Ataga: Court orders Chidinma’s lawyer to open defence (Punch)
Justice Yetunde Adesanya of the Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, on Thursday, ordered Chidimma Ojukwu’s co-defendants to open their defence.
Ojukwu, charged with the murder of the Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Michael Usifo Ataga, alongside Adedapo Quadri and Chioma Egbuchu, are standing trial for Ataga’s murder.
She and Quadri are facing the first to eight counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, and stabbing while her sister, Egbuchu, is facing the ninth count of stealing an iPhone 7 belonging to the late Ataga. Read more
Labour Party threatens to pursue legal action against defected lawmakers (Nation)
The Labour Party (LP) has vowed to pursue legal action against five defected lawmakers elected on its platform.
The party, through a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh on Thursday in Abuja, asked its legal team to commence legal actions against the defectors and to also commence the process of “regaining our mandates in line with the 1999 constitution and 2022 Electoral Act as amended.”
The Reps members who defected from the LP included Tochukwu Okere (Imo), Donatus Mathew (Kaduna), Bassey Akiba (Cross River), Iyawe Esosa (Edo) and Daulyop from (Plateau). Read more
Alleged ₦20b fraud: Court fixes Feb 11 to arraign Kuru, Modibbo (Channels)
The former Managing Director of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, (AMCON), Ahmed Kuru is set to be arraigned on February 11, 2025, on another fresh charge for the fraudulent conversion of the sum of ₦20bn AMCON funds.
The fresh six-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed that the AMCON funds were converted through Heritage Bank to the use of a company, Sigma Golf Nigeria Ltd for the acquisition of Keystone Bank.
Kuru and his co-defendants, the Chairman of Keystone Bank, Umaru Hamidu Moddibo, and the company, Sigma Golf Nigeria Ltd will be arraigned before Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja. Read more
Lagos-Calabar highway: Why we need public understanding, patience – FG (Vanguard)
The Federal Government has appealed to Nigerians displaced and inconvenienced by the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway construction to be patient and tolerant, assuring them that the project would have enormous benefits.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, made the appeal during a tour of some sections of the project on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kesha was in company with some members of the Nigeria Society of Engineers. Read more
South-South Senate caucus backs Tinubu’s tax reform bills (Tribune)
The South-South Senate Caucus led by Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has unanimously backed the tax reform bills of President Bola Tinubu.
The group comprising all Senators from the South-South geopolitical zone also passed a vote of confidence on the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The South South Senate Caucus’s position was contained in a communique issued at the end of a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, and released to the media on Thursday. Read more
Tinubu orders CREDICORP to return Peugeot, Dunlop to Nigeria (NewTelegraph)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given a marching order to Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP) to ensure the return of Peugeot automobiles and Dunlop tyres to the country as Nigeria joins nations with credit facilities for the purchase of brand-new automobiles.
Managing Director/ CEO of CREDICORP Engr. Uzoma Nwagba confirmed Tinubu’s directive to his agency on Thursday at the launch and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) for N20 billion consumer credit fund for the purchase of locally-assembled automobiles in Abuja between CREDICORP, NAMA and NADDC.
Nwagba said he had gone to brief the President on the progress of the agency, with reference to the N20 billion credit fund for the purchase of locally assembled automobiles by Nigerians. Read more
PDP’s internal crisis ‘‘self-inflicted’’, says BoT chairman Wabara (Nation)
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has attributed the ongoing crisis within the party—once hailed as Africa’s largest political force—to “self-inflicted” issues undermining its stability.
Speaking at an emergency meeting, Wabara criticised delays in convening the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, warning it could erode members’ confidence.
He outlined plans to engage FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, in January 2025, for renewed dialogue, reaffirming the BoT’s commitment to restoring unity and stability within the party. Read more
Court orders probe of funds allocated to Abia LGAs from 2019 to 2023 (Tribune)
Justice Bello Kawu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting at Apo, Abuja, has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to deposit with the court’s Registry, certified true copy (CTC) of its investigation report or the detailed status of the funds allocated to the 17 local government areas of Abia State within the period of 2019 and 2023.
