Power outage halts inquest into Ikoyi building collapse (Guardian)
Power outage on Thursday stalled the coroner inquest investigating the circumstances that led to the Nov.1 collapse of a 21-storey building located on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The collapse of Block B of the three high-rise buildings caused the death of 46 persons, one whom was Mr Femi Osibona, the contractor of the project and Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Ltd.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Thursday’s proceeding was to begin with the continuation of the testimony of Mr Muritala Olawale, a structural engineer and the Managing Director of Prowess Engineering Nigeria Ltd.
When proceedings began at 9.12 am, the Coroner, Mr Oyetade Komolafe, suggested that proceedings should be stood down to a later time during the day or adjourned till another date.
The coroner noted that the microphones in the courtroom and the equipment used to record the proceedings were not working due to a power outage. Read more
Don’t be moved by people’s wealth on social media, Tonto Dikeh advises fans (Punch)
Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh, on Thursday advised her fans not to be intimidated by people’s show of wealth on social media.
The mother-of-one took to her Instagram story to state that some of the fans may be doing better than those who show off on social media.
She wrote, “On this app, please my people don’t let anyone intimidate you with wealth or lifestyle. I’m an insider and I will tell you first hand, you may be doing way better than us.
“People rent money from Mallams (bureau the change) just to show you all, post their friends’ cars as theirs, and accuse another person of doing same cause omg them fake. All Na job, all Na packaging! Read more
Nigeria to toll Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, 2nd Niger Bridge, others – Emefiele (Guardian)
Nigeria to toll Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, 2nd Niger Bridge, others – Emefiele (Guardian)
The Nigeria government plans to toll the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the ongoing 2nd Niger Bridge, and other roads, to repay loans used to build them, according to Godwin Emefiele.
“All of the roads will be tolled. And we know that in many other countries in the world, roads are tolled because those projects are commercially viable,” Emefiele, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said on Wednesday at the closing ceremony of the 12th Banker’s Committee retreat in Lagos.
“They (loan) can be refunded with tolls so that maintenance can be done on a regular basis, and people will pay for it and enjoy good roads, and enjoy good facilities because that is the only way we can fund the infrastructure of this country, which is the large amount of money that is needed.”
Emefiele said the toll from the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Abuja-Kano road, and the second Niger Bridge will be used to repay loans used to fund the project.
The apex bank governor said that the three projects are funded by the Infrastructure Corporation of Nigeria (InfraCo). Read more
ActionAid’s MATAI project builds capacity of TBAs on child delivery in FCT (Vanguard)
AS Nigeria ranks as one of the countries with high infant and maternal mortality rates in the world, ActionAid Nigeria, AAN, project called Mobilising Actions Towards the Abolition of Infanticide, MATAI, Project, builds capacity of Traditional Birth Attendants, TBAs, on safe child delivery in five Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Explaining the essence of training of the TBAs at Kwali Area Council on Monday, the Programme Officer, MATAI Project, Rahila James, said the training is to impart knowledge and skills in TBAs on drastically reducing harmful socio-cultural birth practices and improve child care delivery.
According to James, the initial training of TBAs at inception of the project including this second phase is basically to see how ActionAid through the MATAI project can monitor safe child delivery processes by the TBAs through experience sharing; application of knowledge and skills, safe child care delivery processes in the community, and secondly breaking socio-cultural norms.
The Mobilising Actions Towards the Abolition of Infanticide (MATAI) Project is a project implemented by ActionAid Nigeria with support from the EU. Read more
Vehicle Inspection Officers crush 1,500 motorcycles in Abuja (Punch)
The Directorate of Road Traffic Services, popularly known as Vehicle Inspection Officers, have crushed no fewer than 1,500 motorcycles impounded at locations in the Federal Capital Territory. The motorcycles were seized between January and June 2021.
Speaking during the exercise on Thursday, the Director of the Service, Wadata Bodinga said the motorcycles were seized from operators who violated various traffic laws and also those using theirs to commit crimes in the FCT.
He added that there are 600 more motorcycles undergoing the process of forfeiture, noting that they would also be crushed when the process is concluded. Bodinga vowed that the exercise would continue until the nation’s capital is rid of criminal elements and traffic law violators.
He said, “We have begun the crushing of seized motorcycles that have been duly forfeited by the court of law. There are about 1,500 of them. There are other 600 motorcycles that are undergoing the process of forfeiture, we would also follow the same procedure with these ones. Read more
National demonstration open farmers appetite for PBR beans farming (Tribune)
Over 1,152 farmers selected from across Nigeria who participated in the wet season national demonstration trails carried out by African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) and National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) on the recently released genetically modified cowpea are confident Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in beans production can be attained.
