El-Rufai’s Wife: I’m ready to die in the hands of kidnappers (DailyTrust)
The wife of Kaduna State Governor, Hajiya Asia El-Rufai, has said no ransom should be paid to her abductors if she is kidnapped.
Addressing participants of a peace and security training organised Equal Access International (EAI) in Kaduna, the governor’s wife, who is also a lecturer at Baze University, Abuja, said she is ready to die in the hands of kidnappers if that will bring peace to the country.
The governor’s wife said Nigerians must get back their once peaceful country and women have a great role to play in achieving that.
“We must sacrifice to bring this to an end and I am ready to die in the hands of kidnappers if it will bring peace to this country.
“For as long as you continue to pay ransom, it is like you are adding kerosene to fire, you are giving bandits, kidnappers money for ammunition to continue to haunt you. We should not pay ransom. this is my personal opinion. Read more
NIN hitches: JAMB to conduct mop up exam for late applicants – Registrar (Vanguard)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), will conduct mop up examination for candidates who registered late for this year’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Registrar, Prof. Isaq Oloyede, has said.
This is just as only 17,758 late prospective candidates have to far registered in all the offices of the Board across the country.
Oloyede disclosed this in Lagos on Wednesday at the JAMB Lagos Office where he monitored the exercise.
He said as at the close of the registration for the exam within the stipulated period, only about 1.4 million candidates registered for the exam contrary to about over 2 million candidates who did so last year. Read more
Twitter has reached out to FG over suspension, says Lai Mohammed (Punch)
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Wednesday said the management of the microblogging platform, Twitter, has reached out to the Federal Government for discussion over the recent suspension order slammed on it.
Mohammed disclosed this to State House correspondents after the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister said Twitter management was seeking “high-level discussion” to resolve the issue that led to the suspension of its activities in Nigeria.
He said the management reached out to the government on Wednesday. Read more
Another UNIJOS lecturer kidnapped (ThisDay)
A lecturer with the Department of Theatre Arts of the University of Jos, Dr. Dan Ella, has been kidnapped from his Haske Quarters residence by unknown gunmen.
THISDAY gathered that he was abducted in the early hours of Wednesday by gunmen who attacked his residence located at Haske Quarters in Lamingo community, Jos North Local Government Area of the state.
Haske Quarters was the same community gunmen abducted a female professor of Medical Microbiology and her husband recently, and later released after ransom was paid.
A neighbour of the lecturer, Mr Moses Bature, confirmed that the gunmen who arrived the community around 2am on Wednesday headed straight to the apartment of the lecturer and took him away after breaking their door while shooting to scare away residents.
“It was the sounds of gunshots that woke us up around 2am. But we could not come out to his rescue for fear of becoming victims.
“This morning when we came out, we discovered that they had taken Dr. Dan Ella away after breaking into their house. It’s really painful because this thing is happening again in the same place where a professor and her husband were kidnapped in similar circumstances last month and Dr Ella who is their neighbour was the one running around to make sure that the kidnapped husband and wife were rescued. And now, he is the one that has been abducted and no one knows where they have taken him,” Bature said. Read more
Student dies in BUK hostel (DailyTrust)
A final-year student has been found dead in a dormitory at Bayero University, Kano, the school authorities have confirmed.
Mercy Sunday, a 400-level student in the Department of Political Science, died on Tuesday after she had suffered a fever.
She died in the Ramat Hall female students’ hostel.
Dean of Student Affairs, Dr Shamsudeen Umar, who confirmed the incident, said the student had treated the fever at the university clinic couple of days ago before it returned Monday night and took her life.
According to him, “She was sick and attended the university clinic where she was taken care of before being discharged to her hostel. But the illness returned on Monday night and she died before daybreak on Tuesday.” Read more
FG designates 4 international airports special economic zones (Guardian)
The Federal Government has announced the designation of four international airports, as Special Economic Zones.
The Minister of Aviation, Capt. Hadi Sirika, made this disclosure in a statement issued by Mr James Odaudu, the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Aviation, in Abuja on Wednesday.
The minister said that the four airports comprised the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the Port-Harcourt international Airport, and the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.
According to him, the announcement followed the approval granted by President Muhammadu Buhari to that effect.
He said that there were many inherent benefits of the designation and operation of the airports as special economic zones.
“The Ministry of Aviation in its desire to address issues concerning taxation, customs duties and fiscal issues in the Nigerian Aviation industry which required a holistic solution, had requested the Nigerian Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA) to designate the four major international Airports under NEPZA Act. Read more
Businessmen arrested over alleged N102m fraud (Punch)
One Emmanuel Obinyan has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly obtaining by false pretences and diverting the sum of N77,773,700.
