Police nab phone thief, accomplice escapes (Punch)
The police have arrested a 22-year-old man, Fatai Aliu, for allegedly snatching the phone of a woman entering a bus at Agbara bus stop, Badagry.
A witness, Babalola Oladipupo, told PUNCH Metro that Aliu had pretended that he wanted to board the bus and removed the victim’s phone.
He stated that as Aliu tried to escape, the police arrested him after subjecting him to a search.
The witness said Aliu’s gang member, one Tosin, escaped. Read more
Bar owner stabs footballer to death in Lagos (Punch)
The family of a 36-year-old footballer, Ifeanyi Uchendu, has been thrown into mourning after a bar owner, Dennis Obiora, allegedly stabbed him to death in the Alausa, Ikeja area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Ifeanyi and a friend, identified simply as Chinedu, were drinking at the Dorbazini Bar, Alausa, when the latter started smoking a substance suspected to be Indian hemp.
Immediately the salesgirl at the bar spotted Chinedu, she reportedly cautioned him.
Our correspondent learnt that when he refused to heed her warning, she called the bar owner, Obiora, and informed him about the situation. Read more
NRC introduces another train on Lagos-Ogun transit to reduce commuters’ stress (Guardian)
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on Monday increased its Lagos-Ogun Mass Transit Train Services (MTTS) to two trains daily to reduce the sufferings usually experienced by its commuters.
The NRC’s District Manager, Lagos, Mr Jerry Oche, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it was also to reduce the inadequacy the single train being operated had been creating.
NAN reports that the NRC resumed operations on Jan. 23 after about four month’s suspension with one-return-trip train daily. Read more
Lagos PDP crisis: Secondus, other NWC members storm high court (DailyTrust)
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus today led members of the National Working Committee (NWC) to Lagos State High Court. He appeared before the court in a suit challenging the special congress of the party which produced Mr. Deji Doherty as PDP Chairman in Lagos State. Justice Taofikat Oyekan-Abdullahi of the State High Court had summoned Secondus, and Senator Ben Obi who chaired the Congress Committee to appear before it for contempt of the court. Read more
SUG President arrested during initiation of new members into Black Axe (Vanguard)
Policemen of the Ogun State Police Command weekend, swoop on members of the Black Axe Confraternity inside a bush in Gbogidi, Ilaro area of the State, arresting two suspected members.
During interrogation, one of the suspects, Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji, was discovered to be President of the Students’ Union Government, SUG of the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro. Identity of the second suspect was given as Olarewaju Taiwo.
Spokesman for the Ogun State Police Command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said, ” The duo were arrested on Sunday, February 9, 2020, for cultism, following an information received by police at Ilaro division from members of the public that a group of people suspected to be cultists were sighted in a bush at Gbogidi area of Ilaro where they were trying to initiate new members into their dreaded group.Read more
Raped teenage girl rescued after 27 days in captivity (Nation)
Police in Anambra state said they have rescued a 14- year-old girl allegedly kidnapped in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, in a statement on Monday, said three suspects, including a female were also arrested in connection with the abduction.
He said the victim held hostage for 27 days and allegedly raped severally by the suspects was rescued by the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) at their hideout in Ogidi.
He said: “At about 5:30pm, the Command Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) trailed and arrested at their hideout in Ogidi the following syndicate: Onyemechi Aniobi ‘m’ aged 23years, Elochukwu Okudo ‘m’ aged 25 years and Pauline Elechi ‘f’ aged 24 years.
“Suspects had on the 12/1/2020 allegedly kidnapped a 14 year-old girl in Onitsha and took her to an undisclosed location. Read more
Idahams has a Valentine’s Day present on the way (Guardian)
From romantic dinner/date ideas to exotic locations for getaways among other things, the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day has seen a number of love-themed initiatives spring up across the internet by way of thoughtful gifts suggestions (for one’s significant other).
As the days leading up to Valentine’s Day draws nearer, there is no doubt that this week will see an even higher degree of these pro-love activities.
Nigerian pop star Idahams is keying into the love vibes in the air as he has revealed that not one but two presents planned for fans. Read more
Jihadists kill, abduct dozens in Borno (Guardian)
Jihadists killed at least 30 people and abducted women and children in a raid in northeast Nigeria’s restive Borno state, a regional government spokesman said on Monday.
The attack Sunday evening targeted the village of Auno on a key highway linking to regional capital Maiduguri.
The jihadists stormed in on trucks mounted with heavy weapons, killing, burning and looting before kidnapping women and children, state government spokesman Ahmad Abdurrahman Bundi said.
They aimed at travellers who had stopped for the night and torched vehicles. Read more
Alleged money laundering: Again, EFCC arraigns Adoke (DailyTrust)
A former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) Mohammed Adoke, former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, was, on Monday, arraigned by the EFCC before the Federal High Court, Abuja on a six-count charge bordering on money laundering. Adoke is being charged before Justice Binta Nyako alongside one Aliyu Abubakar. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adoke and Abubakar are 1st and 2nd defendants respectively. NAN also reports that the 2nd defendant is being charged on a one-count charge. Read more
Youth corps members provide free healthcare services to rural dwellers in Osun (DailyTrust)
The paramedics of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Osun State have provided free healthcare services to rural dwellers in the Boripe Local Government Area of the state free of charge. Residents of the communities in the local government who benefited from the free healthcare services described the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) as “a unique way of serving the nation by ensuring that people are healthy.” The Boripe Local Government Chairman, Reverend Adebayo Oyeyiola, also described the HIRD as “a good attempt of serving God through selfless service to humanity.” He noted that the initiative was in tandem with Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s policy on healthcare delivery to the citizenry of the state and pledged support to the NYSC in actualising its objectives. Read more
How Osimhen, other Africans painted Europe with goals at weekend (Punch)
Gambian Musa Barrow was the star African performer in Europe at the weekend, scoring twice for Bologna in a 3-2 Serie A victory at Roma.
