Arrest of 123 men, routine security check —Lagos govt (Punch)
The Lagos State Government, on Saturday, said that the arrest of 123 men from Jigawa State by the State Task Force was a routine security check. This was revealed in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso. Omotoso revealed that the suspects have been moved to the State Police Command on the directives of the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zubairu Muazu. Read more
Go tougher on corrupt Nigerians, Buhari tells EFCC (Nation)
As the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) completed training of 328 new detectives, President Muhammadu Buhari has charged the antigraft agency to go tougher on corrupt Nigerians. He said corruption was the major cause of insurgency, kidnapping, armed banditry and poverty in the country. President Buhari spoke as the Reviewing Officer at the the passing out parade of the EFCC cadets Superintendent Course 8 from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna state. Read more
Why we invaded Bobrisky’s birthday party — Police (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command says it stormed the venue of the birthday party of popular cross-dresser, Bobrisky, due to sensitive information it received. The police spokesperson, Bala Elkana, said this during a brief interview with PUNCH on Saturday. He said, “I can confirm that we sealed off the place based on credible information. That is all I will say for now until the operation is over.” Read more
All I did as governor was in the interest of Oyo State – Ajimobi (Nation)
The immediate past governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, has disclosed that all his decisions as governor were in the interest of the state. The former governor and the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Chief Akin Oke, also appealed to all aggrieved members of the party in the state to embrace reconciliation for the sake of the party’s progress. They enjoined them to approach future political challenges with a resolve to be selfless, forgiving and more committed to the cause of the APC and Nigeria. Read more
IPOB: We know nothing about Operation Python Dance —South East Govs (Punch)
The South East Governors on Saturday denied any complicity in the activities of Army’s Operation Python Dance in the geopolitical zone. It was alleged that the operation led to the killing of members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra at Afara-Ukwu, Umuahia, Abia State, home of the leader of the group, Nnamdi Kanu on September 2017. The IPOB had vowed to attack the governors and Igbo leaders anywhere outside the country, citing their conspiracy with the Federal Government to kill their members during the Operation Python Dance in the zone. Read more
PDP primaries: Alaibe’s kinsmen endorse Senator Diri (Nation)
Kinsmen of former Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe in Kolokuma-Opokuma at the weekend endorsed Senator Douye Diri for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the party’s September 3 primaries. Top leaders of the PDP, stakeholders, youth and women groups were said to have abandoned Alaibe, who is also an aspirant, to unanimously adopt Diri, who represents the Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly. Read more
Ex-Plateau Acting SSG not sacked, says Lalong (Punch)
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has said that the former Acting Secretary to the State Government, Mr Richard Tokma, who was relieved of his appointment last Thursday, was not sacked. The Governor made the clarification in Jos on Saturday in a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mr Makut Macham. Read more
Anxiety over invasion of medical doctor’s home by suspected B’Haram members (Nation)
Relatives of a medical practitioner, Dr. Conrad Esomonu, have raised the alarm over the recent invasion of his Owerri residence by suspected members of the Islamic terror group, Boko Haram. A younger brother to the medical expert, Ben Esomonu, said that he left the country four years ago following a similar ordeal in Maiduguri, Borno state, where he was practising. Read more
Assailants hack commercial motorcyclist to death in Ekiti (Nation)
A middle-aged man, Mr. Sunday Olorunleke, was has been reportedly stabbed to death by unidentified assailants. The Nation gathered that the deceased who was identified as a commercial motorcyclist, popularly called Okada rider, was allegedly killed in his residence located in Aba area, a suburb of Ado Ekiti. Read more
Tunisia reveals final candidates for presidential poll (Punch)
