More than 10,000 Muslim women have registered their desire to be married at a mass wedding ceremony in Kano state.

The Hizbah, which is a state sponsored programme in Kano, serves as the city’s “morality police” and has over the years arranged mass weddings in a bid to reduce the number of single women in the state.

The women who are hoping to be introduced to prospective suitors via the scheme include divorcees and girls of marriageable age. The Islamic board introduces the women to possible husbands and leaves it to them to make the final decision.

Under the scheme, the state government pays the bride price and provides furniture and household utensils for the newlyweds.

Most of the women who register with the board say they have searched endlessly for a partner but couldn’t find and therefore turned to the board for help. Some others say they have suitors but no money to do their wedding.

The Hizbah board is yet to announce a date for the mass wedding. A total of 5,000 men and women have been married since mass weddings were introduced in Kano in 2012.

A total of 1,111 couples tied the knot in an elaborate event at Kano’s main mosque in December 2013. At the time, the Hisbah said it had arranged 4,461 marriages since the programme began.

Similarly, the Jigawa State Government has inaugurated a 19-member Committee to organise a mass wedding for widows and divorcees in the state.

In a statement issued by Ibrahim Isma’il, the Public Relations Officer, Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) on Tuesday in Dutse, the SSG, Alhaji Adamu Abdulkadir, while inaugurating the committee, said the gesture was to checkmate social vices in the society.

The statement said that the Committee was to identify the total number of widows and divorcees in each of the 27 local government areas of the state.

While speaking on Wednesday when a delegation of the Lagos State House of Assembly members and APC caucus in the Senate and some party leaders paid her a solidarity visit at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has said as a Christian, she has forgiven her Kogi-West counterpart, Senator Dino Melaye.

According to Punch Newspaper, the Lagos-Central caucus was led by Senator Muniru Muse, while the National Assembly caucus was led by Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

Recall that senator from Lagos-Central, Tinubu had accused her colleague, Melaye of assaulting her verbally during an executive session of the Senate last week Tuesday, and Melaye on his part denied the allegation as well as counter-claims that the female lawmaker also assaulted him verbally.

The wife of APC National leader, Tinubu said when she started to think about all that transpired in the Senate for some days on Wednesday, she shed tears for the first time on her encounter with Melaye, adding that she would not be intimidated by anybody.

She said,

“When the Senate President invited me yesterday (Tuesday) and I gave my word. You can see the channel I have taken in the aftermath of the event. I reported to the IGP; I wrote to him also, after I waited for one week. When it happened, it was him I went to. I waited for one week and nothing was done. I also wrote to the party (the APC) chairman.

“I met with the Senate leadership yesterday (Tuesday) after one week; I met with him (Senate President Bukola Saraki) yesterday. And as a Christian, I said I had already forgiven him (Melaye) for the way I was treated. But the point is that what people don’t realise is that I am a very reserved person.

“After I gave my word to him (Saraki) yesterday, I told myself that at 55 I am not a wimp of anybody.

“I witnessed the Sani Abacha regime and I know what I saw and why I am committed to this cause. But now, my hands are tied to say I forgive people. I am a Christian; when I give my word, I must abide by it. But I am not scared to follow this through.

“I am not championing a cause for women. I am only standing in my space and if my space is encroached upon, I have to fight back. Rosa Parks wasn’t an activist; she just decided to sit in her space and not give up her space to anybody in a bus. And that sent a message.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank all Nigerian women who rose up; the women rights groups who are calling, conducting press conferences and doing a lot of things.”

The senator also denied sponsoring women groups to protest on her behalf against Melaye. She stated that she had given her best to her constituency in the past five years and that inspired the protests that had trailed the verbal assault on her.

“I didn’t give anybody anything; I don’t even have N80m in my personal salary account in the Senate. And I don’t think if I have any other savings I want to use it to mobilise women to protest. What about the investments we have put into politics? How much has that done for this country?” Tinubu said.

A 30-year-old man, Joseph Ibanga, from Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State has reportedly strangled his four-year-old daughter, Gloria.

Also, another 30-year-old man, Victor Esin, from Urue Offong/ Oruko Local Government Area, allegedly killed his 60-year-old uncle, Rev. Esin Andang, with a machete.

Ibanga and Esin were paraded yesterday at Police Command Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia in Uyo.

Confessing to the crimes, Ibanga and Esin claimed they were led by an evil spirit. They both pleaded for leniency. Esin said he did not understand what happened.

He said:

“I stay in Port Harcourt, I came to the village that day; I don’t really know what happened, I started quarrelling with my mother.

“My daughter was sleeping. About 4a.m., I carried her to the village stream and strangled her. I cannot say how it happened.

