EFCC operatives lay siege to Yahaya Bello’s Abuja residence (DailyTrust)
Dozens of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, cordoned off the street where the Abuja residence of a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, is.
Our correspondent, who visited Benghazi Street in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, reports that the stern-looking operatives of the anti-graft agency did not allow movement in and out of the street.
Daily Trust could not immediately ascertain their presence on the street but a highly-placed official of the EFCC confided in our correspondent that the operation was being carried out to arrest the former governor. Read more
‘‘Money na water’’, says Cubana Chief Priest after Naira abuse trial (Punch)
Businessman and socialite, Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has broken his silence after perfecting his N10 million bail condition with two sureties in like sum.
Okechukwu claimed he was not small and that money was water in an Instagram post shortly after his arraignment on Wednesday.
“Seeing all your messages and love. I’m so humbled. Now it’s confirmed CP (Cubana Priest) is not small. Money na water (sic),” he wrote.
The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Federal High Court in Lagos State was granted N10m bail with two sureties in like sum. Read more
KAI conducts clearance operations on Lagos pedestrian bridge, arrest 12 persons (Nation)
Operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (KAI) on Wednesday, April 17, conducted clearance operations on the pedestrian
This was announced by the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab on his official X handle.
He wrote: “The operatives of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial (KAI) today conducted clearance operations on the pedestrian bridges at Ikate Elegushi and Agungi along Ajah. Read more
Yoruba Nation: Court remands 29 suspected agitators (Vanguard)
The Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan has ordered the remand of 29 suspected Yoruba Nation agitators for invading the premises of the Oyo State Secretariat in Ibadan on Saturday.
The defendants were arraigned on Wednesday for their various involvements in the failed invasion of the secretariat and the Governor’s Office.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that some masked persons invaded the state secretariat to hoist the Yoruba Nation flag before they were demobilised by joint security personnel. Read more
Remi Tinubu brings Renewed Hope agenda to women in Kebbi (Tribune)
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria, stormed Kebbi State on Tuesday with the “Renewed Hope” agenda mantra aimed at encouraging women in the state to be fully engaged in rural agriculture. She made cash donations and provided other agricultural implements to sustain the programs in the state.
While in the state, Senator Oluremi Tinubu also flagged off the Renewed Hope initiative for women support programs in the North-West states of the Federation, with twenty beneficiaries from each state receiving a cash support of 10 million naira per state.
Mrs. Tinubu, represented by the wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hajiya Fatima Tajudeen Abbas, stated that each benefiting female farmer would receive Five Hundred Thousand Naira as a deliberate effort to stimulate women’s participation in agriculture and food security, besides poultry and fish farming. Read more
PDP Governors in closed-door meeting in Abuja (Channels)
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are currently in a closed-door meeting at the Akwa Ibom governor’s lodge in Abuja.
The agenda for the meeting is still unknown at the time of filing this report.
However, already present for the meeting are six out of the 11 governors namely; Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta State), Douye Diri (Bayelsa State), Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers State), Bala Muhammed (Bauchi State), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom State), and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State.
Kano High Court affirms Ganduje’s suspension (ThisDay)
Kano State High Court has granted an exparte order restraining the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje from parading himself as member of the party.
Subsequently, the court ordered, that henceforth, Ganduje should desist from presiding over all affairs of the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC.
The application granted by Justice Usman Malam Na’abba on Wednesday, follows an exparte motion filed by Dr. Ibrahim Sa’ad Esq on behalf of two executive members APC Ganduje ward, Dawakin-Tofa local government area, the assistant secretary, Laminu Sani and legal adviser Haladu Gwanjo (plaintiffs) who were part of the nine ward executives who suspended Abdullahi Ganduje two days ago. Read more
Anambra NSCDC arrests 2 for illegal mining (Punch)
Operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Anambra State Command, have arrested two persons for engaging in illegal mining activities.
Based on credible intelligence, the command said the suspects were arrested around 11pm on Tuesday.
The State Commandant of NSCDC, Maku Olatunde, while parading the suspects at the state headquarters on Wednesday, commended the command’s Mining Marshal Squad led by Agunwa Osita, for acting on “the strength of the information to apprehend the economic saboteurs.” Read more
Zendaya “doesn’t know” what’s happening with Euphoria season 3 (DigitalSpy)
Zendaya has admitted she is in the dark about when Euphoria season 3 will be getting underway – though she is keen to return.
The next season of the HBO teen drama has suffered delays, with a recent report suggesting that cast members’ busy schedules have pushed things back.
Speaking to Variety, Zendaya – who plays the role of Rue Bennett in the series – was asked whether we will see a third season. Read more
Woman ‘wheeled dead man into bank and tried to get him to take out £2k loan’ (Metro)
A woman has been arrested after taking a dead man into a bank in a wheelchair and trying to get him to sign off a four-figure loan in her name.
Suspicious bank staff started filming the pair and ended up calling for an ambulance and police as she used her hand to keep the deceased pensioner’s head upright and told him: ‘Uncle, are you listening? You have to sign it. I can’t sign for you.’
Paramedics confirmed Paulo Roberto Braga, 68, had passed away a few hours earlier when they reached the bank branch in Bangu, a neighbourhood in the western area of Rio de Janeiro. Read more
Crazy Rich Asians is being developed into a broadway-bound stage musical with film’s director Jon M. Chu (People)
Crazy Rich Asians is the latest title to make the jump to the stage.
Producers on Wednesday, April 17 announced the development of a new Broadway-bound musical based on Kevin Kwan’s acclaimed worldwide bestselling trilogy of books and its beloved 2018 film adaptation.