Some of the farmers who spoke to Nigeria Tribune said the performance observed during the trials is a pointer to the factor that in no distant time, Nigeria will be able to attain self-sufficiency in beans production as well as supply the West African sub-region.
Other farmers also pointed out that with the early maturing and disease resistance of the PBR beans, it will go a long way in ensuring that investment on farm materialises after harvest.
When Nigerian Tribune spoke with Godwin Okoye, who is a beans farmer in Enugu State, he expressed optimism that with enough PBR beans seed, he would get a good harvest next farming season. Read more
NAFDAC warns patent medicine dealers against selling expired drugs (DailyTrust)
The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged patent medicine shop owners in Taraba State to desist from selling expired drugs.
The State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Selbar Ponmak Timothy, on Thursday warned patent medicine dealers, bakers, pharmacists and producers of sachet waters to desist from sharp practices or face the wrath of the law when caught.
“If you are a patent medicine shop owner, sell drugs that are registered, do not sell expired drugs.”
Vowing not to leave any stone unturned in uncovering the shoddy deals of persons indulging in unwholesome practices, Timothy said “if you own a pharmacy, ensure you practice within the laws stipulated and if you own a shop, please do not revalidate expired regulated products nor engage in any fraudulent practices”. Read more
Kidnapped Imo monarch, youth leader found dead (Punch)
The traditional ruler of Ihitte Ihube autonomous community in the Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State, Paul Ogbu, who was kidnapped on Sunday after his palace and vehicle were razed, has been found dead.
A youth leader in the community who was also kidnapped alongside the slain monarch was also found dead.
The traditional ruler is billed to be buried today (Thursday) as his corpse was conveyed to his kingdom on Wednesday.
Community sources who confided in our correspondent on Thursday disclosed that it was another traditional ruler, Acho Ndukwe, who was kidnapped alongside Ogbu who disclosed that their abductors had killed Ogbu. Read more
Tinubu never funded my Lekki home, Ayo Adebanjo replies Akande (Tribune)
Acting Leader of pan-Yoruba socio political organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, on Thursday dismissed the claim that former Governor Bola Tinubu built his (Adebanjo) Lekki home, saying rather he built the house located at Plot 25, Ayo Adebanjo Close, Off Adebayo Doherty Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State by selling houses belonging to him in Surulere and Mushin and also took a bank loan to complete the house.
It would be recalled that a former governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande, who is also former interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, in his book, “My Participations,” had claimed that Adebanjo pestered Tinubu to build the Lekki house for him.
Chief Adebanjo clarified this position while speaking at his Lekki residence, saying he built his house from his resources and a loan he took from Guaranty Trust Bank.
According to the Afenifere leader, he financed the building through the sale of three of his properties in Surulere and Mushin areas of Lagos State. Read more
Why telecom shutdown should never happen again in Northern Nigeria (DailyTrust)
The timeline of events from the 2013 telecoms shutdown in three North-Eastern states, Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe, shows that cutting off communication does not deter bandit efforts; in fact, it makes them more adamant in their pursuit of terror. Eight years later, terror and violence continue to spread across Northern Nigeria, with security deteriorating in North-East Nigeria due to the Boko Haram insurgency and North-Western Nigeria now battling banditry. This resulted in a network shutdown in Northern Nigeria in 2021, affecting over five states in the country’s northwestern part.
Communication has always played a vital role in the functionality of security efforts, evidence supports the use of communication to bolster security in the form of intel and tracking, so what could be the logic behind the network shutdown in North-Western Nigeria and why does the Nigerian military believe that a shutdown will be effective? A time where a vast majority of the population is highly reliant on ICTs and when it is well known that there are ways bandits circumvent telecommunication shutdowns with the use of satellite phones.
In rural communities of North-Western Nigeria, crime is perpetrated due to poor communication and security infrastructure. Banditry in Northern Nigeria devastatingly affects rural communities because they are already shut off from the populace living in more developed cities, regarding their access to amenities like good roads and communication infrastructure.
Community policing is a method that has been saving rural communities from bandit attacks. While a military intervention became a necessity in the region, the declaration of a shutdown of network coverage appears to be a counterproductive measure because it affected community policing strategies as the free flow of information was hindered. Read more
Bruce Springsteen sells his entire music catalogue for $500m (BBC)
Bruce Springsteen has sold the master recordings and publishing rights for his life’s work to Sony for a reported $500m (£376m).
