Lagos: 452 traffic offenders convicted in four months (Punch)
The Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Sector Command, on Tuesday said that it arrested and prosecuted 507 motorists for traffic offences from July 15 to November 20.
The state Sector Commander, Mr Hyginus Omeje, gave the figure in a statement in Lagos State.
The statement was signed by the sector’s Public Education Officer, Olabisi Sonusi. Read more
Lagos to prosecute 12 for attacking task force operatives (Nation)
Operatives of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Agency (Taskforce) is to prosecute 12 suspects arrested for attacking members its enforcement team Monday and damaging four vehicles in the process.
Speaking on the attack, which took place at Alapere, Chairman of the Agency, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Chief Superintendent of Police said the enforcement team and men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) responded to a distressed call that some protesters were about to burn down Alapere Police Station over the clampdown on commercial motorcycle operators plying illegal routes.
He explained in a statement that on getting to the scene around Alapere Police Station, the protesters came out en mass to attack the Agency’s enforcement team with stones, iron-rod, broken bottles and cutlasses, adding that it was in the course of restoring peace and order in the area that the officers were injured and vehicles damaged. Read more
$1m scam: EFCC arrests Kirikiri prison controller, doctor for procuring medical report (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the Deputy Controller of Kirikiri maximum correctional centre, Emmanuel Oluwaniyi and Hemeson Edwin, also a DC, for allegedly procuring an exaggerated medical report for a suspected cyber scammer, Olusegun Aroke.
Aroke, who is serving a 24-year jail term was allegedly given a referral for treatment outside the facility during which he pulled a $1 million scam.
The convict is one of two Malaysia-based Nigerian undergraduate fraudsters arrested by the EFCC in 2012 at the 1004 Housing Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos following a tip-off. Read more
Five hospitalised as building collapses in Lagos (Punch)
Not fewer than five persons were hospitalised after a building collapsed in the Enu Owa area of Lagos Island on Monday.
It was gathered that the victims were trying to demolish the building when it collapsed.
A statement by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency’s Public Relations Officer, Nosa Okunbor, said the collapsed building site had been cordoned off to forestall secondary incidents. Read more
Conference on witchcraft holds despite PFN’s prayers (Guardian)
In spite of prayers and protest against a conference on witchcraft at the University of Nigeria, Nsuka (UNN), the B.I.C Ijomah Centre for Policy and Research, UNN, commenced the programme on Tuesday, November 26.
The event which began on Tuesday will end Thursday, November 28.
One of the lead paper presenters, Prof. Damian Opata gave a paper entitled: “The wealthy are no witches: Towards an epistemology and ideology of witchcraft among the Igbo of Nigeria”. Read more
Court sentences parents for selling 2-month-old baby for N300,000 (Guardian)
A Wuse Zone 6 Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja on Tuesday sentenced 20-year-old Stanley Sunday and his girlfriend, Onyinyechi Ikechukwu to 20 days imprisonment for selling their two-month-old son for N300, 000.
The convicts, who are residents of Idu, Karmo, Abuja, who were arraigned on a count charge of selling of minor for an unlawful purpose.
They both pleaded guilty to the offence and urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Adama Musa told the court that one Insp. Nasiru Tukur attached to Railway Police Station, Idu, Karmo had reported the matter at Karmo Police Station on July 9. Read more
FUTA expels six students for bullying colleague (DailyTrust)
The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) has expelled six students for bullying their fellow student. The expulsion is sequel to the recommendation of an investigative panel which probed the incident that took place in an off-campus hostel on Saturday, November 16, 2019, a statement on Tuesday signed by the Deputy Director, Corporate Communications of the school, Adegbenro Adebanjo, said. The names of the expelled students are : 1. Popoola Olaniyi Agboola IDD/ (300L) 2. Oluwadare Faith Tobiloba FST/ (200L) 3. Nandi Yohanna Jessica IPE/ (200L) 4. Ajuwon Tolani Emmanuella FAT/ (100L) 5. Emmanuel Funmilayo Taiwo FAT/ (100L) and; 6. Alao Olabimpe Cecilia CSP/ (100L). Read more
Nigerian investors to pay more for US permanent residency (Guardian)
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has raised its minimum requirement for the EB-5 immigrant investor scheme from $500,000 to $900,000. Under the programme, individuals are eligible to apply for conditional lawful permanent residency (Green Card) in the United States if they invest in a groundbreaking real estate project or create jobs such as 10 permanent full-time employments for qualified US workers.
The new change marks the first significant revision of the programme since 1993. The new rule came into effect on November 21, 2019. The less popular standard minimum investment level will also increase from $1 million to $1.8 million. Nigerian investors are known to have staked their money in projects like the District Lofts, Sugarland and Thompson Hotel and Residences in San Antonio. They raised $125 million in foreign investment in the last five years with about 2,455 million in square feet of development. Under the projects, for instance, investors share in two per cent of the profits and receive a four per cent annual preferred return for up to three years. Read more
Three Baltimore men exonerated after 36 years in prison (Punch)
Three Baltimore men who spent 36 years in prison were exonerated on Monday of the 1983 murder of a teenage boy who was shot dead over a jacket.
Alfred Chestnut, Andrew Stewart and Ransom Watkins were serving life sentences for the shooting of DeWitt Duckett, a 14-year-old student at Harlem Park Junior High School in West Baltimore.
Duckett was shot in the neck inside his school and had his Georgetown University jacket stolen. It was the first fatal shooting of a student in a Baltimore public school and drew widespread press attention at the time. Read more
Albania hit by deadly 6.4 magnitude earthquake (BBC)
A 6.4 magnitude earthquake has struck Albania, bringing down buildings and leaving people trapped under rubble.
