“Certified dead” alive: Hospitals where N10,000 fetches death certificate for the living (Punch)
With the payment of N10, 000, sixty-six year-old Esther Ojo (purportedly a living person) who is diabetic and hypertensive, was declared dead. The irony of it was that Ojo’s body was not seen by the doctor whose signature and name was scribbled at the bottom of a death certificate which our correspondent went undercover to procure.
Our correspondent whose mission was to expose the cartel of death certificate merchants and poor process associated with the issuance of such certificates in hospitals presented Ojo as her relative who passed away last week.
Three men sat discussing at the entrance of a popular general hospital in the Surulere area of Lagos State on September 7, 2022 as our correspondent approached the facility. Two of them were clad in the uniform of the hospital’s guards while the third person was presumed to be their friend based on his energetic involvement in the discussion.
Our correspondent spoke to one of the guards, requesting a direction to the office in charge of issuing death certificates. Read more
Court discharges, acquits businessmen of alleged N1.8b fraud charge (Guardian)
An Ikeja Special Offences Court, Lagos, yesterday discharged and acquitted two businessmen, Ogbor Eliot and Kelvin Chris, of a N1.8 billion fraud allegation brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo cleared Ogbor and Chris of the entire five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence, conspiracy and forgery, after a nearly four-year trial.
The judge held that the EFCC failed to establish any element of criminality against the defendants, adding that the transaction, which led to the charge, was of a civil nature that could have been resolved by the complainant and the defendants.
The defendants were arraigned by the EFCC’s Lagos Zonal Command on October 22, 2018, alongside Danium Energy Services Limited, which the prosecution alleged was used to deceive Sterling Bank Plc to lend them money to finance a Local Purchase Order (LPO) for 20,000 Metric Tonnes of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) for supply to Total Nigeria Limited. Read more
Carter Efe blasts Berri Tiga over ownership of “Machala” (Vanguard)
Popular comedian, Carter Efe has accused his estranged music partner, Berri Tiga of seeking public sympathy as the row over the originator and owner of the hit song, “Machala” worsens.
He said he had to remove Hotkid from the song but their rift has gone worse to the extent that the former unfollowed the latter on Instagram.
Efe further said Tiga wanted peace with him in private as he shared a screenshot of their chats, but accused him of fomenting trouble in the public space.
“Hotkid get verse for Machala song, I personally tell producer X to remove it because Berri cry give me say Hotkid go collect him shine for the song. Now you dey claim sa na you get song for Instagram,” Carter Efe said in a post on Thursday.
ASUU strike: Court to deliver ruling in FG’s prayer (Guardian)
The National Industrial Court on Friday fixed Sept.19 to deliver a ruling on Federal Government’s prayer asking the court to order the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to call off its seven months strike.
The matter which was first mentioned on Monday was adjourned until Friday for further mention before Justice Polycarp Hamman.
When the matter came up, Mr J.U.K Igwe SAN informed the court that going by its directive on Monday that the claimant should file its process latest by Tuesday, that they had filed two processes.
He added that the first one was a motion on notice dated and filed Monday for an interlocutory injunction. Read more
Customs officer’s stray bullet hits, injures NURTW official in Jigawa (Independent)
After a stray bullet fired by Nigeria Customs Service officers while they chased rice smugglers in the Garki Local Government Area of Jigawa State hit him, a 35-year-old member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) narrowly escaped death.
A resident said the incident happened at Tashar Sama in Garki when the customs officers were on the trail of suspected smugglers, Daily Post reports.
He said one of the officers opened fire while chasing a man suspected to have smuggled foreign rice into Garki town.
“It was one of the stray bullets that hit the man, and the suspected smuggler had escaped,” he said.
Police spokesman DSP Lawan Shiisu Adam who confirmed the incident said the incident happened on Wednesday at about 1030hrs when the Customs personnel, on border drill patrol with their Hilux no. 16, were chasing suspected foreign rice smugglers.
Police uncover Marijuana plantation in Abuja (Independent)
Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command have arrested a suspected peddler of prohibited substances suspected to be marijuana, Thaddeus Joseph.
According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Josephine Adeh, necessary arrangements had been made to forward the name of the suspect to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further action.
The PPRO said the 32-years-old male resident of Kado Estate Area of the FCT was arrested for the offense of being in possession of a commercial amount of leaves suspected to be Cannabis sativa.
According to her, the arrest was made by operatives of the command on the 7th of September 2022.
