2 Nigerian pilgrims hide drugs in garri bags

Two Nigerian pilgrims, a male and a female who hid banned drugs in garri bags are reported to have been arrested in Saudi Arabia for allegedly being in possession of banned substances.

It was gathered from a source in Saudi Arabia that the two pilgrims were from Lagos State, but the Lagos State government said the pilgrims were from Kwara and Ekiti States.

The two pilgrims could face death penalty for carrying banned drugs. In Saudi Arabia, the punishment for carrying banned drugs is death on conviction.

The Nigerian female was said to have been spotted by Saudi security operatives at the King Abdullaziz International Airport.

The other  was reported to have been arrested on Sunday after being found with a substance suspected to be cocaine.

The Chairman, Lagos Hajj Ad-hoc Committee, Alhaji Abdullateef Abdulhakeem, confirmed that two pilgrims were arrested by the Saudi Authorities but denied that they were from Lagos, saying they were from Kwara and Ekiti States.

As a result of the development, the Lagos State government has barred the remaining pilgrims going  to Saudi Arabia from carrying foodstuffs and has vowed to deal with any pilgrim who misbehaves in Saudi Arabia.   Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Alhaji Oyinlomo Danmole, said government would not tolerate any form of indiscipline from any Lagos pilgrim.

The Chairman, Hajj Ad-hoc Committee, Abdulhakeem said government had adequately prepared to ensure hitch-free hajj as it had organised seminar to enlighten the intending pilgrims on the basic rules of hajj. “We have engaged the services of a separate airline to convey our pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. We will not be using the same airline with other pilgrims in the Southwest. We have also decided not to keep our pilgrims longer in Saudi Arabia after the hajj. PM News

Woman jumps into river 11 days after she delivered twins

A few days after she was delivered of a set of twins, Mrs Shekinat Abdurazaq, 27, allegedly committed suicide on Wednesday when she jumped into the Osun River in Ede. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred at about 3.30 p.m. on the Osun River Bridge on the Oke Gada Road.
NAN learnt that the woman, who hailed from Ede in Osun, delivered the twins 11 days ago.
An eyewitness account revealed that shortly before Abdurazaq jumped into the river, she reportedly prayed and gave alms to beggars around the bridge head.
One of the eyewitnesses, who identified himself as Selia Mojeed, told NAN that people did not know that Abdurazaq wanted to commit suicide, else they would have prevented her from doing so.
Although efforts to speak with her husband failed, it was said that the woman had no outstanding problems with her spouse, family or neighbours before the incident.
Efforts by sympathisers and passersby to rescue the woman failed as she was said to have drowned immediately.
Shortly after the incident, her husband who also attempted to jump into the river was prevented from doing so by onlookers.
NAN reports that the police later whisked away the deceased’s husband and placed him under safe custody at the Police “A” Division in Ede.
Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Folasade Odoro, confirmed the incident

Malaria outbreak at London zoo: Six penguins die after

A Humboldt penguin at London zoo. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

Six penguins have died after an outbreak of malaria at London zoo this summer. The birds contracted the avian strain of the disease from mosquitoes and died in August, despite the zoo taking extra precautions to prevent the killer infection.
Zookeepers increased the birds' anti-malaria medication due to fears that the wet weather created the perfect conditions for mosquitoes to thrive.
Avian malaria cannot be passed on to humans, nor can it be passed from bird to bird, and the zoo says the remaining penguins are healthy and well.
A spokeswoman for London zoo said avian malaria was endemic in the UK's wild bird population, highlighting that preventative measures, including anti-malaria medicine, are in place on a daily basis.
"They have it all the time as a daily dose, given with their breakfast. We put a tablet in their fish and every single penguin gets one in the morning," she said.
"The keepers also spray lavender oil in the penguins' nest boxes which is a natural deterrent. We plant lavender around the enclosure and the penguins use that to build their nests. We do a lot to stop this from happening so obviously it's a very sad occasion."
The spokeswoman said despite efforts to prevent the disease, the "wet, muggy weather" this summer – the wettest in England and Wales for 100 years – created the "perfect conditions for mosquito numbers", therefore increasing the risk of contracting the disease.
Speaking of the remaining penguins, the spokeswoman said: "All the penguins appear healthy and well. Obviously our keepers are keeping a close eye on them, working with the vets, and just making sure we watch them carefully."
London zoo has three different species of penguin and it was six Humboldt penguins that died, although the spokeswoman said no particular species is more at risk than another.

