Two killed, score injured in Ikorodu cult clash (Punch)
Two persons were reportedly killed in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Sunday when two rival cult groups clashed in a supremacy battle. Members of the two cult groups, Aiye and Eiye confraternities, were said to have engaged each other in a fierce battle at the Benson Bus Stop, which is said to be the stronghold of Eiye, around 11:30pm. Read more
Jonathan: I was pressed to reject 2015 election result (Nation)
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed how he was pressured not to accept defeat in the 2015 election. Noting that the election was laden with some irregularities, including the difficulty he faced before he could vote in his native Otuoke, Bayelsa State home, Jonathan said he conceded defeat principally because it was his belief that his ambition should not lead to loss of lives and property as it was the case in previous elections. Read more
Fashola: why Southwest will re-elect Buhari (Nation)
The Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) says the South West has more to gain by re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election. Fashola, who was in Lagos yesterday for the inauguration of 5000 foot soldiers for the campaign of Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said the Southwest already had high stakes/appointments in the current administration. Read more
Presidency seeks bishop’s probe for allegedly spreading Buhari’s death rumour (Punch)
The Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, has written to the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police seeking the probe of an alleged peddler of false claim of the death of President Muhammadu Buhari. Acknowledgment copies of the separate letters addressed to the Director General of the DSS, Mr. Yusuf Bichi, and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, were obtained by The PUNCH on Tuesday. Read more
Vengeance against my family, govt triggered recession, says Jonathan (Nation)
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the descent into recession by the country few months after his exit from office was self-inflicted by the APC government which came with a vengeance mission and name-calling rather than build on the gains of his administration. The former president said in his book, My Transition Hours, that the clueless tag given to his government… Read more
Keep off Nigeria, ex-British minister tells investors (Punch)
A former Secretary of State for International Development of the United Kingdom, Priti Patel, has warned investors to be wary of investing in Nigeria. In an op-ed for City A.M., Patel, who is a member of the British parliament, claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari was not in the habit of obeying law and court orders. Read more
Oyo workers get September, October salaries (Nation)
The Oyo State government has said the September and October salaries approved by Governor Abiola Ajimobi have been paid to the civil servants and teachers on government employ. The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism Mr. Toye Arulogun said the workers got their September salary late last week while the October salary had been paid this week. Read more
Ogun warns monarchs over indiscriminate conferment of titles (Punch)
The Ogun State Government has warned traditional rulers in the state against the indiscriminate conferment of titles on their subjects. The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jide Ojuko, stated this on Monday during the 2018 Budget Assessment visit by the House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs. Ojuko said only people of integrity should be honoured in their communities. Read more
Students seized from school in Cameroon (BBC)
Twenty students have been kidnapped by gunmen from a school in the restive English-speaking part of Cameroon. The abduction in Kumba comes almost a fortnight after nearly 80 students were safely returned after being taken from a school in the neighbouring region. Cameroon’s North-West and South-West provinces have been hit by a separatist rebellion since last year. Read more
French prosecutors open inquiry into Macron campaign financing (Guardian)
Paris prosecutors have launched an inquiry into the origins of thousands of euros donated to President Emmanuel Macron’s election campaign last year, a legal source told AFP on Tuesday. The move follows an alert from France’s campaign finance oversight body this month, after it was unable to determine the sources of a total of 144,000 euros ($164,000) given to Macron’s Republic on the Move (LREM) movement. Read more
Trump backs Saudi Arabia despite murder (BBC)
US President Donald Trump has strongly defended ties with Saudi Arabia despite international condemnation of journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. The kingdom is a “steadfast partner” that has agreed to invest “a record amount of money” in the US, Mr Trump said in a statement. The president acknowledged Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman “could very well” have known about Khashoggi’s murder. Read more
Micheal Obafemi snubs Super Eagles, debut for Ireland (Guardian)
Southampton striker Michael Obafemi has made his international debut for Ireland, snubbing both Nigeria and England. Dublin-born Obafemi was raised in London and has Nigerian parents, thus, making the Super Eagles and England national team options for the 18-year old striker. Read more
Forrest hat-trick as Scotland win group (BBC)
Scotland clinched a Euro 2020 play-off place and Nations League promotion after a dramatic and angst-ridden night against Israel at Hampden. Celtic winger James Forrest scored a hat trick – taking his tally to five in two games – to put Alex McLeish’s side 3-1 up just after the hour, cancelling out Beram Kayal’s surprise opener. Read more
Neymar injured as Brazil beat Cameroon (BBC)
Paris St-Germain forward Neymar played for only six minutes as Brazil edged out Cameroon in Milton Keynes. Neymar suffered an adductor muscle injury while taking a shot and was replaced by Everton’s Richarlison. And the Toffees forward proved to be the match-winner, powering home a header on the stroke of half-time. Read more
Philippe Coutinho set for Barcelona return (Guardian)
Barcelona forward Philippe Coutinho has returned to training ahead of this weekend’s La Liga match against Atletico Madrid after missing two weeks with a thigh problem, the club announced on Tuesday. The 26-year-old former Liverpool player has not featured for the side at the top of the table since the 1-1 Champions League draw at Inter Milan on November 6. Read more
I killed man for having sex with my wife – Suspect (Punch)
The Niger State Police Command has arrested a 40-year-old man, Mr Joseph Abanda, for allegedly killing one Umaru Yakubu of Kwagana village in Paikoro Local Government Area of the state. The command confirmed the suspect’s arrest on Tuesday, stating that a team of detectives attached to the Kanfin-Koro Division apprehended the suspect over Yakubu’s murder. Read more
Father held for infecting two-year-old daughter with STD (Punch)
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested one Peter Adida for allegedly defiling his two-year-old daughter in the Badore area of Ajah. The Lagos State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, said in a statement on Tuesday that a medical report had confirmed that the toddler was penetrated and infected with a sexually transmitted disease, adding that the state Commissioner of Police had directed the Gender Section Unit of the command to conduct further investigation into matter. Read more