I can cause trouble for Nigeria if provoked —Nnamdi Kanu (Punch)
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has asked the Federal Government not to provoke him, adding that he has the capacity to make the country ungovernable. He described an alleged plan by the Federal Government to arrest him with the International Police as an effort in futility. He said he was a British citizen and so could not be subjected to any Nigerian law. Kanu’s reaction followed recent revocation of his bail by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Read more
Air Force probes flogging of bandits by personnel (Nation)
The Nigerian Air Force(NAF) has launched an investigation into a video currently in circulation where its personnel were seen flogging bandits in Zamfara State. The NAF not only condemned the behaviour of the military personnel, but confirmed that some of its personnel were part of the joint operations going on in Zamfara State to flush out bandits. A statement by the spokesman of the Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said a Board of Inquiry had been instituted on the matter, promising that those culpable would not go unpunished. Air Commodore Daramola said: “The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to a video and some pictures circulating on some social media and online platforms showing some military personnel flogging suspected armed bandits at Shinkafi Local Government Area in Zamfara State. Read more
Suspension: Delayed Appeal Court’s decisions worry Onnoghen’s lawyers (Punch)
The wait for the Court of Appeal in Abuja to deliver its judgments on the appeals filed by the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to challenge his assets declaration breaches-related charges and the Code of Conduct Tribunal’s order suspending him, has entered the second month, The PUNCH reports. A three-man bench of the court, led by Justice Stephen Adah, had on February 27, 2019, heard the appeals and reserved judgments promising to communicate the date of the judgments to parties whenever they were ready. The wait, which is now a cause of worry to some associates of the embattled CJN, clocked one month on March 27. Read more
Southwest won’t play second fiddle again, say Ooni, Fayemi’s aide (Nation)
Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and Chief of Staff to Ekiti State Governor Mr. Biodun Omoleye have said the Southwest region will not play a second fiddle again in the country’s politics. They said in view of the unquantifiable contribution of the region in the country’s growth, it has no reason to allow itself to be schemed out of the country’s political configuration. The Ooni and Omoyele added that the zone stands the chance of regaining its frontline position, if it embraces unity and value reorientation. Read more
PDP tells Osinbajo to stop lying against the party (Punch)
The Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday said the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, was economical with the truth when he said the PDP never completed any major infrastructural project in 10 years during the 11th Bola Tinubu Colloquium in Abuja. According to him, the PDP never completed any major infrastructural project before Buhari’s administration despite that Nigeria earned $383bn between 2010 and 2014. The VP had said, “At the last colloquium, I said that Nigeria’s main problem is not a lack of ideas, it is not a lack of projects and programmes, it was most of the time with experience in the past, a lack of integrity in leadership and corruption in particular. That was the reason why we were finding it difficult to make any progress and I think that was why we earned $383bn in four years, 2010 – 2014, the highest ever in the history in our country and yet Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was not done and Lagos-Kano Railway was not done. All the things that were supposed to be done were not done. Read more
I won’t victimise those who worked against my re-election, says Ganduje (Guardian)
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has pledged not to victimise anyone in the public or private sector, who might have worked against his re-election. Ostensibly referring to members of his cabinet, party and some civil servants that allegedly tried to sabotage his efforts, Ganduje said he had forgiven everyone and was willing to run an inclusive government to move the state forward. Some civil servants, Islamic clerics and monarchs allegedly supported the candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the general election. Read more
Cross River communities petition state government over lingering crisis with Ebonyi neighbours (Guardian)
