NIGERIAN HOUSE OF REPS MEMBER'S SON SHOT DEAD IN THE UK

        
Abraham Badru

The Lawmaker representing Lagos Island 1 in the federal House of representatives and a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Hon. Dolapo Badru on Sunday lost his son, Abraham Badru, to gun shot in London.

Abraham Badru, the 26-year old son of the lawmaker, Hon. Dolapo Badru has been shot dead near his family’s London home in the latest round of bloodshed in the city capital.

Abraham Badru, who was given a police bravery award as a teenager for saving a woman from a sex attack, was gunned down in the street in Dalston, Hackney, just after 11pm on Sunday.

Abraham, who worked as a football coach after earning his Masters degree in sports coaching from the University of Gloucestershire in 2015, was found slumped on the pavement by police called to reports of a loud gunshot.

He was pronounced dead a short time later. His mother, who had rushed to his side, was seen by witnesses collapsed in tears on the pavement.

Abraham’s father told the Standard that his “quiet and hard-working” son once saved a young woman from rape on the estate and later gave evidence which led to her attacker being jailed.

He said: “A few years ago, a girl was raped on the estate and Abraham fought them off. He went to court to testify against them and the police gave him an award.”

Friends paid tribute to Abraham as a “bubbly and outgoing” young man who was “making a life for himself” after completing his studies.

They said he had a fiancee in Nigeria and had volunteered with the Team Nigeria UK football coaching charity, and had been due to coach at an open trial in Charlton on Tuesday (today).

A volunteer said: “He’s such a wonderful guy full of life and very hard-working.”

Abraham had previously worked with Bristol council as a sport development officer, according to his LinkedIn profile and had interned at non-league Gloucester City FC during his degree studies at the University of Gloucestershire.

In a statement, his former club Almondsbury FC, near Bristol, said: “The club are shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of former striker Abraham Badru.

“We would like to send our thoughts and prayers to Abraham’s family during this difficult time.”

Neighbours said Abraham had been to church earlier that day and was getting out of his car when he was shot.

One neighbour said: “As soon as I heard the bang, I knew it was a gunshot. I went to my balcony and saw a man slumped over on the ground at the back of a car.

“There was just one shot and a cry of pain. No speeding scooter and no speeding car.”

Another said: “His mother came out and saw him on the floor. It was terrible listening to her collapse crying on the floor. She was just screaming.

“Everyone was very upset and I had to go away, I couldn’t take it. It happened on our doorstep and I had to say a little prayer for the family.”

A school friend added: “He had just finished studying a masters in sport at university. He was a bubbly guy and worked so hard. We went to the same church as kids.

“His mother is a devout Christian. I’m lost for words. I just cannot believe it. He was the nicest guy, very happy and outgoing.”

A police cordon remained in place in Ferncliff Road this morning as detectives continued to investigate the shooting.

Abraham’s mother was being supported by family members at the her home, around 100 yards away. The family were too upset to speak this morning.

A neighbour said: “They are a lovely family, church going and loving. Everyone is stunned this could happen to Abraham.

“He was a gentle, respectful young man and I pray for his family who are in pain right now.”

The murder is the third in Hackney this year and comes as 19 young men under the age of 25 have been killed in the capital in 2018.

Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith, from Scotland Yard’s murder squad, said: “We are appealing for information so we can establish the circumstances which led to a young man losing his life.

“Anyone with information who hasn’t yet spoken with us should come forward without delay. Your call will be treated in the strictest confidence.”

There have been no arrests yet as at time if this report.

MALTA LEGALISES CANNABIS AS MEDICINAL PRODUCT PRESCRIPTION TO PATIENTS

         
cannabis-sativa

The Mediterranean country of Malta has on Tuesday legalised prescription of cannabis products for medicinal purposes by general practitioners.

The new law means that patients would be able to access non-smoking forms of medicine at pharmacies with a doctor’s prescription after a control card has been approved by the country’s Superintendent of Public Health.

