I underwent 2 brain surgeries in Nigeria — Zack Orji breaks silence (Vanguard)
Nollywood veteran, Zack Orji has revealed how he underwent two brain surgeries in Nigeria.
Orji made this revelation in an interview with Channels TV on Sunday. The Nollywood actor had slumped in the bathroom, leading to a critical medical emergency.
He said, “I can only say that it’s by the grace of God that I’m alive today because I passed out. I was out for like five and a half hours before help came.” Read more
Inside the most expensive school in Nigeria (Punch)
Inside Charterhouse Lagos, a newly commissioned primary school in Lekki with its secondary school underway that charges N42m as a fee per annum.
Charterhouse Lagos is the first British independent school in West Africa and part of the prestigious Charterhouse family of schools. Read more
IGP kicks against state police, proposes merger of FRSC, NSCDC (DailyTrust)
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has said Nigeria is not “mature” for state police.
Egbetokun said this at a national dialogue on state police organised by the house of representatives in Abuja, on Monday.
Daily Trust reports that the theme of the dialogue is ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria”.
The IGP, who was represented by Ben Okolo, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, said the leadership of the force has resolved that country is yet to be ripe for that. Read more
70% of inmates in Kano correctional centres awaiting trial — NCoS (Tribune)
The Kano Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service has stated that Statistics show that awaiting trial inmates constitute about 70 per cent of the total number of inmates in the state.”
This revelation comes as the command also disclosed that most of them have remained in custody with their cases yet to be determined by the courts.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, SC Musbahu Lawan, highlighted the development at a press briefing on Monday, expressing concern over the implications of the overwhelming population. Read more
Bobrisky reportedly donates chairs to prison (Nation)
After barely 12 days in prison, chairs labelled with the name Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky have reportedly been donated to the Nigerian Correctional facility by the controversial crossdresser.
In a video on social media, various chair stands were seen at the correctional service centre, with inscription: “To Nigeria Correctional Service courtesy Idris Okuneye BobRisky.”
A caption on the video reads: “On behalf of BobRisky, for the Nigerian Correctional Service, Kirikiri, for the visiting area.” Read more
Troops kill 2 terrorists in Borno, recover weapons (Channels)
Troops of the Nigerian Army deployed for counter-terrorism operations in the North-East have killed two terrorists on their way to attack Mashurori village in Borno State.
A statement by the Department of Army Public Relations on Monday said the feat was achieved in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force in a clearance operation.
Responding to credible intelligence about terrorists’ movement to the community, the troops said they moved into an ambush position to intercept the terrorists. Read more
CBN Partners International Money Transfer Companies to Double Remittances to Nigeria (ThisDay)
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has secured the cooperation of some International Money Tranfer Organisations (IMTOs) to double the flow of remittance to Nigeria in its current bid to consolidate the modest improvement in the foreign exchange market dynamics.
The CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, who disclosed this in Washington DC yesterday also said that the task force formed by the apex bank to handle the process of remittance inflows into Nigeria will be reporting directly to his office.
In an apparent sense of pride and confidence, Cardoso has also stated that the naira has been declared the best-performing currency globally as of April 2024.This is coming as Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed optimism that the naira will appreciate more as the dollar continues to crash. Read more
3 suspected police informants murdered in local community (Sun)
Gunmen suspected to be members of Greenland Cult loyal to one ‘General Crocodile’ on Saturday night, April 20, invaded Olokuma community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, abducted and reportedly killed three male residents.
Daily Sun has learned that the corpse of one of the male victims who were reportedly killed has been recovered while efforts are on to recover the bodies of the other two.
An anonymous community source revealed that the attack by the suspected cultists was a reprisal by the armed gang that has been in disarray due to the unrelenting onslaught against cultism and other violent crimes by the Rivers State Police Command under the leadership of the Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu. Read more
Nicki Minaj throws item back into crowd after nearly getting hit onstage (People)
Nicki Minaj was left unimpressed after a fan threw an object at her onstage.
In a video shared by Pop Crave on X (formerly known as Twitter) on April 21, the rapper, 41, could be seen performing in Detroit on her Pink Friday 2 World Tour when a pink item was launched at her from the crowd.
Blocking the object with her hand, Minaj, who was performing her hit “Starships,” then crouched to pick it up before throwing it back into the audience. Read more
Brian Quincy Newcomb, influential music journalist, dies at 67 (Variety)
Brian Quincy Newcomb, a music journalist and pastor who was well-known in the Christian rock community for decades as a key tastemaker in the alternative scene, died in Centreville, Ohio on April 15 at age 67. He had been receiving hospice care at home after a recurrence of the cancer he had battled for nearly a decade.
Newcomb’s name was known to almost anyone following Christian rock closely in the 1980s and ’90s. He founded and edited the monthly publication Harvest Rock Syndicate, which was considered pivotal in shaping tastes for the Christian alternative subgenre at the time. But his greater renown came as the most recognized (and sometimes most controversial) byline in CCM magazine, the so-called bible of the genre. He wrote close to 500 features or reviews for CCM over a 23-year period between 1985 and 2008, when the glossy’s monthly print edition shut down. Read more
Woman who got away with murder 30 years ago is jailed for 17 years (Metro)
One of three people who murdered schoolgirl Caroline Glachan in 1996 and evaded justice for decades has been jailed.
The body of Glachan, 14, was discovered on the banks of the River Leven in Scotland’s West Dunbartonshire.
She had been beaten and pelted with bricks before being shoved into the undergrowth. Read more
Childish Gambino drops new Kanye West & Kid Cudi collabs before final albums (HipHopDx)
Childish Gambino has further fueled excitement for his musical comeback by premiering collaborations with both Kanye West and Kid Cudi.
