FBI list: We’ll unravel bigger suspects —EFCC (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said that more suspects will be uncovered as investigation into the 80 Nigerians recently indicted for internet-related crimes by the US Federal Bureau of Investigations continues. Mr Friday Elebo, the Ibadan Zonal Head of EFCC, told newsmen on Wednesday in Ibadan that the commission had commenced investigations on the Nigerians indicted by FBI. Read more
FG reduces visa fee for Americans after US reciprocity fees (Guardian)
Nigerian government has reduced the cost of visa application for US citizens. The Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbosola directed that the fee be decreased to USD 150 with effect from Thursday, 29th August 2019. US citizens pay as much as $270 for a single-entry visa while they are also charged $160 for consular services, another $100 for ‘administration’ and $10 for ‘processing.’ Read more
Police rescue three kidnapped ABU students (Punch)
The Kaduna State Police Command says its operatives have rescued three students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, abducted on Monday along Abuja-Kaduna highway. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, however, said in a Press statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna that three other persons were still being held by the kidnappers. Read more
Protesters block APC secretariat, demand explanation for Irukera’s disqualification (Nation)
A group of protesters on the platform of Kogi Mandate Group on Wednesday evening blocked entrance to the National secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) demanding explanation why their candidate for the Kogi Governorship primary, Babatunde Irukera was not cleared to contest the party primary. The group alleged that the National Working Committee of the party deliberately omitted the name of Irukera from the list of cleared aspirants even after the Appeals committee set up by the party had cleared him for the contest. Read more
South Africans attack foreign-owned businesses in new wave of xenophobia (Punch)
The Nigeria Union has advised Nigerians living in South Africa to avoid Pretoria Central Business District until the Police Authority certify the area safe for foreign nationals. The Nigerian Union in South Africa gave the advice in the wake of xenophobic attacks early Wednesday morning in that country. “Violent looting and burning of foreign-owned businesses started in the early hours of Wednesday, August 28, at the Pretoria CBD. Read more
Be wary of pension fraudsters, Minister warns retirees (Nation)
Immediate past Executive Secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) and Minister of state, Environment, Bar. Sharon Ikeazor has warned pensioners against falling prey to fraudsters. Ikeazor gave the warning on Wednesday during the commissioning of the liaison office in Awka, Anambra State. She urged them to avoid dealing with unauthorized persons in the name of facilitating the resolution of their complaints and payment of their entitlements. Read more
Find Nigerian man missing in South Africa, family begs FG (Punch)
The family of a missing South Africa-based Nigerian businessman, Mr Taiwo Aderinola Alli, has appealed to the Federal Government to prevail on the South African government to locate their brother. Mr Kehinde Alli, twin brother of Taiwo, said on Wednesday that he went missing on April 6 in Pretoria and had not been seen since then. Read more
ICPC raids suspect’s house, frees 14 females in captivity (Punch)
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission said its operatives freed 14 females locked in a room during a raid on a house belonging to the National Coordinator, Federal Civil Service Staff with Disabilities Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Iliasu Abdul-Rauf. In a statement signed by the spokesperson for the Commission, Rasheedat Okoduwa, ICPC said Abdul-Rauf’s house was raided as part of an investigation into his alleged involvement in N1.7bn fraud. Read more
Pastor who stabbed mother to death nabbed in hideout (Nation)
Police in Anambra state said they have arrested the man who stabbed the mother to death in Oraifite, Ekwusigo local government area of the state. The police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed said the suspect; Nwabueze Anaka was arrested in his hideout at Onitsha. He said, “Following intelligence report, Police detectives attached to Central Police Station Onitsha in collaboration with Oraifite Division have arrested the murder suspect today 28/8/2019 in his hideout at Onitsha. Read more
Three vigilantes arrested for robbing hotel, killing student in Ogun (Punch)
