Lagos Civil Defence nabs child rapist (Punch)
The Lagos Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, on Friday, confirmed the arrest of a 24-year-old suspect alleged to be a child rapist.
The suspect, Ridwan Akinbode, who hails from Oyo State and resides in the Bariga area of Lagos State was said to be arrested a week after a victim reported her experience to the Command.
It was gathered that the suspect was fond of luring his victims to an uncompleted building where he would perpetrate the crime.
Luck however ran out for him on Friday as operatives of the command’s Anti-Human Trafficking and Gender Unit nabbed him in his hideout in Bariga. Read more
Disabled workers of expatriate company petition Lagos govt (Nation)
Two workers of Atlantic Shrimpers Limited, Mr. Reuben Tsoeno and Mr. Anthony Gregory, have petitioned the Lagos State government for intervention in their claims of inhuman treatment, and denial of their entitlements and right against the fishing company.
The petition, a copy of which was received via Whatsapp by our correspondent, was submitted to the Director, Directorate for Citizen’s Rights, Ministry Of Justice, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State.
The receipt of the petition was acknowledged with a duly signed stamp. The stamp showed it was received on December 12, 2022 at 12: 10pm.
We reported last weekend that the duo, together with another colleague of theirs, Sodiq, suffered permanent disabilities in the course of working for the company and were given what they described as unjust and grossly inadequate compensation. Read more
Preferred Bidder to toll Lagos 4th Mainland Bridge for 40 years (Guardian)
Lagos State Government has revealed that the consortium, Messrs CCECC-CRCCIG, picked to construct the 4th Mainland Bridge would manage the bridge tolling for about 40 years to recoup its investment.
The Special Adviser on Works, Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye, who disclosed this, yesterday, stated that the project’s sod turning would be done in the first quarter of 2023. She added that it is estimated that the bridge would be completed within 48 to 54 months.
Adeyoye, who further stated that about 800 structures would be demolished to give way for the construction of the bridge, said that the state government has made adequate arrangement for compensation and relocations of the affected residents.
According to her, the project is estimated to cost about $2.5b and the consortium would be financing it. The announcement of a preferred is in fulfillment of the earlier promise by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu that a preferred bidder would be named before the end of 2022.
Adeyoye appealed to Lagosians to have faith and trust in the Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s led administration, as the state government is transparent, poised as well as gotten investors’ confidence to adequately compensate for the 800 structures that would be demolished. Read more
NBC declares ‘‘Omo Oodua Radio Ijangbara’’ illegal (Leadership)
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) the Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Radio Ijangbara, as illegal broadcast signals.
The online radio, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide Radio Ijangbara plans to broadcast from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
NBC in a statement signed by its director general, Mall Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, yesterday in Abuja stressed that the Commission will not tolerate the use of any broadcast facility within or outside Nigeria to create disunity among Nigerians and intentionally, or inadvertently, mislead people in a deliberate act of subversion and sedition.
Ilelah said Nigerians do not need another round of heartache and disruption by any tribal interest group. Read more
Group marks anniversary, donates to the needy (Guardian)
The Handlifters Praying Group recently marked its 20ths anniversary with a thanksgiving and intercession prayer for the nation and its leaders at the palace of the traditional ruler of Onigbongbon, Maryland, Lagos, Oba Oluwasegun Adeyemi Ajasa.
Christians, Muslims and traditionalists participated at the event. The group also donated food items, including rice, gari, indomie, among others, to the needy.
Guest Speaker, Apostle General Anselm Madubuko, used the occasion to preach for a united Nigeria and for the people to live Godly lives.
The Convener, Handlifters Praying Group, Pastor Chinyere Adegboye, disclosed that the occasion was the yearly thanksgiving/prophetic declarations over Nigeria and her citizens. Read more
Bauchi Community gets 1st borehole from RCCG after 50 years’ existence (ThisDay)
As part of its social responsibility towards its immediate community, the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has drilled the first borehole and donated it to Doka community in Birshi Ward in Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State to address the acute water scarcity facing the community for many years.
The community, which is about two kilometres away from the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, has been in existence for over 50 years.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Doka Community Chairman, Lawi Samuel, said “This community has been in existence for over 50 years but as I speak with you, this is the first borehole the community is seeing today.”
He expressed gratitude to RCCG for the wonderful and kind gesture “because what the government could not do for us, the church has done for us.” Read more
ObiDatti: Osuntokun appoints Afenifere scribe, Ebiseni as S-West campaign coordinator (Vanguard)
Director General of the ObiDatti Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Akin Osuntokun, on Friday, announced Mr Olusola Ebiseni as campaign coordinator of the South West zone for the presidential campaign council.
Osuntokun held the position before his appointment as Director-General of the Obidatti presidential campaign council.
