A Frustrated man tries to commit suicide at Mile 2 River (PHOTO)

The unidentified man pictured above on the stretcher, tried to commit suicide at the Mile 2 river in Amuwo Odofin area in Lagos state yesterday. The Sun reports that eyewitnesses claim that the man who appears to be in his 40s, had muttered some words in Ibo and then plunged into the river.

The timely intervention of a passing speedboat prevented him from drowning after passengers on the speedboat dived into the river and dragged the man to the riverbank.

One of the eyewitnesses who gave his name as Andy Odiaka, said the victim, who wore native clothes was speaking to himself just before he plunged into the river

“I was there on the bridge where the man was also standing. He was speaking to himself. He said he had no transport fare to move from one place to another. He said his suffering was too much that he could hardly feed. I also heard him saying life was meaningless to him. He mentioned Buhari many times, and the next thing I saw, the man jumped from the bridge into the water. He is an Igbo man because he was speaking the language. I thought he was joking when he said he was tired of everything around him. If not for a speedboat that was passing, he would have died. The boat stopped and the passengers dragged him to the riverbank and they continued their journey. Thereafter, nobody was ready to assist him. People simply looked at him, expressed sympathy and continued their journey. I have to call an emergency number” he said.

Odiaka said men of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) later came in to rescue the man. When the victim’s pockets were searched for any means identity, only N90 was found on him.

Niger Delta Avengers writes open letter to President Buhari, alleges pre-determined genocide in the region

Niger Delta Avengers have written an open letter to President Buhari, accusing him of using the military through its new formation,  Operation Crocodile Smile, to carry out pre-determined genocide in the Niger Delta region. The Nigerian Army last week launched the "Operation Crocodile Smile" which they say is just a training drill designed to prepare the Amphibious Division for a better mastery of the Niger Delta terrain.
The militant groups in its open letter, allege that the military formation is part of a pre-determined genocide to be carried out in the Niger Delta region. The group says President Buhari's statement in Kenya over the weekend that they should come forward for negotiation or be treated as Boko Haram members, gives credence to the allegations of pre-determined genocide. Read the statement signed by the group's spokesperson,  Brig.Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, below...

We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to put away the garb of a stooge to the imperialists, whenever he speaks outside Nigeria. We have listened carefully and halted hostilities in the Niger Delta; we expect a genuine and positive attitude to restructuring and self-determination for every component unit of Nigeria. Dear president, what makes those countries (Japan, Germany, France, USA, Britain etc.) great is the ability of their governments to accommodate internal protestations and conflicts for the greater good of their nations over the years. Please stop presenting your government as pawn to the web of military industrialists complex, whenever you leave the shores of Nigeria.

Nigeria is not a one-man personal property we must have these talks every time if this union must continue to work as one. The people of the Niger Delta have been living here from time immemorial, so we have the secret of the terrain and survival of amphibious operations. No amount of troop surge and simulation exercises will make you win the oil war, you can only win battles. 

You cannot apply the might of the state to restore the people's confidence in your leadership when you cannot differentiate between genuine demands and being mismanaged by disorganized characters and tribal lords around you in your government that are playing the court jesters role as well as counting the days that is left in your four years term. You can deceive the whole world but We cannot be deceived by the so glamorized ongoing military operations in the creeks Of Ijaw communities in the Delta coded " Operation Crocodile Smiles"... the world should know that with your pronouncement in Kenya and your attitude to the military build up in the Niger Delta, it is crystal clear that the military has nothing less than a pre-determined genocide in Niger Delta and burn more already scared national resources to the pockets of those that have failed to locate the missing  Chiboks School Girls.

Conclusively, dear President Muhammadu Buhari please also tell those foreign nations that you are always at ease talking to, while refusing to listen to Nigerians that your troops are about to carrying out extra judicial killings in the Niger Delta in violation of article four of the Geneva Convention with "OPERATION CROCODILE SMILES". All sane minds knows the meaning of " CROCRODILE TEARS" so by code-naming your military operation CROCODILE SMILES only betrays your motives and attitude to the whole world about the Niger Delta question. 

