News
Herbalist impregnates customer’s wife
…says she forced him to do so
A messy paternity row has broken out between a man and a herbalist who confessed to having impregnated the man’s wife said to be his customer in Owode-Obafemi Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The distraught husband, Sikiru Olaleye does not now only have to grapple with the fact that his wife and the herbalist cheated on him, he is also at war with the herbalist, Lamidi Ifaloba, over the paternity of the baby boy.
Olaleye, a 42-year-old native of Igbehin, also in Owode-Obafemi Local Government Area, said he was shocked to learn that the baby he thought was his was actually fathered by the herbalist who lives in the neighbourhood.
He said: “I had never seen anything like this before except in a movie. It happened that my wife Shadiat and I had a disagreement and she left for her hometown in Iwo, Osun State, with our son.
“I visited her hometown and tried in vain to persuade her parents to reconcile us. I even gave Shadiat’s parents N12,000 for her transportation back to my house, but she refused’.
“So, I gave up on the possibility of her returning to my home and took solace in the belief that when the time is ripe, my son would come back to me since I had tried my possible best to make her return home.”
“It was a shock when some people in our neighbourhood started mocking me that my son belongs to a herbalist in the nearby village called Malaka.”
“His name is Lamidi Ifaloba, a herbalist whom my wife patronised and he actually made some fertility concoctions for my wife when she could not get pregnant for about six years.”
“Ignorant of what was going on, I even took the baby to him for spiritual guidance on his (baby’s) future; a custom known in Yoruba culture as akosejaye, three days after my wife was delivered of the baby.”
“Ifaloba would later reveal to one of my brothers in the community, Ismaila Jinadu popularly called Erosion, that he is the father of Korede, my three-year-old son.”
“I was shocked and devastated and I could not pull myself together for a long time, especially when I learnt that a lot of people in the community already knew about the matter.”
“I learnt that Ifaloba claimed to have named the boy Junior and even boasted that the matter would unsettle the community.”
Asked whether there was a fight between him and his wife on the day she left home, Olaleye said: “We did not have any quarrel on the day she left my house. I only returned from work and found that she had left with all her belongings.”
“Even our neighbours did not know when she moved all her belongings out of our apartment.”
Olaleye said his wife could not have accused him of being impotent or use that as an excuse to engage in extra-marital affairs with Ifaloba which resulted in the controversial pregnancy and child.
He said, “I have had three children from my previous marriage to another woman and my first child currently attends Abeokuta Grammar School”.
“I am no longer interested in taking back my wife, but I want to have custody of my son, hence I am crying out to the public to dissuade Ifaloba from taking what truly belongs to me after his escapades with my wife. He cannot take my wife and also take my son.”
Responding, the herbalist, Lamidi Ifaloba explained that he was lured to bed by Olaleye’s wife on a day he (Olaleye) chased her out of their apartment during a quarrel and she rushed to his house around 1 am.
He said: “Actually, his wife ran to my house in the night and accused her husband of beating her over a disagreement.”
“The weather was actually cold that night and I asked her to stay till next morning while I was busy fixing some things. But she told me that she suspected her husband’s sperm was not fertile enough to get her pregnant.
“As I tried to step out of the room, she pulled me to herself and asked me to make love to her, saying that she wanted to test her fertility.
“I was shocked and didn’t want to raise the alarm because I didn’t want the neighbours to know about what was going on between us, since I had once been falsely accused by some residents of doing something similar. So I made love to her that night.
“I didn’t see her for some time and I started falling on bad times. When I consulted Ifa oracle, it was revealed to me that the cause of my problem was the love child that was not in my custody.”
“The oracle said I must take custody of my son for my life to witness a rebound. So, I visited her parents in Iwo, Osun State, and told them all that transpired between me and their daughter.
“Shadiat actually took me to her parents and they told me to calm down. They said that they were aware that I was the one that impregnated their daughter who had battled childlessness for almost eight years.”
“They assured me that I would have custody of my son before long. I am the real father of the boy.”
In her response, Shadiat Akeem, a hairdresser, admitted that she deliberately forced Ifaloba to sleep with her on a night her husband chased her out of the house with a machete in order to prove that she had no fertility problems.
She said: “I didn’t give Olaleye’s son to another man. I was married to him for eight years and he subjected me to constant beating throughout the eight years of our marriage.”
“We were regular guests at the nearby Owode Police Division where I reported him.”
“One night about three years ago, I ran to Ifaloba’s home for refuge after my husband had beaten me mercilessly and chased me out of the house.”
“While I was in Ifaloba’s home that night, I decided to test myself to determine whether I was the one with fertility problem or my husband, because I was childless for years”.
“I forced Ifaloba to make love to me that night and I became pregnant afterward. I confided in one of my sisters, who is now deceased.”
