Road users groan over slow pace of work on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway (Guardian)
In the last two weeks, commuting along the ever-busy Apapa-Oshodi Expressway has become a nightmare for road users. The users, who are mostly drivers, are worried about the slow pace of construction in the area and poor arrangement made by the contractors, who are now paving the service lane.
According to them, driving on the highway, especially at night, has been a nightmare for motorists since the construction got to the Toyota Bus Stop, the access road to the popular Ladipo International Spare Parts Market.
According to them, the inability of the contractors to fix road signs and clues to assist motorists navigate the area, especially with the closure of the burnt Airport Link Road is increasing their nightmares.
Consequently, the place has become disarrayed with car dealers, roadside mechanics and cab drivers parking on the highway and worsening the situation for commuters. Read more
Lagos, Ogun commission plans rotational chairmanship, strike delays bills (Punch)
The Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Commission will have two offices in both states, The PUNCH has learnt.
Recall that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos his Ogun State counterpart, Dapo Abiodun, on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State, to establish the commission to foster development in both states.
Both governors agreed that embracing a collaborative approach was the best way to promote devloment, adding that a bill would be sent to the Assemblies of both states for legal backing.
However, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, in an interview with one of our correspondents on Wednesday said the initiative would have two office in both states. Read more
Lagos seals Chinese firm over worker’s death (Guardian)
Lagos State government has sealed a Chinese firm, Mingy Trading Company Limited, located at No 11, Ila Orangun Street, Ijegun-Egba, Satellite Town.
The action followed a visit by the Lagos State Safety Commission as a result of reported death of one Babatunde AbdulRahmon, a 17-year-old, on his resumption day.
Director General of the commission, Mr. Lanre Mojola, said the sealing of the firm was an affirmation of the state’s commitment to safety of life and property.
He disclosed that the fatality occurred due to violation of safety precautionary measures because the firm exposed the victim to mechanical and electrical manufacturing equipment without training and provision for personal protective equipment. Read more
Remi Tinubu under fire for calling woman thug (Punch)
The Senator representing Lagos Central, Remi Tinubu, has come under fire for reportedly calling a woman a thug during the public hearing of the constitutional review on Wednesday.
According to The Cable, the lawmaker was involved in a shouting match with some Nigerians who attended the event at the Marriot Hotel in Lagos.
Tinubu is leading the Senate Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution in the South-West.
It was reported that residents queued to register before they were allowed into the venue of the event. Read more
Lagos seeks collaboration against drug abuse, cultism (Guardian)
Lagos State Office of Civic Engagement, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has asked all stakeholders to help eliminate cultism and drug abuse in the state through the recently signed Prohibition of Unlawful Societies and Cultism law.
Special Adviser, Office of Civic Engagement, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, made the call during a three-day sensitisation on the effect of drug abuse and cultism among youths, held at Sanya Secondary School, Ijesha, State Senior High School, Ipaja and Oreyo Senior Secondary School, Igbogbo.
She said the call became imperative to curb social menace of cultism and drug abuse among youths in the state.
According to her, the new law, which approves a 21-year jail term for convicted cultists, underscores government’s resolve to tackle cultism in the state. Read more
Officer From Hell: How soldier ‘killed harmless man’ who offered him lift from Rivers to A’Ibom (DailyTrust)
A soldier attached to 6 Battalion in Akwa Ibom State has been arrested for allegedly killing one Enobong Jimmy, who offered him a ride from Port Hacourt in Rivers State to Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom.
The soldier simply identified as Stephen was said to have attacked and killed Jimmy before they got to their destination.
Many feared dead as boat with 160 passengers capsizes in Kebbi
Okowa: Nigeria needs new Constitution, not amendment
After committing the heinous act, he reportedly dumped the corpse of the deceased by the roadside and took over his vehicle.
However the Police later found the corpse, which they deposited at a mortuary, and recovered the stolen vehicle at Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
Daily Trust gathered that the tracker in the vehicle made it possible for the police to trace the location of the car. Read more
‘Animals take over Benue villages attacked by herdsmen’ (Punch)
Five days after the attack on some communities in the Katsina Ala Local Government Area of Benue State, people of the affected communities have yet to return to their ancestral homes, as domestic animals have taken over their abode.
Recall that the Chairman of Katsina Ala, Alfred Atera, on Monday alleged that over 100 people were killed in an attack on four wards of the council.
