Happy New Year to all our esteemed readers far and wide. May 2021 be your year of victory, your year to shine, your year of elevation, your year to conquer, your year of incredible miracles, your year of endless blessings and breakthroughs! (Amen) Happy 2021! The post Happy New Year LIB readers... Happy 2021! appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Weiter Ayo Sogunro has said there is no single logical reason to get married. He said Nigerians are invested in persuading single people to get married, then added that the only argument put forward to promote marriage is "social" or "moralistic". He tweeted: "Nigerians are inordinately invested in persuading unmarried people to get married. Every December, I have to go through this routine. "And yet, there's no single logical reason to do so. Every argument is social/moralistic. I'll pass, please." The post "There is no single logical reason to get married" Writer Ayo Sogunro says appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Tonto Dikeh took to Instagram to reveal that 2020 turned out to be the best year of her life. She said she faced so many challenges and overcame them, but, most importantly, she said she has been "financially stable in a financially crumbled society." She added that this year also made her appreciate privacy and minding her business. Read her post below. 
The post "2020 has been my best adult year" Tonto Dikeh writes and explains why appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Neo Akpofure took to Twitter to reflect on his life as the year comes to an end. The former Big Brother Naija reality star explained that earlier this year, he was struggling to pay rent for a self-contained apartment, but he's ending the year by moving into ''his own house'' in Lagos. He tweeted: "February this year, I was hustling to pay rent for my self-contain apartment. Last day of 2020, I’m moving into my house in LAGOS. OLUWA ON GUARD" 
The post "Early this year, I was hustling to pay rent for a self-contained apartment" BBNaija's Neo Akpofure shares testimony as he ends the year moving into a new house appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
American rapper, Lil Tjay has been arrested by officials of New York Police Department. Lil Tjay who was in a vehicle with 4 others when cops pulled them over for switching lanes without signaling, was busted Wednesday afternoon in Brooklyn and booked for criminal possession of a weapon, marijuana possession and grand larceny. TMZ reported that officer smelled weed in the car, which resulted in a search and the discovery of 4 loaded handguns and a large amount of marijuana. Everyone in the car were booked for possession charges as neither the rapper nor anyone in the vehicle took ownership of the firearms or the weed. It is however unclear why they're also facing the grand larceny charge.The post Rapper Lil Tjay arrested for gun and weed possession appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned that those extorting National Identification Number (NIN) applicants risk a 7-year jail term. Citing Sections 14, 20 and 21 of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Act and Sections 10 and 12 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, the NIMC which stated that the offence is punishable in accordance with the laws also affirmed that the ongoing enrollment for the National Identification Number (NIN) is free across the country. Nigerians have been asked to report such cases of extortion for diligent prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others. The tweet read; “The punishment for extortion if convicted is seven years of imprisonment as stipulated in Sections 14, 20 and 21 of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Act and Sections 10 and 12 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. “Report extortion via actu@nimc.gov.ng or call 08157691214 or 08157691071." 
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A 28-year-old pregnant woman, Marian Pelemo died after she was struck by a stray bullet allegedly fired by some men in military uniform in Kogi State. The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday December 29, at about 9 pm in Magongo, Ogori/Magongo local government council. 
The mother of one from Oturo Quarters was struck by the bullet while she was sitting in front of her family house. According to the deceased's elder brother, Idowu Pelemo, who spoke to Nigerian Tribune, the soldiers in a three-vehicle convoy including a Hilus van with registration number Lokoja 446 KG and another painted in military colour with registration number 014, chased a driver from Ibilo in Edo State to Magongo. 
When the driver got to Magongo, he jumped out from his vehicle and fled. The Military men started shooting sporadically after the driver escaped. His sister who was standing in front of her house was hit by a stray bullet. He said the uniformed men rushed his sister to the hospital and escaped while she later died that same night. "Those men in military uniform normally station their vans along Ageva. From what one of the soldier men told me, he said they wanted to arrest the driver because the driver and some of his colleagues misbehaved to some of their officers in Okene. He mentioned that the men in army uniform, following a tip-off ambushed the said driver who was coming from Ibilo in Edo State." said Mr Pelemo. When Nigerian Tribune called on the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Nigerian Army in Kogi State, Major Jafaru Muhammed, he said “the Army was not involved in any operations please.” 
