Controversy surrounds NDLEA construction of cells in Lagos (Punch)
Residents of Gbagada Phase Two, Gbagada, Lagos State, have accused the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of attempting to construct holding cells for suspects on the estate.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the estate residents’ association wrote to the Lagos Building Control Agency and the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Agency in April 2022 when it noticed the structure, which was being erected in a residential building on Jogunomi Street.
The estate also wrote the firm in charge of the construction, requesting necessary approvals from the Lagos State Government for the structure.
According to the estate, the company rather claimed it was constructing a store for a federal government agency and that the necessary documents for approval had been submitted to regulatory agencies. Read more
Alleged Sexual Assault: Court fixes July 14 for judgment in Baba Ijesha’s trial (Channels)
The Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court in Ikeja on Monday fixed July 14 for judgment in the alleged sexual assault charge against Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju Omiyinka popularly known as Baba Ijesha.
Baba Ijesha was arraigned before the court by the Lagos State government on a six-count charge of indecent treatment of a child, defilement of a child, sexual assault by penetration, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault.
He had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo, adjourned the case for judgment after the prosecution and defence counsel adopted their final written addresses. Read more
Heavy traffic hits Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Punch)
A heavy traffic has on Tuesday morning hit the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
Our correspondent, who was also stuck in the traffic along Berger to Power area, gathered that the traffic was caused by a road repair ongoing at the Otedola area of the highway.
The traffic, which was at first only on the Ibadan-Lagos lane, was gradually spreading to its twin Lagos-Ibadan route, as some commuters were beginning to ply one way.
An official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and other commuters also noted the repair along the Otedola area of the road as cause of the traffic. Read more
Protesters stall PDP rerun in Ajeromi Ifelodun over alleged fake delegates’ list (Sun)
Protesters on Monday stalled the rescheduled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election for the House of Representatives for Ajeromi/Ifelodun federal constituency of Lagos State.
Four aspirants seeking the House of Representatives in the Ajeromi/Ifelodun constituency are Hon (Bar) Rita Orji, who represented the constituency at the 8th Assembly, Chief Francis Bartholomew Chima ‘OMOBARCA.’ Dr Emilia Ezeude and Bar Wilson Diriwari who did not show up at the election.
The protesters suspected to be supporters of one of the major aspirants, Chief Francis Bartholomew Chima (OMOBARCA), trooped in their large numbers with placards alleging that the delegates list produced by the Electoral Officer, Mr Nicholas, was fake and could not serve the common interest of the party members, therefore insisted that the original list must be provided.
When the protest became so tense that the returning officer could not continue with the election, he decided to put it on hold. All efforts made by journalists to speak with the electoral officer on the next line of action were futile, as he was whisked away by security operatives for fear of the unknown. Read more
LCCI calls for regulations to enhance more telecom infrastructure devt (Leadership)
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on the federal government to create a regulatory environment in enhancing more telecommunication infrastructure development in the country.
The director-general of the Chamber, Dr. Chinyere Almona, stated this, while welcoming the recently signed National Health Insurance Authority Bill 2021 which replaces the National Health Insurance Scheme Act, 2004 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The new Bill has placed a new telecoms tax equivalent to a minimum of one kobo per second on phone calls by subscribers.
The realised funds, estimated to be about N90 billion yearly, are meant to finance free healthcare for the vulnerable groups children under five, pregnant women, the aged, and physically and mentally challenged Nigerians. Read more
Abducted mother of Kano Senatorial aspirant, AA Zaura, regains freedom (DailyTrust)
The abducted mother of the Kano Central Senatorial aspirant, under the All Progressive Congress (APC), Abdussalam Abdulkarim AA Zaura, has been freed from gunmen and united with her family in Kano.
Daily Trust reports that the aged mother of the senatorial candidate, Hajiya Laure Mai Kunu, was abducted by gunmen at her house in the early hours of Monday at Zaura town, Ungogo Local Government Area in Kano State.
It was gathered that she was abducted by three armed men who were said to have arrived on a motorcycle. The abductors later contacted the family that they were in Katsina state.
