16-year-old girl empowers widows with N3.3m grant (Guardian)
A 16-year-old girl, Emmanuel Olamide Folorunsho, in partnership with a non-governmental organisation, Total Life Concern (TLC), has empowered widows with N3.3 million ($8,000) for sustainable business grants.
The empowerment programme, titled “Capital for Her,” aims to transform the lives of widows in Nigeria. The initiative also stands as a beacon of hope for many widows, who often find themselves grappling with financial instability and societal stigma following the loss of their partners. In Nigerian culture, the plight of widows can be exacerbated by economic challenges, leaving many to fend for themselves and their children. However, Folorunsho believes that change is possible.
Besides, Folorunsho’s initiative aims to provide financial assistance and mentorship to widows. The N3.3 million raised was distributed among 11 selected widows, each receiving an amount accordingly to their business structure and proposal, to expand their small businesses. Read more
2024 flood victims still stranded as FG issues fresh alert (DailyTrust)
Many victims of the 2024 flooding across the country say they are still stranded as they are yet to receive support from the federal and state governments.
This is just as the federal government said yesterday that 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are at high risk of flooding this year.
Floods hit many states last year with many lives lost, and properties and farmlands destroyed. Read more
Court strikes out Nnamdi Kanu’s fundamental rights suit against FG (Channels)
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja has struck out a N50 billion suit filed by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, against the Federal Government.
In a ruling, Justice Ekwo struck out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution.
At the hearing, neither Kanu nor the Federal Government was present in court. Justice Ekwo noted that the case had been adjourned three times due to lack of representation, with the Federal Government’s legal team attending on the last occasion, but no lawyer present for Kanu. As a result, the judge ruled that the suit should be dismissed. Read more
Abbas salutes Dangote on 68th birthday (NewTelegraph)
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, has extended warm felicitations to the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, on the occasion of his 68th birthday.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Abbas hailed Dangote as a towering figure in entrepreneurship and a significant employer of labour, whose efforts continue to bring pride to Nigeria and its people.
The Speaker expressed admiration for Dangote’s immense contributions to the nation’s economy, noting that the business magnate’s ventures have touched countless lives across Nigeria and beyond. Read more
Again, Wike’s aide tackles ex-Rivers Gov Ada George, says he only brought violence, killings (Leadership)
Former Governor of Rivers State, Rufus Ada George, has been challenged to list a single positive development he brought to the State during his administration, other than introduction of violence, killings and ethnic politics.
Senior Special Assistant to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, who threw the challenge in a statement on Thursday night, said: “At old age, people should begin to desist from acting shamelessly.”
He said it was on record the only impact that can be linked to Ada George, was the introduction of “Bush Boys” militant group, which he used to settle political scores, leading to the maiming and killing of innocent souls. Read more
Concerns over relocation of 15,500 nurses, midwives (Nation)
Government must do something to halt the Exodus of medical personnel, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) counseled yesterday.
The association urged the Federal Government to shift focus from expanding nursing education to addressing the systemic issues driving mass emigration of nurses in search of greener pastures.
According to the association, no fewer than 15,500 nurses had left Nigeria as of February this year. Read more
Ambassadorial list ready for NASS review after DSS clearance (Punch)
The Federal Government has concluded the vetting of persons nominated to fill diplomatic roles in its 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions and 11 consulates globally, The PUNCH confirmed.
Multiple sources with knowledge of the process told The PUNCH that the relevant agencies had completed security and background checks on each nominee. However, the President, who is expected to transmit a consolidated list to the National Assembly earlier in the week, has yet to do so.
On April 2, President Bola Tinubu departed Abuja for Paris, France, on a two-week working visit. Read more
Sudan accuses UAE of fueling Darfur ‘genocide’ (DW)
Sudan urged judges of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday to issue emergency orders to force the United Arab Emirates to stop supporting paramilitaries in Darfur, to prevent the killing and other crimes targeting the Masalit people.
The UAE denies supporting the rebels and has dismissed Sudan’s case.
Since cases before the ICJ can take years to resolve, the court allows countries to request emergency orders, meant to stop ongoing atrocities during a conflict.
Khartoum brought the legal case before the ICJ, accusing the UAE of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been battling the Sudanese army since 2023. Read more
Siemens exec & his family identified as victims in deadly Hudson helicopter crash (ABC)
An executive of Siemens, a European technology company, his wife and young children were aboard the tourist helicopter that plunged into New York City’s Hudson River on Thursday, leaving no survivors.
Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their children — aged 4, 5 and 11 years old — have been identified as victims in the crash along with the pilot, aged 36, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Escobar was named as an executive of Siemens’ division in Spain and Southwest Europe in 2022, according to a press release from the technology conglomerate. Read more
British man’s tattoo wrongly linked to Venezuelan gang in US government document (BBC)
British man’s tattoo wrongly linked to Venezuelan gang in US government document
A tattoo belonging to a man from Derbyshire has appeared in a US government document used to identify members of a notorious Venezuelan gang – despite the man having no connection to the group.
Pete Belton, 44, from Ilkeston says he was shocked to find his forearm featured in a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document used to help identify alleged members of Tren de Aragua (TdA), a transnational criminal organisation.
