Victims (8)

 

This should be in the  Guiness Book of Records  

The number of ‘tenants’ allegedly defrauded by an estate agent in Lagos, has risen to 64, even as policemen at the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, are still collating names of victims. The Police have also confirmed that Omotayo Balogun, who other victims claimed was not one of them, was actually defrauded by the estate agent, Olatunde Najeem.

 
According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the SFU, Ngozi Isintume, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Balogun paid the sum of N500,000, to Najeem for a mini flat.
She explained that after the payment, Najeem failed to give the flat to him. According to her, it was based on that, that he (Balogun) wrote a petition to the SFU on December 2, 2010, which led to the arrest of the suspect.
She disclosed that it was when other victims heard that Najeem had been arrested that they came to report that they were also defrauded by the suspect.
The PRO, however, wondered why some of the victims resorted to being hostile to the policemen, who according to her, were working to ensure that they get justice..
“It is not true that Balogun was not defrauded by the same estate agent. It’s not possible for all the victims to know themselves. The police are in a better position to know the victims because, they come to complain to us and not to their fellow victims.
“Omotayo was the first person who wrote a petition to the police. Those who are alleging that Balogun was not one of the victims, did not even report the matter to the police. It was when they heard that he had written a petition to the SFU, leading to the arrest of the suspect, that they started showing up,” she said.
Meanwhile, Isintume has advised people to always carry out thorough investigation before paying for accommodation. She also urged other victims in the rent scam to visit SFU for further information.
Daily Sun had in its Thursday, February, 17, 2011, edition published report of the estate agent, who defrauded 51 ‘tenants’ the sum of N16.9million.
 

 
 

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12166300684?profile=originalThe glamorous lovers’ day celebration on Monday turned bloody at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) when gunmen killed two students. Daily Sun gathered that the clash was between two rival cult groups, namely, Black Axe and the Buccaneers,’ over a female student allegedly snatched by the Capone of the Black Axe for Valentine celebration.

 

The action of the Capone , the source said did not go down well with the other group leading to the clash.
A student who witnessed the shooting said besides the two cult members who were shot dead, about four others sustained injuries and were ferried out of the campus by their leaders to shield their identity.

The sources said the cult members who carried out the attack were not UNILAG students but members from another campus, adding that the attack was carried out in a commando style with sporadic shooting.
An undergraduate student of English Department told Daily Sun that the Buccaneers’ group attacked the Black Axe members while another student returning from the Mosque said those who carried out the killing were not from UNILAG because they did not cover their faces.

It was learnt that as soon the shooting started, students scampered for safety while others took cover behind the wall and under cars packed around, while others ran into the halls to avoid being hit by stray bullets. 
A senior lecturer who confirmed the killings said the university management had met to curtail any reprisal attack while security personnel had taken over the investigation of the deadly cult clash.
When Daily Sun visited the troubled institution yesterday, there was uneasy calm, as most staff and students rebuffed efforts made by the reporters to get their comments.

However, one of the students who resides at Sodeinde Hall, said there was sporadic gunshots outside the premises which caused panic everywhere. 
It was gathered that the crisis, which erupted when the students were at the peak of lovers’ day celebration, created stampede on the campus as people ran for safety.

One of the victims of the attack reportedly ran into Sodeinde Hall for help, from where he was taken to the hospital.
Although the Hall Master of Sodeinde Hall declined comments on the issue, one of the officials, who wouldn’t want his name published, said the attack could not be linked to any cult group. He said there was increasing speculation that the perpetrators of the attack could be fighting for love. Efforts made by Daily Sun our reporter to ascertain the identities of the victims were unsuccessful.
The news bulletin of the university, Information Flash (ISSN 08195540) also captured the incident, while assuring the staff and students of the university of adequate security.

