Guard electrocuted while plucking pawpaw in Lagos (Punch)
A security guard, Uchena Harrison, has been electrocuted while attempting to pluck pawpaw from a tree at his workplace in the Abule Oshun area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the 56-year-old and four other security guards were on duty on Friday when he reportedly became hungry and without the knowledge of his colleagues, proceeded to the pawpaw tree.
It was learnt that Harrison placed a ladder on the tree and after climbing it, used an iron rod to pluck the fruit.
Speaking to PUNCH Metro, a resident, Jubril Adesoji, said Harrison mistakenly used the iron rod to hit a naked wire which passed through the tree.
“The shock he suffered during the electrocution threw him away from the ladder and he landed on the ground. He died on the spot,” he added. Read more
Core investors reject concession plan of Lagos Trade Fair complex (Sun)
The umbrella body of the 61 investors that secured different development lease agreements from the Federal Government through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment and Trade Fair Management Board (TFMB) have petitioned the government over its plan to concession the Lagos International Trade Fair complex (LITFC) on Lagos Badagry Expressway.
Last week, the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) issued a statement that it would on February 23, 2021, showcase investment opportunities in Lagos Trade Fair complex, TBS, Calabar and Kano Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to the investing public in a webinar in Abuja.
However, addressing the press shortly after submitting a protest letter to the Executive Director of TFMB, Mrs. Lucy Ajayi, in her office, Chairman of the body and the President of Association of Progressive Traders (APT) in the complex, Chief Eric Ilechukwu, said it was worrisome that the same Federal Government that had entered into different development lease agreements with 61 investors at different times is coming back to the same complex it has leased out for concession.
He added: “It is important to make this clarification to the general public that the Federal Government had , from 1995 till recently, been leasing out portions of the complex to our members and none of the development lease agreements runs less than 25 years. In fact, some are 45 years with an option of renewal. Read more
Police arrest 3 herdsmen for arson, attempted murder in Ogun (Guardian)
Operatives of Ogun State Police Command have arrested three herdsmen linked to the attack on Bamajo village in Ayetoro, Yewa North Local Council Area of Ogun State.
The suspects reportedly attacked the village in the early hours of Thursday, setting some houses ablaze and inflicting a deep machete cut injury on one Ismaila Alabi.
According to a statement, signed by the State Police Public Relations, Abimbola Oyeyemi, yesterday, he said based on report lodged with the police, the Area Commander, Ayetoro, ACP Anthony Aruna, mobilised his men, hunters and youths to the scene where the entire area was thoroughly combed.
“The combing exercise was extended to Igboaje bush where one Musa Yusuf was apprehended with a gun and blood-stained cutlass. His arrest led to the arrest of two others namely: Usman Mohammed and Aliyu Abubakar, who are strongly believed to be part of those who launched the violent attack. The injured victim was quickly rushed to the general hospital for treatment,” he said. Read more
Police arrest Okorocha over alleged forceful entry into sealed property in Imo (Vanguard)
Police command in Imo has confirmed arrest of former Imo Governor, Sen. Rochas Okorocha for allegedly using thugs to break into his Royal Spring Palm Apartment sealed by the state government.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state command, Mr Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the arrest of Okorocha and some of his former aides.
Those arrested alongside Okorocha were Lasbery Okoroafoanyanwu, former commissioner for transport, Ijeoma Igboanusu, his former Chief of Staff, Domestics Affairs and Steve Asimobi, his current aide at the National Assembly.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Imo Government on Friday, sealed Royal Spring Palm Apartment located along Aba road, an estate allegedly built by Okorocha’s wife. Read more
US, Atiku, Lawan, Sanwo-Olu, Saraki mourn victims of NAF aircraft crash (ThisDay)
The United States of America; former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the House of Representatives’ Committee on the Air Force, have commiserated with families of the victims of yesterday’s Beechcraft KingAir B350i plane crash.
This is coming as eyewitness’ accounts said that the pilot struggled to avoid residential areas before it nosedived.