She stated that the arrest followed credible information that the suspect cultivates a large farm of leaves suspected to be Cannabis sativa on a piece of land at Godab Estate In the Life Camp area of the nation’s capital.
“Consequent upon the above, a team of the Command’s Intelligence Assets attached to the Anti-Narcotics Section swung into action and apprehended the suspects, which led to the discovery of the farm and removal of the exhibits.Read more
Ex-NUJ secretary offers to donate kidney to Ekweremadu’s daughter (Vanguard)
A Kaduna-based Journalist and past Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, John Femi Adi has expressed his intention to donate one of his kidneys to Sonia, the ailing daughter of Senator Ike Ekweremadu.
The journalist announced this on Friday morning on his Facebook page.
He wrote, “I, Comrade John Femi Adi, a Kaduna-basedrnalist and farmer hereby announce my ‘agape’ decision to donate one of my kidneys to Senator Ekweremadu’s beautiful daughter.
“I am doing this on God’s order in the Holy Bible to Love our neighbours as ourselves .
“For further communications ,reach me via my official phone number -: 08034210833.”
The post caught the attention of former Kaduna central senator, Shehu Sani who in a tweet while sharing the post, described the journalist as a “Good Samaritan”. Read more
1 shot dead in Delta inter-communal boundary dispute (Punch)
The Delta State Police Command has confirmed that one person was on Friday morning shot dead as the lingering inter-communal dispute over boundary demarcation between neighbouring Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities of the Udu and Warri South-West Local Government Areas of the state took a dangerous twist.
The Police Public Relations Officer for the State Command, DSP Bright Edafe, while confirming the casualty figure in a text message, told journalists, “One death is confirmed, pls.”
Community sources, however, claimed that two deaths were recorded in the shooting incident which occurred as early as around 5:00am on Friday.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the early morning shooting spree threw the entire residents of Ogbe-Ijoh into pandemonium as residents, who were rattled by the renewed attack, were said to have taken cover as gun-wielding invaders allegedly advanced, despite the presence of security officers.
Sources alleged that the attackers might have been infuriated by a recent statement credited to a section of Ogbe-Ijoh youths, indicating displeasure over the ongoing boundary adjustment efforts of the state government and authorities of the Warri South-West Local Government Council. Read more
Industrial Action: PSC staff members call off strike (Channels)
The Joint Union Congress of Police Service Commission has suspended its indefinite strike action.
Three weeks strike was embarked upon on the 29th of August due to what they called a deliberate act of making the staff redundant in carrying out their constitutional duties.
The chairman of the union, Adoyi Adoyi, explained that the call-off is to allow the new management to look into its demands.
The union added that other reasons for the strike are to show how discontented the PSC is being run by the then chairman of the Commission, Musiliu Smith. Read more
Indiana Jones 5 could be Harrison Ford’s final Indy movie (DigitalSpy)
Harrison Ford has suggested that the upcoming fifth Indiana Jones movie could be his last outing as the hero.
Appearing at the D23 panel over the weekend – where it was confirmed that the movie will be titled just Indiana Jones – the star got emotional as he addressed those in attendance.
During his speech, however, Ford heavily hinted that this may be his swansong, saying: “I’m delighted to be here again, and maybe for the… no, not me. This is it! I will not fall down for you again. But thank you so much.”
The star was joined onstage by co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge and director James Mangold, and also gave the audience some first-look footage from the movie, including the return of John Rhys-Davies’s Sallah. Read more
Paramore announce 1st new single in 5 years,”This Is Why” (NME)
Paramore have officially announced their first new single in over five years, “This Is Why”.
The Hayley Williams-fronted trio have been teasing their imminent comeback on social media recently ahead of a return to the stage early next month.
A snippet of a new tune appeared on the band’s Discord channel last week, with another clip later emerging on TikTok. The latter preview was uploaded to an account named ‘isthiswhyisthisiswhy’.
Today (September 16), Paramore have confirmed that a new track titled ‘This Is Why’ will arrive on Wednesday, September 28. Read more
Blackpink release new album, ‘Shut Down’ music video (UPI)
South Korean girl group Blackpink is back with new music.
The K-pop stars released the album Born Pink and a music video for the single “Shut Down” on Friday.
The “Shut Down” video shows the members of Blackpink show their style as they sing about shutting down the scene everywhere they go.
