Troops rescue 16 abductees in Kajuru, Kaduna (Channels)
Troops of the Nigerian Army, I Division, have rescued 16 abducted victims in Kajuru, Kaduna State.
They also averted a kidnap attempt by an extremist group.
“The Nigerian Army troops deployed in 1 Division area of responsibility in Kaduna State have successfully averted a kidnap attempt by a violent extremist and insurgent group and rescued the abductees in Tantatu Community of Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State,” the Director of Army Public Relations Major General Onyema Nwachukwu said in a late Monday statement. According to him, the troops were responding to intelligence on Sunday night when they tracked the insurgents who had abducted some persons in the village. Read more
Full list of military personnel killed at Okuama community, Delta (Tribune)
The identities of the Nigerian Army commander, three officers, and 12 soldiers who tragically lost their lives in an attack in Okuama community, Delta State, have been disclosed.
The Defence Headquarters unveiled their photos and names via its official social media account on Monday.
The fallen soldiers, who were serving with the 181 Amphibious Battalion, were deployed on a peacekeeping mission to address community clashes in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State when the unfortunate incident took place. Read more
Voice, data services affected by undersea cable cuts restored – NCC (DailyTrust)
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says the voice and data services affected by the cable cuts have been restored.
NCC’s Director of Public Affairs, Dr Reuben Muoka, stated this in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.
Enchanted by the Beautiful City near Cambodia Border – Nếm TV
Muoka said that services were restored, following its disruption on March 14, which affected data and voice services due to cuts in undersea fibre optics on the coasts of Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal. Read more
Lagos welcomes collaboration to bridge housing deficits (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has said it is open to collaboration to bridge the housing deficits in the state.
It added that it was working with the Federal Housing Authority to provide affordable housing for both residents of the state and Nigerians abroad.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, according to a statement on Monday, stated this when he received the management of FHA, led by the Managing Director and the Chief Executive Officer, Oyetunde Ojo, at the Government House, Marina on Saturday. Read more
Nigeria doomed without new constitution — Anyaoku, Adebanjo, Nwachukwu, Attah, Sanwo-Olu (Vanguard)
To halt the raging insecurity and socio-economic crises, and redirect Nigeria on the path of growth and development, there is an urgent need to do away with the 1999 constitution and give Nigeria a new people’s constitution.
This was the consensus of elder statesmen, some serving lawmakers, political leaders and lawyers who converged on Lagos, yesterday, for a National Constitutional Dialogue organised by The Patriots, a group of eminent Nigerians and elders in honour of late legal luminary, Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN.
Themed: “Lawful Procedures For Actualising A People’s Constitution for Nigeria,” the event was to also mark the 10th anniversary of the convocation of the 2014 National Conference, which was set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan on March 17, 2014. Read more
Killing of 16 Soldiers: DHQ denies reprisal attacks, says there will still be consequences (Leadership)
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied reports of reprisal attacks on Okuama community in Delta State following the killing of 16 Army personnel of the 181 Amphibious Battalion in the State last Thursday, saying there would, however, be consequences for killing Service personnel on peace keeping mission.
A statement by the director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said the personnel were on a peace mission to Okuama community of Delta State, when members of the community launched unprovoked attacks killing the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, two Majors, one Capt and 12 personnel of the battalion.
Major General Buba noted that misleading reports of reprisal attacks on the community were false as it was deserted even before troops arrived at the scene. Read more
Tinubu appoints Gen Lawal Isa as Chair of Almajiri Education Board (ThisDay)
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of a new leadership for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education.
According to a release issued on Monday by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale
Brigadier-General Lawal Ja’afar Isa (rtd), who was last week named the Executive Secretary of the Commission, is now to serve as the Chairman of the Board of the Commission, while Dr. Idris Muhammad Sani is the new Executive Secretary/CEO. Read more
Afe Babalola rates past Ekiti governors below average (Nation)
The founder of Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has said past Ekiti State governors before the incumbent, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, failed woefully.
Babalola said the past governors performed below expectation because they abandoned the vision and the blueprint designed by those who laboured for the creation of the state.