“Ifaloba initially asked me to move over to his house but I urged him to allow me to remain in my husband’s house until I would be ready to grant his request.”
“My husband also made love to me twice and he became suspicious that he might not be responsible for my pregnancy, and that started generating issues between us.”
“His sperm was watery, so I don’t think that the children he claimed to have with another woman before I met him even belong to him.”
Shadiat, 30, explained further that she decided to remain in her husband’s house until she decided to leave with the baby and give him to his real father.
She said: “My husband, Olaleye, paid the hospital bill for my child’s delivery and threw a party to celebrate the baby’s naming and named the boy Kabir Korede”.
“At a point, he questioned the paternity of the child, saying that he was suffering a reversal of fortune in his business because the child was a bastard.
“In 2021, he brought out a cutlass one night and wanted to hack me. Hence, I ran off to my parents in our hometown in Osun State that night.”
“Ifaloba is the biological father of my son, not Sikiru (Olaleye).”
Recalling how the matter blew open, Ismaila Jinadu a.k.a. Erosion, whom Ifaloba had told that he was the real father of the controversial boy, said: “Six days before the recent Eid-Maolud festival, Ifaloba came to me and confessed that he was actually the father of Sikiru’s child”.
“Three days later, I called him again and Ifaloba reiterated that he had visited Sikiru’s wife’s parents in Iwo, where he also bought a parcel of land.
“I subsequently told Sikiru and he was initially angry that I did not inform him early about it. He however confirmed from residents too that Ifaloba claimed he was the real father of Korede.”
“Sikiru is my cousin and I cannot pray that bad things should happen to him, and that is the reason I told him about Ifaloba’s claim on the paternity of his son.
“I was the one who advised him to cry out to the public through the media so that he would not completely lose out since his wife has been taken by the herbalist.”
NATION
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has reassured the public that safety remains the overriding priority of Enugu Air following Thursday’s runway excursion involving one of the airline’s aircraft at Benin Airport.
Reacting to the incident for the first time in a statement personally signed on Friday, the governor expressed sympathy with the passengers and crew members on board the aircraft, while thanking God that no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.
The Embraer E170 aircraft, operating as Flight 4264 from Lagos to Benin, experienced a runway excursion after landing at Benin Airport on Thursday.
Mbah said the state government was closely monitoring the situation and pledged full cooperation with aviation authorities investigating the incident.
“The Enugu State Government is aware of the incident of a runway excursion affecting Enugu Air, Embraer E170, Flight 4264, operating into Benin Airport from Lagos on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
“The government empathises with the 63 passengers and five crew members on board the aircraft over the traumatic experience and is thankful to God that no life was lost and no injuries have so far been reported,” the governor said.
He commended the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) for swiftly launching an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, assuring that Enugu Air would cooperate fully with investigators and relevant regulatory agencies.
“The government commends the swiftness of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) in embarking on the ongoing investigation to determine the circumstances and factors that may have led to the incident. The government will ensure the full cooperation of its going concern, Enugu Air, with the investigation and regulatory authorities,” Mbah stated.
While urging the public to await the outcome of the investigation, the governor maintained that the airline operates under stringent safety protocols that place passenger welfare above commercial interests.
“While the outcome of the investigation is awaited, the government assures the public that the operations of Enugu Air are guided by the highest safety standards. The airline is founded on a corporate culture that places safety above profit and schedule, and its quality assurance and quality control systems stipulate a safety threshold that is considerably higher than the industry benchmark,” he said.
Mbah said the airline’s uncompromising safety culture had contributed significantly to the growing confidence and patronage it had enjoyed since commencing operations.
“This accounts for the growing confidence and patronage the airline has continued to enjoy from both passengers and industry stakeholders. Enugu Air will therefore continue to serve its teeming customers and abide by its utmost commitment to safety, professionalism, and a sense of hospitality,” he added.
The governor also expressed appreciation to Nigerians for the widespread support and goodwill shown to the airline in the aftermath of the incident, noting that many passengers had continued to share positive experiences about flying with Enugu Air.
“We wish to express our profound gratitude to Nigerians for the outpouring of solidarity since the unfortunate incident. Quite uncommonly, Nigerians have continued to share their positive experiences with Enugu Air since it was launched a year ago. This matters so much to us as a government at this time,” Mbah said.
The runway excursion involving the state-owned carrier has drawn national attention. However, with all 63 passengers and five crew members safely evacuated, attention has now shifted to the outcome of the ongoing investigation by aviation authorities.
Amupitan gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee, General Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd.), at his residence in Minna, Niger State, on Friday.
The commission’s chairman led a delegation comprising National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, directors and his technical aides.
