Lagos orders public, private schools to resume Jan 18 (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has ordered all public and private schools in the state to reopen for the second term of 2020/21 academic session from Monday, January 18, 2021.
Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, announced this on Monday in a statement by the Head, Public Affairs, Ministry of Education, Kayode Abayomi.
In the statement titled, ‘All public and private schools in Lagos State to resume 18th January 2021’, schools were also asked to make virtual learning available.
She said this was in line with the Federal Government’s directive coupled with the second wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“All public and private schools below the tertiary level in Lagos State should be reopened for the second term 2020/21 academic session from Monday, 18th of January, 2021. Read more
2 employees arrested for damages, theft (DailyTrust)
Two employees, Monday Omoka and John Isaac, on Monday, appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly damaging four cars and stealing of N80,000 goods.
Omoka, 38, a resident of Dopemu and Isaac, 26, who lives at Agege, are being tried for conspiracy, damage and stealing.
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The prosecutor told the court that the defendants, and others still at large, committed the offences on Dec. 22, 2020 at Awosika area of Ikeja.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Emmanuel Ajayi, told the court that the defendants “criminally damaged four Toyota cars and carted away goods valued at N80,000, belonging to Dura Park Industry.
“A disagreement ensured between the defendants and management of the industry over the end of the year bonus.
“The defendants started vandalising the company’s cars and also broke into the company to steal the nylon bags worth N80,000.
“The value of the damaged cars are yet to be ascertained.
“The defendants were arrested while others escaped,’’ Ajayi told the court. Read more
2 dead as cultists clash in Lagos (Punch)
At least two persons were feared killed on Sunday in a clash between two rival cults, the Aiye and Eiye confraternities, in the Igbogbo Bayeku areas of Ikorodu, Lagos State.
It was learnt that the fight broke out around 6.30pm after one of the rival groups stormed the Community bus stop, where members of the other group were having a party.
Our correspondent learnt that the fight led to the shooting of a member of one of the groups, which led to a reprisal.
Eyewitnesses said one of the groups went away with the body of their member while the other body was lying in front of the Community Secondary School.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that residents fled the area as a result of the clash. Read more
Alleged Sexual Harassment: We’ll go ahead to investigate Ogun commissioner – Police (Independent)
Notwithstanding the appeals by Melojuekun Barakat, and her father, Melojuekun Monsur, the alleged victims of sexual harassment leveled against the Ogun State Environment Commissioner, Abiodun Abudu-Balogun, the State Police Command has insisted on going ahead with the investigation.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Abimbola Oyeyemi, in an exclusive interview with Daily Independent insisted that both Barakat and her father can no longer withdraw the case as it is a case against the State and not against the victim.
Oyeyemi further explained that Barakat is an underage while her father was not the real victim of the case, adding that the two of them were just witnesses in the case.
As at the time of speaking with Independent, Oyeyemi hinted that the Command was still expecting the Area Commander of Ogbere, ACP Makinde Kayode to produce the Commissioner and other parties in the case at the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Eleweran. Read more
Court remands Sowore, others in Kuje prison (Punch)
A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Monday, ordered the remand of Sahara Reporters Publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and four other activists in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of their bail applications.
Their formal bail applications would be heard on Tuesday, January 5, 2020.
The PUNCH had reported that Sowore and other activists were arraigned on three charges of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, and attempting to incite others.
The activists, however, denied the charges.
They were earlier arrested for holding a protest against bad governance on New Year’s Eve in Abuja and subsequently taken to a police unit infamously known as ‘Abattoir’ in the Lokogoma area of the FCT.
“We have been sent to the infamous Kuje Prison for the next 24 hours while they plot their next moves. But we are very resolute and convinced that this year will be different for the tyrant! #RevolutionNow,” Sowore tweeted on Monday. Read more
Buhari, Gbajabiamila, UNILAG VC, Okebukola, mourn Professor Ibidapo-Obe (Tribune)
President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with the academia over the passing of former vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos and Pro-Chancellor and chairman of First Technical University, Ibadan, Professor Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, condoling with family members and friends.
