$11m fraud: Court orders interim forfeiture of Invictus Obi’s houses, cars (Punch)
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday ordered the interim forfeiture of the houses and cars linked to Obinwanne Okeke, popularly known as Invictus Obi, who the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission described as “a strong leader of a cyber-crime syndicate that specialised in business e-mail compromise.”
Based on an ex parte application filed by the EFCC, Justice Lifu ordered the temporary forfeiture of Obi’s two properties designated as House 4, Oakville Estate, Kado Kuchi, Abuja; a 5-bedroom duplex at Standard Estate, Kabusa, Abuja; a Toyota Corolla with number plate RBC6238N and an unregistered Toyota Corolla Sport vehicle.
Obi was arrested in the United States of America over an alleged $11million cyber fraud and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
He was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation after being implicated as the ringleader of a cybercrime syndicate that had defrauded some Americans to the tune of $11million “through fraudulent wire transfer instructions in a massive, coordinated, business e-mail compromise scheme.” Read more
Group urges Lagos to implement climate plan (Guardian)
A global multi-faith alliance of grassroots religious organisation, Green Faith international network has called for the implementation of Lagos State’s climate action plan.
They also made case for the protection of Lagos coastline and communities livelihoods from unsustainable industrial sand dredging or mining.
The group made this call at a one-day awareness programme to educate the public in taking care of their environment.
A retired judge, at the Judicial Service Commission, Mrs. Christiana Dosunmu, canvassed the environment to be taken care of. “We don’t think of the negative impact on the way we handle our environment and that is why we are having these impacts on the environment. Read more
Lagos resident jailed 18 years for stabbing man, counsel blames youthfulness (Punch)
A Lagos State High Court sitting at TBS has sentenced a 32-year-old man, Saheed Sanni, to 18 years’ imprisonment for stabbing one Jide Felix to death.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the convict stabbed Felix in the neck with a broken bottle on December 18, 2015, at LUTH Junction in the Agege Motor Road area of Mushin, Lagos, when an argument ensued between them.
Sanni, who had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charge when he was first arraigned on January 18, 2021, later pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter.
The prosecution counsel, Olayemi Shofolu, informed the court that the convict applied for a plea bargain to change his plea, adding that the prosecution had amended the charge. Read more
Motorists groan as FG fails October deadline to reopen burnt Lagos Airport link bridge (Guardian)
Ten months after the burnt Murtala Mohammed Lagos airport link bridge was closed to traffic for structural test and repairs, the bridge is yet to be opened against the Federal Government’s promise to re-open the bridge to traffic by the end of October.
The Government had in June commenced repair works on the bridge, six months after the Toyota Bus Stop stretch of the link bridge was closed to traffic due to a fire incident that damaged a part of the bridge.
Before the contract was awarded to Plycom Nigeria Limited, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Alhaji Babangida Hussaini, had, during a two-day technical inspection of roads and housing projects in Lagos, given residents hope that work would commence on the bridge by the end of March.
But that did not materialise as it took additional three months for works to start on the bridge, notwithstanding that its closure had caused untold hardship to motorists and commuters around the area. Read more
Lagos Assembly adopts constituency stakeholders’ report, tasks Sanwo-Olu on implementation (Champion)
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, and members of the House, on Thursday 28th October, called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to intensify enlightenment against drug abuse.
The House also tasked the Office of Civic Engagement in the State to regularly sensitise Lagosians and school students on the effect of drug abuse.
The Assembly made the call while taking reports of the 7th Annual Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting held simultaneously in all the 40 constituencies of the State recently.
With the theme: ‘Increasing Wave of Drug: A Threat to Nation Building’, the lawmakers, in their different constituencies, brought together stakeholders and leaders to discuss and suggest solutions to some challenges faced by the State. Read more
Lagos: Anger trails video of school pupils holding assembly in flood (DailyTrust)
A viral video of primary school pupils holding an assembly and reciting the national anthem in a pool of dirty floods in Lagos State has generated reactions from social media users.
