THISISLAGOS MIDDAY NEWS UPDATE MARCH 25, 2018
Lagos community assures residents of safety (Guardian)
A community leader in Igbo-Efon, Eti-Osa Local Government of Lagos State, Chief Atiku Abogun, has appealed to residents and property owners in the area not to panic over the planned implementation of a Lagos High Court judgment on the ownership of Igbo-Efon land.
A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja and presided over by Justice K.O. Alogba, had on December 12, 2016 delivered a landmark judgment in suit no LD/826/2007 instituted by Chief Atiku Abogun and others against Bamidele Jemiyo and Ojomu Chieftaincy family that Igbo-Efon is the rightful owners of all the land situated in the community and not customary tenants of the Ojomu Chieftaincy family. Read more
Lagos Assembly holds public hearing on land tax (Punch)
The Lagos State House of Assembly will, on Tuesday, hold a day public hearing on a bill to amend the 2018 Land Use Charge law.
According an advertorial signed by the Clerk of the Assembly, Mr. Azeez Sanni, the event is slated for 10am at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium at the Assembly complex.
Stakeholders and the general public are to deliberate on a bill for ‘a law to amend the Land Use Charge Law 2018 and for other connected purpose’. Read more
Six people killed in Sokoto landslide (PremiumTimes)
Six people have died in a landslide that occurred at Illela-Kalmalo village of Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
The incident occurred while the victims were excavating sand as part of communal effort to build a house for a friend planning to get married.
A witness, Hamza Illela, told NAN that one person escaped unhurt when the site caved in on the victims. Read more
Jubilations in Dapchi as IG confirms expected release of Leah Sharibu (ThisDay)
The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris said the federal government has brokered an agreement for the release of Leah Sharibu, the lone Dapchi schoolgirl still held by Boko Haram.
It was reported that the insurgents held on to Leah Sharibu for the reason of her faith, Christianity and her insistence not to convert to Islam.
The IGP said yesterday evening that Leah was on her way to Dapchi following her release by her captors. Read more
Presidency, PDP bicker over alleged hacking of Buhari’s personal data (Nation)
The Presidency is demanding response from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the allegation that one of the party’s supporters bankrolled the hacking of President Muhammadu Buhari’s personal data in the run-up to the 2015 elections.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu, said yesterday that this is one issue the PDP should address instead of “raising false alarms in order to gain public sympathy and divert attention from its abysmal past record and failures.” Read more
Yoruba Council of Elders’ president, Sofola, dies at 84 (Guardian)
The President of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Idowu Sofola, is dead.
The Secretary-general of the association, Kunle Olajide, confirmed the death, explaining that Sofola was not ill until his demise and that the vacuum he left would be difficult to fill.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he said: “I spoke with him a few days ago, congratulating him on the appointment of his son as a high judge and we were planning an event to host him. Read more
You’ve failed the North, ACF, NEF, 16 Arewa groups tell Buhari, northern politicians (Punch)
The Arewa Consultative Forum, the Northern Elders’ Forum and 16 other leading groups in the northern region, on Saturday, passed a vote of no confidence in politicians of northern extraction, saying most of them had failed.
The groups, in a communique, said politicians from the region had failed the North because they were unable to address the the problems of the region, especially in security and poverty. Read more
LG polls: No imposition of candidates in PDP, Wike declares (SUN)
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that imposition of candidates would not be allowed in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as the party heads for the local government elections in June, this year.
Governor Wike stated this yesterday, when he addressed the state stakeholders’ meeting of the PDP at the Government House, Port Harcourt. He said only popular candidates would emerge through transparent PDP primaries. Read more
Police to declare Sen Dino Melaye wanted through Interpol (ThisDay)
The Nigerian Police Saturday warned Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, Sen. Dino Melaye to honour Police invitation or risk being declared wanted through Interpol.
Melaye had been accused by the Police of gun running and sponsoring political thugs to cause harm ahead of 2019 general elections in Kogi State. The senator on his part, accused the Police and the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello of framing him up for political reasons. Read more
I Intend to serve Niger Delta people to best of my ability— Dokubo (Guardian)
We are going to redefine the vision and mission of the amnesty programme. The amnesty thing is a very big organisation, as it deals with the social provision for Niger Delta people. Whatever we are doing, therefore, we must try as much as possible to make sure it impacts positively on the lives of Niger Delta people.
