Apapa gridlock to ease in Q1’21 – NIMASA (Vanguard)
The National President and Chairman of Council, the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIOTA), Dr Bashir Yusuf Jamoh, has said that Apapa ports will ease significantly by first quarter 2021 (Q1’21).
Speaking at the 2nd National Transport Summit, Annual General Meeting and Governing Council Inauguration held in Abuja, Jamoh, who is also the Director-General Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said the decongestion would also be enhanced when Lagos to Ibadan train service comes into full operations during the period.
He further explained that NIMASA is pursuing full automation to ease operations of the port system. Read more
Commuters, motorists stranded as tanker explodes on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Punch)
Motorists and commuters on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were, on Wednesday, stranded after a tanker exploded at the Magboro end of the road.
It was gathered that the tanker, laden with 33,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, was travelling out of Lagos when it exploded around 4 am.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the driver was trying to negotiate a bend around the Magboro Bridge when the tanker fell and exploded.
Hundreds of motorists spent hours in traffic, while some commuters resorted to trekking. Read more
Late night inferno razes cars in Lagos (Vanguard)
Tragedy struck on Wednesday night in Lagos when a raging fire, which broke out at Okeowo Somorin Street, Ifako, Gbagada, destroyed buildings and cars worth several millions of naira.
The incident, according to an eyewitness, happened at about 8p.m., adding that there was no loss of life.
Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed the incident.
According to Oke-Osanyintolu, “The Agency responded to a distress call. The fire seems to have resulted from a power surge when electricity supply was restored. Read more
NPA hands over Tarkwa Bay land to Navy (Punch)
The Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) has handed over 18 hectares of land at Tarkwa Bay to the Nigerian Navy for the establishment of a Forward Operating Base.
The ceremony was held at Tarkwa Bay Island on Wednesday.
Prior to now, the issue of a Forward Operation Base had lingered between the NPA and NN for some time.
The Flag Commanding Officer, Western Naval Command represented by the Chief Staff Officer, Rear Admiral Tanko Pani, assured that the land would be used by the Nigerian Navy judiciously for the purpose for which it was given and checkmate the rise of criminal elements. Read more
Aspirant vows to tackle poverty, unemployment, insecurity in Ajegunle (Guardian)
A chairmanship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, Mr. Kuye Taofeek Ojajide, has decried the high rate of poverty among youths in the area, which he ascribed to the surge in insecurity, prostitution and other vices synonymous with Ajegunle.
Addressing the media, he expressed concern over rampant rate of insecurity in Ajegunle, the bad state of infrastructure, especially roads and the high rate of youth joblessness, which he said are not immune to solutions, if the right leadership is in place.
According to him, “I have reached out to the community through my various empowerment programmes over the years and I can say authoritatively that with the experiences that I have gathered, those challenges could be addressed headlong.” Read more
FEC okays N120.7b for roads, other projects (Nation)
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N120,717,387,596 for various projects across the states of the federation.
Addressing State House Correspondents after the virtual FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, Ministers Babatunde Fasola (Works and Housing); Rauf Aregbesola (Interior) and Suleiman Adamu (Water Resources) gave details of approvals they obtained during the meeting.
Fasola said the three memoranda, totalling N117,485,081,325, which he presented to the FEC for approval, were passed.
The minister said two others were on various road and bridge projects, while the third was for a banking application software for the Federal Mortgage Bank. Read more
#EndSARS:`My son was killed in my presence’, woman tells investigative panel (Vanguard)
The National Human Rights Commission panel investigating allegations of human rights violations against the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) heard on Tuesday in Abuja how policemen in Rivers killed a young man in the presence of his mother.
Petitioner Mrs Victoria Agori made the allegation while testifying before the panel on a case she filed asking for the prosecution of the police officers that killed her son, Daniel Agori and the release of his body for burial.
“Justine Adaka gave the order to kill my son and my son was killed right in my presence.
“Daniel Agori did not make any statement before they killed him like a chicken.
“These policemen are bad people. They called me mother of a kidnapper and cultist but my son was neither a kidnapper nor a cultist.
“He was a footballer and hairstylist. He was to travel to Spain.” Read more
UAM, third varsity to get off national grid (Nation)
Four years after the launch of the Energising Education Programme (EEP), designed to provide 37 universities with regular power supply, the Federal University of Makurdi (UAM), Benue State, has unveiled its 3.5 megawatts solar hybrid power plant.
The plant will be inaugurated tomorrow as part of activities to mark the third anniversary of Prof. Richard Kimbir’s tenure as vice chancellor.
