3-storey building under construction collapses in Yaba, Lagos (Punch)
A three-storey building still under construction on Akanbi Crescent in the Yaba area of Lagos State has collapsed.
The PUNCH gathered that there are possible casualties stuck in the building.
The building collapsed into another building beside it.
According to an eyewitness, a part of the building had collapsed late last year, but the construction did not stop.
A resident of number 29, Lawani Street, a street off the scene of the incident told our correspondent that her car was affected last year, when a section of the building collapsed, however, construction continued despite the police being called in. Read more
Sanwo-Olu appoints Olaleye as LASUSTECH VC (Nation)
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has appointed Dr. Oluremi Olaleye as acting Vice-Chancellor of the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) formerly known as Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) Ikorodu.
Olaleye was the Rector of LASPOTECH before it became LASUSTECH.
Sanwo-Olu recently signed the bills for the establishment of additional two universities in the State.
They are Lagos State University of Education, LASUED, and Lagos State University of Science and Technology. Read more
OAW Foundation supports Ojo residents with FoodBank Initiative (Guardian)
In a bid to address the state of well-being of the people of Ojo Local Council of Lagos State, Olawale Aganga-Williams has established the Olawale Aganga-Williams Foundation (OAW).
This was displayed recently when the businessman, along with members of the Local Council, met with thousand of members from the community comprising of nursing mothers, widows, young adults and the aged, who received different food palliatives from the convener and his associates under the foundation’s FoodBank Initiative.
Aganga-Williams, who hails from the Ojo Federal Constituency, said the foundation was created to give the people who have been victims of poverty, bad roads and poor infrastructure development, a better life, having mapped out different measures to address their challenges.
Addressing the gathering, he said, “ I am very passionate about the well-being of our people, because I know and share in our pains especially in our present Nigeria. The desire to impact and give back to the community birthed the Olawale Aganga-Willams Foundation, which is a non-profit and non-governmental organisation founded on the need to provide an atmosphere where Nigerians are secure and prosperous. It is my wish and desire for Nigeria to be secure and free of poverty.” Read more
Lagos pays 222 retirees over N1b benefits (ThisDay)
The 2019 pensioners were sorted at the 91st Batch Retirement Benefit Bond Certificate presentation ceremony in the Ikeja area of the state.
This move is to acknowledge the labours and sacrifices of the retirees while in service, which contributed to the development of the state.
According to the Director General, Lagos State Pension Commission, Mr. Babalola Obilana, the over N1bn has been credited to their retirement savings account.
He emphasised: “This means that the governor has gradually reduced the waiting period. We are probably rounding off 2019 for the mainstream and next we’ll start paying 2020 retirees.” Read more
Ortom fumes as security operatives bar him from receiving Osinbajo (Punch)
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Saturday claimed that he was denied entry into the Airforce base where he was expected to receive the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo.
Ortom who spoke to journalists at Government House, Makurdi, said that security personnel barred him from getting to the airport of Nigeria Airforce.
The governor brandished a letter from the Presidency dated February 10, 2022, and signed by Amb. Abdullahi Gwary, Senior Special Assistant to the president on foreign affairs/head of protocol office of the Vice President, titled, ‘Visit of His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, To Wukari, Taraba State, Transiting through NAF Base Makurdi, on Saturday, 12th, January (February), 2022.’
Governor Ortom said that following the letter, he had to shelve other state matters and moved to the airport to receive the Vice President but regretted that he was barred from entering the airport. Read more
Court unfreezes ex-Naval officer accounts (Nation)
A Federal High Court sitting in Akure has unfrozen bank accounts of a retired Naval officer, Alhaji Maliki Sabo Usman.
The accounts of Usman were ordered frozen by the court in an exparte order it granted Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and the Heritage Bank in February 2021.
It had also ordered that all moveable and immovable properties of Alhaji Usman be seized over alleged unpaid N215m debt.
In its ruling on a motion on notice filed by Alhaji Usman, the court presided over by Justice A. A Demi-Ajayi set aside the exparte order granted in February last for misrepresentation of facts, fraud, and lack of jurisdiction. Read more
Minimum Wage: Labour extends ultimatum given to Yahaya Bello (DailyTrust)
The labour unions in Kogi State have extended the ultimatum given to the state government to implement the N30,000 minimum wage to its workers by seven days.
