Ex-UNILAG lecturer jailed 21 years for raping admission seeker
Oluwatosin OmojuyigbeA former lecturer at the University of Lagos, Azeez Baruwa, has been sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment by the Lagos State High Court for raping an 18-year-old admission seeker. Baruwa, who was charged with one count of rape, was sentenced by Justice Josephine Oyefeso. Baruwa, a former part-time lecturer in the Department of Accounting in UNILAG, reportedly agreed to help and took the victim to the school on July 23, 2015. “This is a crime that not only offends the survivor, it offends her family, it offends the society at large, it also offends God. The convict took advantage of a weak and disadvantaged person.
Source:Punch
February 21, 2020 02:26 UTC
Man, 56, remanded for defiling neighbour’s 10-year-old girl
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on Thursday remanded a 56-year-old estate agent, Lawal Taiwo, in the Kirikiri Custodial Centre for allegedly defiling his neighbour’s 10-year-old daughter. “The defendant called the girl into his room when he discovered that her parents had gone out and had sexual intercourse with her. “He threatened to kill the girl if she told her parents,” he said. The prosecutor said the victim, however, told her friend’s mother, who in turn, informed her mother. “The parents of the victim reported the case to the police, leading to the arrest of the defendant,” the prosecutor said.
Source:Punch
February 21, 2020 02:15 UTC
Police arrest six robbery suspects in Aba
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, UmuahiaPolicemen attached to the Ndiegoro Police Division in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, have arrested six suspected armed robbers. He said those arrested were Ikenna Hezie of Onyere Street, Aba; Okam Ude (18) of Iheorji Avenue, Aba; Johnson Kalu (21) of Railway Street, Aba; and Edet Kufre (27) of Ikemba Street, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The source added that Hezie and Ude were each arrested with one locally-made pistol with two live cartridges. PUNCH Metro gathered that on February 17 around 4.55pm, two more suspects were arrested based on information from the first set of suspects. They were identified as Chinonso Onyema (22) of Federal School Road, Aba; and Chinedu Ezerioha (31) aka Tata, of Emenike Street, Aba.
Source:Punch
February 21, 2020 02:15 UTC
FG moves to enforce anti-piracy law
Anna OkonAs part of efforts to curb criminal acts on Nigerian waters, the Federal Government has embarked on measures aimed at ensuring a smooth enforcement of the newly enacted anti-piracy law. This was revealed in Lagos at the annual Strategic Admiralty Law Seminar for Judges put together by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency. The conference focused on the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act, 2019. The Act prescribes jail terms of between 15 years and life, and fines from N50m to N500m for individuals and corporate organisations convicted for maritime offences. They called for cooperation among the enforcement agencies, stressing that stringent penalties awaited maritime criminals in the country.
Source:Punch
February 21, 2020 01:30 UTC
Leah Sharibu’s mother, others protest in UK
), to secure the release of Leah Sharibu. During the protest, a petition with 12, 132 signatures was lodged by Rebecca Sharibu, as a member of the UK Parliament, Baroness Caroline Cox, called on the Nigerian government to take action to secure her daughter’s freedom. According to her, the protest was to commemorate the two years of the abduction of Leah Sharibu by Boko Haram insurgents. “Rebecca met with Baroness Caroline Cox on February 18 who assured her that she would take her message to UK Parliament. “The signatures gathered by the CSW U.K. was delivered by Rebecca Sharibu and accompanied by myself, CSW Chief Executive, Mervyn Thomas and Pastor Adedoyin with other protesters in attendance.”Copyright PUNCH.
Source:Punch
February 21, 2020 01:07 UTC
Boxing: SuperSport to air Fury, Wilder rematch
The rematch between WBC champion Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury will finally take place this weekend in Las Vegas. It’s a fight that fans have clamoured for ever since the controversial draw in the first fight, notwithstanding Fury having out-boxed Wilder for large chunks of the fight. Wilder, of course, twice knocked Fury down to again demonstrate why he is the biggest single-shot puncher in the sport. Fury marked time with two low-key fights memorable only for the nasty cut he sustained against Otto Wallin. A win for Fury would be the culmination of a wild comeback journey after he sunk into depression in the two years following his win over then-undisputed champion Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.
Source:Punch
February 21, 2020 00:51 UTC
Ramat Cup: Bauchi, Kwara battle for trophy
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Director of Grassroots Sports Development, Dr. Ademola Areh as well as Chairman of Directors of Sports, Tunde Kazeem, are expected to lead other top government officials to watch the final of the 37th Ramat Cup organised by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria. The final, which comes up on Friday (today) at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, has Bauchi State locking horns with Kwara to determine who lifts the giant trophy at stake at the week-long competition. To get to the final, Bauchi defeated Rivers 4-2 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 in regulation time, while Kwara also recorded a 3-1 shoot-out victory over Kogi in the second semi- final match after their game also ended 1-1 in full time. Gawuna, who also doubles as the Deputy Governor of Kano State, hailed Governor Ganduje and the Kano State Government for believing in YSFON, just as he charged other states to emulate the state and sponsor their programmes for the benefit of the teeming Nigerian youths. Contact: [email protected]DOWNLOAD THE PUNCH NEWS APP NOW ON
Source:Punch
February 21, 2020 00:30 UTC
Osinbajo to declare Police Games open
…as NPF begin search for more Olympic gold medalists’Tana AiyejinaVice President Yemi Osinbajo will declare the 12th biennial National Police Games open on February 29 at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, the Anambra State capital. Venues in Enugu and Rivers states would also be used for golf, polo and shooting events, our correspondent learnt. Mba added, “We are trying to re-engineer a new sense of renaissance with the Games. Ever since Chioma won (gold), Nigeria has been unable to replicate the feat. “We’ve been preparing hard for the Games, we camped in Ogun and our athletes are in perfect shape to defend their title successfully,” he stated.
