Lagos-Ibadan road: 2021 completion date, disgraceful (Punch)
It is disgraceful that the deadline for the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been shifted to 2021. Work resumed this year, but Julius Berger, the contractor handling the Lagos-Sagamu intersection end of the highway, has now dashed any hope of its completion anytime soon. Citing lack of funding and additional designs, it stated that the December 2019 completion date was no longer feasible. Read more
My second term plans, by Buhari (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday launched his re election campaign with the presentation of his achievements, and his plans, if reelected. On job creation, the campaign with the theme, “The Next Level: Working for the Greatest Number”, announced plans to engage one million N-Power graduates and “skill up” 10 million Nigerians under a voucher system in partnership with the private sector. Read more
Obasanjo sues journalist for N1bn over Bola Ige assassination claim (Punch)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sued an online journalist and radio presenter, Mr Akanda Oro, popularly known as Awikonko, for N1bn. Obasanjo described as untrue claims by the reporter that he had a hand in the assassination of the late Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige (SAN), and the slain National Vice-Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, Marshall Harry. Read more
Buhari to politicians: don’t set Nigeria ablaze (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged politicians not to set Nigeria ablaze as the campaigns for the 2019 elections begin. According to him, the next four years will be significant for Nigeria. The choices Nigerians will make as the 2019 elections approaches, he said, will shape the economy, security and the future. To Buhari, Nigeria needs a stable and people-focused government to move forward. Read more
Osinbajo, Alakija, others canvass support for child adoption (Guardian)
As the world marks this year’s Adoption Day at the weekend, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, chairman/CEO, Famfa Oil, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija and other personalities have stressed the need for Nigerians to shun stigmatisation of adopting children. Speaking at the second annual conference of Heritage Adoption Support and Advocacy Group (HASAAG) in Lagos, Osinbajo said: “Our duty as concerned persons is to make the process of adoption easier. There is also the need to educate and sensitise those around us on adoption. Read more
Kwara Berlin Wall broken, says Lai Mohmmed (Nation)
Minister of Information of Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed yesterday described the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s victory in the House of Representatives by-election in Kwara State as the breaking of the Berlin Wall of the state’s politics. Mohammed, the APC leader in Kwara State, was alluding to the dominance of the Saraki dynasty in the state. Read more
Ekiti Muslims protest takeover of land by Fayose (Punch)
Muslims in Ado Ekiti have protested against the takeover of their land by the immediate past governor of the state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, describing the action as an act of oppression against adherents of the faith in the state. The placard-carrying faithful under the aegis of the Ahmmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Ekiti State Chapter, appealed to Governor Kayode Fayemi to revoke the ownership of the land from Fayose and return it to them in order to avert a crisis in the state. Read more
Our role on Ayefele’s house reconstruction, by Oyo govt (Nation)
The Oyo State government has explained its role in the current reconstruction of Music House belonging to popular gospel musician, Mr. Yinka Ayefele, in Ibadan, the state capital. The structure was partially demolished last August. In a statement yesterday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr Bolaji Tunji, the government said its intervention was informed by the acknowledgment of contravention of the state building code by the management of the Music House and the personal appeal by Ayefele to Governor Abiola Ajimobi. Read more
Gunmen murder Abuja APC chieftain, injure wife, children (Punch)
Unknown assailants have killed a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the Federal Capital Territory, Pastor Benjamin Imeogu. The attackers also injured his wife and their three children, who were present at the time the deceased was murdered. Imeogu, who was the Chairman of the APC panel on the conduct of the National Assembly primaries in the FCT, was reportedly shot five times on the chest at close range along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport Road, Abuja, around 9.30pm on Thursday. Read more
Ondo police detain cops over missing vehicle in custody (Punch)
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested and detained two policemen in connection with the disappearance of a vehicle in their custody. The cops were said to have been detained at the Criminal Investigative Department of the command. A Toyota car, which was said to be an exhibit, was impounded and detained on the premises of the Anti-kidnapping Squad of the command in Akure, the Ondo State capital, but had been declared missing for over a month. Read more
