I’m not wanted by Police- Lagos NURTW chieftain (Nation)
A chieftain of the National Union of Road and Transport Workers (NURTW) Lagos State branch, Mr Mustapha Adekunle a.k.a Sego, has reacted to a recent media publication, which described him as wanted by the police. He said it is all a tissue of lies and has instructed his lawyers to commence legal action against the newspaper that published the defamatory story on him. Read more
Let’s institutionalise APC, so that when we leave, it’ll continue to lead —Buhari (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged leadership of the All Progressives Congress to join hands in building the party, so that it will continue to lead. “We really need to institutionalise the party so that when we leave, the party will continue to lead,” the President said. Buhari spoke at a meeting with the All Progressives Congress leaders and members of the Progressives Governors’ Forum at the State House, Abuja, on Friday. Read more
INEC server: Scammers deceived Atiku, says APC (Nation)
National Vice Chairman, North East of the All Progressives Congress (APC), comrade Mustapha Salihu has said that former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar was deceived by con men into believing that there was an INEC server used for the transmission of election results during the last Presidential election. Comrade Salihu told newsmen in an interview after a meeting of stakeholders of the party from Adamawa state that from the judgement of the tribunal it is clear that there was no server recognised by law anywhere and so, could not have been used for the election. Read more
Fuel tanker falls along Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway (Punch)
A fuel tanker carrying 33,000 liters of Premium Motor Spirit on Friday fell along the Eke Obinagu-Emene-Abakaliki Road in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State. The cause of the accident was not immediately known, but residents and road users said the incident was not unconnected with the potholes that dot the ever-busy road connecting Enugu and Ebonyi. Read more
Court vacates forfeiture order on Okorocha’s properties (Nation)
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt Rivers State has vacated a forfeiture order secured by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on some properties belonging to former Imo Governor Rochas Okorocha and some members of his family. The anti-graft agency had early this month obtained the court’s orders for the interim forfeiture of assets traced to the former governor, his wife, Nneoma Nkechi and their daughter. Read more
Osinbajo to represent Nigeria at Mugabe’s funeral (Punch)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will represent President Muhammadu Buhari at the state funeral for former President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement in Abuja, said the vice president would depart for Harare, Zimbabwe, on Friday for the state funeral scheduled for September 14. Read more
INEC clears Bello, Wada, Akpoti, Abanida, 47 others to contest Kogi governorship poll (Guardian)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 51 candidates and their deputies to contest the Nov. 16 governorship election in Kogi. The names of the cleared candidates and their details were on Friday made public in Lokoja by the INEC. News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that five of those cleared as governorship candidates are women while the rest are men. Read more
Kashamu faction quits PDP, joins APC in Ogun (Punch)
No fewer than 1,000 members of the Peoples Democratic Party from Ogun East Senatorial District, loyal to the Buruji Kashamu faction, on Friday, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress. The defectors, who said that they took the decision in a show of solidarity with Governor Dapo Abiodun, were received by Mr Tunji Egbetokun, the Senior Special Adviser on Political Matters to the governor, in Abeokuta. Read more
Ekiti government delegation visits families of slain FUOYE students (Guardian)
The Ekiti government on Friday sent a delegation to commiserate with the families of students who died of gunshots during a protest on Tuesday by students of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti FUOYE). Those visited were the families of Joseph Okunofua and Kehinde Dada who died after sustaining fatal injuries. The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the government’s delegation was led by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji. Read more
Pilgrims Commission slashes 2019 pilgrimage fare to N715K (Punch)
The Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission has reviewed and reduced the cost of 2019 pilgrimage fare to the State of Israel from N750,000 to N715,000. Chairman of the Commission, Rev. Yomi Kasali, revealed this on Friday at the signing of the agreement of the 2019 pilgrimage contract between the commission and the service providers that would participate in the Christian pilgrimage exercise to the Holy Land. Read more
