Lagos seals NIPOST office, demolishes illegal structures (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has sealed the old Nigeria Postal Service complex in the Mushin area and demolished adjoining illegal structures.
A statement on Monday by the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources said the action followed complaints by residents of Lagos Homs Estate, Mushin.
The ministry said its operatives, following directives of the Commissioner in the ministry, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, sealed the old NIPOST office on Sunday. Read more
Minister of Women Affairs order arrest of Uyo lawyer for assaulting wife (Channels)
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Ohanenye, has ordered the arrest of an Uyo-based lawyer known as Mr Ebong for assaulting his wife in a viral video.
Mr Ebong was seen in the video standing over his bloodied wife who was in her underwear, while several people intervened stopping him from beating her.
A bystander also accused the man of beating his wife for more than four years. Read more
Nigeria remains top investment destination, Tinubu assures global investors (Leadership)
President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, in Abuja, assured the international investment community that his administration would ensure that Nigeria remains a top-level destination for offshore and onshore investments.
Receiving the Group Chairman and CEO of Total Energies Worldwide, Mr. Patrick Pouyanne, the President in a statement by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, reiterated the federal government’s commitment to remove all anti-investment impediments in the country.
“We are committed to removing all cobwebs and anti-investment impediments in the oil and gas industry. We have a clear path that we are committed to pursuing. We are ready to work with you,” President Tinubu said. Read more
Troops arrest 11 suspected terrorist logistic suppliers in Zamfara (Guardian)
The troops of the Joint Task Force North West Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) arrested 11 suspected terrorist logistics suppliers to a notorious terrorist kingpin in Zamfara state.
Also in a search and rescue operation along Gobirawan Chali and Dangulbi areas along the Dansadau axis in Maru local government area of Zamfara State, 13 kidnapped victims were rescued.
The victims were abandoned by the fleeing terrorists in the late hours of Sunday. Read more
Kano suspends hospital guards over negligence as woman delivers inside vehicle (Vanguard)
The Kano State government has suspended the security guards attached to Imam Wali Maternity Hospital in the state for negligence of duty which resulted in a pregnant woman delivering her baby in a vehicle at the front of the hospital.
The Executive Secretary, Kano State Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Mansur Nagoda confirmed the suspension of the security guards in a statement by the board’s Public Relations Officer, Samira Suleiman.
Dr. Nagoda said the patient’s husband knocked endlessly but the security guards were nowhere to be found which prompted the husband to make a video as the incident was going on and made it go viral. Read more
Fears over pandemic as BSUTH awaits executive nod to dispose over 100 unclaimed corpses (Sun)
The management of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Makurdi, said it is presently waiting for an executive order from the state Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia and the state commissioner of police to enable them dispose the over 100 unclaimed corpses at the hospital’s mortuary.
The Chief Medical Director, BSUTH, Dr. Stephen Hwande, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in his office in Makurdi, on Monday.
Recall that on assumption of duty as the new CMD BSUTH, Hwande had announced that he inherited over 100 dead bodies that were not claimed at the hospital mortuary. Read more
Kano suspends hospital guards over negligence as woman delivers inside vehicle (Vanguard)
The Kano State government has suspended the security guards attached to Imam Wali Maternity Hospital in the state for negligence of duty which resulted in a pregnant woman delivering her baby in a vehicle at the front of the hospital.
The Executive Secretary, Kano State Hospitals Management Board, Dr. Mansur Nagoda confirmed the suspension of the security guards in a statement by the board’s Public Relations Officer, Samira Suleiman.
Dr. Nagoda said the patient’s husband knocked endlessly but the security guards were nowhere to be found which prompted the husband to make a video as the incident was going on and made it go viral. Read more
Sign bill against sexual harassment, NANS urges Tinubu (DailyTrust)
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Bola Tinubu to sign the sexual harassment prohibition bill for tertiary institutions into law.
