Sex worker sells 3-month-old baby for N200,000 in Katsina

An 18-year-old sex worker, Aisha Idris, has been arrested by the Katsina State Police Command for allegedly selling her three-month-old baby for N200,000.
The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Usman Ali Abdullahi, disclosed that Aisha Idris conspired with a nurse, Ogugua Oko, working with the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina, who linked them up with the buyer of the baby.
CP Abdullahi said Aisha Idris was arrested along side one Hauwa Ibrahim alias Kaka , and the nurse, who linked them with another lady, Joy Ihenamere, 50, to sell the baby off to one Grace Ohoho.
According to him, “information gathered has it that Aisha Idris gave birth three months ago at the Federal Medical Centre. She conspired with her friend, Hauwa, and a nurse working with the Centre, who linked them to one Joy Ihenamere to sell the baby for N200,000 to Grace Ohoho.
“The case was reported to the command on April 10. The persons are in the police custody.”
The baby was eventually recovered in possession of Grace Ohoho in Okuku village, Owerri in Imo State.
Interacting with Grace Ohoho, she confessed that she was married for 18 years without an issue, hence the need for her to buy the baby.
Police say the baby, named Victor, is in good condition.
Interrogated, Aisha Idris said she did not know what to do with the baby and was planning to abandon the baby when the idea to sell the baby came to her.
Information gathered has it that Aisha Idris hails from Rimi Local Government Area of the state, but resides in Dakin Tara, Katsina.

Credit: Vanguard

Super Eagles friendly: Rohr wants only teams above Nigeria in FIFA rankings

Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Gernot Rohr has in conjunction with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) agreed on playing friendly games with teams above Nigeria in the annual FIFA rankings.

The move was taken to help Nigeria boost their rankings as well, owing to the fact that FIFA uses it as a determinant in most of their decisions especially in seedings for tournaments.
Already Congo Brazzaville have lost out on a chance to play Nigeria in France, during the Eagles planned camping with Rohr settling for Burkina Faso who are ahead of Nigeria in the monthly FIFA rankings.
Burkina Faso are five spot ahead of Nigeria in the last ranking released by FIFA, as they are 35th while the Eagles are 40th. Congo Brazzaville are however ranked 84th.
Nigeria will use the proposed friendly game against Burkina Faso to prepare for their upcoming AFCON 2019 qualifiers against South Africa on the 10th of June in Uyo.

El-Classico: I’m not sure Messi’s human – Enyeama

Former Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama has revealed that he played better than Messi at the World Cup.
In the last two editions of the number one football event on FIFA’S football calendar, the Super Eagles lost to Argentina, albeit narrowly, with the Lille goalkeeper in between the pipes.
Enyeama’s best performance against the South American powerhouse was at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg on June 12, 2010, when he prevented Messi from scoring on numerous occasions and picked up the Man of the Match award in the process.
Reacting after Messi inspired Barcelona to a 3-2 win against Real Madrid on Sunday, Enyeama tweeted : ‘’I am not sure that he is human because he is so fast,precise and so good. Messi be bossing el Classico’’
A Twitter user Olukayode Layade replied Enyeama, ‘’@vinpee …and he bossed you at the World Cup too ?. Na joke oo .’’ He fired back : ‘’@rocakay I bossed him bro. I was called el phenomenon by him and el Diego. not sure that you were born’’.Enyeama has posted eight shutouts in the current season and did not feature in last weekend’s clash against Guingamp due to a knee injury.

