Firm sensitises Lagos community on malaria prevention (Guardian)
As part of its social responsibility to the community, the Saro Lifecare Limited, producers of Sniper insecticide spray, has organised free malaria tests for residents of Abesan community and Ebute Metta, both in Lagos State.
Dr. Ajayi Adepero, who led a medical crew at the event tagged: “Zero Malaria starts with me,” said hundreds of residents benefited from the scheme. She added that they were diagnosed for malaria on the spot and those who were tested got their results in less than 15 minutes. Read more
Stakeholders commend peaceful conduct of Lagos Supplementary Poll (Independent)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders on Saturday commended peaceful conduct of the supplementary election in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Federal Constituency of Lagos State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that voting has ended in most of the 71 polling units where the supplementary election is taking place.
As of the time of filling this report, sorting and counting of ballot papers were ongoing. Read more
JAMB to release 2019 UTME results from Monday (Tribune)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has assured candidates of the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) that results would be ready from April 29.
The Board’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dr Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Bwari.
Benjamin said that screening of the results would soon be over and the result released.
“We are still screening but hopefully, anytime next week, the results will be ready,” he said. Read more
Nigerian State has failed, says Bishop Kukah (NewTelegraph)
The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, His Lordship Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah has said the Nigerian State has failed since it cannot provide the basic responsibilities, which include security, health care, education, portable water and roads amongst other amenities to its citizens.
Bishop Kukah stated this at the weekend during the 1st Joint District Conference and 10th Anniversary Celebration of Rotary International, organised by District 9125 Rotary International with the theme: “A decade of consolidation: The Journey so far” and which held at the Millennium Centre Jos, Plateau State. Read more
Legends the Musical set to tour Nigerian states (Vanguard)
Legends: Kings and Kingdoms, a musical play centred on the lives and triumph of some Africa’s iconic legends has geared up to tour the states of Nigeria with a grand show in Abuja the federal capital after successful outings in Lagos.
Following Legends debut production in October 2018 during the 22nd edition of the annual MUSON Festival of the Arts, it has since then been staged 16 times in Lagos and Bonny Island. Each show leaves a ‘wow’ expression on the audience; making them ask for an encore after every performance. Read more
Ortom seeks prayer, fast over insecurity in Benue (Punch)
Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom on Saturday called on the people of the state to fast and pray against the growing insecurity in the state.
Ortom said evil forces were behind the bloodshed and destruction in the state.
The governor spoke at NKST Church, Iordye, Makurdi.
The state chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria in conjunction with the state government had declared one-week prayer and fast in the state commencing on Monday. Read more
Awujale hosts governance lecture on birthday (Vanguard)
Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, is to host some eminent Nigerians at the 3rd Annual Professorial Chair in Governance in collaboration with the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU). The occasion holds at the Adeola Odutola Hall, Ijebu-Ode on Thursday, May 10, 2019 under the theme, ‘Grassroots governance: The soft underbelly of Nigeria’s political architecture.” Read more
Gombe imposes curfew on state capital (ThisDay)
The Gombe State Government has imposed a curfew on the Gombe metropolis, effective from Saturday to 6:00 am on Sunday.
The directive was given in a statement signed by the Acting Secretary to the State Government, Mr James Pisagih in Gombe.
The acting SSG stated that the situation would be reviewed after restoration of normalcy. Read more
Nigerian shoots colleague dead in S’Africa (Punch)
A Nigerian man yet-to-be identified shot dead a fellow Nigerian, Tony Elochukwu, on Wednesday in broad daylight at a restaurant in South Africa, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
Elochukwu was from Nnobi, Anambra State.
The Nigerians Citizens Association in South Africa, revealed this in a letter sent by its president, Prince Ben Okoli, to the Consul General, Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg. Read more
Gunmen hijack corpse in Rivers, demand N1m ransom (DailyTrust)
Unidentified gunmen on Friday hijacked a corpse at Ahoada in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State and demanded a ransom of N1m before it releasing it.
Eye witness account had it that the corpse, which was being conveyed home for burial by church members, was hijacked along Ahoada road by bandits, after ordering the driver of the ambulance conveying the corpse to stop. Read more
Police apprehend 39 kidnappers, robbers in Bauchi (ThisDay)
The Bauchi State Police Command has disclosed that about 39 suspected kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists, and political thugs have been arrested in various locations across Bauchi State.
The Commissioner of Police (COMPOL), Ali Aji Janga made the disclosure while inaugurating a special operation code -named “Operation Puff Adder at the state command headquarters yesterday. Read more
Army vehicle assembly plant to get N1bn lifeline (Punch)
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has announced a N1bn support for the Nigerian Army Vehicle Manufacturing Company, Rigachikun, Kaduna to further boost its operation.
This came with the Nigerian Army 33 Artillery Brigade, Bauchi State, winning the 2019 3-Division annual inter-brigade corporal and below competition. Read more
NGF holds induction for newly elected governors (Tribune)
The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) will on Monday begin an induction programme for newly-elected and returning state Governors.
The forum said in Abuja on Saturday that the initiative is aimed at supporting incoming governors to develop key governance and management skills that will enable them transition from campaigning to managing the processes of governance. Read more
NNPC wooing European refineries to bridge supply gap — Baru (Punch)
The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr Maikanti Baru, says the corporation plans to bridge the gap of petroleum products supply in the country.
Baru said this on Saturday in Warri, Delta State, after a facility tour of Lee Engineering and Construction Firm.
