How Peter Obe Died- Son

“My father was diligent, proficient and loved challenges in the course of his fulfilling career,” Femi, one of the sons of the late ace photojournalist said.
Femi recalled some of the challenges which defined his father’s career. “I remembered when the Cocoa House in Ibadan was burning, we got the information around 10 p.m and he went to Ibadan that very night and got back around 2 a.m.  And the pictures were splashed on the front pages of the paper early that morning.”
Former Editor, Sunday Times, Tunde Awobiyi described the deceased as one of the  best the country ever produced, stating that “Nigeria has lost the best it ever produced in photography; Peter Obe was in a class of his own.”
Also, the former Group Editor, Daily Times, Lawal Ogienagbon, said the late Obe was not a colleague, but his friend.
He said Obe was committed to his job and was friendly.
“He was extremely friendly and generous. There was no time he came to the newsroom without bringing anything for the people there, whether kolanuts or bitter kola.”
The deceased, who hailed from Igbaraoke, Southern senatorial district of Ondo State, died at 81 at his 31, Moronu Streeet, Surulere, Lagos home.
He was said to have been nursing a sore throat a couple of weeks before his death.
He responded to medical treatment and his condition had improved, and then his condition suddenly relapsed.

Medical Doctor Shot Dead By Gunmen

Dr. Musa Muhammed, Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Federal Medical Centre, Azare in Bauchi State, northern Nigeria, was on Saturday murdered by gunmen.
The Public Relations Officer of the Bauchi State Command, ASP. Hassan Mohammed, confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Bauchi.
He said that the deceased was shot and killed, along with Alhaji Muhammadu Manu, the District Head of Yame Community in the Dambam Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
“Mohammed along with Alhaji Manu was shot dead in Yame town at around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday.
The spokesman who said that no arrest had been made, said that the police had commenced investigation into the matter.
NAN learnt that the late medical practitioner was ambushed on the Azare-Dambam road by the suspected assailants, who took him to Yame town before killing him and the district head.
Until his appointment as the CMD of the centre, Mohammed was Chairman of the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency.

Fake CNN Reporter Nabbed In Bayelsa

Paul Yempe, who passed himself off as a journalist working for the US-based Cable News Network (CNN), succeeded in swindling key officials of the Bayelsa State government, Sahara Reporters has discovered. Our sources in the state and within law enforcement disclosed that the fraudster obtained various sums of money running into millions of naira from state officials who were desperate to receive favorable coverage about the state beset by rising insecurity and incessant kidnappings.

Investigations by Sahara Reporters revealed that Allison Okuro, the secretary to the Bayelsa government, as well as Martins Fefegha, the state's commissioner of Information, were among the victims who lost money in the fraudulent deal that was recently exposed.

A source said the fake reporter had moved round several government ministries, departments and agencies collecting bribes before his luck ran out.

Our reporter learned that Mr. Okuro, a professor, had offered hotel accommodation to the imposter and had written a memo seeking the release of funds for a phony documentary promised by the fake reporter in addition to advance cash payments to Mr. Yempe.

Contacted to react on his involvement, the Commissioner for Information declined to state the amount of money he had advanced to the fake journalist. He however admitted that there were plans to lodge money into the reporter’s account before the deceptive deal came to limelight.

Teenager Murdered In His Father's Home

A Nigerian teenager, Oluwaseyi Adelegan, 14, has been murdered by unidentified assailants at his father’s house in Akure.
The deceased is the son of Chief Solomon Adelegan, the National President, Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ondo State, Mr Wole Ogodo, confirmed the incident to NAN.
“It is obvious the young boy was killed while trying to move out of his bedroom to the sitting room before he eventually gave up,’’ Ogodo said.
Ogodo, who said that no arrest had been made, said that the case had been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

UTME Candidates To Offer French In 2014

Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’I, said on Thursday in Abuja that French language would be part of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination as from 2014 for interested candidates, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Rufa’I said this at  a reception held in honour of the French Language Project Manager, Mr. Jean-Phillipe Roy.

She said that being multi-lingual in the 21st Century was essential as it helps individuals to operate more effectively in the international community.

“For Nigeria, the study of French language is quite key, considering the fact that our neighbouring countries are French-speaking. Apart from the English language, French language is one of the major international languages,” she said.

Custom Officer Killed In Seme, Badagry

There was mayhem at the Seme border area of Lagos State on Thursday after a 35-year-old man, Saturday Joel, was shot by officials of the Nigerian Customs Service.

Eyewitnesses said Joel was hit by a stray bullet while some customs officers were trying to apprehend a motorist who was smuggling a red Volkswagen bus from Benin Republic into Nigeria.

It was learnt that after the shooting, some residents took to the streets in protest. The residents were said to have alleged that customs officials had killed at least three motorists this month under the pretext that they were smugglers.

It was learnt that in the ensuing pandemonium, the customs officials stationed in the area fled. However, a Superintendent of Customs, identified as J. I Motojelu, was said to have been driving by at the time.

It was learnt that in retaliation, the angry mob, led by a community leader, dragged the officer out of his Toyota Corolla car marked ABJ 663 DW, and killed him.

It was learnt that the irate mob, also set the deceased officer’s vehicle ablaze and set up bonfires at the centre of the road.

The culprits were said to have used the opportunity to steal some items that had previously been seized by customs.

A police source said, “Motojelu, who knew nothing about the incident was beaten to death. The mob opened a customs patrol van stationed nearby and took a G3 rifle with 30 rounds of ammunition kept inside it. They then set the vehicle ablaze.”

Sources told our correspondent that some customs officials and policemen later returned to the scene and fired shots to disperse the mob.

Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Razaq Fadipe, said his men attempted to put out the fire but they had to retreat because of the sporadic gunshots in the area.

NLC & PENGASSAN Intervenes In The ASUU-FG Face Off

The Nigeria Labour Congress on Thursday said that it would intervene in the face-off between the striking Academic Staff Unions of Universities and the Federal Government.

The NLC’s move was coming amidst appeals and condemnation by other similar bodies, including the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and religious leaders, to the Federal Government and ASUU. While some Lagos clerics urged the government to end the strike, PENGASSAN condemned the Federal Government for not honouring an agreement it had earlier signed with ASUU.

But the President of the NLC, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar, who spoke shortly after a meeting of the National Executive Committee of the NLC in Abuja on Thursday, said the congress would persuade the striking university lecturers to resume talks with the government, with a view to resolving the lingering issue.