Long-time Nollywood actress Sola Shobowale's father died...will be buried today!

Long-time Nollywood actress Sola Shobowale will be burying her late father Pa Olagookun today Friday May 4, 2012.

Reports say the burial which will be held in Akure, Ondo State will be attended by her Nollywood colleagues.

Pa Olagookun died on March 5, 2012 at the University College Hospital (UCH) after a brief illness.

Shobowale made her Nollywood debut in the mid 90s. She is often referred to as ‘Toyin Tomatoe‘ after playing the part of a boisterously adventurous woman in ‘Oh father oh daughter‘, a series off the very popular Wale Adenuga-produced soap opera ‘Super Story‘
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Family on Fire continues to make waves

Lagos came alive again on May 1 when Tade Ogidan’s wave-making movie, Family on Fire, was screened at the MUSON Centre, Onikan. The hall was filled to capacity with fun-loving Lagosians who were eager to have a feel of the much-talked about movie.

Comedian Teju Babyface, who was the compere, helped the audience to relax with jokes while Ogidan took the cue and enjoined parents to bring their children up in the proper way. According to him, parents who mess up Nigeria and send their children abroad  to study will only compound the problem of the society when their wards return home.

Prior to the screening, the cast made up of Nollywood’s most talented role  interpreters – including Sola Fosudo, Lanre Hassan, Sola Sobowale, Saheed Balogun, Segun Arinze, Bukky Amos, Yinka Odusanya and singer Kenny Saint Best – came on stage to display what the audience should expect from the movie.

Family on Fire,  set in Lagos and London and rendered in Yoruba and subtitled in English – and spiced with Spanish – tells the story of a spoilt youngster, Kunle – played by  Balogun.  Kunle commits a grave act of smuggling cocaine into London by burying the hard drug in his unsuspecting mother’s luggage. Apart from the in-fighting this action caused in the family, the looming crisis gets compounded when Moyo who is studying in the UK – through sponsorship by Femi, Kunle’s elder brother – steals the drugs and sells it cheaply.

Many important personalities have indicated support for Ogidan on the movement for re-orientation that he is promoting with the film. Among others, wife of the Lagos State governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, has passionately asked parents, “Are you bringing up your children properly?”

There was also a musical interlude and a display by children in a candle procession, campaigning against child abuse and trafficking.

The movie is one of Ogidan’s several blockbusters as a prolific movie producer and director. Some of the crème de la crème of the society present to felicitate with him include the Managing Director of Obat Oil and Petroleum, Prince Obateru Akinruntan, and some members of staff; Hajjia Abba Folawiyo and the Yeye Oge of Lagos, Chief Oprah Benson.

The Sun ex-sales executive arrested over alleged N1.7m theft

The police, yesterday, arraigned a former sales executive with The Sun Newspapers in a Lagos Magistrate Court over an alleged theft of N1.7 million belonging to the company. Samuel Unegbu, 37, was dragged before Magistrate Fadahunsi Adefioye of the Lagos Magistrate Court sitting in Kirikiri on a one-count charge of misappropriation. He pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

 According to the charge preferred against him, the ex-sales executive allegedly misappropriated the said sum between October 9 and November 1, 2011 while being an employee of the company. The prosecution alleged that the stolen money were proceeds from newspaper sales.

 According to the police prosecutor, Supr. Pascal Maduka, the offence is punishable under Section 285(8) of the Criminal Code, Cap 11, Volume 44, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. When the defence counsel, S. Shittu, prayed the court for bail for his client, the prosecutor did not object to the request but urged the court to grant the accused bail with stringent conditions.

 The trial magistrate granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million with two responsible sureties, one of whom must own landed property and present evidence of payment of Land Use Tax from 2010 to 2012. The court directed that the sureties must also be gainfully employed, verify their addresses and swear an affidavit of means.
 Trial in the matter has been fixed for May 30.

2 doctors in prison over the death of a pregnant woman for mistakenly cutting her intestine during the operation

Two doctors in Benue State are now cooling their heels in Makurdi prison for allegedly carrying out a surgical operation on a pregnant woman, which resulted in her death after they mistakenly cut her intestine.

 The doctors, Fabian Iortyumbe and Samuel Anjembe, who hail from Buruku Local Government Area of the state, were remanded in prison following an order by the trial magistrate, Dan Ogo. They are facing a of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

 When the case came up, the pleas of the accused persons were not taken for lack of jurisdiction and the police prosecutor, Gabriel Ebonyi asked for another date to enable the police complete their investigation.
 According to the police First Information Report (FIR), the court was informed that a 31-year-old woman who was in labour, was taken to a clinic in Buruku where the two medical doctors carried out operation on her without the husband’s consent.

 Ruling on the case, the trial Magistrate, Dan Ogo adjourned the matter to June 3 for continuation of hearing.

