Sanwo-Olu completes section of Lagos-Badagry highway (Nation)
A newly constructed section of Lagos-Badagry Highway was on Friday, declared open for public use by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, fulfilling the promise made at inception of his administration.
The construction of the 4-kilometre section, which stretches from Agboju to Trade Fair, started shortly after the current administration took off.
In fulfilling the promise, Sanwo-Olu led members of the State’s Executive Council to Lagos-Badagry Expressway to open the completed section, while also declaring the commencement of construction work on the Phase II of the project, which will take off from Trade Fair to the main gate of the Lagos State University (LASU) in Iba town. Read more
Students, parents protest national ID racketeering, extortion in Lagos (Punch)
Parents and students on Friday decried the alleged extortion of money from those seeking to enrol on the National Identity Number in the Alimosho Local Government Area and Igando Ikotun Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.
They claimed some officials of the National Identity Management Commission in the areas had been demanding bribes ranging from N2,000 to N10,000 for enrollment.
Sunday PUNCH reported on December 29, 2019, that the NIMC dismissed six of its workers for extortion.
It was learnt that the enrolment process became cumbersome after the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board announced in September that the NIN would be compulsory for the 2020 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. Read more
Police warn abandoned vehicles’ owners (Nation)
The Ogun State Police Command on Friday warned owners of abandoned and recovered vehicles and motorcyles parked at the Adatan Division in Abeokuta to remove their vehicles within 14 days or risk forfeiture.
The vehicles, according to a statement issued by the police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, ‘’are one green Nissan Almera (SMK 629XA); one Nissan Sunny (GBE 548 XA) and one unregistered blue Honda car.
‘’Others are two unregistered TVS motorcycles; one unregistered DEGAB motorcycle; four unregistered motorcycles; one Bajaj motorcycle (KSF 814Q); one Haojue motorcycle(TTN 896VU);one unregistered Qlink motorcycle; one Lifan motorcycle(QV 161 LND); one Bajaj motorcycle(AAB 013 UX); one Bajaj motorcycle (Q78AKD); two Lifan motorcycles (QT 123 KRD); one Skygo motorcycle(QL 312 AKD) and one unregistered Lifan motorcycle.’’ Read more
AbdulRazaq using security agencies to settle family political scores – Gbemisola Saraki (Punch)
The Minister of State for Transportation, Mrs Gbemisola Saraki, has condemned the demolition of the building belonging to her late father, Olusola Saraki, by the Kwara State Government.
Gbemisola, who belongs to the same party, the All Progressives Congress, with the state Governor, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, accused him of using security agencies to settle family political disagreements.
She said she was especially saddened by the state government’s unleashing of terror and mayhem on innocent and defenceless aged women, who were protesting against Ile Arugbo’s demolition. Read more
Lake Chad attack: ‘Dozens of fishermen’ killed near Cameroon border (BBC)
Suspected Boko Haram militants have killed at least 50 people on an island on Lake Chad, bordering Cameroon and Chad, a local official told the BBC.
The militants, disguised as traders, attacked fishermen, local mayor Ali Ramat said, quoting a survivor.
The attack happened on 22 December, but news from the remote area is only just beginning to come out.
Boko Haram, formed in Nigeria in 2009, has since spread its activities to neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger. Read more
Why only one person died on Oslo’s roads in 2019 (Independent)
Just one person died as a result of traffic accidents across all age groups in Oslo in 2019, official figures have revealed.
For the first time ever, no children under the age of 16 died in traffic at all in Norway in the whole of 2019.
However, more people were killed in traffic in the rest of the country compared to the year before – 110 compared to 108 in 2018.
Local newspaper Aftenposten reported the second lowest number of traffic deaths was in 2017, when three people died on Oslo’s roads. Read more
Westerners warned to leave Dubai and Abu Dhabi ‘immediately’ amid tensions after US airstrike (Metro)
Experts have warned tourists in the United Arab Emirates and Iraq to leave ‘immediately’ amid rising tensions between Iran and the US. The comments come after President Donald Trump ordered the killing of Iran’s major general Qasem Soleimani, by launching an airstrike on Baghdad International Airport. Mr Trump claimed the country’s second in command was plotting ‘imminent and sinister attacks on American diplomats and military personnel’. Iran has issued a chilling warning, saying ‘harsh vengeance awaits’ Mr Trump, the US and its allies. Read more
Qasem Soleimani: Strike was to ‘stop war’, says Trump (BBC)
President Donald Trump said the US killed Iran’s top military commander Qasem Soleimani “to stop a war, not to start one”.
