We want Nigeria to become one of easiest places to do business, says Osinbajo (Punch)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday said that Nigeria does not have the luxury of dealing with one country in the world. Osinbajo, who made the assertion in Lagos at a two-day 2019 USA Fair, said that Nigeria as a developing country was ambitious in building relations with America, Europe, Asia, Middle East and others. Represented by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah, Osinbajo said that Nigeria would continue to be a partner to different countries. Read more
EFCC: beware of 5th columnists, Okorocha replies Magu (Nation)
Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, has advised the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to stick strictly to the mandate of the Commission and avoid playing a tool in hands of politicians. Magu had during a conference in London disclosed that the Imo governor is under the watchlist of the Commission. The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo in a statement, said, “on Monday, May 20, 2019, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, Alhaji Ibrahim Magu was quoted to have told Journalists at a Press Conference in London that the Commission was investigating Governor Rochas Okorocha over the bailout fund. Read more
Reps pass bill ending HND-B.Sc dichotomy (Punch)
The House of Representatives has passed a bill which abolished the existing dichotomy between Polytechnic Higher National Diploma and the Bachelor of Science degree awarded by the Nigerian universities. The bill was passed during Tuesday’s plenary. The legislation, which was sponsored by Ali Isa and Edward Pwajok from Gombe and Plateau States respectively, was passed for second reading since April 2017. Read more
Buhari’s visit to Imo postponed indefinitely (Guardian)
The scheduled visit of President Muhammadu Buhari, to Imo State on Tuesday, May 21, to inaugurate some landmark projects executed by Governor Rochas Okorocha has been postponed indefinitely. A statement on Tuesday signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor Sam Onwuemeodo said the development was a sequel to the trip made by the president to Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage. The statement assured that a new date would be communicated to the people of the state. Read more
Wike sacks monarch over cultism (Punch)
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has announced the sacking of the traditional ruler of Baabe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Monday Noryaa, for his alleged involvement in cultism. Wike made this announcement through a statement issued by his Special Assistant in Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu. The statement specifically indicated the withdrawal of Certificate of Recognition from the Gbenemene of Baabe Kingdom in Khana LGA of Rivers State. Read more
National Assembly takes credits of primary health care revamp (Guardian)
Nigeria’s Senate President Bukola Saraki Tuesday claimed an intervention by the National Assembly led to the success being recorded in the health sector. “I think the game changer is the 469 members of this National Assembly who in 2018 single-handedly ensured the funding of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund,” Saraki said during the plenary. “If you go by the media reports, they called it padding, but it was the intervention that provided those funds that will make a difference in the Healthcare industry today,” he added. Read more
EFCC grills Kwara Assembly Clerk, SSG over alleged N400m severance package paid lawmakers, others (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ilorin Zonal Office, has commenced investigations into the alleged illegal payment of about N400m to some members of the Kwara State House of Assembly and the State Executive Council members before the expiration of their tenures. To this end, the anti-graft agency is currently interrogating the Secretary to the State Government, Sola Isiaka Gold; and the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Kperogi Halimat Jummai, over the alleged payment which did not follow due process. Read more
Ganduje to dissolve cabinet Wednesday (Guardian)
Barely seven days to his inauguration for a second term, Kano State governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is set to dissolve his 13-member state executive council. The dissolution is expected to be effected on Wednesday when the cabinet meets for the final executive council meeting, The Guardian authoritatively gathered. However, the Head of Service Alhaji Mohammad Auwal Naiya and Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Alhaji Usman Alhaji may not be affected by the dissolution. Read more
We have 4,500 spaces for 4,000 house doctors —Adewole (Punch)
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has suggested that medical students who must proceed on housemanship as part of their training should not have any problem with placement. The minister spoke at the Senate Plenary on Tuesday before the Committee of the Whole as he was summoned to explain the reasons for the poor state of healthcare infrastructure all over the country. Read more
