The Osolo of Isolo in Lagos State, Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka, is dead. PUNCH Online learnt that the monarch died shortly after observing the Eid prayers on Wednesday. The Chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Area, Olasoju Adebayo, confirmed his death in a statement seen by our correspondent. He stated that the deceased monarch would be buried by 4pm according to Islamic rites. Make Me A Pope, I Will Impregnate All Women In Church – Prophet Who Married Three Wives | Punch0.00 / 0.00   The statement read, “I have the instruction of the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to formally announce the passing of the paramount ruler of Isolo Kingdom, Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka, Adeola Olushi III, today April 10, 2024. He was aged 64. “He will be buried today by 4pm at his palace, 3/5 Akinbaye Street, Isolo, according to Islamic rites. May his soul rest in peace.” Olasoju, however, did not disclose the cause of his death. The monarch spent 20 years on the throne.

  The suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has expressed her intention to take legal action against the British Broadcasting Corporation over what she claims to be defamatory statements. Edu made this known through a letter signed by her legal representative, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and addressed to the BBC offices in Abuja and London. In the letter titled ‘Request for immediate retraction of defamatory article published on BBC website against Dr. Betta Edu’, the lawyer expressed the harm caused to Edu’s reputation, as well as the emotional distress and suffering endured as a result of the publication. It accused the BBC of failing to uphold journalistic fairness and due process by not giving Edu a chance to respond to the allegations prior to publishing the article. The letter read, “We write to express our deep concern regarding the recent article published by the BBC on its website titled: “Betta Edu Probe: Nigeria Recover $24m in Poverty Minister Investigation- EFCC” with the byline “Nigeria has recovered 30bn naira ($24m; £19m) as part of an ongoing corruption probe into a suspended minister, the financial watchdog says.” “The aforesaid article, which presents information purporting to relate to an ongoing corruption probe into the activities of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria, is replete with innuendoes and insinuations which suggest that N30bn has been recovered in the course of the ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from our client and that the 50 bank accounts connected with the recovered sums are linked to our client. “Furthermore, your article proceeds to cast aspersion on our client by referencing her earlier suspension (to allow for unfettered investigations) in the following terms: ‘Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister Betta Edu was initially suspended in January over the alleged diversion of $640,000 of public money into a personal bank account’. “First and foremost, the language used in describing our client’s purported involvement in the alleged corruption case suggests guilt without allowing for the presumption of innocence, which is fundamental in any fair and unbiased reporting. “The reckless manner in which the article was crafted, without providing our client with the opportunity to respond to the allegations before its wide publication, is a clear breach of journalistic fairness and due process and demonstrates a complete disregard for journalistic integrity and professionalism.” The letter continued, “For the avoidance of doubt, our client has neither been indicted nor found culpable of any act of financial impropriety in relation to her stewardship of the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry in Nigeria. It is also pertinent to emphasise that neither N30billion nor any amount whatsoever has been traced to or recovered from our client’s bank accounts nor has any proceed of crime been traced or recovered from her to warrant the scurrilous article under reference. “Suffice it to say that in the aftermath of the publication of this scandalous article (which the BBC caused to be disseminated to millions of persons across the globe), our client has been inundated by calls and messages from friends, associates expressing their shock and consternation. Our client has suffered immeasurable reputational damage, psychological trauma and anguish as a direct consequence of the publication and dissemination of the article. “In the light of the above, we hereby demand that the BBC, forthwith and immediately, pull down the offensive article from its website and/or any other associated platform. Furthermore, we demand that the BBC, within 48 hours from the receipt of this correspondence, issue and publish an immediate and unqualified retraction of the aforementioned article and a public apology to our client, for the false and defamatory content published. This retraction and apology must be given the same prominence as the initial offensive article. “Take notice that should the BBC fail and/or neglect to comply with the above demands, we have our client’s instructions to, without further recourse to the BBC, initiate swift legal action(s) before the appropriate Courts to obtain redress for the injurious falsehood peddled in your article, and to seek punitive and exemplary damages in the sum of US$ 50 million against the BBC for the damage and injury suffered by our client.”

  Search and rescue operations are ongoing on the Third Mainland Bridge after a commercial vehicle plunged into lagoon, with two passengers missing. The accident occurred around 11 a.m. on Wednesday when the brake of the vehicle failed. Emergency management officials said marine police are leading the search operation for two adults involved in the accident. Other passengers have been taken to the General Hospital, Lagos Island. The Federal Government reopened the third mainland bridge on the 4th of April, setting the speed limit at 80 km/hr following extensive repairs over a period of five months.