The Erei communities in Biase Local Council of Cross River State have petitioned the state government raising fears of possible annihilation from their neighbours in Ebonyi State. For months, the people of Urugbam Erei in Biase Local Council had been in constant communal clashes with their Ekoli Edda neighbours in Afikpo South Local Council of Ebonyi State leading to loss of lives and property worth millions of naira. In a statement at the weekend by the Erei Renaissance Initiative and credited to its Chairman, Pastor John Usang, the communities accused the Afikpo people of fuelling the crisis using their state powers and their surrogates from Urugbam Erei to annihilate and annex Erei communities in Cross River State, and “the government of Cross River seems reluctant to put an end to the lingering crisis.” Read more
Former Lagos City Council Clerk Fashinro dies at 99 (Nation)
Second Republic Senator Hassan Adisa Fashinro is dead. He passed on at exactly 8.29pm yesterday after a brief illness. He was 99. Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode was saddened by the death of one of the founding fathers of the state. Popularly called HAB, Pa Fashinro was the first Clerk of the Lagos City Council. He would have clocked 100 years by September. In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Governor, Mr. Habib Aruna, the governor describe Pa Fashinro as one of the great founding fathers of Lagos, saying that he was one of the main architects of the state. Read more
We toughened SIM card replacement to stop fraud – NCC (Punch)
The Nigerian Communications Commission has said that it toughened the process of replacing SIM cards in order to stop fraudulent use of mobile lines to steal from subscribers bank accounts. According to a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Sunday, the Director of Zonal Operations, Mrs. Amina Shehu, said this at a Consumer Conversation Programme held by the commission in Lafia, Nasarawa State, on Saturday. Shehu, who was represented at the forum by a Principal Manager in Zonal Operations, Mr Ekisola Oladisun, explained that it became necessary to review and make the process of replacing lost, stolen or damaged SIM cards more stringent to prevent those who swap SIM cards for fraudulent purposes. Read more
Panic in Ogun community as farmer kills two (Nation)
The residents of agrarian community of Iwoye-Yewa in Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State are now living in panic. It followed threats by a farmer to kill eight more people after he had shot dead two members of the community last Wednesday. The grieving community claimed that the farmer identified as Oladosu Nureni allegedly shot the victims – Ajayi Onifade, who until his killing, was the Amuludun of Iwoyeland and Olatunji Ayinla, at different locations. Read more
SS3 pupil falls from mango tree, dies in Ondo (Punch)
Tragedy stuck at the Ijo Mimo High School, Akure, Ondo State, on Saturday, as an SS3 pupil, Temitayo Oluwole, fell down from a mango tree and died on the premises of the school. It was gathered that the deceased was the senior prefect of the school and was preparing for the Senior Secondary School Certificate and the National Examinations Council examinations coming up in June and July. A colleague of the deceased, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that Temitayo was sent by a teacher to pluck some mangoes from the tree after the weekend tutorial and that he hit his head on the ground in the process. Read more
Air pollution damages sex drive, fertility in men, study finds (Guardian)
Air pollution may be damaging men’s ability to perform in the bedroom, scientists warn. New research suggests regular exposure to toxic car fumes is linked with higher rates of erectile dysfunction. Scientists believe inhaling poisonous particles may be triggering inflammation in blood vessels and starving the genitals of oxygen – affecting men’s ability to become sexually aroused. It follows animal tests that showed regularly breathing in exhaust fumes damages sex drive. The study, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, coincides with renewed warnings from Public Health England that polluted city air is killing nearly 40,000 people a year. Read more
Algeria protests: Bouteflika appoints new government (BBC)
President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria has announced a major cabinet reshuffle, after weeks of protests with demonstrators demanding he resign. State TV reports 21 of the country’s 27 ministers have been replaced. Noureddine Bedoui will remain as prime minister, says Ennahar TV. President Bouteflika keeps his title as defence minister, just days after Algeria’s powerful army chief, Gen Ahmed Gaed Salah, urged the ailing president to stand down. Other new cabinet members include Sabri Boukadoum who will reportedly replace Ramtane Lamamra as foreign minister. Read more
Japan reveals name of new imperial era (BBC)
Japan unveils the name of its new imperial era, set to begin on 1 May, as “Reiwa” – signifying order and harmony. The country’s current era, Heisei, will end in a month when Emperor Akihito steps down in a historic abdication. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga announced the highly-anticipated name on Monday. Read more
