Terrorists abduct scores of female IDPs in Borno (DailyTrust)
Terrorists have abducted over 100 female Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ngala, the headquarters of Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State, locals, community leaders and security sources said.
The sources said the women left their camps in search of firewood in the bush around Jillam and Wurga villages about 15 kilometres from the town when the tragedy struck.
It was gathered that the incident happened on Sunday, March 3, 2024, but only came to the fore yesterday. Read more
Food Crisis: Don backs food importation, subsidy policy (ThisDay)
A Political Economist and Professor of Strategy and Development at the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies, Anthony Kila, has thrown his weight behind the importation and subsidy of food as a means of dealing with the current food crisis Nigeria is dealing with.
Kila made this known while addressing an international forum of African and Caribbean political economists at a webinar organised to discuss economic and developmental opportunities in African and Caribbean countries.
He explained that Nigeria is dealing with an inflation induced largely by sudden and astronomical increase in cost of production and distribution, as well as reduction in volume and variety of production. Read more
Court jails 3 for selling new naira notes (Vanguard)
Justice Evelyn Anyadike of a Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara state capital has convicted and sentenced three currency racketeers to various jail terms for selling new naira notes to the public for commercial purposes.
The convicts are: Asmau Sallah Wuraola, Owoduni Abdullahi Isa (a.k.a Bolaji) and Shuaibu Rukayat.
The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned each of them on one count separate charges before the Court . Read more
Lagos, ACCA train civil servants in finance (Punch)
Lagos State Government has partnered with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants to build the capacity of civil servants in finance.
The three-day workshop with the theme “Increasing Capacity for Public Financial Management and Sustainability” started Monday in Lagos.
In his keynote address, the Head of Service of Lagos State, Mr Bode Agoro, said, the workshop was designed to provide a platform for extensive dialogue, knowledge sharing and continuous promotion of international best practices in both the public and private sectors in Lagos State. Read more
Reps set to probe cryptocurrency, others (Nation)
A decision to investigate the current status of Cryptocurrency, blockchain, digital asset transactions, online peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace, utility sharing based platforms and their practices in Nigeria was taken yesterday by the House of Representatives.
It is to identify threats to national security and gaps in legislative framework, statutes and regulations to the detriment of the country.
The step was taken on a day that cryptocurrency exchange – Binance announced its plan to stop providing all services related to naira and exit Nigeria. Read more
Lagos increases bursary, scholarship grant for indigene students (Sun)
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday announced increment in bursary, scholarship grant for indigene students.
The governor also appointed four former leaders of the Student Union Government (SUG), in Lagos tertiary institutions as Special Assistant.
The appointees were Eniola Opeyemi, Kayode Samuel, Giwa Moor and Adeola Adewunmi. Read more
Orientation: Lagos NYSC engages corps members in Yoruba language session for effective communication (Independent)
Corps Members at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Lagos began their day today with an interactive Yoruba language lecture facilitated by Mrs. Beatrice Fayintan, introduced as “Oluko,” which translates to “teacher” in English.
The lecture provided Corps Members with valuable insights into the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people, enabling them to engage more effectively with community members during their service years.
By acquiring a basic understanding of the Yoruba language, Corps Members are better equipped to foster meaningful connections and interactions within their respective environments. Read more
Suspended Osun college provost drags governing council, others to court (Tribune)
Suspended Provost of the Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, Professor Jimoh Afolabi, on Tuesday, instituted a suit against the Chairman Governing Council of the institution, Mr Peter Babalola, members of the council and three others before the National Industrial Court (NIS), sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
It is recalled that Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, had in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on January 26, 2024, suspended Afolabi over alleged financial impropriety.
However, Afolabi, who initiated the suit before he was suspended as the provost of the college, was challenging the governing council’s decision to set up a probe panel to investigate him while in office. Read more
Kelly Osbourne says she ‘didn’t know’ Slipknot’s Sid Wilson liked her for years before they started dating (People)
Kelly Osbourne and Sid Wilson’s romance was a slow burn.
After the pair went public with their relationship and welcomed their first child together in 2022, Osbourne opened up about how she came to start dating the Slipknot member during a new episode of The Osbournes podcast.
The pair’s first encounter came when Slipknot toured in 1999 with Ozzfest, the music festival founded by her parents, Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne. Read more
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence wrap filming “Bad Boys 4” (FilmNews)
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have celebrated the end of filming their upcoming movie “Bad Boys 4”.
The actors marked the end of filming on social media by posting an image of them exchanging a fist bump in front of the Centennial Wheel at Chicago’s Navy Pier.
“WRAPPED! Nothin’ but Magic every time I’m with my guy. See y’all June 7 for @BADBOYS 4 (sic)!!” Will captioned their joint Instagram post on Monday night.
The Independence Day star also shared a series of snaps of him chatting to bandleader and composer Jon Batiste on the set in Miami, Florida on their last day. Read more
Some urban lit authors see fiction in the Oscar-nominated American Fiction (ABC)
Omar Tyree, author of such urban lit narratives as “Flyy Girl” and “The Last Street Novel,” recently went to see the Oscar-nominated movie American Fiction.
“I loved the emotions of the family,” Tyree said of the comic drama starring best actor nominee Jeffrey Wright as the struggling author-academic Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, Leslie Uggams as his ailing mother and supporting actor nominee Sterling K. Brown as his troubled and unpredictable brother. “I love seeing how Monk tries to bring the family unit together and just seeing Black people trying to work things out.”
