EVENTS POLICE IS BACK IN BUSINESS

After what appear has long years of being moribound. the widely read blog of news, events and happenings is back in business. bringing forth revamped expertise and resources for its exteemed viewers

AF

    it

Cardi B Wants to Know How Her "F--king Tax Money" Is Being Spent: "I Want Receipts"

Cardi B has some beef with Uncle Sam.

The 25-year-old rapper took to Instagram on Thursday to vent her frustrations over her taxes—alleging the "government is taking 40 percent."

"Uncle Sam, I want to know what you're doing with my f--king tax money," the "Bodak Yellow" artist said in a profanity-filled video.

Arguing she receives updates on how her money is spent after making a donation, the "On Fleek" star wanted to know how her tax money was being spent, too. Citing her home state of New York as an example, she complained how the streets are "always dirty" and how "there's still rats on the damn trains." She also called out the government for the amount of funding they allocate towards prisons—claiming the money gives inmates "like two underwears [and] one jumpsuit for, like, five months."

"What is y'all doing with my f--king money?" she reiterated. "I want to know. I want receipts. I want everything.

Watch the video of her boiling

Court orders continuation of Dino Melaye's recall 

An Abuja division of the Federal High Court has dismissed an application filed by the representative of the Kogi West Senaorial constituency, Dino Melaye, seeking to nullify his recall.

Mr. Melaye had approached the court presided by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ahead of his recall exercise earlier scheduled to begin in July. 

Following Mr. Melaye’s application, the court ordered Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to halt the recall exercise, pending the determination of Mr. Melaye’s application. 

In its ruling, Monday, the court presided by Mr. Dimgba said contrary to the arguments of Mr. Melaye that he was not granted fair hearing, the constitution  does not require a special provision that mandates INEC to grant the senator an opportunity of fair hearing. 

The court then ruled that INEC provides Mr. Melaye with the recall petition, schedule of signatures attached to the petitions and a full list of persons in support of the recall process, within two weeks before an amended time table for the recall would be made. 

Details of Apple's new premium iPhone, the 'iPhone X', revealed in leak.

Apple is expected to reveal three new devices on Tuesday

Apple's latest special edition of the iPhone will be called the iPhone X, according to an apparent leak.

The name of the device was reported by two news sites given access to an unreleased version of the iOS operating system.

The sites also reported that two other new phones would be called the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

The leak came ahead of the technology giant's launch of its new models at its California headquarters on Tuesday.

The event will mark the tenth anniversary of the smartphone, which first went on sale in June 2007.

The special edition device, rumoured to be priced as high as $1,000, is reported to come with a new edge-to-edge screen and wireless charging capability for the first time.

It could also feature a 3D face-scanning camera and remove the traditional home button from the front of the device for the first time.

A new Apple Watch and a 4K resolution Apple TV are also reportedly due to be announced at the event.

Industry analyst Ben Wood, from CCS Insight, said despite the range of announcements expected from Apple, little will change in the smartphone arena.

Nigeria: Trouble Looms for Nigeria As China Plans to Ban Petrol, Diesel Vehicles

China, world's biggest car market, plans to ban the production and sale of diesel and petrol vehicles, further threatening the future profitability of oil -- Nigeria's major revenue source.

The development is coming two months after the UK, like Germany, France, India, Norway and Netherlands, revealed plans to ban fuel-run cars, as part of efforts to reduce air pollution.

The ban will lead to a reduction of oil demand in China, as the country is currently the world's second-largest oil consumer after the United States, US.

China wants electric battery cars and plug-in hybrids to account for at least one-fifth of its vehicle sales by 2025.

Hurricane Irma: Storm hits west coast of Florida

Strong rain and fierce wind pulling down structures in miami

Hurricane Irma is blasting up the west coast of Florida after buffeting the city of Miami, with dangerous flooding along long stretches of coast.

It has been downgraded from category three to one but still has maximum sustained winds of 75mph (120km/h).

More than 3.4 million homes in the state are without power, with parts of the city of Miami under water.

