Family meets over slain sales girl at Lagos rally (Guardian)
As controversy rages over the actual age of Jumoke Oyeleke, the lady allegedly killed by police’s stray bullet in Ojota during the Yoruba Nation rally in Lagos on Saturday, July 3, 2021, the family has kept mum over the issue.
The once boisterous Ojota home of the Oyelekes was a shadow of itself when The Guardian visited yesterday. There was eerie silence in the compound located at No. 50, Bayo Oshinowo Street, Ojota, as residents spoke in whisper.
Bayo Oshinowo Street is less than 15 minutes drive from the makeshift shop where Jumoke was killed. Apart from occasional musings from family members, a cat breastfeeding her twin kittens and a white dog moving around in the compound, the atmosphere around the street was moody. Read more
Lagos maritime union members in three-day gun battle over money (Punch)
Residents and traders in the Second Gate area of Tincan Port, along the Apapa Expressway, Lagos State, have been living in fear due to ongoing clashes between factional members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, which have left scores of people injured.
Guns, cutlasses and other weapons were reportedly freely deployed by the groups during the fight, which started last Friday.
Our correspondent, who visited the area on Monday, gathered that the warring factions were led by two members, identified simply as Tao and Kunle.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Tao, who was in charge of taking money from cargos operating outside the Second Gate area of the port, brought Kunle to assist him in the operation. Read more
Police arraign 47 Yoruba Nation activists for alleged public disturbances (Guardian)
The Lagos State Police Command has arraigned the 47 Yoruba Nation agitators, arrested last Saturday before a magistrates’ court in Yaba, Lagos.
They were arraigned for allegedly going against the law enforcement agency’s orders and caused public disturbances across the state.
It was learnt that the police had also sought an ex parte order to detain the demonstrators for another 21 days. Spokesman for the Lagos Police Command, Olumuyiwa Adejobi , could not be reached for response on the arraignment as calls and messages sent to his phone were not returned.
Meanwhile, six legal practitioners, led by a former president of the Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Olasupo Ojo, and Oladapo Kayode, have reportedly waded in to prevent further detention of the agitators. Read more
1 dead, 2 injured as gas explosion rocks Ogun (Vanguard)
One person was confirmed dead, while two others were seriously injured in Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu Ode local government area of Ogun State a gas explosion that rocked the town on Monday.
Vanguard gathered that the incident happened along Folagbade road in Ijebu-Ode, and it involved a tricycle, three motorcycles and a Honda SUV.
An eyewitness account said the explosion was caused by a gas cylinder belonging to one of the passengers of the tricycle.
The eyewitness explained that, the rider of the tricycle that was conveying three occupants parked by the roadside, when the owner of the cylinder discovered that the gas was leaking from the cylinder. Read more
Ohanaeze insist on slot as 17 govs demand 2023 South presidency (Punch)
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged the Southern Governors Forum to zone the 2023 Presidency to the South-East in the interest of fair play and justice.
Spokesman for the Ohanaeze, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, who said the group, backed the southern governors’ position that the region should produce the President in 2023, said the region must be magnanimous in conceding to South-East the Presidency.
The governors had met on Monday in Ikeja, Lagos State on the state of the nation. Read more
20-year-old Internet fraudster jailed 1 month for $150 love scam (Vanguard)
A Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, on Monday, sentenced one Oke Gideon 20, to one-month imprisonment for Internet fraud and romance scam.
The trial judge, Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar, said Gideon was convicted and sentenced based on his confessional statement, his guilty plea to the charges and the exhibits tendered against him before the court.
In passing sentence, the judge, however, granted him an option of a N50,000 fine but ordered the seizure of his iPhone 6 and HP laptop, being the devices used for the crime.
He further ordered the forfeiture of the exhibits to the Federal Government. Read more
PANDEF seeks reversal of PIB, insists on 10% for host communities (Guardian)
The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), yesterday, demanded a reversal of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) as passed by the National Assembly in which the lawmakers reduced host communities’ operating expenditure from five per cent to three per cent.
In letter to the Ahmed Lawan-led Senate, PANDEF vehemently rejected the three per cent of operating expenditure granted host communities in the proposed legislation.
PANDEF also described the 30 per cent provision for the Frontier Exploration Fund in the proposed law to be reviewed and presented to President Muhammadu Buhari for signing as “fraudulent and provocative.”
