Hushpuppi: Kyari risks dismissal, criminal prosecution, says PSC (Punch)
The Police Service Commission has said it will determine the fate of the Commander of the IGP Intelligence Response and Monitoring Team, Abba Kyari, a deputy commissioner of police, indicted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for alleged involvement in a $1.1m Internet fraud.
The commission also noted that Kyari might face dismissal or demotion, and criminal prosecution if found culpable in the fraud perpetrated by an Instagram influencer and fraudster, Ramon Abass, popularly known as Hushpuppi.
A Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal complaint lodged at the United States District Court in California had listed Hushpuppi and Kyari among six suspects indicted in the international fraud conspiracy.
The other suspects include AbdulRahman Juma (Abdul); Vincent Kelly Chibuzo (Kelly); Rukayat Motunrayo Fashola (Morayo); and Bolatito Tawakalitu Agbabiaka (Bolamide). Read more
Police arrest woman for beating daughter to death (Vanguard)
Detectives in the Ogun State Police Command are currently questioning a woman, Kafayat Lawal,over the curcumstances surrounding the death of her daughter Ayomide Adekoya, at Ogijo, Sagamu.
Forty-five year old Kafayat is suspected of beating 17 year old Ayomide to death with the aid of a broken bottle.
The suspect,according to the spokesman for the command,Abimbola Oyeyemi, had locked her two daughters in a room before pouncing on them.
In the course of the beating,she reportedly resorted to the use of a broken bottle,injuring the two girls.
Neighbours reportedly alerted the police who rushed to the scene to rescue the girls. Read more
My heart bleeds, mum pays tribute as Super TV CEO is buried (Punch)
Mrs Sylvia Ataga, the mother of the slain Super TV Chief Executive Officer, Usifo Ataga, has shared fond memories of her son who was laid to rest on Friday at Ebony Vaults in Ikoyi, Lagos State.
Sylvia said her heart bled whenever she remembered Usifo’s death, lamenting that it was painful she could not monitor his last moments.
Usifo’s wife and children also paid their tributes as friends of the deceased demanded a thorough investigation into his murder.
They noted that though he had been buried, the case should not be swept under the carpet. Read more
Lagos NAPTIP rescues over 300 victims in 2021 (Guardian)
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, (NAPTIP), Lagos Command, says it has rescued and rehabilitated over 300 victims of human trafficking this year.
The Lagos Zonal Commander, Ganiu Aganran, who disclosed this yesterday, during an awareness campaign walk with partner organisations to mark this year’s World Day Against Human Trafficking in Lagos, said since the creation of the agency in 2003, over 16,000 victims have been rescued.
He said according to this year’s theme, ‘Victims Voices Lead The Way,’ the agency aims to involve the survivors and also create a kind of survivors advocacy group where a lot of things could be done to assist victims.
“We want to make them better people in the society; we want to take the trauma out of them. It is not a fight only for the Federal Government or the agency in charge; it is a collective fight, which cannot be left in the hands of the few. Read more
Sanwo-Olu seeks ethnic, religious harmony among residents (Vanguard)
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called for continued support, prayers, religious harmony among residents in the state in order to achieve greater development.
Sanwo-Olu, made the remark during the 2021 Eid-ul-adha get-together held at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja recently.
He sought the prayers and support of residents towards better service delivery addinng that, “without it, it will be difficult for this administration to achieve its THEMES development agenda aimed at ensuring a Greater Lagos for all.”
The governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mrs. Folasade Jaji, called for harmonious relations between the religious groups in the state for peace in the state. Read more
Lagos to equip 1000 youths with entrepreneurship skills (Guardian)
Lagos State government has said that about 1000 youths would be equipped with entrepreneurial skills as the state concludes plans to increase the number of existing vocational centres from seven to nine.
The government said that two additional facilities sited in Badagry and Epe local councils have been constructed and would become operational from August 2021 to give youths in the axis the opportunity to become entrepreneurs.
The Director, Lagos State Agency for Mass Education, Oluwakemi Kalesanwo, disclosed this at the flag-off of the sensitisation programme organised by the agency for the over 700 newly certified entrepreneurs by the state government.
Kalesanwo said the new facilities were put up by the government to increase the number of annual trainees and improve compliance with the COVID-19 protocol of the state government. Read more
DSS feeds Igboho’s aides with ‘engine oil’ soup –Lawyer (Punch)
Officials of the Department of State Services have been feeding the 12 aides of the Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, aka Sunday Igboho, with a soup known as “engine oil”, counsel for the detained persons, Pelumi Olajengbesi, has alleged.
