Betta Edu to report at EFCC office Tuesday (Channels)
Suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu will report at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja on Tuesday, Channels Television has learnt.
Edu is expected to honour an invitation by the anti-graft agency following her suspension by President Bola Tinubu on Monday.
A top source in the anti-graft commission told Channels Television that the minister has been invited in line with President Tinubu’s directive that a thorough probe be conducted covering her time in the ministry. Read more
Tinubu dismisses FCCPC, BPE CEOs (Vanguard)
In less than 12 hours after the suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Betta Edu, President Bola Tinubu has dismissed two Chief Executive Officers.
The dismissal, according to the statement by the Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale , was in conformity with plans to restructure and reposition critical agencies of the Federal Government towards protecting the rights of Nigerian consumers and providing a strong basis for enhanced contributions to the nation’s economy by key growth-enabling institutions.
The affected officers are Mr.
Babatunde Irukera, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, and Mr Alexander Ayoola Okoh, Director-General/CEO, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE. Read more
Parents lament bus fare hike as Lagos schools resume (Punch)
Some parents in Lagos State have lamented the increase in bus fares of their children’s schools across the state as schools in the state resumed for the second term on Monday.
The parents, who spoke with The PUNCH in separate interviews on Monday, decried the hike and its frequency while calling on the government for regulation.
James Goriola, who spoke with our correspondent in the Ketu area of the state, said it was worrisome that his children’s school increased its bus fee for two consecutive terms. Read more
Court awards N100m damages against FG, EFCC for violating Emefiele’s right (Tribune)
Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Monday, awarded N100 million damages against the Federal Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for violating the fundamental rights of former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele.
The judge awarded the damages in favour of the embattled Emefiele with delivering judgment in the enforcement of fundamental rights suit brought by the former CBN governor.
Emefiele had joined the Federal Government, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Executive Chairman, EFCC, and the anti-graft agency. Read more
LASTCOC express concern over incessant attack on truck drivers
(ThisDay)
The Lagos State Truck and Cargo Operators Committee (LASTCOC) has condemned the unjustified and unwarranted extortion and assault of truck drivers in Lagos State by hoodlums.
The call is coming in the wake of an attack on a truck driver by hoodlums along the Mile 2 – Oshodi express road at the weekend, which has left the driver hospitalised.
The Chairman, LASTOC, Lukman Shittu, while addressing the media on the incident, said some toll collecting thugs at Berger bus stop outwards Mile 2-Oshodi express road on Saturday morning, flagged down a loaded containerised truck to extort the driver. Read more
Security agencies ignored intelligence on Plateau attacks – Retired AIG (DailyTrust)
A retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Dabup Makama, has claimed that security agencies in Plateau State were alerted to the Christmas eve attacks on villages in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi local government areas of the state ahead of the incident but the intelligence was ignored.
Makama, who is the current Coordinator of Operation Rainbow in the state, blamed the security agencies for their failure to rise to their primary responsibility of securing lives and property of the people of the state.
The retired senior officer, who said this in a statement on Saturday, disclosed that that the primary role of Operation Rainbow is to complement the efforts of the formal security forces in the state by providing timely intelligence through their desk officers at the local government level, which is then channeled to the appropriate quarters. Read more
Stay off Inland waterways regulation, Supreme Court warns Lagos State’s government (Tribune)
The battle of who regulates all activities on Nigerian inland waterways between Lagos State government and the Federal Government came to an end at the weekend in Abuja as the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Federal Government and its inland waterways regulatory agency, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Justice John Inyang Okoro, in a landmark judgment delivered on January 5, 2024, validated an earlier Federal High Court ruling, FHC/CS/ 543/ 2012, which pronounced NIWA as the authentic regulatory authority over Nigerian inland waterways and advised Lagos State government and its agencies and any other states in the country to stay away from regulatory activities on Nigerian inland waterways.
Justice Okoro held that any attempt to compete over regulatory and commercial functions with NIWA on Nigerian inland waterways will amount to pursuing resource control, which constitutionally rests with the Federal Government of Nigeria. Read more
Taraba reintroduces History subject in basic schools (Nation)
The Taraba Government has announced plans to reintroduce history as a subject in the basic education curriculum in schools in the state.
