Justus Esiri: Cause Of Death..

According to reports, the now late Justus Esiri has been secretly battling diabetes for a while but his family chose to make it a secret until his sudden demise Monday night at the age of 71.

Nollywood Actor Justus Esiri Reported Dead!

Veteran Nollywood actor and father of popular Maven artist, Dr.SID, Justus Esiri is dead.

According to sources, the award winning actor who also star and played a leading role in the popular Village Headmaster of the 80′s died last night.

Cause of his of his death is not yet clear as speculation of illness but promise to update details as development unfold.

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French children kidnapped 'by Boko Haram' in Cameroon

Seven French citizens, including four children, were kidnapped in Cameroon on Tuesday, amid a surge of attacks on French interests across West Africa since Paris ordered its country's troops into Mali to battle Islamists there.

Francois Hollande, the French president, pointed the finger at al-Qaeda allied fundamentalist group Boko Haram, based in neighbouring Nigeria, blaming them for the kidnapping Tuesday.

The seven hostages were taken from Cameroon's far north close to the Waza National Park and Lake Chad, both attractions for tourists on adventure holidays. The semi-arid area lies alongside the border with Nigeria, and Islamist strongholds in towns there, including Maiduguri, are less than 100 miles to the west.

It is nonetheless believed to be the first time that Nigeria's growing problem with Islamic fundamentalism, and kidnapping, has been exported into its generally stable neighbour.

"They have been taken by a terrorist group that we know and that is in Nigeria," Mr Hollande told reporters during a visit to Greece.

 
^{Francois Hollande pointed the finger at fundamentalist group Boko Haram (AFP)}

He added: "I see the hand of Boko Haram in that part of Cameroon."

Issa Tchiroma Bakary, Cameroon's information minister, said his government and security services were investigating the reports but would not immediately confirm details.

One of the adults is employed by GDF Suez. The French utility giant said the employee, based in the Cameroon capital Yaounde, and the family were on holiday in the north of the country.

A Western diplomat in the region told AFP that six armed kidnappers on three motorbikes abducted a couple, their four children and an uncle in the northern village of Dabanga near the Nigerian border.

The children are aged five, eight, 10 and 12, the diplomat said.

Mr Hollande said that his intelligence services said they suspected the group was being taken towards northern Nigeria, or had already been smuggled across the border.

A French engineer was kidnapped close to Katsina, a Nigerian town further west, in December. Eight other French nationals, mostly employees with its uranium miner Areva, have been held hostage in the region since 2010.

Seven other Westerners, including a British construction specialist, were kidnapped on Sunday from another northern Nigerian town.

The French president is facing increasing domestic pressure to justify ordering the operation in Mali, where 4,000 French troops helped stall an Islamist surge south towards the capital last month.

"France is in Mali, and it will continue until its mission is completed," Mr Hollande said. telegraph.co.uk

Explosion under the FESTAC Link Bridge .......Sand dredger killed, policeman injured

 

A victim who sustained a serious injury in the explosion
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A sand dredger, Oladele Pius, was killed on Monday after an explosion under the FESTAC Link Bridge in Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos State.

A police inspector, Akin Sunday, also sustained a serious injury in the explosion that caused panic in the area.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Pius, who was the branch Chairman of Sand Dredgers in the area, was torn apart.

According to eyewitnesses, rescue workers found it difficult to carry Pius’ remains and had to use shovels to pack them in different body bags.

They (eyewitness) said the inspector’s legs were shattered, while his eyes and hands were affected by the explosion.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the explosion which occurred at about 12pm, caused panic because many of the residents and passersby had speculated that the explosion might have been as a result of terrorists’ activities. They reportedly fled the area.

An eyewitness, who claimed to be the deceased’s colleague, said he (deceased) resumed work in the morning under the bridge, and having parked his vehicle, made for his duty post.

The eyewitness said some moments later, the deceased received a telephone call following which he drove out.

He said the deceased returned accompanied by a policeman and then called one of his workers to buy a local gin which he shared with the policeman

He said the policeman was leaving the area when the explosion occurred, killing Oladele on the spot and seriously injuring the policeman who had moved a few steps away before the device, connected with dry cell batteries and wires, detonated.

Dogo, one of the deceased’s workers, described him as a kind-hearted man, adding that he was survived by five children and two wives.

The policeman was however rushed to a nearby hospital

It could not be ascertained who planted the explosive, but the police denied that it was a bomb.