Social media users had reacted angrily to the video, which appeared on Saturday, blaming the school for allowing the pupils to hold the assembly in such a condition.
They also blamed the Lagos State Government of poor monitoring of private schools.
Oyebademojishola, who reacted on Instagram, said: “The school management that made the pupils stay in that dirty water to conduct assembly in the name of proving a point is more wicked than the said government.” Read more
FG promises 5% jobs to persons with disabilities (Leadership)
Federal government has expressed its readiness to implement the law mandating both public and private organisations to allocate five per cent of jobs to people living with disabilities.
Minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, disclosed this at the weekend in Abuja during the 16th anniversary celebration of Kpakpando Foundation with the theme, “5% Employment Inclusion of Persons With Disabilities In Nigeria: Time to Walk the Talk.”
He said the implementation of the policy is another major avenue with which the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was using to achieve greater inclusiveness in government.
He said the service wide circular would be issued to all the ministries and parastatals this week. Read more
Why no plane landed at Anambra airport (Guardian)
It was disappointment at the weekend when no aircraft landed at the newly-built Anambra International Cargo/Passenger Airport, Umueri, despite the commissioning by Governor Willie Obiano at a colourful ceremony.
It was gathered that part of the reasons was the failure of the aviation regulatory authority, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to approve the take-off of two commercial flights that were billed to land at the airport from Lagos and Abuja respectively.
It was further discovered there were also allegations that political pressure forced federal authorities to stop the inauguration.
Obiano, in his speech during the inauguration ceremony that attracted top government officials, eminent personalities, members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the governorship candidate, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and well-wishers, disclosed that the Director-General of the NCAA, Mr. Musa Nuhu, had already handed in certificate of commercial flights operations. Read more
2023: North’ll back credible candidate –NEF (Sun)
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has declared that it would back a candidate from any region for the 2023 presidential election.
Spokesman of the forum, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed, stated this in an interview with Daily Sun at the sideline of the fourth Malam Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State.
He, however, said the north would not accept a presidential candidate thrown up for the 2023 poll by a political party on the basis of regional consideration.
Ahmed, in a paper delivered at the lecture on behalf of NEF, entitled: “The President we want” warned that the north would turn its back to any party that deliberately tilts advantages to presidential candidates from particular regions in the 2023 electioneering. Read more
Odili: Wike gives FG 48 hours ultimatum to unmask attackers (Sun)
Rivers State Governor, Nyeesom Wike, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government to unearth masterminds of night’s attack on the Abuja residence of Justice Mary Odili.
Since the attack last Friday, security agencies have denied their role, while the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, also washed his hands off it.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, Wike described the attack as an assassination attempt on the life of Mrs Odili, who is a Justice of the Supreme Court.
He said recent developments surrounding the family of Peter Odili called for serious concerns from Nigerians. Read more
Olivia Wilde bounces around in prosthetic boobs for Dolly Parton costume (PageSix)
Olivia Wilde paid homage to Dolly Parton this Halloween, giving her social media followers a sneak peek of the prosthetic boobs she wore beneath the look to emulate the country star’s ample chest.
“BTS Dolly boobs,” Wilde, 37, captioned a clip of herself bouncing around her room in the prosthetic, which she wore atop a burgundy sports bra.
Wilde also added, “Thank You for letting me borrow your rack,” while tagging Sara Moonves, EIC at W Magazine, Parton’s latest cover.
The preceding and following videos show the actress wearing a curly blonde wig and colorful makeup, heels and a yellow button-up shirt tied at the waist. She also placed a flower in her hair, completing the ensemble. Read more
Salisbury train crash: Major incident as two trains collide (BBC)
A major incident has been declared after two trains collided in Salisbury, leaving several people injured.
The collision happened near London Road and involved a South Western Railway and a Great Western service.
A train driver, who was trapped, was treated by paramedics. In total, 17 people were taken to hospital.
