Corps member opens up on gun-running business (Vanguard)
It was the end of the road for 29-year-old Ashiwobel Joseph, a National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, member, who had been transporting arms from Calabar, the Cross River State capital, to Lagos, following his arrest by the Lagos State Police Command.
Investigation revealed that the suspect would conceal the arms inside foodstuff before taking them to a transport company that would convey them to Lagos, from where his accomplice who would be waiting at the park would pick them up.
But luck ran against him when the bag containing the arms was mistakenly handed over to one Aji Augustine, a resident of Ibeju Lekki Lagos.
Augustine explained: “I sent money to my mother to buy foodstuff from our village in Obudu, Cross River. On the agreed date, I went to the park and was given two bags filled with foodstuff. On reaching the house, my wife started unpacking the products. Read more
Policemen arrested for extorting man N300,000 (Nation)
Four policemen who allegedly extorted a man, Uche Anthony, of N300,000 on Wednesday in Lagos have been arrested, spokesman Muyiwa Adejobi has said.
The policemen, according to the victim, cocked their gun and forced him to an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, to withdraw N280,000, which they added to the N20,000 cash he had on him and took with them.
Anthony, who took to social media to lament his predicament, said his only offence was having fHe wrote: “I just got accosted by the police and I was extorted of N300,000 in Lagos. Simply because I have a Binance and Trust wallet on my phone. I use an iPhone13 pro max and I am in a lot of crypto groups and I am talking to foreign numbers who happen to be my uncles and cousins abroad.finance technology (fintech) apps on his phone and foreign numbers in his contact. Read more
Lagos homeowners in govt estates to pay maintenance charge (Punch)
The Lagos State Ministry of Housing has said plans are being put in place to preserve and keep facilities in its various housing schemes attractive.
According to a statement on Sunday, the state Commissioner for Housing, Mr Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, disclosed this while speaking during a recent review of the activities of the ministry.
Akinderu-Fatai said the plans will ensure that the facilities are kept attractive in line with the standards of a 21st-century economy.
He hinted at the state government’s plan to implement the payment of maintenance charges and also sinking funds which will ensure that there is the availability of money when it is time to upgrade the facilities of the newly delivered estates. Read more
Adeboye to politicians: beware of day of reckoning (Nation)
General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Worldwide, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has warned leaders, especially those in politics, to use their privileged positions to rewrite the story of the country for the better.
He admonished them to understand that God is keeping records of all they do and that the Almighty will visit them one day when He opens His book of remembrance.
The cleric, who spoke yesterday during the month-end’s thanksgiving service at the RCCG Headquarters, The Throne of Grace, in Ebute Metta, Lagos, premised his admonition on: Divine Remembrance.
He said when God remembers any human being for their bad, the consequence is always grave. Read more
Owo church attack: Sanwo-Olu sympathises with Akeredolu, people of Ondo (Vanguard)
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has sympathised with his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu and the people of the state over the Sunday’s killing of worshippers at a Catholic church in Owo.
Worshippers at St. Francis Catholic Church at Owa-luwa Street, Owo, were attacked and killed by gunmen during service.
Sanwo-Olu, in a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile, described the attack as callous, inhuman and despicable.
He sympathised with the people of Ondo State, especially the residents of Owo, and members of the St. Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa. Read more
Bolarinde out with maiden solo arts expo Friday (Guardian)
Following the release of her celebrated 2018 film, Onidiri, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Creative Curation/Production Company (Yellow Dot Limited), Olubukola Bolarinde, is to unveil her maiden solo art exhibition.
Tagged, ‘106 Expressions,’ the event, curated by culture and art custodian, Nike Davies-Okundaye, promises to be an intimate display of Bolarinde’s works, inspired by her experiences from childhood to traversing of time and cultures.
The exhibition holds Friday, June 10, in Lagos.
She said: “106 Expressions is a collection of artworks celebrating our African heritage, people and cultures. I have drawn inspiration from my experiences as an African child. The works transport you to a place and time perceived through an African child’s mind. A different time from the times we now live in. As our world continues to evolve, a great number of our children have not, and will never, have these experiences.” Read more
Police beef up security in FCT as APC holds presidential primary today (Sun)
Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary today in Abuja, the Police have beefed up security in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) and its environment .
