Suspect collapses in court during money laundering trial, rushed to hospital (ThisDay)
There was chaos at the Federal High Court in Lagos Wednesday when Okorie Sylvernus Sunday, a suspect arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), suddenly collapsed midway through his case.
Efforts by the court’s clinic to revive him for over an hour failed, prompting his immediate transfer to the General Hospital, Lagos, for urgent medical attention.
Okorie was arraigned on Tuesday before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu on a four-count charge related to alleged money laundering and the importation of counterfeit currency. Read more
Reps move to strip vice president, governors, deputies of immunity (Nation)
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed for second reading a constitutional amendment bill seeking to remove the immunity conferred on the vice president, governors and their deputies.
The lawmaker said the move is to curb corruption, curb immunity, eradicate impunity and enhance accountability in public office.
The constitutional amendment Bill sponsored by Solomon Bob (PDP, Rivers) reads: “A Bill for an act to alter the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to qualify the immunity conferred on the President, remove the immunity conferred on the Vice President, the Governors and their Deputies, in order to curb corruption, eradicate impunity and enhance accountability in public office and for Related Matters”. Read more
Encounter with Nwebonyi shows what women endure in many instances – Ezekwesili (Channels)
Former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili, says she is pleased with her encounter with Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi at a Senate Committee panel on Tuesday, saying the episode exposed what women face in a patriarchal society.
Ezekwesili stated this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday when she narrated her side of the drama that unfolded when the panel began sitting over the sexual harassment allegations involving suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The former minister said, “In this society, there is a historic attitude to voice; not just the voice of women but those who say that they do not agree with a situation or who like me are persistent in demanding public accountability from those that lead an institution that belongs to the society. Read more
Tempers flare in Senate over call to immortalise Humphrey Nwosu (Vanguard)
Tensions ran high in the Senate on Wednesday as sharp disagreements erupted over whether to accept a motion calling for the immortalization of the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu. Nwosu, the former Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), oversaw the June 12, 1993, election, which was annulled by then-military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida.
The conflict began when Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), attempted to raise a point of order under Senate Standing Orders 41, 52, and later Order 42, which pertains to personal explanations by senators.
However, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North), who presided over the session, declined Abaribe’s request. Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), argued that the order cited by Abaribe was inappropriate, stating that the Senate had already moved too far along in its agenda to consider the motion. Read more
Natasha faults INEC, says petition for recall should have been dismissed (Punch)
The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission for not outrightly rejecting the petition seeking her recall, describing the commission’s response as an indication of bias.
INEC, in a statement on Tuesday signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed receiving the petition, which reportedly contains signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the senatorial district.
However, the electoral body noted that the petition failed to include essential details such as the contact addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of the petitioners, as required under the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024. Read more
Wike will ensure you lose again, FCT minister’s spokesman taunts Atiku (DailyTrust)
Lere Olayinka, spokesman of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said his principal will ensure that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, fails in any future attempt to become Nigeria’s president.
Olayinka said this while responding to Atiku’s remarks about his choice of running mate in the 2023 presidential election.
Daily Trust had reported how Atiku overlooked Wike and settled for ex-Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate in the election. Read more
How Yar’Adua told me to step down for MKO Abiola – Atiku (Sun)
Former Vice President Atiku Abubukar has recalled how he was ordered by his late political mentor, Shehu Musa Yar’adua, to step down for MKO Abiola.
Speaking in an interview with Adesuwa Giwa-Osagie of Untold Stories, Atiku revealed that Yar’adua gave him the instruction during the Social Democratic Party (SDP) primaries in the 1993 presidential election.
According to Atiku, SDP governors threatened to withdraw their support if Abiola picked him instead of Babagana Kingibe. Read more
House of Reps approve bill to increase Lagos LGAs to 57 (Guardian)
House of Representatives
The House of Representatives has approved a bill seeking to accommodate Lagos State’s 37 Development Area Councils as full-fledged local government areas (LGAs).
