Two ex-aides sue communication minister, Adebayo Shittu for allegedly diverting their salaries and allowances

Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communications has been dragged to court by two of his former aides over alleged diverted salaries and allowances totalling N21m.



The aides, Razaq Olubodun and Victor Oluwadamilare, former personal assistant and special assistant media, respectively, in two separate suits filed on their behalf by the same counsel, Adewale Lawal, are praying the court to order the payment of their outstanding salaries and allowances which the minister denied them while serving under him.



While Olubodun, in his suit before the Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court, numbered NICN/Abj/132/2019, is seeking to recover from the minister the sum of N9.8m allegedly paid alongside the minister’s salaries and allowances for 24 months; Oluwadamilare in his suit, NICN/Abj/133/2019 is claiming N11.7m purportedly his outstanding salaries and allowances for 28 months.



The duo are seeking the order of the court to declare that the non-payment of full salaries and allowances to them for those periods as wrongful, illegal and unconstitutional and that the minister should be ordered to pay them their unpaid salaries and allowances according to the Federal Government’s directive for payment of aides to the minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.



Equally, the claimants are asking for an order on the defendant to pay the sum of N50m to each of them as aggravated damages and to also pay them their full taxed costs of the prosecution of the suits. The claimants averred that by their letters of appointments as PA and SA respectively, they were informed that their monthly emolument would be in line with the existing practice for paying PA and SA to a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.



Though the claimants noted that the above-stated fact was indicated in ‘paragraph 3’ of their letters of appointments dated 23rd Nov, 2015, the defendant “tried to make the salaries and allowances of the PA and SA to the minister to look like his own personal affairs.”



While Olubodun claimed he received just N1m from the minister all through his period of service; Oluwadamilare claimed he was paid thrice to the tune of N2.3m in his 28 months of service under the minister, alleging that the defendant collected all salaries and allowances belonging to them from the FGN but refused to forward or remit same to them. The claimants recalled that a circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, dated 27th July, 1999, indicated in paragraph 1a that the salaries of PAs and SAs to ministers were Grade Levels 12 and 16, steps 4 respectively.



Shittu was accused by the former aides of applying intimidation, harassment, draconian and Machiavellian approach and threatening to take them to the court where he would ensure they were frustrated and would still not pay them the salaries in contention each time they demanded their rights while serving under him.



They claimed they had been subjected to immense suffering, ridicule and untold hardship as a result of the denial of their rights by the minister. No date has been fixed for hearing of the case filed on the 20th of this month.

#NairaMarley: Stop justifying fraud and cyber-crime- actress Foluke Daramola tells Nigerians (video)

Following the arrest and arraignment of singer, Naira Marley on allegations of fraud and cybercrime, actress Foluke Daramola has appealed to Nigerians to desist from justifying the alleged crime committed by the singer.



In a video she posted on her Instagram page this morning, Foluke said the fact that there is no money in circulation does not in anyway justify anyone commiting crime just to make money. According to her


''Sometimes I wonder how our people think. One thing I want us to know is that two wrongs don't make a right. Just because there is no money in the country, there is no work does not justify corruption, does not justify evil. Because our politicians are doing it does not make it right for us to do it. It is really sad when we try to paint bad as good. I don;t want to mention names and I am not going to tag anybody. We should under stand the implications, the depth of what we do''.



Watch the video below

Nipsey Hussle's sister retains custody of his daughter but the child's mother is not happy about this

Since Nipsey's death, there has been a battle for custody of his first child, a girl named Emani Asghedom, who he had with Tanisha Foster.



Nipsey Hussle's sister, Samantha has been the one with 10-year-old Emani since Nipsey was killed in March but Tanisha has been in court since then fighting to regain custody of her daughter.



Tanisha and Nipsey's family were in court on Monday to hash out the custody of Emani. Nipsey's family believe Tanisha, who has been known to shade Nipsey's fiancee Lauren London on social media, is an unfit mother for Emani.



Note that Tanisha has a warrant out for her arrest relating to an unsettled DUI case in 2017. She also has a lengthy rap sheet filled with arrests dating back to 2006 and 2007.



Monday's hearing was sealed but another hearing date has been scheduled in July. In the meantime, the child remains with her aunt.



According to TMZ, Tanisha was angered by this and left the courtroom crying.



Tanisha's lawyer, Larry Lewellyn, told the publication that he's working with Nipsey's family on a visitation schedule that will be in Emani's best interest.



Samantha played a crucial role in helping raise Emani when her father was alive and she wrote in her petition that she wants to "ensure the continued stability for Emani and ensure that she will be able to maintain her current and ongoing relationship" with her family. But Emani's mother, Tanisha, wants to regain custody of her child and she cried in court last week, saying she hadn't seen her daughter in months.

Presidential Inauguration: 'Nigeria is safe for World leaders to come' - Lai Mohammed

The Federal Government has assured foreign dignitaries and world leaders of their safety as they come for the Presidential Inauguration Day and National Democracy Day on May 29th and June 12th respectively. 

