EFCC nabs father, son for alleged Internet fraud in Lagos (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it had commenced investigation into alleged conspiracy, computer-related fraud, obtaining by false pretences and retention of proceeds of unlawful activities levelled against one Malik Bakare.
A statement by the anti-graft agency’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said Malik was arrested by officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon, Lagos, on May 31, 2021, and handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution.
The statement read in part, “Investigation revealed that he acts as a middleman, who connects Internet fraudsters around the globe with pickers, and receives some percentage on every successful transaction from the proceeds of unlawful activities.”
The suspect’s father was also arrested when he came forward to claim ownership of a Range Rover SUV that was retrieved from his son without a proof of ownership. Read more
Amaechi wants hotels at stations along Lagos-Ibadan rail line (Vanguard)
The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has canvassed the need for the construction of hotels for passengers convenience at stations along the new Lagos-Ibadan railway corridors.
Amaechi made call during an inspection of the new Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge railway project on Wednesday.
The minister, who stressed the need for more security along the railway line, also directed the Managing Director of Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Fidet Okhiria, to ensure proper demarcation between the stations and the rail corridor.
Also Read: Troops neutralize ISWAP Terrorists in Dikwa, Capture gun truck, Arms, Ammunition in Borno. Read more
Relief as judicial, legislative workers suspend strike (ThisDay)
There was a sigh of relief yesterday as courts and state Houses of Assembly are set to reopen for business following judicial and legislative workers’ decision to pause their two-month-old industrial action to press for the implementation of financial autonomy for state judiciaries and legislatures.
Leaders of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) and the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) rose from their meetings in Abuja with the resolve to reopen the courts and legislatures.
JUSUN leaders said after a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that their decision to end the strike was in deference to the National Judicial Council (NJC), which intervened in the matter.
In furtherance of its mediatory role, the NJC has set up a five-man committee to monitor the implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed between the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and the judicial workers on the financial autonomy for the judiciary in each of the 36 states of the federation. Read more
FEC okays N895.5b 2021 Supplementary Budget for military, COVID-19 vaccines, others (Nation)
The Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved a draft 2021 Supplementary Budget of N895,842,462,917 to cater for Defence equipment, COVID-19 vaccines and other exigencies.
Announcing this on Wednesday to State House Correspondents after the week’s virtual FEC meeting, Finance, Budget and National Planning Minister Mrs. Zainab Ahmed said the largest chunk of the budget, being N770.60 billion, was planned for the acquisition of Defense equipment.
The minister said N83.56 billion was set aside as expenditure for COVID-19 vaccine programme, covering 30 million vaccines from Johnson and Johnson and the logistics costs related to the deployment of the vaccines.
She explained that the supplementary budget also has N40 billion for allowances to the Health, Education sectors and other wage-related matters. Read more
Hoodlums arrested after burgling church, hiding in bush for five hours (Punch)
Two suspected armed robbers have confessed to burgling a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Sagamu, Ogun State, after they were shown Close Circuit Television footage of how they broke into the place of worship.
The suspects, Fidelis Francis, 28, and Lukman Jimoh, 40, were said to have scaled the fence and broke into the church using an iron bar.
The suspects, who reportedly hid in a bush after perpetrating the crime, went back to where they parked their operational vehicle close to a bush around the scene of the incident about five hours after burgling the church.
They were arrested by men of the state police command, who had laid ambush for them for hours, and took them back to the crime scene. Read more
Buhari receives 1st Made in Nigeria cell phone (Vanguard)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday received the first made in Nigeria cell phone, known as ITF Mobile.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister of Industry, trade and Investment, Adeniyi Adebayo, presented the phone to the president, before the commencement of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
According to Adebayo, the phone is one of the 12 cell phones produced, using locally sourced components, by the Electrical/Electronics Technology Department of the Industrial Training Fund’s (ITF) Model Skills Training Centre.
He said: “Twelve indigenous mobile cell phones produced by the Model Skills Training Centre of the Industrial Training Fund; an agency under Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment was launched. Read more
Again, Akeredolu makes case for legalisation of Cannabis in Nigeria (Guardian)
The Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, has urged the Nigerian Government to jettison traditional orientation and “archaic” sentiment that state that cannabis is a ‘devil’s plant’.
Akeredolu, who spoke at a Stakeholders’ Roundtable on the “Benefits and Opportunities of Cannabis Plant in Nigeria” held at the International Culture and Event Center, urged the Nigerian government to give legal backing to cannabis to enable its use in Nigeria, saying “cannabis is a multi-billion naira industry that can help diversify the Nigerian Economy if judiciously utilised”.
He said, “the medical and economic merits of the use of cannabis outweigh its demerits.” Read more
NECO, JAMB foreclose registration extension (Nation)
The National Examinations Council (NECO) and the Joint Admissions and Registration Board (JAMB) have said they will not extend the registration deadline for the 2021 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidates.
