Church member organises pastor’s kidnap (Vanguard)
A 59-year-old suspected kidnapper, Ayo Samuel, has confessed that a church member of a Deeper Life Pastor, one Dayo, organised his pastor’s abduction in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Recall that Pastor Otamayomi Ogedengbe was abducted at Irese in Ifedore council area of the state in May this year.
The suspect, Ayo Samuel told newsmen in Akure that he was part of the kidnapping gang that abducted the Deeper Life Pastor.
Pastor Ogedengbe spent some days in the the kidnappers den before he was rescued after his family and church paid ransom to the kidnappers
The suspect said that Dayo informed the gang members that the Pastor had money and has the capacity to pay ransom if abducted.
‘We were 5’
He said that members of the gang were five in number and that they took their victim to Ekiti State, where they kept him until the ransom demanded from his family was paid.
“I don’t know the name of the street, but I know the house. It belongs to Bunmi’s father. Read more
Railway police command CP moves to eject 200 families from Lagos barracks Monday (Punch)
About 200 families of serving and retired policemen living in five barracks under the Railway Police Command in Lagos are on the verge of being forcefully evicted from their apartments on Monday.
City Round learnt that a notice to quit on the order of the Commissioner of Police, Railway Police Command, Oyediran Oyeyemi, had been served on the occupants of the barracks on October 29, 2021, directing them to vacate the place within a month or risk forceful eviction.
A copy of the notice, with Ref No: CH: 7970/RPH/PROV/VT/134, tagged ‘Final Quit Notice’ and signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Finance and Administration, Railway Police Command Headquarters, Lagos, DCP Lawal Ayodeji, was obtained by our correspondent.
It read, “It has come to the notice of the Commissioner of Police Railway Police Command Headquarters that despite the fact that you are not serving in Railway Police Command, you are occupying the apartments at Woodward, Jebba, Botanical Garden, Woodwish, (and) Jericho Railway Barracks, thereby depriving our personnel accommodation which mainly for Railway Command personnel (sic). Read more
Foundation to Fete 2,500 disadvantaged children in Lagos communities (Guardian)
Committed to providing basic dietary and welfare needs to underprivileged children in Lagos, a non-profit organisation, Opening Hearts Foundation – an initiative of Kadine’s Soup Pot is set to impact on about to 2,500 kids across eight locations in the state this December.
The foundation has since 2018 through its outreach programmes celebrate children during festive periods – Christmas, Easter and in times of crisis.
Nigerian Cuisine chef and founder Opening Hearts foundation, MaryJane Ogugua-Verwey, “We are a platform where people voluntarily express their care for children in need. This is an activity we have been running from our home for the past 17 interventions. We started with 500 children on December 25th, 2018 and since then with my passion, ambition and mission we continued relentlessly even through the COVID days, just to ensure we can reach a child in these areas.”
This time around we feel we have come of age for our 18th intervention within the space of three years. But with that comes responsibility and expansion so we are aiming to reach 2500 Children with food, drinks and medical aid in eight locations within Lagos State. Read more
Reactions trail court’s declaration of bandits as terrorists (DailyTrust)
The federal government Friday said it will use the opportunity of declaration of bandits as terrorists to “crush banditry” in the country.
Reacting to a court order issued by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, the government through the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said with the court’s declaration, the government had taken a bold step to deal ruthlessly with all terrorist groups and their sponsors in an effort to bring lasting solutions to the myriad of security challenges in the country.
Jailbreak: 371 kidnappers escape Nigerian prisons in 6 months
Mixed reactions as NFF moves to hire another foreign coach for Super Eagles
But experts and analysts spoken to Friday expressed low impression of the action taken, saying it would change little or nothing in the effort to contain the violence. Some of them expressed fears that lack of clarity in defining the bandits and identification of arrowheads may breed confusion and escalate ethnic profiling.
