Security operatives rescue some abducted CUSTHEC students in Kogi (ThisDay)
Kogi State Government has announced that the combined security agencies and local hunters in the state have secured the release of some of the abducted students of Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, who were taken into captivity by gunmen last Thursday.
This announcement was made by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, copy of which was made available to the journalists in Lokoja yesterday.
The statement read: “This is to inform the general public that some of the students abducted by gunmen at the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara have been rescued safely by local hunters and other security agents, hours after the Executive Governor of the State, His Excellency Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo visited the institution to assure parents of his commitment to rescuing the students. Read more
NDLEA intercepts multi-billion naira drug consignments in 3 trailer loads (Nation)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has intercepted three trailer loads of opioids comprising 3,450,000 pills and 344,000 bottles of codeine syrup at Abule Ado in Amuwo Odofin local government area of Lagos state.
The director of media and advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters Abuja, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, May 12, said that suspects were also arrested in connection with the seizure.
Babafemi did not give a specific sum of the drugs’ worth but said the multi-billion naira consignments were loaded into two 40-foot container trucks and another 20-foot truck at the AML bonded terminal, Abule-Osun, near the International Trade Fair complex. Read more
Tinubu flags off African First Ladies summit (Tribune)
President Bola Tinubu on Monday launched the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) in Nigeria with the theme “We Are Equal”.
Speaking during the event at State House Conference Hall, Abuja, he expressed his commitment to continue working towards ending gender-based violence and increasing learning opportunities for girls in safe and conducive environments.
President Tinubu stressed the imperative of education in empowering girls and promoting gender equality. Read more
Egba community petitions governor over killings in Agatu (Sun)
The Egba community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State have petitioned the Benue State Governor, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia to come to their aid over the constant molestation and killings of their children by their Ologba neighbours.
The Egba people have also called on the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon Aondona Dajoh, the Och’Idoma, Agaba-Idu, John Odogbo and other people of goodwill to prevail on Ologba people to remove all wooden blocks and disarm their armed youths allegedly stationed at the major road linking the two communities.
They alleged that the barricades placed by the Ologba people have prevented their Egba people access to social and business activities with their neighbours, particularly Obagaji, the local government headquarters. Read more
LASAA unveils programme to enhance signage registration (Leadership)
The Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA) proudly introduces the LASAA Amnesty Programme (LASAAMP), a groundbreaking initiative aimed at streamlining registration and payment processes for both new and existing signage owners.
According to the managing director of LASAA, Prince Fatiu Akiolu, the LASAAMP initiative is designed to provide seamless registration and payment options while promoting adherence to signage regulations.
“Our LASAAMP campaign is geared towards simplifying the payment process for all business owners, with a strong emphasis on compliance and the consequences of non-compliance with signage regulations. This initiative is especially beneficial for small and medium-sized enterprises facing challenges with current payment procedures,” he emphasised. Read more
Electricity tariff: Kwara labour locks out IBEDC workers, customers (Punch)
The Nigeria Labour Congress on Monday, shut the gates of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company in Ilorin, Kwara State seeking the reversal of the electricity tariff earlier imposed.
The Labour Unions who were at the IBEDC offices in Challenge and Baboko market areas in Ilorin as early as 7 am locked the gates leading to the premises and prevented the workers and customers from going into the premises.
A few of the workers of IBEDC were seen lurking around the area while others left as they were not allowed to have access to the premises by the labour unions. Read more
Mother’s Day: Burna Boy gifts mum Mercedes-Benz Maybach (DailyTrust)
Superstar singer and Grammy Award winner, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu better known as Burna boy, has gifted his mother, Bose Ogulu, a luxurious Mercedes Benz Maybach, to celebrate Mother’s Day.
A video circulating online captures the moment the singer and his mum were posing for the camera with her new whip.
Daily Trust reports that his isn’t the singer’s first time going all out for her. Read more
Supporting Fubara was a mistake which will be corrected – Wike (Channels)
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has conceded that he made a mistake to support Siminalayi Fubara to succeed him as the governor of Rivers State.