The lawyer, who said he was at the DSS headquarters in Abuja on Friday after over four weeks of not being allowed to meet with his clients, said the detained persons began purging after eating the soup with fufu or eba.
Efforts to get the reaction of the DSS apokesman, Peter Afunaya, on the allegation by the lawyer proved abortive as he neither took calls put across to his line by one of our correspondents nor replied to a text message sent to his phone as of the time of filing this report.
In his update sent to Saturday PUNCH on Friday, Olajengbesi said he and two other members of the legal team met with four of the 12 detained persons on Friday. Read more
After a decade, African China Is ready to return (Guardian)
If there was any man who had the guts to call out the government with his lyricism, back in the 2000s, it was definitely African China.
His name, which is a bold affirmation of his evergreen pan-Africanist agenda dubbed, ‘African Children Have Ideas Natural For African,’ continues to ring through the consciousness of Nigerians who once enjoyed the music from the Orile-bred superstar.
After a smooth sojourn down the hall of fame, with a robust discography laden with classics such as ‘Mr. President’, ‘Crisis’, among others, Chinagorom Onuoha, or African China as he is better renowned, snoozed off the scene shortly before the doorsteps of the 2010s. However, once in a while, his music resonates with the times, the most recent being the #EndSARS protests of October last year, where his music was among themed songs for the demonstrations.
No doubt, African China is a solid gem in the treasure trove of the Naija music scene and as is common with colleagues in his set, such as Ruggedman, Darey Art Alade, Daddy Showkey, among others, the Afro-pop singer is set to make a comeback to the music industry. Read more
APC congress: Rivers faction demands boycott, exercise suspended in Zamfara, Kwara, Anambra (Punch)
The faction of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress loyal to Senator Magnus Abe has announced a boycott of the party’s ward congresses beginning on Saturday (today).
Members of the faction accused the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of masterminding the exclusion of their supporters from participating in the exercise.
Abe, a former senator representing Rivers South-East at the National Assembly, made the accusation in Port Harcourt on Friday, while addressing his supporters across the 23 local government areas of the state.
He said, “There is really no crisis in this party. The crisis in the party is that the minister (Amaechi) said anybody who is with Senator Abe is no longer a member of the APC and cannot be entitled to any opportunity or privilege within the APC. Read more
Amanda Knox claims Matt Damon film “Stillwater” profits from her life (BBC)
Amanda Knox has criticised actor Matt Damon and director Tom McCarthy for “profiting” from her wrongful murder conviction.
Damon stars in McCarthy’s new film, Stillwater, which the director said was inspired by Ms Knox’s legal fight.
The American was jailed in Italy for four years for the murder of a British student before she was later acquitted.
She said the filmmakers “[ripped] off my story without my consent at the expense of my reputation”. Read more
“365 Days” sequel will have ‘a lot more sex’ as author dismisses Netflix controversy (Metro)
2021 has already been a success for Italy with the Euros and Eurovision, but some could say in 2020 Italy also brought it when the world was introduced to Italian star Michele Morrone, lead actor of the Netflix film 365 Days (or 365 dni in Poland), which was one of the biggest trending films of the year.
Morrone, with his smouldering looks, played mafia boss Massimo Torricelli, where he stole the hearts of millions of women over the world, who fantasised about living in Sicily while making him homemade Limoncello.
However, the film – which tells the tale of a woman kidnapped and imprisoned by a man who gives her a year to fall in love with him – was heavily criticised and accused of ‘glorifying rape and kidnap’. Read more
Israel accuses Iran over deadly oil tanker attack (BBC)
Israel has accused Iran of being behind an attack on an oil tanker in which two crew members – a British national and a Romanian citizen – were killed.
The MV Mercer Street, operated by the London-based company Zodiac Maritime, was off Oman’s coast in the Arabian Sea when the incident occurred on Thursday.
The company, which belongs to Israeli shipping magnate Eyal Ofer, said it was working to establish what had happened.
But Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Friday blamed “Iranian terrorism”. Read more
China investigates former senior banking regulatory official (Vanguard)
Cai Esheng, former vice-chairman of China’s top banking regulatory body, is under investigation for suspected serious violations of Party disciplinary rules and laws.
The country’s top anti-graft body made this known on Friday.
Cai served as deputy head of the former China Banking Regulatory Commission, which has been replaced by a banking and insurance regulatory commission following a cabinet restructuring in 2018. Read more
Bob Odenkirk speaks out about ‘small heart attack’ after collapsing on Better Call Saul set (Metro)
Bob Odenkirk has spoken out for the first time since he collapsed on the set of Better Call Saul, revealing he had a ‘small heart attack’.
