I was defrauded N36m after meeting river goddess – Woman (Punch)
An 88-year-old woman, Tawakalitu Ilumoka, has told Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting at Ikeja, Lagos State, how she was allegedly defrauded of N36m by one Olorunfemi Ayodeji.
According to her, Ayodeji introduced her to some people when she informed him that her son based in the United States of America was sick.
She said this was after she sold a piece of land for N100m out of which she gave Ayodeji N100,000.
She said, “I called Otunba (Ayodeji) and told him about my son’s health challenge. He said I had to bring him to Ondo State. Read more
Lagos reiterates commitment to save lives, prevent building collapse (Independent)
Lagos State government has affirmed that it is irrevocably committed to ensuring that the incidents of avoidable building collapse and the resulting loss of lives become a thing of the past in the state.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state Governor, stated this on Thursday while speaking at the second annual stakeholders’ conference organized by the Lagos state Material Testing Laboratory with the theme; “Socio-Economic Impact of Building and Civil Infrastructure Collapse in Mega Cities in Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, his Deputy, said the truth is that the government alone cannot do it.
“The truth however is that we cannot do it alone; there is a need for all stakeholders particularly professionals in the built industry to lend their support in ensuring voluntary compliance with existing rules, regulations and guidelines including proper testing of construction materials from project conception through implementation to completion. Read more
How 53-year-old London returnee was killed, dumped in septic tank (Vanguard)
It’s been six years since the Animashaun family in Surulere Lagos were thrown into mourning over the death of their breadwinner, Kolawole Animashaun who had just relocated from London to Nigeria.
After living in London for the most part of his life and raising a family, the late 53-year-old Kolawole decided it was time to return home. Not sure what to expect, he returned with only one of his daughters, leaving his wife and other children back in London.
For a while, things appeared to be going on well for Kolawole as he gradually gained ground in a business venture. Within two years of his return, he was also able to buy a good property in Surulere. With everything going well, Kolawole was contemplating bringing back his entire family from London when the unexpected happened.
Daughter recounts ordeal
Kolawole’s daughter, Lola Animashaun who was with him until he was kidnapped, told Encounter that on Sunday, July 30, 2016, her father left their Ikorodu home for Surulere with one of his uncles who was sick. By the evening of that day, Lola said his father called to say that he was not returning home. Lola noted that she heard a strange voice in the background during their conversation but didn’t read much meaning to it. Read more
Owo massacre: Victims buried amid tears, sorrow
(Sun)
Amidst tears and gnashing of teeth, the remains of the 44 victims of the attack on the St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State were on Friday committed to the mother’s earth.
The Catholic diocese of Ondo and the state government had organized mass burial for the victims of the penultimate Sunday attack on the church and the funeral mass was witnessed by government functionaries including the Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, his wife, Betty, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye and former Governor of the state, Dr Olusegun Mimiko among other top officials of the state government.
Catholic clerics including Archbishop of Ibadan archdiocese, Most Rev Leke Abegunrin, Bishop of the diocese of Sokoto, Mathew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of Oyo diocese, Leke Badejo and those of Osogbo, Ado-Ekiti, Abeokuta, ijebu-Ode and other dioceses of the church in the South West also graced the occasion.
In his homily, the Catholic Bishop of Oyo diocese, Bishop Leke Badejo said though the victims were dead, they remain safe in the hands of Jesus, their saviour. Read more
We’ll no longer tolerate estimated billings by Ikeja Electric — Lagos residents (Vanguard)
Some residents of Agege area of Lagos State, have decried arbitrary billings by Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) saying they will no longer tolerate this in their community.
The residents under the aegis of Oko-Oba/Orile Development Union, also urged the electricity distribution company to provide prepaid meters if they still want patronage from them.
The residents during a peaceful protest at Akowonjo Business Unit at Ponle, Egbeda, Lagos, registered their plights with the company where they were addressed by Mr Abayomi Bolorunde, the Business Manager, Akowonjo Business Unit, Ponle, who promised that the company will find a lasting solution to the arbitrary billings.
