Yemi Alade finally unveils her “Mama Afrique” EP + “Nakupenda” (Swahili) feat. Nyashinski

Effyzzie Music Group drops Yemi Alade‘s extended play titled “Mama Afrique“, an extension of her acclaimed sophomore LP.

The extended play is her third body of work following two successful studio albums; “King of Queens” and “Mama Africa: The Diary of an African Woman“.  The set features Kenyan music star Nyashinski on the Swahili version of her soaring love ballad “Nakupenda“, a Ricii Lompeurs remix of her afro-house smash “Want You“, alongside new and revamped multilingual versions of numbers originally housed on the “Mama Africa” album.

Get “Mama Afrique” here

Listen to “Nakupenda” feat. Nyashinski below:

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Teenager sells his father's N7.5m SUV for N350k to buy drugs in Abia

The Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Abia state, Akingbade Bamidele, says the command recently counseled a teenage boy who sold two of his father’s Sports Utility Vehicles valued at N7.5 million for N350, 000 in Umuahia, Abia, in order to buy hard drugs.


Bamidele made the disclosure when he spoke at a workshop on substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking for senior secondary school students, organized by the National Committee on Narcotics and Substance Abuse in Abia yesterday. 

“There’s a boy at Umuahia that his father brought to us for counseling. He sold two vehicles – a Lexus and a Forerunner worth N7.5m for N350,000. Do you know why? The reason is because he was involved in drug abuse and has gotten to dependent stage where there’s absolutely nothing he cannot sell, just to buy drugs. It was a situation of keep this vehicles for me and just be giving me drugs. You notice when things began to miss at home, that something is wrong.”

Speaking further, Bamidele said

“The cult boys that cut the heads of other students at Uturu and used them for goal post, when they were arrested, we went and tested them and it was clear that they were high on drugs and that gave them such mind to severe another persons’ head for goal post. You have to be very careful. The young man you saw on the screen was sent to deliver a parcel of which he doesn’t know much about and today, he’s in trouble. Ignorance is not an excuse in law. The rich will use the children of the poor to do their illicit drug trafficking".

Photos from Lionel Messi's wedding to his childhood sweetheart, Antonella Roccuzzo

A host of star names attended Lionel Messi's hometown inn Rosario Argentina, for his wedding to his childhood sweetheart, Antonella Roccuzzo. However, while team-mates Luis Suarez, Neymar and Gerard Pique were among the 260 guests in attendance at the intimate ceremony, there was no invite for former bosses Pep Guardiola, most of the Argentina squad or legend Diego Maradona. 
According to Argentine newspaper La Nacion, Messi, invited only four of his international team-mates - Sergio Aguero, Javier Mascherano, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria.

The couple, who have known each other for about 25 years, banned mobile phones at the ceremony. Staff were also sworn to secrecy and 450 police officers were on hand for the big day.

The couple, who now live in Barcelona, have two sons together.

Lionel and Antonella

Photos:Japanese men find true love with silicone sex dolls

In the bid to end heartbreaks, loneliness, and the frustration to get loyal spouses, some Japanese men have now found true love and peace with silicone sex dolls. Photos below show how these men spend time indoor and outdoor with their companion (sex dolls).

According to reports, around 2,000 of the life-like dolls which are sold in Japan cost around £4,600. It comes with adjustable fingers, removable head, and life-like genitals.

Watch CCTV footage of how a thug beat up his handicapped three months pregnant girlfriend so violently her skull was exposed

A CCTV footage installed at a convenience store at Shatory Irving in Roanoke, Virginia has exposed the moment a thug, Jamar Bernard Woody, 35, launched a violent attack on his pregnant girlfriend who was on crutches.

The incident occurred in June 2016 but the video was only recently released as evidence in court.

In the video, Mr Woody could be seen violently kicking and beating his girlfriend, Ms Irwing who was 3 months pregnant and using crutches at the time because of a broken ankle. Doctors testified that Ms Irving's skull was exposed after the vicious beating caused an inch-long split in her forehead. Her child was born premature but healthy last year.

The man was charged to court and sentenced to 8 years in prison. The victim surprisingly backed the attacker in court and refused to testify against him. She was the defence team's only witness. The state still prosecuted him and sent him to jail

Watch the video below...

Photo: Bank manager jailed one year for N200 million fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has secured the conviction of Tajudeen Yusuf, a former branch manager with Skye Bank. Tajudeen was prosecuted before Justice Ambrose Alagwa of Federal High Court 1, Jos on 3 counts of forgery.


Tajudeen's journey to prison started on May 16, 2013, following a petition from Skye Bank Nigeria Plc, Jos branch, alleging that Yusuf fraudulently collected the sum of N200 million from the bank's customer, Alhaji Usman Tetengi and issued him with fake deposit certificate.

