsel, Mr. Ishola Samuel, asked for an adjournment to help source some  legal citations.
The magistrate, Mrs. M.O Tanimola, adjourned the matter till July 15.