I’m not compiling list of workers for sacking – Ogundipe (Punch)
The reinstated Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, has said that he is not compiling list of workers for sacking.
Ogundipe, who was welcomed with jubilation by workers of UNILAG, said this as he resumed on Thursday at the school’s Senate Building.
Ogundipe was sacked by the Dr Wale Babalakin-led governing council of UNILAG on August 12.
However, on November 10, he was reinstated by the President, Major-General Mohammadu Buhari (retd.) after a visitation panel report. Read more
Lagos court remands man over N12.5m fraud (DailyTrust)
An Ikeja Special Offences Court on Thursday ordered that a man, Oladipo Sobowale, who allegedly defrauded his business partner of N12.5 million, be remanded in EFCC custody.
The anti-graft agency charged Sobowale with obtaining money by false pretence. He pleaded not guilty.
Justice Mojisola Dada adjourned the case until Feb. 2, 2021, for trial. Read more
INEC to hold Lagos, Imo, Bayelsa, others bye-elections December (Guardian)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed December 5, 2020, for the pending bye-elections in six senatorial districts and nine state constituencies.
INEC national commissioner and chairman of its information and voter education committee, Festus Okoye made the disclosure in a statement on Friday.
Okoye said the decision was reached after the commission reviewed the outcome of its quarterly consultations with critical stakeholders in the electoral process, and the security situation and other challenges regarding the pending by-elections. Read more
NNPC raises petrol depot price, marketers to sell at N168-N170/litre (Punch)
The Petroleum Products Marketing Company, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, has increased the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, to N155.17 per litre from N147.67 per litre.
The PPMC disclosed this in an internal memo with reference number PPMC/C/MK/003, dated November 11, 2020, and signed by Tijjani Ali.
The memo, a copy of which was seen by our correspondent, said the new ex-depot price would take effect from Friday. Read more
Kwara to stop paying pension to ex-governors, deputies (Vanguard)
Like Lagos state, Kwara state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, Friday said that he would send a bill to the State House of Assembly to revoke the law awarding pension to former governors and their deputies.
Abdulrazaq who disclosed this in a series of tweets, averred that the state needs the resources to improve human capital development.
“In line with our campaign mantra and the yearnings of our people, next week I will be sending a bill to the State House of Assembly to revoke the law awarding pension packages to former governors and former deputy governors in Kwara State. Read more
Ganduje Aide Shares Donkeys To Empower Kano Youths (DailyTrust)
The Senior Special Assistant to Kano state Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Youths Development, Murtala Gwarmai on Thursday shared donkey to youths as empowerment.
The distribution which took place at the premises of the state’s Ministry for Youths and Sports, had no fewer than 40 youths in the state benefitting from the gesture.
Gwarmai also distributed motorcycles, bicycles, cash prizes worth N100,000, building blocks and roofing sheets among others.
Gwarmai also distributed motorcycles, bicycles, cash prizes
The SSA said the decision to include the donkey in the list of items distributed followed the request made by one of the beneficiaries who uses it to transport sand, gravel and blocks, adding that the empowerment will go a long way in assisting his business.
Responding, the beneficiaries thanked the governor’s aide for the gesture, promising to use it judiciously. Read more
Navy hands over “smugglers” abandoned barge to EFCC (Vanguard)
The Nigerian Navy handed over a barge laden with unspecified quantity of adulterated diesel and abandoned by suspected smugglers to the EFCC on Friday in Port Harcourt.
The barge was handed over to the EFCC by Cdr. Suleiman Mohammed, First Lieutenant, NNS Pathfinder
Mohammed said the suspected smugglers abandoned the barge, MVJ Favour 1, and fled on sighting Navy gunboats on routine patrol at the creeks in Rivers on Oct. 13.
“The suspects fled when NNS Pathfinder patrol gunboat intercepted the barge, which it suspected of engaging in illegal oil bunkering.
“The barge laden with unspecified quantity of suspected illegally refined diesel was intercepted around Abisa creek in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers. Read more
Kano IPMAN orders sale of petrol for N170 per litre (Nation)
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Friday directed its members in Kano state to sell premium motor spirit (petrol) for N170 per litre.
The product was being sold for N160 per liter, but the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) released a circular, advising the petroleum marketers to sell petrol within the regime of N168 to N170 per litre, with effect from Friday.
