PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

 EFCC Arraigns Suspected Internet Fraudster for Impersonation In Lagos The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, June 10, 2023, arraigned a suspected internet fraudster, Victor Fasuba, on a one-count charge bordering on fraudulent impersonation before Justice Kehinde Ogundare of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos. The lone-count charge reads:  “That you, FASUBA VICTOR OLUWATOSI, sometime in November 2023, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, fraudulently impersonated one 'Arrow Grant" by holding yourself out as such on Facebook App, with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.” He pleaded “guilty” to the offence when it was read to him. In view of his guilty plea, prosecution counsel, Z.B. Atiku, sought to review the facts before the court. Justice Ogundare,...

 ARMY TROOPS GIVE TERRORISTS BLOODY NOSE, NEUTRALIZE 4 IN KADUNA, NIGER STATES, RECOVER ARMS In a series of recent Counter-terrorism operations, troops of the Nigerian Army deployed in Kaduna and Niger States have dealt  terrorists marauding in the states a bloody nose, as the gallant troops neutralized 4 terrorists during clearance and ambush operations in the states.     In Kaduna State, the troops acting on actionable intelligence conducted clearance operations around Rijana Forest. The operations targeted terrorists' hideouts in Amale, Gidan Jatua, Gidan Danfulani, and Gidan Duna villages.  The troops en route to Gidan Dutse encountered terrorists at Koko Hill in Rijana Forest. In the combat engagement that followed, the troops neutralized three terrorists and recovered  three AK-47 rifles, two motorbikes, two AK-47 magazines, 19 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, two mobile phones, and two MP3 players. Troops in an ambush operation in Niger St...

 A group of juveniles stole a bus and crashed it in Lexington, Kentucky.  Juveniles from the Appalachian Children's Home (a facility for "at risk" children) left the facility unsupervised Sunday evening. The group walked to the Knox County Schools bus garage and according to officials, "turned a bus on without a key". They then crashed the bus through a locked gate at the facility and began their joyride. The joyride ended when they crashed the school bus in Lexington, Kentucky.  Officials say they have all the juveniles involved in custody and are investigating how they were able to steal a school bus.

 An entire neighborhood rushes to save 4 occupants of a crashed plane in Colorado.  On Friday June 7th 2024, a 1969 Beechcraft 35 took off from Denver's Centennial Airport headed in to Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. Two adults and two children were aboard the plane. Around 15 minutes after takeoff the pilot began radioing traffic control to report the plane was experiencing engine troubles. Around 9:30 a.m., the airplane crashed into an Arvada, Colorado, neighborhood. Residents of the neighborhood were shocked by the violence of the impact, however it did not stop multiple people exiting their homes and running to render aid; including an entire construction crew. Neighbors used their garden hoses to push back the flames while others managed to extract the 4 occupants of the plane. It's assumed the pilot was trying to make an emergency landing on the roadway but must have clipped a tree or another object causing the crash. The 4 occupants all suffered injuries but ultima...

 Bull jumps fence at an Oregon Rodeo injuring spectators. The incident occurred at the 84th annual Sister's Rodeo on Saturday June 8th.  In the released video, you can see the bull running around the arena while the crowd sings "God Bless America". As the bull makes his way around the arena he approaches a section of the barrier separating spectators from rodeo grounds. He then jumps the fence landing among the audience.  The rodeo announcer activated the emergency response plan and livestock professionals responded immediately.  The bull ran through the audience and back to the livestock pen where rodeo personnel were able to contain it. 3 people were injured with 2 of them requiring hospital treatment.

 Off Duty Seattle, Washington security guard takes the life of a teen trying to return a BB gun to a sporting good store. 51 year-old Aaron Brown Myers is being charged with homicide after an incident at a Big 5 Sporting Good store. According to reports, Myers was sitting in his car waiting on his son who was attending Ju Jitsu classes.  After this, Myers version of events differs greatly from what security camera footage reveals. According to Myers, he witnessed the boys walk by his vehicle with what he believed to be a Glock. He claims he thought it was "his duty" as an "off duty security guard" (at an entirely different facility) to protect people.  He says he exited his vehicle with his weapon in his hand and ordered the teens to put their hands up. He goes on to say they completely ignored him and one teen began reaching into his waistband for what he believed to be a weapon.  He contends he "repeatedly demanded the teen to stop reaching in his waistband b...

