Oshodi family refutes social media posts, stands with Oba of Lagos (Guardian)
The Oshodi-Tapa ruling family of Lagos has reacted to a series of posting on social media by Abisoye Oshodi against the Oba of Lagos and the traditional stool in the aftermath of the #EndSARS violence.
In a statement signed by the family’s secretary, Prince A.R.T. Oshodi, it states that: “Though Abisoye Oshodi is a member of the Oshodi-Tapa ruling family and a son of our revered father, the late Chief Durojaiye Olajuwon Oshodi, the Balogun Oshodi-Tapa of Lagos (1968-1989), the family completely disassociates itself from all the postings emanating from Abisoye Oshodi in regards to the ugly incidents that followed the #EndSARS protest in October.
“The family acknowledges the right of all citizens in regards to expression of opinion and therefore holds the position that Abisoye Oshodi is solely liable to whatever may be the consequence of his posting. Read more
Lekki Shootings: Lagos Panel lacks power to sanction military, says legal team (Thisday)
Nigerian Army’s legal team has declared that the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS and Related Abuses, lacks the powers to impose sanctions or punish any soldier found guilty for shooting #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza on October 20.
Leader of the team and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Kehinde Akinlolu made the assertion yesterday, while presenting a seven-page report to the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, at the Nigerian Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Akinlolu said the Nigerian Army was not under trial over the shooting, which allegedly resulted in the death of some protesters. Read more
Correctional Service gets 240-bed cell block (Nation)
The Controller General of Corrections Ja’afaru Ahmad has said that the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) is ready to confront the challenges posed by congestion in the custodial centres by partnering and encouraging corporate bodies, non- governmental organizations and philanthropic individuals towards infrastructural development in these Centres.
Ahmad, who was represented by Deputy Controller General John Mrabure, stated this during the commissioning of a 240-bed capacity cell block donated by Precious Oluwasanya Foundation at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos.
CGC Ahmad further stated that the 240 bed cell block initiative was the first in the annals of the Nigerian Correctional Service that was sole constructed and financed by a private corporate organization without recourse to government funding. Read more
Sanwo-Olu appoints new members of state’s Judicial Service Commission (Nation)
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has appointed new members of the state’s Judicial Service Commission.
The governor made this known in a statement by the Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, last week.
The statement said the governor’s approval which is in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, was consequent on the expiration of the former members’ tenure.
Sanwo-Olu thanked the outgoing members for their selfless service to Lagos State. Read more
Security agencies arrest Maina in Niger Republic (Punch)
Security agencies in Niger Republic have arrested the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, in that country.
A top security officer confided in The PUNCh that Maina was arrested by Nigerian Security agencies on Monday.
Maina, who is being prosecuted on 12 counts of money laundering to the tune of N2bn by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, jumped bail, forcing the trial judge, Justice Abang Okon, to issue a warrant for his arrest. Read more
NSE closes last trading day in November with 0.45% growth (Vanguard)
The nation’s bourse closed for the last trading day in November with a growth of 0.45 per cent following price appreciation posted by Airtel Africa and 16 other stocks.
Specifically, the All-Share Index on Monday rose by 156.63 points or 0.45 per cent to close at 35,042.14 compared with 34,885.51 achieved on Friday.
Also, the market capitalisation which opened at N18.227 trillion inched higher by N82 billion or 0.45 per cent to close at N18.309 trillion. Read more
Fleeing Ogun car robber stabs policeman (Punch)
An armed robber reportedly stabbed a policeman, Peter Olajide, in the hand to escape with a stolen Toyota car in Ogere, Remo-North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Four members of the gang were said to have snatched the car from the owner in Lagos State and took it to Ogere on Thursday before the policemen chased them and arrested one of them.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, disclosed this on Monday in a statement.
Oyeyemi said three of the robbers escaped while one Daniel Sunday was arrested by men of Ogun State Police Command. Read more
Bandits slaughter nursing mother, seven farmers in Katsina- Lawmaker (Tribune)
Unknown assailants suspected to be bandits have killed seven farmers including a nursing mother in Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The state assembly member representing the area, Ibrahim Danjuma Machika, confirmed the incident while sponsoring a motion in the state legislature on the need to reinforce security in the three troubled villages in the area.