Source:Punch
February 21, 2020 00:22 UTC
Ladoja, Olunloyo others honour Are at service of songs
It was at the service of songs held as part of his rites of passage. PUNCH team at the service was led by the Chairman, Mrs Angela Emuwa; the Managing Director, Ademola Osinubi; and other top members of the management. A former chairman of PUNCH Nigeria Limited, Chief Ajibola Ogunshola; and his wife, Iyabo, were present just like Chief Kola Daisi. She stated that the deceased also knew that his time was up and had planned for his exit before he finally bowed to death. The service of songs was preceded by a lying-in-state where many filed past the brown casket containing the remains of the late businessman.
Source:Punch
February 20, 2020 23:59 UTC
Police feigning ignorance as herdsmen turn Delta communities to killing fields
Shaken by the incidents, some leaders of the communities told journalists that killer herdsmen had laid siege to their communities and persistently attacked them at will. As we speak, our people cannot go to their farms because the herdsmen have taken over almost all the communities. On Monday, six additional corpses were exhumed from the shallow graves where the killer herdsmen had reportedly buried them. This brought the number of exhumed corpses to nine. He said, “Six corpses exhumed by some people were brought to our police station in Ughelli.
Source:Punch
February 20, 2020 23:37 UTC
Miners fret over planned hike in royalty rates
Ihuoma Chiedozie, AbujaPlans by the Federal Government to hike mineral royalty rates in the country is causing tension among operators in the mining sector, investigations by The PUNCH have revealed. Mineral royalty is a tax paid to the government by miners based on a portion of earnings from their production. The plan to increase the mineral royalty rates is part of moves by the Federal Government to boost revenue from the mining sector. ‘Marginal upwards review’ of the mineral royalty rates was one of the recommendations by the Ministerial Committee on Optimisation of Revenue from Mineral Resources. They argued that the Federal Government should fulfil series of promises to build up the operational capacity of the miners before raising mineral royalty rates.
Source:Punch
February 20, 2020 23:15 UTC
Court dissolves one-year marriage over lack of love
A Grade 1 Area Court in Kubwa, on Thursday dissolved a one-year-old marriage between Halima Sa’idu and her husband Haruna Abdullahi over lack of love. Sa’idu, a resident of Kubwa, Abuja, had prayed the court to dissolve her marriage to Abdullahi, for lack of love in the union, the News Agency of Nigeria reported. “I got married to Abdullahi after losing my husband, and he has failed to perform his responsibilities as my husband since we got married. “When I spoke to him on getting a divorce, he refused and threatened to kill me if I seek dissolution of our marriage in court,” she said. Adamu ordered the petitioner to observe “Iddah” which is a waiting period to observe her three-month menstrual cycle before contracting another marriage.
Source:Punch
February 20, 2020 23:15 UTC
Coronavirus global impact puts markets on edge
Asian stocks eased and currency markets were skittish on Thursday, as coronavirus cases rose in South Korea and Japan even as China added more stimulus through a rate cut to support its economy. E-mini futures for the S&P 500 traded 0.2 per cent softer while bonds firmed slightly and the US dollar rose. South Korea’s government reported 31 new cases of coronavirus on Thursday, after a new outbreak traced to a church, bringing the number of people infected in the country to 82. Currency markets were still reeling from an overnight plunge in the Japanese yen, which fell even as safe-haven assets such as gold climbed. “Nearness to China and dependence on China have not helped the yen as a risk-off.
Source:Punch
February 20, 2020 23:14 UTC
Barcelona use La Liga rule to sign Leganes forward
Barcelona on Thursday confirmed the signing of Danish forward Martin Braithwaite from Leganes after capitalising on a curious La Liga rule to ease their shortage of options upfront. Barca have taken advantage of the regulation that enables Spanish clubs in the top two divisions to buy from another La Liga club outside the transfer window if they lose a player to injury for more than five months. But the 28-year-old’s addition will give cover for Barcelona, who were already without Luis Suarez to a knee injury before Dembele’s extended absence was confirmed. The club applied for permission last week to make an emergency signing and were given the green light by La Liga on Monday. His arrival comes after the club allowed two forwards to leave last month: Carles Perez to Roma and Abel Ruiz to Braga.
Source:Punch
February 20, 2020 20:26 UTC
Europa: Ighalo starts from bench as Manchester United, Bruges draw
Anthony Martial struck a crucial away goal as Manchester United ground out a 1-1 draw against Club Brugge in Belgium on Thursday in the first leg of their Europa League last 32 tie. Martial though hauled United level before half-time with an excellent run and finish after pouncing on a defensive lapse from Brandon Mechele. An increasingly ragged United were fortunate not to fall further behind when Mats Rits scuffed wide before Romero positioned himself expertly to keep out Dennis from a tough angle. Christian Eriksen bagged his first Inter Milan goal in a 2-0 win away to Ludogorets of Bulgaria. Record five-time winners Sevilla needed an 82nd-minute equaliser from January arrival Youssef En-Nesyri to salvage a 1-1 draw away to Romanians Cluj.
Source:Punch
February 20, 2020 20:03 UTC