My PH visit not to unseat Amaechi — Patience

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Sunday said her current visit to Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, is not meant to unseat Governor Rotimi Amaechi as being insinuated in a section of the media.

Mrs. Jonathan, an indigene of the state, had been in the news for allegedly backing the anti-Amaechi members of the state House of Assembly, with a view to removing the factional chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, an allegation she has denied.

In a statement by her spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, the President’s wife said none of the purposes of her latest visit to the state had to do with politics.

She said apart from the fact that the entire country was her constituency; she equally had the liberty to visit any part of the state.

The statement read, “We have observed reports in some of today’s (Sunday’s) national dailies which are an obvious attempt by certain interests to link the current visit of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, with a desire to unseat the

I can’t tell when Suntai will return, says Taraba Acting Gov

The Acting Governor of Taraba, Alhaji Garba Umar, says he cannot tell when Gov. Danbaba Suntai will return to the state.

Umar told newsmen in Jalingo on Sunday that only the medical experts at John Hopkins Hospital in America could tell when Suntai would return to the state.

The acting governor was in the hospital to see Suntai as well as in Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser hajj.

He told newsmen that they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries but there was no long discussion between them.

Umar said that he would continue to pursue the programmes and projects embarked by Suntai to ensure continuity in the governance of the state.

The statement came on the heel of speculations that the ailing governor had recovered and would soon return to the state.

Umar, who was accorded rousing reception, use the opportunity to thank the people of the state for their solidarity and support.

Assassination Attempt: I’m Not Distracted, Says Fayose

Former Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has said that he was not distracted by the attempt made to kill him last Tuesday by yet-to-be identified assassins, saying rather, it will strengthen him more in his determination to defeat Governor Kayode Fayemi at next year’s governorship poll.

His declaration came as the Campaign Director General of Ayo Fayose for Governor, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, asked the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

In a statement  signed by the Director of Publicity and Research of Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO), Mr. Idowu Adelusi, in Ado Ekiti Saturday, Fayose said the attack has added impetus to his resolve to ensure that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government was sacked from the Ekiti Government House next year.

Ukrainian plane detained in Kano

Security agents have detained an Ukrainian cargo plane at the Kano International Airport for carrying suspected military hardware.

Vanguard gathered that investigation is ongoing on the owners and the destination of the cargo.

This is coming few weeks after weapons believed to belong to Hezbollah was uncovered in a building belonging to a Lebanese businessman in Kano. The items recovered from the building include; 40 air-to-surface missiles, 50 cluster bombs, 200 rocket-propel launcher, eight AK-47 rifles, 200 military hand grenades, uncountable number of live ammunition and certain military hard wares deployed to destroy Armoured Personnel Carriers, APC.

Retired soldier murders spouse over plans to marry second wife

The Edo State police have arrested a retired soldier, identified as Ukana, for allegedly killing his wife, Mrs Onyonishoyi Ukana-Nee Akarutu; following the deceased’s refusal to allow him marry his long time mistress.

The incident, which happened at Igarra Community of Akoko –Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, threw the entire community into confusion.

Ukana, a retired Warrant Officer 2, was reported to have gruesomely macheted his wife at about 1am Friday morning dismembering her body.

Community sources close to the family said efforts by the 18 year old son of the deceased to save her mother proved abortive as he also received several machete cuts from the suspect

The boy was reported to have raised the alarm which attracted neighbours in the night when he was woken up by the shout of his mother as she was being butchered by his father.

Desperate Measures! Poet selling testicles for over ₦3,000,000 to fund holiday

A POET has declared he is selling his testicles to fund a holiday.

Madcap Raffael Medina Brochero claims he is flogging his male parts for £12,800 (₦3,268,441.60) so he can tour Europe with his poetry.

He told a radio host in his home of Magdalena, Colombia, that he will give his private parts to the first person to pay his price.

Brochero said his decision came after a 2012 South America tour left him broke. And he wants to avoid a repeat of his money woes in Europe.

The Colombian poet has published 11 books during his 35-year career.

On his website he states he sometimes wears his trouser legs at different lengths to “denounce social inequality”.

SSS parades Accountant for impersonating Uduaghan

Director of the State Security Service (SSS) in Delta State, Mrs. Florence Ikanone yesterday paraded a 27-year-old graduate of Accountancy from Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Mr. Philip Urieh, for allegedly impersonating Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on the social networking site, facebook.

She said the suspect, a native of Uzere in Isoko South Local Government Area of the state, was recently arrested by operatives of the state command following painstaking surveillance that was mounted on him as a result of series of reports received on the subject.