The FCT police Command also announced the diversion of traffic at strategic places in parts of the city to ensure a crisis free APC primary.
The Command also revealed that it has restructured its security architecture to ensure law and order during the occasion. The police said there was massive deployment of officers as there would be heavy visibility of policemen at the various traffic control points to aid free flow of traffic, stop and search, and vehicular and foot patrol among others.
FCT police command Public Relations Officer ( PPRO), Josephine Adeh, listed the diversion areas to include 1. Good luck Ebele Jonathan By court of appeal point,Behind Court of Appeal, Ecowas by Women Affairs, Finance,Behind Foreign Affairs,Kur Mohammed, by National Mosque,Benue Plaza, Nitel junction,Phase 3,NNPC Tower,Ceddi Plaza bridge,Gana by Transcorp,DSS Headquarters,Phase 1, NASS Junction, Bullet, and Bayelsa house. Read more
2023: Oyo deputy governor, Rauf Olaniyan dumps PDP for APC (Channels)
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Oyo State Deputy Governor, Rauf Olaniyan, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The deputy governor announced his defection on Sunday while briefing journalists in his office in Ojoo, Ibadan, the state capital, following rumours for several weeks of exiting the party. Sources had blamed Olaniyan’s decision on a frosty relationship with his boss, Governor Seyi Makinde.
Although both Governor Makinde and Olaniyan have denied having any rancour in the past, the latest move has confirmed that all was not well with the two leaders.
Olaniyan said his followers and party leaders have been asking him to move out of the PDP for a while and he can no longer hold them so he has decided to join APC. Read more
Northern Governors’ position not blinding on me – Yahaya Bello (Leadership)
The Governor of Kogi State and APC presidential hopeful, Yahaya Bello, has said the decision of the Northern Governors Forum is not binding on him, adding that he has 50 per cent of the 2,340 All Progressives Congress delegates’ support.
Governor Bello who appeared on Channels TV Politics Today Monitored by LEADERSHIP said he was not informed of the decision by Northern Governors Forum (NGF) or Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) on power shift to the South.
Speaking further, he said he would support consensus candidates if it came from the President, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari would come up with “a Nigerian leader and not a regional leader.”
Bello who queried the authenticity of the list announcing the decision said the list was concocted to overheat the polity. Read more
Bryce Dallas Howard ‘couldn’t help feeling terrified’ filming Jurassic World (BelfastTelegraph)
Bryce Dallas Howard says she “couldn’t help but feel terrified” while being chased by animatronic dinosaurs during the shooting of Jurassic World: Dominion.
The actress, who stars with Chris Pratt in the final installment of the prehistoric franchise, said working with the “giant robots” was a completely different experience to working with computer-generated monsters.
Howard and Pratt are joined by characters from the original Jurassic Park films, played by Laura Dern, Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum.
The actress told the PA news agency that it was “extraordinary” to be in the presence of the giant puppets, which were often operated by dozens of people. Read more
Atlanta rapper Trouble has died, aged 34 (NME)
Atlanta rapper Trouble (aka Mariel Semonte Orr) has died at age 34, it was confirmed over the weekend.
The artist’s death was shared in a social media post on June 5 by Def Jam Recordings. Alongside a photo of Orr – who was also known as Skoob – the label wrote: “A true voice for his city and an inspiration to the community he proudly represented. RIP Skoob.”
According to the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office (per WSB-TV), Orr was shot around 3:20am on Sunday June 5, in the Atlanta suburb of Conyers. Deputies arrived to find Orr shot once in the chest, and he was pronounced dead on the scene. He’d performed just hours before the incident.
No arrests have been made, however, officers have obtained a warrant for a suspect, 33-year-old Jamichael Jones, charging him with alleged murder. Investigators said the two men didn’t know one another, but became involved in a “domestic situation” over a female friend of Orr’s that he was visiting at an apartment complex. Read more
Beijing opens up restaurants, cinemas as China continues easing Covid-19 curbs (StraitsTimes)
Life in Beijing will take a step closer to returning to normal on Monday (June 6), as the capital rolls back Covid-19 restrictions having previously declared the latest outbreak of the virus was under control.