The judge gave the directive in a ruling on an ex-parte application filed by an activist, Mr Chidiebere Ojukwu, who described himself as a citizen of Abia State and an advocate for transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
The activist had dragged the former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in the state, Rt. Hon. Prince Christopher Enweremadu; a former aide to the immediate past governor of the state, Erondu Uchenna Erondu; the Permanent Secretary attached to the state’s Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Deaconess Joy Nwanju and EFCC in the substantive suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/4961/2024. Read more
Keira Knightley admits she always thought the Love Actually cue card confession was “quite creepy’’ (EW)
Like everyone else in the world, Keira Knightley has strong feelings about a certain Love Actually confession — but she had them first.
At this point, it’s common knowledge that the film’s cue card declaration scene has not aged well. The “romantic” moment sees Andrew Lincoln’s Mark use handwritten signs to silently declare his love to Juliet (Knightley), the woman who just married his best friend (Chiwetel Ejiofor).
Knightley, recently told the Los Angeles Times that while she doesn’t have the clearest memory of shooting the 2003 film, the “slightly stalkerish aspect” of that scene has stayed with her. Read more
Fight erupts in crowd during Mariah Carey Christmas concert (Independent)
A fight broke out during Mariah Carey’s recent Christmas concert in Saint Louis, Missouri, while the pop star was performing her holiday hit song, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”
In a clip circulating on X/Twitter, a brunette woman could be seen pushing a blonde woman in the row in front of her, causing her to stumble. The blonde woman then flicked the remainder of her drink onto the other woman, who swatted back at her.
Another video — uploaded by someone who claimed they were next to the brawling couples — showed the women’s partners trying to break up the argument, but ultimately shoving each other instead. Read more
3 year-old’s horrifying garden grave as vegan parents ‘severely malnourish’ their son (Mirror)
A little boy was found dead in a heartbreaking garden grave after his grim parents neglected him.
The body of Abiyah Yasharahyalah was found buried in a back garden. His parents, Tai, 42, and Naiyahmi Yasharahyalah, 43, had chosen to shun normal society and have been found to be responsible for the death of the tot, aged just three. He passed away from a respiratory illness that was compounded by malnourishment due to his “restricted” vegan diet. The child ended up with stunted growth, anaemia and rickets before dying in in Handsworth, Birmingham, in early 2020. Read more
Billy Joel announces new 2025 co-headlining concerts with fellow Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart (AS)
Billy Joel’s 2025 tour schedule keeps expanding, and the Piano Man has just added two new shows to his itinerary. Both concerts will feature Joel co-headlining with other famous artists with whom he already has played joint dates.
The first announced concert is a co-headlining show with Stevie Nicks that will take place August 8 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The second gig is a joint performance with Rod Stewart scheduled for July 5 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh. Read more
Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, says Amnesty report (GulfTimes)
Amnesty International accused the state of Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza war in a report published on Thursday.
The London-based human rights group said it reached the conclusion after months of analysing incidents and statements of Israeli officials. Amnesty said the legal threshold for the crime had been met, in its first such determination during an active armed conflict.
The 1948 Genocide Convention, enacted in the wake of the mass murder of Jews in the Nazi Holocaust, defines genocide as “acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group”. Read more
Bahamas rejects Trump proposal to take in deported third-country migrants (AlJazeera)
The Bahamas says it has rejected a proposal from the transition team of United States President-elect Donald Trump to take in migrants from other countries who may be deported by the incoming administration.
In a statement on Thursday, the office of Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis said the scheme to have the Bahamas accept deportation flights “was reviewed and firmly rejected”.
