Banji Ajaka, the Commissioner for Health in Ondo State, On Saturday, was brutally assaulted by enraged members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Ugbo Ward 3, Ilaje Local Government Area. The attack followed allegations that Ajaka had concealed result sheets during the party’s primary election. The assault unfolded when party members, awaiting their turn to vote, demanded the result sheet from Ajaka after electoral officers identified him as the individual in possession of the material. According to a source, “Ajaka faced a violent altercation in his hometown as his association with the Aiyedatiwa faction, accused of tampering with the process by removing the result sheet from the allocated materials, was revealed.” The atmosphere was charged, with strong support for Chief Olusola Oke evident among the crowd. “Ugbo Ward 3 people were seriously angry with the ugly situation as they all believed that is time for Oke to govern this state.” While confirming the incident, Ajaka stated that he was attacked because of allegations that he was with the result sheet. He said the mob descended on him while he was trying to explain what happened.

  The US is considering more than $1 billion in new weapons deals for Israel, including tank ammunition, military vehicles, and mortar rounds, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, according to a report on Friday. The proposed deal by the Biden administration includes transfers of $700 million in 120 mm tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles, and less than $100 million in 120 mm mortar rounds, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials.   This package, reportedly among the largest to Israel since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which killed 1,200 people, would be in addition to those in a military aid deal currently before Congress, the report stated. The sale would require approval from the US Congress and could take months or years to be delivered, it said. The State Department did not immediately respond to Anadolu’s request for comment. The US is facing a barrage of criticism for providing military aid to Israel amid reports of Tel Aviv targeting civilians — with more than 34,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, killed in Gaza, and credible reports of violations of international law and US law, including the blocking of American aid.

  Sunday 21 April 2024 Abiola’s family not supporting Yoruba Nation agitators – Jamiu Abiola How naira transformed from worst currency to best-performing in six months – Cardoso We are not just any school, Charterhouse defends N42m fee P/Harcourt refinery: Marketers eye N500/litre petrol, set to load Oke, Edema, Others Condemn Conduct Of Ondo APC Primary, Demand Fresh Excercise Ododo Hails Conduct Of Ondo APC Gov Primary Shettima Optimistic Naira Will Continue To Appreciate Against Dollar 58 Die After Boat Capsizes In Central Africa Governor Oborevwori Visits Okuama, Assures Residents Of Safe Return Soludo Unhappy Over Flouting Of Anambra Burial Law In Ezeife’s Funeral Fubara Reports Over 100% Rise In Rivers IGR ALGON Leadership Tussle: Court Affirms Kolade Alabi’s Leadership FX inflow: FG considering ‘diaspora bond’ issuance to boost remittances Constitution Amendment: ACF, 16 Others Prepare North’s Position Burrow Pit Collapses, Kills 7 Almajirai In Kebbi Border security: FG tests e-gates at Abuja Airport Ezeife: Tinubu, Obi, Govs, others bid ex-Anambra governor farewell Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  At least 58 people going to a funeral died after their overloaded river boat capsized in the Central African Republic’s capital Bangui, the head of civil protection said on Saturday. “We were able to extract 58 lifeless bodies,” Thomas Djimasse told Radio Guira. “We don’t know the total number of people who are underwater. According to witnesses and videos on social media, the boat was carrying more than 300 people — some standing and others perched on wooden structures — when it sank on the Mpoko river on Friday. The vessel was heading to the funeral of a village chief but got into difficulty shortly after setting off. Rescue services arrived 40 minutes after the disaster. Maurice Kapenya, who was following the boat in a canoe because there was no space on board, said he collected the bodies of some of the victims, including his own sister, with the help of fishermen and residents. Some of the injured were evacuated by motorbike taxis. Driver Francis Maka told AFP he had “taken more than 10 people to the community hospital… free of charge, in the face of the tragedy”. With civil protection teams no longer on the scene Saturday, families searched for their missing loved ones near the river helped canoe operators they had hired, an AFP journalist observed. AFP