The residents were led by the Secretary to the community, Comrade Ojo Omotayo and Member, James Joel. Read more
Firm trains Nigerians in innovative plumbing (Punch)
The GROHE Installer Vocational Training and Education Programme in partnership with the Universal Learn Direct Academia, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos, has inaugurated its GIVE Programme in Nigeria, aimed at improving training facilities where students can benefit from the brand’s vast expertise in plumbing.
At the GROHE Training Academy, the students are expected to complete a specific product training designed by GROHE, for which they will receive a recognised international certificate as Installers.
Speaking at the inauguration, Leader, GIVE Programme, LIXIL EMENA, Mr Christopher Penney, said, “It gives me great pleasure to see our GIVE Programme officially in operation in Nigeria – a testament to our commitment to countervail the shortage of skilled installers in the sanitary industry while also giving back to society and offering young people an exciting start to their careers.
“The GIVE Programme’s curriculum is practical-oriented and designed to teach students the specialties of plumbing skill. This will ensure that they are capable of installing and maintaining our expanding product range before they embark on their future careers in the plumbing industry.” Read more
Shina Peller dumps APC, faults party’s internal democracy (Punch)
A member of the House of Representatives from Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, Oyo State, Shina Peller, has dumped the All Progressives Congress.
The lawmaker announced his defection on his Twitter page on Friday. He added that he would be announcing his new party on Tuesday after due consultations.
Justifying his defection, Peller claimed that “the party style of democracy in Oyo State kills my conscience”.
He added that his continued stay in APC would be at the detriment of interest of his supporters, particularly the youths. Read more
Man kills 3-year-old, threatens dad in Anambra (Nation)
A 34-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing a three-year old boy, Divine Eze, in Nkwelle-Ezunaka, near Onitsha, Anambra State.
The suspect, Mr Onwele Anayo, was said to have visited the deceased’s father the previous day where he spent the night with the family.
The Nation gathered that the suspect carried out the act following a brawl between him and the deceased’s father around midnight.
“The man also attempted to kill the father after killing the son if not that he ran for his dear life,” a resident of the area narrated. Read more
Alleged job fraud: Court admits dismissed Immigration officer to N1.5m bail (Guardian)
An FCT High Court in Kubwa on Friday admitted a dismissed Nigeria Immigration Service officer, Mohammed Abdullahi to bail in the sum N1.5 million for allegedly defrauding job seekers.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Commission (ICPC) charged Abdullahi, with four counts bordering on job scam.
In a ruling for bail, Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya, ordered the defendant to produce two sureties.
Ogbonnaya said one of the sureties must have a landed property in Abuja and the other must have at least N1.5million in a recognised bank account. Read more
“The Equalizer 3” to reunite Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington (DigitalSpy)
Dakota Fanning is set to reunite with her Man On Fire co-star Denzel Washington in The Equalizer 3.
Deadline has confirmed that Fanning will star opposite Washington in the third film in The Equalizer series, which is set for release in September 2023.
It’s been nearly 20 years since the pair worked together on action thriller Man On Fire, where Washington played the bodyguard of the then-9-year-old Fanning.
The new film’s plot and Fanning’s role are currently being kept under wraps but Antoine Fuqua will be back in the director’s chair.
Sinead O’Connor cancels all gigs for ‘her own health and wellbeing’ after death of son Shane (Metro)
Sinead O’Connor has cancelled all upcoming live performances following the death of her and musician Donal Lunny’s teenage son.
The singer has taken the decision to not perform for the rest of this year due to her continuing grief over the death of her son Shane O’Connor earlier this year aged 17.
In a statement, her management said that it was not an easy decision for the singer, but she had cancelled the performances for the sake of ‘her own health and wellbeing’.
‘We would like to respectfully announce that due to continuing grief over the tragic loss of her beloved son Shane earlier this year, Sinead O’Connor will not be performing live in 2022,’ they said in a statement. Read more
I’m not pregnant – Akuapem Poloo debunks rumours (MyJoy)
Ghanaian actress, Akuapem Poloo, has debunked rumours that she is pregnant.
