Lagos female banker kills self inside staff toilet (Tribune)
A tragic incident unfolded in Ikorodu, Lagos State, where an unidentified female bank employee took her own life inside the staff toilet due to economic hardships.
The deceased, 32-year-old Amarachi Ugochukwu, is said to have ingested a poisonous substance while in the bank’s restroom, leaving a note behind.
In the note, she expressed despair over her financial struggles, citing low figures and a pervasive sense of nothing working in her life. Additionally, she conveyed a bleak outlook for the future, attributing it to the increasing economic challenges. Read more
Military kills, arrests terrorists in Abuja suburb, says DHQ (Nation)
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said its troops on fighting patrol have killed several terrorists and arrested others in Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It also said that the troops also killed terrorist and violent extremists in Tafa local government area of Niger state.
The Director Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this on Thursday, January 11, while fielding questions from journalists during a briefing. Read more
I found MohBad’s body embalmed by staircase – Father (Punch)
Joseph Aloba, the father of the late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as MohBad, has said his son’s body was dumped by the stairs when he arrived at the deceased’s home the day he died.
Aloba made this known while calling on the police to intensify the investigation to unravel the cause of his son’s death.
In a statement he authored and sent to PUNCH Online on Thursday, the bereaved father also revealed how his son’s corpse was locally embalmed on the spot he found it. Read more
Fubara’s Chief of Staff resigns (Channels)
Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Joe Johnson, has confirmed the resignation of Chidi Amadi, the Chief of Staff to Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The Commissioner said Amadi resigned his appointment at about the time some cabinet members turned in their resignation letters in December 2023.
He did not state the reasons given by Amadi. Read more
APC declares interest in Rivers LG election (Leadership)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has declared its interest in participating in the forthcoming local government election in the state.
Chief Tony Okocha, Chairman of the APC caretaker committee in the state, made this announcement on Thursday in Port Harcourt, the state capital, when he received concerned members of the party from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.
Okocha revealed that the party leadership in the state has already notified Governor Siminalayi Fubara that the LG election must be conducted at the expiration of the tenure of the current chairmen and councillors. Read more
Church builds cemetery on school’s land in Oyo (Vanguard)
The Oyo State government has pleaded with the leadership of a church that shares a boundary with St. Paul’s Primary School, Odo Ona, Ibadan to stop leasing the school’s open land as burial sites.
The appeal was made, yesterday, by the Executive Chairman of Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, during a monitoring exercise of resumption in the State.
At the school, located in Odo-Ona, Ibadan, the chairman and his team noted that the church, apart from encroaching on the available space, built graves close to classrooms. Read more
Customs records N3.2t revenue in 2023 (Leadership)
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said it achieved a significant milestone by recording a total revenue collection of N3,206,603,417,315.47 in 2023 fiscal year, a 21.4 percent increase from the preceding year’s total revenue of N2,641,616,673,501.83.
The year’s collection is less than the N3.684 trillion revenue target for the service.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, who made the announcement on Wednesday, said the consecutive expansion in revenue underscores the service’s sustained efforts in optimising revenue collection for the federal government and “exemplifies our ability to adapt to dynamic economic conditions.” Read more
NSCDC gets 20th Commandant in Ondo (Guardian)
Mr Oluyemi Ibiloye has assumed duty as the new commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ondo State Command.
The News Agency of Nigeria NAN reports that Ibiloye, who replaced Mr Olayinka Olatundun, is assuming office as the 20th Commandant.
Ibiloye, an indigene of Kwara, is a graduate of the University of Ilorin and holds a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the Nasarawa State University, Keffi. Read more
Carmen Electra requests to officially change her name (NBC)
Carmen Electra is a household name — but it’s technically not the actor and model’s legal moniker … yet.
Ever since stepping out into the spotlight, Electra has used the famous stage name to make a name for herself in the entertainment world. Many people first met the star in her breakthrough role as Lani McKenzie in Baywatch. However, before starting her professional career, Electra went by her legal name: Tara Leigh Patrick.
Now, on Jan. 9, the TV personality filed to legally change her name to Carmen Electra. Read more
Mariska Hargitay opens up about being raped in her 30s (THR)
Mariska Hargitay has opened up about her complex emotional reaction and ultimately the trauma she endured for years after she was raped by a friend in her 30s.
“I couldn’t process it. I couldn’t believe that it happened. That it could happen. So I cut it out. I removed it from my narrative. I now have so much empathy for the part of me that made that choice because that part got me through it. It never happened. Now I honor that part: I did what I had to do to survive,” the Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star said in an emotional essay in People magazine on Wednesday. Read more
Jennifer Lopez: ‘‘I’ve been hiding a part of myself for so many years’’ (MusicNews)
Jennifer Lopez joins Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 to celebrate the release of her latest single, “Cant Get Enough”. Fresh from her recent Golden Globes appearance with husband Ben Affleck, Lopez gives Zane a detailed explanation of her process developing the album, particularly how much thought, care, and authenticity went into its development and its accompanying movie.
Lopez also exclusively touches on the recent viral video with Brie Larson giving her “her flowers” on the red carpet of this past Sunday’s Golden Globes awards ceremony.
Additional topics include, bringing the songs to the stage to perform and whether there will be a tour; where Lopez was 20 years ago and how it is relevant to her being exactly where she’s supposed to be now, and the importance of timing for this project. Read more
Young Thug’s RICO trial interrupted by heckler who demands rapper’s freedom (HipHopDX)
Young Thug’s RICO trial has been interrupted by a heckler who called for the rapper’s release from jail.