Machika said the killings were carried out last week at Tashar Bama, Dungun Mu’azu and Unguwar Maigayya villages. Read more
Pirates attack Rivers passenger boat, abduct two (Punch)
Suspected pirates, on Monday, hijacked a commercial passenger boat travelling from Port Harcourt to Bonny, in Rivers State, and abducted two passengers on board.
The incident, according to an eyewitness in Bonny, happened around 10 am in the Isaka area of the Bonny Port Harcourt waterway, Okrika Local Government Area of the state.
The eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that two passengers, whose identities had yet to be ascertained as of press time, were taken away with the boat, while other passengers were dropped near a creek. Read more
Missing Florida sailor found clinging to capsized vessel (BBC)
A sailor who was reported missing at sea over the weekend has been recovered after he was spotted clinging to his capsized vessel off the Florida coast.
Stuart Bee, 62, set sail on Friday afternoon from Cape Marina at Port Canaveral on his 10m (32ft)-long boat.
Authorities were alerted on Saturday, after he failed to return to port.
He was discovered clutching part of his overturned boat by the crew of a passing container vessel, 86 miles (138km) off Cape Canaveral on Sunday. Read more
Wisconsin, Arizona certify Biden’s victory over Trump (CBC)
President-elect Joe Biden’s election victories in Arizona and battleground Wisconsin were certified Monday, dealing further blows to President Donald Trump’s efforts to discredit the results of the Nov. 3 election.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, signed a certificate that completed the process after the canvass report showing Biden as the winner was approved by the chair of the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission. That approval came after a recount of presidential ballots in two of the state’s largest counties requested by the Trump campaign.
Evers’s signature was required by law and is typically a procedural step that receives little attention. Read more
Saudi Arabia allows Israeli commercial planes to use its airspace (AlJazeera)
Saudi Arabia agreed to let Israeli airliners cross its airspace en route to the United Arab Emirates after talks between Saudi officials and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, news agency Reuters and Israeli media outlets have reported.
Kushner and Middle East envoys Avi Berkowitz and Brian Hook raised the issue shortly after they arrived in Saudi Arabia for talks. “We were able to reconcile the issue,” an official from the administration of United States President Donald Trump told Reuters on Monday.
The agreement was hammered out just hours before Israel’s first commercial flight to the UAE was planned on Tuesday morning. The Israir flight was at risk of being cancelled with no overflight agreement. Read more
Felicity Huffman lands first acting gig after college admissions scandal (Metro)
Felicity Huffman has signed on for her first TV role since serving time in prison for her part in the college admissions scandal. The Desperate Housewives actress spent 14 days in jail and was sentenced to 250 hours of community service after she pleaded guilty to committing mail fraud and honest services fraud. However, the 57-year-old is moving forward and has landed the lead role in a new baseball-inspired comedy. According to Deadline, the star has signed up for a single-camera comedy inspired by Susan Savage, the real-life owner of the Sacramento River Cats, a Triple-A baseball team. Read more
Canada unveils largest economic relief package since WW2 (BBC)
Canada’s federal government will spend C$100bn ($77bn, £58bn) to kick start the country’s post-pandemic economy.
It is “the largest economic relief package for our country since the Second World War”, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Monday.
The spending will bring the deficit to a historic C$381.6bn by March 2021.
The wide-ranging plan includes targeted relief for hard-hit business sectors, investments in long-term care homes and distribution of a Covid-19 vaccine. Read more
French parliament drops controversial draft law curtailing right to film police (France24)
The French parliament has dropped a controversial bill that would have curbed the right to film police officers in action, the speaker of parliament and leader of President Emmanuel Macron’s ruling party announced on Monday.
In an apparent effort to quell criticism, Christophe Castaner, head of Macron’s LREM (La République en marche) party, said Monday that “there is a need to clarify the measure”.
“The bill will be completely rewritten and a new version will be submitted,” he told a news conference.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had refused to simply withdraw the controversial article, saying before a parliamentary commission on Monday that police “are not protected enough”. Read more
COVID-19: Lung damage ‘identified’ in study (BBC)
COVID-19 could be causing lung abnormalities still detectable more than three months after patients are infected, researchers suggest.
A study of 10 patients at Oxford University used a novel scanning technique to identify damage not picked up by conventional scans.
It uses a gas called Xenon during MRI scans to create images of lung damage.
