Residents cite concerns, police indifference as cultists rampage Isolo (Guardian)
Fear has gripped residents of Ire-Akari Estate and environs in Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, following activities of cult activities, which had paralysed activities in the area.
According to residents, they now live in fear as cult groups continually torment and extort residents, for days without intervention from security agents.
The clash, yesterday, intensified and sent shivers among residents as the cultists blocked Ire-Akari road while residents scampered to safety.
The Guardian learnt that one person was killed in the clash. Read more
Oromoni: Group demands release of coroner’s report (Punch)
A group, Justice for Sylvester Oromoni Committee, on Monday, expressed displeasure over the prolonged delay by the coroner’s inquest set up by the Lagos State Government to investigate the cause of death of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.
Oromoni, a JSS II student of Dowen College, Lekki in Lagos State reportedly died on November 30, 2021, from alleged torture by some identified senior students of the college after allegedly administering a poisonous substance that was forced down his throat.
However, the group appealed to the state government, the judiciary and other well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on members of the Coroner to immediately make its findings and recommendations available to the public in the interest of justice for the deceased. Read more
Edo sacks 13 varsity lecturers over sexual harassment, others (DailyTrust)
The Edo state government has sacked 13 lecturers of state-owned Ambrose Ali University (AAU), Ekpoma, over alleged offences raging from falsification of age, fraud, misconduct, extortion and sexual harassment, among others.
The institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Asomwan Sunny Adagbonyin, disclosed this on Monday while presenting the university disciplinary committee’s report to members of AAU Special Intervention Team (SIT).
According to him, the sacking of the erring staff was due to the recommendations of the institution’s disciplinary committee which found them guilty of the offences. Read more
Buhari to commission 2nd Niger Bridge, other legacy projects Tuesday (Vanguard)
President Muhammadu Buhari will Tuesday, commission seven legacy projects completed by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing across the country, including the 2nd Niger Bridge.
Comprising three major Bridges, three Federal Secretariats and a Road, the historic event will be headlined by the Second Niger Bridge which was conceptualized in 2005. In 2014, there was an attempt to begin the project through Public Private Partnership (PPP) but this was not successful. The construction began in 2016 with the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).
Others are the Loko-Oweto Bridge across River Benue to link Benue to Nasarawa State and the Ikom Bridge in Cross River State while the Road project is the completed Section of the over 200 kilometres of Kano-Kaduna Dual Carriage Expressway and three new Federal Secretariats. Read more
African presidents applaud Dangote for ‘spectacular’ refinery (Channels)
The Presidents of Ghana, Niger, Senegal, Togo and the Chad on Monday hailed the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote for the establishment of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Plant.
The leaders, who joined their Nigerian counterpart, President Muhammadu Buhari, at the inauguration of the 650,000 bpd refinery in the Lekki area of Lagos State, said the refinery which is one of the biggest in the world will make Africa better and stronger.
“This spectacular project, the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex makes West Africa better and stronger. And I congratulate this distinguished patriotic son of Africa for the shear brilliance of this initiative,” said Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo. Read more
NSCDC female squad transmutes to safe schools squad (Nation)
The Rapid Response Squad and Female Squad of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been collapsed into the Safe Schools Special Response Squad (SSSRS).
Commandant-General of the NSCDC Ahmed Audi spoke in Abuja at the opening of the Capacity Building Courses for Safe Schools Administrators and Managers.
According to him, collapsing the Special Squads into the SSSRS was in compliance with the implementation strategy of the National Safe Schools Programme aimed at ensuring safety and security of over 81,000 primary and secondary schools across the country. Read more
Expectations high as MPC meets to take interest rate decision (Sun)
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is expected to make a decision on interest rates tomorrow after it kicks off its third meeting of the year today.
As in past meetings this year, the Committee remains faced with either maintaining its hiking cycle or keeping policy parameters unchanged. For context, the MPC (a replica of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) in the US) is the arm of the apex bank saddled with the responsibility of formulating and directing the country’s monetary policy to achieve the primary twin objective of price and exchange rate stability.