“It was people from my mother side who arrested me. I regret my action. Honestly, I cannot say why I killed my four-year-old daughter.”

On his part, Esin said he went to his uncle’s house to ask him why people were dying in his family.He said:

“When I got there, I met him and the children, we exchanged pleasantries. What really happened after that, I cannot explain.”

Asked how he used machete to butcher his uncle. He said:

“That is why I am pleading for leniency because I cannot say what really pushed me into doing that.”

Here’s a message from Rodoye Rasaq who is reporting his 12 year old younger sister, Adijat Oluwabunmi Rodoye, has been missing since June 26th. He wrote:

“My name is Rodoye Rasaq, please my younger sister is missing from home, she packed some of her clothes and left home on the 26th of June, 2016 after her parent left home, her dad went to work and her mum went to a friend party, so she told our neighbour that her dad sent her to her grand-father which was false, she use that has an excuse so that she can run away.

Please kindly help us to upload this in your blog, I will appreciate if you can help us, this is the 25th day she has left home, her mum has not be eating, we have reported the issue to the near by Police in Oshodi (Akinpelu Police Station).

RODOYE ADIJAT OLUWABUNMI is her name. She is 12 years plus, she has a matured stature, like age 15.
Below is daddy, mummy and her brother contact

Address: 29, Adedeji Street, Off Afariogun street, Oshodi, Lagos State.

Telephone:
Dad: 08038360876, 08081188005, 08074399458
Bro: 08108522216, 08054997909, 08113938631
Mum: 08083768998, 08108378607
My e-mail: [email protected]

Facebook: Rodoye Rhazaq O.

Or u report to d nearest Police Station. Thank you so much.

Neighbours of a woman, who died last Friday in a hotel in Ikotun, Lagos State, have opened up on what transpired shortly before her death.

They said the deceased, who was identified only as Iya Ginika, had left home around 9pm on the day, telling her husband that she wanted to visit a friend in the neighbourhood.

The residents told our correspondent on Tuesday that the woman, in her 50s, had claimed that she wanted to collect something from the friend.

They added that they were shocked when news filtered in that she was found dead in Taola Hotel on Prince Adeyemi Street, Ikotun.

The deceased lived on K & S Street, Abaranje Road – a few kilometres from the hotel.

PUNCH Metro had reported on Monday that the woman and her lover had stayed in the hotel around 9.30pm on Friday and paid to spend an hour.

However, workers of the hotel became apprehensive when it was 12am the following day and the lovers did not check out.

One of the workers was said to have entered the room to discover that the woman was dead while her lover had fled.

The case was reported to the police at the Ikotun division.

A neighbour of the deceased told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that she had lied to her husband, identified simply as Henry, that she wanted to visit a friend who lived on Prince Adeyemi Street.

The neighbour, who did not want her name in print, said she was shocked when she learnt that the woman died in the hotel.

She said, “Around 9pm on Friday, she told her husband that she wanted to visit a friend on the street where the hotel is located. The husband and her children became confused when she did not return.

“It was the following day when the news of her death was broken that the husband realised he had lied to him. She was about 50 years old.

“Her husband is a motorcyclist and he tries his best to provide for the family. She used to run a lotto shop but later stopped. She sold fish and soup ingredients before her death,” he added.

When contacted, the deceased’s husband, Henry, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said she would be buried later this month. He, however, declined comments when asked where her late wife told him he was going on the day.

“She suffered from high blood pressure before her death. We will bury her later this month,” he said.

But the deceased’s daughter, who collected the phone from her father, said the family did not want to dwell on the incident in order to protect its image.

“We don’t want to be discussing this matter. We have our future to protect and we don’t want the incident to destroy the image of the family. Please, don’t call this number again,” she added.

The Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, SP Dolapo Badmos, said the police were still on the trail of the fleeing lover.

From Premium Times:

President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Aisha, has sued Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State for claiming that she was involved in the Halliburton corruption scandal, Premuim Times reports.

Mr. Fayose had in June said Mrs. Buhari was the “Aisha Buhari” named in a U.S. court document, alleged to have been involved in a bribery case involving a convicted former U.S. lawmaker, Williams Jefferson.

The governor, in what appeared to be an error, referred to the scandal as the Halliburton corruption case. The Halliburton case is different from the Williams Jefferson scandal.

But Mr. Fayose insisted he was right despite Mrs. Buhari’s denial and threat of legal action, The court summons, dated July 20, 2016, was exclusively made available to PREMIUM TIMES.

As governor, Mr. Fayose has constitutional immunity against criminal prosecution.

