Bandits block Enugu-P’Harcourt highway, burn Army van, abduct scores of passengers (Vanguard)
Scores of passengers were reportedly abducted, weekend, by kidnappers suspected to be herdsmen, who blocked the Enugu-Port Harcourt highway between Leru junction and Ihube axis.
It was gathered that the gunmen, numbering about 30, abducted the entire occupants of three buses.
The bandits said to be heavily armed were said to have attacked a team of soldiers drafted to the scene following a distress call.
They reportedly set the military van on fire and wounded two soldiers before herding all occupants of three buses they abducted into the bush. Read more
Broadcaster, Lagos police bicker over seizure of vehicle (Guardian)
A broadcaster with Arise Television, Oseni Rufai, yesterday said a police officer pointed a gun at him and forcefully took his car away.
This happened after he allegedly took the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane.
Narrating his encounter with the men of the Lagos State Police Command, he said: “A Nigeria Police officer pointed a gun at me and forcefully took my keys and drove my car off because he wanted to enforce a traffic infraction. I offered to pay for the traffic infraction, but the policeman was hell-bent on forcefully collecting my keys and pointing a gun at me.”
On why he took the lane, he said: “I saw three other cars drive the BRT lane and they were not stopped. Why point a gun at me and forcefully collect my key? I am shocked. Read more
Lagos moves to remove illegal structures (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has said it will no longer tolerate abuse and misuse of setbacks and incidental open spaces by developers who construct structures that violate state regulations.
The General Manager, Lagos State Planning and Environment Monitoring Agency, Daisi Oso, stated this, according to a statement on Sunday, during an inspection and monitoring of setbacks and incidental open spaces to the Abule-Egba/Agbado Oke-Odo axis of the state.
He said “The exercise was undertaken to curb illegal activities, abuse of setbacks, and incidental open spaces around Agbado Oke-Odo and its environs because all the structures built under the power transmission lines did not get approval from the state government.
“Illegal activities on setbacks and incidental open spaces will no longer be tolerated since their owners and developers contravened stipulated rules, regulations, and guidelines of the agency; they will be made to face the full wrath of the law.” Read more
Cholera epidemic looms in Lagos as waste takes over markets, streets (Vanguard)
Despite priding itself as a mega city, almost all the streets and markets in Lagos, the so-called city of excellence, have been taken over by refuse dumps.
When Vanguard Metro visited some of the popular market places like Balogun, Martins Street, Ajah, Orile, among others, it was gathered that the stench oozing from abandoned heaps of waste close to shops, is taking a toll on traders, whose shops are close to the refuse heaps. Some of the marketers said they are already stooling and vomiting because of the offensive odour from the wastes.
According to them, the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, the agency saddled with the responsibility of disposing wastes in the state, has abandoned them. Read more
I had to delete Tik Tok, Instagram to be focused – Babcock’s overall best student (DailyTrust)
Idowu Khadijat Damilola of Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun State, won the Senior Vice-President’s prize for graduating under-graduate student with the highest CGPA at the 20th undergraduate and 11th postgraduate convocation ceremony of the university.
Khadijat, who graduated with 4.91 CGPA from the Department of Sociology and Social Work, narrated how she had to contend with distractions from the social media to stay focused.
She said she had to delete social media platforms such as Tik Tok, Instagram and YouTube from her phone so as to remain focused on her studies.
Despite being the President of her department for a year and Senate President of the department for another year, she was able to balance leadership role with academic work; and graduate as the best academically. Read more
Legal tussle may threaten multibillion-dollar Eko Atlantic City project (Punch)
A real estate development firm, Sea Global Energy Company Limited, promoters of the Ocean City Lagos Project, has accused the Lagos State Government and South Energyx, promoters of the Eko Atlantic City project, of encroaching on the geographic confines of land allocated by the Federal Government for the development of its Ocean City Lagos Project.
This is happening at a time the Eko Atlantic City project is gaining traction, with banks and top companies, international organisations as well as foreign governments including the United States Consulate in Lagos acquiring parcels of land in the place.
The Managing Director of Sea Global Energy Company Limited, Adewunmi Osagie, said President Olusegun Obasanjo had on May 26, 2003, given the company the right to reclaim up to 350 hectares of land from the Atlantic Ocean through an extension of Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, by 7km, from the junction of Adetokunbo Ademola Street towards Epe.
