Polls: IGP orders vehicular movement restriction (Nation)
The Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Muhammed Adamu has ordered the restriction of vehicular movement on Election Day. The movement according to the police would be restricted from 6am to 6pm. The Police explained that the ban on movement would assist the security agencies to do their jobs properly and also prevent hoodlums from disrupting the electoral process. This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by the Force Spokesman ACP Frank Mba. Read more
Men in military gear attack INEC’s vehicle carrying non-sensitive election materials in Benue (Punch)
The Independent National Electoral Commission in Benue State on Wednesday said that hoodlums who dressed in military uniform attacked the commission’s vehicle. The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, disclosed this when addressing journalists on the preparation for Saturday’s election late Wednesday. According to him, the vehicle carrying non sensitive materials to Logo area of the state was attacked by people in military uniform. Read more
‘Don’t betray your oath,’ Acting CJN urges judges on election tribunals (Nation)
The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad has urged judges nominated to serve in election tribunals to remain loyal to the judicial oath to which the subscribed upon their inauguration. Muhammad, who reminded the judges that their choice as members of the tribunals impose on them the duty to rise above all temptations and do justice in accordance with the law. He noted that the task of adjudicating election petitions would task the content of the conscience of members of the various election tribunals. Read more
Fake army officer allegedly assaults bank security guards (Punch)
A self-acclaimed female Army officer, Mary-Jane Uwachua, 30, who allegedly assaulted two bank security guards, was on Thursday, brought before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. The defendant, whose address was not provided, is facing three charges of conspiracy, assault and attempted willful damage. Uwachua, however, pleaded innocence of the offences. The prosecutor, Insp. Ben Ekundayo told the court that the accused committed the offences on February 10, about 11:25pm at Ikota, Lekki Lagos. Read more
We are set for elections, says FAAN MD (Nation)
The Managing Director of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. Saleh Dunoma has disclosed the readiness of the authority to ensuring smooth movement of men and election materials for the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday. Speaking in Abuja on Thursday, Dunoma stated that the transportation of electoral materials had commenced and would be completed before the elections. He also said that FAAN has put adequate measures in place to process passengers that would be travelling to and from different parts of the country for the elections. Read more
Trump inaugural chief jokes about Khashoggi (CNN)
Tom Barrack, a key donor and friend of President Donald Trump attempted to justify the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi Tuesday, arguing that the US does not have the moral authority to criticize Saudi Arabia due to its own record of “atrocities.” When asked whether Khashoggi’s murder has damaged Saudi Arabia’s reputation on the world stage, Barrack began his answer with a joke before attributing public outrage over the killing in the US to a Western misunderstanding of the Saudi rule of law. Read more
Trump says will ‘not rest’ until US schools safe from gun violence (Punch)
President Donald Trump vowed Thursday on the first anniversary of the Parkland school gun massacre that he will “not rest” until US schools are made safe. The statement, 12 months after a former student at the Florida school shot dead 14 pupils and three staff with a military-style rifle, said “tremendous strides” have already been made. “Today, as we hold in our hearts each of those lost a year ago in Parkland, let us declare together, as Americans, that we will not rest until our schools are secure and our communities are safe,” Trump said in the statement. Read more
Tiger found by weed smoker gets new home (CNN)
A tiger that had a puzzling encounter with a weed smoker in Houston this week has found a home. And it comes with two potential tiger pals and lush green land for the feline to roll around. The tiger — nicknamed Tyson after the movie “The Hangover” — was discovered Monday in the garage of an abandoned home by someone who’d gone to smoke weed. While the home had been deserted for a while, the caged big cat had several packages of meat, CNN affiliate KTRK reported. Read more
Study: Weakest sperm left behind at ‘gates’ (CNN)
The race to fertilize an egg is a ruthless one — and now, scientists have shed more light on the punishing obstacle course attempted by hundreds of millions of sperm cells in their bid to get there first. Women’s reproductive tracts are shaped in a way that rejects weaker sperm, allowing only the fastest candidates through a series of “gates,” researchers at Cornell University have found. The team, writing in the journal Science Advances, used a number of models and computer simulations to observe sperm along their journey from the cervix to the egg. Read more
Ex-Fifa supremo Blatter summoned in 2006 World Cup investigation (Guardian)
Sepp Blatter has been summoned to explain how Germany was awarded the 2006 World Cup as prosecutors in Switzerland investigate suspected corruption in the bidding process, the disgraced former FIFA supremo told AFP on Thursday. Swiss authorities are targeting Franz Beckenbauer, former captain and coach of the German World Cup winning sides, who was president of the German 2006 bid, with a suspect 6.7 million euros ($7.5M) payment at the heart of the investigation. Read more
Bale risks ban for ‘inciting’ Atletico fans with derby goal celebration (Guardian)
Gareth Bale risks being banned for an upcoming Clasico against Barcelona after being reported by La Liga on Thursday for inciting Atletico Madrid supporters following his goal in Real Madrid’s 3-1 derby win last weekend. Bale scored Real’s third goal after coming on as a second-half substitute in the game at the Wanda Metropolitano, but he is accused of an overly provocative goal celebration in response to jeers from home fans. In a statement, La Liga said Bale was accused of “raising his right arm towards his head, a gesture of provocation towards the supporters, and then making a possibly obscene and derogatory gesture by raising his bent arm and hitting it halfway up with the other hand.” Read more