S-West govs, IGP meet in Lagos over Amotekun (Vanguard)
South-West states’ governor and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, Thursday, held a security summit on Community Policing, Operation Amotekun, in Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.
The meeting is coming on the heels of the governors’ move to domesticate operations of the region’s security outfit codenamed Operation Amotekun in their various states.
Present at the summit were governors of Lagos, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu, while Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti states were represented by their deputy governors: Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, Engr. Noimot Oyedele, Mr. Benedict Alabi and Mrs. Bisi Egbeyemi, respectively.
Also present were all the Commissioners of Police from the six South-West states, other security outfits in Lagos State, Commissioners for Justice/Attorney-Generals from the South-West states, royal fathers, Community Development Committee representatives among others. Read more
Motorists stranded on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway as gridlock persists (Nation)
A major gridlock which began late on Tuesday on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has become a regular occurrence as motorists and commuters were stranded for the second day.
The gridlock on Tuesday was caused by a 40-foot containerised trailer which broke down at the diversion of Ibafo and stretched all the way to the Long Bridge for Lagos outbound commuters.
By Wednesday, the gridlock became worse as commuters heading to work early were stranded following the traffic snarl on the road. The heavy traffic build-up stretched late into the night as most commuters were forced to abort the trip.
However, the situation on the road persisted yesterday as traffic snarled from Mowe to Berger for motorists heading to Lagos. Read more
Man risks jail for allegedly taking sexual advantage of physically-challenged lady (Guardian)
A 30-year-old man, Oyekola Dare, is risking a 10-year jail term for allegedly taking sexual advantage of a physically-challenged lady. The accused was dragged before an Ogba Chief Magistrate Court with sexual assault and rape on a 20-year-old lady.
The police said the incident took place last Thursday at Ogooluwa Close, Alakuko area of Lagos. Detectives revealed that both the accused and the complainant’s parents reside in the same compound.
According to detectives, Dare allegedly took advantage of the condition of the complaint who is suffering from Down syndrome. The police prosecutor, Michael Unah, said parents of the lady had been suspicious of the suspect, whom they claimed suddenly became closer to their daughter.
“Following the suspicion, the lady’s parent decided to keep a close watch on the accused. The watch paid off last Thursday when the accused was caught in the act. The matter was subsequently reported to the police, prompting Dare’s arrest “In the course of interrogation, he reportedly told the police and the lady’s parents that he was planning to get married to her,” the prosecutor said. Read more
One dies as fire guts Lagos buildings, RRS headquarters (Guardian)
Weeks after a pipeline explosion in Abule Egba area of Lagos killed five persons and burnt houses, a gas explosion at Ilasamaja area of the state killed one person. Residents of Ogunbowale Street in Ilasamaja community had been rudely woken out of sleep when a fire broke in the early hours of yesterday.
Though it was immediately contained, an eyewitness said the outbreak, caused by a gas explosion, claimed a life. The fire was said to have started at about 2:00a.m., but residents were immediately mobilized to vacate the premises and combine efforts to fight the fire before the arrival of firefighters.
According to an eyewitness, Helen Akpodonor, the deceased, whose name was not disclosed, had gone back into the burning building to retrieve his money and some other property when he got burnt in the process. Read more
Bayelsa: Shock, disappointment envelop APC National Secretariat (Punch)
Shock and disappointment were the expressions on the faces of officials and members of staff of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress following the Supreme Court Judgement, which annulled the victory of the party’s Bayelsa State Governor-elect, David Lyon.
When The PUNCH correspondent visited the party headquarters after the judgement, on Thursday, staffers of the secretariat were sighted standing in groups discussing the issue.
National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, who arrived the party secretariat went up to his office with some members of the party’s National Working Committee. Read more
PDP’s Diri cannot be sworn in as Bayelsa Gov – Oshiomhole (Nation)
National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has declared candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Douye Diri cannot be sworn in on Friday as Bayelsa Governor because he did not meet the requirements of the Supreme Court.
