North Korea sentence US student to 15 years in prison with hard labour for stealing propanganda material

 North Korea today, March 16 sentenced an American student, Otto Warmbier, to 15 years of hard labor for crimes against the state. The sentence was handed down by North Korea's Supreme Court.

Warmbier, a 21-year-old University of Virginia student, was detained in January for trying to steal an item bearing a political slogan from his hotel in the capital Pyongyang.

Warmbier, who is from the city of Wyoming in Ohio, said that his crime "is very severe and pre-planned."

"I entirely beg you and the government of DPRK for your forgiveness,” a tearful Warmbier said at a press conference in February. “Please, I’ve made the worst mistake of my life. But please act to save me."

Warmbier was arrested on January 2 after he was detained by immigration officials. Warmbier was returning to China after wrapping up a five-day tour to DPRK along with other tourists, according to the tour operator that arranged the trip.

There was no immediate confirmation by North Korean state media of the sentence which appeared to come just hours after veteran US diplomat Bill Richardson reportedly met with two diplomats from North Korea's UN office to press for Warmbier's release.

Source: Xinhua news/Reuters

Secondary School Leaver sentenced to 37 Years in prison for duping an American of $40m

Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja today convicted 19-year old secondary school leaver, Tobechukwu Igbokwe and sentenced him to 37 years imprisonment for defrauding an American the sum of $40million in an inheritance scam.

Tobechukwu was arraigned before the court on a 12- count charge bordering on forgery, conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretenses.

Justice Akapo found him guilty on all 12-counts and sentenced him accordingly. He was sentenced to 7 years on counts 1-8; 8years on count 9; 7years on count 10, 8years on count 11 and 7 years on count 12, making a cumulative of 37years imprisonment.

The sentence is to run concurrently with effect from October 28, 2013.

The court also ordered Tobechukwu to return the $40million as a restitution to the victim and forfeit a Toyota Corolla car, which is a proceed of the crime, to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Tobechukwu was arraigned on Monday, October 28, 2013 and pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charges pressed against him. He later changed his plea to “guilty” and was convicted by Justice Akapo accordingly.

Before the conviction, the prosecuting counsel, Kayode Oni tendered various exhibits before the court which were all admitted and marked as such. However, defence counsel, D. A. Omougbai prayed the court to temper justice with mercy, since Igbokwe has shown enough remorse for the offences he committed. Tobechukwu Igbokwe (Alias David Prince) and his accomplice, Ifeanyi Obi were alleged to have duped an American: M. Silva, the sum of $40million in an inheritance scam.

Silva was made to believe that Igbokwe and his accomplice had a huge inheritance which they wanted to move to a foreign account for safe-keeping. The victim was asked to send money to “process” the transfer and in the process, he wired $40m in several installments through Western Union to Igbokwe. Igbokwe also confessed that he had duped other foreigners. Some of them are: T. Bedwell, $6,000 and R. Hunt $15,000.

Amsoun reconciles Awujale of Ijebuland and Alake of Egbaland

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state has intervened in the public quarrel between the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona and Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo.

Both paramount rulers were engaged in a dispute over ranking and supremacy in Yorubaland and Western Nigeria.

The Alake called the Awujale out to fight after he told visiting Ooni of Ife that he was the fourth ranked monarch in Western Nigeria, after the Ooni, the Alafin and the Oba of Benin.

He ranked Awujale fifth. Awujale, seized the inaugural lecture for a professorial chair at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, to state facts, in his own way. He said, to the anger of Alake and his chiefs, that the Alake’s dominion does not extend beyond Ake quarters in Abeokuta.

Amosun with the sparring kings behind closed doors

Amosun with the two monarchs

While answering questions from newsmen after the meeting, the governor said that the monarchs have come to discuss how peace and tranquility will continue to reign in the state.

“I don’t want you to go and write anything out of context. Yes, we are here, our fathers are here to see me. Of course, we deliberated on so many things. I’m sure you want to say what is happening.

“Indeed, nothing is happening. They came here to see the possibility of how to make sure we have peace‎ in the state, among so many other things that we did.

“Don’t forget that this would be the first time I would have the opportunity – I’ve shown my appreciation before for the 40th anniversary, so, it is an opportunity for me to still show that.
Something to cheer here: Oba Gbadebo smiles

“So, if you think that you want to ask that what is the outcome, outcome of what?. We have come here to deliberate and as always, it’s always a pleasure for me to have our fathers around here.

“There is nothing like ranking of Oba, we know ourselves. Our fathers, they have their ways, even, before the advent of all these colonials and what have you.

“We have ways of how we live in harmony and I think we will continue to do that. Don’t forget, and I’m saying this again with all due humility and sense of responsibility, that in the context of we Yorubas, we know our pre-eminent status.

The Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland,Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona,Ogbagba II declined to speak with newsmen as he just said, “I want to say hello to you….there is no problem gentlemen, please. Thank you very much”.

In his own reaction about the meeting, the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Okukenu IV spoke about his efforts to resolve the dispute between the striking workers and Ogun state government.

