My son is Uber driver, not ‘‘Yahoo Boy’’ — Mother of boy lynched in Ondo (Vanguard)
The family of a 35-year-old man, Tope Olorunfemi, who was lynched by an irate mob in Akure, Ondo state for crushing four persons to death, said the deceased is not an internet fraudster, known as Yahoo boy.
The mother of the deceased, Mrs Mojisola Olorunfemi, who made the disclosure in Akure said the vehicle with which her son had the unfortunate accident was bought by the deceased’s father.
She lamented that she watched helplessly as her son was lynched to death. Read more
“Total Abomination”, Lagos expresses displeasure over Gangs of Lagos film (Tribune)
Lagos State Government has expressed displeasure with the promoters of the “Gangs of Lagos” film/series over what it described as “total abomination” adding that the movie portrayed the culture of the State in negative limelight.
Reacting, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf said the Ministry, being the regulatory body and custodian of the culture of Lagos, said the film/series is “very unprofessional and misleading while its content is derogatory of our culture”.
“It is an unjust profiling of a people and culture as being barbaric and nefarious. It depicts a gang of murderers rampaging across the State,” she added. Read more
UK apologises to Peter Obi for wrongful detention (Sun)
The British government has apologized to the Nigerian Labour Party Presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi after immigration officials admitted wrongly giving him a detention note.
The officials had detained Obi for committing several alleged financial crimes only to find out that he was being impersonated.
They also said the uncomplimentary treatment he received was “completely unacceptable,” and issued a personal apology.
“Frankly, the Immigration Official’s action – has been appalling – and we are sorry,” Immigration authorities apologized. Read more
No death recorded in Banana Island building collapse — LASEMA (Punch)
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency has revealed that there were no casualties in the collapsed building at Banana Island, Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
In a statement titled, ‘Situation report on the collapsed building at 1st Avenue, Banana Island, Ikoyi’ on the agency’s Facebook page on Wednesday, it partly read, “Upon the arrival of the LASEMA Response Team at the scene of the incident, a six-storey building under construction was found to have collapsed.
“Information gathered revealed that the building collapsed as a result of a truck that ran into the building.
“Fortunately, no loss of life, however, efforts are ongoing to reconstruct the building to ground zero to forestall any secondary incident. Recovery operations are ongoing.” Read more
Lagos launches upgraded CitizensGate 2.0 Platform to move governance to people (Independent)
The Lagos State Office of Civic Engagement has announced the soft launch of the Upgraded Citizens’ Gate 2.0, a citizens’ engagement platform, which is aimed at bringing governance closer to the people.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Civic Engagement, Aderemi Adebowale, in her remark at a press conference held in Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, said the Citizens’ Gate 2.0 platform, which is a one-stop shop, is a conscious effort to establish, deepen and sustain an all-inclusive mode of engagement and communication with various stakeholders in the state.
Adebowale said it is also to strengthen interaction between the people and the government while participating in dialogue. Read more
Hushpuppi’s ally, Woodberry, pleads guilty to internet fraud, forfeits $8m, others (Leadership)
Serial Internet fraudster and Hushpuppi’s associate, Olalekan Jacob Ponle, known as Woodberry, has pleaded guilty to internet fraud.
Woodberry had pleaded not guilty at first to the eight-count fraud charge brought against him for engaging in a scheme known as business email compromise (BEC).
However, a plea declaration submitted at the United States District Court of the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division on April 6 revealed Woodberry has had a rethink and has now pleaded guilty to count one of the indictments. Read more
Bandits kill 8 in fresh Southern Kaduna attack (Nation)
At least eight people have been reported killed by bandits in Atak’Njei, Ungwa Gaiya community, Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Atak’Njei is the community housing the Palace of the Atyap Paramount ruler, Agwatyap.
Although the police authorities were yet to comment on the development, the Chairman, Zango Kataf local council, Mr. Francis Sani, said the assailants stormed the community at about 9 pm on Wednesday. Read more
Equities close flat as capitalisation retains N28.3tr mark (Guardian)
Trading on the equities sector of the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) closed flat yesterday, as market capitalisation retains N28,300 trillion mark. At the close of transactions yesterday, the All Share Index (ASI) closed at 51,953.41 points, slightly higher than 51,952.99 points closed the previous day. Also, market capitalisation recorded N28.300 billion.
