In the tragic incident which took place at the Hajj Saudi Arabi just last week, it’s newly reported that 56 Nigerian pilgrims are reported to have died in the stampede. 77 others were reportedly injured with many still missing.
The figures were released last night at a news conference in Makkah by the Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukhtar.
Chief Imam of the Sultan Abubakar III Jumaa’at Mosque, Sokoto, was among those killed in the stamped.
The immediate Caretaker Chairman of Illela Local Government Area of the state, Alhaji Bello Gidan-Hamma, his mother, step-mother and two wives in the stampede.
According to the NAHCON chief, most of the victims and the injured came from the North.
He said:
“42 pilgrims under the State Pilgrims Welfare Boards have been confirmed dead alongside two officials from NAHCON. Also, 12 pilgrims who came in through tour operators died in the stampede too.I think 61 state pilgrims welfare boards and 16 from tour operators (Private Hajj Operators) got injured in the stampede. We will update you as the information comes.”
On the missing pilgrims, he said:
”We cannot give you the full figure until the ongoing head count is concluded.”
The reports by the police that the former minister of finance and chieftain of Afenifere, Chief Olu Falae was released by his abductors without paying ransom has been rebuffed.
The Sun reveals that a family member of the elder statesman said contrary to the claim by the police authorities, ransom was paid before Chief Falae was eventually released.
The family source also berated the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase of claiming the glory for Falae’s release saying the police boss just came to Ondo for jamboree “because Police did not have any input in Baba’s release.”
He regained his freedom after spending four days in the kidnappers’ den
“I wonder why people don’t investigate well before talking. It will be very unfair to give any kudos to the police over Chief Falae’s release having being held hostage for four days.
“If we relied on Police to rescue Baba and ignored his abductors on the ransom they demanded by now we would have been telling another story. But we thank God our Baba came back alive.”
The source did not disclose the actual amount paid but said the family had to appeal to the hoodlums to spare Falae’s life saying the kidnappers threatened seriously.
“So, in this kind of development, we should wait and be listening to the police? My brother, forget. As far as I know, the police didn’t play any role in his release. The family played ball with the abductors, and they took him back to his farm where he was kidnapped and dropped him there. “Baba even said it when he got home that after the abductors had concluded their arrangements with his family, they took him back to his farm at Ilado and dropped him there.
“Baba said when his abductors dropped him, he trekked several kilometers from his farm to a hotel in owo where he met some policemen and introduced himself as Chief Olu Falae. That was how the Police got to know of his release and hijacked the whole process as if they are the one who rescued him. Only an unreasonable person will still give kudos to the police for the Chief’s release. We know who and who we should thank, not the police,” the furious family source said.
Maya Donnelly awoke to what sounded like thunder in the early morning hours, but dismissed it as a typical monsoon storm and went back to sleep.
Later that morning, she looked in the carport at her home in Nogales, near the U.S.-Mexico border, and saw pieces of wood on the ground. She found a bulky bundle wrapped in black plastic.
Inside was roughly 26 pounds of marijuana – a package that authorities say was worth $10,000 and likely was dropped there accidentally by a drug smuggler’s aircraft.
“It’s all right on top of our dog’s house,” It just made a perfectly round hole through our carport.”
She and her husband called 911. Nogales Police Chief Derek Arnson said it’s the first time in his three-year tenure that he’s ever seen a load of drugs hit a building.
“Someone definitely made a mistake, and who knows what the outcome of that mistake might be for them,”
Police are trying to determine whether the bundle was transported by an aircraft or a pilotless drone. Such runs usually occur at night.
Maya Donnelly said she thinks it’s unlikely someone will come looking for the drugs, which are now in police custody. Police have boosted patrols in the Donnellys neighborhood for now.
“Where it landed was clear on the other side of the house from the bedrooms,” Maya Donnelly said. “We were lucky in that sense.” Everybody says: `Why did you call 911?'”But how can you have a clear conscience, right? We could have made lots of home repairs with that.
A Mr. Marcel Ossai Aba who was brutally murdered with his wife, Jacinta, at the Amaja area in Enugu Ezike about eight days ago might just have been slaughtered by kidnappers.