This PPMC has adjusted the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, from N130 to N155.17, it was learned.
The PPMC is a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and currently imports almost all of Nigeria’s petrol. Read more
Senator Gbemi Saraki sulks over aftermath of #Endsars protest (Vanguard)
Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki has expressed sadness over the aftermath of #ENDSARS protests, which she said started as a peaceful demonstration.
While noting that the youths have a fundamental right to peaceful protests as enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution, she urged all federal government security agencies to employ diplomacy, and utmost civility by working in their dealings with the civilian populace to ensure peace and sanity in Nigeria.
The minister spoke on Friday, at a Round table dialogue with Youths and Women in Kwara State held in Kwara Hotels Ilorin. Read more
Snorting chicken antibodies may protect us from COVID-19 (Metro)
Scientists in the US are preparing to start a trial involving chicken antibodies as a means of stopping the coronavirus vaccine. They found that when exposed to a SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19) spike protein, chickens are able to mount a huge immune response. The frenzied production of antibodies that goes on inside the chicken can then be passed down to its eggs. The research team at Stanford University and Perth’s Linear Clinical Research, believe this can be synthesized for human use. The scientists created a nasal spray from the chicken antibodies (known as immunoglobulin Y (IgY)) that humans could snort when coming into close proximity with the virus. Read more
French troops kill commander of al-Qaeda-linked group in Mali (AlJazeera)
French troops have killed a top commander of an al-Qaeda-linked armed group in Mali this week, French Defence Minister Florence Parly announced on Twitter.
The target of the attack was identified as Bah Ag Moussa, the military head of the Group to Support Islam and Muslims (GSIM), and was believed to be behind multiple attacks on both Malian and international forces.
Parly said he was killed on Tuesday in an operation with ground troops and helicopters in eastern Mali, near Menaka. Read more
Zambia on brink of defaulting on foreign debt (BBC)
Zambia is on the brink of defaulting on its foreign debt after it missed a payment of more than $40m (£30m) last month.
A so-called grace period will expire on Friday, which would make it Africa’s first country to default on sovereign debt since the coronavirus pandemic.
Zambia was already struggling with its $12bn external debt load.
But coronavirus has aggravated pre-existing financial pressures in the country.
The pandemic has put an additional burden on health services and depressed economic activity. Read more
Joe Wicks celebrates raising £1.5m for Children In Need with a gin and tonic (Metro)
Joe Wicks has raised over £1.5 million for Children In Need after exercising for 24 hours. The Body Coach became a national treasure thanks to his free YouTube PE classes for kids during lockdown, but was pushed to his absolute limits as he took on a 24 hour PE Challenge to raise money for disadvantaged children and young people across the UK. And the UK paid him back, as they raised £1,520,020 for worthy causes. The challenge had raised around £630,000 by 7am this morning, but less than two hours later, the total had rocketed by nearly £400,000 as fans tuned into BBC Radio 2 on Friday morning, and more than doubled by the time the challenge ended. As the star finished up his challenge, he said: Read more
US election: China congratulates Biden after long silence (BBC)
China has finally congratulated Joe Biden on his projected win in the US presidential election, breaking a frosty period of silence.
“We respect the choice of the American people. We extend congratulations to Mr Biden and Ms Harris,” a foreign ministry spokesman said on Friday.
The China-US relationship is crucial to both sides, and the wider world. Tensions have soared in recent times, over trade, espionage and the pandemic.
Russia is yet to offer well wishes.
Four years ago, the Russian leader Vladimir Putin was among the first to congratulate Donald Trump on his election victory, but there has been no tweet, telegram or phone call to Mr Biden this time. Read more
Bitter wife torches £400k family home to spite husband during divorce battle (Metro)
An embittered wife who torched her £400,000 family home to spite her husband during a divorce has been jailed for almost three years. Mum-of-three Janette Higginson, 57, rang police herself on June 11 to say the suburban house where she had lived for 36 years was on fire. Firefighters rushed to the four-bedroom house in Firswood, near Chorlton-cum-Hardy in Manchester, to find her sitting outside covered in soot. The court heard she had told police during the fire: ‘I’m not bothered, I am outside my house it’s burning, it’s up to you.’ Earlier that day, Higginson had received a solicitor’s letter thought to be regarding the sale of the home, which she had shared with Steve, her husband of 27 years. Read more
Ethiopia Tigray crisis: PM Abiy Ahmed accuses Tigrayan troops of massacre (BBC)
Ethiopia’s prime minister has accused forces in the northern Tigray region of carrying out a massacre of civilians.
Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopian federal troops had “liberated” the western part of Tigray in “a victory for the innocent civilians of Mai-Kadra that were brutally massacred”.
In a separate statement, Mr Abiy also said “bodies of members of the army, who were shot while their hands and legs were tied”, had been found.
Tigrayan officials deny the atrocities.
Witnesses blamed forces loyal to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) for Monday’s killings – first reported by human rights group Amnesty International. Read more
Tirana sack Nigerian manager Egbo (Punch)
Nigerian manager Ndubuisi Egbo has been sacked by his Albanian club KF Tirana.
The Nigerian, 47, who led the club to their first league title in a decade back in July was dismissed after two wins and two defeats this season.
According to a statement on the club’s website, Egbo was relieved of his job due to poor performance.
“The decision had been “taken due to poor performances in the last matches” and also thanked Egbo for “his dedication and title success last season,” the statement said.
Egbo is the first African coach to lead a European team to a league title and qualification to the UEFA Champions League or any European competition. Read more
Premier League footballer arrested on suspicion of rape and false imprisonment (Metro)
A Premier League footballer has been arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment and rape. He was arrested on Wednesday morning at his home and has since been released while an investigation takes place, MailOnline reports. The publication claims it is aware of the player’s identity, but the name cannot be revealed for legal reasons. The incident is alleged to have taken place at his home last month. Police issued a statement yesterday confirming the age of the suspect, and that officers had executed a warrant at the address and arrested a man ‘on suspicion of rape and false imprisonment’. Read more
Turkish Grand Prix: Max Verstappen quickest on slippery Turkey track (BBC)
Max Verstappen led a Red Bull one-two in an unrepresentative first practice session at the Turkish Grand Prix on a low-grip track.
Verstappen’s team-mate Alexander Albon was second, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly’s Alpha Tauri.
The Istanbul Park circuit, holding its first race since 2011, was resurfaced two weeks ago and drivers were more than 10 seconds off the pace expected.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was 15th and team-mate Valtteri Bottas ninth. Read more
Michael Owen issues Paul Pogba ultimatum to Manchester United (Metro)
Former Manchester United striker Michael Owen believes the club should either play Paul Pogba or cash in on the midfielder this summer. The Frenchman has started just two of United’s last seven matches in all competitions and is stuck behind the likes of Fred and Scott McTominay in the pecking order under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Pogba started the season as first choice in a midfield-two but his performances against the likes of Crystal Palace and Tottenham were well below par, with Solskjaer claiming it was a follow-on effect from the midfielder’s period out with Covid-19. However, Pogba’s performances have not improved and he was a late substitute in Saturday’s 3-1 win against Everton, which relieved some immediate pressure on Solskjaer’s position. Read more
Senegal’s Senghor fifth and final bidder for Caf presidential elections (BBC)
Augustin Senghor, president of Senegal’s football federation.
Senegal Football Federation president Augustin Senghor has submitted his candidacy for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) presidential elections in March.
Senghor, who has yet to publicly announce his campaign, told BBC Sport Africa he is the fifth candidate for the elections when asked if he had applied.
“Yes, this is true,” the Caf Executive Committee member replied. “When the time comes, I will communicate about this candidacy. This will be after our game against Guinea-Bissau on Sunday.” Read more
Ireland footballer Alan Browne tests positive for coronavirus after playing 90 minutes against England (Metro)
Alan Browne has become the latest Republic of Ireland player to test positive for coronavirus following Thursday night’s friendly against England. The 25-year-old Preston midfielder, who played the full 90 minutes in a 3-0 defeat at Wembley, has not been isolated from the rest of the squad ahead of the Nations League trip to Wales on Sunday and the home clash with Bulgaria which follows it with no member of the party having been identified as a close contact. However, it is understood that England will be unaffected and will be able to continue their preparations for their own Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Iceland as the Return to Play protocol is designed to legislate for such occurrences. Read more