Drugs intercepted by police in Kano not Tramadol —NDLEA (Punch)
The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency has said the recent drugs allegedly intercepted by the police in Kano State was not tramadol, but diclofenac, an analgesic. The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the police recently announced that it intercepted 303 cartons of drugs suspected to be tramadol. However, the NDLEA Commander in Kano, Dr Ibrahim Abdul, told newsmen on Tuesday in Kano that the command had intercepted such drugs recently. Read more
Navy seizes N8m worth of smuggled rice from Cameroon, arrests three (Nation)
Men of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Victory have arrested three suspects with 455 bags of smuggled parboiled rice worth N8 million along the Calabar channel. Commander, NNS Victory, Commodore Vincent Okeke, who handed over the suspects and rice to the Nigeria Customs Service at their jetty in Calabar on Tuesday said they came in from Cameroon. Read more
Army arrests fake soldier for assaulting Baba Fryo (Punch)
The Nigeria Army has arrested a fake soldier for allegedly assaulting veteran musician, Friday Igwe, aka Baba Fryo. Igwe, in a Facebook post, on Sunday, had shared pictures of himself with bruises and bandages. Alongside the pictures, the ‘Dem Go Dey Pose’ singer said, “I was humiliated by unknown (unnamed) soldiers. I tried to force them to the barracks; a female soldier interfered and allowed them to escape. Read more
Zimbabwe hikes fuel prices again as crisis deepens (Guardian)
Zimbabwe on Tuesday announced a fresh increase in fuel prices, months after a price hike triggered nationwide protests and a brutal security crackdown as the country’s economy woes deepen further. Upping prices by about 46 percent, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) said petrol would cost 4.97 a litre in the local RTGS dollar currency ($1.42/1.27 euro) and diesel would cost 4.89 RTGS dollars. Read more
Sudan protesters plan general strike as talks falter (Guardian)
Sudanese protest leaders called on their supporters Tuesday to prepare for a general strike after talks with the country’s military rulers stalled on who will lead an agreed three-year transition. Protest leaders had reached an agreement with the ruling military council on the other main aspects of the transition. But early on Tuesday, the generals who overthrew veteran president Omar al-Bashir last month baulked at protesters’ demands for a civilian head and a civilian majority for an agreed new sovereign council to lead the transition. Read more
Iranian threats ‘put on hold’, says US defence chief (BBC)
Potential attacks by Iran have been “put on hold” by US counter-measures, acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Tuesday. The US has warned in recent weeks of a threat from Iran but has not given any details. Tensions between the two nations have risen sharply since Donald Trump won the US presidency. President Trump last year unilaterally withdrew the US from a nuclear deal with Iran and five world powers. Read more
Man arrested by police as he tried to save dying friend (Metro)
A partygoer battling to keep his best friend conscious after he was repeatedly stabbed was bundled away by police who mistook him for the attacker, an inquest heard. Nathaniel Van Bois was trying to save hospital worker Lamar Stewart, 21, after he was knifed four times when a house birthday party spiralled out of control. But he was handcuffed by police officers who initially thought he was involved and kept away as paramedics tried to save his dying friend. Read more
Pakistani children worst affected in HIV outbreak (BBC)
The first sign that something was wrong in the small southern Pakistani town of Ratto Dero appeared in February. A handful of worried parents had taken their children to the doctor, complaining that their little ones could not shake off a fever. Within weeks, more children came forward suffering from a similar illness. Bemused, Dr Imran Aarbani sent the children’s blood away for testing. What came back confirmed his worst fears. The children were infected with HIV – and no-one knows why. Read more
Dalai Lama counters book’s claim about Xi meeting in Delhi (Guardian)
The Dalai Lama on Tuesday sought to defuse a diplomatic controversy caused by a new book which said the Tibetan spiritual leader and China’s President Xi Jinping had agreed to meet in 2014 but India refused to host the event. In “Defining India – Through Their Eyes”, author Sonia Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government scuttled a proposed meeting between the Buddhist leader and Xi in New Delhi out of concern for its relations with China. Read more
Boy, 14, ‘raped and murdered frail neighbor, 83’ (Metro)
A 14-year-old boy accused of raping and murdering his 83-year-old neighbor has had his trial pushed back four months. Tyrone Harvin had been due to stand trial this week over the first-degree rape and murder of Dorothy Mae Neal in August 2018. She was found beaten unconscious at her home in Baltimore, Maryland, and died the next day in hospital from blunt force trauma wounds. Read more
Nan Winton: First woman to read BBC TV news dies (BBC)
