Charging Sowore for insulting Buhari is bizarre, says Amnesty International (Punch)
Global rights group, Amnesty International has lambasted the Federal government for charging Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, with treason and insulting the President. AI, in a series of tweets on Saturday, described the move as dictatorial and unwarranted. It called on the government to immediately release him and drop all the charges. Read more
CBN apologises for cashless policy inconveniences (Nation)
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has apologised to bank customers for the inconveniences the reintroduced cashless policy will cause. CBN governor Godwin Emefiele rendered the apology at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja when he was asked of his reaction to the pushback from Nigerians over the return of charges on deposits and withdrawals beyond certain threshold. Read more
One million Nigerians don’t have access to jobs every year – Buhari’s aide (Punch)
Mr Ajuri Ngelale, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Public Affairs, says the Federal Government is committed to addressing the issue of youth unemployment. Ngelale said this while fielding questions from journalists at a programme organised by the Mandela Washington Fellows Alumni Association, tagged: “Future of Work”, held at the CBN Training Institute, Abuja. Read more
Tribunal affirms Gov. Emeka Ihedioha’s election (Nation)
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal for Imo sitting in Abuja on Saturday affirmed the election of Gov. Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State. Delivering judgment, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Mallami Umar-Dogondagi, dismissed the petition of the candidate of the Action Alliance Party, Mr Uche Nwosu, for incompetence. Read more
Abducted Oyo ASUP leaders regain freedom (Punch)
The five kidnapped leaders of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics in Oyo State have regained freedom on Saturday night. The police Public Relations Officer, Mr Gbenga Fadeyi, told our correspondent that he was yet to be briefed of the development as at the time of filing this report. But sources said they were allegedly released after payment of five-million-naira ransom. Read more
Bayelsa PDP convenes stakeholders’ meeting (Nation)
The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scheduled an expanded meeting of the State Caucus of the party and the Elders Advisory Council for 4pm on Sunday. The state party Chairman, Cleopas Moses, said the meeting would discuss the issue of the preparedness of the party for the election, strategies, approval of the campaign council and team and other topical issues. Read more
Bandits’ commander preaches peace in Zamfara (Punch)
Another bandit leader in Zamfara State popularly known as Dogo Gide, has resorted to preaching, calling on his brothers who are yet to surrender to do so or face the wrath of God. Dogo Gide, who has repented a few months ago, now moves from one place to another with his associates, preaching to his colleagues on the consequences of banditry, calling on them to repent so as to attract God’s blessing in the world hereafter. Read more
Five wedding guests die, several injured in Ekiti accident (Nation)
No fewer than five people have lost their lives in an accident along Ado-Akure Road Ekiti State on Saturday. Several others were reported to have sustained various degrees of injuries. The accident, which involved an 18-seater white Toyota hummer bus with registration number Ekiti LG 05 MUE, occured around 5pm. Read more
NNPC to begins full rehabilitation of refineries in January 2020 – Kyari (Guardian)
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it will begin full rehabilitation of the nation’s three refineries by January 2020. The nation’s refineries are located in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna. The Group Managing director Malam Mele Kyari disclosed this on Saturday in Port Harcourt during a facility tour to the Port Harcourt refinery. Read more
Paris climate march halted amid clashes between activists and police (BBC)
A peaceful climate march in Paris has been halted after it was infiltrated by other protest groups. Groups of anarchist demonstrators joined in, breaking windows and setting fire to street barricades. Families abandoned the march as violent clashes prompted French police, who have previously been accused of excessive violence, to fire tear gas and make over 100 arrests. Read more
Jeremy Corbyn accused of ‘shutting down debate’ with Brexit policy ‘fudge’ (Metro)
Labour MPs are warning the party must make its Brexit position clear before the next general election or risk losing support. Jeremy Corbyn is pushing the idea that a government under his leadership would reach a deal with Brussels within three months and put that to the people. Read more
Tom Watson: Labour deputy urges unity after bid to oust him (BBC)
Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson has said he was “disappointed” at a move to oust him, but has called for unity after a “bad start” to the party conference. Speaking as he arrived in Brighton, Mr Watson said he wanted the party to come together, adding: “I always forgive and forget.” The motion, which aimed to abolish the deputy leader position, was dropped. Read more
Islamic State claims deadly bus bombing in Iraq (Punch)
The radical Sunni Islamic State group on Saturday claimed responsibility for the bombing of a passenger bus that killed at least 11 people in Iraq’s mostly Shiite province of Karbala the day before. The explosion was caused by a bomb planted inside the bus, according to the Iraqi Interior Ministry. Islamic State said through its mouthpiece, Amaq news agency, that 17 Shiites had been killed or injured in the attack. Read more