Tajudeen thereafter diverted the N200m to his personal use while all efforts to recover the funds proved abortive.

The convict was arraigned on 19th November, 2014 and he pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

After over two years of diligent prosecution, Justice Ambrose Alagwa sentenced the convict to six months imprisonment with an option of fine of N100,000:00 ( One Hundred Thousand Naira) on counts two and three. The sentence is to run concurrently.

"Every single mother made a wrong choice" - Lola Alao

Popular Yoruba actress Lola Alao, who's also a single mother, made this statement in a just released interview with Vanguard. When asked why there are a lot of single mothers in the industry, Lola said;

"I think it has to do with making the wrong choice. I will say they haven’t gotten to their final destination that is why they are single mothers."

Asked if the statement also applies to her, Lola replied; "Yes, I think every single mother you see made a wrong choice."

Four soldiers killed in Borno explosion

The Army confirmed has confirmed that one officer and three soldiers were killed when their patrol vehicle encountered Improvised Explosive Device (IED) hidden on the road between Kangarwa and Alagarno village in Borno on Thursday.

The Army Spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday.

He said three other soldiers sustained various degrees of injuries, while the patrol vehicle was completely damaged.

Usman, however, said three suspected terrorists who planted the explosive and hid themselves had been fished out and neutralised.

The army spokesman added that apart from clearance operations, troops stationed at Banki in Borno rendered humanitarian assistance to over 887 Nigerian refugees who had returned from Cameroon since Tuesday.

He said the troops, also on Thursday, handed over Miss Jada Hachaba, who was abducted by the terrorists to her mother at Gulak in Adamawa.

The army spokesman said Hachaba escaped from the terrorists’ captivity, adding that she was handed over in the presence of the District Head of Gulak.

At Buni Yadi in Yobe, Usman said troops discovered a 122mm D30 unexploded ordinance inside an uncompleted building at the Federal Low Cost Housing Estate.

He said the explosive ordinance team was drafted to the scene to safely detonate the explosive.

Usman said based on credible information, troops arrested two suspected Boko Haram collaborators/informants; Abubakar Ahmed, 23 and Aji Maina, 45, on Wednesday.

“Both were arrested at Garin Gada and Kanamma after painstaking trailing.

“Abubakar Ahmed was arrested while trying to collect relief materials for onward conveyance to Boko Haram terrorists, while Aji Maina was arrested while on transit at Kanamma enroute Gamari in Niger Republic,’’ he said.

NAN

Travel Tips For Football Fans to 2018 Russia World Cup

The 2018 FIFA World Cup is due to be held in Russia and, as with every major sporting event, football (soccer) fans from all over the globe will travel thousands of miles to watch their country compete in the sport’s biggest event. It’s bound to grab sporting headlines across the world, just as Brazil tournament did in 2014.

The majority of matches will be held in western Russia and, therefore, it should be relatively easy to find a location that is accessible to a number of host cities.

Here we take a look at a couple of the major cities and best locations to stay during the tournament, while also considering a few of the implications of traveling around Russia.

Host Cities

There are 11 host cities that will see a number of matches at each individual location throughout the tournament. The Russian capital Moscow will be an incredibly popular choice for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is hosting the opening match of the tournament – which will feature hosts Russia – as well as the second semi-final on July 10th and the final on July 15th.

Furthermore, the capital has two stadiums that will be in use throughout the competition. The Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted the 2008 Champions League final, and the Otkrytiye Arena will both host matches and will be very popular venues, with both expected to sell out their games.

Moscow also has the advantage of being arguably the most accessible city in Russia, with good links to most of the other major cities in the country that make it a good central base for fans.

However, you have to be realistic. Due to the sheer size of Russia as a country, it won’t be that wise to travel from Moscow to areas such as Yekaterinburg and Sochi, as they are incredibly long journeys.

Kazan

Kazan is also accessible and, although it doesn’t have the history of Moscow, is still a lovely location to stay during the tournament. As well as witnessing matches at the Kazan Arena, it is possible to attend fixtures in surrounding cities, including Samara, Saransk and Nizhny Novgorod. Each of these stadiums have capacities of over 40,000 and tickets should be easier to get hold of as they are located a fair distance away from Moscow.

The main drawback of staying here is that no matches will be staged in this region after the quarter-finals have taken place. Still there’s plenty of fun to be found in the group matches and that makes this an excellent choice to enjoy the wonders of the 2018 World Cup.

Travel Tips

No matter where you end up, here are a few things to consider before you head out:

You will need a Visa: The majority of visitors require a Visa so you will need to contact the Russian authorities in advance to arrange this.

Weather will be mild: You may associate the Russian climate with it’s famously harsh winters but the weather during the World Cup period is typically fairly warm, with average temperatures in the mid-20s (centigrade).

