Boko Haram claims responsibility for missing Air Force jet, releases video of dead pilot (DailyTrust)
The Boko Haram sect has claimed responsibility for bringing dowm the missing Jet of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
A jet deployed against the sect in Borno State evening lost contact with radar on Wednesday evening.
The sect said it took down the aircraft but some experts have expressed doubt that Boko Haram has the capacity to do what it claimed, given the distance of the jet to the position were the insurgents were.
Edward Gabkwet, spokesperson of NAF, had disclosed the identities of the pilots but said their whereabouts were unknown. Read more
Easter: Prices of perishables soar in Lagos markets (Vanguard)
Two days to the Easter Celebration, prices of perishable food items have soared in major markets in Lagos, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
A survey conducted by NAN in some major markets at Mile 12, Oyingbo and Mushin on Thursday and Friday showed that prices of some food items jumped by more than 25 per cent.
A 40 kilogramme (kg) basket of tomato, which was sold for N6,000 in March has risen to N8,000.
The price of a 50kg bag of Scotch Bonnet pepper jumped by 50 per cent, selling for N14,000 against the previous N7,000. Read more
3 jailed 21 years for armed robbery (Punch)
Justice Modupe Nicole-Clay of the Lagos State High Court has sentenced three men to 21 years’ imprisonment for armed robbery.
The convicts, Sheriff Emiloju, Aanu Moses and Farouq Atolagbe, were arraigned before the court on April 1, 2017, on four counts bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery by the Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
During trial, the prosecution told the court that the convicts, while armed with bottles, robbed one Abass Bashiru and Olayinka Houka of their Blackberry Passport phone, Blackberry Q10 and a wallet containing N2,000 and a prayer cloth.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Olayinka Adeyemi, said the convicts, while also armed with bottles, robbed one Adewunmi Ogunleye of her bag containing N190,000, photocopies and original copies of her vehicle documents, an ATM card, a voter card and a Samsung phone, valued at N60,000, a phone charger and a power bank. Read more
Army spokesman removes journalist from WhatsApp group after asking how N2.6t was spent (Guardian)
Nigerian Army has removed the Abuja Bureau Chief of News Central TV Amadin Uyi from a WhatsApp group after the journalist asked questions about military spending.
News Central TV said Uyi was removed from the Department of Army Public Relations (DAPR) Whatsapp platform, which is “operated by the DAPR Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, assisted by spokespersons in the army divisions.”
Yerima is the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army.
A screenshot shared by News Central TV showed that Uyi asked the DAPR to explain in detail how the army has spent over two trillion naira in the fight against insurgency from 2015 to date. Read more
Police leave CCT chairman, arrest trader for assault (Punch)
The FCT Command of the Nigeria Police Force has failed to arrest the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, who was caught on video allegedly assaulting a security guard, Clement Sargwak, around Banex Shopping Plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja, on Monday.
However, it was learnt that a trader, Peter Onyuike, had been arrested by the Department of State Services and then handed over to the police for allegedly assaulting the CCT chairman while other traders are being hunted.
A document made available to The PUNCH on Friday showed that the police were investigating traders for criminal conspiracy, joint act, assault, criminal force, and mischief. Read more
NIN database exceeds 51 Million as FG extends NIN-SIM linkage by one month (Tribune)
Based on the updates of the NIN registration process, over 51 million people have been assigned National Identity Number. There are many people who have enrolled and are in the process of being assigned NINs.
With each individual having an average of 3 to 4 SIMs, the total number of SIMs tied to NINs would be close to the total number of registered SIMs in the country.
This is contained in a statement jointly signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) Dr Ikechukwu Adinde and Head, Corporate Communications, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr Kayode Adegoke.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami chaired the meeting of the Ministerial Task Force on the NIN-SIM data linkage. Read more
Court remands security guard over assault (DailyTrust)
A Magistrate Court in Osogbo, Osun State, Thursday remanded a 33-year-old security guard, Wasiu Ogundipe, in a Correctional Centre for allegedly assaulting a man, Olatunji Quadri.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Temitope Fatoba, told the court that the accused person on March 29, at 9:50pm around Aloha Hotel, Osogbo, conspired with others to assult Olatunji by hitting him with stick and cutlass on the head.
He said the offence was contrary to and punishable under Sections 365, 516 of Criminal Code CAP 34 Vol 11 Law of Osun State of Nigeria 2002.
The accused pleaded not guilty but Magistrate A. A. Adeyeba ordered his remand in Ilesa Correctional Centre and adjourned the case till April 7, 2021. Read more
Reno Omokri leads anti-Buhari protest at Nigeria House, London (Punch)
Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri and some Nigerians staged a protest at the Nigeria House in London against President Muhammadu Buhari. The President is currently in London where he would be spending two weeks to enable him to undergo a medical checkup.
