EFCC arrests suspect on FBI wanted list, others for $100m fraud (Guardian)
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested one Osondu Victor Igwilo and three others for a $100m fraud.
EFCC in a statement said Igwilo has been on the watch list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since 2018.
Fifty-two-year-old Igwilo, alleged to be the leader of a criminal network of “catchers,” was arrested alongside Okafor Nnamdi Chris, Nwodu Uchenna Emmanuel and John Anazo Achukwu at a studio in the Sangotedo area of Lagos.
The suspects are facing allegations of fraud, money laundering and identity theft to the tune of about $100m.
Before their arrest, Igwilo and his accomplices had allegedly been involved in an advance-fee scheme that involved false promises of investment funding by individuals who impersonated some United States of America, USA, bank officials in person and via the internet. Read more
2023: Lagos PDP reaffirms determination to wrestle power from APC (Independent)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its determination to wrestle power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) when the party leaders and members in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area (LGA) received Olajide Adediran, popularly called Jandor and his team at the party’s secretariat over the weekend.
The crowd at the event suggests that the main opposition party is more than ready to take over, as they stressed that the time had come for genuine change to take place in the state.
Honourable Sunday Olaifa, former Oshodi/Isolo LGA chairman and newly elected Lagos West Senatorial Vice Chairman of the party said that PDP can win Lagos State and charged members of the party to bury their differences and work towards victory.
“Lagos State today is not the dream of our forefathers because the state has been colonized by the ruling party. If you look at the resources that are available to the state, the federal allocation and the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), you would notice that Lagos should have been like Dubai but unfortunately, we have bad roads, no water, no electricity and unemployment. Read more
Issue Lagos govt tickets to motorists, not NURTW, MC Oluomo tells followers (Punch)
Suspended chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers Union in Lagos State, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, has ordered his lieutenants to stop issuing NURTW tickets to motorists in the state.
He also directed his foot soldiers at bus stops and parks in the state to only issue a certain N800 daily ticket to each commercial vehicle as ordered by the Lagos State Government in January 2022.
Akinsanya’s Media Aide, Jimoh Buhari, confirmed the development in a chat with our correspondent on Monday.
The Punch had reported that the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration ordered danfo, taxi, and other commercial vehicles in the state to pay N800 levy daily effective February 1, 2022. Read more
Child found with dispatch rider not stolen – Police (Nation)
The Police Command in Lagos said that the 10-month-old child found with dispatch rider was not stolen nor was he kept in the courier box as alleged by the mob.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos Command, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
He said the command’s attention was drawn to a video going viral on social media alleging that a yet-to- be-identified dispatch rider stole a child found and recovered in a dispatch box.
“On 11th March, 2022, a video of a dispatch rider accused of concealing a suspected stolen child in a courier box went viral on social media, causing apprehension. Read more
Institute organises rally against building collapse in Lagos (Punch)
The Nigerian Institute of Building, Lagos State Chapter, has announced plans to organise a rally against building collapse in the state.
According to the organisation, the rally is to commemorate ‘Builders’ Day’. It added that the day was an annual event slated for March 13 of every year, and was institutionalised as a result of the collapse of a five-storey building at Itafaji, Lagos Island on March 13, 2019.
In a statement, the organisation said, “In recognition of the importance to have Registered Builders on all sites, the Lagos State Building Control Agency Regulation as stipulated in Section 4 subsection (2) mandates the agency to ensure that the execution of every building under construction in Lagos State is managed by a Registered Builder, and Section 4 subsection (3) provides that such building construction must be supervised or managed by the relevant professionals registered to practice in Nigeria.
“Furthermore, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) Act Cap B13 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, Clause 1 Subsection 2 (a–e), recognises only Registered Builders as the professionals saddled with the construction, production and management of buildings as well as the technology of preserving the existing building stock during its useful lifespan. Read more
PDP is not your personal property, Edo cannot be procured – Obaseki tells Wike (Channels)
Governor Godwin Obaseki has said that the recent personal attacks by the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Nyesom Wike, against the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu is most unfortunate and totally uncalled for.
The Edo State Governor expressed his displeasure at the development in a statement on Monday.
Obaseki said if Wike was one who won’t show respect and courtesy to his colleague-governors, he would have ordinarily reached out to him to express his concerns about the views made by Comrade Shaibu, rather than embark on an unwarranted public onslaught.
