Abductors demand N200m for release of Lagos PDP chairman, others (Nation)
Abductors have made a demand of N200 million ransom for the release of chairman, Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Philip Aivoji, The Nation has learnt.
The Nation reports that gunmen had abducted Aivoji, and some other party chieftains on Thursday, January 25.
They were said to have been abducted at the Ogere area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Read more
‘‘We killed innocent civilians in Nasarawa,’’ Air Chief seeks forgiveness (DailyTrust)
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, has apologised to the Nasarawa State government and the families of victims of 2023 airstrike.
In an accidental air strike, the force had bombed residents of Rukubi community in Doma, headquarters of Doma Local Government Area of the state, in January 2023.
Speaking during a condolence visit to Governor Abdullahi Sule at Government House, Lafia, the state capital on Friday, Abubakar explained that the airstrike was not deliberate. Read more
Keyamo unveils N1b NAHCO export centre at Lagos airport (Punch)
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo on Friday unveiled the N1bn NAHCO Export Processing and Packaging Centre at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.
The minister said the facility aimed to enhance cargo exports and address concerns related to shelf life, temperature control, packaging, handling, and regulatory compliance.
Keyamo emphasised the centre’s role in overcoming challenges associated with exporting perishable goods. Read more
Mutfwang relaxes curfew in Mangu from 4 pm To 8 am (Leadership)
Plateau State Governor, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, has relaxed the 24-hour curfew previously imposed on Mangu Local Government Area of the state. The curfew will now be observed from 4 pm to 8 am daily until further notice.
A statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, stated that the review followed an improvement in the security situation in Mangu Local Government Area after strategic engagements with community leaders across various faiths and ethnic groups within the council area.
Governor Mutfwang noted a remarkable improvement in the security situation and, after due consultation with the State Security Council, decided to relax the curfew. Read more
Oluomo challenges removal as Ogun Assembly Speaker in court (Channels)
The embattled former Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Kunle Oluomo, has challenged his removal from office in court.
On Tuesday, Oluomo was impeached by 18 out of 26 members of the legislative arm during the house’s sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mrs Bolanle Ajayi, (APC-Yewa South).
But briefing journalists at his residence in Abeokuta on Friday, Oluomo insisted that he remains the Speaker of the Assembly despite the “purported” impeachment. Read more
Order for registration of new body to rival NBA, victory for lawyers – Gadzama, SAN (Vanguard)
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Chief Joe Gadzama, has thrown his weight behind the establishment of a new umbrella body for lawyers in the country other than the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.
Gadzama, SAN, who is former Chairman of the Abuja Branch of the NBA and currently the Chairman of the Mentoring Committee for Young Lawyers of the Body of Benchers of Nigeria, lauded the recent judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which ordered the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, to register a new association for legal practitioners in the country.
Describing the judgement as a victory for lawyers and the Constitution, the learned silk said he would attend the maiden meeting of the new association which has been registered as the Nigerian Law Society, NLS. Read more
Governor Yusuf has not decided to join APC, says aide (Guardian)
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has reacted to the call by the acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to join the ruling party, saying he has no plan yet to dump his party, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
Ganduje had last Thursday appealed to Yusuf and members of the NNPP to reunite with him in the APC.
He spoke at the end of the APC stakeholders meeting in Kano, where he subsequently reaffirmed acceptance of the Supreme Court verdict that affirmed Yusuf’s victory at the last governorship polls. Read more
MACBAN denies herdsmen’s involvement in Plateau attacks (DailyTrust)
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, has denied involvement of herdsmen in recent attacks in the area.
Yahaya Bello, chairman of MACBAN in Mangu, described the accusation as “untrue,” highlighting losses herdsmen suffered within the community.
He said, “We are not responsible, we are the people of Mangu, we are not militias, many of our people were killed.
“I have to tell you the story of Mangu. Mangu is a large local government that contains about 11 districts, about 9 districts with no Fulani man in them. We have been pushed to 1 district, they are saying that we are militias while we are not.” Read more
Taylor Swift AI deepfakes spark calls for new legislation (RNZ)
US politicians have called for new laws to criminalise the creation of deepfake images, after explicit faked photos of Taylor Swift were viewed millions of times online.
The images were posted on social media sites, including X and Telegram.
US Representative Joe Morelle called the spread of the pictures “appalling”.
In a statement, X said it was “actively removing” the images and taking “appropriate actions” against the accounts involved in spreading them. Read more
Britney Spears’ 2011 ‘‘Selfish’’ surpasses Justin Timberlake’s new song with same name on iTunes (NBC)
Britney Spears’ fervent fan base is being credited online with helping the singer’s 2011 song “Selfish” climb above Justin Timberlake’s new release of the same name on the iTunes charts.
Timberlake, who is releasing a new album in March, debuted the single on Thursday. By Friday, Spears’ hit from 13 years ago was ranked at No. 2, with Timberlake’s song at No. 3 on iTunes. At one point, it was ranked at No. 1, but Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald’s “FACTS (feat. Ben Shapiro)” now tops the list.
A spokesperson for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Representatives for Spears and Timberlake also did not immediately respond. Read more
New action-packed trailer for Dev Patel and Jordan Peele-produced film ‘‘Monkey Man’’ released (NME)
A new trailer has been shared for Dev Patel’s, Jordan Peele-produced film, ‘‘Monkey Man’’.
The film has been written, directed and produced by Patel, will be released by Universal on April 5.
The official description for the film describes it as an “action thriller about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimise the poor and powerless.” Read more
Hayden Panettiere claims her Nashville character mirrored her personal life (Deadline)
Hayden Panettiere says her art was imitating her life.
