Gorilla ‘swallows’ N6.8 million in Kano zoo (Guardian)
A finance officer at Kano Zoological Gardens has claimed that a gorilla swallowed N6.8 million that went missing under their watch. The finance officer, according to radio station in the state, Freedom Radio, said the gorilla “sneaked into their office” and carted away the money before swallowing it. The money was generated from tourists who visited the zoo during the Eid celebrations. Read more
We’ll pass budget within three months —Senate President Lawan (Punch)
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan has said that henceforth the National Assembly would ensure the passage of the nation’s appropriation bill within three months of its submission by the executive arm of government. Lawan stated this known when he fielded questions from State House correspondents after joining President Muhammadu Buhari to perform the weekly Friday’s Juma’at prayer at the Aso Rock Mosque, Abuja. He, however, expressed the hope that the executive would always ensure early submission of the budget to enable the assembly deliberate and pass it in good time. Read more
Naira Marley released from prison custody (Guardian)
Nigerian artiste, Azeez Fashola, better known as Naira Marley, has been released from prison custody after perfecting his bail condition. His release came about 14 days after a Federal High Court in Lagos granted his bail application. Justice Nicholas Oweibo set Naira Marley’s total bond at N2 million with two sureties in like sum on May 30. Read more
First Lady reaffirms commitment to women, children (Punch)
The First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, has reaffirmed her commitment toward improving the living conditions of women, children and the vulnerable persons in Nigeria. A statement by her Director of Information, Mr Suleiman Haruna on Friday, disclosed that she stated this while hosting wives of former and current governors at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. She also presented an award of excellence to the spouses of the former governors for their contributions toward uplifting the living standards of women and children in their States through their various pet projects. Read more
EFCC unseals buildings allegedly linked to Fayose in Ekiti (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has unsealed some properties it allegedly linked to a former governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. Men believed to be EFCC personnel in a white-coloured bus with the number plate – BWR 627 AT – with police protection, on Thursday erased the markings from the buildings with white paint. Although the EFCC personnel did not disclose the reason for their action, sources said that the development might be connected with the anti-graft agency’s discovery that the properties were sealed in error. Read more
Two Air Force officers dismissed over attack on Magu’s farmhouse (Punch)
Two officers of the Nigerian Air Force have been dismissed for their alleged involvement in the murder of a police sergeant securing a farmhouse owned by the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu. The officers, Awua Theophanous and Sunday Paul, were disengaged from the service and handed over to the police after facing disciplinary actions. The duo and three others, Francis Ochife, Inalegwu Omikpa and Vincent Michael, who is also a dismissed Air Force officer, had invaded Magu’s farmhouse in Abuja to find a huge sum of money reportedly buried in a septic tank within the facility. Read more
Ban on rallies, processions still in force – Kano CP (Punch)
The Kano State Police Command said on Friday that the ban on all forms of rallies, processions, demonstration or assembly in the state was still in force. This was contained in a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer DSP Abdullahi Haruna issued to newsmen in Kano. He said that the command found it necessary to reissue the order, to prevent any breach of the peace. Read more
10 political parties dissociate selves from suit challenging Matawalle’s election (Punch)
Ten political parties in Zamfara State have dissociated themselves from a court action challenging the election of Governor Bello Matawalle said to have been instituted on their behalf by the All Peoples Party. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the governorship candidate of APP in the election, Alhaji Zayyanu Haske, had filed a case at the Zamfara Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja. Haske is asking for the nullification of the election that returned Matawalle as governor. Read more
NYSC to communicate payment of N30,000 allowance to corps members, assures DG (Guardian)
The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim, has said the scheme would communicate the effective date of payment of the new N30, 000 allowance to corps members. Ibrahim stated this yesterday at a workshop/training on Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) for Desk Officers of the NYSC in Abuja.When asked when the payment of the new allowance for corps members would take off, he said: “They will be communicated accordingly, please.” Read more
Three children, two others rescued from collapsed building in Kano (Punch)
