‘I went into crime because neighbours were calling me thief’ (DailyTrust)
A 21-year-old armed robbery suspect, Rasheed Sulaimon, has told his police interrogators that he went into crime to prove a point to neighbours who were always calling him a thief in Ajegunle, Lagos, when he was growing up. The police said they apprehended Sulaimon and another suspect, Johnson Frank, when the two men allegedly attacked residents of the Area, Aiyetoro, Lagos, on June 28, 2020. The suspect, according to the police, said the negative reference to him as a thief by the neighbours kept hunting him throughout his youthful days. “He said he vowed to take his pound of flesh from the neighbours when he grows up. So he deliberately went into crime. He said that he robbed one of the women who called him a thief then but was caught and handed over to the police. He said he met 23-year-old Johnson while in police cell,” the police said. Read more
COVID-19: Woman police officer distributes palliatives to Lagos community (DailyTrust)
The Divisional Police Officer, Aswani Division, Lagos State Command, Chief Superintendent Onyin Francis, on Tuesday distributed various items to the less privileged in the Isolo area of the state. Francis said the gesture was to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown among people residing in her area of responsibility. The DPO said that the Aswani Division had, beyond providing security for the residents, always been known for such gestures, adding, “it is particularly necessary at this critical time to be there for the poor and needy.” She stressed that putting smiles on the faces of the downtrodden had always been a passion for her. Read more
Cleric charged with threat to life (DailyTrust)
A London-based Islamic cleric, Saidi Shittu, was yesterday charged before the Igbosere chief magistrate court, Lagos, with threat to life.
The Police Zone 2 headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, charged 42-year-old Shittu with a two-count criminal charge before Chief Magistrate A. T. Omoyele.
The defendant allegedly committed the offence on July 21, 2020 at Lagos Island by threatening the life of Alhaji Olanrewaju Hameed Al-Fulaney and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 56 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. Read more
Another teenager killed by suspected ritualists in Ibadan (Guardian)
Barely four days after a suspected ritualist, Sheu Usman, was paraded by the Oyo State Police Command as the mastermind of the serial ritual killings in Ibadan with confessions to have killed six victims, some suspected ritualists again killed another teenager in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
It was gathered that the 16-year-old victim, simply identified as Toke, was murdered on Monday night along the Ibadan-Oyo Road in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.
Toke’s body was found in a bush on Tuesday after her parents had made several attempts to locate her. Sources said she was sent to purchase Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) by her parents on Monday night, only to be killed by yet-to-be-identified persons. Read more
Jegede wins Ondo PDP ticket, battles Akeredolu in Oct poll (Punch)
A former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, has been elected the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the October 10 governorship election in the state.
Jegede defeated other contestants having polled 888 votes, while the deputy governor of the state, Mr Agboola Ajayi, polled 657 votes; and the PDP National Vice Chairman, Dr Eddy Olafeso, came third with 175 votes.
Also, Dr Bode Ayorinde scored 95 votes, Mr Banji Okunomo polled 90, Senator Boluwaji Kunlere got 33, Sola Ebiseni scored 29 and Godday Erewa polled 13 votes. Read more
Over 25 burnt to death as tanker explodes in Delta (Vanguard)
A tanker carrying petroleum products along the Benin/Sapele highway, around Koko Junction, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State today (Wednesday) exploded, burning to death more than 25 people.
The inferno which also consumed other 10 vehicles was said to have happened at about 10:27 am.
Mr Friday Akowe, who claimed to witness the incident told Vanguardthat the tankerfell while trying to avoid a bad spot on the road “it did not explode immediately, it was when people were coming close to see if the driver and the occupants at the driver seat were injured when the tanker suddenly exploded burning 25 people or so beyond recognition,” he said. Read more
UNIBEN lecturer killed as bribe-seeking policeman drags steering with driver (Punch)
A lecturer at the Faculty of Education, University of Benin, Stella Okotie, has been killed by a commercial driver, Anu Adisa, around the institution located on the Benin-Lagos Expressway, Edo State.
