Four rescued from another Lagos building collapse (Punch)
Four people have been rescued from the building collapse on Lagos Island, Lagos. The PUNCH learnt that the affected building was a three-storeyed building. The Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Rasaki Musbau, said the building had a partial collapse, adding that firefighters had taken the four rescued victims to a hospital. The four rescued, according to Musbau, were all the occupants of the building. Read more
INEC to decide Okorocha’s fate soon (Guardian)
Nigeria’s electoral authority Monday said it will take a decision on what to do next about the Imo West Senatorial District controversies. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission, told The Guardian that the Commission have not issued the district Certificate of Return to any candidate but “will take a decision on what to do next. That decision will be made public when it is taken.” The senatorial district poll conducted alongside the presidential election on February 23, was contested among 37 candidates including Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha. Read more
Onnoghen resumes CCT trial after health challenge (Guardian)
The suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen on Monday was present for his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), after attending to health challenges. His trial was adjourned on Tuesday, 12 March following his absence on health grounds. According to Onnoghen’s lawyer Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), the suspended CJN was suffering from toothache. And to buttress his position, Awomolo presented a medical report signed by Onnoghen’s doctor and Medical Director, Ideal Medical Services, Dr. Francis Uche. Read more
Edo APC suspends chieftain for alleged anti-party activities (Punch)
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State, Gen. Charles Arhiavbere (retd), has been suspended from the party for alleged anti-party activities. His suspension was announced in a press statement jointly signed by Felix Ehigiegba, Edward Oviawe, Chairman and Secretary of Oredo Ward 1 respectively; and 20 others, and addressed to the party hierarchy. Arhiavbere was a former PDP governorship candidate who ran against Adams Oshiomhole of APC in 2012; and he was also a governorship aspirant on the platform of APC in 2016. Read more
Police recruitment: We’re yet to begin screening of applicants —PSC (Punch)
The Police Service Commission says it has yet to commence the screening of applicants who applied for recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force. The Commission received 315,032 applications at the close of the portal on January 11 for an advertised 10,000 vacancy. President Muhammadu Buhari recently approved the recruitment of Police Constables to beef-up the strength of the Force. Read more
Abuja court okays dismissal of three policemen over $5,000 bribe (Punch)
The National Industrial Court, Abuja, on Monday affirmed the dismissal of three policemen who were sacked for receiving $5,000 as bribe. Joseph Okan and Joshua Madami, who were both Inspectors; and Cyprian Nwankwo, a Sergeant, were dismissed on grounds of “misconduct and receiving bribe.” They, therefore, approached the court to challenge their dismissal by the Inspector-General of Police. Justice Rakiya Haastrup noted that the claimants challenged their dismissal as unlawful, while they also claimed that the rules of Police Act were not followed before their dismissal. Read more
6,000 babies at risk of contracting HIV in Kaduna —UNICEF (Punch)
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund said that 6,000 newborns in Kaduna State are at risk of contracting HIV in 2019 if elimination of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV interventions are not implemented. Dr Zakari Adam, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Kaduna, made the assertion at a one-day meeting in Kaduna on Monday. NAN reports that the meeting was organised for the wives of Local Government chairmen in the state to give feedback on the level of implementation of 2018 demand creation activities on eMTCT of HIV. Read more
10 die in bloody cult clash at Nekede, Imo State (Punch)
No fewer than 10 persons who are said to be mostly students have been shot dead in a cult clash in Nekede, Imo State. Our Correspondent gathered on Sunday that the clash between two cult groups, Ayes and Baggers confraternities, had lasted for up to 10 days. The development had heightened tension in the area, even as some residents have fled their homes, our Correspondent learnt. A student of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday on strict condition of anonymity, said that the clash had affected academic programmes in the school. Read more
Mozambique city of Beira ‘90% damaged or destroyed’ by cyclone (Guardian)
A cyclone that slammed into Mozambique last week has damaged or destroyed 90 percent of the city of Beira, the Red Cross said Monday, as the death toll in the country and neighbouring Zimbabwe rose to 157. “The scale of damage caused by cyclone Idai that hit the Mozambican city of Beira is massive and horrifying,” the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a statement. It said 90 percent of Beira and its surrounds are “damaged or destroyed”. Read more
Trump complains he is being blamed for New Zealand attack (Guardian)
