Gani Adams appeals to FG for release of Sowore (Guardian)
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams has appealed to the Federal Government to release the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (ACC), Omoyele Sowore. Adams said that such arrest portended grave danger for Nigeria’s democracy. The publisher of Sahara Reporters and convener Global Coalition for Security and Democracy in Nigeria was arrested by the police from the DSS over a planned revolutionary protest scheduled for Monday, August 5. Read more
Insecurity will receive legislative attention after recess —Minority Reps (Punch)
The minority caucus of the House of Representatives has condemned “in strong terms” the recent killing of a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Paul Offu, in Awgu, Enugu State, by gunmen. The caucus while noting that the primary purpose of government is the security of the lives and property of citizens, charged the Federal Government with curtailing the high spate of insecurity in the country. According to the opposition lawmakers, the rising cases of killings, banditry, kidnappings, among others, will receive “full legislative attention” when the National Assembly resumes from the ongoing two-month annual recess in September. Read more
Three shiites members died in Police custody – Amnesty International (Guardian)
Amnesty International Monday called for an investigation into the death of three members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) who allegedly died of gunshots wound in police custody. “The Nigerian government must promptly investigate in an independent and impartial manner the deaths of the three detainees in police custody and bring to justice those suspected of wrongdoing,” director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, said in a statement on Monday. Read more
Senate shouldn’t be retirement home for suspected looters —NGO (Punch)
The Global Centre for Conscious Living Against Corruption, on Monday warned that the Senate should not be turned to what it called “a retirement home for suspected looters.” The centre’s Director-General, Dr. Nwambu Gabriel, made the call in Abuja at a Press conference tagged “Before our esteemed Senate becomes a safe haven for some corrupt ex-governors.” Gabriel expressed concerns that the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, is “deteriorating to a safe haven” for former governors who he said are currently being prosecuted by the nation’s anti-corruption agencies. Read more
Behave like Bauchi lawmakers, NLC, NURTW tell Edo members-elect (Nation)
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), have urged 12 members-elect of the Edo House of Assembly, currently in Abuja, to behave like Bauchi State lawmakers and present themselves for inauguration. Reacting to how Bauchi State resolved its issues, State Chairman, of the state chapter of NLC, Mr. Sunny Osayande, said the absence of the 12 members-elect from the House is denying those that voted for them true representation. Read more
Court okays EFCC request to freeze Bauchi govt. account (Nation)
Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court Abuja, on Monday, granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s prayer to freeze the First City Monument Bank (FCMB)’s Operational Account number: 0998552074 of the Bauchi State government. The EFCC, through his Counsel, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, in an Exparte Order with file number: FHC/ABJ/CS/858/2019, sought the order of the court to freeze the account pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation by the commission. Read more
Why we raided Zamfara ex-gov’s residence —EFCC (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said it raided the residence of former Zamfara Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, over allegations of economic and financial crimes. EFCC’s acting spokesman, Mr. Tony Orilade, said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday. NAN reports that the country home of Yari, who was also a former chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, was raided on Sunday night by operatives of the anti-graft agency. Read more
Ugwuanyi sends anti-kidnapping bill to Assembly (Nation)
Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on Monday decided to send the anti-kidnapping bill to the Assembly. The decision was taken at a crucial meeting with Vigilante/Nieghbourhood Watch groups in the 17 local government areas of the state towards strengthening the security of the state. A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, shortly after the meeting, stated that the state government upon reviewing the security situation in the state, resolved to send an Anti-kidnapping Bill to the state assembly as an Executive Bill, to ensure maximum security. Read more
Delta government to demolish structures on waterways in Warri, environs (Guardian)
