Saturday, 23 May 2015
Why We Sold Our Son, Nollywood Actor, Wife Confess
A Nollywood actor and his wife have sensationally told the police why they decided to sell their two-year-old son, Samuel Chukwuneye for N350, 000 to a Port Harcourt based woman simply identified as Ogechi. The couple, though not legally married, had been living together. They were identified as Kanayo Awurum, 29, and Ugochi Kelechi, 28, both of who are from Ikeduru Local Government Area in Imo State.
Trouble started when Ugochi, who is pregnant with their second child, suspected that her live-in lover, who she claimed gave out their son temporarily to Ogechi, was planning to abandon her in Lagos. She alerted and confessed to the police about what they did before relocating to Lagos. Kanayo was arrested and handed over to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Lagos police command, Ikeja for further investigation.
According to a police source, Kanayo, who is an upcoming Nollywood actor impregnated Ugochi more than two years ago and ran away. He returned sometime in October 2014 and apologized to her with a promise to marry her. Ugochi accepted him back and got pregnant again. When his resources dwindled, he convinced Ugochi to relocate with him to Lagos State as soon as they were able to raise money.
He convinced her to use their son as a collateral to collect a loan that will be paid back in three months. Unknown to Ugochi, her son was sold to one Mrs Ogechi who lives in Port Harcourt. Armed with the proceed of the sale, the couple relocated to Lagos and rented an apartment at Ikotun, Lagos. Two weeks later, Kanayo travelled home with an excuse that there was a project that he was called upon to execute. He left his lover with little or no money with the promise to return in two days. Days dragged into weeks and Ugochi was left at the mercy of the landlord and neighbours who gave her money for feeding.
Although Kanayo called giving excuses why he was yet to return, Ugochi became frustrated especially when her lover told her that their son, Samuel might not return again. She also learnt from the landlord, that her lover was making arrangement to collect the remaining part of the rent and send her packing. Ugochi confided in their family friend who alerted the police of the development.
Pleading for mercy, Kanayo said that he took the decision because of his quest to give Ugochi who he described as his fiancée a better life. “I met Ugochi during our secondary school days in Amakaohia Comprehensive High School, Ikeduru, Imo state. We became lovers and continued our relationship after graduation. Fortunately, she got pregnant in 2012. I asked her to keep the baby because I loved her so much and wanted her to be the mother of my children. I met her brother who told me what to do to legalize the relationship. Sincerely, I wanted to legalize it but, I did not have much money so I left Ikeduru for Owerri. I am a trained painter and was also fortunate to be allowed to feature in some Nigerian movies. During that time, I called her severally to explain why I had to run to Owerri. She was angry and refused to pick my call or see reasons with me,” Kanayo narrated.
In October 2014, Kanayo returned and sought the love and forgiveness of Ugochi who had given birth to a baby boy. “With the little money that I had, I was ready to marry Ugochi. I pleaded with her severally and luckily, she accepted. I made another attempt to ask for her hand in marriage and her family vehemently refused. They threatened to get me arrested if I dared to come close to their sister again. But because she loves me so much, we continued our relationship till she became pregnant again.
“At this point we needed to leave town before her family would notice that she is pregnant again. I convinced her to elope with me to Lagos where we will start our lives together till her family is ready to accept me as their in-law.
“I was already broke and was sourcing for loan. My plan was to travel to Lagos and contact my mentor, Jerry Leonard who is also an actor and film producer. All the persons that I met for a loan refused but another actor, Emmanuel (full names withheld by us) gave me the only way out,” he said.
The only way out given to him was to sell his two-year-old son and get quick money. “He told me to use what I have to get what I don’t have. Initially, I wanted to use my son as a collateral to get a loan but Emmanuel said that outright sale will be the best. He was the one who contacted, Mrs. Ogechi from Port Harcourt with the promise that I will pay him N50,000. I simply told Ugochi that the baby will be kept with one woman till we settle down. Since we were eloping, there was no need to contact any family member. Luckily, the woman paid N350, 000 and I gave Emmanuel Ibeh, N50,000.
“I contacted my mentor, Jerry and he was able to secure an accommodation for us in Ikotun area of Lagos,” he further said.
