UKCWORLD

Man batters wife; says ‘dragging my sick mum on the ground is an insult I can’t take’ By Evelyn Usman A middle-aged man, whose wife was rescued from his grips, while he was beating her, has said that he was provoked by her ill-treatment of his sick mother. Joy Abiagan, the housewife At the moment, his wife, Joy Abiagan, is nursing an injury in her right eye in a hospital in Ogun State. The victim, who also complained of body pains, accused her husband of striping her naked in public at their Ifo home, Ogun State. When contacted, her husband, Francis Abiagan, accused his wife of being disrespectful to his ailing mother. According to him, “I have been married for 10 years. My mother had stroke and no one was available to give her special care. My greatest undoing was to bring her home, as my wife would not allow her a moment of rest. “I have been accommodating all her siblings, but in return for my gesture, they (siblings) have turned my life into a n...

Cult war claims 10 in Akure; Police arrest 20 By Dayo Johnson Akure—NO fewer than 10 persons have been killed within the last three days in Akure, the Ondo State capital, with others injured, as rival cult groups do battle over supremacy. Meanwhile, the Police said over 20 suspects have been arrested in connection with crimes in the metropolis. Among those arrested were four ex-convicts, Omololu James, 19; Ojo Odunayo, 16, and Wale Ayemowa, 18, discharged from prisons in Lagos State after serving their sentences and Bidemi Victor 18, who served his jail sentence in Olokuta in Akure. Some of the suspects The four teenagers used an abandoned two-storey building near the state House of Assembly as their hideout. Reports had it that the cult groups engaged in bloody gun battles at Oke-Aro, Old Garage, NEPA Junction and Odi-Olowo areas. It was gathered that the killing of a member of the group sparked off a reprisal attack, which increased the casualty figures. Vanguard learne...

The Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone  ‘A’  Lagos, of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has arrested 10 suspected smugglers on illegal trade, even as the Unit seized 384 parcels of hard drugs, along Iyana-Ipaja road, concealed in six bales of second hard clothing, imported into the country from Ghana. •The seized items The Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the Command, Comptroller Mohammed Uba, disclosed this, saying that the prohibited items valued at N18,432,000 were intercepted by his Unit through a tip off. He added, “The Unit within few weeks through intelligence-driven strategies seized contra-band items estimated at the Duty Paid Value, DPV, of N334million. We also recorded underpayment recovery of N273.6million from duty payments as well as demand notices on general goods, which tried to outsmart Customs through the seaports, airports and border stations in the guise of false declaration, thereby realising a cumulative value of N607.7million....

Top government officials in Edo State led by the Deputy Governor, Right Honourable Philip Shuaibu and his wife, MaryAnn, graced the Benin City edition of the Glo Laffta Fest, Nigeria’s foremost comedy brand held at the Flamingo Hall of Best Western, over the weekend. But it was Mercy Johnson-Okojie, who is married to an Edo State indigene who stole the show as the Benin crowd showed special love for the celebrity guest. Her appearance on stage was greeted with a standing ovation by some of the audience who screamed in excitement. Other dignitaries at the star-studded show, included the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Folly Ogendegbe, members of the House, Hon.  Gowon Jerry and  Hon. Damian Lawani and his wife. *Mercy Johnson The show, which had previously been held in nine major cities, paraded some of the country’s brightest and best comedians who serenaded the Benin audience for over five hou...

Lagos—Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, has raised alarm over the insertion of projects outside the purview of his ministry in the 2017 Appropriation Act by the National Assembly. Fashola said it was unfair to the Executive arm for the inclusion of such projects after public hearings on the budget and defence of the fiscal estimates by the ministries. Fashola “What I have in my budget now is primary healthcare centres, boreholes,” he said at an interactive session with editors yesterday. “That was the meeting we had with the Acting President and that was the reason why the budget was not signed on time. “We were ask to complete those abandoned projects; the budget of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was reduced by the National Assembly from N31 billion to N10 billion. “We are owing the contractors about N15 billion and they have written to say  they are going to shut down. “Also, the budget of the 2nd Niger bridg...

The Federal Government has declared Monday, June 26 and Tuesday, June 27 as Public Holiday to mark Eid el Fitr. Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau made the annnouncement on behalf of the Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja. ‎ He‎ enjoined all Muslim faithful and Nigerians in general to use the occasion of the celebration for sober reflection and pray for peace, unity and progress of the nation in its march to nationhood. ‎ Dambazau urged all Nigerians to shun hate speeches and divisive tendencies and join hands with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to build a peaceful, strong and united Nigeria. He assured of a Nigeria, ‎which guarantees fundamental freedoms, including the right of residence in any part of the country, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. ‎The minister reaffirmed the determination of the Federal Government to protect all lives and property of Nigerians. ‎...