The whole world will surely applaud you in The Hague when you leave office! This is not the Nigeria and the world of the 1980s and 1990s under General Sani Abacha and your watch.

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife meet Pope Francis in the Vatican (PICTURES)

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan visited Pope Francis in the Vatican city and gifted him a model of a Facebook drone. He also gave the Pope a book about 'people using the internet in new ways'. The tech CEO said it was something he'll never forget. 

 'You can feel the Pope's warmth and kindness, and how deeply he cares about helping people,' he wrote on Facebook alongside pictures from the visit.

He said the drone is symbolic of an ideology he and the Pope share. 

'We told him how much we admire his message of mercy and tenderness, and how he's found new ways to communicate with people of every faith around the world. We also discussed the importance of connecting people, especially in parts of the world without internet access,' Zuckerberg wrote.

The drone, called Aquila, a solar-powered aircraft the social network plans to use in order to give internet access to people in developing countries.

'Together they spoke about how to use communications technology to alleviate poverty, encourage a culture of encounter, and to communicate a message of hope, especially to the most disadvantaged,' the Vatican Press Office said in a statement. 

 More photos...

Nigerian Army arrest oil bunkerer in Niger Delta

Troops of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army involved in the field training exercise nicknamed "CROCODILE SMILE" mounted on gunboats and speedboats have been making tremendous progress as they also raided suspected criminal hideouts in the creeks around Ajaosolo, Okogho, Opumani, and Obodo general area.

While conducting the exercise yesterday August 28th, they intercepted a suspected illegal oil bunkerer with 1 "Cotonou Boat" laden with crude oil, 3 X 40 Horse power Yamaha Speedboats and 5 X 200 Litres of illegally refined diesel oil.


Similarly, the troops continued conducting the training exercise near Bomadi town, Bomadi Local Government Area and Pendo and Tuomu of Bururtu Local Government Area of Delta State respectively.

Two suspects; Mr. Tokolo Sawyer and Miss Showman Ebi-ere were arrested at "Loveth Plaze", while Mr Kingsley Ebidimo and 7 others with unidentified mission were equally arrested at Pendo as they were found to be in possession of substance believed to be Marijuana, 1 Axe, 2 Cutting Saw and a long iron bender in their hideouts. The suspects and exhibits have been handed over to the Nigeria Police at Bomadi.

The troops have continued with their field training exercise, more so as they received 2 more supporting weapons, Main Battle Tank, 2 Mine-Resistant, Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and 3 Scorpion Tanks from the Headquarters of Nigerian Armour Corps.
In addition, as part of the training exercise, the troops have been carrying out patrols along waterways in the creeks, in that process, they recovered 2 "Cotonou Boats" and a 75 Horse Power Speedboat, 30 X 200 Litres plastic drums containing liquid suspected to be illegally refined crude oil in the creeks at Ovwahwa in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State in the afternoon of Sunday 28th August 2016.

Three suspected persons, Messrs College Owahwa, Joseph Katte and Olisa Patrick found around the vicinity have been arrested. They are currently being questioned.
Following intelligence reports, 2 illegal crude oil refineries were identified and destroyed by the exercising troops traversing Ayakoromo and Esaba water ways in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

At about 5.00pm same day, 2 Pumping Machines and sets of new pipes used for the construction of illegal refineries and siphoning were found in the bush.

Two suspects were interrogated to ascertain their involvement on the recovered items. The troops have continued their training exercise without hitch.
In addition to the training exercise, troops are equally carrying out free medical outreaches at central area Sapele and near Olu of Warri’s in Warri.
More photos...