The Chief Edwin Clark-led group demanded immediate reversal and review of the PIB to ensure that the oil-bearing communities receive at least 10 per cent of operating cost. Read more
PFN, CAN tackle FG as bandits abduct 140 students in fresh Kaduna raid (Punch)
Bandits in the early hours of Monday invaded the Bethel Baptist High School, Maraban Rido in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and whisked away no fewer than 140 students.
A teacher in the school, Emmanuel Paul, in an interview with journalists, said 140 students were abducted by the bandits, who attacked the school located along the Kaduna-Kachia highway at 1am.
“They came at 1am and made away with 140 students,” he said.
However, the police said a few hours after the abduction, security agents rescued 26 of the abducted students. Read more
1 killed, 2 hospitalised in Kaduna bomb explosion (Guardian)
Police in Kaduna yesterday confirmed the death of one child, and two seriously wounded in a bomb explosion planted by terrorists at the heart of the city.
Spokesperson for the command, ASP Muhammed Jalige, said that on July 3, 2021, about 1615hrs, there was an explosion at Shagari Close, Badarawa, Kaduna as result of a suspected Improvised Explosive Device concealed in three bottles of popular children’s juice (Viju Milk).
Jalige, in a statement yesterday, said: “Three children picked up the bottles on ground, which, unknown to them, contained explosive substances, used them as football, as a result, the two bottles exploded, injuring the three children.
He listed the names of the children as Abubakar Aminu, Abubakar Abdullahi and Abdullahi Abubakar. Read more
Minister slumps at Bauchi event, lands in trauma centre (Punch)
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Maryam Katagum, reportedly slumped at an official event in Bauchi.
Katagum, who was in Bauchi to inaugurate an empowerment programme on Monday at the NAADI office, Sani Mallam Shopping Plaza located on the Ahmadu Bello Way, was said to have suddenly collapsed as she tried to deliver her speech.
The PUNCH reports that photos from the event showed the minister seated with the state Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela. Read more
Tropical Storm Elsa: Cuba reels as storm moves towards Florida (BBC)
After causing devastation in the Caribbean, Tropical Storm Elsa is moving north towards the Florida Keys.
More than 100,000 people in Cuba were evacuated before Elsa hit on Monday, causing mudslides and “flooding rains”.
In the days before, the storm passed over the Dominican Republic and St Lucia, killing three people.
Officials in Florida have said they are “very hopeful” that they won’t have to pause rescue efforts at the site of a collapsed building in Miami. Read more
Maya Jama kisses Ben Simmons as pair go public with romance at Wimbledon (Metro)
Maya Jama and Ben Simmons have pretty much confirmed they are an item after they were spotted kissing at Wimbledon – and they’re our new favourite celeb couple.
The pair appeared to be in good spirits as they sat among many other spectators at the tennis tournament, which returned this year after being cancelled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
TV presenter Maya, 26, looked smitten as she cuddled up next to basketball player Ben, 24, before they both leaned in for a smooch, after attending a Polo Ralph Lauren and British Vogue-hosted lunch event.
She also looked dressed to impress at the event, as she wore a matching pastel-coloured checkered co-ord, which she paired with a white handbag and nude sandals. Read more
Avignon theatre festival returns a year after coronavirus claimed 2020 edition (RFI)
The 75th Avignon theatre festival returned to its spiritual home in the main courtyard of the Palais des Papes on Monday.
The opening production, The Cherry Orchard, directed by Tiago Rodrigues, will be performed in the Cour d’honneur, with French actress Isabelle Huppert as guest star.
“It’s a chance in an actress’s life,” said Huppert in an interview on Sunday with Le Parisien newspaper, more than 20 years after she first performed at the Palais des Papes.
After the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, festival organisers said strict health measures would be in force until the event ends on 25 July. Read more
India’s Covid doctors demand action after attacks (BBC)
Dr Seuj Kumar Senapati vividly remembers the afternoon in early June he thought he would die.
It was his first job and his second day at work at a Covid care centre in Hojai district, in India’s north-eastern state of Assam.
He was asked to check on a patient who had been admitted that morning. When he did, he found him unresponsive.
