1st commercial vessel berths at Lekki Port ahead of Buhari’s commissioning (Vanguard)
Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Sunday said that the first commercial vessel has berthed at the Lekki Deep Sea Port.
This is contained on the official Twitter handle of the authority.
It reads, ”Ahead of the President’s commissioning of @LekkiPort for commercial operations tomorrow, one of the largest container vessels, the CMA-CGM, has berthed at the port.
“Once more, @NigerianPorts has proven that it is prepared to offer marine services for seamless port operations. https://t.co/jEv99qwJdv,” it said. Read more
Banks battle new naira shortage ahead deadline (Punch)
Eight days to the January 31 deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria to stop the old N1,000, N500, and N200 notes from being legal tender, banks’ Automated Teller Machines in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country are still dispensing the old notes, findings by The PUNCH have revealed.
Despite the apex bank and depositing banks’ assurances that Nigerians would begin to receive the new naira notes from ATMs across different platforms, findings as of Sunday showed that many ATMs belonging to the financial institutions were dispensing the old notes.
Although some of the ATMs visited in Lagos, Abuja, Ogun, Osun, and Gombe, among others, dispensed the new notes, The PUNCH observed that banks were still loading a significant number of their ATMs with the old naira ntes which are due to be phased out by the CBN in about a week’s time. Read more
303 suspected illegal migrants nabbed in A’Ibom (Nation)
No fewer than 303 suspected illegal immigrants have been apprehended by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in Uyo, in Akwa Ibom state.
NIS comptroller in the State, Mrs Francisca Dakat, announced this while briefing newsmen after the mop up exercise in Uyo at the weekend.
Dakat said that out of the 303 apprehended, 285 were adults while 18 were minors.
She said that the mop up exercise was in line with the service directives that non Nigerian should not partake in the forthcoming general elections.
Traditional rulers, indigenes connived with kidnappers on Igueben train station attack (Vanguard)
There have been startling revelations on how armed kidnappers found their way into the Tom Ikimi train station in Igueben, Edo State, on January 7, 2023, abducting some passengers and two members of staff of the Nigerian Railway Corporation.
This followed allegations that some youths in Esan land were paid N20,000 each and given cows to allow the kidnappers who posed as herders, access into their forests.
Also, some traditional rulers in the area were alleged to be aware of the operation of the kidnappers before they struck.
Already, the Police in Edo State have swung into action, with the arrest of some traditional rulers and youths in communities around the railway. Read more
Peter Obi meets with traditional rulers of Southern Kaduna, promises to stamp out corruption (Guardian)
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Peter Obi, on Saturday in Kafanchan, Kaduna State, promised to stamp out corruption if elected as president.
Obi made the pledge at a meeting with traditional rulers in Kagoro, Kaura Local Government Area in the south of Kaduna State.
He said corruption had been preventing Nigeria from realising its full potential, “hence the need to stamp it out.
“With your support, I will fight corruption and block all areas of revenue leakages.
“We will stop the wastages in government and start saving to rebuild our country.
“Opposition says I am stingy, but nobody has accused me or my running mate of corruption,’’ he said. Read more
NDLEA raids Cannabis warehouses, arrests 4 suspects in Edo (Leadership)
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have invaded clusters of cannabis syndicates operating in the Opuje forests in Edo State where massive warehouses and tents storing over 317,417 kilogrammes of the psychoactive substance were destroyed and set ablaze in a two-day operation.
This is coming few days after the chairman of the NDLEA, Brig Gen Buba Marwa (rtd) vowed to make life tough for drug barons and cartels in the new year if they fail to back out of the illicit trade.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi said a 37-year-old police impersonator, Omoruan Theophilus, who parades himself as a police inspector to convey the drugs from the forests to the cities and three others, Aigberuan Jacob (42); Ekeinde Anthony Zaza (53) and Naomi Patience Ohiewere (42), were arrested in connection with the drugs.
