Ikorodu Boat Mishap: Death toll rises, fresh corpse recovered (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has recovered an additional corpse from the scene of the boat mishap at Ikorodu.
Mrs Wuraola Alake, Head, Public Affairs Unit, Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), said in an update on the accident on Tuesday in Lagos, that the submerged boat had also been recovered.
She also shed more light on the accident in the statement containing the update. Read more
MPC raises interest rate to 22.5% (DailyTrust)
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised the benchmark interest rate by 400 basis points from 18.5 percent to 22.5 percent.
CBN governor Yemi Cardoso disclosed the decision of the meeting, the first since his announcement as the apex bank governor.
He said the move was in a bid to tame the stubborn inflation that had not responded much to the previous marginal increase.
Cardoso also said over $23bn passed through Binance with proper track of the apex bank in Nigeria. Read more
Nigerians are dying of hunger, says NLC President (Nation)
President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, on Tuesday, February 27, lamented that Nigerians are dying of hunger due to the economic hardship in the country.
He urged the federal government to urgently address the situation.
Ajaero spoke at the National Assembly Complex when he led thousands of protesters including civil society organizations in protest against the economic hardship. Read more
CBN mandates BDCs to sell not exceeding N1, 314.01/US$ (Tribune)
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has taken a decisive step to bridge the widening gap in the official and unofficial exchange rate, by stipulating that all Bureau De Changes (BDCs) are permitted to sell foreign exchange to end-users at a margin not exceeding one percent (1%) above their purchase rate from the CBN.
This is coming more than two years after the suspended former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, stopped the sales of foreign exchange to BDC operators in that segment of the forex market.
To this end, the apex bank has through a new circular by Dr Hassan Mahmud, the Director of Trade & Exchange Department, announced its decision to distribute $20,000 to each eligible Bureau De Change (BDC) operator across the country at a rate of N1,301/$. Read more
We have zero tolerance for cultism, social vices, ESUT VC warns new students (Sun)
The Vice Chancellor, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Prof Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, has admonished fresh students of the institution against involvement in cultism and other anti-social behaviours and academic misconduct.
He warned that any breach of the social vices attracts dare consequences that included suspension, expulsion or prosecution.
Speaking in his address on the occasion of the 43rd matriculation ceremony of the university, where 5,700 students were matriculated, Okolie who said the university has zero tolerance for social vices listed some of the condemnable vices to include: examination misconduct, admission racketeering, sorting for grades, sexual harassment, drug abuse, indecent dressing, fighting and wilful damage of university property. Read more
NLC protest paralyses business activities in Osogbo (Punch)
Business activities were paralysed for some hours on Tuesday as the Nigeria Labour Congress and its affiliates staged a peaceful protest in Osogbo, Osun State, against the current economic hardship ravaging the country.
The protesters led by the Osun NLC chairman, Christopher Arapasopo, began their march from Freedom Park, Osogbo, and moved through MDS road chanting anti-President Bola Tinubu songs.
Some of the affiliates of NLC that participated in the protest include; the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria, and Nigeria Union of Journalists, among others. Read more
Gov Alia probes Ortom over Benue assets (Channels)
The Governor of Benue State, Hyacinth Alia, has begun the probe of former governor Samuel Ortom over government assets under his care from May 29, 2015, to May 28, 2023.
As part of the probe, the governor has constituted two commissions of inquiries on income and expenditure, including contract awards, bailout funds and Paris Club refunds within the same period.
During the inauguration of both commissions at the old banquet hall of the Benue State Government House, Governor Alia tasked the commission of inquiry on the sales and lease of government assets to investigate all agreements or sales that shortchanged the government and make appropriate recommendations on the way forward. Read more
We’re not satisfied with INEC explanations on IReV failure – Yiaga Africa (DailyTrust)
Yiaga Africa, a civil society group focused on promoting democracy and good governance in Nigeria, has expressed dissatisfaction with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) explanation on the technical glitch that delayed the upload of presidential election results on IReV – the commission’s election results viewing portal.
Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, questioned whether the error was accidental or as a result of incompetence or negligence on the part of those managing the system.
Speaking on Channels TV on Tuesday, Itodo highlighted the need for a detailed explanation of how the error occurred. Read more
JK Rowling sparks outrage for refusal to describe transgender killer as a ‘woman’ (Metro)
JK Rowling has sparked backlash over her Sky News criticism for referring to murderer Scarlet Blake as a woman.
A reporter broke the news on the channel that Blake had been arrested for murder, after killing a cat.
‘A woman has been found guilty of murdering an individual in Oxford, months after she filmed herself killing a cat,’ he told viewers. Read more
Drake fans killed by reckless driver following St. Louis concert (HipHopDx)
Drake‘s recent concert in St. Louis was marred by tragedy after two fans were killed by a reckless driver while making their way home.
A mother and daughter, Laticha Bracero and Alyssa Cordova, were killed in a road accident in the early hours of February 14 after a driver ran a red light following the rapper’s show at the Enterprise Center.
Footage of the incident obtained by TMZ shows the two women were on a crosswalk when a car speeds into view, goes through a red light and runs them over. Read more
The Syrian regime is stepping up its use of suicide drones (AlJazzera)
Syrian government forces have stepped up their use of FPV (first-person view) suicide drones of late, using them to hit military sites belonging to opposition forces as well as civilian areas in villages and towns along the front lines.
