Insecurity: Buhari vows punishment on murderous herders, terrorists (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday vowed that the federal government will not allow anyone who kills or maim another under any guise to go unpunished. He spoke at the 2019 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) held at the Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos, in commemoration of the service’s 156th anniversary. Buhari who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the federal government was working seriously with other states to contain herders-farmers conflicts, banditry and terrorism saluting the army for its efforts to save the country from disintegration. Read more
Controversy over death of Nigerian in South Africa as Odinkalu tackles Dabiri-Erewa (Punch)
The death of insurance guru, Obianuju Ndubuisi, in a South African hotel has become a subject of controversy, sparking a heated debate on social media. Ndubuisi, who was Deputy Director-General of Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, had travelled to South Africa to attend the conference of the African Insurance Organisation but was found dead in her room at Emperor’s Palace Casino, Hotel and Convention Centre, Johannesburg on June 13, 2019. Although her death was at first considered a natural one, a report dated June 24 showed that her death was consistent with strangulation. Read more
4 escape death as tanker overturns on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Guardian)
The Ogun Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Saturday said that four persons sustained various degrees of injury when a tanker overturned at Ogere on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Mr Clement Oladele, the Ogun Sector Commandant of FRSC, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun, that the accident happened at about 6.50 a.m. Oladele explained that the tanker which was burnt beyond recognition was heading from Lagos to Ibadan when it lost control due to dangerous driving and excessive speeding. Read more
NSCDC in Oyo conducts personnel psychological test (Punch)
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Oyo State Command, has embarked on a psychological assessment test for its personnel. The command’s Public Relations Officer, Olusegun Oluwole said in a statement on Saturday that the management staff, area commanders, divisional officers, officers, and men of the corps would be involved in the exercise, which began on Friday. Oluwole said that the exercise, which is in compliance with the directive of the NSCDC Commandant General, Abdullahi Gana, would hold in three centres across Oyo state and end on July 7. Read more
FRSC warns newly recruited marshals against extortion, bribery (Guardian)
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned the newly recruited marshals against extortion and bribe-taking during patrols. Mr Kabir Lawal, Deputy Corps Marshal in-charge of training, gave the warning at the Passing Out Parade (POP) of the 2019 set of Marshal Inspectors Cadre in Jos on Monday. According to him, the corps will not spare any personnel caught extorting money or taking bribe from motorists. Read more
Gov Ikpeazu gives recipe for national development (Punch)
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has identified peace and unity as key factors for facilitating sustained national development. Ikpeazu said this on Friday when members of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Aba Depot, paid him a visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Aba. The governor said that every Nigerian had a responsibility to be patriotic by supporting causes that would encourage positive growth and productivity. Read more
Ex-minister Heineken Lokpobiri joins Bayelsa gov race (Punch)
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, immediate past Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, has declared his intention to contest for the November 16 Governorship election in Bayelsa on the platform of All Progressives Congress. Lokpobiri made his intention known on Saturday after consultation with the state leadership of the APC at the party’s Secretariat in Yenagoa. Lokpobiri told the party leadership that he was ready to lead APC to the “Creek Haven’’, Bayelsa State seat of power; so that he could build an economy beyond oil for the state. Read more
Dickson offers automatic employment to 335 professionals (Nation)
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson has offered automatic employment to 336 professionals from various disciplines including 102 PhD holders. A breakdown of the 336 beneficiaries showed that 102 PhD holders drawn from the state and other Ijaw-speaking communities across the country were absorbed as lecturers into the state-owned tertiary institutions. A statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei, said Dickson presented employment letters to the beneficiaries on Saturday. Read more
