Buhari won’t give up on Leah Sharibu, says Presidency (Nation)
The Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, has assured that the Buhari administration will not give up on the safe return of Leah Sharibu. She was one of the students of Government Girls Science and Technical Secondary School, Dapchi kidnapped by a faction of Boko Haram terrorists in February 2018. Speaking to a group of journalists on Saturday in Abuja, Shehu said: ‘‘Instead of giving up, the government is carrying forward processes that should hopefully yield her release by her captors.” Read more
Ganduje vows to sue Wike’s govt over alleged mosque demolition (Punch)
The Kano State Government led by Abdullahi Ganduje has vowed to take legal action against the Government of Nyesom Wike in Rivers State for the alleged demolition of the Rainbow Town Central Mosque in Trans-Amadi Area, Port Harcourt. The Chief Press Secretary to Ganduje, Abba Anwar, in a statement described the incident as a sad story and promised to take all necessary lawful action against the Rivers State Government. Read more
Gbajabiamila leads Nigerian delegation to Commonwealth Parliamentary conference (Nation)
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is leading the Nigerian delegation to the 50th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Africa Region, Conference taking place in Zanzibar, Tanzania from September 1. A Statement Signed by Lanre Lasisi , his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity further reads: “Members of the Nigerian delegation include the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly. Read more
Border closure: Sen. Uzodinma hails Buhari for making Nigeria work again (Nation)
Sen. Hope Uzodinma, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the closure of Nigeria’s border with Benin Republic and other neighbouring countries to check rice smuggling. Uzodinma, who spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said it was evident of the president’s determination to get Nigeria working again. He described the move as a right step in the right direction. Read more
Kano State arrests 32 beggars (Guardian)
The Kano State Hisbah Board on Saturday said it arrested 32 beggars in Kano metropolis for allegedly violating the law banning street begging in the state. The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the board, Malam Lawan Ibrahim, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano. Ibrahim said that the arrests were carried out around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday on Ajasa Road, Lodge Road, Kantin Kwari Market, and Sabon Gari. Read more
NAF airlifts relief materials to Mozambique, Zimbabwe (Punch)
The Nigerian Air Force has said that it has completed the airlifting of relief materials to Mozambique and Zimbabwe. This was to further assist victims of the massive flooding that affected some communities in those countries in April. Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja. He said the airlift missions were conducted for the National Emergency Management Agency. Read more
Bayelsa primaries: APC battles to vacate court order, mulls consensus (Nation)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has intensified its efforts to vacate a court order, which stopped its governorship primaries in Bayelsa State. The party shifted the primaries from August 29th to 31st citing logistic issues and but further postponed it indefinitely following the order by the Sagbama High Court sitting in Yenagoa stopping the planned use of direct method in conducting the internal poll. Read more
Refund money, get amnesty, Ebonyi tells ghost workers (Punch)
The Ebonyi State Government has offered amnesty to ghost workers discovered during a series of verification exercise in the state. The government also offered the ghost workers, the opportunity to refund the money they illegally collected as salaries. The offer which was contained in a statement signed by Mr Emmanuel Uzor, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, on Saturday further said that the amnesty period would last from August 30 to September 10. Read more
Two Unilag scholars attract €1,200,000 research grant (Guardian)
Two scholars from the University of Lagos have attracted a total of €1200,000, pounds (N540,000,000 million) for research. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the grants were from the United Kingdom Research and Innovation Global Challenges Research Fund. The scholars are Dr Sunday Adebisi, Director, African Research Universities Alliance ARUA Centre of Excellence in Unemployment and Skills Development, and Prof. Timothy Nubi, Director, Centre for Urbanisation and Habitable Cities. Read more
Buhari lampoons Nigerian Universities for monetizing honourary awards (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari, has berated many universities in the country for placing priority on money in the conferment of honourary awards on Nigerians. Buhari said the ugly development is coming at this point in time when the country is battling to entrench the culture of good character would help the rebranding efforts of the federal government. Read more
Erosion: Nasarawa government plants 1.3m trees (Guardian)