Mr Ebiseni is the Secretary-General of the pan-Yoruba socio-political Organisation, Afenifere.
Announcing Ebiseni’s appointment, Mr Osuntokun, in a statement, said: “On behalf of the Obidatti presidential campaign council, it is my privilege and honour to announce the appointment of Barrister Olusola Ebiseni as the campaign coordinator of the South West zone. In this capacity, he is my successor in the same position I held before my deployment to serve as the Director General of the campaign organisation. Please join me in felicitations as we welcome Ebiseni on board the train to deliver a new Nigeria that works for us all.” Read more
TCN marks 1,000 houses for demolition over transmission line in Kano (Guardian)
The Assistant General Manager of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Muhammad Kamal Bello, yesterday, revealed that the company has earmarked about 1,000 houses for demolition for an installation of additional transmission line for effective service delivery.
Speaking, yesterday, at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Kano, Bello said the installation of additional transmission lines has become necessary for Kano to get adequate power supply.
Bello also frowned at persons who build houses under high-tension cables. He said that Kano, has over the years, suffered from inadequate power supply in the absence of the much-needed substations to cater for the three states under its jurisdiction.
The three states are Jagawa, Kano and Katsina, as well as the transmission line that crosses over to Niger republic. He, however, revealed that the contract for the installation works had already been awarded by the Federal Government and that the TCN, Kano Office, was waiting for the contract to be officially signed by the company. Read more
Shock at end of Ghana music festival Afrochella (BBC)
After five years, Ghanaian music and cultural festival Afrochella will not return, its organisers have said.
The shock announcement was made at the very end of the two-day festival, in the early hours of Friday morning.
“This is the last Afrochella,” said co-founder Abdul Abdullah to the thousands of people still in the El-Wak stadium in the capital, Accra.
He did not give any reason.
However, in October California-based music festival Cochella sued the organisers for trademark infringement. Read more
Wham! secure final number 1 single of 2022 as Last Christmas returns to top spot (Metro)
Christmas may technically be over but, as far as the Official Chart is concerned, we’re allowed one last festive number one to end the year.
Wham! are seeing us out of 2022 in cheery style with their classic Last Christmas, as the tune has returned to the number one spot for the second time this year.
Despite missing out on last week’s coveted official Christmas number one single to LadBaby’s Food Aid, Andrew Ridgeley and the late, great George Michael have performed a fantastic rebound, with their Christmas classic now the last chart-topper of 2022.
Last Christmas has rocketed back to the top spot with over 79,000 combined chart units. It is also once again the UK’s most-streamed track of the week. Read more
Judge orders Sony to pay $160m over 2017 Cousin Stizz concert shooting (NME)
Sony Music Holdings have been ordered to pay $160million (£132.8million) in damages following the deaths of two people at a Cousin Stizz concert in Atlanta.
The incident took place in November 2017 at The Masquerade Venue after a man allegedly opened fire on the crowd, reports HotNewHipHop.
Jonathan Bautista was later arrested and charged with two counts of murder after two people – Giovan Diaz and Ewell Ynoa – died from injuries sustained that night.
Following a hearing on December 15 this year, a judge found Sony Music to be partially at fault for failing to protect concert-goers. The amount awarded also included two other consolidated cases suing Sony on similar grounds. Read more
Snoop Dogg launches Death Row Cannabis brand (HipHopDX)
Death Row Records is entering the legal marijuana industry under Snoop Dogg’s sativa-fueled stewardship.
The legendary gangsta rap label, which Snoop has been steadily working to revive after becoming its new owner earlier this year, announced on Thursday (December 29) the launch of its very own weed brand, Death Row Cannabis.
The news was unveiled via a brief animated video shared on Instagram, which gave fans their first glimpse at the company’s logo and upcoming product line.
The logo puts a metallic, marijuana-laced spin on the label’s iconic electric chair emblem, depicting the soon-to-be-electrocuted death row prisoner holding a joint. Read more
Sweet Home Alabama and Forrest Gump actor Bob Penny dead at 87 (PageSix)
Bob Penny, an actor who had roles in “Sweet Home Alabama” and “Forrest Gump” died on Christmas Day at 87.
No cause of death was given.
Born in 1935, the Alabama native spent the majority of his early days as a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, teaching poetry and English, according to his obituary from Laughlin Service Funeral Home in Huntsville, Alabama.
Penny found side work as a TV commercial actor for a local department store and for a United Way campaign in Atlanta in the 1980s, according to AL.com. Read more
Nick Cannon welcomes his 12th child, a girl with model Alyssa Scott (UPI)
The film Cheaper By the Dozen is a reality for actor/TV personality Nick Cannon. He and Alyssa Scott welcomed their second child together, a daughter. It is Cannon’s twelfth child and Scott’s third.