Kanayo insisted that he had plans to return and trace his son. “I know that what I did was bad but I did it to protect my fiancée. She will be an object of ridicule by her family if they discovered that she is pregnant again without a husband. I returned to Owerri when my brother called me that there is a big painting job. My plan was to also raise money to buy back our son. Meanwhile, we were having several issues with the house and I asked the landlord to refund us part of the money we paid. Unfortunately, I never knew that Ugochi had reported me to the police. I was arrested when I returned to Lagos to collect part of the money we paid for that house at Ikotun. I am sorry but all I did was out of love,” Kanayo said.
He claimed that he played prominent roles in several nollywood movies including Fist of Vengence, Destiny Child and Rough Chase.
Ugochi on her part said that she never knew that their son was to be used as collateral. “I am pregnant and he convinced me that travelling down to Lagos with a small child would be stressful. He told me that my son, Samuel will be kept in his sister’s house for about two months when we would have settled down. It was also his son, so I felt that whatever plan he has was for our own good. I never knew that he was having money problem. We just reconciled and he was taking good care of me and my son ever since he returned. He only told me that the process of settling down is very stressful.
“When we got to Lagos, I kept reminding him of our son and he told me that he would soon return to Owerri to pick him up. Towards the end of April, he travelled home for a painting job and left me with little or nothing to eat. Life was hard and I relied on the landlord, neighbours and his mentor Jerry to survive. I pleaded with him to return our son and he kept telling me that I should not be in a hurry. I was forced to confess to the police when I learnt that he wanted to collect back the money he paid for the house that we were living in. I felt he had abandoned me, that was why I opened up to his mentor Jerry. I am aware that he wanted us to relocate from that house but he was no longer providing for me,” Ugochi said.
On why she agreed in the first place to elope, Ugochi said: “ I was and I am still in love with him. I have dated him for more than 10 years and so far he is a caring gentleman. When I got pregnant in 2012, he asked me to keep the child. He also made effort to see my family but when he was given the list of things to buy, he ran away. I was devastated and refused to pick his calls when he tried to get across to me. He even sent his friends to me. My family protected me till I gave birth in November 2012. Sometime in October 2014, he returned and started begging again. I love him, so I had no choice but to accept him back. He was actually ready to marry me but my family members refused. They even sent my brother to their house to drop a piece of kolanut. What that meant was that they are at liberty to beat him up, if he dares to come around seeking for my hand in marriage. I love him and I am pregnant again. I cannot bear the shame for the second time that was why I agreed to elope with him.
“This was why I did not even contact my family when I was dying of hunger and it was obvious that my baby might not return. He actually called his mentor and told him that our son died in a car accident while they were on their way back to Lagos,” Ugochi further said.
Continuing, she said that she cannot believe that Kanayo could sell their son for money. “I miss my son and I want him back. He was fooling me all this while, but I love him.”
Describing Kanayo as an upcoming actor in Nollywood, Jerry Leonard said he was not aware of the illicit transaction till Ugochi confessed to him. “I am a Martial art instructor and also a successful movie producer. I know him from my maternal village, Ikeduru where I discovered that he had great skills in acting. He had featured in several movies of which I connected him to the producers.
“Sometime in March, he called that he wants to relocate to Lagos and pursue his acting career. As agreed, I got a mini flat for them close to the area where I live in Ikotun. He told me that he was coming with his wife. I signed as guarantor to secure the accommodation. I was surprised when the landlord called me that Kanayo was planning to leave the compound. He was the one who told me that Ogechi was stranded and comes around to beg for food. I intervened and called Kanayo who said that he had a project and would soon return. Ogechi then opened up to me when I informed her, that her husband (as he was made to believe) said that their son died in an accident. I was confused and not sure what my suspicion could be. We now arranged with the landlord to ask him to come and collect part of the money he spent on rent.
“I had some young men around who overpowered him. He confessed to me, pleading that he had plans to go back and rescue their son. I alerted the police and they came and picked him up,” Jerry narrated.
