Police rescue man from committing suicide in Lagos (Punch)
Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command, on Wednesday, rescued a yet-to-be-identified man from committing suicide in the LASU-Iyana-Iba area of the state.
Sharing photos of the scene of the event on its Facebook page, the RRS disclosed that the man had attempted to jump in front of a moving vehicle when the RRS team on a routine patrol and passers-by restrained him.
It was further said that upon investigation, the family of the man was identified and he was handed over to them for monitoring. Read more
Ibadan Blast: Oyo NUJ commiserates with victims (Sun)
In the wake of a devastating explosion that rocked the city of Ibadan, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council, has expressed its deepest condolences and sympathies to the victims and their families.
The tragic incident left Bodija and the entire Ibadan community reeling, but the NUJ stands in solidarity with those affected, including three of its own members whose houses were impacted.
The Council decried the immense loss of lives and property, caused by the explosion and offered unwavering support to the victims’ families. Read more
Kano: We accepted S/Court ruling, but didn’t agree with it – APC (DailyTrust)
Felix Morka, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that the party accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court not because it necessarily agreed with the decision.
Morka stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
Last Friday the Supreme Court upturned the decisions of the tribunal and appeal court and affirmed Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the NNPP as the duly elected governor of Kano State. Read more
Army busts illegal bunkering facilities in Rivers (Tribune)
The Six Division of Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, on Thursday, bust several illegal bunkering sites in Odagwa, Etche Local Government Area in Rivers state where over 3 million litres of crude oil and bunkering facilities were captured.
Six persons were also arrested, who confessed to being involved at the various levels of the illegal business.
The operation was led by the General Officer Commanding the Six Division of the Nigerian Army and Theatre Commander, Operation Delta Safe, Land Component, Major Gen. Jamal Abdussalam. Read more
Ikoyi residents urge Sanwo-Olu to stop illegal dredgers to prevent impending flood, ocean surge (Guardian)
The residents of Ikoyi have called on the Lagos State government to rescue them from being submerged by the sea as land speculators dredge and indiscriminately sandfill the lagoon.
According to the residents, the situation will aggravate the already perennial flooding in some neighbourhoods in the area that is already below sea level.
Speaking to The Guardian, the Coalition of Concerned Citizens of Lekki, Ikoyi and Victoria Island, therefore, called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration to rescue them from being submerged by the lagoon due to the illicit activities of the land speculators. Read more
FAAN relocates headquarters from Abuja back to Lagos (Vanguard)
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) says it is relocating its headquarters from Abuja to Lagos, its original base in the interest of the Authority and the nation.
This is contained in a statement on Thursday by Mrs Obiageli Orah, Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN.
Orah said the decision was taken after wide consultations with stakeholders which included aviation unions. Read more
Ibadan Explosion death toll rises to 5 – Oyo Govt (Channels)
The death toll from the explosion that rocked Ibadan, Oyo state capital, on Tuesday, January 16, has risen to five, the state government has said.
Many houses were damaged in the explosion, which spanned a 14-kilometre radius.
Last night, the state governor, Seyi Makinde, while giving an update on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said two deaths were recorded on Tuesday, adding one more victim died in a hospital on Wednesday.
However, in a new update on Thursday, the Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, Fatai Owoseni, said two more bodies have been recovered. Read more
Tension in Osun as ruling houses, kick against Adeleke’s sacking 3 kings (Nation)
Crisis is brewing in Ikirun, Igbajo, and Iree communities as Governor Ademola Adeleke removed their monarchs on Thursday, January 18, citing the White Paper’s findings.
The Nation reports the sacked monarchs include Oba Adegboyega Famodun of Igbajo, Oba Ademola Ponle of Iree, and Oba Yinusa Akadiri of Ikirun.
It was gathered that the affected communities became tense following the removal of the three monarchs, as they strongly oppose the State Government’s decision. Read more
Madonna sued for ‘‘false advertising’’ after concert started 2 hours late (MusicNews)
Madonna is being sued by two fans for starting her concerts two hours late.
The singer’s late start to her New York concerts in December has resulted in a lawsuit being filed against her.
Her Brooklyn show was due to start at 8.30pm, but the ‘‘Material Girl’’ singer didn’t take the stage until 10.30pm.
Ticket buyers Michael Fellows and Jonathan Hadden claim this left them “stranded in the middle of the night” and “confronted with limited public transportation” options. Read more
Kenya: Cult leader Paul Mackenzie charged with terrorism (AfricaNews)
Paul Mackenzie and 94 others have been charged with terrorism following the deaths of 429 people. The defendants all denied the charges which were read out in a magistrates’ court in ** Malindi **southeastern Kenya.
The Kenyan cult leader is alleged to have encouraged members of his Good News International Church to move to Shakahola forest and prepare for the end of the world. Hundreds would later die.
Other charges relating to child torture and assault are due to be brought at a separate court hearing. Read more
Ginuwine and Tyrese give update on TGT reunion (HipHopDX)
Ginuwine and Tyrese have given a special treat to fans of classic R&B, teasing that the much-anticipated TGT reunion is all but imminent.
Tyrese was the first to suggest that the supergroup’s reunion was on the horizon when he took to his Instagram on Wednesday (January 17) to reveal that he’d been chatting with his old group-mates.
“On a conference call with TGT!!!!!!!!” he wrote in the caption. “8 offers into these R&B frequencies….‘Just hearing the fellas voices on these calls has been good to the soul!!!!!!! Damn I missed yall…. TANK GINUWINE TYRESE!!! @therealtank @ginuwine @tyrese mind blown!!!!” Read more
Michael Jackson biopic casts Juliano Krue Valdi as young version of the King of Pop (EW)
Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic has found its young MJ.
