A police officer attached to the Otuocha Area Command in Anambra East Local Government Area, Anambra State, has reportedly shot and killed a youth in the area.

It was gathered that the youth had a disagreement with the policemen at a checkpoint over N100, during which one of them quickly pulled the trigger and shot him dead.

A source from Aguleri in Anambra East Local Government Area, who brought this to the attention of our reporter with a gory video of the youth’s dead body, said the police squad involved was led by one Onyebuchi.

The incident happened on Saturday and has greatly unsettled the area as youths protested the action of the police.

It was however not clear if the argument that led to the killing of the youth was payment of N100 bribe or collection of balance for bribe already paid, but police authorities confirmed the incident.

Reacting to inquiries from Daily Post, the state police command’s spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga said the command was aware of it and had taken control.

He said: “The Police Officer involved has been identified as Inspector Sani Suleiman.

“He has been disarmed and detained for further investigations and internal disciplinarian procedures.”

Afeez Adegbola, a Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, truck driver, has been arrested by the Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.

He was arrested for allegedly diverting 10,000 litres of petrol belonging to the company.

The state commandant of the corps, Mr Igbalawole Sotiyo, disclosed this while parading the suspect and his two motor boys on Saturday in Osogbo.

Sotiyo explained that the suspects were arrested on Friday at about 8:21 pm with the NNPCL truck.

The commandant said that the suspect loaded 40,000 litres of petrol at Pinnacle Distribution Depot in Eleko, Lagos State.

He said that the waybill indicated that the product was meant to be delivered at NNPCL Mega Station in Osogbo.

Sotiyo said that following a tip-off, officers of the command trailed the truck with registration number AGG 959 XA and discovered that only 30, 000 litres of fuel were delivered at the NNPCL filling station.

He said that the driver was arrested while discharging the remaining 10, 000 litres at the TEMPOLA filling station in Ikirun, Ifelodun Local Government area of the state.

The corps commandant said that the suspects had made a confessional statement that the content of 40,000 litres was meant for NNPCL mega station in Osogbo but was directed by his company to deliver only 30,000, while the remaining 10,000 should be taken to a private filling station in Ikirun.

Sotiyo described the act as economic sabotage and stealing.

“It is an act of sabotage and stealing against the state. They are saboteurs and anti-state. NSCDC is using this medium to warn all the stakeholders involved in the distribution of petroleum products nationwide that anyone caught sabotaging the government would be apprehended and prosecuted.

“NSCDC uses this medium to request NNPCL managers/supervisors nationwide to work with the NSCDC to ensure saboteurs are brought to justice,” he said.

Urges PDP leaders to unite against external control

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, yesterday declared that the 2027 general election will be between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the people of Nigeria, and not between the ruling party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Makinde has also urged the leaders of the PDP to unite against any form of external control that may prevent them from uniting and forming a strong opposition ahead of 2027.
Speaking during the inauguration of the South-west PDP Zonal Office, which he built in honour of the late former PDP National Vice Chairman (South-west), Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo-Oluwatukesi, and donated to the party, Makinde stated that Nigerians would be the ones to determine the next leadership of the country.

He urged the PDP leaders to look inward, work together, and salvage the country.
He said: “People have been complaining; they have been talking; they have been making a lot of speculation. Let me say this again, and I will say it myself: Nobody will set an agenda for me apart from myself.
“They have also been talking; the ruling party and other parties. Let me say this: If you are accusing the ruling party of interfering with other parties to prevent them from uniting and forming a strong opposition for 2027, my position is that there are certain things within our control.

“Whether Governor Adeleke (Osun State governor) and I will cooperate for the growth and benefit of our party in the South-west is beyond the ruling party. It is between me and Governor Adeleke. So, please, let us work together and unite our base; that is all we need to do.
“The next election will be APC versus Nigerians. It is not even about APC versus PDP. So, let us do our bit to unite our party and our base, and let the people of Nigeria speak.

