NEWS
Club shooting: Burna Boy’s family is offering us ‘Hush money’, victim’s wife cried out
Briella Neme, the wife of the man shot alongside his friends by singer Burna Boy’s escort at Cubana club Victoria Island, Lagos State, has accused him of attempting to bribe her family with ‘hush money.’
She revealed the information on her Instagram page on Monday, in response to a claim made by a putative eyewitness, who said she went to take a photo with Burna Boy in his VVIP’s top corner when her husband physically dragged her.
She went on to say that the singer and rapper planned to kill them on that fateful night and that the club refused to share the incident’s CCTV footage.
The eyewitness on his Twitter, handle @AfricansOracle, had said, “Briella was the one who went up to Burna Boy to take photos and that Burna Boy’s security men only resisted the confrontational approach.”
In response to the post, Neme posted a video of the scene, claiming that the eyewitness story was fake.
Burna Boy’s family had visited her since the event to address the situation, she added.
In the narration via her Instagram page, @nemebriella, she wrote, “We were visiting Nigeria from America and London for our childhood friend’s wedding.
“On June 18, 2022, @burnaboygram and his friends opened fire at us in @cubanalagos.
“My partner and his friend were shot, with both needing urgent medical care. A bullet grazed my partner’s head and our friend was shot in the thigh, leaving him hospitalised and needing emergency surgery in Nigeria.
“At this point, I couldn’t find my partner or my best friend. I was screaming for help after being lifted and thrown so hard on the floor by one of Burna Boy’s friends and I hurt my left shoulder..
“All our private police officers were not allowed into the club, so, it was left to us to fight for our lives
“One of our friends @theflowolf was trying to get Burna Boy to calm the situation but he only laughed at him and proceeded to get in his car whilst being protected by his security.
“The shootings happened twice at different times. His friends were also shooting at people trying to evacuate the club through the main entrance.
“They were out to kill and didn’t care who got hit. My partner’s head was bleeding profusely and his friend lost so much blood that he needed a donor as soon as he got to the hospital.
“@burnaboygram left @cubanalagos without a scratch and flew out to Spain the next morning.
“Everyone keeps making this about money. Money is not our problem. If you did nothing wrong @burnaboygram, why were your people contacting us to offer us hush money? Why did your parents visit our parents yesterday?”
She further accused club Cubana for not releasing the CCTV footage of the shooting.
“@obi_cubana only reached out to us four days after the event claiming he had no idea and would do everything to get us justice for attempted murder.
“11 days later, there has been no CCTV footage released by the club or even a statement to address the incident publicly. The business has carried on as usual for him
“To sum things up, I’m traumatised. I’ve broken down every day since then. The random flashbacks and nightmares, especially after seeing @burnaboygram’s response.
“The lack of remorse or accountability is beyond me. At least, two people could’ve died that night.”
Meanwhile, Obinna Iyiegbu, also known as Obi Cubana, the Chairman of the Cubana Group, said on his Instagram page yesterday, in response to the development Said: “As regards the issues making rounds the social media, we at Cubana Group have given all information at our disposal to the legal authorities.
“However, we wholeheartedly sympathise with any/all those who may have been impacted by this.
“I and our group would never compromise standards, as we have confidence in the authorities to handle all. Best regards.”
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
READ MORE: Osun Govt Decries Attempted Murder Of Park Mgt Chairman By Police
The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
NEWS
Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.