Some Uber drivers in Lagos may go on ‘strike’ on Monday (Guardian)
Some Uber drivers in Nigeria’s commercial capital may go on strike on Monday to protest the recent clampdown by the Lagos State Vehicle Inspection Services.
Two officials of the VIS told The Guardian earlier in the week that the enforcement of already existing laws guiding the operations of professional drivers in the state began recently.
“We are going on strike by Monday,” a driver who gave his name as Michael said on Saturday morning. “VIO (Vehicle Inspection Officers) are disturbing us too much these days.”
One of the VIS officials said commercial vehicle drivers and those on Uber and other ride-hailing platforms must be certified by the Lagos Drivers’ Institute before they can operate in the state. Read more
Woman in court for allegedly sprinkling ‘liquid’ on businessman’s premises (Vanguard)
A 45-year-old woman, Funmilayo Shotayo, on Friday appeared in a Magistrates’ Court, Ogudu, Lagos for allegedly sprinkling ”liquid”, suspected to be urine on the premises of a businessman.
Shotayo, who resides in Ogunlana Street, Ketu, Lagos, is charged with breach of the peace.
She, however, pleaded not guilty.
The Prosecution counsel, Insp. Lucky Ihiehie, told the court that Shotayo committed the offence on Jan. 3 at 10 a.m., at No. 25, Ogunlana St., Ketu in Lagos. Read more
Explosion rocks old Ekiti govt secretariat (Punch)
There was a deafening explosion in the old secretariat of Ekiti State Government, Ado Ekiti in the early hours of Saturday throwing the entire state capital into confusion.
The explosions, which occurred about 7.05 am in the Explosion Ordinance Disposal Unit situated within the old secretariat, reduced the EOD building into rubble and shattered windows and ceilings of the government offices compound. Read more
Buhari arrives Addis Ababa ahead of AU Summit (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, ahead of the 33rd Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the President’s Personal Assistant on New Media, Bashir Ahmed, confirmed this development on his Twitter account on Friday evening.
NAN reports that the Nigerian leader, who left Abuja after performing some official engagements on Friday, was received on arrival at Addis Ababa by the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali. Read more
Sultan: Blame politicians, others for insecurity in Nigeria (DailyTrust)
His Eminence, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto. The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has blamed the political elites for the current insecurity bedeviling the country. He said: “They have failed to lead the citizens to the right path.” Sultan Sa’ad also blamed traditional and religious leaders for their failure to preach peace and promote good societal values in the country, adding that lack of forgiveness among Nigerians had equally contributed to the crisis in Nigeria. He said this at the Plateau State Forgiveness and Reconciliation Day, to commemorate the victims of past crises in the State, held on Friday at the Forgiveness Garden, Jos. Read more
Order Obaseki to rebuild my hotel, Kabaka tells court (Nation)
Mr Tony Kabaka Adun has asked an Edo State High Court to order the Edo State Government to rebuild his T. Latifah Hotel and Suites that was demolished last Wednesday.
The Edo State Government had pulled down the hotel in its ongoing efforts to remove illegal structures erected on government property, including public schools and waterways as well as roof eave-extensions and structures erected on the right of way of roads/streets, moats, river banks, TCN high tension lines, among others in Benin City and other major settlements in the state.
Kabaka had filed an application asking the court to order the state government to return his hotel to the state it were before suit were filed before the court. Read more
Fake army captain caught with stolen vehicles (Punch)
The Akwa Ibom State Police command has apprehended one Kingsley Nelson for allegedly impersonating as a captain of the Nigerian army.
Nelson, an indigene of Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad on February 2, 2020 along with two others, Solomon Essien and Stephen Joseph – both residents of Ikot-Ekpene Local Government Area of the state.
A statement on Friday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, N’nudam Frederick, said a search party conducted by the SARS operatives led to the recovery of three vehicles and an army uniform with the insignia of a captain. Read more
Four rare mountain gorillas ‘die in Uganda lightning strike’ (BBC)
Four rare mountain gorillas, including a pregnant female, have died in Uganda after being hit by lightning, a conservation group says.
