Fire razes buildings, vehicles in Lagos (Punch)
A midday inferno, on Thursday, razed a building on No. 15 Adebiyi Street, Magodo Phase 1, Lagos State, destroying properties worth millions of naira. According to eyewitnesses, the fire started around noon and razed two flats on the upper floor of the one-storey building. The inferno could have wreaked more havoc but for the timely intervention of the men of the Lagos State Fire Service, an eyewitness said. Read more
1,119 electoral offenders are in detention, say police (Guardian)
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has said that 1,119 electoral offenders intercepted during the conduct of the just-concluded general elections in the country are currently in detention. Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Frank Mba, disclosed this during a joint media briefing with the Nigerian Military at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja. Mba said the electoral offenders were arrested during the elections, adding that Akwa Ibom, Imo and Kaduna states have the highest number of arrests. Read more
INEC insists no certificates for Okorocha, others declared under duress (Punch)
The Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday insisted that it would not reward bad conduct by presenting certificates of return to candidates who its officials declared winners under duress. The commission, however said it could issue the certificates based on court judgement or decision of an election petitions tribunal. INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, said this during a press conference held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. Read more
Kaduna PDP condemns el-Rufai’s, deputy’s absence amid killings in Kajuru, others (Guardian)
The Kaduna State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the absence of Governor Nasir el-Rufai and his deputy, Banabas Bala Bantex, amid attacks and killings in Kajuru and other communities in the state. It described the recent killings in Kajuru, Birnin Gwari and Sanga local government areas by armed bandits as avoidable, saying the governor and his deputy’s absence for more over one week showed lack of government’s commitment to the people’s safety and well-being. Read more
Nigeria more divided, in danger, says Obasanjo (Punch)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised the alarm that Nigeria was more divided and in danger over the current state of disunity in the country. Obasanjo said the country was in a worse situation at the moment when compared to the period of the civil war. The former President stated this on Thursday while speaking at a one-day 2019 annual retreat/conference and general meeting of members of Association of Chief Audit Executives of Banks in Nigeria held in Abeokuta. Read more
Gunmen kill lecturer in Enugu after farmers, herders peace meeting (Guardian)
Gunmen suspected to be herdsmen on Wednesday night killed a university lecturer and administrative secretary of Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu State, Dr. Nnamdi Ogueche. Ogueche’s death came less than 24 hours after a Catholic priest, Rev Fr. Clement Ugwu, who was earlier kidnapped and killed, was buried. Ogueche, a senior lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, was shot dead while returning from a peace meeting between his kinsmen and Fulani herdsmen in Enugu. He met his death along Iwolo road in Ezeagu local government area. Read more
Two NYSC members killed in renewed violence in Bayelsa (Punch)
Gunmen on Wednesday, in a renewed violence in the Bayelsa State capital, Yenagoa, stormed the residence of a private school proprietor in Swali, a suburb of the city, shooting three members of the National Youth Service Corps. While two of them died in the deadly attack, the third one who was critically injured was said to be recuperating at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa. Two of the dead corps members were identified as Popoola Olamide, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, and an indigene of Oyo state and one George Onokpoma. Read more
Computer village operator nabbed for allegedly aiding kidnappers, reconfiguring stolen phones (Guardian)
A software engineer, Mumuni Rilwan, who specialized in making stolen smart phones and those used for ransom negotiations by kidnappers untraceable, has been arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), at the popular Computer Village market, Ikeja, Lagos. The Guardian gathered that the suspect who is a graduate of Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo State, was arrested alongside a notorious stolen phone dealer, one Gbolahan Osho, also operating at the Computer Village market, who has been arrested serially by the police for dealing on stolen phones. Read more
Era of modulated salaries over in Osun, says Oyetola (Punch)
The Osun State government on Thursday said it had no plan to return to payment of modulated salaries. Governor Gboyega Oyetola stated this during the commissioning of the secretariat complex of the Ila Central Local Council Development Area in Ila Orangun. He also explained that the state had no plan to lay off workers but would rather prioritise their welfare. He described the insinuation that the government was planning to return to payment of modulated salaries, which ended in June 2018 and which he has sustained since he assumed office in November 2018, as “baseless and unfounded,” being peddled by “the opposition and people with ulterior motive.” Read more
Over 3.6 million Nigerians lack water, sanitation, hygiene, says UNICEF (Guardian)