The crash happened at 18:46 GMT when one train hit an object in a tunnel, and the second train then collided with it due to signalling problems. Read more
Halloween 2021: Scariest horror movie ever is indie slasher made in pandemic, according to science (Metro)
A little known slasher has been named the scariest horror movie ever based on science – and it was made on a budget during the pandemic.
Shudder flick Host, available via Amazon Prime Video, was released in July 2020 at the height of the Covid crisis when we were all still figuring out how to use Zoom.
A British filmmaker, Rob Savage, wasted no time in capitalising on the horrors of virtual video calls and turned it into Host.
The supernatural film sees a group of friends hanging out via Zoom during lockdown and joined by a medium for a virtual seance. However, once they make contact with the dead, their call suddenly becomes their worst nightmare. Read more
North Macedonia PM to resign after party’s loss in local elections (France24)
North Macedonia’s embattled Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said on Sunday that he was resigning following his party’s poor showing in municipal elections over the weekend.
The shock announcement follows months of sliding popularity for the prime minister as he struggled to keep the country’s economy on track amid the pandemic’s headwinds and talks over possible accession to the European Union all but stalled.
“I take the responsibility for the results of these elections. I resign as prime minister,” Zaev said during a press conference.
“I have brought freedom and democracy, and democracy means taking responsibility,” he said. Read more
Man stabs several passengers on Tokyo commuter train (Hill)
Japanese authorities said a man dressed as Batman’s nemesis Joker stabbed several passengers on a Tokyo commuter train before starting a fire, The Associated Press reported.
The Tokyo Fire Department said that 17 passengers were injured during the attack, with three passengers on the train suffering serious wounds.
Tokyo Police said the attack happened inside the Keio train near the Kokuryo station, according to the AP.
Witness told police that the attacker was seen wearing a bright outfit that resembled Batman comic character “The Joker” or someone attending Halloween festivities.
The white student braving racial politics in South Africa (BBC)
Teenager Jess Griesel does not seem the usual red beret-wearing member of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – the party intent on upsetting the country’s political landscape.
She is a 19-year-old white, Afrikaans-speaking undergraduate who was recently elected to the Student Representative Council (SRC) of Cape Town university on an EFF ticket.
But in a country as racially charged as South Africa, her stance has not gone down well with some people. When Ms Griesel announced her SRC candidacy in September, one social media user described her as a “race traitor”.
Twenty-seven years after the end of white-minority rule – when Nelson Mandela was elected as president in South Africa’s first democratic election, calling the country “the rainbow nation” – Ms Griesel tells me the backlash shocked her. Read more
Elon Musk says he’ll sell Tesla stock if UN official can prove how $6b from world’s richest man will solve world hunger (DailyMail)
Elon Musk says he is willing to sell Tesla stock if the United Nations official who said that just 2 percent of the entrepreneur’s income could help solve world hunger can back up the claim.
‘If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it,’ Musk, the world’s richest man, tweeted Sunday.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO added, however, that the World Food Programme (WFP) must publicly disclose how they are utilizing his funds.
‘But it must be open source accounting, so the public sees precisely how the money is spent,’ Musk added. Read more
93-year-old London, Ont., runner breaks Canadian record, shows no signs of slowing down (CBC)
A 93-year-old runner broke his own Canadian record Sunday morning, completing five kilometres in 36 minutes and 30 seconds.
Canio Polosa flew over the finish line at Springbank Park in London, Ont., as part of the Halloween Haunting race.
His previous Canadian Masters Athletics record for his age group was five kilometres in 37 minutes and 41 seconds.
“Until the next time,” Polosa said to CBC London’s Rebecca Zandbergen after the race. Read more
Vienna Open: Alexander Zverev beats Frances Tiafoe for title (BBC)
Alexander Zverev continued his dominant form since the summer, beating Frances Tiafoe 7-5 6-4 in the Vienna Open final.
