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How Fulani Leaders’ Meeting With Bandits To Release Abducted Niger State Pupils Ended In Deadlock

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The armed men who kidnapped pupils from an Islamiyya school in Tegina, Niger State, and the Federal Government College, Birnin-Yauri, are holding on to their victims with varying demands.

Students kidnapped by bandits in several parts of the country are still in captivity despite payments of some ransom by their parents.

The armed men who kidnapped pupils from an Islamiyya school in Tegina, Niger State, and the Federal Government College, Birnin-Yauri, are holding on to their victims with varying demands.

Gunmen kidnapped not less than 136 school pupils from Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina on May 30 while about 80 students were taken from FGC Yauri in Kebbi State on June 17.

Ali Kachalla, the bandit’s kingpin holding the Tegina pupils, despite receiving a N50million ransom has refused to release the children but rather made fresh demands which the distraught parents say they could not meet up with.

Kachalla, it was also gathered, has refused entreaties from Fulani leaders engaged as mediators to secure the release of the pupils who have been in the kidnappers’ den for almost 90 days.

“A three-man delegation went to meet him but on learning of their arrival, he avoided going to his house for many days until the old men left in frustration,” a source involved in the process told Daily Trust.

He also described Kachalla as “merciless and cantankerous.”

Meanwhile, the fate of over 70 FGC Yauri students is yet to be ascertained as the bandits’ arrowhead who kidnapped them, Dogo Gide, insists that he would only free the students in exchange for five of his men arrested by security agents.

“He said he was not looking for money. His only demand is that government should release five of his men as a condition for the release of the students,” a source said, describing the condition as stringent considering its implication.

A source familiar with the ongoing talks said a process has been initiated to perfect the release after stormy discussions among security agencies on the modalities.

“It is a tough decision agreeing to accede to demands of criminals, but arguments were also made about the fate of the innocent students who could be wasted by the madmen,” the source said.

The kidnap kingpin, who was saddened by the capture of his lieutenants, initially abducted three people, including a Chinese man from a quarry in Niger State, to press for the release of his men.

“The company reached out and explained to him that they were not government workers, so they had to offer a ransom. But even after collecting ransom he released only two persons and withheld the Chinese man.

“However, it appears that he decided to release the last one as he was becoming infirm from long incarceration, though he (Gide) had threatened to kill him if no more money was paid,” the source said.

The source said it was after this that he decided to raid the school in Yauri, believing it was the best way to press for his demand on the government.

Since the abduction of students from Government Science School Kankara, bandits have increasingly targeted schools in troubled communities, leading to the closure of schools in Kaduna, Zamfara and Katsina states.

Culled from the Sahara Reporters

 

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Stephcynie’s “No Lie”: A Soulful Anthem Redefining Love

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With a feature on Billboard.com and placements on Netflix television, Stephcynie is an artist poised to enchant listeners once again with her latest single, “No Lie.” With its chill, romantic sound, and Stephcynie’s sultry vocals, “No Lie” is a soulful anthem that redefines love.
Stephcynie Shares Soulful New Single ”No Lie” Featuring S-Wrap | Stereofox  Music Blog
The song’s lyrics delve into the joy and security of being with someone who allows you to be fully yourself. Picture the harmonies of H.E.R and Snoh Alegra blending seamlessly with the seductive delivery of Jill Scott and SIR – that’s the addictive vibe you’ll experience. Stephcynie’s genre-melding style incorporates jazz phrasing with her smoky voice, showcasing her vocal versatility and offering a refreshing musical perspective. She’s an empowering songwriter, skilled at transforming life’s challenges into motivating musical narratives.
At a BPM of 134, “No Lie” sets the perfect mood for celebrating the beauty of true connection. Produced by the talented Daniel Sauls (known for his work with Lauren Daigle) and featuring word hip hop artist S-Wrap, the song is a testament to Stephcynie’s ability to seamlessly blend classic influences into a modern, genre-defying musical hybrid.
Stephcynie’s resiliency, determination, and undeniable talent have cemented her status as an in-demand vocalist with a solid foundation in the music scene. From her Billboard features to collaborations with industry heavyweights like Eric Church and Christopher Cross, Stephcynie consistently pushes boundaries and exceeds expectations.
No Lie” marks the beginning of Stephcynie’s journey to greatness. With her commanding stage presence and resilient artistry, she’s destined to inspire the next wave of musicians.