Justice Taiwo gave the nod for the government’s quest to declare the rampaging gunmen as terrorists while ruling on an ex parte motion filed by the federal government against the activities of what the government called “Yan Bindiga and Yan Ta’adda” bandits’ groups.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mohammed Abubakar, who filed the motion ex-parte, said President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for the proscription of the two groups and other terrorist groups in the country. Read more
Coronation: Ooni of Ife urges Yorubas to be proud of their culture (Vanguard)
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Saturday appealed to the people of Yoruba land to be proud of their culture wherever they are living.
Oba Ogunwusi made the appeal during the 1st coronation anniversary of Oore of Otun-Ekiti, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo, held in Otun-Ekiti.
He said the Yoruba race should not allow civilisation and western way of life to erode the rich culture they inherited from their forefathers.
He congratulated the Oore of Otun for witnessing his first coronation anniversary and prayed that his reign would bring tremendous development to the people of Otun and Moba land. Read more
He took 3 other wives after starving me, made sleeping roster for them —Wife (Tribune)
A couple, Tunde Ogunniyi and Dasola Ogunniyi recently appeared before Ile Tuntun Customary Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State where Tunde had dragged his wife on allegation of unreliability.
He explained that he had stopped trusting his wife a long time ago because she was a liar.
Tunde also stated that he feared Dasola would kill him if he continued to stay with her in their marriage because she was adulterous.
The plaintiff further said that any time he and Dasola had a misunderstanding, she would rain curses on him and threatened to kill him. Read more
Principal, VP, 3 teachers kidnapped in Ondo (Sun)
The Principal of August Community High School in Auga-Akoko, Ondo State Mr Joshua Adeyemi has been kidnapped by gunmen. Adeyemi was kidnapped alongside his deputy, Mr Ifedayo Yesufu and three other teachers of the school. The victims were reportedly abducted while travelling in a Toyota car along Auga-Ise-Akoko road in Akoko East Local Government Area of the state. Their abduction has since thrown the people of the area into panic.
It was learnt that the local vigilantes and operatives of Operation Amotekun are already on the trail of the victims and their captives.
The incident was said to have caused apprehension in the town as many were worried on how the teachers could be kidnapped cheaply.
The state branch of the Western Nigeria Security Network otherwise known as Operation Amotekun confirmed the incident and assured that the suspected kidnappers would be apprehended. Read more
Murdered OAU Student: Case transferred to Police Headquarters Abuja (Nation)
The Police headquarters, Abuja, has taken over the investigation of the death of Mr. Timothy Adegoke, a Master of Business Administration student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, The Nation learnt yesterday. Adegoke was allegedly killed at Hilton Hotels and Resorts, Ile Ife, Osun State.
The Chairman of the hotel, Dr. Ramon Adedoyin and six suspects said to be workers in the hotel are being interrogated on the circumstances surrounding Adegoke’s death.
Highly placed police sources told The Nation in Osogbo that the state police command which had been handling the case received a directive from Abuja to transfer the matter there.
“We will transfer all the suspects arrested in connection with the crime to Abuja any moment from now,” one of the sources said. Read more
Petrol subsidy: FG to continue bridging cost payment (Vanguard)
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr Farouk Ahmed has disclosed that the Federal Government will continue to pay the cost of bridging petrol to ensure its availability across the country.
Ahmed in a statement at the weekend explained that the Authority will also offset all the bridging verified claims by all the stakeholders in the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) in the country.
He assured petroleum tanker drivers and other stakeholders that the Authority was determined to continue the payment of bridging rate to ensure effective distribution of products nationwide.
The CEO also revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has stopped charging in dollars for their shipping services. Read more
Broadway stars and more pay tribute to the legendary Stephen Sondheim (NYPost)
“Not a day goes by” where Broadway stars won’t miss Stephen Sondheim.
The theater icon died on Friday at the age of 91.
The composer and lyricist’s acclaimed and eclectic career transcended the Broadway stage and made it onto the film screen. Sondheim was best known for legendary productions like “West Side Story” (1957), “Company” (1970), “Sweeney Todd” (1979) and “Into the Woods” (1987).
