Most Internet users have found them in their e-mail inboxes at one time: those messages giving the news that they've won or inherited millions of dollars from overseas.

Most people delete them. But sometimes, the federal government says, recipients fall victim to an Internet scam.

A man found guilty of authoring those e-mails, a Nigerian national, was sentenced Thursday in a federal court in Charlotte for being part of a two-man team that bilked at least 18 people in the United States, Australia and Europe of more than $9.5 million.

Ugochukwu Enwerem, better known as Joseph Smith to his victims, was sentenced to nine years in prison, the U.S. Justice Department announced. The other member of the team, Kent Okojie, previously was sentenced to six years in prison. The two men also were ordered to pay $9.4 million in restitution to their victims.

Enwerem, 39, and Okojie, 42, operated their scam from Amsterdam, the U.S. government says, and were arrested by Dutch and American officials in June 2007. They were extradited from the Netherlands to the United States and went on trial in Charlotte.

Okojie pleaded guilty in September 2009, and Enwerem was found guilty in a jury trial last March.

Laura Sweeney, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department, said the case was heard in Charlotte because prosecutors said the two men conducted financial transactions with their victims through a Western Union computer server there. Evidence at the trial laid out the way the two men conducted their scheme: The men were accused of sending e-mails, telling individuals they had won a foreign lottery, inherited a large amount of money from a long-lost relative, or were eligible for money from some other source.

When victims responded to the e-mails, the two men posed as bankers, lawyers and European government officials, asking the respondents to send money for things such as "anti-terrorism certificates," ''EU bank clearances" and "anti-money laundering certificates." The money was transferred through Western Union and other money services, the government said.

In the indictment, prosecutors said Okojie used the name "Paul Hamilton" and Enwerem went by "Joseph Smith" to victims.
 

Federal papers filed in the case spelled out how one victim, who lives in Bensalem, Pa., sent nearly $150,000 to the two men over 18 months from late 2005 to spring 2007. The victim, identified only as EG, wired the money in 10 different increments. According to the government, the victim had been told she had won about $6.2 million in the "National UK Lottery." In one case, the government said, EG was asked to send $30,182.10 to a man in Spain to pay for a police report and an Anti-Terrorism Certificate. On another occasion, the government said, Okojie — posing as Paul Hamilton — convinced the woman to send $35,000 to pay European Union taxes.

"It is not the first case of this type that we have prosecuted," Sweeney said. She noted that it probably will not be the last, noting that the e-mail scams are not that uncommon.

Sweeney said the case was investigated by U.S. Postal inspectors, the U.S. Justice Department and police in Amsterdam and prosecuted by the Justice Department's Fraud Section.
 

General Ibrahim Babangida

The adoption of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the consensus candidate of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) may after all not have ended the desire of the retired General to run.

Sources have revealed that the retired General will any moment from now announce his defection to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) as pressures on him to toe this line have not ceased.

Babangida, from impeccable sources would not likely survive the pressure to decamp to another party to ensure the north actualises its plans to produce the president in May at all costs.

Saturday Sun can authoritatively report that Babangida’s supporters feel betrayed and angry that members of the NPLF committee saddled with the responsibility of picking one person, among the former head of state, Atiku, Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki and former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Gusau, chose another presidential aspirant when Babangida not only ranked highest in the criteria listed but also has large following across the country.

But beyond that lost battle, the calculation now is that the north feels cheated and has the clear signs that the candidates of the opposition parties from the north vying for the presidency might not make any impact to unseat President Goodluck Jonathan. The way out of the possibility of losing is to beef up the fight in choosing another candidate of a more formidable war chest to slug it out with the PDP and eventually capture power.

Sources close to the Babangida camp said that his supporters have been putting pressure on him to take advantage of the opportunity the amendment of the ANNP constitution presents and defect to the party. “Leaders of the ANPP are disposed to a candidate that could win the presidential election”, the source revealed.

The forces behind this plot argue that since the NPLF was not fair in its choice, Babangida could, as well, renege on his promise to accept its choice of consensus candidate.

The ANPP had amended its constitution and added a provision that any former head of state that wishes to pursue his presidential ambition in the political party was free to do so. The party had delayed its national convention, so that PDP would conclude its own, to make room for aggrieved members of the party to come over the ANPP.

Saturday Sun was reliably told that the Babangida camp believes that since the retired army officer would not press his presidential ambition in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) he would not have breached any agreement if he defects to the ANPP.

Sources revealed that after the NPLF forum announced Atiku as consensus candidate, some leaders of ANPP started lobbying Babangida’s supporters to prevail on him to come over to the party and pick its presidential ticket. Among ANPP leaders who want Babangida and in the forefront of the lobby is Borno State governor, Alhaji Modu Sheriff and former Kogi State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Audu. These two top shots of the ANPP, sources revealed, were instrumental to the emergence of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu as the national chairman of the party and wants a formidable presidential candidate in next year’s election.

It was gathered that the ANPP leaders want to reenact what happened in 2003 when former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari picked the presidential ticket, despite the fact that he joined the party not long before the primaries.

Babangida camp’s calculation

The Babangida camp is considering the option of joining the ANPP, as he reckons that he may eventually end up as northern preferred/consensus candidate in the 2011 presidential election. The calculation is that since President Goodluck Jonathan defeated Atiku at the primaries of the PDP, to pick the presidential ticket, it rendered the NPLF plot to have a president of northern extraction take over power from May 29 a nullity.

The belief is that in an election where Babangida squares up with Jonathan, northern political leaders would have no choice than to pitch their tent with him. Sources also revealed that such development would also see Atiku, Gusau and Saraki indirectly working with Babangida, believing that he would return to the PDP if he wins the election.

It was gathered that Babangida’s supporters are pressing it on him that if he refuses to join the ANPP and picks its presidential ticket, Buhari may be the beneficiary of the suspected defeat of Atiku at PDP primaries, since the North may switch its support to the Congress for Political Change (CPC), in a presidential election where Jonathan and Buhari are candidates of their political parties.

Anger against Ciroma committee

The Babangida camp revealed that the General’s supporters are insinuating a deliberate shortchange, betrayal and back stabbing by the nine members of the Malam Adamu Ciroma committee. They accused the group of making a decision against the run of play, insisting that the committee didn’t adhere to due process in its choice. These aggrieved Babangida diehards say that media reports on how members of the Ciroma committee voted were true. They contend that members of the committee chose to adopt secret ballot, in order to execute the plot of not picking Babangida.

Babangida started losing out in the consensus arrangement when the Ciroma committee decided to visit the states to get additional information about the preparedness of the aspirants, which was beyond its brief. It was learnt that rather than meet with major stakeholders in the North, especially the Northern Governors Forum, the committee selected a handful of Emirs and some other traditional rulers.

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Saturday Sun gathered that the committee, in investigating the structures of the presidential aspirants in the consensus option, observed that Babangida had offices in 29 states, while Atiku had in 18 states. Saraki and Gusau were said to have offices in 12 and 14 states respectively. Also, the committee observed that Babangida had supporters spread across the country, especially those he empowered while in office. Based on these findings, Babangida was the favourite of members of the Ciroma committee before the Eid el Fitri holiday.

It was after the Sallah break, the committee started sounding discordant tunes. First, members of the group, it was gathered, were divided between conducting an open ballot and or secret balloting. Some of them reasoned that on account of their ages, they should not be afraid of conducting an open ballot, but Chief Audu Ogbeh, reportedly argued in favour of secret balloting to allow the members free choice.

