Big Bammy's Blog: 2016-01-03

Saturday, January 9, 2016

#BBB NEWS| Dasukigate: Probe Panel Summons 241 Firms Over Arms Scandal – FULL LIST HERE

The office of the National Security Adviser has invited 241 companies and organisations in relation with receipt of payments from the agency during the tenure of Sambo Dasuki, a retired colonel.

Mr. Dasuki is currently being prosecuted for allegedly distributing over $2.1billion meant for arms procurement to relatives, friends, political associates and campaign officials of the Peoples Democratic Party.

A public notice released on Friday directed the firms to appear before a panel probing payments to individuals, companies and foundations.

The companies are to appear between January 12 and 26 with their certificates of incorporation, particulars of directors, tax clearance certificates for their companies and directors from 2011 till date, letter of award of contracts, evidence of payments so far/outstanding balance, certified bank statements, and other documents considered relevant to the contracts.

We’re the only advanced nation on earth that sees this kind of mass violence with this frequency,” President Barack Obama echoes a line from Tuesday’s tearful address on gun control (Jan. 8).

Days after announcing his executive action against violence, he calls upon his roles as a father and citizen instead, in his letter penned to the New York Times—admitting the necessary amount of gun reform “won’t happen during my presidency.”

The key is to change ties into the consumer-manufacturer relationship within the gun industry, says Obama. To him, the consumer is any American citizen and democracy is a result of citizens’ organization and mobilization around national issues. Just as Americans lobby for tougher safety restrictions on products such as food and cars, arms should receive the same treatment.

He writes, “If a child can’t open a bottle of aspirin, we should also make sure she can’t pull the trigger of a gun.” Even-more-so, Obama points out how important voting will be in bringing about such a reform. Come November, Americans have the duty to elect the nation’s next leaders, taking into account whose policies come nearest to ending gun violence. Stepping down from his two-term presidency, Obama refuses to support any candidate unwilling to reform the crisis and plans to cast his vote alongside other citizens. He hopes gun owners too will show up to the polls to advocate against the mass violence.

The Mentor behind boxer Tyson Fury’s remarkable rise to the world championship was once one of Britain’s most feared crime lords.

Peter Fury is the heavyweight champ’s uncle and has been hailed as the “guardian angel” who tamed the 6ft 9ins star’s fiery personality.

They are such a tight unit that Tyson, 27, would give up his world titles if his uncle ever abandoned his corner.

Big-hitting Tyson says: “If I wasn’t with Peter, I wouldn’t be in boxing. I wouldn’t train with anyone else.”

But a Sunday People investigation reveals how the 47-year-old trainer once built an extensive illegal empire at the heart of the gangland drugs scene in the North West of England.

Lamar Odom is steadily taking steps to a full recovery, and with this news, he’s well on his way to regaining full strength.

According to ET, the famed pro-athlete was discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Calif., the hospital that he was stationed at for a bit of time following his unconscious state from a reported overdose in Nevada last October.

The 36-year-old is reportedly continuing the recovery process at a rehab facility in L.A. His aunt, JaNean Mercer issued a statement on the development, thanking people for their prayers and gratitude. “Lamar continues to make remarkable strides and we are asking that you continue to respect our privacy,” she said. “Again we thank you all greatly, your support has been paramount in helping to uplift us during these past few difficult months.”

Late 2015, reports stated that Odom’s speech was slurred and he needed a walker for assistance. But now, he’s making positive progress, which was highlighted during the holiday season. His son, Lamar Jr., posted an image with the caption “Christmas with my pops. Here’s to 2016. Blessed.”

The controversy surrounding Bill Cosby’s rape allegations has led to a plethora of companies and organizations severing ties with comedian.

As he now faces up to ten years in jail for charges of aggravated indecent assault, one politician is looking to discontinue Cosby’s relationship with yet another establishment: The White House.

According to TIME, Arizona Republican Congressman Paul Gosar has introduced a bill that will allow President Obama to revoke Cosby’s Presidential Medal of Freedom.

When probed about rescinding Cosby’s honor back in July, President Obama said that there was “no precedent for revoking a medal” under law. Now that Gosar is looking to implement legislation, White House press secretary Josh Earnest told ABC News that Obama will have to “take a look” at the possibility.