The Saul Goodman actor tweeted: ‘Hi. It’s Bob. Thank you. To my family and friends who have surrounded me this week. And for the outpouring of love from everyone who expressed concern and care for me. It’s overwhelming. But I feel the love and it means so much.
‘I had a small heart attack. But I’m going to be ok thanks to Rosa Estrada and the doctors who knew how to fix the blockage without surgery. Read more
Woman charged for disturbing Yellowstone mother grizzly (BBC)
An Illinois woman has been charged with disturbing wildlife after she was filmed approaching a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park.
A widely shared video showed Samantha Dehring approaching the bear and two cubs to take a photograph.
Ms Dehring only walks away after the mother bear runs at her.
She now faces several charges, as well as “violating closures and use limits”. Read more
Tokyo Olympics: Nigeria sprinter Blessing Okagbare out of Games after failed drugs test (BBC)
Sprinter Blessing Okagbare is out of the Tokyo Olympics after being suspended for failing a drugs test.
The Nigerian – a rival to Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith – had won her 100m heat on Friday and was due to race in the semi-finals on Saturday.
The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) said the 32-year-old had tested positive for a human growth hormone following an out-of-competition test on 19 July.
The AIU said Okagbare was notified of her provisional suspension on Saturday. Read more
Basketball: D’Tigers in make-or-break clash versus Italy (Punch)
D’Tigers must defeat Italy by at least nine points and hope group leaders Australia defeat Germany to stand a chance of qualifying for the quarter-final of the baskeball event of the ongoing Tokyo 2020 Olympics, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Mike Brown’s men lost their first two games against Australia and Germany.
The 2015 Afrobasket champions opened their campaign with an 84-67 defeat to Australia and also lost their second game 99-92 to Germany, which placed them fourth in Group B with just two points.
They are currently fourth and occupy the same spot in the third-placed teams ranking behind Germany, Czech Republic and Agrentina. Read more
Jack Grealish: Manchester City make £100m bid for Aston Villa and England midfielder (BBC) Manchester City have made an English record £100m bid for Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish.
City manager Pep Guardiola has made the 25-year-old English midfielder one of his major targets.
It is understood there has been communication between the two Premier League clubs throughout the summer.
City have made their move before Grealish returns to Villa for the start of pre-season training at Bodymoor Heath next week. Read more
AFN’s anti-doping unit storms Junior athletes’ camp in Asaba (Guardian)
In its bid to avoid a repeat of the incident in Tokyo, where 10 Nigerian athletes were prevented from competing by the Athletics Integrity Unit, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has dispatched its Anti-Doping Unit to the camp of the junior athletes, who are preparing for the World U20 Championship.
The athletes, who have been in camp in Asaba, Delta State, held their Open Trial on Thursday to select those for the World Championship slated for Nairobi, Kenya from August 17 to 22.
AFN President, Tonobok Okowa revealed in a chat with told The Guardian yesterday that the Anti-Doping Commission headed by Prof Ken Anugweje would be in Asaba today to conduct the needed medical examination on the junior athletes saying: “We have to do this now to avoid last-minute challenges as we just witnessed at the Tokyo Olympics.”
During the U20 Open Trials held at Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba on Thursday, Kingsley Emeka Unorji ran 10.32 seconds in the men’s 100m, just as Favour Oghenetejiri Ashe posted 10.34seconds to make the list of athletes who remain in camp for the World Championship. Okoro Oghale ran 10.61 seconds. Read more
Simone Biles: Tokyo Olympics gymnast withdraws from two more events (BBC)
Simone Biles has pulled out of Sunday’s vault and uneven bars gymnastics finals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The four-time Olympic champion, 24, withdrew from Tuesday’s women’s team final as well as Thursday’s individual all-around final saying she had to focus on her mental health.
The American is yet to decide if she will compete in the floor (2 August) and balance beam (3 August) finals.
A US Gymnastics statement said Biles would “continue to be evaluated daily. Read more
We’ll consider all available options regarding Oladapo’s CAF ban -Enyimba (Vanguard)
Felix Anyansi-Agwu, the Chairman of Enyimba International Football Club of Aba, says the club will consider all options available to them regarding team captain Austine Oladapo’s ban.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Oladapo, a midfielder at the club, was handed a one-year ban by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Monday.
This was after he tested positive for a prohibited steroid, known as Prednisolone or Prednisolone.The ban became necessary after Oladapo’s urine sample, taken after the club’s CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final first leg against Pyramids FC on May 16, tested positive for the banned substance. Read more