Court orders interim forfeiture of firm’s N5.3b (Nation)
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of the N5,318,517,789.48 warehoused in a new generation bank to the Federal Government.
Justice Tijjani Ringim made the order sequel to an ex parte motion filed and argued by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Rotimi Oyedepo.
Oyedepo linked the sum to a firm, Kaiser Strategic Services Ltd, adding that it was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.
He told the court that the money was deposited in three bank accounts in tranches of N1,407,182,797.00, N2,275,525,493.17 and N1,635,809,499.31. Read more
Despite court order, Obaseki says directive against unvaccinated people stands (Punch)
The Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has maintained the directive which bars citizens who choose not to be vaccinated against COVID-19 from public places.
This is despite an order by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, restraining the Edo State government from going ahead with the implementation of the directive.
The state had warned that “from the second week of September, people may not be allowed to worship in churches and mosques without showing proof of their vaccination cards at the gates.
“Similarly, people will not be allowed to event centres, receptions or parties without showing proof of their vaccination cards. Read more
Delta to Boost Immunization Programme, Rural Healthcare with Koolboks Freezers (ThisDay)
Delta State Government has struck a partnership agreement with refrigeration manufacturing and healthcare support services company, Koolboks Limited, which has deployed solar-powered vaccine freezers to at least 15 healthcare facilities across the state to boost its immunization programme through safe storage of vaccines especially in the rural areas hitherto bugged by poor energy sources.
The Customer Relationship Manager of Koolboks, Lolade E. Alonge, who stood in for the CEO and Co-founder of the company, Dr Dominic Ayoola, gave the assurance after signing the legal document sealing the partnership with the Delta State Government in Asaba.
The specialized freezers not only have the capacity for ensuring real-time standard temperature stability for vaccines but also power vital sections of the health facilities as well as monitoring of the cooling equipment.
The initiative is expected to boost the state Maternal and Under-Five Children Healthcare Scheme, for which the state government pays the premium under the State Contributory Health Insurance Programme. Read more
Police seek lover for allegedly attacking girlfriend with machete (Guardian)
The Police Command in Ebonyi says it needs information that would lead to the arrest of a man, who allegedly attacked his girlfriend with a machete in Ishieke area of Ebonyi.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Loveth Odah, said on Wednesday in Abakaliki that the man inflicted deep machete cuts in the wrist of his girlfriend after a quarrel.
According to Odah, the girl, who is assisting the police in their investigation, alleged one Eze Irem escaped after committing the offence.
He said the man and his girlfriend, who were fast food vendors, had a misunderstanding that led to the attack. Read more
COVID-19: Why unvaccinated worshippers can’t be barred from worship places -CAN (Punch)
The Christian Association of Nigeria has said that worshippers have a right to decide whether they want to take the COVID-19 vaccine or not.
CAN’s position was contained in a statement titled, ‘Political leaders should learn to Tolerate Citizens’ Criticism of Policies and Programmes of Government”, by the association’s President, Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, on Wednesday.
Ayokunle explained that it was improper for the government to make the taking of COVID-19 vaccines compulsory for Muslim and Christain worshippers.
The PUNCH had reported that Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State had mandated people of the state to take the vaccine; warning that, as from September 15, anyone who has not been vaccinated will not be allowed into public places such as banks and worship centres. Read more
Protest in Ekiti as gunmen kidnap couple, 2 others (Leadership)
Four persons including a couple, identified as Mr and Mrs Falomo and a man said to be a pastor were on Tuesday evening kidnapped in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital by suspected gunmen.
The incident, which took place in Goshen Land Community in Ajebamidele area of the town, led to a massive protest by the residents who blocked the Ado Ekiti-Ikere road on Wednesday.
Mrs Falomo was said to have been trailed to her residence by the kidnappers who were said to be armed with AK-47 rifles. Her husband who came out on a rescue mission was also abducted.
According to the residents, the kidnappers fired several gunshots into the air during the attack to scare away neighbours and passers-by. Read more
Students abducted as bandits hit another school in Zamfara (DailyTrust)
Bandits have abducted students of a Secondary School in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Details of the incident are still sketchy but the armed men were said to have broken into the school on Wednesday morning.
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A resident of the community told our correspondent that the armed men stormed the school around 11:30am when the students were writing examination.
“They blocked the doors to the classrooms and asked the students to step out.” Read more
Akume v Ortom: Sen Suswam sues for peace (Sun)
Former Benue State Governor Sen Gabriel Suswam has appealed to all political actors in the state to sheath their swords and work towards ending insecurity in the state.
Senator Suswam who represents Benue North-East senatorial district at the National Assembly is currently out of the country on official engagements.
The ex-governor made the call against the backdrop of the demand by the Benue chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Governor Ortom to apologise for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari.
