I’m innocent, Biodun Fatoyinbo reacts to Busola Dakolo’s rape allegation (Punch)
Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of the Commonwealth of Zion church has declared that he is innocent of the rape allegations made against him by Busola, wife of popular singer, Timi Dakolo. In a public statement shared on his Instagram, he said, he had never raped anyone in his life, not even as an unbeliever. He captioned the press statement,”I have NEVER RAPED before, not even as an unbeliever!” Read more
Rep tasks FG on revival of railway, waterways transportation in Apapa (Guardian)
The House of Representatives member for Apapa Federal Constituency, Rep. Mufutau Egberongbe, wants the Federal Government (FG) to concentrate on the revival of railways and waterways transportation in Apapa, to end the perennial gridlock. Egberongbe, who gave the advice in a statement on Friday in Lagos, said that more efforts were needed to sanitise the area of congestion, which he noted had paralysed economic activities in the area. The lawmaker, however, commended the FG task force for the cleaning of Apapa area of Lagos and for its resilience and determination to end the perennial gridlock experienced by the residents. Read more
Two soldiers, 29 armed bandits killed during Zamfara attack (Guardian)
At least 29 armed bandits have been killed within 24 hours after Nigerian troops of Operation HADARI DAJI engaged armed bandits around Moriki-Dole Moriki General area in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara state. The operation spokesman Ayobami Oni-Orisan in a statement said the troops attacked the known bandits’ camps in the state, “on the expiration of the 24-hour ultimatum given to all bandits’ groups to surrender and embrace peace or face the wrath” of the army. “The troops, adopting an aggressive posture, overwhelmed the bandits with superior firepower, forcing them to beat a retreat into the surrounding bushes,” Oni-Orisan said. Read more
Alleged N6.9bn fraud: Fayose still under investigation —EFCC (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Friday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that former Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, facing N6.9 billion fraud before the court, was being investigated for other matters. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Fayose was billed for re-arraignment before Justice Aneke on Friday, but EFCC counsel, Mr S.A. Obafemi, prayed the court to adjourn the case, saying that the commission was still investigating the defendant for other matters. Read more
Ohanaeze youths sends draft bill for federation of S’East (Nation)
The Youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has submitted a proposal for a Draft Bill for the Federation of South East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo and Enugu states with Igbos in Delta and Rivers opting to join them. The National President of the group Arthur Obiora said the Draft bill has been sent to all state Houses of Assembly in the East for deliberation and passage. He noted that in view of the socio-political and structural conflicts in Nigeria it has become necessary for Nigeria to go back to regional system with a level of autonomy for the federating regions. Read more
EFCC presents additional evidence in trial of Sen. Nwoboshi (Guardian)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday, called its third witness in a Federal High Court Lagos, in the trial of Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, facing money laundering charges. Nwoboshi, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, is the Senator representing Delta North in the National Assembly. EFCC had re-arraigned him on Oct. 5, 2018, before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, along with Golden Touch Construction Projects Ltd, and Suiming Electricals for alleged N322 million money laundering. Read more
Ogun Assembly reveals plans to translate laws to local languages (Punch)
Mr. Olakunle Oluomo, Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly has said that there was a plan that bills passed into laws by the assembly would be translated to local languages for easy understanding by the people of the state. Oluomo made this known in Abeokuta on Friday while speaking at a strategic legislative luncheon organised by the State Branch of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights. The programme was tagged: “Legislative Agenda for Good Governance’’. Read more
We have assisted the return of 17,000 Nigerians — IOM (Guardian)
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Sub-Office in Lagos on Thursday said that it had in the last five years provided assistance to about 17,000 Nigerian voluntary returnees from Libya. Mr Abrham Tamrat, IOM’s Promgramme Manager of Migrant Unit for Nigeria and Head of Lagos Sub-Office made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. “We have had quite a number of Nigerian returnees that we assisted from transit destination. Read more
Recruitment: FCT Police display names of candidates at Area Councils (Nation)
The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on Friday said it had displayed names of shortlisted candidates from the FCT for recruitment into police at the Area Councils. A statement by DSP Anjuguri Manzah, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), in the command called on applicants to visit respective Area Councils to check for their names. He said that the screening exercise would commence at the Command Headquarters in the FCT from Monday July 1, until Saturday July 6, by 7 a.m daily. Read more
Woman allegedly pours pepper on boyfriend’s nine-year-old son (Punch)
A 27-year-old woman, Nelly Antai, who allegedly tied up her boyfriend’s nine-year-old son and poured raw pepper on him, on Friday appeared in a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. Antai, who lives with her boyfriend at No 11, Mogaji St., Ijeshatedo, Surulere, Lagos, was charged with indecent assault. The Prosecution Counsel, Sgt. Anthonia Osayande told the court that Antai committed the offence on June 15, at the same address. Read more
European heatwave: France hits record temperature of 45.9C (BBC)
France has hit its highest recorded temperature – 45.9C (114.6F) – amid a heatwave in Europe that has claimed several lives. The new record was measured in the southern town of Gallargues-le-Montueux. Before this year the previous record was 44.1C during a heatwave in 2003 that killed thousands. Health Minister Agnès Buzyn has said “everyone is at risk”. Read more
