NMA seeks upgrade of Lagos Police Medical Services (Vanguard)
The Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), on Wednesday called on the leadership of the Nigeria Police to upgrade the Police Medical Services in the state to compete favourably with Medical Services of other defence sectors such as the Army and Navy.
The medical doctors also called for improved testing and treatment of COVID-19 positive health care workers in the police medical services.
Speaking during an advocacy visit by the NMA State Officers Committee to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP, Hakeem Odumosu, the Chairman, Dr Adetunji Adenekan said the upward review of the police medical services was in the best interest of the workforce.
Stressing that security was important as health, he highlighted other concerns to include; tackling medical quackery and drug counterfeiting, police harassment of doctors in the line of duty, and the need for the officers to protect healthcare workers from patients’ assault. Read more
Truck derails, kills pedestrian on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Punch)
A truck has crushed a pedestrian to death after it derailed off the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, emptying its content in the process.
The accident which happened at the Arepo section of the expressway, outward Lagos, is currently being attended to by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Corps.
The incident has led to a traffic jam along the expressway forcing motorists to find alternative routes.
The body of the pedestrian who was crushed by the truck has been moved away in a body bag while the truck is yet to be moved away from the side of the road at the time of filing this report. Read more
Hundreds of women protest herdsmen presence in Edo (DailyTrust)
Hundreds of women from Uromi community, the administrative headquarters of Esan North-East local government area of Edo state, took to the streets to protest incessant rape and kidnaps by suspected herdsmen.
They are calling on state government and security agents for help, insisting they can’t go to their farms for fear of kidnap and rape.
It was gathered that the women who are from Uromi town and neighbouring communities later blocked the township roads, urging herdsmen to leave their communities.
A community source who gave his name as Odion said the protest disrupted the free flow of traffic within the Uromi township. Read more
FG approves N1.3bn surveillance equipment for Lagos, Abuja airports (Punch)
The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved a contract worth about N1.3bn for the design, supply, and installation of PTZ long-range tarmac camera surveillance system at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja after a meeting of the council presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
Mohammed briefed the journalists on behalf of the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
“The total sum of the contract is N1,278,594,250. This is in order to upgrade and provide security and safety for the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, especially to avoid incidence on the air site and runway,” he said. Read more
COVID-19: Lagos converts hospital to fee-paying private wards (DailyTrust)
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that its COVID-19 isolation centre at the Gbagada General Hospital will be transformed into fee-paying private wards.
The move, according to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is in response to the growing requests from patients and families willing to pay for personalised care in government-run facilities.
Gov Sanwo-Olu said, “Payable fees for the private treatment will be moderately lower than charges at licenced private hospitals, while the state-owned treatment centre at the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) in Yaba will continue to offer high-quality treatment to all persons free of charge.” Read more
Man sentenced to death by hanging for armed robbery (Guardian)
An Abeokuta High Court on Wednesday sentenced a 33-year-old man, Ibrahim Toyin, to death by hanging for robbing a woman of her handbag at gunpoint.
Justice Ayokunle Rotimi-Balogun delivering her judgment held that all the evidence tendered had convinced the court beyond a reasonable doubt that Ibrahim committed the offences as charged.
She, subsequently, sentenced Ibrahim to death by hanging.
Earlier during the trial, the police had charged Ibrahim with two counts bordering on conspiracy and armed robbery. Read more
EFCC arrests 19 suspected Internet fraudsters in FCT (Punch)
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have apprehended 19 suspects allegedly involved in internet and related criminal activities.
They were smoked out of a guesthouse house located in the Mpape suburb of Abuja on January 29, 2021.
According to a statement on Tuesday by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, titled, ’19 Internet fraud suspects in EFCC net,’ the arrest followed actionable intelligence on their alleged criminal activities.
The suspects are Sheyi Abimbola,Ogunsanmi Mola, Akinyemi Ayomide, Babatunde Owoeye, Ife – Oluwa Gbadebo, Friday Owocho, Olorunwa Emmanuel, Jibrin Sediq, Jonah Maxwell, Ibrahim Mustapha and Shaibu Chris. Read more
No plan to field Jonathan as our presidential candidate in 2023 but…, says APC (Tribune)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it has no plan to field former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2023 as its presidential standard-bearer as it is being speculated.
