Commission seals 10 clubs, religious centres in Lagos over non-compliance of COVID-19 protocols (Vanguard)
The Lagos State Safety Commission has sealed over 10 social and religious centres over non-compliance with the directive on social distancing and ban on the social and religious gathering.
The enforcement team, led by the Director-General of the commission, Mr Lanre Mojola, disclosed that the commission sealed the Harvest Lagos, Bay Lounge, The Heavens Suites, Angle Villa Bar, Ehi Guest House and Gardens Egbeda, Mountain Top Hotels and Suites Ojodu.
The Technical Adviser to the Commission, Mr Seun Awojobi, explained that while carrying out the enforcement on Friday night, the team was allegedly attacked and shot at Osigold Hotels and Bar in Baruwa Ipaja, Lagos. Read more
Command detains Lagos inspector for service pistol abuse (Punch)
A policeman, Inspector Yemi Ojumoola, accused of harassing members of the public with his service pistol, has been arrested.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, ordered that the inspector should face an orderly room trial, where his fate would be decided.
Ojumoola was caught on video engaging a motorist in an argument over traffic issues in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The motorist’s wife, however, challenged Ojumoola for bringing out his gun, wondering if he wanted to shoot her husband. Read more
Lagos pays N8.7b to retirees in six months (Nation)
The Director-General, Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC), Mr. Babalola Obilana, has said the government paid N8.77 billion to its retirees between January and June, this year.
Obilana, in a statement, said 2,309 retirees got their cash in their Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs).
The DG affirmed that the government remains exceptional in the prompt payment of accrued pension rights to its retirees.
He reiterated the resolve of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to the timely payment of accrued pension rights. Read more
Lagos ready for Third Mainland Bridge partial closure – LASEMA (Punch)
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency alongside other response agencies have declared readiness for the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge for routine maintenance.
The bridge will be closed from Friday, July 24, 2020, to Sunday, July 24, 2021.
LASEMA spokesperson, Nosa Okunbor, disclosed this after a meeting with stakeholders including the Director-General, LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu; the DG, Lagos State Safety Commission, Lanre Omojola; and the General Manager, Lagos State Waterways Authority, Oluwadamilola Emmanuel. Read more
Nigeria gunmen abduct 4 Chinese workers, kill policeman (Guardian)
Gunmen have kidnapped four Chinese workers from a quarry site in southern Nigeria and shot dead their police guard, police said Wednesday.
Abductions for ransom are common in southern Nigeria where foreigners and prominent citizens are regularly targeted.
“I can confirm to you that four Chinese workers were abducted last night by unknown gunmen,” Cross River state police spokeswoman Irene Ugbo told AFP. Read more
Benue medical doctors vow to continue indefinite strike (Nation)
The National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, (NGGDP) Benue state chapter, said they will not call off the ongoing strike until government meets their demands.
Members of the Association have been on indefinite strike for over a month.
They are demanding for an improved welfare and better working conditions.
Among their demand are nonpayment of 2017 salary arrears to health workers, delay in payment of monthly salaries to all health workers, improper entry point for medical lab scientist at CONHESS 7 instead of CONHESS 9 and Nonpayment of uniform allowance to nurse in hospitals management board and primary health care board. Read more
Senate confirms 39 non-career ambassadorial nominees (DailyTrust)
The Senate, on Wednesday, confirmed the appointment of 39 non-career Ambassadors-designate. The Red Chamber also approved the nomination of Mr Suleiman Sani from FCT as career ambassador. Senators slam ambassadorial nominee over comments on APC Buhari replaces 2 non-career ambassadors-designate The confirmation of the nominees followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs, chaired by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa (Bauchi North). President Muhammadu Buhari, in a letter to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said the appointment of the nominees was in accordance to section 171 (1),(2)(c) and subsection (4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. Read more
Reps query delay of roads, Niger Bridge, projects (Vanguard)
The House of Representatives has expressed worries over delay in the completion of Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan projects, awarded by the Federal Government since 2013.
The House also rebuked the Bureau for Public Procurement for allegedly awarding the contract to Julius Berger, without due process.
