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 Married to a fellow rights activist, Joe, in 1997, Odumakin’s voice was heard through the dark years of military despotism.

 The witnesses claim they saw Dmitry Ponomarenko, 30, leave his flat covered in blood and carrying the head of his 53-year-old father Igor Ponomarenko.

Pictured left: Dmitry Ponomarenko, kneeling down with intestines around his neck after being detained. Pictured right: Ponomarenko is put into a police van and arrested

In what will come across as a really shocking development, a blood-soaked naked man has been seen walking around with a severed head in Ukraine.

The man spotted by neighbours 'wrapped in intestines carrying his father's severed head' while walking the streets has been arrested in Ukraine.  

The witnesses claim they saw Dmitry Ponomarenko, 30, leave his flat covered in blood and carrying the head of his 53-year-old father Igor Ponomarenko.

As he watched in horror, one neighbour said the naked man calmly sat down on a bench in the town of Odessa, southern Ukraine, and lit a cigarette.

'Covered with blood and wrapped in guts man, holding a severed head, came out of the entrance, sat down on a bench and lit a cigarette', a resident of the apartment block said on Wednesday.

Horrified witnesses called the emergency services, with Police racing to the scene.

Once there, officers detained Ponomarenko junior who was found wandering around and hitting parked cars with the head, according to onlookers.

A picture shows him with intestines wrapped around his neck during his arrest.

Officers found two dead male bodies in the man's apartment.

The beheaded corpse of Igor Ponomarenko was lying on a bed, while another body that belonged to the family's friend Aleksandr Demchenko, 32, was sliced open and gutted.

When asked by cops why he killed the victims, Ponomarenko said it was because 'he had to' and that 'he is a god who is not worshipped', witnesses said.

A police spokesman said to local media: 'We received calls from shocked people reporting a man walking in the neighbourhood with a severed head in his hand.'

Law enforcement opened a criminal case for double murder against Ponomarenko, who was placed into custody. He faces up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

During police interrogations, Ponomarenko said that 'he is a god' and that he 'sacrificed the victims to himself'.

The suspect worked in the Duke Hotel from where he had been fired a day before the incident for being under the influence of drugs and inappropriate behavior, a source said. The motives of the crime are being investigated.

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Source: Daily Mail UK

Below is the NEW POLICE SALARY Structure approved by President Muhammadu Buhari government of Nigeria which takes immediate effect.

 By Denen Achusa

The young people in Sankera may wish to “be calming down” and take to heart Terwase Akwaza a.k.a Gana’s words to be disciplined wherever they are. Otherwise, this is the time they will experience brutal military action and understand that “khaki no bi leather.”

I was at Gbise last week, with good intentions. Yet, they misconstrued my presence and stopped me from doing my work.

Gbise has become very popular and for no good reasons. The settlement is located 182Km from Makurdi, the Benue State capital. They are closer to Taraba State, than they are to Makurdi.

From Makurdi, I was on board with someone who is displaced from Taraba State. He spoke in Tiv. This man was delineated into Taraba State at the creation of the north eastern state. “We are not having peace in Taraba State. Go to Wukari, all homes belonging to the Tiv have been brought to rubbles,” the man said. He spoke at lenght, with a woman that was seated next to him. I listened with rapt attention. The conversation between the two was adding a lot to my mission to Gbise.

My heart skipped a beat, when I felt my pocket and could not have a feel that my identification card was in place. By this time, we had gone past Ameladu. The Ortar that I sat next to noticed that something was wrong. He asked and I told him: I’ve left behind something that renders this trip useless.

There was every reason to be worried. I was visiting a militarialised area, on a mission many would have turned down. The press tag was my saving grace, giving the undeserved kindness of Jah in my life. Without it, no amount of explaination would save me, as every man including the flat feet would take me for a spy. One thought asked me to call Makurdi for my card and wait for it in Katsina-Ala and that would mean waiting for three hours before the card will arrive. Going with this line of action imply getting to Gbise at thereabout 4pm; not good. I decided to go with the second thought, that call the office and get the permission for a temporal card.

