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JUST IN: Slap Drama: Mrs Obiano Apologises To Bianca, Soludo, Others

Published

4 years ago

March 30, 2022

The immediate past First Lady of Anambra State, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, has formerly apologised to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, Ndigbo and friends of Ndigbo, over the incident between her and Mrs Bianca Ojukwu in Awka at the inauguration programme of Soludo on March 17, 2022.

This was, even as she has also declared her intention to join the contest for the forthcoming Anambra North Senatorial District election.

Ebelechukwu made her intention known to a select group of journalists in Awka saying that, “My interest to join the Senatorial race is in response to an overwhelming pressure and calls from my people to represent them in the Senate at the National Assembly, Abuja”.

According to her, “As has been attested to by the good people of Anambra State, service to people, humanity and sharing love and putting smiles on sad faces are my priority in life, and I know that it is the will of God because the Bible says that God is Love.

“Therefore, having witnessed and been positively touched by my ever willing disposition to care for people, empower the poor and needy, especially women and children, particularly widows, orphans and the destitute, my people decided that I should come and serve them better in a higher capacity,” she said.

The former First Lady therefore said that she is willing, ready and has accepted the call by her people to come and service them.

Fielding questions about the incident between her and Bianca, Ebelechukwu said that she has put all of that behind her as a God-fearing person, adding that she remained grateful to God that she resisted and overcame the temptation to retaliate the physical assault meted out on her.

She added that, “As a peaceful person that I am well known for, violence has never been in my character” and so she remained “grateful to several elders, statesmen, friends and associates of the Obianos, as well as countless number of good people of Anambra State who called and expressed their concerns and offered wise counsels and words of comfort after the unfortunate drama”.

In a letter addressed to Governor Soludo titled “A Public Apology”, Mrs Obiano stated that, “Permit me to use this medium to humbly convey to you my sincere, heartfelt and unreserved apology for the unfortunate incident between Mrs Bianca Ojukwu and myself on Thursday, March 17, 2022, the day of your inauguration as the new Executive Governor of Anambra State in which you took over from my husband, His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano.

“The incident, to say the least, was most unnecessary, unfortunate and I regret my action. It was an unintended action as violence is never in my character.

“Your Excellency, Sir, I hold your person, your ideals, the records of your great accomplishments in public service in Nigeria and beyond, as well as their concomitant collosal impacts in public policies in highest esteem.

“Without any equivocation, your achievements as a towering intellectual of national and international repute are enduring legacies and pride for the State and Ndigbo in general.

“I will therefore never deliberately engage in any activity or action to disrespect you and your Government.

“All those who know me can testify that before and throughout my eight years as the First Lady of State, I pursued peace, promoted philanthropic gestures which empowered many of our less privileged people. No excuse can therefore be tenable as justification for such public embarrassment, no matter the height of provocation.

“Equally, I wish to extend the same apology to all the important dignitaries, the people of Anambra State, as well as the entire Ndigbo for that unintended embarrassment at the occasion.

“I want to use this opportunity to pledge that I will wholeheartedly support and pray for the Government of His Excellency, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, to excell exceedingly better than the immediate past government, even as he builds on the legacy of his predecessor, my husband, His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano, and take our dear State to a higher level.

“I consciously chose this medium to express my apology, goodwill, supports and prayers publicly to His Excellency, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, as a token of my full respect for him, his family and the entire Ndigbo”, she stated.

Related Topics:Bianca's slap Obiano's wife

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Woman Passes Out After Receiving 100 Strokes Of Cane

Published

4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

A woman has passed out after she and her partner were each flogged 100 times in public for engaging in sex outside marriage under strict Sharia laws in Indonesia’s Aceh province.

The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, was later carried away after the punishment was carried out in Banda Aceh, located at the northern tip of Sumatra island on Thursday.

A masked official dressed in brown robes administered the caning before members of the public who gathered to witness the punishment.

Her partner was also seen wincing in pain while receiving the lashes.

The pair were among several individuals punished for violating Sharia regulations in the province.

Authorities from the Banda Aceh Sharia Court and the Prosecutor’s Office handed down punishments ranging from 25 to 100 lashes for offences including extramarital sex allegedly arranged through online applications.

Aceh remains the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia operating under Sharia law, where unmarried couples are prohibited from having sexual relations.

Caning is commonly used in the province as punishment for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, same-sex relations and sex outside marriage.

