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Full list of winners at last night’s Grammy Awards.

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NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 28: Recording artists Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna attend the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS)

The 60th annual Grammy Awards were on Sunday.

Bruno Mars won big at the 2018 version of the Grammy Awards by winning in the six categories that he was nominated for, including album of the year.

NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 28: Recording artist Bruno Mars, winner of the Record of the Year award for ’24K Magic,’ Album Of The Year award for ’24K Magic,’ Song of the Year award for ‘That’s What I Like,’ Best R&B Performance award for ‘That’s What I Like,’ and Best R&B Album album for ’24K Magic,’ poses in the press room during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for NARAS)

Jay-z who led the nominee list with eight nominations left with nothing.

NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 28: Recording artists Beyonce, Jay Z and daughter Blue Ivy Carter attend the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS)

However, Kendrick Lamar was limited to rap-only categories as he picked up five awards including best rap album and best rap performance.

The show featured flashes of politics, including a cameo from Hillary Clinton, who read from “Fire and Fury.”

See the complete list of winners below:

Record of the Year: “24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

Album of the Year: “24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

Song of the Year: “That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus and Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best New Artist: Alessia Cara

Best Pop Solo Performance: “Shape of You” — Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Feel It Still” — Portugal. The Man

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: “Tony Bennett Celebrates 90” — Various Artists; Dae Bennett, producer

Best Pop Vocal Album: “÷” — Ed Sheeran

Best Dance Recording: “Tonite” — LCD Soundsystem

Best Dance/Electronic Album: “3-D The Catalogue” — Kraftwerk

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: “Prototype” — Jeff Lorber Fusion

Best Rock Performance: “You Want It Darker” — Leonard Cohen

Best Metal Performance: “Sultan’s Curse” — Mastodon

Best Rock Song: “Run” — Foo Fighters, songwriters

Best Rock Album: “A Deeper Understanding” — The War on Drugs

Best Alternative Music Album: “Sleep Well Beast” — The National

Best R&B Performance: “That’s What I Like” — Bruno Mars

Best Traditional R&B Performance: “Redbone” — Childish Gambino

Best R&B Song: “That’s What I Like” — Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus and Jonathan Yip, songwriters (Bruno Mars)

Best Urban Contemporary Album: “Starboy” — The Weeknd

Best R&B Album: “24K Magic” — Bruno Mars

Best Rap Performance: “HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap/Sung Performance: “LOYALTY.” — Kendrick Lamar featuring Rihanna

Best Rap Song: “HUMBLE.” — K. Duckworth, Asheton Hogan and M. Williams II, songwriters (Kendrick Lamar)

Best Rap Album: “DAMN.” — Kendrick Lamar

Best Country Solo Performance: “Either Way” — Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “Better Man” — Little Big Town

Best Country Song: “Broken Halos” — Mike Henderson and Chris Stapleton, songwriters (Chris Stapleton)

Best Country Album: “From a Room: Volume 1” — Chris Stapleton

Best New Age Album: “Dancing on Water” — Peter Kater

Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “Miles Beyond” — John McLaughlin, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album: “Dreams and Daggers” — Cécile McLorin Salvant

Best Jazz Instrumental Album: “Rebirth” — Billy Childs

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: “Bringin’ It” — Christian McBride Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album: “Jazz Tango” — Pablo Ziegler Trio

Best Gospel Performance/Song: “Never Have to Be Alone” — CeCe Winans; Dwan Hill & Alvin Love III, songwriters

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: “What a Beautiful Name” — Hillsong Worship; Ben Fielding & Brooke Ligertwood, songwriters

Best Gospel Album: “Let Them Fall in Love” — CeCe Winans

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: “Chain Breaker” — Zach Williams

Best Roots Gospel Album: “Sing It Now: Songs of Faith & Hope” — Reba McEntire

Best Latin Pop Album: “El Dorado” — Shakira

 

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: “Residente” — Residente

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): “Arriero Somos Versiones Acústicas” — Aida Cuevas