Corruption: Umar is frustrated — Presidency

*Says elite who benefited from NSA fighting back

The Presidency, last night, rebuffed allegations of selectiveness in the war against corruption made against Muhammadu Buhari’s administration by the erstwhile military governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar, describing him as a frustrated man.
President Muhammadu Buhari
It also said it had become accustomed to a fight back by the elite class.
The Presidency in a statement by a Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), Mallam Garba Shehu, also said none of the elite class fighting back had shown evidence of the selectiveness of the fight against corruption.
He further said President Buhari had not at any time interfered with the prosecution of corruption suspects, even as he said several of those fighting back had at one time or the other benefited from security votes from the office of the National Security Adviser. Mallam Garba was, however, quick to exclude Col. Umar from such beneficiaries.
Col. Umar (retd) had in a statement issued, weekend, flayed the Presidency for directing its anti-corruption war at only the opposition, saying the decision to ignore court orders to release erstwhile NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd(, is inexcusable.
He further said the Buhari administration had in its actions sought to humiliate former President Goodluck Jonathan who he, Umar, praised for his excellent democracy credentials.
Responding, yesterday, Shehu said: “By now, President Buhari’s administration is quite familiar with the barrage of verbal attacks that have accompanied the administration’s determined war against corruption.
“A number of Nigeria’s elite, uncomfortable with the disruption of business as usual, have fought viciously, usually via the media. However, this comment, coming from Colonel Umar, is highly disappointing, because he is not in a position to label accusations. He should, instead, allow others to do this.
“Curiously, despite the various accusations and media attacks, no one has so far come forth with any evidence of President Buhari’s selectiveness in the war against corruption.
“All the agencies involved are allowed freedom to carry out their responsibilities, without any interference whatsoever from the Presidency.
“If Colonel Umar or anyone else feels that they have any evidence to the contrary, they are encouraged to make this public.
“A number of Nigerian elite have over the years, benefitted from various forms of corruption, including monthly payouts from the office of previous National Security Advisers.
“Let me clarify that this is not in reference to Colonel Umar in particular.
“The Buhari’s administration has offended so many of our greedy elite by putting a stop to this, plugging many of the holes through which our country’s resources, belonging to each and every one of us, were looted by a few.
“Naturally, these elite are frustrated. But we shall not allow them to frustrate the war against corruption.
“The war against corruption is here to stay. As long as President Buhari is in power, Nigerians can be rest assured of that. It will not succumb to media attacks. It will not be deterred by false accusations. It will not be quenched by disgruntled elements.”

Source: Vanguard

Oyegun: Tinubu did not make me APC National Chairman

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, John Oyegun has said a National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu was not responsible for his emergence as the ruling party’s National Chairman.
Oyegun made the remark in an interview with Vanguard while responding to a question that some people are alleging that he has not been fair to those who assisted him to emerge National Chairman of the party, especially, Bola Tinubu.
The APC Chairman insisted that everybody in the party and not a particular individual aided his emergence.
According to Oyegun, “Everybody assisted me to this position and I am grateful to all of them. The only thing is my personality and integrity; I don’t joke with these two things because they are the only currency that I have and I will defend them at any time.
“I don’t believe one particular person solely assisted me to this position, everybody assisted me and someday, the story of how I became chairman of APC will be told.
“You will then see that everybody did assist me to become National Chairman. This means that I am there for everybody. I don’t belong to any camp in the APC. I belong to all members of APC high and below.”

North Korea arrests U.S. professor Kim

North Korea has arrested a Korean-American professor for unknown reasons as he was planning to fly out of Pyongyang International Airport on Saturday morning.
Kim Sang Duk, also known as Tony Kim, was teaching at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, a statement from the school said.
The detention comes amid a buildup of tension on the Korean Peninsula, with a North Korean newspaper saying Sunday that Pyongyang was ready to sink a U.S. aircraft carrier conducting drills in the region.
Kim is the third U.S. citizen in North Korean custody. The school said he was detained by authorities at the airport “after several weeks of service, teaching at PUST.”
“We understand this detention is related to an investigation into matters not connected in any way with the work of PUST,” the school said.
“We cannot comment on anything that Mr. Kim may be alleged to have done that is not related to his teaching work on the PUST campus.”
The statement said “life on campus and the teaching at PUST is continuing as normal” for the spring semester.
The detained American is a professor, the South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported.
The detention was also confirmed by Martina Aberg, deputy chief of mission at the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang.
The embassy represents U.S. interests in North Korea, since Washington and Pyongyang do not have direct diplomatic relations.
“He was prevented from getting on the flight out of Pyongyang,” Aberg said. “We don’t comment further than this.”
The U.S. State Department on Sunday said it was working on the case.
“We are aware of reports that a U.S. citizen was detained in North Korea,” said a department official. “The protection of U.S. citizens is one of the Department’s highest priorities.”
The official said the United States would work with the Swedish Embassy on the matter, but did not provide further comment.
At least two other U.S. citizens are known to be in North Korean custody.
Otto Warmbier, 21, a student at the University of Virginia, was detained at Pyongyang airport on January 2 last year after visiting the country with a tour group.
He has since been sentenced to 15 years of hard labour for allegedly removing a political sign from a hotel wall.
Kim Dong Chul, a naturalized U.S. citizen of Korean origin, was arrested on October 2015.
Last year, North Korea sentenced him to 10 years of hard labour on espionage charges.