She raised eyebrows on social media after a photoshoot of her with a protruded stomach went viral.
According to Akuapem Poloo, her stomach looked that way because she had eaten heavily prior to the shoot.
She noted that she would be happy to get pregnant again, but at the right time. Read more
German TV series ‘Sisi’ returns to Lithuania
(Variety)
The second season of the German TV series “Sisi,” which follows the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (also known as Sisi), is currently shooting in Lithuania, Film New Europe reports.
The series is produced by Story House Pictures GmbH for RTL+ and serviced by the Lithuanian company UAB Nordic Productions. The shoot is benefiting from Lithuanian Film Center’s tax incentives.
The six-part second season is directed by Sven Bohse (“Dark Woods”) and Miguel Alexandre (“Spy City”), and it is written by Elena Hell, Svenja Rasocha, Robert Krause and Andreas Gutzeit.
More than 100 Lithuanians are part of the international team, including production designer Algirdas Garbačiauskas and costume designer Daiva Petrulytė. Read more
Harry Styles’ primary school teacher thanks star for concert shout-out (BelfastTelegraph)
Harry Styles’ primary school teacher has thanked the singer for his “lovely tribute” during a concert earlier this week.
The former One Direction star stopped his show at Old Trafford cricket ground on Wednesday to give Mrs Vernon a shout-out.
The 28-year-old also thanked the other “truly wonderful” teachers from Hermitage Primary School in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire.
Appearing on Lorraine on ITV, Mrs Vernon said: “I would have loved to have been there but Mrs Bailey, my colleague who was there, phoned straight away. Read more
Paul McCartney fans react after Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi join him on stage (Independent)
Fans have expressed their gratitude after Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi joined Paul McCartney on stage last night (16 June) for the final date of his North American tour.
The performance at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, saw Springsteen join McCartney on stage to sing his Born in the USA classic “Glory Days” and The Beatles’ “I Wanna Be Your Man”.
Bon Jovi also made a special appearance to sing “Happy Birthday” to McCartney, who will celebrate his 80th birthday tomorrow (18 June).
The two later rejoined the stage for a celebratory encore, which featured a Springsteen version of The Beatles’ track “The End”. Read more
Decorated ex-Marine Captain Grady Kurpasi named as third US vet missing in Ukraine war
(NYPost)
A highly decorated, recently retired Marine captain is the third US veteran missing in action during the Ukraine war, his family and friends have said.
Grady Kurpasi — who joined the Marines after witnessing the Sept. 11 terror attacks while living in New York City — was last in contact with his loved ones on April 24, a family friend, George Heath, first told CNN.
Two days later, the Purple Heart vet left his post to “investigate” sudden “small arms fire,” and Kurpasi radioed his unit that the Ukrainian military was also opening fire, the family was told.
“That was the last time anyone heard from him,” Heath told CNN. Read more
Ugbade wants African teams to be world beaters
(Nation)
Golden Eaglets head coach Nduka Ugbade is looking beyond the WAFU B tournament in Ghana, hoping for a day African teams can rub shoulders with their South American and European counterparts on the world stage.
Ugbade is currently in Ghana where his team are making a big impact at the WAFU B U-17 Championship.
They will face the runners-up in Group B on Monday with the winners of this clash advancing to the U17 AFCON in Algeria next year and the final of the qualifiers.
Ugbade’s charges recorded their second win of the competition after edging out the Togolese 3-1 at the Cape Coast Stadium on Tuesday. Read more
Liverpool agree £35m Mane sale to Bayern Munich (Sky)
Liverpool have agreed to sell Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich for a deal worth up to £35.1m.
Bayern will pay an initial £27.5m with a further £5m based on appearance. The Bundesliga club will pay another £2.5m based on individual and team achievements.
The deal eclipses what Liverpool paid for Mane – £31m plus 2.5m in add-ons – with Southampton not getting any additional money.
