8 feared killed as truck rams into motorcycles in Lagos, okada riders kick (Punch)
There was tension in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Wednesday as eight persons allegedly died in a crash involving a truck which rammed into four motorcycles at the Sheriff bus stop, Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area.
Eyewitnesses told PUNCH Metro that the crash occurred around 10am as the truck that was heading for Odogunyan lost control and swerved to the other side of the road, and faced oncoming traffic.
The truck was said to have rammed into the motorcycles before it was halted by the burglar rods of a nearby filing station.
The remains of the victims were evacuated by officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps at the scene of the accident. Read more
Ethiopian Airline plane skids off runway, gets stuck in mud at Lagos Airport (Leadership)
There was pandemonium at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos as an Ethiopia airline plane from Addis Ababa skidded off the taxiway after landing.
According to a source, the plane arriving at Lagos from Addis Ababa on Wednesday had landed and was at taxing speed when it skidded off the taxiway while trying to make a turn to go to the gate.
However, it was gathered that the crew and airport staff were seen trying to make the left landing gear free to allow free passage and to tow the aircraft away from the muddy area.
The source said, “The incident occurred at the runway end of the airport. The over 100 passengers and seven crew were alive and accounted for after the plane ditched in the green area. The Ethiopian airlines aircraft was finally towed three hours after the incident.” Read more
11 suspected Internet fraudsters apprehended in Lagos (Punch)
Operatives of the Lagos zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested 11 suspected Internet fraudsters in Lagos State.
A statement by the anti-graft agency’s spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the suspects were arrested on Monday, May 31, 2021, in the Alagbado area of the state following credible intelligence received by the commission about their alleged involvement in computer-related fraud.
The statement read in part, “The suspects are Nwomkiro Jude, Olukoya Timilehin, Akingbade Ayoboye, Adeolu Oluwajifemi, Nwankwo Michael, Kehinde Ajibola, Adesina Deji, Olalekan Abiola, Anthony Iwuji, Emeka Metuh and Oluwasegun Pelumi.
“Upon their arrest, items such as mobile devices, laptops and exotic cars were recovered from them.” Read more
JAMB: 160,617 candidates sit for mock examinations in 777 centres nationwide: spokesman (Guardian)
A total of 160,617 candidates sat for the Mock examinations conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in its 777 Computer-Based Centres across the country, according to the board’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin, who spoke in a telephone chat with newsmen, however, expressed sadness over a fire incident at one of the CBT centres in Abuja, saying that measures had been put in place to contain the situation.
“We have over 160,000 candidates sitting for these mock examinations in all our CBT centres. We received reports of complaint of staff capacity and stability at one or two centres.
“ Like in Abuja, there is a centre, Dominion International School, Jabi, that caught fire during the examinations but everything has been put under control.
“ The exams are going on well and with what we have now, it shows we are good to go for the main examinations coming up June 19,” he said. Read more
Gunmen hijack school bus in Ondo (Nation)
Gunmen riding motorcycles on Thursday hijacked a school bus at Oba Ile Estate in Akure North Local Government.
It is not yet clear how many pupils were inside the bus.
Some eyewitnesses said pupils were inside the bus while others claimed only the attendant was taken away by the hoodlums.
Read Also: Gunmen kill community leader in Kwara
It was learnt the incident occurred around 6:45am when the driver and his attendant went to pick pupils of Chimola School.
The gunmen were said to have dragged the driver out and drove away. Read more
Police arrest farmer over alleged poisoning of 9 wells in Yobe (Leadership)
The Police in Yobe State has arrested a 25-year-old farmer, Mohammad Mohammad, over alleged poisoning of nine wells in Kasesa village near Damaturu, the state capital.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP in Damaturu shortly after the effecting the suspect’s arrest, Police PRO, ASP Dungus Abdulkarim, stated that on May 25, 2021, Mohammed poured an insecticide into nine wells, which were sources of water to residents and herders in the area.
According to him, “When we collected the well water as a sample and conducted laboratory analysis, we discovered that they were contaminated with fecal Coliforms, which can cause cholera, typhoid and other water-borne diseases,” the PPRO said.
He added that the suspect onfessed to committing the offence, but said that his intention was to prevent herders from invading his farm. Read more
NECO appoints Ebikibina Ogborodi acting Registrar (Punch)
The governing board of the National Examinations Council has approved the appointment of Mr. Ebikibina John Ogborodi as the Acting Registrar/Chief Executive of the Council.
The appointment followed the death of the Registrar, Professor Godswill Obioma on Monday, June 1, 2021, after a brief illness.
Until his appointment, Mr. Ogborodi was the Director of Special Duties in the Council.
