Boko Haram suspect held in Lagos (Nation)
A man the police described as a notorious Boko Haram Commander was yesterday arrested in Lagos. The suspect, Abdulmalik Umar, was said to have been responsible for the death of more than 200 people. Umar, 39, was arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police (IG) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) around Mowe at a nurse’s house where he was receiving treatment for the bullet wounds he sustained during a recent gun battle with the police in Abuja. Read more
Badeh’s killing probe on, says Air Force (Nation)
THE Air Force said last night that progress has been made on the circumstances surrounding the killing of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh. According to the Air Force Director of Information and Public Relations, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, details of the development would be made public soon. Air Commodore Daramola, in a statement, however, cautioned against spreading of false information regarding the killing by yet to be identified gunmen. Read more
Ogun PDP crisis: I remain the candidate — Kashamu (Vanguard)
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic, PDP, in Ogun State, worsened, yesterday, as Senator Buruji Kashamu, insisted that he remains the party’s candidate despite the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, which set aside an order by the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, which was favourable to his faction of the party. The PDP, however, faulted Kashamu’s position saying the Appeal Court judgement has settled the crisis rocking the party in Ogun State. Read more
Nigeria in distress, collapsing under APC —Secondus (Vanguard)
The national chairman of the main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has described Nigeria as a country in distress, saying that it has collapsed under the watch of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Speaking in Aba,Abia State, Wednesday, when the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his vice, Mr. Peter Obi held an interactive session with the South East business community, Secondus lamented the rising level of insecurity in the country which he said led to the assassination of the former Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh. Read more
Imo pensioners protest 34 months unpaid arrears (Vanguard)
Pensioners in Imo State yesterday alleged that the government was owing them 34 months pension arrears. The Owerri branch chairman of the pensioners, Comrade Samuel Onyegbulam who spoke to Vanguard in Owerri during their protest, added that they would continue the protest on daily basis should Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration fail to pay them their pension. He added that the non-payment of the pension arrears varied. Read more
Barkin Ladi IDPs in tears as they return home (Vanguard)
Many of those displaced by herdsmen about six months ago in some communities in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State broke down in tears as they returned to their ancestral homes, yesterday. The returnees, numbering about 500, mostly women and children, camped at the School of Geosciences, Angle D, Zawan in Jos South Local Government Area of the state, are from three communities of Kukur, Kuzen and Kura Falls, all in Gashish District of Barkin Ladi Government. Read more
DR Congo election delayed after fire (BBC)
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s long-delayed presidential election has been postponed for another week. The vote, scheduled for Sunday, is now due to take place on 30 December, the Electoral Commission said on Thursday. A delay in deploying voting materials to polling sites after a fire last week was behind the move, it added. It is the latest in a series of delays to frustrate opposition supporters, who suspect that President Joseph Kabila intends to cling on to power. Read more
US Defence Secretary Mattis resigns (BBC)
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis will be retiring “with distinction” at the end of February, President Donald Trump announced on Thursday. Mr Trump tweeted that General Mattis “was a great help to me in getting allies and other countries to pay their share of military obligations”. It comes a day after the president’s controversial announcement that all US troops would be withdrawn from Syria. Mr Trump did not name a successor, but said one would be appointed shortly. Read more
Nigerian top seeds hold sway at OTrafford squash tourney (Guardian)
Top ranked Nigerian squash players cruised to victories in their respective games at the on-going OTrafford PSA National Closed Satellite Tournament at the 82 Division of the Army Officers Mess, Marina, Lagos. Nigeria’s women’s number one, Yemisi Olatunji, sailed to the semi-finals after beating Omolola Ajayi to setup a tussle with Taiwo Ebifemi in what is expected to be a sporadic showdown in the semi-finals of the tournament today. Olatunji, fresh from the just concluded National Sports Festival in Abuja, where she won gold for Lagos State, is confident of booking a place in the final as she aims to clinch the $500 prize money at stake. Read more
Brazil’s Alex Sandro extends Juventus contract (Vanguard)
Brazilian international defender Alex Sandro has renewed his contract with Juventus, committing to the Serie A champions until 2023, the club confirmed on Thursday. The 27-year-old Sandro has won three Serie A titles and three Italian Cups since joining from Porto in 2015, where he also won two league titles. His five-year contract worth 26 million euros ($29 million) was due to expire in 2020. Read more
Police arrest man who stole boss’ property 11 days after employment (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested a domestic help, Ben Peters (real name Usang Effiong), who allegedly stole his boss’ property 11 days after he was employed. His accomplice, one Matthew Abam, has also been apprehended. According to the police, Peters was arrested following a petition by his employers, Mr and Mrs Okoye, to the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, alleging that Peters was in their house for 11 days and stole their valuables, including a Toyota Camry saloon car, $5,000, six new shirts and a Motorola mobile telephone. Read more
17-year-old goes missing on resumption day at varsity (Punch)
The family of a 17-year-old undergraduate, Chiedozi Azuike, who went missing two weeks ago, is in the dark as to his whereabouts. PUNCH Metro learnt that Chiedozi, who just gained admission into a private university in Enugu, went missing on the day he was to resume in the school. It was gathered that Chiedozi’s former teacher, whom his mother had implored to take him to the university, got to their house on December 4 but did not meet him at home. However, Chiedozi’s mother, Maureen Azuike, who noted that some strange things had been happening before his disappearance, said she believed that her son was hypnotised. Read more
