Let your husband defend himself, Natasha tells Akpabio’s wife (Nation)
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) has asked Ekaette Akpabio, wife of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to refrain from getting involved in the allegations of sexual advances against her husband.
The Nation had reported that in an interview on Arise TV on Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Kogi central senator, alleged Akpabio made sexual advances towards her in his office and residence in Akwa Ibom.
The Senate President’s wife, who filed fundamental rights and defamation suits against the senator, said Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims were “lies” noting that her husband is a disciplined man. Read more
Akwa Ibom women protest, warn Natasha against abusing office of Senate president (Leadership)
Dozens of protesting Akwa Ibom women have expressed anger over the accusation of sexual harassment made by Senator Natasha Akpoti against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
They described the allegation as premeditated politically-motivated stunt to smear the number three citizen of Nigeria.
The women who were armed with placards of varying inscriptions held up traffic on major roads of Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital for several hours. Read more
‘Sexual Harassment’: ‘Be mindful of your actions,’ Saraki tells Akpabio, Natasha (DailyTrust)
Former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki has weighed into the dispute between Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and his counterpart from Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The dispute which started over a disagreement in the Senate has snowball into a messy affair following Natasha’s allegation of sexual harassment against the Senate President.
Natasha who is on suspension and referred to the Senate Ethics Committee, alleged, during a television interview, that Akpabio refused to take her motion for the Ajaokuta Steel Complex because she rejected his sexual advances. Read more
Igbo group describes Natasha’s actions as disrespectful to Senate, womanhood (ThisDay)
Igbo United Professionals (IUP) has described the actions of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over the decision of the Senate to change her seat, as disrespectful to not only the Senate as an institution but the womanhood in general.
The group said this in statement signed by its President, Chief Emmanuel Ikechukwu-Jonathan, Esq, and made available to newsmen in Enugu.
The IUP maintained that Sen. Akpoti’s follow up actions in the media where she deviated from the original subject matter to employing emotional blackmail against the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio and by implication the Senate, was highly unfortunate. Read more
Tinubu pays tribute to late Namibian leader Nujoma at state burial (Channels)
President Bola Tinubu has paid tribute to the late founding President of the Republic of Namibia, Dr. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, describing him as a warrior who galvanised Nigeria and other African nations to fight for his country’s freedom.
Nujoma was a revered figure who led his country to gain Independence, steering the nation on the path towards democracy and stability. He died on February 8, 2025, at the age of 95 at a hospital in Windhoek, where he had been confined for weeks due to an illness.
Speaking on Saturday during a state burial for the late Namibian leader held at Heroes’ Acre in Windhoek, Namibia, President Tinubu, said that Nujoma’s demise is not an exit from space and time, but the wake of his immortality in the minds of Africans. Read more
Nigerian women laud Tinubu for gender inclusivity (NewTelegraph)
Nigerian women have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the recommendation of the Director General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, to appoint Folashade Adekaiyaoja as the first ever Deputy Director General of the Service.
In an unprecedented move, President Tinubu in January approved Adekaiyaoja’s appointment as Deputy Director General.
Saturday Telegraph reports that her appointment seeks to revise the agency’s structure for better efficiency. Read more
Reinstated Lawmakers: Wike’s camp mocks Fubara over judgment, cancelled LG poll (Punch)
The political crisis in Rivers State took a fresh turn on Friday after the Supreme Court delivered judgment affirming Martin Amaewhule and 26 others as valid members of the State House of Assembly.
The verdict of the Supreme Court in Abuja had sparked wild jubilation among supporters of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in Rivers State.
Also, the 27 pro-Wike lawmakers, who are the major beneficiaries of the court judgment, held a plenary immediately they learnt about the ruling. Read more
NCAA denies shutting down Ibadan airport (Guardian)
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has dismissed a report that it has shut down the Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
A media report misconstrued a social media post by the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, Michael Achimugu, which states that subject to new information, the Ibadan airport may be shut down for six months for maintenance and upgrade, starting from early March.
In a new post, Achimugu lamented that his post was taken to mean the NCAA had shut down the airport. Read more
Blake Lively hires ex-CIA deputy chief amid Justin Baldoni legal battle (FilmNews)
Blake Lively has hired ex-CIA deputy chief of staff Nick Shapiro as her lawsuit against Justin Baldoni escalates.
The actress has stepped up her campaign in the ongoing legal dispute with her former colleague and collaborator, hiring ex-CIA deputy chief of staff Nick Shapiro as a crisis manager.
Blake’s legal team confirmed the new hiring, stating, “The litigation team for Ms Lively retained Mr Shapiro to advise on the legal communications strategy for the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit occurring in the Southern District of New York.” Read more
Sudanese military escalates fight affecting many children (AfricaNews)
The Sudanese military is intensifying its efforts to reclaim the capital, Khartoum, from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), but the battle is coming at a devastating cost, particularly for the country’s children. As fighting rages on, young lives are being torn apart by violence, hunger, and injury.