The rift between Governor Wike and the Edo State deputy governor stemmed from a comment made by the latter suggesting that many supporters of Obaseki who defected with the governor from APC to the PDP are not happy and do not feel accepted into the new party. Read more
How Small Doctor refused to feature me in his songs, pushed me to fight with Poco Lee – Portable (Independent)
Nigerian singer and rapper, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable has revealed how Nigerian singer Adekunle Temitope aka Small Doctor refused to feature him in his songs when he was still struggling with his music career.
The Zazu crooner disclosed this in a video post on social media, stating that Small Doctor was the one who told him Nigerian dancer, Poco Lee was ripping him off and encouraged him to fight with the dancer.
He further bragged in the video that he is now more famous than Small Doctor as he has more fans and social media followers.
The rapper said, “When I was still an upcoming artist when I wanted to feature you and met your producer, he did free music for me without collecting a dime. He begged you to feature me but you refused. Read more
House Committee on FRSC harps on collaborative efforts in management of Nigerian roads (ThisDay)
The Chairman, House Committee on Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Akinfolarin Mayowa Samuel, has disclosed that there must be collaborative efforts between the government and the private sector in the management of Nigerian roads, stressing that the government cannot do it alone.
Samuel, who made this known while speaking when the Committee on Road Safety Commission visited the Obajana Cement plant at Obajana, Kogi State, at the weekend.
He explained that the challenges of road infrastructure in Nigeria cannot be fixed by the Dangote Group alone, as he commended various interventions by the group which were highly appreciated by the members of the House of Representatives.
Samuel, who bemoaned the traffic gridlock at Kabba Junction in the state, urged the company to step up its interventional scheme by easing traffic jams, adding that the Lokoja-Kabba road is sensitive and central to the road network in the country. Read more
Panic as Abba Kyari’s wife slumps in court (Vanguard)
A lady, identified as the wife of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, on Monday, fainted at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
She slumped on the ground shortly after trial Justice Emeka Nwite deferred ruling on applications that DCP Kyari and six other persons facing drug trafficking charges with him, filed to be released on bail pending the determination of the case against them.
The middle aged woman, who wore a black Hijab, fell on the floor while armed operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, were leading Kyari and the others away from the court premises.
Though she appeared lifeless on the floor, she was quickly carried up and rushed inside one of the offices on the third floor of the court by some officials of the NDLEA and lawyers. Read more
Doyin Okupe gives Kemi Afolabi hope over incurable ailment (Nation)
Former presidential aide Dr. Doyin Okupe has given hope to actress Kemi Afolabi over her incurable ailment, Lupus.
Okupe, in an open letter, expressed that while Lupus is incurable, it is untrue that the actress has limited years to live.
“My dear Kemi, I read about your affliction with Lupus with much compassion. I was, however, saddened by your announcement that doctors told you that you have about five years to live. This is untrue. It is a lie of the devil,” the co-founder of Royal Cross Medical Centre noted.
Okupe also noted that though the ailment is incurable, there are cases of complete remissions. Read more
BTS smashes box office record with concert livestream (UPI)
A three-concert series by K-pop superstars BTS that wrapped up over the weekend drew nearly 2.5 million online and offline viewers and set a record for a live cinema event, raking in more than $32 million at the box office in a one-day global release.
BTS Permission to Dance on Stage – Seoul brought the septet back to the stage for their first live concerts in South Korea since pre-pandemic shows in 2019. In-person tickets to Seoul Olympic Stadium were capped at 15,000 per show due to COVID-19 restrictions — which also included a ban on chanting, singing and dancing.
An additional 1.02 million fans from 191 countries viewed online streams of the shows on Thursday and Sunday, according to label Big Hit Entertainment.
On Saturday, the second night of the engagement, a live cinema broadcast was presented in 3,711 movie theaters in 75 countries and territories around the world, drawing in 1.4 million viewers, Big Hit said. Read more
Billie Eilish wins best original song for No Time to Die at Critics Choice Awards (ET)
Billie Eilish took home another award Sunday night, this time winning Best Original Song for “No Time to Die” from the James Bond film of the same name.
Eilish, a seven-time Grammy winner, won the award alongside her brother and creative partner Finneas.
Eilish was up against Beyonce, Jay Z and Kid Cudi, Ariana Grande and Lin-Manuel Miranda in the category at the Critics Choice Awards.
With the win, Eilish inches closer to her first-ever Oscar. Read more
Kid Cudi to star in upcoming Brittany Snow-directed film ‘September 17th’ (NME)
Kid Cudi is set to star in Brittany Snow’s forthcoming film directorial debut, September 17th.