The three adult females and a male infant were found in Uganda’s Mgahinga National Park with “gross lesions” on their bodies indicating electrocution.
The Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (GVTC) called this a “big loss for the species”.
There are just over 1,000 mountain gorillas in existence. Read more
Coronavirus: No Nigerian in China inffected so far- Ambassador (DailyTrust)
The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian, has disclosed that a total of 60 Nigerians were living in Wuhan city where the coronavirus broke out from. He added that no Nigerian in China had been infected by the virus.
Pingjian disclosed this while speaking about the embassy’s decision to stop the issuance of visas to Nigerians pending when the Coronavirus ravaging the country was contained. The ambassador said China was concerned about the health of other nationals visiting China and has taken the measure to protect them. Read more
Thailand shooting: Soldier kills 20 in gun rampage (BBC)
A soldier has killed 20 people and injured many more in a gun rampage in the Thai city of Nakhon Ratchasima.
Jakraphanth Thomma, a junior officer, killed his commanding officer before stealing weapons from a military camp, a defence spokesman told BBC Thai.
The suspect opened fire at a Buddhist temple then entered a shopping centre, where is believed to be holed up.
The suspect, whose motives remain unclear, posted images of his attack on social media sites. Read more
Desperate Housewives star Orson Bean ‘dies aged 91 after being struck by a car’ (Metro)
Desperate Housewives star Orson Bean has died at the age of 91, it has been reported. The actor who played Roy Bender in the hit show allegedly died after ‘ he was clipped by one vehicle and then struck by another’.
Both vehicles remained at the scene following the accident and police are investigating to see if any charges will be laid, TMZ reported. Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Brian Wendling told ABC News: ‘The car coming westbound did not see him and clipped him and he went down.’ Read more
Erectile dysfunction pills can permanently distort vision (NYPost)
This little blue pill is giving men a big blue — or sometimes red — problem: colored vision.
Erectile dysfunction drugs can lead to prolonged retinal dysfunction, a new case study published Friday in the journal Frontiers in Neurology found.
“Sildenafil, also known as the little blue pill or Viagra, is a common medication for men who need a little downstairs perk-me-up,” begins a press release for the report, published by Turkey’s World Eye Hospital, “but Turkish researchers noted a pattern of male patients whom (sic) took the pill suffering from all sorts of visual disturbances.” Read more
Serena in Fed Cup under pressure from young pretenders (DailyTrust)
Serena Williams enters her fourth decade as a Fed Cup player with the United States as the 2020 qualifiers get underway. The 38-year-old icon teams with newly-crowned Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and teenage star Coco Gauff as the US tackle Latvia in Everett, Washington.
In total, there are eight ties with the winners earning places in the new-look Fed Cup finals in Budapest from April 15-17 where 2019 champions France, runners-up Australia, hosts Hungary and wildcard Czech Republic will be waiting. It was back in 1999 that Serena Williams made her Fed Cup debut in a semifinal win over Italy. Read more
Anceloti invites Messi to English Premier League (Punch)
Carlo Ancelotti admits it would be “fantastic” if Lionel Messi were to one day play in the Premier League – but believes the Argentine is going to finish his career at the Nou Camp.
The Everton manager said, “It would be fantastic for the Premier League but I don’t think it is possible.
“Messi is a Barcelona legend and I’m sure he is going to finish his career at Barcelona.”
On the transfer window being moved up to September 1, the Italian adde, “For my job it is not good to have this window so open. Read more
Everton go seventh with win over Palace (BBC)
Richarlison has scored in consecutive home games for the first time since December 2018.
Everton stretched their unbeaten run to five games as a 3-1 victory over out-of-form Crystal Palace moved them up to seventh in the Premier League.
The hosts dominated the first half and deservedly took the lead when Bernard volleyed in Theo Walcott’s superb cross.