Governor Agbu Kefas made this known when he hosted journalists to a dinner in Jalingo on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that history was removed from primary and secondary education curriculums in the 2009/2010 academic session. Read more
Domestic Violence: Wife appeals Magistrate Court judgement over alleged bias (Independent)
A housewife, Mrs Maryanne Mgbeahuruba has appealed the judgement of a Magistrate court sitting in Lagos in an alleged domestic violence case between her and her estranged husband, Mr. Samuel Ifeanyichukwu Mgbeahuruba.
The appeal was filed following a consent judgment that allegedly favored the estranged husband in a domestic violence case.
The Appellant is citing lack of fair hearing in the judgment involving the contested ownership of a two-storey building located at 19, Olatunji Idowu Street,Off Ago – Palace Way, Okota, Isolo, Lagos state which was delivered by Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Balogun L.Y. Read more
Lisa Bonet files for divorce from Jason Momoa after 18 years as couple (CBC)
Lisa Bonet has filed for divorce from Jason Momoa 18 years after the two actors became a couple.
The 56-year-old Bonet, whose legal name is Lilakoi Moon, filed documents to end her marriage to the 44-year-old Momoa in Los Angeles County court on Monday. The filing comes nearly two years after they announced their separation.
The petition cites irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. The filing says neither person should get financial support and that the two have agreed on how to split their assets. The documents say they should have joint custody of their 16-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son. Read more
Lindsay Lohan looks so fetch at new ‘‘Mean Girls” premiere (NYPost)
Lindsay Lohan looked, “like, really pretty” at the premiere of the new “Mean Girls” movie musical.
Lohan, who famously portrayed Cady Heron in the 2004 cult classic comedy, stunned in a black-cut out dress with silver crystals on Monday at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater in New York City.
She posed with the original movie’s writer and the new movies’ screenwriter, Tina Fey, as well as Saturday Night Live founder Lorne Michaels, who produced the first flick. Read more
Jennifer Lopez addresses Ben Affleck’s viral paparazzi photos (FilmNews)
Jennifer Lopez has addressed Ben Affleck’s viral paparazzi photos.
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight on Sunday night, the star addressed the viral paparazzi photos of her husband, many of which feature his moody facial expressions.
“Ben is doing all right. You don’t need to worry about Ben, let me just tell you,” Jennifer, 54, told the reporter.
The Hustlers star added, “He is good. He is happy. He is here, he is nominated.” Read more
BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s Giovanni Pernice supported by ex partner amid Amanda Abbington claims (Mirror)
Debbie McGee has spoken out in support of her former Strictly Come Dancing dance partner Giovanni Pernice.
It comes after his latest celebrity partner Amanda Abbington, 51, quit last year’s series due to “personal reasons” and now claims to have PTSD after being paired with Giovanni on the show. She is also said to be threatening legal action and demanding to see video footage of their rehearsals.
Sources have told the Mirror the BBC have been left “puzzled” by the request and accept that while Giovanni is a perfectionist and there are occasional “moans” about his regime, his conduct has never crossed the line to warrant any investigation. None of his previous dance partners had made any formal complaint, the source added. Read more
Prince’s Purple Rain to become a Broadway musical (Guardian)
Prince’s hit film Purple Rain is set to become a Broadway musical.
The 1984 movie will come to the stage with a book from Pulitzer prize finalist Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, currently receiving rave reviews for family drama Appropriate starring Sarah Paulson and Elle Fanning.
Music and lyrics will come from Prince and it will be directed by Tony award nominee Lileana Blain-Cruz, known for 2022’s adaptation of Thornton Wilder’s dark comedy The Skin of Our Teeth. Read more
Bangladesh PM Hasina secures 4th straight term (StraitsTimes)
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina won her fourth straight term as her party secured an absolute majority amid low turnout in the general election boycotted by the main opposition, the country’s poll body said on Monday.