In a tweet yesterday, Atiku said: “I have just learnt of the crash of a military aircraft near Abuja. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those onboard the ill-fated flight.”
Sanwo-Olu has also commiserated with families, friends and associates of the victims of the unfortunate crash. Read more
Imo govt sent thugs to attack me – Okorocha (Vanguard)
The former governor of Imo state and Senator Representing Imo West Senatorial district, Rochas Okorocha, Sunday accused the Imo state government of sending thugs to attack him.
Okorocha stated this to newsmen in Owerri, through his Special Adviser on media, Sam Onwuemeodo, while reacting to the clash at Royal Palm Estate that led his arrest by the police.
The statement said: “More than 1000 thugs, armed to teeth with knives and guns and led by Chinasa Nwaneri, governor Hope Uzodinma’s Special Adviser on Special Duties today, Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, with the backing of armed policemen from Government House, attacked the former governor of the State and Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, Senator Rochas Okorocha’s Convoy. They attacked and damaged all the Vehicles in his Convoy. They also attacked his personal aides.
“Senator Okorocha was with only his personal aides when the thugs unleashed the attack. This is the information we can give as at now.
We are still watching events as they unfold. Read more
Taraba stakeholders seek discovery of Lassa fever vaccine (Guardian)
Inability of world leaders to come up with vaccines to eradicate Lassa fever in Africa 52 years after its outbreak has become a source of concern to stakeholders in Taraba State.
A forum organised at the weekend by the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, and facilitated by Kinestic Integrated Project Limited on Lassa fever public awareness, cited the way resources were mobilised to discover vaccines for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), wondering why same effort could not be put towards Lassa fever eradication.
The stakeholders, who unanimously agreed to tread extra legitimate paths to curb the spread of the disease in their various domains and in the state at large, urged medical experts in the country and the world at large to begin the process of coming out with a vaccine that would help in eradicating the disease. Read more
Okowa mourns aide, urges police to fish out killers (ThisDay)
Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday expressed sadness over the death of his Senior Special Assistant on Youth Development, Okiemute Sowho, who was killed by unknown gunmen in Sapele last Saturday.
The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in a statement issued yesterday, said the governor has directed the police authorities in the state to immediately commence thorough investigation into the incident with a view to bringing the assailants to book.
He called on security operatives to leave no stone unturned in unraveling the circumstances surrounding the dastardly act.
According to him, “The death of Sowho is quite painful, as he was a politician who was a strong pillar in youth mobilisation, especially in the Sapele area. Read more
Nigeria may get COVID-19 vaccines in 10 days –Health minister (Punch)
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said in Lagos on Saturday that Nigeria might get COVID-19 vaccines in the next 10 days.
“We are told that by the end of this month, which is about 10 days from now, we shall get the vaccines.
“We do not produce the vaccines. They are manufactured abroad in about four or five countries,” he told newsmen at the end of an inspection tour of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba. Read more
7 Niger election officials killed by landmine on poll day (BBC)
Seven members of the electoral commission in Niger have been killed in a landmine explosion.
The team’s car drove over an improvised explosive device in the Tillaberi region in the country’s south-west.
It is not known whether the vehicle was deliberately targeted.
Nigeriens were voting on Sunday in the second round of the presidential election that will see the first democratic transition of power since independence from France in 1960. Read more
NASA warns of stadium-sized asteroid headed towards earth (RT)
The US space agency is warning of a salvo of space rocks headed for earth, ranging in size from a paltry 10 meters in diameter all the way up to a positively petrifying 213.
When not keeping a close eye on its Perseverance rover, which touched down on Mars this week, NASA is busy monitoring the sky for potential threats to life on Earth – namely asteroids. And this week is no exception, as five such space rocks are due to buzz the planet we call home.
On Sunday, the 10-meter asteroid 2021 DD1 and the 61-meter asteroid 2021 DK1 will shoot past Earth at a safe distance of 1.6 million kilometers and six million kilometers, respectively.
