I’ll not betray Lagosians, says Sanwo-Olu (Nation)
Lagos State Governor-elect Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday promised not to betray Lagosians when he assumes office on May 29. He pledged to run an all-inclusive government and fulfil other campaign promises he made to the people. The governor-elect spoke at the state office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), shortly after receiving his Certificate of Return from Resident Electoral Commissioner Sam Olumekun. Describing himself as a winner of a free, fair and credible election, Sanwo-Olu said the electoral commission deserved applause for conducting a peaceful exercise. Read more
Oral sex: Police arrest Lagos schoolteacher (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a teacher of Fazir-I-Omar Senior High School in Iwaya, Yaba area of the state for allegedly forcing an 18-year-old pupil, Mary (not real name), to perform oral sex on him for marks. The development followed The PUNCH’s report published on March 27, 2019. The report had detailed how the teacher, who teaches Mathematics in the school, allegedly pressurised Mary to give him oral sex twice and further demanded sex in exchange for marks. Read more
I’ll base appointment of new ministers on merit, spread — Buhari (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday hinted on what to expect during his second term in respect of appointments and security. Buhari declared that he would focus on merit and national spread in making political appointments with a view to giving every part of the country a sense of belonging. He also vowed that government would ensure harmony among Nigerians. ‘‘In the area of allocation of political offices, our focus will be on merit and national spread such that every part of Nigeria will have a sense of belonging,” the President pledged while receiving a delegation of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) led by the Reverend Samson Ayokunle, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Read more
Oshiomhole giving directive to senators like head teacher to pupils – Fadahunsi (Punch)
he Senator-elect for the Osun East Senatorial District, Mr Francis Fadahunsi, on Friday said that the directive by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, to senators-elect from the party regarding the election of principal officers for the 9th Assembly was like a head teacher giving instructions to his pupils. Fadahunsi, in a press statement signed by his media assistant, Sam Segun-Progress, cautioned that with the way the party was going about the issue, it could present Senator Ahmed Lawan as a stooge of the executive. The statement partly read, “What is the business of the executive with the election of principal officers of the National Assembly? The way the party is going about it is exposing Senator Lawan. The action of the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, is like that of a headmaster giving instructions to his pupils. Read more
Olusola-Eleka rejects Appeal Court judgment on Ekiti, heads for Supreme Court (Guardian)
The PDP candidate in the July 14, 2018, governorship election in Ekiti, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, yesterday rejected the judgment of the Court of Appeal in a suit he filed to challenge the victory of Gov. Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Olusola-Eleka also said he would challenge the Appeal court judgment affirming Fayemi as the duly elected governor of Ekiti state. He expressed regrets at the manner in which the Appeal Court dismissed his appeal, saying it suggested that “our democracy is endangered.’’ Read more
INEC to delist weak parties, review campaign funding (Punch)
The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it will review the spending of the parties that participated in the general elections. The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, who said this in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, added that the commission would commence the process of delisting weak parties at the conclusion of the supplementary elections and petitions filed at various electoral tribunals. Okoye said, “The commission is tracking campaign spending by the parties using its tracking devices. The commission will review the campaign spending of the parties at the conclusion of the current electoral process.” Read more
Court declares Rilwan Akiolu bona fide Oba of Lagos (Nation)
An Ikeja High Court yesterday declared Rilwan Akiolu as the bona fide Oba of Lagos. Justice A. Candide-Johnson made the declaration after dismissing a 16-year suit by several Lagos princes seeking to remove King Akiolu as the Oba. In a two-hour judgment, the judge held that the claimants, including Prince Adedoyin Adebiyi and Prince Rasheed Modile, both of the Akinsemoyin Ruling House of Lagos, failed to prove their case. He held that the evidence offered by the defence before the court showed that Akiolu had a rightful claim to the throne. Read more
Boko Haram terrorists loot bank in Adamawa, scores killed (Punch)
Boko Haram insurgents have attacked a commercial bank in Michika area of Adamawa State, vandalising an Automated Teller Machine and attacking customers. The troops of the Nigerian Army attached to the 143 Battalion and 115 Task Force Brigade later mobilised to the area, killing scores of the terrorists. Our correspondent learnt that while some of the terrorists fled the scene, others were ambushed and shot dead by the Special Forces troops at Maikadiri Village in the Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State. Read more
Ex-lawmakers to ruling party: handle NASS leadership issue with tact (Nation)
