“Blasphemy”: How angry youths attacked vigilante commander in Lagos community (DailyTrust)
There was an uproar at Gangare area beside the popular Mile 12 International Market in Kosefe Local Government Area of Lagos State on Friday as a vigilante commander in the area, Haladu Muhammed, was attacked over alleged blasphemy.
Daily Trust gathered that some youths who accused Muhammed of blasphemous comment against Prophet Muhammad (SAW), attacked him.
Nigerians pay billions of naira to DisCos despite frequent outages
Abduction: Protesters cause gridlock on Kaduna-Abuja Highway
Before security operatives could come to the victim’s aid, his vehicle had been set ablaze while his house had been vandalised.
An eye witness, Usman Adam Sarauta, told Daily Trust that the youths also attacked security operatives who rushed to the scene after a distress call.
“They accused him of using words against the messenger of Allah, but this cannot be ascertained. Only God knows if this is true or not.” Read more
Lagos CP reads riot act to criminals (Leadership)
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosun, has read riot acts to criminal elements in the state, saying there is no more hiding place for criminals in the state.
The commissioner dangled the axe while showcasing the achievements of the command within the last few weeks in Lagos state.
He stated that the crime situation in the state has generally come down saying the command has improved on the security network of Lagos State.
“Most of the hoodlums, cultists and miscreants who terrorized the state have been arrested and prosecuted while many of their leftovers are being kept at bay. Read more
To ease traffic management, Lagos reconfigures 28 junctions, targets another 22 (Sun)
A total of 28 out of the 60 identified traffic gridlock junctions have been reconfigured by the Lagos State government to accommodate traffic demand, while 22 others are at different stages of renovation across the state.
This was announced by the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, at the annual ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, in commemoration of the second year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Oladeinde highlighting the achievements recorded in the transport sector by the Sanwo-Olu administration in the past two years. He said efficient traffic management and transportation have remained crucial to achieving a 21st century economy needed in an emerging smart city like Lagos.
The commissioner remarked: “Efficient traffic management and transportation have remained crucial to achieving success in the six-pillar development agenda of the administration of Gov. Sanwo-Olu as encapsulated in T.H.E.M.E.S (Traffic Management and Transportation; Health and Environment; Education and Technology). Read more
CDA, LG build health centre in Lagos-Ogun border community (Punch)
A community development association in Maidan, a border community between Lagos and Ogun states, and a local government council have built a primary health centre for the use of the residents decades after the community came into existence.
The project, initiated by the CDA and completed by the Ifo Local Government Council of Ogun State, will serve residents of Legun, Matogun, Olambe, Osere, Koye and environs.
Maidan is a settlement after Matogun in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, which is one of the border communities with Lagos like Akute, Alagbole, Olambe, Okearo, Agbado, Ijoko and environs. Read more
Gunmen abduct businesswoman, guest in Ogun (ThisDay)
Unknown gunmen have abducted a businesswoman, Mrs. Roselyn Edusi, and her male guest on Saturday, on a farm near Ofada, Ogun State.
Edusi, who is the proprietress of a restaurant at Omu, in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state, was accompanied by her male guest to a farm in the area when they were kidnapped.
Since the abduction of the duo on Saturday afternoon, their whereabouts have not been known.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed that the kidnappers abducted the woman and her guest who visited her from Lagos State. Read more
Electricity workers threaten service withdrawal over insecurity (Guardian)
The epileptic power supply in the country may worsen if a threat by electricity workers to withdraw their services over insecurity in the country is carried out.
In a statement to mark Workers’ Day in Abuja, General Secretary of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Joe Ajaero, lamented rising death of members of the union in the course of doing their work.
“The safety of our workers who carry out maintenance works and man the stations in these restive areas is seriously threatened as some run into dens of bandits and kidnappers while navigating the bushes to repair and maintain faulty lines. Read more
Households grumble as food prices soar in Abuja (Sun)
The biting economic hardship, soaring inflation and deteriorating security in the country are having serious impacts on every Nigerian. The disturbing trends have escalated to the point that many households in the country are struggling to meet their basic needs. For large families, the scenarios are better imagined than experienced.
While incomes, wages and salaries have been on the declining side in recent months, prices of food commodities are skyrocketing. Many people have blamed the rise on inflation, but experts think otherwise. They have linked it to the inability of many farmers in rural parts of the country to cultivate their lands.
For instance, the country’s food inflation rate surged to 21.79 per cent in February 2021, which is the highest rate recorded in Nigeria since October 2005, exactly 15 years and four months ago. In March, it fell to 20 per cent. Read more
CBN ramps up metering intervention to Discos (ThisDay)
The intervention by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the metering challenges in the power sector, has started to yield the needed results, it was learnt yesterday.
