NDLEA arraigns man for allegedly peddling 967.9kg marijuana (Punch)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Friday in Lagos State arraigned man, Usman, who allegedly trafficked in 967.9kg of cannabis Sativa (marijuana).
The agency charged Usman on one count of drug trafficking before a Federal High Court.
The suit marked FHC/L/378/2019 is pending before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo.
The Prosecutor, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, alleged that the defendant committed the offence on September 15. Read more
Court grants Mompha N100m bail (Nation)
A Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday granted N100m bail to suspected money launderer, Ismaila Mustapha, also known as Mompha.
Mompha was arraigned for alleged N33billion fraud.
The EFCC arrested Mompha on October 19 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Read more
SON destroys over 5,000 substandard gas cylinders worth N51.3m (Guardian)
The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) on Friday destroyed over 5,000 substandard Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders worth N51.3 million.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the cylinders which were imported by different businessmen were destroyed at the SON warehouse in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos.
The destroyed cylinders, commonly referred to as cooking gas, were in sizes of 50kg, 12.5kg, 6kg and 3kg and had branded names such as Anadolugaz, Royaltek, Setro, Repsol and Safic. Read more
Supreme Court dethrones first-class Oyo monarch, Eleruwa (Punch)
The Supreme Court on Friday dethroned the Eleruwa of Eruwa in Oyo State, Oba Samuel Adebayo-Adegbola.
A five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Muhammad Dattijo dismissed the appeal by Adegbola and six others.
The appellants had appealed against the concurrent decisions of the Oyo State High Court and the Court of Appeal which had both ruled against them over the chieftaincy tussle. Read more
Cholera outbreak: Ogun death toll now five (Punch)
The death toll as a result of a cholera outbreak in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, has risen to five and it includes a four-month-old baby and 33-year-old pregnant woman.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health in Ogun State, Dr Ayinde Akinsanya disclosed this on Friday, during a press briefing in Abeokuta.
Akinsanya said so far, the number of the reported cases has risen to 12 and five persons have died. Read more
Obaseki applauds Cambridge’s Jesus College for return of Benin cockerel statue (Nation)
With the confirmation by Jesus College of Cambridge University of the return of ‘Okukor’ statue, one of the artifacts looted from Benin in 1897, hope is rising for Governor Godwin Obaseki’s mission to secure repatriation of more famous Benin artworks in Europe and other parts of the world to be housed and exhibited at the Benin Royal Museum.
The governor upon assumption of office promised to restore the dignity and heritage of Edo people with a retrieval of the state’s looted artworks held in museums and private collections across the world. He eventually partnered with the Oba of Benin and the Benin Dialogue Group, with the mission to pursue the repatriation of artworks stolen in the 1897 expedition by British soldiers at the Palace of the Oba of Benin and other notable art pieces from the Benin Kingdom. Read more
Rotary International organises free prostate, cervical screening )Guardian)
No fewer than 80,000 persons in Lagos and Ogun States benefitted from Rotary Family Health and Aids Prevention programme.
The programme, organized by Rotary International, Districts 9110, 9925, 9140 and 9142 held simultaneously in about 120 locations throughout Nigeria with 54 locations in Lagos and Ogun States alone. The programme was declared open at Rotary Centre, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, with many people including the District 9110 co-coordinator of Rotary Family Health Days, Rotarian Bola Oyebade, seizing the opportunity to know their health status.
According to Oyebade, the national programme, which has been running for the past seven years within communities alone, moved further this year to include prisons in Lagos State. Read more
South Africa court rejects Zuma appeal to prevent corruption trial (Guardian)
A South African court on Friday rejected an appeal by former President Jacob Zuma that sought to prevent his prosecution on corruption charges over a 2 billion dollars arms deal.
The ruling paves the way for Zuma’s long-awaited trial to start in Feb. 2020.
Zuma, in office from 2009 to 2018, had previously applied for a permanent stay of prosecution on 18 charges of fraud, racketeering and money laundering relating to an arms deal with French defense firm Thales in the 1990s. Read more
Britain will leave EU by Jan 31, says UK PM Johnson (Punch)
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday said that Britain would leave the EU by January 31 at the latest if his Conservative Party wins a majority in the election in two weeks time.
“If we can get a working majority then we will come on January 31 at the absolute latest,” Johnson said.
He also repeated his message that he saw no reason why Britain would need to extend the transition period after Brexit beyond the end of 2020. Read more
Black Friday backlash: Amazon protests erupt across France (BBC)
Activists formed a human chain, lay on hay bales and dumped old fridges and microwaves outside an Amazon depot
Activists across France have staged Black Friday protests against Amazon, decrying consumerism and its impact on the environment.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside the company’s French headquarters in Clichy, north of Paris.