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) yesterday said over 3.6 million Nigerians are in need of potable water, sanitation and hygiene services. It said of the number, 1.1 million are internally displaced persons (IDPs), having fled their homes due to violence and conflict even as most of them are out-of-reach in remote areas still impacted by conflicts. UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Mohamed Fall, who made this known in a report titled: Water Under Fire, to mark the 2019 World Water day in Abuja, noted that about 800,000 people are in hard-to-reach areas of which 79 per cent are children and women. Read more
NNPC begins rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery (Punch)
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on Thursday announced the formal commencement of the first phase of the rehabilitation of the 210,000 barrels per day capacity Port Harcourt refinery. Port Harcourt refinery complex also houses the 60,000 barrels per day old refinery that was built in 1965 and the 150,000 barrels per day new refinery, inaugurated in 1989. The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Maikanti Baru, flagged-off the formal commencement of the rehabilitation work on the facility at the premises of the refinery in Port Harcourt on Thursday, 19 years after the last Turn Around Maintenance exercise of the nation’s premier refining plant. Read more
Christchurch shootings: New Zealand falls silent for mosque victims (BBC)
New Zealand has broadcast the Islamic call to prayer and observed a two-minute silence in ceremonies to mark a week since the Christchurch attacks. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joined thousands of mourners near the Al-Noor mosque, one of two places of worship targeted in last Friday’s shootings. Imam Gamal Fouda, who led the prayers, said: “We are broken-hearted, but we are not broken.” Fifty people were killed and dozens more wounded in the attacks. Read more
Trump supporter pleads guilty to sending bombs to Obama, Clinton, others (Punch)
A supporter of President Donald Trump pleaded guilty on Thursday to mailing crude bombs to prominent Democrats including former president Barack Obama and former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Cesar Sayoc, 57, who was arrested in Florida in October, pleaded guilty to 65 counts and could face life imprisonment at his sentencing in September. Appearing in court in a blue prison jumpsuit, and with his hair pulled into a gray ponytail, he apologised for his actions during an appearance in a US District Court in New York. Read more
Stakeholders urge CAF to embrace fair play over TV rights (Guardian)
Stakeholders have continued to raise eyebrow over the delay by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in taking a decision on the TV rights for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Two weeks ago, a tender was issued for an agency to manage CAF’s free-to-air rights in Africa, starting with AFCON 2019, in a move that signalled an end to Lagardere’s hold on these rights. Lagardere and its associate, LC2 are apparently taking a back seat in the televising of the forthcoming AFCON. This follows widespread reports of alleged malpractice involving it and former CAF President, Issa Hayatou. Read more
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo set to return for countries (BBC)
Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo are both set to play for their countries for the first time since the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Messi is due to start Friday’s friendly for Argentina against Venezuela in Madrid, with Ronaldo in the squad for Portugal’s opening Euro 2020 qualifier at home against the Ukraine in Lisbon. Both men have missed six international matches since the World Cup. Read more
Depay scores twice as Dutch beat Belarus (BBC)
Memphis Depay scored twice and provided assists for Liverpool duo Georginio Wijnaldum and Virgil van Dijk as the Netherlands thrashed Belarus in their opening Group C Euro 2020 qualifier. The Dutch took a first-minute lead when Depay punished a sloppy backpass before his backheel pass was converted by Wijnaldum in Rotterdam. The Reds midfielder then earned a penalty from a foul by Mikhail Sivakov. Depay converted before he crossed for Van Dijk to head in a late fourth. Read more
Chelsea Women’s Champions League tie: Weapons found on fan coach (BBC)
Weapons, fireworks and drugs have been found on a coach carrying Paris St-Germain fans to a Women’s Champion’s League game against Chelsea. Up to 50 PSG fans were denied entry to the quarter-final tie at Kingsmeadow. Police were first called to reports of vandalism at the stadium at 08:00 GMT, then later to disorder at Waterloo and Wimbledon stations. A coach that travelled overnight from Paris was searched and one arrest was made. In a statement, the Met Police said: “Weapons, including knives and knuckledusters, were recovered along with class A drugs. Read more
Tiger Woods heading for this year’s Irish Open (Guardian)
Tiger Woods confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that he will play this summer’s Open Championship and that has sparked a flurry of rumours that he could use the Irish Open as a warm-up tournament. The former world number one’s appearance at Ballyliffin GC would give the local tournament’s profile a monumental rise. It’s reported by respected Irish golf journalist Brian Keogh in the Irish Independent that the 14-time major winner could touch down in Donegal to tee it up just two weeks before the Open Championship at Carnoustie. Read more