The Secret Scourge: How use of erotic stimulants threaten Nigerian’s health (Vanguard)
From hushed whispers in market stalls to bold online advertisements, the demand and conversation around aphrodisiacs, popularly known as sex enhancers, have taken a new dimension.
Once shrouded in secrecy, their use is now increasingly open in Nigeria, fuelled by a complex mix of economic pressures, the pursuit of pleasure, and evolving societal attitudes towards sexuality, which have driven many, particularly men, as studies in Nigeria showed that over 40 per cent of users in Nigeria are young adults between ages 21 and 30 years.
There is no doubt that the demand for aphrodisiacs is booming in Nigeria. For some, it is a desperate attempt to rekindle flagging relationships strained by financial stress. Read more
Death-for-fowl: Olowookere released from kirikiri correctional facility (Nation)
Segun Olowookere, who was convicted for armed robbery involving the theft of fowl, has been released from the Kirikiri Correctional Facility.
The Nation reported that Segun and his accomplice, Morakinyo, were sentenced to death for armed robbery in 2010.
However, the case sparked controversy, leading to Governor Ademola Adeleke granting them a pardon, along with 51 other inmates. Read more
NDLEA arrests 929 suspects, seizes 2.6 tons of drugs in Kwara (DailyTrust)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it arrested 929 suspects and intercepted 2.6 tons of hard drugs between January and December this year in Kwara State.
The State Commander of the agency, Mrs. Fatima Popoola, stated this while briefing newsmen on its achievements in Ilorin on Monday.
She said out of the total suspects arrested, 839 are male while 90 are female.
Mrs. Popoola said the hard drugs recovered included cannabis, Tramadol, diazepam, methamphetamine, Cough Syrup laced with codeine, and cocaine/crack, among others. Read more
Oyedele: New minimum wage earners, others to enjoy full exemption from tax (ThisDay)
Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, yesterday, clarified that contrary to speculations, individuals earning about N1.7 million or less per month will pay lower Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax under the proposed Tax Amendment Bills before the National Assembly.
Oyedele added that workers earning the new minimum wage and slightly more will also be fully exempted from tax obligations.
Addressing various tax issues on X, formerly Twitter, Oyedele said these thresholds will result in over 90 per cent of workers in the public and private sectors paying lower taxes while high income earners will pay slightly more in a progressive manner up to 25 per cent for the ultra-high net worth individuals. Read more
President Tinubu okays establishment of federal varsity in Southern Kaduna (VON)
President Bola Tinubu has consented to a proposal to establish a federal university in the Southern part of Kaduna State.
Vice President Kashim Shettima who revealed this also disclosed that there are ongoing discussions to establish a Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan, Kaduna State.
VP Shettima gave a hint at the weekend during a condolence visit to the Kukah family on the death of Yohanna Kukah, the Agwom Akulu of Ikulu Chiefdom and family member of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. Read more
Police arrest 273 for capital offences in Benue (Punch)
The Police Command in Benue has apprehended no fewer than 273 individuals for alleged capital offences and charged 250 of them to court within the past eight months.
The police disclosed in a statement signed by the Commissioner of Police, Steve Yabanet, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Makurdi.
Yabanet stated that a total of 273 suspects were apprehended in connection with capital offences between April and December 2024. Read more
Gombe approves N4.205b for gratuity payment (Tribune)
A total of 2,204 civil servants in Gombe State who worked and retired between 2019 and 2020 at the state level are set to receive a sum of N4.205 billion as gratuity.
The amount has been approved by the Gombe State Executive Council (SEC) during its meeting held on Monday, which was presided over by the State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya.
This was announced by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, during a press briefing following the State Executive Council meeting. Read more
Katsina asks students to acquire vocational skills (Channels)
The Katsina State Government on Sunday encouraged students in various institutions of higher learning across the State to acquire vocational skills and other handcraft certificates to sustain themselves and become self-reliant after they graduate from school.
The State Commissioner for Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, Isah Musa, stated this during a press conference and book review presentation of achievements recorded by the State Governor, Dikko Radda, within 18 months in office.
According to Musa, the book review with a theme: Illuminating a Path With Glory in Higher, Technical and Vocational Education in Katsina State, signifies the achievements so far recorded by the governor in tertiary education as well as vocational and technical education. Read more
SZA’S ‘SOS’ shoots back to No. 1 as ‘LANA’ deluxe album makes chart splash (HipHopDx)
SZA‘s SOS has returned to the top of the Billboard 200 thanks to her Lana deluxe album.
Originally released in 2022 to huge critical acclaim and commercial success, the project has shot back to number one following the arrival of its 15-track deluxe on December 20, according to Billboard.
For the purposes of the chart, all versions of the album are combined under the title SOS and the project has shifted 178,000 equivalent units over the last week, mostly thanks to the new release. Read more
Andy Cohen reveals the most annoying part of co-hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve with Anderson Cooper (People)
Andy Cohen is spilling the tea on what it’s like working with longtime friend and colleague Anderson Cooper.
Before SiriusXM’s 10th Annual Radio Andy Holiday Hangout (which he co-hosts with Amy Sedaris) in N.Y.C. on Dec. 19, Cohen, 56, spoke with PEOPLE exclusively about his love of radio, his upcoming holiday plans and the most “annoying” part of hosting CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live with Cooper, 57.
“Well, [it’s] that I have to be the straight guy,” the Bravo host revealed. “Literally, he’s in a puddle of giggles for the last 90 minutes of the broadcast, and I’m the one that’s hitting all the commercial breaks.” Read more
Madoff fraud victims get $4.3bn as fund completes payouts (BBC)
A fund created by the US government to help compensate victims of the late fraudster Bernard Madoff has begun making its final round of payments, according to a statement by the Department of Justice (DoJ).