Confirming the incident, a community leader who simply identified himself as Chief Obaro, said that the driver who was conveying goods and passengers from North Central to south west on sighting the army van jumped out of his car and started running away while the soldiers started shooting sporadically and indiscriminately. "It was one of the strayed bullets from the soldiers that killed our sister." said Obaro. The remains of the woman has been deposited at Toah Mortuary, along Agba/Ilekpi Road, Lampese-Okpameri in Akoko Edo LGA of Edo State. The post Stray bullet kills pregnant woman in Kogi as soldiers allegedly shoot indiscriminately while chasing a driver appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu has denied ordering closure of churches in the state. Though a statement was released earlier in which the police chief instructed policemen in the command to enforce all protocols by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 including the restriction of movement between 12am and 4am, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi released another statement in which he made a clarification. Odumosu stated that he didn’t order the closure of churches but nightclubs, bars, lounges, and event centres. The statement read; “The command’s statement was explicit on the enforcement of COVID-19 protocols as clearly stated by the Presidential Taskforce and the Lagos State Government respectively.“For clarification, the preventive COVID-19 protocols include the use of face mask at public places, maintaining social distancing, closure of night clubs, bars, lounges, event centres; no social party, street carnivals and due enforcement of the Federal Government imposed 12 midnight to 4am curfew.“No closure of churches was included in the already established and released COVID-19 protocols contrary to mischievous publications“The Police Command wishes to state categorically that according to the directive of the Lagos State Government, churches are allowed to operate in accordance with the already laid down protocols, while event centres can operate with the permission of the Lagos State Safety Commission with due consideration to the COVID-19 guidelines in the state.“The Command, therefore, wishes to urge the general public to go about their lawful businesses; and they are also urged to be involved in the moves to halt the spread of the pandemic in the state.”The post Lagos police commissioner denies ordering closure of churches appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Nigeria’s debt stock rose to 32.223 trillion in September 2020 as revealed in the third quarter country debt data released by Debt Management Office on Thursday December 31. Nigeria’s debt stock which is made up of the Domestic and External Debt Stocks of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), the 36 State Governments and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) grew by 1.214 trillion between June 2020 and the end of September 2020. The data showed that 37.82% represents External debts, while the balance of 62.18% is Domestic. It read; “Compared to the Total Public Debt Stock of N31.009 Trillion as at June 30, 2020, the Debt Stock in Q3 2020 increased by N1.214 Trillion or 3.91%.”“The FGN, State Governments and the FCT all recorded increases in their Debt Stock due to borrowings to enable them to respond appropriately to the COVID-19 Pandemic and to meet revenue shortfalls."Issuance of Promissory Notes by the FGN to settle inherited liabilities also contributed to the growth in the Public Debt Stock since the year 2018 when they were first issued”. While N20.136 Billion of Promissory Notes were issued in Q3, 2020, as at September 30, 2020, the Promissory Notes Outstanding, which are all included in the Domestic Debt Stock, stood at N971.878 Billion.The post Nigerias debt increases to 32.2trillion appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Governor Abdullahi Sule has appointed Justice Aisha Bashir as Acting Chief Judge of the state to replace Justice Suleiman Dikko who retired after attaining the statutory 65 years retirement age. Announcing Bashir's appointment at the valedictory court session in honour of the retired CJ in Lafia on Thursday December 31, Sule said it was in exercise of his powers to appoint an acting CJ whenever there was a vacuum, and that a vacuum had been created with the retirement of Justice Dikko. With her appointment, Aisha Bashir is now the first female Chief Judge in Nasarawa since the creation of the state in 1996. Speaking after her appointment was announced, Bashir