Betta Edu: PDP demands suspension of Interior minister, Tunji-Ojo (Nation)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the immediate suspension, investigation and possible prosecution of the minister of interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo over an alleged involvement in the movement of N438 million poverty alleviation fund under the watch of the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu.
A statement issued by Debo Ologunagba, the national publicity secretary of PDP, describes as ‘inexcusable’ that the two ministers directly entrusted with the well-being of Nigerians reportedly used a company in which the Minister of Interior has huge interest to allegedly siphon funds meant for poor Nigerians under the guise of consultancy fee for unsubstantiated verification of households in the country.
It urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action to protect the resources meant for the well-being of poor Nigerians from further plundering by suspending the Interior Minister over the alleged fraud and hand him over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation like his suspended counterpart. Read more
Police debunk kidnap of travellers on Abuja-Kaduna Highway (Channels)
Police authorities in Kaduna State have debunked reports of the abduction of scores of persons by suspected bandits along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.
Debunking the story in a statement on Tuesday, the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Mansir Hassan, admitted that there was a heavy gun duel between security operatives and bandits who attempted to cross the Kaduna-Abuja highway at Dogon Fili area heading towards Jere axis on January 6th, during which some of the bandits escaped with bullet wounds.
He explained that in the course of the gun battle, six persons plying the highway sustained varying degrees of injuries and were rushed to the hospital for medical attention. But he said nobody was kidnapped by the bandits as wrongly reported in some sections of the media. Read more
Lagos promises improved school feeding programme (Punch)
The Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, said it would upscale its feeding programme in public schools across the state to boost pupils’ welfare, improve attendance and reduce the menace of out-of-school children in the state.
The state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, stated this during his visit to some schools to monitor second term resumption for the 2023/2024 academic session.
Alli-Balogun, according to a statement by the ministry on Tuesday, assured that the state government would deploy its resources for the safety of students and staff in the new year, while urging teaching and non-teaching staff and students to make 2024 count for excellent performance. Read more
“Degree Mills”: FG sets up panel to probe private, foreign varsities (Tribune)
The Federal Government has inaugurated an eight-man inter-ministerial committee to investigate the activities of private universities established in the last 15 years.
The committee, headed by Professor J.D. Amin as chairman, is also mandated to probe degree certificate racketeering by both foreign and local universities in Nigeria.
The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, SAN, who inaugurated the inter-ministerial committee on degree mills in the country on Tuesday in Abuja, said this would help sanitise the system and protect the integrity of educational qualifications in Nigeria. Read more
5 infants, 6 adults die as 2 wooden boats capsize in Rivers (Vanguard)
Eleven persons, five infants and six adults, are fear dead as two wooden boats capsized in Bonny River, Rivers State.
It was gathered that the two boats, conveying indigenes of Ngo Town, Ataba, Isiama and other communities in Andoni, were travelling to Bonny Island from Ngo in Andoni Local Government of the state.
It was gathered that over 25 people were in the two fishing boats when they were struck by a heavy wave that destroyed them. A source close to one of the survivors said after the boat capsized, a rescue team came hours later and 14 people were rescued. Read more
US group honours Nigeria’s fallen heroes, empowers 80 widows in Lagos (Guardian)
A United States (US)-based charity organisation, Kedrick Scribner Foundation, has empowered over 80 widows of slain Nigerian police officers.
The move, under the organisation’s flagged-off edition of its Widow’s Mite 3.0 programme, was in display of compassion and commitment towards the surviving families of fallen heroes of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The grand event, which took place at the United Church of Christ in Nigeria at the Mounted Troops Police Barracks, Ikeja, had widows of the fallen heroes gracing the occasion alongside their children. Read more
6 brilliant indigent students receive UI ASUU scholarship (Independent)
Six indigent but brilliant students of the University of Ibadan (UI) on Tuesday received the 2023 Indigent Students Scholarship Award by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ibadan chapter.
The Union has been giving yearly scholarships to brilliant but indigent students to ensure that they are supported to finish their education and contribute to national and international development.