“The people spoke in Oyo and Osun states. They will do it in Nigeria. So, don’t fret. Don’t think external people have control over what will happen in our party. Yes, they may try; they can only succeed when we allow it.
“I want to admonish PDP members all over the country; let us unite and the way to demonstrate it is if you know one or two people in Ondo State, call them and tell them that the PDP is united. Tell them that the Ondo election coming up two weeks from now would be an indication of where Nigeria would be in 2027,” Makinde added.
Makinde said despite the clamour for him to join the 2027 presidential race, he had not assigned anyone to campaign for him.

“Please, let us all work together and unite our bases. That is all we need. The next general election would be APC versus Nigerians, not even APC versus PDP. But, let us just do our own bit to unite our party and bases and then allow the people of Nigeria to speak when the time comes.
 “I am glad we are opening this House. It is a demonstration of our unity. I am also glad that our Acting National Chairman is here. The kind of story they would have loved to hear is that the suspension and counter-suspension saga is still on, but that is behind us.

“We are even more united to move forward. So, I thank you all for being here,” Makinde added.
He tasked all PDP members to work together and unite for total victory in the Ondo State governorship election coming up on November 16, 2024.
He spoke on the cooperation and cordial relationship between himself and his Osun State counterpart, Senator Ademola Adeleke, assuring that they would work hand-in-hand to unite the South-west
“My brother, Governor Adeleke, I want to thank you today for being here.

  “We had our issues; we were fighting ourselves, especially for the control of Zonal Executives. My dear brother, Governor Adeleke, thank you for being part of this; it shows your magnanimity. That means whatever has happened in the past is behind us.
 “Dr. Eddy Olafeso is here. We fought. That is the spirit of PDP. Let me also specially recognise my brother, the next Governor of Ondo State, His Excellency Agboola Ajayi.

 “This time, two weeks from today, Ondo State people will be in the process of electing him as their next governor.”
Makinde added: “Those of you thinking that the only way to achieve your dream is for a division to be in the PDP – well, the South-west of Nigeria is leading the way. My brother, Adebutu, your own time will also come. I said before that when we look at Nigeria, if the South-west is united, Nigeria will unite.

 “The two PDP governors who are in the South-west are here together,” he added.
He acknowledged the presence of former governors Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Samuel Ortom of Benue State.
On his part, Governor Adeleke also stressed the need for the PDP leaders to be united.
“We must forget the past divisions and unite for the good of our dear party. We should resolve conflicts inside the Government House rather than outside. We must refocus on building strong administrative and operational structures,” Adeleke added.

Also speaking, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Iliya Damagum, said with unity, the PDP can reclaim all South-West states and the entire country.
He described the late Adagunodo as a kind and down-to-earth man whose contributions added value to the party’s successes in the country.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God has given the reason for investigating the allegations of sodomy against two of its youth pastors.

The National Overseer of the church, Pastor Sunday Akande, who spoke to Sunday PUNCH, said the case was unprecedented, hence the church was ready to give it the necessary attention.

Akande said a panel had been set up to investigate the allegations against the pastors, adding that appropriate action would be taken.

He said, “The reason for the suspension is to also allow persons who were said to have been molested or harassed to come forward and testify against the pastors. To the best of my knowledge, nobody has come forward yet as a victim of harassment.

“This is the first time an allegation like this has been raised against the church. If we see anything like this, the church will investigate it and see how we can address it. As far as the church is concerned, we don’t condone this kind of thing.”

A controversial news blog, Gistlovers, had last week called out two youth pastors of the church for allegedly luring teenage boys into homosexuality.

The blog also accused them of negatively influencing teenagers under their mentorship.

According to the blog, a 20-year-old boy, who requested anonymity, claimed the youth pastors “influenced many into being gay.”

“This gist is not complete without naming, a very close friend of (the youth pastor) and also a former coordinator in the teens’ church at RCCG Region 2 (they were both coordinators). He was raising young boys in his former house at U-turn and he slept with all these boys, and they were even holding fake Bible study just to create a meeting point for this brostitution,” a post by the blog read.