The deceased’s sales boy identified simply as Amos, who was also knocked down by Adisa when he reportedly lost control of the vehicle, was rescued and rushed to hospital for treatment.
PUNCH Metro was given two accounts of the circumstances surrounding Stella’s death on Monday. Read more
FG kicks-off Lagos-Kano railway project (Vanguard)
The federal government has commenced work on the Kaduna-Kano segment of the Lagos-Kano standard gauge railway, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi announced on Wednesday.
The minister in a tweet on his verified handle @ChibuikeAmaechi, with pictures of heavy-duty equipment, wrote, “onsite: contractors move in for the commencement of the Kano-Kaduna section of the Lagos to Kano rail line.”
The 305-kilometre railway has a completion timeline of two to three years subject to availability of funds. Read more
UK details route to citizenship for HK people drawing China anger (Aljazeera)
The United Kingdom has unveiled the details of its plan to offer an estimated three million people in Hong Kong a route to citizenship in an offer Home Secretary Priti Patel described as “very generous” and China condemned as a breach of international law and interference in its internal affairs.
In a briefing paper released on Wednesday, Patel said people with British National (Overseas) or BNO status, a type of nationality created when Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule in 1997, would be able to apply for the programme from January next year.
They will not have to meet skills tests or minimum income requirements and can bring their dependents including those who do not have BNO status. Read more
China’s Tianwen-1 Mars rover rockets away from Earth (BBC)
China has launched its first rover mission to Mars.
The six-wheeled robot, encapsulated in a protective probe, was lifted off Earth by a Long March 5 rocket from the Wenchang spaceport on Hainan Island at 12:40 local time (04:40 GMT).
It should arrive in orbit around the Red Planet in February. Read more
Facebook and Instagram to examine racist algorithms (BBC)
Facebook has acknowledged that it needs to do more to combat racism on its platforms and is setting up two groups to examine its policies and algorithms.
Instagram’s Equity Team and Facebook’s Inclusive Product Council will look for bias in algorithms and work to make both platforms “safe and fair” for all.
Facebook has been criticised for failure to crack down on racist groups.
Others have complained about the suppression of black voices on Instagram. Read more
Coronavirus cases in Latin America pass 4 million, half of them in Brazil (France24)
Brazil and Argentina registered daily records for confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday, pushing the total number of cases in Latin America past 4 million and underlining the difficulty the region faces in controlling the pandemic.
Brazil registered 67,860 additional cases of the virus on Wednesday, along with 1,284 related deaths. That brought the total number of cases in Latin America’s largest nation to 2,227,514, while deaths rose to 82,771.
Neighboring Argentina posted a daily record of 5,782 confirmed cases, the vast majority of them in and around the capital, Buenos Aires, taking the total number infected in the country to 141,900. Read more
George Floyd murder suspect Derek Chauvin charged with tax evasion (BBC)
The former Minneapolis police officer accused of murdering African-American man George Floyd has been charged with multiple felony counts of tax evasion.
Derek Chauvin and his wife are accused of failing to report income from various jobs, and allegedly owe nearly $38,000 (£30,000) to Minnesota state.
The officer was filmed pressing his knee on Mr Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes before he died in May. Read more
Afghan girl kills two Taliban fighters with AK47 after parents murdered (news.com.au)
An Afghan girl shot dead two Taliban fighters and wounded several more after they dragged her parents from their home and killed them, officials said.
The incident happened last week when insurgents stormed the home of Qamar Gul, a teenage girl from a village in the central province of Ghor in central Afghanistan.
The fighters were looking for her father, the village chief, local police head Habiburahman Malekzada told AFP.
