National Assembly releases its 2018 budget details (Guardian)
Nigeria’s National Assembly Friday released the details of its budget for the 2018 fiscal year. “Find the details of the 2018 Budget of the National Assembly here…. This is in accordance with the commitment of the leadership of the 8th @NASSNigeria to accountability and transparency,” Office of the Senate President tweeted on Friday. This is coming after several civil society groups in the country made a demand, directing the legislative arm to release its spending list. The 45-page document shows that a total of N139,500,000,000 was budgeted for the National Assembly in the year 2018. Read more
Kudirat Afolabi couldn’t have escaped death, as she was caught with drugs —Abike Dabiri-Erewa (Punch)
The Federal Government on Friday said that illicit drug was hidden on the body of Kudirat Afolabi, who was executed in Saudi Arabia on April 1. It said Afolabi was among the 20 persons arrested with drugs hidden in their bodies. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Relations and the Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, disclosed this on Friday to News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos. She said the explanation became necessary in a bid to clarify the circumstances leading to the execution of the Nigerian woman. Read more
Buratai commends troops over defeat of Boko Haram insurgents in Damaturu (Guardian)
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Thursday, lauded the doggedness of gallant troops over the defeat of Boko Haram insurgents at Maisadari community in the outskirts of Damaturu, Yobe. In a statement, Lt. Njoka Irabor, the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Sector 2 Operation Lafiya Dole, disclosed that the commendation was conveyed to the troops by the Theater Commander, Maj. Gen. Benson Akinroluyo, on Thursday in Damaturu. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gallant troops on Tuesday successfully foiled the attempt by the insurgents to attack Maisandari community, killing many of them and destroying their equipment. Read more
Party’s interest supersedes all other interests, Yobe APC tells Ndume (Punch)
The Yobe State Chapter of All Progressives Congress, has advised Senator Ali Ndume (Borno-APC), to respect the supremacy of the party and avoid placing personal interest above collective interest. Mr. Abubakar Bakabe, the state secretary of the party, disclosed this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Damaturu. “The interest of the party supersedes all other interests,” Bakabe said. He cautioned the lawmaker against working with the opposition to ridicule the party. Read more
Saraki, Dogara, 52 others to respond to suit challenging defection (Guardian)
The Federal High Court Abuja on Friday, gave Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and 52 other lawmakers until April 17 to file their responses to a suit asking them to vacate their seats. An advocacy group, Legal Defence and Assistance Project, (LEDAP) dragged the lawmakers to court seeking a declaration that they were no longer members of the National Assembly having defected to other political parties before the expiration of their tenure. The defendants comprise 17 Senators, 37 members of the House of Representatives, the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the clerks to both houses. Read more
Medical student, undergraduate caught helping candidates to write UTME (Punch)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board says it arrested a third year medical student and another undergraduate for attempting to write the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination for candidates. The board’s Head of Media and Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Lagos. NAN reports that the 2019 UTME commenced on April 11 in 678 centres across the country. According to Benjamin, in spite of the measures put in place to curb impersonation and other forms of examination malpractice, desperate individuals still attempted to commit the offence. Read more
NYSC certificate: Court strikes out communication minister’s suit against APC (Guardian)
Justice P.I. Ajoku of a Federal High Court in Ibadan, on Friday struck out a suit filed by the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, against the All Progressives Congress (APC) for excluding his name from the list of gubernatorial aspirants in the March 9, General Elections over his inability to present his NYSC certificate. NAN reports that Shittu, who was screened out of the APC governorship primaries in Oyo state for not having the mandatory NYSC certificate, filed the suit marked FHC/IB/CS/111/2018. In her ruling, Ajoku said that the case was struck out due to the fact that Shittu did not file the case within the time stipulated by law. Read more