The marginal upturn was impacted by gains recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are; Berger Paints, Skyway Aviation Handling Company, International Breweries, Dangote Sugar Refinery and Multiverse Mining and Exploration.
Analysts at Vetiva Dealings and Brokerage, said: “In the absence of any price dip in any of the heavy-weights, we expect similar trading session tomorrow.” As measured by market breadth, market sentiment was positive, as 17 stocks gained relative to 11 losers. Read more
Haruki Murakami has a new book out (Euronews)
Acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami has a new book out. The City and Its Uncertain Walls has been released in Japan, and as the rest of the world waits for the novel’s translations, Japanese reception has been overwhelming.
It’s Murakami’s first novel in six years since ‘Killing Commendatore’, and is also his longest, running to over a thousand pages – significantly more than his previous dystopia tome ‘IQ84’.
From a bookstore in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district, copies of ‘The City and Its Uncertain Walls’ were quickly snapped up.
“I want to read it as soon as I get home. Although I’d like to savour every sentence, I’ll probably devour it in one sitting,” Shunsuke Mitsumoto, a 39-year-old fan who was among the first to snatch up a copy after sales opened at midnight, told AFP. Read more
Cameroonian villagers say elephants devastate farmlands, plead for help (VOA)
Villagers in southern Cameroon are complaining about the destruction of farmland by wild elephants in areas bordering Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and are calling on authorities to help.
Villagers say elephants have chased people away and made it impossible for farmers on both sides of the border to plant this season’s crops. Officials blame farmers for occupying the elephants’ habitat, provoking human-wildlife conflict.
Officials on Cameroon’s southern border with Gabon and Equatorial Guinea say scores of villagers came out in market squares at Vema and Nkol-Efoulan on Thursday, protesting the destruction of several hundred hectares of their farmland by elephants. Read more
Cannes goes back to the future with Wes Anderson, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Ken Loach, Todd Haynes in competition (THR)
“Cannes is going back to the future of cinema,” said Iris Knobloch, the new president of the Cannes Film Festival, unveiling the lineup for the 2023 event on Thursday. And looking at this year’s selection, it’s hard to argue with her.
The 76th Cannes International Film Festival looks like an all-killer, no-filler program, with some of the biggest names in international cinema, many of whom got their start on the Croisette, returning to that famed red carpet. The 2023 competition lineup includes new films from Wes Anderson, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Ken Loach, Todd Haynes, Nanni Moretti and Aki Kaurismäki. In addition, Cannes has packed its out-of-competition screenings with blockbusters, including Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, as well as a new documentary from Oscar winner Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave).
Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, one of the director’s typically-quirky and star-studded affairs, featuring Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Steve Carell, Tilda Swindon, Jason Schwartzman, and many more, will debut in competition at Cannes. Read more
Jeremy Renner’s trainer details actor’s extraordinary recovery (Variety)
Jeremy Renner’s trainer, Christopher Vincent, opened up for the first time to People magazine about the actor’s physical therapy following his snow plow accident in January. The incident left the Hawkeye actor hospitalized with blunt chest trauma, orthopedic injuries and over 30 broken bones in his body. Nearly three months later, Renner walked the red carpet with a cane at the world premiere of his Disney+ series “Rennervations.”
“He’s an extremely unique and rare person. I’ve worked with hundreds and thousands of athletes, celebrities, regular people, and it’s really a special personality that has that drive and determination,” Vincent said. “[He will] get through it to where you are back stronger than you were before the accident.”
Vincent is a chiropractic sports physician and trainer who Renner has been working with since 2011. As expected, Vincent said that Renner’s pain in the first weeks after the accident was “excruciating.” Read more
Coachella: Blink-182 to reunite, James Blake added to lineup (UPI)
The original members of Blink 182 will reunite for a performance at Coachella, the festival announced Thursday.
In 2022, the band announced that founding member Tom DeLonge would rejoin Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus for a 2023 tour which begins in May. Their Coachella set will be the first time they’ve played together since 2014.
“Yes, it’s happening. Blink-182, world tour, new music, new album. Tom’s back. Man, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Hoppus told After School Radio last year. That was a burden to carry that secret for so long.” Read more
King Krule announces new album ‘‘Space Heavy’’ with dreamy lead single ‘‘Seaforth’’ (NME)
King Krule has announced an upcoming album, ‘‘Space Heavy’’, and shared the lead single taken from the release, the stripped-back track ‘‘Seaforth’’.
