Okada ban: Schoolgirl shot, LASTMA, police vehicles destroyed (Punch)
Pandemonium broke out in the Iyana-Ipaja area of Alimosho in Lagos State on Wednesday as motorcyclists and the police clashed over the ban and restriction on the activities of motorcycle riders in some parts of the state.
An SS 2 pupil, Mariam Shobukola, was said to have been shot during the clash, which started around 10am.
While a patrol van belonging to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority was set ablaze at the Iyana-Ipaja roundabout, a police utility vehicle was vandalised at Alaguntan. A motorbike belonging to the police was also damaged.
The whereabouts of the driver of the burnt LASTMA van was unknown as several residents and policemen sustained varying degrees of injury. Read more
Man remanded for alleged $4,500 love scam (Nation)
AN Ikeja Special Offences Court on Wednesday remanded a middle-aged man, Iyonsi Timeyin Timothy, in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Services (NSC) for allegedly obtaining $4,500 from one Julia Zagorski in a love scam.
Timothy was arraigned before Justice Sherifat Solebo on a two-count charge bordering on possession of fraudulent documents and obtaining money by false pretence to the tune of $4,500.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Iyonsi Timeyin Timothy , sometime in September, 2019, in Lagos, within the Ikeja Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $4,500.00 (Four Thousand, Five Hundred Dollars) from one Julia Zagorski under the false pretense to wit: “romance scam”, which pretence you knew to be false and committed an offence contrary to Sections 1 (1) (a)and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act No: 14 of 2006.” Read more
Inspector detained for murder hangs self in Lagos (Punch)
A police inspector, Okon Essien, who was accused of extra-judicial killing, has committed suicide.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the policeman hanged himself on Wednesday in a cell at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba.
A source told our correspondent that Essien was brought to the SCIID on Tuesday for allegedly killing a man at the Dangote refinery.
Essien, who was arrested along with three others, was briefly interrogated by detectives and put in the cell for further questioning the following day. Read more
Fire incident: TCN to restore power supply (Nation)
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has apologised for the fire incidents that saw a 150MaVA transformer burnt at Ayede, Akinyemi, Ringroad, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The company acknowledged that the incident, which will lead to blackout in some parts of Oyo, Osun and Ogun states, being served by the transformer, is being addressed by the team of engineers.
It promised that power would be restored immediately the cables were sorted out. Read more
Son flees after stabbing parents to death in Lagos (Punch)
A man, Micheal Okhide, has absconded after allegedly stabbing his father, Clement, and mother, Toyin, to death in their house located on No 6, Akeem Gbadamosi Street, in the Ejigbo area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Michael and his parents were at home when an issue happened which led him to perpetrate the crime.
Afterwards, it was learnt that the 23-year-old also allegedly attacked his sister, Mercy, an NYSC serving corp member, who just returned home around 5.30pm, from her primary place of assignment. Read more
CAN, Islamic council disagree on killings as Presidency warns against divisive comments (Nation)
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Christian Association of Nigeria differed on Wednesday on President Muhammadu Buhari’s assertion that 90 per cent of insurgency victims in the country are Muslims.
While the NSCIA supported the President’s claim that more Muslims are killed than Christians, CAN described Buhari’s claim as “unfounded, false, provocative and misleading.”
The President in an opinion article published in a Christian news outlet, Christianity Today, said it is the reality that 90 per cent of all Boko Haram victims have been Muslims. Read more
Plateau Assembly wants law banning motorcycles in Jos enforced fully (Guardian)
The Plateau House of Assembly has called for full enforcement of the law banning the operation of commercial motorcyclists in Jos, the Plateau state capital.
The House in a motion of concern raised by Hon. Daniel Nanbol, member representing Lantang North Central, expressed concern over the non-compliance to the law by motorcyclists.
Nanbol told the house that there was a law banning the operation of motorcycles in Jos and that even the tricycles have designated areas within which to operate. Read more
Newborn among 28,000 coronavirus cases as death toll passes 550 (Guardian)
The death toll from coronavirus has passed 550, it was confirmed on Wednesday, as Chinese media reported that a baby had been diagnosed with the virus just 30 hours after birth, the youngest case recorded so far. The disease claimed 73 more victims on Wednesday, taking the number of casualties so far to 563.
