Lagos landlords protest against demolition of 400 buildings at Ibeju-Lekki (Punch)
Many displaced landlords at Oke-Egan community, Kayetoro, Eleko, Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos on Friday protested at the state House of Assembly against what they described as unlawful demolition of over 400 houses in the neighbourhood.
The protesters, who claimed to have bought the land from the community’s native families, explained that they were asleep around 3am on Monday when some government officials led by task force operatives brought down the buildings with bulldozers.
Amid sobs, they displayed placards with the inscriptions, ‘We have been demoralised, nowhere to go,’ ‘We want back our properties,’ ‘Our government has made its citizens helpless,’ ‘We want our land back,’ ‘We are low-income people made homeless,’ ‘Our children are crying,’ among others.
A landlord, who led the protesters, Mr Etim Odiase, said the residents had through their lawyer reported at the Office of the Surveyor General of the state last Friday when they learnt of the demolition plan, noting that they were shocked their houses were demolished without being served any notice. Read more
FG’s cash grant: Gbajabiamila launches programme in Surulere (Vanguard)
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has launched off the Federal Government’s Cash Grant to about 1,800 beneficiaries in Surulere 1 Federal Constituency of Lagos State.
Addressing the beneficiaries and other guests virtually at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos on Thursday, through zoom, the Speaker assured his constituents of more socio-economic programmes coming to them.
He said: “This is another programme for the upliftment of the people of Surulere; it’s a Federal Government cash grant to be given to about 1,800 of you.
“Each of you will be given N20, 000 to assist in your trading and whatever business you are doing and to cushion the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more
I won’t be part of a cover-up, says Oduala (Guardian)
One of the organisers of the #EndSARS protests, Rinu Oduala, has withdrawn from the Lagos judicial panel on Police brutality and human rights abuse.
Oduala was one of the youth representatives on the panel set up in the wake of the #EndSARS protests last October. At its sitting on Saturday last week, the panel had granted approval for the return of Lekki tollgate to the control of Lekki Concession Company (LCC). Oduala and Temitope Majekodunmi, another youth representative, had criticised the decision, saying their views were not reflected in the panel’s ruling.
In a statement released yesterday, Oduala described the development as an act of injustice, adding that she would not be part of a cover-up. Read more
Lekki tollgate: FG deploys police, others as groups mobilise for protests today (Punch)
Ahead of today’s planned protest tagged #OccupyLekkiProtest at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos, the Federal Government has deployed policemen and over 150 men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to maintain law and order and possibly stop the protest.
This is as some people under the aegis of #DefendLagos have also vowed to organise a counter-march against the #OccupyLekkiProtest demonstrators.
The Federal Government and the police had earlier warned youths who planned to protest at the Lekki tollgate on Saturday (today) to have a rethink and shelve the protests.
But the young Nigerians, under the aegis of #EndSARS Season 2, vowed to defy the government’s order.
They said their action was informed by the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry allowing the Lekki Concession Company to reopen the Lekki tollgate. Read more
Robbers invade Rivers varsity students’ hostel (Guardian)
Some students of Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, were rushed to the hospital with deep machete cuts after armed robbers attacked an off-campus hostel on Osina Street, Mile 3 Diobu, in Port Harcourt City Council.
It was gathered that the hoodlums reportedly invaded the lodge at midnight on Wednesday, robbing all occupants and leaving two students with deep machete cuts.
The Caretaker of the building, Mr. Fidelis Nuale, confirmed the incident, but declined the further comments. It was learnt that several items, including 13 mobile phones, a wristwatch, slippers and a laptop were carted away by the attackers. Read more
Valentine’s Day: Obey COVID-19 protocols, FCTA warns fun seekers (Punch)
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has warned residents, especially fun seekers, against flouting COVID-19 guidelines during the Valentine’s Day celebration on Sunday.
The Head of Publicity, Enlightenment and Advocacy of the FCT Ministerial Enforcement Task Force on COVID-19, Mr Ihkaro Attah, who gave the warning at a news conference on Friday in Abuja, noted that the pandemic was still ravaging and called for caution.
Attah, therefore, advised residents to celebrate with their loved ones at home and also avoid behaviours that could put them and others in jeopardy.
He also noted that the task force would be out to ensure that the necessary protocols were followed and violators would be arrested and prosecuted. Read more
Nigeria’s Joel Adams breaks UK record (Guardian)
A graduate of the Bayelsa State- owned Niger Delta University (NDU), Dr. Joel Eleojo Adams, has made history in far away United Kingdom (UK), becoming the first non-British to be commissioned as an Aero-Systems Specialist Engineer.
The Kogi State-born Adams also became the first Nigerian get to the rank of a Flying Officer in the British Royal Air Force.