Millionaire’s ‘lazy’ son, 34, killed father for cutting his $1,000-a-week allowance (Metro)
A 34-year-old millionaire’s son killed his father for cutting his $1,000-a-week allowance to $300 per week, prosecutors say. Thomas Gilbert Jr allegedly shot his 70-year-old father, Thomas Gilbert Sr, dead in their family’s Manhattan apartment in January 2015, then planted a gun nearby make it seem like a suicide, police say. In court on Wednesday, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Craig Ortner said: ‘(Gilbert Jr) rejected hard work, instead, preferring an easy life handed to him on a silver platter.’ Read more
Vincent Lambert: French court ends life support tug-of-war (BBC)
France’s highest court has given a final ruling that doctors can stop feeding a man who has been in a persistent vegetative state since a road accident nearly 11 years ago. The Court of Cassation overturned an appeal court ruling issued on 20 May. There can be no further appeal. The case of quadriplegic Vincent Lambert, 42, has divided his family and the nation. It has become central to the right-to-die debate in France. Read more
Norwegian man sentenced to 16 years for abusing hundreds of boys (Guardian)
A Norwegian man was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Friday for the sexual abuse, including rape, of several hundred underage boys in what was described as the largest such case in the country’s history. For several years the now 27-year-old posed as a young girl online, mainly calling himself Sandra, and used deception and threats to obtain sexual videos from some 460 boys, many under the age of 16. However the charges against him, which included sexual abuse and rape, only concerned 270 of the victims. Read more
California set to be first US state to ban hair discrimination (BBC)
California is set to become the first US state to ban discrimination against natural hair. The new bill, which the Senate passed in April, amends anti-discrimination laws to include “traits historically associated with race” and “blackness”. It bars discrimination against black hairstyles in schools and workplaces. California’s assembly voted unanimously in favour of the measure on Thursday, sending it to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk for signing into law. Read more
Veteran, 96, left disabled after ‘care home staff let sewage leak into his room’ (Metro)
A 96-year-old World War Two veteran was left permanently disabled after care home staff let sewage leak into his room, a lawsuit alleges. Charles Banas has been living at the Westminster Nursing Facility in Evanston, Illinois for 16 years, but a lawsuit filed this month claims contaminated water in his room got him so ill that he missed the 75th D-Day commemoration overseas. Banas’ son, Mark, said the care facility neglected his father so badly that he got bedsores and eventually became permanently disabled. Read more
Angelina Jolie covered in blood as she films for new movie Those Who Wish Me Dead (Metro)
Angelina Jolie has been spotted covered in blood as she films for the upcoming action flick Those Who Wish Me Dead. We’re already obsessed. The star sported boots, khaki combat trousers and a shirt covered in blood stains as she filmed for the movie in the mountains of New Mexico – not to mention the knife in her belt. Read more
Khazri free-kick earns Tunisia a point (BBC)
Wahbi Khazri rescued a point for Tunisia against Mali in Suez as they boosted their chances of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations last 16. His deflected free-kick earned a 1-1 draw that takes them second in Group E. Mali had taken the lead when goalkeeper Mouez Hassen spilt Diadie Samassekou’s corner into his own net. Read more
AFCON 2019: Egypt’s Warda recalled after harassment claims (Punch)
Egypt midfielder Amr Warda, who was kicked out of the squad over claims of sexual harassment, will return for the Africa Cup of Nations knockout stages at the request of his team-mates, the country’s football association said Friday. The 25-year-old Warda was excluded ahead of Wednesday’s 2-0 victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo after sexual harassment claims surfaced earlier this week on social media platforms. Multiple women posted screenshots and testimonies of Warda’s alleged lewd comments, as well as explicit videos attributed to the player. Read more
Eagles savor clement weather, intensify training for Madagascar (Nation)
Super Eagles training in Alexandria Friday was not only impressive but was made tick by clement weather, fillers from the camp revealed. The Gernot Rohr tutored side, already have a place in the round of 16 and lead the group with six points. A win against Madagascar who defeated fellow debutants Burundi on Thursday will see the Nigerians finish with nine points winning all three group matches. Read more
Mali’s Niane latest to be kicked out of AFCON 2019 (Punch)
Mali has expelled striker Adama Niane from their squad for indiscipline, the third player to be turfed out by his team at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. “Adama Niane was excluded from the Eagles group for non-respect,” said the team’s media officer Ibrahim Coulibaly. Reports said the 26-year-old Belgium-based player had slapped a teammate in an altercation over queuing. Read more
Alex Iwobi names the favourite to win the Premier League next season and outlines Arsenal’s target (Metro)
Alex Iwobi has named Manchester City as the favourites to win the Premier League next season and says Arsenal’s target will be to secure Champions League qualification. The Gunners suffered a dismal run of form towards the end of the 2018-19 campaign to drop out of the top four, eventually finishing fifth, one point behind fourth-placed Tottenham. Unai Emery’s side finished a whole 28 points behind champions Manchester City, who edged out Liverpool in one of the most thrilling and competitive title races in history. Read more
LeBron James drops major hint over new jersey number after giving his No.23 to Anthony Davis
LeBron James has reportedly decided to give up his No.23 jersey to Anthony Davis as the Los Angeles Lakers put the finishing touches on their trade for the All-Star center. Earlier this month, it was confirmed that the Lakers and Pelicans had agreed a trade that would see Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Josh Hart, as well as multiple first-round picks, go to New Orleans in exchange for Davis. The 26-year-old has worn the iconic No.23 shirt throughout his seven-year NBA career, ever since being drafted by the Pelicans. Read more