A boxer has died in the ongoing National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta State capital. The boxer, Chukwuemeka Igboanugo who was representing Imo, died after losing a fight in a knockout with Prince Gaby Amagor from Anambra in the 86kg category. Pascal received a punch in the chin and the referee had to stop the fight when he failed to recover. “He was immediately taken out of the ring for medical treatment before being rushed to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead,” a boxing official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent. Details later…

  President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday has reiterated the 2023 general elections would be free, fair and credible. He said his administration will not allow manipulations of any form. According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the President spoke while playing host to West African Elders Forum Pre-Election Mediation Mission, led by former Sierra Leonean President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. “Thank you for accepting to do this service for our sub-region,” the President told his guests, citing off-season elections held in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States, as pointer to the fact that the Federal Government would allow people to choose leaders they want. “That right is guaranteed,” President Buhari affirmed. “We are settling down, and making progress. People should vote whoever they want, in whatever party. “We shall not allow anyone to use money and thugs to intimidate the people. Nigerians know better now, they are wiser, and know that it is better to dialogue than to carry weapons. Elections are even more difficult to rig now.” Former President Koroma, who led the team, made of Fatoumata Tambajang, former Vice President of The Gambia; Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, former Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations and Ann Iyonu, Executive Director of Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, said they had met with stakeholders across the parties, civil society, and Independent National Electoral Commission, among others, “and we commend you for making it clear both locally and internationally that the elections would be free and fair.” He commended Buhari for not listening to voices that may have tried to convince him to seek a third term in office, against the laws of the country, noting that “other countries look up to Nigeria for direction.”

  A 27-year-old man based in Delta State has said Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State is his father. Speaking with newsmen at the premises of High Court 2 sitting in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta, the man who identified himself as Emmanuel Sanwo-Olu said his mother told him that the Lagos governor is his father. The father of three claimed that he is 100 percent sure that “I am the son of Governor Sanwo-Olu.” He said his mother had only him for Governor Sanwo-Olu before she married another man who she had other children for. “I just want to see the man as my father,” he said, adding that, “For the past twenty seven years, I have not seen my father”. Emmanuel Sanwo-Olu said he does “casual jobs” to survive with his wife and three kids. Counsel to the claimant, Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins Esq, said the matter was before the court. The case of Emmanuel Sanwo-Olu, his client, against the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. The legal practitioner and former 1st Vice President of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, noted that the matter came up for hearing today. He said, “The lawyers to Sanwo-Olu, Templas law firm, had earlier filed a motion to strike out the matter on the grounds that the governor was not ready to wave his immunity.” Aikpokpo-Martins said he had also filed an application seeking an order for the governor to wave his immunity to come for a DNA test. According to the legal practitioner, “We are expecting that he will do that if indeed, he is sure that he is not the father of the claimant. But unfortunately, he invoked his immunity to say he is immune against law suits and he is not ready to wave it. “Upon that, they brought the application that the Court should not hear the matter. The Court should strike out the matter.” While pointing out that the matter was for hearing, Aikpokpo-Martins said, “We ourselves, we are not ready. I pleaded with the other side to give us time to see if this matter can be resolved. Resolved in the essence that if the governor will just wave his immunity and come for a DNA test. “If he is sure that he is not the father of the boy, why should he be afraid of submitting himself to a DNA? “We have situation where somebody that’s the claimant who wants to be aware of who he is but he has stated clearly in the case that, he has no family. His mother’s family is just half a family. They all know that he is the child of a woman and we know culturally, the child of a woman does not belong to that family. His rights are curtailed and things like that. And he is already having children. They need to know who they are.” Aikpokpo-Martins urged the Lagos State Governor to validate the paternity of his client saying, “nothing more to it.” “From now till the next adjourned date which is January 17th, let’s see whether morally his conscience can be appealed to or bring himself forward for a DNA text with Emmanuel. It does not need to be in the press. It can be done quietly. Nobody wants to actually make noise with him but he has actually extremely proven very difficult to scientific verification with the claimant. “If it happens that Emmanuel is not his son, he goes home. It’s a very simple thing. But if it’s his own, then the young man will be happy that at least, he knows wherw he comes from. By then, he now has the power and authority to go into the Sanwo-Olu family as a member of the family.”