Kano State Fire Service on Friday rescued three children and two adults trapped in a building, which collapsed at Dandago Babban Baki in Gwale Local Government Area of the state. Alhaji Saidu Mohammed, spokesman of the service, who said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Kano said that the house was one storey building. Mohammed disclosed that a three-year-old boy was among those rescued. Read more
WHO says DRC Ebola outbreak not a ‘global’ emergency (Guardian)
The World Health Organization said Friday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo does not qualify as an international threat, despite the spread of the virus to neighbouring Uganda carried by an infected family. The closely-watched decision followed advice from WHO’s emergency committee, which only meets to review the world’s most severe outbreaks. The head of the UN health agency Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is in DRC reviewing the Ebola response, said he accepted the committee’s advice. Read more
Trump retreats on election meddling remarks (BBC)
President Donald Trump has stepped back from comments he made about reporting foreign interference in a US political campaign. He told Fox News he would “of course” refer to the FBI any offer of damaging information about a political opponent. Mr Trump disputed in another interview aired this week whether the FBI should be notified of such approaches. Read more
Donald Trump says meeting him was most fun Queen Elizabeth’s had since 1994 (Metro)
Donald Trump claims he was told that his most recent meeting with Queen Elizabeth was the most fun she’s had in 25 years. Speaking on breakfast show Fox & Friends Friday, the President of the United States boasted about winning over the British monarch during his state visit to the UK earlier this month. Trump said: ‘I had such a great relationship and we were laughing and having fun. Her people told me she hasn’t had so much fun in 25 years. Read more
US diplomats work around White House gay pride flag ban (BBC)
US diplomats have been finding creative ways to show support for LGBTQ+ Pride month after the White House banned them from flying the rainbow flag. Before this year embassies had routinely hoisted the flag – but this year they were required to seek approval from the state department, which reportedly refused all requests. On Tuesday Vice-President Mike Pence said the ban was the “right decision”. Read more
Dealer caught after stamping his own name on drugs (Metro)
A drug dealer has been mocked by police for stamping his own name on illicit substances. Stephen Best, 30, was caught by officers at a unit in Worthing, West Sussex, with drugs that had the word ‘Besti’ written across them. A ‘substantial quantity’ of cannabis resin, cocaine and crystal MDMA was seized, but Best managed to flee the scene on November 13 last year. Read more
Two patients die from eating hospital food (Punch)
Two Britons have died of food poisoning after eating pre-packaged sandwiches and salads, UK health authorities said on Friday, in a listeria outbreak that has already killed three people in British hospitals. The patients died of listeriosis, a rare bacterial infection that is especially dangerous for people with weak immune systems or pregnant women. The listeria bacteria primarily develops in dairy products and chilled ready-to-eat food, according to Britain’s National Health Service. Read more
Marlen Ochoa-Lopez murder: Baby cut from womb dies (BBC)
A baby cut from his mother’s womb during a brutal attack in Chicago has died after two months on life support, a family spokeswoman has said. Yovanny Jadiel Lopez, the infant son of 19-year-old Marlen Ochoa-Lopez, had been in intensive care since the April attack that killed his mother. Police say Ms Ochoa-Lopez was strangled after arranging to meet a woman to pick up free baby clothes. Her son died on Friday of severe brain injury, the family spokeswoman said. Read more
Nigerian singer, Aramide to be inducted into governing board of the Grammys (Punch)
Nigerian singer, Aramide Sarumoh, simply known as Aramide, and 18 others are to be inducted into the Recording Academy Governance Board of the Grammys. The music star, while reminiscing on her music career revealed this in a tweet on her twitter handle, @AramideMusic. She recalled the time she started singing and how she just wanted to be heard. Read more
Game Of Thrones director isn’t taking the blame for coffee cup fiasco (Metro)
Game Of Thrones might have come to an end last month, but the mystery surrounding the stray coffee cup is still yet to be solved. The final season of the show proved controversial for many reasons, but a coffee cup (which wasn’t from Starbucks) spotted in the back of a shot prompted arguably the biggest furore around the HBO fantasy drama. The director of episode The Last Of The Starks, however, has since shunted any blame towards his corner regarding the incident, explaining how they had changed an angle in the editing process. Read more
Chris Brown ‘to be father for second time’ with ex-girlfriend Ammika Harris (Metro)
