Detectives arrest popular nightclub owner over alleged money laundering (Guardian)
Popular nightclub owner and Instagram celebrity, Okechukwu popularly called ‘Cubana Chief Priest’ has been arrested by detectives attached to the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit. Okechukwu is the proprietor of posh nightclub, The Cubana with outlets on Lagos Island and Ikeja.
Top police sources at the Police Force Headquarters annex in Lagos told The Guardian that he is being held in custody for money laundering, reckless use of policemen and questionable lavish lifestyle.
The club owner was seen on his social media page displaying foreign currencies, which raised the attention of detectives. Read more
Another building collapses in Magodo, kills one (Vanguard)
An unidentified woman has been confirmed dead in one of the multiple collapsed buildings on Thursday, which occurred at Unity Close off Adebiyi Street, in Magodo phase 1 as a result of mudslide following persistent rainfall in Lagos.
The mudslide was said to have pulled down a fence which in turn collapsed on the neighbouring storey building which reportedly killed the woman in the process.
According to the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Director General, Dr. FemibOke-Osanyontolu, the corpse, an adult female, had been moved to a nearby hospital before the arrival of the rescue team. Read more
Traffic offenders, not robbers were arrested in Lagos – Police (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed speculations that its personnel arrested six armed robbers during an operation in the Ikoyi area of the state on Wednesday.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, explained in a statement on Thursday that contrary to the claim made in a viral video, those arrested were traffic offenders and not robbers.
He said, “The attention of the Lagos State Police Command has been drawn to a viral video and reports on the social media that there was a robbery incident in Ikoyi on June 17, 2020, and that six armed robbers were arrested. Read more
Cleric backs Lagos over suspension of church reopening (Guardian)
Reopening of churches and mosques now poses serious threats to the lives of Lagos residents and will jeopardise public health, a cleric has declared.
Senior Pastor of Praise Arena, Kingdom Light Christian Centre, Lekki, Lagos, Dr Jummy Adetoyese-Olagunju, said this while declaring support for the suspension of the reopening of religious centres by the Lagos State government.
Reacting to the indefinite suspension, Dr Adetoyese-Olagunju said that the initial order for the reopening was of great concern to him and some church leaders, as the COVID-19 infections keep increasing daily, especially in Lagos. Read more
Lagos rain: Four-year-old girl swept away, woman dies, buildings collapse (Punch)
Some Lagos residents were displaced and property destroyed after flood swept through different parts of the state on Thursday following torrential rainfall.
While a four-year-old girl, identified simply as Azizat, was swept away by flood, a woman was killed after her house collapsed due to the intensity of the rain.
Several persons were also reportedly injured and rushed to different hospitals after their houses collapsed.
PUNCH Metro gathered that Azizat, who resided with her parents on Fashola Street, Papa Ashafa, Orile Agege, had attempted to flee with her family when the flood submerged the compound. Read more
Anxiety over Ajimobi’s health (Vanguard)
There was anxiety in the polity, on Thursday, over the health of former Oyo State Governor and Acting National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abiola Isiaka Ajimobi.
The former governor, who had been ill for some time is said to be receiving medication in Lagos.
Following the anxiety over Ajimobi’s health, unconfirmed reports said his health deteriorated and he passed on last night.
However, Ajimobi’s Special Adviser on Communication, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, told Vanguard that the politician is alive. Read more
Buhari carpets service chiefs on killings, rape, others (Punch)
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday assessed the deteriorating security situation across the country and declared that the nation’s security chiefs were not living up to their responsibilities.
He said even if the heads of the nation’s security agencies could be said to be doing their best, their best was not good enough for the country.
The National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retd.), disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting Buhari had with the security chiefs at the Presidential Villa. Read more
Obinwanne ‘Invictus Obi’ Okeke pleads guilty to fraud in US (Guardian)
Celebrated Nigerian entrepreneur and a Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 honoree Obinwanne Okeke has pleaded guilty to computer and wire fraud in an American court.
He made the plea on Thursday at the Norfolk Magistrate Court Room 2 of the United States District Court for Eastern District of Virginia.
He had earlier pleaded not guilty. Okeke, arrested in the United States August 2019, in a court ruling on Thursday pleaded guilty of the $11 million (N4.2 billion) computer-based fraud between 2015 and 2019. Read more
Facebook takes down Trump campaign ads featuring symbols once used by Nazis (CBC)
Facebook has removed a campaign ad by U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence that featured an upside down red triangle, a symbol once used by Nazis to designate political prisoners, communists and others in concentration camps.
The company said in a statement Thursday that the ads violated “our policy against organized hate.” A Facebook executive who testified at a House intelligence committee hearing on Thursday said the company does not permit symbols of hateful ideology “unless they’re put up with context or condemnation.”
“In a situation where we don’t see either of those, we don’t allow it on the platform, and we remove it. Read more
Australia cyber attack: PM Morrison warns of ‘sophisticated’ state hack (BBC)
Australia’s government and institutions are being targeted by an ongoing sophisticated state-based cyber hack, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says.
Mr Morrison said the cyber attacks were widespread, covering “all levels of government” as well as essential service providers and businesses.
He declined to identify a specific state actor, adding no major personal data breaches had been made.
The activity has been increasing in frequency over many months, he said. Read more
What is Juneteenth and who has made it an official holiday? (NYPost)
Juneteenth is one of America’s oldest holidays and is observed each year on June 19 to mark the official end of slavery in the US.
The day, which gets its name from combining June and 19, has long been celebrated by black Americans as a symbol of their long-awaited emancipation — but the story behind the holiday, and how Juneteenth got its meaning, starts 155 years ago Friday in Galveston, Texas.