Police, DSS Arrest 16 in Imo over illegal revenue collection (Punch)
Operatives of the Imo State Police Command and Department of Security Services have arrested 16 suspects for offences ranging from vehicle licence-racketeering, touting, production/issuance of fake vehicle licence and production/issuance of fake drivers’ licence. Those arrested were Anyanwu Chioma (23), Chiamaka Adindu (25), Chibogwu Salome (40), Anyanwu Kelechi (28), Onwuzugha Kingsley (40), Uwakwe Chidimma (37), Chinedu Chimezie (36), Mbalisi Emeldah (31), Onyenze Donatus (35) and Matilda Anyanwu (43). Read more
Truck crushes three to death in Ogun (Punch)
Three persons were on Saturday killed in an accident involving a truck and a motorcycle at Onibukun area along Sango-Idiroko in the Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State. The Spokesman for Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi confirmed the incident to our correspondent in Abeokuta. Akinbiyi explained that the accident involved a truck with registration number Lagos EKY 644 WH and a motorcycle with registration number FFF 398WH. Read more
World War ll veteran urges FG to pay his pension (Nation)
A 104-year-old World War ll Veteran of the Nigerian Army, Adamo Aduku on Saturday urged the Federal Government to pay his pension. Aduku was one of those conferred with the Chief of Army Staff World War II Veteran Award at the 2019 Army Day Celebration in Lagos. While speaking to journalists at the event, he lamented that since he was discharged as a Private from the Nigerian Army in 1957 he was yet to receive his pension. Read more
Botswana to appeal ruling decriminalising homosexuality (BBC)
Botswana’s government will appeal against a landmark High Court ruling that decriminalised homosexuality, the attorney general says. Last month the court rejected colonial-era laws that imposed up to seven-year jail terms for same-sex relationships, saying they were unconstitutional. The ruling was viewed by many as a step towards improving LGBT rights in Africa. But Attorney General Abraham Keetshabe said the judges had made a mistake. Read more
US welcomes deal to end unrest in Sudan (Guardian)
The United States has said it welcomes a power-sharing deal designed to end months of political unrest in Sudan. The agreement was reached Friday between protest leaders and the country’s ruling generals after two days of talks. It calls for establishing a so-called sovereign council with a rotating military and civilian president for three years. Read more
US says latest Taliban talks ‘most productive’ so far (Guardian)
The seventh round of peace talks between the United States and Afghanistan’s Taliban that are ongoing in Qatar are the “most productive” so far, US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said Saturday. “These six days have been the most productive of the rounds we’ve had with the Talibs… we made progress on all the issues that we have been discussing,” Khalilzad said in Qatar. The insurgents have been meeting with the US envoy in Doha to try to forge a deal that would see the US military quit Afghanistan in return for various guarantees. Read more
Turkey’s Erdogan fires central bank chief Murat Cetinkaya (BBC)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has fired the governor of the central bank and replaced him with his deputy. No official reason was given for the sacking of Murat Cetinkaya, who had held the position since April 2016. However, it comes amid reports of disagreements over interest rates, which the government wants to lower in a bid to boost economic growth. The announcement has prompted renewed concern over the central bank’s independence. Read more
Harry and Meghan share first pictures of Archie’s secret christening (Metro)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared the first pictures of the christening of their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. The heartwarming portrait features Meghan and Harry holding Archie surrounded by their close relatives. Meghan’s mum, Doria Ragland, made the journey from LA to witness the baptism of her first-born grandchild. The couple paid tribute to Harry’s late mother Diana and included her sisters Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale in the beautiful pictures. Read more
Alek Sigley: North Korea accuses Australian of ‘spying’ (BBC)
North Korea says an Australian student who had been detained for several days before being released had been “spying” for news outlets. Alek Sigley, 29, was reported missing in late June, but was freed on Thursday after Swedish officials in Pyongyang met the North Korean government. NK News, one of the websites to publish his writing, has rejected Pyongyang’s claims that he spied for them. It said his columns only “presented an apolitical view of life in Pyongyang”. Read more
