Police Again Rescue Three Teenage Girls Abducted & Converted to Islam

 Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued yet another set of three teenage girls, who were abducted in Bauchi State and forcefully converted to Islam.

 The Prison Inmate Development Initiative, a non-governmental organisation, handling the matter, said that the girls were handed over to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 12, Bauchi, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, on Tuesday, by the Shari’ah Commission in the state.

On March 6, 2016, that Blessing Gopep, 13, was abducted by two men identified as Iliya and Umaru, both living in Alkaleri area of Bauchi State.

Blessing and her friend, Mary, were on their way back to Jos after spending their holidays with Blessing’s uncle in Bauchi in August, 2015.

Her father had said Blessing and Mary had gone to the Alkaleri motor park, and while they waited on the bus for other passengers, two men, identified as Iliya and Umaru, arrived at the park on a motorcycle and abducted Blessing.

On November 19, Linda Christopher was abducted by one Mallam Shagari in Tarsha Durumi village, while Progress Jacob, 13, was abducted by Mallam Musa in the Yelwa, Sabon Kaura area, both in Bauchi State, on her way back from church on January 3.

According to Ms. Gobet, Progress’ aunt, the teenager went to church on the morning of January 3, 2016 and did not return when the church was presumed to have closed at about 10.30am.

She was allegedly abducted in the Yelwa, Sabon Kaura Area of Bauchi State by one Mallam Musa on her way back from church, which is said to be a few metres away from her aunt’s residence.

The distressed aunt said she reported the case to the traditional ruler (Seriki) of Sabon Kaura as well as the Yelwa Police Station, which only took her statement and directed her to inform them when she found Progress.

She added that all efforts to locate the ‘missing’ girl proved abortive until a letter was delivered to her from the Bauchi State Shari’ah Commission, informing her of Progress’ conversion to Islam.

Sixteen-year-old Linda, a secondary school pupil in Enugu, was seen with one Mallam Shagari at Tarsha Durumi village in Bauchi State on November 19, 2015.

It was learnt that Linda had left Enugu four days earlier to join her parents, who lived in the Katanga Giwa village of Bauchi.

Her parents were notified of her whereabouts by a kinsman, who knew the family.

Just like the Jacobs, her parents got a letter from the Shari’a commission, notifying them of their daughter’s custody and her conversion to Islam.

PUNCH had reported the failure of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to rescue the girls one week after the newspaper had reported the abduction.

The Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Police Command, Mr. Baba Tijjani, confirmed the release of the girls in an interview with PUNCH on Tuesday.

Tijjani stated, “The girls have been released. They were not held by the Bauchi State Shari’ah Commission; they volunteered to become Muslims on their own and reported themselves to the Da’awah & Islamic Education Department, which took them to the Bauchi State Shari’ah Commission.

“Now, they have been produced. Progress Jacob and Linda Christopher have been released to their parents while Blessing Gopep’s parents have been told to come tomorrow (Wednesday) and they will go home with their daughter.”

When asked if the case would be treated as a criminal case and the culprits prosecuted, the police commissioner said, “We just released the girls to their parents. The investigations are still ongoing and we will come out with the details after the investigations.”

The Executive Director, PIDI, Mr. Mbami Sabka, who also confirmed the rescue to PUNCH on the telephone on Tuesday, said he was glad that effort to rescue the girls was not wasted.

He added that this was the beginning of the release of more child brides.

Sabka said, “I am extremely grateful to PUNCH newspapers for their help. We hope that other perpetrators would learn from this. We, as an NGO, won’t stop at this; we will continue the fight for the release of child brides. An end must be put to this illegal act.

“The police have asked the Shari’ah Commission to bring the abductors involved because the girls didn’t walk to the commission by themselves; someone brought them.”

Blessing’s father, who couldn’t contain his excitement while speaking on the telephone, said he was very happy to have his daughter back.

He said, “I have waited so long for this day to come; it has been my only wish. I just want to thank God for bringing my daughter back to us. I am extremely happy; words fail me to express myself. I also want to thank PUNCH newspapers for their help.”

Blessing’s sister, Happiness, said since receiving the news, she had been restless.

“I’m boarding a bus first thing tomorrow to Bauchi. I can’t wait to see my sister,” she stated.

Jacob, who is Progress’ father, stated that he was happy to see his daughter again.

He thanked everyone that helped in his daughter’s release.

He added, “I have informed everyone in the village about her release; they are all expecting us. We are with the Commissioner of Police in Bauchi State. My daughter, Progress, is fine but we are a bit worried about her condition.