It was gathered that one late Daniel Chinemelum, sometime in July 2015, entered into a partnership agreement and also signed a memorandum of understanding with Obinyan for the formation of a real estate company, Fedan Courtyard Home Services Limited.
According to the complainants, who are the children of Daniel, Stephen and Emeka Chinemelum, their father paid the sum of N52m into the suspect’s Zenith Bank account number 1011861572 as equity contribution to the business.
The complainants further alleged that the suspect, however, failed to render an account of the business at the expiration of the five-year duration of the agreement. Read more
Female teacher abducted in Abuja
(DailyTrust)
A female teacher at Government Secondary School (GSS), Kuje, Abuja, has been abducted.
The victim identified as Mrs Daramola Onyeaka Matina, was said to have been kidnapped right inside her residence at Shadadi community in Kuje Local Council.
A family member of the victim, who preferred anonymity, said the incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday.
The family member said the kidnappers armed to teeth broke into her residence around 12:34am.
“They gained access into her residence through the back door. They used a sledge harmer and axe to destroy the door, while others stood outside and surrounded the house. She was whisked away at gunpoint,” he said. Read more
9th Senate passes 58 bills in 2 years (Guardian)
The 9th Senate says it passed 58 out of the 742 bills introduced at the two sessions of the assembly.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, said this when he spoke at a special session on the second anniversary of the 9th Senate at plenary on Wednesday.
Lawan said that 355 out of the remaining 742 bills have also gone through first reading, while 175 have gone through second reading and have been referred to relevant committees for further legislative business.
“Eleven bills referred by the House of Representatives for concurrence have also been passed. The bills cut across all sectors and touch most areas of needs in the lives of our citizens,” he said. Read more
Woman gives birth to 10 babies in ‘world’s largest ever live birth’ (Metro)
A woman in South Africa claims to have given birth to 10 babies in the same pregnancy, which would be a new world record if confirmed.
Gosiame Thamara Sithole, 37, was initially expecting six children before doctors identified eight on scans.
In the end, her husband said 10 were delivered by caesarian section at 29 weeks at a hospital in the city of Pretoria on Monday.
Tebogo Tsotetsi – who is currently unemployed – told journalists his wife was ‘happy’ and ’emotional’ after giving birth to the decuplets. Read more
Teyana Taylor is first black woman to be named Maxim’s ‘Sexiest Woman Alive’ (PageSix)
Teyana Taylor is making history with her latest magazine cover.
On Monday, the 30-year-old entertainer was crowned Maxim’s “Sexiest Woman Alive,” topping the title’s “Hot 100” list for 2021.
Taylor covers the issue in a hacked-off Hanes tank top and vintage army pants, showing off her six-pack abs.
Inside its pages, she models more revealing looks, including vintage overalls (worn sans top) and an unbuttoned Maison Margiela shirt paired with perilously low-slung slacks.
“Somebody pinch me!!!!,” Taylor wrote on Instagram Monday, sharing a series of photos from her shoot, which she primarily styled herself. Read more
The most liveable city in the world revealed (BBC)
Auckland in New Zealand has been named the world’s most liveable city, in an annual ranking that has been shifted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) survey ranked 140 cities on factors including stability, infrastructure, education and access to healthcare.
But the pandemic proved to be the defining factor in this year’s list.
It meant European cities fell while those in Australia, Japan and New Zealand rose up the rankings. Read more
Nearly 8-foot alligator attacks Florida woman as she walks dog (NYPost)
A 43-year-old Florida woman reportedly suffered serious injuries when a 7-foot-7-inch alligator attacked her while she was walking her dog.
The woman was strolling with her pooch near a small lake in the Pinellas County community of Palm Harbor on Tuesday night when the gator lunged at her leg, Fox 13 reported.
She was rushed to a hospital with severe injuries to her lower right leg, according to the news outlet.
Officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they were able to locate and trap the beast.
Gene Vance, who lives in the area, said he witnessed the attack. Read more
Harrison Ford steps back into Indiana Jones costume for first time in 13 years (Metro)
Harrison Ford has stepped back into his Indiana Jones costume for the first time in 13 years as production continues on the highly-anticipated movie.
Giving us the nostalgia fix we all needed, the actor donned his iconic explorer costume once again, 13 years after the release of the fourth instalment.
And let’s be honest, he’s barely aged at all.
Sporting his shirt, brown jacket, and that iconic hat, Harrison also donned a mask to keep safe on set amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more
What we know about global youth unemployment (BBC)
How has the pandemic altered the landscape for young people entering the job market? For the last 18 months, Covid-19 has led to unprecedented disruption across the world. While older people have been the most at risk from the virus itself, the young have disproportionately suffered from its economic fallout.
