Ex-oil firm engineer jailed for raping tenant’s niece (Punch)
Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court in Igbosere, on Monday, sentenced a former ExxonMobil engineer, James Onuoha, to 15 years’ imprisonment for raping his tenant’s 14-year-old niece.
Onuoha was alleged to have on January 4, 2016, around 11.30am at No. 25 Samuel Amoore Street, Idowu Estate, Oke-Ira Nla, Ajah, Lagos, engaged in an unlawful sexual act with the victim without her consent.
Onuoha was first arraigned in January 2016 before the Igbosere Magistrates’ Court on four counts bordering on defilement and his case file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice.
The matter was transferred to the high court for trial following the legal advice from the DPP. Read more
Computer village traders protest against harassment, extortion by market leaders (Guardian)
Traders and members of the Community Development Association (CDA) at Computer Village, Ikeja yesterday shut the commercial hub to protest against alleged exploitation and high-handedness of the Iyaloja and Babaloja of the market.
They alleged that since the imposition of the Iyaloja, Abimbola Azeez, and Babaloja, Adeniyi Olasoji, by the Iyaloja-General, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, there had been a complete disregard for existing associations, the introduction of new levies and persistent changes in rules by the new market leaders.
Vice-Chairman of Ogunbiyi CDA and chairman Coalition Association in Computer Village (COCOVI), Timi Davies, said the latest harassment occurred on Saturday when the Iyaloja brought hoodlums to destroy the security gate being erected to stop thieves from breaking into their stores. Read more
Two dead, others injured as monarch escapes lynching by Ibeshe youths (Vanguard)
At least two persons were killed and several others injured last weekend, when some irate youths stormed Ibeshe community in Oriade Local Council Development Area, following unresolved crises between the group and traditional rulers in the area.
In the ensuing melee, some traditional rulers were whisked away when the enraged youths attempted to lynch them.
It took the combined intervention of policemen and council officials to douse the rising tension. Read more
Police begin trial of two alleged killer cops who shot teenager (Guardian)
The Lagos State police command provost department has commenced a trial of two officers who allegedly killed 17-year-old Tina Ezekwe in Lagos last week. While Inspector Oguntola Olamigoke is now facing police orderly room trial, ASP Theophilus Otobo, as a senior officer has been served as an official query in line with police service commission’s rules.
It would be recalled that on May 29, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos Command, CP Hakeem Odumosu, ordered an in-depth investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Tina Ezekwe at Iyana-oworo area of Lagos. According to Lagos police spokesman, Bala Elkana, “investigations so far revealed that the conduct of the two police officers linked with the incident fell short of professional standards. Read more
How Lekki Free Trade Zone exports $30m goods In 12 months (Independent)
The Lagos State government has said that the multi-billion Naira Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) succeeded in exporting goods worth $30 million in the last 12 months.
Mrs Lola Akande, Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, disclosed this during the 2020 Ministerial Press Briefing commemorating one year in office of the Governor Sanwo-Olu-led administration.
Akande explained that 19 new companies were at various stages of deployment at the Free Trade Zone.
She said that the Lagos State Government owned 40 per cent while China Africa Lekki Investment Ltd (CALIL) owned 60 per of the Lekki Free Trade Zone Development Company (LFTZDC). Read more
Schools to reopen in Delta when COVID-19 subsides, says commissioner (Guardian)
The Delta State Government has declared that schools will only reopen in the state, as soon as there is enough assurance that coronavirus will not adversely affect pupils and students.
Commissioner for Education, Charles Aniagwu, stated this yesterday in Warri, saying certain procedures needed to be put in place to guarantee that the children would go to school and come back safely without contracting the virus.
He made the clarification to refute reports that schools might reopen on Monday, June 8, 2020, during a media briefing at Government House, Annex in Warri, insisting that it was not government’s wish to shut down schools indefinitely or truncate the education of the children, but the decision was made to safeguard the students. Read more
Man allegedly defiles 15-year-old daughter in Abuja (DailyTrust) Operatives of the Gender Unit of the FCT Police Command have arrested a 43-year-old man, Akindele Ajewole, for allegedly defiling his daughter in Lugbe, Abuja. In a statement, the command’s spokesman, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, said the suspect who was mentally stable confessed to having carnal knowledge of his daughter on several occasions. DSP Manzah added that one Muhammad Sani was also arrested by the police for luring and forcefully having carnal knowledge of a six-year-old boy. Read more
Nigeria to reopen churches, mosques and hotels (BBC)
Nigeria is to reopen places of worship and hotels from Tuesday as most of the country begins the second phase of the easing of coronavirus restrictions.
