Lagos welder brutalises sexagenarian, wife over electricity bill (Punch)
A sexagenarian, Paul Okedare, and his wife, Funke, are in pain after a co-tenant, identified only as Tunde, allegedly brutalised them at their residence on Unity Street, in the Ikotun area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Tunde, a welder, had a disagreement with the couple which bordered on his inability to pay his share of the house electricity bill.
Our correspondent learnt that Funke was in the kitchen preparing food for her 62-year-old husband when she went to the corridor to fetch water from a drum.
While fetching the water, Tunde, who was also fetching water from his drum, allegedly splashed water on the woman. Read more
Residents lament bad roads, insecurity in FESTAC Town (Guardian)
For residents of FESTAC Town in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, thuggery, bad roads, indiscriminate parking of container-laden trucks, among other vices, have become a daily phenomenon.
According to residents, the once peaceful and beautiful FESTAC has become a den for suspected thugs who allegedly extort, rob and engage in other nefarious activities.
In ‘Festival town,’ cars are parked on gas pipeline, there are illegal holding bays for containers, unapproved mini markets and kiosks are erected on the walkways.
Some residents warned that there could be an imminent gas pipeline explosion if measures are not taken to address the situation. Suspected miscreants are said to have turned the gas pipeline to parking lots for workers in Apapa, who leave their cars to board ferry to their various destinations in a bid to avoid the Apapa gridlock. Read more
Fire destroys another Lagos market (DailyTrust)
A midnight fire has destroyed property worth millions of naira at the Agboju Market in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The incident which occurred in the wee hours of Sunday came barely 10 days after fire razed down a market at Ijesha.
Although no life was lost in both incidences, many people sustained burns while trying to salvage their goods.
The cause of the recent fire could not be ascertained as at press time, but rescuers from the state and federal fire services, as well as officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and the police, were on ground to rescue the situation. Read more
EFCC arrests 16 suspected internet fraudsters in Lagos (Punch)
The Lagos Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested 16 suspects in the Lekki area of the state for alleged Internet fraud.
Some of the suspects are Habeeb Adebayo, Marcus Wisdom, Caleb Ezekiel, Akinduro Henry, Osarobo Osasere, and Oyelami Olatunji.
Others are Pelumi Glory, Ehibor Joseph, Emmanuel Timileyin, Jefta Akpan, Okirhie Rukewe, Oxford Robbinson, Onyeka Odika, Uzoma Gideon, Adebayo Oluwatobi, and Isreal Ugochukwu.
A statement on Monday by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed that the suspects were rounded up on January 21 at the Ziroc Residence Hotel, Lekki, by operatives who had been tracking their activities. Read more
Edo bemoans community spread as fresh COVID-19 cases rise to 132 (Guardian)
Edo State Government has expressed concern over rising community spread in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, as it recorded 132 new confirmed cases and two deaths in the last 72 hours.
COVID-19 Incident Manager, Dr. Andrew Obi, disclosed this in a virtual meeting of the Task Force, chaired by Governor Godwin Obaseki. He noted that 90 per cent of the newly confirmed cases got infected through community transmission, urging residents to be cautious and observe precautionary and safety protocols against the spread of the virus.
He explained that the 132 new cases recorded in the last 72 hours were reported from 728 samples collected within the time frame, adding that the state currently has 500 active cases. Obi pointed out that 34 additional health workers were infected, adding that Oredo, Egor, Esan West and Etsako West councils have higher cases. Read more
Without restructuring, Nigeria risks becoming failed state, Atiku warns (ThisDay)
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday warned that if the foundational challenges preventing the federal government from discharging its responsibilities are not resolved, Nigeria risks becoming a failed state.
He also cautioned against ignoring the growing calls for restructuring, saying that doing so could lead to a potential fulfilment of recent predictions that Nigeria could soon become a failed state.
He advised that Nigeria cannot continue to toe the same path and expect a different result, noting that many of the challenges facing the nation were foundational problems that needed to be resolved collectively. Read more
Miyetti Allah yields on night grazing, forest reserves (DailyTrust)
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has reached agreement for herders to stop night grazing, underage grazing and illegal occupation of government reserves.
The agreement was reached at a meeting with the Nigerian Governors Forum, led by Kayode Fayemi, on Monday in Akure.
Many feared dead, houses burnt as IPOB, police, army clash in Orlu
FG approves recruitment of 30,000 agric graduates for NALDA
The meeting had in attendance the governors of Jigawa, Kebbi, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo and Ondo.
The meeting held at the International Centre for Culture and Events (DOME), Alagbaka was aimed at finding lasting solutions to the incessant killings, kidnapping and crises between herdsmen and farmers in the state. Read more
Police rescue 20-year-old girl locked up by father for five years (Guardian)
Police operatives, in conjunction with Osun State government, have rescued Opeyemi Olatoke, 20, locked up for five years by her father in an abandoned house at Alfa Fire, Ikirun, in Ifelodun Local Government Area.