France’s presidential election: How the world reacted

Centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen have emerged as winners of the first round presidential vote in France.
FRANCE LE PEN AND MACRON
The result clears the way for a straight two-way fight between the pair in a run-off on May 7, with opinion polls flagging Macron as favourite.
Here are some of the international reactions to Sunday’s vote:
– European Union –
European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker congratulated the pro-EU Macron and wished him “good luck” in the run-off, Juncker’s spokesman tweeted.
“To see the flags of #France and the EU greet the result of @emmanuelmacron, it’s the hope and future of our generation,” tweeted EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.
Michel Barnier, the European Commission’s chief negotiator on Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, hinted at concerns Le Pen could lead France away from the bloc.
“Patriot and European, I will put my trust in Emmanuel Macron on May 7. France must remain European,” the Frenchman tweeted.
– Russia –
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia “respects” the result, and is “in favour of building good and mutually beneficial relations”.
Russia has appeared as a keen backer of Le Pen, who met President Vladimir Putin in a surprise visit to Moscow ahead of the vote.
– Germany –
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman wished Macron “all the best for the next two weeks”.
“It’s good that Emmanuel Macron was successful with his course for a strong EU and social market economy,” Steffen Seibert said in a tweet.
Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed confidence that the 39-year-old would be France’s next president.
“I’m sure he will sweep away the far-right, rightwing populism and the anti-Europeans in the second round,” Social Democrat Gabriel said in a video posted on Twitter during a trip to Amman.
Writing on Twitter, he added: “I’m glad that @EmmanuelMacron is leading the field. He was the only truly pro-European candidate.”
– Austria –
The head of the Austrian far-right FPOe, Heinz-Christian Strache, congratulated Le Pen on her “historic success”.
“Europe’s patriotic spring can celebrate another success and step forward… The old established parties and their discredited representatives will gradually disappear into insignificance all across Europe. They have been ruining Europe for years!” he said on Facebook.
Strache said that because “established French parties” were backing Macron, it would be a “wonder” if Le Pen won the second round.
“But the system, like in Austria, is on the brink. It is just a question of time. More and more citizens have had enough of the system politicians responsible for the current disaster.”
– Britain –
Former Conservative finance minister George Osborne, recently appointed editor of London’s Evening Standard newspaper, hailed a good result for the centre.
“Congratulations to my friend @EmmanuelMacron. Proof you can win from the centre. At last, the chance for the leadership that France needs,” he tweeted.
– Denmark –
Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen expressed cautious optimism that former banker Macron would emerge victorious over Le Pen.
“Congratulations @EmmanuelMacron. We should await the final election, but Europe needs an openminded and reform oriented France => Good luck!”
– Norway –
Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende, whose country is not a member of the European Union, tweeted: “We need more not less cooperation in #Europe.”
– The Netherlands –
Geert Wilders, Dutch MP and leader of the anti-Islam anti-immigrant Freedom Party, swung behind Le Pen, welcoming the result as a “bright day for patriots in France and elsewhere who want more national sovereignty and less EU and immigration.
“I have just sent her my sincere congratulations. Now on the way to a vigorous second round, I am hoping for a President Le Pen.”

Source: Vanguard