Kano onion sellers lament effect of food ban (DailyTrust)
Some onion farmers and marketers in Kano State are lamenting over the effect of the blockade of food items to the southern part of the country.
To protest the recent attacks on traders in some South West States, the The Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) had embarked on a strike.
This led to increase in price of food commodities in the south but in the north, the prices are plummeting.
On Tuesday, Daily Trust visited the Gun-Dutse Onion Market in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of Kano State to see how the traders are coping with the strike.
Some of them said before the protest, they usually transport a minimum of 20 trucks to the southern part of the country on a daily basis but the strike has affected them badly. Read more
Couple seeks help for upkeep of quintuplets after six-year barrenness (Guardian)
The year 2020 would not be forgotten in a hurry for the Omages. After getting married in 2014, Mr. Ewanle and Mrs Foyeke Omage, like every other couple, expected a baby to complete their joy of matrimonial life, but things did not work out as expected.
They waited day and night, expecting the good news, but nothing happened. The thought of childlessness made Foyeke’s worries increase, as she became a subject of ridicule among family, friends and neighbours .
Luck, however, smiled on Foyeke in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. She became pregnant. The thought of pregnancy never crossed her mind as she had given up on having children of her own. Read more
No date fixed for 2021 UTME registration, says JAMB
(Punch)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board has said no date has been fixed for registration for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
JAMB advised the public to disregard a fake Twitter account that announced information on the registration date for the examination.
“IMPORTANT NOTICE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. This is to inform the general public that no date has been fixed for 2021 UTME registration. Kindly disregard any tweet from a fake account that stated otherwise. The general public will be duly informed when the date is fixed. Thank you,” the examination board said. Read more
INEC: Inadequate Polling Units may Hamper 2023 Elections (ThisDay)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that failure to create more polling units across the country before the 2023 general election may hamper the integrity of the polls.
This comes as both chambers of the National Assembly have agreed to do everything legislatively possible to provide better voting environment for the citizens.
The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this during a meeting of the Joint Committee on INEC with INEC Chairman on the state of voter access to polling units in Nigeria. Read more
Nigerians have lost N18bn to Ponzi schemes- SEC (Nation)
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has disclosed over 3 million Nigerians have lost about N18 billion to Ponzi schemes and several other illegal investment schemes.
It described the continued activities of Ponzi schemes as threat to the protection of investors, the functioning of a fair and orderly financial market as well as the development of the economy at large.
It however assured the public and relevant stakeholders it will continue to apply innovative measures to combat the activities of Ponzi schemes.
The Director General of the SEC, Mr. Lamido Yuguda, made these known during the opening of a two-day webinar organised by the Attorney General Alliance-Africa in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Read more
NIMC warns Nigerians against fake NIN verification website (Punch)
The National Identity Management Commission has issued a disclaimer against National Identification Number verification website, https://nin-5gb-offer.online.
NIMC on Friday warned the general public that the website, which claimed to verify numbers chosen to receive 5GB as part of a NIN verification reward programme was not associated with the commission.
The commission noted that it was run by fraudsters and advised members of the public to protect their personal information. Read more
Buhari declares Zamfara no-fly zone, bans mining (DailyTrust)
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that Zamfara State be declared a no-fly zone.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing State House correspondents after a meeting of National Security Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Monguno said the President had also approved a ban on mining activities in Zamfara to check rising insecurity.
The NSA, who also revealed that all non-state actors had been placed under surveillance, said the federal government would not hesitate to use kinetic means to restore normalcy in the country. Read more
Court remands 72-year-old man for allegedly sodomising minor (Vanguard)
A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Kano State on Tuesday ordered that a 72-year-old man, Abdulsalam Abubakar, who allegedly sodomised a 12-year-old boy be remanded in a correctional centre, pending legal advice.
The police charged Abubakar, who resides in Jakara Quarters Kano, with of unnatural offence.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr Mustapha Sa’ad-Datti, who did not take the plea of Abubakar, ordered the prosecutor to return the case file to the State Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.
Sa”ad-Datti adjourned the case until March 24 for mention. Read more
Israeli man accused of raping girl, 13, in government-run quarantine hotel (NYPost)
A 21-year-old Israeli man allegedly raped and beat a 13-year-old girl while they were housed in a quarantine hotel operated by the state’s welfare system, according to reports.
“This is a despicable act,” the girl’s mother said during a virtual hearing Tuesday for the suspect, Yarin Sherf, The Times of Israel reported.
“With my legs trembling and a broken heart I ask to punish the cruel criminal. He has finished off the girl’s life with a cruel act,” she said, explaining that her daughter will “forever be scarred.”
“The criminal should not see the light of day, a beastly man who has no control of his urges,” the devastated mom continued.
Sherf admitted he had sex with the girl at the hotel in Jaffa, near Tel Aviv, but claims it was consensual and that she had told him she was 16. Read more
EU, US impose sanctions on Russia over Alexei Navalny poisoning (DW)
Washington and Brussels have imposed sanctions against Russian officials and businesses. US intelligence officials concluded that the Russian government was behind the attack on Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.
The US on Tuesday slapped sanctions on Russian individuals and entities over the near-fatal poisoning of prominent opposition figure Alexei Navalny with a nerve agent, Biden administration officials said.
Speaking to reporters on a conference call, the senior White House officials said the sanctions were being imposed in coordination with the European Union, and urged the release of Navalny from prison. Read more
Money really can’t buy you happiness, study says (Metro)
The age-old question – can money really make you happy? The answer, at least according to some new research, seems to be no. People in communities where there is little cash are as contented as those from rich societies. It focuses them on other values – such as family and the beauty of nature, explain international scientists in a new study. Read more
Angelina Jolie sells Winston Churchill painting for record £7m (BBC)
A painting by former British prime minister Sir Winston Churchill, which was owned by Angelina Jolie, has sold for £7m at auction in London.