Vanguard tells the story; Aba was sleeping with his wife and three children penultimate week when some unknown persons woke him up and broke his head with a cutlass.
The assailants later went into his wife’s room and removed her one-year-old daughter who she was breast feeding before severing her head. The assailants left the scene of crime without removing any material or property.
However, investigations by the publication revealed that Aba and his wife were killed after an abducted man from Anambra State was rescued by the police in a bush near his house.
Those who spoke on the condition of anonymity at Amaja, apprised that an unidentified man whose mouth was covered with a black cloth, was seen in a bush which separates the village from Amaja with Adupi in Benue State.
Aba lived at the border with his family. It was gathered that another woman had found the abducted man and ran back to inform her husband who consequently alerted members of the vigilante group in the area.
The members of the vigilante were also said to have alerted the nearest police station in the area, which sent detectives to free the kidnap victim. It was gathered that the abductors of the unidentified victim usually visited him between 2 am and 3.30 am each day to feed him.
However, sources said that when the kidnappers visited the area where they hid their victim in the bush, they were disappointed that the people living nearby alerted the police men who untied their victim and went to the nearby house to kill the couple.
An 11 year old daughter of the deceased, Chinonso narrated how her parents were killed in cold when her parents were killed at the palace of the Onyishi Amaja, Eze Nwidoko, where the people of the area returned en- masse to discuss the strange development weekend said that the assailants killed her father before killed her mother.
”We were sleeping in the night when my mother noticed that some people were flashing their torches outside but were not talking.As she was talking, the people came into our room and took her baby who was sucking her breast away from her and threw him to Ikedi, 5, before cutting my mother’s neck.
”The whole place was dark, We did not know when they left, After waiting for sometime I went to my father’s room and saw that his head was also cut, I used the lantern which was lit by mother before we went to bed. Later I came out with Ikedi but the whole place was still dark,”It was later in the morning that we called those nearby who started shouting and calling others to come and see what had happened,” Chinonso who was carrying the last child of her mother said.
The traditional ruler of Amaja, Igwe Ignatius Idoko, aka Atlas, said that his community was the most neglected border area in the state:
”We have been appealing to the relevant authorities to establish a police station between us and the people of Benue and Kogi states who are our neighbours.
Igwe Idoko who took Vanguard on a motorcycle to the family house of the deceased couple where it was discovered that the door leading to the man’s room was opened by the deceased for his assailants while the one leading to his wife’s own was broken has vowed that the community would leave no stone unturned to get at the root of the matter.
Onyishi Idoko Igwe Idoko said that the couple had died for the liberation of the people of Amaja just as Jesus died for the liberation of mankind adding that the people would cooperate with security agencies to ensure that justice was done.
The protest which started from Mariere Hall to New Hall comprising of Sodeinde Hall, Eni Njoku Hall, Madam Bida Hall, Madam Tinubu Hall,fagunwa hall.
The Females failed to join the protest because they were not allowed out, Sodeinde being the Front of any protest as usual was the first point to call for the protesters, after Minutes of argument with security, hall executives, the gate was finally opened for the Sodeindites to join the protest.
Bed bug as we know is a daily companion but what seem to have broken the carmel’s back is an incident where a mariere resident “Balubite” screamed from sleep and his roommates discovered over 100 bugs over his body and bed, this was a major fuel to this bug.
