Startech Safety And Security News Blog

                              Hollywood Actor, Brad Pitt has fired back at ex-wife Angelina Jolie after she filed a request earlier this week to remove Judge John W. Ouderkirk from their almost four-year-long divorce battle.   The former couple who first split in 2016 after 12-years together and six children, Maddox, 19, Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12 are facing a custody battle in their divorce drama.     Angelina, 45, filed papers on August 7 claiming that Judge Ouderkirk who married the former couple at their French estate Château Miraval in 2014 -failed to disclose other 'business relationships' he had with Pitt's lawyers, suggesting that he would be 'biased' during their divorce case.    Jolie alleged in her filing that Ouderkirk 'failed to make timely mandatory disclosures of ongoing business and professional relationships between himself' and ...

               Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, has released a teaser of his new bombshell book, revealing sordid details about his time as Donald Trump’s lawyer.   Cohen, serving a three year sentence, was imprisoned for lying to Congress.  He was released from prison in May 2020 amid concerns over Coronavirus but returned to prison in early July after tweeting about plans to publish his book.   His book is expected to be published in full in September after the US justice department dropped a gag order restraining the book's publication.               In excerpts of the book released on Friday August 14, Cohen claims he helped the president commit tax fraud, created a secret back channel to Vladimir Putin, covered up affairs of the president and witnessed a ‘golden showers’ incident at a sex club in Las Vegas.    He said the book will be based on personal anecdotes and ‘docu...

                                    A 17 year old boy, Rocky Marciano Price, has been jailed for life after he brutally murdered a teacher and mum, Ms Lindsay Birkbeck, 47 and buried her body in a cemetery.   Rocky Price killed Lindsay Birbeck and transported her naked lifeless body in a waste bin to a shallow grave at a cemetery in Accrington.   Rocky Marciano Price, who was unnamed previously due to reporting restrictions, was found guilty of murder on Wednesday before being sentenced today Friday August 14 at Preston crown court.     The court agreed that Rocky Price intended to kill or severely injure the mum-of-two in the woods in Accrington, Lancashire, in August 2019. According to the court ruling, he must serve a minimum of 16 years in custody.    In court documents,  Price attacked Mrs Birbeck, in the woods close to her home, placed her body in plast...

                                  Lebanese Ambassador to Nigeria Houssam Diab on Friday August 14, stated that most Nigerian girls in Lebanon were not trafficked but entered the country legally.   Diab who said this during a visit to the Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama in Abuja, further stated that the Nigerian ladies who recently cried out for help from Lebanon did so because they could no longer be paid by their employees as a result of the recent economic downturn.    He added that the suspension of the issuance of visas to domestic workers since May had also contributed to the situation.   The Ambassador said;     “As of May 1, the Lebanese government has stopped issuing visas for domestic workers coming from Nigeria. “This will definitely stop any new cases from arising; they will not be able to get into Lebanon, the specifi...

                         A 35-year-old man identified as Habib Rabiu has been remanded in a DSS facility after being arraigned before a Kogi State Magistrate Court 1 sitting in Lokoja for allegedly spreading fake news.    The suspect had claimed that there's a fever killing many people in Kogi State via a Facebook post he shared.  He was accused of creating injurious falsehood, claiming that people were dying of fever at an alarming rate and indirectly saying there was COVID-19 in the state, contrary to the position of the state government on the matter.   The native of Ayingba in Dekina LGA who was accused of spreading fake news capable of causing public disturbances, pleaded not guilty on Friday August 14 to the alleged offences said to have been committed on the 10th day of June, 2020.   The magistrate, O. J. Omajali ordered that the accused...

                        The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has denied complicity in human trafficking, following claims of illegal issuance of Recruiters’ Licence to Private Employment Agencies (PEAs).    According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Labour and Employment Charles Akpan, they've not issued any recruiters’ licence with respect to the placement of Nigerian citizens abroad in breach of the relevant provisions of the Labour Act CAP L1 2004.   Akpan noted that there is a Labour Migration Desk which seeks to ensure and create employment opportunities for Nigerians to work legally abroad, without fear of molestation, exploitation or any form of inhuman treatment or being subjected to unfair labour practices.   He said;    “Furthermore, at no time did the Federal Government issue any moratorium against issuance of recruiters’ licence. “The ministry is ...