Patients with the following three conditions are eligible to be prescribed with medicinal cannabis: chronic pain, spasticity in multiple sclerosis and side effects of chemotherapy.

Malta’s parliament started debate on the new medicinal cannabis law at the beginning of the year.

The laws were relaxed in 2015, through legal amendments which allowed cannabis to be prescribed by specialists, under very strict conditions.

That meant cannabis remained difficult to access by most patients.

In addition to the legalisation of prescription of medicinal cannabis, the Mediterranean island country is also in the process of regulating the manufacture of medicinal cannabis products, with five companies having already been issued licences manufacture cannabis for medicinal purposes.

Photo by ©Shutterstock.com/Atomazul

The term medical marijuana refers to using the whole, unprocessed marijuana plant or its basic extracts to treat symptoms of illness and other conditions.                                                                          You recall that in the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recognized or approved the marijuana plant as medicine. However, scientific study of the chemicals in marijuana, called cannabinoids, has led to two FDA-approved medications that contain cannabinoid chemicals in pill form. Continued research may lead to more medications.                                                         Marijuana plant contains chemicals that may help treat a range of illnesses and symptoms, many schools of thought still argue that it should be made legal for medical purposes. In fact, a growing number of countries have legalized marijuana for medical use.

NIGERIAN FEDERAL GOVT CHALLENGES PDP TO RETURN LOOTED FUND TO COMPLETE APOLOGY

   
                    Alhaji Lai Mohammed
             Minister of Information and Culture

The Federal Government says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should complete its apology to Nigerians by returning all the funds looted from the public treasury during its 16 years in power.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also challenged the party to show the genuineness of its apology through a discernible change of attitude.

”The PDP presided over an unprecedented looting of the public treasury, perhaps the worst of its kind in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world.

“Therefore, the best evidence of penitence for such a party is not just to own up and apologise, but to also return the looted funds as anything short of that is mere deceit.

The minister said with the paucity of funds, the administration had spent an unprecedented amount of money on infrastructural development and Social Investment Programme, among others.

He added that returning looted funds would provide more money for the programmes and make life more meaningful for Nigerians.

Mohammed also reminded the PDP of the quote: ”If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging,” saying it applies to the PDP at this time.

”PDP, press the reset button. Stop sabotaging the work of this administration, which is packing the mess you left behind, through your reckless statements and unfounded allegations.

“Play responsible opposition politics. Put Nigeria’s interest over and above partisan interest.

“Temper your desperation to return to power. Spend quality time in the purgatory and you will be forgiven,” he said.

The PDP had on Monday reflected on its 16 years stewardship and admitted it made mistakes and asked Nigerians to forgive its wrongdoings.

National chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, who spoke at a public discourse, had said the party was sorry for its mistakes.

EFCC FINALLY ARRESTS MAN IMPERSONATING STAR ACTOR, MIKE EZURUONYE

An impersonator of handsome Nollywood actor, Mike Ezuruonye, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

According to reports, actor Mike Ezuruonye petitioned the police after having his image dragged in the mud by criminal elements who use his name to defraud unsuspecting fans.

One of the alleged culprits was apprehended by the EFCC. The suspect is identified as Osigbovo from Benin, Edo State.

He is currently in the custody of EFCC for collecting large sums of money from female fans of the actor. He allegedly used Ezuruonye’s image and videos and superimposed his own voice to deceive these women.

Stay updated with the latest Nigerian news from Information Nigeria.

DΣΣ-DΣΣ's βLΩG: SERGEI MAVRODI IS DEAD: NIGERIANS CELEBRATE AS MMM FOUNDER DIES OF CANCER, MORE DEATH WISHES FOR HIS ACCOMPLICES

DΣΣ-DΣΣ's βLΩG: SERGEI MAVRODI IS DEAD: NIGERIANS CELEBRATE AS MMM FOUNDER DIES OF CANCER, MORE DEATH WISHES FOR HIS ACCOMPLICES

SERGEI MAVRODI IS DEAD: NIGERIANS CELEBRATE AS MMM FOUNDER DIES OF CANCER, MORE DEATH WISHES FOR HIS ACCOMPLICES

MMM founder and Russian Conman, Sergei Mavrodi is dead. Reports from Russian media has it that Mavrodi died of a heart attack. According to Russian media reports, the 62-year-old was rushed to the hospital late on sunday and he died of chest pain several hours later.

