Police Sergeant Arrested For Robbery

 A police sergeant, identified as Yusuf Bello, and his accomplice, Idowu Badmus, have been detained by the police in Lagos State for allegedly snatching motorcycles and selling them in the Iyana Iba area of the state.

 PUNCH Metro reports that Bello, who is attached to the Itire Police Division, was arrested on Monday by the Igando Police Division after a victim, identified only as Aramide, reported that he was robbed of his motorcycle at Iyana School bus stop on the Lagos State University-Iyana Iba Road.

 On Sunday at about 1pm, the sergeant, who wore a black police T-shirt, and his accomplice, Badmus, who was in mufti, had accosted Aramide, at the Iyana School bus stop.

The suspects, who also came on a motorcycle, were said to have slapped Aramide, and ordered him to come down from the motorcycle.

Badmus was said to have displayed a police ID card and a pair of handcuffs.

The two allegedly told Aramide that they were from the Iba Police Division, adding that they were taking his motorcycle into the police station.

PUNCH Metro learnt that when Aramide came down, one of the two suspects started the motorcycle and rode off, while the other followed him on the motorcycle they brought.

The suspects were said to have escaped with the motorcycles instead of riding it into the Iba Police Division, where they claimed to have come from.

Aramide reported the matter at the Iba and Igando police divisions, after which he boarded a motorcycle to trace the suspects.

Badmus was, however, arrested on Sunday on Makinde Close, Ile Epo bus stop on LASU-Iyana Iba Road, while allegedly returning from another operation.

A landlord on Makinde Close, who did not want his name in print, said it was residents who arrested Badmus, and handed him over to the police at Igando.

He added that the arrest of Badmus led to the sergeant’s arrest on Monday.

He said:

 “I was in front of my house around 4pm. I saw a man riding a motorcycle into our close being followed by another man on a motorcycle who was shouting, ‘help help, thief, thief.’ That got everyone’s attention.

“When we stopped both motorcycles, the man, who gave his name as Idowu (Badmus) showed us an ID card, saying he was a policeman from the Ikotun division. He said he seized the motorcycle from the man at Iyana Iba.

“So, I asked him how his jurisdiction got to Iyana Iba from Ikotun. We took all of them in a car to the Ikotun division. It was at Ikotun that he was discovered to be a fake policeman and the police arrested him and transferred him to Igando.

“When they interviewed him, he confessed to have snatched about three motorcycles and identified a police sergeant in Itire as his accomplice. That was how the sergeant was arrested on Monday. We heard that there are some fake policemen working with real policemen to perpetuate crimes on the LASU-Iyana Iba Road. The police should investigate them.”

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, one of the victims, Aramide, said:

 “Around 1pm, I took a lady from Iyana Iba to Adolf, near Iyana School bus stop. While I was waiting to take her back in front of a pharmacy, two men on a motorcycle stopped in front of my motorcycle.

“One of them showed me a police ID card and the other slapped me. They asked me to stand up from the motorcycle. They said they were from the Iba division and they were taking it to the station.

“Immediately I got down from the motorcycle, one of them jumped it and zoomed off, while the other followed on the motorcycle they brought. They did not go to the Iba station. I was shouting, ‘thief thief’ but no one could help.

“I took a motorcycle to Obadore junction, but I could not find them. I went to my house in Akesan.”

Aramide said it was in the evening that he learnt that a suspected motorcycle snatcher was arrested and had been taken to the Igando division, adding that he went there and saw that it was Badmus.

A police source told PUNCH Metro that the suspects tampered with the motorcycles they snatched before selling them.

He said:

 “The suspects had removed the number plates and plastic covers of the recovered motorcycles. Badmus confessed that he usually worked with Bello, a sergeant in Itire division.”

The Lagos State Deputy police Public Relations Officer, DSP Damasus Ozoani, confirmed Badmus’ arrest.

He added that the suspect mentioned a policeman as his accomplice.

“The complaint was made against Badmus and three motorcycles were recovered from him. The suspect named a policeman as his accomplice. Investigation is ongoing.”

Source

Miss Nigeria USA Graduates From College(See Photo)

 The reigning Miss Nigeria USA, Tosin Itohan Araromi graduated from the Mont Clair State University yesterday May 25th. Big congrats to her...

