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The remains of late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka Mohbad have been laid to rest.

He was buried in Ikorodu, Lagos on Wednesday, September 13, according to Islamic rites.

The Nation reports that angry youths in Ikorodu obstructed the burial proceedings for singer Mohbad.

MohBad died on Tuesday, September 12, at the age of 27.

Confirming the death, his family wrote “It is with great sadness that we confirm the passing of Promise Oladimeji Aloba PK/A Mohbad (Imole) today, the 12th of September, 2023.

“Mohbad was Light until the very end, and as we mourn the loss of the brightness he carried, the family thanks you for your love and prayers, and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.

“Imole is finally at Peace.”

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has cleared a passport backlog of almost 60,000 within four working days.

He said this on Tuesday in Abuja when he received the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu on a courtesy call.

“When we came on board, the passport crisis was an embarrassment. And, we said: it cannot continue!” a statement from the minister’s spokesman Alao Babatunde quoted his principal as saying.

“As of this morning, I can tell you that about 60,000 passport backlogs have been cleared, especially 59,906. On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, when I gave the 2-week ultimatum, we had over 200,000 backlogs. We have recorded progress, and I maintain my word that those backlogs must be cleared.”

On her part, Edu said the visit was due to the need to extend its hand of partnership with the ministry as it seeks to tackle human trafficking and other related challenges including poor veterans’ welfare, underemployment, and poverty among citizens.

According to her, the ministry was in the best position to solve issues of human trafficking as it plays a supervisory role in the NIS.

The interior minister is therefore assuring her of his cooperation.

“His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed us to see the place of partnership as agents of his #RenewedHope Agenda, and we are here to deliver on this mandate,” he added.

“We assure you of our support. Your initiative is progressive and commendable, especially at this crucial time in the history of our country. There is a lot of work to be done, and we cannot work in silos as the President has directed.”

The Peoples Democratic Party Governorship Campaign Council in Imo State has admonished the people of the state to reject the alleged Operation Show Your PVC for Palliative, noting it is a plot by Imo Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, and leaders of APC to hijack their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) forcefully.

The opposition party gave this admonition on Wednesday in a statement by Ikenna Onuoha, the Director, Media and Publicity Imo PDP (Sam-Jones) Governorship Campaign Council in Owerri, Imo State.

PDP, while urging Imo residents to remain alert, alleged that Uzodinma is struggling to have access to their PVCs to enable his government to rig the November 11 governorship election after it appears to him that the people have abandoned him.

The party described the exercise as a Greek gift to expose their private identification Numbers to scavengers.

PDP statement reads, “So far, Uzodinma is said to have released the remaining palliatives to Sole Administrators, Commissioners, Special Advisers, and other appointees of his government with stern directive to distribute same to only those with Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) who should be APC members.

“What this means is that Imo citizens who are members of other political parties like Labour Party, APGA, SDP, NNPP, PDP and others cannot partake.

“This development is not only worrisome, criminal, and wicked, which is at variance with the Federal Government’s sharing template, but an indication that Uzodinma’s administration is too petty and vindictive to have leveraged on the free-will gift to frustrate Imo people.

“It is no longer in doubt that the actions of Uzodinma and his party leaders justify previous reports on the media that the APC government in the state diverted over N2 billion from the intervention funds and allocated over 50 thousand bags of the contingent to relatives, friends and well-wishers at the detriment of Imo citizens.

“Currently, the image of Imo state government is at stake and badly mutilated in the eyes of the world that while other states in the country are freely and genuinely distributing the palliatives to indigenes of their states irrespective of party affiliations or PVCs, Uzodinma and his directionless administration are using the gift as a weapon to continue to impoverish Imo people.

“As an entity that believes in the rule of law, what Uzodinma and APC are presently doing in the state has confirmed the insinuation that the prevalent hunger, starvation, and anguish experienced by Imo people now and in the past are deliberately orchestrated by APC government in the state.

“While we advise Imo people to reject this Greek gift aimed at exposing their private identification Numbers to scavengers or to exchange their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) with two and half cups of rice from Uzodinma, Imo people are to remain alert that why Uzodinma is struggling to have access to their PVCs is to enable his government rig the November 11 Governorship election, after it appears to him that the people have abandoned him.”

Nigerians have taken to social media to mourn the passing of a Nigerian artiste, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka MohBad.

The former Marlian record signee reportedly died on Tuesday at the age of 27.
Mohbad’s death was announced by music executive Ovie, on his X page #Ovieo, on Tuesday evening.

Ovie tweeted, “Confirmed. MohBad is dead. Sad, sad day.”
Reacting, a Nigerian rapper, Olamide Adedeji, popularly known as Olamide shared a cryptic message on his X handle, saying, “Damn! Mohbad (sic)”In another tweet, Olamide posted, “This life (sic).”

Also, a radio host, Oladotun Ojuolape, popularly known as Do2dtun Energy gAD, shared a picture of the deceased with a caption, “Mohbad. This was just two days ago.”

