Lagos says Ibeju-Lekki very vulnerable to disaster (Guardian)
Ibeju-Lekki may be home to multi-billion naira architectural masterpieces, but a risk assessment conducted by Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has resulted in a grim report -Ibeju-Lekki is very vulnerable to disaster.
The LASEMA DG, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu said it is the reason his agency is taking special interest and commitment in tackling disaster in the state’s Lagos East senatorial zone.
He said Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is also taking disaster management in the Lagos East senatorial zone serious, reason he has committed to opening a LASEMA Response Unit in Epe before the year runs out. Read more
Badagry Expressway: Lagos Confab raises 7-man team to meet FG (Nation)
After two days of deliberations, the yearly Executive-Legislative Parley of the Lagos State Government yesterday resolved to engage the Federal Government on the long-drawn-out rehabilitation work on Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), an agency set up for the monitoring and maintenance of roads recently announced that the ongoing rehabilitation works of a section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway are currently 88 percent complete.
According to Mr. Rufus Onimisi, FERMA Southwest 2 Zonal Coordinator, the project contractors (Wizchino Engineering Ltd) are fast-tracking the implementation of the project which spans from Igboelerin to Agbara. Read more
Apapa Gridlock: Sanity returns with commencement of electronic call-up (ThisDay)
After years of untold hardship and deaths, sanity yesterday returned to Apapa, a once thriving port city brought to its knees by protracted traffic gridlock. This followed the take off of the electronic call-up system (ETO) introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
Apapa had in the past several years defied effort to solve its traffic problem. The efforts, including a presidential task team, were blighted by corruption.
However, normalcy returned to Apapa following the removal of trucks that littered the port access roads – Apapa Oshodi Express Way and Western Avenue leading to Ijora.
When THISDAY visited both ends of the port access roads yesterday, officials of the Lagos State government and NPA taskforce teams were seen with tow vehicles well positioned to remove erring trucks. Read more
Govt, abductors negotiate, set to release 317 Zamfara girls (Punch)
The abducted schoolgirls of Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Talata-Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State, may regain freedom today.
A very competent source informed Sunday PUNCH on Saturday that negotiations with the bandits who kidnapped the schoolgirls had reached a very advanced stage, saying “they may be in Gusau (Zamfara State capital) today.”
Nevertheless, the Nigeria Police Force has said it will not suspend the ongoing joint rescue operation with the military and the Department of State Services to rescue the schoolgirls from their abductors’ hands.
Bandits on Friday morning kidnapped over 300 schoolgirls at Jangebe. Read more
Fear over fuel scarcity as CSOs tackle Labour Unions (Guardian)
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), yesterday, in Abuja expressed concern over possible return of scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, as intrigues grow over the deregulation of the petroleum industry.
The CSOs, which vehemently opposed the position of Labour unions, especially the Nigerian Labour Union and the Trade Union, noted that any attempt to reverse the deregulation of the downstream sector would send Nigeria’s economy into coma and leave decades of economic woes.
With queues already returning to some parts of the Federal Capital Territory, as fuel stations are already closing down, while black marketers are surfacing in some parts, the CSOs, led by the convener, Timothy Ademola, stressed that the market stabilisation witnessed in the past one year of deregulation, remained an indication that full deregulation is the way to go, if Nigerians would enjoy the benefits of their hydrocarbon wealth. Read more
Nigeria takes delivery of about 4m COVID-19 vaccines on Monday (ThisDay)
The federal government has disclosed that it will receive the first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from India on Tuesday March 2 provided that there is no change of plan.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chairman Presidential Task Force on COVID- 19, Mr Boss Mustapha made this disclosure yesterday.
He said the supply of vaccines is through the delivery plan released by UNICEF in charge of the logistics for the supply of the vaccine meant for Nigeria through the COVAX facility that is bringing four million doses in the first batch of the shipment to the country.
“I can assure you that the vaccines are coming and coming very quickly barring any change in the delivery plan released to us by UNICEF. The logistics and other things are in the hands of UNICEF. Read more
We nearly died as bandits starved, tortured, dehumanised us – Freed Kagara pupils (Punch)
The 38 abducted schoolchildren and officials of the Government Science College Kagara, Niger State, on Saturday, regained their freedom from bandits, who kept them in captivity for 10 days.
The abductees, who were received by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello at the Niger State Government House in Minna, recounted their ordeal in the bandits’ den on Saturday.