 Teen who pleaded guilty in the Lincoln County Missouri crash that took the lives of 3 teens, receives suspended execution of sentence. 17-year-old Hailey Zenk was driving on the night of February 5th, 2023 when her vehicle went airborne while topping a hill. The vehicle then crashed into a tree resulting in the loss of life to 3 of her passengers Emily McNees, Kaden Tyler and Will Flickinger. 1 other passenger survived the crash but ultimately spent months in the hospital rehabilitating.  At the time of the crash, Zenk was found to have alcohol, fentanyl, Xanax, Ketamine and marijuana in her system. Zenk pleaded guilty to the charges against her and was sentenced to 7 years for DWI leading to injury, 10 years for driving intoxicated leading to 2 or more deaths, and 7 years each for 3 counts of involuntary manslaughter. However the judge opted to give Zenk a suspended execution of the sentence.  This ultimately means Zenk will now serve only 120 days in jail and be on pro...

 PRESS RELEASE ANDREW OCHEKWO: IGP INSTITUTES HIGH-POWERED INVESTIGATION, ASSURES JUSTICE The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has directed the Monitoring Unit to conduct a thorough and high-powered investigation into the suspected murder of one Andrew Ochekwo. This directive comes amid the numerous allegations, arguments, and counterarguments surrounding the case, which also involves the disappearance of two ladies, Celine and Afiba after their trip to visit the said Andrew in Aba, Abia State, for which he was alleged to be responsible. In light of the public interest and the gravity of the allegations, the IGP has deemed it necessary to institute a meticulous investigation into the roles played by the team which carried out the initial investigation in Abia State, and the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT), to unravel the veritable facts of the matter. The Monitoring Unit has been given a two-week timeframe to c...

 NYSC Portal Crash: Prospective corps members stranded in Cross River   In a state of disarray and confusion, thousands of prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members find themselves stranded in Cross River State, unable to proceed with their registration due to the sudden crash of the registration portal, which occurred on Saturday night. The NYSC portal, which was opened on June 8, 2024, crashed less than 12 hours later, leaving aspiring corps members perplexed and unable to enroll. Two days after the crash, on June 10, 2024, the NYSC headquarters issued a statement of apology, shedding light on the cause of the portal’s disruption. According to the statement, the crash was attributed to a “conflict on link in between NIMC access to NYSC’s database,” leading to a system disruption. The statement, addressing critical stakeholders, accredited NYSC Cyber Café Operators (CBOs), and prospective corps members, explained the technical intricacies behind the breakdown an...

 Russia Releases Female Prison Inmates to Join Ukraine War About 30,000 women were serving time in Russia at the start of the invasion. Military recruiters began touring prisons for women across the European part of Russia in the fall of 2023, more than a year after the country’s forces started offering convicted men pardons and salaries in return for combat service. Until now, however, convicted women who had enlisted remained incarcerated without an official explanation, according to interviews with former and current inmates of four Russian prisons for women. Tens of thousands imprisoned Russian men have taken up the military’s call, replenishing the country’s invasion force at a crucial moment in the war and helping it regain its military advantage over Ukraine. The recruitment of women convicts comes as the Russian government has resorted to increasingly unorthodox schemes to attract volunteers from the margins of Russian society, trying to avoid another round of unpopular con...

 Ogun Begins Sales Of Subsidized Rice To Pensioners  Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has extended the sales of subsidized rice to pensioners in the state. This was made known by the Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Kehinde Onasanya Onasanya, while monitoring the sales of discounted rice to members of the Local Government Pensioners Association of Nigeria (LOGPAN), at its secretariat in Ita Oshin, Abeokuta, on Monday. He said that since the economic situation in the country cuts across all ages, the government decided to extend the sales of the rice at discounted rates to the local government pensioners.  While urging the pensioners to take advantage of the gesture, Onasanya said the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration is pensioners’ friendly and seriously concerned about their welfare. He said that bringing the rice to the doorsteps of the pensioners was to eliminate any hardship they may likely face in purchasing the commodity.  He urged them to take advanta...

