Boko Haram does not intend to release Leah Sharibu —Helen Oritsejafor (Vanguard)
Pastor (Mrs.) Helen Oritsejafor, the beautiful wife of the immediate past president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, His Eminence, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and mother of three is the TV host of ‘Mama Helen and You’, a talk show that deals on marriage, relationships and society. The light skinned and pretty banker superintends over the Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank Limited, Eagle Heights International Schools and the African Broadcasting Network, ABN, a satellite Christian television station strategically positioned to serve as a strong voice for the gospel of Christ from Africa to the world, in addition to being the martriach of the Word of Life Bible Church founder by her husband 31 years ago. Read more
Okorocha denies baring Uzodinma from using stadium for campaign (Guardian)
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has denied the claim by Imo State All Progressives Congress (APC), gubernatorial candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma, that he denied him access to the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, for yesterday’s flag-off of his campaign. Uzodinma, who spoke through his campaign official, Kingsley Ononuju, had accused Okorocha of denying the party access to the stadium even after going through the due process of applying.Rather, Okorocha insisted that he directed officials’ in charge of the stadium to grant it free-of-charge to candidates of all political parties who wished to use the facility for campaign purposes. Read more
Yuletide: FAAN assures passengers of safety (Nation)
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has assured passengers and other airport users travelling during the Yuletide of adequate security. FAAN disclosed this in statement by its General Manager, Corporation Affairs, Mrs Henrietta Yakubu. According to Yakubu,the authority has beefed up security at all airports, especially at international terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kano. This is just as FAAN urged passengers to get to the airports early to conclude all check in procedures. Read more
Maiduguri residents protest against uninterrupted electricity supply (Punch)
Residents of Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, said that their 24-hour-electricity supply be cut short immediately. According to them, the constant power supply has caused a huge increase in charges. They are demanding that the Yola Electricity Distribution Company reduce their electricity supply to the 12-hour daily that used to be the case. Most residents of the state capital stormed the YEDC office on Wednesday to demand a reduction in electricity. Reacting to the complains by the residents, the YEDC Maiduguri Business Manager said, “These complaints may be as a result of the inauguration of the 330kV transmission line which now supplies electricity 24 hours. Read more
How we’ll counter APC rigging plan — CUPP Spokesperson (Vanguard)
You have made a number of agitations and calls recently pointing to concerns about how the elections are going to look like in 2019. Are you scared of losing? Ugochinyere: No politician is scared of losing in the general election. Every genuine democrat must know that in politics, there can be only one winner at a time. Once you have that feeling, once you have that understanding, there would be no need to nurse any fear. I think the problem lies with people not wanting to play by the rules. As long as the rules of the game are set right, if you lose, you lose in a free and fair atmosphere. So, you are bound to accept the outcome of the process. Read more
Sani warns against electoral malpractices during 2019 elections (Guardian)
The Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial zone, Shehu Sani, said that any attempt to rig the results would spell doom for the nation’s democracy.Sani spoke at the Gbaygi youth forum quiz completion, where he urged the youths in the state and Nigeria at large to defend their votes and democracy during the forthcoming general elections in the country. The lawmaker told journalists at the end of the completion in an interview that the country is at a crossroad on whether there would be a free, fair and credible elections “if the amended electoral law is not passed into law before the general elections, 2019.“I think President Muhammad Buhari should do a re-think and append his signature on the Electoral Act, as amended to save the country from the looming problems this may create. Read more
We’re tired of life in camps —Benue IDPs cry out (Vanguard)
The spate of killings in parts of Benue state by suspected militant herdsmen may have been contained successfully by the joint military Operation Whirl Stroke which was launched in the state last May to stem the killings, many of the 500,000 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, are however still trapped in the eight camps and villages where they are currently taking refuge. While many have been able to find their way back to their communities and ancestral homes to pick up what was left of their lives, several of the victims are living in despair in the camps with nowhere to go to following the total destruction of their homes by the marauders. Read more
SDP Suspends National Financial Secretary, Oyo Chapter Chairman (Guardian)
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has suspended its National Financial Secretary, Kehinde Ayoola, and Oyo State chapter Chairman, Alhaji Kolawole Balogun from office.A statement signed by National Secretary, Alhaji Shehu Gabam, alerted members and the public that the party’s National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, exercising the powers of the National Executive Committee (NEC), approved the immediate suspension of the duo over their open and televised endorsement of the Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr. Seyi Makinde. Gabam said the decision to suspend them was to serve as deterrence to would-be offenders and guard against gross indiscipline and anti-party activities in the party saying the anti-party disposition of the two officials was unacceptable and condemnable…” Read more
