Drama as wanted drug dealer is arrested at Lagos Church (DailyTrust)
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a major drug dealer at a church in the Ojodu area of Lagos State.
Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi, said the drug baron had been declared wanted for attempting to export 69.65kg of cocaine, heroine and cannabis to the United Kingdom.
According to him, NDLEA officers had traced the wanted drug dealer, Stephen Afam Ikeanyionwu, on Sunday 15th August, 2021, to a popular pentecostal church at Mike Ajari street, Ojodu Berger, where they arrested him.
Babafemi did not disclose the name of the church where Ikeanyionwu was nabbed.
“His arrest followed the interception of a consignment of illicit drugs weighing 69.65kg going to the UK through the Lagos Airport on Thursday, 12th August, 2021.” Read more
Lagos COVID-19 related deaths hit 506 (Guardian)
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, says the number of persons in the state that died from COVID-19 related complications had increased to 506.
Abayomi said this through his Facebook account @ProfAkinolaAbayomi on Sunday, while giving the state’s COVID-19 update for Aug. 20.
He said that 11 persons died from COVID-19 related complications on the reported day, increasing the state’s fatality figure from the virus to 506.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that deaths, recorded between Aug. 1 to Aug. 20, accounted for 122 out of the 506 total deaths recorded in the state, since the beginning of the pandemic. Read more
NDLEA arrests man with 69.65kg illicit drugs (Guardian)
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a major drug dealer wanted for attempting to export 69.65 kilograms of cocaine, heroin and cannabis to the United Kingdom.
Some of the arrested suspects with illicit drugs
Its Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said the drugs were to be exported through the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, (MMIA), Lagos.
He said the suspect was arrested at a church in Ojodu, Ikeja area of Lagos state, adding that operatives of NDLEA had been trailing the wanted drug dealer. Read more
SIM cards, cell phones now made in Nigeria —Pantami (Punch)
The Federal Government says it has achieved 100 per cent in the production of Subscriber Identification Module cards as well as the manufacture of many components of cell phones used in the country.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, said this when featured in a special News Agency of Nigeria interview programme in Abuja.
He said the government was partnering with private sectors on the local production of SIM cards, cell phones, tablets, and other ICT facilities.
Pantami said that the local production was a sequel to the national policy on local content signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on the promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecommunications Sector. Read more
“You’re not different from bandits”, Gumi blasts politicians who flew jets to Kano (DailyTrust)
Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, renowned Islamic scholar, has come down hard on the politicians who hired private jets to Kano for the wedding of Yusuf Buhari, the president’s only son.
On Friday, Yusuf got married to Zarah, one of the daughters of Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero, Emir of Bichi.
Daily Trust had reported how governors, ministers and other top politicians spent millions of naira to fly no fewer than 50 private jets for the wedding.
To charter a private jet costs between $5,000 and $7,000 per hour, depending on the size of the plane. Read more
Sadness, joy as freed Kaduna Baptist students reunite with families (Punch)
One of the 15 pupils of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, who were released by their abductors late Saturday night.
A fresh batch of 15 students of the Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, were freed on Saturday, after they had spent 48 days in captivity.
Baptist Convention President, Rev. Israel Akanji, supervised the reuniting of the freed students with their families on Sunday in Kaduna.
Photographs show the students on arrival at the Baptist secretariat, where they were reunited with their families. Read more
Doctors Strike: NARD rejects new MoU with FG (Guardian)
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has rejected the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) presented by the Federal Government.
The NARD National President, Dr Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, said this while addressing newsmen at the end of a closed door meeting with the federal government and other relevant stakeholders on Sunday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) led the striking doctors to a meeting summoned at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari aimed at resolving the ongoing strike by doctors across the country.
NAN recalls that the resident doctors embarked on an indefinite strike on Aug. 1 to press home the issues of agitation amongst their members. Read more
Fed Poly Mubi student allegedly kills, buries pregnant girlfriend (Punch)
A male student of the Federal Polytechnic Mubi, Adamawa State, who allegedly killed his pregnant girlfriend and buried her corpse in a shallow grave has been arraigned in court.
