Trailer damages 3 flyover bridges on Lagos -Ibadan expressway (Guardian)
Mr Olaseni Bakare, the Federal Controller of Works in Ogun, confirmed the incident to NAN in a telephone interview.
Bakare noted that the height of the trailer carrying the excavator was higher than the head room of the bridges which made it to hit them and caused serious damage to the bridges.
He listed the bridges to include Alapako, Fidiwo and Saapade, all on the Lagos -Ibadan.
He stated that the driver tried forcing the vehicle through and in the process, damaged the bridges along the expressway. Read more
Robbers raid home in Lagos, flee with loot in victim’s car (Punch)
Some residents of an apartment in Ogombo, Ajah area of the state have lost valuables to armed robbers who fled with the stolen items in a Toyota Venza belonging to one of the victims.
This is just as the police at the Ogombo division were accused of demanding N300,000 to track the car.
A short video of the attack posted on Twitter on Thursday by one Davey Quid, @daveyishigh, who claimed to be one of the victims, showed different parts of the apartment in a shambles. There were several bullet holes on a bed in one of the rooms in the flat. Read more
New Army GOC, Major General Fejokwu resumes in Lagos (Guardian)
A new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lagos, Major General Lawrence Fejokwu, has officially resumed office with a charge to all officers and soldiers of the command to be prepared to work harder.
According to statement by 81 division public lations department, “Sequel to the recent reorganization of the top hierarchy of the Nigerian Army Maj. General Lawrence Fejokwu has assumed command as the 30th General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division following the handing and taking over ceremony that took place at Headquarters 81 Division Conference Room.
“In a brief remarks during the handing and taking over ceremony the new GOC appreciated the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt Gen I Attahiru for the opportunity given to serve the Nigerian Army in a higher capacity. Read more
Sanwo-Olu approves ministry’s restructuring, appoints two new perm secs (Punch)
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved the restructuring of the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.
This he did by re-establishing the Office of Works and Office of Infrastructure.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Head of Service, Lagos State Government, Hakeem Muri-Okunola. Read more
Gbajabiamila hails Lagos APC caretaker Chairman, Balogun at 70 (Vanguard)
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, has felicitated with Alhaji Babatunde Alade Balogun, the caretaker committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, on his 70th birthday.
Gbajabiamila, who eulogised the virtues of Alhaji Balogun, said the life of the APC caretaker chairman has been beneficial to mankind.
The Speaker in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi, noted: “with delight Alhaji Balogun’s invaluable contributions to the development of Lagos State in the last seven decades”. Read more
Tinubu speaks on herder-farmer crisis, asks Buhari to hold stakeholders’ meeting (ThisDay)
National Leader of the All Progressives Congress Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has called on the federal government to convene a meeting of state governors, senior security officials, herder and farmer representatives, along with traditional rulers and religious leaders to resolve the seemingly intractable herder-farmer crisis.
In a statement he issued Saturday, Tinubu who had been accused of maintaining an undignified silence on the crisis, canvassed a holistic approach to resolving the crisis.
“The purpose of this meeting would be to hammer out a set of working principles to resolve the crisis”, he added. Read more
Nigerian Hausa songs win streaming service (Vanguard)
When Danish national Martin Nielsen moved to Kenya to work with a venture capital firm, he quickly switched gears after spotting an opportunity in streaming music and selling downloads.
Fast forward eight years and the Kenya-based company he co-founded and now leads, Mdundo, is listed on the Danish stock market and is posting rapid growth in users in the African markets it serves.
Africa has been attracting international audio streaming firms like Sweden’s Spotify and Apple Music, keen on capitalising on growing internet users and rising demand for legal content.
“The market is getting bigger,” Nielsen told Reuters. Read more
Okonjo-Iweala arrives Nigeria on working visit (Punch)
The new Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Saturday, arrived in Nigeria on a one-week working visit, The PUNCH has learnt.
Okonjo-Iweala resumed at the Geneva-based WTO on March 1, 2021, breaking a 26-year record by becoming the first female and first African director-general of the global trade and dispute settlement body.