A Kano Magistrates’ Court today denied bail to the five men who allegedly killed 74-year-old Mrs Bridget Agbahime in Kano on June 2.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Agbahime was murdered at Kofar Wambai Market, Kano, over alleged blasphemy.

The accused persons: Dauda Ahmed, Abdulmumeen Mustafa, Zubairu Abubakar, Abdullahi Abubakar and Musa Abdullahi, were charged with inciting, disturbance, culpable homicide, joint act and mischief.

The presiding judge, Chief Magistrate Muhammad Jibril, in his ruling said the court, under Section 361 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, had the discretion to hear the bail application.

But it has no power to grant the accused persons bail, he said.

“Though, no material evidence to give the court, first information report is simply information. “It shows the jurisdiction of a court to admit an accused person to bail, only when there is no evidence to prove the accused person committed an offence.’’

He said that the court had no power to grant the five suspects bail, though the court is convinced that investigation had been completed in the case diary sent to the State Ministry of Justice for legal advice.

Jibril, therefore, ordered the five suspects to be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case to Aug.18, for further mention.

However, Gambo Abdulsalam, the Defence Counsel for all the suspects, told the court that he would forward the bail application ruling to the High Court, Kano.

He said this was to enable him seek for their bail, since the court has the right to grant them bail.

The Kastina State Police Command is holding a family of five in its custody for allegedly feeding a day-old baby boy to a dog as meal.

The incident happened at Saika village in Batsari Local Government Area.

The suspects include 15-year-old Wosila Halilu, her three stepbrothers and her mother.

It was alleged that Wosila, who is the mother of the baby, got pregnant after she was raped by a 27 year-old farmer, Musa Garba. She alleged that the farmer lured her into his farm where he committed the act.

Police sources said the family viewed the pregnancy and subsequent delivery of the baby as shameful, since she was not married.

They, therefore, held a meeting where it was alleged that Wosila’s mother and her step brothers decided that the baby should be fed to a dog.

The village head of Saika, known as Dakacin Seika, reported the incident to the police, leading to the arrest of the family and the the farmer.

Garba is in police custody for alleged rape.

The culprits were brought before a Kastina Magistrate Court on three count of culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy and rape. The prosecution said the offences were in contravention of sections 235, 387 and 85 of the Penal code.

Magistrate Nura Ladan ordered further investigation into the incident. He directed that the suspects be remanded in police custody until the case comes up for further hearing on August 8, 2016.

Punch

President Muhammadu Buhari, the 5th civilian president of Nigeria is to Nigerians what they deem him to be.

To this end, many Nigerians prefer to call him some names owing to his background, political life, and the how the nation has fared under his one year administration.

However, many make mockery and humour of situations to christen the president 73 years after his official christening by parents.

Here are some funny names Nigerians call President Muhammadu Buhari:

(1) Sai Baba

This is the slogan, used majorly during the electioneering campaign in 2015. And till today, Northerners use the word frequently to praise the president. In one of his visits to Kaduna State months after election, the chants of ‘Sai Baba’ rented the air and this has stuck as one of Mr President’s name.

(2) Baba go slow

As the name implies, Buhari has been labelled a slow president in many quarters. The name became rampant during the one-year celebration of his ascension to office. Is Baba actually slow? That is left to you to judge.

(3) Goro President

Goro in Hausa language is kola and many northerners are known for consuming it. The name is rampant among southerner, especially for northern traders. Being a northerner, President Buhari has nbeen named a Goro President.

(4) Anti-corruption

Since assuming power, President Buhari’s anti-corruption war has been ‘well fought.’ With the arrest of prominent names such as Femi Fani Kayode, Sambo Dasuki, Olisa Metuh, Lawal Jafaru Isa and others, Buhari has earned himself a new name; Anti-corruption.

(5) Bubu

A name derived from ‘Bu-hari’. This name is very popular among social media commentators.

(6) Daura Dullard

President Buhari’s certificate saga has been on for a while. Many believed he has no WAEC certificate and this has earned him a new name – Daura Dullard.

(7) Ajala the traveler

In his first year in office, President Muhammadu Buhari embarked upon 29 foreign trips despite the myriad of challenges facing the country. Many accused him of staying of staying off the country more than he stays at home. For this, the president has been named Ajala the traveler.

(8) Old Soja

This parlance is usually reserved for retired military officers in Nigeria. Being a former military president, the name seem to be well justified.

(9) Baba Zahra

President Buhari is being addressed as such because of one of his pretty daughters, Zahra, whose beauty was in the spotlight during her father’s campaigns and after.