“It’s something that Congress will have to consider,” Earnest said. “We’ll take a look at the proposal if Congress takes a vote on it and we’ll let you know if the President chooses to sign it.”

Infamous drug lord/talent escape artist Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was captured and arrested on Friday (Jan. 9).

In addition to his nearly six-month aversion of Mexican authorities, another portion of the too-crazy-to-be-true story has been added to the mix.

According to Mexico Attorney General Arely Gomez, El Chapo was in the process of organizing his own biopic at the time of his capture. He was reaching out to actors and producers to get the film in motion, and it ultimately led to his arrest, NBC News reports.

Gomez said at a press conference that an “important element in determining Chapo’s whereabouts was finding out that he wanted to film an autobiographical film.”

Olu Falae, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has confessed that the N100 million he collected from Tony Anenih, the former Chairman Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was paid to him through the account of his political party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the wake of the 2015 president election.

Mr. Falae, who spoke exclusively with a SaharaReporters correspondent on Saturday evening, in the Ondo State capital of Akure, explained that "he had nothing to hide" from the members of the public concerning the N100 million naira, because the money was meant to campaign for the PDP in agreed upon terms and conditions.

He restated to SP correspondent that the money he collected from the former PDP leader was also a "justification" to support the erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan, who was the PDP presidential candidate in the 2015 general election, since his Party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had no presidential candidate.

The former SGF and Afenifere leader, said during a telephone conversation with SaharaReporters that all the documentation used to receive the N100 million was collected by him and members of his Party, and vowed to make them public this week.

#BBB NEWS| HighlitesWithIK: Featuring Comedian Bovi And Singer Omawumi [PHOTOS]

Highlites With IK comes back to your TV screens this year 2016 even better. On this episode we take a look at the home and how its been run. Who makes the rules? What sort of rules are implemented in the home?

Present on the couch for this special episode was Comedian Bovi and singer Omawumi. They both share their experiences as parents, setting rules in the house etc.

See photos from the episode which airs today Friday 08/01/2016 at 8:30pm on Africa magic showcase CH151 below.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, has admitted that he collected N100 million from the former chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

New Telegraph had exclusively reported yesterday that a former SGF and erstwhile governor in the South-West got N100 million each from the N260 million given to Anenih by the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

Falae told New Telegraph yesterday that the money was purely an interparty affair between the PDP and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which he is the National Chairman.

The former presidential candidate said the money was given to the SDP to effectively campaign for the PDP in the 2015 presidential election. According to him, in the build up to the 2015 general elections, the PDP and SDP entered into working agreement.

#BBB NEWS| Lira Galore Reveals Details On Break Up With Rick Ross [PHOTOS]

Rick Ross and Lira Galore have untied their once possible knot. The pair announced their engagement a few months ago, but according to Galore, they’re no longer an item.

In an interview with Global Grind, Galore revealed that social media played a detrimental role in her relationship with the MMG boss. “This was my first time in a public relationship, so I was happy about putting it out there,” she said. Given her openness on her personal websites, she said social media began to dig in her past, specifically when a photo of her and Meek Mill resurfaced.

“I went to [Ross’] tagged photos one day and it was only that picture of Meek, and it was just that photo,” she said. “Everybody just kept posting it and I felt like as a man, he just couldn’t handle it when it was just nothing. I feel like during that time apart he realized he was tripping, so we got back together.”

Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole have the Internet in an infinite neck bind and they don’t plan on loosening their grip any time soon.

The dynamic rappers have teased a joint project together since 2011. But the thought of the pair trading priceless bars back and forth became even more of a reality late 2015 when they dropped a remix of each other’s songs in a package titled “Black Friday.”

The Fayetteville native decided to tackle K. Dot’s instrumental on “Alright,” while the Compton representer took his lyrical take on Cole’s “A Tale of Two Cities.” Following the arrival of those stop-in-your-tracks melodies, Kendrick’s sister, Kayla Duckworth, reportedly unveiled the drop date of their potential full-length collaboration, stating that Feb. 16 would be the day to mark on your calendars.

A member of the family, who confirmed the development, said it was “only God” that saved the life of the 82-year-old politician.

