Police Planning To Sweep Murder Of Afenife Leader's Daughter Under Carpet

The Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, on Sunday alleged that the Nigeria Police is planning to sweep the murder of the daughter of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Mrs Funke Olakunrin, who was killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen under the carpet.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, and made available to newsmen in Akure, Ondo State capital.

The group who condemned the lackadaisical attitude of the police noted that the police had failed to launch a serious investigation into the gruesome assassination of Mrs Olakunrin, two months after she was killed.

The group expressed dismay that the poor handling of the investigation by the police and the inability of the security agencies to unravel those behind the killing of Mrs. Olakunrin, saying the matter was not well handled by the police.

Odumakin stated in the statement that “it is now over two months that Mrs Olufunke Olakunnrin, the daughter of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti was murdered around Ore in Ondo State and we are compelled to speak out over the lackadaisical attitude of the police over the gruesome assassination.

“Mr Kehinde Fasoranti, the junior brother of the deceased had stated openly a day after the incident that the police in Ore told him the sister was killed by Fulani herdsmen when he went to collect her body the day she was killed and challenged the police to bring out the statement he wrote at their station. They have not contradicted him till date.

“The first sign we got that there was no attempt to launch any serious investigation into the murder was when the car in which she was killed was released to the family from Ore police station the day after the murder without any forensic investigation into the most prized evidence at the scene of the crime.

“It was when we engaged the police high command that they came to pick the car six days later. The car has now been returned to the family with no report on the examination report.

“Indeed there was no attempt to carry out any autopsy on the corpse until we also demanded one from the police before the burial. One was carried out and only that report was given to the family when they went to collect the car.”

He said further, “beyond this, the police have not made any briefing to the family on their investigations into this dastardly act.

“There are other bizarre developments that worry us on police investigations into this murder. For instance, the driver of the car in which Mrs Olakunrin was killed has not been asked a question by the police till date.

“Few days after the killing, a staff of the deceased’s husband, Bankole Olatunbosun was arrested as he was said to be in touch with Mr Olakunrin’s driver, Femi Ajayi who drove the Sienna bus in the deceased convoy.

A week after the killing, Femi was brought into the family house in Akure by police officers in the anti-kidnap unit. The story from the crime scene was that Femi got down from the Sienna bus and followed the gunmen who killed Mrs Olakunrin.

“He claimed he was kidnapped but there is no evidence of ransom requested from him or his family. He and Bankole Olatunbosun are now free men. Femi even sauntered into the Fasoranti family house three days ago.

“All the above put together suggest to us clearly that the police have not done any serious investigations into this murder. It worries us that we are seeing all the signs of lethargy that usually attend high profile murders with powerful masterminds in our country.

“Afenifere, therefore, calls on all those who respect human lives in Nigeria and across the world to join us in asking the police and by extension the authors of “where are the cows?” where are the killers of Funke Olakunrin?

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$9.2bn P&ID Judgement:Legal Battles Begin As FG Lawyers Head For UK

A delegation of Federal Government officials have left Abuja on Saturday for the United Kingdom in continuation of efforts to quash a $6.2 billion arbitration award against Nigeria.

The award in favour of Process and Industrial Development (P&ID) Limited has risen to about $10b with a daily interest accrual of over $1 million.

A British judge in August endorsed the award, granting the company the go-ahead to seize Nigeria’s assets worth $9 billion in the UK.

He, however, warned that the action must be carried out only after court vacation this month.

Tribune Online investigation disclosed that “a long list” of officials from relevant ministries and agencies like Federal Ministry of Justice, Finance, Petroleum Resources, security agencies and private sector legal practitioners were on the delegation.

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Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami had told our sister publication, Nigerian Tribune that although the opportunity to appeal against the case at the arbitration tribunal was over, the Federal Government would attack the contract afresh on the basis of fraud.

On Thursday, a Federal High Court found P& ID and its directors guilty of an 11 count charge and order that the company be forfeited to the government.

Also on Friday, a former director of Legal Services in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources was also charged for allegedly collecting bribe before signing the illegal contract.

According to Malami, Nigeria now has a judicial proof of fraud and corruption as a foundation of the relationship that gave rise to a purported liability in the arbitral award.

“A liability that is rooted in fraud and corruption cannot stand judicial enforceability. Nigeria now has a cogent ground for setting aside the liability.

“Where Nigeria is expected to review its strategy in view of unfolding developments as it relates to conviction of some of the suspects that have admitted fraud and corrupt practices in the transaction that gave rise to purported award.

“Nigeria is meeting with its legal consortium early next week in the UK in preparation for the case listed for 26th September,” he said.

