Man stabs friend to death over debt, lands in jail (Punch)
A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has remanded a man, Bitrus Wurawa, for allegedly stabbing one Ezekiel Yohana to death with a jackknife at Kara Market, in the Ibeju-Lekki area of the state.
The defendant was arraigned on April 10, before Magistrate P. E Nwaka on one count of murder.
Yahana, 23, was said to have borrowed N14,000 from Wurawa in January and promised to repay in a few weeks. Read more
Anti-Datti Comment: Why I opposed Soyinka – Chimamanda Adichie (DailyTrust)
Literary guru, Chimamanda Adichie, has reacted to labeling of supporters of Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as fascists by Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
Soyinka, in an interview with Channels Television had accused Obi’s supporters referred to as Obidients of fascism over their refusal to entertain criticism, tagging it as their “badge of honour”.
In the interview, Soyinka had also described the vice presidential candidate of the LP, Baba Ahmed-Datti, as a fascist following an earlier interview where Datti said the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, should not be sworn in. Read more
Why UK Immigration officials detained Peter Obi at airport – Campaign office (Guardian)
The campaign office of Labour Party on Wednesday said Peter Obi was detained and harassed by immigration officers at Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom.
“He was questioned for a long time and it was very strange for a man who lived for over a decade in that country,” Labour Party campaign spokesman Diran Onifade said in a statement.
“Since Obi’s face was already an international frame, especially for Nigerians, Africans home, and in Diaspora who are likely to be Obidients, the people quickly raised their voices wondering why he was being delayed.” Read more
Iganmu warehouse gutted by fire (Independent)
Fire razed a complex housing five fully detached warehouses beside Nigerian Breweries, Iganmu, Apapa area of Lagos State.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed in a statement that properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed during the raging fire on Wednesday morning.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said there was no casualty record during the tragic fire incident. Read more
APC asks Tribunal to declare Kano guber election inconclusive (Vanguard)
The All Progressives Congress, (APC) Kano Chapter has filed a petition before a Kano Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for declaring Abba Kabir Yusuf of New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, winner of the election that was conducted in the state on 18th March 2023.
The petitioner, (APC) in a five-volume petition filed before the Tribunal is alleging that Abba Kabir Yusuf was not qualified to contest the election on the ground that his name was not in the list of members of NNPP sent to INEC.
The Petitioner, further alleged that NNPP didn’t win the election with the majority of lawful votes, arguing that some of the votes cast for them are invalid and if removed from their scores, APC will have the highest number of votes cast. Read more
Tankers’ fire razes fuel station, telecommunication mast in Ondo (Nation)
A petrol station in Akure and a telecommunication mast substation in Ondo town have been razed by fire.
The fire in separate incidents was ignited when tankers were dispensing fuel at the two stations.
It was learnt that the fire at the petrol station occurred along Dammy bus stop in Ijoka area of Akure, the Ondo State capital.
The arrival of fire fighters prevented the fire from spreading to other buildings in the area. Read more
Imo PDP holds gov primary, state chairman absent (Channels)
Ahead of the November 11 Governorship Election in Imo State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday held the party’s primary in its state secretariat along the Okigwe Road in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Off-cycle governorship elections are expected to hold in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states on November 11, 2023.
According to the State Organising Secretary of the PDP, Lawrence Biado, the seven-man electoral panel constituted by the National Working Committee headed by Kenneth Okon is present to monitor the primary in Imo. Read more
IMF urges CBN to continue raising interest rate (DailyTrust)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged the Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) to continue to tighten monetary policy rates to rein in inflation.
The IMF Director of Research Department, Pierre-Oliver Gourinchas said this while releasing the World Economic Outlook report at the ongoing IMF/World Bank Spring meetings in Washington DC.
The fund in its World Economic Outlook (WEO) ‘A Rocky Recovery’ also upgraded Nigeria’s growth prospects for 2024 to 3 per cent, an upgrade of 0.1 per cent from its last WEO released in January. Read more
Prince Harry to attend coronation without Meghan (BBC)
Prince Harry will come to the King’s coronation but Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will not be attending, Buckingham Palace has said.
There had been speculation about whether the couple would travel to the coronation but it has now emerged that Prince Harry will attend alone.
Prince Harry will join more than 2,000 guests at Westminster Abbey on 6 May.
It will be the first time he will have been seen with the Royal Family since his bombshell memoir, Spare. Read more
Priscilla Presley insists there’s ‘no feud’ with granddaughter Riley Keough over Lisa Marie Presley’s will (Metro)
Priscilla Presley has shut down rumours of a ‘feud’ between herself and granddaughter Riley Keough as the family mourns the death of Lisa Marie Presley.
Lisa Marie, daughter of musical icon Elvis and Priscilla, died suddenly in January aged just 54.
The mother-of-four, whose son Benjamin died by suicide in 2020, has 14-year-old twin girls with ex husband Michael Lockwood, and an adult daughter Keough, 33. Read more
Paul Simon to release ‘‘Seven Psalms,’’ 1st album of newly written material in 7 years (Variety)
Paul Simon has announced a new album, “Seven Psalms,” a suite-like conceptual album that he says is meant to be listened to as one 33-minute piece of work, containing seven distinct but interlinked songs, or “movements.”
The May 19 release will mark the first all-new collection he’s put out since 2016’s “Stranger to Stranger” and the first studio album of any sort since “In the Blue Light” in 2018, an album of re-recordings of older songs.