To express their displeasure at the medical trip, Omokri and a group of protesters decided to protest at the gate of the Nigeria House brandishing placards with different inscriptions.
The former presidential aide questioned the decision of the President to have himself treated in London after reportedly failing to build a single hospital in Nigeria. Read more
Edo 2020: Every gold medal attracts N1m – Okowa (Vanguard)
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Friday assured the state’s contingent to the 20th National Sports Festival holding in Edo from April 2, that every gold medal won at the festival would attract N1 million reward.
The governor made the announcement at a pre-departure prayer session for the contingent at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, and restated that the state would continue to reward deserving athletes.
He reaffirmed that the reward would be a repeat of what the athletes received for medals won at the 19th edition of the festival held in Abuja.
He said that each silver medal won attracted N500,000 to the athlete while winners of bronze medals received N250,000 for each medal. Read more
Baby born with three penises makes medical history (NYPost)
Good things come in threes?
An Iraqi boy no doubt etched his name into the phallic hall of fame after he was born with a whopping trio of penises.
“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case with three penises or triphallia,” wrote Dr Shakir Saleem Jabali in a study on the treble-membered tyke published in the International Journal of Surgery Case Reports.
The baby boy, a Kurd from Duhok, was originally brought to the hospital by his parents when he was 3 months old due to swelling in the scrotum. However, when he arrived, doctors observed that he had some extras — one 2-centimeter member sprouting near the root of his primary penis, and another 1-centimeter-long schlong situated under his sack. Read more
A beginner’s guide to grooming your dog at home (CBC)
If you’re used to taking your pet to the groomer’s or pet-store salon every month or two, he or she is now likely overdue for a full groom. The good news is that depending on your dog’s grooming needs (and temperament), tackling the task at home yourself — at least for now — might be easier than you think!
To get you started, we talked to Philip Minaker, general manager at Zen Dog Services in Toronto, about the dos and don’ts of dog grooming. Here are his tips for making the chore easier, and more pleasant for everyone.
Do start with nails
One of the key steps for keeping your dog groomed at home is giving them regular nail trims every few weeks, even if it’s not a task that either of you particularly enjoy, says Minaker. While some dogs’ nails will naturally reduce themselves when they walk on hard surfaces like concrete or pavement, others do require frequent trimming. Read more
Pandemic Strands 100,000 Merchant Mariners at Sea (VOA)
An estimated 100,000 merchant seafarers are stranded across the world because of the coronavirus pandemic in what campaigners call a “humanitarian crisis” that threatens global supply chains and are calling on all countries to recognize the 1.6 million people who work on board merchant vessels as key workers, including allowing them to travel across borders and offering priority coronavirus vaccines. It’s estimated that 80% of all internationally traded goods are transported by sea.
Among those caught up in the crisis is Indian national Ritesh Mehra, who signed up for a four-month contract as captain of an 80,000-ton liquid gas tanker in July last year. More than eight months later, he and his crew were still stuck on the ship— unable to leave because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The part of not being able to go back home in time, and the thought of being chained to this particular place, and in a way you can also say [it is like a] jail, it is [wearing] on the crew now. They are thinking more about it than the actual job at hand,” Mehra told Reuters. Read more
G7 foreign ministers call for ‘swift’ pullout of Eritrean troops from Tigray (France24)
The G7 group of leading economic powers on Friday called for a “swift, unconditional and verifiable” withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia’s conflict-hit northern Tigray region.
“We welcome the recent announcement from Prime Minister Abiy that Eritrean forces will withdraw from Tigray,” the G7 foreign ministers said in a statement released in Berlin, referring to Ethiopian leader Abiy Ahmed.
“This process must be swift, unconditional and verifiable.”
The ministers appealed for “the end of violence and the establishment of a clear inclusive political process that is acceptable to all Ethiopians, including those in Tigray”. Read more
David Schwimmer hints ‘Friends’ cast will revive characters (NYPost)
They’ll be here for you.
David Schwimmer has hinted that there might be more to the “Friends” reunion than has previously been announced.
Schwimmer, 54, is set to reunite with co-stars Courteney Cox, 56, Lisa Kudrow, 57, Matthew Perry, 51, Matt LeBlanc, 53, and Jennifer Aniston, 52, to discuss the hit sitcom, which aired from 1994-2004. This reunion was originally supposed to air in May as part of HBO Max’s launch — but production was delayed because of the pandemic.
