Suspect charged with breaching peace (Nation)
A 35-year-old man, Hassan Bakare, on Monday appeared at an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State for allegedly conducting himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace.
Bakare, who lives in Alapere, Lagos, is facing a one-count charge bordering on conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.
Prosecuting Inspector Lucky Ihiehie told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offence on November 11 at Ovba Street, Alapere, Ketu. Read more
Teenager charged with possession of pistol, cutlass (Punch)
Eighteen-year-old Sodiq Shehu has been arraigned for having in his possession a cast chief revolver pistol and a long cutlass, among others, before the Magistrates’ Court 8, Ogba, Lagos State.
Shehu, who was arrested by the police at Shibiri bus stop, Ajangbadi, on February 10, 2019, around 10.30pm, was also found with UBA and Union Bank Automated Teller Machine cards.
The two counts indicated that Shehu and others at large conspired to commit felony to wit; possession of a cast chief revolver pistol, a long cutlass, UBA and Union Bank ATM cards. Read more
Sanwo-Olu assures of better Lagos (Nation)
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Monday said Lagosians should expect better service delivery in road construction, education, health, security and housing in the coming year.
He added that all these had been captured in the 2020 budget, noting that more funds had been made available to cater for the needs of the sectors.
The governor, who spoke on a TVC programme, Journalists’ Hangout, said Lagosians would not pay additional tax.
He said that the government would only ensure that those not captured in previous tax regime were now covered. Read more
Lagos to decide okada riders’ fate soon (Punch)
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said a major decision would soon be announced on the fate of motorcycle and tricycle riders in the state.
He also noted that an agency would be created in 2020 to regulate the activities of street traders in the state.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Thursday during a chat on Journalists’ Hangout, a programme on Television Continental.
The governor, while responding to a question on the nuisance of motorcycle riders, said a decision had been taken at the state cabinet meeting. Read more
Rethink Saraki’s land revocation, Aremu advises Kwara gov (DailyTrust)
A former Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in Kwara State, Comrade Issa Aremu, has called on Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to have a rethink on the revocation of land acquired by the late strongman of Kwara politics, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki in the ’80s. The land popularly known as Ile-Arugbo was revoked last Friday by the state governor after signing a constitutional instrument withdrawing the allocation of plots of land 1, 3 and 5 acquired by Asa Investments Limited, one of the companies belonging to late Saraki. Read more
Not all processed meat has cancer risk – Study
Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast have questioned the World Health Organisation’s blanket classification of processed meat as carcinogenic after finding significant evidence gaps between processed meat treated with nitrites and nitrite-free processed meat.
The researchers from the Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at Queen’s, reviewed existing peer-reviewed literature on the relationship between processed meat and the development of bowel, colon and rectal cancers. They found that not all processed meats carry the same level of cancer risk. When the researchers isolated research which only tested the consumption of processed meat contain ing sodium nitrite – a preservative used to extend shelf life and enhance colour – evidence of a link with CRC jumped from half to just under two-thirds – 65 per cent. Read more
Gas reduction stalls 1,109MW electricity generation (Punch)
The volume of gas supplied to gas-fired power plants dropped from 820 million standard cubic feet per day in February 2019 to 595mmscfd in September, a development that stalled the generation of 1,109 megawatts of electricity.
Latest data on gas supply to gas-fired power plants obtained from the monthly report of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation showed that the drop in gas supply resulted in a decrease in the power generation.
The NNPC September 2019 report showed that while gas supply to power plants in February, March, April and May was 820mmscfd, 777mmscfd, 728mmscfd and 761mmscfd, power generation figures based on the monthly supply were 3,336MW, 3,223MW, 3,095MW and 2,958MW respectively. Read more
Despite paucity of funds, Nigeria flares N461bn gas in 2019 (Vanguard)
While Nigeria continues to delay in the implementation of its zero gas flare policy in the production of crude oil and gas, the country lost $1.5 billion to gas flaring in 2019, as oil and gas firms operating in the country flared 425.9 billion standard cubic feet of gas, SCF.
