Car dealers, owners win as court slams N500m damage on Nigerian Customs (Sun)
The Federal High Court, Lagos, has ordered the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) to pay N500 million to the Registered Trustees of Auto Dealers in Lagos.
In an action instituted against the Nigerian Customs Services Board, Chairman, Nigerian Customs Services Board, and the Comptroller General, Nigerian Customs (as Defendants) in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/665/2021, Hon. Justice A. O. Awogboro, in her judgement delivered on December 27, 2023, directed the Defendants to pay to the Plaintiff the huge sum as general and aggravated damages for the arbitrary and unlawful invasion and sealing off of their business premises since September 30, 2019, and for the huge economic loss and depreciation in business fortunes of members of the plaintiff on account of the unlawful sealing off. Read more
Family panics as 2 children go missing in Lagos (Punch)
Two children, Amirat Adeniji and Kadijat have reportedly gone missing in the Ajegunle area of Lagos State with the family suspecting kidnap.
Amirat’s father, Rasheed Adeniji, who spoke with PUNCH Metro on Monday said the children went missing on New Year’s Eve at their residence at Mobil Road, Ajegunle-Apapa, Lagos.
He said the children were last seen by a yet-to-be-identified resident who learnt they were going to buy biscuits but were not seen afterwards. Read more
Brain Drain: Lagos to establish medical university – Sanwo-Olu (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Government will soon establish a medical university to boost the training of health professionals and address the problem of brain drain in the health sector.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu disclosed this at the inauguration of the Femi Gbajabiamila General Hospital on Tuesday in Surulere, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 80-bed facility was facilitated by the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila. Read more
Boko Haram kills 12, abducts 1 in Borno (DailyTrust)
Suspected Boko Haram terrorists in military uniform have killed 12 persons and abducted one in Gatamarwa and Tsiha communities in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State.
The latest attack came barely two weeks after the insurgents perpetrated a similar attack in Chibok, where they killed two persons and looted food stuff in some houses before settling them ablaze.
The Police Public Relations officer, Borno State command, ASP Nahum Daso Kenneth, confirmed the attack saying 12 corpses were recovered. Read more
Chinese Community makes donations to Bethesda Home, low-Income families (Guardian)
The Chinese Community in Nigeria has donated essential items to Bethesda Home for the Blind in Lagos and other low-income earners.
The items include: food items, toiletries and other household supplies.
They also extended their support to low-income families in Ikorodu as part of their ongoing commitment to helping those in need. Read more
IDPs: Restore indigenes to their ancestral homes, stakeholders tell Tinubu (Tribune)
In an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, Southern and Middle Belt leaders have called for the closure of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the north and for all the displaced persons restored to their ancestral homes to end what they termed the shameful policy of allowing invaders to occupy lands.
They have also prescribed the setting up of a security inquiry to determine the communities where original inhabitants had been displaced within the last two decades.
In the letter written under the aegis of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) titled: “Killings in the Middle Belt and threat to Nigeria’s continued corporate existence: the bucks stops with you,” they told the president that the people of Mangu, Bokkos, Barkin-Ladi Local Government areas of Plateau State, where over 200 innocent villagers were killed by terrorists on Christmas Eve were not able to share in the New Year joy he expressed to Nigerians. Read more
IYC renews call for relocation of IOCs’ headquarters to Niger Delta (Nation)
Umbrella body of Ijaw youths, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, has renewed its call for the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta where their business activities are carried out, contrary to what is currently in place.
The call is contained in a statement yesterday by the spokesman for the IYC, Amb. Binebai Princewill.
He, therefore, urged the multinational oil companies operating in the region to begin to activate plans to relocate their headquarters to the region, noting that the Ijaw could not continue to accept that kind of injustice where ‘‘Peter is robbed to pay Paul’’. Read more
Francophone countries benefit from fake certificates awarded to Nigerians – Ex-NUC Secretary (Channels)
A former Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Suleiman Ramon-Yusuf, has accused Francophone West African countries of benefitting from issuing dubious degrees to Nigerians.
