Robbers stab Canada-bound woman to death in Lagos (Nation)
A 41-year-old woman, Oluwakemi Odugbesan, has been murdered by suspected armed robbers around Oduntan in Ketu, Lagos.
The deceased was said to have been stabbed multiple times by her attackers around 6 am on April 10, which happened to be her husband’s birthday.
It was gathered the woman was returning from a vigil when her attackers, in an attempt to collect her phone and handbag, stabbed her multiple times on the chest and rib regions.
Sources said the deceased, her husband and three children were billed to relocate to Canada in few weeks before her unfortunate death.
It was gathered her attackers were the ones who called her parents with her phone to inform them she was fatally injured. Read more
Police arrest 5 in Lagos over alleged N500,000 bribe (Leadership)
The Area E Police Command, Festac in Lagos, has arrested five persons who allegedly stole construction materials and offered its personnel N500,000 bribe
The Spokesman for the Police Command in Lagos State, Mr Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Tuesday.
Adejobi said that the arrest was made on Sunday at about 3 a.m., when the suspects were accosted in a Ford Bus with Reg. No. FST 679 XZ, between Volkswagen Bus Stop and Iyana-Iba, on the Badagry Expressway, conveying some 25mm iron rods.
He said that the suspected stolen property belonged to the China Construction Engineering Company (CCEC). Read more
Ramadan: Sanwo-Olu urges clerics to pray for peace in Nigeria (Vanguard)
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, called on Islamic clerics to pray for peace to reign in the country, noting the nation is currently shaking.
Sanwo-Olu who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, at the 2021 Pre-Ramadan lecture/Prayer, at the State House, Alausa, Ikeja, held to usher in the Holy month of Ramadan, stressed that the country needed fervent prayers.
According to him, “We should endeavour to pray more because our country is currently shaking. May Allah accept our prayers.”
While delivering a lecture, Head of Daru Dawah School, Isolo, Sheikh Is-haq Zuglul said, men should be conscious of their deeds as that would have impacts when they eventually die. Read more
El-Rufai asks Adeboye’s church to expand throughout Kaduna (DailyTrust)
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has asked the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to expand throughout the state.
El-Rufai said this when he played host to the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, at Government House, Kaduna, on Tuesday.
The governor said the state is in need of serious prayers and it will be good if the church has its presence across Kaduna.
“The governor urged Pastor Adeboye to continue to encourage the church to expand throughout Kaduna state because our state needs your prayers, our state needs your blessings,” read a statement the government’s media team issued after the meeting. Read more
Nurses embark on strike in Ogun over alleged kidnap of members (Guardian)
The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Ogun Council, has embarked on strike over the kidnapping of its members and insecurity in the state.
The strike had taken effect from midnight of April 13, it said .in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman of NANNM, Roseline Solarin and the state NMA Chairman, Dr Oladayo Ogunlaja.
It described the alleged recent kidnappings of health workers as “disheartening, repugnant and unacceptable”.
It added that the state government’s approach of not negotiating with the alleged kidnappers had made them believe that their lives and property were of no essence to the government.
It alleged that the state had not shown any commitment that could facilitate the early release of their members, hence, the decision to down tools.
“The recent kidnapping of health workers after rendering their services to the good citizens of Ogun is so disheartening, repugnant and unacceptable. Read more
Bauchi to return sex workers to states of origin (Leadership)
The Bauchi State Shariah Commission has said it will repatriate all commercial sex workers operating in the state back to their various states of origin to help them engage in meaningful ventures.
The Permanent Commissioner in charge of Hisbah in the State Shariah Commission, Barr. Aminu Balarae Isah, gave the indication at a pre-Ramadan sensitisation workshop held at Bayan Gari area, a suburb of the state capital where commercial sex workers operate.