Oshiomhole pointed out the judgement of the Supreme Court said the certificate of return should be issued to the candidate, who has the required spread in the election aside from David Lyon. Read more
Bayelsa: Embrace peace, Atiku charges Diri, Bayelsans (Vanguard)
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called on new governor-elect of Bayelsa state Senator Duoye Diri, deputy governor-elect, Lawrence Ewhrujakpor and the people of Bayelsa state to let go of events of recent past and embrace peace in the interest of all.
In a brief statement few hours after the Supreme Court sacked David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Atiku praised the eminent justices, saying by their judgement, the people are now more than aware that indeed, power belongs to them.
The statement read: “I call on all the people of Bayelsa to make peace with the recent past and embrace the future together, united in the mission to transform the state into a haven of peace and prosperity.
“I received the verdict of the Supreme Court, declaring the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Bayelsa state gubernatorial elections, Senator Douye Diri, as the duly elected Governor of the state, with gladness. Read more
Nigerian phone vendors stuck in China over coronavirus (Punch)
Vendors of phones and other technology products from Nigeria who travelled to China for the Chinese festival shopping season in late January are unable to do business or return to the country due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
Phone traders and vendors who spoke to our correspondent in Lagos said some Nigerian vendors had not been able to return to the country as their business had not been concluded due to the shutdown of factories and restricted movement in China.
However, the Chairman, Lagos State chapter of the Association of Mobile Phone and Allied Products Traders in Nigeria, Mr Ifeanyi Akubue, said the outbreak of the virus had not in any way affected the availability of mobile phones and accessories. Read more
Euromillions winner throws £1m party from beyond the grave (Metro)
One of the winners of the UK’s biggest lottery jackpot threw a no-expense spared party for his friends from beyond the grave. Colin Weir, 71, made sure he went out in style, treating guests to £340 bottles of champagne and £40-a-dish truffle soup. Colin died in December from kidney failure and sepsis, over eight years after scooping the £161 million EuroMillions jackpot with his wife, Christine. The couple, from Largs, North Ayrshire, were instantly catapulted on to the Sunday Times Rich List. Before his death, Colin had told friends that he wanted to give his closest friends a ‘great party to remember him by’. Guest’s gathered at Trump’s Turnberry hotel in Ayrshire where they had lobster at a party believed to have cost in the region of £1 million. Read more
Australia fires: New South Wales blazes all ‘contained’ (BBC)
All of the bushfires in New South Wales (NSW) are now considered contained, say fire officials in the Australian state.
The NSW Rural Fire Service said it was “great news” after “a very traumatic, exhausting and anxious” time.
The development is thanks in part to heavy rain, which has lashed the state since last weekend.
But the severe storms led to flash flooding in Queensland where a 75-year-old man is reported to have died. Read more
World’s oldest man, 112, says secret is to keep on smiling (Metro)
A Japanese man with a sweet tooth who believes in smiles has become the world’s oldest male at 112 years and 344 days old, according to Guinness World Records. Chitetsu Watanabe, who was born in Niigata in northern Japan in 1907, received a certificate for his accomplishment on Wednesday at a nursing home in the city. The previous record holder, Masazo Nonaka, another Japanese, died last month. The oldest living person is also Japanese, Kane Tanaka, a 117-year-old woman. Until about a decade ago, Watanabe used to do bonsai, the Japanese traditional art of raising small sculpted trees, and had his work exhibited. These days, he loves desserts such as custards and cream puffs, Guinness said. Read more
Jamie Carragher sends warning to Bruno Fernandes ahead of Manchester United’s trip to Chelsea (Metro)
Jamie Carragher has warned Bruno Fernandes that his second Manchester United match away to Chelsea will be a ‘completely different’ experience to his debut against Wolves. Fernandes, 25, completed a move from Sporting to United last month and fans got a first glimpse of their January signing in action as Wolves held Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side to a goalless draw at Old Trafford. Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio twice kept Fernandes out with a pair of routine saves and Solskjaer revealed the midfielder ‘wasn’t 100 per cent happy’ with his performance. Read more
Borussia Dortmund: ‘We don’t buy superstars, we make them’ (BBC)
It is a little over two years since Jadon Sancho made his first league start for Borussia Dortmund but such is the club’s commitment to youth, they are already talking about two even younger players to highlight their approach.
