Ambode: Lagos got nothing from PDP’s 16-year presidency (Nation)
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday took a swipe at the 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the nation’s drivers’ seat. He said the period between 1999 and 2015 under PDP’ watch amounted to nothing for Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital. Ambode spoke at the National Consultative Forum of the National Committee of Buhari Support Groups (BSG) at Nicon Luxury Hotels in Abuja. The BSG is the coordinating body of all groups campaigning for President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s re-election next year. Read more
President renews pledge on release of Chibok girls (Nation)
Until the remaining Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped in April 2014 by Boko Haram terrorists and others still being held by insurgents are released, our administration will not rest, President Muhammadu Buhari said yesterday. He renewed his commitment to the safe release of the captives on Monday in Katowice, Poland. It was at a bilateral meeting between him and Swiss President Alain Berset on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference, COP24. A statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said that the President had a busy day at the International Conference Centre in Katowice, where he made a remark at the opening of the 12-day meeting of COP24. Read more
Tinubu to PDP: Nigerians will never return to Egypt (Nation)
Frontline politician Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has advised Nigerians not to allow the nation return to the path of destruction on which he said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) put it for 16 years. The All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart who spoke at a National Consultative Forum organised by the National Committee of Buhari Support Groups in Abuja, accused the Atiku Campaign Organisation and the PDP of trying to blackmail the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police with the accusation of plots to rig the 2019 elections because “they know that they will not win”. Read more
Don’t misappropriate project funds, Ugwuanyi warns community leaders (Punch)
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has cautioned traditional rulers and leaders of communities against misappropriation of funds provided by the World Bank for various rural projects in the state. Ugwuanyi gave the warning while presenting the first tranche of the funds to each of the five benefiting communities on Tuesday in Amodu, Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state. The governor, who was represented by the General Manager, Community and Social Development Project, Dr Maximus Asogwa, said that the projects were done in collaboration with the state government. Read more
Biase communal clash escalates, eight feared killed (Punch)
Several casualties have been reported and properties worth millions of naira destroyed as four communities in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State clashed on Monday and Tuesday over land matters. It was gathered that the fight between the Abanwan and Orugbam communities claimed three lives on Monday, as the people of Abanwan reportedly launched an attack on Orugbam, while the reprisal carried out by the latter on the former reportedly led to the death of five more people on Tuesday. Read more
Lawyers protest colleague’s detention in Anambra (Nation)
Over 50 lawyers yesterday protested alleged assault and detention of their colleague, Ivy Arinze, at Otuocha in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State. Arinze was allegedly detained on the order of Otuocha Police Area Commander, Mr Abdul Osu, following his call for peaceful settlement of a case. The Chairman of Idemili branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) P. A. Asame said the lawyer was at the area command to carry out his lawful duties when he was assaulted and detained on Osu’s alleged order. Read more
Five killed in Abia auto crash (Punch)
Five occupants of a commercial vehicle reportedly died when their car rammed into a stationary truck. The incident, which involved a Toyota Sienna SUV with number plate Enugu MH 630 UWN, occurred at the Umunka village area of the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway on Sunday evening. Some residents of the community, who witnessed the incident, confirmed that five occupants of the SUV died on the spot. Read more
US donates $3.85m mosquito nets to Bauchi (Punch)
The United States Embassy has donated long-lasting insecticide treated mosquito nets worth $3.85m to the Bauchi State Government as part of its comprehensive efforts to control malaria across the country. The donation was made possible through the US President’s Malaria Initiative and jointly implemented by the US Agency for International Development and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. A statement from the US Information Office in Abuja on Tuesday stated that the handover of the nets marked the start of a five-day distribution of bed nets valued at $7.7m across all local government areas in the state. Read more
Saudi crown prince crazy, US senator says (BBC)
US senators say they are more certain than ever after a private CIA briefing that the Saudi crown prince had a role in the murder of a journalist. In a blistering attack, Senator Lindsey Graham said he had “high confidence” Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. The South Carolina Republican described the Saudi royal as “a wrecking ball”, “crazy” and “dangerous”. The Saudis have charged 11 people but deny the crown prince was involved. Read more
Theresa May suffers three Brexit defeats in Commons (BBC)
Theresa May has suffered three Brexit defeats in the Commons as she set out to sell her EU deal to sceptical MPs. Ministers have agreed to publish the government’s full legal advice on the deal after MPs found them in contempt of Parliament for issuing a summary. And MPs backed calls for the Commons to have a direct say in what happens if the PM’s deal is rejected next Tuesday. Mrs May said MPs had a duty to deliver on the 2016 Brexit vote and the deal on offer was an “honourable compromise”. Read more
Small Doctor, three band men get N5m bail each (Nation)
An Ebute Metta Chief Magistrates’ Court yesterday granted hip-hop artiste Temitope Adekunle aka Small Doctor and three of his band men N5 million each. The other are Dare Osho, Sanusi Lateef and Hussein Darego. Chief Magistrate A. O. Komolafe also bound them to be of good behavior for one year. The orders were at the instance of the police, which sought that they be bound for 12-months “not to engage, recruit, instigate or incite any resident of Shogunle and Lagos State by extension, to cause breach of the peace within or outside the community”. Read more
Man City battle to win at Watford (BBC)
Manchester City’s nervous finish in an otherwise comfortable win at Watford showed “you can never relax in the Premier League”, according to manager Pep Guardiola. The reigning champions had controlled Tuesday’s game and led through goals from Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez but Abdoulaye Doucoure scrambled in for Watford in the 85th minute to give the hosts hope of an unlikely comeback. Read more
West Ham win a ‘special’ game for Perez (BBC)
Manager Manuel Pellegrini described West Ham’s 3-1 Premier League victory over Cardiff as a “special” game for Lucas Perez after he came off the bench to score twice at London Stadium. Perez, who replaced the injured Marko Arnautovic in the first half, struck twice in five minutes early in the second. He had not played more than 27 minutes in a league game since joining for a reported £4m from Arsenal in August. Read more
Scrap sellers jailed three months for theft (Nation)
An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State yesterday sentenced two scrap sellers to three months’ imprisonment each for breaking into a supermarket and stealing six iron railings valued at N150,000. The convicts are Abdullahi Bashiru, 22, and Umar Garba, 22. Chief Magistrate Mr. A. A. Fashola sentenced the convicts after they pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing preferred against them by the police. Prosecuting Sergeant Michael Unah had told the court that the convicts committed the offences on August 26 about 2:50 am at De-Prince Supermarket, Isheri, Idimu, Lagos. Read more
Abandoned torch exposes suspected robber in Katsina (Punch)
A small torch allegedly left behind by a suspect, Nura Labaran, after a robbery operation in Katsina State, has led to his arrest and arraignment for armed robbery. The 22-year-old resident of Gago village in Dutsinma Local Government Area of the state, who is currently on bail, was also found in possession of a sheep suspected to have been stolen. Labaran is facing criminal charges in line with provisions of Section 1(2) (a)(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Special Provision Act, Cap 11, LFN, 2004 and Section 319 of the Penal Code. Read more
