Atiku alerts of plots to falsely link him to stage-managed killings (Guardian)
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has raised an alarm that plans are afoot by those he called “unscrupulous and anti-democratic elements to contrive skirmishes in the coming weeks aimed at smearing his personality.” Media Adviser to the former Vice President, Paul Ibe, in a press statement on Thursday said that “it was becoming revealing the grand plot being orchestrated by some agents of evil to stage-manage pockets of upset targeted at attacking the reputation of Atiku”. Read more
Buhari confirms Adamu as Police IG (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Mohammed Adamu as the Inspector General of Police. According to Buhari’s New Media aide, Bashir Ahmad, Adamu’s appointment was confirmed at the Police Council Meeting holding at the State House. The meeting was presided over by Buhari. Read more
Group seeks release of El-Zakzaky, wife, for medical treatment abroad (Nation)
A group, Initiative for Conciliation and Right Protection has called on the Federal Government to release Sheikh El-Zakzaky, the leader of Islamic movement in Nigeria and his wife Zeenah for medical treatment abroad. The leader of the group, Comrade Ahmad Isa made the call at a news conference on Thursday in Abuja. Isa said that the call followed the revelation by the delegation of medical experts and consultants who visited the Islamic leader and his wife in detention on April 25. Read more
Reps reject Nigeria Police Bill earlier passed by Senate (Punch)
The House of Representatives has rejected a Bill for an Act to Repeal the Police Act, Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The legislation also seeks to enact the Nigeria Police Bill, 2019 to Provide for the framework for the Police Service and ensure cooperation and partnership between the Police and communities. The collaboration was aimed at ensuring the maintenance of peace and combating crime. Read more
Why we suspended floating national carrier – Amaechi (Nation)
The Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has disclosed why the establishment of the proposed national carrier was suspended. He said the project was suspended because cabinet members were divided on the modalities for its establishment. The Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika last September announced suspension of the proposed national carrier called ‘Nigeria Air’. Read more
Saraki’s fundamental rights suit against EFCC, others, fixed for June 24 (Punch)
The Federal High Court, Abuja has fixed June 24 to hear two separate fundamental rights enforcement suits filed by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, challenging the decision of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe him. The court had in a ruling on an ex parte motion last week, ordered the anti-graft agency and other agencies involved in the probe of Saraki over corruption allegations to suspend the probe. Read more
Amnesty: ex-militant graduates hit 20,000 (Nation)
The Special Adviser to the President and the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo on Thursday said the number of ex-militant graduates has hit 20,000 in the last one year. He also said 2,577 persons are still in school right now including 1,060 persons in not less than 10 universities (both private and government) locally and 1,517 abroad in over 50 universities spread across Europe, Asia, Africa and Americas. He said the Amnesty Programme in the last one year has empowered and facilitated the set-up of small and medium scale businesses for nearly 4,450 ex-militants. Read more
Alleged money laundering: Justice Ajumogobia challenges criminal trial (Punch)
A Federal High Court in Lagos State, Thursday, fixed May 31, for hearing in a motion filed by embattled Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, challenging her trial in the court. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission charged Ofili-Ajumogobia and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Godwin Obla, on 18 counts bordering on Conspiracy, Unlawful Enrichment, retention of Crime Proceeds and Money Laundering. The defendants are standing trial before Justice Rilwan Aikawa. Read more
Okorocha calls on NASS to make laws for the less privileged (Punch)
The outgoing Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has called on the National Assembly to make laws that will ensure the protection of the less privileged children in the society. The governor made the call in Owerri, the state capital on Thursday, when over 100 members of the House of Representatives led by Femi Gbajabiamila, met with the students of Rochas Foundation College of Africa. Read more
NSCDC arrests varsity student, nine others over alleged cybercrime (Punch)
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have arrested 10 cybercrime suspects, popularly known as `Yahoo’ boys, at their business hideout in Ojodu Berger, Lagos State. The NSCDC Commandant in Lagos State, Mr Tajudeen Balogun, told newsmen on Thursday that they were arrested following a tip-off. Balogun said that the team’s ring leader is one Chinedu, 22, a 100-level Accounting student and the other suspects were between the ages of 19 and 29 years. Read more
Boeing 737 Max: FAA says no fixed timetable for grounding to be lifted (BBC)
The US aviation regulator has indicated that the Boeing 737 Max might return to service later than airlines had hoped. US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) acting director general Dan Elwell said if it took a year for the grounding order to be lifted “so be it”. International aviation regulators are meeting on Thursday to discuss the 737 Max’s return to service. Read more
India election results 2019: Narendra Modi secures landslide win (BBC)
Indian PM Narendra Modi has secured another five-year term after winning a landslide general election victory. His Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks set to win about 300 of the 543 seats in parliament, in what Mr Modi hailed as “a historic mandate”. The main opposition alliance, which is headed by Rahul Gandhi’s Congress party, has admitted defeat. Read more
IMF warns US-China trade war will ‘jeopardize’ 2019 global growth (Guardian)
The IMF warned Thursday that the escalating US-China trade war will “jeopardize” 2019 global growth, undermining confidence and raising prices for consumers. “Consumers in the US and China are unequivocally the losers from trade tensions,” Gita Gopinath, the International Monetary Fund’s chief economist, said in a blog post. She and her co-authors directly refuted President Donald Trump’s claim that the tariffs are paid by China and provide a windfall for the US Treasury, saying “tariff revenue collected has been borne almost entirely by US importers.” Read more
