Man jailed for beating pregnant girlfriend to death (Punch)
An FCT High Court in Apo, on Tuesday, sentenced one Clement James to ten years in prison for beating his pregnant girlfriend, Gladys Gabriel, to death. Justice Angela Otaluka while delivering judgment, said: “I have considered the plea in mitigation by the learned counsel to the convict. “The convict is a young man but I hope that after serving the jail term he will have more respect for women.’’ Considering the fact that a pregnant woman is a ticking time boom that can explode at any time, engaging her in a fight is bad. Read more
Fani-Kayode urges Atiku to form parallel government (Guardian)
A chieftain of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Femi Fani-Kayode on Tuesday urged the party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar to form a parallel government in the country if not declared winner of the presidential election. “He must reject the results and give the FG an ultimatum to declare the authentic results, failure of which he will form a Govt,” Fani-Kayode said in a tweet. After the announcement of results from 16 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it was evident that incumbent president Muhammadu Buhari was in the lead with over a million votes between him and Atiku. Read more
Buhari meets El-Rufai in Aso Villa (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari has met with Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai at the State House. The meeting, which was announced via the verified Twitter handle of Presidency Nigeria @NGRPresident, was said to be a briefing of Mr.President by Governor El-Rufai on the security situation in Kaduna State. See the tweet: Read more
Tambuwal confirms 16 killed in fresh bandits’ attack on Sokoto (Punch)
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has confirmed the death of 16 people in a fresh banditry at Dalijan, Rakkoni and Kalhu communities in the Rabah Local Government Area of the state. Tambuwal made the announcement at a news conference on Tuesday in Sokoto, saying that the incident occurred on Monday night. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the banditry, which started in Sokoto State on July 9 last year has taken a total of 81 lives. The governor called on security agencies to intensify efforts at safeguarding the people’s lives and property. Read more
Akpabio loses re-election to Senate (Guardian)
Nigeria lawmaker Senator Godswill Akpabio of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has failed to secure a return to the National Assembly. Akpabio, a former minority leader of the Senate, lost the election of Akwa Ibom North Senatorial District to the People’s Democratic Party candidate Christopher Stephen Ekpenyong. INEC Returning Officer Professor Peter Ogban noted in his declared Ekpenyong as the Senator-elect of Akwa Ibom North. Ekpeyong polled 118,215 votes to beat Akpabio of APC who scored 83,158 votes. Read more
Police van, houses burnt as gunmen sack Kaduna villages (Punch)
Gunmen on Tuesday attacked Maro Village in Kajuru Local Government Area and part of Kachia Village, in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State. In the renewed attack on the village, many houses and a Police patrol van were said to have been razed. The village came under attack two weeks ago where several people lost their lives. A source told our correspondent that bandits in hundreds invaded that community with dangerous weapons. Read more
Police beef up security at Rivers INEC office (Punch)
The security in and around the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was, on Tuesday, beefed up by armed personnel from the state Police Command. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that apart from the security beef-up on INEC premises, Aba Road where the office is situated is also under heavy security. NAN observed that two out of the four carriageways were closed to traffic, while security personnel lined up along the remaining two lanes in use, controlling traffic. Read more
Man kills 21 co-workers with poisoned sandwich (Punch)
A man accused of poisoning his co-workers over the years by serving them doctored sandwiches acted like a scientist. He was checking to see how his subjects reacted to various substances, a psychologist told a German court on Tuesday. The accused identified as Klaus O, 57 was arrested in 2018 in the aftermath of 21 deaths of company employees in the town of Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock. “Listening to his statements about his motive, he came across like a researcher who was trying to see how different substances affected rabbits.’’ Read more
Bank of England prepares cash access boost before Brexit (Guardian)
The Bank of England on Tuesday said it was preparing to give lenders greater access to cash borrowing in its latest move to help bring financial stability ahead of Brexit. “The Bank will increase the frequency of existing market-wide sterling (cash loans)… from monthly to weekly over the weeks surrounding the planned EU withdrawal date,” the BoE said in a statement. “This change will apply from March and will run until end April.” Read more
French Islamic State accused handed over to face trial in Iraq (BBC)
Thirteen French citizens accused of fighting for the Islamic State group are to be tried in Iraq rather than face charges back home in France. Iraqi President Barham Saleh said the 13 were handed over by Syrian Kurdish forces last month. French President Emmanuel Macron declined to comment, saying it was a sovereign matter for Iraq. The news comes as several Western countries struggle with the fate of alleged militants returning from Syria. Read more
Spain’s foreign minister to stand for European elections (Guardian)