Germany’s Zverev, 24, edged the 23-year-old American qualifier in two tight sets to claim his fifth tour level title this season.
The pair traded breaks before Olympic champion Zverev broke at the end of the first set to lead.
He pressured Tiafoe throughout the second set, breaking to love to win.
Zverev has won all five finals he has contested this season, also winning titles in Acapulco, the Madrid and Cincinnati Masters, and Olympic gold in Tokyo, losing just two matches since the Wimbledon fourth round. Read more
Jose Mourinho loses his cool on touchline in defeat to AC Milan as Serie A record ends (Metro)
Jose Mourinho suggested there was ‘no respect for the Roma players and fans’ as his side suffered defeat to AC Milan.
Roma were on the receiving end of a 2-1 loss at home as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Franck Kessie both found the net in a frustrating night for the Portuguese boss.
Prior to tonight’s match, Mourinho was unbeaten in 43 home matches in Serie A with that run dating back to his time with Inter Milan.
The 58-year-old was seen on the touchline angrily throwing his hands up in the air as he watched his team slump to defeat and was clearly unimpressed with an incident at full-time but did not want to elaborate further. Read more
Adepoju, Shorunmu differ on Ighalo’s return to Eagles (Punch)
Former Super Eagles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju, has queried the rationale behind the invitation of Saudi Arabia-based striker Odion Ighalo to the national team.
Eagles coach Gernot Rohr last week announced that Ighalo, who retired from the team two years ago, was in his 40-man provisional list for next month’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Speaking with journalists during the final of the 40th CBN Governor’s Cup at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan, Adepoju said although Ighalo was a potent striker, there were younger players in the national team doing well in their clubs.
With an avalanche of young strikers — scoring goals week-in-week-out for their clubs in Europe — at Rohr’s disposal, Adepoju, an AFCON winner and veteran of three World Cups, wondered why the Franco-German needed the 32-year-old Ighalo. Read more
Emma Raducanu handed next coach advice by Boris Becker (Metro)
Emma Raducanu appointing an experienced coach will help her achieve consistency in her performances.
That’s the view of tennis legend Boris Becker, who admits the 18-year-old is dealing with a lot of pressure.
Raducanu has been in the spotlight ever since her US Open triumph in September as she became the first ever qualifier to win a Grand Slam.
The British No.1 opted to part ways with her coach Andrew Richardson shortly after her win in New York and is still yet to make a new permanent appointment. Read more
Ibrahimovic tells Mbappe to ‘taste blood, walk on fire’ (Guardian)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic used the platform of Halloween to tell French superstar striker Kylian Mbappe that he needs to “taste blood” if he is truly to become a football legend.
Mbappe is already a World Cup winner and plays alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain.
However, Ibrahimovic, still playing at 40 with AC Milan, accused 22-year-old Mbappe of being in a “comfort zone” at the French club.
“I love Mbappe, but what he is doing is not enough. He is too comfortable, he is in his ‘zone’,” the Swedish player told French TV programme, Telefoot, on Sunday.
“He needs to walk on fire and if he walks on fire, he will be even better,” added Ibrahimovic, who played at PSG from 2012-2016. Read more
Virat Kohli reacts to India’s heavy loss to New Zealand as T20 World Cup exit looms (Metro)
Virat Kohli has branded India’s heavy defeat to New Zealand at the T20 World Cup as ‘bizarre’ and felt the side played with too much caution, though he is still optimistic they can progress to the semi-finals.
India posted a first innings score of just 110-7 and astonishingly faced 71 deliveries without hitting a boundary as New Zealand dominated with the ball.
That score was well below par at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and the Kiwis knocked off the runs needed with eight wickets and 33 balls remaining to leave India’s hopes of progressing from the Super 12s in serious jeopardy.
India have now lost their opening two games and sit fifth in the table, behind even Namibia, and no longer have their fate in their own hands, with Kohli at a loss to explain why they performed so badly. Read more