Ijaw community decries military presence (Nation)
Residents of Gelegele community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo have decried the presence of soldiers from the 19 Battalion Koko and 4 Brigade, Benin in their community. Spokesman of the community, Chief Macaulay Ayiwei, who spoke to newsmen in Benin City, said the soldiers were strategically positioned around the Ijaw community. Chief Ayiwei noted that the high presence of the military may not be unconnected with the land dispute between Benin community of Ughoton and Gelegele. Ayiwei said: “Yes, the court is billed to sit on this matter on Monday and Tuesday but what are they (Army) doing here taking over the whole community? Read more
Out-of-School children’s figure drops (Guardian)
The Federal Government says the number of Out-of-School (OSC) Children in the country has reduced from 13.2 million to 10.2million, following various interventions of the government and development partners. The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu said this at the 12th Edition of the Ministerial Press Briefing on the OSC Phenomenon held in Abuja on Friday. Adamu, who was represented by Mr Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, said that conflicting figures of out-of-school children were being given, ranging from 10 -13 million. Read more
4-year-old boy electrocuted in Niger (Nation)
A four-year-old boy, Arafat Jibrin has been electrocuted in Niger state when he strayed into an electric transformer house. The incident occurred on Thursday night at the Senior Quarters of the Federal Low-Cost Housing Estate in Maikunkele, a suburb of Minna. The Deceased was said to have been in a search of his sister who had gone to fetch water for the House when he strayed into the transformer house where he was electrocuted. An eyewitness said that it was a passerby who raised alarm when he noticed unusual activity in the transformer house but before the victim could be rescued, he had been burnt beyond recognition. Read more
Boy drowns in stagnant pool in Kano (Nation)
A 14- year-old boy, Huzaifa Abdulrashid, has drowned while bathing in a stagnant pool called “Promise” at Gwarzo Road in Gwale Local Government Area of Kano State. The spokesman of the Kano State Fire Service, Mr Saidu Mohammed, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident happened on Friday morning when the deceased went to take his bath. “We received a distress call today from one Malam Habibu Ibrahim at about 07:35 a.m. that Abdulrashid’s body was found floating in the water. Read more
Nigerians seek court order prohibiting illegal deportation from Kenya (Punch)
Five Nigerians have gone to a Kenya court, seeking an order to stop the nation’s Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s decision declaring them as prohibited immigrants and consequent deportation pending the determination of the case. The plaintiffs, Munirudeen Adedamola Safu, Aliu Adewale Safiu, Fatai Oshodi, Musa Odeyoyis and Oluwafemi Akinmoyero argued that they were at imminent risk of being illegally deported at any time, due to Matiang’i’s declaration. According to Citizen TV, the Nigerians argued that their deportation would be in gross violation of their rights under the Constitution of Kenya and rules of natural justice. Read more
Sudan coup: Military warns against disturbances (BBC)
Sudan’s military coup leaders have warned protesters still on the streets that there will be “zero tolerance” for disturbances. A spokesman insisted the army did not seek power and Sudan’s future would be decided by the protesters – but said the army would maintain public order. Protesters are still out in Khartoum, fearing the coup leaders are too close to ousted ruler Omar al-Bashir. The military says it will not extradite Mr Bashir on war crimes charges. Read more
Julian Assange: Sweden considers reviving rape inquiry (BBC)
Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange could face a renewed investigation into an allegation of rape in Sweden. Assange, 47, who had been granted asylum in Ecuador’s London embassy for seven years, was arrested on Thursday. Swedish prosecutors said they were examining the case at the request of the alleged victim’s lawyer. The US also wants to extradite him from the UK over his alleged role in one of the largest ever leaks of government secrets in 2010. Read more
Pence defends Trump’s mixed message on WikiLeaks (Guardian)
US Vice President Mike Pence on Friday defended what some say is his boss Donald Trump’s puzzling position over the arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Repeated past praise for WikiLeaks from Trump was not “an endorsement,” Pence told CNN. Republicans generally celebrated the capture of Assange, who had been taking shelter at Ecuador’s London embassy for nearly seven years until British police took him into custody Thursday. Read more
