Gov Bagudu pays condolence visit to families of 8 drowned victims of canoe accident

Wednesday, September 02, 2020 NEWS No Comments

Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi has paid a condolence visit to the families of eight people who died in a canoe accident in Rugar Geheru village of Jaga Local Government Area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that eight people including women and children drowned in when the canoe they were travelling in capsized at Tungar-Gegero.

Malam Yahaya Sarki, Special Adviser on Media to Gov. Bagudu, said that the governor was accompanied on the visit by his Commissioner of Finance, Ibrahim Augie and other government officials.

“He prayed Allah to forgive the deceased, grant them Aljannat Firdaus, and give their families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“Bagudu, who also expressed deep shock, also consoled the residents and admonished them to accept it in good faith,” he said.

The statement also quoted the governor as promising to rebuild the dilapidated Mosque in the village while assuring them that the state government would also look into the possibility of rehabilitating the road leading to the village.

NAN reports that Alhaji Sani Dododo, the Chairman, Kebbi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), said: “at about 10.30 a.m. there was an incident at Tungar-Gegero in Jega Local Government Area, where eight people lost their lives in the canoe mishap.

“Women and children about 10 of them were onboard with only one operator, a middle aged man and he was trying to transport the people to a naming ceremony.

“They started the journey and crossed to the other bank of the stream successfully, but on their way back the canoe capsized and all the occupants drowned in the water.”

Dododo, however, said that the operator was able to save two women, adding that the remaining eight including children were all drowned in the water.

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We won’t tolerate disrespect from Buhari’s appointees again - Senate President, Ahmad Lawan

Tuesday, September 01, 2020 NEWS No Comments

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has issued a warning to President Buhari's appointees following the continous face-off that has been recorded between the executive cabinet members and the legislature in the last few weeks. Addressing State House reporters on Monday August 31 after Buhari inaugurated the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo-led Executive/Legislative/Party Consultative Committee, Lawan disclosed that the President has addressed the issues. 

He said; 

"I believe that should be the end of it (appointees knocking heads with legislature). We believe that we should work together.

“Mr President made it very clear that he is not going to tolerate any of his appointees doing things that are not respectable, things that have no dignity to the National Assembly.

“For us in the National Assembly, I think what has happened has happened. We pray nobody goes to the National Assembly to do the kind of things that disrespect the President and of course abuse the National Assembly.

“We are not going to tolerate that because anyone who wants to see Nigeria progress will continue to ensure that this consultative forum produces the kind of result and outcomes that will make Nigeria better in terms of governance.”

The Senate President who noted that the legislature would always perform its oversight function and check possible excesses of the executive, added that it is incumbent upon APC leaders at all levels and as a party to ensure they met expectations and aspirations of Nigerians by fulfilling the promise made to them during the electioneering campaigns.

Lawan said; 

“But we also believe that separation of powers also means there should be cooperation, consultation, coordination and partnership for the benefits of the people of this country. This is not in any way to compromise the different functions we’re tasked and scheduled to discharge."

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2023: I won’t hesitate to serve Nigeria if given the opportunity- Orji Uzor Kalu

Tuesday, September 01, 2020 NEWS No Comments

Former Abia state governor and Senate chief whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, says he would not hesitate to serve as Nigeria’s president if given the opportunity by the electorate.

Kalu disclosed this to newsmen after a private visit to former Military leaders, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Minna, on Monday, August 31.

 “I am still in the senate, and I will seek for re-election into the senate but if our people want me to serve as president I will not hesitate. Zoning is not a constitutional matter in APC. Any person can contest any post in APC.” he said

In December 2019, Kalu was sentenced to 12 years in prison after he was convicted for N7.1bn fraud alongside his firm, Slok Nigeria Limited, and a former Director of Finance during his tenure as governor, Ugo Udeogu.

The Supreme court on May 8, 2020, upturned Kalu and Udeogo's conviction on grounds that the presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, lacked the jurisdiction to have presided over their case. He was released from Kuje prison on June 3, 2020.

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Woman accuses Hillsong church of failing to act after she accused the son of two pastors of sexual misconduct

Tuesday, September 01, 2020 VIRAL No Comments

A woman named Lereko Melissa has accused Hillsong Church in Oxford of enabling the son of two pastors who sexually harassed her while she was a member of the church.

Lereko claims she was a chorister, together with Joshua Barwell, and during that period, he made sexually suggestive comments towards her. She said the comments sometimes came prior to them leading worship together.

 She said the comments made her uncomfortable and she told him about it. She claims he toned it down a bit but later went back to his old ways.

She added that "given the toxic environment that prevailed over Hillsong Chruch (as a result of abusive leadership) and the fact that the Pastors of the church were Josh's parents, I felt that I was in no position to seek their help."

As she was afraid of the consequences of reporting Joshua Barwell to his pastor parents and other pastors, she said she began wearing "drape-like clothing" to hide her body shape so that he will stop making sexual comments.

She said she eventually left the church and sent a mail, reporting the abuse. She claims the church promised to investigate the alleged sexual misconduct but they haven't done anything since then.

She added that she shared her story online to "provide his other victims with another ally and cultivate a safe and supportive space in which they can come forward and share their own ill experiences with Josh, and highlight how their individual churches have failed them."

She also shared screenshots of the email exchange between her and the church after she reported the alleged sexual abuse to them. 

Read her post below

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143 new cases of COVID-19 recorded in Nigeria

Tuesday, September 01, 2020 NEWS No Comments

143 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Nigeria on Monday, August 31.

According to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control NCDC, Plateau state recorded 35 new cases,  Kaduna-21, Lagos-19, FCT-13, Ebonyi-9, Adamawa-7, Enugu-7, Katsina-7, Edo-6, Kwara-5, Osun-3, Anambra-2, Kano-2, Niger-2, Ogun-2, Benue-1, Borno-1 and Sokoto-1

Nigeria now has 54,008 confirmed cases of the viral disease. 41,638 patients have been discharged while 1,013 deaths have been recorded.

See a breakdown of the number of cases in each state below;

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