You will recall that Mavrodi’s pyramid scheme ruined millions of lives, especially in Russia in the 1990s as many lost their savings to the ponzi scheme.

In reaction, many Nigerians took to social media to celebrate the “good news”. Most of them who obviously lost their fortunes to the ponzi scheme lashed out in anger, calling for the death of his accomplices in Nigeria.

Mavrodi’s MMM was a typical pyramid-structured Ponzi scheme in which earlier investors receive their profits from subsequent investors. Mavrodi promised returns of between 20 and 75 percent per month, as well as lotteries and bonuses for investors.

The system was designed to collapse as soon as the number of new clients stopped growing, causing huge financial losses and indebtedness. Millions of people were victims, with some being left as destitute afterwards.

In 1994, Mavrodi was elected as a lawmaker, a decision he later said was to ensure he received immunity from prosecution. However he lost his parliamentary mandate in 1996.

In 2007, a Moscow court found him guilty of financial fraud and sentenced him to 4 1/2 years in a penal colony.

In 2011, Mavrodi launched another pyramid scheme called MMM-2011, calling on investors to purchase so-called Mavro currency units in a bid to get rid of the “unfair” financial system. Some 15 months later, Mavrodi halted the project.

From 2011-16, Mavrodi launched Ponzi schemes under the MMM brand in India, China, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria. The system was the single most successful ponzi scheme ever. It finally crashed in 2016.

PASTOR CUT DOWN SACRED IROKO TREE : ‘VENGEFUL TREE ON KILLING SPREE’: BENIN COMMUNITY NATIVES FLEE THEIR COMMUNITY

This is not the best time for the people of Iguoma in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State following mystery deaths which have led hundreds of natives to flee their ancestral homes. Meanwhile there is a controversy on what actually is the cause of the deaths. For instance, the two warring groups in the community don’t agree on this. 

The tragedy, which befell the community, became public after some leaders of Iguoma, led by Pastor Joseph Ighodaro, who also is the Secretary of the community, stormed the palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, last Monday, begging the Oba to revoke an alleged curse placed on the community by his father, Oba Erediauwa. 

They claimed that a native doctor revealed to them that their problems were caused by Oba Erediauwa’s curse and not the cutting down of sacred trees. But the other faction in the community, led by the Chief Priest of Okhuaihe N’ Uleku shrine, Mr Uyimwen Odeh, dismissed the curse claim, saying the problems in the community came because some sacred trees were cut down after 14 days prayer session by Ighodaro and another pastor that came from Delta State.

Pa Jolly Agbontean, who spoke on behalf of the Odeh group, said all the shrines in the community were sacred as they belonged to the Benin monarch but that the Ighodaro group destroyed the shrines, adding that, as a result, the shrines were now killing the persons behind the destruction and not the entire community.

‘TREE PLANTED BY OBA EWUARE I CUT DOWN’

His words, “The Iroko tree was over 500 years old. The Iroko and the shrines were planted by Oba Ewuare 1. We served it on behalf of the Oba. The pastor said it was the Iroko that was causing the community members not to progress in life. They said all the witches and wizards were resident in the Iroko tree. Policemen were around to protect them while they destroyed all the shrines including the Oguedion (elders place). They were many that came after a crusade. We only watched after which we reported to the Oba. When the Oba invited them to produce the pastor, they said they could no longer find him. The Oba told them what to do for them to be saved but they refused to perform the sacrifice. Three of them have died since that time. We were not cursed by any Oba. This shrine was a tourist place. We worshiped it every three days and people visited the place from across the country.” Another native, Pa Sunny Igbinovia, said he was forced to delete the pictures he took on the day the shrines were destroyed and the Iroko tree fell, regretting that “they destroyed our ancestral shrine where we worshiped and think they will have peace”.