He said Soleimani’s “reign of terror is over” following the strike at Iraq’s Baghdad airport on Friday.
Soleimani spearheaded Iran’s Middle East operations as head of the Quds Force. Iran has vowed “severe revenge” on those responsible for his death.
The killing marks a major escalation in tensions between Iran and the US. Read more
Jeremy Corbyn ‘demands answers’ over US air strike amid Boris Johnson silence (Metro)
Jeremy Corbyn has written to Boris Johnson demanding an urgent briefing following the US assassination of Iran’s top general Qassem Soleimani. The Labour leader has asked the PM to inform the Privy Council of the potential consequences the strike might have on the UK. He has described the assassination as an ‘an extremely serious and dangerous escalation of conflict with global significance’. Earlier today he tweeted: ‘The UK government should urge restraint on the part of both Iran and the US, and stand up to the belligerent actions and rhetoric coming from the US.’ Read more
Studio worker stole £37,000 worth of Harry Potter merchandise to sell over eBay (Independent)
A former Warner Bros Studio worker who stole almost £37,000 worth of Harry Potter merchandise to sell to fans on eBay has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Adam Hill took more than 1,000 items – including wands, ties, badges and key rings – from the studio’s stockroom over a four-month period.
The 35-year-old advertised the goods on a personal eBay account, then posted them to buyers from a local post office, St Albans Crown Court heard. Read more
Women win $13M legal battle against GirlsDoPorn website (NYPost)
The owners and operators of a San Diego-based porn website must pay $12.7 million after a judge found them liable for fraud and breach of contract for lying to women about how their explicit videos would be distributed, according to a court ruling Thursday.
The site, GirlsDoPorn, was sued by nearly two dozen women who claimed they were deceived and coerced into making sex videos without knowing the footage would be posted on the internet, the Union-Tribune reported.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Kevin Enright, who presided over a four-month-long trial, ruled in favor of all 22 plaintiffs and against a total of 13 defendants, the newspaper said. Read more
Rangers, Enyimba get PS recognition for Evolution 2020 (Nation)
For their continuous great and dominant displays in both domestic and continental football competitions, two Nigerian football clubs, Rangers International FC and Enyimba International have earned the right to be featured in the world acclaimed football simulation video game show developed by PES popularly called PlayStation 2020 edition.
The producers of the football simulation video game decided to feature on the African continent with its latest soccer game for the first time in the history of the computer game show.
Other African clubs that will also feature are Zesco United and Zanaco of Zambia, Al-Ahly and Zamalek of Egypt, Esperence Sportif de Tunis and Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia, T.P Mazembe of D.R Congo, Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa as well as Ashanti Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak of Ghana. Read more
Nigerian football achieved nothing in 2019, says Laloko (Guardian)
Former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Kashimawo Laloko, has said that the overall performance of the country’s national football teams last year was abysmal but expressed hope that things could take a turnaround this year if the right things are done.
Nigeria picked a bronze medal at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt and Laloko believes that the country deserves more than that if the proper developmental process was put in place for better use in a country with lots of untapped talents available for selection.
“As far as I am concerned, we achieved nothing in football in 2019. At the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt, we came third and Nigerians were jubilating. We have to call our football administrators to order because we should be achieving more. Read more
Nigeria handball male team in Tunisia for Nations Cup (Nation)
The senior national handball Male team have arrived Tunisia and have began the second phase of training ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations which commences on January 16, 2020.
The team that have been training in Lagos since December 1 and are led by coach Salami Rafiu of Issy Handball Club, France with Solomon Yola Martins of Kano Pillars and Segun Tunji of Niger United as assistants, travelled to Tunisia on December 31 and have commenced training.
Players of the team are very excited and have promised to give their best to make Sam Ocheho-led Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN) board and indeed the entire country proud in the Nations Cup. Read more
Nigeria to host chess tournament (Punch)
The Nigeria Chess Federation will be the host of the African Individual Chess Championship in Lagos for 2020.