Addressing newsmen shortly after her arrival via the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, on Saturday, the 66-year-old former Finance Minister said she is in the country to see how to better assist Nigerian entrepreneurs and improve the economy. Read more
Petrol price hike: Queues persist despite reversal (Guardian)
In what appeared to be the most uncoordinated situation by agencies under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, headed by President Muhammadu Buhari, confusion, panic-buying and an attempt to profiteer by marketers ruled the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, yesterday, following a template released by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), which increased petrol pump price to N212.68 per litre.
Long queues, traffic jam, an increase in the cost of transportation and the immediate shutdown of most petrol stations were the result of the situation across most parts of the country. However, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and PPPRA tried to manage the situation, insisting that the pump price remained unchanged. Read more
Corinne Masiero: Actress protests naked at ‘French Oscars’ ceremony (BBC)
A French actress protested naked at a César Awards dominated by demands the government do more to support culture during the coronavirus pandemic.
Corinne Masiero, 57, wore a donkey costume over a blood-stained dress before stripping on stage at France’s equivalent of the Oscars.
Cinemas have been shut in France for more than three months.
The best film award at the ceremony went to Albert Dupontel’s dark comedy Adieu Les Cons (Goodbye Morons). Read more
Huge fire breaks out on board cruise ship off coast of Corfu (Metro)
A fire broke out on board a cruise ship docked off the coast of the Greek island of Corfu. Flames and black smoke were seen billowing from the side of the MSC Lirica, at around 3.30pm local time on Friday. The ship has been docked at the port since January 30 while staff wait for the cruise industry to start up again. It’s not known what caused the blaze that started on one of the ship’s lifeboats. Around 51 crew members were on board at the time but no injuries have been reported. Read more
UK cop charged with murder of Sarah Everard makes first court appearance (NYPost)
The British cop accused of murdering a 33-year-old London woman appeared in court for the first time Saturday. He spoke only to confirm his name, birth date and address.
Constable Wayne Couzens, 48, who guarded diplomatic buildings, is charged with kidnapping and murder in the March 3 death of Sarah Everard, who disappeared while walking home from a friend’s apartment, Reuters reported.
The disgraced cop stood silently, wearing a gray tracksuit, as the charges were read to him during the brief hearing, The Associated Press reported. He was held in custody and must appear at London’s Central Criminal Court on Tuesday.
Couzens, who joined the force in 2018, was found with head injuries in his cell in Wandsworth police station in south London on Thursday, his second night in custody. He was taken to the hospital a second time on Friday. Read more
Bolivia: Ex-interim President Jeanine Áñez arrested over ‘coup’ (BBC)
The former interim president of Bolivia, Jeanine Áñez, and several ex-ministers have been arrested.
Prosecutors say she and the ministers took part in a coup against the then President Evo Morales in 2019.
Mr Morales resigned and fled Bolivia after protests and allegations of electoral fraud.
Ms Áñez has said she is the victim of a political vendetta by Mr Morales’s Mas Socialist party, which has since returned to power. Read more
“The Batman” wraps filming after set shutdowns and pandemic delays (Metro)
The Batman has officially wrapped filming, with director Matt Reeves sharing a shot from the final day of production. The movie, starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne, has been one of the worst affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with members of cast and crew contracting the virus, the set being shut down, and it facing delays. However, progress is definitely being made, with filmmaker Matt celebrating the last day of filming by sharing a photo of a box filled with items from set, including a clapperboard. He simply wrote: ‘#LastDay #TheBatman,’ tagging cinematographer Greig Fraser. Read more
Inside the mysterious lives of Woody Allen and Soon Yi’s daughters (PageSix)
They’re the daughters of one of the most scandalous and complicated couples in modern history.
But Bechet and Manzie Allen have survived and, by some accounts, thrived, as the children of Soon-Yi Previn, 50, director Woody Allen, 85, — who was dating Soon-Yi’s mother, Mia Farrow, when he and the then-teenager began their affair.
