2019 poll: Buhari vows harsh verdict for Atiku (Nation)
The proposed N30,000 minimum wage seems to have become a campaign issue ahead of next year’s election. To the Presidency, the controversy over President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on what the least paid worker should earn is “concocted”. It accused yesterday some political actors, including the Atiku Media Office, of trying to score cheap political goals, warning that “stiff judgment awaits them at the polls”. Read more
DSS arrests IS bomb expert, 10 kidnappers (Punch)
The Department of State Service has arrested an alleged expert producing Improvised Explosive Devices for terrorist group, Islamic State, in West Africa, Abbas Abubakar, in the Toungo Local Government Area of Adamawa State. The DSS said Abubakar, also known as Sambo, was arrested on Monday by operatives, while 10 suspected kidnappers were also arrested in Kaduna, Katsina, Kogi and Edo states. Read more
Judge declines request to order Ekweremadu’s arrest (Nation)
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja has rejected a request by the Federal Government for the issuance of a bench warrant on Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who is accused of failing to declare his assets. Ekweremadu is accused in a two-count charge filed on behalf of the Federal Government by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) of refusing to declare his assets. Read more
Ganduje bribery videos: Contractor ready to testify before assembly panel (Punch)
The contractor behind the videos showing the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, allegedly receiving bribes says he is ready to testify before the state House of Assembly panel investigating the matter. The Cable reports that in a letter sent to the chairman of the investigative panel, through Saeed Twada, his lawyer, the contractor referred to as a ‘whistleblower’ said his allegations against Ganduje were “strictly personal” and that he would appreciate if the governor also appeared at the panel. Read more
ECOWAS election mission visits IGP (Guardian)
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) fact-finding mission to Nigeria on the 2019 general elections has visited the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris. The host, while appreciating the gesture, assured the visitors of the force’s readiness to provide a peaceful environment for the conduct of free and free polls next year. Leader of the delegation, Mr. Mohammed Konte, lauded the giant strides of the police in sustaining peace across the federation. Read more
Court restrains IGP from proscribing Benue livestock guards (Guardian)
A Makurdi High Court, presided over by Justice Austine Ityonyiman, yesterday issued an interim order restraining the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Benue State Commissioner of Police (CP) from prohibiting or shutting down offices of the Benue State Livestock Guards in any part of the state. The court also restrained the IGP and the Benue State CP from preventing officers of the Benue State Livestock Guards from carrying out their legitimate functions of implementing the state Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law pending the determination of the motion on notice brought before the court. Read more
Mass grave found in Ethiopia (BBC)
Police in Ethiopia say they have discovered a mass grave with 200 bodies near the border between the Somali and Oromia regions of the country. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced over the past year by violence there. Local media reported that the grave was found during a probe into alleged atrocities committed by the former president of Ethiopia’s Somali region. Read more
US cracks down on asylum for migrants (BBC)
Illegal migrants entering through the southern US border will no longer be eligible for asylum under a new rule, the Trump administration has said. Announced by the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, the ruling would stop asylum for those who breach any presidential restriction on entry. The president can stop migration in the “national interest”, a statement said. Read more
I’ve no plan to quit teaching for acting – Saka (Punch)
Afeez Oyetoro, aka Saka, is best known for his hilarious roles in some Nollywood movies. He is also an advertiser’s delight. In fact, the memory of his role in a 2013 MTN advert, which was the subject of a prolonged debate around the country, still remains fresh in the minds of many Nigerians. An actor best known for his extraordinary gift of clowning, Oyetoro has appeared in several films, including Wedding Party and Ojukokoro. Yet, unknown to many of his fans, he is as much a hardworking and committed academic who teaches drama at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin in Lagos State, as he is a talented comic actor. Read more
Controversy dogs AFN over detention of athlete by SARS (Guardian)
