Bandits kill pastor’s son, abduct 3 others in Kaduna (Vanguard)
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed the son of a village pastor and abducted his wife in Kaduna State.
Journalists were told on phone that the bandits attacked Karimbu-Kahugu Community in the Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Friday morning.
“A Baptist resident pastor’s son was killed. They also took away the wife and three others,” a source said. Read more
I’ll end Agbero system in Lagos, says LP guber candidate (DailyTrust)
The Governorship Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has said that if elected in the March 18 election, his administration will improve capacity and localise solutions to the problems facing the state.
He gave the assurance while speaking at the Youth O’clock breakfast meeting organised by the ‘Obidient Movement’ in Ikeja GRA Lagos, vowing that the Labour Party would resist any form of voters’ intimidation or harassment.
He stressed that the event was part of the mission to free Lagos from shackles holding the state down.
In an apparent response to the claims that he’s not a Yoruba man and that he doesn’t understand Yoruba, Rhodes-Vivour said the people of Lagos want good governance regardless of the language a leader speaks or the tribe he belongs to. Read more
UNILAG extends resumption to March 21 (Punch)
The University of Lagos has said it has shifted its resumption date to Tuesday, March 21, 2023.
A statement signed by the university stated that the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, approved that the resumption of academic activities be postponed to Tuesday, March 21, 2023, adding that all other activities of the university, including inaugural lectures and meetings (excluding teaching), should continue as scheduled.
It explained that the postponement of resumption to Tuesday, March 21, 2023, was due to the re-scheduling of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections from Saturday, March 11, 2023, to Saturday, March 18, 2023. Read more
Peter Obi pays condolence visit to family of slain Enugu Senatorial candidate (Channels)
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, on Friday, paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Oyibo Chukwu, who was the senatorial candidate for Enugu East until his death at the hands of gunmen.
Three days before the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections, Chukwu and his personal assistant were murdered by the gunmen.
The assailants who were in a Hilux vehicle attacked and set ablaze Chukwu’s campaign vehicle. Read more
Why I transferred my daughter’s clinical treatment from London to Turkey – Ekweremadu (Tribune)
A former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu has revealed the reason he transferred her daughter, Sonia’s clinical treatment from an “internationally recognised centre of excellence” in London to an unknown quantity in Turkey.
According to him, treatment in Turkey was “cheaper”.
Ekweremadu disclosed this to a court in London during a cross-examination, Daily Mail reports.
Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56, daughter Sonia, 25, and medical “middleman” Dr Obinna Obeta, 50, are on trial at the Old Bailey over an alleged plot to bring a young man to Britain for his body part. Read more
Train accident: Lagos reveals 32 victims discharged (Guardian)
Lagos State government, on Friday, revealed that 32 persons have been discharged from the 102 passengers involved in the train accident that happened on Thursday at the PWD Bus stop area of the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomo, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing to give an update on the incident.
According to the commissioner, 19 of the victims were admitted at the Lagos State University Teaching University (LASUTH), five of those were admitted at the Emergency Centre at Tollgate and eight of those admitted at Orile-Agege General Hospital had been discharged. Read more
Fire destroys goods worth over N10m in Aba (Independent)
Fire has destroyed four motor spare parts stores with goods worth over N10 million in Aba.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that only a few steel products were salvaged from the fire that gutted some shops situated at No. 65 Jubilee Road in Aba.
Mr. Chimezie Dike, one of the shop owners, said two of his stores were burnt. Read more
Woman sentenced for stealing 5 kids in Anambra (Nation)
A42-year-old woman, Victoria Enwerem, has been jailed for allegedly stealing five children between the ages of 9, 7, 3, 10 and 8 years old in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Enwerem was arraigned before Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court in Awka, Anambra State over a 3 count charge of conspiracy to steal children; fraudulently enticing away and habouring children and forcefully isolating the children from lawful possession of their parents.