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Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.

In the suit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Emilio Garcia said that after a night out in 2022 in Ibiza, Spain, he was in an SUV with the hip-hop star when she began having sex with another woman right next to him. He was unable to get out of the moving car, and would have been in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country even if he was able. Garcia was “embarrassed, mortified and offended throughout the whole ordeal,” according to the lawsuit.

Alex Spiro, Megan’s lawyer, said she would fight the lawsuit in court.

“This is an employment claim for money — with no sexual harassment claim filed and with salacious accusations to attempt to embarrass her,” Spiro said.

The next day Megan told Garcia never to discuss what he saw and berated and fat-shamed him, the lawsuit said. The complaint also said Garcia, who had already considered quitting because he was overworked and underpaid in a hostile work environment aggravated by Megan’s possessiveness and abusiveness, was misclassified as an independent contractor but treated as an exclusive employee.

Garcia raised those issues in the conversation with Megan, and was fired the following day after four years of working for her, the suit said. He has since filed a job discrimination complaint with the California Civil Rights Department.

The lawsuit, first reported by NBC News, names as defendants Megan, whose legal name is Megan Pete; her companies Megan Thee Stallion Entertainment and Hot Girl Touring; and her label, Roc Nation. A defense response has yet to be filed. There was no immediate response to an email seeking comment from a representative of Roc Nation.

Garcia is seeking financial damages to be determined at trial, alleging he has suffered severely both emotionally and physically because of his treatment on the job, the firing and having to witness the scene in the SUV.

Megan, 29, was previously involved in major legal drama — and underwent a torrent of online abuse — as the victim of a shooting by rapper Tory Lanez, who a jury found fired at her feet on a street in the Hollywood Hills in 2020. She testified at the trial where jurors convicted Lanez of three felonies and a judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Already a major rising artist at the time of the shooting, Megan has since become one of hip-hop’s biggest stars. She won a Grammy for best new artist in 2021, and she had No. 1 singles with “Savage,” featuring Beyoncé, and as a guest on Cardi B’s “WAP.”

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Body of O.J. Simpson to be cremated this week; brain will not be studied for CTE

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April 15 (UPI) — The body of O.J. Simpson, who died last week at the age of 76, is to be cremated, a lawyer representing the ex-football superstar’s estate said, adding his brain will not be donated for research.

Malcolm LaVergne, Simpson’s longtime attorney and executor, told the New York Post that his client’s body is to be cremated Tuesday in Las Vegas.

He said Simpson’s family also gave a “hard no” to scientists seeking to examine the former running back’s brain for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is better known as CTE.

CTE is a rare and little understood brain disorder that is likely caused by repeated blows to the head. According to the Mayo Clinic, CTE results in the death of nerve cells in the brain and the only way to definitively diagnose it is with an autopsy of the organ after death.

Memory and thinking problems, confusion, personality changes and erratic behavior, including aggression, depression and suicidal ideation, are among CTE’s symptoms, the Alzheimer’s Association said.

The disease has been found in those who play contact sports, including football and hockey.

LaVergne confirmed to NBC News on Sunday that at least one person has called seeking Simpson’s brain.

“His entire body, including his brain, will be cremated,” he said.

Simpson died Wednesday following a battle with cancer.

Known by the nickname “The Juice,” Simpson was a NFL superstar during the 1970s, which made him a household name that propelled him into film and television during the next decade.

But his stardom would come crashing down in the mid-1990s when he was accused of killing his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman.

His high-profile trial lasted months, but ended with his acquittal.

In 2008, he was found guilty on a dozen charges, including kidnapping and armed robbery, and was paroled in 2017 after serving nine years of his 33-year sentence.

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