The call is coming after the suspension of the dean of faculty of law at the University of Calabar, over sexual harassment allegations.
In a statement on Monday, Pedro Chibuzo Obi, President of the Association, said the President’s assent to the bill would put an end to “pervasive practice in our Tertiary institutions by randy lecturers who have turned themselves to beast.”Read more
Police detain man for stabbing friend to death (Punch)
The Ogun State Police Command said it has arrested a suspect identified simply as Okereke who allegedly stabbed his friend, Ibere Okorie, to death during an argument over a female lover.
PUNCH Online gathered from a police source on Monday that Okereke and Okorie had left for a business trip from Ijebu-Ode to Niger State when the incident occurred.
According to information obtained by our correspondent, Okereke and Okorie decided to stay at a hotel in Mokwa due to the stress they had endured on the trip. Read more
Celine Dion has ‘‘lost control of her muscles’’ amid stiff person syndrome battle, sister says (PageSix)
Celine Dion’s sister, Claudette Dion, is sharing a heartbreaking update about the superstar’s battle with stiff person syndrome.
Claudette recently told Canada’s 7 Jours that Celine, 55, has “lost control of her muscles,” per the Daily Mail, as the debilitating condition has worsened over time.
“What breaks my heart is that she’s always been disciplined,” she told the outlet. “She’s always worked hard. Our mother always told her, ‘You’re going to do it well. You’re going to do it properly.’” Read more
Drake seen on crutches after suffering ankle injury on vacation (HipHopDx)
Drake seems to get injured more than any non-athlete in music and has now suffered an ankle sprain while on vacation.
The 6 God revealed he hurt his ankle during Sunday’s (December 17) livestream for the $1million Stake giveaway while he was hanging poolside in Turks and Caicos.
“I’m sitting down for today’s stream,” Drake said. “I rolled my ankle yesterday. I’m keeping it real with you. That’s the bad news.” Read more
Hamas video shows elderly Israeli captives pleading for release (Aljazeera)
Hamas has posted a video of three elderly Israeli captives pleading for their immediate release.
The Palestinian group’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, posted the one-minute video, titled Don’t Let Us Grow Old Here, on its Telegram account on Monday.
The men – identified by Israeli officials as 79-year-old Chaim Peri, 80-year-old Yoram Metzger and 84-year-old Amiram Cooper – were taken to Gaza on October 7 when Hamas launched attacks inside Israeli territory, killing 1,147 people and taking about 240 captives. Read more
James McCaffrey, actor who voiced Alan Wake and Max Payne video games, dies at 65 (NBC)
James McCaffrey, who lent his voice to characters in video games like Alan Wake and Max Payne, has died at 65 from cancer, his manager told Variety.
Representatives for McCaffrey did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News.
The actor was best known as the voice behind Max Payne, the gruff New York City cop-turned-vigilante, in the 2001 first-person shooter game developed by Rockstar Games and Remedy Entertainment. McCaffrey would go on to reprise the role in two more Max Payne titles. Read more
Bride shares emotional vows. groom only promises to ‘smack that a–‘ instead, shocking everyone (People)
A Kentucky couple is going viral after a moment from their wedding is garnering major attention online.
Kaitlin Brooks and Cody Sheehan’s September wedding in Kentucky went viral after footage was shared by videographer Samuel Foree for CK Entertainment Services. The vendor shared a clip across social media of Cody’s memorable vows.
After heartfelt vows from his bride, Cody looked at his officiant, then his wife-to-be, as he said, “I promise to smack that a– every chance I get.” Read more
Rishi Sunak piles pressure on Israel as he calls for Gaza ceasefire (Independent)
Rushi Sunak has piled pressure on Israel over the need for a “sustainable ceasefire” in Gaza, saying that “too many lives have been lost” in the bombardment of the territory.
It came as Mr Sunak’s former defence secretary Ben Wallace warned that Israel’s indiscriminate “killing rage” in Gaza risks fuelling the conflict “for another 50 years” and radicalising young Muslims across the world.
