Police arraign three ‘fake’ soldiers (Nation)
The Police on Tuesday arraigned three civilians before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly parading themselves as military men.
The defendants, Emmanuel Ifeanyichukwu, 34, Emmanuel Ogar, 31 and Basiru Saleh, 33, are facing a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and impersonation.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Police prosecutor, Insp Wasiu Dada, said the defendants wore the Nigeria Army camouflage uniform and portrayed themselves as military personnel.
Dada told the court that the defendants committed the offences with others still at large on Oct. 22 at about 2.00 p.m. at Ajah in Lagos. Read more
2 Nigerian fraudsters to spend combined 22 years in US jail (Punch)
Two Nigerians, Opeyemi Abidemi Adeoso, 46, and Benjamin Adeleke Ifebajo, 47, have been jailed in the US for internet fraud. The duo bagged a 22 years combined jail term in federal prison. Their sentence was announced by acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham.
In a statement by the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Texas, titled, ‘Nigerian Email Scammers Sentenced to Combined 22+ Years in Federal Prison,’ Adeoso pleaded guilty in June of 2020 to 17 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of money laundering, six counts of use of a false passport, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Also, Ifebajo pleaded guilty to seven counts of wire fraud, six counts of money laundering, four counts of use of a false passport, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The statement read, “Two Nigerian fraudsters arrested in DOJ’s Operation reWired have been sentenced to a combined 22 ½ years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. Read more
Baba Suwe for burial in Lagos Nov 25 – Son (Punch)
Adesola Omidina, a son of the late veteran Nigerian comic actor, Baba Suwe, has announced the burial arrangements of his father who died on Monday.
The young man who is also an actor, took to his Instagram page to announce that his father’s interment would hold on Thursday, November 25, 2021.
In a statement e-signed by Adesola, on behalf of the family, the interment will commence at the deceased residence at 26, Oluwatimiro Street, Ewu Elepe Bustop, Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos, by 10 am prompt.
Adesola also stated that the final funeral ceremony for his 63-year-old deceased father would be announced at a later time. Read more
NAMA loses air traffic controller (ThisDay)
The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) has announced the passing of Mr. Aniekan Inuk Effiong, an air traffic controller with the agency, at Abuja station.
He died on 22nd of November 2021. Until his death, late Effiong was an Assistant General Manager, Operations.
A statement signed by General Manager, Public Affair of NAMA, Khalid Emele, explained that Effiong reported to duty at the Abuja Approach Radar Control (TRACON) on the 21st of November 2021 at 6.pm without any sign of illness whatsoever.
He was to close by 7 am the next day. However, at about 4 am on Monday morning, he experienced difficulty in breathing. FAAN ambulance was called to evacuate him to the nearest medical facility. He was immediately taken to the Air Force base clinic where he died. Read more
Met returns 3 artworks looted under British colonial rule to Nigeria (Guardian)
New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday officially returned three works of art to Nigeria that were looted in the 19th century, as museums make increasing efforts to repatriate some foreign treasures.
The two 16th-century brass plaques and a 14th-century brass head from the Kingdom of Benin — part of modern-day Nigeria — were taken from the Nigerian Royal Palace during British military occupation in 1897 and moved to the British Museum in London until 1950 when the UK repatriated them.
After their return to the National Museum in Lagos, they re-entered the art market and ended up in the hands of a private investor who donated them to the Met in 1991, where they were exhibited for years.
On Monday, their transfer to the Nigerian National Collections — already announced in June — was confirmed at a signing in New York by Met director Max Hollein and Abba Isa Tijani, director-general of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments of Nigeria. Read more
Plateau to partner Agricultural Research Institute of Nigeria for enhanced food production (Tribune)
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has expressed the readiness of the state government to partner with the Agricultural Research Institute of Nigeria (ARCN) in utilizing research findings to improve the production capacity of its farmers.