The heart condition was accidentally discovered, TheCable learnt, when the former minister of works and housing was preparing to return to Nigeria after a visit to the UK.

He was said to have complained of “irregular heartbeat”, prompting a family member to make an emergency call for an ambulance.

“The ambulance arrived within five minutes and he was taken out on a stretcher, with paramedics giving him oxygen support. It was at the hospital that it was discovered that he had some heart issues which he had not experienced before,” the source said.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun (pictured above) , on Wednesday, said the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency had not been remitting the revenues generated to the government’s coffers.

The immediate past Director-General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolkemi, is currently facing 40 counts of fraud and money laundering to the tune of N34.5bn.

Adeosun specifically stated that in some instances, NIMASA collected revenue in dollars but paid naira into the government’s account.

The minister said this while addressing journalists after the first Federal Executive Council meeting of the year inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

She explained that the requirement was that such money should go to the Central Bank of Nigeria which would convert the money to naira.

Netflix announced on Wednesday that it will be launching its streaming service in 130 countries.

Among the countries listed was Nigeria, a fact that has caused excitement and intrigue across the country. Netflix is one of the most popular on-demand streaming services in the United States for video, movies, and television shows.

Netflix announced that they would expand operations into Africa during the opening keynote address at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Other countries part of Netflix’s expansion plan include India, North Korea, Syria, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Netflix’s arrival to Nigeria has meant that domestic video streaming services such as Iroko, started by Nigerian entrepreneur James Njoku, are now facing increased competition.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday night arrested a former military governor of Kaduna State and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Lawal Jafaru Isa.

Mr. Isa is the first chieftain of the APC arrested by the EFCC since the beginning of a sweeping probe into the alleged diversion of $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase by officials of the immediate-past administration.

Mr. Isa, Military Administrator of Kaduna State from December 1993 to August 1996 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha and one-time governorship candidate of the defunct CPC in Kano State, is a close friend of the embattled former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Mr. Isa, also a close political associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, was arrested at his Abuja residence located at Ajayi Crowther Street, Asokoro.

#BBB NEWS| Amaechi Denies Spending N82m On Dinner Party For Soyinka, Asks Wike To Go To Court

Former Rivers state governor Rotimi Amaechi has denied claims by the Rivers state government that he spent N82 million to host Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka to a dinner in the state when he was in office.

The state Commissioner for information had in a statement released on Tuesday alleged that the former governor spent the said amount to organize an 80th birthday dinner party ‎for Soyinka.

In a statement released by his media aide David Iyofor, Amaechi denied the allegation, asking the state governor Nyesom Wike to go to court if he found anything incriminating against him.

He said this recent allegation was an attempt by the state governor to distract the Rivers state indigene from focusing on his election fraud.

The old woman who looked neglected in a photo that went viral two days ago, has started receiving attention from NEMA officials.

See her above now with clothes on her back. Then see ther pic that touched everyone's heart after the cut...

When Janet Jackson announced she would be postponing her Unbreakable world tour to tend to a health emergency, rumors began to swirl the pop icon had cancer.

The “No Sleep” singer didn’t offer many details on what her health condition was, but assured fans she would honor the tickets purchased, and the tour would be back on the road by Spring. Yet despite telling fans to hold tight to their tickets, the rumor mill diagnosed Ms. Jackson with cancer.

Wednesday evening, Janet took to her social media to clear the air and assure everyone she is cancer free.

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka has reiterated his warning that when confronted, corruption does fight back.

In a brief statement issued this evening, headed ‘Those Who Flounder In The Sewage of Corruption,”, he acknowledged the unflattering comments of the Rivers State government about the 80th birthday dinner to which he was hosted by the former governor and now Minister of Aviation, Honorable Rotimi Amechi.

Speaking to press correspondents on Tuesday, the Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Austin Tam-George, accused Mr. Amaechi’s government of spending N82 million on the event.

“A government that did not pay salaries, closed the courts, but the administration had the courage to expend N82million to fund a dinner for Prof Wole Soyinka,” he had said. “These are facts on ground. The Amaechi administration expended the money under the heading of borrowed funds.”

Before J. Cole reaches Fayetteville for his homecoming concert — which will premiere on HBO this week — the St. John’s University graduate had another homecoming moment on the course of his 2014 Forest Hills Drive tour when he landed in Madison Square Garden for a sold-out show.