Gas, future oil of Nigeria, says Presidential aide
Using current Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN, official rate of N307 to a dollar, $1.5 billion value of flared gas translates to a loss of N460.5 billion to the country in 2019.
Data obtained from the Nigerian Gas Flare Tracker, hosted by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, showed that of the 425.9 billion SCF of gas flared between January and November, 2019, 22.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide was emitted into the environment, while the volume of gas flared is capable of generating 42,600 megawatts of electricity. Read more
Police close investigation into deaths of British family at Costa del Sol swimming pool (Metro)
Spanish police investigating the deaths of a British man and his two children who drowned in a Costa del Sol swimming pool say the case can be closed, concluding their deaths were a ‘simple accident’.
Gabriel Diya, 52, his daughter Comfort, nine, and his son Praise-Emmanuel, 16, drowned on Christmas Eve at the Club La Costa World in Fuengirola.
Local police have said the incident was a freak accident and put it down a ‘lack of swimming ability’. Read more
Nissan’s ex-head Carlos Ghosn flees Japan to Lebanon (BBC)
Former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has travelled to Lebanon after leaving Japan, where he faces a trial over allegations of financial misconduct.
In a statement, Mr Ghosn said he had not fled justice but “escaped injustice and political persecution”.
It is unclear how he managed to leave Japan, where he was arrested in 2018.
The former CEO was awaiting trial in the country and was barred from travelling abroad under strict bail conditions. Read more
UK government ‘seriously concerned’ after teen gang rape verdict in Cyprus (Metro)
The UK government says it is ‘seriously concerned about the fair trial guarantees’ in Cyprus after a British teenager was found guilty of lying about being gang-raped. Labelling it a ‘deeply distressing case’, a Foreign Office spokesman said the issue would be raised with the Cypriot authorities, amid a fierce backlash to the verdict. Earlier a court in Cyprus ruled that the Derbyshire woman, 19, lied about being sexually abused by up to 12 tourists at a hotel in Ayia Napa in mid-July. The woman – who was on a working holiday – now faces a prison sentence for ‘causing public mischief’, after the guilty verdict at a court in the town of Paralimni. Read more
Arsenal to back Mikel Arteta in transfer pursuit of Dayot Upamecano in January (Metro)
Arsenal want Dayot Upamecano to be Mikel Arteta’s first signing and have made transfer funds available to the new Arsenal boss to complete the signing, reports say. Upamecano, 21, is regarded as one of the best centre-backs of his age in Europe and was subject of interest from Arsenal during the summer. RB Leipzig reportedly quoted Arsenal as much as £80million, but the Daily Mail claim the Gunners are ready to make a second approach for the defender. Arteta has demanded two centre-backs be signed in January amid mounting concerns about Arsenal’s current crop of defenders. Read more
AC Milan agree deal with Barca for Todibo (Punch)
AC Milan have reached an agreement with Barcelona to sign French central defender Jean-Clair Todibo.
The 20-year-old would join the Italian league strugglers on loan with a 20-million-euro ($22.4 million) option to buy, Gazzetta Dello Sport reported.
Todibo joined Barcelona in January 2019 from French club Toulouse, but has made just five appearances for the Spanish giants.
AC Milan are 11th in the league, just seven points above the relegation zone, and have announced the return of Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a six-month contract. Read more
Lazio get heroes welcome as Ronaldo loses first final in five years (Punch)
Lazio returned to a heroes welcome in Rome on Monday after their thrilling 3-1 Italian Super Cup victory over Juventus in Riyadh which ended Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo’s five-year victorious run in finals.
Ronaldo had been on a run of 12 consecutive wins with Portugal, Juventus and Real Madrid going back to the Spanish Super Cup in August 2014.
