Nigerians plunged into darkness as national grid collapses (Sun)
The national grid has collapsed for the first time in 2025, plunging Nigerians into darkness and uncertainty in the new year.
Daily Sun reports that the grid collapse which took place on Saturday, January 11, was confirmed by reports, resulting in a nationwide blackout.
The development makes it the 13th time in the past 13 months, with reports revealing that power generation dropped from 2111.01 megawatts as of 2 pm to 390.20 MW by 3 pm. Read more
Kano Throne: Emir Sanusi secures victory against Bayero as A’Court overturns Justice Liman’s verdict (Punch)
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Friday, overruled the verdict of the Federal High Court, Kano Division, over the appointment of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
In the Kano State Government’s appeal on the chieftaincy issue, the appellate court overturned the lower court’s decision, which had questioned Sanusi’s appointment as the 16th Emir of Kano.
In a judgment delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Mustapha, the appellate court insisted that the Federal High Court had overstepped its jurisdiction by ruling on a matter it was not authorised to handle. Read more
Tinubu condoles ex-House Speaker, Dimeji Bankole on mother’s demise (ThisDay)
President Bola Tinubu has extended his heartfelt condolences to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Oladmeji Bankole and his family on the demise of his mother, Alhaja Monsurat Atinuke Bankole, aged 78.
She died Thursday after a brief illness.
The President, in a statement issued yesterday by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, joined the Bankole family and the Ogun State Government in mourning the demise of Iya Adinni of Egbaland who dedicated her life to community development, guided by her convictions in the Islamic faith. Read more
Naira Abuse: EFCC invites billionaire Okoya’s sons (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has invited Wahab and Raheem Okoya, sons of billionaire businessman, Chief Razaq Okoya, for questioning over alleged naira abuse.
Raheem and Wahab are expected to report to the commission’s Lagos office for questioning on Monday.
The brothers sparked widespread criticism after a video surfaced showing them flaunting and spraying bundles of N1,000 notes in a promotional clip for Raheem’s new song titled “Credit Alert.” Read more
2 Lagos factory workers trapped in diesel reservoir (Tribune)
Two factory workers were rescued on Saturday morning in the Ikosi area of Lagos after becoming trapped in a diesel reservoir.
The incident, which occurred around 10 am., was confirmed in a statement by the Permanent Secretary of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Dr Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu.
According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that one of the workers accidentally fell into the reservoir while conducting repair work, and the second worker became trapped while attempting a rescue. Read more
11 injured in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway accident (Channels)
The Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency has confirmed that 11 persons sustained varying degrees of injuries following multiple accidents that occurred along the Interchange section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Saturday.
According to a statement signed by the spokesman of the state-owned traffic agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, the accident occurred at about 7:30 am.
The crash occurred when a Mazda bus collided with a truck that was trying to manoeuvre its way into the premises of a private company along the axis.” he said. Read more
Sacked Kano commissioner dumps NNPP, joins APC (Vanguard)
Former Commissioner for Rural and Community Development in Kano State, Abbas Sani Abbas, has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), adding to the increasing number of defectors from the party.
Abbas announced his defection from the NNPP during a visit to the Kano residence of the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, on Friday night.
In the past six months, hundreds of leaders of the NNPP from across the 44 local government areas of Kano State have dumped NNPP and the Kwankwsiyya movement together with thousands of their supporters. Read more
Opposition lawmakers coalition hails emergence of Azuta-Mbata as Ohanaeze President (Leadership)
Opposition Lawmakers Coalition has celebrated the emergence of Senator John Azuta-Mbata as the new president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the Igbo socio-cultural organisation.
Azuta-Mbata, a former Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, emerged on Friday at the selection of new executives for the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, held at the Old Government Lodge in Enugu.
In their congratulatory message signed by Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, the lawmakers urged the new President-General to use the platform to build more bridges for the emancipation of the Igbo race. Read more
Jennifer Garner tears up explaining her friend died in LA Wildfires (USMagazine)
Jennifer Garner became emotional as she revealed she lost a friend from church in the Los Angeles wildfires.
The actress, 52, choked up as she told MSNBC on Friday, January 10 that one of her friends died in the wildfires ravaging parts of Los Angeles including the Pacific Palisades area, Malibu, Santa Monica and the Hollywood Hills.
“I did lose a friend, and for our church, it’s really tender so I don’t feel like we should talk about it yet,” Garner told the outlet. “I did lose a friend. She didn’t get out in time.” Read more
‘My father should die in prison’, says daughter of Dominique Pelicot (BBC)
It was 20:25 on a Monday evening in November 2020 when Caroline Darian got the call that changed everything.
On the other end of the phone was her mother, Gisèle Pelicot.
“She announced to me that she discovered that morning that [my father] Dominique had been drugging her for about 10 years so that different men could rape her,” Darian recalls in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme’s Emma Barnett. Read more
Adult star with 2 vaginas reveals wildest requests (news.com.au)
Adult star Annie Charlotte has recently gone viral due to her extremely rare condition known as uterus didelphys, which means she has two vaginas, two cervixes and two uteruses.
