Stakeholders identify ‘Okada’ as security threat, move against riders in Lagos (Guardian)
Stakeholders in security circle within Lagos have spotted ‘Okada’ riding as a security threat in the state.
They have, however, moved to check their excesses. Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, yesterday, revealed that 68.5 per cent of motorcycle accidents in Lagos led to death.
Odumosu, who gave the statistics in Lagos yesterday at the emergency security stakeholders town hall meeting hosted by the Lagos State government, revealed that of the 280 accidents that occurred in the state, 192 persons died while 64 others suffered serious injuries. Read more
Family kicks as murder suspect dies in police custody (Punch)
Family members and friends of Omolola Ejioye have been protesting the circumstances surrounding his death while in the custody of the Lagos State Police Command.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Ejioye was arrested during a robbery around Ladega in Ikorodu, where a motorcyclist was allegedly killed.
During the operation, it was learnt that policemen stormed the scene and Ejioye, who visited the area to check on his yet-to-be-identified girlfriend, was arrested.
Ejioye was detained at the Igbogbo Police Station from where he was transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Panti, Yaba, for further investigation. Read more
Insecurity: Lagos to demolish shanties, takeover abandoned buildings (Guardian)
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday said that the government would continue to demolish shanties across the state.
Sanwo-Olu said this during the Security Stakeholders Town Hall Meeting at Ikeja, adding that the state government would also confiscate abandoned buildings.
He said that the shanties, abandoned buildings and vehicles were hideouts for criminals, hence, should be tackled.
Sanwo-Olu said the government had demolished several hundreds of shanties and illegal structures around the state since November 2020. Read more
IPOB deny planned attack on Lagos, Police order probe (Punch)
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Hakeem Odumosu, on Monday alleged that the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra planned to attack the state.
He said the threat was being investigated, adding that security agencies would foil the plan.
Odumosu spoke at a security summit convened by the Lagos State Government in Lagos on Monday.
He said, “The command has taken notice of agitators for Oodua Republic by some Yoruba separatist groups and the threats to disrupt law and order in the state.
Twenty four of these groups have been identified and are being closely monitored. Read more
There was an attempt to burgle residence of Buhari’s Chief Of Staff – Presidency (DailyTrust)
There was an attempt to burgle the residence of Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, according to the presidency.
An online platform had reported that both Gambari and an administrative officer at the presidency identified as Abubakar Maikano, were robbed.
According to the report, which has been trending online, armed robbers invaded Aso Rock and emptied the residences of Gambari and Maikano.
Responding in a terse statement on Monday night, Malam Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said, “The Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari has confirmed that there “was a foolish attempt” to burgle his residence at 3:00am this morning but it turned out to be unsuccessful.
“Professor Gambari, whose house is on a street next to the Villa has assured that there is nothing to worry about from the incident.”
Gambari succeeded the late Abba Kyari, who died in a Lagos hospital while treating coronavirus in April 2020. Read more
Eid-el-Fitr: FG declares Wednesday, Thursday public holidays (Leadership)
The federal government has declared Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th May, 2021 as public holidays to mark this year’s Eidul-Fitr celebration.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who announced this on behalf of the federal government yesterday in Abuja, congratulated Muslim faithful on this occasion and called on all Nigerians, at home and abroad to use the period of this year’s celebration to pray for peace, stability and economic transformation in the land.
Aregbesola stated that development cannot thrive in a rancorous atmosphere, even as he urged all Nigerians to be law-abiding and to embrace the spirit of love, self-discipline, kindness and tolerance, as taught by the Holy Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him).
In a statement signed by the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, the minister also called on all security agencies in the country to be more courageous and patriotic to surmount the ongoing battle against resurging insecurity and activities of criminal elements in Nigeria. Read more
Actor, undergraduate arrested for defrauding traders with fake bank alerts (Punch)
The Oyo State Police Command has arrested a man, Olumide Olajide, for allegedly defrauding traders in Ibadan with fake bank alerts.
Olajide, who claims to be a Yoruba film actor, was among those paraded at the state police command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, on Monday.