The Nasarawa State Government has flagged off the planting of 1.3 million trees across the state. Gov. Abdullahi Sule of the state said this on Saturday at the flag-off of 2019 the tree planting in Akwanga Local Government Area. The governor, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Mr Emmanuel Akabe, said that the trees would be planted within three years. Read more
Africa import $50bn worth of food annually —AfDB (Punch)
The African Development Bank has said that African countries import nearly 50 billion dollars net of food annually. A statement by AfDB’s Communication and External Relations Department said the bank’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human, and Social Development, Jennifer Blanke said this at a panel discussion at the 7th Tokyo International Conference in Japan. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the conference which began on August 28 in Tokyo, ended on August 30. Read more
Sudan’s Bashir charged with illegal use of foreign funds (Guardian)
Sudan’s ousted president Omar al-Bashir was charged in court Saturday with illegal acquisition and use of foreign funds, offenses that could land him behind bars for more than a decade. Bashir, who was deposed in April following months of mass protests against his rule, appeared in court in a black metal cage wearing the country’s traditional white attire and turban. Judge Al-Sadiq Abdelrahman outlined the charges at what was the third session of the trial, saying foreign funds of multiple currencies were found at his home. Read more
South Africa policeman arrested over boxing champion’s murder (BBC)
A man has been arrested over the fatal shooting of a South African female boxing champion. Leighandre “Baby Lee” Jegels was murdered in Mdantsane, in the country’s Eastern Cape at about 14:00 local time (12:00 GMT) on Friday. Officials say the suspect was known to the 25-year-old and is a serving member of the South African Police Service. Read more
Gunmen attack military base in northern Burkina region (Guardian)
One soldier was wounded and another five are missing after gunmen attacked a military base in northern Burkina Faso, security sources said Saturday, in a region prone to jihadist violence. A former French colony that ranks among the world’s poorest countries, Burkina Faso has been struggling with an Islamist militant revolt since 2015. Read more
Afghanistan conflict: Taliban storm key northern city (BBC)
Taliban fighters have attacked the strategic northern Afghan city of Kunduz, setting off a major battle with security forces. The governments says its air strikes have slowed down the militants, who entered the city from four directions. But the militants have not retreated from their positions, reports say. Reports say at least three civilians and dozens of fighters died. More casualties were reported when a suicide bomber targeted city police. Read more
Police in search for missing student, 18, find body in canal (Metro)
A body has been found in the search for a missing teen who was last seen ten days ago on August 21. A major search operation has been underway since Wednesday when 18-year-old Kamau McCallum-James, from Huddersfield, vanished. The search involved underwater teams scouring the Huddersfield Narrow Canal in the Colnebridge area. Read more
Sirhan Sirhan: Robert F Kennedy’s assassin stabbed in prison (BBC)
Sirhan Sirhan, the man convicted of assassinating Robert F Kennedy, has been stabbed at a California prison, US media reports say. Authorities said a stabbing happened at a prison near San Diego on Friday afternoon. In a statement, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said “officers responded quickly” to the attack. Read more
Predator raped girl with learning difficulties and abused kids as young as 12 (Metro)
A predator who raped a girl with learning difficulties and sexually assaulted a child in a hospital corridor while she visited a dying relative sobbed as he was jailed for 22 years. Lee Goldsworthy appeared at Newcastle Crown Court via videolink from Durham Prison on Friday August 30, where he was sentenced for committing four rapes and three sexual assaults. Read more
Couple turn their daughter’s christening into a surprise wedding (Metro)
A couple left friends and family stunned after they turned the christening of their baby daughter into a surprise wedding. 29-year-old Hannah Clayton and her husband Darren Harding-Evans, 39, hatched a secret plan to throw the double celebration midway through the baptism of nine-month-old Bryony. Whilst guests took their turn taking photographs with the christening girl, the pair sneaked off and got ready to pull the surprise last Sunday. Read more
Denmark to pay $1.6m for four circus elephants (Punch)
The government of Denmark will buy the country’s last four circus elephants in order to retire them, a minister said Saturday, as more countries move to shield wild animals from the practice. Highly regulated, though still controversial, elephants, sea lions and zebras are the only animals that can be used in circuses in Denmark. Read more
First New York, now Paris for Birmingham amputee model (BBC)
A nine-year-old girl who had both legs amputated is to model at the top of the Eiffel Tower during Paris Fashion Week. It comes after it was announced Daisy-May Demetre would be first double amputee child to walk in an official New York Fashion Week show. The founder of brand Lulu et Gigi said it was thought Daisy-May would also be the first such model at Paris Fashion Week. Read more
Ed Sheeran may take break from touring to start a family with wife (Metro)
