News
Generator Fumes Kill Seven Varsity Students In Bayelsa
No fewer than seven individuals, reportedly university undergraduates, have lost their lives after inhaling fumes from a generator inside a music studio on Transformer Road, Ebis, in the Amarata area of Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa state.
The victims, whose identities are yet to be confirmed, were working in the recording studio, which is owned by one of them identified as Akpos Barakubo, when the incident occurred on Tuesday morning.
It is reported that most of the victims were youths, with some of them already married.
Residents of Ebis indicated that the studio crew worked late into the night using their generators due to inadequate power supply in the state.
It was gathered that the victims fell asleep with the generator running inside the studio and forgot to switch it off before dozing off.
The report stated that six bodies were discovered on Tuesday morning, while one individual, found unconscious and rushed to the hospital, later passed away.
It was also revealed that most of the deceased were undergraduates from the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) in Amassoma, who were involved in the recording business to support their education.
At the time of the report, security operatives had cordoned off the area.
The victims’ bodies were said to have been evacuated and taken to a morgue in Yenagoa by police officials.
A resident of the area, Damion Asamonye, blamed the state and federal governments as well as the Port Harcourt Distribution Company (PHED) for the deaths of the seven individuals.
He lamented that if there had been an adequate power supply, they would not have needed to use a generator throughout the night, which led to their fatal inhalation of carbon monoxide.
Asamonye criticized the unreliable power situation in the state, noting that the distribution company only provides electricity when it is time to collect bills and then disconnects the power shortly after customers have paid for the month.
Asamonye said: “Both the federal and state governments have failed us; if there was a public power supply, maybe these people wouldn’t have lost their lives in this callous manner. It is sad and painful. Seven promising men just died like that because they were trying to eke out a living for themselves.
“Seven able-bodied young men just died in such a manner because of the failure of government. The most annoying thing is that tomorrow, the PHED personnel will come with their ladders to disconnect lights that they are not supplying. How can people be spending their humongous money on paying for darkness and fueling generators despite the current hardship in Nigeria, even after paying for light bills?
Another resident, Mrs Joy Reuben, whose neighbours woke up in the wee hours of Tuesday to witness the tragic incident, called on the government to ensure that there is the adequate power supply in the state so that citizens would not be allowed to die in such unthinkable circumstances again.
When contacted, the spokesman for the state police command, ASP Musa Mohammed, said he heard about the incident but was yet to get briefs from the Divisional Police Officer (PRO) in charge of the area.
He, however, promised to keep the press updated as soon as he got the details of the incident.
News
Court Remands P-Square’s Brother, Ex-Manager Jude Okoye IOver Alleged N1.3B, $1M, £34,000 Fraud
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has taken Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of the defunct music duo P-Square, to court over alleged money laundering involving ₦1.38 billion, $1 million, and £34,537.59.
Jude Okoye, along with his company Northside Music Ltd, was arraigned before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, facing a seven-count charge related to financial crimes.
One of the charges states: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd, sometime in 2022 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth ₦850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) only, which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful acts, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another charge alleges that Jude Okoye and his company used a Bureau de Change operator to convert $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and sixty-two dollars, eighty-seven cents) domiciled in Access Bank Plc into naira and remitted the funds into various accounts with the intent to conceal the source of the money, in violation of the Money Laundering Act.
Jude Okoye pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
Following his plea, EFCC counsel Larry Peters Aso applied for a trial date and requested that the defendant be remanded in a correctional facility pending trial.
However, defence counsel Inibehe Effiong informed the court of a pending bail application and urged the court to keep Okoye in EFCC custody until the application is heard.
The prosecution opposed the request, citing congestion in EFCC facilities and urging the court to remand him to a correctional centre instead.
Justice Owoeye subsequently adjourned the case to February 28 for a bail hearing and fixed April 14 for trial commencement.
The judge also ordered that Jude Okoye be remanded at the Ikoyi correctional facility pending the determination of his bail application.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Prince Funso Ayeni, an Ikole born philanthropist and politician has donated the sum of N1,000,000 for the support of one Esther Fisayo Aluko Medical needs.
Fisayo Aluko, an Indigene of Ikole LGA part of Ekiti State is currently in need of fund running to millions of Naira to carry out a kidney transplant.
Prince Funso Ayeni made his support known via a Whatsapp platform created for the Indigenes of the LG.
“Good afternoon great citizens,
I am Prince Funso Ayeni (PhD)
I am deeply touched by the condition of Esther Fisayo Aluko, a young lady from Ikole Ekiti, battling kidney issue.
On behalf of myself, my family, and the entire Funso Ayeni Foundation (FAF), I have donated ₦1,000,000 (one million naira) towards her medical treatment ( receipt attached).
“I also appeal to our brothers and sisters from Ikole Local Government, both in and out of government, to rally their contacts and resources to support this urgent cause.
“Together, we can give Esther a chance to live a healthy life again.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The naira is exchanging for ₦1,498 to 1 US Dollar at the parallel market (black market) in Nigeria.
This means that for every one dollar, you can get the equivalent in naira of ₦1,498 on February 26, 2025.
The black market rate signifies the value at which individuals can trade their dollars for naira outside the official or regulated exchange channels.
Note that the Black Market Exchange rate is typically higher than the official exchange rate because it is not regulated by the government
Today’s February 26 exchange shows that the naira has improved against the dollar, as it strengthened compared to what it traded on Tuesday, February 25, when the naira exchanged ₦1,499.
The value of any nation’s currency is determined by aggregate supply and demand.
The forces of supply and demand are themselves influenced by a number of factors, including interest rates, inflation, capital flow, and money supply.
The most common method to value currency is through exchange rates. The two main exchange rate systems are fixed rate and floating rate systems.
Investors and participants closely monitor these parallel market rates for a more immediate reflection of currency dynamics
Court Remands P-Square’s Brother, Ex-Manager Jude Okoye IOver Alleged N1.3B, $1M, £34,000 Fraud
Funso Ayeni donates N1m, appeals to citizens to support Fisayo Aluko medical needs
Naira again falls against Dollar – February 26
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