However, they are just the warm-up act for what NASA describes as the “stadium-sized” asteroid 2020 XU6, which measures some 213 meters in diameter. To put that into perspective, it’s twice as tall as London’s Big Ben and two and a half times as tall as the Statue of Liberty. Read more
How Jewish life developed in Germany after the Holocaust (DW)
After Nazis murdered six million Jews in the Holocaust, the future of Germany’s remaining Jewish community was in doubt. As Germany marks 1,700 years of Jewish life, DW looks back at key developments in the postwar era.
With more than 200,000 people and counting, Germany’s Jewish community is the only one in Europe with a rapidly increasing population — a surprising reality given the near-complete extermination of Jews within Germany during the Holocaust.
Today’s growing numbers are even more remarkable given that in 1945 most of the world’s Jews considered the idea of rebuilding their ruined communities — on the very soil where Hitler plotted and carried out a genocide — to be unthinkable.
About 15,000 German Jews were liberated by the Allied forces after the war; most of them had survived in hiding, others in concentration camps. Many of those who stayed had a non-Jewish spouse or parent who connected them to the country and perhaps facilitated recovery and integration to some degree. Read more
Malcolm X family demands reopening of murder investigation (BBC)
The daughters of assassinated US black civil rights leader Malcolm X have requested that the murder investigation be reopened in light of new evidence.
They cite a deathbed letter from a man who was a policeman at the time of the 1965 killing, alleging New York police and the FBI conspired in the murder.
Raymond Wood wrote his responsibility was to ensure Malcolm X’s security team were arrested days before he was shot dead in Manhattan, his family says.
Three men were convicted of the murder. Read more
Oprah ‘spent two days grilling Harry and Meghan for “pure gold” interview’ (Metro)
Oprah Winfrey is said to have spent two days grilling Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for their tell-all interview, reportedly described by insiders as ‘pure gold’. The chat-show legend flew to Santa Barbara, California, in a £50million private jet to meet with the couple and gain a ‘unique insight’ into their ‘rift’ with the Royal Family, it has been claimed. Oprah, a guest at the Sussexes wedding, is thought to have spent Wednesday and Thursday with the couple, the Mail on Sunday reports. Read more
FAA orders United to inspect Boeing 777s after engine failure, debris drop over Colorado (USAToday)
Federal aviation regulators are ordering United Airlines to step up inspections of all Boeing 777s equipped with the type of engine that suffered a catastrophic failure over Denver Saturday. United says it is temporarily removing those aircraft from service.
The announcements come a day after United Airlines Flight 328 had to make an emergency landing at Denver International Airport after its right engine blew apart just after takeoff. Pieces of the casing of the engine, a Pratt & Whitney PW4000, rained down on suburban neighborhoods.
The plane with 231 passengers and 10 crew on board landed safely, and nobody aboard or on the ground was reported hurt, authorities said.
The Federal Aviation Administration FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement Sunday that based on an initial review of safety data, inspectors “concluded that the inspection interval should be stepped up for the hollow fan blades that are unique to this model of engine, used solely on Boeing 777 airplanes.” Read more
India and China pull back from disputed lake (BBC)
India and China have completed the pull-back of troops from part of their disputed Himalayan border, a joint statement issued by the Indian defence ministry says.
Soldiers completed their withdrawal from the Pangong Tso Lake area on Saturday, according to the communiqué.
Clashes on the poorly marked border led to the deaths of 24 troops last June.
Both sides say they will work to cut tensions on other parts of the border, or Line of Actual Control. Read more
Noble the hero as Enyimba beat Rivers United to advance (Guardian)
Port Harcourt-born John Noble Biriyima was the hero yesterday as Enyimba beat Rivers United in their CAF Confederation Cup decider at the Adokie Aimiesimaka Stadium to qualify for the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Enyimba won the first leg in Aba last week by 1-0 and needed a draw to advance to the group phase of the competition, but they met a Rivers United side with their own ambitions and a lot to play for.
Before the game, many Rivers United supporters, including the state’s governor, Nyesom Wike, had promised to change the lives of the players, pledging huge sums of money for a win.
