Buhari appoints new NDLEA secretary (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr Shadrach Haruna as the new Secretary of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. This was contained in a statement by the NDLEA Head of public affairs, Mr Jonah Achema, and made available to News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday. He said that Haruna replaced Mrs Roli George whose tenure expired in June 2018. Read more
FG committed to bringing prosperity to Nigerians –Sylva (Nation)
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has declared that the Federal Government was committed to bringing prosperity to Nigerians through solving the nation’s energy challenges. A release by the NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said Chief Sylva made this disclosure on Monday while speaking on the sidelines of the 24th World Energy Congress (WEC), taking place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Read more
Tribunal upholds El-Rufai’s election as Kaduna governor (Guardian)
Kaduna Governorship Election Petition Tribunal Monday upheld the election of the State’s governor Nasir El-Rufai. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Alhaji Isah Ashiru filed an application seeking a recount of the votes cast during the March 9 election in the state. El-Rufai, a candidate of the All Progressives Congress, polled total votes of 1,045,427 to defeat Ashiru who garnered 814,168 votes. Read more
Armed robbers attack varsity hostel in Niger (Punch)
Armed robbers numbering about seven in the earlier hours of Monday attacked the off-campus hostel of the Ibrahim Badamasi University, Lapai, Niger State. The 25-room hostel accommodates both male and female students of the university An eyewitness told The PUNCH, that the robbers arrived at the hostel around 1:00 a.m. and started ransacking all the rooms. Read more
Gunmen kill two in Plateau (Nation)
Gunmen have killed two persons at Fanlo and Nding villages in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State late on Sunday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The killing is the latest in the recurring bloodletting in agricultural communities in North Central Nigeria, which is described as Nigeria’s food basket. Read more
Ifeanyi Ubah defeats Uba brothers, Ekwunife wins Umeh at tribunal (Punch)
The Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Awka, the Anambra State capital, has upheld the elections of Senators Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Peoples Party and Uche Ekwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party for the Anambra South Senatorial District and Anambra Central Senatorial District respectively. While the oil mogul defeated Chris Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party and Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress at the tribunal, Senator Ekwunife defeated Victor Umeh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance. Read more
‘We won’t allow imposition of Urhobo as Bayelsa deputy Gov’ (Nation)
Ijaw youths on Monday told the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that they would resist his attempt to make someone from the Urhobo ethnic group a Deputy Governor in Bayelsa, the only Ijaw homogeneous state. The youths, who rose from their meeting in Warri, Delta State, vowed to mobilise people to vote massively against the PDP in Bayelsa if its running mate had questionable identity. Read more
JAMB apprehends another candidate for allegedly altering UTME score (Nation)
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has arrested a 19-year-old female candidate, Rejoice Mordi, for allegedly falsifying her 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) score from 164 to 264. Mordi was arrested in Abuja on Tuesday following an invitation by the board to its headquarters in Bwari. Read more
NYSC members serving in Anambra’s rural areas to get extra N10K monthly (Punch)
The Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, on Monday said corps members deployed to rural areas of the state would be paid N10,000 monthly each. Obiano stated this while declaring close the 2019 Batch ‘B’ stream two orientation course at the Umunya in Oyi Local Government Area of the State. He said the NYSC permanent orientation camp at Umuawulu/Mbaukwu would be completed and handed over to the management in October. Read more
Border closure: Katsina agro-produce dealers laud FG (Guardian)
The Nigeria Association of Agricultural Produce Dealers (NAAPD), Katsina State chapter, has commended the Federal Government for the recent policy of border closure. The association made the commendation in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Alhaji Isah Balarabe-Bilbis and Abdulmutallab Dandume and made available to the newsmen in Gusau on Monday. Read more
Sultan condemns clerics who incite people to violence (Nation)
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has condemned some pastors and imams who he said incite other faiths to violence and politicise religion. He spoke yesterday at an inter-faith session he held with Christians and Muslims in Akure, the Ondo State capital, as a prelude to the public lecture marking the Ulefunta festival where he is billed to deliver a speech today with the title: “Our diversity, a divine gift and blessing untapped: Wrong path trodden and way to peace.” Read more
