103 arrested for COVID-19 violation, robbery, arson in Lagos (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, on Wednesday, paraded 103 suspects for allegedly violating the state government’s order to curb the spread of COVID-19, dispossessing unsuspecting members of the public of their valuables, burning and looting of police stations during the unrest that followed the #EndSARS protests in the state.
Odumosu said, “Sixty-seven suspects were arrested for burning and looting arms from police stations; 18 suspects were arrested for violating COVID-19 restrictions; while 18 suspects were arrested for armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms.”
The CP said three suspects, Kingsley Ojukwu, Anocha Uko, Chinyere Ogueri, were arrested for dispossessing a female victim of N70,000, adding that the victim boarded the same vehicle conveying the suspects to a destination in the state when they perpetrated the crime. Read more
‘Fear of another lockdown causing low Christmas shopping’ (Guardian)
A day to Christmas, traders are not smiling to the banks when their hands are expected to be full with shopping activities. While they are lamenting low patronage, buyers are beating a retreat due to hike in prices of goods and low disposable income. For consumers, the reality of using the amount budgeted for three or more items to purchase only one leaves them frustrated.
A trader at Aswani Market, Isolo, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Ola, said the government should roll out urgent intervention to cushion the plight of the masses rather than pushing policies that would further cause hardship.
“With the ways things are going, I wonder how January will be. Everywhere is so dry and people are complaining of no money. A responsive government would have worked towards reducing the high cost of food items to make citizens enjoy the Christmas and new year celebrations,” she said. Read more
FG tightens security at Lagos airport to combat breaches (Thisday)
The federal government has introduced new security apparatus to further secure the nation’s busiest gateway, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
The government, in response to reports of incessant security breaches, has introduced different layers of security fortification to protect the airside and landside of the airport.
Presently, the federal government has already acquired new scanners, itemisers, x-ray equipment for NDLEA, perimeter protection equipment and Intrepid intelligent sensors for manning the airport terminal security.
Briefing THISDAY on the new security arrangements, the Terminal Manager, South West, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs. Victoria Shin-Aba, said the federal government had also introduced measures to fortify security at the airport. Read more
Man jailed five years over N9.2m internet scam (Punch)
The Lagos State Special Offences Court has sentenced one Olaniyi Ogungbaiye to five years’ imprisonment for his involvement in N9.2m internet scam.
Ogungbaiye was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on four counts bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence, retaining stolen property and transfer of property derived from an illegal act before Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo.
According to the EFCC, the commission received a petition sometime in 2018 from the Federal Bureau of Investigation requesting for an investigation into the activities of Ogungbaiye and his co-conspirators, Olarenwaju Osiefa and Daniel Ethan, in respect to a dating and business email compromise scam. Read more
Ngige: FG, ASUU reached understanding on regaining lost ground (Thisday)
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, yesterday gave insight into the deal between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that led the union to suspend its nine-month industrial action.
Ngige told THISDAY that part of the agreement between the two parties during the final round of negotiations on Tuesday that preceded the suspension of the strike yesterday, was that the lecturers will conduct virtual teaching and restart academic activities before the January 18 stipulated by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. Besides, ASUU accepted to do extra time and to recover lost ground. Read more
AbdulRazaq sad as Kwara tanker fire kills six, burns 30 buildings (Punch)
Six persons lost their lives, while about 30 houses were burnt down on Wednesday when the driver of a petrol-laden tanker lost control in the Gaika area of Jebba, Moro Local Government Area of Kwara State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that properties worth millions of naira were destroyed by the inferno that followed the crash.
It was gathered that the accident happened around 9am when the tanker driver suddenly lost control of the vehicle. Read more
Security outfit kills woman in Asaba one week after inauguration (Guardian)
Barely a week of the inauguration of Delta Hawk by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to flush out criminals in the state, the security outfit on Tuesday evening killed a woman in Asaba.
It was gathered that a stray bullet from the team hit the woman, a trader, who was identified as Amaka Ohanaja, while she was in her shop. She died on the spot.
According to sources, the Operation Delta Hawk team was chasing a boy who was escaping from them when they allegedly opened fire on him but the bullet hit the woman, whose shop is located around Government House. Read more
NSE market capitalisation hits N20tn on sustained rally (Thisday)
The market capitalisation of the Nigerian Stock Nigerian (NSE), which is the total value of all listed equities, hit a historic peak of N20.281 trillion yesterday, as investors increased demand for stocks to reposition for year-end seasonal trends and the much expected economic recovery in 2021.
This is the highest the market would record since 2008 when it peaked at N12.3 trillion before the meltdown. That meltdown brought the market value to about N6 trillion before it started recovery in later years.
However, the listing of Dangote Cement Plc in 2010 significantly lifted the market. The listing of MTN Nigeria Plc, Airtel Africa Plc last year and BUA Cement Plc early this year added more boost to capitalisation of the exchange, which set the pace for yesterday’s historic peak. Read more
Facebook removes celebrity chef Pete Evans’s page over conspiracies (BBC)
Facebook has removed the page of Australian celebrity chef Pete Evans after he repeatedly shared misinformation about the coronavirus.
Evans, who had about 1.5 million Facebook followers, spread conspiracy theories about Covid and vaccines which are refuted by medical experts.
Previously, Facebook had taken down individual posts from Evans deemed to be misinformation.