As seen in episode four of his miniseries, the “Intro” rapper takes center stage to reflect on the momentous occasion. “I specifically remember saying the next time we bring a tour to New York City, we was going to do Madison Square Garden for real,” he says.

Now, that statement has come to fruition, which was laid out for viewers to see in his latest series offering.

The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, announced that fresh arrests of influential persons will be forthcoming.

“[There are] more influential Nigerians on the radar of the EFCC and in the coming weeks they will have their day in court and Nigerians will be be kept fully abreast of the results of the commission’s investigations,” Mr. Magu stated during a meeting with online and broadcast media practitioners and managers.

The meeting, which took place on Wednesday in Abuja, was intended to elicit support from the media for the fight against corruption, fraud, and economic crimes. Mr. Magu requested that those assembled provide the EFCC with suggestions and advice to aid the commission in its war on graft.

“The EFCC needs you [the media], Nigeria needs your critical support if we are to make any headway in this important campaign against corruption. My pleas for your support is underscored by my understanding that the forces with which we are battling are powerful and some of them may want to use all platforms of media to distract and derail us,” the EFCC chief implored.

Northern leader and ex-special assistant to former President Shehu Shagari, Tanko Yakassai, has agreed that he actually collected the sum of N63 million from former Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Tony Anenih.

He however said the money was delivered to some prominent Nigerians who went about meeting traditional rulers in the northern part of Nigeria trying to sway their thoughts to ensure “peaceful co-existence” and mobilise their subjects for the 2015 general elections.

The amount was part of the $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of arms to execute the war against insurgency but which was shared among top Nigerians and members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

In an interview last week, Yakassai, known for his usual criticism of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, said his support for former President Goodluck Jonathan had nothing to do with political party but the need to ensure equity and foster co-existence.

The charging of Bill Cosby with felony sexual assault charges continues to generate opinions from all corners of the Internet.

The previously celebrated comedian and actor now faces up to ten years in jail, and former fans and celebrities alike have taken to social media to give their two cents on the matter. Next up to speak their piece? The Game. Posting a series of photos to his Instagram page that read “Black Lives Splatter,” the Compton rapper wrote a lengthy caption about the case against Cosby.

Comparing the charging of Cosby to the non-indictment of the killers of Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Keith Childress and Sean Bell, The Game lamented the justice system’s knack for letting officers who have killed young black men go free.

Taking the stance that Cosby has been charged based on hearsay while officers have not been charged for crimes committed on camera, the rapper questioned why his alleged victims waited to share their stories. While calling rape a “huge deal,” The Game also shamed social media users for sharing Cosby memes:

Lagos State Government yesterday shut down Owonifari market in the Oshodi, Oshodi/Isolo Local Government, aimed at addressing the security challenges in the area.

Lagos State Government often arrested hoodlums in Oshodi for various robberies and other petty incidents.Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, lamented that the market has constituted a menace and an eyesore to the locality.

He added that they have relocated affected traders and shop owners to the newly built Isopakodowo market stalls at Bolade area in Oshodi. The government has also started fencing-off of the set-back on Agege Motor Road that stretches from Ilupeju end of Oshodi all the way to the PWD/Ikeja GRA end of the area.

He said that the fencing-off of the long stretch of the set-back is being undertaken to assist the Federal Government and the Nigerian Railway Corporation in particular with a view to beautifying it and safeguard lives along the railway corridor by discouraging street trading and indiscriminate use of the space.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had an interactive session with the visiting MD of the International Monetary Fund IMF Christine Lagarde, in his office at the state house yesterday January 5th.

Osinbajo is the head of the National Economic Council. See more photos below...

Kano State Governor Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Monday, January 4, led a team to NDLEA office where they burnt illegal drugs and expired food items.

See more photos after the cut...

A Sharia Court sitting in Kano has, in a secret trial, sentenced one Abdulaziz Dauda, popularly known as Inyass, to death by hanging following blasphemy charges brought against him last August.

Inyass was arrested in Abuja and brought to Kano to face trial on two charges of blasphemy and of inciting crisis which led to the burning of a Sharia Court and some vehicles.

