Buhari’s campaign organisation accuses PDP of hacking INEC server (Guardian)
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign team Monday accused the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of hacking computer server of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Festus Keyamo, the campaign team spokesperson, in a petition sent to the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the State Security Service, said the PDP “have access to the INEC server is by the criminal hacking of the server or through the criminal conspiracy of some INEC officials.” Shortly after Buhari was declared winner of the 2019 presidential poll by INEC, his closest rival, the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, called the election a “sham” and promised to challenge the victory in court. Read more
INEC shifts date for issuance of Certificates of Return to Sanwo-Olu, others (Punch)
The Independent National Electoral Commission has shifted the date for the issuance of Certificates of Return to the Governor-elect, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat. The INEC Spokesman, Mr Femi Akinbiyi, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, said that the event, earlier scheduled for Wednesday would now hold on Friday. Akinbiyi, however, said that the commission would later announce a new date for the issuance of the certificates to the 40 lawmakers-elect of the Lagos State House of Assembly. Read more
Human trafficking, migrant smuggling threat to security, says IGP (Nation)
The Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu has decried the spate of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Nigeria. The police boss said the menace has become a major internal security challenge that poses grave threat to the victims and the countries involved. The IGP disclosed in Abuja on Monday at a workshop organised by Interpol to counter trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling in Nigeria. He said: “Nigeria and indeed the continent of Africa have been experiencing a surge in the menace of trans-border trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. Read more
Ninth assembly: Ndume writes Oshiomhole, indicates interest in Senate Presidency (Punch)
Former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume has written the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, to inform him of his decision to run for the office of the President of the Senate of the ninth National Assembly. Ndume in a letter of intent dated March 25, 2019 and addressed to Oshiomhole, specifically sought the blessing of the party to actualise his aspiration. The senator representing Borno South on the platform of the APC said he is “throwing his hat into the ring believing that the Senate President position would be zoned to the North East geopolitical zone” where he hails from. Read more
Fake Customs officer bags 6 years imprisonment with hard labour (Nation)
An Iwo -road, Ibadan Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ibadan on Monday sentenced a 20- year old man, Abiodun David to six years imprisonment with hard labour for impersonating Nigeria customs personnel. The convict (David), who had been parading himself as a senior customs officer in charge of auction in the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), was charged on a nine -count of obtaining money under false pretence, fraudulent conspiracy, stealing, forgery and impersonation. The accused (now convicted) had earlier pleaded not guilty to the nine count charge with Charge No: Mi/509c/20178. Read more
Cross River to attain Open Defecation-Free status in 2023 (Guardian)
The Cross River Government is looking forward to achieving Open Defecation-Free (ODF) status in all the 18 Local Government Areas of the State by 2023. The Director-General of Rural, Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWATSSA), Mr Ita Ikpeme, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar. Ikpeme, who was reacting to the recent celebration of Ikom and Yala Local Government Areas as ODF, said the state was currently number one in ODF in Nigeria. Read more
Woman, 75, detained for standing surety for son that jumped bail (Punch)
Neighbours and relations of an ailing 75-year-old woman, Elizabeth Otubambo, have expressed concerns as she is being held in prison custody since last month. Otubambo has been incarcerated at Ibara Prisons in Abeokuta, Ogun State, over an alleged offence committed by her son. The News Agency of Nigeria learnt in Abeokuta on Friday that Otumbabo has been held since February 15 for her inability to produce her only child, Destiny Otubambo, who is alleged to have jumped bail after his mother stood surety for him. Read more
Bayelsa mourns as literary icon, Okara, dies at 97 (Nation)
Bayelsa State has been thrown into mourning following the death of a prominent literary icon, Dr. Gabriel Imomotimi Okara. He died at 97. It was gathered Okara, who is from Boumadi, Bayelsa State, died at Federal Medical Center (FMC) in Yenagoa on Sunday evening. The legendary writer was said to be a lifelong Patron of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). A family member who pleaded spoke in confidence said Pa Okara was relaxing at his Yenagoa residence when he slumped at about 4pm on Sunday. Read more
Court again orders IBEDC to restore electricity to Ijesa land (Guardian)
An Ilesa High Court in Osun, again ordered the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to restore to restore electricity supply in Ijesaland, Osun State. Justice A. L. Adegoke, who gave the order on Monday, held that partial compliance with the order of the court would not be tolerated. NAN reports that on March 18, the court ordered the IBEDC, to restore public electricity supply in Ijesaland. Read more
Ebola epidemic in DR Congo now exceeds 1,000 cases (Guardian)
The number of cases in a nearly eight-month-old epidemic of Ebola in eastern DR Congo now exceeds 1,000, almost two-thirds of whom have died, the health ministry said late Sunday. “The accumulated number of cases is 1,009,” of which 629 cases were fatal, it said. The outbreak was first recorded in North Kivu province on August 1, and then spread to neighbouring Ituri province. Read more