Best Tropical Latin Album: “Salsa Big Band” — Rubén Blades con Roberto Delgado y Orquesta

Best American Roots Performance: “Killer Diller Blues” — Alabama Shakes

Best American Roots Song: “If We Were Vampires” — Jason Isbell, songwriter (Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit)

Best Americana Album: “The Nashville Sound” — Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

Best Bluegrass Album: tie, “Laws of Gravity” — The Infamous Stringdusters and “All the Rage — In Concert Volume One” — Rhonda Vincent and the Rage

Best Traditional Blues Album: “Blue & Lonesome” — The Rolling Stones

Best Contemporary Blues Album: “TajMo” — Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’

Best Folk Album: “Mental Illness” — Aimee Mann

Best Regional Roots Music Album: “Kalenda” — Lost Bayou Ramblers

Best Reggae Album: “Stony Hill” — Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley

Best World Music Album: “Shaka Zulu Revisited: 30th Anniversary Celebration” — Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Best Children’s Album: “Feel What U Feel” — Lisa Loeb

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books and Storytelling): “The Princess Diarist” — Carrie Fisher

Best Comedy Album: “The Age of Spin/Deep in the Heart of Texas” — Dave Chappelle

Best Musical Theater Album: “Dear Evan Hansen” — Ben Platt, principal soloist; Alex Lacamoire, Stacey Mindich, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, producers; Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, composers/lyricists (original Broadway cast recording)

Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: “La La Land” — Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: “La La Land” — Justin Hurwitz, composer

Best Song Written for Visual Media: “How Far I’ll Go” — Lin-Manuel Miranda, songwriter (Auli’i Cravalho)

Best Instrumental Composition: “Three Revolutions” — Arturo O’Farrill, composer (Arturo O’Farrill and Chucho Valdés)

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella: “Escapades for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra From ‘Catch Me If You Can’” — John Williams, arranger (John Williams)

Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: “Putin” — Randy Newman, arranger (Randy Newman)

Best Recording Package: tie, “Pure Comedy (Deluxe Edition)” — Sasha Barr, Ed Steed and Josh Tillman, art directors (Father John Misty) and “El Orisha de la Rosa” — Claudio Roncoli and Cactus Taller, art directors (Magín Díaz)

Best Boxed or Special Limited-Edition Package: “The Voyager Golden Record: 40th Anniversary Edition” — Lawrence Azerrad, Timothy Daly and David Pescovitz, art directors (Various Artists)

Best Album Notes: “Live at the Whisky A Go Go: The Complete Recordings” — Lynell George, writer (Otis Redding)

Best Historical Album: “Leonard Bernstein — The Composer” — Robert Russ, compilation producer; Martin Kistner and Andreas K. Meyer, mastering engineers (Leonard Bernstein)

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: “24K Magic” — Serban Ghenea, John Hanes and Charles Moniz, engineers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer (Bruno Mars)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Greg Kurstin

Best Remixed Recording: “You Move (Latroit Remix)” — Dennis White, remixer (Depeche Mode)

Best Surround Sound Album: “Early Americans” — Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Jim Anderson and Jane Ira Bloom, surround producers (Jane Ira Bloom)

Best Engineered Album, Classical: “Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio” — Mark Donahue, engineer (Manfred Honeck and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Producer of the Year, Classical: David Frost

Best Orchestral Performance: “Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5; Barber: Adagio” — Manfred Honeck, conductor (Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)

Best Opera Recording: “Berg: Wozzeck” — Hans Graf, conductor; Anne Schwanewilms and Roman Trekel; Hans Graf and Brad Sayles, producers (Houston Symphony; Chorus of Students and Alumni, Shepherd School of Music, Rice University and Houston Grand Opera Children’s Chorus)

Best Choral Performance: “Bryars: The Fifth Century” — Donald Nally, conductor (PRISM Quartet and The Crossing)

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: “Death & the Maiden” — Patricia Kopatchinskaja and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra

Best Classical Instrumental Solo: “Transcendental” — Daniil Trifonov

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: “Crazy Girl Crazy” — Barbara Hannigan (Ludwig Orchestra)

Best Classical Compendium: “Higdon: All Things Majestic, Viola Concerto & Oboe Concerto” — Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor; Tim Handley, producer

Best Contemporary Classical Composition: “Viola Concerto” — Jennifer Higdon, composer (Roberto Díaz, Giancarlo Guerrero and Nashville Symphony)

Best Music Video: “HUMBLE.” — Kendrick Lamar

Best Music Film: “The Defiant Ones” — Various Artists

Meet the Bbnaija house members.