Barr Isah said the resolution was not to arrest or humiliate them, but to enable them get a more decent source of livelihood. Read more
Makinde’s candidate, Arapaja, emerges S/West PDP vice chair (DailyTrust)
A former deputy governor of Oyo State, Taofeeq Arapaja, has emerged the vice-chairman of the People’s Democratic Party in the Southwest.
At the PDP zonal congress in Osogbo, Arapaja got 343 votes to defeat his rival, Eddy Olafeso, who got 330 out of the 675 cast; while 10 votes were voided.
The election was mainly between the camp of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde which supported Arapaja and the camp of a former governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, which supported Olafeso.
Both Fayose and Makinde promised to work together with the new executives of the party in the zone to face the All Progressive Congress in the future elections. Read more
Police Inspector killed in FCT, as operatives foil multiple kidnap attacks (Vanguard)
A Police Inspector with the Federal Capital Territory Command was killed in the early hours of Tuesday while leading operatives to repel multiple attacks by kidnappers in Zuba Axis.
Witnesses said the gallant officer; Inspector Ambi John who was leading one of the teams in repelling the attacks sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to hospital for medical attention but passed away eventually.
Vanguard gathered that the suspected kidnappers were operating along Dankusa, Angwan-Zegele-Zuba axis when a distress call was sent to the Police
Consequently, a joint team of the Command and Operation Puff Adder combat team, promptly responded to a distress call and engaged the heavily armed hoodlums in a fierce gun battle. Read more
Why Twitter is opening African office in Ghana (Guardian)
Twitter on Monday announced that it is opening its first African office in Ghana.
“Twitter is now present on the continent,” Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted on Monday. “Thank you, Ghana and Nana Akufo-Addo.”
Twitter said its decision to open an office in Ghana is based on the country’s AfCFTA negotiations, internet access, online and offline free speech policy.
“As a champion for democracy, Ghana is a supporter of free speech, online freedom, and the Open Internet, of which Twitter is also an advocate,” Twitter said in a statement. Read more
Cécile Djunga case: Belgian jailed for racism targeting TV presenter (BBC)
A man has been jailed for 15 days for sending race hate messages to a Belgian TV host after she complained of a stream of abuse she received while presenting the weather forecast.
Cécile Djunga, who now also appears regularly on French TV, spoke out in 2018 aAout the racist messages and she was supported by her bosses.
In the end one man was prosecuted for his racist response to her video.
Outside the court Ms Djunga said she was satisfied racism had been punished. Read more
“Home and Away” director John Clabburn dies in freak accident while cutting hedges (Metro)
Home and Away director John Clabburn tragically died in a freak accident while trimming his garden hedges. The 52-year-old fell three metres from a tree and cut his hand on the cordless motorised gardening saw. John remained calm and asked his wife to call an ambulance following the accident. Paramedics arrived at his home shortly afterwards, where they found the director suffering from a cardiac arrest. Read more
COVID-19: US agencies call for pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccine (BBC)
US health authorities are calling for a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, after reports of extremely rare blood clotting cases.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said six cases in 6.8 million doses had been reported and it was acting “out of an abundance of caution”.
Johnson & Johnson said it was also delaying vaccine rollout in Europe.
The US move follows similar rare cases in the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has prompted some curbs in its use.
The US has by far the most confirmed cases of Covid-19 – more than 31 million – with more than 562,000 deaths, another world high. Read more
Biden to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan by September 11 (Guardian)
President Joe Biden will remove all US troops from Afghanistan before this year’s 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, ending America’s longest war around five months later than planned, a US official said.
Biden has “reached the conclusion that the United States will complete its drawdown — will remove its forces from Afghanistan — before September 11,” the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.