The couple have now been wed for 24 years. Bechet, 22, adopted from China, is a senior majoring in art history at Bard College. Manzie, 21, adopted from Texas, is a junior at Whittier College in California.
The young women have shunned the spotlight and never given an interview. But they have praised their parents on social media for years. Read more
Sri Lanka to ban burka and other face coverings (BBC)
Sri Lanka has taken a significant step towards banning the burka and other face coverings in public, on grounds of national security.
Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara told the BBC that he had signed a cabinet order which now needs parliamentary approval.
Officials say they expect the ban to be implemented very soon.
The move comes nearly two years after a wave of co-ordinated attacks on hotels and churches on Easter Sunday. Read more
Kenyan athlete sentenced for faking documents (Punch)
Kenyan long distance runner Florence Jepkosgei Chepsoi has received a one-year community service sentence for faking documents as part of her defence on a doping charge, the Anti-Doping Association of Kenya (ADAK) announced.
She becomes the first Kenyan athlete to be found guilty in a criminal court.
The verdict was handed down after the trial in Eldoret following an investigation lasting a number of years. Read more
Eric Dier claims Bukayo Saka has been underrated this season ahead of Arsenal vs Tottenham (Metro)
Eric Dier has praised Bukayo Saka ahead of Tottenham’s clash with Arsenal and believes the winger’s performances have been underrated this season. Mikel Arteta’s side currently sit 10th in the Premier League and have little hope of securing a top-four finish at the end of the campaign. But Saka has been one of the Gunners’ main positives this season with six goals and six assists in 32 appearances so far. However, Dier believes his England teammate has ‘gone a bit under the radar’ in comparison to other young players in the national side. Read more
Joel Embiid injured on return as Philadelphia 76ers beat Washington Wizards (BBC)
Joel Embiid was injured in his first game since leaving Covid-19 isolation as the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Washington Wizards 127-101.
Embiid, who scored 23 points and seven rebounds, hyperextended his left knee while landing following a dunk.
He missed Sunday’s All-Star Game because of Covid-19 contact tracing issues, forcing him into quarantine.
Shake Milton and Furkan Korkmaz both added 18 points off the bench for the 76ers, the Eastern Conference leaders. Read more
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer names Cristiano Ronaldo and Roy Keane as the Manchester United legends he would sign (Metro)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has named Cristiano Ronaldo and Roy Keane as two Manchester United legends he would want in his current side. Solskjaer spent nine years playing alongside former United captain Keane and the pair won five Premier League titles together and were both a key part of Sir Alex Ferguson’s Treble-winning side in 1999. Ronaldo, meanwhile, joined United towards the end of Solskjaer’s career and they won the Premier League title together in the Norwegian’s final campaign at Old Trafford. Read more
Juwan Howard allegedly threatened Mark Turgeon before Big Ten ejection (NYPost)
Michigan coach Juwan Howard allegedly threatened Maryland coach Mark Turgeon before he was ejected during the second half of Friday’s Big Ten quarterfinal.
Maryland told the conference that Howard told Turgeon, “I’ll f—ing kill you,” InsideMDSports.com reported, citing an unnamed source.
No formal complaint was filed, per the report. Howard is not expected to be disciplined, meaning he will coach Saturday in the semifinal against Ohio State.
The two coaches had to be separated by officials and other staff members after a shouting match between the benches broke out in the second half of the Wolverines’ 79-66 win. Read more
Leeds hold Chelsea as Tuchel’s unbeaten start continues (BBC)
Thomas Tuchel’s unbeaten run stretched to 12 games as Chelsea were held in a gripping encounter at Leeds.
Despite lacking fans to add edge, both sides were unlucky not to score as they both hit the woodwork and tested their respective keepers.
Leeds almost went behind when Luke Ayling’s clearance hit team-mate Diego Llorente and looped over keeper Illan Meslier to hit the bar before Eduoard Mendy tipped Tyler Roberts’ chip onto the same part of his goal.Mendy also saved well from Raphinha’s effort to deny Leeds, who avoided a third straight defeat. Read more