New converts stab RCCG pastor to death in Lagos church (Punch)
Suspected hoodlums have attacked and killed a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in FESTAC Town, in the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Our correspondent gathered that the victim, Pastor Babatunde Dada, was killed inside the RCCG Chapel of Resurrection on 13 Road, 6th Avenue, FESTAC Town.
The killing, which happened on Thursday, December 2, was said to have been perpetrated by two new converts who came to the church for the first time a Sunday before the incident.
The two youths were said to have come out during an altar call and surrendered their lives to Jesus. Read more
Lagos unveils electricity policy for reliable, affordable energy (Vanguard)
Lagos State Government on Wednesday, unveiled the ”Lagos State Electricity Policy”, geared at providing cleaner, reliable, affordable and uninterrupted power supply to residents.
Speaking at the unveiling of the policy, organised by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said that what residents wanted was regular power supply.
Sanwo-Olu said the electricity policy articulated constitutional, legal, engineering and commercial foundations for creating a viable sub-national electricity system that would cater for energy needs of the state.
He said that such viable sub-national electricity system would enable socio-economic growth for Lagos and the nation at large. Read more
Man found with 2,863 ATM cards arraigned in Lagos (Punch)
THE Lagos State Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday arraigned one Ishaq Abubakar before Justice P. Lifu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, on 11 counts bordering on cybercrimes.
The suspect was said to have been arrested by officers of the Nigeria Customs Service on August 22, 2020, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on his way to Dubai with 2,863 Automated Teller Machine cards and four SIM cards carefully concealed in packs of noodles.
He was handed over to the EFCC on September 10, 2020, by the Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement, Abudulmumuni Bako.
Baka had said, “The suspect, who claimed to have come from Kano to Dubai aboard the Emirate evacuation flight, was seen with someone who was assigned to facilitate his movement through the airport checks. Read more
Aregbesola: I won’t resign over frequent jail breaks (Sun)
Minister of Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, has said he would not resign despite recurring incidents of jail breaks across the country in the past one year.
Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the weekly virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, Aregbesola, whose ministry oversees
the correctional centres, said the calls for his resignation were uncalled for and unnecessary.
“I still don’t see any need for that because it’s not for lack of preparedness that the attacks were successful. No.” Read more
Man attempts suicide over failure to recoup investments in Rivers (Guardian)
A middle-aged man identified, as Godwin Goddey, on Tuesday evening, attempted to commit suicide at Garrison in Port Harcourt City Local Council in Rivers State by trying to jump off an abandoned network mast after his money was trapped in a troubled Forex Trading and Capital Investment platform.
The Guardian learnt that Goddey invested in a Forex trading platform known as MBA Forex to make quick returns after he lost his job and there was no other source of income.
However, bystanders rescued Goddey from his desperate attempt to end his life. Some of them expressed worries over the rate at which people take their lives and called for restraint.
They also called on the Federal Government to expedite action to arrest the founder of the MBA Forex Trading and Capital Investment. Read more
11-year-old boy, chained for 2 years in Kebbi, reunites with parents (Guardian)
After 15 months of rehabilitation, Kebbi State Government, yesterday, reunited an
11-year- old boy, Jibril Aliyu, who was chained along with livestock and left to starve for two years, with his parents in the Badariya area of Birnin Kebbi.
Chief Medical Director and Permanent Secretary in charge of Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Dr. Aminu Haliru Bunza, said over 20 medical specialists attended to the boy, while living in the hospital.
According to him, the boy is now well rehabilitated and the state government has taken good care of him. Dr. Bunza assured that the state would sustain the relationship and assistance to the boy, saying that there were plans to continue to take care of his health and well-being.
He said: “We are, today, handing over the child, known as Jibril to his parents, after staying with us from August 10, 2020 to date. When he was brought in, about 15 months to Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, the child was in a very pathetic situation.
Teni, Ninalowo, others to thrill at Fanfaro Autofest 2021 in Ibadan (Tribune)
For fun seekers who would be attending this year’s Fanfaro Autofest, they will get more than what they bargained for as the organizers have lined up Nigerian singer, songwriter and entertainer, Teni Apata, actor Ninalowo Bolanle and host of others.