Wike, who was speaking at a function in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday, apologized to the people of the state for his “mistake”.
He said he is a human who is bound to make mistakes, assuring the people, however, that the mistake would be corrected at the appropriate time. Read more
ITV Loose Women’s Judi Love reveals Lorraine Kelly’s honest response to awkward ‘snub’ at BAFTAs (Mirror)
Judi Love has revealed Lorraine Kelly’s honest response after she was caught looking unimpressed in the crowd as everyone clapped for the Scottish presenter for her special win at Sunday’s BAFTA TV awards.
Kicking off Monday’s Loose Women, Judi, 43, who spoke out before the ITV chat show airing, revealed what really happened and Lorraine’s, 64, response after she saw her at the ITV studios earlier today (13 May).
Judi explained: “You know what, my dress was very tight, I was trying to sit like a lady. The camera was right there, I thought: ‘Okay, this is your moment’ you know it’s going to be on TV, so I just always get prepared. Read more
US researcher: North Korea is expanding digital surveillance on its citizens (UPI)
North Korea is already one of the most repressive regimes in the world but is steadily adding a slate of digital surveillance tools to further control its citizens, a U.S.-based North Korea expert said Monday.
From smartphones to streaming set-top boxes to traffic cameras, technology is growing more common in everyday North Korean life, Stimson Center senior fellow Marty Williams told reporters at a briefing in Seoul. And the regime of Kim Jong Un is using these new digital tools to spy on its citizens more effectively than ever before.
“[Digital] surveillance can be used against all levels of society, to make sure that they’re all doing the jobs that they’re meant to,” Williams said. Read more
Man guilty of ‘random’ murder of woman out shopping after slashing 3 others with makeshift weapon (Independent)
A killer who slashed the neck of a random woman in south London with a makeshift blade made from scissors is facing life in jail.
Mohamed Nur, 34, carried out a series of unprovoked attacks on four strangers in Brixton last year, resulting in the death of Johanita Kossiwa Dogbey.
Ms Dogbey, 31, had been walking alone in Stockwell Park Walk in broad daylight after going into central London to do some shopping for her mother. Read more
London Euston ‘mugging’ sees man and woman dragged to ground and kicked in horrifying video (Mirror)
The two thugs, who remain at large, were captured beating a man and a woman in the middle of a busy London street in broad daylight before fleeing the scene in a white Audi
Horrifying footage captures the moment a man and a woman were beaten in broad daylight in the middle of a busy street in London.
While it is not exactly clear what sparked the attack, reports suggest it may have been a mugging, with an item seemingly pulled from one of the victim’s hands. The two thugs, who remain at large, were seen attacking a man and a woman at around 7am on Sunday, May 12, before fleeing the scene in a white 4×4 Audi. Read more
Death toll from South Africa building collapse rises to 23 (AfricaNews)
Search and rescue crews were still working at the site of the disaster, a week after the accident in the city of George in the Western Cape province. On Monday, municipal authorities said the fatalities had topped 23.
An investigation to establish the cause of the collapse is ongoing. The country’s public works minister was due to visit the accident scene on Monday, local media reported.
On Saturday, a man was pulled from underneath the rubble, 116 hours after the accident. Read more
Parishioners stopped teen with a rifle from entering church with 60 children inside (NBC)
Churchgoers thwarted a teenager armed with a rifle from entering a Louisiana church full of children Saturday in a service that was being livestreamed, authorities said.
Police were called to St. Mary Magdalen Church in Abbeville, 20 miles south of Lafayette, at 10:35 a.m. when the 16-year-old suspect tried to get in via the back door.
Around 60 children were inside the Catholic church at the time waiting to take their first Holy Communion, the church said. Read more
Australian court lifts social media ban on Sydney church stabbing video (AlJazeera)
An Australian court has allowed social media to carry a video of April’s stabbing of an Assyrian church bishop in a Sydney church.