In an apparent display of presidential powers, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday locked out the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, some of his aides as well as other commercial passengers from Benin City, where ironically Oshiomhole is chief executive.

The President’s security apparatus, The Sun learnt, simply shut down the Benin airspace over what it called ‘VIP’ movement.

President Jonathan was said to be returning from neighbouring Delta State where he had gone for campaigns for the forthcoming April polls.

So, for over 45minutes, after it got to Benin, the Air Nigeria plane, which left the domestic wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport at 8.30am, hovered in the skies, unable to land. Running dangerously low on fuel, the pilot had to return to Lagos, amid hisses and curses by enraged passengers, many of whom had different engagements to catch up with in Benin, Warri, and neighbouring cities.

Oshiomhole, himself, was returning from Lagos where he had gone to attend The Sun Man of the Year Award as a special guest and was billed to address a campaign rally in Owan local government area of the state.

Oshiomhole, it was gathered, had left his hotel suite at Victoria Island as early as 7.30am in order to beat the traffic and meet the early morning flight. He did not reckon he would be trapped in the air due to the now notorious ‘VIP’ movement.

He and the other stranded passengers eventually took the rescheduled flight at noon.

Even though Oshiomhole refused to speak on the incident, other embarrassed and enraged passengers, who spoke to The Sun condemned the tyrannical practice of shutting down the airspace in the guise of VIP movement.

John, a chattered accountant, who was on the flight said: “This kind of uncivilised behaviour must stop. We are not in the jungle. How can you shut down the airspace because the president, vice-president, senate president or speaker of the House is airborne? What if we had run out of fuel and had a crash? Is the president’s life more precious than that of the ordinary citizen? What kind of oppression by man against his fellow man is this? This nonsense cannot continue.”

Another passenger, who preferred anonymity, said: “It is only in this country you have this kind of behaviour. What if we had had a crash? God forbid. I was terribly scared.

“The president must apologise for this uncivilised conduct. We are tired of government officials behaving as if they are more important than the people who put them there. They just behave like emperors. It is a shame!..

It’s that time of the year again when the best (and worst) of the Hollywood rabble gather their best frocks and dish out golden statues to each other. Yes, the Oscars are here with a new set of movies and stars vying for your consideration. So what’s new this year? Well, the Academy has decided to go all young and hip by handing presenting duties to Anne Hathaway and James Franco.

They are the Academy’s youngest hosts in its 83-year history and might set the tone for future awards ceremonies. Both have displayed very credible comedic skills in the past, so hopefully there shouldn’t be too many forced jokes or awkward silences. The 10-film format for Best Picture has been retained after been introduced last year. Thankfully, we have a stronger field to pick from this year, so average films like ‘District 9’ and ‘The Blind Side’ did not creep into the list. When the likes of ‘Shutter Island’ and ‘The Town’ do not make the final cut, then you know it’s a tough year.

Best Picture

After the commercial and critical disappointment of 2009/2010, it has been a decent year for cinema. The shackles of the global recession were shaken off and people started going to the movies again. Filmmakers must have missed the memo because this year’s contenders can hardly be described as feel-good movies.

‘Toy Story 3’ is probably the most uplifting of the bunch and even that was known to make some adult viewers cry. It won’t win but its mere presence is another testament to the movie-making prowess of Pixar studios.

‘The Fighter’, a bleak biopic of boxer Micky Ward and his junkie brother, is a fine film about redemption and human sacrifice.

‘Black Swan’, is a neo-noir about a young woman’s struggles with abuse and psychosis. It will not be to everyone’s taste and this will affect its chances.

‘Inception’ is many people’s favourite film of 2010 but sadly, its popularity will count against it. Blockbusters simply do not win in this category.

‘127 Hours’ is a wonderful true-life tale of triumph against the odds but is perhaps too avant garde for Academy tastes.

‘The Kids are Alright’ is a well rendered account of the realities of single-sex marriage but it meanders a bit towards a conclusion.

‘True Grit’ is a remake of the John Wayne classic, a proper Western with delicious vistas and searing individual performances. The story lacks a bit of depth, however, and will most likely count against it. Besides, everyone prefers the original, right?

This predictably leaves it down to a dogfight between two films: ‘The Social Network’, and‘The King’s Speech’. Both have very different types of appeal but if there is any justice, ‘The Social Network’ will win. David Fincher’s film about the advent of Facebook is the best all-round film of 2010. One suspects though that ‘The King’s Speech’ will trump it. The film, about King George VI’s efforts to overcome his stammer, is the kind that usually excites the Academy. Where ‘The Social Network’ represents new age cinema, ‘The King’s Speech’ is a hark back to the classical era and this might well sway the voters.

Best Director

It is an absolute travesty that ‘Inception’s Christopher Nolan is not even nominated in this category. The Academy still turns its nose up at commercially successful films and ‘Inception’ happens to be the latest victim.

The Coen Brothers are an Oscar favourite, but ‘True Grit’ is far from their best work. Nolan, on the other hand, has delivered a filmmaking tour-de-force. Love it or hate it, one cannot ignore the sheer creative audacity of ‘Inception’. Nolan’s loss will almost certainly be David Fincher’s gain. ‘The Social Network’ is masterfully directed. A movie subject as banal as Facebook is somehow made engaging by Aaron Sorkin’s sumptuous script and Fincher’s close directorial control. Of the 82 films that have won Best Picture, 60 of them have also won Best Director. It would be no surprise if Fincher goes home with the two gongs.

Best Actor

You might as well give Colin Firth the award now. In truth, none of the other contenders would even put up much of a fight. Not that their performances are bad — far from it — but Colin Firth ticks almost all the Academy boxes. Period film. Check. English accents. Check. Protagonist struggling with disability. Check. Firth’s performance as the stuttering King George VI is so vulnerable, that it has you rooting for him from the word go. It is good to see Jeff Bridges’ name up again after his win last year. For too long, he has been overlooked by the Academy. In any other year, Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook founder, would have been a surefire thing but this is Firth’s year.

Best Actress

Natalie Portman’s name is probably already engraved on the golden statue for her performance in ‘Black Swan.’ Yet, riveting as it is, her performance rarely extends beyond timid and frightened in Aranofsky’s film. In a film which plays heavily on duality, one craves a tougher alter ego to emerge from the shadows but it never materialises. Nicole Kidman’s role as a grieving mother in ‘Rabbit Hole’ will probably not be rewarded with a golden statuette, but it is a far more nuanced performance. The 2003 winner delivers a masterclass in the use of silence and facial expression as an acting tool. Hers is a genuinely haunting interpretation about the burden of human loss. However, Portman has swept the board until now, picking up all the major awards in the process, and the Academy will most likely follow suit.

Best Supporting Actor

Some performances are instantly iconic and you realize that the moment you are witnessing them. Christian Bale’s portrayal of Dicky Eklund, a junkie ex-boxer living on past glory, is one of those sit-up-and-take-notice moments. Not only does Bale physically transform himself for the role, he throws in several verbal and behavioral tics which only a true thespian can pull off. As one of the last in a dying generation of Method actors, Bale has delivered a career best and will almost certainly reap the dividends on the night. Honourable mention goes to ‘The Town’s’ Jeremy Renner, who shows that his nomination last year, was no fluke; and Geoffrey Rush for ‘The King’s Speech’. A huge surprise it was that Andrew Garfield did not make the cut. His portrayal of Facebook co-founder, Eduardo Saverin, was the heart of ‘The Social Network’.

