Three killed in Lagos brutal NURTW, gang clashes, 75 arrested (Guardian)
At least one person was yesterday confirmed dead after suspected cultists went on rampage around Pako, Yeside and Cassette bus stops in Aguda, Surulere area of Lagos State. This came a day after Sunday’s cult war in Ilasa, which claimed another life.
Also, two persons have died and scores of residents injured when members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) clashed in Lagos yesterday. Of the two killed during the ongoing clash was a chairman of a unit in Ijesha, Surulere axis.
The police spokesman, Bala Elkana said police teams from the Special Strike Force on Social Miscreants, Rapid Response Squad, Area C Command Surulere, Aguda and Ijesha Divisions were mobilised to the scene and the situation brought under control, adding that “75 suspects from both sides were arrested.” Read more
Lagos prince, accomplice to die for killing businesswoman (Punch)
A Lagos prince, Adewale Oyekan, has been sentenced to death by the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja for killing a 62-year-old businesswoman and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaja Sikirat Ekun.
Adewale is the son of the late Oba of Lagos, Adeyinka Oyekan.
Adewale was sentenced alongside a domestic worker, Lateef Balogun, on Monday by Justice Raliat Adebiyi for strangling Ekun and throwing her corpse in a well. Read more
Court awards disputed Soku oilfield to Rivers, orders Bayelsa to refund derivation funds (Guardian)
Bayelsa State is to refund the 13 per cent derivation it has received over the years from the disputed Soku oilfield to its neighbouring Rivers.
The development followed a ruling of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday which held that the facility, located in Akuku-Toru Local Council of Rivers State, belonged to the latter.
Delivering judgment in suit number, FHC/ABJ/CS/984/19, and filed by the Attorney-General of Rivers against the National Boundary Commission and others, Justice Inyang Ekwo held after examining available documents from relevant government agencies and facts before the court, the Soku oilfields belonged to Rivers. Read more
Man hires kidnappers, kills brother’s seven-year-old boy after N300,000 ransom (Punch)
A 34-year-old man, Faruq Seidu, allegedly contracted three men to abduct his brother’s seven-year-old child, AbdulMalik Musa, and killed him after collecting a ransom of N300,000.
The deceased was reportedly kidnapped last Wednesday from his parents’ residence at Sabo Ilupeju, Abeokuta, Ogun State, by the syndicate in connivance with Seidu.
Seidu and the suspected kidnappers, Hassan Hussein, 30; Habib Nurah, 24; and Muhammed Bello, 42, were arrested by men of the state police command and paraded on Monday at the crime scene, beside the Ogun River, Lafenwa, Abeokuta, where the boy was allegedly strangled and thrown into the river. Read more
Sex-for-marks: UniAbuja sacks dean (Guardian)
The University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has dismissed a professor and former dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Adeniji Adedayo Abiodun for sexually harassing a student.
UniAbuja’s head of information and university relations, Habib Yakoob, said the Santa’s of the institution also approved the dismissal of Professor Agaptus Buzo – Chibuzo Orji of the Department of Science and Environmental Education, Faculty of Education, University of Abuja, for falsification of academic records, aiding and abetting of examination malpractice.
According to him, “the university council had at its 85th Regular Meeting held on Wednesday, 11th and Thursday, 12th December 2019, considered reports and recommendations from its Disciplinary Committee and after due diligence, approved the termination of the appointment of the two professors. Read more
Alleged car theft: Court orders arrest, arraignment of Naira Marley (Punch)
A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Monday ordered that a Nigerian musician, Adeyemi Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, should be arrested and arraigned over alleged car theft.
The chief magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, ordered that the Investigating Police Officer, Sgt. Sunday Idoko, handling the case must present Naira Marley in court on the next date of adjournment.
However, two of the musician’s brothers and his cousins appeared in court over alleged theft of a car and a cell phone. Read more
APC lifts suspension on Akeredolu, Amosun, Okorocha, others (Guardian)
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has lifted the suspension it slammed on Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Mr. Osita Okechukwu and Pastor Usani Uguru Usani.
The ruling party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Malam Lanre Issa Onilu, explained that the decision was in line with APC’s “deliberate policy of fairness and actions targeted at ensuring harmony within the party across the country.”
He noted that the disciplinary measure taken against the chieftains spoke volume about the party’s capacity and willingness to implement its own rules and enforce discipline whenever an infraction occurs. Read more
Army okays new postings, appointments of officers (Guardian)
The Nigerian Army on Monday carried out a major shakeup with the redeployment of 20 Major Generals.
About 10 Brigadier-Generals were said to have been affected in the shake-up in which the Army said will bring about greater efficiency in the system.
A statement by Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa explained that the redeployment was approved by the Chief of the Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, and took immediate effect. Read more
Five years of thirst: South Africa’s Eastern Cape battles brutal drought (Guardian)
South African farmer Steve Bothma heaved a sigh of relief when the weatherman finally predicted rain.
