Armed Forces Day: Wives of fallen heroes decry neglect from Lagos Govt (Vanguard)
A group, under the aegis of “wives of fallen heroes in Lagos State”, on Wednesday decried neglect from the state government.
A representative of the group, Mrs Oluwaseyi Iliya, said this during the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day held at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island.
“Since we have been celebrating the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, we have not had any direct impact from the Lagos state government. Read more
Shettima, Akume, Akpabio, Abbas lay wreaths at Armed Forces Remembrance Day parade (Guardian)
Vice President Kashim Shettima is currently representing President Bola Tinubu as the Special Guest of Honour at the National Arcade, the venue of the activities climaxing the 2025 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day Parade in Abuja.
The Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration is an annual event organised by the Ministry of Defence to commemorate the country’s fallen heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice for humanity during the First and Second World Wars, the Nigerian Civil War, Peace Support Operations around the world, as well as various Internal Security Operations.
In commemoration of the end of the Nigerian Civil War, which occurred on 15th January, the date was chosen to mark the Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Nigeria. Hitherto, it was conducted on 11th November alongside other Commonwealth nations. Read more
Arabic teacher jailed 21 years for attempted sexual assault of minor (Punch)
The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday convicted and sentenced an Arabic teacher, Oladosu Sakiru, to 21 imprisonment for attempting to sexually assault a 13-year-old female pupil.
The trial judge, Justice Rahman Oshodi, sentenced Sakiru following his guilty plea to the amended two counts of attempted sexual assault by penetration and indecent treatment of a child.
Oshodi, in his judgment, reprimanded the convict for breaching the trust the parents of the survivor had in him for enrolling their children in the Islamic school. Read more
Aiyedatiwa sacks cabinet members, retains 2 commissioners (DailyTrust)
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has relieved the members of the State Executive Council (SEC) of their job with immediate effect.
This was contained in a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyan, in Akure on Wednesday.
In a copy of the statement obtained by Daily Trust, the governor asked the affected cabinet members to hand over all government property in their possession to the accounting officers. Read more
Gunmen kill final year student of Akwa Poly (Nation)
A Higher National Diploma (HND2) student of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, identified simply as Prince, has been shot dead by gunmen suspected to be cultists.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, around 1 a.m., along Abuja Street in Ikot Osurua, the community hosting the institution.
Prince, a final-year Computer Science student, was reportedly attacked in the presence of his girlfriend. Read more
Sanwo-Olu pardons 52 inmates as 6 death row convicts get life imprisonment (Leadership)
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved the release of 52 inmates from various correctional facilities across the state and the commutation of 6 death row sentences to life imprisonment.
Sanwo-Olu made this decision based on recommendations from the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.
A release signed by the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), said the Governor’s order also permits the immediate release of 35 inmates, while the remaining 17 inmates will be released after serving an additional term of 3 to 6 months. Read more
S’West govs team up against ISWAP elements, bandits (Punch)
States in the South-West region are strategising in response to the reported influx of bandits and fighters from the Islamic State’s West Africa Province into some of the region’s forests.
The PUNCH reported that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, warned last week that bandits fleeing military operations in the North-West were seeking refuge in the state.
Raising the concern at the 2025 annual inter-faith service for workers held at the Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, Makinde said, “During a security briefing this morning, I learnt that some bad elements from the North-West are relocating here due to military heat in their zones. But we will find and deal with them.” Read more
Mohbad’s widow, father face-off over DNA test (Vanguard)
Omowunmi, widow of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has accused her late husband’s father, Joseph Aloba, of delaying the DNA test ordered to resolve the paternity dispute of her son, Liam.
The disagreement, which has lingered for months, took a new turn as Omowunmi’s legal team, Salawu Akingbolu Chambers, accused Mr Aloba of rejecting her proposed medical facilities for the test.
A letter dated January 9, 2025, from Omowunmi’s lawyers stated that while she objected to using UCH Ibadan, Aloba also opposed her choice of Lagoon Hospitals. Read more
Tributes paid to “utterly amazing” Linda Nolan (RTE)
Former X Factor star Mary Byrne is among those paying tribute to singer and Loose Women star Linda Nolan after she died aged 65 following a long battle with cancer.
Posting on Facebook, Byrne wrote: “Devastated by the loss of our dear friend Linda Nolan. She was such a warm, funny, and utterly amazing person.
“We shared so many laughs on tours across the UK and Ireland, where we became close friends and made wonderful memories.
“Rest now, Linda. The world feels far less interesting without you in it. Thank you for everything.” Read more
Taylor Swift expands Rhode Island mansion after Travis Kelce reveals wedding plans (Hello!)
Taylor Swift is making some big changes to her Rhode Island mansion after her boyfriend Travis Kelce sparked wedding rumors in a recent podcast episode.
The pop megastar is set to add a whole new wing to her $17.75 million holiday home, including extra bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as a kitchen renovation.
