Cult clash claims APC chieftain, 3 others (Leadership)
Pandemonium broke out on Monday at Owo town, the headquarters of Owo local government area of Ondo State as a result of a shootout by suspected members of two rival cult gangs which led to the death of about four people in the ancient town.
Commercial activities were grounded as shops were hurriedly locked up in fear of reprisal attacks by the cultists as a result of the killings.
A source who do not want his name mentioned hinted that the violence could be linked to a feud that dates back to over a decade, during which several residents lost their lives in gang clashes. Read more
Fubara can transact business with 3 lawmakers — Court (Channels)
The Rivers State High Court has ruled that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is legally empowered to transact business with the three lawmakers who have not vacated their seats in the state house of assembly.
This was contained in a court decision given on the 20th of December during which presiding judge Sika Aprioku dismissed a suit seeking to compel the governor to represent the 2024 budget to the Martin Amaewhule-led assembly.
The said suit marked PHC/3552/CS/2024 was filed by the Registered Trustees of the Association of Legislative Drafting and Advocacy Practitioners and had the Government of Rivers State, the governor of Rivers State, and the Attorney General of the state as defendants. It sought to compel the governor to represent the 2024 budget to the 27 lawmakers led by Amaewhule for passage into law. Read more
Abaribe expresses optimism that Tinubu will release Kanu (NewTelegraph)
The Chairman of the South East Senators and Senator representing Abia South District, Enyinnaya Abaribe has expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu will release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Abaribe who stated this on Sunday, January, 5th, when he alongside his wife paid Governor Alex Otti a Christmas and New Year visit, said that his concern as well as that of his colleagues is the development of the South East and to ensure that the South East is not left behind while the rest of Nigeria is moving on.
Abaribe described President Tinubu as a listening leader, expressing the hope that he will give heed to the advice of the Attorney General of the Federation and others advising and appealing for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s release. Read more
How Sokoto SSG’s daughter, grandchildren died in fire accident (DailyTrust)
The daughter of the Secretary to the Sokoto State Government lost her life while trying to rescue her children from the fire that gutted their house around 12 midnight on Sunday.
Her husband who is the current permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Sport and Youth Development, Alhaji Muhammadu Yusuf Bello, was said to be away when the tragic incident occurred.
The house located at Nakasari area was completely destroyed by the fire which was said to have extended to parts of their neighbour’s houses before it was put off by the combined efforts of fire fighters, residents and passersby. Read more
Sanwo-Olu visits TVC’s new digital studios at Eko Atlantic (Nation)
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu visited TVC News’ newly launched digital studios in Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, on Monday, January 6.
During his visit, the governor appeared as the first guest on the station’s Open Studio and participated in their Breakfast Show.
The development was shared via a post on the governor’s official X account. Governor Sanwo-Olu wrote: “Today, I toured the brand-new, world-class modern digital studios of @tvcnewsng at Eko Atlantic City, Lagos. I was privileged to be the first guest to appear on their Open Studio, which officially launched today with the Breakfast Show. Read more
Outcry over persistent power outage in Epe (Tribune)
Following the incessant power outage and vandalisation of electricity cables in Epe town, Lagos State, concerned residents have called on government to wade into the situation and restore power supply.
The residents have also commenced a 30-day online protest, calling on Ikeja Disco to act fast and restore electricity to the entire Epe Division.
The residents, in a flier on Sunday, called on Ikeja Disco to do everything possible to restore light to Epe, saying, “Enough of darkness in the entire town.” Read more
WAEC launches resit examinations for candidates (Vanguard)
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has introduced a new initiative that allows students to resit their West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), exams as early as January and February 2025.
This change is a departure from the previous system, where candidates had to wait for the next private exam session.
The Head of Public Affairs, John Kapi, made the revelation in a statement.
