In Katsina, Court Orders 6 Men To Receive 20 Stokes Of Cane For Misconduct......

A Malumfashi Senior Magistrates’ Court in Katsina State, on Wednesday sentenced six elderly persons to 20 strokes of the cane each for constituting nuisance while drunk. The convicted persons were, Nomau Akwai, Yusuf Bature, Salisu Abdullahi, Sani Rabi’u, Sa’idu Abdullahi and Musa Yusuf, all residents of Malumfashi Local Government Area.

The prosecuting police officer, Cpl. Joseph George, told the Senior Magistrate, Mannir Shehu that the convicts were arrested by a team of policemen on patrol at Marabar Kankara, a suburb of Malumfashi on March 13. George said the convicts were found wondering and intoxicated with alcohol at Gidan Mariya and Gidan Coach, an act that constituted nuisance to the public.

He said the offence contravened section 183 of the penal code law and urged the court to try them summarily. When the offence was read to the accused, they pleaded guilty to the charge. In his ruling, the Senior Magistrate, Salisu Shehu sentenced them to 20 strokes of the cane each to serve as deterrent to others.

Herbalist, aged 69, Marries 18-Year-Old Girl As 57th Wife (Photos)

A 69 year old herbalist, Chief Simon Odo, who married an 18 year old girl, Chidinma, as his 57th wife last November has said that he would not marry again, having had a fair of women in his life. 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 however 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. However, 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.”

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

This unijos Student Allegedly Shot Dead By DSS Officer (Photos)....

Below is what Bello Lukman wrote about the unfortunate incident: “What a world, Hezekiah Paul a student of University of Jos who’s on a three months Industrial attachment in a shop in Ahmadu Bello way was shot dead yesterday around 3pm by a trigger happy DSS officer. The officers came to arrest one John Dan whose offence was not disclosed. On sighting the gun wielding DSS officers Paul out of fear and apprehension attempted to run but a DSS official chased him and shot him at close range. An attempt by the STF officers in front of JEDC office in Ahmadu Bello way to question the rationale behind the shooting was rebuffed by the DSS officials who took him to JUTH from where he was rushed to Plateau hospital where unfortunately, he gave up the ghost. Let’s shout on this page.. Type ‪#‎the‬ DSS killer cop must be arrested, prosecuted openly and punished.”

Good job!!! Police Rescues 3 Kidnapped Bauchi Girls Who Were Forcefully Converted To Islam (Photos)

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued 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, told one of our correspondents 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. SUNDAY PUNCH had reported on March 6, 2016, that Blessing Gopep, 13, was abducted by two men identified as Iliya and Umaru, both living in Alkaleri, 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. SUNDAY 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 The 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 The 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.

SUNDAY 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.

Dangote Truck, some Cars And Properties Burnt As Kogi-Poly Stage Protest (Photos)

Aggrieved students at the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, today, blocked the Felele highway and reportedly attacked commercial Motorcycle (Okada) riders in reaction to the death of a female student who was allegedly stabbed by an Okada riser yesterday. The crisis shut down vehicular movement along the ever-busy highway. Some motorcycles were reportedly burnt by irate students. Anti-riot policemen had since intervene and the crisis is being well amanged as at press time. See more photos below:-

Suicide Bomber Kills 14 Worshippers In Maiduguri Mosque.....

14 Muslim worshippers were this morning killed when a suicide bomber detonated himself in a mosque in Umarari Village, an outskirt of Maiduguri, during the early morning prayers today.

Umarari is about 5km south of Maiduguri, the northeast Nigeria city where Boko Haram insurgency birthed. An official of the Civilian-JTF, Alhaji Danbatta, who coordinated the evacuation of victims said 26 other persons were injured in the blast. The blast is the first to be recorded in Borno state since the last that killed about 50 persons at an IDP camp in Dikwa, a town 85km away from Maiduguri.

NBC Bans Another of Olamide’s Song (See reasons)

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has banned another of Olamide’s song- Don’t Stop, just after months of blacklisting his ‘Bobo’ song. According to NBC, this song also contains vulgar lyrics which isn;t good for the public. According to them, the phrases in the song that led to the ban includes: “I just wanna hit it now now now,” “Je kin wo be ( meaning: let me enter the place ),” “don’t stop, take it,” “Oun tami oun ro mi,” “It took your mama 9 months to make it,” “wa gba ponron ( meaning: come and let me give you my p*nis ).”.