COVID-19: We did not close any school -LASG (Vanguard)
Lagos State Government has said a statement denying the closure of any school due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Ministry of Education said on Tuesday night.
In a statement by the spokesman for the ministry, Mr Ganiu Lawal, the ministry said it did not order the closure of two private schools in the Lekki area of the state.
“The reported closure of two private schools in Lekki did not follow a directive from the Government, as speculated in the media.
A preliminary finding by the Lagos State Ministry of Education, according to the Hon. Commissioner for Education Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, revealed that the closure of the two schools was a decision of the school proprietors to pre-empt the likelihood of further spread of a reported Covid-19 case by a parent at Standard Bearer Secondary School, Lekki. Read more
Man tortured by Lagos police dies in Ogun hospital (Punch)
The family of a labourer, Livinus Onyekaba, has demanded justice for him after the police in Lagos allegedly tortured him into a coma which led to his death.
Our correspondent gathered that some policemen from the Okoko Police Station arrested Livinus on June 10, 2021, for allegedly trespassing on a property in the Ojo area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that after spending some days at the police station, 59-year-old Livinus was transferred to the police command headquarters, where he was allegedly tortured into a coma.
His daughter, Olivia, told our correspondent that he was released on bail to the family when his health deteriorated. Read more
Thank you for shielding me, widow tells TB Joshua (Vanguard)
The Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) on Tuesday held a service of tributes in honour of its Founder, Prophet T.B. Joshua, who died on June 5.
Reports say that the service was held at SCOAN premises, Ikotun, Lagos State.
The service was one of Joshua’s burial activities.
Reports have that SCOAN had, at a news conference on June 29, said that July 5 to July 11, would be dedicated for a series of Joshua’s ‘laying to rest’ activities tagged: ‘Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Prophet Joshua (1963 to 2021)’.
In a tribute, Joshua’s widow, Evelyn, said that her 31 years of marriage to the late prophet was not without trials. Read more
Court rejects UNILORIN rape suspects’ bail application
(Guardian)
Justice Ibrahim Yusuf of Ilorin High Court, yesterday, refused bail to eight persons alleged to have raped and murdered a 24-year-old University of Ilorin student, Olajide Blessing Omowumi.
The suspects were Abdulazeez Ismail, Ajala Moses Oluwatimileyin (aka Jacklord), Oyeyemi Timileyin Omogbolahan, Abdulkarim Shuaib (aka Easy), Kareem Oshioyemi Rasheed (Rashworld), Abdullateef Abdulrahman, Daud Bashir Adebayo (aka Bashman) and Akande Taiye Oladoja.
They were being prosecuted by the Kwara State Government in Suit No KWS/33c/c/2021, on 11 counts bordering on armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and rape.
Their arraignment was deferred to yesterday because of the inability of three of the defendants to produce legal representation.
Three of the defendants, Abdulazeez Ismail, Ajala Moses Oluwatimileyin (aka Jacklord) and Oyeyemi Timileyin Omogbolahan were arraigned for conspiring among themselves “to rob one Olajide Gloria Blessing Omowumi also known as “Wumi” (now deceased) of her Samsung Galaxy A2 Core handset and carted away other items, including one black Acer Aspire, one series laptop, one Samsung drive, one pink wireless mouse, one white handheld mini sewing machine, one Infinix charger and one gold colour win touch tab, while armed with offensive weapons, including a black wooden pistol .” Read more
Northern coalition attacks southern govs, says Lagos resolutions conspiracy (Punch)
The Coalition of Northern Groups on Tuesday responded to the issues raised by the Southern Governors Forum during their Monday meeting in Lagos.
The coalition accused the southern governors of shielding “felons, arsonists and mass atrocity perpetrators in their midst by challenging the prerogative of the Federal Government to enforce law and order in all parts of the country.”
The spokesperson for CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, in a statement said there had been a gang-up against the North in particular, to force a regional shift of the Presidency in 2023 by whatever means and tactics. Read more
LAWMA begins enforcement on cart pushers operation in FESTAC (Guardian)
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), yesterday, said it would conduct major enforcement operations at the FESTAC of Lagos over the next few weeks to stem cart-pushing activities, which have left the environment in a deplorable condition.
According to a statement by LAWMA, the activities of the outlawed cart-pushers had increased the tempo of indiscriminate disposal of wastes at unauthorised locations, such as drainage channels, road medians and uncompleted buildings.
LAWMA’s Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Hakeem Kayode, in the statement, said enforcement would be carried out in the area to restore sanity to the environment and forestall the negative consequences of indiscriminate dumping of refuse, especially during the rainy season.
