Robbers steal taxi after giving driver drugged suya (Nation)
The police in Lagos are on the trail of two men who allegedly drugged a hailing service driver and made away with his Toyota Camry car.
It was gathered that the victim Christian Adu picked up the men at Ikotun and took them to a hotel Heaven Hotel at First Avenue in Festac Town on February 14.
At the hotel, the suspects allegedly bought suya, spiced grilled beef, and a drink for Adu which he ate not knowing the items were drugged with sleeping pills.
According to the victim, he dozed off shortly after eating the items only to wake up and discover that his car with registration number BDG172FU and mobile phone had gone. Read more
Task force demolishes illegal structures, others at Mile 2 (Guardian)
Operatives of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences, popularly called Taskforce, in an over-night exercise, removed some ‘illegal’ structures comprising of shanties, mechanic workshops, containarised kiosks and commercial bus garages around government schools at Mile 2, Badagry Expressway, Lagos.
Chairman of the agency, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, who led the enforcement team, disclosed that before the removal, occupants of the illegal structures were served a seven-day ‘Removal Notice’ to vacate the entire area as well as the vicinity of the schools within the stipulated period.Read more
Court remands oil marketer for ‘N349m fraud’ (Nation)
AN Ikeja Special Offences Court on Monday remanded an oil marketer, Ngozi Philomena Okoye in custody of the female section of Nigeria Correctional Services (NCS), Kirikiri, Lagos for alleged N349 million fraud.
Okoye will remain in custody of the NCS pending hearing of bail application fixed for Thursday.
The defendant was arraigned before the court by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on a three-count charge bordering on obtaining goods by false pretence and stealing before Justice Mojisola Dada.
Ngozi was charged alongside her company, Menoil Oil and Gas Limited. Read more
Lagos government rescues 12-year-old allegedly assaulted by mother (Guardian)
The Lagos State government through the Directorate of Citizens’ Rights on Sunday rescued a 12-year-old boy assaulted by his mother at their residence, No. 64 Moricass Road, Agege.
The incident had earlier gone viral on Facebook, thereby necessitating the intervention by the Lagos State Directorate of Citizens Right (DCR). The boy was seen on Facebook, covered in blood.
According to the Director DCR, Mrs. Biola Oseni, officials of the ministry during a visit to the home gathered that he was assaulted by his biological mother. Read more
NDLEA charges scavenger with trafficking (Nation)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday filed a one-count charge of trafficking in 500g cannabis against a scavenger, Ibrahim Dauda, in a Federal High Court, Lagos.
The NDLEA in a charge sheet, marked FHC/L/64C/20 by counsel, Mr Jeremiah Aernan, alleged that the defendant committed the offence on February 5.
He said that the defendant was arrested at Bashiru Owe St. near Computer School in Ikeja Lagos, while selling the illicit drug. Read more
Coronavirus: ‘58 under watch in Lagos, Ogun; Italian 70% stable’ (Vanguard)
The health condition of the index case for COVID-19 in Nigeria is not a cause for concern as the 44-year-old Italian is said to be 70 per cent stable.
Minister of State for Health, Senator Olurunnimbe Mamora, who disclosed this to Vanguard yesterday, said he was not exhibiting any signs of complications.
“The index case is stable. That means the patient is not manifesting fresh symptoms, and is not getting worse. He is not having undue pains. His condition is not giving cause for concern. Read more
Coronavirus: Govt faces difficulties tracing Italian co-passengers (Punch)
The Federal Government on Monday vowed to deal with any foreign airline that violated coronavirus screening procedures for passengers arriving in the country.
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, was said to have given the warning in Abuja at the inter-ministerial meeting on coronavirus.
A source at the meeting stated that the minister said airlines that failed to distribute contact tracing forms to their passengers upon arrival at any of the international airports in the country would be sanctioned.
The minister stated this just as there were indications on Monday that the government was facing obstacles in tracing some of the people, who had contacts with the first coronavirus index case. Read more
Okada riders beat mechanic to death over death of colleague in Ogun (Vanguard)
It was a sad weekend for the family of an auto-mobile mechanic, Kunle Olaojo, as he was beaten to death and his corpse set ablaze by Okada riders in Ogun State.
It was gathered that the Okada riders were miffed by the death of their member, who was reportedly hit by Kunle near Tipper Junction along Ota-Itele Road.
Kunle, a father of four, was reportedly driving in his salon car with number plate EKY 141 FE from Lafenwa Itele Road to his residence at God’s Town, Ist Gate, Ota-Itele Road when he hit the commercial motorcyclist.
He was said to have stopped to attend to the victim, unfortunately, the victim’s colleagues mobilised and attacked him. He reportedly pleaded that he should be allowed to take the man to a nearby hospital for attention, but his pleas were rebuffed by the commercial motorcycle riders, who attacked him. Read more
Oba of Benin suspends chief for misconduct (Punch)
The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, on Monday suspended Chief Utete Omo Osagie, the Obadolagbonyi of Benin from palace activities over misconduct.
Addressing journalists on the authority of the Benin monarch, Chief Osaro Idah said Chief Osagie acted on his own volition and not for the interest of the palace.