Halo Marie was born on Dec. 14, the parents announced on Thursday.
They showed a video of Scott giving birth and calling her mother to say, “It’s a girl.” In her caption on the birth video, Scott referenced her first child with Cannon, Zen, who died of brain cancer at five months in December 2021. Read more
Court convicts ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi on corruption in Myanmar (PBS)
A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted the country’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi of corruption Friday, sentencing her to seven years in prison in the last of a string of criminal cases against her, a legal official said.
The court’s action leaves her with a total of 33 years to serve in prison after a series of politically tinged prosecutions since the army toppled her elected government in February 2021.
The case that ended Friday involved five offenses under the anti-corruption law and followed earlier convictions on seven other corruption counts, each of which was punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine.
The 77-year-old Suu Kyi has also been convicted of several other offences, including illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, breaching the country’s official secrets act, sedition and election fraud.
Carragher and Neville label Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr move a ”sad end” (DailyMail)
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have both expressed relative sadness about Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Saudi Arabia club Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo confirmed his move to the Saudi Arabian side on a sensational £175 million-a-year contract following his tumultuous exit from Manchester United in November.
Ronaldo, 37, had been a free agent after leaving United in the wake of his damning and controversial interview with Piers Morgan, with fans now flocking to social media to claim he is ‘so done’ after moving to the Middle East.
And Al-Nassr have now confirmed Ronaldo has put pen to paper, with reports in Saudi Arabia stating he has signed on a two-year deal. Read more
Faes scores 2 own goals as Liverpool beat Leicester (BBC)
Wout Faes scored two own goals as Liverpool came from behind to beat Leicester in their final Premier League game of 2022.
The Foxes made the ideal start when they took the lead after just four minutes as poor defending by the hosts allowed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to race through on goal before firing past Alisson.
Both sides had opportunities to score after that in an open and entertaining first half but Liverpool’s equaliser came in hugely fortuitous circumstances.
With seven minutes to go the break, Faes stuck out a boot to try and divert Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross behind but instead the ball looped over goalkeeper Danny Ward and into the back of the net. Read more
Benzema buries World Cup woe with double strike in Real victory (Guardian)
Karim Benzema buried his World Cup nightmare with two late goals as Real Madrid defeated Valladolid 2-0 on Friday to go top of Spain’s La Liga.
Ballon d’Or winner Benzema was selected in the French squad for the World Cup in Qatar but a thigh injury in training saw him forced to withdraw before the opening game.
He then announced his retirement from international football following the tournament where France were runners-up to Argentina.
On Friday, he tucked away his first goals since October 19 when Real defeated Elche.
However, he had to be patient with his first goal coming in the 83rd minute from a penalty awarded when Javi Sanchez was punished for handball. Read more
Okoye laments bench role at Watford (Punch)
Watford goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, has admitted that his move to the Hornets is not going as planned but he believes he made the right call to move to Vicarage Road.
The Championship side swooped Okoye up from Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam in the 2022 January transfer window, then loaning him back to see out the season in the Netherlands.
The shot-stopper, who has been capped 16 times at international level by Nigeria, has not yet made a single Championship appearance for Watford this season.
Though he has made one appearance for the Hornets this term, in the EFL Cup against MK Dons. Read more
Billam-Smith says Riakporhe turned down rematch scenario, cited location as reason (BoxingScene)
According to top cruiserweight contender Chris Billam-Smith, his domestic rival Richard Riakporhe turned down the possibility of a rematch – rejecting the scenario of fighting before a Bournemouth crowd.
Billam-Smith has rebuilt his career after suffering a close points loss to Riakporhe in July 2019. Earlier this month he brutally knocked out Armend Xhoxhaj at the Bournemouth International Centre.
Riakporhe (15-0, 11 KOs), who was ringside for Billam-Smith’s recent fight, believes he would have won by a knockout inside of three rounds that night.
“He’s going to say what he’s going to say,” Billam-Smith said to Sky Sports. “He had the opportunity to fight me [earlier this month] and unfortunately, he turned it down. Read more
Lakers’ Anthony Davis details foot injury, says ”pain has subsided tremendously” (ABC)
Reluctant to invite outside expectations surrounding his return date but clearly encouraged by the progress he’s made so far, Los Angeles Lakers star big man Anthony Davis spoke to reporters Friday for the first time since suffering a stress injury in his right foot two weeks ago.
“Feeling a lot better, pain has subsided tremendously,” Davis told a small group of L.A.-based reporters before the Lakers played the Atlanta Hawks. “I think the next step is [the foot] healing right now. I don’t want to use timetables because that’s a whole different thing, but it’s healing pretty quickly.
“So when we get back to L.A., we’ll do another image of the foot, and see how far it’s healed.”Read more