Born Pink also features the songs “Pink Venom,” “Typa Girl,” “Yeah Yeah Yeah,” “Hard to Love,” “The Happiest Girl,” “Tally” and “Ready for Love.” Blackpink released a single and music video for “Pink Venom” in August. Read more
Cardi B: Rapper pleads guilty to strip club assault charges (BBC)
The rapper accepted a plea deal a day before her case was due to come to trial
Cardi B has admitted two offences arising from a brawl in a strip club, as part of a deal that means she will avoid a trial and possible jail time.
The Grammy-winning rapper, born Belcalis Almanzar, pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and second-degree reckless endangerment, and was sentenced to 15 days community service.
Ten other charges were dismissed
“I’ve made some bad decisions in my past that I am not afraid to face and own up to,” she said in a statement.
In court, the 29-year-old admitted organising and participating in two attacks on employees of the Angels nightclub in New York in 2018.
According to authorities, the incidents grew out of a feud between Almanzar and two sisters – one of whom she believed was having an affair with her husband, the rapper Offset.
Prosecutors said that, on the first night, Almanzar and her entourage struck the victim, a bartender, pulling her hair, punching her and slamming her head into the bar.
Two weeks later, they returned, throwing alcohol, bottles and a hookah pipe at the first victim’s sister. Read more
Trevor Noah slams ‘internet racists’ outraged by black Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid’ (Variety)
Trevor Noah has joined the growing number of celebrities fighting back against racist backlash to Disney’s live-action “The Little Mermaid,” which stars singer Halle Bailey as the mermaid princess Ariel. Some fans are upset that a Black actor is headlining the new movie, to which Noah responded: “Really, people — we’re doing this again?”
Addressing claims that Bailey looks “nothing like” the Ariel in Disney’s 1989 animated movie, Noah said on “The Daily Show” that such an accusation is bogus. “Nothing like? They both have the tail, they both have the red [hair],” the host said.
“Once again, a bunch of internet racists are upset that a fictional character is being played by a Black person. This is so ridiculous,” Noah continued. “And honestly, I don’t know what the big deal is. You guys realize that Nemo was Black too, right? Yeah! The whole movie was about a fish that can’t find his dad.”
Jokes aide, Noah told racist trolls to “stop being ridiculous” and reminded them that “it’s imaginary” when it comes to the world of “The Little Mermaid.” Whoopi Goldberg expressed a similar thought on “The View” earlier this month, reminding fans who are upset with Black actors starring in fantasy projects such as “House of the Dragon” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” that these worlds are entirely made-up. Read more
Spain’s San Sebastian film festival gets underway (RFI)
The San Sebastian film festival, Spain’s most prestigious movie event, kicked off on Friday with celebrations marking its 70th anniversary, despite the last-minute withdrawal of Hollywood actress Glenn Close as jury president.
The festival will pay homage to the career of French actress Juliette Binoche and Canadian director David Cronenberg, both of whom will receive an honourary Donostia Award.
A total of 17 films will be competing for the top prize in an official selection that began on Friday with the screening of “Modelo 77” (Prison 77) by Spain’s Alberto Rodriguez.
The movie starring Miguel Herran of Netflix hit “Money Heist” follows a group of prisoners demanding amnesty in the early years of Spain’s transition to democracy after the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. Read more
Amnesty says 6 from minority Shiite family killed by Taliban (ABC)
A leading international rights group released a harrowing report Friday about six members of an extended minority Shiite family in Afghanistan who were brutally killed by the Taliban earlier this summer. It accused Afghanistan’s new rulers of blatant disregard of human rights and abuse of minorities.
Amnesty International said the slain Hazaras included a 12-year-old child in what the rights group said was a deliberate attack on the ethnic minority. The killings took place in Ghor province on June 26 and represent evidence of how the Taliban have failed to establish an inclusive government since seizing power just over a year ago, Amnesty said.
The Taliban swept into Kabul, the Afghan capital, and captured most of the rest of the country in a blitz in August 2021, as U.S. and NATO troops were in the final weeks of their exit from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. The country’s Western-backed government and military crumbled in the face of the Taliban assault.
According to Amnesty, on the night of June 26, Taliban forces raided the home of Mohamad Muradi, a Hazara and a former security official in Ghor. Muradi had also led a local militia that fought the Taliban in 2020 and 2021. Read more
Nigerian forward wins UEFA Conference League Goal of the Week (Vanguard)
Former Golden Eaglets forward, Yusuf Otubanjo, has won the UEFA Conference League Goal of the Week prize.