We hit Katsina-Ala at 10:31 hours. Rather than alight at Takum Junction, I opted for the park. The Katsina- Ala College of Education is not far from there and so I could get a business centre for a temporal card. Once I alight, I pulled a paper material in pocket to record time. Behold, my card was in there. I was relieved. At this time, it was dizzling. Yet, I was not deterred.

I joined a waiting vehicle at Takum Junction for Gbise. At Tor Donga, the driver pull off, stopped okada and paid to take me to Gbise. Ordinarily, it was a Gbise Market day and so there ought ti be a direct link from Kastina-Ala to Gbise by car. However, I had to complete the rest of the journey by motorcycle. Once we went past headquarters Sector 2, OPWS, I asked the okada if he was from Gbise or Tor Donga. When he said Gbise, I told him I was fortunate because rather than start asking around, he will take me to my destination.

“What is your destination?,” he asked. Iyornder Akwaza’s house, I replied (Iyornder is the father of slained Terwase Akwaza a.k.a Gana). I wanted to see Iyornder first, then sniff around. The okada man became cold and had decelerated to the level that made several things to cross my mind. After several minutes of silence, he asked about my relationship with Iyornder. What should I tell him? Of course, as a Tiv man, I should know the import and where such questions normally end. Therefore, it was in my interest to say it as it was. By the way, it was between him and I; he could be of help.

“The military have said a lot about Terwase and Gbise. As a journalist, I am mandated to vist this place and also see Terwase’s father, to hear from him and also find out how he could be helped,” I returned.

Whether he was convinced or not, he told me it was a Gbise Market day and so, rather than go to Iyornder’s house, we will first look out for him at the market square. I agreed and left the search into his hands. He took me to the first location and to the second, he motioned me to a seat and asked I wait for him. After 10 minutes, he came back and told me the man was not insight and the person he thought could help is also not around.

At this point, I pulled out my tag, showed him and told him in a matter of fact manner: “Take me to Iyornder Akwaza’s house. No one will harrass you and I. My guy told me he will get another bike for me. That was how he disappeared.

I would later understand that he had gone round the town, leaving word that someone was in town to see Gana’s father. That was how I got no bike that could take me to my destination.

After a second okada declined my request, without uttering a word, I decided I’ll see the Okada chairman for help. There was no need contemplating making my way to the house on “legedies” benz (understand what I mean?) because the guy who conveyed me from Tor Donga told me I would have to part with at least 300 Naira to and fro my destination. It was in the bid to see the okada chairman that my grill session started.

How so? Once I asked about the okada chairman, one young man who assumed the role of the chief interrogator asked: Where is your motorcycle? I don’t have, I answered.

Interrogator: So, what do you want to see the chairman for?

Me: I’ve attended Gbise market and has felt compelled to also speak with local transporters.

At this time, there was a circle of young people about me. One of them asked: Are you not the one that is going to the house of Baba u orvesen (Gana’s father)? His question hit me like a shrapnel. I turned to the direction. It was not the guy that took me to Gbise. So, I’ve been spotted? It has happened. I had to cooperate.

I attempted to pull one of them by the side but they insisted I must state my mission to the hearing of everyone. My explainations fell on deaf ears. I answered and re-answered questions. Meanwhile, they had seized my identification tag.

No one touched me though, neither did any of the young people interrogating me showed any sign that they understood what was written on my tag. They then resolved that “kwagh u a lu yô se za na or ne sha ikev i sikyurity. Ka ne mba ka ne va tôôn information heen ne za naan kera je ne (we will handover this man to security agents. You are among those that give out information about this place). Once they indicated that I’ll be handed over to security agents, my mind went back to normal.

The challenge was: When will they take me to the “sikyurity” that they had decided on? I resisted the temptation to ask them to do so. After another 30 minutes wait, that seemed endless, I was taken to a joint. On arrival, the chief interrogator handed my card to one of the young men there.