Public transport will resume in most districts, except Fengtai and some parts of Changping, allowing workers to return to the office and restaurants to start dine-in services, local authorities said in a statement on Sunday.
Entertainment facilities like cinemas will open in most areas, with capacity capped at 75 per cent.
Residents are allowed to move about freely as long as they have a negative Covid-19 test result within the past 72 hours. The previous requirement was 48 hours. Read more
Zendaya’s ‘Euphoria’ and ‘Spider-Man’ win at MTV awards (DailyMail)
Zendaya dominated the MTV Movie and TV Awards on Sunday as her teen drama “Euphoria” and big-screen superhero blockbuster “Spider-Man: No Way Home” were voted best show and best movie, respectively.
The light-hearted awards, taking place at the start of the summer blockbuster season, are voted for online by the public, and underscored the huge popularity of the 25-year-old former Disney child star.
Zendaya won best performance in a show for “Euphoria,” HBO’s often bleak and hard-hitting look at modern teen life, which also won offbeat awards for “best fight” and a new award for the best on-screen “hookup.”
The MTV awards have long bestowed tongue-in-cheek “golden popcorn” statuettes for categories ranging from “best kiss” to “most frightened performance.” Read more
Alec John Such: Former Bon Jovi bassist dies (BBC)
A founding member of the legendary US rock band Bon Jovi, former bassist Alec John Such, has died at the age of 70, the group announced.
Such played with them from 1983 to 1994, when they had such hits as You Give Love a Bad Name, Livin’ on a Prayer and Bad Medicine.
He was credited with bringing the band together and was remembered as a dear friend who was “wild and full of life”.
No details were given of how or where he had died.
“Alec was integral to the formation of the band,” singer-songwriter Jon Bon Jovi tweeted. “To be honest we found our way to each other thru him…” Read more
A South Carolina graduation party shooting left 1 dead and 7 others, including minors, wounded (CNN)
One person is dead and seven others are wounded after a shooting at a graduation party in Clarendon County, South Carolina, the sheriff’s office there said.
“At least 60-70 rounds” were fired after two cars approached the lawn party, with one of them driving onto the lawn, where about 150 people were gathered Saturday night, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s office said in a release.
The victims include a 12-year-old, a 14-year-old, two 15-year-olds, a 17-year-old, a 32-year-old and a 36-year-old. The 32-year-old woman died from her injuries Sunday morning, the sheriff’s office said.
It is unclear if shots were fired at specific people or at random, according to the release, but officers believe the incident to be gang-related. Read more
Matthew McConaughey calls for ‘gun responsibility’ amid ‘epidemic’ of mass shootings (People)
Matthew McConaughey is calling for change.
Two weeks after his hometown of Uvalde, Texas, was forever changed by a school shooting in late May, the actor, 52, penned a moving letter for the Austin American-Statesman on Monday, focusing on “gun responsibility.”
Noting that he is “a father and a gun owner, the son of a kindergarten teacher, and a Texan from Uvalde” in the opening of his op-ed, McConaughey also explained that he is “a defender of the Second Amendment,” stating, “I don’t support gun control. I support gun responsibility.”
“Depraved acts of violence, with guns as the weapon of choice, are ripping apart families, testing people’s faith, and tearing at the fabric of society,” he continued, before adding that he and his wife, Camila Alves McConaughey — with whom he recently launched a relief fund for Uvalde — “have seen it with our own eyes in my hometown of Uvalde, where parents are attending their own children’s funerals. We are all mourning.” Read more
India 2022: RSDF boss congratulates NFF, charges Flamingos to go for World Cup trophy (Independent)
President of the Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF), Barrister Paul Edeh, has congratulated the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the national U17 female football team, Flamingos against Ethiopia and qualification for 2022 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup slated for India.
RSDF boss, who spoke when he visited and gave the team financial support in Abuja shortly after their match against Ethiopia on Saturday, commended the NFF for their untiring efforts especially in ensuring that young talents are harnessed from the grassroots alongside its initiatives in encouraging various state Football Associations (FAs) to thrive.
He said NFF as one of the busiest football federations in Africa needs all the support from the private sector and individuals.