UAM is the third of seven pilot universities to have been weaned off the national grid under the project funded by a N10.69 billion Sovereign Green Bond raised in 2017. The first university to start using its plant that generates one megawatt of electricity is the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State, since last year. The 0.5 megawatt plant has been in use at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Gubi Campus, Bauchi, since February but has not been officially inaugurated because of COVID-19, according to the Director of Information, Mr Andee Iheme. Read more
Baby girl born from record-setting 27-year-old embryo (BBC)
When Molly Gibson was born in October of this year, it was 27 years in the making.
Her embryo was frozen in October 1992, and stayed that way until February 2020, when Tina and Ben Gibson of Tennessee adopted it.
Molly is believed to have set a new record for the longest-frozen embryo to have resulted in a birth, breaking a record set by her older sister, Emma.
“We’re over the moon,” Ms Gibson said. “I still get choked up.”
“If you would have asked me five years ago if I would have not just one girl, but two, I would have said you were crazy,” she said. Read more
Russia model stabs husband to death for bringing home another woman (Punch)
A 26-year-old Model, Lilia Sudakova, has been charged with stabbing her husband to death with a kitchen knife in Russia.
According to Mirror.UK, Sudakova is accused of killing her 28-year-old husband, Sergey Popov, after he brought home a woman he met at a bar and demanded his wife cook for the pair.
Her mother, Irena Sudakova claims the model was a longtime victim of domestic abuse, and that she had acted in self-defense. Read more
South Africa’s lottery probed as 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 drawn and 20 win (BBC)
An unusual sequence of numbers drawn in South Africa’s national lottery has sparked accusations of fraud after 20 people won a share of the jackpot.
Tuesday’s PowerBall lottery saw the numbers five, six, seven, eight and nine drawn, while the PowerBall itself was, you have guessed it, 10.
The organisers say the sequence is often picked. But some have alleged a scam and an investigation is under way.
It is extremely rare for multiple winners to share the jackpot.
The organisers said 20 people purchased a winning ticket and won 5.7m rand ($370,000; £278,000) each.
Another 79 ticketholders won 6,283 rand each for guessing the sequence from five up to nine but missing the PowerBall. Read more
European Council approves debt relief efforts for African countries (Vanguard)
The European Council on Tuesday approved a set of conclusions in response to a call made in October 2020 to prepare a common approach in respect of debt relief for African countries.
According to a press statement, made available to PANA, the conclusions highlight the increasing debt vulnerability in low-income countries, particularly in Africa, and underscore the European Union’s support for a coordinated international approach on debt relief efforts for African countries.
The Council welcomed the G20 – Paris Club Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI), which offers a temporary debt moratorium to the poorest countries to help them manage the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its extension until 30 June 2021 with the possibility of a further extension by six months.
It commits to a full and transparent implementation of this initiative. Read more
Amnesty condemns Egypt’s ‘execution spree’ (BBC)
Amnesty International has condemned a sharp rise in the use of the death penalty in Egypt, accusing authorities of a “horrifying execution spree”.
The campaign group said Egypt executed at least 57 people in October and November alone, nearly double the number recorded in the whole of 2019.
Egypt has not commented on the report.
Last month Amnesty condemned what it called the “chilling escalation” of a government crackdown on civil society in Egypt. Read more
Oscars 2021 will be ‘in-person’ event after year of virtual awards shows (Metro)
The Academy has said that the 2021 Oscars will be an ‘in-person’ event after the coronavirus pandemic caused a huge amount of 2020’s awards shows to be conducted virtually. The 93rd Academy Awards have been postponed from February until April. However, a spokesperson said in a statement to Variety: ‘The Oscars in-person telecast will happen.’ It’s unclear what form an in-person ceremony will take – whether there will be any kind of audience, or if it will take its lead from other awards shows, including the Emmys, which featured stars hosting in person, but nominees appearing via video link and a live stream instead of an audience. Read more
China’s Chang’e-5 Moon mission returns colour pictures (BBC)
China’s Chang’e-5 mission has sent back its first colour photos from the surface of the Moon.
Its lander captured a panoramic view that stretches from the lunar “soil” directly under its legs all the way out to the horizon.
The mission touched down on Tuesday and immediately began gathering samples of rock and dust to send back to Earth.
These will be despatched up to an orbiting spacecraft which will shepherd them home. Read more
Ex-Morocco international Mohamed Abarhoun dies aged 31 (BBC)
Former Morocco international Mohamed Abarhoun has died from stomach cancer aged 31.
He had been diagnosed in February while playing in Turkey for Caykur Rizespor.
In a statement the club said: “We have learned with sadness the news of the death of our former football player Mohamed Abarhoun, who has been receiving treatment for a while.
“We wish Allah’s mercy to Mohamed Abarhoun, who passed away, and our condolences to his family, relatives and community.”