This is the second time that the country will be hosting the chess championship with the first hosted in Abuja in 2003.
According to a statement released on the website of the Nigeria Chess Players’ Association, the chess world governing body has given the country the right to host the next edition of the championship.
“According to the FIDE Calendar, Nigeria will be hosting the African Individual Chess Championship in Lagos come May 2020; during dates that will conflict with our annual CPAN Chevron Chess Challenge; and as such unfortunately, C4 will most likely not be holding this year,” the website reads. Read more
Manchester United offered Arsenal target Adrien Rabiot as Juventus prepare new bid for Paul Pogba (Metro)
Juventus are prepared to offer Adrien Rabiot to Manchester United as part of their bid to sign Paul Pogba, according to reports. United re-signed Pogba from Juventus for £89 million in 2016 but the France international now wants to leave Old Trafford. Juventus are in the running to sign Pogba for a second time and the Serie A champions are reportedly confident that an agreement can be reached with United. According to The Sun, Juve believe United would accept a deal worth around £85 million to sell Pogba in the January transfer window. Read more
Van Persie ‘doesn’t have a right’ to criticise me – Solskjaer (BBC)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says former Manchester United forward Robin van Persie “does not have the right” to criticise his management style.
Van Persie said he was not happy with Solskjaer’s demenour after Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat by Arsenal, telling BT Sport “this is not the moment to smile”.
“I don’t know Robin and Robin doesn’t know me,” Solskjaer said on Friday.
“He probably doesn’t have a right to criticise my management style and I won’t change.” Read more
I want Usyk on my casualty list – Joshua (Punch)
IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, has fully embraced the possibility of fighting Oleksandr Usyk in 2020.
Usyk, who unified the entire cruiserweight division in 2020, is the WBO’s mandatory challenger to Joshua.
At the same time, Kubrat Pulev is the IBF’s mandatory challenger to Joshua’s title.
At the moment, both sanctioning organisations have ordered Joshua to meet his obligation. Read more
Chelsea transfer news: Jody Morris insists Olivier Giroud will only leave if it ‘benefits’ Blues (Independent)
Olivier Giroud will only leave Chelsea this month “for the benefit of the club”, Jody Morris has insisted.
Assistant coach Morris hailed France striker Giroud’s professionalism amid playing second-fiddle behind in-form England hitman Tammy Abraham at Chelsea this term.
Giroud has already admitted he may have to seek a move for more regular football, but Morris suggested Chelsea can ill afford to lose players without suitable replacements. Read more
Bayern Munich willing to let Jerome Boateng join Arsenal for no transfer fee (Metro)
Bayern Munich would be willing to let Jerome Boateng join Arsenal for no transfer fee, according to reports in Germany. Mikel Arteta is keen to strengthen his defensive options in the January transfer window following Calum Chambers’ long-term injury. RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano is on Arsenal’s shortlist but the German club are unwilling to lower their £70 million asking price. That has left Arsenal seeking cheaper alternatives and the Gunners have reportedly opened talks with Bayern over a potential deal for Boateng. Read more
Harry Kane: Tottenham striker suffers a torn hamstring (BBC)
Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane has suffered a torn hamstring, the club have announced.
He limped off during the defeat at Southampton on Wednesday and on Friday manager Jose Mourinho said he was expecting “bad news”.
No timescale has been given for his return but he is likely to miss several weeks of action, including the FA Cup tie at Middlesbrough on Sunday. Read more
Liverpool’s incredible run provides concern for future of the game (Independent)
As Sadio Mane thundered the ball into the net against Sheffield United, it was impossible not to be struck by how stunningly everything again came together – but in more ways than one.
There was primarily the conviction of a forward on all-conquering form, soaring due to his confidence in his own game and his perfect fit within this Liverpool team. That finish flowed from a glorious interchange with Mohamed Salah, reflecting the integration of these forwards into the most exhilaratingly of modern tactics, instilled by perhaps the finest manager in world football right now in Jurgen Klopp.
This inspiring play is itself the natural product of the most intelligent project in football right now. Liverpool are the example to follow, showing best practice, and now putting out by far the best team. Read more