10th June, 2024 PRESS RELEASE RAID OF CRIMINAL HIDEOUT IN KWALE, AND RECOVERY OF FIFTY-ONE ROUNDS OF 7.62MM AK-47 AMMUNITION, MAGAZINES, THREE LOCALLY MADE CUT-TO-SIZE GUNS, TWO PUMP ACTION GUNS, CARTRIDGES ARREST OF A SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBER, RECOVERY OF A LOCALLY MADE FABRICATED AK-47 RIFLE AND THRITEEN ROUNDS OF 7.62MM AMMUNITION 1. RAID OF CRIMINAL HIDEOUT, RECOVERY OF FIFTY-ONE ROUNDS OF 7.62MM LIVE AMMUNITION, THREE LOCALLY MADE CUT-TO-SIZE TO SIZE GUNS, TWO PUMP ACTION GUNS, AND CARTRIDGES: Acting on credible intelligence gathered on the activities of suspected armed robbers and kidnappers in Kwale axis, the Commissioner of Police CP Abaniwonda Olufemi directed the Commander Quick Response Squad to work discreetly on the intelligence. Acting on this directive, the Commander SP Osadolor Godwin on 8/06/2024 at about 1140hrs led  surveillance team attached to Kwale Division and stormed their hideout in an uncompleted building where they two suspects upon sighting the Police...

 In Anambra : 40 Indigent Women Smile Home With Cash, Foodstuffs As Foundation Launches Feed A Family Program  By Juliana Nwachukwu No fewer than 40 indigent market women were on Friday, at Oduwanu Street Market, near Bridgehead Market, Onitsha  South Local Government Area, empowered with cash, bags of rice, aprons, cartons of indomie among other food stuffs from the Chief Executive Officer of Admin Foundation, Chief Promise Egbeji during the launch of "Feed a Family Programme" in the area. The kind gesture according to Chief Egbeji is  in line with the marvelous things Governor Charles  Soludo is doing in Onitsha South constituency,  Chief Egbeji noted the overwhelming impact of what the governor is doing in the state and decided to support as his foundation is committed to touching lives positively and he finds joy in seeing people smile. He explained that he united the youths of Onitsha South by organising a massive football tournament with significant p...

 Israel targets weapons, supply lines in Syria as tensions with Hezbollah threaten to boil over   Israel has intensified covert strikes in Syria against weapons sites, supply routes and Iranian-linked commanders, seven regional officials and diplomats said, ahead of a threatened full-scale assault on Tehran's key ally Hezbollah in Lebanon. A June 2 air raid that killed 18 people, including an adviser with Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, targeted a clandestine, fortified weapons site near Aleppo, three of the sources said. In May, an air strike hit a convoy of trucks headed to Lebanon carrying missile parts and another raid killed Hezbollah operatives, four said. Israel has for years struck militant groups backed by arch-foe Iran in Syria and elsewhere, in a low-level campaign that burst into open confrontation after Israel and Palestinian group Hamas - another Iranian ally - went to war in Gaza on Oct. 7. Israel has since killed dozens of Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) and Hez...

 DePaul University fires biology professor over assignment about Israel-Hamas war DePaul University says it has fired a part-time biology professor after she gave an optional assignment to students last month asking them to write about the impact of "genocide in Gaza on human health and biology."  An investigation into the assignment offered by Anne d’Aquino "found it had negatively affected the learning environment by introducing extraneous political material that was outside the scope of the academic subject as outlined in the curriculum," according to the school.  "The class was provided a new instructor, and the faculty member has been released from their appointment as a part-time faculty member," DePaul University said in a statement to The Associated Press, adding that some students "expressed significant concern" about politics in a science class on how microorganisms cause disease.  The Chicago-based school also said an email with the as...

 1M illegal immigrants could be given 'amnesty' as Biden faces pressure from left wing President Biden has hinted that more liberal moves on immigration could be coming in the weeks ahead, and reports suggest that, in response to left-wing pressure on the issue, he is considering a deportation shield for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. Last week, Biden announced an executive order to limit the ability of illegal immigrants to claim asylum at the southern border. While it was brushed off by Republicans as insufficient and has yet to have an impact on border numbers, it sparked liberal anger, drawing condemnation from some Democratic lawmakers and an immediate lawsuit threat from civil rights groups. Announcing the executive order, Biden appeared to anticipate the criticism from the left and teased moves to make the immigration system "more just." "Today, I have spoken about what we need to do to secure the border.  In the weeks ahea...

 RCCG City of David undergoing audit as Iluyomade’s replacement resumes Pastor Charles Kpandei, who replaced a former Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God’s City of David parish in Lagos State, Idowu Iluyomade, resumed at the parish on Sunday. According to Church Times, on resumption, Kpandei first introduced himself to the church and then preached on the subject of heaven. Kpandei urged members to welcome one another to church during the second service of the City of David. He said, “Are you really happy to be in church today? For those of you who are just coming for the second service, it is important to tell you that I am called Pastor Charles Kpandei. “You need that name because you are going to tell somebody that on behalf of Pastor Charles Kpandei, you are welcome to church today.” Before going to the main message, he prayed that God would remember the City of David for good, quoting Nehemiah 13v14. According to the report, the parish is being audited by a notable a...