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, made this known at a world press conference in Abuja yesterday May 20th.

“I can assure you Nigeria is safe for all the world leaders to come and attend. Swear-in of the President and Vice President is slated for Wednesday, May 29 at the Eagles Square, followed by a state banquet at the state house in the evening of the same day.” 

He added that the Federal Government has declared May 29th and June 12th as public holidays to mark the events.

Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda dies at 70

Niki Lauda, the legendary Formula 1 racer, has died aged 70.



Lauda, who is considered as one of the world's greatest Formula 1 drivers ever, died on Monday, May 20, 2019, his family confirmed. His death comes nine months after he underwent lung transplant surgery.



Niki's family released a statement after his death, saying: "With deep sadness, we announce that our beloved Niki has peacefully passed away with his family on Monday.



"His unique achievements as an athlete and entrepreneur are and will remain unforgettable, his tireless zest for action, his straightforwardness and his courage remain.



"A role model and a benchmark for all of us, he was a loving and caring husband, father and grandfather away from the public, and he will be missed."



Laude won the F1 drivers' championship in 1975 and 1977 with Ferrari and again in 1984 with McLaren.



Niki Laude is famous for crashing and catching fire at the German Grand Prix in 1976. He was badly burned in the crash, but he made a miraculous recovery an returned to racing only 6 weeks later.



His incredible comeback after the near-death experience made him the stuff of legend and his 1976 rivalry with British driver James Hunt was the plot line of the movie "Rush."

Transgender woman who was brutally assaulted last month has been found dead in Texas

A transgender woman whose brutal assault in April was captured on video has been found dead on a Dallas street.



Police responded to a report of a shooting in the 7200 block of Valley Glen Drive around 6:40 a.m. on Saturday, Dallas Police Major Vincent Weddington said "upon arrival, officers found the complainant lying face down in the street deceased from homicidal violence".



The woman was not carrying identification but the medical examiner positively identified her as Muhlaysia Booker. In a separate incident last month, Booker, 22, was assaulted by several men in the parking lot of a Dallas apartment complex after what police said was a minor traffic accident. Video from the incident showed the suspects repeatedly punching and kicking Booker while she was on the ground.



During the assault, the suspects were reported to have used homophobic slurs, and police trying to determine if it was a hate crime. "I am extremely angry about what appears to be mob violence against this woman," Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said at the time. "Those who did this do not represent how Dallasites feel about our thriving LGBTQ community. We will not stand for this kind of behavior."



One man, Edward Thomas, was arrested and faces charges over the April 12 assault. But, Weddington said, Thomas had not been linked to Booker's death. "There is nothing at this time to connect Mr. Edward Thomas and the offense that occurred yesterday," he said.



Police are unaware of Thomas' current whereabouts. Police are still trying to identify others who participated in the April attack, Weddington said and encouraged members of the public with information on either case "to come forward with information to bring closure to both these offenses."



Late Booker spoke out in the days after the attack to thank the community for supporting her. "This has been a rough week for myself, the transgender community, and also the city of Dallas. But I want to sincerely thank all you guys for coming out," she said, according to CNN affiliate KTVT. "I will remain strong with your support."

Jada Pinkett Smith confesses she once had 'a porn addiction' as daughter Willow admits she first watched porn at 11

Jada Pinkett Smith has opened up on her previously "unhealthy" addiction to porn.



The 47-year-old actress was joined by her 18-year-old daughter Willow Smith and mom Adrienne Banfield-Jones for the candid discussion on her Facebook Watch show, Red Table Talk.

On her porn addiction, the mother of two revealed it occurred shortly before her relationship with her husband Will Smith began.

'Back in the day I had a little porn addiction, but I wasn't in a relationship when I had a porn addiction, believe it or not, thank goodness,' said the Girls Trip star.

'I actually feel like I was using "addiction" a little lightly,' said Jada, once the women had sat down at the titular table.

And maybe I'll say now that I had an unhealthy relationship to porn at one point in my life where I was trying to practice abstinence.'

Her daughter, Willow then asked if her porn fixation came from an 'emotional' place.

'It was actually like filling an emptiness, at least you think it is,' Jada explained. 'But it's actually not.'

Earlier in the episode, the teenage 'Whip My Hair' singer admitted she began watching porn with her friends at a young age on Tumblr.

She said she was 'around 11' at the time.

All my girlfriends were like, ‘Oh, you should [watch],' the I Am Legend actress said.

Jada then picked up her daughter's story.

'I remember the first time I went on Willow’s Tumblr, she was 10 or 11,' the actress began.

'She was very matter of fact, she said, "I’m going to my Tumblr page but as we’re going to the Tumblr page you’re going to see a lot of stuff. This has nothing to do with me."'

'So she’s just scrolling, scrolling. And when I tell you I saw some of the most hardcore pornography on Tumblr.'

Willow countered, 'It wasn’t! Mom. It really wasn’t.'