Billed to hold at the Pacesetter Transport Service, Old Testing Ground, Eleyele, Ibadan next Sunday 12, December, 2021, organizers said that the festival, which is in its third year, is expected to boost the economy, attract investors and create opportunities for residents.
Though it is a free entertainment show and would improve tourism potentials in the state, Fanfaro’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr Adekunle Olanrewaju, in a statement, revealed that “the advantages of holding the festival is massive as it businesses involved will get brand visibility while young businesses would be able to establish network and create opportunities of commerce.
“Apart from placing the state on global map of entertainment and tourism as CNN Africa and MTV Base would be around to do coverage, people from all over Africa would be visiting Ibadan, the state capital. Read more
Tive Alex-Ibru, others pay tribute to Pastor Cole (Guardian)
Executive Director of The Guardian, Mr. Tive Alex-Ibru, and other dignitaries have condoled with the family of Chief Sekin Jaja Amachree over the demise of their daughter, Pastor Mina Cole, aged 77, who passed away on October 1, 2021.
Speaking in Abuja on the night of tributes, Tive Alex-Ibru described the deceased as a God-fearing woman who brought many close to God through her preaching. He said the Ibru family would hardly forget the late Cole, who was very dear to the heart of his mother.
Assistant General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Ezekiel Odeyemi, who noted that Cole lived for God, urged her children to rejoice rather than mourn.
“Rejoice that your mother made the choice to serve the Lord. She was solidly on the ground for the RCCG. So, I give glory to God for her legacy. Mama is where Jesus is right now. When faithful people pass away, they are in the Lord’s presence. Read more
‘We’ll surely succeed’, Ganduje speaks on Kano APC crisis (DailyTrust)
Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has reacted to the recent crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
There is currently a crisis over the control of the party between a faction loyal to the governor and another under the control of Senator Ibrahim Shekarau.
Kano APC crisis: Tinubu to meet Ganduje as feud threatens 2023 ‘ambition’
Kano APC crisis: Tinubu, Shekarau meet in Lagos
The crisis worsened after an Abuja court dissolved the excos elected at the congress conducted by Ganduje faction, declaring that the Shekarau faction is the authentic one.
In an interview with Radio France International, Hausa, on Wednesday, Ganduje said with the over 40 years of experience in politics, the present situation in Kano is nothing to worry about.
“The situation is normal in politics. There are always possibilities of division, so also there are for reconciliation. So all of us in both factions are professional politicians and we’ve had the experiences of such happenings. So, the National body of our party is working to resolve the crisis.” Read more
Boris Johnson confirms Omicron ‘Plan B’ with work from home and vaccine passports (Metro)
Boris Johnson has announced that the UK will move to ‘Plan B’, in an effort to stop the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
Observers suggested that the move, which had not been rumoured until Tuesday, was conveniently timed – with the Government facing a major public backlash to allegations that Number 10 hosted Christmas parties last winter.
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on Wednesday evening, as the fall out from the party row deepened, the Prime Minister confirmed that he was advising a return to working from home from Monday, ‘if you can’.
Vaccine passports are also being introduced in ‘certain settings’, including nightclubs – but Mr Johnson again ruled out mandatory vaccines. Read more
Finland’s Sanna Marin, one of world’s youngest leaders, apologises for clubbing after COVID exposure (USAToday)
Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin, one of the world’s youngest elected leaders, apologized this week after facing backlash for spending a night out in Helsinki after she was exposed to COVID-19.
Marin explained in a Facebook post on Monday that she was told Saturday that Foreign Affairs Minister Pekka Haavisto had tested positive after being in close contact with her. But she said she was told ministers were not asked to quarantine as long as they had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
So, Marin and her husband met with friends and went for dinner that night. The 36-year-old prime minister wrote on Facebook that she left her work phone at home and didn’t immediately receive further guidance recommending she avoid contact with others.
“I should have used better consideration on Saturday night … I’m really sorry,” she said in the post, as translated in multiple reports. She added that she tested negative for the virus on Sunday. Read more
Australia’s deputy prime minister tests positive for COVID-19 on US trip (Hill)
Australian deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce shared on Wednesday that he tested positive for COVID-19 while in Washington D.C.
In a statement, Joyce’s office said he is currently isolating until further notice and that the rest of the Australian delegation has since tested negative. Joyce, who is fully vaccinated, decided to get tested after experiencing mild symptoms.
