Taxi driver allegedly beats up Assistant Commissioner of Police (Punch)
A 32-year-old taxi driver, Fred Johnson, who allegedly beat up an Assistant Commissioner of Police, on Tuesday appeared in a Wuse Zone II Chief Magistrates’ Court. The Police charged Johnson, who lives in Angwuan Juli Mararaba Kam Bia Ligia, Nasarawa State, with mischief. The prosecutor, Mr. Alaba Ajayi, told the court that the case was reported at the Wuse Police Station on March 23. Ajayi alleged that the defendant drove dangerously and damaged a Samsung phone valued at N220,000 and an Infinix phone valued at N100,000 belonging to one Assistant Commissioner of Police serving in Abuja. Read more
Court voids Adeleke’s participation in Osun gov poll (Nation)
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, Abuja has voided the participation of Senator Ademola Adeleke of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Osun State. Justice Othman Musa, in a judgment on Tuesday, annulled Adeleke’s nomination as candidate of the PDP on the grounds that Adeleke offended section 177 of the 1999 constitution as amended. m“The section states that candidates for the position of governor must be educated up to secondary school level. Justice Musa said while the court’s findings showed that Adeleke entered secondary school in 1976, there was no record showing that he (Adeleke) actually graduated. Read more
Results of 2019 mock UTME released —JAMB (Punch)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has released the results of its 2019 Mock Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination conducted on April 1. JAMB’s Head, Media and Information, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos. According to him, a total of 157,631 candidates sat for the examination in 698 centres across the country. “We have just released the results of the mock examination taken on Monday, April 1, nationwide. Read more
Alleged robbery in Dubai by Nigerians, condemnable – FG (Nation)
The Federal Government has condemned the action of five Nigerians arrested for alleged robbery of Dh 2.3 million Dinars in Sharjah area of Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE). The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa said this in a statement by her media aide Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun on Tuesday in Abuja. The five Nigerians had on Sunday allegedly stormed a money exchange centre in Sharjah and fled with 2.3 million Dinars before they were arrested by the Dubai Police. Read more
Rivers: PDP leads in 13 out of 15 LGAs (Punch)
The Peoples Democratic Party is currently leading in 13 out of 15 local government areas in which results of the Rivers rescheduled governorship elections have been collated. The Independent National Electoral Commission had suspended the process on March 10, including the state assembly elections. The commission, which cited alleged disruption of the process by some persons in military uniform as the reason for the suspension, had set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the matter. The INEC later issued a statement, announcing that resumed collation and announcement of the results would hold between April 2 and 5 for 17 local government areas. Read more
Zamfara political parties drag INEC to court over Certificates of Return (Punch)
No fewer than 20 political parties in Zamfara have sued the Independent National Electoral Commission over its refusal to issue Certificates of Return to the governor-elect and members-elect of the Zamfara State House of Assembly. The suit was filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday by Mr Ebenezer Adabaki, on behalf of the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs include; Mr Zayyanu Haske, Chairman, Forum of Political Parties in Zamfara, the governor-elect and deputy governor-elect as well as 24 members-elect in the state. Read more
Olubadan to Ibadan Obas: remove your illegal crowns (Nation)
The face-off between the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, and his high chiefs deepened on Tuesday with the first class monarch ordering them to remove their “ illegal crowns.’’ The Olubadan said that he had no objection to the return of his high chiefs to the palace “once they remove their illegal crowns.’’ The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the high chiefs had on Monday accused the Olubadan of running a “ one-man-show’’ and disregarding the Olubadan-in-Council. Read more
No plan to sell fuel above N145 per litre— IPMAN chairman (Guardian)
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Kano State says the association has no plan to sell petrol above the government’s approved price of N145 per litre. The association also called on Nigerians to ignore the threat made by the IPMAN chairman for Ore Depot, Shina Amoo. The State IPMAN chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dan-Malam, disclosed this while addressing a news conference in Kano on Tuesday. Dan-Malam was reacting to a story credited to the IPMAN chairman for Ore Depot, Mr Shina Amoo, where he was quoted to have said that the association might start selling petrol above N145 per litre if depot owners continued to sell the product to them for between N136.50 and N137 per litre. Read more
