School collapse: 50 persons rescued so far —LASEMA (Punch)
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency has said that at least 50 people have been rescued from the collapsed building at Ita-Faji, Lagos Island. LASEMA General manager, Tiamiyu Adesina made this known at the scene of the collapse. He added that the rescue team would remain on the scene until they can confirm that no one is left under the debris. Rescue operation was put on hold for a few minutes when it was discovered that there was still power supply in one of the electric poles beside the building. Read more
We’ve nothing to do with collapsed school, says private school owners (Nation)
Two main private school associations in Lagos State- the Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED) and National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) – have denied associations with the school that collapsed on Massey Street, Lagos Island, Ohen Private Nursery and Primary School. National President AFED, the umbrella group of private schools that serve the low-income members of the society, Mr. Emmanuel Orji, told The Nation that the group had no records of the school’s membership. “We have tried searching for information about the school. I don’t think it is one of our members. Read more
Dogara mourns pupils in Lagos school building collapse (Punch)
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, has expressed “deep sadness” over the death of pupils following the collapse of Ohen School on the Lagos Island on Wednesday. Dogara, in a statement issued by Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, said it was heart-breaking that “innocent souls would perish in such a dreadful manner” and called for a thorough investigation of the unfortunate incident. He said, “This is one too many of these building collapses that usually claim lives of innocent people. It is time for decisive actions to be taken against all found culpable in breach of building standards that end up in disasters. Read more
Building collapse: Buhari condoles with families, Lagos govt (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari said on Wednesday that he was extremely saddened by the collapse of a building in Ita-Faji, Lagos State, which claimed lives, including little children. He condoled with the families of the victims and the Lagos State Government. He wished others who were injured, early recovery. “It touches one to lose precious lives in any kind of mishap, particularly those so young and tender. “May God grant everyone affected by this sad incident fortitude and succour,” a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, quoted Buhari as saying. Read more
Observers urge Buhari to review Electoral Act (Guardian)
International Observers, Pan African Women (PAN), have appealed to the President Muhammadu Buhari to review the Amended Electoral Act. Publicity Secretary to PAN, Mphoentle Keitseng, who monitored the general elections on Saturday in Akwa Ibom made this known to Journalists in Uyo. According to her, the bill will help regulate electoral processes in the country, adding that there were lot of irregularities at the polls on Saturday as observed by her. Read more
INEC pledges to sustain tracking of election materials (Punch)
The Independent National Commission has said that tracking of materials deployed for elections in the country has come to stay. INEC National Commissioner, Prince Solomon Soyebi, said this at the de-briefing of accredited observers for the 2019 general elections. He said that the commission had developed an application being used to track the movement of its deployed election materials. Soyebi said that the device was used recently in the just conducted elections including Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and “I can confirm that the tracking device is working well. Read more
Scores feared dead, many injured in Onitsha ghastly accident (Nation)
Several persons were crushed to death while scores were severely injured in a ghastly accident in Onitsha, commercial city of Anambra state. The accident, which happened around Toronto hospital along Upper Iweka and MCC axis of the Onitsha-Awka expressway, involved a trailer laden with kerosene. The Nation gathered the trailer was heading towards Upper Iweka from Awka axis when the driver lost control as a result of brake failure. Eye witness account had it that the driver in a bid to control the vehicle veered off the speed lane to the service lane where traders displayed their wares by the side of the road. Read more
Supplementary polls: JAMB postpones mock exams (Punch)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation has fixed Monday, April 1, 2019, for its 2019 mock examination earlier scheduled for Saturday, March 23 2019. Although the organisation attributed the decision to certain circumstances beyond its control, THE PUNCH learnt that JAMB took the step because of the supplementary elections which had been scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Kano, Adamawa and Sokoto states. The supplementary elections were fixed by INEC following the spate of inconclusive elections declared by INEC in six states. Read more
Police arrest Oyo House of Assembly Chief Whip over Olatoye’s death (Nation)
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested the Chief Whip, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Wasiu Olafisoye Akinmoyede in connection with the gruesome killing of Hon. Temitope Olatoye a.k.a. Sugar who was shot dead during last Saturday’s poll in the state. The arrest of Hon. Akinmoyede has brought the number of suspects to two since the dastardly act last Saturday. The Acting Inspector General of Police had after the killing of the federal lawmaker gave a marching order to the police command to ensure that they fish out the killers of the lawmaker. Read more
Fake American soldier remanded in Nigeria (Guardian)
A Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded one Osahon Scott for falsely parading himself as an American soldier Sgt. Major John Rossi in other to perpetrate online fraud. Scott was arraigned on March 12, 2019, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice Umar Bature over an amended one-count charge bordering on cheating. He was accused of attempting “to commit cheating by posing as United States Gen. Sgt. Major John Rossi an American soldier deployed to Afghanistan on peacekeeping.” Read more
Every Boeing 737 Max aircraft on Earth grounded after deadly Ethiopian Airlines crash (Metro)
Donald Trump has announced an ’emergency order’ to ground all Boeing 737 Max aircrafts following the Ethiopian Airlines crash. All of the planes that were in the air at the time of the presidential declaration will continue to their destination then be grounded, Trump said. Shortly after, Boeing themselves announced they’d suspended the entire global fleet of the jet ‘out of an abundance of caution’ Wednesdays final groundings comes in the wake of the Sunday’s crash near Addis Ababa that killed 157 people, and five months after a Lion Air 737 Max 8 crashed and killed off the coast of Indonesia killing 189. Read more
Trump wades into Melania ‘body double’ conspiracy theory (Guardian)
No, President Donald Trump told conspiracy theorists Wednesday, he does not have a body double of his wife accompanying him on work trips. A bizarre claim that First Lady Melania Trump is sometimes replaced by another woman hidden behind large sunglasses and similar outfits resurfaced after Trump made a trip to the site of a deadly tornado in Alabama last week. Days later, Trump leapt on the story, which is an outlier even by the feverish standards of the Washington rumor mill. Read more
Samuel L Jackson really doesn’t care if voicing opinions on Donald Trump costs him fans (Metro)
Samuel L Jackson believes Donald Trump is ruining the planet and he doesn’t care if you disagree. The Captain Marvel actor has been vocal in his dislike of the US President but he isn’t fazed is he loses fans over his opinions on the current administration. And did you expect anything different? The 70-year-old actor previously stood up for his mate, director Spike Lee, after Trump accused him of ‘putting a hit’ out on him. Read more
‘Distracted boyfriend’ couple star in Hungary pro-family ads (BBC)
Hungary’s new family policies are being promoted by one of the internet’s best-known dysfunctional couples. The government of Viktor Orban is bringing in a “family protection action plan”, which includes tax breaks for mothers of multiple children. Eagle-eyed Hungarians, however, noticed something familiar about the models on posters that went up in Budapest. The poster uses a stock image featuring the “distracted boyfriend” meme star and his partner. Read more
Heroic man runs back into burning house to save his beloved pet dog (Metro)
This is the tense moment a man past firefighters into his burning home to rescue his family’s dog. Jose Guzman watched the fire take everything that he owned on Monday and did not want to lose his dog, Gabbana, who was tied up behind the Pala, California home. Video of the heroic rescue shows Guzman sprint past firefighters and run down his driveway to find Gabbana. Read more
Messi scores twice as Barca progress (BBC)
Lionel Messi scored twice and set up two more as Barcelona reached the Champions League quarter-finals for a record 12th consecutive year with a last-16 win over Lyon. Treble-chasing Barca, who drew 0-0 in the first leg, led when Messi chipped home a penalty. Philippe Coutinho tapped into an empty net from Luis Suarez’s unselfish pass before Lucas Tousart’s volley gave Lyon hope. Read more
Mane double helps Liverpool beat Bayern (BBC)
Two goals from Sadio Mane helped Liverpool beat Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena and reach the Champions League quarter-finals for the second successive season. Neither side created many clear opportunities on a wet night in Munich and both sets of players were guilty of giving away possession too easily and too often. However, the Reds carried more of a cutting edge and took the lead in the tie in the 26th minute when Mane displayed an exquisite touch to bring down Virgil van Dijk’s raking pass before firing into an empty net after Manuel Neuer had rushed from his goal. Read more
Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri sends blunt message to Eden Hazard (Metro)
Maurizio Sarri has warned Eden Hazard he is only interested in keeping players who ‘want to play for Chelsea’ amid reports his star forward is determined to force a move to Real Madrid in the summer. The Belgium international has less than 18 months remaining on his current contract and has refused to sign an extension, despite reportedly having been offered a club-record £300,000-a-week salary. Hazard has never hidden his admiration for the Spanish giants and Zidane, who was sensationally reappointed as the club’s manager earlier this week having vacated the post last summer after masterminding a third consecutive Champions League victory. Read more
Juventus shares soar after Ronaldo hat-trick rescues Champions League (Guardian)
Juventus shares soared by over 20% on the Milan stock exchange on Wednesday, the morning after Cristiano Ronaldo’s incredible hat-trick rescued the Italian giants Champions League campaign. The Portuguese superstar added a late penalty to a pair of headers for a 3-0 win on the night and 3-2 on aggregate over Atletico Madrid to seal a place in the quarter-finals. The Turin club’s shares jumped by 23% after the Milan stock exchange opened before dipping to 17.09% later in the morning. Read more
Karius turns to FIFA over unpaid Besiktas wages (Punch)
On-loan Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius has taken his complaint about unpaid wages by Besiktas to FIFA, world football’s governing body told AFP on Wednesday. A report on goal.com said that the German was taking legal action against the Turkish giants over four months of wages he claims are outstanding. The 25-year-old joined Besiktas on a two-year loan deal last August in a bid to resurrect his career after a catastrophic display in Liverpool’s Champions League defeat by Real Madrid. Read more