Boko Haram men are Desperately Seeking Relevance – Buratai

THE Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai, said, yesterday, that Wednesday’s bomb attack which killed 22 persons at a mosque in Borno State was another desperate move by the Boko Haram sect to create the impression that its killer instinct still exists.

Buratai, who stated this during his maiden visit to the 4 Brigade Command in Benin, Edo State, following his earlier visit to 2 Division in Ibadan, Oyo State, explained that although it was unfortunate that young and innocent girls were being used by the terrorists to perpetrate their crime, the attack was “not unexpected because they (insurgents) are struggling to survive” with their dwindling membership. Dismissing reports that the insurgency had come to an end, he said, “That report talking about the end of insurgency was not properly carried in the media. I did mention that insurgency is a very difficult situation. It is a global phenomenon and we will continue to struggle to ensure that it comes to an end very soon. This does not mean that insurgency will just disappear.”

Fulani Herdsmen Kill 2 again, Sack 25 Villages In Benue.....

Despite the outcry that trailed the killings and sacking of Agatu communities by suspected Fulani militia, the marauders have, again, laid siege to Logo Local Government Area of the state, killing two and sacking over 25 villages.

Fulani-herdsman The attackers also rendered close to 3,000 homeless after several houses and huts were razed in the affected villages. Vanguardlearned that the invaders have taken over the affected villages in an incursion that reportedly started about four days ago at Ukemberegya, Bwarer, Mbawar, Gov and Gambe Tiev communities.

A victim of the attack, Mrs. Terungwa Torhemba, who spoke to Vanguard yesterday in Makurdi, through an interpreter, said the armed herdsmen had completely occupied Abiam Koya, Iordye, Nyakoo and Mkpikpa. Others are Afom, Uzaagir, Ugbende Mue, Dam, Shaausu, Ukme, Chenbe, Anwen, Sebungen Ubosha, Chia, Asemngoroko and Inderkar. According to Torhemba, “they attacked us four days ago, killing our people.

So many cannot be located at the moment; we have also lost all of our belongings, farm produce and farmland to the well-armed herdsmen who have completely taken over our villages. “At the moment we have no source of livelihood because they have also converted our farm land to grazing settlements for their cattle.” Caretaker Chairman of the council, Simon Ugba, said two person had been confirmed dead in the attack, adding that his administration was overwhelmed by the number of displaced persons.

Ugba, who asserted that no designated camp had been created for the displaced persons, said the council was working in close collaboration with the state government to provide succour to victims and sued for assistance from public spirited individuals and organisations. When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Moses Yamu, said he was yet to get full details of the attack.

10 Year Old Son of 2Baba Debuts As An Entertainer With His First Public Performance

The young performer looks to getting an early music start as he only just clocked 10 on January 15, 2016 2Face’s son,Nino Idibia, also known as‘Ninof abulous’on Saturday, March 5, 2016, exhibited the music genius in him as he made his debut in a live stage performance at the Change Conference 2016. He thrilled attendees at the event, as he led an enchanting worship session with the Royal Minsrels, while performing a song titled, ‘Yes I Can’, which was the theme of the event. Nino was at the conference with his mother,Sunmbo Adeoye,step-father and half brother, who provided all the needed moral support. Adeoye, who gave the welcome address looked lovely in an over flowing black and white gown, looking quite lively and fresh. She must have been full of joy for the opportunity to witness her son’s biggest performance. Nino, who is only ten appears to be set to follow the trail of his successful music legend father, 2Face, as he already looks poised to explore a career as a singer. See pics below;

See the Boy From Kebbi Who Makes Cars From Scrap Materials Undergoes Technical Training (Photos)

The SS3 student from Kebbi state who became famous after photos of his local car made from scrap materials went viral online. Muzzamil Umar and hundreds of youth are now set to receive technical training under ‘The Muzzamil Project’… This was announced by Deputy Governor Samaila Yombe at his office on Wednesday after he met with Muzzamil.

NCC finally Forgives MTN, Lifts Sanctions

Mr Tony Ojobo, the Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said on Wednesday that the commission had lifted the sanction placed on MTN Nigeria since July 13, 2015.

Ojobo said in a statement that the regulatory sanctions were for 24 identified infractions. It said that the lifting of the regulatory sanction was in no way related to the Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) card non-deactivation fine. “This is to confirm that NCC has lifted the regulatory sanctions placed on MTN since July 13, 2015. “The sanctions were for 24 identified infractions which are not in any way connected with the SIM card non-deactivation fine.

“These were a number of violations discovered by the Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Team of the commission in June 2015. “Consequent upon the inability of MTN to remedy the identified infractions, the commission invoked the sanction in its guidelines,’’ the statement quoted Ojobo as saying.

It said that the sanction meant the denial of regulatory services to the telecommunications company for failing to remedy the infractions in line with NCC’s regulations.

According to the statement, consequent upon the remediation of the 24 infractions by MTN, the regulatory body’s letter of March 14, 2016, informed the company of its decision to lift the regulatory sanction. “It should be noted that this does not in any way extend to the fine for non-deactivation of SIM card case. “The case of SIM card deactivation is an entirely different infraction, which is mutually exclusive to the 24 infractions now remedied.

“This has become necessary in view of the many enquiries being received from concerned stakeholders. “This action is without prejudice to the matter which is presently in court. Please be guided accordingly,’’ it quoted Ojobo as saying.

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