Buratai reacts to protests, says army legally acquired land in FCT (Guardian)
The Nigerian Army says it legally acquired its landed property in parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and advised indigenes protesting alleged land grab to channel their complaints to the appropriate quarters. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai stated this on Tuesday in reaction to protest by some indigenes, who barricaded the Air Port road, alleging the army grabbed their land. Buratai spoke at the foundation laying ceremony for construction of the “Army Command Estate and Headquarters, Directorate of Army Legal Services’’ at Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment at Giri on the airport road. Read more
Navy claims 15 detainees disappeared after eight months in custody (Punch)
The Nigerian Navy says it has no information as to the whereabouts of 15 persons who have been in its custody since last September. This is despite the fact that the navy has filed an application in court seeking to continue to detain the 15 persons who have spent eight months in detention. The navy’s Director of Information, Commodore Suleman Dahun, said the navy had no clue as to their whereabouts on Monday. Read more
Kano State speaker, deputy to get life pension, benefits (Guardian)
The Kano State House of Assembly has passed into law a bill that grants life pension and other benefits to the speaker and deputy speaker of the House. The Pension Rights of Speaker and Deputy Law 2019 affords the two presiding officers privilege to earn life benefit after the expiration of their tenure. The two presiding officers are to enjoy annual medical trips and brand new vehicles of choice every four years. Read more
Miyetti Allah is like Afenifere and Ohanaeze, Presidency says (Punch)
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, has said that Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria is like Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo socio-cultural groups and thus should not be criminalised. He also defended the meeting between the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and the leadership of the Miyetti Allah, adding that the government needed the cooperation of Miyetti Allah to help in tackling weapons proliferation as the security situation in the country worsens. Shehu, who was a guest on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, urged Nigerians not to politicise the meeting, arguing that all stakeholders have a role to play in ensuring that the nation remains safe. Read more
Don’t greet me in public, Tribunal judge warns (Nation)
Chairman of an Election Petitions Tribunal in Cross River State, Hon Justice A. A. Babawale, has warned litigants not to greet her even if they run into her in public. Babawale, who spoke during the inauguration of the panel in Calabar Tuesday, said this was because such gesture could be misinterpreted given the sensitivity of the assignment of the panel. She said though Nigerians are courteous and hospitable people, it did not apply in this particular case, and she warned against anyone trying to contact her in any way. Read more
Sack service chiefs to end insecurity, ADP tells Buhari (Punch)
The Action Democratic Party on Tuesday said the best way to handle the insecurity currently being witnessed in the country was for President Muhammadu Buhari to sack all service chiefs. It said there was no way the country would be doing the same thing, the same way and be expecting a different result. The party’s National Chairman, Sani Yabagi, made the call at a press conference in Abuja. Read more
FG releases 2019/2020 Common Entrance results for admission to Unity schools (Guardian)
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu has announced the release of the 2019/2020 National Common Entrance Examination for admission to the 104 Unity Schools across the country. Adamu, while presenting the results in Abuja on Tuesday, promised to ensure that the admission process was given the maximum attention it deserved. “We are mindful of the anxiety on the part of parents to get admission for their wards into our schools. We are equally conscious that some of our competitors (private schools) are ahead of us in terms of the conduct of their 2019/2020 admissions. Read more
Nigeria’s disease is lack of leadership, not corruption, says Dogara (Guardian)
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Tuesday said Nigeria’s ‘disease’ is the lack of leadership of the country and not corruption as opined by local and international critics. “Nigeria’s real disease is lack of leadership. I disagree with all those who say our major national disease is financial corruption rather the real disease has been the absence of true leadership which in turn breeds moral corruption and wickedness,” Dogara said at a conference organised by the #NotTooYoungToRun Movement for young lawmakers in Abuja. Read more
Why Nigerian lawyers must embrace technology–Akeredolu (Nation)
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Tuesday advised lawyers in the country to take advantage of the current developments in technology to improve the legal profession. Akeredolu gave the advice at the 2019 Annual Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Section on Legal Practice which took place at the International Event Centre in Akure. The governor said the introduction of technology into legal practice would promote proficiency, save cost as well as improve practice and service delivery. Read more
2019 elections: UK spends £795 million on #NotTooYoungToRun movement – Envoy (Punch)
The United Kingdom had spent £795 million to prosecute the #NotTooYoungToRun movement, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, said on Tuesday. THE PUNCH reported that the #NotTooYoungToRun movement led to the emergence of young legislators in the just-concluded 2019 elections The Envoy also encouraged incoming legislators to support each other, particularly the relatively few females among them because “Nigeria will not move forward if the space for women’s engagement is not widened.” Read more
Snakebites kill tens of thousands each year – WHO (Guardian)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has drawn up a plan to cut the number of people who are killed by snakebites in half, from its current estimated level of up to 138,000 per year. Snake poisoning is a neglected disease “that is responsible for enormous suffering, disability and premature death on every continent,” the UN health agency said on Tuesday in Geneva. The agency said that low-income countries bear an especially large burden. Read more
Pamela Anderson visits Assange in prison (Guardian)