At least 13 people have died. One man was killed after jumping from a window in panic, a defence ministry spokeswoman said.
The quake hit 34km (21 miles) north-west of the capital, Tirana, in the early hours of Tuesday.
Hours later, a separate earthquake struck the city of Mostar in Bosnia. There were no reports of casualties. Read more
Mane the main man as Liverpool close on Champions League knockouts (Guardian)
Sadio Mane has, in the words of Liverpool teammate Andy Robertson, “taken his game to another level”, stepping out of Mohamed Salah’s shadow to become arguably the main man at Anfield.
The Senegal international shares star billing with Salah and Roberto Firmino as part of the European champions’ electrifying and fluid front three.
But this year Mane is leading Liverpool’s charge — his goal at Selhurst Park at the weekend was his 12th of the campaign and his 29th for the club in the calendar year. Read more
Contract Renewal: Rohr strives to meet NFF’s condition (Punch)
Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, is making efforts to ensure that his contract is renewed by the Nigeria Football Federation.
The renewal of Rohr’s contract has come under controversy as the NFF issued fresh conditions for extension.
Rohr’s contract expires in June 2020, and it was expected that talks on renewal should have commenced.
According to the NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, the Eagles coach would be expected to monitor domestic games and be domiciled in Nigeria. Read more
Sports key to success of Nigerian military – General Ali (DailyTrust)
Some personnel of the Nigerian Army competiting in the Nigerian Army Sports Festival held at the mainbowl of the Abuja national stadium. The stadium is the main venue for the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Abuja. The Director, Physical Training of the Nigerian Army, Major General Okpe Wilson Ali, has said the ability of the Army to produce physically fit personnel through sports is vital to their success in all fronts. Speaking while declaring open the 3rd Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria sports week yesterday, Ali described physical training as basic component in all military activities. Represented by Brigadier General Adebisi Kalejaiye, Commandant, Army School of Physical Training, Zaria, Ali said men and officers of the military can attain physical fitness through participation in different sports. Read more
Osun wins 18th AYSOF U-20 Football Tournament (Nation)
Osun State has won the 18th Annual Nigeria’s President National Under-20 Male Youth Football Championship organised by the African Youth Sports Federation (AYSOF) in Conjunction with Osun State Ministry of Sports on Sunday.
The Osun team, led by captain Raji Waheed, beat their counterparts from Katsina 6-1 in a one sided affair at the Osogbo City Stadium.
The tournament tagged, “Osun AYSOF 2019, also commemorated the one year anniversary of Governor Oyetola in office and celebrated his efforts towards developing sporting talents in the state. Read more
Galadima: Football’s absence chance for other sports to shine at 2020 Olympics (DailyTrust)
Poster boy of Nigerian table tennis, Aruna Quadri will compete in the colours of Egyptian giants, ENPPI in the 2019 Africa Clubs table tennis championship in Lagos As Nigerians continue to rue the failure of Nigeria’s national football teams, the Super Falcons (women) and U-23 (men) to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, a former Chairman of the then Nigeria Football Association, NFA, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima has challenged other sports federations to take up the challenge and shine at next year’s games in Tokyo. Speaking to Daily Trust, the Patron of Nigeria Olympics Committee, NOC, regretted that the failure of the national football teams to qualify for the Olympics has underlined Nigeria’s steady decline in football. Read more
UCL: Dennis to star for Brugge against Gala (Nation)
Nigeria International Emmanuel Dennis is expected to return to Club Brugge’s starting XI against Galatasaray at the Türk Telekom Stadium in tonight’s UEFA Champions League.
The 22-year-old was a second-half substitute, coming in for compatriot David Okereke, in Club Brugge’s 2-0 win over KV Oostende in the Belgian Pro League last Friday.
Leicester City are being linked with a move for Dennis as a long term replacement for veteran forward and club legend Jamie Vardy. Read more
Ex-Arsenal defender Keown says Gunners are a ‘sinking ship’ under Emery (Vanguard)
Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes the club is a ‘sinking ship’ under current coach Unai Emery, following Saturday’s home draw against Southampton.
The Gunners were set for an embarrassing defeat to the Saints at the Emirates until Alexandre Lacazette popped up in the 96th minute to equalize.
With the team sitting eighth on the Premier League table, eight points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, Keown feels as if the decision to appoint Emery was a mistake. “This season only Aston Villa and Norwich have allowed more shots against them in total than Unai Emery’s side. Alarm bells must be ringing at Arsenal. Read more
Pinnick, Ahmad rift may deny Nigeria hosting rights (Nation)
Unless there is a rapprochement between CAF President Ahmad and his former 1st Vice President and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Amaju Pinnick, Nigeria may have lost the chance of hosting the widely speculated 2020 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup.
The seemingly ‘marriage made in heaven’ between Ahmad and Pinnick under the ‘change mantra’ that led to the ouster of former FIFA Acting President Issa Hayatou as CAF supremo in charge of the continental body for 29 years, has since broken down irreconcilably with the spill-over effects on Nigerian football interest. Read more
Balotelli is black and needs to lighten up’ – Brescia president Cellino embroiled in racism storm (Vanguard)
Brescia president Massimo Cellino has found himself in the headlines once again after controversially referring to Mario Balotelli’s rocky situation at the club as “black”.
Balotelli had been dropped for the Serie A side’s clash with Roma on Sunday following a training ground incident that saw coach Fabio Grosso kick the striker out of the session, with Grosso hinting later at a press conference that his charge simply was not putting in enough effort.
“I demand great intensity and a high tempo in my training sessions,” the Italian said at the time. “When that doesn’t happen, I prefer to change and make the session tougher. He didn’t do that and was set to one side. At a certain point, he has to help himself.” Read more