Atera identified the wards attacked by suspected herdsmen in connivance with local bandits to include Yoyo, Utange, Mbatyu/Mberev and Mbayongo.
But both the military and police denied the attack.
The Commander of Operations Whirl Stroke, Brig Gen. Clement Akpere, had said the narrative was not true, while a spokesperson for the police, Catherine Anene, said she was not aware of it. Read more
110 confirmed dead in Kebbi/Niger boat mishap (Leadership)
A boat carrying 180 passengers from Loko Mina in Nige State to a village near Ngaski in Kebbi State, yesterday capsized and claimed 110 of the travellers on board.
It was learnt that the mishap occurred when the boat hit a stem of a tree under the water a few kilometres from its take-off, making it to lose control at the upper course of the Niger River.
An eyewitness said the boat took off from Loko Mina in Niger State by 7:30 am with 180 passengers who did not wear protective jackets
Most of the passengers, he said were from Kebbi State and were heading to a market. Read more
Super ‘blood’ Moon seen around the world (BBC)
Stargazers in a number of countries have been treated to a rare Super “blood” Moon as the Earth’s satellite turned orangey-red.
Such an event happens only when the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are very closely aligned, with the Earth in the middle and the Moon entirely in its shadow.
The first total lunar eclipse since 2019 happened at the same time as the Moon was closest to Earth, with astronomers saying it was a once-in-a-decade event. Read more
Holy theft: Men busted for stealing $740K worth of church donations (NYPost)
Six “low-tech” thieves snagged $740,000 worth of donations out of church mailboxes – then used the dough for cars, clothes and to wire cash back to their native Romania, Florida police said.
Four of the sacrilegious thieves were arrested Wednesday but two of the men are still on the loose, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced.
“This low-tech yet well-organized effort to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of mailed-in charitable donations — at a time when donations may have been most needed — has been stopped,” Department Commissioner Rick Swearingen said in a statement.
The men took more than 1,500 checks from 636 churches – 355 in the state alone, cops said. The six operated out of Orlando but traveled throughout the state and elsewhere, sometimes hitting as many as 85 churches in a day, according to a police news release. Read more
School of Rock star Kevin Clark dead at 32 after being struck by a car (Metro)
School Of Rock star Kevin Clark has died aged 32 after being fatally struck by a car, according to reports. The actor, 32, was riding his bicycle around Chicago on Wednesday morning when he was hit, TMZ say. The Cook County Medical Examiner told the website that he was taken to hospital after the incident and was pronounced dead at just after 2am. Police told Chicago Sun Times that a 20-year-old woman was driving the car that hit him and she was issued citations. Read more
“Very Hungry Caterpillar” author Eric Carle dies aged 91 (BBC)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar was “a book of hope”, in a BBC interview in 2019
Eric Carle, the US author of best-selling children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, has died aged 91.
He passed away last Sunday, his family said.
“In the light of the moon, holding on to a good star, a painter of rainbows is now travelling across the night sky,” a family statement said.
Carle’s most famous book, which tells the story of a ravenous caterpillar, was published in 1969 and has sold more than 50 million copies.
The simple but everlasting tale – just 224 words long – has been translated into 62 languages. Read more
Genius: Aretha Franklin showrunner ‘celebrates’ Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo playing icon at same time (Metro)
Jennifer Hudson and Cynthia Erivo are playing the late Aretha Franklin at the same time but, according to the Genius: Aretha showrunner, there’s no competition between them. Harriet actress Cynthia is set to play the queen of soul in National Geographic’s series Genius: Aretha, while Jennifer is taking on the role in the upcoming biopic Respect. It’s a coincidence that both projects are being released around the same time but Genius’ executive producer Suzan-Lori Parks is happy to celebrate both performances. Speaking to Metro.co.uk ahead of the premiere of her series, Suzan explained: ‘The great thing is that Aretha’s life is celebrated. She’s the Queen of Soul and if the world could have 100 projects about Aretha Franklin that wouldn’t be too many. Read more
Brad Pitt awarded joint custody of children with Angelina Jolie (BBC)
Brad Pitt has been granted joint custody of his children with Angelina Jolie following a lengthy court battle.
Ms Jolie filed for divorce in 2016 and the pair have since been engaged in a custody battle largely shielded from public view.
A private judge hired to oversee the case, John Ouderkirk, ruled in Mr Pitt’s favour.
The ruling would “significantly increase” his time with the children, a source told the Press Association.