 Ancelotti backtracks on rejecting FIFA Club World Cup participation In a turn of events, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has backtracked on his earlier comments dismissing the club’s participation in the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup. “In my interview with Il Giornale, my words about the FIFA Club World Cup have not been interpreted in the way I intended,” Ancelotti stated in a clarification statement on Monday. “Nothing could be further from my interest than rejecting the possibility of playing a tournament that I think can be a great opportunity to continue fighting for great titles with Real Madrid,” he added. Ancelotti’s remarks come in stark contrast to his reported comments to the Italian newspaper, where he was quoted to have said that Real Madrid would reject the invitation to participate in the prestigious club competition. “Real Madrid will NOT go to the FIFA World Club, we will reject the invitation like other clubs,” the Italian tactician had told Il Giornale, citin...

 How video portraying me as 'mad man' ruined my career – Hanks Anuku Nollywood veteran, Hanks Anuku, has revealed how a viral video that falsely portrayed him as mentally unstable ruined his career and took a toll on his mental health. A disturbing video showing Anuku dressed in tattered clothes, appearing to talk to himself, surfaced online in 2023, sparking speculations that he was mentally unstable. The video of the actor who was spotted at the Northwest fuel station in Asaba started circulating on the internet on Wednesday. In the video, Hanks Anuku was discussing with another man who was admiring a young lady who walked by. The actor was muttering several words that were hard to put together. Before leaving the scene, Hanks Anuku mentioned that it was the birthday of Anambra-based cleric Chukwuemeka Ohanaemere alias Prophet Odumeje and he admires the man. Despite a disclaimer from his colleague, Shan George, many, including filmmaker, Adanma Luke, insisted that the actor w...

 I started dating at early age due to parental neglect - Blessing CEO Renowned Nigerian relationship counselor, Blessing CEO, has shared insights into her early life, revealing that she started dating and having marriage experiences very early in life. She spoke during an appearance on the ‘ThisIsPop’ podcast. Reflecting on present-day marital challenges, Blessing noted the shift towards hasty unions, contrasting with the traditional thoroughness preceding marriages in the past. Recalling the customary practice of family inquiries before marriage, she noted its reduction in modern times. Blessing also delved into the issue of parental neglect, observing how it often compels young girls to seek love elsewhere. Drawing from her own life, she disclosed how a lack of parental love prompted her to start dating at the tender age of 15, culminating in marriage at 18 — an experience that later led to divorce.

 NNPCL dismisses allegations of inflated fuel subsidy payments The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has vehemently denied recent media reports accusing it of inflating fuel subsidy payments by N3.3 trillion. The allegations surfaced following a report claiming that a forensic audit conducted by the global accounting firm KPMG had unearthed significant discrepancies in the fuel subsidy claims submitted by the national oil company. According to iWitnessLive, the audit purportedly revealed that NNPCL had overstated its fuel subsidy claims by a staggering N3.3 trillion during the period of 2015-2021. The primary objective of the audit was to authenticate the legitimacy of the subsidy claims made by NNPCL. These allegations emerged against the backdrop of statements made by the NNPCL’s Group CEO, Mele Kyari, several months ago. Kyari had asserted that the federal government owed NNPCL a substantial sum of N2.8 trillion in unpaid petrol subsidy payments, which the comp...

 I regret marrying Chukwujekwu – Maureen Esisi Maureen Esisi, the estranged wife of Nollywood actor Blossom Chukwujekwu, has expressed her deep regret over their marriage, referring to their five-year union as “wasted years.” In a candid conversation on the ‘The House Chronicles’ podcast hosted by Miracle OP, the fashion designer shared her painful experience, lamenting that she could have been a mother of two by now if she had married someone else. “I regret marrying him (Blossom Chukwujekwu). It was wasted years. Five years of my life, that’s a lot. I would have married somebody else and probably had two kids by now,” she said. She also shared her desire to become a mother, a dream she had hoped to fulfill during her marriage. “I wished I had kids. Because trying to have kids now is just scary and annoying. I’m currently working on having kids. I don’t know how it’s going to happen, but I must get pregnant this year,” she said. Maureen’s remarks shed light on the emotional toll o...

