Oromoni: House parent refutes claims deceased sustained injuries during football games (Guardian)
A house parent in Dowen College, Lagos, Omobola Kayode, yesterday, refuted claims that the late 12-year-old student of the College, Sylvester Oromoni Junior got injured, while playing football.
Kayode, who trained as a nurse in Ukraine, testified before a Lagos coroner inquest to unravel the cause of Oromoni’s death.
The witness, who joined the school on November 7, 2021, told Coroner Magistrate Mikhail Kadiri, that she massaged the deceased’s right thigh twice.
She told the court that the deceased told her that he had pain and muscle pull when he wanted to pick his bible that fell from the bed.
The house parent told the court that she massaged the deceased’s right thigh on the instruction of the school doctor. She said: “After massaging the deceased ‘s right thigh with deep heat, I administered Paracetamol. So he slept in the sick bay, before he went back to his room. He had attended class in the morning.”
I did a follow up on him at the hostel. Read more
Lagos police, protesters clash as truck crushes Okada rider, passenger (Punch)
There was pandemonium on Tuesday at the Second Lekki Toll Gate, Chevron Ajah, on the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos State, after a truck crushed a motorcycle rider and his passenger to death.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the truck driver was conveying sand to a destination in the state when he suddenly lost control and rammed into the victims around 9 am.
It was learnt that the truck driver, on realising what had happened, abandoned the vehicle and fled.
While the passenger died on the spot, the rider reportedly gave up the ghost later.
An eyewitness, who spoke in a clip reposted on an Instagram platform, Instablog9ja, said security agents, including policemen and soldiers who visited the scene while one of the victims was still alive, did nothing. Read more
Police nab alleged fake Air force personnel, raid black spots in Oshodi (Guardian)
Operatives of Lagos State Task force have arrested a suspected fake Air force personnel at Oshodi. The 29-year-old suspect, Nzubechukwu Emmanuel was arrested while riding his motorcycle on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor along Bolade, Oshodi, Lagos.
Spokesperson for the agency, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, said when the suspect was accosted by officials, he claimed ‘Espirit de Corps’.
Upon arrest and questioning, it was revealed that he is into the business of selling shoes, but impersonates military officials to beat checkpoints and flout traffic rules. He said the suspect would be charged to court.
The agency has also raided black spots at Oshodi, leading to the arrest of 49 suspected criminals. According to Abdulraheem, the officials found on the suspects substance suspected to be hard drugs such as cannabis, tramadol and others. Read more
Lagos socialite gets N2m bail for doling out petrol souvenir at party (Punch)
A socialite, Ms Chidinma Ogbulu, aka Erelu Okin, has been arraigned before a Special Offences (Mobile) Court in the Oshodi area of Lagos State for distributing petrol as a souvenir during a ceremony.
Ogbulu reportedly distributed petrol while celebrating her chieftaincy title on March 5, 2022, at the Havillah Event Centre, Lagos.
A video of kegs of petrol for guests at the event went viral on social media, sparking an outrage as the state government sealed off the centre.
The police also vowed to prosecute the socialite.
She was arraigned on Monday on four counts bordering on conduct likely to cause breach of peace, endangering human lives by distributing combustible matter in a public gathering, intent to do harm to another and unlawfully carrying on the business of storage and containerising petroleum product without a permit. Read more
#EndSARS: Lekki toll gate reopens April 1 (Nation)
The Lekki Concession Company (LCC) has announced the reopening of Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Plaza after 18 months of tolling suspension.
According to the operators, tolling will commence on April 1 but commuters plying through the route would not pay for the first two weeks until April 15.
In an advertorial placed in The Nation on Monday, LCC’s Managing Director, Yomi Omomuwasan, noted that the resumption of operations was necessary after consultations with key stakeholders including Lagos State Government, resident associations, traditional rulers, community leaders and others.
“Tolling will commence on April 1, 2022 but commuters plying the corridor will not have to pay any toll for the first two weeks until 15th April, 2022 as this period would be toll-free to all motorists plying the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge.” The statement read in parts.
