I’m not against Islam as FCT minister – Wike (Vanguard )
Nyesom Wike has said he is not against the religion of Islam as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Wike said this when he received members of the Abuja National Mosque Management Committee, led by its chairman, the Etsu of Nupe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar on a courtesy visit on Wednesday.
The minister debunked reports making the rounds that his administration in Abuja was promoting policies that are against Islamic religious alignments. Read more
Senate confirms Olukoyede, Halima as EFCC, NSIPA chairs (Nation)
The Senate on Wednesday, October 18, confirmed the nomination of Ola Olukoyede and Muhammad Hassan Hammajoda for appointment as chairman and secretary respectively of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
Also on Wednesday, the Senate confirmed the nomination of Mrs Halima Shehu, for appointment as the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
The resolution of the red chamber followed its screening of the nominees in a Committee of the Whole, in Abuja. Read more
Lagos commences revalidation of schools examination codes (Guardian)
The Lagos State Examinations Board has concluded arrangements to hold a one-day sensitisation programme for the revalidation of examination codes of Public and Approved Private Schools in the State.
According to a statement by Adebayo Orunsolu, Director of the Board, the programme has been scheduled for Thursday, 26th October, 2023, at the Conference Room of the Board at 10.00 a.m.
Orunsolu stated that the objective of the exercise was to educate and enlighten the invited associations on the need for Public and Approved Private Schools in the State to revalidate their Examination Codes. Read more
Police uncover arms factory in Lagos (Vanguard)
The Police in Lagos have uncovered a factory in Idata Community, Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos, where arms are fabricated.
Arrested were two blacksmiths: Musiliu Gbenga, 21, and Owolabi Azeez, 22.
They were paraded alongside 30 other suspects for various crimes ranging from cultism, stealing and illegal possession of firearms. They were alleged to be selling the fabricated arms to criminals. Read more
Police vow probe as man fires AK-47 shots to celebrate Ladipo Market reopening (Channels)
The Nigeria Police Force says it will probe a man seen in viral videos celebrating the reopening of the popular Ladipo Market in Lagos State with AK-47 shots.
Force Spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, made this known on Tuesday in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).
The Lagos State Government had in September 2023 shut four markets including the Ladipo Market in the Mushin area of the state. Read more
Elisha Abbo withdraws comment, says Akpabio not responsible for his removal (Guardian)
Senator representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, Elisha Abbo, has retracted his earlier claims that Senate president Godswill Akpabio had a hand in his removal by the Court of Appeal.
Abbo made the apology in an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Monday, October 16, nullified the election of Abbo and declared the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amos Yohanna, as the winner of the February 25 senatorial election. Read more
Zulum orders autopsy as hoodlums kill Borno lawmaker’s daughter (Leadership)
Fatima Bukar, a daughter of a Member of the Borno State House of Assembly representing Ngala State constituency, Hon. Bukar Abacha, was on Tuesday evening murdered by unknown persons around Dikechiri Bayan Gidan Dambe area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The husband of the victim, who took her corpse to a Police station, said he found her lifeless body in his house with her hand and legs tied behind her back while her two years old child was crying.
The Gwange Police Division, however, evacuated the corpse to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Read more
Why EU, UK, others reject Nigerian food, drug exports, by NAFDAC (Nation)
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has declared that it will no longer tolerate the unquantifiable embarrassment brought on Nigeria by the unscrupulous exporters that sidestepped the regulator only to have their goods rejected by the country of destination.
The agency said henceforth, no exporters should export any NAFDAC Regulated product without it being certified of its safety and quality status including full compliance with the destination country government requirements.
According to the agency’s Director General (DG), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, this is to avert colossal economic loss resulting from the rejection of non-compliant exports by the trading partners and the embarrassment brought on the image of the country. Read more
Liberia rivals Weah and Boakai set for poll run-off (BBC)
With almost all votes counted in Liberia’s election, President George Weah and his main rival Joseph Boakai are still running neck and neck, meaning they are set for a run-off.
Mr Weah currently has 43.8% of the vote with Mr Boakai on 43.5%, provisional results show.
A candidate needs more than 50% of the vote to be declared the winner.
The 10 October election was Liberia’s closest presidential race since a civil war ended two decades ago. Read more
Fraudsters use AI to impersonate African Union chief Moussa Faki (AfricaNews)
The African Union Commission has fallen victim to cybercrime after fraudsters deployed artificial intelligence tools to impersonate the continental body’s head Moussa Faki.
Mr Faki who is the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the secretariat of the African Union routinely writes to global leaders whenever he needs to place a call.
Such a letter is formally known as note verbale and is the standard procedure for scheduling meetings between the African Union leadership and representatives of other countries or international organisations. Read more
Justin Bieber turns wife Hailey’s text message into £4k artwork (Standard)
Justin Bieber has turned his wife Hailey Bieber’s text message to him into a £4000 artwork.
The Peaches singer, 29, surprised the 26-year-old old model with the elaborate gesture, which was created by Idiot Box founders Emily Bright and Tamara Martin, according to TMZ.
Bieber presented the piece to his wife-of-five years when she returned from Paris Fashion Week last weekend. Read more
Jurassic Park star Sam Neill says he’s “not remotely afraid” to die in cancer battle (THR)
Sam Neill reflected on his difficult battle with a rare form of blood cancer, saying he’s not afraid to die.
Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Australian Story, the 76-year-old New Zealander says death would be “annoying” but he’s “not remotely afraid.” That said, the idea of retiring from acting “fills me with horror.” Read more
Kathleen Turner recalls Suzanne Somers gifting her a Thighmaster after filming Serial Mom (EW)
Kathleen Turner is remembering working with Suzanne Somers on the cult classic Serial Mom and how the Three’s Company actress — who died Sunday at 76 — gifted her one of her famous Thighmasters after the shoot.
Turner spoke to PEOPLE about cracking up over the gift, as well as from Somers’ comedic chops while filming their scene together.
“Two weeks after we wrapped the film I received a Thighmaster from her and she signed the box,” Turner said. “I laughed so hard. She made us all laugh.” Read more
Biden arrives in Tel Aviv, backs Israel’s narrative on Gaza hospital strike (AlJazeera)
US President Joe Biden has arrived in Israel for a diplomatic scramble to prevent the Gaza war from spiralling into an even larger conflict, a challenge that became more difficult as outrage swept through the Middle East over an explosion that killed hundreds in a Gaza Strip hospital on Tuesday.
Descending from the plane amid a large security contingent on Wednesday, Biden embraced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog on the tarmac at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. Read more
British man and his South African wife murdered on honeymoon in Ugandan national park (Sky)
A British man and his wife have been killed in an attack by suspected Islamist rebels while on honeymoon in Uganda.
It happened on Tuesday evening on a road in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The man’s South African wife and their Ugandan guide were also killed – and their 4×4 vehicle set alight. Read more
Falcons star Ogbonna hosts men’s football tourney (Punch)
The Glory Ogbonna Men’s Football Competition 2023 will hold from October 22 to December 29 at Ama-Abuo Central School, Ovungwu in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area, Abia State, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The competition, sponsored by Super Falcons and Besiktas defender Glory Ogbonna, has a total prize money of N500,000, with the champions going home with N250,000 and a giant trophy, while the runners-up get N150,000 plus a trophy as well. The third-place winners will receive N100,000.
Also, there will be prizes for the best player of the competition, highest goal scorer and best behaved team. Read more
I stayed as Super Eagles coach because of the players – Peseiro (Vanguard)
Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro has revealed that his players pushed him to stay put with the team because of the belief that together they can win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro has revealed that his players pushed him to stay put with the team because of the belief that together they can win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Recall the Portuguese gaffer agreed to a pay cut this summer so that he could remain in charge of the Super Eagles.
The 63-year-old will lead the three-time African Champions to the 2023 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire in January. Read more
Tyson Fury warned to be “very careful” over what Mike Tyson is doing to Francis Ngannou (MEN)
Tyson Fury has been warned that Francis Ngannou could shock the world.
The WBC heavyweight champion is preparing to take on former UFC star Francis Ngannou in a crossover boxing bout on October 28. Ngannou, who was reigning UFC champion when he left the organisation, will be making his professional boxing debut but does hold a world record for his punching power.
Fury will be hoping to get through the exhibition bout unscathed, having agreed to fight Oleksandr Usyk to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999. There have been suggestions that the long-awaited clash could reportedly take place as soon as December 23, though it is likely to be in the first few months of 2024. Read more
Daniel Ricciardo to return to F1 grid at US Grand Prix as Liam Lawson steps aside (Mirror)
Daniel Ricciardo is set to make a comeback at this weekend’s US Grand Prix after recovering from an injury.
The 34-year-old Australian racing star has been out of action for the past five races due to a broken left hand he suffered during practice for the Dutch Grand Prix on August 25.
However, it’s been revealed that Ricciardo, who recently participated in a Red Bull demonstration run in Nashville, will be back behind the wheel of his AlphaTauri for practice at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas on Friday. Read more
Rory McIlroy joins other sports stars in investment in ‘‘exhilarating’’ Formula One venture (BelfastTelegraph)
Formula One team Alpine Racing have announced more investors from a range of sports including golfer Rory McIlroy, heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua as well as footballers Trent Alexander-Arnold and Juan Mata.
Kansas City Chiefs players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are also part of the 200 million euro (£173m) strategic investment led by consortium Otro Capital in the French team, which is backed by the parent company Renault.
The latest move follows on from Wrexham co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney expanding their sporting portfolio by also investing in Alpine for a 24 per cent stake of the team, which is currently sixth in the 2023 F1 constructors’ championship. Read more
NBA star Ben Simmons reacts to superfan who had his face tattooed on him (Mirror)
Ben Simmons was stunned as he met a fan who tattooed the face of the Brooklyn Nets guard on his chest at a preseason game ahead of the 2023-24 NBA season.
Ahead of the clash with the Philadelphia 76ers at T-Mobile Arena on Monday night, Simmons stopped to sign autographs after completing his pregame workout. One particularly exuberant fan caught the Australian’s attention as he excitedly called for Simmons while donning his No. 10 Nets jersey.
The fan then showed off a tattoo of Simmons’ face across his chest, leaving the three-time All-Star to ask if someone had a camera to capture the moment. While the fan asked him for his shirt, Simmons tossed his pre-game tee before heading back to the locker room. Read more