GREECE CONFIRMS MIGRANT RESCUE ON STORMY MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Officials in Greece have confirmed an ongoing search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean Sea east of Crete, following reports of a migrant ship in distress. Yet the situation remains a bit confusing, according to one NGO monitoring the ship’s fate.

On Friday, the Hellenic Coast Guard said they were conducting “one of the largest search and rescue operations carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean.”  The agency released an image of the Turkish-flagged cargo ship being towed, but it’s unclear what happened to it or the people onboard.

The Aegean Boat Report, a Norwegian migration NGO, first called attention to the migrants’ plight after getting reports that the disabled ship was drifting just south of Crete. The migrants, who said they are from Afghanistan, were en route to Italy but were turned aside by mechanical issues and bad weather in the Mediterranean Sea. Italy has been battered by a “medicine” storm that is forecast to cross the sea and reach Libya by Sunday evening.

The NGO raised questions about whether the migrants would be returned to Turkey, in keeping with a European policy that for years has caused bitter contention and division among most Mediterranean coastal nations. They asked why the boat wasn’t taken to Crete and disputed the Greek authorities’ claims that they had not found any migrant ship.

Greek officials have yet to answer those questions but said they plan to make an updated statement on the incident.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has seen an uptick in Mediterranean Sea fatalities this year, although less so on eastern sea routes. Most migrant fatalities occur after ships leave Libya and Tunisia, or on a West African route through the Canary Islands, a territory of Spain.

IOM director António Vitorino appealed earlier this month for more assistance for Afghan refugees. There are now an estimated 5.5 million internally displaced persons in Afghanistan, with 5.7 million more who have fled to other nations.

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© Image: Hellenic Coast Guard

US-BASED SHOW PROMOTER ACCUSES NIGERIAN GRAMMY AWARD WINNER, BURNA BOY, MUM OF N28 MILLION THEFT, FRAUD

 

Uzoh, who is the CEO of Gold Moola Entertainment, accused the singer of refusing to perform at a show despite being paid in full.

A US-based show promoter, Emmanuel Chinyere Uzoh has accused Nigerian Grammy Award winner, Burna Boy and his mother, Bose Ogulu of extortion, fraud, and theft.

Uzoh, who is the CEO of Gold Moola Entertainment, accused the singer of refusing to perform at a show despite being paid in full.

Stating the allegations on his company’s Instagram handle on Tuesday, Uzoh also accused Ogulu, Burna Boy’s mother and manager, of attempting to extort $10,000 (about N6 million at the black market rate of N573 to $1) from him.

He said Ogulu insisted that he had to pay an additional $10,000 before Burna Boy could come downstairs to perform after he had already been paid.

He wrote, “Bose Ogulu attempted to extort me of $10,000. After the agreed sum was paid in full, she proceeded to ask for an additional $10,000.

“After the balance was paid in full, he posted and confirmed his attendance. That’s when Bose told me that I had to pay another $10k before he comes downstairs.

“I realized that I was being extorted. At that point, I no longer wanted to move forward with the deal. This was around 1:10 am. He was set to arrive at the club at 12:45 am. Once I requested a refund of the $15,000 (about N9 million) that was paid that night, (The deposit was paid on October 7th in Los Angeles) that was when he posted this canceled flyer.

“When I realized what was happening, I decided to pull from the show completely. I asked for the $15k balance that was paid on the night and they refused to return the money.

“After hours of negotiations in the hotel lobby, the entire team snuck out of the hotel through the back exit to avoid us.”

Uzoh vowed to take up the matter legally, saying his only demand is for Burna Boy and his mother to refund the money he had paid to them.

He continued, “These are just the primary details of what happened on the 31st of October in Houston, Texas. Because I didn’t fall for the demands of extortion, I was robbed of over $50,000 (about N28 million) and my name was left to be slandered in the city I love. We will allow the law to finish what it started. I pride myself on being a stand-up guy, especially in the entertainment industry.

“My only demand at this point is a refund. You were paid for a service that you didn’t complete. Be a stand-up guy and kindly return my money @burnaboygram.”

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LAGOS BUILDING COLLAPSE: US-BASED PROPERTY AGENT, BOB-OSENI UNDER RUBBLE, HE WAS TO RETURN TO AMERICA THE SAME DAY HE DIED

 

Oseni was on his way to the United States on Monday when he got a call from Osibona, to check out the ongoing development.