However, a day after her kidnap, Chairman of the LG Council, Abdullahi Garba Ramat announced that she has regained her freedom. Read more
EFCC on secret operation at APC convention, source says (Punch)
A top-ranking source within the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has confirmed that the anti-graft agency is currently carrying out a covert investigation to observe delegates’ inducement and vote-buying at the ongoing presidential primary elections of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The reliable source, who spoke with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said, “We’re currently at the APC convention ground on a covert operation. We’re monitoring activities, and watching keenly for incidents of delegates inducement, vote-buying, and other electoral or financial fraud activities that might take place”.
The source also confirmed to PUNCH Metro that the anti-graft agency is carrying out the covert operation in order to catch potential perpetrators unaware.
This is coming as reports of delegates’ inducement to the tune of about $40,000 by major contenders in the ongoing presidential primary elections is making the rounds. Read more
Judge harrases 6 judiciary reporters in court (DailyTrust)
A judge of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has ordered the seizure of mobile phones of six judiciary reporters in Abuja.
The six journalists are Wumi Obabori of AIT; Godwin Tsa of the Sun Newspaper; Ikechukwu Nnochiri of Vanguard Newspaper; Austin Okezie of Raypower Fm; Kunle Olasanmi of Leadership Newspaper; and a veteran journalist, Mr. Charles Ozoemena.
Justice Chizoba Orji ordered them to hand over the phones to her police orderly after she resumed from recess and found the journalists arguing with the officials over their taking pictures and videos in the court.
Trouble started shortly after the court’s register insisted the reporters have no right to cover the courtroom shortly after the judge stood down a matter and entered her chambers to prepare a ruling.
After a scuffle that lasted over one hour, Justice Orji re-entered the courtroom and summoned the AIT reporter to step forward. Read more
Owo Massacre: Blood of innocent worshippers seeks justice – OPU (Independent)
The Africa Chapter of the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU) has condemned the Sunday attack on worshippers of the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, describing the incident as one death too many.
In a statement issued and made available to the newsmen by the Secretary-General of OPU African Union, Kayode Orenisi on Tuesday said Yoruba diaspora socio-cultural organization charged the Federal and the Ondo state government to fish out the killers of over 75 worshippers of the church.
OPU frowned at the spate of the killings, saying the blood of those killed in the Sunday massacre is seeking justice, insisting that the death of the innocent worshippers should not be politicised.
“The attack on innocent Christian worshippers in a predominantly Yoruba State and Community is not just an isolated attack on some random Christians, but part of a dedicated, specific, well-thought-out strategy to provoke the Yoruba Nation. Read more
Brad Pitt says Angelina Jolie ‘sought to inflict harm’ with vineyard sale (BBC)
Angelina Jolie “sought to inflict harm” on her former husband Brad Pitt when she sold her stake in their co-owned vineyard to a Russian oligarch, new legal documents have claimed.
Pitt is suing his ex-wife for selling her stake in the French vineyard they bought together in 2008.
He said her decision to sell her share to a Russian oligarch forced him into partnership with “a stranger with poisonous associations and intentions”.
Jolie has not yet publicly commented.
The couple purchased a controlling interest in Chateau Miraval SA, a French company comprising a home and vineyard in the south of France, in 2008. Read more
Nicki Minaj, Morgan Wallen, Halsey and Lionel Richie to headline iHeartRadio Music Festival 2022 (People)
The 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival is going to be one for the books!
On Tuesday, PEOPLE can exclusively announce the music festival lineup, which includes favorite musicians from every genre.
The star-studded list of performers include Avril Lavigne, Black Eyed Peas, Halsey, Lionel Richie, LL Cool J featuring DJ Z-Trip, Luke Combs, Maren Morris, Megan Thee Stallion and Morgan Wallen.
Nicki Minaj, Pat Benetar & Neil Giraldo, Sam Smith, The Black Keys and more will also hit the main stage. Read more
Editors to release new album EBM in September
(MusicNews)
Editors have announced their new album, ‘EBM’.
The ‘Papillon’ hitmakers have released the new song ‘Karma Climb’ from their upcoming seventh studio effort, their first since Benjamin John Power aka Blanck Mass was made a full-time member of the indie rock band.
The latter, who is in charge of keyboards, synthesisers and electronics, said of the record: “There is a strong physicality to this record. ‘EBM’ started its life with the intention of connecting with people and filling a very physical space. There is also however an emotional physicality running throughout; an urgency and a sense of panic. An unease. Even in its more tender moments there is a yearning for connection.”