The Forum of Former Members of the House of Representatives who are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have asked the leadership of the party to be tactful in handling the issue of the leadership of the National Assembly. This, they said, was necessary to avoid a repeat of the 2015 mistake which became costly for the party in terms of executive/legislative relationship. The group believe that the leadership of the party must move fast to douse the likely tension that will emerge if the varied interests in the leadership are not streamlined on time and individuals are allowed to take positions like they did in 2015. Read more
Nigeria loses N132 Billion to Malaria yearly (Guardian)
About N132 billion is lost every year to malaria in Nigeria. In 2017, 19 percent of the global death from malaria occurred in Nigeria while Nigeria accounts for a very high level of malaria morbidity and mortality in the world. Chairman, Planning Committee of the World Malaria Day, Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje, who disclosed this in Abuja, noted that Nigeria is sitting on the top of high burden countries for malaria, adding that out of every four people that suffer from malaria globally, one is in Nigeria. Read more
Why I killed my wife’s lover – Balogun, 25-year-old suspect (Punch)
The life story of Olakitan Balogun came to a tragic end when he was killed by the husband of his alleged lover, Ajibade Olumuyiwa. Olumuyiwa had suspected that Balogun was in a relationship with his wife, Titilayo Olayiwola, and reportedly caught them on Sunday, March 17, 2019 in their (the couple’s) room. The couple lived on Doland Estate, Ajuwon, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State. Olumuyiwa was said to have hit Balogun’s head against the wall and the man bled to death. Read more
Reverend arrested in Lagos for infecting 16-year-old boy with HIV (Punch)
The police in Lagos have arrested one Reverend Ezuma Chizemdere, for allegedly sodomising teenage boys and infecting one of them with human immunodeficiency virus in the process. The reverend, who is the founder of Jesus Intervention Household Ministry located in the Ejigbo area of the state, was reportedly a member of a syndicate perpetrating the alleged crime in the neighbourhood. It was learnt that a good Samaritan had reported a case of defilement at the Ejigbo Police Station on January 22, 2019 consequent upon which one Prince Chinecherem was arrested and charged to court. Read more
Man connives with kidnappers to abduct friend, gets N1m share (Punch)
The Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team has arrested two members of a kidnap cum robbery gang and two of their informants, Sunana Douglass and Jordan Laguma. Douglass, 43, reportedly connived with the gang operating in the Shadam Local Government Area of Plateau State to kidnap his friend and benefactor identified simply as Dandong. City Round learnt that he received N1m as his share from N15m ransom the kidnappers collected from the victim, who has two filling stations in the state. It was gathered that the detectives went after the suspects following a petition addressed to the acting IGP, Mohammed Adamu, sometime in February 2019. Read more
Algeria: Hundreds of thousands march for President Bouteflika’s removal (BBC)
Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in Algeria to demand the resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Estimates say crowds in the capital, Algiers, reached a million. It is the sixth successive Friday of mass anti-government protests in the country. Earlier this week an army general, Lt Gen Ahmed Gaed Salah, called for the position of president to made vacant. But opposition parties in Algeria said it would not guarantee free elections. Algerian police fired tear gas at crowds as they attempted to reach the presidency, the BBC’s Mohamed Arezki Himeur, in Algiers, said. Read more
Brexit: MPs reject May’s EU withdrawal agreement (BBC)
MPs have rejected Theresa May’s EU withdrawal agreement on the day the UK was due to leave the EU. The government lost by 344 votes to 286, a margin of 58, and means the UK has missed an EU deadline to delay Brexit to 22 May and leave with a deal. The prime minister said the UK would have to find “an alternative way forward”, which was “almost certain” to involve holding European elections. Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn said “this deal now has to change” or the PM must quit. Meanwhile, thousands of Leave supporters gathered outside Parliament to protest against the delay to Brexit, bringing traffic to a standstill. Read more
Mueller report: Congress to get redacted version ‘by mid-April’ (BBC)
Robert Mueller’s report into Russian interference in the 2016 US election will be made public “by mid-April”. Attorney General William Barr says he is now redacting the 400-page document. In a letter to the heads of the House and Senate judiciary committees, he says he expects to be able to publish by mid-April, “if not sooner”. It comes a week after he published a four-page note summarising its conclusions – sparking demands for the report to be released in its entirety. Read more
Brazil: Bolsonaro’s coup celebration barred by judge (BBC)
A judge has barred a planned celebration marking the anniversary of the 1964 Brazilian coup which overthrew the democratic government. President Jair Bolsonaro had planned to celebrate the anniversary of the start of military rule on Sunday. The far-right president’s decision had provoked widespread condemnation. He defended the decision earlier this week, stating the aim was to remember the era rather than commemorate military rule itself. Read more
70 magnetic beads removed from boy’s urinary tract (Punch)
An 11-year-old boy in east China had to undergo surgery after inserting 70 magnetic balls into his penis. The youngster’s parents took him to a hospital in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, early Monday morning after he suffered from constant pain and had difficulty urinating. Doctors successfully removed the tiny magnetic balls during a two-hour operation, according to Chinese media reports. Read more