Credit: NigerianBulletin

Over a year ago when Boko Haram insurgents swept through the fishing community of Baga in northern Borno State, horrified residents had limited options. The militants attacked and killed many, locals and security operatives alike.

58 year old Jummai Ibrahim,pictured above, who now takes refuge at an IDP camp in Borno state, recently told the heart wrenching story of how Boko Haram terrorists stormed her village in Doro-Baga and forced her to watch as they beheaded her 21 year old son. Speaking to Premium Times, Jummai said;

“I lost many of my relatives while fleeing from Baga. Immediately we made it to the outskirts of Baga, Boko Haram gunmen intercepted us and took away one of my daughters who was two months pregnant and her three-year-old son and 13 other ladies who were either my cousins or my husband’s younger ones that were living with us. One of my sons, Habibu, who was about 21 years old was killed by Boko Haram.

When they saw him with me, one of the Boko Haram gunmen told me that ‘Mama this your son is old enough to join the Civilian-JTF, so he is assumed to be a potential member of the Civilian-JTF’.

For that reason they dragged him to the ground in my presence and slit his throat. They wanted to force me to hold his legs while they were cutting off his neck, and I told them I could not do such thing.

I attempted to close my eyes because I could not stand to see how they were killing my own son like an animal, but one of them hit me with the butt of their gun on my arm, and insisted that I must watch them as they killed my son. I watched him cry and calling on me to help him, when I cried out that I could not help him, then he kept on screaming that ‘mama pray for me, and forgive me if I ever offended you, pray for me’…(sobs)…that was how my child was slaughtered and beheaded,” Jummai narrated, weeping. “I have seen pains and torture from Baga to Maiduguri.”she said

Jummai says she used to be a fish merchant when she was in Doro-Baga but she lost all to the attacks of the insurgents

“Now I am left with nothing except rags. Last year, Borno State government came to share clothes for us and that was what we have been using since then. As you can see now, the clothes have turned to rags because of everyday use. Look at my body, look at our skins, we lack soaps to bathe and even the cheapest cream to oil our body. We do not even have washing bar to wash our clothes. It is so pathetic. It is even more pathetic now that I have over 20 children including some of my own that were able to make it on their own to this camp and those of neighbours that have been killed, all living with me in the same apartment here in the camp. Food that was recently distributed by the Borno state governor during this Ramadan did not get to us in our own house. We have to depend on one or two measures of rice that some good relatives brought to us. Just imagine the irony of life…(sobs)… me a woman of means in Baga, whom people do come to meet for help; even when the local government council was in difficulties, they do come to me for assistance which I did render without blinking an eyelid. I was a very independent woman financially. I was very famous and prominent in my community; none of our Lawans (District Head) and Bulamas (village heads) would say they don’t know me”she said

A 48-year-old Ghanaian man identified as Agyeman, who was caught red-handed r*ping his 14-year-old daughter, has justified his wicked act by saying that since he was the one who gave birth to the girl and has been taking care of her since her mother left him, he had every right to have s*x with her before other men would start enjoying her.

The Ghanaian man whon lives in the Agbado-Oke-Aro area of Ogun State, was caught in the act on Monday, July 18, 2016, after neighbours heard the screams of the girl in their one room apartment, and when the neighbours went to find out why the Junior Secondary School (JSS 2), girl who was supposed to be in school, they met her father on top of her.

According to an eye witness who is a resident in the compound which the victim and his father lives;

“Baba Adjoa has been living in the yard for over 12 years but we do not know if he is possessed because at times, he behaved like a mad man.

He is an all purpose labourer but most times, you will find him at ‘ogogoro’ (illicit gin) palours drinking to stupor.

“His wife left him in 2008 and since then, he has been living with his children all alone. On that day, I was sleeping in my room because I came back from work in the morning, when I heard a fellow tenant, Iya Calabar, knocking on my door to come and help her find out why Adjoa was screaming in their room.

“I went out immediately and met two other neighbours who were banging on Agyeman’s door asking him to open but he refused. We actually thought he was beating his daughter because he is used to beating them mercilessly.

“But when we heard the girl screaming that her daddy wanted to kill her, we had to break the door and what we found shocked all of us.

“Agyeman was n*ked and having s*x with his daughter. We had to force him off the small girl. Of course, we gave him some beating but what he said was a surprise to us all.

“He was saying that he had every right to have s*x with his daughter, after all he was the one who gave birth to her and had been taking care of her. On interrogation, the girl said her father has been raping her since last year and had vowed to kill her if she ever told anyone.

“Some youths in the area wanted to lynch him but they were prevailed upon by elders who saved him and took him away. We have reported the case to the police,” the eye witness said.