Woman sets 10-year-old daughter on fire in Ogun (Guardian)
Operatives of the Ogun State police command have arrested a housewife and mother of five for pouring petrol on her 10-year-old daughter and setting her ablaze.
The suspect, Aisha Tijani, was arrested following a report at Mowe divisional headquarters by one Moroof Ayinde, who reported that the suspect who lives in the same house with him, poured petrol on her daughter and set her ablaze.
Ogun State police spokesman, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the complainant alleged that Tijani got annoyed because her dughter took a phone she seized from one of her children from where she kept it and gave it back to the child whose hand the phone was seized.
“Upon the report, the DPO Mowe division, CSP Folashade Tanaruno quickly moved to the scene with the detectives and got the suspect arrested,” Oyeyemi said. “The victim, who had been badly burnt was rushed to the nearest hospital from where she was referred to Olabisi Onabanjo teaching hospital for proper medical attention.
“On interrogation, the suspect, who claimed to have been separated from the father of the children, explained to the police that she didn’t know what came over her when she was carrying out the wicked act.” Read more
Police officers reject N300,000 bribe, return N600,000 paid into account (Punch)
The Inspector-General of Police has commended police officers for rejecting N300,000 bribe and returning N600,000 paid into one of their accounts in error.
The police boss charged Senior Police Officers to always commend their personnel who have exemplarily excelled in their duties, which have in turn impacted positively on the goodwill and image of the Nigeria Police Force.
He said this in a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Tuesday.
“The IGP made the charge while commending the exemplary performances of some officers and men across the State Commands, particularly Sergeant Sampson Ekikere, attached to 22 Police Mobile Force, Ikeja, Lagos, for his uncommon professionalism exhibited on Saturday, 19th March 2022, when he painstakingly recovered a wallet, belonging to one Mr. Lukman Abaja, and traced the owner to deliver the found item. Read more
Buhari commissions $2.5b Dangote fertiliser plant (DailyTrust)
President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned the Dangote Fertiliser Plant in Lagos state.
The president said the plant is an endorsement of his administration’s target of food sufficiency, adding that it will reduce dependence on imported fertilizers and create employment for Nigerians.
The governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the project will address youth employment and boost agriculture in the country.
Sanwo-Olu lauded former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for conceiving the idea of the Lekki Free Trade zone in 2003. Read more
Road to 2023: Niger Delta bishops call for Southern Christian president (Sun)
The Niger Delta Bishops and Ministers Forum (NDBMF) has said that for equity and fairness, President Muhammadu Buhari should hand over to a Southern Christian successor in 2023.
The NDBMF urged the former governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, to contest for the presidency in the forthcoming election.
The clerics made the call through their president, Julius Ediwe, when they met in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
Briefing reporters, Ediwe, who is the Archbishop of Chapel of Love Evangelical Worldwide, said Nigeria needs the likes of Amaechi, who have proven track records, to join the presidential race to rescue the country’s economy. Read more
Police chief orders arrest of Abuja scavengers (Nation)
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Commissioner of Police (CP) Babaji Sunday has ordered massive clampdown and arrest of rogue scavengers also known as “Baban Bola” in the FCT.
The order follows public outcry on the fast-rising menace of vandalism and theft of individual, private and public property, including critical national infrastructure by miscreants who hide under the guise of metal waste scavengers.
The CP noted that Intelligence at the disposal of the Command revealed the activities of these miscreants now span beyond mere scavenging to the commission of other criminal ventures like stealing, carjacking, housebreaking, arms smuggling, drug peddling, amongst other crimes.
According to a statement on Tuesday by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Josephine Adeh: “the CP directed Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and heads of Tactical formations in the Command to work with Stakeholders within their various Areas Of Responsibility (AOR) to checkmate the activities of the prevailing criminal enterprise, arrest on sight to bring these rogue scavengers to book. Read more
Defection: Cross River gov Ayade to know fate Friday (Punch)
A Federal High Court, Abuja, will on Friday, deliver judgment in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party against Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River.