A US-based real estate dealer, Wale Bob-Oseni is among the victims of the building collapse which happened in Ikoyi, Lagos on Monday.

According to reports, Oseni had gone to visit his friend, Femi Osibona at the ill-fated 21-story building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi before the unfortunate incident.

US-based real estate dealer, Wale Bob-Oseni is among the victims of the building collapse which happened in Ikoyi, Lagos on Monday.

According to reports, Oseni had gone to visit his friend, Femi Osibona at the ill-fated 21-story building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi before the unfortunate incident.

The rescue and emergency personnel have evacuated nine persons alive from the debris of the fallen building. 

The survivors comprised eight males and one female, while the fatalities had three females and 33 males.

The 21-story building was still under construction when it crumbled on Monday in the upscale Ikoyi neighborhood of Nigeria’s commercial capital.

Meanwhile, Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has directed the establishment of an independent panel to probe the disaster.

Members will be drawn from the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), and other professional bodies.

The committee will investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incident and make recommendations on how to prevent future occurrences.

“The investigation is not part of the internal probe already being conducted by the government,” Information Commissioner, Gbenga Omotoso had announced in a statement.

Sanwo-Olu had also vowed to bring those responsible for the disaster to justice.

The governor also directed that the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Gbolahan Oki, an architect, be suspended from work immediately.

The Deputy Governor of Lagos, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, who visited the site amid tight security, explained that the premises of the collapsed building had been sealed by the government agency in charge of testing, for more investigation into the integrity of the structure.

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SENEGAL'S MOHAMED MBOUGAR SARR WINS GONCOURT, FRANCE'S TOP LITERARY PRIZE

 

France's oldest and most prestigious literary prize is won by a Sub-Saharan African writer for the first time. 

Senegal's Mohamed Mbougar Sarr impressed the judges with his novel "The Most Secret Memory of Men". But first, world leaders pledge more support for Africa, a continent that has contributed the least to climate change but which bears the brunt of rising temperatures and environmental disasters.

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LAWYER SHOT DEAD NEARLY THREE MONTHS AFTER HIS WIFE AND SON WERE KILLED AT THEIR HOME

 

Alex Murdaugh, the descendant of a prominent family of lawyers in rural South Carolina, was shot on Saturday, nearly three months after his wife and son were killed at their home.

For nearly three months, the question of who killed the wife and son of Alex Murdaugh, a prominent lawyer in rural South Carolina, has gripped the state’s Lowcountry region as harrowing details of the crime emerged but the police made no arrests.

On Saturday, the mystery deepened further when Mr. Murdaugh himself was shot in the head while changing a tire on the side of the road, according to his lawyer, Jim Griffin, who said Mr. Murdaugh was conscious and able to speak on the telephone from his hospital bed.

Mr. Murdaugh told one of his brothers from the hospital that he had pulled over to change the tire when someone in a truck drove past him, then drove back around and shot him, Mr. Griffin said.

Tommy Crosby, a spokesman for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the police agency that is investigating the original double killing, confirmed that Mr. Murdaugh had been shot in Hampton County, a rural county that borders Georgia, but said he could provide no more details.

Mr. Murdaugh is a lawyer whose father, grandfather, and great-grandfather each served as the top prosecutor for a broad swath of the southern part of the state over more than eight decades, forming a legal dynasty that has made people wonder whether they were targeted.

On June 7, he returned to his family’s home in Islandton, a hamlet of fewer than 100 people, and discovered his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and his son, Paul Murdaugh, a college student, fatally shot.

Since then, questions have swirled about who the perpetrator could be, and the family has received intense scrutiny, particularly over the fact that Paul Murdaugh was, at the time of his death, awaiting trial on charges of boating under the influence related to a 2019 crash that killed a 19-year-old woman who was a passenger.

Documents and videos released since Paul Murdaugh’s death have raised questions about whether the police were sloppy or gave him favorable treatment, though they have denied that. In one case, a passenger on the boat told a Department of Natural Resources officer that Paul Murdaugh had been driving the boat, but the officer wrote in a report that the passenger had said he was not sure who was driving.

In June, Alex Murdaugh pledged a $100,000 reward for information that led to a conviction against whoever killed his wife and son.

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Credit: The New York Times

SINGER AKON'S SENEGALESE 'WAKANDA' CITY UNSTARTED, LOCALS LEFT IN DARK

 

A year after singer Akon laid the first stone of the $6 billion futuristic cities he vowed to build for his native Senegal, the site remains grassland.

