Bishop who raped Assistant Pastor jailed for life (DailyTrust)
The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, on Friday, sentenced Bishop of I Reign Christian Ministry, Lagos, Feyiropo Daniels, to life imprisonment for raping his 23-year-old assistant.
He was also jailed 3 years for sexually assaulting a 19-year-old member of the church.
Justice Rahman Oshodi held that the cleric should spend the rest of his life at the Kirikiri custodial facility. Read more
Private jet with VIPs onboard overshoots runway in Ibadan (Channels)
A private jet having about 10 persons onboard including Very Important Personalities (VIPs) has overshot the Ibadan airport runway in the Oyo State capital.
An impeccable source said the incident happened on Friday around 11 am at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport.
The jet with registration number, N580KR, missed the runway and skidded into the nearby bush. Read more
5 of the 10 Niger State Transport Authority passengers abducted in Katsina state have regain freedom (Sun)
No fewer than five out of the 10 passengers of the Niger State Transport Authority (NSTA) who were abducted two weeks ago while traveling to Katsina State have regained their freedom after payment of undisclosed amount of money as ransom.
About five other passengers are still being held under captive by their abductors whom our correspondent gathered are demanding N5million each for their release.
A staff of the transport authority who spoke to our correspondent in confidence on the incidence disclosed that 18 passengers boarded the vehicle on the faithful day to Katsina State but ran into a road block mounted by the Bandits in a village about 20 kilometers to Katsina. Read more
Troops destroy IED factory, neutralise kidnapper in Imo (Leadership)
The Nigerian Army has carried out clearance operations in several camps allegedly associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State.
The operations, according to Lt.-Col. Jonah Unuakhalu, Acting Deputy Director of 82 Division Army Public Relations,in a statement on Thursday targeted areas along Umulolo-Umukele-Amousu and Agbobu.
Unuakhalu said that the raids were a joint effort involving troops from the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Read more
Police arrest 2 suspected transformer fuel thieves in Yobe (Tribune)
The Yobe State Police Command has announced the arrest of two suspects for alleged criminal conspiracy and theft of transformer diesel fuel.
The announcement was made in a situation report from the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dungus Abdulkarim, which was made available to journalists in Damaturu on Friday.
The PPRO stated, “I am grateful to inform you that on 24/01/2024 at about 0200hrs, a team of policemen, in conjunction with vigilante groups led by P&G ASP Lukman Usman while on patrol, intercepted and arrested one Bala Sa’idu of Numan LGA, Adamawa State, and Suraja Adamu of Gamawa LGA, Bauchi State.” Read more
“She’s undergoing rehabilitation” – says Uju Kennedy; meets abused female soldier (Vanguard)
Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye said the female soldier, Ruth Ogunleye, allegedly abused by some of her superiors, is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
Kennedy-Ohanenye stated this in a post via her official X handle on Friday.
The minister said Ogunleye is now on the road to recovery and has been placed under observation by officers of the Nigerian Army and the ministry. Read more
“You were caught in crossfire,” Fubara tells re-nominated commissioners (Punch)
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has sworn in nine re-nominated commissioners in the state.
The swearing-in was conducted at the State Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.
The commissioners said to be loyal to the former governor, Nyesom Wike, earlier resigned their appointment in the heat of the political tussle between Wike and the governor. Read more
Teenager gets 6 months jail for attempting to rape a 35-year-old woman (Guardian)
An Abeokuta Magistrates Court on Friday, sentenced a teenager, Adeola Saheed, for attempting to rape a 35- year-old woman
The defendant, 19, who resides at Brewery area in Abeokuta, is facing a three count charge of conspiracy, indecent assault and attempt to rape.
The magistrates, Mrs O.O Odumosu, said that the prosecution has proven its case beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant was guilty as charged. Read more
Nicki Minaj & Megan Thee Stallion trade venomous bars as feud ignites over ‘hiss’ diss (HipHopDx)
Nicki Minaj has responded to Megan Thee Stallion with some bars of her own after being dissed on “Hiss.”