Frontman Tom Smith added of their new single: “It’s about hedonistic escapism, not only from the world generally, but also from what people think of you.” Read more
Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle set joint stand-up show in London (THR)
Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle are teaming up for a joint stand-up show in London, a gig that was announced just weeks after both of the high-profile comedians were attacked on stage in separate incidents.
The two will co-headline the show at the vast 02 Arena on Sept. 3, with Live Nation organizing what it is billing as a “historic” and “iconic” event. Tickets go on sale June 10.
The stand-up event comes after Rock recently joined Chappelle on stage at West Hollywood’s The Comedy Store, in early May, where both made light of their recent attacks. Chappelle, who was tackled by a man who rushed the stage just two nights earlier while performing as part of the Netflix Is A Joke festival at The Hollywood Bowl, joked that Rock had been “smacked by someone of repute,” whereas he had been “smacked by a homeless guy with leaves in his hair.”
Rock was famously slapped on stage at the 2022 Oscars by Will Smith after making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. “I got smacked by the softest n—a that ever rapped,” Rock summed up during the The Comedy Store gig. Read more
‘The Magic Flute’: North America deal for screen adaptation starring Jack Wolfe, F. Murray Abraham, Iwan Rheon, Stéfi Celma (Variety)
Shout! Studios has acquired North American rights to screen adaptation The Magic Flute, which is executive-produced by Roland Emmerich.
Directed by Florian Sigl, the movie is a modern reimagining of Mozart’s opera classic. Cast comprises Jack Wolfe (The Witcher), Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus), Iwan Rheon (Game of Thrones), Stéfi Celma (Call My Agent), Asha Banks (Royal Shakespeare Company), Stefan Konarske (Das Boot), Niamh McCormack (The Witcher), Amir Wilson (The Secret Garden), and Tedros Teclebrhan (System Crasher).
French soprano Sabine Devieilhe (Opéra National de Paris), Mexican-French tenor Rolando Villazón, and U.S. bass Morris Robinson (Metropolitan Opera, New York) are among the ensemble cast.
The adaptation is set in present-day Europe and tells the story of 17-year-old Tim Walker, who is sent from London to the Austrian alps to start his singing scholarship at the legendary Mozart boarding school. There, he discovers a century old forgotten passageway into the magical world of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Read more
“Borat 2” star Maria Bakalova lands “key role” in ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3’ (NME)
Borat 2 star Maria Bakalova has joined the cast of Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3.
Character details are yet to be revealed but Deadline reports that the actress will play a “key role” in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film.
Director James Gunn took to Twitter to confirm the casting, writing: “Yes yes yes, okay, I guess I should be surprised it took you guys this long to get this one. Maria Bakalova is incredible.”
Filming recently wrapped on the third Guardians movie, which will see Chris Pratt return as Peter Quill/Star-Lord along with Zoe Saldaña, Vin Diesel, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Sylvester Stallone, Sean Gunn and Elizabeth Debicki. Read more
Sister of British journalist lost in Amazon pleads with authorities to ‘do all they can’ (Independent)
The sister of a British journalist missing in the Amazon has pleaded with Brazilian authorities to “do all they can” to find him.
Dom Phillips, 57, and Bruno Araújo Pereira, a Brazilian adviser at the Univaja association of people in the Vale do Javari Indigenous territory, were last seen early on Sunday in the Sao Rafael community, according to the association.
Mr Phillips has been reporting on Brazil for 15 years for several media outlets, including The Guardian, and has been working on a book on the environment with the help of the Alicia Patterson Foundation.
The pair were due to head to Atalaia do Norte, the most western municipality in the Amazonas region, from the Vale do Javari, Brazil’s second-largest Indigenous territory, but never made it. Read more
Fallen football chiefs Blatter and Platini face fraud trial (Guardian)
Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, once the chiefs of the world and European football, face trial on Wednesday over a suspected fraudulent payment that shook the sport and torpedoed their time at the top.
Former FIFA president Blatter, 86, and Platini, 66, start a two-week trial at Switzerland’s Federal Criminal Court in the southern city of Bellinzona, following a mammoth investigation that began in 2015 and lasted six years.
The pair are being tried over a two million Swiss franc ($2.08 million) payment in 2011 to Platini, who was then in charge of European football’s governing body UEFA.
