Buhari, Atiku, other presidential candidates sign second peace accord (ChannelsTV)
President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other candidates have signed a second peace accord ahead of Saturday’s presidential election. The presidential candidates signed the agreement on Wednesday at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, the nation’s capital. Those who witnessed the signing included the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland; former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd); Bishop Mathew Kukah, as well as other members of the National Peace Committee (NPC). Read more
Gang rape suspects at large, as victim’s father alleges threat to life (Vanguard)
Few weeks after the case of gang-rape was reported to the Police at Ijede Divisional Police Headquarters, Ikorodu, Lagos, none of the four suspects involved in the gang rape of the 15-year-old victim(names withheld) has been arrested. The suspects identified as Dokun Ojo, Olawale Ojo and two others, allegedly attacked, gagged and gang-raped the victim who was returning from an errand on January 24 at Gberige area in Ikorodu. Narrating her ordeal, the victim said: “I was attacked by the suspects while running an errand for my father at about 5p.m. on January 24. They gagged and raped me one after the other, and used their phone to video the act. Read more
Ekiti community locks monarch out of his palace (Punch)
Some indigenes of Odo Ora in Ido Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State have locked their monarch, the Obalemo, Oba Samuel Akinola Adeyemo, out of his palace. Oba Adeyemo said he was locked out of the palace by suspected hoodlums allegedly mobilised by some interest groups in the community. The development followed allegation by kingmakers and other community leaders that the procedure that produced the monarch was faulty and that he had not been duly installed as ruler. Read more
Man rapes six-year-old girl (Nation)
The police in Ogun State have arrested a 44-year-old man who allegedly defiled his neighbour’s six-year-old daughter. Rafiu Moruf, the police said, was arrested on Monday after the victim’s mother knew about his alleged exploits on the minor. Moruf, said to be living with his wife behind Aferiku Secondary School, Idiroko allegedly penetrated the child sexually leaving injuries in her private part. In a statement by the spokesman for the command Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), the girl opened up to her mother after the latter noticed she was acting strangely. Read more
Corpers get N35,000 each as election duty allowances, says NYSC (Punch)
The National Youth Service Corps on Wednesday revealed that each corps member deployed as ad hoc staff for the 2019 general elections will be paid N35,000. It also said that no fewer than 17,000 corps members had been confirmed as ad hoc staff for the elections in Ogun State. The Ogun NYSC State Coordinator, Mrs. Josephine Bakare, disclosed this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abeokuta at a sensitisation programme for corps members. Bakare also confirmed that each corps member participating in the election would receive a total of N35,000 as duty allowances for the February 16 and March 2 elections. Read more
Why Osinbajo’s helicopter crashed, by AIB (Nation)
The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) on Wednesday released the report of the helicopter crash involving Agusta Westland W 139 Caverton Helicopters which flew Vice President to Kabba in Kogi State. The AIB attributed the February 2, 2019 crash of the Chopper marked with registration number 5N – CML to effects of a brown out generated during its landing in a dry dusty environment. It said Caverton should have carried out risk assessment test at the Kaaba stadium before the flight. Brown out in aviation par lance means a condition generated during landing in a sandy, dusty environment. The chopper operated by Caverton Helicopter occurred at Kaaba Stadium in Kogi State. It flew Osinbajo his entourage and three crew members. Read more
Release my PVC, Ogun SDP Gov candidate urges INEC (Punch)
The Social Democratic Party governorship candidate in Ogun State, Mr. Rotimi Paseda, has cried out to the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakub, to order the release of his Permanent Voter Card without further delay. Paseda, who spoke with newsmen at the party secretariat in Abeokuta on Wednesday, expressed frustrations over the non-issuance of his PVC by INEC. He lamented that though he had applied for replacement of his PVC since August 2018, the electoral body had failed to reproduce the card barely three days to the 2019 elections in which he is a candidate. Read more
Court remands two in prison for murder (Punch)
An Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan on Wednesday remanded two men, Niyi Olusola and John Adeyemo, in prison for allegedly causing the death of one Olasunkanmi Olajide. The Chief Magistrate, Mr O.O Adisa, remanded the defendants in Agodi prison and ordered that the case file should be sent to the State Director of Public Prosecutions for advice. Olusola, 40 and Adeyemo, 41, whose addresses were not provided, are facing a two-count of conspiracy and murder. Read more
Cameroon opposition leader charged with ‘rebellion’ (Guardian)
Cameroon opposition leader Maurice Kamto, who says he was cheated out of the presidency in elections last year, has been charged with “rebellion” and “insurrection”, one of his lawyers said Wednesday. The former government minister was arrested in the economic capital Douala on January 28 after his MRC party organised protests in cities against last October’s election result, which they say was rigged. The prosecutor’s office of the Yaounde military court filed the charges against Kamto, who was transferred to a prison in the capital during the night, according to lawyer Emmanuel Simh. Read more
Skopje notifies UN of name change (Guardian)
The Macedonian government said Wednesday it had officially informed the United Nations of the country’s new name following its historic agreement with neighbouring Greece. Skopje and Athens buried a 27-year dispute in agreeing in June last year to rename Macedonia as North Macedonia. The new name came into force on Tuesday after constitutional changes were published in the Official Gazette and Skopje’s foreign ministry said both countries had informed the UN by letter that the change is now in force. Read more
United given a ‘reality check’, admits Solskjaer (Guardian)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted Manchester United had been handed a reality check after Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a 2-0 win in the Champions League last-16 first leg. Solskjaer was beaten for the first time in 12 matches as United’s interim manager as second-half goals from Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe rocked Old Trafford. United also had France star Paul Pogba sent off in the final moments, ruling him out of the second leg in Paris next month. Read more
Italian giants Juvetus woo Mohamed Salah with €200 million (Nation)
Italian giants Juventus are ready to dole out €200 million to have Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah it has been revealed. The Egypt international has continued to impress for the Reds in his second season at the club, having joined the Merseyside outfit from AS Roma ahead of the 2017-18 campaign. Salah, who scored 44 goals across all competitions in his debut season at Anfield, has already found the back of the net on 20 occasions this season. The 26-year-old enjoyed a successful spell in the Serie A at first Fiorentina and then Roma who he left in favour of the Reds for a reported €42 million. Read more
Man Utd can still progress despite PSG defeat, says Herrera (Guardian)
Ander Herrera believes Manchester United can still progress in the Champions League despite their chastening home loss to Paris Saint-Germain, saying it will not throw their season off track. After winning 10 out of his first 11 matches in all competitions, caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer tasted defeat for the first time in the first leg of the round of 16 tie against the French champions on Tuesday. Angel di Maria was the scourge of his former club as he provided assists for Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe in a 2-0 loss to PSG that could have been worse but for David de Gea’s performance in goal. Read more