The stone itself sits at the bottom of a dirt track in a field; a small placard advertising the megaproject has fallen off it.

Construction of "Akon City," a project due to feature ultramodern twisting skyscrapers, was already meant to have begun near the Atlantic Ocean village of Mbodiene.

But building work is yet to start, prompting residents who were hoping for jobs to wonder about its future.

"They laid the foundation stone with a lot of speeches and promises," said Jules Thiamine, a 35-year-old local who works in the tourism industry.

"Compared to everything that was announced, I don't think we have seen much yet."

Akon -- a Senegalese-American singer-songwriter best known for his R&B hits such as "Smack That" -- launched his eponymous city in September 2020, to great fanfare and international media attention.

The city's otherworldly design is partly inspired by Wakanda, he said at the time, referring to the fictional African city of the "Black Panther" Marvel movie and comic series.

Akon City's planners also say it will be a "beacon of innovation and human development" that will boost industry in the West African state of Senegal.

A stadium, casino, luxury high-rise apartment complexes, and an education district that will "accommodate the most prestigious universities in the world" are also part of the plans.

- Sleepy hamlet -

The glittering vision is a far cry from the existing sleepy hamlet of Mbodiene, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) south of the capital, where pigs roll in the muck and donkeys amble along the road.

Locals interviewed by AFP said they knew little about Akon City, nor why construction had been delayed.

The ceremonial stone was laid on August 31 2020 and construction was scheduled to begin early this year.

A hospital, school, shopping mall, homes, police station, waste center, and solar power plant are supposed to be completed in 2023 -- and the whole city by 2030.

Speaking on an untarmacked road as horned cattle grazed behind him, 25-year-old student Ahmeth Deme wondered whether the project had been cancelled.

Badara Diakhate, the deputy mayor of the local commune, said he was unaware of the exact reason for the delay but that "people want things to get going."

He welcomed investment in the village and said that delays were common, especially given the pandemic.

- Disillusioned -

At $6 billion, the planned cost of Akon City is huge -- it is not much smaller than Senegal's overall 2020 budget of about $7.5 billion.

The pomp and size of the project elicited skepticism in Senegal at first, where developers and politicians often tout the merits of pet building works.

About 40 percent of Senegal's 16 million people live below the poverty line, according to a World Bank metric.

A lack of clarity regarding Akon City's funding also raised questions.

Paul Martin, from the US-based firm KE International which won the Akon City construction contract, said that Kenyan entrepreneur Julius Mwale is the lead investor.

He added that he could not disclose information on other investors for confidentiality reasons, but said more than $4 billion in funding had been raised.

Construction of Akon City will start in October, Martin said, after a similar Mwale-funded city is completed in Kenya.

"The first 12 months incorporated planning, approvals, procurement and recruitment of sub-contractors," Martin said by email, referring to Akon City.

But tourism worker Thiamane said that he'd grown disillusioned, pointing to earlier failed development projects in Mbodiene.

"What is shared in the village at the moment is the beginning of disappointment," he said.

Akon's team, and the Senegalese state tourism agency SAPCO, which is managing the project on the government's behalf, did not respond to repeated solicitations by AFP for comment.

- 'Still have hope' -

Most Mbodiene residents cited the potential benefits of Akon City and said it could bring jobs.

"This is big for us," said Philomene Bamimba, who heads a local women's association.

David Seck Sene, president of the village youth association, admitted there was confusion around the delays but said: "I still have hope. I don't see how a project like this could stop tomorrow."

He, like other residents, is pushing for education and training so that villagers are not sidelined to laborers' roles in Akon City.

KE International's Paul Martin said the aim is to empower locals to fill high-skilled jobs, adding that training would start when construction does.

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GUINEA SOLDIERS SAY PRESIDENT 'TAKEN' AND GOVERNMENT 'DISSOLVED'

 

Guinea's special forces claimed Sunday to have captured President Alpha Conde and "dissolved" the country's institutions, in a video sent to an AFP correspondent, while the defense ministry said it had repelled their attack on the presidency.

"We have decided after having taken the president, who is currently with us (...) to dissolve the current constitution, to dissolve the institutions; we have also decided to dissolve the government and the closure of land and air borders," said one of the uniformed and armed coup plotters in the statement, which has also been widely circulated on social networks but has not been broadcast on national television.

