Fire guts shops at Ladipo Market, Lagos (Guardian)
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says shops containing car accessories worth millions of naira have been gutted by fire at Ladipo Market, Lagos.
Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, NEMA Acting Zonal Coordinator, South-West Zonal Office, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the fire started about 4 a.m. on Wednesday.
According to Farinloye, the shops contained vehicle air conditioners, engine oil, paints and other car accessories. Read more
Police intensify patrol to curb cult activities (Nation)
The Lagos State Police Command said it has intensified patrols to prevent members of the Black Axe Cult group planning to hold their annual July 7 celebration from wreaking havoc.
It said the cultists had earlier been warned to steer clear of Lagos as they planned to celebrate Boogie Night in many parts of the country and beyond.
A statement by spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the command embarked on a show of force to boost public confidence and also sound a warning to cultists that security agencies the state would fish them out.
Adejobi said: “The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has re-echoed his order to officers and men of the command to intensify efforts in resisting and curtailing any act of lawlessness, oppression and intimidation from any group of individuals who might want to engage in any unlawful gathering or celebration of whatever kind. Read more
Lagos to enforce traffic laws through TSM -Commissioner (Tribune)
Lagos State government, on Wednesday, said with the introduction of Traffic Management Solution (TMS) in the state, the issue of controversy surrounding the operation of law enforcement personnel and alleged traffic violators would be put to rest.
TMS is a technologically-driven device to reduce human interface, eliminate traffic congestions on the roads and manage violations of traffic laws.
The State Commissioner for Transportation, Frederick Oladeinde, made this known at a press briefing, while speaking on the introduction of the device, at a press conference held in Alausa, Ikeja, declaring that the hallmark of the new device was transparency.
According to the commissioner, the device which would be used by both the Lagos Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) in their operations is linked to the control room where every activity will be monitored. Read more
Woman who allegedly poured hot water on sales lady docked (Independent)
One Mrs Rasheedat Adeleke has been arraigned before a Yaba Magistrate Court, Yaba for allegedly assaulting her 29-year-old sales lady at the Ikotun area of the State.
The defendant, Rasheedat was arraigned on a two-count charge by the Nigerian Police in response to the report by the Directorate for Citizens Rights, Lagos State Ministry of Justice.
The defendant who own Super King Supreme Store at Ayodele Ogunkoya street, Ikotun, was said to have assaulted and inflicted injuries on Miss Bukola Akinola, 29-year-old by pouring hot water on her on the 28th of May, 2021 at Moriano Close, Saint Saviour Primary School Bus-stop, Ijegun Road, Lagos.
In count one, Rashidat Adeleke and others in May 2021 at No. 15 Adebisi Awolola, Ikotun, Lagos did conspire together to commit felony contrary to section 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Read more
Ogboni King in police can (Nation)
A Yoruba traditional worshipper, who identified himself as an “Ogboni King”, has become the butt of jokes — no thanks to a trending video, showing he may have lied over his role, and that of his group, in the Yoruba nation rally of July 3, in Lagos.
The rally and the Lagos Police Command’s bid to foil it, citing grim security reports and decreeing it wouldn’t allow any protest on account of those reports, are too fresh to bear recounting. Long and short: the rally held, though not in the grand form it was conceived; and the Ogboni King took part in it — and got nabbed.
Indeed the man, who later introduced himself as “Kabiyesi Tajudeen Olanrewaju Bakare, of renowned Ogboni Abalaye, known and called all over the world as ‘Ajamajebi‘ ” — Yoruba for who fights but is without blame, for he is always on his right — negated the very ethos he claimed. Read more
Kwara-Based Fulani leader abducted in Oyo (DailyTrust)
A prominent Fulani leader, Alhaji Usmanu Sule, better known as Jamhuro Lamba, has been kidnapped in Lalate, Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State.
A resident told Daily Trust that the 90-year-old man was abducted when he went to the village to check his relations.
“The gunmen stormed the village and took him away. He was the only man on ground when they struck. He was with some women and children at that time.
Abubukar Malam Boggol, a resident of Lamba in Kwara State told Daily Trust that Jamhuro Usmanu Sule was the head of all Jamhuro in Kwara.