Kidnappers abandon victim as truck driver blocks their escape route

A gang of kidnappers in Aba, Abia State had their plans foiled when a truck driver reportedly blocked their escape route as they tried to escape with their kidnap victim, Mrs. Merit Ikechukwu, at Uratta area in Abia state.
Mrs. Ikechukwu was reportedly on her way to work when a gang of kidnappers blocked her Toyota Highlander jeep near Stella Marris road, Catholic Church, Umueze road, Aba and kidnapped her.

According to eyewitnesses, the kidnappers blind folded Ikechukwu and drove in her jeep through a bush path, fortunately, residents of the area alerted soldiers who were on patrol, who quickly gave chase to the jeep.
An eye witness said:

“As the kidnappers escaped through the bush path on top speed, they came face to face with a truck driver, who had suspected the speeding Highlander jeep was stolen blocked the bush path and the villagers alerted soldiers, who moved in and joined in the chase”.

When the kidnappers realized that they were trapped by the truck and also realized that they were being pursued by soldiers and members of the community, they quickly abandoned their victim and escaped into the bush.

Fortunately, the soldiers were able tp apprehend and arrest a suspect identified as Prince while they were searching the bushes.
However, Prince denied being a member of the kidnap gang, claiming to have gone to the area to recover a debt.

But luck ran out on him when the victim, Mrs Ikechukwu, who had been rescued by the soldiers, identified him as the man who drove her jeep before she was blindfolded by the others.

The soldiers also recovered the Toyota Highlander Jeep after it was abandoned by the kidnappers.

A soldier at the Forward Operating Base, FOB, Ngwa High School, Aba, confirmed the incident Vanguard.



Source: Vanguard

Throwback Photo Of The Popular Nollywood Actor Kunle Afolayan

This is an epic throwback photo of the popular nollywood actor and movie director Kunle Afolayan posted on his intagram page

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This was when men were still boys.

OMG!! Man Burns His Daughter’s Eyes & Private Parts With Iron (Graphic Photo)

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a man, Surakat Idowu, for allegedly brutalising his five-year-old daughter with a hot iron in the Ikotun area of the state.

PUNCH Metro learnt that 45-year-old Idowu, who separated from his wife in 2013, allegedly tortured the girl with an iron in the face and in the private parts on Monday.

Our correspondent gathered that the girl, who stayed with her father on Kayode Toyeso Street, Liasu Road, in the Ikotun area, had been asked by her father to dispose faeces in a potty into the latrine, but she poured it on the floor.



It was learnt that Idowu, who worked as an auto mechanic, got a hot iron and allegedly battered the girl’s body.

Our correspondent was told that a neighbour, who witnessed the incident, reported at the Ikotun Police Division and the suspect was arrested.

The victim, who is said to be in a nursery school, was reportedly blinded by the burns she suffered on the face, while her private parts were swollen.

A neighbour, identified only as Basirat, said the girl slipped while going to pour the faeces into the latrine.

She said, “The mechanic had a quarrel with his wife and divorced her in 2013 when the girl was just two years old. On that Monday, he asked her to go and dispose of her faeces in a potty in a latrine at the backyard of the house. But the area was slippery and the girl fell, splashing the faeces on the floor.

“The father became angry and got a hot iron. He began to beat her with the hot surface of the iron until the girl’s face became swollen. We tried to caution him, but he would not listen. That was how the matter got to the police.”

It was learnt that the state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, had directed that the case be transferred from the Ikotun Police Division to the Gender Unit at the command headquarters, Ikeja.

A police source told PUNCH Metro that efforts were on to locate the mother of the victim after two years of separation from Idowu.

Our correspondent gathered that the matter was also reported to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, which was working with the Child Protection Unit of the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to get a shelter for the victim.

The DSVRT Coordinator, Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, said, “The victim is presently receiving treatment in a hospital due to the severe burns. The police have assured that the suspect will be prosecuted. When the victim completes medical treatment, she will be taken into protective custody.”

The CP, Owoseni, confirmed the arrest, adding that investigations were ongoing into the matter