Protesters who spoke under condition of anonymity claimed that “Sniper” had become a daily routine before sleep, one of such respondents claimed that his roommate was rushed to the medical center because he could not breathe properly because of the smell of sniper. from investigation bed bugs have immunity from sniper as they are very resistant to it’s power
The School’s main gate is reportedly locked right now; with beds sprayed over the gate… see below for pictures
Superstar actor and director Kunle Afolayan has continued to prove that he is indeed the best director we have around. The handsome filmmaker continues his great streak as he clinched a hat-trick of awards at the just concluded 11th edition of the Africa Movie Academy Awards is at Port Elizabeth in South Africa
His blockbuster film October I cliches 3 awards:
Best costume design: October 1 – Nigeria
Best Nigerian Film: October 1 and
Best actor in a leading role: Sadiq Daba – October 1
It will be recalled the same October 1 dominated the 2015 edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards which held in Lagos earlier in the year. October 1 clinched the following awards: Best Actress in a Drama: Kehinde Bankole for October 1; . Best Art Director (Movie/ TV): Pat Nebo for October 1 ;Best Costume Designer (Movie/ TV): Deola Sagoe & Obijie Oru for October 1 ; . Best Drama Writer (Movie/ TV): Tunde Babalola for October 1 ; Best Lighting Designer: Lanre Omofaiye for October 1 ;Best Make: Up Artist: Sacred Lola Maja for October 1 ; Best Movie Director: Kunle Afolayan for October 1 ; Best Movie of 2014: Kunle Afolayan for October 1 ; and Best Sound Editing: Kulanen Ikyo For October 1
Though the film which the actor claimed cost in hundreds of millions to produced has been widely pirated by the industry’s cankerworms but it seems hardwork and ingenuity always wins the day.
Bankole Wellington popularly known as Banky W was in a recent chat with Punch, the 34-year-old EME Boss talked about his relationship status while noting he would make a good lover.
See What He said below:
“Yes I am single and it’s tough. It is a question of time. I’d like to think that I will eventually make a great boyfriend and husband. I try to be a romantic guy. I am very spontaneous. I like to enjoy my relationships. When the time is right, I will be able to do all of that,” he explained.
The King of the Lagos Party revealed that he likes independent ladies and those who can keep up a decent conversation with him. He also listed some of the qualities he looks out for in women.
See below for what he said:
“Physical beauty is important to a certain extent because you have to be attracted to someone to want to get to know more. I like girls that are independent and ambitious, that I can have a real conversation with. I like fun girls; girls who love music and can dance because I love to dance. If you can cook, it’s a huge plus because I am a $ucker for good food,” he further explained
It’s Monday, so I decided to drop something I wrote about Procrastination, you should try and read it now, sometimes later becomes never. Have a Blessed Week ahead!
Procrastination, oh I like that sh*t, Procrastination has been compared to masturbation… they both feel good while doing it (so I heard, never masturbated before) but sucks afterwards when you realize you’ve been fucking with yourself all along.
I’m a victim of procrastination; in fact I’m the craziest procrastinator you can see around. So I used myself as a case study. I procrastinate a lot, I even procrastinate the “unprocrastinateable” I mean even before writing this I had shifted it couple of times, that’s probably why I ended up writing this in the middle of the night. That’s just me BTW.
I’m the idlest guy you can see around, why? It’s simply because I’m a procrastinator. I discovered that Procrastination is the act of saving today to die tomorrow, its being free today to occupy tomorrow, its chilling today to struggle tomorrow, I’ll go ahead and say its living today to die tomorrow,Procrastination is putting today’s task on tomorrow forgetting each day comes with its own task.
Procrastinators live yesterday in today (you don’t get that. do you?). Let me give an illustration, Yesterday I was supposed to do my laundry, I didn’t, I shifted it to the next day, and that is today…Today I should be doing something else but I have to do my laundry (I’m too old to be going about dirty, I’m sure you’re too), so I’m washing what I should have washed yesterday today…that is simply living yesterday today
Procrastination is the act of buying time from the future; Procrastinators actually owe Time ‘time’ and believe me you can never have enough time to pay time. There is this popular saying around here “time is money”, we all know time is not a legal tender but when you borrow money you know how paying back feels like, it is actually taking from your present money to pay for the money you spent in the past. So also when you procrastinate you take from today’s time to pay for yesterday’s.
Procrastination would’ve been the sh*t if the time you borrowed today could be added to tomorrow but all days have 24 equal hours
Lastly, Procrastination kills tomorrow, it over burdens tomorrow and renders today useless! Procrastination is a friend of today, Enemy of the Future.
