Lagos cautions over fire outbreaks (Nation)
Lagos State Government, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised Lagosians to take precautionary measures to prevent fire disasters in view of the prevailing harmattan weather which aids the spread of fires. The Governor who spoke through the Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter -Governmental Relations, Dr Wale Ahmed, said the people should be cautious because the current low humidity helps fires to spread fast, leading to the numerous fire outbreaks which have been recorded in parts of Nigeria and the rest of the world.
The Governor advised Lagosians to always switch off all electrical appliances, and unplug them while leaving their houses . This also applies to markets and shops in the metropolis. The Special Duties Commissioner quotes the Governor as saying that “if there is no spark, there won’t be spread of fire “ Governor Sanwo -Olu also advised Lagosians to keep gas cylinders in an open space, away from their kitchens, to prevent fire disasters even in the case of a leakage. Read more
Police arraign fake Unilag lecturer (Punch)
The police on Friday arraigned a 39-year-old fake lecturer, Isaac Obi, at Ojo Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.
Obi is charged with three counts of false pretence, fraud and stealing.
The prosecutor, Insp. Simon Uche, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on November 1, 2019 in Lagos.
He alleged that the defendant presented himself as a lecturer from the University of Lagos to one Lucky Ikeduba, News Agency of Nigeria reported.
The prosecution also alleged that the accused lied to Ikeduba that he could help him secure admission into the university. Read more
Agege Pen Cinema flyover will be ready in July, says Sanwo-Olu (Nation)
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has assured residents and motorists plying Agege Pen Cinema axis that the Agege Pen Cinema flyover bridge will be completed and commissioned for use by June ending or early July 2020.
The governor who toured the project site at the weekend in company of his cabinet members said the bridge has reached 70 per cent completion and the June/July date was the commitment given by the contractors.
Sanwo-Olu also visited on-going work at the first segment of construction at the Lagos-Badagry Expressway way which is now open to motorists, where he decried the menace of residents and motorists. Read more
FG reviews power tariffs for 11 DisCos, freezes hike till April (DailyTrust)
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has published a reviewed power tariff for December 2019 with no hike for customers of the 11 Distribution Companies (DisCos) until April 2020. NERC, in the published December 2019 Minor Review of the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2015 and the Minimum Remittance Order (MRO) for 2020, gave a caveat on the frozen tariff hike.
“The Federal Government’s updated Power Sector Recovery Programme (PSPRP) does not envisage an immediate increase in end-users tariffs until 1st April 2020 and a transition to full cost reflectivity by end of 2021.” Read more
Five killed in gas explosion in Kaduna (Nation)
Five persons have been confirmed killed in a gas explosion in Sabon Tasha, Chikun Local Government area of Kaduna metropolis. The Nation gathered that, the incident occurred at about 12:30pm on Saturday at a roadside gas vending shop located by the main road opposite Total Filling station, Sabon Tasha. The impact of the explosion caused fear, panic and apprehension among many residents who initially thought it was a bomb explosion.
A source in the area Emmanuel Sunday told Sunday Nation that, he was at the filling station opposite the shop when the explosion occurred. According to him, “I was in front of the filling station opposite the gas shop when the explosion happened. I just left my house, on my way to see a friend. So, I was waiting for commercial vehicle, I just heard boom! I fell down, but I managed to get up. Some people got injured while they were scampering for safety and I saw five people dead,” he said. Read more
Poachers slaughter 16 lions and hack off faces and claws for medicine (Metro)
Sixteen lions have been brutally murdered and their faces and claws hacked off to be sold as traditional medicine. Evil poachers broke into an enclosure in South Africa to kill the big cats, including lionesses who were within days of giving birth. It is believed they were fed poisoned chicken meat and just one newborn cub survived the slaughter. The lions were living with Gert Blom at Predators Rock Bush Lodge in Rustenburg, North West Province. Read more
Somali government detains record number of journalists (DailyTrust)
Somalia’s Western-backed government forces beat and detained a record number of journalists last year, the journalists’ syndicate told Reuters on Friday, prompting suggestions the government is suppressing scrutiny of its security record ahead of elections due this year. For years, the al-Qaeda linked al Shabaab insurgency was accused of killing Somali journalists. Those assassinations have fallen, although two journalists were among those killed in a bombing last year. Now media say they face a new danger: government forces. State security forces detained an “unprecedented” 38 journalists in Somalia last year, according to data compiled by Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, secretary general of the Somali Journalists Syndicate.