Biden will make an announcement Wednesday that all US forces, in coordination with those of Western allies, will leave other than limited personnel to guard US diplomatic installations, the official said. Read more
The incredible mental health benefits of walking and hiking (Metro)
Over lockdown many of us have got really in to walking because, well, there hasn’t been many other ways to fill the time. Whether you’re just walking around the block, going on urban adventures, or venturing to the countryside to me among nature, walking and hiking has had an incredibly positive impact on our health – and not just our physical health. Walking is an amazing tool to help your mental health. The simple act of going for a walk can help to reduce stress, regulate anxiety, and help you to feel more positive about the world around you. Read more
Nepal rhino numbers rise in ‘exciting’ milestone (BBC)
The number of one-horned rhinos in Nepal’s wildlife sanctuaries has increased by more than a hundred, marking a positive milestone in the Himalayan nation’s conservation efforts.
According to the results of the latest census, Nepal’s rhino population has risen to 752, from 645 in 2015.
Nepal is among only a few countries where greater one-horned rhinos are found. The animal was close to extinction in the last century, and its revival in Nepal and India is regarded as one of the greatest conservation success stories in Asia.
“We are very excited by the rhino survey’s findings. After the tigers, now the rhino population has also gone up,” Haribhadra Acharya, a senior official at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, told the BBC. Read more
Team Edo clinches gold medals in football (DailyTrust)
Host Edo State yesterday did the double over Team Lagos to win gold medals in the male and female football event at the ongoing 2020 National Sports Festival in Benin.
In the opening match of the day, Team Edo defeated hard fighting Lagos girls by a lone goal.
However, the match ended in a free for all as irate fans attacked the match officials.
The beautiful game turned ugly as aggrieved Lagos fans felt cheated when the fourth official indicated only an additional minute after full time. Read more
Thomas Tuchel insists ‘you don’t want to fight’ Chelsea trio as Blues prepare for crucial week (Metro)
Thomas Tuchel insists ‘you don’t want to fight’ Chelsea stars Antonio Rudiger, Mateo Kovacic and Cesar Azpilicueta as the Blues prepare for a crucial week in their season. Chelsea face Sevilla in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash on Tuesday night, having won the first leg 2-0. Four days after their tie with Porto, Tuchel’s side meet runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City in the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Read more
Monte Carlo Masters: Daniil Medvedev tests positive for COVID-19 (BBC)
World number two Daniil Medvedev has withdrawn from the Monte Carlo Masters after testing positive for coronavirus.
The Russian has been placed in isolation and will be monitored by the tournament physician.
Second seed Medvedev had a first-round bye for the clay-court tournament, which began on Monday.
“My focus now is on recovery and I look forward to getting back out on tour as soon and as safely as possible,” the 25-year-old said. Read more
Jurgen Klopp reveals Liverpool’s ‘special plan’ for dealing with Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr (Metro)
Jurgen Klopp says Liverpool have made ‘special plans’ for dealing with Vinicius Jr. in Wednesday night’s Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash against Real Madrid. The Spanish giants take a 3-1 lead to Anfield after their Brazilian wonderkid netted twice in Madrid last week, with Marco Asensio also netted for the hosts. It gives Liverpool a mountain to climb and they will be wary of getting hit on the break by the pace of Vinicius, with Klopp revealing that Liverpool will look to stop the supply into the in-form 20-year-old. Read more
French Open: Mixed doubles to return for 2021 tournament (BBC)
Mixed doubles will return for the 2021 French Open after being cancelled last year because of Covid-19 restrictions.
The draw will feature 16 pairs, rather than the usual 32, when the tournament begins in May.
Latisha Chan of Taiwan and Croatia’s Ivan Dodig are the two-time defending champions on the Roland Garros clay.
The French Open will run from 30 May to 13 June after being pushed back by a week in the hope that more spectators will be able to attend. Read more
Manchester United deep in talks to buy Australian club Central Coast Mariners (Metro)Manchester United have held ‘lengthy discussions’ with Australian club Central Coast Mariners with a view to buy and relocate the A-League side. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Mike Charlesworth, owner of the Mariners, is close to doing a deal that will see the club rebranded and moved from Central Coast to north Sydney. It would be a move similar to Manchester City buying Melbourne Heart in 2014 and rebranding the club as Melbourne City. Read more