The NDLEA said, “the Opuje community in Owan West local government area of Edo State is notorious for cannabis cultivation, where the cartels invest huge resources, cutting down economic trees of the forest reserves and cultivating cannabis on a large scale, running into hundreds of hectares. After harvest, they build warehouses inside the forest reserves and employ the services of armed youths to protect the warehouses 24/7. Read more
Court jails doctor for negligence, endangering patient’s life (Leadership)
Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos State High court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square on Friday convicted and sentenced a medical Doctor, Dr Ejike Orji, to one-year imprisonment for causing grievous harm, negligence and endangering the life of a 16-year-old patient.
Justice Akintoye jailed Dr Orji, who is the Medical Director of Excel Medical Centre Dolphin Estate, after holding in her judgment that the prosecution has proved the essential ingredients of the offence of breach of duty, care and endangering the life of a 16-year-old patient.
The judge further held, in her verdict, that the convict’s action falls below what is reasonably expected of a medical doctor.
The prosecution had accused the convict of committing the offences on July 26, 2018, at his hospital by fixing a Plaster of Paris cast too tightly on Ezi-Ashi’s leg, which caused him grievous harm. Read more
Allow people’s choice to prevail, Abdulsalami’s peace committee tells presidential candidates (ThisDay)
The National Peace Committee (NPC), led by a former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), yesterday in Abuja met with the leadership of the nation’s 18 registered political parties and their presidential candidates, and demanded that they should allow the people’s choice to prevail in the 2023 elections.Addressing the gathering before the committee and the presidential candidates entered into a closed-door meeting, Abdulsalami said the aim of the interactive session was to build confidence amongst the people in the electoral process “and to ensure that we do all that is possible for these very crucial elections to be successful.”
Abdulsalami continued: “Our intention is to hear from the Presidential candidates themselves and see how we can rally all our people to ensure that all citizens are able to elect the leaders of their choice. It is impossible to have all contestants in one room and so, we hope that whatever we discuss here affects all contestants in these elections.
“I want to appeal to all Nigerians to appreciate the seriousness and significance of these elections. We have gone through many difficulties and survived them.”Against the background of mudslinging and personality attacks by the leading presidential candidates, Abdulsalami advised them to tone down their language and avoid recourse to violence while campaigning for people’s support. Read more
Jennifer Connelly says Tom Cruise deserves Oscar nom for Top Gun: Maverick performance (Variety)
Jennifer Connelly starred in one of the biggest movies of 2022, Top Gun: Maverick, as badass bar owner Penelope Benjamin, who has a love connection with Tom Cruise’s Maverick. Cruise’s name has been kicked around as a potential dark horse best actor Oscar nominee, and Connelly told Variety that the nod would be well-deserved due to the scope of his accomplishments on set.
“He’s extraordinary,” she said. “He does an amazing job in the movie. He’s extraordinary as a person and fantastic as an actor, and I think that he is just perfect. He embodies that character so beautifully, and I think he absolutely deserves it.”
“I think that the film is a really well made film and it’s really hard to make a film like that,” Connelly continued. “Also, thinking about Tom’s work, think of the things that he did for that role. Besides all the stuff on the ground and how wonderful he is in those scenes and creating those relationships…I think the relationship he has with Miles’ character is so beautiful and moving. But the work that he did to accomplish those flying sequences, it’s something else.” Read more
Black Eyed Peas sue toy company over singing, pooping unicorn (NME)
Black Eyed Peas’ music publisher BMG Rights Management has taken legal action against a toy company over alleged similarities between one of their iconic tracks, and one sung by a pooping unicorn.
The Poopsie Slime Surprise: Dancing Unicorn toy is created by MGA (the company behind Bratz). According to the lawsuit, the toys sing a song called ‘My Poops’ at the push of its heart-shaped bellybutton. However, that track allegedly rips off the rap group’s 2005 hit, ‘My Humps’.
The lawsuit (via Reuters) reported alleged similarities in the songs’ melodies, lyrics, chords and other elements. BMG also said the singer of ‘My Poops’ sounds “very similar” to Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie.
“My poops, my poops my poops my poops. Whatcha gonna do with all that poop, all that poop,” sings the toy. Read more
George RR Martin’s Hunter’s Run to get film adaptation (DigitalSpy)
George RR Martin is working on a new film, and it sounds like it’s going to be equally vast, imaginative, and high-stakes as Game of Thrones.