According to the Director, the suspect through the facebook platform allegedly defrauded unsuspecting persons to the tune of over ₦5 million by opening a facebook account with the name and picture of Governor Uduaghan which he uses to deceive his clients, promising them juicy contracts and government appointments.

I was flogged for dating my brother’s friend – Omawunmi

Here is a recent interview popular songstress, Omawumi Megbele, granted to Punch’s Ademola Olonilua

Why it took me so long to launch my album

I just wanted to take out time and make good music. There are some people who do yearly albums, I try to do like two or three years. There are people whom I emulate. I feel that as music is a craft, you must try to make sure you put out good materials that can stand the test of time. It is not something that can be relevant for only two months or a year. You want something that is good.

My Lasso of Truth album

I’m very happy; I have got a lot of positive feedback. The sale in the first week was great. They made about 500,000 copies and it is almost sold out. The sales did very well because the demand is high. I did not even know that the demand was this high, even outside Nigeria, We have been working out platforms where we can sell the album. People outside the country ask whoever is travelling abroad to buy the CD in bulk for them. The demand is that high.

‘I know four men who have slept with my wife’

A young tailor, Mrs. Kehinde Babalola, has pleaded with the Agege Customary Court to dissolve her union with her husband, Mr. Morufu Babalola.

The couple lived together for eight years and they have two children: a girl and a boy.

Kehinde told the court that her husband was always beating her because there was no more love in the marriage. She said she wanted the custody of her children.

Babalola, a meat seller living at 14, Micheal Olufade Street, Meiran, told the court that all the claims made by his wife were false; stressing that he was ready to divorce her.

He said his wife fights with everybody in their neighbourhood, including their landlord’s children.

He said his intervention in one of such fights landed him in police cell, where he spent three days.

He said his wife is adulterous and that he knows four men that she has slept with.

He said he had caught her on four occasions with those men but because of the love he had for her, he overlooked all her unfaithfulness.

Prophet Obadare to be buried in gold-plated casket

The late Apostle Timothy Obadare would be buried in a gold-plated casket as a mark of honour for his contributions to Christendom.

This was disclosed by his first son, Pastor Paul Obadare, during a press briefing organised by the family and his protégés in Lagos on the burial arrangement.

Obadare said, “The coffin to be used for the burial of our father, Apostle Timothy Obadare, is taken after the type used for the burial of the late Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston.”

He said the late founder of World Soul Winning Evangelical Ministry deserved to be so honoured.

Paul, who is the General Overseer of the church in the United States of America, described his father as a national figure, who made lasting impact on the nation in his time.

Man Hands over Boko Haram Son to JTF

A Maiduguri-based businessman (name withheld for security reasons) on Thursday turned in his biological son, a member of the extremist Boko Haram sect to the Joint Task Force, JTF, with an order that he should be shot dead, witnesses said.

The son, according to close family sources, had once threatened to kill his father before he fled home and returned only recently as security operatives continue to clamp down on the sect.

He was said to have returned as a prodigal son, seeking asylum in his father’s compound.

“After confessing all his crimes, including how he participated in the killing of people and looting of banks to his father, the old man said he has no such conscience to keep a killer son in his home,” said a close family member under anonymity.

The 60-year old Kanuri man, who lives in Babban-Line Commercial Area, Maiduguri, simply approached the Sector Office of the JTF and told them about his son.

Nigerian Man to be Hanged For Drug Trafficking in Malaysia

A Nigerian man was sentenced to death by hanging by the High Court in Malaysia today after being found guilty of trafficking in 1124.10gms of methamphetamine at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, two years ago.

Anoliefo Peter Ndubuisi, 36, committed the offence at the airport Customs inspection counter at 4pm on July 30, 2011.

Justice Noor Azian Shaari in her judgement, said Anoliefo's defence that he was not aware of the presence of the drugs inside the 13 bottles of hair cream he was asked to carry by a friend whom he knew for only two days, was not logical.

Deputy public prosecutor Aida Mastura Mohamed Aman called 16 witnesses at the prosecution hearing while Counsel James George called only one witness during the defence's trial.

VIDEO: Fatai Rolling Dollar’s last TV Live Performance On Nigerian Idol

Watch Fatai Rolling Dollar’s last TV performance which was on Nigerian Idol Season 3 stage, where he performed one of his all time classic’s ‘Won Kere si Number Wa’.

Five NANS exco members die on their way to UNIUYO to make peace

Five executive members of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, were Thursday killed in a ghastly motor accident in Ikwuano area of Abia State on their way to Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

Seven others who survived with serious injuries were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, where they are currently receiving treatment.

Those killed in the accident included, NANS Senate President, Mr. Donald Onukaogu, said to be the leader of the students delegation to Uyo and a student of Federal University of Technology, Owerri.