Amupitan described Abubakar as “the father of democracy in Nigeria”, noting that his transition to civilian rule in 1999 marked a defining moment in the country’s democratic history.
The INEC chairman said the commission regarded the former Head of State “not merely as a statesman but as a pillar of support for INEC.”
He also commended Abubakar’s role as Chairman of the National Peace Committee, describing its Peace Accord initiative as “a moralising influence on Nigeria’s political ecosystem.”
According to INEC, Amupitan said the initiative had provided political actors with a platform to commit to non-violence, thereby strengthening “the sovereignty of the will of the Nigerian people.”
The INEC chairman told Abubakar that, regardless of the pressures confronting the commission, it remained committed to ensuring that the will of Nigerians as expressed at the polls would prevail.
He said, “The Commission’s determination under my leadership was to see ordinary Nigerians go out and vote, confident that their votes would be duly counted and reflected in the outcome of elections,” describing this as “the core assurance INEC owed the electorate.”
Amupitan also formally confirmed the dates for the 2027 general elections.
According to INEC, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.
Abubakar, in turn, called on Nigerians to support INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to twelve divisions—a landmark move to enhance the country’s security architecture and improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on (Information & Strategy) Bayo Onanuga says, “this approval underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.”According to the statement, “the expansion builds on the Administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation.”Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions, strategically positioned across the country as follows:1. 1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)2. 2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)3. 3 Division Headquarters – Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)4. 5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)5. 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)6. 7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)7. 8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)8. 9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)9. 10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)10. 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)11. 82 Division Headquarters – Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)12. 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases.
The Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF) worldwide, a pan-Igbo socioeconomic pressure group, has urged the Federal Government to direct the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to supply Dangote Petroleum Refinery adequate crude.
The Chairman of NUF, Chief Augustine Chukwudum, made the call on Wednesday in Enugu while reacting to Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s move to start direct sales of refined Petroleum products in dollars.
It would be recalled that a top management official of the Dangote Group said that its refinery was receiving just four million barrels of crude oil monthly under the arrangement, instead of about 13 million barrels envisaged after President Bola Tinubu’s 2024 directive.
The refinery had attributed its decision to switch from naira-denominated fuel sales domestically to dollar transactions to the crude supply shortfall, saying it would also increase exports of refined petroleum products to earn foreign exchange.
Chukwudum called on the Federal Government to intervene urgently before things get out of hand and Nigerians suffer the more.
According to him, fuel price remains major determinant of prices of other commodities and services in the country as transport cost depends on.
“Things are bound to get worst if the Federal Government neglect to take immediate and decisive actions meant to better the life of the citizens.
“NUF is rasing this alarm because this administration is behaving as if they are not answerable to the people their are supposed to be serving.
“The Federal Government should direct NNPCL to supply all the crude oil needed by Dangote Refinery since the company has the capacity to meet local or domestic petroleum needs of the country.
“The government must stop all forms of fuel importation because that money been used for importation is a waste and put a pressure on our fragile foreign reserve as a nation,” he said.
The NUF boss noted that the refinery company must be allowed to pay in naira with this move, suffering of citizens would be curtailed.
Chukwudum also reiterated the call of the group for the Federal Government to set up judicial panel of inquiry to look into the account of NNPCL for some years now.
A commotion reportedly erupted at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State after some officials were accused of demanding ₦2,000 from applicants before processing voter registration and Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The allegation surfaced in a video circulating on social media, which showed what appeared to be a heated confrontation between applicants and officials at the electoral commission’s office.
According to a resident who narrated the incident in the video, some INEC officials allegedly insisted that applicants pay ₦2,000 before their voter registration or PVC processing could be completed.
The situation reportedly escalated when one of the applicants challenged the alleged demand, insisting that voter registration and PVC-related services are free and should not attract any payment.
The applicant was said to have confronted the officials and attempted to record the exchange with a mobile phone, triggering a heated argument that attracted other applicants and bystanders.
Although raised voices and a commotion could be heard in the footage, the circumstances surrounding the incident could not be independently verified.
The video has since sparked reactions on social media, with many Nigerians condemning the alleged extortion and calling on INEC to investigate the incident and sanction anyone found culpable.
INEC has consistently maintained that voter registration services are free of charge. These include fresh registration, collection of PVCs, transfer of voter information, correction of personal details, and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs.
The commission has also repeatedly urged members of the public to report any cases of extortion, bribery or illegal charges involving its permanent or ad hoc staff during voter registration and PVC distribution.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had not issued an official statement specifically addressing the allegations involving its Onitsha South Local Government Area office.
The incident comes as the electoral commission continues its nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC has also introduced an online self-service platform to enable prospective voters and existing registrants to complete several registration-related processes conveniently, while reiterating that voter registration services remain free of charge.
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