Former “Baywatch” star and now animal rights campaigner Pamela Anderson spoke emotionally after meeting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a London prison on Tuesday, warning that his life was in danger. “It’s been very difficult to see Julian here and to make our way through the prison to get to him was quite shocking,” said Anderson, who visited Assange several times when he lived as a fugitive inside Ecuador’s embassy. “He’s a good man, he’s an incredible person. I love him. I can’t imagine what he has been going through,” the US actress and former Playboy model said outside Belmarsh prison, wearing a large cape with slogans calling for the defence of free speech. Read more
Aeroflot plane crash: Pilot error theory probed (BBC)
Russian investigators are considering pilot error as a possible cause of the crash which killed 41 people on board an Aeroflot airliner at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport. Crew members and passengers say the Sukhoi Superjet-100 was struck by lightning in the air, which knocked out communications with ground control. But the high-speed landing of a fuel-laden jet was not normal practice. Meanwhile a video reveals officials joking while watching the burning jet. Read more
Texas bartender charged for serving gunman before mass shooting (BBC)
A Texas bartender who served a man the night he shot his estranged wife and seven others in 2017 has been charged with criminal negligence. Lindsey Glass was arrested in Plano last month, accused of violating a state alcohol law by selling to “an intoxicated or insane person”. Authorities allege Ms Glass should have known to stop serving Spencer Hight as he appeared drunk and armed. She faces a year in jail, a $500 (£382) fine, or both. Read more
Armed man ‘holds five women hostage’ in shop near Toulouse airport (Metro)
A gunman has taken ‘at least five women hostage’ inside a tobacco shop on the outskirts of Toulouse, France, according to local reports. The armed suspect threatened to fire at French police as they rushed to the scene in Blagnac, near Toulouse airport. The incident occurred around 4pm, and witnesses reported hearing at least two shots about an hour-and-a-half into the hostage situation. Locals said they had been urged to stay in their homes and close their shutters. Read more
Russian plane crash survivor says God will ‘judge’ passengers who grabbed bags (Nation)
A survivor of the Russian plane crash that killed 41 of 78 people aboard expressed his dismay that some passengers delayed the evacuation by grabbing their belongings – but asked that they not be persecuted. “I do not know what to say about people who ran out with bags,” Mikhail Savchenko said in a translated post on Facebook. “God is their judge.” He continued: “But I really want to ask them not to persecute them, I am sure that it is very hard for them now. I do not think that at least one person in this burning hell coolly and deliberately dragged suitcases. Read more
Royal baby: William welcomes Harry to ‘sleep deprivation society’ (BBC)
The Duke of Cambridge has welcomed his brother to “the sleep deprivation society that is parenting” after the birth of the Duke of Sussex’s son. Prince William said he was “absolutely thrilled” for Prince Harry and Meghan, whose child was born at 05:26 BST on Monday. The father-of-three added he looked forward to seeing the new parents “when things have quietened down”. The Prince of Wales said he was also “delighted” by the birth. Read more
Celine Dion ‘devastated after Angelina Jolie turned down playing her in biopic’ (Metro)
Celine Dion was reportedly left ‘devastated’ after Angelina Jolie turned down playing the iconic Candian singer in a biopic. We are too TBH, this could have been cinematic gold. Despite the pair being good friends, the Maleficent actress is said to have turned her down because she was too busy. A source told RadarOnline: ‘For years now, Celine’s big passion has been a musical movie adaptation of her life, career and marriage to Rene [Angelil]. She wants this to happen for both her kids and her fans, and was dead-set on Angie landing the part. Read more
Ajax hopeful on Neres fitness for Tottenham return leg (Punch)
Ajax are hopeful David Neres will be fit for their Champions League semi-final second leg against Tottenham Hotspur, with coach Erik ten Hag admitting there was “a small question mark” surrounding the fitness of the talented Brazilian winger. “There is perhaps a small problem with David, but he will train and we expect him to play,” Ten Hag said at a press conference on Tuesday at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Ajax take a 1-0 lead into Wednesday’s game after Donny van de Beek’s early goal separated the teams in London last week. Read more
Chelsea braced for Roma to make Maurizio Sarri approach after Antonio Conte rejection (Metro)
Roma will turn their attentions to Maurizio Sarri after failing to tempt his Chelsea predecessor Antonio Conte into becoming their new manager. The Serie A club appointed Claudio Ranieri in March following their Champions League demise against Porto, but the former Leicester boss has failed to significantly improve results since the sacking of Eusebio Di Francesco and departure of director of football, Monchi. Roma face an uphill battle to secure Champions League qualification with three league games of the season remaining and had earmarked Conte, who has been out of work since August following his acrimonious departure from Stamford Bridge, as their No.1 target. Read more
Tearful Godin confirms Atletico exit (Guardian)
Atletico Madrid captain Diego Godin announced on Tuesday that he will leave the club at the end of the season. Godin has been one of the best central defenders in the world under Atletico coach Diego Simeone, who attended an emotional press conference at the Wanda Metropolitano, along with several players and president Enrique Cerezo. The 33-year-old would not confirm his next club but indicated regret at not being able to agree on a new contract. Read more
Tennis: Djokovic destroys Fritz in solid Madrid start (Punch)
Novak Djokovic needed just 65 minutes to make a winning start at the Madrid Open on Tuesday, hammering Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2 to reach the third round. The top seed and world number one broke three times as he schooled the American. Djokovic won the Madrid title in 2011 and 2016, He will be chasing a fourth straight Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros next month. Third seed Roger Federer was making his clay return after two full seasons off of the surface when he faced Frenchman Richard Gasquet later in the second round after a bye. Read more