Okada man slumps after he was allegedly kicked by a policeman in Onitsha (photos)

According to reports online, an Okada rider slumped after he was allegedly kicked by a policeman trying to extort him in Onitsha, Anambra state.

The policeman was said to have tried to revive the motorcyclist when the incident began to draw the attention of passersby. More photos below...

Skales blasts Buhari, says he’s the worst president in the world

President Muhammadu Buhari has come under fire from singer and songwriter Skales who stated in a series of tweets posted on his timeline that the Nigerian leader is the worst president in the world.
The musician who sounded perturbed judging by the tweets posted on his timeline also stated that Buhari deceived scores of Nigerians into voting him into power during the last presidential elections.

“Buhari is the worst president in the world yes I said it ….this human abuse has to stop …you lied to us when I wanted to be voted in …shame!!! I love my country and I want the best for my country,” he posted.
The “Agolo” crooner also took a swipe at the officials of the Special Anti-robber Squad SARS for unleashing untold terror on innocent Nigerians whom he said they are supposed to protect.
“Hitting a woman by the animals called SARS is unacceptable…If the government truly cares about us they would do something about this. @MBuhari does not care about us I’m a young man speaking out…he is out there living happy with his kids baling & living a reckless life bullying citizens,” Skales added.

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Lagos Auto Parts Dealer Dies In SARS Custody

 

An auto parts dealer in the Owode Onirin area of Lagos State, Lukman Ogundele, has died in the custody of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Lagos State Police Command.
Although the police formation had been reportedly evasive on the whereabouts of the father of two children, a police charge sheet sighted by our correspondent marked his name ‘late’.
We learnt that Lukman and his friend, Saheed Abayomi, had been arrested by SARS operatives for facilitating the sale of a stolen Toyota Camry.
It was gathered that the police apprehended Lukman in the midnight of December 29, 2017, and took him into custody in Ikeja, where he was detained alongside Abayomi and two others.
Our correspondent learned that Abayomi and Lukman’s families searched for them at police stations across the state, until on December 31 when Abayomi’s mother traced him to the SARS office.
It was gathered that Lukman’s wife, Wunmi Ogundele, and relatives consequently visited SARS office on several occasions, but were not allowed to see him.
“Anytime we went there, policemen would chase us away and they did not allow us to see his friend, Saheed (Abayomi), so we could ask after him (Lukman). I had traveled with the children for the Yuletide when he was arrested,” Wunmi added.
His cousin, one Isaac, who went to the station on January 6, was reportedly told that the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Edwin Obam, had taken him out.
After failed attempts to see him, his mother, Yemisi Ogundele, who lives in Taraba State, was said to have traveled down to Lagos.
Yemisi said, “He sold auto parts and iron in Owode Onirin. A man wanted to sell a car. He and Saheed got a buyer for the vehicle and the person sold it to someone else. On December 29, in the night, some SARS men went to his house in Itowolo, Ikorodu, with Saheed, and arrested him.
“Our family members went to the SARS office, but the policemen did not give them any attention. Last Wednesday, I came down to Lagos State and went there. The policemen I met said they did not know anybody by that name.
“I saw Saheed while he was being taken to the Ikeja Magistrate’s Court that day with two others. I asked for my son, but they chased me away. They did not allow me to get close to Saheed.”
The mother explained that Lukman’s brother and she met with an official at the court, who showed them the charge preferred against him.
She said she was shocked when she discovered that her son was charged with robbery along with one Kehinde Hassan.
“His name on the heading of the charge sheet had been canceled, but in the content, it was written as late Lukman Ogundele. That was when I realized that my son died in the police custody, but they were trying to cover up.
“When my daughter prodded the IPO further, he made a call. After a few minutes, about eight armed policemen came to scare us away,” she added.
Lukman’s uncle, Pastor Bolaji Michael, said a policeman confided in him that Lukman was dead and appealed that the family should take the death in good faith.
He said the family had contacted a lawyer to petition the police and take up the matter.
He said, “Lukman and Saheed were arrested for introducing a buyer to a stolen vehicle. But he was charged with a separate count bordering on robbery. We will be in court on Tuesday (today) to see what happens. We will also get a lawyer to petition the Inspector-General of Police.
“Officially, SARS has not told the family that he is dead, which is wrong. It was a policeman that told us that the boy slumped in custody and died. He said he was not tortured and advised us to let go of the matter. He said he would help us to collect his corpse. He said if we let the case drag on, we might not get his corpse in one year.
“I disagreed with him and said we would take it up. This was a man who had two kids of seven and nine years old and a wife. He must not die just like that.”
Abayomi’s mother, who wanted to be identified as Iya Saheed, said a SARS officer had promised her that Lukman and her son would be released on bail as soon as the prime suspects in the case were arrested.
She said, “The officer promised that Saheed and Lukman would be released once they got one Idowu and Kehinde, the prime suspects, arrested. But after the two were caught, they did not release them.
“I was surprised when I got a call last Tuesday that they would be charged to court. Saheed, Idowu and Kehinde were brought to the Ikeja Magistrate’s Court last Wednesday, but Lukman was not there. The police have postponed their arraignment to Tuesday (today).”
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, said Lukman died naturally on January 2, adding that the victim’s relatives were informed about the death through a family member, who is a policeman.
He said, “The boy was arrested for armed robbery with four others. Along the line, he was sick while in the cell and was taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. The doctor treated him and the police took him back. He was returned to custody.
“The next day, he collapsed and was rushed back to the hospital. On getting to the hospital, he was confirmed dead by a doctor. Other gang members have been arraigned and remanded in prison.”