Spain’s Foreign Minister Josep Borrell, who was once president of the European parliament, will stand for European elections in May, his Socialist party said Tuesday. The 71-year-old veteran Catalan politician, who is staunchly pro-EU and fiercely critical of his region’s independence movement, will head up the Socialists’ list for the May 26 polls, a party spokeswoman said. Borrell became foreign minister in June when Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez ousted his conservative predecessor in a no-confidence vote. Read more
Putin spokesman Peskov’s daughter working for EU (BBC)
Concerns have been raised after it emerged that Elizaveta Peskova, the daughter of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, is interning for a French member of the European Parliament. The right-wing MEP Aymeric Chauprade said Ms Peskova’s internship with him began in November 2018 and would run until late April. Fellow MEPs have objected to her having access to meetings and databases. But a Parliament spokeswoman said Ms Peskova could only see public files. Read more
Balakot: Indian air strikes target militants in Pakistan (BBC)
India says it launched air strikes against militants in Pakistani territory, in a major escalation of tensions between the two countries. The government said strikes targeted a training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group in Balakot. Pakistan said the strikes hit an empty area but vowed to respond. Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have been strained since a suicide attack earlier this month that killed more than 40 Indian troops. Read more
Algeria students demonstrate against 5th term for Bouteflika (Guardian)
Hundreds of students protested on the main campus of the University of Algiers on Tuesday against ailing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term, in the latest rally against his candidacy. University guards locked the gates of the city centre campus to prevent students from spilling onto the streets of the capital, which had seen a massive anti-Bouteflika protest on Friday, AFP reporters said. Around 500 students, many of them waving Algerian flags shouted “No to a fifth term” and “Bouteflika get out”, as security forces, including riot police, stood outside the campus gates. Read more
Mother and daughter ‘killed 5 relatives and claimed victims “wanted to die” (Metro)
A mother and her daughter murdered five relatives – including three children – then claimed their victims ‘wanted to die,’ police say. Shana Decree, 45, and her 19-year-old daughter, Dominique, have both been charged with five counts of murder after the victims were found dead in a Morrisville, Pennsylvania apartment Monday. The victims were identified as Shana’s two nine-year-old twin daughters and her Sister Jamilla Campbell, 42, Naa’irah Smith, 25, and Damon Decree, 13, according to authorities. Read more
CAF Confed Cup: We’ll get 3 points in Enugu – Chukwu (Vanguard)
Super Eagles former coach and Technical Adviser of Rangers International of Enugu, Christian Chukwu said yesterday that the club would defeat Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia in a return leg. Chukwu said in Abuja that Rangers could spring up surprises anytime and anywhere. “Rangers I know will take their own pound of flesh in Enugu, if the Tunisians come to Enugu. “We are not unbeatable but we will beat them in Enugu anytime they come,” Chukwu said. Read more
Maurizio Sarri reveals how Cesar Azpilicueta helped solve bust-up with Kepa (Metro)
Maurizio Sarri has revealed that Cesar Azpilicueta has played a role in diffusing the dressing room tension following the bust-up with Kepa in the Carabao Cup final. Kepa has been fined a week’s wages after he refused to leave the pitch as a substitute before the penalty shootout against Manchester City. Azpilicueta received criticism after the incident as he made no attempt to join David Luiz in forcing the Spanish goalkeeper to leave the field. But when asked if he felt Azpilicueta should have done more following Kepa’s refusal to obey instructions, Sarri replied: ‘The captain spoke to me immediately after the match, then he spoke with Kepa. Read more
Ikeme slams Chelsea goalkeeper over gross insubordination (Vanguard)
Ex Nigerian international Carl Ikeme has stated that it was extremely wrong for Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to have refused to be substituted by his coach Maurizio Sarri after his number was up for substitution in the Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City last Sunday. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper who retired from the sport after been diagnosed with acute leukaemia in early 2018 stated that although it is always difficult to accept some substitutions after one has played his heart out on the pitch, the best thing to do is accept the coach’s decision then deal with the issue later instead of creating a scene. Read more
FIFA begins Visa pre-sale phase of tickets for Poland 2019 (Punch)
Federation of International Football Associations on Tuesday said football fans would soon have the opportunity to secure seats for the 2019 FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Poland. FIFA, in a statement on its website, indicated that the sport’s fans in Poland and all over the globe would have this opportunity from midday on Tuesday until March 5. The world football governing body, however, pointed out that this would be for Visa cardholders. Read more
Lionel Messi a special friend and a rare breed, says Neymar (Nation)
Neymar has spoken of his admiration for former Barcelona team-mate Lionel Messi, who he says gave him support when he needed it most. The Brazilian, who has since moved on to Paris Saint-Germain, struggled to hold back the tears as he praised Messi for his help during a tough period in his life. ‘It’s a story I tell everyone,’ he said in an interview with Globo Esporte. ‘At the time, when I needed the most support, the man on the team, the best in the world, came and gave me love. Read more