A circular issued by the Director, Human Resource Management, Mr. Mustapha K. Abdul, explained that the Acting Registrar’s appointment was endorsed by the governing board at its emergency meeting held on June 2, 2021. Read more
Benue State University uses electronic voting for student union election (ThisDay)
The Benue State University has conducted a crisis-free electronic voting election into various positions in the Student’s Union body.
The university introduced e-voting system due to the Covid-19 protocols and also to check election manipulation.
Hitherto, Student’s Union election in the institution had always witnessed violence with cultists hijacking the poll.
According to the Director of ICT in the school Mr Terna Abuul,
the new Vice Chancellor Professor Tor Iorapuu came up with the innovation as a way of digitising operations in the school, adding that it is meant to avoid overcrowding because of Covid-19 pandemic. Read more
JUSUN strike stalls deposed Emir Sanusi’s suit against Kano Govt, others (Guardian)
A suit filed by deposed Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, against the Kano State government and others was Thursday stalled due to the strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the deposed emir had, on March 12, 2020, sued the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS) over what he called “unlawful detention/confinement” at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Also joined in the motion with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/357/2020 are the Attorney-General of Kano State and Attorney General of the Federation as 3rd and 4th respondents respectively. Read more
Mark Zuckerberg confirms WhatsApp is getting Snapchat-style features (Metro)
WhatsApp looks set to introduce a set of new features that many users have long been asking for.
The world’s most popular chat app will finally introduce proper multi-device support as well as implementing Snapchat-style disappearing messages.
Confirmation of the new features came from none other than Mark Zuckerberg himself.
The Facebook overlord joined WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart to reveal the news to WABetaInfo – an anonymous blog devoted to reporting on changes to WhatsApp. Read more
France Mila affair: 13 on trial over online abuse (BBC)
Thirteen people will go on trial over online abuse against a French teenager who posted videos critical of Islam.
Ten men and three women aged between 18 and 30 are due to appear in court in Paris on Thursday, with eight accused of making death threats.
Mila has received 100,000 hate messages after an Instagram video in which she criticised Islam went viral, her lawyer says.
She posted another video on TikTok in November. Read more
Barack Obama says Biden is ‘finishing the job’ of his presidency (NYPost)
Former President Barack Obama believes President Biden is “finishing the job” of his administration, he revealed in a new interview.
The 44th commander-in-chief made the comments in an interview this week with “The Ezra Klein Show,” a New York Times podcast, after being asked if he believed policy could persuade people to vote differently in this politically charged era.
“I think that what we’re seeing now, is Joe and the administration are essentially finishing the job. And I think it’ll be an interesting test,” Obama explained.
“Ninety per cent of the folks who were there in my administration, they are continuing and building on the policies we talked about, whether it’s the Affordable Care Act, or our climate change agenda, and the Paris [climate accord], and figuring out how do we improve the ladders to mobility through things like community colleges,” he continued. Read more
Nicole Kidman and Kylie Minogue among celebs celebrating Moulin Rouge! as iconic musical turns 20 (Metro)
Nicole Kidman sent fans and famous faces into a frenzy as she celebrated the 20th anniversary of Moulin Rouge! with a string of iconic throwbacks.
The film – starring Nicole, Ewan McGregor, Jim Broadbent and Kylie Minogue – was released on June 1, 2001, and we’ve watched it on repeat ever since.
Taking to Instagram, the 53-year-old, who stole the show as Satine, blessed us all with some of her favourite moments behind the scenes and in front of the cameras, alongside onscreen beau Ewan.
She captioned the upload: ‘Some of my favourite memories from #MoulinRouge! The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return. 20th anniversary is tomorrow!’ Read more
Israel’s fragile coalition faces early survival test (DW)
Israel is a step closer in forming a new government and seeing the end of Benjamin Netanyahu’s years as prime minister. Parliament must still approve the coalition deal. A vote could take place within the next two weeks.
Israel’s new coalition government will be one the most unusual governments Israel has seen in recent years and potentially one without the country’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
In the last hour before a midnight deadline expired, Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid party and mandated to form a new coalition, informed Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin that he had succeeded in forming a government. “I commit to you, Mr. President, that this government will work to serve all the citizens of Israel, including those who aren’t members of it, will respect those who oppose it, and do everything in its power to unite all parts of Israeli society,” his statement said. Read more
Prosecution seeks 30 years for George Floyd killer (France24)
Prosecutors have asked for a 30-year prison sentence for the murderer of George Floyd.
Former police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted for the killing in April and is due to be sentenced on 25 June.
On Wednesday the prosecution said the killing had “shocked the conscience of the Nation” and demanded a long sentence.