At the end of its last meeting in March, the MPC voted by 10 to 1 to raise the benchmark rate by 50 basis points (bps) to 18.0 per cent – the sixth increase in the last twelve months. This move (like previous hikes), was first, targeted at curbing the perceived liquidity-induced demand-pull inflation, and secondly, to keep up with the hawkish posture of global central banks in a bid to forestall capital flow reversal and, by extension, to mitigate the negative impact on FX illiquidity and exchange rate direction. Read more
Supreme Court fixes May 26 to deliver judgement in PDP’s case against Tinubu, Shettima (Tribune)
The Supreme Court on Monday fixed May 26, 2023, to deliver judgment in an appeal brought before it by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A five-member panel of Justices of the apex court, led by Justice John Okoro fixed the date after all the parties involved adopted and argued their briefs in the matter.
While the counsel to the APC, Mr Babatunde Ogala (SAN) asked the court to strike out the case since the 180 days stipulated by law to hear the case has elapsed, Mr Joe Agim (SAN), who represented the PDP argued that the issue of 180 days does not apply because the matter of double nomination was purely an illegality and because illegality cannot stand, the court has the right to entertain the matter. Read more
Irina Shayk leaves little to the imagination with see-through Cannes look (PageSix)
Irina Shayk continues to heat up Cannes.
The supermodel stepped out on Monday rocking her most daring film festival look yet — a teeny-tiny bikini beneath a see-through dress.
The brunette beauty confidently made her way through Hotel Martinez in the barely-there ensemble, which featured a black string bra-and-panty set and a black mesh cover-up along with matching gloves and knee-high stockings. Read more
Girl, 16, fights off own mum ‘to save sister after she drowned youngest child’ (Metro)
Jamie Bradley Brun is charged with the murder and attempted murder of her own children (Picture: AP)
A teenager was reportedly forced to wrestle her eight-year-old sister away from her mother who was trying to drown her in the bath, according to a US sheriff.
The 16-year-old was awoken by her screaming sister who was being attacked by their mum after she had allegedly already killed her youngest daughter, six, in South Carolina.
Jamie Bradley Brun, 37, has been charged with the murder and attempted murder of her children following the incident in their home on St Helena Island on Friday, Beaufort County sheriff PJ Tanner said. Read more
Ray Stevenson: Thor and Star Wars actor dies aged 58 (BBC)
The actor Ray Stevenson, who appeared in major TV shows such as Rome, Vikings and Dexter, has died aged 58.
He was known for roles in the Thor films and the Divergent series, as well as several UK TV shows like Band of Gold, Peak Practice and Murphy’s Law. His US-based publicist firm, Viewpoint, confirmed his death to the BBC but did not provide any further details.
No cause of death has been revealed but he was reportedly hospitalised during filming on the Italian island Ischia. Read more
Biden, McCarthy have ‘productive’ debt ceiling meeting (USAToday)
President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy appeared to make progress but did not reach an agreement during a pivotal White House meeting Monday evening on raising the debt ceiling 10 days before a potential default.
“I felt we had a productive discussion,” McCarthy told reporters following the roughly one-hour meeting. “We don’t have an agreement yet.”
The high-stakes Oval Office meeting, which lasted about an hour, came after negotiations took a step backwards over the weekend amid long-standing disagreements on spending cuts sought by Republicans. Read more
Clashes, air strikes reported as Sudan ceasefire officially begins (France24)
Witnesses in the Sudanese capital reported clashes and air strikes minutes after a one-week humanitarian ceasefire took effect Monday night, with the smell of smoke still lingering after gunfire and explosions rocked Khartoum throughout the day.
The witnesses reported combat in north Khartoum, and air strikes in the east of the capital shortly after 9:45 pm (1945 GMT) when the truce was to take effect.
A series of previous truce announcements were all violated by the warring generals, but the United States and Saudi Arabia – which brokered the deal – had said this one was different because it was “signed by the parties” and will be supported by a “ceasefire monitoring mechanism”. Read more
US military confirms airstrike against Al-Shabab in Somalia (VOA)
The United States military has confirmed conducting a new airstrike against al-Shabab militants in the Middle Juba region of southern Somalia.