Under Aceh’s Sharia regulations, child rape offenders face some of the harshest penalties, including up to 200 strokes of the cane, a prison sentence of as long as 200 months or fines equivalent to two kilograms of gold.

The punishments are usually carried out publicly as a way of shaming offenders in addition to inflicting physical pain.

Such canings are often conducted outside mosques or in open public spaces, with residents watching and taking photographs during the exercise.

Human rights organisations have continued to condemn the practice, arguing that it causes emotional trauma and violates international human rights standards.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly criticised the punishments, saying they conflict with Indonesia’s constitution and global legal obligations.

Amnesty said in a statement: “Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards.

‘It constitutes a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can amount to torture in violation of the UN Convention against Torture and other international covenants, to which Indonesia is a State Party.’”

Despite the criticism, local authorities have defended the punishments as part of Aceh’s religious and cultural identity, insisting they serve as a deterrent against immoral behaviour.

Earlier in January, another couple in the province reportedly received 140 lashes each after being found guilty of drinking alcohol and engaging in sex outside marriage.

(Daily Mail)

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Senegal’s President Sacks Prime Minister After Months-long Feud

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4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sacked Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government following months of rising political tension between the two former allies.

The decision was announced in a surprise decree read on national television by a presidential aide, stating that Faye had “ended the duties” of Sonko and “consequently those of the ministers and secretaries of state who are members of the government”.

Sonko, who remains a highly influential figure among Senegal’s youth, responded on social media, saying he would “sleep with a light heart”.

The political fallout comes at a time of growing economic strain in the country, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) putting Senegal’s public debt at 132% of its GDP.

His removal followed a tense parliamentary session on Tuesday, where Sonko openly criticised President Faye’s handling of the debt situation.

The development is striking given that Faye’s rise to power was largely tied to Sonko’s popularity and political backing.

Sonko would almost certainly have contested the presidency himself in 2024, but was barred from the race due to a defamation conviction. Instead, he threw his support behind Faye, rallying voters with the slogan “Diomaye is Sonko, Sonko is Diomaye”.

The alliance helped unseat former President Macky Sall in a dramatic electoral victory, despite both men having been released from prison only days before the vote.

Tensions between the two leaders had been building for months, with Faye reportedly accusing Sonko of excessive dominance within the ruling Pastef party, while Sonko accused the president of weak leadership and failing to defend him against critics.

(BBC News)

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Six Nigerians Arrested In Thailand Over AI-Powered Romance Scam

Published

4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

Six Nigerian nationals have been arrested by the Thailand Police Force for allegedly operating an AI-powered deepfake romance scam syndicate from a luxury condominium along the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi Province, following a cocaine trafficking investigation that exposed their activities.

Thai authorities said the operation began after police arrested a Nigerian suspect identified as Patrick and three associates in April over alleged drug trafficking offences. During the raid, officers reportedly seized assets valued at about 2.5 million baht.

Investigators said financial transactions linked to the suspects led them to several foreign nationals living in a high-end riverside condominium near Phra Nangklao Bridge in Nonthaburi. Police discovered that many of the occupants were staying in groups of five or six per apartment under student visas despite not being enrolled in any educational institution or engaged in lawful employment.

According to Thai police, officers executed search warrants on three condominium units on May 22. The suspects allegedly refused to open their doors, forcing authorities to break into the apartments.

Videos circulating on X captured the moment police officers forcefully gained entry into one of the apartments before arresting the suspects.

During the operation, one suspect reportedly attempted to escape by climbing over a balcony, while another was found hiding on the bathroom floor while allegedly sending warning messages to occupants in neighbouring units.

Police recovered 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank passbooks from the apartments. Authorities said some of the phones were still logged into active conversations with victims at the time of the raid.

Investigators alleged that the syndicate specialised in romance scams targeting older Thai women by using AI-generated faces and manipulated video calls to create fake online identities.

The suspects allegedly posed as pilots, United States military officers, doctors and engineers to gain the trust of victims before requesting money under false pretences.

Police said the fraudsters typically claimed that valuable packages or gifts sent to victims had been withheld by customs officials and required payment of clearance fees before release.

Authorities also said they recovered scripts for sexually explicit conversations allegedly used to emotionally manipulate victims into transferring funds. Investigators claimed the group relied heavily on artificial intelligence technology to generate realistic Western faces for fake video interactions.

Thai police said all six suspects are currently facing preliminary charges bordering on illegal association and immigration overstay, while additional fraud and romance scam charges are expected to follow as investigations continue.