The governor disclosed this at the commissioning of an e-library, agric museum, agricultural radio and television stations as well as the foundation laying for the new administrative office for the ARCN in Abuja.
Lalong said the initiative by the Agency will go a long way in filling the gap between farmers and agricultural managers in terms of information and knowledge sharing on new farming practices, improved varieties of seeds as well as modern methods of farming using technology.
He commended the Executive Secretary of the ARCN Prof. Garba Sharubutu for his innovative approach since he assumed duties and said he was not surprised by his achievements seeing that he did a lot to make agriculture viable in Plateau State while serving as Special Adviser before his appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari. Read more
Lai Mohammed says Lagos #EndSARS report filled with errors (Guardian)
Nigeria’s information minister Lai Mohammed Tuesday said the federal government cannot accept the report of a judicial panel set up to investigate the attack on unarmed #EndSARS protesters at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020.
Mohammed said the report, which indicted the Nigerian army, police and Lekki Concession Company, is filled with errors and contradictions.
The panel said the attack by Nigerian security forces “could in context be described as a massacre”. But Mohammed maintained that the government believed there was no massacre.
Submitted to state authorities on November 15, the leaked report contradicts the army’s version of what happened at the city’s Lekki tollgate on October 20, 2020. Read more
OAU Student’s Murder: NANS demands justice, speedy investigation (Channels)
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) southwest zone has called for speedy investigation and justice in the case of murder of a Master’s student at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State.
The group at a press briefing held on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital demanded that justice must prevail no matter how highly placed those found guilty are in the society in order not to set a bad precedence
“It is commendable that the Nigeria Police force was able to tape the murder scene and carry out some investigations so far. Justice must have its full course so as not to set dangerous precedence,” Adegboyega Emmanuel, coordinator of the group said.
They commended the Nigeria Police for their efforts in the investigation and threatened to mobilize mass action against any attempt to subvert justice. Read more
NAFDAC says regulation of vet medicines, vaccines, necessary for food safety (Guardian)
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says regulation of veterinary medicines and vaccines, pesticides and agrochemicals are essential for achieving food safety and security in Nigeria.
The information is in a statement signed by Mr Olusayo Akintola, the NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, issued to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.
Akintola stated that the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, made the submission at a virtual meeting with stakeholders in the sector.
He quoted her as saying that “animal feeds, animal feed additives and feed supplements and their uses are also essential to achieving food safety and security. Read more
Keanu Reeves says it would be ‘an honour’ to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Metro)
Keanu Reeves appears to be pretty into the idea of joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and this is not a drill.
The Matrix star showed off a fair bit of Marvel knowledge when asked if he would ever join the MCU – the idea of which he also called ‘an honour’, FYI.
Appearing in a new Explain This video for Esquire, the actor responded: ‘Isn’t it bigger than a universe? It’s almost like a multiverse… It’s a Marvel-verse.’
The 57-year-old is, of course, entirely correct in his musings there.
He continued: ‘It would be an honour. There’s some really amazing directors, and visionaries, and they’re doing something no one’s ever really done. Read more
Kazakh ex-president to give up leadership of ruling party (RadioFreeEurope)
The former president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbaev, has decided to give up the leadership of the ruling Nur-Otan party, a move that strengthens the position of the current president, Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev.
A spokesman for the 81-year-old Nazarbaev, who continues to influence political decisions in the tightly controlled former Soviet republic as the lifetime chairman of the powerful Security Council, announced the ex-president’s decision on November 23.
“At the extended session of [Nur-Otan’s] political council, Nursultan Nazarbaev decided to give up his duties of the chairman of the Nur-Otan party, emphasizing that the party must be led by the country’s president. The process of the [chairmanship’s] transfer will be carried out according to the party’s charter,” spokesman Aidos Ukibai wrote on Twitter.