One of the accused, in a statement, said he had never sodomised or had sex with any male teenager.

“I have never demanded sex from any male as payment or gratification in order to give them assistance, platforms, or positions. God is the only kingmaker, the only one who can raise and erase kings, give positions, and platforms,” he stated.

On alleged screenshots of a conversation with an alleged victim, he said he asked questions “during a conversation in a male teenagers’ WhatsApp group where discussions regarding male reproductive health and self-esteem took place.”

According to him, the teenagers were taught about proper hygiene for reproductive health, the right kind of underwear to buy, and that the girth and length determine the underwear size.

“I also explained that their sizes should not affect their self-esteem and that they are perfectly and uniquely created by God.”

However, the church suspended the two men at the centre of the drama.

In a letter dated Monday, October 28, the church said the suspension was by its commitment to uphold the teachings of the Bible.

Meanwhile, the family of one of the pastors has filed a petition to the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon, against Gistlover for defamation of character.

The family in the petition signed by their counsel, Adekunle Adeyinka; called for the investigation of the blog, insisting that the allegations were unfounded and had caused their son “emotional trauma and has put their security at risk from attacks by these faceless individuals.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, on bail.

The embattled cross-dresser was stopped and removed from an Amsterdam-bound KLM flight at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos late Thursday night while attempting to leave the country for London, the United Kingdom.

He quickly alerted his followers on social media about the arrest, stating that he sustained injuries during the process.

Bobrisky wrote, “Nigerians, help me, EFCC just arrested me. I’m badly injured.”

He was subsequently flown to the headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja, where he was interrogated on his bribery allegations against the commission.

In a voice note shared by a controversial social critic, Martins Otse, aka VeryDarkMan, Bobrisky allegedly said he bribed EFCC officers with N15m to drop money laundering charges against him.

Sunday PUNCH gathered that Bobrisky perfected his bail late Friday night and was subsequently released.

The EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale confirmed Bobrisky’s release on Saturday but declined further comments.

However, a source familiar with the matter said the cross-dresser denied bribing the EFCC in his confessional statement made at the commission’s headquarters.

The source added that the cross-dresser challenged the person who posted the voice note to defend it.

“He denied everything about releasing money to any official as a bribe to drop the money laundering charges against him. He denied it in his statement. He said the fellow who posted the voice note should come over to justify it. He said nobody requested money from him in the EFCC and he didn’t give anyone anything”, said the source.

Leading gynaecologists have said aside from issues with a woman’s reproductive organs and non-viable sperm, sexual positions can’t impact conception.

While they acknowledged that there were claims that specific sexual positions could make conception easier and faster, the maternal health experts confirmed that there was no scientific basis for such.

Online checks by PUNCH Healthwise revealed claims that sex positions such as missionary, dog style and spoon, among others could increase conception rates.

Their argument was based on the premise that such styles brought the penis closer to the cervix, creating easy access for the sperm to flow directly into the fallopian tubes, leading to pregnancy.

However, the gynaecologists noted that all things being equal, once a healthy sperm reaches the vagina and could swim to the cervix, a woman would conceive regardless of the sex position.

The physicians further asserted that a sex position was only medically considered during sex selection.

Providing expert advice on the issue, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state, Ernest Orji, stated that although the myth exists, there was no scientific basis for it.

He said, “There is no sexual position that a woman takes that she won’t get pregnant. None is easier or faster than the other one. Sometimes, the man can ejaculate on the woman’s thigh and she will still get pregnant. Once sperm enters into the vagina, anyhow, the woman can get pregnant.

“We know that the womb can sometimes be introverted but sperm moves freely. Unless the cervix is blocked and prevents the sperm from entering, no position makes getting pregnant better or faster. If every other thing is normal with the sperm and the woman, once the sperm enters into the vagina, the woman can get pregnant.”

The researcher on Reproductive and Feto-maternal Health further clarified that on the other hand, no sexual position could reduce the chances of getting pregnant.