The deal gives Sony ownership of his 20 studio albums, including classics like Born To Run, The River and Born In The USA, according to multiple US reports.
A 20-time Grammy winner, Springsteen’s music generated about $15m in revenue last year.
His deal follows similar sales by Bob Dylan, Blondie and David Bowie. Read more
Russia reveals where World War III has already begun(RT)
A new global conflict is already breaking out in cyberspace, a top Russian defense official has claimed, adding that Moscow hopes to work with the US to reduce the risks stemming from back-and-forth digital skirmishing.
Andrey Krutskikh, a Foreign Ministry official charged with overseeing the country’s international cooperation on information security, spoke on Thursday at an academic conference on the subject of Russia’s place in today’s political world. He claimed that cyberattacks have become so frequent and severe as to constitute a new world conflict, hidden from the public eye.
“A war is taking place, and taking place very intensely,” he warned in his address at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. “As much as we act like this is all hidden, in fact, full-scale hostilities are happening in cyberspace. And in general, the media are correct to say this is already a Third World War. We just don’t know the extent of the damage, or who will lose in the end, or what the world’s configuration will be as a result of the war.”
Krutskikh emphasized that the Kremlin was eager to use the structure of the UN to come to international agreements regarding digital warfare. He complained, however, that the US and other nations had interfered with Moscow’s attempts to make the matter a priority. Read more
Holly Madison details ‘traumatic’ first time having sex with Hugh Hefner (PageSix)
Holly Madison remembers having sex with Hugh Hefner for the first time as a “traumatic” experience.
“I was wasted,” Madison, 41, said on the “Power: Hugh Hefner” podcast on Monday. “He was literally pushed on top of me. And after it happened, I was just mortified and embarrassed, and it had way more of an emotional impact on me than I thought it would.”
The “Girls Next Door” alum, who dated the late Playboy founder from 2001 to 2008, recalled being out at a club when she and a group of other women went back to the Playboy Mansion with Hefner, where things quickly escalated.
“I wasn’t necessarily expecting to have sex that night. I thought it would be more of a first date — even though, obviously, it’s not a very traditional first date,” she said. “I thought it would be more the type of thing where I saw what happened, saw what was going on. If I wasn’t comfortable with it, I wouldn’t have to do anything and I could make my decision on whether I wanted to come back for date No. 2 or not.” Read more
A record 488 journalists imprisoned in 2021, Reporters Without Borders says (France24)
There are currently 488 media professionals imprisoned around the world, the highest number since Reporters Without Borders began counting more than 25 years ago, the organisation announced Thursday.
By contrast, the number killed this year – 46 – was the lowest since it began issuing annual tallies, due to the relative stabilisation of conflicts in the Middle East.
“The number of journalists detained in connection with their work has never been this high since Reporters Without Borders began publishing its annual round-up in 1995,” the group, which battles for freedom of the press, said in a statement.
The number has risen by some 20 percent over the past year thanks largely to crackdowns on the media in Myanmar, Belarus and Hong Kong. Read more
Biodegradeable batteries invented that can decompose in soil (Metro)
Scientists have created biodegradable batteries that can be buried in soil after use.
The paper-thin biodegradable zinc batteries could one day become an environmentally sustainable option for powering smartphones and flexible wearable electronic devices.
The zinc batteries are made up of electrodes (through which the electrical current leaves or enters the battery) screen-printed on to both sides of a piece of cellulose paper that has been reinforced with hydrogel.
Once the battery has been expended, it can be buried in soil, where it breaks down completely within a month. Read more
Queen cancels pre-Christmas family lunch as Omicron surges (BBC)
The Queen has cancelled her traditional pre-Christmas lunch for extended family as a precautionary measure following the UK’s surge in Omicron cases.
A source said it was felt the annual event could put too many people’s Christmas plans at risk.
It follows England chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty’s advice to prioritise events “that really matter” to avoid the risk of infection.
The event had been due to take place early next week at Windsor Castle. Read more
Ben Affleck responds to backlash over Jennifer Garner comments (PageSix)
Ben Affleck says it “hurts” his feelings that his confessional blaming his doomed marriage to Jennifer Garner for his alcoholism are being used to make him look like the “worst, most insensitive, stupid, awful guy.”
Appearing on pal Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show Wednesday, Affleck, 49, quickly brought up his controversial radio chat with Howard Stern, calling it a “really cool, long-form, in-depth, two-hour interview.”