The 14 days ultimatum given earlier to the state government expired at midnight of 11th February 2022.
According to the workers’ bulletin released on Saturday and made available to Daily Trust in Lokoja, the seven days extension is to allow the negotiating team to conclude its assignment.
The bulletin was signed by Comrade Omale Paul, Ag. NLC State Secretary; Comrade Kolawole James, Ag. TUC State Secretary and Comrade I.A Abubakar, JPSNC’s state secretary. Read more
FCT Polls: Faulty BVAS, late arrival of materials threaten exercise (Independent)
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections held today Saturday have not been without hitches as the Bimodal Verification & Accreditation System (BVAS) could not authenticate voters’ fingerprints in some areas.
The gadget, which is an improvement on an earlier version used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in previous polls, could not process voter identification in places visited by Saturday Independent.
In the 034 polling unit opposite Christ The King Catholic Church, Kurudu, a suburb of the FCT, INEC adhoc staff said that “because of the situation many people have not been able to vote.”
Hon. Muazu Yakubu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Supervisor for Orozo Primary School with over 5000 registered voters, told Saturday Independent that, “the BVAS rejects the card of many of our people. When they go for accreditation, they are told that their cards have already been used by another person. Read more
Nollywood not cause of ritual killings – Yul Edochie (Nation)
Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie has played down on the opinion that Nollywood movies are the causes of incessant ritual killings in the country.
The actor and son of a legend, Pete Edochie bare his mind via Instagram while reacting to a call by the House of Rep to declare a state of Emergency over ritual killings in the country.
Yul said the reason for the rise of ritual killings is due to the high level of hunger and poverty faced by Nigerians.
He urged the government to find a lasting solution to the suffering of the people. Read more
Kingsley Ben-Adir to star as Bob Marley in biopic directed by King Richard filmmaker (Metro)
Kingsley Ben-Adir is reportedly set to take on the role of Bob Marley in the upcoming biopic.
The One Night In Miami star will take on the role of the reggae legend in the Paramount movie, Deadline reports, with King Richard filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green directing.
The late icon’s son Ziggy Marley, wife Rita Marley and daughter Cedella Marley are said to be on board to produce.
Green previously told Collider of the project: ‘Our film starts in ’76 and really it’s about the making of Exodus.’ Read more
Kardashians star Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott reveal baby name (DigitalSpy)
Kylie Jenner and partner Travis Scott have announced the name of their newborn baby son – Wolf Webster.
The reality TV star and singer welcomed their bundle of joy into the world earlier this week, with Jenner sharing a sweet photograph to Instagram of 4-year old daughter Stormi holding her new brother’s tiny hand.
Jenner, of Keeping Up with the Kardashians fame, shared his name with her 310 million Instagram followers yesterday (February 11) via Instagram Stories, simply with a heart.
Away from the reality TV personality’s family life, Jenner will appear in a new show – The Kardashians coming to Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US later this year – which follows on from the famous family ending Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2020 after 14 years. Read more
Explosion in eastern Ukraine – reports (RT)
Several unverified reports on social media and in local media have claimed that a large bang could be heard in the territory of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic in eastern Ukraine on Saturday. Some alleged eyewitnesses said they felt a “shockwave.”
Denis Pushilin, the top official in the region, told RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan that the blast occurred in the area controlled by Kiev and that, in his opinion, the situation is “under control” so far. He added that the explosion appeared to come from what he described as a “minor activity at the line of contact.”
RT correspondents in Donetsk, meanwhile, said that the sounds of the alleged shockwave from the explosion were not heard inside the city, despite some reports claiming otherwise.
The commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces said that his military adheres to the ceasefire and has not carried out any shelling, including in the direction of Donetsk. Read more
How Tall Girl’s Ava Michelle is carrying on her late brother’s legacy 1 year after his accidental death (People)
Ava Michelle is opening up about the tragic loss she suffered last year: in February 2021, her 23-year-old brother Devan died of fentanyl poisoning.
“It was very unexpected and obviously an accident,” says the actress, 19. “It’s still hard to share, but I think it’s important.”
The family declines to detail the circumstances of Devan’s death, but Michelle wants to raise more awareness about the dangers of accidental deaths caused by the powerful opioid, often found laced into other drugs.
