Calling me Jubril from Sudan wasn’t a funny joke – Buhari (Vanguard)
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday night described the claim that he was dead and Jibril Aminu from Sudan’ occupying the presidential villa in Aso Rock, as a joke that was not funny.
President Buhari stated this in a documentary at a private dinner organised by his family and very closed associates, to celebrate his 80th birthday tagged “Celebrating A Patriot, a Leader, an Elder Statesman”.
The documentary, produced and directed by US based filmmaker Ose Oyemadan, showcased the President’s early life, school days, military career, rise as Head of State in 1984, coup and imprisonment, release, PTF days and return to democracy where he contested elections in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 when he won and his re-election in 2019.
The narrative was driven by the President and supported with deep and authoritative insights by his nephew, Mamman Daura, classmate, Senator Abba Ali, close family members, friends, aides and political associates, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, FCT Minister of State, Ramatu Aliyu, spokesman, Femi Adesina, former running mate in CPC, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Special Envoy to Chad, Amb. Babagana kingibe, State Chief of Protocol, Lawal Kazaure, SGF, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gamvari and the publisher/biographer, John Paden. Read more
Troops neutralise 26 suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Borno (Guardian)
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) in the North East have killed 26 suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Ngwom community of Mafa Local Council in Borno State.
The terrorists were neutralised while crossing the Maiduguri-Dikwa Road on 20 motorcycles into Sambisa Forest.
A counter-insurgency expert, in the Lake Chad Region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed, yesterday, in Maiduguri that: “The troops achieved the feat while acting on credible intelligence,” adding that the terrorists were moving in the Mafa axis to attack a military post along the road.
Makama said the troops swiftly acted in collaboration with the Civilian JTF and laid an ambush against the terrorists and neutralised about 26 of them. Read more
NIGCOMSAT gets new managing director (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Tukur Mohammed Lawal Funtua, an engineer, as the new Managing Director of Nigeria Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT),
The appointment, which takes immediate effect, followed the retirement of the erstwhile Managing Director, Dr. Abimbola Alale.
A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Uwa Suleiman, noted that Funtua, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, Post-Graduate Diploma in Management GDM, Masters Degree in Business Adminstration (MBA), a professional Diploma in Education and a PhD in Environmental and Sustainable Development Management in view, at the University of Port Harcourt.
Born on November 24, 1966, Funtua is an indigene of Funtua Local Council of Katsina State, North-West Nigeria.
He was before his appointment, Director, Health Community Affairs, Safety and Environment with BUA, and other appointments. Read more
ADC promises women, youths, PWDs inclusive govt in Lagos (Vanguard)
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has assured women, youths and people living with disabilities, PWDs, that they were integral to the coming 2023 election in Lagos State, as the incoming ADC government will be an inclusive one.
Mabel Oboh, African Democratic Congress, ADC, National Diversity and Inclusion Director, made the party’s stance known during the official visit of Lagos Mothers for Good Governance to the ADC deputy governorship candidate, Rosemary Giwa-Amu, and other executives of the party yesterday in Ikeja, Lagos.
According to Oboh, who is also the National Representative in ADC Lagos 2023 Campaign Committee, the inclusion of women, youths and PWDs in the election and subsequent governance structure in 2023 take centre stage in ADC’s agenda in the interest of Lagosians and Nigerians.
“We back our talk with action. ADC remains the only political party with the highest number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and women as candidates in the country,” she stated. Read more
Hartleys Supermarket expands footprint in Lagos (Nation)
Popular supermarket chain, Hartleys Supermarket and Stores Limited has unveiled its newest store in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos.
This move is in line with its footprint expansion, as the mall’s newest offering is its biggest store yet.
The new location’s product assortment features an array of unique and affordable grocery and household items, including butchery, fresh produce, wines and spirits, dell, confectionery, bakery, personal care, household products and convenience services.