Otubanjo who plies his trade for Armenian club, Pyunik scored a stunner in their 2-0 win against Slovan Bratislava.
It was the 30-year-old’s first goal in the competition for Pyunik this season.
The win also was Armenian’s club first win in a UEFA club competition. Read more
1st Senegal call-ups for Noah Fadiga and Moussa Niakhate (BBC)
Noah Fadiga, the son of Khalilou Fadiga, and Nottingham Forest defender Moussa Niakhate have received their first Senegal call-ups with just over two months to the World Cup.
Teranga Lions head coach Aliou Cisse has named the pair in the African champions’ squad for friendlies against Bolivia and Iran next week.
Fadiga, a defender with Brest in France, could become the second member of his family to contest a World Cup, after father Khalilou was a key creative force in midfield as Senegal reached the last eight of the 2002 World Cup against expectation.
Fadiga senior was also part of the first Senegalese side, which also featured the likes of forward El Hadji Diouf and midfielder Cisse himself, to reach an Africa Cup of Nations final, also in 2002.
Pep Guardiola echoes Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s feelings about Chelsea owner Todd Boehly’s All-Star match proposal (DailyMail)
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola echoed Jurgen Klopp’s feelings on the mooted Premier League All-Star match proposed by Todd Boehly.
Top flight managers have voiced criticism of the idea, floated by the Chelsea owner at a conference in New York.
Klopp’s views on a north versus south exhibition were strident and centred on the lack of time in football’s hectic calendar.
And the Liverpool manager has an ally in Guardiola, with the pair often aligned on scheduling problems. Read more
Djokovic hails ‘incredible moments and battles’ with Federer (France24)
Novak Djokovic paid tribute to his long-time rival Roger Federer on Friday, hailing the “incredible moments and battles” the pair shared on court.
Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, announced on Thursday that he would retire after next week’s Laver Cup.
“Roger, it’s hard to see this day and put into words all that we’ve shared in this sport together,” Djokovic wrote on Instagram, saying they had “over a decade of incredible moments and battles to think back on”.
Djokovic and Federer played each other 50 times, with the Serb holding a 27-23 winning record. Read more
Nadal, Serena pay emotional tributes to Federer (Vanguard)
Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have paid emotional tributes to Roger Federer after the Swiss announced he will be retiring from the sport after the Laver Cup later this month.
Federer, via his social media accounts on Thursday, announced he will be retiring from professional tennis at age 41, closing a career in which he won 20 Grand Slam titles, finished five seasons ranked No. 1 and helped create a golden era of men’s tennis with rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” Federer said Thursday in a post on his social media accounts. “I’ve worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body’s capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear.
“I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”
This is a bittersweet decision, because I will miss everything the tour has given me,” Federer said. “But at the same time, there is so much to celebrate. I consider myself one of the most fortunate people on Earth. I was given a special talent to play tennis, and I did it at a level that I never imagined, for much longer than I ever thought possible.”
Nadal, in his tribute to Federer said he wished the day never came while expressing gratitude for the opportunity to “share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court.
Matt Fitzpatrick leads way at Italian Open despite ‘inconsistent’ display (Golf365)
US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick set the clubhouse target in the DS Automobiles Italian Open, despite bemoaning an “inconsistent” display in Rome.
Fitzpatrick had to complete the final three holes of his first round on Friday following Thursday’s weather delay and made two birdies and one bogey to complete an opening 65.
The world number 11 then started his second round on the back nine at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club and bogeyed the 10th, but followed that with five straight birdies to open up a four-shot lead.
However, Fitzpatrick dropped shots on the 16th and 17th and made his first par of the day on the 18th, before covering the front nine in level par with two birdies and two bogeys. Read more
Red Bull gives up: No superlicence exemption for Herta! (F1i)
Red Bull has reportedly given up on its efforts to convince the FIA to grant Colton Herta a superlicence exemption that would have allowed the American to race in F1 with AlphaTauri in 2023.
Red Bull had lobbied motorsport’s governing body in the past weeks to try and convince the latter that Herta’s credentials in IndyCar warranted a free pass to race in Formula 1.
While several of Red Bull’s rivals – namely Ferrari and Mercedes – were against the FIA awarding a dispensation to Herta, a stance also adopted by F1 boss Stefano Domenicali, the governing body said that it would independently consider the young American driver’s case and rule on the issue by last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
But with no decision forthcoming, Red Bull abandoned this week its efforts to field an American driver in F1, much to Helmut Marko’s regret. Read more