Tricycle rider commits suicide on Lagos football pitch (Punch)
A widow, Nike Adekola, is yet to recover from the shock of losing her husband, Suleman, who reportedly committed suicide by drinking a local insecticide in the Ikotun area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Suleman, a tricycle operator, rode his tricycle to a football pitch on Abaranje Road in Ikotun, where he allegedly consumed the substance.
A few minutes after drinking the chemical, the 45-year-old was said to have died in his tricycle. Read more
Police arraign man, 24, over alleged US$600 theft (Vanguard)
Police on Monday arraigned a 24-year-old house help, Akpan Joseph, before a Badagry Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing US$600 (N240,000) from employer.
Joseph, who is of no fixed address is facing a count charge of theft.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Police prosecutor, ASP Akpan Nkem, told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offence sometimes on Nov, 2020, at No 1, Victor Close, Iba area of Lagos.
Nkem said the defendant stole US$600, an equivalent of N240,000 belonging to one Victor Ekeleme, the complainant. Read more
Membership registration: Lagos APC perfects plans for hitch-free exercise (Guardian)
Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State on Monday met to strategise on the party’s membership revalidation and registration exercise starting on Feb. 9 in the state.
Dr Mohammed Bashir, Chairman, seven-man State Supervisory Committee of the APC Membership Revalidation and Registration Exercise in Lagos, presided over the meeting of top-notch party leaders at Lagos APC Secretariat.
He called for cooperation and due process and urged stakeholders to ensure massive mobilisation of members at the grassroots for the exercise.
“We cannot have membership without the party having the required arrangements and process of ensuring that members are duly registered, following and observing all required legal and political frameworks. Read more
Lagos community laments hoodlums reign of terror (Punch)
The residents of Oba Disu Faronbi Street and its environs in the Shasha area of Lagos State have lamented attacks by hoodlums in the community.
The residents, who noted that a community ground in the area had become a den for the hoodlums, said people always stayed indoors from 7pm when the hoodlums unleashed terror on motorists, traders and residents who stayed out late.
A resident, Tokunbo Coker, who claimed to have been attacked by the gang on January 20, 2021, said his vehicle developed a fault when the hoodlums surrounded him.
He said, “They should be between the ages of 23 and 25. One of them pretended to be willing to assist me to get a mechanic. The boy asked me to give him my phone so he could call the mechanic. He collected it and started walking away very fast. I called out to him, but he kept on moving until he got to a block industry in the area. I followed him there. Read more
Police summon Ogun hotelier over CCTV cameras uncovered in rooms (Punch)
The Ogun State Police Command said it had commenced investigation into the alleged invasion of privacy of guests at the Pavillion Hotel, Ayepe, in the Odogbolu area of the state.
The development followed public outcry against the hotel after an online video showed guests lamenting the discovery of closed circuit television cameras in their rooms.
In the trending video, a guest was seen removing a camera that was planted in an air conditioner in one of the rooms. Read more
Buhari, Atiku, Lawan, Tinubu, govs, others mourn Momoh (ThisDay)
President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan; All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, yesterday paid tribute to a veteran journalist, politician and a former Minister of Information and Culture, Prince Tony Momoh, who died earlier in the day.
He was 82.
They expressed shock at the death of the former minister and a chieftain of the ruling APC. Read more
EFCC arraigns corps member, other for posing as female lovers (Punch)
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday arraigned a member of the National Youth Service Corps, Sam Abiola, and one Adebiyi Sodiq, for their alleged involvement in a romance scam.
While the corps member allegedly committed the offence around September 2019, Sodiq was apprehended after he reportedly pretended to be a woman and defrauded an unsuspecting person in August 2020.
The two suspects, according to a statement by the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, were arraigned separately before Justice Adenike Akinpelu at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin. Read more
TCN: We’re not responsible for incessant load shedding (ThisDay)
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has exonerated itself from any blame in connection with the incessant load shedding and power outages in the country.
General Manager, Public Affairs of the organisation, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, in a statement in Abuja, explained that the TCN does not also switch off consumer power feeders, contrary to misconceptions in certain quarters.
She maintained that off-taking 12MW through an 11kV distribution feeder for onward delivery to customers, remains the responsibility of power distributors like the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and not the TCN.
