Army’s claims on ‘error’ killing of policemen are untrue – police (Guardian)
The Nigerian Police Force has said the claims by the Nigerian troop on the killing of three policemen and one civilian is an “obvious distortion of facts.” Police’s spokesman Frank Mba in a press statement almost 24 hours after the army reacted to the attack, said it was “insensitive, disrespectful and unpatriotic” of the army to have described “policemen on lawful National Assignment as ‘suspected kidnappers’” Mba on Wednesday night said three policemen – an Inspector and two Sergeants – and a civilian were on a covert operation in Taraba State when they were killed by the Nigerian troops. Read more
Eid-el-Kabir: FAAN strengthens airport security (Punch)
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria says airport security and other logistics have been strengthened to contain the expected increase in passenger traffic during the Eid-el-Kabir holidays. FAAN’s General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, gave the assurance in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Federal Government had declared August 12 and 13 as public holidays in commemoration of the festive season. Read more
Insecurity: Soyinka calls for state of emergency in South West (Guardian)
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has called for the declaration of the state of emergency due to the security challenges in the South West Zone. Soyinka made the call on Thursday in Akure on the sidelines of the D.O Fagunwa Study Group International Conference held to celebrate his 85th birthday. The conference had as theme: ” Wole Soyinka, DO Fagunwa and the Yoruba Artistic Heritage.” Read more
Eid-el-Kabir: Don’t hold street carnivals without approval —Oyo Police (Punch)
The Commissioner Police in Oyo State, Shina Olukolu, has said that those who hold street carnivals during Eid-el-Kabir period without due approval should prepare to face sanctions. Olukolu warned organisers of “frivolous street carnivals” to be wary of “disgruntled youths and idle individuals who are criminally minded” and always willing to use such avenues to extort money, intimidate their perceived rivals, or commit crimes such as murder. Read more
Sallah: Police announce vehicular movement restriction in Yobe (Guardian)
Yobe State Police Commissioner, CP Abdulmaliki Sanmonu has announced the restriction of vehicular movement between Saturday, Aug. 10 from 11:00 pm and Sunday, Aug. 11 to ensure hitch-free Eid-el-Kabir. Sanmonu said in a press statement in Damaturu on Thursday that the move was to ensure the security of lives and property during the celebration. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Commissioner assured the residents that the command had taken proactive measures to ensure a hitch-free and peaceful celebration in the state. Read more
EFCC hands over another Badeh’s forfeited mansion to NEDC (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday handed over a 13-bedroom, one-storey building and a basement, forfeited by the late Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, to the management of North East Development Commission in Abuja. The property was forfeited on the order of the court, following prosecution of the late Badeh for money laundering and corruption by the EFCC. Read more
FCT Police arrest five suspected kidnappers’ informants (Punch)
The Police in the Federal Capital Territory on Thursday said it arrested five suspected informants to kidnappers terrorising communities in Abaji Area Council and environs. The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Command, Mr. Bala Ciroma, disclosed this during a news conference in Abuja. He said that the five suspects had made useful information to the Police to facilitate the arrest of their cohorts. Read more
Lagos govt seals off 52 substandard pharmacies (Punch)
No fewer than 52 pharmacies, patent medicine stores and unlicensed premises at Isolo, Egbeda, Ikotun, Bariga and Somolu in Oshodi-Isolo, Alimosho and Somolu local government areas of Lagos were sealed on Tuesday by the Lagos State Task Force on Counterfeit, Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods for offences bordering on illegal operation and operating beyond scope, among others, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Titilayo Goncalves has said. Read more
Gun violence: Be careful in America, AI warns Nigerians, others (Punch)
Global rights group, Amnesty International, has issued a travel advisory for Nigerians and other foreigners travelling to the United States of America amid the incessant cases of gun violence and mass shootings. According to AI, persons travelling to the US should exercise caution and have an emergency contingency plan. It asked visitors to avoid crowded places including shopping malls, churches and cultural events. Read more
