Dear KFBers, we've got loads of interesting stories on our Major Headlines you missed today feature, Enjoy! Eagles Keeper I...
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Dear KFBers, we've got loads of interesting stories on our Major Headlines you missed today feature, Enjoy!
Wolves and Nigeria goalkeeper Carl Ikeme is to begin chemotherapy after being diagnosed with acute leukaemia.
The Championship club say Ikeme, 31, returned "abnormal blood tests" during pre-season testing and further checks confirmed the diagnosis.
Ikeme has been with Wolves for his entire career, making more than 200 appearances for Wanderers.
Thirty-three of those came last season, having previously been in the team that won the League One title in 2013-14. "It would be an understatement to say that everyone at Wolves has been shocked and saddened to hear the news of Carl's diagnosis," said Wolves managing director Laurie Dalrymple.
"That relates to both players and staff as Carl has been at the club for a very long time and remains such an integral personality within the group.
"At the same time, we all know what a fighter and a competitor Carl is, and I have no doubt that he will take all of those attributes into this battle.
"Similarly, its goes without saying that Carl and his family will receive the full love and support that we at Wolves can provide - we are all with him every single step of the way towards a full recovery."
Football clubs, players and team-mates of Ikeme, past and present, have been offering their support to the goalkeeper on social media.
Striker Nouha Dicko: "No words can express how I feel right now. I love you Carl. We are all with you, you are a strong man, a strong wolf. Stay strong bro."
Winger Jordan Graham: "Kemes - you're like a second father to me. The love I have for you I can't even put into words. Stay strong we are ALL with you bro!"
Midfielder Dave Edwards: "On and off the pitch you are a role model to so many Carl Ikeme...we are all by you and your family's side right now and we all love you!"
Millwall midfielder Jed Wallace: "One of the most genuine people you could wish to meet. Role model on and off the pitch. Stay strong big fella."
Norwich winger Matt Jarvis: "Stay strong big man! Wishing you my best!"
Bolton striker Adam Le Fondre: "Absolutely gutted to hear - one of football's top guys! My thoughts are with you and your family!!"
A commercial bus driver, Christopher Chimezie, has been living in pain since he lost the use of his left eye after a soldier reportedly attacked him at Abule Ado bus stop, at the Mile 2 end of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Lagos State.
Punch Metro learnt that the victim had parked to pick passengers at the bus stop when the unidentified soldier repeatedly hit him with a baton in the eye.
He was said to have visited different hospitals in Lagos before he was referred to Ancilla Catholic Hospital, Agege.
After a surgical operation at the hospital, the victim’s condition reportedly became worse, as he started experiencing pains in the eye, which later went blind.
Chimezie, who spoke with Punch correspondent on Thursday, lamented that since the eye was operated on in November 2016, he had been placed on drugs.
The 54-year-old Imo State indigene said he regretted that he did not get the name of the soldier that started his ordeal.
He said, “The problem started on Tuesday, March 22, 2016. I drove to the bus stop to pick some passengers. I was in a hurry to go to church that day and so, I didn’t spend up to one minute at the bus stop.
“As I was driving out, I saw the soldier coming in my direction with a baton in his hand. I was not worried since I knew I didn’t do anything wrong.
“I was caught unawares when he started hitting my eye with the baton. He said, ‘Come down and fight me’. I have never met this man in my life and I didn’t have any issue with anyone on the road. I was also not causing any obstruction.
“My eye went blank and people brought me down to pour water on me as blood gushed out of my left eye. The soldier disappeared after the attack.”
He said some residents took him to a private hospital, from where he was referred to the General Hospital, Badagry.
He noted that afterwards, he was referred to different specialist hospitals, adding that the eye problem became worse.
After reportedly visiting four hospitals, he said he was advised to go to Ancilla Catholic Hospital.
“ I was told at the eye centre of the hospital that my eye lens was damaged and I would need an artificial replacement.