Agree? President Buhari's One Year is a Colossal Waste - Ayo Fayose

 Ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari's first year in office anniversary coming up on May 29th, Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, has described Buhari's stay in office as a colossal waste. He said this in a statement titled  “Petrol Price Increment as Buhari’s 1st Year Anniversary Gift to Nigerians” and released today May 25th. Part of the statement reads;

“Despite his electoral promise to reduce petrol pump price from the N87 per litre that he met it, President Muhammadu Buhari increased the price to N145! With this increment, Buhari has further impoverished Nigerians.

 Nigerians should be reminded that on April 14, 2015, President Buhari’s ally and former Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Prof. Tam David-West, told Nigerians that Gen. Mohammed Buhari (who was then President-elect), will reduce the fuel pump price from N87 to N40 per litre. Buhari did not debunk this statement made by his friend and major supporter.

“Also, when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government of Dr Goodluck Jonathan reduced the petrol pump price from N97 to N87 per litre in January 2015, former Lagos State Governor who is now Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola said N10 reduction of the petrol pump price was too low and that Nigerians will get a better deal under Buhari. Fashola tweeted on January 18, 2015; ‘On PMS price reduction by N10. Now they listen. Oil the raw material drop over 50%, N10 is just about 10%. Good try but Nija can get a beta deal.’ In rewarding Nigerians for electing him as president, President Buhari opted to increase petrol pump price by N58.50! The first justification of the increment was removal of subsidy. But Nigerians were later stunned when the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo said pump price of petrol was increased because Nigeria was broke!

“In other words, President Buhari increased petrol pump price because the country was broke and it needed to shore up its revenue base. The N58.50 added to the previous pump price of N86.50 was an Indirect Tax imposed on each litre of petrol purchased by Nigerians.

“Simply put, the Federal Government is indirectly collecting N58.50 naira tax from suffering Nigerians on each litre of petrol they buy. Buhari is no doubt acting like the proverbial Agbalowomeri Baale Jontolo (Aking that exploit his extremely poor subject to further enrich himself). It is on record that on May 2 this year, the federal government, in the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) Template released in Abuja, told Nigerians that it was subsidising petrol at N12.62 per litre. In 2012 when the Dr Jonathan removed fuel subsidy and increased petrol price to N141 per litre, crude oil was selling at $111 per barrel.

 “If not wickedness, how can petrol price be increased to N145 per litre when crude oil is now selling at $49 per barrel? Increasing petrol pump price by N58.50 when the federal government claimed it was subsidising the product at N12.62 per litre is clear wickedness on the part of President Buhari. In the history of Nigeria, increase in price of petrol has never been as high as it was done by Buhari, putting Nigerians in severe hardship as the product affects every sector of the economy. Too bad, those who opposed removal of fuel subsidy in 2012 and funded the Occupy Nigeria protest are the ones canvassing support for this Buhari’s wicked one year anniversary gift to Nigerians. The labour unions are now completely cowed, dashing completely hope of the common people of Nigeria. Interestingly, this is not the first election promise by APC/Buhari that have been jettisoned since they got into office. The N5,000 unemployment benefits promised the downtrodden was derisively put down by this President as “largesse” with the president spurning the emotional plea of his own wife to the contrary. To add salt and insult unto injury, he traveled abroad to make the statement.

“Despite the mindless and indefensible hike in fuel price, the commodity is still not available. Minister of state for Petroleum says there is no forex to pay for fuel import; yet there is forex to indulge Buhari’s foreign-trip profligacy. Presidential spin doctors and APC chieftains labouring to hoodwink the people speak glibly of how so-called deregulation will make products available, reduce cost through competition and the interplay of market forces as well as encourage private sector to build more refineries. But thank God who loves Nigerians so much, the lies of these people was by divine arrangement, I suppose, revealed by no less a person than the junior minister Ibe Kachikwu himself when he said importation of fuel continues till 2019. Nigerians should be reminded that the manner of hardship being faced now was also faced during Buhari’s first coming as a military dictator when people had to queue for essential commodities. Now, Nigerians can’t even afford common tomato to prepare soup. So Nigerians you have heard the truth: Under Buhari/APC, it is almost certain that our suffering will continue till 2019. Nigerians, remember I warned you before Buhari was elected; I have been warning you since Buhari became president and I am warning now that if nothing is done urgently, the economy of Nigeria will collapse.”

