Baba Ijesha’s sexual assault trial continues today (Guardian)
The trial of embattled Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka, also known as Baba Ijesha, against child molestation, which began yesterday at the Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, will continue today.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo adjourned the matter after counsel for Damilola Adekoya, also known as Princess, who played primary evidence against the actor.
Princess and actress, Iyabo Ojo, attended the court session.
The actor arrived at the court for his trial after he was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in the care of comedienne, Princess. Read more
Promoters defraud tourists of N4m in Canadian visa scam (Punch)
Two promoters of the Victoria Travels Resorts Limited, Mary Aweh and Olaleye Oluwadamilare, have been arraigned before the Kaduna State High Court over a Canadian visa scam.
The two defendants were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on six counts bordering on advance fee fraud.
They were said to have obtained a total sum of N4,240,000 from two persons, Asika Casmir and Daniel Monday, under the pretext of obtaining Canadian visas for them.
The Head of Media and Publicity, EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement on Monday, said the complainants engaged the defendants in 2018 to arrange a trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands and paid N1m each. Read more
Lagos gives 3-day quit notice to illegal structures owners at Maroko, Lekki (Guardian)
Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce), yesterday, issued a three-day removal notice to all owners of makeshift structures, shanties, kiosks and vehicles at Maroko and Lekki Coastal Road, Lekki, Lagos.
The Chairman of Taskforce, CSP Shola Jejeloye, who led his team to the points of the issuance of the removal notices, stated that the order became necessary for the road construction along the coastal road which serves as an alternative route for the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
The road, which leads to Lekki Free Zone, has been dotted by illegal structures, shanties, abandoned vehicles, containers, and trading activities.
According to Jejeloye, the stretch of road has been taken over by mechanics, block makers, bamboo and wood sellers, shanties, and other illegal occupiers, which are going to hamper road construction work in the area. Read more
Lagos rewards 45 students for winning state competitions (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Government has rewarded 45 outstanding students who emerged winners at the state’s various competitions organised to test students’ intellect in core subjects, topical issues, and critical thinking.
This is contained in a statement by Mr Ganiu Lawal, Assistant Director of Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Education, in Lagos on Monday.
It stated that the students emerged winners in three major state competitions which included the Y2021 Lagos State Schools Debate, Lagos State Essay Writing Competition and the just concluded Lagos State Governor’s Quiz Competition. Read more
COVID-19: Nigeria identifies 10 Delta variant cases -NCDC (DailyTrust)
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that 10 Delta variant cases have so far been identified in the country.
The Director General of the Centre, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu disclosed this Monday, during the health minister’s update on the COVID-19 pandemic in Abuja.
He said, “So far we have identified 10 delta variant cases in the country. Actually what we do is collect samples from the travelers. Most of the cases are from travellers coming into Lagos and Abuja. Once they come in, we collect samples.
“The symptoms that it possesses are not like what we are used to, so that is why we need to be more careful.” Read more
Herdsmen kill 4, 10 missing as community challenges destruction of farms (Punch)
Suspected Fulani herdsmen on Monday allegedly attacked Obie-Aku, Opanda village, Nimbo community, in the Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, killing four people and injuring many others.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the attackers invaded the village around 3am when residents of the agrarian community were still asleep.
A community leader, Stephen Obiakor, told our correspondent on the telephone that 10 people were still missing after the attack.
According to him, trouble started on Sunday when some herders came with their cattle to graze in the farm settlement. Read more
Bandit recaptures fleeing student, collects N130,00, phone, SIM card (Punch)
The Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria on Monday explained how it secured the release of a Bethel Baptist High School student.
The Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna State and its Vice Chairman (19 Northern States and Abuja), Joseph John Hayab, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said after the release of 28 students of the school on Sunday, four more escaped from the bandits.
Hayab, however, said one of the four fell into the hand of a bandit, who held him captive and demanded N130,000 as a ransom.
The Chairman said the bandit was given N130,000, a telephone and SIM card before the student was released. Read more
PDP governors insist on electronic transmission of election results, reject direct primary (Guardian)
Governors elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, insisted that the National Assembly must approve electronic transmission of election results, which had earlier been rejected by the lawmakers during a plenary on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill.