Ubani collapses in EFCC custody, rushed to hospital (Nation)
Former second Vice-President of Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA), Monday Ubani was on Tuesday rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Abuja after he collapsed in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detention. Ubani and Senator Christopher Enai, formerly representing Bayelsa state, were detained by the EFCC on March 19 for failing to produce the chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Ngozi Olejeme, who they stood for as sureties. Olejeme is facing a N6.4 billion fraud allegedly perpetrated while she was chairman of NSITF. Read more
We will work within the confines of the law, ICPC boss, Owasanoye pledges (Punch)
Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, the newly appointed Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, has pledged to work within the confines of the law while discharging his responsibilities. He made the pledge during his interaction with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday. Owasanoye, who is the fourth chairman of ICPC, was sworn-in by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 4. Read more
NNPC says no new gas policy without zero flare (Guardian)
The Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru, says no new gas project will be approved without zero gas flare modalities. Baru disclosed this in a statement issued by the NNPC in Abuja on Tuesday. He gave the assurance when he received the national leadership of Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSTCOM) led by its National chairman, Chief Benjamin Tamaranebi. He said that the corporation was committed to a zero gas flare regime for every new gas project. Read more
Police arrest four persons for allegedly selling petrol to bandits (Nation)
The Katsina State Police Command has arrested four persons for allegedly supplying petroleum products to arm bandits in the forests. The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Isah Gambo, disclosed this at a news conference on Tuesday in Katsina. He said that the suspects were Zahradden Mas’udu, Ibrahim Khalid, Najib Dayyabu and Halliru Yarima. Gambo said that the suspects were arrested in Batsari, Kankara and Dutsinma Local Government Areas of the state. Read more
Doctors’ strike: NLC engages stakeholders in Nasarawa (Punch)
The Nasarawa State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress has intervened in the ongoing three days’ warning strike by the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association with a view to ending it. The chairman of the NLC chapter in the state, Mr Abdullahi Adeka disclosed this to newsmen on Tuesday in Lafia. Adeka said that since the warning strike started on Monday, April 1, they had been engaged in several meetings with the state government and NMA leadership in order to resolve the issues. “We have met with the Deputy Governor; the Chairman of the State Board of Internal Revenue, the Head of Service and others. Read more
Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigns (BBC)
Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika is resigning after weeks of mass protests, state media report. Mr Bouteflika, who had been in power for 20 years, had already dropped plans to seek a fifth term as opposition to his rule grew. The powerful Algerian army had called for the 82-year-old to be declared incapable of carrying out his duties. The ailing leader suffered a stroke six years ago and has rarely appeared in public since. Read more
Brexit: Theresa May to ask EU for further extension (BBC)
Theresa May will ask the EU for an extension to the Brexit deadline to “break the logjam” in Parliament. The PM says she wants to meet Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to agree a plan on the future relationship with the EU. But she insisted her withdrawal agreement – which was voted down last week – would remain part of the deal. Mr Corbyn said he was “very happy” to meet Mrs May, and would ensure plans for a customs union and protection of workers’ rights were on the table. The cross-party talks offer has angered Tory Brexiteers, with Boris Johnson accusing ministers of “entrusting the final handling of Brexit to Labour”. Read more
Joe Biden allegations no bar to 2020 bid, says Pelosi (BBC)
Allegations former Vice-President Joe Biden touched women inappropriately should not disqualify him from running for president, top Democrat Nancy Pelosi has said. But he needs to understand that “people’s space is important”, the House of Representatives Speaker added. A second woman has levelled accusations as Mr Biden ponders a run for the White House in 2020. Mr Biden has said he does not believe he has ever acted inappropriately. Read more
Colombia warns Russia over military support to Maduro regime (Punch)