This followed an application which was made through the then Minister at the Federal Ministry of Works & Housing, Mr Madaki Alli, to the Federal Government for an allocation. Read more
Don’t send me to jail, Woman arrested with Indian Hemp begs court (DailyTrust)
A Lagos woman, Mujidat Opoola, who was arrested with 3,000 grammes of Indian hemp on July 11, 2020, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, has pleaded with Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court, Lagos, to consider the option of fine in sentencing her.
Justice Osiagor had convicted and sentenced her and three other men, Alegbeleye Taiwo Emmanuel, Chidi Onyeaghala and Cyril Chukwu Obi, for trafficking banned substances.
The convicts were arraigned before the court on separate charges by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Counsel to the convicts, Chief Lilian Omotunde, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing her clients as they were first time offenders and because they pleaded guilty to the charges without wasting the time of the court. Read more
INEC promises to issue PVCs to last batch of registrants before December (Independent)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has promised to give Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) to all the registrants who participated in the last batch of Continuous Voters Registration (CVR), before December 2022.
Festus Okoye, INEC commissioner for Information and Voter Education stated on Arise Television on Monday that those who registered between the 15th of January 2022 and the 30th of June 2022, according to the chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu will get their PCVs in October, and for.
“Those who registered between the 1st day of July 2022 and the 31st of July, 2022, their PVCs will be ready for collection in November. When these PVCs are ready, for those who have email addresses, we will send a message to them to tell them. We will contact those who provided their phone numbers through a bulk Short Message Service (SMS).
“We are going to make announcements on radio and television. We are also going to liaise with community leaders, traditional leaders, religious leaders, women-based organisations, opinion leaders and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to assist in mobilizing and sensitizing people, and to also make sure that people come to collect their PVCs”. Okoye said. Read more
Marketers responsible for petrol price hike, not FG – Sylva (Leadership)
The federal government has said that any increase in the price of petrol has been at the instance of petroleum marketers, insisting it has not removed subsidy for the product.
Minister of state Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva told journalists yesterday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ consultation forum on regulations organised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA), that the government is still paying subsidies on petrol.
This is as the NMDPRA is set to unveil new regulations and policies to enforce the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 in the midstream and downstream sectors of the industry.
Recall that LEADERSHIP had earlier reported that fuel marketers had increased the pump price of petrol from the official rate of N165 per litre to N185 and N230 per litre depending on the location in Abuja and other states. Read more
Youths protest bad state of Benin-Sapele highway in Edo (ThisDay)
Commuters and motorists plying the ever busy Benin-Sapele road in Edo State were stranded yesterday as youths blocked the highway and its adjoining routes following the inability of the federal government to fix the failed portions.
The youths, in a peaceful protest, mounted canopies and chairs on the major roads while others displayed their wares for sales, an indication that they are not prepared to leave soon.
The aggrieved youths, on the platform of Freedom Ambassadors Organisations in conjunction with Sarbag/Sapele Road residents, had earlier warned residents in the state not to contemplate traveling Benin-Sapele road the next day.
Addressing journalists, Chair-man, Sarbag/Sapele road axis, Mr. Daniel Omorogbe, said the blocking of the major road and its adjoining routes became necessary following a series of deaths and unquantifiable man hours commuters spent on the road while trying to get to their respective destinations. Read more
Marilyn Monroe estate defends Ana de Armas’ ‘Blonde’ casting amid outrage over her accent
(Today)
The official Marilyn Monroe Estate has come to the defense of Ana de Armas, who is playing the Hollywood icon in Andrew Dominik and Netflix’s upcoming drama “Blonde.” An official trailer for the film premiered online July 28 and left many viewers outraged over de Armas’ casting because her accent did not entirely match Monroe’s iconic breathy tone. The film is not authorized by Monroe’s estate, but the group stands by de Armas’ casting nonetheless.
“Marilyn Monroe is a singular Hollywood and pop culture icon that transcends generations and history,” said Marc Rosen, president of entertainment at Authentic Brands Group (ABG), which owns the Marilyn Monroe Estate. “Any actor that steps into that role knows they have big shoes to fill. Based on the trailer alone, it looks like Ana was a great casting choice as she captures Marilyn’s glamour, humanity and vulnerability. We can’t wait to see the film in its entirety!”
De Armas previously told The Times of London that she spent nearly an entire year working on her Monroe accent for “Blonde” before filming started. The actor said, “It took me nine months of dialect coaching, and practicing and some ADR sessions (to get the accent right). It was a big torture, so exhausting. My brain was fried.”