Best Supporting Actress

This is probably the most hotly contested category. Yet, there is another glaring omission from this list — Marion Cotillard. Her role in ‘Inception’ was one of the best of the year but she doesn’t figure in the nominations. The two supporting actresses for ‘The Fighter’, Amy Adamsand Melissa Leo, will duel it out and both would be equally worthy of the award. However, strong competition might come in the form of 14-year-old, Hailee Steinfeld, the precocious co-star of ‘True-Grit’. Academy judges have never been shy of dishing out awards to young talent when they are truly exceptional, so Miss Steinfeld can definitely be considered a dark horse in this category. Helena Bonham-Carter brings tremendous restraint and regality to the role of King George’s wife in ‘The King’s Speech’ and not many would grumble if she picked up the award.

So that’s it. Good luck to all the nominees. If you are watching in Nigeria, grab some coffee and ensure you have paid up your cable subscription. It promises to be another memorable Oscar night.

A senior executive at his father's company, Paddy Adenuga is, unarguably, the most popular of the brood of Globacom chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga.

Paddy joined the company at a relatively young age even when the license had not been granted to globacomm by the present regime at the time.

Paddy Adenuga

Paddy, who, like his father, calls the shots at the telecommunications company, is renowned not only for his interesting pedigree but also for his good looks that makes him a favourite among women. His sight is believed to make many of them weak at the knees.

Although most of his liaisons with the opposite sex are deliberately shielded from the limelight, he is known to favour quite a few of them.

Typical of silver spoon kids, Paddy favours nightlife. He is a regular at some of the posh hangouts in town. One striking thing about his visits to these places is not only the retinue of bodyguards that go along with him, he also brings to the notice of fellow revellers his deep pocket by assigning a particular portion of the fun spot to himself. That way, he has his fun unhindered.

By GILBERT EKEZIE 

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Okoye

Peter Joseph Okoye who was last seen on November 21, 2010 could rightly be said to have just disappeared.

He is founder of Jesus the Man I Know Ministry and was to travel to his hometown in a week’s time before his disappearance to commence processes for his marriage. While Peter’s whereabouts remain a mystery his beloved fiancée, Ifunanya Umeh keeps waiting for the marriage.

The beginning of the gist is that Peter was allegedly sent to Ijebu Ode by a member of his ministry, Philip Enyabine to rescue a man struck by lightning.

In a petition to the Inspector General of Police, the family is alleging that Ifunanya was used as bait by his boss, Enyabine, to lure their brother to his waterloo. They claimed that the duo pricked by their sense of guilt, dramatically turned round to be the ones raising alarm about Peter, when the family still presumed that he was on one of his usual evangelical missions that sometimes kept him for days, except on Fridays.

Their story

Tracing his disappearance, his elder brother Uche, told Saturday Sun that his brother, an evangelist, spent little or no time in their house at 38 Osho Drive, Olodi, Apapa, Lagos. He recalled that on November 20, Sunday, Peter returned from a programme with a food flask supposedly from his fiancée. He told his brothers that his wife prepared a dish for him which he shared with his brother and friends. “Shortly after the meal he left for his usual work. Because of the demands of his ministry, nobody bothered to know whether he came back to the house or not. We became worried when on November 23 his fiancée, Ifunanya, called our sister, in Nsukka demanding to know if Peter was with her.”

Peter’s sibling wondered why Ifunaya who was a regular visitor at their home could call their sister in far away Nsukka. They immediately tried his mobile line to find he had switched off. They also called Ifunanya back to hear from her that Peter went to see one of the members of his ministry, Philip Enyiabine. The siblings visited Enyiabine, a familiar person to the family to know if he knew their brother’s whereabouts. Uche said Enyiabine told them that he sent Philip to rescue his friend who was struck by lightning at a monastery in Ijebu Ode.

“He said his friend was on his way to the east, when his vehicle broke down at Ore. He decided to go down to the Ijebu Ode monastery, where he was struck by lightning. He said he had spoken with Peter who confirmed to him he was at Ijebu Ode for the prayer and had promised to return as soon as possible.”

Confusion

All friends and allies were determined to help the Okoyes find their brother. To demonstrate his commitment, Enyabine, gave the team some money to travel to Ijebu Ode and its environs incase, Peter was involved in an accident. On November 26, the rescue team combed all prayer sites in Oyo and Ogun states and some of the monks on site told them that they did not see someone that fits their description of Peter who also was a regular visitor to the prayer mountains in the area. At the Ogun Monastery, the monk in-charge, told them that there was no incident of thunder strike in the area and called its Ijebu Ode branch that also affirmed that no one was struck. Back in Lagos they lodged a complaint with the police and Federal Road Safety Corp. Both told them they had no record involving their brother.

Back home and confused, the family kept on making frantic efforts to locate their brother, Pastors who claimed to have the spirit of vision visited them and promised to help them locate their brother. One of such persons was Peter’s assistant. But after sometime and search efforts, the family got threat calls from unknown persons warning them to stay off the effort and attempt to locate Peter or risk facing same fate.

However hope of finding Peter waxed on November 28 when the family received a call from a man who claimed to have abducted him. The caller demanded N5m ransom, but finally agreed to take N200,000 after much pleading to release him. Still determined to help the family find Peter, Enyabine also gave N100,000. They were directed to drop the money at a spot in Ajegunle, Lagos, which they did with the promise that Peter would be released the next day. They waited endlessly and Peter was not found nor released till now.

Accusations

The matter took another dimension when the family discovered that Ifunanya was allegedly hiding some important information from them. After much pressure, she told the family that Enyabine had alleged that Peter made away with his money. Taken aback, the family wondered why Enyabine or Peter’s fiancée never told them of this development all this while.

They confronted Enyabine who confirmed that Peter defrauded him of N20 million.

“I asked him to explain to the entire family, how our brother who he never had any business with duped him of N20m. He told us that he kept money in a special room and Peter asked him to mix the money with some dollars and pray so the money will increase. And true to his words the money increased and he was advised to keep it in that room. He never suspected anything till Peter disappeared. They opened the house and discovered that all the money, about N5m was gone. At that point it became clear that Enyabine could know the whereabouts of our brother, so we reported the case to the police.”

He narrated further that: “I introduced my brother to Enyabine when he had problem in his business. Months after the introduction, his life changed and in appreciation, Enyabine gave him a brand new bus and a flat at Iyana Iba. He also employed his fiancée as personal assistant. It was after this discovery that I recalled that Peter had told us that he was offered money by some people to stop praying for Enyabine. Even if, our brother owes him, let him tell us where to find him and he will surely get his money back. Why did it take him 13 days to open up and accuse my brother of theft if there is no hidden agenda? We felt betrayed that a woman our brother is planning to marry would do this.”

All efforts to get across to Enyabine failed as his phone numbers where out of reach. Our finding is that he has since relocated to Abuja where the matter is being investigated. Ifunanya who was also indicted told Saturday Sun on phone that she was arrested and taken to Abuja for investigation. “I have been released and I know that my God will vindicate me.”