The suspect, Mumuni Abubakar, and two other suspected accomplices — Huzaifa Shuaibu and Rabiu Adamu — also arraigned by the Police, reportedly connived and gruesomely murdered Franca Elisha, a Diploma II student of the Department of Library Science in the same institution, and buried her in a shallow grave after a failed abortion attempt.
The Adamawa State Police Command said that complaints by Franca’s parent about her whereabouts led to investigations that uncovered circumstances surrounding her disappearance, allegedly through the hands of her boyfriend. Read more
Keith Urban, Jason Isbell, Travis Tritt, others Mourn Death of Country Music Legend Tom T. Hall (Billboard)
Musicians are paying tribute to legendary country music singer-songwriter Tom T. Hall, who has died at the age of 85.
Country stars like Keith Urban, Jason Isbell, Travis Tritt and many others took to social media on Friday (Aug. 20) to remember Hall, who penned such hits as “Harper Valley P.T.A.” and “I Love.”
“The simplest words that told the most complicated stories,” Isbell tweeted. “Felt like Tom T. just caught the songs as they floated by, but I know he carved them out of rock.”
Nicknamed “The Storyteller,” Hall — who was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019 — was renowned for his songs’ rich narratives, vivid descriptions and homespun observations.
“My second concert (at the age of 5 !!) was Tom T. Hall,” Urban added on Twitter. “What a gifted literary musical artist he was. Peace be with all of his friends, family, and admirers today. Thank you Mr. Hall.” Read more
Afghanistan: Woman gives birth on US evacuation plane (BBC)
A woman evacuated from Afghanistan amid the continuing chaos in the country has given birth on an evacuation flight.
US Air Mobility Command posted a Twitter thread about the woman, who went into labour en route to Ramstein Air Base in Germany.
Medical personnel boarded the plane after it landed and delivered the baby in the aircraft’s cargo hold.
Both baby and mother are said to be in good condition at a nearby medical facility. Read more
Fasten your seatbelts, extended cut of Fast and Furious 9 “to be released next month” (Metro)
An extended version of Fast and Furious 9 is thought to be on the way, and our seatbelts are already fastened.
The latest instalment of the franchise, starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Nathalie Emmanuel, sped onto the big screen last month, with a run-time of 143 minutes.
Fans and critics alike were living for the much-delayed action film – in fact, Metro.co.uk gave F9 four stars.
According to Collider, there will be a longer cut of the movie on offer next month. Read more
We Love NYC concert: Music history before Central Park was washed out (NYPost)
Just when you thought we were ready to fall back in love with big live concerts again — Hurricane Henri had other plans for New York City.
The ominous HH washed out what was supposed to be a triumphant night for NYC — more than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic shook the Big Apple — at the We Love NYC: The Homecoming Concert on the Great Lawn of Central Park on Saturday night.
Midway into the concert — as Barry Manilow belted out “I Can’t Smile Without You” — the heavens opened up and pre-Henri arrived several hours earlier than expected, with the rain and lightning threat putting an end to what was turning into an epic event.
It was as if Mother Nature was saying it was “too soon” to be celebrating overcoming COVID with cases rising due to the Delta variant. Mother was very much telling us, “We’re not home yet.” Read more
Covid: New Zealand pandemic strategy in doubt amid Delta spread (BBC)
The arrival of the highly infectious Delta variant “does raise some big questions” about New Zealand’s pandemic response, a minister has said.
Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins said the variant “changes the game considerably” and makes existing protections “look less adequate”.
It comes as the country announced a further 21 confirmed cases in the latest outbreak of the virus.
New Zealand had gone six months without a single Covid infection. Read more
Security footage shows moment gunman ambushed slain Ice-T pal (NYPost)
Police on Saturday released a surveillance video of the fatal shooting of Ice-T pal and filmmaker Joseph “Taheim” Bryan in the hopes of identifying the triggerman.
Footage showed the suspect, wearing black track pants, a white sweatshirt and a hat and mask, pacing around the entrance to a garage in Long Island City, Queens while talking on the phone Thursday night.