Others who lost their lives were Assah Ejeita from Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri; Duru Jacob, Assistant Secretary General of NANS, Zone B; one Japheth and one other whose name could not be ascertained at press time.

The accident occurred at Ariam in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State along the

Fire guts 150 shops in Anambra

About 150 shops were on Thursday gutted by fire at Ekwulobia Main Market in Anambra State.

The fire affected mainly the electronics market, where traders lost inestimable goods and cash.

The cause of the fire had yet to be known, but it was learnt that it started about noon.

As of 5pm, rescuers were still trying to salvage some goods from the remains of the fire.

Eyewitnesses said fire fighters came late to the scene. Our correspondent gathered that the fire service from Awka, rather than the one at Ekwulobia, responded to distress calls.

The President General of Ekwulobia Traders Allied Workers Association Ikechukwu Ezeokeke and Chairman of the Electronics line Ekwulobia, Frank Timothy, lamented the huge loss the traders incurred.

A victim, John Chetachukwu, said, “I am a confused person now and I can’t answer your questions.

“My shop got burnt completely. I was in my house when the youths came to bring me to this place around 4pm. I saw the inferno and I was speechless.

“Although I lost everything but I thank everybody including the DPO Ekwulobia and many others for rallying around us.”

Another victim, Kingsley Osedume, said he could not salvage a pin and his shop was the only source of the extended family income and called for help.

For Richard Okoli, who deals on interior decoration, said he just came back with goods worth over N600,000 from the market yesterday which were razed.

The Local government Chairman, Mr. Titus Anigbogu consoled the traders and assured them he would table their situation to the state government for appropriate actions.

Man catches wife committing adultery

A middle aged housewife in Jos, the Plateau State capital is in trouble after she was caught in her matrimonial bed with another man by her husband.

The woman simply identified as Gloria was caught with a neighbour, a father of three who lives some houses away from the couple when the husband returned unexpectedly at their Rukuba Road residence.

The husband (names withheld) who sells clothes at the Old Bukuru Park was said to have barely left home for his business when his wife invited her man-friend, identified simply as George to come around as she was sick.

According to a neighbour who was with her when she made the call and begged to be anonymous, Gloria told the man friend to buy a pack of Don-Simon and a plate of pepper soup when coming.

Miss USA Winners Pose Naked in Sexy New PETA Ad

Ahead of this weekend's 2013 Miss USA pageant in Las Vegas, past winners Shanna Moakler (1995), Shandi Finnessey (2004), Susie Castillo (2003) and Alyssa Campanella (2011) are stripping down and posing nude in a sexy new ad for animal rights organization PETA.

In the gorgeous black and white photo, the four lovely ladies stand side-by-side while gazing into the camera next to the words, "Feel Beautiful in Your Own Skin, and Let Animals Keep Theirs."

Revealed: Michael Jackson's drug-filled bedroom and bizarre baby shrine

Creepy new shots of Michael Jackson’s bedroom reveal the scale of his drug addictions – and a bizarre baby shrine.

Pills, oxygen tanks and medical supplies litter the scene of his Los Angeles home. Drugs include powerful anaesthetics Lidocaine and Propofol, which killed him, as well as the tranquiliser Diazepam.

With the portraits of unidentified babies stands a small picture of Charlie Chaplin.

The pictures also show a tall medical stand holding a plastic bag of intravenous fluids and what appear to be two oxygen tanks.

Hanging on the drawers is a large poster of a child with the words “sweet baby” written on it.

Bottles can be seen lined up alongside over-the-counter drugs purchased from a string of local chemists.

In one photograph, which appears to have been taken in a car, there is a list of nearby 24-hour pharmacies and their phone numbers.

Kanye West's "other woman" hits back after backlash and rapper's denial

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian have both denied stunning claims Canadian model Leyla Ghobadi had sex with the rapper while his girlfriend was pregnant.

Facing the backlash, Kanye's alleged "other woman" Leyla appeared to open a Twitter account to address accusations she was chasing fame with her "lies".

Leyla wrote: "Maybe I went about this the wrong way but how else am I meant to get through to her? I am not the bad guy in this situation... The woman will always get the blame huh"

In expletive tweets which she later deleted the model added: "Not just doing this for The Fame."

When she was asked if she had any proof of her encounters with Kanye the model sharply retorted: Yeah because I was going to take pictures of myself f*****g him.

"I could show you calls but I am not about to put his number on Twitter."

ESUT sacks 5 lecturers over alteration of students’ grades

The Governing Council of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Wednesday, terminated the appointment of five staff of the University for alleged alteration of students’ grades.