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta said on Monday that he would demolish all structures on waterways in Warri and its environs to address the flooding challenge in the area. The governor disclosed this in Asaba when he received the Preliminary Report of the Committee to study and advise the government on measures required to tackle flooding in Effurun, Warri, and its environs. He warned the officials of the Ministry of Lands and Surveys not to issue building approval certificates to property developers without visiting such sites to know whether they were located on roads or waterways. Read more
Gov. Bello assures Muslim pilgrims of adequate care (Nation)
Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State on Monday assured Muslim pilgrims of adequate care while in Saudi Arabia to partake in the 2019 Hajj exercise. Bello gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen before his departure from Minna International Airport alongside 527 last batch of pilgrims from the state to the holy land to perform the 2019 Hajj exercise. Read more
UK-based Nigerian, Ajibola Shogbamimu, gets 17 years for killing 20-year-old (Punch)
A Nigerian man, Shohfah-El Israel, who was born Ajibola Shogbamimu has been convicted of the murder of a 20-year-old midwifery student, Joy Morgan. According to UK Telegraph, Morgan went missing after driving he drove her home from the church where they met. The “warm, loving and caring” student’s body has never been recovered, despite extensive police searches of hundreds of acres of land in Hertfordshire. Read more
Uganda begins trial of Ebola vaccine —Health officials (Punch)
Uganda said Monday it had started a trial of an experimental Ebola vaccine that may be used in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, where an outbreak has killed more than 1,800 people. The trial of the MVA-BN vaccine developed by Johnson&Johnson is expected to last two years, Uganda’s Medical Research Council (MRC) said. The vaccine will be administered to up to 800 health professionals and frontline workers such as cleaners, ambulance personnel and mortuary and burial teams, in the western district of Mbarara, the MRC said in a statement. Read more
EU officials: No basis for ‘meaningful’ UK Brexit talks (BBC)
EU officials have said there is currently no basis for “meaningful discussions” with the UK over Brexit. One negotiator said: “We are back where we were three years ago.” Diplomats from the other 27 EU member states were told on Monday that a no-deal scenario could only be avoided by making substantial changes to the plan on the table – which they could not accept. Read more
We’ll develop new nuclear missiles if you do, Putin warns Trump (Punch)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday warned that Moscow would be forced to start developing short and intermediate-range land-based nuclear missiles if the US started doing so after the demise of a landmark arms control treaty. The US formally left the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty with Russia on Friday after determining that Moscow was violating the treaty and had already deployed at least one banned type of missile, an accusation the Kremlin denies. Read more
Barack Obama condemns Donald Trump for ‘normalizing racist sentiments’ after mass shootings (Metro)
Barack Obama condemned Donald Trump for ‘normalizing racist sentiments’ in the wake of the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton that killed 31. Obama did not directly name Trump in his scathing statement released hours after the president’s own speech – but Trump appeared to be one of the intended targets of the former president’s rebuke. In part, the statement read: ‘We should soundly reject language coming out of the mouths of any of our leaders that feeds a climate of fear and hatred or normalizes racist sentiments.’ Read more
Cesar Sayoc: Man who sent pipe bombs to Trump critics jailed for 20 years (BBC)
A Trump supporter who admitted sending mail bombs to critics of the US president has been jailed for 20 years. Cesar Sayoc, a 57-year-old ex-pizza delivery man from Florida, posted 16 pipe bombs to 13 targets last October. Prosecutors called for a life sentence for Sayoc, who they said was motivated by a “hate-filled ideology”. His targets included well-known media figures and Democrats, including former president Barack Obama and 2016 election nominee Hillary Clinton. Read more
Couple thrown in hellhole Malaysia jail because immigration officer didn’t stamp passports (Metro)
An American tourist and his girlfriend were thrown into a hellhole Malaysian jail after an immigration official forgot to stamp their passports. Will Lucas and his girlfriend Sam were tossed into the prison as he prepared to board a flight back home to the United States. Another immigration worker saw that the orphanage volunteers had not been stamped on entering Malaysia, then accused them of coming in illegally. Read more
Huge blasts as Russian arms depot in Siberia explodes (BBC)
Thousands of people have been evacuated from villages around a military base in Siberia after a series of massive explosions at its ammunition store. At least eight people including service personnel were injured in the blasts near the town of Achinsk. Three of the injured were being treated in hospital. The depot reportedly contained tens of thousands of artillery shells. Witnesses posted videos of balls of flame and black smoke, starting during the day and continuing after dark. Read more
