Easter Celebration: Traders, residents lament low patronage, high cost of food items (Guardian)
As Nigerians celebrate Easter, traders across markets in Lagos have continued to lament that there are no signs of festivity as patronage is very low.
A visit to some markets in Lagos revealed that traders and consumers are not happy with the current economic situation of the country, as consumers could barely afford to buy goods because of the hike in prices.
Also, the markets were not in a festive mood as there was no hustling or bustling that usually characterise the season.
A visit to some major markets in Ikotun, Mushin, Yaba, Oshodi and Cele on Wednesday showed prices of foodstuff skyrocketing by 20 percent after last month’s survey. Read more
Nurse who performed surgery on late Edo bizwoman not our staff – LASUTH (Punch)
The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital has said a nurse, Lawrence Omatule, who performed a fibroid surgery on Fatimoh Isa, who died shortly after the operation, is not a staff of the hospital.
The LASUTH management confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday.
The statement read, “The attention of the management of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital has been drawn to a report in today’s PUNCH Newspaper, Wednesday, April 13, 2022; where the nurse who allegedly carried out a fibroid surgery on one Mrs Fatimoh Isa, who subsequently died, was said to be a staff of our hospital.
“We wish to state categorically that after a painstaking investigation, we were unable to confirm that the said Lawrence Omatule is or was ever a staff of our hospital. We, however, have genuine information that he works in a secondary health facility on the mainland.” Read more
Lady reports to police after her kidnap tweet went viral (Guardian)
A lady by the name Toyosi, yesterday, bit more than she could swallow after her tweet went viral on Twitter.
The lady had tweeted by 7:15.a.m: @misteriouss, I’m being kidnapped by guys. I’m being raped. Number 78 Obayan street Pako, Akoka. Lagos.”
Omotoyo deleted the post after 94 retweets and made a video to say she is fine and she was not kidnapped.
The Guardian contacted the Lagos State Police Spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin and he promised to visit the scene.
He said: “We have been at the location for over 30 minutes now. Well meaning Nigerians have commendably shown concern. We will get to the root of this.”
Hundeyin confirmed at 3:56.p.m that the lady voluntarily presented herself at the police station, where she was questioned. Read more
Man kidnaps girlfriend with toy gun, collects N2m, accomplice arrested (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 30-year-old man, Uchenna Daniels, over the kidnap of a girl, Hannatu Kabri.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Daniels abducted the victim in Kaduna and fled to Lagos, where he was arrested.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, during a parade at the command headquarters, Ikeja, said the suspect was tracked and arrested at Allen Avenue, Ikeja.
“The suspect revealed that the victim’s boyfriend, one Ahmed, and one Biliya, planned the kidnap with him and collected a ransom of N2m in Kaduna through a Bureau de Change from the parents of the victim before she was released on March 28, 2022. Read more
Lagos Police arrest 32 kidnappers, killers, recover 30 live ammunition (Guardian)
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested 32 suspects for kidnapping, killing, armed robbery, defilement and cultism.
Parading the suspects at the command headquarters yesterday, the police said 30 live arms and ammunition were also recovered from the suspects.
Spokesperson for the command, Superintendent of Police (SP) Benjamin Hundeyin, told newsmen that the arrest was part of efforts to tackle crime and criminality in the last one month.
He said two cars, 16 inverter batteries, six modules, cables, three ATM cards, four sim cards and four phones were also recovered from the suspects. Read more
Group marks eighth anniversary of Chibok girls’ abduction (Punch)
A co-founder of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement, Aisha Oyebode-Muhammed, has urged parents of the abducted Chibok girls to vote wisely in the 2023 general elections.
She disclosed this in a statement in Lagos on Thursday to commemorate the anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok girls.
The PUNCH had reported that about 276 students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents on April 14, 2014.
In spite of government intervention to secure the release of some of the girls, eight years after the initial kidnapping, over 100 of the girls remain missing. Read more
Obiano’s wife not in our custody – EFCC (Vanguard)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has denied reports that Eberechukwu, wife of the immediate past governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano, was in its custody.
Online media (not Vanguard) had reported the arrest and detention of the former first lady of Anambra state.
The online media said she was arrested over alleged fraud.
However, when Vanguard contacted Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC’s spokesman, he denied the report, saying that she is not in EFCC’s custody.
Recall that her husband, Willie Obiano was apprehended about a month ago at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, after handing over to his successor, Soludo. Read more
Kola Abiola joins PRP, Consults On 2023 Presidency (DailyTrust)
Son of the late acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election, MKO Abiola, Kola Abiola has joined the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Kola, who joined the party yesterday, said he would mobilize the youths to take over power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023.
This is just as PRP unveiled its timetable and guidelines for the 2023 general elections yesterday.
Abiola told leaders of the party and journalists that he was still consulting on whether to contest for any elective position, adding that he has already promised to mobilize the youths to support the PRP takes over power next year.