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See Photos of the Dilapidated State of this Police Barracks and Station

 These are photos of the dilapidated state of Obudu barracks and offices of the Nigeria Police Force. Below is a report from CrossRiverWatch: 

 "The station and barracks located opposite the local government council secretariat along Ranch road has been operational since 1979 and has since remained so without structural rehabilitation sources say.

 Pictures taken with the help of spy midgets by this reporter, as he was not allowed to use his camera, show the inhabitable conditions the men expected to maintain law and order reside and operate in with very archaic tools to work with.

 In the barracks, some roofing sheets have rusted with some caving in while the nettings on the windows have given way for mosquito nets with the fetcher board becoming food for termites and wood insects over the years.

lso, further findings reveal there is no computer in the station and the only functional typewriter the division has is located in the DPO’s office and was donated by the Venatius Ikem administration when he was LG Chairman under the then ruling Social Democratic Party (SDP) and has remained the only facility for typing documents in the station.

 The walls of the offices are already revealing the mud that was used in constructing the barracks apartments as the cement coating is gradually giving way.

A few policemen who spoke to this reporter in low tones complained bitterly about their situation and prayed the governor who hails from the local government area and other relevant authorities to look into their plight as it was not fit for human habitation.

Some wondered how anyone in his right senses will expect officers who work in such conditions to effectively police the people up to those standards that the public expect."

Meet This Banker Turned Puff Puff Seller Omotade Johnson(Photo)

Johnson (man in white T-shirt), mixing flour together with his partner

 After losing his banking job, Mr. Omotade Johnson swallowed his pride and took his destiny in his hands. Today, he makes ends meet by frying and selling puff puff at Igando bus stop in Lagos.

Omotade told ThisDay reporter Peter Uzoho that he was among the people that lost their jobs due to bank liquidation in 2009. Omotade Johnson, a graduate of Mass Communication and former staff of the defunct Intercontinental Bank PLC, would groan only for a while and then, had to move on as a man.

After losing his bank job, he resolved never to apply for any paid job again. He decided to do something differently. He buried ego and pride, rolled up his sleeves and started the puff puff business.

“Formerly, I worked with Intercontinental Bank PLC. That happened shortly; I lost the job when the bank got liquidated and everything went flat. But, as a man, you have to work and I can’t see anything I can’t do. So that was why I joined the new trend”, the resilient Johnson tells THISDAY.

Fortunately, when he relocated to Lagos in 2012, he met his friends who were into confectionery business and that caught his interest. Subjecting himself to learning the nitty-gritty of the vocation, he was taught by professionals in the business, who could be younger to him by age, but older by virtue of mastery of the trade. He was humble and really wanted to learn.

“The business has been on for the past 11 years; I met it in 2012, when I came to Lagos. I never went to school for it, I learnt it from my friends who were professionals in the business. Although, some of them were younger than me in age then, but that never mattered to me, because all I wanted was for them to teach me how to fry and all other things involved, which they obliged and taught me, even without demanding I should pay money for the training. So, since I joined, the business has been good; I don’t have anything to regret. I’m not lacking any money”, Johnson explained.

Unlike some who despise their occupation for the right or wrong reasons, he loves what he is doing.

“I love the business. It’s quite a profitable one. Of course, if it’s not, this my team you see working here wouldn’t have been here. Because you can’t just wake up early in morning, stay here till night without going home with something that is worth the time and you continue working”.

With his cheerful look, alluring tone and quick service delivery, he has been able to establish good rapport with his regular customers. He knows them by their names and even categorised them by the motive of their patronage.

“I’ve good and reliable customers and we are very friendly to ourselves. Some of them come to buy for personal consumption. May be, they are hungry and need something to eat, so they would decide to go for snacks. They may not want to eat heavy food at that particular time.

“We have people who buy it as appetiser; they’re waiting for the main food and need something to keep them ready. Even some take it as after- meal. You know some people like to take something immediately after their meal, not that they eat too much, but because it’s something that they are used to.

“We also have people who buy it for use at events; they want to use it to refresh their guests. Corporate organisations, like banks, do come to buy for their events, associations come as well, and those who are holding birthday parties, weddings and all such events patronize us too. They know the quality of our snacks and the level of satisfaction they get after eating it and so have no better option than to come to us. So, on the whole, our customers cut across working class people, organisations, school children, bus drivers, okada riders and roadside traders and so on,” he noted.

The affordability of the product is among the reasons why he records high patronage.

“It’s cheap and affordable to both the rich and the poor. You don’t have to pay more. The puff puff and buns go for N10 each, doughnut is N20 while egg roll is N50”.