By Babajide Komolafe The naira yesterday remained stable at N364 per dollar in the parallel market. Vanguard survey revealed that the parallel market exchange rate closed at N364 per dollar yesterday, same level as on Monday. The stability was attributed to weak demand for dollar and increased supply due to dollar sale to bureaux de change by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday. Also the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has completed the refund of N450 billion to the federation account, to be shared among the federal, states and local governments. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, made the statement on Thursday in Abuja at the monthly meeting of Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC). Isa-Dutse, who represented the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun at the meeting, said that NNPC completed the payment in April this year. Recalled that apart from oil revenue, NNPC had for 67 consecutive months, paid additional N6.33 ...

Liverpool on Thursday completed the signing of Egyptian winger Mohamed Salah from AS Roma for a fee reported to be 39 million euros ($43.5 million).The 25-year-old agreed a five-year contract with the Premier League giants. Salah, who has also played for Basel, Chelsea and Fiorentina, has been capped 52 times, scoring 29 international goals."I’m very excited to be here. I’m very happy," said Salah who spent two seasons at Roma where he grabbed 29 goals in 65 Serie A appearances. “I will give 100 per cent and give everything for the club. I really want to win something for this club. “We have a great team and very good players. I was watching the games last year and everyone was giving 100 per cent to win something. “Everyone can see the coach gives everything. I hope to see that together we can give everything to win something for the club, for the supporters and for us.” Salah was a long-term target of Liverpool, who previously tried to sign him...

All these state governors who do not understand that the essence of government is to positively impact the citizens are talking about 2019 when they have failed to use the opportunity they have today. When former President Olusegun Obasanjo described state governors as emperors last year, the gibe at the messenger tended to dim the message . The riposte was not only from the supposedly traduced state governors, but also other citizens - he was not qualified to speak on such a matter because he equally operated as an emperor while he was a president. Again, continued the reprimand, why would he not consign his epistolary obsession to the federal level and avoid interfering with the goings-on in the states? But we must admit that Obasanjo was only reminding us that as citizens, we have not demonstrated enough diligence in monitoring how the states are run because we are preoccupied with the activities of the government at the centre. After all, it is the reports on these activities at ...

The Senate is working on a bill that will check the incessant increase in house rents in Abuja and other parts of Nigeria, the Senate Committee Chairman on Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye, has said. He stated that the ‘Rent Edit’ bill would protect tenants and landlords even as he promised that lawmakers would ensure the passage of the bill before the end of the 8th Senate. Melaye disclosed this in a statement issued by the Director of Information at the housing arm of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Mrs Eno Olotu, in Abuja, on Wednesday. According to the statement, the senator, who spoke at the 2nd Abuja Housing and Investment Expo, also stated that corruption had hindered development and growth in the housing sector Melaye urged stakeholders to have a change of heart by putting the interest of the people first. He said, “Not everybody can own a house. The Rent Edit Bill will help guide and curb excessive rents in the Federal Capi...

According to information reaching ukcsworld, an alleged battery thief was lynched around akai efa off mcc road, Calabar on the 20th of june at about 5pm. The said victim who is unknown to us happens to be in his late 20's. We can recall that same incident took place early this week at edim otop where a guy was lynched and set ablaze for alleged robbery. This incidents keep reoccurring on weekly basis while lives and properties are put under pressure and danger. But the question is, is death an acceptable punishment for theft? Would you cast a stone on your blood brother if peradventure he's caught in the act? If you can answer these questions with all honesty then I believe the idea of allowing the law to take its full course will ring like a bell in your mind. Say no to crime Say no to murder Say no to robbery We are all connected in one way or the other so we should all embrace peace and sanity.