Both examination bodies announced this yesterday: NECO issued a statement in Minna, Niger State, by its Head Information and Public Relations Division, Azeez Sani, and JAMB spoke in Lagos through its Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
NECO said its registration, which started on March 31, will close on Friday, June 25, 2021, and will not be extended.
It added that the examination will start on Monday, July 5, 2021. Read more
‘Miraculous’ mosquito hack cuts dengue by 77% (BBC)
Dengue fever cases have been cut by 77% in a “groundbreaking” trial that manipulates the mosquitoes that spread it, say scientists.
They used mosquitoes infected with “miraculous” bacteria that reduce the insect’s ability to spread dengue.
The trial took place in Yogyakarta city, Indonesia, and is being expanded in the hope of eradicating the virus.
The World Mosquito Programme team says it could be a solution to a virus that has gone around the world. Read more
Russia’s Penitentiary Service holds ‘Miss Penal System’ contest as 12 women battle to be prison princess (RT)
Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service has released the list of candidates for its annual Miss Penal System contest, and 12 of the country’s most beautiful prison guards are battling it out to be named lock-up lady of the year.
The 12 finalists, chosen from almost 100 contestants who won the local competition in their own region, will receive votes from June 7 to June 11, when the most popular woman will be given the crown. The contestants come from all over the country, including Murmansk in the far north and Sakhalin in the Far East.
As things stand, on the second day of voting, the clubhouse leader is Diana Sat, from the small Republic of Tuva, in southern Siberia.
The Penitentiary Service is not the first government agency to promote its work through a female beauty contest. In 2019, the National Guard (Rosgvardia) held its own competition – the ‘Beauty of Rosgvardia’ – won by police officer Anna Khramtsova from Sverdlovsk Region. Read more
Nine dead after bus crushed in South Korea building collapse (AlJazeera)
At least nine people were killed and eight seriously injured in South Korea when a five storey building – which was in the process of being demolished – collapsed suddenly onto a bus, officials at a local fire station said.
The accident happened on Wednesday afternoon when the bus was stopped on the street next to the demolition site in Gwangju, some 270 kilometres (168 miles) southwest of the capital Seoul, officials at the Gwangju Fire and Safety Headquarters said.
Dramatic television footage showed the bus, which had 17 people on board, being buried in debris and smothered by a huge cloud of dust as the structure gave way.
Yang Ik-je, who runs a shop across the road from the construction site, said he ran outside, jolted by the loud noise that made him feel as if “the earth was shaking.” Read more
Joe Biden arrives in England ready for G7 summit and says ‘the US is back’ (Metro)
Joe Biden has arrived in the UK ready for the G7 Summit in Cornwall – and says his visit will show ‘the US is back’.
He was pictured waving as he stepped off Air Force One with his wife Jill, for his first official overseas visit as US president.
He said he wants his visit to demonstrate that democracies are standing together.
He will follow his trip to the G7 summit and Nato ministerial meeting with a visit to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin.
Mr Biden told military personnel at RAF Mildenhall: ‘I’m heading to the G7, then to the Nato ministerial and then to meet with Mr Putin to let him know what I want him to know. Read more
German Hollywood star Jürgen Prochnow turns 80 (DW)
‘The Old Man’
… is what the crew of the German submarine U-96 calls its captain, as he doesn’t have a name. In Wolfgang Petersen’s global film hit “Das Boot,” Prochnow landed the role of his life: a gruff man of integrity, tough as nails but with a heart. In the charismatic role, the actor played his way into the audience’s hearts — and made the leap to Hollywood.
Following studies in Essen, the young actor performed on German stages for many years before finally stepping in front of the camera. After appearing in TV roles, he was hired by prominent directors of the New German Cinema movement. In 1974, Reinhard Hauff gave Prochnow the role of a prisoner in the incarceration drama “Die Verrohung des Franz Blum” (The Brutalization of Franz Blum).
A year later, Jürgen Prochnow was part of the cast of one of New German Cinema’s greatest successes: Volker Schlöndorff’s film “The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum.” In the political, press-critical film based on the story by Heinrich Böll, Prochnow plays the character of Ludwig Götten, who is publicly humiliated by a tabloid newspaper. At his side: Angela Winkler.
In the 1970s, before Prochnow was hired by Wolfgang Petersen for “Das Boot,” the Berlin-born actor had a busy schedule in German movies and television. In the TV film “Frauensiedlung” (Women’s Settlement) of 1976, he worked alongside Monika Bleibtreu. Here, too, he radiated his trademark blend of strength and sensitivity. Read more
Coldplay’s Chris Martin says the end is near for the band as they ‘know how many albums they have left’ (Metro)
It could soon be a case of X&bye as Coldplay have suggested the end is near for the band.