“For the purpose of clarification, TCN does not distribute electricity to electricity consumers and cannot also switch off consumer feeders. Its jurisdiction on the network is from 330 kilovolt (kV) to 132kV power lines. Read more
COVID-19: PTF declares Kogi high risk state, warns Nigerians not to visit (Vanguard)
The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has declared Kogi a high-risk state for refusing to acknowledge the existence of the disease.
The PTF also said that the Kogi government had failed to report testing, lacked isolation centers and therefore warned Nigerians to be weary of visiting the state.
It said having analysed the pandemic in the country, 22 high burdened Local Government Areas within 13 states in the country had been identified. Read more
South Africa lifts alcohol ban as COVID-19 rules ease (BBC)
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has eased some restrictions imposed due to coronavirus, including lifting an unpopular ban on alcohol sales.
Beaches will reopen and limited religious gatherings will be allowed.
The announcement came as Mr Ramaphosa hailed the arrival of the first shipment of vaccines – one million AstraZeneca doses – as a chance to “turn the tide” on Covid-19.
South Africa has had the most Covid infections and deaths on the continent. Read more
Myanmar military coup, detention of Aung San Suu Kyi sparks international condemnation (CBC)
Myanmar’s military seized power on Monday in a coup against the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was detained along with other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party in early morning raids.
Western nations condemned the sudden turn of events, which derailed years of efforts to establish democracy in the poverty-stricken country and raised even more questions over the prospect of returning a million Rohingya refugees.
The UN Security Council will meet on Tuesday, diplomats said, amid calls for a strong response. “We want to address the long-term threats to peace and security, of course working closely with Myanmar’s Asia and ASEAN neighbours,” said council president and British UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Read more
Angela Merkel: COVID vaccines could be necessary ‘for years’ (DW)
If vaccines do not work on variants of the virus, then “we start all over again,” said German Chancellor Angela Merkel. At a meeting with state premiers, she also defended the slower rollout of Europe’s vaccine program.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said coronavirus vaccines may be needed for “many years to come.”
“It’s similar to the flu vaccine, where you re-vaccinate against the new mutation of the virus every time,” Merkel said in Berlin after a top-level meeting on Germany’s vaccination campaign on Monday.
Merkel added that her government had received the assurances it needed to renew a promise to offer all Germans a coronavirus vaccination by the end of the summer. Read more
Myanmar coup: US threatens sanctions over Aung San Suu Kyi detention (BBC)
US President Joe Biden has threatened to reinstate sanctions in Myanmar after the country’s military seized power.
Myanmar’s army detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other elected leaders, accusing Ms Suu Kyi’s party of fraud over its recent landslide election win.
In a statement, Mr Biden said “force should never seek to overrule the will of the people or attempt to erase the outcome of a credible election”.
The United Nations and the UK have also condemned the coup. Read more
“Saved by the Bell” star Dustin Diamond dead of cancer at 44 (CBC)
Saved by the Bell star Dustin Diamond died Monday after a three-week fight with cancer, according to his spokesperson. He was 44.
“Dustin did not suffer,” Roger Paul said in a statement. “He did not have to lie submerged in pain. For that, we are grateful.”
Diamond — best known for playing Screech on the hit ’90s sitcom — was hospitalized last month in Florida. His team disclosed later that he had carcinoma.
Former co-star Mario Lopez took to Twitter to say farewell: “Dustin, you will be missed, my man. The fragility of this life is something never to be taken for granted.” Read more
Noah Centineo set for ‘major role’ in Netflix movie about GameStop stock saga (Metro)
Noah Centineo could take centre stage in Netflix’s reported movie about the GameStop stock saga, as Hollywood prepares to cash in on the unprecedented Wall Street controversy. The To All The Boys actor is reportedly set to play a ‘major role’ in Netflix’s planned film about the financial drama. Last week, shares of GameStop became the most traded stock on Earth, above Apple and Tesla, rising in value 1,550% during a battle between small investors on Reddit and established hedge funds. According to Deadline, Mark Boal, the Oscar-winning screenwriter best known for The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, is in talks to pen the script. Read more
Massive snowstorm blankets New York City (DW)
A powerful blizzard has pummeled a huge swath of the northeastern United States. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has warned of “tremendous danger and difficulty” when moving around the city.
