44 passengers unhurt as bus catches fire (Nation)
No fewer than 44 passengers escaped unhurt on Monday as a red high capacity bus marked GBE 257 XA caught fire on Otedola Bridge in Lagos. The cause of the fire that occurred around 11:22am (yesterday) could not be ascertained. Though, some of the passengers said the fire started when the driver was joining wire to re-start the bus after stopping for some passengers to alight. Another passenger attributed the cause to over-heating. The bus, loaded with passengers, it was learnt, was heading to Ketu from Ibafo. Read more
Suspension of Amosun, Okorocha, others stands —APC (Punch)
The All Progressives Congress has said the suspension of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and his counterpart in Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, and two others stands. The National Working Committee had after a meeting presided over by the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, in Abuja on Friday announced their suspension for alleged anti-party activities. The two others are the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani and the Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu. The NWC at the meeting also resolved to recommend their expulsion to the National Executive Committee of the party. Read more
EFCC has arrested Turaki – PDP (Punch)
The Peoples Democratic Party on Monday said the Deputy Director-General (Administration) of its Presidential Campaign Organization, Mr. Tanimu Turaki (SAN), has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. It demanded his immediate and unconditional release as it claimed that he was arrested for no just cause. The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement said Turaki’s arrest and detention are part of the alleged grand plot by the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency and the All Progressives Congress to use state apparatus of power to intimidate PDP leaders and scuttle PDP’s determination to reclaim its acclaimed February 23 presidential election victory in court. Read more
Court terminates charges against Alex Badeh (Guardian)
A federal high court in Abuja has closed all charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against late former chief of defence staff Alex Badeh. “In view of the fact that the first defendant in the original charge is reported dead, all charges against the first defendant are hereby terminated,” the judge, Okon Abang, said in court on Monday. The late Badeh who has been standing trial since 2015 was murdered in his car on Tuesday, December 18 while returning from his farm in Nasarawa state. Read more
Dokubo sets up panel to probe looting of Amnesty Programme training equipment (Punch)
Professor Charles Dokubo, Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme has inaugurated a six-man special investigative panel to probe the invasion and looting of training equipment at its vocational centre in Kaima, Bayelsa. Inaugurating the panel on Monday in Abuja, Dokubo said that the investigative team chaired by retired Brig-Gen. Sotunde Songonuga, would ascertain among others the remote and immediate cause of the looting. According to him, on February 13, the eve of commissioning the PAP’s vocational training centre in Kaima, in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, Bayelsa, unknown persons overpowered security personnel guarding the centre. Read more
Chemist remanded for allegedly performing abortion (Punch)
An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court on Monday remanded a 40-year-old chemist, Folake Oluwafemi, who allegedly performed an abortion that led to death. The defendant, whose address was not provided, was charged with manslaughter before Magistrate Omolola Akosile. The Prosecutor, Insp. Monica Ikebuilo, told the court that Oluwafemi carried out an abortion on one Miss Oluwabukola Adeosun and it caused her death. Ikebuilo said that the defendant committed the offence on February 20, at Ijero-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Read more
Tanzania arrests 65 ‘witchdoctors’ over killings (BBC)
Police in Tanzania have arrested 65 “witchdoctors”, or traditional healers, in connection with the ritual killing of at least 10 children. The children were killed in January and many had body parts removed. There is a belief among some people in Tanzania, and neighbouring countries, that using human body parts in rituals can bring wealth and good luck. The inspector general of police, Simon Sirro, has ordered that every traditional healer obtain a licence. Read more
Juan Guaidó flies back to Venezuela despite arrest risk (BBC)
Venezuela’s self-declared interim leader Juan Guaidó has arrived back in the capital, Caracas, to a rapturous welcome from thousands of supporters. He faces arrest after defying a travel ban to leave the country and lobby for international aid for the crisis-hit nation. “They threatened us and here we are, putting forward our face for Venezuela,” he told a huge rally. Mr Guaidó has called on President Nicolás Maduro to resign. The two men have been at loggerheads for more than a month. While Mr Guaidó has been recognised by more than 50 countries, Mr Maduro, who is backed by China, Russia and Cuba, insists he is the only legitimate president. Read more
Jane Philpott: Trudeau crisis grows as minister resigns (BBC)