The sale price was almost four times the top pre-sale estimate and beat the previous record for a Churchill painting, which was just under £1.8m.
The Tower Of The Koutoubia Mosque, painted in Marrakesh during World War Two, was sold to an anonymous buyer.
A Christie’s spokesperson called it “Churchill’s most important work”. Read more
Swiss Muslims denounce ‘burqa ban’ proposal as referendum nears (AlJazeera)
Less than a year ago, Valentina made the decision to switch her headscarf for a niqab.
“I feel better and safer wearing it,” she told Al Jazeera. “It is also an act of worship.”
For the 32-year-old from Switzerland, who prefers to be identified by only her first name, wearing the niqab – a veil worn by some Muslim women which covers the lower half of the face – is a personal choice.
“I wear it for myself, not as a symbol to the outside world,” she said. Read more
RSF files criminal complaint against Saudi crown prince in Germany (DW)
The complaint was filed for Mohammed bin Salman’s alleged role in the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Reporters Without Borders also cited the arbitrary detention of 34 journalists in the Gulf country.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Tuesday said it had filed a criminal complaint against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Germany’s federal public prosecutor’s office. The complaint pertains to his role in the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the detention of other media professionals.
The complaint, filed on Monday at one of the country’s top courts in Karlsruhe, accuses bin Salman of crimes against humanity, additionally for the arbitrary detention of 34 journalists. Read more
T.I. ‘will not return for Ant-Man 3’ amid allegations of sexual abuse (Metro)
T.I. reportedly will not return to the third Ant-Man film, amid allegations of sexual abuse against him and his wife Tameka ‘Tiny’ Harris which they have strenuously denied. The rapper has played Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) friend Dave in 2015’s Ant-Man and its 2018 sequel Ant-Man and The Wasp, and was expected by many to return for the upcoming third installment in the franchise, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. However, it has been reported by the Hollywood Reporter that T.I. will not star in the movie, set for release in 2022. Variety added that the star’s absence from the film is unrelated to the recent allegations against him and his wife, and he was ‘never slated to return’. Read more
Eagles stars express concern over boat trip to Cotonou (Punch)
Some Super Eagles players have expressed concern over the team’s proposed trip by sea to Benin Republic for this month’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Squirrels, The PUNCH reports.
The PUNCH reported on Friday that the Eagles would travel to Cotonou across the Gulf of Guinea for the game, scheduled for Stade de l’Amite on March 27 due to the bad road from Lagos to neighbouring Benin Republic.
Eagles coach Gernot Rohr explained that the poor road network was the major reason for the decision to travel by sea. Read more
Roy Hodgson offers ‘quite good news’ on Wilfried Zaha injury latest (Metro)
Wilfried Zaha is making excellent progress in his recovery from a hamstring injury, but will not be playing for Crystal Palace against Manchester United on Wednesday night, confirms Roy Hodgson. The Eagles star has been out of action since early February with a hamstring problem and it was feared that he could miss a substantial period of time as as result. However, the 28-year-old is already back in training and a return to first team action looks to be close. Palace hosting the Red Devils on Wednesday night will come too soon for the Ivory Coast international, but a trip to Tottenham on Sunday could be realistic, while a clash with West Brom at Selhurst Park on 13 March looks a certainty. Read more
Southgate facing ‘big decisions’ over England attack at Euros (Guardian)
Gareth Southgate has admitted he is facing “big decisions” over which players to include in England’s attack for the European Championships.
The coronavirus-delayed tournament will now kick off a year later than planned in June.
That delay has given the likes of Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish, an attacking midfielder or winger, a chance to press his claim, with England looking to win their first major trophy in 55 years. Read more
Ian St John: Former Liverpool & Scotland forward dies at age 82 (BBC)
Former Liverpool and Scotland forward Ian St John has died at the age of 82 after a long illness.
St John joined Liverpool from hometown team Motherwell in 1961 for a club record £37,500 and played 425 games for the Anfield side, scoring 118 goals, during a decade of service.
He won two top-flight titles and scored the decisive goal as Liverpool lifted their first FA Cup in 1965.
St John also earned 21 Scotland caps and managed Motherwell and Portsmouth. Read more
Solskjaer provides Edinson Cavani update but says Man Utd have a couple of injury doubts (Metro)
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Edinson Cavani could be involved in Wednesday’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace but is sweating over the fitness of other players. The Red Devils played out a goalless draw with Chelsea on Sunday at Stamford Bridge and now travel to Selhurst Park looking to pick up three important points in the race for the top four – especially with two of their rivals, Chelsea and Liverpool, playing each other a day later. United have been without Cavani for their last two league matches with a muscle injury, as well as the Europa League win over Real Sociedad, while Paul Pogba has also been sidelined. Read more
Lewis Hamilton still committed as Mercedes launch 2021 Formula 1 car (BBC)
Lewis Hamilton said he was still fully committed to success in Formula 1 despite signing only a one-year deal with Mercedes this winter.
The seven-time champion, 36, said he had twin goals of winning an eighth title and pushing for real change on diversity within motorsport this year.
The Briton said: “I am fully invested in this season. I still love what I do.
“There was great discussion around diversity last year, but what’s really important is that we’re taking action.”Mercedes have continued with the black livery to which they switched their cars in 2020 as a continuation of their push for diversity and anti-racism. Read more