The House Committee on Works, headed by Rep. Kabir Abubakar (Kano-APC), made the position of the Committee known at an investigative hearing yesterday. Read more
13 nuns from the same convent are all killed by coronavirus within weeks of each other (Metro)
A Catholic convent has announced that 13 of its nuns – more than a fifth of its resident population – were killed by coronavirus in just two months. Twelve of the the women, who were aged between 66 and 99, were struck down by Covid-19 at the Felician Sisters Convent in Livonia, Michigan, between Good Friday – April 10 – and May 10. A 13th died weeks later, having initially seemed to recover from the virus, only for her health to decline. The nuns who died all lived on a 360 acre campus near Detroit that was once home to 800 nuns, but whose population had dwindled in recent years to 65 sisters before the pandemic began. Convent superior Sr Mary Andrew Budinski told the Global Sisters News of the trauma the nuns’ death has caused, saying: ‘I get chills thinking about that. The raw grief is yet to come, I think.’ The convent’s surviving nuns were barred from attending their fellow sisters’ funerals, and are still not allowed to enter one another’s rooms, or dine more than two at a table to try and minimize the risk of further infections. Read more
6yo boy bitten in face by dog while shielding sister receives honorary World Champ belt (RT)
Heroic 6-year-old Bridger Walker, who required 90 stitches to his face after being bitten by a dog as he shielded his sister from the onrushing animal, has received an honorary world champion belt from the World Boxing Council.
When news of the horrific but heartwarming story went viral, the WBC announced it would make Bridger, from Wyoming, an honorary world champion in recognition for his bravery that “represents the best values of humanity.”
On Tuesday the organization tweeted a photo of the youngster, smiling and wearing a WBC cap and t-shirt, with the famous green and gold belt with the caption: “AND THE NEW WBC CHAMPION OF THE WORLD, Bridger “The bravest man on Earth” Walker”. Read more
Facebook and Instagram to examine racist algorithms (BBC)
Facebook has acknowledged that it needs to do more to combat racism on its platforms and is setting up two groups to examine its policies and algorithms.
Instagram’s Equity Team and Facebook’s Inclusive Product Council will look for bias in algorithms and work to make both platforms “safe and fair” for all.
Facebook has been criticised for failure to crack down on racist groups.
Others have complained about the suppression of black voices on Instagram. Read more
US abruptly informs Beijing to CLOSE consulate in Houston – Chinese Foreign Ministry (RT)
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the US asked it to close down its consulate in Houston, Texas. Beijing condemned the move, promising retaliation if the decision is not reversed.
The abrupt demand to shut down the consulate is an “unprecedented escalation” of hostilities, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters. He warned that Beijing will retaliate if the US does not reverse its decision.
Wang Wenbin slammed the order to close the consulate as a “political provocation” and “a serious violation of international law.” Read more
Qatar Airways seeks $5b compensation from blockading quartet (Aljazeera)
Qatar Airways has launched international arbitration seeking at least $5bn from four Arab countries as compensation for blocking it from their airspace and removing it from their markets.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have essentially banned the airline since June 2017 when they cut all ties with Qatar and imposed an air, land and sea blockade on it over accusations of supporting “terrorism”. Doha denies the charges outright and says the quartet aims to infringe on its sovereignty.
Qatar Airways said in a statement on Wednesday the measures specifically targeted the carrier with the aim of closing its operations in the four countries, destroying the value of its investments and causing widespread damage to its global operations. Read more
Afghan girl kills two Taliban fighters with AK47 after parents murdered (news.com.au)
An Afghan girl shot dead two Taliban fighters and wounded several more after they dragged her parents from their home and killed them, officials said.
The incident happened last week when insurgents stormed the home of Qamar Gul, a teenage girl from a village in the central province of Ghor in central Afghanistan.
The fighters were looking for her father, the village chief, local police head Habiburahman Malekzada told AFP.
Her father was a government supporter, which is why the Taliban fighters went to his house and dragged him out, Mr Malekzada said. When his wife resisted, the Taliban fighters killed the couple outside their home, he said. Read more
Kim Kardashian West defends kanye after twitter rant, acknowledges bipolar episode (TMZ)
Kim Kardashian’s jumping to the defense of her husband, Kanye West, publicly acknowledging he’s in the middle of a serious mental health issue … which has everyone close to him concerned.
