Why Jimi Agbaje’s billboards, posters were removed – LASAA (Guardian)
The Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) has come out to defend the removal of the billboards and posters of the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje. Agbaje, on Saturday, had petitioned the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, over vandalism of his campaign posters and boards. At a Security/Stakeholders Meeting with INEC and political parties summoned by the Lagos Police Command, on Wednesday, General Manager of LASAA, Mobolaji Sanusi, explained that the PDP candidate did not seek the permission of the agency. Read more
Obasanjo inviting God’s anger, says Oshiomhole (Nation)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is “inviting God’s anger”, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said yesterday. The APC chair attacked the former president for backing his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar, for president after telling the world that God will not forgive him if he did that. Obasanjo reversed himself after Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Matthew Hassan Kukah and other clerics reconciled the leaders. Read more
Aisha Buhari dissociates self from N150m scandal (Guardian)
The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has dissociated herself from the N150 million scandal allegedly collected from unsuspecting members of the public by one Amina Mohammed, using her name. Mrs Buhari also warned her staff not to engage in any fraudulent activities, adding that “anyone found guilty will face the full wrath of the law’’. The warning was made in a statement by her Director of Information, Mr Suleiman Haruna, on Wednesday in Abuja. Read more
Protest at U.S. Embassy over visa for Atiku (Nation)
Protesters, under the aegis of the Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria, yesterday stormed the United States (U.S.) Embassy in Abuja. They urged American government to deny former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar visa to the U.S. The group alleged that Atiku, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in next year’s presidential election, was allegedly involved in a bribery scandal for which Senator William Jefferson was tried and jailed for 13 years in 2009. The group’s convener, Wole Badmus, said: Granting his (Atiku’s) visa request will amount to a negation of the Patriot Act which makes the acceptance of foreign corruption proceeds a U.S. money laundering offence. Read more
Falana never visited Evans, witness tells court (Vanguard)
A prosecution witness, Inspector Ekundayo Julius yesterday told a Lagos Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja that Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana never visited suspected billionaire kidnapper, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike also knowns as Evans. Evans had earlier claimed that he was locked up in the toilet by officers of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, in Ikeja when Falana visited him. But at yesterday’s proceeding, Ekundayo told the court that such incident never took place. Read more
Judge throws out rioting charges against Shiites (Guardian)
A judge in Abuja on Wednesday dismissed charges against 35 Shiite Muslims who were among hundreds of people arrested after deadly protests in the Nigerian capital. A total of 120 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) were charged with “rioting, disturbance of public peace and causing hurt” on the outskirts of Abuja in October. There have been frequent clashes between the security forces and the IMN in recent years, whose leader Ibrahim Zakzaky wants an Iranian-style Islamic revolution in secular Nigeria. Read more
PDP to INEC, security agents: don’t help APC to rig (Nation)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agents against helping the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig to avoid the wrath of Nigerians. Its National Chairman Prince Uche Secondus spoke in Ilorin during the Northcentral presidential rally of the PDP candidate Atiku Abubakar. Secondus accused INEC of rigging the governorship election in Osun State in favour of the APC. Read more
Intersociety urges Vatican to retrain Mbaka (Vanguard)
Nnewi—Following the alleged humiliation of the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Peter Obi by the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Intersociety, yesterday called on the Third Vatican Council to retrain the priest, saying doing so “will help in saving the image of the Catholic Church and its people of good conscience, as Enugu Adoration Spiritual Director is in dire need of fresh ideas and higher studies.” Read more
Hoodlums abduct lecturers, pregnant doctor in Ondo (Punch)
No fewer than five people have been abducted by some hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers at Amurin village on the Akure-Owo Expressway in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, was said to have thrown travellers and motorists on the road into panic. It was gathered that the hoodlums operated for several minutes as they barricaded the road and stopped the vehicle conveying the victims, who were coming from Owo. Read more
Huawei executive arrested in Canada (BBC)
The daughter of the founder of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has been arrested in Canada and faces extradition to the United States. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei’s chief financial officer and deputy chair, was arrested in Vancouver on 1 December. Details of the arrest have not been released but the US has been investigating Huawei over possible violation of sanctions against Iran. China’s embassy in Canada protested at the arrest and demanded her release. Read more
Kalu, Chukwueze’s club form excites Super Eagles coach (Vanguard)
Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr has expressed delight with the form exhibited by Samuel Kalu for Bordeaux of France and Samuel Chukwueze for Villarreal of Spain. The two players are new additions to the Super Eagles squad. Kalu has made four apperances with one goal to his credict, while Chukwueze made his debut against Ugandan in Asaba. Read more
Wolves fight back to stun Chelsea (BBC)
Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo challenged his side to “maintain these standards” after they fought back from a goal down to stun Chelsea and gain their first victory in seven Premier League matches. Two goals in four second-half minutes – from Raul Jimenez and Diogo Jota – gave the hosts victory after Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s 25-yard effort was headed into his own net by Wolves captain Conor Coady after only 18 minutes. “This doesn’t mean all the problems are solved,” said Nuno, whose side won for the first time since their 1-0 away victory at Crystal Palace on 6 October. Read more
Kipchoge and Ibarguen win IAAF awards (BBC)
Kenyan distance runner Eliud Kipchoge and Colombian long and triple jumper Caterine Ibarguen have been named male and female world athletes of the year. The pair were honoured by the IAAF at a ceremony in Monaco. Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, who won three European sprint titles and relay gold at the Commonwealth Games, was nominated for the women’s award. Read more
Hoodlums abduct lecturers, pregnant doctor in Ondo (Punch)
No fewer than five people have been abducted by some hoodlums suspected to be kidnappers at Amurin village on the Akure-Owo Expressway in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, was said to have thrown travellers and motorists on the road into panic. It was gathered that the hoodlums operated for several minutes as they barricaded the road and stopped the vehicle conveying the victims, who were coming from Owo. Read more
Ex-convict, three others arrested for robbing trader (Punch)
Members of a four-man gang have been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly robbing a trader, Kehinde Adegboyega, at gunpoint in the Agege area of Lagos State. It was gathered that the suspects, Nurudeen Gbadamosi, 23; Emmanuel Akinlabi, 30; Ramon Raheem, 30; and Samuel Elem, 33, attacked the victim while he was driving home. Our correspondent learnt that Adegboyega was robbed of his Toyota Camry car, HP laptop, two pairs of shoes and a gold necklace. Read more
Police arrest four for producing adulterated disinfectant in Lagos (Punch)
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested Francis Ume, 32; Chidubem Achezie, 44; Peter Ume, 44; and Ejike Jacob, 41, for allegedly producing adulterated Dettol disinfectant and Air Wick air freshener in the Okokomaiko area of the state. The state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, told journalists on Wednesday that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Okokomaiko Police Station, CSP Aliyu Lukman, acting on a tip-off, mobilised his operatives to the suspects’ operational base and arrested them. Read more