Protesters also tried to blockade a shopping centre in Paris and a logistics centre near the eastern city of Lyon.
In video from Lyon riot police can be seen dragging activists away. Read more
Akpeyi scoops Player of the Month Award (Nation)
Super Eagles and Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi was named the Absa Premiership’s Player of the Months of September and October yesterday.
Chiefs’ Ernst Middendorp won the Coach of the Month award.
The awards were announced in a press conference at the offices of the Premier Soccer League in Parktown.
A delighted Akpeyi, who has kept four clean sheets in five matches, admitted after scooping the award that the honours came as a surprise to him.
“This comes as a big surprise to me but it also shows the importance of putting effort in whatever you do,” Akpeyi said.
“I give credit to the technical team that has been patient with me. I am settling in, I am taking each game as it comes. Khune is a good keeper, I am just grateful for the opportunity from the coach. Read more
Brad Gobright: Free solo climber falls to his death (BBC)
A world-renowned American free solo climber has died attempting to descend the side of a cliff face.
Brad Gobright, 31, fell around 300m (1,000ft) to his death in El Potrero Chico in northern Mexico.
His companion, fellow climber Aidan Jacobson, 26, fell a shorter distance and survived with injuries.
Gobright was best known for free soloing, or climbing without any safety gear, but at the time the two were abseiling, a technique using ropes. Read more
Silva, Pellegrini fight for Premier League survival after Arsenal sack Emery (Punch)
Arsenal’s decision to sack Unai Emery turns a harsh spotlight on Everton boss Marco Silva and West Ham’s Manuel Pellegrini, who is running out of time to save their Premier League jobs.
Emery was dismissed after a winless run of seven games, with a 2-1 Europa League defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt on Thursday proving to be the final straw.
The Spaniard was the third Premier League manager to lose his job this season after the dismissals of Watford’s Javi Gracia and Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino. Read more
Freddie Ljungberg named as Arsenal interim boss (Nation)
Arsenal have sacked manager Unai Emery after the Premier League club’s worst run in more than a quarter of a century.
Following Emery’s sack, former player and fans’ favourite Freddie Ljungberg has been appointed as interim coach, the Premier League club announced on Friday.
Emery’s final match in charge was Thursday’s 2-1 Europa League home defeat to German side Eintracht Frankfurt which extended their winless run in all competitions to seven games, the worst streak since February 1992 under George Graham. Read more
Arteta-Arsenal links ‘not a question for me’, says Guardiola (Guardian)
Pep Guardiola has spoken of his sympathy for Unai Emery after the Arsenal boss was sacked but said reports linking his assistant Mikel Arteta with the Emirates job were “not a question for me”.
The Manchester City boss faced Emery when the latter was in charge of Valencia in La Liga, and Guardiola was the manager of Barcelona, as well as crossing swords in the 18 months Emery spent in charge of the Gunners.
Arsenal’s poor form brought Emery’s dismissal on Friday.
“I’m so sorry for him,” said Guardiola, who takes his side to play Newcastle on Saturday. “Every time a manager is sacked it’s not good news, honestly. Read more
Fifa announce plans to raise $1bn for Africa (BBC)
Football’s world governing body has announced plans to raise $1bn dollars to build at least one stadium meeting Fifa standards in each African country.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino was talking in Lubumbashi during the 80th anniversary celebrations of DR Congo side TP Mazembe.
He insisted that Fifa wants African football to shine and will work with the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and other stakeholders to improve refereeing, infrastructure and competitions on the continent. Read more
Sand Eagles mull over allowances (Nation)
Despite their listless performance at the 2019 FIFA Beach World Cup holding in Paraguay, the Sand Eagles are threatening fire and brimstones over unpaid allowances.
The coach Audu Adamu-led side were beaten black and blue as they suffered in two cricket score defeats to Portugal (10-1) and (Brazil 12-2) as well as losing 6-5 to Oman 6-5 to finish the tournament without a win and pointless.
But the captain of the team, Abu Azeez has lamented over the team’s shabby treatment over the years by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), adding the team was not motivated to do well in Paraguay. Read more
Fabinho: Injured Liverpool midfielder out until next year (BBC)
Liverpool midfielder Fabinho will be out until next year with the ankle injury he suffered against Napoli.
The Brazilian went off after 19 minutes of Wednesday’s Champions League group game, which the Reds drew 1-1, after he fell awkwardly making a challenge.
Liverpool said the 26-year-old had “suffered ankle ligament damage” and will be out “until the New Year”. Read more