“I’m just an average middle-aged man from Derbyshire,” he told BBC Verify. Read more
Child sex offenders using dating apps at alarming rates, youth safety group says (Euronews)
Nearly two thirds of surveyed men who have sexually offended children use dating platforms, with over one in five offenders use dating apps daily.
Men who commit sexual offences against children are almost four times more likely to use dating platforms than non-offenders, reveals a new study conducted by the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute.
According to the study’s findings, nearly two-thirds of men who have sexually assaulted children use dating platforms, with over one in five offenders using dating apps daily. Read more
After massive surge on Wednesday, stock markets fall as trade war continues (CBC)
US stocks were diving on Thursday, surrendering much of their historic gains from the day before, as President Donald Trump’s trade war continues to confuse and threaten the economy — even if its temperature has cooled a bit.
The S&P 500 was down 3.5 per cent at close, slicing into Wednesday’s surge of 9.5 per cent following Trump’s decision to pause many of his tariffs worldwide. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2.5 per cent, and the Nasdaq composite sank 4.3 per cent.
On the Canadian market, the S&P/TSX composite index was down more than three per cent as markets closed. Read more
Coachella 2025: Weezer bassist Scott Shriner to perform at festival despite wife being shot by police (Farout)
Weezer bassist Scott Shriner is still reportedly set to perform with his band at Coachella on April 12th, 2025, despite his wife, Jillian Lauren, being booked for attempted murder and shot by police in Los Angeles earlier this week.
On April 7th, Lauren’s neighbourhood of Los Angeles was the centre of a police investigation amid a hit-and-run incident in the city. At 3:25 pm local time, the Los Angeles Highway Patrol requested backup during their investigation of a hit-and-run case involving three cars. News outlet KTLA spoke with witnesses who confirmed that at least one suspect fled on foot from the 134 freeway.
Backup arrived which led to a perimeter being established in the Eagle Rock neighbourhood of Los Angeles. However, while they were in this area, a woman, later identified as Lauren, who was not involved in any hit-and-run, emerged from the front of her home holding a handgun. Officers say in a press release they told her “to drop the handgun numerous times; however, she refused”. Read more
Ikorodu City dismantle Katsina Utd 6-0 in NPFL rescheduled fixture (DailyTrust)
Ikorodu City turned on the style in front of their home crowd on Thursday evening, dismantling Katsina United 6-0 in a dazzling display of attacking football at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Arena — the biggest victory of the current NPFL season.
The floodgates opened early, with right-back Waliu Ojetoye making a surging run down the flank in the 13th minute before delivering a low cross that Emmanuel Solomon tucked away with precision to open the scoring.
Solomon turned provider in the 36th minute, slipping a perfectly weighted pass into the box for Shola Adelani, who rose highest to head home Ikorodu’s second and put the hosts firmly in control. Read more
Athletes set new standards as MTN CHAMPS Lagos begins (Guardian)
It was an intense first day of action at both the Yabatech and Unilag Sports Complexes on Wednesday as athletes from across the nation battled it out to win medals and points for their respective schools and teams at the MTN CHAMPS Continental Relays in Lagos.
The 100m and 400m events witnessed a Personal Best (PB) galore across all divisions, with two-time Olympian, Emmanuel Ojeli smashing his three-year-old Personal Best (PB) to seal the win in his 100m semifinal heat, dashing to a time of 10.24s. Emmanuel Babalola was a far 2nd in 10.55s while Ganiu Hassan was 3rd in 10.63s.
Fresh from his heroics at the Niger Delta Sports Festival, Favour Ashe clocked a wind assisted 10.14s to snatch the win in his heat over ThankGod Igube (10.23s) while Chidera Ezeakor dominated his semifinal race in 10.43s, finishing ahead of Oriyomi Akala (10.56s). Read more
Rose leads Masters as McIlroy hurt by late errors (BBC)
England’s Justin Rose leads the Masters after threatening to break the Augusta course record on an opening day where Rory McIlroy faded after a fast start.
A majestic first round saw 44-year-old Rose card a seven-under 65, putting him three clear of a group featuring defending champion Scottie Scheffler at the top of leaderboard.
McIlroy’s pursuit of a career-defining Masters win were hit by two late mistakes which leave him seven shots behind Rose. Read more
BC volleyball coach arrested for alleged sexual assaults (CBC)
A volleyball coach has been arrested by North Vancouver RCMP in connection with what they say is an ongoing sexual assault investigation involving a youth.
Police said they received a report on Dec. 22 last year that the youth had allegedly been sexually assaulted by a volleyball coach.
Police said they arrested a 50-year-old man on April 3. Read more
Onana errors cost Manchester United and let Lyon have the last laugh (Guardian)
In a scarcely credible tale of hubris André Onana was Manchester United’s culprit, committing two howlers that cast the goalkeeper as a mug and Nemanja Matic as a seer.
In the buildup to this match, Matic branded Onana one of United’s poorest-ever keepers when responding to the 29-year-old’s claim that United were better than Lyon. The tit-for-tat closed with Onana’s dig that he had won trophies at United – unlike Matic in his five years at the club – before a nightmarish evening ended with another error, this time for the hosts’ equaliser.
Deep in added time, Rayan Cherki scored after Onana weakly pushed Corentin Tolisso’s shot straight to the 21-year-old. Onana’s opening mistake was even poorer, a Thiago Almada free-kick skipping straight past him – surely to the glee of Matic, an unused substitute. Read more