The offences are punishable under Criminal Code, Laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 1991, and Violence Against Persons (Prohibition and Protection) Laws of Anambra State, 2017 respectively. Read more
Cher, Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway attend 1st LA Versace show in 20 years (UPI)
Naomi Campbell, Kendall Jenner, Iman Hammad and Gigi and Bella Hadid walked the runway for the 2023 Versace fall-winter fashion show. But the star power wasn’t confined to the stage.
For Donatella Versace’s first fashion show in Los Angeles in 20 years, held Thursday ahead of Sunday’s Academy Awards, the stars came out.
Anne Hathaway, Cher (with music executive Alexander Edwards), Gabrielle Union, Paris, Nicky and Kathy Hilton, Ariana Debose, Diplo, Lily James, Allison Williams, Dua Lipa, Lil Nas X, Miley Cyrus, Demi Moore, Channing Tatum, Pamela Anderson, Sabrina Elba, Ke Huy Quan and Danielle Deadwyler were among those attending the event showcasing Versace’s fall-winter collection. Read more
Roger Daltrey on Teenage Cancer Trust and the chances of new music from The Who (NME)
Roger Daltrey has spoken to NME about the upcoming Teenage Cancer Trust shows, as well as The Who‘s “big, bold and sexy” orchestral tour, and whether we’ll hear any new music from the band.
The frontman, who is an Honorary Patron of TCT, enlisted the likes of Kasabian, Wet Leg, Courteeners and Underworld for the 2023 edition of the charity’s annual gig series at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
To close proceedings, Daltrey will play a solo concert at the historic venue on Sunday March 26. He’ll be joined on the night by special guests Richard Ashcroft and Joan Armatrading. Also on the bill are Far From Saints (the new project from Stereophonics‘ Kelly Jones), who are set to deliver their debut live performance that evening. Read more
Thailand’s censors get heavy with horror film ‘‘Hoon Payon’’ (Variety)
Thailand’s film censors have upset the release of local horror movie “Hoon Payon,” which should have arrived in cinemas on Thursday.
The film had a successful world premiere screening on Tuesday at a gala in Bangkok. But censors have since intervened to demand five scenes be cut and to impose a 20+ rating on the Five Star Production picture.
The rating means that spectators must be aged 20 or older, thus excluding the film’s key teenage demographic, and it obliges cinema operators to check the ID cards of all patrons. Read more
3rd woman dies from injuries suffered in GloRilla concert stampede (Variety)
The death toll following a concert by the rapper Glorilla has risen to three. Police in Rochester, NY, reported that another critically injured woman died Wednesday night, three days after Sunday night’s deadly crowd stampede.
The third fatality was Aisha Stephens, 35, of Syracuse, the Rochester Police Department’s Lt. Greg Bello told reporters.
Her death followed that of two other women who were caught up in the crush, both of whom died Monday. Those victims were Rhondesia Belton, 33 of Buffalo, and Brandy Miller, 35, of Rochester. Read more
Diddy calls The Notorious B.I.G. the “Greatest Rapper of All Time” on 26th anniversary of his death (AS)
It’s hard to believe it’s been 26 years since The Notorious B.I.G. passed.
In honour of this tragic moment, one of Biggie’s dearest friends and collaborators gave him a special shoutout. On Thursday (March 9), 26 years to the day, Diddy made a Twitter post commemorating the fallen rapper. Along with a video of Biggie giving a motivational speech, Diddy gave a bold claim about the slain rapper.
“There will never be another. The Greatest Rapper Of All Time,” he wrote. “Today we celebrate and honour you king. Love and miss you!!” Read more
Mexican cartel apologizes for kidnapping of Americans, turns over 5 men it claims were responsible (USAToday)
A Mexican drug cartel claiming its members were behind the brazen kidnapping of four Americans last week handed over five of the members and left a note of apology, Mexican media outlets and The Associated Press reported Thursday.
Photos circulating on social media show five men on the pavement with their hands tied – four of them shirtless – in front of a pickup truck, which has a handwritten letter of apology on the windshield.
