Igbo, others safe in Lagos —CP (Punch)
The commissioner of police in Lagos State, Mr Zubairu Muazu, has said that Igbo and other ethnic groups in the state are safe to go about their normal businesses. Muazu gave the assurance on Thursday while briefing newsmen on the update of security situation in the state ahead of the governorship election of March 9. According to Muazu, one serious issue the command is contending with is the menace of fake news circulated on social media, about an alleged plan to attack Igbo traders in Lagos. The commissioner, however, warned those he described as initiators and distributors of fake news to stop causing unnecessary tension. Read more
Buhari will constitute cabinet faster than 2015, says presidency (Guardian)
A spokesman for the Nigerian government on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari will constitute members of his government faster than he did in 2015 after being sworn-in. Buhari’s administration in 2015, drew wide criticisms due to his inability to assemble cabinet members for about six months. Vice president Yemi Osinbajo defended Buhari, saying the president’s search for the ‘right people’ caused the delay in appointment of officials. However, presidential spokesman Adesina has assured Nigerians that the 2015 delay in organising the government would not reoccur. Read more
Atiku’s agents plan Lagos takeover (Nation)
A forceful takeover of Lagos is a “consolation prize” being contemplated by the camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar after a crushing defeat by President Muhammadu Buhari in last Saturday’s presidential polls, it was learnt last night. The move was one of the resolutions at an emergency strategy meeting held by the Atiku team when it became apparent that President Buhari had won by a wide margin, the first being a formal rejection of APC’s victory as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Buhari polled 15,191,847 votes to defeat Atiku, who scored 11,262,978. Read more
Corps member accuses Lagos task force of extortion (Punch)
A serving member of the National Youth Service Corps, Zack Aminu, has accused the officials of the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit of allegedly extorting the sum of N70,000 from him. PUNCH Metro gathered that Aminu was arrested by the task force officials for allegedly passing through the Bus Rapid Transport dedicated lane. It was learnt that Aminu’s car was impounded and driven to the task force office in Ikorodu. Read more
Kano NDLEA dislodges 45 drugs joints, arrests 250 addicts (Guardian)
The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano State says it has dislodged 45 drugs joints and arrested 250 addicts across the state within the month of February. The NDLEA Commander in Kano, Dr Ibrahim Abdul, said this while briefing newsmen on Thursday on the activities of the command. “We were able to arrest 250 drug addicts with different types of drugs among which are canabis sataiva, heroin, and cocaine,” the NDLEA Commander said. Abdul said that as a result of the Command’s tireless efforts in the fight against drug abuse, use of illicit drugs such as tramadol and cough syrup with codeine had been curtailed in the state. Read more
Those who predicted war have been put to shame —Oshiomhole (Punch)
Those who predicted anarchy for Nigeria ahead of the 2019 presidential election have been put to shame, the National Chairman, All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has said. Oshiomhole made this known while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a congratulatory visit to President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said that by extending his hands of fellowship to everyone and congratulating those who contested with him, Buhari had proved he was a statesman who showed humility, even in victory. Read more
We’re ready for governorship, state assemblies’ elections —INEC chairman (Punch)
The Independent National Electoral Commission says it has made progress for the smooth conduct of governorship and state House of Assemblies elections, scheduled for March 9. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at the Commission’s meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners on Thursday, said that the governorship election would hold in 29 states. He explained that governorship elections in the remaining seven states were staggered and had already been conducted off season. Read more
Don’t reappoint ministers who didn’t perform well, APC chief tells Buhari (Punch)
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Jigawa, Ishaq Hadejia, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to re-appoint ministers that have not performed credibly well in their constituencies. Hadejia gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Dutse on Thursday. He noted that it was because of the trust and confidence in Buhari that Nigerians re-elected him for a second term. Read more
Amended Act will make NOUN equal to other Nigerian varsities —Okebukola (Punch)
The National Open University of Nigeria says the recent signing of its (Amendment Act, 2018) will place it at par with all recognised universities in Nigeria. The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the university, Prof. Peter Okebukola, said this at a news conference on Thursday in Lagos. According to him, with the act recently gazetted and published on Dec. 3, 2018, will further strengthen the university to provide Open and Distance Learning opportunities to millions of Nigerians. Read more
Michael Jackson ‘abused us hundreds of time’ (BBC)
Two men have told the BBC they were abused hundreds of times by Michael Jackson, from the ages of seven and 10. Wade Robson, 36, told the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme the singer had sexually abused him from the age of seven and tried to rape him when he was 14. James Safechuck, 40, told the programme Jackson had sexually abused him “from the age of 10 until around 14”. Jackson’s family say there’s “not one piece of evidence” to prove the claims. Read more
Sala was ‘abandoned’ by Cardiff – McKay (BBC)
Emiliano Sala was “abandoned” by Cardiff City and had to arrange his own travel in a £15m transfer from Nantes, says ex-football agent Willie McKay. McKay’s son Mark was Nantes’ acting agent in the deal for the footballer, who died in a plane crash last month. Willie McKay arranged the flight that crashed in the English Channel, killing Sala, 28, and pilot David Ibbotson. Cardiff say they “strongly reject” the claim they neglected to provide Sala with travel arrangements. Read more
South African parliament rallies behind Caster Semenya (Punch)
South Africa’s parliament threw its weight behind Olympic champion Caster Semenya Thursday as she awaits a landmark ruling on whether female athletes can be required to lower their testosterone. Semenya last week went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne to challenge the International Association of Athletics Federations’ proposed rules forcing “hyper-androginous” athletes to lower their testosterone. MPs from across the political spectrum wore black golf T-shirts with messages of support including “we say NO to stigmatisation of women in sport”, and “we oppose subtle hatred”. Read more
Roger Federer beats Marton Fucsovics to reach Dubai Tennis Championships semi-final (BBC)
Roger Federer beat Marton Fucsovics to reach the Dubai Tennis Championships semi-finals and close in on his 100th ATP singles title. The Swiss was pushed by the Hungarian world number 35 but came through 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 in one hour 57 minutes. If Federer wins an eighth title in Dubai he will become just the second player to win 100 singles titles after American Jimmy Connors, who won 109. Federer will play Borna Coric or Nikoloz Basilashvili in the last four. Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Federer, currently seventh in the world, is the highest ranked player remaining in the draw with Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas meeting Frenchman Gael Monfils in the other semi-final. Read more
Roma fan jailed for attacking Liverpool supporter (Punch)
An Italian football fan was jailed for three-and-a-half years on Thursday after admitting assaulting a Liverpool supporter before a Champions League game, leaving the victim with catastrophic head injuries. Simone Mastrelli, 30, from Rome, pleaded guilty to unlawfully and maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm on Sean Cox outside Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium on April 24, before their match with Italian side Roma. Irish national Cox suffered a severe, traumatic brain injury as a result of the attack and is still recovering after spending four-and-a-half weeks at a specialist neurological unit. Read more
52-year-old molests, impregnates teenage niece in Ekiti (Punch)
The Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested a 52-year-old man, Dennis Kiyeve, for turning his niece, a minor, into a sex machine for over three years. Kiyeve, who was said to have deflowered and impregnated the girl, was alleged to have conspired to kill her in order to cover his track. The NSCDC State Commandant, Mr Solomon Iyamu, said in Ado Ekiti, on Thursday, that the suspect would be charged to court “to serve as a deterrent to other useless uncles, who are in the act of molesting their family members, and other adults, who molest minors.” Read more