Ed Sheeran’s upcoming break from touring is due to his desire to start a family soon The Shape Of You singer recently wrapped his worldwide tour, which featured a whopping 250 shows spanning over two years, and announced he would be taking a break from touring for the next 18 months. Now his manager Stuart Camp has revealed he doesn’t think Ed will waste time in having kids, as he is not one for sitting still for long. Read more
Aguero hits two as Man City thrash Brighton (BBC)
Manchester City eased to victory over Brighton as Sergio Aguero hit two goals to continue his record of scoring in all four of his team’s Premier League games this season. Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne set the reigning champions on their way when he poked David Silva’s low cross over the line after just 68 seconds. Aguero finished off a free-flowing move to double the lead before producing a sumptuous curl from the edge of the penalty after half-time. Read more
Faltering Man United held by 10-man Southampton (Guardian)
Manchester United dropped points for the third time in the first four Premier League games of the season as they were held 1-1 by 10-man Southampton at St. Mary’s. Daniel James’s fine form since a £15 million move from Swansea continued as he fired United into the lead on 10 minutes. But the defensive problems that blighted the end of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first season in charge are still to be resolved by the Norwegian and Jannik Vestergaard headed home Southampton’s equaliser after half-time. Read more
Sheffield United come from two down to snatch point at Chelsea (BBC)
Sheffield United battled back from two goals down to snatch a point after Kurt Zouma’s late own goal at Stamford Bridge. The hosts were 2-0 up by half-time after striker Tammy Abraham struck twice for his third and fourth goals of the season. But the Blades pulled one back in the first minute of the second half when Callum Robinson, who had missed from close range in the first half, scored his first since joining the club in the summer. Read more
Paul Pogba seen ‘heavily limping’ after Manchester United’s draw with Southampton (Metro)
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba could be forced to pull out of France’s squad for Euro 2020 qualifiers against Albania and Andorra after sustaining an ankle injury against Southampton today. The Frenchman was well below par as United left the south coast with a share of the spoils following a mixed performance against the Saints. Daniel James gave the Red Devils the lead in the first half with a sensational strike but Jannik Vestergaard’s towering header gave the Saints a precious point. Read more
Jordan Ayew seals win for Palace (BBC)
Jordan Ayew’s instinctive finish helped Crystal Palace secure back-to-back Premier League wins with victory over 10-man Aston Villa. The hosts looked to be heading for another Selhurst Park blank despite Villa’s Trezeguet seeing red for a second bookable offence, before Ghanaian Ayew fired beyond Tom Heaton with time running out. It meant Ayew, who was part of the Villa side relegated from the top flight in 2016, scored for the second Premier League weekend in a row, having also struck in the win at Manchester United. Read more
I’m happy with Madrid squad, Perez relationship —Zidane (Punch)
Zinedine Zidane insists his relationship with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is strong and he is happy with his squad ahead of the transfer window closing on Monday. Madrid have spent around 300 million euros this summer but Zidane has not selected a single new signing in his first starting line-ups for the first two games of the season. Zidane hoped the club would sign Paul Pogba, but Manchester United would not sell, and sell Gareth Bale, but the Welshman remains determined to see out his contract, which expires in 2022. Read more
Nemanja Matic likes Instagram post slamming Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Metro)
Nemanja Matic could be in hot water with his manager after he liked an Instagram post criticising Ole Gunnar Solsjaer following Manchester United’s 1-1 draw against Southampton. Solskjaer looked to be on course for a much needed win when Daniel James continued his fine run of form with a third goal in four matches after just 10 minutes, cutting in from the left and powering an unstoppable shot into the top corner. Read more
Icardi treated correctly, insists Inter’s Conte (Punch)
Antonio Conte insisted Saturday aggrieved Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi has been treated correctly by the Serie A giants with new Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez set to make his debut against Cagliari. Icardi has started legal action against Inter, demanding to return to full training and 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) in compensation. Read more
Belgian Grand Prix: Charles Leclerc on pole ahead of Sebastian Vettel (BBC)
Charles Leclerc set a scintillating lap to beat Ferrari team-mate Sebastian Vettel to pole position at the Belgian Grand Prix. The 21-year-old, still seeking a first career win, was a massive 0.748 seconds clear of his four-time world champion team-mate. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton was second quickest after the first runs but was pipped by Vettel on their last laps after the world champion failed to improve. Read more