Kenyan Kibet Koech has won the 2023 edition of the Lagos City Marathon on Saturday.

Kibet finished the 42km race in 2:14:8 seconds to claim the grand prize of $50,000.

In the female category, Alemenseh Guta of Ethiopia, emerged winner.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Friday swore in Honourable Justice Ayedun Olusegun Odusola as the 12th chief judge of the state.

Mr Odusola had served as the acting chief judge of the state until his recommendation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) and subsequent appointment by the governor and approval by the State House of Assembly.

The governor also swore in Justice Bolatito Florence Ajibade, Justice Bankole Jacob Akinwunmi, Justice Leonard Boyede Ologun, and Justice Femi Sylvester Akinbinnu as the new High Court judges in the state.

Mr Akeredolu equally inaugurated Omofunmile Adejombo, Omolola Akinseloyin and Stanley Adeniyan as members of the State Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

The governor described the appointment of the chief judge and others as the greatest honour society could confer on any citizen.

He said their appointments were not only a mark of recognition with regard to competence in the administration and practice of law but also confirmed their fitness in terms of character.

Mr Akeredolu reiterated his administration’s promise to support the judiciary.

“Amidst the challenges faced by us, especially after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 which impacted negatively on the finances of the State, we have continued to discharge our duties with utmost care and focus,” he said.

The governor disclosed that he had just approved the immediate commencement of work on the construction of a new ultra-modern court complex.

Mr Akeredolu charged the chief judge and the four new judges to be above board, stressing that anyone aspiring to the post of a judicial officer must be a fit and proper person.

The governor also warned friends and family members of the new judicial officers to desist from mounting pressures capable of distracting them.

The governor, therefore, called on lawyers, the court registry and the state’s residents to cooperate with the new chief judge and his brother judges for optimum dispensation of justice.

In his acceptance speech, the new chief judge thanked the governor for accepting the recommendation of the NJC and appointing him and four others as judges of the State High Court.

He vowed to sustain the existing relationship among the arms of government and enhance the same during his tenure as the chief judge.

The chief judge and the four new judges were handed brand new vehicles as their official cars immediately after the event.

A bank customer has slumped and died after standing in a queue for long hours at a bank in Agbor, Delta State.

According to the Tribune on Friday, the yet-to-be-identified man died after waiting for hours to collect his Automated Teller Machine card at the bank in Ika South Local Government Area, Delta State.

Confirming his death, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, said, “He was not trying to withdraw cash; he came to collect his ATM card.”

Bello Argungu on Friday assumed office as the Commandant, Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Sokoto State Command.

This is contained in a statement in Sokoto by Hamza Illela, the state command’s spokesman.

Mr Argungu was deployed to the Sokoto command to take over from Muhammad Dada, who was redeployed to Enugu State.

Mr Illela said that the new commandant in his maiden address to the personnel of the corps, sought for absolute loyalty, support and cooperation of the management as well as staffers to move the command forward.

He said the new commandant assured to carry everybody along in the discharge of the corps’ herculean task.

“I want to reiterate the NSCDC’s commitment, in collaboration with sister agencies and all relevant stakeholders in maintaining peace and order.

“This is most especially in the critical time of electioneering.

“Therefore, I want to solicit the support of the good people of Sokoto State in addressing the situation,” Mr Illela quoted Mr Argungu as saying.

The spokesperson further said that the new commandant had given assurance to the public that the corps would be committed to the protection of lives and properties, as well as ensure peaceful coexistence across the state.

Earlier, the outgoing commandant thanked the management and the staffers for their support and cooperation during his stay.

He enjoined all the personnel in the command to extend same gesture to his successor.

The Kwara government has engaged 200 new social workers to improve waste management and public hygiene in the Ilorin metropolis.

This is contained in a statement issued in Ilorin by Yakub Aliagan, the Press Secretary in the Ministry of Environment.

Mr Aliagan said that Remilekun Banigbe, the state Commissioner for Environment, had said that the new development would improve the reorganisation of the system for efficient management of waste in the tsta e capital.

Mrs Banigbe also said the newly engaged social workers would replace the Social Waste Contractors from Inter Project Nigeria Limited and Prime Scape Nigeria Limited, whose contracts had just ended.

She also said that the social waste contractors were engaged to complement government efforts in maintaining a clean and hygienic environment.

“The contractors will evacuate waste and keep the roads within the Ilorin metropolis clean, because the government has decided to double down on these efforts by redesigning the scheme for better results,” she said.

The commissioner however revealed that the recruitment by Govo AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq included absorbing the operatives from the former Social Waste Contractors for the continuation of their duties and to prevent hardship.

She said the newly employed sweepers would be assigned to various roads within the Ilorin metropolis to complement the existing local government Eco-Cleaners within the Central region of the state.

She reiterated the commitment of the administration to continue to promote a hygienic and conducive environment that would foster good living for its citizens.

