Uber passenger jumps into Lagos Lagoon (Punch)
A yet-to-be-identified man on Saturday jumped into the Lagoon around the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos State.
It was learnt that the man had boarded a car-hailing service, Uber, from Gbagada to a destination in the state.
While the driver was commuting him to his destination, The PUNCH gathered that the passenger told the driver to park on the Third Mainland Bridge because he had a stomach ache.
After parking, the yet-to-be-identified man disembarked from the vehicle and jumped into the ocean around 11am. Read more
Man beats deaconess wife to death in Lagos over sex (Punch)
The running battle between a couple in Ladi-Lak, Bariga area of Lagos State, has ended on a tragic note as the husband, John Onyeme, reportedly beat his wife to death.
City Round learnt that the deceased, Esther Onyeme, was a deaconess and proprietress of a nursery and primary school in the community.
Neighbours said John always accused his wife of adultery and for starving him of sex which often triggered their disagreements.
It was gathered that the couple and their three children lived together on Ayorinde Street, Ladi-Lak, until about five months ago when Esther packed out in the heat of a fight and relocated to a church. Read more
One dead, many wounded as youths fight over girls on Valentine’s Day (Vanguard)
Following misunderstanding among youths in Ovonum Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State, one person has reportedly been hacked to death while many sustained severe machete cuts.
One boy, whose name was given as Ose Egor was hacked to death on the Valentine’s Day night and his body deposited in the mortuary.
The misunderstanding, according to Okpa Okpa, our source in the area, started when youths gathered in the local beach, popularly called Ovonum beach for Valentine’Day fanfare but misunderstanding erupted when one of the girls left her boyfriend with whom she went with to the beach to hitch up with another boy. Read more
Lagos Assembly debunks secret approval of land in Magodo (Nation)
The Lagos State House Of Assembly Committee on Lands has debunked media report making the round that it made secret approval of land to the Ojoko family in Magodo GRA Phase One, describing it as unfounded and spurious.
Chairman, House Committee On Lands, Hon. Richard Kasunmu, at a press briefing held in the Assembly Complex, on Friday, narrated the investigation processes and procedures which the committee went through on the land tussle between Ojoko family and Magodo GRA Phase 1 Gateway Zone Community Development Area ( CDA), stating that the executives of the CDA severally boycotted meetings initiated by the Committee.
Kasunmu explained that it was a shock to him and the committee members to read on the pages of newspapers that the assembly had made secret approval of land to the Ojoko family. Read more
NAF graduates new batch of 2,079 recruits to boost internal security operations (Vanguard)
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has successfully graduated a fresh batch of 2,079 recruits to boost its capacity to effectively tackle various internal security challenges in the country.
The colourful Passing Out Parade (POP) of the Basic Military Training Course (BMTC) 40/2019 took place on Saturday, 15 February 2020, at the Military Training Centre (MTC), Kaduna, with the recruits having undergone 6 months of rigorous military training.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar used the occasion of the POP to honour 3 NAF personnel who had paid the supreme price in the line of duty by naming. Read more
Shocking confessions of kidnap gang who raped victims (Nation)
A suspected armed robbery and kidnap gang, who specialised in raping female victims and kidnapping of rich lawyers as well reverend fathers who keep church money in Enugu, Imo and Abia states, has been smashed by the operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team(IRT).
A source revealed that the public complaints on the incessant kidnap and robbing of residents in the three states with impunity made the IGP to direct the commander of IRT, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Abba Kyari, to smash the gang.
When Abba kyari’s special squad swung into action, 16 members of the notorious kidnapping gang, who unleashed terror on residents of these states, were arrested like fowls. Read more
Auno massacre: We regret returning Buhari to power – Borno residents lament (Vanguard)
This occurred after the motorists conveying hundreds of passengers and goods worth billions of naira were prevented entry to the city at the final military checkpoint for failing to meet the 5pm stipulated time set by security operatives.
This is even as another latest Boko Haram attack took place on Monday night in Tungushe village which is located along Maiduguri-Monguno road. Another attack took place on Jiddari Polo general area of the metropolis on Wednesday evening few hours after President Muhammadu Buhari paid sympathy visit to the state. Fortunately, this time, troops were able to repel the attacks with casualties from the side of the terrorists alone.
Auno, located along Maiduguri-Damaturu road, is about 7 kilometers away from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital and 5 kilometers away to the newly established Borno State University campus. Read more
Yemen war: Saudi-led coalition warplane crashes (BBC)
A warplane belonging to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen has crashed in the northern province of al-Jawf.
A coalition spokesman confirmed that a Saudi Tornado fighter jet had “fallen” while carrying out a support mission near Yemeni army units, according to Saudi Arabia’s state news agency SPA.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they shot down the plane.
The Saudi-led coalition has been battling the rebel Houthi movement since 2015.
It intervened after the Houthis ousted the internationally-recognised government from power in the capital Sanaa. Read more
Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Katsina-Ala, Peter Adoboh is dead (Vanguard)
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Katsina-Ala, the Most Reverend Peter Adoboh is dead.
Though a formal statement on the death of the cleric was yet to be released at the time of this report an impeccable source at the Catholic Diocese of Katsina-Ala disclosed that 62-year-old Bishop Adoboh died on Friday, February 14, 2020, at the Daughters of Charity Hospital Abuja.
