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Edo: Controversy Trails Alleged Marriage Of Nigerian Lady, Danish Citizen

Published

1 year ago

January 21, 2023

Editor

A 15 years romance between a Nigerian-born Danish citizen, Kelvin Martins and Nigerian lady, Sandra Agho that produced a son has gone sour resulting in allegations and counter allegations between the two.

At the centre of the controversy was how the product of the relationship, a four-year-old Johnnes Owen Martins found his way to Denmark when he was two years.

Also in dispute was whether there was a traditional marriage between Sandra and Martins as alleged by Sandra or that Sandra only consented to bear a child for Martins because his wife couldn’t have a child due to cancer as claimed by Martins.

Sandra therefore accused Martins of deceiving her into handing over her son to him and thereafter using interpol to ban her from visiting Denmark to have custody of her son.

These have now become a subject of police investigation and involvement of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Human Persons and other related offences (NAPTIP), Interpol and the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission.

The issues became public last week when Martins instructed his lawyer, Douglas Ogbankwa to reclaim his property from Sandra.

I’m married to Martins — Sandra

In a petition dated July 29th, 2022, and addressed to the Inspector General of Police, (IGP), Sandra accused Martins of child trafficking, deceit and abduction.

Part of her petition reads, “I am constrained to bring to your notice the fraudulent act of my husband, Mr Kelvin Uyi Martins, who dishonestly asked for my hand in marriage from my parents and I stayed with him in his house at GRA, Benin City, Edo State for fourteen years. Subsequently, I got pregnant and had a baby boy on 16th March, 2019. He invited me to pay a visit to Denmark with my child and the trip was scheduled for the 14th August, 2019. But my visa was blocked.

“My child was flown to Denmark and finally taken over by my husband. Thereafter he sent me a divorce letter and asked me to move out of his house while he sent some assassins in Benin City after me so that he would continue to be with our child in Denmark with another barren woman who cannot bear a child for him. It is unfortunate that he used me as a baby producing machine.”

Recounting her experience to journalists in Benin City, Sandra said, “on March 6 2021, I had a traditional marriage with Martins. How can he deny that there was no marriage? This was a marriage where the venue was paid for, marriage materials were provided and over 100 people were in attendance including his friends. There is a video to that effect and other evidence which will be produced at the appropriate time. My interest is not in any property of Martins but my son. I need my son back to Nigeria”. She said

Sandra dismissed allegations that she wanted to appropriate Martins’ properties adding that all the landed properties she bought jointly with him were in his name.

She said the Toyota Hi-lander jeep Martins was asking for was a gift from him when he delivered a baby boy and that the Interpol and other relevant agencies were aware of the matter.

One Goddy Orhorho who claimed to be a cousin to Martins said Sandra was properly married to Martins who was unable to attend the ceremony then and asked him and other family members to stand in for him.

He said, “I am actually related to Martins. Sometime in 2021 myself and some family members related to Martins went to marry this young lady on his behalf. There was no issue then and even a few weeks after the marriage, Martins came to Nigeria and took us to a hotel to host us in appreciation of what we did on his behalf.

“After that, he also took us to his house in Ugbor. Martins is my cousin. At the time the marriage was conducted Martins’ father was sick and because he wasn’t in good relationship with his siblings, he sent me and Mathew Ogiame to organize other family members”.

However, when contacted, Mathew Ogiame who was said to have attended the marriage denied ever attending any marriage as claimed.

According to him, “there was nothing like marriage. What I saw was a party. When I got there none of Martins’ brothers, sisters and parents were there. Let her bring the video or photograph to justify her claim. I was deceived to be there. Since we are Martins’ friends we didn’t want to just leave like that so that they would not see us as bad people. I don’t know anything about marriage. It never happened.” Also, a family member of Martins, who did not want to be mentioned, corroborated the position of Ogiame, saying, “one thing I know is that Kelvin was legally married to a South Korean woman named Mina and the entire family is aware of it. I don’t think he was married to any other person. If they said Sandra was married, ask her who was there when they got married? In Benin, if we want to marry, the families of the boy and the girl usually come together and go for the marriage.”