“The attention of the universities authorities has been drawn to the incident which occurred in one of the Halls of Residence in the late hours of Monday, February 14, 2011 where two persons were reportedly injured in fracas. The university management has commenced investigation into the unusual incident, in particular at a time when preparation for the first semester examinations due to commence on February 21, 2011 are in top gear. Security has been intensified to ensure safety of life and property on campus. Law enforcement agents have been involved to assist the university in this respect,” it said. 
Daily Sun learnt that students are leaving the campus because of the fear of reprisal attack while some parents called their wards on phone to return home until the situation is brought under control. 

The Deputy Registrar Information of UNILAG, Mr. Dare Adebisi refused to pick his calls or replied to text message sent to his phone.
When the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Samuel Jinadu (DSP) was called thrice, he promised to contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the area and did not call back as at the press time....

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Alhaji Aliko Dangote has donated N100 million to victims of the recent flood in Sokoto State which rendered thousands of people homeless. Dangote also donated N15 million to the Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad
Development Initiative.

Speaking at the Government House, Sokoto yesterday, he said he was disturbed by the disaster and decided to make his little contribution towards cushioning the hardship of the victims.

He prayed Allah to grant them the strength to bear their losses and to compensate them through other ways.

He also described the flood as devastating, saying there was no doubt that it was a national tragedy that deserves the attention of every well-to-do Nigerian. He also prayed Allah to grant the dead eternal rest and their families the fortitude to bear the loses.

Responding, Governor Wamakko thanked him for the gesture and prayed Allah to reward him in abundance, adding that the money would be used judiciously..

While at the Sultan’s Palace, Dangote commended the monarch for the role he has been playing towards making the country a peaceful nation.

According to him, every Muslim is happy with the method evolved by the monarch to strengthen peaceful co-existence among all Nigerians.

He said he was donating N15 million to the Sultan Development Initiative because of its activities which have direct bearing on the less privileged in the country.

Sultan Sa’ad expressed appreciation for what Dangote is doing for those affected by disasters, recalling his enormous contribution to the victims of the recent riot that claimed several lives. He called on other wealthy Nigerians to emulate him and be their brothers’ keepers, for the unity of the country.
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People crossing the flooded area through a wooden bridge from Ajiliti to Mile 12 area. Inset: Okada riders waiting for passengers. Photos: Sylvester Okoruwa

The recent flood that rendered a lot of Lagosians homeless, destroying property worth millions of naira, impoverished the victims, as reported by OWONIBI AYOMIDE.

THE Foursquare Gospel Church in Agiliti a suburb in Mile 12 still stands solidly on its foundation. Though the church is painted white to signify purity, the white paint is gradually peeling away, revealing the ash coloured plastered walls now green and slimy with algae..

Instead of devoted worshippers clapping and singing praises, the church is quiet and desolate. The only sound that can be heard is the sound of water seeping through some of the cracks in the walls. Occasionally, the stillness of the church is broken by the sound of a water creature going about its business as if it belongs there.

Outside the church is a long stretch of algae green water with rows of houses and shops on both sides. The stretch of water was once Oreofe Street. The houses are not like normal houses on dry land. Though once built on dry land, they are now submerged in water up to the window level or the roof as the case may be.

Where is my pot?
For many residents of Ikorodu, Ajegunle and other surrounding communities, the flood that ravaged the community last weekend, will always remain fresh in their memories, as many of them lost valuable properties accumulated after many years of hard work and labour. For Mrs. Theresa Adekanle, a widow living in a one room apartment in one of the streets submerged by water, the flood has reduced her to a beggar as she has to depend on kindhearted neighbours to provide food for her and her three children.

While speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the widow recalled that she had gone to bed with her children around ten on Friday night, only to wake up two hours later to pray and discovered that somehow, water was seeping under her door.

“I initially thought that someone had mistakenly tripped over a bucket of water I normally keep in front of my door for toilet purposes. I opened the door to reprimand whoever it was, but was surprised to see that the whole passage was filled with water. I raised an alarm and the other tenants started trooping out of their rooms and salvaging their properties.”