The AP reported obtaining a copy of the letter from a law enforcement source in Tamaulipas, the Mexican state where the American travelers were attacked. Two of them were killed and another one wounded in a shooting Friday shortly after arriving in the border city of Matamoros for cosmetic surgery. Read more
Afghanistan blast: Taliban governor killed in his office (BBC)
The Taliban governor of Afghanistan’s northern Balkh province has been killed in a suicide attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group.
Mohammad Dawood Muzammil was killed in his office in the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, on Thursday.
He is the most senior Taliban official to be killed since the militants returned to power in 2021.
Violence has since decreased sharply, but pro-Taliban figures have been targeted by IS. Read more
U-23 AFCON: NFF moves Guinea tie to Abuja (Punch)
The Nigeria Football Federation has moved the final round of the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier game between Nigeria and Guinea which will be played on Wednesday, March 22 from Ibadan to Abuja, The PUNCH reports.
The game was earlier scheduled for the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan with the return leg coming up on March 27 in Guinea.
The Olympic Eagles played the second leg of their last round of qualifying match against Tanzania in Ibadan which they won 2-0 and were expected to return to the city from Abuja, where they are currently camping to put finishing touches to their preparations for the Guinea clash. Read more
Marcus Rashford: Man Utd forward wins third Player of the Month award to equal Salah record (BBC)
Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, 25, has been named Premier League Player of the Month for the third time this season, equalling a record held by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
Salah set the bar for most Player of the Month awards in a single season in 2017-18.
Rashford won the award in September, January and February, scoring four goals in five games last month.
Erik ten Hag was named Manager of the Month for the second time. Read more
Chelsea: Graham Potter reveals he is in conversation with Mason Mount about his new contract (DailyMail)
Graham Potter has shared that ‘complicated’ discussions are taking place between Mason Mount and his boyhood club, but that he is keen to keep the talented midfielder at Chelsea.
The 24-year-old joined the Stamford Bridge outfit at the age of six, breaking into the first team in August 2019, and was made player of the season by the club for the second consecutive year in 2022.
But despite this, Mount has yet to agree a deal to extend his contract with the Blues, which is due to expire in the summer of 2024. Read more
Mikaela Shiffrin surges into history with record-tying 86th World Cup win (Guardian)
American skier Mikaela Shiffrin won her record-tying 86th World Cup race Friday with victory in a giant slalom.
Shiffrin’s win matched the overall record set by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark 34 years ago.
The 27-year-old American protected her half-second lead from the first run and finished 0.64sec ahead of Federica Brignone.
Shiffrin crossed the finish line and put her hands to her helmet, then to her face and shook her head slowly while taking in the enormity of her achievement. Read more
Rory McIlroy looks “tired” as Paul McGinley says PGA Tour fight vs LIV is taking its toll (Mirror)
Rory McIlroy looked “tired” while hitting a four-over-par opening round at The Players Championship, according to former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley.
McIlroy has been one of the leading voices in the PGA Tour ‘s battle against LIV Golf, with the American circuit having undergone a bit of an overhaul, which has seen the introduction of no-cut events next year with limited-field sizes between 70 and 78 players.
McIlroy has been a staunch opponent of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series but admitted the rebel circuit had exposed “weaknesses” in the traditional PGA Tour – resulting in the changes. Read more
Patrick Ewing out as Georgetown men’s basketball coach (ABC)
Patrick Ewing will not return as men’s basketball coach of the Georgetown Hoyas next season, the school announced Thursday evening.
Ewing, one of the greatest college basketball players of all time while at Georgetown, had been the head coach of his alma mater for six years and finished with a 75-109 record.
“I am very proud to be a graduate of Georgetown University,” Ewing said in a statement. “And I am very grateful to President [John J.] DeGioa for giving me the opportunity to achieve my ambition to be a head basketball coach. It is particularly meaningful for me to be in charge of the basketball program at my alma mater. I wish the program nothing but success. I will always be a Hoya.” Read more