Chief interrogator: Take this card (handing over my card) and show me where Okada is written on it. The young man took the card, examined it and asked what I’d wanted. I drew close to him and whispered to him that I needed help and the Okada union leader was in the best position to help me. He looked me over and directed me to where I could see the okada chairman and handed me my card. I thanked him and left.

I met the same resistance at the Okada union office. It was mission impossible. In fact, I was told to go back to where I came from. To them, I was a spy; a collaborator with security agents; anti-orvesen. On my part, I was determined to do what took me to Gbise (It took 2.1k to get to Gbise. Does it means I’ll spend times two of this amount, in addition to food and time without accomplishing anything meaningful, these days of Covid-19?). When it became obvious that it was not going to work, I decided to go into Gbise Market.

“May I go into the market and see what you have in there,” I told them.

“If you like, go into the market and asked the same question; you may not be fortunate,” one of them returned.

“You are putting fear into me,” I said.

“Feel free, we don’t beat people here,” he went on. That was how I entered the market and stole a number of shots. This is just the summary of what happened last Friday at Gbise. Food they have. What they need do now is allow access to Sankera so that their story could be told.

I know some people will ask: Why did you go there? And I ask, why not? Until we go in, not much of what is happening there will be known. And except in war time or conflict, no single location should be militarialised in a democracy. There are ills that come with military occupation. You will willingly give the khaki boys your houses to stay in, yet, you can’t have the houses back when you need them; they will treat your girls and women dirty; harrass the young and the old alike. This is what is happening in Sankera. I have to hear these stories from your mouth so I can tell them to the world. Or do you want to continue to wallow under the yoke of military and militia gangs?

Gana, in his parting words beseeched you, the young people of Sankera to be disciplined. You are definitely going to see more troops in your area. I learned that the other day, they blamed your mothers for giving birth to wayward children, as they flogged them. It is recorded in the Bible that elders ate unripe fruits and the teeth of the young became sour. In Sankera, the reverse is true: Parents are being punished or maltreated for the deeds of their children.

I did not like the inhuman treatment I saw on my way to Gbise. No one can say with certainty, when the military will pull out. Sankera youth, you have to behave yourselves to avoid tasting the bitter pill of the military.

This is not the first time that I’ll be stopped in line of duty in Sankera. The first time it was at Abaji, following the killing of ten members of the CJTF.

Sankera elders and opinion leaders, this is my appeal: Talk to the young people of your area to allow civilians, including aid workers and journalists access to your area.

Journalists will help to tell your story. It is in your interest that we do so. Gana is no more and I repeat, don’t forget his words, calling on you to be disciplined. He was no fool to so advice.

I love you Sankera. I do really hope to share in your pains by telling your story. Once again, I come in peace. It was for good that I was at Gbise, not for any bad intentions. It is my hope that you will know peace.

 President Buhari said that while Nigeria has so far managed the pandemic successfully by keeping the numbers as low as possible, caution has to be applied so we do not experience a second wave of the pandemic.

President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the country's economy cannot bear another round of COVID-19 lockdown.

The President gave the warning in his message to Muslims in Nigeria as they join others all over the world to commemorate Eid-el-Maulud on Thursday, October 29.

In his message, President Buhari said that while Nigeria has so far managed the pandemic successfully by keeping the numbers as low as possible, caution has to be applied so we do not experience a second wave of the pandemic.

“Looking at the trends in the other countries, we must do all we can to avert the second wave of the pandemic. We must make sure that our cases, which have gone down, do not rise again. Our economy is too fragile to bear another round of lockdown” he said.

President Buhari urged all citizens to use the occasion to reflect on the virtues of the Holy Prophet by showing love and understanding for fellow citizens while exhibiting patience, honesty, sincerity, kindness, and generosity in all their undertakings.

He urged all citizens, and the youth, in particular, to shun all negative tendencies as manifested in the recent hijacking of peaceful protests to loot and destroy public and private property.

He also reiterated his earlier promise to bring police officers responsible for misconduct as well as the looters to justice.