News
Teacher Kills Lover, Secretly Buries Him In Garden
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A court in the United Kingdom has sentenced a primary school teacher who stabbed her partner to death and buried his body in their garden, to 20 years in jail.
The BBC reports that Judge Mark Lucraft imposed a mandatory life sentence and ordered that the convict, 50-year-old, Fiona Beal, must serve the jail term before she is considered for parole.
Mr Lucraft handed out the sentence at the Old Bailey, on Thursday, after the convict had back in April, pleaded guilty to killing her partner of 17 years, Nicholas Billingham, for allegedly having an affair with another woman.
The court heard that the remains of the 42-year-old were recovered in March 2022, in Northampton, but he was last seen alive on 1 November 2021. His body was said to have been buried in makeshift layers of sheeting and concrete.
The judge in his ruling, told the defendant that, “Having moved and buried the body in the garden, you then lied to his mother, numerous friends, all his family and yours as to what you had done and where he was. There was lie after lie.”
The deceased’s mother, Yvonne Valentine, in a victim impact statement read out in court, described the defendant as “pure evil”, while also narrating how she had a Christmas drink together on December 23 2021, not knowing she was just feet from her son’s corpse.
The court also heard that Mr Billingham had renovated a house the day he died, before he returned to the home he and Ms Beal shared in Northampton.
Prosecutor Hugh Davies KC told the judge that Mr Billingham’s death was a “carefully planned domestic execution”, as Ms Beal had stabbed the victim in the neck and disposed of his body.
Speaking to the BBC outside the court, the cousin of the deceased, James Smith, said, “Nothing can ever bring him back and no sentence would ever feel enough.”
Also, a Deputy Chief Crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) at East Midlands, Andrew Baxter, after the hearing said the convict, “exploited a narrative that she was the victim of abuse at the hands of her long-term partner, but rather than leave the relationship, she killed him in a planned, cold-blooded execution when he thought he was safe with his partner.”
News
Security operatives destroy Bello Turji’s food storage facility
A school building in Fakai village, reportedly used as a food storage facility by the notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, has been destroyed.
The facility, which had been stocked with large quantities of food supplies, was completely razed, leaving the structure in ruins.
According to local sources, the school was repurposed by the bandits to support their operations in the region.
It served as a key logistical hub for storing essential supplies, ensuring the group’s ability to sustain its activities over time.
The destruction of the stockpile is seen as a major setback for Bello Turji’s network. By eliminating a critical resource hub, the operation is expected to disrupt the group’s supply chain and hinder their ability to operate effectively in the area.
Counter-terrorism expert Zagazola Makama reported that the incident underscores ongoing efforts to counter the influence and operations of bandit groups in the region.
Residents of Fakai village and surrounding areas hope this effort signals further strides toward restoring peace and security.
News
Trump launches his own meme coin, value soars
President-elect Donald Trump launched his own cryptocurrency on Friday, sparking a feverish buying that apparently sent its market capitalization soaring to several billion dollars.
In a message posted on his Truth Social platform and X, Trump unveiled the so-called meme coin, which is designed to capitalize on the popularity of a certain personality, movement or viral internet trend.
“My NEW Official Trump Meme is HERE! It’s time to celebrate everything we stand for: WINNING!” he wrote.
Meme coins have no economic or transactional value and are often seen as a means of speculative trading.
“This Trump Meme celebrates a leader who doesn’t back down, no matter the odds,” the coin’s official site says.
In the hours following the overnight launch, the crypto community posed questions about the legitimacy of the $TRUMP coin, and its actual link to the president-elect, with some fearing a scam.
But the fact that the announcements came on Trump’s official social media channels seemed to reassure the market, as did the fact that Trump has used one of the companies behind the project, CIC Digital LLC, in the past to sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
By mid-morning on Saturday, the market capitalization for $TRUMP stood at nearly $6 billion, according to CoinMarketCap.com.
Neither Trump nor the company managing the launch, Fight Fight Fight LLC, offered details about how much he made from the initial batch of meme coins released.
The coin’s official site said 200 million meme coins were issued, with Fight Fight Fight saying an additional 800 million would be added over the next three years.
Formerly a cryptocurrency skeptic, the president-elect is now a convert and has become a champion of the concept.
Before this new announcement, Trump and his sons Donald Jr. and Eric started their own crypto venture – World Liberty Financial – and other members of the incoming administration have previously disclosed investments in and backing for cryptocurrencies.
Last summer, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference in Nashville, where he pledged to make America “the crypto capital of the planet” once back in the White House.
The meme coin is Trump’s latest merchandise push, which recently included a line of perfumes, colognes, watches and “President Donald J. Trump First Edition” silver coins selling for $100 each celebrating his election win.
He famously used a photo of him sitting next to first lady Dr. Jill Biden at the re-opening of Notre Dame Cathedral to promote the cologne line.
News
IGP approves massive distribution of kits, uniforms to police officers nationwide
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has again approved the distribution of new kits and uniforms to NPF personnel in the rank-and-file cadre, reaffirming his commitment to improving officers’ welfare and boosting their morale.
This initiative underscores his vision of enhancing improved working conditions and professionalism within the force.
Spokesman of the police, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, who made the disclosure, noted that the IGP expressed optimism that, with the approval of the 2025 budget, more welfare-focused projects will be implemented to further support officers in carrying out their duties effectively.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains dedicated to maintaining a well-equipped and motivated workforce for the safety and security of all Nigerians,” he said.
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