Donald Duke Indicates He Might Run For President In 2019

 
Former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, has indicated he may be interested in running for President in the 2019 general elections.
According to a report from the Vanguard, the former governor declared his interest for the job at the 3rd Mike Omotosho Annual Lecture titled: “Millennials As Protagonists In Nation Building” in Abuja on Sunday night. Mr Duke who served as Cross River State governor between 1999 and 2007 explained that he would only start the process at ”the right time and circumstance.”
“I am entitled to run for the presidency of this country. I am entitled to it. Only on right circumstances, I will aspire for it. I don’t shy away from responsibility, only the right circumstance, I will aspire for the presidency of this country. I have what it takes to be president of this country.” He said.
Mr Duke, however, challenged the youth to be active participants in the electoral process by getting their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and sensitizing others ahead of the general elections in 2019, rather than “loafing around, looking for who to heap their problems on”.
The former governor also noted that the country once had young leadership in its first republic. “It was high time Nigerians began to project people with the technical know-how to take the country to the Promised Land”.
He said, “I hear young people say to me that why would they spend hours queuing and casting their votes when at the end their votes won’t count.
And I tell that if their parents conceived them and never gave up on them considering the high mortality rate so why would they not take a chance in building this nation? We had young leadership at one stage or the other.
Even in our first republic, besides the likes of Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa, M. T. Mbu was in his twenties when he became a minister. Gowon was 30 when he became the head of state. It comes back to the disaster therein because most of them didn’t have experience in governance, which led us into war.
We need the combination of both. What I think we should be doing is to ensure a government that is youth friendly to provide opportunities because we need to groom the next set of leadership.”
Mr. Duke, also took time to lament the recent deaths of Nigerian migrants on the Mediterranean sea, slavery in Libya, Job loss and the rate of unemployment in Nigeria. “I don’t know what a definition of the failed state is and I don’t want to categorize Nigeria as a failed state yet, however, a state that was unable to provide for its people has faded up.
So, if we are not there yet, we are walking with our eyes open towards it. And we need to pull the handbrake now before it gets late” He said.
Speaking on the present administration, the ex-governor said there was the disconnection between President Muhammadu Buhari and his cabinet members. According to him,
“The challenge we have today is the disconnect. That is the challenge of the governance today. Because if you speak with the folks in government, and I am being candid here. I think we should deceiving ourselves here and stop all these political correctness. There is a disconnect between the president and even the ministers”.