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Lagos fashion designer threatens civil-servant hubby with divorce, calls him irresponsible

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Dissolution
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) A 26-year-old fashion designer, Faith Talabi, on Friday pleaded with an Agege Customary in Lagos to dissolve her five-year-old marriage, citing abandonment by her husband.

Faith, an indigene of Edo and a mother of two, resides at Old Ota Road, Ile- Epo on Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

“My husband detests me so much that he no longer cares or caters for me and the children.

“He told me that he is no longer interested in me and that he is already in love with another woman.

“He abandoned us for more than a year now and has not been responsible for I and the children’s upkeep,” she said.

The petitioner described her husband as irresponsible and had prevented her from having access to her children.

Faith pleaded with the court to separate them, saying “I am no longer interested in the union; the love I have for him has faded.

“l also want my husband to settle me and take up the responsibility of the children.”

Rising in self-defence, Oriyomi Talabi, a 36-year-old civil servant, who works with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), denied the allegations.

Talabi said:“My wife is never contented with the money I give her.

“She connived with her family that she has been kidnapped and demanded a N25 million from me.

“I later discovered it was all lies and l forgave her and accepted her back home.

“Later, my wife planned to run away with my children without my knowledge which l found out it, all in a bid to collect money from me.

“My wife is too money-conscious and demands a lot even when l tell her l don’t have.’’

The court’s President, Mr Philip Williams, adjourned the case to Nov. 22 for judgment. (NAN)
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Edited by Dele Akinsola

Pharmacist charged with depriving policeman of personal liberty, breach of peace

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Pharmacist
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) A pharmacist, Akinbobola Kunle, on Friday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly depriving a policeman of his personal liberty while on duty.

The accused, 50, a resident of College Road, Ogba area of Lagos, is facing a five-count charge bordering on reckless driving, breach of the peace and deprivation of liberty.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Joseph Ajebe, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Oct. 13 at about 11.10 p.m. at U-Turn, Abule-Egbeda, a Lagos suburb.

He said the accused drove a policeman, Cpl. Adewale Oguntoye, who contravened him in his Hyundai saloon car with registration no. LSD 702 CY from Abule Egba to Ikeja against his will.

Ajebe said the officer, who is attached to Oko-Oba Police Station while on patrol stopped the accused for driving recklessly on a public highway and against the traffic.

“The complainant while trying to contravene him, entered the accused’s car and asked him to proceed to the station at Oko-Oba.

“Kunle, instead drove the police officer  from Abule-Egba to lkeja against his will until after much persuasion before he was brought back to the police station.’’
According to him, the offences contravene Sections 27, 28, 166, 172 and 270 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
The accused risks two years in jail on conviction, according to the criminal law.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Alexander Komolafe, granted the accused bail in the sum of 100,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He said one of the sureties must be a blood relation on grade level 10 and above officer with the Lagos State government.

Komolafe adjourned the case to Dec. 12 for trial. (NAN)

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Edited by Dele Akinsola

N9bn debt: AEPB restates commitment to recover waste service bills

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Debt
By Vivian Emoni
Abuja, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) has reiterated its commitment to recover N9 billion debt owed by some FCT residents and organisations for waste management bills.

Mr Shehu Lawan, the Chairman, FCT Ministerial Special Task-force on Recovering of Debts Owed AEPB, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

Lawan said that the board submitted a report to the FCT Minister, Malam Mohammad Bello, complaining that some FCT residents refused to pay their waste management bills.

He said the minister constituted a Special Taskforce on Recovering of Debt, on May 25 and saddled it with the responsibility of recovering the N9 billion from the board`s debtors.

According to him, the residents in the FCT, especially hotels and some shopping plazas are not paying their service bills.

“The hotels have refused to pay their service bills since 2012 and we are already taking action.

“In July 2015, the AEPB had an agreement with all hotels in the city on the issue, but we discovered that they were not ready to cooperate with the board.

“The constituted task-force had decided to divide themselves into two, visiting different areas in the FCT, disconnecting hotels and shopping plaza`s service sewer lines.

“We believe that with the action, they will start responding; actually, most of the hotels and plazas have started cooperating now.

“Some are paying half of the money they owed and promised to come back; some who also promised to be paying part payment are responding.

“We cannot continue keeping quiet, the only way to recover all the debt is to be disconnecting their service lines so that their service delivery to their own customers will not be effective’’, he said.