Kim says, “As many of you know, Kanye has bipolar disorder. Anyone who has this or has a loved one in their life who does, knows how incredibly complicated and painful it is to understand. I’ve never spoken publicly about how this has affected us at home because I am very protective of our children and Kanye’s right to privacy when it comes to his health. But today, I feel like I should comment on it because of the stigma and misconceptions about mental health.”
Kim continued in a social media post, “Those that understand mental illness or even compulsive behavior know that the family is powerless unless the member is a minor. Read more
Nigeria forward Henry Onyekuru out to prove doubters wrong (BBC)
Nigeria striker Henry Onyekuru says he is determined to prove his doubters wrong after a stuttering start to his professional career.
Now at French club AS Monaco, work permit issues meant that he did not play a single competitive game for his previous club Everton.
Despite that setback he is still determined to fulfil his ‘boyhood dream’ of playing in the English premier league.
“We have our plans but then life brings its own plans, but I am still working on it, and hopefully I will be back soon, maybe not with Everton but surely in the Premier League,” he insisted. Read more
Adekuoroye, others for WADA doping course (Punch)
Nigerian wrestler, Odunayo Adekuoroye, and other top wrestlers have been enjoined to attend a World Anti-Doping Agency educational programme, with the governing body stating that taking such course might become a criteria to attending major events.
United World Wrestling tasked wrestlers who have qualified for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to complete the course. Adekuoroye is the only Nigerian wrestler that booked her spot in the quadrennial event before the outbreak of the coronavirus.
She qualified for the Olympics after winning a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships in Kazakhstan. Read more
Odegbami: Some ex-Eagles are more qualified coaches than Rohr (DailyTrust)
A former captain of the then Green Eagles, Chief Segun Odegbami has said some former Super Eagles players are better qualified to coach the national team than the current handler, Gernot Rohr. Speaking during an interview session on FCT Football Update WhatsApp platform, the man fondly called ‘Mathematical Odegbami’ for the umpteenth time believes Rohr is not good to coach the Super Eagles. Nigeria can host 2030 World Cup, says Odegbami Napoli move great for Osimhen, says Eagles coach Rohr According to him, Finidi George and Emmanuel Amuneke are some of the ex-players who are more qualified than the Franco-German tactician to coach the team. Read more
Inter’s Martinez vows to continue giving ‘110 per cent’ amid Barcelona rumours (Vanguard)
Lautaro Martinez vowed to continue “giving 110 per cent” for Inter and repay the confidence shown in him by Antonio Conte as speculation over a move to Barcelona gathers pace.
The Argentina international has been strongly tipped to swap San Siro for Camp Nou at the end of the season, two years after joining the Italian giants from Racing Club.
Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta has stressed Martinez is not for sale, with the forward’s €111million (£98.8m) release clause expiring earlier this month.
And Martinez, who has formed an impressive partnership with Romelu Lukaku this season, has insisted he will give his all for the club as long as he remains an Inter player. Read more
Alexandre Lacazette identifies why Arsenal failed to make the top four this season (Metro)
Alexandre Lacazette says Arsenal missed out on the top four this season due to a lack of ‘rigour’ and ‘confidence’ in the side. After the disappointing 1-0 loss to Aston Villa on Tuesday night, the Gunners are guaranteed to finish outside of the top six for the first time in 25 years. A poor start to the campaign under Unai Emery left the north London club marooned in mid-table, and while the arrival of Mikel Arteta has provided a boost in terms of morale and slightly improved results, Arsenal remain lightyears away from the leading clubs in the division. Centre-forward Lacazette puts the Gunners’ shortfalls down to an absence of conviction in crunch games. Read more
NFF congratulates Egbo on historic feat with European club (DailyTrust)
A former international, Emmanuel Ndubuisi Egbo has received messages of congratulation from the Nigeria Football Federation for emerging the first Nigerian and African to lead a European club to a top tier domestic title. With three matches left in the Albanian top flight, KF Tirana coached by former Nigerian goalkeeper Egbo has an unassailable lead and thus guaranteed the diadem. NFF won’t beg players of dual nationality to play for Super Eagles — Pinnick Lobi Stars accept NFF’s decision on league cancellation In the event, he has also led the team to the UEFA Champions League. Read more