Migrants refuse to leave ship in Libya (BBC)
Dozens of increasingly desperate migrants rescued by a cargo ship in the Mediterranean have been refusing to leave after it docked in a Libyan port. Some told journalists they would rather die than be forced to disembark in Libya where they say they were held captive and tortured by smugglers. The ship brought them to Misrata on 10 November after picking them up from a boat off Libya’s western coast. Read more
Trump ‘won’t listen’ to Khashoggi tape (BBC)
US President Donald Trump says he has been briefed on a recording of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder – but will not listen to it himself. “It’s a suffering tape, it’s a terrible tape,” he told Fox News Sunday. The CIA has reportedly concluded the powerful Saudi Crown Prince ordered the killing but the White House is yet to endorse that assessment. Saudi Arabia has called the claim false and denied Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had any knowledge of the murder. Read more
‘Lewd’ Australia PM angers Baywatch star (BBC)
Actress Pamela Anderson has criticised Australia’s prime minister for making “smutty” remarks about her, after earlier asking him to help Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. Ms Anderson had urged Scott Morrison to bring Mr Assange to Australia. Mr Morrison rejected her plea, but said he had “plenty of mates who have asked me if they can be my special envoy to sort out the issue with Pamela”. Read more
Wedding magazine shuts after LGBT row (BBC)
One of Australia’s leading wedding magazines is shutting down after it refused to feature same-sex couples. Luke and Carla Burrell, founders of White magazine, said advertisers had abandoned them in droves. The Christian couple said they made the choice because they had “no desire to create a social, political or legal war”. Australia legalised gay marriage in December last year after the country overwhelmingly voted in favour of it. Read more
Yobo faults Eagles’ defence against Bafana Bafana (Guardian)
Former Super Eagles captain, Joseph Ikpo Yobo has faulted the quality of defending the Nigerian team put up against South Africa in Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Although the Eagles escaped with a 1-1 draw and sealed an early ticket to AFCON 2019 in Cameroun, footballlive.ng reports that Yobo was not happy with the manner in which the defenders gave away the hosts’ lone goal. Read more
FIFA approves Stephen Keshi Stadium for international matches (Guardian)
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick yesterday revealed that world football body, FIFA has approved the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba for international football matches. Pinnick said this at the Asaba International Airport, where Delta’s Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa received the Super Eagles on arrival from their 2019 AFCON Qualifier in Johannesburg against South Africa. Read more
Ex-Three Lions yet to believe in England’s exploit, says Rooney (Guardian)
Wayne Rooney is excited for England’s future under Gareth Southgate – but insists other former internationals are not so forthcoming in their support of the current squad. Thursday’s substitute appearance against the United States marked Rooney’s 120th and final appearance for the national team, having announced his retirement last year. Read more
Zverev stuns Djokovic to win ATP Finals (BBC)
Alexander Zverev stunned world number one Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win the season-ending ATP Finals and earn the biggest victory of his career. Djokovic, 31, was the heavy favourite to win a sixth finals title but was outclassed 6-4 6-3 by the German. Zverev, the third seed, broke Djokovic for a 5-4 lead in the first set, then served three big aces to take the set. Read more
Ex-convict, one other arrested for traffic robbery (Punch)
The police have arrested an ex-convict, Isaiah Adewole, 23, and one Jelili Jimoh 29, for traffic robbery in the Obalende area of Lagos State. PUNCH Metro gathered that the duo were members of a three-man gang, whose mode of operation was breaking into vehicles in traffic and stealing people’s belongings. It was learnt that the suspects had been on the police watch list after they allegedly robbed a 43-year-old Josephine Maxwell, while on her way to the market. Read more
Man slips into a well, dies in Lagos (Guardian)
In what some have described as a spiritual attack, a middle-aged man yesterday met his untimely death when he slipped and fell into a well he was working on at Olusesi Street, Ile-Iwe bus-stop, in Ikotun area of Lagos State. The man, identified exclusively to The Guardian as Agbese Agbeko, was said to be a Togolese and plumber by profession but also did other menial jobs in the area. Read more
Driver crushes disabled boy to death in Lagos (Punch)
The Chief Imam of Onirin Mosque in the Epetedo Area of Lagos Island, Suleiman Ganiyu, has lamented the death of his son, Ibrahim, who was allegedly crushed to death by a Ford car with number plate KRD-437-EJ. The car was reportedly driven by one Neil Iwara in the Ilubirin area of Adeniji-Adele, Lagos State. Lamenting, the Chief Imam said, “I am in deep shock; I can’t believe that my son is gone. I saw him before I went out for a ceremony on the day of the incident; and now, he is dead. He died few days after his birthday.” Read more