Lawan said that the Minister gave the task-force three months to recover all the debt.

He added that after the three months, the board submitted a report on the debt recovered, but many organisations were still indebted.

According to him, the minister decided to give the board extra two months to ensure that the debts are recovered.

“We are making every effort to ensure that the N9 billion is recovered within the two months.

“So far, we have recovered reasonable amount of money, although, some are still owing us, we also had agreement with some on how they will be remitting their money,” he said.

Lawan explained the task force is disconnecting Maitama areas of FCT, saying they we make sure that the board visits every organisations that owed the board in the FCT. (NAN)
VOE/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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NAN-H-25
Technology

By Chiazo Ogbolu
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) The Women Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) has launched a scheme to help prepare female undergraduates for technology-driven careers.

The Communications Manager of W.TEC, Mr Yemi Odutola, made the announcement on Friday in Lagos.

He said that beneficiaries of the scheme would be exposed to in-depth and practical ICT skills and tools that would help them prepare for technology-driven workplaces.

Odutola said that the training would also help the women to run their own businesses and contribute significantly to nation building.

According to him, the training will run for 10 months and up to 1,000 women are expected to benefit from the scheme. (NAN)
CAN/FF/SN
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Edited by Fela Fashoro/Silas Nwoha

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Revenue
By Aminu Garko
Minna, Oct. 21, 2016 ( NAN) The Niger Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N1.6 billion as Internally Generated Revenue from January to September this year.

The Area Controller for Niger, Kogi and Kwara States, Comptroller Garba Kabiru, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Minna.

He said that already, sensitive security measures had been put in place to check smuggling as a business in his areas of jurisdiction.

Kabiru said that officers at the border posts had been briefed on measures to prevent smuggling.

“We have positioned our officers in all the identified routes of smugglers in our areas of jurisdiction to apprehend them for prosecution,’’ he said.

The controller called for the support of traditional rulers in the border communities to assist officers with intelligence reports that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of smugglers.

He said that prompt information on movement of smugglers would enable officers to apply appropriate measures that would lead to their arrest.

“We are battle ready for any smuggler and we remain resolved to discharge our primary assignments diligently,’’ Kabiru told NAN. (NAN)
AAG/HAS/AJA
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(Edited By Hajia Sani/Adeleye Ajayi)

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Businessman
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) A businessman, Ayodele Alo, who allegedly stole N1.8million belonging to Manifield Solicitors, is facing trial at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

A resident of No. 24, Ifelodun, Ifako in  Gbagada area of Lagos, the accused is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

Alo, who introduced himself to the complainant (names withheld) representing Manifield Solicitors as a staff of Land Services at Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, however, pleaded not guilty.

But the prosecutor, Insp. Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the accused committed the offences with others still at large between May 2015 and Oct. 2015 at the State Ministry of Lands.
According to Ayorinde, the accused conspired to steal N1.8 million belonging to Manifield solicitors.

“Alo was given N900.000 bank draft meant for Lagos State stamp duties and N1.8 million Sterling Bank teller for submission at the Ministry of Lands

“The accused went back to the bank, withdrew the N1.8million and converted to personal use.’’

Ayorinde alleged that the accused also issued Ojo a fake bank draft.

He said since Alo had been on the run, all efforts to reach him proved abortive until he was recently apprehended at Alausa Mini- Market.

The offenses contravened Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The New Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 prescribes three years imprisonment for offenders.

A bail of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum was granted the accused, while the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Omolade Awope, adjourned the case to Nov. 16 for mention.(NAN)

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Edited by Dele Akinsola

NAN-H-22
Syndicate
By Maureen Ojinaka-Nwanosike
Enugu, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) The Enugu State Police Command on Friday said it arrested members of a notorious syndicate that specialised in job placement racketeering in Enugu.

The command’s Spokesman, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu that the syndicate members were rounded up through intelligence information.

Amaraizu said that the syndicate, which operated under the name “Step Golden Concept’, had been a thorn on the flesh of members of the public in Enugu and its environs.

He said that they were arrested on Wednesday at their hideout at 46 Chime Road, New Haven, Enugu.

“It was gathered that the suspects who usually act as job providers, use the platform to extort various sums of money from unsuspecting job seekers.

“They do this with a promise that job is real which will be false later, without the victim getting his money back or getting the job.

“The suspects usually contact their victims via random SMS sent to their phones calling for job interviews and how to make payment.