Tunisia’s electoral commission on Saturday announced a final list of 26 presidential candidates to stand in a September 15 poll to elect a successor to late leader Beji Caid Essebsi. “There are 26 candidates for the 2019 presidential election,” electoral commission (ISIE) head Nabil Baffoun told a press conference. The poll was brought forward from November following Essebsi’s death in July. Read more
DJ Arafat: Fans of Ivorian artist ‘open coffin’ during funeral unrest (BBC)
Some fans of late musician DJ Arafat appear to have opened his coffin during unrest at the artist’s funeral in the Ivory Coast capital of Abidjan. The 33-year-old DJ, whose real name was Ange Didier Huon, died in a motorcycle accident earlier this month. Video on social media appear to show fans opening his coffin and undressing the late musician body to check for tattoos and identify him. Read more
UN expresses solidarity with Ebola-hit DR Congo (Punch)
UN chief Antonio Guterres started a three-day tour of the Democratic Republic of Congo Saturday, expressing “solidarity” with a region ravaged by violence and an Ebola epidemic. The UN secretary general first visited Goma, the capital of North Kivu province which is trying to roll back an epidemic of Ebola that has claimed more than 2,000 lives in a year. Guterres was received by Leila Zerrougui, his special representative in DR Congo. Read more
Parliament suspension: Thousands protest across the UK (BBC)
Demonstrations have been taking place across the UK against Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament in the run-up to Brexit. Thousands of protesters took to the streets in cities including Manchester, Leeds, York and Belfast. Parts of central London were brought to a standstill, as people chanted: “Boris Johnson, shame on you.” A small group of counter-protesters, marching in support of the prime minister, also arrived in Westminster. Read more
Murder investigation launched after man, 20, fatally stabbed in Watford (Metro)
A man has been stabbed to death during a fight following a three-car crash in Watford in the early hours of Saturday. The 20-year-old was found with stab wounds just before 3am in Gammons Lane, at the junction on Leavesden Road. He was rushed to hospital but he later died there. Another man was also found with stab wounds in nearby St Georges Road and was taken to hospital. Read more
Syria war: US missile strike on ‘al-Qaeda leaders’ in Idlib (BBC)
The US says it has carried out an attack on leaders of a group it calls al-Qaeda in Syria, in the country’s rebel-held Idlib province. US Central Command said the operation had targeted those “responsible for attacks threatening US citizens, our partners and innocent civilians”. No details were given but other reports say some 40 people died in a missile strike on a jihadist training camp. Read more
One dead, eight wounded in French knife attack (Guardian)
A 19-year-old man was killed and another eight people were wounded, three seriously, in a knife attack Saturday in the French city of Lyon, a regional official and emergency services said. A man armed with a knife and a skewer carried out the attack in Villeurbanne, a suburb of Lyon, in southeastern France. Police have arrested the suspected attacker and placed him in custody for murder and attempted murder, the Lyon prosecutor’s office told AFP. A police source said the man was an Afghan asylum-seeker. Read more
Arkansas woman drowns in a flood after 911 dispatcher scolds her during her final minutes (CNN)
Debra Stevens was working her normal newspaper delivery route in Fort Smith, Arkansas, when rising flood waters began to overtake her SUV. The final, desperate 911 call of the 47-year-old woman who delivered the Southwest Times Record to front doors came at 4:38 on the morning of August 24. It was a panicked, 22-minute plea for help with a dispatcher that the Fort Smith Police Department admitted sounded “calloused and uncaring at times.” Read more
Joaquin Phoenix promises a Joker with no reference to ‘any past iterations of the character’ (Metro)
Joaquin Phoenix has promised comic book fans that his version of the Joker is a new creation with no reference to ‘any past iterations of the character’. Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker has been praised as ‘masterful and disturbing’ in first reviews out of Venice film festival, and speakingon Saturday atr a press conference, he added that what was ‘so attractive is he’s so hard to define and you don’t really want to define him’. Read more
Jurgen Klopp admits Sadio Mane was angry at Mohamed Salah for failing to pass to him against Burnley (Metro)