The philanthropist and girl-child advocate then charged the team to further make the country proud by winning the upcoming U17 women’s World Cup finals in India. Read more
I’m ready to defend Daily Trust Golf title — Helen Ayo (DailyTrust)
The winner of the 2021 Daily Trust golf tournament, Uyo, Helen Ayo has declared her readiness to defend her title in the next edition.
The well attended one-day golf tournament organised by Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust was played on December 4, 2021, at the 18-hole Ibom Icon Golf Course in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.
The Policewoman who spoke to Daily Trust at the TY Buratai Golf Course in Abuja commended the foremost media organisation for the all expenses paid trip to Rwanda after she emerged victorious at the tournament in Uyo.
She said “My trip to Rwanda was a fantastic one. It was through RwandAir and I enjoyed the perks of a business class. My victory at the Daily Trust annual event that was held in Uyo made it possible for me to spend a memorable weekend in Kigali. Read more
Arsenal end interest in Osimhen (Nation)
Arsenal are cooling their interest in Napoli and Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen.
The centre-forward was a prime target for the club to fill the void left by the departures of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and soon Alexandre Lacazette.
However, Corriere del Mezzogiorno suggests that Napoli asked for too high a fee for Osimhen.
Arsenal were quoted a figure close to €120 million, and have backed out of any transfer. Read more
Messi bags 5 in Argentina friendly win (WA)
Lionel Messi has scored five goals for Argentina in a 5-0 international friendly rout of Estonia to extend their unbeaten run to 33 matches..
Messi scored twice in the first half on Sunday, including one penalty, and three times after the interval in Pamplona, Spain to reach 86 international goals. He moved past the 84 goals of Hungary great Ferenc Puskas to become the fourth-highest scorer for a national team in men’s soccer.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo tops the list with 117 goals — which included two in Portugal’s 4-0 Nations League rout of Switzerland — followed by Iran’s Ali Daei with 109 and Mokhtar Dahari of Malaysia with 89.
Messi had never scored five times before for Argentina at senior level. He scored five goals in Barcelona colours in a 7-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the 2011-12 Champions League round of 16. Read more
James Milner ‘has agreed a one-year deal and a large pay cut to stay at Liverpool (DailyMail)
James Milner has reportedly agreed a one-year contract extension at Liverpool, bringing his stay at Anfield up to eight years by the end of 2023.
In remaining at the Merseyside club until the end of 2022-2023, Milner will also reach two decades of football in the English top flight, having made his Premier League debut for Leeds, aged 16 and 309 days.
The Athletic reports that the former England international has taken a large pay cut and rejected deals from other Premier League sides, as well as a potentially lucrative move to the MLS.
It is thought that the agreement was finalised within the last 48 hours, and an official statement is expected to be made in the next week. Read more
Nadal braced for make-or-break week after French Open triumph (StraitsTimes)
Rafael Nadal won a 14th French Open with daily pain-killing injections in his troublesome left foot and will now attempt to find a permanent cure for the injury, warning his record-breaking career is on the line.
Nadal, 36, routed Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-3, 6-0 in Sunday’s (June 5) final at Roland Garros to extend his Grand Slam title record to 22, with victory coming 17 years to the day since he claimed his first French Open as a 19-year-old in 2005.
The oldest winner in Paris, he had not been certain of taking part after a chronic left foot injury, which has plagued him throughout his career, flared up again.
In the aftermath of Sunday’s victory, Nadal revealed he and his medical team are facing a potentially make-or-break week. Read more
Red Bull reveal when ‘extra motivated’ Perez signed new $10mn per year contract (Formula1News)
Red Bull adviser Dr Helmut Marko has confirmed that Sergio Perez had already put pen to paper on a contract extension before the Monaco Grand Prix.
Perez took advantage of a terrible afternoon for Ferrari in Monaco to win from third on the grid, and he out-performed team-mate Max Verstappen in every session bar one in the Principality, confirming his title credentials in 2022.
After the chequered flag, he was walking back to the Red Bull energy station with team principal Christian Horner when he turned to the 48-year-old and said “I signed too early” with a smile.
It led to speculation that he had indeed signed a contract extension, and the news was confirmed shortly after the weekend. Read more