We weren’t involved In NLC headquarters’ raid – DSS (DailyTrust)
The Department of State Services (DSS) says it not involved in the raid of the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) located in the Central Business District area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Daily Trust had reported that masked security operatives suspected to be from the DSS on Wednesday stormed and raided the headquarters NLC over allegations that members of the organised labour sponsored the #EndBadGovernance protest.
Some labour leaders, who spoke to Daily Trust in separate interviews Wednesday night, said people in the building had left for their various residence when the operatives stormed the building. Read more
2 persons burnt, vehicles destroyed as gas explosion rocks Lagos filling station (Vanguard)
Fire engulfed the Mobil Filling Station opposite Airport Hotel at Allen Junction in Lagos following an explosion involving a gas truck.
Two people sustained burns, and property worth millions of naira was damaged.
Eyewitnesses reported that the explosion occurred around 11 a.m., destroying at least seven vehicles. No fatalities were reported. Read more
NRC raises alarm over vandalisation of railway tracks (Tribune)
Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has raised the alarm that most of the Railway assets inside the Apapa Port have been vandalised by unknown persons.
Speaking on Thursday during a One-Day Stakeholders Sensitization Summit on Limitations To Rail Transportation of Cargo In Nigeria which was organised by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) in collaboration with the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the NRC Director of Operations and Commercial Services, Mr Akinwunmi Oshilowo lamented that aside vandalisation, NRC locomotives faces challenges in accessing the ports due to too many trucks clogging the railway right of way inside the Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited (ABTL) section of the Apapa Port.
According to the NRC Director of Operations and Commercial Services, “There needs to be a little bit of clarity between rail and port jurisdiction because our locomotives keep having issues when coming into the ports around the ABTL terminal of the Apapa Port. Read more
Tinubu appoints governing councils for 2 federal institutions (Channels)
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of nine persons to the governing councils of two federal institutions.
A statement by, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Ajuri Ngelale on Thursday, said the president expects members of the governing boards of the institutions to serve with integrity and devotion, to the enhancement of their structural, academic, and all-around standards. Read more
Benue PDP crisis deepens as party finally suspends Suswam, others for insurbordination (NewTelegraph)
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Benue State has finally suspended Senator Gabriel Suswam, Terngu Tsegba, Richard Gbande, Terseer Tsumba and Professor Nicholas Ada from the party for gross insubordination.
Senator Suswam, former Governor of the State, is contesting for the National Chairmanship seat of the party.
Also suspended are Chairmen of the party for, Apa, Gboko, Gwer-East, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Logo, Otukpo and Ukum local government areas. Read more
Bulls resurface on NGX as banking stocks drives N96b gain (Sun)
Bulls resurfaced on the local bourse on Wednesday as the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) All Share Index (ASI) rose by 0.18 per cent with investors wealth collectively adding N96.78 billion marking its first positive performance for the week.
This was spurred by investors renewed interests majorly in banking stocks namely Sterling Bank, GTCO, Zenith Bank, Access Corp. Other blue-chip stocks such as Oando, United Capital, MTN Nigeria also witnessed significant levels of appreciation.
The NGX ASI gained 170.46 basis points and closed the day’s trade at 97,098.98 basis points from an opening value of 96,928.52 points. Similarly, Market capitalization grew to N55.150 trillion against N55.033 trillion. Read more
20 die as boat explodes, sinks in Bayelsa (Vanguard)
A wooden cargo boat, identified as ‘Godbless Dickson’, laden with cargo and over 64 passengers and crew exploded, burst into flames leaving 20 dead in Bayelsa waterways.
The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday along the Ezetu 1 community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
ASP Musa Mohammed, the Police spokesman in Bayelsa said 20 people have been so far confirmed dead. He added that rescue efforts by the Marine Police unit were still ongoing. Read more
Anambra agency suspends 3 traffic officers fighting over bribe (Punch)
The Anambra State Road Traffic Management Agency said it has suspended three of its female officers caught on camera engaging in a physical brawl with a police traffic personnel at Aroma Junction, Awka, the state capital.
The three traffic officers were recently caught on camera publicly fighting with police traffic personnel over money purportedly given to them by a motorist.
Recall that a video circulated on social media a few days ago, showing four female traffic officers (comprising three ARTMA officials and one police traffic officer) throwing punches at each other while still in their uniforms at their duty post at Aroma Junction, Awka. Read more
Miss South Africa contestant pulls out amid nationality row (BBC)
The Miss South Africa beauty contestant at the centre of a nationality row has withdrawn from the competition, saying she took the decision for her and her family’s safety and well-being.
Chidimma Adetshina’s announcement on Instagram came a day after a preliminary investigation by the home affairs department found that her mother may have committed “identity theft” to become a South African national.
Ms Adetshina – a 23-year-old law student – said she was born in Soweto, a township next to Johannesburg, and grew up in Cape Town. Read more
Outrage in Tanzania over viral gang rape video (AfricaNews)
Tanzanian authorities have initiated an investigation following the widespread circulation of a video allegedly showing a gang rape, which has sparked nationwide outrage. Local media have reported that arrests have already been made.
The disturbing footage, featuring a young woman assaulted by multiple men, began to surface online on Sunday. Human rights organizations have been calling for swift action from the authorities.
In a statement, the police confirmed that their investigation is “progressing well,” but did not confirm any arrests. They assured the public that more detailed information will be released once the legal process is complete and urged everyone to remain calm. Read more
Hunt for gunman after 3 boys shot in south London (Metro)
Two 14-year-olds boy and one 18-year-old man have been shot in south London.