The authority urged residents to shun patronage of cart-pushers, whose activities jeopardise the health and safety of people living in the state, stressing the need for people to patronise assigned PSP operators, and to pay for waste services promptly. Read more
Police rescue 4 kidnap victims in Osun (Vanguard)
The Police Command in Osun on Tuesday said that it had rescued four commuters reportedly kidnapped on Tafida Imesi-Ile and Ilare/Esa-Odo Roads on Sunday and Monday respectively.
The command’s Spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola, in a statement in Osogbo said that a combined team of policemen and local security outfits carried out the rescue operation.
Opalola, however, said one of the local security operatives lost his life during a gun duel with the kidnappers, while another sustained injury from gunshots.
The statement added that as soon as the Commissioner of Police in Osun, Mr Olawale Olokode, received a distress call that some people had been abducted, he drafted a combined team of Police Tactical Unit, JTF, and other security outfits to rescue the abducted commuters. Read more
Kaduna Baptist school invaders demand rice, others to feed victims, hold 121 students (Punch)
Bandits, who invaded Maraban Rido in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday and abducted some students of the Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, have reached out to the management of the institution to demand foodstuffs.
The PUNCH learnt that the hoodlums asked for food items such as rice, beans, seasoning and oil to feed the students.
A member of the school management, who confided in one of our correspondents on Tuesday, stated that the bandits said 121 students of the school were in their custody.
According to the school official, the bandits first called on Monday and allowed one of the students to speak to a top member of the school management. Read more
Senate sets aside constitutional point of order for donkey business bill (Guardian)
Okays establishment of French-language village, others
A constitutional point of order during consideration of a bill to regulate donkey business in Nigeria was set aside yesterday following disagreement among senators.
The bill was passed despite disapproval from Senate Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe and Senate Spokesman Ajibola Basiru (APC, Osun Central).
The bill tagged: ‘An Act to regulate the slaughter of donkeys and establish the breeding and ranching of donkey’s through the export certification value chain to mitigate the extinction of donkey’s and related matters, 2021’, was sponsored by Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi (APC, Kebbi State).
Basiru, a lawyer, reminded the chamber that no portion of the exclusive and concurrent components of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) gave the National Assembly powers to legislate on livestock. Read more
Eric Adams: Ex-policeman wins NYC Democratic mayoral primary (BBC)
A former police captain who promises to be tough on crime has been declared the winner of the race to pick a Democratic candidate to be New York City’s mayor.
Eric Adams, currently borough president of Brooklyn, is now likely to become the city’s second black leader.
The winner of the party primary is all but certain to become mayor in the heavily Democratic city.
Police figures last month showed crime in the city rose by 22% in the past 12 months and shootings were up 73%. Read more
Huge fire at zoo kills at least 25 animals including parrots and meerkats (Metro)
Dozens of animals have been killed in a huge blaze at a popular seaside petting zoo.
Fire crews rushed to Maldon Promenade Petting Zoo in Essex at around 1.15am on Monday, after a fire broke out in the attraction’s barn housing more than 70 species of animals.
The fire, which is believed to have been sparked by a faulty freezer, took hold quickly and spread across the entire barn in the Dengie Peninsula.
Although three fire crews managed to get the blaze under control within an hour, around 25 animals could not be saved. Read more
Dilip Kumar: Legendary Indian actor dies at 98 (BBC)
Dilip Kumar, one of India’s earliest and most famous actors, has died in Mumbai at the age of 98.
A veritable legend, Kumar acted in more than 65 films over nearly five decades, playing roles that ranged from the iconic to the endearing.
He was admitted to hospital on 30 June after he complained of breathlessness. He had been frequently ill for months.
Kumar is survived by his wife, Saira Banu, a Bollywood actress herself. The couple have no children. Read more
Teenager found guilty of murdering sisters in ‘demon sacrifice’ in London park (Metro)
An ‘evil’ 19-year-old has been found guilty of murdering two sisters as they celebrated a birthday in a London park.
Danyal Hussein repeatedly stabbed Bibaa Henry, 46, and sister Nicole Smallman, 27, in Fryent Country Park, Wembley, as part of a ‘demonic pact’ to win the lottery.
Ms Henry, a social worker from Brent, and photographer Miss Smallman, from Harrow, had met with friends in the park to celebrate the former’s birthday in June last year.
Hussein fatally attacked the women in the early hours of the morning, before hiding their intertwined bodies in the bushes. They were found the following morning by Miss Smallman’s boyfriend during a family search for the missing women. Read more
New York governor declares gun violence a health emergency (BBC)
New York has become the first US state to declare a disaster emergency order to address rising gun violence.
New York state saw 51 shootings over the 4 July holiday weekend, Governor Andrew Cuomo said as he signed the executive order.
The directive will funnel $138.7m (£100m) towards gun violence intervention and prevention programmes.