Lionsgate announced Thursday that 9-year-old Juliano Krue Valdi has been cast in Michael and will play the iconic singer during the early period of his career, when he rose to fame as a member of the Jackson 5 with hits like “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” and “I’ll Be There.”
Valdi will share the title role with Jaafar Jackson, nephew of the late King of Pop, who will portray the adult version of his uncle. Read more
Bafta Awards 2024: Oppenheimer, Poor Things, Barbie and Saltburn get nominations (Guardian)
Christopher Nolan, arguably the most commercially and critically successful British director in decades, looks set to secure his first Bafta victory next month, after his latest film, Oppenheimer, was nominated in 13 categories.
The film is up for best film, director, adapted screenplay, leading actor for Cillian Murphy, supporting actress for Emily Blunt, supporting actor for Robert Downey Jr, cinematography, editing, costume design, makeup and hair, original score, production design, and sound – but it was overlooked in the visual effects category.
Although Nolan, 53, received the Britannia award from Bafta in 2010, and has been nominated eight times for previous films including Dunkirk and Inception, he is yet to win either a Bafta or an Oscar. This year’s Academy Award shortlists are announced next Tuesday; to date Nolan has five nominations. Read more
Woman ‘killed her doppelganger to fake her own death’ (Metro)
A woman who is accused of killing her beauty blogger lookalike in order to fake her death and escape her strict family has appeared in court.
In August 2022, a blood-soaked body found in the back of a parked Mercedes in Ingolstadt, Germany, was initially identified by family members as Munich-based beautician Shahraban K.
But an autopsy the following day revealed the victim was actually Khadidja O, a 23-year-old influencer from nearby Heilbronn who looks strikingly similar to Shahraban. Read more
Protests erupt in Tunisian town as search continues for 37 missing migrants (Aljazeera)
Tunis, Tunisia – A boat said to be carrying some 37 migrants and asylum seekers has gone missing off the coast of Sfax in Tunisia.
Relatives described receiving final phone calls at around 2:30pm on January 11, as the boat was setting out to sea. By around 10pm the same night, all contact with the boat and its passengers had been lost.
Other than three or four people from elsewhere in Tunisia, all of the boat’s passengers are reported to be from the small village of El Hencha in the Sfax Governorate. They range in age from about 13 to 35 years old. Read more
AFCON 2023: Eagles showed great determination against Ivory Coast –Rufai (CompleteSports)
Former Nigerian international, Peter Rufai has commended the efforts of the Super Eagles in their victory against Ivory Coast in Thursday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Recall that Nigeria took a huge step towards reaching the last 16 with a 1-0 win over their hosts in Group A at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.
Reacting to the win, Rufai, who was a guest at the AfroSports coverage of the Nations Cup, stated that the players showed great determination against Ivory Coast. Read more
Cristiano Ronaldo shows off new £400k Ferrari as he adds to fleet of stunning supercars (Mirror)
Cristiano Ronaldo has built up a staggering collection of supercars over the years, and now the ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid hero has added another stunner
Cristiano Ronaldo has added a plush Ferrari worth nearly half a million pounds to his stunning fleet of supercars.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, has amassed a staggering collection throughout his prestigious career. A sleek dark blue Ferrari Purosangue is the latest edition, as Ronaldo shared a picture of himself standing alongside the swanky motor to his 617 million Instagram followers on Thursday. Read more
‘‘Too early to say’’ as Egypt sweat on Salah injury (France24)
Egypt coach Rui Vitoria said it was “too early to say” whether Mohamed Salah would play again at this year’s Africa Cup of Nations after he sustained an injury in Thursday’s 2-2 draw with Ghana.
The Liverpool striker went off late in the first half of the Group B game in Abidjan after appearing to clutch the back of his left leg.
“We don’t know yet what the problem is. I hope it’s not a big problem…It is too early to say something,” said Vitoria after his team’s second successive 2-2 draw in the tournament. Read more
Jordan Henderson: Ajax sign England midfielder from Saudi club Al-Ettifaq (BBC)
England midfielder Jordan Henderson has joined Dutch club Ajax on a two-and-half-year deal after less than six months at Al-Ettifaq.
The 33-year-old signed a three-year contract worth a reported £700,000 a week with the Saudi Pro League club after leaving Liverpool in July.
Al-Ettifaq agreed to terminate his contract to facilitate the move.
“I’m sad to say that I will be leaving Al Ettifaq with immediate effect,” Henderson wrote on social media. Read more
Olympic Pole Vaulter Shawn Barber dead at 29 (HuffPost)
World champion pole vaulter Shawn Barber has died after an unspecified medical issue, the Associated Press reports.
Barber’s death was confirmed by agent Paul Doyle, who told the AP the athlete died at home in Kingwood, Texas, on Wednesday.
The Canadian American pole vaulter had been “experiencing health issues,” according to the AP’s report. A cause of death was not disclosed. Read more
Brown not dismissing ‘‘unpleasant surprise’’ from Red Bull (F1i)
McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown has expressed his concern that Red Bull might spring an unexpected surprise and further extend their dominance in the upcoming Formula 1 season.
Red Bull has been the undisputed frontrunner since the introduction of the ground effect aero revolution in 2022, amassing a staggering 21 victories out of 22 races last year.
In contrast, McLaren endured a difficult start to the season with their MCL60 car proving to be woefully inadequate. Read more