“She was asked to identify us as her parents and she did so by pointing at us but she did not speak to us. She only shook her head or nodded to questions.

She confirmed she was not sexually molested by anyone. The commissioner said she would be released to us when the medical examination has been concluded.”

Linda’s mother, Mrs. Onah, added, “She looks fine but we have not spoken to each other yet, although we sat together today. We were told the girls were released because they were not up to 18 years old and could not make decisions on their own.

“They are undergoing medical examinations as we speak and we heard the results will be released after three days. I am happy to see my daughter again.”

PIDI had written letters to the state Commissioner of Police and the National Human Rights Commission but got no response before taking the cases to Amnesty International.

PUNCH’s campaign on the abduction of 14-year-old Ese Oruru from Bayelsa State on February 28 had led to her release within 48 hours from her captivity in the Tofa area of Kano State.

The #FreeEse campaign, launched by PUNCH, had led to Ese’s release and return to Yenagoa, while her abductor, Yunusa Dahiru, aka Yellow, is currently facing trial in the Bayelsa State capital.

Governor Ambode Orders All Occupants of Lekki Gardens Estate To Evacuate Immediately

 Yesterday, the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode ordered occupants in all houses built by Lekki Gardens to vacate their apartments in order for integrity test to be carried out on all the buildings to ascertain their safety.

He gave this order when he visited the scene of the 5-storey collapsed building which killed 35 people last Tuesday.

He was displeased with what he saw and ordered immediate action. He said the developer should take responsibility of the relocation of occupants of the buildings as government would not wait for the buildings to kill other people.

He said: “The State Government will undertake a stability test on all other buildings constructed by the developer in the state, whether occupied or not, to ascertain their structural stability. The developer will pay the cost of the tests. Any building found to be defective would be demolished.

For those that pass the integrity test, the developer will pay a penalty for any overdevelopment on the site. Further to the above, the State Government intends to carry out an audit of all structures in Lagos to ascertain those with planning approval or not and evaluate the physical development against the approved building plans. .

Let me reiterate that Lagos is open to business for those who must comply with the state’s laws and regulations in order to prosper. Our main concern is to continue to improve on the ease of doing business and uphold the rule of law at all times. Those who choose non-compliance and defiance will henceforth face the full weight of the law without fear or favour.", PM News reports.

Federal Government Suspends Pension DG Over Multi Billion 'Scam Exposed Through BVN'

 The Director-General of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Nellie Mayshak, has been placed on indefinite suspension.

The Cable reports that Mayshak’s suspension is as a result of an alleged scam running into billions of naira which was recently discovered in the Directorate.

The PTAD oversees the management of pensions under the defined benefit scheme for pensioners not transiting to the defined contributory scheme.

While the report has little information on the details of the scam, investigation is said to be ongoing by security agents.

The Biometric Verification Number (BVN) scheme introduced by banks was reported to have led to the discovery of several shady dealings in the directorate.

Mayshak is said to be the highest earning government official in the country, with a monthly salary of N60 million.

69 Years Old Herbalist, Marries 18-year-old Girl as 57th Wife in Enugu(See Photos)

 Meet the 69 year old herbalist, Chief Simon Odo, who married an 18 year old girl, Chidinma, as his 57th wife in November last year and now says he won't marry again.

Chidinma was married from Okutu, in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Odo, also known variously as Onuwa, King Solomon of Africa or King of Satan was married to 68 women but some of them had earlier died. Augustina Odo (nee Asogwa) and Virginia, nee Mogbo from Oraifite were among the dead ones.

Odo spoke in an interview with the South East Voice at his palatial home at Aji, Enugu Ezike in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

Onuwa who was armed with an Onward note book where names of his wives and over 200 children were listed according to their dates of birth said that his first son, Emeka was born on December 15, 1969.

“I was born in 1947 on the day they had an eclipse of the sun and the moon. There was darkness in the afternoon on the day I was born. I was the only son of my parents. “I was baptised as a Christian in the Catholic Church and I even became a mass servant under Rev Father Desmond McGlade. 

I however became a herbalist because of circumstances beyond my control. As I said, I was the only son of my parents but because some of his relations wanted to take over his landed property, they poisoned me. I contracted tuberculosis and had to be treated for years. 

At a point, I was even unable to walk for about five years because I became lame. I ran to Ondo State in the South West, where I trained to become a herbalist at the age of 15, before returning to the village. 

I married 15 wives when my father was alive and the situation prolonged his life. He died in 1992 at the ripe old age of over 90 years. My first son has seven children and four grandchildren. Any of my children who chooses to become a Christian is free to do so, provided he/she must become a Catholic. I don’t like the Pentecostal churches.”