Before the demise of Mina, Sandra was said to have flown to Tanzania to meet with Martins and Mina where the idea of having a child for them since Mina could not conceive as a result of ovarian cancer was allegedly muted.

She was never my wife —Martins

In his own claim, Martins alleged that “Sandra was the one who requested that she would have a child for me and my wife. She did that because she knew I had no child. I even offered that if she wanted to see our child I could make an arrangement and we would meet in Dubai but they don’t want that. The Interpol warned me not to go to Nigeria. Johannes is my biological son. If a child is not with his mother, he is with his father”.

Martins in a voice note sent to journalists said that he could not have contracted another marriage as it is against the law having been married. He said a meeting was arranged between Sandra and his late wife in Tanzania. According to him, “my wife had insisted on meeting the person who wanted to have a child for us. She (Sandra) is the one who offered to have a child for me and my wife. She met my wife and said she was doing it because my wife had cancer and couldn’t have a child. She was like a family friend to me and my wife. After that, my wife lived for five years before she died and she started making trouble and telling lies. I challenged her to back her claims of marriage with concrete evidence.

“Sometimes in April 2022, I got a visit by the Danish Interpol with a claim that Sandra made a petition to Nigeria Interpol that I stole my child, that I was married to her. I allowed the Interpol into my apartment in Denmark due to the reason that I work with the military as well and they explained to me that there was nothing illegal the way I brought my son to Denmark.

“They said they believed she wanted a relationship with me. I told the Interpol it was not possible for me to have a relationship with her because I just lost my wife. They concluded that with all the lies against me and the Danish embassy they banned her from coming to Denmark and they sent their report to Nigeria Interpol. That is why she is now sending a petition to the Inspector General of Police, IGP in Abuja claiming that we connived with the Interpol. This can be confirmed from the Interpol in Nigeria. Since she made this petition in June nobody has contacted me again on this”

On the allegation of abduction and child trafficking, a document dated 21st January, 2020 with ref No: WLC/SPA/2020/001, from the legal firm of Obasuyi & Obasuyi in Benin titled: LETTER OF CONSENT TO KELVIN UYI MARTINS IN ORDER TO HAVE FULL CUSTODY OF HIS SON JOHANNES OWEN MARTINS) indicated that Sandra agreed to give her son to Martins.

Part of the letter reads, “We are solicitors and write on the instruction of Sandra Palmer Agho hereinafter referred to as our client. Our client who is presently resident in Nigeria is the biological mother of Johannes Owen Martins who was born on March 16th, 2019. The biological father, Kelvin Uyi Martins of the said Johannes Owen Martins is presently resident in Denmark specifically at Kongedybet 2, St. TV 2300 Copenhagen, Denmark.

“This letter is thus meant to notify the necessary authorities both here in Nigeria and Denmark that our client, Sandra Palmer Agho, gives consent of full custody of Johannes Owen Martins to his biological father Kelvin Uyi Martins. This letter of consent is further supported by an affidavit of consent personally deposed to by Sandra Palmer Agho and it is our hope and anticipation that this letter is accorded the necessary attention.”

Sandra however insisted that she was tricked into this and expressed hope that with the intervention of necessary authorities and agencies, she would get justice and get her son back.

“He is our son, I cannot deny that but I want him to be with me and grow with me and after he is grown, he can come and have him”, Sandra said.

News

Old Clip Of Wizkid’s Father’s Claim On Helping Alaba Get Electricity In 1972 Sparks Outrage

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

Muniru Balogun, Wizkid's Father

Muniru Balogun, the father of multiple award-winning musician Ayodeji, popularly known as Wizkid, claimed to have sorted the electricity problem of the Alaba area in Ajegunle, a commercial community in the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Wizkid’s father said he went to the defunct National Electric Power Authority in 1972 to reach an agreement that helped the area enjoy electricity till today.