Speaking at the launch, the Founder and Group Managing Director of Primera Africa GroupLimited (Hartleys’ Parent Company), Mr. Boye R. Olawoye, said the newest store is aimed at expanding the supermarket’s reach to its customers and further strengthening its presence in the market. Read more
IGP redeploys ex-FPRO Mba, 6 other CPs (Punch)
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has ordered the posting of seven Commissioners of Police to various Commands and Formations across the country, The PUNCH reports.
The posting is predicated on the recent completion of the Senior Executive Course 44 at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies wherein senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force featured.
According to a Friday statement by the NPF spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the newly posted CPs include Sadiq Abubakar, to CP, FCT; Frank Mba, to CP Border Patrol Force, Force Headquarters; Arungwa Udo, to CP DFA Force Intelligence Bureau, Force Headquarters; Bardaru Lawal, to CP General Investigations, Force Criminal Investigations Department Annex, Kaduna; Suleiman Yusuf, to CP Admin, Research and Planning, Force Headquarters; Ebong Ebong, to CP Admin DFA, Force Headquarters; and Babaji Sunday to Commandant, Police College Maiduguri. Read more
37 victims of Kaura, Kaduna attack buried amidst tears (Channels)
It was a sad day in Malagum and Sokwong communities, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Friday as hundreds of villagers gathered to bury victims of an attack in the area earlier in the week.
They were killed on Sunday by a suspected militia group.
The arrival of the truck carrying the victim’s caskets triggered an outpour of emotions as relatives and friends wept helplessly. Children, aged men, and women as well as youth, were among those whose lives were cut off in their prime by the attackers.
Hundreds of people who gathered for the funeral service including relations, religious leaders, and politicians called on the government and security agencies to stop the attacks before they are completely wiped out. Read more
Yuletide Season: NEMA, FRSC others sensitise road users on safety (Independent)
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Benin operation office, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), on Saturday flagged off accident-free Christmas sensitization campaign across the Benin-Lagos and other critical roads in Edo state.
Addressing journalists, Edo State Head of NEMA Operations, Mr. Dahiru Yusuf, said the exercise is an annual event aimed at educating, sensitizing and creating awareness on motorists and the general public against harmful practices on the road.
According to him, the exercise titled “Operation Eagle Eye” was intended to rally support from critical stakeholders to support the FRSC in curbing road accidents, loss of lives and property during and after the Yuletide season.
“We always carry out this awareness and sensitization campaign during the Yuletide and new year to let motorists and other road users know why they should obey traffic rules”. Read more
Bethlehem sees Christmas tourism boost after two-year Covid hiatus (BBC)
Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to gather in Bethlehem for a Christmas procession, after the town’s economy was badly hit by lockdowns.
Two years of muted celebrations have given way to bustling streets, but numbers have not matched 2019’s record.
Palestinian Christians and pilgrims will later attend midnight Mass at the 4th-Century Nativity Church.
Festivities follow a deadly escalation of violence in the occupied West Bank and Israel.
Scout bands playing bagpipes and drummers escorting church leaders entered Manger Square after making their way from Jerusalem, ahead of midnight Mass at the nearby Church of the Nativity – which is built on the site where Jesus Christ is believed to have been born. Read more
Sugababes give fans early Christmas present with long-awaited new album release (BelfastTelegraph)
Sugababes have treated fans to an early Christmas present by dropping a new album which they have been waiting almost eight years to release.
The trio, who made up the group’s original line-up between 1998 and 2001 of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy, lost the right to record and perform under the name following a number of radical line-up changes.
After briefly reforming under the moniker MKS around 2013, they regained the right to use the Sugababes name in 2019.
Following a successful comeback year which has seen them embark on a UK tour and perform a packed-out set at Glastonbury, the girl group have released The Lost Tapes to thank those who have supported their journey. Read more
Pussy Riot release Ukraine war protest song and call for Putin to be tried (Standard)
Russian punk band Pussy Riot have released a new song in protest over the war in Ukraine and have called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to be tried for his actions.