Mrs. Adekanle noted with dismay that after making sure that her children were safely perched on the table she uses to display her tomatoes and pepper in front of the house, she discovered that the pot of soup which she allegedly spent N700 in preparing had drifted away to the backyard. She also lamented that the dry foodstuff she bought for the month were also destroyed by the flood waters.

“I am presently going through a lot, as I am living from hand to mouth. If not for my pastor and the little daily contribution I do, me and my children would have taken to the streets in search of our daily bread.”

Harvest of loss
Mrs. Adekanle is not the only one affected by the flood, as hundreds of people living in the area had to flee the area, living behind their property. A man shook his head sadly as he pointed to his car which was submerged in water and declined to give any comment, as his loss was evident enough.

Taking a canoe ride through the submerged street is not easy as the youngsters paddling the canoe have to battle with floating household utensils like pots, plastic plates, and what have you. The water has proved to be a litmus test for many houses which were constructed hurriedly without making sure that the foundations are strong enough to withstand the test of time.

According to a youth leader in the area, more than eight houses have collapsed since the flood began, while many others stand the risk of collapse once the water dry up.

A mechanic operating in the area said that he is only waiting for the water to dry up so that he can retrieve some of his tools that sank. “This is my shop,” he said pointing to what once used to be a wood structure. “I don’t live here, but I was more than shocked when I came to work in the morning and discovered that my shop has been submerged. As you can see, I am only waiting for the waters to dry up. He explained hopefully.

We must survive
A visit to the area revealed that some of the residents of the area who have no where to go; have continued to live in their swamped houses regardless of the dangers inherent in it. Borrowing a leaf from the Ilaje people who build their homes on water, many of them have constructed wooden platforms in their rooms, from where they sleep, cook and eat. Children who are of age are severely warned about the dangers lurking beneath the murky waters, so there is no fear of drowning or any other mishap.

One of the residents who simply identified himself as Sunday, said that some of the major problems they are currently facing is the smell of the water, the large number of mosquitoes and other flying insects, the difficulty in getting clean water to drink and worse of all, the presence of snakes.

“For me, getting water to drink is really not a problem because all I have to do is take a canoe to the other side and buy pure water.” He said, pointing to some bags of water stashed on the platform. “Initially, I didn’t want to abandon my house and go and squat with friends but I am currently rethinking the situation because of the snakes. Though I know they can’t bite while in water, what will happen when they manage to slide up my bed in the night?”

Another resident who continues to live in her house despite the swamped quarters complained about the cold and the difficulty of going to work.

“It is not as bad as people out there think. In life we must all learn to adapt to whatever situation we find ourselves. The only challenge I am having right now is the difficulty in getting to work. Getting a canoe is not easy, because the youngsters who paddle the canoe are afraid of my end, complaining that the snakes are too much.”

While many are lamenting bitterly, the canoe business is thriving beautifully, as the paddlers make as high as N2000 daily from ferrying people to and fro the flooded areas. Carpenters now have to work overtime because suddenly, every unemployed youth now wants to have a canoe because of the fringe benefits.

Echoes of help
Looking more like a ghost town, the submerged areas in Agiliti and Madan areas is so deserted and quiet that the voice of the few left behind, echo loudly, reverberating inside the abandoned houses now inhabited by water left to their fate by the former occupants. The playing ground of the schools located in the areas which was once filled with happy children is now a shadow of itself. The only living creatures are frogs and other water creatures.

Some of the residents who spoke with the Sunday Tribune pleaded with Governor Fashola to come to their rescue as they had been cut off from their means of livelihood. However, there was a twist in the whole plea for help as some of the residents said that they were not suffering and that nothing should be written about them or the government would come and demolish their houses.

“We don’t want any interference from the government. All we want from them is that they should give us good roads and find a way of channeling the dam from Ogun State to somewhere else. Governor Fashola cannot just come here and tell us to go somewhere else. This happens once in year and we are well prepared for it. We knew this was a water area when we bought our land.” One of the elders in the community yelled angrily.