  The number of Nigerian children under 5 to 14 years who are working and schooling at the same time is highest in the South-East region of the country with 57.92%. This was revealed on Friday by Statisense, a leading Artificial Intelligence data company specialising in financial report analysis, bank statement evaluation, and AI chatbot services.   According to the report by Statisense quoting the National Bureau of Statistics, the South-South has the second highest number with 48.12%, while the North Central comes 41.09% third. Meanwhile, the South West has 40.75% coming fourth on the log, while the North East and North West have 32.57% and 25.06% to finish fifth and sixth respectively. While the report did not specify the year under review, it disclosed the top twelve states having the number of children from 5 to 14 years working and schooling. Based on states, Anambra comes first with 66.9%, Abia appears second with 64.7%, and Ebonyi is third with 64.5%. Cross River comes fourth with 63.9%, Ekiti claims fifth having 63.7%, Akwa Ibom is sixth with 59.6%, and Plateau sits on the seventh position with 58.9%. Meanwhile, Imo, Delta and Taraba sit on the eighth, ninth and tenth positions respectively with 56.6%, 55.0% and 53.8%. Osun and Kogi are eleventh and twelfth positions on the chart acquiring 50.1% and 49.2% respectively.

  An elderly man, Alhaji Muftau Mohammed of Gbeganu Area of Minna, Niger State capital, slumped and died at Morris Police Division, where he had gone to bail two of his sons, Mubarak Ahmed and Yusuf Mohammed who were reportedly arrested by the police. Mubarak and Yusuf told Daily Trust that they were picked by the police around 11pm on Wednesday where they were sleeping in a burglary in front of their house due to heat. According to Yusuf, “We were lying down in a burglary in front of our house around 11:23pm when three police patrol vans passed us and went into Gbeganu Area. Few hours later, we saw them coming back and we stood up. Suddenly, the vehicle in the middle packed in front of us and they asked what we were doing outside. We told them that it was where we normally sleep because of heat. One of the officers forced the burglary opened and ordered his colleagues to put us in the vehicle and take us to the station. “When we got to the station at Morris, they collected our phones and put us in the cell. At about 20 minutes later, I was in cell when I heard my father’s voice outside. Later I heard him screaming, asking for water and few seconds later, I didn’t hear anything again. It was at that point that I asked one of officers what was happening outside. But one of the officers told his colleague not to tell us anything. Later I didn’t hear our father’s voice again until when we were told that he was dead.” Also speaking, Mr Dauda Jimo, the deceased neighbor who took him on his bike to police station that fateful night, said Alhaji Muftau Mohammed had high blood pressure and that each time he was woken up horribly, he usually develops severe headache. “It was in my presence that his sons were picked by the police and Alhaji had already retired to bed. It was the noise from his daughters and neighborhood that woke him up horribly. So, when they told him that Mubarak and Yusuf were taken away by the police, he called me to bring my bike to take him to the police station. We got to police station at about 12:33am. “”So, where we were seated, he told me he was having a severe headache and I should get him water to drink. We looked for water around the vicinity but we couldn’t get because all the shops around had closed for the day. It was in the process that he collapsed and one of the tricycles that was arrested was released to take us to the hospital and one policeman was asked to follow us. “We went to Imani Clinic, we were told that doctor was not around. So, we headed for General Hospital. On our way, the fuel in Tricycle got finished. It was at that point that we saw one of the police vans with which Yusuf and Mubarak were arrested . So, they stopped and we told them what happened and they took us to Minna General Hospital. Getting to the hospital, we dropped Alhaji’s dead body and police left.” Another neighbor, Alhaji Ahmad Abdullahi, who claimed to have witnessed all that transpired told our correspondent that the deceased’s wife who also followed them to police station fainted when the news of her husband’s death was broken to her. “The wife wanted to trek kilometers to Morris Police Division that night but I obliged her to enter my car. Immediately we got to Morris Police Division, one of our neighbors who took Alhaji there rushed to me. Not knowing that his wife was sitting in the back seat, he broke the news to us and the wife jumped out of the car. As she was about running to enter the station, she fell down and fainted. It took some minutes before she was revived,” he narrated. When contacted, the Niger Stat Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, the confirmed the incident. He said police had commenced investigation into the matter to ascertain the fact, and to also look into the scenario if there was any act of negligence for necessary disciplinary action