His excitement was short-lived. Just a few days later, the forecast changed. It was back to cloudless sunshine.
In South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, no one can remember the last proper downpour. Some say it was five years ago, others six. Read more
Two men admit to working on illegal streaming sites (CNN)
As the streaming wars continue to heat up, the Department of Justice says two men behind some of the largest illegal streaming services have been taken out of play.
Two computer programmers in Las Vegas pleaded guilty last Friday to criminal copyright charges after an FBI investigation revealed they had been working on two massive, illegal online streaming sites, iStreamItAll and Jetflicks, according to plea agreements.
iStreamItAll’s content library featured more than 118,000 television episodes and nearly 11,000 movies, making it larger than Netflix (NFLX), Hulu or Amazon (AMZN) Prime, according to a release from the Justice Department. Read more
I was wrongly banned by FIFA, Siasia laments (Punch)
Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has stated that he has been wrongly accused, banned and fined by FIFA for an offence he never committed, Sports Extra reports.
Siasia was fined $50,000 and banned for life by FIFA for allegedly agreeing to ‘the manipulation of matches’ for betting purposes.
In a media statement made available to Sports Extra on Monday, the 54-year-old lamented how his effort to clear his name from the embarrassing claims has been frustrated by FIFA. Read more
Real Madrid draw Man City as Atletico get Liverpool (Guardian)
Real Madrid will play Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16, and holders Liverpool will face Atletico Madrid, reports ESPN.
The draw in Nyon, Switzerland, yesterday brought up some fascinating ties, with the heavyweight clashes between England’s and Madrid’s top clubs arguably the pick of the bunch.
Jurgen Klopp’s men, who beat Tottenham 2-0 in the final last season to lift the trophy for the sixth time, will return to the Wanda Metropolitano to face Atleti, while Pep Guardiola’s City faces a tough test against 13-time winners Real Madrid. Read more
NPPF organises trials for 125 athletes in Lagos (Guardian)
The Nigeria Para-Powerlifting Federation yesterday organised trials for 125 senior athletes ahead of the 2020 Para-Powerlifting World Cup slated to take place in FCT, Abuja from February 5 to 7.
The event, which was held at the Para Powerlifting Gymnasium of National Stadium, Lagos, saw the best Para Powerlifters in Nigeria slugging it out to be among the selected 60 athletes for the world event.
According to the NPPF, the Para-Powerlifting World Cup is also an African qualifier for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Read more
Osimhen, Chukwueze deserve CAF Awards, says Rohr (Nation)
SUPER Eagles German coach Gernot Rohr has predicted a close contest between Lille OSC striker Victor Osimhen and Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze for the 2019 CAF Youth Player of the Year.
Five players including Achraf Hakimi (Morocco & Borussia Dortmund); Krépin Diatta (Senegal & Club Brugge); Moussa Djenepo (Mali & Southampton) and Nigerian duo of Chukwueze and Osimhen were named in the final shortlist ahead of the award gala to be hosted 7th January 2020 at the Albatros Citadel Sahl Hasheesh, Hurghada in Egypt. Read more
China says Arsenal’s Ozil ‘deceived by fake news’ (Guardian)
China accused Mesut Ozil Monday of being “deceived by fake news” and said he should visit Xinjiang to see for himself after the Arsenal footballer decried the treatment of the region’s Uighur minority.
Ozil, a German national of Turkish origin, condemned China’s crackdown on Muslim minorities in the western region in a tweet Friday and criticised Muslim countries for failing to speak up about the alleged abuses. Read more
Liverpool face Atletico in Champions League last 16 (Guardian)
Holders Liverpool will return to the scene of last season’s Champions League triumph after they were drawn against Atletico Madrid in the last 16 of the competition on Monday and Manchester City face 13-time winners Real Madrid.
Jurgen Klopp’s side will travel to the Wanda Metropolitano, where Liverpool lifted the trophy in June, for the first leg of their tie against three-time runners-up Atletico. Read more
Giroud told to leave Chelsea to keep Euro 2020 hopes alive (Vanguard)
France manager Didier Deschamps has told Olivier Giroud to leave Chelsea if he wants a place at Euro 2020.
Giroud was a member of the World Cup-winning squad of 2018, but his place at the next major international tournament is in doubt due to his lack of game-time at Stamford Bridge. Read more
Carlo Ancelotti is Everton’s first choice to be new manager (BBC)
Carlo Ancelotti is Everton’s first choice to be their new manager with the Toffees set to intensify their attempts to secure a deal for the Italian.
However, reports that the 60-year-old was on Merseyside on Monday to hold talks were wide of the mark.
Ancelotti was sacked by Napoli after taking them into the Champions League knockout stages.
A statement from Everton said the club had “held meetings with a number of candidates”. Read more