Nazarbaev ruled the oil-rich Central Asian state with an iron fist from before independence in 1991 until he suddenly announced he was stepping down in March 2019. Toqaev was his handpicked successor. Read more
UK will press governments to stick to climate pledges, says Cop26 president (Guardian)
The UK will continue to press governments around the world to cut greenhouse gas emissions urgently in the next year to limit global heating to 1.5C, after the UN climate talks that concluded last week, the president of the summit has pledged.
Alok Sharma, the cabinet minister who led the Cop26 talks, said the world had shown in Glasgow that countries could work together to establish a framework for climate action but the next year must focus on keeping the promises made there.
“The 1.5C limit lives,” he writes in today’s Guardian. “We brought it back from the brink. But its pulse remains weak. We must steer it to safety by ensuring countries deliver on the promises they have made.”
Some argued the talks had failed because the pledges on emissions cuts made at Cop26 were insufficient to meet the 1.5C goal. Read more
Wide-body passenger jet airliner lands on Antarctica for the first time (Metro)
For the first time in history, an Airbus A340 plane has landed on Antarctica.
Hi Fly, a boutique aviation company, that specializes in hiring out both aircraft and crew, was responsible for the flight.
On November 2, the Hi Fly 801 team led by Captain Carlos Mirpuri took off from Cape Town, South Africa.
The plane was commissioned by Wolf’s Fang, a new upscale adventure camp in Antarctica. Wolf’s Fang is a new project from high-end Antarctica tourism company White Desert.
The Airbus A340 is a long-range, wide-body passenger jet airliner developed and produced by the European aerospace company Airbus. Read more
Palestine court nullifies decision to stop paying salaries of 28 Hamas MPs (MEMO)
The Palestinian High Court of Justice yesterday nullified the decision to stop paying the salaries of 28 members of Hamas’ parliamentarian bloc, Quds Press reported.
The court nullified the decision after accepting an appeal filed by lawyer Daud Diraawi on behalf of the MPs.
“The court accepted the appeal we filed in 2019 against cutting the salaries of the MPs,” Daraawi said, stressing that the court ruled that the salaries be paid retrospectively since 2018.
Daraawi also said that the Financial Ministry ignored seven requests made by the court to be given the names of the MPs whose salaries had been cut. Read more
Iran, IAEA agree to continue dialogue ahead of Vienna talks (Aljazeera)
Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have agreed to maintain communication and dialogue after the nuclear watchdog’s director-general visited Tehran days before talks to restore Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal resume in Vienna.
Rafael Grossi landed in the Iranian capital late on Monday and met the country’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, early on Tuesday. The two then said during a joint news conference they agreed to continue talks.
Grossi, on his third such visit since February, said the two sides will keep the talks going with the aim of finding “common ground” and achieving positive results.
Eslami said Iran and the IAEA agree no “deviancy” has been observed in the country’s nuclear programme, which he said is conducted within the framework of agreements on safeguards. Read more
Rare Einstein manuscript with relativity calculations expected to fetch millions at Paris auction (NBC)
A rare manuscript featuring early calculations that led to Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity is set to go up for auction in Paris on Tuesday.
The 54-page document is expected to fetch as much as $3.5 million, but it might have been consigned to history were it not for a decision by one of the physicist’s friends and colleagues.
The manuscript was preserved by Swiss-Italian engineer Michele Besso, who worked on the calculations with the Nobel Prize winner.
Einstein’s genius did not tend to extend to saving early drafts of his work, auction house Christie’s explained on its website, making the document all the more rare and potentially valuable. Read more
Osimhen has successful surgery, Spalletti reveals return date (FootballItalia)
Napoli star Victor Osimhen underwent successful surgery today and Luciano Spalletti hopes to have him available for the match against Milan on December 19.
Osimhen was diagnosed with multiple displaced facial fractures after a clash of heads with Inter defender Milan Skriniar on Sunday.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Osimhen had a successful surgery and he is expected to return to action in less than a month.