Grisly moment cops discover Wall Street escort’s body stuffed in barrel
The man then leaves the garage and walks across the street to a brand new Mercedes, parked on Jackson Avenue, near Queens Boulevard, and opened fire on Bryan, who was sitting in the driver’s seat.
After the shooting, the gunman hopped into a dark SUV around the corner on Queens Boulevard, and fled the area with a getaway driver, cops said. Read more
Manny Pacquiao loses to Yordenis Ugas on return to ring (BBC)
Manny Pacquiao lost on his return to the ring after a two-year absence as Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas upset the odds to win by unanimous decision and retain his WBA (super) welterweight title.
Ugas was only drafted in on 10 August for the Las Vegas fight to replace the injured Errol Spence Jr.
It was Pacquiao’s first bout since beating Keith Thurman for the WBA welterweight title in July 2019.
“In the future, you may not see Manny Pacquiao fight in the ring,” he said.
Pacquiao, 42, also told ESPN he was “thinking about retirement” and he was “60-40” in favour of quitting. Read more
Kane on bench for Spurs amid talk of Man City move (Guardian)
Harry Kane was named among Tottenham’s substitutes for Sunday’s Premier League match at Wolves after the Manchester City transfer target missed the first two games of the season.
Kane was in the Tottenham squad for the first time this term after his late return to pre-season training.
The England captain, unhappy at his club’s 13-year trophy drought, hopes to force a move to Premier League champions City before the August 31 transfer deadline.
Kane said he has “never refused to train”, but the 28-year-old believes he has a gentleman’s agreement with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy to leave this summer. Read more
Yankees’ new top prospect Anthony Volpe’s stock rapidly rising (NYPost)
In the dog days of August, with a month left in an already successful season, Anthony Volpe has his sights set on one thing: making sure his team gets to the playoffs.
Currently, that means the Hudson Valley Renegades. A few years down the road, it could be the New York Yankees.
As an increasing buzz surrounds the 20-year-old shortstop out of New Jersey, who has crushed his first full season of professional baseball and zoomed up prospect lists along the way, Volpe has his blinders on.
“I want to win the High-A championship,” Volpe told The Post on Friday. “That’s kind of what’s on all our minds right now.” Read more
Women’s Champions League: Man City face Real Madrid in qualification with Chelsea already through (BBC)
Manchester City face European debutants Real Madrid in the second qualifying round for the Women’s Champions League.
Arsenal take on Slavia Prague, while Glasgow City meet Swiss side Servette in the final step before the revamped 16-team group stage.
Holders Barcelona, finalists Chelsea, and semi-finalists Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain qualify automatically.
The ties will take place between 31 August and 1 September, with the return legs a week later. Read more
Nets predicted to lead NBA in wins in 2021-22 (NYPost)
The great unanswered question from last season in the NBA remains: What if the Nets were fully healthy?
Well, the oddsmakers continue to install the Nets as the best team in the near future under those ideal circumstances. Already the consensus favourites to win the 2021-22 NBA title, the Nets were given the highest projected win total for over/under bets by Caesars Sportsbook on Friday, when the league announced its full schedule.
The Nets’ total is 54.5 wins, ahead of the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks with 53.5 and a group of teams at 51.5 that includes the LeBron James- and Russell Westbrook-led Los Angeles Lakers and last year’s No. 1 playoff seed in each conference (Utah Jazz and Philadelphia Sixers). The defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns are at 50.5.
The Knicks checked in at 41.5, which means barely over .500 and tied for the eighth-highest total in the Eastern Conference. It’s a bit of disrespect after the Knicks notched 41 victories on a shortened schedule to claim the No. 4 seed in the playoffs last season. Read more
Arsenal summer signing Ben White ruled out of Premier League clash against Chelsea through illness
(Metro)
Arsenal summer signing Ben White has been ruled out of the Premier League clash against Chelsea through illness.
The 23-year-old joined the Gunners from Brighton over the summer in a £50m transfer move.
White made his Arsenal Premier League debut in the opening-day defeat to Brentford and is misses Sunday’s London derby against Chelsea after testing positive for coronavirus.The England international, who was part of Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2020, is one of five Arsenal players to test positive for Covid-19 in the last two weeks. Read more