More than 28,000 people have now been infected globally, including the baby born in Wuhan, the centre of the outbreak. The baby’s mother had tested positive for the virus before she gave birth, according to the Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
Facing growing pressure from striking health workers, Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Read more
Mass grave of 40 people with hands tied behind their backs found on farm (Metro)
Intrigue surrounds the discovery of around 40 bodies in shallow graves at the site of a planned care home. Archaeologists made the grisly find on a building site and some of the skeletons had their hands tied behind their backs.
Historians believe the remains could be over 1,000 years old and have hailed it ‘one of the biggest finds of its kind.’ However, locals have accused developers of not sharing information about the skeletons, which were unearthed two months ago in Buckingham. Aylesbury Vale district councillor, Robin Stuchbury, said: ‘This find is of great historical significance. Read more
Donald Trump acquitted on both articles in Senate impeachment trial (Guardian)
The senators found Trump not guilty of the first article of impeachment by a 52-48 tally, and not guilty of the second article of impeachment by a 53-47 tally.
Donald Trump has been acquitted in his Senate trial on both of the articles of impeachment he faced, ending the threat that he would be removed from office and concluding the impeachment process.
Voting largely along party lines, the senators found Trump not guilty of the first article of impeachment, abuse of power, by a 52-48 tally, and not guilty of the second article of impeachment, obstruction of Congress, by a 53-47 tally. Read more
Kirk Douglas, actor and father of Michael Douglas, dies aged 103 (Metro)
Kirk Douglas has died at the age of 103. The actor’s death was announced via TMZ on Wednesday night, which reported his health had been ‘in decline’. His son, actor Michael Douglas, posted on Instagram: ‘It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103.
”To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to. ‘But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband. Read more
Nike debuts new kits for Nigerian national football teams (Guardian)
American Sportswear giants, Nike have revealed new 2020 kits for Nigeria.
Heidi Burnett, Nike’s Senior Director for Global Communications made the announcement on Twitter on Wednesday evening.
New 2020 kits for Nigeria: Home kit’s hand drawn design fuses the traditional aesthetic of an agbada robe w/ modern football design. Away kit trim is inspired by Onaism. Broader collection of Super Eagles apparel includes a poncho, vest, dress, & more. pic.twitter.com/ia0SdTs0vD Read more
Barcelona confirm transfer interest in Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Metro)
Barcelona have confirmed they remain interested in signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after failing to prise the Arsenal captain away from the north London club in January.
The Gabon international has enjoyed another prolific season with the Gunners, despite the club’s ongoing struggles in the Premier League. Aubameyang turns 31 in the summer and is desperate to play Champions League football again, a prospect that already looks remote for Mikel Arteta’s side who are languishing in mid-table obscurity. Read more
Racism: Mikel in tears after family abuse…calls for racists’ ban from stadiums (Punch)
Trabzonspor midfielder, Mikel Obi, was forced to hold back the tears while speaking about the racial abuse he and his family suffered on social media after his team’s 2-1 win against Fenerbahce on Saturday in the Turkish Super Lig.
In an emotional interview after the team’s 5-0 thrashing of Erzurumspor in the Turkish Cup quarter-final first-leg win on Tuesday, the former Chelsea midfielder said the attacks were scary, especially the ones directed to his girlfriend Olga Diyachenko and four-year-old twin daughters.
The Nigerian midfielder has since called on the authorities to take actions against the perpetrators. Read more
D’Tigress targets Mozambique scalp for Tokyo 2020 ticket (Nation)
The D’Tigress of Nigeria will today at the Aleksandar Nikolic Hall in Belgrade be taken their first step of returning to Olympic Games after their last outing at Athens 2004, as the African champion take on Mozambique in their first match of the FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2020 holding in Belgrade.
The team which won the back-to-back Afrobasket title in 2017 and 2019 is among the four nations that have never set foot at the Olympic Games and being the only nation to have waited the longest since their last outing in Greece 16 years ago.