After teasing the venomous song earlier this week, Meg released her new single on Friday (January 26) — and it appears to contain some shots at Nicki.
“These hoes don’t be mad at Megan, these hoes mad at Megan’s Law/ I don’t really know what the problem is, but I guarantee y’all don’t want me to start,” the Houston native raps. Read more
Jennifer Lopez has surprising role in new ‘‘Bob the Builder’’ movie with major difference (Mirror)
Jennifer Lopez is set to produce a reimagined ‘‘Bob the Builder’’ movie which sees the children’s TV character as a Latino construction worker named Roberto.
Bob the Builder aired on BBC kids’ channels CBBCand CBeebies between 1999 and 2011, and featured the voice of Neil Morrissey as the upbeat construction worker taking on a variety of jobs alongside his friends and talking machinery. In an updated version of the character, the movie will focus on Bob who travels to Puerto Rico for a major construction job as he “takes on issues affecting the island and digs deeper into what it means to build.”
The builder will be voiced by In The Heights star Anthony Ramos – who is also set to produce alongside JLo – and the rebooted version of the TV show character will see him “celebrate the vibrant and colourful textures of the Caribbean Latin nations and their people.” Felipe Vargas is attached to write the screenplay, however a director has not yet been announced. Read more
Sofia Richie expecting baby girl with husband Elliot Grainge (THR)
Sofia Richie and her husband Elliot Grainge are officially going to be parents!
The model and daughter of music icon Lionel Richie revealed that she and the music executive are expecting their first child, a baby girl, in an interview with Vogue, published online Thursday.
“He was so excited, and we both cried,” she said of when they first found out. “It was crazy and overwhelming and so hard not to scream it from the rooftops.” Read more
Boy drowns when family dunked him in river to try and cure his terminal cancer (Metro)
A four-year-old boy with leukaemia drowned after a superstitious bid to cure him failed.
The child’s family were said to have travelled from their home in Delhi to Haridwar, in India, on Wednesday to perform a prayer ceremony in the Ganges River.
The boy, named only as Ravi, reportedly jumped into the river after his family said bathing in the river could cause a ‘miracle’ and cure his cancer. Read more
US warned Iran of terror threat ahead of twin suicide bombings in Kerman (AlJazeera)
The United States government had privately warned Iran that ISIL (ISIS) was preparing to carry out a terrorist attack ahead of the coordinated suicide bombings that killed nearly 100 people in the southeastern city of Kerman.
The confidential alert came after the US acquired intelligence that ISIL’s affiliate in Afghanistan was plotting to attack Iran, a US official said on Thursday.
“The US government followed a longstanding ‘duty to warn’ policy that has been implemented across administrations to warn governments against potential lethal threats,” said the official, who requested anonymity. “We provide these warnings in part because we do not want to see innocent lives lost in terror attacks.” Read more
Top UN court won’t dismiss Israel genocide case but stops short of ordering Gaza cease-fire (CBS)
In an interim judgment, the United Nations’ International Court of Justice on Friday ruled that Israel must take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza, but it stopped short of ordering an immediate cease-fire in Israel’s war with Hamas. The ICJ ruled that it has jurisdiction to consider the landmark case brought by South Africa against Israel, and it rejected Israel’s request for the case to be dismissed.
South Africa alleges that “acts and omissions” committed by Israel as part of its offensive in Gaza “are genocidal in character because they are intended to bring about the destruction of a substantial part of the Palestinian national, racial and ethnical group.”
The court’s president Joan E. Donoghue said Friday in the court at The Hague, Netherlands, that, based on an initial assessment of Israel’s actions and remarks from Israeli leaders, it would not accept Israel’s request to dismiss the case as there were plausible claims of possible genocidal acts. The ICJ did not order an immediate cease-fire, but it did order Israel to take some provisional measures. Read more
Mali announces immediate termination of key Algerian accord (AfricaNews)
Mali’s ruling junta declared the “immediate termination” of the crucial 2015 Algiers Accord with northern independentist groups on Thursday, January 25. The accord, considered vital for stabilising the country, has been a point of contention in recent years.