Mr Pitt and Ms Jolie are parents to Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14 and 12-year-old twins Vivienne and Knox. Read more
Lorde to make music comeback at Primavera as stellar line-up for 2022 festival confirmed (Metro)
Lorde is set to make her return to the live music scene with an appearance at Primavera Festival next year after the line-up was confirmed. We have not heard from the Royals singer since 2017 when she released her second album Melodrama and the lead single Green Light. Like many festivals over the last year, Primavera was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic, however it is full steam ahead for 2022 with a show including the likes of Tyler, the Creator and The Strokes. Across two weekends in June over 150 gigs will take place in the Spanish city wrapping up on June 12 with a Brunch on the Beach party. Read more
French Open: Naomi Osaka says she will not take questions at tournament (BBC)
Naomi Osaka will not take questions from the media at the French Open, citing the impact of news conferences on the mental health of players.
Japan’s four-time Grand Slam champion, 23, said expecting players to answer questions after a defeat amounted to “kicking a person while they’re down”.
The world number two has won two Australian Open and two US Open titles but is yet to win at Roland Garros.
The French Open gets under way in Paris on Sunday, 30 May.
“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes’ mental health and this rings true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one,” Osaka said. Read more
Marcus Rashford reveals racist DM from a teacher after Manchester United’s Europa League final defeat (Metro)
Marcus Rashford has revealed that he received racist abuse from a maths teacher following Manchester United’s defeat in the Europa League final on Wednesday evening. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were beaten by Villarreal in a penalty shootout in Gdansk, with goalkeeper David De Gea missing the crucial spot kick in sudden death. Rashford has previously reported racist abuse direct at him earlier this season and has campaigned for social media companies to introduce tougher measures in order for people to be better protected. But after United’s defeat in Gdansk, Rashford revealed that he had received at least 70 abusive messages on his social media accounts. Read more
Nigerian athletes excited as Lagos hosts African Athletics (Punch)
Nigerian athletes have expressed delight at Lagos winning the rights to host the African Senior Athletics Championships.
The PUNCH reported on Wednesday that the championships will return to Lagos 32 years after the former Nigerian capital last hosted it.
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, in a meeting with President of the Confederation of African Athletics in Cairo, agreed to host the event at the Teslim Balogun Stadium and Yaba College of Technology.
Speaking with our correspondent on Wednesday, athlete Orukpe Erayokan said it was an opportunity for Nigerian athletes to qualify for the Olympics. Read more
Giro d’Italia: Martin wins first stage as Yates gains time on Bernal (BBC)
Dan Martin finished 13 seconds clear of Joao Almeida to win stage 17
Ireland’s Dan Martin won his first ever stage of the Giro d’Italia as Britain’s Simon Yates reduced the gap to overall leader Egan Bernal on stage 17.
Bernal cracked for the first time and lost nearly a minute to Yates, who is up to third in the overall standings.
Colombian Bernal also lost three seconds to second-placed Damiano Caruso and leads by two minutes 21 seconds.
Israel Start-Up Nation’s Martin rode solo up the 10km final climb, leaving his breakaway companions behind. Read more
Zinedine Zidane steps down as Real Madrid manager (Metro)
Zinedine Zidane has decided to step down as Real Madrid boss despite having one more year remaining on his contract at the Bernabeu. Madrid came up short in defending their 2019/20 La Liga title as Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid were crowned Spanish champions for the first time in seven years earlier this month. According to AS, Zidane asked for a few days to reach a decision over his future in the wake of Madrid’s final league match against Villarreal before informing the club that it was indeed his intention to leave on Wednesday. The report claims the iconic 48-year-old Frenchman – who led Madrid to three back-to-back Champions League titles in his previous managerial spell from 2016 to 2018 – told his players across the afternoon as he wanted them to find out in person. Read more
Knicks rally past Hawks to even NBA playoff series (NYPost)
Trailing 1-0 in their first-round series, the Knicks were down 15 points late in the second quarter Wednesday night in Game 2.
Julius Randle was horrendous again, and Trae Young, Atlanta’s superstar point guard, was soaring in the face of the Garden’s derogatory chants.
But it all changed dramatically in the second half. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau finally started Derrick Rose at point guard and gritty Taj Gibson at center to begin the third quarter, and regular-season Randle showed up.It all added up to a ferocious Knicks rally and a resounding 101-92 victory over the Hawks before a rocking 15,000-plus fans at the Garden. Read more