We’ll ensure peaceful Lagos, enforce Okada ban, new CP vows (DailyTrust)
New Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Adegoke Fayoade, says there will be watertight security in the state, especially during and after the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
He also noted that the clampdown on commercial motorcycles, known as Okada, in prohibited areas would be sustained and intensified as it had helped to reduce crime and road accidents.
Fayoade gave the assurance on Thursday while interacting with journalists after taking over as new CP in Lagos Command. Read more
Tudun Biri bomb survivors deny court action against FG (Vanguard)
The families of deceased persons arising from the Kaduna military drone attack have denied suing the Federal Government over a purported demand for N33 billion compensation.
They also called on security agents to hunt down the said fraudulent lawyer and ensure he gets prosecuted.
Briefing journalists after a thank you visit to Governor Uba Sani at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, the community leaders, including traditional and clerics disowned what they described as a “fake, mischievous media statement” where it was stated that families of the unfortunate incident have sued the Federal Government on behalf of the deceased persons’ families. Read more
NSCDC Female Squad thwarts 48 kidnap attempts in schools (Leadership)
The Commissioned Female Squad of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), attached to the ‘Safe School Project’ of the federal government, has successfully foiled and thwarted over 48 kidnap attempts on schools nationwide.
The Corps Commandant-general, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, who announced the commendable feat by the NSCDC Female Squad, attributed the stride to the swift and effective response by the gallant officers whom he said have vowed to ensure maximum success of the Safe Schools Initiative Project.
He made the revelation at the last leg of the quarterly Commandant-General’s meeting with deputy Commandants-general (DCGs), Assistant Commandants-general (ACGs), zonal and state commandants and other heads of critical units of the Corps. Read more
Suspend demolition of illegal structures, times‘re hard, APGA advises Otti (Vanguard)
The All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), has advised Gov. Alex Otti, to shelve the planned demolition of illegal structures in Umuahia capital city until after the Yuletide so as not to worsen the devastating effects of the already biting economic hardship on the citizenry.
APGA in a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Nwokoro, a lawyer, said that although the State Government had the right to sanitise the building of structures in the city, the timing would rather inflict more pains on the people.
The party, therefore, advised that the exercise be postponed till the first quarter of next year to create time for the affected individuals to adjust for it. Read more
You need more than a certificate to get employed, JAMB tells graduates (Guardian)
Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Is-haq Olanrewaju Oloyede, has warned that university degrees may no longer be the sole guarantors of jobs now that the world has attained the Information Age.
Speaking at the Kwara State University (KWASU) 2023 convocation lecture, Oloyede assured that only demonstrable skills will.
Delivering the lecture titled: “Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning- Prerequisites of the Digital Age, Oloyede urged Nigerians to get poised for the challenges of the Information Age by taking lifelong learning seriously and being willing to change as circumstances unfold. Read more
In 50 years time, I want people to remember my art – Rema (DailyTrust)
Famous Nigerian rapper and singer, Divine Ikubor, aka Rema, has talked about developing his sound and creating work that would last for decades.
Rema said this during an interview with Apple Music Africa Now Radio hosted by Nandi Madiba.
He claimed that rather than just putting parts together, making music is a calling for him. Read more
Rivers: APC Forum begs Tinubu to intervene (Sun)
The All Progressives Congress State Assembly Forum (ASAF), has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and return peace among the warring faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Recall that about 27 members of the state assembly, who are said to be loyal to the former governor and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had on Monday, defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC)
Also following a court order, which barred the defected members from assessing the assembly complex, the Rivers state government on Wednesday, embarked on the demolition of the complex, ahead of a planned rebuilding following an inferno that destroyed some part last month. Read more
Ehie lacks power to declare lawmakers’ seats vacant — lawyer (Channels)
The ongoing political turmoil in Rivers State is still generating reactions, with legal practitioner Emmanuel Anele saying that the law does not empower the leader of one group of the state assembly, Edison Ehie, to declare the seats of 27 members in the opposing group vacant.
The lawyer, who made a live appearance on Thursday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, said the declaration by Ehie does not align with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
Leading five members loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Ehie, on Wednesday, declared the seats of 27 lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule, loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike, vacant following their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Read more
Beyoncé nears billionaire status as net worth soars to $800m (HipHopDx)
Beyoncé is reportedly nearing billionaire status as her net worth is now estimated to be $800 million.
According to Forbes, the iconic singer has seen her wealth skyrocket in 2023 from its previous $540 million estimation.
The outlet reports that Bey personally pocketed $100 million from her widely successful Renaissance Tour, which ran from May to October this year. Read more
Sienna Miller condemns age gap ‘double standards’ (BBC)
Actress Sienna Miller has described the “judgement” over being pregnant at the age of 41 and having a 14-year age gap with her partner as “double standards”.
The star discussed comments about her being “the older woman” and expecting a baby with 27-year-old actor Oli Green.
People “are comfortable with a way of living that has existed for many years, which is very misogynistic and patriarchal”, she told Vogue’s podcast. Read more
Putin: Russia’s goals in Ukraine unchanged, no peace until they’re achieved (AlJazeera)
Russia’s goals in Ukraine remain unchanged and there will be no peace until they are achieved, President Vladimir Putin has said in his first end-of-year news conference since the offensive began.
The event on Thursday comes days after Putin announced that he will run in the March 2024 presidential election, in which the 71-year-old leader is almost certain to win a fifth term. He has been in power for 24 years, including his prime ministerial stint, and a victory next year will see him remain president until 2030.