Written By – inCognito Papi [Twitter @inCognitoPapi]
Several of our Nigerian celebrities are proud parents and there is nothing that seems more bonding that rocking matching outfits with ones kids.
A handful of our Nigerian celebrities have been spotted rocking matching and co-ordinated outfits with their kids and we think they looked quite adorable.
Check on it!!
1. Trigga Kess is Toyin Lawani’s husband.
2. Amarachi Kanu and her beautiful daughter, Amarachi is wife of Nigerian soccer legend, Kanu Nwankwo.
Starboy Wizkid talked about how he got Drake and Skepta to feature on Ojuelegba remix, While speaking with Empire FM in Ghana, Wizkid explained that a series of messages between him and Drake on Instagram brought forth the remix. See what he told Empire FM below
“I was there and saw that Drake followed me on Instagram so I DMed him and I was like ‘Yoh, I’m a big fan of your music and he was like I like your music as well’. So we started talking and we talked about hooking up in London, so I went to London the next day and when I got there, I saw that he had already done his verse to the song, it was just funny mehn!”
Chidinma recently sat down with Pulse TV and she revealed her reasons why she’s not a fan of dating celebrities.
She says it’s a lot of headache as there’s a lot of madness in fame.
Here her:
I am actually not a fan of celebrity relationships. I don’t know how others feel about it, but for me I am not a big fan of it. I just think it is a lot of headache. You are both in the same line of work. Who calms who?So it’s a lot of madness already and we are both in it and we are both running around. It doesn’t work for me.
It can be anything not music but if God says that’s what is going to be then who am I to argue but as human as I am I don’t think I will like that.
Delectable Nollywood Actress, Mercy Aigbe-Gentry says she’s not a fan of having tattoos on ones body.
Speaking in a recent interview, she reveals the reason she hates tattoos.
“Maybe it’s because I dread pain. But seriously, I don’t like it on me, because I’m like an insatiable person when it comes to having things like that on my body” she said.
“Today I may like a bird, and the following day I’ll get tired of that and want to change it. And asides that, in my job, you’ll have to play different roles; so it automatically restricts the number of roles you can play in a movie, so I feel as a professional actress, you shouldn’t, maybe to an extent, have a permanent thing on your body” Mercy Aigbe-Gentry further said.
Speaking of things she wouldn’t do, the Yoruba movie actress said she couldn’t go braless in public last month.
“No, I can’t go out braless; I’m a mother, so I will not do that. But some ladies do that and for me, if they look good in it fine, why not” said the actress.
22 year old award winning pop star, Davido says he is not considering marriage anytime soon despite having a 4-months old Daughter, Imade from Baby mama, Sophie Momodu.
The BET and MAMAs award winning singer recently made this revelation in an interview with The Punch Newspapers.
When asked about marriage since he now has a daughter, the Skelewu singer simply dropped, “Not at all; I am not considering getting married now.”
Probing further to know if he had plans of tying the knot with another lady, he tersely replied, ‘I am not planning on getting married now.’
I guess as the saying goes, ‘time changes yesterday.’ It should be the other way around, but 9ice was recently photographed asking Yemi Alade for her autograph.
Yemi Alade shared the pic on Instagram a few minutes ago, with the caption “Oga @nice made me autograph my album for him when it should be the other way round… choi.”
Reports have it that the Emir of Kano – Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has married Sa’adatu Barkindo-Musdafa, the daughter of the Lamido of Adamawa, Muhammadu Barkindo-Musdafa as his fourth wife.
Sa’adatu who recently turned 18 is said to be a secondary school graduate and will be continuing her university education after her wedding.
The new bride joins the 54 year old Emir’s senior wives Sadiya (daughter of the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero), Maryam and Rakiya.
According to Premium Times who broke the story, “the secret wedding was contracted in a low-keyed ceremony in the town of Yola on Friday.”
Just few days after breaking the internet with his Caitlyn Jenner Inspired Photoshoot, Denrele Edun is in the news again, and this time not for his awkward dressing or something, He’s in the news for falling off the stage where he hosted a Fashion Runway – ‘The Event Show‘ an annual event hosted by Tres Bien Events in Port Harcourt.