Before arriving in the U.S., Joyce had been in London for a visit, during which he met with multiple lawmakers and officials including his British counterpart Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab.
It is currently unclear what strain of the coronavirus Joyce was infected with. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the delta variant accounts for 99 percent of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. However, omicron cases have been confirmed in the U.S. since last week, though no cases have been confirmed in D.C. so far. Read more
Jussie Smollett trial: Closing arguments to begin after actor denies ‘fake attack’ (USAToday)
Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday morning in the case against former “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett, who is accused of staging a racist, anti-gay attack against himself in downtown Chicago to get publicity.
The jury is then expected to begin deliberating whether Smollett is guilty on six counts of a low-level felony for lying to Chicago police about the January 2019 attack.
Smollett returned to the witness stand Tuesday, where he repeatedly denied claims that he staged the attack on himself and called brothers Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who testified against him, “liars.”
Smollett told jurors Monday “there was no hoax” and that the Osundairo brothers’ testimony that he paid them $3,500 to carry out the fake attack was “100% false.” He explained that the $3,500 check to Abimbola Osundairo was for meal and workout plans because he was trying to get toned for an upcoming music video. Read more
Jordan tops MENA region for COVID deaths and cases: Former health minister (TheNewArab)
Jordan is number one in the region for COVID-19 deaths and cases per 100,000 people, former Jordanian Minister of Health Saad Kharabsheh revealed on Tuesday in a televised interview.
In recent weeks, Jordan has entered what local health officials are calling the “third wave” of the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 6,000 cases were reported on Tuesday, up from 2,000 just a month prior. Worryingly, the test positivity rate is over 10 percent across the country. The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that any positivity rate over 5 percent indicates severe under-testing in a population, suggesting the number of people who actually have COVID in Jordan is greater than figures indicate.
Occupancy rates in hospitals in the country have been steadily rising over the last month. Over 50 percent of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds in the north are occupied, compared to 41 percent in central Jordan, where the capital city of Amman is located. Read more
Ghislaine Maxwell: Ex-boyfriend of Maxwell accuser backs up statement (BBC)
The ex-boyfriend of an accuser in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex crimes trial has given testimony that she performed sex acts on paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
He told the court on Wednesday that his ex-girlfriend, Carolyn, “worked for Jeffrey” between the ages of 14 and 18.
He would often drive Carolyn and other underage female friends to Epstein’s mansion, he said. They would return with hundred dollar bills in hand.
Ms Maxwell, 59, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Read more
Father and son arrested on suspicion of starting massive Caldor Fire, district attorney says (USAToday)
A father and son were arrested Wednesday in connection with the start of California’s Caldor Fire which burned for more than two months in El Dorado County and threatened the Lake Tahoe area earlier this year.
David Scott Smith, 66 of Somerset, California, and his son, Travis Shane Smith, 32, of Folsom, were arrested for reckless arson, according to a statement from the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office.
The pair were arrested on a Ramey warrant — one issued by a judge before a prosecutor has filed formal charges — following an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service and the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office. The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office was not involved, according to Sgt. Eric Palmberg.
A person is guilty of causing a fire when they recklessly set fire to, burn, or cause the burning of any structure, forest land or property, according to the California Penal Code. Read more
Qatar’s security as important as Turkey’s – Erdogan (Independent)
Qatar’s security and stability are as important to Turkey as its own, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday.
“We do not hold Qatar’s security and stability separate from that of our own country,” Erdogan told soldiers at the Qatar-Turkey Joint Force Command in the Qatari capital city of Doha.
He stressed the importance of security and stability “of the entire Arab Gulf region.”
“We give the necessary support to our Qatari brothers who are contributing to Turkey’s growth with a dimension of investment, employment, production, and export,” Erdogan said. Read more
Former Super Falcons’ goalkeeper, Ayegba, now drives the 185 (Guardian)
There is national shortage of bus drivers that is forcing people into cars and clogging up the roads, the industry warns, reports standard.co.uk. Help to ease this crisis comes from an unlikely source: the former goalkeeper of the Nigerian national football team.
Rachael Aladi Ayegba played in the 2007 Women’s World Cup, the 2006 and 2008 African Women’s Championships and had an 11-year stint as a pro in Finland, winning the league title in 2013 with PK-35 Vantaa.