The new bride Chidinma 

On feeding of his large family, Onuwa said,

“People think that I feed many of them but this is not true. Most of my children are grown up. The boys among them usually marry and go to their own houses just like the girls who marry and follow their husbands to their places. 

However, my wives cook food for the whole family in turns. For example, if it is the turn of Ada or Omada to cook, she would invite five of her colleagues to assist her in cooking. One woman cooks for everybody in the house at a time but my other wives would always assist such a person.”

Asked if any of his sons has taken after him as a herbalist, he said,

 “I will not encourage them to do so. I don’t want my sons to take after me because some of them will do bad things with my medicine. As a herbalist, I have never killed anybody or thought of evil against anybody but I do not trust that my children would be upright like me. That is why I will not encourage them to inherit my medicine but I may bequeath them to some of my younger children, not the old, greedy ones.”

Meanwhile, it was learnt that although Onuwa abhorred seeing his children attend churches other than the Catholic church, seven of them were ordained pastors at the Lord’s Chosen Church. Hitherto, some of them attended Catholic and Anglican churches while many of them took after their father in his business.

However, the ordination of the pastors brought about a radical Christian awakening in the extra-large family of Chief Odo. In the past four years, there had been a simmering misunderstanding between the pastors and their father regarding his herbal practice. The pastors were said to be mounting heavy pressure on him to repent and turn to Jesus, a demand the herbalist spurned.

Odo, said to have lost one of his wives last February, had arranged for the burial programme, which his pastor’s sons rejected and rather organized a prayer programme for her burial, triggering confusion in the family, Vanguard reports.

New Government! : Police Arrests 500 S*x Workers, Set To Punish Them

 

 Tanzania government is holding about 500 suspected s*x workers and nearly 300 of their alleged customers in detention as part of a crackdown on prostitut*on.

The first suspects will appear in court today, Dar es Salaam's deputy police commissioner told the BBC, confirming the arrests.

 Rights groups have condemned the arrests, which started a week ago, urging police not to hold suspects beyond the legal 48-hour limit.

Tanzania's new President John Magufuli, who came to power on an anti-corruption platform, has previously criticised prostitution in the country.

President Magufuli, known as the Bulldozer, has vowed to uphold law and order since taking power in November.

Deputy police commissioner Simon Siro told BBC Swahili that the suspects were being held in three prisons around the city.

He said the s*x trade was linked to both drugs and violent crime in Tanzania.

'Exit This Race Within 24-hours or we Will Release All we Have Found' - Hackers Threaten U.S Presidential Candidate Ted Cruz

 An individual purporting to be a representative of the hacker group Anonymous,  today posted a disturbing Twitter video that threatened to expose 'very dirty secrets' of U.S Presidential candidate Ted Cruz including information about Cruz ‘visiting prostitutes!’

“Your lying during this presidential campaign has gotten out of control,” the video begins. A voice alleges, “You have committed voter fraud to steal votes that do not belong to you … The fraud you have committed against Mr. [Ben]Carson will not be tolerated.” 

“Anonymous will not let this go without repercussions or consequences,” the video states. “We will not sit and watch the citizens of America fall for it any longer.” “Almost every word that comes out of your mouth is a complete lie … and you, Mr. Cruz, have been hiding behind some very dirty secrets that lie beneath the surface … secrets that you believed would never haunt you.” “It’s time that we tell America what’s hiding behind the curtain,” the voice states, taunting, “… Do you recall visiting prostitutes?” (The clip offers no suggestion or proof that Cruz actually did consort with hookers, however.) Finally, the video ends with an ultimatum: “Mr. Cruz, we are now demanding that you exit this race within 24 hours, or Anonymous will release all of the information we have found … Your so-called underground hacks that you think were done in the dark will be brought out for all the public to see …Your disgusting behavior … will go viral on every social media platform.”

Sad : Former Super Eagles Midfielder, John Ene Okon, Dies on His Birthday

 Former Nigerian midfielder, John Ene Okon, died yesterday March 15th at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital in Cross Rivers state where he was being treated for Liver problems.

 Sadly he died on his birthday. He was born March 15th 1969. He was 47 years old.

Okon who is a CAF licensed coach, until his death was the head coach of Calabar Rovers FC.

He was an influential member of the Flying Eagles squad to the 1987 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile, where the team crashed out in the first round. Ene Okon played alongside Etim Esin, Thompson Oliha, Nduka Ugbade, Adeolu Adekola amongst several others.

He was regarded as one of Nigeria’s finest generation of young players. May his soul rest in peace Amen.