But the defence described the killing as “an error made in good faith” based on Derek Chauvin’s training. Read more
Ben Affleck leaves Jennifer Lopez’s house in the morning with a smirk (PageSix)
Ben Affleck looked satisfied upon leaving Jennifer Lopez’s house Wednesday morning.
The “Way Back” star was photographed in his car with quite the smirk on his face as he departed her Los Angeles pad.
At first, the Oscar-winning actor, 48, didn’t look too thrilled with being photographed outside Lopez’s home, but he quickly changed his tune — and mood — and put a grin on for the paparazzi.
The couple’s apparent sleepover happened just one day after their cuddly Monday night date, so it seems their rekindled relationship — which they haven’t yet confirmed themselves — is progressing nicely. Read more
Margaret Wambui: Kenyan Olympic medallist calls for third category in athletics (BBC)
World Athletics should introduce a third category of events in order to allow competitors with high testosterone levels to compete in their preferred disciplines, Kenyan 800m runner Margaret Wambui has said.
Like other athletes classified as having differences of sexual development – or DSD – Wambui cannot contest any distance between 400m and one mile in the female category unless she artificially reduces her testosterone levels.
The Kenyan was an 800m bronze medallist at the 2016 Olympic Games.
“It would be good if a third category for athletes with high testosterone was introduced – because it is wrong to stop people from using their talents,” Wambui told BBC Sport Africa.
The sport’s governing body, World Athletics, says it has no plans to introduce such a category and will stick to its current classifications of men’s and women’s events. Read more
World No. 1 Ash Barty gutted as injury ends French Open hopes (Metro)
Ash Barty admitted her French Open retirement was ‘heartbreaking’ after she suffered an injury on the eve of the tournament.
Barty, the world No. 1 from Australia who won the title in 2019, confessed she had shed tears during the first few days of the event after suffering an ‘acute’ left hip injury during practice at the weekend.
She said the injury, that was seriously hampering her serve, was becoming ‘unsafe’ during her second-round match against Magda Linette, which saw her throw in the towel at 6-1 2-2 down.
And Barty, who hopes to be ready for the grass-court swing, lamented the timing of the injury after such an impressive clay-court season in which she won the title in Stuttgart and reached the final of the Madrid Open. Read more
John Daly: I was offered $1 million to tank the British Open (NYPost)
John Daly had no problem turning down this alleged $1 million offer.
In 1995, the now 55-year-old said he was approached at the British Open by a bold gambler.
“He says, ‘Look if you tank it, I’ll give you a million bucks,’ ” Daly recalled in an interview on “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” from 2014 that was unearthed this week.
As for Daly’s response?
“I said, ‘Go…f–k yourself. No way,’” he remembered. Read more
NBA play-off round-up: Philadelphia 76ers, Atlanta Hawks and Utah Jazz advance (BBC)
The Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks will meet in the Eastern Conference semi-finals after both wrapped up emphatic first-round series victories.
The 76ers won 4-1 against the Washington Wizards, while the Hawks beat the New York Knicks 4-1.
In the Western Conference, Utah Jazz advanced past the Memphis Grizzlies with a 4-1 series win.
They will face the Los Angeles Clippers or the Dallas Mavericks next. Read more
Hawks, Trae Young take bow after sending Knicks to early vacation (NYPost)
Clint Capela perhaps can recommend a few European hot spots now after following through on his promise to help send the Knicks on a summer vacation.
And Trae Young certainly can — and did — take a deserved bow.
The Hawks’ Swiss-born center backed up his bravado about ending the Knicks’ season with a bruising physical performance Wednesday night, while Young hammered in the final nails with 18 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter of the Hawks’ series-sealing 103-89 victory in Game 5 at the Garden.
“It feels great. Like I said since the beginning of the series, I feel like I’ve worked my whole life for this moment, to play in the playoffs and the biggest stage,” said Young, who took a bow at center court after nailing a 30-foot 3-pointer with 43.7 seconds remaining. “The bow, I did it in high school when I hit a game-winner, too. Read more
Bukayo Saka scores but Trent Alexander-Arnold injured as England beat Austria (Metro)
Bukayo Saka scored his first England goal in a 1-0 win over Austria at the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough on Wednesday night as the Three Lions continue their Euro 2020 preparations.
It was a steady enough win for England but there will be immense concern over an injury picked up by Trent Alexander-Arnold in the latter stages of the contest as the Liverpool right-back appeared to pick up a thigh problem and limped off.
It was the first of two pre-tournament friendlies for Gareth Southgate’s side, with the second coming against Romania on Sunday at the same venue.With no Manchester City, Chelsea or Manchester United players available due to recent club commitments, it was a new-look England team, with a youthful and exciting look. Read more