Governor Ortom had in a recent interview accused President Muhammadu Buhari of trying to ‘Fulanise’ the country, while reacting to the president’s approval of the recommendations of a committee to review 368 grazing reserves across 25 states in the country.
Responding to Ortom’s comment, the Presidency accused the Benue governor of ‘using language reminiscent of the Rwandan genocide’ to cause the deaths of Nigerians. Read more
Candyman director shocked by racist behaviour in Hollywood (AllHipHop)
Nia Dacosta explains how the onset behavior of some actors and actresses in Hollywood revealed Tinseltown has a lot of changing to do still.
Nia Dacosta has hit out at racism that still exists in the film industry.
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The “Candyman” filmmaker has been angered by the way people on set have spoken to her, even though she’s been in charge of projects as a director.
Nia told The Guardian newspaper: “It’s not necessarily overtly racist, but it is shocking the way people have talked to me in my position as a director. People who work for me.
“Especially on a movie like (Candyman), where Jordan (Peele) was the only other person of color at the level of decision-making on the movie. And that’s unacceptable, frankly.” Read more
India holds first formal talks with the Taliban in Qatar (CNBC)
India announced its first formal diplomatic meeting with the Taliban on Tuesday — their first official talks since the group seized power in Afghanistan as the U.S. withdrew its forces from there.
The Indian foreign ministry said India’s ambassador to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, met with the head of the Taliban’s political office, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai. The Taliban had requested the meeting, which took place at the Indian embassy in Doha, according to the ministry.
Mittal and Stanikzai discussed the safety, security and early return of Indian nationals who are stranded in Afghanistan as well as travel prospects for Afghan minorities who want to visit India, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
The Indian ambassador also raised New Delhi’s concerns around Afghanistan being used as a base for terrorism. Read more
Jewish woman stoned near Hebron saved by Palestinians (JPost)
Three Palestinians saved a Jewish woman who was hit in the head in a rock-throwing attack near Hebron.Three Palestinians saved a Jewish woman who was stoned near Hebron on Tuesday, Ynet reported.
The woman, a 36-year-old mother of six, was driving towards Kiryat Arba when a group of unidentified men attacked her car and threw stones at her.
“I was driving, and suddenly I found myself in the opposite lane with strong pains and blood flowing from my head,” she told Ynet. “I went back into my lane, and It’s a miracle there wasn’t another car.
“When I stopped the car, and I was dripping blood, I tried to see what happened. And that’s when I saw a huge rock that hit my foot… I started to cry and scream, those were difficult moments. I tried to call the police and ambulance, but there wasn’t any reception,” she said. Read more
UK judge orders rightwing extremist to read classic literature or face prison (Guardian)
A former student who downloaded almost 70,000 white supremacist documents and bomb-making instructions has avoided a prison sentence “by the skin of his teeth” after being told to read classic literature by Dickens, Austen, Shakespeare and Hardy.
Ben John, 21, from Lincoln, a former student at De Montfort University in Leicester, has to return to court every four months to be tested on his reading, Judge Timothy Spencer QC said. He also sentenced him to a suspended two years’ imprisonment plus a further two years on licence.
John was identified as a terror risk days after his 18th birthday and was referred to the Prevent programme but continued to download “repellent” rightwing documents, the Leicester Mercury reported. He also wrote a letter raging against gay people, immigrants and liberals.
On 11 August, he was convicted by a jury of possessing information likely to be useful for preparing an act of terror, which carries a maximum jail sentence of 15 years.
Sentencing him at Leicester crown court, the judge concluded his crime was likely to be “an act of teenage folly” and an isolated incident. Read more
Afghanistan: Top female police officer ‘on the run’ after being brutally beaten by Taliban in Kabul
(Unilad)
One of Afghanistan’s top female police officers has said she fears for her life after fleeing the Taliban in Kabul, saying she was ‘brutally beaten’ and threatened as she tried to leave the country.
Gulafroz Ebtekar was Deputy Chief for Criminal Investigations for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, and one of the country’s most high-profile women in authority before the government was toppled by the Taliban last month.
Now, after having received threatening letters from the Taliban and unsuccessfully attempting to flee to the airport, she says that she is ‘on the run’ and believes that her ‘whole family is in great peril’.
‘I spent five nights at the gates of Kabul airport without water or bread, in a rain of bullets and surrounded by the Taliban,’ she said. ‘I witnessed the death of children and women. I sent messages to the embassies of many countries to save myself and my family, but all to no avail.’ Read more
Anya Taylor-Joy reveals she suffered burnout after filming 3 movies in a year (AmoMama)
“The Queen’s Gambit” star Anya Taylor-Joy recently opened up about the past burnout she experienced amid her hectic acting career. Read on to find out the habit she developed while filming one movie after another.
Award-winning actress Anya Taylor-Joy became a household name after the release of “The Queen’s Gambit” series. She stars as orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon on live streaming service Netflix.
