Three arrested over UTME centre scam in Lagos (Nation)
Two siblings and a technical officer were arrested at a computer-based test (CBT) centre in Lagos on Tuesday for perpetrating examination malpractice in the 2019 United Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). They were caught selling fake UTME questions to candidates. The siblings, Godswill and David Ukpai, are children of the owner of the CBT centre, Risk Global Company Limited, Anthony, Mr Emeka Ukpai, a former banker. JAMB Registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede, who ordered their arrest, said the siblings, as well as centre’s technical officer, Obinna Ebere, were exposed by the Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) at the centre. Read more
Lagos PDP crisis: Adewale’s supporters stage protest at party secretariat (Guardian)
Scores of supporters of Mr Segun Adewale, a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State on Tuesday staged a protest at the Shogunle party secretariat, asking Dr Adegbola Dominic, to stop parading himself as the Chairman of the party in the state. The protesters numbering about 50, carried placards with various inscriptions declaring their support for Adewale as the chairman. Some of the inscriptions on the placards include “Adewale is our real Chairman’’, ”Adewale is the man to free PDP in Lagos ” and ” Dominic, you are on your own”. Read more
Court orders warrant on DSS to produce Dasuki (Punch)
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday, issued a production warrant and ordered that it be served on the Department of State Services to compel the Federal Government’s agency to produce the detained ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), in court. The judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, made the order following Dasuki’s absence from the Tuesday’s proceedings in one of the ex-NSA’s two separate trials relating to corruption charges involving arms funds scandal. The Tuesday’s hearing was about the 32 counts in which Dasuki, and Aminu Baba-Kusa and Baba-Kusa’s two firms – Acacia Holdings Ltd and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited – were accused of diverting N32bn meant for purchase of arms. Read more
‘25,000 underage Nigerians use tobacco products daily’ (Nation)
No fewer than 25,000 underage Nigerians use tobacco products daily, Nigerian activists under the aegis of the Tobacco Free Nigeria campaign says. Ms Ebiuwa Uwagboe, a campaign specialist at Gatefield, the public strategy group backing the campaign disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday. Uwagboe called on government to enforce the law banning the sale of tobacco products to the underage to check such smokers in the country. “Every day, a whopping 25,000 children in Nigeria between the ages of 10 and 14 years use tobacco products. Read more
Reps reject forensic audit bill, say it replicates ICAN, ANAN (Punch)
The House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected the Bill for an Act to establish the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Auditors of Nigeria for effective regulation and registration of members. The bill also determines the knowledge and skills that a practitioner is required to attain in order to qualify to practice as a Forensic and Investigative Auditor. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP-Abia) and two other lawmakers. Read more
Police in Anambra arrest 151 suspected cultists (Nation)
The Police in Anambra say they have arrested 151 suspected criminals and cultists following raids on criminal hideouts in the state. SP Haruna Mohammed, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Anambra State Command made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday in Awka. According to him, the police raid took place between April 1 and April 16, 2019, and the command recovered weapons and substances suspected to be cannabis sativa. He explained that the raid was part of the command’s strategy to stamp out cultism and ensure safety of lives and property in the state. Read more
15-year-old wife laces husband’s food with rat poison (Punch)
The Police Command in Kano has arrested a 15-year-old housewife, Hassana Lawan, of Bechi Village, in Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state for allegedly poisoning her 33-year-old husband, Sale Abubakar. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed the arrest in a statement issued to newsmen in Kano on Tuesday. Haruna said that on Tuesday (today), at about 2 p.m., the Command received a report that the suspect gave her husband food with rat poison. He said the victim was taken to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, for treatment. Read more