Chris Brown is set to be a father for a second time, according to reports. The 30-year-old musician, who has five-year-old daughter Royalty with Nia Guzman, is believed to be expecting a second child with ex-girlfriend Ammika Harris. According to Page Six, a source confirmed the news. Metro.co.uk has reached out to Chris’s reps for comment. Read more
Coldplay’s Chris Martin ‘splits’ from Dakota Johnson after nearly two years together (Metro)
Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson have split after nearly two years together, according to reports. The 42-year-old Coldplay frontman and 50 Shades Of Grey actress, 29, have been an item since late 2017, but it’s been claimed Chris has been telling friends their relationship ended last month. Speaking to The Sun, a source said: ‘Chris and Dakota were very easygoing and always seemed really happy together. Read more
Fregene flown to Lagos for treatment (Punch)
A former Nigeria goalkeeper, who has been bedridden since 2001, Peter Fregene, on Friday arrived Lagos for medical treatment after getting financial support from billionaire businessman Femi Otedola. Fregene, who was airlifted from the Benin Airport in Edo State to Lagos on Friday morning, arrived at the Murtala Muhammad Airport in Lagos few minutes past 3pm amidst emotions from passers-by. On arrival at the airport, he was driven in an ambulance to Reddington Hospital at 04:43pm, where he is expected to receive medical treatment. Read more
Oduduru emerges NCAA male athlete of the year in USA, Okowa celebrates (Guardian)
Nigeria sprinter, Divine Oduduru has emerged as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Male Athlete of the Year in the United States of America. Oduduru, who hails from Ughelli, Delta State, has also been nominated for the Bow man award, the highest award in the U.S. for Collegiate Athletes. He is the second Nigerian to be nominated for the Bow award after Blessing Okagbare, who is equally from Delta State. Read more
$360m Abiola stadium taken over by weeds (Punch)
The National Stadium, Abuja, now renamed Moshood Abiola National Stadium, is in a state of disrepair following the failure of the government to maintain the facility, which has been taken over by weeds. Findings indicate that many facilities at the complex, built at a whopping $360m in 2003, had deteriorated while the environment looked unkempt and rough with grasses growing all over the walkways and parking lot. The sports complex was renamed Moshood Abiola in commemoration of the sacrifices of the winner of the June 12, 1993 election by President Muhammadu Buhari during the Democracy Day celebration in Abuja on Wednesday. Read more
Taylor goal sends England into last 16 (BBC)
England booked their place in the World Cup knockout stages after beating a resolute Argentina thanks to Jodie Taylor’s first goal in 14 months. Phil Neville’s side looked as though they would pay for Nikita Parris’ missed first-half penalty, which was saved by the brilliant Vanina Correa after Alex Greenwood was tripped. The Argentine goalkeeper also denied Beth Mead, Parris and Taylor, but had no chance in stopping Euro 2017’s golden boot winner, as she tapped in Mead’s low cross after 61 minutes. Read more
Top Arsenal target Ryan Fraser questions Bournemouth’s price tag (Metro)
Ryan Fraser may have emerged as one of Arsenal’s top summer transfer targets but the midfielder has questioned the valuation placed on his head by his own club. The Bournemouth ace is wanted by Gunners boss Unai Emery but the Scottish star suspects Arsenal will be priced out of a move. Eddie Howe’s side are demanding £30million for the 25-year-old wide man – a significant portion of Emery’s summer budget. Read more
French teenager Diaby joins Bayer Leverkusen from PSG (Punch)
Teenage winger Moussa Diaby has joined German outfit Bayer Leverkusen from Paris Saint-Germain, the two clubs announced on Friday. The 19-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the Bundesliga side, who finished fourth last season to qualify for the Champions League. PSG, trying to balance the books to avoid Financial Fair-Play sanctions from UEFA, was paid a reported fee of 15 million euros ($16.82 million) for the French youth international. Read more
Anthony Joshua relieved to be beaten by Andy Ruiz, claims Eddie Hearn (Metro)
Eddie Hearn has admitted Anthony Joshua was relieved to be beaten by Andy Ruiz in one of boxing’s most stunning upsets. Ruiz, who is now the WBO, WBA (Super) and IBF heavyweight champion, dropped Joshua four times on the way to a victory that sent shockwaves through the boxing world. Joshua now plans to jump into an immediate rematch with Ruiz, but his promoter conceded AJ feels lighter after losing his belts and undefeated record. Read more
Top Rank force Tyson Fury to ditch workout underpants for fear of indecent exposure (Metro)
Top Rank were so concerned Tyson Fury might accidentally flash onlookers, that they told the Gypsy King not to wear his infamous underpants during the open workouts. Fury dazzled the Las Vegas crowd on Tuesday in an open workout in front of the cameras, but was noticeably not wearing his usual attire for training. The British heavyweight likes to don underpants, but Ben Davison explained his fighter had been told to ditch his favourite outfit. Read more