Ramon-Yusuf, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, was reacting to the suspension of accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo by the Nigerian government.
The suspension, which came after a report detailing how a degree was acquired from a university in Benin Republic in under two months, was announced by the Federal Government on Tuesday. Read more
Aregbesola broke reconciliation pact, not Oyetola — Osun APC (Leadership)
The Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has launched a scathing attack on former governor Rauf Aregbesola, accusing him of reneging on a reconciliatory agreement brokered by President Bola Tinubu and party chieftain, Chief Bisi Akande.
Aregbesola recently claimed that his successor, Adegboyega Oyetola, reneged on a pact reached in August 2021 to give his faction one-third of government appointments in Oyetola’s second term. However, the APC chairman in the state, Tajudeen Lawal, vehemently denies this.
Lawal clarifies that the agreement Aregbesola references was not with the APC, but rather with the Adeleke dynasty, which ultimately won the 2022 governorship election. This explains, Lawal claims, why Aregbesola’s faction received one-third of appointments under the current administration led by Governor Ademola Adeleke. Read more
Lisa Rinna, 60, rings in the New Year with throwback nude selfie featuring nipple sparklers (People)
Lisa Rinna is baring it all!
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum, 60, left her baggage (and clothes) in 2023! “HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2024,” she captioned a super cheeky Instagram photo. “STARTING IT OFF FRESH.”
On Tuesday, Rinna shared a nude photo of herself standing in a mirror for a full-frontal selfie. Read more
Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus convicted in Bangladesh labour law case (VOA)
A court in Bangladesh on Monday sentenced Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to six months’ imprisonment for labour law violations, prosecutors said, a case his supporters have claimed is politically motivated.
Yunus, 83, and his Grameen Bank won the 2006 peace prize for their work to lift millions out of poverty by granting tiny loans of under $100 to the rural poor of Bangladesh, pioneering a global movement now known as microcredit.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, however, accused him of ‘sucking blood from the poor.’ His supporters say the government is attempting to discredit him because he once considered setting up a political party to rival Hasina’s Awami League. Read more
Sudan’s feared paramilitary leader signals ambition to rule the country (AlJazeera)
When Sudan’s civil war erupted in April between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group’s leader, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, went into hiding.
Many speculated he had been seriously wounded or was even dead until he appeared in a photo-op with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday.
The next day, Hemedti visited Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, ostensibly to discuss strategies to end Sudan’s conflict. He also passed through Ghana and Djibouti. Read more
Cardi B reveals she slept with Offset: ‘I need some d on New Year’s Eve’ (HipHopDx)
Cardi B has revealed she slept with her husband Offset on New Year’s Eve despite their recent breakup.
The estranged couple were seen partying together at a strip club in Miami to ring in the new year, sparking speculation that they were getting back together.
Cardi and Offset were both booked to perform at the same venue for New Year’s Eve, although their sets were held in different parts of the building. Read more
Russia bombards Ukraine’s largest cities after Putin vows intensified attacks (NBC)
Ukraine’s two largest cities were hit by a new wave of deadly Russian attacks Tuesday, after President Vladimir Putin began the New Year with a vow to intensify the most aggressive campaign of strikes since the war began almost two years ago.
The Russian assaults over the winter holiday period were likely to further strain Ukrainian defenses, which are already depleted and facing doubts about continued supplies of military aid from its Western allies.
Russia’s own border areas have faced shelling that the Kremlin blames on Ukraine, with Putin vowing revenge Monday for an unprecedented strike on the city of Belgorod. Read more
Kenya: Suspects in murder of athlete Benjamin Kiplagat appear in court (AfricaNews)
Two suspects arrested in connection with the killing of Ugandan Benjamin Kiplagat appeared in court in Western Kenya on Tuesday (Jan.02).
The two male were arraigned in Eldoret law courts for a miscellaneous application.
The court directed that both David Lokere and Peter Khalumi be held at Eldoret Central police station for 21 days as the police undertakes investigations. Read more
Post Office scandal victims now – 33 dead, 4 suicides, bankruptcy and pregnant mum jailed (Mirror)
Workers at the heart of the Post Office scandal featured on ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office have seen their lives deeply affected in the years since, from bankruptcy to imprisonment and justice still to be done.