It will be a sit-down interview that the actors are doing as themselves — not as their characters. Read more
Crackdown at Syria’s al-Hol camp nets senior Islamic State operative (VOA)
The crackdown on Islamic State operations at the al-Hol displaced persons camp in northeastern Syria appears to be loosening the terror group’s grip on the sprawling facility.
Six days into the two-week-long operation, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces say they have arrested 125 people suspected of having direct ties to IS, including six they have described as senior leaders.
The most prominent is Abu Karar, identified as the second most senior IS operative at al-Hol, arrested with seven others in a sweep of the camp late Thursday or early Friday. Read more
Officer dead, driver fatally shot after ramming vehicle into barricade near the US Capitol (CBC)
A man rammed a car into two Capitol Police officers at a barricade outside the US Capitol on Friday afternoon before being shot to death by authorities when he got out of the vehicle while holding what appeared to be a knife, two law enforcement officials said on Friday.
Both Capitol Police officers were taken to the hospital, with one of the officers dying as a result of undisclosed injuries, officials said. The suspect also died at a hospital.
Police did not release names of the three individuals in the incident, pending notification of next of kin. Read more
Man City unlikely to buy Sergio Aguero replacement this summer – Pep Guardiola (BBC)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said the club are unlikely to buy a striker this summer to replace the outgoing Sergio Aguero.
City confirmed on Monday that Aguero, 32, will leave when his contract expires at the end of the season.
Guardiola has been looking at options, with Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland, 20, at the top of the list of potential targets.
However, Guardiola feels the fees currently being quoted are too high. Read more
Juve look to reboot Serie A title defence in Turin derby (Guardian)
Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Serie A on Saturday with Juventus looking to reboot their title defence against struggling city rivals Torino.
Hopes of a 10th consecutive league title were rocked when Juventus fell 1-0 at home to lowly Benevento before the international break.
Juventus are third, 10 points adrift of leaders Inter Milan, with both teams having 11 games left to play this season.
Ronaldo returns from international duty where his fury at a winner ruled out against Serbia was followed by joy at scoring against Luxembourg. Read more
Italian swimming star Pellegrini books place at fifth Olympics (France24)
Italian swimming star Federica Pellegrini booked her spot at a fifth Olympics on Friday by attaining the 200m freestyle qualifying standard.
The world record holder and 2008 Olympic champion at the distance eased to victory in 1min 56.69sec, inside the required time of 1min 56.90.
“It’s not been an easy few months, but now I can breathe easier,” said a tearful 32-year-old who tested positive for Covid-19 in October.
At this summer’s Tokyo Olympics, the six-time world champion over 200m and 400m can become the first swimmer to take part in five Olympic finals over the same distance. Read more
World University Games in China postponed until 2022 (CBC)
The World University Games that were due to open in China in just over four months have been postponed until next year, the governing body the FISU said on Friday.
The Switzerland-based FISU said COVID-19 and travel restrictions prompted the postponement, adding the decision was made jointly with officials in China.
The multi-sport event, which features about 8,000 athletes, was to have opened in Chengdu in western China on Aug. 18, just days after the closing of the Tokyo Olympics. A rescheduled date has not been announced.
The country has two other large multi-sport events coming up. The Winter Olympics open on Feb. 4, 2022 in Beijing, and the Asian Games, which feature more sports than the Olympics, are set for Hangzhou from Sept. 10, 2022. Read more
Ronaldo’s castaway armband makes 64,000 euros at charity auction (France24)
The captain’s armband that Cristiano Ronaldo flung to the ground in disgust after Portugal were denied an injury-time winner against Serbia was sold at a charity auction for 64,000 euros ($75,000) to an anonymous bidder.
With seconds to go while the score in the 2022 World Cup qualifier was 2-2 in Belgrade, Ronaldo thought he had netted the crucial goal, when the ball appeared to cross the goalline before Stefan Mitrovic cleared.
But without video technology in use, the goal was not awarded.
A fuming Ronaldo received a yellow card for his protests and at the final whistle, as he stormed from the pitch, he threw his captain’s armband to the ground. Read more
Oxford United: Police called as Karl Robinson claims goalkeeper Jack Stevens headbutted (BBC)
Police were called to the Stadium of Light following claims Oxford United goalkeeper Jack Stevens was headbutted at half-time in the U’s 3-1 League One defeat at Sunderland.
Oxford boss Karl Robinson admitted he did not see the incident which happened in the tunnel during the break.
“We are waiting for the police to come, one of my goalkeepers was headbutted at half-time,” he told BBC Radio Oxford.”I don’t want to use names, it’s not right to do that.” Read more