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is still probing the circumstances surrounding the drug scandal dogging one of the country’s most talented athletes in the women’s 400m Hurdles for the past two years, Glory Onome Nathaniel. Nathaniel won gold medal for Team Nigeria at Asaba 2018 African Senior Athletics Championship, but was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) due to the presence of a prohibited substance, Stanozolol, in her system. Read more
AFCON: Ex-Eagles stars slam Rohr over Aniyikaye invitation (Punch)
Former national team players have berated Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr for inviting FC IfeanyiUbah defender Adeleye Aniyikaye, who last played for his club in June, for the Cameroon 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa and the friendly against Uganda. Ex-internationals Friday Ekpo, Adegoke Adelabu and Segun Oguns said the coach should have gone for a home-based player who had been active rather than the out of action defender. Read more
D’Tigers, D’Tigress arrive in Lomé for 2018 FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup (Guardian)
The men and women’s national teams arrived in Lomé, Togo yesterday for the 2018 FIBA 3×3 Africa Cup, which begins this weekend. The men’s team captained by Azuoma Dike (Kano Pillars) is made up of Abdul Yahaya (Kano Pillars), Lucky Subel (Kano Pillars) and Godwin David (Kano Pillars). Still buzzing from their Zenith Bank Women’s Basketball League victory and a fairy tale 2018 FIBA Women’s World Cup run where the D’Tigress got to the quarterfinals, the women’s 3×3 team will hope to tap into the superlative form of Nkechi Akaraiwe, who scored 32 points, two assists and five rebounds to hand First Bank the 2018 Zenith Bank Basketball Women League. Read more
African Player of the Month: SuperSport picks Aubameyang (Nation)
SuperSport has picked Arsenal and Gabon international, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the African Player for the Month of November 2018. The 29-year-old featured in four matches for Arsenal through the month and racked up five goals and an assist in just 221 playing minutes for the Gunners. He also played the full game for his national team Gabon as they claimed an important 3-0 win over South Sudan in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Read more
Giroud sends Chelsea through in Europa League (BBC)
Maurizio Sarri says Olivier Giroud is “very important” to Chelsea after the forward’s first goal since May put the Blues into the last 32 of the Europa League. The France international, who had not scored under Sarri, headed in Emerson’s cross at the near post early in the second period to maintain the Blues’ 100% Group L record. “I’m pleased for him,” Sarri said. “I know strikers want to score. And so for his confidence, I think it’s very important. Read more
Arsenal fear ‘very big’ Welbeck injury (BBC)
Arsenal fear forward Danny Welbeck has suffered a “very big injury” after he was carried off on a stretcher during his side’s Europa League game against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday. It ended goalless at Emirates Stadium as the Gunners secured a place in the last 32, but the match was overshadowed by the 27-year-old England international’s ankle injury. Read more
Paris Saint Germain probe alleged discrimination against African players (Guardian)
Paris Saint Germain confirmed yesterday that a probe was underway into claims that young players were subject to racial profiling by talent scouts, but insisted they were unaware of such practices taking place, reports www.the42.ie.The probe was launched in response to revelations by French investigative website Mediapart, who cited documents from the latest series of Football Leaks allegations. Read more
Drama as suspected placenta thieves trade blame (Nation)
There was mild drama on Thursday as suspected ritualists blamed each other over the theft and sale of baby placenta in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital. The state police command paraded one Suleiman Fatima, hospital attendant and Salaudeen Ibrahim (Islamic cleric) for allegedly conspiring to buy/sell baby placenta. Mrs. Suleiman, who was working in a private hospital reportedly was said to have sold the placenta to the Muslim cleric sometime last week. Read more
Brothers arraigned for ‘forgery, land grabbing’ (Nation)
Two brothers, who allegedly forged land documents and procured hoodlums to grab land at Oko-Ado community in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos, were yesterday brought before an Igbosere Chief Magistrates’ Court. Alhaji Abdulfatai Abereoje, 51, and his younger brother, Jamiu Abereoje, 45, were arraigned on a five-count charge of conspiracy, felony, forgery, unlawful invasion and conduct likely to cause breach of the public peace. Read more
Police arraign tenant for renovating house without landlord’s consent (Punch)
A businesswoman, Adebukola Oladipo, has been arrested by the police for allegedly damaging a building belonging to her landlord, Ediac Ezemuede. PUNCH Metro gathered that Oladipo rented a guesthouse consisting of five rooms, an open space and two stores from the landlord in 2016. Ezemuede, in his statement to the police, said Oladipo damaged the building for reasons best known to her, adding that she used the police against him when he demanded an explanation from her. Read more