The first woman to read the news on BBC television has died at the age of 93. Nancy Wigginton, who was better known as Nan Winton, became the first female TV newsreader at the corporation on 20 June 1960. Winton was an experienced journalist who had worked on Panorama and Town and Around before she joined the television news reading team. The retired television and radio broadcaster, who lived in Bridport, Dorset, died in hospital on 11 May. Read more
Jason Mitchell ‘dropped from The Chi and Netflix’s Desperados’ amid misconduct allegations (Metro)
Jason Mitchell has reportedly been dropped from The Chi, amid a string of misconduct allegations. It has been claimed co-star Tiffany Boone was among several actresses to complain about the 32-year-old’s actions on set, repeatedly accusing him of sexual harassment. An insider told The Hollywood Reporter she allegedly felt ‘so unsafe’ with the Straight Outta Compton actor – who played her boyfriend on the show – that her fiancé Marque Richardson would be present during their scenes together. Read more
Mel B gets over ‘blindness’ scare to rehearse for Spice Girls tour (Metr
Mel B suffered a health scare over the weekend when she was rushed to hospital believing she had gone blind. However, the 43-year-old is back on track after receiving treatment for an eye infection, as the Spice Girls have shared very exciting pictures from rehearsals – and we’ve got all nostalgic. Mel B, Mel C, Emma Bunton and Geri Horner are hard at work ahead of their reunion tour, which kicks off this Friday, and it looks like they’re going all out. Read more
Ex-Enyimba FC coach sues club over alleged N3.4m debt (Punch)
Former Coach of Enyimba International F.C., Samson Unuanel, on Tuesday dragged the club before the National Industrial Court, Abuja over alleged unpaid N3.450 million, being the balance of his sign-on-fee Unuanel, who is the current Coach of Osun United, is also seeking an order of the court for payment of N100 million as general damages and another N10 million for the cost of prosecuting the suit. Read more
Asamoah Gyan quits international football ahead of 2019 AFCON (Punch)
Ghanaian footballer, Asamoah Gyan, has announced his retirement from international football, barely weeks to the start of the 2019 African Cup of Nations. On his verified Twitter handle, Gyan, who has been with the Black Stars for 16 years shared a statement titled, “Decision to recuse myself from AFCON 2019, Egypt and retire from the national team”. Part of his statement read, “I cannot pretend to be happy. Read more
Mkhitaryan hurts to miss Europa League final (Guardian)
Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan has admitted he is “hurt” after he was left out of the squad to travel for the Europa League final against Chelsea. “I must admit, it hurts me a lot to miss it,” Mkhitaryan tweeted. “We had to take the tough decision for me not to travel with the squad to the UEL Final against Chelsea,” he added. Read more
Firmino gives Liverpool fitness boost ahead of Champions League final (Punch)
Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino is on course to be fit for the Champions League final against Tottenham after returning to training during the club’s break in Marbella. Firmino missed Liverpool’s last three Premier League matches due to a thigh injury. But the Brazil international was able to take part in the first session of the squad’s pre-final training camp on Tuesday, putting him in the running to face Tottenham in Madrid on June 1. Read more
Spurs ban fans for trying to sell Champions League final tickets (Punch)
Tottenham have given “indefinite” bans to three fans who tried to sell their tickets for the Champions League final against Liverpool. Three Tottenham season-ticket holders listed the seats for the showpiece at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on a secondary market site. But they are not allowed to resell the tickets, leading Tottenham to issue the bans. Read more
Didier Deschamps explains Alexandre Lacazette snub from France’s latest squad (Metro)
Didier Deschamps has revealed that Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette missed out on a place in France’s latest squad because of Sevilla forward Wissam Ben Yedder. Lacazette has not played for France since he scored twice in a 2-2 draw with Germany in November 2017 and was named on the standby list for Deschamps’ World Cup squad last summer. Ben Yedder, meanwhile, only made his senior debut for France last year but the 28-year-old has had a superb season with Sevilla, scoring 30 goals in all competitions. Read more
Ex-Barcelona star Xavi’s last match ends in defeat for Al Sadd (Guardian)
Xavi Hernandez’s dazzling career came to a low-key end when his Qatari side Al Sadd were beaten 2-0 by Iranian giants Persepolis in their last group match of the AFC Champions League on Monday. The 39-year-old midfield genius, who helped Spain win the World Cup in 2010 and won four UEFA Champions League titles and eight La Liga titles with Barcelona, was cheered by fans at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran where already-eliminated Persepolis produced an improved display to register only their second win in six matches. Read more