Burkina Faso PM urges regional effort against corruption (Punch)
The Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Mr. Christophe Dabire, on Thursday says corruption is a phenomenon that must be curbed for the sustenance of development in the region. Dabire said this when the ECOWAS Delegation on Joint Committee on Political Affairs, Peace, Security and APRM, Gender, Women Empowerment, Social Protection, Legal and Judicial Affairs visited him in Ouagadougou. He said that corruption and terrorism has caused major setback for the region, stating that all necessary contributions from the committee would be needed to fight this menance. Read more
First openly gay candidate in Tunisia’s presidential race (Guardian)
An openly gay lawyer announced Thursday he would stand in Tunisia’s presidential elections, a first for the Arab world. Mounir Baatour’s candidacy marks “a first which will, without doubt, be a benchmark in history”, his Liberal Party said. Baatour, the party’s chief and a lawyer at the Court of Cassation, presents himself as a defender of LGBTIQ rights. Read more
Gambia drops ex-president Jammeh from bank notes (Punch)
The face of former president Yahya Jammeh, which was printed on all bank notes in The Gambia, has been removed from new bills more than two years after his flight from the West African country. With accusations piling up that Jammeh ordered dozens of assassinations, the central bank in Banjul, began distributing new 50, 100 and 200 notes in the local dalasi currency from Tuesday. All the new notes have birds on one side and a variety of local scenes on the other, from a farmer in a rice paddy to a fisherman in a boat at sea. Read more
US immigration: ICE releases 300 people after Mississippi raids (BBC)
US immigration officials have said they have released some 300 people who were arrested in a massive raid in Mississippi on Wednesday. Nearly 700 workers from seven agricultural processing plants were arrested for allegedly not having proper documentation to be in the US. The raids sparked condemnation from Democrats as stories emerged of children separated from their parents. Read more
Italy government: Salvini calls for snap election (BBC)
Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s League party, has called for a snap election, saying differences with coalition partners cannot be mended. A failed attempt by the Five Star Movement to derail plans for a high-speed rail link showed the coalition could no longer govern, he said. Five Star leader Luigi Di Maio said his party did not fear another election. Mr Salvini’s party is well ahead in opinion polls, due mainly to his stance against illegal immigration. Read more
Four dead and two injured in California stabbing rampage (BBC)
A man is in custody after a stabbing and robbery spree that left four people dead and two injured across several crime scenes in Southern California. Police told US media the violence appeared to be random, with the only known motives for the two-hour rampage as “robbery, hate, homicide”. “We know this guy was full of anger and he harmed a lot of people,” said Garden Grove Police Lt Carl Whitney. Authorities have not yet named the suspect, a 33-year-old male. Read more
Detroit man who lived his life in the US dies after deportation to Iraq (BBC)
A man who moved to the US as a child and lived his life in Detroit died on Tuesday after he was deported to Iraq, his lawyer told the BBC. Jimmy Aldaoud, 41, had been unable to obtain insulin to treat his diabetes, immigration lawyer Edward Bajoka said. Aldaoud had never been to Iraq and did not speak Arabic. He was deported in June as part of a crackdown on Iraqi immigrants with criminal convictions. Read more
Former Nazi guard, 92, accused of helping kill 5,230 when he was 17 (Metro)
A 92-year-old former SS private will go on trial accused of being an accessory to 5,230 murders. Bruno Dey was 17 when he served as a guard at Stutthof, a Nazi concentration camp near Gdansk in Poland, where more than 60,000 people were killed. He worked there from August 1944 to April 1945, which makes him an accessory to murders during that time, prosecutors say. Read more
Venice bans large cruise ships from historic centre (BBC)
Large cruise ships are to be banned from entering Venice’s historic centre, the Italian government says. Ships weighing more than 1,000 tonnes will be rerouted away from certain waterways from September. The move follows an accident in June in which a ship collided with a dock, injuring five people. But conservationists say the government’s plans are insufficient to prevent underwater erosion and pollution in the lagoon city. Read more
Avengers’ Robert Downey Jr filmed final Endgame scene as Iron Man next door to where he auditioned for role (Metro)