At least four deaths have been linked to the storm and several areas have brought in curfews.

Florida's Director of Emergency Management, Bryan Koon, said late in Sunday he could not yet confirm or deny reports of multiple deaths and extensive damage.

Search and rescue efforts are due to begin on Monday morning, he said.

Irma cut a devastating track across 10 Caribbean countries and territories, killing at least 28 people there.

President Donald Trump has approved a major disaster declaration and emergency federal aid for Florida, describing the hurricane as a "big monster".

Where is the storm now?

At 09:00 GMT, the centre of the hurricane was about 60 miles (100km) north of Tampa, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

Some 3m people live in the Tampa Bay area. The region has not been hit by a major hurricane since 1921.

Irma is expected to weaken into a tropical storm over far northern Florida or southern Georgia later on Monday but first its centre will continue to move over the western Florida peninsula, the NHC said.

IRMA pummelting a gas station

Storm surge warnings are in effect for:

• The South Santee river southward to Jupiter Inlet

• Cape Sable northward to the Ochlockonee river

• Tampa Bay

How did it arrive in Florida?

Irma made landfall on Marco Island off Florida's west coast at 15:35 local time (19:35 GMT) on Sunday, with winds of up to 120mph.

After leaving the coast of Cuba, Irma had barrelled through the Florida Keys, a chain of low-lying islands to the south, on Sunday morning.

The whole of the southern tip of Florida has seen high winds, driving rain and storm surges.

About 2ft of water has been seen in Miami's financial district, where one major street resembled a river, but the worst damage is expected on the west coast. Two cranes have collapsed in high winds in the city.

How have residents felt the impact?

At least four deaths have been connected to the storm:

• A police officer working at a hurricane shelter in Hardee County was killed driving home when she collided with another vehicle being driven by a fellow officer, who also died

• A person died in a single-car crash in Orange County

• A man died in Marathon, Monroe County, on Saturday when his truck hit a tree, the sheriff's office said, adding that it was unknown if the crash had been weather-related or not

Some 6.3 million people in the state were told to evacuate before the storm.

As many as 4.4 million homes and businesses have lost power, Reuters news agency reports, quoting Florida Power & Light and other utilities.

There is major disruption to transport, with Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport closed for Monday.

Amid fears of debris and reports of looting, curfews have been imposed in areas such as Miami-Dade County.

• The deadly danger from Miami's ubiquitous cranes

Which other areas have already been hit?

Irma is the most powerful Atlantic storm in a decade, and has already caused widespread destruction on several Caribbean islands:

• Cuba: Officials have talked of "significant damage", without giving further details, but no casualties have been reported. Electricity is out across the capital, Havana
• St Martin and St Barthelemy: Six out of 10 homes on St Martin, an island shared between France and the Netherlands, are now uninhabitable, French officials say. They said nine people had died and seven were missing in the French territories, while four are known to have died in Dutch Sint Maarten

Image capti

• Turks and Caicos Islands: Widespread damage, although extent unclear
• Barbuda: The small island is said to be "barely habitable", with 95% of the buildings damaged. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne estimates reconstruction will cost $100m (£80m). One death has been confirmed
• Anguilla: Extensive damage with one person confirmed dead
• Puerto Rico: More than 6,000 residents of the US territory are in shelters and many more without power. At least three people have died
• British Virgin Islands: Widespread damage reported, and five dead
• US Virgin Islands: Damage to infrastructure was said to be widespread, with four deaths confirmed
• Haiti and the Dominican Republic: Both battered by the storm, but neither had as much damage as initially feared

Another hurricane, Jose, has been weakening over the western Atlantic, with swells due to affect parts of Hispaniola (the island split into Haiti and the Dominican Republic), the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, over the next couple of days.

RESIDENTS OF LONDON TOWER BLOCKS EVACUATED AS 34 BUILDINGS FAIL FIRE TESTS.