The PDP, through its counsel Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 before Justice Taiwo Taiwo to seek an order sacking the governor and his deputy over their defection to the All Progressives Congress, among others.
The News Agency of Nigeria, on Tuesday, gathered from Court 7, where Justice Taiwo presided over the judgment in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 filed by the PDP against Cross River governor and his deputy will come up on Friday, March 25.
NAN reports that Taiwo had, on Monday, ordered two House of Representatives members representing Cross River and 18 lawmakers from the state’s House of Assembly to vacate their seats over their defection to APC. Read more
The Voice Nigeria introduces physical audition in 4th season (Leadership)
Producers of the International talent show, The Voice Nigeria, have introduced a new twist to the show this season. The fourth season of the show would be having a physical audition for the selection of shortlisted talent from the online registrations. A better way the show producers choose to introduce this new twist is The Voice Train and it is set to commence on the 22nd of March, 2021.
The Voice Train is a physical activation that comprises live auditions of shortlisted talents who registered online as well as funfair activities for their family, friends and fans.
The train would run across 3 cities (Abuja, Port Harcourt & Lagos) with its first initial stop at Abuja. The newly added feature to the show is most assuredly without a doubt one of the many improvements promised by its organizers as it is the first of its kind in the show’s history.
The physical audition is an opportunity to meet the talents and shortlist them for the signature blind audition. Read more
Crazy Rich Asians 2 replaces writers after pay parity controversy (Independent)
Chinese-Australian writer Amy Wang has been hired by Warner Bros and Color Force to write Crazy Rich Asians 2 , replacing the co-writers of the first instalment following a pay parity controversy.
Wang, a story editor on Netflix’s Brothers Sun, is the sole credited writer on the sequel, which is being directed by Jon M Chu and stars original cast members Henry Golding and Constance Wu.
Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim wrote the first Crazy Rich Asians movie. However, Lim exited negotiations to return for the sequel in 2019, after it was revealed that Chiarelli was allegedly going to be paid almost 10 times more than her.
Deadline reported that Warner Bros’ excuse for the pay disparity was that Chiarelli had more experience penning feature films includingThe Proposal and Now You See Me 2, while Lim was predominantly known as a TV writer. Read more
Ciara joins The Color Purple movie musical as adult version of Halle Bailey’s Nettie (EW)
The Color Purple movie musical has enlisted Ciara’s platinum-certified vocal chops.
EW can exclusively reveal that the “Goodies” and “Level Up” performer has joined the cast of producers Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey’s upcoming film adaptation of The Color Purple musical stage production. The 36-year-old will star as the adult version of Nettie, with fellow recording artist and The Little Mermaid actress Halle Bailey previously announced as portraying the younger version of the character.
Ciara joins the production following a successful career in pop and R&B music, with seven full-length albums, including her 2004 debut. She has appeared in three major movie roles: MTV’s All You’ve Got, the musical Mama, I Want to Sing!, and the 2012 Adam Sandler comedy That’s My Boy. She also had a recurring role on season 6 of the BET sitcom The Game.
With production set to begin this month in Georgia, this version of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel follows American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino as Celie, who navigates Southern life in the early 1900s. Other notable cast members include Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery, Colman Domingo as Mister, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, musical artist H.E.R. as Squeak, Louis Gossett Jr. as Ol’ Mister, and David Alan Grier as Reverend Avery.
Original ‘West Side Story’ star: Get Rachel Zegler to the Oscars! (NYPost)
An original “West Side Story” star is ready to rumble for Rachel Zegler.
The 20-year-old actress who played Maria in the revival film revealed Monday that she was not invited to the 2022 Oscars despite the Steven Spielberg-helmed musical scoring seven nods at the award show.
But Russ Tamblyn — who played Riff in the 1961 adaption of the Broadway play — is not happy about the invite snub.