US shutdown looms over border wall row (BBC)
A partial US government shutdown is now just hours away after US lawmakers failed to break a budget impasse. Mr Trump, who has to sign off any deal, is insisting at least $5bn (£4bn) in government funding be included to help build his long-promised US border wall. Lawmakers adjourned from last-minute talk efforts on Friday evening. Without a new agreement in place, funding for about a quarter of all US federal agencies will lapse at 00:00 local time (05:00 GMT Saturday). Read more
Arrests over Gatwick drones disruption (BBC)
Two people have been arrested in connection with a string of drone sightings which brought Gatwick Airport to a standstill. Sussex Police said it made the arrests at about 22:00 GMT on Friday. Flights from Gatwick were grounded for more than a day after the devices were seen near the runway. The force said “pro-active” investigations into “the criminal use of drones” continued, and urged the public to contact it with information. Read more
Team Nigeria wins Africa Schools Badminton Championship (Guardian)
Nigerian team has emerged overall winner of the 2018 Africa Schools Badminton Championship, which ended in Tema, Ghana, on Thursday evening. Team Nigeria got five gold, three silver and three bronze medals in the championship. The Nigerian badminton team was making its debut in the Africa championship since it began in 2006.In the Nigeria boys doubles final, the pair of Babatunde Bankole and Egbonyi Daniel defeated Balarabe Ahmad and Shamsuddeen Khalil 2-0 (21-17, 21-16), while in girls doubles, Nigeria’s Obanishola Sofiat and Obasanmi Olajumoke beat Morgan De Beer and Kent B of South Africa 2-0 (22-20, 21-16). Read more
Keane attacks Man United stars who ‘got’ Mourinho sacked (Guardian)
Roy Keane has accused modern footballers of being ‘weak human beings’ and blamed the misfiring Manchester United stars for Jose Mourinho’s sacking. Mourinho was given the boot at Old Trafford this week after a poor start to the campaign, punctuated by high-profile rows with key players. The former captain believes many ‘get away with murder’ and downed tools under their former manager this season.Keane launched into an extraordinary tirade, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘I think the players obviously get away with murder. Just the way they hide behind their manager. Whatever you say about the players they’ve thrown him under the bus. Read more
Salah inspires Liverpool win at Wolves (BBC)
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp praised his side’s “perfect football” as Mohamed Salah inspired a victory at Wolves that took them four points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. The Reds have 48 points from 18 matches – a tally Klopp described as “outstanding” – and the only unbeaten league record in English professional football. Defending champions City can cut their lead back to a point when they host Crystal Palace on Saturday (15:00 GMT). Read more
Neymar went home early ‘with my permission’, says Tuchel (Guardian)
Neymar, who is already on holiday in Brazil, is skipping Paris Saint-Germain’s last match of the year “with my permission” manager Thomas Tuchel told a press conference in Paris on Friday. PSG’s star striker posted Instagram images of himself in Brazil with his family on Thursday. Neymar was rested for the club’s previous match, against Orleans in the French League Cup on Tuesday because of thigh pains. Read more
Ozil has a future at Arsenal – Emery (BBC)
Manager Unai Emery says Arsenal “need” Mesut Ozil and he will be in the squad for Saturday’s Premier League match against Burnley at Emirates Stadium. Ozil, 30, has been linked with a move after being left out for “tactical” reasons in recent weeks. The former Germany international, who joined Arsenal from Real Madrid in 2013, failed to make the bench for the midweek League Cup loss to Tottenham. Asked if he still had a future with the Gunners, Emery said: “Yes, why not?” Read more
Woman sells own pants, makes N28m a year (Punch)
A woman has revealed she earns around £60,000 (about N28m) a year selling her worn pants and uses the money to look after stray cats, who visit her home. Raven Nix, 33, from Bristol, sells her worn undies for £20 (about N9,200) a time and also cashes in by selling pots of urine and raunchy videos to strangers online, according to odditycentral.com. She also makes cash from ‘money slaves’, who deposit cash in her account for no reason and enjoy the humiliation of being ignored by her. Read more
How pregnant woman, 80-year-old scaled fence to escape Lagos pipeline fire (Nation)
Pain, agony, loss and distress trail the Abule Egba pipeline fire outbreak which left the entire Awori area of Lagos awake all night on Tuesday and rendered many people homeless. A walk or drive through Oko-Oba Road to the popular Abule Roundabout and Shobowale Street and its environs would melt the hardest of hearts going by the enormity of the destruction that took place. Scores of houses including duplexes, storey buildings and bungalows, which had served as homes to many families and offices for businesses outfits were burnt to ashes, leaving the owners with memories of the good past. Read more
Salesman stabs boss, demands N4m for 18 months’ work (Punch)
The police in Lagos have arrested a salesman, Charles Ogbonna, for assault after he allegedly stabbed his boss in the chest and back. City Round learnt that Ogbonna had asked his boss, Eze Nwachukwu, to pay him N4m so he could set up his own business after working for the man for 18 months. It was gathered that Ogbonna assisted Nwachukwu to sell foodstuffs at a warehouse in Boundary Market in the Ajegunle area of the state. Read more
EFCC intercepts $2.8m cash at airport (Nation)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has intercepted $2.8 million (about N1.02 billion) cash at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu from two people suspected to be money launderers. The suspects, Ighoh Augustine and Ezekwe Emmanuel, were said to be working for a company called Bankers Warehouse. Besides the arrest, the EFCC is also tracking some politically exposed persons (PEPs) trying to move slush funds through Ghana, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for 2019 elections. Read more