PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 Abuja church general overseer evicts estranged wife, six children A popular pastor, Stanley Ogbonna, has allegedly driven his estranged wife, Chioma, and six children out of their house in Abuja. Ogbonna, a General Overseer of the God’s Spring Assembly, also known as Glass Church, Kubwa, Abuja, was said to be in an unsettling relationship with his wife, which led to their divorce. He was accused of telling the court he had sold his properties to prevent the embattled wife from having a share of his wealth. In a clip that went viral on social media platforms on Tuesday, Chioma was seen accusing the pastor of infidelity and domestic abuse, among others. She narrated how she had suffered with the pastor for over 18 to 19 years with six children and how the husband had packed his properties out of the house while sleeping around with different women. She said, “See him, God will help me. This is a pastor. Look at him. This is the pastor, Stanley Ogbonna. He called the police and evict...

 HON.CHRIS NKWONTA CONDEMNS THE KILLING OF LATE MISS OCHEZE OGBONNA BY A CHINESE EXPATRIATE,TASKS SECURITY AGENCIES ON THOROUGH INVESTIGATION Member Representing Ukwa West and Ukwa East Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chief Hon.Chris Nkwonta has condemned in strong terms,the unfortunate incidents that occured yesterday night at the Inner Galaxy Steel Company located in Umuahala-Obuzor in Ukwa West Local Government Area,wherein; Miss Ocheze Ogbonna,a Crane Operator at the Inner Galaxy Steel Company and an indigene of Umuahala-Obuzor Asa was k*illed by a Chinese Expatriate and the shooting of protesting youths by the security agents safeguarding the facility.. Late Miss Ocheze reportedly died after a Chinese Expatriate working at the Inner Galaxy Steel Company located in Umuahala-Obuzor pushed her down from a heavy duty equipment (Crane) for rejecting and refusing his love advances and she has been confirmed dead. In a statement issued by the Federal Lawmaker wh...

 Olaopa wants HND scrapped as NBTE laments discrimination The Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, on Tuesday, asked that the Higher National Diploma be scrapped, to end what he called the lingering professional war with university degrees. He also asked the Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector to revisit the recommendations of the Conference of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in 2017. Also, the President, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Shammah Kpanja, said if the polytechnics must be attractive, the transition of HND to BTech must be welcomed. He, therefore, said that the Nigerian polytechnics must offer BTech strictly for HND students while also noting that the certificate must be specialised. Their calls came as the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, Prof. Idris Bugaje, bemoaned what he described as unwarranted discrimination against holders of the Higher National Diploma in Niger...

 Fred Roos, ‘Godfather Part II’ producer and longtime Coppola collaborator, dies at 89 Fred Roos, the Oscar-winning producer of "The Godfather Part II" who helped launch the careers of numerous superstars from Jack Nicholson to Tom Cruise, has died. He was 89. He died at his home in Beverly Hills, California, on Saturday, a representative said Tuesday, just days after his and Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film " Megalopolis " premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Roos and Coppola worked together for over 50 years, starting with "The Godfather," where he advised on the casting of Al Pacino and James Caan against the wishes of the studio, and introduced Coppola to John Cazale. He also produced Coppola's best picture nominees "The Conversation," "Apocalypse Now" and Parts II and III of "The Godfather." "Fred Roos possessed a casting instinct that was near infallible," Coppola wrote on Instagram. "He was a grea...

 Suspect who fatally shot California UPS driver 10 times in truck was coworker, childhood friend: DA The suspect who shot a UPS driver in broad daylight in an ambush killing as the victim was on his delivery route in Southern California was a childhood friend of his and a coworker, prosecutors said.  Rhean Jalipa Fontanoza, 46, allegedly shot 50-year-old Expedito De Leon 10 times "in a matter of seconds as he sat seat belted in his delivery truck" on May 16, the Orange County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday.  "He still had his UPS scanner in his hand and his seatbelt buckled when Fontanoza drove up next to De Leon’s delivery truck and shot [at] him 14 times in 19 seconds," the DA's office said.  Authorities said Fontanoza fired 14 shots and 10 hit De Leon.  Fontanoza, a UPS employee who was on disability leave, is charged with a special circumstances allegation of shooting from a vehicle and murder by lying in wait. He allegedly went to great lengths...