And the 34-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s frustration was obvious as he quickly took the silver medal off his neck and did not wait to see Lazio lift the trophy for a fifth time. Read more
David Moyes: New West Ham manager says winning is ‘what I do’ (BBC)
New West Ham manager David Moyes says winning is “what he does”, and added that the club’s owners had showed “a lot of class” in bringing him back for a second spell in charge.
Moyes, who replaces the sacked Manuel Pellegrini, left the Hammers at the end of the 2017-18 season.
He recorded nine wins and 10 draws from 31 games in his first spell, leading the club to Premier League safety. Read more
Eddie Hearn warns Tyson Fury against sparring Anthony Joshua for Deontay Wilder rematch (Metro)
Eddie Hearn has concerns about Anthony Joshua sparring Tyson Fury, but insists it will be down to his fighter whether or not he travels to America to train with his rival. Fury officially announced his 22 February rematch with Deontay Wilder last week and is linking up with a new trainer, Javan ‘Sugar’ Hill, in Detroit for camp. Joshua shocked the boxing world when he made a public offer to spar Fury ahead of his second showdown with Wilder, with the Gypsy King quick to accept the proposal. Frank Warren has already slammed Joshua’s offer, but Hearn insists Fury shouldn’t risk re-opening the cuts he sustained in his last fight against Otto Wallin. Read more
CAF Cup: Enyimba lose to Paradou, Rangers hold Nouadhibou (Vanguard)
Enyimba International Football Club of Aba on Sunday fell to a lone goal defeat against Algerian side Paradou AC in their CAF Confederation Cup Group D tie at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker, Blida.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abdelkader Ghorab netted the winning goal for the home team in the 64th minute.
It was Enyimba’s second defeat in the group following their 2-0 loss on Matchday One to Morocco’s Hassania Agadir. Read more
Beckham’s Inter Miami appoint Alonso as first head coach (Punch)
David Beckham’s new MLS team Inter Miami have appointed Diego Alonso as their first head coach.
The Uruguayan, who has coached two different teams to CONCACAF Champions League titles, officially took over on Monday as the inaugural manager of Beckham’s club.
The 44-year-old, who earned eight international caps as a striker, is expected to implement an attacking style. Skysports reports. Read more
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang promises Mikel Arteta he is committed to Arsenal amid transfer rumours (Metro)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has promised Mikel Arteta he will give everything for Arsenal while he is at the club, reports say. The Arsenal striker is the subject of intense transfer speculation and is reportedly keen to leave following two years at the London club. The Telegraph claim Arteta has a fight on his hands to keep Aubameyang at the club, but the new Arsenal boss has received assurances from his star forward over his commitment to the Gunners. Read more
Ronaldo wins 6th Globe soccer award (DailyTrust)
Portugal captain and Juventus forward, Cristiano Ronaldo picked the prize for best men’s player at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards, his sixth and fourth successive win, rounding off the year in high spirits. Having lost a 6th Ballon D’Or to rival Lionel Messi, Ronaldo was so emotional about his latest trophy as he shared his triumph in a family album on Instagram, where he has a peerless 195 million followers. ADVERTISEMENT “Honored to receive one more time @globesoccer Award! A very emotional moment for me to share this award with my family.Grateful for all the hospitality, see you soon Dubai”, he wrote under the photo that showed him, his girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez and three kids in his private jet, a Gulfstream G650, which reportedly cost £50 million. Read more
Colombia footballer Quintero wants answers to mystery of missing father (Vanguard)
Colombian international footballer Juan Fernando Quintero on Monday demanded answers from the country’s new army chief over the fate of his father who went missing almost 25 years ago.
“I don’t want to take advantage of the new General of the Army (Enrique) Zapateiro…. taking office, but I hope to be able to start a dialogue very soon and find out what happened,” Quintero, who plays for Argentine club side River Plate, wrote on Twitter where he has 1.6 million followers.
“I have the right as a son to know what happened to my father because I have suffered and I have seen my family suffering from psychological problems,” added Quintero, who was only two when his father Jaime disappeared in 1995. Read more