A former big brother naija housemate, Anita Akide, known as Tasha, wrote, “Mohbad was just on the Big Friday show with me last month!! This news is heavy. I still can’t believe it.”A Nigerian singer, Crown Uzama, popularly known as Shallipopi wrote, “we never record our song o”

Uncle DEEN™, tweeted, “RIP YOUNG HUSTLER”

Ayfresh wrote, “Omo this one hit so hard on me, wtf.”

BIG MO wrote, “How did it happen? May his soul rest in peace.”

Ross tweeted, “Rest in peace Mohbad. It’s a black Tuesday yo.”

The Leadingreporters earlier reported that MohBad died at the age of 27

The Chairman of Gwale Local Government Council, Khalid Ishaq Diso has been suspended by the state House of Assembly for a period of three months over allegations bordering the sale of government land.

Adopting the report of its Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs at a plenary session on Tuesday, September 12 after allegations of the chairman’s illegal act of selling government lands was brought before the House.

The Assembly said six members out of the council councillors, 10 members petitioned the House over the conduct of the chairman.

The state assembly noted that Jubril Ismail Falgore, the council chairman was also accused of making unilateral decisions without carrying the councillors along.

To this end, the House constituted an ad hoc committee to investigate the allegations and report back in two months and directed the Vice-Chairman to take over the helm of affairs for three months, pending the completion of the investigation.

SOME Nigerians in the diaspora have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to recount what led to their fleeing from the country.

This followed a question posed by an X user, Fisayo Osudo, enquiring about what made some Nigerians decide to leave the country.

“People who left Nigeria, what was the thing that made you finally decide to leave?” Osudo asked on X.

“Japa”, a Yoruba expression which means “to flee”, is now widely used among Nigerians to express a desire to leave the country for various reasons. However, while some leave the countries for a “greener pasture”, some, especially youths, were forced to leave owing to the country’s myriad of challenges.

Reacting to the post, some Nigerians who have fled the country cited police brutality, insecurity, bad leadership, unemployment and other challenges as their major reasons for leaving the country.

A Nigerian in Diaspora, @Miz_Estaa, recounted being attacked by thugs in Lagos.

He tweeted, “I moved to Lagos to be closer to my long-distance boo. I was on Alfred Rewane waiting for my colleague. Obalende boys entered my car, made me drive to their office, deflated my tires, took my keys and made me withdraw N25,000 to get my car back. Long distance marriage entered voice mail.

Another Nigerian based in the United States, Uchenna Osuchukwu, narrated how he lost some valuable possessions when he was kidnapped, but the policemen asked him to bring N200,000 when he went to report.

“I was kidnapped, they emptied my bank account and my people still paid ransom. They took my car and damaged it. One of them transferred money directly from my account to his; one bought airtime directly from my bank. I took all the evidence to the police and was asked to pay N200k, but I let it slide.

“A month after that, police at Enugu stopped me while driving back to Abuja, planted dirty panties in my luggage while searching it and threatened to shoot me right there if I argued and did not cooperate with them. They labelled me a Yahoo boy/man (meaning a fraudster in Nigeria.)

“In Abuja the next week, a police lady slapped me for nothing. I slapped back, and her colleagues, who were men, attacked me, one wanted to stab me with a dagger.

“The last thing that made me say, “fu-k it” was the day Vehicle Inspection Officer personnel in Abuja attacked me. One entered my car and nearly made me crash into a fence of Ya’dua Center. @whitenigerian witnessed this one. Right there, I realized Nigeria seriously wanted to kill me by all means. The next day, my wife and I started the process of leaving.

Similarly, another Nigerian based in the United Kingdom with X name Guyman recounted being assaulted by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of the Nigerian Police Force notorious for human rights violations.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has lifted the visa ban imposed on Nigerian travellers.

The ban, which was imposed 10 months ago had affected activities of Nigerians who were regular visitors to the Middle East country for businesses, tourism and leisure.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Monday in Abu Dhabi, have finalized a historic agreement, which has resulted in the immediate cessation of the visa ban placed on Nigerian travelers.”

“Furthermore, by this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria, without any further delay.

“As negotiated between the two Heads of State, this immediate restoration of flight activity, through these two airlines and between the two countries, does not involve any immediate payment by the Nigerian government.

“In recognition of President Tinubu’s economic development diplomacy drive and proposals today presented by President Tinubu to his counterpart, an agreed framework has been established, which will involve several billions of U.S. dollars worth of new investments into the Nigerian economy across multiple sectors, including defense, agriculture and others, by the investment arms of the Government of the United Arab Emirates.

“Additionally, President Tinubu is pleased to have successfully negotiated a joint, new foreign exchange liquidity programme between the two Governments, which will be announced in detail in the coming weeks.

“In conclusion, the President wishes to commend the UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for his unalloyed friendship and his determined effort to join hands with him to fully normalize and reset to excellence, the standard of relations between the two important countries.”