assurred the Governor that she would discharge her duties without fear or favour and in accordance with the law. She also appealed to the governor to increase the monthly subvention of the state judiciary, to enable it address its numerous challenges The post Governor Sule appoints first female Chief Judge in Nasarawa appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Mohammed Abba, the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mohammed Abba, has shared the achievements of the agency in the last one year. Abba who revealed that they secured 865 convictions from a total of 1,305 cases it filed in courts in 2020, added that a total of 7,340 cases were under investigation out of the 10,152 petitions received by the agency. In a statement titled ‘EFCC secures 865 convictions, receives 10,152 petitions in 2020' and released by EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, the anti-graft agency's acting chairman further revealed that the EFCC’s projections anchored on a strategic vision were greatly slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Abba said; “The lockdown enforced as part of measures to stem the spread of the deadly virus precipitated a scale-down of our operations.“For more than five months, activities were at the lowest ebb in our 17-year history as an institution.“Also, a reform process that witnessed a change in the leadership of the commission naturally created anxiety among critical stakeholders.” Thanking the commission staff for “their dedication, hard work and sacrifices in the discharge of their duties, which contributed to the feat recorded in 2020", the acting chairman also expressed his desire to make the commission more effective through the expansion of its activities, strengthening existing collaborations with other law enforcement agencies, building new linkages with relevant stakeholders and improving on its processes and procedures. The post We received 10,152 petitions in 2020 and secured 865 convictions EFCC appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
US President, Donald Trump is set to return to Washington earlier than anticipated ahead of a planned disruption by Republicans when Congress meets next week to certify President-elect Joe Biden's win according to a new report by CNN.Recall that LIB earlier reported that a Republican was planning to vote against Biden's electoral college vote certification next week, in another move spurred by Trump to discredit and slow down Joe Biden's electoral certification.Now, according to a report by CNN published Thursday morning, December 31, Trump is now slated to leave Palm Beach in Florida before his annual New Year's Eve party, so he can arrange last gap efforts by the Republican party to delay Trump's certification.Read excerpts of the report below.Trump is now slated to leave Palm Beach in Florida before his annual New Year's Eve party even though guests had already gathered at his south Florida club and were told Trump would be in attendance, according to three people familiar with the matter. The President typically relishes appearing on the red carpet in front of the press and his friends, but is skipping the event altogether this year in what will be an unusual move.In the President's daily public schedule for Thursday, the White House stated the President and first lady Melania Trump will leave Florida at 11 a.m. ET to return to the White House.Over the course of his stay in Florida, Trump has been single-mindedly focused on the election results and the upcoming certification process in Congress, set for January 6. After losing dozens of court cases and having his appeal rejected by the Supreme Court, Trump has viewed the January 6 event as his best opportunity to overturn the election he lost.He has been in an irritated mood during most of the trip and fumed about everything from the election outcome to first lady Melania Trump's renovations to his private quarters, according to multiple people who spoke with him. At one point, Trump also said he was concerned Iran could retaliate in the coming days for the US drone strike that killed Iran's top general, Qasem Soleimani, one year ago. A person speculated that could be a contributing factor in his early departure. Trump was at Mar-a-Lago when he ordered the Soleimani strike on January 3, 2020.Before leaving for Palm Beach, he learned of Vice President Mike Pence's role in the certification proceedings on Capitol Hill, which is mostly ceremonial. As he was flying to Florida for his vacation, Trump retweeted a call from one of his supporters for Pence to refuse to ratify the Electoral College count on January 6.While in Florida, Trump has repeatedly raised the January 6 date with members of Congress and other associates, according to people familiar with the conversations. He lobbied senators on whether they would go along with House conservatives in objecting to the results.Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, became the first senator to say Wednesday that he would object, which will delay -- but not change -- the results for the Election College count.Trump has also tweeted to his supporters that he'll see them in Washington on that date, a reference to large protests that are planned in the capital.In Florida, Trump has been surrounded by people who mostly back his futile election efforts, including his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani and his son Donald Trump Jr. and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle. Even as he publicly fights the results, one question he's repeatedly polled people about is whether he should attend Biden's inauguration.Trump has told people recently that Pence isn't doing enough to fight for him as his presidency ends, and has recently taken an interest in Pence's traditional role during the certification. As president of the Senate, Pence presides over the proceedings. Sources say Trump, before his vacation, brought the matter up to the vice president and has been "confused" as to why Pence can't overturn the results of the election on January 6. Pence and White House aides have tried to explain to him that his role is more of a formality and he cannot unilaterally reject the Electoral College votes. The post Trump to 'snub annual New Year party & return to Washington early ahead of last effort plans to disrupt certification of Biden's win' - New report claims appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
The family of a Nigerian man sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia has appealed for clemency and forgiveness for their son. Suleimon Olufemi has been on death row in Saudi Arabia for 18 years. He went for a lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia in 2002 and was accused alongside others of being part of a mob action that killed a Police officer in the kingdom 18 years ago. Mr Suliamon Olufemi, an Electrician, was born in Lagos on 20 April 1978 and embarked on Umrah to Saudi Arabia in 2002. On arrival at the airport in Jeddah, Suliamon called his friend, who he was scheduled to stay with in Jeddah, but the phone number was not going through, so he went to a place called Karantina where he met some Nigerians when he could not locate his friend. Some days after Suliamon arrived in Saudi Arabia, he followed the Nigerians that offered him accommodation to a car wash in the Bab Sharif area of Jeddah, where many African nationals worked as car cleaners. Unfortunately, that day, there was a mob action which resulted in the death of a police officer. Authorities came to raid the location, and Suliamon Olufemi and 12 other Nigerian Nationals were among those arrested. He was sentenced to death in May 2005 following a closed trial which took place in the absence of legal or consular representation or adequate interpretation and translation facilities. The other men, who were initially sentenced to five and seven years imprisonment, were later commutted to prison terms and lashes. However, Suleimon remains on death row. According to Saudi Arabian law, the daughter of the late officer who was two years old at the time of the incident, and is now above 18, will determine if Suleimon should live or die. The family of Suleimon has pleaded for clemency for their son. The 80-year-old father of Suleimon, Yavimaku Olufemi, and mother, Kikelomo, appealed to the Saudi authority to tamper justice with mercy and release their son while begging the Nigerian government to help them out as they are eager and prayerful that they will set eyes on their son before they die. Suleimon's family visited the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission for help and was received by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM. 
She described the incident as "unfortunate " and informed Suleimon's family that the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NIDCOM, the Nigerian Mission in Saudi Arabia, some members of the Diaspora community in Saudi, Amnesty International as well as the House of Reps committee on Diaspora have all intervened in the matter." Below is a statement released by NIDCOM after a meeting with Suleimon's family. 