He said with Nigeria’s projected population growth of 230 million by 2025, there was the need for the country to work hard to meet the projected product supply gap. Read more
Heat takes toll on Sokoto fruits markets (DailyTrust)
Fruit sellers now complain about the effects of heat on their produce Fruit merchants in Sokoto are incurring heavy losses as the hot weather takes a toll on their business. Orange, mango, pineapple, pawpaw and watermelon are among commodities that are adversely affected by the heat. ADVERTISEMENT A fruit seller, Mallam Aminu, said, “We always dread the heat period due to serious losses we suffer and which we have had no solution.” Read more
I didn’t know worth of winning AFCON until I retired – Okocha (Punch)
Nigeria legend Austin Okocha talks about his time in the Bundesliga, scoring a wonder goal in 1993, winning the Africa Cup of Nations and more in this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA
Does being part of the Bundesliga Legend Tour bring back memories of your playing days in Germany?
I feel so honoured to be part of the Bundesliga Legend Tour. I’m always overexcited when talking about the Bundesliga because Bundesliga is the league that made me, that changed my life. And that was even when most of our people (Nigerians) were not familiar with it. I got to Germany at 17 and as an African, you can imagine how difficult that would have been but on the contrary, I was welcome and given the opportunity to excel. It’s difficult to find that happening in any other place. In England, for example, that can’t happen. Read more
Thiem dethrones Nadal, to face Medvedev in finals (Guardian)
Austria’s Dominic Thiem celebrates winning Spain’s Rafael Nadal during the ATP Tour Barcelona Open semi-final tennis match in Barcelona on April 27, 2019. Pau Barrena / AFP
Dominic Thiem of Austria defeated defending and 11-time champion, Rafael Nadal of Spain, 6/4 /6/4 and will face Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the title fight. Earlier on Rafael Nadal Court, the Russian defeated the 2015 titlist, Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6/4; 3/6; 7/5.
Thiem broke in the sixth game to lead 4-2. Nadal won his serve for 4-3. But Thiem extended the lead by holding serve. In the ninth game, Nadal recovered from 0-15 to reach 40-15 and held to reduce tally. But the 25-year old Austrian held to take the set 6-4. Read more
Nigeria gets four slots in CAF Club competition (Sun)
The Nigeria Professional Football League will now have four teams to parades in the fourth coming continental football in Africa.
It could be recalled only two clubs in NPFL represented Nigeria’s team in the continent this season .
Lobi Stars and Rangers Int’l both team gave a good account of themselves by getting to the group stages of the CAF champions league and CAF Confederation Cup respectively. Read more
Kwara Utd, Katsina Utd in NPFL-La Liga U-15 final (NewTelegraph)
Kwara United and Katsina United will square up against each other in the final of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and La Liga U-15 final following three weeks of enthralling football by some of the best U15 players in the country.
The U-15 boys form Kwara defeated Delta Force by 1-0 in the first semi-final game played on Friday, same result as Katsina United, who eliminated Sunshine Stars by the same goal margin. Read more
Horse racing/polo tourney to debut in Abuja (DailyTrust)
An internationally recognised events management coy, My Events International Africa Ltd is to organise the first Horse Racing/Polo championship in Abuja and Lagos in December 2019.
The organisers at a press briefing said the Abuja leg of the competition which will hold between December 5-8 at the 12-12 Polo Club in Gwarimpa will see over 150 race horses and 400 horses for show jumping participating. Read more
Flying Eagles off to Germany (Independent)
Nigeria’s U20 boys, Flying Eagles, will fly into Germany on Sunday morning for a final training camp ahead of this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup finals in Poland. The wards of Paul Aigbogun will spend three weeks in Germany perfecting tactical and technical strategies before flying into Poland for the championship billed for 23rd May – 15th June.
Team Administrator, Aliyu Ibrahim Lawal disclosed to thenff.com that 23 players were billed to fly out of Abuja aboard a Lufthansa Airline flight on Saturday night, while eight overseas –based professionals would join the team camp in Germany. Read more
U-17 AFCON: Angola avenge group stage loss against Nigeria (NewTelegraph)
Angolan U-17 national team on Saturday avenged their 1-0 loss to the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria in the group stage of the competition with a 2-1 win in the third place match of the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
The result ensured Nigeria finished outside the medals’ zone at the competition that ends end on Sunday with the final between Guinea and Cameroon. Read more
Women’s football team takes on sexism in Comoros (Independent)
Sitting beside the football field, Armelle Sylva pulls thick sport socks over her feet and painted toenails before putting on football boots.
She then carefully removes the veil that has been covering her hair and folds it into a backpack according to AFP.
The women of the FC Mamans football team have gathered for practice at the municipal stadium of the Comoran capital Moroni, braving a fierce tropical storm battering the city. Read more
Dennerby invites 26 FALCONS players for WAFU Cup (Punch)
Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, defender Glory Ogbonna, midfielder Amarachi Okoronkwo and forward Alice Ogebe are among 26 players that Super Falcons’ head coach Thomas Dennerby invited to camp ahead of next month’s WAFU Women’s Cup Tournament in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
All invited players have been asked to report at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye, Abuja on Sunday as training sessions commence on Monday. Read more
‘Stressed’ Tottenham lose at home to West Ham (ThisDay)
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino said his side were suffering from “stress and fatigue” after they slipped to defeat at home to West Ham in the Premier League.
Michail Antonio’s superb second-half strike was enough to inflict Spurs’ first loss after five games in their new stadium. Spurs face Ajax in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday, their eighth game in April. Read more