We don't recognize Biafra passport - US, UK

The clamour for the independent state of Biafra has received another deadly blow as the governments of the United States and the United Kingdom have said they do not recognise the passports being issued by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB.

The National Director of Information, MASSOB, Sunny Okereafor, had said two weeks ago that the passport was valid worldwide, adding that the travel document costs N5,000 while its renewal costs N2,000.

He had said, “I assure you that the Biafran passport is valid. Except Nigeria, other countries of the world accept Biafran passport and allow our citizens to travel with it.

“In Europe, North and South America, Biafran passport is accepted. Nigeria is the only country that seizes Biafran passport. Go to neighbouring Ghana here, they will stamp the passport for you. Don’t be confused by the propaganda of the Nigerian government that there is nothing like Biafra passport.

“MASSOB appeals to Biafran citizens to procure their passport and use it to travel. If you doubt me, get a Nigerian passport while I have my Biafran passport; when we get to Europe, you will see who they will welcome than the other. Many people with the Nigerian passport have been repatriated, but have you heard of anybody with Biafran passport receiving such ill-treatment?”

However, the American consulate in Lagos has denied the claim when contacted by Punch.

Reacting to the claim, the Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the consulate, Frank Sellin, said, “The United States does not consider passports purporting to be from a Biafra entity to be a valid legal document for purposes of visa issuance.”

Julius Agwu and family in beautiful beach photos

Ace comedian Julius Agwu spent some quality time with his wife Ibiereand their daughter Zahra at the beach over the weekend. See photos below.

‘I make over N300,000 monthly from begging’ – Corporate beggar

Kehinde Olatubosun describes himself as a ‘corporate beggar’ after being arrested by the Lagos State Command of the Rapid Response Squad.

Olaubosun, who was rounded up alongside 18 drug users, revealed that he makes a n income of N300,000 monthly from begging in Ikeja axis of Lagos.

Speaking after being arrested, he stated that he makes an average of N10,000 daily from strategic locations in Ikeja- Mobolaji Bank Anthony Roundabout, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Toyin Street and Opebi.

He said: “Every day, I make over N10,000 doing corporate begging. All days of the week, I am always in Mobolaji Bank Anthony Roundabout, Toyin Street Roundabout and Opebi. At times, I collaborate with other beggars. Whatever we make, we share. But I get a larger share.”

“What I do is that I get LASUTH drug prescription papers from their waste bin. With this in my hand, I convince motorists, passengers and passers-by that I have a relative who is in need of money to buy drugs and I show them the prescription papers. This is what I have been doing since I was deported from Germany in 2004. Before the deportation, I was working as Electrical Engineer in Bauhusa, Cologne, Germany. I was in Germany for 12 years before I was deported.”

“I was in possession of drugs when I was arrested in Germany, so they deported me. I have four children. Two are in Germany with my wife. One is in Texas in the United States and another in Nigeria. Unfortunately, all the money I make from this begging goes into drugs.”

“I am always there, seven days a week. I make more money on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. I make more than N10,000 on weekends. As I speak with you, I am not on drugs, but I am experiencing withdrawal symptoms. That is the effect of not taking drugs for some time. I was at Ipodo drug joint, Ikeja, when I was arrested. I was on drugs.”

“I have never been arrested for any offence before. I am praying that RRS releases me. I promise I will not go back to drugs again. Where I live presently was given to me by my in-law.”

Lassa Fever: Don’t drink garri with cold water – NMA Chairman Says

Residents of Port Harcourt have been advised to stop drinking garri soaked in cold water for now, because rats that carry the highly contagious Lassa fever virus also like exposed dry garri.
Dr. Furo Green, the Chairman of Rivers State branch of Nigerian Medical Association, NBA, gave this medical advice, while speaking on the Lassa Fever scourge in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Capital.He said 

“Because you are not sure which garri has been infected by rats, its advisable to stay away. When you want to sip garri, you only pour cold water, add sugar and milk as the case may be.
“When you do that you only succeed in gulping a life virus that can cause Lassa fever. The virus is empowered easily to attack you. Rather, garri should be consumed in the traditional way prepare it well boiled hot water or pour the garri in a pot of boiling hot water and steer it.”

Dr. Green also advised members of the public to store food in closed containers to keep rats at bay. “When you buy foodstuffs like garri, you should pour it into a container that is covered to avoid the garri from being contaminated infected rats”.

Since the outbreak of Lassa fever disease, three people have died in Rivers state, claiming the life of a medical doctor with the state-owned Braithwaite Memorial Specialised Hospital (BMHS), Livy Ijamala, on Wednesday January 13 night.
The medical doctor was said to have contracted the fever from a pregnant woman that conducted an emergency Cesarean Section unknown to him that she was infected.
The death of Ijamala brought to three, the number of persons who have died from the disease in the state, as a nursing mother and her two-week-old baby died earlier from the virus.

PM News

Innocent ‘2Baba’ Idibia speaks on alleged rift with Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi

Few years ago, rumours emerged that Super Eagles star, John Mikel Obi snubbed Nigerian music icon, Innocent ‘2Baba’ Idibia at a London nightclub.

Many believed and went ahead to opine that this incident was what prompted the singer to record the hit track Only Me .

Several years down the line, 2Baba, in a recent interview with Brila FM, quashed the rumours of such an incident ever taking place and insisted that the song was never a diss track nor about Mikel.

“I met John Obi Mikel for the first time at the MOBO awards two years before I released the song ‘Only me’, I won an award on the night, Mikel congratulated me and alongside P Square, D’Banj and Don Jazzy we all went to hang out together,” the one time MTV EMA winner told the sports radio station.

2Baba also revealed that when he heard about the rumours at that time, he put a call through to the midfield maestro and they ended up having a laugh over the rumours.

He said: “At the time I did the song, Mikel had issues with his inability to show up for certain Super Eagles games, then some very good rumour monger picked a line from my song as regards patriotism towards representing the National football team and ran with the story of a rift between us, I spoke with Mikel on the phone and we had a good laugh about it.”