Club raid: Lagos CP recalls Anti-Cultism Unit boss (Punch)
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, has ordered the withdrawal of the Officer in Charge of the Anti-Cultism Unit of the Lagos State Police Command, Akineyem Etuk, from his beat to the command’s headquarters in order to enable investigators determine his role in the raid on the Lakers County nightclub in the Ikorodu area of the state. The command had arrested 13 out of the 19 police operatives, who raided the club for unprofessional conduct, following PUNCH Metro’s report describing how a closed-circuit television footage provided by the club’s management exposed the invasion by the officers from the Anti-Cultism Unit. Read more
Atiku not our candidate, says Ohanaeze Ndigbo (Nation)
A major disagreement has broken out among Igbo leaders on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition. Some Igbo leaders met on November 14, last year to “adopt” Atiku, who is running on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform. But the apex Igbo socio-political organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has distanced itself from the alleged endorsement of Atiku for the February 16 election. The one-day summit on November 14, last year, in Enugu, endorsed Atiku because of what it called his disposition to restructuring the country if voted into office. Read more
Military shouldn’t be left alone to handle Boko Haram – Shettima (Punch)
The ongoing counter-insurgency war should not be left to the military alone, Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, has appealed. He asked that all security and para-military agencies should get more involved in the war and jointly ward off the threat against the nation. The governor made this appeal on Thursday while playing host to the Chairman of the Legion in Borno State, Col Williams Mamza (retd.), who was accompanied by the Service Chiefs in the state. The courtesy visit was to inform the governor about the Armed Forces Remembrance Day 2019. Read more
Libel: Oshiomhole loses bid to stop Ortom’s suit (Nation)
A Makurdi High Court in Benue State, presided over by Justice Augustine Ityonyiman, has dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and the party in a N10 billion defamation suit filed against them by Governor Samuel Ortom. When the matter came up yesterday, counsel to Oshiomhole and the APC, Mr Damian Dodo, urged the court to dismiss the suit. The lawyer said the leave of court was not sought before service was done outside its jurisdiction. But Ortom’s lawyer Samuel Irabor, who filed a counter-affidavit and written address against the preliminary objection, told the court that the objections of the APC National Chairman was lacking in merit. Read more
Strike continues until FG implements offers, says ASUU (Punch)
The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Thursday said the ongoing strike would not be called off until the Federal Government fully implemented all the offers it made to the union after their last meeting. The public university lecturers said they were tired of Federal Government’s antics of making unfulfilled promises, insisting that the strike would be called off after they got tangible evidence and concrete actions that the offers made to them by the Federal Government had been implemented. The National President, ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, in an exclusive interview with one of our correspondents in Lagos on Thursday, said the team of the union that met with the government on Tuesday did not reach any agreement with the Federal Government. Read more
Okorocha urges Army to deal with politicians who give fake uniforms to touts (Vanguard)
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday asked the Army to fish out politicians who indulge in sowing fake Army uniforms for touts in the name of rigging elections. Okorocha made this appeal in Owerri, when the General Commanding Officer, GCO, 82 Division of Nigeria, Enugu, General A.C. Maikobi, visited him at Government House. Okorocha said he was worried about the story of politicians sowing fake army uniforms for touts in order to use them during the elections. He described such politicians as enemies of democracy. The governor called on the military to assist in making the 2019 general elections free and fair. Read more
APC rally: MC Oluomo may be flown abroad (Punch)
A leader of the National Union of Transport Workers, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, may be flown abroad for further treatment, The PUNCH has learnt. A close aide of the union leader, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity on Thursday, said MC Oluomo would travel any time soon as plans had been concluded for his treatment by a specialist in the United States where he is a citizen. This is just as our correspondent gathered that no fewer than three police vans were keeping guard at the hospital – Eko Hospital – where the patient is being treated. Politicians of different calibre were said to have visited the hospital, as security operatives screen everyone going in to see him. Read more