During the second episode of his new GILGA Radio show, which he streamed on Instagram Live on Sunday night (April 21), Gambino played unreleased music while sharing yet more details about his upcoming plans.
The untitled song with Kanye sees the two exchanging bars over a futuristic beat, with the latter rapping about JAY-Z, “New God Flow” and a potential Watch the Throne sequel. Read more
Germany and Britain arrest suspected Chinese spies (AlJazeera)
Germany has arrested three people suspected of supplying sensitive technologies to China and the United Kingdom has arrested two.
Prosecutors in Berlin said on Monday that the trio of German nationals had handed technologies with potential military purposes to Chinese intelligence, with whom they have been working since at least June 2022. The UK said the arrested duo were providing “prejudicial information” to Beijing.
The arrests, which appear to be unconnected, come as Western states continue to express concern over China’s economic and geopolitical policies. Read more
Supreme Court to decide if Biden administration can regulate ‘ghost guns’ (NBC)
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider whether the Biden administration can lawfully regulate so-called ghost guns — firearms that are made from kits available online that people can assemble at home.
The justices took up a Biden administration appeal in defense of regulations that a lower court invalidated. The provisions in question are currently in effect while litigation continues.
In August of last year, the Supreme Court allowed the regulation to be enforced on a 5-4 vote, with Chief Justice John Roberts and fellow conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the three liberal justices in the majority. Read more
Neverland rebuilt as filming begins on Michael Jackson biopic (Mirror)
Michael Jackson’s Neverland theme park has been rebuilt and restored to its former glory as filming for the King of Pop’s biopic begins a year before its scheduled release
A film company making a movie about the King of Pop has rebuilt Michael Jackson ‘s Neverland theme park, with the ranch, situated near Santa Barbara, looking full of life once again, after its grim past.
The 2,700-acre ranch near Santa Barbara, which is where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside, is famously named after the home of Michael Jackson’s fictional hero Peter Pan. And following Jackson’s death, when the theme park crumbled and withered, it has now been given a new lease of life. Read more
WTA Rankings: Iga Swiatek hits magical 100, Coco Gauff eyes career-high, Marta Kostyuk +6
(Tennis365)
Iga Swiatek has secured another milestone in the WTA Rankings as she has reached three figures at the top while Coco Gauff is closing in on a milestone of her own despite her Stuttgart showing.
Four-time Grand Slam winner Swiatek, currently in her second spell at No 1 as she returned to the top in November last year, has now reached 100 weeks at No 1 in the rankings. She has spent 25 consecutive weeks at No 1 to go with the 75 from her first spell.
Just a fortnight ago she moved up one place to No 9 in the all-time list for most weeks at the top as she edged ahead of American Lindsay Davenport, who is on 98 weeks. Read more
How I became Super Eagles coach after Oliseh’s departure – Siasia (Punch)
Former Nigerian footballer and coach, Samson Siasia, has opened up about his experience as the head coach of the Super Eagles, taking over after the abrupt departure of Sunday Oliseh in 2016.
In a podcast with ex-international Emmanuel Babayaro and journalist Matthew Edafe on Saturday, Siasia shed light on the circumstances surrounding his appointment and the challenges he faced during his brief tenure.
“Oliseh ran away. He’s been a runner since… Like Don Johnson, what do you call him? Yes, here I was coaching the Olympic team. Oliseh said he no do again, saying he don move. Why? We don’t know,” Siasia recounted, referring to Oliseh’s sudden resignation as the Super Eagles coach. Read more
Why Rivers deserves international marathon – Idah (Leadership)
Organisers of the first Rivers State International Marathon say the state is extending its frontier as the treasure base of Nigeria to become an international destination for sports.
Idah Peterside, head of media of the first full International Marathon to be held in the South South region of Nigeria, says the event is a confirmation of the state’s intention to make it a destination of sorts for sports globally.
‘The International Marathon has come at a time we have become, undisputably, the most performing state in sports in Nigeria. This has contributed, immensely, to the peace the state is enjoying now especially since His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara came on board as the Executive Governor of the state,’ said Idah. Read more
Man Utd fans have to be patient – Ratcliffe (BBC)
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe says fans “have to be a bit patient” following his investment in the club.
Ratcliffe completed a £1.25bn deal to buy a 27.7% stake in United in February.
The 71-year-old said he was “about 10 km” into rebuilding the club, who are currently seventh in the Premier League. Read more
Ethiopian distance runner and Olympic finalist Zerfe Wondemagegn banned 5 years for doping (AfricaNews)
A runner from Ethiopia who reached the 3,000-meter steeplechase final at the Tokyo Olympics, and narrowly missed the world championship podium last year, has been banned for five years after testing positive for two banned substances.
Zerfe Wondemagegn admitted breaking anti-doping rules after samples she gave flagged up traces of testosterone and another substance, EPO, which can help athletes’ blood transport more oxygen, the Athletics Integrity Unit said in a ruling published on Monday.
Wondemagegn was eighth at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and fourth at the 2023 world championships in Budapest. Two of the three samples in her case were taken while she was in Hungary for the event and she has been disqualified from the competition. Read more
Scottie Scheffler matches Tiger Woods record after backing up Masters win (Mirror)
Scottie Scheffler has become the first player on the PGA Tour since Tiger Woods in 2006 to follow up a major championship victory with a win one week later, after being crowned champion at the RBC Heritage.
After a delayed Sunday, Scheffler’s victory was finally confirmed early on Monday after signing for a final round, three-under-par 68 to finish at 19-under for the tournament. Fresh from winning his second green jacket in three years at last week’s Masters, Scheffler’s domination continued at Harbour Town.
Having headed into the weekend three shots off the lead, the 27-year-old burst into life, carding a superb eight-under 63 in Saturday’s third round to ensure he was once again the man to catch with 18 holes to play. Read more