             A Mass Communication graduate of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku was shot dead by suspected cultists on Thursday, August 13.   According to reports, the deceased identified as Oboh, was watching a match at a bar at Umuagu Quarters in Asaba, the state capital, when the gunmen stormed the place, went directly to where he was seated and shot him dead at close range.   "Oboh only came to watch a football match in the bar and he was drinking around 10:00pm when three gunmen came into bar and shot him four times and dragged his lifeless body outside the place. The gunmen put off the generator set and told everyone to remain calm that they came for Oboh alone," an eyewitness said   In a related development, a middle-aged man was said to have been shot dead in what looked like a reprisal on Isieke Quarters in the early hours of Friday August 14  in Asaba.   Confirming both incidents, the spokesperson for the ...

Wale Babalakin, pro-chancellor of the University of Lagos, has said that due process was followed in the removal of the former Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe and that anyone who is against it must have been benefitting from the alleged acts of corruption' perpetrated during Ogundipe's administration.   Professor Ogundipe who was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of the University in November 2017, was removed from office at a meeting of the governing council of the university, held at the National Universities Commission (NUC) in Abuja, on Wednesday, August 12.   Ogundipe and some members of staff of the University have faulted the process of his removal. saying due process wasn't followed. Ogundipe has since gone to court to challenge his removal.   However, speaking to newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, on Friday, August 14, Babalakin said the “focal minority” opposed to Ogundipe’s removal benefitted from the ...

                                three-man panel of the Bayelsa Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Saturday August 15, affirmed the election of Senator Duoye Diri as Bayelsa State Governor.   This ruling comes a month after the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal filed by a former aspirant of the Bayelsa governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Timi Alaibe, challenging the candidacy of Senator Diri in the November 2019 election.   In a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Owodunni, the tribunal held that the petition filed by mister Owei Woniwei of the Alliance for Democracy is incompetent and lacks merit.   The Tribunal further held that the petitioner failed to prove the allegations of the forged declaration of age and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharged certificate leveled against the Deputy Governor, Senator Law...

                           Justice Sikiru Oyinloye of Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin ordered one Kolade Emmanuel Balogun to pay a fine of N50,000 and control traffic for the next three months. The Ilorin zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction of Kolade who was charged to court for offences bordering on internet fraud. The charge against the suspect read; “That you, KOLADE BALOGUN (a.k.a Willam Davis, alias Behemoth) sometime in March 2020 or thereabout at Ilorin, Kwara State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court attempted to commit an offence of cheating by impersonation, pretending and representing yourself to be a white man called Willam Davis, alias Behemoth to an unsuspected white woman on dating site called SeekingArrangement as it is contained in your Gmail account: Willamdavis@gmail.com and thereby committed an offence contr...

Gov. Bala Mohammed pays condolence to the family of the late Hon. Musa Baraza Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has expressed sadness over the brutal murder of Alh. Musa Mante the lawmaker representing Dass Constituency in the state House of Assembly by gunmen. The governor in a condolence message through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Alhaji Mukthar Gidado, on Friday described the killing of the lawmaker as shocking and despicable. The governor, who led top government officials on a condolence visit to the palace of Emir of Dass and the residence of the deceased, sympathized with the immediate family of the lawmaker, Dass Emirate council and his colleagues in the statehouse of assembly over the loss., He described Mante’s demise as a great loss to the state and promised to take stiffer measures to address security concerns in the area. The governor condemned the killing of the lawmaker and assured the constituents of the commitment of his administration to guarantee the secur...

                            The leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned that killing Kano-based musician, Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, will amount to spilling blood of the innocent. Primate Ayodele, made this known in a statement on Friday, cautioned against the killing of the talented youngster. The Kano-based singer was recently sentenced to death by an Upper Sharia Court for blaspheming Prophet Mohammed. The 22-year-old Kano singer, was, however, given an option to appeal the ruling, or he will die by hanging. According to Primate Ayodele, religion preaches love and tolerance, and killing Yahaya Shariff does not follow what religion preaches. He made reference to Boko Haram members that were granted amnesty, noting that they equally deserved death because they have killed several Nigerians, yet they were pardoned. ‘‘If they should kill that young boy, they would be spilling innocent ...

                                Nigeria recorded 329 more cases of Coronavirus on Friday, with Lagos topping the chat with 113 new infections. With the figures, Nigeria’s total confirmed Coronavirus cases is put at 48,445. Though, the fresh cases recorded by the nation is still on the lower side when compared with the 373 cases raked in on Thursday, the rise in infections in Lagos greatly boosted the new figures. Lagos’ 113 new cases is almost twice the 69 cases it recorded on Thursday. The 329 new cases were recorded in 21 states in the nation. Kaduna came a distant second with 49 cases, with FCT following with 33 cases; Plateau, 24 cases; Kano, 16 cases; Edo, 15 cases; Ogun, 14 cases; Delta, 13 cases and Osun, 10 cases. Others are: Oyo-8, Ekiti-6, Bayelsa-6, Akwa Ibom-5, Borno-4, Enugu-4, Ebonyi-3, Rivers-2, Bauchi-1, Nasarawa-1, Gombe-1 and Niger-1. Nine deaths were recorded on Thursday to take total numb...