 Two South Carolina teens pass away after jumping from a bridge on a dare. 16-year-old Rayan Al-Nasser and 15-year-old Zakaria Chaar, both sophomores at D.W Daniel High, have been identified as the victims in a heartbreaking incident which occurred Saturday night. According to officials, the two were part of a group chat where students were daring each other to jump from the Twelve Mile River Bridge. Eventually the group met up to make good on the dare however things quickly went bad. According to reports the first teen landed awkwardly when he jumped from the bridge and immediately went into distress.  Upon seeing his friend in distress the second teen jumped in to try and rescue his friend. Sadly both boys disappeared under the surface of the water presumably being pulled under by the current. The two never surfaced. Another teen at the scene called 911 at around 10:28 pm. Although first responders were on scene in minutes, the boys were not recovered until Monday.  The...

 Macomb, Illinois- A 99-year-old, Eleanor Ann McKee, received her High-school diploma alongside Macomb, Illinois High-school class of 2024!  Eleanor was only one class short of graduation when her brother went away to fight in WW2. She had to leave school to help on the family's farm. Now at 99 years old she led the class of 2024 in the turning of their tassels. Great job Eleanor and the entire 2024 graduating class of Macomb High-school! Photo credit: Andrea Ratermann

Tragedy As 7 Studio Workers D!E In Bayelsa As A Result Of Inhaled Carbon Monoxide While At Work. 7 people have died in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, after inhaling fumes from a Generator  They d!ed while working in the recording studio located along Transformer Road in Ebis Mechanic, Amarata axis of Yenagoa. The young men in the studio were working from night to morning using their generator but may have fallen asleep and forgot to switch off the generator Six of them were discovered dead in the morning, while one of the victims who was unconscious was rushed to the hospital where he later gave up the ghost. The owner of the studio, a popular producer named Akpos Barakubo AKA SlimKelz was among the deceased.  ACCORDING TO ANOTHER SOURCE:  Generator fumes kill 7 friends inside studio in Bayelsa Residents of Ebi’s Mechanic Road, Amarata area in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, were on Tuesday thrown into mourning after the decomposing bodies of seven friends were f...

 Pochettino leaves Chelsea on mutual consent Mauricio Pochettino has reportedly left Chelsea by mutual consent after meeting with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali over the course of two days.  Pochettino agreed to his departure with Chelsea late on Tuesday morning, following the club’s end-of-season review that started on Monday. “Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea part ways with immediate effect. Chelsea and Pochettino have already agreed on terms, as @Matt_Law_DT reports. “Chelsea will consider a young manager as a priority to replace Pochettino,” he wrote.

 Court Jails  Varsity Student for Internet Fraud in Port Harcourt   Justice P. M. Ayua of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State has jailed one Felix Emmanuel Dornubari, a student of the University of Port Harcourt for internet fraud.    Dornubari was prosecuted by the Port Harcourt Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one-count charge of impersonation in a cybercrime.   The charge reads: “That you, Felix Emmanuel Dornubari, on or about 21st February, 2024, at Port Harcourt, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did fraudulently impersonate Robinson Felix Michael, a white male military officer with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22 (2) (b) (i) of the Cybercrime  (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same section of the Act."   He pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read to him, upon which prosecution...

 Naira Abuse:  EFCC Arrests Woman in Gombe   Investigators of the Gombe Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission , EFCC,  have arrested Janty Emmanuel for allegedly abusing the  Nigerian currency in Gombe.   She was arrested on Monday, May 20, 2024  following intelligence that spotted her spraying  Naira notes at a social event .   Upon arrest, the suspect was shown the video where she was dancing at G-Connect , Tumfure, Gombe State and spraying Naira notes of N1000 denomination.   She admitted committing the crime.    She will  be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

 EFCC Arrests 20 Suspected Internet Fraudsters in Abuja   Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Tuesday,  May 21, 2024 arrested 20 suspected internet fraudsters in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Abuja. The suspects were arrested in the early hours of the day at the Lugbe axis of the FCT following credible intelligence about their suspected involvement in online criminal activities. Items recovered from them include a car, laptops and phones. They will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

 Woman killed by her extra large dogs A woman in her 50s has been mauled to death by her two registered extra-large bully dogs in Hornchurch, a suburb of East London. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene and the two registered dogs were seized after being contained in a room. The death of the woman is the latest tragedy involving the banned breed, the police said on Tuesday. Since February 1, it became a criminal offense to own the extra large bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate. Anyone who owns one of the dogs must have had the animal neutered, have it microchipped and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions. The British government’s move to ban extra-large bullies followed a series of attacks by the larger and more muscular version of the American Bully breed. The breed is relatively new. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were 16 deaths due to dog attacks in 2023, a sharp rise from preceding years ...

