Lagos Red Line Rail project ready for commissioning, says Sanwo-Olu (Leadership)
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday announced that the Red Line Rail project, covering Agbado to Otto, is finally ready for commissioning.
Sanwo-Olu, who shared the news on his Instagram page, said the announcement comes after a productive meeting with the contractor, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) in Beijing.
During the meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu and CCECC leadership reaffirmed their dedication to completing the second phase of the Blue Line Rail project as well. This collaboration, according to the Governor, paves the way for an integrated rail system that will benefit Lagosians for years to come. Read more
Netizens congratulate man who married 3 women same day in Benue (Punch)
Congratulatory messages have continued to pour in for one Tersugh Aondona who got married to three women on Wednesday in Benue State.
According to the wedding invite which circulated on social media early Wednesday, the names of the wives are Blessing, Nancy and Sulumshima.
The ceremony was held at Lante Kukwagh Comprehensive Secondary School, Jato-Aka, Kwande Local Government Area of the state. Read more
INEC excludes PDP from Plateau rerun elections (Guardian)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been excluded on the ballot papers for the rerun elections for the Plateau North senatorial seat and Bassa/Jos North federal constituency billed for Saturday, February 3, 2024.
Reacting to the exclusion, the Intra-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Plateau rejected the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to IPAC, the exclusion of the opposition party is unreasonable and unacceptable.
The rerun elections were billed for six local government areas, which include Bassa, Barkin-Ladi, Jos North, Jos South, Jos East, and Riyom, respectively. Read more
House Rent Hike: Nasarawa residents seek government’s intervention, regulation (Tribune)
Some residents of Nasarawa State have appealed to the state government to intervene in the arbitrary increase in house rent as the situation is becoming unbearable.
The residents, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, also called on the government to make policies to regulate house rent as landlords were increasing rents at will.
One of the respondents, Mrs Loveth Ezurike, a public servant, said a two bedroom flat she used to pay N250, 000 in previous years had suddenly been increased to N350, 000 by her landlord. Read more
Cement scarcity hits Kwara as bag sells for N6,200 (DailyTrust)
A bag of cement has hit N6,200 in Kwara State, Daily Trust can report.
The development is a sharp increase from last week when it sold for between N5,000 and N5,200.
Many distributors and retailers who spoke to our correspondent on Thursday lamented the scarcity of cement in the state despite the increased demand. Read more
Pipeline explosion kills 5 oil vandals in Imo community (Sun)
No fewer than five persons suspected to be oil vandals have been confirmed dead following an explosion that rocked the Obiti Community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State
The incident which has been by the Imo State police command happened on Tuesday involving pipeline vandals in the area.
Spokesperson of the Imo State Police Henry Okoye ( ASP ) who confirmed the ugly incident, said that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Aboki Dunjuma, had already set up an investigative team to unravel the immediate cause of the incident as well as arrest fleeing culprits. Read more
Court sentence man to 30 months imprisonment for raping 3-year-old (Vanguard)
An Ado- Ekiti High Court, has sentenced 20 -year- old Seun Olarewaju to 30 calendar months imprisonment for the offence of rape on a three-year-old girl.
The convict was arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Familoni on June 6, 2022, on a one-count charge of rape.
According to the charge, Olarewaju, on Aug. 6, 2021, at Ado Ekiti within the jurisdiction of the court did rape a three-year-old girl, contrary to section 31(1) of the Child Right Law, Cap C7, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012. Read more
Respect Rivers peace accord, group tells Wike (Leadership)
The Coalition of Minority and Ethnic Groups in Nigeria has urged the immediate-past Rivers State governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to respect the conditions of the peace accord initiated by President Bola Tinubu in the interest of peace and togetherness.
LEADERSHIP reports that the Peace Accord was midwifed on the heels of the political crisis in Rivers State and its attendant tension.
The leader of the group, Dan Okwa, at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, lamented that the judiciary was being allegedly used to undermine the incumbent Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and humiliate his perceived loyalists. Read more
Lana Del Rey announces ‘‘Lasso,’’ her 1st country album (UPI)
Lana Del Rey will release her first country music album this year.
The 38-year-old singer-songwriter announced the album Lasso at the Billboard pre-Grammy event Wednesday.
Del Rey was honoring music producer Jack Antonoff when she shared plans for her new album. “If you can’t already tell by our award winners and our performers, the music business is going country. We’re going country. It’s happening,” she said. “That’s why Jack has followed me to Muscle Shoals, Nashville, Mississippi, over the last four years.” Read more
Diane Warren says 15th Oscar nomination is the ‘’coolest thing’’ (People)
Just one month into the new year, and Diane Warren is already having a great 2024.
The accomplished songwriter, 67, attended the Billboard Power 100 ceremony at NeueHouse Hollywood on Wednesday and opened up to PEOPLE about receiving her 15th Oscar nomination for Best Original Song for writing Becky G’s “The Fire Inside” for the movie Flamin’ Hot.
“It’s the coolest thing, no matter what happens, just that my song was nominated when there’s so many songs every year,” Warren said. “I won already. Whatever happens, happens. It’s just a beautiful thing to get the respect of those I respect.” Read more
Donald Trump’s ‘golden showers’ court case thrown out by judge (Metro)
A lawsuit by Donald Trump over claims he bribed Russian officials and took part in ‘perverted’ sex acts has been dismissed by London’s High Court.
Trump sought to sue Orbis Business Intelligence, a consultancy founded by former MI6 officer Christopher Steele, over claims they had caused him distress.