“Based on intelligence information, their hideouts were raided by the state command operatives where no fewer than 30 victims who were earlier extorted appeared for suspected pseudo interviews.

“Suspects are now helping the operatives in their investigation in relation to the nefarious activities,’’ Amaraizu said.

The spokesman advised members of the public to be security conscious and avoid anything that would expose them to activities of fraudsters.

“The command has put adequate machinery in place to fish out those in this illicit act and bring them to book,’’ he said. (NAN)

OJI/ORO/IGO

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(Edited by Razak Owolabi/Ijeoma Popoola)

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Prayer
By Mohammad Tijjani
Kaduna, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Malam Muhammad Nafi’u, the Chief Imam of Nupe Road Central Mosque in Kaduna, has advised Nigerians to pray for the release of the remaining Chibok girls still in captivity of Boko Haram.

Nafi’u made the appeal in Kaduna on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria. (NAN)
He commended the Federal Government and the military for the release of the 21 Chibok girls.
According to him, prayer is a key to everything that one thinks it is impossible; Allah will accept our prayers on this issue.
“The Federal Government should re-double its efforts to see that all the abducted girls are set free unhurt and re-united with their families.
“President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption should be commended; any person who is supporting corruption is an enemy of this country.
“Buhari deserves the support of every Nigerian because to build a great country is our collective responsibility,’’ Nafi’u said.
The cleric called on the Boko Haram insurgents to lay down their weapons and embrace peace.
He called on Nigerians to stop abusing their leaders; rather they should be praying for them as well as peace and stability in the country.
NAN recalls that 21 Chibok girls were released by the Boko Haram sect on Oct. 13, while negotiation is still on for the release of others in captivity. (NAN)
TJ/MO/TA
Edited by Morayo Omolade/Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-H-11
Fraudster
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) A suspected fraudster, Churchheal Ekenta, who claimed to be an agent of Diamond Bank, on Friday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos over an alleged N120,000  fraud.

The accused, 36, resides at Block 123, Jos Road, Langtan, Plateau, is facing a two-count charge of obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Babaji Ishaku, told the court that the crime was committed between Oct. 3 and 7 at Diamond Bank premises at Alaguntan Street in Alimosho area of Lagos, a suburb.

Ishaku said the complainant, Mrs Alao Adeseke and three others met the accused, who introduced himself as an agent of  Diamond Bank Yellow Account.

“The accused collected N120,000 from them with the promise of securing a loan of N1million for them.

“All efforts by the complainant to reach Ekanta afterwards proved abortive as his phone was switched off.

“However, the complainant later discovered that the accused was a fraudster and lodged a report to the police.”
The offences contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 prescribes a three-year imprisonment for stealing, while Section 312 stipulates 15 years imprisonment.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Senior Magistrate, Mr. J.A. Adegun, granted the accused bail in the sum of N250,000 with two sureties in like sum.

He said the sureties must show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government and be resident in Lagos.
He adjourned the case to Oct. 24 for mention. (NAN)

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Edited by Dele Akinsola

Nigeria winning war against sea pirates – CNS

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Piracy
By Desmond Ejibas
Onne (Rivers), Oct. 21, 2016 (NAN) Vice-Admiral  Ibok-Ete Ibas, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), says the navy has reduced incessant attacks on merchant ships by pirates on the nation’s territorial waters.
Ibas who spoke on Friday in Onne, Rivers, at the launch of an operation, codenamed “Tsare Teku III,” said deployment of several warships was responsible for the decline.
“Operation Tsare Teku III is a continuation of an earlier operation we launched in the first and second quarter of 2016 to tackle incessant attacks on merchant ships by sea pirates.
“In order to sustain the gains of the earlier operation for optimum performance and benefits, it has become imperative to extend it by another three months.
“It is instructive to note that attacks on shipping have substantially declined since the commencement of this operation, relative to what obtained between January and April 2016.
“This is because only four attacks on shipping have been reported during the period as compared to 45 incidences of piracy reported from Jan. 16 to April 16.
“Operation Tsare Teku III was conceived to stem the rising wave of attacks on shipping and other criminality within Nigeria’s maritime domain, particularly in the offshore areas,’’ he said.
Ibas said the operation would enable merchant ships move their cargoes freely, while sustaining protection of oil and gas installations for improved revenue for the country. (NAN)
DES/COF/OU
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Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Obike Ukoh

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