If enacted into law, this will increase the total number of LGAs in the state from 20 to 57.
The bill which was among the 42 constitutional amendment bills passed on Wednesday was sponsored by Hon. James
Abiodun Faleke (Ikeja Federal Constituency), Hon. Babajimi Benson (Ikorodu Federal Constituency), and Hon. Enitan
Dolapo Badru (Lagos Island I Federal Constituency), alongside 19 other lawmakers. Read more
Barry Jenkins to direct Zendaya in A24 Ronnie Spector pic (Deadline)
A24 is adding to its partnership with megastar Zendaya and her film on the life of singer Ronnie Spector, with Barry Jenkins coming on board to direct with Dave Kajganich tapped to write an original screenplay.
Zendaya will play the legendary songstress and according to sources, the star and Jenkins, who’d been looking to work together for some time, agreed on a version of Spector’s story that could immerse audiences in what the singer’s life with the troubled producer Phil Spector felt like rather than a traditional cradle to the grave biopic.
We are hearing the deals for Spector’s life rights and for Be My Baby, the memoir she wrote with Vince Waldron, remain in tact. The film is in development with Luca Guadagnino writer Kajganich is hard at work on an expressive interpretation of Spector’s life Zendaya and Jenkins are after. Read more
Palestinian Oscar winner feared for his life during Israeli settler attack (AlJazeera)
The Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land says he thought he was going to “die” at the hands of Israeli settlers and soldiers before his arrest this week in the occupied West Bank.
Hamdan Ballal was arrested on Monday by Israeli forces after he was beaten and injured three weeks after winning his Oscar in Hollywood. He was released on Tuesday from a police station in the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba.
The incident took place in the village of Susiya in the southern West Bank as residents were breaking their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Read more
Sudan army recaptures Khartoum airport from RSF paramilitaries (NewArab)
The Sudanese army on Wednesday recaptured Khartoum airport from the Rapid Support Forces, an army source told AFP, while troops surrounded the paramilitaries’ last major holdout position south of the city.
The army, battling the RSF since April 2023, “fully secured” the airport in central Khartoum from RSF fighters stationed inside, the source said, requesting anonymity because he is not authorised to brief the media.
Following their recapture of the presidential palace in a key victory on Friday, army troops have surged through central Khartoum, seizing state institutions captured early in the war by the RSF, before heading south. Read more
Adolescence becomes most-watched Netflix UK series ever with 66,300,000 views in 11 days (Metro)
Adolescence has accumulated an astonishing number of views within just 11 days, becoming the most-watched UK series ever on Netflix.
Within that time period, the critically-acclaimed crime drama – which has sparked hugely important conversations about young people in today’s society that have reached the ears of the government – scored 66,300,000 views.
Released on March 13, the four-part series stars Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller, a father whose family is shattered after his 13-year-old son Jamie (Owen Cooper) is accused of murder. Read more
Tiny goat is the shortest in the world at 1 foot, 3 inches tall (UPI)
A full-grown goat standing at just 1 foot, 3 inches tall has been dubbed the shortest living goat in the world by Guinness World Records.
Karumbi, a 4-year-old female black pygmy goat, belongs to Kerala, India, farmer Peter Lenu, who said he hadn’t considered her diminutive stature could be record-breaking until a guest remarked that his pygmy goats seemed much smaller than the others they had seen.
Karumbi, one of 23 goats on Lenu’s farm, is the clear smallest of the bunch. The farmer took her to be officially measured by a veterinarian, who confirmed she is just 1 foot, 3 inches tall. Read more
Mike Waltz takes ‘full responsibility’ for Signal group chat leak (BBC)
US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has taken responsibility for a group chat in which high-ranking officials planned military strikes in Yemen in the company of a journalist who was inadvertently added.
“I take full responsibility. I built the group,” Waltz told Fox News on Tuesday, adding it was “embarrassing”.