Mr Wallace said Israel could lose moral and legal authority over its war on Hamas, which was in response to an attack inside Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 240 others taken hostage. Read more
Egypt’s Sisi delivers victory speech after securing 3rd term (AfricaNews)
Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has won a third term with 89.6 percent of the vote in the Arab world’s most populous nation, the national election authority said Monday.
The outcome of the December 10-12 poll was widely expected after the former army chief with a fondness for infrastructure mega-projects campaigned against a small field of relative unknowns.
It secures 69-year-old Sisi his third and, according to the Egyptian constitution, final term in office, starting in April and set to run for six years. Read more
‘It’s a big privilege’ — Balogun elated to win more silverware with Rangers (CompleteSports)
Leon Balogun has stated that it is a privilege for him to win more silverware with Rangers.
Balogun returned to the Ibrox in the summer after spending one year with Sky Bet Championship club Queen Park Rangers.
The 35-year-old won the Scottish Premiership in the 2020/21 season and the Scottish Cup in the 2021/22 campaign during his first stint at the club. Read more
Moffi to resume full training before AFCON – Report (Guardian)
OGC Nice striker, Terem Moffi, has been declared not doubtful to take part in the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.
Moffi was earlier reported to be a huge doubt for the tournament due to a hamstring injury that he sustained on Saturday.
However, the striker will resume full training this week contrary to speculations that he has suffered a hamstring injury that could keep him out of the AFCON. Read more
Nigeria must be mentally ready – Onyeka (Punch)
Super Eagles midfielder, Frank Onyeka, has warned his teammates that they must be mentally and physically prepared to take on the rest of Africa when the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Ivory Coast next year, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 2023 AFCON will be played in Ivory Coast between January 13 and February 11, 2024.
Nigeria have been drawn alongside the host, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea, who pulled off a couple of upsets to reach the quarter-finals at the last edition in Cameroon. Read more
Suns’ Bradley Beal out 2 weeks with right ankle sprain (ABC)
The Phoenix Suns will be without guard Bradley Beal for at least two weeks as he rehabs a right ankle sprain, the team announced Monday.
Beal will be reevaluated at the start of January.
Beal suffered the injury during the first quarter of Friday’s loss to the New York Knicks after attempting a 3-pointer and landing on Donte DiVincenzo’s foot. Read more
Seb Coe criticises Paris Olympic bosses amid £595 ticket furore (Standard)
Seb Coe has criticised Paris 2024 bosses over the cost of tickets for the Olympics, warning they were pricing out real fans and athletes’ families from going to the Games.
Tickets start from as much as £595 for certain sessions of the athletics at the Stade de France, a price tag the World Athletics president warned Games organisers about.
He said: “We have made the point that the prices are lumpy. It is important that our stadiums are full of people that love our sport, not people that can afford to get to an Olympics.
“These are going to be the most expensive ticket prices in an athletics arena that we have witnessed at an Olympic Games.” Read more
Paris 2024: Meet Team GB’s taekwondo star hoping to turn the tables on Tokyo 2020 team-mate (Mirror)
Rebecca McGowan, the 23-year-old from Dumbarton, has enjoyed a stellar 2023, winning silver medals at both the World Championships and the Grand Prix Final, the latter in Manchester earlier this month
Rebecca McGowan went to Tokyo 2020 as an understudy to three-time taekwondo world champion Bianca Cook (née Walkden) – now she is crossing her fingers that she has done enough earn selection for Paris ahead of her illustrious teammate.
The 23-year-old from Dumbarton has enjoyed a stellar 2023, winning silver medals at both the World Championships and the Grand Prix Final, the latter in Manchester earlier this month. That was enough to clinch a quota place for Team GB in Paris next year, but now there is a decision for GB Taekwondo and performance director Gary Hall to make between McGowan and two-time Olympic bronze medallist Cook with just one spot per weight category. Read more