The American coach Otis Hughley-led teams is dominated by foreign-based players and the signs are good for the team, having featured and shown themselves well at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2018, with quality players like Evelyn Akhator and Ezinne Kalu who are in good form. Read more
Tokyo Olympics chief says coronavirus could disrupt Games (Guardian)
A senior Olympic official in Japan has warned that the coronavirus outbreak could “throw cold water” on preparations for Tokyo 2020, although organisers insist that there are no plans to cancel the Games.
Toshiro Muto, the chief executive of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee, said he was concerned about the impact the spread of the virus was having in the run-up to the Olympics, which are due to open in 170 days.
“I am seriously worried that the spread of the infectious disease could throw cold water on the momentum toward the Games,” Muto said during a meeting in Tokyo with officials from the International Paralympic Committee. “I hope that it will be stamped out as soon as possible.” Read more
Lleyton Hewitt names two people who can stop Rafael Nadal at the French Open (Metro)
Novak Djokovic extended the ‘Big Three’ dominance at Grand Slam level by winning his eighth Australian Open and Lleyton Hewitt has backed him and beaten finalist Dominic Thiem to provide a serious threat to Rafael Nadal’s French Open crown.
Djokovic, 32, beat three-time Grand Slam runner-up Thiem in five sets on Sunday to close the gap on Roger Federer and Nadal at the top of the all-time majors charts – and could, in theory, equal Federer’s 20-Slam haul as early as September if he were to win all four Slams in 2020. Nadal looks more likely to catch Federer first, however.
The 12-time French Open champion is just one title away from the Swiss great, with Roland Garros the next major tournament to be contested. Read more
Ahly get chance to avenge CAF Champions League humiliation (Guardian)
The CAF Champions League quarter-finals draw made in Cairo on Wednesday offered local club Al Ahly a chance to avenge one of the most humiliating defeats in their 113-year history.
Ahly were trounced 5-1 on aggregate by Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in the quarter-finals last year, and the clubs will meet at the same stage this season.
The 5-0 first-leg loss was the heaviest suffered by the Cairo Red Devils in an international competition and the biggest since a 6-0 defeat by Zamalek in the 1942 Egyptian Cup final. Read more
Max Verstappen is Lewis Hamilton’s biggest threat, says Red Bull chief (Guardian)
The Red Bull principal, Christian Horner, believes Max Verstappen is the driver most likely to challenge Lewis Hamilton for the Formula One world championship this year.
Horner is bullish about his team’s chances but reckons Hamilton, who will be aiming for a seventh world crown, will remain with Mercedes rather than switch to Ferrari at the end of the season.
Verstappen, 22 but entering his sixth F1 season, is convinced he is ready to take the fight to the British driver. Red Bull have not properly challenged Hamilton’s dominant Mercedes team since the turbo‑hybrid era began.
However, with the regulations stable, Horner is confident that if Red Bull deliver on their car his Dutch driver can be a threat. Read more
Aribo, teammates hold crisis meeting (Punch)
Super Eagles midfielder, Joe Aribo, and his Glasgow Rangers’ teammates had Celtic in their sight in the Scottish league race as the ‘Bhoys’ only led the ‘Gers’ by just two points prior to the Scottish winter break, but following an away defeat to Hearts and home draw to Aberdeen in the second phase of the season, Steven Gerrard’s men’s dream of wrestling the title from their rivals now looks slim.
Rangers, with a game in hand, were looking strong and poised to wrestle the title from their rivals but their recent slump has led to the players convening a crisis meeting to arrest the situation.
According to Express.co.uk, the Ibrox outfit’s first-team stars had a crunch talk, and discussed about their poor form with a member of the squad, Steven Davis, admitting the Gers are lacking “a little bit of spark”. Read more
Nigerians shine at 2020 Para-Lifting World Cup (Nation)
Three-time Paralympic gold medalist, Lucy Ejike delivered a gold medal for Nigeria in the Senior Women’s Up to 61 kg at the 2020 World Para Powerlifting World Cup holding at the Abuja International Conference Center in the Federal Capital Territory.
The current world champion lifted 135kg to claim the gold medal ahead of Korany Fatma of Egypt, who lifted 116kg for silver, while another Nigerian, Komo Maria settled for bronze with a lift of 100kg.
Nigeria dominated the women’s up to 45kg category with Latifat Tijani sets new African record in both her 2nd & 3rd attempt. Read more