Officers were called to Otlinge Road in Orpington last night after reports a man had been shot.
After the 18-year-old was taken to hospital, police found the two injured boys while conducting a search of the area. Read more
New ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’ on Broadway attracts Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr (ABC)
A revival of the cutthroat business play “Glengarry Glen Ross” is slated for Broadway this spring — cast with a star from “Succession,” a TV show about cutthroat business.
Kieran Culkin will join “Better Call Saul” star Bob Odenkirk and comedian Bill Burr in a new production of an examination of two days in the lives of four desperate Chicago real estate salesmen. The production is set to open on Broadway in the spring of 2025.
Culkin is the latest “Succession” star to make their way to Broadway after Jeremy Strong appeared in a revival of “An Enemy of the People” this year. Sarah Snook, who played Shiv Roy, is expected to bring her one-woman production of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” to Broadway in 2025. Read more
Russia’s Kursk region declares state of emergency as incursion by Ukraine forces gathers pace (UPI)
Russia declared a state of emergency in its western Kursk region amid an ongoing incursion by Ukrainian forces that has killed five civilians and injured 30 including six children, according to health officials.
The decision Wednesday night was taken to deal with the fallout from a major cross-border raid launched by Ukraine the previous evening, said regional governor Alexey Smirnov after earlier ordering the evacuation of thousands of residents from the region’s border with Ukraine.
“In order to eliminate the consequences of enemy forces entering the region, I have decided to declare a state of emergency,” Smirnov wrote on social media. Read more
British zoologist Adam Britton jailed for 10 years in Australia after sexually abusing dogs (Independent)
British zoologist Adam Britton has been sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison after he admitted to sexually abusing dozens of dogs in Australia.
The 53-year-old leading British crocodile expert confessed to bestiality and a plethora of animal sexual abuse charges filed against him in Australia in September last year.
Warning that some of the details of Britton’s crimes were too graphic to be published, Chief Justice Michael Grant suggested members of the public leave the courtroom at the Northern Territory Supreme Court. Read more
Magician David Copperfield sued for allegedly trashing his luxury New York City condo (NBC)
Famed magician David Copperfield is being sued for neglecting his upscale Manhattan condo and allegedly leaving it in such despair that it has caused over $2 million in damages to the building and neighboring units.
The board of the Galleria Condominium, a luxurious 55-story complex on East 57th St, filed the $2.5 million lawsuit on Tuesday.
It says that Copperfield purchased the condo in 1997 for about $7.4 million, but transferred ownership to a shell company he owns shortly after buying it. Read more
Iheanacho eager to reunite with Navas (Punch)
Nigeria international Kelechi Iheanacho says he can’t wait to play alongside former Manchester City teammate Jesus Navas at Sevilla, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Sevilla announced the signing of the 27-year-old, signing a two-year deal with the Andalusian club on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with Leicester City at the end of last season.
Iheanacho spent two seasons at Manchester City with Navas, but both players left the Cityzens in 2017, with the 38-year-old Spaniard rejoining his boyhood club, while Iheanacho moved to the East Midlands, England. Read more
Rafiatu Lawal begins Paris Olympics’ medals hunt today (Leadership)
One of the Nigeria’s flagbearers at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics, Rafiatu Lawal, will begin her hunt for Olympics’ medals in the women’s 59kg weightlifting class today at the South Paris Arena inside Paris Expo Complex.
The 27-year-old All African Games and Commonwealth Games medalist is one of Nigeria’s medal prospects in Paris and will be looking to boost the chances of adding to the country’s tally in her maiden appearance at the multi-sport event.
Rafiatu Lawal is certainly among the favourites for medals but that won’t come easy, contending with a strong field of 10 weightlifters from around the globe in the Women’s 59kg. Read more
Olympic athlete lost points after accidentally flashing nipple – ‘It’s just frustrating’ (Mirror)
Back in 2018, Olympic ice dancer Gabriella Papadakis suffered a wardrobe malfunction at the worst possible time during a crucial routine – and lost points as a result
A wardrobe malfunction is an athlete’s worst nightmare.
But it was once compounded for one Olympian when it led to her being stripped of points during an event. The poor competitor in question was Frenchwoman Gabriella Papadakis, whose nipple was accidentally exposed during a crucial ice dancing routine at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Read more
Paris 2024 Women’s wrestling: Adekuroye falls to Chinese opponent (CompleteSports)
Odunayo Adekuroye lost her quarter-final women’s wrestling 57kg bout 10-8 to China’s Kexin Hong on Thursday.
Adekuroye led 4-0 at some point in the bout but Hong fought back to claim victory.
The 30-year-old defeated Algeria’s Fouzia Chaimaa Aouissi in the previous round. Read more
Van Rouwendaal dedicates marathon swim gold to pet dog (BBC)
The Netherlands’ Sharon van Rouwendaal dedicated her gold medal in the women’s 10km marathon swim to her pet dog who died earlier this year.
Van Rouwendaal said her “world stopped” when her dog Rio, named after the Olympic gold she won in Brazil in 2016, died in May.
“I didn’t care about swimming for three weeks, he was my little baby,” she said after winning gold in Paris. Read more
Olympics star Ilona Maher wears lipstick on Rugby pitch to buck stereotypes that it’s a ‘man’s sport’ (People)
Team USA star Ilona Maher has been known to rock a red lip, both on the field and off.
The newly minted bronze medalist, 27, even has her penchant for glam included in her Instagram bio: “Probably wearing lipstick.”
For Maher, maintaining a sense of glamor amid the grit and grime of rugby is a valuable habit. Read more