The father of the young woman, Samson Olatoke, has also been arrested. A statement on Monday by the Commissioner for Women, Children and Social Affairs, Olubukola Olaboopo, stated that the case was reported to her office by a non-governmental organisation, Value Female Network.
Mrs. Olaboopo said: “The ministry and the police swung into action. We went to the house where the 20-year-old girl was locked up by her father. The father disclosed that he locked up the girl because she was physically challenged. The victim’s mother informed us that Opeyemi’s health started to deteriorate when she shouted from her sleep at age four and since then, she was lame.”
According to the statement, founder of the NGO, Aderibigbe Costly, explained that an anonymous source disclosed the information to the NGO and that the suspect fed his daughter “once in a while.” Read more
FG extends COVID-19 lockdown measures by four weeks (ThisDay)
The federal government has extended the guidelines on phase three of the eased lockdown by one month with effect from today.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, announced this yesterday at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing in Abuja.
Mustapha, who chairs the task force, said cases of B117 strain of COVID-19 have been recorded in Nigeria.
The strain was first reported in the United Kingdom and South Africa.
The PTF also put the cost of each dose of the vaccines at between $3 and $10. Read more
Central African Republic surrenders war crimes suspect to ICC (DW)
Central African Republic has handed over an suspected militia commander to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to face accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Mahamat Said Abdel Kani was an alleged leader of the mostly Muslim Seleka rebels, the Hague-based ICC said in a statement on Sunday night.
Two other suspects in the violence in Central African Republic are currently on trial at the ICC. Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona, former head of the football federation, and Alfred Yekatom are from the largely Christian anti-Balaka militias. Read more
Twitter pilot to let users flag ‘false’ content (BBC)
Twitter is asking its users for help in combating fake news.
It has announced a pilot that allows people to submit notes on tweets that may be false or misleading.
The initiative, named ‘Birdwatch’, is being trialled among a small group in the US initially. The firm acknowledged the new system would have to be “resistant to manipulation attempts”.
Companies like Twitter are looking at how they can better moderate their platforms. Read more
Microsoft walks back Xbox Live price hike after gamer outrage (NYPost)
Microsoft would rather lose a little money than lose customers to PlayStation.
The tech titan walked back planned price hikes for its Xbox Live gaming service after outraged players threatened to abandon the flagship console.
“We messed up today and you were right to let us know,” Microsoft’s Xbox Live Gold team said in a blog post late Friday. “Connecting and playing with friends is a vital part of gaming and we failed to meet the expectations of players who count on it every day.”
Microsoft reversed course just about 15 hours after announcing plans to charge $59.99 for a six-month subscription to Xbox Live Gold, which currently buys a full year of the service. Read more
Poor whites in ‘left behind’ towns miss out on uni (BBC)
Poor white youngsters in England’s former industrial towns and those living on the coast are among the most likely to miss out on university, warns the watchdog for fair access.
“These are the people and places that have been left behind,” says Chris Millward of the Office for Students.
The watchdog has used a new measure to see which groups are likely or not to go to university.
MPs are investigating low attainment among white working class pupils. Read more
MTV star Charlie Balducci’s cause of death revealed (NYPost)
The cause of death of one of reality TV’s first breakout stars has been revealed.
MTV’s “True Life” scene stealer Charlie Balducci succumbed to “acute intoxication” from a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs, the city medical examiner’s office confirmed to The Post on Monday.
Oxycodone, hydrocodone and Alprazolam — the anti-anxiety drug commonly known as Xanax — were found in the bloodstream of the 44-year-old native New Yorker, who was discovered unresponsive on July 25 at his Staten Island home. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Better known as “Charlie B,” the flamboyant entertainer was a proud pioneer of the reality genre after starring in “True Life: I’m Getting Married” back in 2001. MTV cameras followed him for four months while he prepared to wed his fiancée, Sabrina. Read more
Ana de Armas spent nine months perfecting her Marilyn Monroe voice for upcoming Netflix biopic (Metro)
Ana de Armas had to work hard at transforming into Marilyn Monroe as the actress revealed it took nine months to get the star’s voice right. The Cuban actress, 32, is the latest star to take on the challenge of playing one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures in upcoming Netflix film, Blonde. It turns out preparation for the biopic was even more tasking than the Knives Out actress had been anticipating. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Ana admitted it took months to nail the accent as she explained: ‘I tried! It only took me nine months of dialect coaching, and practicing, and some ADR sessions.’ ‘It was a big torture, so exhausting. My brain was fried,’ she added. Read more
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to resign Tuesday (DW)
The office of Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has announced that he will offer his resignation on Tuesday in hopes of securing a mandate for a new government.
The office said Conte has scheduled a Cabinet meeting for 9 a.m. (0800 GMT/UCT), “during which the prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, will inform ministers of his desire to go to the Quirinal [President Sergio Mattarella’s office] to resign.”