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Peter Obi Berates Ngige Over ‘Continued Mischief’, Tells Him To Grow Up

Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi, has advised Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, to focus his energy on how to make Nigeria work, rather than continued engagement in mischief, which, according to him, Ngige is too old for. Obi spoke through his Media Adviser, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, in a release made available to the press on Sunday.

Obienyem was reacting to statements made by Ngige that he was ashamed of the quality of roads constructed by his successors in the Anambra State Government House, including Obi. He wondered why Ngige loves attacking Obi, who had not, except during electioneering, attacked him, but rather compliments him on his modest achievements on roads.

“What is most condemnable in Ngige’s attacks are the lies he tells just to bring Obi down,” Obienyem said, adding: “How could he mention roads such as Abatete-Nteje-Aguleri-Otuocha road and Igboukwu-Ezenifite-Umunze, Iseeke roads and deliberately forgot that Obi did greater portions of those roads?”

Obienyem said it was instructive that over 90% of the roads Ngige mentioned were done in his local government. He said that “though Obi used local contractors in line with his policy of supporting our own people, just like he supported Innoson and other industrialists in the state which some of the contractors disappointed, the majority of roads Obi did, like the Umueze-Anam-Nmiata road, was done by RCC; Anyamelu and Onitsha road done by Nigercat; Headbridge-Upper Iweka was done by CCC.”

Obienyem opted to take Ngige round some roads Obi did such as Akwa-Amawbia dual carriage road; Old Nkpor-Abagana-Awka road; Adazi-Obeledu-Akwaeze-Igboukwu road; Igbarian-University road; Ichi roads; Nkwo Okija; Umunze Anam-Mmiata; and Nkweleezunaka bypass. Others are over 30 roads within Onitsha GRA; over 10 roads within Onitsha Habour industrial area; the six-lane dual carriage road from Head Bridge to Upper Iweka; Upper Iweka-Umunya; the Nkpor flyover built in collaboration with the Federal Government which can even carry trains; Obosi bypass; Awka road; Oguta road; Old Oba-Nnewi road; Mmiri John road (Ojoto); and Creek road, among others, “for Ngige to see that the roads are still standing like the Gibraltar.”

On what Ngige said on roads not being maintained, Obienyem said that Obi always included money for road maintenance in his yearly budget and that he maintained all the roads in the state by patching potholes and yearly desilting the culverts such that the roads stood the test of time even during the rainy seasons.

He said: “During Obi’s time, the Umuoji-Nnobi road Ngige did developed massive erosion cutting the road at Uke which Obi did; Abatete-Oraukwu road developed similar erosion which Obi did; the Nimo-Neni-Awka-Etiti road was the same and only made passable because Obi was maintaining it. Today Neni-Awka-Etiti road that he did is one of the worst roads in Nigeria.”

Continuing, Obienyem said: “Knowing the importance of road maintenance, shortly before he left, Obi set up the Anambra State Road Maintenance Agency with full compliments of brand new equipment. He also left over 4 billion Naira in the Ministry of Works for road maintenance before he handed over. We have the account details and other relevant evidence.”

Obienyem, who noted “Ngige’s endless brag on the Federal roads he did”, said they were only two that are in Idemili: Nkpor-Nnobi and Borromeo-Nkpor as against many that Obi did such as the Head Bridge-Upper-Iweka; Upper-Iweka-Umunya; Oba-Nnewi; Nkpor-Amawbia; Zik’s Avenue, among others. “Ngige did his without approval, while Obi secured approval to be re-funded before his own intervention,” Obienyem said.

He advised Ngige not to go to the area of comparing his government with that of Obi, saying that the people of the state know the truth.

“Where,” Obienyem asked, “will the comparison start? Is it health, where Ngige did nothing? Is it education, where Ngige did nothing? is it commerce and industry, where Ngige did nothing? is it the provision of infrastructure, where all he did was to cause the burning down of the state? Is it our relationship with donor agencies? Where?”

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Rotary Club Of Ikeja South Partners Old English ,IDCL For Polio Eradication

The Rotary Club of Ikeja South has collaborated with Old English Superstores and Indoor Design Concepts Limited to contribute to the global effort of polio eradication.

 The partnership was announced during a ceremony where End Polio donation boxes were launched at Old English Superstores, GRA, Ikeja.


In his welcome address,  President, Rotary Club of Ikeja of Ikeja South, Rtn Michael Effiong James told members and the general public that the End Polio Project is a battle that must be won, noting that as far as there is still one case of polio in the world, then the disease is still a major threat.

He said that it is because if this desire to end polio forever that the club had decided to team up with Old English Superstores and IDCL to raise funds to support the work being carried out by Rotary International in Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Rtn James revealed that while Old English Superstores  has offered its facilities in GRA, Ikeja, Omole Phase 1 and Isolo, IDCL has agreed to design and produce the boxes and create branding materials to promote the initiative.

