Police bust woman-led phone theft syndicate, arrest 5 suspects (Leadership)
The Kano State Police Command has dismantled a female-led phone theft syndicate, arresting five suspects linked to a series of mobile phone theft and fraudulent activities in the State.
The syndicate, led by 19-year-old Shamsiyya Adamu, was uncovered following months of public complaints about rampant mobile phone thefts in Kano metropolis.
According to a statement by the Police spokesperson in the State, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, Shamsiyya, a resident of Brigade Quarters in Kano, employed a tricyclist and a cybercriminal to aid her operations. Together, they targeted residential houses, deceiving housewives and stealing their mobile phones before withdrawing money from their bank accounts. Read more
Husband stabs bishop to death over alleged affair with estranged wife (Tribune)
The founder of Rapture Empowerment International in Osogbo, Osun State, Bishop Shina Olaribigbe, was stabbed to death on Thursday while attempting to settle a domestic dispute between a couple.
Osun State Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, speaking on the incident, said, “The couple was not living together, though they were not legally separated.”
“The pastor had been intervening in their quarrels, and on this occasion, he was at the wife’s house when the estranged husband arrived.” Read more
Gunmen abduct, behead chieftaincy candidate in Bayelsa (Vanguard)
The riverside town of Agbere in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has been thrown into mourning following the kidnap and beheading of Mr Clement Hamo, a candidate for the community’s traditional stool.
The deceased was reportedly kidnapped and whisked away from his on Christmas day by some unknown gunmen, who came and escaped through the river.
However, the headless body of the victim was discovered on Tuesday on the River Forcados in Delta State. Read more
Police arrest couple over alleged rape, assault of minor (Guardian)
The Police Command in Rivers has confirmed the arrest of a couple for allegedly raping and beating a 13-year-old girl in their residence in Port Harcourt.
The command’s Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
NAN reports that the wife was said to have stripped the teenager and inserted pepper into her private part after accusing her of having sexual intercourse with her husband. Read more
Akande to Tinubu: Confront corruption, while govs deal with food inflation (DailyTrust)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should not play shy of confronting corruption while the government at all levels pay urgent attention to curbing rising food inflation in Nigeria.
These were highlights of the views expressed by former presidential aide, Laolu Akande, on Thursday on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily.
Akande called on President Tinubu and state governors to collaborate to curb food inflation, emphasizing its centrality to alleviate poverty in Nigeria. Read more
GRV declares interest for 2027 Lagos gov race, keeps mum on party choice (Vanguard)
The 2023 gubernatorial standard bearer of the Labour Party (LP) in Lagos, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour (GRV) has officially announced his decision to run in the 2027 Lagos State governorship election.
Rhodes-Vivour, who is widely known as GRV, contested the 2023 governorship election under the banner of the Labour Party (LP) but was defeated by the incumbent, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In an interview with Channels Television’s Politics Today, Rhodes-Vivour expressed his determination to pursue his goal of becoming Lagos State Governor, stating that he would not give up on his ambition. Read more
Adebule organises seminar for monarchs (Nation)
The senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District at the national assembly, Dr Idiat Oluranti Adebule has enjoined traditional rulers to ensure adequate security in their domains.
Adebule who hosted the monarchs in her senatorial district for a day training on security management and community security charged the royal fathers who were there in their numbers to ensure continued adequate security at all times in their kingdoms.
The senator, speaking on background of the Yuletide season, usually associated with various activities, said it becomes imperative to sensitise the royal fathers to play a key role at ensuring security during and after the festive season. Read more
NCPC welcomes first batch of pilgrims from Israel, Jordan (Tribune)
The first batch of Christian pilgrims from Lagos State has returned safely after a successful pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan. The pilgrims, who departed the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos arrived back Nigeria on the new year day.
At the welcome ceremony, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, expressed his joy about the success of the pilgrimage, noting that the journey began and ended on a positive note.
