140 Cultist Arrested During Initiation Of New Members In Delta State

At least 140 youths, including 40 young women have been arrested by the Police in the Ughelli ‘A’ Division, Delta State for their alleged involvement in cult activities.

It was learnt that the cultists, suspected to be members of a popular cult group (name withheld) were arrested during an End of Year /Initiation Party at a popular hotel in the Ughelli metropolis.

Sources said, the Police, acting on a tip-off by an undercover, stormed the hotel and effected the arrest, while several others fled the area on sighting the armed police officers.

A source who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the members of the cult group went for the initiation party in company of their girlfriends many of whom were alleged to belong to a female cult group called “Black b*a”.

Confirming the arrest, the Area Commander in charge of the Ughelli Area Command, ACP Aworisola Awotunde said, he ordered officers of the Command to invade the venue of the gathering, following a tip off.

On the allegation that some members of a security outfit (name withheld) were among the 140 arrested persons who were later released on self-recognition, Awotunde said, he was not aware of such allegation.

Meanwhile, a young man in his early twenties, was Wednesday night allegedly shot dead by men of Ighovoja street vigilance team in the Ughelli metropolis. The deceased who was identified as Akpos Atile, a native of Ihwremaro-Ughelli community, was reportedly lured out of his house at about 9 pm with a telephone call.

The deceased, a bricklayer, according to a dependable source, was dragged to a nearby street, where his corpse was found the following morning.

Source: Vanguard

5 drown at Lagos Bar Beach

No fewer than five persons have drowned at the Lagos Bar Beach, Lagos, Western Nigeria, in the last 12 days, says the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA. One of them was an adult, who was reportedly washed away from the ocean Saturday evening, while in company of his friend, NEMA spokesman, Ibrahim Farinloye told P.M.NEWS. Four picnickers were also washed away by the ocean on New Year’s day. The identity of the man who drowned yesterday could not be ascertained, but Farinloye said the man was in company of other members of the Salallahu Ala Monla Nabiya group, a Muslim group that could have come on spiritual cleansing at the beach. The incident occurred around 4:45pm. According to him, “an adult man in company of friends this evening (Sunday) was washed away in the sea by the Bar Beach. The man and his friends stayed far from the usual area where fun-seekers converged until one of them raised the alarm of the drowning of the man.” Efforts to save the drowning man was said to have proved abortive as he was swept away by the raging ocean surge. “Immediately, the beach rescuers made frantic efforts at saving the man but they could not rescue him. This incident has brought the number of those drowned at the Bar Beach to five in 12 days. Four people were drowned on the first of January and efforts to rescue them proved abortive till two days later when their remains were recovered,” Farinloye lamented. The NEMA spokesman said it had become pertinent for the Lagos State Government to advise people along the coastlines that the effects of climate change are fully here, hence, the need to be safety conscious as people embarked on their various activities in the area. According to the South West Zonal Command, NEMA, Alhaji Iyiola Akambe, there is need for safety consciousness as ocean tide is currently being experienced, the effect of which the Bar Beach is facing. “When ice formations in the Polar regions of Canada, the USA and Europe melt and flow into the Atlantic Ocean, the effect is increase in the volume of water which leads to extensive ocean tide beyond the limit of the sea shore, thereby increasing the Continental shelf These are part of the cumulative effects of global warming,” he explained. Source: PMNEWS

Tonto & Yul Edochie Are 2013 Sexiest Nollywood Stars

We can now heave a sigh of relief after months of dire expectation, guessing game and wild permutation. The Sexiest woman, according to the votes that came him from the readers through sms and cut-off coupons from Vanguard newspaper is Tonto Dikeh, while Yul Edochie emerged the Sexiest man in the men’s category. Tonto beat Ebube Nwagbo and Colette Orji who came second and third respectively. Follwing the first three women are Cynthia Agholor on 4th and Stephanie Okereke on 5th. In the Men’s category, Yul Edochie overcame challenges from Benson Okonkwo and Uti Nwachukwu who came second and third respectively. Odunlade Adekola and Ali Nuhu completed the picture at fourth and fifth places respectively. How it began The quest, as we like to call it, began with 25 men and women who were nominated by our readers. Actors that got the most votes over a period of one month qualified to run in the quest. The 2013 edition of Sexiest in Nollywood paraded 25 actors: Yul Edochie, Ali Nuhu, Alex Ekubo, Benson Okonkwo, Chigozie Atuanya, Ramsey Nouah, Emeka Enyiocha, Frank Artus, Kenneth Okolie, Gbenro Ajibade, Kalu Ikeagwu, John Dumelo, Pat Attah, Joseph Benjamin, Sunkanmi Omobolanle, Van Vicker, O.C. Ukeje, Mike Ezuruonye, Majid Michel, Odunlade Adekola, Bobby Obodo, Gideon Okeke, Uti Nwachukwu, Michael Okon and Pope Odowondo Junior. The list of actresses include: Uche Jombo, Anita Joseph, Ebube Nwagbo, Biodun Okeowo, Colette Orji, Stephanie Okereke, Jackie Appiah, Tonto Dikeh, Queen Nwokoye, Queeneth Hilbert, Ejiro Okurame, Angela Okorie, Nadia Buari, Yvonne Nelson, Rita Dominic, Damilola Adegbite, Tope Osoba, Cynthia Agholor, Yvonne Okoro, Chita Agwu, Maureen Cyril, Nuella Njubigbo, Amanda Ebeye, Chika Agatha and Uche Iwuji. After the first two months of running profiles on each of the contestant, the countdown began with the five five people exiting the quest. The figure moved from 25 to 20 then to 15. The last fifteen people enjoyed a long stay in the quest after which the countdown began again with a contestant exiting the game every until the final five emerged. The final five was made of Tonto Dikeh, Stephanie Okereke, Cynthia Agholor, Colette Orji, and Ebube Nwagbo for the Sexiest woman category. Yul Edochie, Uti Nwachukwu, Odunlade Adekola, Benson Okonkwo and Ali Nuhu made the final five for the Sexiest man category. Past winners The Sexiest in Nollywood public opinion poll started in 2008 and the maiden edition winners were Genevieve Nnaji and Jim Iyke. Genevieve won the crown as the Sexiest woman in Nollywood 2008 followed by Ini Edo in second place and Mercy Johnson in third. For the men, Emeka Ike and Desmond Elliot trailed Jim Iyke as the first runner-up and second runner-up. Following the success of the first edition demands were high for us to do it gain and we did. The winners in 2009 were Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Desmond Elliot. Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde beat Genevieve Nnaji and Chika Ike to be crowned the Sexiest woman in Nollywood 2009 while Desmond Elliot floored Chidi Mokeme and Richard Mofe-Damijo to emerge the Sexiest man in Nollywood 2009.