 Tinubu not responsible for hardship, says ex-Bauchi governor Former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, on Tuesday, said President Bola Tinubu cannot be held responsible for the current hardship and high inflation Nigerians are facing. Yuguda, at the first edition of the Asiwaju Scorecard Series organised by the All Progressives Congress Professionals Forum in Abuja, further stressed that the economy was seriously bleeding before he came into office. In the past few months, the masses have continued to groan over the rising cost of food items and inflation despite an appreciable improvement in the exchange rate of the naira against the dollar. But the former governor insisted that the current administration should not be solely held responsible for the turbulent economy. He expressed concern that if Tinubu had not taken some drastic measures and reforms that included the removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the naira, Nigeria would seriously be gasping for breath. According t...

 Amal Clooney Was Among the Experts Consulted on I.C.C. Warrants Ms. Clooney, a prominent human rights lawyer, was on a panel that recommended arrest warrants for leaders of Israel and Hamas. She had been criticized for not speaking out on the war.

 APC is targeting more states in 2027 – Ganduje The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, has said that the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party is working to get new state governors come 2027. Ganduje made this known on Tuesday in Abuja at a policy roundtable titled, ‘The Asiwaju Scorecard Series’, organised by APC Professionals Forum. He said the leadership of the APC was gradually restructuring the party into a truly grassroots progressive party. The chairman said the NWC has directed the state chapters of the party to liaise with their respective governors and other stakeholders to ensure that they have full-fledged, functional offices in every political ward and state to enable members across the country to have symbolic representation in their neighborhood. He said the NWC has also constituted a reconciliation committee that would reconcile all aggrieved party members, and such committees would be established at the state, loc...

 I made my first million from organising events in university – Chioma Goodhair Reality TV star, Chioma Goodhair, has revealed how she made her first million by organizing an event. Appearing on the Big Friday Show, hosted by BBNaija’s Tacha, Chioma revealed that she earned her first million naira through planning events during her university days. She stated that her entrepreneurial spirit was ignited at the University of Birmingham, where she was known for her friendly and outgoing personality. Chioma highlighted how she leveraged her popularity to organize parties on campus, convincing hundreds of students, mostly ladies, to buy tickets to attend. She said: “My first million naira was probably from throwing events in uni. I went to the University of Birmingham and I didn’t even plan to but I was so popular then and I knew a lot of people and I was very friendly. I’m still a friendly person. I don’t look it but I am. I’m also a girls’ girl and I’m very good at convincing people t...

 I’m a full-blooded Nigerian – Zack Orji denies being a Gabonese Veteran actor Zack Orji has refuted a viral claim suggesting that he is from Gabon rather than Nigeria. In response to the claim, which emerged from a podcast video that went viral on Monday, May 21, Orji explained that he was born in Gabon due to his father’s job, which required frequent international travel. Despite his birthplace, Orji clarified that he is not from the Central African nation. He condemned those spreading the rumour, calling them liars and asking God to deal with them accordingly. Orji emphasised that both his parents are Nigerians, and he proudly identifies as a Nigerian from Enugu state. “Not long ago, they said I was dead, and, by God’s grace and mercy, it eventually turned out to be a lie from the pit of hell. “Now, another lie from the pit of hell has emerged, claiming that I said, “I’m from Gabon, I’m not a Nigerian”. “I hereby issue a disclaimer dissociating myself from that lie. I am a full-...

GOV. SANWO-OLU COMMISERATES WITH LAGOS SPEAKER, OBASA OVER FATHER'S DEATH Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has commiserated with the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, on the death of his beloved father, Alhaji Sulaiman Obasa. The late Alhaji Sulaiman Obasa died early Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the age of 83. Governor Sanwo-Olu in a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, urged Obasa, the deceased family, friends, associates and the entire people of Agege to immortalise the good name of the late businessman. He said: “As humans, losing our loved ones is one of the most difficult experiences we can face and although they may be gone, the memories and the love we shared are forever etched in our hearts to nurture and cherish. “we must also take solace in God for a good life lived by the deceased. “On behalf of my adorable wife, Ibijoke, the government and the people of Lagos State,...