Britain said 34 high-rise apartment blocks had failed fire safety checks carried out after the deadly Grenfell Tower blaze, including several in north London where residents were forced to evacuate amid chaotic scenes.

British officials have conducted tests on some 600 high-rise buildings across England after fire ravaged the Grenfell social tower block in west London on June 14, killing at least 79 people in the capital's most deadly blaze since World War Two.

The Department for Communities said 34 apartment blocks had failed tests in 17 parts of the country, from London in the southeast to Manchester in the north and Plymouth on the southwest coast.

Prime Minister Theresa May, who was forced to apologize for the government's initial slow response to the tragedy, said the authorities were now racing to establish what needed to be done.

"In some cases it's possible to take mitigating action," she told Sky news. "In others it's been necessary for people to move out on a temporary basis and that is what happened in Camden last night."

Some 4,000 residents of the Chalcots Estate in Camden, north London, were told to vacate their apartments on Friday after the Fire Brigade ruled that their blocks were unsafe.

Emerging into the streets on a hot night, residents clutched children, pets and small amounts of clothing and food to try to find a bed in a local hotel or with family or friends. Many were directed to inflatable beds laid out on the floor of the local sports hall.

"I know it's difficult but Grenfell changes everything," Georgia Gould, Leader of Camden Council, said in a statement. "I don't believe we can take any risks with our residents' safety."

May said the local authority would be given all the means necessary to make sure people had somewhere to stay.

Residents complained of first hearing about the evacuation from the media and getting very short notice to leave from city officials going door-to-door. Not all residents agreed to go, as they felt the evacuation was an over-reaction.

PUBLIC ANGER

"It was farcical communication," 21-year-old Daniel Tackaberry told Reuters outside a nearby sports center where the local council had laid out air beds. "You don't get everyone to leave this quickly."

Several local councils said they were removing cladding from the facades of buildings that had failed the tests. In Camden, however, the London Fire Brigade found a number of faults, including concern about cladding, faulty fire doors and holes in compartment walls that could help a fire to spread.

Gould, the Camden council's leader, said it would take up to four weeks to repair the blocks that were evacuated.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said the government was working with local authorities and fire services to address any problems that had been found.

A priest helps a family move from the Dorney Tower residential block during an evacuation as a precautionary measure following concerns over the type of cladding used on the outside of the building on the Chalcots Estate in north London, Britain, June 24, 2017. 

"We are now rapidly identifying buildings of concern: samples are being tested very quickly; fire inspectors are checking the safety of the buildings as a whole; and we have issued interim safety guidance," he said.

Police investigating the cause of the 24-story Grenfell Tower blaze have said the fire started in a fridge but spread rapidly due to external cladding on the building, trapping residents in their beds as they slept.

The cladding has since failed all safety checks and prompted a nationwide review of the materials used on everything from hospitals to hotels and apartment blocks.

The fire has become a flashpoint for public anger at the record of May's Conservative Party in government following cuts to local authority budgets designed to lower the national deficit. Grenfell Tower is located in Kensington, one of the richest boroughs in Europe.

Battling to save her position after losing her majority in a June 8 election, May has promised to do everything she can to protect those residents who survived the fire and to improve the quality and safety of public housing in Britain.

British police have said they are considering bringing manslaughter charges over the Grenfell fire.

Terror leader wanted by FBI 'goes on the run' in the Philippines

The FBI is offering millions of dollars for information which leads to Hapilon's conviction

The man said to be Islamic State's leader in southeast Asia - and one of America's most wanted terrorists - appears to have gone on the run after a five-week battle in the Philippines.

The fight against Islamist militants in the southern city of Marawi began with an attempt to capture Isnilon Hapilon on 23 May.

That triggered a rampage by the militants - backed by some foreign fighters - and parts of the mainly Muslim city were seized.

Isnilon Hapilon 'should be considered armed and dangerous', the FBI says

The president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, declared martial law in Marawi and the entire southern region of Mindanao.

The resulting offensive was intended to crush what Mr Duterte said was an attempt to establish a province in the area.