The 38 victims, comprising 24 students, six members of staff and eight relatives of the staff members, arrived in Minna early on Saturday. Read more
Kagara Abduction: 4 bandits swapped with freed victims (DailyTrust)
Staff, students and others abducted by gunmen from Government Science College Kagara in Niger State were freed Saturday morning after officials agreed to release four members of the bandits’ gang, sources familiar with the process told Daily Trust on Sunday.
The armed gang had attacked the school located in Rafi Local Government on February 17 where they abducted 27 students, 3 teachers, two non-teaching staff and 9 family members of the staff.
After days of working to establish contact with the abductors and subsequent negotiations, the victims were released to a team of police and other security agents around 7am on Saturday.
The victims who were received by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello on Saturday recounted their harrowing experience in the hands of their abductors. Read more
Popular Nigerian music producer Dr Frabz is dead (Punch)
Popular Nigerian music producer, Ayorinde Faboro popularly known as Dr Frabz is dead. The death of the prolific music producer was confirmed to The Punch by his colleague, Samklef. However, according to a tweet by popular singer Nikki Laoye, the music producer was shot.
She wrote, ” “Oh my God persevering face… My dear brother, Dr Frabz @DoktaFrabz… This is such terrible news. Just heard that he was shot… Who did this? I am so pained right now. What kind of news is this ehn?”
Samklef also took to his social media account to eulogise Dr Frabz. He wrote, “Rip legend! Ayo ( dr Frabz) We spoke 2 weeks ago u asked how is Houston treating me? I came to Maryland yesterday only for me to hear that u are no more today. What a sad day! A brother is gone! another producer is gone! RIP!”
Ever since the announcement of his death, other Nigerian celebrities have taken to their social media to offer their condolence. Read more
Man killed by his own bird during cockfight (BBC)
A cockerel that had been fitted with a knife for an illegal cockfight has killed its owner in southern India.
The bird’s owner was impaled in the groin by the knife as the animal tried to escape. The man died on the way to hospital from a loss of blood.
Police are now searching for 15 more people involved in the event, which took place in the village of Lothunur in Telangana state earlier this week.
The animal was held at a police station before being transferred to a farm. Read more
Superman reboot in development as JJ Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates to tell ‘new powerful story’ (Metro)
Superman is coming back, with Warner Bros enlisting JJ Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates for a new reboot. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker director JJ will be producing, while author Ta-Nehisi will write the film. There’s no word on a director or plot yet, but JJ teased that the pair are thrilled to be able to tell ‘a new, powerful and moving Superman story’. He explained: ‘There is a new, powerful and moving Superman story yet to be told. Read more
Biden places his Catholic faith front and centre (VOA)
Joe Biden, only the second Roman Catholic to lead the United States, is already placing his faith front and centre of his presidency.
During the transition and his first month in office, the president attended Mass weekly and also goes to church on his religion’s major holidays. At his inauguration, a Jesuit priest offered the invocation. And in his initial speech as president, Biden quoted St. Augustine, a key early church philosopher.
Behind Biden’s desk in the Oval Office is a photo of him meeting Pope Francis. At Monday evening’s White House ceremony marking 500,000 coronavirus deaths in the country, the president made the sign of the cross, as a military band concluded playing the Christian hymn “Amazing Grace.”
“This is a guy who carries a rosary around in his pocket and talks about his faith,” noted Father Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest and senior analyst for the Religion News Service, who described Biden as a “traditionally pious Catholic.” Read more
Pompeii: Archaeologists unveil ceremonial chariot discovery (BBC)
Archaeologists in Italy have unveiled a ceremonial chariot they discovered near the ancient Roman city of Pompeii.
The four-wheeled carriage was found near a stable where three horses were uncovered back in 2018.
Experts believe it was likely used in festivities and parades, with the find described as “exceptional” and “in an excellent state of preservation”.
Pompeii, engulfed by a volcanic eruption from Mount Vesuvius in AD79, is an archaeological treasure trove. Read more
Lady Gaga’s dogs returned unharmed after kidnapping where assistant was shot (Metro)
Lady Gaga’s dogs have been returned safely after they were stolen during a shooting. The popstar was left devastated when her French bulldogs Koji and Gustavo were stolen on Wednesday night after two attackers shot her dogwalker Ryan Fischer. Koji and Gustavo were returned on Friday night at around 6pm to the LAPDs’ Olympic Community Police Station. The woman who brought in the dogs appears to be ‘uninvolved and unassociated’ wth the attack, according to Los Angeles Police Capt. Jonathan Tippet. Read more
US approves Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine (DW)
Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine received approval by US regulators, making it the third jab available in the country.