Many Broadway stars and other celebs flooded social media with tributes for the late legend on Friday.
“Miss Saigon” star Lea Salonga wrote, “Rest In Peace, Stephen Sondheim, and thank you for your vast contributions to musical theater. We shall be singing your songs forever. Oh, my heart hurts …” Read more
Kurdish woman, 24, who wanted to live with husband-to-be in UK becomes first named Channel victim (Independent)
A young woman who was trying to join her fiance in the UK has become the first victim of the mass drowning in the Channel to be identified.
Maryam Nuri Hamdamin, who went by the nickname Baran, was a 24-year-old Kurdish student from northern Iraq.
Her relative Krmanj Ezzat Dargali confirmed her identity to the BBC and The Times.
He paid tribute to Maryam on Facebook by posting a photo of her at what appears to be her engagement party, and describing her in a poem as a “beautiful angel” who was a “romantic”. Read more
Solomon Islands unrest: 3 bodies found in burnt-out building (Guardian)
The bodies of three people have been discovered in a burnt-out building in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara, the first reported deaths after days of rioting.
The charred bodies were discovered in a store in the Chinatown district of Honiara, police said on Saturday.
A security guard, Eddie Soa, said the bodies had been found on Friday night in the OK Mart in Honiara’s Chinatown on Friday night.
“Three of them were in the same room with a cash box and money on the floor,” he said. Read more
Jon Gosselin hospitalized after being bitten by venomous spider while asleep (PageSix)
Jon Gosselin woke up in “excruciating pain” after he was bitten by a venomous brown recluse spider while sleeping.
The “Jon & Kate Plus 8” alum was at home in Reading, Pa. when he was bitten by the dangerous arachnid and rushed himself to the hospital.
Gosselin, 44, told The Sun that his leg ballooned to twice its size and he limped to his car to quickly seek out medical attention.
“I was DJ-ing for the weekend in Philadelphia and I finally felt free,” the recently single reality star told the outlet. Read more
Lufthansa’s £325,000,000 party plane is a ‘superyacht for the skies’ (Metro)
Lufthansa has refurbished an Airbus A330 wide-body jet that’s been dubbed a ‘superyacht for the skies’.
Created by German design studio Lufthansa Technik, each £325m refurbishment project would see a standard passenger airliner turned into a luxury party plane.
Including a discotheque, glass floor and a balcony, the design team say it would be less of a plane and more of a ‘multifunctional exploration vessel’ that just happens to fly.
Known as the ‘Explorer’ the central lounge area has a projection system built into the walls and ceilings, displaying virtual day and night skies. Read more
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy claims country has uncovered Russia-linked coup (Independent)
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the country has uncovered a plot for an attempted coup that involves people in Russia.
Mr Zelenskiy did not accuse the Russia government of playing a role in the coup attempt but warned of a wider threat of military escalation from Moscow, and said Ukraine would be prepared.
“We have challenges not only from the Russian Federation and possible escalation – we have big internal challenges,” Mr Zelenskiy told a press conference.
“I received information that a coup d’etat will take place in our country on December 1-2.” Read more
James Bond replacement battle for Daniel Craig is ‘wide open’ says film boss (Metro)
The battle to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond is ‘wide open’, according to MGM boss Pamela Abdy.
Abdy, who serves as MGM’s President of Motion Pictures, has revealed that the studio has had ‘preliminary conversations’ with 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson about who will replace Craig, after he bowed out as Bond in recent blockbuster No Time To Die.
She told The Hollywood Reporter: ‘It’s wide open. We’ve had very early preliminary conversations with Barbara and Michael, but we wanted Daniel to have his last hurrah.’
Idris Elba has been a firm favourite as a potential 007 but it was recently reported that the Luther star was in ‘early’ talks to play a Bond villain. Read more
Osimhen discharged from clinic in Milan, NFF worried (Guardian)
Injured Super Eagles and Napoli of Italy striker, Victor Osimhen, has been discharged from the Ruesch Clinic in Milan, where he underwent facial reconstruction after suffering multiple fractures to the cheekbone and orbital bone.