Commenting on the development, the Chairman, Ogun State chapter, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary School, Felix Oluwaseun Agbesanwa, described it as a step in the right direction. Read more
Tinubu to attend inauguration of John Mahama as President of Ghana tomorrow (ThisDay)
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja on Monday, January 6, for Accra, the capital of the Republic of Ghana, to attend the inauguration of President-elect John Dramani Mahama on January 7.
Mahama, who served as the 12th president of Ghana between 2011 and 2017, was re-elected in December 2024. He will succeed President Nana Akuffo-Addo (2017-2025).
According to a release issued on Sunday by presidential spokesperson, President Tinubu’s trip to Accra is at the invitation of the president-elect, who had visited the Nigerian leader earlier in December, 2024. Read more
Kanye West posts fully nude clip of wife Bianca Censori in bath on her 30th birthday (Metro)
Kanye West celebrated his wife Bianca Censori’s 30th birthday by posting a video of her nude in the bathtub on Instagram.
The couple is well known for promoting her nearly naked outfits in public – while he remains fully clothed and often masked – and both have also posted risqué images of her on social media.
Rapper Ye, 47, matched the clip to the rest of his black and white aesthetic on his grid, showing Bianca holding onto the tap with her foot propped up. Read more
Nikki Glaser mocks Timothée Chalamet’s moustache in hit Golden Globes monologue (NME)
Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser won over attendees and fans at this year’s ceremony with an opening monologue filled with barbs at Hollywood’s elite, including Timothée Chalamet. One of the best lines of the night was reserved for Chalamet, who was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. However, the actor lost out on the prize to Adrien Brody (The Brutalist).
The biopic also missed out on bagging the Best Motion Picture – Drama award, while Edward Norton failed to win Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role In A Motion Picture for his portrayal of Pete Seeger. Read more
Canada’s Trudeau resigns as Liberal Party leader, spelling end to time in power (VOA)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation Monday in the face of rising discontent over his leadership, and after the abrupt departure of his finance minister signaled growing turmoil within his government.
Trudeau said “internal battles” mean that he “cannot be the best option” in the next election. He planned to stay on as prime minister until a new leader of the Liberal Party is chosen.
An official familiar with the matter said Parliament, which had been due to resume Jan. 27, will be suspended until March 24. The timing will allow for a Liberal Party leadership race. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about the matter publicly. Read more
Stormzy banned from driving for 9 months (Euronews)
British rapper Stormzy has been banned from driving for nine months for using his phone from behind the wheel of his Rolls-Royce.
The 31-year-old musician might be one of the UK’s most famous grime stars, but that didn’t help his case in a London Magistrates’ Court. District judge Andrew Sweet said that Stormzy’s actions were “dangerous and irresponsible”.
Stormzy wasn’t in court for the hearing but pleaded guilty in writing to the charges of driving with a mobile phone in March 2024. Read more
Police give update after death of The Vivienne, former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner (Sky)
Police have confirmed they were called to a house near Chester after the death of former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner James Lee Williams, known as The Vivienne.
The 32-year-old’s death was announced on Sunday evening and has prompted an outpouring of tributes from celebrities and colleagues.
The performer rose to prominence in 2015 after becoming the UK Drag Ambassador for the American series of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Read more
UK Prime Minister Starmer slams ‘‘lies’’ after Musk tirade (AlJazeera)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has defended his record and slammed those “spreading lies” following days of hostile attacks from Elon Musk over historical child rape crimes in northern England.
“Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible are not interested in victims, they are interested in themselves,” Starmer said on Monday, without mentioning US billionaire Musk by name.
He was speaking during a National Health Service-related event in Surrey in the United Kingdom, responding to a question about Musk’s recent attacks on his handling of child rape cases. Read more
A.R. Rahman Launches Bharat Maestro Awards for Indian Classical Music (Variety)
Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Grammy-winning composer A.R. Rahman (“Slumdog Millionaire”) and the KM Music Conservatory have unveiled the Bharat Maestro Awards, a new initiative celebrating Indian classical music and its practitioners.