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The third season of reality TV series, Big Brother Nigeria kicked off on Sunday night with 20 contestants also known as “housemates”.

This year’s edition, which is tagged “double wahala” stars Vandora, Teddy A, K Bruce, Nina, Miracle, Alex, Princess, DeeOne and Ahneeka.

Other housemates are Rico Swavey, Bito, BamBam, Leo, Khloe, Angel and Ifu-Ennada, Anto, Tobi Bakare, Cee-C and Lolu.

The show is running for a second consecutive running year as it had previously suffered a 10-year hiatus.

Popular artists, Mayorkun and Kiss Daniel performed live during the launch.

Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, who returned to host the show for the second time, introduced the housemates in groups of four.

This year’s contestants are a cross-section of musicians, comedians and entrepreneurs.

The housemates were given their first task of finding bed spaces as those available were limited.

The number of contestants is an increase from last year’s 12 housemates, which saw Efe Ejeba emerge winner, taking home the N25 million cash prize and an SUV.

A reunion show featuring some of the previous housemates had been aired for one week before Sunday’s launch.

Every Sunday on the show, viewers are expected to witness an eviction of a housemate.

The winner of the 78–day contest will be given N25 million cash prize and a brand new SUV.

Meanwhile, as at Monday morning, six housemates have been ‘ejected.’

While the housemates were eating, Big brother announced that the housemates, “who picked numbers without a bed space should pack their bags.”

It is yet to ascertained if the first eviction in the Big Brother Naija 3 ‘Double Wahala’ has begun.

The development has already set the house in disarray.

However, the six housemates were taken to a different room, away from the other housemates and asked to, “wait for further instructions.”

 

Premium times.

Rivers United draw Enyimba in Portharcourt.

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By John Diidi.

‘Pride of Rivers’ Rivers United, yesterday at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium rallied round to get a point against visiting Enyimba in one of Sunday’s NPFL match day 5 fixtures. The tie ended 1-1.

Eguma’s men were daring from the beginning  and almost got the opener inside three minutes, when Sochima found his way beyond the visitors’ defence, but had his effort saved by Fatau Dauda.

Moments later, Nelson Ogbonnaya diverted Sochima’s low strike away from hitting back of the net as Enyimba continued to be pegged back. Sochima would make way for Daniel following an injury at the half hour mark.

Enyimba, drew first blood  after Gabriel Olalekan upended Chinonso Okonkwo inside the area to earn Enyimba a penalty. Stanley Dimgba stepped up to send Rotimi Sunday the wrong way in what was the last action of the half.

Rivers United resumed with intent of levelling terms as Eguma committed more men forward in a formation switch. The gamble almost paid off in the  56 minutes, but Dauda had better ideas as his intervention denied Bakari Bamba from six yards.

The home side almost got themselves into a pretty difficult situation as Enyimba capitalized on their quest for goals to catch them on the break. Rotimi stretched at full length to keep out Chinedu Udeagha’s header from Dimgba’s cross in the  63 minutes.

Rivers United would wait till the 77th minute to level terms, the hosts had to look in the direction of an unlikely source, Israel Daniel, l who came on for Elum Social as he  headed home a Markson Ojobo’s cross to earn themselves a point in a tightly contested fixture.

Chinonso Okonkwo was sent off in the 82nd minute, following a second bookable offence, but the home side could not get past a resolute Enyimba defence, who held on to secure a point.