General Carlito Galvez said Hapilon had not been seen in the battle zone.

In this image from the Philippines' armed forces, Hapilon is said to be second on the left

"We have some reports that he was already able to slip somewhere but as of now we are still confirming the reports," General Galvez told radio station DZBB.

Asked whether Hapilon was on the run, he added: "Yes, because reportedly he suffered a lot of casualties.

"Majority of his group, more than half, were casualties."

Philippine marines on their way to an Islamist militants' hideout in Marawi

Hapilon, who is on the America's most wanted terror list and has a $5m (£3.9m) bounty on his head, was indicted in Washington for his involvement in the kidnapping of three Americans in the Philippines in 2001.

He heads a faction of the Philippine militant group Abu Sayyaf, which has pledged allegiance to IS.

According to the military, Hapilon's group combined with the Maute Group, also comprising armed militants, to launch the Marawi siege which is now in its second month.

Troops continued to fight house-to-house gun battles in Marawi on Saturday, with air raids and artillery fire deployed against the militants.

Magu responds to Buhari's query on SSS allegations

In response to the query President Muhammadu Buhari ordered, the embattled acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, questioned the sincerity and motive of the State Security Service, SSS, which accused him of integrity deficiency and professional misconduct, official correspondence reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES showed.
The SSS’ allegations blocked Mr. Magu’s confirmation as the substantive chairman of the EFCC, twice, as the agency repeatedly advised the Senate to reject his nomination because “MAGU has failed the integrity test and will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption drive of the present administration.”

After the Senate first rejected Mr. Magu’s nomination by Mr. Buhari in December 2016, citing the allegations made against the nominee by the SSS, the President authorised the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to investigate the validity of the allegations.

In compliance, Mr. Malami on December 19 asked Mr. Magu to “respond within 48 hours” to the SSS’ allegations.

In his response, on December 21, Mr. Magu said he considered all the issues raised against him and provided “point-by-point response.”

MISSING FILES AND DISMISSAL FROM EFCC

Mr. Magu admitted official documents relating to cases under investigation were found in his private home when raided “on the order of Mrs. Farida Waziri when she succeeded Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the chairman of the EFCC.”

But in defence, he said at the time, he had not formally handed over to Umar Sanda, his successor as head of Economic Governance Unit; and carrying out his duty at the time was impossible without working from home.
“The documents found in my house were actually found in my office bag where I kept documents relating to investigations,” he said. “I was in the process of handing over and it would be wrong to suggest that I wilfully kept the Commission’s files at home.”

Following the matter, Mr. Magu was placed on suspension without pay for 20 months during which the police was carrying out investigation, he said.
“But in the end, I was reprimanded, recalled and promoted to Assistant Commissioner of Police.”
He continued: “It is important sir, to draw your attention to the fact that some of us that worked closely with Ribadu were victimised after his exit. And my ordeal was orchestrated as punishment for being the chief investigative officer for most of the high profile cases involving politically exposed persons some of whom became very influential in government at the time.”
Mr. Magu later returned to the EFCC upon the exit of Mrs. Waziri. But the SSS said his “close working relationship” with and how he was brought back by Ibrahim Lamorde, Mrs. Waziri’s successor, indicated “his culpability in the allegations of corrupt tendencies of LAMORDE led EFCC.

Replying, Mr. Magu said it was “preposterous” for the SSS to allege he was recalled, in 2012 when he was serving in the Anambra police command, to do hatchet job for Mr. Lamorde.

“My job schedule as Deputy Director, Department of Internal Affairs, under Lamorde, was simply handling issues of professional responsibility in the Commission. I had no inputs in core operations duties of the Commission,” said Mr. Magu.

HOUSE RENT, EXTRAVAGANCE, CONTROVERSIAL TIES

Contrary to the claim by the SSS that the residence Mr. Magu currently occupies was rented for him by “a questionable business man” at N40 million for two years, with another N43 million to “lavishly furnish” the apartment, the acting EFCC boss said, “The entire cost for both two-year rent and the furnishing of the house is N39.628million.