There were reports last week that some Northern APC governors who visited Jonathan last week assured him of plan to give him the party’s ticket in 2023.
Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, who is also the interim committee of the party, cleared the air on the reports in an interview with Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Wednesday.
He, however, said it would be a new discussion entirely whether Jonathan would be welcomed if he eventually indicates interest.
According to him, there was no truth in the reports, saying those peddling such information are afraid.
“Those peddling such information are afraid. But for now, there is nothing in the APC which has anything to do with the aspiration for 2023.Read more
Melee as FCT Taskforce disrupts NSITF promotion exams (DailyTrust)
Pandemonium at the New M & M Event Centre adjacent Nicon Luxury Hotel, Area 11, Abuja, venue of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) promotion examination when the Federal Capital Territory Administration ((FCTA) Taskforce on Enforcement of COVID-19 Protocols stopped the exercise.
The taskforce led by the taskforce’s head of media and enlightenment, Ikharo Attah, stopped the examination from holding, raising concerns over violations of COVID-19 safety protocols.
Fear hits Kano NYSC orientation camp as official dies of COVID-19
Kano shuts hospital for attending to ‘severe’ COVID-19 cases
But there was resistance from some staff of the NSITF, insisting protocols were being followed.
Some of the angry staff nearly mobbed a police officer, ASP Abubakar Sanni, who insisted the staff must leave immediately. Read more
Kameel Ahmady: British academic facing jail escapes Iran over mountains (BBC)
A British-Iranian academic facing nine years in jail in Iran has told the BBC how he escaped on foot over mountains to start a new life in the UK.
Kameel Ahmady was convicted two months ago of collaborating with a hostile government. He denies the charge.
He decided to try to flee while on bail and appealing against the sentence.
Mr Ahmady trekked over a mountainous border to escape the Revolutionary Guards – a journey he described as “very long, very dark and very scary”. Read more
Biden appoints Nigerian-born Ebong as acting director USTDA (Guardian)
United States President Joe Biden has appointed Nigerian-born Enoh Titilayo Ebong as the acting director of the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).
“The appointment meant a return to USTDA where from 2004 to 2019, Ms. Ebong had served in a variety of roles, most recently as the Agency’s General Counsel, and Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer,” USTDA said in a statement.
“As Acting Director, Ms. Ebong leads an agency that partners with the U.S. private sector to develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in emerging economies, while supporting U.S. jobs through the export of US goods and services.”
Ebong had previously served as the head of strategic partnerships at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream. Read more
Woman allegedly pours boiling water on boyfriend, posts it on Snapchat (NYPost)
An Illinois woman allegedly recorded herself pouring a pot of boiling water on her sleeping boyfriend and then posted the disturbing aftermath on social media, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Alexis Sykes is accused of the heartless crime that occurred in the apartment she shared with her boyfriend in Roselle, Illinois. on Jan. 2, according to the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office.
Sykes’ boyfriend was sleeping on the couch when he was scalded with boiling water.
Instead of helping, Sykes recorded the vile act and then posted it on Snapchat, prosecutors allege. Read more
3 female directors make history in Golden Globes 2021 nominations (BBC)
Three women have been nominated for best director at this year’s Golden Globe awards – the first time more than one has been shortlisted in a year.
Emerald Fennell, Regina King and Chloe Zhao are recognised for Promising Young Woman, One Night in Miami and Nomadland respectively.
Sacha Baron Cohen, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant and James Corden are among the British stars up for acting awards.
The winners will be announced in a ceremony on 28 February. Read more
Denmark: ‘Digital corona passport’ will be ready in months (AlJazeera)
Denmark’s government has said it is joining forces with businesses to develop a digital passport that would show whether people have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, allowing them to travel and help ease restrictions on public life.
Finance Minister Morten Boedskov told a news conference on Wednesday that “in three, four months, a digital corona passport will be ready for use in, for example, business travel.”