Casting, a full creative team and production dates haven’t been announced just yet, but the musical will be helmed by Jon M. Chu, who directed the Crazy Rich Asians movie. Chu knows a thing or two about musicals, having directed the movie versions of In the Heights and the upcoming two-part adaptation of Wicked. This will be Chu’s Broadway directorial debut. Read more
Kendrick Lamar’s Drake & J. Cole diss debunked as AI creator reveals how he made song (HipHopDx)
Kendrick Lamar‘s alleged diss response to Drake and J. Cole has been confirmed as a fake after a man revealed he used artificial intelligence to make it.
An up-and-coming artist by the name of Sy The Rapper revealed on Tuesday (April 16) that he was the person behind the fake track and explained how he made it.
In a video posted on Instagram, Sy talked viewers through the creation process, revealing how he created the beat and rapped lyrics in the style of Kendrick before putting the recording through an AI program. Read more
The thousands of Palestinians Israel arrests, tortures, holds even in death (AlJazeera)
In July 2020, the Israeli army stormed Birzeit University in the occupied West Bank and arrested Nada* while she was attending a cultural event.
She was accused of plotting “acts of terrorism” against Israeli forces and sentenced to 20 months in prison.
But Nada says she neither committed a crime nor engaged in acts of ‘‘resistance” that would provoke her arrest. Read more
Iran vows ‘massive and harsh response’ should Israel attack (AfricaNews)
Iran’s president has warned that the “tiniest invasion” by Israel would bring a “massive and harsh” response, as the region braces for potential Israeli retaliation after Iran’s attack over the weekend.
President Ebrahim Raisi spoke Wednesday at an annual army parade that was relocated to a barracks north of the capital, Tehran, from its usual venue on a highway in the city’s southern outskirts. Iranian authorities gave no explanation for its relocation, and state TV did not broadcast it live, as it has in previous years.
Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend in response to an apparent Israeli strike on Iran’s embassy compound in Syria on April 1 that killed 12 people, including two Iranian generals. Read more
Met Police to pay millions to young Black man left paralysed when they Tasered him (Mirror)
Jordan Walker-Brown, 27, was left paralysed from the chest down after he was Tasered while running away from police who incorrectly believed he might have had a knife
The Metropolitan Police is due to pay millions to a Black man who was left paralysed after being Tasered by an officer.
Jordan Walker-Brown, 27, was left with a broken back after he fell over a fence following a Taser being deployed by PC Imran Mahmood during the first COVID lockdown in May, 2020. Mahmood said he believed unarmed Walker-Brown had a knife when he fired the taser in Harringay, north London, and that he needed to be “contained.” Read more
Amoo backs Garba as Golden Eaglets camp opens in Abuja (Nation)
Former Nigeria international and erstwhile men’s national U-17 team coach, Fatai Amoo, has thrown his weight behind the newly appointed coach of the country’s cadet team, Manu Garba.
Amoo, who managed the Golden Eaglets in 2020, said Garba, with his varied experiences over the years, is capable to lead the revival of the team after missing out on global silverwares since 2015.
According to Amoo, Garba as a two-time-winner of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, first as an assistant to the late coach Yemi Tella at the 2007 in South Korea and as the team’s substantive coach at the 2013 edition in the United Arab Emirates, has all it takes to stir the Golden Eaglets to international acclaim yet again. Read more
My ultimate aim is to improve, enjoy myself on pitch – Anthony (Leadership)
Nigerian football prodigy, Izuchuwku Anthony, has disclosed that his ultimate aim as a young footballer is to get better in the game and enjoy himself on the field of play.
Anthony’s spectacular performances for his new club has generated interest from some clubs in Europe’s top five leagues.
The 26-year-old central defender, who currently plays for Chinese Super League side Nantong Zhiyun, in a chat with LEADERSHIP disclosed that his football journey started from the streets, from where it became a passion worth pursuing. Read more
NBA: LeBron James helps Los Angeles Lakers beat New Orleans Pelicans to reach play-offs (BBC)
LeBron James scored 23 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New Orleans Pelicans 110-106 to reach the NBA play-offs.
James, 39, also chipped in with nine rebounds, nine assists and three steals to help the Lakers seal the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
The Lakers face defending champions the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the play-offs. Read more
Osinbajo backs chess master, Onakoya’s 58-hour Guinness World Record attempt (Punch)
Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has extended his best wishes to Nigerian chess master, Tunde Onakoya, in his attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon on Wednesday.
PUNCH Online reported on Saturday that Onakoya, the founder of Chess in Slums Africa, announced his plan to play chess continuously for 58 hours without losing a game from 10am on April 17 to 8pm on April 19 in Times Square, New York City.
Onakoya said he was doing it “for the dreams of millions of children across Africa without access to education.” Read more
Lookman: I feel comfortable with EPL football than Serie A (CompleteSports)
Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman has revealed that the Premier League is definitely suited to his style because it’s fast, technical, and physical than the Italian Serie A.
The Nigerian international, who is expected to be in action for Atalanta in Thursday’s second leg quarter final clash against Liverpool, stated this in an interview with The Athletic.
Lookman also noted that learning about the culture of football in Italy is really special to him. Read more
Steve Thompson: World Cup winner claims rugby is ‘flogging the players until they literally fall apart’ (Independent)
Former England player and World Cup winner Steve Thompson believes rugby is “flogging the players until they literally fall apart” amid plans to introduce a new Club World Cup tournament in 2028.
Thompson, 45, was diagnosed with early onset dementia in 2020 and has previously said he cannot remember playing in England’s World Cup final win over Australia in 2003 or being awarded an MBE by the Queen afterwards.
The former front-row is one of more than 200 retired rugby players named in a legal claim against three of the sport’s governing bodies, including World Rugby and the Rugby Football Union, alleging they suffered brain injuries during their careers. Read more