“The Bahamas simply does not have the resources to accommodate such a request,” Davis’s office said. Read more
Court rejects Boeing plea deal tied to 737 Max crashes (NBC)
A federal judge rejected Boeing’s plea deal tied to a criminal fraud charge stemming from fatal crashes of its 737 Max aircraft.
U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas expressed concern in his decision on Thursday that a government-appointed monitor, a condition of the plea deal, would include diversity, equity and inclusion policiies.
He wrote that “the Court is not convinced in light of the foregoing that the Government will not choose a monitor without race-based considerations and thus will not act in a nondiscriminatory manner. In a case of this magnitude, it is in the utmost interest of justice that the public is confident this monitor selection is done based solely on competency.” Read more
West Brom, Watford set to lure Iheanacho back to England (CompleteSports)
West Bromwich Albion and Watford are interested in Sevilla forward, Kelechi Iheanacho.
Iheanacho spent seven years at Leicester City before moving to Spain this summer.
The Nigeria international is however yet to make impact at Sevilla despite his huge pedigree.
The 28-year-old has make seven league appearances for Rojiblancos, mostly as a substitute. Read more
Lookman, Chukwueze go head-to-head as Atalanta aim for top (ThisDay)
Nigeria’s player-of-the-moment, Ademola Lookman, and his national teammate, Samuel Chukwueze will go head-to-head this evening in a highly anticipated Italian Serie A clash between Atalanta and AC Milan inside the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.
Lookman will be key to Atalanta’s quest to temporarily upstage leaders Napoli who are just a point ahead of La Dea. Atalanta are unbeaten in their last eight Serie A matches. Lookman contributed five goals in their last six games with four of the goals scored in the first half. Should Lookman and his teammates win this encounter, they would have succeeded in equaling their club record of nine consecutive victories, set back in 2020. Read more
Fulham 3-1 Brighton: Marco Silva insists more still to come after Alex Iwobi brace sends Cottagers sixth (Standard)
Marco Silva vowed Fulham will keep pushing for more after they leapt up to sixth in the Premier League following a 3-1 win over Brighton.
Alex Iwobi scored twice to catapult the Cottagers six places from 12th in a congested table.
Fulham were pegged back after Iwobi’s quickfire opener by Carlos Baleba’s fine strike early in the second half. Read more
Messi to kick off new Club World Cup, Neymar to face Real (RFI)
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will kick off FIFA’s new 32-team Club World Cup when the Major League Soccer side take on Egypt’s Al Ahly in the June 15 opener, the draw for the tournament revealed on Thursday.
Brazilian team Palmeiras and Portugal’s Porto complete Group A alongside Argentina World Cup winner Messi, whose Miami team were handed a spot by FIFA after finishing top of the regular season standings in MLS.
Messi’s former Barcelona team-mate, Brazilian Neymar, will have a reunion with La Liga rivals and European champions Real Madrid in Group H. Read more
Boxing given Olympic ultimatum for inclusion at LA 2028 (Independent)
It is time for national boxing federations to decide if their athletes will be at the LA 2028 Olympic Games under a new global body or if the sport will miss out, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has said.
The boxing competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics was run by the IOC after it stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of recognition last year over its failure to implement reforms on governance and finance.
Despite boxing being contested at every Olympics since 1904 (apart form 1912), the IOC has not included the sport on the LA 2028 programme yet and has urged national boxing federations to create a new global boxing body or risk missing out on the Olympics in four years’ time. Read more
Russell accuses Verstappen of bullying and threatening behavior as F1 feud deepens (JapanToday)
Mercedes driver George Russell has accused Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen of bullying and threatening behavior as a dispute between the two at last week’s race in Qatar deepened Thursday.
Verstappen said Sunday he had “lost all respect” for Russell after an incident between them in qualifying cost him pole position on the grid for the Qatar Grand Prix.
“I’ve known Max for 12 years, I’ve respected him all of this time but now I’ve lost respect for him because we’re all fighting on track and it’s never personal,” Russell said in comments broadcast by Sky Sports on Thursday ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Read more