Italy has been gripped by political turmoil in recent weeks, mainly over the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic — which has devastated the country. Conte’s government began to wobble out of control on January 14 when former Prime Minister Matteo Renzi withdrew the support of his Italia Viva party, robbing the government of its majority. Read more
Enyimba down Adamawa in league thriller (Punch)
Goals from in-form winger Anayo Iwuala and defender Imo Obot ensured Enyimba returned to winning ways in their match-day six encounter against Adamawa United in a Nigeria Professional Football League fixture on Monday at the Pantami Stadium, Gombe.
It is Enyimba’s first away win this season, with the result taking them to third in the league table behind leaders Nasarawa United and Rivers United.
Iwuala gave the visitors the lead in the eighth minute, while Obot increased the lead in the 32nd minute.
The hosts pulled one back through Idris Abubakar from the penalty spot but The People’s Elephant held on for the win. Read more
NBBF mulls bubble format for 2021 domestic league season (DailyTrust)
The Engineer Musa Kida led board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation is planning to introduce the bubble format for the 2021 domestic basketball season.
This is in light of the recent successes of the bubble format initiated by the National Basketball Association (NBA) as well as FIBA Africa during its last Afrobasket qualification series in Kigali, Rwanda.
The option is being considered owing to the harsh reality of the covid-19 pandemic and the new normal, there is a need to quickly adapt to the situation.
The board said, “What we are trying to do most especially in basketball is to learn from the experience that we have had from the organisation of the NBA where they set up bubbles and people played as long as they were kept in one place with very limited contact with the outside world.” Read more
Football legend Onome Ebi helping next generation of Nigerian female footballers (DW)
Onome Ebi has come from humble beginnings to represent Nigeria in five World Cups. But her difficult journey to the top has made her want to help other promising young female footballers make it to the top.
Onome Ebi is one of Nigeria’s most accomplished and famous female footballers. She has played in five World Cups — the only African player to do so — and is the one Nigerian player that most fans want their photograph taken with.
But like most African superstar athletes, she came from humble beginnings. She started life in a slum community in the Nigerian capital of Lagos but has gone on to beat the odds and enjoy a thriving career in Europe and, most recently, China.
“I started playing football when I was in my mom’s womb… I was so little when I started!” exclaims Ebi, who played the game just for fun as a child until her first coach discovered her talent and advised her to pursue a professional career. Read more
Jessica Korda wins Tournament of Champions in Florida after play-off (BBC)
Jessica Korda claimed a dramatic play-off victory to win the LPGA Tour’s Tournament of Champions in Florida.
Korda, who shot a 60 in the third round, carded a five-under 66 in round four to finish joint top on 24 under with Danielle Kang.
Kang was the overnight leader by two shots and hit a final round of 68.
Korda then sank a 25-foot putt birdie on the first play-off hole to beat fellow American Kang to the victory and claim her sixth LPGA title.
“It’s amazing,” said Korda. “It’s been a crazy week.” Read more
Harthorne Wingo, member of Knicks NBA championship team, dead at 73 (NYPost)
You could almost hear Monday morning the echoes of Marv Albert’s chime: “And chants of ‘Win-go!’ have risen up at the Garden.”
Harthorne Wingo, a former Knicks forward and cult hero, has passed away at age 73, according to sources.
Wingo, a North Carolina native, played four seasons with the 1970s Knicks before going overseas. Wingo was a bit player on the 1972-73 championship team playing in 13 games, averaging four minutes.
But later on, the undrafted 6-foot-6 forward became a fan favorite and was immortalized in the Beastie Boys song “Lay It On Me” with the lyric: “My favorite New York Knick was Harthorne Wingo.” Read more
Mourinho wants to fight on four fronts after late show of strength sees off Wycombe (BBC)
Jose Mourinho insists Tottenham will “not give up any competition” after late goals from Harry Winks and Tanguy Ndombele ensured Spurs overcame a scare against a spirited Wycombe side to reach the FA Cup fifth round.
Wycombe, bottom of the Championship, had stunned their Premier League opponents when Fred Onyedinma slotted in the opener midway through the first half.
But Gareth Bale marked a rare start with the equaliser just before half-time, hooking in Lucas Moura’s cross.
Tottenham upped the pressure in the second half, but Wycombe repelled numerous attacks as they looked set to take the game to extra time. Read more
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola offers support to Frank Lampard after dismissal at Chelsea (Metro)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has offered his support to Frank Lampard after he was dismissed by Chelsea and says he hopes they can meet over dinner once the lockdown eases. The Blues beat Luton Town to book their place in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday but the victory was not enough to save Lampard, with former Borussia Dortmund and PSG manager Thomas Tuchel in line to take over the reins in west London. In an official statement, Chelsea said the side’s poor run across an immensely disappointing winter period left them with little option and the ‘very difficult decision’ was made to sack the 42-year-old after just 18 months at the helm. Lampard talks to press after Chelsea beat Luton 3-1, his last before sacking Play Video Loaded: 0%Progress: 0% PlayMute Current Time0:00 / Duration Time10:24 Fullscreen Lampard came under intense pressure after his Chelsea side were comprehensively beaten by City at Stamford Bridge earlier this month – their fourth defeat in six games – and the result saw Guardiola’s men touted as genuine title challengers once again. Read more