But the platform has now removed his entire page. Read more
Scientist who discovered Ebola in the 1970s warns of future pandemics (Metro)
A scientists who was part of the first wave of experts to capture and recognise the Ebola virus in the 1970s is wary of future pandemics. Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum has warned that pandemics caused by diseases passing from animals to humans could become more common and more lethal. As a young researcher in the 1970s Professor Myembe took blood samples from people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) being affected by a deadly disease. It killed 90% of patients and was later identified and given the name Ebola – after a river in the Congo. Read more
Soldier kills pregnant wife, turns gun on himself (NYPost)
A Fort Bragg soldier fatally shot his pregnant wife — who was due on Christmas Day — before turning the gun on himself on Sunday night, according to reports.
Staff Sgt. Keith Lewis, 31, allegedly carried out the fatal shootings while the couple’s 3-year-old daughter was with them at their Fayetteville, North Carolina home, the Army Times reported.
Keith Lewis was declared dead on scene. His wife, 34-year-old Sarah Lewis, was taken to the hospital, but she and her unborn child could not be saved.
“It’s a complete shock. It’s like a horror movie,” Sarah’s aunt, Tammy De Mirza, told WRAL. Read more
Alibaba being investigated by China over monopoly tactics (BBC)
Chinese tech giant Alibaba is being investigated by regulators over monopolistic practices.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) made the announcement on Thursday.
Regulators have previously warned Alibaba about forcing merchants to sign exclusive deals which prevent them from offering products on rival platforms. Read more
Sofia Richie vacations with dad Lionel Richie in St. Barts (PageSix)
Sofia Richie and her dad, Lionel Richie, were spotted vacationing together in St. Barts on Tuesday.
Sofia appeared to be trying her hand at surfing with the $12,000 Lift eFoil remote-controlled surfboard favored by Mark Zuckerberg, and their group spent time being towed around on a family-size red raft with the whimsical name Great Big Mable.
Despite the occasional wipeout, the Richies looked like they were having a ball, with several photo album-worthy faces from Lionel, who still looks fit and trim at 71. Read more
“Borat 2” star Maria Bakalova upgraded to lead actress for Golden Globes (Metro)
Borat 2 actress Maria Bakalova has received great news after being upgraded to lead actress for the Golden Globes 2021 nominations consideration. The 24-year-old Bulgarian actress made her big screen debut alongside Sacha Baron Cohen in the comedy sequel, playing Borat Sagdiyev’s daughter Tutar and winning much acclaim for her performance. Fans had called for Maria to be nominated for an Oscar and she could be well on her way in light of the new development with the Golden Globes. Read more
iPhone 12 leading all 5G phone sales, report shows (NYPost)
Apple’s foray into 5G is looking like a success.
The tech giant’s iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro devices took the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in 5G phone sales this October, according to data from Counterpoint Research.
The phones, which sport an all-new design as well as the cutting edge tech, captured a combined 24 percent of the 5G market, with the cheaper iPhone 12 getting 16 percent share while the premium iPhone 12 Pro took 8 percent.
In third place was Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G, which made up 4 percent of all 5G phone purchases. Read more
Knicks break down in season-opening loss to Pacers (NYPost)
It started all so swell for Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks.
A club that was not touted for scoring exploded for 66 points in the first half and RJ Barrett started his second season with a big bang, making his first eight shots in the season opener.
But rookie backup point guard Immanuel Quickley was lost for the second half with a hip pointer and all the electricity short-circuited with that injury.
After taking a five-point lead at the intermission, the Knicks went down with a whimper in the final two quarters as the Pacers routed them, 121-107, in a season-opening defensive dud Wednesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Read more
Cavani stunner sends Man Utd into EFL Cup semi-finals (BBC)
Captain Harry Maguire said Manchester United “have to start lifting trophies” after they set up a Carabao Cup semi-final against rivals Manchester City with a late win at Everton.
United’s last domestic silverware was the League Cup in 2017 and they are within one game of another final after Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial broke Everton’s resistance at Goodison Park.
Cavani’s stunning curling effort from 20 yards opened the scoring in front of 2,000 fans, just as the game looked set to head to penalties. Read more
Carabao Cup semi-final draw: Manchester United face Man City (Metro)
Manchester United will take on Manchester City in a blockbuster derby in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup this season. The other tie sees Tottenham take on Brentford, with the Championship side in the first major semi-final of the club’s history. That clash is also a derby, but the London clash may not have the same intensity of the Manchester derby between two of the top teams in the Premier League. Read more
Chinese swimmer Sun Yang has appeal against eight-year ban upheld (BBC)
Sun Yang has had his appeal against an eight-year doping ban given by the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld by the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
The Chinese swimmer, 29, was first cleared of wrongdoing by Fina, the swimming federation, in January 2019.
But after an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) to CAS that decision was overturned.
That appeared to effectively end Sun’s career but Switzerland’s highest court has now set the ruling aside. Read more
Jose Mourinho annoyed after Dele Alli ‘creates problems’ for Tottenham in Stoke win (Metro)
Dele Alli returned to the Tottenham Hotspur starting XI on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, but manager Jose Mourinho was not especially happy with the midfielder’s performance. The England international was making his first start since 26 November and it came in a 3-1 victory over Stoke City to book a spot in the semi-finals, where Spurs will take on Brentford. It was a rare chance for Alli to prove his worth to Mourinho, who has taken him out of first team action for much of this season, but it looks like he failed to do so. Read more
Real move level on points with Atletico (BBC)
Goals from Casemiro and Karim Benzema gave Real Madrid a win over Granada to take them level on points with leaders Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga.
After a poor first half, Real took the lead when Casemiro headed in from Marco Asensio’s cross from the left.
Benzema sealed the victory in second-half injury time with a low strike from 20 yards out for his eighth La Liga goal of the season.
Granada’s best chance fell to Antonio Puertas but he shot over early on. Read more