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Protest rocks Ondo Sports Complex over appointment of Acting Sports Council GM

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Activities at the Ondo State Sports Complex in Akure were brought to a halt on Tuesday as sports stakeholders staged a protest against the appointment of Mrs Evelyn Lebi as Acting General Manager of the Ondo State Sports Council.

The protesters, made up of sports union officials, coaches and athletes, expressed concerns that the appointment would not translate into meaningful growth for sports in the state.

Speaking during the protest, Coach Fisayo Bello, Coordinating Chairman of the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees, AUPCTRE, said the state’s sports sector was already in a poor condition and required the leadership of a competent technocrat to restore it.

According to Bello, the council needed a leader with genuine passion and capacity to revive sports development, stressing that stakeholders had previously opposed Lebi’s appointment and were maintaining the same position.

“We need someone who can take sports in Ondo State back to its glory days, not someone who will move it backwards. Four years ago, we rejected this appointment, and we are rejecting it again,” he said.

Also speaking, Osifo Moses, Vice Chairman of AUPCTRE in Ondo State and a boxing coach, said the council required a credible and committed individual who could reposition the sector for progress.

The Chairman of the Ondo State Professional Coaches Association, Joshua Ogunbiyi, clarified that the protest was not directed at Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, whom he described as supportive of sports development, but rather at the selection of Lebi.

Ogunbiyi alleged that Lebi had previously served at the council and was associated with issues that created tension among staff, adding that stakeholders had consistently raised concerns about her suitability for the role.

“At this stage, sports in Ondo State is not progressing. We want a vibrant, competent general manager who can revive the sector. This is not the first time Lebi is contesting for this position, and each time, we have made our reservations known,” he said.

He maintained that while stakeholders respected the governor’s prerogative to appoint officials, they believed Lebi was not the right choice to lead the council.

The General Captain of Ondo State Athletes, Idowu Afun, appealed to the state government to appoint a capable and energetic individual to head the Sports Council in order to improve athletes’ welfare and performance.

Responding to the protest, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Henry Omoyofunmi, described the action as unnecessary and unfounded.

Omoyofunmi said Lebi was a qualified professional with over 15 years of experience at the Sports Council and currently served as a Director of Sports in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.

He explained that her appointment followed the expiration of the tenure of the former general manager and was carried out through proper civil service procedures.

“The Head of Service deployed an accounting officer to the council, and I do not see any reason for the protest,” the commissioner said.

He further suggested that the protesters may be acting under external influence, insisting that Lebi’s appointment would not disrupt sporting activities but would instead contribute to repositioning sports development in the state.

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Man Hacks His Girlfriend To D3ath With Machete For Denying Him S3x (Photos)

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Police have arrested a 30-year-old man identified as Moses over the m8rder of his girlfriend at Yamoah Nkwanta in the Awutu Senya West District of the Central Region, Ghana. Event Planning Services

It was gathered that the suspect, a resident of Oboman in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, visited the deceased, identified as Sister Yaa, to spend the night with her, the media reported on Thursday, January 8, 2025.

However, a misunderstanding broke out between the two when the deceased denied the suspect s3x.

The suspect reportedly inflicted machete wounds on the deceased before dragging her out of her room and smashing her head with a concrete block, killing her instantly.

Chief of Awutu Yamoah Nkwanta, who doubles as the Ogyahene of Awutu Traditional Council, Nai Achiene Acheampong Kuma, told Citi News that he personally made a report to the police after learning about the incident, leading to the suspect’s arrest by police in Yamoah Nkwanta and subsequently handed over to the Awutu Ofaakor District Police Command. News subscription service

Remains of the suspect have since been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue while efforts are being made to establish contact with family of the victim.

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Imo state police command arrests suspect accused of r@ping 15-year-old, detain officers who allegedly demanded N100,000 from victim’s family

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The Imo State Police Command has arrested Wisdom Onyeaju, a 24-year-old male of Umuekweye, Irete, Owerri-West Local Government Area, in connection with an alleged case of d$filement.

The arrest followed credible information received by the Command from the family of the victim, who had earlier drawn public attention to the incident through a viral video circulating on social media.

A sister of the victim had come online to seek help after the incident. In a viral video, she claimed that the suspect r@ped her sister and is threatening to use the police to silence her family She mentioned that when the matter was reported to the police station loacted close to the Imo state government house, the officers on duty demanded N100, 000 before they could take the victim’s statement.

In a statement released this morning, the Imo police command spokesperson, DSP Henry Okoye, said the suspect is currently in custody and undergoing thorough investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). Upon conclusion of investigation, he will be arraigned in court with the appropriate charge(s).

Okoye further added that the command has identified and detained the police officers alleged to have engaged in professional misconduct in the handling of the case. He mentioned that an Orderly Room Trial has been scheduled to commence on Monday, 12th January, 2026, in line with extant police regulations.

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTPbKw8jJ94/?igsh=MWQ1ZDZwa3hxM2RzMw==

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Family mourns, fixes burial date for three brothers who died in Lagos Island fire

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Grief has continued to envelop the Omatu family following the death of three brothers who were among the eight victims of the devastating fire that engulfed the Great Nigeria Insurance, GNI, building on Martins Street, Lagos Island, on December 24, 2025.

The deceased: Stephen Onyeka Omatu, 50, Casmir Nnabuike Omatu, 39, and Collins Kenechukwu Omatu, 37, were natives of Ihiala in Anambra State.

They were in Lagos pursuing economic opportunities and were reportedly conducting business within the Great Nigeria House, a busy commercial complex comprising offices, shops and warehouses.

According to family members, the fire broke out unexpectedly and spread swiftly through sections of the building, leaving occupants with limited opportunity to escape.

Witnesses recounted chaotic scenes as thick smoke filled the structure and people desperately attempted to flee.

The three brothers were among those trapped inside, and their remains were recovered after firefighters brought the blaze under control.

The tragedy has once again drawn attention to persistent concerns over fire safety, emergency preparedness and compliance with building regulations in Lagos’ densely populated commercial districts, where similar incidents have repeatedly resulted in loss of lives and property.

Those who knew the Omatu brothers described them as hardworking, closely bonded and dedicated to the welfare of their immediate and extended family.

Since the incident, sympathisers from within and outside Anambra State have continued to send condolence messages.

Community groups, youth organisations and religious bodies in Ihiala have held prayer sessions in their memory, while also renewing calls for stricter enforcement of safety standards in commercial buildings.

A service of songs was held in their honor on January 7, 2026, at Jesus the Saviour Catholic Church, Bucknor Ejigbo, Lagos.

The family announced that the brothers will be buried on January 14, 2026, in their hometown of Ihiala.

Burial preparations are ongoing, with relatives arriving from different parts of the country to pay their final respects.

Traditional rulers and representatives of various associations are also expected to attend the funeral rites.

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