He expressed hope that other states would follow this example of Lagos pilgrims. Read more
Rosita Missoni, Italian fashion house matriarch, dies at age 93 (ABC)
Rosita Missoni, the matriarch of the iconic Italian fashion house that made colorful zigzag-patterned knitwear high fashion and helped launch Italian ready-to-wear, died Thursday, a company official said. She was 93.
Missoni SpA confirmed the death and planned a statement along with the family later, said Alberto Gualeni, an international spokesperson for the company in Milan.
Local officials offered condolences and recalled Missoni’s ties to the small northern city of Gallarate where the Missoni brand was born in an artisan’s shop in 1953. Read more
Fire engulfs major market in Ghana’s capital (AfricaNews)
A massive fire broke out on Thursday at the Kantamanto Market, a major commercial hub in Ghana’s capital, Accra, causing extensive damage to property.
Eyewitnesses reported frantic efforts by people at the scene to extinguish the flames as the blaze spread through the market, reportedly destroying over a hundred shops.
According to local emergency services, the fire started early in the morning, prompting the deployment of 13 fire crews to contain the situation. Read more
David Fincher once pitched a ‘‘creepy’’ version of Harry Potter to Warner Bros (NME)
Director David Fincher has revealed he was invited to pitch his own take on Harry Potter for the makers of the original movie series, but the talks broke down when his vision didn’t align with theirs.
Speaking to Variety to promote the upcoming 4K re-release of his classic thriller Seven, the three-time Academy Award nominee recalled his meeting with Warner Bros, who asked him how he would adapt J.K. Rowling’s successful book series.
“I remember saying, ‘I just don’t want to do the clean Hollywood version of it’” he revealed. “I want to do something that looks a lot more like Withnail And I, and I want it to be kind of creepy.’” Unfortunately for Fincher, whose films include 1999 cult hit Fight Club and 2014’s Gone Girl, Warner Bros had different ideas. “They were like, ‘We want Tom Brown’s School Days by way of Oliver.’” Read more
Tom Holland says Crowded Room set was “not a very harmonious place” (THR)
Tom Holland is opening up about his experience on the set of the Apple TV+ series The Crowded Room.
The Spider-Man: No Way Home actor credited his sobriety for keeping him grounded during the 2022 filming of the psychological thriller, which he executive produced and starred in alongside Emmy Rossum, Amanda Seyfried, Will Chase and Sasha Lane. The Crowded Room follows Holland’s Danny Sullivan as he confronts his mental health after becoming involved in a shooting.
“There was quite a lot of animosity on that set,” Holland shared in a Men’s Health profile published on Thursday. “It was not a very harmonious place, and there was a lot of arguing and butting heads.” Read more
Jurassic Park writer teases return to ‘‘spirit of the first movie’’ for “Jurassic World Rebirth” (FilmNews)
Jurassic Park writer David Koepp has teased ‘‘Jurassic World Rebirth’’ will evoke the “spirit of the first movie”.
The 61-year-old screenwriter – who penned 1993’s Jurassic Park and its 1997 sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park with director Steven Spielberg – is returning to the franchise for its next instalment, and has hinted ‘‘Rebirth’’ will honour the original while also bringing “a new tone” to the series.
In an interview with TheWrap, Koepp said: “[We are trying to capture] the spirit of the first movie, which is the tone that we would like to get closest to.” Read more
Wayne Osmond, Original member of the Osmonds singing group, dies at 73 (Variety)
Wayne Osmond, one of the original members of the Osmonds sibling singing group, died Wednesday in Salt Lake City. He was 73.
Merrill Osmond, one of Wayne Osmond’s brothers, shared on Facebook that Wayne suffered a massive stroke, and that he was able to get to the hospital in Salt Lake to say his goodbyes before he passed.
In a statement, his family wrote: “Wayne Osmond, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his loving wife and five children. His legacy of faith, music, love, and laughter have influenced the lives of many people around the world. He would want everyone to know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that families are forever, and that banana splits are the best dessert. We love him and will miss him dearly.” Read more
2 dead after small plane crashes into California building (BBC)
Two people have died and 18 others were injured after a small plane crashed into a commercial building in southern California, officials say.