US weather: Tornadoes kill at least seven people (BBC)
Tornadoes have killed at least three people in Missouri, bringing the death toll from twisters across the US Midwest in recent days to seven. All three deaths overnight were in Golden City. Another tornado hit the state capital, Jefferson City. Around 20 people have been rescued in Jefferson City, where buildings were damaged and cars tossed about. Read more
Anger as ‘American Taliban’ released (BBC)
John Walker Lindh – the so-called “American Taliban” – has been released from prison, a move Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared “unconscionable”. Lindh served 17 years of a 20-year sentence after he was captured in 2001 fighting in Afghanistan. His early release has sparked fierce criticism, with many believing he still harbours extremist views. Read more
Fantasist shaved elderly mother’s head for watching football game too loudly on TV (Metro)
A delusional woman beat, strangled, and shaved her elderly mother’s head because she listened to football on the radio with the volume too high, police said. Delores Amorino, 40, and her 19-year-old daughter, Sarah, abused Amorino’s then 77-year-old mother for two days in their home in Youngwood, Pennsylvania in August 2017. Read more
Millionaire puts plane on auto pilot for sex with 15-year-old girl during flying lesson (Punch)
A 53-year-old US millionaire, Stephen Bradley Mell, is facing a five-year jail term after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. It was reported that he once even put his private plane in autopilot mode for the purpose. According to Gulf News, the mother of the teenager had approached him (Mell) so that he could give her flying lessons. Read more
Healthy dog put down to be buried with owner in Virginia, US (BBC)
A dog owner in America had her healthy pet put down and cremated to be buried with her when she died, according to US reports. Emma, a shih tzu mix, was put down and cremated, despite efforts of an animal shelter to stop it happening. Workers at the shelter in Virginia reportedly spent two weeks trying to convince people close to the dead woman not to carry out her last wishes. Read more
Geoffrey Rush: Actor wins biggest ever defamation payout in Australia (BBC)
Actor Geoffrey Rush has been awarded the largest ever defamation payout to a single person in Australia. The Oscar-winner was last month awarded A$2.9m (£1.57m; US$1.99m) after winning the case against Nationwide News, which publishes Australia’s Daily Telegraph. The Sydney newspaper had published stories accusing him of behaving inappropriately towards former co-star Eryn Jean Norvill. Read more
Piers Morgan slates Game Of Thrones for ‘promoting a barbaric way of life’ (Metro)
Piers Morgan has come for Game Of Thrones, insisting that it would ‘kill your braincells’ to watch an episode. Game Of Thrones has only just aired the final episode of season eight, the last ever episode for the series overall. The Good Morning Britain host decided to tune in to see what the fuss was about, and watched a scene from The Iron Throne where Jon Snow (Kit Harington) murders Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) out of fear she would turn into a tyrant. Read more
Solomon Ogbeide: Obaseki commiserates with family, Bendel Insurance, NFF (Nation)
The Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has commiserated with the family of Solomon Ogbeide, over the recent passing of the football veteran and coach, who had an illustrious career managing clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). In a statement, the governor said late Ogbeide contributed significantly to sports development in Edo State, carved a niche for himself in the NPFL and paid his dues in the footballing world with a career draped with laurels. Read more
Arsenal’s stunning new Adidas shirts for 2019-20 season leaked (Metro)
Arsenal’s new Adidas home and away shirts for the 2019-2020 season have been leaked – and Gunners fans are delighted with the new design. Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright posted the picture of Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette wearing the new shirts on Instagram on Wednesday evening. The picture was subsequently deleted but fans who have got a quick glimpse liked what they saw. Read more
Liverpool suffer setback in plans for Champions League final against Spurs (Metro)
Liverpool have been left frustrated in their efforts to organise a friendly match this weekend ahead of the Champions League final next Saturday as they have been unable to find suitable opponents. Jurgen Klopp and his squad flew out to Marbella on Monday in order to get some warm weather training under their belts ahead of the showdown against Spurs in Madrid and the Liverpool boss had hoped to round off the week with an exhibition match. Read more
Ronaldo included in Portugal squad for Nations League finals (Punch)
Captain Cristiano Ronaldo was included in Portugal’s squad for next month’s Nations League semi-final against Switzerland, head coach Fernando Santos announced on Thursday. Ronaldo, 34, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner missed the group stages preferring to try and adapt to life in Juventus since moving from Real Madrid. The Euro 2016 champions welcome the Swiss on June 5 in Porto and the Netherlands play England in Guimaraes a day later before a third-place play-off and a final on June 9. Read more
PSG boss Al-Khelaifi charged with athletics corruption (BBC)
A French judge has charged the president of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) football club, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, with corruption over Qatari bids to host the world athletics championships. Judicial sources quoted by AFP news agency said the case focused on the championships held in 2017 and 2019. Mr Khelaifi, who is also the boss of Qatari TV channel BeIn Sports, has been under investigation since March. Read more
Deontay Wilder cannot pick winner between him and Anthony Joshua (Metro)
Deontay Wilder refused to commit to a prediction for his potential showdown with Anthony Joshua. The Bronze Bomber set himself up for a big 12 months by beating Dominic Breazeale last weekend, insisting after the victory he would fight Joshua and Tyson Fury next year. The devastating first-round knockout was the 40th of Wilder’s career, but the American issued a diplomatic prediction for his eventual clash with Joshua. Read more