The patient’s family was furious when he told them the man had died. In moments, Dr Senapati recalled, all hell broke loose. He said they started hurling chairs around the room, breaking windows and abusing staff. Read more
Survivor window closing in Japan landslide, 24 unaccounted for (RFI)
More than 1,000 soldiers and rescue workers joined an increasingly desperate search Tuesday for survivors in a Japanese resort town devastated by a landslide three days ago.
Four people have been confirmed dead after the disaster in Atami in central Japan and officials said they were still unable to clarify the fate or whereabouts of 24 other residents.
Helicopter images showed a bleak line of sludge and rubble snaking down a hillside district of Atami, a popular hot-spring destination.
Rescuers trawled through destroyed homes and waded across vast piles of mud at the very end of the 72 hours that experts say are crucial in the race to save lives. Read more
Richard Donner: Superman and Goonies director dies aged 91 (BBC)
Richard Donner, the Hollywood director whose films included Superman and The Goonies, has died aged 91.
He passed away on Monday, his wife, the film producer Lauren Shuler Donner, told Deadline.
His first major break came with 1976’s The Omen, and later produced Free Willy and The Lost Boys.
Steven Spielberg, who wrote the story on which The Goonies was based, told Variety that Donner was “gifted across so many genres”. Read more
Jeff Bezos steps down as Amazon CEO after 27 years (Metro)
Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is handing over the reins of the gigantic tech company 27 years after he created it.
Andy Jassy, Amazon’s cloud chief, will take over the running of the company as CEO while Bezos shifts his focus to his space company, Blue Origin.
The current second richest man in the world has already announced he will be travelling to space this month with Blue Origin.
Jassy, meanwhile, will be awarded more than $200 million in extra stock as the new CEO, which will pay out over 10 years. Read more
England have ‘very special opportunity’ in semi-final – Southgate (BBC)
England have a “very special opportunity” to make the country happy when they face Denmark in their Euro 2020 semi-final on Wednesday, says manager Gareth Southgate.
A 4-0 quarter-final win against Ukraine in Rome on Saturday sent Southgate’s side through to the last four.
They now return to Wembley – the site of their last semi-final appearance in the men’s Euros 25 years ago.
“England matches bring families and communities together,” said Southgate. Tead more
Springboks suspend training as Lood de Jager tests positive for Covid-19 ahead of opening Lions clash (Metro)
The Springboks have been forced to suspend training for a second time in as many weeks after Lood de Jager tested positive for Covid-19, with concerns growing around the British and Irish Lions tour.
De Jager, 28, who plays for Sale Sharks at club level, received the bad news following a round of scheduled testing on Monday, with the opening Test against the Lions taking place in just under three weeks’ time.
As the lock forward had been in close contact with several other members of Jacques Nienaber’s playing squad, the entire group has now had to go into preventative isolation. Read more
Wimbledon 2021: Roger Federer & Novak Djokovic win last-16 matches (BBC)
Eight-time champion Roger Federer followed top seed Novak Djokovic into the Wimbledon quarter-finals as both eased through their last-16 matches.
Djokovic, 34, continued his bid for a record-equalling 20th men’s Grand Slam title with a 6-2 6-4 6-2 win against Chile’s Cristian Garin.
Federer, who holds the record alongside Rafael Nadal, later won 7-5 6-4 6-2 against Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego.
The Swiss will face second seed Daniil Medvedev or Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.
Russia’s Medvedev led 6-2 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 3-4 when the pair were forced off the outside court two because of persistent rain. Read more
Why Emma Raducanu withdrew from her Wimbledon last 16 match (Metro)
Emma Raducanu was forced to withdraw from her last 16 match at Wimbledon due to breathing difficulties.
The 18-year-old’s remarkable run at SW19 came to an end on Monday night when she retired from her tie against Ajla Tomljanovic.
Raducanu was trailing 3-0 in the second set having dropped the opener before calling for her trainer.
She left the court for further treatment but shortly after it was confirmed she would not be returning. 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
Katarina Johnson-Thompson to return from injury at British Grand Prix (BBC)
Katarina Johnson-Thompson will step up her return from injury at the British Grand Prix, where she will compete in the long jump on 13 July.
The world heptathlon champion will face German gold medallist Malaika Mihambo in Gateshead.
Fellow Britons Jazmin Sawyers and Abigail Irozuru will also be competing at the event.Johnson-Thompson, 28, recorded a 1.84m high jump at a meeting in France last week. Read more