The junta cited the “change in posture of some signatory groups” and “acts of hostility and instrumentalization of the accord by Algerian authorities” as reasons for the abrupt termination. The announcement was made in a televised statement by Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga, the government spokesperson appointed by the military.
The Algiers Accord, already considered weakened, faced further challenges in 2023 as hostilities resumed between independentist groups, mainly Tuaregs in the North, and the Malian army following the withdrawal of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) orchestrated by the junta. Read more
Nigeria battle Cameroon amid multiple lashes of AFCON champions (Channels)
A shock-riddled Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast has reached the round of 16 with four ties between winners of the competition highlighting a four-day schedule that kicks off on Saturday.
The clashes of champions pit Nigeria against Cameroon, Egypt against Democratic Republic of Congo, title-holders Senegal against Ivory Coast and Morocco against South Africa.
None of the other four matches feature a former winner, but 2015 semi-finalists Equatorial Guinea will attract attention after topping a group including more fancied Nigeria and Ivory Coast. Read more
LeBron James returns to lineup and leads Lakers to 141-132 victory over Bulls (NBC)
LeBron James had 25 points and 12 assists a few hours after being named to his record 20th NBA All-Star team and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls 141-132 on Thursday night.
D’Angelo Russell hit eight 3-pointers and scored 29 points, Anthony Davis had 22 points and Austin Reaves added 20 points and eight assists. The Lakers hit 60.9% of their shots in their fourth win in six games.
Los Angeles racked up a season-high 112 points through three quarters and took a 24-point lead that kept it safe during the Bulls’ 39-point fourth quarter. The Lakers’ 141 points were a season high, as were the Bulls’ 132. Read more
Transgender swimmer Lia Thomas launches legal challenge against ban (BBC)
American swimmer Lia Thomas, who became the first transgender athlete to win the highest US national college title when she triumphed in 2022, is taking legal action in a bid to compete again in elite female sport.
Two years ago governing body World Aquatics voted to stop transgender female athletes from competing in women’s elite races if they have gone through any part of the process of male puberty.
Up until then transgender women could compete as long as they lowered their testosterone levels. Read more
Star reacts amid claims his 41-year-old manager may replace Klopp at Liverpool (HitC)
Granit Xhaka insists Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen will ‘enjoy’ Xabi Alonso for as long as they can as Jurgen Klopp confirms his shock departure from Premier League giants Liverpool.
To think, had things not gone so disastrously for Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa, it may have been another iconic Liverpool midfielder on everybody’s lips today, Jurgen Klopp confirming his intention to walk away from Anfield at the end of the season.
While Gerrard’s reputation continues to diminish over in Saudi Arabia, however, Xabi Alonso’s status as one of the finest young coaches in European football is blossoming almost by the week. Leverkusen – or ‘Neverkusen’ as they are known, given their penchant for falling at the final hurdle – have never won the Bundesliga in their history. Read more
AFCON 2023: Officiating Super Eagles Vs Guinea-Bissau was serious challenge for me – Karboubi (CompleteSports)
Bouchra Karboubi has revealed that officiating the game between the Super Eagles and Guinea-Bissau was a big challenge for her at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Recall that Karkoubi became the first Arab and the second African female referee to officiate a match in the African Cup of Nations for men’s football following the Rwandan Salima KAasagana who officiated in the previous edition of the tournament.
However, in a chat with Cafonline, Karboubi stated that it was a difficult test for her and delighted to represent women referees in Africa. Read more
99-year-old swimmer breaks 3 world records on same day (People)
99-year-old Betty Brussel is celebrating setting three world records on a single day!
On Saturday, the Canadian set best-ever times for the 100-to-104-year-old age group in the 400-meter freestyle, 50-meter breaststroke and 50-meter backstroke, according to The Globe & Mail,
This included smashing the previous 400-meter freestyle record by almost four minutes, with a time of 12 minutes 50 seconds, and completing the 50-meter backstroke in 1:20.42, breaking the existing mark by over five seconds, per Swimming Canada. Read more