He was alleged to have committed the offence at a Maulud festivity held on June 31, 2015 where he allegedly spoke disparagingly of the Holy Prophet of Islam, an action which generated outrage in Islamic circles.

President Obama delivered an address on Tuesday (Jan. 4) to announce his new executive action that aims to decrease gun violence in the country.

In an attempt to work around Congress’ divisive halt on the matter, Obama is seeking to widen criminal background checks on gun buyers, hire more personnel to conduct the background checks, and generate better tracking of lost firearms, The New York Times reports. Highlight America as the advanced country with the most mass violence, Obama urged everyone to fight for action

“We are the only advanced country on Earth that sees this kind of mass violence erupt with this kind of frequency,” Obama said in his speech. “It doesn’t happen in other advanced countries. It’s not even close.”

Obama also turned emotional when discussing the horrific 2012 shooting of 20 children at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Referencing an event that he admitted still plagues him till this day and regarded as the worst moment in his presidency in an interview with GQ, the President wiped away tears as he continued to mourn the loss of the first graders killed that day.

Female members of the Shiite Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, yesterday alleged that soldiers raped their members before killing them, in December clash between the Nigeria Army and the movement.

Addressing a Press Conference in Kaduna yesterday under the banner of Sisters Forum of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, the forum called on the Federal Government to release their leader, sheik Ibrahim Zakzaky, his wife and other members with immediate effect.

The secretary of the forum, Hajiya Aisha Hassan who addressed the press said: “It is now over three weeks since the Nigerian Army launched a brutal attack on members of the, IMN, that killed over one thousand people in Zaria after over 27 hours of indiscriminate shooting and bombing.

“This is not talking about those who have been given mass burial by the Army or even corpses burnt, amongst whom are women and children, some of the women have even been raped before they were killed by the soldiers as confirmed by some survivors who were also tortured after their arrest by the Army.

On Tuesday, the founder of DAAR Communication, Raymond Dokpesi sent a happy holidays card to both President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

The cards, which were gigantic in size, were taken to the Presidential Villa in Abuja by a team led by Mr. Dokpesi’s son Raymond Dokpesi Jr. The younger Dokpesi is also the current Chairman of DAAR Communication.

The elder Dokpesi is currently on the dock for a six count charge of money laundering and fraud for receiving $2.1 billion from former National Security Advisor (NSA) Colonel Sambo Dasuki for the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential media campaign.

The cards were received on behalf of President Buhari by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina. Vice-President Osinbajo’s Senior Special Assistant, Mr. Sesan Adeboyejo, received the holiday card meant for the VP.

Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BOT) chairman, Tony Anenih has explained how he disbursed the N260 million paid into his bank account from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) believes the cash came from the allegedly misappropriated $2.1 billion arms funds.

It would be recalled that one of the charges against former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki and a former Director of Finance and Administration this office, Shaibu Salisu, was the transfer of N260million to Anenih.

The charge read: “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on or about 28th November 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the sum of N260million being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA with Skye Bank Plc committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you transferred same to the bank account of Tony Anenih with First Bank of Nigeria Plc and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.”

#BBB NEWS| IMF Director Arrives In Abuja For 4 Day Visit To Nigeria

Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), arrived in Abuja on Monday to begin her four-day visit to Nigeria.

Her visit is part of a two-nation tour of West Africa, Cameroon is the second country, in order to engage policymakers and top officials on the economic development issues affecting the two countries and the region as a whole.

Before Mrs. Lagarde, the IMF issued a statement intended to underline the organization's commitment to the African continent.

“The visit to Nigeria will provide an opportunity to strengthen the IMF’s partnership with the largest economy in Sub-Saharan Africa,” the statement read in part.

Beyonce will reportedly be returning to the big screen in what might be her biggest role since Dream Girls.

Word on the cinema streets is that Mrs. Carter will star in the upcoming biopic film about South African slave, Saartjie Baartman.

Although she has enjoyed a couple of well-received films, Bey still considers herself a breakthrough artist in the acting world, according to The Sun. And her upcoming role set to change all of that.

Saarjtie Baartman was a South African woman enslaved by a Dutch farmer in the early 1800s. Her captor’s brother and military surgeon displayed her in the freak show in London, Egyptian Hall of Piccadilly Circus, showcasing her unfamiliar frame, which was characterized by her large butt and curves. The film will depict her life leading up to her death in 1815.