In a statement released alongside the track, titled Mama, Don’t Watch TV, they describe Putin’s government as a “terrorist regime” and the president, his officials, generals and propagandists as “war criminals”.
The collective wrote in the statement: “This song is our statement against the war that Putin started in Ukraine.
“On 24th February 2022 Russia began a wide scale military attack on Ukraine. Read more
Glass Onion fans joke film will be ‘banned’ from Twitter over Elon Musk ‘parody’ (Metro)
Glass Onion fans are totally convinced Edward Norton’s character is a ‘parody’ of Elon Musk – and have joked about discussing the Netflix film on Twitter.
The Knives Out sequel sees Daniel Craig reprise his role as detective Benoit Blanc as he travels to Greece to solve a murder mystery on billionaire Miles Bron’s (Norton) exclusive island.
The sleuthing comes ahead of the eccentric entrepreneur’s ostentatious launch of a carbon-neutral fuel named Klear although there are massive question marks surrounding the safety of the substance.
The all-star cast also includes Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn and Leslie Odom Jr and is directed by Star Wars: The Last Jedi filmmaker Rian Johnson. Read more
John Cena and Jason Momoa team up for new movie after Fast X meeting (DigitalSpy)
John Cena and Jason Momoa will team up for a new movie following their meeting in the upcoming Fast X.
According to Variety, the pair have signed up for action-comedy Killer Vacation, which has been compared to James Cameron’s True Lies by those close to the project.
The “fun” and “splashy” adventure will be written by Mark and Brian Gunn, the cousin and brother of DC Studios chief, James Gunn. No director is attached to Killer Vacation, and the plot details are currently under wraps.
Cena and Momoa became acquainted on the set of Fast X, the tenth main instalment in the Fast & Furious franchise, and reportedly wanted a new project to showcase their “natural chemistry.” Read more
Jamie Lee Curtis says “nepo babies” discourse is designed to diminish and denigrate and hurt (NME)
Jamie Lee Curtis has given her opinion on the current conversation surrounding “nepo babies” in the entertainment world.
The dialogue around nepotism erupted after a Vulture article titled ‘The Nepotism Babies of Hollywood’ was published, which got the Internet thinking about just how many high profile figures in the entertainment world have famous parents, and whether that gave them an unfair leg-up in the industry.
Now, Jamie Lee Curtis has shared her thoughts on the matter. She commented on the discourse in a lengthy Instagram post, acknowledging herself as an “OG nepo baby” as both of her parents, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, were actors themselves. Read more
At least 22 killed in fire at Russian home for elderly (AlJazeera)
A fire has ripped through a care home for the elderly in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, killing at least 22 people, Russian emergency services said.
The blaze gutted the entire second floor of the building, which was not officially registered as a home for the elderly, Russian news agency RIA Novosti and fire safety officials said on Saturday.
It broke out on Friday in the two-storey wooden building in Kemerovo, about 3,000 kilometres (1,900 miles) east of the capital, Moscow. The blaze was brought under control a few hours later.
The cause of the fire was not immediately determined, according to the Tass news agency, but the building was heated by stoves. Read more
Rashford signs new Manchester United deal (Guardian)
Manchester United attacker Marcus Rashford has signed a contract extension keeping him at the club until 2024, the English outfit announced on Saturday.
The new contract on a reported £250,000-a-week plus bonuses, makes him the highest-paid English player in the Premier League, according to the Independent newspaper.
The 25-year-old agreed a new deal alongside Diogo Dalot, Fred and Luke Shaw with the four players’ current contract up at the end of the season.
The England forward came through United’s academy and was part of his country’s squad that reached this month’s World Cup quarter-finals.