Ten people were taken to hospital with injuries, the Fullerton Police Department said in a post on X on Thursday afternoon. Eight others were treated for injuries and released at the scene.
The single-engine Van’s RV-10 crashed at 14:15PST (20:15GMT), according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Read more
Orban joins Hoffenheim from Lyon (Punch)
Bundesliga side Hoffenheim have signed Nigerian forward Gift Orban for a fee of nine million euros ($9.2 million) from Lyon, the French club confirmed on Thursday.
The 22-year-old had fallen out of favour at Lyon after joining them a year ago from Belgian club Gent.
Orban scored five times in 21 appearances for Lyon but had not featured in the league since September. Read more
FCT FA suspends 2 board members over gross misconduct (Leadership)
Two board members of FCT Football Association (FA), Babatunde Akintade Bocknor and Ezeh Ngozi Victoria, have been suspended indefinitely from all football activities on the grounds of gross misconduct.
The suspension came following their failure to appear before the FA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Committee to defend the allegations of misconduct against them during the bye-election for the office of 1st Vice Chairman of the FA, which brought the association into disrepute.
The Ethics and Disciplinary Committee, in a two page report signed by its secretary, Jimmy Kadiri (Esq), and submitted to the FA, said its decision to suspend the two affected board members was in accordance with the association’s constitution. Read more
Liverpool to reject Madrid’s pending £20m offer for Alexander-Arnold (DailyMail)
Liverpool are braced to reject Real Madrid’s pending £20million offer for Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Madrid have already made an approach for the right-back, despite not submitting a formal bid, but the Reds swiftly rebuffed their advance.
Mail Sport has reported how the Spaniards are confident they can tempt the 26-year-old to join them, with his contract set to expire at the end of June. Read more
Rangers stun Celtic in rare Old Firm derby win (GulfTimes)
Rangers swept aside Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic as Ianis Hagi’s superb strike inspired a 3-0 win over their Old Firm rivals on Thursday. Hagi put Rangers on course to exorcise their derby demons with a long-range blast early in the first half at Ibrox. Robin Propper struck after the interval and Danilo wrapped up a first victory against Celtic in seven attempts for Rangers boss Philippe Clement.
The only dark cloud on a memorable day for Rangers was the sight of Celtic midfielder Arne Engels being struck by a missile thrown from the crowd in the closing minutes.
Beaten for the first time in the league this season, champions Celtic still hold an 11-point lead over second-placed Rangers. Read more
Virat Kohli avoids golden duck as 3rd umpire denies Australia miracle catch in SCG Test (ABC)
India superstar Virat Kohli has been saved from a golden duck by an impossibly close call from the third umpire in the first hour of the SCG Test.
Kohli strode to the crease after just 40 minutes of play and looked to have nicked off the first ball from Scott Boland when Steve Smith got a hand to the low ball at second slip, flicking it up to Marnus Labuschagne to complete what looked like a miraculous catch.
As the Australians sprinted into wild celebrations and Boland no doubt started dreaming of his plans for a hat-trick ball, umpire Sharfuddoula consulted fellow on-field official Michael Gough, and they decided to send it to the third umpire. Read more
World Darts Championship: Luke Littler thrashes Stephen Bunting to reach final (ESPN)
Luke Littler’s ever-growing stardom hit new heights on Thursday as he downed Stephen Bunting with a dominant performance to reach his second straight PDC World Darts Championship final at Alexandra Palace.
The 17-year-old will now face Michael van Gerwen in Friday’s final in a mouthwatering clash between two of the sport’s biggest names after averaging 105 across the seven sets played.Littler came out in red-hot fashion in the first-to-six-set match, registering four 180s in the opening set and claiming the first two legs. Bunting reacted fiercely, maintaining a three-dart average above 110 to draw himself level in the set only for Littler to storm back and win the decider. Read more
