Reign of terror: 165 farmers killed March, farms deserted as bandits demand N3b (Punch)
No fewer than 165 farmers have lost their lives to attacks by bandits, who have hindered access to farms across the country, findings by The PUNCH have shown.
Farmers in Benue, Sokoto, Niger, Plateau, and other states, in separate interviews with our correspondents on Tuesday, lamented that they did not only lose crops to the rampaging bandits but many of their colleagues were also killed by the hoodlums. They added that they had abandoned their farms following the rising attacks by the bandits.
Out of the 165 farmers killed this year, the highest number was recorded in Benue State, where 130 of them were killed by the bandits. Read more
‘Marrying Lateef Adedimeji came with insults’ (Nation)
Nollywood actress Bimpe Oyebanji Adedimeji aka Mo Bimpe has opened up on some of the challenges she faces being the wife of popular actor Lateef Adedimeji.
In a recent podcast, Mo Bimpe said she has been getting trolled daily since she married her husband. Her words: “Since I got married to my husband, the trolls have increased, from one troll to another. In fact, I get trolled on my social media accounts every day since I got married to Lateef Adedimeji.”
Mo Bimpe gave an instance of a lady, who trolled her and went to her husband’s page the next day to ask him to marry her as a second wife. Read more
605 drug users arrested, 81 convicted in Ogun (DailyTrust)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA) said at least 605 drug users and traffickers were arrested in 2023 across Ogun State, out of which 81 were prosecuted and convicted in court.
The State Commander of the NDLEA, Ibiba Odili, stated this while speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta on the activities of the command last year.
Out of 605 arrests, Odili said 497 were male while 108 were female.
CDS orders manhunt for killers of Lt Col, 2 Majors, Captain, 12 soldiers in Delta (ThisDay)
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, yesterday ordered the arrest and investigation of the killers of a commanding officer, two majors, one captain, and 12 soldiers, deployed to quell a communal crisis in Okuoma community in Ughelli South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State.Delta State Governor, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has also condemned, in very strong terms, the unprovoked killing of officers and soldiers attached to 63 Brigade at Okuama community.
This is just as the senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Ede Dafinone; human rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN); Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI); and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), have called for an investigation into the incident.While the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that 16 officers and men were killed, community sources put the death toll at 22.It was gathered that the military personnel were surrounded by some community youths and killed on Thursday, March 14, 2024.Confirming the incident in a terse statement issued yesterday, the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig Gen Tukur Gusau, said the CDS, General Musa, has ordered the arrest and investigation of all those involved in the killing. Read more
Delta killings: 3 suspects nabbed, moved to Army HQ in Asaba (Vanguard)
At least three of the suspects who killed 17 officers and men of 181 Amphibious Battalion, Nigerian Army, Otuama, Delta State, last Thursday, have been arrested.
The arrest came as the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said yesterday that whoever was responsible for the killing of the military personnel, would be brought to justice.
He spoke on a day the governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, briefed President Bola Tinubu on the issue at Aso Rock, Abuja, saying the state is managing the tension caused by the killing and that there won’t be further attacks. Read more
IPOB leader, Kanu, distances self from violence in southeast (Tribune)
The detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has disassociated himself from the violence in the southeastern part of the country.
The IPOB leader vowed that those behind the violence leading to the wanton killing of their fellow brothers and sisters and burning of properties under the guise of being IPOB members would not be spared.
Kanu told newsmen on Tuesday, immediately after the Federal High Court in Abuja denied him bail in charges bordering on terrorism slammed against him by the federal government. Read more
Abia Assembly passes bill revoking pensions for govs, deputies (Channels)
The Abia State House of Assembly has passed into law, H.A.B 11: A Bill for a ‘Law to Repeal The Abia State Governors & Deputy Governors Pensions Law No 4 of 2001 and for other Matters Connected Therewith’ sponsored by the Majority Leader and member representing Arochukwu State Constituency Okoro Uchenna Kalu.
The passage of the bill followed its first and second readings, the consideration by the committee of the whole before its 3rd reading during Tuesday’s plenary at the hallowed chamber.