The airstrike took place in Jilib town on Saturday in collaboration with the Somali federal government, according to a press statement released Monday by the U.S. Africa Command known as AFRICOM.
“The command’s initial assessment is that no civilians were injured or killed,” the statement said. Read more
Wagner to leave Bakhmut by June 1 (DW)
The founder of Wagner, Russia’s private military group, Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Monday that his forces will leave Bakhmut by the beginning of next month.
Wagner, working alongside Russian forces, claimed on Saturday to have taken the eastern Ukrainian city, which Kyiv has denied.
Prigozhin said in an audio message posted to Telegram that the handover would happen between May 25 and June 1. Read more
Forest celebrates Awoniyi’s brilliant goal record (Sun)
Nottingham Forest is basking in the glory of Taiwo Awoniyi‘s exceptional goal-scoring prowess, which has ensured their coveted position among the Premier League elite for next season, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Tricky Trees, facing the threat of relegation, found their salvation in Awoniyi’s sublime performances during the campaign’s final month.
In a remarkable feat, the Nigerian striker delivered five goals in just three games, garnering seven valuable points out of a possible nine for his team. Read more
United plan €500m spending spree on Osimhen, others (Punch)
Following their impressive performances in Serie A, Premier League side Manchester United are reportedly ready to splash the cash on trio Victor Osimhen, South Korean Kim Min-jae and Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the summer transfer window.
According to Italian media, Ilnapolista, United are preparing a whooping €500m in the next transfer market and at the top of their wish list are Osimhen, Kim and Kvaratskhelia.
Osimhen, who joined the Parthenopeans in the summer of 2020, is the most sought-after striker ahead of the summer transfer window after a sensational season for Napoli. Read more
Okpekpe Road Race’s bibs ready for collection Thursday (Guardian)
Organisers of the 2023 Okpekpe Road Race have announced that collection of running number (bibs) for the event will start on Thursday and end on Friday at Uyi Hotel, Auchi.
The bibs collection is one of the final parts of the race, which holds on Saturday in Okpekpe, Edo State.
The Race Director, Zack Amodu said the bib collection will start by 9.00 a.m. and end by 6.00 p.m. daily and advised registered runners to collect their running number in person.
“All participating athletes will receive a running race vest, bib number, and chip, while those who complete the 10km race right from the flag off at Apana Road to the finish line in Okpekpe, will receive medals and certificates,” Amodu said. Read more
Lewis Hamilton offered £40m deal to sign for Ferrari for 2024 (Metro)
Ferrari are set to offer Sir Lewis Hamilton a £40million-a-year deal to sign for them from next season, according to reports.
Hamilton’s contract with Mercedes is up at the end of 2023, and even before the first race of the current season there was speculation that the British sporting legend could leave the Silver Arrows.
Though the 38-year-old has been with the team for over a decade now, winning six of his seven world championships there, their lack of competitiveness over the past couple of years has been concerning. Read more
NBA legend Carmelo Anthony retires from basketball (DailyTrust)
Ten-time NBA All-star Carmelo Anthony has announced his retirement from professional basketball.
Anthony scored 28,289 points during his NBA career, putting him ninth on the list of the all-time highest point’s scorers in the competition.
Through his social media pages, the former Los Angeles Lakers player, who has been selected to the NBA All-player team six times and as an All-NBA Team member 10 times throughout the course of his career, announced the news. Read more
Brooks Koepka’s US PGA Championship win raises awkward Ryder Cup questions (BBC)
Some major wins are more significant than others and Brooks Koepka’s authoritative triumph in the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill is likely to carry far reaching implications for men’s professional golf.
There can be no doubt that the Floridian’s performance last week emboldens the Saudi Arabia-funded breakaway LIV circuit where he now competes. Koepka has proved you can win majors on a diet of 54-hole 48-man tournaments.
His third PGA title and and fifth major have also put him in prime position for a spot in the US Ryder Cup team, an issue the American captain Zach Johnson has been reluctant to address. Read more