Three members of a vigilante group in Ogun State have been arrested by men of the Police Command for allegedly robbing a hotel in Ijebu-Igbo and killing a student of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ahmed Obisanwo. The three suspects were paraded on Wednesday by the state Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, at the police headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, the state capital. Read more
Ondo govt hails Olutoye’s appointment as US hospital’s Surgeon-in-Chief (Punch)
The Ondo State Government has hailed the appointment of Dr Oluyinka Olutoye as Surgeon-in-Chief of the National Children’s Hospital in the United States of America. This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by Mr Babatope Okeowo, the Chief Press Secretary to the acting Gov. Agboola Ajayi, on Wednesday in Akure. Read more
Parliament suspension: Queen approves PM’s plan (BBC)
Parliament will be suspended just days after MPs return to work in September – and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline. Boris Johnson said a Queen’s Speech would take place after the suspension, on 14 October, to outline his “very exciting agenda”. But it means the time MPs have to pass laws to stop a no-deal Brexit on 31 October would be cut. Read more
No-nonsense judge sentences fraudsters to write lines and wear embarrassing sign (Metro)
A judge sentenced two men who falsely posed as veterans to wear signs that say ‘I am a liar…I am not a veteran.’ The humiliating punishment is just one of many alternative sentences that judge Greg Pinski imposed on Ryan Morris, 28, and Troy Nelson, 33, last week in Montana. They were also ordered to hand-write all 6,756 names of the Americans killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Read more
Italy crisis: PD and Five Star agree coalition deal after talks (BBC)
The leaders of Italy’s centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and populist Five Star Movement have agreed to form a coalition government. “We consider it worthwhile to try this experience,” the PD’s Nicola Zingaretti said after meeting the president on Wednesday – the deadline for any deal. It was agreed that Giuseppe Conte should stay on as prime minister. Read more
Yemen war: Government forces re-enter key city of Aden (BBC)
Forces loyal to Yemen’s government have re-entered the southern city of Aden, which they lost to previously allied separatists earlier this month. Information Minister Moammar al-Eryani said troops and militiamen had taken full control of the city after securing the airport and presidential palace. But a separatist militia commander said it was still in control of most areas. Read more
Hurricane Dorian threatens Puerto Rico (BBC)
Dorian, a category one hurricane, is bearing down on Puerto Rico, which is still recovering from its ravaging by Hurricane Maria two years ago. US forecasters said Dorian could make landfall on the populous eastern side of the US territory later on Wednesday. The storm reached St Thomas – in the US Virgin Islands, just east of Puerto Rico – by 14:00 local time (18:00 GMT). Read more
Apple ‘sorry’ that workers listened to Siri voice recordings (BBC)
Apple has apologised following revelations that it paid third-party workers to listen to voice recordings of Siri users. The practice known as “grading” has been used by several tech firms as a way of improving the quality of speech recognition. However, Apple, Google and Microsoft all halted such work recently, following public outcry. Apple said it plans to resume grading – but only for Siri users who opt in. Read more
Tourist spent 82 days in jail after TSA insisted honey was liquid meth (Metro)
A tourist was locked up for 82 days after TSA agents insisted honey in his luggage was liquid meth. Leon Haughton was returning to the Baltimore Washington Airport from Jamaica, which is when the nightmare began. TSA canines began sniffing his luggage and Haughton assumed they smelled the KFC chicken in his bag – but was shocked when officers handcuffed him and took three bottles of Jamaican honey from his baggage. Read more
Jessi Combs: US race car driver killed in high-speed crash (BBC)
US race car driver and television personality Jessi Combs has been killed in a crash while attempting to set a new land speed record. Combs’ family confirmed that she had died in a crash in a jet-powered car in south-east Oregon, but further details were not immediately released. In a Facebook post, the family said they remembered her “bright smile and positivity”. Read more
Okagbare: Why I didn’t protest my 100m disqualification (Nation)
Africa’s Queen of the Tracks, Blessing Okagbare – Ighoteguonor, has explained why she did not protest her disqualification in the 100m Women’s semi-final race at the ongoing African Games in Morocco. The hope of the two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist winning her first gold medal in 100m event in her fourth appearance at the Africa Games went up in smoke after being disqualified for a false start in the women’s 100m semi-finals heat 1 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex on Monday. Read more