He said the title ‘Jamhuro’ was given to the Fulani leader, who has stayed in Yorubaland for a very long period. Read more
FEC approves N86.5b for roads in Rivers, Lagos states (Guardian)
The Federal Executive Council has approved N7.2 billion for emergency repairs on 32 federal roads in Lagos State.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said this at the end of the Council meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
According to the minister, he presented three memos to the council, with two on approvals and one as a report on the meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, held in Jos, Plateau.
He said: “The other two which are memoranda for approval, was to ratify the emergency repairs of about 32 routes of federal roads in Lagos State emergency repairs carried out between 2017 and 2019. Read more
Gunmen kidnap PDP chieftain in Edo, demand N20m ransom (Nation)
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Ugbo Iyiriaro, has been kidnapped along Benin – Abraka Road in Edo State, with the gunmen demanding N20 million ransom.
It was gathered from security sources in Benin, the state capital, that the incident happened between Ugo and Ugboko in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo on Tuesday.
Iyiriaro left Benin to attend to an urgent matter in his Umoghunokhua hometown in Orhionmwon LGA, before running into the kidnappers, midway into the journey. Read more
774,000 Jobs: FG wants participants to invest N60,000 stipends in business (DailyTrust)
The federal government has said it will take 774,000 people who participated in the just concluded Extended Special Public Works (ESPW) programme through Basic Business Training (BBT) in order to establish them with their 3 months N60,000 stipends.
The spokesman of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Edmund Onwuliri, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said the training was part of the exit strategy being rolled out for the participants of the programme.
Onwuliri, however, did not disclose the amount the agency would expend on the training but stated that it is scheduled to hold at a central venue in each of the three senatorial districts across the states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, the participants are expected to acquire the relevant skills that will enable them identify and manage micro and small businesses of their own after they exit the ESPW. Read more
Trump sues Twitter, Google and Facebook alleging ‘censorship’ (BBC)
Former US president Donald Trump has announced plans to sue tech giants Google, Twitter and Facebook, claiming that he is the victim of censorship.
The class action lawsuit also targets the three companies’ CEOs.
Mr Trump was suspended from his social accounts in January over public safety concerns in the wake of the Capitol riots, led by his supporters.
On Wednesday, Mr Trump called the lawsuit “a very beautiful development for our freedom of speech”. Read more
Prosecutors won’t seek death penalty for man charged in Pop Smoke’s killing (PageSix)
Prosecutors won’t pursue the death penalty against a man charged with killing Brooklyn-born rapper Pop Smoke during a home-invasion robbery in Los Angeles.
Corey Walker, 20, could still face a maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted of the Feb. 19, 2020, slaying of the artist, whose real name was Bashar Jackson, NBC Palm Springs reported.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon vowed shortly after he took office to refrain from seeking the death penalty, saying it is “never an appropriate resolution in any case,” the outlet reported.
He also directed his office to “immediately end the practice of sending youth to the adult court system.” Read more
Taliban battle their way into western Afghan city (BBC)
The Taliban have entered a key city in western Afghanistan as they continue a rapid advance before Nato troops leave.
All government officials in Qala-e-Naw, provincial capital of Badghis province, had been moved to a nearby army base, the local governor told the BBC.
He said the militants were moving “towards the centre of the city” and there was heavy fighting with government troops.
The Taliban gains come as the US, UK and allies withdraw after 20 years. Read more
Suzzanne Douglas, veteran star of stage and screen, dead at 64 (NYPost)
Suzzanne Douglas, a veteran actress with four decades of stage and screen work to her credit, has died. She was 64.
The “When They See Us” star’s cause of death has not been confirmed, but Douglas revealed in January that “two life threatening cancers” had changed her life.
“Don’t let poor health interrupt your purpose,” she posted on Facebook at the time. “God’s mission and plan for our lives takes our being committed to our mind, body and soul.”
Her passing was confirmed by her family Tuesday night. Read more
Mila affair: 11 sentenced over online abuse (BBC)
Eleven people have been found guilty of sending abusive messages to a French teenager who posted videos criticising Islam online.
“We have won and we’ll win again,” Mila said after the suspended sentences of between four and six months were announced on Wednesday.
Mila was 16 when her first Instagram clip went viral.
She has since received 100,000 hate messages, her lawyer says, and lives under 24-hour police protection. Read more
Tropical Storm Elsa makes landfall along Florida’s northern Gulf Coast (USAToday)
After a slog up the west coast of Florida, Tropical Storm Elsa made landfall around 11 a.m. Wednesday morning in lightly populated Taylor County along the state’s northern Gulf Coast, the National Hurricane Center said.