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Purity, the first daughter of Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson Okojie, turned 8 on Wednesday, December 30. Mercy and her husband, Prince Odi, threw Purity a party that was attended by close family members and friends. See more photos below 
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Emmanuel Waye, the National Publicity Secretary of Arewa Consultative Forum, says members of the forum are very sad and depressed over the wanton killings recorded in the region and that like many others, he has lost faith in President Buhari’s administration. Waye made this known in an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday, December 30. While addressing the deplorable state of security across the country, Waye said “We are very very depressed. We are very sad in the ACF. Nobody is happy because of what has been happening to our people.How can I have faith in someone who presides over this kind of thing? I had faith in him when I followed him as a reporter and he chased away some foreigners who were coming to kill us.When he was coming to be President, I had faith in him. I witnessed how successful this man was in chasing enemies out of our country in 1983. But now, 300 people kidnapped in his home state.” Waye added that no northerner is happy with the spate of killings and attacks in the region. He said fear rules the Northern region now so much that he like many others cannot go to their villages anymore. “I can’t go to my home state of Taraba. The whole place is in chaos, they are killing people every day. That one is not publicised because there is no oil in Taraba. All over the north, there is insecurity. I have never felt unsafe like I feel now. What can I say? You have seen what is happening to our people,” he said The post Insecurity: We are very sad and depressed in the Arewa Consultative Forum - Spokesperson, Emmanuel Waye says appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Worried by the alarming rate of insecurity in Nigeria, Dino Melaye prayed to God to visit Nigeria in his anger and do what only he can do. He shared this prayer on his Instagram page. ''The cemetery is full of people who should be alive but for the colossal and gross ineptitude and incompetence of the Apc led Federal Government.Insecurity and pampering of terrorist have sent innocent souls to thier early graves and wicked people responsible (in and outside Government circles) for thier deaths are not only alive but they boldly continue in thier evil ways.God!!! Act NOW!!! Visit Nigeria in your anger and do what only You can do. SDM'' he wrote The post Insecurity: ''Visit Nigeria in your anger and do what only You can do''- Dino Melaye prays to God appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
A man took to Twitter to claim he discovered his uncle's wife was cheating by accident. He claims he met an Igbo trader at Yaba market and collected his number with the intention of calling him later to buy clothes. When he needed new clothes, he says he used his uncle's wife's phone to call the trader and saw the trader's number saved a LOML2 (Love of my life) on the woman's phone. Read his tweets below. 
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The Nigeria Center for Disease Control says 1, 016 new cases of COVID19 were recorded in Nigeria on Wednesday, December 30. According to the statistics released by NCDC, Lagos state recorded 434 fresh cases while the Federal Capital Territory recorded 155 new cses. Other states with fresh cases include Plateau-94, Kaduna-56, Rivers-56, Oyo-30, Nasarawa-27, Zamfara-25, Abia-22, Enugu-18, Kano-18, Bayelsa-15, Edo-14, Ogun-11, Borno-10, Ebonyi-10, Jigawa-7, Anambra-4, Delta-3, Niger-3 and Osun-3. Nigeria now has 86,576 confirmed cases with 73,322 patients discharged. Sadly, 1,278 deaths have been recorded. See a breakdown of the number of cases per states below. 
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A man has alleged that Cross River State media aide, Hon Solomon Akongfe Aboh sexually molested and assaulted a woman in search of a job. Solomon Valentine, a public speaker and youth advocate shared photos of the woman with a bleeding face and wrote: "She was brought to Calabar by the SA @AbohHon on the grounds that he will give her a job with cali air. 
"He now kept her and started making sexual advances at her when she refused this is the result. This is not the first." 
Sharing a photo of the media aide's ID card, Solomon added: "She has been sexually molested by her boss severely when she requested for money to enable her travel back to Lagos where her parents stay @AbohHon Hon.Aboh,Solomon attempted to kill her. The ID card belongs to the boss for reference purpose." 
Hon. Aboh is yet to respond to the allegations. See the public speaker's tweets below. 
The post Public speaker accuses Cross River State Governor's media aide of sexually molesting and assaulting a woman who wanted a job (graphic photos) appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.
Love & Hip Hop star Masika Kalysha has revealed that she's engaged to a man she met 10 years ago and ignored for over 9 years. She took to her Instagram Stories to share a clip of her and a mystery man with an engagement ring on her finger. She later confirmed she's engaged to the man and called him her fiancé. Although little is known about the man who proposed to the reality star, Masika said that she’s known him for 10 years and he had appeared back into her life just 4 months ago. She tweeted: "Met my fiancé 10 years ago. Curved him for 97% of those 10 years. Been dating for 4 months. He asked me to marry him 4 days ago. Last night I asked him what made you so sure after only 4 months of dating? He said I knew 10 years ago, on the day I met you that I was gonna marry u." 
She added in another tweet: "Baby said are you sure you want to spend the rest of your life with the same man over and over again every day. I said yes. Are you sure? He said ain’t I the one who asked you? #energy" 
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