Odeh, the Chief Priest of the Okhuaihe N’ Uleku shrine, said the affliction would not affect the entire community but those that cut the sacred tree. “The Oba told them they will suffer if they did not appease the gods. The shrine is owned by the Oba. Only the Oba knows what to do to them. The Oba did not curse us. Those who cut the tree are the ones crying. They are the ones wearing the shoe and know where it pinches them. Immediately that thing happened, we reported to the palace and the palace told them that they committed abomination. We are waiting for them, any day they are ready for the sacrifice we are ready. They need to appease the gods for their own safety if not they will continue to die”.

Ighodaro, accused of being the brain behind the travails in the community, explained why the sacred trees were cut down and the shrines destroyed. According to him, one Pastor Ugeh, from Delta State, said he received a revelation from God that three prominent men in the community had been tied to a tree, and that the ancient Iroko tree, known as Uloko Ewuare, was where witches and wizards held meetings. He said the cutting down of the sacred trees pointed out by Ugeh was done in December 2016 “but we started witnessing mystery deaths since 2014 when the Oba’s curse was placed”. He said the curse was placed because some former leaders of the community refused to relinquish power when they were asked to do so by the Oba.

Appeasement

His words, “All you hear from them is a lie. Oba Erediauwa actually placed a curse on this community. He came here to place a curse as a result of the disobedience to his ruling on the leadership of this community. Oba Erediauwa gave a ruling three times on how a leadership tussle will be settled and everybody will live in peace but one faction refused. That is why he placed a curse. In 2014, Oba Erediauwa sent his Ewaise to the community. The Ewaise came and placed the curse at the Aruotor shrine that those disobeying the Oba’s directive will suffer. The people who disobeyed the Oba were absent at the event. We have lost nine persons in this community. We are ready to appease the trees if we are told what to do but the Oba’s curse must be revoked”.

On what led to the destruction of the sacred Iroko tree, he narrated: “There was a pastor that came from Delta State, Prophet Uge. He came in December 2016. The day the pastor came, he visited my house and I asked him if I could help him. He said he wanted to see the Odionwere of this community. According to him, God directed him to this community to free three prominent men that evil people had tied to a tree to kill. He said that in this community there was a lot of trouble and deaths, so God told him to come and hold 14 days’ crusade. He said the Holy Spirit directed him to do it at the centre of the community.

“We held a meeting and arranged a date for the crusade. The day the man came, I took him round to meet different people and our people were happy except those in opposition to what was happening. On the  first day of the crusade, at about 1am, the man said we should follow him, everybody followed him. He pointed at one Iroko tree, he went to different shrines. In fact he said one of the trees was a 25-storey building in their coven, he said that tree had to go. He said that the mighty Iroko was the secretariat that all the blood of the people they were killing was being stored and that if others were felled and this tree was left, the problems would remain.

The next day we brought a chain saw and felled about 13 trees. In fact blood came out from the big Iroko tree. I can tell you that people have been dying. About nine persons, including a woman who cooked pounded yam and ate in the morning, died in the evening. People are so scared and running away from this community. So this curse must be revoked before we all die”.

‘I WON'T BE VILLAGE HEAD UNTIL CURSE IS REVOKED’

However, 70 year-old Pa Roland Ugiagbe Okhuorabo, who is supposed to be installed as the community’s Odionwere (village head), said he would not accept the position unless the curse is revoked. “In fact I may have to leave the community to avoid more deaths. I am so scared because Oba’s curse does not spare people”. The fear, as Sunday Vanguard observed in this community, is the failure of the two groups to agree on the actual cause of the calamities befalling them so as to find lasting solution.

While the group led by the Chief Priest claimed that only people from Ighodaro’s group were dying, Ighodaro claimed that nine persons had died and most of them from the other faction.

The disagreement has forced hundreds of Iguoma natives to flee to Benin-City and other neighbouring communities as they continue to count the deaths.

Source: Vanguard