“It is absolutely crucial for us to be able to restart Danish society so that companies can get back on track. Many Danish companies are global companies with the whole world as a market,” he added. Read more
Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley are reportedly dating (PageSix)
It appears Aaron Rodgers has a new No. 1 fan.
The Green Bay Packers quarterback, 37, and Shailene Woodley are dating, according to E! News, with a source telling the outlet Tuesday, the pair have kept their romance “private and low key.”
“They have seen each other and been in touch,” a source said. “They continue to talk and see each other when they can. They are both focused on their careers but they also make time for each other.”
Rumors of a Rodgers and Woodley coupling have been brewing for some time. In October, sports site Awesemo.com reported the 29-year-old actress had been spotted in Green Bay. Read more
Osaka, Barty reach Melbourne quarters (Punch)
World number three Naomi Osaka and top-ranked Ashleigh Barty were pushed to the brink Wednesday, but both survived early exits at Melbourne Park, as Simona Halep cruised.
Japan’s Osaka was made to work hard against in-form Katie Boulter but fought back for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory to reach the quarter-finals in the Gippsland Trophy.
She next meets Irina-Camelia Begu from Romania as she ramps up preparations for the Australian Open starting Monday.
“Today was really tough for me. It just felt like a new experience playing here again after such a long while,” Osaka said.
“For me, I thought she played really well. I sort of had to raise my level, kind of go within myself. Read more
Australian Open: Players to go into isolation after hotel coronavirus case (BBC)
Between 500 and 600 Australian Open players, officials and support staff will go into isolation after a worker at one of the event’s quarantine hotels tested positive for coronavirus.
Thursday’s play at the six warm-up events at Melbourne Park is set to be affected by the move, says Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews.
But Andrews said: “At this stage there is no impact on the tournament proper.”
Players will be free to return to competing after a negative test.
The Australian Open, which was pushed back by three weeks to enable players to quarantine, starts on Monday. Read more
Murray River Open: Nick Kyrgios wins after stopping match to speak to supervisor (BBC)
Nick Kyrgios stopped play for almost five minutes and called the umpires “peanuts” in the latest chapter of the combustible Australian’s on-court antics just two matches into his tour return.
The 25-year-old, who missed most of 2020 because of the pandemic, was unhappy about being given a time violation while serving in his Murray River Open match against Harry Bourchier on Wednesday.
Kyrgios appeared to be well through his service motion when the 25-second limit was up.
After being called by the umpire, he looked aghast before walking to his chair and saying: “I’m not playing, sorry mate.” Read more
Vince Young returns to Texas as special assistant to AD (NYPost)
Texas has re-hired former Longhorns quarterback Vince Young as a special assistant in the athletic department, bringing the College Football Hall of Famer back to the program after he was fired in 2019.
He returns as the program is trying to build momentum behind new head coach Steve Sarkisian.
Young led the Longhorns to the 2005 season national championship with a last-minute touchdown against USC. Sarkisian was an assistant on that Trojans team. Read more
Olympics organisers unveil COVID rules for Tokyo Games (AlJazeera)
No singing, no dancing and masks at “all times” – these are some of the measures unveiled by the organisers of the Tokyo Olympics as part of a COVID-19 plan seeking to ensure the event goes ahead in a safe way.
The roll-out of the first of a series of “playbooks” on Wednesday was aimed at assuring athletes and sports officials, and an attempt to convince the Japanese public that the Olympics should not be postponed again.
Opinion polls across the country show up to 80 percent want the games – which are scheduled for July – postponed or cancelled, despite Japan having controlled the pandemic better than most countries. It has fewer than 6,000 deaths, but a recent surge in cases forced it to close its borders to non-resident foreigners and declare a state of emergency in some parts of the country. Read more
Mourinho hopes heart-to-heart with injured Alli does the trick (Guardian)
Jose Mourinho hopes a talk he had with injured Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli will act as a spark for a return to his old form when he is fit again.
The 24-year-old England international has been a shadow of the player who impressed at the 2018 World Cup and when Spurs reached the Champions League final in 2019.
He has rarely sparkled since the Portuguese took over in November 2019 after Mauricio Pochettino was sacked.Alli has made just five starts all season, none of which have come in the league since the opening weekend of the campaign. Read more