It would be recalled that Osagie had last week led an Osokpikan society to lay a curse on someone’s premises without the permission of the Benin monarch. Read more
Fresh Kaduna killings: We won’t negotiate with terrorists, bandits, says El-Rufai (Vanguard)
Governor Nasiru Ahmad El Rufa’i of Kaduna State yesterday vowed to rout out bandits from the state, saying he would not negotiate with terrorists.
The governor, who spoke against the backdrop of Sunday night’s killing of over 50 people in Giwa and Igabi Local Government Areas by bandit, was told by the locals who lost their loved ones in the attack that casualty figure from the invasion was over 50.
A visibly disturbed El-Rufa’i reiterated that there would be no negotiations with bandits, as the dead were yesterday buried according to Islamic rites. Read more
Osun reverses Aregbesola’s single uniform, middle schools, retains Opon Imo (Punch)
The Osun State Government on Monday abolished same uniform policy and other nine policies introduced to the education sector by the immediate past administration of ex Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Although the government retained the ‘Opon Imo’ initiative introduced by the same administration, it, however, cancelled the introduction of 4-5-3-4, which saw creation of middle schools and reverted to the national education policy of 6-3-3-4.
The state cabinet directed that all the reversed policies should take effect from the next academic session. Read more
Killer dad jailed after giving baby huge overdose of Benadryl to stop her crying (Metro)
A father is behind bars after he admitted to giving his baby daughter a massive dose of Benadryl to stop her from crying.
Darius Lara, 25, was sentenced to 30 years after he pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree on Thursday in Carrollton, Georgia. He will spend the first 15 in prison and the remainder of his sentence on probation.
Lara was arrested in 2017, two years after his eight-month-old daughter, Natalia Esmerelda Jane Ro Lara, died of cardiac arrest in December 2015. Read more
Saudi Arabia announces first case of coronavirus (Vanguard)
Saudi Arabia on Monday announced its first case of the new coronavirus, a Saudi national returning from Iran through Bahrain, the Health Ministry said.
The ministry said on its official Twitter account that the individual, who is in quarantine in hospital, had not disclosed his visit to Iran when entering Saudi Arabia.
Iran has reported the most deaths from the coronavirus outside China, where the flu-like disease originated. Other Gulf Arab states have diagnosed the infection in several people who had visited Iran. Read more
Ex-CDC head Tom Frieden says kids may be secret coronavirus carriers (NYPost)
The ex-director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that the deadly coronavirus may be “impossible” to contain — and that kids may be secret carriers of the disease.
“We think it will be very difficult if not impossible to contain it … but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try,” Dr. Tom Frieden told reporters.
Frieden, who ran the agency under President Obama and was the New York City health commissioner under Mayor Mike Bloomberg, said the spread of the virus to more than 89,000 people across the world has been an “unprecedented situation.”
“Never before have we seen a pathogen emerge and have global spread like this. That is scary,” Frieden said. Read more
Erdogan threatens Europe with ‘millions’ of migrants (Guardian)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned on Monday that “millions” of migrants would soon head for Europe, drawing accusations from EU leaders that he is trying to pressure them into backing his incursions into Syria.
Turkey gave the green light to refugees and migrants on Friday to leave for the European Union and thousands have since massed at the Greek border, triggering fears of an influx like that which poisoned European politics in 2015.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel described Turkey’s move as “unacceptable” and EU migration commissioner Margaritis Schinas said nobody could “blackmail or intimidate the EU”. Read more
Israel seeks end to deadlock with third election in one year (Punch)
Israel held its third election in less than a year Monday seeking to break a political deadlock, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chasing re-election while facing criminal indiErdogan
Despite apparently high turnout, Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud and his main challengers, the centrist Blue and White, issued emergency messages for supporters to vote before polls close at 10 pm local time (2000 GMT).
Blue and White, led by ex-military chief Benny Gantz, warned it had suffered “low voter turnout” in stronghold areas, issuing “urgent instructions” for party leaders to mobilise supporters.
Netanyahu on Twitter also warned of an “emergency” following “low voting” in several of his strongholds. Read more
Israel election: Netanyahu claims victory after exit polls show narrow lead (BBC)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed victory in Israel’s general election, after exit polls put him ahead of his main rival Benny Gantz.
Three projections gave Mr Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party 36 or 37 seats, and Mr Gantz’s centrist Blue and White alliance between 32 and 34.
However, the polls suggested Likud and its right-wing allies might fall just short of a majority in parliament.
Monday’s election was Israel’s third in less than a year. Read more
Coronavirus death toll reaches six in US (NYPost)
The US coronavirus death toll is now up to six — including four elderly residents from the same nursing home in Washington state, authorities said Monday.
Officials had reported that two people, including a man in his 50s, died from the virus in Washington over the weekend — then upped the death toll Monday to add four more, all also in the state.
At one point during a press conference announcing the new deaths Monday, state health officials appeared confused as to the final tally, CNBC reported. Read more
Amy Klobuchar ends bid to challenge Trump (BBC)
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar will abandon her candidacy for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
Senator Klobuchar came in a distant sixth place in Saturday’s South Carolina primary.