Sporting long red braids, Denrele was doing his signature head shake and bounce when he fell into a gap.
Big Congratulation to Jeffrey Akoh as he Joins the Likes of Chidinma, Iyanya, iMike, Monica Oga, Ayo, Olawale and Geoffrey.
The 18 year old Sound Engineer won Season 8 of MTN Project Fame West Africa last night.
The SAE Institute Cape Town graduate grew up listening to his siblings’ sonorous voices, and began his own musical journey at the age of 5.
At age 13, he took part in a competition with his brother, and although they didn’t win, he learnt a lot and wants to consolidate on that in the Academy.
His musical influencers are Chris Brown, Lawrence Flowers, and Kim Burrell. Jeff receives the grand prize of N5 million, an SUV and a recording contract.
Pearl Olanma Awa-Agwu secured a 2nd place finish, she receives a car and N3 million. Anderson Emmanuel Amos finished in 3rd place, he gets a car and N1 million. In 4th place was Adanoritsewo “Ada” Gold Tosanwumi and she receives a N1 million prize.
Lol… Imagine the music… This is so true though, whoever came up with this must be true fan of Kanye West or probably he studies him like a 10 unit course.
I see this becoming a new trend in Nigerian fashion in the next few weeks. Though the style has been around for a while but i can tell it’s about to become rampant.
Gorgeous Nollywood actress, Chika Ike, who is labelled amongst our list of Nigerian Female Celebrities Who Smoke Shisha, and is also, as she claims, celebate currently, stuns in this amazing blue dress of hers.
Friends of these men even jump into the equation—hastily labeling all actresses as wh*res based on what they’ve read online. And some of the men I have met actually get cold feet because of such unfounded speculations,”
The actress reveals she is not over, dating a black man as long as she can find one who understands her career and lifestyle. She continued:
“For me it’s not about the colour of a man’s skin but his mind. The reason why I think a white man will work for me is because their mentality fits my lifestyle and my career. But if I meet a black man who sits well with my wants and expectations, I will jump for it.”
Head of States of the Federal Republic of this amazing country, Nigeria, President Muhammed Buhari is photoed here with the world’s current richest man, Bill Gates.
The President is photoed having a conversation with the highly distinguished man in New York city.
How tragic… The brother of former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, Abdulkadir Jega, has been confirmed as one of the unfortunate people who died in the recent Hajj stampede.
Vanguard reports that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed on Saturday, disclosed that two Court of Appeal Justices were among those that died during the stampede that led to the death of over 700 persons at Mina, Saudi Arabia on Thursday.
In a statement, the CJN, gave the names of the deceased Justices as Abdulkadir Jega who is the Presiding Justice of the Abuja Division of the appellate court and Justice Musa Hassan Alkali of the Ilorin Division.
Precisely two weeks after the abduction of the Chairman of Cometstar Manufacturing Company, Sir James Uzochukwu Uduji by unknown gunmen in front of his residence at 7th Avenue in Festac town, Lagos, his abductors have insisted on collecting $1million or he dies. The minimum the naira equivalent of their demand will cost the victim’s family is N220million.
Sir James Uzochukwu Uduji’s abductors were said to have laid an ambush at 72nd junction along 7th Avenue at a bad portion of the road close to Uduji’s residence. As soon as he was sighted, the gunmen deliberately hit his car as in an accident scenario, which forced the driver to stop to ascertain the extent of damage. In the process, the gunmen opened fire, shot the driver and drove off with Chief Uduji to an unknown destination.
Saturday Sun reliably gathered that his abductors have since demanded the sum of one million dollars ($1M) as ransom.
It was also learnt that the family has been able to cough out and handed over N100million cash to the abductors but they insist that the balance of N120million must be paid. They are said to have suggested that Chief Uduji should send one his family members to come and take his place in captivity and he will be released so that he would go and source for the balance.
All efforts to get the family’s reaction to the development failed as they were strictly warned by the kidnappers not to speak with the police or the media over the matter.