 PRESS RELEASE UGHELLI – OHORO FOREST KILLINGS: POLICE OPERATIVES RECOVER POLICE ARMS CARTED AWAY BY ATTACKERS, ARREST SUSPECTS, NEUTRALISE BANDITS IGP Reaffirms Commitment to Reduce Crime to Barest Minimum Leveraging on the recent charge on succinct intelligence gathering and sharing for effective operational deployments by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) has made significant strides in the ongoing efforts to combat crime and restore security in Delta State and beyond. Following the recent tragic events in Ohoro Forest, Ughelli Delta State, where some police operatives were ambushed and gruesomely murdered leading to the loss of thirteen (13) police rifles to the criminal suspects, the FID-IRT have successfully recovered ten (10) of these arms. During a coordinated operation, the gallant operatives of the FID-IRT engaged the suspects in a gun duel which led to the neutr...

 I HAVE NEVER FELT SO MUCH REJECTION IN MY LIFE. - NIGERIAN LADY NARRATES HOW SHE WAS SLUT-SHAMED IN CHURCH FOR WEARING AN 'INDECENT' DRESS A Nigerian lady, Tanko Lami, has recalled how church members slut-shamed her over her choice of dressing and accused her of trying to corrupt the minds of their children. According to Lami, she was in a dark place mentally and psychologically hence needed a church that held the values of community and family with its members.    “Exactly one year today since I posted this picture and that makes it exactly one year since I stepped my feet into any church at all. Looking at this picture brings back memories of hurtful words I heard that day, I am just glad that it doesn't hurt as much as it used to many months before now,” she wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday, May 21. I was in a bad place in life, mentally, in short, psychologically, I was at a dark place and all I needed was human love and acceptance. Not in any environment, because...

 UPDATE ON THE CLOSURE OF BANEX PLAZA, ABUJA Following the recent unrest at Banex Plaza in Wuse, Abuja, on Saturday 18 May 2024, by yet to be identified hoodlums who launched a brutal attack on some Nigerian Army personnel, a swift  intervention by soldiers and policemen on internal security duties salvaged the situation and rescued the attacked personnel from being lynched  by the hoodlums. It is important to note that the soldiers attacked were unarmed, did not engage in any form of aggression, and posed no threat to anyone. Therefore, the cruel treatment meted out to them was entirely unwarranted and unjustifiable. In response to this unfortunate incident, a meeting was convened with the management of Banex Plaza to  identify and apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous act by temporarily shutting down activities in the plaza to ensure that the hoodlums who have been using the Banex neighborhood as a sanctuary to pose a security threat to the Federal Capital Ter...

Rep seeks justice as Chinese expatriate murders Abia lady for rejecting love advances The member representing Ukwa East/Ukwa West Federal Constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives, Chris Nkwonta, on Tuesday condemned the alleged killing of Miss Ocheze Ogbonna, a crane operator at the Inner Galaxy Steel Company, by a Chinese expatriate. It was gathered that Ocheze Ogbonna died after the Chinese expatriate working at the Inner Galaxy Steel Company located in Umuahala-Obuzor pushed her down from the crane for rejecting his love advances. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Nkwonta expressed deep sadness on the death of his constituent, Ocheze, describing the action of the Chinese expatriate as wicked. While maintaining that his constituency is known for peace, the federal lawmaker demanded justice for the victim. “Miss Ocheze Ogbonna’s death orchestrated by a Chinese expatriate is a gross abuse of the rules of engagement and a total disregard for the sanctity of human life ...

 US allies France, Belgium defend ICC prosecutor's request for Israeli arrest warrants France, Belgium and other European allies are expressing support for the International Criminal Court amid ongoing demands from the U.S. to drop accusations of war crimes against Israel. Protestations from the U.S. and Israel began after ICC prosecutor Karim Khan filed applications for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas leaders for alleged "war crimes." "France supports the International Criminal Court, its independence and the fight against impunity in all situations," the nation's foreign ministry said Monday. Slovenia also spoke out in support of the ICC, saying "accountability is crucial" in addressing the Israel-Hamas conflict. "War crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of Israel and Palestine from at least Oct.7 2023 must be prosecuted independently and impa...