“I have come to see my governor for many things, including the strike action of the workers and I’m very sure they would go back to work very soon by the grace of God”, the monarch assured.

Osinbajo-- FG to provide 3 million jobs in the next 3 years

In a Facebook message posted on his wall this evening, VP Yemi Osinbajo said the Federal Government will provide 3 million jobs in the next three years starting from this year. He said the jobs will be provided in the Technology, Wholesale & Retail, Construction and Agro-allied sectors of the Nigerian economy. He also stated that this year alone, over 700,000 private sector jobs will be created, majority of which will be in the Agro-allied sector. Read what he wrote after the cut..


President Muhammadu Buhari and I are accountable to the Nigerian people.
The central focus of President Buhari's administration is the creation of jobs. Every proposed policy begins with "how many jobs can this policy create?"
Today, I received the Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan on job creation and youth employment in Nigeria jointly packaged by the Job creation Unit of the Presidency, and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG.

Three million jobs would be created in the country within three years starting in 2016 especially in Technology, Wholesale & Retail, Construction and Agro-allied sectors of the Nigerian economy.
This year alone, over 700,000 private sector jobs will be created, majority of which will be in the Agro-allied sector.

This private sector-led job creation plan is different from the direct government jobs planned by the Buhari presidency which includes the 500,000 teaching jobs for unemployed graduates.

We are not unaware that this process of job creation is slow but President Muhammadu Buhari's administration is addressing the constraints of regulatory and institutional delays in the business sector.

The Job Creation Unit was constituted at the behest of President Buhari to initiate the job creation plan. The National Economic Summit Group, private sector players, validated the plan and will be working together with the government to implement the job creation plans.

Together, we will get this right.
Together, Nigeria will prevail.

2016 budget passage still tentative to be laid before Senate thursday

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Abdullahi Sabi, says the 2016 budget will be laid before the Senate tomorrow for deliberation after which the decision for it to be passed will be taken. Sabi said this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja today March 16th.

"I want to assure Nigerians that the 2016 budget will be laid in the senate chamber as promised by the chairman of the appropriation committee. With that the other processes that will take place, we will surely ensure that we meet up with the time as promised. So I want to put to rest any suspicion. Tomorrow, we are laying the budget which tells you that all the work that has to be done is done. Yes we told you that it should be passed by tomorrow, we will discuss it take clause by clause and give it that loud voice to say it’s ready. When you set a target, it is to allow you work hard to achieve the budget. By laying the budget is as good as passing the budget. I think we have done very well to get the budget laid by tomorrow. We drive the key policies of this government. To ensure there are job creations, small and medium enterprises will be empowered etc. When a budget is laid, the other things are just mere processes.‎”he said

Buhari Orders Security To Punish Sponsors of Rivers Killings

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Malabo condemned recent political violence in Rivers State, saying the killing of people over political differences was “primitive, barbaric and unacceptable”.
“We will deal decisively with all sponsors of violence. I have given the security services clear directives in this regard,” the president said.
There has been an upsurge of violence in the oil-rich state ahead of National and State Assembly rerun elections on Saturday.

The All Progressives Congress, Mr. Buhari’s party, accuses the Peoples Democratic Party-led Rives government of sponsoring and stoking violence against its members.
Some APC members have been killed and beheaded. The government says the violence was a result of a supremacy battle by cultists.

In his first public comments about the growing violence in Rivers State, Mr. Buhari said, “We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during or after elections.”
He spoke at an interactive meeting with Nigerians resident in Equatorial Guinea.

President Buhari said the Independent National Electoral Commission will be encouraged to explore the possibility of allowing Nigerians abroad vote in the 2019 general elections.
Noting that some African countries have started allowing their citizens resident abroad to vote in national elections, the president said he fully empathised with the desire of Nigerians in the diaspora to vote in national elections.

President Buhari pledged that he would therefore do all within his powers to fulfil that desire.
“I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders,” he said
The president also said that establishing a new national airline was not currently on the Federal Government’s list of priorities.

President Buhari declared that his administration’s main area of focus now was reducing the level of poverty in the country.

The president said that developing the infrastructure needed to boost production in all sectors of the economy and create more jobs for young Nigerians, as well as other actions that will directly improve the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians will continue to be prioritized by his administration.
President Buhari was responding to complaints by members of the Nigerian community about the absence of direct flights between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

The president assured them that his administration’s war against corruption will remain “fearless, relentless and merciless”.
“We will be merciless and relentless in pursuing all those who abused public trust. Nigerians will see how some of the elite conspired to run the nation down,” he said.

Former Head of Service arraigned in court, granted N10m bail

Former Head of Service during former President Jonathan's administration, Steven Oronsaye, was today granted bail in the sum of N10 million by the Federal High Court Abuja. Oronsaye is standing trial for a two-count charge of fraud and conversion of N190m meant for a government trust fund. He was arraigned by the EFCC this morning. See more photos of him in court today..