Confirming the incident, Lagos State police spokesman, Kenneth Nwosu said that the police is on the trail of one Emmanuel who was alleged to have initiated the transaction and Ogechi, the woman who bought the baby. “The Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti has directed the officer in-charge of SARS, SP Abba Kyari to ensure that baby Samuel is found and the other accomplices arrested and prosecuted”, he stressed.
Thursday, 21 May 2015
3 Reasons For Fuel Scarcity Explained By Sahara Group Boss
Tonye Cole, the chief executive of energy company Sahara Group, explained three main reasons why fuel scarcity is unlikely to end soon. He thinks ordinary Nigerians should prepare to hard times in the nearest future.
Fuel scarcity not to end soon, Tonye Cole warns.
Fuel scarcity crisis in the country is unlikely to end soon, warns Nigerians Sahara Group chief executive.
Tonye Cole explained his expectations that fuel shortages in the country are unlikely to come to an end soon. The main three reasons for that are change of government, prospects for removal fuel subsidies and weakening naira. According to Mr. Cole, the combination of these factors will affect ordinary Nigerians in the nearest future.
Despite being biggest oil producer in Africa, Nigeria is heavily dependent on gasoline imports to meet domestic demands. Gasoline subsidies incurred by the government on every litre of the product had to be cut by the cash-strapped government recently by 90 per cent and it is expected that they are going to be totally phased-out soon.
Sahara Group supplies gasoline through a crude processing agreement. It was asked by the state regulating body to “pre-deliver” gasoline ahead of receiving crude allocation to cover the lack of subsidised fuel.
READ ALSO: Petrol Subsidy Rises Sharply
Cole said these pre-deliveries had to be stopped out of anxiety that processing agreements may be reviewed by the incoming government.
The fuel scarcity currently ongoing in the nation, especially in Lagos and Abuja is going no where soon, as oil marketers have suspended importation.
The marketers decision to suspend the importation of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), was due to the Federal Government’s failure to pay them their claims.
One source deep in the depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA told newsmen that most of the marketers have not been paid by the FG and this is limiting their ability to finance the importation of fuel.
READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/443336-3-reasons-for-fuel-scarcity-explained-by-sahara-group-boss.html
Too Rich For A Govt Official? Dino Melaye Shows His Wealth
Dino Melaye, senator-elect representing Kogi West Senatorial District, once told on his twitter page – “I destroy the poverty of ideas in your home”. But it seems that he rather likes the idea of destroying poverty in his own home primarily – otherwise he wouldn’t post his Lamborghini, his Harley Davidson, his fancy sun glasses and his mansion on social networks.
It’s easy to praise the Lord sitting inside Lamborghini Gallardo worth $200,000 in fancy sunglasses. And that’s exactly what Dino Melaya does on his twitter page.
It’s easy to praise the Lord sitting inside Lamborghini Gallardo worth $200,000 in fancy sunglasses. And that’s exactly what Dino Melaya does on his twitter page.
Dino Melaye’s mansion
However, many Nigerians are not so happy to see all this luxury, posting comments like this one: “See what Nigerian senators are enjoying and masses are dying of hunger”.
It really raises questions about the source of his wealth. How many years of official remuneration are needed to afford this level of prosperity?
Earlier Dino Melaye has expressed his profound joy and relief on his twitter account after his wife, Tokunbo Melaye filed for divorce.
David Cameron won't 'cave in' on migration target despite new figures
David Cameron says he will not give up on his immigration target despite net migration to the UK reaching its highest level for a decade.
Net migration rose by 50% to 318,000 last year - with sharp increases from inside and outside the EU.
A total of 641,000 people moved to the UK in 2014, the Office for National Statistics said.
But the PM said he would not "cave in" and abandon his target of reducing net migration below 100,000.
In a speech at the Home Office, he said the Liberal Democrats had held back Conservative attempts to reduce numbers during the last parliament and unveiled a string of measures aimed at curbing illegal working.
Central to these are new plans to seize the wages of illegal workers as proceeds of crime in an attempt to reduce the numbers.
However, the scale of the challenge facing ministers in reducing levels of legal immigration was highlighted again by a net migration rise the size of the population of Coventry.
The figures measure the difference between the numbers of people moving the UK for a year or more and those leaving the UK for a year or more.