The legal luminary, who spoke yesterday during the inauguration of the ABUAD multisystem hospital annex at Odo-Ado on Igirigiri Road in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, regretted that Oyebanji did not govern the state much earlier. Read more
Alleged unlawful detention: Kanu’s lawyer loses appeal against DSS, police (Vanguard)
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Monday, dismissed an appeal that was brought before it by Mr. Felix Okonkwo, who is one of the lawyers that represented the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Okonkwo had gone to court to challenge his alleged unlawful arrest and detention by a combined team of security operatives that included the Police and the Department of State Security Services, DSS.
Others that were also cited as Appellants in the matter were Ikenna Chibuike and Okafor Ugochukwu. Read more
Tallulah Willis reveals autism diagnosis: ‘‘It’s changed my life’’ (Standard)
Tallulah Willis, the daughter of US actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, has publicly spoken about her autism diagnosis for the first time.
The actress, 30, posted a video clip taken from the LA premiere of The Whole Ten Yards in 2004, where her father is answering questions on the red carpet, while she is rubbing his shaved head and playing with his ears as he holds her.
“Tell me your autistic without telling me your autistic,” Willis captioned the video, adding a crying-laughing emoji. Read more
Marvel star Aaron Taylor-Johnson “formally offered” role of next James Bond (GBNews)
British actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson has been claimed to be given the role of James Bond after months of speculation as to who will take over from Daniel Craig.
Insiders have said the Kick-Ass movie star is expected to accept the role as 007 – stepping into the shoes of Craig after 15 years.
According to The Sun, a source said: “Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it. The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back.
“As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.” Read more
Timothée Chalamet is the spitting image of Bob Dylan as he walks out on set of new biopic (Mirror)
Timothée Chalamet was the spitting image of Bob Dylan as he stepped out on the set of the legendary singer-songwriter’s upcoming biopic.
The 28-year-old Beautiful Boy star embodied the iconic musician as he was spotted carrying a guitar while filming in New York on Sunday. Keeping it casual in baggy blue jeans, a tartan shirt and a khaki jacket, Timothée opted for scuffed brown leather boots and finished off the Bob Dylan-esque look with a gambler hat, fingerless gloves, and a mustard scarf.
The French-American actor has been cast to play the legendary musician in A Complete Unknown – the biopic which will focus on the folk singer’s controversial decision to go electric in 1965. Although Timothée – who is currently dating Kylie Jenner – learned to play guitar for his role in Call Me By Your Name, he has been taking more lessons since landing the role. Read more
David Seidler: Oscar-winning King’s Speech screenwriter dies (BBC)
David Seidler, best known for writing the Oscar-winning film The King’s Speech, has died aged 86.
The London-born screenwriter, who had a stammer, brought the true story of how King George VI overcame his speech impediment to the big screen.
The 2010 film starred Colin Firth, who also won the best actor Bafta and Oscar for his depiction of the king. Read more
Over 450 Jewish creatives denounce Zone of Interest Director Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars speech in open letter (People)
The Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer’s speech at the 96th Academy Awards on March 10 has drawn criticism from over 450 Jewish professionals in Hollywood in an open letter published by Variety on Monday.
While accepting the Oscar alongside producer James Wilson for best international feature, Glazer, 58, said in part, “Our film shows where dehumanization leads at its worst.”
The English director continued, “Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation, which has led to conflict for so many innocent people — whether the victims of October the 7th in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza — all the victims of this dehumanization … how do we resist?” Read more
Ellie Goulding reveals “tomorrow will be better” after her “sad as hell” marriage split (OK!)
Ellie Goulding has opened up about feeling “sad as hell”, just weeks after revealing that she and her husband of four years, Caspar Jopling, had called time on their relationship.
Taking to her Instagram on Sunday, 17 March, the 37 year old shared a post on her story which paid “solidarity” to anybody else who was feeling similar to her before sharing an optimistic quote for the future.
“Solidarity to anyone else feeling sad as hell today,” the Burn singer wrote on top of a black background. “Tomorrow will be better,” she added. Read more
Russians vote for Putin must be accepted, Italy’s Salvini says (JerusalemPost)
Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini distanced himself on Monday from Western leaders’ critical response to Vladimir Putin’s landslide victory in Russia’s presidential election, saying the voters’ verdict must be accepted.