The release is also due to have a companion documentary, “In Restless Dreams,” directed by Alex Gibney, according to a title card at the end of a trailer Simon has released for the upcoming album. No official announcement of that film has yet been made. Read more
Rihanna, A$AP Rocky’s son celebrates Easter in a playpen full of bunnies (PageSix)
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s son already loves the camera.
The Super Bowl halftime show star shared a series of sweet snaps from her mini-me’s first Easter celebration on Tuesday.
“Look at heeeeee!!!!” she captioned one photo set, which showed her 11-month-old bub sitting in a playpen full of bunnies.
The little one was all smiles as he browsed “How To Catch The Easter Bunny” and rocked a diamond-encrusted pearl necklace. Read more
Gérard Depardieu: 13 women accuse actor of sexually inappropriate behaviour in new report (Guardian)
A new investigation has alleged multiple incidents of sexually inappropriate behaviour by the actor Gérard Depardieu. French investigative website Mediapart published on Wednesday the results of a months-long examination of Depardieu’s on-set actions over an almost-20 year period, ending last year.
The report, which features testimony from 13 women, alleges multiple incidents of obscene comments, groping and inappropriate acts by Depardieu on high-profile TV and film sets, including Netflix series Marseille, period biopic Dumas and the comedy Big House.
The star declined to comment to the Mediapart director, but lawyers for Depardieu denied any criminal behaviour. Paris-based law firm Cabinet Temime said they felt the report was based on “very subjective assessments and/or moral judgments”. Read more
Wicked filmmaker Jon M. Chu to direct Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘‘Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’’ for Amazon Studios (Deadline)
Wicked filmmaker Jon M. Chu will direct a new film version of the famed Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for Amazon Studios.
Chu will reunite with his In The Heights producing partner Scott Sanders to develop and shoot the musical treatment of the Old Testament tale of Joseph, who is driven from his home by his 11 jealous brothers.
Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group has long wanted to develop the show into a Hollywood spectacular and had been seeking partners to achieve that aim. Read more
US Embassy officials still not allowed to visit WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia (NYPost)
US Embassy officials in Moscow are still being denied the ability to visit Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich — two weeks after he was arrested in Russia on accusations of spying, a report said Tuesday.
The Kremlin has not provided a legitimate explanation for rebuffing the demands of consular officials — despite multiple attempts through all legal mechanisms, a State Department spokeswoman told the Wall Street Journal.
US officials continue to press the Russians for consular access to all detained US citizens as part of its legal obligations, the report said. Read more
BFN takes badminton to grassroots (Punch)
The Badminton Federation of Nigeria’s recently organised ‘Shuttle Time’ training event at the Ilisan Community Town Hall, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State was meant to take the game to the grassroots, Francis Orbih, the BFN boss has stated.
The event, which was held April 5 and 6 in partnership with the Ogun State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, is designed by the World Badminton Federation’s ‘Shuttle Time’ and is held in various locations across 150 countries.
According to Orbih, it is targeted at boys and girls between the ages of five and 15 years old, with a view to introducing them to the game in a fun-filled way. Read more
63 teams jostle for honours as Ratels Benue Football League kicks off (Leadership)
Sixty-three teams including defending champions, Faith Hills FC of Makurdi, are battling for glory as the 3rd Ratels Benue State Football League kicked off in style across the three senatorial zones of Benue State.
At the official opening game decided at the McCarthy Stadium Wadata, Makurdi, Aeston FC thrashed Ghetto 3-0 with a goal from Ayaga Vitalis and a brace from the boots of Ataka Moses.
President, Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF), Barrister Paul Edeh, who was one of the special guests at the opening match, said his Foundation was determined to develop sports at the grassroots. Read more
Marcus Rashford ruled out of Man United’s Europa League clash with Sevilla (Sky)
Marcus Rashford will miss Manchester United’s Europa League quarter-final on Thursday against Sevilla and “a few games” due to a muscle injury, however is expected to return for the season run-in, the club have confirmed.
Rashford was substituted in the 80th minute of Saturday’s 2-0 Premier League win over Everton at Old Trafford clutching his groin and immediately headed to the dressing room for treatment.
United say the England international “will be unavailable for a few games, but is expected to be back for the season run-in”. Read more
Guardiola hits the right notes to teach Tuchel a lesson (France24)
Manchester City have one foot in the Champions League semi-finals after a 3-0 win over Bayern Munich on Tuesday that served as a reminder of manager Pep Guardiola’s brilliance despite his long wait to conquer Europe.
Guardiola claimed to have been “emotionally destroyed” by the tension of a night on which his current side showed a clinical edge they have often lacked to get over the line at this stage of the competition.
In the 12 years since Guardiola last lifted the European Cup as Barcelona boss, he has often been accused of over-complicating things in the Champions League knockout stages. Read more
Nico Barella and Romelu Lukaku on target as Inter Milan overcome Benfica (Eurosport)
Nico Barella and Romelu Lukaku were on target for Inter Milan as they beat Benfica 2-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final.
It was a lacklustre first half, with only one shot on target coming from Rafa Silva, who received the ball after Federico Dimarco unintentionally knocked it his way.
The Portuguese reacted quickly, but struck his effort straight at Andre Onana for an easy save. Read more
Atlanta Hawks hammer Miami Heat, clinch NBA playoff berth (UPI)
Trae Young glided around defenders for smooth scores and dished out acrobatic assists to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a dominant win over the Miami Heat in an NBA play-in tournament game Tuesday in Miami.
“We were just the more physical team,” Young told reporters after the 116-105 victory at the Kaseya Center.
“That was a big emphasis tonight, being more physical and playing faster. We were playing more in attack mode and in transition and that helped.” Read more
