Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. President Bola Tinubu and ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo greeted each other warmly and shared a hug during the swearing-in of Governor Hope Uzodimma in Owerri, Imo State. This meeting follows their reconciliation before the 2023 presidential election, marked by Tinubu’s visit to Obasanjo in Ota, Ogun State. The inauguration ceremony attracted large crowds despite the sit-at-home movement in the Southeast. Uzodimma, of the APC, secured a second term, defeating rivals from the PDP and LP about two months prior.
2. Kidnappers in Sagwari Layout, Dutse, Abuja, abducted 10 people on January 7 and have reportedly killed three of them as a warning to their families negotiating ransom. The bandits raised their initial demand from N60 million per person to N100 million, totaling N700 million. Victims were allegedly killed due to delays in raising the ransom. One of the victims was a 13-year-old high school student named Folorunsho Ariyo. The residents plan to stage a protest against perceived government and security agency inaction in rescuing their abducted relatives. The protest, initially set for Monday, was postponed to Tuesday due to Armed Forces Remembrance Day.
3. Former Kaduna State House of Assembly member, Suleiman Dabo, has been ordered by a Federal High Court in Abuja to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending a ruling on his bail plea. Dabo is facing a seven-count charge, including alleged fraud of N30 million, alongside his company, Ohman International Venture Ltd. The charges involve obtaining money by pretense, defrauding a party through a GTBank account, and converting the funds. Dabo and his company pleaded not guilty to all counts. The court, considering his past absences, adjourned the case to February 5 to study the file and make a ruling on the bail application.
4. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched ballistic missiles at what they claimed were Israeli “spy headquarters” in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, hitting targets linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) in northern Syria. The attack resulted in at least four deaths and six injuries in Erbil, Iraq. Iran’s government condemned it as aggression, violating Iraq’s sovereignty. The IRGC stated they targeted Mossad’s headquarters in Erbil in response to alleged Zionist regime atrocities. The United States called the missile attacks reckless, undermining Iraq’s stability, and reported no casualties among U.S. personnel.
5. Lionel Messi, now playing in Major League Soccer (MLS), has been named the Best FIFA Men’s Player for 2023, a surprising win considering his move away from European football for most of the year. The Argentine, who won the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, secured the award ahead of Erling Haaland. Messi recently left Paris Saint-Germain to join MLS team Inter Miami, winning the MLS Cup. Despite Haaland’s treble-winning season with Manchester City, he couldn’t secure the accolade. Messi was not present at the ceremony, and France legend Thierry Henry humorously accepted the award on his behalf.
6. Afro Beats musician David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has recently purchased a piece of land in Eko Atlantic City, Victoria Island, Lagos State, Nigeria. Davido shared a video on his Instagram story featuring him and his crew standing on the property with managers. The land is reported to be valued at over 10 billion Naira.
7. Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana missed Cameroon’s first African Cup of Nations game despite playing for United in the Premier League against Tottenham the day before. Onana, aiming to represent Cameroon, was not in the squad for their draw against Guinea due to reported plane trouble. His jet faced issues reaching the destination because of fog, and despite attempting to travel by car, Onana was unable to make it to the stadium. The absence of Cameroon’s no.1 goalkeeper disappointed coach Rigobert Song.
