Troops rescue pregnant Chibok Girl with kids 10 years after (Channels)
Troops of the Nigerian Army deployed in the North-East have announced the rescue of Lydia Simon, a Chibok girl who had been held captive by Boko Haram terrorists for several years.
A statement from the Department of Army Public Relations said Lydia, who was on serial number 68 among the abducted missing Chibok Secondary School girls, was rescued along with her three children by troops conducting Operation Desert Sanity III, around Ngoshe in the Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
Lydia was five months pregnant at the time of her rescue and claimed to be from Pemi Town in Chibok. Read more
We arrested DJ Commissioner Wysei not Switch – Police apologise for mix-up (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Police Force has issued an apology following a mix-up regarding the alleged arrest of popular disc jockey DJ Switch.
Earlier reports had circulated on Thursday claiming that DJ Switch had been arrested for alleged assault.
DJ Switch promptly refuted these reports, vehemently denying any involvement in such incidents and warning of legal action against those spreading false rumors. Read more
Court okays substituted service on Mohbad’s wife for DNA test (Nation)
AChief Magistrate Court in Ikorodu has issued an order for Wunmi, the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba’s wife, to be served a notice of a pending DNA test application via substituted means.
The Aloba family’s legal team member, Monisola Odumosu, confirmed this, stating that the order was necessary as the court sheriff had failed to personally serve the court process on Wunmi twice.
The Nation reported that the issue of conducting a DNA test on the deceased’s son the Aloba family has been a long-standing issue since the demise of MohBad. Read more
FCCPC conducts price enforcement in Abuja supermarkets (Punch)
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has initiated a campaign to enforce price display and quantity compliance at supermarkets throughout Abuja.
The Commission started this at 4U Supermarket, Wuse 2 Abuja on Thursday.
This move is a direct response to concerns raised by consumers about the rising costs of goods, which go against the recent strengthening of the naira. Read more
Yahaya Bello asks Abuja court to set aside arrest warrant against him (DailyTrust)
Former Governor of Kogi, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, on Thursday, prayed a Federal High Court, Abuja to set aside an arrest warrant issues against him.
Bello, through his lawyer, Abdulwahab Mohammed, SAN, told Justice Emeka Nwite that the court lacked jurusidction to grant the order in the first instance.
Mohammed told Justice Nwite when the matter was called for the ex-governor to be arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 19-count money laundering charge. Read more
Alleged N4b Fraud: Court orders ex-Anambra gov, Obiano to face trial (ThisDay)
The Federal Government has expressed its determination to partner with stakeholders in the environmental sector especially the Institute of Environmental Practitioners of Nigeria (IEPN) on environmental sustainability.
The Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Lawal said this at the inauguration ceremony of the 1st Governing Council of IEPN in Abuja.
Lawal, who was represented by Dr Olubunmi Olusanya, Director Pollution Control and Environmental Health in the ministry assured that they would unlock all the potentials in the environment sector and regulate environmental professionalism. Read more
Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, 5 ministers to attend transport roundtable in Lagos (Tribune)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and five Ministers are set to attend the Global Transport Policy Annual Roundtable and bilingual magazine public launch slated for the 24th of April 2024.
Disclosing this on Thursday in Lagos, the Chairman/Chief Consultant, Global Transport Policy, Dr Oluwasegun Musa explained that trends and developments in recent times have shown the need for urgent conversation to foster economic growth in the Nigerian transport industry.
According to Dr Oluwasegun Musa, “It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this press conference ahead of the Global Transport Policy annual roundtable and bilingual magazine public launch slated for the 24th of April, 2024 in Lagos, Nigeria. Read more
Tinubu directs mobilisation of NOUN for NYSC, Law School (Leadership)
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Education to include graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
Tinubu also resolved the longstanding admission of NOUN Law graduates into Nigeria Law School, for equal opportunities.
He made the disclosure during his presentation at the 13th convocation ceremony of NOUN on Saturday, at the university’s Convocation Arena, Jabi, Abuja. Read more
Kate Hudson announces “sexy and delicious” new album (MusicNews)
Kate Hudson has announced the details of her “sexy and delicious” debut album, ‘Glorious’.
The 44-year-old actress will release her first LP on 17 May and she’s teased the 12-track record will showcase a broad range of emotions.
She said in a statement: “I wanted something that was sexy and delicious, vulnerable and strong, willing and fearless – and especially gloriously in love with the way life takes you on this journey if you’ll just show up and be open. Read more
Asylum seeker raped girl, 15, after ‘do-gooder’ cabin crew blocked deportation (Metro)
An asylum seeker who wore a sign reading ‘migrants are not criminals’ has pleaded guilty to raping a 15-year-old girl.
Anicet Mayela, 40, from the Republic of Congo, first came to the UK in 2004 but was set to be deported in 2005.
But his flight was blocked by Air France cabin crew after they heard he was being sent back to his home country. Read more
50 Cent trolls Diddy with suggestive text messages: ‘This is fun to me’ (HipHopDx)
50 Cent has continued trolling Diddy by posting a fake suggestive text conversation with the embattled Bad Boy boss.
50, who has been taunting his longtime rival ever since he was first accused of sexual assault late last year, has gotten more creative in his campaign against Puffy.