Adams, who obtained his B.Eng. (1st class honors) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, was the valedictorian of his graduation year at the university and also a recipient of the prestigious Presidential Scholarship for Innovation and Development (PRESSID).
After completing a Masters degree in Control Systems at the Imperial College, London, he went further to obtain his doctorate in Industrial Systems and Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Cambridge. Read more
Foreign Affairs Minister, Onyeama revalidates APC membership (DailyTrust)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama on Friday, revalidated his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC ).
Onyeama while performing the exercise at his Amankwo-Eke ward, in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu said the success of the revalidation and registration exercise across the country was heartwarming.
The minister said the exercise signified a vote of confidence on the party by Nigerians and urged the citizens to rally round the party.
“The APC remains the most credible platform to bring the desired development to the country. Read more
Coca-Cola company trials first paper bottle (BBC)
Coca-Cola is to test a paper bottle as part of a longer-term bid to eliminate plastic from its packaging entirely.
The prototype is made by a Danish company from an extra-strong paper shell that still contains a thin plastic liner.
But the goal is to create a 100% recyclable, plastic-free bottle capable of preventing gas escaping from carbonated drinks.
The barrier must also ensure no fibres flake off into the liquid. Read more
Thames freezes over for ‘first time in decades’ as Baltic chill engulfs capital (Metro)
A large part of the River Thames has frozen over in what locals say is the first time in more than a decade as a sub-zero cold snap continues. Temperatures in London dropped to -2C as Storm Darcy – dubbed ‘The Beast of the East 2’ swept through the country. As a result of the bitter chill from the Baltic, a section of the Thames has frozen over at Teddington, south west London. The extreme freeze meant the UK experienced the coldest February night for 25 years – with temperatures plummeting to below -20C in some parts of the country. Read more
Why Canada is falling behind in Covid vaccinations (BBC)
Canada has secured the world’s largest number of potential Covid vaccine doses per capita – but it’s struggling to get its hands on some of those doses and to get jabs into arms.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised an “enormous increase” in doses coming to Canada of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the only two currently authorised for use in the country.
He is under pressure from critics who say he has not delivered vaccines fast enough, and has promised that all Canadians who want a vaccine will get one by the end of September.
Canada’s inoculation drive began 14 December, and the country has so far given just over 1.18 million doses. It currently stands at 40 in global rankings of doses per 100 people, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Read more
Ashley Judd recovering from ‘catastrophic’ fall in Congo rainforest (PageSix)
Ashley Judd in the Congolese rainforest in 2019.
Ashley Judd in the Congolese rainforest in 2019.Instagram
Ashley Judd is recovering from a “catastrophic” fall — which nearly cost her a leg — she suffered while in doing conservation work in a Congo rainforest.
Judd, 52, described “an incredibly harrowing 55 hours” in an Instagram Live talk with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof from her ICU bed in South Africa. Judd explained that she tripped over a fallen tree in the dark while working to track bonobos, an endangered species of great apes, breaking her leg in four places and leaving her with nerve damage.
Judd’s ordeal — which she said left her “at the very edge of my edge” also included being hand-carried and ferried via motorcycle at points, during which time she bit down on a stick, “howling like a wild animal,” while losing and regaining conscious and repeating a Bible passage. (Psalm 23’s “the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want,” for the curious.) Read more
Justin Timberlake issues apology to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson (Metro)
Justin Timberlake has made a public apology to ex-girlfriend Britney Spears and fellow artist Janet Jackson following recent backlash. The singer was trending over the weekend after Hulu’s Framing Britney Spears documentary highlighted ways in which he benefited from the former couple’s famous split, while he was also trending for failing to help Janet Jackson deal with the fallout of their 2014 Super Bowl performance. Taking to Instagram on Friday, the 40-year-old wrote: ‘I’ve seen the messages, tags, comments, and concerns and I want to respond. ‘I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right.’ Read more
White House suspends aide TJ Ducklo for ‘threatening reporter’ (BBC)
A White House spokesman has been suspended for a week without pay after allegedly threatening to “destroy” a female reporter who was asking questions about his private life.
TJ Ducklo reportedly threatened Politico reporter Tara Palmeri, who was investigating his relationship with another journalist.
White House press secretary Jen Pskai said on Friday that Mr Ducklo had apologised to Ms Palmeri.
He has not commented independently. Read more
France wades into the South China Sea with a nuclear attack submarine (France24)
The French nuclear attack submarine SNA Emeraude recently conducted a patrol in the South China Sea, Defence Minister Florence Parly announced this week, sparking questions over the timing and tensions in Asia’s hotly contested waters.