Her father was a government supporter, which is why the Taliban fighters went to his house and dragged him out, Mr Malekzada said. When his wife resisted, the Taliban fighters killed the couple outside their home, he said. Read more
“Clueless” casting director Marcia Ross shares sweet memory of meeting Brittany Murphy (Metro)
Fans around the world have been celebrating 25 glorious years of Clueless this week, but there is also been an undercurrent of sadness as many mourn the loss of Brittany Murphy. The actress famously played Tai Frasier in the iconic film and went on to have a successful Hollywood career before she died in 2009 at the age of 32. And for those who got to meet her, the loss is all the more poignant. Noted casting director Marica Ross was the person who helped a young Brittany bag her breakout role alongside Alicia Silverstone in the 1995 classic. Read more
Zenke unhappy COVID-19 denied Enyimba 9th league title (DailyTrust)
Enyimba International football club of Aba attacking winger Thomas Zenke is sad that the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus has denied the ‘Peoples elephants’ their 9th Nigerian league title.
It will be recalled that due to COVID-19, the 2020 Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, season was suspended indefinitely by the League Management Company on March 18 after week 25.
As at week 25, Enyimba who were still in the CAF Confederations Cup had played only 20 matches with five outstanding fixtures. Read more
Mba’s lifestyle affected his career – Amokachi (Punch)
Former Super Eagles assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi, has blamed an indiscipline lifestyle and a failed transfer move to Bordeaux for Sunday Mba’s short-lived career, The PUNCH reports.
The 30-year-old, who scored the Super Eagles’ winning goal in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations final, was released by Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor in September 2017 and has not played competitively since then.
Speaking on his programme the ‘Bull’s Pit’ on Brila FM, Amokachi said Mba was a player with immense quality but suffered too many personal issues. Read more
Wilder to go ahead with third Fury fight as Whyte waits for WBC title shot (Guardian)
Deontay Wilder has dismissed any lingering doubts about the third fight against Tyson Fury, which means Dillian Whyte must wait until early next year for his WBC title shot, reports skysports.com.
The American heavyweight had a clause in his contract allowing him to enforce another fight following his defeat to Fury in February, and Fury’s US promoters Top Rank are targeting a possible date of December 19.
Whyte is the mandatory challenger for Fury’s WBC belt and promoter Eddie Hearn had suggested he could challenge his British rival next if Wilder did not go ahead with a trilogy fight. Read more
Inter’s Martinez vows to continue giving ‘110 per cent’ amid Barcelona rumours (Vanguard)
Lautaro Martinez vowed to continue “giving 110 per cent” for Inter and repay the confidence shown in him by Antonio Conte as speculation over a move to Barcelona gathers pace.
The Argentina international has been strongly tipped to swap San Siro for Camp Nou at the end of the season, two years after joining the Italian giants from Racing Club.
Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta has stressed Martinez is not for sale, with the forward’s €111million (£98.8m) release clause expiring earlier this month.
And Martinez, who has formed an impressive partnership with Romelu Lukaku this season, has insisted he will give his all for the club as long as he remains an Inter player.
“I am a boy who always fights – for my goals, for those of the team, for the happiness of the fans,” he told Inter’s matchday programme ahead of Wednesday’s clash with Fiorentina. Read more
Tokyo Olympics will be postponed again if current COVID-19 situation persists, says LOC (Guardian)
The delayed Tokyo Olympics could not be held next year if conditions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic continue as they are, the president of the organising committee said yesterday, reports Associated Press.
In an interview with Japanese broadcaster, NHK, Yoshiro Mori said he was hopeful the situation would improve and suggested a vaccine was the key.
“If this kind of situation (with COVID-19) continues, is it possible to hold the games?” Mori was asked by NHK. Read more
West Brom promoted to Premier League afer last day drama (Vanguard)
West Brom promoted to Premier League after last day drama
Slaven Bilic’s side will join Championship title winners Leeds in the top-flight next season after a nail-biting Wednesday night at the Hawthorns.
With third-placed Brentford beaten 2-1 by Barnsley and fourth-placed Fulham held to a 1-1 draw at Wigan, Albion finished in second place to secure their return to the Premier League after two seasons away. Read more