But Palace, without a win so far in 2020, fought back after the break and equalised when keeper Jordan Pickford allowed Christian Benteke’s low strike to go under his body. Read more
Nigeria Para-Powerlifting Federation President resigns (DailyTrust)
Para-Powerlifting athlete Mrs. Queen Uboh, President of Nigeria Para-Powerlifting Federation, has resigned after successfully hosting the Abuja 2020 Para-Powerlifting World championship.
Uboh announced her resignation on Friday night during the closing ceremony of the World Championship at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Read more
US women’s soccer team blanks Mexico to secure Olympic spot (NYPost)
Samantha Mewis scored twice and the U.S. national team secured a spot in the Tokyo Olympics with a 4-0 semifinal victory Friday night over Mexico in the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament.
Rose Lavelle and Christen Press also scored for the United States, which extended its unbeaten streak to 27 games.
The United States will face Canada in the tournament’s title game on Sunday. Canada earned the region’s other Olympic berth with a 1-0 victory over surprisingly resilient Costa Rica 1-0 in the earlier match Friday.
Canada has finished as runner up to the United States in the last three qualifying tournaments. Read more
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer explains why Odion Ighalo must wait to join Manchester United training (Metro)
Odion Ighalo will not travel to Manchester United’s training camp in Spain as there are fears he may be denied access back to the United Kingdom due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis in China. United and Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Greenland Shenhua reached a six-month loan agreement for Ighalo, 30, on the final day of the January transfer window, with Solskjaer desperate to bolster his attacking options to ease the pressure on Marcus Rashford. Ighalo has revealed that he has had to take a pay-cut to move to Old Trafford but the Nigerian, a lifelong United fan, didn’t think twice about joining the Red Devils. Read more
Fed Cup: Spain qualify for finals with 3-1 win over Japan (BBC)
Carla Suarez Navarro completed Spain’s win over Japan to secure the five-time champions’ place in the Fed Cup finals.
Suarez Navarro, who will retire this year, beat Kurumi Nara 6-1 6-3.
On Friday, the 31-year-old defeated Misaki Doi in straight sets after Sara Sorribes Tormo had stunned former world number one Naomi Osaka.
Earlier, Serena Williams beat Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets to give the United States a 2-0 lead in their qualifier against Latvia. Read more
Kenyans dominate at Lagos City Marathon (Nation)
The Access Bank Lagos City Marathon ended on Saturday Kenyans dominating the race in both the male and female categories.
In the men’s category, Kenya’s David Barmasai Tumo came first after breaking the Marathon’s record finishing after two hours, ten minutes and twenty three seconds at the 5th Edition of the Marathon while Debeko Dakamo and Paul Chege came second and third respectively.
And in the female category, Kenya’s Cherop Sharon Jemutai became the first female to cross the finish line, while Kebene Urisa came second and Tanui Jekporir emerged third. Read more
Bale in Real Madrid squad for first time in five games (Punch)
Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale and coach Zinedine Zidane. Source: Twitter
Gareth Bale will return to the Real Madrid squad for the first time in five games on Sunday when Zinedine Zidane’s side take on Osasuna in La Liga.
The club announced on Saturday that Bale has been called up, despite the Welshman being left out of Madrid’s last four matches against Real Valladolid, Real Zaragoza, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad.
Bale has only made two appearances so far this year. He played 90 minutes against Getafe on January 4 and then 53 minutes against Unionistas de Salamanca two weeks ago in the Copa del Rey, when he came off with an ankle sprain. Read more
Duru, Okon win Melounge Table Tennis tournament (Vanguard)
Samson Duru from Abia State has won the 2020 Melounge Table Tennis tournament staged by the Akwa Ibom State Table Tennis Association. The event was concluded in Uyo, the state capital last weekend.
In the female category, Vivian Okon of Cross River State won the female category. Winners of the event took home N250,000, N100,000 for runners up, while the third-place winner got N50,000.
Speaking after the presentation of prizes, sponsor of the annual tournament and chairman of the Akwa Ibom Table Tennis Association Edmond Uffang told our reporter that he had been the sole sponsor of the event which was in its third series. Read more