“The young jobless have been stuck in a Covid-19 limbo-land,” according to Sher Verick, from the International Labour Organization (ILO).
“This crisis has…not only led to the closure of businesses and job losses, but the lockdown measures have also severely constrained young people’s ability to search for a job.” Read more
Kanye West spotted with Irina Shayk on French vacation amid dating rumours (PageSix)
Kanye West appears to be shaking off his divorce from Kim Kardashian with Irina Shayk.
The “All of the Lights” rapper was spotted on vacation in Provence, France, with the Russian-born model on Tuesday, which also happened to be West’s 44th birthday.
Shayk, 35, and West were also accompanied by a group of people while walking the grounds of a luxury boutique hotel, though it’s unclear if they were members of his camp or hers.
Reps for West and Shayk didn’t immediately return Page Six’s requests for comment. Read more
French Open 2021: Maria Sakkari beats Iga Swiatek to reach semi-finals (BBC)
Greece’s Maria Sakkari beat defending champion Iga Swiatek to reach her maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open at Roland Garros.
She will face Czech Barbora Krejcikova, who won a nervy encounter with American teenager Coco Gauff 7-6 (8-6) 6-3.
Sakkari, the 17th seed, is now the highest-ranked woman in the draw after seeing off Swiatek 6-4 6-4.
“I am speechless, it is a dream come true,” said the 25-year-old. “It is a very nice feeling.”
Krejcikova, meanwhile, saved five set points from 17-year-old Gauff in the opener before the world number 33 went on to seal victory on her sixth match point. Read more
England boss Southgate speaks of ‘pride’ on eve of Euro 2020 (Guardian)
England manager Gareth Southgate has spoken of how his grandfather’s service in World War II shaped his own identity and values, expressing his pride in representing his country on the eve of Euro 2020.
Southgate’s side launch their campaign against Croatia at Wembley on Sunday, with the manager aiming to build on their run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018.
All three of England’s group matches are at home and Wembley is hosting some of the knockout matches at the delayed tournament, including both semi-finals and the final.
Former England international Southgate, writing in the Players’ Tribune, said different people had different ideas of what it “means to be English”. Read more
Jose Mourinho backs Harry Kane to stay in Premier League (Metro)
Jose Mourinho has urged Tottenham striker Harry Kane to play for a club where he will be ‘happy’.
In an interview last month, Kane suggested that he is keen to leave Spurs this summer and has requested talks with the club’s chairman, Daniel Levy, over his future.
Kane’s desire to move this summer has put several clubs on alert including Manchester United, Chelsea and Man City, with Pep Guardiola understood to have made the England captain one of his top priorities for the summer transfer window.
And Mourinho, who managed Kane for 17 months during his spell as Tottenham manager, believes the 27-year-old will want to remain in the Premier League. Read more
Wolves announce ex-Benfica boss Bruno Lage as new manager (Punch)
Wolves on Wednesday announced the appointment of former Benfica boss Bruno Lage as the new manager of the Premier League club.
Lage replaces Nuno Espirito Santo, who left Molineux at the end of the season.
“The Portuguese joins having most recently spent 18 months at the helm of Benfica, who he led to the Primeira Liga title in his first season in management,” the club said in a statement.
Lage won the Portuguese title with Benfica in 2019 before departing in 2020 after failing to defend their crown, finishing second behind Porto. Read more
NBA play-offs: Joel Embiid helps Philadelphia 76ers beat Atlanta Hawks as Nikola Jokic wins MVP (BBC)
Joel Embiid had a play-off career-high 40 points as the Philadelphia 76ers levelled their Eastern Conference semi-final series with the Atlanta Hawks.
The 76ers won 118-102 at home to make it 1-1 in the best-of-seven series.
Earlier on Tuesday, Embiid came second to Nikola Jokic in voting for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for 2020-21.
And the Utah Jazz, the number one seed for the play-offs, opened their Western Conference semi-final by edging a 112-109 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Read more
West Ham sign Pierre Ekwah Elimby from Chelsea (Metro)
West Ham have completed the signing of Pierre Ekwah Elimby from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee.
The 19-year-old has signed a three-year deal having impressed over the course of a recent trial period at the east London club, during which he scored against Arsenal in a Premier League 2 Division 1 match.
‘I feel really good signing for West Ham,’ Ekwah told West Ham TV. ‘I’m really happy in myself. I want to thank the Club for the opportunity they have given me. It’s a big achievement for me.‘I really think that West Ham is a Club where everyone is working all together. The U23s and the first team work really closely to each other, and I think that young players here have got a good chance of breaking into the first team, as they have done in the past. Read more