According to him, he decided to choose the PRP instead of any of the two main political parties because the party was the only platform that has maintained its policy and ideology over the years. Read more
Harry and Meghan visit Queen on way to Invictus Games (BBC)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex met the Queen on Thursday after flying into the UK, a spokesperson for the couple confirmed to the BBC.
The couple stopped at Windsor on their way to The Hague, in the Netherlands, for the Invictus Games.
Prince Harry was last reported to be in the UK in July, while Meghan is not thought to have been in the country since 2020.
The Sussexes stepped down as senior royals in January 2020.
Their trip to the UK comes after Prince Harry was absent from a memorial service for his grandfather, the Duke of Edinburgh, in London last month. Read more
Russia says flagship boat Moskva has sunk following ‘Ukraine missile strike’ (Metro)
The Moskva, a Russian warship central to Moscow’s attack on southern Ukraine has sunk, Russia’s defence ministry has said.
The Russian military had said earlier today that the Soviet-era ship had been ‘seriously damaged’ by a fire.
The ministry said the blaze set off some of the ship’s weapons and forced the crew to evacuate.
However, the Ukrainian military claimed the large fire was the result of a successful missile strike.
Russia’s defence ministry said the damaged ship sank while being towed to a port in stormy weather. Read more
UK temporarily suspends post-Brexit rules for some music truckers (NME)
The UK government has agreed to temporarily suspend post-Brexit rules for some music truckers following a number of tour cancellations and delays.
Earlier this month, White Lies were forced to cancel the opening night of their 2022 European tour in Paris due to “Brexit legislation” seeing their equipment held up for two days.
Since January of 2021, when the post-Brexit trade deal between the EU and the U.K. came into force, truckers in both regions are now subject to “cabotage rules”, which require haulers to return to the EU or the U.K. — wherever their business is based — after making just three stops in the other market (via World News ERA).
The move has resulted in long delays for artists and in some cases tour postponements with musicians unable to get their equipment, which is being held up in transit through the rules due to huge backlogs.
The new relaxation of rules allows some of the UKs biggest trucking firms to now work and travel freely across Europe by temporarily switching their vehicles from an EU operator’s license to a UK one for the home leg of a tour.
Speaking to Billboard, a government spokesperson said: “This is a temporary exceptional measure which will ensure that our world-leading creative and cultural artists can continue to tour widely.” Read more
Blood money being paid for Russian oil – Zelensky (BBC)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused European countries that continue to buy Russian oil of “earning their money in other people’s blood”.
In an interview with the BBC, President Zelensky singled out Germany and Hungary, accusing them of blocking efforts to embargo energy sales, from which Russia stands to make up to £250bn ($326bn) this year.
There has been a growing frustration among Ukraine’s leadership with Berlin, which has backed some sanctions against Russia but so far resisted calls to back tougher action on oil sales.
“Some of our friends and partners understand that it is a different time now, that it is no longer an issue of business and money,” Mr Zelensky told the BBC from his situation room in Kyiv on Thursday. “That it is an issue of survival.”
The president also reiterated calls for more weapons to be supplied to Ukraine, saying they were not getting supplies fast enough to fend off Russia’s assault. Read more
Kristen Stewart’s eery new trailer for Crimes Of The Future is terrifyingly gory (Metro)
The new trailer for the new film Crimes Of The Future has been released, and it’s not for the faint-hearted.
The movie is the latest from Canadian film director David Cronenberg, 79, and is his first big-screen release in over eight years.
Set to premiere at this year’s 2022 Cannes Film Festival, the film follows the story of a popular performance artist, played by Viggo Mortensen, 63, who’s practice involves him growing new organs in his body.
Viggo, a long time Cronenberg collaborator, heads up a star-studded cast that features Kristen Stewart, 32, and Léa Seydoux, 36.
Now, Neon, the film’s distributor, has dropped a new trailer for the movie, and we have to say we’re on the edge of our seats. Read more
AppleTV+’s Ambitious Sam Esmail sci-fi drama ‘Metropolis’ to shoot In Australia (Deadline)
AppleTV+’s big budget TV reworking of Fritz Lang’s classic 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis from Mr Robot creator Sam Esmail is to shoot in Australia.
The production is expected to create nearly 4,000 jobs in the state of Victoria, where filming will take place, and make use of one of the world’s largest ‘virtual production’ infrastructures.
NBCUniversal’s Universal Studio Group is producing the show with Esmail, who was behind USA Network’s Mr Robot and Amazon’s Homecoming and is writing, directing and running the eight-part drama. NBCU’s Aussie producer Matchbox Pictures will handle on the ground production.
Metropolis is set in a futuristic urban dystopia and follows the attempts of Freder, the wealthy son of the city master, and Maria, a saintly figure to the workers, to overcome the vast gulf separating the classes in their city and bring the workers together with Joh Fredersen, the city master.