Now she drives the number 185 between Lewisham and Victoria. She is in the middle of a year’s training. Ayegba, 35, says she had visited London for years on holiday and always admired the double decker buses. She moved here three years ago.
She reckons driving a bus and playing in goal have a lot in common. It’s about safety first, about not making a mistake. The bus driving is harder. Read more
Organisers promise world-class MMA fights in Lagos (Punch)
5FIVE 4Four Limited, the creator and producer of The African Knockout – Africa’s first of its kind Mixed Martial Arts Reality Television Show; is set to organise a series of Mixed Martial Arts fight nights in Lagos State, including the much-anticipated sports event of this Xmas season – ‘Face Off’ Fight Night slated for January 7, 2022, at the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island.
The ‘Face Off’ Fight Nights organized by 54 Limited and powered by the UFC welterweight World Champion Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman; will feature MMA fighters from Nigeria and Africa, celebrities and special guests.
According to the organizers, the fight exhibition is the first step to many with the company partner Usman.
Aimed at creating a new trend of high-end activations in West Africa by merging sports and entertainment in an internationally proven concept, promoting the emerging MMA culture in Africa, and especially to its fans and enthusiasts in Nigeria, the event will provide the opportunity to watch and interact with the Champ live in Lagos for the first time, while promoting Lagos State as the MMA hub of Africa. Read more
Tiger Woods will make his return at PNC Championship alongside son Charlie (BBC)
Tiger Woods will make his comeback playing alongside son Charlie at the PNC Championship in Florida next week.
The 15-time major champion has not played competitive golf since sustaining serious injuries in a car crash in February.
Woods, 45, said last month that he does not expect to play full time on the tour following the accident.
The 36-hole PNC Championship sees a field of major champions playing alongside their children or parents. Read more
Emma Raducanu reunited with US Open trophy she has ‘loaned’ to LTA as British tennis star scoops more awards (Talksport)
Emma Raducanu was finally reunited with her US Open trophy as she scooped two awards this week.
The Bromley tennis sensation has enjoyed a whirlwind year, clinching the grand slam in September – Britain’s first female to do so in 44 years.
The 19-year-old beat Leylah Fernandez in straight sets in New York, not dropping a single set on her way to victory.
And now she has finally got her hands back on the US Open trophy as the Lawn Tennis Association posted pictures of her with the prize. Read more
David Lloyd delivers scathing verdict of Rory Burns after duck in Ashes opener (Mirror)
Former England coach David Lloyd has laid into Rory Burns after he was bowled by Mitchell Starc with the first ball of the Ashes.
After captain Joe Root won the toss and opted to bat first, England got off to the worst possible start when Burns was bowled for a duck.
Speaking on commentary, Australia legend Shane Warne was critical of Burns, describing the delivery as a leg-stump half-volley and insisting he should have put it away for four.
In his latest column for the Daily Mail, Lloyd agreed with Warne’s assessment and questioned whether Burns’ technique is good enough for Test cricket. Read more
Donny van de Beek discusses Young Boys error and warns Manchester United’s Champions League rivals (Metro)
Donny van de Beek has taken responsibility for Young Boys’ equaliser against Manchester United on Wednesday night but is backing the side to beat whoever they come up against in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
With United having already secured their passage to the last 16 as group winners, new boss Ralf Rangnick opted to name a heavily rotated side and they got off to a good start with Mason Greenwood acrobatically firing them ahead.
But just before half-time Van de Beek gifted possession to Fabian Rieder on the edge of his own box and the Swiss youngster fired a brilliant curling effort into the top corner to equalise, with the match finishing 1-1.
Van de Beek is unlikely to have done enough to earn a first Premier League start of the season and held his hands up over the error, with the Dutchman – and United – having a mixed evening. Read more
Mark Cavendish: British cyclist assaulted by armed men during burglary at his home (BBC)
British cyclist Mark Cavendish was assaulted by four armed men during a burglary at his home on 27 November.
Cavendish, 36, said he, his wife Peta and their children were threatened “at knifepoint” by the men and he was “violently attacked”.
The Manx rider was suffering from two broken ribs and a collapsed lung sustained in a crash on 21 November.
Essex Police said none of the family sustained serious injuries but were “incredibly shaken” by the incident. Read more