Abarhoun spent seven years playing in Morocco for Moghreb Tetouan, where he won two league titles, before moving to Portuguese side Moreirense, who he left last year to join Rizespor. Read more
Enugu Rangers set for 2020/2021 NPFL kickoff, says Yusuf (Guardian)
Coach Salisu Yusuf, who just signed a new two-year contract to manage Enugu Rangers, has declared his team’s preparedness for the kickoff of the 20202/2021 Nigerian Professional Football League.
The season was supposed to begin this weekend, but there are feelers that the kickoff has been put off. But Yusuf is not worried, saying his target for the season is to emerge champions of the league again although he respects every team in the NPFL.
In a statement made available to The Guardian, Coach Yusuf said: “I always respect all the teams in the NPFL because that is why they are in the premier league. Any team in the premiership deserves some respect, and then you can be able to work hard and beat them. When you don’t show them respect, you will be in for some surprises.
“Every team we play, we take as a cup final. We also know that there are big teams in the league who always contest for the titles and we too want to contest for the title. Read more
Man Utd beaten by PSG as last-16 hopes go to final group game (BBC)
Manchester United’s Champions League campaign is hanging in the balance as two goals from Neymar helped Paris St-Germain secure victory at Old Trafford.
Marcus Rashford had cancelled out the Brazilian’s early opener with his third goal in four games against the French outfit.
But Marquinos’ excellent second-half finish put the visitors back in front and after United midfielder Fred had been sent off for a foul on Ander Herrera, Neymar tapped home his 38th Champions League goal.
The result leaves United level with PSG and RB Leipzig on nine points in Group H and knowing they need a draw away to the German side next Tuesday to progress to the last 16. Read more
Unfit Osimhen ruled out against Crotone (Nation)
Victor Osimhen is reportedly not fit enough to return to action this weekend when Napoli takes on Crotone in the Serie A.
According to Rai Sport, the Nigerian who is undergoing therapies with personalized field and gym work, will also miss tomorrow’s Europa League tie against AZ Alkmaar.
The FIFA U-17 World Cup winner is yet to recover fully from the shoulder injury he sustained while playing for Nigeria in the AFCON 2022 Qualifiers against Sierra Leone in Benin City.
“In Crotone Osimhen , will not be there, absolutely! Maybe with Sampdoria, but he certainly won’t make it for the match against Crotone,” claimed Rai Sport.“ Maybe Gattuso summons him to make a bit of the bench, but he will not be called up on Thursday or Sunday. Read more
Giroud scores four as Chelsea sink Sevilla to win group (BBC)
Olivier Giroud scored all four goals in a comprehensive Chelsea victory over Sevilla that ensures the Blues take top spot in Champions League Group E.
The Frenchman scored early in each half with two delightful finishes after being fed by clever passes from Kai Havertz and Matteo Kovacic respectively.
He completed the treble with a flicked near-post header, then converted a penalty after he was bundled over in the box.
Already assured of qualification for the last 16, Chelsea made nine changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.
Both Havertz and Christian Pulisic made their first Blues starts since October following illness and injury, while 19-year-old midfielder Billy Gilmour came off the bench for his first appearance of the season. Read more
Maradona’s son wants Messi’s jersey retired (Punch)
Diego Maradona’s eldest son has said he wants to see the No. 10 jersey retired at Barcelona and the other clubs his father played for.
Argentina legend Maradona, who died on November 25 from a heart attack, played for several clubs throughout his career – most notably Boca Juniors, Barcelona and Napoli.
When asked if all No. 10 jerseys should be retired, as suggested by Marseille manager Andre Villas-Boas, Diego Maradona Jr. told Marca, “In the teams that he (Maradona) played for, I believe so, including Barcelona. Without a doubt.”
In 2000, Napoli retired the No. 10 shirt in honour of Maradona, who scored 115 goals in 259 games and helped the Italian club clinch their only two Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990, as well as the UEFA Cup in 1989. Read more
Ronaldo scores 750th career goal in Juventus win as Frappart makes history (BBC)
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 750th career goal as Juventus eased to victory against Dynamo Kyiv in a match refereed by Stephanie Frappart, who became the first woman to take charge of a men’s Champions League fixture.
The Portuguese forward scored the second for the Italian champions, already through to the last 16, when he tapped in after Georgi Bushchan’s attempted block rebounded off Juve striker Alvaro Morata.
Ronaldo was a made to wait a few seconds before the VAR team signalled to the French referee the goal would stand.
That was the only major contentious issue Frappart had to deal with, although Kyiv might point to an incident in the first half when penalty appeals were waved away after defender Leonardo Bonucci had his arms around forward Benjamin Verbic. Read more