Iranian hostage freed by Somali pirates after four years (BBC)
An Iranian sailor has been released by Somali pirates after spending more than four years in captivity. Mohammad Sharif Panahandeh was “seriously ill” and has been freed on humanitarian grounds, the Hostage Support Partnership (HSP), which helped negotiate his release, said. Over the past decade, thousands of crew have been taken hostage off the coast of Somalia and released for a ransom. Read more
Boy, 12, nearly lost his testicles due to ‘bangcock’ school craze (Metro)
Doctors worked desperately to salvage the testicles of a schoolboy who fell victim to a worrying craze. The ‘bangcock’ trend, involving unprovoked punches to the groin, landed 12-year-old Bailey Summers in hospital needing emergency surgery. His mum Emmajayne had ‘signed away his manhood’ and feared the worst as doctors raced against the clock. Read more
Man drowns during underwater marriage proposal (BBC)
An American man has drowned while proposing to his girlfriend underwater on holiday in Tanzania. Steven Weber and his girlfriend, Kenesha Antoine, were staying in a submerged cabin at the Manta Resort, off Pemba Island. Footage shows Mr Weber diving under water to ask Ms Antoine to marry him. Read more
Michael Jackson’s estate increases profits by $1.7billion since singer’s death (Metro)
The estate of the late Michael Jackson has increased by $1.7 (£1.3) billion since the singer’s death in 2009. New legal documents filed with the LA County Court have revealed that the executors and lawyers of the singer’s assets have rebuilt the fortune of the King Of Pop, after he left behind $500 (£400) million in debt at the time of his death. Read more
Oshoala scores brace in Barcelona rout (Nation)
Asisat Oshoala ended her three-match goal drought in the Spanish Primera Iberdrola this season with a brace in Barcelona’s 6-1 comeback thrashing of Atletico Madrid. Saturday’s encounter was the fourth for the three-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year in all competitions this season after her stunning pre-season form, netting eight goals in five games. Read more
Brazil to unleash Neymar, Firmino, others on Eagles (Nation)
PSG of France striker, Neymar; Liverpool’s Firmino, Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus and Bayern’s Philippe Coutinho are among the 23-man squad released by Brazil for next month’s international friendly against Nigeria’s Super Eagles. Brazil will play against Senegal and Nigeria on October 10 and 13 in Singapore. Brazil coach Tite released the list of the 23-man squad yesterday at the Brazilian soccer confederation headquarters in Rio de Janeiro. Read more
Watching, Frank? Callum Hudson-Odoi sends message to Lampard with goal for U23s (Metro)
Callum Hudson-Odoi continued his road to recovery today with a fine goal for Chelsea’s U23s. The midfielder signed a new five-year deal at Stamford Bridge earlier this week to end the speculation over his future at the club. Hudson-Odoi was desperate to leave during Maurizio Sarri’s tenure but Frank Lampard’s appointment has convinced him to stay in west London. Read more
Sheffield United stun wasteful Everton (BBC)
Sheffield United won away for the first time on their return to the Premier League as a Yerry Mina own goal and a late Lys Mousset strike condemned Everton to defeat at Goodison Park. The Toffees had won their first two games on home soil this season and dominated for large periods of this game as they looked to bounce back from defeat at Bournemouth last time out. Read more
Ramsey, Ronaldo put Juventus top in Serie A (Guardian)
Aaron Ramsey’s first Juventus goal on his maiden start and Cristiano Ronaldo’s spot-kick winner saw the Italian champions seal a comeback 2-1 win over Verona on Saturday that put them top of Serie A ahead of the Milan derby. Welsh international Ramsey pulled Juventus level in the 31st minute in Turin in reply to Miguel Veloso’s early Verona goal, with a well-taken Ronaldo penalty ensuring all three points for the hosts just after the break. Read more
Granada stun Barcelona in La Liga (BBC)
Promoted Granada stunned champions Barcelona to move top of La Liga. Ramon Azeez headed in at the back post with less than two minutes played. Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde introduced Lionel Messi and Ansu Fati at half-time, but Alvaro Vadillo added the hosts’ second from the penalty spot after Arturo Vidal handled in the area. Read more
Coutinho and Lewandowski fire Bayern top with Cologne rout (Guardian)
Philippe Coutinho’s first Bayern Munich goal and a brace from Robert Lewandowski helped the German champions go top of the Bundesliga with a 4-0 thrashing of 10-man Cologne on Saturday. Poland star striker Lewandowski put Bayern ahead with just 150 seconds gone at the Allianz Arena after Joshua Kimmich split the Cologne defence before then doubling the hosts’ lead with a header from a corner at the start of the season half to take his league tally to nine in five games. Read more
Federer beats Kyrgios to put Europe ahead in Laver Cup (Guardian)
Roger Federer edged out Nick Kyrgios in a super tie-break to give Europe a 5-3 lead after the opening session of the second day of the Laver Cup in Geneva on Saturday. The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who won his first match alongside Alexander Zverev in Friday’s doubles tie, beat Australian Kyrgios 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 10-7 to the delight of his home crowd. Bjorn Borg’s holders had seen Team World draw level earlier with John Isner’s victory over Zverev. Read more