Boy urges Police to detain dad who beat red light twice (Punch)
A five-year-old boy who observed his father go through a red light twice in a row called the emergency services, German Police reported on Monday. The operator in the region in northern Bavaria took the call briefly after hearing a child’s voice before the line was cut. The officer taking the call immediately returned it, only to get the father on the line. Read more
Bodybuilder, 76, has to be seen to be believed on Australia’s Got Talent (Metro)
Janice Lorraine stunned Australia’s Got Talent audiences with her impressive physique as she took to the stage for her audition. Showing off her toned frame as Donna Summer’s iconic hit Hot Stuff blasted out in the background, the 76-year-old bodybuilder paraded around in a purple bikini as audiences cheered and the judges sat gobsmacked. ‘Janice is my hero,’ admitted presenter Rick-Lee Coulter as she watched on from the curtains. Read more
Villarreal confirm Chukwueze’s return (Nation)
Samuel Chukwueze has returned to his Spanish club Villarreal ahead of the 2019-20 season. The forward was given an extended break after featuring in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where he scored once as Nigeria finished third. On Monday, the Yellow Submarine confirmed the arrival of the Super Eagles forward for pre-season. Read more
Wayne Rooney: Derby County keen to make former England captain player-coach (BBC)
Derby County are keen to appoint Wayne Rooney as a player-coach. The former England skipper still has over two seasons left on the contract he signed with Major League Soccer team DC United last summer. However, Rams owner Mel Morris feels Rooney could provide the impetus required to get the club back into the Premier League. Rooney has made no secret of his desire to go into coaching and Derby feel that could also be a factor. Read more
Brighton sign French striker Maupay from Brentford (Punch)
Brighton signed French striker Neal Maupay from Brentford in a reported £20 million ($24 million) deal on Monday. Maupay agreed a four-year contract after passing a medical with the Premier League club. The 22-year-old scored 28 goals for Championship side Brentford in all competitions last season and had been interesting promoted Aston Villa. Maupay, a former France Under-21 international, moved to Brentford from Saint Etienne in 2017. Read more
Ronaldo is the best, says India’s Kohli (Guardian)
The world’s number one batsman, Virat Kohli, said Friday that Cristiano Ronaldo remains the world’s top footballer. Kohli, who tops the global batting rankings, said that the Portuguese goalscorer remains a superstar even at the age of 34. “For me, Cristiano is above everyone else. His commitment and work ethic is unmatched. He wants it that bad – you can see it every game,” Kohli told the FIFA website. Read more
Marseille sign Argentina striker Benedetto (Punch)
Marseille have signed Argentina forward Dario Benedetto from Boca Juniors on a four-year deal, the Ligue 1 outfit announced on Monday. Benedetto, 29, who has made five international appearances since his debut in 2017, has reportedly cost the French club 16 million euros ($17.9 million). He scored 39 goals in 63 matches in three years, twice winning the league for Argentine giants Boca after spells with Tijuana and Club America in Mexico and Gimnasa, Arsenal and Defensa in his home country. Read more
Carl Frampton: Non-boxing related hand injury forces Belfast boxer out of Dominguez fight (BBC)
Carl Frampton has been forced to pull out of Saturday’s fight with Emmanuel Dominguez due to a non-boxing related hand injury. It has been reported that an ornament dropped on the Belfast boxer’s hand, breaking two bones and ruling him out of the bout in Philadelphia. The 32-year-old was due to make his first return to the ring since his defeat by Josh Warrington in December. Read more
Bjorg Lambrecht: Belgian cyclist dies following crash during the Tour de Pologne (BBC)
Belgian cyclist Bjorg Lambrecht has died at the age of 22 following a crash during stage three of the Tour de Pologne. Lambrecht crashed around 60 miles from the end of the race from Chorzow to Zabrze in Poland. He was taken by helicopter to hospital where he later died on Monday. “The biggest tragedy possible that could happen to the family, friends and team-mates of Bjorg has happened. Rest in peace,” said his team Lotto-Soudal. Read more
Lewis Hamilton plans quiet August to ‘focus on recovery’ (BBC)
Lewis Hamilton is going to change his lifestyle during Formula 1’s summer break to ensure he comes back “recovered” for the rest of the season. The Mercedes driver, winner of eight out of 12 races this year, expects the last nine to be “much harder for us”. “In the past I went into the break 100% fit,” said Hamilton, who struggled with illness at the German Grand Prix. “I am not in that place at the moment. I have been fit all year but I have to make sure I get my energy back.” Read more