Putin, who has already led Russia for nearly a quarter of a century, won the three-day election ending Sunday with a record post-Soviet landslide, extending his rule by six more years.
The United States and Europe said the elections were neither free nor fair as Putin has clamped down on media-imprisoned opponents and prevented others from running against him. Read more
African Games: Falconets beat Uganda 2-0 to reach finals (Vanguard)
Nigeria’s Under-20 female football team, the Falconets, on Monday reached the finals of the women’s football event at the 13th African Games in Ghana.
They defeated their Ugandan counterparts 2-0 in the semi-finals of their match at Cape Coast Stadium.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Falconets have therefore boosted their quest to clinch the gold medal in their event. NAN reports that Monday’s encounter was closely contested with both teams vying for a spot in the finals. Read more
FIFA condemns Turkish league violence after soccer fans storm pitch and attack Fenerbahçe players (CNN)
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has condemned the violence that broke out after Trabzonspor fans stormed the pitch and attacked Fenerbahçe players following a Turkey Süper Lig match Sunday.
The brawl broke out after the final whistle as Fenerbahçe celebrated its 3-2 win.
Security forces tried to shield Fenerbahçe players, as fans stormed the pitch.
“The violence witnessed after the Turkish Süper Lig match between Trabzonspor and Fenerbahçe is absolutely unacceptable – on or off the field, it has no place in our sport or society,” Infantino said in a statement released on social media. Read more
Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann pulls out of France squad with ankle injury (SportsMole)
Atletico Madrid attacker Antoine Griezmann has withdrawn from the France squad with an ankle injury, ending his remarkable streak of successive appearances for his country.
The 32-year-old last failed to appear for Les Bleus in a 3-2 friendly win over England in June 2017, since when he has formed a part of Didier Deschamps’s side in 84 straight international matches.
Griezmann earned his 127th and most recent cap for France in their final Euro 2024 qualifier in November, captaining Les Bleus to a 2-2 draw against Greece to round off an unbeaten group run. Read more
Steph Curry takes subtle shot at Lakers (SI)
Every NBA fan knows that the Los Angeles Lakers take a ton of free throws, but no one knows that more than Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. That’s why Curry had to celebrate when he found out the Lakers’ free throw numbers on Saturday night.
When the Warriors faced off against the Lakers on Saturday night, LA only took three more free throws than Golden State; the Lakers shot 18 free throws, and the Warriors shot 15. It was a stat that immediately pleased Steph Curry when he saw it postgame.
“Only 18 free throws!” Steph Curry joked after the game. “Yeah!” Read more
History-making British Olympic cyclist Laura Kenny retires (France24)
Britain’s Laura Kenny, the most successful female cyclist in Olympic history, announced Monday it was time to “hang that bike up”, giving up on her dream of competing at the Paris Games.
The five-time Olympic track gold medallist, who gave birth to a second child in July, had been targeting a fourth Olympic Games later this year.
“I always knew deep down I would know when the right time was,” the 31-year-old told the BBC. “I have had an absolute blast but now is the time for me to hang that bike up.”
Kenny, who is married to Britain’s most successful Olympic cyclist, Jason Kenny, won gold medals at the London 2012 Games in omnium and team pursuit, defending her titles in Rio de Janeiro. Read more
‘‘They need to trust the club’’: Mauricio Pochettino’s plea to angry Chelsea fans (Guardian)
Mauricio Pochettino defended himself against mutinous Chelsea fans after they turned on him during his side’s FA Cup quarter-final victory against Leicester.
Emotions were high after Chelsea threw away a 2-0 lead at Stamford Bridge. The home fans booed Raheem Sterling and aimed chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” at Pochettino during the second half. Chelsea’s head coach, who was also barracked during a recent 2-2 draw with Brentford, was targeted after taking off Mykhailo Mudryk instead of Sterling.
“I am not asking them to trust me,” Pochettino said. “They need to trust the club. If I am here it is because of the decision of the club. Read more