According to the source, Bishop Adoboh whose remains has been brought back to Benue state had a long struggled with ill-health and was at various times given medical treatment in the US, Canada and Italy. Read more
West Africa bloc meets to solve Nigeria’s border closure conundrum (Guardian)
West African ministers met on Saturday to search for solutions to regional powerhouse Nigeria’s shock decision to close its borders last August to curb smuggling.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has been at loggerheads with Nigeria since Africa’s largest economy shut its land frontiers with Niger and Benin to curb smuggling of rice and other commodities.
The move “strikes at the roots of our grouping — the free circulation of people and goods”, said Salou Djibo, Niger’s army chief, from the conference in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou.
“The unilateral closure of the borders goes against all the commercial and free movement treaties signed by Nigeria in the framework of ECOWAS,” he said. Read more
NPFL: Rangers match winner Madaki hails Salisu influence (Vanguard)
NPFL champions in 2016, Rangers climbed out of the relegation zone albeit on goals difference after a narrow 1-0 win over Jigawa Golden Stars in Enugu on Wednesday.
Rangers made a hard work of what was expected to be a straight forward home win as their visitors resisted for over an hour of football but young winger Dauda Madaki pounced when it mattered most with 20 minutes left after an excellent creation by his roommate Ibrahim Olawoyin.
Madaki was making only his second start of the season, the first in 2020 and the Benue-born star made a telling impact; troubling the visitors all day with his set-piece deliveries before eventually scoring the winner. Read more
Khune: Akpeyi making my return to starting XI difficult (Punch)
Kaizer Chiefs captain, Itumeleng Khune, says the recent form and performance of Nigeria international, Daniel Akpeyi, has made his return to the starting line up more difficult than expected.
Khune made a much awaited return to the starting line-up in the team’s 1-0 win against second division side, Royal Eagles in the Nedbank Cup round of 32 but manager, Ernst Middendorp, had hinted that Akpeyi will make a return to the starting line up against Maritzburg United on Saturday.
The 32-year-old gloveman has battled with injuries this season, which has made it even more difficult to compete with an in-form Akpeyi, who has become the first choice for coach Middendorp. Read more
Man City’s motivation against Real will be ‘immense’, says Zidane (Guardian)
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Saturday said that he is expecting Manchester City’s motivation to be “immense” when the two sides meet in the Champions League following the announcement of the English side’s two-season ban from European competitions.
UEFA on Friday said that City would be suspended from the next two editions of the Champions League for “serious” financial fair-play breaches, although the Premier League champions have said they will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Real host Pep Guardiola’s City in their last-16 first leg on February 26, with the return game at the Etihad on March 17.
“For what has just happened, their motivation will be immense,” said Zidane ahead of La Liga leaders Real’s match against Celta Vigo on Sunday. Read more
Guardiola may quit Man City over Champions League (Nation)
Pep Guardiola said he could end up being sacked by Manchester City if he failed to win the Champions League just days before the club were sensationally banned from the competition.
UEFA slapped City with a ban for the next two seasons yesterday evening following breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations.
The governing body’s statement read: “The Adjudicatory Chamber has found that in breach of the regulations the Club failed to cooperate in the investigation of this case by the CFCB. Read More
Vydra strike gives Burnley win at Saints (BBC)
Matej Vydra’s goal was his first for Burnley since 22 September 2018
Matej Vydra’s superb goal boosted Burnley’s hopes of playing in Europe for the second time in three years as they won a weather-affected Premier League game at Southampton.
The result lifts the Clarets up to 10th, five points behind Sheffield United in fifth.
The visitors had made the perfect start, Ashley Westwood scoring direct from a corner after 93 seconds. Read more
Eight football fans die in Peru road accident (Punch)
A bus carrying Ecuadoran football fans plunged into a ravine Saturday while heading home from a Copa Libertadores game in Peru, killing at least eight, authorities said.
The bus, which had left from Lima, fell 15 meters (50 feet) from a stretch of the Panamerican Highway in northern Peru, police said.
The number of injured was not immediately disclosed.
The bus was carrying supporters of a team called Barcelona de Guayaquil, which played the Peruvian side Sporting Cristal on Thursday in Lima.
Peru’s highways are notoriously hazardous because of their many dangerous curves, poor maintenance, insufficient signage, drivers that speed and scanty police presence. Read more
Solskjaer seeks instant impact (Nation)
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has backed new signing Odion Ighalo to make an immediate impact against Chelsea.
Ighalo will train with his new teammates for the first time tomorrow after spending two weeks in quarantine, having arrived from China amid the global coronavirus crisis.
It means the striker will get just one session to integrate himself before making the trip to face Chelsea on Monday night, but Solskjaer said that should not be a problem. Read more
Russia’s Ustyugov to lose Olympic gold over doping (Vanguard)
Russian biathlete Evgeny Ustyugov has been retrospectively suspended for doping by the International Biathlon Union (IBU) and will lose his 2014 Olympic relay gold medal.
The 34-year-old, who also won the 2010 Olympic 15km mass start title in Vancouver, retired following the Sochi winter Games six years ago.
A sample from 2014 tested positive for a steroid and all his results for the 2013-14 season have been annulled.
The IBU also declared the 2013-14 results of Svetlana Sleptsova invalid after she tested positive for ostarine, another steroid. She did not win a title during the period in question. Read more