Ukraine election: Comedian leads presidential contest – exit poll (BBC)
A comedian with no political experience has won the most votes in the first round of Ukraine’s presidential elections, according to exit polls. They say Volodymyr Zelenskiy – who played the president on TV – received 30.4% of the vote, with current leader Petro Poroshenko second on 17.8%. The two – who have expressed largely pro-EU opinions – are set to take part in a run-off election next month. Ex-PM Yulia Tymoshenko appears to have been eliminated on a projected 14.2%. Read more
Nipsey Hussle: Rapper shot dead in Los Angeles (BBC)
Los Angeles rapper Nipsey Hussle has been shot dead outside his clothing shop, US media report. The 33-year-old was shot a number of times, and was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital, the Los Angeles Times reported. Two other people were wounded in the shooting outside Marathon Clothing in South Los Angeles. Nipsey Hussle’s album Victory Lap received a nomination for best rap album at this year’s Grammy Awards. Read more
Late own goal sends Liverpool back to top (BBC)
Toby Alderweireld’s late own goal gave Liverpool a priceless victory and put them back on top of the Premier League. Visitors Tottenham looked on course to earn a point – and even wasted chances to go in front – after Lucas Moura deservedly equalised Roberto Firmino’s first-half header for the home side. Liverpool were on the brink of losing ground to Manchester City – 2-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday – until the title race took another dramatic twist in the closing moments in front of the Kop. Read more
Ruben Loftus-Cheek reveals how Maurizio Sarri and Gianfranco Zola inspired Chelsea’s victory over Cardiff (Metro)
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has revealed how Maurizio Sarri and Gianfranco Zola inspired Chelsea’s victory over Cardiff City on Sunday. Relegation battlers Cardiff appeared to be heading to a shock victory after Victor Camarasa scored shortly after half-time. But Chelsea scored twice in six minutes to snatch a vital and controversial victory and to remain joint-sixth in the Premier League. Cesar Azpilicueta equalised for the Blues with a goal that should have been disallowed before second-half substitute Loftus-Cheek netted an injury-time winner. Read more
Mauricio Pochettino reveals what he told Tottenham players after dramatic Liverpool defeat (Metro)
Mauricio Pochettino told his Tottenham players he was still confident of their top-four prospects after Sunday’s dramatic defeat to title challengers Liverpool. Spurs suffered their fourth defeat from five league games at Anfield after Toby Alderweireld’s injury-time own goal. Lucas Moura had equalised for the visitors after Roberto Firmino’s first-half opener but Liverpool snatched victory late on to return to the top of the Premier League. Read more
Benzema saves Real Madrid blushes with late Huesca winner (Guardian)
Karim Benzema stopped Real Madrid’s underwhelming La Liga season going from bad to worse on Sunday after firing a last-minute winner to hand the European champions a barely-deserved 3-2 winner over bottom club Huesca. Humbled by Ajax in the Champions League and dumped out of the Copa Del Rey by deadly rivals Barca, third-placed Real showed little signs of improvement in Zinedine Zidane’s second game in charge but Benzema, subject to rumours he may leave Madrid in the summer for Manchester United, struck with a fine curling finish the to snatch the three points at a sparsely populated Santiago Bernabeu. Read more
David Beckham reacts to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s appointment as permanent Manchester United manager (Metro)
David Beckham insists Ole Gunnar Solskjaer ‘deserved’ to be appointment permanent Manchester United manager. Solskjaer signed a three-year deal at Old Trafford last week, having originally returned to the club he enjoyed such success with as a player in December following Jose Mourinho’s sacking. United have lost just one of their 14 league games under Solskjaer and beat Watford on Saturday to move back into the top four of the Premier League. Read more
Chelsea must sack ‘erratic’ Maurizio Sarri despite Cardiff City comeback win, says Chris Sutton (Metro)
Chris Sutton believes Maurizio Sarri’s decision to rest Chelsea ace Eden Hazard against Cardiff City only highlights the fact the Italian should be sacked before the start of next season. Hazard and N’Golo Kante were both named on Chelsea’s bench for Sunday’s Premier League match against Cardiff. Despite going behind shortly after half-time, Chelsea earned all three points after scoring two goals in the last six minutes of the match. But Sutton says the Chelsea board ‘must be running out of patience’ with their under pressure manager, particularly after he benched Hazard. Read more