Hoodlums slaughter woman, two daughters in Edo (Nation)
Hoodlums have killed three persons at Iguadolor community in Ovia South-West local government area of Edo state. The three victims are a mother and two daughters including a six months old baby. It was gathered that the victims were children and grandchildren of the Odionwere (head) of the village, Pa. Omorogbe Avanrenren. Read more
Husband slaps mother of eight to death for refusing to breastfeed baby (Punch)
A 40-year-old man, Kingsley Madukwe, has been arrested by men of Ogun State Police Command for allegedly beating his wife, Glory Madukwe to death. Kingsley allegedly slapped his 40-year-old wife, a mother of eight, who had a month-old baby over her alleged refusal to breastfeed the crying baby. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, stated this in a statement on Friday. Read more
Algerians take to the streets to oppose presidential poll (Guardian)
Algerians returned to the streets Friday, protesting proposed presidential elections after parliament passed bills that could pave the way for the announcement of a vote to take place in December. Demonstrations that started in February led to the resignation of president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April, after 20 years at the helm. Read more
New storm to hit Bahamas two weeks after Hurricane Dorian (BBC)
A new storm is threatening the Bahamas just two weeks after Hurricane Dorian tore through part of the islands. Tropical Depression Nine, which could turn into a tropical cyclone within two days, is already causing heavy rains and strong winds on the islands. About 1,300 people are missing after Dorian, while at least 15,000 are in need of shelter, food and medical care. Read more
David Cameron: Johnson and Gove behaved ‘appallingly’ (BBC)
David Cameron has accused the current prime minister, Boris Johnson, and Michael Gove of behaving “appallingly” during the EU referendum campaign. Speaking to the Times ahead of the launch of his memoir, the former Tory PM attacked some colleagues who backed Leave for “trashing the government”. Mr Cameron said the result in 2016 had left him “hugely depressed” and he knew “some people will never forgive me”. Read more
Girl, 2, accidentally killed mum by closing electric window as she reached into BMW (Metro)
A mother died on her 21st birthday when she reached into her car as her daughter pressed the button to close the electric windows. Yulia Sharko was trying to get her little girl, two, out of the vehicle through the half-opened passenger window. But she ended up being strangled as it closed on her. Read more
Julian Castro: Joe Biden’s rival denies veiled dig at his age (BBC)
Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro has denied his attack on Joe Biden in a Democratic debate was a veiled jab at his mental faculties. Three times on Thursday night, Mr Castro accused Mr Biden of “forgetting what you said two minutes ago”. But following the debate in Houston, Texas, Mr Castro denied to the BBC that he was going after Mr Biden’s age. Read more
Mother ‘starved girl, 3, to keep her from soiling her diaper’ (Metro)
A mother was arrested for allegedly starving a three-year-old girl to stop her from soiling her diaper. Takeia Burns, 31, was arrested this week in Riviera Beach, Florida and charged with aggravated child abuse and child neglect after police discovered the girl, who weighed only 22 pounds. Read more
Felicity Huffman handed jail time over college admissions scandal (BBC)
US actress Felicity Huffman has been sentenced to 14 days in prison for her involvement in a college admissions scandal. The Desperate Housewives star admitted to paying $15,000 (£11,500) to have her daughter’s exam answers secretly corrected in 2017. She must also do 250 hours of community service and pay a $30,000 fine. Read more
Mierlo: Vandals deface British WW2 graves in Netherlands (BBC)
Vandals have spray-painted graffiti including a big swastika at a British and Commonwealth World War Two cemetery in the Netherlands. Random letters were daubed on many headstones at the Mierlo cemetery, near Eindhoven in the southern Netherlands. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) said it was “appalled”, just days after previous damage to the site. Read more
Teen who killed family then stripped naked and ran from police charged with murder (Metro)
A man who police say killed three of his relatives before getting naked and leading police on a foot chase has been charged with murder. Matthew Bernard, 18, is accused of killing his mother, 62-year-old Joan Bernard, his sister Emily Bernard Bivens, 25, and her 14-month-old son Cullen Bivens, at their home in Pittsylvania County, Virginia last month. Bernard appeared in court on Thursday where he was charged with three counts each of first-degree murder and using a firearm in the commission of a felony. Read more
Climate change: Electrical industry’s ‘dirty secret’ boosts warming (BBC)