In addition to starring in the biopic, Beyonce will also allegedly lend a hand in writing, The Sun reports. The release date has yet to be revealed, but it looks like it wasn’t enough to conquer the music world; now Queen Bey has her sights sets on taking over Hollywood.

It seems like Ciara and Future have not gotten the hang of co-parenting. The DS2 rapper took to Instagram on Monday (Jan. 4) to blast his ex-fiancee, calling her a “b***h” with “control problems.

Sharing that he pays a $15,000 a month in child support, Future claimed that he is being forced to go through lawyers to see their son, Baby Future. Writing that he has “ran outta patience,” he decided to take his grievances to social media.

The ex-couple had a drama-filled 2015, as Future revealed that their split was based on him not being “comfortable” with the media attention surrounding their courtship. As Ciara moved onto a new relationship with Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, the rapper later expressed his discontent with the NFL baller spending quality time with Baby Future.

In an interview with The Breakfast Club, Future stated his thoughts on Wilson’s closeness to his son.

It’s safe to say that this year’s Oscars ceremony is going to be a night full of wins, as well as a load of laughs with Chris Rock as the host. The funny man gives a small taste of the snarky humor to come in the first Oscars official promo video.

In the clip, which was released in conjunction to New Year’s Eve, Rock pokes fun at those who will be the unfortunate losers of the night. “Much like New Year’s Eve, it’ll be a night that ends with a lot of drunk, disappointed people swearing they’ll do better next year,” he joked.

To promote his hosting gig, Rock took to Twitter to share the video writing, “There will always be 3 constants: death, taxes, and the Oscars. Hope all 3 don’t happen to me this year.”

As Bill Cosby faces up to ten years for felony sexual assault charges, the looming case against him has led to a varied amount of opinions on the matter.

In yet another component of the impending trial, the once-beloved comedian’s health has been referenced his attorney, Monica Pressley. On an interview with CBS This Morning, Pressley called Cosby a “blind man.”

“He’s a 78-year-old blind man who they’ve chosen to charge, that’s not a defense to a charge, that’s just a fact.”

According to a report by Daily Mail, Cosby is suffering from keratoconus, a condition that causes the thinning of the cornea. As the domed-shaped cornea thins, the eyes begin to bulge to a cone shape, leading to “blurring, ghosting, multiple images, starbursts and glaring.” The clouding of Cosby’s right eye is visible in the mugshot taken after he was taken into custody on Dec. 30. In his defamation lawsuit against supermodel Beverly Johnson–one of his accusers–Cosby was referred to as “legally and functionally.”

Jaden Smith is fulfilling his fashion destiny and taking his daring approach to apparel to Louis Vuitton. Will and Jada’s 17-year-old heir has just been announced as the newest face of the fashion house’s Spring/Summer 2016 campaign.

In Instagram posts by the brand’s artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière, shots of Smith were premiered. The shoot, snapped by photographer Bruce Weber, features the young actor/rapper in pieces from Louis Vuitton’s women’s collection, debuted at Paris Fashion Week.

Smith’s barrier-breaking sartorial choices have been buzzed about since he was first seen rocking a dress back in April. He has since worn a dress to prom, as well as a Batman costume to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding. In an interview with GQ, Smith discussed the motivations behind his fashion choices, marking them as a form of expression.

Bill Cosby’s wife of 50 years, Camille Cosby, will be forced to testify in a defamation lawsuit filled by several women who have accused the famed comedian of sexual misconduct.

According to reports, on Thursday (December 31st) U.S. Judge Magistrate David Hennessey in Springfield, Mass., said Camille Cosby failed to prove she and her husband were protected by the state’s marital disqualification law.

Judge Hennessey also denied claims the value of Camille’s testimony would be outweighed by the “undue burden” of the deposition.

A lawyer for Cosby’s accusers, Joseph Cammarata, argued last month he should be able to question Cosby’s wife because she may have had “information that’s relevant to the litigation in this matter.”

In a motion filed December 18, Cosby’s lawyers said Camille doesn’t have any information about the women’s accusations, and subjecting Camille to a deposition is unnecessary.