The don added, “A lot of time, some people would think that since there was no deep penetration during sex, there wouldn’t be pregnancy. But if there was ejaculation, the woman would get pregnant.”

Also, a Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr Stanley Egbogu, stated that sex position was only significant during sex or gender selection of a child.

He also affirmed that the position assumed during sex had no impact on the possibility of conception.

“Anytime there is difficulty in conceiving, we don’t look at the position. Position does not mean anything,” Egbogu said.

He further reaffirmed his position, mentioning that even those who relied on the withdrawal method as a means of contraception could still get pregnant because the pre-ejaculatory fluid, which would have been released before withdrawal, has been tested to contain some sperm.

“Position will play less or no part because if you have good quality sperm and eggs, whether it’s missionary, lateral or dog style, they can get pregnant. So, we don’t bother about positioning when we talk about people trying to conceive.  It is when we want to talk about sex formation that is when we talk about the positioning, that is the posterior side, meeting the woman on the day of her release of egg and alkalinisation,” the gynaecologist said.

He further clarified that no sex position could reduce the likelihood of pregnancy or serve as an effective method of avoiding it.

“In a fertile person, even the pre-ejaculation fluid can make the person pregnant, much less the semen. If you don’t want to get pregnant, there are laid down rules, we have our guidelines, which is family planning. We have emergency contraception, the normal family planning method of contraception that we use- we have condoms, cervical caps, oral contraceptive pills that a woman can swallow once every day for 30 days, we have Progesterone-only contraceptive pills, injectables, implants and intrauterine contraceptive device.

“We methods of preventing pregnancy and sexual position are not methods. Withdrawal method is a method of family planning but it has a high failure rate. So, there is no sexual position that is used as a family planning method,” the gynaecologist said.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has initiated steps to withdraw charges against 32 minors recently arraigned before Justice Obiora Egwuatu at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In a statement released late Friday, hours after the arraignment, Fagbemi expressed his intent to assume control of the case from the Inspector General of Police, citing a need to review specific issues related to the matter.

“There are some issues my office will need to look into regarding the matter to enable me to make an informed decision,” he stated.

Fagbemi added that, although he cannot modify the court’s decision to remand the minors in detention centers and set the trial date to January, he had directed the police to transfer the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF) for an immediate review.

“I have further directed the DPPF to immediately initiate steps to request an earlier adjournment date,” Fagbemi said.

A source within the Federal Ministry of Justice who spoke with Punch confirmed that the Inspector General of Police had promptly submitted the case file to the AGF’s office, and plans are underway to expedite proceedings to withdraw charges.

The source noted that efforts are being made for the court to reconvene this week, ahead of the previously set January 24, 2025 date.

“The police have submitted the case file, and the parties are working together. The court will reconvene early this week,” the source said.

Also, the defence counsel for all 119 defendants, Marshall Abubakar, confirmed to the platform that steps were being taken to drop the charges against the children this week, especially since the AGF had requested the transfer of the case file.

“The government has been calling; the AGF has called. I think, most likely, by next week (this week), we will get the charges thrown out,” Abubakar said.

He also confirmed that the minors among the 119 remanded protesters were in the custody of the SARS IRT, adding that they were kept in a large hall as the purported Borstal system for juvenile detention was non-existent.

Abubakar further stated, “The children were taken to IRT SARS. There is a big hall there where they are kept because there is actually no Borstal Centre.”

Another source knowledgeable about the case told Punch on Saturday that the AGF’s office was considering filing an affidavit of urgency and an application on Monday before the court.

The source said, “This means if the application is granted, the case will come up on Tuesday. Hopefully, the case will be discontinued.”

The Director-General of the Tinubu-Shettima Ambassadors, a campaign group that advocated for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 elections, Oladele Oyelude, has downplayed attempts to use opposition to the tax reforms bill to create discord between the North and President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.

Oyelude, an All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Osun State, emphasized that those opposed to the bill should work with their National Assembly representatives to address any concerns rather than stirring up regional tensions.