Why people castigate me — Amosun (Vanguard)
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State said, yesterday, that he was being castigated by unnamed leaders in the state because of the development of Abeokuta, the state capital over other districts in the State. Amosun said this while kicking off his ward to ward Senatorial campaign across all the wards in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun Central Senatorial District. While speaking at Owoowo ward 9, the same ward from where he contested the senatorial seat in 2003, Amosun said it is, however, uncharitable for anyone to accuse him of developing Abeokuta over other areas. Read more
Candidates applying for police job hit over 294,851 (Punch)
Twenty-four hours to the close of the portal for the recruitment of 10,000 police constables, the number of Nigerians that have applied to join the Nigeria Police Force has reached over 294,851. The recruitment, which began on November 30, 2018, was expected to close on Friday (Today) as required by the Federal Character Commission which stipulated that advertisements for recruitments into Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies must run for six weeks to give applicants enough time to apply. The spokesman, Police Service Commission, Ikechukwu Ani, said in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, that Niger State maintained its lead with 17,790 applications. Read more
Trump digs in as shutdown continues (BBC)
US President Donald Trump has threatened again to declare a national emergency to fund a border wall without Congress’s approval. “I have the absolute right to declare a national emergency,” he told reporters as he headed to an event at the border. He also said Mexico would “indirectly” pay for the wall – contradicting an earlier campaign memo. The government has been in partial shutdown for 20 days, leaving about 800,000 federal employees without pay. President Trump refuses to sign legislation to fund and reopen the government if it does not include $5.7bn (£4.5bn) for a physical barrier along the US-Mexico border. Read more
Japan PM: World against no-deal Brexit (BBC)
The “whole world” wants the UK to avoid a no-deal Brexit, Japan’s PM has claimed, after talks with Theresa May. Shinzo Abe pledged “total support” for the withdrawal agreement she has negotiated with the EU, which faces a crunch vote in the Commons on Tuesday. Mrs May has been speaking to Labour MPs and union leaders in a bid to try to get her deal through the Commons, where scores of her own MPs oppose it. It comes as Honda UK announced a six-day post Brexit shut down. The Japanese-owned car giant said the move was to ensure it could adjust to “all possible outcomes caused by logistics and border issues”. Read more
Bosso proud of Gombe Utd return to NPFL (Vanguard)
Gombe United technical adviser, Ladan Bosso, says securing a ticket back to the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, was mission accomplished for the Savannah Scorpions. Gombe United finished second second in the Northern Conference with five points, same as Kada City but with inferior goal aggregate. “Before coming here, our objective was to pick one of the promotion tickets. “We also wanted to play in the grand finale and possibly emerge as overall Champions. “But though we can no longer feature in the final, we are happy that our major objective which is a Premier League ticket was achieved and I’m proud of the players. Read more
Solskjaer praises ‘very good’ Pochettino (BBC)
Manchester United interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says the speculation around Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino “is there for a reason”. The pair head the betting to take over as United’s next full-time manager, with Pochettino still rated the more likely to replace Jose Mourinho. Solskjaer is in temporary charge and has won his first five United games. “It’s not my job to rate different managers but he has done a very good job,” said Solskjaer. “The speculation is there for a reason.” The pair go head-to-head at Wembley on Sunday, with United looking to avenge a 3-0 home defeat by Spurs in August. Read more
Man City were right to destroy Burton insists Jesus (Guardian)
Gabriel Jesus insists Manchester City have no reason to apologise after they crushed minnows Burton 9-0 in the League Cup semi-finals. Jesus scored four times as City refused to take their foot off the gas in a ruthless demolition job at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola’s side were four up by half-time but didn’t spare third tier Burton’s embarrassment after the interval as they piled on the goals. The clinical display effectively booked City’s place in the League Cup final before they have even played the semi-final second leg at Burton later this month. Read more