We don’t have to do anything and almost everything for everybody. We must be very careful and make sure we put up a new focus to redirect Niger Delta issues, especially the amnesty programme. Read more
Ararume vows not to leave APC, drums support for Buhari (ThisDay)
An Imo State governorship aspirant, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, has urged his supporters and leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to ignore the speculation about his plan to leave the party, saying he was rather working seriously with his allies to deliver the South-east geo-political zone to the party and President Muhammadu Buhari.
Reaffirming his absolute loyalty to the party and the president, Ararume, who is a national commissioner in the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), said he would not quit the APC for Governor Rochas Okorocha, saying those spreading the falsehood were afraid and worried that they had lost control of the party’s structures and were spreading the speculation to discredit him. Read more
Osun 2018: APC supporters petition Oyegun over delegate list (SUN)
Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State have petitioned the National Chairman, John Odigie Oyegun, over an alleged plot by some people to manipulate the list of delegates for the 2018 governorship primary election of the party in the state.
In a petition dated March 10, 2018, the group called on the national headquarters to urgently intervene in the looming crisis to forestall a repeat of the dismal outing of the party in the 2017 Osun West senatorial bye-election which was lost to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) due to protest votes against candidate imposition. Read more
Amosun, Olajide mourn death of YCE President Sofola, Condole with Family (ThisDay)
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has commiserated with the family of the late former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Idowu Sofola, describing his death as a great loss to Ogun and the country at large. Sofola, an illustrious son of Ikenne, in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State, died late on Friday night in Lagos.
Amosun, who was at the Ikenne family home of the late Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) yesterday, described the late jurist as an icon, who served his community, town, Ogun state and the country in so many capacities, meritoriously. Read more
Thousands march against gun violence in U.S, Call for safety in Schools (ThisDay)
Following the recent spike in fatal shootings at schools across America, thousands yesterday gathered at the Civic Centre park, Denver in Colorado, as part of the nationwide protest against gun violence.
The rally, which was followed by a March, was influenced by last month’s shooting at Stoneman High School in Parkland, Florida that claimed 17 lives. Themed ‘March for Our Lives’, the protesters included children, teenagers, pregnant women, the old and not excluding the disabled who rolled over on their wheel chairs. Read more
Bill Gates on Buhari: I saw this verdict coming (Tribune)
Some weeks back, I had an interview with a Minister of the current administration and asked why the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has chosen the public debt (borrowing) option rather than private sector-led initiative to promote infrastructure development.
The Minister dodged the question, only admitting that both options are good. But the essence was to highlight which of the options best serves the Nigerian people; given the peculiar economic situation and the environment of pervasive corruption. Read more
Cuppy, Spinall, others express delight as Pepsi DJ Ambassadors (Tribune)
Four leading DJs, including the daughter of the business mogul, DJ Cuppy, DJ Spinall, DJ Exclusive and DJ Obi have all expressed their delight at the new endorsement as the official Pepsi DJ ambassador.
The development has received several compliments barely after the announcement on the social media by their fans and colleagues, Fast-rising DJ Cuppy expressed her delight over the first ever endorsement, adding that, “My first ever endorsement deal! To Cuppy this tune, grab a Pepsi 100 per cent.” Read more
New movie ‘The Eve’ opens in cinemas March 30 (Vanguard)
All the buzz and all the hype about the romantic comedy movie ‘The Eve’ are set to rise to crescendo as the movie opens in cinemas nationwide from March 30, 2018.With the synchronization of good music, beautiful pictures, extremely sexy feel and great cinematography.
The Eve is expected to not only entertain you, but leave you wondering when Nollywood would take the bull by the horn and maybe have another scintillating relationship with musicals. Of course, there is also the music, which is amazing and the score that has you hoping for some sort of official soundtrack once the credits start rolling. Read more
Agu not under pressure to replace Mikel (Punch)
Mikel Agu has insisted there is no pressure on him after he was called up by the Super Eagles as a late replacement for skipper Mikel Obi for Tuesday’s World Cup warm-up against Serbia in London.
