Explosion rocks Onitsha market (DailyTrust)
Four people were reportedly feared dead on Tuesday while 12 others were seriously injured following an explosion at the Chemical Market in Onitsha Head Bridge, Anambra State.
According to a witness, corpses of the victims were pulled out of the market, while injured persons were rescued.
Goods worth millions of naira were also destroyed by the fire and several shops were razed.
It was gathered that the fire started at about 12:10pm on Tuesday as the chemicals stored in the shops exploded sporadically.
The men of the Anambra and Delta states fire services are currently on the ground to put off the fire. Read more
Contempt: Court convicts EFCC chair, Bawa (Punch)
A High Court sitting in Abuja has convicted the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, of contempt of court.
The conviction was in relation to the failure of the anti-graft agency to comply with a November 21, 2018 court order directing it to return a Range Rover and the sum of N40 million to the applicant in a suit.
In his ruling, Justice Chizoba Oji held that, “The Chairman Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is in contempt of the orders of this honourable court made on November 21st 2018 directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abuja to return to the applicant his Range Rover (Supercharged) and the sum of N40, 000,000.00 (Forty Million Naira).
“Having continued wilfully in disobedience to the order of this court, he should be committed to prison at Kuje Correctional Centre for his disobedience, and continued disobedience of the said order of court made on November 21st, 2018, until he purges himself of the contempt. Read more
2023: Frustrated Lagos-Ibadan Expressway motorists should pay APC back in its own coin – Adegboruwa (Channels)
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa has asked frustrated motorists plying the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to pay back the All Progressives Congress (APC) for subjecting millions of road users to perpetual and untold agony due to its failure to complete the vital road.
He described as unacceptable and unfair, the way and manner the APC government has handled the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the busiest road in sub-Saharan Africa.
The human rights lawyer also said the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari is using the completion of the road as a campaign strategy for the party to get re-elected in 2023.
“This is the longest project anybody has constructed in the world because it started under the Goodluck Jonathan administration who was using it as a political strategy to get re-election. And that is exactly what the Buhari administration engaged in and it is unfair on our people,” Adegboruwa said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday. Read more
Marketers say tough times as petrol hits N200/litre (Punch)
The cost of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, has risen to as high as N200/litre at depots, which means that motorists should brace up to buy PMS above N200/litre at filling stations.
It was learnt on Monday that PMS cost, which was about N178 to N185/litre recently, had been jerked up by private depot owners due to the drop in supply by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, among other operational concerns.
This came as both the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the Petroleum Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria told our correspondent that tankers were now spending more than one week on queues for petrol at depots.
This, they said, had led to empty filling stations nationwide, a development creating chaos among motorists at some of the few outlets dispensing petrol in Abuja, Nasarawa, Niger and neighbouring states on Monday. Read more
Navy rescues 10 from capsized fishing trawler in Lagos (Tribune)
The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT has rescued 10 crew members from a fishing trawler christened OLOKUN XII, which capsized within the Lagos channel in the early hours of Monday.
Commander Edward Yeibo, spokesperson of the Western Naval Command, said in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday.
Yeibo said that the capsized trawler was being towed by another trawler, OLOKUN IV, within the Lagos channel.
“Unfortunately, the vessel collided with a merchant vessel, MSC CORUNA, leading to the capsize of the fishing trawler OLOKUN XII. Read more
Enugu APC House of Reps candidate dies in auto crash (Guardian)
Tragedy on Tuesday hit the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu state as its House of Reps candidate for Nsukka/Igbo-Eze South Federal Constituency, Ejikeme Omeje, died in an auto crash.
Omeje, one of the top candidates of the party in Enugu North Senatorial Zone died in a motor accident Tuesday morning involving his SUV.
The accident happened along Eden Ani/Nsukka road, near El-Rina hotel Nsukka.
Sources revealed that the accident occurred when he was coming back from Edem-Ani town after a political gathering. Read more
Police plaza gutted by fire in Nasarawa (Vanguard)
Property estimated at millions of naira this morning got destroyed by fire at the POWA Plaza, in Lafia.
Vanguard gathered that the fire incident was as a result of electricity spark in one of the shops around 1 am on Tuesday.
Most of the properties in the building belonging to the Nigeria Police were destroyed before the arrival of the Nasarawa State Fire Service officials.
An eye witness account told our correspondent that the fire began around 1am on Tuesday morning and burnt properties worth millions of naira. Read more
Drug peddlers plot to flood Nigeria with deadly lethal synthetic opioid – NDLEA (Leadership)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has uncovered plans by some drug peddlers to introduce a lethal synthetic opioid, Fentanyl, which is 100 times stronger than Tramadol into the Nigerian market, warning that the illicitly manufactured drug is capable of causing mass casualty among the youth population being targeted by the cartels.
NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said that every step must be taken to ensure that the drug which is currently responsible for over 70 percent overdose deaths as well as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the US is not allowed to circulate in Nigeria because of its lethality and the current drug abuse prevalence of 14.4 per cent in the country.
According to him, “We are not unaware of desperate efforts by some drug cartels to introduce to the Nigerian market, Fentanyl, which according to the CDC, is 80 times as potent as morphine and 100 times more potent than heroin. This, they plan to do either in liquid or powder form and/or with misleading labels to target our youth population. This may also mix with other prescription drugs. The illegally manufactured fentanyl in its liquid form can come in nasal sprays, eye drops, or small candies. Read more
Lindsay Lohan reacts to ex-boyfriend Aaron Carter’s death (PageSix)
Lindsay Lohan paid her respects to ex-boyfriend Aaron Carter, who died Saturday at age 34.
“My heart goes out to his family and may he rest in peace,” the “Falling for Christmas” star, 36, told “Entertainment Tonight.”
“And God bless him…” she added. “And yeah, just [a] lot of love there.”
In a separate “Access Hollywood” interview, Lohan shared that she cherished “so many” memories from her time dating Carter in the early 2000s.
The “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)” singer began seeing Lohan shortly he and fellow child star Hilary Duff pressed pause on their young romance. Read more
Rebel Wilson announces birth of daughter via surrogate (BBC)
Australian actress and comedian Rebel Wilson has announced the birth of her first child via surrogate.
The Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect star shared the first picture of daughter Royce Lilly online, describing her as a “beautiful miracle”.
She also thanked the “gorgeous” surrogate for carrying her.
“I can’t even describe the love I have for her, she’s a beautiful miracle!”, said the 42-year-old. Read more
Chris Evans is People’s 2022 Sexiest Man Alive (People)
If you were to tell a middle school-aged Chris Evans that he would one day be named PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive, “he’d be pumped!” the star tells the magazine in this week’s cover story. “This would probably be the road to the cool table which I was not at.”
Present-day Evans, 41, is still adjusting to the new title—and having to talk about it—but he knows this news will delight at least one person: “My mom will be so happy,” he says. “She’s proud of everything I do but this is something she can really brag about.”
It’s a sunny fall day on an estate outside Atlanta, Ga. where Evans is sitting in front of the fireplace in a quaint farmhouse. Although he appears to have fully understood this particular assignment, dressed in a cozy knit sweater and jeans, the Boston native would probably rather jump into said fireplace than discuss being deemed sexy.
“This whole thing is tough to be interviewed about,” he says with a laugh. “It feels like a weird form of humble bragging.” Read more
Carry On star Leslie Phillips dies aged 98 (Standard)
Leslie Phillips, famed for starring in the Carry On films, has died at the age of 98.
The veteran actor, who died on Monday, spent eight decades in the spotlight and became well known for his suggestive catchphrases which included “Ding dong”, “Well, hello” and “I say!”.
Phillips died “peacefully in his sleep” on Monday, his agent Jonathan Lloyd confirmed to the PA news agency.
Although he became known for his plummy accent and exaggerated portrayals of the English upper-class, Phillips was born in Tottenham, north London, speaking estuary English. Read more
Alanis Morissette sets record straight after cancelling Rock & Rock Hall of Fame performance (MusicNews)
Alanis Morissette axed her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame performance on Saturday because she refuses to spend time in an environment that “reduces women”.
The Ironic singer, who was not publicly announced as a performer, was reportedly due to honour Hall of Fame inductee Carly Simon by teaming up with Olivia Rodrigo for a rendition of Simon’s classic You’re So Vain.
However, reports emerged on Monday that Morissette bowed out of the performance at the last minute following a rehearsal with Rodrigo on Friday, with sources claiming they were unprepared and the You Oughta Know star was struggling with the cover.
The 48-year-old issued a statement on Instagram on Monday night to address the “misinformed rumblings” about her no-show. Read more
Harry Belafonte receives early influence award at HOF ceremony, 2 albums get reissue (AS)
Harry Belafonte, the 95-year-old musician, activist, and actor, received the Early Influence Award at this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. And to mark the occasion, Legacy Recordings has announced the repressing of two of the artist’s most influential albums, Belafonte Sings the Blues and Belafonte at Carnegie Hall.
In a statement, Belafonte said of the HOF acknowledgment: “Thank you, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, for honoring me with this induction. It’s always a thrill to know the music I presented to the world so many years ago still resonates to this day.”