The claim has since been greeted by netizens’ outrage after the clip resurfaced two years later.

In the video recorded by GoldMyne TV in 2022, Balogun was presented with the Ajeromi Ifelodun Heroes and Icons Award.

Wizkid’s father, speaking on his contribution to the community, said, “I came to Ajegunle in 1972. At that time, there was no light in Alaba. So, I went to NEPA and lured them to come and make a survey of the area to give them light.

“So when they presented it. I did the survey; I did the draft, and the sketch of the whole of Alaba. They presented it to their board at that time (1972), and it was approved within two weeks, after which light was given to the area.

“So that is my contribution. I am the Baba Adinni of Alaba Central Mosque and also the former Chairman of APC for 14 years. I thank God that I’m still alive and that my son, Wizkid, is still doing well. I thank God.”

He further advised the community’s youths to shun social vices, adding that if they don’t have an education, they should have something to do while urging them to develop their talents in football, music, and the rest.

However, the interview has been greeted with backlashes and tribal outrages from netizens who claimed that the Igbo in Alaba developed the community into the commercial city it is today and not Wizkid’s father as claimed.

A Tweep, Mayowa David, who identifies as @kkiiikk on X, said, “But Alaba is Igboland Nannuuu….”

Another user, Phemmy, tweeting with the handle @phemifem, said, “The colonial master paid for the light in advance.”

Carter of Remo, who tweets as @Biola_carter, opined, “It’s a lie…Aguiyi Ironsi paid for it.”

One Chiefnwosu_store on Instagram queried, “Which of the Alaba? Suru Alaba or Alaba International Market?.”

Solarklips on Instagram also wrote in Pidgin English, “He gave Alaba light ke? na him be governor or LG chairman…Ok. accepted. People must have contributed money for the transformer, but he didn’t mention them. No man can single-handedly give a village electricity not to talk of Alaba.”

This is coming on the heels of the reignited long-standing feud between Wizkid and David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido which was accompanied by fiery social media exchanges.

In the early hours of Monday, April 29, 2024, Wizkid made some controversial tweets, which became the major topic of discussion in the entertainment industry for the week.

Wizkid had posted the embarrassing video, which had surfaced on the Internet some weeks back, in response to a fan who had asked him to release a new song.

He stated that his fans must beg him for a new song the same way Davido was pleading in the video before he would consider their request.

However, the singer did not stop there. He also threw ‘shades’ at Peruzzi, an artiste signed to Davido’s record label. Perruzi is believed to have written many of Davido’s songs, a fact that the latter has confirmed on different occasions. In one of the controversial tweets, Wizkid wrote, “You and all your crew, plus your pant washer songwriter, go to sleep at night thinking you actually got anything on me in music. Wish you all well.”

Responding to Wizkid, Perruzi dared him to swear that he had not also sought for him. On his part, Davido responded, “You’re a sick man.” In a now-deleted tweet, Davido also called Wizkid a woman beater.

News

Anambra Teaching Hospital To Commence Mass Burial Of Abandoned Corpses

Published

7 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

The mortuary at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku-Awka, Anambra State, has reportedly been filled up.

As a result, the institution said it would commence the evacuation, disposal and mass burial of corpses abandoned at its facility since 2014.

The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Henrietta Agbai, disclosed this in a statement sighted by our correspondent on Monday, adding that the exercise would commence from July 2024.

The three-paragraph statement was issued on behalf of the Chief Medical Director of the institution, Dr Josephat Akabuike, and the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Dr Emmanuel Mba.

Agbai said the decision followed the approval granted for the action by the state government.

She said, “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has approved the disposal of abandoned corpses at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Coouth Amaku-Awka.

“To this end, the management wishes to inform the general public that COOUTH Amaku-Awka intends to conduct mass burials of the abandoned corpses in its mortuary from 2014 to December 2023.

“Therefore, those whose relatives are missing should visit the hospital’s mortuary for possible identification and collection of such corpses within one month of this publication.”