Alongside a caption which says: “Yo this is fun to me, I had to share this it made me laugh,” the G-Unit boss posted a video on Instagram on Wednesday (April 17) that appears to show Diddy messaging him. Read more
Israeli attack on nuclear sites to prompt tit-for-tat, pursuing nukes: Iran (AlJazeera)
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that it would attack Israel’s nuclear sites and may pursue a nuclear weapon if the country strikes at Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The development came on Thursday, after Israeli officials promised a response to Iran’s unprecedented attacks on Israel last week, which were a retaliation for the Israeli military’s suspected targeting of Tehran’s consulate in Syria.
“The nuclear facilities of the Zionist enemy have been identified and all the necessary information from all targets is at our disposal,” the IRGC’s Brigadier General Ahmad Haghtalab was quoted as saying by Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news website. Read more
Google fires 28 workers for protesting $1.2b Israel contract (NBC)
Google has fired more than two dozen employees for protesting the company’s $1.2 billion contract to provide the Israeli government and military with cloud and artificial intelligence services.
The 28 firings come after nine employees were arrested Tuesday night following a sit-in at the company’s offices in Seattle, New York and Sunnyvale, California — including one at Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian’s office, according to the group that organized the demonstration, No Tech for Apartheid.
Protestors sat in his office for more than nine hours, wearing shirts and raising banners that read “No more genocide for profit,” until their eventual arrest. Read more
Tom Cruise’s ‘estranged’ daughter Suri celebrates 18th birthday in US as he films in London (Mirror)
Tom Cruise continues filming Mission Impossible in the UK, thousands of miles away from his ‘estranged’ daughter Suri’s 18th birthday celebrations
Suri Cruise is celebrating her 18th birthday in New York.
She was spotted out and about in the Big Apple on Wednesday, clutching a charming bouquet of pink carnation flowers. Sporting an all-denim look, Suri appeared to be gearing up for her big birthday celebrations, miles away from her father Tom Cruise. Read more
Iranian president: ‘‘Tiniest invasion’’ by Israel will be met with a massive response (TimesOfIsrael)
Ebrahim Raisi, the president of Iran, warned on Wednesday that the “tiniest invasion” by Israel would bring a “massive and harsh” response, as the region braces for a potential Israeli retaliation after Iran’s attack over the weekend.
The weekend attack, dubbed “Honest Promise” by Tehran, “brought down the glory of the Zionist regime,” Raisi said at an annual army parade near Tehran on Wednesday, in a speech addressed to the regular army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“This operation showed that our armed forces are ready,” said the president, as his chief naval officer announced he was beefing up security for Iranian commercial ships in the Red Sea as tensions in the vital maritime route persist.
Juve joins race to sign Ndidi in summer (Sun)
Former Italian Serie A champion, Juventus is weighing up a transfer for Super Eagles midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi at the end of the season, Soccernet.ng reports.
Ndidi has been one of the best midfielders in the Super Eagles fold in recent years, and his ability on the pitch is undeniable.
Just three seasons ago, the Nigeria international was regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. Unfortunately, injuries have been his bane, affecting his performances on the pitch. Read more
Ekiti Utd dissolve Technical Crew, hire Ayeni as new coach (Leadership)
The management of Ekiti United Football Club have announced the dissolution of the team’s technical crew with immediate effect.
No fewer than thirteen out of the thirty eight players of the team were also disengaged due to the poor run and performance of the team in the ongoing Nigeria National League (NNL).
The service of the former coach of Sunshine Stars of Akure and Akwa United of Uyo, Ayodeji Ayeni, has been secured to rescue the team from relegation.
Ayeni who will resume as the new Head Coach of the team immediately took Ekiti United to the last eight, the last time he was in-charge of the team’s gaffer. Read more
Albany football star AJ Simon dead at 25, 1 week before NFL draft (People)
Former University of Albany defensive lineman Amitral “AJ” Simon is dead. He was 25.
News of Simon’s death comes a week before the start of the 2024 NFL Draft, which the collegiate football star announced he was entering in December 2023.
The school’s football team shared his death on its official X account, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday, April 17. Read more
Barcelona fined by Uefa after racist behaviour from fans at Paris St-Germain (BBC)
Barcelona have been fined for racist behaviour and other actions by their fans in their Champions League quarter-final first leg at Paris St-Germain.
In addition to the racism, Uefa also charged Barca over their supporters lighting fireworks and causing damage at the Parc des Princes.
The Spanish club will have to pay a fine of 32,000 euros (£27,000). Read more
Juventus ordered to pay Ronaldo over 10 million dollars in back wages (AfricaNews)
Juventus has been ordered to pay Cristiano Ronaldo more than $10 million by an arbitration board following a salary dispute.
The dispute regarded a move by Juventus players to defer part of their salaries during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 9.8 million euros ($10.5 million) that Juventus was ordered to pay Ronaldo is half the amount that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had been seeking from the Turin club in back wages. Read more
Verstappen shares more favourable F1 sprint race opinion (RN365)
Max Verstappen has been an outspoken critic of F1 Sprint weekends, but the Red Bull driver has praised the most recent change to the format.
The Chinese Grand Prix returns to the F1 calendar this weekend after a five-year absence, with the Shanghai International Circuit also playing host to the first Sprint weekend of the season.
A major change to the format for this year allows teams to make changes by opening parc fermé restrictions for three hours between the sprint and grand prix qualifying on Saturday. Read more