Girl, 17, sets self ablaze over bride price in Zamfara (Punch)
A 17-year-old girl, Aisha Bello, of Albarkawa area in Gusau Local Government of Zamfara State who attempted to end her life last Saturday for not getting married to her suitor is still lying critically ill as her parents have no money to take her to the hospital. Aisha had last Saturday almost committed suicide by setting herself ablaze because her boyfriend, Umar Faruku could not pay her bride price. Read more
My husband denied me lovemaking for five years, wife tells court (Punch)
A housewife, Talatu, on Monday, sued her husband Sulaiman, before a Sharia Court ll, sitting in Magajin Gari, Kaduna State, seeking legal divorce saying she has been sexually starved for five years. Talatu, 35, who resides in Makera, Kaduna State, told the court that Sulaiman denied her sex for five years. Read more
Xenophobia: We dare not forget what Obasanjo, others did for us —IFP founder, Buthelezi (Punch)
Inkatha Freedom Party founder and traditional prime minister to the Zulu nation, Mangosuthu Buthelezi has said that South Africans dare not forget or disregard the sacrifices made by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other African leaders for the nation’s independence. Buthelezi said this on Sunday in Johannesburg while condemning xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa. Read more
Robert Mugabe died a ‘very bitter’ man, nephew says (BBC)
Robert Mugabe’s nephew has said the former Zimbabwean leader died a “very bitter” man. Mr Mugabe, who died aged 95 last week, led Zimbabwe for nearly four decades until he was ousted by a coup in 2017. “Imagine people you trusted – people that were guarding you, looking after you – [turning] against you,” Leo Mugabe said. Read more
No-deal Brexit officially blocked in law (Metro)
A law that would stop the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal has been given royal assent. House of Lords Speaker Lord Fowler confirmed a bill aimed at blocking a ‘no-deal’ Brexit on 31 October has become law after the Queen gave final approval to the legislation. The step, known as Royal Assent, is effectively rubber-stamps the law that was passed through parliament last week by an alliance of cross-party MPs. Read more
Trump Turnberry: US Air Force to review Scotland resort stays (BBC)
The US Air Force (USAF) has ordered a review of its guidance on overnight accommodation for flight crews. The move follows revelations that some have been staying at one of President Donald Trump’s Scottish golf resorts. There has been an increase in the number of US military flights stopping at Prestwick Airport, Scotland, near the resort, since he took office. Read more
‘Boy, 14, massacred entire family after discovering his mom was his stepmother’ (Metro)
A 14-year-old boy allegedly gunned his entire family down after finding out his mother was not his biological mother, a relative claimed. Police said Mason Sisk, 14, confessed to killing his father John Sisk, 38, his stepmother Mary Sisk, 35, his half-brothers, Six-year-old Kane and six-month-old Coleson, and his half-sister Aurora, 5, at their home in Elkmont, Alabama on August 2. Read more
Russia’s ruling party hit badly in Moscow election (BBC)
Russia’s ruling United Russia party has suffered major losses in Sunday’s election to the Moscow city parliament, nearly complete results show. The party lost nearly a third of the seats in the 45-member parliament, but remains on course to retain its majority with about 26 seats. With most opposition candidates disqualified, the Communists, independents and others gained seats. Read more
Cyprus bishop cleared of hate speech over ‘gay sex and pregnant women’ (Guardian)
The top law officer in Cyprus on Monday cleared a Greek Orthodox bishop of possible hate speech following a police probe over his claim that homosexuality is passed on if a pregnant woman enjoys anal sex. Attorney-General Costas Clerides agreed with police findings that the Church of Cyprus bishop did not commit a criminal offence under the island’s hate speech law with his controversial comments on homosexuality. Read more
Golden Ray cargo ship: US Coastguard search for missing crew (BBC)
The US Coastguard has made contact with four missing crew members of a cargo ship that capsized off the coast of the state of Georgia on Sunday. Car carrier the Golden Ray overturned early on Sunday morning after leaving the port of Brunswick. Authorities managed to rescue 20 of the crew, but were reportedly forced back by fire, smoke and unstable cargo. Read more
Woman charged with hate crime after ‘abusing people at Pride’ (Metro)
A woman has been charged with a hate crime after she allegedly yelled abuse at gay people during a Pride march. Jamila Choudhury, from Walthamstow, east London, is accused of haranguing participants as they passed her during the event in London on July 27. Video circulated showing a woman in a niqab yelling ‘God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve’ at people as they passed her on Hoe Street, Walthamshow. Read more
Nissan boss to step down amid pay scandal (BBC)
Nissan chief executive Hiroto Saikawa will step down next week as the carmaker grapples with an executive pay scandal. The announcement followed a meeting of the carmaker’s board on Monday. Earlier, Mr Saikawa told Japanese media he was “keen to pass the torch” when asked if he was preparing to resign. Read more
