CBN: No expiry date for old naira notes (NewTelegraph)
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reiterated that all versions of the naira, including the old and new designs of the N1000, N500, and N200 notes, as well as the commemorative and previous designs of the N100 note, remain valid legal tender and will continue to be legal tender indefinitely.
In a statement released on Friday, the Acting Director of Corporate Communications at the apex bank, Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali, debunked widespread claims of a December 31, 2024, deadline for using old banknotes, describing them as “misinformation”.
The CBN emphasised that this clarification is in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling of November 29, 2023, which permits the indefinite concurrent circulation of all versions of these denominations. Read more
Appeal Court reverses judgement stopping release of Rivers’ allocations (Nation)
The Appeal Court in Abuja has set aside all orders made by a Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant General of the Federation (AG-F) from further releasing financial allocations to the Rivers state government pending when a lawful appropriation act is passed by a validly constituted State House of Assembly.
In a judgment on Friday, a three- member panel, led by Justice Hamman Barka, held that the subject matter of the case was not within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court because it related to the revenue of a state.
The Court of Appeal held that the appeal, filed by the Rivers State Government against the October 30 judgment by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, was meritorious. Read more
Lagos diverts traffic for BMW’s outdoor show (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Government has announced a road closure on Akin Adesola’s Street, Victoria Island for the Bavarian Motor Works outdoor show (BMW’s AUTOFEST), scheduled to hold on Dec. 15.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, said this in a statement on Friday in Lagos.
Osiyemi noted that the diversion would start at noon and end at 7.00 p.m. Read more
Father of 7-year-old found dead in Anambra uncompleted building arrested (Punch)
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested one Alfred Bassey, 40, over the sudden death of his seven-year-old son at a construction site along the Trans-Nkisi Layout, in the Onitsha part of the state.
A statement on Friday by the command’s spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, said police operatives attached to the 3-3 Divisional Headquarters arrested the suspect the same day at about 9.30 am.
Ikenga said the boy’s lifeless body was found in a soakaway pit dug in the abandoned uncompleted building on December 11, 2024, after the suspect had left the child for an unknown destination. Read more
Your passport doesn’t specify ethnicity — Buhari’s ex-aide chides Nigerians supporting Badenoch (Tribune)
Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has criticised the United Kingdom’s Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, for her recent remarks about Northern Nigeria.
Tribune Online reports that Badenoch, who faced criticism from Vice President Kashim Shettima over her denigrating comments about Nigeria, stated that she identifies as Yoruba and disassociates herself from Northern Nigeria.
Badenoch described Northern Nigeria as a hub for Islamism and Boko Haram. She expressed frustration at being labelled as Nigerian, emphasising that she feels little connection to the country. Read more
Lagos Passionate Lions Club celebrates the elderly (Independent)
Lagos Passionate Lions Club under District 404B2 of the international association of Lions Club paid a visit to Old People’s Home Yaba, Lagos on the 11th of December as part of their monthly humanitarian services.
The outreach, which was welcomed by the residents and caregivers of the home, received them with open arms as members from the Lions club had a brief interactive session with them.
At the event, president of Lagos Passionate Lions Club, Lion Menwa Okeke, spoke on the importance of visiting the elderly from time to time, “the elderly are important people in our nation. Nowadays, the attention given to the care of the aged is largely unimpressive… Read more
Insecurity: We’re ready for State Police – Governors (Leadership)
Governors of the 36 states of the federation have declared their readiness to establish state police to curb the security challenges they face in their states.
This was disclosed yesterday by Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani during an interaction with State House correspondents after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He disclosed that the NEC had postponed the final decision on establishing state police in the country until January 2025. Read more
Bauchi SSG resigns (DailyTrust)
The Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Muhammad Abdulkadir, has approved the resignation of the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Ibrahim Muhamamd Kashim.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Mukhtar M. Gidado, indicated that the resignation was with immediate effect. Read more
Paula Abdul and Nigel Lythgoe settle sexual assault lawsuit (FilmNews)
Paula Abdul and Nigel Lythgoe have settled a sexual assault lawsuit a year after it began.
In December 2023, Abdul filed a lawsuit against Lythgoe accusing him of sexual assault when they worked together on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance – allegations he furiously denied.
The pair worked on both shows with Abdul acting as a judge and Lythgoe working as a producer or executive producer. Read more
Sydney Sweeney claps back at online trolls with intense training montage for boxer biopic (EW)
Leave Sydney Sweeney alone! Or else she might have to take care of you herself.
The Euphoria and Anyone But You actress swung hard on her haters in a video posted to Instagram on Friday that begins by showcasing a slew of nasty comments about her appearance. Comments like “quite frumpy” and “she has a horrible body” flash across the screen, set to the Bloodstone song “Natural High.” Then the video abruptly switches to an intense training montage, showing Sweeney lifting weights, boxing, and flipping gigantic tires, set to Joey Valence and Brae’s “OK.”
Check this out,” the duo rap, “I look good.” Read more
Jude Law announces his mother’s death after rescheduling Hollywood star honour (Mirror)
British Actor Jude Law’s mother died just after he found out that he was to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The 51-year-old actor had to push back his unveiling ceremony on the Los Angeles tourist spot because his mum Maggie had passed away, but noted that the honour served as a “final gift” from her amid his grief. He told People: “It’s been actually quite a long process because I found out and was originally going to have the service a couple of weeks back.
“And actually, I lost my mum. So we had to delay it. But in a very odd way as a kind of final gift, it meant that a few more of my family could actually be here. So honestly, the whole event has been quite an emotional experience, and obviously just a very personal occasion and really touching.” Read more
Jim Carrey is open to returning for a Mask sequel: “It has to be the right idea” (THR)
Jim Carrey could potentially be seen in the iconic green mask once again.