Mane has been core to the club’s success over the past six seasons so will depart with their blessing and gratitude. Read more
Nayef Aguerd ‘at West Ham training ground’ to seal £25m transfer as announcement plan set
(Express)
West Ham are set to get their summer transfer activity underway with the signing of Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd – with the Moroccan reportedly at the club’s Chadwell Heath training ground ahead of a £25million move to east London.
David Moyes’ men recently battled for a Champions League spot for the second season running, though they ultimately finished 15 points behind Tottenham after late poor form. And looking ahead to the new campaign, additions are imperative given that Ryan Fredericks, Andriy Yarmolenko and Mark Noble all left the club following the expiration of their contracts.
The impending arrival of Aguerd should help Moyes and the Hammers, with a £25m offer being accepted by the Brittany club after days of talks between the two parties. And with the Morocco international at the club’s training ground on Friday morning according to Sky Sports, Moyes will be happy that one of his key targets has nearly been acquired.
The report states that once the deal is agreed, there will be an announcement of Aguerd’s signing on Monday with a due diligence period likely to occur over the weekend. The fee would make Aguerd the Hammers’ fifth-most expensive signing behind Sebastian Haller, Felipe Anderson, Kurt Zouma and Nikola Vlasic. Read more
Mercedes boss opens up on Gasly replacing Hamilton (F1News)
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has no immediate plans to discuss a future seat with Pierre Gasly as the Frenchman looks to tie up his future beyond the end of next year.
Gasly has impressed immensely since his return to Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri, and his P5 last weekend in Baku was the epitome of the splendid talent that so obviously existed all along, but he just could not find during his half season with Red Bull in 2019.
The 26-year-old’s deal with AlphaTauri ends this year, but this is sure to be extended to next year if he cannot make alternative arrangements for 2023, at the end of which his Red Bull deal is up.
He was hoping to make it back to the main fold by then, but Sergio Perez, who has now won two races with the Austrian side and stood on the podium 10 times, has seen his deal renewed until the end of 2024. Read more
Steph Curry leads Golden State Warriors to latest piece of history in NBA Finals (Independent)
“You don’t want to see us next year”. This was the warning Steph Curry sent out to the rest of the Association following his team’s lacklustre 2020-2021 NBA season.
The Golden State Warriors finished an extremely disappointing ninth in the Western Conference standings and, despite a late surge to make the play-in tournament, Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies condemned the Warriors to a season without the playoffs.
Fast-forward 12 months, as he sits with the Larry O’Brien Championship trophy in one hand and the Bill Russell Finals MVP award in the other, it is safe to say that the two-time MVP’s statement has come true.
The 2021-2022 campaign was a season of comebacks for the Golden State Warriors. Klay Thompson re-emerged following two, long seasons out through injury, Draymond Green and Curry returned to full fitness after an injury-ravaged season the year prior, and the Warriors were back in the playoffs, finishing with the joint-third best record in the NBA. Read more
Rafael Nadal intends to play Wimbledon after having treatment on foot problem (BBC)
Rafael Nadal says he intends to play Wimbledon after having treatment for his chronic foot problem.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion had said he would not keep playing if he continued to need anaesthetic injections in his left foot.
However, the Spaniard had treatment last week to reduce nerve pain and is planning to play Wimbledon, which begins on 27 June.
“The last week of training tells me there is a chance,” Nadal, 36, said.
“My intention is to play at Wimbledon.” Read more
WWE CEO Vince McMahon stepping back from role during misconduct investigation (USAToday)
World Wrestling Entertainment CEO and chairman Vince McMahon has stepped back from his role amid an investigation into whether he paid money to a former employee to keep an affair quiet, the company announced.
McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie, will serve in the role on an interim basis.
“Special Committee of the Board is conducting an investigation into alleged misconduct by its Chairman and CEO Vincent McMahon and John Laurinaitis, head of talent relations, and that, effective immediately, McMahon has voluntarily stepped back from his responsibilities as CEO and Chairman of the Board until the conclusion of the investigation,” WWE said in a statement.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that the 76-year-old McMahon paid $3 million to the ex-employee. The report also states that money was paid to prevent the woman from speaking about the relationship. Read more