In December, Sancho became the youngest player to reach 22 Bundesliga goals, having already become the youngest Dortmund player to score 10 league goals in a single campaign in 2018-19.
His arrival from Manchester City for £10m in 2017 without playing a first-team game for the Blues is in line with Dortmund’s recruitment policy. Read more
‘He will bring charisma’ – Adepoju backs Yobo’s Nigeria appointment (Vanguard)
Joseph Yobo is an ideal choice to bring the Super Eagles players together says ex-Nigeria international Mutiu Adepoju.
Yobo was appointed as Gernot Rohr’s assistant on Wednesday, replacing Imama Amapakabo, but his managerial wherewithal has been questioned by many who see him as the wrong choice.
However, the Everton legend has a history in international football, captaining the country to their 2013 Africa Cup of Nations triumph, as well as being Nigeria’s joint most-capped player. Read more
Three things on new Chelsea signing Hakim Ziyech (Guardian)
Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech became Chelsea manager Frank Lampard’s first signing on Thursday when he joined the Londoners on a 40 million-euro ($43.4 million) deal from Dutch side Ajax.
Here AFP Sport picks out three things about the 26-year-old who overcame a troubled youth to become an integral part of an outstanding Ajax team:
Tragedy forced him off the rails
Ziyech was born in the Netherlands, the youngest of eight children of Moroccan parents. He was close to his metalworker father Mohamed who died when he was just 10. Although he found solace in football, the shock of that early loss had an impact on him later. The family’s hopes of one of the children succeeding in football lay with him after two of his elder brothers Faouzi and Hicham saw their careers peter out after being convicted of burglary. They were sacked by their respective clubs’ academies. “Our last hope in the family was Hakim,” said Faouzi. Read more
I could be sacked if I lose to Real Madrid – Guardiola (Vanguard)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he could be sacked if his side lose their last-16 clash against Real Madrid.
Second-placed City are currently 22 points off the pace in the Premier League with rivals Liverpool storming the league having only dropped two points all campaign.
Guardiola‘s men still have a chance to win the FA Cup, League Cup – where City will face Aston Villa in the final and the Champions League. And Guardiola suggested that he could get the boot if they lose their Champions League tie against Real Madrid. Read more
PSG’s Neymar a Champions League doubt for Dortmund last 16 trip (Guardian)
Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar is facing a fitness battle to feature in next week’s Champions league last 16 first leg tie at Borussia Dortmund, coach Thomas Tuchel said on Wednesday.
The world’s most expensive player has missed three matches having been sidelined with a rib injury since the victory over Montpellier on February 2.
“I can’t say that he will be 100% to play against Borussia Dortmund,” Tuchel said after the 6-1 French Cup quarter-final hammering of Dijon. Read more
Coronavirus: Ighalo stays away from Manchester United training (Nation)
Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo has yet to set foot in the club’s training ground since joining on loan from Shanghai Shenhua, British media reported on Thursday.
Media reports said this was after he was told to stay away due to concerns over the coronavirus.
The flu-like virus has killed over 1,300 people and infected around 60,000 in China after it first emerged in Wuhan late last year.
The Times reported Ighalo has been training at the National Taekwondo Centre in Manchester since arriving on loan from the Chinese club almost two weeks ago. Read more
Liverpool potentially worth £2 billion, over six times what FSG paid for the club (Vanguard)
Liverpool are believed to be worth £2 billion, following a successful upturn in fortunes since Fenway Sports Group purchased the club almost 10 years ago.
Sir Martin Broughton was brought into Anfield in 2010 to expedite the sale of the club and bring an end to a disastrous reign by then-owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
FSG, led by John W. Henry and Tom Werner, eventually secured a deal six months later, acquiring Liverpool FC for a fee of £300 million.
In an interview with the Telegraph this week, Broughton estimates that the club is now “certainly worth £1 billion,” adding: “At least that possibly £2 billion”. Read more