It was branded the UK’s worst ever miscarriage of justice.
And now viewers have been gripped and appalled in equal measure by new ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which follows the harrowing story of the Post Office Scandal, and the real lives that were destroyed by it. Read more
With good preparation, Eagles will triumph at AFCON 2023 — Unuanel (CompleteSports)
Former Kwara United coach, Samson Unuanel, believes with good preparation the Super Eagles can surpass Nigeria’s expectation at the forthcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Recall that Nigeria is grouped alongside host Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in Group A.
The 34th edition of Africa’s biggest sports event will take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024, in Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Bouake, San Pedro, and Korhogo. Read more
Aston Villa reportedly have £9m bid accepted for star who scored scorpion kick (HitC)
Hellas Verona have reportedly accepted a near-£9 million bid from Aston Villa with Cyril Ngonge potentially set to join the Premier League’s dark horses this month.
Presuming that Cyriel Ngonge becomes an Aston Villa player – something which looks increasingly likely after Unai Emery’s side reached an agreement with his current employers – then you can expect to see this goal replayed pretty regularly over social media in the coming days or weeks.
Few players in European football would even attempt it, let alone pull it off. The scorpion kick stunner which put Groningen ahead in an Eredivisie clash against AZ Alkmaar in October 2021 – leaving his team-mates open mouthed and wide-eyed – certainly gave Olivier Giroud and Henrikh Mkhitaryan a run for their money. Read more
Nico Ali Walsh rejects talk of “money-grab” fights in crossover boxing (BoxingScene)
Middleweight contender Nico Ali Walsh, the grandson of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, is not looking to make money from the crossover boxing scene.
Last year, Ali Walsh (9-1, 5 KOs) suffered his first career defeat when he dropped a majority decision to Sona Akale.
Less than a month ago, he bounced back with a split decision win over Noel Lafargue at the Palais Du Peuple in Conakry, Guinea. Read more
Luke Humphries admits Luke Littler worry ahead of World Darts Championship final showdown (Express)
Luke Humphries one-upped forthcoming World Darts Championship final opponent Luke Littler by producing a mesmerising display to down Scott Williams in his semi-final, but ‘Cool Hand’ knows that Wednesday’s blockbuster meeting with the 16-year-old prodigy will be no walk in the park.
A spectacular night of Alexandra Palace darts action began with Littler taking on 2018 world champion Rob Cross. The teenager, who came into the tournament ranked outside the world’s top 150, dropped the first set to ‘Voltage’, who came racing out of the blocks.
But Littler weathered the storm and held his nerve, piecing together three consecutive sets to take control of the contest. Once the 2007-born sensation found a rhythm, he didn’t look back, storming to a 6-2 triumph while averaging more than 106. Read more
Dwayne Johnson makes return to WWE and teases WrestleMania 40 match with Roman Reigns (People)
Is it finally happening?
Dwayne Johnson returned to WWE on Monday night and left fans buzzing after he teased that a long-awaited dream match between him and Roman Reigns might finally happen this spring.
Professional wrestling fans have been waiting for years to see Johnson, 51, and Reigns, 38, square off in the ring — a dream matchup that would see the two Anoa’i wrestling family members come face-to-face for the first time. Read more
Jenni Hermoso appears in court to testify in World Cup kiss case (Independent)
Jenni Hermoso, the Spanish player kissed on the lips by Luis Rubiales at the Women’s World Cup final, has appeared in court to testify in the sexual assault case against the former president of the country’s football association.
Hermoso arrived at a Madrid court on Tuesday morning where the record scorer for Spain’s women’s team is expected to reiterate her allegations that the kiss was unwanted and Rubiales tried to pressure her to downplay the incident.
The kiss tarnished Spain’s victory over England in the Sydney final and sparked outrage across the world, leading to Rubalies eventually being banned from all football-related activity by Fifa for at least three years. Read more