Lagos CP rescues abducted corps member, arrest kidnappers’ kingpin (Punch)
Men of the Lagos State police command have rescued a corps member, Faith Onyiwara, who was kidnapped around Ilamija, in the Epe area of Lagos State.
The PUNCH gathered that Onyiwara was on her way to attend Community Development Service (CDS) meeting when the kidnappers led by one Moses Ofeye abducted her.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, in a statement on Tuesday, said after the abduction, the kidnappers demanded N50m ransom for her release from the manager of the farm, where Onyiwara was serving. Read more
Pastor remanded over alleged attempt to kill female colleague (Nation)
The pastor in charge of The Life House Ministry, Ojo Barracks, Ojo, Lagos, Pastor Benjamin Akinsanya was on Tuesday arraigned before an Igbosere Chief Magistrate`s Court for allegedly sponsoring a six-man gang of suspected assassins to kill a female pastor, Janet Ogunsola over spiritual popularity tussle.
Other defendants charged alongside the pastor whose church is located on Ifeoma Street, opposite Ojo Barracks, Ojo, included Darlington Orji, 25, and liberty Elvis, 29.
The trial Magistrate, A.A. Famobiwo who ordered their remand said they should remain in custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS) until they perfect their bail.
Prosecuting CSP C.C. Onwumere informed the court that the defendants committed the offence in October 2019 at 1, Adeleye Street, Ojo, Lagos. Read more
Doctors reject new minimum wage in Lagos State (Tribune)
Doctors in Lagos State, under the aegis of Medical Guild, have rejected the new minimum wage paid to workers by the state government, saying it is below the expectations of civil servants.
Dr Babajide Saheed, Chairman of the Guild, made the doctors’ decision known on Monday at a media briefing on the Scientific Conference scheduled to hold on Dec. 3 and 4 in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Medical Guild is the association of doctors under the employment of the Lagos State Government. Read more
Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyer declared wanted (Guardian)
The police in Anambra State have declared Ifeanyi Ejiofor, a lawyer to leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu wanted.
“I will like to let Nigerians to know that as we speak, Barrister Ejiofor, an IPOB member and his cohorts have been declared wanted by the command,” Anambra police commissioner in the state, John Abang, said on Tuesday.
“And I will seek the cooperation of law-abiding Nigerians from North, South, East and West, wherever they find this individual, they should report to the nearest police station or any other security agency for possible arrest and prosecution.” Read more
LASWA partners firm on water hyacinth recycling initiative (Nation)
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) in conjunction with a Lagos based social enterprise Mitimeth on Tuesday commenced the third edition of the water hyacinth recycling initiative where 100 rural women were trained on the economic benefits of recycling hyacinth weed.
LASWA General Manager, Mr Oluwadamilola Emmanuel who spoke in an interview at the Ikorodu Ferry Jetty said the agency put the programme together as a window to create waste to wealth for youth, women and others turning the menace of water hyacinth into sustainable lifestyle and fashion for people in coastal communities with requisite skills to transform the hyacinth into valuable handcraft materials.
Rather than lament over the menace of water hyacinth and its attendant effects on Lagos waterways, Emmanuel said LASWA is collaborating with other agencies to harvest weed from hyacinth and convert them into materials including: bags, mats, notebook cover, hand-basket, furniture items and textile decorations. Read more
Lagos govt honours chaplain sacked after encounter with Ambode’s wife (Punch)
Emotions ran high at the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja, on Wednesday, as the Lagos State Government honoured a former presiding Chaplain of the chapel, Venerable Femi Taiwo.
The congregation, consisting of church members, family, friends and well wishers of the cleric, sang songs after songs as they celebrated the occasion.
The state Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, who was joined by top officials of the ministry, presented a gift to Taiwo on behalf of the government.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the special service, which held for about 30 minutes, was kept under wraps, as many church members were not informed. Read more
Police ban use of fireworks at Christmas in FCT (DailyTrust)
The FCT police command has banned the use of fireworks during the celebration of Christmas and New Year in the territory. A statement by the assistant spokesperson of the command, ASP Mariam Yusuf, said the police commissioner, Bala Ciroma, has directed all the divisional police officers to ensure strict compliance with the ban on the use of fireworks. ADVERTISEMENT She said the ban was to ensure safety of lives and property during the Christmas and New year celebration. Read more
FG stops 1,044 Nigerians from travelling, generates N39bn (Punch)
No fewer than 1,044 Nigerians were stopped by the Federal Government from departing the country in 2018, The PUNCH has learnt.
The reason for the decision by the government could not be ascertained, but it was learnt that the affected persons might have been placed on the security watchlist for various criminal offences.
The action which was carried out under the Nigeria Immigration Service migration control and compliance also affected 22,889 foreigners who were refused entry into the country. Read more
South African court cuts jail term for white farmers in coffin case (Guardian)
A South African court has cut the sentences of two white farmers who forced a black man into a coffin and threatened to kill him, sparking nationwide outrage.
South Africa is beset by deep-rooted racial inequality even after the end of white-minority rule in 1994 and racist incidents regularly erupt on social media.
Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Martins Jackson had been sentenced to 16 and 19 years in October 2017 after a video of their activities in the eastern Mpumalanga province went viral.
They had pleaded not guilty and said the incident was only intended to scare Victor Mlotshwa, whom they accused of stealing copper cables from their farm. Read more
Abused sisters who killed father face murder charge (Punch)
Investigators said Tuesday that two sisters who killed their father after years of abuse should face murder charges in a case highlighting Russia’s dire record on domestic violence.
Three Russian sisters — Krestina, Angelina and Maria Khachaturyan — stabbed their father Mikhail to death in July 2018 after suffering years of beatings and sexual assault.