Migrant rescue sailboat defies Salvini, heads for Italy (Guardian)
A charity rescue vessel vowed Saturday to bring 41 shipwrecked migrants into port in Lampedusa in defiance of far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini who has tried to close Italian ports to the ships. Mediterranea’s Italian-flagged Alex announced it was heading to the southern island after waiting nearly two days with the rescued migrants and asylum-seekers on the small sailboat’s deck. Read more
California earthquake: Larger 7.1 magnitude quake hits (BBC)
A 7.1 magnitude earthquake has rattled parts of Southern California, the biggest tremor to strike in 20 years. It struck at the shallow depth of 0.9km (0.6 miles) and its epicentre was near the city of Ridgecrest, about 240km north-east of Los Angeles. A 6.4-magnitude quake hit the same area on Thursday at a depth of nearly 11km. Seismologist Dr Lucy Jones said the quakes could continue. “This is an earthquake sequence,” she said at a press conference. “It will be ongoing.” Read more
Parents found daughter, 5, dead in bed after she complained about sore tummy (Metro)
A mum and dad desperately tried to resuscitate their daughter when they found her unconscious in bed, an inquest heard. Susie and Phil Deuk were unable to revive Keziah, five, who had died at their home in Hove, East Sussex, last July. The schoolgirl, who was being treated for bloating and constipation, had earlier complained about an upset stomach at school. Read more
Kevin Spacey ‘questioned by Met Police in US’ (BBC)
Actor Kevin Spacey has been questioned in the US by the Metropolitan Police over sex assault allegations in the UK, according to Variety magazine. Variety said Scotland Yard detectives travelled to the US in May to interview the Oscar-winner under caution. He faces six allegations of sexual assault in the UK between 1996 and 2013. Police said he was voluntarily interviewed – he was not arrested. Spacey faces a number of sexual assault allegations, which he denies. Read more
Africa Cup of Nations: Mbark Boussoufa retires from internationals after Morocco exit (BBC)
Morocco’s Mbark Boussoufa says it is time for a younger generation to have a chance after announcing his retirement from international football. The Atlas Lions surprisingly lost on penalties to Benin in the last 16 at the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. It ended a 13-year international career for the midfielder, who scored eight goals in 70 games for his country. “I had my time. I had a good time I think that’s been enough from me,” the 34-year-old told BBC Sport. Read more
Chelsea’s Loftus-Cheek signs five-year contract extension (Guardian)
Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek signed a five-year contract extension with the Premier League club on Saturday. The 23-year-old made a strong impression during his first season as a regular in the Chelsea team last term and new Blues boss Frank Lampard is expected to make him a key part of his plans. Loftus-Cheek missed out on the Blues’ Europa League final victory over Arsenal after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during a friendly in the United States. Read more
Wilfried Zaha posts cryptic tweet after Arsenal’s £40m transfer bid is rejected (Metro)
Wilfried Zaha has got Arsenal fans talking with a cryptic tweet amid speculation that he could be set for a move to the Emirates this summer. Arsenal have had a bid of £40million rejected for Zaha, with Crystal Palace holding out for a fee of around £70m for the 26-year-old forward. Unai Emery has a tight transfer budget following the Gunners’ failure to secure Champions League qualification, but they have not given up hope of signing Zaha just yet. Read more
Chelsea’s Morata to join Atletico Madrid on permanent deal (Guardian)
Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata will join Atletico Madrid on a permanent deal after the end of his 18-month loan deal, the Premier League club announced on Saturday. The 26-year-old has been at the Spanish club since January, scoring six goals in 17 games. The Spain international was Chelsea’s record signing when he joined the club from Real Madrid for £60 million ($75 million) on a five-year contract in July 2017, and scored 24 goals in 72 appearances for the Blues. Read more
Murray’s men’s doubles dream dashed by Croatian pair (Punch)
Former world number one Andy Murray’s hopes of emulating Michael Stich in adding a Wimbledon men’s doubles title to his singles crowns ended on Saturday as he and Pierre-Hugues Herbert exited in the second round. The 32-year-old Scotsman, who landed the Queen’s doubles title a fortnight ago in his first tournament back after “life-changing” hip surgery, and his French partner were outclassed by the sixth seeded Croatian duo of Nikola Mektic and Franko Skugor who won 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Read more