They reveal:
- 641,000 people moved to the UK over the period, with 323,000 going the other way
- 284,000 people immigrated for work, a 70,000 increase
- The number of Romanian and Bulgarians moving to the UK doubled to 46,000 in 2014
- Employment of non-British EU nationals in the UK in January to March 2015 was 283,000 higher than the previous year
The Conservatives pledged before the 2010 election to reduce numbers to less than 100,000, a target they acknowledge they have failed to meet.
"There is no good news here for David Cameron," said BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith.
He said ministers were shifting the emphasis of the immigration debate away from numbers towards "blue collar concerns" like jobs, pay and housing.
In a speech at the Home Office, Mr Cameron said: "Today's figures show how far we have to go to reach our goal."
Taking questions from journalists afterwards, he said: "There is the approach of just give up, cave in and forget about it.
"But that's not my approach."
He said a growing economy could be combined with lower immigration levels as it had been in the 1990s.
Earlier, Mr Cameron visited a premises in Ealing, West London, shortly after it had been raided by immigration officials.
In his speech he said the government was determined to "control and reduce" immigration, saying criminalising illegal workers must go hand-in-hand with other measures to lower demand for migrant labour, such as boosting the skills of UK workers.
The government says depriving illegal migrants of their wages will make it harder for them to remain in the UK.
A new criminal offence of illegal working will apply to migrants who have entered the country illegally and also those who came to the country legally but are in breach of their conditions or have overstayed.
At the moment, migrants with current leave to remain who are working illegally in breach of their conditions may be prosecuted and are liable, if convicted, to a six months' custodial sentence and-or an unlimited fine.
But migrants who entered the UK illegally or have overstayed their leave are not subject to the same sanctions, and the police do not have the same powers of confiscation in all cases.
'Less attractive'
Mr Cameron said that "making Britain a less attractive place to come and work illegally" is a crucial part of a fair immigration policy - adding that a "strong country is one that controls immigration... not one that pulls up the drawbridge".
"The truth is it has been too easy to work illegally and employ illegal workers here," he said.
"So we'll take a radical step - we'll make illegal working a criminal offence in its own right.
"That means wages paid to illegal migrants will be seized as proceeds of crime… and businesses will be told when their workers' visas expire… So if you're involved in illegal working - employer or employee - you're breaking the law."
Analysis by Dominic Casciani, home affairs correspondent
If the government is going to clamp down on illegal workers, it needs to find them.
So how many illegal migrants are there in the UK? The simple truth is - nobody knows.
The best that we have are a series of academic guesses using various competing techniques of estimating what's going on.
The problem with all these estimates - and comparable calculations carried out by other big nations - is that nobody can really say whether they mean anything at all.
In 2012, the Home Office came close to nailing its colours to the mast when it published a paper on the subject. That analysis suggested the best guess is probably around 618,000 - but there is a huge range either side. It could be much lower - or much higher.
Among other proposed measures are new powers for councils to deal with unscrupulous landlords and to evict illegal migrants more quickly, while all foreign criminals awaiting deportation will be fitted with satellite tracking tags.
It will also become an offence for businesses and recruitment agencies to hire abroad without first advertising in the UK - a policy which featured prominently in Labour's election manifesto.
'Tackling exploitation'
Ministers say the package builds on the progress made over the past five years but critics say the Conservatives' tough rhetoric has not been matched by action on the ground, either in tackling illegal immigration or curbing legal immigration.
Labour welcomed the action but said it did not go far enough.
"A lot of this will look very familiar to anyone who read Labour's manifesto," shadow immigration minister David Hanson said.
"It is clear the measures outlined here will not be sufficient to tackle exploitation. There needs to be a clear offence of exploitation that undercuts local jobs and wages, which the police and other experts have called for."
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Paddick said: "Theresa May needs to get it into her head - not all immigration is bad. If she was serious about cracking down on illegal immigration she should concentrate on what works and not tar all immigrants with the same brush."
UKIP immigration spokesman Steven Woolfe said the new announcements were a "smoke screen to mask today's appalling immigration statistics".