In the hospital in Omdurman, a heart breaking scene unfolds as a young girl screams in pain from severe burns caused by an explosion. Her mother, Khadija, is also badly burned after pulling her daughter to safety. The family managed to survive the shelling, but they have lost everything, and Khadija struggles to afford even basic care, unable to pay for her daughter’s bandages.
The hospital is overflowing with child patients, many suffering from war-related injuries, malnutrition, and sickness. According to Dr. Maha Hussein, the Director-General of the hospital, the ongoing war with the RSF has led to a flood of children in need of urgent medical attention. Read more
Woman in her 20s ‘chased into dead end and sexually assaulted’ by popular beach (Metro)
A woman in her 20s was followed and sexually assaulted close to Bournemouth Beach, say police.
The victim was walking along Meyrick Road at around 7pm on February 18.
She told Dorset Police a man approached her and began making inappropriate comments. Read more
4 dead and several missing after India avalanche (BBC)
At least four people have died and several others are missing after an avalanche hit the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, authorities have said.
A rescue operation has been under way after the avalanche swept away road construction workers in the village of Mana, which shares a border with Tibet, on Friday.
Some 50 people who were buried under snow and debris were rescued, but four died from their injuries, the Indian army said. Read more
Zelenskyy, Starmer to meet as Europe rallies for Ukraine amid Trump spat (AlJazeera)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as most of Europe rallies behind Kyiv after Zelenskyy’s public clash with United States President Donald Trump.
Starmer’s office said he would meet Zelenskyy in London on Saturday before a wider summit of European leaders on Sunday, which Downing Street said will focus on shoring up support for “securing a just and enduring peace” in Ukraine.
US support for Ukraine stands in doubt after a White House meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump on Friday devolved into a shouting match. Read more
Flames in the sky as Boeing plane is forced to make emergency landing (FOX)
A FedEx cargo plane made an emergency landing at Newark Airport in New Jersey Saturday morning after a bird strike caused one of its engines to catch fire, an airport official told Fox News Digital.
Dramatic video shows the plane banking right when it lets off a large plume of smoke as fire appears from its right engine.
Eyewitnesses said that they heard a loud explosion too, while another can be heard in one video frantically yelling, “Oh my God, oh my God.” Read more
FA Cup: Eze Features As Crystal Palace Edge Millwall (CompleteSports)
Crystal Palace star Ebere Eze was in action as Crystal Palace defeated Millwall 3-1 in Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round.
Eze was substituted in the 85th minute for Matheus França after an impressive display.
Palace took the game to their visitors after the restart, forcing numerous chances, and found the breakthrough on 33 minutes. Read more
Mourinho ban halved and fine reduced after appeal (BBC)
Jose Mourinho has had his four-match suspension halved by the Turkish Football Federation following a successful appeal by his club Fenerbahce.
The 62-year-old Portuguese manager has also seen his fine reduced from 1.6m Turkish lira (£35,000) to 558,000 (£12,200).
Mourinho’s club said on Thursday that it would appeal against the penalties after he was punished for two separate disciplinary matters following Monday’s 0-0 draw against local rivals Galatasaray. Read more
Jos Buttler resigns as England captain after Champions Trophy exit (AlJazeera)
Jos Buttler has announced his decision to step down as England’s limited-overs captain after a disastrous Champions Trophy campaign ended with them failing to reach the semifinals.
“I’m going to stand down as England captain, it’s the right decision for me and the team,” the 34-year-old said at a news conference on Friday.
“It’s the right decision for the team and hopefully somebody else who can come in and work closely alongside Baz [coach Brendon McCullum] to take the team back to where it needs to be. Read more
Mondo Duplantis breaks pole vault world record for 11th time, while his debut single plays around the stadium (CNN)
Centimeter by centimeter, Mondo Duplantis is soaring closer to the sky and securing his legacy as the greatest pole vaulter in history.
The 25-year-old Swede broke his own world record for the 11th time on Friday, clearing the bar at 6.27 meters while competing at the All Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand, France.
“I just felt really good,” he told reporters, according to Reuters. “What can I say, I came here to do it. I put everything in place to do it. The run-up worked really well. I just did it.” Read more
World Boxing promises ‘fair playing field’ for women (DW)
World Boxing, the body hoping to be in charge of the sport at the next Summer Olympics, has vowed to make boxer safety “absolutely paramount,” telling DW it will announce a policy on transgender and difference of sexual development (DSD) competitors in the “coming weeks.”
On Wednesday, the organization, which was formed in April 2023, received provisional recognition as an international sports federation from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the most significant step so far in a process that would safeguard boxing’s place at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.The IOC has run the boxing competition at the past two editions of the Olympics amid a governance dispute with the International Boxing Association (IBA), which, until World Boxing came along, was amateur boxing’s only global governing body. The IOC withdrew its recognition of the IBA in June 2023. Read more