“We want to develop, we want to support those players and we want them to keep in our process,” United coach Erik Ten Hag said. Read more
AFCON: Nigeria to battle host nation Egypt, Senegal, Mozambique (Punch)
Super Seven-time champions Nigeria will square up to host nation Egypt, Senegal and Mozambique in the group stage of the 2023 Africa U20 Cup of Nations finals scheduled for Egypt, February 19 – March 11. The four teams are in Group A.
The draw held in Cairo on Friday evening also placed Uganda, Central African Republic, South Sudan and Congo in Group B, while The Gambia, Tunisia, Benin Republic and Zambia will slot it out in Group C.
It is the first time that the Africa U20 Cup of Nations will witness 12 teams, with the four top teams in Egypt qualifying to represent Africa at the FIFA U20 World Cup finals already slated for May 20 – June 11 in Indonesia. You
From the result of the draw, the Flying Eagles, who qualified as champions of WAFU B zone, will play their first match of the tournament against Senegal, who emerged from WAFU A zone. Read more
Hatate and Furuhashi doubles ease Celtic to victory over St Johnstone (Guardian)
Reo Hatate scored a double from right-back as Celtic consolidated top spot in the Scottish Premiership with a 4-1 victory over St Johnstone. Kyogo Furuhashi also netted twice as the Hoops restored their nine-point lead over Rangers at the summit.
Drey Wright pulled one back but Celtic went into Christmas with a 19-goal advantage over their city rivals.
VAR had a major say on proceedings with goals for each side given following interventions and the Celtic substitute David Turnbull was sent off in stoppage time after the referee Kevin Clancy went to his monitor to take another look at his challenge on the goalkeeper Remi Matthews.
Clancy upgraded his initial yellow card to a red, meaning the midfielder will be suspended for games against Hibernian and Rangers. Read more
Gemma Bonner: Liverpool re-sign WSL-winning captain (BBC)
Liverpool have re-signed defender Gemma Bonner, who captained the side to two Women’s Super League titles in her first spell at the club.
The 31-year-old, capped 11 times by England, will join the Reds from US side Racing Louisville, subject to international clearance and approvals.
Bonner spent six years at Liverpool before joining Manchester City in 2018.
“It’s a pretty special moment for me. I still pinch myself when I’m coming into Anfield,” said Bonner. Read more
McLaren CEO Zak Brown responds when asked if team fear losing Lando Norris to Red Bull (Express)
Zak Brown believes McLaren can build a car capable of keeping Lando Norris from the clutches of Formula 1’s superpowers in the long term. Norris, 23, is contracted to the Woking-based team until 2025 after penning a new deal earlier this year, but his talents have not gone unnoticed by the prying eyes of rival outfits.
Rumours of a move have been revived following Andreas Seidl’s departure as McLaren team principal to join Sauber, which will rebrand as Audi for the 2026 campaign. Norris has admitted he held talks with Red Bull prior to signing his latest contract, putting his current employers on alert as they look to retain one of F1’s greatest prospects.
However, McLaren chief executive Brown has rejected the notion there’s any concern about losing their prized gem to a competitor. Moreover, the American businessman is confident he and Norris are aligned over their vision for the future following a season in which he mustered just one podium finish.
“No, because I’m convinced we’re going to give him a winning car,” replied the McLaren boss when asked if he was worried about Norris being poached. “We have a long-term contract with him. I think he feels very comfortable within the team. Read more
Italian police investigating Camila Giorgi over allegedly fake vaccination papers (Tennis365)
Italian WTA Tour professional Camila Giorgi is reportedly under investigation for allegedly obtaining fake documents to prove vaccination against COVID-19.
Giorgi comes under suspicion as part of a wider investigation into the activities of an alleged ‘anti-vax’ doctor practising in Italy.
According to a report from La Repubblica, Giorgi has been accused of obtaining a fake vaccination certificate, without getting the vaccine against coronavirus, from a doctor who is against the idea of vaccinations and wilfully provided multiple counterfeit certificates.
The doctor’s client list reads as something of a who’s who of Italian celebrities and public figures, including the singer Madame. Read more