Police investigation

When the suspicion heightened, the Okoyes reported the matter to the Lagos State Criminal Investigation, Panti, and Enyabine and Ifunanya were arrested and interrogated. Not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, the family sought the transfer of the case to the Special Anti Robbery Squad, Adeniji Adele, Lagos.

The event however took a dramatic turn, when the suspect, Enyabine tired of harassment cried for justice and the Okoye brothers were arrested and transferred to Abuja where the Commissioner for Police, Special Investigation Unit is handling the case. At the time of filing this report Uche was still in detention for false accusation.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olusola Amore told Saturday Sun that the police are investigating the matter to find out what became of Peter. He also said in response to Uche’s detention that in the course of investigation, both the accused and the complainant are relevant and the police cannot be used to intimidate any person when investigation has not shown that the accused is guilty.

He called on the Okoye family to be patient as the police would bring anyone involved in the sudden disappearance of Peter to face the wroth of the law.

Whatever's going on...the Earth Is Shaking! Shaking like never before!! Causing people to open their eyes.

I wonder why insurance companies call a thing like this mornings earthquake an “Act of God”? I’ve spoken to 5 people back home since the quake this morning, and all have unanimously agreed: it was terrifying, people are scared, questions are being asked and disbelief “that it could happen to me” is in the air. As it did happen, & as no one died, miraculously, where then do we find answers to the questions? Geologist’s, scientists, council members, civil defense…etc? I submit a higher source: God & His Son Jesus whose been given “All authority in heaven and on earth.” – Mt 28:18

In doing so we have to change our western mindset of Jesus to the real one. As Wesley said, “I want the whole Jesus & the whole Bible.” And as history (His story) belongs to Jesus (Is 46:8-10; Rev 1:8), this is our only key for correct interpretation of a 7.1 event like this mornings.

It’s not a nice subject to look at, nor is it politically correct or practical by our standards, but one of the main Biblical & historical self revelations of God & His Son Jesus, is that He is Judge: the Judge & only Judge, leading history, and doing as He pleases in His infinite goodness toward all (Ps 115;3; 145:16). Especially in the west, as a revolt against an over emphasized understanding of God as a Judge, we have let the pendulum swing way to far in the opposite direction. Now, for the most part, we’re told about a Jesus who is merely a sentimental King & nothing more than humble shepherd resembling a heavenly Santa Clause or Tinkerbell.

While Jesus truly is a good shepherd and a willing friend to all (Mt 26:50), He is also the righteous Judge of the earth who loves justice, hates sin & who patiently uses the least severe means to wake the most amount of people up to come to Him for life & grace (Gen 19; 2 Tim 4:1; Ps 5:5). He is described in scripture as the One who will administrate the end-time plan of God with specific fierceness to crush wicked & sinful nations in judgment (Rev 6-19). Also from the history of nations we learn that He is the One who claim’s sovereignty over national calamities: “If there is calamity in a city, have not I the LORD done it?” (Amos 3:6) He also says “I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.’” Is 45:7. And in Romans 1, as the good news of salvation is framed, God reveals that His “wrath… is revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men who suppress (hold back) the truth…in unrighteousness”. It is from this wrath that salvation is offered freely and fully to us in Christ.

Today, as of lunch time no one had died as a direct result the quake and only a few people were severely injured: this is, in light of His glory, His persistently scorned goodness, His command and our moral standing before Him, a light wake up call to us (Christchurch & New Zealand). This morning “He did not give as our sins desevred. (Ps 103:10)”. Rather, He gave us a city wide wake up call to a nation in need of His presence and power to save us.

But why earthquakes? Why shaking then? There is one purpose in His mind. He wants people woken from sin and into satisfying life with Him. He is looking to shake and expose dangerous foundations under our lives to draw us to Himself where we cannot be shaken: God Himself. He says in Haggai 2:7, “I will shake all nations, and THEN they will come to (Me, Jesus) the Desire of all nations.”

Hebrews 12:26 “he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more” indicates the removal of things that (can be) shaken…in order that things that cannot be shaken may remain.”

Things that remain are lives, hearts & choices built upon Him: His life, His truth & His Spirit. In a short while from now, life will likely go on as usual… for a time.

Where will you be building?

It was a scene. Everyone was stunned; the unexpected had happened.

As the man and his bride were just about to be joined, at the Ikorodu Registry, his legally married wife stepped in with her lawyer and spoilt the show.

According to Toyin Ajao, who witnessed what happened in late January, Patience Balogun [not her real name] got a phone call from an anonymous caller who claimed that she [Mrs Balogun] had helped her in the past. The faceless caller told Patience that her husband, who had left the house that night on pretext of going to see somebody, was planning to get married to another woman the next day. The caller also gave details of location and time.

After this life shaking call, Mrs Balogun quickly contacted her mother and other family members who advised her to contact a lawyer, with whom she mapped out a strategy of handling the situation.

The action

While the strategy to foil the wedding plans is ongoing, Mr Balogun with his new bride were at the door of the court, waiting to be called in by the judge when his phone rang. It was Mrs. Balogun, his wife. They spoke for a while, and then he signed off with the usual ,“I love you and will see you soon.” Unknowingly to him, Mrs Balogun was downstairs in the compound, with their two daughters, her lawyer, her mother, and a few friends and family, watching him all the while. Shortly after, the ‘couple-to-be’ were called in, but Mrs Balogun and her crew remained outside, waiting for the right moment.

Just as the magistrate was about to pronounce Mr. Balogun and his bride, husband and wife, the lawyer walked in, armed with the first wedding certificate and asked the magistrate to stop the wedding. Mrs. Balogun and the others followed.

After looking at the wedding certificate, the magistrate stopped the wedding with the whole courtroom in disarray. Mrs Balogun, who was visibly furious, walked up to her dazed husband and gave him multiple slaps until he was moved to where she could not reach him. To the amazement of some on-lookers, she made no advances at the disappointed bride, who was quickly taken away from the scene in a car.

“There were lots of people who gave their confused, traditionally tainted and reasonable opinions about the shocking issue. Many felt Mrs. Balogun should have allowed the husband to wed the ‘other woman’ and then sue him for bigamy. Some felt she should have organised for people to beat the hell out of the husband” said Ms. Ajao, a women’s right and gender activist, who was at the magistrate to secure the release of her female friend from prison.

“I really commended the lady for what she did. So many women will not be brave enough to come to the court and stop the wedding, so they will allow their rights to be trampled upon. Some will say he is the man so what can I do. So because he is the man, the woman should just take rubbish. In my opinion, she would have let them get married then sue for bigamy. If my husband does that, I will divorce him and I will sue him for bigamy.”

General Awareness

According to Kate Ibeanusi, the programme officer, at Project Alert, a non-governmental organisation that is focused on protecting women rights said women in Lagos are generally getting more aware of their rights and more willing to enforce them. “I can say women are getting more aware of their rights. Today we have more women who are willing to talk about abuses they face in their marriages and they come to report. But then, some will start up the process, after sometime you won’t see them again and when you call them, they will say, ‘‘actually what happened is that he came and begged me. I think he has changed.’ And we ask them are you sure he has changed? What happens a lot of time is that some months later the same women will come back to us to talk about spousal abuse,” she said.