President Donald Trump and US intelligence chiefs have downplayed the security risks and said no classified material was shared. Read more
Jimmy Kimmel uses Pete Hegseth’s own damning words against him In blistering opener (HuffPost)
Jimmy Kimmel called out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for hypocrisy in how he’s handling the scandal in which a journalist was accidentally invited into a group chat where top officials discussed highly classified military information.
“He’s dead to rights. He texted very sensitive information to a reporter,” Kimmel said. “So what does he do? He blames the reporter!”
Hegseth called the reporter ― Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic ― “deceitful and highly discredited” and a “guy that peddles in garbage.” Read more
Barcelona initiates contact with Lookman (Sun)
Barcelona has reportedly entered talks with the representatives of Super Eagles and Atalanta BC attacker, Ademola Lookman.
The 27-year-old enjoyed a stellar 2023-24 campaign, winning African Player of the Year whilst also collecting a Europa League winners medal as part of La Dea.
Lookman has continued his sensational form into the current season, with the former Everton attacker scoring 13 goals and providing five assists across 23 Serie A appearances. Read more
‘Disgraceful!’ – Kalika blasts Super Eagles’ draw with Zimbabwe, backs Siasia for Job (CompleteSports)
Simon Kalika, the Dutchman who assisted Samson Siasia during Nigeria’s campaign at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, has described the Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in Tuesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifier in Uyo as “disgraceful”, Completesports.com reports.
“Of course, I’m disappointed. The Super Eagles, with all their world-class players, drawing with Zimbabwe is very disgraceful,” Kalika told Completesports.com exclusively on Wednesday.
“With due respect to Zimbabwe, I think the Super Eagles, given all the European-based players at their disposal, should have closed the game comfortably—4-0 or 5-0,” he added. Read more
Nigeria’s qualification bid brightens as South Africa fields ‘ineligible’ player (Guardian)
Nigeria’s fledgling bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup got an unexpected boost, at the weekend, when South Africa allegedly fielded an ineligible player in their 2-0 defeat of Lesotho at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Before yesterday’s games, South Africa was leading Group C with 10 points following that victory against Lesotho. Benin Republic was second on eight points with Rwanda third on seven points. With six points, the Super Eagles were fourth, while Lesotho dropped to the fifth position after the defeat by Bafana Bafana.
However, the table could change with Lesotho’s protest against the eligibility of Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder, Teboho Mokoena, to play the game. Read more
Trent Alexander-Arnold has broken football’s oldest rule with Real Madrid transfer (Metro)
When Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves Liverpool to join Real Madrid this summer, a move which reports indicate he is on the verge of finalising, he will do so having won every major honour in football.
Winner’s medals for the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, Charity Shield, Super Cup, and Club World Cup will be shipped from Merseyside to Madrid alongside the kind of knick-knacks and bric-a-brac the rest of us are used to sorting through when moving house.
Over the course of nine years since his senior debut, Alexander-Arnold has been a key component of one of the most successful teams in Liverpool’s illustrious history. Read more
Red Bull set to replace Lawson with Tsunoda (BBC)
Red Bull are set to drop Liam Lawson after just two races and replace him for the next grand prix in Japan with Yuki Tsunoda.
The decision was reached by Red Bull bosses, including team principal Christian Horner, at a meeting in Dubai on Monday, insiders have told BBC Sport.
It is expected to be formally confirmed later this week by Red Bull, who refused to comment. Read more
2025 Houston Open picks from model that nailed 13 majors (CBS)
Rory McIlroy will look to stay hot when he tees off in the 2025 Texas Children’s Houston Open beginning on Thursday at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston. McIlroy is off to a blistering start in 2025, finishing on top of the leaderboard at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players Championship. McIlroy, who’s playing in this event for the first time since 2014, is the only multiple winner on the PGA Tour this season and will be eager to keep his fine form going with the Masters just two weeks away. Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1-ranked player in the world, is the 33-10 favorite (risk $100 to win $330), according to the latest 2025 Houston Open odds, followed by McIlroy at 7-1. Read more