Key into Nigeria’s transformation drive, Ambode urges women (Guardian)
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday, said women are critical to Nigeria’s transformation drive. Speaking at the closing ceremony of this year’s National Women’s Summit of Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association (OYSOWA) held at University of Ibadan Conference Centre, Ambode said it was important for Nigerian women to recognise the fact that the world was changing and they must use their influence to bring about positive change that would in turn cascade into every strata of the society. Read more
Atiku’s visa status confidential, says US official (Punch)
The United States Consulate in Lagos on Friday said matters relating to the application for or issuance of visa to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, or any other individual was a confidential matter. This came barely 24 hours after the Federal Government called on the US government to be cautious about giving a US visa to Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 election. The Public Affairs Officer of the US Consulate in Lagos, Brussel Brooks, stressed that the issue of US visa for anyone, irrespective of their social standing in the society, was strictly a confidential matter. Read more
Confusion as PDP presidential campaign council gets eight spokespersons (Punch)
The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Council on Friday named eight persons as its spokespersons. A statement by the Director, Media and Publicity of the council, Mr.Kola Ologbondiyan, listed the spokespersons as Buba Galadima, Akin Osuntokun, Osita Chidoka, Senator Dino Melaye, Nnenna Ukeje, Segun Sowunmi, Kazeem Afegbua and Umar Sanni. Our correspondent gathered that the eight names were arrived at after a heated argument among the members of the council, majority of whom were said to have what a source called “vested interests.” Read more
Metele massacre: Sack service chiefs now (Nation)
SOME retired military officers and security experts yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the nation’s service chiefs over Boko Haram’s attack troops in Metele, Borno State. In different interviews with our reporters yesterday, the ex-military officers and security experts charged President Buhari to replace the service chiefs with new officers, saying that the country was not getting the desired result in the fight against the insurgents. Read more
Buhari swears in new FCSC commissioners (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday swore in the newly appointed Chairman and 12 Commissioners of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He charged them to address all obstacles inimical to the image of the service. The President also enjoined them to tackle issues detrimental to effective service delivery by the nation’s civil service. The civil service, he said, must be repositioned to enable it discharge its assigned responsibilities for efficient implementation of government policies. Read more
We’ll prosecute top Nigerians in Malabu oil scam – Magu (Vanguard)
A few days after a new report by oil industry watchdog emerged that Nigeria stands to lose $4.5 billion in the controversial $1.1 billion allegedly given to owners of Malabu Oil Company, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has vowed that those involved would be punished. The Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, gave the assurance while receiving the new report on the oil block in his office. Read more
Two sisters, man die in Cross River boat mishap (Guardian)
Two sisters and a man have lost their lives in a boat mishap in Boki Council of Cross River State.The incident happened when bubbling water from a newly constructed dam overflowed on Wednesday, November 29.The victims were travelling across the small Irruan River to the other side to help one Mr. Kuku in his cocoa farm, which was flooded when they met their untimely death. Read more
Land tussle: Court restores over 100 buildings to Ibadan residents (Nation)
Several house owners and residents of Ekerin layout, New Garage/Akala expressway, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, burst into celebration yesterday as an Oyo High Court ordered immediate restoration of over 100 houses, churches, schools and business centres forcefully taken from them and locked by people claiming ownership of the land. The home owners and their tenants had fled the area for fear of being attacked by gun-wielding intruders, who are believed to be land grabbers. The latter took over the property, claiming an October 31, 2018 court order authorized them to take possession of the land as rightful owners. Read more
G20 Argentina: Rifts laid bare as world leaders meet (BBC)
World leaders have held the opening session of their annual G20 summit, with any number of disputes and disagreements on the table. Host president, Argentina’s Mauricio Macri, said the solution was “dialogue, dialogue and dialogue” and called for a clear message of shared responsibility. But US President Donald Trump has already cancelled meeting Russia’s Vladimir Putin over Ukraine. And huge differences remain on climate change, trade and the Khashoggi affair. Read more
Madrid bans old cars to cut pollution (BBC)
Spanish authorities have introduced new driving restrictions in the centre of the country’s capital, Madrid, aimed at reducing air pollution by up to 40%. The tough measures mean motorists will have to test their vehicles’ emissions, with the oldest and most polluting vehicles banned from the city centre. Drivers entering the controlled zone in breach of the rules will ultimately have to pay a fine of €90 (£80). The move is also to help reduce noise and encourage more cycling in the city. Read more
CAF Awards: Musa, Iwobi, Ighalo, Oshoala, Rohr nominated (Nation)
Super Eagles trio Ahmed Musa, Alex Iwobi and Odion Ighalo have been named among the list of 34 players in the running for the CAF 2018 African player of the year award. Other big-name nominees announced by the Confederation of African Football on Friday include Egypt international Mohamed Salah and Liverpool’s team-mate Sadio Mane of Senegal. Also on the list are Mehdi Benatia of Morocco, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Riyad Mahrez of Algeria. Read more
France 2019: Cameroon claims Africa’s third ticket (Nation)
Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon Friday claimed the last African ticket for the 2019 World cup in France after beating Les Aiglonnes (Female Eagles) of Mali in the third place match of the African Women Nations cup in Ghana. Both teams failed in their bids to play in the finals and had to battle to the finish to see who gets the last ticket for the world cup. Nigeria and South Africa had earlier picked the first and second slots after qualifying for Saturday’s finals where reigning champions will emerge. Read more
Hoilett stunner gives Cardiff victory (BBC)
Junior Hoilett scored a spectacular late winner as Cardiff City staged a stirring second-half fightback to beat Wolves and climb out of the Premier League relegation zone. Despite a barrage of set-pieces from the hosts in a first half low on quality from both sides, Wolves took the lead as Matt Doherty seized on a rebound to score on his 200th appearance for the club. Cardiff hauled themselves back into the contest by sheer force of will, with Harry Arter twice close to scoring before playing a role in the equaliser which summed up this frantic encounter. Read more
‘I’m going to punch his face right in’, Fury promises Wilder (Vanguard)
Before their final press conference descended into chaos both Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury spelled out how they will defy pre-fight predictions when they collide for the WBC heavyweight title. The two unbeaten heavyweights, who meet at the Staples Center tonight, came face-to-face on Wednesday and soon they and their teams became embroiled in a mass melee on stage. Read more
Mayweather charged with crypto-currency fraud (Vanguard)
Cryptocurrency has been heralded as the next big financial boom to emerge from Silicon Valley, but for music producer DJ Khaled and pugilist Floyd Mayweather Jr., it has resulted in fraud charges from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As CNN reports, both Mayweather, 41, and Khaled, 43, were charged on Thursday for promoting the initial coin offering (ICO) of a new form of cryptocurrency from Centra to their vast network of social media followers — without telling those followers they were being paid to do so. Read more
I hadn’t made enough money before my arrest – Robbery suspect (Punch)
A suspected member of a robbery gang based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Junior Nmeni, has lamented that he had not made enough money from robberies before luck ran out on him. Nmeni, who was a cleaner, claimed that he and his gang members had only been able to make N223,000 and get some phones from robbery operations he participated in. Read more
Lebanese smuggling N940m out of Nigeria arrested (Punch)
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested one Abbas Lakis, a Lebanese for money laundering. The EFCC said in a statement that the suspect was arrested with different foreign currencies valued at N940m. The commission said in a statement by its acting spokesman, Mr. Tony Orilade, that Lakis was picked up at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, following intelligence report that he had on him, undeclared huge sums of monies aboard the Egypt Airline bringing him from the Kano Airport en route to Lebanon. Read more