Rising from a six-hour meeting, which deliberated on the state of the nation in Bauchi State, the opposition governors not only threw their weight behind the electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Amendment Act but also urged the National Assembly, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), National Communication Commission (NCC) and other relevant agencies to facilitate the process before the 2023 general elections.
The governors during their deliberation “reviewed the deteriorating state of our democracy, the economic and security situation in the country and the state of the PDP as the main opposition platform in Nigeria.”
In a 10-point communiqué at the end of the 11th meeting of the Forum, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ forum and Sokoto State Governor, Waziri Tambuwa, said: “On the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the governors identified the need for free, fair and credible elections in the country and called on the National Assembly to entrench electronic transmission of results of elections in the nation’s electoral jurisprudence. Read more
Many killed as bandits hit yet another village in Zamfara (DailyTrust)
Bandits invaded Jaya settlements in Boko district of Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Monday, killing residents.
Jaya is a cluster of villages located few kilometers east of Boko community.
Witnesses told Daily Trust that the armed men invaded the village on over 100 motorbikes.
“They also made away with cows and other animals. I saw three injured persons being ferried to a hospital in Boko community. They were shot on arms, legs and thighs. They were however referred to a bigger medical facility”
“Few days ago, the armed men had attempted to attack one community there, but were ambushed by vigilantes who had got the wind of attack by the armed criminals. The armed bandits beat a retreat after several of them were killed. Read more
US combat forces to leave Iraq by end of year (BBC)
President Joe Biden says US forces will end their combat mission in Iraq by the end of this year, but will continue to train and advise the Iraqi military.
The announcement came after Mr Biden held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House.
There are currently 2,500 US troops in Iraq helping local forces counter what remains of the Islamic State group.
Numbers of US troops are likely to stay the same but the move is being seen as an attempt to help the Iraqi PM. Read more
Injured Conor McGregor back grinding in the gym after hanging out with Justin Bieber (Metro)
Conor McGregor was back on the grind in the gym, leg cast and all, after spending a chilled out day in the sun with none other than his new mate Justin Bieber.
The celebs shucked off their shirts and hung out on sun loungers together at the weekend enjoying a nice bottle of Conor’s Proper No. Twelve whiskey with some snacks.
In a series of photos shared on the fighter’s Instagram page the pair shared a laugh sitting outside a pink striped tent, whiling away the afternoon in Beverley Hills. Read more
“Real Housewives” star Lisa Rinna to return to “Days of Our Lives” (NYPost)
Billie Reed is back on Days of Our Lives — but only for a limited time.
Lisa Rinna, known now for her television personality on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” will come out of her soap opera retirement for one last hurrah as her reprised role as Billie Reed.
NBC, which airs the legendary soap, announced the return of Rinna, 58, on Monday.
“Billie Reed is back,” Rinna wrote on Instagram to promote the limited series, “Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem,” which will run on NBC’s streaming platform Peacock. Read more
North and South Korea restore communication hotline (BBC)
North and South Korea have restored a communication hotline that was cut off by Pyongyang last June.
According to the South’s presidential office, the leaders of both countries have agreed to rebuild trust and improve ties.
The two leaders have exchanged multiple personal letters since April, the Blue House added.
North Korea cut the hotline in June 2020 as relations soured after a failed summit between the two countries. Read more
WHO raises fresh safety concerns about Janssen, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines (Guardian)
The World Health Organisation (WHO), yesterday, raised fresh safety concerns about Janssen and AstraZeneca vaccines.
A statement, by its Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS) COVID-19 subcommittee on reports of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) following adenovirus vector COVID-19 vaccines, warned that vaccination with the Janssen and AstraZeneca jabs could cause rare immune system disorder that results in muscle weakness, pain, numbness and paralysis (GBS).
Nigeria had, in March, received 3.92 million AstraZeneca doses and immunised over two million citizens.
The GACVS, on July 13 and 20, 2021, met virtually to discuss rare reports of GBS following vaccination with the Janssen and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. Both jabs use an adenovirus platform as their backbone. Read more
How the Taliban retook half of Afghanistan (BBC)
The resurgent Taliban have taken more territory in Afghanistan in the last two months than at any time since they were ousted from power in 2001.