Lung experts said a test that could spot long-term damage would make a huge difference to Covid patients.
The Xenon technique sees patients inhale the gas during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Read more
CAF competition: Fans hail Enyimba, slam Plateau, Rivers, Pillars (Punch)
Football fans have praised Nigeria Professional Football League side Enyimba after their 1-0 win over Rahimo FC in the CAF Champions League Preliminary Round on Sunday while slamming other campaigners, Plateau United, Kano Pillars and Rivers United for losing their games.
Plateau United will be walking a tight rope when they visit Tanzanian side, Simba FC in the second leg of their preliminary round game between December 4 and 6 at the 60,000 capacity National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
CAF Confederations Cup campaigner Kano Pillars have a long hill to climb after losing 3-1 to Senegalese side Jaraaf FC while Rivers United will be hoping to overturn the 1-0 loss away at Futuro Kings. Read more
Delayed NPFL kickoff hurting Nigerian clubs, says Maikaba (Guardian)
Plateau United of Jos Coach, Abdul Maikaba, has blamed the delay in the kickoff of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) for the poor performance of the country’s clubs in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) inter-club competitions.
Plateau United on Sunday lost 0-1 in Jos to visiting Simba FC of Tanzania in the CAF Champions League, while Kano Pillars and Rivers United fell to Jaraaf of Senegal 1-3 in Dakar and Futoro FC of Equatorial Guinea 1-2 respectively.
Speaking after Plateau United’s loss at home on Sunday, Maikaba said his boys, just like other Nigerian teams in the continent, paid the prize for the delay in the kickoff of the NPFL. Read more
Papa Bouba Diop: Diao, Zakuani pay tribute to gentle giant (BBC)
Two of Papa Bouba Diop’s former team-mates have talked to BBC Sport about their memories of the Senegal star who died on Sunday, aged just 42.
Former DR Congo captain Gabriel Zakuani was at Fulham at the same time as Bouba Diop and once let him move into his house.
Salif Diao played with Bouba Diop for Senegal and said: “Whenever we think about him it will be that angel face and that smile.” Read more
Edinson Cavani apologises for ‘affectionate’ Instagram post (Metro)
Manchester United forward Edinson Cavani has apologised for a controversial Instagram post on Sunday night which the Football Association are set to launch an investigation into. After coming off the bench to net a brace at St Mary’s in United’s come-from-behind 3-2 victory, Cavani responded to a post from a friend on Instagram saying, ‘Gracias negrito’, which translates as, ‘Thanks, little black’. The post was deleted around three hours after the 33-year-old posted the message, once United had been made aware of Cavani’s choice of words. Read more
West Ham go fifth after pulsating win over Villa (BBC)
West Ham moved fifth in the Premier League with victory over Aston Villa in a pulsating match at London Stadium.
Villa’s Ollie Watkins was denied a stoppage-time equaliser after an agonising VAR wait deemed his upper arm was offside, even though he seemed to be being held back by Hammers defender Angelo Ogbonna.
The former Brentford man also hit the bar with a penalty as the spirited visitors pressed for the leveller their play more than deserved.
David Moyes has quietly established the Hammers as an effective outfit this season and they got off to the perfect start when Ogbonna buried a header past Emiliano Martinez inside the first two minutes. Read more
FA Cup third round draw: Arsenal and Liverpool face Premier League opposition (Metro)
The FA Cup third round draw has been made as the biggest clubs in English football join the competition and prepare to begin their campaigns in January. Manchester United are hosting Championship side Watford, Arsenal take on Newcastle at the Emirate and Liverpool must go to Aston Villa. Chelsea have a match they will expect to win at home to Morecambe, while Tottenham go to non-league side Marine in their opening contest of this season’s competition. Read more
Fulham’s Cavaleiro showed courage to take penalty in win at Leicester – Parker (BBC)
Manager Scott Parker praised forward Ivan Cavaleiro’s “courage” as his penalty helped Fulham climb out of the Premier League relegation places.
Parker’s side had missed three penalties in a row before Cavaleiro converted to help secure victory at Leicester, who missed the chance to go level on points with leaders Tottenham.
The Portuguese had been one of the spot-kick culprits – missing in a 3-2 home defeat by Everton eight days earlier – and Parker was impressed with the way he stepped up. Read more