“Sir, I’ve been sick for a long time. The sickness has consumed a lot of money for over 30 years. There is no orthodox and non-orthodox doctor that I have not seen. In fact, they said it was poison and that it has eaten all over my body. I exhausted my money on different kinds of drugs yet there was no improvement. I was sent home to come and die from abroad… While on my sickbed, my brother-in-law contacted you and informed you of my case. You asked us to order three bottles of your oil, which we did, and thereafter the instruction came. I was too religious with the whole instruction. I noticed that after applying the oil and drinking the one you asked me to drink, certain objects starting curling inside my body system; this continued for five days. On the seventh day, I vomited something I cannot explain at all. That same day something that looks like worm or little snake hurriedly fled out of my body. I fainted for a while and latter regained myself…That was th...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed Tuesday how it found a house in Abuja bought at N240million Abuja house and furnished with N134million for his son, Alex Badeh junior. An operative of the EFCC, Abubakar Madaki, told a Federal High Court in Abuja Tuesday that he was the head of a task force that investigated a report from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in 2015, which formed the basis of the 10 count-charge of money laundering filed against Badeh and a company, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited. Madaki, who testified Tuesday as the 19th prosecution witness in the trial of Badeh and his firm, said Badeh’s  Bank Verification Number (BVN) linked the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal to the purchase of the house. Led in evidence by lead prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Madaki said Badeh bought the house located  at 19, Ogun River Crescent, Abuja for his son, Alex Badeh (Jnr) in 2013. The witness said the house...

Fresh facts have emerged on the circumstances surrounding the death of the 300-level student of  Obafemi Awolowo University(OAU) student,  Emmanuel Fatile, who died on Sunday at the Hilton Hotel swimming pool in Ile-Ife. The General Manager of the hotel, Mr  John Olalekan, told the  News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  on Tuesday in Ile-Ife that the deceased, who was a good swimmer and trainer, had initially completed his swimming  before going back into the pool. He said all efforts to save Fatile, who came in company with two friends to the hotel, proved abortive. “ I want to put it straight that our swimming  pool  is fenced and secure. ” The person that died inside the swimming pool was an expert and a trainer himself. He usually teaches other people how to swim. “ He  had already completed  swimming; he came out and went back  inside the pool again. ” It is only God that can tell what happened. It is not ...

Mr Boubacar Bamba, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Assistant Representative for Operations in Nigeria, on Tuesday said that about 14 million people currently needed humanitarian assistance. Bamba made the announcement in Lagos at an event jointly organised by UNHCR, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons and other organisations to mark this Year’s World Refugees Day. “The internal displacement in Nigeria caused by a six-year-old insurgency has resulted in about 1.8million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and impact on 26 million people living in the Northeast part of the country. “The number of people currently in need of humanitarian assistance is estimated at 14 million, with Borno, Adamawa and Yobe as the most affected States. “The situation is being worsened by an unprecedented influx of returning refugees from neighbouring countries, especially Cameroon,’’ he said. The Hea...

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed Saturday, July 1 to conduct supplementary Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for 85,000 candidates. The board’s Head, Media and Information, Dr Fabian Benjamin, announced the date in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja. According to him, the examination, which is for candidates who registered late and those with related issues, will be spread across some Computer Based Testing (CBT) centres. “Following an enlarged management meeting of the JAMB, the supplementary 2017 UTME has been fixed to hold on Saturday, July 1. “No fewer than 85,000 candidates are scheduled to write the examination. “Affected candidates have been notified through text messages. “By this notice, they are advised to check their e-mail and profile for the schedule of their examination or visit the board’s website for their status,’’ Benjamin said. According to him, candidates will soon...

Calabar turns to cultists’ theatre of war By Ike Uchechukwu CALABAR—SOCIAL LIFE for which Calabar, the capital of Cross River State is well-known is slowly fading away, as residents of the Paradise City no longer stay out later than 8.00 p.m due to the fear of attack by rampaging cultists, who battle and spill blood openly on the streets Cult activities, mostly in the Calabar South Local Government, which covers a huge part of the metropolis escalated, penultimate Monday, with the death toll rising to 10 with two more persons shot at Ebito by Mayne avenue and White House street, last Friday evening. Residents now go to their houses as early as 7.00 pm while owners of shops, sit out joints, restaurants and supermarkets, which normally stay open till 11.00 pm now lock up before 8.30 pm. War zone Some shop owners, who spoke with NDV, lamented how the cult clashes have crippled their businesses. One of them, Mrs. Rosemary Ibok, said that Calabar which was noted  for he...

Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi has traced the problem of Nigeria to both the leaders and the followers. Ohakin and Obi Obi was  presenting the key note address at the 5th Memorial lecture in honour of Prof. Celestine Onwuliri at Chris VI Hotel at Ahiara, Imo State, at the weekend. Obi said the leaders of Nigeria had not shown passionate concern for the country. He also indicted the followers for not telling the leaders the truth even when they were on the wrong path. “Once somebody becomes a local government chairman, in six months, he would dedicate his new house and even bishops will preside at his thanksgiving, praying to God to bless him, even when it was obvious he has stolen the people’s money when the proper attitude would have been to shout thief, thief!”, Obi said. Lamenting the growth of the debt profile of the country, leading to the use of over 50% of the budgeted money for debt services and lack of savings culture, Obi called for...

Four men suspected to be child traffickers have been arrested by troops of the Nigerian Army in Yobe State. They were with 19 under aged children and were conveying them from Potiskum to Garin Tuwo, Bungai in Bungai and Buni Yadi in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe and Galarabala in Biu Local Government Area of Borno. Spokesman for the army, Brigadier-General Sani Usman, said: “The suspected traffickers and their victims have been moved to the Brigade Headquarters for transfer to National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons”. Since Boko Haram devastated the northeast region in their push for an Islamic State and an end to Western education in the region, child trafficking is increasing.ALSO READ: Army Arrests Suspected Boko Haram Terrorist Over 1.8 million persons have been made homeless, with most of them receiving rationed meals at different Internally Displaced Persons camps. The situation has resulted in cases of children, pregnant and nursing m...

This was apparently a case of customer not paying for service which resulted into a fight. But since it was an illegal service, both the customer and the service provider are now in trouble. Promise Oluwabunkenoye and his customer, Kehinde Abiola on Wednesday appeared before a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos charged with anal sex. You see, it’s a serious offence. The two are facing a two-count charge of homosexual acts and fighting in public‎. The Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Anthonia Osayande told the court that the accused, with others still at large, committed the offences at City Centre Hotel at Ijeshatedo in Surulere about 3.00.p.m. on June 1. ‎The accused, she said, were caught by a police patrol team fighting publicly over non-payment of money for sexual acts. She alleged that while the police interrogated them, one of the accused confessed to the fact that he was invited to Romeo and Juliet Hotel located at Ejigbo on May 28 at 5.00 a.m. for a...

Over the past two years, Nigeria has delayed budgets. 2016 was the year we were re-introduced to the meaning of padding; while 2017 was the year of waiting for Godot. As a result, the government is suffering the impact of two consecutively distorted fiscal years. To correct this anomaly, the Acting President, Yemi Osinabjo has flagged off preparatory activities for the 2018 Budget based on the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, ERGP. “Going forward, we have agreed with the National Assembly leadership on the necessity to get Nigeria back onto a predictable January to December fiscal year. "To achieve this, the 2018 Budget needs to get to the National Assembly no later than early October so that the National Assembly can conclude work on it before the end of the year,” Prof. Osinbajo said. The process is anchored by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, and would ensure that the 2018 Budget aligns with the provisions of the ERGP. The document would be ready for ...

A retired police officer, Christopher Archibong is really no longer upholding the law. He was arrested and detained at the Mbukpa Police station for allegedly raping a 9-year old girl in Calabar, Cross River State. The mother of the little girl, Peace Edem Okon said she had gone to the market and left instructions with the victim to wash the clothes of her siblings and upon her return discovered that something was not right. “When I got back I discovered that my daughter wasn’t herself, all efforts to make her tell me what was wrong were futile. “Then the younger ones told me that blood was coming out from her bottom. I was surprise and thought she had started seeing her period. It was when I bought pad and tried helping her fix it that I discovered it was mucus, and upon persuasion she told me what happened”. In her statement, the victim said “He told me to come and pick some firewood. So as I went to pick the firewood, he came and held me to the gro...

Sahara Reporters, is reporting that President Muhammadu Buhari is terribly sick, to the extent that his memory has been badly affected. According to Sahara Reporters, the President has not spoken with Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, who has been acting on his behalf, since he traveled on another round of medical treatment abroad. In the report, the cabal was alleged to have reduced access to the President, ‘in an effort to control information leaks, to the public’. The report further describes the current state of the President’s health in a disturbing way. It reads: “Buhari is said to be rather unaware of his environment, his memory somewhat affected. For instance, on his way to the UK, he was said to have asked if he was on his way to Sokoto. Cabal working with Buhari, might bring him back the same way he was returned in February, in a scheme to use his presence to perpetrate more fraud, and control power.”The report by Sahara Reporters, also clai...