Fielding questions from the public and the media in Moscow, the Russian leader said peace will be possible after “denazification, demilitarisation and a neutral status” of Ukraine – something he has repeated since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Read more
Pope, once a victim of AI-generated imagery, calls for treaty to regulate artificial intelligence (NBC)
Pope Francis on Thursday called for an international treaty to ensure artificial intelligence is developed and used ethically, arguing that the risks of technology lacking human values of compassion, mercy, morality and forgiveness are too great.
Francis added his voice to increasing calls for binding, global regulation of AI in his annual message for the World Day of Peace, which the Catholic Church celebrates each Jan. 1. The Vatican released the text of the message on Thursday.
For Francis, the appeal is somewhat personal: Earlier this year, an AI-generated image of him wearing a luxury white puffer jacket went viral, showing just how quickly realistic deepfake imagery can spread online. Read more
Eddie Murphy returns as Axel Foley in Thrilling Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Trailer (People)
Eddie Murphy is back in Beverly Hills!
In the first trailer for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F — the latest instalment of Murphy’s beloved classic action-comedy franchise — the actor-comedian, 62, returns as Detective Axel Foley, “back on the beat in Beverly Hills,” according to an official synopsis.
“After his daughter’s life is threatened, she (Taylour Paige) and Foley team up with a new partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and John Taggart (John Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy,” the synopsis adds. Read more
Putin accidentally admits more than 300,000 soldiers have been lost in Ukraine (Independent)
Vladimir Putin has inadvertently suggested that more than 300,000 Russian soldiers have died or been heavily wounded in Ukraine.
The figures are in stark contrast to the last death toll offered by the Kremlin, which suggested less than 6,000 troops in Ukraine had been killed.
During his first news conference since the full-scale invasion, he suggested that 244,000 Russians had been mobilised, before adding that 486,000 had volunteered to fight. Read more
Genocide in Rwanda: Munyemana says he tried to “save” Tutsis (AfricaNews)
He stays straight in his boots. Tried in Paris on his possible involvement in the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, former doctor Sosthène Munyemana assured Wednesday that far from having wanted to kill Tutsi, he had tried to “save” them.
Since Monday, he has been answering a barrage of questions before the Paris court on the merits of the accusations against him, which he has contested from the start.
Standing at the bar from morning to late in the evening, Sosthène Munyemana, 68, gives his version of events, point by point, without wavering. Read more
Champions League round of 16 qualifiers, records (Punch)
The UEFA Champions League group stage matches came to an end on Wednesday night as the 32 teams battled for the qualifying rounds.
Out of these, 16 teams qualified for the Round of 16 stage while eight out of the remaining half were dropped to the Europa League playoff stage.
Quite expectedly, some top teams were already ‘predicted’ to advance to the Round of 16, however, the qualifications weren’t devoid of a moderate level of upsets. Read more
Chelsea suffer transfer blow as Osimhen set to sign New Napoli contract (Leadership)
Chelsea’s hope of landing Victor Osimhen as their main transfer target next summer has suffered a big blow as the Nigerian international is poised to sign a new contract at Napoli with a potential release clause of €130 million (£112m/$141m).
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Napoli have reached an agreement in principle with Osimhen over a new contract. The striker’s current deal expires at the end of next season, but the deal will add another year, extending to 2026, and is likely to include a release clause.
Osimhen has scored six goals in 11 Serie A games this season and his new contract could reflect his value with a release clause, worth up to €130m, per the report. Read more
2023 AFCON: Kalou wary of ‘Dangerous Side’ Super Eagles (CompleteSports)
Former Cote d’Ivoire forward, Salomon Kalou has labelled the Super Eagles of Nigeria a “dangerous opponent”.
The Elephants and Super Eagles will do battle in Group A at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations next January.
The two giants of African football will clash at the Alhassan Quattara Stadium, Ebimpe, Abidjan on January 18. Read more
Gary Neville points finger at Sir Alex Ferguson for selling Man Utd star – “It’s a travesty” (Mirror)
Gary Neville has opened up on Jaap Stam’s shock departure from Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson sold the former Netherlands international to Lazio in 2001
Gary Neville believes it was a “travesty” that Sir Alex Ferguson sold Jaap Stam after just three years at Manchester United.
Ex-Netherlands international Stam was recognised as one of the best defenders in world football when Ferguson chose to sell him to Lazio for around £15.3million. Stam joined United from PSV in 1998 and was part of the United side which won the treble in the following year, winning the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League. Read more
Defending champion Antione Rozner makes blistering start in Mauritius (RTE)
France’s Antoine Rozner made a stunning start to the defence of his title in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
Rozner fired an eagle and 10 birdies in an opening 62 to set the course record at La Reserve Golf Links, which is staging a DP World Tour event for the first time.
Rozner, whose victory last year came at Mont Choisy Le Golf, started from the 10th and made five birdies in his first seven holes before an eagle on the 18th took him to the turn in just 29 shots. Read more
Giannis drops 64 points as postgame scuffle with Pacers mars Bucks’ win (CNN)
Giannis Antetokounmpo was involved in a heated post-match altercation with the Indiana Pacers after dropping a career-high and Bucks franchise-record 64 points in Milwaukee’s 140-126 victory on Wednesday.
The ‘Greek Freak’ was unhappy that the Pacers took the game ball from his historic night, leading Antetokounmpo to charge from the court towards the visitors’ locker room in search of it.
Antetokounmpo was then involved in a fiery exchange with Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton when he came back out onto the court. Read more