At 26 years old, Annie is open about her condition on her OnlyFans account, even using a speculum to show her fans what her anatomy looks like up close.
It’s no surprise that she receives some unusual requests from her subscribers. Read more
Sam Moore, half of Sam & Dave duo, dies at 89 (Variety)
Larry Marano/Getty Images
Sam Moore, who had classic hits with the soul duo Sam and Dave in the 1960s, died Friday morning in Coral Gables, Florida. He was 89. The cause of death was post-surgery complications, according to the singer’s rep.
Moore took the tenor part on perennials that are familiar even to generations not yet born during the duo’s ’60s heyday, including “Hold On, I’m Comin’” (a No. 1 R&B hit in 1966), “Soul Man” (which reached No. 2 on the Hot 100 as well as topping the R&B chart in 1967) and “I Thank You” (a top 10 hit on both charts in 1968).
Sam & Dave were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and received the Recording Academy’s lifetime achievement honor in 2019. Read more
1000s attend City of Culture opening event (AOL)
An estimated 10,000 people celebrated the start of Bradford’s year as City of Culture at an open-air show starring magician Steven Frayne, formerly known as Dynamo.
The event titled Rise, which went ahead despite temperatures of -3C (26.6F), will be repeated on Saturday – but organisers said tickets had already sold out.
The show involved a cast of 200, including 10-year-old rapper Cruzy T, poet Kirsty Taylor, a live orchestra, musicians and dancers. Read more
2 trams collide in Strasbourg leaving dozens injured (Metro)
Several people have been left injured after two trams crashed in the French city of Strasbourg.
The emergency services rushed to Strasbourg station after two trams crashed this afternoon in the city in eastern France.
Around thirty people are feared injured, with five casualties reportedly in critical condition, according to the French outlet Actu17. Read more
Ukraine says it captured 2 North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk (AlJazeera)
Ukraine says it has captured two North Korean soldiers in Russia’s Kursk region and taken them to Kyiv, where investigators were questioning them.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the two prisoners of war were “communicating” with the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the country’s domestic intelligence agency.
“Russian forces and other North Korean military personnel usually execute their wounded to erase any evidence of North Korea’s involvement in the war,” Zelenskyy wrote on X on Saturday. Read more
Who is Rio Ngumoha? Liverpool wonderkid who made controversial transfer from Chelsea (Metro)
Rio Ngumoha made Liverpool history on Saturday when he started their FA Cup third round clash against Accrington Stanley.
Aged just 16 years and 135 days, he is the youngest ever player to start a game for the Reds.
Liverpool fans have been quick to praise the teenager, labelling him a ‘quality baller’, ‘the best player on the pitch’ and a star with ‘crazy potential’. Read more
Nigeria risks South Africa, Gabon in FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers (Sun)
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially outlined the roadmap for African teams competing in the 2025 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers, Soccernet.ng reports.
The tournament, scheduled to take place in Morocco from October 17 to November 8, marks a historic first for Africa as the host continent and features an expanded format with 24 teams.
CAF, in a statement released on Thursday, confirmed that the qualification journey will begin on January 10, 2025, with 28 African nations vying for a chance to join hosts Morocco at the World Cup. Read more
Aina dreams managerial role after retirement (ThisDay)
Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest full-back, Olaoluwa Temitayo Aina, has hinted at one of the career choices he could dabble into after retiring from playing football.
The 28-year-old has been in fine form for The Reds in the English Premier League this season and has been labelled as the best right-back in the league by many this term.
Speaking on The Friendship Test Interview with his teammate, Anthony Elanga, the pair were quizzed about who would like to get into coaching post-retirement. Read more
Monfils becomes oldest ATP Tour champion with Auckland win (BBC)
Gael Monfils made history by becoming the oldest winner of an ATP Tour singles title with victory at the ASB Classic in Auckland.
France’s Monfils beat Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 6-3 6-4 in the final to claim his 13th tour-level title.
At 38 years and four months old, Monfils has become the oldest singles champion since the ATP Tour was formed in 1990. Read more
Kylian Mbappé knows what to do — Federico Valverde (ESPN)
Federico Valverde said he “won’t give any lessons” to Kylian Mbappé on how to beat Barcelona’s offside trap ahead of Real Madrid’s Clásico Supercopa final on Sunday.
Mbappé struggled to cope with Hansi Flick’s high defensive line when the two teams last met in October, being caught offside a career-high eight times as Barça ran out convincing 4-0 winners at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Speaking in a news conference on Saturday ahead of the final in Jeddah, Valverde said finding a way to catch out the Barcelona defence was a collective effort, rather than a task for Mbappé, who’s now scored 14 goals for Madrid this season. Read more
Ohio State just 1 win away from rewriting its narrative for good (USAToday)
Quinn Ewers was drifting left, looking toward the goal line, his eyes locked on Texas’ last chance. There was no time to peek back at which defensive monster was bearing down on him from the blind side, but he already knew it was Jack Sawyer.
Of course it was.
For four months in the fall of 2021, they had been roommates at Ohio State. They had been close. And now here they were, physically closer than ever but emotionally separated by jerseys and traumas and the chance for redemption that only one of them would be able to cash in. Read more