She also charged the people of the state to take full ownership and responsibility of their surroundings, saying that improper disposal of refuse is a major cause of epidemic outbreak.

Mrs Banigbe further encouraged residents of the state to imbibe a positive waste disposal culture towards a cleaner Kwara.

Paul Oyewole, an Ondo-based cleric, has been dragged before a Magistrates Court, sitting in Ondo town, for allegedly faking his obituary to avoid payment of debt.

Mr Oyewole was arraigned on Thursday before Magistrate Mosunmola Ikujuni, after he allegedly published and posted his own death on social media to avoid payment of N3 million owed his church member.

The cleric, who was docked by the court was alleged of fraudulently obtaining the huge sum from Boyede Emmanuel, his church member, claiming to pay back the money within seven days.

Speaking when the case came up for mention, Akao Moremi, police prosecutor told the court that Mr Oyewole defaulted in paying the debt despite his repeated promises.

Mr Akao said the clergyman falsely published and posted his obituary on WhatsApp after he sent a fake alert – knowing fully that he did not have such an amount in his bank account.

“He (Oyewole) also threatened the complainant on phone, with the intent to intimidate him and conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace, by stripping himself naked in front of the complainant’s house,” the police prosecutor further told the Magistrate.

He said the cleric committed the offence between November 25, 2021, and May 7, 2022, along the Valentino area in Ondo. According to him, the offence was contrary to and punishable under Sections 419, 86, and 125A(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 37, Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.Mr Oyewole pleaded not guilty to the charges when the charges were preferred against him before the court.

The police prosecutor told the magistrates’ to allow him to bring four witnesses to testify in the case.

He later applied for a date to enable him to study the case file properly.

A counsel to the cleric, Queen Arokoyo, pleaded to the court to grant her client bail in liberal terms, promising that he would not run away or jump the grace if granted.

The Presiding magistrate, Mrs Ikujuni, however, granted the cleric a bail of N1 million with two sureties each in like sum.

She noted that one of the sureties must have a landed property, residing within the jurisdiction, stressing that the original and photocopies of the identification card must be attached.

She adjourned the case till February 13, 2023, for further hearing.

Troops of the One-Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, on Thursday, rescued 30 kidnapped victims along the dreaded Kaduna-Birnin-Gwari road in Kaduna State.

The Acting Public Relations of the Division, Lt. Col. Musa Yahaya, who disclosed this in a statement, said the troops encountered the bandits while escorting the Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Maj Gen SE Udonwa, who was on operational visits to ‘Operation Whirl Punch’ Headquarters in Birnin Gwari.

According to Yahaya, the troops engaged the bandits and overpowered them, forcing the criminal elements to withdraw in disarray.He said the hard-fighting troops recovered two motorcycles from the hoodlums and immediately cleared the route for free flow of vehicular traffic.

The Army spokesman said, “A fighting patrol from 1 Div today Thursday 2 February 2023 had a meeting engagement with armed bandits kidnapping commuters at Manini village along Kaduna – Birnin Gwari road.

“The troops who were escorting the Chief of Defence Training and Operations Maj Gen SE Udonwa who was on operational visits to Operation Whirl Punch Headquarters in Birnin Gwari engaged the bandits and overpowered them forcing the criminal element to withdraw in disarray.

“The gallant troops rescued 30 kidnapped victims, recovered 2 motorcycles and immediately cleared the highway for free flow of vehicular traffic.

The rescued victims were escorted to Udawa and Birnin Gwari to continue their journey.

“The Chief of Defence Training and Operations, Maj Gen SE Udonwa, has commended the troops for their professionalism and resilience.”

The Central Bank of Nigeria has threatened to prosecute anyone caught selling or abusing the new naira notes.

This was according to a statement on Thursday by the bank’s Director of Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi.In the statement, the CBN expressed concerns over the selling of the new notes, adding that it would work with security agencies to address the issue.

The statement read in part;

“The Central Bank of Nigeria has observed, with grave concern, the activities of persons who sell the newly redesigned banknotes and those who flagrantly abuse the legal tender by hurling wads of Naira notes in the air and stamping on the currency at social functions.”

“We wish to state unequivocally that, contrary to the practice of these unpatriotic persons, it is unlawful to sell the Naira, hurl (spray), or stamp on the currency under any circumstance whatsoever,” the bank said.

It noted that Section 21(3) of the CBN Act 2007 (As amended) stipulates that “spraying of, dancing or matching on the Naira or any note issued by the Bank during social occasions or otherwise howsoever shall constitute an abuse and defacing of the Naira or such note and shall be punishable under the law by fines or imprisonment or both.”

It added that Section 21(4) states that “It shall also be an offence punishable under Sub-section (1) of this section for any person to hawk, sell or otherwise trade in the Naira notes, coins or any other note issued by the Bank.”

The bank said it is partnering with the Nigeria Police, Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to address the issue of the sale and abuse of new notes in the country.