The actor recently revealed to Comicbook.com that he would be open to reprising his role in a sequel to his 1994 comedy The Mask.
“Oh gosh, you know, it has to be the right idea,” Carrey confessed. “If somebody had the right idea, I guess… It’s not really about the money. I joke about the money… But I never know. You can’t be definite about these things. I said I’d like to retire, but I think I was talking more about power-resting. Because as soon as a good idea comes your way, or a group of people that you really enjoyed working with and stuff, it just — things tend to change.” Read more
Nancy Pelosi hospitalised after sustaining injury on Luxembourg trip (Guardian)
Nancy Pelosi, the former speaker of the US House of Representatives, suffered an injury on a trip to Luxembourg and has been admitted to a hospital for evaluation, her office said in a statement on Friday.
Pelosi, 84, is the first woman to serve as speaker of the House and had also been a longtime leader of the House Democratic caucus.
“While traveling with a bipartisan congressional delegation in Luxembourg to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi sustained an injury during an official engagement and was admitted to the hospital for evaluation,” a Pelosi spokesperson, Ian Krager, said in a statement. Read more
Ice Cube’s mind stays on music with other endeavours from BIG3 to NFL partnership keeping him busy (ABC)
Ice Cube could have chased trends to keep up with today’s rap game for his latest release, but instead, he stayed loyal to the gritty West Coast gangsta sound that’s been his signature since his early N.W.A. days and flourishing solo career.
Ice Cube stuck to his streetwise storytelling roots while inserting some West Coast rap party vibes on his 11th studio album “Man Down,” which was released on the same day as Kendrick Lamar’s surprise project late last month. Ice Cube’s new album cracked the top 10 of Billboard’s top rap albums chart — his first time in 14 years — debuting at No. 8.
The rap icon made “Man Down” to satisfy his loyal listeners. He’s known for churning out classic hip-hop jams such as “It Was a Good Day,” “Check Yo Self,” “No Vaseline” and “Steady Mobbin.” Read more
Man who murdered new girlfriend’s toddler then pushed dead body in buggy while shopping jailed (Independent)
A man who murdered his new girlfriend’s toddler and hid her body in a pushchair while out shopping has been jailed for life.
Scott Jeff, 24, will will serve a minimum of 26 years in prison after subjecting two-year-old Isabella Wheildon to a “regime of escalating brutality” before she was found dead in a bathroom on 30 June 2023.
It is believed she died four days earlier and her mother, Chelsea Gleason-Mitchell, also 24, and then-partner Jeff had continued to wheel her body around in a pushchair, with the pair seen joking at the shops while pushing the buggy. Read more
‘It’s my best season’ — Iwobi relishes working under Silva (CompleteSports)
Alex Iwobi has said he is enjoying life under Fulham manager, Marco Silva, reports Completesports.com.
Iwobi has scored five times in 15 league appearances for the Cottagers this season.
The Nigeria international is currently Fulham’s joint-top scorer this season.The 28-year-old has already matches his best tally from the last campaign. Read more
Enugu agog for Judith Chime female soccer tourney (Nation)
Some 20 female soccer teams aged between 12 and 16 years, are set to vie for honours at the Judith Chime female soccer championship holding in Enugu from 15-26 December 2024.
The female soccer classics enjoys the co-sponsorship of the College of Immaculate Conception Enugu (CIC) Class of 81 Old Boys Association.
Speaking with the media recently while announcing the championship, Judith Chime, the former Super Falcons’ goalkeeper and Olympian, said the sports event will hold at Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium with some games at the CIC Enugu Multi Sports complex with much promises to light up the yuletide period. Read more
Intercontinental Cup: Injured Kylian Mbappé in Real Madrid’s squad (ESPN)
Kylian Mbappé will miss one Spanish league game with a leg injury but Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti hopes his striker will recover in time to play the Intercontinental Cup final next week.
Ancelotti said Friday that the left-thigh injury that Mbappé sustained this week will rule him out of Saturday’s La Liga match at Rayo Vallecano.
But the Italian coach said that Mbappé will travel with the rest of his teammates to Qatar for the Intercontinental Cup final on Dec. 18, when Madrid will face either Pachuca or Al Ahly. Read more
Aussie football club raided by police after alleged match-fixing (DailyMail)
A semi-professional football club who compete in Victoria’s highest level under the A-League faces an uncertain future following allegations of match-fixing.
Police also charged a prominent club official from Dandenong Thunder with drug offences.
The bombshell development comes after a trio of A-League stars were arrested earlier this year after alleged “spot fixing” in fixtures involving Macarthur FC. Read more
Iga Swiatek opens up on failed drug test and insists Simona Halep case is different (Tennis365)
Iga Swiatek has given her most detailed interview on her failed drug test, as she admitted there was ‘a lot of crying’ after she received an email confirming the news.
The five-time Grand Slam champion was ranked world No 1 when she provided a sample containing the angina medication trimetazidine in an out-of-competition test on August 12.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Swiatek’s explanation that the failed test was caused by contamination of the regulated non-prescription medication melatonin, manufactured and sold in Poland, which Swiatek took for jet lag and sleep issues. Read more
Hendricks hundred leads South Africa to T20 series win over Pakistan (JapanToday)
South Africa won a bilateral Twenty20 series for the first time in more than two years when it chased down Pakistan’s 206 on Friday.
Opener Reeza Hendricks’ maiden T20 century, 117 off 63 balls, drove the Proteas to 210-3 with three balls to spare.Pakistan’s 206-5 was braced by an equally brilliant unbeaten 98 off 57 by opener Saim Ayub, who was desperately unlucky not to notch his maiden T20 century. He was stranded, unable to face the last nine balls of the innings. Read more