But the news of his long layoff, which includes the duration of the African Nations Cup in Cameroon, is giving officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) a sleepless night.
Osimhen sustained multiple fractures in an aerial clash with Inter Milan’s defender, Milan Skriniar, last Sunday in a Serie A clash.
Operating surgeon, Gianpaolo Tartaro, had explained the procedure for the reconstruction, which needed six plaques and up to 18 screws.
The initial rehabilitation is said to be for at least 90 days, ruling Osimhen out of the 2022 Nations Cup, which kicks off on January 9. Read more
2022 World Cup: Super Eagles to know play-off opponent January next year (Vanguard)
The draw for the FIFA World Cup qualification play-offs has been postponed to next year following a CAF decision on Friday at the Extraordinary Assembly.
The draw which was initially scheduled for 18 December 2021 will now be done on 26 January 2022.
According to the decision, the January 2022 rankings will be used to seed the teams for the draw.
Top five ranked teams at the time of the draw will seeded and will paired against the other five unseeded countries.
Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, DR Congo, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Mali booked their places after the group stages of the qualifications. Read more
Carrick faces severe test as Man United visit Chelsea (DailyTrust)
Michael Carrick came through his first game as Manchester United’s ‘pre-interim’ manager with flying colours on Tuesday and should he mastermind a win at Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, he might be even earn a longer spell at the helm.
The former midfielder was thrust into the Old Trafford hot seat after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking in the wake of last Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Watford.
Bizarrely, the club stated that Carrick was holding the fort while they sought an ‘interim manager’ until the end of the season, before a fulltime replacement was hired.
Carrick took everything in his stride and United sealed their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with an impressive 2-0 win away to Spanish club Villarreal. Read more
Eagles’ AFCON form to determine W’Cup playoffs foe (Punch)
The Super Eagles face the chance to drop out of the top five ranked teams in Africa before the playoffs for the 2022 World Cup playoffs, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Confederation of African Football at its Extraordinary General Assembly held in Cairo, Egypt on Friday announced that the draws would be held on January 26.
CAF also announced that the FIFA ranking for the month of January will be used to determine the seeded teams for the playoffs.
The top five teams in the continent will be seeded and will face the non-seed teams in the two-legged fixtures. Read more
Cricket’s 12-point action plan to tackle racism amid Azeem Rafiq scandal (Metro)
The ECB have released a 12-point action plan to combat racism in cricket as the ongoing Azeem Rafiq scandal continues to rock the sport.
Officials from the ECB met with all 18 first-class counties last week to discuss the plan, which has been put in place to overhaul cultures at both dressing room and boardroom level.
Counties could even have their ECB funding revoked if they fail to adhere to the new rules. Read below for details of the comprehensive plan… Read more
Obaseki pledges to empower more Edo youths through sports (Observer)
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his government will sustain investment in sports development to productively engage and empower youths in the state.
Obaseki gave the assurance when he received the National Scrabble Champion, Osahon Omosefe, who was on a courtesy visit at the Government House, Benin City.
According to him, “First of all, I want to congratulate Osahon Omosefe for the laurels he has won, which placed him as champion in scrabble in Nigeria.
“Scrabble is among the indoor games that we want to encourage our young ones to participate in. We are revamping our sports commission and broadening the scope of the categories of sport Read more
FIBA W’Cup qualifiers: NBBF crisis hampers D’Tiger’s participation (Punch)
D’Tigers lost their opening 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers 79-71 to Cape Verde on Thursday in Angola.
This was amid the crisis rocking the Nigeria Basketball Federation over who takes charge of the federation’s activities after elections failed to hold as scheduled on October 30.
Nigeria won the first quarter 20-18, but were pegged backwards by their opponents who claimed the second quarter 16-15. Nigeria went into the halftime break 35-34 ahead.
Nigeria also took the third quarter 20-17, but failed to claim victory after losing the crucial fourth quarter 28-16 to end up losing 79-71. Read more