The lockdown was imposed on 30 March in the major hubs of Lagos state, neighbouring Ogun state and the capital, Abuja.
The country’s task force on coronavirus said that only regular religious gatherings would be allowed and worshippers should follow guidelines on preventing the spread of Covid-19 such as social distancing.
Banks and other financial institutions will also be allowed to open fully and domestic flights will resume from 21 June.
The dusk-to-dawn curfew is being relaxed and from Tuesday will start at 22:00 ending at 04:00 local time. Read more
George Floyd’s death ruled as murder by official post-mortem (Metro)
George Floyd’s death has been ruled as murder following both official and independent autopsies. The official autopsy found that Mr Floyd suffered a cardiac arrest while being restrained by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
It listed his cause of death as ‘cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression’, and showed that he had heart disease and recent drug use.
The findings were released shortly after those of a private examination carried out by medical examiners hired by the Floyd family. It ruled his death as murder due to asphyxia caused by sustained forceful pressure to his neck. The findings were announced by attorney Ben Crump and co-counsel Antonio Ramanucci, who are both representing the family, on Monday afternoon. Read more
Trump threatens to deploy military unless states halt violent protests (CBC)
US President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to deploy the military unless states quickly halted the violent protests that have convulsed cities from coast to coast, speaking in the White House Rose Garden as tear gas canisters could be heard exploding just a block away.
Trump said he was recommending that governors deploy the National Guard in sufficient numbers to “dominate the streets.” If governors fail to take action, the president said, he will mobilize “thousands and thousands” of U.S. soldiers and “quickly solve the problem for them.”
“We have the greatest country in the world,” Trump declared. “We’re going to keep it safe.” Read more
China’s Wuhan tests 11m for COVID-19 (VOA)
The Chinese city of Wuhan said it has tested its entire population of 11 million people for COVID-19, part of an ambitious national plan to restore public confidence and get the country’s economy restarted.
The mass testing campaign ended up reporting 206 cases of active COVID-19 infections, all of which were classified as asymptomatic. Over the course of the outbreak, the city has so far reported over 50,000 confirmed cases.
Why did the city test everyone if so few people are positive? Analysts say that the campaign appears to be aimed more at reassuring the public than addressing public health. Wuhan is the city where the virus first emerged in late December. Read more
Man who won £1,000,000 Euromillions ‘listened to voices in head to buy ticket’ (Metro)
An electrician scooped a £1,000,000 lottery win after buying his first-ever EuroMillions tickets because a voice in his head told him to.
Simon Waddup, from Coventry, bought two £2.50 lucky dip UK Millionaire Maker tickets for the draw on May 19.
The 31-year-old, who has been unable to work since last summer due to health problems, said he was taken by an urge to buy a ticket after hearing a voice in his head that told him his luck was about to change. ‘I have played Instant Win Games on the National Lottery website, but never a main draw game,’ he said. ‘I was shopping in Aldi and I kept hearing this voice telling me to buy a lottery ticket. ‘When I got back, I looked at my National Lottery account online and I had £5 left in my wallet. I didn’t even know what day it was, or what type of draw was available next, but saw I could buy a EuroMillions Lucky Dip for £2.50, so decided to buy two for that night’s draw.’ Read more
G7 leaders reject Russia’s return after Trump summit invite (BBC)
The UK and Canada have opposed Russia’s return to the G7, deepening a rift over US President Donald Trump’s wish for the country to rejoin.
Mr Trump said on Saturday he would postpone the G7 summit scheduled to take place this month until September.
The president said the G7’s “outdated group of countries” should be expanded to include others, including Russia.
On Sunday, Mr Trump told Russian President Vladimir Putin of his plan to invite him to the summit.
The White House said making “progress toward convening the G7” with Russia was among the topics the leaders discussed in a phone call. Read more
Once a radical idea, universal basic income is gaining support (France24)
As the Covid-19 pandemic sinks economies around the world and leads to record rates of unemployment, some politicians and analysts are revisiting the idea of a universal income. Spain on Friday introduced a basic income for the poor – a version of a universal basic income that could see the concept gaining ground.
In the face of a global economic crisis induced by the novel coronavirus, the idea of a basic income paid to all citizens is rapidly gaining new traction.