Jan Kuciak: Ex-soldier ‘admits double murder’ in Slovakia (BBC)
An ex-soldier in Slovakia has confessed to the double murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his fiancée last year, Slovak media report. Miroslav Marcek and three others – all in custody – have been charged over the killings, which caused a huge outcry and political change in Slovakia. Kuciak and Martina Kusnirova, both aged 27, were shot dead in February 2018. Prosecutors have charged a Slovak businessman, Marian Kocner, with ordering the murder of Kuciak. The journalist and his fiancée were shot dead at their home in Velka Maca, a village 65km (40 miles) east of the capital, Bratislava. Read more
Ian Cognito: Comedian dies on-stage in Bicester (BBC)
Veteran stand-up comedian Ian Cognito has died on-stage during a performance. The comic is said to have “sat on a chair and laid back for five minutes” during his show at the The Atic bar in Bicester on Thursday. Audience members told the BBC they thought his silence was “part of the act” and had continued to laugh, unaware he had fallen ill. South Central Ambulance Service confirmed Cognito was pronounced dead at the scene. John Ostojak attended the gig at the Lone Wolf Comedy Club with a friend, and said the comic “did a really good set”. Read more
Kane may have to consider surgery, says surgeon (Guardian)
Tottenham forward Harry Kane may have to consider surgery on his injured ankle, a leading surgeon has said. Kane suffered a “significant lateral ligament” injury to his left ankle during Spurs’ 1-0 Champions League win over Manchester City on Tuesday and is unlikely to play again this season. The England captain is susceptible to ankle damage — this is his fifth such injury since 2016 and the second to his left joint this year. Read more
Cesc Fabregas slams Jorginho’s special treatment by Maurizio Sarri (Metro)
Cesc Fabregas believes Maurizio Sarri treats Jorginho as if he were his son and insists it would have been impossible to win a regular place back in Chelsea’s midfield no matter how well he was playing. The Spaniard won two Premier League titles following his move to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona in the summer of 2014, but bid an emotional farewell to the west London club in January having struggled to win over Antoino Conte’s successor. Read more
Costa suspension harsh, still has a future at Atletico – Simeone (Guardian)
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes Diego Costa’s eight-match ban is harsh and has dismissed suggestions the striker could be sold in the summer. Costa was handed the lengthy suspension by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Thursday for directing a crude insult towards referee Gil Manzano during the first half of Atletico’s 2-0 defeat to Barcelona last weekend. Manzano, who sent Costa off in the 28th minute, also reported Costa had “grabbed” him by the arms during the incident. Read more
Liverpool’s Klopp condemns ‘disgusting’ Salah abuse ahead of Chelsea clash (Guardian)
Jurgen Klopp has condemned “disgusting” racist abuse aimed at Mohamed Salah and called for lifetime bans for the Chelsea fans accused of taunting the Liverpool star. A video circulated on social media ahead of Chelsea’s Europa League match at Slavia Prague this week showed a group of six supporters chanting “Salah is a bomber” repeatedly. Egypt forward Salah, who played for Chelsea before joining Roma in 2016, is a practising Muslim and has previously faced abuse about his religion. Read more
Pep Guardiola hits back at Ilkay Gundogan for criticising Man City team-mates after Spurs defeat (Metro)
Pep Guardiola hit back at midfielder Ilkay Gundogan for claiming Manchester City ’always make the wrong decisions’ in big Champions League games. The German midfielder criticised his team-mates following their 1-0 defeat to Tottenham on Tuesday, claiming they were ‘nervous’. ‘I have the feeling we are nervous in important Champions League games. We always make the wrong decisions.’ said Gungodan. Read more
Kovac confirms Lewandowski, Coman bust-up in Bayern training (Guardian)
Bayern Munich coach Niko Kovac on Friday confirmed reports Robert Lewandowski and Kingsley Coman were involved in a fist-fight during training, but ruled out any sanctions. Kovac admitted the forwards traded blows following an argument at a training session behind closed doors on Thursday while preparing for Sunday’s league game away to Fortuna Duesseldorf. “The three of us talked about it, the players are sorry and have apologised for their behaviour, there will be no financial penalties and the matter has been resolved,” said Kovac in a press conference. Read more