Police request Ronaldo DNA sample (BBC)
Police in Las Vegas have issued a warrant for a DNA sample from Cristiano Ronaldo as part of their investigation into the rape allegations made against the Juventus forward. The 33-year-old’s lawyer, Peter S. Christiansen, told BBC Sport it was a “very standard request”. The Wall Street Journal says the warrant was recently sent to the court system in Italy. Ronaldo denies assaulting Kathryn Mayorga at a Las Vegas hotel in 2009. “Mr Ronaldo has always maintained, as he does today, that what occurred in Las Vegas in 2009 was consensual in nature, so it is not surprising that DNA would be present, nor that the police would make this very standard request as part of their investigation,” said Christiansen’s statement. Read more
Dortmund eye Hazard, Balerdi following Pulisic sale (Guardian)
Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund are reportedly looking to invest the £58 million ($74m) made from selling US international Christian Pulisic to Chelsea on both Belgium winger Thorgan Hazard and Argentine defender Leonardo Balerdi. Chelsea signed the 20-year-old Pulisic — regarded as one of the hottest properties in European football — on a five-and-a-half year contract for next season and he will join the Blues in the summer. Hazard, younger brother of Chelsea attacker Eden, is on Dortmund’s radar as German media widely reports that the 25-year-old has so far rejected an extension to his current Borussia Moenchengladbach contract, which expires in 2020. Read more
Barcelona in shock cup defeat to Levante (BBC)
Holders Barcelona fell to a shock 2-1 defeat to Levante in the first leg of their Copa Del Rey last-16 tie. Erick Cabaco and Borja Mayoral scored in the opening 20 minutes to give the hosts a comfortable lead at half-time. Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho pulled a goal back for Barcelona with a late penalty. The defeat came just three weeks after Barca had thrashed Levante 5-0 in the league, with Lionel Messi scoring a hat-trick. Messi was one of several omissions from Ernesto Valverde’s much-changed side. Read more
Aussie Open could be my last – Murray (BBC)
Britain’s Andy Murray says he plans to retire after this year’s Wimbledon but fears next week’s Australian Open could be the final tournament of his career. The three-time Grand Slam winner, who is struggling to recover from hip surgery, was in tears as he spoke to journalists in Melbourne on Friday. “I’m not sure I’m able to play through the pain for another four or five months,” said the Scot. “I want to get to Wimbledon and stop but I’m not certain I can do that.” However, 31-year-old Murray says he still intends to play his Australian Open first-round match against Spanish 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut next week. Read more
Family asks NYSC, police to intensify search for missing corps member (Punch)
The family of a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps in Lagos State, Abdulrafiu Imam, has asked the NYSC and the police to intensify the search for him. Imam, a graduate of Mathematics from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, went missing on December 24, 2018, after he left the apartment he shared with a friend at the Military Barracks Yaba. Imam’s sister, Kehinde Lawal, told our correspondent that his roommate, who was not around when he left the house, told the family that Imam had shown signs of depression lately because of a sprained. Read more
Three siblings burnt to death in Anambra (Punch)
Three siblings were on Thursday burnt beyond recognition in their mother’s shop in Ugwuagba-Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. PUNCH Metro gathered that their mother had kept the three siblings in her shop and went somewhere when the incident happened. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the story, gave the ages of the children as five, four and three, respectively. Mohammed, said, “Two short containers used as a shop and a residence along the High Tension School Road, Ugwuagba-Obosi, in the Idemili North Local Government of Anambra State, were gutted by fire. Read more
Two friends swindle trader of N8.5m (Punch)
For allegedly parading themselves as suppliers of iron scrap barges and swindling a trader, Martins Anagor, of N8.5m, two friends have been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court. The duo of Emmanuel Odunze and Clement Anyanwu were arraigned on three counts of obtaining under false pretences and stealing. It was gathered that the two friends approached Anagor under the pretext that they could supply him iron scrap worth N18m. It was learnt that the duo succeeded in collecting N8.5m from the trader but refused to supply the said scraps. Read more