TEAMS

Rivers United: Rotimi; Ojobo, Ali, Afolabi, Olalekan, Festus, Sochima, Akinbinu, Kuemain, Salefu, Bakari

Enyimba: Dauda; Onaolapo, Francis, Ogbonnaya, Oladuntoye, Abalogu, Okonkwo, Udeagha, Dingba, Atchou

2019: APC and its many challenges in Rivers State.

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It is another election year in Nigeria and as usual, the stakes are high. There have been constant political realignments in the past few months as politicians pitch their tents with camps they’d think have potentials for victory at the next year’s polls.

The year will be filled with uncountable political intrigues and as Professor Andrew Efemini succinctly puts it, it is a sensitive year as we will witness more politicians hopping on to political trains that they feel will protect their interests and help have their dreams realized.
With two gubernatorial elections scheduled for this year in Ekiti and Osun states, it will present political parties with the fertile grounds with which their popularity will be tested.

And with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) successfully  electing  their  principal executives late last year and with most parties expected to hold their conventions later in the year, the atmosphere has become charged and almost ready for the electioneering processes.

Rivers state’s political climate will perhaps not only be the most intriguing but will be the object of national attention as it has always been.  Political daggers have been drawn  with the All Progressive Congress (APC) seeming very determined in their quest to occupy Brick House come May 29th 2019.

In short, the party has shown utmost seriousness and dedication with its quest to take power and advance over the PDP with their early campaign and their extension of hands for handshakes  with their  ongoing grassroots mobilization and establishment of political structures across the 23 local government areas using the Free Rivers Initiative.

That is to say that the party understands and have come to appreciate the importance of grassroots structure at the unit and ward levels and will reach out to those who are yet to decide on which side to support: something we are not seeing happening with the PDP.

This is perhaps their last battle as stated by the Minister of Transportation and the leader of the party in Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi. The Minister had said at a reception organized in his honour by the Ikwerre Youth Movement, at Isiokpo, earlier in January that if they fail this time, they will be finished politically.

Discerning minds at the reception understood that the Minister was talking figuratively and sounding the alarms of seriousness, as he is evidently aware of the level of influence the Nyesom Wike- led administration wields at the grassroots level.

With the unlikeliness of the party participating in the upcoming local government election as proposed by Governor Wike , if the APC fails to muster the political will with which they will overthrow the PDP at the gubernatorial election, then it will be a long night for the party in the state.

The APC presents a somehow genuine case by maintaining that the Ikwerre ethnic nationality should hand over power to others. Nevertheless, politics is about interest and numbers; and the party understands that power is not given, it is taken – and in this case – through the ballot.

The APC as a party have incurred many baggage that will be working against them as they once again sell the party to the electorate – one of which will probably be the party’s inability to produce a candidate with the political clout that will measure up and match that of the Governor in the state as the party seems divided.

Internal wrangling within the party might be its doom and a planned reconciliation will go a long way in galvanizing party faithful so as to work towards a common objective.

Hate him or love him, Governor Nyesom Wike enjoys a reasonable level of goodwill in the state and beyond, especially among the non-indigenes resident in the state who see him as a non-discriminatory leader – a fit that will be hard for the APC to surpass given the perception the people have about the Buhari-led federal government’s handling of affairs in the country.

There is almost a consensus in the South especially South East and South South that President Mohammedu Buhari loathes the two regions, which is evident in the way the president has treated the regions with the issue of political appointments and certain utterances that were less presidential.

In short, the antics of the government at the center presents the biggest barrier for the party at the state level and it will be to their own advantage if they focus on issues within the state and expunge any attempt at praising the president in their campaigns.

But therein lies the conundrum! How will the state chapter of the party disassociate itself from the central government?

The handling of the economy which has led to jobs being lost in millions and the kid gloves with which the farmers-herdsmen clashes is being treated , has also irked many not just in the South but in other parts of the country and have massively derailed support for the party in the regions. And unless the party does something drastic to change the perception of many, it is going to affect the number of votes that the party will receive in the region come 2019.

The spat between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the Senator representing Rivers East senatorial District, Senator Magnus Abe has divided the party’s loyalists at the grassroots level: a division that is not good for a party that had to rely on lengthy court battles to secure the two senatorial seats they currently enjoy in the state.