“Blonde” is based on the novel by Joyce Carol Oates. The drama reimagines the life of Monroe, from her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane through her rise to stardom. The supporting cast includes Bobby Cannavale, Adrien Brody, Julianne Nicholson, Xavier Samuel and Evan Williams. The film will debut in competition at the Venice Film Festival. Read more
Former EastEnders star lands next movie role (DigitalSpy)
Former EastEnders star Jessica Plummer has landed her next role in a British indie film called Tell That to the Winter Sea.
The actress, who played Chantelle Atkins on the BBC One soap, will be starring alongside The Look of Love’s Tamsin Egerton and Tale of Tales’ Bebe Cave in the movie, Variety reports.
The film, which has a dance narrative, is written by Greta Bellamacina (who will also be starring) and Emmy-winning Jaclyn Bethany (The Falling World), with the latter also directing.
Tell That to the Winter Sea stars Peaky Blinders’ Amber Anderson and Bellamacina in the lead roles as Scarlet and Jo, two friends who also used to be lovers. The story sees them reunite in a remote country house during the weekend of Jo’s wedding. Read more
New documents trigger fresh online battle between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp fans (NBC)
A hashtag defending Amber Heard trended Monday on Twitter after what appeared to be unsealed court documents in the defamation case brought by Johnny Depp were made public by a YouTuber known for her legal commentary.
The hashtag,“#AmberHeardDeservesAnApology,” first surfaced over the weekend after The Daily Beast published some of the findings from the court documents. Heard’s team said Depp, her ex-husband, sought to introduce nude photos of Heard into evidence, according to The Daily Beast. Her lawyers also suggested that Depp altered or edited audio recordings of the couple fighting, the publication reported.
Attorneys for Depp and Heard declined to comment. NBC News has not independently reviewed the documents, but it has seen purported copies circulating online, including pages posted by YouTuber Andrea Burkhart on her website. Burkhart, a lawyer based in Washington, has amassed 50,000 followers on YouTube, where she posts legal commentary about various celebrity trials that have generated public interest in the last year. She didn’t respond to requests for comments. Read more
Star Wars spinoff Andor debuts first official trailer for Disney+ series starring Diego Luna (DailyMail)
The first official trailer for the Star Wars spinoff series Andor from Disney+ made its debut on Monday morning.
The series, which takes place prior to the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, stars Diego Luna, Forest Whitaker, Genevieve O’Reilly, Stellan Skarsgård, Adria Arjona, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller and Fiona Shaw.
A release date for the high-anticipated show was also shared: Wednesday, September 21, with a three-episode premiere.
The trailer begins with a shot of a man waking up a small, idyllic town with loud clangs from a bell in a tower. Read more
Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning set to host CMA Awards (Deadline)
Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning have been tapped to host the 56th Annual CMA Awards.
Bryan, a two-time CMA Entertainment of the Year winner, returns for a second consecutive year to host the awards honoring country music’s best, while Manning is hosting for the first time.
The awards show will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, November 9 at 8 PM on ABC.
Nominees will be announced in the coming weeks. Read more
BTS may be allowed to perform while serving in the Korean military (Variety)
K-pop sensation BTS may be allowed to practise and perform overseas even if they enter South Korea’s mandatory military service, the country’s defense minister said on Monday.
All able-bodied men in Korea are required to enlist for service before age 30 unless they are given an exemption. The oldest BTS member Jin would normally be expected to enlist later this year.
Korea has previously offered exemptions to athletes and artists in other fields who have created national prestige. Pop acts have not been given exemptions.
But on Monday, speaking at a parliamentary session, defense minister Lee Jong-sup said he is considering a range of options for alternative military service for BTS. Read more
Portugal declares emergency as wildfires spread close to capital Lisbon (UPI)
A state of emergency was issued throughout Portugal on Monday as wildfires hit various locations around the country, including near the capital of Lisbon as it was hit with intensively high temperatures.
About 3,000 firefighters were battling blazes around the country on Sunday, Portugal’s civil protection agency said. It said almost 30 people were injured in Lisbon suburbs after the fires broke out.
Wildfires have been an ongoing problem in Portugal this year. Last month, the country activated the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism for emergency assistance in containing blazes in the central part of the country.
Residents evacuated their homes in danger zones as weather experts predicted temperatures on Tuesday of up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit in Alentejo, which is located between Lisbon and Algarve. Read more
Commonwealth Games:Yusuf wins Nigeria’s 4th weightlifting medal (Sun)
A 19-year old Islamiyat Adebukola Yusuf has taken Nigeria’s medal haul to four at the ongoing Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Yusuf lifted a total of 212kg to finish third to claim the bronze medal for Nigeria.