At least, that’s what Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti hopes. The Tuscan tactician delivered an injury update in an interview with Sky Sport Italia. Read more
Ex-Man United star Mark Hughes urges his former club to get Mauricio Pochettino now (DailyMail)
Former Manchester United star Mark Hughes has urged his former club to go and get Mauricio Pochettino now, but also threw his hat into the ring to become interim manager if they cannot get the Argentine until the summer.
The Red Devils are currently looking for a new manager after sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on Sunday.
The club initially announced they wanted an interim boss in charge until appointing a permanent successor at the end of the season, however it’s hoped that Pochettino could be lured away from Paris Saint-Germain now.
Hughes, who has been out of work since being sacked by Southampton in 2018, believes United should do all they can to hire Pochettino now and not go down the interim route. Read more
Zenith Bank/Delta Principals Cup final November 30 (Sun)
The final of the Delta State Principals’ Cup for all secondary schools earlier billed for Friday November 26 now takes place on Tuesday November 30.
According to the Delta State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, a new date for the Grand Finale of the 2021 edition of the Zenith Bank Delta Principals Cup Football Competition was fixed due to logistics reasons.
According to a statement by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Augustine Oghoro, the grand finale of the Principals Cup Football Competition will now take place on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at Stephen Keshi Ultramodern Stadium, Asaba.
The statement, however, regretted the inconveniences caused by the change in date because finalists are already eager to face one another in the final. Read more
Southampton to publish review of historic abuse at club (MorningStar)
Southhampton will publish the independent review of the abuse perpetrated by their former coach Bob Higgins later this week.
The club commissioned children’s charity Barnardo’s to conduct the review in September 2019 and today they announced it had been completed and would be published in full on Friday.
Abuse survivors will have advance sight of the review and the club said this morning that they would receive a copy of it within 24 hours.
Higgins was jailed for 24 years in 2019 for abusing trainees in his care, mainly at Southampton and Peterborough, between 1971 and 1996. Read more
Lewis Hamilton predicted to lose F1 title battle with Max Verstappen by just two points (Express)
Max Verstappen has been tipped to fend off the challenge of the resurgent Lewis Hamilton and claim his first F1 world title. A team of number-crunchers have analysed their battle so far and what could happen in the final two races of the season, and think the Dutchman will have enough to just get over the line.
After back-to-back wins in the US and Mexico, it seemed like the Red Bull ace had the momentum to seal the deal with one more win.
Verstappen had an 18-point cushion over the seven-time world champion, and strong results also from team-mate Sergio Perez meant Red Bull were right back on the heels of Mercedes in the constructors’ championship.
Things remain tight between the two teams with only a five-point gap separating the two, and things have also tightened up in the drivers’ battle. Read more
Exeter boss Rob Baxter looking forward to ‘incredible’ Six Nations (BelfastTelegraph)
Exeter boss Rob Baxter has predicted an “incredible” Guinness Six Nations Championship this season following northern hemisphere countries’ autumn success.
The Autumn Nations Series was dominated by outstanding performances from England, Ireland and France, while injury-hit Wales and Gregor Townsend’s Scotland both defeated Australia.
England rounded off an unbeaten campaign by edging past world champions South Africa and avenging their 2019 World Cup final defeat.
But France stole all headlines later on Saturday through a stunning 40-25 victory over New Zealand. Read more
Cuban woman says Maradona abused and raped her (Guardian)
A 37-year-old Cuban woman, who had an affair with Diego Maradona as a minor 20 years ago, accused the late Argentine idol and his entourage on Monday of violence and abuse, including rape and holding her against her will.
Mavys Alvarez Rego, who now lives in Miami, told the press in Buenos Aires how she met Maradona at 16, when the star, then in his forties, lived in Cuba, where he was undergoing drug treatment.
“I was dazzled, he won me over… But after two months everything started to change”, she said, claiming that Maradona, who died from a heart attack a year ago at the age of 60, had pushed her into trying cocaine, in turn making her dependent.
“I loved him but I hated him too, I even thought about suicide,” she said. Read more