After starring on Nashville for six years, Panettiere, 34, has revealed that she battled with alcoholism, addiction, and postpartum depression in her life, much like her character on the TV series. Panettiere played the role of Juliette Barnes, a country music singer who rose to fame in Music City, but struggled with substance abuse.
Panettiere said the show was “very traumatizing, because I felt like I was acting out my own life,” as revealed in an interview with The Messenger. Read more
Donald Trump ordered to pay E Jean Carroll $83m damages in defamation case (Telegraph)
Donald Trump has been ordered to pay $83 million (£65 million) to the writer E Jean Carroll after he called her a liar for accusing him of sexual assault.
The jury of seven men and two women awarded Ms Carroll $7.3 million in compensatory damages, $11 million for costs to repair her reputation and $65 million in punitive damages – more than triple the sum her lawyers had sought.
The hefty fine has dealt yet another blow to Mr Trump, who in 2023 was found liable for sexually assaulting and defaming Ms Carroll, with the former president branded the latest ruling “absolutely ridiculous”. Read more
14-year-old girl leaves mom cryptic note, vanishes after meeting man online (NYPost)
A 14-year-old Washington state girl went missing three weeks ago after leaving a cryptic note for her mom — who had punished her for messaging an older man she had met online.
Sarah Merrill, of Mount Vernon, said she last saw her daughter, Ella Jones, in her room on the night of Jan. 5.
The next morning, she realized she was gone, Fox News Digital reported.
Ella’s friends have told her mom that she had been communicating with a man in his late 20s or early 30s on Discord, according to the outlet. Read more
Heavy fighting in Gaza’s 2nd-largest city leaves hundreds of patients stranded in hospital (PBS)
Israeli forces battled Palestinian militants Wednesday near the main hospital in Gaza’s second-largest city, where medics said hundreds of patients and thousands of displaced people were trapped by the fighting.
Israel has ordered residents to leave a swath of downtown Khan Younis that includes Nasser Hospital and two smaller medical facilities as the country pushes ahead with its 3-month-old offensive against Hamas. The United Nations humanitarian office said the area was home to 88,000 Palestinians and was hosting another 425,000 displaced by fighting elsewhere. Read more
Osimhen to join ‘‘either Real Madrid, PSG or an English club’’ – Napoli Owner (Channels)
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen will leave Napoli this summer and join “either Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain or an English club”, the Italian club’s president and owner Aurelio De Laurentiis said on Friday.
De Laurentiis was responding to an interview that Osimhen, who is with Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations, gave to American television network CBS, in which the 25-year-old striker said he had already “made up” his mind about his next move.
Questioned by Italian media after a meeting of the Italian Football League, De Laurentiis said he was not surprised, even though Osimhen signed a contract extension with the Italian champions in December. Read more
Eagles stars missing from group phase Best XI (Punch)
Football statistics website, Whoscored.com released the group stage Best XI for the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations with no Super Eagles players listed, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Whoscored’s Best XI featured players who made at least two appearances in the group stage of the competition with stars from Ghana, Morocco, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Cape Verde, Tunisia, Senegal and Mauritania all making the shortlist.
The Eagles, who parade the reigning African Player of The Year Victor Osimhen in their ranks, reached the last 16 of the tournament after finishing second in Group A with seven points behind Equatorial Guinea, who emerged winners of the group with superior goals difference. Read more
Egypt officials sacrifice cow for better fortune at AFCON (ABC)
The Egyptian Football Association has sacrificed a cow in a bid to bring the team more luck at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Team spokesman Mohamed Morad told The Associated Press on Friday the federation killed the cow and distributed the meat to needy people in Cairo the day before.
Egypt, who have yet to win a game, play Congo DR in the round of 16 in San Pedro on Sunday. The team’s flight from Abidjan to San Pedro was delayed by an hour Friday. Read more
‘‘I’ll sleep a bit better’’ says Guardiola after Klopp bombshell (France24)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said he will “sleep a bit better” after his “biggest rival” Jurgen Klopp rocked the football world with his shock decision to leave Liverpool at the end of this season.
Klopp stunned Premier League leaders Liverpool on Friday when he revealed he will step down once the current campaign is over.
The Reds boss has been Guardiola’s main competitor for domestic silverware during their time in England. Read more
Vince McMahon resigns from WWE following allegations of sexual misconduct (Fox)
Days after he was accused of sex trafficking and sexual abuse, Vince McMahon has resigned from all his roles at WWE and its parent company, TKO, a source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital Friday.
“I stand by my prior statement that Ms. Grant’s lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred and is a vindictive distortion of the truth,” McMahon said in a statement. “I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations and look forward to clearing my name.
“However, out of respect for the WWE Universe, the extraordinary TKO business and its board members and shareholders, partners and constituents and all of the employees and superstars who helped make WWE into the global leader it is today, I have decided to resign from my executive chairmanship and the TKO board of directors, effective immediately.” Read more
Daniil Medvedev details ‘‘better’’ change he’s made ahead of Australian Open final (Express)
Daniil Medvedev will be playing in the Australian Open Final yet again, this time against Italian phenom Jannik Sinner in Melbourne. Set to appear in his third final in the last four years, Medvedev will be looking to win his first Australian Open, though he will be facing a formidable opponent in Sinner, who stunningly eliminated Novak Djokovic in four sets to advance.
With such a task ahead of him, Medvedev spoke to reporters after his win over Alexader Zverev in the semifinal and explained he has to come into the matchup with a different mindset than he had before, especially with his relationship with the fans. Read more