The COOUTH is located at the centre of Awka, it is usually the first port of call for health emergencies in and around the state, especially in cases of road accidents, gunshot injuries and critical situations, among other.

It was gathered that most of the victims of these health emergencies do not eventually make it, and the corpses are usually moved to the hospital’s mortuary.

According to The PUNCH, the development has resulted in the hospital’s mortuary being overloaded with corpses, most of whom are unidentified, as far back as 2014.

News

Gunmen Kill One, Abduct Seven Travellers On Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode Expressway

Published

12 hours ago

May 6, 2024

Editor

Gunmen numbering up to seven have reportedly killed one person and abducted seven other travellers along the Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode expressway.

The gunmen armed with A.K 47 rifles were said to have waylaid and attacked the travellers in between the Ilisan, Ceplast industry and Iperu junction axis of the expressway on Friday.

A viral audio from one of the victims of the tragic incident, who was apparently a driver heading to Lagos, detailed how the gunmen stopped their vehicles with sporadic shooting and later marched them into the bush.

He said, “This incident happened at past five in the evening, they were armed to the teeth with A.K 47 rifles shooting heavily. They even killed one person who was inside a Lexus car. So, they marched about seven of us inside the bush and when I saw that they were speaking Hausa, I started speaking Hausa to them begging them not to kill me, so they asked if I was a northerner but I said no, that I have once lived in Kebbi and Sokoto.

“They kept taking us further inside the bush, later they asked if I had any money, so I gave them the N103,000 and my phone. There was another driver from the east who said that the kidnappers had collected N120,000 from him just as we were abducted. They later set the two of us free while the other five people abducted were still with them”.

Speaking with our Correspondent on Monday, the Spokesperson of Ogun State police command, SP Omolola Odutola confirmed the incident.

Odutola said that the police could not confirm the number of people that were abducted but noted that the gun-wielding hoodlums killed one of the travellers yet to be identified.

She said the incident which happened on May 3, around 6:55 pm was incidented as a case of armed robbery, murder and kidnapping.

Odutola said: “We have information that about seven people whom we don’t know with A.K 47 suddenly blocked the Benin-Sagamu expressway.

“The DPO of Ilisan when he got to the scene of the incident saw two vehicles pierced with bullets; a Lexus Jeep 300 with registration number LND 640 DY, the driver’s name is Chilaka Lugard and another Lexus Jeep 350 with registration number LSR 996 JF belonging to Kingsley Chineme. Inside this Lexus 350 car was found a cross bag with N113,000, two iPhones; an iPhone Six and an iPhone Eleven Promax.

“There was also a corpse of an unidentified man who was shot in the head.

“The third vehicle was loaded with plantains and the driver who was among those abducted, regained freedom and was later allowed to go with the vehicle. The other Lexus vehicles have been taken to Ilishan Police Station.”

Odutola said the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alamutu was not happy with this security breach and had in an emergency meeting summoned on Monday, directed the tactical commanders and the mobile squadron to go after these undesirable elements.

She said ‘the CP had been to the scene of this incident, and a lot of work is ongoing to fish these people out and let them answer for their criminality, I can assure you that, these criminals will be apprehended just very soon.”

About three weeks ago, some rampaging eight gunmen had stormed Ajadeh Event Centre along the Iperu-Sagamu road and snuffed the life out of Professor Yinka Olomojobi, a lecturer with Babcock University, Ilisan Remo.

Olomojobi, a Professor of Human Rights and Gender Law was reportedly shot dead on the fateful day around 9 pm by these daredevil gunmen for allegedly resisting his abduction.

The lecturer and others were at this relaxation centre when these hoodlums began disturbing the serenity of the environment with their heavy shooting.

By the time the dust settled, Olomojobi had been killed while two others, one Dare and another unidentified person had been whisked away.

The police however said that one Awada Ishaya from Plateau State had been picked up as prime suspect of the sordid act.

Ishaya was said to have just been employed two weeks ago as a security guard when the event centre was opened.