According to Variety, Cudi – real name Scott Mescudi – was cast by Snow (Pitch Perfect) after the pair worked together as actors on A24’s new horror film X, which is released this Friday (March 18)
“I couldn’t believe that [Snow] wanted me in it,” Cudi told the outlet. “She had told me about the movie while we were on set [for X], but she never asked me to be in it. I was like, ‘Maybe she’s waiting to see how [X] turns out’.”
He continued: “It’s gonna be awesome. Really great script.” Read more
Jane Campion under fire for comment on Venus and Serena Williams’ tennis prowess (NBC)
Along the road to the Oscars, becoming an Internet hero can be a fleeting accomplishment.
That’s what happened to Jane Campion, director of “The Power of the Dog,” over the weekend as she went from being championed on Twitter one night to being criticized the next.
On Saturday, the Internet crowned Campion their queen for responding to Sam Elliot’s crude criticism of “The Power of the Dog” on the red carpet ahead of the DGA Awards.
“He was being a little bit of a b—-,” she said, spelling out the final word. Read more
‘My aim was Oyé, not Glastonbury’: Liverpool’s beloved African music festival turns 30 (Guardian)
In Liverpool, Africa Oyé festival is beloved. “It’s been called Christmas for scousers,” says Sonia Bassey, the current chair of the charity behind the event. The biggest festival of African and African diaspora music in the country, attracting a crowd of 80,000 to Sefton Park in south Liverpool, this summer’s edition will mark its 30th anniversary – after two years of pandemic-enforced cancellations. “The response was off the scale,” Bassey says.
Over the past three decades, Oyé has brought some of the world’s biggest African artists to Liverpool, and often on a shoestring budget: now-massive names such as Tinariwen and Songhoy Blues played some of their first British shows there. This year, chart-topping Ghanaian artist Fuse ODG will play alongside the likes of Oumou Sangaré. But just as important, especially in a city whose musical identity is synonymous with white rock groups, is its focus on showcasing local Black talent.
“I’ve been going to Africa Oyé since I was a kid,” says the rapper MC Nelson, who is from nearby Aigburth. “Seeing all kinds of amazing Black artists on stage, just down the road from my house, had a profound effect on me growing up. When I started taking music seriously my aim was Oyé, not Glastonbury or Coachella. I saw it as a way to inspire the next generation of Black scouse musicians.”
That sense of community spirit is as integral to Oyé as the performers. Entry is free and always has been. Bassey comes from a family of activists, who were “heavily involved” in the community response to the 1981 Toxteth riots, and “the way Black people are oppressed by the structures that constantly kept them marginalised”. She is proud that by removing financial barriers, Oyé boasts a genuinely diverse crowd. Read more
Keith Richards says he considers The Rolling Stones to be Ian Stewart’s band: ‘He pulled us together’ (Independent)
Keith Richards has revealed that he still views The Rolling Stones as Ian Stewart’s band, despite the late pianist being removed from the original lineup back in 1963.
Appearing on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast, the legendary rock artist discussed the band’s forthcoming Europe tour, along with his solo work.
“I consider the Stones to be Ian’s band,” the 78-year-old said, as talk turned to the group’s early years. His remark prompted Maron to utter a disbelieving, “Really?”
“He put it together, he pulled us together. Without him, we wouldn’t have coagulated,” Richards explained. Read more
Kanye West rants about child custody arrangements (MusicNews)
Kanye West posted a series of videos ranting about the custody agreement of his daughter North West on Sunday.
In the clips, the rapper claimed he should be able to control the eight-year-old’s TikTok presence and have her come to his Sunday Service events.
“I just got off the phone with Kim, I told her to stop antagonising me with this TikTok thing… I said, ‘It’s never again,” said Kanye. “I’m not allowing’ my daughter to be used by TikTok, to be used by Disney, I have a say-so.”
Specifically, he complained about one TikTok video North posted about liking emo girls. Read more
Finally, FG hands over houses to winners of 1994 African Cup of Nations (DailyTrust)
The federal government has fulfilled its promise of allocating houses in the preferred state of choice to winners of the 1994 African Cup of Nations, saying it is better late than never.
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, at the official commissioning of the Housing Project under the National Housing Programme (NHP) Phase 1 in Abere, Osun State, said the players can pick up the keys to their houses in their preferred states.