The payouts being made by the Madoff Victim Fund (MVF) are worth $131.4m (£104.6m) and will bring the total amount it has returned to 40,930 claimants to $4.3bn.
Madoff, a Wall Street financier disgraced after he admitted to one of the biggest frauds in US financial history, died in prison in 2021. Read more
White teen pleads guilty to trying to drown black boy as pal mocked victim, calling him ‘George Floyd’ because he couldn’t breathe (NYPost)
A Massachusetts teen has pleaded guilty after he allegedly attempted to drown a Black juvenile in a Cape Cod pond in 2023.
John Sheeran, 15, who is White, pleaded guilty to charges of attempted murder and assault with a dangerous weapon, the Barnstable Juvenile Court clerk’s office confirms to PEOPLE.
He was charged by prosecutors as a “youthful offender,” which means he could be sentenced as an adult by a judge, per the Cape Cod Times. Read more
Star Wars’ Angus MacInnes dies as tributes pour in for Gold Leader legend (Mirror)
Star Wars: A New Hope star Angus MacInnes has died aged 77, his family confirmed, with them having announced that he passed away on December 23 surrounded by loved ones
Tributes have been paid to Star Wars actor Angus MacInnes following the news that he has died aged 77.
Angus is best known for having played Jon ‘Dutch’ Vander in the first Star Wars (1977) – later subtitled A New Hope. As Gold Leader in the rebellion, his character flies a Y-wing and commands a squadron of pilots. Dutch however dies in battle during the assault on the first Death Star in the film. Read more
Moscow and Kyiv exchange 100s of prisoners as Putin’s forces suffer big losses (Independent)
Ukraine and Russia carried out a new exchange of prisoners of war on Monday, with Kyiv bringing home 189 former captives.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the United Arab Emirates and other partners for facilitating the swap.
“The return of our people from Russian captivity is always very good news for each of us. And today is one of such days: our team managed to bring 189 Ukrainians home,” Mr Zelensky said. Read more
Chess champion returns to tournament after being fined for wearing jeans (NBC)
Facing a public relations checkmate, the International Chess Federation surrendered and allowed world champ Magnus Carlsen to wear jeans Monday at the World Blitz Championship in New York City.
“I sincerely regret that this situation escalated without a resolution being found by both sides in time to prevent Magnus’s withdrawal,” Arkady Dvorkovich, president of the chess federation, which uses the French acronym FIDE, said in a statement released Sunday.
“The concerns raised by Magnus Carlsen highlight the need for further discussion about how to modernize the current approach, to ensure that our rules and their application reflect the evolving nature of chess as a global and accessible sport.” Read more
Anthony Joshua to light torch of National Sports Festival in May – Abiodun (Vanguard)
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has announced plans by his administration to construct a brand new Anthony Joshua Indoor Boxing Ring in the state.
Governor Abiodun also announced that the two-time former world heavyweight boxing champion would be lighting the Gateway Games National Sports Festival torch, which has been postponed to May next year.
The governor made this known on Monday when he hosted the two-time world heavyweight boxing champion in his office. Read more
Enyimba Unveil Ex-Super Eagles Striker Ideye (Leadership)
Enyimba have officially unveiled former Super Eagles forward, Brown Ideye as a key player to fortify the team.
Ideye has been training with the nine-time Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions for the past few weeks.
“We are delighted to officially announce the addition of former Super Eagles Striker, Brown Ideye to our fold,” the Aba giants announced on their official website on Monday. Read more
Super Eagles, others will give Nigerians joy in 2025 — Gusau (CompleteSports)
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau MON, on Monday assured ball fans, administrators and Nigerians in general that the football-governing body will adequately prepare the various National Teams to bring joy and glory to the nation in the coming year.
While reflecting on the outgoing year 2024 and projecting for the coming year 2025, Gusau, still delighted with the Super Eagles’ nonchalant dismantling of Ghana’s Black Galaxies to qualify for the 8th African Nations Championship, disclosed that the focus of the NFF is on ensuring the adequate preparation of all National Teams to credibly compete for honours at major tournaments, and not simply turn up to make up the number. Read more
Ex-FSU basketball players sue coach for $1.5M in unpaid NIL royalties (UPI)
A group of six former Florida State basketball players sued Leonard Hamilton on Monday, alleging that the Seminoles coach failed to fulfill promises that should have brought $1.5 million in NIL royalties.
Darin Green Jr., Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears, Cam’Ron Fletcher, De’ Ante Green and Jalen Warley filed the complaint in Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit in Leon County, Fla.
Florida State did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read more
Glamorgan sack coach Bradburn after misconduct charge (BBC)
Glamorgan have sacked head coach Grant Bradburn following a recent charge of misconduct by the independent cricket regulator.
The club referred Bradburn to the independent body after receiving allegations of inappropriate behaviour and say they “are confident a fair and transparent process has been followed in this case”.
Glamorgan say they have a “zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory behaviour of any kind”. Read more
Luke Littler survives scare in thriller with Ryan Joyce at World Darts Championship (Metro)
Luke Littler needed a deciding set to edge past Ryan Joyce into the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship in a thrilling 4-3 win at Alexandra Palace.
The Nuke was pushed hard by Relentless on Monday night, but did enough to survive and book a clash with Nathan Aspinall in the last eight.
The 17-year-old finished with an average of 103 to Joyce’s 97, but the underdog continued the brilliant finishing he has been showing so far this tournament, ending the match with 48 per cent on the doubles to Littler’s 35. Read more
