Businessman in court over alleged N1.13m fraud (Vanguard)
An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Monday, granted N200,000 bail to a 40-year-old businessman, Afolabi Adebayo, who is facing a trial over an alleged N1.13 million fraud.
The defendant, whose house address was not given, is facing charges of obtaining by false pretense and theft of N1.13 million from a housewife.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Victor Eruada, told the court that the defendant committed the offense sometime in July 2020 in Ojota area of Lagos State.
Eruada said that the defendant obtained N1.13 million from the complainant, Mrs Adeola Odeola, under the false pretext of investing the money on her behalf, in the motorcycle business. Read more
Thugs invade monarch’s palace in Ikorodu, shoots sporadically (Guardian)
Suspected hoodlums and land grabbers on Sunday invaded Isiu palace in Ikorodu, Lagos State in a failed attempt to abduct the newly-installed monarch, Oba Olukayode Raji. The thugs shot sporadically at the palace.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the monarch was given the staff of office by the Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties, Wale Ahmed, on August 24, 2020.
The monarch told NAN that the hoodlums came in dozens with dangerous weapons before the intervention of local vigilante groups that averted their plot and chased them away.
Oba Raji said: “Suddenly, we started seeing strange faces and many boys coming closer to the palace with different weapons in their hands. Read more
Court declines to hear Shoprite’s assets transfer application (Guardian)
A Federal High Court, Lagos has declined to hear an application to lift a mareva injunction barring South African retail company, Shoprite Checkers (PTY) Limited, from transferring its assets.
Vacation judge, Nicholas Oweibo, said the matter was not urgent enough to be heard during the court’s ongoing vacation.
Shoprite is seeking to overturn a July 14, 2020 mareva injunction made by Justice Mohammed Liman of the same court in favour of a Nigerian firm, A.I.C. Limited.
A.I.C. Limited, which in 2018 secured a $10m judgment against Shoprite in a breach of contract lawsuit, obtained the injunction against the backdrop of Shoprite’s announcement to pull out of Nigeria. Read more
Taraba gets female FRSC sector commander (Punch)
The Federal Road Safety Corps, Taraba Command on Monday got a new Sector Commander, Corps Commander Selina Williams.
In a press statement by the Corps Public Education Officer in the state, Mr Paul Okoduwa, in Jalingo, the corps says the new corps commander has since assumed office.
According to the statement, Williams took over from Corps Commander Frank Okwueze who has proceeded on retirement. Read more
Troops raid bandits’ camps, kill one, apprehend 4 in Benue, Nasarawa – DHQ (Guardian)
The Defence Headquarters says the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke have raided some identified bandits’ camps in parts of Benue and Nasarawa states killing one and arresting four on Sunday.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Enenche said the operations were conducted by troops deployed at Guma in Benue and Keana in Nasarawa State. Read more
Banker in court for theft (Nation)
A 26-year old man, David Ebenezer, has been arraigned before an Ondo Magistrate Court for stealing the sum of N1.4m.
Ebenezer was accused of converting the money, belonging to a Cooperative and Micro Finance bank, for his personal use.
He was said to have committed the crime on August 30, 2019, at Rainbow Street, Ondo Town.
Ebenezer was arraigned on two count charges bothering on felony and stealing.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Read more
Thugs lay siege to Ondo Assembly (Punch)
Some political thugs on Monday morning laid siege to the Ondo State House of Assembly, causing panic around the area.
The thugs numbering over 100 were sighted at the main gate of the Assembly complex with scores of their vehicles parked along the road leading to the complex.
It was gathered that the presence of the political thugs was not unconnected with the rancour within members of the state Assembly.
Some lawmakers were alleged to be the target of the thugs. Read more
Nigerian Film The New Normal wins big at international film festival (Nation)
Nigerian director, Teniola Olatoni’s film, The New Normal, has bagged an international award.
It won Best International Narrative at the Annual ABFF Jury Awards.
The 24th annual festival, which was held online, took place from August 21-30.
In recognition of the groundbreaking impact the yet-to-be-released film would have in Nigeria, the Black diaspora, and the International community in general, the movie was found worthy and of the highest standard by the jury in a hotly contested category that had such amazing films like Coming From Insanity (Nigeria), The Male Revolt (Brazil), Get Luke Lowe (United Kingdom) and Efunsetan Aniwura (Nigeria). Read more
Man plans to buy home with proceeds from 28 bottles of birthday whiskey (NYPost)
A man in England is planning to purchase a home using money from the sale of 28 bottles of whiskey his father gifted to him each year for his birthday.
The collection of Macallan single malt obtained by Matthew Robson, of Taunton, is worth about $53,000, BBC reported. Robson’s father, Pete, had forked over about $6,500 for the booze.
“Each year I received it as a birthday present,” Robson told the outlet. “I thought it was quite a quirky little present as I was slightly too young to start drinking.” Read more
Russia’s Navalny out of coma after poisoning (BBC)
Russia’s poisoned opposition figure Alexei Navalny is out of an induced coma and his condition has improved, says a hospital in Berlin.
Doctors say he is responding to verbal stimuli. Mr Navalny was flown to Germany after falling ill on a flight in Siberia in July.
His team says he was poisoned on orders from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who denies involvement.
German doctors say he was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.
On Monday, the Charité hospital in Berlin said in a statement Mr Navalny was being weaned off mechanical ventilation. Read more
Fires plunge California into darkness (news.com.au)
Shocking photos have shown parts of California plunged into darkness as wildfires spread across the state.
One blaze in southern California has burned through 6918 hectares and forced residents from their homes, after a firework at a gender reveal party sparked the devastating blaze.