The Guardian

Nollywood producer in sex - for - movie scandal

Last week, there was a story floating around concerning Arsenal Bruno, who got a public embarrassment from an up and coming actress, over failure by the movie producer to fulfill his side of his sex for movie role promised the actress.
Another source has again revealed to Nigeriafilms.com that the same movie producer, Arsenal Bruno is in another mess with another up and coming actress, who this time, was humiliated for not giving in for the sex for movie role gimmicks of the producer.
According to the gist, Bruno gathered top artistes like Annie Macaulay, Tonto Dikeh, Yul Edochie and some budding artistes for a movie shoot in Enugu. He lodged the upcomers at Prince Palace Hotel, Ukporkiti, Enugu, where we learnt this movie producer used as his slaughter house of the naive and desperate wannabe actresses.
Our source revealed to us that Bruno had a problem with one of the girls who refused to open legs for him. As we were told, Bruno asked this Benin City, Edo State-based budding actress named Keshi Thomas to sleep with him before she could get a juicy role in the movie. But as a way of rejecting the offer, Keshi was said to have told Bruno that she was menstruating, which fell into the deaf ears of Bruno as he was said to have insisted on sleeping with Keshi even if she was ‘on’.
When the actress didn’t give in to Bruno insistence, our source revealed that Bruno reduced her role in the movie into a minor. He then later told Keshi that she would be responsible for her hotel and feeding bills while on that set. The source further informed us that Bruno told the hotel manager to throw the actress out of the hotel if she is unable to pay the hotel bills.
When Keshi couldn’t bear the humiliation being meted out on her, she left the movie set.
As at press time, we learnt that every other acts have left the movie set as Bruno could not pay hotel bills of those he lodged at the hotel. Our source later informed us that Bruno even ran away from the movie set and left the director, Bassey Ubong to be detained by the hotel management to clear the bills.
We then learnt that the bill was cleared by one Nollywood big-wig, who is very close to the governor of Enugu state. Yul Edochie, Tonto Dikeh and others have since left the movie set for other movie productions.



Source: Nigeria Films

Fulanis go on killing spree on the Plateau again!

Another round of mayhem was recorded early Wednesday in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau state, north central Nigeria, as 14 people were brutally murdered by suspected herdsmen.

Channels Television gather that the assailants in large numbers, armed with dangerous weapons, raided three villages in the early hours of Wednesday while the villagers were still asleep, killing and destroying their houses as well other valuables.
The Wednesday’s attack is reportedly coming after an incident on Tuesday in which three people were killed in neighbouring Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.
According to the House of Representatives member, who is  representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituency, Mr Simon Mwadkom, four members of a family were shot at close range in Dallyam village, in Tahoss district and several others were injured as the bandits vanished.
While the attack was on, another set of terrorists killed eight people in Ranghol in Sopp ward of the local government with another two persons murdered in Lotton village in Jol ward of the same local government area.
Hoourable Mwadkom accused Fulani herdsmen for the attacks, which he claimed were organised and well executed simultaneously in the three affected villages.
This fresh attack is coming at a time when it was assumed that peace has returned to the troubled Barkin Ladi/Riyom communities which has in the past recorded diverse attacks and killings.
The Plateau State Police command in reaction to the incident through the Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Emmanuel Abuh, however confirmed that only six people were killed in the attack

Culled from Channels tv.

Trafic Law violation: Lagos state government to crush 3,000 seized motorcycles

If commercial motorcycle riders in Lagos State popularly known as Okada, had thought that the state Government would reverse the restriction of bikes on its road, they goofed, as Task force officials on environmental and special offences have commenced the process of crushing 3, 000 motorcycles impounded from their owners for violating traffic law.
Speaking from their Alausa, office, the Task force Chairman, Bayo Suleiman who doubles as an Assistant Superitendent of Police, told news man that after the end of the dismantling exercise, the iron parts would be taken to the state Crushing Plant in Oshodi, where they would be crushed and recycled.
He maintained that their action was to serve as a warning to other commercial motorcycle riders and to pass the message that the government had stepped up its enforcement of the state traffic laws.
In his words, “These are okadas impounded since the new traffic law was signed into law. There are 3, 000 of them. Okada riders must obey our traffic law. They are fond of driving against traffic, on kerbs and several unauthorized places. The law has been passed and gazetted and there is no going back on its enforcement.
We are dismantling the okadas now to separate the parts that are crushable from the ones that are not crushable. After this, we will take the crushable parts to Oshodi crushing plant, where they will be crushed and recycled. The uncrushable parts will probably be auctioned, but not in the state.
The Task force has not started enforcing the law fully. But this should serve as a warning to them because we won’t hesitate to impound any okada caught on the restricted roads in the state.”
However, the Police officer said the owners of the bikes abandoned them and took to their heels on sighting a Task force officials and never surfaced to be prosecuted for traffic offences.
Also commenting on the peaceful protest staged by Okada riders on Monday, Suleiman said, “They have the right to protest, but the government will be firm in what it does. It does not in any way stop our job, those who intend not to obey the law, we are coming after them. The protest is a group action, but our arrests will be one after the other and we will be out there on a daily basis.”
He clearly stated that the laws have been signed and sealed, thus, those who are caught doing the contrary would face the consequences of their disobedience.
While giving nods to the rate at which some riders are respectful obeying the new traffic laws, Suleiman also sounded a note of warning to other Okada riders who may not want to adhere to the state government’s order to avoid been caught and punished by the task force.