The four lecturers and the staff who is a computer operator, according to a statement by the Director, Public Relations of the institution,  Mr. Ossy Ugwuoti,  were from the department of Computer Engineering of the university.

Ugwuoti said one of the sanctioned lecturers (names withheld), who had served as Head of the Department of Computer Engineering, had engaged the others in the alteration of the grades submitted to him by lecturers during the computation of final year results.

He recalled that ESUT Governing Council had at its 129th meeting, warned that severe disciplinary action would be visited on any staff of the university involved in any form of academic fraud.

The disciplinary action against the affected staff was said to be part of efforts to sanitize the institution of corrupt staff whose activities had negatively affected its image.

20 illegal private hospitals sealed in Delta

NO fewer than 20 illegal private hospitals and maternity centres have been sealed in different parts of Delta State in the ongoing clampdown on health facilities operating below standard and without due authorisation.

The state Ministry of Health task force had been combing the nooks and crannies of the state in the past one week to ascertain that the health facilities were operating under due process and manned with unqualified personnel.

Those sealed were located in Asaba, the state capital; Ibusa, Okwe, Agbor which had so far been visited by the task force team led by Dr. Alfred Ebiakofa.

The team went with an ambulance to evacuate some patients from one of the sealed private hospitals at Agbor to the Agbor central hospital for proper attention.

"I Use Human Parts For Pepper Soup"- Native Doctor

Operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja have arrested three fleeing members of a syndicate who allegedly specialized in selling live humans and decomposing human parts for money rituals.

Their arrest came barely three weeks after some of their members were paraded at the Lagos State Police Command, where they confessed to have sold live human beings for N40,000, hands—N4,000 and head—N8,000.

Those recently arrested are Gazali Akewadola (60), the native doctor who allegedly offered N40,000 for a live human being, Alfa Taofeek Akinola (35) and Kazeem Sanni (25).

To the bewilderment of all, Gazali confessed that live human beings were cheaper than buying dead human parts, saying all parts of a live human being are vital in the preparation of money ritual.

For instance, he said a life human being was bought for N40,000, “but at the end of the day, you get a lot of expensive parts from it. Aside that, it is even more potent because the efficacy of the charm or concoction prepared with live human parts cannot be compared with the ones prepared with dead parts.

Fayose escapes death by whiskers

Former Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, escaped death by whiskers Tuesday night, in Ado Ekiti, as some suspected hired thugs, who had been on his trail, shot his car.

According to a press statement by the Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation (AFCO) and signed by the Campaign Director General, Mr Owoseni Ajayi, Fayose, who was coming from Ado Ekiti  to Afao Ekiti, his hometown at around 9pm was trailed by a white colour Hilux with green plate number to Fayose Housing Estate at Afao Ekiti road.

Fayose’s driver was able to detect a vehicle trailing them and immediately alerted the former governor.

The driver immediately increased the car’s speed and when the assailants, who were already hanging out of the Hilux vehicle saw that they could not catch up with the speed of Fayose’s car, shot four times at the car.

However, seeing that Fayose had arrived Afao-Ekiti, the Hilux turned back.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi and father accused of €4million tax fraud in Spain

The man widely acclaimed as the world's greatest living footballer, Argentina's Lionel Messi, has been accused by Spanish tax authorities of fraud totalling more than €4m (£3.4m).

The FC Barcelona player and his father, Jorge, are alleged to have filed fraudulent tax returns for four years from 2006 to 2009, according to tax crime prosecutors in the eastern region of Catalonia.

The fraud is alleged to have started before he came of age and while his father was in charge of his financial affairs.

A complex network of companies based in Britain, Switzerland, Belize and Uruguay were allegedly used to keep his income out of the sight of tax authorities.

"The initiative to commit fraud came from his father," tax authorities said, according to Spain's EFE news agency.

Tax prosecutors have lodged a writ at a court in Gava, the Mediterranean beachside town outside Barcelona where Messi lives.

Oprah Winfrey donates $12 million to African American history museum

Oprah Winfrey is giving $12 million to a planned Washington, D.C., museum that will document African American history. Items from her talk show could be part of its exhibits.

The National Museum of African American History and Culture announced Tuesday that Winfrey's gift, combined with her previous donation of $1 million, is its largest to date.

"I am so proud of African-American history and its contributions to our nation as a whole," Winfrey said in a statement released by the museum. "By investing in this museum, I want to help ensure that we both honor and preserve our culture and history, so that the stories of who we are will live on for generations to come."

Construction of the museum, which carries a $500-million price tag, started early last year on 5 acres at Washington's National Mall with a completion date set for sometime in 2015. The U.S. government is providing half of the funding for the museum, which will be the 19th addition to the Smithsonian, with the remainder to be raised by the museum.