The work is estimated to cost up to $1.7 million, according to a permit acquired by The Providence Journal. Read more
Mozambique: Daniel Chapo sworn in as president (AfricaNews)
Daniel Chapo of Mozambique’s long-ruling Frelimo party was inaugurated as president at a ceremony in the capital on Wednesday.
Chapo succeeds Filipe Nyusi, who served the maximum two terms.
The inauguration followed an October election decried as rigged by opposition parties and after months of violent protests against the vote results. Read more
Tusk accuses Russia of planning acts of terror against ‘‘airlines over the world’’ (LBC)
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has accused Russia of planning acts of sabotage worldwide that included “acts of air terror” against airlines.
Mr Tusk spoke at a news conference in Warsaw alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Polish leader said: “I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland, but against airlines around the world.” Read more
Kathy Griffin and Randy Bick finalise divorce (FilmNews)
Kathy Griffin and Randy Bick have finalised their divorce, a year after separating.
The comedienne filed for divorce in December 2023, citing irreconcilable differences. The pair were married in 2020, after dating since 2011.
The divorce was made final on 13 January, according to court documents, with the couple’s pre-nuptial agreement honoured. Read more
DI Jimmy Perez moves to Orkney in new Cleeves book (BBC)
The best-selling author behind the TV series Shetland has announced the return of her fictional detective, DI Jimmy Perez.
Ann Cleeves’ new book, The Killing Stones, picks up after a gap of seven years and will see Perez swap his hometown of Shetland for a new island location, Orkney.
The latest book, from the author who also created detectives Vera Stanhope and Matthew Venn, will be published in October. Read more
Ben Affleck seen having intense talk with cops outside his house after shock FBI visit amid LA fires (DailyMail)
Ben Affleck was seen having an intense conversation with law enforcement officers as he pulled out of his driveway in Brentwood on Tuesday – just two days after his home received a shock visit from the FBI.
FBI agents and deputies from the LA County Sheriff’s Department were spotted arriving at Affleck’s home on Sunday. Agents waited outside the gate to his property for several minutes before leaving.
They were allegedly investigating an incident in which a private drone collided with a firefighting aircraft, damaging it, TMZ reports. Read more
Super Eagles: Ndidi urges mates to brace for World Cup 26 campaign (Punch)
Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi has tasked his teammates to utilise the facelift the 2025 African Cup of Nations qualification ticket has provided and ensure they channel all their energies to the remaining 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Ndidi, who admitted the players put themselves in a precarious situation, warned that failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be a massive setback for Nigerian football and the players who largely may not have that chance to do so again.
Ndidi said as much in a conversation with his Super Eagles’ teammate Kenneth Omeruo on X (formerly Twitter) as he dwelled on the team’s difficult position in the qualifiers. Read more
Man United boss Ruben Amorim: “Southampton game will teach me about my players’’ (ESPN)
Ruben Amorim said he will learn more about his players when they face bottom-of-the-table Southampton than during the positive performances against Liverpool and Arsenal.
Manchester United defied the odds to claim a 2-2 draw at Anfield and then beat Arsenal on penalties in the FA Cup despite being reduced to 10 men.
Amorim’s team face Southampton at Old Trafford on Thursday and he warned his players that he will be closely watching how they perform when the pressure is on to win the game. Read more
New Match of the Day presenters announced (BBC)
Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman and Gabby Logan will be the new Match of the Day presenters from next season, the BBC has announced.
It is the first time the role will be shared between three people.
They will split presenting duties for Match of the Day 2 on Sundays and MOTD: Champions League on Wednesdays, as well as Saturday’s flagship show.
Gary Lineker has hosted Match of the Day since 1999 and will do so for the rest of the season. Read more
Audi F1 breakthrough as Red Bull deal struck over new team boss (PlanetF1)
Incoming Audi F1 team principal Jonathan Wheatley is reportedly set to start working for his new employers in April after an early release was agreed with Red Bull.
It comes after the existing Sauber team announced the departure of managing director and team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi on Tuesday morning.
Audi F1 confirmed the appointment of Wheatley as team principal last August following a highly successful stint as Red Bull’s sporting director. Read more
A knockout against Chris Eubank Jr. will not be enough, claims Conor Benn (DAZN)
For Conor Benn, a knockout against Chris Eubank Jr. will not be enough when they finally meet in their grudge match in London this April.
As announced by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh on Tuesday morning, the two rivals have signed a deal to fight, with a location and date to be announced in due course.
There is no love lost between Benn and Eubank Jr., not just because of the rivalry between the two families, but also with the words exchanged for their original bout in 2022. Read more
Aston Villa transfer news: Deal for Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen confirmed (SportsMole)
Aston Villa have announced that they have completed the signing of Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen.
The West Midlands outfit have been negotiating with their Bundesliga counterparts since the early part of the January transfer window.Dortmund were initially playing hard ball over a fee for a player who has contributed 39 goals and 20 assists from 132 appearances in all competitions. Read more