Dad banned from all football matches after crushing steward’s head in metal door (Metro)
A man filmed slamming a football steward’s head into a steel door has been banned from attending all future matches held in England and Wales. David Morgan, 48, was on a ‘boy’s day out’ with his teenage son when he flew into a rage and attacked the steward. A court heard how Morgan had split from his son’s mother two months earlier and it was the first time they had gone out together alone since. Read more
Mum marries a tree to stop dual carriageway being built through park (Metro)
An environmentalist has taken the drastic measure of marrying a tree in her local park in the hope it will stop developers cutting it down. Kate Cunningham, 34, will now be known as Kate Rose ‘Elder’ after also changing her name by deed poll to the species of tree she is now married to. The entire town was invited to join her friends and family at the wedding ceremony at Rimrose Valley Park in Litherland, Merseyside, where the bride wore green. Read more
Next 007 should be a woman says Bond star Pierce Brosnan (BBC)
Former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan has said it is time a woman to take on the 007 mantle. The Goldeneye actor, who played the role in four films, told the Hollywood Reporter he believes it would be “exhilarating” and “exciting” to see a female Bond. “I think we’ve watched the guys do it for the last 40 years,” said the 66-year-old. “Get out of the way guys and put a woman up there!” he added. Read more
Siasia’s mother still held 55 days after abduction (Punch)
The abducted mother of former coach Samson Siasia has yet to regain her freedom 55 days after she was kidnapped. It was gathered on Sunday that 80-year-old Mrs Beauty Ogere Siasia was still in the kidnappers’ den and clues about her whereabouts had remained vague. She was whisked away on July 15 by heavily armed gunmen who invaded her Odoni country home in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Read more
Gareth Southgate casts doubt over Marcus Rashford’s ability to play as a No.9 for England (Metro)
Gareth Southgate has admitted that he is uncertain about Marcus Rashford’s suitability to play as a central striker, claiming the Manchester United forward does his best work out wide. The 21-year-old was tipped to lead the line for United this season following the departures of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez but he has tended to play from the left with Anthony Martial preferred through the middle. Read more
Italy manager Roberto Mancini provides injury update on Chelsea star Emerson (Metro)
Roberto Mancini has provided a promising injury update on Emerson after the Chelsea defender hobbled off during Italy’s victory over Finland on Sunday. Emerson, who has started all four of Chelsea’s Premier League matches so far this season, was substituted off after only eight minutes during Italy’s 2-1 win in the Euro 2020 qualifier. Read more
Samuel Umtiti discusses Arsenal rumours and bursts out laughing at Alexandre Lacazette’s transfer plea (Metro)
Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has laughed off reports that Arsenal tried to sign him over the summer despite Alexandre Lacazette making a plea for the centre-back to join. Gunners boss Unai Emery was eager to strengthen his defence during the transfer window and eventually brought in David Luiz from Chelsea in an £8million deal on deadline day. Read more
Douglas Costa’s agent claims Maurizio Sarri blocked Manchester United transfer move this summer (Metro)
Douglas Costa’s agent has claimed that Manchester United had a ‘strong interest’ in the forward this summer, but Maurizio Sarri had no intention of letting him leave Juventus. Injury problems meant Costa only managed seven league starts for Juventus last season and the 28-year-old winger was heavily linked with a move away from Turin ahead of the 2019/20 campaign. Read more
Eddie Hearn explains why he believes Deontay Wilder v Tyson Fury rematch might not happen (Metro)
Eddie Hearn has questioned whether a rematch between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury will actually go ahead and has mocked the lack of hype surrounding the Gypsy King’s next bout. Fury takes on Otto Wallin in Las Vegas next weekend, which is expected to be his final outing before a long-awaited rematch with WBC heavyweight champion Wilder in February 2020. Read more
Basketball World Cup: Greece call for officials to be banned after elimination (BBC)
Greece are calling for the officials who oversaw their final game at the Basketball World Cup to be banned. The Greeks needed to beat the Czech Republic by 12 points to reach the quarter-finals, but could only win 84-77 as Giannis Antetokounmpo fouled out. The Milwaukee Bucks man, the NBA’s most valuable player in 2018-19, picked up a fifth foul in the fourth quarter. Read more
Sebastian Vettel: Ferrari driver ‘not worried’ about form after errors (BBC)
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel says he is “not worried” about his form after he wrecked his Italian Grand Prix with a spin and collision. Vettel hit Lance Stroll’s Racing Point when rejoining after a spin out of fourth place on lap six, his ninth error in the last 28 races. “The speed is there so I am not worried. It is just a matter of putting things together,” he said. Read more