Last week, the Special Adviser to the President on Infrastructure, Mr. Ahmad Zakari, confirmed that the federal government was revving up its disbursement of a N120 billion capital expenditure (CAPEX) to improve infrastructure, especially to support the metering programme by the Distribution Companies (Discos).
It was gathered that a number of approvals had been made by the apex bank beginning from the last quarter of last year, with disbursements standing at N14.35 billion as at December 24, meant for the procurement of an additional 263,000 metering devices. Read more
Court rules against OAAN on signage registration (Guardian)
A High Court in Enugu State, presided over by Justice Kenneth Okpe, has ruled that members of the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) should register all their structures for signage erected anywhere in the state.
Delivering his judgment in a suit filed by OAAN seeking interpretation of certain provisions of the Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertising Agency Law, Justice Okpe, ruled that members of the association practising out-of-home advertising in the state should register their practice and all signages and obtain the registration permits and codes for each signage.
OAAN had asked the court whether those sections meant that they were to register every signage in the state or whether a single registration covered all signage erected by each practitioner.
The judge, at the weekend, described provisions of the law as unambiguous, adding: “Section 22 of the law provides that every outdoor structure owned by a corporate entity shall be registered by the owner. What this section commanded to be registered is ‘every outdoor’ structure.” Read more
Two rockets land near Baghdad International Airport (Israelnationalnews)
At least two rockets landed within the perimeter of Baghdad International Airport on Sunday, the Iraqi military said, according to Reuters.
One rocket was intercepted and downed near the airport, without causing any damage or casualties, the army said.
Security officials said earlier the rockets were launched from an area close to the airport and there were no reports of damage or casualties.
Rocket attacks have regularly targeted Iraqi bases as well as the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, where the US embassy is located, since the US elimination of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani last January. Read more
US and Nato start to formally withdraw troops from Afghanistan (BBC)
The US has started formally withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, beginning the end of what President Joe Biden called “the forever war”.
The US and Nato have had a presence in Afghanistan for almost 20 years.
But the withdrawal, which runs until 11 September, comes amid escalating violence, with Afghan security forces on high alert for reprisal attacks.
The Taliban have warned they are no longer bound by an agreement not to target international troops. Read more
Chaos gripping Paris as violence & vandalism mark May Day protest (RT)
Lawlessness swept over the streets of Paris on Saturday, with left-wing protesters smashing windows and lobbing stones and fireworks at riot police. The cops have responded in kind, charging and clubbing the rioters.
May Day protesters took over the streets of multiple French cities, with the worst of the early clashes happening in the city of Lyon. By mid-afternoon, however, Paris was the epicenter of unrest, as ‘black bloc’ anarchists marching alongside the traditional trade unionists and workers’ groups started smashing banks and shops in the capital.
Heavily armored riot police were nearby and responded with force. Video footage shows a squad of cops charging with shields raised to drive a crowd of vandals away from a bank. Read more
Israel crush: Israel mourns as festival crush victims identified (BBC)
The bodies of 32 people killed in a stampede at a Jewish pilgrimage site have been identified in Israel.
At least 45 people died in the crush at the Lag B’Omer festival, near Mount Meron, when they became trapped in an overcrowded passageway. Some 150 people were injured.
The identification process was paused for 24 hours late on Friday to mark the Sabbath, the Jewish day of rest.
Work is expected to resume after sunset on Saturday, which ends the Sabbath. Read more
Ingenuity completes 4th Mars flight, breaks even more records (RT)
NASA’s Ingenuity mission continues to break records on the Red Planet, flying faster and farther than ever before, scouting ahead of the Perseverance rover in the ongoing search for microbial life.
The rotocopter looks set to surpass its original month-long mission, though NASA engineers are unsure just how long the plucky 1.8kg (4lb) probe can last. Further extensions to the Ingenuity mission will depend on how well it survives prolonged usage and whether it is providing additional benefit to the rover’s goal of collecting soil and rock samples.
“We’re going to gather information on the operational support capability of the helicopter while Perseverance focuses on its science mission,” Lori Glaze, director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division, said. Read more
India coronavirus: Over-18s vaccination drive hit by shortages (BBC)
India has become the first country to report more than 400,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day, as its nationwide vaccine drive launches amid a supply crisis.
Some 3,523 deaths were officially recorded in the past 24 hours – but the real figure is thought to be far higher as many fatalities go unreported.
