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Re-Arraignment of Billionaire Kidnapper Evans Postponed Due to Lawyer’s No-Show

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Re-Arraignment of Billionaire Kidnapper Evans Postponed Due to Lawyer’s No-Show

The re-arraignment of convicted kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans, was once again delayed on Thursday at the Lagos State High Court due to the absence of his legal counsel. Justice Adenike Coker, presiding over the case, inquired about the whereabouts of Evans’ lawyer, to which Evans replied that he was uncertain whether his attorney would appear.

Evans, along with his co-defendant Joseph Emeka, faces an amended five-count charge, including accusations of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit felony with kidnapping, and further attempts to kill. Justice Coker, concerned about the absence, then turned to the counsel for the second defendant, Nelson Onyejaka, to shed light on the situation. Onyejaka informed the court that he had attempted to contact Evans’ lawyer several times but was unable to reach him, noting that the attorney was not based in Lagos.

“Your Lordship, I attempted to reach him by phone, but his line was unreachable. Even this morning, I made further attempts, but there was no response,” Onyejaka explained.

Following this, the State Prosecutor, Yusuf Sule, expressed frustration with the repeated delays, stating that the session had been intended for re-arraignment. He requested an adjournment due to the absence of Evans’ counsel but voiced concerns about ongoing delays attributed to the first defendant.

“This delay has been ongoing since the beginning of the case,” Sule remarked. “It is essential that the first defendant either secures a lawyer based in Lagos or appoints another representative to avoid further setbacks.”

Sule also reminded the court that the case has been pending since 2017. He mentioned that Evans had previously applied for a plea bargain but expressed uncertainty over whether he still wished to pursue it.

Justice Coker, after hearing the prosecutor’s statements, instructed the prosecution to ensure the presence of a representative from the Office of the Public Defender (OPD) at the next hearing. She emphasized that should Evans’ counsel fail to appear again, the OPD could step in to represent him to prevent further delays.

“On the next adjournment date, if the defense counsel does not attend, the OPD will represent the first defendant so that the arraignment can proceed,” Justice Coker declared.

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Lagos: Cause of Ijora-Badia explosion revealed

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Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has revealed the real cause of the explosion that rocked the Ijora-Badia area of Lagos on Sunday afternoon, injuring no fewer than 15 people.

According to a statement by the Director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, the explosion occurred around 4:10 p.m. inside a mini shop stocked with 25kg gas cylinders.

The shop, located within a bungalow that housed 15 self-contained rooms and seven other shops, reportedly had five gas cylinders at the time of the incident.

Adeseye attributed the explosion to the mishandling of gas, which caused a leak that was ignited by a nearby flame.

“It was a case of poor handling of gas products, which unfortunately allowed gas to escape and come in contact with a flame. This triggered the explosion,” she confirmed.

The resulting fire, she said, was promptly extinguished by a team of firefighters from the Sari Iganmu Fire Station, with support from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, and LASAMBUS.

While no fatalities were recorded, 15 persons sustained varying degrees of burn injuries.

Adeseye noted that several victims were treated with first aid on-site, while others were taken to nearby hospitals for further medical care.

She also assured residents that the area has since been secured and normalcy restored.

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Take-It-Back protesters scamper for safety as police fire tear gas during protest in Abuja.

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Officers of the Nigeria Police Force dispersed protesters with tear gas in the Maitama area of Abuja.

The protesters, who had gathered on Monday, April 7, scattered in different directions as the tear gas canisters were fired in their midst.

The protest is part of a nationwide demonstration spearheaded by the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society organisations.

Key among the concerns raised by the organisers are the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, the worsening economic hardship in the country, and what they described as a “state of emergency” in Rivers State.

The demonstrators carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe”.

Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore was also present at the protest ground.

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How I caught lots of people’s wives with big men, governors – Ali Baba

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Veteran Nigerian comedian, Ali Baba, has revealed that he has caught numerous wives of his friends and associates engaging in extramarital affairs with governors and wealthy politicians.

He made this revelation during an appearance on the Outside the Box podcast.

Speaking candidly about the unsavoury activities prevalent among the nation’s elite, the comedian recounted a particular encounter in which he saw the wife of an associate at the residence of a state governor.

He said: “I have been in the houses of a lot of big men—like governors and the rest—and I see wives of a lot of people that I know doing things, and I greet, ‘How are you? How is everything?’

“And then those guys would do their philandering, tap her bum and say, ‘Go back inside, I’m not finished with you,’ and she went back inside. Then I ran into her at an event, and her husband said, ‘Oh, how are you? Meet my wife.’ I responded, ‘Oh madam, it’s a pleasure. I haven’t seen you in five years. Where have you been?’ And she’s like, ‘I’ve been around, good to see you.’

“When she sees me somewhere after, she calls me and says, ‘Ali, thanks,’ I say, ‘It’s okay.’”

Ali Baba’s account casts a sharp light on the often unspoken indiscretions that occur behind closed doors in high society.

Credit: Blaze 91.5 FM

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