Nollywood actress, Uche Jombo, Ghanaian actor, Van Vicker in police detention

Nollywood actress, Uche Jombo, Ghanaian actor, Van Vicker, Uduak Isong and some other crew were arrested by the police in Lagos yesterday.

We learnt that they were arrested while filming in Surulere, Lagos with some of their crew members. They were detained at Bode Thomas police station, Surulere, Lagos.

We just learnt that they have been briefed with why they were being held in police detention.

They are being held because police feel filmmakers feed people with wrong side of the Nigerian police in their movies.

Two weeks ago, Van Vicker was arrested in Lagos for arms possession which he claimed was for a movie props.

Uche Jombo was reported to have fought for his release by men of the State Security Services (SSS) in Lagos, where he was held overnight.

Source: Nigeriafilms

...They battered me and vandalised my vehicle, says victim

Family battles monarch's sons over Easter attack
An uneasy air pervades Isingwa Autonomous Community in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State. The Anaba family is at daggers’ drawn with a royal house in the community over an alleged attack on a member of the family, Mr. Amanna Anaba, on April 7.

 The attack, it was gathered, was carried out by people suspected to be children of a traditional ruler in the area. However, men of the 14 Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Ohafia are now trying to unravel the mystery behind the attack.
 According to members of the Anaba family, the incident was an armed robbery attack, but the other party said it was a mere fight between two brothers, insisting that one of the parties was only trying to misinform the Nigerian Army.

 Some members of the community, however, said the attack might have been one of several failed attempts to reinstate a top local government official that was suspended, following the purported humiliation of the state governor at the burial of the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
 Amanna, who resides in Port Harcourt, had come from his base to celebrate Easter with other members of the family, including his elder brother, Tochukwu Anaba, who is a lawyer, and some other friends.

 Amanna said he had no premonition of evil when he decided to have some drinks with his brother and friends at the White House, a popular bar at the Amapu Ntigha community. Daily Sun learnt that trouble started when Amanna and the rest were leaving the bar. Amanna drove Tochukwu’s 2006 Volkswagen Passat car because his elder brother had decided to ride with another relative. He drove behind the car boarded by his brother.

 As they drove out of the White House premises, they allegedly noticed three vehicles parked at a distance. The occupants of the cars, it was learnt, were armed with guns, machetes and bottles. Sensing danger, Amanna and the other car sped off. However, the three cars reportedly accosted Amanna at the Orie Ntigha Market as he could not catch up with the other car. Amanna, it was learnt, reversed the car from Ntigha to the White House before the suspected pursuers eventually caught up with him.

 According to eyewitnesses, the pursuers ordered Amanna out of the car at gunpoint and collected the car key from him. He was allegedly walloped thoroughly when the attackers attempted to drive the car but couldn’t because of some in-built security features in the vehicle. Nevertheless, they allegedly vandalised the car before they jumped inside their own cars and left the scene. Amanna, it was learnt, was writhing in pains before a kind-hearted man saw him and called his brother.
 Tochukwu told journalists: “I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw him, lying in a pool of his blood and my car was also damaged. People around, who saw the attackers told me who they were and the cars they brought for the operation: a red Volkswagen Jetta, a dark Acura MDX SUV and a black Toyota Camry.

 “I got even more confused because I know my brother has no business with them. I see no reason they attacked him because we are not even involved in their local politics because we are all busy people.“I ran into a police post which is right opposite the scene of the attack and the police officers on duty who actually witnessed the incident declined to give me a report to take my brother to the hospital. I also informed them where I learnt the attackers were hiding but they refused to go with me. “In fact, they intimated me that in the history of the community, no policeman had been able to carry out an arrest in the hideout of the perpetrators.

 “When the police couldn’t provide the report to take him to a hospital, I contacted one of our friends, who is a doctor at the General Hospital, Aba, and he asked us to bring him over. A former top council official who was with me provided his car and we all drove my brother to the hospital where he was treated. I can’t really tell whether those that attacked my brother had thought that it was me simply because my friends are politicians, who are not under their grip or they did that with the aim of stealing my car.”

 At the hospital, Amanna also recounted his ordeal: “They got angry when they couldn’t drive the car and they started beating me. I was able to recognise one of them (names withheld by us) when the hostility started. He was the one, who was hitting me with the butt of his gun and others, were busy vandalizing my brother’s new car.

 “While this was going on, I was lying in the pool of my blood on the ground and was screaming for help. I don’t know the level of damage they inflicted on the car but when they were done, one of them, who also had a gun came and shouted, ‘shoot him!’ But the first man replied that people were watching and everyone would know that he killed me. Then, they continued hitting me with their gun and they stabbed me with broken bottles and I passed out. After regaining consciousness, I found myself in the hospital.”