“The problem really is that a lot of men still have the mentality that women are just pieces of furniture; when you are tired of them you dump them somewhere and go for another one. Generally, we do not intervene in marriages without the consent of the couple. If a woman reports to us, we will call the husband to get his own side of the story then we talk to both of them together, then we will advise them on what to do. We have seen cases where after talking they conclude that they can no longer live together. They will decide on divorce. In cases where there is threat to life, we advise the women to leave the house.” In accordance with African culture, families usually play vital roles in troubled marriages.

Family meetings are usually convened to settle such matters when they arise. However, Ms. Ibeanusi said families are often not able to properly resolve issues of abuse in marriages. “Are families really playing roles well? Or are they busy taking sides? I have a brother. If she has a problem with his wife, it is easy for me to side my brother against his wife and so also her family will take sides with her. So at the end the day, all they will be doing is shifting blames” she said.

According Ben Ode, a lawyer with Project Alert, a man marrying another woman when he is still legally married, is bigamy, and it is a criminal offence with seven years imprisonment as punishment. He though it also applies to church and traditional marriages, the major setback is that it is difficult to prove in court.

When NEXT visited Mrs. Balogun about two weeks after her brave act, she said she has settled with her husband and was no longer willing to talk to the press.

The advertisement in most national dailies some years ago entitled “Can Buhari be trusted to stop Repression?” showed that some highly placed people were long afraid of General Buhari. The Buhari phobia can be diagnosed in a particular group of people- those haunted by the past. His administration, to many morally analytical minds, was one that brought sanity into the country. But to the morally bankrupt and lethargic "indisciplinarians", it precipitates nightmares.

Even though dictatorship is no longer fashionable (was there really a time it was?), we must not throw away the values gotten from some of them. Every government, military or democratic has its own beneficiaries and victims. In Buhari’s case, I think the masses benefited most in terms of values and discipline and the politicians, the victims, because of their involvement in high level of corruption. In the present administration, the professional politicians are the beneficiaries while the masses are the victims.

I wish to illustrate this point by figuratively classifying the Nigerian polity into three segments of people (not Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba). They are the living, the dead and those about to die. The living are the Nigerian version of the elite, the politicians and their cohorts, relatives and stooges. The dead are those who were sacrificed on the altar of the system while those about to die are the masses that have been destabilized by the past system and have no hope on the present or future system. Each of these groups has shown significant presence in both the military and civilian governments.

For instance, in Obasanjo’s government were those who were sacrificed on the altar of the system by either being murdered during such invasions and riots in Odi, Zaki Biam, Jos, Kano and Kaduna or shot at various police checkpoints over N20 bribe in the country. They were either those murdered in their bedrooms by hired assassins such as Arc. Layi Balogun, Chief Bola Ige, Ogbonna Uche and most recently the ANPP governorship aspirant in Borno State or those killed by avaricious and deadly armed- to- the- teeth robbers prowling the streets day and night. The dead belong to the group that were either exterminated by bomb blasts in Abuja and Niger Delta or eliminated by AIDS and road accidents caused by bad roads.

Buhari’s government was not devoid of the dead group. Even though they seized power through a bloodless coup, there were those who died from being imprisoned and given jail terms five times their age for corrupt practices. There were the hardened criminals executed in their village squares and a few who opposed the military government. They included those publicly executed for drug related offences.

Those about to die in the current dispensation are those beaten by stagnant frustration as a result of hunger, joblessness, lack of basic needs and infrastructure. They are both those the system denied the right of education and graduates that the epileptic economy forced into bus driving, Okada riding, armed robbery, dangerous nocturnal societies and political thuggery. They are those who were relieved of their duties because they either opposed the government or exposed its corrupt practices.

 In Buhari’s dictatorship, they were those whipped in the streets openly in 1984 for running across the road where pedestrian bridges were provided, those who urinated openly into the gutter, broke traffic rules and those punished for failure to participate in the monthly sanitation exercise. They were those who “ate from the dustbins” caused by the prevalent economic predicament as predicted earlier by Alhaji Umaru Dikko and those imprisoned for stealing the nation’s eyes out.

The living in this nascent democracy are the politicians, the least of whose annual salary is over one million naira. They are the career politicians who have served in almost all the governments, dictatorial and democratic. They are those who have the power and machinery to perpetuate themselves in power, the most valuable legacy they inherited from the military. They are those who have access to the treasury and evacuate its content times without number in “Ghana –must-go” bags.

The living have more money than most countries in Africa and have accumulated more money than will be needed by their next ten generations when their kinsmen are dying in abject poverty. They are those who are not affected by ASUU strikes, Doctors’ strikes and both artificial and genuine fuel scarcity. The group is made up of those above the law who cannot be probed because they are either covered by constitutional immunity or official security.

Not too long ago the living were angry that some of “the enemies of the government” declared Nigeria the second most corrupt country in the whole world. By the way, it is only the military that arrests, convicts and imprisons politicians for corrupt practices. And by God’s grace we are not in the military era. So there is definitely no cause to be afraid except for monsters such as Buhari (her male specie, Idiagbon is dead) that devour politicians. Was it not only in the administration of Obasanjo that an Auditor-General was sacked for giving an authentic report? Is it only in Nigeria that a civil servant can become a millionaire overnight with nobody raising an eyebrow? It happened in Singapore too!

Not too long ago, about five serving civil servants conveniently raised one billion naira at a dinner with nobody asking for the source of such money. This rather made headlines in national dailies and the recipients were not expected to use such money to pay workers’ salaries but to bribe voters.

Who ever says that journalists cannot be liberated from the shackles of decree 4 to join in the “Ghana-must-go” bag spree? Even though the transactions do not take place under kleiglights, the results appear clearly in the subjective reports. By the way, most of them have earned themselves enviable positions such as special advisers, ministers and commissioners from those in power who have benefited immensely from their “patriotic” columns. I noticed recently that a popular magazine associated with the interest of the masses has become the propaganda organ of the PDP government while objective columnists such as Pini Jason and his likes now look like priests in a whorehouse.

If executing armed robbers and drug pushers, imprisoning corrupt politicians and instilling discipline in the society have today turned to be “repression”, maybe in future, high level of assassination of political opponents, embezzlement, bribery, election rigging and other forms of corrupt practices would be “patriotism”. I however thank the Committee for Democracy for evoking our conscience to know those still haunted by the past but it is a pity that this faceless group have a limited idea of democracy and freedom otherwise they should have known that democracy is respect to the rule of law and that freedom starts where law ends.

The greatest patriot and statesman will be the man or woman who could bring sanity into this country in a democratic dispensation. This means bringing to book corrupt officials, eliminating undue influence in the media, installing discipline within the polity, addressing the problem of the basic needs, raising the hope of the youths and improving the economy and not being a political fag. Muhammadu Buhari tried such in a military era. His greatest undoing is to try it again in a democracy where the victims are political leaders and their surrogates. It is like a suicide mission. That’s why Buhari, being the best candidate with Tunde Bakare backing him may not win in this election. He is the only candidate who will commiserate with us on the dead, raise the hope of those about to die and curtail the excesses of the living.

 Just two years ago, Bode George, was a renegade, who had fallen out favour with the top hierarchy of the People`s Democratic Party (PDP). At a time when members of the ruling party could do no wrong, Chief Bode George was thrown to the dogs, and convicted for fraud and abuse of office. He was found guilty of inflating the contract prices contrary to Section 22 (3) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. But since his incarceration the PDP has suffered set back in south west, considered to be Bode George strong hold.