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige has revealed Robert Downey Jr filmed his final scene as Iron Man for Avengers: Endgame in the small studio next door to where he auditioned for the 2008 original film that kicked off the MCU franchise. Our hearts! Speaking to Empire magazine’s Chris Hewitt at a special Endgame podcast in London on Thursday night the producer detailed what it was like filming Robert’s final scene. Read more
FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup: Government “100 per cent” in support of Nigeria bid (Guardian)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo Thursday said the Muhammadu Buhari administration is 100 per cent in support of the bid by the country to host the 2020 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup. Osinbajo made this declaration when a team from world football –governing body, FIFA, the Nigeria Football Federation, and members of the Bid Committee paid him a courtesy call at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Read more
Alex Iwobi: Everton sign Arsenal forward in five-year deal worth up to £34m (BBC)
Everton have signed forward Alex Iwobi from Arsenal on a five-year deal for a fee that could rise to £34m. Iwobi came through the ranks at the Gunners, scoring 15 goals in 149 games. The Nigeria forward is Marco Silva’s seventh summer signing. “Alex was one of our main targets for this window and I believe he is a fantastic signing. He is a direct and skilful winger and attacking midfielder who always works very hard,” the Everton manager said. Read more
Arsenal sign David Luiz from Chelsea and Kieran Tierney from Celtic (BBC)
Arsenal have completed the signing of Brazil defender David Luiz from Chelsea in an £8m deal. Luiz, 32, joins the Gunners on a two-year contract, with the deal following Arsenal’s £25m deadline day purchase of Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney, 22. Arsenal manager Unai Emery said Luiz brings “huge experience” and “adds to our defensive strength”. Luiz takes Emery’s summer spending over £130m after deals for Nicolas Pepe, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli. Read more
Chelsea star Andreas Christensen appears to take swipe at new Arsenal signing David Luiz (Metro)
Andreas Christensen appears to have taken a swipe at new Arsenal signing David Luiz with a timely post on social media. The 32-year-old swapped west for north London on transfer deadline day after he fell out with Frank Lampard and was asked to train away from Chelsea’s first team squad. Luiz subsequently pushed for a move across the capital to Arsenal to be reunited with his former manager at PSG, Unai Emery, and was granted his wish with the Gunners securing an £8million transfer shortly before the deadline. Read more
Wolves close on Europa League group stage with thumping win (Guardian)
Wolves moved a step closer to reaching the Europa League group stage for the first time as Raul Jimenez scored twice in a 4-0 thrashing of Armenia’s Pyunik in qualifying on Thursday. Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves, who made it into qualifying by finishing seventh in the Premier League last season as a newly-promoted club, made short work of their hosts in Yerevan. Wing-back Matt Doherty, who scored eight goals last term, rolled in a 29th-minute opener before Jimenez made it two-three minutes before half-time. Read more
Zaha staying at Crystal Palace, Hodgson says (Punch)
Cote d’Ivoire forward Wilfried Zaha is staying at English Premier League club side Crystal Palace in spite of handing in a transfer request, manager Roy Hodgson said on Thursday. The 26-year-old has been linked to Premier League rivals Arsenal and Everton during the transfer window but Crystal Palace have refused to accept an offer below their valuation. They had valued Zaha at 80 million-pound (97 million dollars). Read more
Romelu Lukaku sends message to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after completing Inter transfer (Metro)
Romelu Lukaku has thanked Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after completing his acrimonious exit from Manchester United. The Belgium international was unveiled as an Inter Milan player on transfer deadline day after the Serie A club final reached an agreement with United. Having seen two bids fall short of United’s valuation earlier this summer, Antonio Conte finally landed a striker he has coveted since his spell in charge of Chelsea with Inter agreeing a £73.9million fee. Read more
Bayern romp to 23-0 win over amateur side in friendly (Punch)
German champions Bayern Munich showed no mercy to amateur side FC Rottach-Egern by romping to a 23-0 friendly win on Thursday, 12 months after beating the same side 20-2. Among the scorers were Corentin Tolisso with four while Robert Lewandowski and Otschi Wriedt both grabbed hat-tricks with Thomas Mueller claiming a brace. Read more