Investigation shows that unlike previous cases of kidnapping in Lagos, the group of notorious kidnappers have held sway in Lagos for years, especially in the Festac area of the state. Their modus operandi is to investigate and pick up individuals who can afford to pay huge ransom, ranging from N50million and above. They normally confront their victims with details of his worth and why he or she should be able to pay the sum or be killed.
According to a reliable source whose family had a taste of their cruelty, they had to cough out the sum of N80million before his uncle was released.
“They held him for more than a month until we were able to raise N80million. It was when they discovered that my uncle had sold his land just to raise the money that they released him. He has left the country with his entire family. They picked him up at 7th Avenue during the day. We couldn’t tell the police because their threats were real. They are too coordinated that they kept monitoring every member of the family and giving us update. It’s been happening; we were the first and others have been picked up same way after,” he said.
Amongst those who have been calling for his unconditional release were friends and associates of Chief Uduji who on Tuesday gathered at the Federal Housing Authority Lawn Tennis Club on 22rd, Festac town to pray and call on God to touch the hearts of his abductors to release him.
Many see their gathering as unusual as they normally gather at the club to socialize or use the fitness facilities. Members of the club who also refused to speak to Saturday Sun because of security reasons lamented that they now live in fear. Some of them said it would only amount to suicide mission to challenge their (kidnappers’) authority.
The beautiful new mother who just returned to the country after giving birth to her baby for Teebillz, shared this adorable photo with sweet words to follow.
Actor, Jim Iyke who recently turned 39 today has finally confirmed that he is now a father by sharing a picture of him and his son lying on the bed with the following long note:
Son,
A few weeks ago I recall kissing your mom’s sweaty brows as I encouraged Her to push and push harder intermittently.
I recall her growing weaker by the minute, her fingers clutching my shoulders in a death grip, her intense green eyes staring deep into my core with that singular resolve only women in labor possess.
I asked Doc Crawford for the honour of pulling you out of your mom which she granted without wasting a heartbeat and also gave me the charge of cutting the umbilical cord.
You see against every ethos of her practice she sensed a higher purpose beyond this realm; a symbolic need for me to perform this final task to weld you and I, father and son, into one single entity.
I have a propensity for nicknames son. I’ve pretty much covertly or overtly nicknamed everything in my life. Your mom is Supergirl. Well now Superwoman. I promise you by no stretch is her nickname far fetched.
She’s the combination of great looks, brains, grace and sheer guts! She’s got more balls let alone mental strength, than most men I know; present company included. I’ll save the story of her commitment and dedication on this journey for perhaps another day lol.
I don’t know where our path will take us tomorrow but it had to be her. It was predestined to be. She’s taken to motherhood like fish to water. I’m indebted for life sweetheart.
The finest poets and wordsmiths has written all there is to write about a father’s love for a son. My oratorical or literal prowess can never match theirs no matter how hard I try now or later. But no one alive or dead can or will match what I hold in my heart.
My propensity and strength is in my heart son, always have been. Many times when events and words fail me my heart lifts me with the weight of its content.
You see I have witnessed Jehovah’s greatest Miracle.
My love for you is in the moment that froze as I held you in my hands for the first time and I thought my heart had stopped beating. It’s in the pride as people swoon over you in public places, gushing about how utterly beautiful you are.
I’ve googled everything from how to change diapers to how to soothe you to sleep. Yes we have become apt and true disciples of Google lol.
Bovi Ugboma‘s absolutely stunning wife, Kris is without an iota of doubt, as excited as can be. Apart from raining the sweetest words on both her daughter and her husband, (her king and princess) who have their birthday today, she got them this beautiful joint cake with courtesy of dainty affairs.
She also had this to say to her husband who turned 36. She wrote:
A very happy birthday to this sweet heart @officialbovi who has chosen to love me unconditionally, my hero, my joy, my pride, my blessing, my mentor, my entertainer, my gossip partner, my lover, my best friend, a selfless man, the only person who knows my deepest secrets !! I could go on and on about you the whole day …. You are a true definition of a “Sweet Heart” !! Words really can’t describe how kind your heart really is. Love you forever my love”