With one of the highest poverty rates in Europe, Spain took the first tentative steps towards a universal basic income on Friday after the government approved a minimum income of €1,108 ($1,230) per month for about 2.5 million of its poorest citizens. It became the first country in southern Europe to launch such a scheme during the pandemic.
The issue of a basic income was at the heart of the coalition agreement reached between the Socialists and the left-wing party Podemos. Read more
African players speak out over George Floyd death (BBC)
Morocco international Achraf Hakimi celebrated his goal for Dortmund by paying tribute to Floyd
Achraf Hakimi is among several African sportsmen to show support for the late African-American George Floyd after the Morocco international scored in Borussia Dortmund’s 6-1 thrashing of Paderborn.
The United States has seen a number of protests in major cities across the country since Floyd, an unarmed black man, died while being restrained by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on 25 May.
Hakimi demonstrated his support on Sunday by crossing his fists in the air in a sign for justice after scoring in the 84th minute, while also lifting his jersey to reveal ‘Justice for George Floyd’ handwritten on his vest.
The right-back, who is on loan at Dortmund from Real Madrid, also tweeted to say: ‘Together we will defeat racism! Justice!’ Read more
Arsenal yet to offer new deal to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang amid Chelsea links (Metro)
Arsenal are yet to open contract talks with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and have not offered the Gabon international an extension to his current deal, according to ESPN. The 30-year-old has around 13 months to run on his existing deal at the Emirates and reports on Monday morning in France suggested Arsenal had offered him an extension to ward off interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Chelsea. However, ESPN claim a deal is not on the table and perhaps more worryingly for Arsenal fans, that discussions over a new deal have not even started. Aubameyang was made club captain following Unai Emery’s decision to strip Granit Xhaka of the armband in 2019 but that move appears to have had little influence on the forward’s desire to stay at the club. Read more
How COVID-19 forced Chinese club to hands off on Ighalo (Guardian)
Odion Ighalo’s Chinese club, Shanghai Shenhua, yesterday admitted that the ‘uncertainty’ around when foreigners will be allowed to return to China after the coronavirus crisis played a part in their decision to allow him to extend his loan deal with Manchester United in England.
Ighalo is staying at Manchester United after agreeing to extend his loan contract until the end of January 2021, the club confirmed yesterday morning.
The Nigerian striker’s loan deal from Shanghai Shenhua was set to come to an end yesterday, but United have been able to extend it into next year.
According to dailymail.co.uk, United will pay a portion of Ighalo’s wages and a fee to Shanghai. A new contract in China understood to be worth approaching £400,000 per week, will be discussed after his United loan ends. Read more
COVID-19: ‘I’ve never felt so ill in my entire life’ – Gabby Agbonlahor (Vanguard)
Former Aston Villa forward Gabby Agbonlahor has revealed he “never felt so ill” in his entire life after contracting coronavirus.
The Villa academy graduate was struck down with Covid-19 symptoms for 10 days in March, but he has now made a full recovery.
“I caught the virus on March 15, and I’ve never felt so ill in my entire life,” Agbonlahor told Sky Sports.
“The symptoms I had, they were terrible, so if I was a player and I was speaking to the players, I wouldn’t want them to go through what I went through as it was a horrible experience and the virus is very deadly as we’ve seen. Read more
16 test positive for COVID-19 in Brazilian club (Punch)
Brazilian first division side Vasco da Gama have announced that 16 of their players have tested positive for COVID-19.
The club from Rio de Janeiro tested 350 members of staff, including players and coaches, Vasco’s medical director Marcos Teixeira said in a video on the team’s YouTube channel on Sunday.
“We found 16 athletes with positive test results. They were separated from the group, they remain in medical contact and they will be tested until we are sure that they cannot transmit the virus to the rest of the squad,” said Teixeira.
He said that around 30 percent of those tested “were previously in contact with the novel coronavirus,” including three players. Read more
Messi’s Barcelona exit clause expires (DailyTrust)
Lionel Messi’s Barcelona exit clause, which could have seen him leave the Nou Camp for free this summer, has expired. The clause – part of the four-year deal that the Argentina star signed in 2017 – expired on Sunday May 30, and would have allowed him to leave for another club for no transfer fee if he had wished. However, he has been intent on staying at the club at least until the end of his contract next summer, despite a tumultuous season that has involved rows with members of the club’s hierarchy. Read more