Sanwo-Olu owes us 3-month special COVID-19 allowances – IDH workers (Punch)
Over 70 volunteer frontline healthcare givers comprising doctors and nurses working at the Lagos State isolation centre in Mainland Hospital, Yaba, have yet to be paid their three-month COVID-19 remunerations by the state government, findings by Sunday PUNCH have revealed.
Some of the representatives of the volunteer workers, in separate interviews with our correspondent, disclosed that the special allowances spanned from January to March.
A dejected medical doctor, who simply identified himself as Babalade, told our correspondent that the need to protest the outstanding payments became necessary when they observed that the state government had decommissioned some of their colleagues.
The physician disclosed that many of them were recruited from state general and teaching hospitals by the Health Service Commission while the rest of them resigned from private facilities with little or nothing to hope for once they are decommissioned.
“We didn’t sign up for this. The only reason we took up this job is because it is our primary assignment as caregivers. If we don’t do it, who will? Read more
CP dismantles road blocks on Lagos-Badagry expressway (Guardian)
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, on Saturday ordered the dismantling of all illegal police road blocks on Lagos-Badagry expressway.
The state police command’s Spokesperson, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said in a statement that Odumosu gave the directive on Friday while addressing Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers in the command.
“In his bid to restore sanity and decency to the operations of the police along the ever-busy international route, Lagos/Badargy Expressway, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has ordered for the immediate dismantling of illegal road blocks by the police teams from the Lagos State Police Command.
“He ordered the Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers whose jurisdictions fall along the Badargy Expressway; Festac and Area K, Marogbo, to withdraw their men from the illegal road blocks. Read more
Hoodlums take over LASU axis, attack, rob students at will (Punch)
The Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, axis particularly areas along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway—close to the Iyana-Iba market—the Okokomaiko (PPL) area, and the university’s gate on the LASU-Igando road, are now a hotbed of violent crimes.
Clutching dangerous weapons such as guns and knives, hoodlums prey on unwitting passers-by in these areas—many of whom are students of the university, robbing them of money, belongings, and in some cases, inflicting bodily harm on them. An entrepreneur and 300-level student of Biology Education, Rukayat Balogun, suffered brutality at the hands of the criminal elements.
On June 24, 2019, Rukayat left her hostel at Idirogbo for CMS at about 5:30am to beat the rush hour. She planned to buy some goods for her customers being a retailer of male and female underwear.
She was with her smartphone and N70,000. As she trotted phone-in-hand along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, opposite the university road, she felt a sharp pang on her left hand which she later found suffered a deep cut. Her attacker held an “iron object” to scare her. Read more
APC in dilemma over credible LG poll in Lagos (Independent)
With about three months to the expiration of tenure of the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos, controversies have continued to trail the alleged decision of the state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to replace the council chairmen with either Sole Administrators or Executive Secretaries.
As it was gathered, Governor Sanwo-Olu has allegedly consulted with some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and in particular, the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to conclude on how to go about the decision.
If a decision is finally reached on this and it is agreed that Sole Administrators or Executive Secretaries should be appointed, then the likelihood of local government elections holding anytime soon may be impossible. Read more
Ikpeazu promises to offset resident doctors’ salary arrears (Guardian)
Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has expressed his administration’s determination to gradually, as soon as funds become available, offset salary arrears of resident doctors, despite the backlog predating his administration.
He added that since inception, his administration has remained committed to improvement of the health sector.
Ikpeazu, who stated this while receiving a delegation of the National Association of Resident Doctors on productivity in Abia, charged them to be prudent and work out ways to win back confidence of the people, by providing quality services.
The governor said his administration would provide funds for the accreditation of due departments at Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) and also study the law on the National Association of Resident Doctors with a view to implementing it. Read more
How I masterminded abduction of three bank managers, got N15m share of ransoms – Driver (Nation)
Five suspected members of a notorious kidnapping gang allegedly responsible for the recent abduction of three managers of Zenith Bank PLC in Delta State have been arrested by operatives of the Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT).
The arrested suspects, who gang was said to have received a ransom of more than N50 million in foreign currencies, include Owes Okpaka, Lawrence Kevwe Egagah, Victor Dominic, Usobotie Sylvester and Alex Okoun.
A source said they were arrested after operatives of the IRT got information about their activities from one of their victims, Daniel Imani, the manager of the Warri Urobo College Branch of Zenith Bank, who was abducted on his way home by members of the gang on October 5, 2020 and a ransom of N15 million was eventually paid for his release. Read more
Caesar talks about new projects, plans to work with superstars (Tribune)
Nigerian rapper and performer, Timothy Obioha otherwise known as Caesar has announced that he will be dropping two new musical projects, describing his style of music as soul-lifting and one that has a positive influence on the people.
While also rating himself as one of the artists currently making waves locally and internationally, Cesar who is a UK-based rapper said he grew up loving music and family.