Belafonte has been breaking records and breaking down barriers since his unparalleled career began in the 1950s. Known for his lyrical baritone and emotive sound, Belafonte redefined black culture as he introduced many Americans to it while using his art as an instrument of social change on a global scale. Read more
Russia-Ukraine conflict accelerates need for clean energy transition, says Sunak (AlArabiya)
The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has accelerated the need for clean energy transition, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told Al Arabiya at the UN climate conference in Egypt.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the importance for all of us transitioning to safer, cleaner and cheaper forms of energy and removing our dependence on fossil fuels,” Sunak said on Monday at the sidelines of COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh.
The Russian-Ukrainian conflict has caused an energy crisis and disruption in energy outflow, prompting EU countries that have cut down on energy supply from Moscow to find other sources of energy.
However, some optimists hope that the crisis will push countries further to adopt clean energy sources. Read more
Aston Villa eye Villareal’s Chukwueze (Punch)
Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing Nigeria’s Samuel Chukwueze from Villareal, who was a former player under Villa’s new coach Unai Emery.
According to Team Talk, Chukwueze is one of three Villarreal players that Emery is trying to bring to the Premier League in January.
Chukuweze performed well while Emery was in charge at Villarreal contributing to 30 goals in all competitions since Emery took charge in 2020.
Emery, who won his first match with Villa 3-1 against Manchester United in the Premier League over the weekend, also tried to bring Chukwueze to Arsenal during his time as manager of the north London club. Read more
Premier League: Gov. Bagudu approves N60m for Kebbi United FC (Sun)
Kebbi State Governor, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has approved the release of Sixty Million Naira ( N60M ) to Kebbi State United Football Club to facilitate its promotion to Premier League.
This is contained in a press statement signed by the State Chairman of NFF, Alhaji Abubakar Chika Ladan and made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi.
According to the statement, “the funds are to enable the club to run its activities successfully for the 2022/2023 football season aimed at gaining promotion to premier league by next season.
“This was part of the efforts of Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu’s administration for sustained empowerment of youth and the promotion of sporting activities in the state.” Read more
Sepp Blatter: Former FIFA president admits decision to award the World Cup to Qatar was a ”mistake” (Sky)
Sepp Blatter has admitted the decision to award the World Cup to Qatar when he was FIFA president was a “mistake”.
The build-up to this year’s World Cup has been dogged by concerns about the suffering of low-paid migrant workers to build the infrastructure in the tiny Gulf nation and discriminatory laws that criminalise same-sex relations.
Blatter, 86, was the boss of FIFA in 2010 when its executive committee controversially voted for the World Cup to be held in Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022 respectively. Blatter claims he did not vote for Qatar and instead wanted a “gesture of peace” by hosting the two tournaments in Russia and then the USA.
“The choice of Qatar was a mistake,” Blatter said in an interview with Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, his first since being cleared of fraud charges in July following a £1.7m payment to the former UEFA president Michel Platini. Read more
Rio Ferdinand urges Arsenal to correct £72m transfer mistake amid Newcastle and Chelsea links (FootballLondon)
Rio Ferdinand has urged Arsenal to sign Wilfried Zaha when his contract at Crystal Palace expires. The Gunners had the chance to sign the winger a few years ago but instead opted to make a £72 million move for Nicolas Pepe.
Zaha has gone from strength to strength this season and is one of the main reasons why the Eagles already sit in a healthy 10th position in the league. With the prospect of a free transfer on the horizon, the Ivorian is likely to capture the interest of some of the biggest clubs in England.
Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle are believed to be monitoring his situation, but he’s long been linked with a move to N5 and the club he supported as a child, Arsenal.
Now, Manchester United legend Ferdinand has suggested that Mikel Arteta and Co. should consider a move for him. Speaking on his Vibe with FIVE YouTube show, he said: “He’d be good at Arsenal I think. Read more
Wimbledon set to relax rules on all-white underwear for female players after protests (Standard)
Wimbledon looks set to change its all-white dress code on underwear for next year, after concerns raised by female players over their menstrual cycles.
Pressure has been mounting on the All England Club to amend its policy, which is set to be revised before the 2023 tournament.
A protest was held last year by a group of women in white tops and red shorts with placards and a banner calling on the club to “address the dress code”. Read more
Stefano Domenicali dismisses Max Verstappen ‘‘risk’’ (F1News)
The 2022 Formula 1 season is almost at an end, with just two races remaining of the campaign.
Perhaps it’s unfair to compare 2022 to previous seasons; given that 2021 was as dramatic and controversial as it was, however, this year hasn’t exactly been the best.
With 20 races completed and just Brazil and Abu Dhabi remaining, only Red Bull and Ferrari have claimed victory this season, with Max Verstappen having won 14, Charles Leclerc three, Sergio Pérez two and Carlos Sainz one.
In fact, only one race has seen a midfield driver step foot on the podium, with that having been Lando Norris at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Read more