They were 17, 18 and 19 at the time.
Russia’s Investigate Committee said in a statement on Tuesday that it had completed a probe into the killing and was recommending charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder against the two older sisters, Krestina and Angelina. Read more
Former US president Jimmy Carter again hospitalised (Guardian)
Former US president Jimmy Carter has been hospitalised for treatment of a urinary tract infection, the Carter Center said Monday — the latest in a series of health issues for the 95-year-old Democrat.
Carter “was admitted to Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia, this past weekend,” his center said in a statement.
“He is feeling better and looks forward to returning home soon.”
Last week, Carter — the first US president to reach the age of 95 — left the hospital after undergoing successful surgery to relieve pressure on his brain caused by multiple falls.
In August 2015, Carter revealed he had cancer on his brain and was undergoing radiation treatment — an illness he recovered from, seemingly against the odds. Read more
Manchester United panic over Pogba (Punch)
Manchester United fear Paul Pogba is desperate to leave Old Trafford next month.
The France ace, linked with a £150million move to Real Madrid for the past year, has been out of action with an ankle problem since September.
He flew back from America on Thursday following a fortnight completing his rehab. But despite his welcome return, doubts persist over the World Cup winner’s commitment to the cause.
And Reds boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will assess whether the ex- Juventus ace is fully focused on getting United back into top-four contention. Read more
Egbe urges Lyon to revive sports in Bayelsa (Nation)
FIFA match agent and stadium facilities expert Ebi Egbe has declared that Bayelsa sports would be re-jigged when David Lyon takes over as Bayelsa State governor early next year.
Speaking on the margins of the Imo sports summit in Owerri, Egbe said Bayelsa would soon join the league of states using sports to drive development.
“I’m impressed with what Emeka Ihedioha is doing with sport in Imo State,” he said. “Our incoming governor in Bayelsa State already has a blueprint for sports and don’t be surprised to see Bayelsa coming up with fresh ideas on how to take sports to the next level; any state that wants to fight crime and empower her youths must make sport a priority.” Read more
UEFA chief accuses British PM Johnson of fuelling racism (Punch)
UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin has accused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson of fuelling racism and insists European football’s governing body is working hard to tackle the problem plaguing the game.
A number of high-profile incidents in recent weeks, including racist abuse hurled at England players in Bulgaria and chants aimed at Romelu Lukaku and Mario Balotelli in Italy, have underlined the scale of the issue.
Johnson condemned the “vile” racist chanting during England’s Euro 2020 qualifier in Sofia in October and called for UEFA to take tough action. Read more
Guardiola rules out Man City January spree (Guardian)
Pep Guardiola says he will not be splashing out in January to revive Manchester City’s flagging Premier League title fortunes despite the yawning gap to leaders Liverpool.
The champions, in third place and trailing Jurgen Klopp’s men by 11 points after 14 matches, visit Burnley on Tuesday.
City has gone seven games without a clean sheet, which Guardiola said was not “good enough” and the club has been linked with Leicester City defender Caglar Soyuncu.
But he played down the idea of buying a centre-back when the transfer window re-opens next month. Read more
Igbinovia lauds NFF, FG on Nigeria’s football growth (Tribune)
Nigerian-born footballer, Jeffrey Owen Igbinovia, who currently plays in Germany has commended the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), and the Federal Government in developing the sports sector in the country, especially the football system, just as he also charged them not to relent in their efforts in providing measures to country football system be more standardised.
The 26-years-old VfL Benrath star stated that such measures would empower more youths and create more talent discoveries at the local and international levels, adding that, “It is vital for NFF to create more opportunities and invest on young Nigerians that are interested in football, so as to groom them for the future.”
He said: “This would help to develop sports in the country and also encourage more people to engage in sports activities, as well as positive the growth of the industry. Playing in Germany is actually very competitive; there are tons of good footballer players in Germany. They focus on techniques and control, meanwhile, Nigeria focuses on power, and it is a very different style of play here in Germany.” Read more
Anthony Joshua to become $85million richer from Andy Ruiz Jnr rematch (Vanguard)
Anthony Joshua will walk away with $85million at the end of the rematch with WBA, IBF and WBO champion Andy Ruiz Jnr on Saturday, 7 December. The staggering sum will give Joshua the heftiest pay-night ever for a British boxer.
The rematch which is set for Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia sees Anthony Joshua aiming to reclaim the titles he lost to the Mexican-American boxer in their last outing in June at Madison Square Garden.
According to Riyadh Newsflash, Joshua will pocket $85million from the rematch, while Andy Ruiz Jnr will go home with $13million even if he wins or loses the bout. That’s $2 million more than he earned in the first meeting with Joshua. Read more
Bucks keep streak alive, Sixers still undefeated at home (Vanguard)
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 29 points as the Milwaukee Bucks stretched their winning streak to 12 games on Monday with a 132-88 demolition of the hapless New York Knicks.
The Eastern Conference leaders showed no mercy to the worst side in the division, outscoring the Knicks by 33-15 in the first quarter and showing no let-up through a one-sided encounter.
Antetokounmpo was on court for just 21 minutes, adding 15 rebounds and shooting 10-of-14 while leading the scoring. Read more
Ljungberg open to Wenger advice (Tribune)
Freddie Ljungberg says he would like to speak to Arsene Wenger ahead of his first home game as Arsenal interim boss against Brighton on Thursday.
Ljungberg’s first game in charge of Arsenal was a 2-2 draw against Norwich on Saturday, as they came from behind twice at Carrow Road.
The interim boss insists speaking to Wenger, who was Arsenal’s boss for 22 years and coached Ljungberg during his time in north London, is among the things he plans to do. Read more