Omomuwasan said: “We have introduced new technology and innovations to make passages at the Toll Plaza seamless and faster for commuters. We are replacing old toll devices with upgraded ones for faster throughput at the Toll Plaza.”
“The new devices have been configured to synchronise with the newly upgraded tolling systems and will improve functionality while enabling a better experience at the Toll Plaza.” Read more
Epileptic power supply: Minister summons emergency meeting (Vanguard)
The Minister of Power Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu is holding an emergency meeting with all the stakeholders in the power sector to address the current low power generation which has caused epileptic power supply across the country. The minister warns that stakeholders must work together to make electricity more stable.
The meeting held at the Conference Hall of the ministry has in attendance a delegation from the Power Generation Companies, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) NNPC, Shell and other stakeholders in the power value chain.
In his opening remarks, minister Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu said; “This meeting was summoned to address the current electricity situation in the country which we are not happy about. We must find a solution so that Nigerians will have electricity. I want us to have the patience to talk to each other, not blaming each other.
Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu maintains that the Nigerian government will not relent in its effort to make sure that improvements in the power sector are sustained and built upon so that electricity supply improves across Nigeria. He added that current challenges must be addressed. Read more
Wike, Obaseki fight dirty in bid to control Edo PDP (Nation)
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday accused his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki, of betrayal, describing him as ungrateful.
Wike said former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomole, had been vindicated.
He said he was sorry for ignoring Oshiomhole’s warnings about Obaseki, adding that everything the former APC chairman said about the character of the Edo State governor had come to pass.
Wike spoke during the inauguration of an expanded Community Secondary School project in Omuanwa, Ikwere Local Government Area.
LWike’s war of words with Obaseki began with Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu threatening to leave the PDP due to a crisis in the state chapter. Read more
APC Crisis: Buni’s camp bounces back as activities for convention begin (DailyTrust)
The camp of the embattled Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni Tuesday bounced back as the Secretary, Senator James John Akpanudoedehe, resumed at the party national secretariat.
This is just as the activities for the national convention of the party slated for March 26 commenced with the sale of forms to aspirants.
Monarchs’ killings put Ogun on the edge
Uba Sani, Dattijo declare for Kaduna gov’ship race
One of the chairmanship aspirants, Saliu Mustapha, who was the deputy national chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), picked up the form after he paid the stipulated N20m.
The ruling party had been enmeshed in a leadership crisis over the purported directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to sack Buni, who has been piloting the affairs of the party since June 2020 when the Adams Oshiomhole- led National Working Committee (NWC) was sacked.
The Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, took over the affairs of the party on March 7, amid heavy security cover, fuelling reports about the end of Buni’s reign. Read more
NANS kicks as policeman shoots undergraduate in Ibadan (Punch)
A policeman has reportedly shot and injured a student of the Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic in Eruwa, Oyo State.
The student, Samuel Akinsuyi, was said to be going from Eruwa to Ibadan, on Friday, when the policeman stopped him during a stop and search operation and assaulted him thoroughly before shooting him in the leg.
It was not clear what the policeman accused Akinsuyi, a student of the Business Administration Department, of, but the trigger happy cop was said to have fled the scene immediately after shooting the student.
The South-West coordinator of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Olatunji Adegboye, in a statement on Monday said the injured student was now battling with paralysis as a result of the shooting.
He also accused the police of cover up, while lamenting what he described as incessant police brutality, especially against students along Ibadan-Eruwa road.
Adegboye said, “On a daily basis, harmless and helpless Nigerian citizens continue to fall victim to bloodthirsty police officers who mete out on Nigerians various inhuman treatments ranging from verbal assault, outright assault, unlawful arrest, unjust detention and more often than not, being shot at. Read more
Ukraine war: European leaders risk train ride to meet Zelensky (BBC)
The Slovenian, Polish and Czech prime ministers, together with Poland’s ruling party leader, took the long journey from Warsaw
Ukraine has praised the courage of three European leaders who made a long, hazardous journey by rail from Poland to Kyiv in a show of support as the city came under further Russian attack.
The prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday evening as a curfew began in Kyiv.
Afterwards, the Czech leader told Ukrainians that they are “not alone”.
The group are the first Western leaders to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded.
“We admire your brave fight,” Petr Fiala wrote in a tweet. “We know that you’re also fighting for our lives. You’re not alone, our countries stand by your side.” Read more
Comedian Pete Davidson secures seat on Blue Origin space flight (RTE)
Comedian Pete Davidson will blast off to space in a rocket built by Jeff Bezos’ company.
Blue Origin announced that the Saturday Night Live comic will be among the passengers on its 20th flight scheduled for 23 March.
He follows Star Trek actor William Shatner and former American football player and TV personality Michael Strahan in taking part in one of the company’s high-profile space trips.
Davidson will board the ship alongside five paying customers including the president and chief executive of Tricor International, a property development corporation, and a “world explorer” who has visited all 193 UN-recognised countries.
The flight will be the 20th for Blue Origin’s New Shepard programme and the fourth to feature a human crew.
Davidson and girlfriend Kim Kardashian were reported to have attended a dinner party in January at the Los Angeles Home of Bezos and his partner, journalist Lauren Sanchez. Read more
Marina Ovsyannikova: Russian journalist tells of 14-hour interrogation (BBC)
A Russian journalist has been fined and released after she protested against the war in Ukraine on a live TV news programme and made an anti-war video.
Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at state-controlled Channel 1, was detained after she ran on to the set on Monday holding a sign saying “no war”.
She said she had been questioned for 14 hours and not slept for two days, and was not given access to legal help.
The 30,000 rouble (£214; $280) fine relates to her video message.
She had pleaded not guilty to the charge of organising an unauthorised public event. Read more
Camila Cabello to preview new album ‘Familia’ on “immersive” TikTok live-stream (NME)
Camila Cabello has announced an “immersive” TikTok concert to celebrate the release of her new album ‘Familia’.
The singer-songwriter is set to play a special set on the video platform on April 7, the eve of her third record’s release. Per an official listing, the show will feature “the first-ever live performances” of tracks from ‘Familia’.
Cabello’s forthcoming online performance is described as “a fantastical trip through the artist’s mind, with shifting sets and costumes designed to complement the music”.
“The performance was created using eye-popping XR, augmenting Camila’s singing and choreography with immersive visual effects bringing Camila’s creativity to her fans like never before,” the description added.
“Camila creates an engrossing virtual world for each song she performs, leading the audience on a surreal journey through an ever-shifting reality. Familia: Welcome To The Family is a one-of-a-kind experience you don’t want to miss.”
The show will be live-streamed at 4pm PT/7pm ET on April 7.
Fans in the UK can tune into a rebroadcast at 7pm BST on April 9, or alternatively catch one of the other time slots listed below.
LIVE Broadcast: Thursday April 7 @ 4pm PT/7pm ET
Rebroadcast #1 (US/CA/LATAM): Friday April 8th @ 4pm PT/7pm ET
Rebroadcast #2 (APAC/AUS): Saturday April 9th @ 8pm MYT/9pm JP/10pm AEST
Rebroadcast #3 (UK/EU/Africa): Saturday April 9th @ 11am PT/7pm BST
Earlier this month, Camila Cabello shared a new collaborative single with Ed Sheeran called ‘Bam Bam’. It’ll feature on the upcoming ‘Familia’ alongside the previously released track ‘Don’t Go Yet’. Read more
‘Lost Daughter,’ ‘Drive My Car’ Win Top Prizes At Independent Spirit Awards (HuffPost)
Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Lost Daughter,” “Drive My Car” and “Summer of Soul” were among the big winners at the 37th Film Independent Spirit Awards Sunday.
The ceremony hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally was held in a tent by the beach in Santa Monica, California, broadcast on AMC and IFC. It is the cool, casual counterpart to some of the more traditional film awards shows.
“If you don’t win, you can just walk straight into the ocean,” Offerman said.
Gyllenhaal won best feature, director and best screenplay for her adaptation of the Elena Ferrante novel “The Lost Daughter.”