According to the Speaker Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Emeruwa who announced the passage of the bill, when accented to by Governor Alex Otti, would be deemed to have come into effect today the 19th day of March 2024. Read more
Ex-girlfriend of actor Jonathan Majors files lawsuit for defamation and assault (Standard)
US actor Jonathan Majors has been sued by his ex-girlfriend, three months after he was convicted of assaulting her.
British actress and dancer Grace Jabbari filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in New York federal court, alleging she was a victim of battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, malicious prosecution and defamation.
The court documents claim Majors subjected Jabbari to a “pattern of pervasive domestic abuse that began in 2021 and extended through 2023”, detailing several alleged violent interactions with Majors at the helm. Read more
Whoopi Goldberg reveals she used weight loss medication after filming Till (THR)
Whoopi Goldberg revealed Tuesday she used weight loss drug Mounjaro after weighing around 300 pounds when filming Till, which she starred in and produced. Goldberg joins a growing list of celebrities to speak openly about obesity drugs amid Oprah Winfrey’s ABC special which aired Monday.
Upon the film’s release in 2022, Goldberg took a moment to respond to a reporter’s claim she wore a fat suit to play the role. “I don’t really care how you felt about the movie,” she said at the time, “but you should know that was not a fat suit, that was me. That was steroids.”
While filming the movie, in which she portrayed Emmett Till’s grandmother Alma Carthan, Goldberg suffered a near-fatal health scare that involved double pneumonia and sepsis. Read more
President Ruto signs Affordable Housing Bill into law (AfricaNews)
Kenya’s President William Ruto has signed into law a controversial bill, paving the way for the government to continue collecting a housing levy of 1.5% of a worker’s monthly pay.
The levy aims to fund the construction of affordable housing for low-income citizens, though its implementation has sparked widespread criticism.
Opposition voices and a significant portion of the public have expressed dismay over the levy, viewing it as an additional burden amidst a slew of new taxes. Read more
Dr. Dre gets star on Hollywood Walk of Fame with Eminem, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent by his side (Billboard)
Dr. Dre is following in the footsteps of rap peers like Ice Cube, 2Pac and Snoop Dogg as the West Coast legend was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Dre officially received the 2,775th star during a star-studded presentation on Tuesday afternoon (March 19). Friends and hip-hop associates who have been in Dre’s corner for decades, like Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem, Jimmy Iovine and more, were in attendance.
The production icon took the podium after Iovine and Snoop Dogg showered Dr. Dre with love and appreciation for what he’s given to hip-hop. Read more
Dan Schneider responds to Quiet on Set doc, calls for cutting taboo jokes from Nickelodeon reruns (PageSix)
Dan Schneider — the former Nickelodeon producer at the center of the new doc Quiet on Set — said he owes people a “strong apology” after being accused of sexism, racism and inappropriate workplace behavior.
“Watching over the past two nights was very difficult,” he told BooG!E, who played T-Bo on iCarly, in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel Tuesday.
“Me facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret, I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.” Read more
‘‘Horrific’’: US Supreme court allows Texas to detain, deport migrants (AlJazeera)
The United States Supreme Court has lifted a pause on a controversial law that allows Texas state authorities to detain and deport migrants and asylum seekers, a measure critics have dubbed the “show me your papers” law.
The top court on Tuesday voted six to three to allow the law, Texas Senate Bill 4 (SB4), to go immediately into effect.
Legal scholars, however, have argued that the law subverts the federal government’s constitutional authority to carry out immigration enforcement. Read more
Brazil’s ex-President Jair Bolsonaro indicted for allegedly lying about COVID vax status in gov database (NYPost)
Brazil’s Federal Police have accused former President Jair Bolsonaro of criminal association and falsifying his own COVID-19 vaccination data, marking the first indictment for the embattled far-right leader with others potentially in store.
The Supreme Court released the police’s indictment on Tuesday that alleges Bolsonaro and 16 others inserted false information into the public health database to make it appear as though the then-president, his 12-year-old daughter and several others in his circle had received the COVID-19 vaccine.