What is the meaning and history behind Juneteenth?
On June 19, 1865, Union troops led by Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, to break the news to the last remaining Confederate sympathizers that they’d lost the Civil War and all slaves must be freed. Read more
Astronomers spot youngest ever ‘baby’ dead star (RT)
18A star that is a mere 240 years old has been discovered by astronomers after it let out a mighty burst of X-rays. It is the youngest of its kind ever found, opening up ways of better understanding how such stars are formed.
Organic molecule that forms ‘building block for life’ found in interstellar space for 1st time.
First picked up by NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory on March 12, follow-up studies by the European Space Agency have revealed more of the neutron star’s physical characteristics, including those used to estimate its age. Read more
Maurice the noisy French cockerel dies aged six (BBC)
Maurice the cockerel, whose owner was taken to court over his early-morning crowing, has died aged six.
He gained international support – and became a symbol of campaigns to protect the sounds of the French countryside – after finding himself at the centre of a legal dispute over noise pollution.
But in 2019, a court ruled in Maurice’s favour and lived out the rest of his days at home on the isle of Oléron.
The bird reportedly died in May but his owner waited to break the news. Read more
What is DACA and who are the US ‘Dreamers’? (AlJazeera)
US President Donald Trump’s announcement of his immigration policy priorities has thrown further doubt over the future of the US’ 800,000 “Dreamers”.
The plans, revealed by the White House in October, tie future legal protection of “Dreamer” immigrants to funding for Trump’s controversial border wall with Mexico and increased spending on immigration enforcement officers.
Al Jazeera answers some of the key questions about some of those who may be facing deportation as a result of the US president’s recent announcements.
Who are the Dreamers?
The Dreamers are some 800,000 undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children. Read more
Bryce Dallas Howard says playing a racist in “The Help” caused ‘a disruption in my soul’ (Metro)
Bryce Dallas Howard has discussed the experience of playing a racist in The Help, saying it caused ‘a disruption in my soul’ and made her ‘sick’.
The actress played Hilly Holbrook in the 2011 film, which also starred Viola Davis, Emma Stone and Octavia Spencer.
Spencer won the best supporting actress Oscar for her role as Minny Jackson, a maid of the Holbrook family, who Hilly fires. Speaking to The Guardian about the shoot, Bryce said: ‘When I was doing The Help it was so much fun to be with that group of women and in those friendships; we really felt like family. And I loved getting to do that movie, mostly because my character got what she deserved. Read more
Rohr throws Eagles camp open to NPFL players (Guardian)
If you are a home-based player and you believe you have the qualities needed to play for Nigeria, you now have the chance to convince the coaches with your skills. This is because Super Eagles’ Chief Coach, Gernot Rohr, has challenged players in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) to be ready for the assessment, which will begin as soon as club football returns in the country.
Home-based Nigerian players have been clamouring for inclusion in the senior national team, which in recent times has been the exclusive preserve of players playing outside the country. The change began with the Nigeria Football Federation’s (NFF) insistence that Rohr must go round the local venues to scout for qualified players for his team before he got a new deal. Read more
Osimhen’s €60m price tag outrageous–Lawal (Punch)
Ex-Eagles midfielder, Garba Lawal, has disagreed with French club Lille over the €60m price tag placed on Victor Osimhen ahead of a possible transfer in the summer.
Osimhen, one of the hottest transfer prospects, is almost certain that he won’t stay at Lille following his impressive performance in the French Ligue 1 last season.
Despite Les Dogues dropping their asking price for the Nigeria international from an initial €90m to €60m, Lawal believes that the talented forward is overpriced.
“Lille are asking for €60m because they saw the calibre of clubs asking to sign Osimhen,” Lawal told The PUNCH. Read more
Jose Mourinho: Spurs ‘not in same world’ in transfer market (BBC)
Jose Mourinho says Tottenham are not going to be “in the same league” as other Premier League clubs in this summer’s transfer market.
Spurs spent over £100m last year but Mourinho does not expect to get the same budget this summer.
Tottenham currently sit eighth in the Premier League table.
“I think we are going always to be very balanced, which is what Tottenham normally is,” said Mourinho. Read more
Pablo Mari ruled out of Arsenal’s season with ankle injury (Metro)
Pablo Mari will miss the rest of Arsenal’s season after suffering an ankle ligament injury during the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday evening, according to reports.
The 26-year-old was forced off in the 24th minute during the loss at the Etihad Stadium after pulling up in a race with Kyle Walker.
Mikel Arteta admitted after the match that Mari’s injury ‘did not look very good’. And according to The Athletic, Mari will now miss the rest of Arsenal’s Premier League campaign and could require surgery on his injured ankle. Read more
2021 Africa Cup of Nations: CAF still prioritising January start (BBC)
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is still prioritising a January start for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, despite ongoing uncertainty about the continent’s football because of coronavirus.
Unclear when many competitions will resume across the continent, where only a handful of leagues are operating, the tournament in Cameroon is shrouded in doubt.
Caf itself has yet to confirm a restart date for any of its own tournaments amidst the pandemic, with Cameroon the sixth worst-affected country in Africa with nearly 10,000 reported cases. Read more
Barca should be allowed to play Napoli at Camp Nou – Setien (Vanguard)
Barcelona coach Quique Setien has said it will be unfair if his team have to play their Champions League second leg against Napoli at a neutral venue rather than Camp Nou.
UEFA announced on Wednesday that a ‘final eight’ knock-out tournament will be held in Lisbon in August for clubs through to the quarter-finals but it is still to be decided how to resolve the four incomplete ties in the last 16.
Barca drew 1-1 in their first leg away to Napoli in February before the coronavirus crisis meant they were unable to play the return leg at home. Read more