The actor, who was paraded alongside his partner, Wemimo Adeyanju, a Higher National Diploma student of Purchasing and Supply at a polytechnic in the South-West, told our correspondent in an interview that he was arrested in the Apete area of Ibadan. Read more
#JusticeForPeju: FG to enforce Patients’ Bill of Rights (Leadership)
Following the deaths of Mrs. Peju Ugboma and Ms. Omolara Omoyajowo, due to alleged negligence including failure of professional standards and delay in responses to treatment by two hospitals, the federal government said it will enforce the Patients’ Bill of Rights (PBoR), to ensure that justice is served.
Recall that between Friday, May 7 and Sunday, May 9, the sad and unfortunate deaths of Mrs. Ugboma after a surgical procedure at Premier Hospital, Victoria Island, Lagos State and Ms. Omolara Omoyajowo after receiving care at Beachland Specialist Hospital, Arepo, Ogun State, dominated the social media space.
In both cases, relatives and friends alleged mismanagement including failure of professional standards as well as lack of patient care/customer service standards including timely responses to requests. Read more
FG delegation to visit Ghana over Nigerian/Ghanaian traders’ conflict (Guardian)
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that a ministerial delegation be sent to Ghana to resolve the lingering conflict between Nigerian traders and Ghanaian authorities.
The delegation will be led by Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, according to a statement issued on Monday by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Mr Ifedayo Sayo.
Sayo noted that the delegation, which would be made up of relevant stakeholders, would also engage in further dialogue with Ghanaian authorities with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem. Read more
Woman accused of abducting newborn after befriending mother (CBC)
Ottawa police have laid 10 charges including abduction and assault against a 32-year-old woman accused of abducting an eight-day-old infant on Mother’s Day.
In a news release issued Monday, police said the accused and new mother had been talking on a social media chat group. On Friday, the accused told the new mother she had won a prize and brought a gift to her home in west Ottawa, police said.
The accused allegedly returned to the home around 1:40 p.m. ET Sunday, forced her way inside, used bear spray to subdue the home’s occupants and left with the newborn. (BBC)
Rockets fired on Jerusalem in attack claimed by Hamas after clashes between Israelis and Palestinians (RT)
Sirens blared in Jerusalem after several rockets were fired on the city on Monday. Hamas has claimed responsibility for the attack, launched after it ordered Israeli forces to withdraw from some areas amid escalating tensions.
A spokesperson for Hamas’ military branch said it had fired rockets at Jerusalem in response to Israeli crimes and aggression, including against people in the Palestinian neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, where families are facing forced evictions, and at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Following the rocket launches, Israel dispatched troops to the Gaza border and its air force launched strikes on alleged Hamas targets, according to Haaretz. Palestinian media have reported that three children were killed in those strikes. Read more
French soldiers warn of civil war in new letter (BBC)
Around 75,000 people have signed an open letter warning about the threat of civil war in France.
The message, published in a right-wing magazine, accuses the French government of granting “concessions” to Islamism.
“It is about the survival of our country,” said the text, which was issued anonymously by soldiers before being backed by members of the public.
The French government condemned a similar letter published by semi-retired generals late last month. Read more
Scientists discover ‘living fossil’ thought to have been extinct for 273mn years on ocean floor near Japan (RT)
Two symbiotic marine lifeforms who somehow evaded the prying eyes of human scientists and ‘disappeared’ from the fossil record over a quarter of a billion years ago have been found thriving offshore of Japan.
The creatures in question are non-skeletal corals and crinoids, or sea lilies, who were found proliferating on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, 100 meters (330 feet) below the surface, off the coasts of Honshu and Shikoku in Japan.
They managed to survive undetected, having gone AWOL from the fossil record for longer than modern humans are thought to have existed (200,000-300,000 years ago). Read more
Escaped leopard on the loose near Chinese city (BBC)
Authorities in China are searching for a leopard that escaped from a wildlife park near the eastern city of Hangzhou more than a week ago.
The animal was one of three leopards to escape from Hangzhou Safari Park. Two were recaptured over the weekend.
According to state media, locals reported seeing the animals as early as 1 May, but the park only confirmed they were missing on Saturday.
It has since apologised for the delay, adding that it wanted to avoid panic. Read more
Ethiopian former UN peacekeepers seek asylum in Sudan (BBC)
More than 100 former United Nations peacekeepers from Ethiopia have sought asylum in Sudan.