Canadian Mauda Charron and Australia’s Sarah Maureen Cochrane placed first and second respectively.
Nigeria has so far won four medals, two gold and two bronze medals in weightlifting in Birmingham. Read more
NPFL: Amapakabo quits Abia Warriors (Punch)
Imama Amapakabo has left Nigeria Professional Football League club, Abia Warriors following the expiration of his contract, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Amapakabo, whose contract at the club lapsed on July 31, joined the club two years ago.
He left the club on Sunday after they crashed out of the 2022 Aiteo Cup, following a 2-1 defeat to Nigeria National League side Ottasolo FC.
A statement on the club’s website read, “The management of Abia Warriors Football Club has announced that it has parted ways with coach Imama Amapakabo after the expiration of his two-year contract. The club also thanks him for the services rendered and wishes him well in his future assignment.” Read more
Aaron Ramsey signs for Nice (France24)
French Ligue 1 side Nice on Monday announced the arrival of Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey a week after the 31-year-old left Juventus with a year left to run on his contract.
Ramsey joined Juve in 2019 as a free agent after spending almost eight years at Arsenal and won the Serie A title in his first campaign in Turin.
Last season, he spent five months on loan at Rangers before helping his country to qualify for this year’s World Cup with a play-off win over Ukraine.
According to various sources Ramsey has signed a one-year contract with Nice. Read more
Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie ruled out for 3 weeks with shoulder injury (ESPN)
Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie has been ruled out for three weeks after suffering a shoulder injury, the Serie A club said on Monday.
It means McKennie will miss the start of the season, adding to Juventus’s injury problems after Paul Pogba suffered a knee problem last month, weeks after joining from Manchester United.
McKennie made 29 appearances for Juventus in all competitions last season, scoring four goals. He has also become a key figure for the United States, with nine goals in 35 international appearances.
Juventus lost another option in midfield when Aaron Ramsey terminated his contract by mutual consent last month. Read more
Marc Cucurella: Chelsea in advanced talks to sign Brighton left-back for £50m with Man City unwilling to meet asking price (Sky)
Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign Brighton left-back Marc Cucurella, with the Blues willing to pay the £50m asking price for the Manchester City target.
The Spaniard handed in a transfer request on Friday in a bid to push through a move to City but the Premier League champions will not pay Brighton’s asking price, with Chelsea now in pole position to sign the 24-year-old.
The Seagulls had previously rejected a £30m bid for the full-back from Pep Guardiola’s side, who are looking for a replacement for Oleksandr Zinchenko after he joined Arsenal.
Cucurella enjoyed a hugely successful first Premier League season after joining from Getafe in a deal worth around £15m last summer and was named Brighton’s player of the season. Read more
Michael Masi signed NDA with FIA as he opens up on ‘dark days’ (F1News)
Former race director Michael Masi reportedly signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) after his removal as race director by the FIA.
Masi was the centre of controversy at last season’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when he made a bizarre call to allow a limited number of lapped runners to pass the Safety Car ahead of the final lap.
Sir Lewis Hamilton had been leading Max Verstappen at the time, and was on course to claim his eighth crown after the pair had entered the final round of the season level on points.
The Dutchman pitted for fresh tyres towards the end when Nicholas Latifi crashed, bringing out the infamous late caution, but Mercedes could not afford to risk losing the lead on track, which is why they kept their driver out. Read more
Luke Donald named European Ryder Cup captain, replacing LIV Golf winner Henrik Stenson (USAToday)
Just 12 days after removing Henrik Stenson from his captaincy, the European Ryder Cup team has already announced a replacement.
Previous reports were confirmed on Monday morning when four-time Ryder Cupper Luke Donald was officially named as the captain for Team Europe for the 2023 matches at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome, Sept. 29-Oct 1.
The 44-year-old Englishman previously represented Europe in 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2012 and has five PGA Tour wins and six DP World Tour wins under his belt. The former World No. 1 also
served as a vice captain in the past two Ryder Cups. Donald is set to be the first Englishman since Nick Faldo in 2008 to captain the Europeans.
“So excited and truly honoured to be named European Ryder Cup Captain, I’m really looking forward to the next 14 months and getting my team ready for Rome,” Donald shared on Twitter. Read more