The Senator who is reportedly eyeing the office of the Governor has come out publicly to blame the minister for the division in the party and for targeting party officials loyal to him.

However, with the current clamor by the Ogoni ethnic nationality that it is their turn to produce the next governor and the likelihood that the Senator will not be the party’s choice during the primaries , the rift between the two political big weights will have adverse effects on the party at the polls come 2019.

Writing off the Senator portends danger for the APC as he has strong support of the Ogonis and the Etches, a fit which will be a gain for the PDP and Governor Wike, coupled with the fact that Rivers state has become the unofficial headquarters of the PDP with benefits of having the party’s Chairman.

Governor Wike’s constant attacks on the federal government, truthful as some of them are, especially on the failure of the federal government to pay the agreed counterpart funding for the Bodo-Bonny road reduces, on a daily basis, the momentum that the APC is hoping to gain within the state.

Can the APC surpass these hurdles and become victorious at the polls next year?

Wife uses husband’s phone to text herself a divorce message.

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Life is intolerable for a wife stuck in a marriage with a man who refuses to divorce her, despite her several pleads.

In the case of one Emirati lady, It has been extremely hard for her to gain a divorce from her husband according to Dubai-based Al Bayan newspaper, where after three years of a toxic relationship, something had to be done.

The feud
The husband in this case was refusing to grant his wife a divorce, Al Bayan reported, not out of love, but because he wants to humiliate her and emotionally abuse her.

Although no official documents are signed, the married couple with children are effectively separated – fiercely quarrelling and sleeping in separate rooms.

The constant hostilities and fights triggered the Emirati wife to eventually kick her husband out of the house, but she wanted him out of her life too.

Under Islamic jurisprudence a man can divorce his wife by publicly uttering the words: “I divorce you” three times. This practice is known as the ‘Triple Talaq’ (Triple Divorce).

For a woman, however, the divorce process requires presence in court before a judge and a mandatory reconciliation process that when fails, divorce is granted.

In seeking consultation of an Islamic scholar, the wife was reassured that the Sharia practice of “Triple Talaq” is effective via text message, as long as the husband has the intention to divorce and is sure about his decision.

The scholar’s approval encouraged her to proceed with a midnight plot which would forever rescue her from this toxic marriage.

The plot
As her husband was sound asleep, the aggrieved woman used his finger tip to access his mobile phone and send a text message to herself “I divorce you”, three times.

The next day she went to the court eager to present her evidence.

Unfortunately, this desperate trick for relief only lead to more complications for the want out woman.

What was meant to be a quick solution turned into another nightmare after officials at the Dubai Personal Status Court asked the woman of the source of the message and she admitted her actions.

According to Al Bayan, when the husband was informed he vowed that he will make the divorce process in court as hard and slow as possible.

Federer wins 20th Grand Slam.

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Roger Federer successfully defended his Australian Open crown to land a record-equalling sixth title in Melbourne and collect a landmark 20th Grand Slam of his career with a five-set victory against Marin Cilic on Sunday.

Federer, playing in his 30th Slam final, was pushed all the way by Cilic but came through a riveting contest 6-2 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 3-6 6-1 in three hours and three minutes.

“I’m so happy, it’s unbelievable. It’s a dream come true and the fairytale continues,” an emotional Federer said during his on-court presentation

“It’s been a long time waiting for this final. It’s easier in the afternoon, but when it’s at night you think about it all day. I’m happy it’s over now. After the year I had last year, it’s incredible.”

With the roof closed on Rod Laver Arena due to extreme heat, it was Federer who made a faultless start, while it quickly turning into a nightmare for Cilic after he dumped a smash into the bottom of the net to lose serve in the opening game before falling 4-0 down.

The relief was visibly etched on Cilic’s face when he finally got on the board in the fifth game.

However, there was no way back for the sixth seed with the set already in the bag for Federer, who duly served it out in just 24 minutes.