The White Helmets, formally known as the Syrian Civil Defence, says there were 13 drone attacks this year up to February 22, which injured seven people, including two children.
FPV drones are classified as loitering munitions for their ability to hover near a target until it is time to strike. They are relatively cheap to make and offer a high degree of accuracy in their hits. Read more
Mosque attack in Burkina Faso kills many (AfricaNews)
An attack on a mosque in eastern Burkina Faso has claimed the lives of dozens of Muslims on the same day as another deadly attack on Catholics attending mass, local and security sources told AFP on Monday.
“Armed individuals attacked a mosque in Natiaboani on Sunday around 5:00 am, resulting in several dozen being killed,” a security source said.
“The victims were all Muslims, most of them men” who had come for morning prayers, a resident said by telephone. Read more
Dad charged with killing 3-year-old son run over by tractor in horror farm death (Mirror)
Neil Speakman has been charged with causing the death of his three-year-old son Albie by gross negligence manslaughter, after the tot was run over in July 2022 at a farm in Bury, Greater Manchester
A father has been charged with killing his own three-year-old son who died after being hit by a tractor on a farm.
Neil Speakman has been charged with causing the death of his son Albie Speakman by gross negligence manslaughter, after the tot was run over in July 2022. The 38 year old will appear before magistrates next month. Read more
“No plans for NATO combat troops” in Ukraine – official (RTE)
French President Emmanuel Macron faced uneasy reactions from European allies and a warning from the Kremlin after he refused to rule out the dispatch of Western ground troops to Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion.
Mr Macron said after a conference of European leaders yesterday that “everything that is necessary” must be done to ensure the defeat of Russia, including deploying troops.
The Kremlin warned of the “inevitability” of confrontation between NATO and Russia if troops from the alliance were deployed in the conflict, which would break a major taboo the West has so far been reluctant to challenge. Read more
China’s embattled former foreign minister steps down as a lawmaker (NBC)
China’s former foreign minister, Qin Gang, who has been missing from public view since last June, has resigned from the national legislature, state media reported Tuesday.
Qin was dismissed as foreign minister in July, in one of China’s biggest political surprises in years.
The 57-year-old served for only seven months before he disappeared from public view last June. The government announced a month later that he had been dismissed from his post. He has yet to reappear publicly. Read more
Troost-Ekong undergoes successful surgery in Finland (Leadership)
Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, is set to miss the rest of this season, after undergoing a successful surgery in Finland, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The 30-year-old was part of the Nigerian team that lost 2-1 to Côte d’Ivoire in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
It has now emerged that Troost-Ekong picked up a hamstring problem during the group stages of the continental tournament. Read more
Anthony Joshua set for unique challenge against Francis Ngannou claims Eddie Hearn (DAZN)
Promoter Eddie Hearn believes Francis Ngannou poses a huge challenge for Anthony Joshua when they meet on March 8 in Saudi Arabia.
After making easy work of Otto Wallin in December, Joshua will now face the former UFC heavyweight champion in an intriguing contest.
Joshua cannot afford any slip-ups against an opponent who will be featuring in just his second professional boxing bout after losing to Tyson Fury last October. Read more
‘Big-game player’… Mikel Arteta will not drop ‘terrific’ Arsenal star now (HitC)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may not drop Jorginho anytime soon and is likely to play him against the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
That is according to former Arsenal player and talkSPORT pundit Adrian Clarke, who has given his verdict on Jorginho.
So, what has Adrian Clarke said about Arsenal midfielder Jorginho? Let’s take a look. Read more
Nigeria Pitch Awards: Organisers to unveil nominees for 10th award ceremony in Lagos (CompleteSports)
Organisers of the prestigious Nigeria Pitch Awards are set to unveil the nominees for the 10th edition of the awards at a press conference scheduled to take place on Thursday 29th February 2024 in Lagos.
Mr. Shina Philips, President of the Nigeria Pitch Awards, made this known in a statement released to the press in Lagos. He stated that after the votes were collated by SIAO Partners, it was customary to have a gathering of sports editors and journalists where the names of those shortlisted for the awards would be released.
“Voting for the 10th edition of the Nigeria Pitch Awards was done by Sports Editors and journalists across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja,” Philips said. Read more
Kristoffer Olsson: Sweden midfielder on ventilator in hospital (BBC)
Sweden midfielder Kristoffer Olsson has been placed on a ventilator in hospital after losing consciousness at home.
Midtjylland said the ex-Arsenal player, 28, is “suffering from what appears to be an acute brain-related illness”.
The Danish club announced he was taken to Aarhus University Hospital on 20 February. Read more
Argentina vs Nigeria: Why Super Eagles clash with Lionel Messi’s Albiceleste has been finally cancelled (Soccernet)
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are currently placed 28th in the World and third in Africa following the latest FIFA ranking
The highly anticipated friendly clash between the senior national teams of Nigeria and Argentina has been finally cancelled, Soccernet.ng reports.
The earlier fallout from Lionel Messi’s absence from an Inter Miami match in Hong Kong led to the cancellation of the upcoming fixture between Argentina and Nigeria in Hangzhou, China. Read more