“@TheAcademy As a voting member and the original Riff, let me say: it’s your duty to find Rachel a seat at the Oscars,” Tamblyn, 87, tweeted on March 21. Read more
Charli XCX careening towards her first UK Number 1 album with ‘Crash’ (MusicNews)
Charli XCX could Crash (quite literally) into her first-ever UK Number 1 album this week.
Her fifth studio album, and last in her current major label contract, Crash is currently leading the race to top the Official Albums Chart. The record is currently the biggest seller on physical formats of the week too – 83% of its total chart sales so far.
Currently at Number 2, indie rockers Sea Girls are aiming for their highest peak in the UK yet with their sophomore album, Homesick. Welsh band Feeder are also aiming for a Top 5 debut; their eleventh album Torpedo is currently at Number 3, potentially marking their landmark tenth Top 10.
Three acts could also gain their first Top 10 entry this week; Brighton rapper ArrDee’s debut mixtape Pier Pressure (4), singer-songwriter Sam Tompkins’ debut major label EP Who Do You Pray To? (6) and US folk band Midlake with fifth record For The Sake of Bethel Woods (8). Read more
50 Cent scorns network for taking “too long to green light” his projects (NME)
50 Cent has hit out at network Starz over the rollout of his series Power Book IV: Force.
The rapper took to social media to explain why he won’t have a series airing on Starz for the next six months.
“I have 4 more episodes of FORCE, then I don’t have anything airing on STARZ for six months so y’all know the vibes,” he wrote on Twitter.
Responding to a fan’s enquiry about the forthcoming hiatus of Power, 50 Cent returned to Twitter to explain: “FORCE is the highest rated premier of any show on the network. Read more
Pusha T’s new album title & release date reportedly revealed (HNHH)
Pusha T’s follow-up to “Daytona” might be arriving in the next few weeks.
It’s been nearly four years since Pusha T unveiled his third studio album, Daytona. Fans have remained patient over the course of the past few years as he’s teased the follow-up. He revealed that the project will be entirely produced by The Neptunes and Kanye West and recently stated that the project will be 12 songs in length.
Hip-Hop-N-More has uncovered some new details about the project, including its title and release date. Though it was initially expected to be called It’s Not Dry Yet, a German music website, CeDe.de, has listed the album’s title as It’s Almost Dry. Just a few weeks ago, Push confirmed that the rumored album title was incorrect and kept the actual name under wraps. CeDe.de also revealed that the project is due out on April 8th.
Push has yet to confirm whether this date or title is correct, and it wouldn’t be the first time an online source would have the wrong information to his follow-up to Daytona. Read more
World Cup qualifier: Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye to miss Ghana clash (Guardian)
Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye will miss Nigeria’s world cup qualifier match against Ghana on Friday.
The Sparta Rotterdam goalkeeper will not feature in the match due to illness, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said on Tuesday.
Okoye, who was Nigeria’s number one at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), has been replaced by Enyimba FC goalkeeper John Noble.
Other goalkeepers in the Nigerian camp are Kaizer Chiefs’ Daniel Akpeyi and Omonia’s Francis Uzoho. Read more
Premier League-linked midfielder ‘signs four-year deal with Barca’ (Football365)
AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie will join Barcelona on a free transfer at the end of the season, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The Ivory Coast midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months.
Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal were all rumoured to be interested in signing Kessie, who is out of contract at the San Siro this summer.
Barcelona emerged as the frontrunners to sign the 25-year-old after Spurs ‘pulled out’ due to the player’s contract demands. Read more
Former Chelsea and West Ham manager Avram Grant, 66, faces new sex allegations (DailyMail)
Former Chelsea manager Avram Grant has again been accused by multiple women of sexual harassment on an Israeli TV channel – a month and a half after he was alleged to have sexually harassed several others.
The 66-year-old, who led Chelsea to the 2008 Champions League final before being sacked, has been accused of forcing himself on an 18-year-old in her car while another women has claimed that Grant promised her a job before later paying her for sex.
The new accusations from three different women were aired last Thursday on Israel’s Channel 12’s ‘Hasfia’, who broadcasted the first set of allegations of Grant sexually harassing women back in January.