Cilic, the former US Open champion, began to look a much more difficult proposition in the second set as his nerves settled.

Despite failing to take a set point opportunity when leading 4-5 after dumping a weak backhand into the net, he pounced in the ensuing tie-break by producing a superb forehand winner to bring up two set points at 6-4 and levelling the final up with a composed smash. It was the first set Federer had lost during the entire tournament.

The 36-year-old responded in the best possible manner with a scintillating spell culminating in a clinical break in the sixth game of the third set before quickly wrapping it up with an ace in 29 minutes to move closer to the title.

Federer found his level of the first set again in the fourth with some blistering tennis and an early break looked to set the tone. Cilic looked to be heading for defeat when he conjured up his first break of the final to level up at 3-3.

It was only the fifth time Federer had been broken all tournament and the giant Croat broke through again in the eighth game before successfully serving it out to keep the match alive and set an unlikely deciding set shoot-out.

A determined Federer fought off a break point in the first game before he re-established control to stop Cilic in his tracks and race to a 5-1 lead left him serving for the title.

He needed only one match point, with Cilic netting a backhand return. The Croatian appealed to Hawk-Eye but the serve just clipped the line.

An emotional Federer won the Australian Open title and 20th Grand Slam with a five-set victory over Cilic

“It was an amazing journey to come to the final. It could have been the best two weeks of my life, but Roger played a great fifth set,” Cilic said.

“I want to thank my team, you’re unbelievable. We worked hard for this year, hopefully we will lift these trophies in the future.”

Federer, the second oldest man to win a slam title behind Ken Rosewall, moves four clear again of Rafael Nadal in terms of overall titles and is only three behind Serena Williams and four adrift of all-time record holder Margaret Court.

Cilic v Federer: Match Stats

16 Aces 24
5 Double faults 4
62 First serve percentage in 60
69 First serve win percentage 80
51 Second serve win percentage 58
2/9 Break points won 6/13
45 Winners 41
128 Total points won

Sky Sports.

Security forces kill Don Wanny’s younger brother.

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A younger brother to the late serial kidnapper and mass murderer Johnson Igwedibia a.k.a Don Wanny, Oluchi Igwedibia, has been shot dead by security forces.

Oluchi, popularly known as “Obata Osu” was among the suspected gang members that allegedly participated in the brutal murder of 23 persons in Omoku, Rivers, on Jan. 1.

Gov. Nyesom Wike had on Jan. 9th, declared him and 31 other cult members wanted with huge bounty placed on their heads.

A security source said that the suspected killer was tracked and shot dead at Sabo Iykpe community, Etsako West in Edo.

“Oluchi Igwedibia, alias Obata Osu and brother of Don Wani, was the Field Commander of the murderous gang that killed 23 worshipers in cold blood on January 1.

“Igwedibia, after fleeing Omoku town (Rivers) went to Ughelli (Delta) to reside. He rented an apartment in Edo four days ago (Jan. 24) as part of his plan to avoid arrest.”

The source said the operation was carried out by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Army.

“The DSS later tracked him down to his new hide out in Sabo Iykpe community (Edo) and thereafter called the Army for support.

“When we arrived at his house, Igwedibia hid in his ceiling and later tried to shoot his way out but was shot by operatives,” the source said.

The informant said the area had been cordoned off as search for arms and ammunition was ongoing, adding that the operatives also arrested and detained Igwedibia’s accomplice who allegedly helped him withdrew money from the bank.

The Rivers Director of DSS, Mr Tosin Ajayi, did not answer his calls or reply to text message sent to his phone.

The late Wanny, Igwedibia and his gang members received amnesty from the Rivers Government in 2016 but later went back to crime.

Wanny and his second-in-command, Ikechukwu Adiele, and another suspected gang member, Lucky Ode were killed by security forces in Enugu and their corpses paraded at 6 Division Nigerian Army Port Harcourt on January 7.

Meanwhile, Wike has commended the DSS and the Nigerian Army for the joint operation that led to the killing of Igwedibia.

A statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Wike on Electronic Media, quoted Wike as saying that “all those who participated in the New Year Mayhem at Omoku and any other security infraction in the state will be traced and brought to justice’’.

He added that the governor said that the N20 million bounties placed for credible information that would lead to the arrest of the wanted cultists is still in place. 

NAN

Taxi robberies on the increase in Portharcourt.

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Some Portharcourt residents have taken to the social media platform, Twitter, to narrate their harrowing experiences in the hands of criminals posing as taxi drivers in the city.

The victims who were mostly females narrated how they were robbed of their valuables at gun points by these criminals , something they said has become an everyday occurrence.

https://twitter.com/ArchitectMaQ/status/957329263715405825
They equally identified routes where these robberies persistently occur while noting that stadium road to airforce flyover and genesis deluxe area have become very unsafe for female commuters boarding cabs on their own.

In one of the tweets, a man described how one of his colleagues was robbed in December and her bank account cleared off of all her savings.

They urged the state government to begin the policy of registering taxis that operate within the state capital as a measure to ensure that criminal elements do not take advantage of it to rob innocent commuters.

World’s tallest man meets World’s shortest women (Pictures)

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The world’s shortest woman met the world’s tallest man, who is four times her height, in Egypt on Friday (Jan 26).

Ms Jyoti Amge, who is from India and stands at 0.63m tall, holds the Guinness World Record for the shortest living woman who is mobile.

The 25-year-old met the world’s tallest living man, Turkey’s Sultan Kosen, in Egypt’s Giza city on the west bank of the Nile.

Ms Jyoti, who lives in Nagpur, India, has a condition called achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism.

The actress has starred in shows like American Horror Story: Freak Show, documentary films and Hindi film Pan Supari.

Her counterpart on the opposite end of the scale is from Ankara, Turkey.

Mr Sultan was the first man over eight feet (2.43m) to be measured by Guinness World Records in more than 20 years.

He first became the world’s tallest living man in 2009, when he was 2.47m tall. He has since grown taller.

His height is caused by a condition known as pituitary gigantism, where the brain produces abnormally large amounts of growth hormone from the pituitary gland.

Mr Sultan has four siblings and the rest of his family are of average heights. He was married in 2013.

Mr Sultan met Ms Jyoti for a photo shoot in front of the Giza pyramids on Friday.

They were visiting the country to promote tourism to Egypt.

World poverty clock: Nigeria, 16 others listed as extreme cases.

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Nigeria has been listed alongside 16 other countries as places with rising cases of extreme poverty, data compiled by a global poverty monitoring group has shown.

According to data released by the World Poverty Clock, Nigeria together with Gambia, Angola, Burundi, Belize and Congo made the list of countries where citizens are experiencing extreme poverty.

Other countries on the list include: Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Somalia, South Sudan, Suriname, Venezuela and Zambia.

Over 100 million people out of Nigeria’s estimated 180 million population are poor and live under 1 dollar (365 Naira) daily, according to World Bank statistics.

This is as a result of an overlap between political and economic power which bends the allocation of opportunities, income and wealth, to vested interests and biases policy-making in favour of the rich.

There is a rise in inequality and growth is compromised due to elite capture of resource management aided by massive corruption and rent-seeking, according to Oxfam inequality report of 2017.

However, the case is the same in most Sub-Saharan African countries.

The data indicated that a total of 19 countries will erase extreme poverty by 2030 while extreme poverty is declining in 46 countries but at a slower pace.

The data also indicated that 103 countries have wiped out extreme poverty while 8 percent of the world’s population is still living in poverty.

It showed that an average of 25 000 people fall into poverty everyday , mostly from Africa and other war-torn countries while an average of 100 000 people escape poverty everyday.

Global poverty rate has been halved since the year 2000, according to data from the group.

However, intensified efforts are required to boost the income, alleviate the suffering and build the resilience of those still living in extreme poverty, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.

It also recommended that social protection systems be expanded and risks mitigated for disaster-prone countries, which tend to be the most impoverished.

Source:Theportcitynews.com

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