They are accused of having, to the detriment of FIFA, illegally obtained the payment, plus social security contributions of 229,126 francs, in favour of Platini.
The former French football great “submitted to FIFA in 2011 an allegedly fictitious invoice for a (alleged) debt still existing for his activity as an adviser for FIFA in the years 1998 to 2002,” according to the court. Read more
FG bans MKO Abiola National Stadium from hosting league matches (Leadership)
The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has banned the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja from hosting domestic football league matches and other competitions.
The minister of youth and sports development, Mr Sunday Dare, gave the directive in a statement signed by Mohammed Manga, director of press and public relations, Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, and sent to media houses yesterday in Abuja.
The statement said the decision was to ensure that the Stadium is in good shape for use for international matches of the national teams.
“In order to keep the main pitch of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in good enough shape for use for international matches of the national teams, the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare has directed that the stadium be closed to usage by club sides for any domestic competition. Read more
Abolish the away-goal rule in CAF tournaments: Pitso Mosimane (TimesLive)
Pitso Mosimane has called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to relieve clubs on the continent of the burden of being beaten through the away-goal rule in the two interclub competitions, the Caf Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Europe has led the way in abolishing the away-goal rule in their competitions, with last season’s competitions being the first to be played without it.
Mosimane, the coach of Egyptian giants Al Ahly, said it was time Caf followed suit. The coach believes ending the rule will enhance the game in Africa as teams tend to not give their all when they have managed to score away and are playing the second match at home with the score at 1-1, for instance.
“You know why I would to scratch the away-goal rule — it means it opens the game,” Mosimane said. Read more
England fans arrested in Munich for making Nazi salutes despite Gareth Southgate plea ahead of Germany match (Sky)
Eight England football fans have been arrested in Munich ahead of the Three Lions’ Nations League match with Germany this evening.
Sky Sports News witnessed a number of arrests in the city on Monday night, along with repeated anti-German chants, and songs related to the Second World War.
Three people were arrested for making Nazi salutes while police said another caused an estimated 2,000 euros (£1,700) worth of damage after he let off a flare inside his hotel room.
Four others were arrested for incidents, including insulting police officers and urinating in the street. Read more
Andy Murray beats O’Connell in Stuttgart opener (USAToday)
Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray defeated Australian qualifier Christopher O’Connell 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the Stuttgart Open on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old Murray dropped the first three games of the match but recovered to break O’Connell four times and celebrate his tournament debut with a 95-minute win.
Murray missed much of the clay-court season to focus on his preparations for grass. He reached the semifinals of the Surbiton Trophy last week, when he was beaten by Denis Kudla.
He may face Kudla again in Stuttgart if the American gets past seventh-seeded Alexander Bublik in their first-round match later. Read more
Dustin Johnson hopes PGA Tour has Ryder Cup rethink as he joins rebel series (Golf365)
Dustin Johnson insists he hopes to play in the Ryder Cup again, despite making himself ineligible by resigning his membership of the PGA Tour to play the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.
Johnson won all five of his matches in the United States’ record 19-9 win over Europe at Whistling Straits last year but is set to sit out the biennial contest going forward.
PGA of America chief executive Seth Waugh said last year: “If someone wants to play on a Ryder Cup for the US, they’re going to need to be a member of the PGA of America and they get that membership through being a member of the (PGA) Tour.”
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the inaugural LIV Golf event at Centurion Club, two-time major winner Johnson said: “I resigned my membership from the tour and I’m going to play here. For now, that’s the plan. Read more
Red Bull fix to DRS issue ready for big Baku test
(F1i)
Red Bull’s engineers have implemented a permanent solution to the DRS malfunction issue suffered by Max Verstappen in Spain, but Baku’s long straight is set to put the fix to a definitive test.
Last season, Red Bull had to contend with multiple failures of its Drag Reduction System, with the device’s flap clattering down the straights in Brazil but also in Qatar.
There were no signs of any issues in the opening races of 2022 on the Milton Keynes-based squad’s new-generation car. But in Barcelona, the problem came back to haunt the team and Verstappen.
The Dutchman’s final flyer in qualifying was ruined by another malfunction while his RB18’s DRS appeared to have a mind of its own on race day, although Charles Leclerc’s retirement offered Verstappen a lucky winning break. Read more