In Northern California the Creek Fire has burned through 45,500 acres and led to 200 people having to be rescued by the military on the weekend.
The group became trapped at the Mammoth Pool Reservoir northeast of Fresno when fast moving wildfires trapped them. Read more
Chinese chip giant SMIC ‘in shock’ after US trade ban threat (BBC)
China’s largest chip manufacturer’s stock sank after the US revealed it could be its next trade ban target.
Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) said it was “in complete shock and perplexity” after the Pentagon revealed it had proposed the firm be added to a government blacklist.
This would restrict suppliers from providing it with American-based tech without special permission.
Beijing said it was “firmly opposed”. Read more
US ‘Golden State Killer’ Joseph James DeAngelo Jr jailed for life (news.com.au)
A former US policeman dubbed the “Golden State Killer” apologised to his victims as he was jailed for life without the possibility of parole for a brutal decade-long crime spree that terrorised California.
Joseph James DeAngelo Jr, 74, who confessed to 13 murders and dozens of rapes in the 1970s and 1980s under a deal to avoid the death penalty, sat impassively behind a face mask in the Sacramento courtroom as his sadistic crimes were listed.
“I’ve listened to all of your statements. Each one of them. And I’m truly sorry to everyone I’ve hurt,” said DeAngelo. Read more
Flight makes emergency landing in Hawaii after engine spits fire (NYPost)
Dramatic video from the darkened cabin of a military charter flight captured the right engine emitting lightning-like flashes of flames shortly after taking off from Honolulu, according to reports.
The Atlas Air Boeing 767-300, carrying 212, was in the initial climb-out en route to Guam when the pilot reported an emergency because of the engine failure, avherald.com reported.
The problem resulted from a compressor stall in the surging engine, a condition that results in the violent expulsion of compressed air through the intake due to an unstable airflow, the news outlet reported. Read more
Former Temptations singer, Bruce Williamson, dies of coronavirus (Guardian)
Bruce Williamson, the former lead singer of American vocal group the Temptations, has died from coronavirus. He was aged 50.
Williamson died Sunday night at his home in Vegas after battling coronavirus, TMZ reports.
The R&B and soul singer’s death was confirmed by his son in an emotional tribute on social media:
“There’s no words in the world that can express how I feel right now I love you Daddy thank you for being awesome thank you for being loving thank you for being Who You Are I pray to God and we will meet again. I love you Daddy R.I.H KING WILLIAMSON.”
Williamson joined the Temptations in 2006. He performed with the group for nine years. Read more
Tokyo Olympics: John Coates says Games will go ahead in 2021 regardless pandemic (news.com.au)
Tokyo’s postponed Olympics will go ahead next year regardless of the coronavirus pandemic, with IOC vice president John Coates saying they would be the “Games that conquered Covid”.
The Olympics have never been cancelled outside of the world wars and Coates was adamant that the Tokyo Games will start on their revised date.
“It will take place with or without Covid. The Games will start on July 23 next year,” said Coates, who heads the International Olympic Committee’s Coordination Commission for the Tokyo Games. Read more
Messi returns to Barcelona training ground (Punch)
Lionel Messi arrived at Barcelona’s training ground on Monday as he begins to reintegrate with the team following his failed attempt to leave the club this summer.
Messi was seen driving into the Ciutat Esportiva in Sant Joan Despi at just after 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Monday, where he is expected to take part in training for the first time under new coach Ronald Koeman.
The Argentinian superstar said on Friday in his explosive interview with Goal that he would continue to give his best for Barca, despite admitting defeat in his bid to depart for free. Read more
Newcastle sign Callum Wilson from Bournemouth (BBC)
Newcastle United have signed England striker Callum Wilson on a four-year-deal from Bournemouth for about £20m.
The 28-year-old, who has four England caps, made 187 appearances for the Cherries and scored 67 goals.
Aston Villa were also interested in Wilson but withdrew a higher bid of £21m, with the former Coventry City striker preferring a move to Newcastle.
Wilson is Steve Bruce’s third summer signing since the collapse of the proposed takeover of the club in July.
He follows midfielder Jeff Hendrick and goalkeeper Mark Gillespie’s arrival at St James’ Park on free transfers. Read more
US Open: Naomi Osaka breezes into quarter-finals with win over Anett Kontaveit (Newshub.)
Former champion Naomi Osaka was at her free-swinging best as she stormed into the US Open quarter-finals with a 6-3 6-4 win over Anett Kontaveit.
In a battle of baseline blasters, fourth seed Osaka had the edge in firepower over 14th seed Kontaveit in the late match at Arthur Ashe stadium.
Kontaveit showed grit to save five match points at 5-4 in the second set but bowed out netting a forehand at the end of another baseline skirmish. Read more
Manchester City’s Mahrez and Laporte test positive for Covid-19 (BBC)
Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez and defender Aymeric Laporte have tested positive for Covid-19.
Algeria’s Mahrez, 29, and Frenchman Laporte, 24, will not train with their team-mates while they self-isolate in line with UK government and Premier League rules.
Manchester City say neither player was displaying symptoms of coronavirus.
Pep Guardiola’s side play Wolverhampton Wanderers in their first fixture of the new league season on 21 September. Read more
Lampard expects added pressure after Chelsea spending spree (Guardian)
Frank Lampard admits expectations at Chelsea will soar after an expensive recruitment drive ahead of the new Premier League season.
The Stamford Bridge club has spent nearly £200 million ($263 million) as they have brought in on Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, Kai Havertz and Malang Sarr and could add even more new faces.
The former Chelsea midfielder is under no illusions that owner Roman Abramovich will expect improvements on last season. Read more