Through tears, Gyllenhaal said that more than anything she believes in love. She was effusive in her praise for her crew.
“You were the first people to tell me I was a director,” she said. “Thank you to Netflix — I can’t even believe this — for your support. … Nobody ever makes their first movie and comes out loving their financiers.”
“I love independent films,” Gyllenhaal added. “I grew up making independent films.” Read more
Alessandro Nivola to play villain in Kraven the Hunter (FilmNews)
Alessandro Nivola has been cast in the Marvel movie ‘Kraven the Hunter’.
The 49-year-old actor has boarded the Sony Pictures’ Marvel flick, which will feature Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the title role.
Alessandro will be playing a villain in the movie and joins a cast that includes Ariana DeBose, Russell Crowe and Fred Hechinger.
J.C. Chandor is directing the movie with Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach producing. Art Marcum, Matt Holloway and Richard Wenk have penned the screenplay.
Kraven is one of Marvel’s most iconic and notorious villains. He has encountered Venom and Black Panther and is also one of Spider-Man’s most formidable foes. The new movie featuring the character is slated for release in January 2023. Read more
Iconic pub dedicated to Ernest Hemingway in Kharkiv completely destroyed in Russian shelling (Independent)
An iconic pub named after American novelist Ernest Hemingway in Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv was destroyed by Russian shelling on Monday.
Old Hem, founded in 2012, was a popular pub for young creative minds in the city. Patrons had to walk past a statue of the author to enter the pub, which was adorned with portraits of writers such as Charles Bukowski, Mark Twain and Sergei Dovlatov along its walls.
Ukrainian poet Serhiy Zhadan and musician Oleh Skrypka were some of those who regularly performed at the pub.
Images shared on social media showed a part of an entire building torn down, with fire billowing on the corner.
According to the Kharkiv prosecutor’s office, two people who were reportedly living in apartments above the bar died in the attack.
Owner Kostiantyn Kuts said the pub turned into a makeshift bomb shelter when Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine on 24 February. Read more
Nigerian athletes hit Belgrade today for World Indoors (Guardian)
Seven Nigerian athletes are expected to depart Lagos, this evening, for Belgrade, Serbia, ahead of this year’s World Athletics Indoor Championships.
Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) President, Tonobok Okowa, who will lead the squad to Belgrade, told The Guardian in a telephone chat, yesterday, that the athletes would depart aboard Turkish Airline alongside their coaches, former hurdler, Seigha Porbeni and ex-sprinter, Endurance Ojokolo.
World and Olympic long jump medallist, Ese Brume and the men’s 4x400m quartet of Sikiru Adewale Adeyemi, Samson Oghenewegba Samson, Timothy Emewoghene and Ifeanyi Emmanuel Ojeli will be in the flight to Belgrade via Istanbul, Turkey, while Ruth Usoro, the Nigerian triple jump record holder, will fly from the United States of America to join the team for the championships.
Also expected to join the team is AFN’s Performance Director, U.S.-based former 400m hurdler, Victor Okorie. The Belgrade 2022 World Indoor Championship will hold from March 18 to 20. Read more
Dosu says no keepers crisis in Eagles (Punch)
Despite raised eyebrows over the form of Super Eagles goalkeepers ahead of the crucial 2022 Qatar World Cup play-offs against Ghana, Atlanta ’96 gold medallist Joseph Dosu has expressed confidence in the current keepers.
Eagles head coach Austin Eguavoen listed shot stoppers Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho and Daniel Akpeyi in his provisional 32-man squad for the encounter, but the gaffer faces a daunting task selecting his first-choice for crucial double-header, which holds March 25 in Ghana, with the reverse fixture in Nigeria four days later.
Okoye, the target of irate fans after the Eagles’ exit from the Africa Cup for Nations in Cameroon last month, is the team’s first choice and has conceded 29 goals in 21 games for struggling Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam.
Uzoho, the Eagles’ second choice, has conceded 20 goals and kept three clean sheets in 12 games, while Kaizer Chiefs’ Akpeyi, is yet to make an appearance for his Premier Soccer League club since December 22 and may be offloaded by the South African side at the end of the season.