The US Food and Drug Administration greenlit Johnson & Johnson’s one-dose coronavirus vaccine for emergency use on Saturday evening.
The authorization was approved a day after an independent panel of experts gave their recommendation for the jab. It is the third vaccine to be approved in the US, following in the footsteps of the BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Read more
Usoro meets Olympics qualifying standard at Texas event (Punch)
Ruth Usoro continued her impressive season Friday evening when she leapt 6.82m to win the The Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championship, which took place at the Sports Performance Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
Her performance met the 6.82m qualifying standard for the 2020 Olympics for the women’s long jump event.
The jump, which was Usoro’s personal best, was an NCCA lead and the sixth-farthest long jump mark in NCAA history.
It’s also the second-farthest this year and the meet and school’s records.
Tara Davis finished second, jumping 6.68m, while Monae Nichols placed thirdrd with a jump of 6.46m. Read more
LeBron vs Zlatan: Who won the politics bout? (BBC)
Basketball superstar LeBron James has come out fighting after Swedish football legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic told him to stay out of politics.
Ibrahimovic said in a TV interview sports figures like James should not get involved as “it doesn’t look good”.
James fired back: “I will never shut up about things that are wrong.”
Pointing out Ibrahimovic’s own past complaints about racism in Sweden, James said: “I’m kinda the wrong guy to actually go at… I do my homework.” Read more
Ronaldo scores as Juventus held in Verona (Guardian)
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 19th goal this campaign but champions Juventus had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Hellas Verona in Serie A on Saturday.
The draw gives leaders Inter Milan the chance to pull 10 points clear of Juventus when they play mid-table Genoa at the San Siro on Sunday.
Juventus are third and three points adrift of second-placed AC Milan who travel to Roma, two points behind the champions in fourth, on Sunday.
“We managed to take the lead, which was the hardest part, it’s a pity not being able to hold it,” said Juve coach Andrea Pirlo. Read more
Willian speaks out on problems with Antonio Conte at Chelsea (Metro)
Willian admits Antonio Conte’s man-management style caused friction between them at Chelsea. Conte won the Premier League title in his first season at Stamford Bridge and follow up that with success in the FA Cup in his second campaign. But several senior Chelsea players had clashed with Conte towards the end of his tenure, while the Italian also fell out with the club’s hierarchy. Willian infamously deleted Conte from a team celebration photo after Chelsea’s FA Cup win in 2018. Read more
Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund cruise before Klassiker (DW)
Leon Goretzka shone for Bayern Munich in their win against Cologne as Jadon Sancho wrote history in Dortmund’s victory over Bielefeld. Meanwhile, Leipzig completed a spectacular comeback over Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Did Bayern Munich win in the Bundesliga this weekend?
Yes, somewhat easily. Coming off an important win against Lazio in the Champions League, the defending champs coasted to a 5-1 victory over visitors Cologne in Allianz Arena on Saturday.
Robert Lewandowski and Serge Gnabry both scored twice, and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting bagged his first goal in a Bayern shirt. All three received help from Leon Goretzka, who had a hat trick of assists in the win.
Thomas Müller also returned to the fold as a substitute, his first game since he tested positive for COVID-19 during Bayern’s trip to Qatar for the Club World Cup earlier this month. Read more
Manchester City: Will Pep Guardiola’s side win quadruple after ‘exceptional’ run? (BBC)
Pep Guardiola says Manchester City’s 20-match winning streak is ‘one of the greatest achievements in our careers’ – but is it merely a step towards becoming the first side to complete the quadruple?
Some of the statistics around City’s recent success are staggering.
The 2-1 win against West Ham was Guardiola’s 200th victory in 273 games as City manager. No-one has reached their top-flight double century in England in fewer games.City have not dropped a point since 15 December, they have not lost since 21 November. Michail Antonio’s equaliser was the first goal they have conceded to an opposition player in open play at Etihad Stadium in the Premier League since James Maddison curled in a 25-yard effort for Leicester on 27 September. Read more