“I am gaining maximum attention from my new projects. One of the projects involves popular Nigerian artistes and the other is a single. Both will be dropping soon.”
Speaking about his growing up days, he says his mother’s strictness as a teacher moulded him into a responsible, hardworking, and focused music artist. Read more
After sealing pact, resident doctors end strike (Guardian)
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its strike, which commenced on April 1.
Though the details of the suspension was not clear as at yesterday night, the President of the Association, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, confirmed the development.
The Association had assured the Federal Government negotiation team on Friday that relevant bodies of NARD would meet yesterday to ratify the suspension.
The development came after both the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Government struck a deal to end the industrial dispute.
The Memorandum of Action (MoA), which was signed in Abuja, concerned the non-payment of House Officers/non-recruitment of House officers, abolishment of Bench Fees, non-payment of National Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment Arrears, residency Training Allowance, Hazard allowance and payment of Resident Doctors on GIFMIS platform. Read more
Peruzzi releases 20-track album, features Wande Coal, Don Jazzy, others (Tribune)
Singer and songwriter Peruzzi’s ‘Rum and Boogie’ album is now doing well. Just after releasing the album on Friday, his 10-track album has topped Nigerian Apple Music chart and been noted as “his highest peaking project”.
The album, which features Don Jazzy, Wande Coal, Fireboy, Davido, Phyno, Tiwa Savage among others, is a 20-track album, which separates ‘Rum’ and ‘Boogie’ with each theme having ten songs .
Peruzzi, whose real name is Tobechukwu Victor Okoh has been signed with DMW (Davido Music Worldwide) since 2018 and the album which was released yesterday is his Sophomore. Read more
RCA vows to take down clone Wizkid account (Independent)
Following reports of an up and coming artiste, Wisekid allegedly making N30m monthly off streaming Wizkid’s album, RCA Records have vowed to take down the account.
It was revealed that a young Nigerian recording artiste identified as Wisekid, real name Hosea Yohanna, allegedly uploaded a replica of Wizkid’s Made in Lagos album on apple music; thereby diverting traffic to his music.
The tracklist of the replica album dubbed Lasgidi Made shares an identical title to Wizkid’s album, hoodwinking unsuspecting music lovers, especially Wizkid fans. Read more
The Snuts beat Demi Lovato to land UK number one with debut album (Metro)
The Snuts have beat Demi Lovato to land this week’s UK number one album with their debut W.L. The group have become the first Scottish band in 14 years to enter at number one on the UK’s official albums chart with their debut album, since The View’s Hats Off To The Buskers in 2007. The Snuts – made up of Jack Cochrane, Callum Wilson, Joe McGillverary and Jordan Mackay – were overtaken by Demi Lovato during the week after being ahead in the chart battle on Monday, but managed to pull it back to claim the top spot with W.L. Read more
Prince Charles pays tribute to ‘My Dear Papa,’ Prince Philip, for devoted service (VOA)
Britain’s Prince Charles paid a personal tribute Saturday to his “dear papa” Prince Philip, saying the royal family missed him enormously and that the 99-year-old would have been amazed at the touching reaction around the world to his death.
Philip, the husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth who had been at her side throughout her record-breaking 69-year reign, died at Windsor Castle on Friday.
“As you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously,” Charles, the couple’s eldest son and heir to the throne, said outside his Highgrove House home in west England.
“My dear papa was a very special person who I think above all else would have been amazed by the reaction and the touching things that have been said about him and from that point of view we are, my family, deeply grateful for all that. It will sustain us in this particular loss and at this particularly sad time.” Read more
COVID-19: India vaccination crosses 100 million doses (BBC)
India has administered more than 100 million doses of coronavirus vaccines amid a deadly second wave of infections.
The country has been reporting an average of more than 90,000 cases of COVID-19 every day since 1 April.
Everyone above the age of 45 is now eligible for jabs, which are available at vaccination centres and hospitals.
Most of the doses have been given so far to frontline workers and people above the age of 60. Read more
Almost 180-degree turnaround’: More Black Americans open to jabs (AlJazeera)
More Black people in the United States say they are open to receiving coronavirus vaccines, a new survey shows, an encouraging sign that one community leader described as “almost a 180-degree turnaround” from earlier in the pandemic.
According to the late March poll by the Associated Press news agency and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, about 24 percent of Black people said they would probably or definitely not get vaccinated.
That is down from 41 percent in January, and is similar to the proportion of white people (26 percent) and Hispanic Americans (22 percent) who also say they do not plan to get jabs. Read more
Charlene Yi claims she tried to quit “The Disaster Artist” because of ‘sexual predator’ James Franco (Metro)
Actress Charlyne Yi has accused James Franco of being a ‘sexual predator’ and claims she tried to quit The Disaster Artist after learning of the allegations against him. In 2014, Franco, then 35, admitted to messaging a 17-year-old and trying to arrange a meeting in a hotel room. Four years later, after the actor wore a Time’s Up pin at the Golden Globes, a number of allegations of sexual misconduct were made on social media, which Franco called ‘not accurate’. Read more
Giorgos Karaivaz: Veteran crime journalist shot dead in Greece (BBC)
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has ordered a speedy investigation after a veteran crime journalist was shot dead on Friday.