Forecasters say Elsa’s path will cut across north Florida inland with heavy rains and wind and move on to Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia before heading out in the Atlantic Ocean by Friday.
Earlier, Key West streets had turned to roaring rivers and Tampa was blasted by high winds and heavy rains as the storm, weakening slightly but still a powerful storm, rolled up Florida’s west coast. Read more
Wimbledon 2021: Novak Djokovic to face Denis Shapovalov in semi-finals (BBC)
Defending champion Novak Djokovic had too much quality for Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics as he reached the Wimbledon semi-finals with a focused display.
Djokovic, 34, was far from his best, but still won 6-3 6-4 6-4 against 29-year-old Fucsovics, who was contesting his first Grand Slam quarter-final.
The Serb will play 10th seed Denis Shapovalov on Friday after the Canadian beat Russian 25th seed Karen Khachanov.
Djokovic is now two wins from a record-equalling 20th men’s major.
Follow live text, TV and radio coverage of Federer’s quarter-final against Hurkacz
After winning the Australian Open and French Open titles already this year, another triumph at the All England Club will mean he equals the tally jointly held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Read more
NBA Finals: Phoenix Suns beat Milwaukee Bucks in game one (BBC)
Chris Paul scored 32 points and made nine assists as he inspired the Phoenix Suns to a 118-105 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the first NBA Finals appearance of his 16-year-career.
The 36-year-old point guard made the crucial difference in game one, shooting 12 of 19 from the floor.
Devin Booker scored 27 points, while DeAndre Ayton added 22 points and 19 rebounds.
It is the Suns’ first Finals appearance since 1993 as they hunt a first title. Read more
Griezmann loses video game sponsor in Japan racism row (Guardian)
Japanese video games firm Konami said Wednesday it was scrapping French striker Antoine Griezmann’s role as a brand ambassador over a racism row involving the Barcelona striker and teammate Ousmane Dembele.
“Previously we had announced Antoine Griezmann as our Yu-Gi-Oh! contents ambassador, however in light of recent events we have decided to cancel the contract,” the firm said in a statement alluding to a manga gaming series.
“Konami Digital Entertainment believes, as is the philosophy of sports, that discrimination of any kind is unacceptable,” the company stressed, adding it would be asking Barcelona “as a club partner to explain the details of this case and its future actions.” Read more
NBA star Trae Young goes incognito in Bahamas after Hawks loss (PageSix)
Maybe he was trying to win some of that money he nearly made in the NBA Finals?
Atlanta Hawks breakout star Trae Young was spotted incognito at a blackjack table at Bahamas resort Baha Mar over the weekend — wearing a hoodie and a mask.
But the 22-year-old point guard was noticed by some younger fans, who quickly began to proliferate, sources told us.
A spy said that ultimately “about 200 kids, I am not kidding, who looked about 15 or younger were standing around the casino chanting ‘Trae Young.’ ” Read more
Tour de France 2021: Wout van Aert wins stage 11 as Tadej Pogacar retains lead (BBC)
Belgium’s Wout van Aert claimed a fine solo win on stage 11 of the Tour de France as leader Tadej Pogacar showed a first glimpse of vulnerability.
Van Aert dominated the double ascent of Mont Ventoux to finish one minute 14 seconds ahead of Kenny Elissonde and Bauke Mollema.
Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard distanced Pogacar on the second climb of Ventoux.
But the defending champion recovered to catch Vingegaard on the descent, and retains a significant overall lead. Read more
XFL and CFL will not merge; XFL expected to return in 2023 (USAToday)
The XFL and CFL will no longer be pursuing a partnership in the short-term, according to the CFL, which said in a statement Monday both leagues agreed to move forward separately.
“Our talks with the XFL, exploring the potential for collaboration and innovation, have been positive and constructive,” the statement read. “While we remain open to finding new ways to work together in the future, we and our XFL counterparts have jointly decided to not pursue any formal arrangements at this time.”
In March, the leagues announced they agreed to “collaborate” and “innovate” in a vague description of the partnership. The CFL will return to action Aug. 5 for the first time since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic canceled last season and prevented the Grey Cup – the nine-team league’s championship – from being played for the first time since 2019. Read more