Over the last 20 years, the control map of Afghanistan has been an ever-changing canvas. Here, we look at the fluctuating picture of who controls which areas.
It appears the Taliban have been emboldened in recent weeks by the withdrawal of US troops – retaking many districts from government forces. Read more
Nigeria doesn’t appreciate Olympic medallists – Idoko (Punch)
Silver medallist in the women’s 4x100m at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Franca Idoko, says athletes who win medals for Nigeria at international events, including the Olympics, don’t get the desired recognition from the country.
In an interview with our correspondent, Idoko said more should be done for athletes who make the country proud in international events.
She said after they won a silver medal in Beijing nothing was done by the government to appreciate them.
“When they bring back the medal, what next?
“Sometimes the country tends not to appreciate Olympic medals even though it’s the highest rank medal in sports. Read more
Porbeni optimistic as Brume, other athletes thrill fans in Asaba camp (Guardian)
After narrowly losing out in the race to the Tokyo Olympics, one of Nigeria’s finest junior sprinters, Okeoghene Brume, is a thrilling athletics fan in Team Nigeria’s Asaba camp ahead of the forthcoming World U20 Athletics Championships.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) opened camp in Asaba on July 23 for 26 athletes selected from different parts of the country to prepare for the World Championship, which will hold at the Moi International Sports Centre in Nairobi, Kenya between August 17 and 23.
Brume is leading the pack of sprinters, which include Favour Oghenetejire Ashe, Adekalu Nicholas Fakorede, Mabilo Niholas Oghenevo, Agelivie Efe-Sam and Emmanuel Oche. The women sprinters in the camp are Praise Ofoku, Anita Taviore, Olayinka Olaijide and Blessing Aguda. Read more
Tokyo Olympics: Momiji Nishiya wins skateboarding gold at just 13 (BBC)
At the age of just 13, Japan’s Momiji Nishiya made history on Monday by winning the first-ever Olympic gold medal in women’s street skateboarding at the Games in Tokyo.
Nishiya topped a youthful podium with Rayssa Leal of Brazil, also 13, taking the silver medal and Japan’s Funa Nakayama, 16, winning bronze. With an average age of 14 years and 191 days it is the youngest individual podium in the history of the Olympic Games.
The youngest-ever Olympic champion is Marjorie Gestring, who won the springboard title at the 1936 Berlin Games at the age of 13 years 267 days, just 63 days younger than Nishiya. Read more
Lukaku hopes for ‘even more’ with Serie A champions Inter next season (Guardian)
Romelu Lukaku warned Serie A champions Inter Milan hope to achieve “even more” next term as the Belgium striker returned to pre-season training on Monday.
Inter ended their 11-year wait for the Italian title last campaign toppling nine-time reigning champions Juventus, but fell short in the Champions League with a group stage exit in the competition they have won three times but not since 2010.
“We hope to do well and achieve even more than last year,” Lukaku told Inter TV.
Lukaku scored 24 goals in Serie A last campaign, second only to Juve star Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally of 29. Read more
D’Tigers in must-win battle against Germany (Punch)
Adesokan, others in action
D’Tigers will put their 84-67 loss against Australia in their first game at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics behind them when they battle Germany in their second game on Wednesday.
The match is set to take place 6:00pm Tokyo time on Tuesday (today) and 2:00am Nigerian time on Wednesday.
D’Tigers are rightly rated going into the Olympics after defeating the US and Argentina in pre-Olympics exhibition games.
They were ranked fourth in the Power Rankings for countries taking part in the Olympics before the tournament began. Read more
Tokyo Olympics: Naomi Osaka & Novak Djokovic reach third round (BBC)
Japan’s Naomi Osaka cruised into the third round of the Tokyo Olympics women’s singles with a 65-minute victory over Viktorija Golubic.
Second seed Osaka, the favourite for the gold medal following world number one Ashleigh Barty’s first-round exit, beat the Swiss 6-3 6-2.
Osaka will face Marketa Vondrousova, who beat Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-1 6-2, for a quarter-final spot.World number one Novak Djokovic beat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 6-3. Read more