Beneficiaries of the 2023 award included a 200 level student of the Department of Medicine and Surgery, Ilori Ayomide, Busari Temitayo, Department of Microbiology, and a 400 level student of Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Osiga Ibrahim. Read more
Army to address security in dark areas in Enugu — COAS (Vanguard)
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has assured that the Army would strengthen security efforts in a few dark areas in Enugu State, such as Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of the state, commending the government and people of the state for being good partners in the fight against insecurity.
Lagbaja said the desire and effort of the government of Enugu State aligned with the goal of the Army to expand the frontiers of peace and stability for law-abiding citizens to thrive and thanked the governor and good people of Enugu State for the support provided to the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, the Garrison,103 Battalion and other deployments across Enugu State. Read more
Mark Hamill “finally” meets His Star Wars “mother” Natalie Portman at the 2024 Golden Globes (People)
Mark Hamill finally met his Star Wars mother Natalie Portman.
The actor, 72, shared a photo of himself smiling alongside the Oscar winner, 42, as they both attended the 2024 Golden Globes. Portman was a nominee for her movie May December, while Hamill presented the award for a new category, cinematic box office achievement (which ultimately went to Barbie).
“Now I have finally met my ‘mother’, thanks to the @goldenglobes,” Hamill wrote in the caption. Read more
Tunisian group accuses authorities of mass expulsions of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa (AfricaNews)
Migration activists are sounding the alarm this week about mass expulsions and arbitrary arrests in Tunisia, where authorities are seeing more migrants arrive for attempted Mediterranean crossings from the North African nation to Europe.
The Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights on Monday accused the government of waging a campaign of repression against migrants at the expense of humanitarian concerns, “to satisfy European blackmail and ensure a steady stream of financial and logistical support.”
It said in a statement that witness accounts indicated the situation had become particularly dire around Tunisia’s borders with Libya and Algeria as well as around the country’s second most populous city, Sfax, a common stopover point for migrants aiming to cross the Mediterranean. Read more
The Mandalorian and Grogu: new Star Wars film announced (Guardian)
Baby Yoda, AKA Grogu, is set to make his debut on the big screen in a new Star Wars movie.
The director Jon Favreau has been tapped to take on The Mandalorian and Grogu which will go into production later this year. “I have loved telling stories set in the rich world that George Lucas created,” Favreau said in a statement. “The prospect of bringing the Mandalorian and his apprentice Grogu to the big screen is extremely exciting.”
Details of the plot remain under wraps but Kathleen Kennedy, the Lucasfilm president, called the story “a perfect fit for the big screen”. Read more
Tom Cruise signs deal with Warner Bros. to develop and produce original and franchise films (Variety)
Tom Cruise has his next mission.
The ageless action star signed a new deal to develop and produce theatrical films with Warner Bros. Discovery. These movies will be a mix of original productions and franchise fare and will star Cruise, the company said in a release touting the deal. As part of what is being billed as a new “strategic partnership,” Cruise and his production company will have offices on the Warner Bros. Discovery lot in Burbank. Read more
Adan Canto, Designated Survivor and Cleaning Lady star, dies at 42 (EW)
Adan Canto, the actor known for his work on such TV and film projects as Designated Survivor, The Cleaning Lady, and X-Men: Days of Future Past, died Monday from complications of appendiceal cancer. He was 42.
His representatives confirmed the news to EW and said in a statement, “He will be greatly missed by so many.”
Born in Mexico and raised in Texas, Canto first pursued a career in music. After penning several songs for films and TV shows in Mexico, he branched out into acting. Canto appeared in a stage adaptation of Pedro Almodóvar’s All About My Mother before landing his first TV gig on Estado de Gracia in 2009. Read more
Armed men storm an Ecuador TV studio during a live broadcast as attacks in the country escalate (ABC)
Masked men broke onto the set of a public television channel in Ecuador waving guns and explosives during a live broadcast Tuesday, and the president issued a decree declaring that the violence-plagued country had entered an “internal armed conflict.”
The men armed with pistols and what looked like sticks of dynamite entered the set of the TC Television network in the port city of Guayaquil during a news program that was airing live in thousands of homes across the nation and shouted that they had bombs. Noises similar to gunshots could be heard.