Don Flynn, of the Migrants' Rights Network, said seizing wages would force some people into "systems of modern slavery without hope of protection from the law".
"Irregular migrants in the UK fit no one's image of a law-breaker living on the proceeds of crime," he said.
"Their vulnerable status means they are confined to the most insecure and exploitative forms of employment, usually earning scarcely enough to maintain themselves on a day-to-day basis."
The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants said the measures would do nothing to ease the pressure on public services.
Madeleine Sumption, of Oxford University's Migration Observatory, said the latest immigration figures showed how hard it would to reduce net migration to below 100,000.
"Net migration has risen even despite new restrictions on family, work and student visas that were introduced during the last Parliament," she added.
Lord Green, of Migration Watch, said: "We need to stop and think where this mass immigration is leading. It points to a probable increase of three million in the UK population over the next five years in the face of very strong public opinion."
Jonathan's Loss: Aides That Contributed To His Downfall
That President Goodluck Jonathan lost the presidential elections is no more news. What is news is that some of his aides who paraded themselves in the public sphere like untouchables, contributed to the political down-fall of their principal.
Naij.com has compiled this list of Jonathan’s aides who were partly responsible for his loss. Read below:
1. Dr. Doyin Okupe: The administration’s attack dog was a disaster. His contributions to Jonathan’s loss will take a whole book to write down. He courted many enemies for the president rather than friends. Okupe’s temperament and inability to soak in criticisms were his greatest undoing. President Jonathan would have long wielded the big stick on the Ogun State born medical practitioner turned politician. His childish rants on twitter, uncivilised arguements with opposition leaders on television and insult-filled press statements were a public relations disaster for President Jonathan.
Dr. Doyin Okupe
2. Professor Ahmed Rufai Alkali: How do you employ a political liability as your political adviser? That was the question on the lips of political observers after Prof. Alkali resumed office as the political adviser to Jonathan some years back. Alkali has never won an election in his political life. He has only had appointments from government and has relied heavily on propaganda in staying on course in the political sphere. Alkali no doubt contributed to the failure of Jonathan at the polls because he wasn’t effective in his role, he lacks the political sagacity to mobilise people and failed woefully to galvanise support for the president.
Professor Ahmed Rufai Alkali
3. Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd): Dasuki is one aide anyone should not pray to have. As the National Security Adviser, he was a a ticking time bomb. As an aide to the president, he was more of a curse than a blessing. A rabble rouser, the Sokoto-born prince did more harm to Jonathan’s campaign than good. His careless statements, security blunders and silence on major national issues bordering on security was to say the least damaging to the president’s image.
Col. Dasuki Sambo (rtd)
4. Kingsley Kuku: Kuku who started on a good note in his position, was at some point carried away. He joined the infamous gang of Jonathan’s political ‘mercenaries’ whose brief seemed to be “Defend the president at all cost whether right or wrong”. His role in the Ekiti elections also dented his soaring image and that of his boss. He also went on a talking spree that made him goof severally while trying to justify the government’s failures. He was criss-crossing round the world telling all that cares that President Jonathan was the best thing to happen to Nigeria while the gale of unmitigated disasters at home continued unabated. Kuku is one man the president should have called to order long before he lost it completely.
Kingsley Kuku
5. Reno Omokri: Nigeria’s social media community will never forget Pastor Reno Omokri. From the Wendell Simillin saga to his retweet or favourite series to his dramatic demotion towards the end of the Jonathan’s administration, Omokri was a combination of cluelessness and incompetence. Why he left the pulpit for politics is not yet clear, but Reno should have stayed back. His contributions to Jonathan’s loss are enormous, gigiantic and un-quantifiable. He turned a vibrant youth population in the new media against the president through his unnecessary tweets and black propaganda which backfired at the end.
Reno Omokri
Meanwhile, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is pushing for disciplinary measures against Femi Fani-Kayode, for the scathing remarks he made about the party’s leadership.
APC Puts Zoning Of Senate President Position At Retreat
The All Progressives Congress (APC) reveals when it will decide zoning of Senate President.
The party said it will provide a two-day retreat for all its senators-elect in Abuja on Friday and Saturday, TheCable reports.