Commissioner of Police for the state Police Command, Umar Manko, said full investigation had commenced to unravel the cause of the explosion.

Manko however said preliminary investigation revealed that the explosion was caused by an electrical fault.

While briefing journalists at the state command headquarters on Monday, Manko urged residents not to panic but continue with their lawful businesses, assuring them that the police were committed to safety of lives and property in the state.

He said, “Contrary to people’s fear that it was a bomb blast, it was a mere electrical fault at the Amuwo Odofin Bridge. Anti-bomb experts have been called in to assess the situation and I will be adequately briefed later.

“From the investigation so far, it has been revealed that it was neither a terrorist attack nor an act of Boko Haram. It was also not a bomb blast.

“It is not a question of letter bomb. This is not an incident that will attract fear. The state is not under any attack from anywhere.”

The scene of the explosion had, however, been cordoned off by the Bomb Disposal Unit of the Nigeria Police and officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.

 

PUNCH

PHOTOS: Kim Kardashian Scoops $500,000 After 45-minute Appearance In Nigeria

caption: Kim Kardashian arriving Lagos

caption: Kim Kardashian gave a 45-seconds speech

caption: Kim Kardashian on the red carpet

caption: 2Face, Kaffy, Zaina, Kim Kardashian, Darey, Tiwa Savage, Waje and Mo Eazy

caption: Kim on the red carpet

In the pursuit of riches, Kim Kardashian will travel the world.

And following her controversial trips to the Middle East and the Ivory Coast, the reality star headed to Nigeria on Sunday.

Despite staying less than a day in the city of Lagos the pregnant star was paid a reported $500,000 for her fleeting visit, angering some commentators in the African country.

Kim’s visit to Nigeria unfortunately coincided with the kidnapping of seven foreigners, including one Briton, by armed men in the north of the country. An Islamist group later claimed responsibility.

The mother-to-be was billed to ‘co-host’ the Love Like A Movie event with African R’n'B crooner Darey Art-Alade, for which tickets cost N100,000, or $640.

But according to local reports Kim stayed at the event for 45 minutes, making a 45-second statement on the microphone.

Independent Nigerian TV station Channels Television reported: ‘There were disappointments after Kim Kardashian came on stage for only 40 seconds.’

The channel posted pictures of the smiling star wearing a black leather dress, posing alongside the performers including 2Face, Waje, Banky W, Ice Prince, Mo’Eazy and Zaina.

Guardian blogger Jeremy Weate described how Kim’s visit was an example of the country’s economic elite ‘blowing its money on bling puffery while most of the country suffers’.

He wrote: ‘Ms Kardashian appeared, said, “Hey Naija” and vamoosed. The rumour was that she’d been paid 500,000 Benjamins for the honour of mixing with the petro-class.’
Commentators in the country made reference to Kim’s infamous sex tape as they queried why a woman of dubious ‘moral rating’ should be in the country at all.

This Day newspaper’s Eddy Odivwri wrote: ‘Many families are not exactly comfortable with her lifestyle, as she hardly cuts the image of a role model to a generation in need of a moral dress up.’

But Odivwri did welcome her visit as a sign that the country was an attractive destination to celebrities.

‘Despite what is considered as Nigeria’s many drawbacks, the nation remains yet a destination point to several international personages… the latest to visit… is Kim Kardashian, the world’s most famous American reality show celebrity.’

Kim was criticised for her brief marriage to Kris Humphries, with Charles Mgbolu for AllAfrica writing: ‘It is uncertain how much Kim is loved in Nigeria as she fell sour to a lot of her fans after her divorce with former hubby Kris Humphries in a marriage that lasted barely 72 days.’

And it wasn’t just in Nigeria that eyebrows were raised, with Ghana based site GhanaCelebrities.com writing: ‘My questions is; what is wrong with us Africans?

‘When did Kim Kardashian become so good at hosting that she has to be paid thousands of dollars and be brought to Nigeria to handle a concert?’
Kim seemed oblivious to the controversy, however, as she left on an Air France flight.

Looking tired she was later pictured arriving in Los Angeles, her bump hidden beneath a simple white shirt which she teamed with black trousers.
But she did manage a smile for the cameras, perhaps glad to be home.

The 32-year-old tweeted: ‘Just landed back home! 20 hrs of flying. No big deal.’
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