Seven injured as Gaza rocket hits home in central Israel (BBC)
Seven people have been injured after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a house belonging to a British-Israeli family in central Israel. The rocket came down at 05:25 (03:25 GMT) in the community of Mishmeret, 20km (12 miles) north of Tel Aviv. This is the furthest a Palestinian rocket has reached in Israel since the 2014 conflict with militants in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short a trip to the US over the attack and vowed to respond with force. Read more
US will not ‘stand idly’ on Russian role in Venezuela: Pompeo (Guardian)
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Russia Monday the United States will not “stand idly by” as Moscow inserts military personnel into Venezuela to support the regime of President Nicolas Maduro. In a phone call with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Pompeo denounced the growing Russian military reinforcements as prolonging the political crisis in the South American country. Pompeo told Lavrov “the United States and regional countries will not stand idly by as Russia exacerbates tensions in Venezuela,” the State Department said in a statement. Read more
White House roasts critics over Mueller (BBC)
The White House has assailed President Donald Trump’s critics after he was cleared of Russian election collusion. Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told cable morning shows that Mr Trump is happy for the full report by special counsel Robert Mueller to be released. She said the summary of the findings issued by the attorney general amounted to a full vindication of the president. Mr Mueller’s long-awaited report, however, stops short of exonerating Mr Trump of obstruction of justice. It was the culmination of a nearly two-year investigation that saw some of the president’s closest former aides prosecuted and, in some cases, imprisoned, though not for collusion with Russia. Read more
Catholic school sex abuse case goes to trial in Spain (Punch)
A former gym teacher at a Catholic school accused of sexually assaulting students went on trial Monday in Barcelona, as a growing trickle of abuse allegations shakes the Church in Spain. The trial involves a school run by the Marist community, a Roman Catholic teaching order at the centre of a clerical abuse scandal in Chile. It comes at a time of sustained criticism of the Vatican’s response to a decades-long sexual abuse crisis. Joaquin Benitez, who taught for nearly three decades at a Marist school in Barcelona, wore a black ski mask as he arrived at a Barcelona court for the start of his three-day trial. Read more
Rich German family firm reveals Nazi slave past (BBC)
A German industrial dynasty with big stakes in various international brands has admitted brutality towards slave labourers during the Nazi reign. A partner in JAB Holding, Peter Harf, said the Reimann family was shocked by links to Nazi abuses, discovered by the Bild am Sonntag newspaper in archives. “[Albert] Reimann senior and Reimann junior were guilty… they belonged actually in prison,” said Mr Harf. The family will donate €10m (£8.6m) “to a suitable organisation”, he said. Read more
Harry Potter: Tonna fan bags memorabilia world record (BBC)
A Harry Potter superfan has managed to “Slytherin” to the record books after collecting thousands of pieces of memorabilia. Victoria Maclean, of Tonna, Neath Port Talbot, has 3,686 individual JK Rowling-related items. This earned her the Wizarding World Collection world record – which includes the Fantastic Beasts series. YouTuber Mrs Maclean, 38, said: “I screamed a lot – it was so incredible after all these months.” Read more
Arsenal hopeful Aaron Ramsey will be fit for Newcastle clash (Metro)
Arsenal are hopeful Aaron Ramsey will be available to play against Newcastle on Monday, reports say. The midfielder was forced to withdraw from international duty with Wales last week after picking up a thigh problem. Ramsey was set to feature for Wales against Slovakia, but returned to Arsenal when feeling pain in his left thigh. The Evening Standard claim that although Ramsey is yet to be assessed by Arsenal’s medical team, there is a confidence it is a minor injury. Read more
Cardiff to claim Sala transfer ‘null and void’: report (Guardian)
Cardiff are set to tell FIFA that the £15 million ($19.8m, 23m euros) deal they agreed to pay Nantes for Emiliano Sala became “null and void” after he died in a plane crash, a report said on Monday. The 28-year-old Argentine forward was killed when the small plane carrying him came down in the Channel on January 21, two days after he completed his transfer from the French Ligue 1 side. The Daily Telegraph said Sala signed a contract with Cardiff that was rejected by the Premier League and died before a revised one could be signed, adding that there is a dispute about whether he had agreed to sign a new deal. Read more
Caster Semenya: United Nations criticises ‘humiliating’ IAAF rule (BBC)
Plans to classify female athletes by their testosterone levels “contravene international human rights” says the United Nations Human Rights Council. Olympic 800m champion Semenya, 28, is challenging the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) over its bid to restrict levels of testosterone in female runners. The UN called the plans “unnecessary, humiliating and harmful”. The IAAF said the motion given to the UN contained “inaccurate statements”. Read more
Fabian Schar knocked unconscious: Uefa needs to investigate – brain charity Headway (BBC)
A brain injury charity wants Uefa to investigate why Fabian Schar was allowed to carry on playing for Switzerland after being knocked unconscious in a Euro 2020 qualifier. Schar collided with Georgia’s Jemal Tabidze and received emergency help. The incident occurred after 24 minutes and Newcastle United defender Schar went on to complete the game. Headway chief executive Peter McCabe said: “What is it going to take to make football take concussion seriously?” Read more