READ ALSO: APC Speaks About Senate President, Zoning
It is considered that the APC will put to rest the matter of the zoning of the senate president post at the retreat.
George Akume (Benue), Bukola Saraki (Kwara) and Ahmed Lawan (Yobe) are those senators who have shown interest in the top position of the upper chamber.
Lai Mohammed, party’s spokesman, released a statement in Abuja, May 21, Thursday.
According to which the party said the retreat would be held at the Ibeto Hotel in Apo area of the city.
It advised the senators-elect to arrive at the place, where accommodation arrangements have been made for them, by 6 p.m. on Friday as there would be a closed-door meeting between all senators-elect and party chieftains at 8 p.m. on the same day.
The statement reads: “The two-day retreat is part of efforts being undertaken by the party to ensure that the legislators hit the ground running for the benefit of Nigerians.”
It was earlier said that APC does not dismiss this principle, but assured Nigerians it will not impose anybody for the positions of Senate president and speaker of the House of Representatives.
PDP BOT Chairman: 5 Party Chieftains Who Stand A Chance
The recent resignation of Chief Anthony Anenih as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees is an indication that the outgoing ruling party has decided to rebuild the party.
Anenih’s sacrifice is a pointer to the fact that the chieftains of the party are aware of the enormous task ahead of them and are ready to make individual sacrifices to ensure that the party bounce back to reckoning in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
As it is, following Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu’s resignation as the party’s chairman, a South-South chieftain of the party is expected to take over. This is against the backdrop of the fact that the party will field a Northern candidate in the 2019 presidential elections to challenge President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, incase he decides to re-contest for the office of the presidency.
Given this scenario, the PDP is likely to elect a northerner as its BOT Chairman, despite Anenih’s claims of stepping down for President Goodluck Jonathan. Not known as a typical politician, Jonathan is widely expected to reject the offer.
Naij.com has therefore compiled a list of 5 PDP chieftains that will likely clinch the coveted position.
Read below:
1. Alhaji Sule Lamido: He has the brightest chance among the lot. Everything favours him; he is a founding member of the party, at 66 years, he is matured, he is popular in the north and he can be a rallying figure for the party in the region and beyond. A seasoned politician, the outgoing Governor of Jigawa State definitely fits the bill and has all the qualities to fill the big shoes of Chief Anenih.
Governor Sule Lamido
2. Ambassador Aminu Wali: If President Jonathan is interested in influencing who emerges the BOT Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Wali is one of those who might come top in his list. A trusted ally of the President, Wali has the experience and maturity to galvanise the downtrodden members of the party nationwide for the task ahead in 2019. The current Minister of Foreign Affairs might just be the man the party need to kick-start a fresh onslaught to re-take its lost glory.
Aminu Wali
3. Dr. Dalhatu Tafida: Adamawa-born Tafida is one politician who commands respect across all political divides. Another trusted ally of Jonathan, the current Nigerian Ambassador to the United Kingdom was brought back to Nigeria before the 2011 general elections to head the president’s campaign organisation. A loyal party man to the core, he was one of those fingered championing the third term agenda of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, during his time as the Senate Majority Leader.
Dr. Ddalhatu Tafida
4. Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau: A decent politician, Shekarau is known for his gentle nature, calmness, humility and political maturity. The former Governor of Kano and the current Minister of Education is one man whose emergence will thoroughly set the PDP to its right path. A progressive politician, his antecedents as a proven performer gives him an edge over other candidates.
Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau
5. Alhaji Bamanga Tukur: Many of the PDP faithfuls loyal to Tukur during his controversial removal as the PDP Chairman last year might drag him into the race. President Jonathan might also be interested in compensating the octenagerian whose removal wasn’t initially approved by the President until his hands were tied by the powerful PDP Governors Forum. As the PDP moves towards reconciliation and rejuvenation, they might have to look in the direction of the elder statesman to lead them in forging ahead for the titanic political battle that awaits them in future.
Alhaji Bamanga Tukur
Meanwhile, Nigerians have been reacting to the news of the resignation of Mu’azu with some commending him, while others condemned the move.
READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/443407-pdp-bot-chairman-5-party-chieftains-who-stand-a-chance.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)