In a decision on Monday, Federal Court Judge Geoffrey Kennett said an application by Australia’s cyber-safety regulator to extend a temporary injunction blocking the video, granted last month, had been refused. The attack, which authorities have labelled a terror incident, provoked violent unrest in the Australian city.
Despite the unrest, X owner Elon Musk resisted the ban and, amid a legal tussle, sought to turn the issue into a debate about censorship. Australian officials have criticised his efforts, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese branding him “an arrogant billionaire” for refusing to take down the video. Read more
Super Eagles: Finidi’s foreign assistants unveiled (CompleteSports)
Super Eagles head coach Finidi George has named his foreign assistants, reports Completesports.com.
Finidi was presented to the media by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday.
The 53-year-old has signed a year’s contract with an option for an additional year.
Benjamin James, who will serve as his first assistant has has for over a decade being at German Bundesliga club Hoffenheim. Read more
Atlanta Hawks best improbable odds to win NBA draft lottery (ABC)
The Atlanta Hawks rocketed up the board to grab the No. 1 pick in this year’s NBA draft, winning the lottery for the first time in franchise history.
The Hawks, 36-46 this season for a 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference, had just a 3% chance to win the lottery, the fifth-lowest odds by a team to win the No. 1 pick since the lottery began in 1985.
The Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs rounded out the top four. The Detroit Pistons, owners of the league’s worst record this year, fell to No. 5. It’s the second consecutive season the Pistons have had the worst record but fell to the fifth pick. Read more
World’s biggest brothel hosting England fans at Euro 2024 ‘is full of Chinese spies’ (DailyStar)
The world’s biggest brothel is set to be taken over by England fans during Euro 2024 – but it’s said to be full of Chinese spies.
Three Lions supporters struggling to find a place to stay during the tournament in Germany have booked out 120 rooms at Pascha. The 12-storey, 9,000 square metre sex club boasts around 120 sex workers and has up to 1,000 customers every day.
But now reports claim a Chinese woman owns the building in Cologne and there are spies living on the ninth floor. This has raised fears that England fans could find themselves being caught in compromising situations – aside from the ones normally to be expected in a massive brothel – or even efforts to recruit them as secret agents. Read more
Alpine junior pulling claims historic win in British F4 (F1i)
F1 Academy leader Abbi Pulling became on Sunday at Brands Hatch the first-ever woman to win a round of the British Formula 4 Championship! And the Alpine junior did it in style.
Fresh from her sensational clean sweep F1 Academy weekend in Miami, the 21-year-old phenom claimed pole for the second F4 race of the weekend at Brands and then left her opposition in the dust, crossing the finish line a whopping 5.5 seconds ahead of the pack.
To add the cherry on top of this history-making sundae, Pulling snagged an extra point for setting the fastest lap! Read more
Climate protesters interrupt 2 Italian Open matches (BBC)
Two matches at the Italian Open in Rome were suspended following a protest by climate activists.
The last-16 tie between Madison Keys and Sorana Cirstea was interrupted, along with a doubles match in which Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin were facing Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic.
American Keys was leading 6-2 3-1 when, according to a statement on the Italian Open website,, external two activists wearing orange vests ran on to the court and threw confetti. Read more
Tyson Fury composed after father is cut on the head as fight week starts in Riyadh (BoxingScene)
Tyson Fury dismissed the image of his father John’s bloody face after he appeared to headbutt a member of Oleksandr Usyk’s entourage on Monday afternoon in Riyadh.
The heavyweight rivals are finally in Saudi Arabia for Saturday’s undisputed title fight, and for all that a degree of mutual respect has long existed between the fighters, John Fury threatened it at the start of one of the most significant fight weeks of all.
When their respective entourages crossed paths, he squared up to Stanislav Stepchuk before appearing to head butt another who was significantly smaller. It regardless was John Fury who — eventually — departed the scene with a cut towards the top of his nose. Read more