Her Awami League party has 165 seats out of 224 seats in Sunday’s election with the outcome of the rest of the seats still unannounced, according to unofficial results released the Election Commission said.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who participated in the 2018 polls but stayed away in 2014, boycotted the election after Hasina refused their demands to resign and allow a neutral authority to run the election. Read more
Possible gas explosion at downtown Fort Worth hotel injures 21: Officials (ABC)
An explosion at a downtown Fort Worth, Texas, hotel possibly caused by a gas leak injured 21 people, sent heavy debris across a block and forced nearby employees to evacuate Monday afternoon.
Fort Worth Fire Department officials said one person is in critical condition following the explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel, which occurred around 3:30 p.m. local time.
Fire department officials said a gas leak was part of the incident, but they couldn’t immediately determine if it caused the explosion. Read more
Boniface out of AFCON, returns to Germany (Sun)
Super Eagles striker, Victor Boniface has sustained an injury while in training, with the Africa Cup of Nations just days away, Soccernet.ng reports.
Jose Peseiro invited a strong list of 25 players, and Bayer Leverkusen star man Boniface made the cut after a superb start to the Bundesliga season that has seen him register ten goals and seven assists in 16 appearances.
Because of the way Peseiro sets up his team, Boniface would be expected to partner Victor Osimhen in the attack. Read more
German football mourns “sublime” Beckenbauer (France24)
Germany united to mourn the death of Franz Beckenbauer on Monday, with figures from across the sporting and political landscape bidding farewell to the ‘Kaiser’.
Beckenbauer, a World Cup winner as both a player and a coach, died on Sunday at the age of 78, with news of his death not announced until Monday evening.
Beckenbauer had largely withdrawn from public life in recent years as he battled a number of ailments. Read more
Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag vows to “strike back” from setbacks and labels Sir Jim Ratcliffe “an inspiration’’ (Sky)
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has described Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s planned purchase of a 25 per cent stake in the club as “an inspiration” and has vowed to survive the setbacks on the journey back to the top of the English game.
Goals from Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes saw United ease into the fourth round of the FA Cup and avoid any unwanted drama in a 2-0 win over League One Wigan.
With Sir Dave Brailsford and Jean-Claude Blanc watching on as Ratcliffe awaits ratification of his 25 per cent stake in United, a straightforward win was just what Ten Hag needed after a December in which United lost six of nine games to keep the pressure on the Dutchman. Read more
Tiger Woods and Nike have ended their partnership after 27 years
(NPR)
Tiger Woods is no longer a Nike athlete after 27 years, ending a partnership between the swoosh and golf’s biggest star and raising questions about the future of both in the sport.
Woods in a social media post thanked Nike co-founder Phil Knight for his “passion and vision” that brought Nike and the Nike Golf partnership with Woods together.
“Over 27 years ago, I was fortunate to start a partnership with one of the most iconic brands in the world,” Woods wrote. “The days since have been filled with so many amazing moments and memories, if I started naming them, I could go on forever.” Read more
Novak Djokovic serves up huge injury boost ahead of Australian Open defence (Tennis365)
Novak Djokovic fans have been waiting anxiously for updates on the condition of the arm and wrist of the world No 1 ahead of his defence of the Australian Open title – and the initial news appears to be positive.
Djokovic suggested he was confident he could recover from a wrist injury in time to play at his best in Melbourne after struggling with the problem in a straight-sets defeat to Alex de Minuar in the United Cup in Perth last week.
Djokovic, bidding for a record-extending 11th men’s Australian Open singles title, lost 6-4 6-4 to world number 12 De Minaur as Australia beat Serbia 2-0 in their quarter-final in the mixed team event.
Gauff looks to back up breakthrough season with Australian Open title (StraitsTimes)
Coco Gauff is poised to build on last year’s breakout season after the American teenager defended her crown at an Australian Open tune-up event in Auckland last weekend.
After claiming her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open last September, Gauff opted to work on her game on the practice courts in a hot and humid Florida rather than going on vacation to recharge her body and mind.
It paid dividends as she cruised through her first four matches in New Zealand without dropping a set before being forced to dig deep against dangerous veteran Elina Svitolina in the final. Read more