As reported by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, one woman has claimed that Grant took her by car to a parking garage before asking her what she would be ‘prepared to do for money’. When she refused to have sex with him, Grant reportedly told that he would ‘compromise and settle for oral sex.’ Read more
Netherlands’ Louis van Gaal says Qatar hosting World Cup is ‘ridiculous’ (Guardian)
The Netherlands’ head coach, Louis van Gaal, has said it is “ridiculous” that the 2022 men’s World Cup is being played in Qatar, claiming the decision to hold the tournament there is “about money [and] commercial interests”.
Speaking at a press conference before home friendlies against Denmark on Saturday and Germany next Tuesday, Van Gaal was asked his opinion on the Middle Eastern country hosting the finals, which will take place from 21 November to 18 December.
“Now, everybody knows that I find that ridiculous,” said Van Gaal, whose Dutch side have qualified for the finals after missing the 2018 tournament. “It’s ridiculous that we are going to play in a country – how does Fifa say it? To develop football there. That is bullshit. But it doesn’t matter – it’s about money, commercial interests. That’s the main motive of Fifa.
“Why do you think that I’m not a member of the Fifa commission, with my Uefa expertise?” the former Barcelona and Manchester United manager added. “Because I have always [kept] my distance against these kinds of organisations. It’s not right, but I can say this directly about Qatar – but that does not help the world to get rid of this problem.” Read more
Kamaru Usman mocked over boxing technique after calling for Canelo Alvarez fight (Mirror)
Kamaru Usman has been mocked by Khamzat Chimaev who has sarcastically claimed Canelo Alvarez should be “scared” of his boxing technique.
The Nigerian star is out of action after hand surgery but is expected to return to the octagon later this year against Leon Edwards. After that title defence, Usman is eyeing a crossover clash against Alvarez and has frequently called out the Mexican in recent months.
Chimaev has mocked Usman on Twitter posting a video of Usman training on the pads with boxing gloves on, captioned: “Canelo should be very afraid this is the guy to knock him out.” The welterweight champion can be seen in the video throwing tentative jabs and one-two combinations on the pads while moving around the ring and developing his footwork.
Rising Swedish star Chimaev will target a title shot later this year if he can defeat No.2 ranked contender Gilbert Burns next month. A lack of challengers to Usman’s crown following his wins over Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal means the Nigerian is looking elsewhere. Read more
Horner praises Wolff for speaking out on mental health (F1i)
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner has lauded his Mercedes counterpart Toto Wolff for speaking out about mental health.
Ahead of the start of the 2022 F1 season, Wolff revealed in an in-depth interview with the Sunday Times that personal struggles had compelled him in 2004 to undergo therapy with a psychiatrist.
“I think I’ve had more than 500 hours [of therapy], I have suffered mentally, I still do,” Wolff said. “Getting help is a way of overcoming my problems, and it has helped me to access untapped potential.
“I’ve never had any problem with the stigma. Some of the most successful people are very, very sensitive and very, very sensitive means very, very vulnerable.” Read more
Rafael Nadal to skip 4 to 6 weeks due to rib stress fracture (TennisWorld)
The 21-time Major winner Rafael Nadal will stay away from the court between four and six weeks due to an injury! World no. 3 returned to Spain from Indian Wells and went to see his doctors. As it turned out, he has a stress fracture in his rib and will have to stay away from the court at least for a month.
Nadal will skip Monte Carlo and Barcelona if he fails to recover for his favorite tournaments, and we should see him in Madrid, Rome and Paris in May. Nadal is 20-1 this season, winning three consecutive titles before losing the Indian Wells final on Sunday.
Rafa conquered two titles in Melbourne in January and lifted his fourth Acapulco crown in February. Heading to Indian Wells as one of the favorites, the Spaniard came from 5-2 down in the decider against Sebastian Korda to avoid an early setback.
Rafa took down Daniel Evans and prevailed over Reilly Opelka and Nick Kyrgios to find himself in the semis. Read more