The coup plotters, with whom AFP's correspondent confirmed the source of these images, broadcast a video of President Conde in their hands. They ask him if he has been mistreated, and Alpha Conde, in jeans and a shirt on a sofa, refuses to answer them.

For its part, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement that "the insurgents (had) spread fear" in Conakry before taking the direction of the presidential palace, but that "the presidential guard, supported by the defense and security forces, loyalists, and republicans, have contained the threat and pushed back the group of attackers.

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GHANA DEPORTS NIGERIAN SINGER, BELLA SHMURDA FOR ATTACKING DOCTOR WHO ANNOUNCED HIS COVID-17 RESULT

 

The “Cash App” hit maker was deported alongside two others namely Ramsey Omeofe and Jubreel Abimbola while they were also fined GH¢2,000 each.

The Adjabeng Circuit Court sitting in Accra, Ghana, has ordered the deportation of Nigerian singer, Bella Shmurda, from Ghana after he was found guilty of attacking a doctor with a fork while in quarantine at the MPlaza Hotel in Accra.

The “Cash App” hitmaker was deported alongside two others namely Ramsey Omeofe and Jubreel Abimbola while they were also fined GH¢2,000 each.

The court also banned the singer, whose real name is Akinbiyi Abiola Ahmed, and his colleagues from traveling to Ghana for a period of three months.

Bella Shmurda and the two others were said to have become agitated and attacked the doctor after being put into quarantine for testing positive for COVID-19.

It is understood that the trio was quarantined upon arrival in Ghana as mandated during the pandemic and underwent COVID tests.

They were quarantined at the MPlaza hotel in Accra and had their swabs taken and reportedly tested positive for the virus which meant they had to remain in quarantine.

Apparently rankled and agitated that the development would disrupt their visit to Ghana, they reportedly attacked the doctor who delivered the news to them with a fork.

The attack, it was gathered, was part of an alleged plot by the trio to escape from quarantine.

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Credit: saharareporters

PASTOR ADEBOYE OF THE RCCG SELLS OFF HELICOPTER OVER MAINTENANCE COST WORTH N123 MILLION

 

It was stated that the helicopter was purchased in September 2020 to ferry the Pastor and other officials of the church across the world for the preaching of the gospel.

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has reportedly sold his helicopter with registration marking 5NEAA.

It was stated that the helicopter was purchased in September 2020 to ferry the Pastor and other officials of the church across the world for the preaching of the gospel.

The helicopter was, however, suspended from flying by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in April 2021 over alleged expired documents and spare parts which needed to be replaced.

According to Church Gist, the total cost of maintaining the helicopter for a single month was about $300,000 (N123 million).

This has caused the renowned gospel preacher to sell off the aircraft, the news site reported.

It was also stated that the managers of the aircraft charged $50,000 (N20 million) monthly for Nav charges.

It was gathered that the 79-year-old man of God has resorted to using the helicopter belonging to Bishop David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church for his missionary travels.

Meanwhile, Oyedepo had said that God showed him wings in April 1982 indicative that the ministry he was called to pastor will be operating with ‘aircrafts’. This has led the Living Faith Church to own a hangar to manage her aircraft in order to further reduce the costs of running these aircraft.

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Credit: saharareporters

ALAKE OF EGBALAND TACKLES SUNDAY IGBOHO, OTHERS AGAINST CALL FOR NIGERIA'S BREAKUP

 

Photo Credit:newsflagship

The monarch warned that those beating the drum of war in Nigeria are calling for chaos in the country and in Africa at large.

The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has appealed to those calling for Nigeria's secession to shelve the idea.

The monarch warned that those beating the drum of war in Nigeria are calling for chaos in the country and in Africa at large.

Oba Gbadebo spoke when he played host to the National President of the National Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Musa Maitakobi, the Chairman of RTEAN in Ogun State, Titilayo Akibu, and other members of the association in his palace in Ake, Abeokuta.

The visit was part of activities marking the first anniversary of Akibu as the state chairman of RTEAN in Ogun state.

Alake's statement was against the declaration of Yoruba nation and South-West secession from Nigeria by a Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho.

The monarch said Nigeria could not afford to go through another civil war, stressing that no country in the world will be willing to have over 250 million Nigerians as refugees.

The monarch said Nigerians, irrespective of their tribe, political or religious afflictions, must work together for the country's greater good.