Keep track of the time: Time zones vary across the country, with GMT+2 in Kaliningrad, GMT+3 in Moscow, GMT+4 in St Petersburg and GMT+5 in Yekaterinburg.

Bring a voltage adapter: Electricity throughout the country is 220 volt/50hz with a European standard two-pin plug, so you will need to take a converter.

Note the currency exchange: The currency is the rouble. A US Dollar is worth roughly 60 roubles and a UK Pound about 90. It is not advised to use Traveler’s Checks in Russia.

Hakeem Bello-Osagie quits as Etisalat chair

Embattled  Chairman of Etisalat Nigeria Limited, Hakeem Bello-Osagie,  resigned his position yesterday amidst the $1.2billion debt crisis facing the company.

The resignation takes immediate effect.

An official  statement last night sid the resignation followed “the approval of a restructuring plan for the telecommunications firm.”

Mr. Bello-Osagie, a former Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), was,until yesterday, the only surviving shareholder in the  mobile operator after six other directors turned in their resignation letters earlier in the week.

Their action was aimed at absolving  themselves of any criminal liabilities should the loan repayment impasse move to the courts.

He was the promoter of Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS) which controlled 15 per cent of the equity holding of the company

His resignation followed the withdrawal, two weeks ago, of the company’s major shareholder, Emirates Telecommunications Group Company, which announced the decision to quit effective June 15, 2017.

The Nation gathered yesterday that Orange Telecom and Vodafone were  strongly pushing to acquire the stakes offloaded by  United Arab Emirates-based Etisalat Group which has exited the business in the country.

Five companies were said to have initially  indicated interest to buy over the shares of the company, but  only Orange and Vodafone had ,last night, demonstrated that they have what it  takes to acquire the shares of the telco.

A well placed source  said  discussion with the two companies is  at advanced stages with only the restructuring of the over N370 billion debt  the major snag.

The six Mubadala and Etisalat Group-appointed Non-executive Directors (NeDs), from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), had resigned, following Emirates Telecoms Group Company’s (Etisalat Group) reporting disclosure on the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange that it was transferring 45 per cent of its stake and 25 per cent of its preference shares in its Nigerian subsidiary to United Capital Trustees Limited, the legal representative of the lending banks.

Other shareholders of Etisalat Nigeria include Mubadala Development Company with a 40 per cent stake and Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services (EMTS), representing the Nigerian shareholders, with 15 per cent.

Following the collapse of talks between the lenders, there were speculations that the lenders were moving to take-over the telco but the lenders denied making such.

Worried by this development, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which had earlier intervened in the rift, were supposed to meet with the lenders and the telco at the weekend but it was not clear if the meeting held.

Suicide bombers kill two in Niger – UN

The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) said suicide bombers on Wednesday killed two people and wounded 11 others at a camp in Niger housing thousands of people who have fled Boko Haram violence.

UNHCR said two women entered the camp in Kabelawa, around 50 km north of the border with Nigeria, and joined a group of young people before detonating suicide belts just before midnight on Wednesday.

“The explosion killed two young inhabitants of the camp, a male and a female, as well as the two women. 11 others were injured, two seriously,” Reuters quoted the UN agency as saying in a statement.

Boko Haram launches frequent cross-border raids from its strongholds in northeastern Nigeria in its bid to carve out an Islamic caliphate, though most recent suicide attacks have targeted towns in northern Cameroon.

The group’s eight-year insurgency has killed more than 20,000 people in the Lake Chad region and displaced 2.7 million.

Biafra: ‘Can Kanu lead Igbos to war?’

Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) leader Nnamdi Kanu came under fire from many quarters yesterday for his belligerency, particularly his call for the boycott of the November governorship election in Anambra State.

He has also been threatening that unless a referendum is organised to enable the Igbo determine whether they should have Biafra, the Southeast will boycott the 2019 elections.

Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and politicians chided the separatist advocate.

The Ijaw Youth Council also threatened action should Kanu disparage former President Goodluck Jonathan again.

Okorocha who spoke at the State House in Abuja said Kanu does not represent or speak for the Igbo, describing him as a young man seeking relevance.

“Kanu, a young man seeking relevance, agitating for whatever he believes in, what he stands for must be treated separately from the entire Igbo nation.

“He should be treated as a young man agitating and seeking for relevance, these are two different issues. And he can ride on the back of supposed Igbo marginalization which has been said is not right, and ride on that sentiments and push his agenda but that does not mean that the entire Igbos are speaking with him.

The question is does Nnamdi Kanu have the capacity to lead Igbo to war? Or lead me and the governors to war? So I will stand now and Nnamdi Kanu will tell me stand up let’s go to war? So, sometimes we over dramatised the issue just to make a big deal out of it and that has been the big challenge.