The Commissioner of Police in Adamawa, Mr Moses Jitoboh, has confirmed the arrest of five suspects for beating a pregnant woman to death for alleged witchcraft. Jitoboh told newsmen in Yola on Saturday that the 32 year old woman, Ayina Afraimu of Falu village in Guyuk Local Government Area of the state was killed by the suspects who used sticks and rope. “She was attacked with sticks, rope and killed by five suspects on allegation that the deceased was a witch, who was responsible for the deaths and sickness of persons in the town of Falu. “Suspects who committed this nefarious offence are: Abraham Adamu, 18, Malachi Yilafane, 35, Thomas Aji, 54, Zakariya Chorum, 56 and Miss Newana Ilihal, 20”, Jitoboh said. He added that the suspects would be charged to court for culpable homicide, criminal conspiracy and defamation of character. The commissioner said that apart from the five suspects, the command had within the three weeks of his assumption of office arrested 19...

ON Tuesday last week, while returning to Abuja from Kano, a member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Garba Durbunde, was kidnapped by gunmen. As soon as his colleagues got to know of this, they pulled all the strings they knew and secured his release less than 24 hours after his abduction. Durbunde stayed the night of Tuesday with his abductors, but was in the warm embrace of his family by Wednesday night. In September last year, Mrs Margaret Emefiele, wife of the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, was abducted along the Benin-Agbor Road. Immediately this got to the hearing of the authorities, the Inspector-General of Police Special Monitoring and Intelligence Team was dispatched to the area and in record time, the release of the CBN governor’s wife was secured. But unfortunately the same spirited sprint with which the ruling class rescues its members who got caught in the net of kidnappers has not been replicated in the cases of those considered to ...

“I have searched for jobs, submitted my CV to different companies and have been called by few of them for interview but nothing came out of it afterwards. The worst is that I have been told that I am unemployable". He look drained. He seemed exhausted. He walked away after our chat and I could still feel his frustration. There are millions more like Stanley across the country. Every year, over 1.5 million graduates join the employment market in Nigeria. This is according to a statement made by the former Minister of Finance, Okonjo Iweala, before she left office. There is population growth and its multiplier effect will surely constitute an increase in the number of graduates produced from the nation’s poorly equipped institutions. Two levels considered as the foundation for education is the primary and secondary schools. In the past two years, the oil-rich nation's budget to the sector is far short of what UNESCO had recommended. UNESCO had mandated countries to earma...

A former commissioner for information in Cross River, Patrick Ugbe, who was kidnapped in Calabar on Thursday, has regained freedom. Mr. Ugbe, who is now the chief executive officer of Hit FM 95.9, was kidnapped by gunmen at Ekpo Iso Street in Ikot Ansa, Calabar.Irene Ugbo, police spokesperson in the state, confirmed his release in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Calabar on Saturday.“As we speak, the CEO of Hit FM has been released and he is right now with his family.“No ransom was paid, the combined efforts of security agencies in the state and the office of the State Security Adviser were on top of the matter to secure his release.“We thank God that he was released alive without any harm. “The police, in collaboration with other sister agencies in the state, would continue to work together to safe guard the lives and property of the citizens,’’ she said.Mr. Ugbe also served as chief press secretary and commissioner f...

Mr. Segun Oshinowo is the Director-General, National Employers Consultative Association, NECA, the umbrella organisation for all employers in the organised private sector. In this interview with Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf, he speaks on the propriety and otherwise of the proposed new national minimum wage. Excerpts: The labour movement has since proposed a new minimum wage of N56, 000 for the working class. But there are fears that it could have ripple effects on the economy at large, including the organised private sector. Do you share such sentiments?Well, there is a process to this and I want to believe that you are aware of the process for reviewing the national minimum wage. But this is not the first time that government will be talking about the national minimum wage. Probably this is the fourth if not fifth time we will be reviewing the national minimum wage since inception. The latest move by government is what informed the Tripartite Committee comprising representatives of th...

The Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has announced the recruitment of additional 1,000 workers for  the state garment factory. The governor, who disclosed this to newsmen on Monday during the inspection of some ongoing projects in the state, said the gesture was a deliberate measure to put food on people’s table.  “We, the government and people of Cross River State, are declaring an additional recruitment of 1,000 people unto the feeding table. The 1,000 people will be fully recruited, taken and absorbed by this garment factory,” Ayade intimated. The governor had earlier announced that the outfit would also produce uniforms for most of the primary schools located in the state capital.Ayade’s declaration followed the tattered uniforms seen on display by the pupils during the Children’s Day celebration.