No one was killed in the attack, and authorities later said that all the masked intruders had been arrested, 13 in all, and would be charged with terrorism. Read more
Niger military tribunal grants son of deposed president provisional release (AlJazeera)
Salem Bazoum, the son of Niger President Mohamed Bazoum who was toppled in a coup last year, was provisionally released on Monday, according to a statement by the Niamey military tribunal.
The 22-year-old had been in detention at the presidential residence with his parents since the coup in July. The tribunal did not provide details on the fate of Salem’s parents.
The coup, one of eight in West and Central Africa since 2020, was widely condemned, led to sanctions from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), and prompted widespread calls for Bazoum’s release and a return to democratic rule. Read more
Don’t judge Super Eagles yet, Supporters Club President tells Nigerians after friendly loss (Leadership)
The president of Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Sam Ikpea, on Tuesday, advised Nigerians not to be too hasty to judge the Super Eagles by the last friendly match against the Syli National of Guinea.
Ikpea gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while reflecting on the preparations of the Super Eagles for the 34th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte D’Ivoire.
Three-time AFCON winners, Super Eagles, will be making their 21st appearance at Africa’s biggest football showpiece to be hosted by their West African neighbours. Read more
AFCON: Nigeria call up Terem Moffi to replace Victor Boniface (Channels)
Nice forward Terem Moffi has been called up for the Africa Cup of Nations starting next weekend in place of injured Victor Boniface, the Super Eagles announced Tuesday.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Boniface was forced to withdraw from the tournament in the Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11 with a groin injury.
Moffi made his international debut in June 2021, scoring four goals in 14 games, but had initially failed to make the cut in coach Jose Peseiro’s side despite his six goals for Nice since the start of the season. Read more
Timo Werner: Tottenham complete loan signing of RB Leipzig and Germany forward (Sky)
Tottenham have completed the loan signing of former Chelsea striker Timo Werner from RB Leipzig until the end of the season.
According to Sky in Germany, Tottenham will cover Werner’s salary for the rest of the season and the deal has an option to buy for around £15m.
Werner returns to the Premier League after a two-year spell at Chelsea between 2020 and 2022, where he scored 23 times in 89 appearances in all competitions for the Blues. Read more
Manchester United icon Paul Scholes sends brutal X-rated message to Jesse Lingard (MEN)
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has fired a message to Jesse Lingard about his work in the gym as he eyes a return to playing football in a now-deleted comment on social media.
Scholes was responding to the latest Instagram post by Lingard, who has been putting in work in the gym in Dubai. Lingard did not caption the Instagram status but tagged the location as being in the UAE.
Scholes called out the United academy graduate in the comments section of the post. Before deletion, the comment read: “Are you just gonna f*** about in the gym or are you gonna play football?” Read more
Carlos Alcaraz has sights set on Novak Djokovic and No. 1 spot at Australian Open (StraitsTimes)
Carlos Alcaraz is raring to go at the Australian Open where he will seek to dethrone holder Novak Djokovic and secure a third Grand Slam triumph that would see him reclaim the world number one spot.
The 20-year-old Spaniard will hope to bury memories of an injury-plagued start to last year when he missed the Australian Open, which Djokovic won to climb back to the rankings summit.
The bull-like Alcaraz, who has taken the tennis world by storm since becoming the youngest men’s world number one after his US Open triumph in 2022, hit back by capturing his second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon following an epic five-set final victory over Djokovic. Read more
Anthony Joshua sent chilling warning by Francis Ngannou after fight confirmed (Express)
Francis Ngannou warned Anthony Joshua that he plans to find out how strong his chin is when the two face off in Saudi Arabia later this year. The boxing world is buzzing with excitement after it was announced that AJ will go head-to-head with one of boxing’s newest heavyweight stars.
The bout is expected to take place in March in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The announcement came just two weeks after AJ defeated Otto Wallin. Ngannou, who in his first professional boxing match produced a promising showing against Tyson Fury in 2023 and even knocked him down, aims to secure his first victory when he takes on the former heavyweight champion.
During a conversation on The MMA Hour, Ngannou – who many observers felt had got the better of fury – sent Joshua a chilling message ahead of their blockbuster bout. “I’ve heard that he doesn’t have a chin. I’m going to find out,” the 37-year-old said. Read more