Alake said if Nigeria fails as a country, the entire black race has failed, insisting that Nigeria is better as one united nation than breaking up.

He said in a report by Punch, "Nigerians, wherever we go in Nigeria, we must see ourselves as nationals of the same country, people of the same blood.

"We must work together to make Nigeria great because we must not fail, Nigeria must not fail, if Nigeria fails, the black race has failed and may it never happened.

"Where will over 250 million people go to? If they enter the next country, we will eat all their foods within two days; there will be no food for anybody in that place again. That is why we must remain where we are and make Nigeria work and work well."

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Credit: saharareporters

UFC 259: ADESANYA EARNS $1M AFTER LOSS TO BLACHOWICZ

 

Adesanya, along with Blachowicz; women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes and challenger Meagan Anderson and Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling were the main cards for the night but it was the Nigerian-born New Zealander who went home with the heaviest purse.

Despite suffering his first Mixed Martial Arts defeat in the hands of hard-hitting Polish light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz, Israel Adesanya still left the UFC 259 arena as the highest-paid fighter.

Adesanya, along with Blachowicz; women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes and challenger Meagan Anderson and Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling were the main cards for the night but it was the Nigerian-born New Zealander who went home with the heaviest purse.

According to UFCsalaries.com, Adesanya took home an estimated $1m for the fight and a guaranteed $40,000 fight week incentive while his conqueror, Blachowicz earned $750,000 for his win and $40,000 fight week incentive.

Adesanya's pay for the fight could be further increased as his contract for UFC 259 included a payout from the overall Pay Per View income, estimated at $1m, but his opponent is not entitled to the PPV largess.

The 31-year-old earned $690,000 from his middleweight title defence against Brazilian Paulo Costa in September 2020.

Another Nigerian, Kennedy Nzechukwu, who earned a second-round knockout win over Adesanya's teammate, Carlos Ulberg, was awarded the Fight of The Night award, which carried a bonus of $50,000. Nzechukwu's original pay was an $18,000 base fight salary, $18,000 win bonus and a $4,000 Reebok sponsorship deal.

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BREAKING: BANDITS ATTACK FEDERAL AIRPORT QUARTERS IN KADUNA, ABDUCT NINE PERSONS

 

The nine abductees include a whole family of six, a housewife and her two children.

Gun-wielding bandits have attacked the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria quarters in Kaduna, abducting about nine persons.

The nine abductees include a whole family of six, a housewife and her two children.

It was learnt that the bandits gained access to the quarters through the airport runway at about 12.30 am on Saturday.

Sources said the incident lasted for hours as military personnel engaged the bandits, but sadly the attackers had their way.

According to TVC News, the bandits later went away on motorcycles with their abductees.

This is the first time the FAAN quarters is experiencing such an attack despite growing security concerns in the state.

Efforts to get reactions from the police have not yielded results.

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TWO NIGERIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING IN GHANA FOR KIDNAPPING, MURDER OF GIRLS

 

The two Nigerians, Samuel Udoetuk Wills and John Oji have been found guilty of kidnapping and killing the four Takoradi girls.

Two accused persons behind the kidnapping and subsequent murder of four Takoradi girls has been sentenced to death by the Sekondi High Court in Ghana.

The two Nigerians, Samuel Udoetuk Wills and John Oji have been found guilty of kidnapping and killing the four Takoradi girls.

The judgement was given today, Friday, March 5.

The convicted persons have 30 days to appeal the judgement.

The High Court presided over by Justice Richard Adjei-Frimpong, an Appeals Court Judge with additional responsibility as High Court judge, gave the sentence after the 7-member jury found them guilty.

Samuel Udeotuk Wills and John Oji were charged for kidnapping and murder after the bodies of Ruth Abakah, 19, Priscilla Blessing Bentum, 21, Ruth Love Quayson,18 and Priscilla Koranchie, 15, were discovered in their apartment following months of a national search for the victims.

The two pleaded not guilty to eight counts of conspiracy and murder.

The two have been standing trial since 2019 over the four girls who went missing in 2017.

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MURDER CONVICT, REV KING GETS 17 PAGES OF ThisDay BIRTHDAY ADVERT WHILE ON DEATH ROW

 

A number of Nigerians allege that Reverend King has a stronghold on his members and even manipulates them from prison. He even reportedly sends messages to them for Sunday services.

