Lagos Assembly refuses to transfer budget to Ambode (Punch)
About two weeks after the Lagos State House of Assembly passed the 2019 budget, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has yet to receive it, Saturday PUNCH has learnt.
Our correspondent gathered that the Assembly might be awaiting May 29 when the governor-elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, would be sworn into office.
A source told our correspondent that government projects had been stalled due to the impasse.
He accused the lawmakers of playing politics with the development of the state. Read more
S’Court verdict: Over 2,000 landlords, property owners in Ikeja in dilemma (NewTelegraph)
…Ashade family lays claim to title
The last may not have been heard about the controversial Supreme Court judgement which ruled that the 398 acres, spanning some parts of Agidingbi, Ikeja and Ogba, belong to Akinole- Oshiun family as Ashade Royal Family yesterday laid claim to the disputed land. With the development, Saturday Telegraph learnt that over 2,000 landlords and residents are in dilemma over who to deal with concerning the disputed land on which their property were erected.
The Supreme Court in its ruling last month had awarded ownership of 398 acres of landed property in the community to a traditional land-owning family, Akinole-Oshiun. Read more
Man allegedly beats wife to death over sex (Punch)
Things allegedly went ugly between a young couple in the course of lovemaking.
As reported by the News Agency of Nigeria, 31-year-old Godspower Johnson allegedly beat his wife to death during a fight over sex.
The prosecutor, Insp. Oladele Adebayo, told an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Friday that the defendant committed the offence on March 21, 2019 at 5.30p.m., at No. 28, Adekoye St., Igbo-Elerin, Ishashi.
Adebayo alleged that Johnson beat his wife, Deborah, aged 31, to death during a fight. Read more
Lagos community protests poor power supply, demands pre-paid meters (Independent)
Residents of Idimangoro in Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State have protested the poor electric supply in the area, even as they have continued to experience what they termed over billing.
Piqued by the situation, the residents, under the umbrella of Idimangoro Community Development Association (CDA), has forwarded a protest letter to the Chief Executive of Ikeja Electric Plc, complaining of their predicament, even as they sought for a change. Read more
Insufficient manpower: Police settle for part-time special constables (Punch)
As part of measures to check rising insecurity in the face of insufficient manpower in Nigeria’s police force, the Force has concluded plans to engage thousands of Special Constables to work with conventional policemen in communities.
The recruitment of the special officers, which would be announced any moment from now, has received presidential backing and it is expected to start in Kaduna and other northern states where the traditional emirate and district structures support the system. Read more
Naira Marley, Zlatan, others have volunteered useful information – EFCC (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says popular singer, Afeez Fashola, otherwise known as Naira Marley; another musician Omoniyi Temidayo Raphael, aka Zlatan; and three other persons arrested with them have volunteered what has been described as “useful information.”
The EFCC Lagos Zonal Office arrested Naira Marley and another musician, Omoniyi Temidayo Raphael, aka Zlatan; alongside three other persons in connection with alleged case of internet fraud and money laundering. Read more
Blackout to persist as power grid remains unstable – TCN (Punch)
The nationwide blackout experienced in most parts of the country on Wednesday and Thursday following a collapse of the power grid is to continue in some locations as the grid is still unstable despite efforts to have it fully restored.
It was gathered on Friday from the Transmission Company of Nigeria that the national grid collapse of Wednesday and Thursday was the worst ever that had occurred in the sector in the past three years. Read more
894 children freed from Boko Haram (Guardian)
Nearly 900 children held by a pro-government militia force fighting Boko Haram insurgents in northeastern Nigeria were freed on Friday, the UN said.