President Donald Trump on Monday complained that he is being blamed by journalists for the massacre of 50 people in attacks on two mosques in New Zealand. “The Fake News Media is working overtime to blame me for the horrible attack in New Zealand,” Trump told his more than 59 million followers on Twitter. “They will have to work very hard to prove that one,” he tweeted. “So Ridiculous!” Trump appeared to be referring to criticism of his response to the attack, which was allegedly carried out by a 28-year-old white supremacist claiming to be resisting genocide against white people. Read more
Three dead in Utrecht shooting (Guardian)
Three people were killed and nine injured in a shooting in the Dutch city of Utrecht, the mayor said Monday, adding that authorities were working on the basis of it being a terrorist attack. “At this stage, we can confirm three deaths and nine wounded, three of them seriously,” Utrecht Mayor Jan van Zanen said in a video statement on Twitter. “We are working on the principle that it was a terrorist attack,” he added. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte had earlier said there were “possible deaths” and that a terrorist motive was “not excluded” Read more
Police begin manhunt for gunman who killed three in Dutch tram terror attack (Punch)
Dutch police launched a huge manhunt for a gunman who killed three people and wounded nine others on Monday in a suspected terror attack inside a tram in the city of Utrecht. Police issued a picture of Turkish-born suspect Gokmen Tanis, 37 and warned the public not to approach him, as armed counter-terrorism officers surrounded a nearby building. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said a terror attack “could not be excluded”, vowing that the Netherlands would “never give way to intolerance”. Read more
Putin in Crimea as Russia marks five years since annexation (Guardian)
Russia on Monday marked the fifth anniversary of its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, a move condemned by Kiev and its Western allies but celebrated by most Russians. President Vladimir Putin was to take part in celebrations in the Black Sea peninsula, launching a power station and meeting members of the public, the Kremlin said. Moscow took over Crimea in March 2014 after months of tensions with Kiev following the ouster of a pro-Russian leader. Read more
Girl, 4, vanishes after wandering away from her home in broad daylight (Metro)
A four-year-old girl has vanished without a trace after wandering away from her home in broad daylight. Anndine Jones walked out of her house in Aneth, Utah, last Thursday afternoon, prompting a huge search for the youngster. No trace has been found, although Anndine’s tiny footprints were found close to McElmo creek, a narrow river that flows close to her home. That body of water flows into the San Juan River, with police saying Sunday that they were temporary suspending the search for Anndine. Read more
Matic urges Man United not to let top four slip away after FA Cup exit (Guardian)
Nemanja Matic says Manchester United must not blow their bid for a Premier League top-four finish after they were dumped out of the FA Cup in their second consecutive defeat under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Saturday’s 2-1 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Wolves followed a 2-0 loss in the Premier League Arsenal last week, the first league reverse under the Norwegian interim boss. Fifth-placed United are just a point ahead of Chelsea and two points adrift of Arsenal after Solskjaer turned the season around following the sacking of Jose Mourinho, winning 14 of his 19 games and taking them to the Champions League quarter-finals. Read more
Injured Suarez to miss China Cup for Uruguay (Punch)
Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has been ruled out of playing in the China Cup with Uruguay after spraining his ankle for his club at the weekend. Suarez, 32, is expected to miss between 10 and 15 days after limping off late in Sunday’s 4-1 win at Real Betis in La Liga. “He will… undertake his recovery with the FC Barcelona medical team, having been withdrawn from the Uruguayan national team squad,” the club said in a statement Monday. Suarez’s absence adds to that of Edinson Cavani for Uruguay after the Paris Saint-Germain striker failed to shake off a thigh injury for the trip to China. Read more
Gattuso more upset by ‘unacceptable’ bust-up than Milan derby defeat (Guardian)
AC Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso said Sunday he was more upset by an “unacceptable” bust-up between midfielders Franck Kessie and Lucas Biglia on the sidelines at the San Siro than his team’s 3-2 derby defeat to Inter. Ivorian Kessie, 22, and Argentina midfielder Biglia, 33, had to be pulled apart by teammates amid drama on and off the pitch in the “Derby Della Madonnina” between the Milan city rivals in northern Italy. Kessie, who had been substituted, was furious at something said by Biglia on the bench and had to be held back by teammates as he repeatedly lunged at the Argentine. Read more
Lazio defender Luiz Felipe rejects Italy, wants to fight for Brazillian shirt (Punch)
Lazio defender Luiz Felipe has rejected a call-up to Italy’s Under-21 squad saying he wants to pursue his international career with Brazil. The 21-year-old Brazil-born player moved to Italy in 2016 and was called up by coach Luigi Di Biagio for friendlies against Austria and Croatia after recently receiving dual nationality. “After a long period of reflection, necessary for such a delicate choice, despite being flattered to be able to wear the prestigious shirt of the Italian national team, I’ve decided to compete for the Selecao jersey,” the defender said on Instagram. Read more