 Investigation revealed that some concerned members of the community contacted men of the Nigerian Army 14 Brigade, Ohafia, who are currently providing internal security in Abia. The soldiers responded swiftly to the distress call. They stormed the traditional ruler’s palace in search of the people, who carried out the attack but could not make any arrest.
 The following day, one of those mentioned in the incident, a former officer in the state House of Assembly, went to the military base with a view to exonerating himself. He was allegedly interrogated by the soldiers and asked to provide names of all the people that took part in the attack. This led to the arrest of the prime suspect as well as one of Amanna’s cousins.
 But the ex-lawmaker has denied that the incident was a robbery attack, insisting that what happened was an ordinary fight between brothers.

 He told reporters: “This matter has a legal dimension and I would not want to disclose the actions that have been taken so far. I don’t know the source of your information at the moment but it is clear that armed robbery is done when guns and knives are used to dispossess people of their valuables. It is not when two groups of young men are fighting and one of them seized the opportunity in misinforming the army and the army acted on their information.

 “That is the much I can tell you. The rest is left for you to investigate and ascertain the truth of the matter. And on the activities of my brothers, you can visit the State Security Service (SSS) and the police in that area and ascertain the truth.”
 The Army Director of Public Relations, 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Lt. Olabisi Ayeni, confirmed that some arrests had been made, adding that investigation was ongoing. But spokesman of the Abia State Police Command, Geff Ogbonna, said he was not aware of the incident.

 Ayeni said: “The Brigade got a report on the 7th of April, 2012, and the Brigade General ordered an arrest of the culprits and some of them were arrested. As I speak with you now, investigation into the matter is ongoing. Operatives of the Military Intelligence have been sent to the scene to ascertain the truth.”

Massacre in Yobe: 60 killed as gunmen attack market, even cattle were not spared

 …Three brothers shot dead in Borno

•  Even cattle were not spared in the massacre in Potiskum, Yobe State, Wednesday
Potiskum, a commercial town in Yobe State, witnessed the bloodiest attack Wednesday when gunmen in a reprisal, stormed a popular cattle market and shot dead about 60 people. Scores of buyers and traders were also wounded. Boko Haram was yet to take responsibility for the attack even though the police said, “everybody knows the modus operandi of the Islamist sect.”

 There was pandemonium, in Borno State yesterday where three brothers were shot dead by soldiers. In the Potiskum incident, sources said business had started in the market in the early hours of the day without the slightest premonition of the tragedy ahead. By midday, some gunmen sneaked into the market and made fruitless attempts to shoot at the traders who are said to have a great deal of cash on them.

 “The market usually picks up between 11am and noon and it was around this time that some gunmen entered the market but people quickly stopped them. In fact, one of them was caught and set ablaze while the rest fled.“We thought everything was over until about 6.30pm when the gunmen returned in a deadly way,” an eyewitness in Potiskum, who would not want his name in print for security reason, told Daily Sun on phone.

 It was gathered that the gunmen returned to the market in a bloodiest manner to avenge the killing of their colleague. They were said to have been throwing improvised explosives into the market while they equally shoot those who attempted to flee. Officials of the Cattle Market Association in the Potiskum Market while briefing Gov Ibrahim Gaidam on the incident yesterday said that about 60 cattle traders, marketers and other persons were killed by the gunmen though the police maintained 34 people were killed. One of the rescue teams also confirmed that about 60 bodies were recovered from the scene of the attack.

 Sources at the Potiskum General Hospital said that about 15 injured persons were brought there on Wednesday night while some also were admitted in some private hospitals in the town. “The corpses were brought here and they are about 30”, one of the hospital staff disclosed. The state Commissioner of Police, Samuel Onitiri, confirmed the incident, but was not specific about the number of casuality.

 “There were multiple attacks and bomb blasts by suspected gunmen on the Potiskum Cattle Market on Wednesday evening, killing many traders. An unconfirmed number of traders were also injured in the attacks, after they were attacked by these robbers, who came to the market to rob them”, he said. A witness, Mamman Yusuf, said the gunfire lasted for almost an hour. According to him, “they threw explosives and shot indiscriminately, setting fire to the market, killing lots of livestock and wounding many people, mostly cattle dealers.”

 He said that the death toll may rise because families were also burying bodies of relatives without bringing them to hospital.
 Police Commissioner Onitiri said the market had already been cordoned off by the Joint Task Force (JTF).
 As at Press time yesterday, the otherwise burstling city of Potiskum reportedly wore a sickening look as residents grieved over the tragedy said to be the bloodiest in the history of the city.

 One resident said firefighters were at the scene on Thursday morning, searching for water wells out of fear that some residents might have fallen in and drowned while trying to flee. Residents crowded a local hospital to determine if their relatives were among the dead.“The whole market was burnt down,” a resident said. “Roasted remains of cattle litter the whole place. The ground had been scorched.

 Meanwhile, there was pandemonium at Biu, south of Maiduguri in Borno State yesterday following alleged killing of three brothers by soldiers. Some youths were said to have alleged that the three men arrested by soldiers were killed on the suspicion that they were Boko Haram members, but Daily Sun could not get official confirmation on the matter from the military in the area as at Press time.