Buhari condoles with France, Christendom over Notre Dame fire (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with President Emmanuel Macron of France and all citizens over the tragic fire incident that gutted parts of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. A statement by the President’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu in Abuja on Tuesday, said Buhari extended his sympathy to Christians in Nigeria and all over the world following the partial destruction of the historical Cathedral. ”President Buhari and Nigerians joined the world in shock and disbelief as the highly revered and historical church building went up in flames on Monday, praying that the almighty God will provide resources and capacity for full restoration. Read more
We’ll offer asylum to ex-Sudanese president if he asks —Uganda Govt (Punch)
Uganda is willing to offer asylum to former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir should he apply, a state minister for foreign affairs on Tuesday said. Henry Oryem, Uganda’s minister of state for international affairs, told the parliamentary committee on foreign affairs that the ousted leader is a guarantor to the South Sudan peace process. “If Bashir applies for asylum here that is something the government of Uganda can consider because Bashir is a guarantor to our peace talks,” said. Read more
Egypt constitutional changes could mean Sisi rule until 2030 (BBC)
Egypt’s parliament has approved constitutional amendments that would allow President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to stay in power until 2030. Mr Sisi is due to stand down in 2022, when his second four-year term ends. But the amendments, which must be put to a referendum within 30 days, would lengthen his current term to six years and allow him to stand for one more. They would also give Mr Sisi more power over the judiciary and further enshrine the military’s role in politics. Read more
Kenyan family files lawsuit against Boeing over Ethiopian Airlines crash (Punch)
A Kenyan family has filed a lawsuit in Chicago against American aviation giant Boeing over March 10 Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 people, lawyers and family members said on Tuesday. Siblings of 29-year-old engineer George Kabau said they wanted to force the company to release documents and emails relating to its 737 MAX 8 model. 737 MAX 8 model was grounded worldwide after two major planes crashed in Ethiopia and Indonesia. A preliminary report released earlier this month indicated Ethiopian Airlines pilots wrestled with a computer system that repeatedly ordered the nose down because of faulty sensor data. Read more
Six die after plane hits house in Chile (Guardian)
Six people died on Tuesday after a light aircraft crashed into a house in southern Chile, authorities said. The plane plummeted after getting entangled in power lines shortly after take-off from La Paloma airport in Puerto Montt, a port city 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) to the south of the capital Santiago, said Harry Jurgensen, the governor of the Los Lagos region. Local television pictures showed the house, which caught fire after being hit by the plane, completely gutted. Read more
Notre-Dame: Hunt for ‘dad and daughter’ in photo goes viral (BBC)
A plea to find two people pictured outside Notre-Dame cathedral minutes before the devastating fire erupted has gone viral on social media. A heart-warming photo shows what appears to be a father and daughter playing happily outside the historic landmark in Paris. Tourist Brooke Windsor, 23, says she took the picture about an hour before the blaze ripped through the building. In a bid to find them, she posted the photo on Twitter. “Twitter if you have any magic, help him find this,” she wrote. Read more
Topless pastor invites children to slash him with knife for horrifying ‘Easter lesson’ (Metro)
A topless pastor invited a group of children to slash his back with a knife as part of a bizarre lesson on Easter. The full uncensored clip, which was filmed Monday and is too disturbing to reproduce, depicts Jaddeus Dempsey from the Impact City Church in Pataskala, Ohio, pull his shirt off before brandishing the blade. One youngster can be heard to exclaim ‘No!’ in shock – while another frightened girl screams during the ‘class’ on the forgiveness of Christ. Read more
Son killed mum ‘after argument over amount of milk in a cup of tea’ (Metro)
A mentally ill man who killed his mother and told police they had argued over the amount of milk in a cup of tea has been ordered to be detained indefinitely. Thomas Westwood initially claimed he had stabbed Susan Westwood, 68, after she threatened him with a knife at their home in Coventry on December 1, 2017. The 47-year-old, who inflicted nine stab wounds using ‘severe’ force, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility during a previous hearing at Warwick Crown Court. Read more
Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner admits online trolls made her performance ‘worse’ as Sansa Stark (Metro)
Sophie Turner has admitted her performance on Game Of Thrones was affected by comments on social media which criticised her acting skills and appearance. The 23-year-old actress has played Sansa Stark since the show’s inception in 2011, with filming beginning in July 2010 when was only 14 years old. In an appearance on Dr Phil’s podcast Phil In The Blanks on Tuesday, Sophie explained how growing up in the spotlight through her teenage years had its downsides – with comments on social media having contributed to the depression she’s struggled with since age 17. Read more
Man Utd crushed by Messi-inspired Barca (BBC)
Manchester United’s Champions League run ended in the quarter-finals as Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona to a crushing victory in the second leg at the Nou Camp. United, trailing 1-0 from the first leg, started brightly but were then undone by brilliance from Messi and a glaring mistake from goalkeeper David de Gea. Messi put the hosts ahead with a fine curling effort from 20 yards in the 16th minute and four minutes later De Gea let a weaker shot from the edge of the area squirm under his body for the Argentine’s second. Read more
Rio Ferdinand slams Fred after Lionel Messi’s second goal against Manchester United (Metro)
Rio Ferdinand believes Fred was partly to blame for allowing Lionel Messi to score his second goal for Barcelona in a disastrous first half for Manchester United. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, the Red Devils started positively on Tuesday night but Messi soon took centre stage, scoring a quickfire double to make it 3-0 on aggregate in the opening 20 minutes. Philippe Coutinho added a third goal just past the hour mark to secure a place in the Champions League semi-finals for Ernesto Valverde’s men. Read more
Ajax fairytale continues (BBC)
Ajax’s sensational Champions League run continued as teenage captain Matthijs de Ligt’s goal eliminated Juventus and secured their place in the semi-finals. Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time winner of the tournament, headed the hosts in front from a first-half corner. But Ajax battled level as Donny van de Beek controlled Hakim Ziyech’s shot and slotted past Wojciech Szczesny. Ziyech went close after the break before De Ligt, up from the back, scored a decisive, powerful header. Read more
Cardiff cut gap with win at Brighton (BBC)
Relegation-threatened Cardiff moved to within two points of Brighton – and a position of safety – with a vital Premier League win at Amex Stadium. Neil Warnock’s side, who earned their third away victory of the season, are third from bottom with four games left. A brilliant Nathaniel Mendez-Laing goal gave Cardiff a first-half lead, which was doubled after the break by Sean Morrison’s header. Brighton have now lost and failed to score in their past four games. Read more
Paul Scholes charged by FA for alleged breach of betting rules (Guardian)
Manchester United legend, Paul Scholes, has been charged with misconduct by the FA over an alleged breach of the betting rules. There are allegations that Scholes placed 140 bets on matches between August 2015 and January 2019. Scholes was hired as the manager of League Two side, Oldham, in February 2019 but quit after 31 days in charge. Read more
London to lose ATP Finals beyond 2020 despite years of success (Metro)
London is set to lose the season-ending ATP Finals beyond 2020 after hosting one of tennis’ biggest events since 2009. ATP chiefs have decided to move the event along after 12 successful years in the UK capital, with Turin the favourites to land the tournament. Though Italy’s bid is unlikely to shift as many tickets as the O2’s slickly-run show, the Italian government is believed to be willing to put up a cash guarantee to the tune of €15million-a-year (£13m) in order to land the season-ending competition for a five-year stint, making their total contribution close to £65m. Tokyo is thought to be the other alternative. Read more
Clippers stun Warriors in record rally (BBC)
The Los Angeles Clippers produced the biggest NBA play-off comeback to stun the Golden State Warriors 135-131 and level their first-round series. The eighth seeds rallied from 31 points down in the second half to beat the defending champions, with shooting guard Lou Williams scoring 36 points. It beats the 29-point recovery the Los Angeles Lakers managed against the Seattle Supersonics in 1989. The best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series is now tied at 1-1. Read more