Director General of SSS, Lawan Daura

“Details of the transaction are contained in the contract award letter and payment schedule which are attached to this letter.”

The SSS had claimed the house was gotten from Mohammed Umar, a retired air commodore, now being tried for money laundering and illegal possession of firearms,
Mr. Magu denied “penchant for air travels” in private jet belonging to Mr. Umar, but admitted he had flown the said aircraft on two occasions: one, offer of ride from Kano to Abuja after an official assignment with two EFCC directors; two, when he was traveling to Maiduguri to see his sick mother.

“These, for me, were harmless gesture as we were both members of the presidential investigative committee on arms procurement. At the time I had no knowledge that he was under investigation for any alleged crimes,” he said.

He also denied he flew with the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Nnamdi Okonwko, who is under investigation by the EFCC, to Maiduguri in Mr. Umar’s private jet, stressing he had never flown in a private aircraft with any bank chief.

Further debunking claims he is flamboyant, he said in one instance he flew on a first class ticket with Emirate Airline to perform the lesser Hajj in Saudi Arabia, but argued that was not enough for the SSS to conclude he keeps extravagant lifestyle.

Moreover, he said he opted for first class because tickets for other classes had been sold out at the time, and that he funded the trip from his private pocket.
He did not disclose the cost of the trip for the pilgrimage, but SSS said it was N2,990,196 (about N3 million).

He said his relationship with Mr. Umar had been one of “professional acquaintance devoid of issues of conflict of interest” since their paths crossed when they became members of arms procurement probe panel.

He said: “The claim that EFCC documents, including EFCC letters addressed to the Vice President and being investigation reports on the activities of Emmanuel Kachikwu and his brother Demebi Kachikwu, were found in his home during a search by the DSS came to me as a surprise.

“If that is correct, he should be made to disclose how he came by such documents. I never discussed my official duties with him let alone give him documents pertaining to investigations being conducted by the Commission.”

RELUCTANCE TO ARRAIGN FORMER AIR CHIEF AMOSU

“ Indeed, among the suspects arrested over the arms procurement scandal, he (Adesola Amosu) was most cooperative. The Commission recovered N2.835billion cash from him, aside from property worth One Billion Five Hundred and Eighty-One Million Naira (N1,581, 000, 000), Two Million One Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars ($2,150, 000) and One Million Pounds Sterling (£1, 000, 000),” said Mr. Magu, explaining that Mr. Amosu’s arraignment was delayed because he cooperated with the EFCC in the process of recovery of proceeds of crime.

Since a key focus of the investigation was to recover as much proceeds of crime as possible, Mr. Magu added, the EFCC took its time to ensure it had recovered what was possible before arraigning the suspect in court.
“This had nothing to do with the wish of any individual.”
Mr. Magu also denied vendetta against Stanley Lawson, whom the SSS report described as one “working in the interest of the Federal Government.”

Diezani Alison-Madueke

According to the anti-graft chief, Mr. Lawson was arrested in relation to the investigation into the mismanagement of $118 million public funds for electioneering campaign involving former petroleum resources minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

Denying “a bid to settle personal scores” as SSS alleged, Mr. Magu said: “It was discovered that he (Mr. Lawson) made payment of $25 million into Fidelity Bank and also facilitated the purchase of Ogeyi Place Le Meridien Hotel in Port Harcourt for Mrs. Alison Madueke, for which he collected Ninety-Four Million Five Hundred and Sixteen Thousand Naira (N 94, 516,000) as commission.
“Lawson was arrested and he made a refund of the N94.5million traced to him. He was never placed on any watch list.”

He also challenged the SSS to expose any EFCC operative “working closely with me” who is found to have indulged in unethical practices or living beyond legitimate means. That was a response to the allegation that he uses police cronies who have acquired “a lot of landed property” to “execute operations” and “cover his tracks”.

The anti-graft chief then questioned “the fact that DSS authored two separate reports on me.”