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WASHINGTON – BP will set aside $20 billion to pay the victims of the massive oil spill in the Gulf, senior administration officials said Wednesday, a move made under pressure by the White House as the company copes with causing the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history.


The independent fund will be led by lawyer Kenneth Feinberg, who oversaw payments to families of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. In his current role, Feinberg is known as Obama's "pay czar," setting salary limits for companies getting the most aid from a $700 billion government bailout fund.


Obama was to announce the deal in a Rose Garden statement later Wednesday after wrapping up a meeting with BP executives at the White House.


The officials familiar with the details spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity before the announcement.


The still-unfolding disaster in the Gulf, as tens of thousands of gallons of oil continue to pour from the broken well daily, is jeopardizing the environment and ecosystems along with the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people across the coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Those affected ranged from fishermen to restaurateurs to oil rig workers idled by Obama's temporary halt to new deep-sea oil drilling.


BP spokesman Toby Odone declined to comment on the fund..


Several big questions remain unanswered, including when BP would start processing claims and paying people out of the fund; who and what would exactly be covered under the plan; how the White House and BP came up with a figure of $20 billion; and whether other involved companies will be required to chip in.


At $20 billion, the size of the fund is the same that was recommended by congressional Democrats.


BP has taken the brunt of criticism about the oil spill because it was the operator of the Deepwater Horizon rig that sunk. It also is a majority owner of the undersea well that has been spewing oil since the explosion.


But when the day of reckoning finally comes, it may not be the only one having to pay up. That's because Swiss-based Transocean Ltd. owned a majority interest in the rig. Anadarko Petroleum, based in The Woodlands, Texas, has a 25 percent non-operating interest in the well.


Feinberg ran the unprecedented $7 billion government compensation program for the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. It was a job that lasted nearly three years as he decided how much compensation families of the victims should get, largely based on how much income they would have earned in a lifetime.


As pay czar, Feinberg has capped cash salaries at $500,000 this year for the vast majority of the top executives at the five major companies that received bailout funding: American International Group, GMAC Financial Services, Chrysler Financial, Chrysler and General Motors.


The selection of Feinberg was praised by Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York. "He did an amazingly good job in New York for the families of those lost on September 11 and received plaudits from all sides. I believe when Feinberg completes his mission here, the people in the Gulf will feel the same way," Schumer said in a statement.


The development came as Obama was meeting on his turf with top BP leaders to press the London-based oil giant to pay giant claims.


BP Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, CEO Tony Hayward, and other officials walked slowly as a group from the Southwest Gate of the White House, climbing the steps leading to the West Wing.


Joining the president in the room were Vice President Joe Biden, Attorney General Eric Holder, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and the secretaries of energy, interior, commerce, homeland security and labor.


The meeting came the morning after Obama vowed to an angry nation that "we will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused."


The crisis began with a deep water well that blew out on April 20, killing 11 rig workers and triggering the spill.


Obama in his speech to the nation on Tuesday night backed creation of a fund administered by an independent trustee to pay damages and clean up costs associated with the spill.


For the president, the tough diplomacy with a few officials behind closed doors is a bookend to his attempt to reach millions at once. Using a delivery in which even the harshest words were uttered in subdued tones, Obama did not offer much in the way of new ideas or details in his speech. He mainly recapped the government's efforts, insisted once again that BP will be held to account and tried to tap the resilience of a nation in promising that "something better awaits."


Obama's forceful tone about BP's behavior shows how far matters have deteriorated. The White House once had described BP as an essential partner in plugging the crude oil spewing from the broken well beneath nearly a mile of water. Now Obama says BP has threatened to destroy a whole way of life.


An Associated Press-GfK poll released Tuesday showed 52 percent now disapprove of Obama's handling of the oil spill, up significantly from last month. Most people — 56 percent — think the government's actions in response to the disaster really haven't had any impact on the situation.