It’s the most powerful greenhouse gas known to humanity, and emissions have risen rapidly in recent years, the BBC has learned. Sulphur hexafluoride, or SF6, is widely used in the electrical industry to prevent short circuits and accidents. But leaks of the little-known gas in the UK and the rest of the EU in 2017 were the equivalent of putting an extra 1.3 million cars on the road. Read more
Victor Osimhen scores again as Lille beat Angers (Punch)
Nigerian youngster Victor Osimhen scored his fifth Ligue 1 goal of the season as Lille claimed a 2-1 win over Angers on Friday. The 20-year-old Osimhen netted the opener six minutes before half-time to move clear of Lyon’s Memphis Depay at the top of the early goalscoring charts in France. Read more
Didier Six: Guinea appoint Frenchman as national team coach (BBC)
Former Togo and Mauritius manager Didier Six has been named as the new coach of Guinea. The 65-year-old Frenchman, who is expected to sign a three-year deal, will take charge of the Syli Nationale’s bid to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2022 World Cup. Read more
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Fred included in Manchester United squad for Leicester City clash (Metro)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been forced into major changes to his Manchester United squad ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Leicester City on Saturday. United’s team has been decimated by injuries during the international break, with six first-team stars set to miss the fixture against the Foxes. Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Luke Shaw and Jesse Lingard are set to be sidelined, with Eric Bailly and Diogo Dalot still nursing injuries. Read more
Arsenal’s Lacazette ruled out until October (Guardian)
Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette will be sidelined until October after failing to shake off a persistent ankle injury. Lacazette had been playing with pain from the problem for several weeks and the France international has now been told to rest in the hope it will allow time for the problem to heal. “After assessments to an ongoing ankle issue, we have advised that Alex will need to rest and strengthen his ankle to regain full fitness,” an Arsenal statement said on Friday. Read more
Raheem Sterling could match Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, says Pep Guardiola (BBC)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Raheem Sterling could be capable of reaching the level of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. After two fine displays for England this week, national boss Gareth Southgate said Sterling has the potential to become as good as the duo. Guardiola says “nobody can compare” with them currently but that Sterling should aspire to reach that level. Read more
Jose Mourinho identifies club structure as major difference rivals and Liverpool and Man City (Metro)
Jose Mourinho believes the biggest difference between Liverpool and Manchester City and the rest of the top Premier League sides is club structure. The likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal appear miles off the pace of the top two, with Liverpool currently leading the table with a perfect record from four games. Mourinho, who won the league three times at Chelsea, identified why United and others were so far behind Liverpool and City. Read more
Messi still out but Barcelona could welcome back Suarez (Guardian)
Forward Luis Suarez could return to the Barcelona team for their La Liga game against Valencia, coach Ernesto Valverde said on Friday, adding that he was pessimistic about Lionel Messi’s recovery. “Suarez participated in full training yesterday and again today,” Valverde said. “We hope he can play.” Read more
FIFA ban Russian FA boss for social media comments (Punch)
Alexander Shprygin, an executive member of Russia’s football federation as well as the President of Russia’s official supporters’ association, has been banned for two years by FIFA, the global governing body announced on Friday. FIFA’s ethics commission had opened an investigation against him following discriminatory statements made on social media in 2014 and 2015. Read more
Fury v Wallin: Vegas to witness ‘best Fury we have seen’, says Steve Bunce (BBC)
Las Vegas should be braced for the “best Tyson Fury we have seen” when Britain’s former heavyweight world champion faces Otto Wallin on Saturday, says the 5 Live Boxing team. Those close to Fury, in his second bout of a lucrative ESPN contract in the USA, hope he can enhance his growing profile in the country. Read more
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez: Boxer to move up two weight divisions to face Sergey Kovalev (BBC)
Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez will move up two weight divisions to challenge WBO world light-heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev on 2 November. Alvarez, cited as the world’s best-paid boxer, and bids to win a version of a world title in a fourth weight class. He currently holds world titles in the 160lb middleweight division but will now seek global honours at 175lbs. Read more