Chukwuemeka Ezeugo, more commonly called Rev King, who was convicted for murder to the Supreme Court and given a death sentence, has been gifted with 17 newspaper advert pages in ThisDay, by his church members and others who celebrated him like a god.

Reverend King, General Overseer of Christian Praying Assembly, Lagos State, who was sentenced to death in January 2007 for murder, indecent and sexual assaults and other atrocities in his church, was seen on the newspaper adverts celebrated as “daddy and god.”

The newspaper devoted 17 full-colour pages to King being adverts carried by his church members, saying “His Holiness, the Most High Dr Reverend King life and reign forever in our lives in Jesus Christ name. Amen. We worship and adore you, our living God.” 

“On the glorious day of his birthday, you are the light of the world which have (sic) come to stay, to lighten the lives of your true children. Sir, you are the reason why we are alive today,” another message reads.

King, from Anambra State, in 2006, became notorious in the country following the murder of a church member, Ann Uzoh.

The cleric was arraigned before the Lagos High Court in Ikeja on September 26, 2006, on six counts of the murder of Uzoh as well as the attempted murder of five other members.

He was said to have doused the deceased and the five other victims with petrol and set them on fire for allegedly committing fornication.

Uzoh died on August 2, 2006, 11 days after the incident, as a result of the injuries which she sustained from the burns.

The trial judge, Justice Olubunmi Oyewole, had in his judgement delivered on January 11, 2007, convicted Ezeugo and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment on each of the five counts of attempted murder and death sentence for murder.

The adverts carried for Reverend King run from ThisDay Friday Page 25 to Page 41, as it was learnt that most of the church members had in solidarity adopted the name of their convicted General Overseer who they all call ‘Daddy’.

Some of the adverts came from the CPA St Women Worldwide, CPA Ketu Branch, Bresser branch, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

“Daddy, you are the reason why I and my family are existing. We wish you many more triumphant years. Your kingdom shall reign over all the earth and shall endure from everlasting to everlasting,” a member, Somtobechukwu King and his family wrote.

Dissatisfied with Justice Oyewole’s judgement in 2007, King appealed to the Court of Appeal, which also affirmed the sentence passed on him.

He further appealed to the Supreme Court which dismissed his appeal and affirmed the judgments of both the Lagos High Court and the Court of Appeal.

On February 26, 2016, the Supreme Court upheld Reverend King’s death sentencing as many Nigerians awaited the court’s decision with bated breath.

A seven-man panel of Justices ‎of the apex court led by Justice Walter Onnoghen, confirmed the death sentence that was earlier handed to Ezeugo by the Lagos State High Court.

The verdict was delivered by Justice Sylvester Ngwuta. “This appeal has no merit. The judgement of the court of appeal is hereby affirmed. The prison sentence that was earlier handed to the appellant is no longer relevant in view of the death sentence passed on him,” he stated.

Although Reverend King has been in prison custody for the past 10 years, several members of his church CPA, have kept a revered image of their pastor, marking his birthday in absentia and even continuing with services.

In 2014, CPA members also bought spaces in Nigerian dailies to extol Reverend King’s virtues while hailing him as the light of the world.

A number of Nigerians allege that Reverend King has a stronghold on his members and even manipulates them from prison.

He even reportedly sends messages to them for Sunday services.

“The man of the moment, the mighty man in battle; the giver of life and the hope of the hopeless. Daddy, we thank you for your presence in our lives, families and business. King forever, live forever,” another birthday advert reads on Friday.

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BREAKING: GUNMEN STORM ZAMFARA SCHOOL, KIDNAP FEMALE PUPILS

 

The gunmen were said to have arrived at the school around 1am and loaded the girls in buses.

Gunmen have kidnapped an unspecified number of school girls at the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in the Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The gunmen, believed to be bandits, struck the school on Friday morning.

The gunmen were said to have arrived at the school around 1am and loaded the girls in buses.

 

A resident in Kawaye village identified as Seidu Muhammadu who confirmed the development to SaharaReporters said his daughters, Mansura and Sakina were among those abducted.

 

"I'm on my way to Jangebe now to see the situation myself. I was told they invaded the school around 1am," he said.

 

The spokesman for the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu, told reporters: "Give me some time, I can't say anything now."

 

The Zamfara incident comes a week after gunmen struck the Government Secondary School in Kagara, Niger State, abducting 47 school pupils, teachers and workers, who have yet to be rescued as of Friday.

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