Most were detained while reporting on bombings or insurgent attacks but some were reporting on corruption. Read more
Olympic gold medalist dies after suffering ‘unknown’ allergic reaction (Metro)
An Olympic gold medallist died after suffering an unknown allergic reaction, an inquest has concluded. Ken Matthews, who won the 20-kilometre walk at the 1964 Games in Tokyo, died in hospital on June 2, last year. He was transferred to Wrexham Maelor Hospital from the care home where he was living, after staff noticed his breathing became ‘chesty’.
The 84-year-old died just hours later, leaving doctors confused at what had caused the reaction and said it could be due to an insect bite, heard an inquest. Read more
Burundi seeks 15-year jail term for journalists (DailyTrust)
Four journalists of Burundi’s independent media Iwacu Press Group and their driver appear at the High Court in Bubanza, western Burundi, December 30, 2019, accused of complicity in endangering the internal security of the state. Burundi prosecutors sought 15-year jail terms for four reporters and their driver who were detained covering an incursion of rebels from Democratic Republic of Congo and charged with endangering state security. The journalists were working for Iwacu, one of Burundi’s few independent media outlets, when they were arrested on Oct. 22.
A witness in the northwestern province of Bubanza, where they were arrested, told AFP on condition of anonymity the long jail terms were sought after two hours of deliberations. Read more
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeal for Australia bushfire donations (Metro)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have appealed for donations to Australia’s emergency services amid the country’s devastating bushfire crisis. The Royal couple shared links to fundraising pages on their Royal Sussex Instagram account, warning the global environmental crisis amounts to’ ecocide’. They are currently spending a six week Christmas break in Canada but broke their holiday silence to comment on the fires, which torched more than 12 million acres of land – an area bigger than the size of Croatia. Read more
Bodies of drowned RCCG pastor, kids flown from Spain to UK (Punch)
The deaths of the London family in a Club La Costa World pool in Spain has left wife and mum of the victims Olubunmi Diya with questions about what happened to her loved ones.
The bodies of the British dad and his two children who drowned in a Costa del Sol swimming pool were due to be repatriated on Saturday.
Officials took the bodies to Malaga Airport in three funeral hearses on Saturday morning so they could be flown back to the UK 11 days after the Christmas Eve holiday tragedy that claimed their lives.
Gabriel Diya, 52, and his children Comfort, nine, and Emmanuel-Prince, 16, lost their lives after taking their first holiday dip at their pool on the Club La Costa World resort near Fuengirola, Spain. Read more
Donald Trump threatens to hit 52 targets in Iran ‘very fast and hard’ (Metro)
President Donald Trump has warned that the US will target 52 Iranian sites if Tehran attacks Americans over the killing of their top general. He said the number 52 was symbolic of the number of American hostages taken by Iran ‘many years ago’.
In a series of sinister tweets Trump warned that some of those targets were ‘high level’ and important to Iranian culture. He said: ‘Iran itself will be hit very fast and very hard. The USA wants no more threats!’ Read more
#Whereisboris trends on Twitter as PM stays silent on Iran crisis (Metro)
Boris Johnson has come under fire for refusing to cut short his luxury holiday in the Caribbean to discuss the crisis in the Middle East. The Prime Minister is yet to comment on the assassination of Iran’s top general Qasem Soleimani, amid pressure to criticise the US government.
A missile attack authorised by Donald Trump killed Soleimani as he left Baghdad Airport along with a number of pro-Iranian military groups based in Iraq on Friday. The strike caused tensions in the volatile region to soar and there are fears of all-out war after Iran vowed ‘harsh vengeance’. Read more
Rafael Nadal makes winning start as Spain look for back-to-back team competition wins (Metro)
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal picked up where he left off in 2019 by making a winning start to 2020 as he looks to secure back-to-back team titles for his country. Nadal defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili in straight sets as Spain beat Georgia in Perth at the ATP Cup – a competition that takes place just six weeks after their Davis Cup triumph in Madrid. Roberto Bautista Agut had put Spain ahead with a double bagel win over world No. 679 Aleksandre Metreveli but Nadal was faced with a far more formidable, and familiar, opponent in the form of Basilashvili, winning 6-3 7-5. Read more
Serena Williams handed tough draw in first match since US Open final (Metro)
Serena Williams will return to action for the first time since a fourth consecutive straight sets Grand Slam final defeat at last year’s US Open and faces a tough opener against fellow multiple major winner Svetlana Kuznetsova in Auckland. The pair’s rivalry will extend to a third decade when they face off for the 14th time in the first round of the ASB Classic – a tournament both will be using to tune up ahead of the Australian Open. Williams last featured at the International event in 2017, where she suffered a second-round loss to compatriot Madison Brengle, and she will have her work cut out against Russian two-time Grand Slam winner Kuznetsova in the first round this time around. Read more
Harden stars in Houston Rockets victory over Philadelphia 76ers (DailyTrust)
James Harden recorded his first triple-double of the season and dropped 44 points as the Houston Rockets rolled to a 118-108 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night in Houston. Harden posted 44 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists and intermittently carried the Rockets when things went awry.