                               Uganda on Thursday was hit by a nationwide power outage whose cause is not yet known, the state-run power generation company said. The Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) said in a statement that investigations are underway to determine the cause of the power blackout. “We are experiencing a nationwide total blackout. Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause and restore as fast as possible,’’ said the statement. Umeme Limited, the country’s main electricity distribution company, said it is working with other stakeholders to restore power supply in the East African country. “We are working with UETCL and all stakeholders to have power restored as soon as possible. All inconveniences caused are regretted,’’ it said in a tweet. The country has lately been experiencing nationwide power outages, with the recent being on June 21. The country on May 9 was ...

                                    The suspended traditional rulers of Anambra on Thursday said that they did not commit any wrong to warrant their suspension by the state government. The monarchs stated this at a joint press conference addressed by Chief Chioke Nwankwo, the Igwe of Nawfia, in Abuja. The traditional rulers were suspended on Tuesday for allegedly travelling out of the state without government’s approval. The 12 monarchs had travelled to Abuja for an “official engagement”. A letter announcing the suspension of the 12 traditional rulers for one year, was signed by Mr Greg Obi, Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs. It said that the action was taken because they travelled outside the state “without the government’s approval”. But Nwankwo, at the press conference, said that the monarchs travelled to Abuja to thank President Mohammadu Buhari for the good t...

                                    UN Secretary-General António Guterres has welcomed the historic agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalise diplomatic relations. Guterres’ reaction came in a statement by his spokesperson, Mr Stephane Dujarric, in New York on Thursday. Reports said under the deal, Israel has agreed to suspend its plan to annex parts of the West Bank claimed by Palestine, a move the UN Chief said he had consistently advocated. Annexation would effectively close the door for a renewal of negotiations and destroy the prospect of a viable Palestinian State and the two-State solution. “The Secretary-General welcomes this agreement, hoping it will create an opportunity for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to re-engage in meaningful negotiations. “Negotiations that will realise a two state-solution in line with relevant UN resolutions, international law and bilate...

Umahi The Ebonyi Government has ordered members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) in the state, to immediately suspended their industrial action or be sacked. The JUSUN members in the state embarked on the indefinite strike on Aug.13 over non-implementation of the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure (CJSS) by the state government. The union defiled Gov. David Umahi’s threat in a recent state function, to sack the members if they embarked on the strike. The government’s order for the strike’s suspension is contained in a statement issued on Friday in Abakaliki by Dr. Chamberlain Nwele, Ebonyi Head of Service, mandating the JUSUN leadership to immediately comply with the order. JUSUN members in the state are therefore directed to return to work on Friday, Aug.14, or risk being dismissed from service. “Attendance of judiciary staff will be taken by state government officials, to aid payment of August 2020 salary,” the statement read. Nwele in the statement noted that Gov...

North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un, has replaced Prime Minister Kim Jae Ryong after only one year in office, instead of appointing Kim Tok Hun to the post, state media reported on Friday. Kim Hun, an economics expert in his late 50s, was reportedly also appointed a member of the steering committee of the politburo during a meeting late on Thursday. The politburo is the highest executive organ within the ruling Communist party’s central committee. It remained unclear why Kim Jae Ryong, who had been elected premiere in April 2019, was replaced. Flood damage and the clean-up effort as well as improvements to the population’s living conditions were also reportedly discussed during the meeting of the politburo. As chairman of the State Affairs Commission, Kim Jong Un has dictatorial power in the internationally isolated country. The commission is the highest decision-making body. (dpa/NAN)                              ...

                           Ten civil society organisations (CSOs) have condemned the death sentence handed down by a Kano Upper Shari’a Court to a singer Yahaya Sharif-Aminu for blaspheming Prophet Muhammad. The CSOs are Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), AfricanDefenders (Pan-African Human Rights Defenders Network), Arterial Network Nigeria (host of Artwatch Africa in Nigeria), PEN Nigeria and Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), PEN America. Others are Culture Advocates Caucus (CAC), Human Right Forum of Lead Africa International e.V, Germany, Intro Afrika (cultural organization advocating for social justice), Freemuse (international organization defending artistic freedom worldwide) and African Human Rights Network (AHRN). Presiding judge Khadi Aliyu Kani had delivered the guilty verdict on Monday. Mr Sharif-Aminu, a resident of Sharifai in Kano metropolis, was accused of committing blasphemy against the prophet in a ...