One of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s top ministers has quit saying she has lost confidence in the government’s handling of a corruption trial. Treasury Board President Jane Philpott said: “I must abide by my core values, my ethical responsibilities, constitutional obligations.” Mr Trudeau has denied political meddling in an investigation into engineering giant SNC-Lavalin. The opposition leader last week called on the prime minister to resign. Ms Philpott announced her decision to step down on Monday, posting her resignation letter detailing her “serious concerns” with “evidence of efforts by politicians and/or officials to pressure the former Attorney General to intervene in the criminal case involving SNC-Lavalin”. Read more
Royal Family to block or report social media trolls (BBC)
The Royal Family has published social media guidelines for the public, vowing to block users who leave offensive or abusive comments on official channels. Posts on the Clarence House, Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace feeds may be hidden, deleted or reported to police, the new rules say. It follows reports that staff have been battling a surge in abuse aimed at the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex. Neither of the duchesses have personal social media accounts. Read more
Cyprus Cup: Super Falcons suffer another defeat (Nation)
Super Falcons suffered yet another defeat Monday in the Cyprus cup. Falcons who managed to defeat Slovakia 4-3 on Wednesday lost by a loan goal to Belgium in the final group game. The team thus finished third in group C with only three points in three matches. Austria who handed Falcons their first baptism of fire at the event top the group with seven points. Belgium finished second in the group with seven points like Austria but with inferior goal difference. Second African representatives at the event Bayana Bayana finished last in group A after losing their last match 2-1 to Czech Republic. The only edge the Falcons have over Bayana Bayana in the tournament is that they managed to win a match while the South Africans drew a match and lost two. Read more
Don’t write off Man Utd against PSG, says Young (Guardian)
Ashley Young has warned that Manchester United should not be written off as they attempt to mount an improbable comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men head to France for the second leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday trailing 2-0 after a humbling experience at Old Trafford last month in what remains the only defeat they have suffered to date under their interim manager. PSG are favourites to progress to the quarter-finals, but 33-year-old Young has advised them to take nothing for granted after seeing United revive their season since the Norwegian’s arrival. Read more
Real Madrid: Gareth Bale treatment by fans ‘a disgrace’ – agent (BBC)
The treatment of Gareth Bale by Real Madrid fans is “nothing short of a disgrace”, according to his agent. Sections of the Bernabeu jeered the Wales forward when he was substituted after 61 minutes of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat by Barcelona. “This generation of Real fans will be talking about Gareth’s goals for years to come,” said the 29-year-old’s representative, Jonathan Barnett. “They should be ashamed of themselves. Those fans should be kissing his feet.” Bale joined Real from Tottenham in 2013 for £85m and has won four Champions Leagues and one La Liga title with the Spanish club. Read more
West Ham’s Snodgrass charged over alleged abuse of anti-doping officials (Punch)
West Ham midfielder, Robert Snodgrass, has been charged by the Football Association after allegedly abusing anti-doping officials, the English game’s governing body announced on Monday. The charge against the 31-year-old Scotland midfielder arises from a visit by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) officials to London club West Ham’s training ground in February. “Robert Snodgrass has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3(1),” the FA said in a statement. “It is alleged the player used abusive and/or insulting words towards UK Anti-Doping officials who were visiting West Ham United’s training ground on 06 February 2019 to conduct out-of-competition testing. He has until 18 March 2019 to respond.” Read more
Luke Perry of Beverly Hills, 90210 and Riverdale dies at 52 (BBC)
US actor Luke Perry has died in California at the age of 52, less than a week after suffering a massive stroke. His publicist said Perry died surrounded by his family and friends. Perry rose to fame on Beverly Hills, 90210 and had been starring as Fred Andrews on the CW show Riverdale. He was taken to hospital on Wednesday in Los Angeles, where he had been shooting scenes for Riverdale at the Warner Bros film lot. Perry’s children, Jack and Sophie, fiancée Wendy Madison Bauer, ex-wife Minnie Sharp, mother Ann Bennett, step-father Steve Bennett, and his siblings, Tom Perry and Amy Coder, were with him when he passed, publicist Arnold Robinson said in a statement. Read more
Wendy Williams ‘feeling good’ as she returns to TV after extended break (Metro)
Wendy Williams made a return to form on her TV show and asked ‘How you doin’?’ after taking time off for shoulder surgery. The star took an extended break from the series due to a shoulder injury, and as the audience cheered her catchphrase back to her, she took her moment to declare: ‘I’m doing better now!’ She then told everyone: ‘Thank you, I missed you too! I didn’t know what to expect today — thank you so much for waiting for us.’ Wendy then revealed that she had a flare up of her autoimmune condition Graves disease, which left her feeling ‘thyroid-ish’ towards the end of the Christmas holidays. Read more