PIQUED by the inability of the Federal Government to fix the dilapidated Benin-Ore-Lagos road despite several years of complaints by road users, Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa yesterday walked out the Minister of State for Works, Chris Ogiemwonyi, from his palace, saying that he would not be welcomed in the palace again until the road was fixed.

The minister was in company of other leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who had visited the monarch to present the party’s candidates for various elective positions in Edo South in April election.

Oba Erediauwa upbraided the minister for subjected his subjects travelling from Lagos and those coming from abroad to hardship because of the state of the road.

But the PDP chieftains present, including Edo South Leader of the party, Owere Imasogie, Senator Daisy Danjuma as well as a Benin chief appealed to the monarch for more than 10 minutes to spare the minister.

But the Oba insisted that his chief who pleaded the minister’s cause should stand surety for him that the road would be completed by the end of the year.
Ogiemwonyi, in his defence which seemed unconvincing to the Oba, said major parts of the road leading from Ofosu to Benin have been rehabilitated and that the Federal Government was already concluding arrangement to start work on the Ofosu to Lagos axis of the road.

It would be recalled that the minister during his inspection of the road two weeks ago ordered the construction company to move one of their gangs to begin rehabilitation work from the Benin end of the road.

Oba ghA Tor Kpe E ! Ise !

The Oba of Benin, or Omo N'Oba, is the oba or king of the Edo people, and formerly the Benin Kingdom from 1180 until 1897. 'Oba' means king or ruler. The Edo or Benin homeland (not to be confused with the modern day country of the Republic of Benin, which was formerly known as Dahomey) has and continues to be most significantly populated by the Edo (also known as the Bini or Benin ethnic group).The title of 'oba' was created by Oba Eweka the Great, the kingdom's first 'Oba'. The current capital is Benin City in modern day Nigeria.In 1897, the British 'Punitive Expedition' (see Benin Expedition of 1897) sacked Benin City and exiled Oba Ovonramwen, taking control of the area in order to establish the British colony of Nigeria. The expedition was mounted to avenge the killing of an official British delegation in 1896. The expedition consisted of indigenous soldiers and British officers. To cover the cost of the expedition, the Benin royal art was auctioned off by the British. The Oba was captured and eventually exiled until his death in 1914.The present Oba, Erediauwa I, is the 39th Oba of the dynasty.

http://wiki.9jabook.com/

Sleep paralysis disorder is a serious sleep condition in which the sufferer feels incapable of movement. A person affected with sleep paralysis will usually experience the feeling that they are unable to execute voluntary physical movement at the onset of sleep - the hypnogogic period or just when waking - the hypnopompic period. Sufferers of paralysis sleeping disorder complain that they are unable to move their legs, arms and trunk upon waking or at falling asleep.

In many cases, sleep paralysis may be accompanied with strong dream related mentation, and sometimes even hallucinations. Some people even report the feeling of something or someone applying pressure on their chest.

Causes of Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis appears to be caused by a short termed episode of muscle paralysis. Fortunately, this sleep disorder does not appear to cause harm to a persons health. However, people who suffer from sleep paralysis often report feeling frightened at not being able to move, and experience considerable stress at not knowing when the effects of a sleep paralysis episode will subside, or when a new episode will occur.

Who is at risk of Sleep Paralysis Disorder

Research has shown that small children are more susceptible to the effects of sleep paralysis, although the condition can also occur in healthy adults.

People who suffer from other sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy, are much more likely to experience sleep paralysis. In fact, many episodes of sleep paralysis are as a direct result of complications from narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy is another chronic sleep disorder in which a person experiences bouts of uncontrollable daytime sleepiness. One of the main symptoms of narcolepsy is cataplexy which is paralysis experienced without the loss of consciousness. Thus, it is thought that sleep paralysis may be related to narcolepsy, although many people who suffer from sleep paralysis do not have narcolepsy.

What happens to your body

Polysomnography, or a sleep recording, indicates that the body demonstrates a lack of skeletal muscle tone during an episode of sleep paralysis. The brain appears to fall into a REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage sleep more quickly, and sleep tends to take on an overall dissociated nature.

What should you do

Many times, a person will regain consciousness from a sleep paralysis episode upon being touched or hearing a sound. Sufferers report that freedom of movement returns moments after awakening, once full consciousness has been restored.

Some doctors assert that one of the best methods of regaining consciousness during a sleep paralysis episode is to slowly attempt to move the outer edges of your body, beginning with blinking your eye, looking around the room, or fluttering your eyelashes. It is also recommended that you move your fingers.

If this gentle approach does not seem to work, some sufferers report considerable success with the 'shout and roll' method which consists of vocalizing as loud as you can while rolling your shoulders. Many sleep paralysis patients report 'snapping out' of an episode by sheer physical will.

Many people find that the prospect of future sleep paralysis episodes causes undue stress, and interferes with their ability to achieve restful sleep. While there are no cures for sleep paralysis, certain precautions can be taken to help prevent future episodes.

Preventing Sleep Paralysis

Sleep paralysis can be prevented by -

• Getting enough sleep every night
• Going to sleep at the same time each night
• Following a regular exercise regime although exercise should be avoided to close to bedtime
• Avoiding stress, especially in the hours before bedtime

Many sleep paralysis patients report success with changing their sleeping position. This simple adjustment has been proven to help reduce the frequency of sleep paralysis episodes. Sleep paralysis appears more frequently while individuals sleep on their backs. Sleeping on one's side appears to be the best position for avoiding sleep paralysis episodes, although it is recommended that patients experiment with different sleeping positions.

If a person experiences weekly sleep paralysis episodes for six months or more, their condition may be described as severe. Severe cases of sleep paralysis may be treated with medication.

Anti depressants have been shown to be effective in preventing episodes of sleep paralysis in some cases. If sleep paralysis appears to be related to cataplexy brought on by narcolepsy, certain tricylic anti depressants and SSRIs have also been shown to help.

Article extracted from: http://www.the-sleep-guide.com/sleep-paralysis.html

For a vitamin/mineral/herbal supplement with antidepressant qualities that are helpful for dealing with sleep paralysis visit: http://wp.me/p11htG-E  or call 08060778264 , 08023467737

Baby Enioluwa Now Found

Ten month-old Enioluwa Odegbaike who went missing two weeks ago from his parents' home in Magodo, Lagos has been found. According to a member of the Odegbaike family, he was found this morning in the border town of Badagry in Lagos. "Yes he has been found. He is fine and he is in good health," he said. A female member of the family, who identified herself as Ibukun, confirmed that the baby has been reunited with his family. "Our dearest baby and now yours, Enioluwanimi just came back home safely at 8.20am this morning," she said. Baby Enioluwa disappeared with her nanny, Victoria on February 13. It Is still uncertain if the family paid any ransom and the Police Public Relations Officer, Samuel Jinadu could not be reached to comment on the matter.

10 month old Enioluwa Odegbaike with babysitter's picture inset.

The family of 10-month-old Enioluwa Odegbaike who went missing 11 days ago has called on Nigerians to pray for the return of their baby because other efforts to find the child has proved abortive.

A member of the family who refused to give his name, said in a telephone interview with NEXT that the mother of the baby remains traumatised by the experience.

“She just wants to be left alone. All we need from Nigerians is their prayers that he is found and in good health,” he said.