According to a statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) in Abuja on Monday, the President affirmed that the scholar and administrator will be sorely missed by the academia, government and the country as his sudden transition left a gap that will be difficult to fill, considering his contribution to the development of education, with a rich pedigree of being president of the Nigerian Academy of Science, chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian universities and upwardly rising over the years with a distinguished career.
President Buhari condoled with students and staff of the University of Lagos, First Technical University and the Nigeria Universities Commission over the loss, as well as the government and people of Osun State. Read more
Tallen tests negative to COVID-19 (Guardian)
The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, has tested negative for COVID-19, after being treated for the disease.
The minister made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja, advising the public to comply with the COVID-19 guidelines to be safe.
She thanked Nigerian women and the entire nation for the prayers “and unshakeable dedication to the plight of those declared positive of the Coronavirus Disease. Read more
Kwara gov dissolves cabinet (Punch)
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has dissolved his cabinet with effect from December 31, 2020, a statement said on Sunday night.
According to the statement signed by Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, only the Secretary to the State Government Prof. Mamman Jubril retains his seat.
According to Ajakaye, the governor also directed the former cabinet members to hand over to the most senior officers in their respective ministries. Read more
Alarm as South Korea sees more deaths than births (BBC)
South Korea recorded more deaths than births in 2020 for the first time ever, raising fresh alarm in the country which already has the world’s lowest birth rate.
Only 275,800 babies were born last year, down 10% from 2019. Around 307,764 people died.
The figures prompted the interior ministry to call for “fundamental changes” to its policies.
A declining population puts immense strain on a country. Read more
Roku reportedly in talks to buy Quibi’s short-form TV shows (NYPost)
The 10-minute shows Quibi made for your smartphone could come back to life on your TV.
Roku is reportedly negotiating a deal to take over the library of short-form streaming content Quibi produced before it collapsed after just six months.
The deal would give Roku — which makes a popular device for streaming video through TV sets — a slate of exclusive programs for its own free-to-watch app called the Roku Channel, which currently broadcasts other companies’ movies and shows along with ads, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. Read more
China-Vietnam border wall would target smugglers, Chinese economic refugees (VOA)
Reports that China is building a wall along the border with Vietnam to keep its own citizens at home spotlights economic hard times on the Chinese side and frustration on both sides with rampant smuggling, analysts believe.
Authorities in southwestern China are working on a two-meter-high wall along the 1,300-meter border, Radio Free Asia reported in October, referring to Chinese social media reports and individuals living nearby.
“The most logical reasoning is that China wants to control,” said Alexander Vuving, professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii. “The wall would be a perfect tool to control the flows of people, of things, of everything across the border.” Read more
Pentagon chiefs’ massive Trump smackdown (news.com.au)
Ten ex-Pentagon chiefs including heavyweight Dick Cheney have delivered a massive smackdown to Donald Trump, telling him the time to question election results is over.
The extraordinary rebuke was delivered in a stinging opinion piece published in The Washington Post, by the former defence secretaries including two who worked for Trump.
Bush administration defence secretary Dick Cheney was among those behind the article, which tells Trump and other Republicans to back off from their unfounded claims of ballot box fraud. Read more
Tanya Roberts, Bond girl and Charlie’s Angel, dies at 65 (BBC)
US actress Tanya Roberts, best known for her roles in Bond film A View to a Kill and the final season of Charlie’s Angels, has died aged 65.
Her death was announced by her friend and agent Mike Pingel, who called her “the sweetest person you’d ever meet”.
Roberts, who appeared opposite Sir Roger Moore in his final Bond film, also starred in The Beastmaster and Sheena: Queen of the Jungle.
In recent years she had a recurring role on That ’70’s Show. Read more
Mystery as Chinese billionaire Jack Ma disappears from his own reality show after criticising regime (news.com.au)
A billionaire tech tycoon has mysteriously vanished from his own reality show after criticising China’s regime.
Jack Ma – reported to be worth at least $62 billion – has not been seen in public since late October, The Sun reports.
The 56-year-old made his fortune after creating Alibaba, dubbed Asia’s Amazon, and was once a favourite of the communist regimen in China.
However, the former English teacher was suddenly replaced as a judge on the final of Africa’s Business Heroes, a Dragons’ Den-style TV contest for budding entrepreneurs. Read more
Action star Jackie Chan hobbled by old injury (StraitsTimes)
Action superstar Jackie Chan appeared rather worse for the wear at a recent New Year’s Day event, owing to the recurrence of a lumbar injury.
