Danish husband, principal suspect in wife, daughter’s murder – Police (Punch)
A police inspector, Babashola Afolayan, on Monday, explained to a Lagos State High Court in Igbosere that a Danish national, Peter Nielsen, was the principal suspect in the killing of his Nigerian wife, Zainab, and three-year-old daughter, Petra. PUNCH Metro had reported that Nielsen, 53, allegedly murdered Zainab and Petra at the family’s residence at the Ocean Parade, Banana Island, Lagos, on April 5, 2018. Zainab’s younger sister had reported to the facility manager of the estate that Zainab was being assaulted by Nielsen. The 13-year-old girl, Gift, who lived with the family, reportedly told the manager, Mr Kunle Kukoyi, that she heard her sister crying around 4am. Read more
Court to hear suit against Atiku March 7 (Guardian)
Justice Binta Mohammed of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, has adjourned till March 7 for hearing of the suit filed by the Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) against Atiku Abubakar for allegedly defaming President Muhammadu Buhari and his family. Before the case was adjourned, counsel to BCO, Abdulrazaq Ahmed, told the court that the defendants’ counsel just served him with statement of defence and counter claim, seeking N200 billion and for the motion to strike out BCO from the suit on the ground that the president’s support group is not a juristic person as it is not registered with the CAC. Read more
Outrage as Buhari says death awaits ballot box snatchers (Punch)
Politicians, human rights activists, lawyers and prominent Nigerians on Monday attacked President Muhammadu Buhari for declaring that death awaited ballot box snatchers during the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections. Buhari had early on Monday while speaking at a national caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja, said ballot box snatchers would pay with their lives as security agencies had been given the go ahead to be ruthless with them. The President said this at the meeting, which was convened by the APC to review the poll delay and discuss other plans by the party ahead of the elections on Saturday. Read more
31 stolen INEC’s card readers recovered from Rivers’ bush (Nation)
Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Rivers State have recovered 31 Electronic Card Readers (ECRs) believed to have been stolen from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The SRCs were recovered in a bush on Rumuji-Emohua axis of the East-West Road in the Southsouth state. They were allegedly thrown into the bush by thugs who were fleeing to escape arrest. The thugs were believed to be working for one of the major political parties. SARS yesterday notified the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers State, Mr. Obo Effanga, seeking for more information and the cooperation of the commission and its officials to ensure detailed investigation. Read more
Police recover stolen PVCs, parade 63 suspects in Akwa Ibom (Punch)
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command, on Monday, paraded 63 suspected political thugs, including 10, who were arrested in connection with pre-election violence in the Obot-Akara Local Government Area of the state. Two persons were killed and 13 vehicles burnt in the incident on Saturday. Some of the suspects, PUNCH Metro learnt, were allegedly hired from Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo states by desperate politicians. A locally-made gun, 25 live cartridges, two machetes, charms, a knife, phones, human hair, two axes and Permanent Voter Cards were some of the items recovered from the suspects. Read more
Female lawyer alleges threat to her life, petitions police (Guardian)
A lawyer and the House of Assembly candidate for the Alliance National Party (ANP) Surulere Constituency 2, Lagos, Chioma Blessing Ferguson, has raised the alarm over threat to her life and that of her supporters by a powerful politician in the area. She has therefore sent a save-our-soul plea to the Lagos Commissioner of Police, Muazu Zubairu. The lawyer at a press briefing in GRA, Ikeja, said her predicament started when she refused to step down for the politician who is vying for the same position with her in another party. Read more
Delta community laments ecological pollution (Guardian)
Polobubo-Tsekelewu community in Warri North Council of Delta State has raised the alarm over ecological issues it faces daily despite being an oil-producing community. The oil-rich Ijaw community hosts some oil companies, including Chevron Nigerian Limited (CNL) and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC)/Elcrest Joint Venture. At the official take-over ceremony of the community’s cottage hospital by the state government, the community pleaded with government to save it from the pollution threatening the residents’ survival. Read more
Victims of Enugu fire get cash, employment (Guardian)
Succour came to victims of New Haven fire outbreak by way of financial assistance, relief materials and automatic employment, when the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, visited the scene of the conflagration that took place last Sunday. The governor, who explained that the gesture was in keeping with his administration’s commitment and swift response to issues concerning the wellbeing of residents, offered automatic employment to one of the victims, whose degree and NYSC discharge certificates were consumed in the inferno. Read more
Mexico border wall: US states sue over emergency declaration (BBC)
A coalition of 16 US states led by California is suing President Donald Trump’s administration over his decision to declare an emergency to raise funds for a Mexican border wall. The lawsuit was filed in the court for the Northern District of California. It comes days after Mr Trump invoked emergency powers to bypass Congress and secure funding for the project – a key campaign pledge. Democrats have vowed to contest it “using every remedy available”. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra said they were taking President Trump to court “to block his misuse of presidential power”. Read more
The US cannot crush us, says Huawei founder (BBC)
The founder of Huawei has said there is “no way the US can crush” the company, in an exclusive interview with the BBC. Ren Zhengfei described the arrest of his daughter Meng Wanzhou, the company’s chief financial officer, as politically motivated. The US is pursuing criminal charges against Huawei and Ms Meng, including money laundering, bank fraud and stealing trade secrets. Huawei denies any wrongdoing. Mr Ren spoke to the BBC’s Karishma Vaswani in his first international broadcast interview since Ms Meng was arrested – and dismissed the pressure from the US. Read more
Nigeria to host 2019 Africa Rugby Silver Cup (Nation)
The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) has said that the country has won the right to host the first Rugby Silver Cup pool tournament. It will take place in June. The body stated that countries in Pool A that will take part in the championship are Botswana, Ghana, Madagascar and Nigeria. According to the federation, Lagos Polo Club will be the venue for the tournament. Speaking ahead of the championship, NRFF Technical Director, Nitiense Williams stated that the Nigeria Rugby body would do everything to ensure a successful hosting of the championship. Read more
Man Utd knock Chelsea out of FA Cup (BBC)
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said his team played “confused football” as Manchester United won at Stamford Bridge to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals. The result throws Sarri’s reign deeper into crisis, while United delivered the perfect response to their first defeat under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to set up a last-eight tie against Wolves. Ander Herrera converted Paul Pogba’s perfect cross to give United a 31st-minute lead, and Pogba doubled the advantage right on half-time when he dived to head Marcus Rashford’s delivery past Kepa Arrizabalaga, who should have done better. As Chelsea slumped tamely to another damaging defeat, their fans turned on Sarri. They jeered his substitutions, mocked his ‘Sarri-ball’ philosophy, demanded the return of Frank Lampard as manager, and joined United’s fans in chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning”. Read more
Driver arrested for stealing Evans’ N10.5m trailers (Punch)
A 27-year-old commercial bus driver, Mashudu Rabiu, has been arraigned before an Ogba Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing three trailers recovered by the police from a suspected kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, aka Evans. The defendant, whose residential address was not provided, is facing two counts of conspiracy and stealing. According to the police prosecutor, Inspector Raphael Donny, the defendant allegedly conspired with others still at large to steal the trailers valued at N10.5m, which were recovered by the police from the suspected kidnap kingpin, whose case is already in court. Read more