Her exceptional performance on the critically-acclaimed 2020 series earned her at least two coveted awards, including the Golden Globe award for best actress in miniseries or television and an equivalent Screen Actors Guild Award recognition.
She also received various nominations that cemented her reputation as an actress. Taylor-Joy has become one of today’s most sought-after actresses. With her hectic schedule, the actress admitted to developing an unhealthy habit, telling Tatler: Read more
Neuer, Mueller ruled out of Germany’s World Cup qualifier (Guardian)
Germany captain Manuel Neuer and forward Thomas Mueller are both injured and ruled out of Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against minnows Liechtenstein.
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno will deputise for Neuer, who sat out training all week with an ankle knock.
Coach Hansi Flick is hopeful he will be fit for their next qualifier against Armenia in Stuttgart.
“We assume that ‘Manu’ will be back for Sunday,” Flick said on Wednesday.
Neuer’s Bayern Munich team-mate Mueller is suffering an adductor injury and misses all three Group J games against Liechtenstein, Armenia and Iceland next Wednesday.
“Thomas has gone home, the injury made it not possible for him to play in the games,” added Flick. Read more
W’Cup qualifiers: Ronaldo eyes Ali Daei’s goal record as Portugal, Ireland clash (Punch)
Cristiano Ronaldo will play in all three of Portugal’s fixtures during the international break following his return to Manchester United, head coach Fernando Santos said.
Ronaldo completed his United comeback on Tuesday, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner re-joining the Red Devils from Juventus.
This is his second spell following his successful first stint at Old Trafford between 2003 and 2009.
Amid the hype in Manchester, Ronaldo’s attention has swiftly turned to matters with Portugal as Santos’ men prepare to face Republic of Ireland in a World Cup qualifier later on Wednesday. Read more
Novak Djokovic reveals what he told ’emotional’ Rune in private chat after US Open scare (Metro)
Novak Djokovic told Danish teenager Holger Rune he ‘handled himself extremely well’ and ‘earned his respect’ for his hard-fought display in their first-round US Open match.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion edged a 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-1 victory over Rune with the teenager suffering with cramp for most of the second half of the match.
Rune earned plenty of plaudits from the crowd at Flushing Meadows after taking the second set on a tie-break, and even after experiencing difficulties in the third and fourth sets, he refused to quit.
‘We just had a little chat in the locker room. It’s an emotional moment for him. It’s not easy to see that. He’s really sad. I understand that. I’ve been through that,’ Djokovic said. Read more
Naomi Osaka shares how she’s overcoming impostor syndrome (Lily)
When Melanie St. Fleur started medical school in Florida two years ago, she quickly proved her aptitude for the field, passing exams and succeeding in her courses while her peers struggled, she said.
But even so, there was one refrain she couldn’t get out of her mind: “I was like, ‘I don’t know how I got here,’ ” said St. Fleur, 29. “I felt like I was getting through by luck, basically … I just felt out of place from the very beginning.”
While doubts about her abilities were all in her head, feeling out of place wasn’t: St. Fleur, a Black woman, is surrounded by mostly White peers, she said — a reality that compounds her self-inflicted pressures by making her more conscious of how her peers view her, she said.
So when St. Fleur saw tennis star Naomi Osaka’s tweet on Sunday — about how she’s combating impostor syndrome with more positive affirmations — “it made me feel not alone,” St. Fleur said. “Like, ‘Okay, I’m not crazy, this happens — even to one of the best tennis players of our time.’” Read more
Redknapp reveals suspicions about Chelsea after Tuchel seals Saul transfer (TeamTalk)
Chelsea will be strong contenders to win both the Premier League and defend their Champions League crown this season after the signing of Saul Niguez – but Jamie Redknapp insists there’s other factors behind the signing.
The Blues confirmed the transfer of the Spain international in the final exchanges of transfer deadline day. As per multiple reports, the Blues will pay a €5m loan fee to take Saul on loan for the season. That move also contains an option to make the move a permanent €35m deal next summer.
In total, the Blues could pay the Spanish champions £34.3m for the 26-year-old midfielder.
Following his signing, Saul sent the Chelsea faithful a message over his impending arrival. Read more
US Open: Andy Murray aims new jibe at Stefanos Tsitsipas in toilet break row (BBC)
Stefanos Tsitsipas found himself the butt of the jokes at the US Open after Andy Murray aimed another jibe at the Greek third seed in the row over long bathroom breaks.
After losing to him on Monday, Britain’s Murray said he “lost respect” for Tsitsipas and accused his opponent of “cheating” by going off court for eight minutes, although the Greek did not break any rules.
Murray was not in the mood to let the issue slide, though, even after a night sleeping on it.
On Tuesday, he joked it took less time for American billionaire Jeff Bezos to fly into space than Tsitsipas spent in the toilet. Read more