All adults in India are now eligible to be vaccinated.
But several states say they do not have the doses to carry out the exercise. Read more
Pfizer developing pill to treat Covid-19, may hit market by end of 2021 (RT)
Pfizer announced this week that, if development of its pill to treat Covid-19 infection continues at the current pace, and if regulatory approval is quick, the medication could be on the market in the US by the end of 2021.
Pfizer launched an early trial in March of the oral antiviral which tackles Sars-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, by limiting the availability of the enzyme protease which the virus needs to replicate.
“If all goes well, and we implement the same speed that we are, and if regulators do the same, and they are, I hope that (it will be available) by the end of the year,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said. Read more
Oshoala inspires Barca ladies to qualify for Women’s UCL final (Leadership)
Asisat Oshoala and her Barcelona Ladies teammates have qualified for the final of this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Barcelona achieved the feat after defeating visiting PSG Ladies 2-1 in the second-leg on Sunday to go through 3-2 on aggregate.
Oshoala was introduced into the game with 11 minutes remaining.
A brace from Lieke Martens on eight and 31st minutes put Barca 2-0 ahead before Marie-Antoinette Katoto pulled a goal back for PSG on 34 minutes.
The last time Barca Ladies qualified for the final was in 2019 where they lost 4-1 to Olympique Lyon with Oshoala getting their goal.
They will now wait for the winner of the second semi-final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
The final will come up on 16 May, 2021 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Read more
I had crazy feeling day I wore Eagles’ No.10 jersey – Aribo (Punch)
Super Eagles midfielder, Joe Aribo, says he was intimidated by the iconic No. 10 jersey when he first joined the national team.
Muda Lawal, Austin Okocha and Mikel Obi are some of the ex-Eagles stars to have worn the No. 10 jersey.
The Glasgow Rangers star has held on to the creative position since making his first appearance against Ukraine in an international friendly in 2019, where he opened his goals account, before going on to grab another against Brazil three days later.
“I’ll never forget my first game with the No.10. They left the spot (in the changing room) for me and I didn’t sit there because I was thinking ‘this can’t be me,’” Aribo told dailymail.co.uk. Read more
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta explains decision to make eight changes as Mat Ryan starts again (Metro)
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he has ‘learnt his lesson’ from previous matches and decided to ring the changes for the Gunners’ clash with Newcastle in order to avoid any injuries. The Spanish coach has made eight changes from the side that lost 2-1 to Villarreal on Thursday evening in their Europa League semi-final first leg in Spain. Only three players have retained their place in the starting XI: Martin Odegaard, Granit Xhaka and Dani Ceballos – who was sent off against Villarreal and is ineligible for the second leg. Read more
Joshua, Fury fight delayed by legalities, organisers to announce date next week (Guardian)
Anthony Joshua’s Promoter, Eddie Hearn, has promised boxing fans that there will be an announcement ‘next week’ regarding Anthony Joshua’s proposed heavyweight unification bout with Tyson Fury, reports mirror.co.uk.
The clash between the heavyweight champions appeared to be on the verge of collapse this past week after Fury’s team expressed their frustrations with Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, consistently failing to meet deadlines.
Bob Arum, Fury’s US promoter, said the unification bout was ‘dead in the water’ and that the WBC champion would pursue other opponents, namely arch rival Deontay Wilder.
Matchroom Boxing promoter Hearn has responded that he is confident the match will go ahead, after Frank Warren also confirmed that Fury had received his contract for the super-fight. Read more
Inter Milan clinch first Serie A title in 11 years (Nation)
Antonio Conte’s men were named Scudetto winners following Atalanta’s slip up at Sassuolo on Sunday.
Inter have clinched their first Serie A title in 11 years, bringing Juventus’ long-running era of dominance to end in the process.
Atalanta were held to a 1-1 draw by Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium on Sunday which leaves the Milan club with an unassailable 13 point advantage at the top of the table with four games left to play. Read more
Andy Cole reacts to Edinson Cavani contract U-turn at Manchester United (Metro)
Andy Cole says he would be ‘really happy’ to see Edinson Cavani extend his stay with Manchester United and believes the veteran striker has had a ‘brilliant’ debut season at Old Trafford. Eyebrows were raised when the Red Devils brought in Cavani, 34, on a free transfer given the forward’s age and the fact he had gone over six months without making a single first-team appearance for Paris Saint-Germain. However, Cavani has proven his doubters wrong with 12 goals and five assists in all competitions and United have been in talks to secure a new contract for the Uruguay international, with his current deal due to expire at the end of June. Read more