Clad in a grey tracksuit, the 66-year-old Hong Kong actor had to lean on the shoulders of two people while making an entrance to a screening of animated film Wish Dragon.
His surprise appearance, as well as his slow and laborious movements, shocked the audience at the event in Beijing.
Even though he was not able to stand for long, he was clearly delighted to be there to say hello to the children present. Read more
Tennis star Camila Giorgi creates stir with string of saucy snaps (news.com.au)
Camilo Giorgi, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist who has been ranked as high as 26th in the world, has set the tennis world abuzz by posting a series of revealing photographs to social media in the past week.
Giorgi, who is on the entry list for next month’s Australian Open, a tournament where she has progressed to the third round the past two years, has made a sudden shift to her Instagram page, which was previously dominated by fashion shots and workout snaps.
But as the holidays began, the Italian posted three pictures from a photo shoot where she was wearing red lingerie, captioned simply: “Merry Christmas.”
The 29-year-old followed that up a week later with two pictures of herself in a white corset and stockings. “Happy New Year,” she wrote, adding a new beginning hashtag. Read more
Women’s football rankings: Oshoala, Kgatlana dominate December in Europe (ESPN)
Two African attackers in Spain stood head and shoulders above the rest in December, as Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala worked her way back to the top and South Africa’s Thembi Kgatlana also enjoyed a superb month.
However, there is a strong focus on France in the second half of this month’s African Women’s Power Rankings, with several African stars featuring strongly in the French Feminine Division 1.
The Chawinga sisters and Barbra Banda are absent from our Power Rankings as China is in the offseason, but are likely to reappear in our top 10 when the Women’s Super League returns.
Likewise, keep an eye on Ode Fulutudilu, who recently signed for Scottish champions Glasgow City after becoming a champion herself with Åland United in Finland. Read more
Henry Onyekuru admits Everton move was a risk (BBC)
Nigeria’s Henry Onyekuru admits signing for Everton was something of a risk but insists he has no regrets about the move as he looks for a move away from his current club AS Monaco in France.
The 23-year-old joined the English Premier League side in 2017 but failed to make a competitive appearance for the club.
He arrived at Everton from Belgian club KAS Eupen on the back of a 22-goal season, but was immediately sent on loan to Anderlecht.
That was followed by another loan this time to Turkish side Galatasaray before sealing a permanent move to French club AS Monaco in 2019. Read more
Osimhen apologises for breaching COVID-19 protocols (Punch)
Super Eagles forward, Victor Osimhen, has apologised to Napoli after breaching COVID-19 protocols.
Napoli on Friday confirmed that the Nigerian had tested positive for coronavirus on his return to the club, after celebrating his 22nd birthday in Nigeria in December.
Napoli had fined the player two weeks wages for failing to adhere to the protocols during his birthday celebration, with online videos showing the player without protective masks in a crowded environment.
Osimhen has however, taken to social media to apologise to the club and fans for putting himself and teammates at harm’s way. Read more
NBA: Stephen Curry scores career-high points total in Golden State Warriors win (BBC)
Stephen Curry scored a career-high 62 points as his Golden State Warriors beat the Portland Trailblazers 137-122.
The 32-year-old is the second oldest player to score over 60 points in a game – Kobe Bryant is the oldest at 37.
Curry’s previous best performance was 54 points against the New York Knicks in February 2013.
“I wanted to take him out with 30 seconds left so the 42 people here could give him a standing ovation,” said Warriors head coach Steve Kerr. Read more
Mourinho ready for ‘biggest game’ of Spurs reign (Guardian)
Jose Mourinho on Monday labelled Tottenham’s League Cup semi-final against Brentford as the most important match of his reign.
Mourinho’s side host second-tier Brentford on Tuesday looking to reach the League Cup final against Manchester United or Manchester City.
Tottenham are without a major trophy since winning the 2008 League Cup and Mourinho is desperate to end that drought.
Mourinho, who has lifted the League Cup four times in his career, believes the significance of winning silverware this season makes the Brentford game more important than any other since he took charge in November 2019. Read more