 NBTE introduces mandatory skills qualification for polytechnic students The National Board for Technical Education has introduced a Mandatory Skills Qualification as a graduation requirement for all newly reviewed National Diploma and Higher National Diploma curricula. The board said the introduction is in line with global trends, especially as skill acquisition is now central to the training of youths in polytechnics. This was disclosed in a statement by the board’s Head of Media, Hajiya Fatimah Abubakar, on Monday in Abuja. Abubakar said diploma holders would now graduate with a National Skills Qualification or its equivalent, as an additional certification. She said the MSQ is now a requirement for all diploma programmes and must be attained before graduation. She also noted that the NSQ was a certification system designed to assess and recognise the skills and competencies of individuals in various fields. “It focuses on vocational skills and is typically obtained through voca...

 FG repairs vandalised Second Niger Bridge, tightens security The Federal Ministry of Works has fixed the vandalised railings and expansion joints used to absorb the thermal expansions at the Second Niger Bridge. Uchenna Orji, the Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, disclosed this to our correspondent on Monday. Orji said the vandalised sections of the bridge were fixed on Sunday. He added that the Federal Ministry of Works is working with the police and other security agencies to tighten security stop vandalism on the bridge and save the “superstructure” from further damage. He said, “Yes, the vandalised sections of the bridge have been fixed. Tough and decisive measures are being adopted by the ministry to curb further incidents of vandalism and theft of facilities on the Second Niger Bridge and other public infrastructure nationwide.” This is following a video that circulated on social media last Monday showing how some rail fittings and expansion join...

  Cyberbullying: VeryDarkMan regains freedom after 3 weeks in detention A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Martin Otse, the controversial social media critic known as VeryDarkMan, who was accused of cyberbullying. He was set free from police custody upon meeting the bail terms on Monday. However, specific bail conditions are still not public as of now. Otse faced charges related to cyberstalking and was arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja on May 22. The Nigerian police charged the defendant for posting offensive videos on his Instagram and making indecent allegations against Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh. One of the charges alleged that Otse posted videos on his Instagram handle containing information that was “grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character”. In another charge, the defendant was said to have alleged that Iyabo Ojo was having an indecent sexual relationship with her daughter. Police further claimed that the defen...

 Fayose denies dumping PDP, cautions against politics of bitterness Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, on Monday, dismissed insinuations that he had dumped the opposition Peoples Democratic Party for the governing All Progressives Congress. Fayose, who said he would never join APC, appealed to PDP members to stop maligning his character and person and cautioned them against politics of bitterness. The former governor, who spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, while addressing his supporters, urged party members to close ranks, embrace peace and discourage divisions and factions among them in a bid to defeat APC in the next governorship election in the state. Fayose said, “I am beginning campaigns ahead of the congresses in two local government areas. I will go to all local government areas and I will support them with logistics for the election of our party. I am not looking for opposition, If you say Fayose does not matter, wait, during election you will see.” ...

Akwa Ibom: Final year poly student shot dead while struggling cellphone with armed robbers A final-year Electrical Electronics student at Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area, has been shot dead by suspected armed robbers. The victim, identified as Saviour, was said to have been shot around 8:00 pm on Saturday near his former residence in Ikot Uboh, Ikot Ekpene LGA, while trying to protect his cellphone from the robbers. A source close to the school said the armed robbers opened fire on their victim as he tried to raise the alarm. The source noted, “Apart from his phone, the devils took nothing away. I pray that God comforts his mother and siblings and grants his soul eternal rest. “I urge the Akwa Ibom State government and security agencies to fish out those bad elements, especially in our institutions, to ensure peace for our children.” However, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John, who confirmed the incident, said the command...

Aircraft carrying Malawi vice president missing, presidency says An aircraft carrying Malawi's Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima and nine others has gone missing, Malawi's presidency said on Monday. “The Office of the President and Cabinet wishes to inform the general public that the Malawi Defense Force Aircraft that left Lilongie today, Monday 10 June 2024 at 09:17 Hours, carrying the Vice President, the Right Honourable Dr. Saulos Klaus Chilima, and nine others, failed to make its scheduled landing at Mzuzu International Airport at 10:02." "All efforts by aviation authorities to make contact with the Aircraft since it went off the radar have failed thus far," Malawi's Office of the President and Cabinet said in a statement. Chilima, 51, was aboard a Malawi Defense Force aircraft that left the capital Lilongwe at 0917 local time, the statement said, adding that search and rescue operations were ongoing. “The Commander of the Malawi Defense Force, General ...