“More young people have died from fentanyl poisoning in the past couple years than COVID,” she says. “We really need to be talking about this so much more than we are. This is something I’m super passionate about and I’m actually going to be starting my own foundation [for awareness] on it.” Read more
Justin Bieber and wife Hailey Bieber make a hasty exit from singer’s afterparty at The Nice Guy in LA (DailyMail)
Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey were pictured making a hasty exit from The Nice Guy restaurant in Los Angeles on Friday night after a fight broke out, which led to a reported shooting outside.
The Peaches hitmaker, 27, was hosting a star-studded afterparty at the swanky eatery following his earlier pre-Super Bowl performance alongside Drake at the Pacific Design Center.
But he and model Hailey, 25, were keen to get as far away from the place as possible as they were ushered out by their security amid the troubles just outside the venue.
Justin cut a glum figure as he followed his security guard while hurrying out of the restaurant as Hailey stayed close by. Read more
Taiwan Biz gets boost from global and local streamers (Variety)
When Taiwan auteur Chung Mong-hong’s acclaimed drama A Sun became a hit among film critics and film buffs from around the world after Variety’s chief film critic Peter Debruge named it the best film of 2020, it had reignited the hope and expectations of the island’s cinematic offerings. The buzz and excitement were seen as what could be the beginning of a comeback of Taiwanese cinema on the international stage.
Nearly two years on, the momentum is still there, but Taiwanese filmmakers are approaching the international stage with a more pragmatic approach. “A Sun,” and the director’s follow-up feature, “The Falls,” which both premiered on the international festival circuit (and now stream on Netflix), have certainly brought Taiwanese projects more exposure, according to industry insiders, but it was not yet enough to revive the glory from the golden days of Hou Hsiao-Hsien (“City of Sadness”) and Edward Yang (“Yi Yi”).
There is certainly the bright side. The Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), a professional intermediary organization established in 2019 under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture to promote the island’s content industries locally and abroad, is still eager to present the island’s latest offerings across international film festivals and markets, including this year’s virtual European Film Market at the Berlinale. There’s also a lot more Taiwanese content streaming on Netflix and other international or regional platforms than ever before, making it much more accessible to viewers abroad. Sony Pictures Intl. Prods. also announced that it would partner with Taiwan’s Activator to co-produce paranormal comedy “Dead Talents Society,” directed by John Hsu (“Detention”). Read more
US troops leave Ukraine and embassy cuts staff as fears grow of a Russian attack (NPR)
The U.S. State Department is warning that it is “past time” for American citizens to leave Ukraine, as the threat of a Russian invasion remains imminent. Late Friday night, the department directed U.S. embassy staff in Kyiv to depart the country. The U.S. is also suspending most consular services in Ukraine starting Sunday.
The State Department’s travel advisory for Ukraine has also been updated, telling Americans in that country to “depart immediately.”
“We fervently hope and continue to work intensively to try to ensure that Ukraine does not become a war zone,” a senior State Department official said on Saturday at a news briefing. “However, it appears increasingly likely that this is where this situation is headed, toward some kind of active conflict.”
“That is why we are reducing our staff to a bare minimum while we still have the ability to get our official people out safely and in a predictable fashion,” the official said. Read more
World Cup playoffs: Ighalo returns against Ghana – Pinnick (Sun)
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick says Odion Ighalo will be back for Nigeria’s World Cup playoff games against Ghana in March.
Ighalo was included in Nigeria’s 2021 AFCON squad after coming out of retirement, but the former Manchester United striker could not honour the callup because of club issues.
However, Pinnick has now confirmed that the 32-year-old attacker will be back for the two massive games against Ghana next month.
The NFF president said this after visiting Ighalo in Qatar where he is currently representing his new club Al-Hilal at the FIFA Club World Cup. Pinnick said: “I just met with @ighalojude, the highest goalscorer at the 2019 edition of the AFCON, now playing and still scoring goals for Saudi Arabia’s biggest football club. Odion has assured that playing for his country will always come first and he is ready to ensure that we do play at this year’s @FIFAWorldCup in Qatar. Read more
SAMI runs to raise funds at Access Bank 7th Lagos city marathon (Vanguard)
Sickle Cell Advocacy and Management Initiative (SAMI), on Saturday 12th February, joined Nigerians and foreigners to participate in the 7th edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon.