After previously warning their global tours may be over, frontman Chris Martin threatened their days of putting out records may also be numbered.
‘I do know how many albums we have left as a band, and it’s not that many before we’re gonna stop making albums,’ said the 44-year-old Glastonbury headliner, hinting he has a number in mind.
‘All eight of Coldplay’s albums have gone to No.1, but the Clocks singer and his bandmates Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland seem to be seeking fresh motivation. Read more
El Salvador wants to power crypto mines with ‘100% cheap, renewable’ VOLCANO energy, after adopting bitcoin as legal tender (RT)
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador is moving fast on his pledge to embrace bitcoin as another legal tender, already opening a new geothermal well that would use clean geothermal energy to power the cryptocurrency mines.
On Wednesday, Bukele tweeted that he had instructed the state-owned geothermal electric company LAGeoSV to power bitcoin mines with “very cheap, 100% clean, 100% renewable, 0 emissions energy from our volcanos.”
“This is going to evolve fast!” he added.
Indeed, just a couple hours later, Bukele tweeted a video of a new well that has already been dug, which will provide approximately 95 megawatts of power, adding “Starting to design a full Bitcoin mining hub around it.” Read more
Usman arrives Nigeria for CSR (Punch)
UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, will arrive Nigeria today (Thursday) to initiate a community activation plan for the people of Edo State, The PUNCH reports.
Kamaru who is on a 19-fight winning streak, the longest ever in the welterweight division, was born in Nigeria, but has not visited since he migrated to the US with his family as an eight-year-old.
The PUNCH also learnt that Kamaru would visit Lagos, where he would be the guest of the media on Sunday.
From Lagos, Usman would travel to his home state, Edo, for his community activation plan. Read more
Super Eagles debutant Moffi, opens up on new experience (Vanguard)
Super Eagles new boy Terem Moffi has admitted he was nervous to be on the same pitch with some of the country’s top stars, while also speaking on the first message he received from coach Gernot Rohr.
The FC Lorient striker made his Super Eagles debut as a second half sub for Paul Onuachu in a 1-0 loss to Cameroon Friday night in Austria.
“At first, I was really nervous sharing the same pitch with the likes of (Kelechi) Iheanacho, (Wilfred) Ndidi, and Alex Iwobi because I didn’t know what to expect,” he said.
“ We then had two training sessions and I did well, so far everyone has been helpful.” Read more
Rafael Nadal reveals the best and worst things about facing Novak Djokovic ahead of French Open showdown (Metro)
Rafael Nadal will have the chance to draw level with Novak Djokovic in their legendary rivalry on Friday when the pair meet in the semi-finals of the French Open.
Nadal, the world No. 2 from Spain, dropped a set for the first time this year at his favourite tournament as he was pushed hard by Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman before Djokovic followed him into the final four with a 6-2 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-5 win over Italy’s Matteo Berrettini.
The pair know each other rather well. Nadal won the most recent of their 57 meetings in the final of the Italian Open just weeks before the clay-court Grand Slam, picking up his 28th win against the world No. 1 from Serbia. Read more
Okpala slams Rohr over Eagles players’ comments (Punch)
Sylvanus Okpala, a 1980 African Cup of Nations winner and former assistant coach of the national team has berated Gernot Rohr, over his comments on the chances of the team getting to the semi-finals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Rohr, in an interview with ESPN, said players in the national team lacked the quality to reach the semi-finals of Qatar 2022 World Cup because most of them were not playing in top European clubs.
Okpala said such comments from Rohr were unbecoming of a coach, saying the Franco-German degraded his players before the media.
“Rohr should not have made these kind of comments because it would demoralise the players,” Okpala told The PUNCH. Read more
Paulo Fonseca: Tottenham in talks with ex-Roma boss over manager role (BBC)
Tottenham have opened talks with former Roma boss Paulo Fonseca about becoming their new manager.
The Premier League club are seeking a successor to Jose Mourinho, who was sacked in April and has since replaced his fellow Portuguese at Roma.
Spurs are yet to agree a deal with Fonseca, and having reached advanced talks with Antonio Conte only for the deal to collapse, there is wariness.
Fonseca impressed at Roma but lost his job after a seventh-placed finish. Read more
Floyd Mayweather keen for ‘easy’ Conor McGregor boxing rematch (Metro)
Floyd Mayweather is entirely open to a rematch with Conor McGregor in the boxing ring, labelling the Irishman as an ‘easy’ fight.
The pair met in 2017, the last time Mayweather boxed professionally and the only time McGregor has done so.
The fight ended with a tenth round victory for the American via TKO as McGregor left in defeat but with his pride intact as he hung in there with one of the greatest boxers of all time on his debut between the ropes.Four years on and Mayweather is happy to do it again, as he continues to take big-money fights against opponents with no chance of beating him. Read more