On the pitch, the Port Harcourt side looked set for victory when Fortune Ominiwari put them ahead in the 42nd minute. Read more
Marcus Rashford and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer react to Shola Shoretire’s Manchester United debut (Metro)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is confident Shola Shoretire will have a long career at Manchester United after handing the teenager his debut, while Marcus Rashford is delighted to see another academy player given a chance to shine. The 17-year-old attacker, who has been prolific for United’s youth teams, was given a short cameo off the bench in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Newcastle, replacing Marcus Rashford in the 89th minute. Solskjaer says Shoretire – who was also part of the squad that took on Real Sociedad in the Europa League – has been performing well in training and earned his chance to record a first Premier League appearance for United. Read more
Lakers will pursue DeMarcus Cousins after Rockets split (NYPost)
DeMarcus Cousins may get his chance with the Lakers after all.
Following an Athletic report that the Rockets and the 30-year-old center were planning to part ways in the coming days, The Ringer reported Saturday night that the championship-favorite Lakers will be among the teams to pursue him.
The report also says the market will be limited for Cousins, who is currently averaging less than 10 points per game after dealing with a slew of injuries in recent years. With Anthony Davis expected to be out for approximately four weeks with an Achilles injury, the Lakers could use some depth at center.
According to The Athletic, the Rockets want to go smaller and younger in the frontcourt when Christian Wood returns from his ankle injury.
Cousins, who signed a one-year contract with Houston in December, tore his ACL in an offseason pickup game before his first season in Los Angeles in 2019 and never played a game for the Lakers. The team was granted a $1.75 million disabled player exception for Cousins and waived him last February to sign Markieff Morris. Read more
Leaders Man City win at Arsenal (BBC)
Manchester City extended their winning run to 18 games as they continued their impressive march towards the Premier League title with victory at Arsenal.
The visitors have not dropped a point since 15 December and looked confident right from the outset, taking the lead with just two minutes on the clock as Raheem Sterling somehow managed to outjump Rob Holding to head in Riyad Mahrez’s cross.
City had four shots to Arsenal’s none in the opening quarter of an hour and it looked like the Gunners were in danger of being on the end of a heavy defeat as Pep Guardiola’s side poured forward at every opportunity. Read more
Nicolas Pepe admits Arsenal suffer from ‘concentration problems’ after Manchester City defeat (Metro)
Nicolas Pepe believes Arsenal are suffering from ‘concentration problems’ following their defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. Raheem Sterling’s header in the second minute was enough for Pep Guardiola’s side to secure a 1-0 win at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal, meanwhile, were unable to create clear-cut chances against the Premier League leaders and registered just one shot on target during the match. The defeat has left Arsenal 10th in the Premier League and 11 points behind West Ham, who currently occupy fourth spot in the table. Read more
Recurring leg injury forces Andreescu out of 3 more tournaments (CBC)
Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu will miss three upcoming tournaments with a leg injury.
Andreescu’s agent, Jonathan Dasnieres de Veigy, confirmed her withdrawal from tournaments in Doha and Dubai in an email to The Canadian Press.
Organisers from the upcoming Adelaide International in South Australia previously confirmed Andreescu’s withdrawal from that tournament.
Dasnieres de Veigy said Andreescu wants to make sure she is in shape for the Miami Open, a WTA 1000-level event that begins March 23.
“The lower body issue she had is not concerning at all but she has to think about the longevity of the season and of her career,” he said. Read more
Miami Heat beat Los Angeles Lakers as Curry misses Warriors game in Charlotte (BBC)
The Miami Heat beat the Los Angeles Lakers 96-94 in a rematch of last season’s NBA Finals.
The Lakers claimed a 4-2 series win to take the title last October.
But in the first meeting between the sides this season, Kendrick Nunn scored 27 points and Jimmy Butler had 24 points and eight rebounds for the visitors in Los Angeles.
“You can tell that the chemistry is building,” said Nunn, who hit five three-pointers.”We’ve been together for a week and a half, and it just gives us more of a feel for each other.” Read more