Work permit issues have stopped skipper Mikel from leaving China causing coach Gernot Rohr to call up Turkey-based defensive midfielder Mikel Agu. “I am not under any pressure to perform in this team because I know it is all about football, I should be enjoying it because this is my job and that is what I know how to do best,” Agu told SCORENigeria. Read more
Roger Federer to skip clay-court season after shock loss to Thanasi Kokkinakis (Guardian)
Roger Federer lost to Thanasi Kokkinakis in a third-set tie-break, just as he did against Juan Martín del Potro at Indian Wells in his last match. Photograph: Al Bello/Getty Images
Roger Federer lost his second consecutive match and his world No 1 ranking on Saturday night as the big-serving Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis, a qualifier ranked 175th, sprung a huge shock by beating him 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) at the Miami Open. Federer then announced he will be skipping the whole of the clay-court season. Read more
Lionel Messi tells Ernesto Valverde to get rid of five players (Express)
Messi is currently on international duty with Argentina although remained on the bench as they beat Italy 2-0 on Friday. But the 30-year-old made his feelings known at Barcelona before swapping club for country.
According to Spanish website Diario Gol, Messi held a meeting with Barca boss Valverde where he was scathing about some of his team-mates. Messi believes there are five players who are not up to scratch at the Nom Camp. Read more
Atrocious result against Norway does not bode well for Socceroos (Guardian)
After the Socceroos suffered what, on paper at least, looks like a hell of a beating, the good news is that the Norwegian broadcaster declined to catalogue all the political giants in Australian history for whom the 4-1 defeat should be received as a personal insult.
The bad news is, well, pretty much everything else. The atrocious result against 57th ranked Norway does not bode well for more important matches to come against France (nine), Peru (11) or Denmark (12). Read more
Police, politicians accused of joining Sri Lanka’s anti-Muslim riots (Reuters)
Police and politicians backed by the country’s former strongman President Mahinda Rajapaksa joined anti-Muslim riots that rocked Sri Lanka’s Kandy district this month, according to witnesses, officials and CCTV footage reviewed by Reuters.
Scores of Muslim mosques, homes and businesses were destroyed as mobs ran amok for three days in Kandy, the central highlands district previously known for its diversity and tolerance. The government declared a state of emergency and blocked social media platforms for a week to control the unrest. Read more
Hinch welcomes Coalition’s paedophile crackdown as tax talks continue (Guardian)
A national centre to counter child exploitation and abuse will be created in the home affairs department with a $68.6m allocation in the 2018 budget. In a joint statement on Sunday the law enforcement minister, Angus Taylor, and the home affairs minister, Peter Dutton, announced the new agency, which they said would create a hub of skills needed to disrupt, prevent and investigate exploitation.
The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation will be built from the child protection operations of the Australian federal police, which will get a 30% increase in staff in each of the next two financial years. Read more
Carles Puigdemont slips out of Finland despite arrest warrant (Guardian)
Catalonia’s former president Carles Puigdemont has foiled attempts by Finnish police to arrest him under a European arrest warrant, after his lawyer confirmed on Saturday he had left the country.
Puigdemont, who lives in self-imposed exile in Belgium, had been visiting Finland since Thursday for talks with lawmakers. Tensions are running high in Catalonia and separatist parties have abandoned plans to name a new president following the arrest of the latest candidate. Read more
Murdered Malta Journalist did not die in vain (DailyBeast)
A slightly rusty front-load washing machine stood in front of the Pilatus private bank in Valletta, Malta last week with a sign dedicating the ‘monument of money laundering’ to Maltese prime minister Joseph Muscat’s opening of the bank in January 2014. It was more than a subtle jab.
The bank’s 38-year-old Iranian director, Ali Sadr Hashemi Nejad, had just been indicted in Manhattan, where he resides, for allegedly evading American sanctions against Iran by funneling around $115 million of Iranian money through shady business dealings in Venezuela and Malta through the Pilatus bank. Read more