“Like the gentleman that spoke for the Arewa youths, and these are not more than 17 young men speaking for millions of Arewa youths and it doesn’t make sense because if you ask any Arewa youth now if he is part of this he will tell you no.

“I was in Chatham House and I remember how I was attacked by the IPOB boys when I was delivering my lecture. They walked up to me and they were shouting and I said calm down and the young man has never visited Nigeria. So it is our duty to call our younger ones to order but I want to assure Nigerians that they should not see that as a break but agitation given what they perceived that the South East has been neglected over time politically, economically, socially and all that.

“Their roads are impassable, you cannot pass Port Harcourt road, Enugu road, Aba Road, Bayelsa road and all the roads. You can hardly see federal government presence in the South East, all the things you see are self-made things. Even the Onitsha bridge has been a theoretical talk, fabrications which does not represent reality.

“So, he speaks his own and joins it to our issues and it now looks like a nationwide thing. That is not the issue.

“We have called for unity and have agreed that we will remain united. Very soon, some of us have taken it upon ourselves to reach out to this young men talk to them. We must understand that our young men are frustrated, if they are as comfortable as we are, they will not be able to say those.

Ohaneze Ndigbo said Kanu has no right to stop the Anambra governorship election.

Its president, Dr John Nwodo, described the IPOB leader’s statement as provocative, misleading and unproductive.

He said Kanu’s statement was against the agreement he reached with Ohaneze Ndigbo when he visited him, adding that the IPOB leader had breached the agreement with Ohaneze without consultation.

Nwodo and his executive council members spoke during a visit to the Anambra State House of Assembly yesterday as part of its sensitisation in the South East. Speaker Rita Maduagwu, lawmakers and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, attended.

Nwodo said:  “News that reached us in the past few days that Nnamdi Kami, had declared that there will be no election in Anambra in November is shocking and disturbing. I hereby countermand that declaration as President General of Ohaneze

“Whereas Ohaneze understands the marginalisation and unfair treatment of Igbos which have given rise to self-determination movements in Igboland, leaders of these movements must not arrogate to themselves the supreme leadership of Igboland. Statements of the kind credited to Nnamdi Kanu are provocative, misleading and unproductive”

“Why should Anambra people be denied the opportunity to choose their own leader? Why should any of us not from Anambra, no matter how highly placed, descend to the arena and dictate for Anambra people when to vote, whether to vote or who to vote for?

“Anambra, nay Igbos, are still part and parcel of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Yes, we are not happy with our treatment in Nigeria”

“Yes, some of us want Biafra. Yes, some of us prefer a restructured Federal Republic of Nigeria. But the fact remains that we are still part and parcel of the present Federal Republic of Nigeria, bound by its laws, no matter how repressive or unjust”

Umeh said it was only the people who do not have Igbo blood in them that would allow anybody to tell them what goes on in the society today, adding that the current Ohaneze was making Ndigbo proud.

Special Adviser to Governor Willie Obiano on legislative matters, Chief Chidozie Ezeugwa, condemned Kanu’s statement saying the government of Anambra state under Obiano was committed to the Igbo cause and would continue to do everything to support Ohaneze’s interest in anything in protecting Ndigbo in the country.

Some politicians have also condemned Kanu’s call for a boycott of the Anambrapoll.

They said the call was capable of derailing democracy in the state and expose the people to anarchy.

Chief Sam Oraegbunam, Chairman of Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Anambra chapter, said although Kanu’s call for repositioning of Nigeria was popular, he must not use it to cause confusion in Anambra.

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has declared that further attack on former President Jonathan by Kanu, would be met with appropriate sanctions from Ijaw youths.

IYC through its Spokesman Daniel Dasimaka, described as uncharitable and disrespectful, Kanu’s comments on ex-President Jonathan.

The umbrella organisation of Ijaw youths said: “It is quite ironic and appalling that anyone will say ex-President Jonathan did nothing for the Southeast, when it is common knowledge in both informed and not-so-informed circles in Nigeria that the Southeast benefited even more than the Southsouth under Dr. Jonathan. It is on record that under the then President Jonathan, rehabilitation and expansion works were done on the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (SMICA), Owerri, Imo State, which he granted an international airport status.

“In terms of appointment, Dr. Jonathan appointed the first female Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mrs. Rose Chinyere Uzoma (an Igbo). He also appointed the first Southeast Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika and first Southeast Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ogbonnaya Onovo, among others.

“We are calling on the true Igbo leaders to caution Nnamdi Kanu and to bridle his tongue, lest his unguarded rhetoric may strain the good relationship the Igbo and the Ijaw nation, and by extrapolation, the Southsouth and Southeast geopolitical zones, have enjoyed over the years.”