The film, based on the novel of the same name (written by Martin, Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham), has been snapped up by Exile Content Studio, so it seems like the wheels are really turning for the project.
Martin is on board to co-produce alongside Mark and Joseph Raso, and Vince Gerardis, the producer of GOT and House of the Dragon, so we can rest assured that it’s in good hands.
Hunter’s Run follows Ramón Espejo, who leaves Earth to prosper on a new distant planet, but things turn out to not be as good as he hoped. He escapes working as a labourer but then finds himself on the wrong side of the law, accused of murdering an interplanetary diplomat. Read more
Jurors leave Sundance premiere over closed captioning glitch (ABC)
Marlee Matlin, Jeremy O. Harris and Eliza Hittman exited the premiere of a film playing in competition at the Sundance Film Festival on Friday night after the closed captioning device failed to work.
Matlin, who is deaf, is serving on the jury alongside Harris and Hittman for films debuting in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the festival in Park City, Utah, this week. The jurors walked out collectively when they realized the situation, which happened during the premiere of Magazine Dreams. Variety first reported the news.
Joana Vicente, the CEO of the Sundance Institute, said in a statement to The Associated Press on Saturday that the closed captioning device, which relies on Wi-Fi, had been checked before the screening and was working, but malfunctioned nonetheless.
“Our team immediately worked with the devices in that venue to test them again for the next screening and the device worked without any malfunction,” Vicente said. “Our goal is to make all experiences (in person and online) as accessible as possible for all participants. Our accessibility efforts are, admittedly, always evolving and feedback helps drive it forward for the community as a whole.” Read more
Donn Cambern, film editor on Easy Rider and Romancing the Stone, dies at 93 (THR)
Donn Cambern, the film editor who used his musical background to help make Easy Rider a masterpiece and 15 years later shared an Oscar nomination for cutting Romancing the Stone, has died. He was 93.
Cambern died Wednesday at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank of complications from a fall three weeks ago, a family spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Los Angeles native edited Blume in Love (1973), Willie & Phil (1980) and Tempest (1982) for Paul Mazursky, Twins (1988) and Ghostbusters II (1989) for Ivan Reitman and worked on five Burt Reynolds starrers, including Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) and The Cannonball Run (1981).
Cambern also received an editing credit on The Last Picture Show (1971), though Peter Bogdanovich insisted that he was the editor on that. Read more
Netflix reveals Cobra Kai future after season 5 (DigitalSpy)
Netflix has confirmed the future of Cobra Kai, revealing that the series has been renewed for a sixth and final season.
According to Deadline, the sixth season of Cobra Kai is set to be the “the biggest and baddest” yet and is set to begin production this spring.
Series creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg announced the news to fans in an official statement today (January 20) saying: “Reacquainting the world with the Karate Kid universe has been our humble honour.
“Making Cobra Kai has allowed us to join the same hallowed dojo once inhabited by the great Robert Mark Kamen, John Avildsen, Jerry Weintraub, and all the amazing original cast members.” Read more
Explosion, gunfire near mayor’s office in Mogadishu (RFI)
A huge blast tore through buildings near the mayor’s office in central Mogadishu on Sunday, with gunfire erupting afterwards, police and witnesses told AFP.
“Terrorists blasted a vehicle loaded with explosives onto a perimeter wall of the Mogadishu mall which is next to the Banadir administration headquarters,” police officer Abdullahi Mohamed said.
Witnesses said the explosion damaged nearby buildings and gunfire could still be heard near the mayor’s office.
“There is gunfire going on inside the vicinity of the main building but we don’t know what is happening inside,” a witness who runs a business near the offices said. Read more
Probe into Osimhen’s Napoli deal begins (Sun)
After Juventus was docked 15 points, it is now reported that the FIGC prosecutor has requested new evidence around Napoli’s transfer dealings, specifically the controversial agreement with LOSC for Victor Osimhen.
The Bianconeri were penalised after the trial that concluded in May was reopened on appeal with the introduction of new evidence from the Prisma investigation, including wiretaps and documents taken from the club offices.