During the pandemic, Bolsonaro was one of the few world leaders railing against the vaccine, openly flouting health restrictions and encouraging society to follow his example. Read more
Africa Games: Tobi Amusan wins women’s 100m hurdles heat (Vanguard)
Nigerian sprint icon, Tobi Amusan has won the women’s 100m hurdles Round 1 heat at the 13th Africa Games in Ghana.
Amusan won the heat with a time of 13.03s.By virtue of the victory, Amusan secured a spot in the semis of the women’s 100m hurdles at the ongoing Africa Games.
Meanwhile, Team Nigeria lost the men’s and women’s 100m gold to Cameroon and Gambia respectively, settling for silver and bronze in the events on Tuesday. Read more
African Games: Nigeria Win 7 More Medals To Maintain Second Position (DailyTrust)
The ongoing 13th edition African Games may be won and lost following Egypt’s unassailable gold medals which have made the North Africans clear favourites to retain their title, the race for who will finish in second position is still on between Nigeria and South Africa.
Interestingly, Team Nigeria on Tuesday, March 19, increased their medals to 85 after scooping four additional gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals to keep South Africa in third position.
Nigeria is second with 31 gold, 22 silver and 32 bronze medals. Therefore, three gold medals are separating Nigeria from South Africa who have amassed 28 gold, 29 silver and 38 bronze for a total of 94 medals. Read more
Golf: 80 players vie for N20m in Custodian Classic (Punch)
A line-up of approximately 80 players from Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Cameroon will compete for the N20m prize in the second Custodian Classic at the Lakowe Lakes Golf Club in Lagos from Thursday, March 28 to 30.
This year’s edition is also in partnership with the PGG Tour and will be played over 54 holes, while the top 30 players will qualify after 36 holes of play in the final round.
Group Managing Director of Custodian Investment Plc Wole Oshin said the event was a show of the company’s commitment to social investment. Read more
Marcus Rashford’s mother warns Man Utd striker of ‘‘wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing’’ (Telegraph)
Marcus Rashford’s mother has warned the Manchester United striker to be wary of negative influences around him – and revealed the personal heartbreak that has contributed to his recent struggles.
Rashford scored an extra-time equaliser against Liverpool in United’s dramatic 4-3 FA Cup quarter-final win on Sunday in what has otherwise been a troubled season for the player on and off the pitch.
He was fined two weeks’ wages worth around £650,000 after a boozy night out in Belfast in January that led to him missing training and an FA Cup tie against Newport County. Earlier in the season, he was reprimanded by United manager Erik ten Hag for going out until the early hours after his side’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City when he had training that morning.
Now Rashford’s mum Melanie Maynard has warned her son that not everyone around him may have honourable intentions. Read more
Arthur will return to Juventus from Fiorentina (FootballItalia)
Federico Pastorello reveals his client Arthur will return to Juventus from a loan spell at Fiorentina at the end of the season.
Arthur, an ex-Barcelona and Liverpool midfielder is set to return to Juventus at the end of his loan spell at Fiorentina, the midfielder’s agent Federico Pastorello revealed on Monday. The Italian agent provided updates on his client during the event ‘Transfer Room’ in Rome.
Pastorello said Arthur’s salary is too high for Fiorentina, so he will return to Juventus in July. “Then we’ll see what to do,” added the Italian agent, as quoted by TMW. Read more
Aryna Sabalenka “intends to play” Miami Open after death of boyfriend (StraitsTimes)
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka intends to play in the Miami Open this week, organisers said on March 19, following the death of her boyfriend in an apparent suicide.
Belarusian former National Hockey League (NHL) player Konstantin Koltsov died late Monday, police said, after he jumped from the balcony of a room in an upmarket resort in Miami. He was 42.
Two-time Grand Slam winner Sabalenka arrived to practice at the Miami Open venue at Hard Rock Stadium early on March 19 afternoon and later organisers said she had not asked to withdraw and was “intending to play.” Read more