Mr Steele, the former head of MI6’s Russia desk, published a dossier in 2016 which claimed Trump had taken part in ‘sex parties’ while in St Petersburg and engaged in ‘golden showers’ with prostitutes in Moscow. Read more
Israeli protesters rally to block passage of Gaza bound humanitarian aid (AfricaNews)
Protests erupted near the main Israeli seaport as demonstrators opposed the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza on Thursday.
Dozens of people sat-in at the Ashdod port entrance, scrutinising the trucks’ cargo destinations. While it remains unclear if the protests blocked aid trucks, the United Nations has urged Israel to permit aid deliveries through the port.
This is not the first occurrence of these protests. On Sunday, demonstrators closed the Karam Abu Salem crossing, preventing humanitarian aid trucks from entering Gaza for the fourth time. Read more
Nicki Minaj faces backlash for accusing Megan Thee Stallion of wanting a ‘Rihanna moment’ (HipHopDx)
Nicki Minaj has been accused of minimising domestic violence after she alleged Megan Thee Stallion was looking for similar sympathy in the Tory Lanez shooting that Rihanna got following her incident with Chris Brown.
The comments arrived during a Twitter Spaces the Queens rapper joined with Joe Budden on Wednesday morning (January 31).
“But here’s the thing — Rihanna is just known for being herself,” she said. “You get what you see, you see what you get type of vibe. I’m not talking about anything anyone spoke to me about, I’m saying that’s what we know Rih as. Rihanna never would milk something like this. You could tell she couldn’t wait to get that part of her life — You could tell she couldn’t wait to just try to move on with her life. You understand?” Read more
Russian court extends detention of US journalist Kurmasheva until April (AlJazeera)
A court in Russia has extended the pre-trial detention of Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who has been in custody since October.
On Thursday, the court in the city of Kazan ruled that Kurmasheva must stay behind bars until April 5.
The Prague-based editor has been charged with failing to register as a “foreign agent” and spreading “false information” about Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, said her employer, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Read more
Clapham attack fugitive, 35, named as 3 police forces hunt man with ‘facial injuries’ (Mirror)
Police are hunting for 35-year-old Abdul Shokoor Ezedi over a chemical attack in Clapham, south London, on a mum and daughter with the public told not to approach him
A manhunt is underway for a fugitive with “significant injuries to the face” following a chemical attack on a mum and her two children.
Superintendent Gabriel Cameron, of Metropolitan Police, said that three forces are now searching for Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, 35, as he addressed the media from the scene near Clapham Common in south London, and warned people not to approach him. He is wanted after a man allegedly threw a corrosive substance over a 31-year-old mum and her two children, aged three and eight, on a residential street on Wednesday at around 7.30pm. Read more
Osimhen on a mission with Nigeria at Africa Cup Of Nations (Channels)
Many of the biggest stars at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations have already been eliminated before the quarter-finals, but the continent’s reigning player of the year Victor Osimhen is still standing as he aims to lead Nigeria to the title.
The 25-year-old Napoli striker may have been the obvious bet to finish as the tournament’s top scorer, having netted 10 times in qualifying, twice as many goals as the next most prolific marksmen.
Nevertheless, he has found the net just once going into Friday’s last-eight tie against outsiders Angola in Abidjan. Read more
AFCON 2023: Nigeria goalkeeper Nwabali ready for crucial Angola clash despite injury scare (Guardian)
Super Eagles fans can breathe a sigh of relief! Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has shaken off injury concerns and is set to stand between the posts for Nigeria in their crucial AFCON 2023 quarter-final clash against Angola on Friday.
Nwabali’s participation was initially in doubt after sustaining an injury during Nigeria’s thrilling 2-0 victory over Cameroon in the Round of 16.
However, the 27-year-old Chippa United shot-stopper has diligently participated in training sessions and received medical clearance to face Pedro Goncalves’ Angolan side. Read more
NBA champion, Defensive Player of Year Marc Gasol officially retires from basketball (NBC)
Marc Gasol — who spent 13 years of his professional basketball career in the NBA, where he won a championship with Toronto, was Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Star — announced his retirement from basketball on Wednesday.
Gasol started his career in Spain playing for FC Barcelona and CB Girona, but in 2007 the Lakers drafted him with the No. 48 pick. He played another season in Spain and before pulling a Lakers’ uniform over his head was traded to Memphis in the deal that brought his brother, Pau Gasol, to the Lakers. That deal worked out well for everyone.
Gasol would play for the Grizzlies for a decade, anchoring the paint for the best Memphis teams ever, winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 and being named an All-Star three times. Read more
Lewis Hamilton on verge of shock move to Ferrari from Mercedes (BBC)
Lewis Hamilton is poised for a shock move from Mercedes to Ferrari for the 2025 season, BBC Sport understands.
A number of sources say a deal for Hamilton to join Charles Leclerc at Ferrari from 2025 has been agreed but both teams have refused to comment.
The move, one of the most seismic events in Formula 1 for years, could be announced as early as Thursday. Read more
Player dubbed ‘the next Martin Odegaard’ set to leave Manchester United after deal agreed (HitC)
HITC Football understands Werder Bremen have agreed a deal with Manchester United for starlet Isak Hansen-Aaroen.
The 19-year-old is yet to make a first-team appearance for Manchester United, but has impressed at the younger age levels and is highly-regarded.
Isak Hansen-Aaroen’s contract at Old Trafford expires this summer and new terms have been offered to the attacking midfielder – All you need to know about the done deals this January. Read more
AFCON 2023: Super Eagles not favourites, must fight hard to beat Angola — Peseiro (CompleteSports)
Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro refused to accept the favourites tag ahead of his side’s quarter-final clash with Angola.
The three-time champions have been tipped to beat the Palancas Negras after getting past the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the Round of 16.
Peseiro stated that Pedro Goncalves’ side will not be an easy opponent for his side. Read more