During court proceedings on Wednesday (January 10), somebody watching the hearing on Zoom interrupted to shout, “Free Thug! Mistrial!” twice.
As pointed out by legal journalist Meghann Cuniff, the interruption is not enough to actually warrant a mistrial, which is when a trial is rendered invalid due to a disruption of process.
Chris Christie drops out of Republican race as Trump rivals go head-to-head (Sky)
Republican presidential hopeful Chris Christie has dropped out of the Republican candidacy race but vowed to never let Donald Trump become US president again.
The former New Jersey governor suspended his campaign after claiming there wasn’t a path for him to win the nomination.
His exit also means the removal of the most high-profile and consistent critic of former president Trump. Read more
US and UK hint at military action after largest Houthi attack in Red Sea (BBC)
The US and UK have hinted they could take military action against Yemen’s Houthi rebels, after they repelled the largest attack yet on Red Sea shipping.
Carrier-based jets and warships shot down 21 drones and missiles launched by the Iran-backed group on Tuesday night.
The allies warned of “consequences” for such attacks. Asked about potential strikes in Yemen, UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Watch this space.”
The Houthis said they targeted a US ship providing support to Israel. Read more
Andor director Toby Haynes is making a new Star Trek movie (EW)
Andor director Toby Haynes is going from Star Wars to Star Trek.
The British filmmaker has signed on to direct a new Star Trek movie for Paramount, EW has confirmed. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies writer Seth Grahame-Smith is penning the script, which is being described as an “origin story” set decades before the events of J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek movie. Abrams’ company Bad Robot is also on board to produce.
The most recent Star Trek film to hit theaters was 2016’s Star Trek Beyond, directed by Justin Lin and starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. Since then, a number of planned projects have failed to get off the ground: At one point, Quentin Tarantino was developing a Star Trek pitch that never materialized, and another from Noah Hawley also failed to launch. Read more
AFCON: Excited Moffi to join Eagles Sunday (Punch)
OGC Nice striker, Terem Moffi, is excited to be recalled to the Super Eagles squad for the Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to start on Saturday in Ivory Coast, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Moffi was listed in the provisional squad list for the tournament but missed out on Jose Peseiro’s final squad for the tournament. The Portuguese opted to select Victor Osimhen, Sadiq Umar, Kelechi Iheanacho and Victor Boniface as his preferred strikers for the tourney.
But with Boniface out of the squad due to a muscle tendon injury he sustained while in Nigeria’s training camp in Abu Dhabi last week, the Portuguese coach drafted in Moffi into the squad as his replacement. Read more
Gambia players, staff say oxygen failed on plane to AFCON (ESPN)
Gambia head coach Tom Saintfiet has said his team avoided tragedy on Wednesday when the plane transporting them to the Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup of Nations was forced to turn back due to a lack of oxygen.
The team were travelling in a small 50-seater propeller plane, registered to Air Côte d’Ivoire, which had been arranged for them by the Gambian football association.
Saintfiet said the oxygen supply on the flight failed, causing some members of the team to lose consciousness before the pilot opted to return to Gambia’s capital, Banjul. Read more
Jose Mourinho and 3 players sent off amid Lazio vs Roma chaos on and off the pitch (Mirror)
The Derby della Capitale between Lazio and Roma descended into chaos on Wednesday – as three players were sent off.
Roma boss Jose Mourinho was also shown his marching orders, as Lazio won 1-0 to knock their bitter rivals out of the Coppa Italia. The only goal came in the 51st minute after a penalty was awarded following a VAR review, which Mattia Zaccagni converted.
Lazio winger Pedro, who once played for Roma, was the first person to be sent off at the Stadio Olimpico after receiving a second yellow card in the 96th minute. Roma’s Sardar Azmoun was the next player to be dismissed after clipping Lazio’s Nicolo Rovella. Read more
Steve Kerr says ‘‘fragile’’ Warriors ‘‘just lacking confidence right now’’ (NBC)
For the second game in a row, boos rained down on the four-time champion Golden State Warriors in their home, the Chase Center.
This time it was during a blowout loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, a game where the Warriors trailed by 41 and lost by 36. This was coach Steve Kerr’s assessment, via NBC Sports Bay Area.
“We deserved [the boos] for sure. I think we’re just lacking confidence right now. You just sort of get to a stage sometimes where you just kind of lose your belief. It happens. That’s what’s happened right now with our team the last few days. We’ve just lost the spirit and confidence that has to carry you against talented teams night in and night out… Read more
Rory McIlroy: World number 2 cards superb 62 to lead Dubai Invitational (BBC)
Rory McIlroy began his 2024 season in superb fashion as he carded a bogey-free 62 to set the early pace at the inaugural Dubai Invitational.
World number two McIlroy hit nine birdies to lead on nine under, two clear of Germany’s Yannik Paul.
England’s Tommy Fleetwood finished with a birdie to card a bogey-free five-under 66.
Nicolai Hojgaard, McIlroy and Fleetwood’s European Ryder Cup team-mate, is five back after a 67. Read more
My dream scenario is a world tour – McIlroy (BBC)
Rory McIlroy says a “world tour” is his “dream scenario” amid ongoing talks aimed at ending the split that has dominated men’s golf in recent years.
Golf’s future remains uncertain with merger talks between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV Golf, ongoing.
McIlroy says he would like to see a global tour with more events in Australia, South Africa and Japan. Read more