He thanked the two organisations and called on other corporate organisations to deploy their CSR budgets to worthy causes like this.


In his remarks, special guest at the gathering and District Governor, Rotary International District 9110, Rtn Jide Akeredolu, applauded  the initiative of making end polio donations boxes available for all to contribute to the End Polio campaign.

He went down memory lane, giving a vivid description of how Rotary International has worked since 1985 when there were 350,000 cases of polio worldwide to today where only  few cases of the wild polio virus are found  in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"A few weeks ago, we celebrated freedom from the wild polio virus in Nigeria but we must not lose our guard. The work goes on. We should remain vigilant and keep the advocacy on so that the government and all stakeholders will be on their toes," Rtn.  Akeredolu said.

He also tasked non Rotarians to key into the project, saying that though a lot has been done, still a lot more need to be done to kick polio out of planet earth forever.


The District Governor further showered praise on Old English Superstore and its Chairman, Akogun Lanre Alfred, for making his premises available as one of the drop points of the End Polio boxes where members of the public can easily make contributions.

"Old English Superstore is our own WalMart or Tesco just as they have in the United States of America or United Kingdom,  there you see these boxes where you are encouraged to donate your spare change for charitable causes and so this is a very good initiative that will help even raise awareness on the right against polio"

He also extended commendation to  IDCL  for participating by providing the creatively-designed boxes.

In his response, Chairman, Old English Stores,  Akogun Alfred  thanked the Rotary Club of Ikeja South for choosing his facilities for this noble cause, he said the initiative tallies with his own personal philosophy of contributing to society and humanity, he therefore pledged not only to contribute financially  but mobilize his staff, customers and friends to donate to the cause.

He revealed that though  the boxes will be present at all three locations of Old English Superstores, when the fourth store opens in Surulere next month, he will also display same, vowing that " anywhere Old English goes the End Polio donation boxes will also go until we have a polio-free world". This altruistic  commitment elicited a round of applause from everyone present.


While unveiling the colourful boxes, the District Governor prayed that it would be a successful project so that the efforts so far made in the eradication of polio will be sustained and monitored.

He followed up the unveiling by dropping a donation inside the box and called on everyone to  do same.

The donation boxes were thereafter placed at strategic places in the superstore for the general public to participate.

The End Polio donation boxes Project,  an initiative of the Rotary Club of Ikeja South led by President Michael Effiong James was launched as part of activities to welcome the visiting District Governor, Rtn. Jide Akeredolu.


After the launch, the District and his entourage  were hosted to a sumptuous lunch at the Club's meeting venue, Adna Hotel, Ladipo Bateye Street, GRA Ikeja after which he met with the Club's Board of Directors.

Later, there was a session of fellowship and networking before the Club's regular meeting was held.

In the course of the meeting, new Rotarians, Mr. Napoleon Emeaso-Nwachukwu, a legal Practitioner and Miss Silelola Precious Adepetu, a realtor,  were inducted into the Rotary Club.

In addition, six outstanding students of the Adult Literacy Education Programme-sponsored by  Rotary Club of Ikeja South were recognised with certificates and prizes while a presentation of assorted materials were made to members of Rotaract Club of Medilag Golden by the Club's Youth Service Chairman, Rtn. Adebayo Adesakin.

The well-attended meeting which had in attendance Prof. ( Mrs.) Tokunbo Akeredolu, wife of the District  Governor and other leaders such as District  Governor Nominee, Rtn Remi Bello,  Past District Governor, Rtn Abayomi Adewunmi, Immediate Past District Governor, Rtn Kola Shodipo, Past Assistant  Governor, Antonia Taiwo, Past Assistant Governor Bade Oke, Past Assistant Governor, Lanre Adedoyin, Past Assistant Governor Niyi Adesanya, Past Assistant Governor Sola Fatoki, District Secretary, Rtn Idowu Afelolgun, Past President Julius Nwokoro, Past President Azuh Arinze, Doyen Oliver Ogbonna,  Immediate Past President, Rotary Club of Ikeja, Rtn Niyi Adelaja and many others,  was rounded off with presentations to the Governor and his entourage.

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Decomposing Body Of Murdered Female Naval Commandant Found In Kaduna

Decomposing body of a Senior Officer in the Nigerian Navy and Commandant of Command Secondary School of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, has been found in a well in a village close to the Jaji military cantonment, Kaduna State.

The Officer identified as Commander Oluwayemisi Ogundana with service number NN/ 2367, was declared missing last Friday.

She is however suspected to have been murdered by some known persons, including a staff of the college she presided over.