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Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Earthquake victims, writhing in pain and grasping at life, watched doctors and nurses walk away from a field hospital Friday night after United Nations officials ordered a medical team to evacuate the area out of security concerns. The only doctor left was CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta. He assessed the needs of the 25 patients, but with no supplies there was little he could do. And more people, some in critical condition, were trickling in late Friday. "I've never been in a situation like this. This is quite ridiculous," Gupta said. With a dearth of medical facilities in Haiti's capital, ambulances had nowhere else to take patients, some who had suffered severe trauma -- amputations and head injuries. Others had suffered a great deal of blood loss, but there were no blood supplies left at the clinic. Search and rescue must trump security. ... They need to man up and get back in there. --Retired Army Lt. Gen. Russell Honoré Gupta said some might not survive the night. He said the Belgian doctors did not want to leave their patients behind but were ordered out by the United Nations, which sent buses to transport them. "There is concern about riots not far from here -- and this is part of the problem," Gupta said. There have been scattered reports of violence throughout the capital. "What is striking to me as a physician is that patients who just had surgery, patients who are critically ill are essentially being left here, nobody to care for them," Gupta said. Sandra Pierre, a Haitian who has been helping at the makeshift hospital, said the medical staff took most of the supplies with them. Port-au-Prince "All the doctors, all the nurses are gone," she said. "They are expected to be back tomorrow. They had no plan on leaving tonight. It was an order that came suddenly." She told Gupta, "It's just you." A 7.0 magnitude earthquake flattened Haiti's capital city Tuesday afternoon, affecting as many as 3 million people. Tens of thousands of people are feared dead. Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere, lacked adequate medical resources even before the disaster and has been struggling this week to tend to huge numbers of injured. The U.N. clinic, set up under several tents, was a godsend to the few who were lucky to have been brought there. It was not known whether the medical team would return in daylight. Retired Army Lt. Gen. Russell Honoré, who led relief efforts for Hurricane Katrina in 2005, said the evacuation of the clinic's medical staff was unforgivable. "Search and rescue must trump security," Honoré said. "I've never seen anything like this before in my life. They need to man up and get back in there." Honoré drew parallels between the tragedy in New Orleans and in Port-au-Prince. But even in the chaos of Katrina, he said, he had never seen medical staff walk away. "I find this astonishing these doctors left," he said. "People are scared of the poor."
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Jungle gang kill victims for their fat