Clint Capela won the matchup of talented bigs, adding 30 points and 14 rebounds to outpace 76ers center Joel Embiid (20 points, 12 boards) and help send Philadelphia to its fourth consecutive defeat since a Christmas Day blistering of the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks. Read more
Novak Djokovic reacts after losing his cool in Serbia ATP Cup win (Metro)
Novak Djokovic secured victory for his country in Serbia’s opening ATP Cup match against South Africa, although it was a far from straightforward win over Kevin Anderson. Djokovic, the 32-year-old world No. 2, lost his temper in the latter stages of a 75-minute first set and could perhaps consider himself fortunate to escape a warning for hitting a ball into the stadium roof before snapping at supporters in the stands. His frustration, in many ways, was understandable. He had been dragged back by an inspired opponent who continued to paint the lines – incredibly impressive given this was Anderson’s first competitive match in six months – and saw back-to-back points in a crucial tiebreak interrupted by fans calling out. Read more
Kelechi joins Atletico Clube (Nation)
VERSATILE Nigerian defender Kelechi John has today completed a move to Casa Pia Atlético Clube, the Portuguese Liga Pro side have informed via social media.
The Nigeria U23 international has been inactive since the end of the 2018-2019 season after parting company with Rio Ave, whom he represented for three years.
He transferred to Rio Ave from Junior Elkanemi Academy, a Jos based grassroots club that produced the likes of Obi Mikel, Joseph Akpala and Chidozie Awaziem. Read more
2020 Polo Festival train berths in Port Harcourt (DailyTrust)
Fresh from the Christmas and New Year festivities, the glamorous Nigerian polo season galloped off with fanfare on January 12, 2020, with the Port Harcourt International Polo Tournament, over twenty top teams across the country jostle for top honours in four major categories. Port Harcourt Polo Tournament Manager, Victor Fingesi who disclosed this to the media, stated that arrangements have been concluded ahead of what would be the most exciting polo tournament in the Rivers State capital city for decades. Fingesi who further confirmed that the prestigious polo festival billed to climax with fanfare on January 18, 2020, stated that arrangements have been concluded ahead of what would be the most exciting polo tournament in the Rivers State capital city for decades. Read more
Chelsea line up £60m bid for Bayern Munich defender David Alaba (Metro)
Chelsea are targeting a £60m move for Bayern Munich defender David Alaba, according to reports. Frank Lampard is looking to strengthen the left side of his defence in the January transfer window with both Emerson Palmieri and Marcos Alonso failing to win over the Chelsea manager. Lampard has temporarily resorted to playing Cesar Azpilicueta at left-back but is now looking to strengthen that area of the squad with a new signing. And according to the Sunday Mirror, Chelsea are planning an ambitious move for Alaba. Read more
Rangers assure supporters of NPFL top 4 finish (DailyTrust)
Rangers International Football Club of Enugu General Manager, Davison Owumi, has assured supporters of the club that it would strive to finish the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season on the top four bracket. Owumi made this promise to the club teaming supporters in Enugu on Friday, while reacting to the club slide in form in the league and continental.
”Our drop in form can happen to every good team around the world and we are getting over it. Read more
Manchester United offer Jesse Lingard plus £45m to sign James Maddison from Leicester City (Metro)
Manchester United are ready to offer Jesse Lingard plus £45 million to Leicester City for James Maddison, according to reports. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen to bolster his midfield options in the January transfer window and is targeting a creative attacker. Maddison has been a key member of Leicester City’s team since he joined from Norwich City in the summer of 2018 and the 23-year-old is enjoying an excellent season under Brendan Rodgers with six goals and three assists in 20 Premier League appearances. Read more