States in the northeastern US were hit by a powerful winter storm on Monday morning, causing massive disruption in New York City and other major urban areas.
Winter storm warnings and weather advisories were put in place in advance, with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declaring a state of emergency and suspending public bus and commuter rail services for the entire day.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio imposed restrictions on non-essential travel from early morning due to the heavy snowfall. Read more
Access Bank Lagos City Marathon moved to April 10 (Guardian)
This year’s edition of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon earlier slated for February 13, has now been shifted till April 10, the organisers disclosed yesterday.
Last week, the Nilayo Sports Management Chief Executive Officer, Bukola Olopade, stated that the number of athletes taking part in the 2021 event was reduced from its usual 100,000 runners to 300 to stay within the regulatory procedure of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on why it was postponed, Olopade stated that even though Lagos State government, the sponsors and the organisers were fully ready, there was the need to move the event forward to April 10 due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
Olopade added: “We are not going to increase the number from 300 runners even though a lot of foreign athletes want to use the silver label Access Bank Lagos City marathon to cement their qualification for the Tokyo Olympics. Read more
Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala in Germany-England tug-of-war (DW)
Germany look set to offer Bayern Munich teenager Jamal Musiala the chance to represent the national team in the next round of internationals in March. But the Stuttgart-born prospect is believed to favour England.
Jamal Musiala has a tough decision to make. Germany, the country of his birth, and England, where he grew up, are both vying for the 17-year-old, who is quietly establishing himself in Hansi Flick’s Bayern Munich team.
It’s an internal conflict in which both the heart and the mind play a role: Where do I have the best chances as a player? Which team offers the best shot at winning titles? Where do I feel most comfortable? Read more
Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip to miss rest of season (BBC)
Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip will miss the rest of the season with an ankle ligament injury.
The former Cameroon international, 29, suffered the problem during the 3-1 win over Tottenham last Thursday.
He joins Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez on the sidelines, although the Reds bolstered their defence by signing Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak on deadline day.
Manager Jurgen Klopp said: “He’ll be ready for the start of the next pre-season and everything will be sorted.”
The German said Matip – injured in a challenge with Tottenham striker Son Heung-min – has been playing for the team despite not being fully fit. Read more
Liverpool confirm signing of Ozan Kabak on loan from Schalke (Metro)
Liverpool have completed the signing of Ozan Kabak from Schalke on a six-month loan move with an option to buy. The Reds will pay an initial £1million loan fee, which has the potential to rise a further £500,000 with bonuses. Liverpool will have the option to purchase Kabak permanently in the summer for £18m plus add-ons, but that clause doesn’t have to be activated until June. Read more
Andreescu withdraws from Grampians, will focus on Australian Open prep (CBC)
Canadian Bianca Andreescu will skip this week’s Grampians Trophy and instead return to action at the Australian Open.
Andreescu was scheduled to return to the court for the first time in 15 months at the Grand Slam tune-up event before the WTA announced on Monday that the Mississauga, Ont., native has withdrawn to focus her time on the Aussie Open.
Rebecca Marino makes quick exit at Australian Open tune-up
The 20-year-old, who last played at the WTA Finals in October 2019 before suffering a knee injury, had a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed at the Grampians Trophy and would have made her long-awaited return against the winner of a match between American Sloane Stephens and fellow Canadian Leylah Annie Fernandez in the second round.
The tune-up tournament is for players coming out of hard quarantine following COVID-19 exposure on charter flights to Australia. Read more
Loans dominate & spending way down – the tale of transfer deadline day (BBC)
To say transfer deadline day was quiet would be an understatement – and is illustrated by the fact late attention centred around whether Bournemouth’s Joshua King would opt for Everton or Fulham and whether Southampton would seal a loan for Liverpool’s Takumi Minamino.
In the end, the Norway striker chose Everton while Saints landed the Japan forward as both deals were confirmed in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with Southampton submitting a deal sheet for Minamino that allows clubs two hours beyond the 23:00 GMT deadline to complete a transfer.They certainly won’t go down as two of the most exciting ‘after hours’ signings but were pretty much as intriguing as it got for hard-core followers of the window, with caution rather than drama dominating the last day of trading. Read more