“After the surgery, which was done on November 22, 2016, I could not see again with the eye. I started having itching, headache, tears and some movements in the eye.
“The hospital told me that they discovered that I couldn’t use the artificial lens because of damage in another part of my eye. I have been living on drugs since then. The pain relievers I am taking is affecting my health and I have been warned that it can affect my liver,” he added.
Chimezie, while lamenting that he had spent over N400,000 on the problem, said he had become bankrupt and could barely feed his family.
He said his concern was no longer about seeing with the eye, but stopping the pain, which he said the hospital was nonchalant about.
When Punch correspondent contacted the hospital, a receptionist, who identified herself as Sandra, asked our correspondent to call back.
About 30 minutes after when Punch correspondent called back, another female receptionist, who refused to identify herself, demanded a recount of the complaints.
She subsequently said the hospital would not talk without the presence of the patient.
She said, “Are you related to him? Are you the patient? We cannot discuss anything concerning our patient with anybody. I am not even aware of any case like this; we don’t have any case like this. If you want to find out anything, please come to the hospital with the patient.”
When Punch correspondent advised that the receptionist speak with the medical director or a doctor at the facility before making any conclusion, she refused.
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, 81 Brigade, Sydney Mbaneme, did not pick his call and had yet to respond to a text message on the incident as of the time of going to press.
Gunmen Kidnap 14 Passengers, Demand N14m Ransom
Fourteen passengers travelling from Warri in Delta State to Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, have been kidnapped by gunmen at Rumoji, near Port-Harcourt.
Security sources told Punch correspondent on Thursday that the incident occurred on Monday.
It was gathered that the gun-wielding hoodlums waylaid the bus and dragged all occupants into a nearby bush from where they were whisked away.
Punch Metro gathered that the hoodlums, who had contacted the family of the victims, demanded N1m ransom on each for the passengers.
A source said, “The gunmen have reduced the ransom to N100,000 for each of the passengers.
“The 14-seater bus was travelling to Port Harcourt when the men waylaid it and kidnapped all occupants, including the driver.”
When contacted, the Commissioner of Police in Delta State, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, confirmed the incident.
He however, explained that the kidnap happened at Rumoji in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and not in his domain (Delta State).
“The incident actually happened in Rumoji in Port Harcourt and not in Delta State.
“The passengers were travelling from Delta State to Port Harcourt, in Rivers State. They were kidnapped in Rumoji in Rivers State,” he added.
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Judge Refuses To Return Sule Lamido’s Trial To Justice Ademola
A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Babatunde Quadri, on Friday dismissed an application by a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, requesting that his (the ex-governor’s) trial be returned to the former trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola.
Rejecting Lamido’s request in a ruling, Justice Quadri held that it would better serve the interest of justice and public peace not to return the case to Justice Ademola.
Justice Ademola, his wife, Olubowale , and Lamido’s lead counsel, Mr. Joe Agi(SAN), were jointly prosecuted before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory by the Federal Government but were exonerated of all the 18 counts preferred against them on April 5, 2017.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, had re-assigned the case to Justice Quadri when Justice Ademola was on suspension as a result of the joint trial.
But following the judgment exonerating Justice Ademola, the judge’s wife, and Agi, of the charges preferred against them, the lawyer had requested the Chief Judge to return the case to Justice Ademola.
Agi had anchored his request to the Chief Judge on the grounds that it would be agonising for his Lamido and the other defendants to be subjected to the trial afresh when the prosecution, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had already called 18 witnesses before Justice Ademola’s court.
But the EFCC had opposed the request insisting that with the joint trial which Justice Ademola and Agi underwent, the judge would likely be biased if the case was returned to him (Justice Ademola).
However, the Chief Judge upon considering both Agi’s and EFCC’s counter-requests insisted that the case should remain in Justice Quadri’s court.
Despite the Chief Judge’s directive, Agi filed a motion on April 26, 2017, seeking Justice Quadri’s order directing the return of the case to Justice Ademola.
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