R-Kelly to serve 30 Years jail term

Popular R&B American singer, Robert Sylvester Kelly, known as R. Kelly, has been transferred to a correctional centre located in the US state of North Carolina, where he is expected to serve 30 years prison sentence in connection with multiple sexual offences.

It was confirmed last week by the Federal Bureau of Prison that Kelly was moved on Wednesday, April 19 from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago to the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina.

The Chicago native was sentenced in February to one additional year in prison for his Chicago conviction on federal child pornography and child enticement charges, on top of the 30 years he’s already serving for a separate conviction out of New York.

In September, 2022, a federal jury in Chicago convicted Kelly of six counts, accusing him of sexually abusing three women – who testified under the pseudonyms Jane, Pauline, and Nia – on video, while acquitting him of enticement charges involving two other accusers, Tracy and Brittany.

The singer was also acquitted of seven other charges, including obstruction of justice, accusing him and two associates of rigging his 2008 child pornography trial in Cook County.

Over 2,000 Nigerians will leave Sudan today-NEMA

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has disclosed plans to evacuate over 2,000 Nigerians in crisis-hit Sudan this morning.

The Director, Special Duties, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Onimode Bandele disclosed this in an interview with newsmen yesterday. 

 

In his disclosure, Bandele stressed that nobody has been evacuated yet.

In his words: “The truth is nobody has been evacuated yet. I just spoke to the ambassador, Olaniyan, in Khartoum a few minutes ago.

“It is true that there are plans to get buses to start moving tomorrow morning (today). And as I speak to you, the Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Habib, is already in Cairo because that is the window we are looking at.”

According to him, the movement is to be perfected between the Nigerian embassy in Khartoum and the NEMA director-general.

On how many Nigerians to be evacuated from the troubled country, Bandele stated that evacuation of a few thousand citizens was in the works.

“Our projection was that most students and others who want to evacuate are about 5,000. But with my discussion with the ambassador this morning (yesterday), the plan is for about 2,650-2,800 to move immediately, including families of embassy staff.

The management of Air Peace expressed its willingness to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan free of charge.

The airline noted that Nigerian students and others stranded in Sudan needed help and would receive same should the federal government give it the nod to conduct the airlift.

It would be recalled that the airline in 2019, deployed flights to evacuate Nigerians in South Africa during the heat of the xenophobic attack against Africans living in that country.

Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, who disclosed this, said Nigerians stranded in the crisis-ridden country could be moved to a neigbouring country where the airline could evacuate them

' I am compelled to help because Nigeria cannot afford to lose her citizens in that country. It would be my own commitment to make sure the stranded Nigerians in the war-torn country are safe.

“Everything must not be left for government alone, especially as the situation calls for urgency and immediate action.

“Again, Air Peace is willing to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan free of charge, if government can get them to a safe and secure airport in any of the neighbouring countries bordering Sudan.

“Everything must not be left for government alone. It will be a privilege and honour of tremendous pride that we will be out there to give every Nigerian stranded in Sudan a sense of pride and oneness in their country.

“We are very ready to do it immediately, no time wasting. Any action that would promote national pride, national cohesion, peace and unity, we are for it'

Another Building Collapses In Lagos

A three-floor building under construction collapsed today at Ladipo Oluwole Street in the Apapa area of Lagos State.

Following the collapse, the Deputy Director of Public Affairs of the Lagos State Structure Control Agency (LASBCA), Mukaila Sanusi

said the premises has been sealed 

A statement by the spokesperson accused the developer of shunning the agency’s “Stop work and Seal up orders” and continued construction.

Sanusi disclosed that the incident triggered immediate preliminary enquiries that showed officers issued a number of contravention notices.

“The developer carried on construction without recourse to the authorities. There has been no report of any casualty, while the site has been cordoned off and taken over by LASBCA,” he noted.

Sanusi said the latest collapse, like similar others, reinforces government’s calls for responsible behaviour on the part of all stakeholders.

The agency added that the Lagos Government has commenced further inquiries into the collapse to unravel the details and guide appropriate actions.

The incident in Apapa occurred 24 hours after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu visited the site of the April 12 collapse in Banana Island, Ikoyi.

Tiger Woods Undergoes 'Successful' Ankle Surgery'

 American professional golfer Tiger Woods has completed "successful" surgery on his ankle following his withdrawal from The Masters earlier this month.

According to a post from Woods' Twitter account, the surgery was performed at HSS Sports Medicine Institute in New York City, was deemed to be "successful" by Dr Martin O'Malley.

The 47 years old, 15-time major winner made the cut at Augusta National despite admitting to "constant" pain, only to pull out of the major before the resumption of the rain-delayed third round.

Visibly struggling to walk during a grim start to his round, Woods later explained that the withdrawal was due to a reaggravation of his plantar fasciitis, a tissue inflammation that causes pain on the bottom of the foot.

"Earlier today, Tiger Woods underwent a subtalar fusion procedure to address post-traumatic arthritis from his previous talus fracture," the statement said.

"Tiger is currently recovering and looks forward to beginning his rehabilitation."

The statement did not specify a timeline for Woods' recovery process or return to competitive action. The next major on the calendar, the PGA Championship at Oak Hill in New York, looms on May 18.