Giorgos Karaivaz was shot at least six times with a silenced weapon by two men on a moped outside his home in Athens.
His death “shocked us all,” said a government spokeswoman.
Media freedom organisations said it must be established whether Karaivaz was killed for his work, which covered organised crime and corruption. Read more
Iran tests newest advanced nuclear centrifuges (AlJazeera)
Iran began feeding gas to cascades of new, advanced centrifuges and unveiled dozens of “achievements” to mark its national nuclear technology day in an effort to show its nuclear programme is peaceful.
President Hassan Rouhani on Saturday launched several projects across the country via video link in Tehran that was broadcast live on national television, and an exhibition of 133 technological innovations with civilian and medical uses was also unveiled.
The display comes after the opening week of negotiations in Vienna, Austria, to restore the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers – ended on Friday on a hopeful note, and is slated to continue from Wednesday. Read more
Team Edo, Delta win fastest man, woman at sports festival (Guardian)
Team Edo’s Adegoke Enoch and Team Delta’s Grace Nzubechi, yesterday night, emerged the fastest man and woman respectively, decided at the Samuel Ogbemidia Stadium at the ongoing National Sports Festival holding in Benin City, Edo State.
Enoch, who finished in a time of 9.7, won the gold medal in the male category of the 100 metres race, while Nzubechi in a time of 10:8 beat all her opponents in keenly contested final to win gold medal for her state.
Alaba Olukunle, also of Edo State, came second in a time of 9.9 to silver, while Team Lagos represented by Jerry Jakpa settled for the bronze medal in a time of 10.00 in the male category.
In the other result, Joy Gabriel, also of Team Lagos, clinched the silver medal in a time of 10.9, as Bayelsa State’s Timas Godbless finished third in a time of 11.00 to claim the bronze medal. Read more
Conor Benn stuns Samuel Vargas with first-round knockout (BBC)
Conor Benn produced the most destructive display of his career to knockout Samuel Vargas in 80 seconds.
The British welterweight was expected to face a test against an experienced rival but he pounced on an opening.
Two right-left combinations rocked Colombia’s Vargas, a barrage of punches followed and a hard uppercut on the ropes saw the bout stopped.
“Start putting respect on my name,” said Benn. “I’m putting the Benn name where it belongs – back at the top.” Read more
Thomas Tuchel explains why he dropped Timo Werner for Christian (Metro)
Thomas Tuchel admitted he has concerns that he’s at risk of ‘overusing’ Timo Werner, which is why he dropped the Chelsea forward against Crystal Palace. Tuchel made three changes from his side’s 2-0 Champions League win against Porto in midweek, with Kurt Zouma, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Christian Pulisic all recalled to the starting XI. Pulisic replaced Werner in the starting line-up, with Reece James and the injured Andreas Christensen dropping out, while Thiago Silva is suspended after being sent off in the shock 5-2 defeat to West Brom a week ago. Explaining the decision to drop Werner and replace him with Pulisic, Tuchel told Sky Sports: ‘It’s to do with form and work-rate. Read more
Masters 2021: Hideki Matsuyama leads from Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele at Augusta National (BBC)
Hideki Matsuyama shot a 65 on Saturday to take a four-shot lead into the final day of the Masters as he aims to become the first Japanese man to win a major.
The 29-year-old posted the first bogey-free round at Augusta National this week to leapfrog England’s Justin Rose into top spot and lead on 11 under.
Overnight leader Rose scrambled to a 72 and is one of four at seven under.
Americans Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris and Australia’s Marc Leishman are also tied with Rose. Read more
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Emile Smith Rowe out of Arsenal trip to Sheffield United (Metro)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Emile Smith Rowe have both been ruled out of Arsenal’s trip to Sheffield United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon. Aubameyang, the Gunners captain who was left out of the Europa League clash with Slavia Prague on Thursday, is suffering with flu and will not be risked. Smith Rowe has been known to be a doubt due to an ankle issue and The Athletic confirm that he will not feature against the Blades this weekend. Flu is clearly not expected to keep the 31-year-old forward out for long, while Smith Rowe’s ankle problem is not particularly serious and both could be back for the second leg against Slavia Prague next Thursday. Read more
Real Madrid top table after Clasico win (BBC)
Real Madrid moved top of La Liga with victory over Barcelona in an El Clasico played in torrential rain at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium.
Karim Benzema broke the deadlock with a sublime near-post flick – his ninth goal in his past seven La Liga games.
Real doubled their lead before half-time through Toni Kroos’ deflected free-kick.Oscar Mingueza pulled one back for Barca before Madrid’s Casemiro was shown a late red card. Read more