The group was part of a recently closed UN mission in Sudan’s Darfur region, and had been due to return home.
A local refugee official said the peacekeepers came from Ethiopia’s conflict-hit Tigray region, and feared persecution.
Thousands have been killed in the conflict between Ethiopia’s central government and local forces in Tigray. Read more
Wizards’ Russell Westbrook breaks Oscar Robertson’s NBA triple-double record (CBC)
Russell Westbrook broke Oscar Robertson’s 47-year-old NBA record for triple-doubles and missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer as the Washington Wizards lost 125-124 to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.
Westbrook completed his 182nd triple-double when he pulled down a rebound with 8:29 remaining, completing his season-long march toward a record that had stood since 1974 and was long considered untouchable. The nine-time All-Star and 2016-17 MVP finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds and 21 assists as he carried the load for a Wizards team missing Bradley Beal, the league’s No. 2 scorer.
“Honestly it never really bothered me one way or another,” Westbrook said. “I’m very confident in the things I do for this game. I take a lot of pride in going out and preparing myself to be one of the most consistent guys in this league. It’s a tough thing to be able to do, and I want to give that comfort to my coaches, to my organization, so that when they call my number they know what they’re going to get.” Read more
Watford coach salutes Success’ super goal (Nation)
Andre Gray admits the Watford bench thought Isaac Success was looking ‘knackered’ before he scored a superb goal in the 2-0 win over Swansea City.
The Hornets ended their Championship season on a high with Gray also on the score sheet, taking the team’s total to 91 points for the campaign.
Speaking to Hive Live after the match, the striker, who had been substituted earlier in the match, said he and the rest of Success’s teammates thought the Nigerian was looking a little fatigued before he added gloss to the win with a thunderous strike into the top corner. Read more
IOC’s Dick Pound says Tokyo Olympics to move ahead despite pandemic concerns (CBC)
International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound gave an interview in the wake of IOC president Thomas Bach’s cancelled trip to Japan due to surging COVID-19 cases, assuring the Tokyo Olympics will to proceed as scheduled.
Bach planned to meet the torch relay in Hiroshima before travelling to Tokyo, but his trip was pushed back after the country’s state of emergency was extended until May 31. Despite the postponement and resulting concern, Pound told CBC’s Power & Politics the Games remain on schedule to begin July 23, just over 10 weeks away.
“As of today, everything we know and everything that we’re following with both Japan and public health authorities and the Olympic movement, we are go for July 23rd,” Pound said. Read more
Boris Johnson confirms up to 10,000 fans allowed at sports stadiums from 17 May (BBC)
Up to 10,000 fans will be permitted at outdoor sports venues in England from 17 May, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed.
That includes the final two rounds of Premier League matches this season, with stadiums set to open to home fans only at reduced capacity.
The final two rounds of matches will be played on 18-19 May and 23 May.
“We’ll unlock the turnstiles of our sports stadia subject to capacity limits,” Johnson said on Monday.
All teams have a home game in either the penultimate or final round of matches. Read more
Football celebrity Nara launches feminist tirade after steamy Instagram snap removed (RT)
Wanda Nara, wife and agent of Paris Saint-Germain star Mauro Icardi, has accused Instagram of censorship after a steamy photograph of the model was removed for apparently violating community rules.
Nara has accumulated an Instagram following of more than 7.7 million people, plenty of which owes to the torrent of sexy snaps she uploads showing herself in various states of undress.
However, one picture in particular – which showed the 34-year-old wearing little more than a petite t-shirt and bikini bottoms – was taken down from the platform amid complaints that the photograph violated Instagram’s no-nudity rule.
But showing a measure of defiance to the social media giants, Nara took to Instagram once more to post the offending photograph again, this time with a very deliberately placed emoji saving her blushes. Read more
Edinson Cavani: Striker agrees Man Utd contract extension (BBC)
Striker Edinson Cavani has agreed to stay at Manchester United for another season – with the club close to announcing the deal.
Cavani, 34, was undecided over whether to stay for a second year after experiencing a number of issues early in his time with the club.
However, those matters have been resolved and BBC Sport has been told an agreement has been reached.United have not confirmed it, but it is understood to be a matter of time. Read more