The golf icon's competitive appearances have been sporadic since suffering severe leg injuries in a serious car crash in 2021, with Woods prioritizing taking part at the majors.

His 25th appearance at The Masters marked just his second competitive event of the year, and in 2022, his PGA Tour outings were limited to The Masters, The PGA Championship and The Open Championship.

Faces, Names of Policemen Who Flogged Man in Viral Video Revealed

The identities of the three policemen who were involved in assaulting a man and other passengers in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Sunday have been revealed by the Nigeria Police Force.

The Police Force Headquarters ordered the arrest of the officers seen in a viral video assaulting a man and other passengers today.

In the viral video, a policeman assaulted a man in the middle of a road, in an incident that happened on Sunday at Emouha Junction, East/West Road in Port Harcourt.

The officer and his colleagues were not in approved uniforms but were armed.

In the video, one of the officers was seen assaulting the man with a stick before slapping him repeatedly and subsequently forcing him to enter a vehicle.

In another viral video, one other officer forcefully pushed other passengers to their car and cocked his gun.

However, following a public outcry, the police authority condemned the action of the policemen, saying their conduct doesn't represent the character of the Nigeria Police Force nor is it the practice in the Force.

 

Parading them at the Force Headquarters on Tuesday, the Force Public Relations Officer CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi gave their names as Inspector Adejoh Siaka; Inspector Friday Obaka, and Sgt. Ndiwa Kpuebari from Rivers State.

 

Adejobi who posted a picture of the three policemen on his Twitter handle, wrote: "Inspector Adejoh Siaka; Inspector Friday Obaka, and Sgt. Ndiwa Kpuebari from Rivers State. These are the men who slapped a man on the road in Rivers.

 

"They reported at the Force Headquarters today. Trial will soon commence. We will update you as soon as possible. Thanks."

 

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Okon O Effiong had ordered the immediate arrest of the officers.

Effiong gave the directive in a statement issued through the Command's spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Oko, who said the officers had been identified.

 

According to the police spokeswoman, the officers carried out the unprofessional conduct at the Elibrada Junction, Emohua in Port Harcourt.

She noted that as a defender of human rights, the CP also assured members of the public that the officers would be investigated in line with extant rules underlying the conduct of police personnel, stressing that appropriate sanctions would be meted out to them accordingly.

“The Command further assures the good people of Rivers State of its unalloyed commitment to promoting the rule of law.

 

“People are enjoined to report cases of human rights abuse and infractions to the command," the statement added.

Graham Potter Finally Reacts After Being Sacked As Chelsea Manager

Graham Stephen Potter an English Professional manager has responded to the decision made for him to be sacked as Chelsea manager.

Recall that Potter was sacked as their head coach in a meeting on Sunday at 2:45 pm.

 He lasted just seven months in the job at Stamford Bridge; former Brighton defender Bruno Saltor has been appointed as interim head coach.

Reacting to the development, multiple Potter responded extremely professionally to the decision made for him to be sacked as Chelsea manager.

According to reports, the Englishman has agreed to a severance package that will be paid out unrelated to what was remaining on his original contract with the club.

The axe fell after Chelsea were soundly beaten by Aston Villa last weekend, dropping into the bottom half of the table in the process. At the same time, Tuchel’s Bayern Munich were on the way to beating Borussia Dortmund 4-2 in his first game in charge of the German champions.

Fans Excited As Davido Finally Drops 4th Album

Fans of Nigerian afrobeat star, David Adeleke, better known as Davido have aired excitement after he dropped the much-anticipated album entitled ‘Timeless.  

Davido's return has stirred reactions online after a long silence following the death of his first son, Ifeanyi.

It would be recalled that the death of Ifeanyi Adeleke who happened to be the first son of Davido from his self-acclaimed lover, Chioma in a tragic incident that occurred on October 31, 2022, had led to the sudden silence of Davido on all social media platforms.

In his comeback a week ago, the 30-year-old American-born Nigerian singer announces his fourth album, tagged ‘Timeless’ as he returns to social media after a long break.

According to him, the album would be released on Friday, March 31 and he would begin tour concerts to grieve over the death of his son.

Taking to his Instagram page, Davido thanked friends, family and fans for their support and prayers during the mourning period.

My next album TIMELESS is here, March 31st. Preorder in bio💚

All the love and messages while I was away, the gifts sent, the concerts you all threw! I appreciate it all.

“Today, I want to remind you all that what is now Timeless, was once new. It’s time for new.”

Following Davido's post, the title of the new release #TimelessAlbum has been the No. 1 trend of the micro-blogging platform Twitter.

Read some of the reactions:

My mood for #TimelessAlbum @davido 😄😄🕺🕺@mrfunny____

The owner of the chart is back 😂😂😂😂 #TimelessAlbum @Rapzyrita1

DAVIDO TIMELESS ALBUM HIT ONE MILLION STREAMS ON BOOMPLAY 🔥❤️  @xx_zamani

#Timeless

Davido’s “timeless” album is unarguably the best thing to ever come out of Africa from the intro I can tell😭🔥🔥@jjay00007