The President who was represented by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, stated that the motive of the federal government was beyond improving the human condition of living through the housing projects, but it also provided an opportunity to fulfil the pledge it made.
“But there is more to our message of change and improving the human condition in these housing projects. Read more
Ballon d’Or given makeover with performances to be judged on the European calendar (InsideWorldFootball)
The Ballon d’Or award given to the world’s best male and female footballer will now be judged on performances over the main European season rather than an entire calendar year.
The organisers, France Football magazine, have announced that the 2022 edition of the award ceremony will take place in October rather than November/December.
“The #ballondor will now be awarded on the basis of a classic football season: August to July! No worries, the Qatar World Cup will count for the 2023 award. Less global but… much more demanding,” said a tweet from the organisers.
The judging panel of 170 journalists will also be cut to 100 for the men’s award, while the women’s panel will contain 50 judges. Read more
Mikel Arteta told he’s struck “perfect balance” as Arsenal duo finally begin to flourish (Mirror)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been commended for finding the “perfect balance” in his midfield after a run of fine results.
The Gunners saw off Leicester 2-0 at home on Sunday to extend their winning run to five matches.
Arsenal now sit in the top four, and have three games in hand on fifth-placed Manchester United.
Arteta’s side have come a long way from the struggling outfit that lost their first three Premier League games of the season and sat rock bottom in September. Read more
Andy Murray backs Rafael Nadal for French Open (Eurosport)
Andy Murray believes a “relaxed” Rafael Nadal is in a strong position to end the clay-court season with a 14th French Open title.
The Spaniard has started the season 16-0, with his Australian Open triumph in January pulling him one clear in the men’s Grand Slam singles race with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic.
Nadal is currently playing at Indian Wells – and faces Briton Dan Evans on Monday night – but he will sit out the Miami Open, meaning the 35-year-old will soon turn his attention to the clay swing.
Meanwhile, Djokovic is absent from the ATP 1000 events in the US, and he will play wherever he is allowed before he bids to defend his French Open title – with the Serbian now seemingly free to play at Roland Garros after France relaxed its rules surrounding Covid vaccine passports. Read more
Hamilton explains his silence after Abu Dhabi (PlanetF1)
Lewis Hamilton says he needed to “unplug” and “refocus” after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which saw Max Verstappen crowned World Champion in controversial circumstances.
Hamilton had been leading the race and looked set for a record-breaking eighth world title until a late Safety Car call allowed Verstappen to overtake him.
After the race, Hamilton disappeared from social media, leading many to speculate whether he intended to return to the sport.
The 37-year-old eventually confirmed he will be racing again this year and has explained his absence as a need to “refocus” and “unplug from social media”. Read more
Arum: ‘Real Sadness’ not being able to see Lomachenko, Usyk perform in the ring (Boxing Scene)
The more time Vasiliy Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk spend away from the ring to defend their country, the more it hurts boxing culture.
That was the substance of promoter Bob Arum’s message in a recent video put out by his promotional company, Top Rank Inc.
Both Lomachenko and Usyk have put their boxing careers on hold in order to focus on defending their homeland of Ukraine from Russia’s ongoing military invasion. Lomachenko, a former 135-pound titleist, and Usyk, the unified WBO, WBA, and IBF heavyweight champion, were out of the country in late February, when Russian president Vladimir Putin launched an attack on Ukraine. Both boxers, however, quickly returned home and enlisted with the Ukrainian army.
The 90-year-old Arum, who promotes Lomachenko (16-2, 11 KOs) and is friends with Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs), gave a heartfelt message to the boxers, whose courage he admired, even if their absence signified a net loss for boxing fans. Read more
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a gift ‘fallen out of the sky’ – Xavi Hernandez (ESPN)
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez says Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a gift that dropped from the sky after the former Arsenal striker’s sixth goal for the club helped seal a 4-0 win against Osasuna on Sunday.
Aubameyang, 32, added the third goal before half-time at Camp Nou after Ferran Torres had scored twice. Substitute Riqui Puig completed the scoring after the break as Barca cut the gap on second placed Sevilla to five points with a game in hand.
Barca have now hit four goals in four of their last nine games, leaving behind the problems they encountered in front of goal in the first half of the season. January signings Aubameyang, Torres and Adama Traore have helped transform their attack.
“Aubameyang is a present that has fallen out of the sky,” Xavi said in a news conference of the Gabon forward, who joined on a free transfer after Arsenal agreed to terminate his contract. Read more