Australia’s VicScreen attracted Metropolis to the state through its Victorian Screen Incentive grant. It is expected to be the first of several NBCU projects in the region representing an injection of A$416M ($310M) into the local economy. Read more
Waiting for Beckett: Stephen Dillane and Conor Lovett stage the great playwright’s novel (Guardian)
Two men are meeting on Zoom, as they have done twice a week for the past two years. One of them is in northern France, his cottage bathed in bright spring sunshine, two portraits of a craggy Samuel Beckett behind him. The other is in a chilly Sussex, his window casting a dull grey light.
The first starts to recite. “Before Pim long before with Pim vast tracts of time,” he says. “A few traces that’s all seeing who I always.”
The second interrupts to correct him. “Thoughts,” he says. “Kinds of thoughts.”
The first man begins again. “Before Pim long before with Pim vast tracts of time, kinds of thoughts, same family diverse doubts, emotions too yes emotions …”
And so it goes until it is the second man’s turn to incant these mysterious words. An hour later, they are still in full flow, a ritual as mesmerising as it is strange. Phrases loop and repeat. Themes fade in and out of focus. Rhythms emerge from the unpunctuated text to form a dreamy, austere poetry.
It must be hellish to memorise, which is why these two men must test their recall so frequently. Read more
NBBF has cordial working relationship with Sports Ministry, says Kida (Guardian)
Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) President, Musa Kida, has reiterated that his Federation has a cordial working relationship with the Federal Ministry of Sports, adding that it will not compete with the ministry in the supervisory body’s sphere of authority.
Addressing journalists in Lagos during a meeting held by the NBBF to articulate its 2022 programme, Kida said the parley attended by the secretary and assistant secretary of the board, who are staffers of the Sports ministry, is a clear indication that there is no crisis in the Federation.
At the meeting, which provided the board opportunity to draw its four-year programme, NBBF thanked the Federal Government for its support towards developing sports in Nigeria.
Kida said things have started taking shape with domestic activities set to pick up after the stakeholders’ meeting. Read more
Ogunbote laments poor NPFL pitches (Punch)
Remo Stars coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, has called for better playing pitches for Nigeria Professional Football League clubs, especially calling for the renovation of embattled Heartland’s home turf.
Remo played a goalless draw against Heartland on Tuesday at the Dan Ayam Stadium in Owerri, but Ogunbote blamed the condition of the pitch for the result.
Ogunbote hinted that the condition of the pitch might be one of the reasons the Naze Millionaires were languishing in the relegation zone.
“It’s difficult to really assess but I’m not surprised the team is in that position (bottom of the league). They need to look for a better pitch because it is equally affecting them. Sometimes you’ll think it’s an advantage but it is not. Read more
Frankfurt stun Barcelona to reach semi-finals (BBC)
Eintracht Frankfurt stunned Barcelona with a dramatic victory at the Nou Camp to set up a Europa League semi-final against West Ham.
After the first leg had finished 1-1, the German side stormed into a 3-0 lead in the second and looked in control before two late goals for Barcelona.
Filip Kostic’s penalty and Rafael Borre’s superb strike were followed by another for Kostic after the break.
But Sergio Busquets’ effort and Memphis Depay’s penalty set up a tense finish.
Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka was also sent off for a second yellow card for what looked a soft foul on Luuk de Jong for the spot-kick, with nine minutes added on following a VAR malfunction. Read more
Tiger Woods to play Irish Pro-Am ahead of Open return at St Andrews (Metro)
Tiger Woods will play a star-studded warm-up event ahead of this year’s Open Championship at the JP McManus Pro-Am in County Limerick in Ireland.
The tournament, which will go ahead on 4-5 July, have announced the inclusion of Woods in a field that already boasts Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy.
Woods, the 15-time major winner, revealed his intentions to play in the Open at St Andrews in July following his return to competitive golf at last week’s Masters.
Woods has won twice before at St Andrews in 2000 and 2005 (Picture: Getty)
Only 14 months ago, the 46-year-old was involved in a car crash in Los Angeles and it was thought he may never play on tour again due to his injuries. Read more
Liverpool, Man City face defining moment in FA Cup clash (Guardian)
Liverpool will put their unprecedented quadruple bid on the line against treble-chasing Manchester City on Saturday in an FA Cup semi-final that will make or break one club’s dream of football immortality.
Jurgen Klopp’s men are in contention to become the first English team to win all four major trophies in one season.
They lifted the League Cup in February and advanced to the last four of the Champions League after surviving a late scare in their quarter-final second leg against Benfica on Wednesday.
With Liverpool expected to see off Spanish side Villarreal in the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition, it is Premier League leaders City who will provide the major obstacle to their ambitions. Read more
I’m not thinking about retirement – Fury (BBC)
World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury says retirement is not on his mind before his bout with Dillian Whyte.
The unbeaten Fury, 33, faces his fellow Briton, 34, at a sold-out Wembley Stadium on 23 April, St George’s Day.
At the news conference to announce the fight last month Fury said he would “100%” retire after it.
But he backtracked on Thursday saying: “I am only thinking about Dillian Whyte at this moment, I am not thinking about retirement.”
Speaking during a news conference for his first UK fight since 2018, Fury did not talk about his links to Daniel Kinahan, who has been sanctioned by the US Treasury. Read more