Jurgen Klopp has admitted that the reason for Sadio Mane‘s angry outburst after being substituted during Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Burnley was due to Mohamed Salah not passing to him. Mane scored either side of a Chris Wood own goal and Roberto Firmino strike but he could have had two goals had Salah played him through on goal in the latter stages at Turf Moor. Read more
Frank Lampard defends substitutions after Chelsea suffer second half collapse against Sheffield United (Metro)
Frank Lampard has defended his decision to substitute Tammy Abraham and Mateo Kovacic late on during Chelsea’s surprise 2-2 draw against Sheffield United at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea appeared to be on course for a second consecutive Premier League victory after Abraham scored twice for the second week running to put his side 2-0 up at half-time. Sheffield United rallied in the second half, though, with Callum Robinson scoring his first goal for the club shortly after the restart, capitalising on poor defending from the hosts. Read more
Pep Guardiola backs Fernandinho to replace injured Man City defender Aymeric Laporte (Metro)
Pep Guardiola has backed Fernandinho to step in as an emergency centre-half with Aymeric Laporte set to miss a significant portion of the season after he suffered a knee injury during Saturday’s win over Brighton. The 25-year-old had only just forced his way into Didier Deschamps’ France squad having been hailed as the best left-sided centre-half in the world by Guardiola during his pre-match press conference on Friday. Read more
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer defends Victor Lindelof after Rio Ferdinand slates his display against Southampton (Metro)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has defended Victor Lindelof after he was criticised by Rio Ferdinand for his performance during Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Southampton at St Mary’s. United went in front through Daniel James early on before Jannik Vestergaard equalised with a towering header after out-jumping Lindelof to the ball from Kevin Danso’s cross. Read more
Barca held by promoted Osasuna (BBC)
Barcelona were held by promoted Osasuna as 16-year-old Ansu Fati became the champions’ youngest La Liga goalscorer. Roberto Torres gave Osasuna the lead early on with a sweet volley from Brandon’s cross. Fati came on at half-time for his second Barca appearance and headed in Carles Perez’s cross six minutes later to equalise. Read more
Perisic opens Bayern account in Mainz thrashing (Punch)
Bayern Munich new boy Ivan Perisic bagged his first goal for the Bundesliga champions as they romped to a 6-1 win over a hapless Mainz at the Allianz Arena on Saturday. Bayern showcased their attacking brilliance throughout, with six different players getting on the scoresheet. Robert Lewandowski scored his sixth of the season in just three games, while Benjamin Pavard, David Alaba, Kingsley Coman and Alphonso Davies also scored. Read more
US Open 2019: Rafael Nadal through to fourth round (BBC)
Rafael Nadal powered past Chung Hyeon into the US Open fourth round, capitalising on the extra rest he enjoyed before facing the South Korean. The Spanish second seed, who had a walkover in the previous round, had not played since Tuesday and it showed in a dominant 6-3 6-4 6-2 win. By contrast, Chung had come through three rounds of qualifying and spent nine hours more on court. Read more
Daniil Medvedev fined after taunting US Open crowd (Metro)
Daniil Medvedev has been fined $9,000 (£7,400) for his antics during a straight sets win over Feliciano Lopez, in which he aimed a middle finger at fans, snatched a towel from a ball person and taunted the US Open crowd. Tournament organisers slapped the world No. 5 with a $5,000 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct and a further $4,000 for a visible obscenity, taking his total fines for this event up to $19,000 (£15,600). Read more
US Open 2019: Bianca Andreescu through to fourth round (BBC)
Canadian 15th seed Bianca Andreescu beat former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki in the third round of the US Open. The 19-year-old, playing at Flushing Meadows for the first time, won 6-4 6-4 in a match featuring 10 service breaks. Andreescu, who has won titles in Toronto and Indian Wells this year, will face American Taylor Townsend in the next round. Read more
Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert killed in Belgium crash (BBC)
Formula 2 driver Anthoine Hubert has been killed in a crash at the Belgian Grand Prix, motorsport’s governing body the FIA has said. The Frenchman, who was 22, suffered a huge impact from the car of American Juan Manuel Correa at about 170mph at the Raidillon swerves. An FIA statement said that Hubert was taken to the medical centre after the incident, and died at 18:35 local time. Read more