  There was a pandemonium in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital on Wednesday, as personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) allegedly shot and killed a woman while attempting to pursue hoodlums. The tragic incident, which occurred while Muslims faithful gathered to observed Eid prayer, has sparked outrage and unrest among residents, leading to an escalation of tensions in the area. Eyewitness narrated that the NSCDC personnel, in their pursuit of suspected hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons, opened fire indiscriminately, resulting in the tragic death of an innocent woman. In response to the shooting, an angry mob gathered and vented their frustration by setting ablaze an NSCDC vehicle in protest of the incident. The police Hilux was set ablaze by angry mob Confirming the incident to Channels Television via telephone conversation, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Police in Zamfara State, ASP Yazid Abubakar, said two personnels of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps linked with the shooting are currently in custody of the police. He said the Zamfara State Police command is still investigating the cause of the incident. “We have two of them in our custody as we speak now, they are the ones that shot the gun, though the command is still investing the incident.” When contacted, the Spokesperson of the NSCDC in Zamfara State, Ikor Oche, denied the allegation that the men of the Civil Defence shot the victim. He said the personnel of the Corps were at their stationed post, observing the movements of the Muslims faithful who were out to observe the Eid prayer when they heard the gunshot. According to him, they mobilized to the scene where they met a woman fatally injured. “Our men were stationed at the central roundabout, close to UBA Bank, they heard a gunshot from the other side around Zenith Bank. They moved to the area and found a woman with gunshot injury. “Because they were the ones close to the scene, mob descended on them. They had to run for their safety and abandoned their Hilux vehicle. The vehicle was set ablaze by the mob and about seven of our men were injured. They did not shoot or kill anybody.” Oche said the state command of NSCDC has also launched an investigation to unravel the cause of the incident. Meanwhile, men of the Nigerian Police have dispersed the mob who were vandalizing the already burnt vehicle of the Civil Defence and normalcy has been returned in the area.

  A rainstorm has wreaked havoc in the Iyara community, headquarters of Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, destroying hundreds of houses and rendering 1000 persons homeless. The incident occurred on Monday, according to locals, who added that many affected families are now seeking refuge with neighbours, relatives, or friends. The paramount ruler of Iyara, Oba Jacob Meduteni, expressed sadness over the disaster, noting the significant number of people now homeless due to the storm. He appealed to affluent individuals and organisations to assist the victims during this difficult time. Alhaji Aliyu Badaki, the National President of the Iyara Development Association (IDA), said over 1000 individuals have been affected. He described the scale of destruction as substantial, especially given the economic challenges facing the country, making it difficult for the victims to recover on their own. In a plea for assistance, Adebayo Bamisaiye, a victim of the rainstorm, mentioned that such a severe storm had not occurred in the community for many years.   “The cost of rebuilding is daunting, considering the current economic situation in the country, making it challenging for many to rebuild their homes anytime soon,” he said.

  The National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLE) has provided regarding the situation concerning the family affected by a stray bullet that tragically resulted in the death of two-year-old Ivan Omorhiakogbe in Delta State. According to Mr Femi Babafemi, the spokesperson for the NDLEA, the agency is fully committed to the treatment of Ivan’s younger brother and the overall well-being of the family. The incident occurred on Thursday, July 13th, 2023, during an operation where NDLEA operatives in pursuit of drug peddlers, fired their weapons into the air in Okpanam, a suburb of Asaba in the Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state. Mr. Babafemi, in an exclusive interview with Channels Television, stated that the NDLEA is collaborating with local and international agencies to ensure that the family receives the necessary and best possible treatment.

  Wednesday 10 April 2024 Rising naira value: Presidency backs Cardoso, vows further clampdown on racketeers Fire razes 14 Lagos market buildings, four structures collapse Impeachment: Shaibu writes CJN, APC members warn against ex-deputy gov’s return 170 currency racketeers arrested, 23 jailed in one month – EFCC $413,000 bribery: Kano court fixes Ganduje’s arraignment for April 17 Family kicks as Otun Balogun insists Olubadan-designate unfit to rule Atiku, FG Trade Words Over Lagos-Calabar Highway Project UK, Rwanda Eye First Migrant Flights Within Weeks I’m Disappointed Obasanjo, Jonathan Watch PDP Bleed – Sowunmi Govt Suspends Market Activities In Central Lagos After Fire Incident Tinubu’s Camp Knows Wike Cannot Be Trusted With Power, Says Momodu South Africa’s Ex-President Zuma Wins Court Bid To Run In May Election Tariff hike: 20% of Band A customers still without prepaid meters Okuama: Army board begins sitting today in Warri AfDB secures $110,000 grant for Ekiti electricity plan Eid-El- Fitr: Tinubu Tasks Citizens On Unity, Nation Building NLC lacks power to sack Abure, others — LP Ogun govt shuts firm for releasing harmful substances Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  Palestinian civil defence teams have recovered the bodies of 409 people since Israeli troop withdrawal from al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and the southern city of Khan Younis, local authorities have said. The Israeli Army withdrew from al-Shifa Hospital on April 1 following a two-week raid and from Khan Younis on April 7, leaving behind a massive trail of destruction, TRT World reports. The Palestinian Civil Defence Agency said that efforts were still ongoing to retrieve more bodies from both areas. Meanwhile, the Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza has reached 33,360 since last October, the Gaza Health Ministry said. In a statement, the ministry said at least 75,993 others have also been injured in the deadly offensive. “At least 153 people were killed and 60 others injured in Israeli attacks in the last 24 hours,” the ministry said. “Many people are still trapped under rubble and on the roads and rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added. In another development, as ceasefire talks continue, anger rages in Gaza over the international response that has allowed war to continue as Palestinians grapple with the danger of Israeli bombs, starvation and the psychological scars of both. Hope remains, no matter how small, that a ceasefire will happen, but the anger is stronger.