However, Dosu, in an interview with The PUNCH, expressed confidence in all the invited shot stoppers. Read more
Joshua dismisses boastful Joyce as promoters plan fight against Wailin (Guardian)
Former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Anthony Joshua, yesterday, dismissed James Joyce’s ‘hilarious’ jibe at him, saying he has gone past fighting boxers in Joyce category.
Joyce took to his twitter handle to criticise Joshua, whom he dubbed a glass jaw that had everything given to him on a platter.
He said: “And @anthonyjoshua, you having a meltdown, where are all your belts? All those sponsorships and endorsements helping? You’re a glass cannon, quit the act, you were given everything. #easymode.”
Joshua, whose rematch with Ukrainian, Oleksandr Usyk, is on hold following the WBO, IBF, WBO champion’s involvement in his country’s war against Russia, dismissed Joyce as a fighter seeking attention.
He replied, also on his twitter handle, “I’ve shared this ring with most people you see in the heavyweight division today. Read more
Stadium uncertainty: Amokachi taunts Ghana ahead play-offs (Punch)
Ahead of the crucial World Cup play-offs between Nigeria and Ghana, former Super Eagles striker, Daniel Amokachi, has taken a swipe at archrivals Ghana over the uncertainty of the match venue for the qualifiers, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Black Stars host the Eagles at the Cape Coast Stadium on March 25 before the reverse fixture slated for the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on March 29.
While the Abuja stadium is ready to host Ghana for the second leg, there’s been doubt over the Cape Coast stadium hosting the first fixture.
Following the bad state of the stadium pitch after it was used for the country’s 65th independence celebration earlier this month, reports say the Ghana Football Association has informed CAF to consider switching the venue to the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi. Read more
Nunez heads winner as Benfica beat Ajax (BBC)
Darwin Nunez scored the winner as Benfica beat Ajax in Amsterdam to reach the Champions League quarter-finals.
After an entertaining first leg ended 2-2 in Lisbon, the return was far tighter and the visitors had done little to threaten before Nunez struck.
The Uruguayan beat Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana to head in a whipped free-kick with 13 minutes to go.
Ajax dominated and Sebastien Haller had the ball in the net early on, but Dusan Tadic was offside in the build-up.
The Benfica match-winner recommended by Suarez
Yet for all the home side’s possession they struggled to break down a resolute Benfica defence that was well marshalled by veteran centre-backs Nicolas Otamendi and former Ajax and Spurs man Jan Vertonghen. Read more
Jezreel Corrales outboxes Miguel Madueno, Anselmo Moreno gets TKO win (BoxingScene)
The 37th edition of the World Boxing Association (WBA) “KO Drugs” Festival ended on Saturday night at the Roberto Duran Arena in Panama.
Former world champion Jezreel Corrales (27-4, 10 KOs) outboxed undefeated Miguel Madueno (27-1, 25 KOs) in their WBA lightweight eliminator fight, while former champion Anselmo “Chemito” Moreno also got a big stoppage victory over Gustavo Pina in the tenth round.
The evening was attended by WBA President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, in addition to great personalities of Panamanian boxing and former President Ricardo Martinelli, a great lover of the sport.
Corrales overcame adversity in the first round when he suffered a flash knockdown. He recovered and used his boxing skills to keep the big puncher at bay. Both boxers were deducted points in a very rough fight where a lot of rough tactics were used by both. Read more
Saudi GP set to stay in Jeddah until 2025 (PlanetF1)
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is now set for an extended stay at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit through to 2025.
Formula 1 added a new night race to its calendar for 2021, as the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was held around the newly-built Jeddah Corniche Circuit street track.
The venue proved to be a high-speed addition to the calendar with very little margin for error, though it is considered a temporary home for the event, as plans are in place to move to a new, purpose-built venue as part of the Qiddiya project.
However, according to Martin Whitaker, CEO of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Association, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is now likely to stay in Jeddah for another five years. Read more