The week in France kicked off with a Twitter thread by Defence Minister Florence Parly revealing that French nuclear attack submarine SNA Emeraude was among two navy ships that recently conducted a patrol through the South China Sea.
“This extraordinary patrol has just completed a passage in the South China Sea. A striking proof of our French Navy’s capacity to deploy far away and for a long time together with our Australian, American and Japanese strategic partners,” she tweeted along with a picture of the two vessels at sea. Read more
Ndidi can play 90 minutes against Liverpool – Rodgers (Punch)
Wilfred Ndidi ‘looks ready’ to play 90 minutes for Leicester City when they host Liverpool at the King Power stadium on Saturday (today), according to his coach Brendan Rodgers.
Ndidi has made 16 appearances in the current campaign in all competitions but has missed 16 games due to an abductor muscle injury he suffered in the Foxes win against Burnley last September.
The 24-year-old Nigerian midfielder played for 54 minutes in Leicester City’s fifth-round FA Cup win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday. They face Manchester United next in the quarter-finals of the competition.
Kelechi Iheanacho’s header in the fourth minute of added time propelled the Foxes into the quarter-finals of the competition to keep them in with a shot of ending their wait to lift the famous trophy. Read more
Athletes bemoan ‘endless’ postponement of 2020 National Sports Festival (DailyTrust)
The dreams of Nigerian athletes to compete and win medals at the 2020 National Sports Festival, in Edo State, suffered another setback on Monday when the Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare for the fourth time, announced the postponement of the biennial sporting event.
It will be recalled that after two previous postponements, the sports ministry had announced February 14 as the new kick-off date for the 20th edition of the National Sports Festival.
Unfortunately, as the athletes and their officials were packing their bags to head to Benin City for the event, the chilly news that it was shifted to April hit them like a thunderbolt.
The virtual meeting held by the Extra- Ordinary National Council on Sports (NCS), attended by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare and other relevant stakeholders arrived at the decision after the host state complained of lack of funds and non availability of accommodation for visiting athletes. Read more
Anthony Joshua confirms plans for dream WWE move following in Muhammad Ali and Tyson Fury’s footsteps (Metro)
Anthony Joshua has confirmed plans to join WWE to emulate his hero Muhammad Ali. The British boxing champion – whose rival Tyson Fury has already made the jump to the world of sports entertainment – has revealed he sees himself working with the wrestling giant one day after seeing the late sports legend do the same. Speaking to Alternative Sport, he said: ‘I’m gonna do WWE because that’s what Muhammad Ali done. So I’m gonna do WWE.’ That’s no doubt an exciting prospect for Vince McMahon, whose company has recently featured global artist Bad Bunny, while rapper Bow Wow has also expressed an interest in getting in the ring. Read more
Australian Open: Serena Williams, Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka advance (BBC)
Serena Williams overcame a sluggish start to beat Anastasia Potapova and reach the Australian Open fourth round.
Tenth seed Williams, bidding for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title, came through 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 against the 101st-ranked Russian.
However, the American had trailed 5-3 in an error-strewn first set, and she had to save two set points before dialling back in to win.
Naomi Osaka also advanced after a cagey match against Ons Jabeur of Tunisia. Read more
Amidst many travails, 3SC seeks return to NPFL again (Guardian)
As the 2021 Nigeria National League (NNL) season kicks off today, one club that will be the focus of many Nigerian football lovers is Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan.
3SC were relegated from the top flight Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) four years ago, and all efforts to bring it back to the elite class have come to naught due to several reasons.
Today, the Ibadan warlords will begin another journey for promotion this afternoon with a home game against Rovers of Calabar in a Group B1 Match-day one clash at the Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode. Millions of the club’s followers, including 3SC General Manager, Rasheed Balogun, are expectant of a good outing. Read more
Knicks’ win over Wizards comes with Mitchell Robinson injury price (NYPost)
Julius Randle had stressed that the Knicks “definitely [had] to take advantage” of the fact NBA scoring leader Bradley Beal wasn’t playing for the Wizards on Friday night.
And Randle, a potential All-Star forward, got back on track after one of his worst offensive games of the season, finishing with 24 points and 18 rebounds to lead the Knicks to a 109-91 victory in Washington.
The win came with a price, however. Knicks starting center Mitchell Robinson fractured his right hand late in the second quarter after recording a double-double (10 points and 14 rebounds) in less than 20 minutes of playing time. He will be reevaluated Saturday in New York.Derrick Rose contributed 14 points and six assists with four steals in 20 minutes off the bench in his second game back with the Knicks (12-15) after Sunday’s acquisition from the Pistons. Rookie Immanuel Quickley scored 16 points and Elfrid Payton finished with 12. Read more