The health Non Profit Organization seeks to raise funds as well as increase awareness for Sickle Cell Anaemia disease, through the wide participation of the Marathon.
Executive Director and Founder of SAMI, Toyin Ibidunni Adesola, via her Social Media handles had earlier, appealed to family, friends, colleagues, admirers and the general public, to come and support it’s initiative by donating money as gift of love towards their numerous projects.
According to her, “living with a chronic condition like sickle cell disease can be challenging, physically and most especially mentally. Personally, I know what it means to need not only to battle with the physical complications the disorder brings but also the mental one”. Read more
Paul Scholes slams Manchester United’s players following Southampton draw (MEN)
Former midfielder Paul Scholes has accused Manchester United’s players of not “wanting to put a shift in for the club” following their 1-1 draw with Southampton at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime.
Despite taking a 21st-minute lead through Jadon Sancho’s second goal in as many home games, United, for the third game running, were pegged back in the second half.
Just as Burnley did at Turf Moor on Tuesday evening, Southampton equalised within minutes of the restart, drawing level through striker Che Adams.
United, despite creating a fair amount of chances in the opening 45 minutes, retreated more and more in the second half and it was Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side that enjoyed the better of the opportunities as they went in pursuit of a winner. Read more
Chelsea confirmed XI vs Palmeiras: Edouard Mendy and N’Golo Kante return, Hakim Ziyech dropped (FootballLondon)
Edouard Mendy has returned between the Chelsea posts for this evening’s Club World Cup final against Palmeiras at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, with Mason Mount also back in the starting XI having emerged from the bench in Wednesday’s semi-final win over Al Hilal.
Mendy linked up with his teammates on Wednesday morning having had two days to celebrate Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations win last weekend. He spent the first 24 hours in Abu Dhabi recovering before taking a full part in training on Thursday and yesterday.
The change will be viewed by many as harsh on Kepa Arrizabalaga, who has performed well in Mendy’s absence. The Spain international made two impressive stops in the semi-final and saved a penalty in the FA Cup fourth-round win over
Plymouth Argyle last Saturday.
A point of debate ahead of the game was whether Thomas Tuchel would stick with his tried and trusted 3-4-2-1 shape or move to a back four. The Chelsea head coach has gone with the former. Read more
DP World Tour: Ryan Fox takes six-shot lead into final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic (Sky)
Ryan Fox will take a six-shot lead into the final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic on Sunday as he seeks a first 72-hole stroke play victory on the DP World Tour.
The New Zealander continued his imperious form at Al Hamra Golf Club, moving to 19-under for the tournament with a seven-under-par 65 on Saturday, to follow up his career-best opening round 63 and Friday’s 69.
Scott Jamieson is one of four players tied for second on 13-under, while fellow Scot Robert MacIntyre is among three players a shot further back.
Fox made a stunning start on Saturday, converting close-range birdie putts at the first three holes before sinking a 12-footer at the fourth. Read more
Sakkari into final after edging Begu in three-set thriller (France24)
Top seed Maria Sakkari reached her fourth WTA Tour final on Saturday after beating unseeded Romanian Irina-Camelia Begu 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 in a three-hour thriller in Saint Petersburg.
Sakkari, ranked seventh in the world, will be seeking her second title when she meets the winner of the clash between Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit and Latvian Jelena Ostapenko.
Sakkari secured a break at 5-3 in the first set against her 56th-ranked opponent but Begu broke back immediately after the longest rally of the set.
However, Sakkari broke Begu again to take the set. Read more
Mark Cavendish seals sprint victory on Stage 2 of the Tour of Oman to take 1st stage win of 2022 (Eurosport)
Mark Cavendish sprinted to victory on stage 2 of the Tour of Oman to register his first win of 2022.
After missing out on Thursday’s opening stage to Fernando Gaviria, Cavendish timed his drive to the line better in Suhar Corniche – and in so doing also took the race leader’s jersey off the Colombian.
Cavendish said: “I was looking forward to this sprint, as it was similar to a Tour de France one, with a long finishing straight of over one kilometre.
“Everyone on the team was committed and did a great job. Read more