The 894 children, including 106 girls, had been in the ranks of the government-backed Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a local militia which supports regular soldiers battling the Islamist insurgents. Read more
Nigerian highways: Den of kidnappers (NewTelegraph)
Nigeria’s highway is giving many sleepless nights as kidnappings and deaths are gradually but steadily becoming the order of the day. ISIOMA MADIKE, who has been following this ugly trend, reports
On May 5, a trailer-load of gunmen suspected to be kidnappers attacked travellers on the Ilesha-Ife Expressway. It was gathered that the trailer conveying the attackers suddenly stopped in the middle of the highway at Ikoyi town in Osun State about 6.45pm, while the gunmen disembarked and started shooting at everyone in sight. The Public Relations Officer of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Adegbenro Adebanjo, whose wife and son were caught up in the attack, gave an account of the incident in a Facebook post. According to information gleaned from the post, they managed to escape the brigands, who seemed to be targeting travellers on that highway. Read more
UNICEF: Over 3,500 children recruited by armed groups in boko haram conflict (ThisDay)
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) yesterday revealed that more than 3,500 children were recruited and being used by non-state armed groups in the on-going Boko Haram conflict in Nigeria.
UNICEF also revealed that a total of 894 children, including 106 girls, had been released from the ranks of the CJTF in Maiduguri, Borno State, as part of its commitment to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children for war. Read more
Mavin Records still works with Tiwa Savage – Don Jazzy (Independent)
Mavin Records boss, Don Jazzy, has revealed that the label is still working with Tiwa Savage.
Following reactions that trailed Tiwa Savage’s exit from Mavin Records, Don Jazzy said he was surprised at the manner with which the songstress’s new deal with Universal Music Group was taken. Read more
Kenya arrests 75 tax officials on suspicion of corruption (Independent)
Seventy-five Kenyan tax agency staff were arrested on Friday on suspicion of abetting tax evasion and bribery, the latest effort by authorities in the East African country to fight corruption.
The staff have not been charged and are being questioned, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) said in a statement. Read more
Morocco claims success in reducing illegal migration to Spain (Spain)
Moroccan authorities have succeeded in slowing the rate of illegal migration into Spain in recent months after a crackdown on smuggling networks, Morocco’s migration and border control chief said on Friday, unveiling new figures to Reuters.
So far 7,202 people have successfully reached Spain from Morocco this year, around 2,000 more than in the same period last year. But more than half of this year’s crossings took place in January, with numbers declining sharply over the following three months. Read more
Barca Considering £103m Rated Griezmann (Independent)
Barcelona still consider Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann ‘a serious transfer option’ for this summer.
The France international, 28, turned down a move to the Nou Camp last summer and signed a new long-term contract with Atletico. Read more
Eagles, learn from SPURS to succeed in Egypt – Amoo (NewTelegraph)
Ex-international Fatai Amoo has said the Super Eagles must learn from the doggedness, perseverance and never-say-die spirit exhibited by Hotspur players of the English Premier League side Tottenham who have qualified for the final of the 2019 UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.
Tottenham were just 45 minutes away from elimination from the competition when they were trailing hosts Ajax 3-0 on aggregates in the second leg of their semifinal clash at the Johan Cruyff Stadium on Wednesday but against all odds, the Mauricio Pochettino lads produced a stunning show with Lucas Moura scoring three goals to set up a final clash with Liverpool on June 1. Read more
My Chelsea Future Will Be Decided In Next Four Days – David Luiz (Independent)
Chelsea defender David Luiz has revealed that it will be revealed in the next five days whether he will be remaining at Stamford Bridge past the end of this season.
The former Paris Saint-Germain centre-back is out of contract at the end of the season and met with Blues officials last week for talks regarding a potential new deal. Read more
WAFU Cup: Falcons set to soar past Niger (NewTelegraph)
African champions Nigeria intend to take all their opportunities when they clash with the senior women team of Niger Republic in Abidjan on Saturday in order to seal a place in the WAFU Women’s Cup Tournament.
The Nigeriens are the standout whipping team of Group B after a 10-0 bashing in the hands of Mali on Thursday evening, just after the Falcons thrashed Burkina Faso’s girls 5-1 at the same Parc des Sports in Treichville. Former junior international Uchenna Kanu bagged a hat-trick, and was named Woman-of-the-Match. Read more
Why I embarked on racism fight – Sterling (Punch)
Raheem Sterling has said he did not set out to become a leading figure in the fight against racism but is grateful for the support he has received since speaking out on the issue.
The Manchester City forward was presented with the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award on Thursday.
Sterling, 24, has also won praise for challenging the media’s coverage of black footballers and said it is positive that his message has been taken on board. Read more