Announced today (April 13), the new LP will mark the fourth studio album from Archy Marshall – under his King Krule alias – and is set to explore “the space between” two locations he considers home.
The theme of the album was inspired during its writing process, when Marshall began developing the tracks during commutes between London and Liverpool. Written throughout 2020 and 2022, he became “fascinated by the notion of ‘the space between’”. Read more
Russian warships conduct anti-submarine exercises in Asian waters (CNN)
Warships from the Russian Pacific Fleet are conducting anti-submarine exercises in waters off the country’s far eastern coast, Russia’s Pacific Fleet press service said on Thursday morning.
The exercises involve three corvette warships tasked with locating and destroying a mock enemy submarine with the assistance of helicopters in the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea.
“Before the corvettes went out to sea, the siren was set off on board, prompting the crews to practice for emergency measures to put the ships in a state of combat-readiness and for the [military] campaign” the Pacific Fleet press service said. Read more
3SC ex-Chairman, Lakondoro, dies at 111 (Vanguard)
Pa Olayiwola Lakondoro, former Chairman, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan and oldest 3SC fan, on Thursday died at 111 years.
Mr Babatunde Olaniyan, the 3SC Chairman, confirmed his death in a telephone interview in Ibadan.
Olaniyan said that the club was contacted on Thursday about Pa Lakondoro’s death, saying that they were planning to visit the family. Read more
Bayern suspend Mane after Sane altercation (RTE)
Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane will not be part of the squad for Saturday’s Bundesliga game against Hoffenheim and has been fined over a row he had with team mate Leroy Sane.
Senegal international Mane clashed with Sane at the end of their 3-0 loss at Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.
“Sadio Mane will not be included in the FC Bayern squad for this Saturday’s home match against 1899 Hoffenheim,” the club said in a statement. Read more
Cristiano Ronaldo delivers reaction as Al-Nassr sack Rudi Garcia after ‘‘secret talks’’ (Express)
Cristiano Ronaldo has sent former Al-Nassr boss Rudi Garcia his well wishes after the Frenchman was sacked by the Saudi Pro League giants. The 59-year-old head coach, who has also managed the likes of Roma, Lille, Marseille and Lyon, has been relieved of his duties by mutual consent, per a club statement.
The decision has been made following Al-Nassr’s 0-0 draw with Al Feiha last weekend which handed Al-Ittihad the chance to extend their lead at the summit to three points.
There had been reports from the Middle East suggesting Ronaldo had been involved in ‘secret talks’ with Al-Nassr club chiefs over the possible sacking of Garcia. Read more
Josh Giddey hails leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as Oklahoma City Thunder prevail (StraitsTimes)
Josh Giddey recorded 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder remained alive for a Western Conference play-off spot by notching a 123-118 victory over the hosts New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday in a play-in game.
Despite the rising Australian point guard’s heroics, he deflected praise to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Gilgeous-Alexander, who is fourth in the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) scoring charts with an average of 31.4 points per game, scored 25 of his game-high 32 points in the second half and Luguentz Dort added 27 points for the Thunder. Read more
Guenther Steiner tears into Mick Schumacher in ‘‘Surviving to Drive’’ book (PlanetF1)
Guenther Steiner has admitted Mick Schumacher’s crash in Monaco was the first time he had doubts about his driver.
The young German was in his second season with the American team when he crashed heavily in Monte Carlo, ripping his car in two and handing the team another costly repair bill.
It was not the only incident in Schumacher’s season and came at a time when Haas were contemplating whether or not to extend his contract beyond 2022. Read more
Max Verstappen tipped to break Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher record by F1 icons (Mirror)
Max Verstappen has been backed to break Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher’s record of seven F1 world title wins.
Verstappen is currently a two-time world champion and pursuing a third consecutive title this year, having won two out of three races so far to go 15 points clear ahead of his Red Bull teammate and closest rival Sergio Perez.
And with Red Bull and Verstappen now dominating the sport, both 1996 world champion Damon Hill and former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan believe the 25-year-old has what it takes to win more world titles than any other driver in history. Read more