 Police clear anti-Israel encampment at University of Michigan An anti-Israel protest encampment at the University of Michigan was removed from campus by police early Tuesday, a public safety official confirmed to Fox News Digital. Officers with the university’s public safety department began clearing the encampment just before 6 a.m. on the Central Campus, Melissa Overton, public information officer for the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety and Security, told Fox News Digital in a statement. Protesters demanding the university’s divestment from Israel over the Israel-Hamas war first set up the encampment in the Diag – a large open area with walkways and green spaces on campus – in April. Overton said officers had provided a handout and issued three warnings over a 15-minute period, asking protesters to leave the encampment voluntarily before being subject to arrest. "The encampment posed safety risks, both to participants and the community at large, and its presenc...

 Simone Biles slams fans for disrespecting NFL husband Jonathan Owens: ‘Respectfully, f--- off’ Simone Biles has had enough of the jokes at her husband’s expense.  The gymnastics star, who will likely be making her third Olympic appearance at the Summer Games in Paris, posted a message to Instagram over the weekend snapping back at those criticizing her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens.  "I'm going to quickly address this, the joke was never a joke! Y'all are blatantly being disrespectful to my relationship & my husband. So I'm gonna go ahead & say this one time. Respectfully, f--- off," she wrote in a post on her Instagram Stories.  "If you keep commenting or tweeting at me I'm just going to block you. Simple as that. And no I don't need to touch grass or whatever tf y'all suggest…" "[For] everyone else that supports us, we love y’all so much," she continued.   Biles’ comments followed a post on social media whe...

 Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad diagnosed with leukemia, president's office says The first lady of Syria, Asma al-Assad, has been diagnosed with leukemia, according to the nation's top officials.  Asma al-Assad, wife of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, has been forced to temporarily withdraw from public life for the time being due to the disease.  She was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and will "adhere to a specialized treatment protocol that includes stringent infection prevention measures," according to a statement released by her husband's office on Tuesday. Following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Ama al-Assad became involved in charity work for national interests championed by her husband, who has been accused in France of alleged complicity in war crimes.  She makes frequent public appearances and hosts meetings with the families of fallen soldiers. She also accompanied her husband during a diplomatic visit to the United Arab Emirates...

 Congo's army releases name of third American involved in foiled coup plot Congo's army spokesman on Tuesday released the name of the third American involved in a foiled coup plot in Kinshasa, while family members in Utah gathered to mourn Christian Malanga, the eccentric leader of the brazen and ill-fated attack targeting the presidential palace over the weekend. Brig. Gen. Sylvain Ekenge told The Associated Press the third American was Taylor Thomson. It wasn't immediately clear whether Thomson was among those arrested or killed on Sunday morning following the attack on the palace and another on the residence of a close ally of President Felix Tshisekedi. Malanga, described as a naturalized American by Ekenge, was killed in a shootout at the palace after resisting arrest. The State Department said it could not confirm Malanga was a U.S. citizen. The other two Americans involved were a convicted marijuana trafficker and Malanga’s 21-year-old son, Marcel. Authorities were s...

 POLICE ARREST SUSPECT FOR DEFRAUDING THAI CITIZEN OF $216,000 AND N30M  Detectives of the State Criminal Investigative Department (SCID), Lagos State Police Command, have arrested one Chimereze Chinedu 'm' for defrauding a citizen of Thailand of the sum ofTwo Hundred and Sixteen Thousand Dollars.  Chimereze defrauded his victim under the pretense of selling 37 tricycles to her. He further expanded his fraudulent activity by forging letters of the State Criminal Investigative Department, Lagos showing that the tricycles were seized by the police and further extorted Thirty Million Naira from the victim to purportedly secure the release of the tricycles. The suspect was arrested on May 10, 2024 in Enugu State following weeks of diligent investigation and technical support from the INTERPOL. He is currently in detention, as investigations continue to uncover details towards identifying and apprehending his accomplices. The Lagos State Police Command remains steadfast in its...

 Kano Assembly initiates Emirs Law amendment amidst calls for Sanusi’s reinstatement In a significant development poised to reshape the traditional governance landscape of Kano, the state House of Assembly has embarked on a journey to amend the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law. This move follows the contentious dethronement of the 14th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje in 2020. During a decisive plenary session on Tuesday, the Majority Leader, Hussien Dala, representing the Dala constituency, tabled the motion for the proposed amendments. The decision to revisit the Emirs Law comes amidst mounting pressure for the reinstatement of Muhammad Sanusi II, whose removal sparked nationwide debate and condemnation. Dala underscored the imperative of addressing the issues stemming from the 2019 amendment that led to the division of the historic Kano Emirate into five distinct emirates. He emphasized the need for fairness and justice in g...