But when asked about the film’s featured storyline — Monk finds unexpected success when he publishes a crude novel under the assumed identity of ex-con Stagg R. Leigh — Tyree laughed and gave a nod to “creative license.” Read more
Sunderland miners thank Bruce Springsteen for strike donation (BBC)
Rock star Bruce Springsteen has been thanked for supporting striking miners 40 years on from the dispute.
The musician surprised two miners’ wives with a $20,000 cheque at his gig in Newcastle in 1985.
Juliana Heron, now 76, who ran a miners’ support group at Eppleton near Sunderland, said his donation made a “big difference” to families. Read more
Eric Andre flashes bare butt on stage during Madonna’s Celebration Tour (EW)
Madonna flashed excellence while actor Eric Andre flashed his bare butt on stage at a recent performance on the global icon’s Celebration Tour that also featured the singer-songwriter’s 11-year-old daughter, Estere.
After Madonna brought the Eric Andre Show comedian on stage with her Monday night in Los Angeles for a performance of her 1990 smash “Vogue,” Andre turned around and pulled his pants down, exposing his behind to the audience at the Kia Forum.
The “Vogue” section of the tour typically features a different celebrity guest star sitting with Madonna to “judge” a staged ballroom act performed by Madonna’s backup dancers — as well as Estere, who usually dances down the runway toward Madonna and the special guest. Read more
Haiti gangs try to take over Port-au-Prince airport (RNZ)
Soldiers have been deployed to defend the airport of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, from an assault by armed gangs.
Witnesses reported hearing shots ringing out in the vicinity of Toussaint Louverture Airport as security forces clashed with armed men.
The gangs’ aim is to prevent the return to Haiti of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is believed to be abroad. Read more
US now pushing UN to back “immediate” Gaza ceasefire with release of hostages (NewArab)
The United States on Tuesday revised language in a draft United Nations Security Council resolution to back “an immediate ceasefire of roughly six-weeks in Gaza together with the release of all hostages,” according to the text seen by Reuters.
The third revision of the text – first proposed by the U.S. two weeks ago – now reflects blunt remarks by Vice President Kamala Harris. The initial U.S. draft had shown support for “a temporary ceasefire” in Israel’s war on Gaza.
The U.S. wants any Security Council support for a ceasefire to be linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Washington had been averse to the word ceasefire. Read more
Iwobi wins Fulham’s Goal of the Month for February (CompleteSports)
Alex Iwobi has won Fulham’s Premier League Goal of the Month award for February.
Iwobi’s dramatic winner at the Old Trafford was massively voted for by Fulham fans.
His international teammate Bassey scored the curtain raiser for Manchester United in the thrilling contest. Read more
Simona Halep releases emotional statement as her doping nightmare ends (Tennis365)
Simona Halep has posted the message she has been dreaming about sending to her fans over the last couple of years, after she was successful in her appeal against a doping suspension that threatened to end her career.
Halep is free to resume her career after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced her doping ban from four years to nine months.
The former Wimbledon champion tested positive for the blood-boosting drug Roxadustat at the US Open in 2022 and was handed the long ban last September. Read more
I wasn’t on talking terms with Peseiro before AFCON – Ekong (Punch)
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has shed more light on his altercation with former coach Jose Peseiro, admitting that he was not on talking terms with the Portuguese gaffer months before the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Earlier in February, while the AFCON was ongoing, Troost-Ekong revealed how he considered walking away from international football following disagreements with Peseiro, before he was called up for the competition. And he ended up as tournament MVP with three goals, bringing his entire AFCON haul to five goals in three editions, the highest by any defender at the continental showpiece.
Charged with rallying a team left reeling from the disappointment of failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Troost-Ekong was concerned with how he was being treated by the Portuguese manager. Read more
Kylian Mbappé sends wake-up call to PSG’s Champions League rivals (ABC)
Kylian Mbappé may be on his way out of the French capital, but as long as he’s still in the starting lineup for Paris Saint-Germain, they remain a dangerous team.
The World Cup winner showed why on Tuesday, as he scored a pair of excellent goals in a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad that put PSG back into the quarterfinals of the Champions League for the first time in three seasons.
“We knew right away that we couldn’t go to sleep,” Mbappé said after the match. “If they had opened the scoring, they would have pushed on with their fans’ backing. We had to dampen their hopes early on. Read more
Canada renews rivalry with US in stiffest Women Gold Cup test yet (CBC)
After facing opponents ranked 50th or worse at the CONCACAF W Gold Cup, Olympic champion Canada renews its rivalry with the second-ranked U.S. on Wednesday in San Diego in the tournament semifinal.
“You have to respect, obviously, the quality that they’ve got,” said Canada coach Bev Priestman. “And it’s the test that we need.
“You think where we want to be July 25th (the start of the women’s football tournament at the Paris Olympics), it’s going to take these tests along the way like we’ve had with Brazil and other top nations that really stretched us. We want to be stretched. These are the games you live for. As a coach, as a player. And it’ll be an exciting one.” Read more
Paul Heyman opens up about WWE Hall of Fame nod, ‘‘significant voice’’ in Bloodline booking (NYPost)
The ‘Wiseman’ is the one getting acknowledged now.
WWE announced on Monday that Paul Heyman, 58, will be inducted into the promotion’s Hall of Fame in April during WrestleMania 40 weekend in Philadelphia, where Heyman made his bones running ECW in the 1990’s.
In an interview with The Post to commemorate the news, Heyman revealed that he has actually turned down this honor “several” times because he feels that he still has a lot of runway left in the professional wrestling business. Read more