The 21-year-old forward is on loan from Champions League last-16 qualifiers Atalanta and valued at 13 million euros ($14,2 mn).
He stole the limelight as many African stars, including Liverpool duo Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, were enjoying mid-season breaks. Read more
Asian Champions League: Iniesta debuts as virus disrupts kick-off (Vanguard)
Barcelona great Andres Iniesta is set to light up the Asian Champions League but Chinese clubs are sidelined because of the coronavirus as the disrupted continental competition starts this week.
Optimism is high among Vissel Kobe fans after Iniesta led the J-League outfit to victory in the Japanese Super Cup last weekend following an error-strewn penalty shootout win over Yokohama F Marinos.
But while Iniesta and Thomas Vermaelen are among the foreign stars who have raised Vissel’s hopes, Chinese clubs are facing difficulties as Asian authorities battle to contain the deadly coronavirus.
Games involving Chinese teams have been postponed until early April, although Beijing Guoan will be in action next week as they have been in camp in South Korea, exempting them from quarantine measures. Read more
Five talking points in European football this weekend (Guardian)
Real Madrid maintained a three-point lead at the top in Spain, while Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig cancelled each other out in the big game in Germany. Meanwhile, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain showed signs of weakness ahead of the return of the Champions League.
AFP Sport looks back at the major talking points from the weekend across Europe:
Bale back to stay?
Gareth Bale returned to Real Madrid’s team on Sunday for only the third time this year but he may not have done enough to keep his place for crunch games to come. Read more
Olarinoye lauds Abdulrasaq on Kwara Sport Festival (Guardian)
Kwara State Weightlifting Association Chairman, Dr. Steve Olarinoye has praised the Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq for the successful hosting of the state’s Sports Festival for the first time in almost two decades.
Olarinoye, a one-time ExCo member of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation, said ‘the rejuvenated’ Kwara Sports Festival would not have been achieved without the passionate support of the governor.
“No doubt, sports in Kwara have been in a bad state for some time,” stated Olarinoye, who was a Director (Sports) until his retirement from the Federal Civil Service. “But with the coming of the Sports loving Governor Abdulrasaq, we have hope for a great turn around. Read more
Klopp eyes Coutinho return, Bayern want Firmino (Punch)
Jurgen Klopp is open to the idea of re-signing Philippe Coutinho – but Kai Havertz remains at the top of his wishlist – according to the Daily Express.
The report says Klopp is ready to test Bayer Leverkusen’s resolve over Havertz and should Liverpool be priced out of a deal, then the German may consider resigning Coutinho, who left the club in an eye-watering £142m move to Barcelona in 2018.
Bayern Munich want Roberto Firmino to quit Liverpool this summer and help lead a new era of dominance in Germany, according to The Sun.
The newspaper reports that Bayern manager Hans Flick believes the 28-year-old is the ideal player to bring in to lead the attack with Robert Lewandowski, who turn 32 this summer. Read more
AFFAN urges athletes to combine sports with education (DailyTrust)
Nigeria’s former queen of the track, Mary Onyali-Omagbemi The Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN) has urged active athletes to combine sports with education so as to have meaningful lives after their active years in sports. According to the President of the association, Dr. (Mrs) Esther Oluwatoyin Aluko, AFFAN was established in response to the yearnings of hundreds of former athletes who have distinguished themselves in various spheres of life, for a platform through which they could come together as a body to give back to the society. Read more
Fury addresses injury fear as Pulev dismisses venue for Joshua fight (Guardian)
Lineal heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury admits he’s not concerned about the possibility of the cut he suffered in his win over Otto Wallin last September opening up in his rematch with Deontay Wilder, reports express.co.uk.
“The eye is doing well,” Fury recently told Sky Sports News. “The eye is healed up quite well. Is there any risk? I don’t know because I am not a surgeon. “I am sure there will be. There is nothing much I can do about that.“If it opens, up it opens up. It’s out of my control.
“There is nothing I can do about that eye opening in a fight.”Wilder has hit back at the notion his sole route to victory against Fury later this month lies in him knocking out ‘The Gypsy King’. Read more
Paris 2020: Two Nigerian Karatekas qualify for Olympic qualifier (Nation)
Two Nigerian Karatekas, Rita Ogene – 68kg and Rustum Francis – 67kg, have qualified for Paris 2020 Olympic qualifier.
Zainab Saleh, a member of the Federation of Nigeria and African Karate Federation (UFAK) Judges and Referees, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
She said that following the bronze medals won by the two Nigerians at the just concluded African Karate Federation (UFAK), they both qualified for the next Olympic Qualifier taking place in Paris between May 8 and May 10. Read more
Oshoala helps Barca clinch maiden Women’s Super Cup (DailyTrust)
Asisat Oshoala was in blistering form, scoring two goals, as she inspired Barcelona to a 10-1 victory against Real Sociedad in Sunday’s Spanish Women’s Super Cup final. The 25-year-old netted the winner in her side’s 3-2 triumph over Atletico Madrid in the semi-final of the competition to ensure a final date against the Spanish Cup champions in Salamanca. Barcelona started their quest to clinch their first trophy in 2020 on a high with Marta Torrejon opening the scoring after just five minutes before Alexia Putellas doubled the lead two minutes later. Read more