However, contrary to the belief that the business is a tedious and demanding one, he said he finds the job very easy and interesting.

“Frying is a natural and normal thing that people do on daily basis. Frying puff puff or buns doesn’t require much; it’s just to mix the flour with other ingredients, leave it for some time, to get to a certain state and then, you start frying. So, I don’t think the process involved is hard. And for the raw materials needed, flour must be there, there must be yeast, butter, sugar, and sometimes, milk,” Johnson further explained.

Johnson and his team are professionals who work in synergy; putting their combined efforts in the business to maximise profits and are paid commensurately.

“We work as a professional team. Everybody puts his best in the trade. With the combined efforts and contributions from all of us, we are able to make enough good sales and profits and we pay each other accordingly. It’s a partnership kind of business.”

While most people think it costs huge amount to start up the business and dilly-dally in taking decision on whether to go into it or not, Johnson said the start-up capital is relatively low and affordable.

“To start up the business does not require one having millions. The minimum amount to start it could be within the range of N100, 000 and N120, 000, which I think is not that much compared to the amount of money people spend on drinks. Anybody that is determined to save for it can do it without much stress. Though, we all know that everything is going up right now. So, for the basic things needed for it; flour must be there, which is the major raw material for the production. There should be burner, gas cylinder, the gas itself and some other things. You know without money, you can’t make money.

“Also, you need to have money to pay for space where you will stay to do the business. You can see where we are; we pay for it every year. This is Lagos and you know you can’t run a business here without paying for the space you are using.”

For the business, rainy season is the ideal period and that’s when greater sales and profits are recorded.

“We love rainy season; that’s when the business moves well. During rainy season, people will want to take something hot because of the coldness of the weather. They like it when it’s hot to balance the body system. So during rainy season, the business is very lucrative because that’s when we make more sales.”

For Johnson and his team, the bar is raised for ‘A & B Concept’, his organisation. They dream of seeing the business flourish and become the cynosure of all eyes.

 “Everybody has a dream; if God blesses us beyond, we will move A & B Concept to a state where we will be happy to see it flourish and people will want to behold it.”

However, in spite of the joy he derives in the business, one thing stands as a clog in the wheel of his lofty dream. From time to time, officers of Kick Against Indiscipline, an agency of Lagos State Government and the Federal Road Safety Corps, would come and destroy their goods in the name of discharging their responsibility, which would make them start all over again.

“The KAI and the Road Safety come around and sometimes, they would destroy and throw away our market, despite the fact that they know the situation in the country. I don’t know if they expect us to go into stealing or kidnapping. 

If you see young men coming out to hustle, I think you are supposed to give them that grace, encourage them and allow them do their business. But instead, you come and destroy their market, pack their things and go away. They will start all over again and you still come back to do the same thing. It’s really worrisome and that’s exactly what we are passing through here”, Johnson said.

Man With Huge Arm Forced to Flee Home After Being Dubbed 'Devil's Child'(Photos)

 A man with a rare condition which made one of his arms to grow to an incredible size was forced to flee home after being 'disowned by his family'.

 Bablu was cruelly dubbed a 'devil's child' by his neighbours because he suffers from local gigantism. They didn't understand why his arm had developed in such a way.

As a result, 25 year old Bablu was forced to flee his hometown to start a new life for in Mumbai.

A local journalist recently followed Bablu around the streets of the city and filmed him as he went about his daily routine.

The video shows Bablu eating at a restaurant. He demonstrates the difficulty he has in doing something as simple as holding a cup of water.

Speaking about the experience, the journalist said:

'Bablu has been disowned by his family as his neighbours think he is 'a devil's child'. The stigma that comes with the rare condition has forced him to migrate to Mumbai.

'He thought he would disappear in the crowd of millions and start making a living, but he met the same fate in the city as people were scared of his hand.'

The journalist explained  Bablu has also found it extremely difficult to get a job of any kind since moving to Mumbai.

'If he is treated properly, his bulky hand that weighs 20kg can be reduced to normal size,' the journalist continued.

'However, [doctors] underlined that it will never be like a normal hand as the condition has reached an advanced stage.'

Gigantism, also known as acromegaly, is the result of an over-productive growth hormone.

Local gigantism causes a certain part of the body to grow excessively - most commonly fingers and toes - but as is the case with Bablu, it can also result in an entire limb being enlarged.