Friday, November 20, 2009A gang in the Peruvian jungle has been killing people and draining fat from the corpses to sell on the black market for use in cosmetics.Three suspects confessed to killing five people, but the gang may have been involved in dozens more, said Colonel Jorge Mejia, chief of Peru's anti-kidnapping police.Mejia said two of the suspects were arrested carrying bottles of liquid human fat and told police it was worth $60,000 a gallon.The fat was sold to intermediaries in Peru's capital, Lima, and police suspect it was then sold to cosmetic companies in Europe.Medical experts expressed doubt about an international black market for human fat, although it does have cosmetic applications.At a news conference, police showed reporters two bottles of fat recovered from the suspects and a photo of the rotting head of a 27-year-old male victim.Suspect Elmer Segundo Castillejos, 29, led police to the head, recovered in a coca-growing valley last month.Mejia said Castillejos recounted how the gang cut off its victims' heads, arms and legs, removed the organs, then suspended the torsos from hooks above candles that warmed the flesh as fat dripped into tubs below.Six members of the gang remain at large, Mejia said. Among them was the band's alleged leader, Hilario Cudena, 56, who Castillejos told police has been killing people to extract human fat for more than three decades.This year alone, at least 60 people are listed as missing in Huanuco province, where the gang allegedly operated, though the province is also home to drug-trafficking leftist rebels.Human fat is used in anti-wrinkle treatments - but is always extracted from the patient who is being treated, usually from the stomach or buttocks."There would be a risk of immunological reaction that could lead to life-threatening consequences" if fat from someone else were used, said Dr. Neil Sadick, a professor of dermatology at Cornell Weill Medical College in New York.
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Families pay tribute to Air France victims By EMMA VANDORE – 32 minutes ago PARIS (AP) — Three young Irish doctors, all close friends, enjoying a two-week vacation together in Brazil. That's how their families want to remember Aisling Butler, 26, Jane Deasy, 27, and Eithne Walls, 29 — three of the 228 passengers who met with tragedy as Air France flight 447 ended up in the Atlantic Ocean. The women boarded the flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on Sunday night after a reunion with a larger group of former students who graduated in 2007 from Trinity College medical school. Aisling's father John Butler paid tribute to his daughter Tuesday from his home in Roscrea, County Tipperary. "She was a truly wonderful, exciting girl," he told Irish reporters. "She never flunked an exam in her life — nailed every one of them — and took it all in her stride as well." He said he initially thought Aisling was booked on Monday's flight and had to retrieve her itinerary from his deleted e-mails folder. "When I opened it up, a nightmare opened up as well," he said. Walls was working in Dublin's Eye and Ear Hospital. Before starting her medical studies she worked full-time as a dancer in the Riverdance troupe, and continued to perform part-time during her six years in Trinity medical school. She performed at Radio City Music Hall and in Germany, France, China and Dublin. Julian Erskine, executive producer of Riverdance productions worldwide, described Walls as "bright and sparkling." "She made an impact on anyone. When she wasn't dancing, she was studying. She was on a mission to be a doctor," he said. Investigators were still looking into what brought the plane down in the Atlantic Ocean hours into its flight to Paris. Among the 216 passengers were 61 French citizens, 58 Brazilians, 26 Germans, nine Chinese and nine Italians. A lesser number of citizens from 27 other countries also were on the passenger list, including two Americans. Ten salesmen from CGED, an electrical distributor, were on the plane with their spouses after winning a vacation to Brazil, Europe-1 radio reported. French tiremaker Michelin lost three executives, including two senior Brazilian managers and Christine Pieraerts, a young French engineer. Spokeswoman Sophie Perrier said Michelin's staff was "very moved" by the tragedy. Michelin's president for South America, Luiz Roberto Anastacio, 50, had been promoted May 4 and was traveling to France to meet fellow top executives. He had worked for Michelin for 27 years. Brazilian information systems director, Antonio Gueiros, who had worked for Michelin for over 20 years, was coming to Paris for a computer seminar. Michael Pieraerts praised his younger sister Christine, who was just short of her 29th birthday. "Christine had, a short while ago, a stroke. She had recovered. We were very happy because was starting to take up her activities and a normal life again. Fate caught up with her and us," Michael told Le Parisien newspaper. The five Britons on the plane included 61-year-old British engineer Arthur Coakley, from near Whitby, North Yorkshire. His wife of 34 years, Patricia, broke down in tears as she described her "fabulous husband," father to their three grown children. "He worked so hard for his family, that's all he wanted, to retire. It's not going to happen, is it?" she told Britain's Press Association. Coakley, a structural engineer for PDMS, an Aberdeen-based oil company, was helping with a survey in Brazil. He was booked onto an earlier flight, but was bumped onto the doomed jet after the first flight was full. Patricia Coakley said her son Patrick raised the alarm, phoning to ask "What flight is Daddy on?" She tried phoning her husband's mobile on Monday but gave up Tuesday. "Yesterday I was really optimistic, today maybe more realistic," she said. Prince Pedro Luis de Orleans e Braganca, 26, a member of Brazil's now-defunct royal family and a descendent of Dom Pedro II, the nation's last emperor, was on the plane. So was sailor Zoran Markovic, 45, from the village of Kostelji in northwestern Croatia. Air France said 11 of the 12 crew members were French but did not release their names. The flight captain, 58, joined Air France in 1988 and had 11,000 hours of flight hours including 1,700 on aircraft of the same type as the A330-200 that disappeared. The two co-pilots were 37 and 32 and had over 9,000 flight hours between them. The head of the cabin crew was 49, his deputies were 54 and 46 years old. Of the six flight attendants aged between 24 and 44, one was Brazilian.
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