Though, efforts to reach the spokesman of AFCSC, Major Umar proved abbortive, it was gathered that, two suspects, including a teacher at the Command Secondary School, Jaji and one other have already been arrested in connection to her murder.

A source said, when the military officer was not seen, efforts were made to reach her via her telephone but it was discovered that the phone was left in her room which was locked.

According to the source, “the door to her room was forced open because the phone was ringing inside the sitting room and efforts to reach her other numbers, failed”.
It was further learnt that blood stains were observed on her beddings and clothes as well as on the floor from the bedroom to the bathroom. Her vehicle, a Toyota SUV was also missing.

It was learnt that authorities of the military in Jaji kept some of her immediate staff and family members under close observation which finally paid off when two persons were arrested in Zaria while trying to dispose of her car.

Upon interrogation, they confessed to participating in the gruesome murder of the senior military officer and subsequently led the investigators to Agwanloyo by the railway inside an abondoned shallow well near the Deeper life Church in Jaji cantonment.

It was learnt that the corpse of the murdered Naval officer was dismembered and put in a big sack before being dumped in the shallow well.

The deceased was married with three kids, who are in their Lagos residence with their father.

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Man Drowns While Proposing To Girlfriend Under Water

An American man has drowned while proposing to his girlfriend underwater on holiday in Tanzania. Kenesha Antoine filmed Steven Weber’s romantic marriage proposal off Pemba Island, Tanzania.


In the video according to the BBC report, Mr Weber presses a hand-written proposal note against the cabin window as Ms Antoine films from inside. Ms Antoine, confirming Mr Weber’s death in a Facebook post, said he “never emerged from those depths”. The Manta Resort told the BBC Mr Weber “tragically drowned while free diving alone outside the underwater room” on Thursday afternoon.

“It is with the deepest regret that we inform that a fatal accident occurred at The Manta Resort on Thursday 19 September 2019,” the resort said in a statement. Matthew Saus, CEO of the resort, said “everyone is shaken to the core” by Mr Weber’s death. Mr Weber and Ms Antoine had booked four nights at the resort’s underwater room, which lies approximately 250m (820ft) from the shore. Costing $1,700-a-night (£1,300), the cabin is anchored in water around 10m (32ft) deep. On the third day of their stay, Mr Weber, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, plunged into the water to make his proposal. Wearing goggles and flippers, he held a note against the cabin’s glass window as Ms Antoine watched on from within.

 His note read: “I can’t hold my breath long enough to tell you everything I love about you. But… everything I love about you, I love more every day!”

Later in the video, Mr Weber turns over the sheet of paper to reveal the proposal, before pulling an engagement ring from his shorts and swimming out of view. Mr Saus told the BBC his staff responded to a “problem in the water”, but when they arrived “absolutely nothing could be done”. In her Facebook post, Ms Antoine said Mr Weber “never got to hear her answer” to his proposal, which would have been “a million times, yes”.

“We never got to embrace and celebrate the beginning of the rest of our lives together, as the best day of our lives turned into the worst, in the cruellest twist of fate imaginable,” she wrote. “I will try to take solace in the fact that we enjoyed the most amazing bucket list experiences these past few days, and that we both were so happy and absolutely giddy with excitement in our final moments together.” The US Department of State said it is aware of the death of a US citizen in Tanzania, in East Africa. “We offer our sincerest condolences to the family on their loss,” a spokesperson said. “We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance.”

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Soyinka Slams FG Over New Charges Against Sowore

Professor Wole Soyinka has said that with the new move of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration on Omoyele Sowore, “Further checks have however confirmed that this government has indeed attained an unprecedented level of paranoia.”

Soyinka, reacting to the 7-count charge slammed against Sowore, who has been in detention following a court pronouncement, said the the new was “utterly depressing.”

The Nobel laureate winner added that on hearing the news, “I can testify that the immediate reaction around me was to dismiss this as yet another grotesque product of Fake News, of which Nigerians have become the greatest practitioners.

I confess that I also joined in this school of thought – at the start.” Soyinka said: “This is utterly depressing news. So, the Sowore affair has moved beyond harassment and taken on a sinister direction. Outside the country where I happened to be engaged at the moment, I can testify that the immediate reaction around me was to dismiss this as yet another grotesque product of Fake News, of which Nigerians have become the greatest practitioners.

“I confess that I also joined in this school of thought – at the start. Further checks have, however, confirmed that this government has indeed attained an unprecedented level of paranoia. “I do not believe that the Justice department itself believes in these improbable charges, as formally publicised. So, once again, we inscribe on our annals another season of treasonable felony, History still guards some lessons we have yet to digest, much less from which to learn. Welcome to the Club, Mr Omoyele Sowore,” Soyinka said.

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