  A high court in Lagos has dismissed a case filed by one Ademola Onitiju, a tenant, who sued his landlady for not selling her house to him. In 2021, Onitiju, a retired air commodore and legal practitioner, took Theodosia Ogunnaike, the landlady of a four-bedroom duplex at Dolphin Estate in Ikoyi, to court for selling the property to another person after his initial negotiation with her. The 59-year-old tenant, who started residing in the house in December 2015, said the property was first offered to him as first option to purchase but he did not pay for it immediately. Onitiju said he was initially asked to pay N170 million for the property, but he offered to pay N90 million instead, which was rejected by the landlady. The retired airforce officer said during the renegotiation process, he sold two family properties to enable him to match the purchase price of N135 million which was later requested for. He said he asked for a bank account detail to pay the purchase price, but he was not provided with any until the property was sold out to one Samuel Dare, a retired colonel. Onitiju admitted that the defendants did not ask him to sell the two family properties, “but they did by conduct when they insisted on the N135 million purchase price”. He also told the court that he does not have evidence of where the N135 million was lodged. The tenant asked the court to set aside the sale of the property to the retired colonel. Ogunnaike, a widow, said the property belongs to her daughter but she was managing it for her. The landlady said Onitiju used to pay his N4.5 million annual rent to her bank account and the rent was not increased during his stay, while they had a cordial relationship. The landlady said the offer to buy the house was first made to Onitiju, but he did not have money to pay. Then, she terminated the offer made to the retired airforce officer after he made two counter offers of N90 million and N1oo million, and the sale of the property was thrown open to the public. In her ruling on June 20, 2022, Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, the presiding judge, said Onitiju’s evidence before the court did not support any of the reliefs sought by him, and his case was bereft of facts. She subsequently dismissed the case. “I find it difficult to grant any of the reliefs sought in the claims (i)-(vii). The claimant shall relinquish possession of the property to the new owners forthwith,” the judge ruled. Onitiju has, however, appealed against the judgment.

  The abducted Benue State Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Ekpe Ogbu, has regained his freedom. This was disclosed on Tuesday by Colonel Paul Hemba (retd), the Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Samuel Ortom. He told Channels Television in a telephone conversation that more details on his release will be made available soon. It is yet to be ascertained if any money was paid as ransom to secure the commissioner’s release. Ogbu’s release comes two days after he was kidnapped at the notorious Adankari Junction along the Otukpo-Ado Road in the North-Central State. The state government had on Sunday explained that the Hilux van the victim was traveling in has been recovered by the Police in Otukpo, vowing to rescue the commissioner unhurt.

  Austin Walsh, a 23-year-old Florida deputy was Saturday morning ‘jokingly’ shot dead by his ‘best friend’ in his Palm Bay residence in Florida.   According to Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey in a video statement shared on the County’s Facebook page, his best friend, Andrew Lawson who also happens to be his roommate jokingly pointed the gun at Walsh after playing a round of video games.   “The two were talking and Lawson was also holding a handgun which he believes was unloaded and he jokingly pointed the gun in Austin’s direction and pulled the trigger,” he said.   “According to the investigation, a single round was fired and he immediately called 911 to come for help but unfortunately, the single round was a single shot.” Ivey adds that announcing Walsh’s death and Lawson’s arrest was one of the ‘toughest days in his career’. He also noted that Lawson was however fully cooperative in the investigation and is devastated over what happened. “Austin and Andrew were the best of friends, and Andrew is completely devastated over what happened. Even with that, there is no excuse for this tragic and totally avoidable death,” he added. “This unnecessary and unavoidable incident not only took the life of an amazing young man and deputy, but it has also changed the life of another good young man who made an extremely poor and reckless decision.” Lawson was arrested at the Brevard County jail and charged with manslaughter with a firearm. The late Walsh has been a deputy with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office since he was 18 years old noting that his ultimate goal was to become a deputy sheriff. “I personally know both of these kids and they were the best. Austin was passionate about his job and loved the community he so proudly served,” he said. “And Andrew, he’s a great kid who sadly made a horrible and irresponsible decision that has forever impacted the lives of so many, Ivey said.

  The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has pegged maximum daily withdrawals via Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and Point Of Sale (PoS) terminals at N20,000. The apex bank made this known on Tuesday in a circular to Deposit Money Banks (DMOs) and other financial institutions. The circular was signed by CBN Director of Banking Supervision, Haruna Mustafa. The apex bank said the regulatory directives take effect nationwide from January 9, 2023. The CBN said the new policy is sequel to the launch of the redesigned N200, N500 and N1,000 notes by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 23, 2022. It directed DMOs to ensure that weekly over-the-counter (OTC) cash withdrawals by individuals and corporate entities do not exceed N100,000 and N500,000, respectively. “The maximum cash withdrawal via point of sale (PoS) terminal shall be N20,000 daily. “The maximum cash withdrawal per week via Automated Teller Machine (ATM) shall be N100,000 subject to a maximum of N20,000 cash withdrawal per day. “Only denominations of N200 and below shall be loaded into the ATMs,” the circular partly read.