Ligue 1: Osimhen fires Lille to easy Saint-Etienne win (Punch)
Nigerian starlet Victor Osimhen shot a brace that took him to the top of the Ligue 1 scoring charts as Lille cruised to a simple 3-0 win over Saint-Etienne on Wednesday. The 20-year-old fired in the hosts’ opener shortly before the break and sealed the points with a fine turn-and-strike 15 minutes from the end, taking his tally to four goals from the season’s opening three matches. Read more
Carlos Kameni: Veteran Cameroon goalkeeper leaves Fenerbahce (BBC)
Veteran Cameroon goalkeeper Idriss Carlos Kameni has left Turkish giants Fenerbahce. The 35-year-old joined Fenerbahce in July 2017, with a lack of opportunity resulting in just 14 appearances for the Istanbul outfit. With a year left on his deal, he has had his contract with the 28-time Turkish champions terminated by mutual consent. Read more
Frank Lampard admits he’s ‘fortunate’ to have Maurizio Sarri signing Jorginho at Chelsea (Metro)
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has confessed that he’s ‘fortunate’ to have inherited a player of Jorginho’s character and ‘quality’ from Maurizio Sarri. Jorginho, 27, followed Sarri from Napoli last summer and had an inconsistent debut campaign in England, but the Italian has impressed so far this term, starting all three of Chelsea’s opening Premier League matches. Read more
Salah ‘a gentle killer’, says former boss Vogel (Guardian)
Egyptian star Mohamed Salah may be setting European and English football alight now but when he arrived in Switzerland he cast a few doubts in the mind of his first coach Heiko Vogel. The 27-year-old forward — an integral part of Liverpool’s Champions League success last season — has started the campaign in flying form scoring a double in last Sunday’s win over Arsenal. Read more
Ligue 1 match halted after Nice fans’ homophobic chants (Punch)
The Ligue 1 derby between Nice and Marseille was suspended on Wednesday following homophobic chants from the home side’s hardcore supporters.Players from both teams were escorted from the pitch in the 28th minute of the contest following repeated appeals to stop chants of “Marseille are a bunch of queers” and “Go fuck yourself, Ligue 1”. The second chant continued as the players returned down the tunnel, where they waited for around 10 minutes for the match, which was 0-0, to recommence. Read more
Manchester City star Ilkay Gundogan confident Liverpool will ‘fight’ for Premier League title again (Metro)
Ilkay Gundogan has predicted that Liverpool will ‘fight’ Manchester City for the title once again this year and believes it will push both sides to new heights. The Reds recorded their highest ever Premier League points total last season but it was not enough to secure them a first league title since 1990 as they were pipped by City to top honours by a solitary point. Read more
Bobby Duncan: Liverpool reject accusations of ‘mentally bullying’ youth team player (BBC)
Liverpool have rejected accusations of ‘mentally bullying’ teenage forward Bobby Duncan. The 18-year-old, who is the cousin of former club captain Steven Gerrard, had been the subject of interest from Serie A side Fiorentina recently but Liverpool want to keep the youngster. Duncan’s representative, Saif Rubie, says Duncan is being kept at the club against his will. Read more
Roger Federer beats Damir Dzumhur to reach US Open third round (BBC)
Roger Federer came from a set down to beat Damir Dzumhur 3-6 6-2 6-3 6-4 under the Arthur Ashe Stadium roof to reach the US Open third round. The world number three hit 17 unforced errors in losing the first set. But the Swiss five-time champion dominated the remainder of the match to defeat Bosnian world number 99 Dzumhur. Read more
US Open 2019: Nick Kyrgios clarifies ‘corrupt ATP’ claims (BBC)
Australian Nick Kyrgios said it was “not the correct choice of words” to claim the ATP was corrupt but said it was guilty of double standards. The world number 30 clarified the comments he made on Tuesday after he was asked about the $113,000 (£92,580) fine for his behaviour at the Cincinnati Masters earlier in August. “I acknowledge I’ve deserved fines and sanctioning at times,” Kyrgios tweeted. Read more
Diamond League: Noah Lyles to focus on breaking Bolt’s 200m world record (BBC)
Noah Lyles will focus on the 200m at next month’s World Athletics Championships as he aims to break Usain Bolt’s record. The American sprinter, 22, has dropped the 100m after beating Bolt’s Paris Diamond League meeting 200m record. Bolt, who retired in 2017, holds the world records in the 100m (9.58sec) and 200m (19.19sec), set in Berlin in 2009. Read more