My husband threatens me with broken bottles, woman tells court (Punch)
Adedayo Kanisuru, an hairdresser and mother of two, on Tuesday, urged a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan to dissolve the 12-year-old marriage between her and her estranged husband, Sherif, because he usually threatens her with a broken bottle. In her petition to the court, Adedayo, a resident of Apete area of Ibadan, said that her husband often attacked her with broken bottles whenever there was any dispute. “Whenever there was any misunderstanding between Sherrif and me at home, the first thing he does is to break a bottle and threaten to stab me. Read more
2019 presidential election must meet the 2015 standard, American lawmaker tells Buhari (Punch)
American lawmaker, Chris Smith, has advised that, at the minimum, the 2019 presidential election must meet the 2015 standards. Smith said the standard of the 2015 presidential election led to peaceful transfer of power, while a statement by the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan averted bloodshed. Smith, who was the immediate past chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, issued the statement on Monday. Read more
Buhari holds security meeting with governors, security chiefs (Guardian)
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is holding a security meeting with state governors and security chiefs. According to the presidency, Buhari is meeting with the governors of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai and Yobe State governor, Ibrahim Gaidam. Members of the President’s cabinet at the meeting include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali, and Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, among others. Read more
Four killed, eight injured as rival cult groups clash in Delta (Punch)
No fewer than four persons have been killed and eight others sustained gunshot injuries in a clash between two rival cult groups in Delta State. The cult groups were said to have clashed over their support for some candidates of the All Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic Party in Ughelli, Delta State. It was learnt that two persons were reportedly killed around the Post Office Junction area of Ughelli on Saturday night when some members of Arrow Baga and Aiye cult groups clashed. The PUNCH gathered that the two deceased were members of both cult groups. Read more
Court verdict: I’m not aware I have case in court, says Uduaghan (Punch)
Following the recent judgement of a high court that declared the Delta South senatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan’s nomination a nullity, the former governor has disclosed that he was not aware of having a case in court. Dr. Uduaghan who stated this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Asaba by his Media Assistant Mr Monoyo Edon, described the judgement as a miscarriage of justice. The APC senatorial candidate in the forthcoming rescheduled general elections was alarmed that he nor his party were notified of any judgement, whatsoever. Read more
CUPP asks DSS to arrest, prosecute Daura for impersonation (Punch)
The Coalition of United Political Parties on Tuesday commended the Department of State Services for issuing a disclaimer on its former Director-General, Lawal Daura. It, however, asked the DSS to go beyond the disclaimer and ensure that Lawal is arrested and prosecuted for impersonation. The coalition’s spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, stated this in a statement made available to journalists. Ugochinyere also urged the DSS to sack all his directors who he claimed have been receiving directives from Daura. Read more
We’ve reconfigured all card readers in Kano, says REC (Punch)
The Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. R. Shehu has said the reconfiguration of the smart card readers for Kano has been concluded. He said this during a press briefing in Kano on Tuesday. According to him, the Commission has received all the sensitive and non-sensitive materials required for Saturday’s polls. He said, “I’m glad to inform you that we have now received all the non-sensitive and sensitive materials we require for the conduct of the elections. Read more
‘Ivory Queen’ Yang Fenglan jailed in Tanzania (BBC)
Tanzania has sentenced Yang Fenglan, a Chinese businesswoman nicknamed the “Ivory Queen”, to 15 years in jail for smuggling hundreds of elephant tusks. Yang was accused of operating one of Africa’s biggest ivory-smuggling rings, responsible for smuggling $2.5m (£1.9m) worth of tusks from some 400 elephants. Two Tanzanian men were also found guilty of involvement in the ring. Ivory poaching is said to have caused a 20% decline in the population of African elephants in the last decade. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global environmental body, says the population of African elephants has fallen to 415,000 – a drop of 110,000 over the last 10 years – as a result of poaching. Read more
Jewish graves desecrated in east France (BBC)
Some 80 graves have been desecrated with swastikas at a Jewish cemetery in eastern France, local officials say. The damage was discovered on Tuesday, ahead of nationwide marches against a rise in anti-Semitic attacks. It occurred at a cemetery in the village of Quatzenheim, on the night of Monday into Tuesday, town hall officials told the franceinfo website. President Emmanuel Macron has condemned anti-Semitic abuse after a prominent intellectual was targeted. Police stepped in to protect the philosopher, Alain Finkielkraut, after he was bombarded with insults and anti-Jewish taunts by a group of “yellow vest” protesters in Paris at the weekend. Read more
IS ‘traps 200 families’ in last bastion (BBC)
The UN has expressed concern about the fate of some 200 families reportedly trapped in the last tiny area of Syria still held by the Islamic State group. Human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said the many women and children in Baghuz were apparently being actively prevented from leaving by IS militants. They also continued to be subjected to intense bombardment by US-led coalition forces and allied Syrian fighters. Ms Bachelet demanded that safe passage be provided to those wanting to flee. Read more
Klopp calls on Anfield for Bayern boost (BBC)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp believes the Anfield crowd can take his side “from 100% to 140%” as they host Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16. The first leg against the Bundesliga champions takes place on Tuesday, with the Reds in Munich on 13 March. “We have to create an atmosphere on the pitch and make it easier for the people,” said Klopp. “It will be outstanding. It’s something to enjoy – there’s a lot of power involved in the atmosphere.” Read more
Supercopa de Espana set to be played abroad (BBC)
The Supercopa de Espana – Spain’s version of the Community Shield – is set to take on a four-team format and be played abroad. The 2018 edition between Barcelona and Sevilla was played as a one-off game in Morocco, having previously been staged over two legs in Spain. The new proposal would see the Copa del Rey finalists and top two in La Liga meet in a four-team tournament. Spanish football bosses hope the new format would generate more interest. “In this way, we get the brand of the Spanish clubs to participate in a more important way,” added Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales. Read more
Employer allegedly deceives salesgirl with marriage promise, seizes N840,000 salary (Punch)
A Karshi Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Tuesday remanded a 42-year-old businessman, Timothy Onwumere, in Keffi Prison for allegedly intimidating and duping his girlfriend of N840,000. The judge, Aliyu Kagarko, ordered his remand in prison and adjourned the case until March 22. The defendant, of Nyanya, Abuja, is being tried for criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal misappropriation and intimidation, offences he denied committing. The prosecutor, Ayotunde Adeyanju, told the court that one Silas Agbara on February 13 petitioned the Police on behalf of one Happiness Iheanacho of Karu, Nasarawa State. Read more