The child was taken away from his parents’ home in Magodo, Lagos by his nanny on Sunday, February 13 and was never seen again. The nanny is believed to be working with some unknown persons.

Useful leads

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police command, Samuel Jinadu, said the police has arrested the man who acted as the nanny’s referee and introduced her to the Odegbaike’s home. He is reportedly being questioned by the police.

“The person who introduced the nanny to the family has been arrested and is being quizzed by the police. The case has been transferred to the State CID. All efforts are being made to find the missing boy. The case is still under investigation.” He said.

Underground kidnapping in Lagos

The spate of kidnapping in recent times has led many victims and their families to find various means of finding their loved ones who go missing.

The Internet, through websites, BlackBerry Messenger, Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms have become tools that residents now use to spread news of kidnapping and other crimes in the state.

When five-year-old Sharon Omolayo was kidnapped from her school, Avicenna International School, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos by a trusted employee, on December 13, 2010, the Internet played a major role in spreading the news of her kidnap.

For the seven days she went missing, her pictures and that of her abductor was widely circulated online through several blogs, websites, Facebook and Twitter and within a few days, her name and pictures were imbedded in the minds of almost every Internet user within the country and abroad.

“It was hard not to see her,” said Efemena Mayo, a student. “Her pictures were everywhere. I first got it on my BlackBerry. Then I saw it on Facebook, Twitter, and different blogs. Before I knew it, I was looking closely at every young girl I passed on the street to see if she was Sharon because she had a birth mark on her face that was hard to miss.”

According to David Ogburn, Principal of Avicenna International School, the Internet was a very helpful tool in circulating information about Miss Omolayo, and once the information got on to Facebook, it spread quickly.

Also, when the duo of Ify Eneli and Michael Neri were kidnapped on Friday January 28 while leaving a night club in Victoria Island, Lagos, their pictures and the information about their kidnap spread quickly over the Internet with friends and family members asking for the support of the people in helping to find them.

They were released some days later after their families paid a ransom to their abductors and this information was again circulated over the Internet.

Recently, a picture of missing 10-month old Enioluwa Odegbaike has been circulated over the Internet, ensuring that more and more people get to know about the kidnap and lookout for him.

Still searching for Enioluwa

According to a release by the family, any information concerning the missing child should be reported to the nearest police station.

“If you have any information about Enioluwa or the nanny no matter how trivial, please call 07085534788, or the nearest police station. Enioluwa’s mother (Foluso) can be reached on this number, 08022228422,” said the family member who refused to comment further on the issue.

If you have any information concerning the disappearance of Enioluwa Odegbaike please call the numbers above or send a mail to metro@234next.com or  findenioluwa@systemini.net

The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, as well as Non Academic Staff Union of the University of Benin protested today and shut down the university.

They closed all the gates leading into the university. The protest resulted in a heavy traffic jam on the Lagos-Benin highway.

The protesters sang songs demanding for the implementation of the salary increase approved by the Federal Government.

A union member, Mr. Kenneth Agbovo, told P.M.NEWS that their leaders were in a meeting with the university authorities, when our correspondent called.

One of the affected staff, Ahmed Domingo, said they will paralyse the university until their demands are met.

The students who reside outside the campus and pupils of the university staff school could not enter the school this morning as some of them were turned back.

The Public Relations Officer of Uniben Mr. U. Osaretin declined to pick his call.

Yesterday, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Godwin Osayuki Oshodin appealed to aggrieved staff to exercise patience and that all their demands will be met. The plea fell on deaf ears.

The authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria has closed down the institution indefinitely following persistent violent demonstration by the students which had paralyzed academic activities.

It was gathered that seven security personnel of the institution were abducted by the students.

The students on Wednesday were directed to vacate the campus and their halls of residence with immediate effect while the matriculation ceremony scheduled for the same day had been postponed indefinitely.

The university officials had in the past three days prevailed on the students to stop the demonstration embarked upon over increase in the university acceptance fees from 2,000 to 20,000 and the alleged imposition of N1,600 Tertiary Health Insurance Scheme on all the students of the institution.

Speaking on the development, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Michael Faborode said, no institution can continue to tolerate criminal excesses of the students which had posed danger to its existence and safety of lives and properties of staff and students of the institution.

Faborode who spoke through the image maker of the institution, Mr. Abiodu Olanrewaju said, the N20,000 acceptance fees paid by fresh students should not be a license for students to embark on massive demonstration, saying that other fees charged by the institution remained what they were for the 2009/2010 session.

He said, even students in the Faculties of Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, Dentistry and Pharmacy paid only N12,800 this session while students in other faculties paid amounts ranging from N5,000.00 to 10,000.00 respectively.

The Vice Chancellor noted that the university rules and regulation and the matriculation oats taken by the students did not give room for abduction and hooliganism, saying that no student under any guise had a right to either kidnap or abduct any member of the university community.

Story by Blessing Ogedengbe

SOLDIER RAPES, BATTERS LADY AT GRAVEYARD 

Miss Jane Adams, a 23-year-old student of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) is crying for justice. She is seeking help after a soldier serving at Bonny Camp, Lagos allegedly abducted and raped her at a dreaded cemetery within the Ojo Military Cantonment in Lagos.

The victim, who hails from Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, alleged that Lance Corporal Akparuku Clever, in the night of Saturday, January 22, abducted her in his danfo bus, marked LAGOS XY 230 EKY, and forcefully took her to a graveyard inside the Ojo Military Cantonment. There, she recalled, he allegedly pulled a dagger, threatened to injure or kill her and then raped her. It was during her intense struggle with him that she suffered a serious injury on her left eye, she said.

Aside from the alleged rape, Jane also accused the soldier of other diabolical intentions, saying he attempted to insert a charmed ring inside her private part.

In an interview with Daily Sun, the victim who still nurses the gruesome wounds allegedly inflicted on her by the soldier, described the incident as the worst experience of her life.

Narrating her ordeal, she said some hoodlums at Boundary area of Apapa had snatched her handbag while she was returning from work the previous day. But unknown to her, the loss of her bag was just a harbinger of some evil that was waiting to happen.

The lady worked with Halogen Security firm from where she was deployed to Oando Oil, Apapa terminal 2. It was on her way home after the day’s work that some hoodlums, popularly known as ‘Area Boys’ in Lagos, attacked her and snatched her bag containing her mobile phone and other valuables.

It was on that same ill-fated day that she coincidentally ran into an old friend of her elder brother, Goodnews, who later assisted her with N200.00. They later exchanged phone numbers and she went home.

According to Jane, her family formerly lived in the Ojo Barracks because her father, Mr Anakaun Ujon Adams, was a soldier until his death on January 9, 2009. It was after her father’s death that the bereaved family relocated from the area. Her mother, Eunice, went to live in Benue while she stayed back in Lagos with her elder sister at a private residence opposite the military barracks.

It was from her residence that she went to work in Apapa, and Goodnews, the Good Samaritan, later introduced her to Mr. Akparuku, a soldier serving at the DAOP Unit of the Army Headquarters, Bonny Camp.

Jane said the soldier never asked her for love, but they related only as casual friends until Saturday, January 22, when it dawned on her that friends could be deceitful.

According to her, she was returning from work late in the evening when she saw Goodnews and Akparuku drinking in a bar located opposite the barracks with some of their friends. Jane said she joined them on invitation and was offered a bottle of malt. But, according to her, hardly had she taken a sip of the chilled drink when some boys from their neighbourhood invaded the bar to make trouble.