It comes amid reports of a rise in gun deaths countrywide, including nearly 200 over the past weekend. Read more
Iran notifies UN nuclear watchdog of 20% enrichment of uranium metal for reactor fuel, IAEA says (RT)
Iran has notified the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its work enriching uranium metal to help it produce fuel for its Tehran Research Reactor, the UN nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday.
The announcement comes as Iran and the other signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal are gearing up for another round of talks to revive the agreement, which is designed to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons – an aim it denies pursuing.
This year Iran has already produced a small amount of uranium metal, which was not enriched.
Uranium metal can be used to make the core of a nuclear warhead, but Tehran has insisted it is only pursuing enrichment for fuel reasons. Read more
Euro 2020: Italy beat Spain on penalties to reach final (BBC)
Italy beat Spain on penalties to reach the Euro 2020 final after an enthralling semi-final at a noisy Wembley.
After Alvaro Morata’s penalty was saved, Jorginho strolled up to score and set up a final with either England or Denmark in London on Sunday.
Federico Chiesa looked as if he had sent Italy – who are unbeaten in 33 games – to the final in normal time with a delightful curled finish to cap off a quick counter.
But Morata stepped off the bench to slot an equaliser with 10 minutes to go after a one-two with Dani Olmo. Read more
Anelka urges Mbappe to dump PSG (Vanguard)
Kylian Mbappe needs to leave Paris Saint-Germain in order to “echo Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi” by becoming a Ballon d’Or winner, claims Nicolas Anelka, with the France international urged to consider moves to the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Interest from England in the highly-rated 22-year-old has continued to build over recent years, with the World Cup-winning forward cementing his reputation as one of world football’s brightest stars.
Anelka, who spent many years in England during his playing days, believes Mbappe needs to spread his wings in order to reach the very top, telling The Athletic of his illustrious countryman: “If you want the biggest accolades, you will have to move from PSG at some point.
” Whatever you will do in Paris will be good but somebody will always say, ‘Well, you did great for PSG but it was only in France. The best leagues are in England and Spain, so you didn’t compete with the best players in the best league’. Read more
VIPs allowed at Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony, but no fans: report (RFI)
Fans are likely to be banned from the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony over virus fears, but a reduced number of VIPs and Olympic officials will be able to attend, a Japanese newspaper reported.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) representatives, foreign dignitaries, sponsors and others connected to the Games will be allowed into the National Stadium to watch the July 23 ceremony, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said late on Monday.
But under plans currently being discussed, fans would be locked out as organisers rethink attendance limits as concerns grow over rising virus cases in Tokyo.
The report, which cited several unnamed government sources, said organisers are working to whittle down the expected 10,000 “Olympic family” members to a level the Japanese public would find acceptable. Read more
Team Nigeria 1st batch departs for Tokyo (Vanguard)
The first batch contingent of Team Nigeria will today depart Abuja for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
According to the Director, Federation of Elites Athletes Department, Dr Simon Ebhojiaye, members of the Canoeing team, Ayomide Bello and her coach Ebenezer Ukwunna, Esther Toko and her coach, Regina Enofe of Rowing event alongside Secretary-General Olubunmi Oluode will depart through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by Ethiopian Airline.
Also in the team is the Special Adviser on Sports to the Minister Ambassador Mary Onyali, MFR, Medical crew of Dr Samuel Ogbondeminu, Messrs Okoh Joseph, Abdulsalam Shuaibu and Ekundayo Ogunkunle.
Earlier on Monday, an advance team of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development departed via the Muritala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos. Read more
Wimbledon 2021: Ruthless Karolina Pliskova reaches semi-finals (BBC)
Eighth seed Karolina Pliskova brushed aside Viktorija Golubic in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of Wimbledon for the first time.
Pliskova ruthlessly clinched a 6-2 6-2 victory over the Swiss in 81 minutes.
The Czech’s consistent serve and dominance from the baseline was the difference, and she has yet to drop a set in the tournament.
Pliskova will face second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus or Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in the last four on Thursday.
In their only previous meeting Golubic, ranked 66th in the world, fought back from a set and 4-2 down in a 2016 Fed Cup semi-final to defeat Pliskova. Read more
How Olympian Katie Ledecky’s childhood foreshadowed her GOAT status (NYPost)
In the spring of 2020, as couch-laden Americans lapped up the epic Michael Jordan 10-part documentary “The Last Dance,” Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky put her own stamp on the Jordan fever.
She tweeted out an incredible video of Jordan playing peek-a-boo with her as a toddler as they sit in the owner’s box of the Washington Capitals, which her uncle Jon Ledecky co-owned until 2001.The sweet video shows the NBA great, seated behind her, reaching his hands in front of her eyes. Read more