The awards program features three distinct categories: four awards for promising young musicians, a lifetime achievement honor for educators, and a state medallion recognizing regional contributions to classical music preservation.
The mentor panel includes established musicians Asha Bhosle, Amjad Ali Khan, Bombay Jayashri and Ajoy Chakrabarty. The advisory board comprises Ila Paliwal, Sai Shravanam, Bharat Bala, Fathima Rafiq, Khatija Rahman, Adam Greig and Clint Valladares. Read more
Super Eagles know CHAN opponents Jan15 (Nation)
The Confederation of African Football ( CAF) fixed January 15th as the D-Day for the draw for the 8th African Nations Championship finals slated for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in February.
According to the CAF release, the draw will hold at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre Nairobi, Kenya and the 18 teams will know their opponents.
Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, who have been selected to jointly host the 36th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027, have been handed the opportunity to test-run their facilities and operational efficiency with the African Nations Championship finals, scheduled for 1st – 28th February. Read more
Diallo goal seals 2-2 draw for Man United against Liverpool (JapanToday)
Amad Diallo came back to haunt Liverpool with a late equalizer that secured a 2-2 draw for Manchester United against Premier League leader Liverpool on Sunday.
The forward turned home Alejandro Garnacho’s cross in the 80th minute at Anfield after Mohamed Salah’s penalty had looked like giving Liverpool the win.
Diallo struck at the end of extra time as United beat Liverpool 4-3 in a dramatic FA Cup clash last season and hit a 90th-minute winner against Manchester City last month. Read more
Chiesa’s agent breaks silence on Liverpool exit rumours (FootballItalia)
The agent of Federico Chiesa, Fali Ramadani, has denied that the Italian is seeking to leave Liverpool in the January transfer window, insisting he wants to keep trying to earn his chances to play at the club.
The former Juventus winger was recently at the centre of transfer speculation after struggling to get playing time at Anfield under coach Arne Slot, with reports from France suggesting he was close to joining Napoli on loan for six months.
However, despite only racking up 18 Premier League minutes in his first three months at the club, Ramadani said his client is not anywhere near a move away from the Reds, who have ‘no intention’ to let him go. Read more
Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz lead U.S. past Poland for United Cup title (ABC)
The United States lifted its second United Cup mixed team tournament title in three years Sunday after beating Poland 2-0, with Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz both winning their singles matches.
The top seed in the $10 million tournament that began with 18 nations in contention clinched the trophy when Fritz defeated Hubert Hurkacz, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (4), after Gauff outclassed Iga Swiatek, 6-4, 6-4, in Sydney.
The Americans also won the 2023 title in the inaugural edition of the tournament, which serves as a tune-up event for the Australian Open. Read more
TAG Heuer confirmed as Formula 1’s official timekeeper (F1i)
Formula 1 has officially confirmed the return of TAG Heuer as its Official Timekeeper starting in the 2025 season.
This announcement marks a pivotal moment for the sport as it celebrates its 75th anniversary and ushers in a new era under a landmark 10-year partnership with luxury conglomerate Louis Vuitton Moët Hennesy, reportedly worth a staggering $1 billion!
Replacing Rolex, TAG Heuer’s comeback signifies a renewed commitment to precision, innovation, and performance – values deeply ingrained in both F1 and the Swiss luxury watchmaker’s DNA. Read more
Luke Littler reveals 1st thing he wants to buy with huge World Darts Championship prize money (Metro)
Luke Littler is eyeing up some new world champion wheels (Picture: Getty Images)
Luke Littler has earned a huge amount of money in his short darts career so far, but is not intending to go wild with his cash after landing the biggest prize in the sport.
The 17-year-old beat Michael van Gerwen 7-3 to win the World Darts Championship on Friday night at Alexandra Palace, becoming the youngest world champion in the sport’s history.It was a monumental performance and achievement from the teenager, who followed up his blistering debut at Ally Pally when he finished runner-up to Luke Humphries, going one better this time round. Read more