#BBB NEWS| Declare Your Assets Publicly, Group Tells Buhari's Ministers

In the light of the ongoing war against corruption the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), has called for all the 36 ministers in the President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet to publicly declare their assets.

In a statement issued yesterday by the chairman of the coalition, Olanrewaju Suraju, the group noted that by publicly declaring their assets, the ministers will have shown their readiness to complement the president’s zero tolerance for corruption and promise of a transparent government.

According to CSNAC, President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, have laid a good precedence by keeping in line with Section 140 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), by declaring their assets publicly, adding that, “this was also in fulfillment of their campaign promise of running a transparent government as well as eradicating corruption in the country.

Officials of the Nigerian Navy on Friday in Oteghale community, Warri-South Local Government Area of Delta State uncovered a hideout of crude oil thieves and arrested 16 suspects.

Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Augustine Suleman, who confirmed the development, said the arrest of the suspects was made possible via a tip-off.

He added that the operatives discovered a hop tap on the Trans Forcados pipeline fixed with six inches valve that allows crude oil thieves’ access to Nigerian crude unhindered.

He said: “A trip to the site revealed drums of over 8,000 tones through illegal trades.’’

Rear Admiral Suleman said the operatives realised that the Cotonou boats were not available and illegal refineries no longer existing with impunity.

A lawyer to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, Mr. Vincent Obetta, has said “there is nothing irregular” about the apology tendered by his client to President Muahammadu Buhari, former President Goodluck Jonathan and Igbo elders for his “uncomplimentary” comments against them.

Obetta was earlier quoted in online reports as denying that his client tendered such apology as exclusively reported by The PUNCH.

But the lawyer, in a statement which he sent to our correspondent on Thursday, explained that what he denied on behalf of his client was speculation that Kanu had written letters of apology to Buhari, Jonathan and Igbo elders.

He confirmed that Kanu tendered the apology in his statement to the Department of State Service on realising that some of the things he said against Buhari and others were uncomplimentary considering the culture and values of the African society.

The charging of Bill Cosby with three counts of aggravated indecent assault last week (Dec. 30) has prompted reactions from fans and celebrities alike.

As some come to the once-beloved comedian’s defense, others are slamming Cosby, urging the masses to separate his fictional characters from his alleged sexual assaults.

The latest celebrities to speak out on the Cosby controversy is actress Lark Voorhies, best known for her role as Lisa Turtle on Saved By The Bell.

In a series of Instagram posts, Voorhies took her stance against Cosby. She denounced “unimaginary and unacceptable” claims by African-Americans that the case against the comedian star is an issue of race. She also – like many of Cosby’s critics – suggested that his fans remember that “Bill Cosby is not actually Dr. Huxtable:”

A case from 2015 has followed The Game into the New Year. The Cali native reportedly lost a lawsuit from an alleged assault back in March, TMZ states.

The “100” rapper apparently engaged in a physical match with a man named Onyebuchi Awaji during a basketball game.

In recent court developments, The Game — born Jayceon Taylor — lost the lawsuit which was filed by Awaji. A reason for the 36-year-old’s loss was due to his missed appearance for the trial. As a result, the judge ruled in favor of Awaji, and mandated Game to pay $100,000 in damages.

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the judiciary to support his administration in the recovery of stolen funds by speedily concluding trials and showing that impunity no longer has a place in Nigeria.

A former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki; a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bello Haliru Mohammed, a former Governor of Sokoto, Attahiru Bafarawa and a few others are currently undergoing trial for alleged money laundering and fraud.

In his New Year message to the nation, the president vowed to vigorously continue with the crackdown on corruption during his tenure.

“Our crackdown on corruption will continue to be vigorously undertaken,” he said.

“I urge the courts to support our efforts and help in the recovery of stolen funds by speedily concluding trials and showing that impunity no longer has a place in our country.”

The South African King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo began his jail term on Wednesday.

The regent was tried and convicted of culpable homicide, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, arson, and kidnapping.

King Dalindyebo was originally convicted of the crime in 2009, but was granted bail repeatedly. However, a court recently struck down his latest attempt to seek bail and ruled that he start his 12 year sentence immediately.

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Friday, January 8, 2016

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Monday, January 4, 2016

Sunday, January 3, 2016