“We talked a lot about my family, divorce and alcoholism … and how you have to be accountable and loving,” he said of the chat in which he said he’d “started drinking” because he “was trapped” with Garner.
“I was really happy with it,” he told Kimmel, saying he left thinking he should do “more honest, exploratory, self-evaluating” interviews. Read more
Mikel Arteta leaves door open for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Arsenal return (Metro)
Mikel Arteta has left the door open for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to return to the Arsenal squad as soon as this weekend, although he was not keen to be drawn on the matter.
The forward was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy earlier this week and the Gunners shone in his absence on Wednesday night, beating West Ham 2-0 at the Emirates through goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe.
When the club announced that the 32-year-old was being removed as captain he was also taken out of contention for the clash with the Hammers, but that was all.
Arteta did not want to discuss the topic after the match on Wednesday, but did confirm that Aubameyang was only unavailable for selection for one match and therefore could return to the fold on Saturday at Leeds. Read more
Devonte Graham buzzer-beater helps New Orleans Pelicans beat Oklahoma City Thunder (BBC)
Devonte Graham’s incredible 61ft buzzer-beater secured a 113-110 win for the New Orleans Pelicans over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Oklahoma’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied the scores with 1.4 seconds remaining in the NBA Western Conference game.
But Graham’s remarkable shot – the longest game-winning buzzer-beater in 25 years – consigned Oklahoma to a third consecutive loss.
“I just wanted to get one up – I didn’t want to take the ball out,” he said.
The Thunder led the Pelicans in the fourth quarter before Brandon Ingram made three consecutive baskets to put the visitors in front at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma. Read more
Mercedes chief Wolff says Hamilton ‘robbed’ of title (France24)
Mercedes chief Toto Wolff said Sunday’s controversial climax to the Formula One season in Abu Dhabi had “robbed” Lewis Hamilton of the world championship.
He suggested the deposed champion would “never get over” the end-of-race decision-making that had left him a “sitting duck” for Max Verstappen.
And although he had yet to receive assurances that Hamilton would return next season for another tilt at an unprecedented eighth title Wolff stated: “As a racer his heart will say I need to continue because he’s at the peak of his game”.
Both Wolff and Hamilton are boycotting Thursday evening’s gala dinner at the FIA’s Paris headquarters. Read more
Former NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson diagnosed with stage 2 CTE (USAToday)
The family of late NFL wide receiver Vincent Jackson announced Thursday that he has been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy – a degenerative brain disease more commonly known as CTE.
According to a news release, researchers at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank diagnosed Jackson with stage 2 CTE – which has been associated with behavioral symptoms like depression, paranoia, substance abuse and impulsivity. Stage 4 is the most severe.
“There is still a lot to be understood about CTE, and education is the key to prevention,” Jackson’s widow, Lindsey, said in a statement.
“The conversation around this topic needs to be more prevalent, and our family hopes that others will feel comfortable and supported when talking about CTE moving forward.” Read more
Manchester United vs Brighton postponed due to Covid outbreak (Metro)
Manchester United’s Premier League clash with Brighton on Saturday has been postponed.
United have been battling a Covid outbreak fuelled by the omicron variant this week, with Tuesday’s clash against Brentford called off as a result.
The club were originally confident they had contained the situation but with more players failing to report for training on Thursday, Saturday afternoon’s game at Old Trafford has also been postponed.
A statement from the Premier League confirmed Ralf Rangnick’s side have been left unable to field a team due to the outbreak. Read more
Christian Eriksen visits Inter Milan to bid teammates farewell (Punch)
Christian Eriksen is back in Milan to say goodbye to Inter Milan.
This is as his time at Inter Milan is set to come to an end with the player and club reportedly agreeing to terminate his contract.
The 29-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest in a Euro 2020 match between Denmark and Finland in June.
He received treatment on the pitch before being taken to hospital, where he was fitted with an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator). Read more
Leicester City v Tottenham postponed because of Covid-19 (BBC)
Leicester City’s game with Tottenham on Thursday and Manchester United’s match with Brighton on Saturday have been postponed because of Covid-19.
That makes it five top-flight matches to be cancelled in a week.
The Premier League said there was “an increase in positive Covid-19 cases” at Leicester on Thursday while Manchester United have an ongoing outbreak.
It added that it still intends to continue with fixtures despite calls for the 2021-22 season to be paused.
Chelsea have also been hit by several positive cases before Thursday’s game against Everton, but that match is set to go ahead. Read more