Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed during an interactive session with members of the Nigeria’s Civil Society Organizations(CSOs) in Abuja this morning said the Buhari Administration did not promise unemployed graduates N5,000 stipends.

“We did not promise 5,000 Naira to unemployed graduates but to vulnerable Nigerians” he said

The 17-year-old son of a Delta based-pastor has allegedly raped and killed a 14-year-old girl.

According to Vanguard, the accused also attempted to harm the victim’s 9-year-old sister. However, she managed to escape although he injured her.

The incident is said to have occurred at Oduduru Road, Sapele.

Sources say worshipers at the suspect’s father’s church were shocked at the conduct of his son, which they described as “unbecoming of a cleric’s son.”

Read Press Statement Below:

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon E. Arase, fdc, NPM, in view of the Yuletide season and the security challenges in the country, warns all citizens to be vigilant while receiving gifts from unknown persons that may pose as friends during the season, to avoid explosive-laden hampers as gifts.

The Inspector-General of Police also cautions against the use of fireworks such as knockout, “bangers” and other explosives in the celebrations as they could cause distraction that may further heighten fear of insecurity.

He also enjoins citizens to shun all forms of violence and unlawful acts, eschew bitterness, hatred and rancour and go about their legitimate duties without fear of intimidation from any quarter during and after the season.

Meanwhile, to ensure a peaceful and incident-free Yuletide, the IGP has directed all Zonal AIGs and Command Commissioners of Police, to take necessary measures in ensuring the provision of adequate security for worshippers, travellers, picnickers and all citizens across the country before, during, and after the celebration.

Command Commissioners of Police are to personally ensure that all key and vulnerable points within their jurisdictions, including places of worship, recreation centres, motor parks, shopping malls, highways, financial institutions and all places of public resorts are adequately and effectively protected.

Ag. ACP OLABISI KOLAWOLE FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER, FORCE HEADQUARTERS,

The Oyo state police command have arrested and paraded one Wasiu Adetunji Lawal, a middle aged man who went to a church in search of a wife but ended up stealing and selling off the vehicle of the church pastor in Ibadan, Oyo state.

Paraded along with Wasiu Adetunji Lawal, Isiaka Babatunde, Jamiu Rahman, Wasiu Adelani and Abdulazeez Ahmed.

Narrating what happened to Tribune, the victim, Pastor Akorede Aderounmu said

“The suspect (Lawal) came to our church, looking for a lady to marry. After a while, he got close to me. One day, he said he wanted to help me repair something in my car. He had earlier said that he was an auto dealer. He disappeared with my vehicle for three months before it was recovered from the person he sold it to in Kaduna. Before his arrest, I called him severally but he always told me that he would soon bring the car, unknown to me that he had already sold it. I never instructed him to sell the car as he claimed.”.

The state Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade who paraded the suspect and his accomplices, said that Lawal went away with the Toyota Sequia SUV belonging to one Pastor John Akorede Aderounmu under the pretext that he wanted to carry out some repairs, only to abscond with the vehicle.

“The suspect sold the vehicle to a criminal receiver in Kaduna State without the knowledge and the consent of the owner, and refused to respond to the owner’s calls when he demanded for the return of his vehicle.” Oyebade stated.

He added that when Lawal was arrested, he confessed to have sold the vehicle, leading to the arrest of other suspects. Exhibits recovered from the gang include a Toyota Sequiao SUV, 13 vehicle particulars, nine forged Customs paper, number plate with registration number BH 299 BKA and other documents.

When interrogated, the suspect, Lawal denied stealing the car, claiming it was the Pastor who asked him to sell the vehicle and he had given him an additional N400,000 to add to the N800,000 which he realized from the sale. He could not however respond when asked why he wasn’t answering the Pastor’s call after collecting the car.

The hearing on the suit against Synagogue Pastor, T.B Joshua and his engineers over the September 2014 church building collapse has been adjourned to December 11th by Justice Lawal Akapo of the Lagos State High Court.

The resumed hearing of the case was meant to take place this morning but T.B. Joshua and his engineers, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun failed to appear in court.

Counsel to the Engineers, Oluwaseun Abimbola, told the court that they were absent because they were not served with court papers.

Reacting to this position, the Lagos State’s Attorney General, Adeniji Kazeem said no valid physical addresses were found for the contractors, which he said was reason that the Ministry of Justice could not locate or serve the court papers.

The presiding judge ordered that proper court notices be served to the engineers within 72 hours, and advised their counsel to inform them to take the court proceedings seriously as their trial is of a criminal case. 117 people, mostly Nigerians and South Africans, died in the Church building collapse.

Pastor T.B Joshua along with some engineers will be arraigned tomorrow November 30th before a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja over the death of 116 people in the Synagogue Church of all Nations building collapse which occurred in September 2014.

Joshua and his engineers are expected to be arraigned before Justice Lawal Akapo according to a statement by the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Bola Akingbade.

The engineers, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun, had last year filed a suit asking a court to stop the police from inviting, arresting or prosecuting them over the death of the 116 victims but a Coroner Inquest set up by the Lagos state government indicted the engineers and recommended them for investigation and prosecution for criminal negligence.