PREMIUM TIMES saw the two SSS reports – one to the Senate and the other to the Presidency – released same day, October 3, 2016 and signed by one official, Folashade Bello, on behalf of the Director-General, Lawal Daura.

However, while the two reports discredited Mr. Magu, the one to the Senate asked that he should not be confirmed, while the other one to the presidency said, “it may be expedient to give him benefit of doubt and be considered.”

“The two reports emanating from same agency raises question of sincerity and motive,” Mr. Magu said. You will want to find out why they came up with two conflicting reports on the same subject on the same day.

“It is important to note that in all this, I was not given the opportunity of fair hearing.”

Following Mr. Magu’s response to the attorney general’s query ordered by Mr. Buhari, Mr. Malami reported back to the President.

Acting on the feedback and advice by the attorney general, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the Itse Sagay-led anti-corruption advisory council, Mr. Buhari wrote back to the Senate in January, re-nominating Mr. Magu and clearing him of any wrongdoing in respect of the allegations by the SSS.

By re-nominating Mr. Magu and telling the Senate allegations against him were false, the SSS’ competence and capacity was brought to doubt. But the President did not query the SSS headed by his kinsman, Lawal Daura, over the service’s claims.

Consequently, on the eve of Mr. Magu’s confirmation hearing following the second nomination, the SSS
wrote the Senate reaffirming its position that Mr. Magu lacks integrity and should not be confirmed, brushing aside the clearance from the Presidency.

With the SSS’ reaffirmation and Mr. Magu’s below-par performance at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, the Senate again rejected his nomination.

While Senate President Bukola Saraki expressed expectation that Mr. Buhari should consider it normal to replace Mr. Magu immediately, the presidential advsiers on anti-corruption campaign led by Mr. Sagay said the president should either re-nominate Mr. Magu for third time or keep him in acting capacity “because he is the best man for the job”.

But many have accused the president of losing control of his own government in view of the SSS action, and questioned his sincerity about Mr. Magu’s confirmation.

Nigerian-born Reverend consecrated as First Nigerian Bishop of The Church Of England(Anglican Communion)  (PHOTOS)

Nigerian-born Reverend (Dr) Woyin Karowie Dorgu was yesterday consecrated as Bishop of Woolwich/Diocese of Southwark London.

Consecrated by His Grace Rt Reverend Justin Welby (Archbishop of Canterbury)

Reverend(Dr) Woyin Karowei Dorgu (born June 1958) is a Church of England priest and former medical doctor.In December 2016, it was announced that he would be the next Bishop of Woolwich,a suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Southwark.He was consecrated a bishop today 17 March 2017.

He is being appointed as the first black bishop of The Church Of England for 20 years in a move that significantly increases its handful of minority ethnic clergy in senior leadership positions.

Dorgu was born and brought up in Nigeria, and ordained in the UK as a priest in 1996 at Woolwich, in south-east London, has a significant Nigerian population, many of whom worship in black-majority Pentecostal churches rather than the C of E.

At a press conference at Southwark Cathedral, Dorgu said one of his priorities as bishop would be to celebrate the racial diversity of the Woolwich area. He said he intended to “encourage BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic] vocations and more participation in ministry”.

“I will celebrate the diversity in race, ability, gender, sexuality and class … Celebrating our differences is a gift,” he added.

The only other black bishop currently in the Church of England is John Sentamu, now archbishop of York – second in the church hierarchy – who was consecrated as bishop of Stepney 20 years ago. There are three BAME archdeacons and one dean.

BAME representation among clergy and senior leadership has long been a concern in the church. Last year, the proportion of BAME people among those embarking on the process of becoming a priest fell to 1.9%, compared with a share of the general population of about 15%. In previous years it has been 4-5%.

The church established a committee for minority ethnic Anglican concerns more than 30 years ago, which recently stepped up efforts to improve BAME representation. An initiative called Turning Up the Volume was set up in 2012 with the aim of doubling the number of BAME clergy in senior positions within 10 years.  more pictures below.....