  Damian Williams, the United States attorney for the southern district of New York, says Oluseun Omole, a Texas-based Nigerian, has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In a statement by the United States Attorney’s Office of Southern District, Williams said Omole participated in a consumer electronics scam and defrauded citizens of goods of over $12 million. Omole was arraigned on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The attorney said Omole participated in the criminal acts perpetrated by members of a group called “Enterprise”, based in Nigeria. He said Omole and his associates were involved in “online marketplace scams, in which Enterprise members sent electronic communications to victims feigning interest in buying consumer electronics, falsely represented to the victim that the items had been paid for, and instructed the victim to send the consumer electronics to OMOLE”. He added that the group was also involved in “romance scams, in which Enterprise members sent electronic communications to victims feigning romantic intentions, gained their trust and affection, and took advantage of that goodwill to induce victims into sending consumer electronics and other money or property to OMOLE”. Williams said the suspects were also engaged in employment scams, posting fake job opportunities online and demanding electronics including smartphones, smartwatches, laptops, and tablets, among other items from prospective employees as a requirement for the role. He said Omole used a business corporation named “Tobylink Impressions” to defraud victims of thousands of goods, adding that the suspect repackaged the products and dispatched them to his accomplices in Nigeria. He said during the trial, the suspect pleaded guilty before Katharine Parker, the presiding judge. The US attorney further said most of the fraudulent activities were conducted from February 2018 to March 2023. “Over the course of approximately five years, Oluseun Martins Omole received more than $12 million worth of fraudulently obtained consumer electronics and other items,” the statement reads. “Thousands of victims believed that they were sending these electronics and items to romantic lovers, legitimate buyers, and reputable employers. Instead, they went straight to Omole, who repackaged those electronics and goods and shipped them in bulk to co-conspirators located overseas in exchange for the equivalent of hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars. “Those like Omole who participate in such fraud schemes will find themselves facing prison time. “During the relevant time period, OMOLE owned and operated a business corporation named Tobylink Impessions, Inc., a/k/a Tobylink Impressions, Inc. (“Tobylink”), which claimed to be a distributor, re-seller, and supplier of satellite communications equipment.” He added that as part of his plea bargain, Omole agreed to pay restitution in an amount to be ordered by the court and to forfeit an amount of US currency to be ordered by the court, as well as various consumer electronics and other goods seized by law enforcement. The attorney added that Omole will be sentenced by Jesse Furman, U.S. district judge, on July 30, 2024.

  At least two farmers have been killed and an unspecified number of residents kidnapped during attacks by bandits on Karaga and Rumace communities in Bassa Ward, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. Residents told Daily Trust correspondent on the telephone that the attack started around 9pm on Friday and lasted hours.   One of them, Mustapha Bassa, said, “The bandits in their numbers rode on motorcycles carrying 3 people and fired shots as they moved into the communities. He said motorcycles, houses and food banks were set ablaze during the attack.” Daily Trust had reported the recent attacks on Allawa, Bassa and Madaka communities in Shiroro and Rafi LGAs of the state, during which foodstuffs, houses, vehicles and a market worth millions of naira were all burnt down. The Niger State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, could not be reached for a comment on the latest incident as of the time of filing this report.

  Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, Ondo state commissioner for sports, has allegedly attacked Tayo Ikujuni, a senior journalist with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in Ondo. Ikujuni, an assistant editor-in-chief with NAN, was in Oba-Ile in the Akure north LGA of the state when he was allegedly attacked by Yusuf-Ogunleye. Narrating his ordeal, Ikujuni claimed that the commissioner allegedly punched his hand, collected his phone and threw it away. “He equally ordered some of his political thugs to seize a Samsung tablet phone belonging to the reporter,” he said. “Trouble started at about 11.45 when the reporter inquire if the electoral materials had arrived, since they have started counting. Immediately, Yusuf-Ogunleye shouted, “Who are you? You’re a useless journalist. You’re a stupid journalist. Go away from here.” “It was the quick intervention of some party chieftains and security personnel that rescued the reporter from the midst of the commissioner’s violent thugs.” However, the Ondo chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the “assault” on the journalist. The NUJ described the alleged physical assault on the senior journalist as ”barbaric”and “unacceptable.” In a statement on Saturday, Leke Adegbite, NUJ chairperson, said the action of the commissioner was uncivilised. The union called on Lucky Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo, to ensure thorough investigation of the incident. The union also said Aiyedatiwa should place Ogunleye on indefinite suspension for his action on the journalist. “Ondo NUJ observes with sadness that Mr Ogunleye’s attitude to media professionals was unbecoming of a public office holder,” Adegbite said. “We call on Mr Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to place Mr Saka Ogunleye on indefinite suspension for his physical assault on a Senior journalist like Tayo Ikujunni while performing his constitutional roles of monitoring the APC primaries. “We call on the Commissioner to replace damaged handset of the journalist and tender unreserved apology to the victim and the media industry. “We equally direct Media Houses and professionals to halt the coverage and activities of the Commissioner until our demands are met”. Reacting to this incident, the commissioner of sport denied assaulting the journalist, saying “I only requested for his identity card. I didn’t assault him.”