Speaking to journalists in Osogbo on Saturday, he noted that the bill would prompt governors to focus on revenue generation, which would ultimately aid national development.

He said, “The National Assembly will look at the bill in a way that it won’t lead to disintegration. The reform in the tax system will affect the name and a few other things about the tax system. It won’t be in the best interest of the country for the National Assembly to throw out the Tax Reform Bill.

“I believe North won’t oppose Tinubu’s reelection because of the tax reform bill. A northerner is the Vice President, so they can’t go against Tinubu based on the bill. The fate of the bill will be decided by the National Assembly.

“If the North feels the bill is not good enough, they should pass their resolution against it through their House of Representatives members and their Senators.”

The Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has said his administration is saddened by the trial of minors in a Federal Capital Territory High Court, on treason charges by the Nigeria Police.

Abba Yusuf said he was made to know that some of the minors on treason trial for participating in the August hunger protest were from Kano.

In a statement on Friday night, on his X handle, Governor Yusuf promised that his Commissioner of Justice would work to secure the minors and return them to the state.

“My attention has been drawn to the appearance of teenagers (some believed to be from Kano) in court today (Friday) in Abuja.

“The Commissioner of Justice has been instructed to act immediately on the issue. We shall do everything possible to get them back to Kano, in sha Allah,” Governor Yusuf said.

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), have also directed the Nigeria Police to submit the prosecution file of the minors to his office.

The statement from Fagbemi on Friday night read, “It has just come to my notice that the police have arraigned those arrested in connection with the end bad governance violent protest in court for various offences, including treason.

“My office will need to look into some issues regarding the matter so that I can make an informed decision.

“I am aware that the court has remanded the defendants in detention centres and adjourned the case to January.

“It is not within my power to vary the order of the court remanding the defendants in detention centres and adjourning the case to January. I have, however, directed the Nigeria Police to transfer the case file to my office and hand it over to the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) tomorrow, Saturday, 2nd November, 2024.

“I have also directed the DPPF to immediately set machinery in motion for the court’s consideration of moving the adjournment date forward (to an earlier date).”

The Counsel to the Federal Government, Rimazonte Ezekiel, has stated that most of the 76 #EndBadGovernance protesters arraigned in connection with the demonstrations that rocked the country in August are adults.

His remarks came after a hearing at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the protesters—arrested between August 1 and August 10—were presented before Justice Obiora Egwuatu.

Recall that four of those arraigned, including two minors, fainted and were taken to the hospital.

Following a bail hearing, 114 protesters were each granted bail set at N10 million with two sureties in a similar amount.

Justice Egwuatu approved the bail applications after reviewing submissions from both the defense and prosecution teams, subsequently adjourning the case until January.

Footage showing minors among the detained has sparked nationwide outrage. Human rights advocates, civil society groups, political figures, and social commentators have all expressed concern, criticizing the Tinubu administration for the handling of the protests.

However, Ezekiel defended the government’s actions in a press briefing after the court session.

He argued that the individuals being referred to as minors are actually adults, noting that some even have families.

“These boys that we brought to the court today are adults. Most of them are married men. None of them is a minor. Some of them are University graduates. The small kids you are seeing here today came with their parents to come and greet their loved ones,” he stated.

He went on to clarify that many of the defendants had been arrested in Kaduna and Zaria, emphasizing the challenges of maintaining democracy in Nigeria and expressing concerns over the alleged involvement of foreign symbols and calls for regime change.

“They are not even the real suspects standing trial in this case. These boys were arrested in Kaduna and Zaria. Do you know how much it cost us to be at this level of democracy in this country? These young boys are trying to destabilize Nigeria using the Russian flags and other countries while calling on the military to remove our president,” he added.

“Is it fair? To even remove the state governors. If they don’t want democracy again, are we forcing them? Everybody is enjoying their fundamental human rights. Nobody is abusing their rights. Everything is moving on well in the country, only for these boys, for no reason, [to have] started protests with Russia and other countries’ flags.”