Goodnews, she recalled, engaged the boys in a fight and efforts made to separate them failed. She said she considered running away from the scene but when she considered it as a betrayal to a friend that invited her for a free drink, she stayed behind. In her words, when the owner of the bar requested for her money, the soldier, Akparuku, pleaded with her to accompany him to a new generation bank located inside the military barracks to collected some money from the ATM machine to offset their bill. The victim said she didn’t suspect anything and entered the bus.

The first year student of Business Administration said the fog of excitement cleared from her eyes when the soldier refused to stop at the bank. And when she confronted him to stop the vehicle, he allegedly persuaded her to follow him to his house to collect his ATM card.

“I told him to stop the vehicle, so that I would get down but he refused. He kept on speeding. But when he got to the School of Music, there was a mound of sand there. I used that opportunity to jump down from the bus. But he came down and pursued me.

I started screaming for help but he caught up with me and started kicking, hitting and dragging me back to the bus. It was at that point that he hit me on my eye and I fell down in severe pains. Some soldiers intervened at that point but he told them that I stole his N10, 000. He didn’t allow me to explain to them because he knew he was lying. He rained blows on my face, slapping me on both sides. Even those that came to help me turned around and abused me for stealing his money and ordered me to follow him,” she said.

While the beating continued, the victim said other vehicles drove past them without bothering to stop. But one man, whom she suspected to be a senior officer, stopped and ordered Mr. Akparuku to immediately take her out of the barracks.

“I told that senior officer that I wouldn’t follow him any more because he might kill me. But the man encouraged me to follow him into the bus. At that point, tears were flowing uncontrollably from my wounded eye which began swelling rapidly. It was getting darker and I could hardly see. When we entered the bus, I didn’t know what happened next until he dragged me down. He told me that we were in a burial ground, a no-go area. He pulled a dagger and threatened to stab me dead if I ever resist him. Everywhere was dark. He tore off my clothes. I refused to open my legs for him, and we started struggling again. But he was much stronger. The dagger slashed my neck. There were wounds all over my body. Then he raped me,” she said.

Jane said the furious soldier throttled her so hard that she could hardly scream. “I lay helplessly on the ground,” she recalled. She said the soldier also threatened to kidnap and keep her out of sight forever, for daring to insult him.

Jane, who said the incident left her thoroughly humiliated and debased, recalled that her alleged rapist used no condom.

“Apart from the fear of HIV/AIDS, I was even more afraid because I was in my ovulation period,” she said. “After raping me, he took me back to the bus and told me he was from the Niger/Delta and that he had kidnapped me. He said my family would never see me again. I was so afraid that I couldn’t utter a word. But when we got to a place in the barracks called Fin Niger, I saw somebody with a torch. I jumped out of the vehicle and started calling on the man to save me. At that time, I was naked but I didn’t mind. Other people came, some of them were soldiers, and they took us to the military police. They locked him up in the guardroom and took me to the military hospital. I spent three days in the hospital before the doctor referred me to a specialist hospital for the treatment of my eye,” she explained.

A medical report issued by the military hospital and made available to Daily Sun, described the incident as an assault occasioning bodily harm. But the victim is accusing the army authorities of trying to water down the rape charge so that the victim would receive light punishment.

“He raped me. He penetrated me and released his semen inside me. How can I lie and expose myself to this shame if it is not true? Even the man confessed that he did it. The doctor that examined me that night knows the truth. All I want is justice,” she said.

Jane said another lady also suffered a similar fate in the same location and was brought to the same military hospital. According to her, the lady, presumably in her early 20s, equally claimed to have been raped by unknown men at the same graveyard. Aside from having several rounds of unprotected sex, the perverts added a gory dimension to their crime by forcing an empty bottle into her private part. She spent the night unconscious in the cemetery until some passers-by took her to the military hospital. She was referred to an undisclosed specialist hospital when doctors at the barracks could do nothing to save her life, she said.

Although Jane said she was certified negative when she went for a pregnancy test, perpetual fear still gnaws at her mind, as she feels she might have contracted the dreaded HIV. She said her HIV status could only be properly diagnosed after six months.

Since the incident happened, Jane said she has been seeking legal aid, but lacks the required financial power and counsel.

Aside her financial constraints, the young lady said she is also facing constant threats from unknown persons who have vowed to deal with her for rejecting conciliatory steps engineered by the accused. According to her, a member of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), warned her recently to be more careful because some people are out to silence her forever.

Daily Sun undercover reporter visited Ojo Barracks on Friday, February 12 to get more details of the sex crime. At the military duty room where the accused was detained, the detainee chart spelt out the offence of assault and rape against Lance Corporal Akparuku Clever, who was the third on the chart. The chart also had seven other soldiers charged and detained for other misdemeanours.

The reporter, in an attempt to get the details of the offence, claimed to be a relation of the victim, who has come to broker a peace deal. Looking suspiciously at the reporter, the officer on duty ordered the visitors to wait outside the office for his colleague that has the keys to the guardroom. It took some couple of minutes before the accused was brought out from his cell.

On seeing Jane, the soldier’s eyes fell as he sat down on the wooden bench in front of the office. The journalist was able to convince him that the family of the victim had finally agreed to settle the case. The bait caught the suspect. He sounded remorseful as he reeled out his confession. He pleaded with the victim to name her price in order to save his career. He argued that his detention in cell had done either party no good, moreso as his commercial bus had been impounded by the authorities. It was while the soldier was pleading with the victim to withdraw the case that the reporter stealthily took his photograph, a Herculean task because of the presence of other soldiers.

Akparuku, with Force Number 03NA/63/197, disclosed that he was a native of Bayelsa State, a married man with five children. His pregnant wife, he said, was almost due and had travelled home with the children shortly after the incident for the burial of her grandmother.

Looking downcast and unkempt, Akparuku said misfortunes had been trailing him from his village since he took his danfo bus home. The army authorities, he noted, had since confiscated the bus which the victim alleged was used to abduct her.

Akparuku claimed it was not in a graveyard that the incident happened and denied any plan to use the victim for rituals. But the victim, who had been playing along to enable the reporter get details of the case, lost her temper and shouted him down for being economical with the truth. To keep the accused in high spirits, the journalist promised to prevail on the victim to withdraw her case entirely from the military police so that he would be released from the guardroom.

At the Ojo Military Police office, the reporter also met the Officer-in-Charge, Lieutenant Colonel, W.F. David, who assured the victim that investigations were on-going. Although he declined giving details of the action the military would take against the accused, one of the investigators said the accused would never go unpunished.

Efforts made to get official comments of the Nigerian Army failed. When the reporter contacted one of the commanding officers at the cantonment, one Captain Sanni, he said he was not aware of the incident since it happened outside his unit. According to him, there were about 14 units in the Army, which makes it difficult for him to know what happened in other units.

Also, the spokesman for Brigade 9 of the Nigerian Army, Lagos, Captain Olaolu Daudu, said he was not aware of the incident but assured that since the accused was still in military custody, the matter would be properly investigated.

However, the victim said her wounds would continue to fester unless the Army authorities heed her cry for justice. She said her tears would continue to flow until the man who subjected her to such physical, psychological and emotional torture earns his deserved punishment.

Will Miss Jane Adams ever receive justice? The whole world waits.