Girl, 7, slapped by random woman in front of her mother (Metro)
A seven-year-old girl was attacked by a stranger in the middle of a city centre, police say. Police are investigating after she walked up to the little girl, who she did not know, and slapped her across the face. Officers have now released an image of a woman they would like to speak to. The little girl was walking with her mother when she was slapped on Grainger Street in Newcastle earlier this year. The stranger then fled the scene. Police say the incident happened at about 12.35pm on Thursday, January 3. Read more
19-year-old sets ex on fire for ending their relationship (Punch)
A teenage girl is in a battle for her life after she was set on fire by her ex-boyfriend because she ended their relationship. The 13-year-old girl suffered burns to almost 90 per cent of her body after her 19-year-old ex poured gasoline on her body and set her on fire. Wilson Javier Meléndez Bonilla, 19, entered the girl’s home in the southwestern Puerto Rican town of Cabo Rojo, on Saturday night, to find her asleep on the couch. He then poured gasoline on her body and set her on fire in what has been described as a crime of passion. Read more
Nicolas Cage claims he was ‘too drunk’ to realise he was marrying Erika Koike in annulment papers (Metro)
Nicolas Cage claims he was ‘too drunk’ to understand he was marrying girlfriend Erika Koike. The 55-year-old actor and make-up artist Erika tied the knot in a surprise Las Vegas wedding on 23 March – the same day they obtained their marriage license. But, just four days later, Cage decided he wanted out and filed for annulment papers. Initially the reason behind his turnaround wasn’t known, but People now reports Nicolas has claimed he was ‘too drunk’ to realise what he was doing, according to court documents. Read more
Jada Pinkett Smith unfollows Kris Jenner, Khloe and Kim Kardashian (Metro)
Jada Pinkett Smith is cutting ties with the Kardashians and unfollowed, Kris Jenner, Khloe and Kim on Instagram. Jada had been close pals with the family, but it seems the fallout from all the Tristan Thompson/Jordyn Woods cheating drama has got her thinking twice about keeping that friendship. Will Smith and his wife Jada are practically family to Jordyn and have stuck by her amid the entire frenzy that came after she spent the night with Tristan at a house party in Los Angeles. Read more
‘Second NFF/AITEO Football Awards will be a lot different’ (Guardian)
The First Vice President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Seyi Akinwunmi is optimistic that the second edition of the NFF/AITEO Football Awards scheduled for Monday at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island in Lagos will be a lot better than the last edition. He also assures Nigerian football followers that the event will showcase the beauty in the country’s culture. Akinwunmi, who is the organising committee chairman, said at the unveiling of the programme yesterday that logistics for a hitch-free event has been concluded, adding that planning for the award would have been almost impossible without NFF’s principal partner, AITEO. Read more
Callum Hudson-Odoi ‘will stay’ with Chelsea – Sarri (BBC)
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri believes England international Callum Hudson-Odoi will stay with the club – and can become one of Europe’s leading players. The 18-year-old started for England in Montenegro on Monday but is yet to begin a league match for his club. He has been linked with Bayern Munich and in the last week more European clubs have shown interest. “I’m not able to say he’s going to sign a contract, but I think he’ll stay here with us in every case,” Sarri said. Read more
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer urges ‘vital’ Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford to reject transfer offers (Metro)
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has told Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford they are ‘vital’ to the club’s future amid strong interest from Real Madrid and Barcelona. Solskjaer was appointed United’s manager on a full-time basis on Thursday and the 46-year-old is looking to overhaul his squad in the summer after being promised a £250million warchest. Borussia Dortmund and England wonderkid Jadon Sancho is at the top of Solskjaer’s wishlist and the Norwegian is also desperate to keep hold of his star players ahead of the 2019/20 campaign. Read more
Joshua versus Wilder bout may happen late this year, says Hearn (Guardian)
Eddie Hearn believes Anthony Joshua versus Deontay Wilder could happen towards the end of 2019, but insists there’s still a long way to go with regards to potential negotiations, reports metro.co.uk. Joshua and Wilder have failed with their attempts to make an undisputed heavyweight mega-fight for all four world title belts over recent months. Despite reported attempts from both fighters to make the fight, they have both opted to take on alternative opponents in the coming months. Read more
Premier League bosses Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp & Maurizio Sarri want more action on racism (BBC)
Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have led a number of Premier League managers in saying they would be prepared to take their players off the pitch in a bid to combat racist abuse. Manchester City boss Guardiola believes racism is “getting worse” in Europe. Liverpool’s Klopp says football “has to do everything” to prevent racism, while Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino said “no-one deserves to be abused”. Read more