Ms Klobuchar, 59, will join Joe Biden at his Dallas, Texas rally on Monday to endorse the former vice-president, US media report.
The news comes on the heels of fellow moderate Pete Buttigieg suspending his campaign on Sunday. Read more
Harry and Meghan hope to ‘uplift’ fans with month of ‘positivity’ (Metro)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are promoting a month of positivity on social media.
To mark the start of March, Harry and Meghan chose one account to follow on their popular Instagram account. The Sussexes revealed they would be following the TanksGoodNews page, an American account that shares ‘positivity with a hint of humor’.
Their stories include a 100-year-old woman celebrating her ‘25th birthday’ on a leap year and some stranded dolphins that were saved by a human chain.
The couple wrote: ‘Happy 1st of March everyone! This month, we continue on the good news path and are pleased to be following @TanksGoodNews, as a reminder of all the good that is happening in the world. Read more
Everton boss Ancelotti hit with FA charge over ref rage (Vanguard)
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti was charged with misconduct by the English Football Association on Monday following his red card in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United.
Ancelotti was sent off for his angry protests to referee Chris Kavanagh following the final whistle at Goodison Park.
The Italian was frustrated after Everton had what they thought was a stoppage-time winner by Dominic Calvert-Lewin ruled out for offside by VAR.
Ancelotti will face a fine, or a touchline ban, if he is found guilty. Read more
NPFL: Kano Pillars pip Dakkada (Nation)
Kano Pillars defeated Dakkada FC 2-0 in one of the Nigeria professional Football league (NPFL) matchday 22 fixtures at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Sunday.
Auwalu Ali and Usman Babalolo first half goals were all Sai Masu Gida needed to secure all maximum points at stake in the encounter.
The win moves Pillars to 7th position as the Pyramid City outfit continue to push for top spot in the league. Read more
Watford’s Deulofeu to miss rest of season (Punch)
Watford winger Gerard Deulofeu will miss the rest of the season after rupturing an anterior cruciate ligament and tearing his meniscus.
Hornets boss Nigel Pearson confirmed on Monday that Deulofeu needs knee surgery following the injuries he sustained in the first half of Saturday’s 3-0 shock win over Liverpool.
The Spaniard left the Vicarage Road pitch on a stretcher and is set for a lengthy spell out of action.
“Unfortunately for him and us, the scan results really show he is probably going to be out for the rest of the season,” Pearson told Watford’s website. Read more
Trabzonspor’s Sturridge handed four-month worldwide ban (Vanguard)
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has been handed a worldwide four-month ban from all football-related activity for breaching betting regulations.
The suspension comes after the English Football Association won an appeal against a two-week ban and £75,000 ($95,756) fine given to Sturridge in July of last year.
The former England international was accused of passing on inside information on potential transfer moves in January 2018.
Sturridge’s contract with Turkish club Trabzonspor was terminated by mutual consent on Monday. Read more
Daniel Sturridge ‘devastated’ by four-month ban for breaching betting rules (BBC)
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge says he is “devastated” after being banned from football for four months for breaching betting rules.
He was originally given a six-week ban last summer, four of them suspended, but the FA appealed against the findings of an independent commission.
An appeal board also doubled the 30-year-old’s fine to £150,000. Read more
Olympic tickets excite NTTF boss (Nation)
The President of Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF), Ishaku Tikon is excited that the trio of Olufunke Oshonaike, Offiong Edem and Olajide Omotayo has qualified for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The NTTF boss who could not contain his excitement after the players booked their places at the end of the qualifying tournament in Tunisia at the weekend, said the players have shown that they are committed to the game, while lamenting the injury that knocked Aruna Quadri of the qualifiers.
“I am so happy with the outcome of the qualifiers because the players gave a good account of themselves and all our efforts in the last four years were not wasted. Read more
Arsenal beat Portsmouth 2-0 to reach FA Cup quarters (Punch)
Arsenal bounced back from their Europa League heartache to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals as goals from Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Eddie Nketiah sealed a 2-0 win at Portsmouth on Monday.
Mikel Arteta’s side desperately needed a morale-boosting success after Olympiakos snatched a late winner to knock them out of the Europa League at the Emirates Stadium on Thursday.
Arteta said his players were still feeling “very down” several days after that kick in the teeth, but they survived an early barrage from third tier Portsmouth to avoid more misery in the FA Cup fifth round. Read more
ATTF optimistic Quadri will still play at Tokyo 2020 Olympics (Guardian)
The African Table Tennis Federation (ATTF) believes that Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri is Tokyo bound based on his world rating.
Reacting to speculations over the possibility of eventual non-qualification of Africa’s highest-ranked player for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the ATTF President, Khaled El-Salhy said: “For sure, the participation of Aruna Quadri in the Olympic Games is very important to ATTF, as the top African ranked player and his expected super performance in such special event as he did in the last edition in Rio 2016.
“Normally he should have qualified in the African Qualification Tournament, unfortunately, he could not continue due to his sudden injury during the third stage of group matches. Read more