Headline

We Want Justice’, Family Of Slain Italian Based Nigeria Woman Cry Out

Published

4 years ago

September 28, 2021

Editor

The family a woman killed by her Italian husband has appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Italian Government to ensure that justice was served in the case.

Rita Amenze, a 31 year-old mother of three was on September 10 shot dead by a 61 year old Pierangelo Pellizar for reportedly filing for a divorce.

She was murdered less than two weeks after she returned to Italy from Nigeria.

Members of the family made the appeal on Tuesday in Benin when a delegation of the Edo National Association in Italy (ENAI) and the National Union of Nigerian Associations in Italy (NUNAI) paid them a condolence visit.

The delegation led by Pastor Mike Oputteh, the Welfare Officer of NUNAI, arrived the family house to meet the three children of the deceased sent out of school for failure to pay school fees.

In an emotion-ladened voice, Mrs Faith Oyahiagbon, mother of the late Rita said she had lost her hope and family breadwinner in the deceased.

Oyahiagbon said she had developed a high blood pressure since the death of her first born broke out two weeks ago.

According to him, the children left behind are small and there is nobody to take care of them again.

“Rita was my daughter and my first born for that matter. She was all I had.

“She came home recently to see the children and we were all joyous. She had been in Italy for long just to seek a greener pasture.

“Celebrate (her last child) was six month old when she left her for me for upbringing.

“We also departed joyously while she was returning only to receive the bad news about two weeks later that she was shot dead.

“But I didn’t believe this until now that you all came. This looks like a film to me because how could I believe that a daughter that meant everything to me is dead, ” said the mother, who was crying profusely.

She, however, appealed to the Nigerian Mission in Italy and the Nigerians Union to help the family to get justice for the sake of the children.

“So I want appeal to all concerned authorities, for the sake of the children she left behind, to please help us seek justice.

“Rita was my leg; she was my life; she was my hope and she was my everything; she even promised me a lot of things when she saw my condition. She promised to change her children school,” she said.

Oyahiagbon debunked the claim that Amenze came home to marry and challenged whoever that had evidence to come forth with it.

She explained that though she bore three children, but she never married the man responsible for those children.

Corroborating the stance Mr Frank Akpoguma, the father of the children said he never married the deceased, but only had children together.

“We didn’t marry either registry or traditional. Yes, we had children, there was nothing like marriage between us.

“I have my wife (pointing to a women beside him) and we are happily married.

“But Rita has been source of survival for these children. She cared and catered for their upbringing and paid their school fees.

“I really wish to appeal to the Federal Government, National Assembly and the Association of Nigerians in Italy that just came that we want justice.

“As you can see that the children are too small, they need support so that we can care and cater for the children.

“I use this medium to appeal to everybody, Nigerian government, Italian government and Nigerian Ambassador to Italy as well as Civil Rights Organisations to help because she died because of these children.

“She was planning to take them abroad before her life was cut short by an Italian man”, said Akpoguma.

Oputteh had earlier assured that the associations would partner the Nigerian mission to ensure justice was served in the case, more importantly, for the prosperity of the children.

He said the delegation was in Nigeria to get the true position of things particularly as regards a claim that Rita came to Nigeria in August to marry, a claim that family has refuted.

The welfare officer donated on behalf of the associations a sum of N50,000 to the family to pay the children’s school fees.

Headline

Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

16 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

Headline

US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

16 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

Headline

US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

16 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”