This could be just the beginning, as prosecutor Giuseppe Chiné is already starting to work on future trials covering the issue of artificially inflated transfer fees to boost capital gains.
According to La Repubblica newspaper, Chiné has requested a copy of the evidence that the public prosecutor of Naples gathered during a fraud investigation into Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis. Read more
NPFL: Insurance, Abia, seek to extend winning streak (Punch)
With two consecutive wins each so far this season, Bendel Insurance, Abia Warriors and Niger Tornadoes football clubs will hope to make it three wins on the bounce as the 2022/23 Nigeria Professional Football League enters matchday three, Sunday PUNCH reports.
In Group A, newcomers Bendel Insurance will aim to pile more misery on Kwara United in Ibadan. Kwara United are still looking for their first win of the season.
Unlike other newly promoted sides, the Benin Arsenal began to rub shoulders in the topflight as early as possible, marking their return to the league with a stunning win against Akwa United on opening day, before winning their first home game in dramatic fashion against Plateau United last Thursday.
Match winner against Plateau United in midweek, Imade Osarenkhoe talks up his partnership with Sarkin Ismael ahead of their clash against the Harmony Boys who have drawn their last two games (home and away) at the venue. Read more
Chelsea Women vs Liverpool Women: WSL match abandoned after just six minutes due to frozen pitch (Sky)
The Women’s Super League game between Chelsea and Liverpool was abandoned after just six minutes due to a frozen pitch.
The match at Kingsmeadow had passed a pitch inspection two hours before the 12.30pm kick-off.
But after Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert took a heavy fall in the fifth minute, the referee deemed the pitch unplayable and called off the fixture.
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said she thought the pitch had not looked playable since the morning, and that the game should not have kicked off in the first place. Read more
Milan ask Chelsea for Pulisic and Loftus-Cheek (FootballItalia)
Milan are again looking to Chelsea for their new striker and reportedly hoping to pick up Christian Pulisic or Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
The Rossoneri have been short-staffed in attack all season with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Divock Origi and Charles De Ketelaere struggling with injuries and poor form.
According to Calciomercato.com, they hope to build on a good rapport with Chelsea, having signed Olivier Giroud from them for just €1m in 2021.
The ideal reinforcement would be Loftus-Cheek, but with a €30m asking price and plenty of competition, that seems to be beyond their budget right now. Read more
Stefanos Tsitsipas survives Jannik Sinner fightback to win Australian Open thriller (National)
Stefanos Tsitsipas fought off an impressive fightback from Jannik Sinner before finally securing his Australian Open quarter-final spot on Sunday.
The third seed battled to a 6-4, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3 triumph over Italian 15th seed Jannik Sinner on Rod Laver Arena in a match that lasted more than four hours.
Tsitsipas, who extended his win-streak to eight matches, took inspiration from watching Rod Laver in the face of a ferocious comeback from Sinner.
“I just stayed really calm, just like Mr Rod Laver used to do in his day,” said the Greek, who is now the highest remaining men’s seed left in action at Melbourne Park. Read more
Liam Smith offers up grovelling apology over ”homophobic comment” after Chris Eubank Jr KO (Express)
Liam Smith has apologised for his ‘homophobic comments’ after his ugly exchange with Chris Eubank Jr at Thursday’s press conference. Smith came under fire for homophobic comments directed at Eubank Jr prior to the fight which led the British Boxing Board of Control to investigate the incident.
Speaking during the post-fight presser, Smith said: “I apologise to anyone offended by what I said. I’m not homophobic in any way, shape or form, I’m far from it. That’s not me as a man. If anyone’s offended and I’ve come across that way, I apologise.”
Smith’s apology comes after his controversial back-and-forth with Eubank Jr earlier this week. “You go on about girls, has anybody in this room ever seen you with a girl? You got something to tell us? You are 33 and you said on the programme you want kids,” Smith shouted.
“This is for no laughs I am just asking, do you want to tell us something? You are putting up pictures with Neymar in limousines. No one in this room has seen you with a woman. If you are happy just tell us; it isn’t a dig. You have to have a woman to have a kid.” Read more