Colombia on Tuesday criticised a Russian warning over attempts to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro while cautioning that any military support to the regime in Caracas would threaten peace in the entire region. In a statement issued by Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo, the Colombian government said it “emphatically rejects’’ a declaration issued by Russia’s parliament in late February. The declaration called upon the United Nations to support a political peace process in Venezuela and prevent any foreign military intervention in the crisis-stricken South American country. Read more
Spanish Catholic Church probed over ‘gay conversion’ courses (BBC)
A Roman Catholic diocese near Madrid is being investigated after a newspaper reported that it was running courses to “cure” gay men of homosexuality. The deputy head of the Madrid regional administration, Pedro Rollán, warned of penalties if the Church had broken the region’s anti-homophobia laws. The bishopric of Alcalá de Henares, north-east of Spain’s capital, denied offering such “cures”, in a statement. It provided “pastoral and spiritual company” to those “freely seeking it”. Read more
Customs seizes 757 live venomous spiders from Poland (Punch)
Customs Officials in the Philippines have seized a total of 757 live venomous tarantulas at Manila’s International Airport, the Bureau of Customs said on Tuesday. The bureau said that customs officers seized the hairy spiders from Poland on Monday. The tarantulas, classified as endangered wildlife species, were turned over to the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources. According to Customs Officer Carmelita Talusan, the spiders were concealed in boxes of oatmeal and cookies. Read more
Police dog stabbed in line of duty has law passed in his name (Metro)
A new law has been passed that will give greater protection to service animals. Finn’s Law will close a loophole that meant service animals, including police dogs and horses, were treated as force property. In the past when they were injured there were limited charges that could be brought against their attackers. The law was named after hero police dog Finn, who is credited with saving the life of PC Dave Wardell when a robbery suspect turned on them with a knife in 2016. Read more
BTS, Drake and Ariana Grande boost music sales to $9 billion – the highest profits in decade (Metro)
BTS, Drake and Ariana Grande have had a pretty good year and it is reflecting on the music industry as it releases its highest earnings in a decade. Global music sales grew for the fourth year in a row in 2018 with streaming now making up for almost half of all label revenue, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s (IFPI) Global Music Report 2019. The music market is now worth $19bn (£15bn), close to the level of 2006, and the popularity in streaming subscriptions is being thanked for saving the industry. Read more
Wolves beat 10-man Manchester United (BBC)
Manchester United missed the chance to move third in the Premier League as they threw away a lead, had a man sent off and lost at Wolves. Scott McTominay’s low strike from 22 yards – his first goal for United – put them ahead after 13 minutes but the hosts equalised 12 minutes later as Diogo Jota coolly finished from a Raul Jimenez pass. The visitors had captain Ashley Young sent off in the 57th minute for two yellow-card offences after he twice fouled Jota in a five-minute spell. Read more
Manchester United fans slam two players for laughing on bench during Wolves defeat (Metro)
Marcos Rojo and Sergio Romero have been slammed for laughing on the Manchester United bench as the Red Devils slipped to a damaging defeat against Wolves. United’s top four hopes were dealt a major blow on Tuesday evening after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were beaten 2-1 by Wolves. Scott McTominay had given the Red Devils the lead at Molineux with a crisp strike but Wolves levelled before half-time through Diogo Jota. Read more
Fulham relegated after defeat at Watford (BBC)
Fulham have been relegated from the Premier League with five games still to play after being hammered by Watford at Vicarage Road. The Cottagers needed to avoid defeat to put off their inevitable demotion for another week and were level at half-time, Ryan Babel having equalised after Abdoulaye Doucoure’s stunning opener for the Hornets. However, second-half goal from Will Hughes, Troy Deeney and Kiko Femenia condemned them to an immediate return to the Championship. Read more
Neymar to resume training on Wednesday after injury (Punch)
Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar will return to training on Wednesday for “on-pitch tests” after two-and-a-half months out with a foot injury, the club said on Tuesday. The world’s most expensive player has been sidelined since hobbling off during a French Cup win over Strasbourg on January 23, missing PSG’s Champions League last-16 defeat by Manchester United. “@Neymarjr’s recovery from injury is progressing well and he will return to training on Wednesday as scheduled for on-pitch tests,” PSG said on Twitter. Read more